Telent has marked a key milestone in its nationwide upgrade of Network Rail’s SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems, with several sites now operational and the UK’s first successful test of its remote secure feature completed at Rugby.
At the Rugby site, Telent has finalised testing of the country’s first remote securing capability for electrical infrastructure on the West Coast Main Line. This innovative safety feature allows maintenance teams to use a mobile app to prevent the accidental re-energisation of track sections while work is ongoing. Once activated by the app, control rooms are unable to override the lock, enhancing protection for staff and eliminating the risk of miscommunication.
The remote securing system aims to increase safety for rail workers by ensuring traction power remains isolated until tasks are safely completed. Additionally, it helps maximise the time available for engineering works and reduces disruption to rail services. Following the successful test at Rugby, the system will now enter a formal trial phase before a broader rollout across the UK.
In parallel with the remote securing trial, Telent has deployed version 5.0 of its Traction Power Centralised Management System (TPCMS) software at Rugby, modernising the station’s control room infrastructure. This latest software version enhances the management of traction power and forms part of Network Rail’s broader transition to a single national SCADA platform.
Other SCADA updates
The upgrades at Rugby follow earlier SCADA updates at Selhurst, Brighton, and Canterbury since September 2024. At Selhurst and Canterbury, Telent implemented TPCMS v5.0 on newly improved infrastructure, replacing legacy technology that had reached end of life. At Brighton, the company introduced TPCMS v5.0 for the first time in a UK region not previously operating on a Telent system – marking a significant step forward in standardising Network Rail’s traction power control systems.
The Brighton deployment also demonstrated the effectiveness of Telent’s standalone delivery model, which enabled a faster and more efficient implementation process.
“The roll out of SCADA updates for Network Rail is continuing its significant momentum this year with several sites already live, and the feedback we’ve had on the technology implemented has been positive throughout,” said Tom Royds, Programme Manager at Telent. “The Rugby ECR controls assets from the West Midlands to North London and is one of the largest regions to come under TPCMS control since the programme started.
“Remote securing is a real game changer for the industry, ensuring people are safe when carrying out their vital work. This achievement also underscores the importance of enhancing security for rail workers by ensuring that traction power is always reliably and securely controlled. At Telent, safety is at the core of everything we do, and this project demonstrates our dedication to putting technology to work for the benefit of the entire rail community.”
Network Rail welcomed the progress, with Giles Chilton, Programme Manager at Network Rail, commenting: “This achievement marks a pivotal moment in our project to develop and trial ‘remote securing,’ and it is the culmination of years of dedicated work by Network Rail and our suppliers, Codra, Ematics, and Telent. This milestone paves the way for us to commence the on-infrastructure trial this spring, bringing us one step closer to revolutionising the way we manage and secure our electrical infrastructure.”
The SCADA programme is part of Network Rail’s efforts to replace outdated systems with a unified national platform to manage traction power and electrical distribution more effectively. By integrating modernised systems like TPCMS v5.0 across the network, the project supports enhanced safety, efficiency, and service reliability on the UK’s railways.
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