RailStaff August 2014 by Rail Media

RailStaff THE MOST POPULAR PUBLICATION IN THE UK RAIL INDUSTRY www.railstaff.co.uk

Issue 201 | August 2014

Circus Time In its new home at Coventry Ricoh Arena the RailStaff Awards 2014 will feature all the magic of the circus this autumn. With help from the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading Circus Theatre Company, Incandescence, the RailStaff Awards will bring all the razzamatazz of the Big Top to Coventry on 25 October in its biggest celebration yet of the rail industry and its hard working staff.

Page 20

IN THIS ISSUE HERTFORDSHIRE LINK

ALISTAIR DORMER

SHOVELLER TO CHAIR RBF

Crossrail to the WCML is being looked at. Page 5

From ship to shore. Page 16

RBF appoints Tim as Chairman. Page 8

@StobartRailLtd

COLLETTE BUTTERWORTH, CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR) OFFICER A graduate of Stobart’s very own internal Management Development Programme, Collette was one half of the project group responsible for the development and implementation of Stobart Group’s CSR policy. This saw a natural progression into a permanent CSR role for the Group which has seen Collette fully capture, manage and develop the reporting of Stobart Group’s entire carbon footprint as well as successfully deliver pilot projects in employee engagement, corporate charity partnerships, local community engagement and energy eﬃciency. Collette will continue to be responsible for environmental reporting, and all Corporate Social Responsibility-related activity for Stobart Group, alongside this new and

exciting appointment with Stobart Rail where she will be centralising CSR reporting and further developing stakeholder engagement reporting to Andrew Sumner (Business Development and Stakeholder Manager). Collette commented “I am excited and enthused about this new position with Stobart Rail and to be working with Andrew on really bringing to life stakeholder engagement and creating a reporting platform to shout about all the great CSR work Stobart Rail are already doing. This role signiﬁes Stobart Rail’s commitment to CSR and I am thrilled to be part of a team who are so forward thinking and innovative – I can see some exciting yet challenging times ahead and I can’t wait to get stuck in!”.

RAIL Live 2014 The Stobart Rail team exhibited the Track Reballasting machine at Rail Live in June 2014.

The show provided the platform for Stobart Rail to engage with the railway community, all

of whom will be playing a pivotal role within the next Control Period as the railway industry continues to enjoy signiﬁcant investment to its infrastructure.

The show was a great success due to exceptional planning and organisation. Stobart Rail

were very pleased to be involved with the event and are working with key contacts gained over the two day period. The show demonstrated the collaborative working required for

success and provided business opportunities that Stobart Rail will turn into real projects that will beneﬁt the UK rail network.

Dave Richardson Plant Manager t. 01228 882 300 e. david.richardson@stobartrail.com Gary Newton Contracts and Estimating Manager t. 01228 882 300 e. gary.newton@stobartrail.com Andrew Sumner Business Development and Stakeholder Manager t. 01228 882 300 e. andrew.sumner@stobartrail.com

stobartrail.com

COMMENT

August 2014 | RailStaff | 3

RailStaff Contact us: Publisher:

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Looking cool The expression ‘looking cool’ is thought to have originated in New York City many years ago. When temperatures soared the police department would open the fire hydrants so children could dance in the spray and cool down. Every summer kids would ask police officers to open the hydrants. New York police officers, compassionate though they are, often took some convincing. ‘Hell, you look cool enough to me,’ came the response.

RailStaff Publications, Rail Media House, Samson Road, Coalville, Leicestershire, LE67 3FP.

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Keeping cool in railways is both a physical and emotional challenge. In our last edition, our 200th , we remembered how the railway was slated for terminal decline when RailStaff first set up shop running good news stories about railways and the people who work on them. 201 editions later the industry has undergone extraordinary change, embracing a sense of urgency drama more attuned to a Hollywood sound stage. It is definitely hydrant time for railway engineers, planners and track workers. Improvements are being progressed the length and breadth of the network this summer. If the rest of the media struggle for news in August that’s far from the case at RailStaff.

Keeping cool in railways is both a physical and emotional challenge... The One North proposal that fast new rail links be built uniting Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Liverpool underscores the central purpose of the new rail industry. Like HS2, Crossrail2, Great Western Electrification and the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme, the railway is creating a physical infrastructure that will support the next generation of economic endeavour. Moreover it will spread wealth and commerce to where it is needed most, re-oxygenating the post-recession corpus of a once great Britain. If anyone doubts that new railways like HS2 and the One North links will be built, take a look at what is being achieved this summer. Rails are being laid on the new Borders Railway in Scotland, Crossrail tunnels are now being fitted out, a new station opened at Cumbernauld as part of EGIP and the lines for the tram extension put down in Birmingham to

the cheerful applause of visiting school children. Visions for the railway take shape rapidly and have caught the imagination of business leaders, politicians and the public. Rendered into practical cost-effective protocols, plans unfurl in concrete and steel across a success-hungry landscape. The heat is on and news that air conditioning has been fitted in drivers’ cabs in the midlands is welcome indeed. Rail staff may look cool by New York City police department standards but it is hard, tireless, work. No one should forget that this miracle of economic renewal has only been made possible by the ingenuity and dedication of the people who make up this industry. All of them deserve support, encouragement, cool PPE and in-cab air conditioning.

andy@rail-media.com

Plant & Equipment Focus in September

Tall Story

TrainsPeople launch

RailStaff reports in detail on the latest developments in plant and equipment that were on display at Rail Live in June. If you want to contribute, get in touch now.

Small and medium businesses are being increasingly recognised for their strong contribution to the rail industry.

Shorterm Group has acquired Bridgen Training, now rebranded as TrainsPeople Limited, the railway training experts.

Call Keith on 01530 816444 to discuss.

NEWS

4 | RailStaff | August 2014

Trackside Plant Sold Balfour Beatty Rail has sold its trackside plant and equipment (TP&E) business to Vp plc Torrent Trackside. The TP&E rail equipment rental business operates from a number of locations in south-east England and will be integrated into Torrent Trackside, Vp’s specialist rail business. The acquisition includes a five-year framework agreement for the hire of trackside plant and equipment to Balfour Beatty Rail across Britain. Balfour Beatty Rail will continue to operate the core of its rail plant business which includes track geometry services, road rail vehicles,

specialist plant services, rail grinding and seasonal treatment works. Says Mark Bullock, managing director of Balfour Beatty Rail, ‘Following a strategic review of the way in which Balfour Beatty Rail procures its small tools, plant and equipment, a decision was taken to sell the TP&E business. ‘We remain very much committed to UK rail plant market and will continue to provide our customers with a complete range of high quality track geometry, road rail and specialist rail plant services. ‘We look forward to working with Torrent Trackside as a strong supply chain partner for all our trackside plant and equipment hire requirement.’

Signalling Centre Opens The new rail operating centre, ROC, which will eventually become the nerve centre of railways in the North West has opened at Ashburys in Manchester. The new ROC is one of 12 that in the coming years will control the entire rail network, replacing more than 800 signal boxes. The leader of Manchester City Council, Sir Richard Leese, joined staff from Network Rail, TransPennine Express and Northern Rail to formally open the ROC. Ashburys is on the Manchester Glossop line and is named after the Ashbury Carriage and Iron Company Limited which was once based at nearby Openshaw. Says Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, ‘This new

centre will be an important part of a major overhaul of the North West’s rail network, vastly improving the service and making it easier for tens of thousands of people to access jobs in and around Manchester using public transport.’ The line between Huyton and Roby, near Liverpool, is the first section of railway being controlled from Manchester ROC following recent resignalling and upgrade work. The ROC will extend its scope of operations over the winter. More pioneer staff from Network Rail, TransPennine Express and Northern Rail will be based at Ashburys later this year. Eventually Manchester ROC will govern a portion of the railway stretching from Crewe to Carlisle and Wales to Todmorden in Calderdale, West Yorkshire.

working as an operator in the rail industry today. ‘Last year’s event was a great success, and all of the operators who attended were keen for us to run another,’ said Rob Lynch, Director of Lynch Plant Hire & Haulage. ‘There aren’t many opportunities throughout the year to meet face to face the people who work in your industry, so days out like these are very important in the process of

building relationships and earning trust, as it is impossible to do this kind of thing totally from behind your desk. It’s also great for the operators to come together with their families and enjoy a fun day! It means their families can get some understanding of the jobs that they do, so making the day familyfriendly was an obvious choice’. For more information, visit www.l-lynch.com

Lynch Party Plant operators will be taking part in the Lynch Family Plant Show and Operator Open Day in Brentwood, Essex on Sunday, 31st August. The event is a chance for operators to show off their talents in one huge open day, and they’re encouraged to bring their families along to enjoy it too. Admission is free. Lynch is also taking this opportunity at the show to raise money for its charity of choice, Breast Cancer Care. The company is supporting the charity throughout the year, and all donations raised via the event will go towards this very deserving cause. The event brings together everything that an operator faces in day-to-day working life, from large plant, to training trials, and is designed to give families insight into the lives of these

hardworking breadwinners. Operator challenges will be running throughout the day, so anyone who is feeling competitive can set their wits against their peers. With machine demonstrations from some of the world’s leading plant suppliers such as JCB, Volvo and Doosan, CPCS training advice, merchandise stalls, a plant simulator and dig zones, there’s lots to get involved with. Children will be well catered for, with face-painting, bouncy castles, candy carts and a children’s assault course all available. For any individuals looking for help in the field, this is definitely the place to be. Professionals will be on hand to offer advice on employment, safety and training. Representatives from the National Federation of Plant and Equipment Operators are joining the party, and are a must meet for anyone

NEWS

August 2014 | RailStaff | 5

Hertfordshire Link for Crossrail Crossrail construction staff at Farringdon station were among the first to hear transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin’s startling announcement that a spur connecting Crossrail to the West Coast Main Line is being looked at by the DfT. The rail link will connect Crossrail, at its Old Oak Common interchange, with the Dudding Hill freight line. This will give Crossrail trains access to the West Coast Main Line at Brent Sidings – between Willesden Junction and Stonebridge Park. Crossrail will then be able to connect Hemel Hempstead, Tring, Watford and Harrow with new stations in the City and the West End. On a special site visit Mr McLoughlin told staff at Farringdon, ‘It would

be a huge boost to Crossrail and London commuters. We’re going to examine, right away, how we can run extra services direct into the City and through to Canary Wharf from key stations like Tring, Hemel Hempstead, Harrow and Watford – without the frustrating need to change at Euston.’ The move will obviate the coming

constrictions at Euston while HS2 is built. The feasibility study – conducted in house – should be ready by the end of the year. If authorised ‘High Speed Hertfordshire’ Crossrail services could be operational by 2020. Analysis of commuter travel patterns suggests 40 per cent of passengers travelling in to central London from

Hertfordshire finish their journeys within 1,000 metres of a Crossrail station. This compares to just 10 per cent working within 1,000 metres of Euston. The new link would have the added benefit of reducing congestion at the station and help passengers who have to complete their journey to work on the London Underground.

Healthcare Connections A combination of medications can cause unwanted side effects such as drowsiness and dizziness - a danger for workers in safety-critical roles. Chemist On Call, our medication checking service, ensures your employees are safe to work, avoiding the risk of incidents and accidents to themselves, other workers and the general public. Call us today to find out more. Call Alere Healthcare Connections on +44 (0)8456 773 002 ahcc.sales@alere.com | alerehealthcareconnections.com @AlereHCC

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Keeping your workforce safe

NEWS

6 | RailStaff | August 2014

Apprentice Summer for Intertrain Intertrain has received over 100 applications for just 12 apprenticeships, as interest in railway careers continues to grow. Earlier this year, Intertrain and SPL formed a partnership to deliver the first full framework Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship in Overhead Line Engineering Construction in the United Kingdom. Recruitment for the Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship in OHLE Construction takes place this summer in Doncaster. Special information, advice and guidance sessions have been scheduled for August. ‘Overhead Line Electrification has certainly caught the imagination of many young people looking for stable and rewarding careers,’ says Nick Richards of Intertrain. ‘Once the sessions have

been held we will be holding a series of pre-selection events for applicants who would like to pursue a place on the apprenticeship programme.’ The ‘preselection’ events will consist of practical tests, initial assessments and lectures focusing on apprenticeship content. A formal interview will take place on the final day. These events will allow Intertrain to assess both the theoretical and practical capabilities of the applicants, as well as

allowing applicants to experience many of the elements required to complete the apprenticeship. Once Pre-Selection events have come to an end, Intertrain will refer the top 20 applicants to SPL. These will be individuals who have excelled throughout the recruitment process. SPL will then be responsible for the final selection of 12 candidates to join the first ever railway overhead apprenticeship programme in the UK. The fortunate 12 will start employment

Farm Train for Fell-Runners A Hull-based fell runner, aged 50, whose father managed to outrun a steam train almost 60 years ago, is rerunning the route for charity. Brian Heaton was 24 and serving in the army in 1955 when he and two friends decided to try and outrun the train as it travelled from Yelverton to Princetown on Dartmoor in Devon. The three soldiers leapt off the train at Ingra Tor Halt and dashed over the moors to Kings Tor Halt – the train had to make a three-mile trip round the hills. The route over the top is about a mile. However, Mr Heaton’s son Michael, reckons he can do it along with his son Joseph, 23, and fell-runner cousin Paul Hindle, 52. Mr Heaton is now 82 but will be urging the team on from his home. The plan had one major snag which the runners have overcome. The Princetown - Yelverton branch line was closed in 1955 only three months after Mr Heaton’s race. The trackbed is now a cycle route. However, local farmer, Bary

Landrick, has agreed to stand in for the train using his landrover. Back in 1955 the fireman and driver heard passengers talking about the race and built up a great head of steam. The loco crew powered off as quickly as they could, determined to beat the runners. However, Mr Heaton and his comrades in arms still won the race. This August Mr Landrick, rather more sportingly, has agreed to keep

the speed down to 18 mph – the old railway’s average. Money raised from the steam-dash will go to the International Child Campaign and Bowel and Cancer Research in memory of Michael’s sister, Lesley Ann Johnson, who died at the age of 48 in 2008 after suffering from bowel cancer. To contribute go to https://mydonate.bt.com/teams/ trainrun © SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

on 1 September. To celebrate the commencement of the first full framework Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship in Overhead Line Engineering Construction, Intertrain in partnership with SPL plans an opening ceremony in Doncaster. ‘We want to welcome the new apprentices to the rail industry and celebrate the success of Intertrain, SPL and Doncaster itself as a leader in the development of the proposed rail academy,’ says Nick.

Freightliner relocating to Teesport Freightliner is leaving its Wilton Road terminal on Teesside and relocating to Teesport. The move heralds a £3m investment in rail at the site by PD Ports. Work has already started on the rail terminal. Staff at Freightliner’s Wilton facility will transfer to Teesport. David Robinson, chief executive of PD Ports, is enthusiastic about the arrival of Freightliner. ‘We have invested significantly in expanding the intermodal services available at the port and the arrival of Freightliner will provide a greater level of service options, as well as improve our portcentric capability for our customers. It brings intermodal rail into Tees Dock, which we haven’t had before. It will certainly make Teesport a truly intermodal platform with sea, rail and road.’

