RailDirector May 2021 by RBD Media

Better for Business May 2021

Exclusively for rail industry leaders

May 2021 Issue 9 railbusinessdaily.com

In this issue… Mike Roberts Providing a platform for the wellbeing of railway workers Chris Haigh A decade of success Emily Kent The intelligent video providing a safer platform for the railways Simon Marsh Accelerating change during the pandemic

Shane Andrews MBE Increasing LGBT+ awareness and empowering colleagues to celebrate diversity 9

A platform for success… railbusinessdaily.com

Releasing the latest industry news Bringing companies and customers together Delivering business-leading analysis and views

Get on track with Elite interlocking blocks and barriers

British made

Workforce protection barriers avoiding all line closures with adjacent line open

Rockfall prevention with our multi-purpose Jersey barriers

Hoarding stabilisation utilising Elite Duo interlocking blocks

Large ballast bays with walls constructed from our Legato interlocking blocks

Large scale embankment retention using the versatile Legato blocks

Workforce safety refuges built from Elite Duo blocks

Everywhere on rail networks Elite products are seen in use For more information phone 01952 588 885 or browse www.eliteprecast.co.uk or email sales@eliteprecast.co.uk

KM 642263 BS EN 1917 & BS 5911-3

KM 658166 BS 5911-6

Suppliers to 2012 London Olympics, 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and approved suppliers to Tideway, Crossrail and HS2 (fully compliant transport)

Introduction

Onwards and upwards W

elcome to the latest RailDirector. Our newest offering comes at an exciting time. Not just because some pubs are back open and we can get our hair cut, but for us as a business we have some big plans, experienced new arrivals and we are edging ever closer to the opening of our new HQ in West Yorkshire. I am particularly delighted to welcome Eli Rees and Rachel Woodman to the Business Daily Group family. They will be driving forward our RBDCommunity – a venture I am sure will transform the industry for the better. The aim is to provide a platform to connect customers and supply chain partners, whilst at the same time providing access to industry insight reports, events, and tender opportunities. We are also steaming ahead with the launch of our inaugural Inside Track magazine. Nigel Wordsworth is the man behind the magazine and has been doing a wonderful job and I can’t wait to reveal the first edition. His experience and enthusiasm are really helping in taking our coverage to the next level. At the heart of everything we do is a passion to shine a positive spotlight on the rail industry and highlight the incredible products, services and individuals that make it the industry it is. RailDirector continues to do just that and I am always excited when the latest edition is completed and ready for you all to see. Among those who feature in May’s edition is Network Rail’s Shane Andrews MBE, who is doing a wonderful job increasing LGBT+ awareness and empowering colleagues to celebrate diversity in the workplace. It is upsetting to read about his negative experiences, and I hope his words inspire all of us to play our part in making a difference. Together we

need to send the strong message that discrimination of any kind is not welcome in the rail industry. We also feature a look at the incredible work by Network Rail and its partners in averting an environmental disaster after a freight train, pulling 25 wagons, derailed while passing through Llangennech. It took six months of complex recovery work after 350,000 litres of diesel spilled into the ground. Thanks to Dave Stanbury for taking the time to speak about the incident and to the whole team for their amazing work. We have also spoken to Railway Mission chaplain Mike Roberts on the vital role to be played in getting the railway family back on its feet post COVID. Working practices have been transformed and personally I don’t think there will be anyone who hasn’t suffered because of the pandemic. Mike speaks openly on his concerns of a potential mental health crisis. We have to make sure we talk openly about our emotions and that we support our colleagues. That is just a small taster of what awaits you in the pages ahead. I hope, as always, you enjoy reading the latest RailDirector. We are here to help tell your story and help your business build back better. As an organisation, we are on an exciting journey and hope you will join us. Kind regards

Da vid

David McLoughlin Chief Executive Business Daily Group (incorporating: RBD Publications and railbusinessdaily.com)

Together we need to send the strong message that discrimination of any kind is not welcome in the rail industry When you have finished reading this issue of RailDirector, please pass it to colleagues to enjoy or put it in your reception area.

RailDirector magazine is part of the Business Daily Group of companies, which includes the hugely popular railbusinessdaily.com. We deliver more than 70 stories a week to +50,000 rail industry professionals who now subscribe to our 7am daily newsletter. Please subscribe and encourage your colleagues and team members to do the same. It’s free and it’s easy: www.railbusinessdaily.com. This is the very best way to keep abreast of what is happening on Britain’s railways. There is a digital copy of RailDirector on our website.

Join Us at Rail Live 2021 Quinton Rail Technology Centre (QRTC) on June 16th & 17th 2021 See our Queen’s Award-Winning GRP Dura Platform and other patented d2 Dura Composites product innovations

Unlocking the Power of Composites for the Rail Industry

railbusinessdaily.com

Tel: +44 (0)1255 440291 info@duracomposites.com www.duracomposites.com

May 2021 | 3

Contents

Helping to put the PRIDE in the railways

Shane Andrews MBE on increasing LGBT+ awareness and empowering colleagues to celebrate diversity in the workplace.

A digital Development Consent Order?

Viral Desai explains how a holistic approach to consent can speed up the programme and transform major projects.

Rail industry publishes a new Sustainable Stations: Best Practice Guide.

News 10 Including the locomotive for the future, completion of Ribblehead Viaduct work - and kinetic flooring installation.

Is electrification the answer to net-zero conundrum?

An open letter to the Transport Secretary says immediate work is needed to meet net-zero commitments.

Building safety together – one vision – one industry

Alan Tarrant and Tracey Barber discuss next month’s Rail Safety Week.

Signalling change: moving into the driving seat for training

The interim report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch.

Removing the barriers to make the railways more inclusive

LNER’s Charlie Woodhead on his role to drive forward the EDI Charter.

Celebrating heritage railways

Aishwarya Chidambaram on the vital role for freight in decarbonising the transport sector.

Tel: 0800 046 7320 Sales: 020 7062 6599

New research shows rail freight is cutting emissions across the UK

Editor Nigel Wordsworth nigel@rbdpublications.com

Independent research shows that rail freight delivers £2.5 billion in economic and social benefits to the UK annually.

Writers Danny Longhorn Dave Windass

Providing a vital platform for the wellbeing of UK railway workers

Designer/Production Editor Chris Cassidy

Long-term disaster averted

A decade of success

Print Manager Dan Clark Distribution Manager Nick Wright

Advertising Team Christian Wiles – chris@rbdpublications.com Freddie Neal – freddie@rbdpublications.com Elliot Gates – elliot@rbdpublications.com

Haigh Rail’s Managing Director Chris Haigh on his ten-year business journey.

The intelligent video providing a safer platform for the railways

Published by RBD Publications Ltd., Suite 37, Philpot House, Station Road, Rayleigh, Essex, SS6 7HH.

Printed by Stephens & George

One Big Circle’s Emily Kent discusses the video platform helping drive rail’s digital transformation.

Platform 1

A return to the track

International news

Movers and shakers

Highlighting products and services that are set to transform the railways.

Chair of Kent & East Sussex Railway, Simon Marsh, on using the pandemic to accelerate change. Including RZD completes construction of two largest railway structures in Serbia. A round-up of new industry appointments

2020 Queen’s Award Winners in Innovation for Dura Platform Robroyston Station

Unlocking the Power of Composites for the Rail Industry

4 | May 2021

Sally Sudworth on her mission to embed considerations around sustainability and resilience into all decision making.

Six months of complex recovery work gets Llangennech back on track.

Record entries and a record audience as the Heritage Railway Association’s annual awards go virtual.

Decarbonisation of freight

Supporting clients in creating climate-resilient communities

Railway Mission chaplain Mike Roberts on the vital role to be played in getting the railway family back on its feet.

Transport for Wales has appointed its first female Driver and Operations Trainer.

Stonehaven tragedy: train derailed after colliding with stones washed onto track

Stations set to go green as rail companies make sustainability pledge 36

For subscription enquiries and to make sure you get your copy of RailDirector please ring 0800 046 7320 or email subscriptions@rbdpublications.com The views expressed in the articles reflect the author’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher and editor. The published material, adverts, editorials and all other content is published in good faith.

• 87% weight saving vs. traditional build due to lightweight superstructure and GRP panels • Allows for rapid adjustment for future PTI requirements • Low maintenance surface tested to +1 million footfalls • Modular panels can be rapidly installed on convex or concave platforms • Hybrid GRP steel system has design life of up to 120 years Tel: +44 (0)1255 440291 info@duracomposites.com www.duracomposites.com

railbusinessdaily.com

Diversity and Inclusion

Helping to put the PRIDE in the railways

Shane Andrews MBE shares his experience of increasing LGBT+ awareness and empowering colleagues to celebrate diversity in the workplace

ore than a third of LGBT+ staff have hidden their sexual orientation at work for fear of discrimination, according to recent stats released by the UK Government. Fortunately, Shane Andrews MBE isn’t one of those and is in fact inspiring others to speak openly about their sexuality. Unfortunately, though, it hasn’t come without its problems, having a senior manager openly calling him ‘disgusting’ and another saying he ‘wasn’t normal’ just for being gay. But thankfully those experiences haven’t driven him away from the railways, and have instead made him even more passionate to accelerate change and reform attitudes. “We’ve got a long way to go to be fully inclusive, but it is a fight we need to continue to make sure it happens,” he said. “I am heartened to see some really, really positive examples of things that are happening – however it is not always a rosy picture. “Statistics from Stonewall have found around seven out of 10 LGBT+ workers have experienced one type of sexual harassment or another, and I am hearing from people working in the railways being bullied. “For me, being called disgusting by a senior manager did tarnish my opinion of the railways, and although it is quite hard to offend me, things like that do stick. I can’t understand why someone felt I was disgusting and why my sexuality affects them, because it shouldn’t. We need to work together to change that kind of mindset and be a little more positive.”

The Network Rail Wales Project Operations Interface Specialist has worked tirelessly over the years to increase LGBT+ awareness among his colleagues and empower them to celebrate diversity in the workplace.

GRP End of Platform Gates and Fencing Solutions

In 2018, Shane quickly began to make a substantial difference to the workplace when he joined the ‘Archway’ leadership team – Network Rail’s LGBT+ employee network. • Lightweight, high strength fencing and gate solutions • Non conductive and non corrosive • Modular design can be rapidly installed • Bespoke Structural Design and CAD Services available • Same day dispatch on standard stock holdings

Unlocking the Power of Composites for the Rail Industry

railbusinessdaily.com

Tel: +44 (0)1255 440291 info@duracomposites.com www.duracomposites.com

May 2021 | 5

Diversity and Inclusion

Within his first year from formerly being elected as Chair, the group saw its largest ever annual increase in membership – with more than 300 people signing up. “All I want to do is to get to a point that people understand that being LGBT+ is just a small facet of somebody and that also, if you allow them to bring their whole self to work, it enables people to be safer, more productive and deliver more for the business,” he said. “For me, my personal contribution to increasing Archway’s membership goes back to 2015, when I started encouraging the Network Rail team in Wales to go to PRIDE. “We now go every year and it has gradually grown with us together as an industry with Network Rail, Great Western Railway, Transport for Wales and British Transport Police marching together in the parade as one saying we’re here, we’re open and we want you to consider joining us in the railways. “I think it is important to get that message out because if you spoke to the LGBT+ community about where they want to work, I would very much doubt they would say they wanted to work for the railway. If they said transport, they would probably say aviation.” Virtual PRIDE festival Even coronavirus hasn’t got in the way of progress and the PRIDE celebrations. Shane and Network Rail and Archway colleague Harry Levey brought together a group of railway workers to host a twoweek Virtual PRIDE festival last year, which saw more than 500 people attending. The last year has also seen Archway’s newsletter increased from bi-monthly to weekly and the launch of Inclusivitea – a virtual coffee shop held every week – both with the aim to create a sense of community and to prevent colleagues from struggling with isolation during the lockdown. He said: “Being visible at events like PRIDE helps put the industry to the forefront of the community’s heads and minds. It is vital at a time when we need to attract new talent, that we look for new talent in places we wouldn’t normally look and shout out loud how inclusive and great the rail industry is.” Shane’s achievements haven’t gone unnoticed or without reward. Network Rail was recently ranked fourth in the Vercida group list of LGBT+ inclusive employers. Even more recently he was awarded an MBE for his work to boost inclusivity within the rail industry. He said: “It was massive shock and I was actually in a one-to-one meeting when I spotted an email from the Cabinet Office with an attachment that said Shane Andrews MBE – which I thought was a little weird. 6 | May 2021

“It said that the Prime Minister wished to confirm to Her Majesty the Queen that he wants to award me an MBE, and asking if I’d accept this. It said please reply by Friday, but I wasn’t hanging around – I’d sent the paperwork back within the hour.

We need more LGBT+ colleagues to be more representative of the communities we serve “It still hasn’t really sunk in and if the email hadn’t gone to my work email, I would have thought it was a hoax. It is nice to have that recognition of the difference I’ve tried to make. “I also feel a big level of responsibility from it so it has been an incredible moment and something I will treasure forever. I am also a big royalist as well – I love them so much. I just love the history behind them and what they do for the country.” Archway, which Shane still chairs, is one of six employee networks at Network Rail contributing to a more open, inclusive and diverse organisation. There is also CanDo, Cultural Fusion, Inspire, Multi-Faith and Care.

“I do think we are making a positive difference,” said Shane. “We’re seeing apprentices come through now that are openly non-binary for example, but we have got a way to go to be truly inclusive. “I recently spoke at our industry conference on the theme of being the catalyst of making a difference and that to do that we have to be willing to challenge and willing to make ourselves feel uncomfortable, something which is being done through our employee networks. But it has to be done collaboratively. “I am still hearing of people having bad experiences because of their sexuality but in a lot of those occasions these are being dealt with effectively and I am pleased with some of the results that are happening afterwards.” Use of pronouns Another change you might have noticed in recent months is the use of pronouns on email signatures and social media accounts. Often people make assumptions about the gender of another person based on the individual’s appearance or name – which can send a potentially harmful message, particularly if that assumption is incorrect. Letting people know the pronoun you identify as helps to create an inclusive, respectful environment, something Shane is fully supports. He said: “I have been delighted to see such visible support, particularly from our senior leadership. railbusinessdaily.com

Diversity and Inclusion

“I recently had an email from Sir Peter Hendy in which he wrote underneath his name he/him. “It’s not about asking for it to be mandated or forced upon anyone, we’ve said about the benefit of doing it and how it makes people feel and asked people to consider it. It has been quite a success so far. We’re also about to trial something new with colleagues in the Southern region, where they can put the pronouns on their hard hats should they wish to” Inspiration for others From joining the railways initially at Arriva Train Wales in 2006, Shane made the conscious decision to be open about his sexuality, a move that hasn’t just helped him, but also proved inspirational for many others. “My whole life in education was perpetuated with a notion that people like me didn’t exist and having feelings for men over women was something I should be ashamed of,” said Shane, who finished school before the notorious ‘Section 28’ law, which prevented teachers ‘promoting the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship’ was repealed. “I was bullied at school on the assumption of being gay, which at the time I didn’t know I was.

“When I joined the railways I made a conscious decision that I’d be open about my sexuality and wouldn’t try to hide who I was. “I saw people doing that across all levels and thought I’m going to try and change this. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time working in the railways and would recommend it to everybody. There are so many different functions – there really is a role to suit everyone. As an industry though we need to sell that excitement more and look at new ways of recruiting and look specifically at

where LGBT+ people are looking for roles and where we can do something about that.” The latest statistics from the Office of National Statistics estimate that between six and ten per cent of the population are LGBT+. Shane added: “We need more LGBT+ colleagues to be more representative of the communities we serve. Wouldn’t it be great if Network Rail and the rail industry generally was truly representative? It could bring a lot of new skills and expertise to the industry at a time when we need it most.”

Keeping you on the right track Specialists in bespoke hydraulic lifting equipment for the rail industry A well established 100% British company, with safety and quality being our number one priority Quality approved to BS EN ISO9001:2015 standard We will be pleased to quote, design and build hydraulic lifting equipment to suit your individual needs

Proud suppliers to major UK rail companies Majorlift Hydraulic Equipment Ltd. Arnolds Field Estate, Wickwar, Wotton-Under-Edge GL12 8JD 299299 gnit(+44) fil cilua(0)1454 r dy h ek o p s e b n i s ts i l a i c e pS yrtsuwww.majorlift.com d n i l i ar e h t r of t n e m p i u q e h s i t i r B % 0 0 1 d e h s i l b a t s e l l ew A ytilauq dna ytefas htiw ,ynapmoc yrailbusinessdaily.com tiroirp eno rebmun ruo gnieb N E S B o t d evor p p a y t i l a u Q dr a d n a t s 5 1 0 2 : 1 0 0 9 O S I

May 2021 | 7

Consultancy

A digital Development Consent Order? Viral Desai, Principal Planner at Atkins, explains how a holistic approach to consent can speed up the programme, smooth examinations, and transform major projects etting consent is the make-or-break for major projects – and, with planning undergoing a digital transformation, taking a holistic view of consents has never been so important. Coupled with a digital approach and a more robust understanding of the DCO manager’s role, projects prove their compliance more easily, communicate their choices, and gain consent first time. When it comes to obtaining Development Consent Orders (DCOs), the goal is the same: to secure consent the first time. However, this can be difficult for major projects. The tendency to treat consent as a separate or silo issue makes it harder for DCO managers to accurately evidence, meet the challenges posed during examinations, and ultimately to secure the DCO. With planning undergoing its most significant changes for over half a century, there’s more pressure to improve the way in which major projects seek DCOs. Fortunately, industries are on the cusp of a digital breakthrough, which will revolutionise not only consenting, but how projects are conceived, evidenced, and approved. Many benefits of this digital transformation depend on a holistic understanding of various aspects of a project; innovation improves the outcomes by connecting the different aspects together, earlier in a meaningful way. Since DCO managers sit at the heart of this matrix, and because they are trained to weigh up competing claims, needs, and ideas of the diverse stakeholders within it, they are specially placed to drive successful outcomes across the project.

Photo: Atkins

A more robust understanding of the DCO manager’s role allows them to become the interface between different aspects of the project, which in turn generates integration, insight, and better solutions. However, to unlock these benefits, the method in which the consenting process is conceived must be reworked. Planning gets digital The whole planning system is going online – there will be more automation and data-driven thinking.

Robert Jenrick, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government, said recently: “We are moving away from notices on lampposts to an interactive and accessible map-based online system – placing planning at the fingertips of people.” For decades, the planning system has relied upon documents; so far data has only been embraced tentatively. Yet the proposed changes to the planning system, announced in 2020, will bring digital to the forefront. A modern approach based on

EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE, EXPERIENCE RADIUS

PLEASE CALL +44 (0)1604 622 865

info@radiusgroup.co.uk www.radiusgroup.co.uk

8 | May 2021

railbusinessdaily.com

real-time, open data will help to create a more accurate picture of what’s actually happening around the country. Developers, project promoters, policymakers and citizens alike will have easy access to reliable, digestible, and relevant data about the delivery of housing and infrastructure in their local area. As well as being more inclusive, consistent, and democratic, these changes will also make the entire process much more efficient. In turn this will accelerate programme times and – hopefully – lead to more cost-effective outcomes. Embedding digital processes from the outset can accelerate the programme; not only is it key for smooth examinations but it can also increase efficiency across the whole project. Without digital standardisation, the sheer volume of information across a vast array of documents can make each request a gruellingly protracted procedure. Often, to find the right answer for a single stakeholder requires trawling through three or four dense documents. Yet, with a digital interface, it’s easy to find out why a landowner has a problem with the scheme, because their consultation responses can be seen in a single, immutable form. And, if all this is put in place from the beginning of optioneering, it can be linked to legislation, making it easier to evidence compliance with statutory regulations. To achieve these improvements, it’s important to build best practice right from the beginning of each project. For digital to have full impact, there needs be an interface of all the areas linking into the DCO: a GIS database, for example, accommodating all the environmental, land, design, and stakeholder data, all logged and recorded reliably, would enable consent to be achieved much more smoothly. It’s not about one single innovation, but rather a consolidation of existing tools and approaches, with a holistic mindset that focuses on the relationships between the different components of a major project.

