RailStaff April 2017 by Rail Media

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CONTENTS APRIL 2017 | ISSUE 233

VIRGIN AT 20 | 22 Andy Milne looks back at 20 years of Virgin’s involvement with the rail industry.

CHARITY STARTS AT WORK | 30 A Q&A with Jason Tetley, chief executive of the Railway Benefit Fund.

RAILSTAFF AWARDS RETURNS | 33 30

It’s that time of year again. We begin preparations for the 2017 event.

NEW VENUE FOR RVE | 42 RVE 2017 will return this October hosted at one of the East Midlands’ exciting new venues: Derby Velodrome.

JOINING THE DEBATE | 48 Costain says it can have a positive influence on the industry as it announced its membership of RSSB.

T H G I L T O P 2 ALS | 5 T E … M w E o h es ON TH er crim

R ng MURDgEes missing passe NRM sta

GENDER, SKILLS AND SHORTAGES | 54 54

How much progress is being made in promoting STEM education to young women?

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Staff

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

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Easter - A family affair

Paul O’Connor

Editor:

Andy Milne

Production and design:

Adam O’Connor

Senior Reporter:

Marc Johnson

Senior Writer:

Colin Garratt

Track Safety:

Colin Wheeler

Event Sales:

Jolene Price

Advertising:

Asif Ahmed

Chris Davies

Craig Smith

Jake Flower

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The vexed question of celebrating Easter when not a believer was thrown into sharp relief by protests over the dropping of the term altogether from Cadbury’s National Trust Easter egg hunt.

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The Easter holiday is not the preserve of the righteous, far from it. Rest assured, hunting for Easter eggs, eating roast lamb and simnel cake are traditions that will long survive our present bewilderment. The long weekend - Good Friday to Bank Holiday Monday - is universally greeted with relief after the dark, difficult days of winter. Families, however loosely defined, get together amidst lingering log fires, flowers and lighter evenings. We remember that railway workers, police and soldiers will work through the holiday with unflinching vigilance to keep us safe. © Shutterstock.com

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The family itself has come in for dislocation. The bizarre machinations of a state apparatus more interested in political correctness than the welfare of children, further damages this unique institution. Yet it survives and can be defined as any small group of people united by the bonds of shared experience. Close friendships are never better expressed than by serving soldiers. The unit becomes the family and comrades will defend to the death their fellows in arms. It is an example of selfless devotion that should inspire every parent. Military personnel often make good transitions to the railway identifying the team they join as a successor to the platoon left behind. It may never be the same but it is a help, a fresh start. How good then to offer Easter eggs all round. Eggs symbolise new birth, the resurrection of hope. The fruit cake - dotted with mini-eggs denoting Christ’s apostles represents the sweetness of new life. Eating lamb - acceptable to all major faiths - unites us against the violence and discord of our times. A sacrificial lamb was eaten by the ancient Israelites the night of their escape from Egypt. However, unwittingly Easter celebrations follow the ancient protocols of a faith that will survive the fickle nostrums of confectioners and preservation societies. This may not occur to the average punter on Easter Sunday but it endures, like the family. Never mind the righteous and the rich, Easter is for those who doubt, who struggle and grow weary at life’s vicissitudes. Celebrate with gusto! Easter is the eternal promise of the ultimate victory of good over evil. Happy Easter. andy@rail-media.com FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAILSTAFFUK | RAILSTAFF.UK

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Stamp success for steady hand Ian A train guard is to have one of his paintings turned into a postage stamp. Ian Cryer’s oil painting of postal staff working aboard the last-ever Travelling Post Office will feature in the Royal Mail Heritage: Transport ‘Post & Go’ stamp series. The new issue, called ‘Rail and Mail’ has been produced as part of Royal Mail’s 500-year anniversary celebrations. Mr Cryer works on charter services operated by DB Cargo UK. Says Ian, ‘It is an honour to see my painting recreated as one of Royal Mail’s Post & Go stamps. I am a lifelong rail enthusiast so it’s wonderful to combine this interest with painting.’ Ian created the masterpiece in 2003 after hearing that the

Travelling Post Office services were ending. The painting was created at 90mph in the night as Ian travelled on a service from Plymouth to Bristol. It was completed in the railway sidings and at the Royal Mail depot at Bristol Parkway, where workers posed during their night shift. A commemorative print of the painting was presented to over 500 members of staff when the TPO services finished. Ian Cryer has been painting professionally and exhibiting for over 40 years and is president of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters. He has worked as a guard for the past 11 years. ‘Combining my charter train job with my painting career allows me to see my subject from the inside rather like Turner tying himself to a ship’s mast in a storm to experience his subject at close hand. The Travelling Post Office was a memorable scene to paint, as at 90 miles per hour it’s quite difficult to keep a steady hand!’

Lent Journey for Seven Sisters As Easter approaches, a picture of seven nuns waiting for the train at Seven Sisters station on the London Underground has gone viral. The pictured was snapped by local commuter, Ben Patey, 33, on his way home. ‘I had just had a long day and I was waiting to jump on the train when I looked across and saw the nuns and the sign. I had to do a double-take. It was one

of those strange but amusing moments.’ The nuns were waiting for the train at Seven Sisters station whilst returning to Ware Carmelite Monastery in Hertfordshire. The group, part of an enclosed order, made an unusual foray into the world to attend a meeting addressed by Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols. There is actually an eighth sister in the group. A Happy Easter if you can spot her.

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Another Advance Advance-TRS has celebrated the appointment of its new chief executive officer and the launch of its new executive recruitment business. Industry veteran Paul Metcalfe (pictured below) has joined Advance-TRS, having developed some of the biggest names in technical recruitment over the last 25 years. Metcalfe’s appointment is set to launch the ambitious recruitment company into an exciting new phase. From 1991 to 2003, Metcalfe was the managing director of technical recruitment consultancy AndersElite. He then moved on to co-found Fusion People in 2004 and led the company as its group managing director, growing revenues from zero to £150 million during his 12-year tenure. Metcalfe joins Advance-TRS not long after it celebrated its fifth year in business. In that time, Advance has grown from a standing start to over £16 million in annual turnover; from a one-man start-up to a 32-person operation. In the last year alone, the business has doubled its staff numbers and more than doubled its office space to accommodate future growth. Speaking during an event at Devonshire Terrace in the City of London last month, founder and group managing director Andy Ridout had great words to say about the new appointment on the night. ‘I am very proud to have attracted someone of Paul Metcalfe’s calibre to join us here at Advance-TRS...He brings an incredible wealth of experience to

the business and I’m delighted to have him on board,’ said Andy. Starting his new role with immediate effect, Metcalfe’s main remit is to help Advance-TRS achieve its ambitious growth plans through a series of mergers, acquisitions and organic business growth. Says Metcalfe, ‘When I decided to move on from Fusion People, I spoke to several recruitment businesses but was particularly taken by Andy’s ambition and energy. His drive, together with the Advance-TRS company culture, fits in well with my personal vision as it offers recruiters the opportunity to develop their careers by offering a consultative approach to clients rather than just being job fillers. ‘Personally, I take particular enjoyment from growing and developing businesses, and I truly believe I can use my experience to support Advance-TRS achieve its ambitious growth plans. I am excited for what my future with Advance brings.’ The March launch event also acted as an introduction to Advance’s new executive interim recruitment service, Advance Interim. Advance Interim was launched as a response to a growing demand from industry clients seeking to fill short-term, executive-level vacancies. Working discreetly and quickly, Advance Interim is able to source highly skilled and experienced professionals to fill niche short term skill requirements including bid and tender support, change management initiatives, maternity/ paternity cover or long-term sick leave cover.

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Tunnel vision goes national London’s Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy (TUCA) is to expand and fulfil a national role at the cutting edge of Britain’s burgeoning rail engineering industry. Set up in 2011 to support the urgent training needs of the Crossrail project, TUCA has been transferred over to TfL which has signed a contract with Prospects College of Advanced Technology (PROCAT) to run the Ilford-based college. Over 15,000 men and women - many of them apprentices - have trained at the academy. Building on this vast portfolio of Crossrail-pioneered skills in tunnelling and underground construction, future rail and tunnelling projects will benefit from the knowledge and dynamics first witnessed at Ilford. Apprentices will learn the skills required to build infrastructure projects across the country. Staff - some of whom may well travel to work on the line they helped build - will teach the high skills curricula needed to run the railways of the future and build HS2, Thames Tideway, Crossrail 2 and HS3.

Says Mike Brown MVO, London’s Transport Commissioner, ‘It is essential we continue to develop the skills this country needs to deliver major infrastructure projects, from Crossrail 2 to HS2. The Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy has played a leading role in supporting the skills for the Crossrail project and will leave a lasting legacy with new apprentices learning the vital skills of tunnelling and construction.’ By the end of the year, the academy will also be home to the Elizabeth line maintenance and station staff training centre. A mock-up of a new station will also be on site later this year. The college includes a space to practice sprayed concrete lining in specially designed tunnel openings. As well as construction locomotives and a gantry crane, there’s a tunnel mock-up where, alarmingly entitled, Evacuation Simulations take place. TUCA was established at Ilford by Crossrail Limited in 2011 at a cost of £13 million. Smart money is on further expansion of TUCA - the rail industry can ill afford not to.

