Infrastructure Monitoring Overhead Line Measurement Services

The Infrastructure Monitoring Programme has engaged extensively with the route and regional engineering teams to understand their future requirements for measurement and monitoring of the Overhead Line.

Network Rail currently collects dynamic measurement data using a dedicated vehicle, which has a permanently fitted Instrumented Pantograph measurement system. This train is over 60 years old and unable to reach speeds over 90mph. Network Rail has also installed a permanently fitted Instrumented Pantograph measurement system on a Passenger Train that operates on the West Coast Mainline between London and Scotland.

It is recognised that there are now a broad range of systems that can remotely monitor OLE. To meet Network Rail’s current standard (NR/L2/ELP/27325), Network Rail would like to be able to collect data on overhead line assets using measurement systems that are temporarily fitted to Passenger Trains to increase the frequency and coverage of data currently being collected.