Train on the tracks

Network Rail’s £4m Larbert Training Centre was officially opened on 24 June by education and skills secretary Fiona Hyslop.

The new training centre provides Network Rail’s Scottish frontline engineering and maintenance staff with a dedicated site to learn new techniques and update existing skills. The centre can train up to 100 workers and its facilities include an indoor, full-size 60m replica track layout with signals and a 150m outdoor track.

Ms Hyslop said: ‘The rail network is and always has been important to Scotland and Larbert is a key hub of that network, connecting people in their journeys across the central belt or from the Highlands to the Borders.

‘This is very much in line with the aims of our skills strategy which encourages employers to work with government and training providers to equip staff with the education and skills they need so that they can lead more fulfilling lives and contribute to our efforts to deliver sustainable economic growth for all.’