Andy Royle
Train Control System Testing
| Following the upgrade of the Old Dalby test track under Alstom which included the doubling of the line from Old Dalby to Stanton, trials related to the new European Train Control System (ETCS) took place, with the two former class 309 Clacton units. |
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Former Clacton class 309 set now re-numbered 960102 heads south towards Upper Broughton
on the low speed ETCS line in April 2003
Andy Royle |
The Class 960 Units were based at the former control centre at Old Dalby
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Unit 960101
formerly 309616 named ' West Coast Flyer' . DTC 75642 - 977962 . MBS 61937 - 977963 . DTS 75981 - 977964 Unit 960102 formerly 309624 named 'New Dalby' The next phase of development at Old Dalby was to have tested the technology and equipment aspects of the Level 2 "no lineside signals" variant of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) recommended by the April 2002 expert team report, endorsed by the Health and Safety Commission in 2003. The first trial installation on Network Rail will be on the Cambrian lines between Shrewsbury , Aberystwyth and Pwhelli which was planned to be up and running by early 2007 but it took until November 2010 before it was announced that part of the route was operational. That's what happens when a committee is formed to undertake the Project. The Class 309 units were withdrawn and stored at Shoeburyness in early 2005. In 2009 they were rescued by the Electric Railway Museum at Coventry and are currently being restored. After the demise of Alstom it was announced that the test track would close at the end of 2006. Luckily it didn't but there will be no ETCS testing at Old Dalby in the short term. However by June 2014 it was actively being discussed in the press so it looks like ETCS will be trialled at Old Dalby after all. |