129-630: The Thameslink Programme , originally Thameslink 2000 , was a £6 billion project in south-east England to upgrade and expand the Thameslink rail network to provide new and longer trains between a wider range of stations to the north and to the south of London. The development facilitated new cross-London journeys, which means that passengers no longer have to change trains in London. Work included platform lengthening, station remodelling, new railway infrastructure, and new rolling stock . The project
258-470: A "public sector body". To cope with rapidly increasing passenger numbers , (as of 2021 ) Network Rail has been undertaking a £38 billion programme of upgrades to the network, including Crossrail , electrification of lines and upgrading Thameslink . In May 2021, the Government announced its intent to replace Network Rail in 2023 with a new public body called Great British Railways . In 2022 it
387-430: A briefing to contractors was released ahead of an invitation to tender for Midland Mainline Electrification project work to extend electrification to Nottingham and Sheffield. This scheme is expected to cost £1.3 billion. Network Rail has undertaken numerous schemes to develop its own renewable electrical generation footprint, which is used in part to power the operational railway. In January 2014, Network Rail opened
516-654: A central street, accommodating more than 3,000 people. Various divisions, including engineering, logistics, operations (including timetable planning), IT, procurement, planning and finance departments, and Route Services Supply Chain operations have been transferred to the Quadrant. In 2009, allegations appeared in the media from the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association concerning treatment of Network Rail employees. Former chief executive Iain Coucher
645-496: A fibre optic and copper cable network that is located mainly within trackside troughing routes on the former British Rail Telecommunications network. (It is the largest private telecoms network in the UK). Network Rail operates several analogue radio networks that support mobile communication applications for drivers and lineside workers which consist of base stations, antenna systems and control equipment. The National Radio Network (NRN)
774-522: A further direct government grant of £1.2 billion (1995 prices) to finance the rail link; and the Thameslink Programme relied on the construction of a 'concrete box' provided by this other project to house the new Thameslink sub-surface station underneath St Pancras station . The Government and LCR did however reach agreement in June 1998 allowing the construction of High Speed 1 and also
903-536: A grade-separated crossover to avoid impeding trains from Kent bound for Charing Cross. Services to Charing Cross on the Kent lines will be diverted slightly south in the vicinity of Trundleys Road onto the route of the former branch line to Bricklayers' Arms . They will then slope up alongside the Brighton Main Line just north of South Bermondsey station. Thameslink trains in both directions will cross over
1032-491: A litany of problems in the areas she was responsible for. Michelle Handforth resigned after infrastructure problems left hundreds of passengers stranded in carriages in London, one of the latest issues with the lines outside Paddington Station . The Office of Rail and Road was already investigating poor reliability and punctuality in the Wales and Western region. During February 2011, it was announced that Network Rail had begun
1161-582: A net debt of approximately £8 billion by 2003. During May 2001, Railtrack announced that, despite making a pre-tax profit before exceptional expenses of £199m, the £733m of costs and compensation paid out over the Hatfield crash had plunged Railtrack from profit into a loss of £534m, and it approached the government for funding, which it controversially used to pay a £137m dividend to its shareholders in May 2001. Months later, Railtrack sought another bailout from
1290-481: A new station footbridge has been built, to relatively straightforward platform extensions. Between London Bridge and the vicinity of Stoney Street and Bedale Street, an extra pair of tracks was built on a new viaduct to the south of the existing one. Widening of the existing viaduct west of Stoney Street was to the north to avoid affecting the Hop Exchange building to the south. The new, southern pair of tracks
1419-635: A new tunnel north of St Pancras International to the East Coast Main Line to allow through services to Peterborough and Cambridge, and platform lengthening. A new 8- and 12-carriage fleet of Class 700 trains began in 2016. The new services on to the Great Northern route began initially on 8 March 2018, with the full timetable being introduced in May 2018. The London and South East Route Utilisation Strategy published in July 2011 laid out
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#17327732033731548-524: A planned completion date of summer 2018. Trains began running in March 2018 although all works for Key Output 2 were not finally completed until 2020. The first stage, completed on 22 March 2009, was to introduce service changes to allow the major work to take place. The terminal platforms at Blackfriars were closed, as was the Farringdon to Moorgate branch line. A 15 trains per hour (tph) peak-hour service
1677-564: A provisional 24 tph timetable. South of London it would provide four trains to Brighton (one semi-fast, one stopping) and two each to Three Bridges, Horsham, East Grinstead, Caterham, Tattenham Corner, Tunbridge Wells, Ashford International, Maidstone East, Sevenoaks and Bellingham. North of London there would be eight semi-fast trains to Bedford, four stopping trains to St Albans, two stopping and two semi-fast trains to Luton, two semi-fast trains to Peterborough, two semi-fast trains to Cambridge and four stopping trains to Welwyn Garden City. Below
1806-476: A provisional timetable was released for Thameslink services in the London and South East Route Utilisation Strategy. It confirmed that Sutton loop services were to be curtailed at Blackfriars, but this decision was subsequently reversed by government. A new proposed timetable was released with the announcement of the Thameslink, Southern & Great Northern franchise winner in May 2014. As part of consultations,
1935-689: A report on the proposals submitted by Railtrack and the feedback provided by various parties for and against the project before submitting the report to the Government . On 30 July 2002, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister published the Inspector's report, which stated that although there was a strong case for the project, the Inspector did not recommend that the project should be given approval as there were three 'deficiencies' that he
2064-529: A second ticket hall. It opened on 5 December 2011. City Thameslink station has been upgraded to enable 12-car trains to call. The platforms themselves were already long enough, but it was necessary to add extra train despatch equipment (CD/RA indicators) and replace and enhance the CIS (Customer Information Screens) so that information is displayed in a standard format across the central section. New lighting and an additional ticket gate have also been installed. The work
2193-439: A small amount of income from commercial property estate. In February 2019 Network Rail sold its commercial property business consisting of 5,200 properties, mainly railway arches, to a consortium of Telereal Trillium and Blackstone Property Partners for £1.46bn. Network Rail works in five-year funding cycles called "Control Periods" (CP for short). The government specifies what is needed from Network Rail and sets out how much
