Work has started on electrifying a 3.5km length of railway at Porterbrook‘s Rail Innovation Centre (RIC) at Long Marston in Warwickshire.

Long Marston is the UK railway’s only test loop, and electrifying it will enable electric fleets to be tested at speeds up to 50mph, as well as hydrogen, battery, and diesel vehicles.

The development will also enable testing of the European Train Control System (ETCS) of in-cab signalling.

The Long Marston site has a mainline connection, and after Porterbrook took it over it was transformed by laying tarmac on the roads to significantly improve access, upgrading the lighting, and installing a new state-of-the-art security system.

Built on the site of a former Royal Engineers WWII supply depot, it has been enhanced with modern training and office facilities, but to maintain the depot’s heritage they are similar to the depot’s old storage buildings they replaced.

After a complete renovation, the Asset Management Facility opened in April 2023 with space to carry out maintenance and upgrades. It has three roads with access pits and can accommodate vehicles up to 23 metres long.

One of Porterbrook’s partners with a permanent presence at the site is Chrysalis Rail, the UK rolling stock service supplier.

The design, supply, and installation of the track have been entrusted to Trackwork, which will install over 11km of track including sidings, and modify the existing road layout and level crossings.

Trackwork has a proven track record in delivering complex test track and depot projects and is bringing its expertise to this significant redevelopment.

The design, supply, installation, and commissioning of the electrification and signalling is being carried out by Siemens Mobility, which is the first company in the UK to introduce an innovative Rail Charging Converter (RCC) which is a containerised solution that is deployed to sites already assembled and tested.

It creates a 25kV supply by plugging directly into the local power grid, instead of using the 275/400kV National Grid network, and reduces delivery times for traditional electrification projects from seven years to as little as 18 months.

Siemens Mobility’s Sicat SX product will allow its Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) to be installed with over 110 metres between supports, 50% more than conventional OLE installations, making it cheaper to install and maintain.

Porterbrook has ambitious plans for its Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre by investing over 75m to develop facilities for its customers and manufacturing partners. These significant upgrades will allow it to provide the best level of service and a full turnkey solution for new rolling stock entering service.

“This project is a testament to collaboration, integrating track, signalling, and trains together to transform rail travel and transport for Britain. As a technology leader, Siemens Mobility is excited to be playing a key role in providing game-changing electrification and signalling solutions that will reduce overall costs, lower carbon emissions and enhance efficiency.”

Rob Morris, Joint UK&I CEO and Managing Director for Rail Infrastructure, Siemens Mobility