Double triumph for Tube Lines safety invention

Tube Lines’ P-CRID invention is HSBC Rail Business and London Transport Awards winner

Tube Lines, the Canary Wharf based company which is rebuilding the Tube’s busiest lines, last night won two awards for its permanent current rail indicator device (P-CRID) developed by its own engineers to boost the safe working of more than 5,000 Tube track workers each night.  Tube Lines scooped the award for Rail Safety and Security Excellence of the Year awarded by HSBC Rail Business and for the second year running won London Transport’s Technology award.

Tube Lines developed the P-CRID – a trackside fixture that lets engineers working on the Underground know when the live rail is turned off from a place of safety – to enhance the safety of all its track engineers. The team behind this groundbreaking device designed, built, assured, and commenced installation within just 12 months – a timeframe unheard of in the rail industry for such a major improvement.  Tube Lines has completed the installation and commissioning of its patented P-CRID across its three lines at 555 track locations.

Not only does this innovation provide improved safety conditions for Underground work teams but it also delivers faster track access and is simpler to maintain.  For example, the original hand-held device can easily be damaged and needs to be overhauled each year, whereas the new P-CRID requires minimal maintenance.  The device has a design life of over 25 years and the battery only needs to be replaced every two years.

Terry Morgan, Tube Lines’ Chief Executive said:

 “I am extremely proud that our P-CRID safety invention has been recognised by two prestigious awarding bodies and I am particularly proud of the team behind this groundbreaking innovation. They challenged traditional methods of working to drive through improvements in safety and performance. Our business is all about ensuring the safety of staff and passengers at all times and this technological innovation really does represent a huge step-change improvement in the way engineers on the Tube are protected.”     

The HSBC Rail Business Awards were open to any company connected with the UK passenger and freight rail industry. They recognise and reward excellence in business, technology and engineering, in safety and security, in stations and trains, in creativity and in individual achievement. The London Transport awards celebrate excellence in London’s transport industry.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:
Press office, Tube Lines: 020 7088 4848 / 07843 551 589

Notes to Editors

1. Tube Lines is responsible for the maintenance and upgrade of the infrastructure on the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines. London Underground is responsible for operating the Underground, for employing drivers and station staff, for ticketing and fares, and for the Tube’s safety regime.
2. The Tube Lines consortium consists of two shareholders – Amey and Bechtel. They bring together some of the most experienced providers of business services with specialist skills in the rail industry, including track and signal renewals, plus project and operational management. They are providing some of the best project and operational managers from around the world to work on the modernisation of the Tube system. Amey owns two-thirds of Tube Lines’ business and Bechtel one third.

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