Integrated Depot Protection in a Phased Upgrade
FirstClass Safety & Control delivered an RFID-based Depot Protection System for Great Western Railway at Penzance Longrock Depot as part of a phased upgrade of the maintenance facility.
The solution combined personnel protection with supervisory control, train detection and physical protection measures to provide an integrated approach to depot safety.
The Requirement
The phased development of Longrock Depot required a Depot Protection System that could support safe working across depot roads and zones while accommodating the operational requirements of an active maintenance facility.
The system needed to control vehicle movements in relation to personnel working within protected areas and form part of the wider depot safety environment.
The FirstClass Solution
FirstClass provided a full turnkey solution encompassing hardware and software design, build, installation, commissioning and training. The system was also designed with the depot’s harsh seafront location in mind, including the use of external GRP panels.
The RFID-based system enables operatives to log on and off individual roads and working zones.
When personnel are registered as working within a protected area, the Depot Protection System prevents vehicle movements into the relevant road or zone.
Integration & Technical Capability
The Longrock solution incorporated RFID-based operative protection, SCADA supervisory control, train detection and derailers.
Bringing these functions together enables the status of personnel, vehicle movements and protection equipment to be managed as part of an integrated system.
The solution was implemented progressively as part of the wider phased depot upgrade.
The Outcome
The completed system provides GWR with an integrated approach to protecting personnel working within the Longrock maintenance environment.
The project demonstrates FirstClass’s ability to deliver Depot Protection Systems as part of phased depot development programmes, combining personnel protection, train detection, physical protection and supervisory control within a coordinated solution, while engineering equipment for a demanding coastal environment.