New signalling technology:

Sheerness branch line, Kent, UK

RIVER THAMES

Sheerness-on-Sea MEDWAY Sheerness goods

Simon Tomes

Introduction At noon on 28 March 2005, the first test train was run on the Sheerness branch line resignalling scheme, and the full branch line and signal-box control panel were signed into service 14 hours later. This was the culmination of a 100-hour blockade possession for the final (main) commissioning, and a project that began in October 2001 - Arups first full resignalling design in the UK. The scheme heralded the third UK usage of GE-Transportation (GE) VHLC signalling control technology. It was the first VHLC scheme fully designed in the UK and its first application in the South East Territory of the UK rail infrastructure operator Network Rail. The existing signalling was installed by Siemens and General Electric Railway Signal Co Ltd (SGE) in the late 1950s. A centralized traffic control system communicated between the signal-box at Sittingbourne station, from where the seven mile (11km) branch line runs, and local interlockings (areas where points, signals, etc, are interlocked) at the lines four stations. Sittingbourne box controls the branch line and sections of the London-Ramsgate main line, with interfaces to Rainham and Faversham signal-boxes. Train operations are controlled by colour light signalling with track circuit blocks (sections of line where a train can be detected by the axles shorting a circuit formed by the rails). The signalling system was deteriorating, in particular the transmission system linking the signal-box to the interlockings, and Network Rail determined to replace it like-for-like to current standards and methods of working. Where possible, rationalization was to be considered where it offered cost-neutral or whole life cost benefits. Network Rail selected the GE VHLC (Vital Harmon Logic Controller) system as part of the rationalization; not only could capital and whole life costs be delivered, but an additional UK computer-based interlockings manufacturer would offer greater choice and competitiveness to the market.
Queenborough Cement sidings

Kingsferry lifting bridge Swale

Ridham sidings

Kemsley

To London

To Dover and Ramsgate via Faversham

Middle junction New or amended equipment

Sittingbourne Moved or removed equipment

1. Schematic layout of the project.

Project summary The following signalling equipment was to be designed, manufactured, installed, tested, and commissioned: a new turn-push route setting panel at Sittingbourne signal-box with two Delphin 1024 TDM PIIUs five VHLC interlockings housed in REBs with Sapphire T48 communications processor and LCP 55 LOCs (line-side signalling equipment cases) for the five interlockings, plus additional power LOCs one axle counter section over the Kingsferry lifting bridge 17 train protection warning systems (TPWS) train stops and nine TPWS overspeed loops 20 new green extra strength automatic warning system (AWS) magnets (permanent and electromagnets, plus some suppressor magnets) six advance warning indicator boards and associated magnets five shunters releases with associated phones two train ready-to-start plungers at Sheernesson-Sea seven single and seven double-ended HW 1121 point motors with plug couplers 29 three, two and one aspect signals (SL35 lamps); 20 single rail (HVI) and 33 double rail (TI21) track circuits replacing existing AC 50Hz circuits one limit of shunt signal and four ground position lights one electronic banner signal 32 speed sign boards and eight whistle sign boards three telephones at accommodation crossings

The branch line has a half-hourly service from a bay platform at Sittingbourne. The Kemsley, Swale, and Queenborough stations can accommodate eight-car trains, while the Sheerness-on-Sea terminus has a six-car and a 10-car platform (platforms 2 and 1 respectively). Headways must be no closer than four minutes, with a maximum permissible line speed of 70mph (113km/hr). The line has standard DC third rail electrification, using the running rail for return. Route setting of trains on the signalmans panel is achieved by turning a switch at the signal entrance. If more than one route is possible, additional selection for the route is provided by exit push buttons. The time taken from the signalman selecting the route and it being set, the signal route setting performance, is not permitted to exceed five seconds.

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The project The main signalling works include new multi-aspect colour light signals, point machines, track circuits, and a single axle counter section for train detection in the absence of track circuits. Five individual relocatable equipment buildings (REBs) at Kemsley, Ridham sidings, Swale, Queenborough, and Sheerness-on-Sea house the VHLC chassis and cards. Additionally, each interlocking is provided with a local control panel (LCP) inside the REB, to be operated by maintainers for fault diagnosis. A new signal-box control panel (again with turn/push route setting switches) was installed at Sittingbourne to control all new equipment on the branch line and also the existing main-line controls. Additional track indications on the down main line between Sittingbourne and Faversham were provided to assist with the safe operation of the accommodation crossings at Bax and Frognal Farms. A panel interlocking interface unit (PIIU) connects the new panel to the existing Sittingbourne interlocking for the main line. This was specified as the GE Delphin 1024 Time Division Multiplex for defining the meshing and control functions in the field for the indications and hardware for the control switches. The remote control system between the Sittingbourne panel and the VHLC interlockings uses the GE Sapphire T48 communications processor. The scheme also incorporated track layout changes and other alterations to replace some existing permanent way assets, and to cater for the improved operational flexibility needed both now and in the future. These included the removal of track, points, cross-overs, ground frames, trap points, over-runs, conductor rails, points heating, and replacement of the new track infrastructure, signalling, power supplies, and telecommunications networks. The signalling design by the Arup signalling and train control group had to interface with all the railway infrastructure equipment and systems, and maintain the existing and revised operation performance requirements. Project organization Implementation When implementation originally began in 2002, the then UK rail infrastructure operator, Railtrack, set up an alliance-type organization with itself as funder, GE as designer and manufacturer, and Balfour Beatty Rail Projects as principal contractor. A management board of these three parties supplied all the communications, decisions, and instructions, and subcontracted additional roles individually. Arup was contracted by GE to carry out the signalling design of the VHLC system data and the REB layout and wiring.

