WALES AND BORDERS OPERATING STAFF ARE PIONEERING TMS AND PTL, RHODRI CLARK DISCOVERED ON A RECENT VISIT TO THE WALES RAILWAY OPERATING CENTRE
Network Rail’s Wales and Borders Route is not unusual in having invested in major resignalling over recent years. What sets it apart from other Routes is that it is the first to introduce the Passenger Time Lost (PTL) performance metric and also the first to use the Aramis Traffic Management System (TMS). The use of Global Positioning System (GPS) to record train positions is also proposed.
This year, the Core Valley Lines are due to transfer from Network Rail to the Welsh Government, as described in the following article (p60). This heralds a transfer of operational control and some staff. The Wales Railway Operating Centre (WROC) in Cardiff symbolises this period of rapid change. Workstations cover such distant areas as Shropshire, Cheshire and Denbighshire, as well as most of South Wales.
In the signalling room and the joint Transport for Wales Rail Services and Network Rail control room, staff appear to be thriving on adapting to change. They speak enthusiastically of the opportunities to improve the quality of service for passengers and freight customers.
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