The ECML franchise award continues to feature in today's news...
Disruption at London Bridge to last "years"...
Disruption likely on the Tube ....
Electrification in Wales...and now the Lake District...(Windermere to Oxenholme)
Crossrail releases some impressive tunnelling photos..
Crossrail 2 will cost a good bit more.....
Click on the links....
Headlines
UK
Fears for York rail jobs as new East Coast Mainline operators give no guarantee on HQ - Virgin & Stagecoach promise more York-London trains (York Press)
East Coast franchise winners promise more seats and trains.(herald scotland)
London Bridge disruption will last for years, warn rail chiefs as new station plans are revealed.(London Evening Standard)
Crossrail 2 cost rises by almost a third, says TfL.(BBC News)
SPECIAL REPORT: When will Northampton’s £20m new railway station open?(Northampton Chronicle & Echo)
One step closer to trains at Reston and East Linton debate.(BBC Democracy Live)
Will devolved rail in Wales lead to better trains? Carwyn Jones says he wouldn't want to see old trains on electrified tracks(Wales Online)
Department for Regional Development says rail and bus fare increases 'cannot be ruled out'.(BBC News)
Talks planned to avert Tube strike fail.(BBC News)
Future of the Tube (TfL on YouTube)
See how we're changing things for the better.
London's population is set to grow from 8.4m today to around 10m by 2030 - that's an extra Tube train full of people every three days.
Discover our vision and how we plan to make the Tube fit for the future.http://www.tfl.gov.uk/campaign/tube-i...
On the Move - New Uniform Trial (TfL on YouTube)
Selected London Underground staff and designer Wayne Hemingway trial the new staff uniform design at Oxford Circus station, one of several such events taking place around the network..
Network Rail
Network Rail publish its half year financial results to September 2014
Network Rail today published its half-year financial results for the six months ending 30 September 2014.
These results are the first results of the company’s new five-year funding period (CP5:2014 to 2019) set by the Office of Rail Regulation. The results represent a steady start to an important period in the history of the railway network.
They show record levels of investment – almost £3bn for the period – and train performance that is struggling to climb back to the record levels seen a few years ago as congestion (record numbers of trains and passengers), asset reliability and managing the knock-on delays of incidents, takes its toll.
The full financial results can be found on the Network Rail website: www.networkrail.co.uk
Network Rail Condensed interim financial statements..Six months ended 30 September 2014...They show record levels of investment – almost £3bn for the period – and train performance that is struggling to climb back to the record levels seen a few years ago as congestion (record numbers of trains and passengers), asset reliability and managing the knock-on delays of incidents, takes its toll.
The full financial results can be found on the Network Rail website: www.networkrail.co.uk
GOV.UK
Government to confirm £16 million funding to electrify 10 mile route between Oxenholme and Windermere.
Passengers in the Lake District can look forward to faster, greener and more reliable train journeys as Transport Minister Baroness Kramer confirms £16 million of government funding to electrify the Windermere branch line in Cumbria today (28 November 2014).
The 10 mile line, which runs between Oxenholme Lake District station on the West Coast Main Line and Windermere station in the National Park, will be upgraded to allow electric trains to run on the route. Once completed, the line will form part of a direct electrified route between key destinations in the region, including Kendal, Burneside and Staveley, and Manchester.
Baroness Kramer said:
Electrifying this key rail link will support the vital tourism industry in the area, and help us build a stronger economy in the Lake District and beyond.The work will be carried out by Network Rail as part of its electrification programme across the north. Network Rail will now develop a detailed plan for the work, which could be completed as early as 2017. Other routes being electrified include Manchester to Liverpool, Preston, Leeds and York, and Preston to Blackpool.
We are committed to building a world-class rail network. Over the next 5 years, more than £38 billion will be spent on improving and running the system, with schemes like this helping to provide better services for passengers across the UK.
The National Park environment and the value of visitors using the railway will be taken into account as the work in the Lake District is carried out.
David Golding, Strategic Planner at Network Rail, said:
Chris Nutton, First TransPennine Express Programme Director, said:Confirmation of this funding is great news and will support the retention of direct services between Manchester to Windermere, as the rest of the route is electrified. Once complete, electrification will enable a faster, more reliable rail service. This is part of a wider investment by Network Rail in the electrification of key routes between towns and cities across the north of England.
We are absolutely delighted that the Department for Transport has announced that the line between Oxenholme and Windermere will be electrified in the near future. First TransPennine Express has worked with local representatives and Network Rail to develop a solid business case in relation to the improvements.
We recognise the importance of rail connectivity across the regions and this line electrification is part of an unprecedented level of investment of the railway in the north. It is great news for the region and the local economy and will ensure that the southern lakes remain an important and accessible tourist destination.
I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been involved in lobbying for and achieving this significant investment.
Crossrail
PHOTO RELEASE.
· Click here to download a gallery of newly released images of the Crossrail project
· Construction of new railway 60% complete; tunnelling due to end in spring next year
New images released today by Crossrail reveal the project’s progress as it hits the 60% complete mark.More than 23 miles (nearly 90%) of train tunnels are now complete, with tunnelling due to finish in spring next year. Six of Crossrail’s eight tunnelling machines have now completed their drives. The construction of ten new stations in central and southeast London is more than half complete.
The surface works, delivered by Network Rail, are well underway. Significant progress has been made on the new flyover at Stockley, providing access to Heathrow, and on a new diveunder at Acton. In addition, a temporary station has opened at Abbey Wood to allow the new Crossrail station to be built.
The surface works, delivered by Network Rail, are well underway. Significant progress has been made on the new flyover at Stockley, providing access to Heathrow, and on a new diveunder at Acton. In addition, a temporary station has opened at Abbey Wood to allow the new Crossrail station to be built.
Andrew Wolstenholme, Crossrail Chief Executive said: “Crossrail is being delivered on time and on budget. These fantastic images show the scale of work taking place around the clock beneath the streets of London. We are on schedule to provide London and the South East with a fantastic new railway in 2018.”
More than 10,000 people are working directly on Crossrail at around 40 construction sites. Over the course of the project, it is estimated that Crossrail and its supply chain will support the equivalent of 55,000 full time jobs across the country. More than 7,000 people have completed training at Crossrail’s Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy in Ilford, which opened in 2011. In addition to Crossrail, 61,000 jobs are created around the country annually through TfL's investment programme. TfL and its suppliers have also created over 5,000 apprenticeship roles since April 2009.
Over the coming months, while tunnelling will continue, Crossrail’s focus will shift to the substantial job of fitting out the stations and tunnels.
Crossrail will transform public transport in London, reducing journey times, increasing rail capacity by 10 per cent and bringing an extra 1.5 million people to within 45 minutes of central London. Crossrail will be run by TfL as part of London’s integrated transport network.
Image captions
1 to 4: Platform tunnels at the new Crossrail Bond Street station. The 260 metre long platforms run parallel to and around 100 metres to the south of Oxford Street. From 2018, 220,000 passengers are expected to use Bond Street London Underground and Crossrail station every day.
1 to 4: Platform tunnels at the new Crossrail Bond Street station. The 260 metre long platforms run parallel to and around 100 metres to the south of Oxford Street. From 2018, 220,000 passengers are expected to use Bond Street London Underground and Crossrail station every day.
5: Machinery in the new platform tunnels for Liverpool Street station. More than 1.5 kilometres of platform and pedestrian tunnels are being created over 40 metres below ground level.
6: Tunnelling machine Elizabeth at Whitechapel station. The 150 metre long, thousand tonne machine is one of eight used on Crossrail. With almost 90% of tunnelling complete, Elizabeth is one of just two machines still operational.
7: Platform tunnels at the new Farringdon station. When it opens in 2018, Farringdon will be one of the busiest stations in Britain. An estimated 90,000 passengers will use the Crossrail station every day and 150,000 will use the Farringdon interchange that will also encompass London Underground and Thameslink services.
8 & 9: Platform tunnels at Tottenham Court Road. Alongside TfL’s upgrade of the existing Tube station, Crossrail is building a new station the length of three football pitches, four storeys below ground. More than 200,000 passengers will use Tottenham Court Road station when Crossrail services start in 2018.