With Railtracks reorganization, however, and the emergence of the new company Network Rail Ltd, the project was put on hold and a review of the implementation phase timescales and scheme out-turn costs carried out. Remobilization The project got under way again in September 2003, and was delivered under a modified organization that met Network Rails preferred UK-wide hub contract management model. The project review also led to a change of principal contractor, which now became ServiRail, and was also brought into the management board. All other interfaces were retained, although the contracted scopes were adjusted to create efficiencies in carrying out the design and implementation. This included a greatly enlarged scope for Arup to perform all the signalling design for implementation. There were also revised possession arrangements, with staged enabling works to be carried out prior to the main commissioning, thereby reducing the risk of the latter over-running due to the level of physical installation and testing works required. VHLC Early UK train signalling technology used banks of relays in trackside storage buildings, controlled centrally by a signalman who could command these interlocking areas, located some miles apart, via a centralized traffic control. When the signal-box sent a control message to the trackside buildings, the destination address was decoded first and if it matched that location, the rest of the message was decoded and acted upon to move points, change signal aspects, and set the routes. This technology used many electro-mechanically complex units. These were prone to malfunction, and thus installed to enable quick disconnection and replacement in situ when they failed. GE developed a microprocessor-based vital (safety-critical) interlocking system for vital control of hardware and all safe execution of signalling principles through the softwares application logic, providing a robust system for controlling the railway and signalling infrastructure.

2. Schematic diagram of VHLC interfaces.

CTC control

CTC indications

Remote 1 inputs

Remote 1 outputs

VGP10/ NV10 inputs VGP10/ NV10 outputs

Indirect fed signal equipment units

Logic Non vital logic Logic

Indication from VLP Indication to VLP

ACP indication Vital logic ACP contols

VSDAC inputs Remote 2 inputs Remote 2 outputs VSDAC outputs

LCP inputs

LCP outputs

Direct fed signal equipment units

Chassis Remote Chassis 2 (adjacent interlocking or additional chassis)

Local Control Panel (LCP)

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Signalmans panel Due to the large number of infrastructure alterations on the branch line, the existing SGE turn-push panel at Sittingbourne signal-box was completely replaced. The requirement was for a one-off design with the main-line controls hard-wired to the existing relay interlocking, and the main-line indications going via the PIIU, as do the branch line controls and indications. Arups design ensured that all indications were as consistent as possible to avoid confusion on the part of the signaller. The new panel also differed from the old layout due to track circuit changes on the main line at Bax and Frognal crossings (between Sittingbourne and Teynham) and the recovery (removal) of points no 54 at Sittingbourne. Panel arrangement drawings were provided to enable a mock-up to be constructed and an ergonomic assessment of its operation. Separately, alterations to the old panel had to be designed for an early possession, to encompass modifications to the wiring in the signal-box relay room (the panel interface wiring) and enable the swap from the old to the new panel to take place during the main commissioning. The new panel was temporarily placed behind the old one before being moved into its final position. The original wiring between the panel and the signal-box relay room was originally free-wired. This was replaced with a multicore cable to allow testing of the new panel in parallel with the old, during installation. Arup carried out all the wiring design to ensure that control of train movements would be maintained during the installation, testing, and commissioning of the new panel. Trackside equipment buildings (REBs) These five container-shaped buildings house all the electrical and communications control equipment for railway route control within the interlocking, and communication links to the interlockings on either side. Arup designed and analyzed all the signalling equipment in each REB, which was then manufactured by GE prior to installation by crane. As well as housing the VHLC equipment, the REBs function like relay rooms, with airconditioning, power supply, lightning protector, telephone, heating, telecoms and, of course, all the necessary relays. The outlying railway control equipment is served by the LOCs, which house the circuitry and fuses for signals, points, AWS transformers/rectifiers, etc, and also contain the necessary heating and lighting facilities with earth test points and earthing. Arup designed and analyzed all 55 of these which, like the REBs, were then manufactured by GE.

3. Signalmans panel being manufactured in the GE factory.

Arup designed the vital and non-vital (lesser level of security) signal logic, creating ladder logic diagrams within the VHLC software package. The diagrams were produced to closely resemble standard relay circuits, which enabled thorough evaluating and checking by the project teams and quick interpretation by other parties such as the testers and maintainers. The VHLC product allows technicians to carry out diagnostics (remotely or locally) using a laptop, and maintain an event history log. The basic VHLC system hardware consists of the chassis, the vital logic processor, the site-specific module, the auxiliary communications processor, and the input/output modules (Fig 2 previous page). Arup has also written a data applications manual that will ensure a consistent approach to the design of vital and non-vital future applications of the VHLC in the UK rail network.