Photo: Atkins

Consultancy

The rail industry isn’t there quite yet, but, with the right approach, the DCO manager can already enact much of this, just with today’s technology and a determination to implement best practice from the very start. Holistic helps A DCO manager isn’t just someone who knows about consenting; but someone who can deliver and make decisions holistically – and, to do this, they need the proper digital tools at their disposal. The DCO manager can knit together the various specialisms that co-exist on major projects; they can work alongside project managers, assess risks and opportunities, and, after weighing up all this, direct their team to positive outcomes. This new way of thinking about the DCO manager conceives of them as the fulcrum, the interface enabling better connections, more harmony, and ultimately better outcomes. The DCO manager is uniquely placed to fulfil such a function. Strong relationships with the other leads, and the cross-cutting nature of their work, enables them to be natural brokers.

More importantly, they’re crucial to the weighing up of risk; their experience empowers them to decide which risks threaten consent and therefore require changes, and which can be embraced or mitigated within the existing proposals. They are vital in helping the whole team decide how to meet the programme. In turn, this robust interpretation of the DCO manager’s role increases the chances that the DCO will be obtained first time, reducing cost, raising standards, and de-risking the whole programme. Together, a digital-first approach and a more holistic, fleshed-out understanding of the DCO manager’s role can transform a project, unlock hidden potential, eliminate risks and harmonise different stakeholders. It means that stakeholders don’t have to search through 300-page documents to understand why their local park is being used as a construction site, designers can quickly understand why and how their designs need to change, and clients can have more confidence in getting consent first time.

PLANT INSTALLATIONS TOWER CRANE HIRE LIFTING ASSURANCE & CONSULTANCY CONTRACT LIFT SOLUTIONS

railbusinessdaily.com

May 2021 | 9

F eeawtsu r e N

Iconic Ribblehead viaduct repaired

ork to restore the worldrenowned Ribblehead viaduct for rail passengers and tourists in North Yorkshire is now complete. Since November 2020, 100ft high scaffolding towers have moved across seven of the viaduct’s 24 arches to carry out masonry, drainage and repainting work. The £2.1 million investment as part of the Great North Rail Project will secure the Grade II listed structure’s future as both an historic landmark and vital railway link on the Settle-Carlisle railway line. Philippa Britton, principal programme sponsor for Network Rail, said: “The teams have worked throughout a harsh winter to restore this hugely important and impressive piece of Victorian engineering for the future and I’m hugely proud of the work we’ve carried out as part of the Great North Rail Project.”

Heritage railway joins forces to build a locomotive for the future

he Severn Valley Railway has teamed up with the University of Birmingham and local start-up company Va n g u a r d Sustainable Transport Solutions to work on a ground-breaking scheme. The Harrier HydroShunter project will see the UK’s firstever conversion of a diesel locomotive to run on hydrogen power. Work is already underway at the heritage railway’s diesel depot at Kidderminster, where a team of young volunteers are stripping down the donor vehicle. They’re removing the existing diesel engine and generators and overhauling other components, as they prepare Class 08 shunter No 08635 to receive its new power system. Va n g u a r d Sustainable Transport Solutions is designing the hydrogen-battery hybrid traction system. This will be made up of hydrogen cylinders, a hydrogen fuel cell stack and a hybrid battery.

The cylinders will store hydrogen as a pressurised gas, which will be fed to the fuel cell stack via a regulator. In the fuel cell stack, hydrogen will be combined with oxygen from the air, to produce electricity to power the locomotive. Meanwhile, the battery will store energy to provide additional power for when it’s needed. The equipment will be mounted on a sub-frame, fitted to the existing engine mountings. It will supply the existing traction motors

of the Class 08, which will keep its existing controls. Mike Ball, the Severn Valley Railway’s Vice Chairman, has been closely involved with the project from its inception: “We were delighted when the University of Birmingham asked us to get involved in this project. As a heritage railway, we’re actively looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint, and having a hydrogen-powered shunter will play a key part in that plan.”

Network Rail invites £1bn private sector investment in telecoms etwork Rail is seeking private sector investment in its trackside fibre optic cable network in a deal that would enable performance, safety and connectivity benefits for passengers, save the taxpayer up to £1 billion in costs and support the Government’s objectives to improve connectivity across Britain, including in rural areas. As part of Network Rail’s initiative to create a safer, more modern and digitally connected rail network, this ambitious plan aims to secure the funding necessary to upgrade telecoms infrastructure along the rail network in an innovative way 10 | May 2021

Photo: Network Rail

without relying on subsidies from Government or passengers. Over 16,000km of data cables next to the railway – carrying

information essential to running the railway such as signalling for trains, trackside sensors, CCTV, and internet for trains, railway

depots and offices – are due to be upgraded. As Network Rail will not require the full capacity of new cuttingedge fibre optics, there will be sufficient capacity for a third-party to run its own telecoms services – making use of the significant geographical reach of the national rail network to meet demand for improved fibre connectivity across Britain, and taking advantage of the lower cost of fibre deployment along the railway when compared with other deployment methods. Interested parties are advised to contact Lazard – Network Rail’s advisers on the deal – at lazard_reach@lazard.com. railbusinessdaily.com

Turnkey

Refurbishment, Engineering and Asset Management services

to the railway industry

Diamond are a dynamic and growing business with a broad portfolio of service offerings, delivering high quality value added services throughout the rail sector.

DELIVERING FOR YOUR CUSTOMER, TOGETHER Talk to us about your specific project requirements and let our dedicated team develop your ideal solution…

0114 2570909 diamondrail.co.uk info@diamondrail.co.uk

F eeawtsu r e N

ondon North Eastern Railway (LNER) is celebrating an historic milestone that will lead to even faster, smoother train journeys to more destinations. After 40 years lying dormant, London King’s Cross station’s third tunnel has reopened and seen the first LNER Azuma passenger service to arrive into Platform 0. The service left York at 04:40 on Monday 26 April. The reopening of the Eastern Gasworks Tunnel on the approach to the station is a major part of the East Coast Upgrade, which will provide two additional tracks, reducing congestion while making it easier for trains to arrive and depart the station. Warrick Dent, LNER Safety and Operations Director, said: “It marks a major milestone in the transformation of LNER services that are being made possible by the East Coast Upgrade. While work continues until June, seeing our first Azuma passenger service arrive through the reopened tunnel means we’re even closer to being able to offer our customers even faster, more frequent and smoother journeys.” Before its closure, the tunnel provided one of the vital links into one of the country’s busiest railway stations. Dr David Turner, a railway historian with the University of York, said: “The eastern bore of the King’s Cross Gasworks Tunnel was originally opened in the late-19th century to improve the capacity of the approaches to King’s Cross Station. “Over the years everything from suburban services ferrying people between home and work, to elite trains taking people away for leisure has passed through its portals. The late1970s saw the tunnel mothballed as tracks were rationalised at King’s Cross. “The preservation of the tunnel has ensured that this piece of Victorian railway engineering could be brought back into use, to improve the services of the railway, a purpose its original engineers would have recognised.”

12 | May 2021

UK first for Leighton Buzzard following kinetic flooring installation A system that uses kinetic energy from commuters’ footsteps to power two phone charging benches and a realtime data screen has been installed at Leighton Buzzard railway station. Funded by the Department of Transport through a £22.9 million ADEPT SMART places Live Labs programme, the kinetic flooring has been installed by Pavegen and Central Bedfordshire Council, and raises awareness of sustainability through the footsteps of around 1.75 million people who travel to and from the station. Central Bedfordshire Council secured £1.05 million for the Live Labs programme and partnered

Photo: Central Bedfordshire Council

LNER takes passengers through historic railway tunnel

with Ringway Jacobs, West Midlands Trains and Pavegen, to create the project. Giles Perkins, Live Labs Programme Director, said: “The untapped footfall energy at our transport hubs represents a real opportunity to provide sustainable energy sources to

power bespoke applications, while engaging audiences and encouraging behavioural change. “This trial will help demonstrate the viability of the technology and could be a step change in the way transport hubs engage with commuters.”

Bridge works after protected bird’s nest found

etwork Rail has had to make changes to planned refurbishment works on the Grade II listed Britannia Bridge, in North Wales, after a pair of peregrine falcons were found to be calling it home. The rare and protected birds were spotted by a member of the public, flying back and forth to the top of the middle tower of the bridge – which links Anglesey and

the mainland of Wales across the Menai Strait. With restoration works planned on all three towers, Network Rail quickly teamed up with Ecological Consultants, Whitcher Wildlife Ltd, to get advice on how to best protect the falcons. “Falcons are usually found nesting in high-up places, like cliff tops or tall buildings, but this is the first time I have been called out to monitor these magnificent

and rare birds nesting in the tower of a bridge”, James Campbell, Ecological Consultant at Whitcher Wildlife Ltd said. Following advice from the ecologist and Natural Resources Wales, the restoration work will continue on Anglesey and Caernarfon towers with scaffolding now being erected in preparation for the main work to begin next month.

BCM delivers Liverpool Street renovations

CM has completed work at London Liverpool Street station to design and build extensions to platforms 16 and 17, and taken platform 18 out of use as an operational platform. These works have been implemented to increase capacity for MTR Elizabeth Line’s new 205-meter-long Full Length Unit (FLU) trains on the network. The work has modernised

parts of the station whilst increasing platform space making the area more pleasant for passengers when embarking and disembarking from the train. Moreover, the new 205m FLU trains will increase capacity by over 30 per cent. The key project deliverable was to complete the platform extensions and associated works by 31 May to ensure the client

can fully introduce and operate its new rolling stock. Mike Sandy, representative for MTR, said: “The relationship between BCM and MTR has been fundamental to the success of the project. We have worked together as a team from start to finish ensuring we achieve the common goal and objectives of the project, which we were most importantly able to accomplish on time.” railbusinessdaily.com

I n sFue raat nu cr e

Advice for Railway Companies – monthly feature by Jobson James Rail – The Rail Broker

Can I insure my bad debts if my rail customers don’t pay me?

rade Credit Insurance provides a railway company with protection against the risk of not being paid by customers. This can be due to insolvency or their refusal to pay but only if the debt is not disputed. Cover for small debts can be obtained using a facility which is known as a discretionary limit. Typically, this covers a fixed amount (i.e. up to £5,000) but can be increased depending on the size of the business provided you have a successful trading history with the customer or can provide a satisfactory status agency report (i.e. a report from Experian, Credit Safe, etc). For larger debts, we request insurers grant a specific credit limit for each customer. The credit limit is the maximum amount that each customer could owe at any one time. These limits and the customers we insure can change at any time depending on the railway company’s needs. Insurers will check the creditworthiness of your customers and decide how much cover

Keven Parker, ACII NEBOSH

can be provided, based on financial accounts, private and confidential information, the media and if they have had any reports from other policy holders with adverse information about how that customer is managing to pay other debts. This can be very valuable inside information that the business can use to protect itself against being overly reliant on certain customers.

An excess is applied to each claim. Typically the insurers will pay up to 90 per cent of the debt subject to a minimum contribution by the policyholder of £500. All insurers have a debt collection team which is either in house or outsourced to specialists. It may not always be necessary to claim off your insurance if the customer is still trading as the insurers will negotiate the debt with the customer. It is difficult to insure just a few specific customers, most policies are issued on a “whole of turnover” basis so all customers debts are insured thus spreading the risk for insurers. Keven Parker, Chartered Insurance Risk Manager ACII NEBOSH Head of Rail, Jobson James Rail. Contact Keven on 07816 283949.

www.jobson-james.co.uk/rail www.jjrail.co.uk

We Are A Rail Specialist Insurance Broker (RISQS Link up approved)

SPECIALIST RAIL DEVEGETATION CONTRACTOR - £2M TURNOVER

WE INSURE • RRV and Plant Companies • S&T, S&C, SMTH, OLE and Civils contractors • Rolling Sock Turnkey Modifications companies • Manufacturers, Wholesalers and Installers of rail products • ROSCOs and TOCs supply chain • Rail Consultants, Surveyors and Engineering Companies WHY US? • Specialist Rail Knowledge • NEBOSH/Safety approach producing lower premiums • Contractual Liability checking • Better Technical advice • Specialist rail safety consultancy site audits funded by insurers

• The company had an excellent health and safety record however we felt this was not recognised by the current insurers. • A 15 page detailed report was compiled explaining the companies safety investment and accreditations achieved. • The result was improved cover with 32% premium saving.

£12,351 SAVING

ON INSURANCE PREMIUM

15-PAGE

RISK REPORT TO

Contact Keven Parker on 07816 283949 / 0121 4528717 / 0207 9839039 Email: Keven.parker@jobson-james.co.uk

INSURERS

£2M

TURNOVER

32%

SAVING

HAPPY TO RECOMMEND

Offices in London and Birmingham. Nationwide coverage. Offices in London and Birmingham. Nationwide coverage. Jobson James Rail is a trading name of Aston Lark Limited. Authorised and regulated by the Limited Financialare Conduct Authority. Jobson James Insurance Brokers authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

railbusinessdaily.com

Image: Network Rail

Advertorial

May 2021 | 13

Electrification

Is electrification the answer to net-zero conundrum? Railway industry urges Government to begin programme of rail electrification now, in order to meet net-zero legal commitments

n open letter to the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps MP, signed by more than 15 rail businesses plus industry and campaign groups, has called for a programme of rail electrification to begin as soon as possible to meet the Government’s legally binding net-zero commitments. The letter comes on the back of a new report, “Why Rail Electrification?” which sets out why – even with the development of clean new technologies like battery and hydrogen trains – the industry will be unable to decarbonise the rail network to the extent required without significant further electrification. Rail is already a low carbon method of transport, contributing just 1.4 per cent of all transport emissions. However, the industry will need to decarbonise further if it is to achieve the Government’s aim of removing all diesel-only trains off the network by 2040 and the legally binding commitment to net zero by 2050. 450km/year target According to Network Rail, to decarbonise the network, 13,000 single track kilometres – or around 450km a year – of track will need to be electrified by 2050 in order to achieve net zero, yet from 2019-2020 only 251km was electrified. Darren Caplan, Chief Executive of the Railway Industry Association (RIA), said: “It’s great to launch the ‘Why Rail Electrification?’ report, as part of RIA’s RailDecarb21 campaign – calling on the Government to support efforts to decarbonise the rail network ahead of the COP26 Conference in Glasgow later this year. “The report clearly shows the rail industry will be unable to decarbonise the network without a rolling programme of electrification. As RIA has demonstrated in recent work, electrification in the UK can be delivered affordably, at up to 50 per cent the cost of some past projects, if there is a long-term, consistent, profile of work rather than the current situation of boom and bust. “Crucially, a rolling programme of electrification needs to start now if the Government is to hit its net-zero obligations, and if the railway industry is not to lose capability and expertise from the current hiatus in activity. 14 | May 2021

Also, by committing to electrification immediately, UK rail could be a world leader, creating and sustaining green jobs, investment and economic growth at a critical time for the UK economy as we all seek to build out of the coronavirus pandemic.”

We want to see the Government encouraging people to switch their journeys to rail Report Lead Author David Shirres said: “The ‘Why Rail Electrification?’ report complements Network Rail’s Traction Decarbonisation Network Strategy by explaining why electrification is both a future-proof technology and a good investment. “If Britain is to decarbonise, transport has to be weaned off petroleum for which the only zero-carbon alternative is electricity. However, electricity can only be transmitted to fixed locations and then converted into another form of energy for on-board storage. This significantly limits a vehicle’s power and range. In contrast, electric trains collect electricity on the move from fixed current collection systems and feed it straight into their motors without any

energy conversion losses. Hence, they offer efficient high-powered net-zero carbon traction with large passenger, freight, and operational benefits. “It is hoped that this report, which is supported by rail businesses and professional engineering institutions, will be read by decision makers to enable them to understand exactly why rail electrification offers such advantages.” The low carbon option Noel Dolphin, from the Campaign to Electrify Britain’s Railway (CEBR), said: “We welcome the launch of ‘The Why Rail Electrification?’ report. Rail is already a low carbon option for transport. The report clearly demonstrates that due to the laws of physics the majority of the network will require electrification, if the UK is to decarbonise the railway. “We believe this can only be delivered affordably through a long-term rolling programme. With current electrification projects completing, we are about to enter another boom and bust cycle that will make it harder to achieve decarbonisation and cost efficiency in the future. We call on the Government and Network Rail to bring forward ‘no regrets’ schemes now.” Paul Tuohy, Chief Executive of Campaign for Better Transport, said: “We want to see the Government encouraging people to switch their journeys to rail, while at the same time making rail even greener through a rolling programme of electrification. What a powerful combination this would be in the fight to decarbonise transport and improve air quality.” railbusinessdaily.com

THE VOICE OF TORQUE CONTROL • Network Rail approved EvoTorque range of battery torque multipliers

• UK manufacturer of battery, electric, pneumatic & manually operated torque multipliers, wrenches & torque measurement equipment • Bespoke torque control solutions specially developed for rail industry • Contact Norbar for your rail infrastructure & rolling stock applications Featured Examples:

• Dampened rail base plate assembly using pneumatic PTS™ • Rail fishplate maintenance program using EvoTorque® Battery Tool with data logging • Engineering bespoke design application for Hitachi Rail Europe Class 800/801w

Contact: rail@norbar.com

+44 (0)1295 753600

www.norbar.com

“Torque with us”

at RAIL LIVE 2021

Stand J 30

Health and Safety

Building safety together – one vision – one industry Alan Tarrant and Tracey Barber discuss next month’s Rail Safety Week and ensuring old habits don’t slip back into play

he UK’s railway is one of the safest in Europe, however serious and fatal accidents still occur. Next month over 150 organisations will come together for the sixth Rail Safety Week – joining forces for positive change. The industry-led initiative takes place from 21-27 June, focusing on rail safety for all, with a mixture of health and safety conferences, site briefs and school safety-based events. “Whether your career lies within the rail industry, or whether you use the railways to get from A to B, rail safety affects us all,” said Founder Alan Tarrant. “Rail Safety Week aims to address, engage, promote and bring rail safety to the forefront of people’s minds across a dedicated week, promoting the vital importance of rail safety to each and every one of us.” Alan, a Director of Fission Recruitment Services, says the idea was born from a supplier safety event in 2016. “Everyone in the room was asked how they could commit to promoting safety across the industry and not just for their own workforce,” he said. “Driving back up the M6 on my way home it came to me. Also, being a father of three boys and living between two busy rail lines, I wanted to ensure they knew the dangers of the rail network. A bit of research and a few meetings later and Rail Safety Week was born.” Engaging with the industry Tracey Barber, Group HR Manager at XRAIL, joined an event in 2017, and following a chat with Alan volunteered to help engage the industry. In 2018 she took on the role of Engagement Director. She said: “This year’s Rail Safety Week will take place on the first week of the end of social distancing. For this purpose, we have taken the decision to keep the majority of events virtual. However, we may be announcing some in-person engagement events over the next couple of weeks. “The plan for this year is a focus on health and wellbeing of industry workers, passengers and the community. 16 | May 2021

“We are still looking for rail businesses to send us short five-minute videos showcasing their own thoughts on why health and wellbeing is important and what they will be aiming to do.” Overall the week’s aims are: To raise the profile of the importance of rail safety within the UK. o work collaboratively with leading names T to successfully deliver Rail Safety Week. o bring the industry together delivering the T same message across a dedicated week. o prevent accidents, fatalities and deaths in T and around rail infrastructure. Alan said: “The aim is to build safety together – one vision – one industry. As an industry we do some good things, pushing a wide range of safety notices on trespass, the Samaritans hotline, track safety etc. “But we don’t do this as one collaborative voice. It is our aim that as Rail Safety Week continues to grow, that more businesses get involved to give us the same vision.” Tracey added: “The reaction to all the previous events has been great, but we know it can be better.

“We are currently supported by over 150 organisations, from contractors, train and freight operating companies to community rail partnerships. “The best thing about supporting Rail Safety Week is that it’s free. The only cost is your time and what you can commit to. It could be a simple retweet, contributing to an event or spreading the message to your peers.”

