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The challenge
With much of the signalling infrastructure surrounding Victoria having been installed over 40 years ago, a rise in the number of faults reported had led to an unacceptable increase in delays for passengers, not to mention a significant maintenance burden for the client.
Not only were vast swathes of cabling found to be suffering from severe wire degradation, much of the remaining cabling was also in the early stages of degradation, with several of the lineside signal posts showing significant signs of corrosion, and much of the area’s signalling equipment being rendered obsolete, having been installed in accordance with the standards of the time.
Following an in-depth review by Network Rail, therefore, the decision was taken to instigate a major package of upgrades to modernise the 1980s infrastructure serving the lines into the station, replacing substantial amounts of equipment and cabling, and upgrading track at key rail junctions with new, more reliable equivalents.
The solution
Playing a pivotal role in the delivery of 2 out of the scheme’s 6 major enhancement phases, Amaro was tasked with pulling a total of 125km of cable during phase 4, and a further 125km within phase 5. With our involvement in VIC4 being completed in the 12 months from August 2022, and VIC5 between April 2023 and June 2024, each of the two tranches of work was delivered within 17 disruptive possessions, all focused entirely on facilitating the resignalling of end-of-life interlocking systems at Tulse Hill, Peckham Rye, Crystal Palace, Herne Hill, and Stewarts Lane.
Our approach
With the troughing route across the network having already been refurbished or renewed, the Amaro project team (ably supported by specialist labour and plant suppliers) commenced the running of all lineside signalling, power, and telecoms cables within the designated areas.
Whilst our operatives were responsible for tucking all cables neatly within the adjacent troughing, their termination was handled by a third party, and the setting out of all equipment was carried out by Alstom prior to cable installation.
Due to the importance and congested nature of the area’s infrastructure, two different installation methodologies were employed depending upon the challenges posed by each location, with logistical issues, and both access and deconfliction hurdles requiring a flexible and collaborative approach to planning, with programmes being monitored and often adjusted on an hour-by-hour basis.
Approach 1
The first and preferred methodology involved the use of plant, with larger cables (such as 120mm 4c power cables or 30 pair copper telecoms cables) being pulled using a suitably equipped RRV, supported by two trailers and a hydraulic cable yoke. This approach was also used when running lighter cable such as 10c 2.5mm signalling cable over longer distances of 800m and above.
Approach 2
Our second methodology saw the setup of jacks at a suitable position, using specialist labour to pull the cables to their destinations. This method was primarily used for ‘local’ pulls which, although high in volume (often involving 30-40 pulls from the same start point), were also relatively short in length involving typical distances of between 50-400m. Where safe to do so, this methodology was also used where the cost of an RRV was deemed disproportionate to the benefit of using it.
