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Client Requirements
Cheadle Hulme station in Greater Manchester is located on a tight curve on a narrow embankment. Platform clearances for the newly introduced “Pendolino” trains are tight, and the track ballast is glued. Therefore, it was necessary to monitor the track for possible movement in relation to temperature during the early stages of fleet operation. The reason for this is to ensure that the control processes for guaranteeing clearances were working. Laser Rail was contracted by Network Rail to provide a dedicated monitoring system, which would enable regular measurements to be made without requiring track access on each occasion.Laser Rail's Solution
The Laser Rail project team developed a system of measuring transducers along with a computerised data logger, which records the track position at twelve locations, as well as the rail temperature on both tracks. These are sampled regularly, and recorded.The entire system was designed, approved, built, tested, installed and commissioned in less than 4 weeks. Using battery power, and consisting of minimal track-mounted equipment wired to a trackside cabinet, the system has been designed as a rugged system, to operate in the hostile environment afforded by the railway.
Following the successful operation of the system, during the early part of 2005, Laser Rail are now looking to enhance its functionality, in conjunction with Network Rail, to provide data transfer by telemetry, removing the need for site visits to download data. This will provide the opportunity for real-time remote monitoring, allowing alerts to be programmed into the system.
Track stability is the key element in maximising the best use of loading gauge. With a thorough understanding of track stability, realistic tolerances can be used, rather than the conservative assumptions that are generally used.