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European Rail Traffic Management System in Great Britain

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The European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) is an initiative backed by the European Union to enhance cross-border interoperability and the procurement of signalling equipment by creating a single Europe-wide standard for train control and command systems.

Its main components are the European Train Control System (ETCS) and the GSM-R communications system.[1] ETCS is a standard for track-train radio communications using balises (Eurobalises) and associated in-cab train control,[2] while GSM-R is the GSM mobile communications standard for railway operations. ERTMS can operate at different levels depending on specific local requirements.[3][4][Note 1] Under ERTMS speeds are displayed in the driver's cab in km/h and at Level 2, lineside speed indicators are optional.[5]

History

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In 2007 the British Government published its response to a European Union directive requiring the use of ERTMS on High Speed (TEN-R) and Conventional Trans-European Railway Network (TEN) routes.[6][7] The response proposed a roll-out plan of ERTMS equipment on existing lines that would be completed by 2044, though the actual timing of the programme will depend on changing circumstances. New trains would be ordered with ERTMS equipment on board and ERTMS would be installed during any electrification programs.[8] In 2009, the Rail Safety & Standards Board confirmed that km/h would be used on ERTMS lines in the United Kingdom.[9] With the ongoing introduction of ERTMS, it is foreseen that the metrication of British rail transport will be completed over the next few decades.[10]

The Uff/Cullen inquiry in 2001, following the Southall and Ladbroke Grove rail crashes, identified a need for in-cab signalling on high-speed trains, and recommended that ERTMS should be installed onto all of Britain's high-speed lines by the year 2010. However, this timescale was not viable because of the time required to develop the technology.[11]

Current implementation

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The Cambrian Line, a low volume 215 km (134 mi) rail link between Shrewsbury in the east and Aberystwyth and Pwllheli in the west, was chosen as Britain's first ERTMS line. This line was chosen as its signalling system had reached the end of its useful life, and because it is a low capacity line almost separate from the national network, making it an ideal site on which to gain ERTMS experience.[8][12] All speeds in the Cambrian Line Rule book are in km/h.[13][14]

Line Status / Date ERTMS level Notes
Cambrian Line[15] Live 2011 Level 2
Thameslink Core[16][17] Live Level 2 Automatic train operation (ATO) works on top of ECTS
Crossrail (Western section Heathrow to Great Western Mainline)[18][19] Live 2020 Level 2 ECTS overlay over existing signally planned Paddington to Airport Junction (i.e. where the Heathrow link leaves the Great Western Mainline)
Heathrow Express (Tunnel Section) Live 2020 Level 2 ETCS currently in operation in the tunnel section only. Expansion onto the mainline to Ealing Broadway is expected before the end of 2023
Northern City Line (Moorgate to ECML Finsbury Park)[20][21][22] Live 2024[23] Level 2 Connected to the larger ECML project above (trains using the Northern City Line run on to the ECML). Expected to be fully live by 2024, with the first revenue service running 27 November 2023.[24]
ECML South (Kings Cross to Peterborough)[25][26] Installation and testing (2030s) Level 2 Expected to be operational 'early 2030s'[27] Tranche 2 (Welwyn to Hitchin Overlay) July 2025

Tranche 4 (full roll-out) December 2029[23]

High Speed 2 Planned (2029–2033) Level 2

Metric and Imperial units

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A standard feature of the speedometers used by ERTMS/ETCS systems is the use of the metric system.[28] At a Railway Conference in 2002, it was argued that a changeover to using metric units for speed in advance of the introduction of ERTMS was unlikely to be financially viable unless the decision is taken to adopt Level 2 ERTMS without lineside signalling. There would however still be a need to handle both mph and km/h in driver cabs.[5] A 2010 voluntary standards document published by the Rail Safety & Standards Board addressed this issue when it recommended that the speedometer of a ETCS system be designed so that it switches automatically between mph and km/h depending on the route being traversed. The speedometer would display "mph" when the speedometer was displaying "miles per hour", otherwise would display nothing. Its graduations would be chosen such that the angle of the needle would not change when the system switched from one scale to the other. The conversion between metric and imperial units would be a function of the speedometer, not of any other on-board equipment.[29] In 2012 a technical specification matching this proposal was published.[30]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Three levels have been identified for ERTMS:
    • Level 1 – ERTMS is added to or overlaid on lineside signals and train detectors. Communication is via balises (Eurobalises) of an existing railway system.
    • Level 2 – ERTMS uses balises to communicate with the driver, thereby dispensing with lineside signalling equipment. The location of each block is fixed (as with traditional railway systems).
    • Level 3 – Level 3 is an enhancement on Level 2 whereby the block will move with the train.