Rail Safety Week aims to address, engage, promote and bring rail safety to the forefront of people’s minds Earlier this year Network Rail released new data which revealed a huge increase in trespass incidents throughout the UK – with areas such as Newcastle and Stevenage seeing a 138 per cent increase. railbusinessdaily.com

Health and Safety

daughter and RSW’s Marketing and Social Media expert) and agreed the focus this year had to be on health and wellbeing.

Alan said: We hear so many horror stories of people behaving dangerously close to and even on track. We are both parents and have always educated our children on the dangers. “Both being in our early 40s, we recall safety talks in schools. The best way of showing community and industry that we care is to actually get up and get involved.” Tracey added: “I think events like Rail Safety Week are extremely important. It gives focus and has the ability to make businesses look at their own safety talks and on occasion they see they could do more. “It also gives industry the opportunity to engage with the wider public in an informative yet fun and relaxed way.” Post-lockdown event This year’s Rail Safety Week is set to be even more important than in previous years, with the easing of lockdown and people returning to work and also following the increase in trespass incidents on tracks. Alan said: “Rail Safety Week is important every year, however, the pandemic has shifted our focus slightly for this year’s event.

Return to normality Alan explained: “As the travelling public gets back to normality, we need to ensure those old habits don’t slip back into play – such as running on platforms, effects of alcohol after nights out, headphones with loud music. “What better way to do so than the first week the country starts to get back to normality?” Tracey concluded: “It is easy to get involved, people can follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn and visit www.railsafetyweek.org “People should get involved because this is our industry and our safety, these are our passengers and our community. If Sir Peter Hendy and Alex Hynes can spare us five minutes, then you can too.” “We are aware that many people have been affected both mentally and physically over the last few months, so we got our heads together with John Ryan (Transport for Greater Manchester) and Georgia Barber (Tracey’s

For more details visit railsafetyweek.org, or email alan@railsafetyweek.co.uk or tracey@railsafetyweek.co.uk

倀爀漀瘀椀搀椀渀最愀挀挀爀攀搀椀琀攀搀琀攀猀琀椀渀最猀攀爀瘀椀挀攀猀琀漀琀栀攀爀愀椀氀椀渀搀甀猀琀爀礀⸀ 吀攀猀琀椀渀最猀漀氀甀琀椀漀渀猀昀漀爀嘀䴀匀猀礀猀琀攀洀猀Ⰰ 瀀愀猀猀攀渀最攀爀椀渀昀漀爀洀愀琀椀漀渀搀椀猀瀀氀愀礀猀Ⰰ 戀漀搀礀洀漀甀渀琀攀搀攀焀甀椀瀀洀攀渀琀Ⰰ 戀漀最椀攀洀漀甀渀琀攀搀攀焀甀椀瀀洀攀渀琀愀渀搀琀爀愀挀欀猀椀搀攀攀渀挀氀漀猀甀爀攀猀愀渀搀攀焀甀椀瀀洀攀渀琀⸀ 䄀挀挀爀攀搀椀琀愀琀椀漀渀椀渀挀氀甀搀攀猀㨀䔀一㘀㄀㌀㜀㌀Ⰰ 䔀一㔀㄀㔀㔀Ⰰ 䔀一㄀㈀㤀㘀㘀Ⰰ 䤀匀伀㤀㈀㈀㜀Ⰰ 䔀一㘀㘀㠀ⴀ㈀ⴀ㈀㜀

眀眀眀⸀愀砀椀猀琀攀猀琀氀愀戀漀爀愀琀漀爀椀攀猀⸀挀漀⸀甀欀簀䌀愀氀氀㨀㄀㤀㄀㌀㜀㠀㐀㘀㔀㌀簀椀渀昀漀䀀愀砀椀猀琀攀猀琀氀愀戀漀爀愀琀漀爀椀攀猀⸀挀漀⸀甀欀

railbusinessdaily.com

㜀㘀㜀

May 2021 | 17

Tr a i n i n g

Signalling change: moving into the driving seat for training

TfW has appointed its first female Driver and Operations Trainer

ev Hannible’s promotion as the first female Driver and Operations Trainer at Transport for Wales (TfW) signals TfW’s commitment to achieving equality across the organisation and has also been cause for reflection for the Stockport-born woman in rail. Bev’s career on the railways commenced at Manchester Victoria in 2005 when she was 25, following time working in hospitality and with Royal Mail. Over the past 16 years she has seen the industry’s desire to make rail a more attractive option for women move on apace. However, her arrival in Cardiff as a driver was a reminder that the journey to inclusivity is far from over. Just two years ago, pulling into Cardiff, Bev recalls the surprise as people on the platform realised that a woman was at the controls. In her career, she has also had people refusing to board a train that she was driving. 18 | May 2021

Rail does a very good job around diversity and inclusion and is very happy to have a public conversation in order to make positive change After completing driver training in 2015, Bev saw the positive impact of a high number of women being involved operationally, as drivers, guards and in managerial roles in and around Manchester Piccadilly, and wants this to be the norm. Everything, she says, is moving in the right direction.

Bev said: “Rail does a very good job around diversity and inclusion and is very happy to have a public conversation in order to make positive change. Slowly but surely, women are joining rail in operational roles. TfW is excellent at encouraging people into the industry and then playing a big part in the development of careers and allowing those entering rail to fulfil their potential. “With 16 years of experience on the railways I’m relatively a baby but I have seen significant changes during those years, both in the amount of women entering rail and also the perception of women delivering in operational roles.” Transformation TfW is investing heavily in new rolling stock, innovative solutions, and a massive programme of station investment. railbusinessdaily.com

Tr a i n i n g

Over 15 years, the organisation intends to transform the network across Wales and the Borders, with £738 million to electrify 172km of track and upgrading infrastructure on its valley lines, while from 2023 an £800 million investment will be made to ensure that 95 per cent of journeys are on new trains. That investment will be matched by a commitment to people and training, with more than 600 new jobs created, including 200 new on-train customer service staff, 30 apprenticeships per year and, of course, the steady stream of new drivers required to deliver services. Bev said: “TfW’s commitment to training and its training school will mirror the amount of time, money and effort being invested in stations, rolling stock and lines. The organisation is committed to making our training the best and we are all working hard to achieve that aim.” New fleet With work on the South Wales Metro also underway and a new fleet of trains being assembled, hundreds more drivers will be embarking on their 36-week training journey and be passing out in the next few years.

Bev is delighted to be playing a major role in delivering this training. She said: “We are the first people they start their career with in the training environment. When new recruits come through to driver training, we’re responsible for them knowing all the rules and regulations and we spend 11 weeks in that classroom environment before handing them over to the line.

“Rail is a great career, for anyone, but I’m always really pleased to see women following in my footsteps and more women considering rail as a career path. “Once here, they see that we are all part of one massive railway family and there is a tremendous level of help and support throughout your career.

Signalling Experts Delivering Technical Solutions for the Rail Renewals Industry Our services: Mechanical Signalling Install & Test Points Fitting Signalling Installation Signalling Testing – SMTH, G110, New Works Signalling Maintenance Plain Line & S&C Renewals Support

SigTech Rail – Building Railways

railbusinessdaily.com

01303 764344

www.sigtechrail.co.uk

Office@SigTechRail.co.uk

May 2021 | 19

Tr a i n i n g

“Personally, being the first woman in this role is a massive achievement that underlines the many opportunities that exist for career progression once you are in rail. When you are ready to progress you can, as my career shows with TfW providing me with this tremendous opportunity.” Bev also draws strength from the number of women in rail who have progressed to leadership roles, not least TfW’s Marie Daly, recently appointed as interim Managing Director of TfW Rail Limited. Bev added: “Marie is a brilliant role model and her appointment is great news for the industry and TfW.”

I’ve never been part of an organisation that seems so tightly knit and supportive “Thankfully, the environment we have now is all about inclusion and giving everybody a fair chance.” One of her bigger challenges since stepping up to the new role in November 2020 has been delivering aspects of training online, in line with COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions.

Bev added: “We delivered training over Microsoft Teams, and I had to ask: ‘What’s that?’ I’ve had no reason to use a computer for the last 16 years because I’ve been operational, so I had to do a lot of learning myself. The trainees, on the other hand, brilliantly adapted to this way of learning and dealt with whatever came their way. “The TfW training department is large, as you would expect given the level of investment. I’ve never been part of an organisation that seems so tightly knit and supportive. I’ve seen yet another side of rail since joining this team. “My appointment as TfW’s first female Driver and Operations Trainer, more female drivers and more women being appointed to senior positions all put a powerful message out there, that rail is no longer a male-dominated industry. If you want it, and work hard, you’ll be given the opportunity to shine.”

Photo: Ceri Breeze / Shutterstock.com

Reducing the gender divide Training intakes for TfW currently see around one in eight driver trainees being women. While Bev doesn’t think a 50/50 gender split is achievable she is optimistic that the number of women heading through her training will grow and, with it, the percentage of women employed in operational roles increase. She said: “I’d like to see at least two to three women in every group of eight trainees and I think that’s both realistic and achievable. It would be great to see more women on the course and, for any women thinking of coming into the rail industry, I would definitely say go for it. “To be open and honest, I feel like I had to work harder in training school to prove that I was as good as everyone else. Working in rail hasn’t always been the easiest job but it is very rewarding. It is nowhere near the industry that I first encountered 16 years ago, so much has changed but we still have a long way to go.

20 | May 2021

railbusinessdaily.com

QUICK TO SITE

RAPID TO WORK

The easy to use 4 wheel drive Aquarius Rail Mule transports 6 people in the cab on rail plus tools. Approved for use under live OLE & ALO. Aquarius Railroad Technologies Ltd

Providing quality Road2Rail Vehicles Available for hire & purchase nationwide Visit: www.aquariusrail.com Email: ben@aquariusrail.com Call: 01765 635 021

Providing Nationwide Hire | Manufacture | Maintenance of highway based Road2Rail Vehicles & Trailers

IFnedaut us tr rey s p o t l i g h t

XRAIL Group delivering worldwide CEO Munir Patel and MD Noel Travers on their desire for the company’s international expertise to make a big impact in the UK

rom Saudi Arabia to the UK, rail operators across the globe trust XRAIL Group to deliver end-to-end engineering solutions and services, from highly specialised consulting to turnkey project delivery. The organisation’s expertise is applied to the design, installation and testing and commissioning of new railways, and maintenance, performance improvement and obsolescence management projects for existing railways. In the 10 years since it was originally established as a design consultancy by former London Underground engineers, which quickly led to a realisation that there was an opportunity to provide an end-to-end service, and a first international contract win providing remote condition monitoring on the Dubai Metro, XRAIL has enjoyed exponential, sustainable growth. This growth has seen it become a trusted partner of choice to an ever-increasing list of clients across the world. Underlining the company’s capabilities and international prowess is XRAIL’s 2019 contract win to provide long-term maintenance in Saudi Arabia on the Haramain High-speed Railway. 22 | May 2021

Over seven years, the business and its people will deliver corrective and preventive maintenance services for the signalling systems and technical buildings of the HHR, subcontracted by Siemens. XRAIL will also provide 24-7, 365-daysa-year support and service as part of this contract, with teams across six maintenance centres situated along the entire 453-kilometre HHR railway line. Impressively, XRAIL were able to move from being contracted to delivering this maintenance provision in just six weeks. Projects worldwide With a long-term maintenance sub-contract in Spain on the Madrid–Levante highspeed network, other contracts in Spain, Portugal, Turkey and opportunities presenting themselves in Croatia, Costa Rica, Peru, Latin America and elsewhere in Europe, XRAIL is understandably enthusiastic about its offer to UK rail infrastructure projects. Preparations for XRAIL’s next period of business growth has seen the recent appointment of Noel Travers as Managing Director, joining CEO Munir Patel. Advertorial

Noel, who joined the railway as a British Rail sponsored Engineering Management Trainee in 1988, has previously held senior management positions at Bombardier and across Unipart Group. Munir, who entered rail as an apprentice and had a career as an engineer before establishing the business in 2011, is also an Export Champion for the Department for International Trade, with selection based on demonstrating an inspirational approach to growing business. Together, the pair form a formidable, complementary and dynamic business duo. Noel said: “We very quickly realised that we are of the same mind and are clear on what is required to take the business forward. This is an incredibly well-run company with huge potential. In the lifecycle of this business, from start-up 10 years ago through to the accelerated growth Munir has overseen, we’re now ready to take the business to the next level. Munir’s entrepreneurial approach and my corporate experience will allow us to combine the best of both worlds. We’re moving towards being a medium-sized enterprise and it is critical that, as we grow, we also maintain the essence of what has made XRAIL the success it is. railbusinessdaily.com

I n d u s t r y s pFoetal ti g uh r et

“What is unusual and unique about this business is that it didn’t develop in the home market and then expand internationally, it had the opposite journey and we now bring that expertise back to the UK,. where rail can make use of the internationally developed expertise we have acquired. We have a proven track record in other territories and, domestically, the industry can now take advantage of what we can offer.” Munir said: “We’re all excited by the challenges ahead and the domestic opportunities that exist. As a business, what resonates with me is the understanding that XRAIL is its people, that we are a people business. People talk about the railway family and we are a very close family at XRAIL. We facilitate the passion of our people and deliver that to our clients, who can then feel the passion in what we deliver for them, which results in positive client relationships. “Saudi Arabia is a very good example of our capabilities. We have, from a standing start, developed people in that region from electrical backgrounds to become railway people. We literally did this in the desert, in areas that did not have a railway. So imagine what we can achieve in the UK.” That commitment to developing skills and talent for the rail industry is also evident in the UK, with the next generation of XRAIL’s people coming through their own apprenticeship schemes. UK expansion The company has also shown its desire to play its part in the ‘levelling up’ agenda by recently opening two new offices in the North, in Manchester and Leeds.

railbusinessdaily.com

The Manchester office was opened by Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham. The company’s business growth strategy saw its expansion continue even at the height of the pandemic, acquiring Liverpool-based surveying business City Survey Group, to be based at XRAIL’s Warrington office, which will expand significantly to accommodate a growing team. Munir said: “In 2020 we took a strategic decision to continue our growth and investment in the company. Since September 2020 the XRAIL team has doubled in size.”

We want to create opportunities for people, and benefit the regions and places where we would like to do business Noel added: “We have no intention of being just another London-centric business. We will continue to broaden our capabilities both organically and by the acquisition of the right businesses to increase our service offering. We want to create opportunities for people, and benefit the regions and places where we would like to do business.” Clearly, XRAIL are located in geographical locations where they can provide their expertise to HS2, DLR, the Northern Hub, Transpennine Route Upgrade and other UK rail infrastructure projects.

Advertorial

What is required is for the stated intent of the rail industry in this country – to develop sustainable relationships with SMEs – to be followed through. To date, XRAIL has repeatedly demonstrated its agility and ability to deliver on high speed rail projects and it is perfectly poised to play its part in the UK’s rail infrastructure revolution. New horizons Noel said: “We are a provider of ongoing maintenance services on some very high-profile railways across the globe but we don’t provide that in the UK, although we have that capability and that has to be our target. We have clear objectives in the domestic market. We have signalled our intent to be partner of choice for Tier 1 contractors and are engaging with numerous partners to be a supplier on HS2. “It is our focus on action and our ability to move quickly that drives us forward. With our people we have a wealth of talent and we want to take our clients on the journey with us.” Munir added: “Currently, we are working on two high speed lines in different countries. If we can deliver in places that were previously unknown territory for us we can certainly deliver in the place that we do know and grew up in. We would be very happy for others to capitalise on the knowledge we have harnessed around the world as we bring that expertise back to the UK. “We would like XRAIL’s presence in rail to be ubiquitous, and that when people think of rail, that if you want someone to deliver a project on the railways, that XRAIL is the first name that comes to mind. That is my ultimate vision and everything we do, all the success we’ve had to date and what we will go on to deliver in future, flows from there.”

May 2021 | 23

Accident Investigation

Stonehaven tragedy: train derailed after colliding with stones washed onto track Network Rail pledge to learn lessons from RAIB interim report n interim report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) into the Stonehaven tragedy has revealed the train derailed after colliding with stones washed out onto the track from the gravel-filled crest drain and from the adjacent ground. The ScotRail service derailed following heavy rainfall on 12 August last year, with the devastating loss of three lives – driver Brett McCullough, conductor Donald Dinnie and passenger Christopher Stuchbury. Six other people were injured. The report says: “Post-accident surveys of the track found no evidence suggesting derailment occurred on the approach to the debris on the track, and verified pre-accident inspections which had found no track defects in this area. RAIB has not found any evidence of a train fault that could have played a part in its derailment. “The first evidence that train wheels had deviated from the rails was identified less than one metre beyond the point where the left-hand rail emerged from beneath the debris. The top surface was scored by the flange of the leading left-hand wheel as it started to derail.” Significant flooding The tragedy followed intense rain in which 51.1mm of rain fell on 11 and 12 August at the accident site – almost 75 per cent of the total monthly rainfall for Aberdeenshire in an average August. It caused significant flooding in the surrounding areas. In its report, RAIB says the crest drainage system was completed in 2012, but only the section closest to the track – from catchpit 18 to the outfall – was listed on Network Rail’s drain maintenance database at the time of the accident. RAIB says it had found no evidence that the drain upslope of catchpit 18 was inspected between its construction and the accident. The report said: “The washout was caused by unusually heavy rain which washed stone from the gravel-filled crest drain near catchpit 18, and from surrounding ground, onto the adjacent track leaving the perforated drainage pipe exposed. “Local ground topography directed large amounts of surface water onto the steeply sloping drain in the area from which gravel was washed. 24 | May 2021

Photo: Network Rail

“Although surface water flow alone can dislodge gravel, and stones of other sizes, RAIB is continuing to investigate whether other factors, such as the drainage system’s design or the quality of installation, contributed to the displacement of material.

RAIB has not found any evidence of a train fault that could have played a part in its derailment “It is possible that surface water flows, before the day of the accident, had been sufficient to dislodge gravel from small areas of the gravelfilled drain, sufficient to be seen in the area affected, but with insufficient material washed down for this to be apparent at track level. “The lack of an effective drainage inspection regime meant that any such indications of future problems upslope of catchpit 18 would not have been detected.” In response to the report, Andrew Haines, Network Rail Chief Executive, said: “We remain absolutely committed to learning lessons from the tragedy last summer that cost the lives of Brett McCullough, Christopher Stuchbury and

Donald Dinnie. We welcome RAIB’s interim report and we continue to cooperate with all ongoing investigations as we seek to understand what happened.” Network Rail pledged to learn lessons from the tragedy and tasked world-renowned experts Lord Robert Mair and Dame Julia Slingo to provide engineering and scientific oversight and recommendations to help tackle the challenge of managing rail infrastructure in the face of more frequent bouts of extreme weather. The impact of climate change The reports show that the challenge of climate change on the railway is substantial. Most earthworks alongside the tracks were built around 150 years ago and poorly engineered by modern standards, overly steep and unstable, and with drainage of a similar age and installed to a pre-set design, regardless of location. When combined with heavier rainfall, as has been experienced in recent years, landslips and flooding can occur. The reviews recognised it’s not practicable to rebuild nearly 200,000 separate slopes alongside 20,000 miles of track, and they commend the work that has been done to upgrade the Victorian infrastructure where possible and manage risk across the network. Network Rail has also published its Environmental Sustainability Strategy, a plan to reduce carbon emissions and help tackle climate change at its root, rather than only dealing with its effects. railbusinessdaily.com

Diversity and Inclusion

Removing the barriers to make the railways more inclusive LNER’s Charlie Woodhead on his role to drive forward the EDI Charter

harlie Woodhead is a self-confessed ‘train geek’. Even from a young age it was something he always loved but a career he thought he’d never be able to pursue because he is visually impaired. That was before he found out about the wealth of opportunities available in the industry. Fast forward to the present and Charlie isn’t just working on the railway, but is playing a major role in creating positive change. As well as LNER’s Accessibility and Inclusion Manager, the 23-year-old is also embarking on a new journey as the Chair of the working group of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Charter. “As a disabled person, I know how easy it is for people to assume that the community I represent ‘can’t’ do things,” he said. 26 | May 2021

“I wanted to be part of the working group to help the industry understand that we ‘can’ and

It is an exciting opportunity to help influence a longterm change show how that barrier can be removed so the railway becomes more inclusive and gives all people the opportunities they want and need to help it thrive.”

