SIEMENS FOR HML RESIGNALLING

Infrastructure News

NETWORK RAIL has awarded Siemens a £20 million contract for resignalling sections of the Highland main line, following on from a contract with Bam Nuttall for the civils work (p20, June issue).

The work forms part of an overall £57 million investment in the line. The contract will include work at both Aviemore and Pitlochry stations, where semaphore signals will be replaced with colour lights.

At present, the Up starting signal at Pitlochry, controlling entry to the single line section south to Dunkeld & Birnam, is situated close to the southern end of the loop so that although Pitlochry is a major passing place, only one train can enter the station at a time – meaning there is often a delay before either an Up or Down service can access the platform. The existing semaphore signalling will be replaced with colour-light signals. By lengthening the Up platform northwards and re-siting the Up starting signal northwards, two trains, a northbound and a southbound, will then be able to enter Pitlochry simultaneously, which will help to speed traffic up at this location.

Electrification progress: the 12.00 King’s Cross to Inverness on 29 June 2018 passes Plean, between Larbert and Stirling, with the masts now fully up virtually all the way from Larbert to Stirling as part of the Dunblane and Alloa wiring project.
Ian Lothian

This work will be delivered together with platform extensions at Pitlochry and extension of the double track section to the north at Aviemore. Three private level crossings at Pitlochry will be upgraded as well as further work taking place at Inverness, Kincraig and Slochd.

The upgrade project aims to facilitate an hourly service on the Highland main line, with average journey times reduced by around 10 minutes. The signalling work is due to be completed next March ahead of the introduction of a new timetable in May 2019.