Nexus has awarded Furrer+Frey a contract to renew the metro network’s electrification equipment.
The electrification programme is part of Nexus’s programme of transformation which also includes the introduction of a brand new fleet of trains due to be introduced later this year.
The FL200-Light overhead system is a lightweight design, perfectly suited for light rail transit and will be converted into 1,500 volt power. The five-year contract will upgrade one hundred single track kilometres, which date from the 1980’s.
It is hoped that the upgrade will mean less disruptions and improved reliability on the network. Nexus also confirmed that the operator’s own engineers will install the equipment with training from Furrer+Frey. This will mean that jobs will be preserved in the area alongside Furrow+Frey servicing their part of the contract from their new UK headquarters and assembly facility in Nottingham.
Head of renewals at Nexus, Sarah McManus, said:
“This contract is a core part of the multi-million-pound investment we are making to renew key parts of Metro’s infrastructure and deliver an affordable, reliable railway that’s ready for the next fifty years.
”This also marks an investment in our staff, developing our skills and expertise to keep maintenance affordable, in-house and in the North East.”
Noel Dolphin, head of UK projects at Furrer+Frey said:
“We are delighted to be continuing our relationship with Nexus to boost the reliability and resilience of the Tyne and Wear Metro.
“We’ll be manufacturing Swiss-quality equipment in the UK, tailored to the Metro and installed by their skilled team with our training and support.
“We take a low-carbon approach by making the most of existing old structures and renewing the system for another 50 years of service.”
Work is due to begin in the summer.
Want to know more about the opportunities to become a key supplier to the UK rail industry? Attend TransCityRail and access an exclusive marketplace of buyers from Network Rail, HS2, Train Operators, Major Contractors, and all other tiers of the supply chain. For more information and to secure your place click here.
