Metrication of British transport
In the British railway industry metric units and distances are used on many new systems[citation needed] while most pre-existing systems have retained imperial units, especially for speed and distance. For the roads, fuel is sold by the litre with fuel consumption still generally being given as miles per gallon.
Background[edit]
By the late 1960s the British government agreed to facilitate on condition that the changeover was voluntary on a sector-by-sector basis, that costs would be absorbed where they fell and that there would be minimal legislation.[1] In some cases it was appropriate to use hard metrication and in other cases soft metrication – soft metrication being defined as "the conversion of ... non-SI measurements to equivalent SI units, within the established measurement tolerances. In general, 'soft metric' products will not differ physically from analogous [non-SI] products.[2]
Until 1969, when the Metrication Board was set up, the Royal Society and the British Standards Institution took the lead. When the Metrication Board was set up, much of the groundwork had been done, and metrication of many engineering sectors, including transport, was under way. From the early to mid-1970s, the lack of compulsion slowed the process of metrication, so a draft order was prepared to complete the process. The Government, which had a very small majority, chose not to proceed with the order.[3]
When Britain joined the European Economic Community in 1973, it was obliged to adapt local law to accommodate EEC directives that were in place.[4] By the late 1970s the British metrication programme had run out of steam and, at Britain's request, Directive 71/354/EEC was superseded by Directive 80/181/EEC, which among other things permitted the use of miles, yards, feet, inches and fathoms in the United Kingdom, and knots until 1989 (subsequently extended to 1994). As from 1 January 1990, the use of miles, yards, feet and inches was restricted to "Road traffic signs, distance and speed measurement[s]" only. The directive did not apply to areas of transport that were subject to governmental international agreements.
Road transport[edit]
Motor fuel has been retailed in litres in the UK since the 1980s and fuel consumption is still commonly quoted in miles per gallon.[5]
Rail transport[edit]
The main push towards using the metric system took place during the early 1970s.[7]
Railway operations[edit]
Changes in operational procedures have not always been synchronised with changes in technology – for example, in 2010 it was reported that drivers of freight trains operating on single track in the West Highlands had to report the lengths of their trains verbally to the signalling staff using feet even though the computer generated information available to the driver was in metres.[8][dead link]
Pan-European signalling systems[edit]
The European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) is an initiative backed by the European Union to enhance cross-border interoperability and the procurement of signalling equipment by creating a single Europe-wide standard for train control and command systems. Its main components are European Train Control System (ETCS) and GSM-R communications system.[10] ETCS is a standard for track-train radio communications using balises (Eurobalises) and associated in-cab train control[11] while GSM-R is the GSM mobile communications standard for railway operations. ERTMS can operate at different levels depending on specific local requirements.[12][13][Note 1] Under ERTMS speeds are displayed in the driver's cab in km/h and at Level 2, lineside speed indicators are optional.[14]
In 2007 the British Government published its response to a European Union directive[15][16] requiring the use of ERTMS on High Speed (TEN-R)and Conventional Trans-European Railway Network (TEN) routes. The response proposed a roll-out plan of ERTMS equipment on existing lines that would be completed by 2044 though the actual timing of the programme will depend on changing circumstances – new trains will be ordered with ERTMS equipment on board and ERTMS would be installed during any electrification programs.[17] In 2009, the Rail Safety and Standards Board confirmed that km/h would be used on ERTMS lines in the United Kingdom.[18] With the ongoing introduction of ERTMS, it is anticipated that the metrication of British rail transport will be completed over the next few decades.[19]
A standard feature of the speedometers used by ERTMS/ETCS systems is the use of the metric system.[20] At a Railway Conference in 2002, it was argued that a changeover to using metric units for speed in advance of the introduction of ERTMS was unlikely to be financially viable unless the decision is taken to adopt Level 2 ERTMS without lineside signalling. The need to handle both mph and km/h would continue though.[14] A 2010 voluntary standards document published by the Rail Safety and Standards Board addressed this issue when it recommended that the speedometer of a ETCS system be designed so that it switches automatically between mph and km/h depending on the route being traversed. The speedometer would display "mph" when the speedometer was displaying "miles per hour", otherwise would display nothing. Its graduations would be chosen such that the angle of the needle would not change when the system switched from one scale to the other. The conversion between metric and imperial units would be a function of the speedometer, not of any other on-board equipment.[21] In 2012 a technical specification matching this proposal was published.[22]
The Cambrian Line, a low volume 215 km (134 mi) rail link between Shrewsbury in the east and Aberystwyth and Pwllheli in the west, was chosen as Britain's trial ERTMS line. This line was selected as its signalling system had reached the end of its useful life, and because it is a low capacity line almost separate from the national network, making it an ideal site on which to gain ERTMS experience.[17][23] All speeds on the Cambrian Line are shown in km/h in the Western region Sectional Appendix, although distances are still given in miles and chains.[24] [25]
Installation of ERTMS on mainline routes has suffered significant delays. In July 2017 the Department for Transport cancelled the plans[26] for the Great Western Route which included ERTMS as part of the electrification and resignalling work [27] and was expected[Note 2] to reach Oxford and Newbury by 2016 and Cardiff by 2017.[28]Other mainline conversions to the ERTMS standards were expected to include[17] the 251 km (156 mi) London (Kings Cross) to Doncaster route by 2020 and the 158 km (98 mi) London (St Pancras) to Leicester route by 2022[29][30] while the specification for the proposed High Speed 2 (HS2) link from London to Manchester, Leeds and beyond assumes a minimum of Level 2 ERTMS control and signalling for the "day one service".[31] The Crossrail project in London which is also implementing ERTMS technology[32] has been delayed by nine months.[33]
Notes[edit]
- ↑
Three levels have been identified for ERTMS:
- Level 1 – ERTMS is added to or overlaid on lineside signals and train detectors. Communication is via balises (Eurobalises) of an existing railway system.
