Michael Kilby

Systems & Rolling Stock

Manager
Fireworthiness
an Integrated Solution
11th March 2009

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Crossrail Route
28 existing surface stations upgraded
(11 major reconstructions)

90km of existing surface network

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Central Section
21 km of new sub-surface twin-bore railway
through London
8 sub-surface stations

5 additional shafts for ventilation, intervention, escape

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Systems & Rolling Stock

A mainline train fleet allowing 58 peak-period trainset diagrams

Initially 200m long trainsets 10 carriages each with three sets of doors
1,500 passengers per train at peak times
Capability to expand to 12-car operation, 30 trains per hour

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Programme
Key Dates :
2008 Royal Assent
2009 Enabling Works Start
2010 Tunnelling Starts
2014 Systems Fit-Out
2015 Trains in service on
surface routes
2017 Tunnel opens

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

An Integrated Approach

New Trains on New Infrastructure an opportunity for a whole

system approach
Robustness Reliability Redundancy
Systems design philosophy is to avoid incident train being stranded
in the tunnels i.e. keeping trains moving so that incidents can be
managed in stations (Signalling -Traction Power Supplies - FireResistant Rolling Stock Operational Procedures)
Operational Procedures and Practices scenarios identified through
desk-top exercise workshops
Fire prevention
Incident management
Evacuation procedures
Ventilation Control
Formal Qualitative Design Reviews
Using System Engineering to optimising safety and performance.
delivering a world-class, affordable railway

System Constraints
High Passenger Volumes 36,000pphpd at opening.
24-30 trains/hour on core section 90 second
headways.
Evacuation into tunnel should be always used as a last
resort.
Tunnel ventilation has multiple functions e.g. Smoke
management, temperature control and maintenance
operations.
System alignment constraint by bill powers.
Trains Weight must be managed for energy, noise,
track-wear and performance reasons
Interaction with London Underground at core stations
delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Existing station
layout

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Proposed station
layout

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Rolling Stock
Standards-based Approach
Adoption of Standards gives
A test of reasonableness
A frame of reference for suppliers
Objective criteria for approvals bodies
EN/TS45545
Safety in Railway Tunnels TSI now law
Conventional Rolling Stock TSI now draft;
expected in law by 2010
delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Rolling Stock
Source of Risk

Life-threatening train fires due to purely technical causes in UK are

rare especially on electric trains
Taunton Sleeping Car 1978 linen stacked by heater CO poisoning
Huntingdon 1951- hot coal ignited train underframe
Beattock 1950 cigarette ignited litter

But fire events may cause panic, and resulting injury and loss of
life from secondary incident
Maidenhead 1995 fuel tank broke away passenger jumped out

Arson and negligence must always be considered

Terrorism bombs less of a risk in respect of fire than introduction
of accelerants (petrol etc.)

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Lessons from the past

Inquiry into 1951 Huntingdon accident
highlights key issues (no fatalities but
passengers injured escaping from vehicle), all
still relevant today
Failure to respond quickly
Inadequate communication methods
Fire extinguisher did not work
Flammable materials
Limited means of safe escape
delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Rolling Stock
Technical Philosophy
Fire resistant materials
Train architecture running capability avoidance of
immobilising single-point failure and protection of train
bus cabling
Smoke detection optical techniques now available
Management of HVAC system on train
Communications CCTV link to control centre aids
appropriate response
Interior design no luggage stacks or litter traps, to limit
concentration of fire load
delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Rolling Stock
Technical Details
HVAC control of air flows including limitation of
air intake from outside
HVAC restricted functionality for 30 minutes on
stand-by power
Emergency Lighting 90 minutes operation
Communications GSM-R radio

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Rolling Stock
Open Wide Gangway

Open
Wide

=
=

Gangway =

No inter vehicle door

1600mm width, Full
Height
throughway between
vehicles.

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Rolling Stock

Open Wide Gangways Risk or Opportunity?

Passengers self evacuate easily from seat of fire

Fire-resistant construction limits spread of fire
Ventilation management slows spread of smoke
Running capability allows train to reach next station
Wide doorways enable fast egress at station
Acceptable at 8.8 MW fire event in single car
Smoke propagation risk

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Rolling Stock
High Level Overview
Fire Performance.

Fire safety standards are subject to change.