2322-423: A through service in 1988, with severe overcrowding by 1998, carrying more than 28,000 passengers in the morning peak. All the services are currently operated by Govia Thameslink Railway . Parts of the network, from Bedford to Three Bridges , run 24 hours a day, except on early Sunday mornings and during maintenance periods. The Thameslink Programme was a major £5.5 billion scheme to increase capacity on
2451-425: Is a provisional timetable solely for services running through the 'Thameslink core' tunnel. This 'provisional timetable' was proposed before the upgrade and has not yet been achieved. See Services section above for the current service pattern. All rolling stock used on Thameslink is electrically powered dual-voltage units using 25 kV AC overhead power north of Farringdon and 750 V DC third rail to
2580-498: Is being installed in 9 locations and upgraded in a further 4. Blackfriars station has been rebuilt to accommodate 12-car trains and to make many other improvements to both the main line and underground stations at the cost of losing one bay road platform. The mainline station remained open during most of this work. The Underground station was closed for almost three years; it reopened on 20 February 2012. The through platforms have been extended along Blackfriars Railway Bridge over
2709-593: Is carried out mostly by the principal train operating company serving that station; however, in a few cases the train operating company does not serve the station. For example, Hinckley is served by CrossCountry , but it is managed by East Midlands Railway . As of April 2018 , Network Rail manages 20 stations directly, with Clapham Junction and Guildford becoming managed stations on 1 April 2018. The stations Network Rail operate are: National London stations Glasgow Central and Liverpool Lime Street stations are divided into high and low-level stations –
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#17327732033732838-399: Is currently undertaking a £38 billion programme of upgrades to the network, including Crossrail , electrification of lines , in-cab signalling , new inter-city trains , upgrading Thameslink , and a new high-speed line . For investment projects, as opposed to routine maintenance, Network Rail has developed an eight-stage process designed to minimise and mitigate risks. This is known as
2967-626: Is not part of the Network Rail network, such as the line between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Amersham being owned by London Underground. Following an initial period in which Network Rail established itself and demonstrated its competence in addressing the principal challenges of improving asset condition, reducing unit costs and tackling delay, the Government's Rail Review in 2004 said that Network Rail should be given responsibility for whole-industry performance reporting, timetable development, specification of small and medium network enhancements, and
3096-518: Is now operating across the network (see the "Rolling stock" section below). The procurement process started in April 2008 and the first train entered service in June 2016. To meet the power requirements of this new fleet, electricity-supply enhancement works were carried out, creating 11 new feeder stations/sub-stations, upgrading a further 21 and converting 9 from track sectioning/paralleling equipment; in addition, new track sectioning/paralleling equipment
3225-418: Is operated by Colas Rail, primarily using locomotives from Colas' and Network Rail's own fleets, but have also used locomotives hired from other companies such as Direct Rail Services , GB Railfreight and Europhoenix as required. From 1997 to 2014 (inclusive), passenger numbers have more than doubled, following little growth in the previous decades. To cope with the increasing passenger numbers, Network Rail
3354-665: Is operated by Network Rail. A line closure for engineering or renewal works is known as a possession. Network Rail has an internal infrastructure database known as GEOGIS. The system uses codes for four-digit Track IDs to identify which line at any location is referred to. The first number refers to track direction, with values of 1 (Up), 2 (Down), 3 (Reversible/Bi-directional), or 4 (Merry Go Round Loop). The second number refers to track use, which can be 1 (Main or Fast), 2 (Slow, Local or Relief), 3 (Goods), 4 (Single line), 5 (Loop), 6 (Terminal or Bay), 7 (Crossover), 8 (Other or Engine), or 9 (Single Siding). The third and fourth numbers refer to
3483-494: Is used by trains to and from Charing Cross. Thameslink trains have a dedicated route to Blackfriars on the northern pair of tracks, which is key to providing the nominal peak-hour frequency of 24tph on the core route. This work required the demolition of 20 grade 2 listed buildings and many other buildings within Borough Market, which is part of Borough High Street Conservation Area, and the original Thameslink programme
3612-687: Is via St Pancras International for connections to Eurostar and the East Midlands; Farringdon , for London Underground Circle , Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City lines, and the Elizabeth line ; City Thameslink , which replaced the demolished Holborn Viaduct station and has a southern entrance serving Ludgate Circus; Blackfriars , for main-line rail services and the Underground District and Circle lines; and London Bridge for main-line links into Kent and Sussex and
3741-543: The Brighton Main Line to routes north of London, via East Croydon , Lewisham , Canary Wharf , and Stratford . Network Rail Network Rail Limited is the owner (via its subsidiary Network Rail Infrastructure Limited, which was known as Railtrack plc before 2002) and infrastructure manager of most of the railway network in Great Britain . Network Rail is a non-departmental public body of
3870-484: The COVID-19 pandemic . London Bridge station has undergone a major transformation to accommodate Thameslink trains during the peak period and achieve many other benefits. Three terminus platforms and a through track have been closed and three new through platforms created, to allow all services going to Cannon Street and Charing Cross to stop at London Bridge, as well as additional services to Thameslink stations north of
3999-463: The Department for Transport with no shareholders, which reinvests its income in the railways. Network Rail's main customers are the private train operating companies (TOCs), responsible for passenger transport, and freight operating companies (FOCs), who provide train services on the infrastructure that the company owns and maintains. Since 1 September 2014, Network Rail has been classified as
Thameslink Programme - Misplaced Pages Continue
4128-518: The Elizabeth line in May 2022), while Blackfriars gained a new entrance on the south bank of the Thames. Platforms at Hendon , Cricklewood , and Kentish Town stations were not, and will not be, extended. Those from Elephant & Castle southwards on the Thameslink suburban (Wimbledon/Sutton) loop, and on the Catford loop line towards Sevenoaks, will likewise remain 8-car stations. A new viaduct
4257-577: The High Speed 1 redevelopment of St Pancras station. Passing under the Regents Canal, the tunnels connect the East Coast Main Line near Kings Cross to the Thameslink route, with services from Cambridge and Peterborough that started in February 2018. There will be eight trains an hour over this route at peak times. The Farringdon to Moorgate branch was permanently closed in March 2009 at
