UK railway electrification news

News about UK railway electrification plans, projects, technology and suppliers.

  • Turkish electrification firm targets UK rail market (Photo GCRE)
    Rail Business UK

    Turkish electrification firm targets UK rail market

    2024-09-26T11:00:00Z

    UK: Turkish overhead electrification equipment manufacturer Ulusoy Raylı Sistemler has a signed a memorandum of understanding to use the future Global Centre of Rail Excellence in South Wales for product development and commercial showcasing as part of its planned expansion into the UK market. Ulusoy produces ...

  • Chiltern Class 165 DMU at London Marylebone
    Rail Business UK

    Chiltern Railways cancels call for battery train proposals

    2024-08-15T11:00:00Z

    UK: Chiltern Railways has discontinued its call for proposals for the supply of a fleet of battery-electric multiple-units. In September 2022 the operator invited proposals for the supply of between 30 and 70 new, existing or converted BEMUs. However, the procurement process was not progressing, and ...

  • 6 car Chiltern 1611 Oxford to Marylebone strengthened 190423 H Wycombe TM
    Rail Business UK

    Interview: Chiltern Railways is ‘focused on what we can control’

    2024-08-13T11:00:00Z

    UK: As the rail sector braces itself for major institutional change, Chiltern Railways Managing Director Richard Allan is keen to deliver tangible improvements now. Key investment priorities include decarbonising its rolling stock fleet. Tony Miles posed the questions.

  • c2c train
    Rail Business UK

    Five electrified railway lines at risk from climate change

    2024-07-18T11:00:00Z

    UK: The 25 kV 50 Hz overhead equipment on five sections of railway needs ‘immediate assessment and renewal’ to address the threat to reliability posed by climate change, according to electrification engineering company Furrer+Frey. The latest update to the company’s Climate Resilience in Rail Electrification report ...

  • Tyne and Wear Metro control room (Photo Nexans)
    Metro Report International

    Tyne & Wear Metro SCADA contract awarded

    2024-07-12T04:00:00Z

    UK: Tyne & Wear Metro operator Nexus has selected Sella Controls to undertake a £8·8m two-year project to replace the Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition System which is used to manage the network’s high and low voltage power supplies, fire and intruder alarms, lighting, lifts, escalators ...

  • Telent TPCMS jpg
    Rail Business UK

    Latest version of traction power supply SCADA commissioned

    2024-06-19T04:00:00Z

    UK: The latest version of Telent’s Traction Power Centralised Management System has been commissioned at Raynes Park in south London. Telent said this marked a milestone in delivering a national SCADA platform for Network Rail’s traction power supplies. It followed testing at the Manchester and Three ...

  • Siemens Mobility Desiro Verve with RCC (Image Siemens Mobilty)
    Rail Business UK

    Battery trains could save £3·5bn, says Siemens Mobility

    2024-06-05T11:00:00Z

    UK: ‘Britain should never have to buy a diesel passenger train again’, said Sambit Banerjee, Joint CEO of Siemens Mobility UK & Ireland, when the company set out a case for ordering battery-electric trainsets which would use electrification where available and battery power on non-electrified tracks. ...

  • Hitachi Rail TPE battery trial (Photo Hitachi Rail) (2)
    Rail Business UK

    Hitachi tests battery train as a potential rail decarbonisation pathway

    2024-05-28T10:00:00Z

    UK: A Class 802 electro-diesel inter-city trainset which has been retrofitted with a battery in place of one of its three engines is being tested by Hitachi Rail, operator TransPennine Express and leasing company Angel Trains. The battery will provide top-up power for peak demand and ...

  • Junction (Photo Network Rail)
    Rail Business UK

    Lineside batteries could smooth railway electrical demand

    2024-05-22T04:00:00Z

    UK: Network Rail is seeking a partner to design, develop, construct and operate ‘multi-MW scale’ lineside battery systems to support traction power supplies. A long-term services contract worth £150m to £200m is envisaged. The infrastructure manager purchases 3·7 TWh/year of electricity for traction power, and has ...

  • Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre (Photo Porterbrook)
    Rail Business UK

    Porterbrook to electrify Long Marston test track

    2024-05-01T10:00:00Z

    UK: Porterbrook has announced plans to renew the 3·5 km test track at its Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre and install 25 kV 50 Hz electrification. Testing will be possible at speeds of up to 75 km/h, with the capability to support ETCS. ‘Substantial replacement of ...

