Network Rail has formally opened a flagship maintenance delivery unit (MDU) at Barnetby following an £8.8 million investment, boosting support for the railway across North Lincolnshire.

An MDU provides a dedicated base for teams that maintain the rail network. The Barnetby site entered service on Monday 1 June and was officially opened on Wednesday 10 June. It replaces infrastructure more than a century old and brings together teams from Grimsby, Barnetby and Scunthorpe under one roof.

The two-storey, timber‑frame building was designed as a showcase for Network Rail's Greener Railway strategy, which underpins the company's goal to reach net zero by 2050.

Sustainability features are embedded throughout, including a low‑carbon structure, air‑source heat pumps, triple‑glazed windows and rooftop solar panels, enabling Network Rail's first net zero operation MDU.

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More than 100 maintenance staff are based on site. Facilities include a mess hall, changing and shower areas, accessible toilets, meeting rooms and office space.

Covering 9,000 square metres, the site provides parking for 50 vans and 66 staff vehicles, with 22 electric vehicle charging points.

A biodiversity net gain has been delivered through landscaping, the planting of 11 trees and more than 400 plants, and the installation of bat boxes. Acoustic fencing has also been fitted to reduce noise for nearby residents.

The facility has already gained national recognition, having been shortlisted in the sustainability and environmental excellence category at the Rail Business Awards 2026.

Network Rail says the Barnetby MDU is a template for future sites, with its design already influencing a similar scheme under way in Sheffield.

George Drum, Network Rail infrastructure director, said: "Our new maintenance delivery unit at Barnetby is a significant investment in our colleagues, our operations and the future of the railway. It provides our teams with modern, sustainable facilities while supporting a key route that underpins both freight and passenger services across the region.

"We're proud that the site is already being recognised nationally for its sustainability credentials, and that it is setting the standard for how we design and build maintenance hubs going forward."

The project has also delivered benefits for the local community, including planters for the village and a donated defibrillator for Barnetby United FC. Students from North Lincolnshire College gained work placements on site with main contractor HBC Construction.