Heathrow / Test Track Progress

Heathrow ULTra PRT Construction Underway

BAA (formerly British Airports Authority) is a private-sector firm that owns and operates 7 airports including London Heathrow, the world’s third largest.  The Heathrow ULTra system construction and operating costs are funded by BAA. This transit system is not government-subsidized.  First operation is scheduled for Spring 2009.  

BAA's Dec 2007 ULTra animation - 4 minutes of footage:

• http://www.ultraprt.com/BAA_LHR_ULTra.mov - best quality, 85 MB download

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epiiPy9kAho - small video frame size, no download!

• http://www.ultraprt.com/BAA_LHR_ULTra_small.wmv  - small video frame size, 12 MB download

Dec 2007 animation & construction images (click on image for larger version):

December 2007 Articles & Newscast Videos:

• BBC’s web provides a lengthy article, a newscast video showing elevated Heathrow ULTra track construction (at 0:52 and 1:10), a system map, and vehicle dimensions: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7148731.stm.

  • Higher quality version of the BBC newscast: http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7140000/newsid_7149000/7149004.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm&news=1&bbcws=1

• CNN Video/ITN’s web newscast video provides a higher quality video showing the vehicles constructed track (at 2:21):  http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/tech/2007/12/17/harris.uk.airport.pod.itn 

• Railway Gazette: Airport casts pods in future transport role: http://www.railwaygazette.com/news_view/article/2007/12/8030/airport_casts_pods_in_future_transport_role.html

• BAA press release: "Heathrow transit system a world first" http://www.baa.com/portal/page/Corporate^All+Press+Releases/4a1d6acc2fce6110VgnVCM10000036821c0a____/a22889d8759a0010VgnVCM200000357e120a____/

• Podcast: The Cleantech Show #034: Exploring Personal Rapid Transportation. Interview with Martin Lowson, Deputy Chairman, ULTra/ATS Ltd - "On the show we discuss the new installation of the ULTra system at Heathrow Airport, how the technology works and the best niches for its implementation." 35 minutes  http://cleantech.thepodcastnetwork.com/index.php?p=87 - Jan '08.

Cardiff Test Track Progress

• Video shows 3 production vehicles entering and exiting diagonal berths at the ATS Cardiff (Wales) test track.  CardiffTestTrack3pods.mpg - 32 MB. 

Feb 2008 Construction Update:

• This picture is taken from an airplane. (Thanks to Gerhard Trippen and Brian Kennan for this.) The long, serpentine stretch of completed ULTra guideway looks like an elevated road.  Starting from the lower right corner, elevated ULTra guideway is to the left of the at-grade auto road.  The guideway then makes a left turn, then a right turn, heading to Terminal 5, where the road elevates and ULTra guideway fits in under the road:

More Dec 2007 construction images (click on image for larger version):

Jan 2008 construction images (click on image for larger version):

Previous Press Coverage:

• May 2007: The World's First Fleet of Driverless Taxis: http://www.planetizen.com/node/24713  

• October 2005: Personal Rapid Transit For Heathrow Airport, Dubai Financial Center: http://www.planetizen.com/node/17760

Railway Gazette's Heathrow guideway image: