01.05.07
Metronet starts 2,000 mile signalling marathon
Metronet Rail has started the massive task of laying over 2,000 miles of new cable – enough to run from London to Cairo – for one of the biggest signalling projects in Europe.
The new signalling is a vital component of the £3.1 billion upgrade of the Metropolitan, District, Circle and Hammersmith & City lines of the London Underground. Coupled with a new control system and the introduction of 190 new air-conditioned trains, it will increase overall capacity on these routes by more than 40%.
Metronet, which is already a significant way through the design phase, has just laid the first 2.5 miles of new cable at Chorleywood on the Metropolitan line during a closure taken to renew track in the area.
Mark Loader, vice president in charge of Metronet's upgrade programme for these four lines, said: “We have passed an important milestone as we press ahead towards the introduction of new air-conditioned trains.
“Resignalling is a massively complex task. We have to lay more than 2,000 miles of new cable, build over 90 new signal equipment rooms, replace more than 1,000 signals – and commission, over eight years, 50 separate signalling zones, including the extremely complex hubs of Baker Street, Earl's Court, Aldgate and Harrow.”
Beacons will be installed every 100 metres along the track which, as part of the distance-to-go radio control system, will feed exact train positions into a new, state-of-the-art control centre, allowing trains to run faster and closer together.
The first new train enters service on the Metropolitan line in December 2009, on the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines in 2012 and on the District line in 2013. The PPP Contract states that the full upgrade of these ‘sub-surface' lines, as they are known – including signalling, service control system and ancillary works – must be completed on the northern section of this group of lines by 2015 and on the south side by 2018.
Tell us what you think – have your say below, or email us directly at [email protected]