Technology from the high-octane world of Formula One is being tested on Britain's railways in an ambitious bid to solve the perennial problem of poor onboard wifi.
McLaren-Inspired Connectivity Solution
A two-month 'proof of concept' trial is currently active on one Great Western Railway (GWR) intercity express train serving Devon and Cornwall. The system uses hardware originally designed for McLaren race cars, mounted on the train's roof. This equipment is engineered to seamlessly capture signals from both 5G mobile masts and low Earth-orbit satellites, promising a continuous and robust internet connection for passengers throughout their journey.
The innovative trial was detailed to Devon County Council after councillors raised concerns about the quality of internet access on rail services in the region. Councillor Andrew Leadbetter highlighted the issue, recalling his time as chair of the Peninsula Rail Task Force. "It was a common comment that even if journeys took some time, as long as the wifi worked, it wasn't too bad, as you could work on the train," he said. "This now seems to be problematic."
Funding and Future Rollout Plans
The project has been made possible by £300,000 in funding from the Peninsula Transport sub-national transport body. It is a collaboration between GWR, Network Rail, train manufacturer Hitachi, and technology firm Motion Applied.
Councillor Jacqi Hodgson, cabinet member for climate change, explained the trial's progress. "The technology is like a pizza box on top of the train," she said. "It is only on one train, so there is a random chance it will be on the train you are on, but it is on services down to Cornwall." She confirmed the trial, which began in late November, will conclude in January 2026.
Pathway to Permanent Upgrade
If successful, the trial could pave the way for a wider rollout. In a written statement, Cllr Hodgson outlined the potential next steps. The evidence gathered will support the Department for Transport in developing a procurement strategy for enhanced wifi across the GWR network.
A procurement phase is scheduled to run until May 2026, potentially followed by a delivery phase starting in June 2026. This aligns with the government's commitment to enhance mobile connections on all Great British Railway-operated trains by the year 2030.
For now, passengers travelling between London Paddington and the South West have a small chance of experiencing this cutting-edge, F1-inspired connectivity for themselves, offering a glimpse of a future where reliable work and streaming on the move could become the standard.
