NEWS

Campaign to Raise Awareness of Major Improvements

Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) has launched a new campaign, ‘On Track to Better’, which aims to communicate the benefits of TRU and the multi-billion-pound programme of improvements which will transform the railway between York, Leeds, Huddersfield and Manchester.

The marketing campaign, that consists of digital, TV, radio, digital billboards, web, social and in-station, marks the first major multichannel campaign to promote TRU and the benefits of the landmark work to consumers.

At the heart of the campaign is a stop motion animation advert, featuring both TransPennine Express (TPE) and Northern trains, that communicates just some of the many scheme benefits to customers.

The marketing campaign highlights the major, multi-billion-pound programme of improvements which will transform the railway between York, Leeds, Huddersfield and Manchester, bringing passengers more frequent, faster, greener trains, running on a better, cleaner and more reliable railway.

The improvements will support economic growth in the North and deliver real benefits for passengers, communities and freight services along this vital rail artery.

Daniel Bolton, Transpennine Route Upgrade Senior Marketing Manager, at TPE said: ‘The new TRU ‘On Track to Better’ campaign is the result of a fantastic collaborative effort across the industry and is designed to raise awareness of the major railway improvements that will take place in a way in which customers can relate to.

‘Faster commutes will see longer bedtime stories for parents, a more frequent service will make city visits a more frequent day out and a fully electrified line will mean cleaner air for the people of the North, and these are just some of the large-scale improvements customers will benefit from.’

Neil Holm, Transpennine Route Upgrade Director, said: ‘The ‘On Track to Better’ campaign will help to raise the profile of our multi-billion-pound improvement programme, and I hope it will get people excited for the transformational benefits in store for passengers in the north.

‘We’ve made a huge amount of progress already, with major work already underway to electrify both ends of the route. We’ll eventually deliver a fully electrified line to bring faster, more frequent trains running on a cleaner, greener railway between Manchester and York.’

Rob Warnes, Strategic Development Director for Northern, said: ‘The new campaign highlights the huge range of railway improvements that will be delivered for our customers as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade. Faster, better and greener journeys are the key to unlocking opportunities for our communities right across the Pennines, and we’re excited to tell our customers about the work that has now begun to transform their railway.’

The marketing campaign was a collaborative piece of work, produced by creative agency ‘The&Partnership’ and production house ‘Passion’. The advert was directed by Tom O’Meara, an award-winning animation director who is known for his stunning collection of work, including ‘The Wind in the Willows’ and ‘Isle of Dogs’.

Construction of New Bridge Begins in Glasgow

Work to construct the new bridge over the railway at Nithsdale Road in Glasgow’s Southside is now underway following successful demolition of the old structure. The project, part of the Glasgow-Barrhead electrification works, will see a new bridge deck constructed higher over the railway to enable overhead electrification wires to run safely beneath the structure.

The bridge demolition is the latest phase of work within the Barrhead to Glasgow electrification project and is part of wider plans to decarbonise passenger services on Scotland’s railway by 2035. Working over two successive weekends while the railway was closed for 53 hours, contractors Bam Nuttall on behalf of Network Rail worked continuously to demolish and clear the old bridge before craning into place the first elements of the new structure.

In addition to the main bridge works, the team took the opportunity to maximise the value of the railway closure by demolishing a smaller structure at Kennishead Road near Darnley and installing an under-track crossing to carry diverted power cables.

Railway Vegetation Clearance in Fife

Network Rail will shortly begin tree and vegetation management on the line between Aberdour and Kirkcaldy. Work will be carried out along an-eight-and-a-half mile stretch of the line to clear trees and vegetation from land adjacent to the railway and within the railway boundary. The work is needed to keep passengers safe and trains punctual and to reduce the risk for lineside neighbours.

Dayshift work will begin on 5 September and run for approximately 19 weeks with the team working to create a clear six-metre strip from the outside rail to the railway boundary. The project will also treat any noxious and invasive non-native weeds within the railway corridor.

Trees within falling distance of the railway will be selectively felled or cut-back to leave a well-balanced tree canopy. Any heritage, landscape specimen trees will be considered on a case-by-case basis and will be retained where it is safe to do so.

The project will also need to work at night to clear trees and vegetation closest to the railway. This work can only be undertaken safely when trains are not running.

Ahead of the work starting, environmental surveys have been carried out and the area has been inspected for nesting birds and protected species. Network Rail has also worked with its ecologists to minimise the impact of the work on the environment.

Kirsty Armstrong, Scheme Project Manager for the vegetation clearance work said: ‘Network Rail manages thousands of miles of trees and vegetation along the railway to maintain safety for passengers and lineside communities and to make sure the railway runs efficiently.

‘Our work between Aberdour and Kirkcaldy will create a clear, tree-free corridor either side of the railway to reduce the risks that large trees and overgrown vegetation can pose to the railway.

‘Elements of this work are unavoidably at night for safety reasons, however the teams are always mindful of the impact their work may have and do what they can to minimise this. We want to apologise in advance if anyone is disturbed by the work.’

