Ilford Depot 2013 – 2017

As part of Crossrail’s £50m upgrade for Ilford Depot, TICS (via VolkerFitzpatrick Limited) was awarded the Design, Installation, Test and Commissioning of the Signalling Systems.

The Ilford Depot provides stabling for up to 12 trains from Crossrail rolling stock along the north-eastern section of the Crossrail network.

The main works included:

• Provision of 10 No new stabling sidings
• Provision of 2 No stabling / bypass roads
• Demolition of workshop B, the existing paint shop, mess building and Shunters Cabin
• A replacement paint shop and new Logistics and Stores building for Bombardier Transportation
• Crossrail accommodation building for CTOC staff and including a new depot control room
• Modification to Bombardier Transportation Workshop A to reinstate 2 rail lines, create a ‘swimming pool’ type maintenance area to roads 3, 4 and 5, extend roads 6 and 7 at the east end, install a new corrosion/welding booth, provide a new roof and side cladding
• Infrastructure upgrades, utilities connections and provision of traction power throughout via 25kV overhead lines.

The Ilford Depot
The works were carried out in six stages with TICS construction works in Stage 1 and Stage 6.

Stage 1 was split into two – Stage 1b was a minor alteration to two signals and Stage 1e was incorporation of the paint shop depot protection interface requirement with the existing signalling.

Stage 6 was carried out during a 3 ½ month blockade followed by a further 5 month of a PC Boundary environment to allow installation, pre-testing to be completed with the final commissioning undertaken during a single stage possession arrangement at the beginning of May 2017.

The main works consisted of new signal control and decommissioning of existing depot control, this included the following:

• New Route Relay Interlocking for the control of the new Crossrail stabling sidings within Ilford Yard Depot
• Provision of conventional control & Indication panel (Turn / Push) to allow the Depot Controller to set routes utilising the entrance / exit methodology
• Provision of interface controls between interlocking & ‘lockouts’ Depot protection system
• Provision of interface controls between new interlocking and Workshop ‘A’ (east) depot protection system
• Provision of indication of Workshop ‘A’ (west) Depot protection system
• Provision of indications of paint shop Depot protection system
• Transfer of Acceptance / Despatch controls from Shunters Cabin to Ilford depot control room
• Transfer of GAF workshop depot protection controls & indications from Shunters Cabin to Ilford depot control Room. (works undertaken and tested by Beck & Pollitzer)
• Provision of Power operated POE (Clamp locks) within Ilford Depot
• Provision of Ground Position Light signals (LED) within Ilford Depot
• Provision of Track Circuits (MVDC) within Ilford Depot
• Provision of TPWS at selected signals
• Provision of revised speed board signage within Ilford Depot
• Provision of Notice Boards within Ilford Depot

All works with the exception of LB Foster for the Panel installation were all carried out using our in house TICS Design, Installation and Testing resources, coupled with dedicated project manager this project has been a labour of love for many many years.

With a value in excess of £5m, this is quite an achievement for a specialist organisation like TICS.