DRIIVe rail R&D and training centre under construction

UK: Work has begun to be build the Derbyshire Rail Industry Innovation Vehicle rail research, development and training centre next to the historic Barrow Hill Roundhouse near Chesterfield.

DRIIVe is scheuled to open in 2026, offering classroom and training areas, commercial workshop space and specialist research and development facilities including a digital laboratory. A network of specialist training providers will offer rail-related education from level two through to postgraduate training and research, and the centre is intended to serve as a base for supply chain businesses which will have access to the latest innovations.

DRIIVe is being funded as part of the Staveley Town Deal programme, with additional funding from Chesterfield Borough Council and East Midlands Combined County Authority. It is being delivered by the council in collaboration with Barrow Hill Engine Shed Society, with Stepnell as construction partner.

‘We are already seeing interest from the rail sector in using this space because the state-of-the-art innovation and research facilities will help set us apart from other locations’, said Mervyn Allcock, Manager of the Barrow Hill Roundhouse and Staveley Town Deal board member, when work began in June.

Mayor of the East Midlands Claire Ward said ‘this exciting project will not only create jobs and skills opportunities for residents but also inspire the next generation of rail professionals. It will also strengthen Chesterfield’s position as an innovative destination for the rail sector, offering our young people a path into a rewarding career.’