September 2023
Sam Uren
Driving a railway station revolution
Tim Sayer
On track for a greener future
Jonty Bletcher
Raising the design and sustainability performance of stations
Jools Townsend
Accessible stations can open up rail travel to all
Enhancing a strong customer offering
With over 30 years’ experience working in the rail industry, specialising in the safety sector, the OPC provides practical, reliable ways of improving performance and assessing ability.
Welcome to the latest Rail Director. What better place to start than the news about the Railway Industry Association (RIA) acquisition of RBD assets, including Rail Director! I’ve been privileged to speak to some of the RIA team for the daily email and the magazine, and I now feel very lucky to be able to call them colleagues and look forward to what the future brings as we enter this new chapter. You can read more about all this from Darren Caplan on page 32.
Huge credit has to go to Simon Taylor and David McLoughlin, who had the vision to create Rail Business Daily, which has become a strong instantly-recognisable brand and one which along with Rail Director has prided itself on being a force for good, promoting the organisations and individuals that make it the success it is. That will certainly continue and with the strength of the RIA brand we will be taking the organisation to the next level, a journey I hope all of you will join us on.
In regards to Rail Director, it is very much a case of business as usual. This month’s edition is centred around railway stations, integral parts to not just the rail network, but the communities in which they are situated. They really are the heart of communities, so much more than places to be rushed through to catch a train. They are central to a thriving railway industry, and if you’re not spending time looking at the various outlets found at the bigger stations, take a moment to appreciate their architecture.
At the heart of the success is ensuring that communities and visitors to stations feel safe in these facilities, but that there is also a sense of ownership, something being achieved by the Community Rail partnerships throughout the country; alongside transforming derelict station buildings into community hubs.
As Sam Uren from SLC Rail writes in her feature in this month’s edition, “the role of local railways stations is at a crossroads, and there’s an opportunity to transform these stations to provide facilities and services that are bespoke to areas”. This is already happening, and if we continue on this trajectory stations will continue to be central to the communities they are located in, and with it bring huge success to the industry.
Also don’t miss the cover feature with Abu Siddeeq, not just a champion when it comes to diversity, but also when it comes to the customer. He has recently been appointed Trenitalia c2c’s customer experience director and has spoken with the magazine about the new role and how customer service has never been so important.
Thanks to everyone who has been involved with the latest edition and to you the readers who continue to support the magazine. I hope you enjoy the latest offering. Work is well underway on October’s edition themed around rail freight, with very limited space available, so do get in touch with the advertising team soon if you don’t want to miss out.
All the best,
Danny Longhorn Editor
colleagues to do the same. This is the very best way to keep abreast of what is happening on the UK’s railways. There is a digital copy of Rail Director on our website.
Rail Director has prided itself on being a force for good
6 Enhancing a strong customer offering
Abu Siddeeq, Trenitalia c2c’s customer experience director, on developing and embedding an ambitious customer strategy
12 News
14 Raising the design and sustainability performance of stations
HS2 Ltd’s Old Oak Common station is in the top one per cent of UK buildings for eco-friendly status. Jonty Bletcher, the station’s senior sustainability manager, explains more
18
The train operator has taken a big step forward in its vision to provide an easier, greener and better experience for customers with the introduction of vegetable oil-powered trains. Engineering director Tim Sayer explains more
24 Driving a railway station revolution
SLC Rail is on a journey to help organisations achieve economic growth and sustainable development objectives through the transformative power of rail. Director, Sam Uren, explains more
32
Darren Caplan, chief executive of the Railway Industry Association (RIA), reflects on its acquisition of key RBD assets – including Rail Director magazine – and explains why the two organisations are stronger together
34 Accessible stations can open up rail travel to all Community Rail Network’s chief executive Jools Townsend on the role the community rail movement is increasingly playing in creating inclusive and welcoming stations
An in-depth look at what is happening across the industry. This issue’s features revolve around stations and include: The full story behind Bristol’s newest station, a look at how innovation can improve passenger safety and the opening of Thanet Parkway station
50
An enhanced accident and incident reporting system has been launched delivering a major boost for tramway safety. Light Rail Safety and Standards Board’s Carl Williams explains more
62 Designs for National Railway Museum’s Station Hall exhibition revealed
The new exhibition will transform and enhance the visitor experience with new stories, objects and interpretation
70 Major milestone of £116 million resignalling scheme
Mark Killick, Network Rail’s Wessex route director, has said the work will improve the reliability of the stretch of railway
72 Flying Scotsman returning to its birthplace
Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones has said it will be incredible to see it return home for an extended stay as part of its centenary year
74 International news
78 The rail sector offers endless career opportunities to people from all walks of life
Lorna Gibson, training director at QTS Group, writes about the importance of shining a positive light on the rail industry to promote the sector to the next generation of workers
82 Unlocking your supply chain potential
Dean Bruce, managing director of Rail Business Daily, discusses the power of The UK Rail Report – as it gets its first update
90 Building a business which is fit for the future and delivers a legacy for generations to come
Eleni Jordan is the new commercial director at Trenitalia c2c. She has joined from Chiltern Railways where she served as commercial and customer strategy director for six years, responsible for passenger and ancillary revenue and more recently, the post-pandemic growth strategy
92 Movers and shakers
94 Details revealed for this year’s Rail Wellbeing Live
There will be more than 40 pick ‘n’ mix sessions to choose from, all free to attend, featuring TV personality Davina McCall and Olympian Sir Steve Redgrave
Tel: 0800 046 7320 Sales: 020 7062 6599 Editor Danny Longhorn danny@railbusinessdaily.com Designer/Production Manager Chris Cassidy Production Editor James Jackaman Director of Marketing Phil Loades Advertising Team Christian Wiles chris@rbdpublications.com Amy Hudson amy@rbdpublications.com
Abu Siddeeq, Trenitalia c2c’s customer experience director, on developing and embedding an ambitious customer strategy
At a time when train travel is far more discretionary, the rail industry needs to up its game to better meet the needs of customers, offering a more reliable and simplerto-use service.
Leading the charge is train operator Trenitalia c2c, which earlier this year appointed Abu Siddeeq as its new customer experience director, to support its commitment to customers and communities.
Just over six months after joining to head a newly restructured team, Abu has spoken with Rail Director about his dedication to delivering excellent customer service for users of the East London and South Essex train line.
“I’m loving it, working with some top people, on a great route with beautiful scenery, with everyone pulling in the same direction of putting our customers and communities at the heart of everything we do,” he said.
Abu joined from rail operator LNER, where he was most recently head of customer experience.
In his role at c2c, communications, stations, revenue protection & security, and customer relations teams sit under his directorship to make sure they are right at the forefront of the train operator’s thinking.
“Providing good service for our customers is more important now than ever, as we strive to attract them back to the railway,” added Abu. “My team includes the people that work in our 26 stations across London and the South East, the teams that are responsible
for security on board our trains and at stations and ensure that the revenue is collected. We have a customer relations and accessibility team ensuring issues are addressed quickly and efficiently and that we’re as accessible and inclusive as possible, and the communications area, which looks after our internal and external stakeholders.
“I am delivering on an opportunity seen by our managing director Rob Mullen around customers and communities, and bringing in a role on the Executive team to focus on engaging those communities and being customer-centric. The purpose is to ensure that everybody has the customer at the heart of what they do, always making sure there is an influence coming from the customer angle.”
Abu is perfect for the job, having held multiple roles in customer service, customer experience and operations across different train operators, Transport for London (TfL) and the NHS.
“Customers should be really well looked after and, in my experience, the best leaders that you come across are actually your best customer service people,” said Abu, who first tasted work in customer service roles more than 20 years ago, working in retail, face-to-face sales and contact centres when he left school.
“I always remember customer service being somewhere you would send your worst people to, and it was one of these add-ons that nobody really thought about as a serious career.
Customers should be really well looked after and, in my experience, the best leaders that you come across are actually your best customer service people
“In reality, what you look for in great leaders are great listeners, making you feel valued, somebody that empathises with your problems, somebody that gives you that time, asks good questions, gets information, but fundamentally enjoys a challenge and will just take care of things, and it is that which has drawn me to these types of roles.
“Looking back, one of the nuggets for me as I have gone into leadership roles and as I have progressed in my career is that the very same traits that people look for in me as a leader are what customers look for in you in providing a service.”
Abu has an excellent platform to build on at Trenitalia c2c, one of the UK’s most punctual and popular train operators.
Three years ago, the train operator launched a Passenger’s Charter which sets out a service it provides customers, what its obligations are and how it will fulfil them.
It continues to have a positive impact, with a customer survey, launched in July, consistently achieving 85-86 per cent satisfaction levels so far, which is testament to a good, reliable service. However, not one to rest on its laurels, the operator aims to reach the high 80 and 90 per cents with planned initiatives and investments. Among initiatives already implemented since Abu’s appointment includes the rollout of mobile phones to frontline staff.
“This is about using technology a bit more effectively for things like customer assistance and customer information,” he said. “We’re also seeing the upskilling of frontline managers, with our head of stations instrumental in championing colleague development and empowerment. Making sure managers are equipped and empowered is necessary in keeping customers and colleagues safe and having a good experience.”
Another area of success has been around security in its stations. The operator has been clamping down on fare evasion, with more than £100,000 in prosecution payments taken this year so far.
Abu said: “We’ve increased the levels of security because we’ve recognised that some areas may not feel as safe as we’d like. Putting in additional security we’ve also seen revenue increase quite significantly, particularly at Grays Station, for example.”
Especially pleasing for Abu is the appetite from colleagues about what the long-term aims and aspirations are for the operator and in providing an even better service for customers.
“I want this to be a railway that attracts lots more people to it, somewhere we’re proud of, somewhere we do what is right for the customers and communities,” he said. “There are the shortterm challenges of course, but the things we do mustn’t damage the ability to serve our customers and communities longer term.
“I want all of my colleagues, not just those in frontline roles, to go through some up-to-date professional customer service training, to ensure people have that level of investment that they should expect, and that everybody feels really engaged with the organisation and is proud of the brand.”
At the heart of the vision going forward is community engagement and involvement. Recent examples include sponsoring the Herd in the City public art event in Southend, and unveiling a special plaque at Tilbury Town station to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush.
“We want our communities to feel like they have an ownership of the railway,” said Abu.
Making sure managers are equipped and empowered is necessary in keeping customers and colleagues safe and having a good experience
“What struck me about unveiling the plaque to commemorate the anniversary of HMT Empire Windrush was the huge level of local pride and attendance from lots of people of all ages.
“What it tells us is that when we get out there and do things and we say we are proud of the community we serve and proud of being here, you will see a willingness to engage with us. We are working hard getting out there and building those connections and those relationships and finding advocates all over the route.
“In another example, as an exec team, we were litter picking around Westcliff Station when we were approached by a community group, Grassroots Westcliff, who are focused on tidying up the area. Now conversations are underway about how we can work closer together as we want the same things for our community.”
c2c is owned by Trenitalia, the primary railway operator in Italy, providing both regional and longdistance train services across the country with more than 8,000 trains running every day. The company has invested heavily in the latest technology and infrastructure for its services, something Abu hopes to draw experience from.
“One of the first things we did as a newly established customer experience team was to visit the regional operations in Italy and what gave me particular hope and encouragement is that their regional services have recovered to pre-COVID levels, both in footfall and revenue,” said Abu.
“If they can get their regional services to 100 per cent then we would be naïve not to try and emulate some of the great things they are doing over there. One thing that stood out to me was that their customer satisfaction scores five years ago were identical to ours now and they describe that as being the beginning of their own customer experience transformation.
“That has really inspired me and the team and shown what is possible, with cross-functional investment required, particularly in areas such as marketing with the right brands and train wraps that celebrate the local area and route, as well as looking at ways of improving the colleague experience.”
The future for c2c looks bright with a further rollout of contactless payments across the network, with the current Transport for London contactless system allowing customers to travel in from London Fenchurch Street through to Shoeburyness Station just by tapping in, from December. There is also barcode ticketing expected in the near future.
Also expected in the coming months is the arrival of the Aventra 720 fleet, which was purchased in a £100 million 2017 deal. The trains offer more seating and allow customers to walk between carriages more easily. The same trains are already successfully operating on other parts of the rail network in the country, which have seen an uptick in performance and customer satisfaction.
Abu said: “I’m very optimistic about the future of the railway, and I was even at the height of the pandemic.
“We’ve been through the likes of the Spanish flu, we’ve been through world wars before, we’ve been through all sorts before to arrive at pre-COVID levels of traffic; what makes you think now that COVID has happened that the railway will never recover? What it will do is adapt and change, as it always has done.
“Recently Stansted Airport was the first major UK airport to recover to pre-COVID levels of traffic and Southend Airport is adding more routes. It is a positive sign that in this part of the world more people are back to travelling around.
“Looking at c2c, we are all on the same track of delivering for customers which is opening up a new world of opportunities.
“I’m proud of what we’ve already achieved in these six months and even more excited about what the future holds.”
What struck me about unveiling the plaque to commemorate the anniversary of HMT Empire Windrush was the huge level of local pride and attendance from lots of people of all ages
The high-speed trains due to start running on the HS2 rail network within 10 years have been marked out as the most environmentally friendly in the world.
The trains, being designed and made in the UK by a Hitachi and Alstom joint venture, will be less carbon intensive throughout their lifecycle than any other highspeed train in design, production, or operation today.
The new design, based on the successful Frecciarossa very high-speed train now operating in Italy and Spain, has become the first train in the world to achieve the British Standards Institute’s PAS 2080 global accreditation.
Work during the train’s detailed design will optimise the weight of its carbody, wheelsets and cabling, and more of the train will also be built with recycled and recyclable material.
Efforts are also going into reducing the train’s energy consumption, including improvements in its aerodynamics, which has led to it becoming the first highspeed train in the world to have a smooth, dynamically efficient underside, cutting its drag coefficient.
Finally, the train’s traction system and electric motors will be highly energy efficient – reducing energy demand for a train that will reach speeds of up to 225mph and is designed to run for 18,500 miles between servicing.
Kier has agreed to acquire substantially all the rail assets of Buckingham Group, which has gone into administration. It will become part of the Kier Transportation business, which designs, builds, and maintains infrastructure for the highways, rail, aviation, and ports sectors. Andrew Davies, chief executive at Kier Group, said: “We have previously stated that we would consider value accretive acquisitions in core markets where there is potential to accelerate the medium-term value creation plan.”
The Levenmouth rail link reached a significant milestone as Transport Minister, Fiona Hyslop, installed the final clip in the new track. The project includes two brand new stations and 19km of track, laid over several phases since March 2022, connecting Leven to Thornton Junction on the East Coast Main Line with passenger trains for the first time in more than five decades.
HS2 Ltd’s head of delivery – rolling stock, Bernie Rowell, said: “We’re delighted that our train is the first in the world to be recognised for its low-carbon credentials. It is testament to our determination to deliver a low-carbon mass transit high-speed rail system for Britain. HS2 will persuade people to choose the train over the car and plane and help the UK reach net zero by 2050.”
Due to start rolling off the production line around 2027, the eight-carriage trains, measuring 200 metres in length, will be manufactured across three UK factories.
Hitachi’s Co Durham plant will handle vehicle body assembly and initial fit-out before transferring further fit-out and testing work to Alstom’s historic Derby works.
The consultation on proposed changes to ticket offices closed earlier this month with watchdogs London TravelWatch and Transport Focus having received 680,000 responses combined.
The consultation on train operator proposals to close the majority of ticket offices in England ended on Friday 1 September.
In the consultation responses from the public and stakeholders, concerns were raised around accessibility, safety and security, issues with ticket machines, and how stations will be staffed in future.
Over the coming weeks, the watchdogs will continue to analyse the train operator proposals and public consultation responses before responding to train operators by 31 October.
Michael Roberts, chief executive of the independent transport watchdog, London TravelWatch, said: “We’ve had an incredible response from the public with more than half a million responses so it’s important we take this time to consider our response.
“We are particularly interested in how individual stations will be staffed, how accessible they will be, options for buying tickets, and whether passengers will be able to access facilities such as lifts, waiting rooms and toilets.”
A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group said: “We appreciate all the input we’ve received so far from the public and stakeholders. We want all our passengers to feel supported during any transition, and train companies will now work with independent passenger bodies at a local level to take on board the feedback.
“In the meantime, we will continue to engage with passengers and accessibility and safety groups to make a better and more robust railway.”
Many businesses are actively looking at new technology to help them lower costs and become more efficient. Where that new technology involves lithium-ion batteries, they bring new risks to the business which ought to be considered.
Many of us think nothing of leaving our phones and laptops
on overnight charge but cheaper chargers can cause fires if they overheat. In the last 12 months, there has been a spate of fires, some sadly resulting in fatalities, arising from other larger equipment being left on charge for too long, particularly electric bikes and scooters. These are now bringing very real risks to businesses that allow their staff to charge all manner of personal items
at work, especially where devices are left unsupervised.
Solar panels are an attractive investment to many businesses looking to save on their energy costs by reducing their energy consumption. Inevitably where the target is to store energy, the project will include the installation of solar lithium-ion batteries. To protect the business, it is essential that the batteries are stored in an outbuilding, ideally 10m away from the main premises, in case of malfunction of the battery units.
All this new technology creates a risk called “thermal runaway” where the batteries can self-ignite in certain circumstances. It is very difficult to extinguish this kind of fire because the lithium salts in the battery are self-oxidizing, meaning they can’t be “starved out” like a traditional fire. It is important that the installation and use of the batteries are in accordance with the manufacturer’s safety instructions and project managed by
a competent contractor in this field. The installation of such systems does present a relevant material fact to the premises insurers, and each business should get their insurers to sign off the solar installation to avoid cover being prejudiced.
This and other risk management advice is provided by the Jobson James Rail team.
For further advice, please contact us on 07816 283949
HS2 Ltd’s Old Oak Common station is in the top one per cent of UK buildings for eco-friendly status. Jonty Bletcher, the station’s senior sustainability manager, explains more
HS2’s ‘super-hub’ station at Old Oak Common in West London has been recognised as ‘outstanding’ for environmental design. It received the rating under the internationally recognised Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), the principal indicator for excellence in building design, construction and sustainability.