  • Gripple_QTS_HI-9953
    In depth

    Decarbonisation: Accelerating the electrification task

    2024-03-14T07:30:00Z

    Network Rail is now deploying UK-based Gripple’s SwiftLine Rail Dropper, which the supplier believes will speed up key steps in the installation of overhead electrification equipment.

  • Southern Class 171 DMU
    Rail Business UK

    Third rail or batteries could replace Southern diesel trains

    2024-03-06T04:00:00Z

    UK: Govia Thameslink Railway is unable to commit to decarbonisation of its operations unless Network Rail and the Department for Transport agree to fund and implement alternatives to diesel operation on the un-electrified Ashford – Hastings and Hurst Green – Uckfield lines, the operator says in its ...

  • PCRID Prototype image Drallim
    Metro Report International

    London Underground orders second-generation safety system

    2024-03-01T05:00:00Z

    UK: London Underground has awarded Drallim Industries a contract to design, manufacture and service an enhanced version of the Permanent Current Rail Indicating Device. The permanently-fixed traction current status indicators are designed to reduce the risk of staff accessing the track when the traction current is ...

  • Freightliner 66503 with containers[1][1][1]
    Rail Business UK

    Government will consider rail freight operators’ proposals for last-mile electrification

    2023-12-22T11:00:00Z

    UK: The government will consider industry proposals for last-mile electrification into freight terminals which would enable operators to take advantage of existing and future main line electrification when procuring new locomotives, Rail Minister Huw Merriman has told Rail Business UK. Speaking at an event to announce ...

  • Electrification
    Rail Business UK

    Scottish rail electrification framework procurement underway

    2023-12-15T04:00:00Z

    UK: Network Rail has begun procurement for a framework contract covering the ‘efficient, consistent development, delivery, entry into service and handback’ of electrification to decarbonise rail operations in Scotland. This forms part of the Aberdeen Route Upgrade Electrification programme worth £250m-£300m and the £50m-£60m electrical safety ...

  • Huw Merriman, managers and apprentices
    Rail Business UK

    Long-term and overseas opportunities for rail apprentices

    2023-12-11T11:00:00Z

    UK: The Transpennine Route Upgrade programme is ‘an investment in people’ and ‘it really is important that these projects leave a legacy of skills’, Rail Minister Huw Merriman said when he announced the latest tranche of funding. Speaking on December 4, Merriman said ‘if you look ...

  • Hull Paragon station concourse (Photo TPE)
    Rail Business UK

    Rail plans in Hull and East Yorkshire devolution deal

    2023-12-11T04:00:00Z

    UK: Electrification from Hull to Sheffield and Leeds, journey time reductions, a parkway station and more local input into rail priorities are included in a proposed devolution deal signed by the leaders of East Riding of Yorkshire and Kingston upon Hull City councils and the Department ...

  • Merriman confirms £3.9 bn for TRU near Ravensthorpe 041223 TM3
    Rail Business UK

    Latest tranche of Transpennine Route Upgrade funding confirmed

    2023-12-06T11:00:00Z

    UK: The release of a further £3·9bn tranche of funding for the ongoing £11·5bn Transpennine Route Upgrade was confirmed by Rail Minister Huw Merriman on December 4. The Department for Transport indicated that work on TRU would be accelerated through the cash injection and noted that ...

  • Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre (Photo Porterbrook)
    Rail Business UK

    Rail Charging Facility to enable battery trains to use local power supplies

    2023-12-06T04:00:00Z

    UK: Porterbrook has announced a £1·7m deal with Siemens Mobility to purchase a Rail Charging Converter, a modular and containerised system developed to enable a battery-powered train to be recharged from standard local power supply cables in places where 25 kV 50 Hz overhead electrification is ...

  • East Kilbride (Photo Network Rail)
    Rail Business UK

    Network Rail awards East Kilbride electrification contracts

    2023-11-23T12:57:00Z

    UK: Network Rail has awarded the main works contracts for the East Kilbride Enhancement Project, which includes electrification of the line near Glasgow. The announcement on November 22 follows the confirmation of Scottish government funding in September, The contracts totalling £61·5m have been awarded to Story ...