4386-768: The Integrated Kent Franchise currently operated by Southeastern . On 23 May 2014, it was announced that the franchise has been awarded to Govia Thameslink Railway . The new Thameslink Southern & Great Northern franchise will include both the Thameslink Great Northern and South Central franchises. Govia Thameslink Railway began operations on 14 September 2014, with the former First Capital Connect routes Thameslink and Great Northern . Railfuture , an organisation campaigning for better rail services for passengers and freight, has proposed an additional north–south route, connecting
4515-464: The Masterplan project (some works within the station building started during Key Output 1). A grade-separated junction was created at Bermondsey . New permanent way (track level, in this case including both plain rail and junctions) and overhead line equipment were laid out in the new Canal Tunnels just north of St Pancras between the Thameslink route and the East Coast Main Line , opening up
4644-759: The Northern Hub . However as of September 2017 the two Manchester stations remained under the operatorship of Arriva Rail North . There are a small number of stations on the National Rail network that are not owned by Network Rail. As of 2022 these are: Network Rail has several training and development sites around Britain. These include sites in York, Peterborough, Derby, Leeds, Walsall and Larbert which provide refresher courses, and train staff in new equipment. Advanced Apprentice Scheme trainees are trained at Network Rail's Westwood training centre for
4773-571: The Railways Act 1993 . This privatisation, combined with a recession in the UK economy, caused the first of many delays to the project. Railtrack applied for Transport and Works Act 1992 powers on 21 November 1997, but two months later London and Continental Railways (LCR) , a company created to build the High Speed 1 railway between London and the Channel tunnel , announced that it would require
4902-545: The River Thames , and the platform layout altered to avoid the need for trains between City Thameslink and London Bridge to cross the lines giving access to the terminus platforms. The new station houses a new shared National Rail/LUL ticket hall and LUL ventilation shaft together with new escalators and lifts between a mezzanine level for National Rail services and the sub-surface level for London Underground services. A new station entrance has been created on Bankside , with
5031-715: The Snow Hill Tunnel from mid- Victorian times until World War I , when services terminated at Moorgate from the Midland line to the north, and at Holborn Viaduct from the south, at a time when most inner cross-London traffic had been lost to buses and trams. There were low-level platforms under the main part of Holborn Viaduct station known as the Snow Hill platforms: these can still be seen when leaving City Thameslink station travelling northwards. On 14 June 1941, railway manager George Dow proposed in an article in
5160-658: The Thames with the then recently electrified line between Bedford and St Pancras to the north via the Snow Hill tunnel , allowing passengers to travel between stations to the north and south of London, including Bedford, Luton Airport, Gatwick Airport and Brighton, without changing trains or using the London Underground. New dual-voltage rolling stock was built for the service on account of differing electrification standards north and south of London; lines south of
5289-449: The original Thameslink franchise these services were designated "Thameslink CityFlier" and "Thameslink CityMetro" respectively, but First Capital Connect dropped this branding. Govia Thameslink Railway now refers to these services as Route TL1 (formerly Route 6) and Route TL2/TL3 (formerly Route 7/8) respectively. The Monday–Friday off-peak service pattern, with frequencies in trains per hour (tph), includes: During peak hours,
Thameslink Programme - Misplaced Pages Continue
5418-564: The DC collector equipment being faulty - trains can then return north from the southbound platform at City Thameslink back towards Farringdon. Works began in 2009 to remodel Farringdon station to accommodate longer Thameslink trains and make other improvements. Platforms were lengthened and a new roof canopy covering the north end of all four platforms was provided, together with a permanent new entrance and concourse facing Turnmill Street . Platforms were widened to accommodate increased patronage. It
5547-624: The Governance for Railway Investment Projects (GRIP), previously known as “Guide to Rail Investment Projects”. The stages are as follows: Each stage delivers an agreed set of outputs to defined quality criteria. The process has been criticised as cumbersome by some and it is proposed to replace it with a new process with the acronym PACE- Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment. For financial and other planning purposes, Network Rail works within 5-year "Control Periods", each one beginning on 1 April and ending on 31 March to coincide with
5676-583: The Inspector was satisfied that the deficiencies of the previous proposals had been resolved, and recommending that the project be approved. In 2004, TfL had wanted to bring the Thameslink network into the London Underground network or have the route branded as a London Overground route. This would have meant the network being re-branded. The drawback to this idea was that the planned routes to Cambridge , King's Lynn , Ashford (Kent) , Littlehampton and Eastbourne would have been abandoned and
5805-615: The Kent lines on a new bridge, meeting the existing alignment just north of Jarrow Road. Work commenced during 2013, with bridge-strengthening works near London Bridge station completed in June 2013. The first track was used for services from 27 December 2016, two new lines for Southeastern traffic will come into service after the August bank holiday and the overall programme of work is expected to be completed in January 2018. The Canal Tunnels were constructed between 2004 and 2006, as part of
5934-518: The London evening newspaper The Star that new routes be built in tunnels from Marylebone south to Victoria, and from King's Cross south to Charing Cross. Both were to connect with a Paddington–Liverpool Street tunnel that he proposed, anticipating Crossrail by 40 years. He also proposed a north-east to south-west such link (Liverpool Street to Charing Cross), all giving seamless, key, main-line connections. The Snow Hill Tunnel route remained open for cross-London freight trains until 1970, when
6063-615: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport announced that the DfT would grant Network Rail £30 million to 'enable a more informed decision to be made regarding the case for funding the implementation of the project in summer 2007'. On 24 July 2007, the Secretary of State for Transport, Ruth Kelly , formally announced that the Government was fully committed to funding the Thameslink Programme. Since
6192-495: The Strategic Rail Authority was abolished by the Railways Act of 2005 , and the Department for Transport (DfT) took over funding responsibility for the project in July 2005. The second public inquiry took place between September and December 2005, and the Inspector completed the report in February 2006, submitted to the DfT for consideration. In October 2006 the DfT published the second report, declaring that
6321-485: The Thames. A new station concourse has been built to improve circulation, and the adjacent bus station expanded. New retail facilities have been built into the existing western arcade, which has been re-opened and extended to link the Underground station and Joiner Street. As shown in the timetable from 13 December 2008, capacity constraints meant that through London Bridge there were no northbound Thameslink trains in
