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Platform Lighting

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swt_passenger

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There's a rail industry standard document for station lighting here:

http://www.rssb.co.uk/rgs/standards/RIS-7702-INS Iss 1.pdf

Appendix A seems to be an attempt to tabulate lux levels for some specific areas and activities, but its a lot more complex than simply giving a max and min value. There are many cross references to other more general British or European standards as well.

There's also a bit in the standard for platform train interfaces:

http://www.rssb.co.uk/rgs/standards/GIRT7016 Iss 5.pdf
 
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snowball

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Any max value for artificial lighting of platforms would be vastly exceeded by bright sunlight.
 

Elecman

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The old BR lighting standard was a much easier read and gave actual values without you having to rush off and obtain/ look up the various BS/EN standards now specified to get an actual design value.
 

Tio Terry

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There is a very helpful Code of Practice issued by the DfT, Design Standards for Accessible Railway Stations, you can get it from their website.

It tells you all you need to know, not just about lighting, but everything to be compliant with the PRM TSI and the Equalities Act.

Lighting has to be compliant with BS EN 12464-2:2014 and BS EN 12464-1:2011.
 

colchesterken

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Back to my post on the history page, about the gas lights on the GOBLIN in the 1950 s
I loved it but that may be just a Childs look back on how things used to be
 

thenorthern

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If I remember correctly as well station lighting has to be done in a way that it doesn't affect the quality of life of nearby residents otherwise the council gets involved, generally if its not a safety issue though the railway company is happy to cooperate.
 

SpacePhoenix

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Will all platform lighting (and any other lighting infrastructure for that matter) be migrated by NR over to using LED bulbs?
 

AM9

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Except for special circumstances, all general commercial lighting will probably migrate to LED as the costs/benefits make conversion an imperative. It's not just power efficiency that will drive that but the longer lie and much lower maintenance requirements compared with other types that will affect both existing and future lighting strategies.
One proviso is that there isn't another development in lighting technology that betters LEDs.
 

Elecman

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Platform lighting except on the big managed stations is managed/responsibility of the station Facility operator ( the TOC). Not Network Rail. Indeed Northern have won lighting industry awards for use of energy efficient lighting in the Northwest.
 

najaB

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Will all platform lighting (and any other lighting infrastructure for that matter) be migrated by NR over to using LED bulbs?
I imagine that as bulbs need replacing and/or lighting systems become life expired they will be replaced with LEDs. Several Scotrail stations have already had their systems upgraded, including little-used stations like Invergowrie.
 

thenorthern

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If I remember correctly with LED street lights its not the bulb they replace but the whole fitting at the top of the lamp post as the LED lamp of course need a DC Rectifier fitting and its not just one bulb but several which means they last longer. Many TOCs are also now switching off station lights about an hour after the last train has departed and if the line is closed for the night.

Its strange to think though that Ilkley Station was still lit by gas lighting until 1988.
 

pdeaves

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I imagine that as bulbs need replacing and/or lighting systems become life expired they will be replaced with LEDs.

Strictly, a different type of light head has a different light output (even if nominally the same), different colour cast and different light distribution. Thus, going over to a new light type should involve a new lighting design (potentially with lights in different places), not just a 'bulb swap', to ensure continued compliance with the latest standards.

In practice, of course, the easy option may prevail!
 

SpacePhoenix

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Many TOCs are also now switching off station lights about an hour after the last train has departed and if the line is closed for the night.

Our local council turns the streetlights off in some roads but once them roads get the new LED lights, then instead of being turned off, they'll get turned down, could TOCs do that instead?
 

ComUtoR

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Our local council turns the streetlights off in some roads but once them roads get the new LED lights, then instead of being turned off, they'll get turned down, could TOCs do that instead?

We have those already at some stations.
 

Elecman

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Yes except the group standard does not allow platform lighting to be dimmed only non platform areas
 

ComUtoR

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Yes except the group standard does not allow platform lighting to be dimmed only non platform areas

Er... The station I'm thinking of has dimmed lights on the platform. Are we breaking Group Standards ?
 

theageofthetra

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I am surprised how many of the new LED lights at the stations I drive through are out of order. Not normally enough to warrant a call to the signaller but the odd one or two along roughly 60% of the platforms. There are also quite a few with noticeable flickers which if causing a distraction by the monitors I have reported. Given that these LED heads are supposed to be much longer lasting is the issue with the rectifiers or supply rather than the LEDs themselves?

A secondary issue is that the level of foilage growth that NR have allowed (or no one has bothered to report in their defence) on platforms this summer seems to affect the very narrow light spread of this type of lighting far worse than conventional station lights.
 

