Major Rail Contracts Awarded

Carillion PLC
12 November 1999

Major rail contracts for Carillion

Leading construction to services business Carillion plc is to
play a key role in the West Coast Route Modernisation (WCRM)
following the announcements by Railtrack of further contracts
worth £170 million, and is extending its role in maintaining
the Route following the selection of GTRM as the preferred
bidder for the new multi-million pound Preston Area
maintenance contract.

A consortium of GTRM, Carillion's joint venture maintenance
business with Alstom, Balfour Beatty and W.S. Atkins has been
awarded a £130 million first-stage contract to provide
overhead line electrification as part of the WCRM.   Two
further substantial contracts for overhead line
electrification will be awarded to the consortium in June 2000
and December 2000, all part of the £2.2 billion modernisation
of the Route.

The electrification work covers all installation of overhead
wiring, distribution of electricity, support structures,
equipment and access, allowing trains to run at increased line
speeds of 125 and 140 mph between London and Glasgow, bringing
about significant reductions in journey times.  Work is
expected to begin early next year.

Carillion, in an Alliance with Railtrack and W.S. Atkins, has
also won a £40 million contract for the remodelling of Proof
House Junction -  a key rail junction on the West Coast Main
Line, immediately south of New Street Station, Birmingham.
Work on Proof House Junction, will begin in February 2000 and
involves a 19 day closure of the busy junction in August.
The junction has train paths going to each point of the
compass and the remodelling will enhance operational
flexibility by separating conflicting routes, provide an
additional chord line for cross-city services and increase
line speeds.  It will involve the reconstruction of three
bridges and upgrading the signalling system.
The Preston Area maintenance contract involves maintenance of
572 miles of track, 840 sets of points and over 1,400 signals.
Subject to the successful conclusion of negotiations, GTRM
will replace Jarvis, who currently maintain these assets, in
April 2000.

Carillion executive director Roger Robinson says, 'We are
delighted to have been awarded these contracts.  The West
Coast Route Modernisation is a major and complex project and
our selection as preferred bidder for Preston offers a
significant addition to our portfolio of maintenance
contracts.

'Our new Alliance with Railtrack and W.S. Atkins for the work
at Proof House Junction is an excellent example of how the
industry is working together to improve efficiency and quality
in the delivery of the complex projects involved in
modernising our rail network.

'We look forward to working with Railtrack and our Alliance
partners to deliver the considerable improvements that these
contracts will make.'

For further information contact John Denning or John Davies on
01902 316384