TDM delivered a network-wide Help Point technology upgrade for SE Trains (SETL), following the BT analogue switch-off, which rendered a significant number of SETL’s ISDN-connected Help Points obsolete. TDM managed the full upgrade programme, from design and consents through to supply, installation, commissioning, and NIS system configuration. As a result, TDM brought SETL’s entire Help Point estate to current technology and a consistent set of components, on time and within budget.
TDM began with a detailed review of the mixed-technology estate across all SETL stations. First, the team scoped each site individually, determining whether it required 4G replacement, a 2G or 3G upgrade, or a VoIP software update. This site-by-site approach meant TDM could then sequence the programme efficiently and minimise network-wide Help Point downtime throughout.
Next, TDM phased the NIS server configuration at Puddle Dock KICC carefully, so that Help Points remained operational during the transition. In parallel, the team carried out enclosure replacements and vinyl overlay renewals, addressing SETL’s service quality regime findings within the same programme rather than as a separate workstream.
In addition, the accessibility repositioning works extended the programme across 74 stations in total. Phase one covered 58 Help Points at 32 stations and is now complete. Phase two, covering 52 Help Points at 42 stations, is currently in delivery. Throughout all works, TDM deployed qualified safety personnel, including a Controller of Site Safety (COSS), across all live rail sites.
TDM supplied and installed the following equipment across the SETL network:
TDM also upgraded and configured the NIS call management system at Puddle Dock KICC. Consequently, this brought SETL’s Help Point estate to a standardised internal component set, significantly simplifying ongoing maintenance across the network. Moreover, the accessibility repositioning programme, once complete, will bring the full estate into compliance with DfT Design Standards for Accessible Stations.
The SETL Help Point technology upgrade demonstrated TDM’s ability to coordinate a complex, multi-technology programme across a live rail network while minimising disruption to passengers. TDM managed ISDN, 2G, 3G, and VoIP upgrades simultaneously, meeting the BT analogue switch-off deadline without interruption to emergency communication services. Furthermore, TDM integrated service quality remediation and accessibility repositioning into the same programme, reflecting the company’s approach to long-term customer partnerships. The ongoing repositioning programme, now in its second phase, is a direct result of the trust built through consistent delivery over many years.