Charity Special success for Ant Yandell's 442 To mark the last Class 442 in planned passenger service, on Sunday, 12 March, a Southern 442 took to the metals for the last time on a farewell tour. Leaving Victoria and taking in unusual places on the Southern network included sidings such as Streatham Hill and Preston Park and depots such as Battersea Stewarts Lane and Brighton Lovers Walk before returning to Victoria nine hours later. Tickets for the tour were sold through the Branch Line Society (BLS) and sales including raffles and refreshments raised over £12,000 for Southern’s corporate charities, Eastbourne-based Embrace and Luton-based Keech Hospice. The tour was a resounding success with over 250 people enjoying the ride. Success was all down to the hard work of Southern, Network Rail staff and the BLS, and in particular, Southern Train Services manager Ant Yandell (pictured with the train at Beckenham Junction) who organised the event.

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Railway wises up Network Rail has announced plans to boost the number of women joining the industry. Bold targets aimed at increasing female employees to 20 per cent by 2020 will help address the shortfall in engineers required for the rapidly expanding railway. Network Rail flagged off the new initiative during the recent National Apprenticeship Week and International Women’s Day, announcing a new engagement programme with schools. Rail chiefs want to inspire young women to study STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths). Says Helen Samuels, Network Rail’s engineering director, ‘Engineering is basically problem-solving. Sometimes it’s maths, but sometimes it’s helping people to understand what you are doing and why, or figuring out how to build something for less money. Diverse teams are important for this, and having a mixture of skills sets in these problem-solving situations is key. One of the most common myths is that engineering is a ‘dirty’ profession. Many engineering roles are based either part time or full time in an office environment, although I really enjoy the cut and thrust of site work.’

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Boys only?

Flying High

Of the 12,000 graduate engineers the UK produces every year, one in five are women. British industry needs 54,000 a year or our economy will suffer, says WISE - Women in Science and Engineering. According to WISE research shows that the majority of teachers - 82 per cent - admit they don’t have the appropriate knowledge to advise pupils on their career choices. ‘There is still a wide perception that engineering jobs are for boys only,’ says Loraine Martins, Network Rail’s director of diversity and inclusion. ‘Many of the outdated stereotypes about what makes certain career choices male or female continue to be engrained within some children from a really young age, often passed down through parents, families and teachers. ‘Our own research has shown that girls as young as seven believe that engineering is not an option for them, which is why we need to do everything we can to educate children, parents and teachers about the vast array of jobs within the sector. Attracting and retaining a diverse mix of talent is essential not only for our business, but also for the UK economy as a whole.’

Emma Taylor, who joined Network Rail as an apprentice, is now a National Aerial Survey Specialist, responsible for operating camera equipment mounted on Network Rail’s surveillance helicopter. ‘I work all over the country so no day is ever the same. The aircraft surveys the whole of the rail network from above and looks for any potential faults with the equipment along the infrastructure. My job is to spot flaws before a failure occurs as this helps to keep the network running safely and smoothly. ‘The best part of my job is the travel. I’ve travelled across the entire country now and have seen it all from above, sometimes I have to pinch myself because it is so breath-taking. I also get to meet lots of different people which is so interesting, including many of our engineers who come up in the helicopter with us.’ Network Rail staff will be going into schools across the country to deliver educational sessions on careers in the STEM sector throughout 2017.

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Phillips heads expanded team at SNC-Lavalin SNC-Lavalin has made four senior appointments to its UK Rail & Transit team. Matt Phillips becomes director, rail infrastructure systems. He has three direct reports: head of control systems, Martin Fenner; head of route (track and civils) systems, Paul Marshall; and head of energy systems, Nick Snell. Matt joined SNC-Lavalin in 2011 as director, control systems from Ansaldo-STS UK. Previously, he was head of

control systems integration and technology projects on the West Coast Route Modernisation project. Martin Fenner was recruited in 2012, as senior signalling systems consultant within the Control Systems team. He then progressed to section head and head of business development before being promoted to his latest role. Prior to joining SNC-Lavalin, Martin was a signal engineer for London Underground. He was also the young members chairman

for the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE) and a co-founder of Young Rail Professionals. Paul Marshall and Nick Snell are both new additions to the SNC-Lavalin team. Paul has spent 35 years in the rail industry, with a background in track, civil, structures and building engineering. He has undertaken a number of key roles during his career. Most recently he was managing director at Owen Williams Railways. He has worked for White Young Green

and Bridgezone, and was chief operating officer at Robert West. Nick Snell has spent the past 30 years in senior engineering and operational management roles, with a specific focus on railway electrification and power systems. His previous positions include head of electrification at Alstom Transport, engineering director for ABC Electrification, electrification technical director for WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff and functional lead for Railway Electrification Contact Systems at Network Rail.

Matt Phillips.

Martin Fenner.

Paul Marshall.

Nick Snell.

Return match for Sunderland Carson Sunderland man Chris Carson is now leading Newcastle Metro’s operations as Metro services director. Nexus, the public body which owns and manages the Tyne and Wear Metro, took direct control of Metro operations on 1 April. Chris Carson worked as a signaller, joining BR in 1994, and rose to local manager over the next eight years. In 2002, he worked in York for Network Rail operations. Carson worked on High Speed One as operations manager from 2008 - 2012 before joining East Coast Trains as a service delivery head. In 2015, he was promoted to head of business change. Says Chris, 45, ‘I’m really looking forward to this new role. I’m from the North East, and I’ve used the Metro for many years, so I always wanted a job here as part of my career in the railway industry. The challenge is to continue to build on the improving levels of performance.

