The rail industry’s first Virtual Worksite Marker Board (VWSMB) trial
Background
As a champion of innovative technology, Siemens Mobility actively seeks innovative solutions to improve the safety and efficiency of their rail projects. This drive for innovation led Siemens to become the first company to trial Tended’s Virtual Worksite Marker Boards (VWSMB) solution. Part of the East Coast Digital Project (ECDP) with Network Rail, this trial look place across a 30+ mile worksite spanning the East Coast Mainline and replaced physical worksite marker boards with Tended’s system to create virtual boundaries onsite.
Solution
The goals of this trial were to evidence how VWSMBs and Tended’s system as a whole can help to:
Streamline worksite setup and handback processes to enhance efficiency.
Reduce reliance on physical WSMBs and associated personnel to improve safety.
Improve visibility of on-track plant (OTP) for the Engineering Supervisor (ES).
Reduce operational disruption and passenger impact during crucial works, minimising costs.
The rail industry’s first ever VWSMB trial took place as part of the £1.4bn East Coast Digital Programme
Siemens, in collaboration with Network Rail, implemented VWSMBs to digitally demarcate worksite limits using geofencing devices and in-cab alerts.
Virtual boundaries were mapped out on Tended’s Dashboard to replace physical marker boards.
All OTP, including Network Rail Works Delivery vehicles, were equipped with geofencing devices.
The in-cab geofencing devices would notify the driver when they approached the worksite limits via audible and visual alerts.
On the Dashboard, the ES could also monitor OTP movements and be notified if they approached worksite limits so that they can take appropriate action.
Results
The trial delivered measurable operational, financial, and safety benefits:
Time savings: Eliminating physical WSMBs meant the worksite could be started and stopped at the click of a button, saving approximately 50 minutes.
Staff efficiency: Five Engineering Supervisor Assistant (ESA) staff were reassigned to other tasks, generating additional productivity and £2,250 in cost savings.
Safety improvements: Removing physical WSMBs reduced exposure to potential hazards and eliminated the risk of incorrect placement or non-removal.
Operational visibility: The ES gained full visibility of all OTP, reducing the need for multiple phone calls by at least 20.
Minimised service disruption: During the trial, a third-party delay could have caused a 43–68 minute possession overrun. With VWSMB, the overrun was limited to 18 minutes, saving an estimated £65k.
Financial impact: Overall, Network Rail estimated a minimum saving of £130k due to reduced overrun times.
Stephen Armitage, Lead Possession Planning Engineer at Siemens Mobility said: “What using virtual worksite marker boards has enabled us to do is set up the worksite protection with the click of a button. We haven’t had to send out assistance to five different locations to go and put out marker boards which has obviously saved time, enabled us to set up the site quickly, and it’s also reduced the amount of people that have to go out on track and potentially in harm’s way.”
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