January 2023
Beth West
Putting East West
Rail at the forefront of innovation
Daisy ChapmanChamberlain
UK rail on the international stage
John Thomas
A fork in the tracks
Neil Lathom
Going the extra mile for colleagues and community
Following in the footsteps of many great people
Awarm welcome to the new-look Rail Director, and the first of 2023. I think it is still ok to wish you a very happy New Year. I hope you and yours are all keeping well and had a restful and enjoyable festive break. A huge thank you to those who worked over Christmas, keeping passengers and goods moving and carrying out vital infrastructure projects - including the progress of the transformational East Coast Digital Programme.
I should probably start with the new look magazine, which not only includes Rail Director, but also Inside Track. It follows the decision to combine the printed versions of both magazines, although the online versions will still sit separately. The decision was taken primarily because of a huge increase in print costs.
Our ethos is to be a force for good in UK rail, driven to help all organisations working in the sector. Sticking by that, our chief executive David McLoughlin made the decision not to pass on the extra costs to our customers, instead passing on the savings associated with combining the printed versions of the two magazines.
This includes drastically cutting advertising prices by more than 50 per cent, giving existing series booking advertisers free advertising space on Rail Business Daily and donating to a ‘plant a tree initiative’ to completely offset the environmental effects of our printing.
But while costs are increasing and many other magazines are going all online, our audience research tells us that there is still the demand for the printed version, and as long as it’s what you want, we’ll continue to provide it.
I would like to thank all of our readers, contributors and our sponsors and subscribers for your support in 2022, which has been fantastic. The company has experienced huge growth over the last 12 months and I genuinely believe our success is your success. Examples like the reduction in advertising prices show how we are on this journey together.
I hope you like the new-look magazine, which continues to shine a spotlight on the individuals and projects that make the rail sector the fascinating industry it is. No more is that the case than with our cover feature Dr Linda Wain, LNER’s engineering director. It was a real joy to interview Linda and hear her story and passion towards engineering.
She joins a whole host of fantastic features, including the quarterly column from Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain, Railway Benefit Fund’s Heart of Gold winner Neil Lathom, East West Railway Company’s chief executive Beth West, and Polly and Molly Jackson; daughters of Britain’s first black train driver, sharing their memories of their dad.
It would be remiss of me not to mention what to expect from this month’s Inside Track (I wouldn’t want to upset Nigel). It includes an interesting interview with Steve Featherstone, who has recently been made a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, a feature with Network Rail’s track maintenance engineer John Hope, and a look at the future for Great British Railways.
I hope you enjoy this month’s issue. Please do contact me or the rest of the team for more information on all aspects of our brand. Here’s to a prosperous 2023.
Kind regards,
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Our ethos is to be a force for good in UK rail, driven to help all organisations working in the sector
Director of policy of Rail Partners, John Thomas, is calling for the government to act now to better enable operators to attract customers back and avoid a spiral of decline on the railway
8
LNER’s engineering director Dr Linda Wain talks fleets, the adoption of digital signalling and inspiring the next generation of engineers
14
Beth West, chief executive officer of East West Railway Company, on ensuring the project is at the forefront of innovation
18
Freightliner’s Neil Lathom has been named Railway Benefit Fund’s Rail Hero at its Heart of Gold Awards. He shares his story
24
A young engineer’s view of the railway
28
Six decades ago Wilston Samuel Jackson became Britain’s first black train driver. His daughters Molly and Polly Jackson share their memories
32 Railway workers recognised in New Year’s Honours List
Anna Ince, Nick Millington, Stephanie Hart and Mark Bridel are among the workers in the rail industry recognised in the New Year’s Honours
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An in-depth look at what is happening across the industry by those who make the decisions. This issue’s features include: A detailed interview with Steve Featherstone, the latest on GBR and a look at the recent developments on the Wessex line
50 UK rail on the international stage
Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain explains how the UK continues to drive and lead in rail and transport in a range of areas
56 New Year, new benefits
Eli Rees-King, head of the RBD Community takes a look at the new benefits available to members in 2023
60 Time for change?
Amy Blick is an experienced HR specialist and the founder of ExhilHRate. In her final column, she discusses the importance of reviewing key people policies
62 International News
64 Movers and Shakers
72 End of an era for Birmingham New Street’s signal box After safely getting tens of millions of trains to where they need to be over 57 years, the Network Rail team at Birmingham New Street’s iconic railway signal box moved its last service on Christmas Eve
76 HS2: “A year of immense progress”
HS2’s chief executive officer has outlined project milestones over the last 12 months
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Editor Danny Longhorn danny@railbusinessdaily.com
Designer/Production Manager Chris Cassidy
Production Editor
James Jackaman
Director of Marketing
Phil Loades
Editor (Inside Track)
Nigel Wordsworth nigel@railbusinessdaily.com
Advertising Team Christian Wiles chris@rbdpublications.com
Amy Hudson amy@rbdpublications.com
Published by RBD Media 15 Mariner Court, Calder Park, Wakefield WF4 3FL
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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.
Rail is part of our national fabric, driving our economy in a low carbon way by connecting people to jobs and businesses to their customers. Its importance in Britain’s post-pandemic recovery is clear but with many demands on public finances, rail cannot take more than its fair share of taxpayers’ funding.
Even before the pandemic, passengers were changing how they travelled by rail: season ticket sales were declining, and there was increased need to reduce costs, boost productivity, and better meet customer expectations.
At the start of the pandemic and the resulting decline in passenger numbers, the Department for Transport suspended its rail franchise agreements, stepping in to plug the financial gap to ensure services kept running to support key workers. That was essential.
The government put in place Emergency Measures Agreements (EMAs), which covered the cost of a loss in revenue by paying operators a small pre-determined fee to run services. This allowed them to focus on the critical task of getting people where they needed to be at a time of national
crisis. When the EMAs expired after six months, the government introduced Emergency Recovery Measures Agreements (ERMAs) which lasted between six and 18 months.
The terms were similar to EMAs; however, the total fee paid to operators was reduced.
The majority of operators have now moved from ERMAs to National Rail Contracts (NRCs), which formally terminated pre-existing franchises. These are direct bridging contracts until new Passenger Service Contracts (PSCs), a product of the Government’s wider reform proposals which were set out in the ‘Plan for Rail’, are enacted.
The pandemic and six months of industrial action by rail unions turbo-charged these trends, leaving a financial gap that is £2bn higher each year than before the pandemic, with revenues now plateauing at around 80 per cent to 85 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.
The financial gap in the industry cannot be closed by cost savings alone – in fact, a sole focus on reducing costs risks a spiral of decline, with cuts to services putting passengers off using rail, leading to further cost pressures and further cuts.
The financial gap in the industry cannot be closed by cost savings alone
Director of policy of Rail Partners, John Thomas, is calling for the government to act now to better enable operators to attract customers back and avoid a spiral of decline on the railway
We must look at attracting more customers back to rail and therefore growing revenue as well as reducing cost.
While franchising as a system had run its course, the track record of the private sector across many aspects of the railway cannot be ignored.
The expertise, entrepreneurialism and agility of the private sector have played a vital role in transforming Britain’s railway finances since the early 1990s, driving more than a doubling in passenger numbers and growing revenue at more than twice the rate of GDP.
Independent analysis conducted for Rail Partners by Oxera shows the size of the prize to be won by again freeing up that entrepreneurialism to attract customers back – a potential £1.6bn in additional revenue that would otherwise be missed over the final two years of the current spending review.
That is money that could be used to reduce taxpayer costs and give a better customer experience. The increased revenue would also make a huge contribution to stretched public finances, releasing taxpayers’ money to be used on other priorities such as NHS backlogs as a result of the pandemic, as just one example.
So, the railway industry is at a fork in the tracks – it can take the right track and accelerate recovery by focusing on attracting customers back in greater numbers to help fund a return to growth and decarbonise the network, or risk further decline. It is a shared responsibility to protect the railway’s future and private sector operators have the necessary skills, expertise and resources to secure its future in partnership with the Department for Transport and ultimately Great British Railways.
We must act now to grow revenue more quickly and restore industry finances, to secure the future of this critical national asset – not for its own sake but for the wider benefits it delivers to the country.
The current system of contracts that ensured resilience in the pandemic and its aftermath is not sufficient to drive this recovery.
However, new long-term Passenger Service Contracts will be some way off and the current National Rail Contracts contain limited ability or incentive to deliver for customers.
In contrast, those operators with greater commercial freedom and strong financial incentives – open access operators like Grand Central and Hull Trains – have attracted more customers back to rail and have collectively demonstrated, according to analysis from Oxera, faster revenue recovery.
Incentivising DfT’s contracted operators to innovate and offering greater flexibility to focus on attracting passengers could be done almost immediately, without legislation. Rail Partners has suggested a range of measures which create the appropriate freedoms and flexibilities for operators to attract more customers back post-pandemic. We are calling on government to take a holistic view of the railway’s finances – thinking about cost reduction in the context of attracting more passengers back to the railway.
The following four recommendations can buck the trend and help grow revenue:
1. By activating and deploying mechanisms in National Rail Contracts already in place, which facilitate operators to invest and innovate to accelerate revenue growth for the financial year 23/24 and beyond.
2. By providing operators with sufficient influence over levers, like timetabling, marketing and fares, to respond to these new incentives and improve the offer to customers.
3. By evolving the mechanisms for future Passenger Service Contracts that are in keeping with the ‘Plan for Rail’s ambition of creating a spectrum of contracts with calibrated revenue incentives – ensuring future contracts are fit for purpose for different markets.
4. By reuniting cost and revenue in the Department for Transport to avoid a primary focus on cost reduction that is negatively impacting the customer experience and revenue generation.
If we get it right, the railway can return to growth and help the country do the same, acting as a catalyst for economic growth and decarbonisation. This evolution would also provide the mechanisms for future Passenger Service Contracts that are in keeping with the Government’s ambition of creating a spectrum of contracts that are fit for purpose for different markets.
A rejuvenated rail sector means a boost to wider economic activity through improved connectivity. It is also a lower-carbon form of transport that helps achieve net zero goals and improves air quality.
If we get it wrong now, the railway faces more hiatus, a stunted recovery from the pandemic and decline. If we get it right, the benefits, for both rail and the country, will be significant.
If we get it right, the railway can return to growth and help the country do the same, acting as a catalyst for economic growth and decarbonisation
LNER’s engineering director Dr Linda Wain talks fl eets, the adoption of digital signalling and inspiring the next generation of engineers
It is with a smile on her face that Dr Linda Wain explains how she celebrated her appointment as engineering director at London North Eastern Railway (LNER). While many might have popped to the pub or celebrated with a meal out, for Dr Wain the priority was to buy a Hornby model of the Azuma train.
There is a lovely story behind the gesture, but this visit was tinged with more than a hint of sadness. The ritual was started by her father when she became a fleet engineer at East Midlands Trains, celebrating his daughter’s job success with a model train, mounted on a small piece of track on a plinth, with her name and job title engraved on a plaque. The tradition continued for three future promotions.
Sadly, her father passed away in 2020, so when she received her latest role, the responsibility rested on her shoulders. There was no hesitation in carrying and occasionally we would put them back together.
My Dad was the inspiration to become an engineer
She was officially appointed as LNER’s engineering director last July, promoted after five years as the organisation’s head of engineering and assurance.
“Who wouldn’t want to be the LNER engineering director?” she said. “The East Coast Mainline is the blue-ribbon line in the railway, renowned for its engineering achievements; for speed records for Mallard, 225s, HSTs, I could go on,” she said.
“I’m following in the footsteps of many great people who have worked in the business in the past and with that pedigree behind you, all I can think is that I want to be someone that continues that level of engineering innovation and excellence.
“It is such a prestigious route, and although it is quite a weight in that respect, it doesn’t feel so because we have so much vision and passion that I am confident we can make a difference, so it is just fabulous to be involved.
“The priority of my role is to ensure that we continue to deliver a safe fleet to the railway. Second to safety is performance and making sure that we get trains out on time.
“They also need to be the right train type; we have 65 Azuma trains and there are four different fleet types within that, 5, 9 and 10-car trains, electric and bi-mode among them. They need to be reliable, clean and provide the facilities that both the customers and crew need.”
Dr Wain takes charge at an incredibly exciting time for the train operator. For the last few years, LNER’s Azuma fleet of trains has brought new higher standards in comfort, reliability and customer experience, calling at more than 50 stations along the East Coast route, totalling 956 miles.
“Engineering is the foundation of a good business,” she said. “We talk about the customer experience, we talk about frontline staff, we talk about how we can do this great stuff; me and the team are making the foundation for that to be delivered, making sure our trains are the best they can be.
“We work hard to get that foundation right and ensure we all excel in what we do.
“It doesn’t matter how great our customer-facing team are, if we deliver a train into service that doesn’t have a coffee machine on it, for example, it isn’t great for our customers or our on-board teams who strive to deliver the best possible service.
“I’m really enjoying the role so far and that is helped by the fact everybody in the business is playing their part to build that strategy to do better. From a personal point of view, it is great to be playing a part in positive change and using my role as engineering director to play a part in that bigger picture and bigger leadership role in the company.”
And as part of that bigger picture, Dr Wain is involved in some major engineering projects including the transformational East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP) which will see traditional lineside signals on the southern part of the East Coast Main Line replaced with state-of-the-art digital signalling, providing continuous, real-time information to the driver’s cab.
The technology, using the European Train Control System (ETCS), will mean more reliable and greener services for passengers and freight, creating the nextgeneration railway.
“People think delivering new trains is a big project and this is just making ETCS work on a train, but for me, this is a massive project.
Linda is pictured next to Flying Scotswoman during her time as head of engineering and assurance“This is the biggest transformation on the railway for quite some time. We’ve had new trains, which have transformed the way we travel, improved reliability and made step changes in those areas. The whole idea of changing the signalling and way we marshal trains along the infrastructure and getting drivers to have the information right there in front of them is huge and great.” Network Rail is leading the transformation, with the full business case of the project approved by the government in 2022. Work continues to progress with the help of partner organisations, including LNER. Among the milestones hit in the last 12 months are:
Commissioning of new signalling and the successful testing of trains using digital signalling on the Northern City Line between Finsbury Park and Moorgate. This is paving the way for the first passenger trains to operate with ETCS on that route in the spring.
Successful testing of the first retrofitted passenger trains using ETCS at the upgraded Rail Innovation and Development Centre (RIDC) testing facility
The start of major ETCS retrofitting programmes for freight trains and for commuter trains not already fitted
An extensive range of ‘full cab’ and desktop based driver simulators with ETCS capability, to enable nearly 3,000 train drivers to be trained to drive with digital signalling
The progression of a world-first project to enable ETCS on steam locomotives intended for main line use
Dr Wain added: “From an LNER perspective we are working with Hitachi, who maintain our Azuma fleet, to make sure we have the right version of ETCS on the train and then we’ll be doing the testing on site. Although the Azuma were fitted with ETCS when they came, we need to ensure it is compatible with the latest level of software.
This is the biggest transformation on the railway for quite some time
“Timescale-wise, we are hoping to get the assurance done so it is ready to be fitted on the first train around April/May 2023. We’ll be looking to move into 2024 where we actually start doing the full proofing in the infrastructure with the trains and hopefully by the end of 2024, we should be able to operate with ETCS on the trains, but this will be started off at different levels of operation, running it as an overlay with the signals.
“When complete it is going to have huge benefits for us in terms of safety because rather than waiting for the next signal, you will have that information in your cab and it is all linked, significantly improving the level of safety and efficiency. The whole idea of the safety assurance of the software and the digital advances fascinates me.
“Thirty years ago I joined the railway industry, and it is incredible how technology has moved on, particularly when it comes to maintenance and the ability of how you drive trains, operate and signal them.”
One area that hasn’t advanced as quickly as Dr Wain would have liked is the number of female engineers. But she hopes to use her experience and her position to challenge perceptions and encourage more young women to consider engineering as a worthwhile and rewarding career.
“When I went to university there were seven girls on a course of 100 for mechanical engineering. I would have hoped by now we would be way ahead of those sorts of percentages and there would be more women taking up professions in engineering activities,” said Dr Wain. “We are not as advanced as we should be, and I would stress that engineering is a fantastic career, and we need to get that message out there.
“People talk to me about the fact it must be hard being a female in a male-dominated industry, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
“It is absolutely a family environment in the railway, with people working together to get the job done. I love the idea of diversity in engineering because I firmly believe that a good solution comes from someone thinking about it, while a great solution comes from multiple minds thinking about it and playing things in various scenarios until you find one that delivers the best results. And that comes with diversity.”
Dr Wain continues: “I want girls at an early stage to think engineering is a career that they can take on and one of the things I’ve found previously is sometimes parents need to give ‘permission’ to their daughters to do engineering, to inspire them. I don’t think they sometimes realise that engineering is a real opportunity and a career path they could encourage girls to go into.
“Engineering is a really great job, and you don’t have to be that person up to your armpits in oil and grime. If something is too heavy for you, design a solution which means you can do that job just like anybody else in the team.
“There is nothing else I’d rather do and as engineering director at LNER, I get to continue that level of engineering innovation and excellence on the East Coast Main Line with a team who are all as passionate to be the best.
“The success of the railway is built on the foundation of a good engineering project, and a good engineering team and I am incredibly excited to be a part of it.”
LNER is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. On 1 January 1923, the original LNER was formed as part of ‘The Grouping’, which brought together several train operators into one entity and thus established LNER as the main operator on the East Coast Main Line. The route has evolved over the past century with new fleets introduced and changes to the original route, but the vision of driving ‘forward’ has remained a constant for customers and colleagues. In 2023, the organisation will explore some of the moments in LNER’s history that have made it one of the most popular train journeys in the world, from innovation and design to technology and engineering, from food and entertainment to destinations and community.
mployer’s Liability and Public Liability (EL PL) insurance is bought by every trading railway company. It covers injury claims from employees/ agency staff and injury/damage claims from third parties arising from the negligence of the insured business and its workers, and it is not cheap.
