Lucchini Unipart Rail opened new Manchester and Doncaster facilities
posted on 28th Oct 2025 12:03
Lucchini Unipart Rail (LUR) has officially opened two major new facilities in Manchester and Doncaster as part of a 7.5 million GBP investment programme to expand capacity, modernise operations, and strengthen its role in the UK rail supply chain.
The milestone openings of the Wheelset Repair Facility at Trafford Park, Manchester, and the Bogie Service Facility in Warmsworth, Doncaster mark a significant step in LUR’s long-term growth strategy, reflecting rising customer demand and a commitment to manufacturing excellence in the North of England. LUR now operates from three sites in Trafford Park, Manchester, and one site in Warmsworth, Doncaster, expanding its operations to a 303,000 sq ft footprint.
The Trafford Park site, a newly refurbished 63,000 sq ft facility, was formally opened by Riccardo Pasinetti, Commercial Director of Lucchini RS Group and LUR Board Member, during a ceremony attended by stakeholders from across the rail industry, including representatives from the Department for Transport, Department for Business and Trade, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), MIDAS, and key customers.
The new site enhances LUR’s operational efficiency by bringing light wheelset overhaul, component overhaul and warehousing closer to its existing 118,000 sq ft machining plant, wheelset overhaul and headquarters, increasing total capacity to up to 800 wheelsets per month. Meanwhile, the Doncaster relocation doubles the size of LUR’s bogie facility, with the 102,000 sq ft Warmsworth site now supporting overhaul and refurbishment services for passenger, freight, and light rail bogies. The facility was officially opened by Ros Jones, Mayor of Doncaster, and is expected to increase output to up to 80 bogies per month.
Phil Chilton, Managing Director of LUR, commented: “These two new facilities represent a bold step forward for LUR. We are investing not just in buildings and equipment, but in the future capability of the UK rail industry. As we mark 10 years of our joint venture, we’re focused on supporting our customers with greater capacity, faster turnaround times, and best-in-class quality from our sites in Manchester and Doncaster.”
Now celebrating its 10th anniversary as a joint venture between Lucchini RS Group and Unipart, LUR employs 380 people across its Doncaster and Manchester operations, supplying wheelsets, gearboxes and bogies to the UK rail sector. The company’s expansion positions it to play a leading role in delivering a more efficient, reliable, and sustainable rail network across the UK.