Dear Readers
I am looking forward to the release of railway historian Robin Jones’s new book Brunel's Big Railway: Creation of the Great Western Railway.
This book looks at the history of the railway from London to Bristol and Brunel's Great Western legacy. Engineering genius Isambard Kingdom Brunel's Great Western Railway was bigger, wider and faster than any other of its day.
His unique broad gauge 'super railway' also connected Paddington to Plymouth and Penzance, and for decades was one of the wonders of the world. More than two centuries on, many of his historic structures along the route have been given listed building protection so future generations can admire and enjoy them.
Brunel's Big Railway: Creation of the Great Western Railway will be available in hardback from Amazon 28 February.
We have 2 exciting Jobs of the Week this week. In France, we are looking for a System Support Engineer and in Malaysia, we are looking for a Contracts Officer.
Regards
Ceri Taylor
Editor
This Week's Headlines:
16 Feb 2020. Australia. Private Melbourne airport rail plan unlikely to proceed
The giant investment fund that pledged A$7bn towards a Melbourne Airport rail line is unlikely to see its plan proceed, with the Andrews government moving to instead run trains to Tullamarine via its new Metro Tunnel project.
Source: The Age
14 Feb 2020. Albania. Consulting contract awarded for Tirana network modernisation
Albanian Railways has awarded the contract for the consulting and technical assistance services for the new project to upgrade rail connections with the country’s capital, Tirana.
Source: Global Railway Review
13 Feb 2020. UK. Five designs for new National Railway Museum hall unveiled
York’s National Railway Museum has unveiled five shortlisted designs for its proposed new Central Hall.
Source: York Press
13 Feb 2020. Germany. DB Regio win Euregiobahn contract
Regional transport authority NVR has awarded DB Regio a contract to continue to operate Euregiobahn passenger service RB20 for four years from 12 December 2021.
Source: Railway Gazette
12 Feb 2020. Canada. Anti pipeline blockades halt freight and passenger rail
Thousands of travellers have been affected and billions of dollars worth of freight traffic delayed as an Indigenous-led blockade of critical rail lines continues to cripple the country’s train network.
Source: The Guardian
Jobs of the Week:
System Support Engineer Paris, France
Job ID#: 12810
Discipline: IT
Position Type: Permanent
Job Description
Our client is a market leader providing technology products and associated services to the rail industry. They offer support tools that can be used for advanced planning of railways and for real time and near real time decision making for operating railroads. Our Client base is Railway Owners and Operators in the public and private sector and suppliers and contractors to Owners and Operators. This company currently has a position available for a System Support Engineer in Paris, France to work with one of our clients. Applicants must speak FRENCH.
Responsibilities:
Primary
- Provide customer support relative to the contract SLA using the client's JIRA support software
- Tests management and system acceptance
- System performance analysis
Your home base will be Paris - France. Travel to other locations and overseas may be required from time to time. Candidates must be fluent in French and English in order to be considered for this role.
Job Requirements
- Needs a minimum of Bachelor or Master's degree in science, software engineering or an Engineering discipline
Competencies:
- Software Engineering
- Experience with software-based systems
- Object Oriented Systems Analysis
- Strong analytical/problem solving skills
Contact: Jackie Hendry (jackie@railpersonnel.com)
Contracts Officer Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Job ID#: 12898
Discipline: Contracts
Position Type: Permanent
Job Description
Our client is an international contractor offering services from concept and design through to building and fit out. They have an active presence in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand, with completed and on-going projects in the UK, France, Japan, Australia, South Africa and Papua New Guinea. They are looking for an contracts person to assist the Technical Director administer a range of contracts including multiple consultancy contracts. There is a large team of QS engineers to support the Contracts Officer. The suitable candidate would be involved with the design team. The person would be based at their Head Office in Kuala Lumper and at site office when required working 6 day week. This offers an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and energetic company.
