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8 July 2008

Custom branded in Gautrain's distinctive golden colour, the first four-car train set was proudly handed over to Gauteng Premier, Mbhazima Shilowa at Bombardier's Derby assembly plant in the United Kingdom on Tuesday, 8 July 2008.

"Bearing the pride of the nation, Gautrain has reached a major milestone in its delivery of world-class public transport to South Africa," said Shilowa.

"With uncompromising levels of safety, security, comfort and punctuality, passengers can look forward to unprecedented standards of service. For Gauteng's people on the move, today is a step closer to the mobility that the golden train will bring," said Shilowa.

"In 2000, we said that South Africa will not be the test bed for new technology. Today is proof that we kept that promise," said Jack van der Merwe, Chief Executive Officer Gautrain Management Agency.

The Gautrain rolling stock of 96 rail cars is based on the renowned Bombardier Electrostar series, known for their state-of-the-art technology and reliable, high performance standards. The lightweight aluminium car bodies a first for South Africa also offer increased energy efficiency and reduced maintenance requirements. It has been customised to meet South African requirements.

The first 15 rail cars, plus the body shells for the complete fleet, will be manufactured at Bombardier Transportation's facility in Derby. The body shells and some of the major components for the remaining 81 rail cars will be shipped to Union Carriage and Wagon (UCW) in Nigel for final assembly.

Teams from UCW, who are presently at Derby being trained in the assembly of the Gautrain rail cars, will constitute the core of the assembly teams when local production commences. A core feature of the Electrostar rail cars is their suitability for local assembly, which is made possible by the use of bolted aluminium construction methodology. In turn, this delivers on Gautrain's socio-economic objectives of skills transfer and job creation.

There are more than 1 600 Electrostar vehicles in operation in the United Kingdom, where they have an impressive record of reliability, with trains operating on London commuter routes achieving up to 80 000 kilometre MDBF (Mean Distance Between Failures), thereby earning the accolade of Best Modern Era Electrical Mechanical Units in the UK for three years running.

Customisation of the Electrostar vehicles will also meet the requirements of air passengers travelling on the dedicated 15-minute link between OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton. The two forward rail cars will feature fewer but wider and more luxurious seats as well as special areas for luggage storage near the doors. This service is modelled on the operations of a select group of global cities that successfully offer rail links to international airports, such as the Heathrow Express between London Heathrow Airport and Paddington Station.

Canadian company Bombardier is a 17% shareholder in the Bombela Concession Company who holds a 20-year concession agreement with the Gauteng Provincial Government, based on the Public Private Partnership concept, to design, build, operate and maintain the Gautrain. Bombardier's global expertise encompasses eight private rail projects, of which two were completed for the London underground. Subsidiary company Bombardier Transportation has a construction presence in 21 countries.

In addition to designing and supplying the custom-built Electrostar vehicles, Bombardier is providing Gautrain's core electrical and mechanical systems. These include communications systems, automatic fare collection, trackwork and maintenance equipment, project management, systems engineering and integration, testing and commissioning as well as power supply and distribution systems.

In order to meet the requirements for safety at higher speeds and easily obtain 'state-of-the-art' rail cars, Gautrain will operate on the widely used Standard Gauge track. Measuring 1 435 millimetres between rails, this is the predominant track gauge internationally, and was last used in South Africa in the 1860s. The existing narrower track gauge (1 065 millimetres) used locally is known as Cape Gauge.

Premium quality rails have been imported from one of the world's leading rail suppliers in France, Corus Steel. The rails will be welded into continuous lengths, producing a joint less track and thus ensuring a smooth and quiet ride. Track laying operations have already started at the Gautrain Midrand Train Depot, using a wide range of specialised equipment. The depot, which features offices and maintenance workshops, is where the train sets will be housed and will undergo regular preventive and corrective maintenance.

As train maintenance requirements and equipment are highly specialised, dedicated technicians will be recruited locally and specially trained by Bombardier to maintain Gautrain according to the original equipment manufacturer's specifications. Bombardier's commitment to skills transfer also includes the local recruitment and training of drivers, as Gautrain's driver compartments and control systems will have more advanced features than other trains presently running in South Africa.

Supported by a dedicated fleet of 125 buses, Gautrain will be able to carry more than 100 000 passengers per day in each direction between Johannesburg and Tshwane.

Gautrain contact:
Barbara Jensen
Tel: 011 880 9936
Fax: 011 447 9920
Cell: 083 600 4862
E-mail: barbara@gautrain.co.za

Issued by: Office of the Premier, Gauteng Provincial Government
8 July 2008