Sella Controls, Network Rail Anglia and Amey’s rail team have all partnered together on a 3-month project at Magdalen Road, Kings Lynn Level Crossing to investigate alternative ways to manage the signalling at Level Crossings.
In July this year the MCB Level Crossing at Kings Lynn was transferred from the usual controlling relays which managed the Level Crossing over to a HIMatrix Programme Logic Controller (PLC) a new form of digital signalling system.
Both Sella Controls & Amey have been developing a COTS Safety PLC Level Crossing solution for many years now based on the HIMatrix range of safety Programme Logic Controllers. The main advantages to the HIMatrix system are substantial cost savings and improved system performance. Programme Logic Controllers have important design tools which simplify the design process and substantially reduce costs. What’s more the function block logic used in PLC’s is understood by the majority of signalling engineers. Indeed, this new PLC system can be utilised on all types of Level Crossings from Miniature Stop Light (MSL) to Controlled Barrier Crossing with Obstacle Detection (CB-OD). If the results of this trial project turn out to be successful then this new digital signalling system could be rolled out right across Network Rail.
This will mean that MCB Amey and Sella Controls will have a full digital PLC solution which can be used across other types of level crossings and also includes future opportunities with Obstacle Detectors.
Simon Fowler, Amey’s Rail Account Director, said: “The teams are very excited to see this trial come to fruition. The benefits of having a digital system that we can roll out to other level crossing sites will see not only cost efficiencies but improvements to processes and reporting data.
“Working in collaboration with Sella Control and Network Rail Anglia’s delivery team, we’re able to bring together a number of expertise and knowledge to achieve ultimate results. I’m looking forwarding to seeing the outcome of this trial and the next steps that follow.”
Improving level crossing signalling is just one part of the HIMatrix solution. HIMatrix has the capability of providing an end-to-end transmission solution which Amey’s team, along with Sella Control, are exploring as an alternative solution when it comes to replacing Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) systems across the network.”
Image credit explore west Norfolk.
