Gatwick Express Airport Rail Link, United Kingdom

Gatwick Express, the first dedicated city centre - airport rail link in the UK, has undergone a major service transformation with the introduction of a fleet of brand new trains at the end of 2000.

Trains have operated directly to the airport since its opening in 1959, with dedicated rolling stock provided in May 1984. On privatisation, bus and rail operator National Express was awarded a 15-year franchise for Gatwick Express from April 1996, on the condition that it invested in new trains. The entry into service of eight, five-car electric multiple units was however delayed by almost two years because of a long, drawn-out testing procedure.

Gatwick was once considered London's 'second' airport, but steady growth has put it almost on a par with Heathrow, and given it a substantial lead in the fast-growing charter market.

Initially, a 30min interval service was operated over the 26.75-mile route. Gatwick Express was carrying 83% of all rail passengers to the airport by 1998, exploiting its advantage of offering the fastest journey time from the airport to central London.

NATIONAL EXPRESS

On winning the Gatwick Express franchise, National Express pledged to undertake a complete rebranding of the railway. Services run to a regular clock-face departure pattern and the operator is maintaining this with the new trains, although it hopes to cut end-to-end journey times, initially by 2mins to 28mins. Ultimately, it is looking at achieving a 25min schedule.

ROLLING STOCK

The original trains were 'secondhand' air-conditioned passenger coaches powered by a small fleet of Class 73 electro-diesel locomotives, dating from 1962. The locomotives' age led to serious early reliability problems, which an intensified maintenance regime only partly cured.

The trains, designated Class 460, were built at Alstom's factory in Birmingham, UK. They comprise eight vehicles, five with powered axles, have a 160 kph (100 mph) top speed, and carry 366 passengers.

The leading vehicle of each unit is largely luggage space, which can be carried in standard airline containers, but also with racks for bicycles and skis. Two luggage stacks are provided next to the door vestibule in each passenger vehicle, in addition to storage space between seats and on overhead racks.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Gatwick Express runs over lines largely dating from the 19th century. Its route includes Clapham Junction, Britain's busiest railway station, and it shares the route with suburban, inter-urban and inter-city passenger trains.

The new trains are maintained at Stewarts Lane depot, near Battersea in south London. These facilities are shared with other operators.

The route is electrified at 750V dc, with power from a third conductor rail.

SIGNALLING/COMMUNICATIONS

Because of the intensive service operated, trains largely keep to well-defined paths and a regular clock-face departure pattern.

For many years, the service has run under four-aspect colour light signalling, and uses the automatic warning system (AWS), operated by magnets placed at regular intervals between the rails, which triggers a warning bell or siren in the driver's cab. The driver has 3s to cancel this warning, or the train's brakes are automatically applied.

However, the new trains are fitted with the train protection and warning system (TPWS), in line with recommendations following the 1998 crash at Ladbroke Grove, London. They are the first new fleet of trains to be so fitted and it was expected to be fully implemented on the route by the end of 2000.

GATWICK AIRPORT REDEVELOPMENT

Railtrack, which owns Gatwick Airport station, is planning a wholesale redevelopment of the main structure to meet its increasing role. This will be in tandem with Gatwick Express, which plans maximum day and night utilisation of its new rolling stock to justify the investment.