Chippenham, 2013-Sep-23
On 2 September 2013, Siemens Rail Automation handed Phase 1 of the Great Northern Great Eastern (GNGE) programme over to test. The handover follows the successful hangar testing of the signalling equipment for Phase 1, which was completed off-site at the company’s Chippenham facility, and its subsequent installation during July and August.
The signalling work for Phase 1 (Stow Park Island) includes 27 signal bases and structures, 48 object controller installations and four modular equipment housings, as well as some 22 kilometres of power cable and 25 kilometres of signalling fibre, all of which was designed, procured and tested within 18 weeks of the contract being awarded.
Commenting on the handover, Siemens’ Project Director, Andy Titley said: “In the face of severe project delays caused by the Hatfield landslip, this is not only a remarkable achievement and a major milestone in the programme, but also a real reflection on the strength and commitment of the GNGE Alliance as a whole. It is only by sharing and integrating the project workload across the Alliance that we are able to deliver remarkable results such as these.
“The adoption of our modular signalling solution for this scheme has already delivered real benefits, with the use of hangar testing allowing us to both significantly reduce testing time and complete our own testing in factory-controlled conditions. The use of data templating, another key element of our modular approach, is also now bringing significant time savings to the overall programme”.
Hangar testing of Phase 3 (Rowston), which comprises three modular equipment housings and 39 object controllers, has also been completed, with installation work now on site.
The GNGE programme, which on completion in 2014, will provide an upgraded cross-country line between Peterborough and Doncaster, consists of five phases in total, four of which are based on Siemens’ modular signalling solution and therefore subject to hangar testing. Phase 1 and Phase 3 will be commissioned over Christmas 2013.
Contact for journalists:
Siemens plc
Barry Pearson, tel: 07855 752 311
Email : barry@objectivecomms.co.uk
Silke Thomson, tel: 07808 822 780
Email: silke.thomson-pottebohm@siemens.com
Emma Whitaker, tel: 079212 46942
Email: emma.whitaker@siemens.com
For further information and press pictures, please see: www.siemens.co.uk/press
Follow us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/siemensuknews
The Siemens Infrastructure & Cities Sector (Munich, Germany) with approximately 90,000 employees, focuses on sustainable technologies for metropolitan areas and their infrastructures. Its offering includes products, systems and solutions for intelligent traffic management, rail-bound transportation, smart grids, energy efficient buildings, and safety and security. The Sector comprises the divisions Building Technologies, Low and Medium Voltage, Mobility and Logistics, Rail Systems and Smart Grid. For more information, visit http://www.siemens.com/infrastructure-cities
Siemens Rail Automation (Berlin, Germany) is a business unit within the Mobility and Logistics Division and is a global leader in the design, supply, installation and commissioning of track-side and train-borne signalling and train control solutions. Its portfolio includes train control, interlocking systems, operations control systems, components, track vacancy detection, level-crossing protection, rail communications, and cargo automation for both passenger and freight rail operators. Siemens Rail Automation employs over 9,500 people across a network of offices worldwide. In the UK , 1,300 employees operate from offices in Chippenham, London, Croydon, Poole, Birmingham, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, York and Glasgow, delivering both mainline and mass transit programmes. For more information, visit www.siemens.com/rail-automation.
