AN INTRODUCTION TO TPWS

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The demand for constantly improving railway safety standards coupled with the desire for cost effective ways of implementing train protection systems led to the development of the Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS). Thales designed and produced a system which combined the principles of the existing Automatic Warning System (AWS) with the additional Train Protection (TP) facilities of Overspeed Sensor and Train Stop.

Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS) is the primary train protection solution used on the UK rail network and was designed and developed by Thales at Crawley. Thales were awarded contracts by Railtrack and the UK Rolling Stock Owning companies for the supply of all necessary Trackside and Trainborne equipment and the provision of full turnkey installation services for fleet-wide fitment of trainborne equipment.

This project has enhanced Thales’ strengths in the designing, development and manufacture of communications and safety related equipment for the rail industry adding detailed knowledge of operational rolling stock and the provision of fleet-wide fitment programmes and meeting tight implementation time-scales. In total some 13,000 sets of signals and in excess of 5,500 vehicles were fitted over a three-year period.

In recognition of this programme Thales were awarded the Railway Industry Innovation Award 2004.

Thales has supplied TPWS systems to all the major train builders for new build vehicles introduced since 2001. Thales' market share currently stands at 98% of all UK Rolling Stock and 100% for all UK Infrastructure equipment.