Transport Minister Sees Progress on Feeder Station Upgrade Programme

Jenny Gilruth visits Ferguslie Feeder Station

Scottish Government Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth visited the site of the first new feeder station to be commissioned as part of a £120m investment to boost the electricity supply into the railway network.

The Ferguslie feeder station, which will connect to the network in October, was installed near Paisley supports the existing infrastructure as well as providing the additional electric power needed to support future decarbonisation of Scotland’s railway.

The investment will see six new feeder stations at strategic locations across the network and a further nine sites upgraded to increase the resilience and reliability of the infrastructure for the operation of electrically powered passenger and freight traffic.

As well as increasing the resilience of the existing network, the new connections to the national grid via the feeder stations will increase the overall capability of the 25kV electrified network.

This will enable future passenger and freight growth and reduce the railway’s carbon footprint by supporting the removal of diesel passenger trains from the network. It’s all part of efforts to make Scotland’s railway greener in line with the Scottish Government’s commitment to decarbonise the passenger rail network by 2035.

With the feeder-station installation and rail-side elements of the project largely complete, work to commission the Ferguslie site will shortly see Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN) install transformers to allow the feeder station to connect to the National Grid. Following testing, the 132,000volt supply will be passed through the transformers and then sent through the feeder station to power the electrified railway network.

Jenny Gilruth, Transport Minister said: ‘It was great to be in Paisley today to meet the team and to hear more details about the work that will power newly electrified lines and also provides additional capacity to run more trains on the existing network.

‘Upgrading the power supply network at this location will enable the introduction of electric trains on services to East Kilbride and Barrhead and this work will be replicated at five other locations across the central belt to support the Scottish Government’s railway decarbonisation programme. Our focus is on ensuring we can complete this work as quickly as possible as we work towards our net zero ambitions.

‘We want a rail infrastructure for Scotland that helps to cut emissions, to provide sustainable transport for people and for freight, and which provides fair work and highly skilled employment opportunities. This project delivers greener travel options for people and for moving freight which will ultimately lead to the removal of many more vehicles from the roads in Scotland.’

Lesley Pringle, Project Manager for traction power at Network Rail said: ‘The £120 million investment from the Scottish Government for this programme is key to helping us meet our target to decarbonise Scotland’s railway by 2035.

‘Ferguslie is the first of the new feeder stations to be commissioned and it will boost the electricity supply to the rail network enabling greener and more sustainable travel options when the electrification projects are complete. We are continuing to work hard alongside our contractors and partners to commission this facility in October with a further five new feeder stations coming online between now and 2026.’

The next stage of the Elizabeth line has been confirmed, with trains running directly from Reading and Heathrow to Abbey Wood and from Shenfield to Paddington set to begin this November. The brand-new Bond Street Elizabeth line station, at the heart of London's West End, is also set to open by November, giving another boost to London's recovery from the pandemic.

From Sunday 6 November, the lines from Reading, Heathrow, and Shenfield will connect with the central tunnels of the Elizabeth line – opening up new direct journeys across the capital. This means that customers travelling from Reading and Heathrow will be able to travel east all the way to Abbey Wood without changing at Paddington. Customers travelling from Shenfield will be able to travel west all the way to Paddington without changing at Liverpool Street. Journeys to onward destinations, including to Heathrow Airport or towards Reading, can be made by changing trains on the same platform at any of the central London stations.

The integration of Elizabeth line services will bring a huge range of extra benefits, including reduced journey times, additional capacity, greater accessibility, and better connectivity to jobs, opportunities, and leisure for communities across London and the South East. People landing at Heathrow Airport will now be able to travel straight through central London to areas such as Farringdon and Canary Wharf in as little as 36 and 45 minutes respectively on the weekend and 40 and 51 minutes respectively during the week.

Customers will be able to use the

Elizabeth Line Services Elizabeth line seven days a week as Sunday services through central London will also to Start 6 November get underway for the first time from Sunday 6 November. The frequency of services in the central section between Paddington and Whitechapel will increase from twelve trains per hour to up to 22 trains per hour in peak times and 16 trains per hour during off-peak. The final timetable, which will see 24 trains per hour during the peak between Paddington and Whitechapel, is on track to be in place by May 2023. Bond Street Elizabeth line station is in line to open ahead of the new services on the railway. The step-free station will provide a new link to one of the busiest shopping directs in the UK and relieve congestion at Oxford Circus station. Two brand new ticket halls at street level, with an abundance of natural light, one at Davies Street, the other at Hanover Square - will lead passengers to the Elizabeth line platforms. In addition to station improvements, Crossrail has worked alongside Westminster Council on improvements to the urban realm surrounding the station.

Coatbridge Upgrade Keeps Freight on the Move

Whifflet South junction, located between Coatbridge Freight Terminal, and Mossend/Eurocentral near Motherwell on the West Coast Mainline, will be upgraded for the first time since its installation over 50 years ago. Work to renew the junction will see jointed rail, timber sleeper and worn-out ballast (supporting stone) replaced with strengthened track, concrete sleepers, and fresh stone.

