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December 09, 2014

UK & International Railway News Tuesday 9th December 2014

..Total Railway News
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One project moves positively onwards (Crossrail)..another project not yet out of the blocks (HS2)
The House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee raised some thought provoking questions demanding answers from Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin and Lord Deighton...


Fare increases continue to cause upset..
As do over running engineering works in East Anglia....


Click on the links....




Headlines
UK


Rail fares set to increase for Basingstoke train users Basingstoke Gazette  



Transport for London (TfL) has today launched a public consultation to help develop its approach to transparency.
Customers and stakeholders are being asked for their views on the usefulness of the wide range of information that is currently published and how it is presented. They are also being invited to suggest further information that they would like to be made available as a matter of course. Responses will be used to formulate a Transparency Strategy which will be published in summer 2015.
Continue reading...HERE
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East Anglia rail passenger franchise


This consultation closes at :16 March 2015 11:45pm
Summary:Seeks the views of all stakeholders, on future rail services in East Anglia.







PDF, 319KB, 55 pages

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Consultation description

The Department for Transport is seeking your views on future rail services in East Anglia.
Rail passenger services in East Anglia are currently provided under the Greater Anglia franchise. This franchise is due to expire in October 2016. Our Rail Executive currently anticipates that this will be replaced by a new East Anglia franchise.
It is important that you have your say and provide feedback on what rail services should look like in the next franchise. Your views will inform a franchise specification which we anticipate will be issued to bidders in summer 2015.
The current rail services in East Anglia have remained unchanged for many years. This is now an opportunity to revisit these services so they meet passengers’ and businesses’ needs in a region which contributes significantly to the economy.

Ways to respond  Respond online or   Email to:EAconsultation2014@railexecutive.gsi.gov.uk




HS2 judicial review: Court of Appeal ruling explained, 9 December 2014
Explains the judgment on whether a strategic environmental assessment was required before making HS2 safeguarding directions

  

HS2 judicial review: Court of Appeal ruling explained

PDF, 24.9KB, 1 page

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Detail

This document explains the Court of Appeal’s judgment on whether a strategic environmental assessment was required before making HS2 safeguarding directions.
The Court of Appeal has found in the government’s favour and agreed with the High Court’s previous judgment. It has decided that a strategic environmental assessment was not required before making safeguarding directions to protect the planned route for Phase One of HS2.



Thousands more seats for London Midland passengers
New trains to bring more seats and services to passengers travelling between London and the West Midlands
Commuters travelling between London and the West Midlands will benefit from more seats, more services and new trains from Sunday 14 December 2014 thanks to £62 million of government investment.
Rail Minister Claire Perry visited London Euston today (9 December 2014) to officially mark the roll-out of 10 new 4-car trains for the London Midland network, as part of its new timetable.
The new trains will provide 139,000 additional seats for London Midland’s passengers every week, as well as:
  • faster services between Northampton, Milton Keynes and London
  • more direct trains between Birmingham, Coventry, Rugby, and London
  • more fast trains between Crewe and London
  • more frequent services between Redditch and Birmingham
Speaking at the launch, Rail Minister Claire Perry said:
We are absolutely committed to building a world-class rail network that provides more seats, more services and better journeys. I am delighted that London Midland’s passengers across the network are seeing the benefit of our investment.
This is just one way in which we’re transforming the rail network. Over the next 5 years, more than £38 billion will be spent on improving and maintaining our railways, providing improved journeys for passengers across the UK.
The new trains will provide an extra 139,000 seats every week, including 64,000 more seats in and out of London Euston, and 75,000 extra seats in and out of Birmingham New Street.
London Midland managing director Patrick Verwer said:
With more people travelling with us each year our passengers are telling us they want more services, quicker journeys and more seats. We have listened and taken the opportunity with our new trains to make as many improvements for as many passengers as we can. With £62 million invested in new trains, this is the biggest change to our timetable in 6 years.
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House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee




The Secretary of State for Transport, Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP appeared before the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee where he was asked to explain and justify the Government’s economic case for HS2. Mr McLoughlin gave evidence alongside Lord Deighton, former Chairman of the HS2 Growth Task Force and Commercial Secretary to the Treasury.

Areas of questioning

  • How the Government will stop overruns on the £50 billion cost of building HS2
  • Whether the evidence base for the values of travel time savings used in the Government’s business case for HS2 are robust enough to justify a £50 billion spend
  • Whether the Government’s calculations of the benefits of HS2 take adequate account of the ability to do productive work on a train journey
  • Whether a different ticket pricing policy could encourage passengers to travel when trains are less full and solve the problems of rail capacity that HS2 hopes to address
  • The impact that increasing demand for flexible working arrangements will have on the demand for commuter services
  • Whether any towns and cities will receive a reduction in their existing rail services as a result of HS2
  • The reason as to why is HS2 seen as the only solution to the capacity problem
  • Whether London will benefit more from HS2 than the Midlands and the North, as evidence from France has shown Paris benefitted most from high speed rail
  • The level of subsidy the taxpayer will have to pay for HS2 and the UK rail network once HS2 is operational
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Crossrail Quarterly Update: Moving Ahead, Autumn 2014

Welcome to the autumn edition of Moving Ahead. This project update is issued four times a year to keep you informed of the progress on the Crossrail project.