6450-446: The Thameslink Programme. Class 317 units built in the early 1980s were still in use when services into Moorgate ceased in March 2009: the last timetabled service ran from Farringdon to Bedford on 9 October 2009. Due to delays in the new Class 700 fleet, the DfT and Southern ordered 116 electric dual-voltage 110-mile-per-hour (180 km/h) carriages (29 trains) with the option for another 140 carriages (35 trains). The tender for
6579-440: The Thameslink network to new destinations north of London. An overhead conductor rail replaced the traditional Mk3b solid wire between the former King's Cross Thameslink station to St Pancras International station. In July 2020, the consolidation of signalling across the region into a new Railway Operating Centre at Three Bridges was completed, with the closure of the 1970s London Bridge Area Signalling Centre . On completion of
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#17327732033736708-647: The Train Operating Companies. During March 2011, the British government announced that the Great Western Main Line would be electrified as far as Bristol Temple Meads. Within four years, this programme, which was headed by Network Rail, was beset by poor planning and cost overruns, leading to the shortcomings being scrutinised by Parliament. Specifically, the projected cost had increased from £1.2 billion to £2.8 billion by
6837-477: The UK, as of March 2014, Network Rail is well underway in the UK implementation of GSM-R to replace its legacy National Radio Network (NRN) and Cab Secure Radio (CSR) systems currently in use. Network Rail operates a large variety of DMUs, locomotives and rolling stock to perform safety checks and maintenance (this fleet is not to be confused with the combined rolling stock assets of Rail Delivery Group members who work in combination as National Rail ). As well as
6966-478: The Underground Northern and Jubilee lines. King's Cross Thameslink on Pentonville Road closed on 8 December 2007. Trains operating the "main line" service (Bedford and Cambridge to Brighton, Peterborough to Horsham) include first-class accommodation; those operating from Luton, St Albans and Kentish Town to Sutton, Sevenoaks and Orpington are usually standard class only. When Govia operated
7095-541: The associated works required for the Thameslink programme to proceed. During this period Railtrack carried out an extensive public consultation exercise, which resulted in the revision of the original proposals; it then submitted a Supplementary Order on 29 September 1999. Given the size of the project, the Deputy Prime Minister decided to call for a public inquiry, which began in June 2000 and closed in May 2001. The Inspector spent several months compiling
7224-481: The central London section by accommodating more frequent and longer trains, and providing additional routes and destinations. The new services began operating in 2018. In 2016, new Class 700 trains started operating on the route and replaced the Class 319 , Class 377 and Class 387 trains which were withdrawn and transferred elsewhere. Much of the original route is over the Brighton Main Line (via London Bridge) and
7353-407: The company and EDF was signed to provide more solar energy. In May 2021, the Government announced that Network Rail is to superseded by a new body, Great British Railways , in 2023. Network Rail is a not-for-profit organisation . The majority of funding comes from a mix of direct grants and borrowing from the UK and Scottish Governments, payments from train and freight operators and previously
7482-452: The company have any way of assessing the consequence of the speed restrictions it was ordering. These restrictions brought the railway network to an almost total standstill and drew significant public ire. According to railway historian Christian Wolmar , Railtrack's board panicked in the wake of Hatfield. Railtrack's first chief executive, John Edmonds, had pursued a deliberate strategy of outsourcing engineers' work wherever possible with
7611-430: The completion of Borough Market Viaduct to the west of London Bridge, Thameslink trains will use the pair of tracks to the north, and Charing Cross trains will use the new pair of tracks to the south. At present, northbound Thameslink trains arrive into London Bridge to the south of the Kent lines. Construction work will be undertaken to the east of London Bridge so that Thameslink trains from the Brighton Main Line can use
7740-670: The contract commencing in September 2013. On 29 March 2012, the Department for Transport announced Abellio , FirstGroup , Govia , MTR Corporation and Stagecoach Group had pre-qualified to bid for the franchise. Due to problems with the InterCity West Coast tendering process, the process was delayed, with the new franchise delayed until September 2014. The new franchise includes the South Central franchise currently operated by Southern and certain routes from
7869-546: The delivery of route-specific utilisation strategies (RUS). Some of these are functions which Network Rail already had; others – such as the obligation to devise route utilisation strategies – were transferred to Network Rail from the Strategic Rail Authority , a non-departmental public body, part of the UK government. The SRA was abolished in November 2006. Network Rail initially sub-contracted much of
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#17327732033737998-585: The electrification of other lines, including Bristol Parkway to Temple Meads and Didcot to Oxford, was also postponed. During 2011, work commenced to extend the electrification of the Midland Main Line , including to both Corby and Nottingham. In July 2017, it was announced the then-Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling that the electrification scheme north of Kettering to Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield had been cancelled and that bi-mode trains would be used instead. However, in May 2022,
8127-624: The end of 2015, while the project's timetable was also delayed to the extent that the government had to request Hitachi to retrofit the new high speed trainsets procured under the Intercity Express Programme with diesel engines as well as electric traction. In July 2017, the government announced that, in response to the programme's continued difficulties, the scope of the electrification scheme had been decreased; specifically, it would only be completed as far as Thingley Junction, two miles (3.2 km) west of Chippenham, while
8256-511: The first five months of their apprenticeship and then are trained further at HMS Sultan in Gosport over seven 2-week periods or five 3-week periods (throughout their second and third year) of their apprenticeship, using a combination of Royal Navy facilities and a specially installed training centre. All courses are taught by VT Flagship (part of Babcock International ) in the first year but apprentices are trained by Network Rail staff in
8385-478: The first trains entered service in spring 2016. All units are now in service, having replaced the Class 319 and Class 387 fleets. Rolling stock used on Thameslink included the 86 Class 319 trains built between 1987–1988 and 1990. These are electrically powered dual-voltage four-car units rated to carry 289, 308 or 319 passengers. Four Class 319 trains had been transferred from Southern in December 2008 and