PEOPLE

8 | RailStaff | August 2014

Shoveller to chair RBF RBF has appointed Tim Shoveller as its new chairman. Tim Shoveller is currently managing director of South West Trains – Network Rail Alliance. Twenty years ago, Tim joined the railway as a staff entrant - working as a guard and later a trainee driver at Guildford. After transferring into station management, he worked his way up and became a duty manager at Waterloo. Tim was previously managing director of East Midlands Trains and business development director of Virgin Trains. A wide-ranging career has seen him holding senior roles at Midland Mainline, Silverlink, Wessex Trains and Eurostar. Says Tim, ‘I’m honoured to be taking over the reins at RBF. I’m looking forward to taking it to the next stage of its development. It is an exciting time for the charity and we are looking to the future positively. We have a new name, new identity and a new domain for our website. As we become more accessible and more relevant

to new entrants to the industry and to corporate givers, we will become more successful.’ Tim becomes a board member of RBF with immediate effect and chairman on 1 January 2015. RBF deputy chairman Simon Osborne welcomed Tim, ‘I am delighted that Tim Shoveller has accepted our invitation to join the board. His commitment to and support of RBF has been much appreciated and now we look forward to his even greater involvement as a board member and as our chairman from the New Year. This is an exciting time for RBF as we review our strategy and our offering for the railway family. It is a pleasure to welcome Tim to the board at such an important time.’ Tim succeeds Dominic Booth who stepped down after four years as chairman with a successful record in raising profile and funds. All funds raised by RBF will help provide support to the young and old, active or retired workers connected to the railways. For more information go to the RBF website: www.rbfcharity.org.uk or its current address: www. railwaybenefitfund.org.uk

Welcome to Anne

Holland Joins Hundredth Apprentice Bam Ferrovial Kier’s 100th ORR Team

The Railway Mission has appointed Anne McCulloch to run its Rugby office.

Three new non-executive directors have joined the board of the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR).

Anne joined the Railway Mission a few weeks ago and has been busy learning about the unique rail ministry. A wider trip around part of the rail network will provide her with further insight into the work of the railway chaplains. Anne is a deacon at Stratford-uponAvon Baptist Church and makes parachute jumps for charity.

Rail hero, Bob Holland, one-time managing director of Arriva’s rail operation in Britain, joins Michael Luygger, former Dean of Manchester Business School, and Justin McCracken, erstwhile chief executive of the UK Health Protection Agency. Says Transport Minister Patrick McLoughlin, ‘It is vital that Network Rail is held to account and provides value for money for taxpayers. These appointments will mean that happens and will ensure our railways remain among the safest in the world.’ Bob Holland is looking forward to his new role. ‘Having hands-on commercial experience of running large and complex regulated and deregulated transport businesses, I look forward to bringing to ORR a wealth of experience regarding rail franchises, concessions, open access and rail maintenance businesses to improve industry performance and efficiency.’

apprentice on Crossrail has been appointed.

Jordan Malcolm-Taylor, 20, a carpenter from w, is working at Farringdon station. Having passed his initial training at Crossrail’s Tunnelling and Underground Construction

Academy in Ilford, Mr Malcolm-Taylor met Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin at Farringdon. After a brief discussion, McLoughlin, encouraged by his encounter, went onto announce ambitious new plans to extend the scope of Crossrail using a new spur from Old Oak Common north to the West Coast Main Line.

PEOPLE

August 2014 | RailStaff | 9

New CEO for ISS Labour ISS Labour (ISSL) has recently announced the appointment of two leading professionals to underpin expansion and training. Simon Higgens has joined the company as its new chief executive officer. He previously worked for Babcock Rail where he led the CP5 S&C Track Renewals bid, focussing on business innovation, change management, and continuous improvement. Prior to joining Babcock Rail in 2012, Simon served for 29 years in the Royal Engineers, deploying on operations to Iraq, Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It was for his actions in the DRC that Simon was awarded an MBE in 2004. Simon joins ISSL at a busy time. The

company has recently invested in the provision of specialist overhead line electrification and thermic track welding services. To support this expansion ISSL is currently securing new premises in Scotland, East Anglia and the South East. Simon commented, ‘To join such a dynamic and forward-looking company at a time of significant investment in the railways is a fantastic opportunity. ‘ISSL enjoys a reputation for excellence and I look forward to playing my part in driving that reputation on and leading the company through an exciting and challenging period of substantial change.’ ISSL has also welcomed Paul Humes to the company as training manager. Paul has joined the company to set up the new training school. Paul Humes was previously the senior overhead line trainer at Babcock Rail covering

the whole of the UK. He has over 17 years experience in overhead line electrification with the last 12 of those years focussed on delivering training courses. Paul was recently awarded the top grading in OLEC3 training from NSARE. He was highly complimented by the panel members who scored him in the top three overhead line trainers in the UK. Paul’s experience, expertise and commitment to delivering to exceptional standards will enable the company to provide the highest levels of training to

the industry. ISSL’s new training school will deliver OLEC 1, 2 and 3 Linesman, Level A Nominated Person, Level B Authorised Person, COSS and PTS training courses. Paul commented, ‘There will be a significant increase in demand for OLE skills in CP5 due to the high volumes of electrification works. I am looking forward to working with ISS to support the requirements of the industry and in passing on my knowledge and experience to a new generation of linesmen.’

York Walk for Jackson

Alistair Kirk joins HS2

Jackie Jackson has been appointed as regional service leader at Parsons Brinckerhoff’s York office, which opened earlier this year.

Alistair Kirk returns from the Middle East to take up a new job at HS2 Ltd as programme and strategy director.

Jackson joins Parsons Brinckerhoff from CH2MHill where she was a project delivery director. She has a background in power engineering and brings with her 15 years of railway engineering and project delivery experience. As regional Service leader, Jackson will be responsible for developing Parsons Brinckerhoff’s team while supporting other regional offices in Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow. Jackson has worked as a project recruitment-lg_Layout manager for Network Rail. 1 09/01/2014

A Chartered Electrical Engineer, Jackson holds an MBA from Bath University and a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Greenwich. She has also worked for 12:49 Page 1 and Halcrow. Mott MacDonald

Mr Kirk, who will join HS2 in September, will be responsible for progressing the planning of Phases 1 and 2 of the new railway. Says Simon Kirby, HS2 Ltd chief executive, ‘Alistair joins us at an important time for HS2, as we continue the progress from development to delivery. Putting in place the right systems, controls and rigours in our planning is essential to ensure that we build HS2 on time and on budget. ‘Alistair has an excellent track record across the defence and rail sectors.

Ganymede has a long heritage of providing contingent labour to safety critical aspects of the rail industry. As a Link-Up approved supplier, we provide semi-skilled and

Moreover, his Middle East experience, where transportation is being heavily invested in to stimulate growth and act as a catalyst for change, will also be particularly relevant to helping ensure we deliver the wider benefits of the HS2 Programme.’ Enthusing about his new job Kirk said, HS2 will provide ‘opportunities for a host of other engineering and programme management staff over the coming years. He added, ‘HS2 - amongst other major projects - will be a programme the UK transportation industry will be rightly proud of.’ Alistair Kirk joins from EC Harris, which is part of ARCADIS, where he was involved in the new transportation system in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

To find out how we can help to fulfil your labour supply needs, contact us for further information:

skilled labour, on call off and temporary

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term contracts.

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RAIL ALLIANCE

10 | RailStaff | August 2014

Join the Rail Alliance now Rail Alliance membership starts from just £500 per year

Summer High for Rail Alliance This month the Rail Alliance is delighted to report that it has had its best ever month in terms of companies joining the fold. A total of 14 new members, with four more waiting in the wings, are hooking up with the Rail Alliance. ‘This bodes well for the autumn which is set to be a really busy time for us and our members,’ says Robert Hopkin, executive director, Rail Alliance. ‘The big news, from our perspective, is that we are growing our team, which you will see from the advertisements for four posts in this edition. This is all in reaction to the huge success of a number of initiatives, in particular the following: the Testing Voucher Scheme with FutureRailway, the launch of the National SME Rail Sector Mentoring Scheme (in partnership with the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and the Rail Supply Group), the continued development of the Rail Interiors Cluster which is being led by us and Coventry University and, of course, our ongoing work with the HiTech Rail programme with the University of Birmingham,’ says Robert. InnoTrans is now looming large on the horizon where the Rail Alliance has over 90 square metres of space this time round as well as space on the UKTI Pavilion in Hall 2.2 (Stand 206). ‘We look forward to meeting and greeting members and visitors there.’

The Rail Alliance will be holding a “Light after Dark” show in November. This is in response to members’ requests to hold a practical demonstration of products used in the dark, in particular Andrew Kimitri the MD of Fhoss! The aim will be to hold the show late afternoon/early evening to showcase a wide array of safety and lighting products. To register your interest email us on info@ railalliance.co.uk with “Light after Dark” in the subject header. Finally, in support of the National SME Rail Sector Mentoring Scheme, the Rail Alliance is looking for mentors to join our growing list of mentors in support of this scheme. Although generally an unpaid venture, mentoring can be a most fulfilling and rewarding activity for mentor and mentee alike. ‘We are able to ease some of the financial burden by paying travelling expenses,’ says Robert. ‘Whether you are an experienced mentor with years of experience... or you are someone who feels the time is right to ‘give something back’ and, in both cases, you have some spare time, then we would be delighted to hear from you.’ Please contact Rhona Clarke our Office Manager on 01789 720026 or e-mail us on info@ railalliance.co.uk with “Rail Mentor” in the subject header. To those of you who are off on summer leave, have a great time. To the rest of you, like us, who are ‘soldiering on’... enjoy the relative calm!

log on to www.railalliance.co.uk email info@railalliance.co.uk or call 01789 720026.

New Members Tratos Ltd (Specialists in the production of power, signaling, control and telecommunications cables for the rail sector) www.tratos.co.uk Findlay Irvine Ltd (Major supplier of condition monitoring systems and components for signaling, power and track assets such as points machines and track circuits) www.findlayirvine.com Trough-Tec Systems Ltd (Suppliers of TTS Polymer Cable Troughing System which is 75% lighter than the incumbent concrete products used in the UK railway today) www.ttsrail.co.uk Express Rail Services (Providers of temporary staff and permanent recruitment services across the UK specializing in the provision of staff to Train Operators and Railway Infrastructure companies) www.expressrailservices.co.uk ISS Labour Ltd (Supplier of support services across the Network Rail & Light Rail Infrastructures including contingent labour & protection staff, electrification, track & civils works, track welding, grinding & inspection services, consultancy, discipline engineers, planning & management staff, minor works project delivery, and trackside lighting & safety barrier fencing) www.isslabour.co.uk Fhoss Technology Ltd (UK-based company providing innovative powered light safety wear using enhanced reflective prismatic tape with a battery powered illuminated core) www.fhoss.com The Aluminium Lighting Company (Manufacturers and distributors of aluminium columns, typically used within CCTV, lighting, sign and signal markets, with a strong and easy to use raise and lower facility to bring components down to a safe working height for maintenance) www.aluminium-lighting.com

Lista UK Ltd (Manufacturers of high quality modular storage and workspace systems including drawer cabinets, toolboxes and workstations for on-site repairs, shelving and racking, and industrial quality work benches) www.lista.co.uk

Ditto Project Services Ltd (Commercial and project management consultancy with experience in the construction, rail, oil & gas and heavy engineering sectors) www.dittops.com

TP Matrix Ltd (Repair, test and overhaul of a wide range of electronic equipment used on rail vehicles) www.tpmatrixrail.co.uk

Innovus Solutions (Route to Market specialist – rail transport and infrastructure sales, facilitation specialist. Innovation seeker product, system or service) www.innovus-solutions.com A Proctor Group Ltd (Suppliers of robust solutions, particularly in the utilization of spacetherm aerogel thermal insulation, into the rail industry) www.proctorgroup.com Viaduct Ltd (Construction economist organisation primarily working within transportation markets to help transport providers and suppliers of the transportation sector with demonstrating their project, skill or products whole life cost benefits. In addition Viaduct can support projects through estimating and cost advice in a sustainable manner) www.viaduct.uk.com ARC Arabian Railway Company (Specialised multi-disciplinary railway services company based in Saudi Arabia providing a range of maintenance activities across a full spectrum of rail transportation disciplines throughout the GCC) www.arc-mig.com

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Railway People

Awards for Individuals: Outstanding Contribution

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NEWS

12 | RailStaff | August 2014

Scottish Win For Spencer Rail Spencer Rail has capped a highly successful summer by being named as Network Rail’s principal contractor on the MultiAsset Framework Agreement (MAFA) for Scotland. Spencer Rail chief executive David McLoughlin thanked everyone at the company ‘for their sheer hard work and determination. He added, ‘We submitted a very strong application and everyone concerned should be very proud of the contribution they made. I am delighted and thankful to Network Rail for continuing to put their trust in us.’ The company’s work at Ipswich and East Kent was recently recognised by Network Rail at its annual partnership awards ceremony in London. Spencer Rail won the Large Project and Collaboration of the Year awards. Spencer Rail also won an award for its work in remodelling Gravesend railway station.

Rail Replacement for Glass Ceiling From September 2015, Birmingham New Street will be flooded with natural light thanks to a new light-allowing roof.

The Multi-Asset Framework Agreement for Scotland will cover work at stations including platform lengthening, bridges, level crossing closures, signal boxes, junction remodelling, track installation, overhead line work, signalling controls, route clearance and co-ordination of projects where there is more than one principal contractor on site. A more clearly defined scope of works will be agreed once the £150m framework contract is in place.

July was a month of milestones for the project which culminated in Network Rail setting a firm opening date for the revamped New Street and Grand Central shopping centre. An intrepid team of steeplejacks and abseilers had also begun installing the new ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) roof panels over the atrium. The translucent material is strong, durable, resists corrosion and is much lighter than glass. ETFE was on the Eden Project in Cornwall. Says Chris Montgomery, Network Rail project director, ‘The first pieces of cladding being attached to the atrium roof is a significant milestone in the

building of the new station and Grand Central development. The specially designed sheets will be fitted to the structure over the next few months and will become an instantly recognisable part of the Birmingham skyline. ‘Once the structure is completely waterproofed, we will be able to start the demolition of the floors beneath it to create the impressive atrium which will allow natural light to fill the station concourse for the first time.’ The next phase of the £750 million project will result in around 6,000 tonnes of reinforced concrete being removed from the site to form the inside of the atrium.

Onyxrail Beats Summer Scorcher for Drivers Drivers on London Midland’s Class 323s should be enjoying a cooler in-cab summer thanks to new air conditioning. The whole 323 fleet has been fitted with DC Airco Cab Air Con provided by Onyxrail Limited. All major materials for mounting the equipment were supplied by sister company Brentto Industry. Says Kevin Lane, managing director of Onyxrail, ‘We were delighted to be selected to support Porterbrook in the fitment of cab air conditioning for their London Midland fleet. This equipment has a low power demand but is also exceptionally powerful in terms of cooling output, making it ideal as a fitment to existing rolling stock. ‘It is safe to say that with over 800 units fitted in the UK this equipment has established itself as the equipment of choice in the UK, where market share has been won on a performance and price basis.’ Onyxrail were awarded the contract

by Porterbrook to integrate and install the equipment which is manufactured by Dutch firm DC Airco. Cab air conditioning has been fitted as a welcome enhancement to many fleets both in Britain and internationally.

In addition to Class 323, DC Airco equipment has recently been provided for Sheffield Supertram. Says Klass Schimmel, managing director of DC Airco, ‘Completing this order is excellent news for all involved.

We are certain that this equipment will deliver the safe and cool working environment that drivers need. We are also delighted with the success of our partnership with Onyxrail as our UK intermediary and systems integrator.’

NEWS

August 2014 | RailStaff | 13

Responding to the HS2 Growth

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has urged towns and cities to key into HS2 and develop strategies aimed at making the most of the new high-speed rail network. ‘HS2 is a vital part of our long-term economic plan - it will help generate tens of thousands of jobs, rebalance the economy and secure the country’s future prosperity,’ says McLoughlin. ‘As the Growth Taskforce report made clear, HS2 can have a transformational impact on the UK. Local authorities need to rise to this challenge.’ The report urges places near HS2 stations to develop dynamic strategies to enable communities and businesses to seize the economic opportunities that HS2 is expected to bring. Lord Deighton, chair of the HS2 Growth Taskforce, backs the report. ‘The HS2 Growth Taskforce report made clear that we must not take a ‘build it and

East Lothian Question – Answered A new community rail partnership covering lines between North Berwick, Edinburgh Waverley and Dunbar plans to work with local communities and the rail industry to encourage more people to use trains. Keith Brown, the Scottish Transport Minister, announced Scotland’s second Community Rail Partnership, urging more local involvement in railways. ‘Community Rail Partnerships are an

they will come’ attitude to HS2, if we are to make the most of this once in a generation opportunity. It is up to all of us in government, local authorities, HS2 Ltd and UK businesses to unlock its full potential for economic growth.’ Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg re-iterated the potential of HS2 to help bridge the north-south divide. ‘HS2 is one of the most important infrastructure projects for this country’s

future and it will help begin healing the scar of the north-south divide by boosting jobs, creating better transport links and increasing capacity.’ Trade unionists are backing the new railway. Says TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady, ‘HS2 will mean better connections between our major towns and cities which should help businesses and communities in the Midlands and the North secure fairer

excellent initiative to drive community involvement in local railway lines. The Scottish Government is keen to see more CRPs developed across Scotland’s rail network. ‘I am pleased that the communities in East Lothian have come together to form the East Lothian Community Rail Partnership and I wish the group all the best.’ The move follows the Stranraer - Ayr group, SAYLSA’s, successful launch as a CRP earlier this summer. Says ACoRP general manager Neil Buxton, ‘Communities in all areas of Scotland are seeing the benefits of working together in partnership and we are looking forward to helping the East Lothian CRP to achieve positive outcomes.’

