Digital CCTV
PA systems
Passengers travelling on the TransPennine Express rail routes in the north of England will soon see dramatic improvements made to information and safety systems as Siemens begins work on a major GB pound 5 million refurbishment programme spanning 29 stations.
In partnership with sister company Transmitton, Siemens Building Technologies’ Security Systems Division will supply and install all-new security systems, in addition to equipping a new central CCTV Control Room at Transpennine Express’ Manchester headquarters. Work is due for completion later on this Spring.
For rail passengers, automated announcements and travel information is to be provided by PA systems and, for the first time in the UK rail industry, intuitive touch-screen passenger Help Points are being installed. Half of them will be interactive, some offering direct web access (technology that Siemens has developed specifically for this application).
To bolster passenger safety and security, CCTV systems are being upgraded and expanded at all stations. When the contract is complete, almost 600 cameras, 200 information screens and 2,000 PA loudspeakers will have been installed by the company.
The contract covers the supply of digital recorders to provide secure storage of high definition images. Recorders are to be fitted at all stations. Those in staffed stations will be controlled locally, those in unstaffed stations thanks to supervision from the Control Room.
Operators at the central Control Room will have overriding control of all systems, although the installation is designed to be fully automatic during normal operation.
Broadband Megastream links will be used as the basis for a managed network connecting all of the stations and server locations with the central Control Room.