UK government confirms lower speed and no automation for High Speed 2
UK: The government has announced further details of the ‘reset’ of the High Speed 2 project, with revised costs and timeframes for the completion of the London – Birmingham line as well as a lower maximum speed and the abandonment of plans for automation. The government had asked Mark Wild, CEO of project promoter HS2 […]
HS2 celebrates completion of tallest bridge ahead of complex launch operation – High-Speed Rail Group
Another significant milestone on the HS2 project has been reached with the completion of Curzon 2 – a landmark bridge which forms part of the Curzon approaches into Birmingham Curzon Street Station. The bridge is now undergoing final preparations ahead of a complex launch operation over the existing Cross City railway line just outside Birmingham […]
HS2 train depot and control centre deal provides jobs boost for Birmingham – High-Speed Rail Group
HS2 Ltd has confirmed that Taylor Woodrow Infrastructure Ltd and Aureos Rail Ltd (TWA JV) will deliver the control centre and rolling stock depot in Birmingham, marking a significant milestone in the programme’s development. The contract, valued at approximately £856 million, will see the joint venture transform the disused 70-hectare former LDV and Metro-Cammell site […]
Velvet unveils first of Alstom fleet in push to crack French high speed rail market
FRANCE: Velvet has unveiled an Alstom Avelia Horizon trainset in its livery, as the high speed new entrant prepares to compete against SNCF as France’s first domestic private entrant with its own new-build fleet. The unveiling took place at Alstom’s La Rochelle site in southwest France, where the trainsets are being assembled. While Velvet’s parent […]
Trenitalia secures depot site to house French and cross-Channel Frecciarossa fleets
EUROPE: Trenitalia has reached an agreement for a depot in Paris which would be the base for trainsets used on routes in France and for planned services through the Channel Tunnel to London. EUROPE: Trenitalia announced on March 18 that it had reached agreement with SNCF Réseau to lease a site for a depot in […]
Trenitalia increases high speed train order
ITALY: National railway FS Group’s passenger business Trenitalia has signed a €260m contract for Hitachi Rail to supply a further nine Frecciarossa high speed trainsets. ITALY: National railway FS Group’s passenger business Trenitalia has signed a €260m contract for Hitachi Rail to supply a further nine Frecciarossa high speed trainsets. The order announced by the […]
RENFE invites high speed train tenders
SPAIN: National train operator RENFE has called tenders for the supply of 30 high speed trainsets, with options for 10 more. SPAIN: National train operator RENFE has called tenders for the supply of 30 high speed trainsets, with options for 10 more. The base order has an estimated value of €1·37bn, with the option potentially […]
Middle East: Early planning is critical to rail project success
As ambitious railway programmes take shape across the Middle East, there is a growing need to appreciate the importance of strategic planning, which shapes performance, ensure resilience and delivers long-term value. Railway megaprojects succeed or fail long before the tracks are laid or the trains begin to run. And nowhere is this more evident today […]
Six consortia apply for Poland’s first high speed line construction contract
POLAND: Six consortia comprising a total of 17 companies have applied to participate in a competitive dialogue for a contract to build Poland’s first section of high speed railway, Port Polska project promoter CPK has announced. ‘This is the first procedure for the construction of a High-Speed Rail line not only in Poland, but in […]
Data: Standards hold key to modal integration
The development of an open data exchange toolkit is the latest sign that progress is being made on the thorny question of multimodal ticketing and journey information across rail, air and urban transport, as UIC’s Bertrand Minary explains to Nick Kingsley. The International Union of Railways has, under the leadership of Director-General François Davenne, come to see itself […]