Siemens UK & Ireland has been appointed as a key supplier in the replacement of the Track Transit System (TTS) control system at Stansted Airport.

The project is headed by control and communication specialist Firstco and involves updating the TTS, which carries approximately 15 million people per year and features many obsolete parts.  This will include upgrading or replacing the control room operator interface, the central control system - excluding the interlocking relays - and the training simulator.

Firstco selected Siemens based on the functionality and features of its technology and service offer, and how well suited its WinCC Open Architecture (OA) technology is for Stansted Airport’s requirements. 

The WinCC OA SCADA system is designed to enable the visualisation and management of processes, production flows, machines and plants in all lines of operation. It enables any number of stand-alone systems to be linked via a network, which is a key factor for Stansted Airport. 

Mike Gray, Director at Firstco, comments: “We had previously worked with Siemens UK & Ireland, so knew its technology and support services were proven and felt it would best meet the airport’s demands.

“WinCC OA is scalable and user-friendly and is one of the most powerful and technically-advanced SCADA products on the market.  As Siemens has worked on many other similar projects, we have confidence in the longevity and flexibility of the technology and its future support options.”

It is anticipated that the integration of the Siemens WinCC OA SCADA system will deliver a safe, user-friendly and efficient means of automation and control of the nine cars in the TTS stock, up to eight of which are in operation at any one time.

Daniel Smalley, Product Manager SCADA at Siemens UK & Ireland, comments: “The award of this contract is testament to the operational benefits provided by WinCC OA.  It is designed to meet industry demands now and in the future, so is suited to projects such as the replacement of the TTS at Stansted where a system needs to be trusted to operate effectively over the long-term.”

Integration completion at Stansted is currently anticipated in May 2016.