Waking up in the High Tatras mountains in Slovakia (Sunday 7th Sept. 2013)
Other News....
Crossrail
Crossrail opens worksites for Open House and Open Doors
Londoners will have the opportunity to see behind Crossrail’s construction site walls as Europe’s largest infrastructure project opens six of its worksites to the public.
Crossrail’s Liverpool Street and Canary Wharf station sites along with the Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy at Ilford are inviting the public for tours during Open House on 21 and 22 September.
Crossrail is also opening its doors to its Paddington, Tottenham Court Road and Pudding Mill Lane construction sites for Open Doors on the last weekend of September, however only a limited number of spaces remain for Pudding Mill Lane, with the stations now fully booked.
Open House invites the public into more than 800 architecturally impressive buildings while Open Doors is an opportunity to see behind the hoardings of major construction projects with young people, in particular encouraged to take part. More than 600 Londoners will have the opportunity to visit Crossrail’s worksites over the two weekends and find to out about the architecture and engineering involved in building the most significant addition to London’s transport network in a generation.
Construction and property company Canary Wharf Group is hosting public tours of the Canary Wharf Crossrail station construction site. Built in a former dock, visitors will go 28 metres below what was once the surface of the dock water, to the new ticket hall and platforms, where more than 32,000 people will pass through during the morning peak when Crossrail services start in 2018. The tour will also look at the 115,000 sq ft retail development and roof garden under construction above the station.
At Crossrail’s Liverpool Street station worksite, visitors will be able to go behind the hoardings that surround the site and learn about plans for the new station being built underground between Moorgate, Finsbury Circus and Liverpool Street station.
Visitors to the striking contemporary building of the Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy at Ilford will gain an insight into working in an underground environment by visiting a tunnel mock up, mini locomotive trains on rail lines, machinery and tunnel rings for training in spraying concrete onto tunnel walls, and a concrete testing laboratory.
Andy Mitchell, Crossrail Programme Director said: “This is an opportunity to see behind the hoardings and the huge amount of work that is being done to build the most significant addition to London’s transport in a generation. Visitors will gain an insight into the finished design and architecture that will be added to London when Crossrail is completed in 2018.”
Bookings are required in advance of Open Doors. Paddington and Tottenham Court Road stations have booked out, with limited availability remaining for the Pudding Mill Lane worksite. www.opendoorsweekend.co.uk
No bookings are required for Open House tours, with places allocated on first come basis and ID will be requested. www.londonopenhouse.org
Crossrail completes major part of Connaught Tunnel refurbishment ahead of schedule.(Video and Gallery)
Earlier in the year, dam walls were installed in a section of the Royal Docks that runs above the tunnel to allow Crossrail workers to access the tunnel from above. However, the dam had to be removed by the first week of September to allow ships to pass through the dock ahead of a trade exhibition at ExCeL London.
Following three months of work around the clock, the work has now been completed, the dam walls have been removed and the dock has been re-opened.
A cofferdam the size of a football pitch was installed and 13 million litres of water were drained from the Royal Docks. This allowed workers to deepen, widen and strengthen the central section of the tunnel so that it can accommodate new Crossrail trains.
Sections of the tunnel were in a poor condition and parts of it were narrowed during the 1930s so that the dock could be deepened to accommodate larger ships with brickwork removed and steel segments installed. This material has now been removed and a larger, stronger structure has been put in place in preparation for the start of Crossrail services in 2018.
The tunnel was built in 1878 and has not been in passenger use since December 2006. It is the only existing tunnel that will be re-used for Crossrail.
Andrew Wolstenholme, Crossrail Chief Executive said: “In refurbishing this Victorian rail tunnel, the team at Connaught has had to think on its feet and overcome some unique challenges. It is a source of great pride that our engineers and everyone on the project continue to deliver, often in difficult and complex circumstances.”
Linda Miller, Connaught Tunnel Project Manager said: “It was a race against the clock to get the work completed and the dock re-flooded, so it’s great news that we’ve got it finished ahead of schedule. It’s been a fantastic effort by the whole team to get the job done safely, quickly and effectively.”
