MASTERIS signs new contract with Eurostar

Equipping E300 trains with the new European signalling system

On December 31, 2025, all trains running in Belgium will have to be equipped with the ETCS (European Train Control System). In order to standardize safety systems and the interoperability of equipment between European countries, the ETCS has been deployed very gradually since 2010 on the various national rail networks of European countries.

Today, Eurostar trains on the London-Brussels route are equipped with the TBL1+ standard. On October 4, 2022, Eurostar signed a contract with MASTERIS to equip their entire E300 fleet with ETCS by early 2028, in order to comply with the new European standard.

What is ETCS?

The European Train Control System (ETCS) is an innovative railway signalling system associated with speed control. It is a component of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), which will eventually replace the different national signalling systems of the European railway networks, including the TBL1+ system in Belgium. This single, standard system should make it easier for rolling stock to interoperate on cross-border traffic in Europe.

A unique collaboration between MASTERIS and the Belgian SNCB group

Eurostar's London-Brussels line comprises 8 E300 trainsets, equipped with the TBL1+ system which is to be replaced by the new ETCS standard. As part of this contract, a multi-disciplinary MASTERIS-SNCF team, comprising Engineering, the Purchasing department for parts and project managers, will set up the integration, installation and interfacing between the new system and the train. The project is scheduled to be completed in 3 phases, so that the fleet can be fully equipped by 2028.

A key milestone in phase 2 was reached at the beginning of June with the completion of modifications to the prototype trainset by SNCB teams. After the series tests required to get the trainset up and running again, the project is now entering the qualification test phase required to obtain the AMM (marketing authorization). This is scheduled for September 2025. After this date, the remaining 7 trainsets and a reserve power car will be modified one by one by our industrial partner.

This contract also lays the foundation for a completely new collaboration between MASTERIS and the SNCB. Indeed, for the first time, the industrial execution will take place in the workshops of the SNCB and not in an SNCF technicenter. The sites selected for the installation of the equipment are the High Speed Maintenance Technicentre in Forest, south of Brussels, and the SNCB Industrial Technicentre in Salzinnes. Throughout the contract period, SNCB will benefit from the support and assistance of SNCF teams.

The team of this project

At MASTERIS - Jason MAVINDI & Mathieu FAMY

At SNCF - Saïd KEZADRI

The Eurostar Project Team

Deployment stages up to 2028