Network Rail has secured funding to progress the next phase of pioneering rail safety technology that could transform how trains are monitored, enhance safety and reduce waiting times at rural level crossings.
Following the successful completion of a UK-first trial in 2025, detailed plans are now being developed to permanently install the innovative ‘U-Cross’ signalling system across all 96 miles of the Heart of Wales line, between Swansea and Shrewsbury, followed by operational use.
Developed by Universal Signalling Ltd and trialled by Network Rail and Transport for Wales, U-Cross uses track-mounted beacons to communicate with equipment fitted to trains, providing signallers with highly accurate, real-time, and safety-assured train location data to within 20 metres.
The technology has the potential to deliver significant benefits for passengers, taxpayers, and the many farming communities located adjacent to the railway. Traditional train location systems – such as track circuits and axle counters – require much greater investment on rural routes, while full re-signalling programmes can cost hundreds of millions of pounds.
By delivering precise train location data at a fraction of the cost, Universal Signalling’s innovative approach unlocks new opportunities to improve safety and operational performance across rural railways.
The Heart of Wales line spans 96 miles of rural railway and includes 126 user-worked level crossings, where conventional signalling solutions can be costly and difficult to install because of limited lineside power supplies.
U-Cross’ modular digital approach provides signallers with a much more accurate picture of train movements, improving safety while reducing waiting times for farmers and local communities using the crossings. It offers reduced infrastructure complexity, installation costs and long-term maintenance requirements, when compared with alternative solutions.
The original trial covered an 11-mile section of the Heart of Wales line between Llandeilo and Llandovery, where engineers successfully demonstrated that trains could reliably detect and communicate with the system’s beacons while travelling at line speed.
The technology also proved resilient during some of the most challenging weather conditions experienced in Wales during 2025 and 2026, including multiple storms and significant flooding.
The next phase will see permanent infrastructure installed along the route and in the controlling signal box, with installation expected to begin in December. An in-service date will be confirmed in due course.
Joshua Robinson, route engineer (signalling) at Network Rail Wales and Borders, said:
“The benefits of this technology are potentially transformational. We can deliver highly accurate train location information at a much lower cost than traditional signalling solutions, while also providing valuable safety and efficiency improvements for those who use rural level crossings every day.
“We’ve demonstrated that the technology can reliably determine a train’s location at line speed, even during some of the most challenging weather conditions we’ve experienced in recent years. That’s a significant achievement and gives us confidence as we move towards operational deployment.
“Our track record in Wales and Borders demonstrates how effectively our colleagues can identify promising innovations and turn them into practical, operational solutions.
“Working in partnership with Universal Signalling, and with the support of Transport for Wales, we are looking forward to deploying a world-first solution that is well suited to the unique challenges of this route.”
Stephen Head, chief executive at Universal Signalling Ltd, added: “This agreement represents a major milestone for U‑Cross and clear endorsements, both of its benefits for rural railways and our company’s unique ‘Days not Decades’ approach to projects.
“Rolling U-Cross out across every user‑worked crossing on the Heart of Wales line will deliver tangible improvements for local communities, reducing waiting times while maintaining the highest safety standards.
“Whilst this project is route-specific, we’ve been very careful to specify vital elements of the work, such as signal-box human factors assessments and fleet testing, to ensure that all other routes and regions stand to benefit directly from Wales and Borders foundational support and investment.”
The project is funded through Network Rail’s national Research and Development programme and forms part of wider efforts to develop innovative, cost-effective technologies that improve safety, performance, and reliability across Britain’s railway.
Image credit: Network Rail
