Ensuring a safe journey: Navigating fire safety regulations for rail travel in the UK

On the fateful evening of 18th November 1987, tragedy struck at King’s Cross St. Pancras tube station when a fire erupted on an escalator serving the Piccadilly Line. This devastating incident claimed the lives of 31 people and left another 100 hospitalised. It marked a turning point, leading to the implementation of rigorous fire safety regulations within the London Underground and indeed across the entire UK rail network that would help prevent a tragedy like this ever happening again.

Prioritising dependability

Under fire safety sits the prevention of false fire alarms which are a common nuisance, causing inconvenience and disruption in the transport sector and beyond. According to the London Fire Brigade between April 2022 and March 2023, the force attended 47,000 false alarm calls. Nearly a third of these were to non-residential properties, the equivalent to around 23,500 hours in staffing time.

In London alone, the Fire Brigade has previously reported that they respond to false alarms or "unwanted fire signals" every 12 minutes, incurring an annual cost of £34 million. It is for this very reason they are now looking at measures to put in place, following a consultation period, that will help redirect their people power in a more efficient manner.

In addition to this, according to research carried out by an independent research firm, Red Fox Research on behalf of Hochiki Europe it was revealed that false fire alarms cost the UK economy a staggering £700 million every year.

False alarms not only disrupt daily operations but also pose risks if panic ensues during evacuations. Moreover, frequent false alarms can lead to complacency, potentially delayed reactions during real fire emergencies, a situation especially perilous in busy transport hubs.

Hochiki Europe’s groundbreaking range of Railway Approved ESP Intelligent Sensors and other addressable products are leading the way in life safety in rail travel not only here in the UK, but across the globe. The ESP range is approved to DIN EN 50155:2018, a European standard for train carriages, which applies to all electronic equipment for control, regulation, protection, diagnostic, supply, etc. installed on rail vehicles.

It’s applied in the design, manufacturing and testing of any electronic equipment installed on board rolling stock and describes the electrical and environmental operating conditions.  The Hochiki devices have also been designed to be compliant with DIN EN 45545-2:2016-02 (fire testing) and DIN EN 50121-3-2:2017-11 (rail EMC). Meaning that not only can Hochiki systems protect train stations as they do at St Pancras and Ashford International, but rolling stock too, the Dubai Metro is a great example of this.

The chamber structure of Hochiki’s photoelectric smoke detectors, which are part of the ESP range, is designed to be a high-performance optical chamber that responds equally effectively to all types of smoke. These devices boast adjustable algorithms, enabling customisation for various transport environments. Coupled with flexible control equipment software, Hochiki’s solution provides unmatched adaptability and reliability.

Cost-effective solutions

While the initial cost of a fire detection system is a consideration, it is the total cost of ownership over its lifespan that truly matters. Fire detection systems typically have a lifespan exceeding 10 years, therefore, investments in reliable, high-quality rail approved systems from Hochiki ensure that unwelcome incidents and associated costs are minimised. By significantly reducing the chances of false alarms, Hochiki’s systems not only enhance rail safety but also prove cost-effective in the long run.

REAL LIFE STORY: HOCHIKI FULLY NETWORKED INTO NETWORK RAIL

Hochiki Europe detectors are integrated to a fully networked fire detection and alarm system at Edinburgh Waverley station.

A fully networked fire detection and alarm system was developed and installed for Network Rail, providing centralised control of fire monitoring at Edinburgh Waverley station, as part of a major enhancement programme. More than 500 Hochiki detection devices were integrated into the system by specialist contractors, Dante Fire & Security.

Central to the network’s system design is the flexibility to accommodate cause-and-effect scenarios within complex fire strategies. For such a demanding project, system reliability and integrity were of paramount concern, and Dante affirms that “Hochiki’s warranted product quality and reliability” were deciding factors in determining Hochiki as the preferred technology for this prestigious installation programme.

Commenting on the installation a spokesperson from Dante Fire & Security said:

“The installation of the system was challenging due to the demands of working in a busy capital city railway station, with minimal impact on the operation of the station of paramount importance to Network Rail, however the flexibility of the Hochiki devices installed in conjunction with the efforts of our team alongside the Network Rail project teams ensured this was achieved.”

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