Cordel achieves big milestone in Network Rail contract

Cordel Group announced a significant milestone in its long-term National Gauging Database contract with Network Rail on Monday.

The AIM-traded firm said the contract, initially disclosed on 22 December 2021, marked a pivotal moment in transport corridor analytics.

In a highly competitive process, Cordel said it had secured the opportunity to replace the ageing National Gauging Database with the Railway Gauging Data Solution (RGDS).

Over 18 months, it dedicated itself to developing the modern system, culminating in a seamless transition from the old to the new.

Since August 2023, RGDS has been operating in live production.

The board said the achievement benefitted more than 345 authorised users spanning Network Rail and third-party suppliers.

Cordel said its post-processing capabilities had proven invaluable, enabling more consistent positioning of lineside structures, elevating quality assurance standards, and shortening feedback loops.

As a result, Network Rail decision-makers now possessed a more reliable national gauging dataset, enhancing the system’s overall integrity.

Additionally, Cordel said the RGDS boasted a modern IT architecture that accelerated data processing and offered opportunities for additional alignment in the future.

That, the company said, would allow for further advancements and reliable data that could be counted on to support the ever-evolving needs of the transport corridor analytics sector.

“Railways around the world have significant time and cost barriers between the capture of massive amounts of data such as LiDAR point clouds, and the delivery of precise insights to their engineering and maintenance users,” said chief executive officer John Davis.

“For Network Rail, the gauging and clearance challenges are particularly acute - the railway serves 250 different types of rail vehicles requiring clearance to tightly constrained infrastructure.

“We are proud of the continuing success of our solution, which brings us credibility with major railways globally and in turn confidence in our growth outlook.”

At 1333 GMT, shares in Cordel were up 8.43% at 4.99p.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.