This edition provides an update on tunnelling progress across the project, the innovative techniques we're using to construct the new Whitechapel station, see the designs for brand new stations in Abbey Wood and Ealing Broadway and for your chance to win a trip to the Crossrail tunnels

(All text and images courtesy Crossrail)

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNELS


Crossrail is building 21 kilometres of twin-bore tunnels under London to deliver the new railway. With nearly 90% of the running tunnels now complete, Crossrail is making good progress safely, on time and on budget.

The fourth of the five tunnel drives finished in October when tunnel boring machines (TBMs) Jessica and Ellie completed their journeys from Limmo Peninsula, near Canning Town, to Victoria Dock in east London.
This achievement completes the Crossrail tunnels in east and southeast London, which stretch from Plumstead to Whitechapel and between Stepney Green and Stratford.
There is now only one tunnel drive remaining. TBMs Elizabeth and Victoria began their journey from Whitechapel in October and will arrive in Farringdon next year.
In total 250,000 concrete segments have been required to build the 21 kilometres of twin-bore tunnels. The last concrete tunnel segment was produced over the summer in Chatham, Kent. TBMs excavate the earth and fit these segments as they go to create the tunnel structure.
The new tunnels in the central section will connect to the existing rail network, creating the new route from Reading and Heathrow in the west to Abbey Wood and Shenfield in the east.
Even when the tunnels are structurally complete the work will continue, as stations are fitted out and railway systems and power are installed.
Before and after construction progress images
 
 
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LINING STATION TUNNELS


As part of building the new railway, 10 of the 14 kilometres of sprayed concrete lined (SCL) tunnels have now been completed across the central section of the Crossrail route.

An established building technique, SCL is used predominantly for station tunnels, platform tunnel enlargements and passenger access tunnels. The SCL technique involves rapidly spraying excavated ground with concrete to stabilise it. A waterproofing and secondary lining are then applied before works can progress.
The first stage of SCL works at Bond Street, Liverpool Street, and Tottenham Court Road are almost finished. Whereas works at Whitechapel and Farringdon will continue after the final tunnel drive is complete.
After this, the next phase of secondary lining and waterproofing will commence ready to move on to fitting out the stations.
Fit out works will include installing  platforms and stations with lighting,
power supplies, signalling, ventilation equipment and operational systems in preparation for passengers to use once services begin running.

 
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INNOVATIVE WAY TO DIG UP WHITECHAPEL


An uphill excavator is being used for the first time in the UK on the Crossrail project. The machine is being used at Whitechapel, before installing the escalators that will take passengers from the platforms (over 30 metres below ground) to and from street level.

Due to difficulties in accessing the station box to dig downwards, Crossrail’s Whitechapel contractor BBMV decided that excavating the escalator barrel upwards, starting from the platform base, was the best solution.
The uphill excavator, traditionally used in coal mines, is being used in an innovative way on the Crossrail project. Built to do two jobs in one, it works its way up by excavating the earth using a digger fixed to the front. With a spray nozzle attached to the top of the machine it also installs the tunnel lining as it goes. 
The machine is operated by a team of engineers: one inside a cabin driving it; one who remotely operates the spray concrete nozzle from a purpose-built walkway; and another engineer who constantly monitors progress and safety.
The Whitechapel escalator barrel is two-thirds through the excavation and is expected to finish in early 2015. Once the barrel is excavated, it will be ready for the escalators to be fitted as part of the station and operational systems fit out. 

 
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CONNAUGHT TUNNEL REBORN



Connaught Tunnel will once again play a vital role on the rail network, when Crossrail trains begin running in 2018.

Major upgrade and restoration works have revived the 135-year-old Victorian tunnel. The 550-metre long structure runs below the Royal Docks in east London.
When Crossrail opens, up to 12 trains an hour will pass through the tunnel, in each direction, reducing journey times and supporting the wider regeneration of the Royal Docks area.

LAYING FOUNDATIONS FOR LONDON’S NEW STATIONS

Station construction continues along the central section of the Crossrail route.

TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD AND BOND STREET

  • The underground civil engineering works at Tottenham Court Road and Bond Street Stations will be completed in 2015.
  • At Bond Street the western ticket hall underground structure is complete. The escalator shaft and the passenger tunnel to connect the Crossrail and London Underground stations will be excavated in early 2015. Excavation of the eastern ticket hall at Hanover Square is ongoing. By early summer 2015 both ticket halls will be ready for the fit out.
  • At Tottenham Court Road the eastern ticket hall structure is complete and all of the station tunnels have been excavated. The construction at the western ticket hall is ongoing and has already been excavated down to tunnel level. The secondary lining phase of the tunnels continues and the fit out for both ticket halls and the platforms begins in spring 2015.


