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ORANGE EASTER
FOR RAILWAYS The Orange Army was out in force over the Easter bank holiday weekend as a well planned series of projects and works unfolded smoothly and safely. Over 14,000 men and women worked round the clock pushing ahead with Britain’s £38 billion railway upgrade. The spring boost comes as railway staff celebrate the one millionth work order placed using the My Work app.
MAN IN A MILLION
Phil Hufton presents award to Paul Ellis and his team at Liverpool DU.
Page 5
GOLDEN YEARS
First Group sready investors nerves by winning extensions on two of its franchises.
EXPERIENCED DIRECTORS HEAD EAST
Page 6
Page 9
Safety is the cornerstone of our business
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COMMENT
April 2015 | RailStaff | 3
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Death and Taxes Two things are sure in life - death and taxes. The rest is subject to change. Jobs disappear to be replaced by new roles not always readily transferable to existing staff. Unions are right to be suspicious. Closing booking offices on the London Underground and putting staff on the platforms sounds good. Replacing guards with passenger-facing train managers sounds sensible but needs to be thought through and embraced by those involved. Too often we assume that everything will be all right. This is nowhere more apparent than in international politics. How bizarre that in an election that has been known about for the past five years - thanks to the Fixed Term Act - the great issues of our age are so poorly debated. Russia, Iran and Islamic State barely feature. This summer volunteer groups of Polish militia will be training alongside regular troops in the forests and plains of Poland. Border defence on the frontier with Kaliningrad - Russia’s ice-free Baltic Port - will be strengthened by the Polish military. Lithuania and Poland are both NATO members. Neither can have confidence in the organisation’s ability to defend them. They will have noted that the path to Iranian nuclear power has been all but guaranteed by the Obama administration’s scarcely believable
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Staff
capitulation to Tehran. There is to be no lessening of oppression for dissidents, no commitment to eschew the secret protocols of international terror. The US blithely assures us this is change we can believe in. More ominous still is the onward sweep of Islamic State across the Middle East. Much of Iraq, Syria, Libya and Yemen fall under its flames and banners. America and Europe seem unnerved by its success. In the face of such an uncertain world, the United Kingdom has need of greater strength than its sorry platoons of defence cutting political apologists can muster.
However, the strength of Great Britain resides in its unity, industry and commerce. Such success, it should never be forgotten, is enabled by a long tradition of freedom of expression, religion and speech. These liberties are all under threat. The British economy is powering back from recession, catalysed by a revitalised rail industry. Whatever its failings elsewhere, the Coalition Government has done well by railways. From such strength and confidence, let’s hope, a more resolute approach to the catalogue of human iniquity may emerge.
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andy@rail-media.com
Stations Focus in May
Did I ever tell you?
Safety and the pace of change
The industry is endeavouring to make Britain’s rail stations destinations in their own rights. Places where passengers are happy to spend their time. We’ll look at the new products, services and initiatives that are further improving rail stations around the country. Call 01530 816440 for more information.
Every edition of RailStaff carries a raft of stories concerned with recruiting new people, opening railway academies and launching apprenticeship schemes.
Since Mark Carne took over as Network Rail chief executive in early 2014, safety has been at the core of every speech he has given and every press statement issued.
NEWS
4 | RailStaff | April 2015
Spring Boost for Rail Industry Network Rail chief executive Mark Carne has praised railway staff who worked over Easter. ‘Our 14,000-strong army was determined to make sure everything went to plan this weekend and I’m proud to say it did,’ says Carne in a heartfelt statement. ‘I want to personally thank each one of you who played a part in the successful delivery of our ambitious Easter programme of work to upgrade Britain’s railway. I have also received messages of thanks from the Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin and from the rail minister Claire Perry.’ Over £100 million of investment and improvement work was completed successfully - on time and on budget across the railway. New junctions, platforms, bridges and points were installed. In addition, thousands of pieces of new, more reliable equipment have been built and brought into use. ‘I saw for myself the dedication of our people when I visited Reading, Slough and London Bridge works,’ says Mark.
London Euston services will be improved by a new rail-over-road bridge south of Watford Junction. Once the victim of successive bridgebashing attacks, the old bridge was demolished and a better, bigger one installed. This will enable line speeds to be increased through the area. As part of the wider £81 million upgrade scheme, the team also replaced old track, signalling and junctions. At Reading new freight lines were built under the recently constructed viaduct, separating passenger and freight services. A new, modern signalling system has also been brought into use to replace outdated and unreliable equipment. The champagne cork is well and truly out of this railway bottleneck making Reading the première cuvée of the Great Western Main Line. New overhead lines were installed at Chadwell Heath, Romford and Ilford on the London Liverpool Street to Norwich main line. At London Bridge further work at the rebuilt station saw improvements to track, signalling and platforms part of the £6.5 billion Thameslink Programme.
However, the job is far from over. Britain’s railway upgrade will be pushing ahead this summer with works planned for many nights and weekends to come. ‘I know how determined our teams were to make sure everything went to plan this weekend and I’m proud that you succeeded. It just goes to show what we can achieve when we plan
effectively and pull together to safely deliver to that plan. Now we must continue in this vein. We cannot take our eye off the ball,’ says Mark. ‘This successful, co-ordinated approach must be the way we do things from now on - our new standard. And our job is far from over. Our orange army will continue to be out tonight and every night carrying out work that’s essential to improving our increasingly congested network and providing better journeys for the millions of people who rely on our network each day. Once again, please accept my thanks for all of your efforts over this weekend. Well done. ‘I look forward to delivering more of the same with you in future.’
NEWS
Man in a Million
April 2015 | RailStaff | 5
You can read the full article in the May iPad and IPhone edition of the rail engineer, which you can download free of charge in the app store.
Paul Ellis and his team at Liverpool Delivery Unit have been singled out for praise after submitting the millionth work order using the My Work app. Pioneered by ORBIS (Offering the Railway Better Information Systems) and Network Rail, the app, which was delivered in summer 2014, has improved the work order management process for maintenance teams across the industry. The mobile workforce can raise and close work orders and WAIFs (Work Arising Identification Form) whilst on track using the My Work app on their iPads. The latest step towards a digital railway is already saving trees, reducing the paper chase and realising great efficiencies in terms of time and resources. The millionth milestone highlights both the success of My Work and the ORBIS programme. My Work automatically updates Ellipse with complete, cancelled or re-prioritised work. The app can also verify asset data and capture condition data. Steve Dyke, Phil Hufton and Patrick Bossert presented a special award to the team.
Abellio launched the new ScotRail franchise with a £1 million ticket giveaway and a new train. A brand new Class 66 - from DRS - entered service on day one. The coaches although smart and refreshed, had been working for Arriva Trains Wales. Delighted local passengers were left puzzled by public service stickers still in Welsh. In a special message to all staff, Jeff Hoogesteger, chief executive of Abellio Group, who now lives in Edinburgh, said, ‘I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the ScotRail workforce. They regularly achieve high levels of performance and customer satisfaction.’ He went on, ‘We now look forward to working with them and Network Rail to realise the full potential of Scotland’s
(Main) Steve Smith, Patrick Bossert, Paul Ellis, Steve Dyke, Andrew Bradley and Keith Farquharson. (Below) Andrew Dobson, Phil Hufton, Paul Ellis, Stephen Mackenzie & John Geraghty.
Daring Launch for ScotRail
railway.’ The Abellio headquarters is being relocated from London to Glasgow. The company, which is a subsidiary of Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), plans to introduce new trains between Edinburgh and Glasgow and a fully refurbished intercity fleet to serve the
seven main cities of Scotland. The new ScotRail will aim for closer involvement in Scottish businesses and communities becoming an integral national asset. Says Dominic Booth, Abellio UK’s managing director, ‘The ScotRail team is handing over a franchise in very good
shape and we are grateful. However, we are determined that ScotRail will now go beyond A-to-B and play a truly strategic role in the long-term success of the country. We will do so by providing jobs and support for small businesses in towns and cities across the country.’
NEWS
6 | RailStaff | April 2015
OJEU for Overground Transport for London (TfL) has begun the process of selecting the company which will operate London Overground services into the next decade. TfL has issued a notice with the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), launching the bidding process for the new seven-and-a-half year concession. Services are currently run by London Overground Rail Operations (LOROL) – a 50/50 joint venture between MTR and Deutsche Bahn (DB). The new operator will take over
Yorkshire Custom
London Overground services from November 2016. The concession will run until 2024, with an option to extend by a further two years. Bidders have until mid-May to register their interest. The concession includes the introduction of new trains, station upgrades, options to introduce 24-hour services at weekends and the extension of services to Barking Riverside. Jonathan Fox, TfL’s director of London Rail, said: “At end of May, we will take over the running of local services out of Liverpool Street station to north east London, which will also come under the new concession. Customers can look forward to new air-conditioned walkthrough trains, which will start operating from 2018, and will benefit from stations being staffed at all times when trains are running.”
The 825 station components were installed using a purpose-built 35-tonne gantry crane. The last section was
installed a year and a day after the first piece went in. Says Mujahid Khalid, Crossrail project manager at Custom House, ‘Piecing together the 825 sections that make up the station’s structure has been a bit like a giant jigsaw puzzle. It’s been impressive to see the building go up so quickly and efficiently and a lot of hard work has gone in from everyone on the project. ‘Now the structure is complete, the focus will turn to fitting out the building with escalators, lifts and everything else to turn it into a fully operating station.’
of the introduction of new Super Express trains which will start taking over long-distance services between London, Bristol and South Wales and the Cotswolds from summer 2017. The electrification of one of Britain’s busiest and oldest railways proceeds apace. The work between London and Bristol, including Newbury and Oxford, will be completed by 2016, with the route to Cardiff electrified by 2017. First Great Western hopes to introduce 29 new long-distance AT300 trains on London, Devon and Cornwall routes - subject to agreement from the Department for Transport (DfT). Hitachi
will supply the new fleet of AT300 125 mph bi-mode trains, similar to the new Super Express Trains, in five and nine-car formations. First is finalising arrangements under which the trains would be privately financed. The trains will replace FGW’s Intercity 125 units between London PaddingtonPlymouth and Penzance. The AT300 trains will utilise higher engine operating power to cope with the track gradients in Devon and Cornwall. They will run as electric trains between London and Newbury and are equipped with bigger fuel tanks to cater for the long-distance journeys to Plymouth and Penzance.
In addition, a fleet upgrade for services in the Thames Valley is planned from next spring. FGW says this will lead to a 25 per cent increase in seats on peak services. Says Tim O’Toole, ‘As the proud operators of this important franchise, we will be using our unrivalled knowledge and experience of the network to help deliver significant upgrades over the next few years - in particular, the introduction of new trains as the mainline is electrified. This investment is the biggest on the route since Brunel, and will transform a key part of the country’s transport infrastructure.’
Millions of future Crossrail passengers passing through Custom House station will be unaware that the slick and smart station was made in Yorkshire and assembled in a year and a day. Large sections of the station were manufactured in Laing O’Rourke’s facility in Steetley, near Sheffield, transported more than 130 miles to east London and put together on site.
Golden Years FirstGroup has managed to steady investor nervousness with news that it has won extensions to two of its franchises. The flagship operation, First Great Western (FGW), has been granted a four-to-five year extension and First TransPennine Express rail franchise a further year. FirstGroup missed out on five recent franchises but is fighting back with an array of innovations on FGW and ambitious plans to run an open access cheap express on the East Coast Main Line. First TransPennine Express has seen a remarkable doubling in passenger numbers over the last 10 years, thanks to a huge effort by staff. Says Tim O’Toole, chief executive FirstGroup, ‘Since the franchise began, our experienced team has worked hard to introduce brand new trains, refurbish stations, increase frequency and improve journey times. As a result, the service is more popular than ever, now carrying 26 million passengers a year compared to 13 million in 2004.’ In the west, the new franchise agreement, which will see First retain the route until April 2019, takes account
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PEOPLE
8 | RailStaff | April 2015
Poole Backs Staff At LOROL
Creighton Delivers
Carol Poole has been promoted to human resources director at London Overground Rail Operations Limited (LOROL).
Siemens Rail Automation has appointed Steve Creighton as delivery director, Central East.
Previously, she was change and mobilisation manager at LOROL. Carol succeeds Darren Hockaday who has moved on to be HR director at Gatwick Airport. Educated at Aston University, Carol has a degree in French and business studies. She has more than 25 years of experience in strategic and operational HR and change management. She’s worked for Tube Lines, British Standards and Nettec PLC. Since 2012, Carol has held a number of interim positions at LOROL and took up the permanent role of HR director on 1 March 2015, reporting to managing director Peter Austin. Outside of work, Carol likes to spend time with family and friends. She likes to
bake, takes time out to read and is a fan of live theatre. Says Carol, ‘I’m delighted to be joining LOROL at such an important and exciting time in the company’s development. ‘Our people are our biggest asset and we place them at the heart of everything we do, so my focus will be on supporting and developing employees to ensure that we continue to meet and, in fact, exceed the expectations of our customers and our client. I have no doubt that through the fantastic people we have at LOROL, we’ll be in a position to take the London Overground into its next stage of evolution.’
Based in York, Steve joined Siemens in March 2014 as programme director for the region. Previously Creighton worked for Thales for 10 years, culminating in a two-year position running route integration at Manchester Metrolink’s Phase 3 extension project. Says Siemens director Rob Morris, ‘Working with a skilled and committed team, Steve will now take overall responsibility for a range of projects we are currently delivering, including Sheffield Re-control, Great Northern Great Eastern (GNGE), North Lincolnshire Resignalling and Brigg Resignalling.’ Steve Creighton read electronics and communications engineering at Hull University and is a member of the Institution of Engineering and
Technology (IET). He is a chartered engineer. A father of two, Steve likes to keep fit and has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania, raising £8,000 for Mari Curie Cancer Care.
Tim Judd Joins Project-emc Tim Judd has been appointed as recruitment manager at Projectemc heading up an expanding team at the company’s fleet-based offices in Hampshire. Tim Judd joins from the Ford Motor Company where he was the recruitment manager responsible for engaging engineers to work at Ford’s Dunton Research and Development Centre in Essex. From a standing start seven years ago, Colin Edge and Ben Vernon have built up Project-emc to become a high-level specialist recruitment service for managers, directors, executives, engineers and project leaders in the rail, power, telecoms and utilities industries. After leaving Seven Kings High School in Ilford, East London, Tim worked in retail for B&Q. Later, he became branch manager for Primetime Recruitment and built a career in getting the right people into the right jobs. Tim joined the Daniel Williams Consultancy in High Wycombe in 2006 and three years later moved on to Manpower UK. After a spell with Simple Recruitment
Services in Reading, Tim joined Resourcing Solutions in 2013 where he became a resource specialist in railway signalling, P-way, civil and systems engineering. Colin Edge, managing director of Project-emc, wished Tim well in his new job. ‘Tim Judd is a respected figure in his field, and he will take over running much of the day-to-day operation of the business freeing up Ben and I to get out and about focussing on customers and business development. Tim has exactly the solid and incisive experience we are looking for at Project-emc. We wish him
every success.’ Away from work Tim says he relaxes by following cricket, perhaps not so relaxing recently, and playing football with his son, Ayden, 11. Tim is also a keen gardener having studied Horticulture and Garden Design at the Berkshire college of agriculture. Project-emc offers a complete recruitment service for clients and candidates in the rail, power, telecoms and utilities industries, from middle management right up to director and senior management positions.
Bavarian Tonic for FirstGroup A former doctor from Munich has been appointed as chairman of FirstGroup. Dr. Wolfhart Hauser, chief executive officer of Intertek Group Plc since March 2005, joins FirstGroup, now shorn of its ScotRail operation, as it celebrates franchise extensions to its Great Western and TransPennine Express operations. Hauser read a degree in medicine at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich. He studied for a doctorate at Munich’s Technical University and wrote a dissertation on ski fastenings. The subsequent ski binding remains an ISO standard. Hauser, who takes over in May, replaces John McFarlane who has been appointed chairman of Barclays.
PEOPLE
April 2015 | RailStaff | 9
Top Spot for Steve Lowe
Robertson to head NSARE
Steve Lowe (right) is taking over as chief executive of Tramlink Nottingham Limited, which holds the contract to operate and develop the city’s growing light rail network.
Neil Robertson is to take over as chief executive of the National Skills Academy for Railway Engineering (NSARE) this June.
Lowe joined the organisation as commercial director last December. Phil Hewitt (left), the current chief executive, becomes Tramlink’s executive chairman. Steve Lowe began his career with Raleigh, where he became marketing director, and then spent 11 years in marketing, buying and e-commerce roles with retailer Halfords, culminating in a position as head of trading. He moved to become director of marketing at Screwfix, part of Kingfisher, the global DIY goods retailing group, where he
spent two years before joining Tramlink. Brought up in Chilwell - one of the areas to be served by the NET Phase Two project - Steve was educated locally and gained an MBA at the Nottingham Business School. With the testing and commissioning of the tram system’s extension to Clifton and Chilwell now intensifying, the organisation is gearing up for the launch of passenger services this summer. Hewitt paid tribute to
Tramlink’s outgoing chairman, Roger Harrison, who enjoyed a long international career in public transport. ‘Roger will be a hard act to follow because of his knowledge, particularly of light rail systems around the world, and his leadership style. Although he has decided to step down as chairman, fortunately we’ll not be losing his input entirely because he will remain as an advisor to Tramlink until the launch phase is complete.’
Robertson replaces Gil Howarth. Neil joins from Energy and Utilities Skills, where he has been chief executive for the past three years. Educated at Craigmount High School in Edinburgh, Neil read social sciences at Edinburgh University. He joined the Department for Education and Skills in 2005. Three years later, he moved on to become chief executive of the British Institute of Innkeeping before joining Energy and Utilities Skills in May 2012. Says Chris Fenton, chairman of NSARE, ‘Neil’s experience of the skills challenges, which are common across industrial and infrastructure sectors, will help build upon the foundations of the past five years and ensure that NSARE supports the rail sector effectively, and in the wider context of UK plc. ‘On behalf of the NSARE board, I would like to thank Gil and the team for their outstanding commitment and dedication in leading NSARE since its inception.’
