40
the rail engineer • July 2013
Elementary,
My Dear Watson
L
ondon Underground is currently celebrating its 150th anniversary since steam trains first trundled down the line back in 1863. One of the original stations that opened on that first line was Baker Street. Currently handling over 27 million customers through the entry and exit gates each year, the station connects five lines - the Bakerloo, Circle, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee and Metropolitan lines - across ten platforms. While modern electrical systems generally consume less power than earlier equivalents, there are just so many more of them these days that power consumption has increased. More lights, ventilators, lifts, escalators, CCTV, signalling, public address, fire alarms, smoke detectors, and even Wi-Fi at some stations - it all adds up. And eventually the existing power supply will fail to cope.
More power, higher performance So now, Baker Street is receiving a welldeserved electrical upgrade. The Rail Engineer caught up with Martin Robertson, project manager for McNicholas, to take a look at what’s going on at Baker Street from an electrical point of view. Over the last 5 years, McNicholas has been working with TfL on other station upgrade projects; Vauxhall, Stockwell, and Bank amongst others. In addition, the company is involved in the diversion of multi-utilities -
gas, water, power and telecoms - associated with the new Crossrail stations at Bond Street, Farringdon, Liverpool Street and Whitechapel. McNicholas has been contracted to design, build, test and commission new electrical assets which have been identified by London Underground as being in need of upgrade or renewal. This will improve the overall performance of the systems and ensure the systems are sustainable for the foreseeable future. New replacement low voltage distribution panels will distribute the power to a large number of safety critical assets throughout the station, ensuring the station remains operational each and every day.
Shine a light LED lighting will be commissioned throughout the station to improve lighting levels whilst also increasing efficiency leading
to a reduction in energy consumption. There are over 1,000 lights to be replaced with the old ones being carefully removed and disposed of in accordance with regulations. Manufacturers suggest that LED lights are about five times more efficient than traditional fluorescent lighting plus they offer an increased lifespan, reducing the amount of maintenance required. There are significant quantities of these lights in awkward-to-access locations. With just four hours of work time available each night, McNicholas has engaged with specialist access companies to supply bespoke equipment for use on the track. New power supplies mean new cables, and cable management systems have been developed which not only separate and protect the supplies but also are sympathetic to the station’s Grade II listed status. The complexity of the project has necessitated meticulous planning. This can’t