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date 15 November 1996 source Railtrack plc type Press release
Over 25,000 volts of electricity will be surging through the overhead power lines on the Great Western Railway from 24 November. For the first time in history the line between Paddington and West Ealing will be electrified.
The line has been upgraded by Railtrack for the new Heathrow Express train service which is due to start running next year. Electrification of the line has enabled train operator Heathrow Express to purchase brand new electric trains which are modern inside and can run at speeds of up to 125 miles per hour.
Nearly a quarter of a million householders will receive a leaflet about the electrification, over 50,000 school children in 155 schools have listened to a safety talk and press ads will run in the local papers for four weeks. This is all part of an awareness campaign being run by Railtrack to keep children and adults away from the railway line. Television celebrity Gladiator Saracen fronts the awareness campaign.
Railtrack has spent the last three years working toward the completion of this part of the Heathrow Express project. Four road bridges have been reconstructed in Acton, Ealing and Hayes, 12 miles of signal and track have been replaced and over one million man hours have been worked since the project began in 1993.
The next section of the route to be electrified is West Ealing to Heathrow Airport. This due to be completed later next year.
