A TRAINBUILDER has bid to make rolling stock for millions of London travellers, The Northern Echo can confirm.

Hitachi Rail Europe has officially tendered for a London Underground contract.

The company, based in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, is bidding as a joint venture alongside fellow manufacturer Bombardier.

The move comes just weeks after Karen Boswell, Hitachi Rail Europe’s managing director, told The Northern Echo the business was targeting London Underground’s stock replacement programme.

Officials say the prospective deal would cover up to 3,300 cars for routes including the Piccadilly, Bakerloo and Central lines, which would run from the mid-2020s.

It is understood significant amounts of work could come to Aycliffe if the bid is successful, though the company previously said it was too early to speculate on potential manufacturing arrangements.

A spokeswoman said: “This is a partnership with great potential.

Working together enables us to draw on a wealth of collective experience, which includes the best modern technology and a combined workforce of more than 4,000 staff to deliver what we believe will be a winning bid.”

Hitachi says work through its Ansaldo STS subsidiary, which includes a Danish driverless metro system, will stand it in good stead, adding Bombardier has a long relationship with Transport for London, having previously delivered Underground and Overground stock.

Hitachi took a large stake in signalling firm Ansaldo STS last year after buying Rome-based Finmeccanica’s loss-making AnsaldoBreda train business, saying the £1bn move would pave the way in securing lucrative contracts.

In early August, The Northern Echo exclusively revealed Hitachi was creating a further 150 fixed-term jobs at Aycliffe to build on its 730-strong team and support work on Great Western, East Coast Main Line and Scottish rolling stock.

A decision on the bid is expected next year.