Seven months ago The Northern Echo launched its 'Keep Hitachi on Track' campaign - after months of pledges, discussions and even a general election and with the budget just around the corner, the factory's future is more uncertain than ever.

A "fantastic example of world-class manufacturing" were the words used to describe Hitachi by the then Prime Minister in February 2023 during a visit to the factory in Newton Aycliffe.

Little did anyone know that that same year concerns would emerge from the factory, which employs 750 people, regarding a feared "production gap" between contracts that in March 2024 would be labelled a "crisis".

Hitachi gets the green light in 2011.Hitachi gets the green light in 2011. (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)Take a look at our timeline of the Hitachi crisis:

Bosses at Hitachi said at the time they were in talks for two years in an attempt to find a solution, but this had "not resulted in a positive resolution".

While the factory is building the final trains for Avanti West Coast and East Midlands Railway, a production gap between the end of that contract and the beginning of building for HS2 still threatens its future.

Following this news, senior politicians from across the country including Sir Keir Starmer, then shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh, former Sedgefield MP Paul Howell and former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak weighed in on the future of the site.

Whilst Ms Haigh argued the factory could and would be saved with "the stroke of a pen", Conservative opposition Mark Harper argued the "ball is in Hitachi's court" to bid for upcoming contracts.

Politicians from across the region and parties then came together to support the campaign nearly a decade after the factory was opened by David Cameron and George Osborne in 2015.

Hitachi was included in The Northern Echo's election manifesto - which included saving Hitachi as a top priority.

Said manifesto was backed by Sir Keir Starmer who promised to work with the factory from day one.

Our launch piece said: "In spite of the many voices of high profile politicians - including Tony Blair, Sir Keir Starmer and former transport secretary Justine Greening  - the future of Hitachi and the prospect of trains built in the North East continuing to barrel down rail tracks remains at a standstill. Where do we go from here?

"As part of our manifesto, we don't just want to keep Hitachi on track - we want the next government whoever they may be, to join us in this promise of security to not just the current workers at the site, but the next generation of young girls and boys growing up in Newton Aycliffe.

"The choice is clear - do we save Hitachi or do we let a shining beacon of North East manufacturing be lost forever?"

(Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO) Following Labour's general election victory, ministers vowed that they were working "at pace" with the factory.

In a letter to North East MPs in August, Ms Haigh wrote: "I share your concerns about the current production gap and the impact this could have on the workforce at the site and the local supply chain.

"I was clear before the election that there must be an end to the assumed boom and bust in rail manufacturing and I am committed to producing an industrial strategy for the sector which flattens the order curve and delivers the stability necessary to support job skills and the wider supply chain."

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(Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO) In response to a question from Northern Echo Editor Gavin Foster at the Northern Powerhouse Partnership's  North East Growth Summit in Sunderland on October 10, Secretary of State for Business and Trade Mr Reynolds had said: "I had a conversation with the Secretary of State for Transport fairly recently to ask for an update on the situation.

"There was a procurement decision that we were looking at as a short term answer, but my understanding is that we were able to put an opportunity to the company that didn’t quite work for them. That’s why it hasn’t been solved and those talks are still ongoing there." 

The most recent statement given to the Echo from Hitachi bosses reads: “We have regular dialogue with the UK Government about potential solutions for Newton Aycliffe. Conversations are ongoing and constructive.”