Invensys Rail announced today that it has been selected by Network Rail to deliver one of Britain’s largest ever resignalling schemes at London Bridge Station and the approaching railway.

This overarching contract, under which will be a series of individual commission contracts, commences in August 2011 and runs through to the completion of the Thameslink project in December 2018.

Simon Kirby, Network Rail’s Director of Investment Projects, said: “This is a great example of how we are changing the way we work to encourage more innovation, deliver projects in a smarter way and get better value for money. By involving our delivery partners at an early stage, the industry will be able to deliver one of the most complex station, track and signalling projects being undertaken on the railway network in a generation.”

The scope of Invensys Rail’s work will encompass the detailed design, installation, testing and commissioning of signalling and telecoms systems. This includes the introduction of the company’s ATO (Automatic Train Operation) and ETCS (European Train Control System) solutions, which will be overlaid in the London Bridge area to enable all train movements to be controlled automatically, delivering 24 trains per hour in each direction on the Thameslink core route at the programme’s completion in 2018. The work forms a significant part of the post-Olympics phase of the Thameslink Programme and is critical to delivering the increased rail capacity that London commuters so desperately need.

Commenting on the contract award Invensys Rail’s UK Managing Director, Nick Crossfield said: “Naturally we are absolutely delighted to have won this important work, allowing us to remain at the heart of one of Europe’s most prestigious and technically challenging rail infrastructure projects.

“Having been so closely involved in the delivery of the Thameslink Key Output 1, our project team has built a detailed understanding of the complexities of the Thameslink area; we are now looking forward to continuing to work in close partnership with Network Rail and our fellow contractors to ensure the successful completion of this critical programme.”

The Thameslink Programme reaches a key milestone in December 2011, when the first 12-car trains begin to run through central London. The transformation of London Bridge station, and associated railway work, will get underway fully in 2013 and is scheduled to be completed in 2018. It will be the final piece of the Thameslink programme which will provide a much needed capacity boost to cater for increasing passenger numbers.


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Invensys Rail collected three major industry awards at Network Rail’s annual Partnership Awards ceremony which were held at London’s Natural History Museum on 13 July 2011, winning the ‘Best Large Project’ award and the highly prestigious ‘Supplier of the Year’ award.

The Partnership Awards event provides an opportunity to recognise excellence and best practice within the industry, the pinnacle of which is the much-coveted ‘Supplier of the Year’ award, presented by Network Rail to the organisation that has delivered exceptional performance and outstanding effort over the course of the year. At the conclusion of the evening, Network’s Rail’s CEO, Sir David Higgins named Invensys Rail as this year’s winner, with the company’s UK President, Nick Crossfield invited on to the stage to receive the award.

Simon Kirby, Network Rail’s Managing Director, Investment Projects, said: "Invensys has had a really good year, delivering everything we look for in a great supplier and partner. We wish them every success for the many years of business together, yet to come."

Earlier in the evening and alongside its project partners, Invensys Rail also won the ‘Best Large Project’ award for its work on the Airdrie to Bathgate (A2B) Rail Link, the longest new passenger railway to be built in Scotland for over a century. This is latest in a series of accolades for the £300m A2B project, following similar success at last month’s Scottish Transport Awards, where it was named ‘Transport Project of the Year’ and at the Modern Railways Innovation Awards where it won the ‘Best Large Project’ category.

In addition to these two awards, Invensys Rail was also one of the companies who received a special award for the Reading station area redevelopment project.

Commenting on the company’s Partnership Awards success, Nick Crossfield said: “Naturally I’m absolutely delighted that we have won these two awards, against some extremely stiff competition. To be recognised for our work on the Airdrie to Bathgate project is in itself a great achievement, but to then be named Network Rail’s Supplier of the Year represents a true milestone for our business. It really is a testament to the expertise, commitment and professionalism of everyone at Invensys Rail and I’m extremely proud to have collected this award on behalf of them all.”

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Invensys Rail has been awarded a £35 million contract by Network Rail to deliver the
Glasgow South Suburban Resignalling (GSSR) contract.

The GSSR area includes Cathcart Signal Box area, the East Kilbride branch lines and the Barrhead lines up to the limit of control from West Scotland Signalling Centre. As such the area to be resignalled includes both electrified and non-electrified branch and commuter lines.

The scope of Invensys Rail’s contract includes the design, manufacture, installation and testing of the signalling scheme, which will include two new WESTLOCK interlockings interfaced at the West of Scotland Signalling Centre. Representing 177 signalling equivalent units, the scheme also includes 211 new axle head counter fitments, 88 new location cases, 2 new relocatable equipment buildings and 45 kilometres of new cable route as well as demolition of the Cathcart Signal Box and Busby Junction Relay Room.

As Principal Contractor for the programme, Invensys Rail will also have responsibility for civils, E&P, telecoms, control centre, OLE and P-Way subcontractors.

Commenting on the news, Richard Cooper, Invensys Rail’s Delivery Director (North), said: “We’re delighted to have been awarded this contract which will see a new generation of signalling introduced to control the Glasgow south suburban lines.

“The project follows a long period of successful delivery by Invensys Rail on major infrastructure programmes across Scotland, including Glasgow Central Interlocking Renewal, Edinburgh Waverley, Airdrie to Bathgate, Glasgow Central Platforms and Paisley Corridor Improvements. We’re now looking forward to working closely with our colleagues from Network Rail and the other sub-contractors to deliver another first class project.”

The main signalling installation phase of the GSSR programme is scheduled to begin in March 2012 with works then continuing up to the final commissioning in April 2013.

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