Air Freight Permission to build a new rail freight terminal in Hertfordshire has been granted by the government. The Strategic Rail Freight Interchange will be built by SEGRO on the site of the Radlett Aerodrome. The move has been welcomed by Philippa Edmunds, manager of Freight on Rail, which wants to see the creation of more rail freight interchanges. ‘Radlett has become a test case because of its location in the South East where there is a lack of alternative sites with good road and rail connections,’ says Philippa.

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shares of the economic recovery. ‘The creation of local skilled jobs and apprentices on decent rates of pay with more money to spend should also give a real boost to towns and cities many miles from London. Unions, government, industry and local authorities must all pull together to enable the UK to make the most of this major opportunity and ensure the benefits are spread more fairly.’

Developers should now have the confidence to build a network of strategic intermodal terminals ‘Developers should now have the confidence to build a network of strategic intermodal terminals, which make road/rail transhipment financially viable... Rail offers a safer low- carbon alternative to road.’ Radlett Aerodrome opened in 1930 and was used by aircraft builders Handly Page. During the war Hampden and Halifax bombers were tested at Radlett.

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NEWS

14 | RailStaff | August 2014

Tall Story Small and medium businesses are being increasingly recognised for their strong contribution to the rail industry. Story Contracting, based in Carlisle, Cumbria, won the Supplier of the Year at Network Rail’s Partnership Awards 2014. Network Rail’s chief executive, Mark Carne, presented the award himself. Story Contracting had already won Best Small Project Award for its acclaimed Merseyloop project. A cheer went up, not only from the Story team present, but from the room at large as the winner was announced. As a large group of smiling Story faces walked to the stage for the presentation and photographs, the remaining guests were left to ponder that, for the second year running, Network Rail had chosen one of the middle-ground companies which are sometimes principal contractors and sometimes sub-contractors, proving that suppliers of all sizes are truly valued for the contribution they make to the railway. Says Mark Carne, ‘Everyone here

tonight has made a difference to Network Rail and I’d like to take this opportunity to express my thanks and gratitude for everything you have done to help deliver a better railway for a better Britain.’ Awards were divided amongst 11 categories, covering everything from Heritage to Sustainable Excellence and Best Small/Medium/Large Project. A Special Award was presented by the MP for Newton Abbot, Anne Marie Morris, to the Orange Army - the team that rebuilt Dawlish Sea Wall and the Great Western main line to Cornwall. Tom Kikham, Andy Crowley, Rob Burr and Rob Allen were named

individually, but the 300-strong ‘Orange Army’ received the award. A number went on stage to receive it. Big names did well too. Balfour Beatty Rail won awards for Safety and for Heritage. Carillion won Driving Efficiencies and Spencer Rail won Best Large Project and Best Collaboration along with Balfour Beatty, Atkins and Medway Council. Smaller companies sharing the limelight included Capgemini UK, winner of Best Use of Technology & Innovation award. Dual Inventive and Mission Room were Highly Commended. Spencer Rail won Best Large Project for Ipswich Chord.

Overground MTR Heads Under

MTR is set to run services on Crossrail. MTR with Arriva Trains, itself a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn, already runs the London Overground for TfL. Hong Kong’s MTR is preferred bidder for the eight-year contract. Says Jeremy Long, chief executive of MTR’s European Business, ‘MTR knows London very well. Over the past seven years, we have developed a strong partnership and collaborative working relationship with TfL and Network Rail through our joint venture operations of London Overground. We will build on

Success is hard won in the rail industry and according to Mike Halliday, rail director at Story, it is all down to team work. Says Mike, ‘To be identified as the best supplier to the rail network for the whole country is a fantastic achievement and a true testament to the quality team that we have here at Story Contracting. We strive for excellence in all we do and a key part of this is ensuring that we deliver collaborative and innovative projects that are of true benefit to our clients. To be recognised at such a high level for the efforts our business puts in to developing these relationships is a great honour.’

Border Train Thanks to a new funding deal, a locomotive-hauled four-carriage train will boost services in North Wales from December.

these partnerships to establish Crossrail as a railway that provides operational excellence and the highest possible level of customer service for London.’ The Crossrail project continues on time with the last tunnel concrete segment being cast early in July. Fitting out comes next with services scheduled to start running in December 2018. The trains are being built in Britain at Bombardier’s Litchurch Lane works in Derby. MTR Crossrail will support testing and commissioning activities of the new railway, working closely with Transport for London, Network Rail, Crossrail Limited and Bombardier.

New services are planned during the morning and evening peaks between Holyhead and Manchester Piccadilly, from Chester to Manchester Piccadilly and from Manchester Piccadilly to Llandudno. Arriva Train Wales will operate the services. Says Edwina Hart, Minister for Economy Science and Transport in the Welsh Government, ‘This announcement builds on the Welsh Government’s investment in locomotives that are currently used on the North-South Express Service and have capacity to be used for the additional services.’ The deal has been made possible through money paid to the Department for Transport by Deutsche Bahn, following the company’s acquisition of Arriva plc. Under the current rail industry framework, train companies are required to pay a Change of Control Fee when changes to the operator are made.

NEWS

August 2014 | RailStaff | 15

Patrick Names Huddersfield Class 66 locomotive Lifelong Huddersfield Town FC supporter Sir Patrick Stewart named a GBRf Class 66 ‘Huddersfield Town’. The locomotive naming was the brainchild of long-time Huddersfield Town fan and esteemed railway journalist Pip Dunn. Says Huddersfield Town’s chief executive, Nigel Clibbens, ‘The club is delighted that GB Railfreight has given this honour to Huddersfield Town. It’s with pride that the name [is] to grace a locomotive once again after a 50-year absence. We’re really looking forward to seeing the locomotive haul trains, not only through Yorkshire, but across the whole of England.’

Atlantic Swell for GBRf Calm seas helped speed the arrival of the first of a new fleet of Class 66 locomotives from the USA. GB Railfreight (GBRf) received the first five locos at Newport in South Wales on 10 July. The quintet herald an order of 21 class 66s from Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) - the company’s largest ever investment in new locomotives. The locos were swung ashore and coupled together before being taken to EMD’s maintenance depot in Doncaster. The purchase of 21 Class 66 diesel

locomotives takes GB Railfreight’s Class 66 fleet to 71. Says John Smith, managing director of GB Railfreight, ‘As a company, we have had an exceptional year. These locomotives will allow us to grow our business further in 2015 and continue to provide our customers with the optimum level of service, signifying the confidence we have in the development of the UK rail freight sector and helping us keep the UK economy moving. ‘We have been working closely with EMD on this project and I want to thank them for all their hard work and dedication in reaching this point.’

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INTERVIEW

16 | RailStaff | August 2014

Alistair Dormer From ship to shore An interview with Alistair Dormer – Global Chief Executive for Rail, Hitachi

Report by Marc Johnson

Following the launch of Hitachi’s new commuter train, the AT200, Alistair Dormer, global chief executive for rail, Hitachi, talks about the company’s targets in the UK and Europe. Hitachi is an ambitious company. In a short space of time the Japanese multinational has established itself at the top table of rail suppliers in the UK. Hitachi is building up an image as the Toyota or Nissan of the rail industry, creating jobs and reviving the diminished art of train building in Britain. Although Hitachi has been building trains in Japan for around 90 years, the name hasn’t always been synonymous with rail in the UK. ‘When I joined Hitachi, most people said why are you joining a TV company,’ said Alistair Dormer, who in March was given the task of leading Hitachi’s global rail business after 11 years with the company.’ For Alistair, moving the rail headquarters away from Tokyo is a strong message to the marketplace that Hitachi is a global player. With a factory under construction in County Durham,

the company is now looking to expand into Europe. Although best known for its rolling stock, specifically its high-speed Shinkansen, Hitachi is also eyeing up opportunities for its signalling and traffic management technology. Says Alistair, ‘We’ve got a little bit of an entrepreneurial spirit here within Hitachi Rail Europe and Europe is the biggest rail market in the world, so if you’re going to grow your business you may as well look at the biggest market in the world.’’ Alistair joined Hitachi in 2003 from Alstom where he had spent two years. At 18 he joined the Royal Navy as an engineering apprentice and served in the Falklands War. Dormer was aboard HMS Sheffield when it received a direct hit by an Exocet missile fired from an Argentinian jet. Twenty of his shipmates died in the attack. Dormer went on to spend 12 years at defence company BAE. He later made the transition from selling fighter jets to selling trains. When Alistair arrived at Hitachi, the company’s UK office had no rail products in use on the network and just three Japanese engineers.

‘In one respect it was a big gamble because having no business at all, right in the spotlight I mean, you achieve or you don’t, it’s as black or white as that,’ says Alistair. Initially it was a challenge for Hitachi to convince Network Rail that its products could work on the UK network. Hitachi fitted its traction package to a Class 310 it had borrowed from HSBC Rail in order to try and demonstrate what it could offer to the marketplace. It was an expensive gamble, but Alistair believes its success was what opened the door to Hitachi winning the Javelin train contract. With the Intercity Express Programme (IEP) now underway, Alistair has a team of more than 200 to lead. That number will rise substantially if Hitachi stays on track to grow in the continent as it hopes. There is then the team several thousands of miles away in Japan, who in April received a personal promise from Alistair that he would return speaking fluent Japanese within the next two years. He is now receiving intensive lessons.

Building trains for Europe Whatever some bands and artists go on to accomplish, that first number one can sometimes hang around their necks like a platinum-selling lead weight. For Hitachi, being the bullet train manufacturer could be something of a mixed blessing. On 21 July, Hitachi launched its AT200 commuter train and AT100 metro platforms in London.

INTERVIEW

Hitachi rolling stock is the lifeblood of commuter traffic in Tokyo but in Europe it is untested. Could Hitachi’s reputation for high speed actually hold it back? ‘I think there is an element of that,’ says Alistair. ‘Probably that was reinforced by the fact that the first contract we won was the Javelin which had got a nice pointy nose on it. Now we’ve won IEP which again has got a pointy nose on it. ‘People haven’t been able to see our commuter products in the UK which is why it is very, very important we do get people to see the AT200 so they can actually see what we’re capable of.’ ‘It’s kind of not a bad thing. There’s a halo effect… because it is a fantastic train and a fantastic design. But clearly our bread and butter is commuter trains,’ says Alistair. The AT200 is Hitachi’s ‘next generation’ commuter and suburban train, designed to challenge the dominance of the Electrostar and Desiro in the UK and look to take advantage of the huge market in Europe for electric multiple-units (EMUs). Hitachi has already submitted the AT200 into bids for the new EGIP rolling stock which will be procured through the ScotRail franchise.

August 2014 | RailStaff | 17

‘Going back sort of seven or eight years, it was quite difficult to break into the commuter market because the Electrostar and Desiro were very, very strongly placed,’ says Alistair. ‘What we decided to do is rather than wait for an order, actually get on and design it now. So we’ve been working on the design for over a year. We’ve used UK companies to do it, just the same as we’ve done with IEP with the significant UK content. So the interior design has all been finished. ‘We’re making the first mockup so that will be there for everyone to see and touch and sit down, see what they like, what they don’t like.’ ‘We’re now at detailed design stage, we’ve got our supply chain onboard, we’re ready to go.’ Newton Aycliffe is being built with Europe in mind. It will have the capacity to have simultaneous production lines for IEP and the AT200. It also has the capability to build double-deck rolling stock. Says Alistair, ‘The first masthead is get it open, get the workforce trained, hopefully by then we’ll have a commuter order anyway.’

Shifting opinions When Hitachi was announced as the winner of IEP, there was a level of suspicion about what it would mean for the UK. Even when Hitachi confirmed the construction of the Newton Aycliffe site many dismissed it as a ‘screwdriver factory’ where kit trains would arrive from Japan and just be stuck together with no technical engineering involved. Unless you’ve got a hundred years of train building in the UK, you’ll never be accepted as a true UK builder,’ says Alistair. Since then, Alistair believes the company has managed to dispel those concerns. ‘We’ve been welcomed by the North East with open arms. We’d talked about it quite a while ago and until you can physically see something, it isn’t really real. Now a lot of local companies are involved in the construction, I mean 96 per cent of the spend is on companies within a 50-mile radius of the factory site.

‘Now the factory is going up, people are like ‘wow, it’s happening’.’ ‘It’s real now, and I think that will help us a lot in Europe as well because when we can actually bring customers over to the factory and they can see our products and they can see it being built, and they can see the quality of our workforce, the quality of our manufacturing, then that will be a real boost.’ The traditional landscape of train builders in Europe looks to be changing, particularly with Alstom on the verge of a major restructuring. ‘A lot of people have said ‘oh aren’t you worried about it’ and no, personally I’m not,’ says Alistair, speaking about the bidding war between Siemens and GE for Alstom. ‘I think when you get a substantial change like that in the marketplace it does create opportunities.’ Opportunities that Hitachi will be all too happy to snap up.

Do you have what it takes to Inspire the Next? We are actively recruiting for a wide range of roles based at our London HQ, Rail Vehicle Manufacturing Facility in Newton Aycliffe and new depot in West London. If you are currently working within an engineering, technical, training, human resources, QHSE or maintenance role – we would love to hear from you and discuss these roles further. To find out more about a specific role and to apply, please visit our careers site: hitachirail-eu.com/careers

FEATURE

18 | RailStaff | August 2014

Shorterm Group launches TrainsPeople

With its ‘one stop shop’ approach TrainsPeople is well positioned to meet the training challenges facing the rail industry in 2014 and beyond.

Shorterm Group has acquired Bridgen Training, now rebranded as TrainsPeople Limited, the railway training experts based in West Horndon, Essex. The acquisition is part of Shorterm Group’s long-term investment plans for its Rail Services Division. In business since 1972, Shorterm Group has been providing skilled engineers to the rail sector across all disciplines. With contract wins supporting major rail projects across the UK, Shorterm

Group has recognised the importance of safety and training for its workforce. Its investment in TrainsPeople will support the groups multi-skilling programme across its track, welding, S&T and OLE divisions as well as supporting the wider industry. TrainsPeople offers a comprehensive range of training, mentoring and assessment services to rail, construction and civil engineering organisations. The company is accredited by Network Rail under the RTAS scheme and offers a wide range

of safety and specialist technical training including P-way, S&T and OLEC. The indoor practical training facility is rated as excellent by NSARE, with a wide range of equipment, including track, signals and points that replicate the real work environment very effectively. Says Lawrence Dobie, Director of Rail, ‘We are very pleased to welcome TrainsPeople to the Shorterm Group. Their wide-ranging rail training expertise will support our growth and

the skills requirements of the wider industry. Our learners and the quality of teaching and learning are our top priority. We look forward to working with our existing and new customers to support their training needs.’ TrainsPeople has earned an excellent reputation for delivering quality training safely, on time and on budget. With its ‘one stop shop’ approach TrainsPeople is well positioned to meet the training challenges facing the rail industry in 2014 and beyond.