Experienced Directors Move East Alison Watson has been appointed customer experience director at Virgin Trains East Coast. Alison, who is from Chadderton near Oldham, Greater Manchester, joins the train operator after a successful career in the travel and aviation industries. The appointment completes the
senior management team at Virgin Trains East Coast. Former Virgin Trains West Coast marketing director Danny Gonzalez also moves east as Virgin Trains East Coast’s marketing and sales director. Danny Gonzalez started his career at Virgin Atlantic Airways over 20 years ago and has held positions at Virgin. com and TheTrainline.
Says David Horne, managing director of Virgin Trains East Coast, ‘I’m delighted to welcome Alison and Danny to our team, and I’m confident that with our senior management line-up now complete, we’re in the very best possible place to transform our customer service and become the UK’s number one train operator.’
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RAIL ALLIANCE
10 | RailStaff | April 2015
New Year Resolution for 2015 Join the Rail Alliance Join the Rail Alliance now Rail Alliance membership starts from just £500 per year
log on to www.railalliance.co.uk email info@railalliance.co.uk or call 01789 720026.
New Team for Expanding Rail Alliance To meet the growing demands of an ever increasing membership base and with new capabilities to offer, the Rail Alliance has expanded its team and welcomes new team members; Lucy Prior, Eli-Rees-King, Chris Denison and Paul Alliot. Lucy Prior We are delighted to welcome Lucy Prior as our new membership development manager. Lucy comes to the Rail Alliance with a broad and varied railway background having worked in the past for L.B. Foster, Mechan and Zonegreen, working with clients and suppliers across the supply chain. Lucy is based in Sheffield and will be looking to develop the Rail Alliance membership in the North East and North West, with a view to maximising the potential of the rail sector SME base in the North. Additionally, Lucy will be developing the Rail Alliance’s relationship with the UK’s universities in general and the Rail Research UK Association (RRUKA) in particular (see www.rruka.org.uk if you would like to find out more about UK-based rail research programmes, capability and projects).
Eli Rees-King We have also secured the services of Eli Rees-King as our marketing and media manager. Eli has a distinguished background in marketing and media management having run her own b2b marketing communications business in addition to managing the marketing communication departments for a variety of businesses ranging from automotive, IT and high-technology companies. Eli actually began her career in marketing many years ago working for a Rail Alliance member, transport design company Cre’active Design. In addition to her marketing expertise, Eli is a professional photographer which the Rail Alliance will be taking full advantage
Eli Rees-King, Chris Denison, Paul Alliott and Lucy Prior. of, and I’m sure you will be seeing many examples of her pictures in RailStaff, Rail Engineer and other quality publications we work with. Eli offers bespoke photographic services to our members at preferential rates for half-day and full-day commissions. Please contact eli.reesking@railalliance.co.uk for details.
Chris Denison Chris Denison is Rail Alliance’s newly appointed innovation and technology director. Prior to joining the Rail Alliance, Chris was head of technology and innovation at Network Rail. During his tenure, Chris quickly established the need for a more entrepreneurial, customer-directed and ultimately grounded approach to innovation. Inspired by the Rail Alliance grass-roots approach to enabling innovation, and encouraged by his time at Network Rail, Chris has applied his 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur and innovator to establish a model and mindset for helping rekindle the pioneering spirit of rail. The Pioneering Mindset Programme brings together the proven principles, progressive values and impressive achievements of the SME rail community under the guidance of the Rail Alliance, with Chris’ vision for a railway fit for greatness. In the past, Chris has
championed new approaches to innovation in aerospace, construction, insurance, financial services, and healthcare and telecommunications sectors. Chris has won a number of national awards for innovation, including Outstanding Business Partner of the Year and Newcomer of the Year for his most recent venture, Ingenin, in addition to holding a number of patents.
Paul Alliott Paul Alliott is Rail Alliance’s new technical director and brings with him a wealth of rail expertise and knowledge. Paul is responsible for overseeing and managing Rail Alliance’s involvement in technical matters and is an experienced railway manager and engineer with over 30 years rail industry experience of both heavy rail and light rail systems, including six years technical, business and operations consulting. He spent 10 years as the senior engineer for a global railway technology company and rolling stock manufacturer and most recently, director of a reputable independent consultancy supporting local authorities and contracting bodies develop, design, implement, operate and maintain light rail networks and compile bid qualifications and tender responses for light and heavy rail concessions. Paul is an accomplished individual
who is well respected for leading the management, engineering and project control activities, development and implementation of schemes and for his diplomacy and communication skills in dealing professionally with many varied internal and external stakeholders. With regard to light rail in particular, Paul is one of a small group of people who have been involved in many of the modern light rail schemes in the UK including Nottingham Express Transit Line One and Phase Two, Manchester Metrolink, Edinburgh Tram Network and Dublin Metro North and certainly one of a smaller number to have played significant roles in bringing such schemes into public use. He has also been involved in reviewing the potential of heavy rail routes for conversion to light rail operation with a regional or tram/ train vehicles.
Rail Alliance Ingenuity Live The Rail Alliance will be hosting its own rail show at its Quinton Rail Technology Centre, Long Marston, on 17 and 18 June. The theme will be innovation and ingenuity. Full details available on the Rail Alliance website and also here at www.raillive.org Booking deadline is 14 May, 2015 (last day of Railtex) Please contact Rob or Eli on 01789 720026 or email: rhona.clarke@ railalliance.co.uk
Celebrating Bridgeway’s
20th Anniversary On the 1st April 2015, we here at Bridgeway Consulting celebrated our 20th anniversary of working in the rail industry. Originally formed in 1995 by Pino De Rosa, Brian Maddison and Andy Jones, we now employ over 600 staff nationwide.
Message from Pino De Rosa:
“The success of the last 20 years is testament to the hard work of people that work and have worked for Bridgeway Consulting. There are some exciting times ahead in rail and my aim is for Bridgeway to continue to be a key industry delivery partner in helping the UK to safely build a world class railway.”
Developing our people has always been an integral part of our continued success and in 2014 we were also proud to receive the Investors in People 10 year award. Some of our past projects have included: • West Coast Route Modernisation Possession and Worksite Management • Kings Cross Station Upgrade • Hertford Loop, Leeds First and East Midlands Resignalling Schemes • Western High Output Ballast Cleaning • Potters Bar Station repair and S&C reinstatement following derailment • Grayrigg derailment Worksite Management • St Pancras Station Redevelopment
Message from Brian Maddison:
Some of our current projects include: • Thameslink Project Possession and Isolation Management • Crossrail West and East Isolation Management • The Network Rail Northern Hub Programme • Network Rail Possession Management • Network Rail CEFA Structures Examinations • London North West Platform Surveys
“During my time as a Director of Bridgeway, I have seen it grow from a very small company with a few staff to a major player in the rail industry. I am immensely proud of the many things that we achieved, I am particularly pleased that we provided employment opportunities for so many people. Since retirement, I have watched the company continue to grow and prosper, continuing to uphold the standards that I hold dear. My congratulations to Pino and the staff at Bridgeway and best wishes for the next 20 years.”
Bridgeway have been and continue to be a key industry stakeholder and we have provided our experience and expertise to the following: • Project Safety Leadership Group (PLSG) • Infrastructure Safety Liaison Group (ISLG) • The Track Work Safety Group (TWSG) • The Rail Industry Contractors Association (RICA) (Founder Member) • The Association of Rail Training Providers (ARTP) (Founder Member) • The Rulebook Review Group • Sentinel and Sentinel 2 • Close Call Steering Group Investors in People Award
Left to right: Stephen Smith (IIP), Bridgeway’s Pino De Rosa and Lisa Brackner and Lillian Greenwood MP at the ceremony for receiving the Investors in People 10 year award.
SNAPSHOTS OF BRIDGEWAY CONSULTING AT WORK
Bridgeway House 2 Riverside Way Nottingham NG2 1DP t 0115 919 1111 f 0115 919 1112
w www.bridgeway-consulting.co.uk e enquiries@bridgeway-consulting.co.uk
NEWS
12 | RailStaff | April 2015
First Great Western
Winning Ways The exploits of First Great Western’s Laira Depot in Plymouth last year make for extraordinary reading. Laira helps to maintain First Great Western’s (FGW) fleet of 119 HST power cars. It is one of the largest of FGW’s depots. Laira dates back more than 100 years, first maintaining steam engines before the arrival of diesels in the 1960s and the 125s a couple of decades later. When the Dawlish sea wall was breached by treacherous storms last year, the depot was separated from the network. As the Orange army arrived to reinstate the link, Laira’s technicians volunteered to be deployed to St Philips Marsh Depot, in Bristol and Old Oak Common in West London. Disruption on this scale could have had a catastrophic effect on reliability and punctuality, but the efforts of the
Laira team helped FGW to continue to provide rail services and maintain levels of customer satisfaction. Laira helped FGW to take home the Engineering Excellence award at the Rail Business Awards. As well as receiving recognition for its engineering qualities, FGW, with First Rail Support, won the Customer Information and Service category, the best Marketing Campaign for I’m Great Westerner - the operator’s multimillion pound campaign created by The Leith Agency in Edinburgh designed to evoke memories of the region’s romantic, seductive landscape - and was named the best overall Rail Business of the Year. The operator was also highly commended in the internal communications, technological innovation and the diversity and inclusion categories. FGW managing director Mark
Hopwood spoke of the achievement during a difficult year, but told that more improvements were to come, having been awarded a four-year extension to its existing franchise, FGW has announced plans to add 29 new intercity trains from Hitachi to its fleet. The new bi-mode trains, which will be similar to the Intercity Express Programme (IEP) Class 800/1s, will eventually replace the HSTs between London Paddington-Plymouth and Penzance. He said, ‘I am immensely proud of
this industry award and the work put in by all of our dedicated staff. ‘While much focus has been put on the collapse of the sea wall at Dawlish and our efforts to maintain services, it also recognises the innovation shown to increase capacity for our passengers and provide them with the additional services we know they want to see. ‘The recognition is an amazing achievement – and our plans for the future will continue to transform this railway.’
Building an award-winning rail business. We are delighted to announce that First Great Western was recently awarded “Rail Business of the Year� at the 2014 Rail Business Awards. It was presented in recognition of our response to the floods at Dawlish. And was given to us alongside awards for best Marketing Campaign, Customer Information & Service and Engineering Business Excellence. We accept them on behalf of each and every one of our staff and industry partners. During the winter storms, a busy summer, and a year of upgrades and improvements across our network, our people stood tall. These awards recognise every day, every night, every weekend and every bank holiday in which our workforce and our partners performed above and beyond. Together, working tirelessly with the aim of not just building a greater railway, but building a greater west.
BUILDING A GRE ATER WEST
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NEWS
14 | RailStaff | April 2015
Spring Advance This spring the Advanced Apprenticeship Scheme at Network Rail is celebrating 10 years of getting young people onto the metals. Over 2,000 young people have joined the scheme since its launch in 2005. Recently 10 apprentices, one for each year, met at King’s Cross Station, London. Graduates of the scheme have gone on to rewarding careers delivering new modern track design, flying with the engineering air operations team and working on new signalling systems. Says Mark Carne, chief executive of Network Rail, ‘Since 2005 we have seen over 2,000 talented apprentices develop and grow within our organisation. Every day they help our railway to carry more passenger trains and deliver more freight safely and on time, than when they started. They all tell us they are excited by the breadth of opportunities they’ve been offered, and the fact that they’ve been a part of some truly transformational work is something to be celebrated.’ Network Rail’s Advanced Apprenticeship Scheme has developed a new generation of surveyors, engineers, planners, track designers and fault finders. Apprentices regularly achieve NVQ Level 3 qualifications at the end of the three-year course, and
many go on to complete Higher National Certificates and Foundation Degrees. The scheme has an established record of delivering skilled labour for Britain’s railways, with 95 per cent of apprentices going on to work for Network Rail as full-time employees, compared to the industry standard apprenticeship retention rate of 74 per cent. The majority also progress their career with Network Rail, with 85 per cent of those who started on the 2005 Apprenticeship Scheme still working for the organisation. Thomas Harrison, European Train Control System (ETCS) engineer, was one of the 157 people who joined Network Rail’s first Advanced Apprenticeship Scheme in 2005.
‘Over the 10 years, I’ve been working at Network Rail, I’ve progressed through six different roles. There is so much scope to shape your career path the way you want to, and the support Network Rail offers to do this is brilliant.’ The first year of the three-year scheme is spent at Europe’s largest engineering training facility at the Royal Navy’s HMS Sultan in Hampshire. Apprentices train in one of five core specialist areas: track, signalling, telecoms, electrification and plant and overhead lines. During their second and third years, apprentices experience work on the rail network’s front line, gaining vital skills as they train to become maintenance technicians. This is complemented by off-railway teaching at Network Rail training centres.
New Standards for Apprentices The rail industry has come up with a clearly defined Apprenticeship Standards for Rail Engineering template. The National Skills Academy for Railway Engineering (NSARE) and major rail engineering employers came together to develop the new Apprenticeship Standards. The group, comprising both small and large employers, has developed
Apprenticeship Standards at operative and technician levels with an advanced technician level currently in progress. The new Apprenticeship Standards encompass track, telecommunications, signalling, electrification, overhead lines, traction & rolling stock and rail systems. Within each discipline, rail engineering covers maintenance, renewal, construction and installation. Says Skills Minister Nick Boles, ‘Giving
leading firms the power to design and deliver high quality apprenticeships means we can ensure more young people have the skills our economy vitally needs. ‘Apprenticeships play a key role in the success of our long-term economic plan and, with more than two million apprenticeships started since 2010, I am proud to say our reforms are delivering for businesses and young people.’
Salford Debut for Vital Apprentices Vital Human Resources Ltd has launched a new apprenticeship programme. The one-year programme will initially support 12 apprentices in Salford, Greater Manchester. Vital Human Resources (VHR) is a subsidiary of Manchester-based Morson Group. The programme will introduce apprentices to various elements of the rail infrastructure industry and will provide hands-on practical training with classroom-based learning at the purpose-built site in Salford. Says Gary Hardaker, director at VHR, ‘The programme forms one element of our continued commitment to meeting the skills shortage challenge, and supporting our clients in the UK rail industry.’
NEWS
April 2015 | RailStaff | 15
Crossrail Success for Costain Apprentices Costain’s Luc Williams, apprentice Civil Engineer, and Lee Piper, works superintendent, from the Paddington Crossrail station project have both been highly commended at the annual Crossrail Apprentice Awards. Crossrail recently exceeded its target of creating 400 apprenticeships during the construction of the railway and celebrated the success of the
programme at a packed-out event. Says Costain programme director Lee Davies, ‘It was good to see so many young people recognised from our Crossrail projects. In total from our joint ventures, we had over 30 apprentices attend the event, with 14 from Costain’s programme. ‘Congratulations go to Lee Piper and to Luc Williams. Both are part of our team at C405 Paddington Station and their awards are richly deserved.’
Rail Boom for London Gateway
DB Schenker Rail UK has increased its services from London Gateway, the new deep water port at Thurrock in Essex on the north bank of the River Thames. DBS is now operating intermodal services from London Gateway to Trafford Park on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with additional services on Tuesdays and Thursdays to its Wakefield terminal. Says Adrian Fleming, head of intermodal at DB Schenker Rail UK, ‘We’re pleased to be introducing
these new services for the benefit of our current, and future, intermodal customers. Rail freight is an attractive cog in the supply chain because it gives businesses a cost efficient and environmentally friendly solution to moving goods across the country, as well as internationally.’ London Gateway has the UK’s largest port rail freight terminal, with more than 30 per cent of the port’s cargo being carried by rail. Along with the services to Trafford Park and Wakefield, the company also runs trains from the port to South Wales.
to make a locomotive from start to finish. ‘The competition is run along the lines of a real-life tendering process, and teams have to prepare a business case, finance, design, and build a locomotive from scratch. ‘I’m looking forward to seeing the new innovations in this year’s locomotives, particularly the solutions that are being proposed for both the energy storage and energy efficiency challenges. These are two big issues currently being faced by manufacturers
and the solutions these young engineers have developed as part of this competition could one day revolutionise modern railways.’ The locomotives will be designed to work on 10¼ inch gauge railway line and must be powerful enough to transport a 600kg load – including one of the Railway Challenge judges. The trophy will be presented to the winning team by Professor Richard Folkson, president of the IMechE, on Sunday 28 June 2015.
Build a Loco Challenge Eight teams of students, apprentices and graduate engineers from around the UK are preparing to take part in the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ (IMechE) Railway Challenge this June. The competition, which will be held at the Stapleford Miniature Railway near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, will see teams compete against each other to design and manufacture the best, most efficient and quietest small-scale locomotive. Teams include: Birmingham University, Huddersfield University, Interfleet Technology Ltd, Sheffield University, Southampton University, Swindon’s TE Connectivity, Transport for London (TfL) and Warwick Manufacturing Group (part of the University of Warwick).
The competition involves submitting a design report and a business case presentation. Teams will then undertake six track-based challenges. These include: energy storage, traction, ride comfort, noise, ease of maintenance and energy efficiency. Says Philippa Oldham, head of transport and manufacturing at the IMechE, ‘The Railway Challenge gives competitors a fantastic chance to test their engineering skills and get the hands-on experience of what’s needed
NEWS
16 | RailStaff | April 2015
Training taking off in the North Two new dedicated rail training centres have opened in the north of England as the industry continues to create more regional facilities to develop local talent.
