Firstco delighted with opening of Heathrow Express Extension into BAA’s new Terminal 5 - 27th March 08

Extending the Heathrow Express rail service to serve Terminal 5 has a vital part to play in the further development of Heathrow as one of the world’s most important airports and Firstco are delighted to have been chosen to help develop these facilities to a world class standard.

Heathrow Express Extension Systems Design Team

Working within BAA’s T5 Rail and Tunnels Communications Team, Firstco providing their own team of dedicated design engineers and support staff led by Firstco director, Mike Gray.

The team have delivered detailed production designs for:

• Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Networks for Tunnel Ventilation, Utilities, Public Address (PA), Train Information Displays (TIDs), Fire, CCTV systems
• Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA and Control Room modifications)
• CCTV Security People Counting/ Voice Alarm Public Address (PA) & Voice Recording
• Train Information Displays (LED Next Train Indicator and TFT LCD Information Boards) & Clocks
• Radio (Operational, Emergency Services, 2G & 3G)
• Telephones
• Ticketing
• Fibre Networks (OTN)
• Copper Networks

These have been brought together on a single user interface together within the existing Heathrow Express Operating Company’s control room. They worked closely with other teams involved in the terminal and rail tunnels construction as well as the Programme’s management and Heathrow Express Operating Company.

The team’s designs have ensured continuity of the existing Heathrow Express passenger service between Paddington and Heathrow Terminals 1-4 and its successful extension into Terminal 5. The train service is viewed as an integral part of the successful completion and opening of the new terminal and Firstco are well aware of their responsibilities to BAA, Heathrow Express and the travelling public. Firstco have supported the control systems of the existing Heathrow Express operation through on-going design, project management and maintenance since it opened to the public in 1997.

PLC and SCADA Systems for Terminal 5 Rail

The Rail and Tunnels team selected Firstco to implement the Control & Communications systems for the extension of the Heathrow Express rail service into the new Terminal 5 at Heathrow.

Firstco’s eight-strong project team have designed, built and tested the PLC and SCADA systems that are used to control the new Terminal 5 assets. These include extensions to the existing Tunnel Control systems for Tunnel ventilation, fire, train information, public address, CCTV and utilities.

The contract required Firstco to hand over the new sub-systems following factory acceptance testing. In addition, elements of the system must meet SIL2 safety levels.

Firstco was able to balance the business and operational needs of the stakeholders, BAA, Heathrow Airport Ltd and the T5 Project leadership with the requirements of meeting the deliverables of the projects - cost, time, scope, and safety - to help ensure the successful delivery of this critical element of the T5 Project.