So, what increases liability insurance premiums and rates? Alongside general business activities and claims performance, insurers use wages and turnover to measure the exposure of a business, to which they apply rates to generate a premium. Increased financials result in higher premiums, and vice versa.
Many UK businesses, in particular those operating in perceived ‘highrisk environments’ like the railway,
have been facing substantial rating increases from their insurers.
This is on top of rising premiums caused by their growth as a business, meaning insurance costs rise disproportionately.
Jobson James Rail has been able to avoid these EL PL rating increases for 95 percent+ of our clients. In fact, for the last 10 years, we have consistently delivered level or reduced rates for nearly all claim free clients year-onyear.
This is on top of an average EL PL saving of 30 percent for most clients new to us, compared to their previous policy. Why then, have other businesses that are not insured with Jobson James Rail suffered these rate increases?
There are several reasons, but since 2020 the biggest factor has
been the hardening insurance market conditions coupled with insurance brokers using general insurers to place rail risks.
In a hard market, general insurers are known for applying significant rate increases and cover restrictions when businesses operate in these ‘high-risk environments’.
This compares to the small number of rail-specialist insurers who are comfortable with and fully understand the risks.
There is a significant variety in pricing amongst insurers and the onus is on the broker to understand and explain the railway company’s activities and contractual liabilities in order for the insurer to feel reassured and thus charge lower rates. This is where our rail specialism is key.
Jobson James Rail remains the
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• This client is one of the UK’s leading plant/RRV providers and a multidisciplinary Principal Contractor for Network Rail.
• Unreasonably high premiums were identified, as were policy excesses in respect of plant, motor and third-party liability claims.
• We also pointed out numerous, rail-relevant gaps in cover which had left the client both uninsured for day-to-day exposures and in breach of contract had an accident or claim occurred.
• We then successfully negotiated substantial premium savings and an enhanced retrospective premium rebate for the expiring policy year.
• This resulted in a premium saving of over £211,000 compared to the previous broker’s rates.
• Policy excesses were reduced, gaps in cover closed and Business Interruption extended to insure incidents both on site and in transit.
There was a collective sigh of relief when the Chancellor announced in the Autumn statement that East West Rail (EWR) would be “funded as promised”. Jeremy Hunt’s comments ended speculation the £5 billion rail project which will link Oxford and Cambridge might not be delivered in full.
“We believe that local people living and working in the communities in and around Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge deserve reliable, sustainable and affordable public transport that links them to their jobs, families and friends,” said Beth West, chief executive officer (CEO) at the East West Railway Company (EWR Co).
“It is fantastic to have appeared on the list of projects government is keen to accelerate and after months of it being unclear what was going
to happen and spending a lot of time focusing on building that advocacy for the scheme, we are delighted at the prospect of delivering the benefits of this fantastic new line for hundreds of thousands of people.”
The EWR project will see better connections between Oxford and Cambridge with new services and destinations introduced over three connection stages:
Connection Stage one: EWR services will run from Oxford to Bletchley/Milton Keynes.
Connection Stage two: EWR services will extend from Oxford to Bedford.
Connection Stage three: Completion of the full EWR connection with services running from Oxford to Cambridge via Bedford and Bletchley.
In addition to ramped-up engagement, the next milestones will be a route update announcement in which the team will talk about the next steps, as well as supplier events in the new year, ensuring organisations understand what it is that EWR is trying to achieve and any barriers faced by organisations that could work on the project.
“EWR will offer cleaner, faster travel between home and work and opportunities for days out, reducing journey times, traffic congestion and pollution,” said Beth, who is leading the organisation with the purpose of increasing prosperity and improving the wellbeing for communities between Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge.
“Across the route and the region people have been clamouring for this project for years and years because when you look at the rail network there’s not that much that goes east and west.
“When it is operational it will open up opportunities for jobs and schools and all the things that happen in life.
“But its impact will be felt even before the project is complete. What we’ve seen in places like Birmingham, where you’ve got HS2, is that once you’ve got the permissions, companies start to make their investment decisions on the fact that the railway is going to be there. There is a lot of benefit that will come well in advance of the railway being operational.”
EWR Co was created by the Department for Transport in 2018 to look at plans being developed for the new railway. The organisation is overseeing the construction of the project between Oxford and Bletchley and also designing the section of railway between Bletchley and Cambridge, ensuring the project is affordable, sustainable and at pace.
“Being a smaller company we are setting ourselves up to be nimble in terms of how we think through some of the issues of such a major infrastructure project and to enable us to be an innovative company giving great thought about how we interface with the network,” said Beth, who was appointed CEO last March, taking over from Simon Blanchflower, who retired. “We are thinking about this project as a new way of delivering, doing things a bit differently without necessarily bringing along negative legacy of the past.
“The attraction to the role for me was twofold. One is to drive innovation in the rail sector. One of the big challenges in rail is that there are loads of interfaces everywhere and so it is a challenge to change out various elements effectively, which can often result in multiple systems being used for similar things.
“What we’ve done at EWR is map out how all the systems work together, allowing us to move various bits of technology in and out without having loads of legacy stuff living on forever. It is super exciting seeing how things react together and bringing things into the 21st century.
“The other thing is the opportunity to better interface with our communities on this piece of transformational infrastructure. We want to know how our communities want stations to look and feel
and also to get their views about the first and last miles of their journeys. It’s not the old school way of going “here’s the infrastructure, sort it out”, but rather working with the community to find out what works for them. For people living in London, the Underground is integrated into people’s daily lives; I want to make this railway like that and be part of the fabric of peoples’ lives in the region.”
And it is this kind of thinking that feels a step change for rail infrastructure projects in the UK. In November EWR Co started inviting disabled people who live locally to the route to apply to join a new panel to help ensure its services can be accessed and enjoyed by everyone as part of its early route planning. It is also holding a series of free training sessions and workshops this year for businesses and charities to gain new skills and understanding on issues including climate change, organisational sustainability, and positive mental health.
These are just two examples of early engagement. Beth wants the supply chain to also be involved in early talks.
“We want our communities to be part of designing what the railway is and part of that solution is also going to be working with the supply chain,” she said.
our rail clients rolling, the insurance experts in your field.
We want to know how our communities want stations to look and feel and also to get their views about the first and last miles of their journeys
“The door is open to having discussions because we don’t know a lot of the innovation and technology out there. The benefit of trying to set up things with a target state is that we can see how things are going to land within that ecosystem and test them and see how it’s going to impact on other aspects.
“It is really important to look at how we do things differently such as how do we move less earth and pour less concrete – ideally much more sustainably – and use less steel. Doing less to get to the same outcomes will actually be a lot cheaper, quicker to deliver and better for the environment. This project is going to be a real step change in construction delivery to be much more deliverable.
“We will be having some really interesting events this year so we will get all the best ideas and get more of an understanding of what exists out there. We will be looking to bring players into EWR that haven’t necessarily played in the railway before. We talk about IT systems and better ways of delivering things in terms of the system space and I think this project is an opportunity to bring these other players into the industry because they’ve got technology that doesn’t exist on the network yet.”
Beth’s drive for innovation throughout her career has resulted in significant transformations in the industry. At Landsec, she worked on The Forge, constructed using a platform-led approach to design and construction, resulting in large reductions in material usage and waste. Another project she was involved in was Timber Square, which was designed from the outset to simultaneously address the climate emergency and have a positive impact on people’s quality of life, through the choice of materials and approach to construction.
“There’s a tendency in the rail industry to go ‘this is how we’ve always gone things, this is the path you have to follow’, but we are trying to work in a different way and in doing so bringing a much more agile and fluid way of working,” said Beth, who is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers; the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply; and is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.
“We’re developing our target state and approach in mapping out all the systems and services, people and processes that exist on the network and trying to streamline these down into what these core things are and the interfaces between them. This allows us to think about how to build the infrastructure with the end state and customer in mind.
“That is the big difference with this project. We tend to build railways linearly from left to right, there’s a load of money spent on civil engineering activities and then you get to the end of the civil engineering activities and find it wasn’t built in the right way to deal with the systems and rolling stock. You then have to spend a lot of money on the changes. It is critical we have the supply chain partners aligned to the vision and driving us in the same way. I want those aligned behaviours and objectives because we all win.”
Beth joined EWR Co having previously been the regional south managing director at Balfour Beatty, where she had responsibility for a wide array of civil engineering and building projects.
She has a rich knowledge of the transport sector, strong commercial acumen, and a long track record in driving construction innovation. Her previous positions include being commercial director for HS2, head of development for Landsec, and spending nine years in several roles at Transport for London.
“I really believe in the benefit of what infrastructure does for people when built,” she said. “I started working in project finance for power plants mainly, and then I moved across to Transport for London which really highlighted transport’s importance in creating opportunities for people to have access to things to live their lives.
“Public transport creates the opportunity for people to thrive and that is why I got into it. Here at EWR Co I have a great team of people who are thinking differently and creatively about how we can solve problems and develop a team with the capability, as well as bringing the right people on board who share that same vision.
“I’d like to think we’re the cool kids of the railway and we all have our eye on how we take this project forward for the future of rail delivery and the sector in general. It is not about us being an island but very much about how we can use what we’ve been developing for the industry overall.”
I’d like to think we’re the cool kids of the railway and we all have our eye on how we take this project forward for the future of rail delivery and the sector in general
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It was a dentist in Iraq that said to Neil Lathom that if you take yourself out of your comfort zone every so often life slows right down.
This piece of advice has served Freightliner’s team leader well, taking him on a journey of marathons, 100km bike rides and even a boxing match, raising tens of thousands of pounds for several charities.
“I’ll never forget those words the dentist told me while I was in the army, and it is so true and I certainly don’t want to wish my life away,” he said. “Taking myself out of my comfort zone has given me experiences I never thought I’d have, but has also been a good way to reset as well.”
His effort hasn’t gone unnoticed. A valued member of the Freightliner team at Southampton’s Maritime terminal, his colleagues nominated him and was
named the Railway Benefit Fund’s Rail Hero winner at its Heart of Gold Awards.
It celebrates railway people who make a real difference to their colleagues and community, with his submission saying: “Neil’s tremendous achievements for charity deserve to be acknowledged. Neil is very modest and doesn’t really see himself as the person we all see, which makes him even more special. Anyone in his company from the staff on the ground to the CEO could not fail to see what a great asset he is to the company and to his colleagues’ lives.”
Speaking with Rail Director, Neil is quick to downplay the recognition, instead wanting to turn the limelight on everyone who has been on the journey with him.
“I’m really proud to have been nominated and to have won the award, but it all comes down to the
people around me and what they have done for me,” he said. “I don’t see myself as deserving this, I am just a bloke who does what he does.”
Neil continues to be a positive force for good for the UK rail industry, this in spite of his health battles away from work. In September he was diagnosed with NonHodgkin Lymphoma, a type of cancer that develops in the lymphatic system, and is currently undergoing chemotherapy.
When he initially discovered the lumps and the GP suggested it was cancer, he had a terrible time coming to terms with what was going on and feared he wouldn’t make it to Christmas. However, after learning that he now has an 80 per cent chance of making a full recovery, he has been nothing but positive and motivated, as well as trying to help others who are going through the same thing.
“I first noticed the lumps when I had a bag of pork scratchings and it felt like one of them had got stuck in my throat,” he said. “After four days I went to the doctor who couldn’t see anything and gave me a nasal spray as she thought it might be a throat infection, and told me to come back if I could still feel it.
“I came out of the gym about a week later and felt some lumps coming up on my neck and I went back down to the doctors and that’s when they said we’re going to have to refer you to the cancer specialist. When I heard the word ‘cancer’ my whole mind, body, heart everything felt ripped out. I panicked even though there was no diagnosis at the time.”
Neil tried to put on a brave face in front of his family, bottling up the emotions he was feeling. It was about three months of tests and scans before he got the news confirmed.
Mind-set
“I spent three months just inside my own head really and I realise now that if I had spoken to people that would have released a lot of that burden in me,” he said. “I went to the hospital on 10 September and that’s when they said I had Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma which was treatable with a 65 per cent success rate, with later tests increasing that to 80 per cent.
“I was out of there and thought it is treatable, get on with it and whatever I’ve got to do I’ll do. I also joined the research team so they could put me in the trials to help their research. The main point I’d want
to stress is that people shouldn’t go through it on their own.”
Despite what Neil is going through, you shouldn’t write off a return to fundraising in the years ahead. In 2015 he suffered a heart attack and spent several months recovering, was told his training would have to be greatly reduced and that he probably wouldn’t be able to run long distances again. Four months later he completed the Southampton Half Marathon, raising funds for Wessex Heartbeat, which supports the work of the Wessex Cardiac Unit.
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I realise now that if I had spoken to people that would have released a lot of that burden in me
“When I initially had the heart attack I did feel sorry for myself for a bit and then something just sparked in my head and I thought ‘don’t let this define you, you’re not the bloke who’s had a heart attack, you’re the bloke who does what you do’,” he said. “I picked up, started walking and started to walk more, joined a physio, and went into rehab, getting me back to where I was and then following more tests I was told I could do the running again.
“It was a great feeling crossing that finish line. My wife and kids were there waiting for me. I think my wife was quite relieved to see me and she gave me an alcoholic-free beer and that is when the emotion got the better of me and I burst out crying.”
Neil’s achievements shouldn’t come as a surprise. Prior to joining Freightliner a decade ago he was a fitness instructor in the army, before joining the Territorial Army working at Southampton Docks, after which the opportunity to join the rail industry came up.
“The docks was hiring me out to Freightliner to go and work for them doing a container handling job and I got chatting with my boss who said about a job there which I jumped at,” he said.
“The fundraising events started about 10-12 years ago. I was already into my fitness and someone
suggested doing the Great South Run, which I did for Macmillan. I was hooked from there as it was something I liked doing and other people could benefit at the same time.
“I didn’t really want to get punched in the face with the charity boxing but it was a really good way of taking me out of my comfort zone and it was raising funds for Cancer Research. The money we raised was phenomenal with people being really generous knowing I was going to get punched for charity.
“Probably the toughest challenge physically was the Iron Man in Bolton which involved a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile run. I enjoyed every minute of it, although I got half-way through the marathon section when both my calf muscles started seizing up. I got through it.”
Neil was one of four winners at the Railway Benefit Fund’s Heart of Gold Awards. Amy Patrick from Alstom recieved the Rising Star Award, Paul Corrie Lifetime Achievement and Johnstone Station Team the Team Award.
The charity’s president Pete Waterman said: “We would like to thank all those nominated for displaying kindness and always going the extra mile for their colleagues and community. As a charity that solely supports railway people and their families, it is fantastic for us to see just how many inspirational people there are working in rail.”
It was a great feeling crossing that finish line. My wife and kids were there waiting for me
been keeping rail moving for the last 150 years.
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SLC Rail has a proven track record of delivering new railway infrastructure, particularly new rail stations, and is driven by the positive impact that an enhanced network can have on people’s lives and on businesses.
For the last 13 years, the company has provided a platform for public and private sector organisations aspiring to build new stations and improved train services, developing inspirational strategies and creating credible plans. These ideas have been brought to life with SLC helping to secure funding and ensuring projects are delivered to high standards and cost efficiently.
“Our role in the rail industry is probably more important now than ever,” explained Sam Uren, a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
“The rail industry needs significant investment which is unlikely to come wholly from central government. We need to be sure of the right projects to take forward with limited funding available and develop new strategies to bring more funding into the industry to increase enhancement investment.
“Promoters of new rail schemes need to take a new more proactive approach. In the current climate this means developing funding and financing plans alongside, and to supplement or replace, bids for central government funding support. They should ‘ask not what the railway can do for you, but what you can do for the railway’. They need to turn the emphasis around, looking at how you can make the railway work for local or regional growth strategies, supporting higher levels of local and private thirdparty investment.
“At SLC we don’t just produce reports to put on shelves, we want the projects to happen, and we only work on the ones we believe in. Fundamental to our business is ensuring the schemes bring about good outcomes for passengers, balancing both the benefits and the costs, and using all of our skills in alternative financial and commercial structuring to underpin deliverability, and improving their chances of success by – for example – reducing the proportionate funding ask from central government funding sources.”
SLC was born out of a vision to do things differently for the better. A high number of the senior team are from the original Chiltern Railways leadership team, a unique franchise which identified funding mechanisms to increase revenue for the operator.
SLC Rail has been doing things differently for more than a decade. Its engineering director, Sam Uren, looks back on SLC’s journey of designing new stations and enhancing rail infrastructure and explores what the future holds
Warwick Parkway was one of the first-ever stations to be built and funded independently, using bank finance rather than relying on the Department for Transport and Network Rail for the money.
The train operator was able to justify its investment in the scheme by the revenues it generated through ticket sales and car parking. Ian Walters was a director at Chiltern Railways at the time and is the founder and managing director of SLC Rail. He has used that innovative approach of building privately funded rail infrastructure on a wider scale, helping clients better understand how railways can contribute to social, economic and sustainability goals.
“I was one of five people employed at the start of SLC to help design and manage our first station project”, said Sam, who worked with Ian and Warwickshire County Council to deliver Stratfordupon-Avon Parkway. “They didn’t ask the rail industry to deliver it for them, this was very much a thirdparty-led investment in the railway, even though it was funded by Central Government.
“Our approach with local authorities is very much about leveraging their value and what they can bring to the railway, how they can support the scheme, invest in it and how it can then drive a high-value local economic impact. When we get involved with projects right at the outset, assessing which are the right schemes to invest in and helping to develop tools to support local prioritisation.
“We’ve completed rail investment strategy work for a wide range of clients including Worcestershire County Council, Warwickshire Country Council, West Midlands Combined Authority and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).”
Since it began, SLC Rail’s specialists have worked with stakeholders to gain acceptance for schemes and work out the many details required for them to proceed, from assembling land to negotiating asset protection agreements and developing efficient timetables.
The outcome of the company’s involvement has led to railway stations being brought back into the hearts of communities, in ways never seen before.
