Firstco
Control and Communications Systems Design Consultants and Systems Integrators

Since Firstco was established in the UK in 1998 the company has become a leader in the areas of control systems design and integration, technical consultancy and project management, particularly in the rail sector.
Firstco works with a range of blue-chip clients in the UK and abroad. Recent rail projects where we have been responsible for many elements of the design include: London Underground’s Cooling the Tube programme, Crossrail, the Heathrow POD system, Tramlink and the Heathrow Express extension to Terminal 5.
Firstco offers turnkey solutions for systems communications and controls infrastructure on rail projects. As specialists in station and tunnel systems integration, we have teams of expert engineers who are able to design and deliver state-of-the-art technological solutions enabling operators to efficiently, cost effectively and safely run their station.
Typical delivery projects include the design and supply of integrated control systems where a multitude of subsystems, such as CCTV, access control, public address, radio, telephony and PLC / SCADA applications, are all brought together on a single user-interface.
Project management, detailed design and commissioning of rail and tunnels systems
Firstco is heavily involved in developing existing rail lines into new, world-class integrated transport facilities. This includes:
- Providing specialist input for controls and communication systems and systems engineering
- Ensuring the systems requirements of the stakeholders (user, operator and maintainer) are fully understood
- Clarifying the briefs to enable the sub-project teams to move forward with their definition and detailed designs
- Assisting in interfaces with specialist client and supplier systems teams and the existing rail stakeholders (train operating company and Network Rail)
- Supporting and facilitating progress of the sub-project teams by aiding communication and identifying possible solutions
- Designing, commissioning, testing and project managing the delivery and integration of station and tunnel control systems into a single control room
Control room design and systems integration
Firstco has extensive experience in control room design, systems integration and control room relocation. By fully engaging with the client and operating staff, Firstco can apply its considerable expertise to the technical and planning aspects of the project. Furthermore Firstco designs all aspects of the communications infrastructure, desk and video wall layout.
The designs are required to be flexible and maintainable. Allowing for easy upgrade and future-proofing enables operators to have full control and monitoring of all sub-systems via a single fully integrated workstation.
Systems include:
- Control rooms
- Cable and space
- SCADA and PLC networks
- BMS and HVAC controls
- Energy saving
- Ticketing
- Passenger information displays
- Public address / voice alarm
- Fire detection
- Access control
- Intruder detection
- Surveillance
- Wireless communications
- Fixed line voice communications
- Data communications
Value assured engineering
Firstco offers clients an alternative method of systems procurement and delivery. By separating out the three primary elements of a typical large systems project and applying individual expertise to each of these, a more commercially focused solution can be obtained.
The three primary elements are engineering design, assurance / compliance and cost management. By forming a team drawing expertise from each of these disciplines Firstco enables the client to realise huge potential savings in overall delivery costs.Firstco is able to use the equipment best suited to any job and therefore always provides scope for cost savings, as well as ensuring that the integration is seamless.
Firstco Middle East and Firstco Mauritius
Following demand for high standards of engineering and relationship management, Firstco has recently opened a Middle East regional head office in Oman. Firstco has also set up offices in both Dubai and Mauritius to benefit clients in the rail, airport and BMS sectors.

Leeds Integrated Station, West Yorkshire, UK
Leeds Station is the busiest transit hub in the north of England, with over 100,000 passengers a day.

High Speed 1 (HS1), United Kingdom
The High Speed 1 railway project was implemented in two phases, involving Section 1 and Section 2.

Bakerloo Line Extension, London
The Bakerloo Line extension project is a proposed expansion of the London Underground Bakerloo line from its existing terminal station at Elephant & Castle to Lewisham, via Old Kent Road and New Cross Gate, in the UK.

Crossrail, London
Crossrail is a capacity enhancement rail project centred on London. It involves the laying of new 118km rail track from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west, to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.

St Pancras International Station
St Pancras International Station is one of the biggest landmarks in London and serves as a gateway to Europe. It is use

High Speed 1 Network Project
The new High Speed 1 (HS1) line is a 108km railway line that slashed journey times from London to Paris, Brussels and Li

London Underground Major Regeneration Scheme
Generically referred to as 'the Tube', London is the oldest and remains one of the largest metro systems in the world, carrying over one billion passengers a year.

Bremen Light Rail System
Bremen in north-west Germany is one of the two urban subdivisions, the other being Bremerhaven, that make up the country's smallest land (state), Freie Hansestadt Bremen.

Heathrow Express
The Heathrow Express is a high-speed service link offering the fastest journey time between Heathrow Airport and central London of 16 minutes and 21 minutes to Terminal 5.

Croydon Tramlink
Croydon is part of the London conurbation, 15 miles south of the capital's centre. The most populous London borough with a population over 330,000, due to its proximity to central London and own concentration of commercial property, Croydon has heavy outward and inward commuter traffic.

London Underground Jubilee Line
Construction of the extension of London Underground's Jubilee Line from Green Park, through south London and Docklands to Stratford, proved a troublesome project.

Network Rail
Established in March 2002, Network Rail (NR) took over ownership and responsibility for the rail infrastructure of Engla
Ultra – Heathrow and Beyond Sponsored by Firstco
9 October 2012Firstco Completes Major Contracts for Station Cooling Projects at Green Park and Oxford Circus
1 October 2012Firstco Facilitates Heathrow Express Integration to British Transport Police London CCTV Hub
23 August 2012Firstco Open Second Middle East Office
13 April 2012Firstco Awarded Tyne and Wear Metro Framework Agreement
3 February 2012Firstco Wins Two New Projects as Part of London Underground’s Cooling the Tube Programme
6 January 2011Firstco Undertakes Study for TFL Tramlink
28 October 2010Ian Fugeman Joins Firstco as Non-Executive Director
26 October 2010Firstco Appointed At Gatwick Airport for Specialist Systems at the North Terminal Landside Redevelopment
4 August 2009Firstco Successfully Completed Their Way-Finding Project for Heathrow Express
1 July 2009Firstco Gains a New Senior Engineer
9 June 2009Firstco Wins Prestigious Support Contract
20 May 2009Firstco Reduces Heathrow Express’ Energy Consumption
15 April 2009Firstco Designing Communications and Controls Systems for Crossrail
13 January 2009Firstco Improve PA System on Heathrow Express
13 January 2009Testing and Commissioning Fixed Telephony
3 June 2008Testing and Commissioning Passenger Information Systems
3 June 2008T5 Live Media Case Study
3 June 2008Firstco’s Three Peaks Challenge Nets £1,200 for COSMIC Children’s Charity
25 November 2007Firstco Oversees HEx Optical Transport Network Upgrade
19 November 2007Firstco’s Project Management Experience and Expertise Helps the Channel Tunnel Rail Link
9 November 2007Firstco delivers UK’s largest Allen-Bradley SIL2 ControLogix Project
20 July 2007Firstco Plays a Part in the London Crossrail project
2 April 2007Firstco Establishes Companies in Dubai and Mauritius
2 April 2007Firstco Uses Value-Assured Engineering to Save £Millions
15 March 2007Middle East Office
- +971 4 331 5988
- +971 4 331 5977
- www.firstco.ae
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Mauritius Office
- +230 208 5436
- +230 208 5138
- www.firstco.mu
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Firstco Ltd
- +44 207 0340833
- +44 207 2298002
- info@firstco.uk.com
- www.firstco.uk.com
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