New era in training
In the North East, Newcastle College has opened the Rail Academy - the first of its kind in the country. Developed with backing from the National Skills Academy for Railway Engineering (NSARE) and Network Rail, the academy will be open to all age groups, including young people looking to develop a career in the rail sector, those wanting to change career and employers who need to up-skill their existing work force or simply recruit for future growth. The academy features an indoor and outdoor OLE, fully operating and interlocked S&C and S&T equipment, multiple P-way set-ups, electronic and PLC testing and monitoring equipment, a signalling workshop and a mechanical workshop. Learners will be able to complete a range of industry standard courses in disciplines such as signalling, small tools and safety critical roles. The academy also offers full-time diplomas
Marc McPake, head of the rail academy, said, ‘The opening of the rail academy signifies the start of a new era in training for the next generation of rail engineers. I believe that what we have here is unique. We are helping to develop the skills that are needed by industry today, but also creating a pipeline of skilled people with the knowledge of the state-of-the-art equipment that we will see in the rail industry in the future. ‘The government is investing millions in our rail infrastructure, and we are seeing massive innovations in rail engineering that must be underpinned by high level skills and training. We know that there is a huge demand for skilled workers and we must use this opportunity to inspire the next generation of rail engineers as well as support employers to develop their existing workforce.’ In Doncaster, the Rail Electrification Alliance (REAL) has opened an OLE training centre. The facility, like
in rail engineering and is currently developing bespoke HNC courses with industry partners.
Newcastle College’s academy, has been established in response to concerns about the future lack of skills in a number of critical rail disciplines. REAL is a partnership between VolkerRail, J Murphy & Sons, Network Rail and Siemens. The new OLE training centre provides in-house Sentinel and OLEC training. Within the facility, there are two 20-metre long OLE spans, as well as signalling, point heaters and ballasted track for electrical and
Left to right: Guy Wilmshurst-Smith, head of professional training and development at Network Rail, Marc McPake and David Waboso, capital programmes director at London Underground.
mechanical courses. VolkerRail and REAL are currently developing 60 OLE trainees, eight apprentices and four ex-forces conversion engineers. Since its first intake, the centre has trained 66 linesmen and engineering staff to either OLEC level 1, OLEC level 2 or OLEC level 3. Many of these are now working on some the highest profile projects underway in the UK at the moment, including the East Coast Main Line power supply upgrade and the Staffordshire Alliance. Speaking at the opening, Ros Jones, Mayor of Doncaster, said, ‘This superb facility will play a vital role helping to supply the skilled workforce that our railway industry needs. We are passionate about Doncaster’s proud railway heritage and our role in the future of the industry, so I am delighted that VolkerRail and REAL have chosen to make this investment in our town. ‘The centre will also complement the new National High Speed Rail College being built in Doncaster, strengthening the contribution that the borough is making towards the delivery of a first class railway network. ’Steve Cocliff, managing director of VolkerRail said, ‘I firmly believe that through the training delivered at this new facility, we will meet the industry’s delivery challenges. In support of the rail industry, we will create a sustainable, skilled and motivated workforce to help overcome the current chronic skills shortage.’
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NEWS
20 | RailStaff | April 2015
Building the Future Industry and the government must work in partnership to meet Britain’s predicted shortfall in engineering skills, says Education Secretary Nicky Morgan (right). Morgan made the comments during a visit to Loughborough University to meet local students taking part in the ‘Bridge to the Future’ project. Network Rail, in partnership with Great Central Railway (GCR) and members of the Infrastructure Projects East Midlands (IPEM) team, invited students from three Loughborough schools to learn about the complex process of installing a new bridge on Britain’s rail network. Over the course of an eight-week programme, the students became the lead project team responsible for building a new rail bridge over the Midland Main Line as part of the reunification of the GCR. The bridge is being constructed by the same team delivering the Midland Main Line electrification programme. Survey and investigation works are now done and the bridge is due to be completed later this year. The bridge is key to GCR’s plans to reconnect two remaining sections of the line, creating an 18mile double-track heritage railway. Although GCR is funding the project through donations, Network Rail and partners Amco, Murphy and Carillion are helping to keep costs down. One of the ways they are doing this is by volunteering their employees to the project. The programme covered all aspects of delivery, including ecological and geotechnical surveys, obtaining planning permission, planning the works and calculating costs.
Morgan praised the hands-on approach the project is taking to STEM teaching. She said, ‘They’re not just doing a project but actually thinking how can we get young people in this area to be thinking about all the different skills that are needed to make the project happen but also about the future because things like engineering - it is about building the future of our country.’ She added, ‘I think real world projects, whatever you’re talking about actually, whether you’re talking about taking part in a play if you’re talking about drama or a concert if you’re talking about music or a bridge if you’re talking about engineering. I think it really demonstrates to the students the opportunities that are out there and I think it’s great for them to see that their skills, even when they’re learning, can be fundamental to the successful delivery of a project. ‘I hope that these students today will want to go and visit the Great Central Railway, they’ll want to look at the bridge and they will feel really proud that they had a part in that.’
A report by Engineering UK has suggested that the UK will need 182,000 engineers a year between now and 2022 to meet the current skills demand - a target which will require British universities to produce twice as many engineering graduates than they currently do. Asked if she thought that focus could be lost on quality in chasing these targets, Morgan said, ‘In something like engineering, reputation is everything. I think we have a very strong reputation in this country for engineers that we produce.’ She added, ‘They’re not targets, but I think it is about saying to young people here are the opportunities open to you, here are the sectors that are going to be recruiting, this may be something you’re interested in, why don’t you come along and take part in a project like this.’ ’I get the impression now from industry bodies that they are absolutely ready to step up to the plate and say this isn’t just something for schools and universities, we need to be involved too if we’re going to have skills for the future,’ says Morgan.
NEWS
April 2015 | RailStaff | 21
Dockside Debut for IEP The first Class 800 train, specially designed and built by Hitachi for the £5.7 billion InterCity Express Programme (IEP) is now under test in the UK. The train arrived by sea at Southampton where it was welcomed by rail minister, Claire Perry. The Class 800 heralds a new fleet which will enter service on Great Western in 2017 and East Coast in 2018. All 122 trains will be in service by 2020. Says Claire Perry, ‘These trains will transform rail travel for passengers travelling between many of the great towns and cities of England, Scotland and Wales; provide a massive jobs
boost for Britain and deliver billions of pounds of benefits for our economy.’ The first IEP Class 800 train was built in Hitachi’s Kasado works in Japan but contains components from almost 30 UK-based suppliers. Once Hitachi’s new purpose-built £82 million facility at Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, opens later this year, the majority of the 866 carriage fleet will be manufactured in Britain. As well as building the new manufacturing facility at Newton Aycliffe, Hitachi Rail Europe is constructing maintenance depots in Bristol and Doncaster and refurbishing and upgrading depots across the Great Western and East Coast Main Lines.
First Proposes Budget Express
Inspired by the success of open access operators - particularly its Hull Trains acquisition - FirstGroup plans to launch a budget express service between Edinburgh and London. Designed to compete with the low cost airline markets the new service will run several trains a day between London King’s Cross and Edinburgh, calling at Stevenage, Newcastle and Morpeth. FirstGroup recently submitted a formal track access application to the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR). If successful the new services will be introduced in 2018. FirstGroup says it will use new rolling stock offering a one-class fits all
arrangement. Currently two thirds of journeys between the two capitals are made by plane. Says Tim O’Toole, FirstGroup’s chief executive, ‘We hope to entice passengers away from budget airlines through our low fares and high-quality trains. Open access operators can really add value and create passenger loyalty by serving niche markets. ‘Our current company First Hull Trains remains an exceptional example of how passengers can benefit from this type of operation. We have put our compelling case to the ORR, and we are looking forward to hearing the outcome of our application.’
construction will reduce the impact of services on important infrastructure.’ Altogether, Abellio will introduce 80 new trains between Edinburgh and Glasgow by the end of 2017.
The new ScotRail franchise also includes 27 refurbished HSTs from First Great Western which will be cascaded following the introduction of new Hitachi Class 800s.
New Trains for ScotRail Hitachi Rail Europe and Abellio have signed a contract for the provision and maintenance of 70 new trains for ScotRail. The first seven AT200 EMU trains will be built in Hitachi’s Kasado factory in Japan. The remaining 63 will be assembled at Hitachi’s Newton Aycliffe train factory in County Durham. The trains will be financed by Caledonian Rail Leasing Ltd, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) created by SMBC Leasing. In all, the contract is for 46 three-car and 24 four-car AT200 EMU trains for use on the Edinburgh-Glasgow and Stirling-Alloa-Dunblane lines. The trains are expected to enter service in late 2017. The contract also includes a 10-year maintenance deal, with plans currently in place to stable and service the trains at depots in Edinburgh. The
AT200 model has a top speed of 100 mph. Each carriage is 23 metres in length and features connecting doors between cars. Says Jeff Hoogesteger, chief executive of Abellio, ‘This is an important deal for passengers and for Scotland. New trains for Scotland were a key feature in Abellio’s bid for the franchise and we are excited to be pressing the button on the delivery programme. ‘The arrival of 24 Hitachi AT200s by late 2017 and a further 46 by December 2018 will ensure that the full benefits of the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP) are realised for passengers; delivering faster journey times, greater capacity and higher service quality. ‘And the effects of the investment will spread much wider than that. The new trains will be more energy efficient, and innovations in design and lightweight
PEOPLE
22 | RailStaff | April 2015
Verster to Head Scottish Rail Alliance Dutch-speaking Phil Verster has been appointed as managing director of the new Abellio ScotRail - Network Rail Alliance. The quick release of Phil Verster by Network Rail to work alongside Steve Montgomery and the Day One ScotRail team marks the clear determination of both companies to set in place a formal alliance structure as soon as possible. Phil will work closely with Abellio’s transition team and the existing ScotRail leadership to organise the alliance transition arrangements, as well as facilitating an orderly hand over from Steve Montgomery, who has agreed to lead the new ScotRail franchise during the initial period of operations. Steve’s leadership will ensure continuity in service quality for customers. Says Phil Hufton, managing director of network operations for Network Rail, ‘Phil brings a wealth of valuable experience to what will be one of the highest profile roles in the industry. He has achieved great
results during his time on the East Coast Main Line, and I look forward to him bringing that same positive approach to leading the railway in Scotland.’ Phil Verster has been route managing director London North Eastern since November 2011. He joined Network Rail after a five-year stint with Iarnród Éireann which he joined as chief mechanical
engineer and rose to deputy CEO. Previously he was engineering operations director with South Eastern Trains, joining in January 2003. Verster has also worked for Bombardier Transportation. He was educated at Stellenbosch University in South Africa where he read a masters degree in electrical engineering. He has an MBA from Newcastle University.
Legal Eagle for HS2 A former legal adviser at Connex South Eastern has been seconded to HS2 Ltd as the project ramps up. Suzanne Tarplee will act as interim general counsel and company secretary. Tarplee is a partner in Stephenson Harwood LLP. Her HS2 role will include managing
an in-house legal team and external law firms as the project moves into its procurement and implementation phase. Suzanne Tarplee joined the rail team at international law firm Stephenson Harwood LLP from Burges Salmon, where she was legal director of the rail group, in 2014. Prior to this, she was a senior
Heidi - Hi associate at Denton Wilde Sapte, which she joined in 2002 after a four years as legal adviser at Connex South Eastern. Says Suzanne Tarplee, ‘I am very pleased to work with HS2 at this exciting time. The project is a crucial one both for the rail sector and the UK’s wider transport network. This will be an exciting few months.’
ESG Rail in Derby has appointed PR legend Heidi Lee as its new communications manager. Heidi joins after a three-year stint at Oxfam GB as the emergency fundraising coordinator for Derby. Before Oxfam, Heidi worked for Bombardier Transportation for 12 years as communications manager for the UK. ESG Rail is based at the RTC Business Park in Derby. The rolling stock company pioneers innovative and value-led consultancy services in three categories strategic, technical and integration. Operating as the UK arm of the Deutsch Bahn Technology division, DB Systemtechnik - one of Europe’s largest railway consultancies - ESG is in the unique position of being able to access more than 900 engineers and 18 test laboratories across Europe. With revenues in excess of £6 million and with over 100 employees at its head office in Derby, ESG Rail is one of the fastest growing rail businesses in Britain. Heidi Lee speaks German and was educated at Derby High School and Nottingham University where she read a BSc in biotechnology.
RAILSTAFF AWARDS 2015
April 2015 | RailStaff | 23
Did I Ever Tell You? Every edition of RailStaff carries a raft of stories concerned with recruiting new people, opening railway academies and launching apprenticeship schemes. The picture that emerges is of an industry desperate to attract the men and women who will build the lines of the future, crew the trains and drive the new technologies of a digital space-age railway. The RailStaff Awards - this year held on Saturday 10th October 2015 at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry - further emphasises the urgency of the rail industry quest to attract and retain star quality staff. The sub-text, so often over looked, is how best to keep hold of the heroes. The recruitment market is buoyant and in this industry we can expect highly qualified, motivated, staff to move about as they seek to build a career that will draw strength from spells spent in several companies and disciplines. Staff motivation involves more
than realistic pay scales and annual increases. In fact people need to feel valued. Rail staff in the main are very self effacing. Time and again when we read back a story detailing the heroism of driver, cleaner or engineer, they’ll shrug and say, ‘I was just doing my job.’ In fact railway staff need reminding of the miracles they work - with almost routine aplomb. Over the Easter weekend alone
14,000 workers were out on track working on a plethora of new projects. Still more were managing trains, depots and services.
Local Press Jeered Yet in the apologetic rash of press releases issued after Easter, train companies spent time apologising for any inconvenience caused. All very right and proper except the railway doesn’t get any thanks for it. Local newspapers jeered at rail chiefs thanking passengers for staying away. Where was the public thank you for the Orange Army and railway staff who masterminded the holiday work hiatus? Mark Carne at Network Rail - see our front page lead and follow up - took time out to publicly thank rail staff. We need to do far more of this. To be fair rail leaders are right behind their staff. However this does not translate into the conventional media where the achievements of the industry and the people who work in it are routinely ignored. Everyone out that Easter weekend deserves an award. However that might well be considered a bit over the top. What is not in doubt is that the case for railways needs to be made coherently and powerfully. Projects are in the main delivered on time and on budget. Railway staff regularly go above and beyond the written directives of the job. This inspired
truth needs to be better deployed to boost the confidence and well being of the workforce. An appreciation, a thank you, the proof that you, the individual, are valued, can become the secret attraction that keeps people in the industry. People need to be encouraged to grow, whatever their job; to become better qualified, better abled, as a result of their employment.
Call of the Future The RailStaff Awards 2015 is unique in that it shines a light on the ordinary men and women who work extraordinary feats to keep the railway running. Moreover it is their ingenuity and hard work that answers the call of the future. Investment and political backing for new railways and rolling stock is only part of the answer. The balanced equation of railway success depends on a workforce of committed and motivated people. Retaining railway staff is the new imperative of every rail company. The RailStaff Awards can help by providing a national stage and an unrivalled opportunity to say: ‘Thanks, you did a good a job, you are important to us.’ With 20 different categories this year, there is something for everyone. The event itself, on Saturday 10th October 2015 at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry, will be a massive party - with good food, dancing and an all night casino. For more information check out - www.railstaffawards.com
NEWS
24 | RailStaff | April 2015
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NEWS
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HEALTH & SAFETY FOCUS
26 | RailStaff | April 2015
Safety and the pace of change Since Mark Carne took over as Network Rail chief executive in early 2014, safety has been at the core of every speech he has given and every press statement issued. Safety going hand in hand with performance is the mantra he’s sought to instil. Carne is attending the Rail Safety Summit for the first time to deliver the keynote address. Speaking at last month’s Rail Exec Club event, Mark said he felt he had made it clear from the start of his tenure that safety was what he stands for. He said, ‘I deeply believe that it is our obligation as leaders to create a culture which enables people to feel that they are obliged to work safely and feel they can work safely, that they’re not under pressure to do things in an unsafe way that puts them or passengers’ safety at risk in any way.’
This year’s Rail Safety Summit will begin by looking at the pace of change within the industry around safety, exploring Network Rail’s reforms around safe work planning and the way in which projects like HS2 are having to consider safety at the design stage. Additionally, the conference will look at the importance of leadership and how things like technology and the law are affecting safe working practices. Prior to joining Network Rail, Mark was executive vice president for Royal Dutch Shell plc in the Middle East and North Africa. Compared to rail, oil and gas has an enviable safety performance record. ‘It’s not altruistic entirely it’s not just about because I don’t want people to hurt themselves, it’s because I want to run a great company and I know that this is one of the key tools we can use to run a great company,’ said Mark. ‘You go into a great factory and do
you find bits and pieces of scrap left all over the floor? No, of course you don’t. They’re spotlessly clean and they’re organised and they’re planned like military operations and that’s the mindset we need to have in the railway. ‘You keep your place clean and tidy we organise our work properly, we plan it properly, we execute it brilliantly and that will drive efficiency and improvements in the way we work.’ In the past couple of years, there
have been a number of train accidents around the world which have had a devastating impact on human life. Europe, Spain, France and Switzerland have all experienced fatal crashes which have claimed the lives of both passengers and railway staff. It is now eight years since the last passenger or workforce fatality in the UK which was caused by a train accident. It’s one area in which the industry in this country takes some sense of pride. Besides the traditional areas of concern such as level crossings and suicides, there are now new focusses - occupational health is one. Another area of concern is road casualties as highlighted by the RSSB’s 2014 safety performance figures. Publishing the figures, George Bearfield, director of system safety at RSSB, said, ‘Road transport plays a crucial role in keeping the railway running, by enabling round-the-clock maintenance and development. However, this brings with it a risk to rail staff and others, highlighted by the loss of life to an infrastructure worker who was moving materials from one railway worksite to another. ‘A cross-industry project is underway to highlight the wider risks associated with driving for work and improve overall understanding and management. ‘Whilst there can never be zero risk, there is no room for complacency and active prevention, monitoring, and learning all play a role.’
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HEALTH & SAFETY FOCUS
28 | RailStaff | April 2015
What the future holds for BTP Marc Johnson talks to BTP Chief Constable Paul Crowther British Transport Police Chief Constable Paul Crowther (below) says he wants the organisation to remain an integral part of the railway and not be seen simply as a supplier or some kind of private security outfit for TOCs. And why wouldn’t it? BTP has existed in one form or another since the birth of the railways, its creation driven in part by the unusual death of William Huskisson at the opening of the Liverpool to Manchester railway in 1830. Huskisson was struck and killed by the Rocket after getting off the train halfway to speak to the Duke of Wellington while the engine took on water.
