Crossrail tunnelling machine "Ellie"completes journey at Stepney Green, while Chiltern Railways can't complete the journey to London Marylebone for a couple of days due to a cable fire..
The Channel Tunnel owners are keen on adding HS2 to their portfolio..., and who will win out in adding Alstom to their portfolio...Siemens & Mitsubishi..or General Electric?
High speed rail exercises Bulgarian officials... and tickets for the service from Xiamen to Beijing have gone on sale...
Talking of speed...take a look at the team cleaning a Shinkansen in 7 minutes....Now that's what I call fast!
Click on the links for the full stories....
Headlines.....
(UK) Chiltern Railways cancels services to London Marylebone following fire.(Bucks Free Press).
Latest News Here
(UK) Near-miss at Butterswood level crossing, North Lincolnshire.(RAIB)
(UK) Locomotive failure near Winchfield (RAIB).
(UK)Portishead railway station location consultation begins.(BBC News).
(UK)Owners of Channel Tunnel link eye HS2.(The Telegraph).
(UK) MPs HS2 petitions committee will not meet outside London.(The Information Daily).
(UK) Going underground in London's 'smart' tunnels(BBC News Video).
Christian Wolmar - Britain's Leading Transport Commentator.
Subterranean Railway (Atlantic Books, 2012)
A social history of the tube
The Subterranean Railway celebrates the fantastic achievement of the Underground’s pioneers who created a transport system that was not only unique in the world but also was vital in creating the London we know today. Read more >>
UK Rail 2014 is now under 2 weeks away and is set to be an amazing 2 days of networking with over 200 attendees, insight from the directors working on major projects and discussion on the project pipeline for the next spending period.
Ahead of this year’s event we have conducted interviews with some of our speakers to find out more about their projects, the challenges for the future and their favourite stations.
Click here to watch our interview with Chris Binns, Head of Engineering, Thameslink Programme, Network Rail
Click here to see our interview with Howard Smith, Operations Director, Crossrail
(UK)Crossrail 2 animated fly-through (TfL on YouTube)
(UK) Crossrail.
PRESS RELEASE
Crossrail tunnelling machine completes journey at Stepney Green
- Tunnel Boring Machine ‘Ellie’ breaks into Stepney Green cavern
- Tunnels for Crossrail’s north east spur are now complete
- Click here to download images of the breakthrough.
Tunnel Boring Machine Ellie has broken through into a cavern 40m beneath Stepney Green, in the East End of London.
The breakthrough marks the structural completion of tunnels for Crossrail’s north east spur, between Whitechapel and Pudding Mill Lane. It has taken Ellie just over three months to complete the 2.7km journey, travelling as much as 72m in a 24 hour period.
In the coming weeks 1,000 tonne Ellie, named after Paralympic Champion Ellie Simmonds OBE, will be lifted out of the cavern and taken by road to Limmo Peninsula at Canning Town. From there she will be re-assembled ahead of recommencing tunnelling towards Victoria Dock Portal.
Andrew Wolstenholme, Crossrail Chief Executive said: “Ellie has made a safe journey from the shadow of the Olympic stadium to our site at Stepney Green. Our tunnel teams deserve congratulations for an impressive feat of engineering. Construction of the new rail tunnels for Europe’s largest infrastructure project is now over 80 per cent complete. Crossrail continues to be delivered on time and on budget.”
It is estimated that Crossrail will generate at least 75,000 business opportunities and support the equivalent of 55,000 full time jobs around the UK. In addition to Crossrail, 61,000 jobs are created around the country annually through TfL's investment programme.
When Crossrail opens in 2018, it will increase London's rail-based transport network capacity by 10 per cent and cut journey times across the city, bringing an extra 1.5m people to within 45 minutes of central London.
Joint Venture Dragados Sisk is constructing the eastern tunnels between Pudding Mill Lane and Stepney Green, Limmo Peninsula and Farringdon, and Victoria Dock Portal and Limmo.