When the southeast section of Crossrail opens, up to 12 trains an hour in each direction will run through the Connaught Tunnel, reducing journey times and supporting the wider regeneration of the Royal Docks.
With Crossrail, the journey from Abbey Wood to Bond Street will be around 20 minutes quicker and passengers travelling to Heathrow will be able to cut around 40 minutes off their journey.
As well as widening and deepening the central section of the tunnel, the work at the site will include laying new tracks, waterproofing, installing water pumps and cleaning the 135 years of coal and soot from the bricks.
MENA Rail News
(By Kind Permission)
New Restrictions on Hajj Rail Usage
UAE Announces $25bn Investment in Rail Infrastructure
The United Arab Emirates government has announced it will invest USD $25 billion in rail infrastructure in the next ten years. $11 billion will go into the Etihad Rail Network and further investment will go into light rail and metro systems across the country.
The announcement was made by the UAE’s Minister of Public Works HE Dr Abdulla Mohammed Al Nuaimi on the 5th September. He was speaking after a press conference held by the Middle East Rail congress, Terrapinn.
It is hoped that Dubai will host the world Expo in 2020 and that the railway system will include the proposed site should the bid be won. At present Dubai is on a shortlist including Brazil, Turkey and Russia. The host city will be announced in November.
Al Nuaimi argued that the UAE is the most suitable country in the Gulf Cooperation Council to host the Expo due to the infrastructure already in place. “As a hub, we are in the United Arab Emirates the most advanced (in) the GCC. We are proud of that.”
The country already has a Metro in Dubai and is planning another in Abu Dhabi. Such investment will drive the country’s network a significant step forward, reducing road congestion on the cities’ streets.
Saudi Arabia Commissions New Metros
A $22.5 billion metro network is to be built in Riyadh to combat congestion in the city. Meanwhile Jeddah has embarked upon a $9 billion city metro project.
At present only 2% of journeys in the Riyadh area by public transport. With a growing population of 23 million people and counting in Saudi Arabia, congestion is a serious problem. New underground and overground rail networks will reduce congestion while increasing the economic potential of the nation.
Two weeks ago the Saudi government awarded contracts to three foreign led consortia for a metro network in Riyadh which will have 176 km of track by 2019. The network will use electric, driverless trains.
In the face of increased economic development, Saudi’s domestic oil consumption has impacted on exports – the growth in domestic fuel consumption has outpaced increases in oil output in the country, meaning it has less to sell to outside markets. Going electric and encouraging more people onto public transport will allow more oil to be exported.
A Reuters report said, “It is part of an ambitious effort to shift the country’s economy beyond oil. The metro systems may also help Saudi Arabia manage its oil resources more efficiently”.
Space Age Magnetic Trains for Tel Aviv by 2014
A space age levitating train system developed at NASA’s Ames Research Centre could be providing luxury ‘private’ public transport in Tel Aviv by 2014.
SkyTran is working with the Israeli government and municipal authorities to develop the system which would see individual two-person pods travelling by magnetic induction along a guide rail following existing power lines.
The system does not run to a timetable – pods may be summoned on demand via a smartphone app, and travel direct to the traveller’s destination at up to 150 mph! Traffic is controlled by computer, and pods move onto side rails to pick up or set down passengers, thus avoiding delays to following pods.
The ride is smooth and quiet, as the magnetic induction technology means that pods “float” on a bed of air, never coming into contact with the rail. This also means friction is non-existent, significantly reducing maintenance wear and tear.
The system is environmentally friendly, using sustainable power sources. Development costs are $9 million per mile, compared with $100 million for a light rail system and $20 million per mile for a bus lane. Ticket costs are anticipated to be competitive with Tel Aviv’s sherut (taxi van) service.
Israel was chosen as the ideal beta site because of its open attitude to technology and Tel Aviv’s significant congestion problems.
Transport for London (TfL)
Air-conditioned trains start running on the Circle line
Circle line follows Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines with new air-conditioned trains.
"As part of our continued drive to improve our passengers' experience of travelling on the Tube, we're delighted to be rolling out these new air-conditioned, high-specification trains."