“We’re delighted; it has been a long time coming. We’ve been working on this design for almost 10 years and at the start we were aiming for excellent, and then as time’s progressed, we’ve managed to push it all the way to outstanding,” said Jonty
Bletcher, Old Oak Common’s senior sustainability manager.
Currently under construction, when complete, it will be the largest newly built station in the UK. The outstanding rating puts it in the top one per cent of new build assets globally and has been achieved thanks to responsible construction practices, aftercare planning, cyclist facilities, life cycle impact, exemplary waste management practices, and the adaptation of the building to climate change.
“We’ve had quite a gradual design going on for a number of years now, working with various consultancies at our design house from the offset with the clear objective of achieving an excellent rating as
part of HS2’s requirements on all our designers,” he said.
“Everyone has known where we are coming from in ensuring design and sustainability performance remains at the forefront. Opportunities have been identified early on and then it has been about growing the opportunities and getting from 70 per cent up to 94 per cent to move from excellent to outstanding.”
The BREEAM assessment is based on several factors including the environmental performance of the station when operational. The rating recognises the station will deliver net zero emissions and will require minimal or no grid-supplied energy when it is in use.
Low and zero-carbon technologies have been incorporated into the design of the station through a combination of multiple systems, providing a station that is carbon negative in terms of regulated energy.
“One of the big elements for me is about the carbon footprint of the station. So we’ve got the Life Cycle Assessment going on in the background, and for HS2 all of the stations have got to get down to 50 per cent on their baseline, which as you can imagine is a pretty big ask for any project,” he said.
“We’ve managed to design in more renewables now for our steel and for our concrete, which massively pushes our carbon reduction, and I think at the moment we have achieved 43 per cent reduction. We have started building by pouring lots of concrete, but we’re able to take a lot of the cement from the concrete for instance.
“Likewise with the steel, we are using recycled steel and we redesigned the whole roof after putting a physical model of the station into a wind tunnel to see what would happen to the roof. The architects realised they had over-designed the roof and it didn’t need to be so heavy, so we stripped out a load of the steel and that has also had a knock-on effect on carbon.”
Old Oak Common has been designed to reduce its operational reliance on energy, including an open plan layout with an atrium that allows for natural ventilation, and occupancy and daylight sensors that reduce the demand for artificial light.
Thought has been given to all aspects of the station and its construction, particularly related to materials efficiency measurement and management and the redistribution of felled timber from the site to a range of community sources.
Wider sustainability best practices and approaches have also been key at Old Oak Common, including the use of a spoil conveyor system to remove large volumes of excavated materials with a significantly reduced requirement for lorries to use the road network.
The station has been designed to accommodate sustainable travel. It will include cycling facilities as well as EV charging facilities making up 16 per cent of the parking facilities, well above the three per cent required by BREEAM standards.
“The station is all about sustainability, which includes tying in with cycle networks around the station,” he said. “The railway is a green form of transport to start with, but we have been keen to ensure there is interconnection with alternative transport.
“There will be 300 cycle spaces and we are also looking at expanding the proposed EV network. At the moment we are working out how the 16 per cent EV charging facilities can be increased. Essential to that is not just looking at how we get enough power from the local network, but for us, we then have a lot of UV on our roof so that can make us a selfsustaining electrical user on our site.
The architects realised they had over-designed the roof and it didn’t need to be so heavy, so we stripped out a load of the steel and that has also had a knock-on effect on carbon
“Electrical engineers have stripped out a lot of the demand that the station requires in terms of electricity thanks to putting lots of UV on our roof and we are also using outsource heat pumps.
“We have got to the point now that we won’t require any electricity for the station itself, although we will still need it for the lines. It is great to have achieved this, but we are keen to expand that; we’ve got the flexibility in the design to increase that, which is exciting to be part of.”
The design has been awarded an exemplary credit for its adaptation to climate change, taking into account thermal modelling that shows the station won’t overheat as a result of potential climate change impacts and events.
Rainwater harvesting at the station is expected to cover 100 per cent of the demand for urinal and WC flushing.
It has also been noted that the station has been designed for durability and resilience, with protective measures taken for vulnerable and exposed parts of the building that will prevent deterioration and reduce maintenance demands.
Jonty said: “The lifespan of the railway is 125 years, so we’ve got to design it so it is adaptable for climate change, which puts a lot of onus on the design team.
“They build the here and the now and build the concrete so the station won’t fall down, but then we have been saying that we need to put on these extra stresses which are over and above what we have at the moment. It is an interesting conversation with the engineers but one in which we have all been thinking the same way.”
Old Oak Common, which is currently being constructed by station construction partner Balfour Beatty Vinci SYSTRA joint venture, joins HS2’s Birmingham Interchange Station in achieving the outstanding rating.
Jonty said: “There is nothing like this station in the UK. This is definitely cutting edge and is very important because we are showing that we can do it and that it doesn’t need to cost more. There’s lots of lessons being learnt, and like the learning from Crossrail, what we do here will be taken forward for the next project.
“It is proving sustainability doesn’t mean more expensive, although that can be the initial reaction from some engineers. It is about being innovative and because we have had so long through the design process, we’re now getting to the point where engineers are coming along and saying it could save us money if you do x and y. Their first question now is ‘What does that do to the BREEAM score?’ so they are plugged into it.”
In June 2021, the then Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, gave the thumbs up for permanent work to begin on Old Oak Common. Since then, work on the site has gathered pace and significant progress has been made.
A total workforce of 1,900 people is supporting the delivery of the HS2 ‘super-hub’ station, with the site itself welcoming around 1,000 workers each day.
In respect to the construction, there is a commitment to waste efficiency, going beyond best practice to promote resource efficiency and reduce construction waste, with 95 per cent of site materials sent for beneficial reuse. The team constructing the station are keeping this under review and finding more ways to reduce waste further as construction continues.
Jonty said: “Excitement continues to build, especially with construction well underway. This has all been achieved thanks to collaboration with clever design and really utilising our roof space to help with our electricity needs, which will have a massive knock-on effect when it comes to our carbon.
“We are showing what innovation and technology can do and I think the larger stations of the future should be following our lead and be looking to net zero.”
Once open, Old Oak Common station will become one of the country’s most vital transport hubs, with services east, west, north and south. Plans to transform the wider area around the station, a former railway and industrial site, are being led by the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) and it projects that tens of thousands of new jobs and homes will be created around the new HS2 station.
We are showing what innovation and technology can do and I think the larger stations of the future should be following our lead and be looking to net zero
The train operator has taken a big step forward in its vision to provide an easier, greener and better experience for customers with the introduction of vegetable oil-powered trains. Engineering director Tim Sayer explains more
There is a huge amount to be proud of in Chiltern Railways’ history since it was formed in 1996, including the building of new stations, opening of new routes, and ordering of new trains.
While proud of its successes, the operator is only too aware of the challenges it faces, particularly as its trains are now among the oldest in the UK and the majority are diesel-powered.
But that is changing, especially with the launch of vegetable oil-powered trains on its network – the first instance of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) being used in passenger service in the UK.
From July, its Class 68 locomotive-hauled trains
began being powered with the fuel (which is derived from used cooking oils, tallows and other recyclable wastes), drastically reducing the impact the trains have on the environment and air quality across its network.
“We’re all pretty proud of what has been achieved and although I wouldn’t say it was all plain sailing, it is one of those rare occasions in which several organisations have come together and all benefited,” said Tim Sayer, Chiltern Railways’ engineering director.
“It has been the right thing to do because up until the use of HVO, we were the last diesel operator with a London terminus.”
HVO fuel is made almost entirely from used cooking oils and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90 per cent and air particulates by 85 per cent.
It is a fossil-free drop-in alternative to conventional diesel fuel which contains few impurities and burns cleanly. It can reduce other emissions such as NOx and Carbon Monoxide, depending on engine type and usage.
All HVO fuel used by Chiltern Railways has been previously used and recycled to power part of its fleet. The Class 68 locomotives being fuelled haul six Mark III coaches when they are in passenger service, providing seating for more than 300 customers.
“HVO performs as well as diesel and the driver hasn’t had to change their driving style,” said Tim. “Studies have also shown that there has been a slight increase in fuel economy (between three and seven per cent) and in terms of capacity, HVO is three or four per cent more volume than diesel.
“There are more compliant diesel engines around which produce fewer emissions but trying to retrofit those onto older trains is more complicated. HVO is a way of getting that benefit without having to technically change the layout of how the train works or change the engine configuration at all.
“You can also do a direct substitution between diesel and HVO. You can literally stop fuelling with diesel one day and start fuelling with HVO the next day. Speaking with the rolling stock company and having talked to the original engine manufacturers, no one has raised any issues because HVO is widely used in machinery, plant, cranes, and road transport, so there is a bit of a precedent there.”
Although HVO fuel is more expensive – with estimates suggesting it will cost Chiltern more than £1 million extra a year – the decision was made to switch as part of the train operator’s plan to modernise and decarbonise its operations through the Right Route 2030 vision. This ambitious proposal sets out how fleet renewal and modernisation over the next decade will make journeys easier, greener, and better for customers.
“Yes, we are spending more on fuel, but we are being more engaged with our customers, kinder to the people that live closer to the railway, and ultimately, we are doing the right thing for the environment.
“Extensive work has been carried out looking at other markets and we don’t think it is going to harm the fleet in the long term. There was an initial feeling of HVO being too good to be true, and where’s the catch, but apart from the cost, we have found no issues.
“Although overall what is needed is electrification for the route, there is only a finite amount of money available, and this might not happen for ten/15 years. We might initially see some partial discontinuous electrification which will help the case for the battery electric trains which we want to get, but even that will be years down the line, so this is about something that is going to deliver for us today.”
Chiltern, part of the Arriva group, operates commuter/regional rail passenger services from its Central London terminus at London Marylebone to destinations in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, as well as long-distance services to the West Midlands along two routes.
As well as the Class 68s, Chiltern has 89 vehicles in the Class 165 diesel fleet that is 33 years old and 85 vehicles in the Class 168 fleet that is 23 years old, which leads to the question of whether these could be fuelled by HVO in the near future.
“People might say if it is that good why aren’t you using it in all your fleets, not just in the Class 68 trains, but I think we want to have six to nine months of this bedding in properly,” he said. “The issue for us will be based around our depots having parallel fuelling systems so we have diesel and HVO. It is fine at Stourbridge where we fuel the 68s, but if we were to do
the same for the rest of our fleet it will mean putting a new fuelling system in at Aylesbury, Banbury and Wembley and actually, that’s difficult in terms of space to do.
“If we do go down that route, I think the answer is that we will stop taking diesel completely and we’ll just use the existing diesel fuelling infrastructure and make it all HVO, and literally everything in the fleet would be HVO, but we are some way away from making that decision.”
One thing that Tim is adamant about is that the use of HVO is just the start. As highlighted in the operator’s Right Route to 2030 vision, there is an acceptance that the diesel fleet doesn’t allow it to deliver a decarbonised future and it cannot afford to wait for track electrification to continue the journey.
As part of this, in February 2022 Chiltern launched HybridFLEX, Britain’s first capable battery-diesel hybrid train, with the two-carriage train initially running between Aylesbury and London Marylebone. The 20-year-old diesel train has been fitted with a powerful battery meaning it uses 25 per cent less fuel.
The project, delivered in collaboration with Porterbrook and Rolls Royce, is being reviewed this year, with a recommendation on whether this technology could be rolled out further or if it would be more economical to invest in a new fleet or purely battery-powered trains.
“Many operators I’m sure will be looking at us, particularly around HVO to see if it is something they should be doing,” he said. “It is a small step, but it should start getting the rest of the industry working in the same direction.
“This is a bridge until we can establish battery trains, which will probably be the first battery trains from new in the UK. The Department for Transport is very supportive of that, and we’ve started the procurement process. We’re also engaging with the supply base to find out what technologies they’ve got either in development or in production that they could apply for us on the Chiltern route.
“I think that is the bigger prize to chase at the moment and it will take several years, but we feel as if there is a lot of support behind us with stakeholders and customers. This is the right thing to do, and it will put us in an innovative position where we are leading the rest of the industry rather than following it.”
You can literally stop fuelling with diesel one day and start fuelling with HVO the next day
has officially launched its new Rail Spares business. Built on a proven track record of supplying the rail industry, the business is run by Steve Welch, who explains more about the aspiration to be the one-stop shop for the UK railways
The rail industry faces unprecedented and complex challenges in creating an affordable railway that provides outstanding service. Suppliers are crucial enablers of its success, providing the key materials needed to keep the trains running safely and efficiently.
Providing that platform is TVS Rail Spares, which officially launched in June at Rail Live, following extensive research into the needs of the wider rail industry and building on their proven track record in rail infrastructure material supply.
“It is all about ensuring we get the fundamentals right and offering a fast, efficient, good value service, getting the engineers on the track what they need and
when they need it,” said Steve Welch, who manages the brand.
“High levels of speed and service are of critical importance which is why we offer next-day supply on the vast range of material we hold in stock. The vision is to be the Amazon of the rail industry, taking some of the innovations that you see in other industries and bringing them to life in rail.
“The sector is crying out for competition and innovation. We have the capability and ability to disrupt this huge market and create a 21st-century solution, one which grasps innovation and technology.”
TVS Rail Spares’ range of products is extensive, with over 10,000 lines of signalling, OLE, telecoms,
PPE, tools and consumables, right through to barriers, fencing, track gauges and points heaters.
“The infrastructure to create TVS Rail Spares was in place as we already managed over 300 rail suppliers, so we were speaking to the right people anyway. The new service was about expanding our expertise and products to benefit rail industry subcontractors and to attract a new customer base,” added Steve.
“The catalogue has a core range of signalling, telecoms and overhead line, as well as lots of key consumables, PPE and tools. Currently, we manage 37 different product categories and hundreds of subcategories underneath that level.
“The launch in June was just the start of the journey. Over the next couple of years, we will be expanding that product range dramatically and making sure we are the one-stop shop for what the rail industry needs, along with our online catalogue containing a treasure trove of information on those products.”
Stock availability will be a key factor for success for TVS Rail Spares. In the last 18 months, stock levels on more than 2,600 essential rail items have not dropped below 96 per cent availability, ensuring that these critical products are always available and can be delivered quickly.
“In the rail industry, everything is needed at the last minute when the project teams realise they are missing a part. After the issues of recent years with COVID, Brexit and the war in Ukraine, getting hold of this material is harder than ever before,” said Steve, who added that being part of a global company and having a large operation in Chorley has led to the infrastructure being in place to bring about an Amazon-style logistics service.
“What used to be a just-in-time global supply chain has very much broken down, but we believe we can fill that gap by ensuring we can get the products to people quickly and efficiently. The next-day delivery service is integral to that offering to the industry.
“We use IT to underpin everything we do in terms of supply chain management and have the systems in place to manage the supply chain smarter. That doesn’t just mean putting extra stock on the shelf; it’s a process of using the data and AI demand forecasting algorithms to manage what we do more efficiently.
“TVS SCS has its own systems, developed by an in-house IT team, and as a result, has got the flexibility and capability to change as the needs of the customer and supply chain move. We also have teams of supply chain professionals and procurement experts that support the business to ensure high levels of performance.”
Steve joined the business in March, bringing with him nearly two decades of knowledge on complex logistics, material planning and project management.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at TVS SCS,” he said. “I got a positive feeling early on, with the scale of the business being far greater than I had initially realised. It has been a career highlight for me to bring TVS Rail Spares to life and expand the service we offer to the rest of the rail market, creating an online catalogue centred around what our customers want.
“I’ve learnt over the years that the industry never runs smoothly and to expect last-minute issues. What distinguishes our service is how we react to solve the problem rather than spending too much time focusing on what has gone wrong.
“Over the years I’ve worked in various supply chain and commercial roles, but always heavily involved with the people working on the ground, solving their material problems. The logistics of getting the components where they need to be historically has always been my biggest focus, as it has for the rest of the TVS Rail Spares team too. We understand how the rail industry operates and how we can help to ensure projects run smoothly.
“Ultimately, you want the workers on track to concentrate on what they are good at, which is the construction and maintenance of our railway. They don’t want to be delayed or spend their time worrying about getting a nut or bolt, which despite its low value, can cause costly delays and interruptions to train services. We offer that comfort factor and assurance that the customer base can get items quickly.”
TVS Rail Spares is part of TVS SCS, a global leader in end-to-end supply chain services for various industries including automotive, beverage, health, industrial, rail, utilities, and defence markets. Steve is passionate to follow the initial belief of commitment to the values of trust and customer service, coupled with supply chain expertise.
“For me, while the big focus is the success of TVS Rail Spares, we’re always looking for opportunities to take it to the next level. We’d love to be involved in big transformational projects with a train builder, a TOC (train operating company) or a Tier 1 infrastructure subcontractor where we can completely revolutionise and transform their supply chain,” he said. “I would love to be involved in some of those projects in the future.
“But in the short term, following the initial excitement of the official launch, our priority is to build the brand because I still feel TVS SCS is the best-kept secret in the railway supply chain. But that is changing, and TVS Rail Spares feels like the start of the journey and our capabilities. There is so much more we can offer the industry.”
Visit www.tvsrailspares.com for more details
Ultimately, you want the workers on track to concentrate on what they are good at
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In an era of evolving transportation trends, SLC believes the role of local railway stations is at a crossroads, and there’s an opportunity as the industry transitions to new governance and structures to transform these stations to provide facilities and services that are bespoke to the area.
Over the past decade, SLC Rail has championed this movement, spearheading over 60 rail station projects since 2009, including the successful launch of 11 new stations. Sam Uren, director of SLC Rail, explains the significance of communities having a
bigger influence on their local railway stations and explores the multifaceted benefits this offers.
Once hailed for their architectural grandeur that instilled a sense of arrival, the designs of railway stations have evolved significantly. Sam explained: “The 1960s marked a transition from these grand designs towards practicality and standardised nationalised designs, resulting in low-rise structures that lacked the charm and uniqueness of their predecessors.
“The primary objective of a station is to provide a node of intermodal change; while this is not wrong, this should not be the sole objective as stations are and continue to be at the heart of all our cities, towns, and villages and every location is unique. We believe it’s important to design stations that understand the environment in which they sit and hence communicate with the community they serve. With all the station projects we work on, we consider the setting, use and requirement needed for the local area and work around the rules and governance of the railway industry to make it happen.”
