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West Hampstead Power Signal Box: Fire Stopping and Fire Door Remedials
on a live Network Rail site.
Fire protection case study
Fire Industry Specialists delivered a complete fire stopping and fire door package at the power signal box at West Hampstead Overground station in north-west London.
The signal box is an essential part of Network Rail’s infrastructure. The work had to be finished in the shortest possible time, with no impact on railway operations and no disruption to passengers.
At every stage, we followed Network Rail’s “Trackside” health and safety requirements for contractors. The project was delivered safely, with zero harm and zero operational impact.
The project at a glance
- Location: West Hampstead Overground station, London
- Building: Network Rail power signal box
- Service: Fire stopping and fire door remedials and replacements
- Value of works: £25K
- Site status: Live, operational railway station
About the site
West Hampstead is a busy rail interchange in north-west London, with passengers passing through all day. The power signal box beside it houses equipment that keeps trains moving safely, so it has to stay operational around the clock.
In buildings like this, passive fire protection matters for two reasons. It protects the people who work there, and it protects the equipment inside. If a fire spread between rooms through an unsealed penetration or a failed fire door, the damage could go well beyond the building itself.
The challenge
The brief was to provide a complete fire stopping and fire protection solution.
Where fire doors weren’t performing as required, they had to be brought up to standard or replaced.
The difficulty was the setting:
- A critical, live asset. The signal box couldn’t be taken out of service, and nothing could affect train operations.
- A busy public station. Our work had to be invisible to passengers and create no safety risk for the public.
- Strict rail safety rules. Every operative and every task had to meet Network Rail’s Trackside requirements for contractors.
- Tight timescales. The work had to be completed in the shortest possible window.
Our approach
1. A coordinated programme
We put in place a joined-up programme management system with the Network Rail teams. Each task was scheduled around the signal box’s operations and the station’s busiest periods.
2. Working to Trackside safety standards
All our site personnel worked strictly to Network Rail’s Trackside health and safety requirements. We kept the highest safety standards for our own team, railway staff and the public.
3. Fire stopping and fire protection
We identified and sealed service penetrations, joints and voids in the fire-resisting walls and floors. This restored the compartmentation that separates the signal box’s rooms.
4. Fire door remedials and replacements
We inspected each fire door. Where a door could be brought back to standard, we repaired it. Where it couldn’t, we replaced it.
Working on live rail infrastructure
Working in a live signal box calls for a different level of planning and discipline than a typical commercial site. On this project we kept to four standards:
- Zero harm. Safe working practices were followed at all times.
- Zero operational impact. Our working methods kept train operations running normally.
- No passenger disruption. The station stayed open and safe throughout.
- Full compliance. Every task met Network Rail’s Trackside requirements for contractors.
The result
The West Hampstead power signal box now has compliant fire stopping, and its fire doors have been repaired or replaced to the required standard. Its compartmentation is protecting both people and critical signalling equipment again. We delivered the work to a tight programme, with no impact on railway operations and no disruption to passengers.
Services used on this project
Fire protection for operational and critical buildings
FIS works with main contractors, facilities managers and asset owners to deliver fire stopping and fire door works in buildings that can’t close.
These include rail and utility infrastructure, hospitals and occupied residential blocks.
With coverage across the UK as part of the LS Fire Group, we plan every job around your operations, not ours.
Call us on 0333 444 0070 or request a callback.
Fire safety is a responsibility that never rests and we’re here to implement complete fire protection for your business. Get in touch with our industry-leading experts to learn how we prevent fires, protect lives, and ensure compliance for you.
Frequently asked questions
- Can fire stopping and fire door work be done without shutting a building down?
- Yes, at West Hampstead we worked in a live signal box at a busy station, with no impact on railway operations. Careful phasing, a coordinated programme and strict safety controls make this possible in most operational buildings.
- Why does fire stopping matter in plant and equipment rooms?
- Plant, electrical and signalling rooms often have many cables and services passing through their walls and floors. Each opening has to be sealed with a tested fire stopping system. Otherwise fire and smoke can spread between compartments, putting people and critical equipment at risk.
- What do fire door remedials involve?
- Typically, remedials mean correcting excessive gaps, replacing damaged intumescent strips or smoke seals, and fixing or replacing closers, hinges and vision panels. Where a door can’t be brought back to standard, we replace it with a certified doorset.
- Do you work outside the Midlands?
- Yes, we’re based in Lincolnshire, with a strong presence in Nottingham, Sheffield and Manchester, and we deliver projects across the UK, including London.
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