“We have a large number of station building stock that was designed in a railway facing way, as locations for people to find out what time their train was and to maximise the opportunity to buy a ticket. With the world changing, there’s a greater appreciation that stations need to be considered community assets, playing a greater role in the vibrancy of their local town or city. This has seen the proliferation of station masterplans, seeking to coordinate local development around stations with the function and form, and sense of place, afforded by the station itself. And we have started to see communities take greater virtual as well as actual ownership of these buildings in various ways to better support their local people.” said Sam.
As part of the West Midlands Rail Programme (WMRP), SLC is helping to redevelop University station, in partnership with over 10 organisations. WMRP is led by Transport for West Midlands and West Midlands Rail Executive and SLC is providing project and programme management services as well as other technical advice across the programme.
“The redeveloped University station will have dedicated NHS facilities managed by the adjacent hospital, a marker for how it’s possible to embed a station into a way that better supports community needs. There are other great examples across the UK, and I am sure local communities themselves will have ideas on how the station could work best for them.” explained Sam.
From design and engineering through project and construction management, SLC Rail has the expertise to lead every stage of the project as fully embedded members of a project alongside client teams.
“The railways are some of the most demanding environments in which to deliver projects,” said Sam. “They are technically complex and within a safetycritical environment, so rail project management must respond to the different agendas of the multiple stakeholders who own the assets, operate the services and regulate the network.
“Our delivery team is led by highly experienced rail project managers, who are well versed in Network Rail’s GRIP methodology, and bring a range of essential skills including resource management, financial control, stakeholder engagement, risk management and procurement of designers and construction contractors.
“One thing we like to do at SLC is to help our clients understand the rail industry. It can be difficult for nonrail people to engage with the industry and feel like they are in control, so a lot of what we talk about is building competency and confidence within the thirdparty team itself, and developing an understanding of how schemes are developed, and commercial arrangements and risks.
“If you think about the current challenges in the rail industry, the financial crisis, the change in passenger behaviour post-COVID, we really want to help local
councillors and mayors take forward their projects since they, like us, remain ambitious for railway expansion and improvement, as they see directly the benefits to local people.”
Since it was founded in 2009, SLC Rail has been involved in more than 16 new station projects and has opened eight new stations. There is no sign of things slowing down with 12 more railway stations due to be opened soon.
Another exciting development last year was that AECOM acquired a 30 per cent stake in the company to boost their delivery and joint rail development offer, having previously worked together on several highprofile projects.
“Working in joint venture partnerships with AECOM in previous years, AECOM recognised the innovation and agility we bring to the industry,” she added. “As part of the investment the growth plans are ambitious, and we jointly plan to apply those innovative techniques and approaches to projects to get the industry thinking in a different way. Having this backing by AECOM puts us in a fantastic place to grow, ensuring a prosperous and exciting future for us in the industry.”
The future involves big growth plans, with SLC Rail looking to double in size in the next few years and recruitment for a variety of posts expected in the coming months.
“We want to recruit people who are as passionate about the rail industry as we are and who want to see it change for the better and help local communities,” she said.
“It’s been a fantastic journey so far for SLC Rail and that is set to continue in the future, as we continue to challenge perceived norms, collaborating with the rest of the industry for the benefit of our railways and future generations.”
Visit slcrail.com for more details.
The railway industry is trying hard to become more diverse in all respects. Although it has work to do in many areas, the most noticeable shortfall is in the proportion of female employees.
19 per cent of Network Rail’s staff is currently female, and that’s not across the board – there are more women in admin roles and fewer in engineering and out on track.
The solution is not simply to employ more women. Even if that was legal – and positive discrimination is not – there would need to be more women applying for roles, and there aren’t.
Hence the push to interest girls in engineering and a career on the railways at a young age. Visits to schools to point out the importance of STEM (science, engineering technology and mathematics) and to talk with students about the opportunities and challenges that await them are now commonplace, with employers being joined by STEM ambassadors from Young Rail Professionals and other organisations.
Of course, there are women already holding important posts in the railway, and more are still coming through – just not enough of them. Alison Munro is on the executive board of HS2, Amanda
White heads up rail for Transport for Greater Manchester, Dyan Crowther is CEO of High Speed One and a non-executive director of the East West Railway Company, and Ailie MacAdam worked on High Speed One and Crossrail and is now president of one of Bechtel Corporation’s global business units.
Christine Fernandes is business development lead at train manufacturer CAF and is also chair of the organisation Women in Rail. She recently told the Railway Industry Association’s Railway Industry Magazine that having fewer women than men in the industry is not just unfair, but also has a negative impact on performance. Diverse teams, she suggests, perform better than male-only teams by “bringing together different viewpoints, marketing insights and ideas which generally enable better problem-solving, helping business units to achieve superior performance”.
The young engineer
So, what does attract girls and young women to seek a career in engineering and related fields, specifically on the railway?
Fiona ‘Fi’ Westcough graduated from the University of Sheffield in 2019.
A young engineer’s view of the railway
There are more and more women coming through and I think the mindset is slowly shifting
She is currently a strategic rail consultant with Atkins and is also chair of Young Rail Professionals. She has undertaken secondments to Alstom, working on train control systems, and Transport for London to help with engineering heavy overhauls on the S8 fleet that operates on the Metropolitan line.
Last September, Fi visited the InnoTrans exhibition in Berlin, where she spoke with Atkins’ global rail market lead Scott Kelley about her career and aspirations. Scott’s first question was to ask her why she wanted to work in rail.
“I actually fell into rail, I wasn’t necessarily looking to join the rail industry,” she explained. “It was only because my older brother worked in the industry that I decided to join in and see what it was all about. Having done so, I don’t look back at all. I’ve been involved in so many great projects, I’ve been able to travel around the world – to Germany, to Japan, and I’ve had the chance to work in Stockholm.
“As well as this, it’s great to work with so many different people. I think, for me, that’s what sells the industry – the different pathways. I’ve started as an engineer, but I could end up doing something completely different. That’s all within the umbrella of rail, and I think that’s a big selling point for us as an industry.
“It is a very male-dominated industry. Being an engineer, I went through that at university, and it’s quite similar coming into the rail industry, although that’s changing.
There are more and more women coming through and I think the mindset is slowly shifting, which is a positive thing. I think it brings about so many benefits to the industry as a whole.
“There are so many sweeping changes going on in the industry at the minute and, to tackle the challenges ahead, having diverse teams is going to be a real positive.
“So, for example, if you take young engineers’ and young leaders’ perspectives, we’re often not bogged down by the way things have been done in the past and can bring new and innovative ideas to the table. I think that can be a really positive thing, and it will help us drive innovation for the future.”
Since Fi mentioned innovation, Scott then asked her to consider whether the railway can afford to pay for all the innovation that it will need in the future. After thinking for a moment, Fi answered that the industry would need to address three key areas.
“The first is efficiency,” she said. “We need to think about how we can do things better and what needs reengineering and repurposing. But we also need to be conscious of what we don’t do, and of things we don’t need to do and currently waste our time on.
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“And lastly, I think, assets, and how we manage our assets, particularly in terms of using data and understanding how it will help us to manage our assets, especially when we see more diverse weather conditions coming through as our environment changes.”
Scott then asked Fi to build on her answer, asking how the industry can make the railway more attractive to passengers.
“When we think of the passenger, or the customer, we often focus on cost and affordability,” Fi replied. “But I think instead we need to focus more on the value of rail to the passenger.
“Let me give you an analogy and tell you I’d like a bag.
“Right now, you’re probably imagining different kinds of bag. You might be thinking of a plastic bag, or perhaps that I’d like a new handbag.
“At the end of the day, they all have the same purpose – to carry things in. However, the price we pay for those different types of bags can be quite different.
“Let’s flip that to the rail industry. We need to think of customer journeys in a similar way, by understanding why a person is making that journey. What does it mean to them? How can we make that route more valuable to them?
“Within our major projects, we often think about how we can improve the infrastructure to save five per cent journey time, when perhaps the customer is really just after a more comfortable journey, which could be much easier and cheaper to deliver a different way.
“Looking to the future, a key thing for the next generation will be flexibility. We want things now –we don’t like to wait.
“And so being able to take a journey and not have to worry about what sort of ticket is the best one to buy will be key – we just want to get the next train in half an hour.
People like to have flexibility in their journeys and the way they travel.”
Talking about young people brought the conversation back to opportunities for the next generation to work in the rail industry.
“We’ve got great graduate schemes and apprenticeship schemes, all bringing people into the industry and giving them a pipeline for the first few years to really learn about a wide variety of opportunities,” Fi enthused.
“However, I think even more organisations within the industry need to think about providing opportunities like that, as well as about alternative career paths for people that are wanting to do something new – perhaps they have been in the armed forces and are looking for a new career. I think rail really needs people like that.
“On top of that, I think organisations like Young Rail Professionals should continue to be supported as they provide events for young people to learn about the industry and experience different things.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to
Japan and see their rail networks through my involvement with the Young Rail Professionals, and I think those kinds of opportunities are really important to inspire and spark the imagination of young people.
“Personally, I love the variety of things I can do. I love technical engineering, but then I love looking at strategy and business development as well as public speaking and being an ambassador for young professionals.
“It’s the breadth of things I can get involved in that makes the rail industry so exciting for me.”
Strategic rail consultant Fi Westcough believes that efficiency, energy and asset management are the three key challenges facing the rail industry today
Wilston Samuel Jackson loved everything about the railways and never lost hope that he would win through. He became Britain’s first black train driver in 1962 and went on to drive famous trains and locomotives such as the Flying Scotsman and the Mallard.
“I am extremely proud of what my father achieved,” said his eldest daughter Molly. “My father was a very special man to overcome the hurdles he had to face, never giving up, never complaining, and always with a smile on his face, not only for us his children, but for his fellow workers, racist or not.”
The first step
Wilston was born in the Jamaican parish of Portland in 1927, moving to London in 1952 and joining Britain’s efforts to rebuild following the devastation of the Second World War. It wasn’t long after arriving that he took up a job as a cleaner on the railway, learning how to look after trains by keeping the pipes clean and free from soot, and keeping them running by tending the fire to power the steam engines.
He worked his way up to be a ‘passed cleaner’ – a fireman in all but name – and would shovel 10 to 12 tonnes of coal a day in hot and filthy conditions. After long shifts, he would return home to study for his locomotive driver exams. He was not the first black man or woman to aspire to be a train driver, but racism was rife at the time, and there were many accounts of applications and promotions being blocked because of an individual’s skin colour or background.
“He loved everything about the railways, the trains and even the hard work,” said Molly. “He never lost hope that he would win through and the thought that he was opening doors for others to follow him gave him the strength to continue on. Even after he passed out as a driver, he would spend his free time, books open on the kitchen table, helping others to understand and complete the exams.
“He would speak about his love of trains, even when he was shovelling tonnes of coal as a fireman and finally as a driver. He would tell us about the sense of freedom he felt when he was on the tracks. Yes, he faced many obstacles, but it is testament to his tenacity and love of the railways, even when many of his fellow rail workers were leaving their jobs due to racism, that he never gave up.”
It was a decade after moving to Britain that he passed the exams to become the country’s first black train driver.
Sadly, what should have been a moment of celebration was tarnished when on his first day some of his white colleagues were furious at the news of his promotion from fireman to driver and agreed to forbid any white man to work under him.
When the allotted fireman said he would not work
for him, his line manager intervened and told the fireman to go home as he no longer had a job. Faced with the sack, the fireman changed his mind and asked if he could stay, to which Wilston replied: “I don’t have a problem with you, it is you who has a problem with me. If you do your job well, we’ll get along fine.”
Polly, who said her parents met on a train when Wilston first initiated conversation, said: “From as long as I remember I was aware that my father was the first black train driver in the UK and was aware that he had various problems to do with the fact that he was black.
“We were extremely proud of the fact that he was the first black train driver. He loved trains always throughout his life but vocally preferred locomotives to diesel. I have memories of my father tutoring and coaching other black potential train drivers including his brother in our kitchen/diner in the evenings.”
An impressive career
During his career he went on to drive some of the world’s most famous trains and locomotives, with his CV including the Flying Scotsman, the Mallard and The Elizabethan.
“He loved the freedom of racing against the elements and being in an undisputed position of trust and in charge of all of the passengers’ safety,” Polly said.
“He took this position very seriously, so much so that when he was in a train crash, he told his fireman to jump and save himself (which he did) while he remained with the train and subsequently his legs were crushed. They managed to save his legs but he was in traction for a year.”
The crash Polly refers to happened in 1964, when both his legs were broken when his train crashed into the back of a stationary goods train near Finsbury
Park, after a signalman mistakenly gave a green light. He had to be cut out of the wreckage, and after a long recovery, he returned to the railway in 1966.
Molly said: “The crash was a terrible time for us all. However, even with his legs hoisted high and thick metal pins through his ankles holding his legs straight for months, he never once showed us how panicked he must have been. For our sakes he smiled bravely.
“My father loved trains and even though it was difficult for him to gain power to walk again, he found it in him to once again drive his beloved trains.”
Polly added: “When he recovered it was not long before we immigrated to Zambia, where he drove trains and trained firemen to become drivers as the country had just become independent and the white drivers had left.”
Sadly, Wilston passed away on 15 September 2018, aged 91. His legacy lives on and in October a plaque dedicated to his efforts was unveiled at London King’s Cross station to mark his outstanding contribution to the industry and encourage more people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds to consider a career on the railway.
Polly said: “He would be so proud to be recognised at long last. He would believe he deserved it and so he does.”
Molly added: “Our father would have been very proud to receive the blue plaque and the recognition that it gives him. He would have wanted his lasting legacy to be ‘never give up no matter how long and hard the road’.”
Wendy McCristal shares her story in setting up The Mental Wealth Company, and her passion to provide the platform for a healthier workforce
It is probably the biggest compliment anyone can receive. The work of Wendy McCristal at The Mental Wealth Company is saving the lives of colleagues in the railways by helping businesses to understand, plan and deliver better wellbeing strategies.
The business was born out of her personal mission to facilitate a million conversations about wellbeing and mental health at work through Mental Wealth Café events, webinars and training courses.
“It is kind of that proud mum moment when you see and hear about people doing well as a result of the work you have done with them,” she said. “We have already saved lives.
“Part of what we do is Mental Health First Aid training and there have been so many stories of people who, as a result of the training, have successfully supported someone who was talking about ending their own life by suicide. It is also humbling to watch people and businesses thrive because of the wellbeing changes that we facilitate with them.”
Wendy is driven by her own personal experiences. A successful senior manager and mother of two young
children, she loved her job as at a large engineering consultancy, saying yes to opportunity and thriving off delivering to the highest of standards.
Then in 2018 she burned out, with her life grinding to a halt and her body putting up its hand in surrender; a marathon runner who struggled to walk down the street, and her brain struggling to compile a shopping list. It was the start of a six-month recovery.
“I ate healthily, and was running, but one day both my body and my mind packed up on me, and although at the time I didn’t see it coming, in hindsight there were several red flags,” she said. “I had become more emotional, I wasn’t sleeping well, and I was drinking way too much trying to shut things out.”
“It was really, really scary to be in a position where I was employed to do smart maths and suddenly, I couldn’t add up single figure numbers or even write a shopping list. That day my body crunched I knew I had to get out. My husband rightly said I needed to go and see a GP and within a few minutes of the consultation my doctor had got to the bottom of what was going on, which was that I was completely and utterly exhausted.”
Several years down the line and thanks to a lot of support, Wendy has managed to re-balance her life and put in place a strategy to stop her burning out again. More than that, she is sharing those learnings to help other people to re-balance so that they can bring their best selves along, not only at work, but for their families and friends.
“You’ve got three choices in life; walk away, accept what is going on; or change it,” she said. “I went for the latter, leaving my job and setting up my business.
“I’d had too many conversations with wellmeaning managers who wanted to help but just didn’t have the tools that I needed to help me. Our aim is to put those tools into the hands of people who can really make a difference.
“I had already started running an event called The Mental Wealth Café, which invited people to come and share their experiences. I got sponsorships and gathered funding and there were about 60 of us from the Derby area involved. I shared my story and others did the same, talking about depression, anxiety, as well as extraordinary life challenges that some of them have had.
Normalising the conversation became a catalyst and we started running more events further afield alongside event partners such as Rail Safety Standards Board (RSSB), Young Rail Professionals (YRP) and the charity Women in Rail (WIR).”
Such was the appetite for people in rail to talk, when a safe space was provided, that she developed the event into The Mental Wealth Company, working collaboratively with organisations to offer business services, training and coaching.
Business services – Bespoke wellbeing strategies that support specific business objectives, delivery challenges, staff availability and needs.
Training – A range of training courses to help develop a broad range of skills including identifying what keeps us well, resilience, Mental Health First Aid, human factors and nontechnical skills for safety critical workers. Training includes workshops for Senior Leadership teams to explore how wellbeing issues show up within their businesses and how simple effective strategies can bring about safety, performance, business (and ethical) returns.
Coaching – Working with people individually or as part of a small group can facilitate radical shifts in getting their life back on track, or to moving up to the next level of their life journey.
“I have experience as a trainer and mentor for businesses, an engineer and I’m a human factors specialist, which all seemed to combine well to offer support to the rail industry,” she said. “A bit like engineering, the answers in many cases can be quite simple, you just need to know where to start so I wrote my first training programme on post it notes one afternoon and it just developed and grew from there.”
“I literally said ‘right I’m going to teach these tools to those who need them – not only senior teams, who need to know what to spend their energy, time and money on, but also the colleagues on the front line who need simple tools they can adopt quickly into their often very busy lives.”
“An organisation approached me after one of my events about doing something that could help their staff – some of whom were really struggling… that was the pilot of the training course which continues to go from success to success in ensuring that their staff have the tools to help themselves thrive at work.”
The training comes at an important time. A recent RSSB cross industry mental health survey of rail employees has found that colleagues experience a 1.5 times higher rate of anxiety compared to the rates seen in the general population and that more than one in three rail workers may meet the criteria for a mental health condition.
Employees were six times more likely to be absent due to a health problem caused or made worse by work, than a workplace accident, and ill health in the industry is estimated to cost £2,157 per employee per year.
“All of the data tells us being well at work is good for business,” said Wendy.
