Integrated Depot Protection across two New Zealand maintenance facilities
FirstClass Safety & Control completed two Depot Protection System projects for KiwiRail in Aotearoa, New Zealand, working in collaboration with rail partner Freightquip Pty.
The projects at Waltham Mechanical Hub in Christchurch and Hillside Mechanical Hub in Dunedin demonstrate how bespoke Depot Protection Systems can be adapted to different maintenance environments while integrating personnel protection, vehicle movement control, depot equipment and supervisory systems.
The Requirement
KiwiRail required protection solutions for two significant South Island maintenance facilities, each with different operational and technical requirements.
Waltham Mechanical Hub is intended to become KiwiRail’s main South Island locomotive, passenger carriage and wagon maintenance facility. The purpose-built hub required an integrated Depot Protection System capable of protecting personnel and infrastructure while supporting internal shunting and permissive movements.
At Hillside Mechanical Hub, a historic wagon manufacturing and heavy assembly site, the requirement centred on providing a bespoke solution to control safe vehicle movements across the facility while integrating with existing mechanical equipment and the site traverser.
Waltham Mechanical Hub
FirstClass was commissioned to design, manufacture and install a SIL2 Depot Protection System for the nine-road, double-ended Waltham Mechanical Hub.
The solution incorporates interlocking with critical key lockout boxes, the wheel lathe, drop table and depot doors. Bespoke sounders provide both tone and voice warnings, while a full SCADA system provides feedback on live Depot Protection System operations.
The system also supports internal shunting and permissive movements through the facility, bringing personnel protection, vehicle movement control and equipment status together within a coordinated safety system.
Hillside Mechanical Hub
At Hillside, FirstClass delivered a user-focused Depot Protection System covering 12 mechanical building roads and seven holding roads.
The solution combines mechanical interlocking with a wireless interface to the site’s 11-road traverser and incorporates interlocking with mechanical points (turnouts), critical key lockout boxes and depot doors.
Bespoke tone and voice sounders, full SCADA supervision and zonal movement permissives provide additional protection and operational control across the site.
Integration & Technical Capability
The two KiwiRail projects demonstrate the ability of FirstClass to integrate Depot Protection Systems with a wide range of depot equipment and operational interfaces.
Across Waltham and Hillside, the solutions incorporate SIL2 protection, SCADA supervision, critical key interlocking, mechanical point interlocking, depot door interfaces, wheel lathe and drop table interlocking, audible tone and voice warnings, movement permissives and a wireless interface to a multi-road traverser.
Rather than applying a standardised system to both facilities, the solutions were developed around the individual operating requirements and infrastructure of each site.
International Project Delivery
The projects were delivered in collaboration with Freightquip, demonstrating an international delivery model that combines FirstClass safety and control expertise with local rail-sector support.
The system architecture is designed to support international installation and ongoing management while allowing future modifications and upgrades as operational requirements develop.
The Outcome
The Waltham and Hillside projects provide KiwiRail with bespoke safety and control solutions designed around the specific requirements of two different maintenance environments.
At Waltham, the system provides integrated protection across a new nine-road maintenance hub, including equipment interlocking, SCADA and controlled internal vehicle movements.
At Hillside, mechanical interlocking and wireless technology have been combined to provide controlled vehicle movements across a complex facility incorporating mechanical roads, holding roads and an 11-road traverser.
Together, the projects demonstrate FirstClass’s capability to deliver adaptable Depot Protection Systems internationally, integrating people, assets, infrastructure and vehicle movements within a coordinated safety and control environment.