SLC collaborates closely with local authorities and developers to craft stations that integrate with the communities they serve. This tailored approach is vital, especially given shifting passenger priorities and the necessity for public transport to resonate emotionally.
As part of the West Midlands Rail Programme (WMRP), SLC is helping to redevelop University station in partnership with over ten 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 in a way that better supports community needs,” explained Sam.
Amidst the myriad challenges facing the railway industry today, the proposals to close ticket offices is another example where SLC believes that it’s important for wider involvement.
Sam continued: “This is an opportunity for the rail industry to look at a different station ownership model that will work better for local people, highlighting that each location will have differing needs from the station building assets, which could dictate more bespoke offerings relevant to the local space. This needs to be considered carefully to ensure that we still achieve the right safety and security needed at their station.
“The right decision needs to be made for the community and it’s an opportunity to challenge the current commercial property arrangements at stations to allow for this to happen – and this could be exciting because it could allow for more bespoke facilities that benefit the area.
“We want to explore with the rail industry how the current structure works with local communities and entrepreneurs, and how local communities and authorities can take control and relieve the rail industry of the pressures that they are currently under. We have the skills, insight and innovation to do that because we have been doing it for so long, and we understand that it is scalable. We’ve also experience working within the existing structure and what needs to change to deliver these exciting opportunities.”
Stations connecting people
Stations are not just about connecting people to destinations but also about connecting people emotionally. SLC Rail and SLC Property are corporate partners of Community Rail Network and work with Community Rail Partnerships and station adoption groups to help them collaborate with train operating companies and Network Rail, and to navigate all the railway legislation and regulations to bring about station improvements. SLC is currently supporting a project at Herne Hill station
to help them navigate the property agreements to make a community space accessible on the station’s first floor.
Sam continued: “It’s important for people to feel part of something, and stations can help. We are likely to see movements like Community Rail Partnerships grow even bigger in the next few years, especially if a nationalised railway removes short-term commercial pressures on station facilities and spaces.
“Volunteers find so much satisfaction from involvement in community rail activities and everyone benefits from tangible benefits and legacies like libraries, gardens and community spaces.”
As the railway landscape transforms, SLC is keen to support the industry in helping it to reimagine how it manages railway stations and their facilities and transforms them into dynamic community focal points. SLC Rail’s commitment to placing communities at the core of its projects is a testament to the potential railway stations hold in shaping vibrant, interconnected, and sustainable communities.
We want to explore with the rail industry how the current structure works with local communities and entrepreneursAn artistic impression of the redeveloped University station in Birmingham, which will have dedicated NHS facilities on site.
KOREC is driven by a passion to empower organisations to measure, map and manage the natural and built environment, transforming outcomes by bringing speed and certainty to work.
It couldn’t come at a better time for the rail industry, with this provider of measurement solutions, surveying equipment, and mapping systems offering a service that decreases the time needed trackside and with an improved quality of data.
“There is sometimes a fear that if something sounds too good to be true it probably is, but that is not the case in this instance,” said Ric Kirman, KOREC’s business area manager for rail and monitoring. “At a time when it isn’t uncommon for a survey on the rail infrastructure to still be carried out using a tape measure, a bit of chalk, and a long
piece of string, what we offer is the future and it has to be embraced.
“At KOREC Rail, we prioritise the value of genuine connections with our customers. We firmly believe that by taking the time to actively listen to their challenges and thoroughly comprehend their needs, we can establish a strong foundation of trust in the technology and workflows we offer. Our approach goes beyond merely providing a product; we are committed to delivering a comprehensive package that includes top-notch training and ongoing support. This way, we ensure that our customers can experience the full potential of our Trimble solutions and achieve their desired results with confidence.”
KOREC Rail is one of Trimble’s largest distributors. It’s a partnership that has enabled the company to bring world-class solutions to customers, but always tailored to the demands of a UK market.
“What we offer is effectively a consultancy and equipment service, so if the rail industry want to measure or map anything within the rail corridor then that’s where we get involved and we can help,” added Ric, who joined the company in February 2021 as part of the expansion of the rail team.
“We bring to market things like geospatial products, total stations, lasers, all the general measuring tools that you would see out there, but we also have the Trimble GEDO, a track measurement device (TMD) which is really transforming the rail industry.”
The GEDO is a ‘T’ shaped chassis that sits on the track and can be pushed by one person. It gathers a lot of information as the operator walks along the track - things like gauge, cant, twist, and a host of other survey information like topo points and constraint points.
is transforming the way the UK rail industry carries out surveys and in doing so reducing boots on ballast. Ric Kirman explains more
The system is modular, which means you can attach other solutions to it – including the Trimble GX50 dual head laser scanner. This scanner can be used to generate 3D point clouds and give a very high-resolution 3D twin, which can then be used to gather a huge amount of data.
“It gives you a range of measurements of all sorts of things you’d be looking for as a track maintenance engineer or a works delivery engineer, and the idea is that it fits in with the core objectives for the rail industry in that it is safe, reliable and efficient,” he said.
“The railway is an inherently dangerous place to be, so this equipment really connects with getting boots off the ballast. Safety and efficiency are at the core of what we do here at KOREC in the rail division with the products and innovations that we bring to the market, which are designed to get people off the infrastructure as quickly as possible.
“We are also working with NR to trial Trimble and Boston Dynamics’ SPOT the dog (an agile robot) to allow human-free autonomous data collection in dangerous locations, such as in a tunnel where there might be objects falling from height. We have an aging infrastructure, so it is really important we keep people safe.”
In respect to Trimble’s GEDO, customers are achieving results 50 times faster than traditional survey methods. On a trial in the Severn Tunnel, the GEDO GX50 (an advanced and flexible laser scanning system, optimised for use with Trimble GEDO track measurement systems) was able to scan at a rate of 5,000 metres per hour. This compares well to the rate for a static scanner on a tripod, 300m per hour. On the Severn Tunnel job, it completed the seven-kilometre survey in just eight hours, compared to the same survey undertaken using traditional methods (height stagger gauge and laser measurement), which took 450 hours. The GEDO GX50 also didn’t just take the height and stagger measurements, but a full digital twin of the tunnel.
Ric said: “The inertial measurement unit is fibreoptic gyroscopes, and as far as I can tell, magic, as it is literally as quick as you can walk on the ballast. You give it a rough location within 50km of where you are, and it will work out using the earth’s rotational speed and gravity exactly where it is down to the millimetre; it still blows my mind.
“This technology is a big step change for the industry, to the extent that we have people using this kit who were still writing figures in books previously. The system has been around for several years and is tried and tested but is still a leap coming for those who have favoured traditional methods, which is why we guide customers through the adoption, instilling a process and a workflow. It really is a partnership and already the likes of Network Rail are seeing the benefits, at a time when track access time is vastly reducing. NR contractors are also investing in this equipment because they see the benefits that NR are seeing, carrying out work such as DVS surveys, tamping, and producing as-builts or 3D laser scans etc.
“The only way we are going to be able to maintain rail network safety for customers is by embracing technology like the GEDO system and the whole Trimble ecosystem.”
Particularly exciting for Ric is the ability to collect, use and share point cloud data captured by 3D laser scanners and how this can be turned into usable data for informed decision-making. Features within Trimble’s GEDO Scan Office software enable you to carry out everything from platform gauging and clash detection, to height and stagger surveys and asset data collection.
KOREC also has its own in-house software development company called K-MATIC, which has recently developed field data capture and data sharing software specifically for Network Rail, offering full workflows and customised applications.
“We’ve been building up to where we are now for several years, but we’re really starting to see the uptake and last year KOREC sold just over a third of the global demand for GEDO,” he said. “What sets us apart is the ability to train, support and look after the customers going forward. We’ve put into place training courses and have also partnered with the Permanent Way Institution so that the people there are trained.
“We’ve developed an apprenticeship course that takes them from simple things like using a laser level, all the way through to using digital 3D scanning and how that is important in the real world.
“With the technology on offer, our techs can log into the system wherever it is in the world and help in terms of team view and take control of the unit. We’ve built a team with 65-plus years of rail experience, and that’s not all me, so we are surrounded by specialists in that area. We are all certified to go out on the live rail, and hold the relevant certificates, so our service comes with a high degree of credibility, and a knowledge of the rail environment and the challenges being faced.”
Visit korecgroup.com for more details
This technology is a big step change for the industry, to the extent that we have people using this kit who were still writing figures in books previously
When Charles Darwin theorised biological evolution, it was found that the natural selection of small, inherited variations that increased an individual’s ability to compete, survive, and reproduce usually took place over a significant amount of time, from multiple generations to hundreds or thousands of years. Whilst the works of Charles Darwin form part of the most important scientific discoveries in all of history, Ferris Bueller, during his notorious day off, focused on the ‘here and now’ and quoted “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it”.
Whilst there is clearly little connection or comparison of Darwinism to an entertainment film from the 80’s, having an appreciation of evolution and change and looking around to see what is happening is the only way you can make decisions and take appropriate actions in the workplace. Tomorrow is guaranteed to arrive, so you’d better be ready for it.
At Serco Rail Technical Services, we are in a privileged position whereby we can trace our evolution through the decades, all the way back to when the team operated under British Rail. We have countless artefacts in our departmental stores, ranging from hardware such as tools, equipment, and components to archives of documents, drawings, reports and so on. Whilst we have a wealth of items that seem like they should belong in a museum, the
reality of our industry is that there are still a great many ‘mature’ rail vehicles, structures and assets that are operating very effectively and efficiently to this day; our inventory allows us to deliver many of our services as effectively today as they were delivered 20+ years ago.
But what about now and what about the future?
Whilst Ferris Bueller isn’t part of our leadership team, we did ‘stop’, we did ‘look around’, and what we saw in today’s world enabled, and continues to enable us, on our evolutionary journey. Our organisation has always relentlessly pushed forward, but we are evolving at a new rate, and we accelerate change where it is required through technology, process, knowledge, attitude, and approach so that we remain a key player within the rail industry. We are increasingly agile; we think differently, and we continue to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers. We are here today, and we absolutely look forward to tomorrow.
We have countless case studies based on decades of delivery in our areas of expertise. Relative to ‘here and now’, some of our more recent work shows how we ‘think differently’ and deliver our services WITH our customers, not simply FOR our customers. We want you to find out more. Get in touch, visit our workplace, meet our people, see what we do and discuss what we can do……. together!
www.serco.com/srts | enquiries.srts@serco.com | 0330 109 8852.
Our inventory allows us to deliver many of our services as effectively today as they were delivered 20+ years ago
ust over a year ago, my first quarterly column appeared in Rail Director. Now I’m delighted to be addressing readers in a slightly different capacity, as towards the end of August, the Railway Industry Association officially acquired several Rail Business Daily assets, including the RBD daily newsletter, which goes to over 73,000 rail people, the RBD Community, which includes 250 businesses, and Rail Director magazine, with a readership of over 15,000 rail professionals.
I’m incredibly pleased about the acquisition – not least, because it will increase RIA’s reach and bolster its efforts to support and strengthen the UK rail supply sector. Together, we are stronger, and even better placed to be a force for good in the industry.
I’m aware that ‘doing good’ was always a priority for RBD’s founding principals David McLoughlin and Simon Taylor, and that the RBD team has developed a strong, instantly recognisable brand, and powerful media and communication channels. Amongst them is Rail Director magazine, which – with editor Danny Longhorn at the helm – has become one of the industry’s most well-respected monthly publications.
The acquisition will ensure that the wider rail supply community continues to benefit from these channels, accessing first-class intelligence and relevant, informative features. We also hope to offer RIA and RBD Community members a range of new benefits, which will be announced in due course.
What’s already clear is that this acquisition makes sense, bringing two like-minded teams together, and
the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. From the start, we saw the potential for a real and powerful synergy between RIA and RBD, which are both committed to building a strong and sustainable rail supply chain. Since 1875, RIA has been the national trade association for UK suppliers to the rail industry –and the voice of the rail supply community. Media and profile-raising platform RBD provides rail organisations with the latest news and industry insight and helps them to connect and to do more business together, acting as a force for good in the sector. With their twin missions, the organisations were ideal partners.
Currently we’re continuing with business as usual, with the RBD newsletter sent out at 7am each morning, while Rail Director magazine will remain a platform for all. Going forward, we aim to bring readers an even broader range of stories from the rail supply sector, helping them to stay up to date with key developments.
In my first Rail Director column, I urged businesses to be positive about the industry both now and for its future, talking it up rather than down. RBD’s channels are there to support rail businesses, shining a light on all that’s good about our strong and resilient sector. We at RIA look forward to working and integrating with the RBD team – including MD Dean Bruce –in the weeks and months ahead. If you have any thoughts about any of this, please do let us know at hello@railbusinessdaily.com, we’d be happy to hear from you.
– and explains why the two organisations are stronger together
RBD’s channels are there to support rail businesses, shining a light on all that’s good about our strong and resilient sector
Opening up rail travel to more people, working with partners to make rail more inclusive and accessible, is a common thread running through community rail. It’s often where great gains can be made with social value, in some cases transforming lives.
Key to this are stations, and their role not only as transport interchanges, but also as sites that can be used to foster community cohesion and empower and give voice to people with diverse lived experiences.
Community rail puts railways and stations at the heart of communities, helping people derive maximum social, economic, and environmental benefit. This growing grassroots movement, brought together under Community Rail Network’s umbrella, includes 75 community rail partnerships (CRPs), all working to engage communities and help people get the most from their local railways.
It also includes 1,200+ ‘station friends’ and other local volunteer groups, who tend to about half (47 per cent) of the 2,570 stations on Britain’s rail network.
‘Community rail and inclusive, accessible travel,’ a new report by Community Rail Network, sponsored by Rail Delivery Group, explores how community rail is supporting and enabling accessible and inclusive journeys and stations, breaking down barriers for those who might otherwise feel excluded or marginalised from rail.
Jools Townsend, chief executive of Community Rail Network, said: “Community rail is helping to create inclusive and welcoming station environments that cater for, appeal to, and involve everyone.
“Community rail partnerships and groups are increasing people’s confidence and familiarity in accessing railways and stations, and making stations physically accessible to disabled people or those who face travel barriers. They are also creating more inclusive and welcoming environments that encourage social interactions, and being used as bases to coordinate inclusive volunteering.”
“These partnerships and groups are helping communities get the most from their stations, turning those sites into thriving and celebratory gateways and hubs, often by bringing disused buildings or areas back to life for community good.
“The accessibility and inclusion agenda is gaining prominence in community rail, as groups look to enhance stations so they are more than just places to catch a train, but places that encourage social interactions and support community-led initiatives.
“Making a station somewhere a community can feel proud of and ownership towards in turn may
widen access to rail travel by encouraging people to see rail as a part of their lives.”
Examples of community rail projects showcased in the report include:
Community Rail Lancashire’s pioneering work opening up rail travel to people with autism, using virtual reality, interactive videos, guided adventures, and station audits;
The Friends of Buxton Station working with those with lived experience to create and trial dementiafriendly station signage;
The Leeds-Morecambe CRP’s ‘Access for All’ project on the Bentham Line, which includes QR codes for each station allowing rail users to link to 360-degree interactive videos of each station’s layout and facilities;
Kent CRP’s Grow 19 project, in which Five Acre Wood Special School has adopted Snodland Station, empowering students aged 16 to 25 with additional needs to learn practical skills and express themselves through artwork;
Severnside CRP’s ‘In Our Hands,’ a photography piece in British Sign Language at Patchway Station that has fostered links with the local deaf community and led to groups being offered days out by train experiences.
Jools said: “Research has shown that some of the most prevalent barriers to disabled people accessing rail are associated with travel to and from stations, and being able to navigate stations.
Community Rail Network’s chief executive Jools Townsend on the role the community rail movement is increasingly playing in creating inclusive and welcoming stations
While major infrastructure projects are led by the rail industry, community rail is ideally placed to bring local knowledge and the voices of people with different lived experiences by brokering partnerships with such groups, as well as leading on smaller-scale improvements.
“Projects that help stations to be welcoming places, where everyone can feel at ease and connected with the people and places around them, are vital.
“We are seeing community rail partnerships and groups enhancing the wellbeing of individuals and communities by creating wildflower and sensory gardens at stations, and offering a window into the communities they serve via features such as talking benches and history boards. There are also a multitude of stations adorned with art displays that promote inclusivity, reinforcing the notion that stations and rail are open to everyone.”
Creating communities
Jools added: “There are more than 10,000 volunteers involved in community rail across Britain, and stations are being adopted by a more diverse range of groups, including schools, colleges, charities, and other community groups, with gardening and arts and heritage projects bringing different elements of the community together, strengthening bonds. In many cases, this fosters an inclusive environment, supportive of people who are marginalised or vulnerable in some way becoming involved. This widens access to rail travel too, by offering a positive experience of rail and stations, creating confidence and familiarity.”
The report finds that community rail’s local knowledge is vital in making accessibility-related station projects a success, and all the more impactful when built on genuine involvement and shaped by those with lived experience, often using creative, holistic approaches to bring people together.
Jools said: “The government’s Plan for Rail asserts that the railways must become more inclusive, accessible, sustainable, and responsive to local needs, as part of a fully inclusive transport system. Our growing evidence base outlines the numerous ways that community rail provides an ideal vehicle for this. Putting accessibility and inclusion at the forefront of rail industry thinking, and supporting this through the local engagement typified by community rail, will ensure our railways and stations play a growing, powerful role at the heart of our communities into the future.”
For more information, visit communityrail.org.uk
The Bristol region has taken a major step forward in revitalising its railway network with the opening of the £5.8 million Portway Park & Ride station. It is the first to open in the city since Parson Street in 1927 and is the first of seven new stations to open across the West of England as part of the MetroWest programme.
“Portway Park & Ride station offers local people and commuters an efficient and sustainable travel option and is a key step on our journey towards a better-connected Bristol and South West,” said Councillor Don Alexander, Bristol City Council’s cabinet member for transport.
Councillor Alexander officially opened the station, backed by government, West of England Combined
Authority and Bristol City Council funding. Now open, services are running seven days a week along the Severn Beach railway line, taking passengers into the city centre of Bristol in just 24 minutes.
Managed by Great Western Railway (GWR), the new station aims to ease congestion on local roads and provide an additional transport option for the 9,000 people who work in the surrounding area.
“The opening was really good, particularly for me with the railway station being in my ward, as well as me being cabinet member for transport,” he said.