8514-800: The goal of reducing costs. Various major schemes being undertaken by Railtrack had also gone awry. The modernisation of the West Coast Main Line had suffered from spiralling costs, rising from an estimated £2 billion to roughly £10 billion. This programme suffered failures that were technical as well as managerial, such as the moving block signalling apparatus being immature for such a busy mixed-traffic mainline. In 2000, reports emerged that Railtrack may not be able to go through with its planned commitment to purchase section 2 of High Speed 1 , resulting in disruption and uncertainty for that programme as well. In February 2001, Steve Marshall, Railtrack's chairman, warned that Railtrack could have
8643-450: The government can afford to contribute. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) then sets the level of fixed income that Network Rail is allowed to charge and assesses the amount of money needed by Network Rail to run efficiently. The last Control Period ran from 2014 to 2019; 1 April 2019 was the start of Control Period 6 . In 2019, government funding for train operating companies amounted to £4.1 billion, paying access charges to use
8772-559: The government. On 7 October 2001, Railtrack plc was placed into railway administration under the Railways Act 1993, following an application to the High Court by the then Transport Secretary , Stephen Byers . Network Rail Ltd. was created with the express purpose of taking over Britain's railway infrastructure control; this was achieved via its purchase of Railtrack plc from Railtrack Group plc for £500 million; Railtrack plc
8901-467: The high-level stations are all termini used primarily by the main inter-city services to those stations. The low-level stations are through routes on local commuter networks that are largely separate from other routes to the main station; these platforms are not managed by Network Rail, but instead by the rail operator that primarily uses them, ScotRail and Merseyrail respectively. Network Rail operated Gatwick Airport station until January 2012 when it
9030-630: The improvements would have only benefited London and commuter belt towns within 15 to 20 miles (20 to 30 km) of the city. In conjunction with the second report, the Secretaries of State for Transport and 'Communities & Local Government' consequently granted Network Rail the planning permission and legal powers required to execute the project, and the Order (officially described as The Network Rail (Thameslink 2000) Order 2006 ) came into force on 13 December 2006; furthermore, on 19 December 2006,
9159-634: The infrastructure was owned and operated by Railtrack , a privately-owned company. A spate of accidents, including the Southall rail crash in 1997 and the Ladbroke Grove rail crash in 1999 called into question the negative consequences that the fragmentation of the railway network had introduced to both safety and maintenance procedures. Railtrack was severely criticised for both its performance for infrastructure improvement and for its safety record. The Hatfield train crash on 17 October 2000
9288-431: The infrastructure work to private maintenance companies, such as Carillion and First Engineering ; other sub-contractors perform specialist work or additional labour, such as Prima Services Group, Sky Blue, Balfour Beatty, Laboursite, BCL, Atkins (Atkins Rail) and McGinleys. In October 2003, Network Rail announced that it would take over all infrastructure maintenance work from private contractors, following concerns about
9417-556: The last four followed in March 2009, from which point they were all on Thameslink. The last was withdrawn in August 2017. First Capital Connect acquired 23 four-coach Class 377 sets during 2009 on sublease from Southern , for the Thameslink route for additional capacity and to allow some of the Class 319 trains to be released for the Catford Loop service to Sevenoaks, now jointly operated with Southeastern under Key Output 0 of
9546-486: The latter is a brand rather than an organisation, used to inform and promote a nationwide network of passenger railway services. The majority of Network Rail lines also carry freight traffic; some lines are freight only. A few lines that carry passenger traffic are not part of the National Rail network (such as the Tyne and Wear Metro and the London Underground ). Conversely, a few National Rail services operate over track which
9675-462: The media concerning the knighthood awarded to John Armitt in the 2012 New Year Honours for services to engineering and construction. Armitt was Chief Executive of Network Rail at the time of the 2007 Grayrigg derailment and the family of a victim of the accident criticised the award, which coincidentally was conferred on the same day that Network Rail were prosecuted for the accident. In 2023, one of Network Rail's managing directors resigned after
9804-434: The morning peak between 07:24 and 09:09, and no southbound Thameslink trains in the evening peak between 16:43 and 18:27. During these times, Brighton line Thameslink trains ran via Herne Hill instead. The work was designed in part to remedy this situation and improve the flow not only of Thameslink services but also of all Southeastern commuter services from Kent into Charing Cross and Cannon Street. Work started in 2013 and
9933-447: The multiple units and locomotives, Network Rail own and operate a large stock of rolling stock for particular testing duties and track maintenance. Network Rail also hire freight locomotives from various freight operators including DB Cargo UK , Freightliner , Colas Rail and GB Railfreight amongst others to operate engineers' trains in support of maintenance and renewal work. Network Rail's Infrastructure Monitoring fleet of test trains
10062-629: The network's success, realised plans arose to upgrade the network to cope with persistent peak-time overcrowding. Network Rail obtained planning permission and legal powers in 2006, funding was secured in July 2007 and construction began in October 2007. Plans included rebuilding the station buildings at Farringdon (in conjunction with the Crossrail project) and West Hampstead Thameslink, total rebuild of London Bridge and Blackfriars stations, two new underground platforms at St Pancras International,
10191-428: The network, and increase the frequency of service. British Rail proposed to expand and upgrade the original network in the early 1990s, with plans to increase the number of stations served from 50 to 169 and to increase passenger capacity by allowing 12-carriage trains and allowing more trains per hour. In 1994 responsibility for the project, intended to be complete by 2000, was transferred to Railtrack as detailed in
10320-399: The new Class 387 trains was won by Bombardier and the first set entered service in December 2014, with all in service by May 2015. By 2018, all units were replaced by the new Class 700 fleet with the Class 387 fleet moving over to the Great Northern brand. The invitation to tender for the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise was expected to be issued in October 2012, with
10449-452: The new track was laid, St John's Vale Road Bridge was partially demolished and reconstructed with a concrete pier, as well as a new south span over the new track; the existing embankment along the fly-down was also widened. This work was completed in April 2013, and the new track is being used for some services to/from Charing Cross via Lewisham. The OHLE (overhead line equipment) system has been extended from Farringdon to City Thameslink and
10578-595: The new viaduct was installed over the weekend of 10 October 2010. These works had been brought forward to fit in with other, non-railway, developments in the Borough High Street area; the viaduct only came into use in January 2016 as part of the Key Output 2 stageworks when the Charing Cross services started passing through new platforms on the south side of London Bridge High Level Station. With