7: Platform tunnels at the new Farringdon station. When it opens in 2018, Farringdon will be one of the busiest stations in Britain. An estimated 90,000 passengers will use the Crossrail station every day and 150,000 will use the Farringdon interchange that will also encompass London Underground and Thameslink services.
8 & 9: Platform tunnels at Tottenham Court Road. Alongside TfL’s upgrade of the existing Tube station, Crossrail is building a new station the length of three football pitches, four storeys below ground. More than 200,000 passengers will use Tottenham Court Road station when Crossrail services start in 2018.
10: Train tunnel at Paddington. The new Crossrail station is being constructed directly next to Brunel’s Grade I listed Paddington mainline station. Once complete, the station will be 250 metres long and 30 metres wide and will cater for 70,000 passengers a day.
Ends
Reasons why so few Scottish companies take the opportunity to export and the challenges of getting goods to market by freight are to be examined by two committees in the Scottish Parliament.
The Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee has today launched an inquiry into the barriers to exporting faced by Scottish businesses and will examine why so many Scottish businesses don’t export. The Committee’s Inquiry will also ask if the Scottish Government is likely to meet their export target of increasing the value of exports by 50 per cent by 2017.
The Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee’s inquiry will look to identify the main obstacles to the flow of rail, road, sea and air freight in Scotland and examine how these might be overcome. The Committee will also be asking how Scotland’s internal and external freight routes can be improved.
Each Committee has issued a call for views and they are asking the freight and haulage industries, businesses, representative organisations and others with an interest in exports and freight to give their views on the issue.
The Convener of the Economy Committee, Murdo Fraser MSP said:
“Scotland has a number of extremely successful industries whose products and services are sought after in many countries across the world.
“However, too few companies currently export to international markets and it appears that Scotland’s export potential is far from being fully realised. The Scottish Government also has an ambitious export target in place: this inquiry will determine if that is achievable.
“As a Parliament that holds the Government to account, we want to explore why more companies are not exporting. Freight and transport infrastructure is such a critical part of meeting Scotland’s export challenge so these inquiries are naturally related.”
The Deputy Convener of the Infrastructure Committee, Adam Ingram MSP said:
“The connectivity of Scotland to the rest of the world clearly has significant implications not only for the freight industry but for the Scottish economy as a whole, which is why these inquiries go hand in hand.
“Our Committee wants to understand some of the challenges facing the freight transport industry both within Scotland and in the movement of goods to and from Europe and worldwide.
“We will be looking to determine how Scotland’s road, sea, rail and air freight routes could be enhanced to deliver improvements in efficiency and increase the capacity of the sector.”
MSPs will also undertake a series of fact finding visits across Scotland to see for themselves the challenges facing businesses and the freight industry.
Each Committee has issued a call for views and they are asking the freight and haulage industries, businesses, representative organisations and others with an interest in exports and freight to give their views on the issue.
The Convener of the Economy Committee, Murdo Fraser MSP said:
“Scotland has a number of extremely successful industries whose products and services are sought after in many countries across the world.
“However, too few companies currently export to international markets and it appears that Scotland’s export potential is far from being fully realised. The Scottish Government also has an ambitious export target in place: this inquiry will determine if that is achievable.
“As a Parliament that holds the Government to account, we want to explore why more companies are not exporting. Freight and transport infrastructure is such a critical part of meeting Scotland’s export challenge so these inquiries are naturally related.”
The Deputy Convener of the Infrastructure Committee, Adam Ingram MSP said:
“The connectivity of Scotland to the rest of the world clearly has significant implications not only for the freight industry but for the Scottish economy as a whole, which is why these inquiries go hand in hand.
“Our Committee wants to understand some of the challenges facing the freight transport industry both within Scotland and in the movement of goods to and from Europe and worldwide.
“We will be looking to determine how Scotland’s road, sea, rail and air freight routes could be enhanced to deliver improvements in efficiency and increase the capacity of the sector.”
MSPs will also undertake a series of fact finding visits across Scotland to see for themselves the challenges facing businesses and the freight industry.
