On 26 Feb, 09:38, Mwmbwls wrote:
http://www.cnplus.co.uk/imageGallery...m:18-753594&pa...

http://www.cnplus.co.uk/News/2008/02...y_maintenance_...

quote

East London Railway maintenance works advertised
· Published: 18 February 2008 09:17
· Author: Alasdair Reisner
London Underground has advertised the contract to look after the £800
million railway, which is currently being built by a Balfour Beatty/
Carillion joint venture for completion in September 2009.
The new railway extends London Underground's former East London Line
route to become part of the London Overground rail network.
The winning bidder will start maintenance work in January 2009, to
allow a period of dual running with the joint venture while it carries
out testing work.
Under an initial seven year deal the successful bidder will look after
the section of the railway between New Cross and Dalston Junction,
although the area covered could be extended north to Highbury and
Islington during the tender.
A larger extension in south London is subject to financial approval.
London Underground has left the door open for the contract to be
extended to ten years if successful, but will reduce it to just five
years if the winning firm fails to live up to the requirements of its
contract.
Unquote


Interesting news in and of itself. Those who were under the impression
that Network Rail would inevitably simply be handed the maintenance
contract for the Dalton - New Cross stretch should take note. That
said, I suppose that public sector procurement rules might well mean
that any such contract must be advertised and subject to open bidding,
though I'm not certain on whether such rules apply in this situation.
Nevertheless, perhaps Network Rail could even end up winning the
contract and doing the job - if they bid, of course!

Does anyone know the details of how the Highbury & Islington/Dalston -
New Cross stretch will be signalled? To a layman such as myself it
would appear to make some sense for Network Rail to do it from a south
London signalling centre, given the interface at New Cross Gate
between the ELLX line and the main line down to Croydon (and, if and
when phase 2 gets built, a second interface at the new junction with
the South London Line at a point north of the Old Kent Road).