FEATURE

August 2014 | RailStaff | 19

The rail training experts Providers of safety critical and technical training. Courses include;

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Mentoring and Workplace Assessments Small Plant training Railway Awareness and Key Principles training Signalling & Telecoms training Overhead Line Equipment Competence training (OLEC 1-3)

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

20 | RailStaff | August 2014

RailStaff Awards RECOGNISING THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP THE UK RAIL INDUSTRY MOVING

www.railstaffawards.com

Awards Party: 25th October, Ricoh Arena Coventry

Roll Up Roll Up The RailStaff Awards 2014 will be bringing all the magic of the Big Top to Coventry Ricoh Arena this October. The Circus is coming back to railways. ‘The huge space of the Ricoh Arena means we can create the magic of a one-night Circus Special for the RailStaff Awards,’ says Lianne O’Connor, events director, Rail Media. ‘It’s going to be our best RailStaff Awards ever.’

Thought to have originated in the chariot races and horse-clan acrobatics of pre-history, the circus encapsulates the magic of motion, captured in the daily drama of our own industry. The word either comes from the Greek kirkos, meaning circle or from, Circe, the goddess, who liked to hold a big annual party for her father, Helios, the Sun God. The RailStaff Awards is staging a circus-themed party to celebrate the men and women of the railway

industry. If horses have given way to locomotives, the acrobats, lion tamers and ringmasters, who perform high wire miracles of modern transport, are still very much in charge.

Toffee Apples People will be encouraged to come in fancy dress – as ringmasters, trapeze artists and harlequins – there’s always room for humour, a big part of the RailStaff Awards.

Although after one senior rail official announced plans to come as a dangerous wild animal, Rail Media organisers stressed no live animals are being used in the staging of the 2014 RailStaff Awards. Coventry Ricoh Arena will be recreated as a Circus Big Top with jugglers, dancers, stilt walkers and fire swallowers welcoming guests when they arrive. Futuristic lighting, wagons and photo booths will take visitors back to the steam-age heyday

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

of the circus. Inside, the Olympian arena will have two stages and four podiums all set against the soaring backdrop of a circus tent. Fancy dress is strongly encouraged with circus make-up artists on hand with face paints, wigs and properties as needed. As well as show booths there will be candy floss, toffee apples and pop corn. Dinner itself will be a sit down four course feast – a cordon bleu sleight of hand to equal Michelin-starred magicians everywhere.

Moscow State Circus The link between the circus and the railway dates back to the Victorian era. Circuses often used the railway to transport the whole show across continents, pausing at towns along the way to stage the show. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in the United States still uses a one mile-long

August 2014 | RailStaff | 21

train to transport what is billed as the Greatest Show On Earth. The enduring popularity of circus is a phenomenon around the world. From Asia to America and Russia to Britain children and adults love the circus. It’s popular entertainment that has stood the test of tumult and television. Even in Soviet Russia the circus endured – communist authorities early on decided the circus was a working class entertainment medium – compared to opera and satirical theatre. The Circus School in Moscow dates from 1927. This summer the Moscow State Circus is itself on tour in England’s West Country.

UK’s Leading Circus Company This year the RailStaff Awards 2014 circus theme underpins the huge progress made by the industry and shines a light on the hard work, daring and innovation of the ordinary men

and women at work day and night on the railway. A highly innovative and exciting Circus Theatre Company, Incandescence, will be staging much of the entertainment. Top performers from Incandescence are pictured here. Ringmaster, Colin Flack, chief executive of the Rail Alliance, will be in charge of proceedings under the Big Top including the presentation of the prizes.

Bravest and best The Coventry Ricoh Arena lends itself to the drama and action of the circus with its 24 hour cafés and restaurants, hotel and all night casino. The RailStaff Awards 2014 will be a big party under a big top, celebrating the confidence and futuristic somersault of an industry that recreated itself, defied the recession and is galloping forward with ambitious plans for expansion. Good food, dancing and drama make it a perfect location to catch up with friends and raise a glass to all that is bravest and best in the industry. For many employers, suppliers and industry colleagues it is a unique chance to

NOW OPEN FOR

NOMINATIONS www.railstaffawards.com

say thank you to team members and individuals who together have done so much to turn the industry around. Above all the RailStaff Awards 2014 is an opportunity to step out and encourage railway staff, the backbone of any successful railway enterprise. Nominations are open now with advice on how to nominate colleagues on the website. The RailStaff Awards 2014 is for the ordinary people, clerks, fitters, track workers and traincrew who go far further than the job description stipulates. If circus means ring and corresponds to wheel and flange, Circe’s party-animal bash in honour of her father is perhaps the better description. ‘Except it is not in honour of Helios – good show though he’s put on this summer – but of the men and women of our industry. The real heroes and heroines are there working beside you - come rain or shine,’ says Lianne. ‘The evening will be full of entertainment, unexpected surprises and good food and company. Always remember the presentations are the most important part of the evening and rollup those nominations now.’

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

22 | RailStaff | August 2014

Progress Supports Project Manager of the Year! Progress Rail Services UK Ltd is the proud sponsor of Project Manager of the Year Award 2014. The RailStaff Awards recognises the Professionalism, Innovation, Service and Excellence of individuals and companies in the rail industry. Project Managers play such an important role in the industry. Their hard work and dedication are critical to the safe and efficient delivery of complex projects with minimum impact on the travelling public. What better way to show our appreciation for the hard work and dedication that they show, than to sponsor Project Manager of the Year Award? Richard Coulson, Project Manager for PRS UK says, “As project managers, it is our job to be responsible for everything, ultimately the buck stops with us.”

Progress Rail UK Ltd operates across five manufacturing sites, South Queensferry, Darlington, Sheffield, Sandiacre and Beeston. As the UK’s largest manufacturer of permanent way infrastructure, we specialise in the design and manufacture of both trackwork, overhead line and signalling systems for mainline, freight, industrial and light rail customers globally. Layouts & special projects are overseen by a team of project managers, ensuring projects are delivered on time. These managers use systems such as Q-Pulse to ensure ISO 9001 Conformance, Document Control, Non-Conformance Records, Calibration & Audits, Axapta to control Product Configuration Management. The teams are experienced in delivering our products throughout the world. As a UK manufacturer only 5% of our total costs are imported which means 95% is

Progress Rail Services UK Ltd proudly sponsors

"Project Manager of the Year" at the RailStaff Awards 2014

Progress Rail Services is the U.K.’s largest manufacturer of permanent way infrastructure, specialising in the design and manufacture of permanent way trackwork and materials for mainline, freight, industrial and light rail customers in the UK and globally. RailStaff Awards recognises the Professionalism, Innovation, Service and Excellence of individuals and companies in the rail industry. Join us on 25th October 2014 at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry. For more information and to book your place visit www.railstaffawards.com

sourced in the UK and 26% of our total sales are export. Says Tim Fenemore, Managing Director, “As a Caterpillar Company we adhere to Caterpillar values, based around Integrity, Excellence, Teamwork, Commitment and Sustainability. We pride ourselves on delivering products with the help of our project management team and look forward to recognising the achievement of those working hard to keep the railway industry on track.”

Progress Rail UK is based in Sandiacre near Nottingham. It is part of Progress Rail Services Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc. Progress Rail is a leading supplier and operates one of the most extensive rail service and supply networks in North America. More than 8,000 employees serve customers in a network of more than 165 locations across the United States, Canada, South America, Australia, and Europe.

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

August 2014 | RailStaff | 23

Network Rail is proud to sponsor the RailStaff Awards 2014 It’s the hard work of individuals and teams within our industry that’s helping us build a better railway for Britain. From pioneering investment and development projects, to innovations that make everyday services faster, smarter and safer, we believe in recognising the excellence that’s enabling the transformation of our network. That’s why we’re very proud to once again sponsor this year’s RailStaff Awards. Building a better railway for a better Britain. networkrail.co.uk

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The Transport Benevolent Fund is proud to sponsor the Station Staff of the Year award for 2014. With the help of the TOCs, Network Rail and other employers throughout the public transport industry we now have over 43,000 members. For just £1 a week a variety of benefits are available to you, your partner and dependent children.

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

24 | RailStaff | August 2014

McGinley Backs Infrastructure Team McGinley Support Services is once again sponsoring the Infrastructure Team of the Year at this year’s RailStaff Awards. McGinley Support Services is a LinkUp accredited supplier of personnel and support services to the national

railway and various urban metro rail networks. McGinley Support Services provides a rail and metro staffing and track operative service through its national rail and metro organisation. Dermot McGinley Managing Director of McGinley Support Services Limited, says, ‘The RailStaff Awards 2014 will be

a great celebration of the ordinary men and women who continue to make the rail industry a leading industrial success. Infrastructure personnel are key to that success. At McGinley Support Services we continue to rise to the challenge of providing the railway with the people and solutions it needs to move, grow and succeed.’ Dermot, a keen supporter of the RailStaff Awards, added, ‘The RailStaff Awards is an exercise in confidence, in the future of

the industry and the people who make it up.’ McGinley Support Services prides itself on being a leading innovator in the industry in terms of service and transparent financial arrangements. As one of the top specialist rail recruitment suppliers McGinley Support Services has pioneered new initiatives that embrace safety systems and workforce management, upholding a strong safety and quality culture that is necessary to support the rail and metro industry in meeting its own objectives. Internal processes and systems ensure that, through co-ordinated planning, a flexible, motivated and compliant workforce is available to meet all needs. From highly skilled systems engineers, signalling and electrification staff through to protection / warning and track workers McGinley Support Services delivers comprehensive recruitment backed up by a national transport and equipment support service. Says Tom O’Connor, Managing Director of the Rail Media Group, ‘McGinley Support Services have been steadfast supporters of the RailStaff Awards. McGinley is an inspiring success story and an integral part of rail’s important infrastructure industry. McGinley continues to provide high performing teams and individuals and it is highly appropriate to welcome them once again as backers of the popular Infrastructure Team of the Year Award.’

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

August 2014 | RailStaff | 25

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

26 | RailStaff | August 2014

The Bridge to Success

Bridgeway Consulting is supporting the Rail Safety Person of the Year award at the RailStaff Awards 2014, held this year for the first time, at a bigger location, Coventry Ricoh Arena. Bridgeway

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‘We have outgrown our offices at Beeston Business Park,’ said Managing Director, Pino de Rosa. ‘The new offices and depot, will give us better opportunities for training and development, more space to better serve customers and a secure healthy environment to progress the ever increasing projects and works we are taking on at Bridgeway.’ Bridgeway has renovated Riverside Way. Initially the building had an EPC rating of 84 (‘D’ rating) but the energy modelling plan we have developed shows that the building is projected to have an EPC of 50 (‘B’ rating). When we have completed the renovation work the new offices will encompass a purpose-built state of the art training facility with more space for track and signalling equipment open lay out, to give trainees hands on experience in a secure environment, all within easy reach of Nottingham’s vibrant city centre. The move comes just ahead of next year’s 20th anniversary of the founding of the company in April 1995. Bridgeway Consulting was set up as a rail engineering services business, by three British Rail engineers talking over the opportunities the new industry presented, in the back of the Victoria Inn outside Beeston station. The company now employs over 600 staff and is involved in major projects within the railway renewal industry, these include: • Birmingham New Street, ReSignalling Phase 4 & 5 Principal contractor • East Midlands Possession Management • Northern Hub & NWEP project.

• London North West (LNW) Specialist Rope Access • MMLE cable route survey • Training managed services for Signalling Solutions & Costain Says Tom O’Connor, Managing Director, Rail Media, ‘Bridgeway Consulting was a founding member of the RailStaff Awards and has been right behind the idea from the start. Pino de Rosa and his team have become an integral part of the continuing success story of the new rail industry. We wish Bridgeway Consulting every success on Riverside Way and across the railway network.’ The Rail Safety Person of the Year is a popular category. Safety is at the forefront of all operations at Bridgeway Consulting. A proactive approach is combined with staff-wide safety ownership methods. The object is to get everyone buying into a safetypriority culture. Says Steve Diksa, Corporate Development & Sustainability Director, ‘At Bridegway we have developed a culture which enables the workforce to prioritise safety. This is always a challenge but we work hard at achieving it and we make sure it becomes part of every members of staff’s thinking. We see the Rail Safety Person of the Year award as doubly important because it salutes those safety minded people who encourage good practice in the rail industry. We are delighted to support the Rail Safety Person of the Year award.’ Steve Diksa won the Lifetime Achievement Award at last year’s RailStaff Awards.

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

August 2014 | RailStaff | 27

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HEALTH & SAFETY

28 | RailStaff | August 2014

PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST WILL IMPROVE SAFETY

MOTIVATION, INTEREST, CONCENTRATION AND HENCE THE IMPORTANCE OF FATIGUE SAFETY Colin Wheeler colin@rail-media.com

The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) recently issued its 2013/14 annual report. It identifies their Strategic Safety Objective as the “Drive for a safer railway”. Under the title of “Occupational Health” it identifies the need for “a more co-ordinated approach to occupational health management, including worker fatigue”. It then claims that there was “an 11% improvement in overall industry worker safety” before referring to “the 8% decline in track worker safety”. The latter it says was “primarily due to slips, trips and falls”. Commenting recently on the ORR report the RMT trade union added that during 2013/14 there were 3 rail worker fatalities and 79 suffered major injuries.

Skilled perception Admittedly these are only headlines, but I am disappointed by the fact that words like, “sadly yet another year without the industry being able to claim the achievement of zero track worker fatalities” are missing. Some of us remember when British Rail (without the assistance of the sophisticated equipment of today) went well over a year without a single track worker fatality. By now we ought to consider this achievement to be the norm. Sadly I do not believe that their Control Period 5 (CP5) funding of £250 million “to help improve worker safety, to be invested in new equipment and safer working practices” will alone achieve the zero target we all seek. I hear more and more about remote monitoring. Of course the fewer the number of people on track the

Figure 5: Track diagram showing runaway and collision locations. lower the risk of them being hit by trains. But I could write an entire article describing my experiences of skilled, experienced individuals whose perception, intuitiveness and inward conviction that something just was not right resulted in the avoidance of an accident! People need to feel valued and appreciated. Remote, disinterested management who rarely listen remains a key area of weakness.

New track renewal contracts People are the key. Their motivation, team-working, interest, skills, ingenuity, inventiveness, and judgement are paramount if work is to be done safely and well. Management by performance indices remotely monitored by IT systems with inadequate face to face contact is I believe one of the biggest underlying reasons why fatalities are still happening. Another major concern is fatigue. Hopefully the changes to track renewals contracting which Network Rail brings in this September will, due to their duration and improved planning (including the direct involvement of those doing the actual work) be of benefit. The local identification of construction site management and greater involvement of

supervisors in work planning are overdue initiatives.

Fatigue and safety critical working Fatigue remains a major concern. I recall the development of the compromise when agency staff were regularly travelling large distances for work and working long shifts. The principle of a maximum of 12 hours plus up to two hours travelling, with the alternative of employers supplying local accommodation was a good first step. But using local people whose travel times are less and who can sleep at home is better for all concerned. I believe safety and productivity can both benefit. We talk of safety critical rail working. Recently I have been talking to NHS nurses in different parts of the country and have been shocked to learn of the demands of their shifts. Currently nurses working in intensive care units tell me they work in two shifts to cover each 24 hour period. Dayshifts are generally 0730 until 2000 hours; overlapping for changeovers with the 1930 until 0800 nightshifts. Both include one unpaid hour which is split into three 20 minute breaks, presumably for

refreshment. These short breaks effectively prevent nurses from enjoying the services of staff canteens etc. I discovered that parking at major hospitals is a problem area for many. Typically a 6 am departure from home to a car park from which a staff minibus to the hospital can be accessed is necessary so as to be on duty for 0730. A 2000 hour finishing time results in arriving home at around 2130 hours. Typically the nurses are rostered to work four such shifts in a row. But worryingly they are permitted to volunteer for as many additional shifts as they wish! With just eight and a half hours at home to eat, sleep etc. between shifts I am led to question whether fatigue is an issue. Surely there are few jobs more safety critical then those of intensive care unit nurses?