Eurotunnel
Eurotunnel inaugurates new Education Shelter at Samphire Hoe in partnership with the Up On The Downs Landscape Partnership Scheme
A new Education Shelter has been opened on Samphire Hoe in Kent, today Friday 28 November 2014. The Education Shelter is the result of collaboration between Eurotunnel, owners of Samphire Hoe, the Up on the Downs Landscape Partnership Scheme, and White Cliffs Countryside Partnership, who manage the space.
Samphire Hoe is the platform at the base of Shakespeare Cliff near Dover which was built using spoil extracted during the construction of the Channel Tunnel. It has developed into one of the most vibrant natural spaces in the UK, with many unusual species of fauna and flora and winning many awards for its management and stewardship along the way.
Samphire Hoe is a haven of beauty accessible to all and regularly used by school and other groups for educational and cultural visits. Being exposed at the foot of the cliffs has meant that visits in poor weather conditions in the past could be quite exhilarating.
The construction of the Education Shelter, which has been funded jointly by Eurotunnel and the Heritage Lottery Fund through the Up on the Downs Landscape Partnership Scheme, means that there is now a fully equipped, all weather education and event space available for school and other groups.
The building has been designed to blend in with the natural environment at Samphire Hoe and has been constructed using sustainable building techniques and materials. It is clad in recycled sleepers from the Eurotunnel terminal and will be heated by wood burners using logs cut during expansion work at the terminal in Folkestone.
The first group to use the centre came from nearby Aycliffe Primary School, who attended an education workshop hosted by Samphire Hoe Head Ranger, Paul Holt.
Speaking after the ribbon was cut to officially open the Samphire Hoe Education Shelter, Eurotunnel’s Commercial Director Jo Willacy said: "Eurotunnel is delighted to be part of the partnership with Up On The Downs that has built this Education Shelter. We are proud that it will help expand the variety of educational resources available to young people in Kent and especially pleased that schools will now be able to visit Samphire Hoe all year round without fear of the weather"
International
India
Western Railway in Mumbai turns 150 (today). (DNA)
'Delhi-Chennai bullet train to bring untold dividends for India and China'.(The Economic Times)
'Delhi-Chennai bullet train to bring untold dividends for India and China'.(The Economic Times)
Malaysia
Malaysia's railways:China jockeys for $48 billion in rail projects.(Nikkei Asian Review)
Spain
Siemens Press Release
Siemens automates line section for high-speed trains in Spain
Siemens is in a consortium with the French technology business Thales that is to modernize the control, signaling and safety equipment on the roughly 340-kilometer section of high-speed line between Olmedo and Ourense in Northern Spain. A corresponding order has been awarded by the Spanish operator Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (ADIF). The order has a total value of around 510 million euros for the consortium. The contract includes installation of the automatic train protection and control system, telecommunication and traffic control systems, as well as maintenance of the systems for 20 years.
To improve passenger safety, Siemens will equip the high speed line with interlocking, the associated train control system ASFA (Automatic Braking and Announcement of Signals) and central control technology. The scope of delivery covers balises, track circuits, video monitoring systems and access control systems.
Thales will supply the ETCS Level 2 automatic train control system, LED color light signals, wheel detectors and axle counting systems for fail-safe train detection, as well as with fixed communication equipment.
Spain
Siemens Press Release
Siemens automates line section for high-speed trains in Spain
Munich, 2014-Nov-24
- Order worth for consortium around 510 million euros
- Signaling and control technology to increase the safety of passenger services
- High-speed line links Northern Spain and Madrid
To improve passenger safety, Siemens will equip the high speed line with interlocking, the associated train control system ASFA (Automatic Braking and Announcement of Signals) and central control technology. The scope of delivery covers balises, track circuits, video monitoring systems and access control systems.
Thales will supply the ETCS Level 2 automatic train control system, LED color light signals, wheel detectors and axle counting systems for fail-safe train detection, as well as with fixed communication equipment.
With 2,600 route kilometers, the Spanish high-speed railway network is the largest in Europe. As the first part of the high-speed line between Madrid and Galicia, the line section from Madrid to Valladolid was opened in December 2007 to link Northern Spain with the capital. This was followed in December 2011 by the line section from Ourense to Santiago de Compostela and La Coruña. The line section from Olmedo to Ourense will become one of the country's key high-speed corridors, connecting the regions of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, Castile and León with Madrid.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Tell us your Railway News!