Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), Network Rail and Siemens have scored a world-first achievement by running ATO (Automatic Train Operation) over ETCS (European Train Control System) on the mainline railway in passenger service.
On 17 March, Southbound 8-car Thameslink train 700019, destination Three Bridges, brought itself to a halt automatically at London St Pancras International, having transitioned into ETCS Level 2 Full Supervision and then ATO on its approach from Kentish Town. With the driver checking the platforms, closing the doors and then selecting ATO again, the train with its in-cab signalling then continued under automatic control through Farringdon, City Thameslink and London Blackfriars. It finally transitioned out of the system on its exit from London Blackfriars, as it headed towards Elephant & Castle.
Govia Thameslink Railway is the first train operator in the world to operate ATO over ETCS, with ATO testing starting in November 2016, following initial testing of ETCS, which commenced in April 2016. Working with Network Rail and Siemens, GTR has run nearly 200 night and day shifts of testing since April 2016 when it began proving ETCS dynamically at Network Rail’s ETCS National Integration Facility at Hertford North in April 2016. GTR has had to demonstrate to the ORR that it has made the necessary amendments to its Health & Safety Management System to allow for the trains to operate in both ETCS & ATO in passenger service.
Network Rail completely replaced the signalling in the central London Thameslink ‘core’, allowing trains to safely travel closer together, increasing capacity, and installed ETCS; Network Rail has continued to manage the systems integration for track and train. Siemens has provided the ETCS and the ATO-enabled train, the Class 700 Desiro City.
Automatic train operation (ATO) will initially operate between St Pancras and Blackfriars in May 2019, being extended to London Bridge in December 2019.
“It is the culmination of a programme of work that that we have been involved in since the start of our franchise three years ago. This cutting-edge system will allow us to run our final high intensity Thameslink service of up to 24 trains per hour each way with 70% more seats through the centre of London, linking new communities and cutting journey times for thousands of passengers,” GTR’s Systems Integration Manager Jim Doughty, said.
Share on:
