January 2022
A busy rail depot in Doncaster is adding extra safety measures, courtesy of Sheffield-based experts, Zonegreen, to ensure staff are protected, no matter where they are working.
The rail safety specialists have installed a siding warning system at Doncaster Carr to counter the risks posed by work being carried out on the service spine.
Hitachi’s Doncaster facility has serviced Intercity Express Programme (IEP) trainsets since 2017. Tasks such as CET extraction, water tank filling, fuelling and sanding are undertaken on the service spine.
Zonegreen’s siding warning system alerts personnel to imminent train movements, allowing them to reach a position of safety. Inbound vehicles are detected by a treadle switch that activates beacon sounders, providing audible and visual warnings to staff. Outbound movement alerts can be activated from either a local control panel or remotely from the Person in Charge office.
Christian Fletcher, Zonegreen’s technical director, said: “Hitachi has asked us to install this standalone system to ensure it can balance operational and personnel obligations and the result is dramatically improved safety at Doncaster. Contrary to popular belief, trains moving at depot speeds, particularly electrically powered units, can be very quiet and will creep up on you if you are not expecting them.”
Zonegreen enjoys a longstanding relationship with Hitachi, having installed its flagship Depot Personnel Protection System (DPPS) in the maintenance shed at Doncaster Carr in 2014 and interlocking it with the overhead lines and underframe cleaning facility. The siding warnings will complement existing personnel protection, increasing safety in all areas of the facility.