HS2 awards £3bn of track contracts

Grant Prior 5 months ago
Share

HS2 has confirmed the teams that will deliver contracts worth £3bn for track, signalling, communications, and other systems.

The ‘rail systems’ contracts will see almost 140 miles of tunnels, bridges and earthworks between London and the West Midlands transformed into an operational railway.

The winners will first design and then install around 280 miles of track capable of speeds of up to 225mph (360km/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.

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.

The initial design stage of the work will run parallel with the completion of the civil engineering – which is currently at its peak – so that the rail systems contractors are ready to mobilise to site as soon as the civils are complete.

The winners 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.

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.

Overhead Catenary Systems (OCS)

Colas Rail Limited

Colas Rail will be responsible for the design, manufacture, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the Overhead Catenary Systems (OCS).

Operational Telecommunications and Security Systems

Siemens Mobility Limited

Siemens will be responsible for the design, manufacture, supply, installation, safety authorisation, testing, commissioning and initial maintenance of the state-of-the-art 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 Limited and Telent Technology Services Limited JV (TTJV)

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.

Command, Control, Signalling & Traffic Management (CCS&TM)

Siemens Mobility Limited

Instead of traditional coloured lights, HS2 will use a digital Command, Control, & Signalling (CCS) and Traffic Management (TM) system that will support faster and more frequent services.

Siemens 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 services of the CCS & TM systems.

Engineering Management System

Siemens Mobility Limited

The digital engineering management system 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.

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, facilitating both the safe operation and reliable maintenance of the railway.

Latest news

Driver escapes injury as scaffold collapses onto van

Major three-lift scaffold fall blocks north London high street
1 day ago

Gilbert Ash to be sold to staff

£267m turnover contractor to transition to an Employee Ownership Trust
2 days ago

M Group seals biggest-ever deal with Telent takeover

Digital infrastructure specialist deal lifts turnover to £3bn
2 days ago

Aggregates firm Ashville went down owing more than £3m

Debts revealed in Companies House update
1 day ago

Cardo saves 100 jobs at Breyer roofing arm

Private equity-backed Welsh maintenance group continues to expand
2 days ago

Excavator knocked off lorry going under bridge

Traffic Commissioner inquiry after accident in south London
1 day ago

Czech energy tycoon buys UK’s biggest rebar supplier

Spanish offload Celsa UK operation to be rebranded 7 Steel UK
2 days ago

Caddick Construction targets £400m turnover

Regional shake-up pays off at contracting arm
3 days ago

Redrow chief steps down after Barratt merger

Matthew Pratt leaving after 22 years
3 days ago

United Living names new property services senior team

New CEO and COO appointed to lead growth in housing upkeep and retrofit
2 days ago

Wynne triples turnover in three years to over £90m

Five-year growth strategy pays off
2 days ago

Speedy Hire blames Budget for branch closures

National Insurance rises accelerate closure programme
2 days ago

Builder gets suspended sentence for Covid loan fraud

M&E specialist inflated turnover to claim maximum loan
2 days ago

Scores of M&E firms win places on £400m CHIC framework

Axis Europe and Seddon secured spots on social housing deal
4 days ago

Coroner hears how worker was crushed under digger

Inquest opens into tragedy at Rose Builders site
4 days ago

Billington lowers 2025 forecast amid pricing pressure

Tender prices under pressure due to project delays and cancellations
3 days ago

Willmott Dixon lands Dover town centre revamp

Alliance agreed to regenerate several key council sites
4 days ago

Go-ahead for London City office-to-flats scheme

Hub's 150 Minories job in Aldgate to create 280 co-living homes
4 days ago

Wates mobilises as £200m Middlesbrough scheme approved

Gresham Street scheme includes a hotel, 240 flats and over 400 student rooms
4 days ago

Crashed M&E contractor TNA owed supply chain £7m

Sister company buys assets including company vans
4 days ago

Renaker eyes bumper 2025 despite Gateway 2 concern

Strong construction pipeline to support another record year
4 days ago

Wessex Water picks civils firms for £65m framework

Over 40 smaller firms will support AMP8 civils spending programme
4 days ago

Green light for nearly 400 flats at Leeds scheme

Three blocks up to 18 storeys approved at Armley Road
4 days ago

Subcontractors wanted across South London

Work up for grabs from main contractors and clients: Register now for Constructionline event
4 days ago

Heavy lorry ban on Severn Bridge as cables deteriorate

Crossing "not designed and built for today’s levels or weight of traffic"
4 days ago

Muse submits Oldham town centre regeneration plan

Plan advances for six sites to deliver 2000 homes, an hotel and office space
1 week ago

Construction returns to growth after two tough months

Concern grows Trump turmoil is spooking property investors
1 week ago

Skanska wins £43m Clifton Bridge deal

Contractors says scheme is a "complex project that will be delivered to tight timescales"
1 week ago

Green light for 44-storey Manchester resi tower

Developer Glenbrook to start hunt for main contractor
1 week ago

Ten win £670m Network Rail eastern region small works deal

CK Rail, QTS, Colt and Construction Marine pick up two lots
1 week ago

Contractor services