Although crime figures are continuing to fall - for the 11th consecutive year this year - there are always areas for improvement. Chief Constable Crowther said that upon taking the role in 2014, there were two areas he had hoped to focus on; prevention and the management of offenders.
‘I had a clear view that restructure was only a tiny part of the story and what we needed to do was completely transform the way that we operated, build on some great success that we had,’ said Crowther. ‘The end of our performance year at the beginning of April sees the 11th consecutive year of crime reductions.’ He added, ‘We’ve set ourselves some very ambitious further crime reduction targets as well as reducing disruption and increasing passenger confidence.’
Indoors stuff Crowther joined the Metropolitan Police when he was 19. Soon after, he joined BTP as a uniformed constable on the London Underground. From there, he was promoted to Detective and then again to Superintendent before eventually taking up the role of Deputy Chief Constable. He also spent a less enjoyable, but ultimately rewarding, period as head of training doing ‘indoors stuff’. ‘I’ve always been an operational guy who likes to be in the thick of it,’ says Crowther. In March 2014, Crowther was named as Andy Trotter’s successor, taking over the Chief Constable role.
HEALTH & SAFETY FOCUS
As Deputy Chief Inspector, he oversaw the consolidation of the force’s eight geographical areas into just three divisions. During his career, Crowther has also played a part in the investigations at Hatfield, Potters Bar and managed the response to the 7/7 terrorist attacks. Chief Constable Crowther will be giving a talk entitled ‘How do you lead and motivate a successful team’ at the Rail Safety Summit on April 30. In 2013, He was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s
April 2015 | RailStaff | 29
New Year Honours for his 30+ years of service to the police force. ‘I think 7/7 is probably just about the most extreme example of crisis management,’ says Crowther. ‘In many of the incidents I’ve dealt with, the thing that really comes to the fore is how one makes critical decisions which are appropriate, which don’t under react but don’t overreact. So in the case of terrorism, if we’re not careful, we actually do the job of the terrorist for them by overreacting to an incident.’
‘I’ve always been an operational guy who likes to be in the thick of it,’ says Paul Crowther Better together BTP has a very different set of priorities to other forces in the UK. In particular, it has to be acutely aware of how its actions impact on the running of the railway. Says Crowther, ‘If we shut the railway down every time someone made a bomb threat or left an unattended item, the system wouldn’t run very often.’ In the past, there have been reviews considering the merits of letting the Metropolitan Police take over BTP’s position in the capital. The conclusion was that BTP played too important a role. North of the border, Police Scotland is preparing to take over responsibility for policing Scotland’s expanding rail network. Not quite Scottish independence but a significant moment in BTP’s story.
‘We stood back and said where do we fit into this rapidly expanding rail industry,’ said Crowther. ‘Sometimes, I think that with some of the rail operators, we may have ended up in a sort of relationship where we were viewed as a provider, a supplier/ provider type relationship, and actually I wanted us to be seen very clearly as a strategic partner, an integral part of the railway family.’ He added, ‘I firmly believe in the network-wide provision of policing and security, it’s a model that works, it’s a model that’s been reviewed probably about nine times by different bodies as this subject comes up from time to time and every single one of those reviews has concluded that it’s best delivered by a dedicated transport police. That is firmly my professional view.’
HEALTH & SAFETY FOCUS
30 | RailStaff | April 2015
Sammy the Safety Bear Back’s Ryan on Rail
‘Tomorrow’s Train Design Today’ finalists revealed
Virgin Trains has launched a new book called Ryan’s Railway Adventure. The guide to railway safety, which is aimed at young children and their parents, tells the story of Ryan’s first ever journey on the train with his family.
Three design houses have been put forward to receive additional funding to help shape the future of train design in the UK.
At the very start of his adventure, Ryan meets Sammy the Railway Safety Bear. The book was written by Gareth Shelley, a customer service assistant with Virgin Trains at Stafford station, and illustrated by fellow Virgin Trains’ colleague Barry Redfern based at Preston. ‘Safety on the railways is paramount,’ says Gareth. ‘Working at the station as I do, it is great to see lots of excited young children travelling by train. It is important, however, that we make them aware of the potential dangers from as early an age as possible. This is especially the case during school
holidays. Safety is not the easiest of subjects to address, especially with a young audience. That’s where the idea for the book came and I’ve been overwhelmed by how well it has been received. We’ve also tried to make it interactive with a series of questions which the kids love.’ In addition to Barry’s illustrations, Sammy, the Railway Safety Bear, has been brought to life in the guise of a 6ft mascot who marked the launch of the book by touring stations including London Euston, Coventry, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle and Glasgow Central.
42 Technology, PriestmanGoode and Andreas Vogler, in partnership with the German Aerospace Center DLR, have been chosen from an initial 48 entries to receive a share of £2.2 million to develop their innovative rolling stock design concepts. The funding has been made available through the ‘Tomorrow’s Train Design Today Competition’, which has been led by Future Railway in association with the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). The competition is split into two strands, focussing on medium and long-term rolling stock design. A shortlist of 10 designs was
announced in August last year. Entrants were given until January to further develop their concepts, and the final three were selected following a series of interviews. Says David Clarke, RSSB director of innovation, ‘The Tomorrow’s Train Design Today Competition produced some very high quality proposals which are targeted at improving the rail sector and help to achieve the goals of the Rail Technology Strategy.’
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HEALTH & SAFETY FOCUS
32 | RailStaff | April 2015
More choice from
Ballyclare Ballyclare has launched a new range of PPE that it believes reflect the face of today’s rail sector.
The DryShell PPE, which comprises two types of jacket, an over-trouser and a boiler suit, borrows from the same Hi Vis clothing Ballyclare supplies to the fire and rescue service. What sets the DryShell range apart is its use of an advanced yet cost-effective high performance breathable fabric that creates an extremely strong waterproof barrier while remaining soft, flexible and lightweight for wearer comfort. The layered fabric uses a breathable membrane to stop wind, rain and sleet passing through but allowing moisture to escape by absorbing and dissipating sweat through the diffusion of water vapour molecules. This keeps the wearer warm and dry and allows him or her to work more comfortably for longer. Both the DryShell long jacket and boiler suit feature a two-layer version of the fabric with a mesh liner to protect the membrane from being scratched or ripped. A more robust three-layer sandwich with a heavy-duty lining is used on the standard jacket and overtrouser. Ballyclare’s new DryShell range is ideal for the many businesses serving the rail industry that are looking for a fabric choice that is more suited to their budgets, without compromising performance or compliance with rail standards. Maggie Shaw, Ballyclare’s national sales and service manager for rail, believes the range complements the company’s existing product offering. Customers get more cost options yet still have access to the quality and performance that Ballyclare is renowned for. Says Maggie, ‘We are very excited about DryShell. This is a technically advanced fabric that is fully compliant with the exacting demands of the rail industry. So the thinking
behind our new range was simple. Here was an opportunity to optimise the use of a new fabric to hit certain price expectations. At the same time, here was a chance to revisit our designs to ensure they continue to meet the aesthetic and ergonomic requirements of today’s rail workers. We know there are more women working in the industry and generally people are larger in size. People also carry tablets and smartphones these days to do their job trackside. Our designs reflect all these changes.’
Comfortable and Practical The guiding design principle was to combine protection with comfort, practicality and aesthetics. ‘There is no reason why a garment that is fit for purpose should not look good at the same time. This is important to our customers,’ says Maggie. While Ballyclare has kept many signature design features that customers have grown to appreciate over the years, the company has also worked hard at updating the block, cut and shape of the new range and adding extra functionality. Says Maggie, ‘We know people love our adjustable cuffs and fishtail backs, but we have introduced extra styling features that draw on our experience from other PPE sectors. The overtrouser, for example, draws inspiration from our firefighter kit.’ The new DryShell long length jacket features two deep,
HEALTH & SAFETY FOCUS
angled hip pockets with storm flaps for waterproofness plus a chest pocket for a mobile phone beneath the double storm flap. There is a large internal zipped pouch pocket for carrying a tablet as well as an internal pocket designed to take a wallet and keys. There is also a pocket for a mobile phone on the left sleeve. The double storm flap front fastening has a two-way zip and sealed seams to provide maximum protection and full waterproofness. The high scalloped collar is designed to tuck into a hard hat and features a chin guard. A longer rear fishtail protects the lower back against the elements. The flat-knit internal cuffs have an adjustable Velcro strap for a snug fit. This stops water running down the sleeve when working overhead. The standard length jacket is equally well specified with two deep, vertical hip pockets offering easy access and maximum storage plus an internal mobile phone pocket and sleeve pocket. The seams are sealed. The garment features the same outstanding attention to detail on the cuffs, collar and fishtail shaped rear as the long jacket. The DryShell overtrouser, with its three-layer construction, is tough yet comfortable enough to wear throughout a long shift. One of the standout features is the fully adjustable braces and elasticated waist that have been designed to provide a relaxed, unrestricted and secure fit whether working upright or bent over. Extra fabric is also provided for warmth around the lower back.
April 2015 | RailStaff | 33
The trousers have a single thigh cargo pocket and two side access pockets. All seams are sealed to provide full waterproofness while ankle zips make sure putting on and taking off the garment is easy. There is also a zipped fly with a Velcro over flap. The DryShell boiler suit comes fully lined with a quilted polyester layer and is comfortable to wear all day long. The waist is elasticated at the back and adjustable internal cuffs offer a snug fit to stop water running down the arm when working overhead. The numerous pockets include patch front pockets with Velcro fastening flaps, two front pockets with flaps plus a mobile pocket on the right sleeve. Sealed seams provide full waterproofness along with a front fastening two-way zip with double layer studded storm flap. The high scalloped collar is designed to tuck into a hard hat and has a chin guard. Ankle zips make sure putting on and taking off is easy. All the garments in the DryShell range are approved to GO/RT 3279, EN ISO 20471:2013 and meet the requirements of EN343: 2003/A1 2007 Class 3. They are also suitable for industrial laundering if required. Robust and durable, DryShell will provide many years of service, especially if purchased as part of a fully managed service option where Ballyclare manages the complete process of testing, sizing, fitting and supplying personnel with the correct garments. Throughout the service life of each garment Ballyclare takes care of its laundry, maintenance and repair.
Milestone The launch of DryShell is another exciting milestone in the Ballyclare story. Last year saw Ballyclare assimilated into a new parent group called Uniform Brands Limited. This business now owns the complementary Pionér brand of high quality flame retardant clothing and the Faithful brand of made-to-order workwear. The new DryShell garments will be joined with two other soon-to-be-launched product ranges that will offer multiple levels of protection and comfort to welders and other rail workers who are exposed to flash fire and electrical arcing. GO/RT compliant, these garments will meet all the standards covering flame retardancy, calorific value, static and chemical splash. Concluded Maggie, ‘2015 is an important year for us, especially in the rail sector. DryShell has been thoroughly tested, both the fabric and the garments. There is already a great deal of interest in it. We will be building on this success in the months ahead with further new product announcements. All I can say to customers is watch this space. We are committed to raising the bar when it comes to providing our customers with a satisfying combination of protection, performance and compliance at a very attractive price.’ For more information on Ballyclare call 0844 493 2805, email info@ballyclarelimited.com or visit the company’s website at www.ballyclarelimited.com. You can also follow us on LinkedIn – follow Ballyclare Limited.
HEALTH & SAFETY FOCUS
34 | RailStaff | April 2015
Planning and Delivering Safe Work Network Rail is in the midst of rolling out its newly devised planning process, Planning and Delivering Safe Work (PDSW). Much more than just a handful of tweaks, PDSW is a wholesale reform of how infrastructure projects are planned and delivered safely and, ultimately, it makes clear who is responsible. The East Midlands will be the testbed for the new process this summer before it is extended to all routes by the end of the year. But how exactly will PDSW change how projects are planned and what role will Safe Work Leaders (SWL) play in it all.
Safe Work Leaders • PDSW will create the new role of Safe Work Leader (SWL) – a single, accountable person responsible for safe work, from planning through to delivery. • An SWL will be put on every work site, on or near the track, and all safety critical roles will report to their SWL. • The role will address concerns over the lack of leadership that sometimes exists and make it clear
who is in charge. • The SWL will be an employee of either Network Rail or a principal contractor or a contractor who holds a Railway Contractor’s Certificate. • SWL roles will be split into three levels to mirror the complexity of work being carried out. • The Controller of Site Safety (COSS) role and the Engineering Supervisor (ES) role will remain.
Proscient • PDSW will see the introduction of a new electronic permit tool (Proscient) which will allow the SWL to plan, risk assess, deliver and hand back work more efficiently. • It will be the single system used to plan works across the UK. • Those who have attained the required competencies will be able to access Proscient through a web
browser. • The system will be used to issue electronic permits which will put the latest information at the fingertips of the SWL, and provide a single ‘version of the truth’ for greater clarity. • Clear, site-specific information plotted on track schematics will give easy access to more detailed information than ever before. • Planning works digitally will ensure the plan is fit for site conditions on any given day and enables replanning on site if necessary. • The system will work alongside the existing PPL and ELIPSE systems, not replace them. Steve Featherstone, Network Rail track programme director, will be giving a presentation on work staging and planning at the Rail Safety Summit on 30 April.
HEALTH & SAFETY FOCUS
April 2015 | RailStaff | 35
PDSW
Taking the industry into the future The rail industry has seen varying attitudes to access planning. Although, for the most part, there has always been a commitment to maximise the current safe system of work to their highest level. The new Planning and Delivering Safe Work (PDSW) process and the new ePermit system will take the industry into the future. PPS Rail is a dedicated planning company established in 2013 by two rail professionals, Andrew Frost and John Mills, who have a combined 40 years of experience within the sector. The pair worked at various levels, delivering access planning solutions to large principal contractor companies and Network Rail on most of the largest engineering projects in the country. High levels of investment mean the industry is evolving at a very fast pace and changes with the commencement of the PDSW process.
Combining health and safety issues at the planning stage is fundamental to the PDSW process. PPS Rail has a firm commitment to this process. Says John Mills, ‘We are currently going through the process of attaining accreditation as a training provider for the new PDSW competencies. ‘We are actively encouraging our existing planners in health and safety to raise their knowledge and awareness of the risk assessment process. We believe this will assist them and our clients as part of the team compiling the ePermit. ‘Although this is a positive step for all concerned in the industry it should also be a time when we improve safety performance of all works. Evolving practices within planning, and across the wider industry, will ensure our people are not injured as a result of planning omissions or errors.’ PPS is seeking to evolve the planning process, still
using the best practices learnt within the industry over the past 20 years, evolving and streamlining the systems as much as is possible. Andrew Frost added, ‘An effective measure to promote safety is to communicate via white board briefings and solid integration between contracting companies. This ensures the wider picture is briefed and understood by all parties involved. We are confident that this step would reduce the accident trends we are currently witnessing.’ Effective communication is fundamental to ensure the improvement of both safety and efficiency. This needs to be taken a step further, not just between a contractor’s own organisation but with all parties that have the potential to impact the safety of staff working on the infrastructure. PPS is committed to driving this process forward to ensure that people really do return home safely every day.
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 employee, past or present, 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
HEALTH & SAFETY FOCUS
36 | RailStaff | April 2015
Stormy
Weather For the rail industry, it’s safe to say that the devil is in the detail. As an industry committed to increasing and improving safety and performance, it’s never been more important to have a clear knowledge of Personal Protective Equipment product specifications. With this comes the need for a full understanding of why some standards, specifications and European Norms are simply not sufficient when considering wide scale procurement.
Selecting The Correct Product For The Job When selecting workwear for a specific job or environment it’s now common practice to work closely with a variety of suppliers and manufacturers during the early stages of the tender process. Their individual offerings can be assessed and the clothing, fabrics and components which are best suited to the task in hand selected. It’s not just within the Rail Industry but also across many other industries which rely on foul weather PPE that comfort and performance are the biggest concerns for the majority of workers. Simply put, they want garments that keep them visible, keep them dry and block out the wind for an entire shift. If the PPE supplied does this then it will actually get worn on the job. Garments which fall short on comfort or performance, can slow down their work or for any other reason result in dissatisfaction or non-use which are likely to increase the risk of accidents and injuries. It would, therefore, seem logical and strategic to involve workers in all the stages and processes of choosing and procuring protective clothing. Purchasing for safety but also worker satisfaction is key.
To Start With... As a starting point all products should, at the very least, meet the minimum health and safety requirements which conform to industry standards such as CE, Railway Group Standard GO/RT and EN Norms. It could be said, however, that checking to ensure workwear provides the correct level of protection against identified risk, while also suitable for
HEALTH & SAFETY FOCUS
April 2015 | RailStaff | 37
Wearer Trial Check List
Clean and Seen
the job in hand, is too simplistic and can open up the process to risk. Selecting products based purely on entry levels or minimum requirements and which are not validated could lead to, or result in procurement failure because it does not allow other important factors to be taken into account, whether physical or financial.
Financial Costs Due To Failure Sourcing and selecting PPE which ultimately fails to perform due to lack of validation of performance or proper wearer trials can be a very costly business if the original garments are unused and/or continued need for replacements. As well as these ‘known’ costs there are also ‘hidden’ costs, such as time spent managing end user complaints or wasted in meetings needed to solve the problems. In addition, there are costs involved in workers’ downtime, when they are unable to perform tasks, work effectively and complete work schedules to timeline, while the impact on staff morale and job satisfaction when PPE fails also needs to be considered.
Being seen is vital, especially operating in high risk environments due to the nature of rail and track-side work. An important factor for visibility is ensuring supplied PPE is certified and proven to be industrially launderable so that a garment is maintained to EN 20471, GO/RT3279 specifications and SUCAM.
