Modelling electrified railway signalling misoperations during extreme space weather events in the UK

Patterson, Cameron J. and Wild, James A. and Beggan, Ciarán D. and Richardson, Gemma S. and Boteler, David H. (2024) Modelling electrified railway signalling misoperations during extreme space weather events in the UK. Scientific Reports, 14 (1): 1583. ISSN 2045-2322

Abstract

Space weather has the potential to impact ground-based technologies on Earth, affecting many systems including railway signalling. This study uses a recently developed model to analyse the impact of geomagnetically induced currents on railway signalling systems in the United Kingdom during the March 1989 and October 2003 geomagnetic storms. The March 1989 storm is also scaled to estimate a 1-in-100 year and a 1-in-200 year extreme storm. Both the Glasgow to Edinburgh line, and the Preston to Lancaster section of the West Coast Main Line are modelled. No “right side” failures (when unoccupied sections appear occupied) are suggested to have occurred during either storm, and the total number of potential “wrong side” failures (when occupied sections appear clear) is low. However, the modelling indicates “right side” and “wrong side” failures are possible on both routes during the 1-in-100 year and 1-in-200 year extreme storms, with the Glasgow to Edinburgh line showing more total misoperations than the Preston to Lancaster section of the West Coast Main Line. A 1-in-100 year or 1-in-200 year extreme storm would result in misoperations over an extended period of time, with most occurring over a duration of 2–3 h either side of the peak of the storm.