“It’s very important because the station is based at a park & ride which we’re hoping to turn into a transport interchange with last mile solutions as well, so it means people will be able to transfer between
bus and train and from there you can go to two different parts of the city pretty quickly.
“Once the combined authority has worked on the integration of ticketing, which it is doing at the moment, things will start to move towards the mass transit that we envisage for the city.
“Our council administration remains committed to delivering the mass transit system which, in order to provide a reliable alternative to cars, needs to be fully segregated from other modes of transport.”
The new station has been built on the site of a park & ride built in 2001 and expanded in 2008 to widen travel options to the city centre and reduce congestion on the A4 corridor.
Situated alongside the M5, the new station will provide a great alternative for those travelling into Bristol city centre or wanting to connect with the wider rail network. It will also support local growth by improving access to the Avonmouth and Temple Quarter Enterprise Zones, which are expected to create 31,000 new jobs by 2050.
“I hope it will become a node for the bus network, so buses from the northwest of Bristol will feed into there and there will be Orbital buses coming in and then there will be train and bus options to get you quickly into two different parts of the city,” he said.
“It offers us possibilities to reconfigure the bus network and we hope to make it a destination, as why shouldn’t an interchange be a destination the way that we see airports or main railway stations, where people can go there, get a coffee and have a chat with their friends. It makes changes between modes actually attractive.”
The station is the first of seven new ones to be built as part of the MetroWest programme, with five new or enhanced rail services by 2028. The project is a crucial part of the West of England Combined Authority’s plans to decarbonise the transport network, improve connectivity and further enhance the local economy.
Once complete, it is expected to generate over 2.7 million new rail journeys giving 100,000 more people access to train services across four local authority areas: Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
“The number of services increased on the railway line 18 months ago as part of the MetroWest programme to two per hour and MetroWest has also increased the number of services up to Gloucester from Bristol Temple Meads,” he said.
“There are a number of stations including this one, Ashley Down station, which is on the line between Bristol Temple Meads and Filton Abbey Wood, a new station at North Filton which is where the arena is being built, and a new station at Henbury.
“There is also the long, long-awaited Portishead line coming in from Portishead going down to Bristol Temple Meads. So we hope we will have in another five years’ time a much, much better suburban rail network and that will be part of our mass transit offer integrated with the bus services.”
Ashley Down station will be the next to be completed as part of the MetroWest programme. Construction is currently underway and is due to be completed in about a year. North Filton Station has got planning approval, while Henbury is awaiting permission.
Planning consents for the Portishead line were granted in November 2022 through a Development Consent Order and work is currently underway to complete detailed design and produce the Full Business Case.
“It is really exciting to be at the heart of these changes, but all the credit comes down to a lot of hard work, with some people working on this project for 10-plus years,” he said.
“Having this first station in nearly a century in my ward is particularly exciting and this project is all about getting people onto public transport.
MetroWest phase 1: Portishead line
“Improving the railways is a really big part of decarbonising and also reducing pollution and for that reason, we are desperate to see the electrification of the line further down here to Bristol.
“As part of the public transport offering work is underway on ticket integration, firstly for buses and then into trains. It is complicated, but it is really important that passengers get a seamless experience.
“This could then potentially be taken on to car parks, e-scooters, and hire bikes, but it is really important for trains and buses that you can do what people do in London - tap your card when you get on and then when you get off and be confident you have got the best ticket price. We want to create an experience as slick as possible.”
Severn Beach: Half-hourly services on the Severn Beach line to Bristol Temple Meads commenced in December 2021. The enhanced services from Avonmouth to Bristol Temple Meads began calling at Portway station in August 2023 when the station opened.
Bath & Westbury: Half-hourly services from Bristol Temple Meads to Bath & Westbury were introduced in May 2023.
Portishead Line: The Portishead Line will be reopened. This will provide an hourly service between Portishead and Bristol Temple Meads. There are new stations at Pill and Portishead. Further combined authority, North Somerset Council and government funding was confirmed in summer 2022 to support the detailed design and construction phases.
MetroWest phase 2: Henbury rail line
Henbury Line: The currently freight-only line will be reopened to passenger services with new stations at Henbury, North Filton and Ashley Down. This will be an hourly service from Bristol Temple Meads to Filton Abbey Wood, North Filton and Henbury.
Yate & Gloucester Line: Half-hourly services between Bristol Temple Meads and Gloucester via Yate were introduced in May 2023.
Charfield Station: In early 2023 South Gloucestershire Council approved a planning application for a new MetroWest railway station at Charfield. The station is proposed to be funded through the West of England Combined Authority’s City Regions Sustainable Transport Settlement. Detailed design works are planned to start in late 2023, ahead of a Full Business Case submission in 2024/25. The station is currently programmed to be open by spring 2027 at the latest.
Improving the railways is a really big part of decarbonising and also reducing pollution
Demand for technologies that provide greater remote condition monitoring capability to reduce boots on ballast and improve capacity is only increasing, and AIVR (Automated Intelligent Video Review) was created in response to that demand.
The AIVR platform enables any approved user to access up-to-date trainbourne imagery online, and assess line-side assets and conditions As well as visual inspection capability, AIVR hosts a suite of easy-to-use tools which allow users to navigate around location and assets, view historic data from that location over different seasons, as well as measure, annotate, create reports and export data
The platform also uses advanced Machine Learning to add further intelligence such as asset detection, image classification and optical character recognition, and this intelligence can be tailored to end user requirements to automatically produce status alerts based on asset condition
Data can be captured and integrated within AIVR from a variety of viewpoints and sensors across a range of train fleets operating throughout the country Cab View imagery, both forwards and backwards, Thermal, Overhead, Structures, and Track Line Scanning data are all transmitted by AIVR to the cloud in rapid time All sources of data can be securely accessed online for multiple discipline applications and requirements
maximise the benefits that insights from this data can provide
The team behind AIVR, Bristol-based SME One Big Circle, works closely with Network Rail and a number of operators on this dynamic solution. Emily Kent, Co-founder of One Big Circle, explains further;
“Our guiding principle is to ensure that people get the data they need, when they need it, to detect issues faster and to enable you and your colleagues to respond quickly and safely to these issues to ensure passengers and freight are kept on the move
The collection and application of this data is a great example of an open and collaborative approach from Infrastructure owners, TOCs, FOCs, and the supply chain, to minimise inefficiencies in data collection and
“We continually innovate alongside our partners and there are multiple projects, such as hot-spot detection, line scanning, scrap rail detection, troughing detection, low adhesion, sighting and much more that have come from working closely with the expert users so the output aligns with their needs ”
The multi-award-winning AIVR system provides automated digital inspection capabilities, enabling experts from any rail discipline to monitor the lineside environment and deliver predictive maintenance and management of crucial assets, remotely and safely.
Over the years, there has been huge investment in the infrastructure of our railway stations and trains to enhance the customer journey. Unfortunately, we have seen our railways become a target for criminal activity that includes fare evasion, anti-social behaviour, and serious crime such as county line runners.
As Train Operating Companies (TOCs) continue to strive to make stations safer by having a more visible presence of staff, in the current labour market this can be challenging. There are, however, some innovative security solutions entering the market that can enhance and complement the visible presence and effectively help safeguard passengers from risk, even when station staff are not physically present.
One way to reduce crime is to ensure everyone using the network is paying for a ticket. The Rail Delivery Group estimates that approximately £240 million is lost through fare evasion every year (which could be reinvested in the railway), and despite the Department for Transport increasing the fare evasion penalty to £100 in January, the issue persists.
Twinfix are designers and manufacturers of the Multi-LinkPanel, which is a non-fragile roof glazing system. Over the years, Twinfix have supplied these modular polycarbonate panels for u se as rooflights in many railway stations and depots.
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Through our rail forum and experience working with a number of TOCs, we’ve learned that the advancement of facial recognition software can help to better detect fare evasion and other issues that require identification.
Software can monitor and report on a higher number of passengers, identifying them and alerting in real time if a ticket is not used and a fare dodger pushes through. This use of technology, especially during busy periods (including peak travel times or specific events such as football matches), can keep up with these high volumes to support the station and security teams.
When offenders are identified this information is fed back to station security and revenue teams, making those on the ground aware and able to respond to that fare evader, a repeat evader, or a flagged individual before they even reach the barrier.
Connecting this software to the main security hub and the front-line staff enables rapid response and early engagement with the relevant British Transport Police and/or revenue protection teams to view evaders in real time. This connectivity allows multiple groups to develop smarter ways of working together to keep railway stations safe.
The evolving use of technology on our trains and railways will only be successful in tandem with welltrained, well-paid, and effectively positioned staff. The use of such technology and advanced software can allow for the redeployment of station and security staff in smarter, more effective ways.
For example, by using data and technology on a contract where we provided 40 security staff, we were able to remodel the contract and redeploy the team, which meant an increase in mobile teams that were able to visit more locations and have higher visibility on the network. By integrating technology and data with security team members, officers can work more efficiently and effectively, focusing on hot spots in allocated areas. The redeployment enables organisations to reinvest money to enhance wages and increase employee motivation.
This method better deploys and satisfies security officers while remaining cost-neutral, and enables security companies to offer an enhanced service to railway stations.
Security operatives face the difficult task of remaining calm and composed in high-pressure scenarios. Their roles include protecting vulnerable people such as county line runners (children used to smuggle drugs across county borders) or those going through mental health crises. In the case of fare dodgers, even with enhanced technological aids, officers are still at risk of violent retaliation if evaders feel threatened.
Focusing on staff needs and training is also vital. People are the centre of a good security team and TOCs agree. Investing heavily in training that includes safeguarding, mental health, EDI, and conflict resolution allows the team to enhance the customer experience. Security teams should be given training to understand the railway byelaws, accredited to respond to negative behaviour and able to remain on trains to enhance the current safety offering for customers.
The near future of integrated technology
Real-time situational awareness software, such as Amulet’s Project Blueprint, provides a resource management tool and creates a security hub for all necessary parties to interact in real time. This innovative technology can manage large crowd interactions beyond facial tracking, for day-to-day use and in emergencies. Similar software is already in use by public sector emergency and police services.
The use of this software in conjunction with the TOCs allows security teams in the field to be prepared for any risks, protect customers, and prevent emergencies. As more TOCs transition to a collaborative approach involving both technology and security officers, these forms of technology will be embedded into day-to-day risk prevention, keeping railway stations safe. Visit amulet.co.uk for more details.
This connectivity allows multiple groups to develop smarter ways of working together to keep railway stations safe
Thanet Parkway is Kent’s first new railway station in eight years
Rail Minister Huw Merriman has formally opened Thanet Parkway railway station alongside a number of invited guests and senior representatives from Network Rail, Southeastern, Kent County Council, Thanet District Council and the South East Local Enterprise Partnership.
Thanet Parkway station opened to customers
on 31 July, improving rail connectivity between East Kent, London and the wider South East region. The new station brings the capital closer to the coast and opens up Thanet to new jobs and new business as well as offers new connections for leisure journeys in East Kent.
The Rail Minister said: “The opening of Thanet Parkway is the latest example of the government’s commitment to making rail journeys across the
UK more accessible and I’m delighted to see this impressive new station already making a difference in the community.
“It will provide a boost to the local economy by better connecting people to employment, education and business opportunities while allowing thousands of people to benefit from new high-speed services into London as well as leisure and tourism attractions across Kent.”
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The minister unveiled a commemorative plaque to officially mark the opening, and was given a station tour and shown a number of customerfocussed features including:
Assisted Boarding Points on both platforms –part of a new accessible travel pilot scheme for Southeastern
Newly installed accessible toilet
Tactile paving for wayfinding
11 Passenger Help Points with Hearing Loops for remote assistance
Waiting shelters and seating
CCTV for security
Defibrillator
Ticket vending machines
Guests also took a short trip to Margate on Trainbow, the first of the Class 395 Javelin fleet that has had a major interior refresh, as part of a £27 million upgrade programme.
David Davidson, Network Rail’s Kent route director, said: “It was brilliant to welcome the Rail Minister to Thanet Parkway to officially open what is Kent’s first new railway station in eight years.
“As part of this project we upgraded several level crossings to allow trains to run faster, which created space in the timetable for a new stop at Thanet Parkway without increasing journey times for passengers.
“It’s really pleasing to see passenger numbers steadily increasing since the station opened. We are committed to encouraging as many people as possible to ditch the car and use the train as a greener form of travel and this new station will play a key part in attracting more people to use the railway.”
The station provides customers with access to regular high speed Southeastern train services to St Pancras and additional peak services to Charing Cross and Cannon Street. The station has two 250 metre platforms that can accommodate 12-car trains, offering high speed services to St Pancras International via Ashford International in as little as 70 minutes, as well as mainline connections to London terminals and across Kent and Medway.
Steve White, Southeastern’s managing director, said: “Passenger numbers have been building since the station opened at the end of July and we are expecting our 10,000th customer any day now. I’m confident that this modern, fully accessible station will be a long term asset for the local community.
“It is served by Britain’s fastest domestic train offering the sustainable option to park and ride on our all-electric railway. We’ll have staff at the station everyday between 8am and 4pm and crew on board every service, to assist customers.”
The station and level crossing works has been jointly funded by the Department for Transport, South East Local Enterprise Partnership, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Thanet District Council, and Kent County Council.
The investment is part of Network Rail’s Thanet Corridor Enhancements Programme which includes upgrades to Dibleys, Ships Meadow and Grove Ferry crossings to permit line speed increases between Ashford, Canterbury West and Ramsgate.
Kent County Council Leader, Roger Gough, said: “It was a privilege to officially open Thanet Parkway alongside the Rail Minister, Huw Merriman.
“Thanet Parkway is a symbol of the prosperity to come for east Kent, providing the area with faster links to the capital and unlocking opportunity which will be realised in future years and decades.”
We are committed to encouraging as many people as possible to ditch the car and use the train as a greener form of travel and this new station will play a key part in attracting more people to use the railway
An enhanced accident and incident reporting system has been launched delivering a major boost for tramway safety. Light Rail Safety and Standards Board’s Carl Williams explains more
In a major boost to future light rail safety, a state-of-the-art reporting system has been rolled out across the sector to help tramway operators identify and mitigate potential risks.
Developed by the Light Rail Safety and Standards Board (LRSSB), the enhanced Tram Accident and
Incident Reporting (TAIR) system is also helping to drive the development of a sector-wide model and forms a key pillar of the organisation’s wider risk management framework.
Carl Williams, LRSSB chief executive, said: “Continuously evolving, the framework is an ambitious concept that brings together a series of key
projects to create a continuous cycle of improvement based on the principles of plan, do, check, and act.
“In addition to TAIR and the national risk model, other elements of the framework include the promotion of the Office of Rail and Road’s (ORR) Risk Management Maturity Model (RM3) and the development of standardised ‘BowTie’ risk assessments.
“Together they aim to reduce risks as much as is reasonably practicable, but to be effective they rely on raw data to identify common threats, and to highlight where further safety improvements can be made in a format that is standardised across the sector.”
Achieving this ambitious goal has not been an easy task, requiring a significant financial investment from the LRSSB and the commitment of safety professionals from across light rail to comprehensively upgrade the TAIR system.
Every tramway also has its own challenges and an individual risk profile, with a wide variety of infrastructure equipment and rolling stock in operation across the UK. The situation is further complicated by the different management software systems used by operators.
As a result, an existing TAIR system was not reaching its full potential and required a host of significant upgrades to ensure it would also meet an ORR requirement for a centralised platform that gathers data for incident reporting and analysis.
In response, the LRSSB consulted with stakeholders to identify potential improvements as part of a project to develop the most effective solutions to perceived shortcomings of the original TAIR platform.
It also set out a clear plan of action for the evolution of TAIR, engaging with light rail safety professionals for their feedback at every stage of the project.
“Working alongside independent consultants and specialist software developers Synergi Tech Limited, the LRSSB team released a beta version of the upgraded system late in 2022 and immediately established a working group to test its new features,” Carl said.
“These included an improved user interface designed to streamline and standardise the data input process, and database enhancements to provide more accurate national and local analytics.”
With representatives from numerous UK networks, including Edinburgh Trams, West Midlands Metro, NET in Nottingham and Manchester Metrolink, the group worked tirelessly to ensure the upgrades met expectations and were free of software ‘glitches’ ahead of wider testing.
“We are extremely grateful for the input we’ve received from the sector. This engagement is vitally important if TAIR is to work effectively alongside the various internal incident reporting processes that operators already have in place,” Carl said.
Alongside this vital stage of the project, members of the LRSSB team provided training for operators that aimed to standardise the way accidents and incidents are reported. This is improving the accuracy of data on the system which, in turn, can later be used for more precise analysis and modelling.
By the spring of 2023, this phase of the project was nearing completion, and senior executives from across the sector joined the ORR’s HM deputy chief inspector of railways, Richard Hines, for a pre-launch demonstration of the new system.
The event in Birmingham offered light rail leaders the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the principles behind TAIR and the importance placed on it by the ORR.
It also marked the start of final preparations for the rollout of the system, including the importation of data from the existing TAIR system and further training for staff responsible for uploading reports. This included the production of a ‘walkthrough’ video that’s now embedded within the TAIR platform to help users access the many features of the new system and get maximum benefit from them.
Since ‘going live’, the system has already made a significant contribution to light rail safety, helping the LRSSB produce an updated sector-wide risk model, and assisting the organisation in its work with operators to develop individual network models and risk profiles.
It has now been widely adopted across the UK, including at Edinburgh Trams. Donald McClurg, the network’s safety manager (operations), was one of the original operator representatives on the TAIR working group and has nothing but praise for the new system.
“The upgrades to TAIR have made it much more effective, with clear categories for the types of incidents that need reporting and a more intuitive user interface. At Edinburgh Trams it has been fully integrated with our existing management systems, streamlining our reporting processes, and helping us identify where possible safety improvements can be made.”
Looking to the future, TAIR will continue to evolve alongside the wider risk management and mitigation framework to ensure light rail remains one of the safest forms of public transport.
Carl added: “Just months after its launch, the upgraded TAIR system is setting new standards for the collection and analysis of vital information to ensure a continuous cycle of safety improvements on our tramways. It really is the first system of its kind for light rail, and we are already seeing interest from networks in other parts of the world who are interested in learning from our experience.”
