Final work dates announced for London Overground upgrade

A. Samuel
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Transport for London (TfL) and Network Rail have announced the dates for a week of re-signalling work early in 2011 on the London Overground network.

The work is part of a multi-million pound upgrade project to further increase capacity on London Overground services from spring 2011.

The closure – in addition to those during the festive season – will be:

  • From Saturday 19 February until Saturday 26 February 2011 (inclusive) services will be suspended between: Richmond and Camden Road, Euston and South Hampstead, Gospel Oak and Upper Holloway, Shepherd’s Bush and Willesden Junction
  • On Sunday 20 and 27 February trains will run to Euston. However, there will be no service between Richmond and Stratford, Gospel Oak and Upper Holloway and Shepherd’s Bush and Willesden Junction
    Details regarding train and bus provision as well as alternative travel arrangements will be available closer to the time.

More frequent services
The upgrade work involves the final commissioning of the signalling equipment that was installed through 2010, the installation of further signalling equipment and completing the refurbishment of several stations.

When the upgrade is finished in spring 2011, London Overground will be running more frequent services with longer trains providing greater capacity. Services from Richmond and Clapham Junction to Stratford will run four times per hour all day with at least six trains per hour all day between Willesden Junction and Stratford.

Howard Smith, chief operating officer for TfL London Rail, said: ‘We have nearly completed the planned improvements.

‘These essential works will help unlock the true potential of the London Overground network, which is to offer better, more frequent and higher capacity metro-style service.

‘We are doing all we can to minimise the disruption caused and are looking forward to finishing all the works, on schedule by spring 2011.’

Supporting the economy
Andrew Munden, Network Rail route director, said: ‘London relies on rail to get more than a million people to and from work every day, which is why investment in projects like the London Overground upgrade is so important to the capital’s economy.

‘This project will provide vital additional capacity in time for the Olympic Games and help meet growing demand on this busy commuter line, supporting economic growth across vast swathes of London.’

The improvement work is part of an upgrade that will see more than 200 signals, seven kilometres of track and 69 sets of points improved and 30 station platforms lengthened.

A reminder that during the festive break, there will be the following suspensions between:

  • Gospel Oak and Stratford from 18:30 on the evening of 18 December until 24 December 2010
  • Richmond and Stratford, Shepherd’s Bush and Willesden Junction from 27 December until the 3 January 2011
  • fter that, only work requiring weekend closures will carry on until mid 2011. Once the work is completed, there will be eight peak trains per hour between Willesden Junction and Stratford stations.

To minimise inconvenience during these times TfL will provide a rail replacement service on the closed sections of the network. Passengers will also be able to travel at no extra cost by Tube or national rail services through zone 1, providing they travel from a Tube or national rail station near their usual London Overground station (conditions apply).

Fresh look for Freshfield Station

A. Samuel
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The platforms and west car park at Freshfield station are being given a makeover by Network Rail in a £1.1m scheme that will bring them up to modern standards. Stepping distances to and from the trains will be improved as will pedestrian access to the platforms.

Jo Kaye, Network Rail route director, said: “The platforms are in a dilapidated condition and the car park has an uneven cobbled surface. This scheme will bring Freshfield up to the same standards as other stations on the Merseyrail network and encourage more people to use the trains by making the station more passenger friendly.”

Work started on Christmas Day and is set to continue until the end of March.

The small west car park behind the Southport bound platform is closed until 15 March while the existing signs, litter bins and crash barriers are removed. New kerbstones, drains, barriers, bollards and bins will be installed and a new tarmac surface will replace the old cobbles. This will then be white lined.

The Southport platform will be closed for six weeks. During this time, the waiting shelter and seats will be removed so the platform can be resurfaced, tactile paving laid and new coping stones installed along the edge of the platform.

Lighting columns will be adjusted, the waiting shelter reset to its correct level and the fencing to the rear of the platform renewed.

Once this is finished, the Southport platform will reopen and the contractors will swap over to the Liverpool platform to carry out similar work.

Car park users had leaflets left on their windscreens advising them of the closure and letters were delivered to local residents.

