Client – Siemens Mobility Limited

Location – Carstairs, South Lanarkshire, UK

Duration – 2 Years

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SCOPE OF WORKS

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Carstairs Junction is located on the West Coast Mainline (WCM2), originally opened in 1848 and later electrified in 1974.  It serves cross-border passenger and freight services, as well as cross-country services between Edinburgh and Carstairs via the Carstairs-Edinburgh (ECA) line.

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The Junction is home to Carstairs Station and facilitates the splitting and joining of the overnight sleeper service between Glasgow/Edinburgh and London.  Carstairs junction is also adjacent to the Carstairs Maintenance Delivery Unit (MDU), providing engineering access for machines and plant to the mainline.

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The core scope of the Carstairs Modernisation Project includes the following:

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Carstairs PSP

• The Carstairs Junction Power Supply Point (PSP) consists of a 15m, two-room container housing 650V/400V distribution switchgear.

• To supply the six number 650V feeders, eight transformers were installed, providing two backup units for redundancy.

• The primary power source at the site is traction supply, supported by twin 160kVA traction UPS units, ensuring contingency in case of failure. The second UPS unit is housed in a separate standalone container to serve as an emergency power source in the event of a catastrophic failure in the main building.

• The PSP is monitored by a Tri Controls system, which includes the Bender RS4 Tier 1 insulation monitoring and fault location system—the first of its kind introduced to the rail network.

• A new GRP housing was installed for the 200kVA 25kV/400V ground-mounted auxiliary transformer, which provides traction power.

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Points Heating

• As part of the junction remodelling, multiple point heating renewals and alterations were carried out.

• Kent PHK installed four PHCC cubicles, along with associated track works and modifications to existing point heating and related power supplies. These renewals and alterations spanned the entire site footprint.

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ASP Installation

• The project included the installation of six ASP supply points, one for each of the 650V feeders.

• Each ASP was housed in a GRP enclosure and equipped with KG Switchgear.

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DNO Cabinets

• A total of eight DNO cabinets were supplied for the project.

• These cabinets, provided by KG Switchgear, were a mix of replacements for existing units and new installations to enhance power supply across the network.

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MOS Supplies

• Due to modifications and extensions to the Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) network, additional MOS power supplies were required.

• Kent PHK provided new 230V auxiliary supplies for 24 MOS locations, sourced from adjacent power sources.