Latest news with #EuropeanTrainControlSystem
Powys County Times
a day ago
- Automotive
- Powys County Times
Powys train driver says Tornado test was 'career highlight'
The driver who helmed an iconic steam train as it was tested on his home railway in Powys has called it the highlight of his career. When the LNER Peppercorn Class A1 60163 Tornado steam locomotive was taken along the Cambrian Line earlier this year, it was helmed by Machynlleth train driver John Rogers. He was behind the controls of the record-breaking train while it did overnight runs between Newtown and Shrewsbury as the world's first operational steam locomotive to be fitted with digital signalling technology European Train Control System (ETCS). John said: 'I worked for Network Rail when they were converting to a new signalling system as part of the operations team. I then left to go driving classic steam trains, including the Tornado. 'Having some experience both driving that locomotive and operating new signalling systems, I guess that made me a good choice to helm it during the testing along the Cambrian Line, which happened to be my home railway. "It also meant I had experience driving steam and was familiar with the route we'd be taking.' The Tornado was built in 2008 and based on an original design by Arthur Peppercorn. The Cambrian line was chosen as a railway to test the new digital signalling system, completing overnight runs in April 2025 when the line was quieter. 'It was an absolutely phenomenal experience," John added. "Doing it on my home railway made it extra special, especially after a 15-year gap of steam locomotives on that railway. I was very proud to be the driver of the first one on that line for more then a decade. 'I think the Cambrian line is the jewel in the crown of Welsh railways. Hopefully one day we'll see more steam on that railway. 'Driving the train with the new system came naturally, as it's been integrated so well. The team did such a good job on designing it that the system fit in really well. It's a massive leap in technology and an incredible achievement to get as far as it has. 'It's been the highlight of my career to take that train on that line. The only way it could have been better would be to pull into my hometown of Machynlleth, but the train was so large that the station would not be able to accommodate it. 'I believe it's the biggest engine ever to pull into Newtown Station. A lot of the stations in Mid Wales were built for small engines so Newtown was as far as we could take the Tornado, but also as far as we needed to for testing.'
Daily Mail
21-04-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
End of the line feared for steam trains after plans to abolish traditional railway 'traffic lights' signals
Steam trains could be facing the end of the line amid plans to abolish traditional railway traffic light-style signals. Network Rail plans to remove the lineside lights most train drivers currently use to guide their journey and expand in-cab digital signalling across the network instead, to cut upkeep costs and maximise capacity. It means steam-powered engines will need to be fitted with these digital screens and software too if they are to continue running on the mainline and survive the network updates. Trials are currently underway to determine if steam engines and historical diesels could be compatible with the so-called European Train Control System (ETCS) technology. The experiments have seen Tornado, a steam locomotive built by train lovers in 2008 based on a 1940s design, fitted out with ETCS kit. But if it does not work even in a more recent engine, older locomotives like the Flying Scotsman - built in 1923 and the oldest steam train still active on Britain's main network - face even less of a chance. This could see the UK's some 500 steam engines - which contribute £600million a year to the economy - relegated to minor routes and preserved railways, the Telegraph reports. Network Rail has said it will aim to make sure historic steam and diesel engines can still run - but a company source said the current trials offer no guarantee. They explained: 'If we prove the concept with Tornado and it works properly, then we are in a better place to understand costs and feasibility for future deployment. 'But who will pay for that when there is a totally non-standard fleet of steam engines owned by a variety of different people is absolutely not certain.' ETCS is already used on a handful of routes - but Network Rail plans to roll it out nationally, starting at the London end of the East Coast Main Line from King's Cross to Edinburgh. The West Coast line from Euston to Glasgow and the Great Western route from Paddington are likely to be up next. Instead of looking out the window for lineside signals, like traffic lights, ETCS sees train drivers observe a screen in front of them inside the cab. It shows a target speed and gives them the remaining distance they have until they need to slow down or speed up. Drivers can talk to signallers using an internal mobile phone system - and if they go too fast or run a virtual red light, the trains automatically brake, so are safer. The technology also allows trains to be spaced out more efficiently, adding more journeys per hour. The kitted-out Tornado - which was featured in Paddington 2 and Top Gear - was trialled overnight this week on the route from Shrewsbury, Shropshire, to Newtown in mid Wales, which is already ETCS-compatible. The main challenges with using the kit in steam and diesel engines are how hard it is to use a screen in an open, noisy, dirty and often wet cab and issues with braking, how the engine works and electrical supply. West Coast Railways - the network's biggest steam operator, also responsible for the popular 'Hogwarts Express' route - ran the test trains. The firm has already faced challenges in recent years after the rail regulator prohibited its carriages from the 1950s, which train enthusiasts tend to prefer. Rob Morland, an electrical engineer with Tornado's owners, the A1 Steam Trust, said a second steam turbo-generator, new alternator and third battery bank had to be added to the engine to facilitate the ETCS equipment. Network Rail has said it is too early to comment on the results of the experiments. A Deltic train, one of the most iconic diesels on the network, will be tested on the same line later in the year. Amy Clouston, principal human factors specialist at engineering consultancy AtkinsRéalis, which designed the fitment of Tornado's systems, has previously told the Observer: 'We had to test whether or not you can even use a touchscreen while you're hurtling along at up to 75mph. 