Concentration and situational awareness Steve Featherstone of Network Rail in one of his “Track Delivery Updates” quotes an example of an accident caused by a lack of “situational awareness”- for those who only speak English this means knowing what is going on around you! On August 27th 2006 the pilot with a

HEALTH & SAFETY

August 2014 | RailStaff | 29

Figure 6: RRV showing rail wheel mechanisms raised.

Figure 7: Rail wheel mechanism when deployed, showing contact between road wheel and rail wheel extended hub.

co-pilot on Cornair Flight 5191 attempted a take-off from the wrong runway- it was too short! Taxi-ing out they took a wrong turn whilst chatting when they should have been concentrating. Neither of them realised what they had done until it was too late to abort the take-off. 49 people were killed as a result.

LOWS returns On February 21st this year an incident occurred on track which resulted in the Zollner LOWS (Lookout Warning System) being withdrawn from use by Network Rail. Within days the investigation revealed that the immediate cause was “operator error”. I assume that is safety specialist speak for someone making a mistake. LOWS was quickly reintroduced for Network Rail use but the root cause was identified as problems with “safety, competency and quality management systems”. Now Rail Safety Solutions has become the first contractor to receive temporary approval to use LOWS on Network Rail’s infrastructure.

Runaway Scottish MEWP The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has recently issued its report on the road/ rail mobile elevated work platform that ran away in Glasgow at 0300 hours on the morning of Sunday 21st April last year. It was being on-tracked north of Glasgow Queen Street when it ran away downhill into the tunnel. There it struck two scaffolds that were being used for tunnel wall repairs (See figure 5, 6, & 7). Two people in the tunnel had near

misses but a third working on a scaffold was thrown to the ground and sustained severe injuries to his shoulder. The road rail vehicle had been converted for rail use and was braked when on rail by the road tyres being held against the extended hubs of the rail wheels (see Picture-i.e. Fig 7). The procedures for on and off tracking specifies that each end of the machine must be treated separately so that it is never in a state where both ends are unbraked. The report says that the operator did not appreciate the severity of the incline and that he and machine controller had not worked together previously. I wonder if he had “forgotten” to treat both ends of the machine separately before that day?

Whilst excavating for a new track crossing chamber the injured man was trapped by the partial collapse of the trench. When the report was issued ten days later he was still described as being “in a serious but stable condition” in hospital. Then incident is under investigation by both the British Transport Police and the ORR.

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A site visit and a trench collapse I read with interest a report into a site visit that took place on 23rd July this year. The report commented positively on the Controller of Site Safety’s understanding of the site management and patrolling paperwork as well as the briefing he gave. Concerns were expressed about the loose lifting chains left in the cess and the used disc cutter blades abandoned on the ballast shoulder. There were no recorded comments about how the track staff were working or their skills. Surely I cannot be alone in believing that everyone working on rail (or indeed on construction sites) understands the dangers inherent in working in trenches? Network Rail’s Safety Bulletin 332 relates to a trench collapse that occurred at Stafford on Sunday July 6th this year.

of communication and protective clothing. More detailed training also; so why have we yet to surpass British Rail’s track safety performances of the past? My strong belief is that the focus must change with more face to face management and teams working together regularly who accept that their local listening “boss” (who they see very often and regularly) really means it when he says put safety first. Then we stand a good chance of a year with zero track worker fatalities and productivity will also increase.

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HEALTH & SAFETY

30 | RailStaff | August 2014

Why Take Risks With Poor PPE Provision? Report by Simon Lubacz, Gore Workwear Field Sales Associate High-visibility clothing, as we know it now, was first introduced to rail workers in Britain in 1964. It is an essential part of PPE and ensures rail workers remain visible not only when outside conditions are good but most importantly when poor light or severe weather conditions reduce visibility. Exposure to the elements can be uncomfortable and a threat to health, safety and worker concentration. Effective clothing protection significantly reduces this risk, thus effective PPE is a legal requirement within the rail industry. Real life incidents that inspired Network Rail to produce the Lifesaving Rules were based on the analysis from Safety Management Information Systems (SMIS) who believe that if these rules had been in place earlier, there is a real chance they could have helped save 20 workforce and contractor lives in the past 10 years. Within the past six years alone, SMIS notes 750 incidents and accidents, including 13 RIDDORS and 7 fatalities. This makes for sobering reading.

Life Saving Rules As most reading this will hopefully be aware – one of Network Rail’s Life Saving Rules includes ‘Taking Responsibility’. This calls for workers never to undertake an activity unless they have been trained and assessed as competent - and have the right equipment. The industry accepts it is important for senior management to respect engineers and trackside workers enough to listen to their PPE needs and requirements. Initiatives need to demonstrate that worker safety, comfort and protection is high priority. With long term planning, vision and the provision of effective, quality PPE, the Lifesaving Rules will be fully realised and adopted at grass roots level. Lives will be saved as a result. Give workers the right equipment for their safety, comfort and protection and they are better able to deliver important tasks efficiently. Either procurement or rental options are available for quality PPE provision. To complement this many leading manufacturers offer laundering and managed after care services which ensure maximum efficiency and high safety standards.

Increased danger We need to avoid…dull, washed out or dirty hi-vis garments. These will not provide acceptable levels of visibility and will expose rail workers to increased danger. Because the human eye responds best to bright objects, even in low light or dark conditions, train drivers and operators of trackside machinery are alerted to rail workers presence by their hi-visibility clothing. Clean, bright-coloured, clothing ensures workers can be seen from all directions with their visibility enhanced by the contrast between the bright colours, the reflective tapes and the dark background of the working environment. Garments that leak or which aren’t completely weatherproof and breathable will cause worker discomfort, lack of concentration and ultimately lost man hours due to ill health. Scientific studies show that a person’s wellbeing and mental alertness depend on their core body temperature. A change of more than one degree above or below the normal core body temperature of 37

degrees has a substantial impact on physical comfort and brain function. This increases the risk of damage to the body and the potential for accidents. Losing body heat can be very dangerous and when workers experience cold weather coupled with fast winds the danger rapidly increases. For over 20 years Gore has been providing GO/RT compliant high quality, high visibility and durable technical fabrics, which are utilised in garment solutions for the Rail industry. GORE-TEX® hi-vis waterproof technical products are all fully launderable and provide advanced wearer comfort and foul weather protection. All this from a company which annually ranks highly in The Sunday Times ‘Best Company To Work For’ and for the past 10 years has established itself on the list of the ‘100 Best Multinational Workplaces in Europe’. If you’re still in any doubt that our products don’t do what we say they will do – why not ask workers from German, Austrian and Swiss railway companies – they have been working safely, comfortably and weather protected by GORE-TEX® garments for years.

HEALTH & SAFETY

August 2014 | RailStaff | 31

Supply Chain Risk Management Louise Rayner, Chartered Certified Accountant at NumberMill Consulting Ltd, explains new risks to the workforce supply chain posed by new HMRC legislation. In April, this year, the Government introduced strengthened controls with regard to national insurance and taxation of agency workers via Section 44 of the Finance Act 2014. The effect of the legislation is to ensure that individuals working personally for a client via a third party (“an intermediary”) are treated as employed earners for the purposes of tax and NI. The scope of the legislation goes beyond individuals traditionally supplied through a recruitment agency. Unfortunately this legislation is extremely wide and the onus is on ALL parties in the contractual chain to show that a worker is not, in any way, supervised, directed or controlled, as to the manner in which they provide their services. Furthermore, from October 2015, HMRC will require full visibility of all gross payments to workers, via their RTI (Real Time Information) system. The other issue, which many are tempted to overlook is that

this new legislation also needs to be cross-tabulated with existing arrangements such as CIS, IR35, MSC (Managed Service Company legislation) and umbrella company arrangements. This particularly relates to the use of Personal Service Companies.

CIS (Construction Industry Scheme) As CIS has been around for so long and is a main stay of the construction industry, many organisations in the supply chain are choosing to ignore the impact of Section 44. This is a mistake, as potentially any party in the supply chain could be deemed an intermediary and as such could be liable for any unpaid taxes or NIC.

Personal Service Companies (PSC) & IR35 IR35 is legislation that operates around the use of PSCs. This puts the onus on the worker to prove that their PSC is not merely disguising their employment with any tax bill resting with the PSC. However, there is now the added responsibility, placed on recruitment agencies and to some extent end hirers, to undertake reasonable checks with regard to Section 44. These include obtaining an undertaking from the PSC that all income is paid to the worker(s) is in accordance with section 44, making the entire supplier chain liable for any fraudulent undertakings given. HMRC has indicated that this an area that they

The legislation in this area is wide and complex and requires advice from experts who operate in the workforce market place. Louise Rayner is a Chartered Certified Accountant at , and has worked in the recruitment & outsourcing sector for 20 years.

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intend to target and has introduced a TAAR (Targeted Anti Avoidance Rule Task Force). MSC (Managed Service Company Legislation) One of the most serious pieces of legislation that is also relevant is MSC. If an agency is seen to be promoting or facilitating workers to set up as PSCs, then MSC legislation could apply. MSC legislation is serious as it makes directors personally liable.

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HEALTH & SAFETY

32 | RailStaff | August 2014

Wing Award moves to Rail Safety Summit Next year, the prestigious Wing Award for Safety will be presented at the Rail Safety Summit conference to be held at the Royal College of Physicians.

was promoted to the western regional S&T engineer. In 1991, he moved up to the directorate of S&T engineering at British Railways Board where he took considerable interest in lineside safety. At the time, the level of rail staff fatalities was unacceptably high and in S&T was disproportionately so. There had been four within the department within 12 months. In this role, Peter’s care and concern for staff safety provided the driving force for the production of an extremely hardhitting and innovative video entitled ‘Dead Serious about Safety’ which was instrumental in bringing about a culture change in safety awareness and won international acclaim. The video analysed four recent fatalities and included a very emotional interview with a very brave widow of one of them. The reduction to virtually zero of lineside casualties over the next

few years, with Dead Serious about Safety as a central pillar of the national campaign, was remarkable. Peter sadly died in 1993 at the age of 49 and has been greatly missed by his family and colleagues alike. His leadership, especially in matters of staff safety, was exemplary. As a boss, he had an exceptional talent for bringing the best out of those who worked for him. The award is administered by the IRSE on behalf of the industry, notably; the Members of the Railway Group, the Office of Rail Regulation and the railway supply industry, who, amongst others, supported the creation of the award. Nominations open in January 2015 and full details about applications, criteria and how best to write a nomination will be published in RailStaff.

The re-launch of the award follows Rail Media’s announcement of an expanded Rail Safety Summit to be held on 30 April, 2015. The Wing Award for Safety is an annual award presented to someone who has made an outstanding contribution towards the safety of staff working at the line side on the railways of Great Britain. It was introduced in 1994 by the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE) to commemorate the life and work of Peter Wing, a former Fellow of the Institution. Though initiated by the Signals and Telecommunications (S&T) community, it was stipulated from the start that the award would be made to an employee of any profession or company, something quite important as the UK rail industry was in the initial This summer, the rail industry is redoubling its efforts to stop young people trespassing on the stages of privatisation. railway. Peter Wing began his signal engineering career in the test room in Reading where, on satisfactory Professional football clubs in England are kicking off completion of initial post school a campaign to reduce the numbers of young people studies, he was offered a sandwich injured or killed on the railway. course engineering apprenticeship. On Soccer stars, local and national, will be organising a successful completion of his training series of activities aimed at diverting youngsters away and professional qualifications, he from trackside trespass. held various posts around the western The new partnership between Network Rail and The region before being promoted to Football League Trust (FLT) will see 10 clubs work with assistant S&T engineer, Norwich Network Rail’s community safety managers to boost Division, in 1973 and then the same at awareness of railway safety. Liverpool Street. Tragically, 164 people have lost their lives after going However, the allure of God’s onto the tracks in the last five years, according to Wonderful Railway held strong and in figures supplied by the Rail Safety and Standards Board 1980 he returned, this time to Bristol, (RSSB) for the period 1 April, 2013, to 31 March, 2014. as divisional engineer. After a spell at Of these, 70 per cent were struck by trains, with 18 per Reading regional signal engineer, he 190x40as(August)_Layout 1 01/08/2014 15:35 Page 1

Says Tom O’Connor, managing director of Rail Media, ‘We are delighted to welcome the Wing Award for Safety to the Rail Safety Summit. Peter Wing was an inspirational figure in the railway industry and it is fitting that his example and pioneering work is continuing in this way. ‘The Rail Safety Summit at the Royal College of Physicians forms an increasingly helpful focus for our number one responsibility, railway safety. We look forward to a much higher profile for the Wing Award for Safety.’

Soccer Safety

cent suffering electrocution by coming into contact with 25,000 volt power supply. The peak ages for trespass deaths are late teens and earlier twenties. However, last year alone records show there were as many as 8,500 incidents of trespass with at least 1,080 of these involving children or teenagers. The partnership will see each club identify a player ambassador who will take an active role in the project by attending sessions and acting as a role model. Says Mike Evans, general manager at The Football League Trust, ‘Football League clubs are at the heart of their communities and therefore have the incredible ability to reach people. Our partnership with Network Rail shows how football can use this ability to talk to young people about a serious issue and make a positive difference to people’s lives.’ Clubs involved include Brentford, Brighton & Hove Albion, Bristol City, Bristol Rovers, Derby County, Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, Notts County, Portsmouth and Shrewsbury.

We provide people, contracts and services to the construction and rail industries. Our approach to business is built on partnership and collaboration. vgcgroup.co.uk

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FEATURE

34 | RailStaff | August 2014

Neryungri

Planning the trip

6,721 kilometres by train from Moscow and six time zones ahead of Russia’s capital is Neryungri, a remote Siberian city with one of the world’s largest coal deposits. Why go there by train? David Shirres explains in part one of a series of articles. Neryungri has the closest airport to Tynda, the central city of the Baikal Amur Mainline (BAM) railway which runs 380 to 480 miles north of the Trans-Siberian Railway. Last month’s RailStaff reported on the special train which travelled 3,000 kilometres to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the volunteer movement that completed the BAM. To get on this train, I had first to travel half-way along the Trans-Siberian railway to Irkutsk. The Transsib, as it is known in Russia, is an experience to be recommended to anyone with an interest in railways.

Russia’s long-distance trains offer three classes. First class compartments have two berths, whilst second class has four. Third class is an open coach with six berths in each bay, two of which are longitudinal berths above and below a window. Express trains such as “Rossiya”, which takes 143 hours to make the 9,259 km journey from Moscow to Vladivostock, are more expensive than standard trains which take 163 hours for the same journey. Timetables and prices are available from Russian Railway’s website, also visit the Russian section of the excellent “The man in Seat 61…” website. Bryn Thomas’ “Trans-Siberian Handbook” is a useful reference tool which includes a route guide listing numerous features by kilometres along the line. Whilst some may consider spending 163 hours on a train to be an achievement, others might consider the lack of a shower to be a limiting factor and plan a break in their journey accordingly. For example Yekaterinburg (1,778 km) has an excellent railway museum in its old station and Irkutsk (5,153 km) is an interesting city close to Lake Baikal.

Moscow’s Metro The Metro is cheap, convenient and features numerous examples of iconic Soviet art. It is an absolute must for any rail enthusiast visiting Moscow. However, with almost all signs in Russian Cyrillic script, it can be

intimidating for non-Russian speakers. This need not be a problem with a Metro map showing stations in English and Cyrillic, easily available on the internet. Also all city centre stations have ticket machines with an English option. Trans-Siberian trains leave from Moscow’s Yaroslavsky station for which the nearest Metro station is Komsomolskaya where the red line crosses the brown circle line. When underground, thinking about which lines cross each other rather than station names is the trick. Also allow plenty of time for boarding a train going in the wrong direction. An essential navigational aid is the tunnel wall sign at the end of each platform which is usually obscured by one the frequent Metro trains. This sign shows which lines are crossed at each station in the direction of travel. The Moscow Metro carries 2.5 billion people each year, twice that of London Underground which has 40% more stations. The crowds are not generally a problem as the stations are built for them. Between the platforms, and linked to them by a continuous series of entrances, is a large central hall. In this way crowds are naturally dispersed along the platform.

