A TRAINBUILDER has now created more than 900 jobs as it ramps up production of next generation rolling stock, The Northern Echo can reveal.

Hitachi Rail Europe’s workforce stands at around 930 after the company smashed a recruitment target at its £82m factory in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

Confirmation comes after bosses last year told the Echo they expected to top the 900 mark by Easter.

However, it can be revealed the company is still adding to its headcount, with a handful of roles expected to be filled over the coming weeks as the business works on English and Scottish rolling stock.

Hitachi has consistently added to its rota to support an increased workload, which includes production of trains for the East Coast and Great Western routes under the Government’s InterCity Express Programme (IEP) and 100mph models for the ScotRail franchise.

The company has also formed a joint venture with Bombardier as it seeks a deal to make new carriages for the London underground and earlier this year confirmed its intention to bid for a contract to make 225mph trains for HS2.

Speaking previously to the Echo, Darren Cumner, Ayliffe plant manager, said the firm’s evolution would be based upon further contracts delivered by ample production line staff.

He said: “We will continue to recruit. We are ploughing on with building trains for IEP and have started ScotRail, and there will always be an award cycle and a bidding cycle.

“The potential is there.”

Earlier this year, Hitachi confirmed its intention to bid for a multi-billion pound deal to make HS2 stock.

Details of the plan emerged after managing director Karen Boswell told the Echo the firm was eyeing work on the link. Up to 60 trains will be needed to transport passengers on HS2, with the contract expected to be awarded in 2019. The first phase of HS2 could open in late 2026.

Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson said he believes the company can succeed, highlighting its back catalogue of high-speed projects, which includes trains for the Tokaido Shinkansen line that began service ahead of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

He said: “Hitachi has 50 years of building high-speed trains. They have got a good track record and a factory in Aycliffe where they could be prepared to invest more.”

Hitachi’s first raft of IEP stock is scheduled to run on the Great Western Main Line this year, with East Coast models, known as Azuma, to enter service in 2018.

Its ScotRail trains are due to run from late 2017 and operate on electrified lines between Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as routes covering Stirling, Alloa and Dunblane.