Lineside Sensors on South West Main Line

[Robin Saunter]

On the stretch between Farnborogh and Woking there are what appear to be sensors mounted on tall poles about 1 mile apart. Can anyone explain their purpose? Hard to take a picture from a fast moving train but see image. Pole is the right hand edge.

 

[fgwrich]

On the stretch between Farnborogh and Woking there are what appear to be sensors mounted on tall poles about 1 mile apart. Can anyone explain their purpose? Hard to take a picture from a fast moving train but see image. Pole is the righView attachment 175381t hand edge.

I’ve wondered this too, I believe they are signal boosters though.

 

[MrJeeves]

On the stretch between Farnborogh and Woking there are what appear to be sensors mounted on tall poles about 1 mile apart. Can anyone explain their purpose? Hard to take a picture from a fast moving train but see image. Pole is the righView attachment 175381t hand edge.

These are part of a millimetre wave connectivity project using 5G for on board WiFi. They were installed between Earlsfield and Basingstoke.

I'm not convinced many units are actually fitted with the technology required to make use of them though.

Various pieces of information about them exist online:

Delivering a step change in on board connectivity | RailBusinessDaily

In this guest writer feature, Richard Graham, evo-rail’s Chief Engineer, discusses developing 5G for rail In 2017, First Group realised that there was a In this guest writer feature, Richard Graham, evo-rail’s Chief Engineer, discusses developing 5G for rail

news.railbusinessdaily.com

https://sunvillerail.co.uk/projects/5g-piling/linbrooke%20project%20profile.pdf

Gigabit Rail Blu Wireless

Blu Wireless offer a world-first, track-to-train multi-gigabit rail-qualified mmWave solution for your rail connectivity.

www.bluwireless.com

 

[Robin Saunter]

Thanks for the info. Curiosity satisfied.

 

[stuving]

There was an earlier thread on this. That was 2022, but SWR announced the evo-Rail alliance with Blu in 2019 and even that was based on something announced in 2015.