East Midlands Railway are supporting jobs in Ripley and Burton upon Trent following a contract being awarded by EMR and Hitachi to manufacture products for a new Aurora fleet of trains.

Mors Smitt manufactures Automic warn Automatic Warning Systems (AWS), Train Protection & Warning Systems (TPWS) and Automatic Power Control (APC) systems, in Burton upon Trent, and are just one of a number of companies based in the UK selected to supply products for the project.

East Midlands Railway (EMR) and Hitachi Rail will support Mors Smitt and the 65 people they employ throughout the Midlands due to the contract.

The TPWS safety systems made by Mors Smitt helps train drivers safely operate the train and provide vital information about the status of upcoming signals, applying the emergency brake if should the train pass a restricted signal.

Also manufactured by Mors Smitt, the APC safety system makes sure that a train does not draw power from overhead lines when passing through a neutral section and stops electrical arcing which could cause damage to both the overhead line and train.

Complying with the most up to date technical and safety standards, these essential safety systems are also small, lightweight and work on lower power providing increased overall efficiency for the new fleet of trains.

Mark Scott, Product Development Director RTPE Group, said: “Mors Smitt, are excited to be involved in the deployment of Aurora into East Midlands Railways. Not only are the AWS/TPWS and APC products designed and manufactured in the Midlands here in Burton upon Trent but we also insist on utilising Midlands based suppliers where possible.”

“A truly local effort that genuinely contributes to sustainability of the System Engineering Team and Systems Manufacturing team here in Burton.”

Ripley based company Forbo Flooring Systems have also been selected to supply parts for the Aurora fleet using a flooring product that has been specially designed for the rail industry and is easily cleaned, hardwearing and can cope with heavy footfall whilst being easy to maintain.

Bob Summers, International Key Account Manager UK & Ireland at Forbo Flooring Systems, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be working on the Aurora contract. The fleet will be benefiting from Forbo carpet that has been specially digitally printed, giving the designers the widest possible scope to create an interior fitting for this project.”

The Aurora fleet is due to enter service during 2023 and will provide substantial advances on EMR’s current fleet bringing many positives for passengers such as increased seating and modern interiors. The fleet will also be able to run on overhead electric lines and features requested by passengers such as air conditioning, free WiFI throughout, plug sockets and improved passenger information screens.

Lisa Angus, Transitions and Projects Director at East Midlands Railway, said: “It is great that the production of our Aurora Fleet is able to support UK businesses locally – helping to maintain and create jobs.These local specialist companies will help turn our new trains into something special which I’m sure our passengers will love to travel on.”

Amy Webb, Head of EMR Programme at Hitachi Rail said: “Mors Smitt and Forbo are valued members of Hitachi Rail’s extensive UK supply chain so it’s great to see that our partnership with EMR is already delivering tangible benefits for the Midlands. Supporting job creation, while also encouraging innovation, is precisely why Hitachi Rail prioritises UK suppliers.”

“The new Aurora fleet is currently being manufactured at Hitachi Rail’s UK factory. As one the UK’s major train manufacturers and maintainers, Hitachi Rail prioritises UK suppliers whenever possible. This approach as resulted in Hitachi Rail spending over £1.8 billion with UK suppliers in just eight years.”

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