Hitachi Rail is a cornerstone of the UK’s rail industry. Operating across 20+ sites across England, Scotland and Wales, we leverage an extensive network of depots, maintenance centres and our factory in the North East. This infrastructure enables us to deliver world-class solutions in signalling, digital maintenance and telecom systems. Our skilled and diverse teams across the region, drive innovation, deliver results for our customers, and nurture the next generation of rail talent across the UK.
As a trusted partner to operators around the world, our global capabilities span every part of the urban, mainline and freight rail ecosystems. From high-quality manufacturing and maintenance of rolling stock to delivering secure digital signalling and smart operations, ticketing and payment solutions, we empower our customers to meet their operational and sustainability goals.
Hitachi Rail, the manufacturer of the iconic shinkansen bullet trains, has factories in Italy, the UK, and the USA. In the UK, we manufacture and maintain trains, supporting fleets nationwide from our North East factory and network of depots.
Our ERTMS / ETCS digital signalling solutions improve capacity, safety, and efficiency across more than 26,000 km of mainline railways globally. In the UK, we partner with Network Rail on projects to modernise infrastructure, enhance operations, and increase reliability. Our success in modernising the London Underground signalling systems has laid the foundation for advancements across UK mainline networks, driving better performance and connectivity.
Our CBTC (Communication-Based Train Control) systems power over 4,600 km of urban railways in 100+ cities worldwide, improving efficiency and reliability. In the UK, our SelTrac ™ technology supports 60% of Transport for London's network, enabling over 1 million passenger journeys daily. This advanced signaling enhances capacity, reduces delays, and delivers faster, more reliable travel for passengers
We support seamless travel for millions daily, processing over 50 million multimodal ticketing transactions across the UK. Our technology powers National Rail Enquiries, the UK’s primary journey planning platform and Darwin, Rail Delivery Group (RDG) and Network Rail’s national train-running system, enabling accurate, consistent updates on train services across the country. In Wales, our solutions are key in improving passenger experience and operational efficiency.
Hitachi Rail's commitment to long-term partnerships has led to an investment of over £2.6 billion in the UK supply chain since 2015. Our manufacturing and maintenance operations have contributed over £640 million gross value added to the UK economy, supporting over 9500 jobs across England, Scotland and Wales.
Hitachi Rail reflects the diversity of the people and places we serve, as a global business with a multi-cultural heritage dedicated to nurturing talent and growing local skills and knowledge. Our 3,500-strong workforce is the heart of our operations, with a strong focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as a key driver to foster innovation and performance.
From managing materials at depot sites to ensuring timely delivery of components, Andrea Cooper's role as Head of Supply Chain OS&M at Hitachi Rail UK is both challenging and rewarding. As we celebrate 200 years of railway history, she shares her journey into rail and some of the challenges she must overcome as an apprentice.
