The ‘rail systems’ contracts will see almost 140 miles of tunnels, bridges and earthworks between London and the West Midlands transformed into an operational railway.
The winners will first design and then install around 280 miles of track capable of speeds of up to 225mph (360km/h) as well as power supplies and signalling equipment required for the safe operation of the railway.
A vast network of optical fibre cabling will form the railway’s central nervous system – providing signalling and communications for staff and passengers. Laid out end-to-end, these cables would stretch for more than 1,200 miles.
The main rail systems contractors will be brought together under a collaborative Rail Systems Alliance structure designed to manage the interfaces between them and resolve any conflicts in the programme. All members will collaborate on design, access, resources and logistics to achieve common goals for cost and schedule.
The initial design stage of the work will run parallel with the completion of the civil engineering – which is currently at its peak – so that the rail systems contractors are ready to mobilise to site as soon as the civils are complete.
The winners are:
Track Systems, Lots 1, 2 & 3
Ferrovial Construction / BAM Nuttall JV
Ferrovial BAM will oversee the design and construction of the HS2 track infrastructure, manage construction logistics and support the testing and commissioning phase.
The work covers the route from Old Oak Common to the terminus at Birmingham Curzon Street. It includes the design and construction of the Infrastructure Maintenance Depot at Calvert, the interface with Washwood Heath Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot and the permanent connection to the existing rail network at Handsacre Junction.
Switches and crossings and pre-cast slab track forming the HS2 track system will be delivered through existing contracts with Voestalpine and PORR UK – with the Track Systems contractor coordinating the design, logistics and installation. Rail will be supplied through Network Rail.
Overhead Catenary Systems (OCS)
Colas Rail Limited
Colas Rail will be responsible for the design, manufacture, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the Overhead Catenary Systems (OCS).
Operational Telecommunications and Security Systems
Siemens Mobility Limited
Siemens will be responsible for the design, manufacture, supply, installation, safety authorisation, testing, commissioning and initial maintenance of the state-of-the-art operational telecommunication systems and the route wide security systems. Spare capacity on the optical fibre network could also be sold to third party providers to help boost broadband access for more isolated rural communities.
Third Party Telecommunications
Hitachi Rail GTS UK Limited and Telent Technology Services Limited JV (TTJV)
TTJV will be responsible for the design, manufacture, supply, installation, safety authorisation, testing, commissioning and initial maintenance of the systems, which will provide the mobile communications for customers to use, as well as the emergency services and the station data network.
Command, Control, Signalling & Traffic Management (CCS&TM)
Siemens Mobility Limited
Instead of traditional coloured lights, HS2 will use a digital Command, Control, & Signalling (CCS) and Traffic Management (TM) system that will support faster and more frequent services.
Siemens will be responsible for the design, manufacture, supply, installation, supervision, inspection, safety authorisation, testing, commissioning and maintenance of the CCS & TM systems until handover to trial operations as well as ongoing technical support services of the CCS & TM systems.
Engineering Management System
Siemens Mobility Limited
The digital engineering management system will enable remote supervisory control of railway assets and systems by key operational and maintenance personnel allowing the UK to run some of the world’s most reliable, safe and efficient high-speed rail services.
Siemens will be responsible for design, manufacture, supply, installation, integration, testing, commissioning and maintenance of an integrated Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) solution that will be used across the whole network – and up to 25 years of technical support.
This will enable the status of HS2’s operational railway assets and systems to be monitored and controlled in real time from the Network Integrated Control Centre in Birmingham and other key locations, facilitating both the safe operation and reliable maintenance of the railway.
