Network Rail announced that a step forward is being taken towards the challenge of fitting ETCS in-cab signalling equipment to hundreds of Britain’s freight locomotives.
As a result, GB Railfreight’s 66 784 is starting fitment work at EMD Longport. The locomotive will be the first freight fitment outside the ‘first in class’ process and marks the commencement of early fleet fitment for the National Freight ETCS Programme (NFP), which has been a number of years in the making. The NFP is expected to cover over 600 locomotives.
“This milestone reflects the outstanding dedication and expertise of the entire ERTMS Team at GB Railfreight. It has taken a collaborative and pragmatic approach, working closely with our partners, to reach this point,” Emma Smith, GB Railfreight’s ERTMS senior project manager, said.
Fitting ETCS digital in-cab signalling to freight locomotives, some of which are 30 to 40 years old, is the most challenging aspect of the GBP 1.4 billion (EUR 1.6 billion) East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP). ECDP will transform rail operations by replacing traditional, lineside signals with continuous information displayed inside drivers’ cabs, delivering a more flexible, reliable, greener and even safer, railway.
Siemens Mobility is the ECDP’s freight fitment partner, responsible for designing, integrating and installing its Trainguard 200 onboard unit, helping deliver a digitally signalled East Coast Main Line. Siemens Mobility has contracts in place with DB Cargo and EMD for fleet fitment through 2025 and 2026. First in Class fitment has already taken place involving a DB Cargo Class 66, Freightliner Class 66V and a DB Cargo Class 67.
“Integrating ETCS into legacy freight locomotives is a complex task, and our engineering teams have worked closely with Network Rail and the freight sector to overcome significant design and assurance challenges,” Adrian Stubbs, director of rail infrastructure portfolio – onboard, Siemens Mobility UK&I, said.
Network Rail, Siemens Mobility and the freight operating companies have been working closely to overcome design and assurance challenges involved with fitment. This sector collaboration has worked to deliver a baseline design for the Class 66, the principal freight fleet on the network. This baseline is enabling ECDP to progress an initial fitment schedule of eight locomotive, of which GB Railfreight’s 66 784 is the first. At the same time, work continues to solve and finalise some aspects of design, ahead of APIS (Approval to Place into Service) for fitted Class 66 locomotives.
“Fitting locos provides more certainty for the sector and the business change required for digital transformation. ECDP involves ‘learning by doing’ and much hard work has already taken place to get us to this point. We continue to build our capability in freight fitment as we begin this exciting new phase,” Ed Akers, Network Rail’s industry partnership director, ECDP, said.
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