As mentioned in passing (CI No 2,058), Thorn EMI Plc’s Thorn Transit System International of Wells, Somerset, has won a ?46m contract to supply Automatic Fare Collection systems in three new subway extensions for the Seoul Metropolitan Government in Korea: it is to supply 109 stations with over 2,500 pieces of equipment including five different types of vending machines that issue magnetically-encoded paper tickets, passenger gates that can handle up to 70 passengers a minute – more than double the present system’s gate capacity, and a centralised computer system that monitors individual machine performance, extracts data for accounts and down-loads new fares; the linked combination of elements can be used also to monitor and direct passenger flow locally and centrally; much of the equipment, including the electronics technology will be manufactured in Korea; the project will take over two years to complete with first deliveries planned for late 1993; Thorn is now looking to form a joint venture company with the Jung Won Development Company Ltd to explore other prospective Korean deals.
