Cannock Station PAVA System Upgrade

The Cannock Station PAVA system was upgraded as part of a wider initiative by West Midlands Trains to modernise public address and voice alarm systems across its rail network. The project focused on improving reliability, intelligibility, and remote operability at an unmanned station, while ensuring minimal disruption to daily passenger services.

Cannock Station is a two-platform station in Staffordshire, serving approximately 350,000 passengers annually. As a key part of the regional rail infrastructure, clear and dependable audio communication is essential for passenger information and safety.

The Requirement: A Reliable PAVA System for an Unmanned Station

The existing public address infrastructure at Cannock Station consisted of mixed amplifier types, resulting in inconsistent performance and increasing maintenance complexity. For an unmanned station, this posed a significant challenge.

The new Cannock Station PAVA system needed to:

• Deliver clear and intelligible announcements across both platforms
• Support remote monitoring and control
• Be future-proof with a minimum 10-year lifespan
• Integrate with existing automated announcement systems
• Be installed and commissioned within a single day to avoid service disruption

Reliability, low total cost of ownership, and long-term durability were key decision factors for West Midlands Trains and Hitachi Rail.

The Solution: A Compact, IP-Based PAVA System

To meet these requirements, Zenitel deployed a VAIA-AC public address and voice alarm system tailored for smaller railway stations.

A single VAIA-AC unit now provides full coverage across both platforms. The system integrates amplification, backup amplification, digital signal processing, power supply, and system control in a compact 1U design. Its IP-based architecture enables seamless integration with the existing automated announcement interface provided by Blackbox.

Much of the system configuration and testing was completed off-site, including a customer-witnessed Factory Acceptance Test. This approach allowed installation and commissioning of the Cannock Station PAVA system to be completed within one day, reducing on-site work and operational risk.

The Result: Clearer Audio and Remote System Management

The upgraded Cannock Station PAVA system has significantly improved audio clarity and speech intelligibility for passengers on both platforms.

Remote monitoring and control are especially valuable for an unmanned station. Integrated IP networking allows operators to manage the system off-site, monitor performance, and receive automatic fault notifications. Built-in redundancy and self-monitoring functions help ensure continuous operation without the need for on-site supervision.

In addition to improved reliability, the new system delivers energy savings and supports West Midlands Trains’ sustainability objectives.

Cannock Station is the first of many stations scheduled for a PAVA system upgrade across the West Midlands Trains network. The successful deployment demonstrates how a standardized, IP-based PAVA system can support modern rail operations with reliable, future-ready audio communication.