Andrew1395

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At my local station they have replaced the platform lamp posts (not just the light fittings the whole lot) for the third time in 20 years. The streets adjacent still have concrete street lampposts over 40 years old. IMHO Network Rail has a lot of budget for this sort of thing that could be better spent elsewhere.
 

SpacePhoenix

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Are there many concrete lamp posts across the network? Our local council is completely replacing lamp posts where they're made of concrete
 

lincolnshire

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Yes except the group standard does not allow platform lighting to be dimmed only non platform areas

Well someone best tell them about the above as Three Bridges Station is fitted with them and that was about 2+ years ago, the lights on the platform end lampost heads dim if no one is near them. You have enough light to see looking down the platforms to the ends but if you walk along the platform as you approach each lighting column the increase in brightness and then if no one is near them after a predetermined time revert back to there dimmed state again saving electric but still maintaining light.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
At my local station they have replaced the platform lamp posts (not just the light fittings the whole lot) for the third time in 20 years. The streets adjacent still have concrete street lampposts over 40 years old. IMHO Network Rail has a lot of budget for this sort of thing that could be better spent elsewhere.

Thats often a problem since different departments don,t talk to each other as they are in the own little world and have there pots of money to spend. Also desk top exercises as against going to site and seeing whats there and in place.

Back in B.R. days there would be an on-site visit by departments affected by proposed works where by as in the case above if lighting columns was relatively new and was able to be utilised in the plans then instead of replacing the columns they might just have new heads fitted instead. Now its seems to be a case of lets see how much money we can spend and lets make the contractors profit on the job fatter for him as its Network Rail ( the travelling public / taxpayer ) who is footing the bill.
 

Deepgreen

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Well someone best tell them about the above as Three Bridges Station is fitted with them and that was about 2+ years ago, the lights on the platform end lampost heads dim if no one is near them. You have enough light to see looking down the platforms to the ends but if you walk along the platform as you approach each lighting column the increase in brightness and then if no one is near them after a predetermined time revert back to there dimmed state again saving electric but still maintaining light.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Thats often a problem since different departments don,t talk to each other as they are in the own little world and have there pots of money to spend. Also desk top exercises as against going to site and seeing whats there and in place.

Back in B.R. days there would be an on-site visit by departments affected by proposed works where by as in the case above if lighting columns was relatively new and was able to be utilised in the plans then instead of replacing the columns they might just have new heads fitted instead. Now its seems to be a case of lets see how much money we can spend and lets make the contractors profit on the job fatter for him as its Network Rail ( the travelling public / taxpayer ) who is footing the bill.

I suspect/hope that the lights at their 'dim' setting satisfy the minimum lux levels requirement and are then brightened for extra visibility if movement is detected. This also takes place at Redhill, where, on platform 3, there are additional floodlights on the open section which come on in response to movement, and fluorescent tubes under the canopy which brighten on the same basis.
 

AndyNLondon

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I am surprised how many of the new LED lights at the stations I drive through are out of order. Not normally enough to warrant a call to the signaller but the odd one or two along roughly 60% of the platforms. There are also quite a few with noticeable flickers which if causing a distraction by the monitors I have reported. Given that these LED heads are supposed to be much longer lasting is the issue with the rectifiers or supply rather than the LEDs themselves?

Is the flicker noticeable in "real life", or only on-screen? If it's only on-screen, then it may be ripple from the rectifier that causes the light to flicker all the time in a way that's invisible to the naked eye but combines with the camera refresh rate to give a visible flicker on the screens.
Using cleverly-synchronised shutter speeds for the cameras can help, but not if the lights are going to be dimmed: As this article puts it "Serious trouble starts, when LED lights are dimmed. LEDs usually are dimmed by chopping the d.c. supply voltage and varying on and off time. This leads to a massive flicker, even when using quality mains adapters."
 

theageofthetra

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Is the flicker noticeable in "real life", or only on-screen? If it's only on-screen, then it may be ripple from the rectifier that causes the light to flicker all the time in a way that's invisible to the naked eye but combines with the camera refresh rate to give a visible flicker on the screens.
Using cleverly-synchronised shutter speeds for the cameras can help, but not if the lights are going to be dimmed: As this article puts it "Serious trouble starts, when LED lights are dimmed. LEDs usually are dimmed by chopping the d.c. supply voltage and varying on and off time. This leads to a massive flicker, even when using quality mains adapters."
flicker is in the actual lighting head-rather like if you fit a non dimmable LED bulb at home on a light with a dimmer.
 
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