The former home of train maker Alstom and van manufacturer LDV will become the new rail maintenance depot for HS2.

The majority of the 50-acre site at Washwood Heath has already been secured by the Government.

Compulsory purchase of the 12 homes and business in Common Lane, Ward End , will complete the jigsaw.

Last year the regeneration company St Modwen offloaded the 800,000 sq ft Heartlands Park industrial site to HS2 in an undisclosed deal.

This was the home of Alstom, formerly Metro Cammell, which ceased production in Birmingham in 2004.

The new depot will serve phase one of the high-speed rail line between London and Birmingham which is due to open in 2026 and the extension to Crewe which will open a year later.

Once the line is running more than 500 staff will work at the depot cleaning, servicing and carrying out routine repairs of the trains.

The depot will operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

It is HS2’s only rolling stock maintenance depot for Phases 1 and 2a of the railway.

In addition to the main depot building, dubbed the 'House of Trains', a number of supporting facilities will be provided including the network control centre, gatehouse and access control, substations, cleaners facilities, drivers' facilities and specialised workshops.

Artist's impression of the HS2 train
Artist's impression of the HS2 train

Future engineers, who will work on both the construction of HS2 and the ongoing maintenance, will be trained at the new college in Birmingham City Centre.

The campus, at Dartmouth Middleway, is offering specialist courses for students and apprentices on advanced digital technology, command and control, communications and civil engineering, all of which will help to plug the skills gap.