Leeds manufacturer William Cook Rail has begun work on a multi-million pound export order to Canada which will bring new jobs to the city.

The family-owned company has taken on 20 new engineering staff to meet an order from train maker Alstom for ultra-high specification cast steel components. The French multinational is developing Citadis Spirit light rail vehicles which are designed for high capacity commuter lines and are able to operate in the most extreme weather conditions. They are destined for service in Ottawa.

The structural parts, which William Cook Rail say are among the most complex cast steel components ever made, will be showcased this month at the International Trade Fair for Transport Technology.

William Cook Rail now has a 180-strong team at its Leeds factory.

Chairman Sir Andrew Cook said: “We are proud to be flying the flag for world-class UK manufacturing and securing highly skilled jobs in the North of England.
“This represents a major order for our new £15m rail plant in Leeds and we are gearing up for an increase in activity as the year progresses.”

Alstom is supplying 72 trains for use in Ottawa and another 61 in Toronto. To date, more than 2,500 of the trains have been sold to 50 cities in 20 countries.