Posters have been put up at all stations on the Northern line and announcements made on trains advising passengers to use Formby or Ainsdale as alternative stations.

New images show Denmark Hill will be more accessible for all

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Images have been unveiled today of a new footbridge and lifts planned for Denmark Hill which will create a step-free route between the station entrance and all four platforms.

Denmark Hill is one of the 148 stations in Britain to receive funding to provide better access to stations through the government’s £370m Access for All programme. The programme will deliver a new footbridge and three new lifts, which include CCTV and telephone links, making it easier for everyone to use train services, especially those with reduced mobility, parents with young children or people with heavy luggage.

Dave Ward, Network Rail’s route director for Kent, said: “Passengers rely on Denmark Hill station for 3.1m journeys every year. An important part of building a bigger and better railway is to make it easier for everyone to use. The installation of lifts at Denmark Hill is great news for passengers and a big boost for the community and businesses, as well as those visiting nearby King’s College and Maudsley hospitals.”

Vince Lucas, service delivery director for Southeastern, said: “Improving access to Denmark Hill station is an important part of improving the service to all members of the local community. It’s also important given the proximity of the station to two significant hospitals.“

All the new images will be exhibited at Kings College and Maudsley hospitals from January 2011, together with an overview of the project.

The main construction work is scheduled to begin in early 2011 and planned to be completed in summer 2012. Train services should be largely unaffected for the duration of the construction work, however Network Rail will be working closely with Southeastern to keep any disruption for passengers and line-side neighbours to a minimum.

Revamping Arnside Viaduct – public roadshows

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This spring Arnside viaduct is being revamped for the 21st century. During January 2011 Network Rail will be hosting a series of public drop-in sessions, providing neighbours of the viaduct with the opportunity to talk to us about the essential improvement work being carried out.

Network Rail will be on the road on Tuesday 18 January at Victoria Hall in Grange-over-Sands and Wednesday 19 January at the Educational Institute in Arnside. Key project people from Network Rail, May Gurney, First TransPennine Express and Northern Rail will be available to answer any questions or discuss any concerns.

Stuart Middleton, area general manager at Network Rail said: “Investment in the future of the Furness line is vital. The upgrade will not only bring major structural improvements to the viaduct but will also bring more benefits to passengers in the way of a smoother, quieter and faster ride.

“With site set up beginning in the next few weeks we thought it would be a great opportunity to get out into the communities surrounding the viaduct and give them the chance to direct any questions they have about the project to us, face-to-face.”

Over the years the viaduct has suffered deterioration, resulting in the bridge’s load capacity being reduced and a speed restriction being enforced.

Working with May Gurney, Network Rail will replace the entire deck of the viaduct to return the structure to its former condition and reinstate full line speed, meaning less major maintenance in future and improving journeys for both passengers and freight users.

Preparation for the improvement work will begin on Friday 21 January. Owing to the large scale and nature of the deck replacement work a full closure of the line will be necessary, with the scheme being completed in one 16-week period between 26 March – 18 July 2011.

First Stage of Reading Rail Improvement project complete on time

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Network Rail successfully completed the first stage of its six-year project to upgrade Reading’s railway, in time for commuters to begin travelling back to work after the Christmas break.

Between 25 December 2010 and 3 January 2011, more than 250 engineers worked around the clock to lay the groundwork for a bigger, more modern station and a more efficient track layout for the Reading area.

Bill Henry, Network Rail project director for Reading, said: “The work we’ve completed this Christmas is the launch pad for a huge programme of improvements for Reading’s railway. Over the coming years we’ll build a bigger, better station and make substantial changes to the track layout to improve journeys on the entire Western route, from London to Penzance and Swansea.

“Our people have put in 16,000 hours over the past ten days to deliver this work on time, and some two years of planning have gone into keeping disruption to the railway and road network to a minimum.

“Local people have given us great support over the past few days. Around 30 people spent the whole of New Year’s Eve watching us slide the new bridge into place, and hundreds more visited our work site over the new year weekend. It’s fantastic that the public are enthusiastic about our work and show understanding when it affects their journeys.”

