13301/2GAZETTE & HERALD: WHILE football fans eagerly await the start of Euro 2004, experts from Chippenham have been putting in their own legwork on the tournament, by making sure the fans get to the games on time.

Engineers from Westinghouse Rail Systems, based in Pew Hill, Chippenham, have just completed a 15-month project installing the latest phase of a new railway safety signalling system stretching across Portugal.

Working around the clock to get the project finished in time, the new computerised signalling systems will enable Portugal to lay on more trains and run more efficiently, to cope with the tens of thousands of fans who have poured in to the country in advance of Saturday's tournament kick off.

This week, the Westinghouse team workers were visited by their Portuguese clients, who said they were delighted with the job.

Project manager Vince Dade said: "We started installing new systems in Oporto in Portugal back in 1990, long before anyone knew that Euro 2004 would be held there, and in the last 14 years we have installed around 98 new computer rail systems.

"We then secured phase four of the work and during the last 15 months we have had to lay new track and install signalling equipment all with the knowledge that the football championships were coming up and that the rail system would be facing a real challenge.

"Our work has included installing two new systems to serve the two new stadia at Braga and Guimaraes and the team has been working flat-out, but there's now a great sense of achievement to know that we've played such an important part in the tournament."

"We're very proud that we've been able to get everything in place in time and now we're looking forward to sitting back and watching England, knowing we've done our bit to get the fans there."

Staff from Chippenham have been back and forth to Portugal working on the latest phase of the project for the last year and a half and Mr Dade said he had been amazed by how basic the rail system is in some parts of Portugal.

"Some stations are just a little shanty-like building with an old lady in black with a dog," he joked.

"It's unbelievable to think that thousands of fans will be pouring through there.

"But we are confident that our new systems will enable the Portuguese to lay on more trains and that they will run safely."

Westinghouse Rail Systems has offices and sister companies throughout the world, and workers in Australia and Spain have also been on board with the Oporto project.

"It worked out quite well because the time difference between here and Australia meant we could work while the others slept," said Mr Dade.

World renowned for their expertise, Westinghouse Rail Systems are no stranger to grand projects.

They are currently working on a huge contract to replace the signalling system on the London Underground.

Managing director John Cotton said: "Our team has worked hard to deliver the project on time and within budget.

"The success of the project is the result of in-depth knowledge and a close relationship between all the partners in the project."