Proceedings 2002/2003 - IRSE

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50 SIGNALLING CONTROL CENTRES TODAY AND TOMORROW Signalling Control IECC name or area No of No of First Trains/ Centre name of control signallers interlockings commissioned day (iv) SSI Relay Ashford A – (Tonbridge) 3 10 1 (ii) May 1993 1327 B – (Ashford) 2 9 November 1992 724 Liverpool Street A – Liverpool Street 3 6 March 1989 1348 B – Stratford 2 8 August 1996 1608 C – Shenfield 2 12 April 1991 908 D – West Anglia (i) 2 10 January 2002 451 Marylebone Chilterns 2 6 January 1991 347 Sandhills Merseyrail 2 7 1 February 1994 752 Slough New Paddington 2 12 March 1993 612 Swindon B (Didcot) 1 4 February 1994 393 Tyneside Central 2 7 January 1991 535 Peripheral 2 8 1 May 1990 542 Upminster A (LTS Main) 2 10 September 1994 637 B (LTS Loop) 1 6 April 1996 463 Wimbledon ARS only 5(iii) January 1990 1319 Yoker (North Clydeside) 2 5 1 October 1989 419 York 1 – York 2 5 4 May 1989 608 2 – Leeds R&R 3 8 5 December 2000 1208 3 – Leeds NW 2 5 2 March 2002 882 Figure 1: Signalling Centres using IECC Notes: (i) Liverpool Street D signaller and interlocking numbers are the planned final size on completion of WARM recreate-signalling. (ii) Relay interlocking interface for indications only, no route setting. (iii) IECC is ARS only, works with conventional Panel, uses special interface to relay interlockings. (iv) Weekday traffic levels in Summer 2002 timetable. BR Research to be translated into a fully developed and proven system available as compatible equipment from two suppliers, and capable of being applied and maintained by BR’s in-house S&T engineering design and maintenance departments. The approach to IECC development was slightly different, as BR perceived that the key skills that were needed were more likely to be obtained from a conventional procurement contract with a software company (CAP), rather than collaboration with the established signalling equipment suppliers. In practice, as with SSI, the system architecture and a significant part of the software were developed by BR Research. A prototype ARS had been in revenue service since 1983, and much of this software was recreate-used in the full IECC system. This resulted in the intellectual property rights (IPR) in the IECC system and its software being owned exclusively by BR, not shared as in the case of SSI. CAP (later Sema) supplied the hardware, software, geographic data and systems integration for all the early installations of IECC, but in the early 1990s BR used its ownership of the IPR to involve other suppliers and its in-house signalling design resource in data preparation and system integration for some of the later schemes. After 1992 BR was internally organised on a much more commercial basis, and this enabled BR Research to expand from their traditional role, and undertake complete supply of the IECC system for the Sandhills signalling control centre, as sub-contractors to GEC ALSTHOM who were the main signalling contractor for the Merseyrail recreate-signalling scheme. After the split-up and privatisation of British Rail, Railtrack are the owners of the IPR in the IECC system. AEA Technology Rail, as successors to BR Research, are contractors for Railtrack, undertaking software and hardware development/support. AEA Technology Rail also undertake application engineering, installation, testing and upgrades for new and existing systems. In some senses, the wheel has turned full circle, with the organisation in which the IECC concept originated (and many of the same people) now responsible for all aspects of its development, delivery and support. EVOLUTION OF THE TECHNOLOGY The basic design of IECC is now 15 years old. Figure 2 shows the system architecture, which has remained unchanged throughout. This period corresponds to several generations of computer technology, and inevitably means that many of the original components are no longer available. However the architecture and functionality have stood the test of time, and progressive upgrading of the hardware has been possible to ensure that existing and new systems can be supported into the future. This has required regular investment by Railtrack to upgrade software and documentation in line with new hardware, and to obtain safety approval and product acceptance for the changes.
SIGNALLING CONTROL CENTRES TODAY AND TOMORROW 51 Signallers Train service database DIS DIS PSM TTP ARS Signalling network GWS ISM Information network RII SSI SSI Relay interlockings ECS Trackside signalling equipment External systems FBS DIS FBS ARS PSM TTP SSI RII ECS ISM GWS The Flexible Display Subsystem provides a PC-based operating interface between the IECC system (and hence the railway) and the signaller. There are a maximum of three per IECC. DIS replaces the original SDS (Signalling Display Subsystem) which used a special graphics card and monitors. The Fringe Box Subsystem provides a Train Describer map, interpose and cancel facilities for the fringe signaller, via a monitor and keyboard. There is a maximum of 16 per IECC. The Automatic Route-setting Subsystem determines the optimum routing of trains in the area based on the timetable, their current position, their importance and their destination. It automatically requests the required routes when they are available. The PC SPAD Monitor provides alarms to the signaller when a potential signal passed at danger incident has occurred. It also provides the data logging facility for the IECC. The Timetable Processor Subsystem processes the timetable information for the IECC and the surrounding areas. This information is used by ARS. Solid State Interlocking is a programmable electronic system that is used in place of relay interlockings on new installations. It provides the primary interlocking features necessary to ensure the safety of the railway. The Remote Interlocking Interface Subsystem enables a relay interlocking to be interfaced into an IECC system. This avoids the need to replace a relay interlocking with an SSI, usually for economic reasons. The External Communications Subsystem provides an interface between the information networks and systems that cannot use the IECC’s communications protocols or data notations. The IECC System Monitor Subsystem monitors the operation of all the subsystems in the IECC system and of the two networks, and reports the system status to maintenance staff. It also provides aids to the technician for fault finding and for reconfiguration of the IECC system. The Gateway Subsystem provides a link between the Signalling Network and the Information Network. It transfers information between the two networks when the source and destination are not on the same network. It also provides a buffer storage facility between the two networks. Figure 2: IECC System Architecture As well as retaining the capability to support existing systems and install new ones, these upgrades provide a platform for enhanced functionality to improve performance and satisfy changing operational requirements. By maintaining the same basic architecture, software and functionality, the whole system can be progressively renewed and enhanced. This means a significant change from the traditional view that a signalling system is installed, maintained on a like-for-like basis for 30 years, then replaced. With IECC signalling centres, we are seeing much earlier renewals in a piecemeal manner. In practice, component obsolescence is rarely the only reason for making an upgrade. In most cases, the financial justification for change is bound up in infrastructure re-modelling or extensions of the controlled area, or from the benefits offered by the functional improvements to the software. PROCESSORS AND NETWORKS The choice of processor technology for IECC was the Motorola 68000 series on VME plug-in cards. This has proved to be a wise choice, as the hardware has been extremely reliable, and although the original processors and cards are no longer available, the basic 32-bit architecture and instruction set of the Motorola 68000 remains available in much more powerful modern processors (the latest version is the 68060), on physically compatible VME cards. Nevertheless, software changes have been required as a result of changes to the input/output devices on the new cards. Obsolescence of operating system software has not been a problem, as
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Page 3 and 4: The Institution of Railway Signal E
Page 5 and 6: Contents Contents ……………
Page 7 and 8: 5 PETER STANLEY BSc CEng FIEE FIRSE
Page 9 and 10: OFFICERS AND COUNCIL 7 Photo: Colin
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Railway Signalling… A Science or
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