IRSE News 140 Dec 08.pdf

INDUSTRY NEWS
Signalling
Legacy Works
Completed
In November 2008, the Infrastructure Projects Division of Track
Safe Telecom Ltd (TST) completed its first major renewals contract
for Network Rail. TST, whose headquarters are in Newport, South
Wales was a Principle Contractor to the Network Rail A09 West
Coast Line Speeds Enhancement Project. The work contracted to
TST was based on signalling legacy renewal and improvement
works. Started in January this year, the contracted project was
undertaken at the following locations:
Lancaster Station;
Warrington Station;
Floriston CCTV Level Crossing near Carlisle;
Brock MWL Level Crossing near Preston;
Norton MWL Level Crossing near Warrington.
Lancaster Station
Following the West Coast Route Modernisation Project of previous
years, there where substantial switch and crossing (S&C) renewal
works carried out at Lancaster Station, but there remained a
number of signalling legacy issues outstanding. Lancaster Station
is controlled from Preston Power Signal Box (PSB) by Time
Divisional Multiplex (TDM) to a remote Relay Room containing a
Westpac Mark 3A Geographical Interlocking. The works
comprised significant changes to the Westpac circuitry and Train
Describers, changes to the signalling layout and provision of
overrun controls. A number of routes, out of use due to legacy
issues, were re-designed and re-instated. Preston PSB panel was
also modified to reflect these changes.
The main commissioning took place in April with a second to
complete all outstanding issues taking place in August. All
equipment was signed back in on-time with Preston PSB on each
occasion.
Warrington Station
Warrington PSB and Relay Room is situated at Warrington Bank
Quay Station, opposite Platform 1 and adjacent to the Up Goods
line. The Relay Room houses a Westpac Mark 3A Geographical
Interlocking controlled from Warrington PSB (located above the
Relay Room). Alterations to the Interlocking and eleven lineside
locations were required due to the previous removal of a ground
position light signal and points. Recovery of four routes and
associated stencil route indicators, track circuit, Westpac and
panel equipment
was undertaken.
The alterations
to Warrington,
commissioned
at the end of
September, were
signed in ahead
of schedule.
IRSE
Floriston CCTV Level Crossing
Floriston Level Crossing was not functioning in accordance with
current standards. The circuitry has now been amended to
prevent the auto-raise from priming early and thus preventing
other signals from clearing. It has also made the circuits fully
compliant with the latest issue of the typical circuits.
The commissioning of the alterations took place at the end of
October. All equipment was signed back in early with Carlisle PSB
on this occasion.
Brock and Norton MWL Level Crossings
New control circuitry was designed for these level crossings based
on Network Rail’s Automatic Half Barrier and Miniature Warning
Light (MWL) typical circuits. A new 24V smoothed d.c. supply was
provided for each of these, replacing the existing units, which
were not product approved and no longer in production.
The two separate commissionings took place in November.
Ian Allison, Infrastructure Projects Director for TST said:
“I would to thank the Network Rail A09 Project Team at
Manchester for the opportunity to undertake this project and for
their help and assistance during the whole of the project delivery.
I would also like to thank all the TST staff and sub-contractors
involved for their hard work and commitment and in particular,
TICS Ltd who undertook the majority of the testing and
commissioning works for TST”. The signalling design for these
works was provided by Mott MacDonald from their Cardiff and
Bristol offices via a separate contract with Network Rail.
(above)
Brock Level
Crossing
(left)
Floriston CCTV
Level Crossing
Photos:
Ian Allison
18
Issue 140 December 2008
IRSE
NEWS