A contract relating to the update of the telecommunications infrastructure of the West Coast Main Line (WCML) has been awarded to Telent.

The telecoms infrastructure is making a transition to a new internet protocol (IP) based network which will support better services along the route.  The transition is being driven by the Network Rail North West and Central (NW&C) Project Team, based in Birmingham.  This project forms part of ongoing migration of Network Rail Telecom (NRT) services to its FTNx network. A fixed telecommunications network (FTN) first began to be installed ten years ago by Network Rail but, as technological innovations progressed and new applications became apparent, an enhanced telecoms network called FTNx began to emerge.

Telent has been subcontracted by VolkerRail, the UK railway infrastructure contractor.  It was awarded the contract through the NW&C Signalling and Telecoms Framework.

Some of the work to be undertaken by Telent will include splicing and testing new fibre optic cabling and transmission equipment and replacing legacy infrastructure. The result of this will be that services – including data transmission circuits, telephony, signalling and electrification alarms – will be migrated to a modern, better performing telecoms network.

The services also include supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), which gathers data in real time from remote locations to control equipment and conditions.

The work is being undertaken on two main sections of route. Telent has completed the survey stage and is currently in the design stage for the route between Rugby and Northampton, which covers 60 route miles and 51 transmission sites. The second phase will stretch from Bletchley to Wembley, along 50 route miles which includes 37 transmission sites. The survey stage for this phase has commenced.

All WCML services go to either Rugby Signal Control Centre (SCC) or South Wembley SCC.  These are the locations where rail line signallers and all signalling control circuits are based.

At present, a large number of services are running over point-to-point circuits which are using obsolete technology. As well as helping to complete the overall goal of the WCML project to migrate services onto NR’s FTNx Network, Telent will also plan for the recovery of any obsolete equipment.

WCML is one of the most important railway corridors in the United Kingdom, connecting London Euston with Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Preston, Glasgow and Edinburgh. It is one of the busiest mixed-traffic railway routes in Europe. Owned by Network Rail, operators include Avanti West Coast, West Midlands Railways, London Northwestern Railway and TransPennine Express.

Ken Kyle, Business Development Director, said: “We are delighted to be working with VolkerRail to support the migration of the national rail infrastructure to an IP network, this is a key project to improve the services on the rail network”.

Volker Rail’s Kevin Doherty, Head of Telecoms for VolkerRail Specialist Businesses said: “As a leading railway infrastructure contractor, with over 70 years’ experience on rail networks, working with Telent, an experienced Rail Telecoms integrator and provider was the right choice for us. Our two companies are committed to improving infrastructure for clients and communities and we strive to provide a best-in-class service for WCML”.