Charlie’s passion epitomises the passion shown by the rail industry since the launch of the EDI Charter by the Railway Industry Association (RIA) and Women in Rail (WR) last November. On launching the Charter, WR’s Adeline Ginn and RIA’s Kate Jennings spoke of a commitment to work together to build a more balanced higher performing sector. Already it has been backed by more than 160 organisations, representing a broad spectrum of companies from across the railway and demonstrating the rail industry’s commitment to working together to accelerate changes to create a more diverse and inclusive sector. “The response from the industry really shows the strength in feeling of organisations wanting to change things,” he said. railbusinessdaily.com

Diversity and Inclusion

“People are committed to learning and doing so from expertise rather than trying to just tick boxes or do what everyone else is doing. The rail industry is wanting to lead the way collectively as an industry. “I’m really proud and feel lucky to be the Chair of the working group as it is an exciting opportunity to help influence a long-term change. As much as I hope to be able to be an influence, I think I will also be influenced, learning from others in the group who have different areas of experience.” Expanding the team Joining Charlie in the working group are Farah Sajwani, Mohanad Ismail, Natalie Leister, Rachel Fullard, Toyin Davies, Nina Fairfowl, Rob Doolan, Sep Semsarzadeh, Thevani Ravindran and Tom Flannery. The group’s members – who are all at different stages of their careers – are drawn from rail organisations representing the full spectrum of the industry. He said: “Looking at who is part of the group and the varied level of expertise, it really is something quite unique and a real opportunity to put everything into focus.

“There are people in the group who have really good perspectives and experiences on different areas of diversity and that has been really interesting and will be interesting to learn more about. “This feels like it could drive a higher level of culture change. Getting the right culture in place means you can then start putting the focus on more specifics.

“What we’re doing with the EDI Charter will really support what businesses are trying to do.” For Charlie, his role on the EDI Charter is the latest in his drive for positive change for the rail industry. Whilst studying law at Manchester Metropolitan University, he was also a Disabled Students Mentor and a member of the Joint Inclusivity Forum for TransPennine Express, Northern and Hull Trains.

RAISING STANDARDS RAILWAY LIFTING JACKS

With 40 years’ experience in heavy duty lifting solutions, Totalkare combines world class products with industry leading support to facilitate effective maintenance and repair, keeping you on track for success.

CALL 0121 585 2724 VISIT WWW.TOTALKARE.CO.UK

railbusinessdaily.com

May 2021 | 27

Diversity and Inclusion

“Growing up and living independently at university I found quite quickly that travelling as a disabled person is sometimes not the easiest thing in the world, so I made it my mission to work with as many public transport companies as I could to improve things,” he said. “It was actually through this work that I got into my career at LNER, where I have been able to drive that change as someone who understood part of it, whilst at the same time playing a part in making sure everyone has the opportunities that I’ve been lucky to have.” Following your passion Joining LNER in July 2018 was a dream come true for Charlie, who despite a passion for the railways didn’t think he would get to work in the industry. “I’m seeing more and more disabled people from different backgrounds in all walks of life in the industry and I think that is so important because it means people see the railways as a possible career,” he said. “The railway is a safety critical industry and because of that some people feel that if you can’t see or hear then that means there isn’t an opportunity in the industry for you. I thought that when I was growing up – thinking that I won’t be able to drive a train or be a train guard. “But there are so many roles in the industry – I think people forget how many different organisations there are. Just look at the diverse range of organisations that have signed up to the EDI Charter. “I have always been the train geek in the family and always loved the railways and it’s been my favourite way to travel, but I never thought at a young age that I’d be able to do that. It wasn’t until later on that I discovered the array of opportunities that existed.”

“If we can get it right for the customer, we’re going to be half-way to getting it right for our people, especially with the increase in training when it comes to equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility. “Sometimes organisations don’t realise that inclusivity and accessibility isn’t as difficult as it might sound. I think as an industry we’re really starting to learn that and that is the big first step. “My main piece of advice to an organisation wanting to learn more is to think about how you can make people valued and welcome. Research what support is out there for you and for new employees to help easy transitions, make people feel part of the team and make sure that being disabled is not a barrier to climbing the ladder – that’s the best way to true inclusion.” The range of opportunities is a message Charlie is raising awareness about, as well as helping organisations in the rail industry become even more inclusive.

The biggest barrier disabled people face is attitude and it is the easiest thing to solve and doesn’t cost any money and you don’t have to build anything new “Things have changed a lot in the last few years and one thing that has particularly changed is accessibility, which from a customer side has been in the spotlight,” he said.

A good start But Charlie says there is a lot the industry can be proud of. Among the good examples at LNER that he’s experienced include people introducing themselves by name in case he can’t immediately recognise them, and asking in advance of a meeting if the font is big enough to avoid drawing attention to it in front of others publicly. He said: “The biggest barrier disabled people face is attitude and it is the easiest thing to solve and doesn’t cost any money and you don’t have to build anything new – you just have to teach people and try and get people to understand. “A diverse group of people means a range of talent and opinions, which is really important. Once you’ve got your diverse group of people you’ve then got to make sure you’ve got inclusion and that those people aren’t just at entry level. “Moving forward, listening and learning are the two easiest but most important things out there. We have a habit of making decisions about what disabled people can and can’t do without asking them. “If society has put a barrier in the way we should want to remove it. Obviously, there will be some situations where that isn’t possible, but there are plenty of things I thought I couldn’t have done if my business hadn’t made steps to make them accessible, that I now can. “For me, I have a great team at LNER and I haven’t really faced any barriers. People don’t see me as the visually impaired member of the team, I’m just a member of the team. It is the best place to work and no two days are the same. The best choice I made was taking this opportunity and now I am also lucky to play a role in the EDI Charter.” To find out more about the EDI Charter, e-mail: info@edicharter.co.uk

28 | May 2021

railbusinessdaily.com

Heritage

Celebrating heritage railways Record entries and a record audience as the Heritage Railway Association’s annual awards go virtual

eritage railway organisations have been praised for their standards, creativity and innovation at the annual Heritage Railway Association’s (HRA) annual awards. Chief Executive Steve Oates says this year’s event saw a record number of entries and audience, despite the challenges faced by the industry in the last year. He said: “There was a point where we weren’t sure we could have an awards event for 2021. Then there was a point when we wondered whether members, rightly so preoccupied with lockdown issues, would have any enthusiasm

for participating. I’m happy to say we were delighted by the huge positive response we saw, with record numbers of entries in several categories.” The HRA Awards recognise a wide range of achievements and distinctions across the entire heritage railway industry, and the awards acknowledge individuals and institutions as well as railways, tramways and cliff railways. In spite of the overwhelming impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, several categories saw a record number of submissions and shortlisted entrants. Steve added: “The quality of entries

was remarkable. Throughout these almost impossible times, the heritage rail sector has not only continued to deliver the highest standards in restoration and preservation, but it’s also set new benchmarks for creativity in marketing, in communications, in innovation and sheer ingenuity. “Congratulations are due not just to winners and runners-up, but to everyone who submitted an entry. Of all our annual awards events, the 2021 show has been truly special.” The awards show will remain viewable on the Heritage Railway Association’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.

The winners: Lord Faulkner Award for the Young Volunteer of the Year: Winner: Oliver Edwards of the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway.

Most Innovative Fundraising Idea Seaton Tramway’s Tramathon Live 2020.

Morgan Award for Preservation: Winner: Mid Suffolk Light Railway for their Shredded Wheat locomotive.

The Coiley Award Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway for their restoration of the Large England locomotive Welsh Pony.

Award for External Communications: Winner: Mid-Hants Railway’s Watercress Line film.

Small Groups D owns Light Railway Trust for their achievements with youth engagement.

Internal Communication: Winner: Talyllyn Railway for their Control Centre public online subscription service.

Large Groups Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway for their Top Wheel installation.

Outstanding Visitor Attraction Winner: The Dartmouth Steam Railway.

Diesel Locomotion Award Class 50 Alliance for 30 years of Class 50 preservation excellence.

30 | May 2021

railbusinessdaily.com

What is InsideTrack?

Rail insight from the industry’s leading voice The rail industry insight InsideTrack is a new railway industry magazine from RBD Publications that looks at the UK rail industry in detail, describes how it works, discusses all the latest projects and technology, and investigates opportunities for the supply chain. Six issues a year, commencing in May 2021, will each look at a different aspects of the UK’s rail industry, including constructing, enhancing and maintaining Britain’s railways, train operations, safety and governance. Every issue will contain around 20 feature articles on the headline topic, written by industry experts, as well as news and views from around the network. InsideTrack will appeal to everyone who wants to know more about the rail industry in detail. This includes both those already working in rail, but who want to understand how their role fits into the bigger picture, and others who are considering entering the industry, either for work or as suppliers. To discuss advertising or editorial opportunities, contact: nigel@rbdpublications.com chris@rbdpublications.com

1 2 0 2 y a M – n o o Coming S

Sustainability

Decarbonisation of freight The Hub – Transport Advisory’s Aishwarya Chidambaram writes about the vital role for freight in decarbonising the transport sector

ith a target to be net zero on all greenhouse gases (GHG) by 2050, the UK faces an urgent need to decarbonise across all sectors. The transport sector accounts for 28 per cent of CO2 emissions in the UK (Department for Transport, 2020), which is the largest contribution by a single sector. We have the shared challenge of decarbonising operations across all modes, for both passenger and freight services, in order to meet the nationwide net-zero commitment. Our freight network is the UK’s economic musculoskeletal system and critical to economic growth and levelling-up across the country. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated its importance and our national dependency on it, with a relatively small impact on movements compared to passenger demand, which dropped to 20 per cent of pre-COVID-19 levels. With post-pandemic travel behaviours set to 32 | May 2021

change, the industry has a unique opportunity to reset and refocus on how we use our national transport networks, particularly for freight, which is less susceptible to reduction in emissions by changing behaviours, and make significant

The UK currently has one of the least digitalised rail networks in Europe, this directly reduces the capacity of the network strides forward in decarbonising freight and logistics networks and operations.

Whilst we are seeing praiseworthy developments in the sustainability of passenger transport through electrification, adoption of battery technology and the trialling of hydrogenpowered trains and buses, there has been relatively little advancement in the decarbonisation of freight transport, which accounts for 40 per cent of the transport sector’s GHG emissions. This is due in part to a fragmented sector with little leadership on improving its environmental impact. There are two overarching levers for reducing the environmental impact of freight: 1. Cleaner energy: alternative energy sources, electrification, and ‘de-dieseling’ to reduce GHG emissions per ton-km of all modes of transport but particularly road; and 2. Modal shift: shift road freight to the more environmentally sustainable modes of maritime or rail. railbusinessdaily.com

Sustainability

Cleaner energy The maiden journey of a hydrogen train in the UK last year (Porterbrook, 2020) provides hope for the long-term future of a decarbonised rail industry. However, in the short term, the widespread use of electric trains and vehicles is more likely. We expect to see a cascade of electric locomotives previously used for passenger trains begin to be used for freight which will drive significant improvement in rail freight decarbonisation. Electric HGVs are also on the cusp of becoming mainstream. Since most freight journeys require first/last-mile services by road, the introduction of electric HGVs will be crucial to eliminating GHG for full end-to-end freight movements.

trains to travel on the network would deliver substantial decreases of HGVs on the roads. Rail Freight Forward is a coalition of Freight Operating Companies (FOCs) based in the UK and Europe, promoting a mode-share target of Modal shift With 78 per cent of freight being transported “30 by 2030”, which aims to have 30 per cent by road (the most environmentally damaging of freight being transported by rail before 2030. mode) the simplest way to kickstart (Rail Freight Forward, 2018). The mode share decarbonisation would be to shift road freight of rail is currently nine per cent (Department to rail or maritime. However, the limited for Transport, 2020), but The Hub’s analysis accessibility of maritime across most of the shows that if rail achieved 30 per cent – mode country means that the focus must be on share of the freight industry, freight-related shifting freight to rail. An average freight train CO2 emissions would fall by at least 11 per cent, is able to take HGVsPrint off the road (Network the current11:29 rate of emissions for each VR 76 March21 Half Page v2 copy.pdfassuming 1 26/03/2021 Rail, n.d.) – small changes to allow more freight mode remained constant.

More fundamentally, the UK still relies heavily on road services to transport its freight despite evidence showing that rail freight is cheaper and produces nearly nine times less CO2 per tonne-km than by road.

CMY

railbusinessdaily.com

May 2021 | 33

Sustainability

A cohesive plan to improve the attractiveness and capacity of the UK rail network would drive a significant shift in mode share, generating economic gains for freight customers and significant environmental improvements. However, these benefits are not being achieved due to a range of commercial and operational barriers – discussed below: Incentivise rail use The need for first/last-mile services by road reduces the attractiveness of rail over road. However, this can be counteracted with financial incentives to choose rail such as through the Mode Shift Revenue Scheme (MSRS). Invest in intermodal facilities Encouraging FOCs to move freight from maritime to rail instead of to road requires investments into intermodal facilities, particularly at ports. Recent investments into intermodal rail connections at the Port of Felixstowe have allowed Felixstowe to become the busiest rail freight port in the UK, with 29 per cent of freight shifting between maritime and rail. (The Port of Felixstowe, n.d.) Improve international access Different signalling systems across the EU often cause lengthy delays at borders caused by locomotive swaps. The UK should continue to implement ERTMS, a standardised signalling technology or encourage use of multi-system electric locomotives.

Prioritise freight Passenger services are usually prioritised when train slots are assigned to train companies. FOCs require better representation in the transport sector and prioritisation when decisions are made about the network. A national rail body (‘guiding mind’) for the rail industry should have the ability to take such an integrated view, balancing the requirements of passenger and freight transport. Each of these solutions plays an important role in enabling more freight to travel along the UK rail network, and could simultaneously drive the sector to lower costs and GHG emissions. Whilst the UK has struggled to increase the mode share of rail in freight transport, other countries in Europe record higher proportions of freight transported by rail. These countries have adopted a range of initiatives such as:

Photo: BCRRE / Porterbrook

Digitalise the network The UK currently has one of the least digitalised rail networks in Europe, this directly reduces the capacity of the network. The implementation of smart technology such as in-cab signalling and traffic management systems needs to progress quicker to help automate aspects of the network, consequently increasing safety and capacity.

Remove network bottlenecks The UK has a number of bottlenecks on its rail networks, particularly affecting freight trains travelling to ports such as Felixstowe and towards the Channel Tunnel. New lines must be constructed to achieve a major capacity increase. Projects such as High Speed 2 (HS2) will help to relieve capacity on the existing network with more passenger trains moving to newly created high-speed lines.

34 | May 2021

implementing grant schemes (France and Germany), constructing new lines that prioritise freight movements (Sweden) and embracing technology to increase capacity for rail freight and achieve their environmental targets. Given the barriers to moving more freight onto the UK rail network and the cost of implementing alternative fuel vehicles, The Hub – Transport Advisory has identified a range of action-orientated recommendations that could put the UK freight industry in the driving seat in transitioning us to a net-zero economy: I ntroduce a new governmental national freight body with a refreshed accountability and focus on sustainable freight growth, suitably funded to do so. Introduce more grant schemes to encourage research into smart technologies and implementation of digital innovations, eg ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System). Increased investment in intermodal facilities, particularly rail-maritime at ports, to bring them to the same standard as Felixstowe, Britain’s busiest port for rail freight. Modernise the Mode Shift Revenue Support (MSRS) scheme to better incentivise freight operators and their customers to choose rail and/or maritime over road. Consider policy or a legal requirement for the ORR to mandate that a fixed proportion of the capacity created by opening HS2 be reserved for freight services. Incentivise FOCs and leasing companies to transition away from diesel to more sustainable fuel options, for example by using electric HGVs – for last-mile services that cannot be completed by rail. Without increasing the capacity and attractiveness of rail freight or incentivising more environmentally friendly technologies, the UK transport industry will not reach its net-zero targets by 2050. railbusinessdaily.com

How much do you pay for your daily latte, cappuccino, or flat white? For less than 20p a day, you, your partner and dependent children can all benefit from TBF membership. Membership is available to all those working in the public transport industry and offers a wide range of health, welfare and financial benefits for just £1.25 per week.

help@tbf.org.uk www.tbf.org.uk Transport Benevolent Fund CIO, known as TBF, is a registered charity in England and Wales, 1160901, and Scotland, SC047016.

TBF_Coffee_Cup_Advert_A4_ARTWORK.indd 1

04/03/2021 09:51

Sustainability

Stations set to go green as rail companies make sustainability pledge Rail industry publishes a new Sustainable Stations: Best Practice Guide ore solar panels, wildflower zones and electric vehicle charge points may be appearing at railway stations across the country as all rail companies responsible for managing railway stations have pledged their commitment to making stations more sustainable. The pledge was made as the rail industry published a new Sustainable Stations: Best Practice Guide, which details ways in which train operators can meet this commitment in support of global goals of decarbonisation, reducing waste and supporting local plant and animal life. The document will also be used by train companies when agreeing future contracts. Network Rail, which is responsible for managing 20 railway stations – including some of the nation’s biggest and busiest – has also committed to make its stations more sustainable by meeting targets set out in the Network Rail Environmental Sustainability Strategy. The pledge, printed on the new Sustainable Stations Guide, reads: ‘In support of global efforts to decarbonise, reduce waste and increase biodiversity, we the undersigned, as the operators of Britain’s railway stations, are committed to making our stations more sustainable. In doing so we will be informed by best practice set out in this guide and Network Rail’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy.’ Robert Nisbet, the Director of Nations and Regions for the Rail Delivery Group, said: “Stations are at the heart of countless communities across Britain and many have already undertaken incredible work to reduce waste, cut carbon and support wildlife. Rail is already a green way to travel but we know there is more we can do and through this pledge, rail companies have made clear they are up to the challenge.”

Photo: Rail Delivery Group

The guide highlights best practice already employed at other stations including rainwater collection to cut water wastage at Birmingham New Street, solar panels at Accrington in Lancashire and dedicated wildflower zones at Perth to help local bee populations recover. Railway stations are estimated to cover more than 20 square kilometres of land across Britain, an area around the size of Central London, and 85 per cent of people in the UK live within five kilometres of a railway station. Therefore, work to make them more sustainable will be a big step forward in support of climate action and local wildlife.

Ensuring people return to rail travel will also be vital to secure a green economic recovery from COVID and avoid a spike in car use that would deal a hammer blow to Britain’s net-zero carbon emissions. It is estimated that attracting people out of cars and onto trains by making fares simpler could add 300 million rail journeys over the next 10 years, preventing 1.2 million tonnes of CO2 emissions from cars, while investment in HS2 is expected to cut one million lorry journeys over a similar period by increasing space for rail freight on existing lines.

Stations across the UK There are currently 2,563 railway stations across Britain coming in many shapes and sizes, from big modern redevelopments to stunning examples of Victorian architecture and even single platforms serving more rural villages. The guide offers advice on the different ways stations can be made more sustainable with operators, transport bodies and Government agreeing which will be most effective on a case-by-case basis as new management contracts are agreed. 36 | May 2021

railbusinessdaily.com

Sustainability

Supporting clients in creating climate-resilient communities Sally Sudworth on her mission to embed considerations around sustainability and resilience into all decision making

ngineering, management and development consultancy Mott MacDonald is hoping to lead the way in a climate-stable, sustainable future. Leading that charge is Sally Sudworth, who joined the company in March as its Global Head of Sustainability and Climate Change. “As a carbon crusader I am thrilled to hold this position, which gives me the opportunity to create a network of experts and specialists, to put sustainable solutions at the heart of business and to provide a clear focus for capability building,” she said. “In order to share learning and develop an integrated approach I am committed to a number of industry groups tackling this, including the carbon project at the Institution of Civil Engineers, and the climate emergency groups at the Institute of Asset Management (Co-chair) and the Women’s Engineering Society (Chair and Founder).” Net-zero carbon strategy Sally joined the consultancy from the UK Environment Agency, where she led the netzero carbon strategy for infrastructure and was sustainability lead for flooding and coastal. She was also previously a Director for the Low Carbon Hub in Wales. “I have a mix of both private and public sector experience so I’m aware of the commercial pressures, albeit each organisation is different,” she said. “Shaping the net-zero strategy for infrastructure gave me a great opportunity to appreciate the challenges that major asset management organisations face in defining their pathway to net zero. “At the Low Zero Carbon Hub I established work streams with Government, practitioners and academia so gaining insights from a variety of perspectives was insightful.” At Mott MacDonald, Sally is working with the consultancy’s sustainability and climate change leaders to help clients face the climate emergency through creating climate resilient places, as well as support the consultancy in extending capabilities around net-zero carbon and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 38 | May 2021

“I will lead Mott MacDonald’s vision and ambition to embed climate resilient thinking into every infrastructure project, to create sustainable and resilient places for wildlife and for people to live and work,” she said.

