Media centre

Wednesday 5 Jan 2005

‘IT’S A WRAP’ - PETERBOROUGH RESIGNALLING A SUCCESS

Region & Route:

| Eastern

A major project to replace the vital signalling system which controls the railway in and around Peterborough was successfully completed over the Christmas period.  Dyan Crowther, Network Rail Route Director, said: “I’m delighted to see the conclusion of this scheme, which will ensure the future reliability of train services for passengers using this line.  I must also pay tribute to the many dedicated workers who forfeited their Christmas break to deliver these improvements for railway users in and around Peterborough.” Commissioning work started late on Christmas Eve and was completed by the early hours of Tuesday 28 December, 45 minutes earlier than expected.  It was the final stage in an        18-month resignalling scheme, which has seen an investment of £12million into Peterborough’s railway.  The project was timed to coincide with the traditional two-day Christmas closure of the railway, and continued over the bank holiday of 27 December, when buses replaced trains.  An intensive work programme was carried out over this period (see Notes to Editors) and every milestone was successfully met either on or before time.  Dyan Crowther added: “We took advantage of the Christmas period to carry out this work with only minimal disruption to passengers.  Careful planning and advance preparation enabled the team to get the project wrapped up on time and to return the railway for use on 28 December.  I would like to thank any passengers who were affected for their patience while this essential job was completed.” The previous ‘interlocking’ system at the signal box in Peterborough was more than 30 years old and has been replaced by a more modern Solid State Interlocking (SSI) system.  The system operates in the signalling area between Stilton Fen and Werrington Junction on the East Coast Main Line and enables signallers to control signalling equipment on the ground. The project started 18 months ago with the construction of a new equipment room at Peterborough signal box, which was fitted out during the summer and tested at weekends from August.  The work over Christmas involved the gradual disconnection of the old signalling system and re-connection of the new system within the signalling area.  A test train was then run over every possible route, covering hundreds of route miles in one day.