Railway CCTV Installation at Newbury Racecourse Station

TDM was contracted by Great Western Railway in 2022 to carry out a full railway CCTV installation at Newbury Racecourse station. This three-platform station had previously lacked surveillance coverage for new Ticket Vending Machines and general monitoring during racecourse events. The project required working within a complex live railway environment featuring Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) and unique infrastructure challenges, with primary services fed to the central island platform.

The project required working within a complex railway environment featuring Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) and unique infrastructure challenges, with primary services fed to the central island platform.

Railway CCTV Installation: Key Challenges

Heavy equipment handling: 200kg+ external cabinet requiring transport via the station footbridge
Working at height: Cable installation on external footbridge containment routes
OLE hazards: Working above Overhead Line Equipment within exclusion zones (“9 foot”)
Track bed access: Erecting a non-conductive access tower within railway infrastructure (“4 foot”)
Infrastructure protection: Compliance with Network Rail’s strict cable containment regulations
Public safety: Minimising passenger interaction risks during installation

Objectives

Install the primary external SISS equipment cabinet on Platform 1
Install node cabinets on the outside platforms (Platforms 2 & 3)
Provide CCTV coverage for the new Ticket Vending Machines
Enable general surveillance for racecourse events
Establish fibre cabling interconnectivity between SISS nodes
Ensure complete safety compliance within an active railway environment
Protect both the public and staff throughout all installation activities

Process

To ensure safe and compliant delivery of the railway CCTV installation, TDM took a proactive approach to planning and risk management from the outset:

Renewed manual handling training for all operatives before project commencement
Provided specialised training for powered stair climber equipment usage
Engaged Network Rail Asset Protection (ASPRO) for a Basic Asset Protection Agreement (BAPA)
Collaborated with PRB Consulting for track possession planning and OLE isolation coordination
Arranged track possessions with complete OLE isolations for safe working conditions
Developed comprehensive Safe Work Pack (SWP) documentation
Deployed qualified safety personnel including a Controller of Site Safety (COSS)

Solutions: Hierarchy of Safety Implementation

Elimination: Removed train movement and traction current hazards via track possessions and OLE isolations
Substitution: Not applicable for required equipment positioning
Engineering Controls: Scheduled work outside normal hours to isolate passengers from hazards
Administrative Controls: Updated training programmes, BAPA compliance, PASMA certification for access tower work
PPE: Full protective equipment including safety boots, gloves, helmets, eye/ear protection, and high-visibility clothing

Benefits

Infrastructure protection: No impact on rail services or disruption following track possessions
Successful delivery: All project objectives met within safety compliance requirements
Process improvement: Best practices integrated into TDM’s standard operating procedures
Enhanced capabilities: Demonstrated competency in complex railway environments including OLE isolation procedures

Conclusion

The Newbury Racecourse railway CCTV installation exemplified successful safety management through comprehensive risk assessment and hierarchy of safety implementation. TDM’s proactive approach to training, regulatory compliance, and safety planning resulted in flawless project execution.

The experience enhanced our organisational capabilities and established proven methodologies for future railway infrastructure projects, demonstrating TDM’s competency in managing complex technical installations within active railway environments whilst maintaining absolute safety standards.