Heritage Steam Railway Site Gains Modern Protection

A new security installation for the Bluebell Railway, Sussex, has proved that it's possible to protect vintage attractions with modern high tech equipment - without destroying the period look and feel!

The site was Sheffield Park Station, the headquarters of the Bluebell steam railway line which has been run by volunteers since 1960. The railway line has now been restored to its former Victorian splendour, with authentic locomotives, carriages and other paraphernalia.

It is for this reason that a subtle touch, an eye for period accuracy and a willingness to be flexible were all required from the security company - Kent and Sussex Security Limited - which was called upon to help protect the site against vandalism and theft.

Bluebell Railway's Simon Baker takes up the story: "The Bluebell Railway has been run by volunteers since 1960, and we've done our best to restore it to what it was like during its Victorian heyday. We now have over 30 steam locomotives and more than 100 carriages, and over 180,000 people visit us every year."

In addition to being the railway line headquarters, Sheffield Park station also houses the locomotive collection and a small museum. Effective security is essential, not least because many of the locomotives and other exhibits are irreplaceable.

"The challenge facing us was two-fold," explains Geoff Hilton, Managing Director of Kent & Sussex Security. "Firstly, we had to avoid marring the carefully created vintage look of the railway station with equipment which was clearly 21st century. And secondly, a lack of funds and the station's isolation meant we had to work with a strictly limited supply of electrical power points and cabling."

The first challenge was met with the installation of CCTV cameras. These had to be small and unobtrusive, but with good picture quality and resistance to vandalism.

"Compactness was a priority with the lighting, too," continues Geoff Hilton. "Each of the cameras is supported by a miniature, locally-mounted 75 Watt infra red light designed to improve picture quality during the hours of darkness. A light sensitive photocell prevents their operation during daylight hours. This helps keep running costs down, which is particularly crucial with an organisation staffed by volunteers."

The system is monitored in a secure area at the station. All cameras are constantly recorded via a multiplexer and time-lapse video recorder.

Finally the system was devised by Kent & Sussex Security's design specialists to fit in with the limited electrical facilities on site. "We managed to avoid unsightly lengths of cabling," concludes Geoff Hilton, "and were able to position the compact cameras and lights so that they were unobtrusive, but met the security objectives."