Job Requirements
Candidates should have
- at least 8 years of experience with contract administration
- Must have Experience of managing substantial consultancy contracts
- good English writing and communication skills
- be able to speak Malaysian Bahasa
Contact: Ma. Irish Zabat (irish@railpersonnel.com)
Rail News:
16 Feb 2020. Australia. Private Melbourne airport rail plan unlikely to proceed
The giant investment fund that pledged A$7bn towards a Melbourne Airport rail line is unlikely to see its plan proceed, with the Andrews government moving to instead run trains to Tullamarine via its new Metro Tunnel project. IFM Investors, a global fund manager has spent two years and more than A$30m developing its AirRail plan. IFM wants to combine its $7 billion with $5 billion each from Canberra and Victoria. This money would fund a dedicated airport rail line from Southern Cross Station – which IFM owns and operates – to Melbourne Airport. The plan would include a new six-km tunnel under the city’s inner west. Under its plan, IFM would own the tunnel for four decades and charge access fees to the state to recover its investment. The state government wants to use the funding from Canberra, first offered by Malcolm Turnbull in 2018, to build new rail tracks between the airport and Sunshine. Airport trains would then run via the Metro Tunnel rail loop under central Melbourne, now under construction.
Source: The Age
14 Feb 2020. Albania. Consulting contract awarded for Tirana network modernisation
Albanian Railways has awarded a consortium the contract for the consulting and technical assistance services for the new project to upgrade rail connections with the country’s capital, Tirana. The consortium, led by Ardanuy Ingeniería and also made up of Metrotenerife and SIM SpA Albania, will assist Albanian Railways (HSH) in the implementation of the tender and awarding phases of the works for the renovation of over 34 kms of the network between the Tirana Public Transport Terminal, PTT and the city of Durres. This contract also includes consulting services for the construction of a new five kilometre branch line and a transfer station connecting the Tirana-Durres Line with the capital’s international airport. The project forms part of the Western Balkans Core Network’s Route 2 which will connect the cities of Podgorica in Montenegro and Vlore in Albania and has been included as one of the extensions of the Transeuropean Transportation Network (TEN-T) to this area.
Source: Global Railway Review
13 Feb 2020. UK. Five designs for new National Railway Museum hall unveiled
York’s National Railway Museum has unveiled five shortlisted designs for its proposed new Central Hall. The £16.5m building is set to be built across Leeman Road to link the existing two sides of the museum as part of its Vision 2025 redevelopment. The five teams - 6a architects (UK) and OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen (Belgium), Atelier d’Architecture Philippe Prost (France), Carmody Groarke (UK), Feilden Fowles (UK) and heneghan peng architects (Ireland) - were told the building must be sensitive to the railway heritage of surrounding buildings and York, and environmentally sustainable. The design concepts by five architectural practices were selected from 76 entries and will be available to view at a free public exhibition in the museum’s Great Hall until 29 March, with the public asked to give its views by 23 February. A 'distinguished jury' will evaluate the proposals and select a winner, having considered a summary of all public comments.
Source: York Press
13 Feb 2020. Germany. DB Regio win Euregiobahn contract
Regional transport authority NVR has awarded incumbent and sole bidder DB Regio a contract to continue to operate Euregiobahn passenger service RB20 for four years from 12 December 2021.There are options for the contract to be extended or shortened by one year to align the end dates with the completion of electrification works which will enable a switch from diesel traction. The contract covers the operation of 1·571 million train-km/year between on a route which runs in a loop from Stolberg via Alsdorf, Herzogenrath and Aachen back to Stolberg and then to Stolberg Altstadt or Düren. Extensions to Baesweiler and Breinig are planned. The current fleet of Bombardier Class 643.2 Talent DMUs is to be refurbished in time for the start of the contract.
Source: Railway Gazette
12 Feb 2020. Canada. Anti pipeline blockades halt freight and passenger rail
Thousands of travellers have been affected and billions of dollars worth of freight traffic delayed as an Indigenous-led blockade of critical rail lines continues to cripple the country’s train network. More than 150 passenger trains have been cancelled since the blockade began, forcing an estimated 24,000 people to find alternate travel routes. Canadian National Railway, which owns the tracks, warned it “will be forced to shut down significant parts” of its vast Canadian network, which moves oil, grain and forestry products to markets in Asia and the United States, unless a resolution is reached. For the past week, Tyendinaga Mohawk protesters in Ontario have defied a court injunction and blocked railway tracks in support Wet’suwet’en activists in British Columbia who are locked in a standoff over a multibillion-dollar natural gas pipeline that would cross through their traditional territory.