We are extremely grateful for the input we’ve received from the sector
Never has it been more important for organisations in the rail industry to assess all areas of their operation and look for greener alternatives.
Providing a solution when it comes to lighting, GreenBlue Urban has introduced the standalone offgrid streetlight ReLuminate, which combines solar and wind power to provide effective lighting all year round.
“There is a real appetite for ReLuminate, with contractors interested both from a health and safety aspect, and also from a sustainability perspective,” said Shane Frost, head of sales at GreenBlue Urban. “When it comes to the environment this lighting is a gamechanger.”
Available to be used in temporary applications and permanent for hire or sale, the highly engineered product is solid and durable enough for the most demanding circumstances. This applies to both the structural pole and all the electronic components and technology throughout.
It is particularly useful around street lighting and pedestrian lighting type applications, where individual units are placed around to give more consistent lowerlevel lighting across larger areas such as car parks, walkways and platforms.
Already proving a success in the rail industry, the product has been used as both a temporary measure as part of the Oxford railway station regeneration work, and as fixed units in Birmingham.
“As completely off-grid, this provides a true zerocarbon solution, not only eliminating any use of grid energy but also eliminating the expense and inconvenience of power infrastructure installations,” added Shane.
“With a low cost to purchase and install, and zero maintenance costs, going off-grid means it will quickly pay for itself, and unlike just relying on solar power, having the wind turbine as a supplementary power source ensures power all year around.”
ReLuminate is a newer chapter in GreenBlue Urban’s journey to create environmentally, economically and socially sustainable cities. For the last 30 years, the organisation has worked to help landscape architects and civil engineers achieve this through the successful design and implementation of green and blue infrastructure.
“It all started off with supplying products to enable trees to survive for the long term in hostile urban environments,” said Shane. “We are working in public realms and built-up areas, harnessing nature and making it really work.
“We’ve mastered that market across the UK and have been looking elsewhere in public realm areas to see how we can use our passion and expertise to help.
“With ReLuminate we are working with nature using solar and wind to ensure a power source all year around.”
The company’s mission is to act as the interface between nature and the built environment. It is this ethos that has kept Shane at the organisation for the last 20 years.
“It’s been an excellent journey for me and one that gets more interesting every year with so much change and innovation at the core of what we do,” he said.
“We work with a customer focus and in the last 20 years, we have seen the business grow by more than ten times, with corresponding growth of customers, and branch into new markets, which is fascinating and interesting.
“It all comes back to improving environments for people, which continues to be the driver, and building on that initial aim of getting trees established in urban environments.
“ReLuminate is the exciting next chapter and is proving a green solution that is environmentally friendly and helping on that journey towards net zero. It is really exciting to be playing a part in that.”
Visit greenblue.com/gb/ for more details
With a low cost to purchase and install, and zero maintenance costs, going offgrid means it will quickly pay for itself
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Industry veteran Phil O’Loughlin believes that you can’t put a price on experience. It was Phil’s 30+ years of knowledge and enviable reputation that enabled him to successfully launch Global’s rail division just 18 months ago, delivering high-calibre staffing solutions to an industry that welcomed his outlook and experience.
Recruitment specialist Global (established in 2001) has already partnered with major rail and construction clients, providing competent plant and fleet personnel to projects across the UK. While Phil never doubted that it had something special to offer the industry, its accelerated growth has taken him by surprise.
“The mechanisms have worked; they’ve proven themselves and delivered,” he reflected. “Now, we’re happy to offer our solutions to a wider audience and continue with our growth plan.”
Filling a gap in the labour supply market
Global is already a well-established provider of professional recruitment services to the construction, engineering, and logistics sectors. Today, it supplies experienced and reliable staff on a temporary, contract or permanent basis. Phil initially managed its provision of plant and fleet personnel to contracts such as HS2 and Smart Motorway projects, before being given the opportunity to expand the operation into the rail sector. This move made perfect sense – not least, because he had identified a gap in the market.
Phil explained: “We began by providing Road Rail Vehicle (RRV) operatives, which is a very niche and complex market, and a background I have many years’ experience in, on the ground and at senior project level. Supplying RRV operators was the prefect starting point for the division.
These doors opened to major projects, initially in a 50 – 60-mile Midlands catchment area. Soon, Global’s rail operatives were working nationally – and, when Phil spoke to Rail Director, the business had just finished supporting a five-week Wembley blockade for TXM supporting the Central Rail Systems Alliance (CRSA) CWJ project. It is also working with SPL Powerlines on the Midland Main Line electrification project, as well as supplying SPL’s support companies (including Elmec Solutions and TRS).
Phil explained: “We are supporting the de-veg works with Elmec, and track and drainage works with Quattro and TXM.
“So, whether we’re starting on the overheads or going down to the ground, we’re supplying all the companies within the framework of that Midland Main Line electrification project.”
Phil admitted that his reputation had played a huge role in this success, adding: “My background and experience of project delivering is impeccable. We launched the division with an ‘inch wide mile deep approach’ and quality personnel was the only way we could deliver a solution to our clients.”
Now, the business is looking to diversify, providing competent machine and crane controllers, track workers, and PTS/non-PTS labour trades, alongside RRV operatives. Phil explained that this move has been driven almost entirely by customer demand.
“Every company we supply has approached us to ask, ‘Can you get the machine controller who works along with this machine, so we’re not having to go to two suppliers,’” he said. “What they want is a onestop-shop; they’re driving our growth.”
But growth isn’t Phil’s only motivator. After a long career in rail, he’s passionate about meeting the needs of clients, employees, and the wider industry – which means filling skills gaps and ensuring that frontline operatives can work consistently. In both cases, Global – which serves the construction, engineering, logistics and rail sectors – is uniquely well-placed to support the supply chain.
He said: “Supplying four key sectors allows clients to work with Global across a supply chain that may, at present, be outsourced to various labour agencies. It maintains relationships and offers a central solution for supply, and also allows Global to have a greater understanding of current and up-and-coming projects.”
Phil added that tapping into different supply chains was one way to address the rail industry’s ongoing skills shortage. He is also keen for operatives to work for several different companies under one primary sponsorship, avoiding unwanted downtime and controlled compliance.
Phil explained that Global’s internal CRM and scheduling system enables it to manage high volume clients and candidates, ensuring fatigue management across its divisions isn’t compromised, and safe working practices are adhered to.
As part of this creative approach to staffing, Global trains and upskills operatives, ensuring that they comply with industry standards across all its sectors.
Phil explained: “This approach benefits operatives as well as customers, helping with retention and progress into the rail industry.
“The turnover of manpower from what we do is very low. It retains our workforce. Everyone’s looking to get into the railway, so we support this journey, putting them through their Sentinel and PTS qualification.
“We’ve trained up experienced plant operatives as machine controllers because they’re fully-fledged on the equipment. Then they can look to get their RRV tickets and move up the ladder that way. We’re trying to create that route for people, which is a massive task.”
It’s all part of Global’s drive to address the skills shortage impacting UK rail – something that Phil feels strongly about.
“We’re heavily focused on self-funded training,” he commented. “Everything is self-supported and the companies we’re working with like what we do and want to be part of our vision.”
Phil is particularly proud of Global’s work within the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS), which promotes best practice in fleet operations. The business can now supply FORS silver-accredited HGV drivers (in particular, road sweeper operators), ensuring that its clients meet the standards required on programmes like HS2.
Phil O’Loughlin is the Head of Operations – Rail, Plant and Fleet divisions at Global Logistics Staff. He discusses the business’s innovative approach to staffing, and explains why training, upskilling and compliance should be a priority for the supply chain
Phil added that the high-speed project’s supply chain must be FORS-silver accredited as a minimum standard, according to its own mandate. Now, he is keen to support this.
He explained: “We’re proud to be the only FORS silver-accredited driver hire company in the UK. The criteria for FORS is simple; when you reach your standard, your supply chain, whether that be for your member of staff or your vehicle, must comply with the equivalent standard.
“We offer safe urban driver training for our fleet operatives working on major projects. We also offer this training for external companies that we supply, and which need to meet the standard to be part of these projects.”
Phil is a firm believer in the importance of FORS, adding that it produces safer, more competent drivers, and reduces incidents onsite and on highways. At the time of his interview, he was looking forward to exhibiting at the FORS conference at ICC Birmingham in November.
Phil’s own experiences on the frontline have informed this bold and innovative approach. Today, he prides himself on his ability to spot potential hurdles at planning stage, helping clients to address them before a project begins.
He said: “It’s added value we see as a prerequisite when supplying a labour solution. We want to be involved from the start.”
Over the course of his career, Phil has also developed a keen understanding of frontline workers and the equipment they operate. This enables him to select the right operative for the job, assessing their strengths and providing additional training or mentoring if required.
“It’s about having the right people and the right FIT, showing that they’re prepared and understanding site requirements,” he commented. “I have encouraged senior teams within the business and directors to get involved and they are keen to support and understand this sector by obtaining a PTS card. It means they can come out to site and get a flavour of this industry and attend site meetings. It’s refreshing to get everyone’s support from back office to director level.
“We also bring office staff, including coordinators, out for site familiarisation, so they understand what they’re sending people to, and what work is involved. They’ve embraced it, and get a better understanding and knowledge of what they’re doing. It’s that familiarisation within the full supply chain.”
The road ahead
18 months on, and Global’s rail division has been a real success, while its strategy is proving popular with clients and operators alike.
Phil concluded: “It’s a pleasure to share this journey with Rail Director. We are all delighted at Global with its progress and succession plan and are looking forward to the next 18 months.
“Ultimately, we want our workforce to understand every possible angle, and be fully up to speed. It’s not about getting numbers and volume. It’s about getting it right and maintaining standards. Everything else will follow.”
Email rail@global-rg.co.uk for more details
We’re proud to be the only FORS silver-accredited driver hire company in the UK
e are driven by our culture of collaboration and innovation, delivering sustainable design solutions alongside meaningful investment in our people and the communities we help create.” That’s the message according to Manoj Gupta, rail sector board director at Waterman Group, which offers innovative engineering and environmental consultancy through its agile and collaborative multidisciplinary team based throughout the UK, Europe, and Australia. It is backed by 70 years of engineering and environmental excellence.
“We are practical engineers - experts at delivering innovative and buildable solutions across a wide variety of scales and sectors,” said Manoj. “Encompassing multidisciplinary rail and highways transportation and environmental consultancy services, we take a truly cross-discipline approach, always with a key focus on sustainability.”
Just over 25 years ago, as a civil and structural engineer, Manoj started an exciting career journey as a construction professional with Hyundai. There, he worked in bridges and tunnel engineering, before moving to the transport/rail engineering and consulting sector.
Since then, Manoj has progressed to hold rail board and executive positions with various major global firms, successfully managing and leading major rail business units in the UK and Australia. He has also provided leadership and guidance on design and build projects including alliances and joint ventures in the Middle East, Asia, and Asia pacific.
“Having worked all over the world, I enjoy using my vast experience in tackling various business challenges, and coming up with the best possible solutions for client, business and people,” he added.
Prior to joining Waterman in 2018, Manoj held senior leadership roles with major global firms including AECOM, CAPITA, URS/Scott Wilson, Atkins, and Jacobs/Sverdrup Civil Inc.
“During my time at Waterman, I’ve successfully set up a well-performing rail sector business unit and successfully secured major rail engineering and environment contracts.
“These have included contracts with Network Rail (CP6 design services framework), HS2, train operating companies and various other design and build multidisciplinary projects, covering everything from stations and bridges to earthworks and drainage, with our supply chain partners, project and programme management and engineering assurance services,” he said.
At the heart of the success has been the importance placed on colleagues, with a passion to create an environment in which everyone can flourish and thrive.
“We are pragmatic by nature and dedicated to getting the job done to the highest possible standard, ensuring we operate at pace with integrity to deliver innovative technical and robust solutions,” he said.
“We value individuality and the benefits of working collaboratively to achieve positive outcomes for all and we are supporting a number of specialist SMEs on most of our projects, enabling use of local skills and growth.
“We care about our planet and are passionate about rising to the challenge of net zero, which is why everything we do is supported by our sustainability specialists.
“By embedding the latest science-based climate resilience, carbon reduction and sustainability principles in our work, we create solutions across the complete project lifecycle which will help create a greener future.”
Waterman Group converts vision into reality, listening to clients to ensure projects receive a bespoke response backed by senior experts, who stay hands-on throughout delivery.
He said: “Embracing diversity across our team, we believe that variety fuels our creativity. Our culture of innovation and collaboration inspires us to explore fresh ideas and think differently. The close working relationship between our teams gives our people a stimulating and dynamic professional journey, with the opportunity to work with our leading experts on some of the world’s most exciting projects.
“We are passionate about giving back to the communities we help create, making a lasting difference to people’s lives. That’s why our solutions bring tangible social value benefits to the local area and its residents. This helps us to deliver a better, safer and more sustainable world, leaving a positive legacy for future generations. Overall, we are committed to ensuring that as a responsible business, we contribute to the safe and sustainable future of the UK rail network.”
Visit watermangroup.com for more details
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Elite Project Services is transforming the lives of prisoners and at the same time helping fill a huge skills gap in the rail sector. Its On the Right Track programme is equipping prisoners with skills, abilities and qualifications through classroom learning and some practical training on simulated rail track.
The course works closely with HM Prison and Probation staff and partners to ensure the candidates are at the right time in their sentence and motivated to start a career in the industry.
Included in the in-custody training programme is the funding and ability for the prisoners to contact Elite on release. They are then supported through their full Personal Track Safety (PTS) qualification plus several other employment-enabling tickets.
Throughout this period Elite provides pastoral support, which is continued through employment where necessary.
“Elite is a socially ethical organisation that believes in eliminating discrimination and working for the good of the wider community,” said Lee Johnson, prison delivery consultant. “Our offender training programme is one such initiative.
On successful completion, Elite provides start shifts on the railway so the new recruits can enhance their experience and skills alongside mentors and more experienced staff.
“As a business, we are well versed at managing what is an effective and straightforward process, which provides great benefits for Elite, the rail industry, the prisoners, and their families, but more widely the economy as this process helps us to reduce the £18 billion yearly cost of reoffending in the UK,” added Lee.
“As approximately 45 per cent of our current staff have now walked the same path, we are able to offer a genuine and supportive working environment. ‘In certain prisons, we utilise another route to employment, release on temporary license (ROTL). This involves the same process as above, but the prisoners are released each day to attend accredited training environments, for the track walk for example, and once successful, this process continues for working shifts.”
Elite Project Services has been training ex-offenders as a source of skilled labour for more than five years now, and is currently operating in 10 prisons with plans in place to double this number over the coming months.
It has the capacity to provide organisations with fully competent and reliable staff spanning all disciplines, and can also support businesses in the construction sector by offering construction training and the Construction Skills Card Scheme (CSCS), as well as skilled operatives across the industry.
It also works alongside the supply chain, undertaking contract packages that include troughing and lineside civils.
Keen to build relationships with the prisons and prisoners, Elite has created community training centres in Stratford, Merton and Wickford and recently competed in an inter-wing football tournament at Feltham Prison.
“This included more than 45 young adults and 20 staff members and volunteers, equipping young adults with skills such as teamwork, determination and focus which is key in helping them engage in rehabilitation programmes and employment once released from prison,” said Martin Dunne, Elite managing director, explaining about the football tournament.
“All of our staff gained a lot from the day, and it enabled some of their families to attend and see the impact of the work Elite does for young adults within the prison system.”
Visit eliteprojectservices.com for more details
Elite is a socially ethical organisation that believes in eliminating discrimination and working for the good of the wider community
Personal electronic devices have transformed the way we communicate, work, and entertain ourselves. So reliant are we on our phones and tablets, that a special term, ‘nomophobia’, has been coined to describe the fear of losing access to them. In 2022, human insights platform Dscout reported that the average smartphone user will click, tap, or swipe their phone 2,617 times a day, while research by LG revealed that 90 per cent of people suffer from ‘low battery anxiety’.
These statistics highlight the extent to which individuals rely on and value their devices. And, to guarantee customer satisfaction, train operators must address their concerns, providing adequate charging facilities on trains. Universal accessibility
is key, particularly in the context of commuting and remote work.
Convenient and standardised, USB Type C connectors (like OE’s TUF-R®) offer a solution - and integrating them into train infrastructure could help operators to streamline and enhance the passenger experience.
Train travel: a changing landscape
And it’s not just about low battery anxiety. Today, carriages serve as mobile offices for some busy commuters, who utilise travel time for work or leisure.
Indeed, the free time that journeys afford is one of rail’s key selling points - and 2023 research by Transport Focus showed that, increasingly, passengers are using technology to take full advantage of it. Post-COVID
hybrid working patterns have contributed to this trend, which will only become more pronounced in future.
Operators strive to create a comfortable and enjoyable environment for customers – and it’s clear that, alongside temperature control, noise reduction, and other amenities, they must provide access to reliable power sources. This is now a necessity rather than a luxury, and key to meeting passengers’ expectations.
Passengers would also benefit from a range of charging options, suitable not just for smartphones, but laptops and tablets too. Traditionally, trains have been fitted with AC sockets, accessible to those in window seats.
However, many customers dislike travelling with bulky laptop chargers, which are difficult to carry and retrieve from bags.
Train designers and operators must take note, providing universal power sources that are compatible with a range of devices, and accessible to all passengers.
But what are the options? As readers will no doubt be aware, conventional USB-A outlets are polarised, with breakage occurring if plugs are forced in incorrectly. Reversible connectors – like USB-C, the latest and best design available – reduce the likelihood of user damage due to incorrect insertion. A transition from USB-A to USB-C is underway – but, with USB-A chargers still commonplace, OE Electrics ensures that its own USB-A connector is reversible, reducing the risk of damage.
The takeaway is clear - when designing the interior of a train, it’s essential to incorporate features like USB charging and suitable connectivity.
And the advent of USB Type C connectors represents an opportunity to revolutionise charging on trains. As well as enabling passengers to plug in easily, ‘first time, every time’, their higher power capacity means they are suitable for laptop charging.
The fact that most modern laptops feature USB-C ports makes this transition feasible – and in practice, it will enable passengers to replace cumbersome laptop chargers with high-power USB Type C cables. It’s even supported by new legislation; in 2022, the European Commission passed a law stating that all small electronic devices (including Apple products) must have a common charger – USB Type C. This law comes into effect after January 2024 – while, by 2026, all laptops must be USB-C powered.
