Colas Rail
A purpose built training academy for a national rail leader, delivered with precision, partnership and a ten week turnaround.
Size
6,000 sq/ft
Location
Crewe
Project Type
Office Fit Out
Industry
Logistics & Industrial
Challenge
Colas Rail needed a specialist facility to upskill their drivers for the ERTMS rollout — but had no suitable space.
Process
Zentura partnered with them from site selection through design and delivery, creating a fully bespoke academy built around their operational needs.
Outcome
A modern, branded, future ready training environment that supports the next generation of rail travel — delivered on time and on budget.
Built on expertise, not assumptions
Colas Rail knew their existing facilities couldn’t support the highly technical ERTMS training programme. The challenge was twofold: find the right location, and transform it fast.
After securing a site in Crewe, they turned to Zentura — recommended through their network and chosen for our proven track record in ERTMS‑related projects.
From the outset, the partnership was grounded in clarity, trust and a shared understanding of what “specialist” really means.
Designed to feel like Colas
The brief wasn’t about trends. It was about purpose. Working closely with Colas Rail’s teams, Zentura developed an open‑plan layout optimised for training, collaboration and shared learning. Concept designs were built around the organisation’s established brand identity, creating a space that felt instantly familiar to staff while elevating the experience.
Those concepts evolved into a fully deliverable package — detailed drawings, visuals and FF&E schedules — followed by multiple rounds of value engineering to protect both quality and budget. Every decision was intentional. Every element worked harder.
Made for today. Ready for tomorrow.
The finished academy is a modern, high‑performing environment designed to house Colas Rail’s state‑of‑the‑art simulators and support the rollout of ERTMS training nationwide.
Delivered seamlessly within ten weeks, the space sets a new benchmark for Colas Rail’s facilities: functional, branded, future‑ready.
The Experience
What better looks like
This project was about making work better. Not showier. Not more complicated. Just better.
Better for the drivers: who now have the specialist environment they need to train with confidence.
Better for the management: who are one step closer to a smooth ERTMS rollout.
Better for the customers: who benefit from safer, more reliable service.
And better for Colas: because when the workplace works better, people do too.