‘I will be working closely with the new Metro leadership team on this. Performance hasn’t been where it should be over the last few years and the aim is make it better for our customers.’ The role was created ahead of the Metro operating contract with DB Regio coming to an end. Chris, the operations and safety director at DB Regio since February 2016, took on the new job when the Metro operation was officially handed back to Nexus.

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Kay to head SWT Margaret Kay, managing director of Stagecoach Supertram, is stepping up to be managing director of South West Trains (SWT) for the remainder of the current franchise, which runs until summer 2017. The move follows the resignation of SWT’s managing director, Christian Roth, who has decided to step down after nearly a decade with the business. Christian Roth joined SWT in 2008 after leading the UK rail business for manufacturer Siemens. A former fleet director at SWT, he became managing director of the franchise in February 2016. Margaret Kay has worked for Stagecoach since 2000, initially as HR director for South West Trains, and then East Midlands Trains, before becoming managing director of Stagecoach Supertram in 2012. She was named one of the rail industry’s most inspirational women in a recent Women in Rail survey. Tim Bilby, currently Supertram’s head of finance and

commercial, will become interim managing director of Stagecoach Supertram. As well as working for TfL, outside the railway Margaret Kay has worked for Tesco as a personnel manager and Dixons as HR head. She spent two years in Cairo as a consultant with the Loutfly Mansour organisation, an Egyptian international conglomerate with interests in cars, oil and gas, banking, IT and transport.

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Knowles' Swedish move Silva lining GB Railfreight’s chief operating officer, David Knowles, has been appointed managing director of sister company Hector Rail AB in Sweden. Last November, GB Railfreight became part of Hector Rail Group - itself owned by EQT, a leading global private equity group. Knowles will be appointed as a non-executive director of GB Railfreight thus retaining his position on the board. Hector Rail is Sweden’s largest private rail freight company operating across Scandinavia and Germany. The former driver spent 14 years on the footplate with BR, Rail Express Systems and EWS. He joined GBRf in 2004. As an ops manager, Knowles helped build GBRf’s expanding portfolio of services, working with the Royal Mail, LUL infrastructure and the coal industry. GBRf managing director John Smith makes a point of encouraging all staff at the company. ‘This is the next natural step for Dave in his career and a great opportunity for him. I know everyone at GBRf will join me in wishing him every success for the future,’ says John. ‘The success of Hector Rail Group depends on the strength and performance of all the businesses within the group, so having Dave at the helm of Hector Rail AB can only mean positive growth for the Group as a whole. Dave will be sorely missed,’ he added. A jubilant Joakim Landholm, Group chief executive, Hector Rail Group, welcomed the move. ‘David brings with him incredibly strong knowledge and experiences which will be vital as we continue to develop Hector Rail AB,’ he said. For Knowles, career success is something of a team effort. ‘Without a doubt, any success I have had in GBRf is largely due to the passion, dedication and hard work of those people I’ve worked with over the last 13 years. ‘For that I am very thankful and proud to have been part of such a phenomenal journey,’ says David. GB Railfreight started from scratch in 1999 and is now the third largest rail freight operator in the United Kingdom.

Multi-disciplinary solutions provider SWGR has made key additions to its White-Collar recruitment division following significant expansion which has resulted in a requirement for further resources. Byron Da Silva has joined the business as a recruitment consultant, with a focus on winning new business within SWGR’s existing client base and with other multi-national blue chip companies. Byron graduated from the University of Hull with a degree in applied science (physics) and has a background in technical recruitment. He has previously worked for Kelly Services, where he successfully placed senior engineers and scientists. Byron will be heavily involved in some of SWGR’s internal training initiatives, utilising advanced and innovative sourcing techniques to connect with clients and candidates.

Says Byron, ‘I am pleased to have joined SWGR’s White-Collar division and look forward to further developing my career with this exciting business. We have been working with candidates as we focus on finding the best talent to fill niche roles in niche sectors. Some of the industries we work with include engineering, civils, power and disaster management, all of which SWGR has a strong reputation for delivering peoplefocused solutions for.’

Jackie heads NCHSR Jackie Grubb is now hard at work at the new National College for High Speed Rail in Birmingham which she heads as its first principal. She will be orchestrating a robust training curriculum for the anticipated 1,300 students at the new £40 million institution based near Aston University. The new HS2 terminal at Curzon Street will be a short walk away. The college has a second campus at Doncaster. The former Ofsted inspector worked as a lecturer and was a director at Swindon College and deputy principal at Basingstoke College of Technology. She has a degree in education from Warwick University.

