Media centre

Wednesday 13 Sep 2006

PHOTOCALL: KING’S CROSS SIGNAL BOX EXTENSION TO HELP KEEP PERFORMANCE ON TRACK

Region & Route:

| Eastern

Date: 15 September 2006 Time: 11am Location: King’s Cross Signal Box, York Way, London, N1 9AP Event: Network Rail and First Capital Connect jointly open the extended and refurbished King’s Cross Power Signal Box Media contact: Stuart Buss 020 7904 4341 / 07799 337367 Journalists and photographers are invited to join Network Rail’s Route Director Dyan Crowther and First Capital Connect’s Managing Director Elaine Holt to officially open the extended and refurbished King’s Cross Power Signal Box. Network Rail has invested £3 million in the project which will allow Network Rail’s signalling staff and First Capital Connect’s controllers to be co-located in the same room. The new set-up will allow them to build on their excellent working relationship and to further combine their efforts in delivering good performance and a safe and reliable railway for passengers. Dyan Crowther said: “I am delighted to officially open the extended and refurbished King’s Cross Power Signal Box. This investment is a massive boost for the staff of Network Rail and First Capital Connect.  They will be working in world class facilities, aiming to provide a world class service for passengers, who can travel knowing Network Rail and First Capital Connect are working side-by-side to keep the East Coast Main Line running smoothly.” Elaine Holt said: “I am pleased to join Network Rail to open the King’s Cross Power Signal Box. This represents a large investment from Network Rail, resulting in greatly improved facilities for our staff, and it will enable First Capital Connect staff and Network Rail staff to work much closer together to deliver a more reliable train service to our customers.” Work to extend and refurbish the signal box began on site in November last year and the project has been completed on time and on budget. The extended signal box now boasts new ergonomically designed workstations; a new fully equipped incident room; state-of-the-art telecommunication and I.T. facilities; and work is also continuing to gradually replace the existing signalling panels. All of the work was planned and carried out around the live signalling environment, avoiding the need to move staff and cause disruption to services. King’s Cross Power Signal Box controls the signalling along the East Coast Main Line as far as Peterborough and is manned by a dedicated team of 20 signalling staff and 40 controllers.