- Level 2 – ERTMS uses balises to communicate with the driver, thereby dispensing with lineside signalling equipment. The location of each block is fixed (as with traditional railway systems).
- Level 3 – Level 3 is an enhancement on Level 2 whereby the block will move with the train.
- ↑ As of 2012, the rebuilding of bridges to accommodate the overhead wires was in progress
References[edit]
- ↑ Hemenway, David (April 1979). "Standards systems in Canada, the UK, West Germany and Denmark: An overview" (PDF). Washington DC: National Bureau of Standards.
- ↑ "Metric Usage". Resources for Employees and Guests. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
- ↑ "Historical Perspectives on Metrication by Jim Humble who was the last Director of the UK Metrication Board". Retrieved 23 March 2012.
- ↑ "European Documentation Centre – European Union legislation". Library Services. University of Hull. 30 September 2011. Missing or empty
|url=(help);|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ↑ "30 anniversary 1979 – 2009" (PDF). United Kingdom Petroleum Industry Association Limited. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
- ↑ "Master Rulebook: Signals, hand signals, indicators and signs handbook. Section 7.4 "Differential permissible speed indicators"" (pdf). Network Rail. Retrieved 2018-10-14.
- ↑ "Final Report of the Metrication Board (1980)" (PDF). London: Department of Trade and Industry Consumer and Competition Policy Directorate. para 2.20/21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2005-03-04.
- ↑ "40565 Metric system not applied in the West Highlands region". CIRAS, the rail industry's confidential reporting system. March 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
- ↑ "Incident at Llanbadarn Automatic Barrier Crossing (Locally Monitored), near Aberystwyth, 19 June 2011" (PDF). Accident Rail Report. Rail Accident Investigations Branch. June 2012. Figure 5 shows a 65 km/h speed restriction; Figure 10 shows a speedometer displaying 39 km/h with a 98 km/h hook. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
- ↑ 'ERTMS in 10 questions,' "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 February 2010. Retrieved 2016-02-27.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
- ↑ "Trainguard – Full interoperability for European railways" (PDF). Brunswick, Germany: Siemens AG. 2006. Retrieved 28 July 2012.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ Davies, David (February 2000). "Automatic Train Protection for the Railway Network in Britain – A Study" (PDF). Royal Academy of Engineering: 73–74. ISBN 1871634881. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ↑ "ERTMS Levels – Different ERTMS/ETCS Application Levels to match Customers' needs" (PDF). UNIFE (formerly Union des Industries Ferroviaires Européennes – the Association of the European Rail Industry). 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Porter, Derek (2002). Implementing ERTMS in the UK: Human Factor Implication for Train Drivers. International Railway Safety Conference. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
It is unlikely to be financially viable to change all UK lineside signs to Kph(sic) unless the decision is taken to adopt Level 2 ERTMS without lineside signalling.
[permanent dead link] - ↑ "EC sets out ERTMS deployment deadlines". Railway Gazette International. 31 July 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ↑ Ilie, Elena (22 March 2012). "ETCS, an intermodality harmonization plus". Bucharest: Railway PRO. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 "ERTMS National Implementation Plan" (PDF). Department for Transport. September 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-10-05. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
- ↑ "GE/RT8000/AM – ERTMS Rule Book – ERTMS Amendments module" (PDF) (1). Rail Safety and Standards Board. October 2009: 4, 5. Retrieved 30 July 2012.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ "End of the line for the mile, the chain and the yard". Railnews. 1 October 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
- ↑ Barrow, Alan (1 December 2007). "ABA Surveying Ltd – Getting the ERTMS project off to a flying start". Venture online – The Magazine for Business Management. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
ABA have installed a system of permanent ground markers in pairs at nominal ten kilometre spacing
- ↑ "Rail Industry Standard for Onboard ETCS" (PDF). 1. Rail Safety and Standards Board Ltd. 4 September 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
- ↑ "Guidance on ERTMS/ETCS DMI National Requirements" (PDF). Rail Safety and Standards Board. March 2012. Para 2.1.1. Retrieved 23 July 2012.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ Silvester, Katie (August 2011). "Display mode". Rail Professional. Archived from the original on 2013-04-21. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
- ↑ Network Rail (2017-06-03). Western Route Sectional Appendix. Module WR1. p. 322-345. Search this book on
- ↑ "Rule Book Briefing Leaflet – ERTMS Modules" (PDF). Rail Safety and Standards Board. June 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
- ↑ "Investigation into the Department for Transport's decision to cancel three rail electrification projects" (PDF). National Audit Office. March 2018. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
- ↑ "European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS)". Network Rail. Spring 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
- ↑ "Delivering the plans". Network Rail. Spring 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
- ↑ "East Coast Main Line (ECML), Edinburgh to London, United Kingdom". railway-technology.com (Net Resources International). 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
- ↑ "ERTMS Deployment in the UK – Re-signalling as a key measure to enhance rail operations" (PDF). UNIFE (formerly Union des Industries Ferroviaires Européennes – the Association of the European Rail Industry). 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
- ↑ "HS2 Project Specification". HS2 Ltd. (owned by Department for Transport). January 2012. Para 4.4.
- ↑ "Crossrail, London, United Kingdom". Retrieved 2014-07-19.
- ↑ "Crossrail delay: New London line will open in autumn 2019". BBC. 2018. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
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