Source: The Guardian
12 Feb 2020. The Netherlands. VIPS experience ATO test train ride
Stadler, together with ProRail, the Provincie Groningen and Arriva Netherlands, has opened the doors of an ATO test train to a group of VIPs, taking them on a trip in the Groningen area. This is the first time that passengers in the Netherlands have been on board an ATO train which can accelerate and brake automatically. The train ran in Grade of Automation (GoA) 2, which means that it moves automatically and stops precisely at a platform, based on the journey profile provided by ATO trackside. The train is a diesel-electric powered GTW, manufactured by Stadler and provided by Arriva Netherlands. To guarantee the train’s safety, it operates under a train protection system and the supervision of a driver. The aim of the project is to evaluate the human factors and also to determine the potential increase in track capacity as well as saving energy, and assesses stop precision, punctuality, speed, safety and comfort.
Source: Stadler
12 Feb 2020. Germany. Alstom to equip another 19 ICE high-speed trains with ETCS
Alstom has obtained an order by Deutsche Bahn AG (DB) to retrofit 19 additional ICE1 high-speed trains with the newest ETCS signalling standard. The retrofitting work, worth more than €10m, is scheduled to be completed by September 2021. The project is a follow-up contract for the ICE 1, of which Alstom had already retrofitted 39 trains for the commissioning of the VDE 8 high-speed line connecting Berlin and Munich. The contract includes development, design and manufacture of the digital signalling system ETCS Level 2 Baseline 3 as well as its installation, connection to existing train control systems and commissioning. The new system will ensure a continuous communication between the vehicle and the track.
Source: Alstom
12 Feb 2020. Egypt. EIB to provide funding for railway projects
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing a total of €2.7m to support two railway projects in Egypt. The first project, the rehabilitation of Cairo Metro Line 2, will receive €1.2 million. Backed by the Economic Resilience Initiative Fund (ERI), it covers technical assistance for the feasibility study and the renovation of the rolling stock. Also supported by the ERI fund, the second project concerns feasibility study works (including an environmental and social impact study) of the Tanta - El Mansoura - Damietta rail project. It includes the rehabilitation of 118 km of the Tanta - El Mansoura - Damietta railway line, the doubling of the El Mansoura - Damietta section, which currently covers 65 km, and the re-signalling of line and stations. A freight yard and a cargo link to the port of Damietta are also being studied. The Egyptian government expects this project to improve the safety, availability and reliability of the line crossing the Nile Delta.
Source: Ecofin Agency
12 Feb 2020. India. IRCTC's third private train to start next week
Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation’s (IRCTC) third corporate train will start running on set commercial routes from 20th February. The new train will be named Kashi Mahakal Express and it will run between Varanasi and Indore. The train will connect three important shrines Jyotirlinga – Omkareshwar (near Indore), Mahakaleshwar (Ujjain) and Kashi Vishwanath (Varanasi). Apart from pilgrims, the train will also serve as a direct route students travelling between educational hubs like Bhopal and Indore. The new Kashi Mahakal Express will be the first corporate train to travel long distances. It will be a superfast air-conditioned overnight journey train with berths. Similar to the two Tejas Express trains, the third IRCTC train will only be available for booking on their website and the mobile app ‘Irctc Rail Connect’.
Source: Live Mint
11 Feb 2020. UK. HS2: Government to give high-speed rail line the go-ahead
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that the controversial HS2 high-speed rail link will go ahead. It follows a five-month review which he ordered last August, and an election at which the Tories failed to commit fully to the project in their manifesto. The first phase of the route will travel between London and Birmingham, with a second phase going to Manchester and Leeds. The rail link was signed off by MPs in 2017, but has since faced opposition from a variety of quarters. Supporters of the plan say it will improve transport times, create jobs and rebalance the UK's economy. But the rising cost of the project and accusations of mismanagement have provoked anger from critics. Environmental groups say HS2 will boost carbon emissions and spoil areas of natural beauty.