Foul Weather: Consider Using EN 14360 Alongside EN 343 EN 343 tests the performance of the outer material of the garment against rain but not the entire garment. What sets EN 14360 - the European Norm for ‘Protective Clothing Against Rain’ - apart from EN 343 and other norms is that it tests and assesses the functionality of the entire garment, not just its component parts. EN 14360 is important regarding foul weather protection because it ensures other wearer factors are brought to
the fore, such as checking seams are securely sealed to prevent rain penetration, pocket flaps are designed to keep out rain and that the garment continues to perform after laundering and continuous wear. The cost of testing to EN 14360, carried out by an independent body such as EMPA in Switzerland, can be off set against the potential overall costs when a procurement process fails and the wrong PPE, which doesn’t protect the worker, is supplied. The importance of procuring exactly the right type of PPE to meet the specific needs of rail workers should not be underestimated. Working closely with suppliers to ensure garments are designed and constructed to minimise risks in the workplace and offer durability in wear and laundering is not only beneficial for staff but also cost effective for employers.
• Before wearer trials commence - test all fabrics, components and garments in independent laboratory conditions • Agree best location and time of year to conduct assessment • Clearly define the aims of the wearer trial and provide instructions to the wearers • Consider the need for each garment in the trial to be tested by each person. • Have designated control and organisation to the trial • Ensure the laundry process is included as part of the validation – each product should be laundered several times between wearing periods • Test foul weather PPE during the worst end use conditions possible • Wear every fabric or garment under the same conditions • Ensure wearer feedback is easy to complete, straight forward and conducted daily • Carry out ‘blind testing’ so wearers don’t know different products are being tested • Duplicate at least one test so data quality can be verified. Wearer trials do have a cost implication and they can be complex. Whilst it may take several months to obtain and validate product suitability in order to mitigate the risk identified, the alternative is that products do not meet the required end users’ needs for safety, comfort and foul weather protection.
Linbrooke Total Network Solutions
Rail Safety Summit 2015
KEYNOTE SPEAKER, DAY 1
LONDON 30/04/15 - 01/05/15
KEYNOTE SPEAKER, DAY 2
Mark Carne
Charles Horton
Chief Executive
Chief Executive
Network Rail
Govia Thameslink Railway
®
Safety Summit THURSDAY 30th APRIL 2015
FRIDAY 1st MAY 2015
08.00 09:15 09:20 09:45
08.00
Registration, Coffee, Exhibition
09.15
Welcome from Colin Wheeler
09.20
Charles Horton from GTR presents: Keynote
RAIL SAFETY SUMMIT 2015
10:30
Registration, Coffee, Exhibition Welcome from Colin Wheeler Mark Carne from Network Rail presents: Keynote Steve Featherstone from Network Rail presents: Work Staging and Planning Giles Thomas from HS2 presents: Challenges facing HS2 with concept, design and delivery Q&A
10:40
Coffee Break
11:10
12:20
Paul Crowther from British Transport Police presents: How do you lead and motivate a successful team? Pino De Rosa from Bridgeway Consulting Limited presents: What key behaviours are required for successful leadership and motivation? Bill Henry from Bechtel Ltd presents: Joint Ventures - how to successfully manage and lead teams from different organisations Q&A
12:35
Lunch Break
13:35 14:05
14:50
‘Actions On’: Safety demonstration by Linbrooke Training Simon French from Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) presents: Looking at the findings. What can we learn from incidents on the railway? Trevor Tophill from Permaquip Ltd presents: New equipment challenges Q&A
15:00
Coffee Break
15:20
Paul Clyndes from RMT presents: How the rate of change and development is affecting Health & Safety Phoebe Smith from Health and Safety Laboratory and Iain Ferguson from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) present: Railway Management Maturity Model (RM3) Sean Elson from Pinsent Masons LLP presents: Law and changes in Health & Safety Q&A Session with speakers The WING Award for Safety
10:10
11:35 12:00
14:30
15:45
16:10 16:30 16:40
CIRAS CONFERENCE
The consequences of incidents happening (part 1) 09.40
Pam Warren presents: Ladbroke Grove Rail Crash 1999 – A Survivor’s Perspective
10.10
Rev Liam Johnston from Railway Chaplins presents: What happens after a life changing incident?
10.40
Coffee Break The consequences of incidents happening (part 2)
11.10
David Leckie from Clyde & Co presents: The legal consequences
11.40
Mike McLean from TES 2000 presents: Workforce Safety
12.10
Lunch Break The opportunity to prevent incidents happening
13.20
Paul Russell from CIRAS presents: Are we doing enough?
13.50
Jill Collis from TfL presents: Workforce safety and opportunities within TfL
14.20
Coffee Break The opportunity to present/report on incidents in the railway
14.50
Emma Head from Network Rail presents: Intelligence gathering and its importance
15.20
Paul Oliffe from National Audit Office presents: Government’s approach to handling concerns
16:00
Q&A Session with speakers
Book your tickets now at www.railsafetysummit.com
HEALTH & SAFETY FOCUS
40 | RailStaff | April 2015
RAIL SAFETY CULTURE - WHAT WORRIES AN EXPERIENCED RAIL WORKER?
“I FEEL LESS SAFE WITH EVERY NEW PROCESS” SAFETY Colin Wheeler colin@rail-media.com
Last month I received a personal letter from a Railstaff reader wanting to share his safety fears. It was the best way he could think of to raise his concerns. I have edited it for publication but commend it to all managers and supervisors in the industry. To me it illustrates how the professional factory-like generation of systems with more and more paperwork can undermine safe working ethics amongst dedicated, skilled railway people who feel they have not been consulted nor listened to. There are lessons in it for CIRAS to take on board too. My correspondent must remain anonymous, but my hope is that this article and the two day Safety Summit and CIRAS (Confidential Incident Reporting and Analysis Service) Conference may result in a review of the complexity that has been built up and is still increasing. Please join us in London on April 30th/ May 1st if you can. Work injuries or even someone’s life could be saved as a result.
600 injured each year “signals that we don’t care” At the end of February Mark Carne Network Rail’s Chief Executive spoke of his concerns that every year around 600 rail workers “are injured to the extent that they cannot return to work the next day”. Rightly he does not consider this to be acceptable. He went on to comment that in the oil and gas industry a comparable figure would be around 60 rather than 600! He added that pressure to get work finished quickly has led managers to, “send signals that suggest we don’t care as deeply as we should about our workforce and their safety and health”. He then referred to his meeting with a young rail worker who had lost a leg “because equipment failed and crushed him” adding that “the equipment had failed previously but nobody had reported it.” I welcome his concerns which I share. Surely the answer lies in creating a trackside culture that welcomes the sharing of safety worries and concerns? If supervisors and managers really put safety first and listen to those doing the work the 90% reduction in injuries Mark Carne seeks can be achieved. Listening rather than instructing/lecturing is the key.
The Letter “I’m writing to share my general concerns about rail safety culture. I’ve seen changes (not all of them good) but now my understanding of the rules is being undermined by the constant churning of processes and paperwork. We’ve had Adjacent Line Open (ALO), Plant Operating Scheme (POS) and Life Saving Rules. New directives with vague provenance are common place. Regular company strictures, local management missives and company safety bulletins are forwarded with local directives of dubious authority. These can be contradictory, ambiguous or even plain silly. The ALO process was briefed out in a national phone conference call in a monotone voice. It is poorly phrased resulting in regular disputes over it. The original paperwork trail was not fit for use; but this has now been quietly dropped. POS has been no better. Since it was briefed out the system has evolved with more and more responsibility foisted onto it, leaving many unaware of post briefing additions. Safe Work Leader (SWL) is the worst yet, a new system with different roles replacing a simple system by a far more complicated one. There is confusion between Safe Systems of Work and a Task Brief and site roles have been turned on their heads. If I point out a glitch I am told “it’s only a training module; the live version will be fine”. I’m sure intentions are good, but there seems to be an unstoppable process multiplying documentation and increasing its complexity. On site you sign in, have and sign for a site induction, are briefed and sign for a task brief, plus a safe system of work pack, point of work risk assessment, and even a work package plan! Then you get your Sentinel scanned. The whole process requires six signatures, scanning in and out (often with re-briefs), and then four risk assessments to brief. There is lots of duplication, needless complexity and circular references. Time taken is at least an hour, easily two if it is all done by the book. Consequently nobody listens and the bureaucracy takes the focus off the work. I dread the next initiative and feel less safe with every new process. It’s a top down process and any concerns are interpreted as dissent. CIRAS doesn’t seem to be set up for this.”
A trolley wheel through the kitchen window On Network Rail’s own Safety Central website one of their latest safety bulletins describes an incident that thankfully failed to cause injury, but the potential is horrendous. On March 26th a lineside fire was reported between Weybridge and Walton on Thames. Re-railing had been carried out the previous night and welding equipment had been left trackside but clear and covered by a tarpaulin. Under the tarpaulin the equipment included generators and igniters together with both propane
and oxygen bottles stored on their sides. The fire resulted in an explosion that propelled an oxygen cylinder some 150 metres over the roof of a lineside neighbour’s house. The report does not mention just where it came to rest. A trolley wheel was propelled through the French window of the house kitchen leaving a hole. The bulletin says that Network Rail is investigating but doubtless the Office of Rail Regulation will also be taking an interest. On a re-railing site, welding is one of the last jobs to
HEALTH & SAFETY FOCUS
be done towards the end of the shift. Were the welders rushing to get clear so that the possession could be handed back on time? Presumably something hot was put under that tarpaulin and resulted in that fire breaking out?
April 2015 | RailStaff | 41
down the track. No-one was injured. The impact lifted the front of the train but fortunately it did not derail. The underframe of the leading power car was damaged as was the train’s braking system.
all but rusted right through finally collapsed. Fortunately no-one was injured and it fell away from the railway. I find it difficult to believe that local staff did not suspect this signal was badly rotted. More likely they were put off reporting it for the reasons Network Rail’s Chief Executive commented on after meeting the young rail worker who had lost a leg.
due to rule reading on foggy and very wet days they knew and understood the practical use of the rules and for safety’s sake followed them. But they did not follow them without question. Rule reading inevitably led to discussion, debate and even argument. Those discussions were an excellent way of learning and were an opportunity for new starters to ask “silly questions” and improve their practical understanding. Now paperwork, record keeping for lawyers (together with finding work for office bound planners and safety professionals) are all contributing to the concerns expressed in the letter I received. Finally may I remind you that Network Rail’s Chief Executive and the Director of CIRAS will be speaking at the Safety Summit and CIRAS Conference on April 30th and May 1st respectively when I hope we can begin to address the points raised in the letter and many others! I look forward to seeing you there!
Too much paper and lengthy briefings
Bridge parapet struck at 90 mph
HST lifted by the impact Although the unclassified road has warning signs for the hump backed bridge and double bends there are no weight or width restriction signs. Just ten minutes later at 1731 hours between Hungerford and Bedwyn a heavily loaded First Great Western train ran into the brick debris at 90 mph. The driver applied his brakes and the train came to a halt some 800 yards
The RAIB bulletin says their inquiries will include examining how the emergency call was dealt with and the road signing. I will be interested to read the full RAIB report of Foxfield when it is published.
90% reduction in injuries – achievable? The 90% reduction that Mark Carne aspires to I believe can only be achieved by involving, trusting and empowering those who work on track. Many of them know how to work more safely (and productively too) but are bound by fast changing largely untried systems that are rushed into use. Ditching the minutely detailed systems we now have and empowering supervisors to make the safest arrangements they can within a framework is the way forward. It will not generate the kind of itemised written records the lawyers like to see when things go wrong. (I have few concerns about the possibility of a reduction in their involvement!) But it would hand back both accountability and responsibility to those who know how to do the work and regularly carry it out.
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On the afternoon of Sunday 22nd February (according to a recently published Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) bulletin) a lorry driver drove down an unclassified road just off the A4 at Oakhill on the edge of Froxfield village. He was driving an articulated lorry. He crossed the bridge over the railway, but when confronted by a canal bridge some 50 yards further on decided that the road over it was too narrow for him to continue. Consequently he began to reverse back. When he reached the rail bridge (whilst still reversing without assistance) his trailer ran into the eastside brick parapet. As a result the entire parapet, weighing approximately 13-tonnes fell onto the railway below obstructing both tracks (See Picture). The driver of a car that was following the lorry saw what happened and contacted the emergency services at 1721 hours.
Six signatures, four briefings and an hour used before you even get onto site to work cannot be justified and to me just does not make sense. Ask the man with the shovel, he knows most of the answers but so far noone has asked him the questions. Track workers like the one who wrote to me can make a difference. Simplification of paperwork and systems is overdue. When I began working on the railway some of the best gangers and even supervisors could neither read nor write. But
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Signal post collapses the right way On Easter Sunday at Cantley in Norfolk, between Norwich and Lowestoft a signal post that had
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HEALTH & SAFETY FOCUS
42 | RailStaff | April 2015
Art on the Tyne Network Rail has enlisted the help of four urban artists to reduce trespassing at Tyne Yard depot. Tyne Yard, which is located on the opposite side of the A1 to the Angel of the North in Gateshead, receives regular reports of trespass by young people wanting to graffiti the bridges. Last year, a teenager and his friend were left badly injured by overhead line equipment after climbing on top of a wagon. Network Rail, with the help of four artists, has put up several pieces of street art on the bridges in the hope that it will discourage trespasses. Vicki Beadle, community safety manager for Network Rail, said, ‘Gary Bowron is well known and respected among young people for his artwork. The idea is that as well as making the area more visually appealing, we deter future graffiti because young people
are less likely to tag over another artist’s work. This means they won’t need to trespass onto the site and won’t put themselves in danger.’ Dougy Blakeley, programme manager for Network Rail’s High Output team said, ‘We were all horrified
by the accident last year and this project gave us the opportunity to make a positive improvement to the depot and to reinforce how important staying safe is to everyone – whether you are a member of the public or a member of railway staff.
‘We are working closely with British Transport Police to make sure that we do all we can to warn people of the dangers of unauthorised access to any part of the railway and to prevent people getting onto the yard wherever possible.’
Prevention and Support - How You Can Help The National Suicide Prevention Steering Group (NSPSG) has been working since 2010 to tackle the challenging issue of railway suicide. The group is led by Network Rail on behalf of the rail industry in partnership with Samaritans and the BTP, and with representation from train operators and unions. This year the NSPSG is rolling out a modular video entitled ‘Suicide Prevention and Support on the Railway: Learning Tool’. This tool is designed to improve understanding of key issues and features practical guidance and inspiring accounts from rail staff and BTP officers to demonstrate that we can all play a part in preventing a rail suicide, and in helping reduce the effects of trauma for those affected by them. Personnel from Network Rail, train operating companies and the BTP have all contributed to the tool and have all been very keen to share their experiences, ‘I agreed to help
out to help highlight the importance of how an intervention can make a big difference to the vulnerable and distressed. I wanted to impress on others how by simply going over and talking to these people and asking about their wellbeing and offering your support, you can make a big difference to them,’ says Suzanne Wardle, Virgin Trains. The rail network is used by thousands of passengers every day, people from all walks of life, each with their own stories, thoughts and feelings. Some of these people may be feeling down and lonely, some may even be feeling suicidal. Every life is worth saving. Stella Morris, head of security and revenue protection, Southern Railway, supports the project. ‘Having worked on the railways for over 20 years nothing makes me sadder than someone taking their life. I agreed to take part in this project because I think anything that might lead to us all becoming more aware, and saving lives is worthwhile.’ Roll-out of the tool is already
underway. Virgin Trains and Northern Rail have been really keen to utilise the tool and have already incorporated it into their safety briefing cycles. The NSPSG encourage all staff to view the Learning Tool, whatever their role. To make this possible, a dedicated web portal has been launched where
rail industry personnel can view and download the tool. The web portal is accessible at: www.nspsglearningtool. co.uk For more information on the roll-out please email: suicidepreventionprogramme@ networkrail.co.uk
HEALTH & SAFETY FOCUS
April 2015 | RailStaff | 43
Collaboration leads to innovative rail measuring wheel Feedback from rail workers and cross-industry collaboration have led to the development of a new insulated rail measuring wheel for use in third rail areas. Network Rail, VGC Group and Lawton Tools have worked together on the development of the bespoke insulated measuring wheel, after VGC workers identified a need for an insulated measuring device to allow surveys to be undertaken in live third rail areas without the need for an isolation. As part of its rail delivery framework for Network Rail, VGC Rail Projects supplies lengths of rail - up to 216 metres long - to sites around the UK. Because some deliveries are in third rail areas, the new insulated measuring wheel will give more flexibility in planning and access to the track for walkouts.
VGC project manager William Dalton said, ‘We have been delighted to work collaboratively with Network Rail and Lawton Tools on developing this new piece of equipment. It will allow measurement in full compliance with the rule book without needing costly isolations, so it will benefit our rail delivery teams, and also potentially, the industry as a whole. ‘We expect that it will be used widely across the rail infrastructure in future.’ Tony Potts, technical support
manager for Lawton Tools, added, ‘The development of this tool has been a collaborative exercise involving VGC, Network Rail, Lawton Tools and our partners Avancer (UK) and Jafco Tools. ‘Working together to improve safety of teams working on the railway has been very satisfying, and we are
delighted with the result.’ The insulated rail measuring wheel is accepted for use on Network Rail’s infrastructure on certificate reference PA05/06192 and PADS reference 0094/007203 and complies to the requirements of BS8020:2011 for tools used in areas where conductor rails are present.
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HEALTH & SAFETY FOCUS
44 | RailStaff | April 2015
Cutting exhaust fumes
on the railway
Diesel exhaust fumes have long been identified as a potential cancer risk to humans. With railway workers among an estimated 500,000 people in the UK who could be exposed to diesel engine exhaust fumes at work, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) is campaigning for more awareness and preventative action to be taken. The image of a modern railway is of smooth, sleek, electric trains rushing through the countryside. However, the truth is a little different. Diesel locomotives still provide substantial motive power for freight in the UK, with some
locomotives now reaching 50 years in service. Old Class 47s and 37s are not unusual as the expanding rail industry makes do with old stock to try and keep pace with demand. Even the fast passenger trains such as the HST, High Speed Train, are 40 years old this year. These trains are still the main workhorses of services from London to the West of England and services from London to South Wales, along with the Midland Main Line services from London to Nottingham. Additionally diesel units are still the usual mode of transport for passenger traffic on branch lines linking into the main network.
