78 EngineeringContact Lines 118 (2020) Heft 2-3 Collaboration as a key factor to success–Renewal of Nexus Metro Caroline Bacher, Bern (CH); Noel Dolphin, Cardiff (UK) Since 2016 Furrer+Frey AG and Nexus Metro have been working to renew the 1500V DC overhead line network in Tyne and Wear region in the UK, first installed in the 1970’s. Through collaboration joint with engineering diligence, the project overcame the challenges of this renewal, which included a lack of infrastructure knowledge, training of the installation teams and upgrading equipment to modern standards and practices. Zusammenarbeit als Schlüssel zum Erfolg – die Erneuerung der Nexus Metro Seit 2016 arbeiten Furrer+Frey AG und NexusMetro an der Erneuerung der 1500VDC Fahrleitungsanlagen aus den 1970er Jahren in der Region Tyne and Wear im Vereinigten Königreich. Durch Zusammenarbeit und technische Sorgfalt hat das Projekt die Herausforderungen dieser Erneuerung, zu denen mangelnde Kenntnisse der Infrastruktur, die Schulung der Installationsteams und die Anpassung der Ausrüstung an moderne Standards und Praktiken gehörten, gemeistert. La coopération comme clé du succès – le renouvellement du métro Nexus Depuis 2010, Furrer+Frey SA et Nexus Metro travaillent au renouvellement des caténaires 1500V DC des années 1970 dans la région de Tyne and Wear au Royaume-Uni. Grâce à la collaboration et à la diligence technique, le projet a surmonté les difficultés de ce renouvellement, qui comprenaient un manque de connaissance de l’infrastructure, la formation des équipes de montage et l’adaptation des équipements aux normes et pratiques modernes. 1 Introduction What was intended to be a simple cantilever replacement of the DC overhead line equipment on Nexus Metro turned out to be a challenging renewal and modernisation project. Underestimation, simplification and lack of overhead line system knowledge led to a head-in-the-sand mentality at the start of the project. Both parties – individually and jointly – had to overcome the challenging start to the project in order to reach a point where the opportunities of the scheme could become fully utilised. What could have ended as a disaster is now on the road to becoming a benchmark modernisation project. Nexus Metro and Furrer+Frey have decided to share the experience gained throughout this at times painful process, in order to encourage other local networks not to fear, but properly tackle the challenges of a modernisation, and bring their networks to a new technology level. 2 History of Nexus Nexus Metro covers the Tyne and Wear region in North East England, and encompasses the area around the Tyne and Wear Rivers. The Metro connects the cities of Newcastle and Sunderland as well as the surrounding towns, suburbs, industry and airport. The current light railway Metro was conceived in the 1970’s, but is based on a much older railway. Most of the network reused existing railway infrastructure that was constructed at the end of the 19t h century. Originally, these railways were electrified in the early 20th century with 600V DC third rail system. The 1950’s and 1960’s saw a decline in the ridership in the region, with increasing car growth. Much of the infrastructure and train fleets were at the endof-life by the 1960’s. Due to this ridership decline and the need to renew the infrastructure it was decided to de-electrify the network and the electric trains were replaced by slower diesel. Essentially this period saw the “managed decline” of the region’s network [1; 2]. By the start of the 1970’s it was clear that the lack of adequate transport infrastructure was holding back the economy of the region. In 1971 a UK government-backed report recommended investing in a light rail network. Construction work on the new Metro commenced in 1974, and was one of the largest urban transport projects in the UK in the 20t h century. The concept was to deliver a modern, fast and reliable network. To deliver this modern network, it
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