In order to detect and prevent overheated axle bearings (and therefore preventing damage/failure to both rolling stock and infrastructure) Hot Axle Bearing Detectors are now in widespread use globally. Vertex was contracted by Network Rail to provide multidisciplinary Engineering Support Services for the introduction of two new Hot Axle Bearing Detector Systems. These systems replaced the existing equipment at over 200 locations. The project was completed across a period of 6 years, in order to reduce the impact of the renewals on network operation.
Vertex employed the following competencies during these works:
Vertex liaised with the equipment manufacturers in order to ensure that the standard documentation provided to Network Rail was as closely aligned to the Client’s requirements as possible. This avoided the need to re-write generic documentation to meet Network Rail standards and ensured consistency of appearance to staff.
A methodology was developed for the determination of a HABD (single or multiple) site location. This was tested and then offered as the common approach for the determination of HABD locations (new and existing). The process removed the possibility of duplication and rework of the same information for s presentation to separate parties and therefore a lower cost and more efficient delivery programme. Also, early in the project Vertex developed a template design package which enabled the project to progress rapidly for each subsequent site implementation. Lessons from the early commissionings were reflected in a revised template. This resulted in lower unit costs for the design to commissioning stages.