The application of pragmatism-system engineering on the Northern Line project

London Underground is currently renewing the Northern Line. This major billion pound project involves replacing the existing rolling stock, and renewing the signalling, communications and power systems to meet the demands of the new rolling stock. The Major Projects Team of London Underground Limited has been charged with the conceptual design, preparing invitations to tender, letting contracts and management of this complete project. The use of system engineering is seen as vital in achieving an integrated railway solution for the New Northern Line. However system engineering was not used at the inception of the Northern Line Project. This has meant that the implementation of system engineering and its role within the Northern Line have not followed a “formal academic” approach. The paper shows how a pragmatic approach has had to be taken to a number of issues while at the same time keeping the commitment of senior management for system engineering and demonstrating to the discipline engineers how it can help, and not hinder, their roles. The paper describes how the system engineering team supports the roles of the “classical” railway engineering disciplines within the Project Team. The paper tells how system engineering has had to catch up with the work already undertaken and, as a consequence, reverse system-engineer the functional designs. The paper reports on the results that are being achieved through the application of both technology and personality