10707-543: The ongoing modernisation of the railway network by replacing track and signalling, continues to be carried out by private engineering firms under contract. The biggest renewals projects include the multibillion-pound upgrade of the London – Glasgow West Coast Main Line , which was completed in 2008, the Thameslink Programme to upgrade the north–south railway through London and work on the part of Crossrail which
10836-440: The other route/branch has evolved, as follows: As of the early 1990s privatisation of British Rail , Thameslink was franchised to Thameslink , a subsidiary of Govia . By late 1998, more than 28,000 passengers were carried at morning peak times. From 1 April 2006, the franchise was taken over by First Capital Connect along with some services that had been operated by WAGN . The branding of most trains, stations, and signs
10965-431: The planning permission and legal powers associated with the project had already been granted, the project was now clear to proceed. With the downturn in the economy there was some doubt that phase 2 of the project would be completed in its entirety, but on 25 November 2010 the Secretary of State for Transport (Philip Hammond) confirmed that no cutbacks would be made. However, project completion would be delayed until 2018 as
11094-700: The position for six years. He noted that as Network Rail moved to a "new phase in its development" it was appropriate for a new chairman to lead it there. Network Rail also has a 15-year lease on Square One in Manchester with 800 staff in one of Manchester's largest refurbished office spaces. During June 2012, work was completed on the company's new national centre, known as the Quadrant:MK . Based in Milton Keynes about five minutes' walk from Milton Keynes Central , it comprises four buildings connected to
11223-576: The process of reorganising its operational structure into nine semi-autonomous regional entities, each with their own managing director; the first two units to be created were Scotland and Wessex regions. The reorganisation has been interpreted as a move back towards vertical integration of track and train operations. In December 2016, the Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling announced that Network Rail would lose sole control of track maintenance and repairs, and instead would share this with
11352-483: The project, being terminated in April 2003. Responsibility for the project's funding was subsequently transferred to the Strategic Rail Authority . Network Rail revised the original proposal and submitted it along with an updated Environmental Statement dated 14 June 2004. The Deputy Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Transport called for a new public inquiry to begin in September 2005. During this period
11481-438: The project, the Thameslink network is now able to handle a nominal peak-period frequency of 24 trains per hour (equivalent to 1 train every 2 minutes and 30 seconds) through the central core between St Pancras and Blackfriars, providing an extra 14,500 peak-period seats compared to the level of service in 2008. As part of the project, a purpose-built fleet of 55 12-car and 60 8-car Class 700 trains (equivalent to 1,140 carriages)
11610-503: The proposed timetable received further tweaks in September 2016 and June 2017: In 2009, the Thameslink fleet consisted of 74 dual-voltage Class 319s . While the Thameslink Rolling Stock Project (TRSP) will provide a brand-new fleet, the timescales involved were such that interim solutions were required. On 4 April 2007, the DfT authorised the transfer of twelve Class 319s to Thameslink from Southern , which
11739-408: The public through telephones located at level crossings. GAI-Tronics provides many of the telephones sited on trackside and at level crossings. They also provide Public Access Help Points on platforms and stations to provide passengers with easy access to Information and Emergency control centres. GSM-R radio systems are being introduced across Europe under EU legislation for interoperability. In
11868-500: The quality of work carried out by certain private firms and spiralling costs. In 2007, it was announced that the number of track renewal contractors would be reduced from six to four; Amey / SECO , Balfour Beatty , Babcock First Engineering and Jarvis plc . Network Rail has expanded its in-house engineering skills, including funding of apprenticeship and foundation degree schemes, and has reported significant savings from transferring work away from contracting companies. Additional work
11997-491: The rail network, £2.1 billion and freight £58 million. In 2019, it spent £3.1 billion on renewals (restoring existing infrastructure back to how it was when new) and £3.2 billion on enhancements, with the rest spent on maintenance and other costs. Network Rail covers 20,000 miles of track, and 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts. They claim to run the world's largest third rail network. In February 2004, an operations centre at Waterloo station in London
12126-445: The railway tracks, signals, overhead wires, tunnels, bridges, level crossings and most stations, but not the passenger or commercial freight rolling stock, other than its limited departmental stock . While it owns over 2,500 railway stations, it manages only 20 of the biggest and busiest of them as all the other stations are managed by the various train operating companies (TOCs). Network Rail should not be confused with National Rail ,
12255-457: The river are electrified using a 750-volt DC third rail and those to the north by the more modern 25 kV AC overhead system. Services began in 1988 and the route was fully inaugurated in May 1990. Passenger traffic between destinations in north and south London served by Thameslink services quadrupled after the first year of operation. The success of this initial project encouraged British Rail to develop proposals to extend
12384-482: The schedule was already difficult to achieve and because cost savings could be made if the level of concurrent activity was reduced. Construction was divided into three stages, each with 'Key outputs'. Key Output 0 was to make service changes to allow other work to proceed. Key Output 1 is for work that had to be completed before the 2012 Olympics . Work for Key Output 2 started after the London Olympics, with
12513-966: The second and third years. Network Rail bought a residential centre from Cable and Wireless in the Westwood Business Centre near Coventry for leadership development. The company and other industry partners such as VolkerRail and Balfour Beatty also operate a Foundation Degree in conjunction with Sheffield Hallam University . In 2008, Network Rail piloted its first qualification in "track engineering". It has been given permission to develop courses equivalent to GCSE and A-levels. Network Rail operates various essential telecommunication circuits for signalling and electrification control systems, train radio systems, lineside communications, level crossing CCTV, station information and security systems as well as more general IT and business telephony needs. The fixed bearer network infrastructure comprises transmission systems and telephone exchanges linked by
12642-494: The section between Blackfriars and Farringdon was temporarily closed to permit the construction of a new alignment. The route through the site of the long-closed Ludgate Hill station , over Ludgate Hill to Holborn Viaduct was abandoned and demolished. The replacement route under Ludgate Hill was opened on 29 May 1990 by the Network SouthEast (sector of British Rail ) concurrently with City Thameslink station, which
