South Western Railway (SWR), which is also part of DFTO, are also getting on board with the idea.
Similar cameras have now been fitted to a Class 450 Electric Multiple Unit, which now bears the name ‘Hotshot’.
The cameras, which have been funded by Angel Trains, have been fitted to the four-car unit and can pick up any track defects in frontline service and alert appropriate engineers to resolve the issue. This has the potential to reduce delays to other trains.
Hotshot has two cameras, one facing forward on the front of the train monitoring the running rails, and another one lower down, which records the condition of the third rail and the pick-up shoe gear, which draws power to operate the train.
While the idea of using Thermal Imaging Cameras to check the state of rails in Britain is not new, applying such cameras to regular passenger trains is becoming more commonplace.
As Hotshot travels across the South Western Railway Network, it will provide minute-by-minute information on the conditions of the rails.
Until now, the unit has been on a preliminary trial, where it has prevented 2,500 minutes of delays after detecting a track fault in the Ashtead area earlier in the summer.
‘Hotshot’ is about to commence a full 12-month trial right across the SWR network under the management of Angel trains working in collaboration with Network Rail, One Big Circle, dg8 design and Siemens.
If it’s successful, more Class 450 EMUs will also be fitted with similar cameras, allowing them to record more parts of the network at once as they go about their journeys in Surrey, Berkshire, Hampshire and Dorset.
“This Government is fundamentally reforming how our railways are run – creating a network that works better for the people and freight using it.
The cutting-edge technology that the integrated South Western Railway is trialling is key to achieving this and will serve as an example of the kinds of smart investments publicly owned rail companies can implement to improve services for passengers.
Upgrades like this will prevent disruption and reduce delays – supporting growth, jobs and homes as part of the Government’s plan deliver an efficient and reliable railway.”
Rail Minister Lord Hendy
“We’re proud to be supporting the introduction of this technology on passenger trains. Continuous monitoring of the infrastructure offers real value in helping deliver a more reliable railway for passengers. This has been made possible by working closely with our customers and suppliers to deliver a fully integrated solution.”
Barry Fox, Head of Product Management at Angel Trains
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