2010 News Archive

2010 Archive

Switches and Crossings Advanced Tutorial Guide on Vampire® Website

We have published a new advanced tutorial guide in the members' area of our Vampire® website.

VAMPIRE® is DeltaRail's Vehicle Dynamics Simulation software that allows the user to build a dynamic model of any rail vehicle and study the response of the vehicle to real measured track geometry. Rail vehicles can be modelled with simulated instrumentation allowing almost any aspect of behaviour to be studied.

Switch and crossing performance is crucial to the safe operation of the railway, and is typically a significant contributor to the total number of track faults that develop. Accurate modelling is therefore essential to understand the behaviour of this trackwork.

The new guide introduces the features of switches and crossings and discusses how these features are modelled in VAMPIRE®.

DeltaRail Expands Signalling Control Tester Team

Since DeltaRail was formed in 2006 our signalling business turnover has grown by 70% and we now have a strong order book extending beyond 2011.

Our team of IRSE-licensed functional testers, principles testers and testers-in charge has therefore been increased significantly over the last 18 months to expand our testing capability to meet the new demand.

Signalling Control remains a strongly growing area for DeltaRail and we are investing in our next generation signalling control system "IECC Scalable" which will launch in 2011.

New Vehicle Dynamics Events from DeltaRail

DeltaRail is pleased to announce that it is holding two separate events for engineering professionals concerning Vehicle Dynamics and Vehicle Dynamics Modelling.

"An Introduction to Railway Vehicle Dynamics" is an intensive two (or optionally three) day course which is suitable for railway engineering professionals who are involved in the design, specification or maintenance of either traction and rolling stock, or railway track. It would also be beneficial to postgraduate students or researchers in the field of rail vehicle dynamics.

Location: Derby, UK
Date: 1-3 December 2010

DeltaRail's Annual VAMPIRE® User Day will cover the latest developments, modelling techniques, user experiences and future plans for the internationally renowned VAMPIRE® Pro software.

The VAMPIRE® Pro software allows the user to build a dynamic model of any rail vehicle and to investigate the response of that vehicle to real measured track geometry. VAMPIRE® Pro is unique in the way that it enables each stage of dynamic simulation to be undertaken accurately and efficiently. From a user's first encounter to undertaking complex dynamic analyses, VAMPIRE® Pro makes optimum use of expensive engineering manpower.

Location: Derby, UK
Date: Tuesday 30th November 2010

The user day is free of charge. We encourage all current and prospective customers to participate.

Further details of these events can be obtained, and bookings made, by sending an e-mail to DeltaRail Customer Services at: customerservices@deltarail.com

DeltaRail wins Edinburgh Glasgow Improvements Programme Contract

DeltaRail has been awarded a design and development contract from Network Rail in support of the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvements Programme (EGIP) project, as this £1bn programme to enhance rail services and infrastructure in Scotland's central belt gets under way.

EGIP which is being funded by Transport Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government, will make significant investment in the rail infrastructure linking Scotland’s two main cities, and the surrounding towns, enabling increased service levels and reduced journey times. With the new infrastructure financed through Network Rail’s Regulatory Asset Base, EGIP is expected to deliver a range of benefits by 2016 including a fastest journey time of 37 minutes on the main Edinburgh Waverley-Glasgow Queen Street route and increased service levels on all routes between the two cities from the current five or six services per hour to 13 services per hour.

Carillion, Amey Infrastructure and Atkins have also been awarded separate contracts for other EGIP projects.

ARS Enables Smooth Operation of Additional Services at Heathrow

Automatic Route Setting (ARS) assists the signaller by handling deviations from the timetable and conflicts for access to the track. The advanced decision-making strategies in ARS ensure that optimal routing decisions can be made, even under severely disrupted conditions.

Planning to run additional services through a busy section in the Heathrow area, Heathrow Express needed to make sure that any deviations from the new timetable would be handled efficiently. DeltaRail developed an improved ARS system for this situation and, despite the extremely tight timescales, successfully delivered the new service in time to handle the new timetable.

Significant disruption was managed by the ARS very soon after implementation and performed to specification.