Mark Hopwood, managing director of First Great Western said: “FGW was pleased to support Network Rail’s Reading works over Christmas and New Year with a major programme of long distance train diversions and localised bus replacement services. Wherever possible we kept passengers on trains over the festive season.

“This is a significant first step in a major project. I am pleased this phase has been completed on time and the railway is fully open for business again. I know that Network Rail has much more work to do and FGW will continue to work closely with them to minimise disruption to our customers. I would like to thank our customers for their understanding and patience.”

Between 25–30 December 2010 Network Rail engineers completed the resignalling of 100 miles of railway around Reading, transferring control to a state of the art signal centre in Didcot. In the early hours of New Year’s Day they lifted a new, 1,000 tonne bridge deck into place over Caversham Road ready to carry track serving new platforms at the station.

This year will see demolition work begin on the old signal box and other buildings north of the station to make way for new platforms. New entrances and a new passenger footbridge will follow, opening for use in 2013.

Public invited to have its say on the West Midlands Travel Plan

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People have the chance to have their say on the future of public transport in the West Midlands.

Centro is inviting businesses and the public to give their views on the Local Transport Plan (LTP) at a number of exhibitions around the Midlands in the New Year.

The LTP has been unveiled by transport authority Centro working in partnership with the seven West Midlands district councils.

It is a blueprint to improve the region’s transport system over the next 15 years and has been launched to help underpin economic regeneration and the creation of vital new jobs.

Centro chairman Councillor Angus Adams said: “The LTP details our transport priorities for the next 15 years and we want to hear what the public and business communities think.

“It sets out how transport plays its part in improving the quality of life of the region, supporting and enabling economic growth and generating new jobs

“I would urge anyone with an interest in the future of public transport in this region to let us know what they think.”

The exhibitions are:

Monday 10th January – Network West Midlands Exhibition Bus, By Lady Godiva, Broadgate, Coventry city centre (2pm-5pm)
Tuesday 11th January – Committee Rooms, Birmingham Council House, Victoria Square (3pm-7pm)
Saturday 15th January – Network West Midlands Exhibition Bus, Park Street, Walsall town centre (11am-3pm)
Tuesday 18th January – Dudley Council Plus, Castle Street, Dudley (3pm-6pm)
Thursday 27th January – LIFT Building, Venture way, Brierley Hill (4pm-7pm)

You can also give your views at www.westmidlandsltp.gov.uk/formalconsultation

They will be considered and used to shape the final version of the LTP which can then be viewed on the website from 1st April 2011.

Heathrow Express offers more Help for Heroes

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Heathrow Express has increased their Armed Forces discount to 50% off.

The HM Forces discount has risen by 16% for adult express class tickets and 10% of these sales will be donated to the Help for Heroes charity.

Richard Robinson, Heathrow Express Managing Director, said: “We have always offered a discount for the Armed Forces to show our support for this country’s service personnel.  In the return to work after the summer and in the run up to Christmas, charity giving is often brought to the attention of the public, so we have picked this last quarter of 2010 to make significant enhancements to our assistance for Help for Heroes.

“We have increased the discount to 50% and implemented a 10% donation to Help for Heroes to show our appreciation of the Armed Forces.”

Toll roads are no answer to congestion, says campaign group

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The M6 Toll in the West Midlands has been a costly failure and the Government should not rely on them to solve transport problems, according to a new report released today by Campaign for Better Transport.

Earlier this year Transport Secretary Philip Hammond signalled an interest in using tolls to pay for future road building schemes, most of which are expected to be halted after the October spending review. However, this report shows the 27-mile toll motorway has failed to provide any significant congestion relief for the original M6 and the price, which has been increased significantly year on year, is bad value for drivers who use the toll.

Despite the toll now charging motorists £5 on weekdays, 2.5 times the initial cost, the report shows that operator Midland Expressway Ltd, a subsidiary of the international infrastructure group Macquarie, is losing tens of millions every year and has written down the value of the road to below its cost. Meanwhile, M6 congestion is now so bad that the Government is considering spending another £500m on it to deal with the problems the toll road was supposed to solve.

