Chippenham, UK, 2014-Mar-11
Twyford to Maidenhead line
When the Great Western Main Line between Twyford and Maidenhead stations was overcome by flood water last month, rail services through the area were severely impacted, causing major delays to passengers travelling between London Paddington and the South West.
Working under the direction of the government’s COBRA emergency committee, Network Rail approached Siemens Rail Automation and asked for support from the Reading Station Area Redevelopment project team. Working in close collaboration, Siemens designed, installed and commissioned a rapid-design, overlay axle counter system.
Over the weekend of 15 February, four, long axle counters (one for each running line) were installed, with approximately 15,000 metres of cable run out and installed. The new axle counter overlay system was then fully commissioned on the up and down relief lines at 05:15 on 21 February, enabling Network Rail to remove the people from the lines who had been manually controlling trains, connect the affected railway back to the interlocking and run a much improved service.
Commenting on the work, Paul Copeland, Managing Director of Siemens Rail Automation UK, said: “The application design left our design floor less than 24 hours from receiving the initial enquiry. Then over the following seven days our installation and civils teams worked around the clock to install, pre-test and commission into passenger service a new 650 feeder and entirely new signal section/axle counter arrangement.
“The work represented a truly collaborative approach between Network Rail and Siemens and an astonishing effort from all concerned, particularly in the face of the continuing adverse weather conditions and flooded working areas”.
The main elements of the work on site included the installation of eight axle counters; 12,000 metres of axle counter and core signalling cable and 3,500 metres of two-pair cable. The axle counter evaluator and power supply have both been installed at Ruscombe Relay Room.
Network Rail’s Route Managing Director, Patrick Hallgate commented: “Without a doubt, this is the best example of team working that I have seen in Network Rail - and we will need to continue to draw on this over the coming weeks as the options unfold for the relief lines. I would like to congratulate everyone involved for getting us this far so quickly, and for minimising the service disruption over the last few days.”
Contact for journalists:
Siemens plc
Barry Pearson, tel: 07855 752 311
Email : barry@objectivecomms.co.uk
Silke Thomson, tel: 07808 822 780
Email: silke.thomson-pottebohm@siemens.com
Emma Whitaker, tel: 079212 46942
Email: emma.whitaker@siemens.com
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The Siemens Infrastructure & Cities Sector (Munich, Germany) with approximately 90,000 employees, focuses on sustainable technologies for metropolitan areas and their infrastructures. Its offering includes products, systems and solutions for intelligent traffic management, rail-bound transportation, smart grids, energy efficient buildings, and safety and security. The Sector comprises the divisions Building Technologies, Low and Medium Voltage, Mobility and Logistics, Rail Systems and Smart Grid.
For more information, visit http://www.siemens.com/infrastructure-cities
Siemens Rail Automation (Berlin, Germany) is a business unit within the Mobility and Logistics Division and is a global leader in the design, supply, installation and commissioning of track-side and train-borne signalling and train control solutions. Its portfolio includes train control, interlocking systems, operations control systems, components, track vacancy detection, level-crossing protection, rail communications, and cargo automation for both passenger and freight rail operators. Siemens Rail Automation employs over 9,500 people across a network of offices worldwide. In the UK, 1,300 employees operate from offices in Chippenham, London, Croydon, Poole, Birmingham, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Manchester, York, Glasgow and Newport, delivering both mainline and mass transit programmes.
For more information, visit www.siemens.com/rail-automation
