Location Confirmed for Doncaster's High Speed Rail College: Another Boost for the Town's Thriving Rail Sector

The Lakeside, Doncaster site of the national High Speed Rail College

Lakeside, Doncaster has been confirmed as the location for the town's national High Speed Rail College.


Mayor Ros Jones and her Cabinet last week agreed that a 5.1 acre ‘ready to go’ site at Carolina Way, DN4, would be the Council’s contribution to the High Speed Rail College which will place Doncaster at the heart of the booming rail sector.

Over 200 rail and engineering businesses are based in Doncaster and the Sheffield City Region with many world leading firms like Volker Rail, Network Rail, DB Schenker, SPL Powerlines, Unipart Rail, Wabtec, Rhomberg Sersa and the new £70 million Hitachi rail maintenance facility already based in and around Lakeside.

With the rail industry expected to grow further through electrification and huge levels of investment in modernisation, the College will be the catalyst for attracting additional household names in the sector to Doncaster and the wider region.

Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones said: “We fought hard to bring the National High Speed Rail College to Doncaster and it will be one of the most important investments in the borough for many years, providing fantastic opportunities for local people to secure highly skilled, well-paid engineering and manufacturing jobs.”

A recent study by the National Skills Academy for Rail Engineering (NSARE) showed the rail industry needs about 1,000 apprentice engineers a year and no more than 600 a year are being created. This gap will be exacerbated by HS2.

The High Speed Rail College will address the skills shortage by providing people with the training, skills and qualifications needed by rail businesses to thrive and win contracts worldwide.

An artist's impression of how Doncaster High Speed Rail College could look (Bond Bryan Architects)

Mayor Jones added: “We plan to develop a rail and engineering campus at Lakeside which encourages further specialist training provision and links in with our schools and colleges so there are clear pathways for our young people into long lasting and rewarding careers. This really is a game changer for Doncaster.”

Commenting on the town’s rail heritage, Mayor Jones continued: “Doncaster has a rich history of rail innovation with internationally acclaimed locomotives like Flying Scotsman and Mallard designed, built and maintained in the town. We have always been at the forefront of rail and the College will further enhance our reputation as a rail town.”

“The College will be the fulcrum for substantial growth in the rail and associated sectors, delivering far-reaching economic benefits for Doncaster, the Sheffield City Region, Yorkshire, the North-East and beyond,” concluded Mayor Jones.

In September 2014, the Government announced the High Speed Rail College would be based in Doncaster and Birmingham. This followed a successful bid by the Centre for Rail Engineering and Technical Excellence (CREATE) partnership, coordinated by Doncaster Council.

There was widespread support for the bid from the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership and towns, cities, city regions, Chambers of Commerce, universities and colleges, local authorities, businesses and residents right across the north.

As well as helping to shape the College and its curriculum, the Council will project manage its construction. The curriculum will be finalised by March 2015, with building works expected to start in 2015. The College will welcome its first intake of students at the start of the 2017/18 academic year.