12771-582: The short section between Farringdon and Holborn Viaduct was closed. Overhead electrification, completed in 1982, allowed the northern section to run as the Midland City Line from Bedford via the Midland Main Line to St Pancras , and via the City Widened Lines to Moorgate . The Snow Hill tunnel was re-opened by British Rail to passenger trains after 72 years, with Thameslink beginning in May 1988. On 29 January 1990,
12900-502: The south that previously terminated at Blackfriars now terminated at Kentish Town or further north, and 23 dual-voltage Class 377/5 Electrostars were procured to meet the additional rolling stock requirements. All aspects of Key Output stage 1 were completed by mid-2012, in time for the London Olympics. A major objective of this phase was to enable 12-carriage trains to run on the Bedford-Brighton route. Work affecting this
13029-474: The south. Class 700 trains were delivered between 2015 and 2018, providing an additional 14,500 seats. Siemens Mobility was named preferred bidder on 16 June 2011, with the Desiro City train family. The contract was signed in June 2013 for 1,140 carriages, with 55 twelve-car and 60 eight-car trains. The depots are at Hornsey and Three Bridges . The Three Bridges depot opened in October 2015 and
13158-656: The southern part of the Midland Main Line , plus a suburban true loop (circuit) serving Sutton. A branch via the Catford Loop Line to Sevenoaks was added in 2012. Sections to Peterborough on the East Coast Main Line , Cambridge via the Cambridge Line , Horsham on the Arun Valley line and Rainham via Greenwich were added in 2018. East Grinstead is also served during peak hours. The route through central London (today known as Thameslink core)
13287-569: The start of the project - the platform extensions at Farringdon blocked access to the tracks leading to this branch. Passengers for Barbican or Moorgate now have to change at Farringdon and use the Elizabeth Line or the London Underground . To improve capacity on the line between London Bridge and Lewisham, a new stretch of single track has been built alongside the original bi-directional single track between Tanners Hill Junction (near St John's Station) and Lewisham Vale Junction. Before
13416-614: The station; and it is covered by CCTV. 'Fit-out' works began in summer 2006 (following the decision by the DfT to provide a further £60-65 million for the High Speed 1 project). King's Cross Thameslink station closed in 2007 with trains calling instead at St Pancras International using the new low-level platforms at the north end of that station. The Pentonville Road entrance of the old King's Cross Thameslink station remained open to provide pedestrian access to King's Cross St. Pancras tube station between 07:00 and 20:00 Mondays to Fridays until its closure on 23rd March 2020 in response to
13545-529: The track number, which can be any number from 00 to 99 inclusive, and are usually numbered sequentially. In 2006, Network Rail made public a high-tech plan to combat the effects of slippery rail . This plan involves the use of satellites for tracking trouble areas, water-jetting trains and crews using railhead scrubbers, sand sticks and a substance called Natrusolve, which dissolves leaf mulch. Network Rail owns more than 2,500 railway stations, divided into six categories . Management and operation of most of them
13674-1140: The two trains per hour London Blackfriars to Sevenoaks service (from the table above) is extended through the 'core tunnel' to/from Welwyn Garden City (though a few services originate at Finsbury Park), with extra calls at City Thameslink, Farringdon, St Pancras International, Finsbury Park, New Southgate , Oakleigh Park , New Barnet , Potters Bar and Hatfield. As well as these services, during peak hours, several trains in each direction (approximately two trains per hour) run to/from Orpington (originating/terminating at either London Blackfriars, Luton, West Hampstead Thameslink or Kentish Town), all calling at Petts Wood in lieu of stations from St Mary Cray to Bat & Ball. In addition, there are seven trains per day in each direction that operate to/from East Grinstead (originating/terminating at either Bedford, West Hampstead Thameslink, St Pancras International or London Bridge), which, after calling at South Croydon, call at Sanderstead , Riddlesdown , Upper Warlingham , Woldingham , Oxted , Hurst Green , Lingfield and Dormans . Passenger services operated across London through
13803-451: The world's largest solar-powered bridge, adjacent to the remains of the old Blackfriars Railway Bridge , across the River Thames . The roof of the new railway bridge is covered with 4,400 photovoltaic panels, providing up to half of the energy requirement for London Blackfriars station . Solar panels are used at various locations across Network Rail's property portfolio, including stations and depots. In August 2022, an agreement between
13932-458: Was a defining moment in the collapse of Railtrack. The immediate major repairs undertaken across the whole British railway network were estimated to have cost in the order of £ 580 million and Railtrack had no idea how many more 'Hatfields' were waiting to happen because it had lost considerable in-house engineering skill following the sale or closure of many of the engineering and maintenance functions of British Rail to external companies; nor did
14061-442: Was also accused of financial impropriety involving unspecified payments to his business partner Victoria Pender during his tenure at Network Rail. An internal investigation held by Network Rail in 2010, vetted by its auditors PricewaterhouseCoopers , uncovered no evidence of wrongdoing. An independent enquiry headed by Anthony White QC in 2011 further examined the claims, but also exonerated Coucher. Critical commentary appeared in
14190-497: Was announced that this process would be delayed. Britain's railway system was built by private companies, but it was nationalised by the Transport Act 1947 and run by British Railways until re-privatisation which was begun in 1994 and completed in 1997. As a part of the privatisation process, the railway infrastructure, passenger and freight services were separated into separate organisations. Between 1994 and 2002,
14319-484: Was built over Borough Market and Borough High Street to provide trains to Blackfriars and to Charing Cross with their own dedicated routes, and hence allow increased capacity through central London. Though completed in 2012, this only came into use (as scheduled) in January 2016. The fly-down at Tanners Hill near Lewisham was widened and made double-track. Until summer 2018 there were major track, signalling and station remodelling works at London Bridge station as part of
14448-481: Was changed to match the name of the new company, but City Thameslink and West Hampstead Thameslink were not renamed as Thameslink referred to the route. After criticism of the loss of the apt name for this group of routes, First Capital Connect's publicity began calling this set of services its "Thameslink route" to distinguish it from the former WAGN services. On 14 September 2014, Govia Thameslink Railway took over operations from First Capital Connect . Given
14577-481: Was commissioned in December 2009, Combined with a new crossover in Snow Hill tunnel between the two stations, this allows southbound trains to be turned back should they fail to change from AC overhead line traction current to DC third rail . The crossover previously located within City Thameslink station which enabled trains from Smithfield sidings to enter platform 2 was removed as Blackfriars station
