HS2 rail systems contractors, that will deliver the high-speed rail project’s state-of-the-art track, signalling, communications, and other systems, have been announced on November 26, 2024,
The contracts have a total value of GBP 3 billion (EUR 3.6 billion) and are expected to support tens of thousands of jobs across the UK.
The winners are:
Ferrovial Construction / BAM Nuttall JV for the Track Systems, Lots 1, 2 & 3. Ferrovial BAM will oversee the design and construction of the HS2 track infrastructure, manage construction logistics and support the testing and commissioning phase. They will act as principal contractor for works associated with the trace 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 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.
Colas Rail will be responsible for the design, manufacture, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the Overhead Catenary Systems (OCS). They will use the leading-edge V360 OCS design range under licence from SNCF Reseau to develop the next stages of design for HS2 Ltd. This system was the first in Europe to be certified for speeds of up to 360 km/h and will provide power to the state-of-the-art high-speed trains.
Siemens Mobility won three contracts. The first one includes the contract for operational telecommunications and security systems and will be responsible for the design, manufacture, supply, installation, safety authorisation, testing, commissioning and initial maintenance of the 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.
The second contract won by Siemens Mobility covers the command, control and signalling (CCS) and traffic management (TM) system that will support faster and more frequent services. Ther company is 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.
Under the third contract Siemens Mobility will supply the digital engineering management system that 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.
Hitachi Rail GTS UK Limited and Telent Technology Services Limited JV (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.
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.
Over the coming years, the winners will first design and then install around 280 miles (450.6 km) of track capable of speeds of up to 360 km/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 (more than 1,930 km).
The contracts for the HS2 rail systems mark the beginning of a new stage for the project, that will see almost 140 miles (225 km) of tunnels, bridges and earthworks between London and the West Midlands transformed into an operational railway.
In addition, a separate contract to deliver the Washwood Heath depot and Network Integrated Control Centre, will be awarded next year.
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