Northern makes ‘one giant leap’ for rail safety

Technology made famous by NASA is among the software being installed by Northern from this month, to make journeys safer and more efficient.

The train operator is installing light detection and radar (LIDAR) scanning technology on its fleet of 345 trains.

Horizon-scanning cameras can spot infrastructure defects, environmental threats and maintenance issues. The trainmounted cameras use the same LIDAR process as used by meteorologists to measure clouds and pollution, and which was famously used by NASA to map the surface of the moon.

Thermal-imaging systems will also be deployed to monitor passenger loads and to provide accurate information to agencies in the event of an emergency.

Northern is also connecting its on-board CCTV with British Transport Police (BTP) systems, to enable officers to see live, highdefinition footage on-board trains.

Benefits of the new technology include:

Trains being able to detect track irregularities as they pass over them and automatically send GPS co-ordinates to maintenance teams.

External cameras scanning tunnel roofs for loose bricks, so they can be flagged with infrastructure teams before they become a danger.

Sensors able to spot energysaving opportunities, such as station lighting being left on during daytime, as trains travel through platforms.

Security incidents and threats to public safety being monitored in real time by BTP.

“This is the beginning of ‘Intelligent Trains’. Our fleet won’t just travel the network, they will actively monitor and report back on issues that could have an impact on our operation,” said Northern Managing Director Nick Donovan.

“We are sharing details of this new software with other train operators. The result will be greater efficiencies for resource allocation, faster responses for maintenance, and an overall smarter - and safer way of working.”