GSM-R: The UK division of Siemens Mobility has won a contract to supply cab radios for the fleet of 44 Electrostar suburban EMUs for London Overground services currently under construction at Bombardier's Derby facility.
The units are to be equipped with radios to operate on both the current analogue cab-to-shore communications network, and the GSM-R digital system, which is presently being trialled in Scotland and has been deployed elsewhere in the world.
Siemens' SVR-401 cab radio has been tailored specifically for the UK market, and the equipment is to be supplied as a 'train-ready' module, meaning that trains will not have to be removed from service as a result of the switchover from Cab Secure Radio to GSM-R.
The first large-scale trial of GSM-R in Britain began in October 2007, and involves Siemens working with Network Rail and operators First ScotRail and EWS. Full roll-out of GSM-R is expected to be complete by 2012 under a £1·7bn project being led by NR.
H Siemens is to trial its Az S 350 U computer-based axle counter system along the Leeds - Carlisle route in northern England. The system includes counting heads, an evaluation computer and connecting cablework. The evaluating computer can be located up to 6·5 km from the counting head in normal operation.
