Thales House Trip

By Radif Rafiqul

On the 8th March 2024 I had the pleasure to go to an industrial visit to the Thales House in East London, along with many other students from QMUL.

Thales Ground Transportation system is part of the top 100 most innovative companies globally – delivering control and supervision systems for transport across the globe including mainly London. Although this company is not talked about in public is essential for the transport network for the London Underground, Docklands Light Railway and Manchester Metro.

When we entered we found ourselves in a large staff area where they had a table tennis table, a pool and a table football for the employees to play during their break. Here we were greeted by various engineers and apprentices from Thames and were given a brief introduction of the companies values and aspirations, along the safety measures we need to follow. One thing that I found interesting was the mandatory parallel parking in their bay as is simplifies exiting for drivers at the end of their shift, as there have been accidents in the past in other companies. This rule, though small, increase safety which I found impressive.

The visit was organized so that we see three different sectors in this building, and we were split into three groups. Each group visited a sector simultaneously and rotated every 30 minutes.

1st Section – Control Section of the Railway

This establishment in particular had the job to control the Hammersmith, Circle and Metropolitan line – ensuring that the service is smooth and there are not any signal failure. I was blown away by the amount of computers and CPUs around the room, all working to ensure that trains correctly get to their station and are able to communicate with the control center. The computers are regularly checked to make sure the system works at the optimal condition, the room was in fact really cold to cool the hardware. We were also shown on the simulation software used to try out different emergency maneuver – a small issue can lead to a service delay of one hour.

2nd Section – Safety features

The 2nd section was introduced by an apprentice talking us about the Connect Project – a 2 billion pound project made to provide stations with emergency service communication. This project became crucial following incidents from the past where ineffective communication led to serious problems in the network. An interesting aspect of this system is its use of half-duplex radios, preventing two people from speaking simultaneously and thereby ensuring clearer communication during emergencies. This coincidentally also takes much less slots and saves space.

Next, we went outside to see a real life demo track and the simulation and testing they were working on it. Special AI camera were installed at the opposite ends of the track, which are able to scan people that enters the track. Remarkably precise, these cameras can trace an intruder’s path once they are on the track, alerting engineers of the unauthorized presence.

Along these sensors we were briefed on other less visible devices employed for safety and monitoring. The first one being a lever that when pushed down by the upcoming train activate its brake, providing another of safety measure when the train driver may be ill or distracted. Furthermore, there are sensors located in both ends of the track that counts the wagons of the train, offering additional confirmation that the train has completely departed the station.

3rd section – Prefabrication

During the final segment of our tour, we received an insightful demonstration of the pre fabrication process at the establishment. We were given a practical demo using a wire stripper and crimp tool, both finely calibrated. I liked one of the remark made that “ everything is calibrated including the people working here” highlighting the meticulous attention to detail throughout their operations. Engineers in this department receive daily directives from management, with some internal wiring projects that can last for weeks or even months. While they conduct continuity tests to ensure basic functionality, the thorough in-depth analysis is done by another section.

End of Trip

The last part of the day was reserved for a Q&A session with a recruiter, giving the students present how the application works and insightful tips on how to make our application better – putting emphasis on make loads of research on the company and get out of our comfort zone during the interview.

In wrapping up my visit, I am left with a profound appreciation for the complexity and precision required in the work carried out at this establishment, ranging from the dedication to detail from the excellent commitment for the safety of the workers. It was a wonderful experience that highlights the seamless integration of technology , expertise and teamwork in achieving remarkable feats within the industry.