Decades of carrying heavy freight trains has taken its toll and the upgrade is designed to increase reliability and reduce the amount of maintenance required on the track and signalling equipment.

Eddie McLoone, Project Manager for Scotland’s Railway said: ‘The £2.2 million investment in renewing Whifflet South junction is vital to keeping freight services flowing between Mossend and Coatbridge Freight Terminals and the rest of Scotland’s Railway. We know this work will cause some disruption, but such a vital upgrade can’t be delivered without closing the railway to allow our engineers access to the track.’

Work to Begin on New Butetown Railway Station

Preparation work will begin this Autumn ahead of the construction of a new Butetown railway station and the redevelopment of Cardiff Bay station. Transport for Wales (TfW) has confirmed plans to build a new two-platform station in the north of Butetown, as part of the biggest upgrade to public transport in the area for a generation.

The existing Cardiff Bay station will also get a second platform, as well as a new signage, customer information screens and other enhancements. All upgrades made to the station’s signage will be bilingual and have been developed using TfW's station brand toolkit. Installation of a new track will allow faster and more frequent services using brand new tram-trains, with a new timetable set to be in place from spring 2024.

James Price, Transport for Wales Chief Executive, commented: ‘The Bay Line transformation project is an important part of the South Wales Metro and we’re delighted to be able to start work on the brand-new station in Butetown before the end of the year.

‘From 2024 we’ll be providing a smoother, greener, modern public transport service which will open up a range of opportunities for people living in Butetown and the wider Cardiff Bay area. We’re keen to work collaboratively with local residents through workshops and drop-in sessions and we’re proud to sponsor this year’s Butetown Carnival, where people will be able to get more information and ask questions about the Bay Line transformation.’

Previous initial plans for improvements to the Bay Line included a Metro station at Loudoun Square and a short extension to The Flourish, which were revised at the end of 2020. A review in early 2021 concluded that having a train station positioned further north of Loudoun Square would provide better access for the wider Butetown community and would allow for an east to west crossing at Loudoun Square, while keeping the Cardiff Bay station would provide better access to local amenities.

These plans are to fit with the wider collaborative vision including a new station on Pierhead Street and the option of further line extensions. TfW will be engaging with the public later in the year on options for line extensions to Cardiff Central, and east towards Newport Road.

Mechan Plays Integral Role in £70 Million Rail Depot Upgrade

Rail depot equipment produced by Sheffield-based Mechan will be key to improving the efficiency and safety of maintenance teams working on the Tyne and Wear Metro. The specialist manufacturer is designing lifting and handling products for the South Gosforth Traction Maintenance Depot in Newcastle, as part of a £70 million upgrade. International rail company, Stadler, is manufacturing 46 new state-of-the-art trains for the Tyne and Wear Metro, as well as building this facility, which will accommodate them.

Mechan, in partnership with Stadler, is building a set of 21 multi-purpose lifting jacks not only to cater for the new fleet, but also for a further five different vehicle types maintained at Gosforth. The 15-tonne jacks will work in various configurations, from sets of four, to a completely synchronised set of 20 and can be moved around the facility by pallet truck.

Mechan is also creating a bespoke rail removal system, which will be installed in a pit under one of the new roads added at Gosforth as part of the development work. The self-contained unit enables undercar modules to be exchanged easily, without lifting a train, saving valuable servicing time. A remotely operated scissor table is positioned in the pit to help staff remove and refit the heavy modules, whilst rails lock into place at ground level so the road can be used for general maintenance when the rail removal system is not active.

Lindsey Mills, Mechan’s Sales Director, said: ‘The team at Gosforth is familiar with the quality of our equipment, as we have existing jacks there, and Stadler has been involved in other bespoke projects with us, so they were aware of our design capabilities. Catering for several different vehicle types is a challenge for our engineers, but one they have relished. We have worked hard to meet the client’s expectations and now look forward to installing the various components later this year.’

Michael Steiner, Programme Director Newcastle, Stadler, added: ‘We have pledged to support the regional economy and involve as many UK-based companies in the project as we can, so it’s fantastic to be appointing Mechan to supply lifting and handling products for us.

‘Our aim is to use local suppliers for a wide range of goods and services associated with the Tyne and Wear Metro project, including materials and services for the depot re-build, the manufacturing of the new trains and the ongoing service and maintenance of the current trains. More than 90 per cent of the suppliers contracted for the depot build project are based in the UK, and we’re very keen to work with other UK suppliers throughout our 35year contract to maintain the new trains at Gosforth.’

Head of fleet and depot replacement programme at Nexus, Michael Richardson, said: ‘It’s fantastic to see another UK firm supplying essential components for our new £362 million train fleet, which is going to transform Metro services for customers.

‘This shows that there is work for firms in the Stadler supply chain. Stadler is committed to using local suppliers where possible and this helps to secure jobs and drive inward investment into our region as well as other parts of the UK.’