NEWS
June launch expected for Nottingham tram extension
The final section of track for 17.5km extension of Nottingham’s tram network has been laid in preparation for trams to take to the rails in June, later than originally planned.
More than 3,800 sections of track have been laid using Alstom’s automated Appitrack system, extending Nottingham’s light rail network from the city centre railway station to Chilwell and
Clifton. New Alstom Citadis trams will run on the network.
The two new lines, to the south and west of the city, were originally supposed to be open
by December. Project manager Chris Deas has spoken of being “disappointed and frustrated with the delay”, but said testing and commissioning cannot be rushed.
New Northampton station now open after delays a year.
The new £20m Northampton railway station was due to open on 12 January, as RTM went to press. It was originally due to open in October, but the project was delayed by “unforeseen contractual issues” with regards to power supply. The new station will replace the existing 1960s building and is more than twice the size of its predecessor to cater for 2.8 million passengers
Terry Strickland, area director for Network Rail, said: “The new station is a fantastic addition to the town.
“Its modern design and new facilities provide a fitting gateway to Northampton and is the latest example of investment in the rail network to meet the demands
of an increasing number of passengers. We have all been frustrated by the delay to the opening but I hope everyone will agree the new station was worth the wait when it comes into use on 12 January.”
The project has been led by Network Rail, Northamptonshire County Council and Northampton Borough Council.
Network Rail must re-assess safety at all user-worked crossings – RAIB 1,648 UWCs with telephones.
Network Rail has been told re- assess train sighting at every user- worked level crossing (UWC).
The recommendation from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) follows an inquiry into a collision between a passenger train and a car at Jetty Avenue crossing near Woodbridge station in Suffolk in July 2013. There were no phones or warning lights,
and a curve in the track meant the driver could not see the train at the right time even after getting out of the car to check. The RAIB’s investigation found that instructions given to car drivers using this and similar level crossings were inadequate.
According to September 2013 statistics, Network Rail-controlled infrastructure has 679 UWCs and
A Network Rail spokesperson told RTM: “Britain has the safest major railway in Europe and incidents such as this are incredibly rare. We are always looking for ways to improve safety at level crossings, including closing 500 crossings across the country over the next five years. Where we cannot close a crossing we will look for ways
to make it safer, which is what we have done at Jetty Avenue.”
The RAIB recommendations in full are on the RTM website.
Upgraded Ipswich Yard ‘fully operational’ after 12-week delay
The newly upgraded Ipswich Yard, with extended rail sidings and new OLE and signals, is now fully operational with freight operators able to use it.
Network Rail confirmed that the £25m upgrade project, whose completion date was August 2014, had been delayed by 12 weeks by issues with the design of the new signalling system.
The upgrade, part of the Felixstowe to Nuneaton (F2N) enhancement programme, should cut congestion on the Great Eastern Main Line (GEML) to cope with future growth, enabling the Yard to handle longer freight trains. The enhancement’s full details are
8 | rail technology magazine Dec/Jan 15
at the RTM website. A Network Rail spokesperson told RTM: “The yard is now fully operational and freight operators are able to use it. We will be going back to complete some minor work, which will not have an impact on the railway.”
Earlier in 2014, the £59m Ipswich Chord was completed, removing the need for freight trains travelling to and from the Port of Felixstowe to use the sidings adjacent to Ipswich station as a turning point.
This eliminated a major bottleneck on the busy GEML. The Chord now allows up to 24 intermodal freight trains per day to use the tracks in each direction between Ipswich and Peterborough.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108