Global mobility solution provider Bombardier Transportation has announced that it has signed a framework agreement with Porterbrook, the UK rolling stock company, to fit digital onboard signalling to Bombardier Electrostar trains in the UK. This project falls under the UK’s Digital Railway Programme funded by the Department for Transport through Network Rail and is managed by the National Joint ROSCO Programme (NJRP).
Under the framework agreement, Bombardier will deliver the design work needed for the fitment of the European Train Control System (ETCS) equipment and the Bombardier EBI Cab 2000 onboard Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system, to all Electrostar fleets in the UK – the most numerous Electric Multiple Unit type currently operating on Britain’s railways.
The initial agreement is worth £11.3 million (€12.3 million euro, $15.0 million US), to design and fit First in Class (FiC) ETCS equipment to a Porterbrook-owned Class 387 Electrostar train operated by Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR). The FiC contract has been authorised by Porterbrook Leasing Company Limited (Porterbrook) as the lead rolling stock asset owner for the Electrostar trains supported by Angel Trains, Eversholt Rail, Akiem and QW Rail, under the National Joint ROSCO Programme. Once the FiC unit receives regulatory approvals, all other Electrostar train owners and operators will then be able to opt to have Bombardier fit the EBI Cab 2000 to their trains under the same framework agreement.
By fitting ETCS equipment, the trains will become ‘Digital Railway-ready’, so able to take advantage of Network Rail’s modern signalling and train control technology that will increase capacity, reduce delays, enhance safety and drive down costs. ETCS is becoming the standard signalling and train controlling technology on railways across Europe and beyond, and in the UK it is being rolled out on a national basis, starting with sections of the East Coast Mainline, Thameslink and Elizabeth lines.
A rather strange article. The headline would have one believe that a contract had been placed to fit ETCS to all Electrostar trains whereas it’s only for one of them as “first in class”. Once the first in class is approved other rolling stock owners MAY (bold for emphasis) order fitment on other trains.
Oh, and this isn’t truly first in class as a number of class 387 Electrostars owned by Porterbrook have already been equipped with ETCS for Heathrow Express services. I guess the HEX units were equipped outside the NJRP.
@Cent Trente
Thanks for pointing this out. I work from an article’s own headline, but if it is not accurate or I feel it doesn’t highlight the aspect in which LR readers would be most interested, I change it. Nonetheless I didn’t catch the nuance in this instance. I have singularised the plural ‘Electrostars’ in the LR headline to render it more accurate. LBM