And, despite rumours that Apple plans to remove charging ports from its phones altogether, wireless charging is unlikely to become the new normal. According to Debugger’s Eric Ravenscraft, charging wirelessly requires 47 per cent more power than cable charging, and takes twice as long.
Finally, it’s important to understand passengers’ power requirements. As discussed, charging phones is only part of the story, and many commuters are keen to use their laptops while travelling. With their small form factor and ubiquitous connection, highpower USB sockets offer an ideal solution; the power (low voltage DC) they provide is safe, but enough to charge laptops and phones alike.
Ultimately, USB-C is more efficient and environmentally friendly, and making it the default option on trains would promote compatibility, reduce costs, and improve safety. It would also save thousands of tonnes of electrical waste and prevent passengers from charging large devices with the train’s limited supply.
While younger passengers are already accustomed to this kind of USB charging, a transitionary period would give others time to adapt. It’s also important to assure the functionality, data security, and integrity of USB outlets, fostering passenger confidence.
But advances in other technologies are already aiding this transition. Many modern devices (including Bluetooth headphones, laptops, and gaming consoles) now charge via USB, meaning the move from AC to USB should be relatively stress-free.
Introducing OE’s Twin USB Charger
OE Electrics’ Twin USB Charger, TUF-R®, equipped with TUF | PROTECT, addresses the aforementioned challenges. TUF | PROTECT incorporates a system of checks and balances, ensuring the charger operates within predetermined parameters. It exclusively supports power delivery, eliminating data connections or potential privacy breaches. Through device recognition intelligence, the charger also tailors and optimises power delivery, negating potential charging issues.
TUF-R® is available in three forms: standard 25W replaceable, high-power 72W replaceable, and 65W non-replaceable. Compact and discreet, it can be fitted directly into a train’s seats or tables - or added via one of OE Electrics’ railway approved power modules.
It can also be maintained with minimal training, and without an electrician. OE Electrics’ USB-C has been independently tested to withstand 10,000 insertions, while its USB-A charger is reversible, making damage less likely.
In the unlikely event that a charger is damaged, it can be repaired in minutes (and without power down) by any member of the service team. Housed in a removable canister, it is easy to replace.
The move towards USB Type C has begun, and soon every device will be designed to accept charging via a USB-C cable. As this transition gathers pace, making clearly accessible USB-C chargers available on trains is imperative for customer satisfaction.
Visit https://oeelectrics.co.uk/transport-by-oe/ for more details.
Train designers and operators must take note, providing charging for all devices can only enhance the passenger experience
Details of the new permanent exhibition planned for the National Railway Museum’s Station Hall, including concept designs for York’s former goods station, have been released.
Created by exhibition designer Drinkall Dean, the images provide an early view of how Station Hall’s new exhibition will look once it opens to the public in 2024. The exhibition has four main themes, which guide visitors through the space:
‘ The Station is a World In Itself’ will explore the unique landscape, rules and experiences of the station. In this theme, the museum’s Waterloo Station WHSmith bookstall kiosk will be displayed for the first time, following an extensive restoration process.
The second theme ‘Innovation, Influence and Inspiration’ will display the museum’s collection of six royal carriages alongside new interpretation and imagery to tell the stories of the impact of royals travelling by rail.
‘Work and Play’ will show visitors how stations became the starting point for journeys that transformed the way people work, play and live as rail travel became widespread and more affordable. This will include the museum’s LMS sleeper carriage, Midland Railway dining carriage, and reproductions from the museum’s collection of railway travel posters.
The final theme ‘The Goods Life’ will reference Station Hall’s past working life as a busy freight station and will focus on the often-hidden elements of the railways that helped shape modern life. Objects in this section will include a fish van, a banana van, and a prosthetic leg issued by the Great Western Railway to Harold Jarvis – a member of staff who was injured in a shunting accident.
Joe Randall, interpretation developer at the National Railway Museum, said: “Station Hall will immerse visitors in a historic railway landscape, surrounded by the diverse, inspiring and powerful stories of real people and the tangible assets that illustrate them. The space will feel alive and encourage people to relate their own experiences to those of people from the past to create meaningful connections.
“We want to keep the atmosphere of the station that people love but enhance the experience with more stories and collection items. The new themes and stories will give context to the space and help visitors to explore our unique collection for themselves.”
The exhibition will feature archive films, with projection and shorter clips appearing throughout the gallery interpretation to help illustrate themes and stories. On display will also be new large-scale reproductions of photographs from the museum’s collection to capture the feel of each section, and the hall will receive a new and improved lighting scheme.
It will also include oral histories from real people who tell their stories in their own words, reflecting on everything from lost property to life working on the railways, and the experience of working on the royal train. The exhibition has received significant funding from the Friends of the National Railway Museum.
Alongside Station Hall’s exhibition, the Grade II-listed building is also receiving a £10.5 million programme of conservation and repair works which includes replacing the roof.
Funded by the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) from the Public Bodies Infrastructure Fund, the National Railway Museum has recently appointed John Graham Construction Ltd as principal contractor. It will work with conservation architects Buttress to deliver the programme of works.
Before roof work could begin, the museum’s conservation team worked with scaffolding contractors 3D Scaffolding to create bespoke wrapping and protective platforms for many of the museum’s royal carriages. This is enabling work to take place without endangering the carriages below.
As part of the plans, Station Hall’s café will also reopen following the modernisation and expansion of the kitchen, venue hire will resume, and the award-winning afternoon tea venue ‘Countess of York’ will reopen in an authentic railway carriage inside the hall.
The new exhibition will transform and enhance the visitor experience with new stories, objects and interpretation
■ Quickly measure the track and rail corridor to Band 1A accuracy
■ Significantly reduce the risks associated with trackside working
■ Avoid disruption to rail services by removing access possessions
To find out more visit fugro.com/raildata
Back in 2021, Daniel Finnigan was working as a rope access technician for a company in the petrochemical industry. It was here that he met Andrew Oliver, who had recently launched SEP Culant, bringing a unique rope access and vegetation management offering to the rail industry.
“Andy offered me a role as a supervisor at SEP Culant, working on a project for Murphy Group, delivering 50km of vegetation clearance as part of a major project for the Commonwealth Games.” He explained.
“I worked as a supervisor for about eight months and then began taking courses to develop my skillset before eventually, I started to take on the running of projects myself.”
One of Daniel’s first assignments as a project manager was to oversee SEP Culant’s NonDestructive Testing (NDT) inspections at King Edwards Bridge, a 350m bridge spanning the River Tyne between Newcastle and Gateshead. The project, delivered on behalf of BAM Nuttall, had many safety considerations to take into account, with Daniel’s team positioning safety boats under the bridge to ensure the technicians remained safe throughout the rope access works.
Boasting decades of experience, SEP Culant’s timeserved and fully qualified arborists, vegetation management and rope access operatives support some of the leading names in rail, undertaking an extensive range of specialist services across the UK rail infrastructure.
The business has grown quickly and at an impressive rate. Managing director Andrew harbours ambitions of a 50 per cent growth this year aloneand the firm is now branching out into civils and construction works including retaining walls, access roads and fencing.
Daniel attributes much of SEP Culant’s success to its people-led approach.
“I’ve never seen any company that invests as much into their staff as SEP Culant does”, he said.
“I’ve already been put through multiple courses in my short career here. I did my IOSH Managing Safely
Course and my Controller of Site Safety (COSS) Course. Next, I’m looking at starting my PRINCE2 course to develop my project management skills further.”
By developing talent internally, SEP Culant can
resource its projects more efficiently rather than relying on external labour. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement for both the business and its employees, said Daniel.
Part of the UK’s fastest growing independent rail group, we provide vegetation management, specialist access and civil engineering support to some of the biggest names in rail.
LANTRA and NPTC qualified and operating under robust safe systems of work, our time-served arborists and vegetation management operatives undertake both major and minor tree and vegetation projects throughout the rail network.
Providers of multi-skilled IRATA rope access qualified personnel, we help rail organisations to safely and cost effectively repair and maintain both structures and plant.
We provide comprehensive and integrated civil engineering services to the rail sector, backed up by our own specialist in house design and survey team.
“We have a big budget for our training matrix and we invest a lot in our teams, we’d rather upskill an existing employee than bring additional labour in. During quieter periods we’ll put staff through courses to develop them and get the most out of their careers here.
“We’re currently working with Hartlepool College to look at putting staff through the Site Supervision Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS). There’s a lot of opportunity for development here.”
Daniel’s current focus is working with SEP Culant’s client QTS Group to oversee vegetation clearance on bridge structures by using rope access to ensure they are ready for Network Rail inspections.
Managing the client liaison on this project, he said work is heavily audited, both in-house at SEP Culant and also by the client, adding: “We’ve worked with QTS for 18 months so far without any safety incidents and we’ve always passed our external audits. They’re a relatively new client for us and we’re excited to continue working with them.”
SEP Culant has recently been branching its offering out into civils and construction works, carrying out NDT inspections and construction methods and has identified a gap in the market for these works. Daniel says this area of the business has seen “immense growth” and is set to be a big market for SEP Culant going forward.
Part of the wider SEP Rail Group, the firm also works closely with sister companies SEP Rail and SEP Geotech, supplying rope access professionals to clear embankments and produce safe systems of work (SSOW) to support their surveying works. They also provide safety critical works such as COSS and safety inspections following ground investigation and surveying works.
Beyond rail, the business recently completed works at Durham University carrying out visual inspections at the student union building.
So, now that he’s established as a project manager in the industry, what does the future hold for Daniel?
“Following my PRINCE2 qualification I’m going to see where things take me here,” he said.
“Working with people like Andy at SEP Culant motivates me to build on my own skillset and share his vision for the business’s success. I’m looking to integrate myself more into our civils projects and with the direction the business is taking, the future is looking very exciting for us.”
We’d rather upskill an existing employee than bring additional labour in
Every project we price and meeting we go to, the same problems appear: access, access, access. The railway is not a green field and working hours are usually restricted to when trains are not running (short windows of time on mid-week nights or weekends).
The railway network in the UK is very old, with some of the lines dating back over 100 years. With this ageing infrastructure along with changing weather patterns, more geotechnical problems are occurring, such as embankment slips and lines flooding, making headline news.
At Topdrill, we have noticed a large upturn in embankment investigations and long-term monitoring. A typical investigation includes drilling boreholes ; in-situ testing such as Standard Penetration Tests (SPTs), Dynamic Probing (DPs) ; installing inclinometer and standpipe piezometers ; laboratory testing and producing factual reports.
After an extensive review of the available equipment on the market, we found that it was either too big or would not fulfil the specification. The problem with the large rigs is that they require plant equipment to lift them in and out of site, anchoring points at the top of the slope, and devegetation, which are costly, create delays waiting for possessions and can further affect the stability of the slope.
We identified this problem back in 2006 when we formed Topdrill and our LLAMR® has been in development since 2007. It has taken many iterations and years of honing our methodologies to gain the confident title of slope specialists.
Advantages of using our LLAMR® system:
Drill boreholes in areas of limited access without compromising on quality or safety
Save time and money, as we can usually drill during the day, removing the need for most of the costly possessions that would normally be required for this type of work
No isolations of the OHLE are required – the rig has a maximum height of 2.1m meaning we can work much closer to the infrastructure than any standard rig.
It comes with highly trained and experienced crews
Types of projects completed to date include landslips (including a recent very well publicised one), resignalling, electrification, embankment stabilisation, platform extensions, bridge analysis, GSM-R, basement/in-building surveys. For indoor work, we also have an electric
version to negate the requirement for any fume extraction.
Let Us be YOUR safe pair of hands. For more information and bookings call our Milton Keynes office on 01908 321925 or email info@topdrill.co.uk
Following an embankment slip, borehole drilling enables infrastructure managers to continually assess if and how a slope is moving. Chris Pow, MD of Topdrill explains how the right equipment can make this work quicker, easier and safer
Network Rail has switched on 116 new state-of-the-art digital signals on the railway across parts of South West London and Berkshire, as part of the four-year resignalling programme to improve reliability.
The railway reopened earlier this month following a 14-day, three-part closure between Barnes and Virginia Water, Windsor & Eton Riverside and Hounslow, to allow Network Rail to switch on the newly installed signals.
Since Saturday 19 August, Network Rail’s team of engineers has worked around the clock to commission the 116 new signals and finish upgrading seven level crossings during this multistage closure.
Following the completion of this work, passengers will benefit from more reliable journeys and fewer delays on the Windsor lines, which are a key route for commuters in and out of London.
The previous signalling system and track circuits were controlled by the Feltham Area Signalling Centre and dated back to 1974 so needed upgrading as they had become less reliable and harder to maintain.
Control of this part of the railway has now moved to the Basingstoke Rail Operating Centre, a purposebuilt rail hub that is shared with South Western Railway (SWR).
Mark Killick, Network Rail’s Wessex route director, said: “I’m pleased to say we’ve now reached a significant milestone of our wider Feltham and Wokingham resignalling programme with the switching on of 116 new signals on the Windsor lines.
“These new digital signals replace old equipment that had become unreliable and harder to maintain and will improve the reliability of this stretch of railway and in turn, help reduce delays for our customers.
“I’d like to thank customers and local residents for their patience while we’ve carried out this work.”
Over the past four years, as part of the wider £116 million Feltham and Wokingham resignalling programme, Network Rail’s engineers have installed 116 digital signals, 11km of new cabling housed in 14km of refurbished cable ducts and 27 new under-track cable routes to support the new technology. They have also upgraded seven level crossings.
The Feltham and Wokingham resignalling programme will be concluded in early 2024 with the completion of upgrades to key signalling equipment controlled by the Feltham Area Signalling Centre and Wokingham Signal Box, which jointly cover 80 miles of railway and 500 separate pieces of signalling equipment.
A total of 13 level crossings will also have been renewed or upgraded, all with the aim of improving train performance and ensuring passengers enjoy more reliable journeys.
Peter Williams, South Western Railway’s customer and commercial director, said: “This milestone in the Feltham to Wokingham resignalling programme is another step towards improving reliability and reducing delays for years to come.
“With the project entering the commission phase over the coming months, there will still be a need to close sections of the railway for further works, but the new signalling system will deliver a real boost to performance once complete.
“I realise these works have been disruptive, with rail replacement buses in operation and journeys taking longer. I’d like to thank customers and lineside neighbours for their patience and understanding while these essential improvements take place.”
These new digital signals replace old equipment that had become unreliable and harder to maintain
Our professional engineers have a wealth of global railway knowledge and experience. By growing their experience in the rail industry for many years, our engineering team have the expertise to meet the requirements demanded by the industry standards, our customers and the Safety Approval Authority.
By developing new systems and products from design concept through to in-service maintenance; our engineers work closely with, and help guide our customers throughout the development life cycle.
Rowe Hankins Ltd. is committed to continual improvement, development and growth with a complete understanding of their customer, end-user and future rail market requirements.
This can assist with obsolescence replacements, upgrades or a totally new product. From concept, design, test to manufacture, Rowe Hankins can be your design partner.
Flying Scotsman will be returning to its birthplace of Doncaster, the city where it was built 100 years ago, for a weekend visit on 11 and 12 November.
This special event will be free for members of the public, who will get the opportunity to get close to the iconic locomotive and even step onto the footplate.
Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones said: “I am delighted that we can now announce this wonderful weekend event so more people in Doncaster can appreciate the magnificence and history of this world-famous locomotive.
“Flying Scotsman was built here in Doncaster and means a great deal to local people whose relatives
helped to design and build it. It will be incredible to see it return home for an extended stay as part of its centenary year.
“I want to acknowledge and thank the organisations who have helped to make this event a reality – especially the National Railway Museum, Freightliner and locomotive engineers Riley & Son (E).”
Flying Scotsman went into service on 24 February 1923 and cost £7,944 to build. The locomotive was the first in the UK to officially reach 100mph and the first to circumnavigate the globe. It was also the first ever non-stop London to Edinburgh service, reducing the journey time to eight hours.
Judith McNicol, director of the National Railway Museum, said: “Flying Scotsman’s centenary is a fantastic opportunity for the public to see this world-famous locomotive in person and to share in the excitement of this special occasion. A visit to Doncaster, Flying Scotsman’s birthplace, is sure to be a highlight of the centenary calendar.”
Events are taking place across Doncaster as part of Flying Scotsman’s centenary year to celebrate this significant milestone, with schools, museums and libraries getting involved.
The full programme is available to view at www.dglam.org.uk/whats-on/flying-scotsman
Alstom has commissioned Knorr-Bremse to equip new Swedish high-speed trains with braking systems, which will be managed by the latest evolution of the CubeControl brake control system. Previous generations of the technology are already installed in metro, regional and high-speed trains built by Alstom; now the next generation will be part of another major project. Deliveries will start in 2024 and are scheduled to continue through to 2028. For Knorr-Bremse, the order value is in the lower double-digit million-euro range. Dr Jürgen Wilder, member of the Executive Board of KnorrBremse AG and responsible for the Rail Vehicle Systems division, said: “As a key supplier, our mission is to offer innovative, market-leading solutions to the rail industry. With our new CubeControl, we’ve developed another high-quality technology that will help our customers to make rail mobility even safer, more efficient, and more reliable. For us, Alstom’s order is an important milestone in bringing this next-generation product to market.”
Thales and Orascom Construction have signed a new contract in Egypt with the Egyptian National Railways (ENR) for the modernisation of the double-track railway, linking the cities of Cairo, Giza, and Beni Suef. The track is located on the east bank of the river Nile, 115km from the country’s capital. The contract has a budget of more than €300 million with a projected execution period of 60 months. Additionally, two years of guarantee and another five years of maintenance services will be provided for the line. The ThalesOrascom Construction consortium will be responsible for modernising the signalling and telecommunications systems, as well as for the renewal of the track within this specific section. The scope of work includes design, supply, construction, testing, and commissioning. Moreover, it includes provision of spare parts, training, documentation, guarantee with maintenance services, tracks, and civil works.
Alstom has delivered the first trainset for the Bhopal–Indore metro project to Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MPMRCL). Built in 14.5 months from its Notice to Proceed (NTP), this trainset will be deployed to Indore, which is set to be operational from April 2024.
