1. Best Practice Club with
South West Wales
Best Practice Club with
ABC Electrification
Swansea
7th July 2015

2. South West Wales Best Practice Club
Welcome
Martin Nicholls
Chair
South West Wales Best Practice Club

3. Great Western Route Modernisation (GWRM) CEW Breakfast Meeting – 7th July Swansea David Jukes Programme Development Director ABC Electrification Ltd
Safely delivering a better railway for a better Wales by 2018

4. Programme Summary National Electrification Programme (NEP)
In 2012 Alstom, Babcock and Costain formed ABC
ABC Electrification has secured over a £1 billion of orders
ABC now one of the largest electrification contractors in Europe.
Under the NEP, ABC have secured three significant programmes
Valley Lines Electrification
Great Western Rail Modification (GWRM) Bristol Patchway to Swansea Route
London North West (South) routes over a seven year period.
The ABCe Western and Wales regional team are based in Gold Tops, Newport

5. Schematic of ABCe W&W GWRM & VLE Works
RS 09
RS 08
RS 06P
RS 06D
RS 05B
SSA
RS 10
VLE
Route
STK
comment
RS 05B 58
Conventional only
RS 06D 77
RS 06P 13
RS 08 76
OLE D&C – Conventional, Station, Tunnels and Structures
RS 09 75
OLE D&C – Conventional, Station
RS 10
162
OLE HOP’s Delivery. Structures.
Bristol Temple Meads
Station OLE
SSA 7
VLE
350
Conventional OLE and Structures

6. Great Western Route Modernisation (GWRM)
In July 2012, the Secretary of State for Transport announced the decision to electrify the railway between London and Swansea - a major enhancement programme funded by the Department for Transport.
“Electrification will transform the railway between Swansea and London to make journeys faster, more reliable, greener and quieter for tens of thousands of passengers.”

7. GWRM Key Dates and Challenges
Safely delivering a better railway for a better Wales by 2018

8. South Wales Mainline (SWM) Electrification
This involves the modernisation of sections of:
South Wales & Bristol District (SWB),
Bristol & South Wales Union Line (BSW),
South Wales Mainline (SWM2)
Swansea High Street Branch (SWA)
The (SWM) runs is approximately 90 miles long, from
Just west of Bristol Parkway at Patchway Jn in South Gloucester,
Through Severn Tunnel into Monmouthshire,
Through Newport, Cardiff, Bridgend, Port Talbot, Neath and Swansea
Divided into 3 No. Route Sections (RS)
RS 8, Patchway to Newport
RS 9, Newport to Cardiff
RS 10, Cardiff to Swansea

9. GWRM – SWM Electrification
Safely delivering a better railway for a better Wales by 2018

10. Who is working on the project in Wales?
Network Rail, Infrastructure Projects, Wales
ABC Electrification Ltd. Western & Wales NEP Framework
5 Framework Contractors:
Carillion, MAFA
BAM Nuttall, Renewals
Alun Griffiths, Renewals
Kier, Renewals
AMCO, Parapets RS08, 09 & 10

11. Outline Programme
Early on site work began in early 2015 and over the next few years a significant construction programme will be required to transform the route.
Work started at Patchway Junction and generally progress westwards through South Wales.
Construction completion is expected in December 2017.
Electric trains are expected to run to Cardiff in 2017 and Swansea in 2018.

12. Hitachi IEP Arrival Schedule
Train Deliveries
Safely delivering a better railway for a better Wales by 2018

13. Work streams: Vast amount of survey and preparation work, Design,
Gauge clearance of bridges and tunnels,
Safety improvement work to bridge parapets,
Strengthen railway embankments & retaining walls,
Assess all footpath and level crossings,
Clear vegetation running outside the rail,
Fencing,
Installation of OLE.

