Much of South West Trains’ (SWT) rolling stock is kept at a rail depot at Farnham, in Surrey.
There carriages get cleaned and prepared. However, recently it had become more difficult to maintain standards of maintenance, because of acts of petty vandalism targeted at trains, mainly under darkness. Following an internal security review of the facility by SWT managers and prompted by the company’s commitment to CCTV in stations and on trains, it was decided CCTV would be the most effective way of protecting the company’s sizeable investment – to maintain the quality and safety of rolling stock.
After an external tender, on the submission of what the train operator called "a very competitive all-round tender", Quadrant Security Group’s Integrated Systems Division (formerly Quadrant Video Systems plc) was awarded the installation contract. Their specification provided not only a security device but also a site management, and health and safety, tool. Camera positions and specifications were chosen by Faber Maunsell in consultation with South West Trains, for the minimum number of cameras to be used to cover the whole site. Panasonic vandal-proof WV-CW 864 PTZ dome cameras were chosen to monitor outdoors, due to their auto-switching low-light imaging performance. Panasonic WV-CW370 cameras also monitor the railway sidings, and the train shed entrance and exit points.
Integrated into the system are 48 passive infra-red PIR detectors, which detect any movement in the security, and health and safety, sensitive main gantry track area, and entrance and exit points to the train shed. CCTV and movement detection generaties alarm triggers and corresponding camera pre-set positioning commands, to automatically move a camera to a pre determined point to record any events.
Due to the site high-voltage cabling, Quadrant provided a fibre optic backbone to transmit images to the depot’s admin building, where cameras are controlled by a Panasonic WV-CU650 system controller, with images viewed on 17-inch JVC monitors. Two Panasonic WJ-HD316 digital recorders are linked to the depot’s ADSL network for any remote interrogation of the system.
Completed in November 2005, the system is already providing a deterrent to vandals who have the potential to threaten smooth running of SWT services. With the installation of the system, instances of trespass and vandalism can be monitored and dealt with to prevent any security or health and safety issues arising. By day, SWT staff monitor the main gate, while the system automatically archives activity from all the cameras to hard disk recording, where it can be burnt to CD ROM should any off-site video footage be required. This has negated the need for extra security staff to patrol the rail depot and has helped to reduce the site’s running costs.
What they say
Lara Fermor, Safety Quality and Assurance Manager for Stagecoach Rail says: "Quadrant and Faber Maunsell liaised heavily with South West Trains to equip the Farnham rail depot with a high-tech and efficient solution to its security needs. It provides South West Trains’ administration with an efficient management and security tool, whist helping to protect the company’s property and therefore continue to provide our customers with a consistently high quality of service."
