Carrying the message

In a countrywide climate of rapidly increasing rail travel, South West Trains has continued to grow its business year-on-year. It now operates one of the most successful rail franchises in the country, in fact, boasting a superior record in terms of both customer loyalty and satisfaction. Over 162 million passenger journeys are made each year on routes across the company’s network.

South West Trains acquired its franchise in 1996, and has since generated more than 12,000 additional peak seats. More than 11,000 rail journeys are made on the network every week.

Obviously, the investment in rolling stock needed to service these expanding passenger numbers has been extensive. Necessarily, a large proportion of the company’s rolling stock assets are held at the main rail depot in Farnham, Surrey. It’s here that the stock receives the cleaning and preparation required to provide the level of comfort and service that South West Trains’ passengers expect.

However, of late it has become increasingly difficult to maintain these constant standards of maintenance in an environment where petty vandalism is on the increase. Trains in depots are vulnerable, particularly under cover of darkness.

Following an internal security review of the depot facility by South West Trains’ management team – and prompted by the company’s commitment to CCTV in stations and on trains – it was decided that a high-tech surveillance system would be the most effective way of protecting the firm’s sizeable investment, while maintaining the quality and safety of rolling stock for customers.

Using fibre optic backbones

After an external tender process, Quadrant Security Group’s Integrated Systems Division – formerly Quadrant Video Systems plc – was awarded the prestigious installation contract. The specification provided not only a comprehensive security device but also an effective site management and Health and Safety tool.

Camera positions and specifications were selected by Faber Maunsell in close consultation with South West Trains. Panasonic (UK)’s vandal-proof WV-CW864 PTZ dome cameras monitor the exterior of the building due to their auto-switching, low-light imaging performance. Indeed, Panasonic (UK)’s WV-CW370 cameras also monitor the railway sidings, the train shed entrance and numerous exit points.

Integrated within the system are 48 PIR detectors designed to pinpoint any movement in the security and Health and Safety-sensitive main gantry track area, as well as entrance and exit points to the train shed. This integrated CCTV and movement detection solution provides highly effective coverage of the target areas, generating alarm triggers and corresponding camera pre-set positioning commands. These automatically move a camera to a pre-determined point in order to record any subsequent events.

Due to the nature of the site and its associated high voltage cabling, Quadrant has provided a fibre optic backbone that transmits the CCTV images to the depot’s administration building, where the cameras are controlled by way of a Panasonic (UK) WV-CU650 system controller. Images rendered are viewed by the dedicated security operatives on a series of 17” JVC screens. Information from all of the facility’s cameras is relayed to two Panasonic (UK) WJ-HD316 digital recorders linked-in to the depot’s ADSL network for any remote interrogation requirements.

Completed at the tail end of 2005, the system is already proving an effective deterrent to vandals. Instances of trespass and attempted vandalism are on the decline as they can be monitored and dealt with in very quick time.

At night, the security system’s presence means that any potential vandals are deterred by an installation that automatically records movement across the site. During the day, South West Trains’ members of staff monitor the main gate, while the system automatically archives activity from all the cameras to hard disk recording. The necessary information can then be burned to CD-Rom should any offsite video footage be required.

Importantly, this has negated any need for extra security staff to patrol the rail depot, and has subsequently helped reduce the site’s overall running costs as a direct result. A definite winner.

‘On train’ CCTV security

A different solution has been employed on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) in London, whose management team has commissioned the installation of a network of digital video recorders (DVRs) for all its trains. The systems contract was awarded to Falcon Protec who, following extensive research and trials, selected Wavelet Technology to supply the core recording hardware and software.

The demanding specification for this ‘on train’ application required that six camera inputs be recorded in each carriage, all at real-time rates and in full resolution. Recordings had to be retained for up to ten days before being overwritten. This equates to the capture and digitisation of 150 pictures every second across every six cameras.

The overall system boasts 600 cameras, with one DVR per carriage. All six cameras are powered from a single unit, which also incorporates 2.4 GHz wireless transceivers in order to maintain full network capabilities across the 27 km Wide Area Network (WAN) during train operation. Remotely-located security staff in the Command and Control Centre are able to select and view any four cameras simultaneously across the network in real-time. They can then respond instantly to alarm activations and/or recorded incidents.

