01.07.15
Right on time
Source: RTM Jun/Jul 15
Heidi Lee, communications manager at the UK’s fastest-growing rolling stock consultancy, ESG Rail, outlines a new contract with Stagecoach.
ESG Rail is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a contract by the Stagecoach Group for the delivery of the GreenSpeed Driver Advisory System (DAS) onto a total of 498 cabs on 249 units operated by Stagecoach’s South West Trains (SWT) franchise. This is the UK’s first fully connected Driver Advisory System (DAS).
ESG chose the IT engineering company, Cubris, as the partner for this project because it has more than 10 years of experience in DASs. The Cubris GreenSpeed DAS is a proven system, already in fleet-wide operation on Danish Railways.
The system is currently installed on 20 Class 158s and one Class 458 SWT unit. The system will be installed gradually across the full SWT fleet, with the system being fully operational in 2016.
The South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance operates one of the busiest railways in Europe, with passenger numbers continuing to grow. To help the operator accommodate an increasing number of passengers, new investment is being made to improve the reliability of services across the network. GreenSpeed DAS will help deliver an increasingly reliable service to passengers, whilst simultaneously helping to manage the traffic in and out of London Waterloo, the busiest railway station in the UK. DAS also has the added benefit of potentially reducing the impact on the environment by lowering energy consumption. The DAS will be connected to the emerging Network Rail Traffic Management System (TMS). The TMS will inform DAS of any changes to the target arrival times for trains and DAS will then adjust its driver advice to ensure that the train arrives exactly on time.
SWT’s contracts manager, Kevin Griffin, said: “Following a selection process that included over 15 potential suppliers, we selected ESG and Cubris to deliver the DAS on the South West railway. The Cubris system GreenSpeed was the best fit with SWT’s requirements, as they were able to demonstrate a system that has already proven successful in Denmark. The idea to include driver workshops in the design of the user interface was also the best offered from potential suppliers. The Cubris system is very adaptable and offers lots of additional benefits.”
Martin Horsman, managing director of ESG, sees a new market opportunity in the UK and abroad. He said: “ESG has a long track record of delivering excellent engineering services to both rolling stock operators and leasers. This project demonstrates ESG’s capability to offer engineering, installation and approval of driver advisory systems, which complements our product portfolio perfectly.”
The CEO of Cubris, Sune Edinger Gram, added: “It is a breakthrough for Cubris to now enter the UK market with GreenSpeed, our advanced driver advisory system, and we are extremely satisfied with winning the first major C-DAS project in the UK rail sector. The first phase of the project has been concluded and we can already see the positive results of involving the drivers in the early design of the user interface.”
ESG plays a significant role in the development of the UK’s rolling stock. It offers innovative and value-led consultancy services in three categories: Strategic, Technical and Integration. Operating as the UK arm of the Deutsche Bahn Technology Division: DB Systemtechnik, Europe’s largest railway consultancy, ESG is able to access more than 900 engineers and 18 test laboratories across Europe.
With revenues in excess of £6m and with over 100 employees at its head office in Derby, ESG is one of the fastest growing rail consultancies in the UK, thanks to its truly innovative, dependable and trustworthy service.