“Being well means we’re getting more sleep, eating better, having more meaningful relationships and importantly making fewer mistakes, being more productive and experiencing more life satisfaction.”
“No one started last year on a full tank and as a population we’re now dealing with more stress than ever, from the state of the world, the cost of living and energy crisis, job security and more, so we really need to ensure the measures are in place for our colleagues.”
“A lot of the work we do with companies examines the kind of cultures they are operating in. As we come out of the brunt of the COVID19 pandemic in the UK we are receiving a lot of requests for resilience, mental health and wellbeing training. We can go in and do that, and it will be useful, but also important is addressing the ecosystem that those people are working within; ensuring staff are being motivated in a way that creates psychological safety so they feel they belong, they feel safe to learn, to contribute and most importantly, safe to challenge the status quo of their working environment if necessary. There are countless instances where failure for businesses to create psychologically safe environments has led to safety incidents, staff attrition and poor business performance, just because of the way the business culture makes people feel.”
“Fundamental to the training and coaching experience is having those moments in the day when colleagues can switch off from the stresses of their working and other life roles and reflect where they are at the moment. We help people learn to sustainably look after themselves better, whatever their circumstances and develop simple, positive habits that can be built into their lives. It doesn’t have to be revolutionary, but the results can be extraordinary.”
Even the COVID pandemic couldn’t get in the way of The Mental Wealth Company, who started running training courses online and webinars, to ensure the support was there when people needed it most.
With a sense of normality starting to return, Wendy is embarking on an exciting new chapter for the business.
Previously a team of one with three associates, she has just employed the company’s first graduate – an Occupational Psychologist, who is going to help extend the services further.
“We are about at capacity, so this will help me to expand what we can do,” she said. “So much of the work we do is about creating wellbeing communities, storytelling, enabling conversations and helping others to unpack their own story. This helps them to make powerful changes in their own lives and ultimately help themselves to be more well, more often.”
“Many of our clients work shifts, and a day out for training is challenging. Because of this we are putting much of our content onto our training platform which will enable us to upscale, reach more people at a time that is more convenient to them. That said, I’m a big believer that where you can afford the time, behaviour change is best brought about by face-toface training, human connection and accountability setting. After all – we’re social animals.”
Wendy added: “As well as providing the platform and support for individuals it is about working with senior leadership teams, supporting them to set positive behaviours into their leadership styles that enable their staff to thrive at work because that is just as important as putting people on training. Creating psychologically safe spaces for people working together is vital, allowing the voice from the employees to be heard and understood properly and business problems dealt with effectively.”
“Some of the wellbeing issues we face will need systemic change in the business and we will need to collaborate as an industry in order to really make things different. At The Mental Wealth Company we can support our clients by providing the language and platform to drive change for an industry that so desperately needs to ensure wellbeing is a priority.”
Visit https://www.thementalwealthcompany.co.uk/ for more details and to find out more about our Leadership Wellbeing Workshop series.
Railways workers have been recognised for their outstanding contributions in the King’s New Year’s Honours List.
Among those included are Resonate chief executive officer (CEO) Anna Ince and Network Rail employees Nick Millington, Stephanie Hart and Mark Bridel, who have been praised for their services to the railway as well as charitable and voluntary services.
Resonate CEO, Anna Ince has been recognised in the New Year’s Honours List with an MBE for ‘Services to the Railway Industry’.
Anna joined the company as CEO in January 2007, following senior roles in the utilities sector.
Anna is passionate about the power of bringing deep railway knowledge and digital-age skills together, to create systems that deliver a highperforming customer-focused railway.
She said: “I am delighted to accept this Honour for my contribution to sustainably strengthening the vital railway industry, which has a positive impact on society, underpins the economy, and reduces carbon.”
In addition to her work with Resonate, Anna plays a key role in transforming the rail sector through her work as vice-chair of the Rail Supply Group. The Rail Supply Group is a partnership between the government and industry to deliver shared objectives. It takes a whole-industry impartial perspective to work in the best interests of the whole rail sector, accelerating growth whilst focusing on customers and communities.
Anna is also a non-executive director of the Railways Safety and Standards Board, which through research, standards and analysis, delivers a better, safer railway. She is also a non-executive director of Rail Forum, a national industry body with members spanning the whole industry from global corporations to micro-SMEs.
“Helping others in need has always been a huge honour for me”
Nick Millington, interim route director for the Wales and Borders route, has been awarded an MBE, for services to the railway, charity and the NHS.
Nick volunteered to help the NHS and the British Army with the creation of the NHS Nightingale Hospitals at the start of the pandemic in March 2020.
He then went on to coordinate an army of volunteers that worked day and night to transform a former DIY store in Exeter into the region’s new Nightingale Hospital, and later set up a new largescale vaccination centre at Westpoint Exeter.
He has undertaken various volunteer roles with the Permanent Way Institution (PWI), including serving as president for 12 months, and has championed diversity and equality, whilst actively coaching and supporting the next generation of chartered engineers. He has also been instrumental in leading the Network Rail ‘Safety Task Force’, focused on improving the safety of all track workers, which has resulted in a 99 per cent reduction in the highest-risk work types over three years. This has led to a 70 per cent reduction in ‘near misses’ between track workers and trains and ‘potential fatalities’.
Nick also serves as a run director at the Exmouth ParkRun (and has also completed over 100 ParkRun events himself).
Helping others in need has always been a huge honour for me
He is an active mental health champion and has been instrumental in generating fundraising ideas, including running the London Marathon, and raising more than £250,000 for Network Rail’s nominated charity partner, CLIC Sargent, with his team.
He said: “I feel truly privileged to be recognised by His Majesty the King in the New Year’s Honours list. I would especially like to thank the teams who have worked alongside me, whether that be in a voluntary or professional capacity because, without such great people, many of these achievements would not have been possible. Helping others in need has always been a huge honour for me, especially during times of crisis and it gives me great satisfaction to know that I’ve made a real difference to improving the lives of others.”
“I am incredibly humbled and proud to be recognised in the New Year’s Honours list”
Stephanie Hart, end user computer lead, has been awarded an MBE for her work to create and Network Rail’s Laptops for Schools programme, determined to help underprivileged children access education.
As Network Rail rolled out new computers to its workforce, Stephanie saw the opportunity to give something back to the community and donate the old laptops to schoolchildren to help further their education. In her own time, and on top of her already busy role, she tirelessly worked to make the programme happen. The pandemic only increased her determination to see this through as it highlighted the genuine need in so many communities.
Stephanie worked far and wide across Network Rail to promote the scheme and encourage people to return their old laptops so they could become part of the programme. She created the whole process, from getting colleagues to nominate schools in need, to the fair and impartial method of choosing which schools should be the ones to receive batches of cleansed and ready laptops. Some 740 schools were nominated and selected via a lottery process.
The need for data security means that wiping old laptops can be a lengthy process, but she has fought through all barriers and 110 schools have so far benefitted, with more than 6,000 laptops given away to date. Her aim is to deliver a minimum of 8,000 devices by the end of the programme and she’s on track to exceed her targets.
Stephanie Hart MBE said: “I am incredibly humbled and proud to be recognised in the New Year’s Honours list. The Laptops for Schools project was many years in the making and everything fell into place at the right time during the COVID-19 pandemic to start to distribute the laptops to schools. Everyone has been so supportive, from my team, others in different routes and regions and also the senior executive team.
“The Laptops for Schools programme has now been built into the future sustainability framework within Network Rail so that it’s something we can continue to do for years to come.
“The schools and children have been incredibly grateful to receive the devices and they were a huge part in helping children continue to learn from home during the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to help the schools for years to come hoping to help more children with their IT skills.”
“The circa £200k we have raised for the hospice over the last four years has been an exhilarating ride”
Mark Bridel, regional freight manager for Network Rail’s Eastern region, has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for the fundraising he has carried out for Martin House Children’s Hospice, which provides free care for children and young people with life-limiting illnesses across West, North and East Yorkshire.
Mark has been raising funds for the charity for more than four years and leads on the operational elements of organising charter train tours for the hospice, which includes arranging the train routing, planning the tours and coordinating the train operating companies to make sure they run smoothly.
Mark negotiates the access with external companies – from power stations to ports and quarries – so that the charity events can run without interrupting the vital work these organisations are doing. Mark is also the on-board contact on each tour for the whole duration it is operational, which can be up to four days, to keep things on track.
The team running these tours has raised nearly £200,000 for the hospice. Mark plans to continue with his fundraising activity and hopes to raise more than £100,000 over the next 12 months to recoup some of the funds lost through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mark Bridel BEM said: “It was a wonderfully unexpected and truly humbling surprise to be honoured with a BEM for my part in a small team who organise charity rail charters raising funds for Martin House. The circa £200k we have raised for the hospice over the last four years has been an exhilarating ride and we have a programme of charter trains planned for 2023 with which we aim to add at least another £75k to the total as a result.
“The ability to utilise the relationships built over the years within the freight team at Network Rail has provided an amazing conduit to open access to locations where it would not normally be possible to run a passenger train and this is the main driver for the fantastic totals we have been able to raise for the hospice, with visits to the likes of Drax Power Station, Hitachi manufacturing at Heighington and many other facilities around the Eastern Region and beyond.”
The schools and children have been incredibly grateful to receive the devices and they were a huge part in helping children continue to learn from home
BIM (Building Information Modelling) has the potential to transform engineering projects, making quality assurance easier, designs more collaborative, and sites safer. While, for many businesses, it is currently a ‘nice-to-have’, this capability needs to become the norm.
And not just when time and budget allow; indeed, BIM technology is now affordable and readily available. At Spencer Group, we believe that every project should benefit from it. A quality model, coupled with a consistent information structure, provides the best foundation for success.
Over the last year, Spencer Group has introduced project collaboration software ProjectWise as part of its wider BIM strategy.
The tool quickly proved transformative, enabling our team members to make small-but-impactful changes, free-up information, and do more in less time.
Something as simple as standardising the way documents are named can make a real difference. This process has enabled Spencer Group’s team to use trackers and registers, and to gain a better overview of projects; it requires discipline and patience, but the payoff is significant.
We are already planning to build on our platform, and have developed exciting new tools – like the capability to automatically synchronise ProjectWise with SOS. This will save valuable time, particularly for Spencer Group’s document control team; new documents no longer need to be registered, while material that has already been registered will become more comprehensive.
BIM technology is now affordable and readily available
We will also be able to improve the system, tailoring it to the documents we produce – which, in turn, should make it more user-friendly.
Indeed, when it comes to BIM, laying the groundwork thoroughly and consistently unlocks benefits for everyone, and allows businesses to build on their capabilities in future.
With this foundation in place, at Spencer Group we plan to develop our own BIM capabilities further, pushing the use of full project models. Over the next 12 months, we’ll be encouraging all our teams to rely on models – whether that’s Design for drawing production, Site for task briefings, or Marketing for visualisations. Whatever the purpose, every team should be using the same model with the same information.
By harnessing the true potential of BIM, organisations can ensure that project information is stored and accessed in the same place, which facilitates collaboration, improves coordination and mitigates risk. BIM can also help teams to explore and plan for a range of scenarios. Spencer Group recently began construction of the new White Rose Railway Station in Leeds and is using 3D models to explore signal sighting directly from the train cab, at night and in snow.
This kind of capability might sound futuristic – but going forward, it will become the norm.
Spencer Group’s well-established teams have been producing models for some time. Historically, they have been used for the creation of drawings, but we are now keen to unlock the full potential of modelling.
This will involve sharing our models with a wider Spencer audience. We plan to make them available online, allowing staff to take measurements, cut through objects, and gain a clearer understanding of projects, all at the push of a button.
Just as introducing a consistent name structure has had significant benefits, so too will adopting a consistent modelling technique. Indeed, we believe that it will help Spencer Group to become a BIM leader, as well as opening the door to other capabilities – from augmented reality to the use of 3D printed components onsite.
This technology is no longer the stuff of science fiction, but rather readily accessible and affordable. Used properly – and with a quality model and consistent information structure at its heart – it will help businesses to become quicker, smarter, and more reliable and cost-effective.
Visit https://thespencergroup.co.uk/
This technology is no longer the stuff of science
fiction, but rather readily accessible
etwork Rail has announced AmcoGiffen, Octavius, BAM Nuttall, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, and Taylor Woodrow will be among its trusted suppliers involved in delivering Wales and Western region’s £2 billion programme of works over the next eight years.
The six contracts play a key part in a new way of working where Wales and Western region will work collaboratively with trusted suppliers over a longer term to deliver faster and more efficient projects, achieving greater value for money for the public purse.
The contracts cover essential renewals to buildings and structures, like bridges, tunnels, culverts and drainage, as well as supplying and maintaining electrification and plant.
Following industry, government and supplier feedback on best practice, Wales and Western have put in place contracts which will cover electrification and plant, stations, and buildings and civils renewals projects from 2024 to 2029 (Control Period 7) with options to extend to a maximum total of eight years.
Stuart Calvert, capital delivery director for Network Rail’s Wales & Western region, said: “We
have made real progress in transforming the delivery of our investment projects, reducing the time and cost of our work, as we saw with completion of the Dartmoor Line to Okehampton.
“We’re taking this same approach to our renewals, and it’s very important that we select excellent
• Prototype equipment manufacturing
• Re-engineering and reverse engineering
• Sourcing of obsolete components
• Replication of obsolete equipment
• New equipment build / manufacture
• Repair and testing
• Calibration and certification
suppliers and work collaboratively to get the same sort of benefits which will ultimately support better service for our passengers and freight customers. I’m very excited with these new contracts and look forward to developing the portfolio of works with them.”
BPR Architects prides itself on turning the whole premise of railway stations around so they are designed to serve the local community rather than the needs of the rail industry.
It is a concept shared by the likes of Network Rail, the Rail Delivery Group and Transport for London, who have all called upon the company’s expertise in designing visions for the future. The ideas have also been put into practice at Maidstone East Station and Lea Bridge.
“We need to be visionary, stepping outside the normal comfort zone of the traditional railway station building,” said Paul Beaty-Pownall, managing director of BPR Architects.
“Capacity and access are all important objectives, but so is reaching out to the community and identifying opportunities where the investment in the station might enhance the economy of the local area. We need to ensure stations are the beating heart of the local area.”
Paul has been an architect for more than 30 years and has become a leading force in shaping the debate around the future design of UK railway stations.
“It is important to redefine the ownership boundaries, as we did at Lea Bridge,” he said. “For this project we looked at the minimum requirements needed to run the operational side of the station, with the wider land ownership then going under the control of the local authority. There are three benefits; the train operator has less maintenance and estate to manage; the local authority feels a genuine ownership in the land they are building on over the long term; and it is so much cheaper to build on non-operational land.”
In respect of Lea Bridge, BPR Architects worked with
the London Borough of Waltham Forest and the train operating company Greater Anglia to unlock potential for the development of a new high-quality residential neighbourhood centre with a new station at its heart. This included 300 new residential units, high value retail and commercial space.
“Our Station Place concept enabled us to add value to the project by designing a station that faced the local community and created a new heart to the development of the local area,” said Paul. “The clearly defined area of public realm supports retail and civic activities throughout the day.
“Minimal operational facilities reduces rail-related costs and maintenance requirements.”
It is this kind of collaboration that Paul and the team want to develop further, particularly becoming more involved with local and regional authorities, a partnership which he says is win-win for everyone.
“I want to look at stations strategically at that very early decision-making point and I want to help local authorities and investors to understand that stations are something they can get a lot more involved in,” he said.
“The key to unlocking the potential for investment in stations is for local authorities to be more confident and bolder and determine their and their community’s needs when it comes to what they want to see the investment in stations deliver in return to them.”
It is an exciting time to be involved in railway station design, particularly for the team at BPR Architects. Paul was recently one of the judges in a Network Rail future station design competition and the company has also seen its vision of turning stations around to face the community come to life at West Hamstead station.
“This project takes our model a step further by considering the street adjacent to the station as part of the station environment,” he said.
“Station buildings are often considered one of the last landmark buildings that are perceived as being publicly owned and communities are passionate about their local station. Therein lies an important opportunity to design stations to support that passion. Doing so you will find significant potential for a return on your investment.
“Investment in stations should act as a catalyst for regeneration, so we as architects need to look at station design as an opportunity to provide for the needs of the local community.”
Visit www.bprarchitects.com/ for more details.
With the exponential increase in the amount of data collected by advanced monitoring devices such as wireless sensor networks, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDARs), and high-resolution video cameras, some organisations in the railway industry are struggling because they are still using manual resources for data processing. That data is usually gathered during the regular inspection and assessment of the state of individual objects and their components.
Providing a platform to overcome this, leading global technology company Intetics Inc, has developed machine learning (ML)-based solutions for automated feature extraction and further tolerant measurements analysis; a sound way to speed up the asset management process. Moreover, it is helping stakeholders receive reliable information about the status of railway assets faster and more accurately. It is also reducing the costs of services due to the automation of post-processing work.
The developed ML solution has already been used to detect a big European railway company’s infrastructure issues and automate its inventory processes, saving 30 per cent on costs.
Intetics’ ML solution automatically detects railway-
related objects with 90 per cent accuracy, which is a high value compared to its peers. By automating the inventory process, the client can decrease human work and save 25 per cent on admin and salary costs. Moreover, they can save 30 per cent on development costs thanks to the talented company engineers in the related domain.
Other benefits include making the railway infrastructure inventory less dependent on weather or light conditions. Once again, the solution decreases the risk of accidents on the railway, protecting human health. The list of defined features enables the client to detect railway failures in a timely manner, allowing technicians to take appropriate measurements, and allocate the necessary resources for railway infrastructure maintenance. Taking an example of the recently developed solution, Intetics applied two techniques for data processing: images taken from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) multispectral sensor and Trimble MX9 data (point clouds & 3D images).
Looking at the methods mentioned above in more detail, Intetics developed an automated point cloud recognition solution based on the OpenGL engine and PyTorch deep learning, having analysed the data from several recording devices besides two LiDARs, namely a 360-camera, IMU, and GPS sensors.
The deep learning solution is based on the recognition of images gathered from virtual cameras in the 3D engine.
