Three Bridges operating centre

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Three Bridges operating centre 21/01/2014 at 19:45 #54084
northroad
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870 posts 		I note from the new Rail mag that this was opened at the beginning of January. The first of twelve that will eventually operate the whole network signalling replacing some 800 boxes.
Does anyone know when this mammoth task will eventually be completed.

What a sim that would be .

Geoff
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Three Bridges operating centre 21/01/2014 at 20:42 #54087
dwaynedibley
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30 posts 		They should all be built by the end of 2015 but it will be up to another thirty years before all the signalling in the country has moved into a Rail Operation Centre (ROC).

As far as I was aware there were originally going to be 12 but Ashford IECC and another were dropped so there is going to be 10 now. As for the first, I know for certain that some other ROCs are already open. Take the East Midlands Control Centre in Derby where I work. That has been open for a couple of years now.
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Three Bridges operating centre 21/01/2014 at 20:51 #54088
mfcooper
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707 posts 		As far as I know, there is no signalling in Three Bridges Rail Operating Centre (ROC), yet. The resignalling scheme that was due to go in there (East Coastway) was put back. However, Sussex Control has moved from Croydon in to the ROC.
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Three Bridges operating centre 21/01/2014 at 20:55 #54089
dwaynedibley
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30 posts 		Correction to my earlier post:

There are going to be twelve ROCs, Cardiff, Derby, Edinburgh, Gillingham, Glasgow and Three Bridges are open, Didcot needs some modification and Basingstoke, Manchester, Romford, Rugby and York are under construction. It was Ashford IECC and the West Midlands Signalling Centre that were dropped from the ROC program.
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Three Bridges operating centre 21/01/2014 at 21:01 #54090
jeffh16
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40 posts 		and from what i gather there isn't enough land at Didcot to make the TVSC/Western ROC any bigger once Bristol, Westbury, Swindon and Slough are in there, so at least one more, or a replacement for Didcot is going to be required!
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Three Bridges operating centre 21/01/2014 at 22:52 #54092
JamesN
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1575 posts 		" said:
and from what i gather there isn't enough land at Didcot to make the TVSC/Western ROC any bigger once Bristol, Westbury, Swindon and Slough are in there, so at least one more, or a replacement for Didcot is going to be required!
The operating floor at TVSC is huge though, plenty of room for all the planned workstations (Slough, Oxford, Swindon, Bristol(s), Westbury and maybe Cotswold)
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Three Bridges operating centre 22/01/2014 at 07:44 #54096
John
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884 posts 		Short video of the interior of TBROC with what looks to be the new East Coastway workstation.
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Three Bridges operating centre 22/01/2014 at 09:40 #54097
mfcooper
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707 posts 		" said:
... with what looks to be the new East Coastway workstation.
That's the simulator - you can tell by the level crossing controls, which are a TRE simulation product
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Three Bridges operating centre 22/01/2014 at 10:37 #54100
northroad
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870 posts 		Thanks for the responses guys.

Interesting to read in the text associated with the video it says that this will now provide better information for passengers. Having been caught up in the recent OLE problems at Hendon I found my own phone with all it's Twitter etc. more up to date with information than any of the staff involved could provide.
Also interesting to see the proverbial quote that it along with the nearby Thameslink depot will bring more jobs and economic benefits to the area. I sometimes wonder as to how this will be but there you go these guys are better equipped to guess on that.

Another question which someone could possibly answer is what happens with say a local power supply problem etc. surely having a box/control a long distance away does not make things any easier.

What about all the level crossings with remote CCTV etc. how does a new box like Three Bridges handle all of those.

I guess all my questions could be answered by reading a good article about the new systems/boxes. Can anyone suggest a good web page or other source.

Geoff
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Three Bridges operating centre 22/01/2014 at 11:21 #54102
John
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884 posts 		" said:
... what happens with say a local power supply problem etc?
It was discovered that consolidating all operational staff into one one building had an unexpected benefit.

Now all the staff in the ROC have pedals under their desks which are connected to dynamos.

In the event of a power supply failure, a sustained period of frantic pedalling will generate more than enough energy to power the network. :cheer:


I have already contacted Southeastern and proposed a similar arrangement for Driver Currans desk.
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Three Bridges operating centre 22/01/2014 at 12:06 #54104
jeffh16
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40 posts 		" said:
" said:
and from what i gather there isn't enough land at Didcot to make the TVSC/Western ROC any bigger once Bristol, Westbury, Swindon and Slough are in there, so at least one more, or a replacement for Didcot is going to be required!
The operating floor at TVSC is huge though, plenty of room for all the planned workstations (Slough, Oxford, Swindon, Bristol(s), Westbury and maybe Cotswold)
yes but where are they going to put exeter, exmouth jn, paignton, crediton, plymouth, and the cornish boxes?
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Three Bridges operating centre 22/01/2014 at 14:36 #54114
DriverCurran
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683 posts 		" said:
" said:
... what happens with say a local power supply problem etc?

I have already contacted Southeastern and proposed a similar arrangement for Driver Currans desk. :P
Right in that case next time we are on together even more stocks swaps will be arranged, have to make sure that they even out do his honour Lofty :evil:

Paul
You have to get a red before you can get any other colour
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Three Bridges operating centre 22/01/2014 at 17:40 #54121
Hooverman
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306 posts 		" said:
Short video of the interior of TBROC with what looks to be the new East Coastway workstation.
I can confirm that is the training sim in the training room displaying the Sussex East Coasway workstation. The real workstation is on the operations floor of which I have pictures of when I had a visit a few months back.
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Three Bridges operating centre 22/01/2014 at 17:45 #54122
John
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884 posts 		" said:
...I have pictures...
Any chance you could post them? :cheer:
Last edited: 22/01/2014 at 17:58 by John
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Three Bridges operating centre 22/01/2014 at 18:14 #54123
John
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884 posts 		" said:
Right in that case next time we are on together even more stocks swaps will be arranged...
The residents of Longfield etc. still haven't forgiven you for last Friday.
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Three Bridges operating centre 22/01/2014 at 18:52 #54125
DriverCurran
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683 posts 		Have train will divert :lol:
You have to get a red before you can get any other colour
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Three Bridges operating centre 23/01/2014 at 00:01 #54134
pedroathome
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888 posts
Online 		" said:
" said:
" said:
and from what i gather there isn't enough land at Didcot to make the TVSC/Western ROC any bigger once Bristol, Westbury, Swindon and Slough are in there, so at least one more, or a replacement for Didcot is going to be required!
The operating floor at TVSC is huge though, plenty of room for all the planned workstations (Slough, Oxford, Swindon, Bristol(s), Westbury and maybe Cotswold)
yes but where are they going to put exeter, exmouth jn, paignton, crediton, plymouth, and the cornish boxes?
Maybe they will be lucky to keep their current boxes and arrangements, and avoid the "upgrades"
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Three Bridges operating centre 23/01/2014 at 00:11 #54135
Stephen Fulcher
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2026 posts 		It could be a similar situation to one I was told about with the West Midlands Signalling Centre at Saltley.

The operating floor could house all the workstations required, however the equipment room is nowhere near big enough, which was one of the factors behind it being closed, in all probability before it is even finished!

In all reality, whilst I can see most of the vintage signalling systems being replaced for modern technology, I do not see there being much benefit in closing somewhere like WMSC because the cost of recontrol would be huge, and the relocation allowances for the Signalmen would not be small either.
Last edited: 23/01/2014 at 00:14 by Stephen Fulcher
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