However, electrification is set to substantially reduce the use of diesel locomotion. In the west, overhead lines are going up on the railways between London, Bristol, Newbury and Oxford - a major programme which will be completed by 2016. The route to Cardiff will be electrified by 2017. Pioneering high output equipment can electrify around 1.5 kilometres of railway per night. Currently bridges and tunnels are being heightened to accommodate the wires.
In the north electrification of routes between Manchester, Liverpool, Preston, Blackpool, Leeds and York will further reduce reliance on diesels. By the end of 2020 electric trains will be running on the Midland Main Line route beyond Bedford to Sheffield. Although progress is being made, the retirement of diesel trains is a long-term aspiration and there is no room for complacency. Health and safety is paramount in the rail industry and that includes the air we breathe.
No Time to Lose Breathing in high levels of diesel exhaust fumes in the short term can irritate the eyes and lungs. Continuous exposure, however, can cause chronic respiratory ill health and there is an increased risk of developing lung cancer. The fumes from diesel exhausts were first classified as a probable carcinogen in 1988. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization (WHO), recently upgraded them to a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning these emissions are now treated as a definite cause of cancer in humans. In a bid to tackle the issue, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has launched its ‘No Time to Lose’ campaign to raise awareness of occupational cancers.
HEALTH & SAFETY FOCUS
The campaign also offers advice and support to businesses so they can tackle exposure risks like diesel exhaust fumes, solar radiation and asbestos in the workplace. It has resulted in a number of organisations, including Crossrail, pledging commitment to managing harmful exposures. What can the rail industry do to avoid exposing workers to diesel fumes? Imperatives include managing risk and understanding what produces the high risk. This can be divided into three main areas. First, on the railways all diesel trains need regular servicing and maintenance. Units and locos will stand in a traction maintenance depot waiting for work to be carried out. Although much has been done to improve depot environment some buildings date back to the steam era and do not have modern exhaust ventilation or extraction equipment capable of coping with diesel exhaust. In fact, some of the older steam sheds are easier to convert as they
April 2015 | RailStaff | 45
allowed for smoke to be extracted through planned vents. However, this meant sheds tended to be cold as the buildings would not retain the heat and so these vents were the first things to be blocked up. Secondly main line stations where diesel trains may stand for some time with engines idling are a health hazard. With more trains being run, more fumes are produced. In enclosed terminus stations like Paddington there is already a policy of shutting down engines. With modern hub stations such as Bristol or Reading, this is harder to achieve. Higher fume emissions could affect passengers and station staff. The third area of concern is freight facilities and work sites where locomotives or trains spend large amounts of time idling, shunting or moving at slow speed while works take place around them. The issuing of PPE in all of the above cases would be a logistical nightmare and would be hard to manage. It is generally accepted that management of the fumes just has to get better in order to reduce the risk.
Taking action The Office of Rail Regulation has reacted by issuing a guidance document, RDG-2014-04 “Diesel engine exhaust emissions in the railway sector”, in October 2014. The
document summarises the current evidence, based on health risks associated with exposure to diesel engine exhaust emissions and lays out advice to inspectors about the action to take in ensuring compliance with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 within the railway operating environment. Its advice to the railway companies is to ensure they follow the guidelines of HSG 187 “Control of Diesel Engine Exhaust emissions in the Workplace” . In fairness although this document does mention railways it is clearly aimed more at the garage and workshop type premises for diesel cars and buses. CIRAS has received reports on diesel fumes concerning exhaust emission build up during diesel engine maintenance. This leaves a gap for Institutions like IOSH and CIRAS to fill and ensure that workers and management understand not only the risks but also the controls, allowing the industry to be more proactive in preventing the release of harmful fumes. More information about IOSH’s ‘No Time to Lose’ campaign can be found online at www.notimetolose.org.uk, or by following @_NTTL on Twitter Keith Morey is the chair of the IOSH Railway Group
HEALTH & SAFETY FOCUS
46 | RailStaff | April 2015
Happy Together Safety policy in the rail industry provides a life lesson for all of us. In a candid article recently Marina Fogle, who married TV presenter and writer Ben, nine years ago, said that she and her husband give their marriage an annual MoT. The couple enlists the help of professional marriage counsellors and Mrs Fogle has been urging her friends to do the same. The MoT is the statutory once a year vehicle check required for all cars. Anything the test centre throws up, such as faulty brakes, exhaust emissions, lights and electrics, has to be put right before the MoT certificate of road worthiness can be issued. It is certainly a worrying time for drivers of older cars. If the spark has gone out of your marriage and it’s not holding the road as it should - troubled by bald tyres and faulty power assisted steering, the argument runs, get it checked out by the professionals. Laudable though the exercise is, the analogy of the lamplighters of Marsham Street is misplaced. What the Fogles and other hard-pressed couples should do is check out the example of the rail industry. The railways, when you think about it, have much more experiences of vehicular disintegration than the relative newcomers to tarmacadam.
Prevention is better than cure Railway companies use a system often called Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM). Unlike the once a year MoT, under PPM problems are anticipated, spotted and dealt with in good time. The idea of PPM is to keep the train operational rather than assuming it will degrade ahead of its next test and fix things then. Better still is the Defensive Driving Procedure employed by many train drivers. Trains accelerate away from stations gradually thus avoiding passenger discomfort and wear and tear on wheels. Similarly well before
a red light a driver will start braking, again quite gently, on seeing yellow or a double yellow (proceed with caution) signal. This makes it easier to deal with problems up ahead. Translate this into marriage and it gives us a system of not making controversial decisions in haste. A crisis spotted on the line ahead, an in-law visit or a teenage party, can all be anticipated well ahead of time, thought through and a Safe System of Work put in. In the post 50 Shades of Grey era it would be foolhardy to designate a partner as Person in Charge of Possession. Thankfully the term has passed into history. But PPE, Personal Protective Equipment, is the responsibility of the individual, the person actually wearing it. Away from the running railway the lesson means not making the assumption, in the heat of the moment, that the other person has taken precautions.
Marital harmony It’s easy to laugh at the Fogles but their exercise in marital harmony is instructive. Think about it. If at work you conduct yourself with consummate professionalism why not apply the same dedication to marriage? Even in an era of short marriages - many last barely the length of a franchise - the fact is the great majority of marriages do endure. It must be worth applying every safety technique adapted
from the rail industry to help it flourish. Network Rail’s ‘Everyone home safe every day’ is inspired. Mr Fogle, currently filming in the South Pacific, will be aware of this. Jeremy Clarkson may have struggled with the concept. Even TV producers should get home safe every day. Again the railway is insightful here. Mr Clarkson, it is clear, regrets what happened. When it comes to safety, the rail industry has a no-blame culture the BBC might care to examine more closely. Rail staff dislike the term whistleblower for obvious reasons. However, in CIRAS we have a system of confidential reporting. The system of work, not necessarily the individual, can be adjusted to make sure such an incident is less likely to occur in the future. Railways regularly employ travelling chefs. Passengers with low blood counts, we find, are quite often fractious, a thought, no more, for the next generation of Top Gear directors to ponder. To think about the consequences of your personal actions forms the centrepiece of railway safety culture. Accepting personal responsibility for how you behave, psychologists tell us, is the last action of the child on growing up. It forms the basis of a successful marriage. Safety, team work, forgiveness, encouragement and support remain the watchwords of an industry that believes in itself and like a good marriage gets better and better with time.
HEALTH & SAFETY FOCUS
April 2015 | RailStaff | 47
A Breath of Fresh Air Railway tunnels are difficult structures to work in. Carrying out engineering works in the dark, cramped conditions is challenging enough, poor air quality can be another issue. Harmful fumes are produced by engineering trains, plant and machinery and processes like cutting and welding. Explosive atmosphere can also be an issue, either occurring naturally or from leaking gas cutting equipment. Standards already exist which specify requirements for ventilation and air monitoring to ensure workers aren’t being exposed to potentially toxic gases. Manta Rail Services provides a full ventilation service, starting with a walk out to survey the tunnel. A design is then generated working with the client and their methodology for the proposed works. The ventilation system is then set up. During the works air monitoring is carried out and recorded by data logging. Manta Rail Services has developed a mobile tunnel ventilation system that enables the rapid deployment and recovery of ventilation equipment without the need for pre or post core possessions.
With the Thunderbird self-propelled deployment system, ventilation can be provided on a standalone basis. This eliminates the need for other lifting equipment and all the associated planning. Cross tracking is also easy to allow engineering trains and rail plant to pass. If the prevailing wind changes direction, the 360 degree powered turntable rotates the fan direction in seconds without assistance. With the combination of providing ventilation equipment, air monitoring equipment and powered
Our aim is to build a safe working environment for our staff and our clients respirators - with a support unit to clean and launder between use - Manta Rail Services provides a full service offering for all tunnel ventilation requirements.
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HEALTH & SAFETY FOCUS
48 | RailStaff | April 2015
Slim Chance
Addressing the Obesity Epidemic Obesity has been identified as a major contributor to ill-health. Dietary and lifestyle changes over the last three decades have been predominantly responsible for an obesity pandemic in much of the developed world. Our diets have increasingly developed a higher proportion of fats, particularly saturated fats. Worst of all is the high consumption of white sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Both products are used in soft drinks, canned and processed foods and ready-made meals. Compounding the problem is the lack of physical activity endemic in most modern lifestyles. Most of us do far less physical work than our great-grand parents. Gone are the jobs in foundries, mines, shipyards and farms. Most work has become generally less physically demanding. Cars, buses and a superb railway system - in the UK at least - means there is little need to walk or cycle to work. Increased technology further contributes to a less demanding physically active existence. No need to mimic the heroes of the Six Nations when you can play computer games or watch sport on a huge TV screen.
What is obesity? Obesity is a term used to define being overweight to an extent that damages your health. Someone with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of more than 30 is obese. BMI is a measure of the relationship between height and weight. To work out your BMI divide weight in kilograms by height in metres squared or check the NHS online Healthy Weight Calculator. Anything from 18.5 to 25 is healthy, 25-30 is considered overweight and anything over 30 is deemed obese. Bear in mind the body is made up of many different tissues and some people, particularly athletes with a very high proportion of dense muscle, may appear heavier but in fact can be considered to have a very healthy constitution. Around a quarter of men and women in Britain are obese. Child obesity is rising too.
Problems associated with obesity Although rather obvious, size can be a considerable hindrance and impairment to everyday activities. Most equipment, clothes and services are designed
Report by Express Medicals
for people within a fairly narrow range of size and shape. Outside these limits there can be considerable difficulty in undertaking many tasks without modified aids. Chairs can be too small, corridors are narrow and other equipment inappropriately designed. This can clearly be an impairment in many areas of activity and employment which is compounded if reasonable adjustments are not feasible. Sleep apnoea is becoming increasingly recognised as a respiratory condition that prevents individuals
they will suffer from general drowsiness while awake. The consequences will be shown in the form of diminished alertness, general cognition, reaction times and overall functional capability. This condition is now recognised as having serious implications for all those who undertake safety critical responsibilities. The effects of obesity on the cardiovascular’s system increase significantly with only minor rises in the BMI. This includes raised blood pressure and all the long-term health problems associated
obtaining a deep level of sleep with the result that
with this condition, angina together with resultant
HEALTH & SAFETY FOCUS
heart attacks and heart failure. Again these conditions will have serious implications for individuals undertaking safety critical duties where sudden incapacity could have serious consequences. Type II diabetes is another condition that is increasing in prevalence, probably due to dietary factors and associated weight issues. A male over the age of 40 with a BMI of 27 when young has an approximate increased risk of developing type II diabetes by a factor of six. Although usually manageable, the long-term side-effects of type II diabetes can damage vision, have neurological complications and other systemic disorders all of which can interfere with occupational capabilities. As weight increases there are other adverse conditions usually less documented but with fairly clear associations. These include psychological hazards such as depression, low self-esteem, social exclusion, some cancers and, to the community as a whole, obesity represents a substantial burden on the wider economy. In general terms it can be seen therefore that all the medical conditions that we commonly associate with the ageing process such as muscular skeletal compromise, type II diabetes and raised blood pressure will all be accentuated and aggravated by being overweight.
Impact on employment Although obesity is usually seen primarily as a public health issue there are obvious implications for the workforce: • Is equipment appropriately designed to accommodate the overweight, such as ladders, chairs, workspace and personal protective equipment? • Are there specific tasks that obese people are unable to do or find more difficult? • Does obesity with a higher percentage of body fat make an individual more prone to absorption problems from toxic chemicals? • The correlation with musculoskeletal problems particularly back conditions may be a cause of increased sickness and absence from work.
April 2015 | RailStaff | 49
• Problems with sleep, as outlined above, may cause issues with fatigue and the possible loss of cognitive function and general impairment, leading to accidents and other safety issues in the workplace. • The long-term side-effects from associated conditions such as diabetes may affect vision and neurological problems for overall capability and safe working.
‘Jamie Oliver has highlighted the positive effects that healthy eating has on children in their school – we now need to ensure this principle is applied to the workforce.’ Dr Ian Campbell, former director, UK National obesity Forum
Can obesity be considered a disability? A recent employment tribunal ruling indicated that, on the face of it, obesity does not in itself amount to a protected characteristic under the Equalities Act 2010. However, in cases where the obesity has reached a degree that attitudinal and environmental barriers hinder full participation in professional life due to physical or psychological impairment, could be considered a disability. In summary, it concluded that it is not so much the underlying obesity as the impairment that this condition may produce that needs to be considered.
Role of employers and government Employers will increasingly need to take obesity into account when undertaking standard risk assessments, particularly to ascertain whether any
special modification, restrictions or other adjustments need to be made in the workplace. However, there is also a much wider issue of the expected role that employers are now playing in counteracting obesity due to the increased emphasis on well-being alongside health and safety in the workplace. Employers may be expected now to be responsible for ensuring there is healthy food in staff restaurants, opportunities to use exercise facilities and many workplaces can be seen to have a “captive audience” with an opportunity to educate and influence their employees diet and healthy lifestyle.
Obesity is already a significant problem and this is likely to increase unless current trends can be reversed. The Health, Work and Well-Being Strategy (DWP, DoE and HSE) set out the need for action on the development of a new crossgovernment campaign on obesity to raise awareness of the steps that people can take to prevent this problem. Dr Ian Campbell, former director UK National Obesity Forum, said, ‘Jamie Oliver has highlighted the positive effects that healthy eating has on children in their school – we now need to ensure this principle is applied to the workforce.’
YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS
50 | RailStaff | April 2015
What are the next steps for
Young Rail Professionals March marked the handover from one administration to another for Young Rail Professionals (YRP), bringing new leadership and new ideas into the organisation. It is a tradition within the YRP, opening up new leadership opportunities for members and ensuring new perspectives are brought forward. But for the first time, new leaders are being elected en masse across Great Britain, as the relatively new regional structure of YRP takes effect. The Regional Committees of YRP North West and YRP West Midlands both formally launched in March, to much fanfare and support from local YRPs and senior leaders from industry. Both regions join the YRP East Midlands, which was the first Regional Committee to formally launch, in setting the agenda for developing and attracting YRPs in each region. With devolved powers and responsibilities, the various YRP regions can now best tailor their outreach, networking, and development activities to the needs of their respective areas.
A growing number of committees also means that more YRPs are able to take on committee leadership roles and interface with senior rail personnel in their local areas. Among the deliverables for each region will be local delivery of the Joint University Presentation Programme, which sees YRP, Women in Rail, and other members of the Routes into Rail group promote the rail industry as an exciting place for a career in over 40 universities.
Regular workshops Also strengthened by the local resources is the joint YRP-STEMNET training effort, which will now introduce regular workshops in each region to increase the number of STEMNETtrained YRP Ambassadors, increasing their opportunities for outreach into local schools. The changing of the guard at the YRP Executive Committee level has led to regional representatives moving into strategic roles. Sabrina Ihaddaden, former YRP East Midlands chairman, has become YRP vice chairman on the Executive Committee and Abhinav
Sunny Chirayil has become the committee’s new marketing manager, having come from a similar role with YRP East Midlands. Sabrina is positive about the changes. She said, ‘How fantastic it is to see the regions embedded into the Executive Committee. I am very proud to be part of it. ‘My vision for the future of YRP is to see us become an accredited organisation that has the capability to endorse a professional’s development, and be recognised by the rail industry as a prominent entity for young professionals.’
New YRP Chairman The biggest news of the transition, of course, is the handover of the chair’s position, which sees a consistency of purpose paired with an updated vision for the year ahead. Adam Stead was proud to hand over the YRP chairman role to Stephen Head, who formerly led the Ambassadors sub-committee to its current level of rousing success. Stephen is keen to lay out his vision for the year, ‘YRP is rapidly growing, finding new ways to develop and inspire
Nicholas Lloyd, Sabrina Ihaddaden, Stephen Head, Adam Stead.
the young people in the rail industry, and to promote the rail industry to school, college, and university students. Whilst a large amount has already been achieved, there is still a lot to do.’
To inspire the next generation ‘This year the YRP Executive Committee will focus on supporting our newly established regions to deliver their own high-quality events and Ambassadors activities, empowering and funding them to achieve their own ambitions. We will also ensure that YRP continues to influence the industry’s strategy on collaboration and skills, equipping our passionate committee members with the resources they need to inspire the next generation to join the rail industry.’ YRP committee members from far and wide will congregate to celebrate five years of YRP success at the highlight of the YRP calendar, the sold out YRP Annual Black Tie Dinner on 16 April. The event will be the perfect opportunity to hear more about the increasing reach of YRP outreach and opportunities. The YRP East Midlands held its YRPSTEMNET induction session in Derby on 9 April, and will follow on with a
YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS
development event later in the month, on 23 April, with a site visit to Progress Rail Services and a seminar on how rail managing directors can help drive growth and success in the railway industry for the next decade. On 24 April, once everyone has recovered from the Annual Dinner, YRP London will host an internal exchange event, with young employees from Lloyd’s Register Rail in Utrecht coming
for a day of technical seminars and London Underground site visits. If anyone would like to become involved in organising future YRP events, performing outreach activities to promote the railway industry as a career choice, and developing opportunities for young people to be recognised and prioritised in the wider railway industry, then please contact YRP at info@youngrailpro.com.