A train and its people Although there are some stunning views to be had from Trans-Siberian trains, most of the journey is through the seemingly endless taiga (snow

FEATURE

forest) broken occasionally by Russia’s wide rivers. The Transsib experience really is the train, its passengers and the railway. Few people speak English so the non-Russian speaker needs a few basic words of Russian and a good Russian / English dictionary. A chess set, vodka and interesting photographs (especially of family) on a phone or iPad help communication. If possible get a letter about yourself written in Russian. On a 54-hour journey, I shared my compartment with eight people, only one of whom spoke English. Everyone was friendly, helpful and wanted to communicate. Learning how to do so is part of the fun. Each coach has a (male) Provodnik or more often a (female) Provodnitsa who provides bedding, clean toilets, corridors and compartments during

August 2014 | RailStaff | 35

the long journey. At each station they lock toilets (closed times are posted in the coach), open coach doors, lower steps and clean handrails. On departure they display a yellow flag to show their coach is ready to depart. They also look after the coal-fired samovar which provides an endless supply of boiling water for tea, and pot noodles for those who wish to save money on train catering. The attendants are with the train for a complete return journey and work hard. In my experience they were helpful and had the authority to keep the coach in order. I think I got told off for not making my bed properly. A typical train consists of 17 x 58 tonne coaches with a maximum speed of 140 km/h. The first and second class coaches have nine compartments, an attendant’s office and two toilets. On

older coaches these discharge onto the track. The coaches each have their own power supply as there is no electrical connection from the locomotive. Gangways are draughty with sight of the track below. They are the only place on the train where smoking is allowed. In the Siberian winter passengers are advised not to be in a gangway with both doors closed, as there is a risk of freezing to death.

As it takes about a week to reach its destination, servicing a train with passengers on board is an essential requirement. This involves much more than passengers having to move when the Provodnitsa vacuums their compartment. On its journey from Moscow to Vladivostock the “Rossiya” has 13 station stops of 20 minutes or more, five of which are 30 minutes or more. At these stops, water tanks are topped up, toilet tanks emptied (every three days), a wheel tapper examines running gear. Locomotives are changed every 2,000 kilometres or so or when there is a change in overhead line voltage. On

FEATURE

36 | RailStaff | August 2014

board each train is a technician who may take advantage of these stops to repair anything that cannot be fixed on the move.

The Transsib The Transsib is primarily a freight railway. Indeed the section between Omsk (2,676 km) and Krasnoyarsk (4,065 km) is reputed to be the world’s busiest freight line. At its busiest, every five minutes there are freight trains typically one kilometre long of up to 6,000 tonnes and 71 wagons long. Interestingly, such long trains normally have a single pipe air brake although there are air lines at stations and yards to charge the air brake when required. With such dense traffic, passenger trains often run at only 60 km/h until they pass a freight train in a loop. The main traffic is fuel, coal, timber and containers. Trains are usually mixed to maximise train length and the line’s capacity. At each city there are large marshalling yards. By 2020, Russian Railways intend that the Transsib will

have regular 7,100 tonne trains within the current maximum 71-wagon train length. This will require the maximum axle weight to be raised from the current 23.5 to 25 tonnes. The line is fully electrified with a mix of 3kV DC (31 per cent) and 25kv AC (69per cent). The DC sections are Moscow (0 km) to Danilov (356 km) and Balezino (1,154 km) to Mariinsk (3,680 km). At voltage changeover points overhead wires can be switched to either AC or DC to allow locomotives to be changed. This takes around 20 minutes. Most freight locomotives are dual or triple units whereas passenger trains are generally hauled by single unit locomotives such as the EP2K, a 5,800 hp 3kV DC Co-Co locomotive introduced in 2006, or the EP1, a 5,900 hp 25kV AC Bo-Bo-Bo locomotive introduced in 1998. Typical freight locomotives are the VL80, a 8,500 h.p. 2 x Bo-Bo 25 kV AC locomotive built between 1961 and 1984. As Russian Railways consumes 5% of the country’s electricity there is

an urgent need to replace the VL80 and its ilk with efficient modern traction. This is reflected in Russian Railway’s investment plan which, in 2014 and 2015, includes the acquisition of 327 new locomotives. These include the 11,250 hp 2 x Bo-Bo 2ES5 25kV AC locomotive, jointly developed between Alstom and Transmashholding and the 11,250 hp 2 x Bo-Bo 2ES10 “Granite” 3kV DC locomotive manufactured by Ural Locomotives, a joint venture between the Russian Sinara Group and Siemens. Clearly Transsib track maintenance is a challenge, the scale of which is evident from the track maintenance depots every few hundred kilometres at which there are ballast cleaners, track laying machines and new track. Over the next two years, Russian Railways is to spend £750 million on 2,285 infrastructure maintenance vehicles. Bi-directional working permits track work on adjacent lines and on one occasion was used to allow my train to overtake a freight train on a

double line. For rolling stock at each main station there are jacks and a training facility with a compound with cutaway wagons, bogies, couplers and brake gear. Recovery trains are also a common sight, each has a large and small crane, bulldozers and spare freight bogies. The impression is of a railway that is tooled up to do its job. For the British visitor, a novel operational concept is that, throughout the network, Russian Railways run to Moscow time so when the station clock shows 10:30 in Vladivostock, the time there is actually 17:30. This takes a little getting used to. As an example, leaving my Yekaterinburg hotel at 11:30 for a 10:09 train was disconcerting.

On to the BAM After three nights on the Transsib with a two-day break in Yekaterinburg I got to the Siberian city of Irkutsk where I was to report to the station at 05:30 to join the special BAM train leaving at 00:50 (05:50 local time). This was to be my home for the next five days and is the subject of part two of this article.

NEWS

38 | RailStaff | August 2014

Eurotunnel staff in fundraiser Etches Park Open Day Derby’s major train maintenance depot, Etches Park, is holding a community open day on Saturday, 13 September.

Energetic Eurotunnel staff further celebrated the Channel Tunnel’s 20th anniversary by raising £3,395 for the Children’s Society. A group of 18 runners, together with a cyclist to set the pace, started at the British-French border inside the tunnel and ran 25 kilometres through the service tunnel back to Folkestone. At the terminal in Folkestone other members of staff completed laps around a specially devised 500m-long circuit. Staff from every department and at every level of fitness took part. Twenty years ago, Eurotunnel staff and Olympic Gold Medallists, Daley Thompson and Chris Akabusi, raised money for the Children’s Society by

walking from Calais to Folkestone through the Tunnel before services began. Eurotunnel’s civil engineering manager, Dave Johnson, and train driver manager, Martin Wise, took part in both events. Presenting the cheque at the Victor Hugo Passenger Terminal to Jen Woolridge from The Children’s Society, Michel Boudoussier, Eurotunnel’s chief operating officer, said, ‘It’s a great pleasure to present this cheque to The Children’s Society and so make a link across 20 years of charitable work by Eurotunnel. ‘I would like to thank all our staff who took part, and I hope that the money raised will be of help to The Children’s Society in their good work.’

Etches Park Train Maintenance Depot will open its gates to the public as part of Derby’s 175 years in railways celebration. Staff from East Midlands Trains and Derby’s preserved railway companies will be on hand to answer questions. East Midlands Trains stables its fleet at Etches Park. A Class 222 Meridian will be named as ‘Derby Etches Park’ on the day. In honour of Derby’s 175th anniversary, there will also be a special unveiling of shunting loco 08 899, which will be re-painted in ‘Crimson Lake livery’ and will be fitted with a new nameplate, ‘Midland Counties Railway 175 1839-2014.’ Malc Simpson, the engineer at Etches Park who re-painted 08 899 in the same colours to mark Derby’s 150th anniversary, will once again get his paintbrush out to mark another 25 successful years.

LMS 4F No 43924 from the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, built in 1920, will be on display along with a range of East Midlands Trains vehicles, including 153376, recently named ‘X-24 Expeditious.’ Says Mark Coney, head of fleet delivery for East Midlands Trains, ‘Etches Park plays a crucial part in Derby’s railway heritage and it’s very important for us to mark the 175th anniversary of the railway in our city. We’re really proud to be opening the doors to Etches Park for the first time so people can come and see what goes on at the depot and see some great examples of heritage and modern day rolling stock.’ Tickets are available at www.theticketfactory.com

the route. Says David, ‘I’m delighted and very proud to have taken part in such an amazing event. Looking back, it’s hard to believe that just after my transplant in January 2013 walking 100 yards was a real achievement, and one

that left me completely exhausted! Now having completed the Queen’s Baton Relay, I’m training to compete in cycling, walking and relay events at the British Transplant Games - these are held each August, not only to celebrate those who donate

organs, but also the extraordinary achievements of those who receive them.’ David broke a collar bone and four ribs out cycling last November. Undaunted, he was soon back training and is also back at work full time.

Barrhead Man In Relay Triumph Athletes from around the Commonwealth might seize the headlines in Glasgow, but the rail industry has fielded its own array of heroes. David Mushet, a regional finance manager at Siemens Rail Automation‚ ‘Glasgow office, took part in the Queen’ Baton Relay just before the games, only 18 months after undergoing a liver transplant at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. David was nominated by colleagues, his daughter and friends from Barrhead Youth Football club. David has worked with the club for over 20 years. The leg of the relay he took part in went through Barrhead in East Renfrewshire. Family and friends lined

NEWS

August 2014 | RailStaff | 39

Rufus Rides Again Inspired by the loss of Rufus, a teddy bear, and the heart-felt plea for help in reuniting him with his companion, Ted McCaffery, 7, Virgin Trains has introduced a system of tagging bears. If left behind the teddies can be traced to their homes. Toys account for over half of the items of lost property left on Virgin Trains annually. Lost Property at London Euston alone currently has 87 toys anxiously awaiting rescue by their young friends. The special trackers can be personalised and tied around teddy’s paw. Rail officials say that even if a teddy is left behind on board a Virgin Train or at a station, he will be able to find his way home. Says Virgin boss, and bear fan, Richard Branson, ‘As anyone who has young children will know, losing

a favourite toy can be heart-breaking, and we know it can often ruin a family day out. We were so touched by the message from Ted’s mother that our staff have been working hard to come up with a solution. And that’s when we had the idea of creating a tracker that you can tie onto your teddy. It’s so simple, but by promising to return any missing toys, we really hope that it will help to ease any stress or anxiety that parents might have when taking a trip

with their children and ensure every customer’s journey is that little bit better over the summer holidays.’ Virgin Trains is fielding more volunteers to help with people travelling this summer. These include a combination of Virgin Trains friends

and family and volunteers from Eustonbased youth charity New Horizons. Rufus was eventually traced to a neighbour’s house and has since been reunited with his family. Rufus and Ted are enjoying a less traumatic summer at home in Stockton Heath.

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HISTORY FEATURE

40 | RailStaff | August 2014

Weapon of War

The coming of the railways in the 19th century revolutionised military planning. The First World War saw the railways put to use as a major weapon of war. For the first time it became possible to mobilise millions of men and keep them supplied hundreds of miles from home. Colin Garratt reports.

World War One broke out at the height of the railway age. Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s railways were comprised of over 120 private companies. The railway network was at its peak and went almost everywhere. As the Edwardian era faded away to the crump of falling shells, military planners were quick to turn to railways. Trains were fast and comfortable and

almost every town, village, military depot and garrison was either on the railway or within easy reach of it. The railway had freed people to travel in search of work, opportunity and prosperity. Now, more ominously, for the first time the railway could be effectively used for military purposes moving literally thousands of troops along with munitions, guns and general supplies.

Government Control At the advent of World War One the railway network was placed under government control in order to relate to the needs of the military. Fortunately from the outbreak of World War One there were vast numbers of coaches and freight wagons available. Innumerable coach sidings and an abundance of

spare locomotives, albeit some were a little underpowered, were at the disposal of the military. A far cry from the totally different situation which applies today when well over half the laid network has been torn up. Countless millions of rail miles were run, as the trains conveyed troops and supplies to the embarkation ports and on their return journeys, handled a huge flow of wounded servicemen. Without the railway, huge armies along with their munitions, could not have been used. Vast mobilisation was twofold. First the operation of the railway on the British mainland became a major part of the war effort. Secondly overseas specially laid tracks supported troops on the front line. No longer did the supply line rely on horses or mules.

HISTORY FEATURE

The situation was tense and the need for railways so great that a number of British branch lines were closed and their rails taken out and sent over the English Channel to France. Both sides in the war quickly realised the value of railways as a weapon of war.

Helmuth von Moltke As far back as 1843 the Prussian Chief of staff, General Helmuth von Moltke, stated that every new railway development had a military benefit. For national defence von Moltke considered it better to spend money maximising railways rather than new fortresses. This view was proved by the FrancoPrussian War of 1870 when 350,000 German troops with horses and guns were moved to their assembly points.

August 2014 | RailStaff | 41

Historians have suggested that France’s defeat was caused by bickering between the railway and the military authorities. In previous years the British had used some narrow gauge field railways in various battles. For example, General Kitchener’s victory in the Sudan was secured with help of railways laid by the Royal Engineers. In India – especially after the 1857 mutiny – along with the North West frontier a huge railway grew and was used for the military. In World War One British railway troops managed both the field railways along with the operation of main line trains between the channel ports and the western front. It is hard to believe in today’s context of a much reduced railway that on 9 August, 1914, a total of 334 trains arrived at Southampton conveying some 70,000 troops, 22,000 horses, 2,400 guns and 2,550 tonnes of supplies. Incredibly by 18 August the British Expeditionary Force had been landed in France. By the end of the month, 670 troop trains arrived at Southampton and 118,000 troops were shipped across the English Channel. It is hard to believe that by 1918 more than 800 miles of 600mm gauge light railway had been laid by the British Army in France with some 680 steam and petrol driven locomotives pressed into service. The trench railways of the Western Front produced the greatest concentration of minimum gauge railway locomotives observed to date. Standard gauge steam locomotives also formed a major part of the war effort, not least the 140 Class 2-8-0s which were built for main line work in France but adopted as a standard type for the war. A rapid building program was implemented and many of these gaunt looking engines of war were built by the North British Works of Glasgow and these sat well alongside Robinson’s Great Central 8K 2-8-0s . The last

survivors were allocated to Verdun and long after the guns fell silent ended up working stone trains on the route from Dungy to Conflans in Normandy.

Highland Railway The Highland Railway was one of Britain’s most strategic lines during World War One, serving the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow in the Orkneys and a large naval repair base that was built at Invergordon, 31 miles north of Inverness. The huge increase in traffic put enormous strain on the 272 miles of line from Perth to Thurso. Only 47 miles of the route were double tracked. Severe gradients made it a difficult challenge for drivers and firemen. Inverness was both the vital control point and an ammunition distribution centre for the Grand Fleet, requiring a new branch to the harbour. Railway staff managed to lay this in only 10 days. As well as troop trains, a daily train for naval personnel was run from Euston to Thurso, nicknamed the Jellicoe Special after the commander of the Fleet. It usually comprised 14 corridor coaches and ran from 1917 to 1919. Scotland, north and west of Inverness, was declared a military area and civilian passengers were not allowed off the station unless they had a permit.

Wrecks in the Arabian Desert Further afield, the Middle East became a major arena for railway saboteurs. The railways here were vital to both the Allies and Germany and Turkey. Each side attempted to bomb the other’s lines, although with little success. It was Colonel T. E. Lawrence – Lawrence of Arabia – and his locally recruited irregulars who did the most damage, using explosive charges. They were responsible for many derailments. The damage to the Hedjaz Railway, which ran between Damascus in Syria and Medina in what is now Saudi Arabia, was so great that it had to close. One hundred years later the wrecks of locomotives in the Arabian Desert can still be found, sad witnesses to the futility of war. Often unremarked in the desperate passage of warfare is the bravery of railway engineers – of both sides – who frequently risked and lost their lives – to repair the railways. Throughout the war, railways were used to evacuate the wounded and bring letters and parcels from home. However, the enduring image of the railways between 1914 and 1918 is of an industry born in peace, rudely fashioned into a lethal weapon of war.