Both sustainability and climate change are important drivers for both our business and our clients’ businesses “Both sustainability and climate change are important drivers for both our business and our clients’ businesses, and we work closely with them to develop sustainable solutions to face the climate emergency.

“As the frequency of climatic events increases and awareness of these issues grows, we’re continually looking to see how to extend our capabilities and services around net zero and UN Sustainable Development Goals – to improve strategies for adaptation, mitigation and institutional reform, to help respond to these challenges. “I will be working closely with our sustainability and climate change leaders around the world to understand where we can make a real difference. “This doesn’t just cover our clients to our projects, but also includes our own performance against our carbon neutral, sustainable and environmental accreditations. It’s essential that we lead by example.” In March Mott MacDonald joined Race to Zero; a United Nations commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. It is the latest in a long list of the company’s low-carbon policies, having already pledged to reach net-zero by 2040. railbusinessdaily.com

Sustainability

Sydney Metro Northwest, the first stage of Australia’s biggest public transport infrastructure project

“My vision or aim is to embed considerations around sustainability and resilience into all our decision making, for business and in our personal lives,” said Sally. “Delivering sustainable solutions means getting the balance right in terms of the three pillars of environmental, social and economic. “It’s vital that all players in the value chain align the way they work and make a considered and effective contribution to the climate change agenda. “So, Mott MacDonald, as well as supporting organisations in formulating their climate resilient plans, needs to operate in a climate resilient and sustainable way. “That’s why we committed to being carbon neutral, have joined Race to Zero and are members of The Net-zero Infrastructure Industry Coalition.

“We can share our experiences with our suppliers, partners and clients as it’s only by working in partnership that we are going to be able to meet the challenge of the climate emergency.

It’s only by working in partnership that we are going to be able to meet the challenge of the climate emergency “The IPCC report in October 2018 urged us to ‘act now’ to have even a chance to keep global temperature levels below 1.5 degrees increase. The clock is ticking.”

Last year, it became the first-in-class consultancy to be independently certified as carbon neutral and, having reduced its global carbon footprint by 45 per cent per employee over the past five years, is on track to reduce the absolute figure by a further 25 per cent by 2024. Ground-breaking projects Sally said: “I am enjoying discovering about a number of very exciting projects in which Mott MacDonald is involved such as the Sydney Metro, the Fly Zero R&D programme, the hydrogen power pilot in Holland, the UK Bangladesh Climate Partnership and the LA Metro in Los Angeles, to name but a few. “It’s rewarding to work with clients wherever they are on their journey to a climate resilient destination.”

High performance, low smoke, low toxicity, elastomer materials and components An extensive range of unique elastomer materials for Surface, Sub-Surface, Tunnel and Rolling Stock applications - all of which are tested & approved to EN45545-2 and many other certifications, including LUL S1085 compliance. Medium Density Silicone Sponge • Pure Neoprene Sponge • Vamac® 50°/60°/70° Shore EPDM • 40 to 60° Shore Silicone •70° Shore Natural Rubber Naturally, we can also provide other components and sheetings where conformance to EN 45545-2 is not required.

railbusinessdaily.com

innovative rubber solutions | j-flex.com

May 2021 | 39

IFnedaut us tr rey S p o t l i g h t

Taking field operations to the next level

Leveraging the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to boost the efficiency and quality of infrastructure projects

he rail industry has been challenged to pioneer new ways of working that will halve the time and reduce the cost of delivering critical infrastructure projects. Following the launch of the next stage of Rail Project SPEED (Swift, Pragmatic and Efficient Enhancement Delivery) organisations have been tasked to become faster, smarter and more efficient in the way that projects are delivered. Hoping to play a part in the solution is Fieldontrack, whose industry leading experts have developed a system that leverages the power of AI to boost the efficiency and quality of rail organisations field operations. “We save time and money, we ensure a better project workflow and we improve quality and safety,” said Steve Priestley, the company’s Chief Commercial Officer. “Fieldontrack is an Android-based mobile application web-based back office, that mobilises field engineering in a slightly different way to traditional methods, to ensure right firsttime delivery. “We implement tools to enable everything from survey to handover – including health and safety and quality – and what we do is build intelligent workflows that enable remote audit and inspection. “Where appropriate, we implement AI to complete the verification of the uploaded imagery to ease the task and to make sure any remedial work can be done at the point of delivery without a return visit, wherever possible.” Telecoms and energy experience Although new to the rail industry, Fieldontrack has experience in the telecoms and energy sectors – industries which like the railways are driven on safety and efficiency. Its cloud-based platform aims to enhance all phases of field operations, boosting the efficiency and quality of field operations by letting workers get a clear picture of sites, enforcing strict standards, enhancing collaboration, and enabling business to streamline their field operations and perform them efficiently. 40 | May 2021

Steve added: “We’ve got a lot of experience in industries in which safety is paramount, as is the importance of efficiency. Defects, as an example, have a massive impact on the handover of projects, so we have created a system which helps avoid that. “Because infrastructure is a long-term investment, you need the traceability and quality as it is likely you will have multiple teams and companies working for the project life cycle. A Digital Twin and Digital Site passport ensures real data is shared across different teams and field activities can be manged against what has previously happened and what is to be done. “Anything requiring a return visit, for even the smallest of defects, causes long delays. What we’re doing is minimising all those different aspects and creating an online single data environment which can be integrated into a bespoke backend, or a third-party backend that you define.” The company has developed a system that includes: P lanning – single reference point of all site related data, photos and documents. S cheduling – jobs schedule dashboard with team locations and arrival times.

Advertorial

P rogress tracking – real time job status updates with photos. Health and safety compliance – mobile safety checks, work certificates verification visible online. Field work – AI validated accuracy of job reports. Remote video communication. H andover – smart handover protocols without omissions and mistakes. Steve said: “Rail became of interest because ultimately in any largescale infrastructure investment you have repeatable processes and defects are impactful both in terms of time and money. “By using a system that captures all the defects ultimately you can educate and train the teams, improve the standards of quality and reduce the risk of safety impacts. “What we’ve done is capture all of those elements in a single mobile app, and that single mobile app can be deployed to multiple teams or individuals, and scheduling and task creation can either be delivered by us or, delivered by an existing system. At a time when the Government is pushing new ways of working that are faster, smarter and more efficient, we believe Fieldontrack has developed one of the solutions.” Visit www.fieldontrack.com, call Steve on 07766056053, or email steve.priestley@fieldontrack.com

railbusinessdaily.com

Infinitive Group work with customers on their most critical initiatives, accelerating digital strategies and transformations by injecting hardware, software and services to deliver tangible business outcomes

Infinitive Group help customers make data-driven decisions that drive digital transformation – aligning technology, people and processes to increase revenue, reduce costs and mitigate risk

Infinitive Group has a four pillar solution architecture that is simple to understand and easy to implement: 1. Irris and Ramus platforms of train borne products acquire and harvest data from multiple sources

2. Pithoi platform is Infinitive Group’s Data Lake and is used to store data acquired and harvested data from Irris and or Ramus

3. Artemis platform is then be used to analyse the data and visualise the findings

4. Subject Matter Experts contextualise data and ensure the business outcome is realised

Email us at: info@infinitivegroup.co.uk or call us on: +44(0)1908 018900

IGL-WAB-XXXX-V1.0-020321.indd 1

02/03/2021 14:36

F e a itnuirneg Tr

Training providers accelerate digitalisation of processes during pandemic Companies were asked to complete a survey to see how the industry has changed from a digital perspective

he survey was organised by Rail Business Daily, in partnership with Competency Training Marketplace (CTM), to determine how businesses had adapted to the pandemic and to understand attitudes towards digital platforms as industry heads towards resuming normal operations across the industry. More than 80% of businesses that responded said they have had to digitalise processes to continue operations during the pandemic, almost half of these said they had made ‘significant adaptations.’ CTM Director Jeroen Boomsma said: “It is a positive to see how businesses have improved their operations from a digital perspective during the pandemic and from the results we can certainly see that many have had to accelerate that process. “This is a positive step for the rail industry to streamline and simplify processes for the betterment of these businesses and how the industry works going forward.” Summer training boom on the way Jeroen continues: “From this survey, and from conversations we’ve had with other businesses, it is surprising to see how many businesses have not adopted an online competency management solution yet. The competency demands are ever-growing in the rail industry. Moreover, with restrictions expected to end on 21 June, it will be significantly easier for projects to operate and restart, meaning a summer project boom should be on the way.” 0% of training providers said they struggled 4 to reach new customers through their website or social media; 2 8% of all training providers stated they were not fully aware of all courses needed by customers. Despite major challenges during lockdown – in which many had to close or visit customers on site to complete necessary safety critical training – training providers are anticipating an influx of activity as the level of projects significantly increase. However, continual implementation of social 42 | May 2021

Photo: Network Rail

distancing restrictions could potentially result in higher costs – especially where courses are not completely filled. Jeroen said: “The next year is a critical time for training providers in this industry – there is a greater demand for courses and providers need to be more visible to new customers to make the most of these opportunities. “As such, we recognise the support these businesses need to promote their courses to new clients, while understanding where demand is to be able to facilitate these courses and maximise attendance levels. “Minimum financial outlay for training providers at this time is essential and this is where CTM will help them. We have made sure courses are promoted to their target audience for free, with a 5% referral fee only when someone books onto a course. In our survey, all providers using a broker to sell training course said they pay more than this. “Our analytics dashboard also indicates where these courses are in demand and when, giving invaluable insight into future-proofing their business. Advertorial

“This type of information will really help businesses to match demand and ensure that the industry is well-equipped from a skills perspective and address the skills shortage that currently exists.” Training providers using the system are reaping the benefits of CTM. Leanne Clarke, Training Sales Co-Ordinator from Bridgewater and Taunton College, said: “It’s brilliant to have a tool like CTM which allows us to advertise our college courses for free to whole new range of potential customers in the construction sector. It was easy to set up and we have gained so much in terms of business development opportunities, which is already helping to improve relationships with key employers. “We are looking forward to using CTM more and more as time goes on as the analytical insights will help us determine what our customers need from us.” Businesses can register to use Competency Training Marketplace for free or book a demo to find out more by visiting www.competencytrainingmarketplace.com

railbusinessdaily.com

Work winning safety, competence and training

17 May 2021 - 12:30pm-1:30pm You’re invited to a working lunch with Alex Hynes, MD Scotland’s Railway The event will highlight: • What is happening on Scotland’s Railway • Working together to help build the best possible network • What Scotland will need from the supply chain Guest Speakers:

Alex Hynes, MD of Scotland’s Railway

Alex Hynes was appointed Managing Director of the ScotRail Alliance in June 2017. Two years later, he was promoted to the broader role of Managing Director, Scotland’s Railway, following further operational devolution from Network Rail to Scotland. He currently leads the delivery of Scotland’s Railway through the ScotRail Alliance, a unique and industryleading partnership between Abellio ScotRail and Network Rail Scotland.

Raj Sinha, MD of Glasgowbased SWGR

This is one not to miss! Register your space by visiting the Scottish Engineering website today.

scottishengineering.org.uk

CTM is free to use, sign up in minutes at competencytrainingmarketplace.com

Luke Adams Business Development Manager +44 (0) 7841 368923 lukeadams@soprasteria.com

Freight

New research shows rail freight is cutting emissions across the UK Independent report shows that rail freight delivers £2.5 billion in economic and social benefits to the UK annually ew research has shown that the rail freight sector delivers billions in economic and social benefits around the UK and could play a major role in supporting the country to reach net-zero carbon emissions. In a new report published by the Rail Delivery Group – based on independent research by Deloitte – analysis shows that rail freight delivers £2.5 billion in economic and social benefits to the UK annually, with the north of England, Wales and Scotland among areas benefitting most. That means businesses all around the country benefit from reliable and economical transport services, providing efficient routes to markets and better connectivity to ports, supporting access to markets around the world. As part of the report, Deloitte has developed a new framework which enables the value of different types of freight paths to be calculated. The model shows that each rail freight path on the network has an economic value of up to £1.5 million per year and highlights the benefits that could be realised by transporting more goods by rail. Robert Nisbet, the Director of Nations and Regions for the Rail Delivery Group, said: “Rail will play a central role in levelling up Britain and rail freight is already doing some heavy lifting, supporting businesses and jobs across the nations and regions. As we work to secure a green recovery from COVID, encouraging more businesses to move their goods by train coupled with a rolling programme of electrification would see rail freight play an even bigger role in helping the nation to meet its carbon commitments.” Reduction in emissions Each tonne of freight transported by rail produces 76 per cent less emissions compared to road and, with a freight train carrying as much as 110 lorries, an increase in rail freight will not only shrink Britain’s carbon footprint but cut traffic jams too. The Deloitte research shows that rail freight is tackling gridlock and pollution in England’s most congested city, removing as many as 1,000 lorries from London’s roads every day with similar benefits for cities across the UK. 44 | May 2021

Photo: Rail Delivery Group

The study found that freight trains are transporting more consumer items, including groceries, cars and electronics than ever before.

Rail freight is already doing some heavy lifting, supporting businesses and jobs across the nations and regions Everyday goods that we all use and consume travel by rail and this benefits everyone, not only by removing lorries from congested roads – making journeys more pleasant and reliable for other users, but also by providing cost efficient

transport to businesses, the consumer benefits through lower prices. The volumes of building materials moved by rail have also continued to grow, supplying construction materials to improve the road network, build new houses and even for our DIY projects. Moving vast quantities of materials such as aggregates and cement is vital to building and infrastructure projects and supporting Britain to build back better. As Britain begins a new era outside the EU, increasing rail freight will help to cut customs queues at ports with Government recently granting funding to create a new customs approval area at an inland rail freight terminal, a proposal first made by the Rail Delivery Group in 2018. The rail freight sector has played a crucial role in the national response to COVID-19 and following the end of the EU transition period, helping to keep goods moving securely and the economy ticking. railbusinessdaily.com

All products All products manufactured manufactured in the UK in the UK

Full range of Full range of cost effective cost effective solutions available solutions available

Anderton has an unrivalled reputation for manufacturing market-leading rail and structural Anderton has an unrivalled reputation for manufacturing market-leading rail and structural precast concrete products. From troughing to signal bases, cable theft deterrents to ballast precast concrete products. From troughing to signal bases, cable theft deterrents to ballast and king boards, Anderton has the solution. Along with our bespoke concrete offering, we’re and king boards, Anderton has the solution. Along with our bespoke concrete offering, we’re the go-to provider of quality concrete products for the rail industry. the go-to provider of quality concrete products for the rail industry. Call 0333 234 3434 or visit www.andertonconcrete.co.uk Call 0333 234 3434 or visit www.andertonconcrete.co.uk

People

Providing a vital platform for the wellbeing of UK railway workers

Photo: Liam Johnston

Railway Mission chaplain Mike Roberts on the crucial role to be played in getting the railway family get back on its feet post COVID

here are very few jobs that offer the variety that Mike Roberts experiences. As chaplain for the Railway Mission, one day he could be supporting victims in the aftermath of a major incident, the next escorting a group of people who’ve had too much to drink onto a train in the early hours of the morning after a music festival. He’s even been known to hand out bottles of water and biscuits to passengers when trains have been severely delayed. Mike wouldn’t have it any other way, showing the same passion and level of commitment whatever the situation he faces. It’s why the charity and its staff is held in such high esteem within the industry for offering independent, confidential, impartial pastoral care to the railway community and members of the public affected by rail operations. “Chaplaincy is about the heavy emotional 46 | May 2021

stuff, but it is also about sharing life with people on the railway – sitting with people, laughing with them and crying with them,” he said.

People stay in touch so I hear about the bad times, but also the good times “One day I could be sitting having a coffee with someone who is struggling, the next I might be handing out biscuits and water to passengers impacted by train delays.

“You go through the emotions with the people you are speaking with. There may have been a fatality last week that is still very raw, but at the same time you’re probably dealing with someone from a few weeks ago and seeing them recover, grow and heal and that is life-giving. People stay in touch so I hear about the bad times, but also the good times. “No two days are the same. I don’t think there’s a better job than sitting with people, learning and sharing with them. We are in a privileged position in the industry in that we can go and work with virtually every company in the industry.” Friendship and a listening ear Mike is among 20 chaplains working for the Railway Mission in the UK providing friendship and a listening ear to anyone connected to the railways who suffers bereavement, loss, anxiety, fear and trauma. railbusinessdaily.com

Photo: Liam Johnston

People

“Chaplains have been doing this since 1881, and although the railway is massively different now to when the charity started, it is the same job and the same family,” he said. “I always use the metaphor of chaplaincy as being about umbrellas. You go to someone who is in an absolute storm and you just stand next to them holding an umbrella so it shelters them and after you’ve been talking to them a while you stay standing with them, but it is them holding the umbrella. “A little later you say to them to keep the umbrella and that you’re heading off, but for them to still use it to stay dry and stay safe. After a while you realise they are holding the same umbrella, but they’re standing next to somebody else using it to shelter for them, and it all carries on.” It’s Mike’s way with words and his compassion that has earned him a place near the top of the list of organisations such as Network Rail and British Transport Police to contact if support is needed. His efforts and impact on the railway haven’t gone unnoticed.

Before the end of the train operating company Virgin Trains – West Coast Trains Limited – in 2019, he received the award for external partner of the year in recognition of the work of the chaplains, but in particular his efforts. A moment he regards as one of his proudest.

The last year has been a real challenge for everyone 2021 has already been a challenging year. “I’ve just dealt with my 21st serious incident this year, which is a fatality or a death in service and things like that, and each one of those involves a family, friends – a group of people that have been affected,” he said.

“The last year has been a real challenge for everyone but one thing that has come out during the pandemic is that people have been more open and willing to look at their own vulnerabilities. “We’ve got to make sure that as the pandemic eases that we don’t try and restart and go back to the beginning and how we were. The pandemic has also brought staff wellbeing and how organisations support the mental health of their staff to the absolute forefront and that has to continue. “I think although there is all the progress towards a physical resolution for COVID, we’re going to have a legacy of a mental health crisis and that I think is going to be long-lasting. I think it was Theresa May who coined the phrase about people ‘just managing’. I think a lot of people are there and we really need to be looking out for each other and supporting each other.” Mike has been a chaplain for the rail industry since 2018, joining the Railway Mission following 12 years as a local parish priest in Yorkshire and Dorset.

RIBA Chartered Architects to the UK Rail Industry

suppor�ng Principle Contractors, Engineering disciplines, Network Rail & TOCs Op�on Selec�on Reports, Grip Stages 4&5 disign, Grip 6-8 PM or support

+44(0)161 832 5750

railbusinessdaily.com

oﬃce@seedarchitects.co.uk

www.seedarchitects.co.uk

May 2021 | 47

Railway knowledge Although there are many transferable skills from being a parish priest to a chaplain at the Railway Mission, one thing that has taken some work has been Mike’s knowledge of the railways. “Before I started, I imagined it being a very much religious role but it is about walking alongside people,” he said. “I knew there would be the role around the fatalities and supporting people after trauma, but it is all about relationships, walking along with people when they are finding life really tough, but also when they are finding it really good. “When it comes to the train knowledge, as long as you don’t want me to fix anything on a train I don’t think it is too bad. I can do timetables, tell you managements systems and I can work all the coffee machines anywhere on the rail network. “But you have got to be able to talk the language. I don’t suppose you would get a job in France or Germany without being able to speak French or German. Someone very early on gave me a list of acronyms related to the railways which sat next to me all the time and got carried around with me. “I think it was Newton who said we stand on the shoulders of giants. Effectively, I’m only able to do what I do because there are those people who answer my messages and calls when I need advice. I am very grateful for all the people that help me to do the job as well as I can do it.” Looking to the future, Mike believes chaplains will play a major part as lockdown eases and the country gets back to a sense of normality – something he is keen to be involved with. 48 | May 2021

“The longer you are on the railway and the more connections you make, the more effective you are,” he said. “When I started one of the existing chaplains said to me that it will take me three years to really get to know my area and I’m nearing that milestone.

