Inverness Airport railway station is set to benefit from state-of-the-art signalling technology that promises to "transform" the everyday journeys of people in the northeast of Scotland.
The station, which is the newest in Scotland, officially opened on February 2. It is the country's first new airport station in nearly three decades, and has improved the overall connectivity of the Highlands and Islands region.
The "future-proof solution" is also being installed as part of a project to improve the travel time between Aberdeen and the central belt.
The new system, which combines "the best in modular, digital, and network-based technology", will be installed as part of the Signalling Collaborative Partnership.
It will utilise signalling technology manufactured by Siemens Mobility, marking the first time the innovative modular system has ever been used in Scotland.
This partnership is an initiative developed and delivered by Siemens Mobility and Network Rail. Its aim is to improve journey efficiency, as well as the carbon footprint and cost efficiency of Scotland's rail lines, particularly in rural areas.
Consisting of around 80 people, the Siemens Mobility team installed the system that includes ten new signals, 30km of signalling cable, and 7km of power cable.
The system allows for testing in a factory environment, making installation easier and more straightforward, whilst lightweight technology cuts down on the need for heavyweight machinery and construction, providing both environmental and cost savings.
With the introduction of the technology in Scotland, Siemens Mobility is aiming to improve the overall experience of travelling for passengers by delivering smoother and safer journeys, while reducing the operating cost for Network Rail.
The technology is central to the infrastructure behind the new station layout, which features a double-track, enabling a higher frequency of journeys.
The delivery of Scotland's newest railway station has been done in collaboration with Rail Systems Alliance Scotland and BAM Nuttal.
Delivery Director at Siemens Mobility Campbell Braid commented: "We are proud to deliver this cutting-edge technology for the first time to Scotland and specifically to Inverness. Our partnership with Network Rail has yielded real, tangible benefits for the new rail station in Inverness and will result in safer, greener, more efficient travel.
"Our task was to pioneer a new approach to the re-signalling of rural lines, with the primary aim of reducing both installation and ownership costs, whilst at the same time providing an enhanced experience for passengers.
"The result of our partnership is a future-proof system, developed specifically for low-density rural lines to deliver reduced material costs, rapid and low-cost installation and much reduced cost of maintenance."
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