References

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  1. ^ 'ERTMS in 10 questions,' "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-02-15. Retrieved 2016-02-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ "Trainguard – Full interoperability for European railways" (PDF). Braunschweig, Germany: Siemens. 2006. Retrieved 28 July 2012.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ Davies, David (February 2000). Automatic Train Protection for the Railway Network in Britain – A Study (PDF). Royal Academy of Engineering. pp. 73–74. ISBN 1871634881. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  4. ^ "ERTMS Levels – Different ERTMS/ETCS Application Levels to match Customers' needs" (PDF). UNIFE – the Association of the European Rail Industry. 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  5. ^ a b Porter, Derek (2002). Implementing ERTMS in the UK: Human Factor Implication for Train Drivers. International Railway Safety Conference. Retrieved 24 July 2012. It is unlikely to be financially viable to change all UK lineside signs to km/h (sic) unless the decision is taken to adopt Level 2 ERTMS without lineside signalling.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ "EC sets out ERTMS deployment deadlines". Railway Gazette International. 31 July 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  7. ^ Ilie, Elena (22 March 2012). "ETCS, an intermodality harmonization plus". Bucharest: Railway PRO. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
  8. ^ a b "ERTMS National Implementation Plan" (PDF). Department for Transport. September 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 23 July 2012. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  9. ^ "GE/RT8000/AM – ERTMS Rule Book – ERTMS Amendments module" (PDF) (1). Rail Safety & Standards Board. October 2009: 4, 5. Retrieved 30 July 2012. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)[permanent dead link]
  10. ^ "End of the line for the mile, the chain and the yard". Railnews. 1 October 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2013. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  11. ^ "European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS)". Office of Rail Regulation. 18 February 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  12. ^ Silvester, Katie (August 2011). "Display mode". Rail Professional. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  13. ^ "Incident at Llanbadarn Automatic Barrier Crossing (Locally Monitored), near Aberystwyth, 19 June 2011" (PDF). Accident Rail Report. Rail Accident Investigations Branch. June 2012. Figure 5 shows a 65 km/h speed restriction; Figure 10 shows a speedometer displaying 39 km/h with a 98 km/h hook. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
  14. ^ "Rule Book Briefing Leaflet – ERTMS Modules" (PDF). Rail Safety & Standards Board. June 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 10, 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2012. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  15. ^ "Development & Implementation of ETCS". www.networkrailconsulting.com. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
  16. ^ "THAMESLINK PUTTING ETCS TO WORK". www.modernrailways.com. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
  17. ^ "London Thameslink ETCS signalling". rail.ricardo.com. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
  18. ^ Anonymous (2019-02-14). "Crossrail Western Section Signalling". Mayor's Question Time. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
  19. ^ Kessell, Clive (2020-07-02). "Crossrail's Signalling Challenge". Rail Engineer. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
  20. ^ Mansfield, Ian (5 May 2022). "Signalling upgrade comes online on Great Northern line into Moorgate". www.ianvisits.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
  21. ^ "Moorgate line ETCS upgrade commissioned". www.modernrailways.com. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
  22. ^ "Network Rail starts ETCS testing on Northern City Line". Railpage. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
  23. ^ a b "Enhancements Delivery Plan England and Wales" (PDF). September 2023.
  24. ^ "ETCS goes live on Northern City line". www.modernrailways.com. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
  25. ^ Burroughs, David. "East Coast Main Line ETCS installation receives £1bn funding boost". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
  26. ^ "Government confirms digital go-ahead for East Coast Main Line | Railnews | Today's news for Tomorrow's railway". www.railnews.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
  27. ^ PA, Neil Lancefield; Walker, Tim (2022-06-29). "East Coast Main Line getting £1bn upgrade". YorkshireLive. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
  28. ^ Barrow, Alan (1 December 2007). "ABA Surveying Ltd – Getting the ERTMS project off to a flying start". Venture Online – the Magazine for Business Management. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2013. ABA have installed a system of permanent ground markers in pairs at nominal ten kilometre spacing
  29. ^ "Rail Industry Standard for Onboard ETCS" (PDF). 1. Rail Safety & Standards Board. 4 September 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2012. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  30. ^ "Guidance on ERTMS/ETCS DMI National Requirements" (PDF). Rail Safety & Standards Board. March 2012. Para 2.1.1. Retrieved 23 July 2012. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)[permanent dead link]
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