A NEW £10-million training centre to help teach new apprentices the intricacies of the Great Western Electrification programme has officially opened.

Located near the train station, the new facility has its own special section of track with overhead cabling for trainees to practice on.

It is part of Network Rail’s drive to have more of its own staff working on the £5 billion electrification project.

On Friday, Mark Langman, Network Rail’s managing director for the Western route said Swindon’s location and railway history made it the ideal location for the training school.

“Swindon has a proud railway heritage and so it seems very fitting that in celebrating its 175th anniversary as a railway town this state-of-the-art centre has opened,” he said.

“This centre will train our future railway engineers, ensuring Swindon remains at the heart of the Great Western Railway for generations to come.

“People will be coming to this centre not just from Swindon but right across the country to learn how to maintain, how to keep reliable and how to keep a really good service running with brand new electric trains.”

The technology being used for the electrification programme is not found elsewhere in the country so Mark says the skills taught will be unique.

“I was an apprentice myself when I started on the railway so it’s really important for me to bring more young people into the railways,” he said.

“Engineering is at the heart of what we do so it’s important we have our own people that will be here for the next 30, 40 or 50 years proudly maintaining this railway.

“They will be the ones taking the railway forward into the 21st century.”

Swindon MPs Justin Tomlinson and Robert Buckland were both in attendance for the opening and said Network Rail’s decision to locate the centre in Swindon was a huge boost for the town.

“This opening will bring more jobs and will eventually mean greater connections to London and the South West,” said Mr Tomlinson.

“Swindon is a town on the up which continues to expand and attract more investment. This centre is a crucial part of our growth and what better way to mark 175 years of the Great Western Railway.”

Mr Buckland said: “I worked hard to campaign for the electrification of the Great Western Main Line, which will transform the railway and provide Britain with a sustainable, world-class transport system.

“The project to electrify the Great Western Main Line is one obvious example of increasing investment in Swindon.”