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Said the following about CASR Team:

“CASR PC Project team

The final phase of the £300 million Cardiff Area Signalling Renewals Project, known as CASR to many reached its Finale over the Christmas – New Year period and with an on-time hand-back at 04:00 on 3rd January 2017 saw the successful commissioning of the biggest single phase commissioning ever undertaken by Network Rail. It is also one of the largest single data signalling projects ever undertaken. The commissioning has led to significant improvements to the capacity and allowed much more flexibility for train operations arriving, departing and passing through the Capital and busiest station in Wales.

However the scheme was not just signalling, hidden away inside the detail was the fact this project was integrated to bring improvements to track layouts, add additional capacity by better track sections and signalling, re-instate long closed platforms and build new replacements along with the use of Automatic Route Setting and Frauscher Axle counters.

To give some idea of the project then you need to look at the numbers

192 Route miles re-signalled with full allowance made for electrification within the design, Over 300 Signals installed throughout the route

59 Sets of points installed or replaced, 16 trains per hour capacity on the Cardiff Queen Street to Cardiff Central corridor (Valley lines), 12 miles of new track installed, 8 fully bi directional platforms at Cardiff Central.

6 New platforms:- 2 x Cardiff Queen Street with a new station building, 1 x Cardiff Central with a new station building, 1 x Barry Town, 1 new bay x Caerphilly. 1 x Tirphil along with Step free access.

Under this ‘Hub and Spoke’ model, Network Rail Wales Route sat at the hub as Client with the CASR project team at the rim as Principal Contractor with each of the spoke contracts, these being:

• Atkins – design, build and test the signalling;

• Atkins – design, build and test the new power & distribution system including all new points heating;

• Balfour Beatty – design, build and test the permanent way, track, switches & crossings;

• BAM Nuttall – design & build Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Central station enhancements;

• BIRSE (now part of Balfour Beatty) – design &build the civil engineering;

• Siemens – design, build and test the telecommunications;

• Works Delivery - Wales – responsible for track, S&C and signalling Stage works.

• IP-S Minor Works - responsible for buried services and minor civil works along with assisting others as required

The project handed back to the Wales route on time at 04:00 on the 3rd Jan with all planned track installed and all signals and axle counters working along with ARS installed and working.

All the new Platforms are in service with the last to open being Platform 8 at Cardiff Central that had Network Rail CEO Mark Carne accompanied by Route Director Andy Thomas present to witness the opening along with the Transport Minister For Wales Ken Skates on 2nd January. The benefits to the local valleys network have been great as the new flexibility of the layout at Cardiff Central now means every platform is bi-directional this means terminating services for Cross Country Trains and Arriva Trains Wales can now be routed onto any suitable platform rather than the 2 from before. It has also allowed the Valley line services to utilise the station platforms much more effectively and is also saving many minutes of delays. This is to the extent on some days the punctuality is reaching 100%. The new entrances at Cardiff Central and Cardiff Queen Street have also been well received by the general public and allow much better passenger access and egress from the stations in a more modern building.

Whilst train service numbers are yet to increase the capacity is now there to run up to 16 trains per hour through Cardiff Central on the Valley lines corridor and to now run 2 trains per hour through to Rhymney instead of the original 1 per hour. The upgrading of the loops at Cogan and the platform at Barry also allow service enhancements on the Vale of Glamorgan in the future.

Whilst Wales may have had its electrification wires cut back the Signalling is now green lights all the way

We started with the philosophy of one CASR Team and the team have delivered with operatives proud to say they worked on CASR“