Ends
Click here to download images of the breakthrough and latest tunnelling progress map.
PRESS RELEASE
Crossrail workers recognised in Queen’s Birthday Honours
· Valerie Todd honoured for services to skills training and development of young people
· Michael Heduan honoured for services to road safety
Two Crossrail employees have been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for 2014.
One has been recognised for her work in skills training and the development of young people while the other has been honoured for his work towards road safety.
Valerie has been awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) while Michael has been awarded an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire).
Andrew Wolstenholme, Crossrail’s Chief Executive said: “I would like to congratulate both Valerie and Michael for their remarkable work in achieving this special recognition. The dedication our staff show to ensure that we achieve our goal of making Crossrail a world-class railway when it opens in 2018 is clear for all to see, and it’s a real pleasure to see their contribution recognised in this manner.”
Valerie Todd CBE, is Crossrail’s Talent and Resources Director. Her award celebrates her role as a Commissioner for the UK Commission for Employment and Skills and recognises her work to address the skills shortfall within the construction and engineering industry including her role setting up the The Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy (TUCA) in Ilford.
TUCA was established in 2011 to provide training in a variety of skills during the lifespan of the Crossrail project giving the next generations of tunnellers and engineers the skills they need for future infrastructure projects. After Crossrail, It will continue to operate as an independent, not-for-profit organisation and become a long-term provider of tunnelling and underground construction skills to the construction industry.
Michael Heduan MBE, is Crossrail’s Lorry Driver Training Programme Manager and has been honoured for his work training the project’s lorry drivers to safely share London’s roads with cyclists and other vulnerable road users.
Michael’s work has seen over 7,000 drivers trained in road safety skills and has also put cyclists in the drivers seat as part of the Exchanging Places programme giving them a greater understanding of blind spots experienced by lorry drivers.
Ends
One has been recognised for her work in skills training and the development of young people while the other has been honoured for his work towards road safety.
Valerie has been awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) while Michael has been awarded an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire).
Andrew Wolstenholme, Crossrail’s Chief Executive said: “I would like to congratulate both Valerie and Michael for their remarkable work in achieving this special recognition. The dedication our staff show to ensure that we achieve our goal of making Crossrail a world-class railway when it opens in 2018 is clear for all to see, and it’s a real pleasure to see their contribution recognised in this manner.”
Valerie Todd CBE, is Crossrail’s Talent and Resources Director. Her award celebrates her role as a Commissioner for the UK Commission for Employment and Skills and recognises her work to address the skills shortfall within the construction and engineering industry including her role setting up the The Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy (TUCA) in Ilford.
TUCA was established in 2011 to provide training in a variety of skills during the lifespan of the Crossrail project giving the next generations of tunnellers and engineers the skills they need for future infrastructure projects. After Crossrail, It will continue to operate as an independent, not-for-profit organisation and become a long-term provider of tunnelling and underground construction skills to the construction industry.
Michael Heduan MBE, is Crossrail’s Lorry Driver Training Programme Manager and has been honoured for his work training the project’s lorry drivers to safely share London’s roads with cyclists and other vulnerable road users.
Michael’s work has seen over 7,000 drivers trained in road safety skills and has also put cyclists in the drivers seat as part of the Exchanging Places programme giving them a greater understanding of blind spots experienced by lorry drivers.
Ends
(France) Siemens confident of trumping rival GE with new offer for Alstom.(FT.com)
(USA) Obama intervenes in Philadelphia rail strike to prevent major disruption.(The Guardian)..
www.progressiverailroading.com.