The developed ML solution automatically detects railwayrelated objects with 90 per cent accuracy
The organisation decided not to use models working with point cloud data but instead to find every point reprojection from a virtual camera to identify the images. With this multi-views-based approach, it could quickly identify objects around and then use the Open3D engine to extract more complex features from the 3D model if required.
The other two models function in a single pipeline (meaning they work sequentially), using the data taken from a drone. The first model is used for segmentation (to find the contours) of rails and sleepers. The company use the results of the first model to find the assumption, then apply the second model.
The second model serves to detect small railway objects used to connect rails and sleepers. The main idea is to find all the objects in this area and check if there are the correct number of object types within a specific area. The solution provides relevant information if it has an incorrect number of detected objects. This helps for automating the check-up process.
With this solution, the client automated the asset management process, saved costs, and reduced manual labour and human-related errors. They also significantly improved the detection of objects under various light/weather conditions, thereby improving the accuracy of the model. From a business viewpoint, the company is minimising accidents and thereby protecting the health of passengers and staff and reducing financial and reputational risks.
Intetics prides itself on providing clients operating in railway-related businesses with high-quality standards, with its customised ML-based solutions helping organisations gain a competitive advantage over market players who do not automate the process at such a scale. This is achieved by speeding up the inspection process and optimising the costs of services due to the automation of post-processing work. And, of course, they can receive reliable information about the status of railway infrastructure assets faster, more often, and more accurately.
Looking to the future and the company is developing a presence on the market and continuing to provide flexibility and profitability, unlike some other products and Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions. Current solutions on the market are often trained to work with only one data type (e.g., only LiDAR point cloud or photo imagery). In practice, however, different data types can be used. For example, railway tracks are surveyed once a year using LiDAR or LiDAR + photo. At the same time, companies can install Internet of Things (IoT) sensors in critical places for real-time analysis of the status of an asset. Therefore, combining this data can result in higher quality and more regularity in asset state analysis. Additionally, Intetics’ customised development approach helps to maintain a seamless integration with existing clients’ systems.
Intetics Inc. is a leading global technology company providing custom software application development, distributed professional team creation, software product quality assessment, and “all-thingsdigital” solutions built with SMAC, RPA, AI/ML, IoT, blockchain, and GIS/UAV/LBS technologies.
Based on the proprietary pioneering business models of Offshore Dedicated Team® and Remote In-Sourcing®, an advanced Technical Debt Reduction Platform (TETRA™), and measurable service level agreements (SLAs) for software engineering, Intetics helps innovative organisations capitalise on global talent with its in-depth engineering expertise based on its Predictive Software Engineering framework.
Intetics’ core strength lies in the design of software products in conditions of incomplete specifications. It has extensive industry expertise in education, healthcare, logistics, life sciences, finance, insurance, communications, custom enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), Intelligent Automation, and Geospatial solutions.
Intetics’ advanced software engineering background and outstanding quality management platform, along with an unparalleled methodology for talent acquisition, team building, and talent retention, guarantee that its clients receive exceptional results for their projects.
At Intetics, its outcomes do not just meet clients’ expectations, they have been exceeding them for a quarter of a century.
Intetics operates from multiple offices in many countries including the USA (headquarters Naples, FL), UK, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Turkey, and others, hiring the best talent available worldwide.
Intetics is ISO 9001 (quality) and ISO 27001 (security) certified and a Microsoft Gold, Amazon, and UiPath partner. The company’s innovation and growth achievements are reflected in winning prestigious titles and awards, including Inc5000, Software 500, CRN 100, American Business, Deloitte Fast 50, European IT Excellence, Best European BPO, Stevie People’s Choice, Clutch, and ACQ5 Awards, and inclusion into IAOP Best Global Outsourcing 100 list.
Visit https://intetics.com/ for more details
At Intetics, our outcomes do not just meet clients’ expectations, they have been exceeding them for a quarter of a century
Andy Grayshon, commercial director at Welfare Hire, explains how their Eco & Social Value Calculator can help rail contractors to measure their environmental impact
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) ratings are increasingly important – not least, for organisations serving the rail industry.
With Network Rail now seeking to carry out whole life carbon (WLC) assessments of infrastructure projects worth £1 million and more, it is essential that firms understand – and can report on – their own emissions.
However, measuring ESG can be challenging. In this article, we explore that challenge and look at how Welfare Hire’s specially-designed Eco & Social Value Calculator can help.
In a 2021 Rail Environment Policy Statement, the Department for Transport stated that “achieving greener construction on the railway and the rail estate will be crucial to help us deliver net zero carbon emissions by 2050” – adding that Network Rail would set “high standards for its supply chain”.
Indeed, sustainability is at the heart of some of today’s most significant rail projects; HS2 has embraced everything from carbon-reducing concrete to Formula 1 technology in a bid to reduce its own carbon footprint.
Contractors must take note, reviewing their practices and developing a robust and workable sustainability strategy. This must be backed with real results – without real data, it’s all just guesswork.
Once you have data on the emissions and environmental impact of your equipment and materials, you can make better-informed decisions about how to improve things. You can target the most harmful – or easiest to improve – areas of your business first, establishing exactly how much these changes impact your overall ESG rating.
This is particularly important as construction firms are plagued by hidden emissions (often known as “embodied carbon”), which can lead decision-makers to overlook big sustainability wins.
Sustainability is at the heart of some of today’s most significant rail projects
Net zero carbon and other sustainability goals are not short-term challenges, but rather long-term projects that require ongoing maintenance and monitoring. Data is crucial in this regard, enabling businesses to track and adjust their efforts over time.
When, for example, you switch suppliers and introduce a new model of mobile welfare unit, you should always assess the financial implications of the decision. And the same protocols must be in place to assess the effect a decision will have on your business’s ESG rating.
In February 2022, Network Rail issued a guidance note update which stressed that the industry should seek to curb emissions at every stage of a project.
Simply put, Network Rail’s updated project carbon reporting requirements cover Scope 3 emissions – those produced by contractors. Businesses will be expected to provide data using the carbon reporting tool developed by The Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB).
Despite a staggered rollout of these new requirements, the upshot is that most contractors will need access to clear, accurate data on their environmental impact.
ESG is difficult to measure, in part because there is no single accepted way of doing so. A range of ESG frameworks exist, and each will produce a different rating depending on the particulars of your company’s activities. Without a set of standardised criteria, many fear that ESG scores are unreliable indicators of a business’s true environmental impact. But for contractors serving the rail industry, this is not the biggest concern. The biggest concern is that the average contractor’s supply chain is large and complex, making assessing the overall impact of its activities challenging.
Many suppliers are not forthcoming with information about their products’ ESG credentials, making it difficult for rail contractors to gain full visibility of their own environmental impact. These suppliers might provide a full spec for their mobile welfare units but struggle to explain how products will impact your sustainability efforts.
With this in mind, Welfare Hire created its Eco & Social Value Calculator – a simple tool providing transparency to our rail industry partners and helping them to understand how each of our market-leading products will change their site’s overall emissions.
The tool is based on rigorous research, which involved taking over 500,000 hire days’ worth of live site data on our products and comparing it with the market standard. This enabled us to quantify the relative savings and environmental impact our product suite offers.
Welfare Hire recognised that, with the rail industry’s growing focus on sustainability came a need for more modern and eco-friendly on-site equipment –including welfare units.
And, after we developed our range of mobile ECO welfare units, it became clear that customers would also benefit from a tool designed to help them understand the potential financial and environmental impact of this equipment.
The Eco & Social Value Calculator produces a clear summary of the cost, carbon, fuel and even noise savings contractors could make, were they to invest in any of our lighting or welfare equipment. Simply select the products of interest and the expected duration of the project within the online tool and the expected savings can be seen at the click of a button.
We have been logging site volumetric data for over two years now, latterly bolstering it with digital telemetry.
It’s been a long process – but, by collating verified site data from hundreds of clients, thousands of projects and over half a million site days, we can now demonstrate how our units perform in reality, rather than in theory. It’s this data that informs our unique calculator.
Whilst we will continue to develop its functionality, we are confident that the Eco & Social Value Calculator is already a highly useful tool. It will have significant benefits for our rail clients, whether they’re looking to achieve their ESG goals, improve site performance, meet industry requirements, or save costs.
To find out more about Welfare Hire’s ECO & Social Value Calculator and to see how we can unlock significant savings for your projects visit https://www.kellinggroup.com/eco-calculator/
Net zero carbon and other sustainability goals are not short-term challenges, but rather long-term projects
The blows for UK SMEs have been coming hard and fast for the last few years.
In 2016 we voted to leave the European Union, and in the following year began negotiating what would become a long and complicated exit.
Brexit brought with it wide-ranging issues across supply and logistics, trade, and labour that some sectors are yet to recover from. Then, just one day after our official EU exit on 30 January 2020, the first coronavirus case was confirmed in the UK.
The subsequent spread of COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March of that year, and then Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, announced a series of measures designed to protect the economy and jobs – with mixed results.
No one could predict what would come next as almost the entire world entered an extended period of lockdowns that crippled economies globally.
And the pandemic had a particularly devastating impact on SMEs, who struggled to pivot; office workers became home workers, production lines stopped, slowed or switched output completely, and crucial revenue streams dried up overnight.
Across the world, even where rail travel was still possible, it quickly lost its appeal as new operational guidelines and public fear reduced capacity and usage.
In Indonesia rail transportation decreased by 56 per cent year on year (pre and during COVID-19); in the States, the Amtrak received $1.6 billion in relief from the impacts of the pandemic; and here in the UK, it’s thought government funding for the sector hit £13.3 billion between April 2021 and March 2022 (ORR).
MPA clients told us they expected attracting new customers and retaining existing ones to be the biggest challenges in the upcoming year; on reflection, that same client base cited operational and material price increases, and access to talent and skills, as the biggest obstacles they had to navigate in 2022.
Innovation funding can be the difference maker in times like this.
Many MPA clients choose to reinvest the relief they get through the Research and Development tax relief
scheme, for example, in staff training, recruitment, improving efficiency and stabilising cash flow.
At a time when the economy is drowning in neverending challenges, then, the recent announcement of the reduction in research and development (R&D) tax relief rates may be the final straw for some.
Rates for the SME scheme are being reduced, with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt specifically citing “significant error and fraud” as the reason.
For businesses claiming R&D relief through the SME scheme, the rate of credit will decrease from 14.5 per cent to 10 per cent, while the additional deduction will decrease, from 130 per cent to 85 per cent.
In practice, this means a company claiming against £100,000 of qualifying expenditure would receive £8,600 in tax credit vs. £18,850 per current rates.
The government is funnelling much of its R&D funding through its non-departmental public body Innovate UK by way of grants. Most are awarded via competitions designed to fund solutions to grand challenges, or that can be commercialised.
The downside to grants is that they’re incredibly competitive. The average success rate across all UK competitions is 15 – 20 per cent; for Smart
Grants, it’s even lower, with just 5 – 10 per cent of applications being awarded support.
Not only that, grants often need to be match funded – so SMEs still need to raise significant capital themselves.
Passenger satisfaction, safety, capacity, efficiency, sustainability, digitisation and inclusion are crucial factors in ensuring a resilient rail network. Thankfully, efforts are being made to connect major stakeholders within the industry to solution holders, including SMEs.
For example, The Department for Transport’s First of a Kind competition provides support for pioneering SMEs from the rail supply chain, while the Connecting Places Catapult can facilitate interactions between SMEs and markets.
In order to drive modernisation, we need to stay on track; rail leaders must continue to work with and invest in SMEs – as partners, suppliers, and as innovators. And SMEs, too, must continue to fight for the rewards they deserve – even if that fight feels impossible.
If you’re an SME exploring innovation funding, a scale-up with a great idea, or a market leader looking for tax efficiency, get in touch with MPA today.
Visit www.mpa.co.uk for more information
MWe have been providing a valued lost property service for travellers in London since 1933 and we are excited to upgrade our lost property system so that our staff can deliver a better experience to those customers who unfortunately lose their belongings on our network. We look forward to working with NotLost in delivering a system that modernises our approach to lost property, ensuring more customers get back their valued possessions.
TfL Performance Manager
Infrastructure and engineering specialist Amey is driven by a passion for looking at innovation, particularly new technology and new ways of working that can improve the rail industry.
It is a vision being championed by Mark O’Neill, the company’s signalling technical director, who is responsible for signalling technical assurance and innovation, especially the development of the new Hima safety PLC and the Network Rail ETCS Level 2 solution.
“The best part of my job is looking at innovation, especially finding and introducing that new technology and new ways of working that can make a massive positive difference to how we do signalling,” said Mark, who has more than 30 years’ experience on the railway, having joined British Rail in 1991.
“Another satisfying aspect of my job is bringing in a new project and seeing it all working successfully; especially when you have a happy client as well.”
In its bid to reduce cost, increase efficiency and introduce innovation, the UK railway is looking at several different initiatives.
One is the introduction of readily available technology – known as commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) – which aims to use standard products that are commercially available, rather than expensive, bespoke technology.
The other is to learn from other sectors – utilities, power generation, aviation and defence. As part of this process, Amey, Sella Controls and Network Rail have been working together for the last six years to introduce the latest control technology from safety industries outside the railway to provide a real alternative in the signalling market.
“My main focus over the last six years has been on introducing new technology and new ways of working to Amey as part of the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) initiative, which has introduced safety technology established in other industries into the railway,” said Mark, who has worked in all aspects of signalling design and application throughout his career.
“Standard safety PLCs are what other safety industries use for safety control systems. However, in railway signalling, the main suppliers have historically developed their own technical solutions, including unique hardware and software. The cost of developing and approving new signalling technology is an expensive and arduous process so we are stuck using older technology that is limited to a few railway-specific suppliers.
“These suppliers have a monopoly and that has driven up signalling costs significantly. With Amey working across a number of industries, we can leverage that knowledge into rail. In signalling, we quickly realised that industrial safety PLCs were the ideal solution for the industry as the technology is versatile and adaptable and has the ability to replace much of the older technology we have in use today.”
The solution is the SIL 4 (safety integrity level 4) PLC range from German supplier Hima, a shareholder in Sella Controls. Hima has been building safety control technology for more than 50 years and has systems controlling UK, French and German nuclear plants.
technical director
Amey
discusses the company’s vital work to reduce cost, increase effi ciency and introduce innovation into the UK railway
Its PLCs are used in numerous safety applications worldwide – including oil and gas, chemical plants and even amusement parks – as well as railway signalling applications in many countries. The product has a long and established safety pedigree and provides significant improvements over current signalling technologies, with increased safety and reliability.
Mark said: “Controlling motors, lamps, and switches on oil platforms or in chemical plants is no different from controlling motors, lamps, and switches in a railway signalling system. The software safety logic and the hardware safety principles are identical to what is used in signalling and have the same high safety integrity level.
“The advantage of ‘off the shelf’ safety PLCs is that the numbers sold to the other industries are much higher than what the railways would purchase, so the unit costs are much lower and the support available is greater. The widespread use of the PLC technology means that any new developments or improvements are backward compatible, making obsolescence less of an issue.
“Safety PLCs also come from many manufacturers, and they all use the same compatible standard programme languages and interfaces. This simplifies future upgrades and changes even if PLCs from another supplier are used. It is a real step up in technology and approach.”
The first UK application of this safety PLC technology has been at Magdalen Road level crossing in the Anglia region, where the solution has now been commissioned into trial. On the Cardiff Metro project, the design is following the original and innovative KeolisAmey winning tender solution, which includes Amey installing the safety PLC as part of a costeffective interlocking and signalling control system for the full signalled depot at Taff’s Well.
Mark said: “Open access is another novel approach Amey is introducing. We plan to license the PLC solution to other smaller signalling suppliers that currently do not have access to a signalling technology. As part of the safety case, Amey can provide training in the design, testing and commissioning process and approve the competence of others to supply the solution.
“It’s a way to establish the PLC more quickly and help repay those safety case costs.
“Amey has also developed a range of standard PLC solutions that can be installed by any supplier.”
Amey and Sella Controls have designed numerous future concepts for the PLC, including a replacement FDM (Frequency Division Multiplexing) system, tokenless-block system, safety transmission system (that can be used to enhance the new radio-based Train Protection and Warning System solution) and a universal object controller as a replacement for trackside SSI TFMs (solid-state interlocking trackside functional modules).
Amey has also developed a concept digital railway solution using the Hima interlocking and the EULYNX protocol.
This is part of an Amey initiative to fundamentally reduce signalling costs by using modular and automatic approaches to simplify design, testing and implementation.
Mark said: “Amey is a solutions provider rather than a technology supplier so it is in our interest to introduce COTS technology. That way we can develop the most cost-effective solutions for clients and are not limited to one technology solution.
“Amey sees COTS safety technology as the way forward for the signalling industry, introducing modern technology, innovation, and open access, while reducing the costly supplier monopoly that currently exists.”
Visit www.amey.co.uk for more details
Amey is a solutions provider rather than a technology supplier so it is in our interest to introduce commercial off-the-shelf technology
Too many people leave home for work and never return. A big issue is fatigue, impacting the ability to carry out tasks safely and efficiently, with around 40 per cent of accidents in the UK rail sector having workforce fatigue as a contributory factor.
Network Rail has acted with the new set of regulations NR/L2/OHS/003, and its associated modules, recently coming into full force. These apply to all suppliers who undertake work on the assets and systems of the infrastructure.
Unlike the previous standard it does not impose limits on what hours people can work but instead introduces ‘trigger conditions’ where mitigating actions are required. This includes working 14 hours or more door to door and not being on lookout duties or driving duties if working more than 60 hours in seven rolling days.
“Within the UK workplace about 130 people every year go to work and don’t come home and although fortunately the numbers in rail are pretty low, we need to get it down to zero,” said Richard Bell, managing director of Chronos Management and PRB Consulting.
“Accidents are occurring, and it is important that organisations do something now to look at solutions and alternative methods of managing not just time, but the fatigue management, because not a single one of us wants to end up in a situation where one of our colleagues loses their life of a result as fatigue.”
