Infotec

Major improvement work currently taking place on the area of London Paddington known as The Lawn, which houses the retail outlets at the back of the main station building, includes the updating of passenger information display pods by Infotec.

It is more than a decade since Infotec created bespoke displays for mounting in totems in The Lawn. These were designed and located to make passengers more comfortable by allowing them to enjoy the cafes and shops in the terminal while being kept informed about their journey, without the need to continually check the main board.

As part of the on-going renovation work, these original displays are being replaced with TFT displays from Infotec’s ruggedised TR range and which will be driven by the information display specialist’s fourth generation controller, Tetrus.

The 24in TFT displays allow for improved high-definition (HD) graphics and are rated to ingress protection up to a minimum of IP65.

At the heart of the new displays is Infotec’s latest Tetrus multi-core HD controller, designed to meet all performance requirements on an efficient and reliable platform. Tetrus uses ARM-based technology to offer HD graphics. As the designer, Infotec can control the lifecycle and migration routes to ensure forward compatibility.

The totems to house the displays are being built by Merson Signs and the order for the displays has been placed with Infotec by Consultants for Integrated Security.

Recognised as the market leader in the design, manufacture and supply of electronic displays to the UK rail industry, Infotec’s association with Paddington Station stretches back more than a decade.

In 2004, the London hub was the second in the UK to make use of Infotec’s then-new Olympus controller; over 100 Infotec LEDs were installed in 2005 and upgrades due to take place in 2015 have been deferred due to the continued reliability of the displays.

Additional Infotec P1124 next train indicators (NTIs) were added in 2014 to provide easy-to-view information for customers on the platforms.

It was also Paddington Station for which Infotec’s mobile displays were originally developed; these have subsequently been supplied to stations nationwide and are also used by Eurostar.