Invensys Rail successfully commissioned major main line schemes

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Over the recent Christmas and New Year period, project teams from Invensys Rail in the UK  have successfully commissioned a series of major main line schemes.

At 04:55 on 30th December 2010, the Reading Enabling Project was signed back in to use, marking the culmination of an intensive, 27 month programme of work.

The successful commissioning completed the transfer of control for Reading Station from Reading to three Invensys Rail WESTLOCK computer-based interlockings at the new Thames Valley Signalling Control Centre, paving the way for the remainder of the Reading Remodelling Project.

Following the signing back in, the Relief Lines were immediately signed back out of use in readiness for the Caversham Road Bridge replacement – which was then signed back into use seven hours ahead of plan at 19:40 on 3rd January 2011.

An Invensys team also worked on the Thameslink Stage Y project, which saw the commissioning of the Blackfriars Interim Station – with new through Platforms 1 and 2 brought into service and Platforms 4 and 5 decommissioned.

Signed in to use at 02:05 on 31st December 2010, the commissioning of this 16 month programme marked the end of the Thameslink enabling works, a major milestone in the overall Thameslink Programme for the delivery of Key Output 1, which will see 16, 12-car trains per hour across central London by the summer of 2012 in time for the Olympics.

The company also undertook two significant stage work enabling phases on the Paisley Corridor Resignalling project over Christmas and New Year; the first phases of an intensive programme through 2011.

On New Year’s Day and on schedule, another project team commissioned the Phase 1A extension of the East London Line, extending the line from Dalston Junction to Highbury and Islington via Canonbury.
With Network Rail and Rail for London as joint Infrastructure Managers, Invensys Rail was the principal contractor for the project.  Despite the complicated site with many neighbouring contractors and complex interfaces, the scheme was successfully commissioned in less than 12 months from award.  Phase 2, which will interconnect the East and South London Lines is due to begin in February 2011.

Commenting on the Christmas commissionings, Rob McIntosh, Invensys Rail’s Delivery Director (Mainline) said: “I’m absolutely delighted that each of the project teams, working in partnership with colleagues from Network Rail and Rail for London, successfully delivered these important commissionings.  What impressed me most was the way our teams responded individually and collectively when presented with challenges not of their own making.  The delivery record of Invensys makes me very proud to be part of the team.

“Each project presented its own technical and logistical challenges and to have delivered each one on time, in some particularly difficult weather conditions, was an outstanding achievement”.

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