Network Rail has awarded a £49million signalling contract to Alstom for the delivery of new signalling, level crossings, and other assets on the London Waterloo to Portsmouth line.

The work will take place between Farncombe in Surrey and Petersfield in Hampshire on the Portsmouth Direct route that was built more than 150 years ago.

Between 2022 and 2024, Alstom will make improvements to the signalling, track and level crossings on the route, which will benefit passengers travelling on the Woking to Portsmouth line. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, around 40,000 passengers used the line every day, making it one of the busiest commuter routes in the country.

By replacing life-expired equipment with the latest technology, passengers will experience greater reliability, and Network Rail will benefit from improved asset performance, resilience, and much safer access for track workers.

Working in partnership with Network Rail, Alstom and its supply chain will renew assets and add digital-ready technologies including:

• replacing nine level crossings, including upgrading five existing automatic half-barrier crossings to full barrier control, plus installing three footpath crossings with stop lights and object controllers;
• transferring control of the area’s signalling from three local signal boxes to Network Rail’s Basingstoke Rail Operating Centre, using Alstom’s MCS ‘Infinity’ remote signalling control and MAR-S automatic route setting technology;
• installing Alstom’s digital Smartlock interlockings to increase reliability, performance and capacity;
• replacing track circuits with axle counters, which delivers a 50% power saving across the project area and improved safety for trackside maintenance staff.

The project is part of the Major Signalling Framework Agreement for the Southern Region that Alstom won in 2020. Alstom is collaborating with Network Rail as one “Customer Excellence team” to deliver safely Network Rail’s commitments to passengers and freight users. It is also working closely with its supply chain to improve pipeline visibility of future works, and to recruit new apprentices in a range of technical and project management roles for a diverse and sustainable workforce.

Jason Baldock, Alstom’s Managing Director, Digital & Integrated Solutions, said: ‘’By delivering our shared commitment to work collaboratively as “one team” with our supply chain and Network Rail Southern’s team, we are in a great place to deliver a more reliable railway for passengers on the key Farncombe to Petersfield route. Combining automation with the latest Alstom digital technology, we will reduce operating costs, drive greater efficiencies, and improve safety for trackside workers”

Nick Higgins, Senior Programme Manager for Network Rail, said “This contract marks a significant step forward for our work on the Portsmouth Direct Upgrade which will mean our passengers have more reliable journeys. It has been a collaborative effort with the Network Rail and Alstom teams working as one to get us to this point and we’re looking forward to more successes as we deliver this important project.”