Edinburgh signalling upgrade brings new kit into service at Portobello

Edinburgh signalling upgrade work has been completed by Network Rail between Portobello and Edinburgh Waverley, with the focus on improving reliability on one of Scotland’s busiest rail corridors, as set out by the Network Rail Media Centre.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The programme represents a £32m investment delivered over the past three years, replacing life-expired systems while keeping operations safe and efficient.

Edinburgh signalling upgrade commissioned at Portobello Junction

Over Christmas Day and Boxing Day, engineers brought the new equipment into service at Portobello Junction. The junction is a complex part of the infrastructure east of Edinburgh Waverley Station, and the commissioning replaced legacy systems and assets that had been in operation for more than 40 years.

Don’t miss…RITES South Africa locomotive order set for 1.5-year delivery

Network Rail notes that signalling includes trackside signals, ground-based monitoring kit and specialist equipment in control centres. These systems guide drivers on when it is safe to move and when they need to stop, keeping trains a safe distance apart and supporting smooth running across the route.

What the £32m Network Rail Scotland programme included?

Alongside installing new signalling equipment, the project renewed the controls at Craigentinny depot. The stated aim is to improve access for trains entering and leaving one of the busiest depots in the east of Scotland, supporting performance on the corridor into Edinburgh.

The commissioning was scheduled for the Christmas period because the railway is closed on Christmas Day and fewer people are travelling, a point Network Rail highlights in its Christmas and New Year engineering works guidance. Network Rail says this timing allowed teams to complete the complex upgrade safely and efficiently, while keeping disruption to a minimum. Engineers from Network Rail and Siemens were involved in delivering the changeover.

Reliability focus and service resumption

Dan Holder, Head of Engineering and Asset Management for Network Rail Scotland, described signalling as a “hidden” but critical asset. He said Network Rail continues to review its infrastructure to identify where upgrades will make the biggest difference for passengers, and that replacing end-of-life equipment at Portobello also created an opportunity to improve supporting infrastructure.

He added that the improvements will reduce the risk of faults and help deliver more reliable journeys across the route. Services through Portobello resumed as planned on Saturday 27 December.

News on railway transport, industry, and railway technologies from Railway Supply that you might have missed: