EUROPE: Channel Tunnel concessionaire Eurotunnel and signalling company Compagnie des Signaux have begun the first phase of the roll-out of ERTMS across the fixed link.
The initial phase of the project involved fitting onboard equipment to 57 Brush locomotives used on LeShuttle car and lorry carrying services between the Folkestone and Coquelles terminals. This is designed to enable a smooth transition from the current TVM430 system to ETCS Level 2 operation, minimising locomotive downtime.
This second phase will see the deployment of the trackside infrastructure.
Compagnie des Signaux will be drawing on the expertise of its parent group, MerMec. ‘Our dual-standard ERTMS/TVM solution has been designed to guarantee safety, performance and availability, while facilitating the transition to European standards’, said Compagnie des Signaux President Gilles Pascault on January 15.
In 2024 Eurotunnel appointed Systra to provide project management services for the migration to ERTMS, which aims to optimise operations and ensure that the Channel Tunnel is more readily accessible to trains from different European operators.
Commenting on the start of work on the locos, Eurotunnel CEO Didier Cazelles said ‘we are taking an essential step in the modernisation of our infrastructure and reinforcing our commitment to ever safer, more efficient and interoperable rail operations. This project forms part of Eurotunnel’s mission to connect Europe by harnessing the best technologies to optimise the accessibility of our infrastructure.’
