BRITAIN's infrastructure manager Network Rail (NR) has finally installed the first kilometre of wiring on the delayed project to electrify the Great Western Main Line between London and Bristol, Cardiff, Oxford and Newbury.

BRITISH infrastructure manager Network Rail (NR) has approved Ricardo Rail's PanMon pantograph monitoring system for a wider rollout across the country's railway network following a successful trial on the West Coast Main Line (WCML).

GERMAN Rail Energy (DB Energy) has selected General Electric (GE) to supply new Static Frequency Converters at its Bützow and Schwerin converter stations in an effort to optimise energy supply to Germany's railway network.

The need to provide additional capacity while improving reliability and reducing costs has energised the market for rolling stock refurbishment and retractioning in Britain. Keith Barrow considers whether innovative rebuilds of older trains can deliver passenger satisfaction and operational efficiency.

VIENNESE public transport operator Wiener Linien has awarded SPL Powerlines Austria a contract to install 750V dc third rail electrification on the southern extension of U-Bahn Line U1 from Reumannplatz to Oberlaa.

NETWORK Rail (NR) CEO Mr Mark Carne told the British parliament's Public Accounts Committee on October 21 that the cost of completing electrification of the Great Western Main Line (GWML) has increased to at least £2.5bn and could reach £2.8bn.

Aarhus is currently developing Denmark's inaugural light rail project which is on course to open in 2017 to coincide with the city becoming the year's European Capital of Culture. Kevin Smith took a trip to eastern Jutland to see how the project is progressing.

BRITAIN's secretary of state for transport Mr Patrick McLoughlin announced on September 30 that electrification of the Trans-Pennine route from Manchester to Leeds, York, and Selby, and the Midland Main Line (MML) from Bedford north of London to Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield will resume, albeit under a revised timeline.

LONDON Underground (LU) has launched a five-week trial of a new inverter system at Cloudesley Road substation on the Victoria Line, which enables energy returned to the grid by regenerative braking systems on trains to be reused at stations.

PLANS for the electrification of the 60km Merano - Malles Venosta Valley line in northern Italy were presented to local mayors on September 17 by South Tyrol provincial councillor for mobility Mr Florian Mussner and the president of South Tyrol Transport Authority (STA) Mr Martin Ausserdorfer.