Video surveillance network provided for iPort Rail terminal

The massive park is already home to enormous distribution facilities for companies like Amazon, CEVA, Fellowes and Lidl, and its occupancy is set to expand in the coming years.

The newly developed iPort Rail terminal, located on its own 30-acre site within iPort, is connected to the electrified East Coast Main Line via the South Yorkshire Joint Line. It offers integrated access to iPort, meaning occupiers can directly approach the rail terminal using their own specialist vehicles on the facility’s private roads.

The terminal can handle up to six trains a day, operating 24-hours, six days a week. Each train is able to be the maximum UK length of 775m. iPort Rail has an 800m reception siding and two 400m handling sidings, with storage capacity for 1,500 shipping containers.

With iPort Rail playing such a crucial role in developer Verdion’s iPort transportation strategy, there was a pressing need to ensure that the terminal has effective ongoing video monitoring. Buckingham Group Contracting Ltd was responsible for the work on iPort Rail, and they worked with CCTV specialist Daemon Fire and Security to implement the video surveillance system for the perimeter of the terminal.

Chris Tattersall, Technical Director at Daemon, said the system runs on a redundant fibre optic network. “AMG Systems assisted us with the fibre optic network design.” Tattersall said. “The cameras we are using are from Bosch, and they are monitored and recorded using the Bosch Video Management System. The cameras are on towers from Altron, and the networking is from AMG.”

There are 32 cameras mounted on 18 towers around the rail terminal site perimeter. Tattersall explained that the cameras are primarily used as detectors to monitor for trespass or intrusion.

“The cameras utilise Bosch analytics, monitoring the perimeter fence for people approaching and trying to climb over or cut through,” he said. “The cameras are monitored live by the 24-hour security team in the site gatehouse.”

The system is networked using equipment and expertise from AMG Systems. Daemon and AMG designed a failsafe fibre optic ring system together, Tattersall said.

“From the gatehouse there’s a fibre optic cable which goes and loops around every camera tower and goes back to the gatehouse,” he said. “It’s a redundant ring, so if they get a fault or deliberate cut, everything will carry on working. We’re using industrial PoE Ethernet switches in the towers so they can withstand low temperatures, which is particularly important during cold winters in a relatively open site like this.”

The industrial managed switches, 20 of which were used in this project, are able to operate in temperatures ranging from -40°C to 75°C and are designed for medium to large network environments to strengthen network connections.

AMG Business Development Director Sara Fisher said AMG was thrilled to be involved in this project. “We were delighted to be asked by Daemon to contribute our design and product expertise to help protect this important and growing freight hub,” she said.

Daemon’s video surveillance project took around 10 weeks in total, including implementation and commissioning. It was handed over on time and installed on target. Tattersall said the smooth running of the project could be put down to Daemon’s good working relationship with contractor Buckingham, distributor Pro-Vision, networking and transmission expert AMG Systems, and product suppliers Bosch and Altron.