NR NR/PRC/MPI/ST0029 ISSUE 2 PDF

This process must be applied to all scheme plans that are being produced for works on Network Rail controlled infrastructure irrespective of which organisation is sponsoring or funding the scheme. The scheme plan number should be obtained as soon as work is commencing on detailed development of a signalling scheme. No scheme plan will be considered for review or approval until it has been registered in line with this process and a scheme plan number allocated.

For the purposes of this instruction a Level Crossing Ground Plan shall be considered as a scheme plan and a scheme plan number (in a separate number sequence) allocated.

This process is to be applied from 1 October 2005 to all scheme plans currently in development and any that start development after this date. Projects where production of the scheme plan has already started may be registered using the scheme plan number already allocated if the Designated Project Engineer believes that significant rework would result from a change of identification number. Preliminary sketches produced in the course of early scheme development fall outside the scope of this document.

The version control applied to scheme plans is the responsibility of the design house producing the scheme and should be recorded in the design log.

Purpose

This Document is designed to provide clear guide to the process for allocation of signalling scheme plan numbers to be adopted in respect of all schemes that make alterations or otherwise impact on the functionality of signalling installations on Network Rail Controlled infrastructure.

The process is to be applied to all schemes whether sponsored by Network Rail (typically renewals schemes) or "third party" (typically enhancement schemes). In the latter case the Network Rail Nominated Project Engineer (defined in RT/E/P 02009) shall be responsible for application of this process.

Prior to Railway Privatisation the BR drawing offices, which were responsible for production of the drawings, controlled number allocation for scheme plans. By nature of the organisation this was perfectly sensible as these offices were responsible for all scheme development work within their region. This organisation thus would avoid any risk of developing conflicting schemes.

After 1994 the number allocation for scheme plans became the responsibility of the design house carrying out the design work. The theoretical control on the development of conflicting schemes was that the ultimate client for the work was Railtrack and later Network Rail. These organisations however had a wide range of sponsoring groups and thus conflicts might not be appreciated until quite late in the programme of schemes. This might be at the point when release of source records was sought or when the plan was submitted for infrastructure controller sign off. In either case this may well have been after the project(s) had been financially committed.

This procedure seeks to avoid this problem arising by centrally allocating official scheme plan numbers for any schemes that affect Network Rail Controlled infrastructure. This process has some similarities to the process for allocation of version numbers for detailed design work, which provides similar controls later in the project life cycle.