Derby Shortlisted for HS2 College

Derby has been shortlisted to become the home of the National College for High Speed Rail, which expects to train 2,000 apprentices during the lifetime of the construction of the HS2 line.

Competitors include Manchester, Birmingham and Doncaster to become the first of many national colleges. Rupert Brennan-Brown, a spokesperson for Derby and Derbyshire Rail Forum, said: “This is yet more good news in this, our 175th anniversary year. It makes perfect sense to have the people being trained in the same city as those with the current expertise.”

John Forkin, Managing Director of Marketing Derby said: “I am not surprised that Derby has been shortlisted. A list without Derby on it would have felt wrong. I think it is really important to press our case as a home for the railway for the last 175 years as well as being home of the largest rail hub in the world.”

Derby is also campaigning for the HS2 East Midlands station to be based in the city rather than the current planned location in Toton, Nottinghamshire.

Representatives from the four shortlisted cities will make presentations later this month, with a decision for the HS2 college expected in July.