The mock-up car was unveiled at Smart City Park, Bhopal on 26 August 2023, by Hon’ble Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh in the presence of MPMRCL, the general consultant and Alstom.
The second trainset, which is expected to be delivered by 20 September 2023, will be deployed to Bhopal. These ultramodern, light-weight trains will operate at a top speed of 80 km/h, across the 31 km line in Bhopal with 30 stations and the 31.5 km line in Indore with 29 stations. 27 of the three-car configuration trainsets will be for Bhopal while 25 trainsets will be for Indore. The trains have a 50-passenger seating and 300 standing capacity.
Oliver Loison, managing director, Alstom India said: “It is a proud moment for us to deliver the first trainset for the Bhopal-Indore metro project in advance. Bhopal and Indore have been recognised as smart cities in India, and the addition of metro will modernise the city infrastructure notably.
“These trains will ensure a safe, reliable, efficient, and affordable mass transport system, while also promoting economic activity. Alstom is India’s long-standing partner in the journey towards sustainable mobility and we are looking forward to further strengthening this partnership by redefining the mass transportation needs of Madhya Pradesh.”
Under the ‘Make in India’ campaign, the Bhopal-Indore Metro trainsets are being manufactured 100 per cent indigenously at Alstom’s state-of-the-art rolling stock manufacturing facility at Savli, Gujarat. As a part of the contract awarded in July 2022:
Alstom is responsible for the design, manufacturing, supply, installation, test, and commissioning of 52 standard gauge Movia metro passenger trainsets of three-car configuration each, with 15 years of comprehensive maintenance.
Valued at €387 million (over INR 3200 crores), this order includes installation of the latest generation of the Communications Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling system as well as train control and telecommunication systems - each with seven years of comprehensive maintenance.
This is the second such combined order in India for Alstom, after the Agra-Kanpur metro projects.
The workforce is vital to the optimum performance of the UK’s railways in moving people and goods safely and efficiently. But it is an industry with inherent hazards and associated risks that all have the potential to impact on health - while a worker’s health, in turn, can impact the efficiency and safety of the railway.
Express Medicals is a leader in the field of occupational health, supporting employers to manage the impacts of health on work and work on health for the rail industry for the last 27 years.
The doctor-led teams, highly trained in all areas of occupational health, deliver services at your site or at one of its 17 clinics.
“It’s an excellent company, family-orientated and close-knit. It has grown from a tiny enterprise Dr Dan Hegarty set up in 1996, to a team of more than 100 staff,” said chief medical officer Dr Steve Malleson.
“We are impartial assessors of medical situations so the manager can manage the interaction between health on work and work on health, almost like a translator. At the end of the day, it is all to do with safety.”
Dr Malleson qualified in medicine in 1975. After eight years in general medicine, he embarked on specialist occupational health training with London Transport in 1983.
“I’m essentially a railway doctor, having started after 10 years in the NHS, when I was in my early 30s,” he said. “Like a lot of career movements, I saw an advert for a trainee at London Transport and thought – this is where I live and my first child is on the way, so I could do with a more stable job. I haven’t looked back.
“At the time, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do and was working part time as a site chippy and the other half of the week at the London Blood Transfusion. Having done a decade in hospital work, I just felt that wasn’t for me, so I was searching for something different.”
The training at London Transport not only gave him experience in the rail industry with London Underground. He was also involved in medical services for all departments, heavy engineering overhaul works, electricity generation and distribution services, building works, signal maintenance, lift and escalator installations, cleaning personnel, catering and large administrative areas.
Having obtained his specialist occupational and railway medicine qualifications in 1988, he has since been employed as a consultant, predominantly in the railway sector with Network Rail and in the construction industry. He joined Express Medicals in 2003, and is responsible for the company’s clinical governance, and high standard of clinical care.
“I have done work outside in various sectors, but I always seem to navigate back to the transport side of things.,” said the founder member, inaugural secretary and later chairman of the Association of Railway Industry Occupational Health Practitioners (ARIOPS).
“In this sector, there is a third element alongside the employer and employee – the passenger. It is not just about whether they can do a job competently, but can they do it safely? I’m an ‘old school’ doctor, my focus is ‘can the person do their work safely and can we ensure that work won’t make them worse?”
Although the fundamentals of the role remain the same, Dr Malleson, who was elected a Fellow of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine for his contribution
to the speciality in 2020, says there have been some noticeable changes over the last 40 years.
“We set up ARIOPS as a collaboration of intellect, and to also give some consistency as things changed,” he said. “As an example, the management of diabetes and safety at work when I started is completely different because treatments have got so much more effective and different and the risks have changed.
“When I first started, the main conditions that we saw were cardiovascular, tumours and heart attacks. Over the years, the type of work we see is now more mental health and musculoskeletal. The health and wellbeing side of occupational health is much more recent. In the past, it was more advising on the cost of sickness absence, then analysing stress in the workplace and then the importance of good work to general health.
“Resilience also became very popular, but my philosophy is much more about changing the working practice rather than changing the individual, and that is just as true today.”
Express Medicals has supported the rail industry for more than 27 years, with all of its doctors registered as practitioners with the Office of Rail and Road and experienced in railway medicine. The organisation offers medical assessments, a medication advice line, health surveillance and management referrals.
As well as occupational health, the business has expertise in drug & alcohol, health and wellbeing, and training and consultancy. Visit www.expressmedicals.co.uk for more details
My philosophy is much more about changing the working practice rather than changing the individual
Lorna Gibson, training director at QTS Group, writes about the importance of shining a positive light on the rail industry to promote the sector to the next generation of workers
There is an undeniable skills shortage across the UK at present, with so many industries being hit hard by the lack of accessible talent.
The rail sector, which has a demonstrated history of failing to attract new, talented individuals, has been hit particularly hard. While difficulties in attracting new workers isn’t a new issue across the industry, it appears the problem is worsening. A recent report by CWE Limited, a rail engineering firm, found that 120,000 additional workers are needed on the UK’s railways over the next five years to meet demand.
Disappointingly, the same report found that a third of participants surveyed would not consider a career in rail at all. This, combined with the fact that 28 per cent of rail workers are 50+ and just 16 per cent are women, shows that more needs to be done to engage young people and diverse audiences, helping them to forge successful careers in rail.
I know I’m biased, but the rail industry is a truly fantastic place to work. There are so many different routes into the rail sector, as well as varied roles, specialisms, and opportunities. And what’s even better is that the industry is accessible to everyone, irrespective of background, qualifications, or interests.
There isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ pathway into rail. Instead, an array of opportunities, training programmes and recruitment initiatives are in place to help talented individuals access exciting careers ripe with progression opportunities. From school leavers going straight into apprenticeships, to graduate engineers looking for specialist job roles, the rail industry welcomes talented individuals at every level.
And while we acknowledge that the industry has a long way to go in making a truly diverse and inclusive workforce, organisations across rail are doing more to attract candidates from diverse backgrounds. For example, a lack of female workers in the sector has long plagued the industry but there are some fantastic organisations, such as Women in Rail, Women in Transport and Women into Construction, that demonstrate the sector’s ongoing commitment to making workforces more gender diverse.
The rail industry hasn’t always been considered an exciting and viable career choice for young people, despite the attractive packages on offer for candidates. The only way to counteract the ongoing talent crisis is to change the narrative. Engaging more young people and changing their perceptions of the industry is key to creating a youthful workforce fit for the future.
The idea that rail jobs involve digging up tracks, cold and dirty work and working nights all the time is not accurate. The perception is that rail is very much a manual labour job, with lots of physical work required. And while certain roles do involve this, there are so many other skill sets required too.
For example, alongside operational staff, there are opportunities to work across business development, HR, marketing, training, accountancy and much more. It’s time for big players in the rail sector to make this known to new and bigger audiences.
In recent years, it’s great to see companies such as QTS Group making headway with tackling these preconceptions. By conducting school and college visits, attending career days, and offering work experience placements, internships and traineeships, organisations are tackling the talent shortage head-on.
Another great aspect of working in rail is that there are no barriers to progression. There are also so many different specialisms that employees can move into throughout their careers. Traditionally, safetycritical roles are the starting point for new employees, particularly those coming into the industry early, such as school and college leavers.
And, as their roles progress, they can develop their skill sets and qualifications in particular areas. For example, electrification, rope access, working at height and overhead line construction.
What’s more, those individuals committed to the industry can move into trainer roles, where there is also a critical skills shortage, helping to upskill operational staff.
For those individuals looking for a career that will build and support a future, there are also opportunities to progress into supervisor and management roles.
These are win-win situations, allowing people to earn while they learn. All learning, including qualifications, is usually done on the job. Graduate apprenticeships offer the same – an opportunity to get an honours degree without full-time study or extreme levels of student debt.
At present, it feels like the talent crisis is getting progressively worse, particularly as other industries face the same pressures as rail, resulting in many industries all competing for the same pool of talent.
Shining a light on the rail industry and communicating the ambitious, long-term, financially secure careers it can help individuals to develop is imperative. Companies need to get together, work collectively, and support one another to convey this message accurately.
Visit www.qtsgroup.com for more details
While we acknowledge that the industry has a long way to go in making a truly diverse and inclusive workforce, organisations across rail are doing more to attract candidates from diverse backgrounds
multi-disciplined design and build specialist main contractor for rail depots and bespoke projects”. That is Phil Williamson’s answer in short when asked what Cairn Cross does.
But this is a description that just scratches the surface. For more than 25 years the organisation has, and continues to be, a leader in maintaining and constructing the UK’s infrastructure, providing turnkey and design and building contracts.
“Our promise is complete client satisfaction, every project, every time,” said the company’s managing director. “We offer engineering excellence and innovation to multiple sectors, including rail, highways and mechanical and electrical, with a team of specialists delivering each project.”
Looking specifically at the rail industry and Cairn Cross provides design and build capability for all manner of rail projects, including depots, wheel lathe installation, carriage wash construction, bogie drop facilities, fuelling AdBlue and more.
“We look at every aspect of maintenance interface
on a working depot, which also includes driver walkways, access platforms, roof access for crainage and drainage,” he adds.
“This includes from the feasibility and design, through to the delivery phase in which we self-deliver most of the work, but also have a dedicated supply chain that can provide some of the specialist items for the company.
“All of the groundworks, electrical works, fit-out type of work, we deliver in house with our own experts, our own plant and our own equipment.”
Cairn Cross works nationwide for the UK railways. Although its specialises in rail depots, it is versatile and can deliver a variety of requirements for the client. Phil mentions the rail freight terminal to service the Marks and Spencer distribution centre in Castle Donnington as an example, which incorporated approximately 3.5 kilometres of permanent way rail track along with associated walkways, lighting, and telecommunications.
“Most of the time the schemes are all multidisciplined across a number of services, so it is not just
the concrete or the superstructure, or the equipment, it is the whole turnkey deliverable facility that we offer. That is the skill and value that we add in being able to deliver the full project”.
It is a company that is going from strength to strength and is on track to have its best year ever, with a host of high-profile rail jobs at the centre of that. Among its ongoing jobs are several power upgrades across depots in Wales and England.
“We’re dealing with the distribution network operators, the UK power network supplier and we’re also working with a third-party specialist provider of the substation. But then all of the groundworks and other aspects that go around it we’re doing in house, and we manage the whole depot upgrade process in house with our electrical engineering manager,” he said.
“Being able to offer all this is more unique and offers the client a lot of value, de-risking the project for them as it means that the client has one point of contact rather than having to coordinate a multitude of different entities.”
Phil spoke with Rail Director as the company was nearing the end of its work on constructing a new maintenance depot in Peterborough alongside the East Coast Mainline for GB Railfreight (GBRf). Valued at £4.7 million, it is a 95-metre superstructure shed with two roads, a gantry crane, and jacking systems to provide maintenance facilities.
Once complete it will improve safety and reliability across GBRf’s wagon fleet, using smart sensor technology to quickly analyse wagon conditions and identify faults much earlier, quickly and accurately.
“The project has been going really well and the relationship and partnership between GBRf and ourselves and a number of other third-party stakeholders involved in that depot has been very collaborative,” he said.
“On that scheme, we designed the permanent way alterations in such a way that we provided a runaround for the depot so we could construct the shed offline. During three full weekend blockades in January, we altered the track configurations to provide the operator full access to their north yard which enabled us to construct the depot without disrupting their operations and deliveries.”
It is this kind of thinking that has led to Cairn Cross’s reputation as the go-to organisation for rail depots, with an understanding that the operation of the trains has to take priority while work is carried out.
“There are always challenges, particularly in the depot environment, around the operation of the trains and we understand there could be emergencies that come up during the day where trains need to come back into the depot,” he said. “We work with clients on flexibility around our approach and we are agile in our delivery in terms of our programming and planning of schemes.
“Among the solutions we’ve executed include a project where we redesigned the track alignment so that the operator could keep using the road. We were building a carriage wash which was designed in such a way that the operator could have a run-around during the day, and they could use the road at night as a through road on behalf of Network Rail in Holyhead.
“It meant clearing the work area and handing it back every night, rather than taking a 15-week possession of that siding and doing all of our work; the addition of a set of switches, a short piece of track, gave them a run-around for the day. The wash substructure and superstructure were designed in such a way that they could be installed during the day when their depot was quiet, which gave the operator full functionality and full use of their facility at night time for the whole duration of the project while we were on site.
“We communicate consistently with the client to ensure safety is paramount and the environment can remain as open as possible. We’ve installed several wheel lathes, CET and AdBlue facilities, and pit drops in operational sites, so we take a lot of pride in our approach.”
Phil’s been involved with Cairn Cross for more than 15 years, with the last decade as managing director. During this time the company has continued to grow and two years ago it rebranded (dropping the engineering from its name) to celebrate trading for
a quarter of a century and reflecting the company’s growth and core values.
More recently the organisation also introduced its Step Change plan, which involved taking a whole holistic overview of how the business was performing and operating. It also looked to the future, considering how it wanted to develop its offering and the social value and community engagement in the years ahead.
“This has gone really well, helping the team dynamic, and has allowed some growth,” he said. “One of the biggest things we found in regard to Step Change was the capabilities that we have to deliver larger, more complex projects, the efficiency we’ve got, and our communication and engagement with clients and other stakeholders to have full visibility of the projects we are working on.”
At the heart of the organisation is a passion to give something back to the industry and help the workers of tomorrow. As well as school engagement and social value promoting, Cairn Cross has introduced a robust apprenticeship training programme with design technicians and engineers, and for its current employees, is constantly looking at ways to improve facilities and conditions.
Phil said: “Like all organisations we’ve had some challenging years, but in those times of adversity we’ve gained further strength. This is only going to get stronger with the great amount of work to be done to improve facilities that the operators have and integrate new technologies and innovation that we can design into the future projects.
“We’ll continue to look for green alternatives and efficiencies, with examples including our TrackPan innovation where we use GRP as opposed to concrete. We are also a great advocate of GRP walkways and the development of sustainable delivery practices.
“All of this will come together to build on the reputation we have built over the last 25-plus years, while at the same time increasing our specialist services and bringing more expertise into the business. This will further increase the amount we can self-deliver within our own organisation, which in turn will give clients even better value.”
Visit www.cairncross.uk.com
There are always challenges, particularly in the depot environment, around the operation of the trains
inning more work in the UK rail industry takes plenty of time and effort. Ask anyone who’s been working in the industry for years, or a newcomer trying to get a foot in the door, and they’ll cite numerous opportunities, and challenges.
It’s widely recognised just how complex and multifaceted the UK rail industry is, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be understood and ‘infiltrated’ by a work hungry supply chain. We just need the right tools and resources to enable and empower people to do that.
In The UK Rail Report we have created a valuable resource that by no means claims to solve some of these decades long challenges, but what it does do is gives readers everything they need to understand the sector and who ‘runs the show’ so to speak in the myriad organisations there are. And this gives them a serious competitive edge. It truly is an insider’s guide to unlocking new opportunities in UK rail.
I remember a few days after we launched the report back in June, a couple of members got in touch with the team to say how useful it was and that they had tasked multiple members of their teams with drawing out key intel and contacts from it to drive forward their business development plans.
In the weeks and months that have followed we’ve heard from members who are now in active contract discussions with Network Rail and train operators as a direct result of the intel they’ve gleaned from The UK Rail Report. And nothing makes the team behind RBD Community happier than this. It was more than 12 months in the making and we’ve committed to
updating it every quarter so that it remains up to date, relevant and useful for everyone in the rail supply chain.
The UK Rail Report update in September packs even more of a punch. All of the 44,000+ words of it have been updated. The popular ‘Who’s Who’ sections – which help companies with useful contacts – have been fully updated, and more contacts have been added. It’s populated with up to date facts and stats and the latest intelligence about UK rail operations. For the first time it also includes all UK rail industry awards. And, the big advantage is that all of this information is available in one place.
What’s inside The UK Rail Report update?
Details about the current UK rail environment/ landscape.
Information about the organisations and people governing it.
The roles of government, operators and owners.
Key industry facts and stats.
Information about routes into the UK rail market.
Who’s who in UK rail organisations, TOCs, FOCs and more.
Key active/upcoming projects across UK regions. Useful information about test facilities and innovation centres.
Rail events and awards.
The UK Rail Report serves as an essential tool for everyone already working in UK rail, those seeking to work in the industry, and as an industry induction tool for new market entrants. It’s researched, authored and edited by industry experts, to empower people with valuable information and insights so they can expand their networks and unlock opportunities. This update, the first update, enhances the intelligence that’s already there and adds to it.
So, while challenges still remain, the opportunities are plentiful and this report helps to give the supply chain a deeper understanding of how everything works, the key decision-makers and influencers within it and much more. It’s an invaluable resource everyone should invest in.
The UK Rail Report is available free to all RBD Community members as part of their membership benefits via the membership portal One Place.
Non RBD-Community members can buy the report, which retails at £500 here. Or sign up to the RBD Community and access the report free at community. railbusinessdaily.com/members/the-uk-rail-report/.
RBD Community is a membership organisation and a force for good in rail, helping companies from around the world to do more business in rail. Member benefits include profile enhancing PR, advertising and microsite, intelligence and access to new opportunities and networking events. Membership includes £3,800 worth of additional benefits including profile enhancement, intelligence and networking opportunities – for £350 per year – that’s less than £1 a day.
