Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

Tender description

Network Rail undertakes surveys for a wide range of purposes using a variety of technologies both for capturing data and for processing it. In doing so it is key that the right data is captured in the most efficient and safe manner. This includes reducing to a minimum the requirement for personnel to access the trackside in order to carry out survey activities. Within the Network Services Directorate, the Signalling Innovations Group (SIG) undertake surveys on behalf of customers within various parts of Network Rail primarily utilising trainborne equipment on both specialist and general (in service) rolling stock. These surveys capture data for: — supporting the planning, design, development, commissioning and handback of works; — planning and undertaking management/maintenance of the asset; and — supporting the ongoing development of tools and capabilities within the SIG tool development portfolio. In order to continue to deliver these services to our internal customers SIG are seekin Surveys will take place using equipment fitted to trains (such as SIG tail-light camera and laser positioning cameras) which will assist with various railway engineering tasks such as signal sighting to help determine signal visibility for drivers which could in turn lead to them passing signals at danger (SPAD), the generation of asset inventories, cab rides activities and engineering measurements. Any solution shall include but not be limited to: — delivery of positioned images/laser data and the generation of asset information (inventories, measurements, etc. in accordance to ‘GRD016 Signal Asset Data Specification’ and other standards such as ‘L1 Geospatial Referencing Standard RT/CE/C/008/022N — Civils Land and Trackwork Surveys’; and ‘NR/L2/TRK/3100 — Topographic, engineering, land and measured building surveying’); — recording and post-processing of data captured complying to Network Rail and Rail Industry standards. General survey works include: — project mobilisation (vehicle installation complying with applicable GB railway safety procedures and engineering standards), — delivery of video/laser data, — delivery of asset data, — measurement (fouling point for example) and quality control. Part 1 of the requirement will be for data capture, this will be for both rapidly deployable systems and high-grade systems. High Grade systems in the past have included dedicated vehicles with equipment attached whereas lower grade but rapidly and cost-effectively deployable systems have included the likes of the SIG tail-light camera. Capture will need to be referenced back to Network Rail GRD016 for asset types. Accuracy of trainborne surveys must use a metric measurement system for all assets, to a minimum level of accuracy of +/- 1 metre referring to L1 Geospatial Referencing Standard. Enhanced positioning focuses on the development and application of techniques to improve accuracy and location of laser and video surveys. This shall be predominantly from trainborne systems but may also include (for example) alternative satellite systems, video odometry and quantum positioning. This explicitly does not include any manual (‘boots on ballast’) survey works including rail-mounted equipment that must be operated by hand and/or at low speed in possessions, manned and unmanned aerial vehicle survey techniques (which are subject to separate arrangements within Network Rail), etc. In order to continue to drive forward improvements in safety and performance we cannot allow for systems which typically rely on possession of the line; or which will put ‘boots on ballast’. Simple systems using GPS alone are subject to drift and loss of satellite lock, especially when train-mounted which restricts the field of view. Other systems rely on high cost solutions to achieve accuracy within a variety of ranges which do not necessarily meeting the requirements of all end users. Such systems also require additional post processing which adds time and cost. Part 2 will cover the processing of the data. Data must be available to Network Rail in an open/commonly available format such as (but not limited to) POD, LAZ, GPS, GPX, MP4 and H.264/5 — such formats are required to be available either as the output of a specific survey commission or through provision to Network Rail of the capability to undertake the necessary processing internally. In particular the requirement is for data to be imported into (unspecified) downstream processing systems that are equally capable of reading open formats, without tie-in to a specific vendor’s downstream processing and analysis systems. Such systems may only form part of an interim solution where Network Rail does not yet have fully developed data management and processing systems in place. Part 3 will cover the distribution of data back to Network Rail. Technical limitations have previously resulted in physical transportation of storage hardware to distribute the data; it has been deemed necessary for efficiency that the use