Rail ridership rose in first quarter, APTA says
Obama establishes Presidential Emergency Board to end one-day SEPTA strike
Final environmental report issued on Virginia Avenue Tunnel project
Virginia port maintains record volume pace; L.A. port installs Seroka in top post
League of Railway Industry Women seeks nominees for 2014 Outstanding Woman of the Year
Legislation proposes to name Philadelphia rail station after late congressman Gray
Indiana Rail Road to replace old bridge; Lederer to lead Pecos Valley Southern
Sound Transit seeks public feedback on long-range transportation plan
Lineage Logistics to build NS-served cold storage facility near South Carolina port
(Bulgaria)Bulgarian Railway Co Prepares Varna-Bucharest High-Speed Train Project (novinite.com)
(China) Xiamen starts to sell tickets for Xiamen-Beijing bullet trains (whatsonxiamen)
(France) French shippers re-think logistics as rail strike continues.(Lloyd's Loading List).
Japan
A Seven-Minute Miracle! The Shinkansen Cleaning Theater
Jhonny Jesús Gallegos Balcázar on YouTube
Europa.eu(European Commission)
Press release
Brussels, 16 June 2014
Transport: EU push for better travel planning solutions
The European Commission is renewing efforts to develop Europe-wide all-in-one journey planners, making it easier to plan and book journeys that involve several means of transport with a single online tool, even across borders. Coinciding with the 10th European ITS Congress in Helsinki — one of Europe's largest events in Intelligent Transport Systems and Services (or "ITS") — the Commission has published its analysis of the current situation of multimodal travel planners and its plans for the way forward. In particular, the Commission is tackling issues such as restricted access to the necessary data and insufficient cooperation between everyone involved.
Vice-President Siim Kallas, Commissioner for mobility and transport, said: "All too often 'Brussels' is used as a synonym for 'heavy regulator'. In ITS and especially as regards journey planners we need to take a different path. We need to break down barriers. Small and innovative companies need access to travel data, so that they can develop real door-to-door solutions. And we need more and better cooperation between transport operators, industries, developers and Member States."
Multimodal journey planners in Europe.
With the internet and smartphones generating growth in highly personalised services, information that spans different forms of transport — multimodal information — is a crucial factor for smart and seamless travel.
Apart from making it much easier for people to plan and book their trips, all-in-one planners that integrate real-time traffic information would also
- improve information — making users aware of all possible travel options, even if they are already on their way;
- make journeys greener — allowing travellers to easily identify the fastest and most environmentally friendly combination of different means of transport for each trip;
- reduce congestion and emissions — by providing alternatives to congested or blocked routes;
- offer new business opportunities and jobs in a very dynamic sector.
More than a hundred multimodal journey planners are already available in Europe. However, they are all limited either geographically (to individual cities or regions) or in their coverage of transport modes. Only very rarely do they offer any cross-border information.
Challenges
The first Smart Mobility Challenge, an EU competition for multimodal journey planners, as well as consultations and hearings have shown that there are several hurdles to be overcome:
- More multimodal travel and traffic data needs to become available, and it needs to be made accessible;
- The quality of multimodal travel and traffic data is often insufficient;
- Data formats and protocols for their exchange are often incompatible;
- The stakeholders involved (developers, transport operators, industries, regulatory bodies, Member States) do not cooperate enough.
Next steps
The Commission's objective is not to deliver the services or develop integrated ticket types itself. Rather, it is to bring down barriers, to make sure that the appropriate tools are available across the EU and to encourage their use.
Promoting more comprehensive multimodal journey planners facilitates the transition to "Mobility as a Service", where a service provider makes accessible to the end-user packages (including all necessary applications and services) under one interface. This is particularly helpful for the end-users given the diversity of existing services (e.g. journey planners); while end-users love the variety of the current offer, they might encounter difficulties to find and choose the options meeting their needs in full.
There is already a strong commitment by the actors involved to work closely with the EU and Member States. The Commission will lead this cooperation and provides funding opportunities under the Connecting Europe Facility and Horizon2020 funding programmes.
About the European ITS Congress
The European ITS Congress & Exhibition are two of Europe’s largest events in intelligent transport systems. The annual conference brings together decision makers, experts and researchers in the field. This year's topic is “ITS in your pocket – proven solutions driving user services”.
As part of the opening ceremony, Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas will award prizes to the winners of the "ITS in Your Pocket" contest for mobile applications.
More information
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