ARS is a highly versatile subsystem of DeltaRail's Integrated Electronic Control Centre – IECC®. It is capable of automatically performing many of the standard activities undertaken by signallers and is now installed at 13 signalling centres throughout the UK.

Demonstration of DeltaRail's Flagship Scalable IECC Signalling Control Product

Roger Ford describes a recent visit to Signalling Solutions Ltd at Beeston. Extracts from the July edition of Modern Railways magazine are reproduced below:

"Completing the system is DeltaRail's Scalable IECC®. DeltaRail is, of course, the descendant of British Rail Research at Derby which, having created the world beating SSI, paired it with the Integrated Electronic Control Centre (IECC®) ­ the pioneering glass signalbox...

... In this context Scalable means that the IECC® will deliver the full IECC® functionality but is capable of operating down to a single workstation. SSL instances the ability to run two or three workstations during the day and scale down to a single workstation at night.

To minimise cost, Scalable IECC® uses commercial-off-the- shelf PC hardware with a duplicated configuration for reliability. The standard IECC® workstation is used with twin displays and a tracker ball for route setting and other on-screen functions.

Data preparation and testing processes have been optimised to exploit the standard signalling modules. But there is also scope for enhancement. For example BR Research also pioneered Automatic Route Setting (ARS), and this is an option for busier layouts.

Migration is an in-word in signalling today (over-lay is another). Scalable IECC® has a migration path for integration into larger control centres. These are emerging again in Network Rail's signalling policy. And naturally the system is compatible with the European standard systems, ERTMS/ETCS."

Ten Graduates Recruited to DeltaRail's Training Scheme

We are delighted to announce that ten graduates have been recruited this year to DeltaRail's Graduate Training Scheme.

The ambitious and talented new recruits were selected from over 200 applicants through assessments that comprised group exercises, technical aptitude tests and interviews. They have completed a formal training programme and are now deployed within project teams on the installation and upgrade of electronic control systems and working towards their first IRSE qualification.

Anna Matthews, DeltaRail's Chief Executive Officer, said "I welcome our new graduate recruits to DeltaRail and wish them every success in their future with us. Joining our Graduate Training Scheme will provide a challenging and rewarding start to their careers with one of the most progressive railway software and technology companies in the UK."

DeltaRail sponsors the IMechE Annual Seminar organised by Young Railway Engineers

DeltaRail Group Limited is delighted to sponsor this event for a fourth year.

This seminar explores the current strategies, projects and innovations that aim to transform our railways today, in order to meet the challenges of tomorrow. It will include all aspects of the railways from rolling stock to operations and management, delivered by industry professionals working directly within these areas.

This seminar is particularly applicable to new entrants to the industry. Further details and the brochure can be obtained from Amy Fitzgerald on 020 7973 1291 or e-mail: a_fitzgerald@imeche.org

Visit the IMechE website for this event »

CMC Limited is DeltaRail's New Solutions Partner in India

DeltaRail is pleased to announce that CMC Limited (http://www.cmcltd.com) is its new technology and solutions partner in India.

CMC Limited is committed to creating solutions for the core segments of Indian Industry using world class electronics and software technologies. As a significant player in the Indian rail industry CMC has worked closely with the Ministry of Rail, the Centre for Railway Information Systems and the Research Designs and Standards Organisation, delivering products and services to address the core needs of the railways.

John Fawcett, DeltaRail’s Sales Director said:

“We are delighted to be working with CMC as DeltaRail’s Certified Solutions Partner in India. They have an excellent track record of providing integrated hardware and software solutions to the rail industry. Working with CMC we will be able to provide local support for TracklineTwo, VAMPIRE and VIEW, as well as our other railway software and technology products, with our customers benefitting from the joint expertise of our two companies."

Dr. N Kamesh, CMC’s Alliance Manager for DeltaRail, and a well-known expert in railway automation systems said,

“With this relationship, CMC can provide solutions in a completely new area which was not addressed hitherto in Indian Railways. We are hopeful that these solutions will make a huge difference in the operations, safety and maintenance of track, as well as rolling stock. With the Indian Railways transport sector at a critical juncture of expansion, we are pleased to have a partner like DeltaRail which has an excellent blend of solutions catering to niche areas of the sector.”