14. Overhead Line Equipment - Glossary

15. OLE – Single Track Cantilever

16. OLE – Portal & Twin Track Cantilever

17. OLE Installation Areas
HOPS
Conventional RRV
Kirow Piling Train
Safely delivering a better railway for a better Wales by 2018

18. The Numbers…..
Piles & concrete foundations approximately 50m apart required to support overhead electrical lines.
5800 piles & concrete foundations
Installation of the supporting structures and the Overhead Line Equipment (OLE).
4300 Single Track Cantilever
1450 Twin Track Cantilever (Mast + Boom)
170 Four Track Portals (Masts + Boom)
7750 Registration & Support

19. Power Supply Cycle Feeder Station Incoming Supply Booster Transformer
Current Collection
Along-track Conductor
Mid Point Connection
Red Bonds

20. Power Supply Cycle 3 phase power supply at 132, 275 or 400kV
Step-down transformer from supply voltage to 25kV
RC busbar
25kV busbar
OLE
Traction Return Rail
Booster Transformer
MPC
Return Conductor

21. OLE Systems
Safely delivering a better railway for a better Wales by 2018

22. More Numbers… The overall length of rail lines wired is about 350 STK.
Approximate Quantities of “Wire”:
ATF Wire – 244 km
Earth Wire – 244 km
Return Screen Conductor – 122 km
Contact Catenary – 339 km
Contact Wire – 339 km
“Droppers” – approx 40,700
Conductor Beam 14 km
HV Cable – approx 35.5 km

23. Stations
Along the Route we will be providing electrification through 17 Stations
The most significant at Newport, Cardiff and Swansea.
Require structural support for OLE
Gauge clearance required on canopies
Electrification of Cardiff Central Station a significant challenge

25. Bridges & Tunnels
Sufficient clearance levels for OLE under existing bridges and tunnels
Over 60 rail, road and foot bridges require modification.
Tunnels in five different locations, in addition to the 4 mile long Severn Tunnel, there are significant tunnels at Patchway (Old & New) and Newport (Old & New).
Severn Tunnel will require fixings at 5250 separate positions along its length.

26. Significant Challenges – Severn Tunnel
Safely delivering a better railway for a better Wales by 2018

27. Over Bridges
For Over Bridges requiring G/C modification, one of the following solutions will be applied;
Bridge reconstruction – the bridge will be demolished and rebuilt
Track lowering – the formation level is reduced to lower the track and gain sufficient clearance
Bridge jacking – some structures can be lifted into a higher position
Structure removal – a small number of bridges that are no longer used may be removed.
Raise the parapet on majority of existing bridges - solid parapets at a min height of 1.85 metres from the footway.

28. Gauge Clearance – Patchway to Cardiff
Safely delivering a better railway for a better Wales by 2018

29. Gauge Clearance – Cardiff to Swansea
Safely delivering a better railway for a better Wales by 2018

30. Questions?

31. VLE / VLM / METRO
Welsh Government – rail investment – 29 June 2015 early engagement event
The purpose of the early engagement process was to explain the range of options that Welsh Government is considering for:
The future Wales & Borders franchise
Valley Lines Modernisation including options for upgraded heavy rail and/or light rail operations
Methods of participation and procurement

32. Minister’s oral statement in the Senedd:
The Metro is much more than just a transport project. It will be a blueprint for integrated transport across the whole of Wales, transforming the country’s economic and social prospects. I am committed to driving forward this plan, and will continue to keep members updated with progress as I do so.
Update on the South East Wales Metro, 30 June 2015, Edwina Hart, Minister for Economy, Science and Transport

33. Questions Posed
Should the franchise be jointly or separately administered (national, regional and local) services
Should the franchise include all functions (new infrastructure, operation, maintenance, rolling stock procurement) or which should be the responsibility of others (WG, NR etc)
Timescales required for consortium formation (if required) and bid preparation for outcomes based franchise(s)
Views on approach to/interest in delivering/operating heavy and/or light rail modes
Advice on how WG might maximise your interest and involvement in forthcoming procurement process