Satellite tech to be deployed on remote ScotRail service

A new trial to improve the reliability of internet access on Scotland’s most remote train service has been backed by the UK Government.

Advanced satellite communication equipment will be fitted to a ScotRail train serving the West Highland line to improve broadband connectivity.

This service runs between Fort William and Mallaig to Crianlarich, an area long impacted by poor mobile and broadband access.

The project is one of several funded via the Satellites for Digitalisation of Railways (Sodor) project, which itself is part of a wider £13m programme delivered by the UK Space Agency in collaboration with the European Space Agency's Advanced Research in Telecommunication Systems programme.

Space minister Liz Lloyd said: “The West Highland Line is one of Scotland’s most iconic rail routes, but for too long passengers and communities along it have had to put up with poor or no connectivity. From November, passengers will benefit from the use of satellite technology in this trial to solve a real problem in one of the UK’s most remote and beautiful places.”

The technology is being fitted by CGI, one of the world’s largest IT firms. Its vice president Dr Jaime Reed said such innovative use of space and digital technology would “improve the passenger experience, support more resilient railway operations and showcase how UK innovation”.

Sodor has so far received £428,000 in funding, with projects designed to improve internet connectivity and support rural communities as the system moves away from traditional networks.

Mark Ilderton, ScotRail service delivery director, said: “We’ve already been at the forefront of pioneering work to improve connectivity on rural routes, and this collaboration is an exciting opportunity to explore how another form of low-Earth orbit satellite technology could perform in a live railway environment.

“We’re pleased to support the project by enabling the Eutelsat equipment to be installed and tested on a Class 156 train, providing our operational insight and expertise, and helping assess how it compares with other connectivity solutions we are already exploring.”