New protection system improves depot safety

Zonegreen’s warning beacons and derailers in place at Chiltern’s Banbury depot, as part of the interfaced DPPS system

Operations within a state-of-the-art rail maintenance facility in Banbury, Oxfordshire, are running smoothly and safely with help from Zonegreen’s Depot Personnel Protection System (DPPS).

Safety specialists linked their technology to the Chiltern depot’s signalling system, which meant it was possible for trains to enter directly from the mainline whilst maintaining a safe working environment.

DPPS interfaces with the Fenix Tiffenbach signalling system; improving operations by eliminating the stop/start entrance and exit procedure experienced by most facilities at the point where depot protection begins.

Zonegreen uses a slotting arrangement to identify when it is safe for train movements to take place. If staff log on to DPPS, the signalling system is prevented from setting a route onto the road where personnel are working. Warning beacons and klaxons offer additional audible and visual elements to the safety procedures, indicating when vehicles are in motion. 

Christian Fletcher, Zonegreen’s Technical Director, said: “Linking depot protection and signalling is relatively new, but demand is high among construction projects, as the system offers a much smoother means of moving vehicles, without compromising safety. Having worked with Fenix, the UK representative for Tiefenback, on a number of projects, we have developed a standard interface that is fully proven in application.”

The Banbury depot was built to accommodate Chiltern Railway’s expanding fleet, following the introduction of a service between Marylebone Station in London and Oxford. It can accommodate up to 42 class 165 and 168 diesel vehicles at any one time. The new system protects two fuel roads and an underframe cleaning road and was installed by mechanical and electrical contractors, the Orton Group.

Matthew Prosser, Chiltern’s Engineering Director, added: “Safety comes first at Chiltern Railways and Zonegreen’s personnel protection system is helping us achieve that at Banbury.”

Zonegreen was involved in the project from the design stage and acted as CRE (Contractors Responsible Engineer) – the firm approved by Network Rail to oversee all technical and engineering activities within a certain discipline.