INTERVIEW

42 | RailStaff | August 2014

Express Medicals

Drug Screen Kits Dr Dan Hegarty of Express Medicals Ltd discusses some of the issues around PoCTs [pointof-care tests] with Mike Stallard who is a business advisor and a board member of The European Workplace Drug Testing Society. Dr Hegarty [DH]. We are often asked about point-of-care tests [PoCTs] and we see their use increasing in some sectors. Why do you think this is? Mike Stallard [MS]. To answer that I need to consider what would attract an organisation to consider using point-of-care tests [PoCTs]? I strongly believe that the answer lies within the somewhat misleading, though seemingly friendly, term - “instant kits”. © SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

DH. So do you believe that the term “instant kits” is a marketing issue? MS. No. However, I do feel that there is a perception issue. In order to explore this point further we need to consider the decision drivers within an organisation. DH. What do you believe are an organisation’s decision drivers? MS. In my experience the introduction of a screening / testing regime by a company will usually follow a well-tested and recommended process. There will be some robust criteria that will support a company’s drug & alcohol policy. These will cover the following : • Pre-employment • Random unannounced • Post-incident and for cause. Linked to these will be the selected method(s) of testing. Common methods are urine and / or oral fluid. Companies will usually seek advice from a number of suppliers offering collection services. It is also at this point that the pressure of an organisation’s performance management will be balanced against the effectiveness of the chosen testing method(s). It is the area of post-incident / for cause testing that creates the greatest performance issues. DH. Do you believe that business performance plays a part? MS. Yes. Sometimes, though this is very far from being a universal protocol, employees tested under post-incident / for cause conditions are removed from carrying out any safety critical duties

until the final results of confirmatory laboratory-based tests are available. The time-scales involved here can vary from 24 hours to 4 or 5 days, thereby having a significant impact on employee and employer alike. For the employing company there may ensue significant effects on financial and business performance, alongside the further complication of a compromised service delivery. I have personally witnessed a situation where an organisation had to stand down 10 members of staff, in accordance with that company’s drug & alcohol policy, following post incident sample collections and until confirmatory laboratory results were available. However, most organisations adopt a different stance when using straightto-laboratory chain of custody tests and only act upon results at the point of test completion (ie: when the final test results are reported). It is with this background in mind that I strongly believe that companies are drawn to the use of PoCTs (point-of-care tests) because of the enticement of so-called “instant” results. However, it must be remembered that whenever a PoCT screen indicates a positive result, so the employer must act on this information, in accordance with that company’s drug & alcohol policy, to ensure that due diligence is carried out. This can lead to stress and confusion if an employer is not sure how to proceed after PoCT screening and is uncertain as to how PoCT screening fits into a company’s overall testing programme. Many employers

INTERVIEW

are often very confused by the crucial difference between a screen and a test, too. DH. Can you elaborate as to why you believe that a term like “instant kit” can cause confusion and misconceptions? MS. A company faces the challenge of understanding the difference between a screen and a “legally defensible” laboratory test. It is so important that a company fully comprehends the issues and risks when introducing screens that do not offer “legal defensibility”. Such screens do not offer results that are as robustly reliable as laboratory tests. It also vital to appreciate that screening kits are not subject to internationally regulated manufacturing standards. DH. How important is good communication between a collection agency and its clients with respect to the role of PoCTs? MS. Good communication is vital. Companies need to understand the issues around false negative and false positive results when using screens. The benefits of a rapid on-site result must be balanced against the various risks posed by potential false negative and / or false positive results. It is essential to understand that a PoCT is a screening tool that should be used in tandem with a supporting

laboratory testing service. It is here that I would look to the collection agency to educate the client company to understand the very significant differences between a PoCT and a laboratory test. DH. What do you believe is the place, if any, for PoCTs? MS. PoCTs can have a place as a screening tool within an occupational drug screening & testing programme. We have to recognise the pressures placed on organisations with regards to business performance. However, I strongly believe that any organisation must carry out a robust risk assessment in order to ensure that the system decided upon is fit for

in relation to product quality. Generally, users do not effectively (if at all) evaluate kits. They simply rely on the expiry dates as an indicator (“proof”) that kits are working and fit for purpose. Companies need to understand the limitations of screens (PoCTs) and the concerns around manufacturing quality, potential kit malfunctions and false positive and/or negative results. DH. What are your views on inhouse screening? MS. If an organisation wishes to use members of its own staff to collect samples for screening, then I believe that such staff must be highly trained. I would fervently recommend

A company faces the challenge of understanding the difference between a screen and a “legally defensible” laboratory test. purpose. This must take account of the sector(s) concerned and the job roles in question. On a wider front, I feel that the manufacturers of screening kits (PoCTs) must work hard to improve the quality and reliability of PoCTs. The industry needs to work towards introducing robust international standardisations

employing the services of an outside collection agency that has the skills to impart a chain of custody collection course. Collecting staff must be trained to the level of chain of custody collection officers and such staff should understand all the issues around collections, including their legal responsibilities.

There is always the potential for a conflict of interests when in-house collectors are used. I would thus generally recommend employing external collectors. The collection processes around PoCTs are no different to those of best practice, formal chain of custody procedures. DH. Finally, may I ask for your views about the training of managers and senior staff? MS. It is my experience that the training of managers is very often overlooked or deficient with regards to drug and alcohol issues in the workplace. Often there is just a quick briefing on a company’s drug & alcohol policy; and managers are then just left to “get on with it”. I find this state of affairs both sad and disappointing. With a relatively small investment of time and money a company can ensure that the implementation of its drug & alcohol policy is effectively supported by a well-informed management team. A good start is a half-day workshop which can, in a few hours, provide the fundamental tools for understanding the processes involved in occupational drug and alcohol testing. Furthermore, and very importantly, managers will be given an insight into what signs to look for in the workplace in order to identify any employee who has drug and / or alcohol problems.

NEWS

44 | RailStaff | August 2014

Flinders Keepers

Samaritans in Northern Outreach

A statue commemorating British explorer Matthew Flinders is to be erected at Euston Station.

Volunteers from Samaritans branches across the north of England visited local railway stations to mark Talk to Us, the charity’s annual awareness month.

The life-size bronze statue, by Mark Richard, was commissioned by the South Australian Government and unveiled by HRH the Duke of Cambridge at Australia House. It will be installed at its permanent home in Euston Station, where it is believed he was buried. Matthew Flinders is understood to have given Australia its name. Aged 27 he circumnavigated the land mass and described it as Terra Australis on his 1804 chart. Flinders had to put into Mauritius on his way home – then controlled by the French. Britain was at war with

News in brief Baroness Backs BTPA The government has given a thumbs up for the British Transport Police Authority. A recent review backs the organisation as the right body to oversee the work of the transport police. Says Transport Minister, Baroness Kramer, ‘The report concludes that the functions of the BTPA are still necessary, that it remains the right body for delivering them and that the BTPA should remain a Non Departmental Public Body (NDPB).

Youngsters Tour Tram Works Youngsters from Centro’s Youth Forum were given a July tour of the new £138 million tram system being built in Birmingham city centre. The trip including seeing rails being laid in the streets and a visit to the depot in Wednesbury. The tram extension will start running next year.

Dublin Bay Hopper A recent innovation by tourist company ‘Railtours Ireland’ has been a ‘hop-on hop-off’ tour using chartered DART EMUs.

France and Matthew Flinders was held captive for six years and his ship impounded. Sadly he died aged 40. Adelaide’s Flinders University is named after him. Says Sir Richard Branson, ‘Australia has always been a country close to my heart. Its stunning landscape, its wonderful people and refreshing free spirit has so many parallels with the Virgin brand. We owe a great debt of gratitude to the work of Captain Matthew Flinders.’

Northern Rail staff worked alongside Samaritans volunteers throughout July during morning rush hour. Says Bob Howe, Samaritans in Yorkshire & Humberside, ‘Raising awareness of our service during the morning rush hour, to so many rail commuters, is really important. We want people to recognise the value of talking, rather than bottling things up. People can get in touch with Samaritans’ service by phone, e-mail and text, as well as visiting a branch to

Long Summer for Selby GB Railfreight chief John Smith has welcomed Potter Logistics’ extra capacity at Selby Rail Terminal. Mr Smith has also urged the government to further incentivise private sector investment in both rail and port infrastructure. The rail head extension at Selby allows GB Railfreight to run longer intermodal freight trains from the Port of Felixstowe into the terminal.

The project means the terminal’s head shunt has been extended from 468 metres to 775 metres. As a result, GB Railfreight will now be able to operate 32-platform trains, 610 metres long, on MSC-contracted services from the Port of Felixstowe. Says John Smith, managing director for GB Railfreight, ‘We are delighted with the investment undertaken by Potter Logistics to extend its head shunt at Selby rail terminal and I want to thank them for their commitment

speak to a volunteer face to face. We are here round the clock, every single day of the year.’

and hard work. I have reiterated time and time again GBRf’s intentions to expand services out of the Port of Felixstowe and this infrastructural development allows the company to be true to its word. The intermodal freight market has the potential to grow, but in addition to work undertaken by companies such as Potter Logistics, we need the Government to further incentivise strategic investment from the rest of the private sector in both inland and port infrastructure.’ The longer trains will be a combination of both Ecofret and FEA wagons, responding to growing demand for more 40ft container services. ‘Once we start using our new Ecofret wagons in late 2014, we will be operating the longest intermodal freight trains on the network, indicative of the innovation and drive for productivity that lies at the heart not just of the MSC service, but every service we offer. We hope similar infrastructural developments across the country allow us to continue to grow into 2015,’ says John. Founded by Derrick Potter in 1965, Potter Logistics is a family run business employing around 300 staff. Potter Logistics operates six distribution centres located in Droitwich, Ely, Knowsley, Ripon, Selby and York.

NEWS

August 2014 | RailStaff | 45

HS2 for Liverpool Liverpool has launched a popular campaign to bring high-speed rail to the city. Current plans see HS2 stopping at Manchester. Liverpool has one of the fastest growing local economies in Britain. With its Atlantic coast, super port development, Irish connections and vibrant regional magic, Liverpool wants to tap in to the new railway. The ‘High Speed Rail - Linking Liverpool’ campaign aims to persuade the Coalition Government to change current plans for HS2. Public and private sector leaders are backing the campaign. City leaders believe the region will benefit and a Liverpool plugged into HS2 will further energise the economy in the north. Says Robert Hough, who chairs the local enterprise partnership, ‘There is much talk about developing a northern economic powerhouse. This cannot happen without Liverpool - a strong and growing economy with enormous potential for future growth - being fully connected. Therefore, it is essential that we invest in infrastructure, such as high-speed rail, to achieve a rebalancing of our economy that will ultimately help

Daddy Cool As Britain’s heatwave summer sizzles on, railway staff are being warned not to ditch PPE. PPE often becomes uncomfortable in hot temperatures but help is at hand. According to workplace equipment supplier, Slingsby, there are now more products than ever before to help workers stay safe and cool at work. As part of the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations, employers must provide appropriate clothing and equipment whenever there are health and safety risks that can’t be controlled in other ways. Says Lee Wright, marketing director of Slingsby, which supplies more than 35,000 products through its catalogue and website, ‘The summer months often present a challenge where PPE is concerned because it can be tempting for workers to take off hard hats and high visibility or protective clothing in order to cool down. Employers have to accept that employees don’t like wearing clothing that is uncomfortable or ill-fitting and ultimately PPE is completely pointless if staff aren’t

Cllr Phil Davies, Chair of the Combined Authority; Bob Prattey, Liverpool ACC Chief Executive; Robert Hough, Chair of the City Region Local Enterprise Partnership. our businesses grow and create jobs.’ It is not only Liverpudlians who want HS2 to reach the city. Says Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, ‘The delivery of high-speed rail to the North West is vital for the future prosperity not just of Manchester but for the region and country as a whole. ‘We are in agreement that transport connectivity across the North must improve. That’s why we’re

going to wear it. ‘When buying PPE, we always advise employers to consider the materials the product is made from, the style and fit, as well as the overall design. There are a huge range of innovative materials to choose from that are specifically designed to keep the

working with Liverpool and other key cities to see the delivery of a modern, fit-for-purpose transport network which supports a strong and vibrant economy. HS2 is an essential component of this.’ The campaign received an unlikely boost from chancellor George Osborne who wants to see a highspeed link between Leeds and Manchester. HS3 could be funded by a joint financial package linking the main three economic dynamos of the north.

wearer cool and dry while being tough and long lasting. However, in some cases it may be necessary to offer employees more than one brand or style in order to cater for everyone, and it is often beneficial to include key members of the team in the decision making process when buying PPE.’

Wales Rails

Welsh poets, headed by Dylan Thomas, will be featured in Summer Poems on the Underground. As well as Dylan Thomas, the work of four living Welsh poets, Gillian Clarke, Gwyneth Lews, Dannie Abse and Owen Sheers will be featured. The poetry of Gerard Benson, cofounder and co-editor of Poems on the Underground, will also be on display. Gerard Benson helped found Poems on the Underground back in 1986, and sadly passed away in April. His poem, ‘In a Young Time’ features in the summer poems as a tribute to his unique contribution to the project.

NEWS

46 | RailStaff | August 2014

Looking Out For Each Other MPI has been running its Railway Signalling Trainee scheme for over a year now. The scheme aims to bring young people into signalling through training, work experience and mentorship. Two apprentices, Conor Clark and William McKnight, have been powered ahead on the programme this year. Says Conor Clark, ‘As a 19 year old, life on the railway can be demanding; giving up my weekends to work and also working nights. It was such a big life change when I first started but gradually, I am getting used to it. ‘For me working on the railway never gets boring, it’s a new task every day, whether it’s digging in a post or assisting a tester with a signal test. The railway has really changed my life. I have met new people, been to different places and learnt new skills. Being a trainee on the railway is hard. As well as learning I’m looking out for my own safety, especially when working in a red zone. It’s a difficult thing to get used to. I’m still not used to a train going

past me only two metres away when I’m working. Health and safety is a key thing on the railway. There are so many hazards on track from trains, slips, trips and falls, plant vehicles and even the public. All the rules need to be followed or it can end up with someone getting hurt, or in major situations even death. Overall though I am enjoying life on the railway and am looking forward to my career ahead.’ MPI Rail is aware of the shortage of skilled signalling staff and wanted to do something about it. A simple solution would have been to put 10 safety critical staff on a Mod 5 course and get them out on site at weekends and for pre-testing shifts. MPI decided on a more productive, long term, approach. In March 2013, MPI selected two young people whose fathers work with MPI in the rail signalling industry, to take on as trainees. MPI paid for all their training and mentorship and they will shortly be attending the BS1 and BS2 courses. It would be far more cost effective to train them as Mod 5 testers but MPI says to become a good tester

rail staff need installation awareness. Therefore since September William McKnight has been working with a Signalling Solutions (SSL) Installation team at Gatwick. The other trainee, Conor Clark, will be going to East Kent for Atkins. Says William McKnight, ‘I started on the railway back in March 2013. Since then I have spent five months with the MPI testing team based at West Croydon doing platform extension work. Within this time I have been assisting testers with pre-testing and commissioning work. From September

to present day I have been based at Gatwick Airport station for the development of platform 7. In this time I have been learning all aspects of signalling installation to help further my development in testing. ‘I can see that a lot of hard work and effort goes into the organisation and preparation of the work that commences and this made me want to be a part of that even more. I was surprised at how helpful everyone has been to me, taking the time to teach me different aspects that come into the work that we do. The diversity of cultures and different ages of the workers also amazed me. ‘There are many things that have surprised me about the railway, such as the safety effort that goes into everyday working life. I have been surprised at the amount of detail that is put into the work to ensure everything comes in on time and that it functions safely. I feel very safe when out on track because of safety procedures that are briefed out and I make sure that I follow them correctly to ensure that me, and others around me, are safe. It’s also good that everyone looks out for each other so that we can get our work done in a safe manner.’ Both men thanked MPI Rail on-site staff and colleagues at SSL and Atkins Rail.