Richard and his team at PRB Consulting, an organisation that provides a range of tailored services to the rail sector centred around compliance and health & safety, have a solution to ensure workers’ health is given the prominence it deserves.
“Initially looking for a solution for PRB and the
150 businesses we work with to ensure compliance with NR/L2/OHS/003, we couldn’t find anything that met our business model so decided in January (2022) to create something ourselves,” he said.
“We appointed a developer in February, with the main driver the creation of a tool to assist organisations with that compliance that was simple to use. It is all about being safe and keeping people safe. I don’t want any more railway workers being killed as a result of fatigue.”
The result was Rail-Time, a new app and webbased time management solution, created for the rail industry. The system allows for the complete planning and rostering of staff, monitoring and recording of every hour your staff work, and reducing the risk to workers through the management of fatigue, risk and welfare with effective planning tools.
Richard Bell, managing director of PRB Consulting, discusses a new app and web-based time management solution to ensure organisations are awake to new fatigue management standards
It is fully compliant with rail industry standards and also incorporates a fatigue and risk scoring mechanism to ensure compliance with the new industry standards. The planning and rostering tool has embedded within it the fatigue risk index calculator (under license from the owners who own the IP to redistribute the system to other users), the tool Network Rail recommends within the standard.
“The aspiration is that Rail-Time becomes the preferred fatigue-management system for the rail industry,” said Richard, who has been involved with PRB Consulting for more than 13 years.
“Things have changed and the way some organisations did things are no longer going to meet the requirements for compliance to the standard.
“The risk for those organisations is that when it comes to their audit they may come unstuck, as if they can’t demonstrate they can abide by the new standard, it may be recorded as a non-conformity. Rail-Time provides the platform for a culture shift and one that will ensure workers are safer.”
The planning of your working hours is key to compliance with these industry standards. Every time a planned shift is input into Rail-Time, the tool will give an immediate indication of fatigue and risk compliance, assuring you that it meets with industry standards.
The system will review the previous seven-day’s shift patterns against the new planned shift and return a risk index score, with colour coding indicating compliance. Fatigue scores are calculated by monitoring the previous seven-day’s working patterns and returning a score that’s within the defined range of compliance, therefore preventing the possibility of planning to exceed.
Richard said: “The new standard puts the responsibility on the employers and sponsors of rail staff to start taking a much more proactive role in how they plan and roster people who work on the rail infrastructure.
“It is a new concept for a lot of businesses, particularly given the new standard takes into account travel time and if the shift goes over. Network Rail’s fatigue management plan is a really vital piece of the jigsaw that was missing. It puts the responsibility back on the employer to look at what they are asking the worker to do and to put measures and mitigations in place to make sure that, when the trigger level is met, they take some ownership of what they do next.
“Potentially it could be a struggle, but they don’t need to struggle if they manage it and plan it in advance properly. And if they identify the risk of an exceedance, they can put measures in place to reduce that risk to their workers and to their business on the whole.
“It requires a cultural shift. Everybody in the industry knows the rules and knows we’re not supposed to work more than 12 hours, or the 14-hour door-to-door rule. The rules are often exceeded but there’s no record of them. That has now changed; Rail-Time captures even the most minor of breaches, and prompts an assessment and real-time authorisation.”
With Rail-Time’s dashboard you get an immediate ‘at a glance’ status of your company compliance:
See your company’s overall fatigue and risk scores.
Gives an immediate overview of company performance.
Run a range of reports from the dashboard from total hours worked in a given period, the overall fatigue and risk rating for the business and the number of exceedances.
Other features of Rail-Time include:
Automatically created Fatigue Management Plans.
Real-time monitoring of a worker’s status –identify when a worker leaves their place of rest, arrives at site, leaves site and returns to their place of rest safely.
Richard said: “There has been a lot of interest in Rail-Time, and the plan is to continue that journey, improving the system to ensure it is one of the key compliance tools for the industry as a whole in managing fatigue.
“The aim is to incorporate other areas of compliance into the system, because once the system is set and your staff and workers are registered, you’ve got an electronic route for all of your staff, via their mobile device, to a system they are going to be looking at and using several times a shift.
“We’re looking at ways of using it as a conduit to send out safety notices, company information, changes to company policies etc, so it becomes a briefing tool as well.”
In addition to the time management features, Rail-Time allows the transfer of workers between organisations. When a sponsored worker moves from one sponsor to another, the new sponsor is able to view the historical working patterns of the worker, ensuring that their rostering is compliant.
“There is also the potential for us to allow organisations to switch on the tracking services, which is going to be particularly useful for lone workers as it will offer a protection device for them. This may also include a “man down” alert within the system; it’s just one of several features we are talking to the developer about.
“The implementation of these additional features will help to create a more versatile product, increase its usage and ensure organisations meet the new standard, but more importantly our colleagues in the rail industry are kept safe.”
Whatever the size of the business, Rail-Time offers a price plan to suit, with all plans based on the number of staff you want to include. All subscriptions benefit from unrestricted access to all app and website functions, regular system updates, and dedicated support. The system costs start from £99.00 per month for up to 10 users, with a pricing plan to suit the needs of all businesses.
To register for a free trial, or for more information, visit rail-time.com
Geismar is pleased to engage with PRB Consulting in the utilisation of their fatigue risk management software and app – Rail-Time.
Following a brief overview and demonstration at a recent industry networking event, PRB and Geismar have collaborated so effectively that the system is now live for planned shifts undertaken by the Geismar PEM LEM Operations teams.
The system allows our Logistics Controller to plan, monitor and manage fatigue and associated risk scores. With a simple and easy app, our operators (Users) are able to report in real-time their daily shifts which in turn allows monitoring of future shift patterns (and fatigue risk) on a daily basis.
Furthermore, we have the ability to record and monitor exceedances - and as appropriate for the user, issue Fatigue Management Plans in a timely manner, thus remaining compliant and auditable to the latest industry standard.
Mark Ray Operations Manager GEISMARThe new standard puts the responsibility on the employers and sponsors of rail staff to start taking a much more proactive role in how they plan and roster people who work on the rail infrastructure
Entering 2023, many of us within rail have the same questions on our minds; almost all of them centred around the future of an industry currently in flux, the potential within the Great British Railways plan, and negotiating fraught industry relationships.
Where does this leave us on the international stage? Is the UK maintaining its reputation as a world leader in rail and innovation, where are our major growth areas, and where does the opportunity lie? To answer these questions, several thousand miles of rail (and, guiltily, some air miles) were covered, from Amsterdam to Frankfurt, all the way down to Malaga.
The Railway Interior Innovation Summit Europe took place at the IdeasTrain Hall in FrankfurtRödelheim, Germany (organised by RedCabin), and as the name suggests, focssed on interiors and innovation within rail. This truly was a back-to-basics conference, while still covering complex current and future issues within transport, with brilliant speakers from Deutsche Bahn, PriestmanGoode, Sekisui Kydex, Angel Trains and more.
However, a standout element of the conference was the opportunity to explore the Ideenzug; or, the Ideas Train, from Deutsche Bahn; developed in partnership with design agency Neomind. Julian Fordon, part of the project team, explained: “The IdeasTrain project arose from a cooperation team inside of DB Regio in 2016…Together this team came up with the idea of how regional trains could innovate from a customer’s perspective and what could be specific concepts that enable the passengers to use their travelling time as utilisation time.
“The goal was to build up a contemporary train interior concept on a level with other mobility systems. To have a realistic impression, it was necessary to build up a 1:1 mockup model of a real train. With this mockup, it was possible to experience the ideas, materials and light innovations….In this part, there were initially some 200 individual ideas for each IdeasTrain model.
“The design process entailed inviting people to take part in frequent trials when developing ideas and testing prototypes, as well as producing a white model for the IdeasTrainCity to perform a ‘stress test’ that simulated train travel during rush hour.”
From concepts through to the mockup, the Ideenzug represents a major commitment to modelling and testing truly innovative concepts.
Some of the concepts, like the onboard cycling
and fitness zone, are perhaps less practical than others, such as the range of flexible seating options and working spaces. However, the value of the Ideenzug is in the testing itself, allowing for real-life concept visualisation and discussion with end users. I especially loved the idea of airline-style first class ‘pod’ seating, allowing for the kind of privacy and comfort you usually only expect from higher-end air travel companies, and the swivel seating allowing for seats to face either direction and be configured as two or four is a classic bit of design I have always wanted to see in the UK. I also had the chance to try (and dislike) the semi-standing seats which, again, have been examined for air travel, this time in maximising capacity. The value in testing these concepts is in being able to identify positives and downsides, and form opinions rooted in reality rather than concept.
On to the World Passenger Festival in Amsterdam (organised by Terrapinn), with an exceptionally strong representation of UK companies.
Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain, rail knowledge transfer manager
Innovate UK KTN, explains how the UK continues to drive and lead in rail and transport in a range of areas
This truly was a back-to-basics conference, while still covering complex current and future issues within transport
GuyGenney from PriestmanGoode
In particular, First of a Kind winners had taken the exhibition floor by storm, with PriestmanGoode representing flexible rail interiors and stunning design, Icomera leading on connectivity and navigation of rail environments, and Seatfrog offering passenger satisfaction and the potential for flexible ticketing. First of a Kind is the UK’s flagship rail innovation funding competition from the Department for Transport; it accelerates innovation in the UK rail sector and enables technologies to be readily and efficiently integrated into the railway system through targeted funding, and is delivered in partnership with Innovate UK and Innovate UK KTN.
There were also many UK rail speakers on the agenda, including a panel covering the future of rolling stock with Colin Lea of Transport for Wales, Philipp Kühn of DB Regio AG, and Andy Bagguley of East West Railway Company. Unsurprisingly, the impact of COVID on usage and design came up time and time again, with the speakers agreeing that the shift away from commuter travel five days a week leads the industry to a need for greater flexibility and increased leisure travel options. The panel also discussed the sustainability of both design and cost, and the vital topic of accessibility.
There was also a fantastic panel on equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) featuring an all-female and highly knowledgeable panel; but disappointingly, as this panel was beginning, roughly half the audience left the room. This exodus is, sadly, representative of the way many view ED&I; as a box-ticking exercise but not an area of true focus, interest, or investment. For all rail events, it is advisable to include and thread ED&I throughout the conference agenda as well as in a standalone panel, ensuring that the issue is not something to be skirted.
Finally, to Malaga, and a sense of scope for growth for UK companies in Spain. Rail Live!, based in Malaga for 2022 (organised by Terrapinn), was characterised by opportunity for those railway innovators based in the UK, set against many of the same challenges we face in the UK around growth, accessibility, and decarbonisation.
UK companies were represented in the start-up zone, speaking to their potential in particular. Amongst these companies was Emu Analytics, which enables real-location insights, predicting impacts on the network of both day-to-day changes and unique challenges including weather conditions.
Dronecloud had also made the journey, showcasing drone flight management, operational efficiency and autonomy.
While this piece has focussed in on international opportunity, at home, a major opportunity comes in the form of the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE), currently under construction in Wales, opening in 2025. The 700-hectare site (equivalent in size to Gibraltar) is located at the Nant Helen surface mine and Onllwyn coal washery and will enable rolling stock and infrastructure testing and innovation at a world-leading standard. This is a vital project, not only boosting the UK’s rail profile on the world stage, but also providing essential innovation support to our supply chain, manufacturers, and operators.
Back on the international stage, it’s clear that the UK is still driving and leading in rail and transport in a range of areas, from infrastructure to digital innovation. In 2023, keep your eyes open for opportunities across Europe and beyond, including Swiss interest in UK AI and digital capabilities, growth within rail across Sweden and Scandinavia, and French infrastructure growth potential. It may be a challenging and changeable time for rail in the UK, but we must still ensure we look to grow both nationally and internationally, reaching across the globe to enrich rail through innovation in all its forms.
There was also a fantastic panel on equality, diversity and inclusion
In an ideal world, Steve Roberts says he’d prefer it if organisations didn’t need to turn to S and L Roberts (Railway Consulting). It might seem like a strange thing for the director of the business to say, but it epitomises his dedication to ensuring organisations learn from his vast experience so they can do the work themselves in the future.
The business was set up in 2015, born out of Steve’s knowledge of the rail industry, particularly European and domestic operational standards, and his ability to work with clients to embed knowledge and insight within their organisations to make the railway system safer, higher performing and more cost effective.
“We recognise that on our own we can change nothing, but together we can change the railway for the better,” he said.
“S and L Roberts put teams together as well as helping organisations to address their people’s concerns with contacts in engineering, human factors and operational areas.
“We address the people issues around wherever is necessary, but particularly in the operational processes and operational standards. The aim is to address any issue a client has and concentrate on short-term support, providing a solution and coming out again.
“There are a few exceptions which end up being a little more long-term, such as the research programme for Network Rail on T190.”
Steve has nearly four decades of experience in the rail industry, starting at British Rail in the mid-80s, with high-profile roles at Network Rail and RSSB, before retiring from the latter in 2015.
“The consultancy started after I retired from RSSB and they asked me to carry on for them in Europe as part of the Community of European Railways and Infrastructure Companies (CER) Operations team, which I had the privilege of chairing up until Brexit and then as secretary until November last year,” he said.
“That gave me the idea of setting up a vehicle to cover that work and then I was asked by the Rail Delivery Group to carry on looking after their people workstream at the time and project manage that, so I did that as well. From those foundations, I started making contacts with other independent experts, and we built it from that perspective.”
S and L Roberts specialises in three key areas:
Operation standards – helping companies to overcome either an operational rule, an operational standard requirement, or a European specification.
Operations risk assessment – helping companies introduce new processes, new equipment, or new technology and providing them with support so they understand the operational impacts that arise.
European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) – helping companies to understand the benefits and challenges of implementing ERTMS both from a railway undertaking and infrastructure manager viewpoint.
“I am always willing to undertake short-term, parttime operational consultancy assignments that are challenging,” he added. “If you have an awkward operational issue but not the time or resources to sort it out then please get in touch because from European legislation to company instructions, I can help.
“For me, it is important that whatever work we do, we transfer the skills to the organisation, which will end up meaning the knowledge is passed on and we’re not needed in the future. There is no reason why we are needed, we are usually purely a stopgap in introducing processes to allow people to think and do it themselves in the future.
“It is not always down to resources, it’s sometimes our research capability that organisations want. It is a process that once you’ve learnt how to do is relatively simple. It is the fundamentals of research, test, implement; there’s no black magic or black arts about it. At S and L Roberts, we are transparent in showing the client each of those steps and the output of each of those steps.”
The company’s areas of expertise include European Operational Standards, Train Driver Licencing Directive, Railway Group Standards, Rail Industry Standards and ERTMS.
“We’re not one of those consultancies that takes your watch to ask for the time,” he said. “We have a process that is based on research and then a draft of whatever solution it is, or model that can be tested by the client and then from the feedback we receive we provide a solution that meets their particular need.
“A key to the success we’ve had so far is the fact that we have the experience, and we only deal in those areas of experience where we are competent in. We don’t stretch outside those areas, focussing primarily on the writing of guidance notes, innovation and introducing new technology, and on operational standards both in the UK and Europe.
“We also do operational research, having previously worked with the likes of Network Rail and RSSB, in order to stretch ourselves to keep up with new areas, but also to apply proven methodologies to get to the solutions.”
Steve provided a brief example of the range of work carried out by the business, which includes everything from specialist railway operational advice for Rail Partners, working on an RSSB research project concerning the use of blanket speed restrictions by Network Rail, through to developing and delivering a number of light rail sector standards for the Light Rail Safety and Standards Board (LRSSB), and supporting Network Rail within its T190+ research programme.
“The biggest challenge is keeping up to date with the railways. The operational theory is always changing because companies are needing their people to do different things, whether it is by new technology, or changing agreements etc,” he said. “It needs to be done in a safe manner, so we delve into safety case proposals and things like that, and we offer such a range as well because we do everything from heritage to Network Rail.
“The biggest achievement to date in my opinion has been the delivery of the generic operational concept for the T190+ programme for Network Rail, which has got industry acceptance. The target for T190+ is to look at reducing the current whole-life cost of signalling from a unit rate of £419,000 to the required £190,000 by 2029 to enable the ETCS Long Term Deployment Plan to be achieved. Being part of it is exciting!”
Looking to the future and Steve says S and L Roberts will continue to support the rail industry and share the skills learnt over several decades of successful projects and collaboration.
“The work keeps coming in and I think as well as the experience, we have become known as a company that gives organisations exactly what it says on the tin,” he said. “We will only take on those projects that we know we can deliver, concentrating on short-term deliverables, taking the burden off the company and delivering what the customer wants.”
Visit https://sandlrobertsrailwayconsultingltd.com/ for more details.
We recognise that on our own we can change nothing, but together we can change the railway for the better
The railway is a complex environment, open to a multitude of hazards and risks for both teams and rail operations. A widely dispersed workforce can make supervision hard if not impossible, with the impact of getting it wrong potentially fatal.
The issues regularly encountered include staff having limited track time to execute works, people regularly asked to work in new locations with limited prior knowledge of the site or hazards, sites constantly evolving, and human nature leading to people taking shortcuts. It is therefore right that there is a relentless drive across the rail sector to improve safety for all track workers led by the Network Rail Safety Task Force team, which is helping to pioneer new ways of working including the implementation of new technologies on the railway such as geo-fencing.
Leading the way for the owner and infrastructure manager in the UK is Onwave, with its geofencing platform OWL. Comprising a web portal, mobile app and wearable safety devices, it has recently received product acceptance from Network Rail.
“Everyone I speak to in the rail industry can give several examples of where there could have been a loss of life, or a major incident trackside, which is why we have developed this system, to provide better visibility and understanding of what is happening on site without having to be there,” said Stuart Ladbrook, Onwave’s chief executive officer.
“OWL is a combination of a SaaS application and wearable devices that we have developed to aid customers with the dissemination and communication of hazards and work site information to remote workers.”
OWL works based on the principles of geofencing (a virtual perimeter for a real-world geographic area), with these geo-fences created quickly and effectively within the application and immediately cascaded to field users via the mobile app or wearable devices.