14706-515: Was completed in 2018. From 5 January 2015 until 20 May 2018, all Thameslink through trains were diverted via Herne Hill and did not call at London Bridge. Thameslink services remained in operation from London Bridge to Brighton via Gatwick Airport with 2 trains per hour. Work has been carried out at a number of stations north of the Thames to extend the platforms to accommodate 12-car trains. These vary from quite major works such as at Luton, where new bridges had to be installed, and West Hampstead, where
14835-463: Was completed in October 2010. Also, as part of Key Output 0, 25 kV AC overhead lines were installed. Northbound trains change from third rail to overhead power here - any trains which cannot do so due to a fault can terminate here and use the adjacent sidings at Smithfield; southbound trains change to third rail power at nearby Farringdon Station but can run into the southbound platform at City Thameslink on AC power if an on-train fault results in
14964-429: Was completed in time for the December 2011 timetable change, when 10,000 extra peak-period seats were provided. By then, 23 stations between Bedford and Brighton had been extended to accommodate the longer trains; in addition, Farringdon and Blackfriars stations had been rebuilt to take 12-car trains and allow for increased passenger flows. Works at Farringdon also allowed for the east–west Crossrail route (which opened as
15093-587: Was developed specifically for the operational railway; it provides radio coverage for 98% of the rail network through 500 base stations and 21 radio exchanges. The Radio Electronic Token Block RETB system is based on similar technology as the NRN and ORN but provides data communication for signalling token exchange as well as voice communication. Fixed communication at trackside is provided by telephone. These are primarily provided for signallers to communicate with train crew, via telephones mounted on signal posts, and with
15222-478: Was initially called St Paul's Thameslink but was renamed in 1991 to avoid confusion with St. Paul's station on the Underground (Central line), about 500 m (550 yd) away. King's Cross Thameslink on Pentonville Road closed on 8 December 2007, when the Thameslink platforms at nearby St Pancras opened. In the south the services divide: many main-line trains run almost due south through London Bridge to East Croydon and many continue to Brighton , but
15351-428: Was introduced on the core section between St. Pancras and Blackfriars. A new footbridge was built at Farringdon to improve interchange with London Underground's Circle line. A temporary entrance (now removed) was created at Blackfriars station. This involved signalling works and alterations to the tracks and overhead line equipment between Farringdon and City Thameslink to allow the merged services to operate. Trains from
15480-550: Was necessary to build the Thameslink platform extensions to the south, since there is a sharp gradient to the immediate north of the station. This resulted in the two-station branch to Moorgate being permanently closed. Two new low-level platforms at St Pancras International which accept 12-carriage trains replaced the old King's Cross Thameslink station and opened on 9 December 2007. It allows for better interchange with other forms of transport; it has seven escalators, and also two lifts to allow people with impaired mobility to use
15609-406: Was not satisfied with: As a result, the Deputy Prime Minister said in January 2003 that the project would not receive approval and that Network Rail (which had replaced Railtrack by this time) must submit improved proposals and a new Environmental Statement. The delay also led to the 'Thameslink 2000 Agreement', the contract that obliged Network Rail/Railtrack to maintain responsibility for funding
15738-667: Was not using their dual-voltage capability, so that First Capital Connect then had all 86 Class 319 units. Once project funding was guaranteed, 23 Class 377/5s were sub-leased from Southern to meet the capacity requirements of Key Output 0. Thameslink Thameslink is a mainline route on the British railway network , running from Bedford , Luton , St Albans City , Peterborough , Welwyn Garden City , London Blackfriars and Cambridge via central London to Sutton , Orpington , Sevenoaks , Rainham , Horsham , Three Bridges , Brighton and East Grinstead . The network opened as
15867-573: Was opened, which was operated jointly by Network Rail and South West Trains . This was the first full collaboration of its kind since privatisation, and it is regarded as a model for other areas of the network, with a further six integrated Network Rail + TOC Control Centres having opened since then, at Blackfriars , Croydon (Leading Control for Thameslink), Swindon , Birmingham New Street , Glasgow and, most recently, Liverpool Street and South Wales based in Cardiff Canton. Track renewal,
15996-430: Was originally proposed in 1991 following the successful introduction of the initial Thameslink service in 1988. After many delays, planning permission was granted in 2006 and funding was approved in October 2007. Work started in 2009 and was completed on 18 September 2020, although trains over the new routes began running in 2018. The original Thameslink rail network was created by joining the electrified network south of
16125-409: Was rebuilt. This also allows trains to change from DC to AC power northbound at City Thameslink – and for access into Smithfield Sidings for northbound trains should AC power be unavailable for any reason. Between City Thameslink and Blackfriars, a large electrical substation has been built at Ludgate Cellars. This 20 MW substation is the largest on the 750 V DC third-rail network. In 2011
16254-407: Was rejected at public inquiry partly on the grounds that suitable arrangements were not included to replace the buildings to be demolished within the market. A revised proposal involving remedial work to the market was accepted at a second public inquiry. By January 2009 businesses in the path of the new viaduct were closing down or relocating in preparation for demolition work, and the first section of
16383-422: Was taken back in-house after the serious accident at Potters Bar and other accidents at Rotherham and King's Cross led to Jarvis's collapse into administration in March 2010. The company moved its headquarters to Kings Place, 90 York Way, from 40 Melton Street, Euston, in August 2008. Two months later, Sir Ian McAllister announced that he would not stand for re-election as chairman of Network Rail after holding
16512-417: Was then renamed and reconstituted as Network Rail Infrastructure Limited . The transaction was completed on 3 October 2002. The former company had thus never ceased to exist but continued under another name: for this reason Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd was the defendant in later prosecutions in respect of events which had occurred in the days of Railtrack. Network Rail owns the infrastructure, including
16641-516: Was transferred to Southern , and Fenchurch Street until November 2014 when it was transferred to c2c . Network Rail took over management of Bristol Temple Meads and Reading in April 2014. A DfT franchise report in 2014 stated Network Rail's intention to subsume more major stations into Network Rail's directly operated portfolio. The report earmarked York for Network Rail management, as well as Manchester Oxford Road and Manchester Victoria which are currently undergoing major rebuilding as part of
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