Project Battersea Park Journey Time Improvements.
Client Network Rail
Date March – April 2012
Services provided Desktop Signal Sighting – HD & VR, Signal Sighting Chair and Form Creation
Sightable objects 7 + signage
Remit
The requirements were split over two projects, Battersea Park JTI and STL-Battersea Park Platform Extension. No signals were planned to be moved with the possible exception of VC550. The need for Signal Sighting was to confirm the ability to raise the line speed towards London, as the project had been told (and the scheme plan showed) that the line was already signalled for 45mph. Original SSF’s were unavailable to confirm this.
Gioconda was asked to provide suitable tools to allow for swift Desktop Signal Sighting as access for manual sighting was problematic. In addition, the project was unable to secure the services of a SSC chair within a reasonable timeframe so Gioconda’s provision of an SSC was key to the process.
Process
Gioconda arranged with Southern Railway to setup its camera equipment on 2 separate service trains that would travel the required routes. Our need to calibrate the cameras for signal sighting meant that this had to be done before the unit began work for the day so our filming team had to setup at Selhurst and Streatham Hill depots at 4am.
Once we had the film captured we could begin the HD Signal tracking process. At this point we decided to produce a simple Grip 4 VR model to cover a small area of track realignment. Through this add on it would ensure that we could give the SSC members the most accurate views of the signals taking into account all proposed changes.
Our SSC Chair attended some Cab rides to familiarise himself with the layout and produced draft forms based on measurements gained form Gioconda’s Route Assessment software.
Once all the models and draft forms were available an SSC meeting was convened were the Chair gained acceptance of the majority of the signalling proposals and agreed additional requirements for speed signage. All proposals were signed off based on Gioconda’s signal sighting tools in due course.
Projecting Gioconda’s G-RAST software allowed the Battersea Signal Sighting Committee to visualise the position of new signals.