Newstrack 308:Layout 1 19/5/08 16:07 Page 3
NEWSTRACK
A REGULAR ROUND-UP OF INDUSTRY PRODUCTS, INNOVATION, NEWS AND DEVELOPMENTS
email: Karen Hutchinson
khutchinson@russellpublishing.com
Passengers
£40 million to keep railways
stay online
moving in Nuneaton
while on track
Network Rail has announced plans to invest more than £40 million to build a new rail
freight link in Nuneaton. Known as the Nuneaton North Chord, the new line –
with Thalys
approximately one mile long – will allow freight to cross from Peterborough to the West
Coast Main Line without disrupting passenger services.
This is a vital investment to help increase the amount of freight carried by rail in
Britain and is funded from the Department for Transport’s ‘Transport Innovation Fund’.
Thalys has singled itself out with the
Building the chord could take as many as 225,000 lorries a year off the road and will
commercial launch of WiFi broadband
also improve the performance and reliability of passenger services locally and as far
internet on-board its trains, providing
away as London.
continuous broadband connectivity
The new line is planned to go over the old Two Bridges allotment site and then run
throughout the entire Thalys network.
alongside the West Coast Main Line before joining it near to Caldecote Lane.
25% of Thalys trains have already
Network Rail is now looking to hear from Nuneaton residents, before putting in an
been equipped for this purpose and by
application for permission to build the line later this year. If granted, work could start
autumn 2008 the whole fleet will be so.
before summer 2009, with the line in use by December 2010.
Thalys’ implementation of innovative WiFi
Rail Minister Tom Harris said: "We want to upgrade freight routes, boost the
technology is in response to both the high
country's economy and deliver on our commitment to reduce road congestion and
expectations of business customers, for
carbon emissions. We've invested £80 million to increase freight capacity on the
whom train time can now serve as an
Peterborough to Nuneaton line. It's now time for Network Rail to ensure that money
extension of office time, and the provision
delivers for rail users and the local community."
of an enhanced travel experience for
Peter Strachan, Route Director for Network Rail said: “This is a key project which
leisure passengers.
will allow us to improve Britain’s railway and at the same time bring clear
“Our aim is to continually expand our
environmental benefits.”
offer of services in line with the evolving
www.networkrail.co.uk
needs and expectations of our customers,”
explains Jean-Michel Dancoisne, CEO of
Thalys International.
The launch of the WiFi Internet service
is on track with the ‘New Thalys’ Westinghouse awarded signalling
passenger orientated innovation strategy,
following the launch of Thalyseo, Thalys’
social networking platform set up in
contracts for Thameslink
partnership with Viadeo and the recent
Westinghouse Rail Systems Limited, part the network, bounded by St Pancras and
extension of ‘Ticketless’ travel (travelling
of Invensys Rail Group, is to undertake Blackfriars Stations.
without a printed ticket) for Navigo
major resignalling works on the Commenting on the announcement,
subscribers.
Thameslink project, following the award Westinghouse Rail's Managing Director,
Upcoming months will witness the
of multiple contracts by Network Rail. Alistair McPhee, said: “We are
next phase of the ‘New Thalys’ campaign
Westinghouse has entered into three delighted to have been awarded these
with the introduction of new staff
separate contracts for project execution contracts, which are an extension to our
uniforms, a total revamp of train interior
in the initial stages of the core area; this existing Framework Agreement with
design and high-speed journeys such as
work marking the beginning of a series Network Rail, secured in 2005. To be
Paris to Amsterdam and Cologne clocking
of signalling projects for the Thameslink working on such a significant project, at
in under 3 hours and 15 minutes and
development. Concurrently, the the heart of one of London's major
1 hour and 45 minutes from Brussels
company is executing the GRIP4 works infrastructure schemes, is a great
by 2009.
of the programme, covering scheme reflection on the quality and
In September 2007, Thalys selected
development for all stage works of the commitment of our people, our
the consortium of Nokia Siemens
core area. Overall, the value of future products and systems. We look
Networks, Telenet and 21Net.
signalling works for Thameslink is forward to working in partnership
The consortium not only designed an
estimated to be in excess of £75 million. with Network Rail to deliver a first
innovative cross-border wireless
In its entirety, this £3.55 billion class signalling solution.”
network including on-board WiFi
programme will see new track, stations, Phase I runs from 2008 to 2011,
equipment and supplied and installed
extended platforms and improved with final commissioning scheduled for
all necessary technology, but it also
signalling across the complete completion in advance of the 2012
operates and maintains the complete
Thameslink route - the first phase Olympics in London.
network for Thalys.
of which encompasses the core area of
www.westinghouserail.co.uk
www.thalys.com
112 EUROPEAN RAILWAY REVIEW
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ISSUE 3
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2008
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