'We've had to think about vibrations, lighting, noise, coal dust, water and steam and grubby fingers.' She argued the project was vital to the future of the main line steam sector: 'Steam is part of the nation's engineering heritage so it would be such a shame if it were to only be contained to private, heritage railways. 'Having steam locomotives out there on the main line is a wonderful thing to see.' In an iconic Top Gear episode of 2009, the show's former frontman Jeremy Clarkson raced the Tornado train against fellow presenters Richard Hammond and James May from London to Edinburgh. The episode saw Mr Clarkson having to feed the boiler with a constant supply of coal, without which the whole train would grind to a halt.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Future of steam trains in doubt as railway signals face the axe
Britain's steam trains are facing an uncertain future as Network Rail pushes ahead with plans to abolish traditional railway signals. One-hundred-year-old steam trains will need to be piloted by laptop if they are to continue operating on the mainline under cost-cutting plans to abolish traditional 'traffic light' signals. Trials are underway to determine whether digital screens and software can be fitted into the cabs of steam engines and historical diesels as part of the push to eliminate lineside lights. Should the so-called European Train Control System (ETCS) prove to be incompatible with steam, iconic locomotives including the Flying Scotsman and Royal Scot face being confined to minor lines and preserved railways. In order to assess the challenge, ETCS equipment has been installed in Tornado, a steam train that was completed by enthusiasts in 2008 based on a design from the late 1940s. If what is essentially a new-build locomotive is unable to accommodate the technology, time may be up for more venerable engines such as the Flying Scotsman, which was built in 1923 and is the oldest steam engine still active on Britain's main lines. While ETCS already features on a handful of routes, Network Rail aims to extend it across the entire railway, arguing that it will cut the maintenance bill and maximise hourly capacity compared with relying on red, green and amber signals. Network Rail said it aimed to ensure that steam and heritage diesel trains, which contribute £600m annually to the economy, can still ran. However, a source at the firm said the trials were exploratory and provided no guarantee of them being able to do so. The source said: 'If we prove the concept with Tornado and it works properly, then we are in a better place to understand costs and feasibility for future deployment. 'But who will pay for that when there is a totally non-standard fleet of steam engines owned by a variety of different people is absolutely not certain.' The national rollout of the new signalling technology will start on the southern end of the East Coast Main Line from King's Cross station to Edinburgh and is likely to next be extended to the West Coast route between Euston and Glasgow and the Great Western line from Paddington. Under ETCS, rather than look out of the cab for signals, drivers will monitor a screen displaying a target speed and a distance until they have to slow down or speed up. The system will utilise an in-house mobile phone system that allows drivers to talk to signallers, with the trains themselves automatically braking if driven too fast or going through a virtual red light, delivering an improvement in safety. Boxes between the tracks will inform a train of its location by sending a signal when it passes over them. Development of the technology will also help to add more trains per hour, Network Rail said. Trains will be evenly spaced out in the most efficient pattern, much like aircraft coming into land. Tornado took part in night-time trials this week on the ETCS-fitted line between Shrewsbury and Newtown in mid Wales, seeking to overcome challenges around electrical supply, braking, the configuration of the engine and the difficulty of operating a screen in a noisy, dusty and often wet open cab. Test trains were run by West Coast Railways – the biggest steam operator on the main line and the firm behind Scotland's popular 'Hogwarts Express' – which has itself faced a battle for survival after the rail regulator outlawed the 1950s-era carriages its customers prefer. Rob Morland, electrical engineer at the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, which owns Tornado, said the engine had to be fitted with a second steam turbo-generator, a new alternator and a third battery bank in order to power the ETCS system. Network Rail said it was too early to comment on the outcome of the trials. A Deltic loco – regarded as Britain's most iconic diesel – will undergo the same tests on the line later this year. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
19-04-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Future of steam trains in doubt as railway signals face the axe