The OWL platform as a whole enables you to: Communicate hazard and work site information to workers more effectively.
Provide relevant hazard information based on your location.
Provide alerts to your people automatically should they enter a hazardous area.
Gain valuable insight through leading indicators to minimise risk and improve safety.
Jay Moorhouse, Onwave’s chief operating officer, said: “OWL is that tap on the shoulder to ensure workers aren’t getting in harm’s way. It can solve many other problems as well, such as mitigating the risk of objects on the line or people/ plant interface risk.
“What is exciting is the potential of developing OWL further by helping customers when it comes to zone creation.
“This isn’t a case of here’s the product and over to you, but more here’s the product and how can we develop it further to provide you with even more value.”
The timing for OWL is perfect. Last month (December) Network Rail introduced a new geofencing standard, which requires the technology to be used on some projects. OWL helps Network Rail and its contractors to comply with the standard.
OWL allows managers and supervisors to configure custom rules to trigger alerts, escalations and/or warnings to both users in the field and the management team.
Stuart said: “OWL was initially developed for use in the highways sector where it is being used to inform field staff of hazards and planned work area, however, recent developments around location accuracy now allow it to be used within any sector where a high degree of certainty is needed, something that is particularly true of the rail industry.
“We are continuing to develop the application to include additional forms of location-based technology, which will allow us to add coverage to areas that are not viable using conventional GPSbased technologies.”
Onwave has been operating since 2008, delivering fast, reliable, resilient and secure managed connectivity solutions to business. Investment from its parent company Nucleus VP group has allowed it to develop leading-edge, future-proofed technologies engineered to worldclass standards, built around its technical and sector knowledge and experience.
As well as its OWL platform, Onwave also offers Field Communications, helping organisations in the rail industry deploy a secure, reliable data connectivity service for field teams regardless of location, and improving systems and workflow.
Visit https://onwave.com/ or https://owl-bi.com for more details.
Jay Moorhouse
Anew year begins, and we are excited to announce a suite of brand-new benefits for members of the RBD Community!
The community continues to grow and it is truly fantastic to have so many diverse and interesting organisations onboard.
RIA collaboration
Our collaboration with RIA continues to go from strength to strength and we are looking forward to working more closely together on various events throughout 2023.
Members of the RBD Community were recently invited to attend RIA’s “Member Connect Event” at SNS Lavalin’s office in Derby.
It was a great way to find out more about the benefits of joining RIA and to access benefits that complement RBD Community membership, in addition to finding out more about what’s happening in the industry now and in the year ahead.
GRAMM are acoustic solution specialists for rail infrastructure.
Established for 28 years, they offer a full design, supply and installation service. Clients include Network Rail, HS1, TfL, East West Rail, Cross Rail and HS2.
Supporting consultants & contractors ECI with unique solutions meeting specification, value for money and reduced maintenance with improved safety.
POLYSoundBlok® Absorptive manufactured from recycled PVC has extremely effective deadening properties. The absorber is recycled
Membership Benefits NEW for 2023: This year members of the RBD Community can take advantage of even more benefits! The 2023 membership package includes an expanded range of profile enhancement opportunities made available via the powerful RBD media platform. Recognised as the UK’s largest rail media company, the platform has grown significantly over the last few years and we have some impressive statistics to show just how effective this is:
Rail Business Daily News - 70,000 subscribers to the daily news email
Website – 21 million views per year
RBD LinkedIn platform – 20,000+ followers
For details for all the membership benefits please see the opposite page. This is an exciting year for the RBD Community and we are really looking forward to getting to know all of our members better to achieve great results by working together!
PET water bottles diverting waste to the ocean. Lightweight, non-conductive, sustainable, and rapid installation reducing possession time.
WHIS®wall is fully Network Rail Approved low noise barrier with weathering steel diffractor. Only 1 metre in height, achieves up to 9 dB noise reduction, equal to a 3-metre-high noise barrier. Rapid installation up to 300 metres per day.
CONCRETESoundBlok Precast concrete panel with wood-crete absorber. Offering long life and great sound absorption performance. Manufactured in the UK.
For further details please scan the QR code
Rail Business Daily has carefully prepared an essential range of benefits and services for our RBD Community members.
Rail Director magazine subscription
Rail Business Daily subscription
Microsite within the Rail Business Daily website (21m page views)
Two news stories with social media support
Three ‘Directory Spotlights’ in the RBD newsletter (70k distribution)
Featured Directory for one week
Welcome social media post (20k followers)
Promote your business in the Community Marketplace
Post your events in the Ultimate Rail Calendar
Advertising spot in Rail Director magazine
Win a ½ page feature in Rail Director
Marketing and website review
20% off all marketing and profile enhancement services
Insight reports and latest industry thinking
Tender opportunities
Informative newsletter
Unlimited logins to OnePlace
Access to live roundtable events
Four webinar masterclasses
Introductions to other Community members and broader rail community
Will Temperley, managing director of Fortis Foundations, explains more about offering the full package when it comes to piling and foundations
Fortis Foundations know how important it is to strengthen and re-new the structural foundations in the rail industry, particularly in those areas of weak strata. The company provides civil engineering products and services, with expertise in foundations and piling to the rail, civils, energy, residential and water sectors.
It is within the piling sector that Fortis particularly excel, with vast experience in installing all types of piled foundations on a vast range of projects and environments, from overhead line equipment (OLE) to foundations to land a bridge.
“Most organisations will attend site to complete the piling package of work only, Fortis like to collaborate fully with our clients to produce a single source solution to include pile design, sub and
superstructure delivery, we offer the full turnkey service,” said Will Temperley, managing director of Fortis Foundations. “Early engagement with our clients is key so we can provide a number of options whilst designing out the numerous challenges we face within the rail environment and to maintain budget.
“Fortis Foundations encapsulates a single solution with our teams able to deliver the project from concept to completion.”
It is for that reason that Will set up the company more than two years ago, drawing on his experience as a dedicated and results-driven director with a highly successful background in the achievement of civil and rail infrastructure projects, through
the creation and execution of positive project management.
He is experienced in working with and for leading tier 1 contractors in a competitive and fast-paced environment, taking projects from conception to completion, with a primary focus on exceeding expectations for project delivery, while maintaining high-quality and safety standards.
His team have been with him at numerous companies over the last 20 years and are highly skilled in their profession and Will ensures the continued professional development of his employees.
Will said: “I set up Fortis Foundations in 2020 because I wanted to create a multi-faceted organisation with the civils and rail sectors working hand in hand and I saw the market there in rail.
“There is an appetite for clients to issue one contract, which reduces time and risk opposed to managing multiple contractors. Working with us reduces client workload with one point of contact for the full scope of works. Fortis are able to work alongside their team to project manage and deliver giving assurance to programme and delivery and cost.”
With more than 20 years of rail and construction industry experience, the family-run company provides expert advice and cost-effective solutions to all sectors looking for experts that they can rely on, delivering safe and sustainable solutions at the forefront of innovation and technology.
Among the areas of expertise includes piling, civil engineering, renewable energy, design, ground investigation, foundations, underpinning and groundworks.
Will, who previously worked as a senior project manager at J. Murphy & Sons Ltd, said: “We’re an approachable, family run organisation which are small enough to care and big enough to cope. We have a vast amount of experience and understand the railway, allowing us to provide varied solutions to the complexities and challenges facing the industry.
“Already we have a proven track record in working with clients offering a full turnkey solution. Coming up to our third year we have gone from strength to strength having worked with several big organisations building our reputation.
“Clients we have already worked with know we are a company of integrity and respect and deliver what we had promised. We are working hard to get our name recognised as a pivotal provider to the industry.”
The decision to set up Fortis Foundations has already proven a success, with the organisation already completing a number of high-profile jobs.
Last year Fortis completed a large sheet piled retaining wall for a train depot in Ipswich for JMS. The retaining wall was 40 metres long with AZ 52-700 sheet piles with an individual weight of 2.1 tonnes per sheet.
The company also carried out work at Imperial Wharf station in London. The work included a 30-pile continuous flight auger (CFA) contiguous wall and a six-pile platform base.
Will said: “Setting up a new company has been challenging at times, however, we are going from strength to strength. It is an exciting time and when I am out on site and our Fortis brand is on the back of the PPE it is fantastic to see. We often get asked “why Fortis” Fortis is a Latin term for Strong, bold and Brave which was the perfect fit for our new endeavour.
“The aim now is to get this year’s order book filled and to see the company continue to grow, working with our existing and future clients. We’re also looking at increasing our plant and equipment and become a real dominating force in the rail sector. Already we have been having some really positive conversations with future works and opportunities, so I’m excited as to what the future holds.” Visit https://fortisfoundations.com/ for more details.
Foundations encapsulates a single solution with our teams able to deliver the project from concept to completion
Amy Blick is an experienced HR specialist and the founder of ExhilHRate. She is internationally renowned for her work with global brands and SMEs. In her fi nal column, she discusses the importance of reviewing key people policies
For many of us, the new year brings a slew of personal resolutions with most abandoned before January times out. But, for any organisation of any size, the start of a new year is an invaluable opportunity to cast a critical eye over key business functions; really going under the hood in those areas where we can see that change will deliver a feel-good factor and much more.
When it comes to HR, taking an unflinching look at your approach to people – specifically how you look after existing teams, how you foster an inclusive and vibrant culture and how you recruit and retain the best – should be heading your New Year leader board.
Tough decisions may also be called for. Top of your list for the first quarter may be budgetary cuts – addressing how you can reduce your workforce without compromising on customer satisfaction and overall efficiencies. Indeed, one of my first tasks early doors in January was supporting a client in the thick of this.
But running parallel to these activities should be a root and branch audit of your people policies with the aim of making improvements that cost little but that can deliver large. Here are a few suggestions to set you on your way.
How can you encourage teams and individuals to be more proactive, contributing ideas to the running of your organisation?
This is of course Kaizen in action – the Japanese business philosophy of continuous improvement of working practices and personal efficiencies. Often when I begin working with an organisation on this task, I discover that contributions from individuals bottom up, are conspicuous by their absence. Why is this so? Invariably the organisation has forgotten that its best assets are not just the experience and expertise of team members; they are also the best source of great ideas delivered in regular doses. I would urge you to implement an ideas think tank, making clear it is open to all with no idea too big, too small, too silly, or too wild! It takes time and commitment for this to become really embedded in your culture otherwise it will be dismissed as a gimmick, or it will drift into oblivion. Aside from the fact that encouraging people to contribute ideas builds loyalty and fosters a wonderful team spirit, in my experience, some of the best business ideas emerge once team members can see their voice is being heard and they are being taken seriously.
About Amy Blick
Reviewing benefits and rewards. The landscape we live in, and do business in, has changed dramatically in recent years. With inflationary hikes, some team members will be feeling the pinch and may be looking elsewhere. So, when did you last review the benefits and perks you offer at all levels? Because if you’re having to scratch your head for the answer it signals this is a long overdue task. Whilst benefits and perks don’t have to break the bank, they must be fit for purpose, and they must position you as an exemplar employer. Just before Christmas, I was working with a new client on this task. When we benchmarked their offering with key competitors it was clear they had fallen into the laggard category. If you want to recruit and of course retain the best people, the package you offer beyond salary has to be fit for purpose, attractive and competitive. Please put yours under the microscope.
I hope my insights help you kickstart the new year with real focus and confidence.
Amy is an associate CIPD professional with many years’ experience and expertise gained in fast-paced business environments with a strong focus on growth. She works with organisations to accelerate efficiencies within all areas of the business. Her qualifications and training include CIPD Level 7 in HR Management, UK Employment Law Diploma, IOSH Working Safely certified, Finance for Non-Finance Managers, and GDPR for Business. Amy has developed a series of one and two-day HR MOTs which give you the opportunity to focus on key HR issues in your organisation. Find out more on her website.
You can contact Amy at email Amy@exhilHRate.co.uk. Connect with her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-blick-exhilhrate/ and visit her website www.exhilHRate.co.uk.
When it comes to HR, taking an unflinching look at your approach to people should be heading your New Year leader board
People from all walks of life, inner cities, towns and village churches
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We provide strategic and operational consulting, advisory and senior interim management services. Our people are amongst the very best in the rail industry; experts with deep railway knowledge and backgrounds covering UK and International transport policy, commercial, HR, train operations and railway infrastructure.
To learn more, please contact us.
Glenis Reagon E: glenis.reagon@rpsltd.ukSiemens Mobility has been announced as the system integrator of the cityshaping project Sydney Metro –Western Airport.
The new metro railway line will service between St Marys, the new Western Sydney International Airport and the Western Sydney Aerotropolis.
Siemens Mobility has been awarded a contract to deliver 12 automated, driverless three-car metro trains, a purpose-built depot, and the digital rail infrastructure
including signalling, electrification, telecoms and platform screen doors as well as system integration, testing and commissioning. The company will also complete a 15-year maintenance contract.
Siemens Mobility is delivering the turnkey project as a member of the Parklife Metro consortium with its partners Webuild, RATP Dev, Siemens Financial Services and Plenary Group.
Michael Peter, chief executive officer at Siemens Mobility, said: “We are excited to win and deliver this
important project to help connect communities and travellers with the new Western Sydney International Airport and the growing region. This project will give the people of Sydney sustainable transport with new rail services, offering quick, reliable and CO2-free journeys.
“We will provide the full suite of our latest digital technology, platforms and portfolio solutions. Our Railigent X digital asset management applications will ensure the highest reliability and availability of the assets.”
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Subway provided one billion trips in 2022.
The milestone marks the first time the New York City Subway has carried one billion customers in a calendar year since 2019. It carried 760 million customers in 2021 and 640 million in 2020.
Average daily subway ridership is currently hovering at nearly 60 per cent of 2019’s pre-pandemic levels, when the system carried 1.698 billion riders.
The MTA’s OMNY fare-payment system also experienced usage growth in 2022 with more than
425 million taps. This increase in subway rider market share for OMNY follows the introduction of the ‘Lucky 13’ fare capping programme, the rollout of OMNY for the MTA’s Reduced-Fare customers, and the continued expansion of OMNY cards in retail locations.
Governor Kathy Hochul said: “We have been working hard to bring customers back by providing safer, cleaner, and faster service, and hitting one billion riders in 2022 is evidence that our work is paying off.
“New Yorkers and tourists alike continue to flock to the subway, proving there is no better way to get around New York City than mass transit.”
Michael Roberts is the new chief executive officer (CEO) at London TravelWatch. He joined London’s independent transport watchdog in January leading a team representing the views of millions of people who travel on the transport network
What attracted you to the role of CEO?
Transport is the heartbeat of the city where I have spent virtually all my working life. This is a great opportunity to use my experience in advocacy and policy to speak up for fellow members of the capital’s travelling public.
What are your aims and aspirations?
London TravelWatch in recent years has successfully influenced transport providers on specific issues. For example, many of its recommendations were taken on board in the mayor’s recent decision to rein back on proposed major cuts in London bus services. I want us to build on such work so that, over time, there is a
discernible improvement in transport users’ overall satisfaction levels. London TravelWatch alone cannot achieve this; but by strengthening our insights, voice and partnerships, I believe we can do more.
How important is the role of London TravelWatch?
As London’s independent transport watchdog, we offer a unique insight into what works and what needs improving through our research, links with other organisations and our online community, and our work with customers claiming unfair treatment by operators. We have a statutory role to be consulted if proposals are made to close a railway line or a station
(or station facilities) in London, so we would have a key part to play were rail reform to lead to proposed ticket office closures in and around the capital.
What are the biggest challenges facing London’s transport and what is the key to overcoming them?
Lack of funding stands out as the single biggest challenge. At a time when there are tough funding choices to make – between London and the rest of the country, between transport and other areas, and between different transport modes – the key is to ensure that decision makers listen carefully to the views of users.
But there are many other challenges to address. For example, accessibility was a major theme for Londoners in a recent survey of ours and we are discussing with others where to put our focus in the year ahead.
How will your previous experience help in the role - particularly your time as director general at the Rail Delivery Group, chief executive at the Association of Train Operating Companies and director at the CBI? It gives me a good grounding in the key issues. However, transport in London today is being affected by a unique combination of circumstances.
Travel patterns look set to change fundamentally and there is a cost-of-living crisis, while issues such as diversity and the environment have become more prominent. I’m looking forward to getting up to speed on what these mean in particular for transport users and for our future campaigning work.
How optimistic are you for the future of transport in London, particularly the railways?
While I come into this role believing positive change is possible, I also anticipate a difficult period ahead. Aside from the pressure on funding, the debates in London about how to pay for future road use and what national rail reform means for passengers all threaten uncertainty and delay in delivering transport improvements. Change in the railways can be painfully slow and we need to see a real injection of resolve among policymakers and providers if things are going to get better.
Loram UK has appointed Jen Gladding as its new professional head of engineering.
Jen will take the lead role on assuring Loram’s compliance with technical and engineering standards on both new build and existing fleets, as well as representing the business in cross-industry forums.
Jen will also use her expertise to support the installation of train-based signalling on Loram and customers’ rolling stock.
Andy Watson, international business development director at Loram said: “I am delighted to welcome
Claire Mann has joined The Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) as a non-executive director.
Claire is the managing director of South Western Railway (SWR) and brings more than 20 years of transport sector experience to RSSB’s Board. Claire started her railway career as a customer service assistant at Heathrow Express, before becoming one of their first train drivers.
She said: “I’m excited to be joining the board and to work with RSSB as it continues to research, innovate and provide independent advice and guidance to the industry.
“While our industry is currently facing a period of significant change, I’m committed to helping the railway family deliver a world-class, sustainable service for its customers over the coming years.”
RSSB’s chair, Mike Brown said: “I’m delighted that Claire has joined the Board, bringing with her a wealth of experience from senior roles in management, customer service and safety across the transport sector.
“Claire’s insights and challenge will help RSSB as we work to support the rail industry, and make sure current reforms and changes proceed efficiently and safely.”
Jen to the team. She will play a key role in our growing business, not least in supporting Loram’s leadership of the on-track machine sector within the East Coast Digital Programme.”