Richard George, Campaign for Better Transport’s Roads and Climate Campaigner, said:

“The research shows that the toll road has failed to cut congestion on the original M6 and has made big losses for its operator. With Government coffers running empty, it is no surprise that politicians are looking at toll roads as a way to deliver funds for new road building projects. But our research shows that private toll roads such as the M6 Toll don’t help motorists or the surrounding area, and don’t make money for investors either.

“Instead, the Government needs to spend scarce public funds on maintaining the roads we have and giving people good alternatives to car use.”

NSW Government confirms that no property will be taken for Western Express

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The NSW Government has confirmed that no acquisition of Leamington Avenue properties will be required as part of the Western Express project.

Minister for Transport John Robertson said the Government had moved swiftly to provide certainty for local residents.

“Design work was urgently undertaken by Transport NSW which has established there is no engineering or design basis for acquiring any of these properties,” he said.

“This work was accelerated to help ease the concerns of local residents.

“The project engineers can now take the time needed to continue their work in preparation for construction of the City Relief Line as part of the Western Express project.

“The Western Express is a critical infrastructure project that will improve public transport for hundreds of thousands of commuters every day.

“It will significantly speed up journey times for passengers travelling to and from Western Sydney, increase capacity for passengers on the Western Line by 5,000 seats an hour and ease congestion for services right across the CityRail network as they enter and leave the Sydney CBD.”

Member for Marrickville Carmel Tebbutt welcomed the decision.

“I know that this has been a concerning time for many residents and I am pleased that the Government has moved swiftly to provide certainty for local residents,” said Ms Tebbutt.

Transport NSW will now carry out further alignment investigations for the new underground City Relief Line. This will include design, engineering, survey and geotechnical drilling work in the Eveleigh area.

“I’ve asked Transport NSW to come up with an option that focuses on using publicly owned land at Eveleigh for the dive tunnels as part of the relief line,” Mr Robertson said.

“This detailed design work is likely to take some months.

“Once a preferred alignment has been identified it will be incorporated into a project application and Environmental Assessment for the Western Express Project.”

A Preliminary Environmental Assessment into the project would be placed on public exhibition in mid 2011, with the full Environmental Assessment displayed in mid 2012 – in line with the project timetable outlined in the Government’s Metropolitan Transport Plan.

ABB equipment to upgrade Network Rail’s Southern Region distribution system

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ABB has won a contract from Network Rail to design, manufacture and supply 15 modular medium voltage (MV) switchboards in housings, based on its ZX1.2 gas insulated switchgear, for the current Southern DC traction power supply enhancement project.

The new modules, to be installed at strategic locations across the Southern Region network, will form part of wider substation works which will increase the power available to the 750 V DC traction power supply, enabling longer and more frequent trains to run in the future.

The ABB contract will commence with the East Grinstead Line, which diverts off the Brighton Main Line at South Croydon, and is an important commuter route.   The main element in the modules is ABB’s ZX1.2 metal-clad gas insulated MV switchgear, which has technical acceptance from ENA (the Energy Networks Association) and full Product Approval from Network Rail for use at 33 kV for ratings up to 31.5 kA and 2000 A.

ABB is supplying a complete package including the Low Voltage (LV) AC switchboard and battery backup system. As an integral part of this packaged approach, ABB is carrying out the detailed design and integration of the equipment within the housing, as well as manufacturing and installing the switchgear and performing the FAT (factory acceptance test) at the housing manufacturer ready for the completed substation to be delivered to site.

Malcolm Cork, Market Manager for Medium Voltage Products in the UK said ‘This latest order continues our long standing relationship with Network Rail in providing traction power supply equipment, in particular the power upgrade contracts going back to 2004 when we supplied and installed a large number of modular substations for the very successful Southern Region Power Supply Upgrade (SRPSU) project. Our dedicated rail project management and engineering resource was a key factor during Network Rail’s evaluation phase, and the ABB team clearly demonstrated the expertise and experience they will bring to the project.

‘The technical capability of the ZX1.2 medium voltage switchgear makes it ideally suited for this type of rail project, and as an example of its flexibility we are carrying out some small improvements to further optimize its installed footprint to make even better use of the space available within the container.‘

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