photo: Porterbrook/Thales completes an ETCS upgrade on three Porterbrook Class 43 power cars. What does this mean for UK railroads?
Porterbrook has completed the installation of the European Train Control System (ETCS) on three of its Class 43 Power railcars. This system meets the latest UNISIG baseline requirements (B3R2), and its installation is a crucial step toward the UK's digital rail program.
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Porterbrook contracted for the project with Thales back in 2018. Since then, three Class 43 Power cars have been upgraded and are part of Network Rail's measuring train, which does important infrastructure monitoring work across the network. ETCS is expected to improve performance, reduce delays, improve safety and reduce costs, thus dramatically transforming the network. Installing the system is a priority that will ensure uninterrupted data logging on the East Coast and other sites as the technology is implemented.
Preparations are underway to have the ETCS units fully tested and cleared for deployment by the end of the year, following successful Level 2 Testing at Network Rail’s Melton Rail Innovation & Development Centre (RIDC) over the last two weeks.
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Ben Ackroyd, Chief Operating Officer at Porterbrook, said, "Successful testing of Thales ETCS equipment is a major milestone, and we are delighted that the New Measurement Train will continue to operate on the East Coast once conventional signals are removed as we move to ETCS Level 2."
"This project is a key part of the rollout of the Digital Railway, and my thanks goes to everyone who has played their part in getting us to this important stage," he adds.
Mark Newill, Head of Onboard Portfolio at Thales, said, "This milestone proves Thales' capability to modify existing cabs with the new digital in-cab system so they can be ETCS-compatible. The multiple stakeholders involved worked collaboratively to get us to the point where we can try the system on an operational track."
Remarkably, it is the first time Thales has installed an onboard ETCS system in the UK.
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