TSO completes Plumstead maintenance depot

21st July 2020

TSO, working as part of the ATC consortium (Alstom, TSO and Costain) has completed the railway maintenance depot in Plumstead. This depot, providing key infrastructure for the Crossrail project (the future Elizabeth line, crossing London from west to east), is now entering the dynamic on-track certification testing phase, prior to commissioning of the line.

The new maintenance depot will service the equipment required to maintain the line’s railway systems. It also includes accommodation buildings for maintenance personnel.

The depot includes eight sidings for passenger trains.

Work on the new depot began in September 2018 and, at peak times, involved up to 120 employees.

With its multi-expertise teams, TSO and its partners completed:

Track works: laying of the ballast track (4.5km) and special tracks (0.5km);
Installation of 3.5km of catenary (25kV);
Installation of electrical networks (lighting and CCTV): 4kms of cable routing;
Civil engineering works: construction of access platforms to trains and 2000m2 of concrete slabs for the storage of spare parts (track devices, rails, sleepers, cables, etc.), road works, drainage of surface water (5km), creation of security fences, refuelling system;
Construction of three buildings: a main building dedicated to maintenance teams (1000m2 on the ground, two floors), a building dedicated to work trains (1000m2 on the ground), a building dedicated to train cleaning teams;
Training the teams of the future site user.

Gilles Philibert, TSO managing director for major projects & International business, said: “I am pleased that TSO has successfully achieved this new milestone in multi-expertise work as part of the extraordinary Crossrail project. This success, which was appreciated by our client, demonstrates TSO’s commitment and our desire to develop in the United Kingdom.”

Transport Secretary updates Parliament on his review of TfL’s finances and structure

21st July 2020

The Secretary of State for Transport, Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP, has updated parliament on its plans for a review of Transport for London’s (TfL’s) future financial position and structure.

This review was one of the conditions for the extraordinary funding and financing agreement reached with TfL during the Coronavirus lockdown. TfL was keeping its transport system running for key workers, but the lack of fare income was putting its finances under strain. The Mayor and TfL agreed to the government’s conditions for the funding, which included the financial review.

The terms of reference for the review have now been published, and the DfT’s two Special Representatives to TfL’s board have been named as Andrew Gilligan and Clare Moriarty. They will also be able to attend TfL’s Finance and Programme Investment Committees.

Clare Moriarty is a former civil servant and has been Permanent Secretary for the Department for Exiting the European Union and for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and she was previously Director General, Rail Executive and Director General for Corporate Services in the Department for Transport.

Andrew Gilligan advises the Prime Minister on transport matters and worked closely with TfL for 3 years, acquiring detailed knowledge of its operations, as former Cycling Commissioner for London.

Tyne & Wear Metro’s new depot at Howdon almost ready to open

20th July 2020

Tyne and Wear Metro’s new train depot at Howdon is close to completion. Set to officially open this summer, the former landfill site has been transformed. New tracks and overhead lines are in place and a new maintenance shed has been built and fitted out along with new facilities for staff.

Howdon will be used for the cleaning and preparation of up to a quarter of the Metro fleet while the main Metro depot at Gosforth in Newcastle is completely rebuilt in a £70 million project set to begin this summer and to take five years.

The development has been funded as part of the £362 million Metro fleet replacement project.

Project manager, Tabitha Callaghan, said: “We are now close to the completion of the Howdon Metro depot.

“The site will be vital for the future of Metro because there won’t be enough space for all of the trains when work starts on the main depot rebuilding project at Gosforth.

“Howdon gives us the capacity to stable up to one quarter of the Metro train fleet there and carry out light maintenance work at that location.

“There are new facilities for Metro drivers and maintenance staff who in the future will need to book on for duty at Howdon.”

Buckingham Group Contracting Ltd is building the temporary Metro depot on behalf of Nexus.

Jason Baldock to head up Alstom signalling systems & infrastructure in UK and Ireland

20th July 2020

Following news that Jonathan Willcock will be leaving Alstom to join Skanska, Alstom UK & Ireland has announced that Jason Baldock has been appointed signalling systems & infrastructure managing director effective from 7 September 2020.

Jason, who has 24 years’ experience in commercial and project delivery roles, joined GE Transportation in 2007, leading global commercial teams in signalling and train control markets before being appointed as the managing director for the UK & Ireland in 2011. Following Alstom’s acquisition of GE’s signalling business in 2015, Jason has had responsibility for business growth in rolling stock and services.

Network Rail to deliver 520 projects over August bank holiday

20th July 2020

Network Rail will be carrying out renewals 520 projects worth £105 million over August Bank Holiday.

Andrew Haines, Network Rail chief executive, said: “Throughout this pandemic, we’ve continued to work on the railway to make it more reliable and to improve journeys for passengers. This August Bank Holiday is no different, as we invest over £100m to upgrade the railway. That means some journeys may be different, so if you plan to travel please check your journey before leaving home.