Britain's steam trains are facing an uncertain future as Network Rail pushes ahead with plans to abolish traditional railway signals. One-hundred-year-old steam trains will need to be piloted by laptop if they are to continue operating on the mainline under cost-cutting plans to abolish traditional 'traffic light' signals. Trials are underway to determine whether digital screens and software can be fitted into the cabs of steam engines and historical diesels as part of the push to eliminate lineside lights. Should the so-called European Train Control System (ETCS) prove to be incompatible with steam, iconic locomotives including the Flying Scotsman and Royal Scot face being confined to minor lines and preserved railways. In order to assess the challenge, ETCS equipment has been installed in Tornado, a steam train that was completed by enthusiasts in 2008 based on a design from the late 1940s. If what is essentially a new-build locomotive is unable to accommodate the technology, time may be up for more venerable engines such as the Flying Scotsman, which was built in 1923 and is the oldest steam engine still active on Britain's main lines. While ETCS already features on a handful of routes, Network Rail aims to extend it across the entire railway, arguing that it will cut the maintenance bill and maximise hourly capacity compared with relying on red, green and amber signals. Network Rail said it aimed to ensure that steam and heritage diesel trains, which contribute £600m annually to the economy, can still ran. However, a source at the firm said the trials were exploratory and provided no guarantee of them being able to do so. The source said: 'If we prove the concept with Tornado and it works properly, then we are in a better place to understand costs and feasibility for future deployment. 'But who will pay for that when there is a totally non-standard fleet of steam engines owned by a variety of different people is absolutely not certain.' The national rollout of the new signalling technology will start on the southern end of the East Coast Main Line from King's Cross station to Edinburgh and is likely to next be extended to the West Coast route between Euston and Glasgow and the Great Western line from Paddington. Under ETCS, rather than look out of the cab for signals, drivers will monitor a screen displaying a target speed and a distance until they have to slow down or speed up. The system will utilise an in-house mobile phone system that allows drivers to talk to signallers, with the trains themselves automatically braking if driven too fast or going through a virtual red light, delivering an improvement in safety. Boxes between the tracks will inform a train of its location by sending a signal when it passes over them. Development of the technology will also help to add more trains per hour, Network Rail said. Trains will be evenly spaced out in the most efficient pattern, much like aircraft coming into land. Tornado took part in night-time trials this week on the ETCS-fitted line between Shrewsbury and Newtown in mid Wales, seeking to overcome challenges around electrical supply, braking, the configuration of the engine and the difficulty of operating a screen in a noisy, dusty and often wet open cab. Test trains were run by West Coast Railways – the biggest steam operator on the main line and the firm behind Scotland's popular 'Hogwarts Express' – which has itself faced a battle for survival after the rail regulator outlawed the 1950s-era carriages its customers prefer. Rob Morland, electrical engineer at the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, which owns Tornado, said the engine had to be fitted with a second steam turbo-generator, a new alternator and a third battery bank in order to power the ETCS system. Network Rail said it was too early to comment on the outcome of the trials. A Deltic loco – regarded as Britain's most iconic diesel – will undergo the same tests on the line later this year.
Iraq Business
19-04-2025
- Business
- Iraq Business
Conference on Expansion and Modernisation of Iraqi Rail
By John Lee. The General Company for Iraqi Railways held a conference on Tuesday evening focused on the expansion and modernisation of Iraq's railway network. The event was attended by the company's Director-General, Dr. Maki Jabir Nasser, representatives from Italian consultancy firm BTP, and international specialised companies participating virtually. During the conference, Dr. Nasser, alongside a team from the World Bank, presented the technical, supply, and environmental-social aspects of the planned network expansion. He explained that Iraq's railway system is undergoing a significant transformation aimed at rehabilitation and expansion to meet modern demands and improve connectivity. Currently, the network includes approximately 2,272 kilometres of standard-gauge (1,435 mm) track and 115 stations. Nasser highlighted the railway's current services, including the transport of oil, grains, and passenger trains, and confirmed the government's intention to upgrade the infrastructure to establish a more efficient north-south transport corridor. Priority will be given to modernising the line from the Port of Umm Qasr through Baghdad to Mosul. He added that the World Bank plans to support the project, which involves upgrading the single-track line from Umm Qasr to Mosul and enhancing signalling and communication systems using the European Train Control System (ETCS) . The project also aims to improve railway infrastructure and the maintenance capacity of rolling stock. The workshop was directed at potential suppliers of signalling systems, civil engineering contractors, and consultants, with the goal of introducing the project's scope, future tender opportunities, and procurement strategy, while also gathering market feedback and addressing concerns before the tendering process. The conference concluded with a Q&A session, and the General Company for Iraqi Railways provided a dedicated email address for companies wishing to submit additional questions. (Source: Ministry of Transport)