I’ve got some amazing people whom I work with and know who have been brilliant in keeping me sane in the last year “I am really happy to be on the railway and do think it is a really privileged job and a really exciting place to be. I am looking forward to getting out a bit more and getting back into seeing more people out there and start to work

out what it means to go back to the railway as it will be again. “Some people will be pleased to be going back to the office, others will be anxious, and alongside that there is the impact lockdown has had on relationships, and the impact of homeschooling just a few of the examples. “For me, I know and work with some amazing people who have been brilliant in keeping me sane in the last year. We need to keep building on the fact that this past year we’ve all relied on each other more and been more open about how we are feeling. “As chaplains we’ve got this role where we’re invited in to know people and I think that is going to be a big thing over the next year. Maybe it will be a different culture we are working in, but the care and the love and the compassion still needs to be there. “The Rail Minister and Transport Secretary have spoken about coming back from the pandemic with a new, better railway, but it is only going to be as strong as the people that are there to build back afterwards.”

Photo: Liam Johnston

“I didn’t really know that much about the railways when I joined, although my dad was a train enthusiast, but more of what he called ‘proper trains, with a proper engine at the front’,” said Mike. “In 2017 I got married to Rebecca, who is also a priest, and we realised it was going to get complicated both leading churches, so I started looking for something else and I pushed a few doors and someone sent me the advert about the Railway Mission and I thought ‘this could be fun’. “Since then it has felt like I’d put on a pair of shoes that fitted absolutely perfectly. I love the fact that the railway is like a microcosm of the whole of society – everything in the world is on the railway in a way. My faith is massively important to me and this has been a chance of experiencing how that works out not in the walls of the church, but in real life. I have got a passion for people and for people to be thriving when it comes to their wellbeing.”

Photo: Liam Johnston

People

railbusinessdaily.com

Specialist Planning for the UK’s Railways Dedicated planners with more than 70 years’ experience, we support the biggest names in rail, delivering the bespoke planning and documentation their schemes demand. Working to NR/L2/OHS/019/05 and proficient in P6, MS Project and more, we provide critical planning support to projects throughout the UK, working 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

How can we help? 3 Possession Planning and Strategies

3 ALO Planning

3 SWP Planning

3 Short Term Access Planning via GZAC

3 TBS and WPP Production

3 RAMS Production

3 NROL3 Planning

3 Verification and Authorisation of SWPs (PIC and RM)

3 AC & DC Isolation Planning

3 Attendance at Network Rail Planning Meetings

Need planning support on your projects? Get in touch

www.seprail.co.uk

accessplanning@seprail.co.uk

01695 729 835

Environment

Long-term disaster averted Six months of complex recovery work gets Llangennech back on track

ave Stanbury, Route Programme Director at Network Rail, was able to breathe a huge sigh of relief in March when the railway through Llangennech reopened for the first time in six months. The southern end of the Heart of Wales line, which runs from Shrewsbury to Swansea, had been closed since August 2020, after a freight train, pulling 25 wagons, derailed while passing through the small Carmarthenshire village.

The devastation to follow saw the train’s wagons catching fire before around 350,000 litres of diesel spilled into the ground, causing major concern for the surrounding wildlife conservation area and waterways. Dave was on site from day one, witnessing what he describes as a disaster scene with a complexity of 10 out of 10, with fire services still in attendance and attempting to put out the fire and British Transport Police leading investigations into the mechanical failures that caused the incident.

CIVILS Trial Holes Excavation and installation of concrete bases EMBANKMENTS Installation of all Piled foundations Cess Retention Erection and installation of OHL Gantry structures (masts, booms) De-vegetation REB, LOC and DNO foundations and platform installations (GI, Design & Install) Piling and Soil nails Platform renewals and refurbishments Rabbit Netting Cess walkways and troughing routes Gabian Walls Fencing and Access stairways Site compound establishment and access road

www.fortisfoundations.com 50 | May 2021

“You take a deep breath and then look again at what is, at that moment, an engineering and environmental challenge, which is what we are good at,” said Dave, who led the recovery for Network Rail. “You break it down into smaller chunks, taking into consideration the complexity of the derailment and how the work will be done once the fires are out.” Ground teams from Network Rail, Natural Resources Wales (NRW), Adler and Allan and

With over 20 years of Rail and Construction industry experience, our family-run company provides expert advice and cost-effective solutions to all sectors looking for experts that they can trust.

Visit our website for more information or call us on 01442 731321

railbusinessdaily.com

Environment

partner agencies went on to put in a total 37,500 hours of work to protect the local environment, remove the huge wagons from the site and repair a large stretch of damaged railway. As if the challenge was not complex enough, the site of the derailment is a location of international environmental significance. The adjacent estuary is part of the Carmarthen Bay and Estuaries Special Area of Conservation, and the area includes the Burry Inlet Cockle Fishery and other shell fisheries. Those shell fisheries were back up and running in October 2020, with ongoing monitoring by NRW and the Food Standards Agency. 30,000 tonnes of contaminated soil had to be excavated from 150 metres of railway, at a depth of two metres and width of 20 metres. That soil was replaced with new, clean material from quarries in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, with the fuel-soaked soil taken to a licensed waste management facility in Merthyr. In addition, a series of wells was sunk for ongoing environmental monitoring, which will take place over the next five years. Beginning the recovery Teamwork was key to the recovery operation, points out Dave. He said: “Once the fires were out we worked with DB Cargo UK and recovery crews to consider the methodology of how we’d lift the wagons out of there. “You only need a small amount of product in a wagon to completely destabilise a lift, so we took the time to take a step back and think seriously about how we would tackle the job ahead of us. We had to work in partnership and everyone on site worked really well together. “The biggest challenge for all of us was the magnitude of the incident and the fact that this had taken place right next to a Special Area of Conservation, on an estuary that has a millionpound shellfish industry.

We were mindful that we needed to minimise subsequent damage, that we needed to contain the product and that the quicker we acted, the better chance there would be to minimise any long-term impact on the environment.

We had to relay almost 6km of cabling, which was an added complication “We worked very closely with Adler and Allan and learned a lot from them about containment. Together, the swift action we were able to take stopped a lot of contamination getting into the food chain.”

“It was a huge task to clear the wreckage and to remove thousands of tonnes of contaminated soil. It is a credit to all involved that we got the job done in the timescale that we did.” New track In the final few weeks of the recovery, Network Rail worked to fit around 530 metres of brand new track before reinstalling the signalling, damaged in the fire. That task highlighted cable theft that had taken place while train services had not been running. Dave explained: “The signalling system had been taken out and a lot of people knew that trains were not running on the Swansea District Line and Central Wales Line, and there was a lot of cable theft as a result. “In the last week we did the testing and commissioning, including beyond the site of work and found packets that had been cut and sections that were flat. So we had to relay almost 6 kilometre of cabling, which was an added complication.” A sign of a well-delivered recovery operation is that the scene after resembles the scene before as closely as possible, which is something Dave says is close to being achieved.

JAPANESE KNOTWEED & INVASIVE WEED SPECIALIST WE ARE A DEDICATED, NATIONAL JAPANESE KNOTWEED REMOVAL CONTRACTOR AND PROVIDE ALL TREATMENT METHODS.

01527 362333/07847 022452

railbusinessdaily.com

www.henderson-taylor.co.uk

14D Saxon Business Park, Hanbury Road, Bromsgrove B60 4AD

May 2021 | 51

Environment

The site now shows little in the way of a major incident ever having taken place. Dave added: “The only really visible change in the landscape is the amount of trees that were burnt or destroyed in the fire and those that have been cut down to enable the excavation of the soil. A couple of hundred saplings have been planted, and landscaping has taken place, and it won’t be long before the area will rewild itself.” Wider impact That’s not to undermine the seriousness of what happened at Llangennech in August last year. There were clearly very immediate and far-reaching impacts on the environment – on land and in the sea, for the community of the village, its local businesses, shellfisheries, tourism and industry. NRW, which will continue to monitor shellfish and the wider environment over the coming months, has compared the scale of the incident to the Sea Empress disaster of 1996. Latest laboratory results from the analysis of cockles and mussels for environmental contaminants, including oil, indicate levels continue to be well within regulatory limits. The Coal Authority also has plans in place with Adler and Allan to replant more trees on the land, to restore the expanse of forest that was lost. Freight services started back on the railway line through Llangennech in the beginning of March, with passenger services starting up just days later, although Transport for Wales is currently operating a reduced timetable, due to COVID-19.

The track at Llangennech following six months of hard work

Dave added: “We all felt a sense of pride when passenger services returned. This was a long and hard six-month recovery project, culminating with five weeks reinstating the track and then the signalling and power systems.

The quicker we acted, the better chance there would be to minimise any long-term impact on the environment “COVID-19 restrictions presented us with some problems that we had to adapt

to and it meant more vehicles on site and more welfare accommodation but, given the number of people we had working on site and the amount of hours that this operation took to deliver, there was a tremendous effort all round. We didn’t have one COVID-19 case on site, nor any accidents.” A return of the status quo Dave added: “In some ways it feels like life is back to normal now, almost anticlimactic, although I thoroughly enjoy the day job. “This was one heck of a project to be involved in and really great to see everybody pulling together in the same direction to get the job done to make sure that, long-term, there are no further environmental problems at this site.” The ongoing investigation into the cause of the freight train derailment is being led by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch.

The accident took place next to a Special Area of Conservation with a million-pound shellfish industry.

52 | May 2021

railbusinessdaily.com

TENSOREX C+: Spring Automatic Tensoning Device

Railway Infrastructure Solutions for Today’s and Future Challenges Our Expertise for Railway and Tramway: Overhead line construction Tensioning Measuring Insulation technology Power supply Safety equipment

Droppers

Safety Equipment

PFISTERER Ltd. 2 – 4 Orgreave Place Orgreave Sheffield S13 9LU, South Yorkshire Great Britain Phone: +44 114 4788500 E-Mail: Order.uk@pfisterer.com Laser Measuring Device

MV-CONNEX Separable Connectors

THE PFISTERER GROUP

www.pfisterer.com

F enav ti ruor n E e mental services

Untangling the issue of Japanese knotweed from the railways The Zero to Landfill solution to address environmental objectives

etwork Rail is being urged to put plans in place to control invasive, non-native plants such as Japanese knotweed which have become a difficult and potentially expensive burden to remove on major rail projects. Japanese knotweed’s reputation is not without substance. It can grow rapidly because of the way it reproduces quickly through its underground rhizome system and has impressive regenerative potential if treated incorrectly. If left unchecked it can be both difficult and expensive to remove. The identification of Japanese knotweed is further complicated as its appearance changes according to the season, it can be hard to identify and can be mistaken for less harmful plants. However, a site infested with Japanese knotweed need not be an issue when effectively managed by a competent, trade accredited specialist company. Henderson & Taylor delivers value to Network Rail through innovation and by helping them to achieve their environmental and sustainability goals through the provision of low carbon, cost-effective solutions for the treatment of Japanese knotweed and other non-native invasive species on rail projects throughout the UK. The company’s innovative approach is 54 | May 2021

tailored to reduce risks, minimise costs, be environmentally sustainable and legally compliant.

“By working closely with its clients, Henderson & Taylor ensures that its clients are fully aware of their environmental responsibilities” In order to continue to develop, Henderson & Taylor continually challenges its working methods to ensure that its practices and procedures meet its clients’ business needs. The company also strives to identify, monitor and manage the impact its activities have on the environment and works closely with its clients to ensure that they are also fully aware of their environmental responsibilities. Environmentally responsible Sound practices in waste minimisation and management, together with materials management, can lead to significant financial efficiencies which benefit all stakeholders. Advertorial

The company recognises its duty to protect the environment and to minimise the effect that its work may have on the environment. It is aware of the potential for treatment and eradication methodologies to produce large volumes of waste material and is committed to dealing with them in the most cost-efficient and effective manner. Instead of using the traditional ‘Dig and Dump’ methodology, where excavated material is sent to landfill incurring a high rate of tax, Henderson & Taylor removes the Japanese knotweed by excavating, screening and incinerating it in Environment Agency approved mobile incinerators. Rhizome segregation is achieved via a two-stage screening process and incineration renders the rhizomes completely inert, the resultant ash can be backfilled on site. Zero to Landfill This ‘Zero to Landfill’ solution is a low carbon, bio-secure and environmentally friendly solution that effectively addresses Network Rail’s environmental objectives. It delivers lower capital and operational costs and is an environmentally sustainable solution which reduces waste, diverts material from landfill, minimises carbon footprint and protects the environment through the avoidance and prevention of air and noise pollution. railbusinessdaily.com

E n v i r o n m e n t a l sFeeravti uc er es

It also reduces the impacts on local residents, businesses and road users and contributes to the circular economy through their-use of decontaminated soil material on site for landscaping. The ‘Zero to Landfill’ solution was successfully employed by Henderson & Taylor whilst working for the Buckingham Group on the Great North Rail Project. Greenfield station was a design-and -build project extending station platforms to increase passenger capacity. The location of the project was in a populated residential area of Oldham. One of the key challenges was including the removal of Japanese Knotweed in the design stages to ensure the integrity of the new platform was not compromised, hence the use of the ‘Zero to Landfill’ solution.

“Henderson & Taylor is uniquely positioned to deliver a wide range of vegetation management and invasive non-native species remediation services direct to Network Rail” Excavation of the knotweed materials was undertaken at night under planned possession works. The materials were screened and incinerated on site and re-used on the nearby RRAP (road rail access points).

Protective root barriers were installed as part of the formation of the new platform. Reduced impacts on residents, businesses and road users was achieved through traffic management, as was the reduction in waste sent to landfill through on-site incineration of Japanese knotweed rhizomes and other excavated wastes. Wide experience Henderson & Taylor delivers a wide range of vegetation management and invasive nonnative species remediation services direct to Network Rail. Its experience of working within the Network Rail supply chain has been as a nominated specialist supplier and its client list includes: Alun Griffiths, Amco Giffen, Buckingham Group, Colas Rail UK, Hochtief Rail, Taylor Woodrow, Vinci. Henderson & Taylor possess a Principal Contractor Licence, is RISQS accredited, is an Environment Agency (EA) Upper Tier registered Waste Carrier and possess an EA Recycling Permit. Its management systems are ISO accredited to 9001, 14001, and 18001. It is corporate members of IEMA, CHAS, BASIS, Construction Line registered and possesses EL/PL insurance to £10 million. Henderson & Taylor is ready to provide railway contractors with the very best treatment and eradication solutions for the removal of Japanese knotweed and other invasive species for their rail projects throughout the UK. Visit www.henderson-taylor.co.uk for more information.

railbusinessdaily.com

Advertorial

May 2021 | 55

Industry spotlight

A decade of success Haigh Rail’s Managing Director Chris Haigh on his 10-year business journey

aigh Rail Limited has come a long way in a short period of time. When the business was established in 2011, Managing Director Chris Haigh and his wife Claire, now Finance Director, would often be surrounded by paperwork on the living room floor in their Preston home, whilst carrying out the necessary admin tasks to get the fledgling company off the ground. Just a decade on, and Haigh Rail is now a trusted name in the delivery of first-class engineering solutions and supplying the highest quality multidisciplinary skills to the rail industry. None of this is luck, of course, but down to hard work, effort and Chris’s ability to seize on the opportunity to set-up the business in the first place. His career in rail commenced as a Trainee Technical Engineer with Tarmac (later Centrac and then Carillion), where he studied day release for a BTEC in Civil Engineering whilst gaining valuable on-the-job training. 56 | May 2021

He soon gained his first promotion to Supervisor/Site Manager, delivering major S&C renewals works on the West Coast Main Line. His career continued to develop after this at companies including Network Rail and Babcock Rail.

It was a case of if you put the hours in, you got the rewards Chris’s route into rail will sound familiar to many. He explained: “When I left school in 1997, I really didn’t know what field I wanted to work in at all.

“I applied to Tarmac, Balfour Beatty, Laing O’ Rourke and others and only Tarmac responded and invited me in for an interview. I didn’t really want to work on the motorways, and I was interviewed by someone from rail, who said to me that in my working life railways are going to be busy and suggested I head down the rail route, which was exactly the right advice. “It wasn’t long before I realised I was suited to pursuing a role as a Supervisor. My Senior Supervisor at Centrac was my hero, he had the respect of the men and got things done. I wanted to emulate him, and he saw the potential in me. I joined the Centrac delivery team in my hometown of Preston and progressed from there. I was a middle grade Supervisor for a long while as my seniors never retired! Delivering jobs week in, week out, I enjoyed the lifestyle, and it was a case of if you put the hours in, you got the rewards.” Making the leap Chris’s move into self-employment and then establishing his own business was prompted in railbusinessdaily.com

Industry spotlight

2007, when Carillion didn’t make the cut as one of the ‘big four’ contractors. Chris didn’t relish the prospect of working on track renewals as an employee, so along with a couple of other colleagues, the trio went their own way supervising track works for bigger contractors. Soon after this, Chris found himself working for Network Rail and saw the chance to develop further. He added: “Looking back, it was quite a leap, but we could mobilise quickly and get the work done. I saw that opening and opportunity and grabbed it. I had some excess funds from the works and hours I’d put in, so I completed my Achilles (now RISQS) audits in the kitchen at home, received my accreditation and off I went – Haigh Rail Limited was a reality.” Starting small, Chris explained that his first job was something of a trial to see if he was up to the task. With no office, yard, plant, vans, credit lines or fuel cards, the necessary tools and plant were delivered to the driveway at his house. Yet that one piece of work led to more, as Network Rail saw what Chris and his business were capable of.

Real Skills Training specialises in the education, training and assessment of personnel to the UK railway industry.

In just four years, in addition to Network Rail, Chris worked with some of the industry’s biggest clients, including Siemens, Atkins and Buckingham Group.

Haigh Rail quickly spiralled beyond my hopes and dreams One of the most important additions to any track business is the ability to call on a reliable welding provision. Chris seized on the opportunity in 2015 to include an in-house welding capability to his business armoury – arguably the most important provision to the rail industry.

The 24-strong team of directly employed specialists, headed up by Mick Downing, not only supports the core Permanent Way offering, but has its own client portfolio, making a name for itself as one of the industry’s foremost providers of high quality, safe and inspected welding services. Rapid expansion Haigh Rail has carefully expanded and diversified its portfolio further too. Setting up complementary divisions in Civils and Haulage, Haigh Rail’s multi-disciplinary service offering now covers plain lLine and S&C track renewals and maintenance, welding, civil engineering and building, level crossings, road haulage, vegetation and weed management and fencing for both mainline and mass transit rail clients. Recent rail contract successes include Weaver to Wavertree, Birmingham New Street, Birmingham Metro, Spondon Level Crossing and CP6 frameworks with Network Rail for both Track and Welding.

REAL SKILLS TRAINING We offer: • Coss initial & recert • Pts initial & recert • Lookout/site warden initial recert • Protection controller • Safe work leader 1&2 • And more!

Payment options Available

To enquire or book please call us on 0151 257 6969, visit our website real-skills.co.uk or email: info@real-skills.co.uk

railbusinessdaily.com

May 2021 | 57

Industry spotlight

Ten years on since the business was incorporated and clearly Haigh Rail retains the progressive spirit evident in those early days. The company has been a Network Rail Trackside Principal Contractor since 2017 and now has over 50 directly employed staff including an experienced Board of Directors, Project Managers, HSQE, Engineering and Works Delivery Managers; each selected for their expertise, track record of safety and delivery within the rail industry. Growing reputation With all of this expansion and geographical contract spread, Haigh Rail has successfully established offices and depots in Preston, Doncaster and Crewe and now delivers contracts worth up to £3 million. For Chris, the business is exactly the right size at this point in its history and, rather than exponential growth being planned, the Haigh Rail team are focused on their reputation growing across the industry. Chris said: “We have a reputation for delivery to the highest standards. Our position in rail is based on the need for a fully mobilised company of rail specialists to perform a superior standard of workmanship that offers genuine value for money. We’re aware that some people haven’t worked with us, so we’d like more people to be aware of our reputation. “Haigh Rail quickly spiralled beyond my hopes and dreams and in some ways, I was in the right place at the right time to get and take the right opportunities. “Being awarded full Principal Contractor status and retaining that is probably one of the highlights of a decade in business, because the process is complex. Mostly, however, myself and the team just get on with the work and don’t sit back and think about what we’ve achieved.

