UK: High Speed 2 project promoter HS2 Ltd announced the award of more than £3bn of track and railway systems contracts for the line linking London with the West Midlands on November 27.
While the winning bidders have been named, formal contract signature will not take place until the statutory 10-day standstill period has elapsed.
HS2 Ltd says the main rail systems contractors will be brought together under a Rail Systems Alliance structure designed to manage the interfaces between them and resolve any conflicts in the programme. The 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 works programme, which is now nearing its peak.
The packages let 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. It will act as Principal Contractor for works associated with the alignment and be responsible for logistics and consents co-ordination.
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 with the West Coast Main Line at Handsacre Junction.
Switches and crossings and pre-cast slab track will be delivered through existing contracts with Voestalpine and Porr UK, with the track systems contractor co-ordinating the design, logistics and installation. Rail will be supplied through Network Rail.
Overhead Catenary Systems: Colas Rail Ltd.
Colas Rail will be responsible for the design, manufacture, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the Overhead Catenary Systems. HS2 Ltd says this will use the leading-edge V360 overhead electrification design under licence from French infrastructure manager SNCF Réseau adapted to the needs of HS2 Ltd; this is the first electrification in Europe to be certified for speeds of up to 360 km/h, the project promoter added.
Operational Telecommunications and Security Systems: Siemens Mobility Ltd.
Siemens will be responsible for the design, manufacture, supply, installation, safety authorisation, testing, commissioning and initial maintenance of 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 Ltd and Telent Technology Services Ltd JV.
TTJV will be responsible for the design, manufacture, supply, installation, safety authorisation, testing, commissioning and initial maintenance of the telecoms for the railway. This covers the mobile communications for customers to use, as well as the emergency services and the station data network.
Command, Control, Signalling & Traffic Management: Siemens Mobility Ltd.
Siemens is to supply train control technology and a traffic management tool; this will use ETCS Level 2. It 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 for the equipment.
Engineering Management System: Siemens Mobility Ltd.
The digital engineering management system will enable remote supervisory control of railway assets and systems by key operational and maintenance personnel, HS2 Ltd says. Siemens will be responsible for design, manufacture, supply, installation, integration, testing, commissioning and maintenance of an integrated SCADA platform. The contract covers 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.
Further contracts
An HS2 Ltd spokesperson told Rail Business UK that not all of the preferred suppliers for the Railway Systems packages could be named on November 27; these remaining suppliers will be confirmed after contract signature.
A separate contract to deliver the Washwood Heath depot and Network Integrated Control Centre will be awarded next year.
The first high speed services are expected to begin using the railway by the end of 2033, initially running between Old Oak Common station in west London and Birmingham Curzon Street.