April 2015 | RailStaff | 51
YOUNG RAIL
PROFESSIONALS
YRP THANKS THE TREMENDOUS SUPPORT OF ITS 2014-2015 CORPORATE MEMBERS
DVV Media (Railway Gazette)
Morson
CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP IS NOW OPEN FOR 2015-2016
TRE
NEWS
52 | RailStaff | April 2015
Rail Supply Group backs Railtex Final preparations for the major railway engineering and technical show are ramping up ahead of the opening on 12 May 2015.
of Perpetuum, and Colin Flack, genial chief executive of the Rail Alliance, the industry’s supplier networking organisation.
Railtex is the long established number one showcase for technological innovation across the rail supply market. Against a backdrop of burgeoning investment in rail and dynamic progress on a multitude of railway projects, Railtex highlights the capabilities and achievements of leading companies serving the rail market. Railtex, together with the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), will be celebrating the continued success of Europe’s fastest growing rail industry. Launched last year by the government and the rail industry, the Rail Supply Group sits at the beating heart of the railway giving leadership, direction and support. The rail industry is now boosting employment, growing market share and making a solid and increasing contribution to the British economy.
Learn More about Rail
Global leader Over the next 10 years, the RDG plans to double export volumes, attract the very best talent to create a sustainable skills base, develop new technologies and harness the energy, drive and innovation of small to medium enterprises. The RDG sees the British railway industry becoming a net exporter and a global leader in high-speed rail. An entrepreneurial supply chain will be encouraged to constantly innovate, anticipate and exceed customer needs on both urban and intercity railways. Railtex reflects the dynamism driving forward the engineering and supply industry catalysed by the RDG. Speakers reflect the new energy and purpose of the UK’s most successful industry. Terence Watson, RDG co-chairman and UK president of Alstom Transport, will be speaking on Wednesday 13 May. Later that day the RDG will host a special open meeting entitled ‘Rail Supply Group – What’s In It For Me?’ Speakers include Paul Copeland, managing director at Siemens Rail Automation UK and RSG member responsible for its small and medium enterprises (SME) workstream, Roy Freeland, leader of the SME workstream and president
These RSG presentations form part of the most extensive programme ever of keynote speeches, industry seminars, project updates and discussions forums - all free of charge to everyone attending the show. The show will be opened by Richard Parry-Jones, chairman of Network Rail. Richard Price, chief executive at the ORR - so successful it recently took on the roads portfolio - will be speaking on Tuesday, 12 May. Jeremy Long, European chief executive of MTR, which has the Crossrail concession and runs London Overground, will be laying out plans for the new railway on Wednesday, 13 May. Tim Shoveller, chief executive of the
South Western Railway Alliance, will be giving an update on the benefits of cross-industry co-operation. Patrick Hallgate, always an entertaining speaker, will bring upto-the minute reports on the Great Western electrification and capacity enhancement.
Join us for a chat Says exhibition manager Heidi Cotsworth, ‘Opportunities to learn more about the direction the industry is taking from its leading figures form an important part of this event and we know they are greatly appreciated by visitors and exhibitors.’ Rail Media will be at Railtex raising
a cheer for the industry, readers and advertisers alike. Says managing director Tom O’Connor, ‘For all of us it’s a great chance to get together with suppliers, entrepreneurs, leaders and staff. It’s always an upbeat time with a sense of drama and confidence that’s hard to beat. Come and join us for a chat and a cup of tea. I look forward to seeing you there.’ Railtex takes place on 12, 13, 14 May at the rail-connected National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. Remember to register online for free entry to Railtex at www.railtex.co.uk. The website includes details of all events forming part of the show and a full list of exhibitors.
No one should feel threatened BTP’s chief constable, Paul Crowther, has called for a renewed clampdown on sex pests who target women on trains and stations. ‘We have made huge progress in the last decade in tackling crimes such as robbery, theft and violence and most people on public transport are safe from crime. Sadly there remains a small minority of people whose behaviour displays an unacceptable attitude towards women,’ says Crowther. ‘We will not ignore these crimes and we are determined to deal with this unacceptable behaviour.’ Paul Crowther was joined by transport minister Claire Perry at a special international meeting in London organised by BTP and titled ‘Reducing Sexual Offending on Public Transport.’ Attendees included Richard Aborn, president of the Citizens Crime Commission of New York City, Mike Brown, managing director of London Underground, and representatives
from the NYPD Transit Bureau, Vancouver Transit Police, Belgium Railway Police, Metropolitan Police Service, Transport for London (TfL) and Hollaback London. Claire Perry wants to see more done to combat the threat. ‘We have one of the safest networks in Europe, but noone should feel unsafe or threatened when using public transport,’ says Perry. ‘In the UK, we are already making progress in tackling this, but there is
always more that can be done. I really welcome the commitment to carry out further work on this issue, which will help us and our partners around the world understand more about what works in preventing these crimes. I look forward to seeing their progress.’ In the UK, Project Guardian - a joint initiative between BTP and police in London - has seen a 26 per cent increase in reported offences in 2014. The aim is to get victims to report more incidents.
12 – 14 MAY 2015 • NEC, BIRMINGHAM, UK 12th INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF RAILWAY EQUIPMENT SYSTEMS & SERVICES
Railtex is the all-encompassing showcase for technological innovation across all sectors of the rail supply market - the platform for people from throughout the industry to meet face to face, make connections and do business.
Regist for FR er EE at www.r ailtex.c o.uk saving £20 the do on or
Hundreds of exhibitors will present thousands of products and services to the industry. See the latest innovations and hear updates on key projects and developments within the industry from high profile speakers.
Tel + 44 (0) 1727 814400 info@railtex.co.uk Supported by:
www.railtex.co.uk
NEWS
54 | RailStaff | April 2015
Britain helps Boston blizzard
Alarmed by the effects of the recent snow blizzard on rail services in Boston, Massachusetts, American rail chiefs called on colleagues in Britain for help. Sean McBroom, general manager for West Coast Services, and Mark Goodall, head of Cross City services at London Midland, flew in through storm conditions. Boston had been experiencing record-breaking low temperatures of -17 degrees Celsius and over two metres of snow. Sean and Mark were there to help colleagues at sister company Keolis Commuter Services (KCS), which operates the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s commuter
rail system, carrying over 127,000 passengers daily. In the UK, Keolis owns 40 per cent of London Midland. The pair helped ensure that robust customer information systems were put in place while supporting the expansion of the call centre and stations team. Says Alistair Gordon, chief executive of Keolis UK, ‘I would like to thank Mark and Sean for agreeing at short notice to travel to Boston and share their UK railway experience to help in such difficult circumstances. We have assembled an international team to support KCS, with one objective in mind, which is to get a reliable service in place for our customers in Boston.’
ORR-some
So successful has the team at the rail regulator’s office proved that the Office of Rail Regulation is changing its name to the Office of Rail and Road. Under new arrangements, ORR will be responsible for monitoring the efficiency and performance of England’s strategic road network as well as its railway. Last year, the UK government announced a £15 billion roads investment plan for England’s highways between now and 2021. Through the Infrastructure Act 2015, reforms have also been made to the
structure of the sector to support this programme of investment. From 1 April 2015, the Highways Agency will become a government-owned company, Highways England, with specific performance improvements and investment to deliver over the five-year funding period. ORR will take on the responsibility to independently monitor and enforce the performance and efficiency of Highways England. Passenger Focus will become Transport Focus, taking on additional responsibility to protect and promote the interests of road users.
Ghost Dance at Liverpool Street Archaeologists are removing 3,000 skeletons from the Bedlam burial ground at Liverpool Street in the City of London. The remains need to be removed to enable construction of the eastern entrance of the new Liverpool Street Crossrail station. The 60-strong team of archaeologists are carefully recording evidence for what may prove to be, in archaeology terms, London’s most valuable 16th and 17th-century cemetery site. The excavation is being undertaken by the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) on behalf of Crossrail. The Bedlam burial ground was in use from 1569 to at least 1738. This year marks the 350th anniversary of London’s last Great Plague in 1665. Archaeologists hope that tests on excavated plague victims will help understand the evolution of the plague bacteria strain. The research will also shed light on migration patterns, diet, lifestyle and the types of people living in London at the time. Excavated skeletons will later be re-interred in a consecrated burial ground.
Roman horseshoes and cremation urns have already been uncovered. Archaeologists are expected to finish on site in September after which construction will proceed on the new eastern ticket hall by contractor Laing O’Rourke. Bedlam is London’s first municipal burial ground and was located just outside the original city wall. It was used by people from around London who could not afford a church burial, or who chose to be buried there for religious or political reasons. It was also used as an overflow cemetery when existing sites were full, especially during the plague.
Famous 17th century political Levellers leaders like John Lilburne and Robert Lockyer are believed to be buried there. To date, Crossrail has found more than 10,000 artefacts spanning 55 million years of London’s past across over 40 construction sites. It is the UK’s largest archaeology project. Preliminary excavations at the Liverpool Street site in 2013 and 2014 uncovered more than 400 skeletons and numerous artefacts. Bedlam took its name from the nearby Bethlehem Hospital which housed the mentally ill.
Engineering & Operating New Logistics for a New Parliament: Rail Freight - The Way Forward REF Technical Seminar Followed by a Parliamentary Reception
Monday 15 June 2015 Registration 8.30am, Seminar Opens 9.30am and Closing Speech 5.15pm The Institution of Civil Engineers, Smeaton Room, One Great George Street, Westminster, London, SW1P 3AA
Outline Agenda: 1. Rail Freight from a Strategic Viewpoint: What the Nation needs from Engineers & Operators - Maggie Simpson, CEO, Rail Freight Group 2. Panel Discussion: themes / topics from a customer’s perspective. Speakers include Chris Swan, Senior Manager Rail & Shipping, Lafarge Tarmac 3. Rail Freight - The Way Forward - Alain Thauvette, CEO of DB Schenker Rail UK & member of the Rail Delivery Group 4. Panel Discussion: key technology & infrastructure delivery developments / likely innovations in the next 5 to 10 years - Martin Brennan, Head of European Research, Rail Safety and Standards Board and Professor Simon Iwnicki, Director of the Institute of Railway Research, Huddersfield University 5. Panel Discussion: case studies - how the rail freight industry has responded to the needs of Britain’s logistics revolution: operational & technology harnessed towards improved performance. Speakers include The European Transport Commissioner plus Philippa Edmunds, Freight on Rail Manager, Campaign for Better Transport and Tim Shakerley, Engineering Director, Freightliner Group Limited 6. What the Members of REF can do to Deliver Against this Agenda Chris Kinchin-Smith, Chairman of the Railway Division, Institution of Mechanical Engineers 7. Panel Discussion: future training & industry leadership - how can the rail freight industry continue to respond to the needs of Britain’s logistics revolution? - Chris Fenton, Chief Executive, Rail Safety and Standards Board 8. Closing remarks by Lawrie Quinn, Chairman, REF and Lord Berkeley 9. Parliamentary Reception on the House of Lords Terrace
How to Book: www.theref.org.uk Email: ref@springboard-marketing.co.uk Tel: 01732 363399 When booking, please indicate Seminar only or Seminar and Parliamentary Reception. Please book your Reception place by Monday 18 May (or Seminar only place by Monday 8 June). Early bird Corporate delegate discount of 20% if booked before 30 April.
Prices: Corporate: £300 per person REF Member: £150 per person Student/Graduate: £75 per person Attendance at the seminar will qualify as CPD training certified by RCEA
For sponsor opportunities please contact ref@springboard-marketing.co.uk A seminar organised by:
NEWS
56 | RailStaff | April 2015
IEP Progress at a Clip
Eco-drivers Praised Two ScotRail train drivers, Scott Watson and John Whyte, have received internal eco-driving awards.
The final Pandrol clip has been installed at Hitachi Rail Europe’s Newton Aycliffe train plant in County Durham. The factory will be used for the construction of the new Great Western Main Line and East Coast Main Line Class 800/1 trains the company is building for Britain’s Intercity Express Programme (IEP), as well as the new AT200 trains for Abellio’s ScotRail franchise. Staff from Network Rail, Story Contracting, VolkerRail and Hitachi Rail Europe celebrated the fixing on 25 March at the £82 million plant. The Pandrol clip was the final installation of 35,000 fixings that Story Contracting has fitted on behalf of Network Rail. The clip symbolises the completion of track works at the plant. The project has seen the installation of 7,000 metres of sidings and a new 1,000-metre long electrified test track, along with the reconfiguration of the existing branch line and its connection
to the site. Expected to be completed by mid2015, work will now concentrate on finalising the interior fit-out of the facility. The site, a mile from the A1 on the edge of Aycliffe Business Park, holds a special significance for rail staff. The track adjoining the site was used by Robert Stephenson and Company to run Locomotion No. 1, the first steam locomotive to carry passengers on a public line in 1825.
Scott Watson, 36, from Edinburgh picked up the award for best diesel driver. Scott is based at Edinburgh Waverley station. He was a sheet metal worker before joining ScotRail in 2011. ‘I’m very proud of myself for winning as I’ve only worked for ScotRail for a few years, which makes this an even greater achievement,’ says father of two, Scott. ‘It feels good to be recognised for my hard work and to do my bit for the environment at the same time.’ John Whyte, 51, who was declared best electric driver, is based at Yoker and has worked on the railway since 1991. ‘I was happy with how I did in the assessment, but never expected to win,’ says John. ‘I’m proud to win this award, not only for myself, but also for my team at Yoker – drivers there have earned this title for the past three years.’ ScotRail encourages eco-driving
their luggage. The team which included, Lieutenant Danielle Welch, Petty Officer Stuart McAllister, Leading Aircraft Engineering Technician Billy Evans and Aircraft Engineering Technician Kelly Turner also helped load catering supplies.
David Horne greeted the team on arrival at York whilst the helicopters flew overhead. The four sailors were raising money for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC). Lieutenant Welch and her team made it safely back to base, completing
skills for all its drivers as a way of reducing CO2 emissions and improving sustainability. The techniques include using natural gradients to coast the train where possible. Drivers hone their skills at ScotRail’s Simulator Centre underneath Glasgow Central station. The centre houses two exact replicas of train cabs, which offer scenarios ranging from a Scottish winter to a train rounding a bend with a potential problem ahead. Left to right: Scott Watson and John Whyte with their trophies at Glasgow Central station.
Pie in the Sky Two military helicopters escorted a Virgin Trains East Coast service into York station as part of a fundraising mission staged by four Royal Navy sailors. The team from 815 Royal Naval Air Squadron, which is stationed at Yeovilton, Somerset, had to find its way home from Newcastle by completing a series of challenges - only revealed at the last minute. ‘A key part of the challenge was that the sailors had to earn their passage on our train to York,’ said Virgin Trains East Coast managing director, David Horne. The sailors landed by helicopter on the roof of the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle at the start of the 332-mile journey back to their base in Somerset. They then joined staff on a Virgin Trains East Coast train heading south. Startled passengers at Newcastle Central were offered help with boarding and loading
the last part of the journey on a JCB supplied by farmer Liam Matthews. The team raised £5,200 for RNRMC. Colleagues on the base enjoyed an unexpected bonus - Cornish pasties. Part of the challenge was to acquire 200 pasties.
NEWS
58 | RailStaff | April 2015
Apprentice offer at CILT
Osborne Backs Stations Fund
The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) has launched a new apprentice affiliate scheme.
Further funding for station improvements has been guaranteed by the government.
Says Steve Agg, chief executive of CILT, ‘Our new apprenticeship member grade will support young people in the early stages of their career allowing them to achieve their full potential and ensuring they take their professional development seriously. ‘Membership of CILT enables the apprentice to meet and network with other leading professionals, giving them a competitive edge in our demanding industry.’ Joining CILT as an apprentice member provides the individual with access to over 350 national, regional, and local sector-specific events, giving the apprentice the opportunity to meet and network with experienced professionals in their chosen fields.
Other benefits include unlimited access to the largest specialist collection of logistics, supply chain and transport information, as well as legal and compliance information, access to the monthly journal and a weekly sector-specific newsletter. Apprentice members can take advantage of the annual electronic membership for £25.
The £60 million of extra funding will be available to train companies and local authorities who will be able to bid for a share. This is the second time such funding has been made available. The first round of funding, worth nearly £100 million, has transformed 47 stations across the country since 2011. Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, said, ‘This funding scheme has enabled a number of improvements like ticket gating and regenerated commercial space which have greatly improved passengers’ experiences at railway stations across the country. ‘I am keen to see what new ideas train operators and local authorities will now come up with to improve station facilities and provide good value for
London Role for Railway Mission Pastoral support for rail staff and BTP officers in London is to be provided by the Railway Mission from April. The move follows a reorganisation by partner organisation London City Mission (LCM), which is moving resources from the workplace and focussing more on supporting local residents. The two charities, both established in the 19th Century, have worked closely together for many years to provide a confidential listening ear and helpful advice for people in the rail industry. LCM’s decision to return to its roots means that the Railway Mission is expanding to look after staff across the entire rail network. LCM chief executive Graham Miller said that his organisation had undergone a strategic review, leading to the decision to concentrate on its local community projects. ‘I’m tremendously encouraged that this important work on the railways will continue under the supervision of the Railway Mission, who are specialists in
this area,’ says Graham. Liam Johnston, the chief executive of the Railway Mission, said, ‘It’s been a real pleasure to work with LCM, and we’ll miss them. This development means that we’re now in the process of training four new chaplains as part of our plans to ensure full national coverage continues. We’re very grateful for LCM’s support.’