MPI 1962 - 2014

The Source & Supply of Personnel & Services in Rail Tel +44 (0) 1992 501111 Email info@mpi.ltd.uk www.mpi.ltd.uk SIGNALLING ROLLING STOCK TELECOMMUNICATIONS RAIL PROFESSIONALS CONSTRUCTION CIVILS SITE SUPPORT STAFF PROTECTION PERSONNEL

NEWS

August 2014 | RailStaff | 47

Full Beam for Victoria

Team Success for VolkerRail VolkerRail has been awarded the Best OTM Operator/Company accolade by Network Rail. The team at VolkerRail earned the prestigious prize for hard work and dedication shown on the seven-year framework contract for the supply, operation and maintenance of the

tamper and ballast regulator fleet. Says Mark Jackson, general manager of VolkerRail’s plant division, ‘We are pleased to receive this award as it recognises the exceptional work our whole team put in, to operate safely, keep our machines reliable and exceed our customer’s performance requirements.

printer to your PC. It’s a complex subject, but one which will affect everyone on the railways over the coming years. O2 has been helping build this technology with Network Rail, enabling the IP facility on the network. To explain this new technology, Network Rail Telecom will be hosting the O2’s ‘Battle Bus’ at Milton Keynes on 1 September. The ‘Battle Bus’ will park directly outside the Network Rail main reception at The Quadrant:MK, and everyone who is interested is invited to come along

and have a look. Experts from O2 and Network Rail will be on hand to explain what IP is and what it will do, as well as the complexities of FTNx and future plans for the new network. In addition, O2 will be discussing a number of innovations including Telefónica Dynamic Insights and how Big Data is at the centre of business transformation. There will also be a showcase of the new mobile CCTV platform which is optimized for mobile networks, delivering a truly flexible approach to asset protection.

At Manchester Victoria the ninth and largest steel ribbed roof beam has been lifted into place. The 100 metre long, 70 tonne beam, was swung gently into its new home using a 750 tonne crane, one of the largest in the country. The station rebuild forms part of the £1bn Northern Hub and North West Electrification Programme. The remaining roof sections will be installed this autumn with the whole station complete by early 2015.

Learn more about FTNx Telecommunications is one of the hidden technologies on our railways. Everyone expects telephones to work, CCTV cameras to feed back to control centres, and passenger information systems to provide the latest updates to the travelling public. These systems all run on the Fixed Telecommunications Network (FTN), a grid that Network Rail started building around ten years ago. This involved the construction of a completely new network of fibre optic and copper cables alongside railway tracks around the country. Some 16,000km would be laid with a total project value of just under £10 billion. The initial aim of the new network was to run the new national GSM-R radio system and to transfer data using

ISS Labour Pway | Civils | Welding OLE | Trackside Lighting

an SDH (synchronous digital hierarchy) protocol. However, new uses for the network became apparent as technology improved. An upgrade to the FTN - called FTNx - was introduced before FTN was even completed. This allows a huge assortment of equipment to be interconnected using IP (internet protocol) - essentially the same technology that connects your webcam and network

ISS Labour are a dynamic and expanding supplier of rail support services across the Network Rail and Light Rail infrastructures, providing hundreds of staff each day around the country to maintain and enhance our rail networks. We are currently recruiting Appointed Persons and Welders to expand our current teams. To find out how to apply call us on 0800 7833382 or email us attaching your CV to info@isslabour.co.uk

Our Lifesaving Rules

www.isslabour.co.uk

ISS Labour

NEWS

48 | RailStaff | August 2014

Czech-list for Selby Network Rail is repairing Selby Swing Bridge this summer and has enlisted the help of local school children to get the safety message across. The bridge was built in 1889. Work includes steelwork repairs, replacing and strengthening sections of the bridge and a new coat of paint. The bridge’s hydraulic system is being thoroughly repaired. Track across the bridge will be replaced. New walkways and steps for bridge operators are being installed. The work is planned to finish in time for normal rail services to resume on Monday, 8 September. Wiki Czech, a student at Barlybridge Community Primary School, won a best poster competition and her work will be displayed on the hoardings around the site.

Food for Fort Matthew Fort - food writer, critic and judge on BBC2’s Great British Menu - has taken on a new job as Food Curator at St Pancras International.

Staff from Network Rail and contractor Kier staged the competition and asked pupils to come up with fresh ideas warning people to keep off site. Olivia Wiczkowska, Wiki’s classmate, came second. In the nine to 10 years category, Katie Ann Herring came first, with Emily Hanks in second place.

In a gesture of thanks for their help, Network Rail and Kier built a new outdoor learning area at the school. The project team has spoken to the schoolchildren about site safety and safety near to the railway, as the major refurbishment to the swing bridge gets underway.

Says Darryl White, Network Rail’s project manager for Selby Swing Bridge, ‘It is great to be able to give something back to the local community that will make a difference for years to come; not only providing an outdoor learning area but also to support the school with new fencing.

The station has a growing reputation for good times, party bars and restaurants. Matthew will help HS1 to expand high-quality food and drink provision at the destination station. Says Matthew, ‘For me there is no better way to start a journey than sipping on a coffee with a sandwich or a delicious slice of cake while watching people walk

by. I’m excited to start working with the 24 retailers to showcase the amazing food that is available at commuters’ fingertips, whether it’s a panini for a trip to Paris or a cupcake for the journey home to Corby.’ Following Germany’s World Cup win, retailers swung into action serving up bratwurst and Bavarian beer.

Euros on the Underground

Cash points dispensing Euros as well as Pounds are to be installed across the London Underground. Transport for London and Raphaels Bank plan 70 cash points at stations on the system. The service has been designed to make it easier for busy London workers, commuters and residents to be able to get their cash for local use as well as trips abroad. London is now apparently the most popular tourist destination in the world with almost 17 million visitors last year. Card charges, imposed by the cardholder’s bank or credit card provider, may apply.

Play your part in railway history Here at the National Railway Museum we are very proud to be recognised as the world’s leading railway museum and the most visited museum outside London with over 800,000 visitors each year. Our visitors come from all over the world because they are fascinated by our collections and the story they represent. As a national charity, we rely on the support of people young and old to preserve and care for our collections now and for the generations to come. One way of supporting our work is to leave a gift to the National Railway Museum in your Will. A legacy gift of any size really does make a huge difference to our work and the future of the Museum. As a Railway Magazine reader, we know that you care as much about our railway heritage as we do, so if and when the time is right for you to include a legacy in your Will, please remember us. The National Railway Museum Development Team • Leeman Road • York • YO26 4XJ • 01904 686 285

CAREERS

50 | RailStaff | August 2014

www.trsstaffing.com

Rail and Infrastructure Vacancies

TRS Staffing Solutions are international engineering recruitment specialists. We recruit for major National and International projects for leading National Rail organisations, main contractors and consultancies. Currently we have vacancies for the following:

Site Manager/Agents

P6 Project Planners

London, Anglia and Yorkshire £250-325/day Mainline Rail, Station and Bridge experience

London, Midlands & Swindon £40K – £50K or £300 - £400/day Experience of Network Rail Projects, Primavera experience essential

Senior Pway Engineer

Senior Quantity Surveyors/ Commercial Managers

Birmingham, Manchester and Stroud £35K - £55K or £250 - £400/day Experience of Network Rail Projects, Horizontal and Vertical Alinements and Track Renewals

Project Managers Swindon, Milton Keynes, Preston, Derby & London £35K - £60K or 300-450/day Civils, Signalling & M+E enabling works

Subscribe to our free publications at www.railsubs.com

London £40K – £65K Experience of Network Rail/LUL Projects, NEC contract experience essential

Principal Senior Structural Engineers Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, London £300 - £350/day or £30K – £60K Bridges, Station and Buildings - Rail

Please send your CV or if you’d prefer to discuss a role in more detail and in confidence, please contact one of our specialist consultants on

+44 (0)20 7419 5800 or email rail@trsstaffing.com

Rail, Infrastructure & Construction

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CAREERS

August 2014 | RailStaff | 51

We’re transforming the future. Will you? We are Amey, the faces behind the services people use every day. From roads, railways and schools to waste disposal, airports or the energy and water you use in your home. Together with our partner Sersa we are transforming the delivery of trackworks in the UK. In a contract worth up to £400m over 10 years we are renewing Switch and Crossings (S&C) in a new way for Network Rail, across two thirds of the UK’s rail network. Working within multi skilled teams, you will be provided with full training to work with innovative plant and equipment from Europe, in use for the first time in the UK. Based from Crewe, Manchester, Doncaster and Glasgow we’re looking for: S&C Design/Installation Engineers • Permanent Way/Track Engineers OLE Design/Installation Engineers • Construction Engineering Managers Testers in Charge • Commercial Managers We’re looking for passionate individuals to join us on this exciting and transformational journey. To find out more visit amey.co.uk/careers and search ‘S&C’

LIM AV ITE AIL D N AB UM LE B , S ER O O BO F T OK IC EA KE T RL S Y

RAIL EXEC CLUB

The executive networking club for rail professionals Networking within the rail industry has never been more important. As numerous new contracts are up for negotiation, ensuring that you meet the right people at the right time is vital.

The next Rail Exec Club will be held on Tuesday 9th September 2014, under the railway arches at Vinopolis in London. The luncheon will commence at 11.30 and finish around 3.30pm.

Speaking at The Rail Exec Club in September will be:

Patrick Hallgate

Network Rail, Great Western Route Managing Director

Libor Lochman

Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER), Executive Director

Phil Hufton

London Underground, Chief Operating Officer

For full details and to book your ticket, go to of www.railexec.com Rail Staff.indd 1

05/08/2014 15:39:37

CAREERS

52 | RailStaff | August 2014

Track Safety Trainer/Assessor Salary

£40k-£52k p.a. depending on experience

Location

Lenham, Kent

Position Type

Permanent

Vacancies

One

Start Date

September 1st 2014

CCS Group Plc is a multi disciplinary service provider to the Railway Industry. Our in-house training company, Infrastructure Training Service (I.T.S) has an opening for an experienced NSARE qualified Track Safety Trainer/Assessor based at our Training Centre in Lenham Kent.

The main purpose of the position

• Ensure discipline and control of learner during training and assessment events

• Licensed through NSARE as Track Safety Trainer and Assessor

Key Tasks & Responsibilities

• Excellent communication skills and different learning styles

• Accredited Level 3 Qualification in Training and Development

• Deliver both workplace assessments and NWR training programmes

• Sound knowledge of track safety / RTAS / NSARE / Sentinel rules and working instructions

• Personal Track Safety PTS AC

• Deliver learning events which are conducted to the highest standard

• Facilitation skills to captivate E-Learning tools

• Individual Working Alone

Candidates Requirements

• Lookout

• City & Guilds 7331 or D32 / D33 or A1 Assessor qualification

• Controller of Site Safety (OLP/CRP)

Reporting to Training Manager – Lenham

• Motivate learners by creating an environment conducive to learning

• DCCR

• T.I.C

For more information about this position please contact Gail Peters on 01622 851586 or forward a copy of your most recent CV to recruitment@cleshar.co.uk

Stuck in the wrong role? Coming to the end of a contract? Or simply looking for a change?

We’d like to talk to you! advance Training & Recruitment Services are offering exciting opportunities for talented individuals at all levels across the following sectors: • Signalling

• Electrification & Power

• Telecommunications

• Permanent Way

• Civils

• Mechanical & Electrical

• Project Services

“

together,

we can all advance

telephone:

+44 (0) 1483 361 061

e-mail:

info@advance-trs.com

twitter:

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The Rail Alliance is THE business to business networking organisation for the rail industry. We currently have the following career opportunities at QRTC, Long Marston. These posts are part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Rail Alliance Test, Trials & Demonstration Manager

(full or part-time post)

Rail Alliance Events Manager

(full-time post)

The ‘what’

The ‘what’ To coordinate the use of the Quinton Rail Technology Centre (QRTC), Long Marston as a test, trial and demonstration (TT&D) venue in pursuance of the Future Railway Testing Voucher Scheme.

The incumbent is to be the outward-looking ‘face’ of the Rail Alliance attending all events and responsible for the organisation of the majority of such events; the post requires management, organizational, communication and marketing competencies all at the higher end.

To verify and validate testing procedures and to liaise with customers throughout the Testing, Trialling and Demonstration processes producing technical reports and case studies as part of our generic support to the Product Acceptance process.

Organise Rail Alliance (and its members’) presence at national exhibitions including managing all aspects of setting up and dismantling periods associated with such events; provide routine support for international trading including maintenance of relationship with UKT&I staffs at home and abroad.

The ‘who’

Broad knowledge of the engineering disciplines suited for the transport sector in general and railway sector in particular – preferably educated to degree level or broad equivalent, in a relevant engineering-based discipline.

Customer focussed at all times, confident but sensitive negotiator, excellent written and verbal communication skills, must be a team player.

Experience of Testing, Trialling, Validation, Verification and Report Writing; must possess a deepspans understanding of the The Rail Alliance all aspects ofTechnology the Rail Readiness Levels and their application to the Manufacturing Readiness Levels.

Sector to enable you to Network, Collaborate,

Track history of successful mounting of exhibitions, conferences, seminars – preferably in the Transport/Rail sector. Must be able to attend Rail Alliance events nationwide with the potential for overseas travel in support of the Rail Alliance’s international programme.

and Innovate with both suppliers and customers in order for you to thrive as a

Rail Alliance Cluster Manager business.

(full or part-time post)

The ‘what’

Ourincumbent aim is to will provide advice, tailored The manage the cluster-related activity of the Rail Alliance with specific responsibilities for developing theand Rail Interiors’ Cluster into assistance and, importantly, to identify a world class brand with world class capabilities and managing the Rail pass onShift business development opportunities Alliance 2 Rail and Horizon 2020 programmes. to existing or new companies trading in the

The post holder will also coordinate the Rail Alliance activities as the rail sector. foremost UK Railway Cluster (as recognised by the European Railway Clusters Initiative (ERCI)), including performing the Secretariat duties for the ERCI.

As part of the Railway Voucher Scheme,material for all Coordination andFuture overall management of all marketing Rail Alliance activity and management of the allocation of support mentors we provide Light and Heavy rail test, trial & for Rail Alliance members. demonstration facilities at the Quinton Rail

The ‘who’ Technology Centre, Long Marston CV37 8PL. Broad knowledge of the engineering disciplines suited for the transport sector in general and railway sector in particular with significant experience of developing small businesses in terms of culture, performance and/or competitiveness.

Rail Alliance Marketing and Media Coordinator

(part-time post)

The ‘what’ To coordinate, manage and oversee the content of media outputs for written and on-line publication in addition to managing the day-to-day updating of the Rail Alliance website and social media feeds (in particular our blog, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn accounts). The design, production of ‘house style’ presentations for Rail Alliance presentations (including the publication of such presentations onto the website) as well as designing and overseeing the production of all Rail Alliance marketing material including – occasionally – such material for our collaborative partners. The ‘who’ Skilled and adept at using contemporary desk top publishing suites possessing expert knowledge of Microsoft PowerPoint and Adobe Creative Suite (or equivalent) with a high level of attention to detail and artistic flair. Proficient in terms of capturing and manipulating still and video images in support of Rail Alliance Events for publication in specialist and general media.

Welcome to Rail Live 2014, hosted by:

Produce technically-based case studies from Rail Alliance members, and the sector at large, highlighting areas of best practice, innovation and/or collaboration. Must be able to attend Rail Alliance events nationwide with the potential for overseas travel in support of the Rail Alliance’s international programme.

An adept and confident communicator with a recent and relevant background of marketing for and with the SME base (preferably familiar with the transport sector in general and the rail sector in particular), must be able to attend Rail Alliance events nationwide with the potential for overseas travel in support of the Rail Alliance’s international programme.

Full job descriptions and details of the remuneration packages are available from the Rail Alliance. Email us: jobs@railalliance.co.uk

All posts will attract a competitive salary depending on qualifications and experience.

54 | RailStaff | August 2014

CAREERS

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