Phil Hufton, London Underground's Chief Operating Officer
- Circle and Hammersmith & City trains go from six to seven carriages
In addition to air conditioning, the new trains will have automated visual displays and station announcements, as well as CCTV, dedicated wheelchair areas, wider doors and walkways and lower level, easier to reach passenger alarms.
New trains are longer
With seven carriages the new trains are longer than previous rolling stock on the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines, providing 17 per cent extra capacity and helping to relieve pressure on busy parts of the Tube network.
Phil Hufton, London Underground's Chief Operating Officer, said: 'As part of our continued drive to improve our passengers' experience of travelling on the Tube, we're delighted to be rolling out these new air-conditioned, high-specification trains.
'Customers travelling on the Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City lines are already enjoying the benefits that these longer trains provide and so we're really pleased that they're also being extended to our Circle line customers.'
By the end of 2016 there will be a total of 191 walk-through, air-conditioned trains on 40 per cent of the Tube network - running on the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines.
Notes:
- There will be a total of 191 trains operating on the Tube network by the end of 2016
- Fifty-eight Metropolitan line trains introduced summer 2010 completed in 2012
- Fifty-three Circle and Hammersmith & City (H&C) line trains. Roll out on the H&C commenced in December 2012 and Circle in September 2013. The roll-out is expected to be fully complete early next year
- Eighty District line trains to be rolled out from early next year
- The new trains are being built by Bombardier Transportation in Derby
- London Underground also awarded Bombardier Transportation the contract to upgrade the signalling on the Circle, District, H&C and Metropolitan lines in June 2011. The new signalling system, when complete, will mean customers can travel more quickly, and frequently on all of the Sub-Surface lines, which together make up 40 per cent of the Tube network and increase capacity. These improvements include:
- Twenty-four per cent more capacity on the District line by providing space for an extra 10,000 passengers an hour - increasing the line's capacity from 40,000 to 50,000 passengers an hour
- Twenty-seven per cent more capacity on the Metropolitan line by providing space for an extra 9,500 more passengers an hour - increasing the line's capacity from 35,000 to 44,500 passengers an hour
- Sixty-five per cent more capacity on the Circle and H&C lines, delivered through new signalling, longer trains and recent improvements to service frequency. In total the upgrade will provide space for an extra 17,500 passengers each hour - increasing the capacity from 26,000 to 43,500 passengers an hour
ORR launches new series of comprehensive data reports to shine a light on Britain’s rail industry
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) today published the first in a series of new statistical releases to help build understanding of how Britain’s railway is performing.
These comprehensive publications will form a series of quarterly national statistics offering context and commentary on latest data trends as well as detailed explanations of the methodology used in collecting the data.
The report published today examines rail performance and punctuality in the passenger and freight sectors in Great Britain from 1996-97 to June 2013.
Upcoming quarterly statistical releases in the series:
- Passenger Rail Usage – 19 September 2013
- Freight Rail Usage – 3 October 2013
- Passenger Rail Service Satisfaction – 17 October 2013
ORR is currently assessing consultation responses to its draft plan for funding and improving Britain’s railways between 2014 and 2019. As part of this plan ORR will publish new information to help improve public understanding of the railways. The regulator also wants to see the rail industry maintaining progress and taking the lead, seeing transparency as an opportunity for investment, growth and innovation. To join the debate, share views on Twitter at #openrail.
The EC announced a package of measures to deliver better quality and more choice in railway services in Europe. Rail is a vital part of EU transport, with a key role in addressing rising traffic demand, congestion, fuel security and decarbonisation.
