Designed in Derby – local design firm to create interiors of Rock Rail East Midlands’ new trains

  • Rock Rail
  • New Intercity Aurora fleet interiors designed by Derby firm
  • Boost for local supplier in city
  • Partnership builds on city’s proud train heritage

 

DGDESIGN, which is based at Friar Gate Studios, provides design services to companies all over the world and has worked with many of the world’s leading rail manufacturers and operators on products ranging from award-winning high-speed trains to innovative automated people movers.

EMR chose the local company to make sure the Aurora fleet offered passengers a calm, comfortable and accessible environment to enjoy their journey on the Midland Main Line when they come into service in 2023.

Rachel Turner, Head of New Trains at East Midlands Railway, said DGDESIGN were perfect partners to help EMR ensure the new Aurora fleet has market-leading interiors that customers will love to relax or work in.

She said: “We are really excited to be working with DGDESIGN on this project and are eager to show our customers what exceptional ideas they have developed, in conjunction with Hitachi Rail. We are sure their combined expertise will mean our passengers will find travelling on our new Intercity fleet is as comfortable, calm and accessible as possible.

“We always try to work with local companies and support business in the regions we serve. We considered lots of companies when choosing who would be our interior partner and it’s great to work with one on our doorstep, in a city that has such a proud train heritage.”

David Gordon, Director and owner of DGDESIGN, said he was delighted that they were selected to support East Midlands Railway in designing and developing its Aurora Fleet.

He said: “Having the opportunity to work with our local rail operator is a rare privilege and brings added excitement and pride, given that we have a more tangible connection to the positive impact that the end product can bring to our community.  We are very aligned with EMR’s initiative to champion the regions and to work with local suppliers wherever possible, which brings direct added benefit to the region and showcases its capabilities to a wider national audience.

“I live and work in Derby so I will be using the new Aurora trains for business and leisure trips. It will be very exciting to take my family on the trains when they come into service and show them the train interiors that I helped design.”

Rock Rail East Midlands is financing the new Intercity fleet for EMR and the trains will be built by Hitachi Rail in County Durham. Aurora will offer significant advances on the existing fleet, with passengers benefiting from more seats and modern interiors. The trains will also include features that passengers have said they want to see, including air conditioning, free WiFi throughout, plug sockets and better passenger information screens.

Mark Swindell, CEO Rock Rail and Director Rock Rail East Midlands, said: “We are delighted that Derby based DGDesgn has been appointed to help deliver interiors for the new Aurora fleet that passengers will want to travel in. As well as helping transform passenger travelling experiences, encouraging the use of local suppliers and helping benefit local communities wherever possible is a key focus for Rock and our investors.”

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Driving Net Zero: How Rock Road 
Is Funding the UK’s Bus Transition

Accelerating the shift to clean, affordable, zero-emission transport

Year
2025
Category
Rock Road
Share

The Challenge

The UK bus network is at the heart of everyday travel – but over 30,000 diesel buses still need replacing to achieve a fully zero-emission fleet.

While around 5,000 battery-electric buses are already on the road, the high upfront cost of electric vehicles and depot electrification continues to slow the transition. Traditional funding routes — such as government grants or short-term bank finance – have helped start the journey but cannot support decarbonisation at the scale required.

A new, sustainable funding model was needed: one that could attract long-term capital, spread costs fairly, and give operators and authorities confidence in the future.

The Solution

In 2021, Rock launched Rock Road to deliver exactly that –  applying its proven infrastructure financing approach from the rail sector to the UK’s clean bus revolution.

Working with Aviva, the National Wealth Fund, and HSBC, Rock created a dedicated investment platform that channels infrastructure-style finance from pension funds and institutional investors directly into zero-emission bus projects.

This model provides:
  • Access to billions in long-term private capital for fleets and depot electrification.
  • Low-cost, sustainable finance tailored to public-sector needs.
  • Comprehensive risk transfer, including residual value and battery performance, supported by Rock’s in-house team of engineers and asset managers.

Impact

The platform has already raised £100 million, with capacity to scale to £1 billion per year over the next decade – providing a consistent source of affordable capital for local authorities and operators.

Rock’s model ensures that the total cost of ownership (TCO) of electric buses can now be lower than diesel equivalents, thanks to both cheaper long-term finance and reduced operating costs.

In London, Rock has financed 120 zero-emission buses under 7-year leases aligned with Transport for London’s contract lengths. This structure gives operators flexibility and certainty:

  • Buses can be returned, renewed, or upgraded at the end of term.
  • Lease rates are predictable and capped.
  • Ownership and residual risks sit with Rock, not the operator.

The Future

Rock Road’s ambition is to support the rollout of zero-emission fleets across the UK – helping local authorities and operators meet climate goals without overextending public budgets.

By leveraging limited government funding to attract large-scale private capital – for example, £10 million of public investment unlocking over £250 million in total funding – Rock’s model accelerates decarbonisation while keeping costs low for the public sector.

Our ambition is to make electric buses the default choice - not because of subsidy, but because they are the best economic and environmental option.
Louis Swindell
Commercial Director, Rock Road