Signalling
refl ecting off the sea and in through the driver’s window, making it diffi cult to read the screen. ‘We thought we’d tested it with bright lights shining from all sorts of angles before we took it to the Cambrian,’ admits Morgan. The problem was soon ironed out using screens and shading on some of the side windows, plus better contrast on the screens themselves. Peter Leppard, operations director at
ATW, is pleased with the way the trial has been progressing: ‘It’s been a tremendous learning experience for us. It’s beginning
to settle down and I think we can see now that it’s going to be absolutely fi ne. In safety terms it’s been completely reliable; there’s never been any doubt about it. It’s a completely safe signalling system. ‘As with any new system, there have
been teething problems. The installation of modern electronic equipment in the shape of ERTMS kit onto quite old trains – the Class 158 dates back to 1990, so before the time of most computers – has caused one or two odd faults that have taken some trouble to fi nd. And the radio block centre, the modern
‘In safety terms it’s been completely reliable, there’s never been any doubt about it’
name for a signal box, has had one or two features in the design that caused some glitches, because it’s basically designed for a double track railway and the Cambrian is a single track.’ Initially, the ETRMS trials just ran
between Pwllheli and Harlech at the north end of the line. The full route was commissioned in March 2011. After some initial trepidation, the drivers are now happy with the in-cab system, says Leppard. ‘If you went down there now and spoke to them, they’d all tell you that it’s bread and butter stuff and they’re completely used to it.’
Arriva Trains Wales drivers get their ERTMS competency certifi cates from equipment manufacturer Ansaldo
Different levels ERTMS is not one single system; it has three levels that offer increasing sophistication. Level 1 focuses mainly on safety – it is the
T: E: W: AUGUST 2011 PAGE 25
For all your engineering and
signalling needs
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40