“As lockdown continues to ease, and the nation turns towards recovering from this pandemic, I look forward to welcoming more people back to the railway. We have significantly stepped up cleaning regimes and made sure there are more staff on hand to help with information so you can travel safely.”

The major projects to be carried out over the August Bank Holiday weekend include:

Significant track replacement work in the Coventry area that will make journeys more reliable on the West Coast main line. A reduced timetable will be in place over the bank holiday weekend, with no direct services running between Birmingham and London Euston. Replacement bus services will be in operation.
Moving signalling control from Ditton to the state-of-the-art Manchester Rail Operating Centre between 29-31 August. This will make the railway more reliable for passengers, enabling signallers to rapidly respond to disruption and route trains faster, therefore reducing delays. During this work, trains will be diverted onto different routes to keep services running in and out of Liverpool, and some rail replacement buses will operate between Warrington-Runcorn and Crewe-Liverpool South Parkway.
Switches and crossings renewals, signalling commissioning and plan line track renewals in St Pancras area that will improve safety of the tracks and work towards the opening of Brent Cross station. This will affect EMR and Thameslink services on 29-31 August, and will see a significantly reduced service between St Pancras and London Bridge.
Major project works taking place at King’s Cross for the King’s Cross remodelling project, which will increase capacity and improve reliability on the East Coast Main Line. There will be no train service in operation to/from London King’s Cross before 07:10 on 30 August as a result of this work.
Switches and crossings renewals and heavy maintenance works at Clapton to improve track reliability. Will affect London Overground, Stansted Express and Greater Anglia on 30 August.
Bridge replacement works in Catford that will safeguard the future of the railway lines between Hayes and Lewisham, and Nunhead to Shortlands. Both of these lines will be closed while the works take place.

While the majority of the network will be open for business as usual, those planning to travel are advised to check in advance if their route will be affected by the improvement works taking place.

£3 billion masterplan for Arden Cross, alongside HS2 Birmingham Interchange station

20th July 2020

A development consortium has announced a £3 billion plan to create a sustainable new business, leisure and residential destination and world leading economic hub around HS2’s proposed Birmingham Interchange station.

Arden Cross is a 140-hectare (346-acre) site to the east of the NEC campus and M42 motorway. The developers say it has the potential to boost the regional economy of the Midlands by over a £1 billion, create and support up to 27,000 new jobs, and deliver up to 3,000 new homes and up to 6 million square feet of commercial development, connected through new public realm and green spaces which retain and enhance the historic landscape features across the site.

With the HS2 Interchange Station as the catalyst to create unprecedented economic growth, Arden Cross Limited has developed the masterplan in partnership with public sector stakeholders to reflect a shared vision to unlock the site’s full potential.

Located at the very heart of the UK, Arden Cross sits alongside Birmingham Airport, the NEC, Birmingham Business Park and Jaguar Land Rover.

Arden Cross Limited director, Ben Gray, said: “The intention for Arden Cross has always been to deliver a world class development with the HS2 Interchange Station at its heart and by launching our masterplan, we are a step closer to delivering that ambition. The Arden Cross Limited shareholders are focused on creating a game-changing legacy that will lift the entire Midlands economy.

“Our 346-acre site provides the opportunity to deliver significant economic growth and a sustainable mixed use environment bringing together new homes, work and learning places, all served by extensive transport links and car free public spaces.

“Unlocking this transformational opportunity will require a collaborative approach between the public and private sector and as we put our masterplan on show for the first time. I am looking forward to continuing to work closely with central government, Solihull Council, the Urban Growth Company, the West Midlands Combined Authority, regional stakeholders and local communities to bring our plans to fruition.”

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, has welcomed the launch of the masterplan. He said: “The Arden Cross masterplan is exactly the kind of vision and ambition that will help to drive both the regional and national economy forward.

“By actively working together and capitalising on the jump start that HS2 has created, Arden Cross has the opportunity to be truly transformational and deliver a whole new business and residential community of national importance, centred around the principles of sustainability and connectivity, while also creating new neighbourhoods and locations for leisure and learning as well as living and working.”

Nick Brown, Chairman of the Urban Growth Company (UGC), which is leading infrastructure investment and development across the wider UK Central Hub, said: “A huge amount of work has

been undertaken by all the partners to get to this stage so we welcome the ambition of this masterplan which is perfectly aligned to our wider ambitions for the UK Central Hub. For example, we now see HS2 on board with plans for The Hub, including support for multi-storey car parks at Arden Cross rather than surface car parks which would hugely frustrate development opportunities there.

“That coming together of partners and agreement of shared principles means we are moving ever closer to our joint goal of greenbelt release and delivering high-quality, sustainable, mixed-use development. That is how we’ll create the jobs, homes, commercial spaces and world-class connectivity the region needs now more than ever.”