BRITISH infrastructure manager Network Rail (NR) has awarded Alstom a £130m contract to renew signalling covering 201km of track in the Cambridge area.
The contract is the largest single contract to be awarded by NR under the Major Signalling Framework Agreement (MFSA) during the current five-year Control Period, which began on April 1 2019 and expires on March 31 2024.
Alstom will replace almost 700 items of life-expired signalling equipment, upgrade the signalling control equipment at Cambridge power signalbox (PSB) with Alstom’s control systems and work station, upgrade the interlocking equipment in the Cambridge area using Alstom Smart Lock 400GP Computer-Based Interlocking (CBI) system, upgrade seven level crossings from half-barrier to full barrier, renew telecommunications and power supplies to support the new systems, relocate signalling to Cambridge PSB and decommission three mechanical signalboxes. NR says the new system will provide a platform ready for ETCS.
The 201km area stretches from Meldreth and Elsenham in the south, through central Cambridge to Ely in the north and Thurston in the east. The project will also be integrated with the planned new Cambridge South station and the possible East West Rail extension to Cambridge.
Design work has already commenced, with work on the ground expected to be delivered during four commissioning stages. Final commissioning is scheduled for winter 2024.
The overall Cambridge resignalling project is worth £194m.
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