Both alarm-triggered and time-lapse recordings may be searched and retrieved instantly. For their part, the recorders feature a pre-event ‘capture’ that enables video images prior to an incident to be retained at real-time rates.

The capital costs invested in the security infrastructure have realised immediate returns in the form of reduced false insurance claims, dwindling rectification costs associated with acts of vandalism, reduced costs associated with the non-availability of services due to incident-associated disruptions and falling insurance premiums (mainly because of the risk reduction associated with an enhanced security capability).

The move to mobile

The Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA) in the States provides transportation services to seven counties, including the city of Rochester, New York, and moves an estimated 50,000 customers per day. Of late, it has begun equipping its fleet of 400-plus buses with mobile digital video recording systems, helping to create a safer and more stress-free environment for passengers and drivers alike.

Importantly, video surveillance limits the Authority’s exposure to liability claims. With 5000 Series DVRs supplied by March Networks recording video from cameras inside and outside its buses, the RGRTA is able to produce evidence to defend itself against claims relating to traffic accidents and ‘slip-and-fall’. As RGRTA chief executive Mark Aesch rightly states: “In an accident you can have 12 people on a bus, but 200 people reporting a sore neck.”

Image storage is a key issue. Prior to the acquisition of the March systems, the typical security configuration on RGRTA buses consisted of four cameras recording inside the bus and two positioned to record outside – one at the passenger entry point capturing video along the side of the bus and the other positioned to capture a view of the road ahead. Now, a seventh camera has been added to record the driver side of the vehicle. Again, this means added value for the end user. Estimates suggest that 70% of accidents involving RGRTA buses are caused by other vehicles hitting them. Proof of that is vital in Court.

Video from the buses is automatically downloaded as they enter a wireless ‘hot spot’ set up at the Authority’s service building. The transfer of video occurs as the fare box is emptied and the buses are cleaned and refuelled. There is little or no impact on fleet scheduling and vehicle availability.

For the RGRTA application, all video is linked to its GPS such that video being viewed is associated directly with the physical location of the bus at any point in time. From a liability perspective that is a huge step forward, it must be said.

An eye on safety

Southern Trains’ brand new Security and Customer Services Centre was recently opened by Ian Brown, managing director of Transport for London (TfL) (London Rail). Based at Streatham Hill Station in South London, the facility is part of a significant £3.1 million, two-phase security and safety upgrade financed by TfL and Southern Trains. In addition to the installation of extra surveillance cameras, the project also includes environmental improvements such as anti-vandal shelters, canopy lighting and customer signage.

Phase One of the project involves 38 Southern Trains Stations within the Greater London region, all of which have seen their surveillance systems upgraded. There is now enhanced monitoring of ticket halls, barriers, underpasses and platforms, plus external car parks and parking bays. In total, 283 additional cameras have been installed, 15 of which are PTZ domes. There are 21 new cameras serving Norwood Junction Station, an additional 15 at Balham, seven more at Sydenham and another six at New Cross Gate.

Operators staffing the Streatham Hill Control Centre are linked to the Station Help Points that are fully-integrated with the CCTV cameras. These are fitted with induction loops to assist those with hearing problems. Meanwhile, fibre optic links to each of the stations involve a recorded path that feeds back camera images to the Control Centre and straight in to DVRs. A separate selectable path enables the operators to choose real-time pictures from cameras at each station at any one time.

To complete the surveillance project, Davco – the specialist rail consultancy – is overseeing the linking-up of extra cameras at a further 12 Southern Trains Stations. Seven additional Stations will also be monitored from Streatham.

Crucial to the Control Centre is a bespoke range of command and control consoles provided by Winsted. There are ten in all, each specifically designed for use with flat screen monitors. Four of the Davco-specified consoles are now used for CCTV surveillance, with the rest split between operators who handle customer service enquiries plus a variety of other administration duties.

The Southern Trains upgrade provides ample evidence of TfL’s commitment to an overground network. That network aims to encourage passengers to make more use of the Capital’s off-peak train services and promote consistent standards for service frequency, passenger information and, of course, station security.