“This job is week-in, week-out, whether it’s minor work or a £3 million contract, it’s all about delivering for our clients. Haigh Rail is going well and according to plan. We’re in control of our business, it’s sustainable and we have built a great team full of the right people. “I’m still a delivery supervisor at heart but I have to put a shirt and tie on for the occasional corporate event and speaking.

“I have to say, I’d sooner be out on track making things happen. I still love the comradeship of the railway and the way our team pull together to make the work happen and to keep the rail network running.” For more information, visit www.haighrail.com

TRANSFORMING

ROLLING STOCK

Improve the efficiency of your workshop with our range of pre-fabricated steel maintenance and inspection pits, built to CE certified standards

MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION

Premier Rail Pits offer the following benefits: • Welded construction to ensure a water tight finish • Quicker installation time compared to precast concrete • High quality finish • All internal service ducts fitted prior to installation • Easy to clean • Rail attachments fitted prior to installation • Full or part installations are available A full range of accessories and safety products are also available

Tel: +44 (0)1775 821222 - Email: info@premierpits.com - Web: www.premierpits.com

58 | May 2021

railbusinessdaily.com

I n f r a s tFr euac t u r e

Improving Britain’s railways Pro Rail Services renewed track drainage at Althorp and Brampton, Northamptonshire, during a five-day blockade Client name Network Rail Project name Wk50 Blockade – Track Drainage Renewal (TDR) at Althorp and Brampton Sector Track Drainage Duration Blockade – five days Location Network Rail, West Coast South Introduction Pro Rail Services is a railway civil engineering contractor which executes Civil & PWay contracts on Network Rail infrastructure. This project took place on West Coast South, during the Week 50 Blockade on the HNR Line. The challenge Short notification of the TDR works, quick delivery on survey and design, interfaces with Balfour Beatty Rail on its scrap rail removal works & interfacing with live businesses adjacent to our worksite. Train and RRV movements across the worksite had to be agreed before the blockade. Material supplied to sites had to be managed with residents and landowners to allow for the works to be completed. Arranging access for Jetting and CCTV crews to survey over 1,000m of track drainage. The solution The scope of work for this project was to renew 6ft drainage at Althorp using a Pro Rail Services RRV and 9T Dumpers to supply all the materials required to carry out the works. The Cess TDR works at Brampton were carried out using Pro Rail Services RRVs and an Head Office Unit 2-4 Little Ridge The Ridgeway Welwyn Garden City Hertfordshire AL7 2BH Tel: 01707 927 400 Email: info@prorailservices.co.uk railbusinessdaily.com

engineering train. In the same location, once the drainage works had been installed, work was carried out to remove 38 wetbeds that caused a speed restriction to be in place for a number of years. Delivering the solution We worked together as one integrated team with our friends and partners in the DU, to develop an integrated delivery hour by hour programme for the full duration of the Wk50 HNR blockade. We held extended whiteboard meetings with the other blockade delivery partners to ensure that the relevant work sites and access areas would be efficiently utilised and not create choke or block points for RRV movements. At Althorp we executed 247m of TDR works without the use of an engineering train by utilising 9T dumpers to remove spoil in conjunction with our Doosan 270 RRV and trailers to import new shingle and ballast. We negotiated an access agreement with the adjacent landowner to ensure that we had space for spoil removal and material storage. We also had to deal with the challenge of a Plant & Haulage Division Smithers Farm Guildford Road Rudgwick West Sussex RH12 3BX

Advertorial

broken-down engineering train at our Brampton work site so that we could continue with the execution of the 160m of TDR works. The results B rampton – 160 metres of CESS Track Drainage Renewal and installation of new catchpits B rampton – the remediation of 38 wet beds, this allowed the DU to remove the speed restriction that had been in place for the previous two years lthorp (low mileage) – 247 metres of 6ft A Track Drainage Renewal and installation of new catchpits lthorp (high mileage) – 1,000 metres of track A drainage system high pressure jetting and CCTV surveyed plus the cleaning of 45 catchpits Other project benefits Programme – 100 per cent of activities delivered on time Zero late possession handback Zero incidents or accidents Zero Section 61 noise concerns Tel: 01403 822 701 24 Hours Tel: 0330 124 8383 Plant Enquiries Email: plant@ prorailservices.co.uk Haulage Enquiries Email: haulage@prorailservices.co.uk

May 2021 | 59

IFnedaut us tr rey s p o t l i g h t

The impact of cyber security as a safety risk in a digital rail industry Alex Cowan, CEO of RazorSecure, on developing an integrated safety and cyber security culture

n recent years the importance of cyber security in the rail industry has been the subject of conferences, white papers, articles and presentations. Yet awareness of the impact of cyber security and, most importantly, how it relates to the wider issue of safety on rail networks is still in its infancy. There is a complex gap between technical knowledge and understanding of rail design vulnerabilities and operational vulnerabilities. Every organisation has a different starting point, but the most common scenario is that people simply cannot identify where network vulnerabilities lie within a network. This limits the capability to assess risks and respond in a way that reduces the impact of cyber security incidents on safety, services and people. Although cyber attacks leading to safety incidents have not been a regular occurrence, safety legislation is clear: operators need to consider all reasonably foreseeable scenarios and take reasonable measures to address them. Organisations such as Office of Rail and Road (ORR) have been working in collaboration with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Cyber Compliance Team to identify risks; particularly in the areas of software driven rail technology.

but the big penny-drop incident within rail, with society-wide impact, is yet to happen. The threat of a cyber security breach requires a different approach to maintaining safety, particularly as cyber security is dynamic, whilst safety can often be analysed and captured following a classic risk assessment approach. To support our clients in managing this challenge, we recently launched an EN50155 approved Security Gateway designed as a single source of truth onboard trains for all cyber security issues, providing real-time visibility of key hosts, the network and logs from all devices onboard. The Security Gateway enables operators to: S eparate critical networks and analyse traffic in real time. Developing an integrated safety and cyber security culture is challenging because of conflicting priorities between the two. Change in safety and security is typically driven by regulation. With new cyber regulations in rail, supported by standards such as the NIS regulation, EN61375 or the upcoming CENELEC TS50701 Technical Specification, there is an increased awareness of why the industry must work towards cyber compliance;

Prevent unauthorised network access. E nsure all network communication is controlled and permitted. ecord and aggregate cyber security data R for fleet monitoring in real time. aintain a consistent and powerful security M profile for the entire life of assets. To date, RazorSecure solutions have been deployed in more than 1,600 rail vehicles and protected more than 30 million rail passenger journeys. We are actively working with several rail operators including Northern Rail, industry suppliers such as Icomera, train manufacturers and are closely engaged with industry-wide organisations such as NCSC. Funded by international investment, including organisations representing European rail operators, we can provide a stable and long-standing supportive partnership, adapting and developing our products to protect the unique cyber challenges that pose a safety risk across rolling stock, signalling and infrastructure systems. Please get in touch to book a technical or sales briefing by contacting sales@razorsecure.com, or learn more at www.razorsecure.com

60 | May 2021

Advertorial

railbusinessdaily.com

Making clearance and gauging analysis

Faster, Smarter,

Simpler

D/Gauge Rift - an innovative new gauging software. Unmatched in performance, it’s essential for today’s Track and Infrastructure Engineers.

Faster

D/Gauge Rift performs structure, passing and stepping assessments in minutes, not hours.

Simpler

D/Gauge Rift’s intuitive interface is simple to use and requires no expensive training retreats or bi-annual refreshers. Just log-on and deliver projects faster.

Join our live innovation event on 8 June 2021, 10AM

Trusted

D/Gauge Rift is powered by proven technology, and being used by Network Rail to manage clearances over their network.

www.dgauge.co.uk

Don’t Miss Out!

IFnedaut us tr rey s p o t l i g h t

Halo Access A-Pod provides new future for contactless site security Red CCTV’s circle of light keeping Bristol Temple Meads station secure

t seems somewhat prophetic that Bristol Temple Meads should be the setting. Technology from the future is being used to protect an engineering marvel created at the dawn of Britain’s Industrial Revolution, some 180 years ago. Then, a young engineer called Isambard Kingdom Brunel set about creating the original Bristol station, a ‘mock Tudor-style’ version of Paddington station. It had an arrival and departure platform and was a gateway to the West Country. He began building in 1838. It would provide a link between Bristol to Bath and was originally a fairly simply collection of buildings, which would also house the Bristol Committee of the Great Western Railway. Within a year, the Bristol and Exeter Railway were running their trains into the station, and Midland Railway also began services. A Jacobean-style structure was created at right angles to Brunel’s original station but it was quickly evident that a new, bigger station was required to house the three train companies and their footfall and Matthew Digby Wyatt, who had assisted Brunel with the original design, was tasked with creating the new Bristol Temple Meads station. His design included a stunning, 38 metre steel and glass roof, created by Francis Fox, which would curve majestically across the platforms, offering protection from the elements for passengers and staff alike – another showcase of engineering ingenuity. The building continues to evolve over the 200 years that followed but, in the main, Bristol Temple Meads, now afforded Grade 1 listing, remains largely as it was, a testimony to Britain’s proud engineer past. The march of time But time has been catching up on this iconic structure, and Taziker was tasked with leading major renovation works – the first at Temple Meads for some 25 years – which includes metallic and woodwork repairs, the reglazing of roof lights, the installation of modern glazing and repair to ornate gable ends and beadwork onto the main train shed, the platforms and much more. 62 | May 2021

Taziker is renowned for its work on sites of historical importance having successfully renovated the world’s first cast-iron bridge at Ironbridge in Shropshire and the renovation of the Clifton suspension bridge in Bristol, completed in accordance with Brunel’s wishes but sadly after his passing, after his initial work on the bridge was forced to stop due to lack of funding. Jason Worrall, Managing Director Engineering Services at Taziker, said: “To be entrusted with the refurbishment of this important transport hub is a great privilege and testament to Taziker’s previous success on other historical landmarks, including Bristol’s iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge, Iron Bridge and the Royal Albert Bridge in Plymouth.”

“Net zero isn’t a buzz phrase for Red CCTV, we have been working towards this for several years,” explained Managing Director Rob Kennedy. “We introduced a solar powered CCTV trailer, the Fast Mast and then set about creating the Halo Smart Eco CCTV range – a CCTV System designed to reduce the need for large, diesel generators, pumping out CO2 emissions and noise pollution. “The system was initially powered by a hybrid power supply which allowed our towers to run silently, through the night, without generators and included onboard telematics to show clients how much fuel – and crucially how much CO2 they had saved – by using this solution and the idea took off.

Red CCTV The project is scheduled for completion by 2023, and will be conducted whilst Temple Meads continues to operate as a working railway station. Red CCTV has previously provided security solutions for Taziker on a number of projects, including the renovation of Iron Bridge, and is well regarded for its work. But in particularly, it is Red CCTV’s environmentally friendly CCTV solutions that has really caused a stir, as British industry in general has been challenged to work towards net zero. Advertorial

railbusinessdaily.com

I n d u s t r y s pFoetal ti g uh r et

“We introduced solar powered and wind turbine versions, capable of totally eliminating the need for generators and now, we have a system which runs under its own power in the field for months without charge! “It is the future for site security, and aside from the CO2 savings our camera technology means fewer towers are needed on site to provide the same amount of protection.” CCTV system At Temple Meads, Red CCTV installed a fixed system, to protect the site, staff, plant and machinery for the duration of the project. The system includes remotely controllable 4K CCTV cameras, all capable of live streaming and equipped with the latest analytical software, to provide around the clock protection. Red CCTV also installed a Halo Solo CCTV Tower on a secondary, remote compound, which needed to be 100 per cent self-powered, with no power available on site. Aside from the fuelling, and obvious environmental benefits, the Red CCTV systems utilises the very latest analytic software, approved by the Home Office, and capable of reducing false alarms by up to 90 per cent. The Red CCTV systems are capable of recognising genuine attempts at criminality, as oppose to the encroachment of animals, stray vegetation or items displaced by weather systems. All of the cameras are remotely controlled and capable of crucial evidence gathering. But the CCTV system is only part of the story. The real star of the show is the Halo Access A-Pod, a brand new state-of-the-art contactless site access solution, developed by Red CCTV during the COVID-19 pandemic. Red CCTV created the Halo Shield range of products as a direct response to a client request for a system which would protect its key workers required to work through the pandemic. The client wanted to temperature check employees before they entered site, as medics had declared elevated temperatures to be a key symptom of COVID. Engineers at Red CCTV created the Halo Shield body temperature measuring system, a standalone thermal imagery camera system, capable of scanning up to 30 people per second without any intrusion and crucially, without placing another member of staff at risk by requiring them to manually conduct testing. Contactless site access solution “It is a fantastic system, it’s highly accurate, it keeps everyone safe, there are no unsightly trip hazards or potential for error and it’s easily branded for clients,” explained Red CCTV Technical Director Ashley Cardno. railbusinessdaily.com

“It worked so well and gave us the inspiration to expand on the idea, and develop a totally contactless site access solution, which incorporates the temperature testing technology and much more and the Halo Access A-Pod was born. “The A-Pod uses cloud-based technology to onboard staff, visitors, suppliers, or temporary staff and provide the required level of access, from day passes, short-term contract workers, all in real-time. “Users are permitted entry to the A-Pod via a dedicated smartphone app, which utilises NFC and QR Access technology, whereby facial recognition software further checks the credentials of the user, conducts temperature testing and checks for face masks or safety helmets.

‘Providing the person meets all of the required criteria, a door will open which allows the person onto site’ “Providing the person meets all of the required criteria, a door will open which allows the person onto site. If the person fails for any reason, entry to site will be blocked and a door opens to allow them to exit, away from other users waiting to enter the A-Pod. “The system allows clients real-time access to data, they can control permitted numbers of people on site and it allows them to trace individual access points if required. “The whole system is self-contained, the A-Pod can be deployed anywhere, and it provides a future-proof, totally safe and secure site access solution.” Advertorial

The A-Pod has undergone successful trials and has now been deployed by Taziker at Temple Meads, just a stone’s throw away from where Brunel began his original works all those years ago on. The A-Pod Steve Sargant, Senior Site Manager, Taziker said: “The A-Pod access system from Red CCTV gives Taziker a unique site access control system which provides site security and COVID-19 temperature checks when entering the worksite, providing facial recognition, temperature monitoring and hands-free access via a smart phone app. “The A-Pod system was setup with minimal effort by Red CCTV Engineers and is very easy to use, with on-call support from Red CCTV.” Neil Harrison, Managing Director Infrastructure at Taziker, said, “The A-Pod system from Red CCTV has been an important factor in keeping our site and our people safe during the recent work at the station. By utilising this technology, we are able to record access to the site and monitor the temperature of employees and visitors to ensure the continued safety of our people, the site compound and the station itself. “We have completed two blockades in the past few months to carry out important stages of the project at Bristol Temple Meads, and with our stringent health and safety standards, we will continue to use the A-Pod to ensure site safety is upheld every day.” Technology from the future, protecting the past. Brunel would undoubtedly have doffed his trademark stovepipe hat to such innovation. To learn more about the Halo Access A-Pod contactless site solution or Red CCTV’s innovative site security solutions contact the team at info@redcctv.co.uk

May 2021 | 63

Over 50 years operating in the infrastructure industry Taziker’s mission is to responsibly regenerate and sustain our national infrastructure through engineering excellence and innovation in design through operational delivery.

From the founding of Taziker as a commercial painting company in 1969, the company has evolved and expanded to provide services in the infrastructure, industrial, engineering and access sectors – we have also recently added environmental engineering to our expertise. With over 50 years operating in the industry, we have built a reputation as one of the leading multi-disciplinary engineering contractors in the UK.

Our work as Principal Contractor at Bristol Temple Meads Station includes new protective coatings and the installation of scaffolding and dessa beams through our in-house access specialist, Network Scaffolding.

Our internal Access division allows us to self-deliver many of our projects seamlessly from concept to completion. This is strengthened by owning our own in-house access specialist – Network Scaffolding. We can provide scaffolding solutions, rope access, encapsulation services and specialist access solutions to suit the needs of any particular project.

For further information, contact us on:

Taziker Full page Advert_FINAL_v2.indd 1

taziker.com

0344 8800 385

sales@taziker.com

28/04/2021 19:11

Innovation

The intelligent video providing a safer platform for the railways One Big Circle’s co-Founder, Emily Kent, discusses the video platform helping drive rail’s digital transformation

hen Network Rail spoke at a conference of an ambition to work more efficiently and closely with small and medium-sized enterprises, they had barely got off the stage when they were approached by a Bristol-based business looking for an introduction into the industry. With a background as a technology company, intelligent video specialist One Big Circle had seen a gap in the market and after months of meetings, listening, learning, asking and pitching, it had refined its product into a solution to help drive rail’s digital transformation. Its offering – Automated Intelligent Video Review (AIVR) – is a lightweight vehicle-born device that can sit aboard any moving vehicle automatically capturing and transmitting video data as it goes, enabling rapid identification of incidents and conditions to decrease safety risks and enable planning and inspection. “Our technology provides the rail industry with accurate data to instantly and remotely monitor the infrastructure online, ensuring they can plan and inspect remotely, reduce site visits, and deploy the most appropriate team to deal with a potential issue quickly and effectively,” said co-Founder Emily Kent. “There was lots of enthusiasm when we started looking at the rail industry, but our turning point was when we attended a session by Network Rail at Rail Live talking about engaging with SMEs in their supply chain.

“They were looking for SMEs who had gone the extra mile to develop something which ‘had legs’ and would help solve the challenges that rail is meeting. “We collared the speakers straight after saying we reckoned we fit the bill and asked for introductions which led to us getting a technical trial aboard the Measurement Fleet (the

yellow banana!). The rest followed from that successful trial.” Although well suited to the rail industry, the One Big Circle journey actually originates from more unexpected circumstances in 2013. Emily and two other co-founders had initially formed a sports technology company in the video space called My Action Replay.

ENGINEERING • CONSULTANCY • DESIGN Kilborn Consulting Limited is an independent railway engineering consultancy and design business. We specialise in the design of railway signalling, control systems, level crossings and telecommunication systems for the UK and Ireland railway infrastructure. Our core services cover technical advice, consultancy services, feasibility studies and concept, outline (AiP) and detailed design (AfC) of both signalling and telecommunication systems. We can provide all Signal Sighting activities and signalling risk assessments, including SORA and Suitable and Sufficient Risk Assessments for Level Crossings. We also provide EMC and E&B studies to complement our core services. We very much look forward to working with you.

Tel: +44 (0)1933 279909 Email: pmcsharry@kilbornconsulting.co.uk Visit: www.kilbornconsulting.co.uk

railbusinessdaily.com

May 2021 | 65

Innovation

Initially a kitchen table start-up, juggled around day jobs and families, it enabled people to capture the finest moments of their sporting matches and watch them online. “Two of the co-founders had been involved in the use of video technology in the highways environment and another was a keen sports person and had always been desperate to see their own video replays, so the original idea came from there,” said Emily. “We had a bit of entrepreneurial spirit to give it a go and create a system which enabled people to see their sporting progress – training matches from grassroots up to professional level. “It was very much a kitchen table enterprise, doing it in the evening hours, working out value proposition, who to pitch it to and what price point – all the stuff we had to work out on the go.” Acquisition Such was the success that in 2017 the company was acquired by the largest digital platform for cricket, based in New Zealand. Following that the four co-founders then started a new technology company specialising in video and integration to create robust solutions for people who face challenging working environments. “We kept our core team together and started One Big Circle, looking at applications for video capability where capturing data on the move would be of value and make an operational difference to an organisation,” said Emily. “We did a lot of industry exploration over a few months and got significant engagement from the rail sector where we found a real opportunity to make video rapidly accessible. “From the conversations we were having we knew that data was being collected, but there are a lot of legacy systems that were hard to access. And historically a lot of data remained on hard drives or devices and was sent about by bike couriers etc to various offices and a few selected users,” she said. “We could see that video was only going to be growing in use in rail, because ultimately you need to reduce boots on ballast, and we wanted to make up-to-date data easily available, delivered in an online platform that is very accessible, user-friendly and tailored to industry needs. “We developed AIVR to align with the digital ambitions and programmes of the industry. AIVR is an innovative system through which you could get data from one environment – namely cameras on in-service trains or the measurement fleet – to another, those who needed to see it, via the cloud and make that data accessible in rapid time. 66 | May 2021

“Compared to an average two-week wait to physically receive data on drives we can make that over 300 per cent faster, so it’s in the cloud and accessible less than an hour after it’s been recorded.”

