All is not lost for Bombardier despite Thameslink setback

I found this statement from Heather Wheeler, the Conservative MP for South Derbyshire and thought it raised some valid points.

LIKE you, I was shocked and disappointed to hear that Bombardier had lost out to Siemens in its bid to build the new trains for Thameslink, and will be asking questions of ministers and in the House as to why this has happened, writes MP Heather Wheeler.

It is important not to lose sight of the fact that the Government intends to retain Bombardier Transportation UK Ltd with VeloCity as the reserve bidder in the event that contracts cannot be satisfactorily finalised with Siemens.

I am asking particularly if part of the tender can be subcontracted to any of the businesses which form the Derbyshire Rail Forum, including Bombardier.

Other members may be able to tender for work from Siemens and we hope they will be successful. ESG, which is already expanding its facilities in Bretby, is one of these, so hopefully some of this contract will come back here.

It is not all gloom and doom, as Bombardier has a number of active orders at its Derby plant, the largest of which is 1,300 carriages for the Sub-Surface lines, due for completion by 2014.

The company has employed a number of contract workers on short-term contracts to cope with this peak activity.

Bombardier is also one of the bidders who have pre-qualified for the Crossrail rolling stock order (around 600 carriages), with the contract award expected in late 2013, and is a potential bidders for the new LUL tube trains, which could total up to 3,400 carriages.

There has been a lot of anger and disbelief in both the railway and National press regarding the fact that the Thameslink rolling stock contract has gone to German company Siemens.  The fact of the matter is that, with the findings of the McNulty review, rolling stock procurement as well as other facets of railway life now have to offer value for money to the British taxpayer. 

As unfortunate as the loss of this contract is, the future for Bombardier could still be secured if they can gain the contract for either the Crossrail rolling stock or to continue producing tube stock for London Underground.  Work on the “S Stock” Underground trains for the Metropolitan, Circle, District & Hammersmith & City Lines should see work continue until 2014 which should give enough time to gain more work.