South Western Railway and contractor Osborne have opened a new lift and a wide-aisled bridge with ‘extra wide’ stairs at Syon Lane in west London. Funding was provided as part of the expansion of the nearby Sky media campus, with the London Borough of Hounslow adding significant funding to ensure the station is step free.
Thameslink services within London’s Zones 1 to 6 as well as to Dartford and Swanley are to be temporarily added to the London Underground map from January. Transport for London said this would highlight additional travel options during the pandemic, encourage use of public transport to safely travel across the city, aid social distancing and reduce the risk of a car-led recovery.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has made three recommendations and issued two learning points in its report into the November 24 2019 incident at Norwich Road level crossing on the Sheringham line, when the barriers opened and two cars crossed in front of a Stadler Class 755 multiple-unit approaching at 72 km/h. RAIB found that the Alstom HXP3 predictor which operated the crossing had ‘lost’ the approaching train due to railhead contamination. It recommended that Network Rail should review its processes for planning autumn railhead treatment to take account of recent or planned changes in rolling stock, should provide guidance on technical compatibility between vehicles and infrastructure and the risk arising from a change of the predominant wheel-rail interface on a route, and should ensure that any pilot signalling installations are brought into line with safety improvements implemented on later installations. Learning points include ensuring that samples of railhead contamination suspected of leading to a wrong-side failure are retained for analysis, and highlighting the need for signalling designers to justify and document any variations from existing standards.
Dyer & Butler has completed the installation of what it says is the UK’s biggest passenger information display at London Victoria Station. The 5 m by 2∙5 m full-colour LED screen supplied by Infotec can show departure information, safety messages and service disruption information. The previous display screens had been craned in from the back, but this was no longer possible due to the reformed architecture of the station. The old frames were cut out in-situ, which required a comprehensive working at height strategy.
Refurbishment of the line around Lagan Junction in Belfast is to be undertaken as part of the Central Area Track Renewal project during an eight-day blockade from December 27. Maintenance of the platform wall at Carnalea station will also be completed, along with some preliminary works for the future Belfast Transport Hub.
On December 15 Network Rail was fined £135 000 by Edinburgh Sheriff Court after pleading guilty to an offence under health and safety law for failing to maintain and improve railway fencing near Musselburgh. This follows an incident on August 19 2016 when a group of teenagers entered a gap in the fence, and a 13-year-old climbed onto the roof of a tank wagon on a freight train stopped at signals where he received a 25 kV electric shock that caused serious burns. ORR’s resulting investigation revealed that although there was clear evidence of trespass and graffiti in the area, the fence was substandard and poorly maintained.
Rob Whitham has joined Faithful+Gould from Turner & Townsend as Regional Director for the North West transport sector. Faithful+Gould’s transport activities in northern England including Rail Systems Integration Partner for Network Rail’s East Coast Digital Programme.
The Heritage Railway Association is to leave Fedecrail, the European Federation of Museum & Tourist Railways, from January 1. ‘We welcome applications from individual UK and Ireland railways and I am pleased to say that is already happening’, said Fedecrail President Jaap Nieweg. ‘I also hope to welcome HRA back as members in a few years’ time once the Brexit dust has settled.’