Rail engineering firm plans to re-open Hull sidings that haven't been used since 1987 for HS2 assembly plant connected to the mainline

Priory Sidings in Hessle date back to the mid-1800s, but from the 1960s until the site’s closure in 1987 were used as a Freightliner intermodal container terminal.

Network Rail still own the land, which is used for materials storage and maintenance access, and have agreed to grant a lease to Voestalpine Turnout Technology, who have a contract to supply rail construction projects around the UK.

The company has now applied to Hull City Council for planning permission for the scheme, which would involve the reinstatement of two lost sidings, a new connection to the nearby freight line, and the building of warehouses and office space. It would create 20 new jobs.

According to the documents submitted as part of the proposal, Voestalpine specialises in the supply of complex trackwork for rail junctions. It already has an assembly plant in Harworth, near Doncaster, but spent three years searching for a further suitable site, rejecting several in the south of England. Components will be delivered from Germany via the Channel Tunnel for assembly in Hull. The Harworth base is dependent on road transport and Voestalpine has a ‘pressing need’ for a site with a rail connection.

The area is surrounded by both a freight line to the Tarmac aggregates terminal and the main passenger line into Hull.

Voestalpine has secured a contract to supply materials to HS2, and the site will be used to send assembled parts to four major construction hubs.

The application is currently under consideration.

Voestalpine said: “voestalpine Railway Systems, a subsidiary of the international steel and technology group voestalpine based in Austria, has been contracted by HS2 Ltd to supply points and crossings for phases 1 and 2a of the UK's new high-speed railway.

“The contract includes the design, manufacture and delivery of around 180 switches and crossings which will be installed between London and the connection with the West Coast Main Line at Crewe. Due to the size of the components a new rail connection site is required to stage deliveries to HS2. A logistics hub in Hessle will receive the components to assemble high speed switches and crossings via rail from the EU, reducing carbon footprint and road congestion.

"The logistic site will employ 20 employees responsible for receiving and supplying the assemblies to HS2 building site by rail. The HS2 related engineering, servicing

and assembly employment of voestalpine Turnout Technology UK on all sites in UK will add 50 new employees when supply of components to HS2 commences.”