Chaplains provide face-to-face friendship and support to rail staff during office hours, and around the clock in emergency situations. The Railway Mission, which relies entirely on voluntary donations to fund its operations, plans to take on two more chaplains by the summer, taking its number of new staff this year to six.
money for the taxpayer.’ The new fund will be managed by Network Rail which is keen to develop the commercial role of railway stations. Says Richard Kirkman, head of national customer relationships at Network Rail, ‘This announcement is more evidence of the value of railway station investment, building on the commitments already announced for the National Stations Improvement Programme and Access for All schemes between 2014 and 2019. ‘Rail users can look forward to further improvements in the station environment, whilst the taxpayer will benefit from the commercial value unlocked by these schemes.’
RBF support from Abellio Abellio - which runs Greater Anglia, Northern Rail, ScotRail and Merseyrail is the latest business to become a Gold Package supporter of RBF. Says Abi Smith, RBF’s chief operating officer, ‘I am thrilled to have Abellio as a supporter. Importantly it also guarantees us funding. The more rail companies who become supporters, the more rail people we can help.’ RBF is a charity for railway people funded by railway people. It was founded to provide support to active and former railway staff and their dependants when they needed help through illness, injury, bereavement or adversity.
NEWS
April 2015 | RailStaff | 59
Russell cross-channel train starts full service After a four-month trial period of rail freight services through the Channel Tunnel, John G Russell (Transport) has started a full service to the continent. The service, which is operated by Europorte supported by GB Railfreight, marks Glasgow-based John G Russell’s first rail operation to Europe. Daily services will now run between Barking and Dourges, near Lille, using High Speed 1. The company will invest £520,000 over two years in 90 ft wagons with modified couplings to meet the requirements of hauling a 1,600-tonne train on HS1. Says Ken Russell, director at John G Russell, ‘We are very pleased with how well this project has gone so far with the train operating at about 95 per cent
efficiency. Naturally, this is a new area for us and we have had to learn a lot and learn quickly, but the feedback has been great and we are confident that demand will continue to increase. ‘Cross-channel rail freight offers significant savings over maritime routes, as it cuts out much of the laborious ground-handling. It is also environmentally efficient too, which will appeal to transporters who are increasingly seeking an environmentally friendly alternative.’
Transylvanian Twist Four representatives of the Sibiu Agnita Railway in Romania have visited the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways in Wales to learn more about railway restoration in the UK. Radu Tompa, Nicoleta Tompa, Claudia Pamfiloiu and Alex Barac spent several days working with the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland (FWHR) track-laying team and helped out with carriage maintenance.
FWHR volunteers plan to travel to Transylvania in May to help volunteer rail staff on the Sibiu Agnita Railway with track repairs on the 40-mile long historic narrow gauge railway which closed in 2001. Rail enthusiasts have formed a support group for the Sibiu Agnita Railway which will help with the railway restoration scheme. The aim is to see the return of steam to the five-mile stretch of the line between Cornatel and Hosman in September this year.
Alongside being a devoted family man, outside of work Peter was an active member of his local community, extensively involved in serving in many different roles with his local church in Duffield, Derbyshire. He was also an active supporter of the Duffield Homelessness Group, a sub-group of Duffield Christian Council, whose aim is to raise funds and awareness of the problems of homelessness. And, particularly in his retirement, he was an enthusiastic supporter of the Rolling
Stock Association, regularly attending their events and lunches. Peter is survived by his wife Elaine, his four children and five grandchildren. His railway legacy is carried on by his son Matthew Parkin, senior project engineer at Network Rail on the Midland Main Line electrification programme and his son-in-law James Rollin, UK head of PR and marketing at Bombardier Transportation. Peter Parkin, born 2 May, 1947, died 10 January, 2015, aged 67.
In Memoriam – Peter Parkin
The rail industry lost one of its most popular members with the passing of Peter Parkin earlier this year, following a long and courageous battle with cancer. A popular and dependable railwayman with over 40 years experience, Peter will be remembered as much for his sunny, upbeat outlook on life and an infectious sense of humour as for his engineering expertise. Growing up in the Derbyshire town of Belper, where he lived all his life, Peter began his career in 1962 at Derby’s Locomotive Works, working as a mechanical engineering apprentice until 1969, when he became a fully
qualified diesel fitter. In 1971, he took up a work study post with the recently formed British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL), working at BREL until 1979, when he transferred to the Chief Mechanical & Electrical Engineer’s (CM&EE) department, based at Midland House, Nelson Street in Derby. At the CM&EE, Peter worked for Jim McColl and Charlie Blackburn. Among the many faces he worked with over the years were Andy Cope, Ed Ravenhall, Bob Crockford, Morris Duncan and Walter Reed. In 1988, Peter temporarily left the railways for a short career break. Upon his return to the industry in the early 1990s, he moved into the freight sector with Rail Express Systems (RES). Subsequently he worked with Keith Miller at English, Welsh & Scottish Railways (EWS), moving on to the private heritage operator Rail Charter Services (RCS) in 1997 as a maintenance rolling stock engineer, working for Sir William McAlpine and Bernard Staite. From 2000, he worked as a consultant assurance engineer with QSS, prior to retiring in 2007.
CAREERS
60 | RailStaff | April 2015
manufacturing excellence
Job Title: Rail Projects Manager Location: Burgess Hill £Excellent Package Time 24 are one of Europe’s most established Contract Manufacturers for the supply of Cabinet/Panel Wiring, Electromechanical assemblies and Wiring Harnesses. We are market leading in the UK for the supply of these products to the Rail Industry and we are looking for an experienced Rail Projects Manager to handle and develop rail Assembly Projects both in the UK and Europe. This is a role that requires both operational/technical knowledge of electromechanical assemblies in the Rail Industry as well as customer facing and business development skills. The role would include: - Putting together all Rail estimates and bids - Act as Project Manager for all Rail Projects incorporating internal Account Management for rail customers - Liaising closely with manufacturing both in the Czech Republic and the UK to ensure the manufacturability of all rail projects. Project manage the operational aspects of manufacturing including Tooling, configuration management and advise on aspects of production engineering. - Be responsible for monitoring margins on all rail projects. - Liaise closely with rail customers and working with the Directors be involved in driving all commercial and legal negotiations and develop strong relationships and bonds with clients. - Work closely with and develop our Rail Component supply chain both nationally and globally. - Monitor and manage customer engineering change. - Communicate and manage customer schedules and advise on capacity requirements.
Please Send CV and covering letter to hr@time24.co.uk 01444 257 655
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Railway Children is the leading charity working with children who live on the streets and railway platforms in India, the UK and East Africa. With strong and loyal support from the UK rail industry, we have been fighting for street children for 20 years. We are currently seeking an inspiring and experienced leader to manage our Corporate Partnerships Team and generate significant income. The post holder needs to demonstrate vision, leadership and inspiration alongside a passion for creating positive change in children’s lives. A knowledge of the rail industry as well as strong contacts and connections would be an advantage. You will be personally credible with the gravitas to establish and sustain strong relationships with the senior management team and senior key stakeholders. CLOSING DATE: 05.04.15 For more information and a recruitment pack visit: www.railwaychildren.org.uk/jobs
CAREERS
April 2015 | RailStaff | 61
Siemens Rail System | Stratford
We’re going places with Eurostar, join the journey. Since December 2010, Siemens has been creating ten high-speed, interoperable, 16-car Eurostar trains for Eurostar International Ltd. At 400m long, the Eurostar e320 is the longest in the Siemens Velaro family and represents the current benchmark for high-speed trains with distributed traction. Our technology will help their service run to a range of destinations and in this next phase, we need dedicated people to help lead the continuation of this dynamic project.
Technical Engineer Job ID 194723 Providing both technical engineering and support capability, you’ll help generate solutions by offering technical guidance to the depot production teams, as well as coaching and mentoring technicians.
Fleet Performance Analyst Job ID 194578 Your role will be crucial in maximising fleet performance, analysing data to help prevent in-service failures and providing trend analysis to aid fleet reliability improvement measures.
Technical Support Engineer Job ID 194567 Providing technical support for the customers maintenance team on site and at incidents off depot, you’ll help to achieve effective performance from the designated fleet(s).
Contact
To find out more about the individual roles please visit us at our website, click ‘search’ in the search box and then enter the Job ID into the Job ID field.
siemens.co.uk/careers
Stuck in the wrong role? Coming to the end of a contract? Simply looking for a career change? We’d like to talk to you. advance Training & Recruitment Services are international rail recruiters, specialists in the provision of high calibre candidates and careers throughout the rail industry We will be exhibiting at this year’s Railtex exhibition at the Birmingham NEC from the 12th until the 14th of May. Make sure you stop by at Stand D50 to speak with one of our recruitment experts. There will also be an opportunity for visitors to be in with a chance to win a brand new iPad Air! Don’t miss out.
Come talk to us
Stand D50
Our recruitment experts will be on hand to discuss career opportunities across a whole host of disciplines including:
• Signalling
• Permanent Way
• Telecommunications
• Mechanical & Electrical
• Electrification & Power
• Project Services
• Civils
• International
Sign up for a free pass
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Find vacancies online
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CAREERS
62 | RailStaff | April 2015
FROM STRATFORD TO THE GLOBE Commercial Agreements Opportunities Working to connect people and places across London, Crossrail is the largest addition to the southeast rail network in over 50 years. With 24 trains every hour, every week we’ll be able to take 250,000 more passengers wherever they need to be – whether they’re meeting up with best friends, or seeing theatre’s greatest performances. And, as you collaborate with some of the biggest names in the industry, we’ll help you to take your experience further too. We currently have a number of Commercial opportunities within our Transition and Strategy directorate to manage and put in place the pipeline of agreements necessary to support the staged introduction of Crossrail services. Based within our dedicated agreements Programme Management Office, the roles will identify and monitor the completion of all Crossrail Third Party Agreements categories, including Operational, Systemwide, Stations, Utility and associated land and property agreements. For more information on each vacancy, and details of how to apply please visit www.crossrail.co.uk/careers Closing date: 26 April 2015.
NETWORK RAIL CONTINGENT LABOUR We are pleased to announce that Network Rail have awarded a contract to Ganymede Solutions to provide contingent labour in the following regions: Western & Wessex (Core Primary Supplier)
LNE North (Core Primary Supplier)
Wales (Core Primary Supplier)
LNE/W Middle
The 5 year contract commenced on the 1st April 2015 As a result of this award Ganymede are seeking to enhance their existing workforce in certain areas of the routes. If interested in applying for Ganymede to be your Primary Sponsor, then please register now for specific routes as detailed below.
Wessex contact John Quirke 0333 011 2048 | john.quirke@ganymedesolutions.co.uk
LNE North contact Mark Finch 0333 011 2048 | mark.finch@ganymedesolutions.co.uk
Western, Wales contact Natasha Jones 01443 749050 | natasha.jones@ganymedesolutions.co.uk
LNE/W Middle contact Ceri Saunders 0333 011 2048 | ceri.saunders@ganymedesolutions.co.uk
@StobartRailLtd @StobartRailLtd Stobart Rail Infrastructure Engineering is Our project team have extensive one of the UK's leading names in rail experience on construction of new earth Stobart Rail Infrastructure Engineering is project team haveleading extensive Stobart Rail Infrastructure Engineering isOur one of the UK’s network maintenance, and embankments and cuttings,of stabilisation one of the UK's leadingrepair names in rail experience on construction new earth names railStobart network maintenance, repair and improvement. Due to improvement. Rail hold and re-grading works to embankments network in maintenance, repair andboth a embankments and cuttings, stabilisation Network Rail Principal Contractor's and cuttings, Emergency Sea improvement. Stobart Rail hold both a of contracts re-grading works our success in winning a number in CP5 we are to in embankments aworks, period Licence Plant Contractor's Operating Licence. Defence works & Geotechnical Networkand RailRail Principal and cuttings, Emergency works,projects. Sea of sustained growth. As aand result we now have the following career We offer and nationwide coverage 24/7 Licence Rail Plant Operating Licence. Defence works & Geotechnical projects. Emergency response on Earthworks We employ our ambition own staff and We offer nationwide coverage 24/7 opportunities available forand effective team players withallthe to operate Drainage, & Tunnels, Permanent andemploy maintain our own plant. EmergencyBridges response on Earthworks We allall our own staff and operate help drive our business forward. Way failures. Drainage, Bridges & Tunnels, Permanent and maintain all our own plant. Way failures.
We currently have the following career opportunities available for candidates looking to join our successful and growing team. All roles are
QUANTITY SURVEYOR BUYER PROJECT MANAGER PROJECT based from our Carlisle Head office with nationwide travel required depending on theto projects. candidates must hold team. aAGENT validAll PTS. Salaries We currently have the following career opportunities available for candidates looking join ourAll successful and growing roles are are negotiable on skills based from ourdepending Carlisle Head officeand withexperience. nationwide travel required depending on the projects. All candidates must hold a valid PTS. Salaries
•are Responsible for pre-contract • experience. Overall management of the negotiable depending on skills and activities to enable delivery of project including compliance with ASSISTANT PROJECT operating budget related to duties of Principal Contractor as PROJECT MANAGER MANAGER ASSISTANT supplies and services. defined in thePROJECT CDM regulations.
PROJECT MANAGER Obtain competitive material
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Understand the contract requirements and obligations including communications with SSOW PLANNER third parties.
• Ensure full adherence to the • Ensure compliance with the • Develop and take full ownership • To produce SSOW packs in • Responsible for all commercial • Assist the Project Manager in Manage all stages of the project SRP32 Civils Valuation Process prices to assist the Tendering Company ‘Principal Contractors of site budgets for your projects accordance with Network Rail elements, you will ensure that the managing all stages of the project, processes to ensure that all work To produce SSOW packs in • that • Responsible for all commercial • Assist the Project Manager in • Team Manage all stages of the project and SRP28 Management of when submitting tenders to Licence’. reflect the overall delivery company standard project is progressing in line plan and implement undertaken compliant all Procurement accordance with Network Rail external clients. strategy /methodology elements, youProcedures. will ensure thatwith the managing all stages correct of the project, processes toisensure thatwith all work • To ensure atofair and reasonable NR/L2/OHS/019 Safety of people the contractual agreement. processes ensure that all work HSE legislation and best with all company standard project is progressing in line with plan and implement correct undertaken is compliant • Attend tender handover • To regularly monitor the Market financial return on the company’s • Manage site expenditures to meet working on or near the line.people undertaken isensure compliant with all practices. NR/L2/OHS/019 the contractual agreement. processes to that all work HSE legislation and best and review reports contracts for key resources to ensure investment. (or better) the siteSafety budgetofand • meetings Prepare commercial health, safety & environmental working on or near the line. undertaken is compliant with all practices. in association with the bid team, that the established buying accurately track daily expenditure. • To book worksites and isolations includingcommercial Cost Value reports • To develop positive relationships • Prepare the team andand legislation andproject practices, Managing QS and Estimating & arrangements continue to provide • Establish health, safety &best environmental using Network Rail Possession Reconciliations, cash flows and with all parties associated with • To book worksites and isolations including Cost Value • value To develop positive relationships ensure team members discharge • “Own” the cost reporting system Contracts Manager highlighting for money. in accordance Railway and legislation and with best all practices, Planning System (PPS) and to be claims. Exercise full and cost control the andassociated ensure thatwith it is their duties and responsibilities for yourNetwork project(s) and prepare using Rail Possession Reconciliations, cash flows and withproject all parties all commercial risks Group, Network Rail and Stobart in accordance with all Railway • Target goods, services and/or effectively. accurate (55% variance fromto be fully conversant with GZAC. of the project including delivered onand time, within budget Planning System (PPS) and claims. Exercise full costproviding control the project ensure that it is opportunities and producing a Rail Standards. Group, Network Rail and Stobart suppliers toagreed identifyquality how tangible actual) periodic forecasts and monitoring budgets and and to the whilst mitigation plan of action. fully will conversant with GZAC. of the project including providing delivered on time, within budget • /updates You be attend improvements may be made. forrequired out-turnto cost. Raildevelop Standards. forecasts in conjunction • To positive relationships ensuring clientquality expectations and monitoring budgets with and the and to thethat agreed whilst meetings and be responsible • You will be required to attend for Project Manager / Managing with all parties associated with regarding quality, programme forecasts in conjunction with the • To develop positive relationships ensuring that client expectations the monitoring of responsible the work for meetings and be Quantity Surveyor. Identification the andassociated ensure thatwith it is and budget are wherever Project Manager / Managing withproject all parties regarding quality, programme scheduling process to the monitoring of theand work and implementation of quality delivered onand time, within budget possible exceeded. Quantity Surveyor. Identification the project ensure that it is and budget are wherever We would also like to hear from: Assistant Project Managers | Procurement Co-ordinators | Civil Engineering Operatives. ensure that the approved scheduling process and to and efficiency improvement and to the agreed quality whilst and implementation of quality delivered on time, within budget possible exceeded. procedures are approved followed. • Candidates must have PTS and ensure that the initiatives. ensuring clientquality expectations and efficiency improvement and to thethat agreed whilst COSS certificates. procedures are followed. • Candidates must have PTS and regarding quality, programme initiatives. ensuring that client expectations COSS These are certificates. interesting and rewarding positions within what is one of For details of how to apply, as well as checking other opportunities and budget are wherever regarding quality, programme the region’s best known and most successful group ofwherever companies available to develop your career at various locations across the UK, possible exceeded. and budget are with excellent rates of pay and attractivepossible benefitsexceeded. packages available please visit our website: www.stobartgroup.com • Candidates must have PTS and • •
to the right candidates.
TO APPLY TO APPLY
Full job specifications available on request. To apply, please email your Full job specifications available on application, detailing relevant request. To apply, please emailskills, your experience qualifications, to: application,and detailing relevant skills, experience and qualifications, to:
•
COSS certificates. Candidates must have PTS and COSS certificates.
HR Manager: hr@stobartrail.com or HR Manager: telephone 01228 882300 to request hr@stobartrail.com or an application pack. telephone 01228 882300 to request an application pack.
t. e. t. e.
HR Manager 01228 882 300 HR Manager hr@stobartrail.com 01228 882 300 hr@stobartrail.com
stobartgroup.com stobartgroup.com
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