The end-to-end system quickly enabled hundreds of users from multiple disciplines across Track Worker Safety, P-way, Signalling, Delivery Units and more to access data Since the development of AIVR, One Big Circle hasn’t looked back. Following a pitch through the Rail Innovation Group in September 2019, the company partnered with Transport for Wales to fit AIVR cameras on trains to automatically record, analyse and report vegetation risks on the Wales and Borders routes. And when the impact of COVID really hit home in Spring 2020 the company also secured a contract with Network Rail through Signalling Innovations Group (SIG) to deliver the AIVR capability across the network. The end-to-end system quickly enabled hundreds of users from multiple disciplines across Track Worker Safety, P-way, Signalling, Delivery Units and more to access data. Its AIVR capture devices – which can be windscreen mounted – fitted in Network Rail Tail Lamp Housing developed by SIG, or integrated with onboard cameras, were deployed rapidly to continually capture and transmit thousands of miles of the critical data from across the whole of the UK.

More recently the company has won a number of industry and technology accolades and secured a further contract with Network Rail to detect critical faults on the conductor rail of the electric sections of routes. It combined its award-winning AIVR on-train technology with thermal cameras to detect hot spots of over 80 degrees on the conductor rail and has started capturing data in the South East of England. The contract win, announced in March this year, followed intensive collaboration work between One Big Circle and Network Rail’s Signalling Innovation Group and the Intelligent Infrastructure, which carried out a ‘proof of concept’ trial throughout summer 2020. Google Earth for the railway Emily said: “One thing people say about our system is that it is like a Google Earth for the railway – you can virtually move around the railway from anywhere. And in just the short time we’ve been involved in the rail industry there has been continued momentum when it comes to embracing the power of video and digitalisation. “I think COVID has been a massive part of that, which has accelerated all those needs and ambitions, bringing them into sharp focus during the pandemic. The railway has had to continue to run and has been a lifeline for both people and freight – but it has had to run safely and keep the workforce safe, moving what it can from the physical to the digital. The pandemic has removed a lot of red tape too, across many industries, as we’ve all recognised there are more efficient ways to achieve results. The teams and people who we are working with across Network Rail, Transport for Wales and the supply chain are innovators in their own right – internally championing new and smarter ways of working and finding opportunities to collaborate to meet critical challenges. “And then if we think about the time it would have taken to book in all those physical meetings and AIVR demos, rather than online, it could have taken us years to get to the stage we are now.

railbusinessdaily.com

Innovation

“We estimate we’ve reached and engaged with nearly 2,000 people directly online demonstrating AIVR. Not that we’re not looking forward to starting to meet face to face again soon! But we also see the benefit, and the time and carbon-saving, of keeping a lot of meetings virtual as we’re all so used to the concept. “COVID has also helped changed the perception of what SMEs can deliver, where organisations can call on their expertise directly when needed and get rapid results. Hopefully that confidence will continue in the future. The amount of collaboration we’ve seen this year has been huge and there has been a real openness and appetite to work with the supply chain. Our clients have been really positive and have a really forward-thinking way of working.” Next stop on the journey Looking to the future and Emily and the rest of the team can’t wait to see where the journey takes them next. “Collaborating closely with those clients and other suppliers in the industry, whilst also focusing on feedback and user needs, has been absolutely imperative as we continuously develop AIVR to do the job it’s needed for,” said Emily.

railbusinessdaily.com

“There’s real value in being in an environment where there are lots of organisational innovators working with SMEs to find solutions in an iterative way. What drives us is delivering those solutions to make people safer and help make organisations more efficient. “Going from pitching at the Rail Innovation Group in October 2019 to having a number of contracts, including with Network Rail and Transport for Wales, under our belt feels pretty amazing. “We really want to evolve our product within the rail sector and as a company we want to

be seen as the proven and trusted supplier of all things video. As well as our AIVR Motion products, we’re also developing the AIVR Lookout capability, which can be used in static environments likes stations and construction sites, using AI to identify and surface events and incidences for operators. “Our future is about building on what we have achieved over the past 12 months, delivering the video capability that is needed in rapid time, valuing our client relationships, and creating more productive partnerships that help meet the industry Digital Railway challenges and targets.”

May 2021 | 67

Platform 1

PLATFORM 1

Plat

The first point of call for rail industry innovation

his month sees the return of Platform 1, our service that provides organisations with the opportunity to showcase their latest innovations and products to the rail industry in a short, concise business pitch. We are shining a light on the latest products and services that are set to transform the rail industry. Embracing innovative ideas is vital if the rail industry is to continue to

thrive, however far too often these ideas never see the light of day. Platform 1 is the place for these ideas to be highlighted as they embark on their journey of revolutionising the rail industry. By promoting collaboration and investment, Platform 1 is connecting innovators with investors, ensuring that these ideas reach the people and organisations to help them achieve success.

Prevent Signal Failures with CableGuardian® CableGuardian is the only Network Rail approved cable monitoring system that offers adherence to Tier 3, 2 & 1 of the Network Rail standard NR/ L2/SIGELP/27725 - Insulation Monitoring and Fault Location Systems for use on Signalling Power Systems. Developed in collaboration with Network Rail, CableGuardian supports the ambitions to reduce maintenance costs and time-related infrastructure failures, to reduce the frequency and duration of service affecting failures and to improve the overall asset management process. Key benefits: • Fewer boots on ballast fault finding and cable testing • Permits a move from a frequency based inspection • Quickly and accurately locate cable faults and cable theft regime to one driven by actual asset condition and • Web portal for fault diagnosis and location performance • Reducing risks to trackside personnel and the general public • Analytics facilitate proactive not reactive maintenance For more information visit: viperinnovations.com or contact us at enquiries@viperinnovations.com Paving the way with Visul Systems Visul Systems is part of USL Speciality Products, a leading manufacturer and supplier of specialist construction products in the UK and overseas. Our surface mounted tactile paving for the visually impaired is formulated using PU, MMA & Epoxy technology, with a proven track record of over 20 years. The Visul Systems tile and adhesive portfolio adhere to current safety and DfT Guidelines, enabling products to be specified by Network Rail, London Underground, plus many national rail and LRT operators. For more information on our market leading range of surface mounted tactile paving products visit: www.visulsystems.com or call: +44(0)191 402 1960

If you have a product or service you would like to promote using Platform 1, please email chris@rbdpublications.com

68 | May 2021

railbusinessdaily.com

Mobile Expandable Wellbeing Unit

1 Minute to Welfare

Providing welfare at the point of work for every member of your team

Ventilation Pockets

Moulded Roof Profile Pods can be easily Stacked

Making everyone feel like they are part of the team starts with addressing their most fundamental needs.

Safety Station Optional Defibrillator & Peli Case

Wellbeing for All Complete with a rotating male/female/gender-neutral ID window

Removable Waste Tank First Response Kits

Reflective Tape

Allows visibility day or night

Full sanitary ware

Pockets

and disposal facilities

For Mechanical Lifting

PORTABLE. DEPLOYABLE. INCLUSIVE.

Wellbeing for All

Additional Wellbeing Products:

• Each MEWU comes with full sanitary ware and disposal facilities • Rotating male/female/gender-neutral ID window - the MEWU is for everyone, regardless of their gender identification

• First Response Kit

• Stretcher

• Internal CIRAS Sign provides a confidential wellbeing resource - as everyone's voice deserves to be heard

1 Minute to Welfare • When compacted as a 4ft cube, the MEWU fits onto a standard rail trolley for direct deployment on the ballast • This ensures that everyone on track has access to safe, sustainable welfare facilities

• Defibrillator

• Peli Case

Heritage

A return to the track Chair of Kent & East Sussex Railway, Simon Marsh, on using the pandemic to accelerate change

here will be few people with a wider smile on their face than Simon Marsh this month when the Kent & East Sussex Railway starts steaming again. The trains return to the 10-mile stretch from Tenterden to Bodiam on 22 May, just in time for its Chair’s 50th anniversary since he first got involved. “I am absolutely looking forward to the reopening,” said Simon, whose involvement started in the shop when he was just 13. “It has been pretty dispiriting frankly during the pandemic sitting at home doing a lot of essential backroom work and not being able to go to Tenterden and hear trains travelling around. “We are a big feature in our local landscape, and it was lovely when we were able to reopen briefly last summer – there were people standing in the fields waving at us and it was a delightful atmosphere. Everyone was so glad to be back and I’m sure everyone will be the same when we reopen in May.” A 49-year journey For Simon the journey with the railway began in 1972. Since then he has worked in all sorts of areas from signalling through to his current role as Chair. “I started as a very young volunteer and have been involved in the railway on and off since 1972,” he said. “My first role was in the shop – and this was in the days well before we were running passenger trains. “The shop was an old Pullman coach which is now part of our new luxury dining train. It gave me a whole new social life, whole new set of things to do and the opportunity to learn new skills. That’s the kind of thing we can still offer people today. “Since then I’ve gone on to do a lot of work in the signalling department, on the track I became a signalman and a guard – so I’ve done all sorts of things across the railway over the years.” Despite his vast experience, one thing he hasn’t had to experience – until last year – was the challenge of the coronavirus pandemic. “Thirteen months ago we were all set with a good idea of what we wanted to do with the railway,” he said. “We were invigorated, had a five-year strategy and were looking forward to the new season. 70 | May 2021

“But then suddenly it all changed and a week before our first Mothering Sunday special it all went bang, and from then we’ve had our work cut out in keeping the show on the road.

A lot of people who come to visit us aren’t railway enthusiasts as such – and they want a day out and we’ve got to understand the things they want and need “We’ve never been at risk of going under, but it has been a fairly gruelling experience and one of the things we’ve found really important was keeping everyone in touch and keeping the family together.” The Kent & East Sussex Railway was one of the first light railways opened in Britain under the Light Railways Act of 1896 – built by Colonel Stephens.

The railway is due to relaunch with the return of one of its Terrier locomotives, bought by Colonel Stephens. “We have two Terrier locomotives that are well over 100 years old – ex London to Brighton – that have been associated with the line forever,” said Simon. “They’ve both been out of traffic for a little while for an overhaul, but there is a big milestone on 21 May when the first one comes back into service and will be hauling a two-coach train up and down between Tenterden and Bodiam. We’ll be re-opening to the public the following day.” Finding the positives Although the pandemic has had a dramatic effect on the railway’s income, Simon can see some positives, saying the year has given the railway the opportunity to make some changes. “It’ll take some time to recover, but I don’t think there will be a long-term impact on the railway, and it has also been an opportunity to accelerate some changes to make the railway fit for the third decade of the 21st century,” he said. “Before COVID we knew the direction of travel, but what the pandemic has done is given us a year to get underneath that and to increase the necessity of doing it quickly. railbusinessdaily.com

Heritage

“We’ve thought about the way in which we do our business and we’ve thought about the way that we do our marketing – which is turning increasingly online. “A lot of thought has gone into this and we’ve realised we need to reach out to new sorts of people too – both as visitors and potential volunteers. A lot of people who come to visit us aren’t railway enthusiasts as such – and they want a day out and we’ve got to understand the things they want and need.” Changing technology Things have certainly changed from when Simon first joined – this includes not originally having a toilet on site. He says technology has a big part to play in the railway of the future. “Technology has to be at the heart of the changes and what we say to ourselves is that we want to be heritage on the outside and 21st century on the inside,” he said. “We also need to build partnerships with schools and need to build partnerships with local business. I think COVID has sharpened that for us and made us understand that we need to do it rather more quickly.”

As for the five-year plan released shortly before COVID, Simon says although the pandemic has led to some changes, it has stood the test of time quite well. “Five years down the line and the first thing I’d like to see is that we’re still here,” he said. “We haven’t got the right to exist, we’ve got to earn our right and earn the respect of our people – including our regulators. “I would like to see full trains, see our station sites tidier than they are now with more to do between trains, and I’d like to think that

we will be a major heritage attraction in the South East of England that people will travel some way to visit.” This year marks the 60th year since the railway reopened to the public. To mark the milestone an appeal has been launched to raise £100,000 in four months. Half-way through and it was already over half-way there. For more information, visit https://kesr.org.uk/

Re-Railing, Recovery and Wheelskating Specialists Class 08 Locomotive Hire and Maintenance

Contact Andrew Goodman on 07794 480410 Montpellier House, Montpellier Drive, Cheltenham GL50 1TY info@railwaysupportservices.co.uk www.railwaysupportservices.co.uk

railbusinessdaily.com

May 2021 | 71

IFnetaetrunraet i o n a l N e w s

Knorr-Bremse wins major order for subway cars K norr-Bremse will be equipping the city of Atlanta’s new railway fleet for the Swiss train manufacturer Stadler’s US subsidiary. According to the long-term contract, KnorrBremse’s US passenger rail subsidiary, Knorr Brake Company LLC (KBC), will supply braking systems. The project is KBC’s first order for braking systems with major operator MARTA, further strengthening its market position in the North American urban rail segment. “Stadler and Knorr-Bremse have maintained a close and trusted relationship ever since both companies entered the North American railway market,” said Dr Jürgen Wilder, Member of the Executive Board of Knorr-Bremse AG and responsible for the Rail Vehicle Systems division.

Arc to deliver $54m to grain rail network

rc Infrastructure will continue major works on a critical part of the Australia State’s grain rail network this year, as part of a seven-year upgrade program that will see $54 million invested in the Midland Railway (MR) line that runs from Midland to Geraldton. The MR is the link to the northern section of Arc’s network, connecting the Eastern Goldfields Railway (EGR) line to Geraldton. The MR line is used exclusively by CBH to transport WA grain to the ports of Geraldton and Kwinana. The MR upgrade program runs from 2020–2027 and this year will see Stage two of the works carried out – the largest stage in terms of scope and cost – resulting in a $17 million investment in the MR. Arc Infrastructure Head of Head of Network Strategy & Long Term Planning Michal Golinski said the works had been planned strategically, based on grain tonnages and train cycle times across each section of the MR line.

72 | May 2021

“Therefore, we are all the more pleased to be able to conclude this long-term original equipment order, which anew underlines our strong position in the urban transport segment.” Jason Connell, President and CEO of Knorr Brake Company, said: “This contract is Knorr

Brake Company’s first-ever order for braking systems with MARTA, and we are very proud to be Stadler’s partner of choice to help replace Atlanta’s metro fleet. “A robust technical design, lightweight solutions to help enable energy efficiency, and the power of our proven technologies and technical support were among the winning factors in the order’s tender process.” While most of the braking components will be produced at KBC’s Westminster, Marylandbased facility, the vehicles will be manufactured by Stadler US Inc. in its new Salt Lake City plant in Utah and delivered to Atlanta to replace existing metro cars. The initial deliveries from KBC are expected in the first quarter of 2022 and will run through the close of 2028.

RZD completes construction of two largest railway structures in Serbia R

ussia’s RZD International has completed – more than six months ahead of schedule – construction of both the longest railway viaduct in Serbia, in the Danube river floodplain, and the 2.2km twin-bore Cortanovci tunnel. They form part of the Stara Pazova – Novi Sad section of the new line connecting Belgrade in Serbia with Budapest in Hungary. In April, both structures were successfully inspected for design compliance by the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Serbia. Work continues on the railway systems – the overhead catenary and laying of the track – before testing starts in Autumn 2021 with a view to opening by the end of the year. Construction of the viaduct began on 1 November 2017 and was completed six months ahead of schedule. The 3km viaduct stands 26 metres above the floodplain of the Danube river and is located at the exit from the Cortanovci

tunnel, near to the town of Sremski Karlovci. Part of the structure is on a slope, so 20 landslide protection structures were constructed as part of the preliminary works. RZD International continues with construction and modernisation of the railway on the Stara Pazova – Novi Sad section of the Belgrade – Budapest line, part of the TransEuropean Transport Corridor X.

Once the line is open, passenger trains will be able to reach speed of up to 200km/h on this section, and freight train up to 130km/h. Sergey Stolyarov, Director General of RZD International, said: “We are proud to be the company that was entrusted with the construction of the most technically complex and largescale facilities on the line.” railbusinessdaily.com

I n t e r n a t i o nFael aNt u ew r es

Czech Railways signs agreement RailAdventure with Siemens/Skoda consortium moves into the UK R T he Czech Railways national carrier has ordered 182 state-of-the-art passenger cars from the Siemens MobilityŠkoda Transportation consortium – a value of almost CZK 12.5 billion (£418 million). 180 cars will be made up into 20 nine-car trains, each with a capacity of 555 seated passengers and having a maximum operating speed of up to 230km/h. The last two vehicles will be purchased by the Czech Railway Administration Authority and will be operated on routes from Prague via Ústí nad Labem to Hamburg or via Brno to Budapest and Vienna. Petr Brzezina, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Škoda Transportation Group, said: “We very much appreciate being part of

such a major project substantially boosting travelling quality on the Czech and international railways. “Environmentally friendly transport – to which the railway undoubtedly belongs to – is gaining more and more importance in Europe, and the use of new, modern vehicles is fundamentally increasing the railway’s attractiveness and is contributing to its growth in the transport market. “At the same time, it also helps in meeting the commitments to gradually reduce emissions in transport. I believe that the new wagons’ parameters with their speed reaching up to 230km/h including the comfortable transport suitable for business trips and family trips will make more new passengers switch to the Central European railways.”

Alstom/Thales/Nokia complete signalling upgrade for Poland A consortium led by Alstom has completed delivery of its ERTMS/ ETCS Level Two digital signalling solution for the E65 railway line, based on a contract previously signed with PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe. This state-of-the-art signalling technology will enable trains to travel at 200km/h on the 350km line – covering 35 railway stations and linking Warsaw with Gdynia. The project, which has resulted in a significant improvement in safety and passenger comfort, has also

increased capacity and reduced journey times. It was one of the largest and most complex in the history of Polish Railways. Alstom and Thales Polska were responsible for the design and implementation of the ERTMS/ ETCS Level 2 signalling solution, while Nokia provided the GSM-R communication system. The consortium upgraded eight integrated control rooms and delivered remote traffic control and management systems, turnkey solutions for dispatcher centres, an integrated passenger information system and CCTV solutions.

ailAdventure GmbH, the Munichbased company that manages special transport and test runs with new trains in Europe, has acquired the British company Hanson & Hall Rail Services and has purchased eight Class 43 power cars, which, when formed into double locomotives, will be the future backbone of the company’s British domestic services. In recent years, RailAdventure has been involved in the delivery of new vehicle fleets from manufacturers based in Europe to Great Britain. Now, with most of the well-known vehicle suppliers having recently started to operate production plants in Great Britain, there is significant local demand. Since its foundation three years ago, Hanson & Hall has been integral to the support services for the railway industry and UK operators. As part of its expansion plans for the UK market, Hanson & Hall was therefore the preferred partner for RailAdventure. Alex Dworaczek, managing director of RailAdventure GmbH, said: “We always want to accompany the development of our customers and are now proud to be able to offer the highest quality and most flexible solutions from our own source for the British domestic market. In addition, the local proximity to the production sites is important to us.” Jason Hall, managing director of Hanson & Hall, added: “This is a really exciting time for us as we increase the scale our service offerings. Through the combined experience of Rail Adventure and our company, the UK rail industry and its suppliers are about to receive a much-needed step change in service levels, and I am thrilled we have such fantastic partners backing us during the next stages of our growth.”

ARE WE

railbusinessdaily.com

May 2021 | 73