Jen said: “I am really pleased to be joining Loram as we prepare to start building two new rail grinding machines in Derby that will help Network Rail maintain and safely extend the life of its track assets.
“I also look forward to supporting our customers as the industry expands the digitally signalled railway.”
Jen joins the business from Porterbrook, where she was involved in the fitment of European Train Control System (ETCS) to several rolling stock fleets. She also represented rolling stock companies on Rail Safety & Standards Board groups tasked with delivering a whole industry approach to the national roll-out of ETCS.
Transport for the North (TfN) has announced a new rail and roads director – Darren Oldham. He will also be coming in as the deputy CEO of the organisation.
Darren has over 30 years of experience in planning, regeneration and transport sectors and is a qualified chartered transport planner. He will join TfN from WSP where he is an executive director, having also held the roles of head of planning and head of
transport planning for the organisation.
Last week two other directors were appointed: strategy, policy and communications director, Katie Day and finance director, Paul Kelly.
Following agreement from the TfN Board, the new finance director will formally take up his role on 14 December and both the new rail director and strategy director should be in place by February 2023.
Darren said: “It is a privilege to be appointed to this crucial role for the North. The region’s road and rail network are facing huge challenges, and I look forward to working with the North’s leaders to drive real change in the region.”
While our industry is currently facing a period of significant change, I’m committed to helping the railway family deliverImage: Loram
Kier has appointed Anna Baker as head of sustainability for its construction business. This latest appointment builds on the Group’s newly formed Responsible Business team and underlines its commitment to sustainably delivering infrastructure which is vital to the UK.
Anna will be responsible for delivering Kier Construction’s targets as part of ‘Building for a Sustainable World’ initiative. These include achieving net zero carbon across business operations by 2039, eliminating avoidable waste by 2035, the delivery of 30p in every pound of impactful social value, and helping customers deliver on their sustainability targets, working with them to co-create sustainability solutions.
She said: “This is an exciting time to join Kier, a business I’ve long admired. With so much great work already underway, I’m looking forward to bringing my experience to the role and leading on the next steps of Kier’s sustainability journey for the Construction business.”
Royal BAM Group NV has announced that Huw Jones will become executive director in January 2023, succeeding Ian Parish after he announced his retirement from the business.
Ian, who has over 38 years’ experience in the civil engineering industry, re-joined BAM Nuttall in 2020 as managing director, Major Projects, before taking on the role of interim managing director of BAM Nuttall in September 2021. He was subsequently appointed executive director, BAM Nuttall, in the newly formed UK & Ireland division on 1 January 2022.
Huw is currently managing director for the transport sector for BAM Nuttall. A chartered
Anna Delvecchio has joined EY as a partner in its expanding government and infrastructure consultancy practice in the UK. She joins the transport team and will work across EY projects with central government, local authorities and private sector clients, using her experience to advise on large-scale transport development and transformation delivery projects.
Anna has more than 25 years’ experience in the transport sector, having started at the age of 16 as an apprentice with an electromechanical engineering company before moving on to senior commercial, development and programme management roles.
She said: “I’m delighted to join EY at such a crucial time for UK transport and wider infrastructure. Public-private partnerships offer an enormous opportunity to achieve our national infrastructure priorities, but this will require a combined approach that mobilises private
West-Midlands-based workshop equipment expert Totalkare has bolstered its senior management team with the appointment of Jessica Porter as director of operations.
Since joining the business as an aftersales coordinator in 2013, Jess has excelled in various roles, most recently as internal sales manager overseeing an office-based team of six. Jess’ new role will see her responsibilities extended to cover purchasing, the service side of Totalkare’s business (including the company’s field service engineers, based UK-wide) and general operations.
She said: “I am so excited to take on the role of director of operations at such an exciting time for Totalkare. I’m looking forward to overseeing everyday activities and exploring how existing processes can be improved to ensure efficient service and a positive experience for all of our valued customers.”
civil engineer, Huw joined BAM in 2009 after developing his career within both contracting and client organisations. He initially joined as a project manager in the South West before moving to various roles within rail.
Huw said: “We have a strong business that has been built around our great people, with a fantastic culture and a proud civil engineering heritage.
“I feel extremely honoured to be given the opportunity to help take the business forward, as we look to build upon our strong platform and deliver for our customers, stakeholders and for the communities in which we work.
“Thanks also to Ian who leaves a fantastic legacy for our organisation, and we wish him every happiness in his retirement.”
sector investment, harnesses the latest technology and unlocks the next generation of skilled talent with dedicated training and apprenticeship programmes.
“I look forward to working with the team and our clients across the public and private sectors.”
I feel extremely honoured to be given the opportunity to help take the business forwardImage: Kier Image: Totalkare
The Digital Services team provide a truly impartial service.
PADSnet is an affordable yet wellestablished system that has supported the rail industry for over 25 years and continues to do so.
Working with our customers we continuously develop strong relationships that enable us to deliver a fit for purpose and tailored solution for documentation management and distribution.
Our dedicated team of technical specialists, with a wealth of knowledge and experience, work directly with customers to enable them to make robust business decisions.
PADSnet is a web-based interface, with over 1.5m records of parts, documents and drawings. This unique library is accessible online, 24 hours a day, from anywhere. Access provides users with real-time information enabling our customers to meet their data management requirements by having instant access to the latest versions and notifications of version changes.
The data library function provides users with access to customised packages of data, often important in the tendering process and contractual agreements, with commercial confidentially always a key consideration.
Digital Services are the custodians of the former British Railway Board’s library of Traction and Rolling Stock drawings and other associated documents in a key collection of ‘Common Domain’ data for the legacy fleets that we manage on behalf of RDDS Ltd.
PADSnet holds all Network Rail approved products identified as fit for purpose on the infrastructure. This data is registered by Network Rail and allows Digital Services to provide access to this information for suppliers and manufactures.
We manage discrete contractual document and drawing libraries for ROSCO vehicle fleets, which are accessed by their contractors and customers to their specification.
Our team of specialists have the capability
and breadth to provide solutions tailored to each individual customer and their business requirements, which includes:
Data version control managed to customer specification
• Data distribution management providing controlled copies to clients and contractors
• Data collections for tender of contractual applications
Minor revisions to technical documents and drawings
Assistance with technical queries
And much more
Whatever your data management needs, be that version control, storage or distribution, reach out to us to see how we can support you. Visit www.serco.com/srts or email enquiries.srts@serco.com
This unique library is accessible online, 24 hours a day, from anywhere
Acorel specializes in real-time Passenger flow intelligence solutions incorporating automatic people counting delivering the most accurate technology for analysing the passenger analytics since 1989.
phil.linnecor@acorel.com
www.acorel.com/en
+44 (0)780 878 8785
an company
Through our Engineering and Independent Certification businesses, we offer engineering expertise, innovative solutions, and a full suite of Certification Services to the international rail industry. info@aegisengineering.co.uk
https://aegisengineering.co.uk/ + 44 (0) 1332 384 302
D2 Rail offers bespoke Programme Management Solutions for mainline and mass transit rail info@d2rail.co.uk
https://www.d2rail.co.uk/ 0161 258 7534
Dakota is a provider of Voice-Directed Maintenance & Inspection (M&I) solutions. info@dakotais.co.uk https://dakotais.co.uk/ 0161 776 4009
World leaders in dual fuel engine technology reducing carbon and costs for the Rail industry. sales@g-volution.com
www.g-volution.com
0117 9596 470
Delivering a tailored recruitment service to candidates and clients alike, Global works in a diverse range of industry sectors including Specialist Plant & Fleet, Construction, Logistics, Rail and Engineering divisions supplying resource UK wide. rail@global-rg.co.uk www.global-rg.co.uk 0121-796-5344
We are the largest independent recycler of all things aluminium since 1987. Recycling around 42,000 tonnes a year
https://www.alutrade.co.uk/ 0121 552 0330
Our daily news service reaches more than 200,000 Facilities Management professionals every day. The newest, biggest and most powerful profile enhancement platform for everyone working in facilities management
news@fmbusinessdaily.com
fmbusinessdaily.com
0800 046 7320
GRAHAM is a privately-owned company that specialises in the delivery of award-winning construction, civil engineering, interior fit-out, facilities management and investment projects. info@graham.co.uk
https://www.graham.co.uk/ +44 (0) 28 9268 9500
Hilti are a leading manufacturer of fixing, fastening & software solutions. Our innovative products provide H. & S. benefits and productivity gains – essential when working on today’s railway infrastructure.
https://www.hilti.co.uk/
0800 886 100
Jobson James Rail is a national specialist railway insurance broker, the market leader in the UK by a huge margin with over 325 rail clients across the UK, Middle East and Australasia. keven.parker@jjrail.co.uk
jjrail.co.uk
07816 283949
Specialty lubricants from Klüber Lubrication for train maintenance and infrastructure prove their worth worldwide every day. From lubrication of traction systems and doors to many other components. info@uk.klueber.com
https://www.klueber.com/uk 01422 205115
HR Kilns is the premier supplier and manufacture of GRP/FRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) products, Embankment Steps, Walkways, Gratings, Stair treads, Handrails and ATP Panels. sales@hrkilns.com
www.hrfibreglass.co.uk
01695 557711
WorkfloPlus by Intoware transforms paper based forms into digital workflows with access to documents, videos, pictures, weblinks and remote experts to improve safety, accuracy & productivity. hello@intoware.com
https://www.intoware.com
44 (0)115 977 8969
Kelly Rail is a principal contractor to all major UK industry service providers, specialising in multi-disciplinary solutions including telecommunications, SISS, signalling, M&E, lineside civils and electrification HV & LV. info@kellyrail.co.uk
www.kelly.co.uk
0208 424 0909
Contact
Marlec are the UK’s longest established renewable energy company who specialise in designing and manufacturing renewable energy systems. Their wind and solar systems can be found powering vital infrastructure worldwide. sales@marlec.co.uk
https://www.marlec.co.uk/ 01536 201 588
McCulloch Group are transforming rail infrastructure projects with a fleet of bespoke and patented machines that eliminate manual handling and improve the efficiency of installations. enquiries@mccullochgroup.com mccullochgroup.com
+44 (0)330 0130 010
We are a UK based provider of wellbeing consultancy, training and coaching who support organisations that want to help their staff thrive at work. If we can help, we will. wendy@thementalwealthcompany.co.uk www.thementalwealthcompany.co.uk
07305843993
Railsy offers an unmatched variety of courses and programs across the rail industry, created for individuals or groups of all academic levels. info@railsy.co.uk
www.railsy.co.uk
0330 043 1037
Since 1961 Rittal has been a global leader in innovation for its products, including enclosures, cooling solutions, power distribution, and IT infrastructure. information@rittal.co.uk www.rittal.com/uk-en/ 01709 704000
Formed in 2017, One Big Circle is a Bristol-based SME providing “Intelligent Video” solutions. enquiries@onebigcircle.co.uk https://www.aivr.video/ 0845 838 7178
Premier Rail Services is a recommended and an approved installer for all Rosehill, Polysafe and Strail systems. info@premier-rail.co.uk
https://www.premierrail.co.uk/ 01302738020
Created by Rail Business People for Rail Business People, the RBD Community offers an unrivalled rail business resource designed to help your business grow. sarah@railbusinessdaily.com community.railbusinessdaily.com
07985 148 201
Contact
SatSense identify and alert asset owners, managers and engineers of areas at higher risk of ground or structure movement, using satellite-borne radar. contact@satsense.com www.satsense.com 0113 306 1688
Schweizer Electronic is the market leader in Europe for on track automated protection on busy railways for both passenger and freight lines. info.seuk@schweizer-electronic.com
www.schweizer-electronic.com +44 (0)1827 289996
all.
Goss Consultancy Ltd (GCL) are working across the Rail Industry to hardwire access and inclusion into project management and delivery.
Our services include:
Access and Inclusive Design Appraisals
• Access and Inclusive Design Training
• Access and Inclusion Project Management Support
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And while its ‘Brutalist’ external appearance has divided opinion over those seven decades, what’s less wellknown is how integral its insides have been to running Britain’s railway.
With signallers inside capable of directing up to 1,200 trains every day, the Grade II listed Birmingham Power Signal Box (PSB) has been at the heart of the country’s railway network since it started operation in 1966.
It uses a huge telephone exchange linked to mechanical relays controlling signals and points, with staff manually setting safe routes for trains through Britain’s busiest station outside of London.
When it first opened it controlled trains between Hampton-in-Arden, through Birmingham and towards Stourbridge and was one of four power signal boxes in the region. But since 2005 the other boxes closed and the panels in the Birmingham PSB got smaller and smaller as sections of the signalling
system were modernised. Despite its age, much of the equipment has been working constantly since it was installed with some components never needing any maintenance.
However, the 1960s technology has become increasingly difficult to maintain with spare parts often in short supply, so since January 2021 all of Birmingham New Street’s signalling equipment has been converted to digital in line with the rest of the region.
Over the last 23 months, Birmingham New Street has seen:
114 new signals (traffic lights for trains), 232 axle counters (sensors which detect where trains are on the track)
and 230 miles of cabling installed; taking more than 750,000 hours to complete.
From end of service on Christmas Eve, control of this equipment switched from the PSB to the West Midlands Signalling Centre in Saltley during the festive railway shutdown.
This was to allow for final testing to make sure trains are running smoothly on the new system from Tuesday 27 December.
And while this marks the end of an era for the 1960s signal box, it’s the final piece of a £700 million jigsaw to digitalise the West Midlands railway network and make it fit for the next seven decades.
Upgrade in progress
Denise Wetton, Network Rail’s Central route director, said: “While some may be sad to see the Power Signal Box operate for the final time, the transfer of signalling control to our state-of-the-art signalling centre in Saltley marks a new dawn for the West Midlands’ railway network.
“Now the 17-year-long project to digitalise the signalling system is complete, we are ready to face whatever the future may bring as we encourage more people back to using the railway as a safe and green way to travel, and provide reliable journeys for our passengers and freight customers.”
As one of the last remaining power signal boxes of its kind, finding spare parts to repair Birmingham PSB has been problematic in recent years, as it’s the only surviving signal box to use the Westpac Mk 1 signalling system.
It was built as part of the West Coast main line route modernisation in the 1960s, replacing 64 manually operated signal boxes. It was given Grade II listed building status in 1995 because of its ‘dramatic and exceptional architectural quality’ and ‘strongly sculptural form’.
The boss of Britain’s new high-speed railway has celebrated the numerous achievements over the past year, including the launch of three more Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM), 10 construction sites going completely diesel-free, and a first tunnel breakthrough.
Major civil engineering works are now well underway, with £23 billion contracted into the supply chain and more than 350 active sites between Crewe, the West Midlands and London, supporting more than 29,000 jobs.
There are five TBMs currently digging underground; two giant outdoor mega-factories, 1.7 miles of conveyor belts and a total of 17.6km of tunnels have already been built as part of the delivery of HS2.
“What a year it’s been, from the depositing of the Bill to take HS2 to Manchester, establishing initial sites on Phase 2A in Staffordshire, the first breakthrough and then complete end-to-end of an HS2 tunnel, and fantastic progress at all four Phase 1 station sites,” said chief executive officer Mark Thurston. “2022 has been a year of immense progress on Britain’s landmark infrastructure project and I’d like to thank everyone involved.”
“Right now, HS2 is delivering jobs for almost 30,000 people, with tens of thousands more supported throughout our wider supply chain. Over 2,800 companies have contracts with HS2, ensuring the project is helping grow the UK economy long before a single train starts running.”
Starting the year, HS2 published the Bill setting out legislation for the next phase of HS2 including a 52-mile extension of the high-speed network to Manchester.
In May, a giant bridge-building machine began work on the railway’s first and longest viaduct on the outskirts of London. During the summer its first construction site had become completely diesel-free through the implementation of multiple innovations, including the UK’s first 160-tonne emissions-free fully electric crawler crane and the use of biofuels to power plant and machinery on site.
The following month HS2 announced it had funded more than 200 projects through the Community & Environment Fund (CEF) and Business & Local Economy Fund (BLEF). Also in June, construction started on the site’s first innovative ‘green tunnel’, designed to blend the high-speed railway into the landscape and reduce disruption for communities.
Summer ended on a high with the very first tunnelling breakthrough on the project, with TBM ‘Dorothy’ completing her one-mile dig under Long Itchington Wood in Warwickshire.
In November a 1.7-mile-long interconnected network of conveyors sprung to life in West London, which will move over five million tonnes of spoil excavated for the construction of HS2.
Last month HS2 Ltd celebrated reaching five years of tree planting and habitat creation. Since the completion of the HS2 Phase One Bill,
HS2’s ecologists have established 119 new habitat sites and planted around 845,000 trees, covering an area equal to 650 football pitches.
Rail Minister Huw Merriman said: “HS2 has made extraordinary progress in the two months since I was appointed rail minister - smashing targets and achieving a number of world-beating construction milestones, which both myself and the Transport Secretary have had the pleasure of seeing first-hand.
“This pioneering project is already transforming lives well before the trains hit the tracks, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs and boosting local communities by funding hundreds of transformational projects.
“Here’s to a year of success and many more milestones in 2023.”
2022 has been a year of immense progress
Full end-to-end capabilities, as a trackside POS and Principal Contractor; From ground investigation, design, and temporary works through to all types of ground engineering and geotechnical solutions
A track record of 450+ completed Network Rail projects; Including over 200 stations, major electrification schemes, re-signalling projects, track bed stabilisation, slope retention, sheet piling and ground investigation
Track Bed Stabilisation is a system unique to Van Elle and is used to stabilise the track bed without the need for removing the track or ballast
Van Elle has the in-house ability to design and manufacture off-site, for both steel and precast concrete in our in-house factories and workshops
Off-site manufacturing and other modern methods of construction (MMC) has the potential to transform the delivery of construction activity
ScrewFast Foundations, the UK’s leading helical piling and steel modular company, is now part of the Van Elle Group, offering additional design and construction solutions for the rail network.
STRATA Geotechnics, part of the Van Elle group, has the expertise and specialist equipment to perform on and off-track ground investigation (GI) projects for the rail network.