Source: BBC
11 Feb 2020. UK. Nexus and Stadler sign deal for new Metro train fleet
Nexus has officially signed a contract with the Swiss train builder Stadler to produce the new train fleet for the Tyne and Wear Metro. The five-carriage trains will be 60m long and have a capacity of 600 passengers. The 42 new trains are to be delivered up to 2024. The contract also includes a provision to order additional trains. The new trains will cut Metro’s high voltage power consumption by 30% while providing 15 times better reliability than the current fleet. Metro’s 36 million passengers will benefit from modern features including Wi-Fi, charging points, air conditioning and a step-change in accessibility. Among new features will be an automatic sliding step at every door of the new trains, making travel easier for Metro’s wheelchair passengers as well as people with children’s buggies, luggage or bicycles. Stadler will also construct a new Metro maintenance depot and carry out 35 years of maintenance for the new fleet.
Source: Nexus
11 Feb 2020. France. Alstom delivers the 130th Citadis tram to Bordeaux Métropole
Alstom has delivered the 130th Citadis tram to its long-time customer Bordeaux Métropole. The city now has one of the largest tram fleets in France, having been ordered in four tranches beginning in 2000 and beginning passenger service in 2003. This fleet consists of 118 trams of 44 metres in length and 12 trams of 33 metres. Each tram can accommodate between 218 and 300 passengers, the equivalent of more than three buses. Alstom's Citadis trams offer optimal on-board travel quality with a full low floor, air conditioning and a video-protection system, as well as audio and visual information. Up to 98% recyclable, Citadis trams help to preserve the environment. The Bordeaux tram network consists of four lines, with a total length of 77 kilometres. 35 kilometres are equipped with the APS ground-level power supply technology. All the Citadis trams of Bordeaux Métropole are equipped to be compatible with the APS system. The Bordeaux trams were manufactured at seven Alstom sites in France.
Source: Alstom
11 Feb 2020. Hong Kong. MTR to operate phase one of the Tuen Ma line
Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway (MTR) has signed agreements with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) for the operation of phase one of the Tuen Ma rail line. Phase one of the line has three new stations: Hin Keng, Diamond Hill and Kai Tak. Phase one will extend the current Ma OnShan line to Kowloon East and see a new tunnel constructed below Lion Rock. The agreements last for a two-year period. The entities signed three agreements, including an amendment operating agreement and a supplemental operating agreement to the current integrated operating agreement, which exists between the government and Hong Kong MTR. The third agreement is a supplemental service concession agreement between all three entities.
Source: Railway Technology
10 Feb 2020. Sweden. SJ and Vy win night train contracts
Trafikverket has awarded Swedish passenger operator SJ and Norwegian operator Vy contracts to operate overnight trains in Sweden. Vy will take over the operation of Stockholm – Narvik services from SJ. SJ will continue to operate the Stockholm – Östersund – Duved service while Vy will take over operation of the Stockholm – Kiruna – Narvik service from SJ, which has operated the route since 2008. The contracts will run from December 13 2020 until December 14 2024 with the option for two-year extensions. Vy’s contract includes two daily overnight services from Stockholm to Narvik, which also offer day trains between Luleå and Narvik. Vy says around 500,000 trips are made on the route today. The operator will lease the rolling stock used for the service from Trafikverket. SJ Norge, SJ’s Norwegian subsidiary, will begin operating regional services between Trondheim and Storlien, 58km west of Duved, as part as Traffic Package North, which was awarded in June 2019.
Source: International Railway journal
10 Feb 2020. India. Hyderabad Metro opens Green Line
Hyderabad Metro’s 11km Green Line was formally opened by the Chief Minister of Telangana state Kalvakuntla Chandrashekhar Rao on 7 February. The north-south elevated route with nine stations serves the eastern side of the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. It starts from an interchange with the east-west Line 3 at Jubilee Bus Stand in Secunderabad and runs south to meet Line 1 at Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station in Hyderabad. End-to-end journey time is 16 min. The 71km first phase of the network is being developed by Larsen & Toubro subsidiary L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Ltd under a PPP concession awarded in 2010. Electrified at 25kV 50 Hz, the line is fitted with CBTC supplied by Thales and operated with Hyundai Rotem trains.
Source: Railway Gazette
