A new rail testing facility on a former opencast mining site at the head of the Dulais and Swansea valleys has been given the go ahead by councillors.

The Global Centre of Rail Excellence, a train, rail infrastructure and technology testing facility, will be located on the site of Nant Helen opencast mine in Onllwyn, which is currently operated by Celtic Energy.

The centre will provide a unique capability in the UK and Europe. It will support innovation in the UK and international rail industry by serving as a testbed for cutting-edge, green technologies, which will act as a driver for accelerated innovation in the rail industry.


It will put Wales on the map as the go-to country for UK and international train manufacturers, network operators, the wider industry, supply chain and academia, to research, test and develop innovative new technologies that underpin de-carbonisation and development for the global rail industry. It will also be a magnet project for further new opportunities, bringing more quality jobs and investment to our communities.

The Welsh Government has developed the idea for the centre from scratch and has engaged with experts from across the global rail industry to bring it to this point. In a further sign of the Welsh Government’s confidence in the project, it is investing £50 million to support the delivery of the new facility. The UK Government has also pledged to invest £30 million in the project.

Members of the planning committees at Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council and Powys County Council have this week given the project the final go-ahead.