Atkins wins Anglia resignalling contract
2 min read
Atkins, one of the world's leading design, engineering and project management organisations, has been awarded a £29-million contract for the resignalling of the Norwich-Yarmouth-Lowestoft route by Network Rail.
The project is due for completion in Spring 2019.
Atkins will be providing a full suite of GRIP 5-8 design, engineering, construction, testing and commissioning services for the scheme, which will see it introduce new digital interlocking technology to the Anglia region.
Adam Parsons, programme director, Transportation at Atkins, said: "The innovative new signalling system will provide a step-change in the way the railway runs; it will be safer, more reliable and cheaper to operate and maintain.
"Huw Edwards, Network Rail's programme director for signalling, said: "This scheme will really benefit passengers by improving reliability on this line as part of our Railway Upgrade Plan. We'll be taking out the old Victorian infrastructure and replacing it with modern equivalents. We're also going to be improving safety on the railway by upgrading six level crossings and putting in technology to make the railway safer for all.
"Installing a new digital signalling system across the 42 kilometres of route will prove transformational, as the existing mechanical interlocking is removed and replaced with bespoke, programmable ElectroLogIXS equipment. This means that the new digital control centre will be based at Colchester Signalling Centre.
Using Safety Integrity Level (SIL) software, the Atkins team will revolutionise the way the signalling system at Norwich, Yarmouth and Lowestoft is run. The resignalling works will see the removal of the bulk of trackside collaterals, such as cabling and relays, with all the new hardware remote-monitored and controlled from Colchester.
Adam continued: "This is an enormous shift in the right direction when it comes to creating a safer working environment for our people. Using a digital interlocking system deployed with our overall system architecture significantly reduces the amount of time which track engineers will be required to spend in safety-critical environments, maintaining and repairing signalling systems.
"Having less equipment to maintain also enables the infrastructure owner to demonstrate enhanced value for money in terms of the capital and operational costs for buying and running the system. Moreover, the removal of life-expired assets from the railway means that passengers in the area will experience new levels of reliability in the services they use.
