East Midlands Control Centre
Network Rail
Background
To deliver a safe, reliable and predictable train service with more effective management of disruptions, Network Rail commissioned a new, integrated control centre in the East Midlands. The UK's first ‘Super Control' centre co-locates Network Rail and Midland Mainline facilities to more closely align route control with passenger franchise operations.
It includes two control rooms which are critical to the efficient running of the railway in the region: an integrated control centre and a signals operations room. The signals operations room will eventually provide centralised signalling control from London to Sheffield. A phased migration plan over six years, in line with the re-signalling programme, began in 2008.
Project
CCD was instrumental in successfully delivering the first Super Control for the UK railway network.
Our design team undertook a uniquely broad remit in supporting the design and specification of this major new control centre, which is located in a three storey building that also accommodates support offices, meeting rooms, incident rooms and a training facility.
We were involved in:
- Control room design
- Interior design
- Furniture design
- Environmental performance specification
- Ergonomics integration plan
- Compliance testing: acoustics compliance; thermal compliance; ergonomics compliance
- Workload assessment
- Furniture procurement support
- Alarm management
- Risk register
- Issues log
Implementation
As well as working closely with Network Rail and systems suppliers Westinghouse on workstation and control room design, our designers were key members of the building design team, with a brief to ensure that all human factors requirements were embodied in the delivered facility.
Our approach to the building aesthetic, particularly the interior, was radical for such a facility. Of particular interest were the design compromises needed to balance a highly visual, fresh aesthetic with control room standards and operational requirements.
Outcomes
Network Rail's first Super Control was opened in Derby in 2008 by the Transport Secretary, Ruth Kelly.
The blend of design and ergonomics input by CCD was a key factor in its successful establishment.
"Above all, what has made this project tick and made more Network Rail senior managers take note of the success of the East Midlands Control Centre is the very detailed work and accuracy CCD has brought to the project. The project would have been extremely difficult without your dedicated work"
- Steve Taylor, Client Project Engineer
Find out more
Network Rail - www.networkrail.co.uk