Kingsferry lift bridge The project was complicated by the presence of the spectacular 1960s Kingsferry rail/road vertical lifting bridge over the Swale (a tributary to the River Medway between the mainland and the Isle of Sheppey), which was to be retained as part of the scheme with the existing controls replicated within the VHLC system. The railway is a double line unidirectional up to Swale station, changing to a single bi-directional line passing over the lifting bridge and onwards towards Queenborough station. The lifting bridge is protected by a colour threeaspect signal on the Queenborough (island) side and a colour two-aspect signal on the Swale (mainland) side. Trap points with sand drags are located in advance of each signal for protecting the bridge from over-running trains. The protecting signals can be replaced in an emergency by the bridge operator who has a clear view of the bridge area. The Swale is a navigable waterway that must be kept open at all times. This necessitates the operation of the lifting bridge for high vessels as a higher priority than train operations, including during all the commissioning periods. For the final commissioning period, Arup designed a temporary control circuit that enabled the deck to rise for passing boats.

4. New two-aspect signal protecting the bridge just beyond Swale station. This temporary circuit enabled the bridge to be operated from the start of the possession until the functions were transferred to the new panel and the VHLC installation was operating.

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And not forgetting the rest of the deliverables Signalling design requires specific designs and specifications to be produced so that the rail infrastructure system operates in accordance with performance and operational requirements safely and robustly. All had to be designed and checked by the Arup rail signalling and train control group, using procedures critical for the accuracy of the design. These deliverables included: control tables: the design drawings specifying the conditions for setting the routes, clearing signals, setting and locking points, and locking ground frames (mechanical sets of levers on the ground) track plans: specifying the location of signalling equipment interfacing with the railway correlation: locating all railway equipment and wiring fringe interface designs: designing system tie-ins to all other equipment on the railway network cable schematics: cable layout and sizing 5. New signal opposite new REB at Kemsley station. aspect sequence charts: drawings showing the circumstances under which each signal will display each of its possible aspects route cards: Instructions giving the details of each route that can be set.

Local control panels The LCPs principal use is for maintenance, although operations staff may also use it to control the interlocking locally. The maintainer technician must obtain permission from the signaller prior to switching the LCP into local operation using the direct line telephone. The front panel of the LCP bears a diagram of the interlocking area with indications of the points and track circuits, and with toggle switches for points control and route selection. The LCP design formed part of the overall REB design, and the application logic design within the VHLC ensured that the LCP control hierarchy would have a lesser priority than the VHLC diagnostic port. The application data also ensures that the control of the interlocking reverts back to the signaller if the LCP operation is interrupted. Stageworks The alternative commissioning strategy specified after the projects deferment and remobilization involved three enabling (stage) works prior to a shorter blockade period for the final commissioning. The enabling works were carried out in 52-hour possessions a month apart, to perform permanent way alterations (track recoveries, plain lining, point conversions and insulated block joint installations). The stageworks design identified temporary signalling arrangements to be installed during the scheme commissioning stages. All signalling circuitry to be amended required full correlation to ensure that the design alterations proposed would have no surprises during stageworks commissioning. Due to the age of the wiring, significant discrepancies were found and had to be fully resolved and traced, to guarantee that the design was robust. Summary Four years after Arup decided to develop its rail signalling and train control capability to support the multidisciplinary rail business, the growth of these specialized skills has resulted in the Sheerness branch line resignalling project. Arups involvement on this scheme has been a watershed in its signalling design capability, enhancing and expanding the firms skills and demonstrating this to the rail industry as a whole with proven delivery.

Credits Promoter: Network Rail Ltd (South East Territory) Client: GE-Transportation (GE) Signalling designer: GE and Arup - David Atkinson, Michael Chai, John Cooper, Paul Dixon, Andrew Gardner, Ross Haden, Simon Hose, Pav Kuner, Coppel Lai, Paul Marshall, Asif Pathan, Fiona Pearce, Shaun Pearce, Craig Purcell, Frank Sahota, Alex Shah, Tim Shah, Greg Simpson, Paul Tipper, Simon Tomes, Tony Vidago Signal installation and principal contractor: ServiRail Testing: Atkins Rail Permanent way design: Balfour Beatty Rail Projects Permanent way construction: Carillion Rail Projects Power (E&P) design: Corus Rail Consultancy Power (E&P) construction: Giffen Group plc Traction power design: Atkins Electrification Traction power construction: Giffen and Carillion Civil engineering design: Frankham Consulting Group Civil engineering Construction: ServiRail Telecommunications: Marconi Communications Ltd Illustrations: 1, 2 Heather Harding/Nigel Whale; 3-5 Simon Hose

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