Network Rail has awarded a contract which will be a vital part of a large scale multi-million-pound project which will see the renovation of signalling for the Gloucester area with Hitachi Rail‘s new groundbreaking digital signalling technology bringing improvements to both reliability and safety for passengers and trackside engineers.
The significant upgrade to digital signalling will bring forward a solution to the replacement of the current switch panel which was installed during the 1980s.
Bringing in digital Signalling Command Control (SCC) system will provide the operator with a full picture of the network utilising automated updates.
The SCC will mean Network Rail can respond more efficiently to issues and incidents with a knock-on effect of reducing passenger disruption and bringing improvements to the management of rail traffic.
The innovative technology will also provide a safer working environment for engineers due to the ability to check faults remotely unlike the current approach which is totally reliant on physical trackside inspection.
Throughout the next year, Hitachi, Network Rail and Linbrooke will join forces to create a state-of-the-art Wayside Standard Platform (WSP HS+) system specifically for the area. This digital signalling system will provide the management of a larger amount of trackside equipment and will also integrate safety, diagnostics and signalling functions into one control station.
Nick Hughes, Sales Director UK and Ireland at Hitachi Rail said: “I am confident that collaboration and our global signalling expertise can help unlock more frequent and reliable journeys for UK passengers. The progress we’re making with Network Rail is a significant milestone for Hitachi Rail’s signalling business in the UK.”
Karen Williams, Sponsor (Traffic Management) at Network Rail, said: “We look forward to working with Hitachi Rail and Linbrooke on this innovative and cost-effective solution to life-extend the signalling assets within the Gloucestershire area, which will provide a safer working environment for our trackside colleagues and improved services for our passengers.”
Martin Wright, Managing Director Linbrooke Rail said: “Linbrooke Services Ltd are looking forward to this exciting project to install new Hitachi Signalling infrastructure in the Western Region. We are pleased to be collaborating with Hitachi under the MASREF and believe this scheme will bring much-needed benefits to the operation of trains in the Gloucester area.”
Where Next?
RAILADVENT NEWS
The latest railway news
RailAdvent Plus
Railway Discounts, 4k Video, pictures and more!
FREE NEWSLETTERS
Signup to our daily and weekly newsletters
RAILADVENT SHOP
Railway Prints, DVD’s / Blu-Ray’s, books and more
LOCOSTOP COMMUNITY
Come and share your railway pictures
UK STEAM INFO
Upcoming mainline steam tours/loco movements
Hitachi
Visit their website
Responses
Maybe Hitachi could help out with Network Rail to electrify the South Wales main line to Swansea from Cardiff Central and from Didcot Parkway to Oxford.
That looks like Lostwithiel with the house where my Mum was born. Didn’t think that was in the Gloucester area.
The original image was supplied by Hitachi with their press release. We have since updated the picture to a more suitable one.
I hope this Hitachi signalling is going to be more robust than their trains!