Alstom takeover - 2001

ALSTOM launches Pendolino tilting train in the UK

ALSTOM today welcomed a large group of industry VIPs and media representatives at its Midlands Test Centre to unveil the Pendolino tilting train destined for the Virgin West Coast Main Line.

During the event, co-hosted by Virgin Trains and Angel Trains, guests enjoyed a demonstration ride on the Pendolino, becoming the first passengers in the UK to experience tilt technology at high speed. The event is considered by its hosts as the culmination of this £1bn Pendolino order, which is running to schedule to date. Two additional Pendolino trains were on display at the Test Centre; they are pre-series trains specially built to allow unlimited testing of the new technology.

The Pendolino production line at ALSTOM's facility in Washwood Heath, Birmingham has a further six trains under construction. The next significant milestone of the project will be the hand-over of the first train to Virgin in November 2001. According to the contractual timetable a total of 29 trains will be delivered by June 2002, 45 by September 2002 and the entire order of 53 by November 2002.

ALSTOM's involvement in the West Coast upgrade also includes designing, developing and delivering an innovative Train Control System (TCS), which is a UK version of the European Railway Traffic Management System/European Train Control System (ERTMS/ETCS) in a Joint Project Team with Railtrack.

To meet the challenging train test and delivery programme, ALSTOM has invested £15m to create a unique testing facility in the UK, dedicated to improving train reliability and safety. The ALSTOM Midlands Test Centre, the first major off-line test facility in the UK, encompasses a 12 mile, fully electrified and operational train test track, the Asfordby Test Centre building, the TCS signalling and control centre and a dedicated TCS test track.

The Test Centre will be used for the testing of two pre-series trains, the new ALSTOM designed Tilt And Speed Supervision (TASS) system to be used on the West Coast Main Line from 2002, the commissioning of all 53 series Pendolinos, and testing of the TCS. The Pendolinos are already designed and wired to take the TCS system, which will be fitted to allow 140mph operation in 2005.

Michel Moreau, President ALSTOM Transport, said at the launch ceremony: "This is a special day for the UK railway industry and the railway industry world-wide. ALSTOM is introducing tilting technology to the UK, based on proven technology which is in successful operation in nine other European countries.

"And it is all coming together at this unique ALSTOM Midlands Test Centre - the very first dedicated train and signalling test facility in Britain and an investment we are particularly proud of."

ALSTOM is the global specialist in energy and transport infrastructure. The Company serves the energy market through its activities in the fields of power generation, power transmission and distribution, power conversion and electrical contracting and the transport market through its activities in rail and marine. ALSTOM today has annual sales in excess of 24 billion euros and employs approximately 140,000 people worldwide.

ALSTOM's Transport Sector, with sales of 4.4 billion euros and a 17% market share, is a leading supplier of rolling stock, signalling, services and railway systems to the rail industry world-wide.

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