Find out more at community.railbusinessdaily.com
Acorel specialises 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
HR Kilns is the premier supplier and manufacturer 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
Dywidag work to make infrastructure safer, stronger, and smarter with data-driven systems extending the lifespan of new and ageing track, roads, tunnels, and bridges. sales.uk@dywidag.com
https://dywidag.com/ 0161 797 5511
As a Recruitment business, Global’s objective is to supply reliable and experienced personnel on either a temporary, contract or permanent basis. rail@global-rg.co.uk
www.global-rg.com/jobs
0121 796 5344
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
Harting Ltd is a leading supplier of connectivity technology for the three lifelines of data, signals and power.
salesuk@harting.com
https://www.harting.com/UK 01604 827 500
Jobson James Rail is a national specialist railway insurance broker, the market leader in the UK by a huge margin with over 550+ 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
Loram is a leading supplier of track maintenance, inspection services and infrastructure optimisation services and equipment around the globe.
commercial@loram.co.uk
https://loram.co.uk 01332 293 035
RailSmart Virtual Campus is a total learning suite that drives staff engagement and nurtures a learning culture aligned with your goals.
Make. Change. Work.
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
Since 1961 Rittal has been a global leader in innovation for its products, including enclosures, cooling solutions, power distribution, and IT infrastructure. Rittal’s robust enclosures are a functional solution for the rail environment. information@rittal.co.uk
www.rittal.co.uk
01709 704000
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
Rail Manche Finance is a joint venture established in April 1992 by the National Rail Companies of Great Britain and France and provides managed service solutions. rail@global-rg.co.uk https://www.global-rg.com/jobs
0121 796 5344
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
UK Power Network Services solve your energy challenges through innovative solutions, delivering resilience, cost efficiency and sustainability to deliver a bright energy future.
www.UKPowerNetworksServices.co.uk 0800 029 4285
Welfare Vans 4 Less are one of the UK’s leading suppliers of professionally converted welfare vans, with nationwide delivery 7 days a week.
info@welfarevans4less.co.uk
www.welfarevans4less.co.uk/ 01782 848855
n the next five years BakerHicks will be at the forefront of organisations’ minds when they talk about a rail scheme that’s a little more complex than your average one.”
That is the message from Tim Moss, the portfolio manager at the design, engineering and project delivery company which specialises in complex infrastructure, process and built environments across the full project life cycle.
“Our extensive, multi-disciplinary experience in rail covers all aspects of the railway system including stations, depots, and safety critical operational lineside infrastructure itself including track, electrification, plant and equipment, structures and earthworks,” said Tim. “Safety and assurance are key to what we do, and we’re certified by RISQS and fully conversant with Network Rail and industry standards and processes.”
It is with good reason that Tim is confident of the impact BakerHicks can have on the rail industry with vast experience in station environment projects, a successful electrification overhead line team in Derby, and now a new specialist office in York ready to deliver dedicated rail designs for the leading companies and industry bodies.
“The office offers expertise in overhead line design and alongside electrification schemes, we are also targeting power industry projects,” added Tim. “The York office enables us to reach a new and different audience with the immediate future centred around Control Period 7 and being able to deliver in the Eastern region.
“Although we continue to expand, one thing that won’t change is the personalised touch and the fact we genuinely care about every project that we work on, with an enthusiasm and ambition to keep getting better in the rail industry.”
The company already has a fantastic platform in the industry, with among its recent success providing design services for London Underground’s train modification unit in Acton.
The team is particularly proud of its role as the main designer for the Whitechapel Station which is part of the Elizabeth Line, taking the repair and overhaul of the original Victorian façade and construction of a modern ticket hall and concourse from RIBA Stage Three to deliver the new design concept for the station through to completion.
A planted rooftop to offset some of the carbon emissions produced, an innovative underground staircase pressurisation system, achieved through extensive energy assessments and thermal analysis, are among just a few of the features that has contributed to the scheme being such as success.
“The key to us doing design better is by thinking of the end of what we’re building, how we’re building it and not just repeating the same thing time and time again,” said Tim, who has worked in the rail industry for 30 years, as well as being involved in several highprofile projects including the London 2012 Games.
“Joining BakerHicks was an opportunity to play a part in an organisation that is driving better, safer designs in the rail industry, and guiding clients through the best solutions driven by extensive knowledge, passion, and the confidence to do things a little bit differently.”
At the heart of this is its sustainability commitments. By 2030 the company has targeted being net zero carbon, working with clients to deliver only operational net zero carbon new builds, and reducing embodied carbon intensity of all new buildings and major retrofits by 50 per cent.
“Recycling materials in rail designs is vital in keeping projects as sustainable as possible,” said Tim.
“The mindset has to be that materials should be recycled and if that can’t be done it should be new. Too often it is the other way around, even though rail and switches can quite easily be recycled particularly in a depot environment.
“I’d also like to see more off site fabrication and modular builds so the quality is controlled somewhere else and brought in, ideally by rail.
“We are beating the drum early doors in design and that is where our mindset needs to be, setting the strategy forward which brings with it a cost saving and a huge benefit when it comes to sustainability.”
A new offi ce in York has opened offering rail expertise including overhead line design. Portfolio manager Tim Moss explains more
HOPPECKE is an expert in customised rail battery systems.
• Proven FNC (NiCad) or valve regulated lead acid batteries ensure virtually maintenance-free operation, in a unique electrical and mechanical design.
• Lithium-ion (Li-Ion) batteries offer superior energy storage and power management, including built-in thermal management in a fireproof housing.
Eleni Jordan is the new commercial director at Trenitalia c2c. She has joined from Chiltern Railways where she served as commercial and customer strategy director for six years, responsible for passenger and ancillary revenue and more recently, the postpandemic growth strategy
What attracted you to the role at c2c?
There are a number of factors which attracted me to the role. Trenitalia c2c is a formidable business delivering safe and reliable services to its customers across East London and South Essex, with high levels of customer satisfaction, every day. It consistently delivers for customers and whilst there is always more we can do, it’s a very reputable brand with strong customer loyalty.
Furthermore, c2c is intrinsically linked to Trenitalia, which prides itself on being one of the main players in the European rail transport market and is committed to offering quality rail services across Italy as well as across Europe. Trenitalia has strong ambitions for c2c as well as a desire for further expansion of Trenitalia in Europe so it’s an incredibly exciting opportunity and one which I am really looking forward to.
What are your aims and aspirations in the role?
Firstly, I am very excited to be working with such a great team of colleagues at c2c who are all driven to achieve high standards of business and who deliver day in, day out for customers. I have already witnessed some really inspiring colleagues who are dedicated to achieving this.
I look forward to being part of a leadership team whose priority is to deliver a safe, reliable, profitable
and sustainable business for our customers, people and stakeholders. A business which is positioned well for growth and development and offers everyday value for our customers. I will be focused on empowering our teams to drive innovation, challenge the status quo and to deliver upon the rail reform architecture which has been set out to modernise our railways.
I aspire to lead by example with open and honest communications and a desire to build a business which is fit for the future and to deliver a legacy for future generations to come. The decisions we take today as leaders will impact the business in the medium to long term and so it’s a great responsibility to take decisions now, for our future railway.
What have you learnt from 28 years in commercial and customer focussed roles and what have been the biggest changes?
I have been fortunate to have experienced a number of different industries in my career thus far, from tour operations to retail to financial services, and over the last two decades, rail. One of my key observations and learnings is that there are many similarities and synergies across the different sectors. For example, customer behaviours have changed in a similar way across many sectors, the changes we’ve seen in rail have also been seen in other sectors; such as retail and banking.
A good illustration of this is the shift to digital and the high adoption of self-serve checkouts in retail, and to a certain extent, we’ve seen this in rail with more customers transitioning to digital purchases.
In terms of the biggest changes, I think what I’ve seen across all industries is that businesses need to adapt and be agile to change in an ever-changing commercial environment. Often companies that don’t adapt or who are slow to do so, simply can’t stay in business - a good example of this is Blockbuster who didn’t adapt to change in consumer needs and were overtaken by new digital ways of working fuelled by innovation. Netflix illustrates this point well as they entered the market and successfully became a market leader in this space but using data and technology.
What is going to be the key in achieving profitable growth and ensuring partnerships with key local stakeholders and businesses?
The post-pandemic landscape is challenging. Some customer segments have recovered well, such as the leisure market, however, business travel is still lagging across the whole of the rail industry and so we need to find ways to re-stimulate markets which are not fully recovered and to encourage lapsed users to come back to rail from other modes.
In order to do this, we must work hard to deliver a value proposition which meets our customers’ expectations and to be able to simplify our fares, retail and ticketing. There are programmes of work to reform these areas on the horizon which will drive improvements; this is positive, and we must strive to be ‘customer centric’ in our decision making.
I believe a strategy fuelled by growth rather than a strategy to cut costs will be far more successful and will build strong foundations for the future and provide a platform for continued growth across the medium/long term.
I also strongly believe there is a great opportunity with our local community, strategic partnerships and local stakeholders to work together to invigorate travel, upgrade our stations and deliver economic growth to our network.
I am personally looking forward to meeting our key stakeholders and finding mutual benefit in working together.
How did you get into the rail industry and what do you enjoy most about working in the sector?
My first role in rail was in 2002 working with Heathrow Express as head of sales & distribution; that was 21 years ago, and I am still in rail. Heathrow Express was a great role because it was working in rail with close links to the aviation industry, which had many synergies with a prior role I had at British Airways Holidays.
The business was ambitious and forward thinking and had set the bar for customer experience high, which I really enjoyed. I find the rail industry has a very close-knit community, with hard working, forward thinking and energised people. I enjoy the challenge of working in an industry which has a great support network along with true collaborators, which I see across TOCs and across regions.
Are you optimistic for the future of the rail industry?
Yes, I am, the rail industry is a fantastic industry filled with huge opportunities for growth. We have exceptional talent in our industry which we must harness and empower to drive continued success. I do feel that we must be agile and open to change and be ready to challenge the status quo and critique our businesses.
The rail industry has a vision, set out by the Bradshaw address earlier this year, to be modernised and to enable reform. It also sets out the imperative to put customers first, to work with GBRTT and realise the benefits, and to help enhance the role of the private sector.
I believe rail has an exciting future and we can all be part of the change and build a better industry for our customers, our stakeholders and our people. That is an exciting prospect and I look forward to being part of a team at the forefront of making it happen.
• 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
I strongly believe
Network Rail has confirmed the appointments of two regional managing directors to lead the Southern and North West & Central regions.
Ellie Burrows has been appointed as the permanent regional managing director for Network Rail’s Southern region. Ellie has been in the regional managing director role for the Southern region on an interim basis since January this year.
Ellie said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have been appointed as the permanent managing director for Southern region. I’ve had such a warm welcome since starting on an interim basis in January and I’m really grateful to have been involved in some exciting industry achievements, including the King’s coronation, the celebration of 75 years of Windrush, the 175th anniversary since London Waterloo station first opened and lots more.
“We’ve overcome some significant challenges over the past few years and my focus is on working with
our industry partners even more closely to make sure we’re investing our money wisely, so we can give our passengers a safe and high-performing railway that they can rely on.
“I’m committed to making Southern region a safe, caring and inclusive place where our people are proud to work.”
Eastern region managing director Rob McIntosh has been appointed as the new regional managing director for the North West & Central region. Rob moved over to the region in September.
Rob said: “I’m very much looking forward to working with colleagues, partners and stakeholders to deliver a better service across the North West and Central region.
“Whilst running a safe, reliable service for passengers and freight is at the core of what we do, our commitment extends beyond that to making a real difference to the communities and economies we serve.”
Northern has appointed Paul Headon as its new head of service planning, with the overall responsibility for the train operator’s timetable of more than 2,500 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.
He is no stranger to the complex world of railway timetables, having previously served as head of timetable strategy for TransPennine Express.
He said: “I’m excited to join Northern and get stuck in with the team to deliver a timetable that works for our customers.
“As the second largest train operator in the UK, Northern has an important role to play in keeping the North of England on the move.”
Siemens Mobility has announced that Rob Morris, managing director of rail infrastructure (RI) and Sambit Banerjee, managing director of rolling stock and customer services (RS/CS), will jointly assume the role of chief executive officer (CEO) of Siemens Mobility United Kingdom and Ireland.
Rob and Sambit will combine the joint CEO roles with their existing responsibilities. Rob and Sambit will also join the board of directors for Siemens Mobility Limited, with chief financial officer (CFO) Julie Owen, as chair of the board.
Rob joined Siemens Mobility, rail infrastructure (RI) in January 2015, as the director of operations and took the role of managing director, RI in 2017. He has a career spanning five decades in multidisciplined major projects, working for mining, power, general construction, and technologybased businesses both internationally and in the UK.
Sambit Banerjee has been with Siemens for more than 25 years and worked across Siemens businesses spanning multiple global markets. He took up the post of UK finance director at Siemens Mobility, rolling stock and customer services (RS/CS) in 2013 before being appointed managing director for RS/CS in 2019.
Rob said: “I’m excited to be joint CEO alongside Sambit. Being part of such a strong leadership team means we are in a good position to continue delivering for our customers in the UK, transforming communities, societies, and economies.”
Sambit added: “It’s an honour to be given the opportunity to carry on Siemens Mobility’s strong heritage and track record in serving our clients. We will continue to build on this and work closely not just with our customers, but in the neighbourhoods (in which) we are based across the UK, from Southampton to Scotland. This is a truly exciting time to be in the UK market with a number of future opportunities.”
Image: Network Rail Image: Network Rail Image: Northern
“I hope to bring my experience to bear in one of the most interesting and important developments anywhere in UK and European rail.” That is the message from Rob Forde, who has been appointed Global Centre or Rail Excellence’s (GCRE) new director of strategy and skills.
Joining from Network Rail, Rob will oversee GCRE’s skills and long-term strategy. His role will involve working with clients, academics, and industry partners to speed up research and development cycles at the new rail innovation facility, which is currently being built in South Wales.
Prior to joining GCRE Rob was industry sector lead
DB Cargo UK has appointed a new chief transformation and digitalisation officer as part of its plans to further improve the company’s operational efficiency and customer service.
Rohan Kapoor (BEng, MBA), who was previously the IT director in charge of digital transformation at National Grid, will join the company with immediate effect.
He said: “I am excited about the digital journey at DB Cargo UK, which offers numerous opportunities to enhance the business and develop essential capabilities. I believe that the future holds thrilling times for everyone at the company.
“I will be aiming to foster an environment of collaboration and growth. Together, we will build a culture that encourages innovation, embraces change, and delivers exceptional results.”
for Network Rail on the East Coast Digital Programme, and before that part of Network Rail’s research and development (R&D) team, leading the accelerated innovation programme and helping secure a six-fold increase in the budget for CP6.
He said: “I’m delighted to be joining the Global Centre of Rail Excellence team and to be taking on such an exciting and interesting new role in the team. I’ve spent my career working in innovation and R&D, so it’s great to be able to make a contribution to such a vitally important new facility on the rail landscape.
“The GCRE will become Europe’s premier site for rail innovation, supporting the development of new ideas that will bring new products to market faster, help develop more cost-effective rail infrastructure and support the industry’s path to net zero.”
Rail Wellbeing Live (RWL) returns later this year with TV personality and campaigner, Davina McCall, Olympic rowing legend, Sir Steve Redgrave, and physician and mental health ambassador, Dr Alex George, headlining the stellar cast of speakers from 7 to 9 November.
Now in its fourth year, the three-day online event offers everyone in the rail industry the opportunity to come together and connect with colleagues and high-profile speakers to get inspiration, tips, and guidance on how to tackle a wide range of health and wellbeing issues.
Ruth Busby, chair of the RWL steering board and people and transformation director at Great Western Railway and Network Rail Wales and Western said: “I’m so proud and excited to be a part of Rail Wellbeing Live 2023. Events like this give us all the opportunity to take a proactive approach to health and wellbeing.
“All too often, we put ourselves to the bottom of the pile and forget to look after ourselves. Taking part in one or more of these fantastic sessions will give you the tools to make a positive change – whether that be mentally, physically, emotionally, or financially.”
Rail Wellbeing Live 2023 will address all aspects of health and wellbeing in an engaging, fun way.
The three headline speakers this year are Davina McCall (Lessons I’ve Learned), Sir Steve Redgrave (You Can Win at Life) and Dr Alex George (Why mental health matters). Other highlights will include Owen O’Kane (How to be your own therapist), Poorna Bell (Finding strength), Dr Megan Rossi (Gut health), Gelong Thubten (Living in the present), Angie Belcher (Laughter as medicine), Dr Michelle O’Sullivan (Strategies for coping with trauma), Nina Finlay (Wim Hof breathing method), Vidyamala Burch (Living with pain) and Dr Nerina Ramlakhan (The art of deep sleep).
Pick ‘n’ mix sessions allow attendees to create their own agenda and attend topics that interest them most. There will be sessions in the evening on Wednesday 8 November, focused on colleagues on the frontline working evening shifts.
The opening session ‘Welcome to Rail Wellbeing Live 2023’ will feature Network Rail chief executive,
Andrew Haines, SYSTRA assistant engineer and Young Rail Professionals Apprentice of the Year, Lucy Davidson, and Siemens mobility engineer, Henda Moreso Grion. It will be hosted by broadcaster, journalist, and author Kate Silverton. The focus of the discussion will be around young people in the industry, and the future of rail.
Ruth added: “I’d especially like to ask line managers to encourage their team to join an RWL session. Even if you can’t join live, sessions are available afterwards, so please register and watch at a time that is convenient.
“It doesn’t matter where you are in the rail industry, we all have similar challenges. I very much look forward to everyone coming together to improve wellbeing as one big, railway family.”
Everyone who registers for the event at www. rwl2023.co.uk before 29 September will be entered into a prize draw and given the chance to nominate a colleague for the Wellbeing Hero Award. The winner of the awards will be announced live on Tuesday 7 November by Kate Silverton.
Rail Wellbeing Live is fully funded by Alstom, Angel Trains, Arriva, Atkins, BAM Nuttall, Eversholt Rail, FirstGroup, GTR, Hitachi Rail, Keltbray, Keolis, KPMG, LNER, Network Rail, Octavius, Office of Rail and Road, RSSB, Siemens and West Midlands Railway.
I very much look forward to everyone coming together to improve wellbeing as one big, railway family
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