THE FORMAL acquisition of a former opencast site in the Dulais Valley marks a significant step in the development of a “world-class” rail testing facility in Wales, according to its supporters.
Today, Economy Minister Vaughan Gething announced that the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) has acquired the 700-hectare Nant Helen opencast site and Onllwyn Washery from opencast mining business Celtic Energy.
Now, the site in Ystradgynlais will be transformed and developed into the United Kingdom’s “one-stop shop” for railway innovation, including research and development, testing, verification, and certification, as well as applied innovation on mainline passenger and freight railways.
In 2021, Neath Port Talbot Council and Powys County Council approved the GCRE’s outline planning application.
Various consultants and contractors, including Walters Group of Hirwaun, Atkins, Fifth Studio, Arcadis, and Mott MacDonald, are currently collaborating to design the site and begin construction preparations in early 2023.
“Its importance to the local community and Welsh economy cannot be overstated. This is an essential revitalization initiative that will provide desperately needed employment and skills. I am certain that it will foster a prosperous industrial future for the Dulais Valley and its vicinity.”
Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters, said that it would be “a unique facility offering world-class testing of infrastructure, rolling stock and new technologies that will fill a much-needed gap in the rail industry”.
“Crucially, it will help manage the cost of rail projects by testing ideas earlier before their deployment on projects and support the vital innovation we need to get to Net Zero,” he said.
“The formal acquisition of the land now paves the way for the start of construction by allowing GCRE and their contractors to take control of the site and begin to establish the infrastructure required to turn this ambitious and exciting vision into reality.”
Chief Executive of GCRE, Simon Jones said: “We are moving at pace to deliver on our ambitious plans to deliver a modern and comprehensive rail testing and innovation facility, building our team and preparing for construction with the aim of having our commercial rolling stock storage facility available to the market within the next 12 months.
“The next stage of our procurement process will begin shortly with both a meet the buyer event and the launch of a separate innovation competition next week to give potential suppliers and partners the opportunity to find out more about how they can get involved.
“This will be followed by the launch of an exciting investment prospectus to attract private funding for the project. With the support of the Welsh and UK Governments and Powys and
Neath Port Talbot local authorities, we really are on a mission to put Wales and the UK at the very heart of 21st century sustainable transport innovation.”