PADDINGTON

  • At Paddington, a breakthrough from the station site into the runing tunnels, 16 metres below ground, means work can begin to lay the foundation for the new platforms. Once preparations are complete, the base slab will be laid. The installation of signalling and tunnel power supply systems will start next year.
  • The new Crossrail station is being built underneath Eastbourne Terrace. The station will be 250 metres long, 30 metres wide and will include a 120-metre long glass canopy. The fit out will involve installing lifts, escalators, lighting, electrics, and plumbing. It will also include a new ticket hall and concourse.



CUSTOM HOUSE

  • At Custom House, an innovative use of a gantry crane is already helping to build the station mainframe.
  • The crane is electrically powered producing less noise and air pollution. It moves along the site on temporary rails and will fit over 700 precast concrete segments, so the new station can be built more quickly and efficiently.
  • Use of the gantry crane will complete in early 2015. Work will continue to complete the mainframe before station fit out can begin in late 2015.



 
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NEW STATIONS FOR ABBEY WOOD AND EALING BROADWAY

As a key Crossrail partner Network Rail has been involved in creating plans for the design, development and delivery of parts of Crossrail that are on the existing network. They now have the go ahead to begin major station upgrade works at Ealing Broadway and Abbey Wood on behalf of the Crossrail project.



At Abbey Wood, a temporary station has been opened for passengers to use during construction works to build the new station. The temporary station includes a staffed gate line, ticket machines, a cash point and lifts to all platforms. 

The new Crossrail station at Abbey Wood will have a bright, spacious concourse that leads directly onto a wide forecourt connecting the station to the Harrow Manorway dual carriageway and two new ‘island’ platforms for Crossrail and North Kent services. There will also be six lifts to help passengers get around the station and step-free access will be provided to every platform. The station will open in 2017 and incorporate two new tracks for Crossrail services.

Improvement works will start at Ealing Broadway in summer 2015, which will be completed in 2017. These works include a canopy to cover the forecourt, a new ticket hall and entrance twice the size of the existing one, up to 17 standard ticket gates and one wide gate, four new lifts to provide step-free access from street level to all platforms and an improved stairway to existing platforms.

Platforms will also be extended to accommodate the longer Crossrail trains which will be able to carry up to 1,500 passengers.
When Crossrail is complete, there will be up to 12 trains an hour from Abbey Wood and 10 trains an hour from Ealing Broadway during peak times. They will cut journey times and reduce congestion on existing services in 2018.
 
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...
Africa


NEW PRASA LOCOS ARRIVE
FIRST PRASA BODYSHELL COMPLETED
THELO SEEKS INVESTMENT PARTNER
GEORGE-KNYSNA – THE FACTS
TRANSNET TENDER: ONE (1) REACH STACKER
REEFSTEAMER EXCURSIONS
TANAGO TO VISIT BOTSWANA IN MAY 2015
CAIRO METRO

Belgium
Strikes in Belgium disrupt transport.(BBC News)


China
From tomorrow on, high-speed rail will take you from Shanghai to Guangzhou in 7 hours!(Shanhaiist)


China flexes its high-speed rail muscles by rolling out 32 new routes in one day.(Quartz)

India

TRB and Resilience: A Summary of Transportation Research Board Activities


A slideshow summary of the Transportation Research Board's pre- and post-September 11, 2001, transportation security and resilience activities is updated monthly...HERE



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Other Railway Press


UITP- Advancing Public Transport




UITP urges Juncker Commission to "get Europe growing again" by investing in public transport




UITP has called on the European Commission to prioritise investment in sustainable public transport in the Commission's Package for Jobs, Growth and Investment in a new position paper. €300bn will be invested over three years, with infrastructure (including transport) highlighted as a priority area. UITP advocates aligning European budgetary priorities with policy ambitions; use of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) to support sustainable urban mobility, in particular public transport; increased use of European structural and cohesion funds for urban areas and transport infrastructure as well as a greater focus on urban infrastructure and public transport in European funds for Research and Innovation.

Nicolas Blain, President of the UITP EU Committee, commented: “By directly contributing to the competitiveness of cities, public transport creates value for individuals, businesses and public authorities. Investment in public transport creates value to the wider economy of three to four times the initial investment and is the ideal motor to get Europe growing again”.
 See the full position paper
 For more information contact Annika Stienen, UITP Europe Expert



November infringements package: main decisions on Transport


 - Rail transport: Commission takes Austria to Court for not ensuring financial transparency

- Passenger rights: Commission requests Portugal to fully enforce the rules for passengers travelling by train
 Read more on these infringement decisions




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