Rail News – December 2024
Estimated reading time 6 minutes
Annual survey of rail business leaders: confidence in the rail supply industry still low.
New polling of 250 rail business leaders has been published by Savanta and shows that almost half – 48% – believe the industry will contract in the next year.
The survey was conducted between September and October on behalf of the Railway Industry Association (RIA). Whilst the results follow a turbulent year of political uncertainty, the survey was carried out before the Budget on 30 October, which confirmed a number of major rail projects, including HS2 from Old Oak Common to Euston. The Budget also committed the Government to publishing a long-term rolling stock pipeline, which would give greater confidence to businesses.
AtkinsRéalis has welcomed the publication of the Galway Light Rail Transit Feasibility Study Report by the National Transport Authority (Ireland).
AtkinsRéalis was commissioned to conduct the report, which concluded: “This study has shown that there could, under the right conditions, be a case for developing an LRT (Light Rail Transit) system in Galway. There is a strong axis of east-west travel demand with the potential to shift to public transport… The modelling indicates that annual demand of ~7.5 million passengers per annum could be achieved on this corridor in 2043.”
Network Rail Property has announced it is to bring forward new plans to redevelop Britain’s busiest station, London Liverpool Street, to transform the customer experience.
This is a transport-led scheme promoted by Network Rail Property focussed on providing big improvements to the everyday experience for passengers, including:
- Increasing the size of the concourse to ease congestion
- Step-free access across the station and London Underground
- Delivering 7 new lifts to make Network Rail platforms and the London Underground more accessible.
- Increasing the number of escalators from 4 to 8 to enable easier access to the trains
- More ticket barriers to reduce queuing
- New toilets, including family facilities on all levels of the station.
- New landmark entrances on Liverpool Street, Bishopsgate and Exchange Square.
- Additional waiting lounges
- Better signage throughout, making the busses easier to find.
- More cycle storage with direct access to platforms
- More space for passengers inside the station
- A greater variety of cafes, restaurants and shops
- https://news.railbusinessdaily.com/consultation-on-plans-to-transform-liverpool-street-station/
Grand Central has submitted its application to the rail regulator, the Office for Rail and Road (ORR), to extend its track access rights in Yorkshire and the North East beyond 2027. If approved, this will secure Grand Central’s long-term future in the region.
Grand Central links 15 destinations to London King’s Cross and is the only operator to connect underserved areas like Sunderland, Halifax, Hartlepool, and Pontefract directly to London. Its services are provided using available rail network capacity, run at no cost to the taxpayer, and can offer passengers savings of up to 80% on fares compared to other long-distance operators.
If approved, the application could unlock the conditions for Grand Central to invest in new, state-of-the-art bi-mode trains. These trains would replace the current 24-year-old stock and could increase capacity on the line by up to 20%, offering more services to customers and making journeys more reliable and comfortable. The trains would also cut carbon emissions and could serve the UK long into the future as they operate on both electric and non-electric tracks.
British railways have long been a symbol of ambition and innovation, yet in recent years, the UK has fallen behind in embracing new technologies – particularly in the area of rail electrification. While the global average for electrified track in 2024 stands at 47 per cent, the UK lags behind at just 37.7 per cent.
However, recent Government commitments and the establishment of Great British Railways signal a renewed momentum to address the climate crisis and modernise the UK rail network. In this article, Paul Whittle, Group Product Manager for Rail at zinc diecaster, Gripple, explores the challenges and the critical role innovation plays in advancing rail electrification.
Hitachi Rail has entered into a contract with FirstGroup plc and Angel Trains Limited to lease 14 new, UK manufactured, five-car Hitachi electric or bi-mode trains.
FirstGroup has signed an agreement with Angel Trains and Hitachi to lease 14 new five-car class 80X Hitachi electric, battery electric or bi-mode trains (70 cars in total) at a cost of c.£500M including maintenance, over a ten-year lease period.
The trains will be manufactured by Hitachi in County Durham, securing skills base and jobs in the local area. The new trains will enable FirstGroup to significantly expand its open access portfolio and will be used on the newly announced London-Carmarthen route and to increase the number of cars on the existing Lumo and Hull Trains services. The agreement also contains an option for FirstGroup to lease up to an additional 13 trains on the same terms if the Group’s open access applications are granted by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).
Costain has won a major contract to deliver tunnel and lineside mechanical and electrical (M&E) systems for HS2.
Costain will deliver the design, supply, manufacture, installation, testing and commissioning of HS2’s Tunnel and Lineside M&E systems during construction. The total contract value is worth a minimum of £400m to Costain. The contract, to be signed in due course, will start in Q1 2025 for a seven-year period, with the option for additional contract extensions.
The M&E systems installation will include services within the tunnels, together with cross-passages, low voltage power services and distribution on the open part of the route. Costain will also design, supply, install, test and commission the tunnel ventilation systems
HS2 has named the teams that will deliver the high-speed rail project’s state-of-the-art track, signalling, communications, and other systems.
The ‘rail systems’ contracts will be signed after the statutory 10-day standstill period. It will mark the beginning of a new stage for the project, which will see almost 140 miles of tunnels, bridges and earthworks between London and the West Midlands transformed into an operational railway.
Over the coming years, the successful companies will first design and then install around 280 miles of track capable of speeds of up to 225mph (360km/h) as well as power supplies and signalling equipment required for the safe operation of the railway.
