Birmingham New Street

Birmingham New Street Area Re-Signalling Phase 6.

Phase 6 of the above project requires the design and installation of 2 no. PSPs (Principal Supply Points). These provide a back up power supply for the signalling system by taking a feed from the OLE and stepping down the voltage from 25kV to 650V. ESL have been contracted to undertake the detailed design, procurement, installation, testing and commissioning of OLE and HV cabling at these PSP locations, one at Birmingham International Station and one at Stechford.

Design
ESL produced detailed OLE designs for the required modifications. This involved producing layout plans, switching cross sections, material allocation and Form B documentation. Switching structures were modelled in 3D following Safe By Design principles and to provide the construction teams with additional detail to ensure the work is planned in the safest and most efficient manner.
As the design proposed to re-use existing structures these were structurally assessed during the design to ensure suitability for the increased loading. A defect with one foundation was identified and brought to the attention of Siemens to be rectified prior to the installation work.

Isolation diagrams and instructions were also updated to reflect the changes associated with Phase 6 of the project.

Installation
ESL’s installation teams delivered the required construction work. This was done over a number of weeks and co-ordinated with other contractors delivering different aspects of the scheme to avoid delays and inefficiencies. The work involved installation of OLE switching equipment, RC modifications, HV cabling and bonding, connections to the PSP transformer.
ESL also produced testing and commission documentation and undertook the necessary cable tests and section proving to bring the new equipment into service.

Project Description

Birmingham New Street station has recently undergone a significant regeneration, the result being an iconic 21st century railway station providing a state of the art passenger experience. The railway infrastructure itself, however, has been in place since the 1960s and is life expired and dilapidated. The signalling system currently handles approximately double the capacity it was originally designed for. As such, a widespread scheme of upgrades is being delivered, including modifications and additions to the OLE system in order to facilitate the new signalling system.