Events
- Stakeholder Hearing on an EU coordinated approach to R&I in the rail sector12/09/2013
- Stakeholder seminar in the framework of the study Effective reduction of noise generated by rail freight wagons in the European Union 10/09/2013
- The Last Mile towards the 4th Railway Package
24/09/2012 - Conference on ERTMS (Copenhagen, Denmark)16/04/2012 - 17/04/2012
High Speed 2: A review of early programme preparation
The strategic case for HS2, in terms of increasing rail capacity and generating regional growth, has still to be demonstrated clearly.“It’s too early in the High Speed 2 programme to conclude on the likelihood of its achieving value for money. Our concern at this point is the lack of clarity around the Department’s objectives. The strategic case for the network should be better developed at this stage of the programme. It is intended to demonstrate the need for the line but so far presents limited evidence on forecast passenger demand and expected capacity shortages on existing lines. It is also unclear how High Speed 2 will transform regional economies by delivering jobs and growth. The Department is trying against a challenging timetable to strengthen its evidence and analysis, which at present provide a weak foundation for securing and demonstrating success in the programme in future."
Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office, 16 May 2013
In an early examination of progress by the Department for Transport in planning for the High Speed 2 rail network, the National Audit Office has expressed reservations about the Department’s business case. In particular, in presenting its case for investment in the project, the Department is said to have poorly articulated the strategic need for a transformation in rail capacity and how High Speed 2 will help generate regional economic growth.
According to today’s report, the Department’s methodology for appraising the project puts a high emphasis on journey-time savings, from faster and more reliable journeys. However, the relationship between these savings and the strategic reasons for doing the project, such as rebalancing regional economies, is unclear.
It is also unclear to the NAO whether the business case covers just the route between London and the West Midlands (phase one, due to open in 2026) or the full Y-shaped network with lines from Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds respectively (phase two, due to open in 2032). The Y-network has a stronger economic case but this is much less certain as route designs are less well-developed.
The benefit-cost ratio calculated for phase one has twice contained errors and the Department has been slow to carry out its own assurance of the underlying analysis. The NAO’s opinion is that the Department and its advisers HS2 Limited should update the data underpinning some key assumptions in the ratio.
The most recent benefit-cost ratio (published in August 2012) is 1.4 to 1 but is likely to change. This to be expected as the ratio is sensitive to changes in data underpinning assumptions, such as GDP growth forecasts. It does not, however, reflect the Department’s current assumption on the relationship between passenger numbers and GDP growth. The Department now expects passenger numbers to grow more slowly when GDP increases. It should also carry out research into how business travellers use their time on trains. HS2 Limited has also not yet analysed the effect on passenger demand, revenues and the benefit-cost ratio of charging passengers premium prices.
The report notes that the estimated cost of phase one will change as costs become firmer. In some documents, the estimated cost is between £15.4 billion and £17.3 billion but a new estimate is being developed based on a clearer route and more information. The NAO estimates that there is a £3.3 billion funding gap over four years (2017-18 to 2020-21) which the government has yet to decide how to fill.
According to today’s report, the Department’s methodology for appraising the project puts a high emphasis on journey-time savings, from faster and more reliable journeys. However, the relationship between these savings and the strategic reasons for doing the project, such as rebalancing regional economies, is unclear.
It is also unclear to the NAO whether the business case covers just the route between London and the West Midlands (phase one, due to open in 2026) or the full Y-shaped network with lines from Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds respectively (phase two, due to open in 2032). The Y-network has a stronger economic case but this is much less certain as route designs are less well-developed.
The benefit-cost ratio calculated for phase one has twice contained errors and the Department has been slow to carry out its own assurance of the underlying analysis. The NAO’s opinion is that the Department and its advisers HS2 Limited should update the data underpinning some key assumptions in the ratio.
The most recent benefit-cost ratio (published in August 2012) is 1.4 to 1 but is likely to change. This to be expected as the ratio is sensitive to changes in data underpinning assumptions, such as GDP growth forecasts. It does not, however, reflect the Department’s current assumption on the relationship between passenger numbers and GDP growth. The Department now expects passenger numbers to grow more slowly when GDP increases. It should also carry out research into how business travellers use their time on trains. HS2 Limited has also not yet analysed the effect on passenger demand, revenues and the benefit-cost ratio of charging passengers premium prices.
The report notes that the estimated cost of phase one will change as costs become firmer. In some documents, the estimated cost is between £15.4 billion and £17.3 billion but a new estimate is being developed based on a clearer route and more information. The NAO estimates that there is a £3.3 billion funding gap over four years (2017-18 to 2020-21) which the government has yet to decide how to fill.
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