BS6853 1b
Railway Group Standard GM/RT2130
TSI Safety in Tunnels and the emerging Conventional
Rolling Stock TSI

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Rolling Stock
High Level Overview
Fire Performance continued

Review suggests that Crossrail may be able to adopt OWGs due to

distance between stations (less 5km).
Ongoing review based upon evacuate at stations.
Train designed to keep going.
Typical distances between Central section stations are between 1 and
2km.
Normal section run times 1 to 2 minutes.

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Ventilation Requirements

Pressure Relief
Ventilation (UPE)
Cooling of stationary trains
Smoke control

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Pressure Relief
Normal operations
Pressure relief ducts connect tunnels to open air
Train movement forces air exchange

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Ventilation Under Platform Extract

Warm air extracted from below train by tunnel
ventilation system
Cool make-up air is drawn into tunnels down
the pressure relief ducts

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Under Platform Extract

4 m2 duct area under each

platform

Served by tunnel ventilation

fans

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Cooling of
Stationary Trains
Tunnel ventilation fans at adjacent shafts operate in
supply and extract to force cool air over the trains.
This ventilation configuration is also used for tunnel
maintenance operations

Train

Ventilation section

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

SMOKE CONTROL
Platform Fire
Over platform smoke extract removes smoke.
Make-up air drawn down escalator barrels.

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Smoke Control
Train Fire in Station
TUNNEL
EMERGENCY
VENTILATION

PLATFORM
SMOKE EXTRACT
PLATFORM
SCREEN
DOORS

MAKE UP AIRFLOW
MAINTAINS ADITS
AND ESCALATORS
SMOKE FREE

EVACUATION
ROUTE

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Smoke Control
Train Fire in Tunnel
EVACUATION
ROUTE

STATION

CROSS
PASSAGES

STATION

DIRECTION OF AIRFLOW
TUNNEL VENTILATION FAN

TRAIN
AVAILABLE
FOR RESCUE

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Assumptions
Rolling stock;
Design train fire heat release rate 8.8 MW
Fully receptive OHL System
Open gangways proposed
Operational;
Max 2 trains per ventilation section
Preferred intervention & evacuation via nonincident tunnel

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

System Operation
Tunnel ventilation system is controlled from
Route Control Centre
Automatic control for cooling with manual
override facility
Operator initiates emergency ventilation
by identifying incident train location to
system
Operator initiates maintenance ventilation
by identifying the ventilation section(s)
Fires within stations, including on platform, are
managed locally
delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Stations Features

Fire Precautions (sub-Surface

Railway Stations) Regulations
1989 will apply
Full-Height Platform Edge
Doors
Fire Main
Fire Suppression in equipment
rooms subject to risk
assessment
UPS stand-by power to LUL
standards
Fire-fighting lifts usable for
PRM evacuation
Dedicated escape routes at
station ends.

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

H&C

NR

Bakerloo line

D&C

TV and Escape core

Concourse
Platform
TV and Escape core

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Evacuation and
Incident Management
Control the incident, dont let it control you
Command and Control Structure
Defined Staffing Levels at Stations and RCC
Procedures do not rely on train drivers
Training and Competency of Staff
Simulator facility
Standardised Responses
System Capability Smoke Control
delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Evacuation in Station
Future requirement is to manage 2060 persons on a
12-car train
Maximum running time between stations 3 minutes
ATO will be programmed to drive train to next
station if track clear manual overrides will permit
line of sight driving if necessary
Need to avoid transferring problem from train to
station ventilation management critical
Manage/evacuate persons already on station
Contingency for non-alignment with Platform Edge
Doors
delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Evacuation in Tunnel

If train immobilised includes non-fire scenarios

Side access walkway
Lighting and Signage
Tunnel cross-passages at nominally 500m
intervals
Non-incident tunnel is the preferred evacuation
route shafts not ideal
Rescue train may be positioned in other tunnel
PRMs are being taken in to account
delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Tunnel Profile

delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Operations & Maintenance

Litter Management stations and trains
Monitoring for anti-social behaviour
Technical Maintenance
Leaf litter build-up to be managed
Fluid leakage
Cleaning of Ventilation Systems (passenger
and technical areas)
Staff Training
Awareness and Maintenance of Competency
delivering a world-class, affordable railway

Summary : the Optimal Balance

Fire safety is part of overall Safety Management
System for Crossrail
Extensive consultation with LFEPA
An integrated approach between train, systems,
stations, and the appropriate ventilation systems
Solutions based on established standards and
industry methodology
A world class railway with global suppliers using
globally recognised technology and safety
practices
delivering a world-class, affordable railway

a world-class,
affordable railway
delivered through
effective partnerships
and project excellence

delivering a world-class, affordable railway