TfL to develop Piccadilly Line intelligent digital twin ecosystem

Spinview, the London-based visual intelligence company that makes digital twins of physical infrastructure, is partnering with Transport for London (TfL) to develop a digital real world replica for parts of the Tube network.

Spinview’s innovative capture and scanning device will provide the basis for a detailed and easily accessible visual recreation of TfL’s Deep Tube environment, which until now has been notoriously challenging to map in detail.

Focussing initially on the Piccadilly line, one of the Underground’s deeper lines with track in some locations as far as 30m below ground, the digital twin will improve the safety and efficiency of maintaining the network while also providing a baseline model from which to monitor environmental indicators such as noise, heat and carbon emissions.

The project is funded by the Government’s Smart Grant and will support the Mayor of London’s ambition for a zero-carbon railway by 2030.

Spinview says its digital model will help reveal information and identify faults that previously may have been hidden from the human eye – for instance by pinpointing where noise is coming from and locating heat hotspots.

“Opening up complex data sets will support TfL through the entire life cycle of project delivery – from surveying, planning, designing and upgrading, to virtual approvals from TfL’s senior managers,” says Spinview.

A further advantage is the digital twin will allow work to take place remotely at any time. TfL will no longer be restricted to physically inspecting and surveying assets below ground between the night time “engineering hours” of 1-5am when the network is closed. 

Linda Wade, Co-founder and CEO of Spinview, says, “By establishing a visually intelligent ecosystem for TfL, Spinview hopes to not only help TfL in tracking its environmental goals, but also to support in facilitating better decision-making, driving forward business efficiencies, saving costs and future-proofing the network in the long-term.”

Paul Judge, TfL’s Director of the Piccadilly Line Upgrade says, “This partnership offers us a really exciting opportunity to gain real-time access to our assets on the Underground network, many of which we can currently only inspect during engineering hours. Not only will using digital-twin technology support the smarter, more efficient maintenance of the railway, it will also enable us to more accurately monitor environmental challenges such as carbon emissions, noise levels and heat as we strive to do more to lessen our carbon footprint and help tackle the climate emergency. This is another example of us working with market innovators to stay at the forefront of technology.”