{"id":295521,"date":"2025-07-27T09:24:29","date_gmt":"2025-07-27T09:24:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/295521\/"},"modified":"2025-07-27T09:24:29","modified_gmt":"2025-07-27T09:24:29","slug":"railways-of-the-future-based-in-wales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/295521\/","title":{"rendered":"Railways of the future based in Wales"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Site preparation. With ex London Overground for use in testing the facilities<\/p>\n

Professor Stuart Cole, <\/strong>CBE. Emeritus Professor of Transport Economics and Policy, Prifysgol de Cymru \/ University of South Wales<\/p>\n

The UK Government said last week it wants the railways to \u2018harness new technology and reduce the capability gap in emerging technologies\u2019 (Great British Railways new technology agency GBRX). It will break the \u2018pattern of slow adoption of such new technology\u2019 (Lord Peter Hendy, UK rail minister)\u00a0 within trains and infrastructure testing and certification of rolling stock and infrastructure<\/p>\n

To create that new technology requires a purpose-built facility for world class research, testing and certification of rolling stock, infrastructure and innovative new rail and mobility technologies.<\/p>\n

This week I visited the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) \u2013 located between Onllwyn, Abercraf and Ystradgynlais bordering on Bannau Brycheiniog \u2013 so this column could understand its position relative to the government intentions, and to see at first hand progress and plans to put Wales ahead in railway technology services.<\/p>\n

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Selection criteria for the site<\/strong><\/p>\n

After looking at several sites in Wales this location was seen as the most appropriate and attractive to potential customers. Inward investor surveys over many years have shown the top four criteria used by them and their financial backers. These are\u00a0 the availability of quality workforce (for the expected 1100 employees), cost \/ availability \/ size of property, overheads (e.g. wages, local taxes) and transport links.\u00a0 This site reflects those criteria<\/p>\n

A live railway linking the site to Network Rail lines is the most important criterion for a railway testing site. It has to be possible to test trains on a high technology site and operate directly onto \u00a0the live railway. The old Neath and Brecon Railway (built 1867) until 2017 operated between the Onllwyn coal washeries (which are a part of the GCRE site) and the South Wales Main Line at Neath and Swansea. This line is maintained as an operational railway by Network Rail.<\/p>\n

\"\"New lightweight overheads and pillars being tested for durability<\/p>\n

A large piece of land\u00a0 is necessary to accommodate the seven-kilometre, 25kv overhead powered line, with a twin track circuit and curves sufficient to operate at up to 110 mph \/ 177 kph. Track gauges to European and Network Rail measurements along with other test facilities\u00a0 with\u00a0 engineering research on innovative technologies are planned in order to achieve the centre\u2019s full market potential.<\/p>\n

Access to a high-output electricity supply is required to provide sufficient power for the electrified track. Electric operation is seen as the future for railways operating at higher speeds.<\/p>\n

In any land development project acquisition costs have to be minimised to enable the available investment capital to be used for the technology facilities. Although site requires spreading 3 million tonnes of old coal waste to provide a flatter surface, overall an industrial site being put to another industrial use does not attract high prices per hectare.<\/p>\n

That the local community would prefer a train testing track from an open cast mine and\u00a0 is supportive of the scheme; itself an important element in site location.<\/p>\n

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Reflecting the UK Government\u2019s view of railway technology<\/strong><\/p>\n

The UK Government sees new technologies playing a key role in Britain\u2019s railway future. The futuristic GCRE work-plan may not seem realistic at present but is needed as railway technology\u00a0 becomes more complex. Rolling stock is developing new technical forms continuously\u00a0 (e.g. Hitachi ICT trains compared with IC 125 trains on the GWR Swansea \u2013 London train service) which have to be tested.<\/p>\n

With all new transport products there has to be fault-free running, proving to a third party such as train operating companies or the infrastructure owner (e.g. Network Rail, SNCF, Deutsche Bahn) that the product doesn\u2019t break down when it begins its operational life.<\/p>\n

Of course trains\u2019 fault-free running can be on live tracks though the risk there is that if there is a breakdown trains are delayed and the public timetable can be affected.<\/p>\n

Consequently manufacturers prefer a track off the main line on which they can prove their new idea actually works and that a\u00a0 control mechanism on the train or the whole train is safe for the public to use. They also need a means of proving that components in their product from different manufacturers are operationally compatible. All these have to satisfy the regulatory authorities<\/p>\n

So, Europe needs a different form of rail innovation centre concentrating on research and development of new movement innovation and this is what GCRE is intending to provide.<\/p>\n

Competition and markets<\/strong><\/p>\n

Most train testing is carried out at specific centres including:<\/p>\n