Says Jackie, ‘With the college gearing up to launch this September and produce a new generation of highly skilled professionals who will lead Britain’s rail industry, this is a great time to join the team. ‘I’m looking forward to building a new, diverse workforce for the rail sector, and I’m absolutely committed to working with our growing network of employers to offer cutting-edge technical and professional courses which produce the talented young people they need. The college is set to create a new generation of highly proficient workers based across the country who will help make Britain’s infrastructure stronger.’

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Passenger figures for Birmingham’s popular tram system continue to soar following extensions to the network last year. Numbers look set to top seven million from the five million achieved in 2015. Figures rose to 6.6 million in 2016 after trams returned to the city centre for the first time in more than 50 years, initially going to Bull Street and then to the redeveloped New Street station. Ease of use partially explains the success of the trams but credit goes to Birmingham itself - regenerated and reborn with railways and the tram system playing a crucial role in redeveloping the city. ‘We brought in contactless payment when the Birmingham city centre extension opened - we thought it would make travelling by tram more attractive,’ says Colin Saward, managing director of National Express Midland Metro. ‘We were proved right - now 20 per cent of tickets sold on the tram are bought using contactless. ‘Over two thirds of our customers tell us they like contactless because it’s quicker and they don’t need to carry cash or worry about having the right change.’ New Swift cards brought in by Transport for West Midlands will make it easier still. The hi-tech smartcards can be used on trams and buses and will now be valid on the region’s trains operated by London Midland, Virgin Trains, Chiltern Railways, Arriva Trains Wales and Cross Country. The tram network is expected to triple in size over the next decade as part of the West Midlands Combined Authority’s ambitious longterm transport strategy. Passenger numbers are forecast to grow to more than 30 million. Roger Horton, of WMCA’s Transport Delivery Committee, believes the growth should be seen as an emphatic endorsement of the city centre extension. ‘This impressive increase shows why the WMCA is moving forward with a £1.2 billion expansion of the tram network and why Metro is an important part of the authority’s economic and transport plans,’ says Horton.

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Tram riders pack city centre

Metro back in-house Transport for West Midlands is to take over the day-to-day running of its Midland Metro trams from October 2018 when the current concession, held by National Express, finishes. West Midlands Combined Authority says the move will enable TfWM to plough millions of pounds of future profits back into expanding the network. Existing National Express staff will be transferred to a new subsidiary company – Midland Metro Ltd - which will be wholly

owned by the WMCA. Says Roger Lawrence, head of transport at WMCA, ‘Metro is a fundamental part of our future plans not only for transport but for the West Midlands economy as a whole. ‘It is a proven catalyst for economic growth and is critical to best connect and feed into HS2 so we can reap the maximum economic benefits possible from the high speed rail line. That’s why Metro is embarking on an unprecedented period of expansion and we believe bringing services in house will provide the extra flexibility and adaptability needed to meet this exciting new chapter while generating millions of pounds for the benefit of passengers and taxpayers.’ The plan follows a similar move by Nexus, the passenger transport authority for Tyne and Wear which brought its local metro system back in house on 1 April.

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Drone in one Friends of Dronfield station are toasting their tenth anniversary with a special locally brewed beer. Brewed by Drone Valley Brewery of Unstone, the beer is in fact a porter and is on sale at the Three Tuns in Dronfield, Derbyshire. Says Friends of Dronfield Station project manager Philip Brightmore, ‘Being part of a voluntary group which has brought the trains back to Dronfield and made the station an attractive gateway to the town is a reward in itself, but to have a local brew named after us is the icing on the cake, or maybe the foaming head on a glass of beer.’ Dronfield station dates from 1870 but was closed and the

buildings razed under the Beeching cuts. The station was re-opened by BR in 1981. In 2008, following pressure from the community rail volunteers, services were expanded. Part of the expanding dynamic of community rail partnerships, FoDS was formed in 2007. It now boasts over 200 members and the enthusiastic support of local business, commuters and students. Dronfield is one the largest towns in Derbyshire outside Derby with 25,000 inhabitants and an estimated 25,000 living within three miles of the station.

Blackpool trams rock Blackpool’s revamped trams are proving more popular than ever with five million journeys recorded since April 2016. The tramway re-opened in 2012 and has topped the five million passengers mark for the first time since 1994. The good news comes as work progresses to extend the tramway from the Promenade up to Blackpool North station. Says Christine Wright, chair of Blackpool Transport, ‘It is fantastic news that more and more people are choosing to use the tramway

network to get around the Fylde coast. Its success varies from daily commuters trying to beat the traffic, to holidaymakers enjoying the ease at which the trams get them between attractions. Using the tram is not only environmentally friendly, but it is also an enjoyable way to get around and good value for money.’ Following an extensive track refit, the tram system re-opened in 2012 with a new depot and sparkling fleet of 16 Flexity2 trams. Old heritage trams still run during the summer. © Shutterstock.com

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Farewell Piccadilly? All main line stations in Manchester could soon be run by the hugely successful Transport for Greater Manchester if the city’s ‘Case for Change’ is approved by the Department for Transport. Manchester wants to secure a multi-million pound investment plan plus regional accountability by bringing Greater Manchester’s railway stations under local control. Says Tony Lloyd, Greater Manchester Mayor, ‘Many of Greater Manchester’s rail stations do not meet the expectations of the travelling public. Stations have lost their place in the community, more than half lack step-free access, and some can be intimidating to use, particularly at night. ‘I believe it is important that our transport assets do not just meet, but exceed the demands of users. The case for change is clear. With a transfer of rail station responsibilities we can envision our local rail stations as thriving community hubs that can open up access to jobs, housing and leisure.’ The plan, developed by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, is in line with the 2014 devolution agreement. Case for Change recommends the wholesale transfer of stations to Greater Manchester and sets out plans for long-term investment to enable local stations to act

as community hubs, improving transport links and catalysing local regeneration and social enterprises. Subject to Government agreement, these 94 local rail stations could transfer to Greater Manchester custodianship in the next two to three years, with city centre Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Victoria and Oxford Road to follow thereafter. Main line stations have been increasingly seen as big revenue earners with retail enterprises flourishing on concourse and platform alike. Manchester Piccadilly, extensively modernised, is a case in point. However, city chiefs believe short term franchises slow up investment. ‘Our Case for Change plan offers a long-term approach to investment and growth that our industry partners have simply been unable to deliver under the constraints of the current system,’ says Mayor Lloyd. ‘It makes financial sense, benefits local communities and puts passengers first. Crucially, these proposals support our 2040 transport strategy for an integrated transport network, which has received widespread support from local residents, businesses and organisations.’ If approved, over £400 million – combined from existing funding streams and additional Greater Manchester investment – would be invested in local stations over the next two decades.

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We'll Always Have Paris SNCF has swung its weight behind the Paris bid to host the 2024 Olympics.

Leading cheminots from French Railways will join the Comité Paris 2024 as it heads to Lima in Peru in September to convince Olympic leaders to choose the French capital. France lost out to London in the 2012 Olympics despite being the initial frontrunner. The International Olympic Committee is thought to have been convinced by a combination of Lord Coe, David Beckham and High Speed One. This time round Paris faces stiff competition from Los Angeles, the only other contender. Security concerns could weaken the bid but Paris sports an excellent rail system - gridlocked LA lags behind.

On the buses

Rail chiefs and staff are backing the latest campaign by Samaritans which sees buses around Britain carrying the message: ‘We Listen’ with a free-to-call phone number. The Samaritans programme manager Ola Rzepczynska said, ‘Life is tough and anyone can feel overwhelmed. Our specially trained volunteers will listen, whatever you need to talk about and no matter what is going on in your life. By advertising our helpline on buses, we hope to reach more people and let them know that anyone can contact

Samaritans.’ Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 50 and of young men and women aged 24 to 35. By taking the campaign beyond the rail environment, Samaritans and the rail industry hope to encourage people from all walks of life to reach out for help and not suffer in silence, using the message ‘We don’t just hear you, we listen’. Says Network Rail programme manager Ian Stevens, ‘Every death by suicide is a tragedy and has a traumatic impact on everyone involved. By extending the reach of the We Listen campaign and

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Bon chance Mechan

Rail depot equipment specialist Mechan is joining France’s CIM Group – one of the industry’s most ambitious international suppliers of integrated solutions. The Sheffield-based manufacturer will be retaining its name, management and personnel but will benefit from the support of CIM’s export expertise and industry contacts. Says Richard Carr, Mechan’s managing director, ‘This takeover will provide us with an excellent opportunity to accelerate our international development. I will continue to lead Mechan’s expert team and as far as existing clients are concerned, it will be business as usual. However, we are looking forward to raising CIM’s profile in the UK and becoming part of an organisation that has demonstrated its dynamism through consistent growth.’ Mechan will be adding its extensive range of heavy lifting and handling equipment to CIM’s portfolio of products and services, which includes the design and delivery of railway

letting more people know about Samaritans’ services, together we can save more lives. By advertising on buses Samaritans stands to reach hundreds of thousands of people with the message that support is available, you don’t have to struggle alone.’ Samaritans has been working with the rail industry since 2010, promoting awareness of its services and training thousands of rail staff in suicide prevention

infrastructure supply and construction projects. Originally known as Logerail, the company was created in 1975 by French rail authorities to guarantee a reliable supply of spare parts and equipment. It became CIM, Compagnie Internationale de Maintenance, in 1991 and was bought by a management buy out in 1997. CIM has subsidiaries in Canada (Rail Industries Canada), the United Kingdom (Lloyd ABC Couplers), Singapore (Rail Solutions) and Panama (TCP Rail). Says Alain Lovambac, chief executive of the CIM Group, ‘Mechan is a particularly innovative and successful company whose high-quality products are complementary to our own. This acquisition strengthens our ambition to become a world leader in the design and supply of turnkey railway workshop solutions.’ (Left to right) Richard Carr, Mechan’s managing director and Alain Lovambac, chief executive of the CIM Group, shake hands on their acquisition deal.

skills. Its We Listen campaign, launched last year and has featured on electronic signs and posters in stations all over the UK, and on the back of train tickets. Three times more people die by suicide every year in the UK than by road traffic accidents.

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Gatwick Express, Heathrow Express, Stansted Express and Luton Thameslink now have a joint sales team at Edinburgh Airport encouraging air passengers flying into London to complete their journey by rail. The new initiative got off to a flying start on 17th March just ahead of Scotland’s dazzling win over Italy in the Six Nations match at Murrayfield. Research shows that Scottish (and Italian) passengers flying to London could save themselves £163,705,505.30 and 234,374,877 minutes per year if they all ditched taxis for the express train transfers between

Edinburgh boost for London rail links four London airports and central London. Passengers flying to Gatwick, Heathrow, London Luton and Stansted can buy their express rail tickets to central London from a team of mobile sales agents at Edinburgh Airport.

Neil warns against April Fool trick

Neil Robertson, genial chief executive of the National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR), has warned rail organisations not to miss out on substantial benefits by being unprepared for the new apprenticeship levy introduced this month. The new regulations mean that employers with wage bills of more than £3 million must put 0.5 per cent of their payroll into the levy to fund new apprenticeships. The Government wants to double spending on apprentices. It is looking to create an additional 30,000 transport apprenticeships by the end of the current parliament. ‘The effects of the new levy on the rail industry will be significant.

If managed and run correctly, the new changes need have no adverse financial effects. If just ignored, the levy will become just another government tax. That said the good news is that many rail companies are responding in a practical and positive way to these changes,’ says Neil. Neil is also positive about the opportunities the levy might create. He explains, ‘The Government has promised that the levy would give millions a step up on the ladder of opportunity. And the employers we’ve spoken to that have already got to grips with it have confirmed that it is likely to encourage them to hire more. But it is also good news because it can help provide greater control of apprenticeship programmes and improve their quality. It will also place greater focus on apprenticeship opportunities which will help fill vacancies, something that can be a challenge.’ A recent survey suggested that around a third of employers liable to pay the new Apprenticeship Levy from April are not even aware of its existence. Only a further third of organisations feel fully informed about the new rules with as many as 28 per cent still unsure whether it would affect their business.

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French patrol for BTP Thought cops on bikes were a thing of the past? Think again! A host of specially created Flying Squads will take to the roads over the three-day Bank Holiday weekend. Over a hundred officers from the British Transport Police aim to raise £30,000 for two charities; the Railway Benefit Fund and Victim Support. The aim is to cycle 25,000 miles - the equivalent of circumnavigating the Earth - over three days. One team, lead by Graham Cottington, an intelligence officer based in Ashford, Kent, plans to cycle from London St Pancras to the Gare du Nord in Paris. The team is training hard and includes Russ Taylor, based at BTP FHQ; Nick Sedgemore, also based at FHQ; and Nigel Davies, based at Bromley. The route takes them down to Newhaven and the ferry to Dieppe. Says Graham, ‘Both charities

are intrinsically linked to keeping people safe on the rail network and completely aligned to the force's purpose. We are delighted to help these worthy causes this year.’ Since 2014, the BTP has raised around £75,000 for charity. Over the three-day Bank Holiday weekend, the BTP3DAW teams will cycle between railway stations and routes of their choice - close to home – or on a faraway adventures, it’s their choice, in an attempt to match the complete distance around the world supported by colleagues, family and friends with spare inner tubes, gels and hot tea. Adds Graham, ‘This will all be in our own time and at our own cost for our two charities. Each team has been asked to cycle 300 miles.’ To help go to: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ team/BTP3DAW

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Old Oak Common opens its doors The historic Old Oak Common TMD will host an open day this September. The depot at the nerve centre of the Great Western first opened on 17 March 1906. Billed as OOC111, the event will see Old Oak Common hosting an array of traction and rolling stock celebrating its 111 years in the business - or, to use Lord of the Rings terminology, its eleventy first anniversary. In 1976, the depot was the Western Region’s maintenance hub for the newly introduced

Railway Children Delay Repay

High Speed Trains (HST). While the HST fleet still operates today, it is to be replaced after over 40 years of service by the new Hitachi Intercity Express (IEP) train starting later this year. All profits will go to the depot’s chosen charity, Place2Be, which provides mental health support for children in schools and whose patron is HRH The Duchess of Cambridge. In May 2016, GWR’s St Philips Marsh depot raised over £20,000 for charity with a celebration of 40 years of the High Speed Train.

Passengers will be able to donate their Delay Repay compensation to the charity Railway Children under a new scheme announced by East Midlands Trains.

Swiss Bonus for Kirkdale Merseyside’s new 52-strong fleet of four-car metro trains will be maintained at a purpose-built new depot at Kirkdale on Liverpool’s Northern line, as well as an upgraded facility at Birkenhead on the Wirral. BAM Nuttall has been awarded a multimillion pound contract by Stadler Rail Services UK, which is supplying the trains. The deal forms part of Stadler’s build and maintain agreement with Liverpool. The trains will be owned by Merseytravel. Merseyrail operates both trains and tracks on Liverpool’s regional rail network. Designed to derive the most efficient use of the new fleet by minimising the movement

of stock within the depot, the Kirkdale facility will include washing and stabling facilities, a maintenance shed with runthrough tracks, office space and a simulator suite. The design allows for the depot to be extended to accommodate 80-metre long trainsets. At Birkenhead North, the existing depot will be upgraded with a new washing facility. The Kirkdale depot will focus on overnight servicing and cleaning. The depot works should be completed in time for the arrival of new vehicles in 2019 for testing. Stadler will transfer 155 maintenance workers from Merseyrail into its own operations, bringing the total number of Stadler rail staff in the UK to over 200 people.

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Following the introduction of Delay Repay which enables customers to be compensated if their journey overruns by 30 minutes or more, the new initiative offers passengers an opportunity to make a difference at the click of a button. Railway Children is the first organisation to be nominated as a recipient of the scheme, and all funds raised will go towards its

work in supporting children at risk on the streets in the UK, India and East Africa who run away from home or are forced to leave due to poverty, violence or neglect. Says Jake Kelly, managing director for East Midlands Trains, ‘Obviously we dislike our trains being late as much as our customers do and we do everything we can to avoid any delays. However, if we can make sure that a good cause such as Railway Children benefits in some way from any unfortunate delays, then at least we’re making a positive difference to the lives of some of the most vulnerable children.’

FEATURE

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

IF YOU WANT MY FUTURE, FORGET MY PAST

VIRGIN AT 20 ANDY MILNE LOOKS BACK AT 20 YEARS OF VIRGIN’S INVOLVEMENT WITH THE RAIL INDUSTRY

‘W

ell, my dear, how does it feel to be a Virgin again?’ 20 years ago, when Virgin first took to the metals, you could get away with such humour. Cue hearty gales of laughter down the line from Birmingham. Broken-hearted Miriam had returned to work for InterCity in her hometown the year before. Despite a failed love affair, that morning saw her riding a wave of enthusiasm as Virgin swept into town. Back in 1997, Branson and his fabled buccaneers won two franchises: West Coast and Cross Country. It marked the start of a rail fightback that persists to this day. Miriam - not her real name - and I had worked for BR’s international rail freight company. Back then it was considered cool to join a passenger train company. This was in the days before Freightliner staged its management buyout and companies like GBRf made it cooler still to work for rail freight.

NO HOLIDAY IN THE SUN Virgin took to the metals 20 years ago in a rush of fresh thinking and enthusiasm that found a ready reflection in people like Miriam. Other staff were envious. ‘I mean, Virgin? And what do we get? A bus company!’ said the marketing manager at Gatwick Express, a career woman, kicking a filing cabinet with derailing-ferocity. That was the point - Virgin always had charisma - a rock and rebel approach. That said, there were redundancies, pain and dramatic change.

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Branson himself came across as affable, unfazed and curiously reticent at interviews. What would he do about Railtrack. Sir Richard shrugged. What about new stock? On its way! And RailStaff’s first question - I couldn’t help myself - how did it feel to sign the Sex Pistols? Not as difficult as negotiating a railway franchise. Branson murmured encouragement to staff and public alike. Good luck with the paper, he said, rolling up a copy of RailStaff. Branson himself needed more than luck with the west coast. Europe’s most heavily trafficked railway was in real trouble by the mid-nineties. Starved of investment, it really was the crumbling edge of the railway. This was no holiday in the sun. Performance plummeted.

VALUED, APPRECIATED, LOVED Unfazed, Branson hired Chris Green, rail legend and erstwhile head of InterCity, ScotRail and Network SouthEast. Chris spent the first few weeks talking to staff. The Spice Girls dominated the charts at the time and it's whimsical to imagine him humming: Tell me

The first Virgin Train, 900 'Mission: Impossible'. And Richard Branson visits the factory.

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

FEATURE

002 d below e Alstom

Myleene adds a touch of Klass to Virgin Trains East Coast. And bottom left Virgin unveil the Virgin Azuma.

what you want, what you really, really want, as he stumped his new patch. Green told me, ‘Staff face a challenge not of their own making.’ His singular achievement - and that of his direct reports - was to get people to accept their new employer. Performance climbed. Branson chimed in by throwing massive parties for staff at his home in Oxfordshire. Miriam reported back with a string of gushing superlatives. ‘If your staff feel valued, appreciated and loved, they are more likely to enjoy their work and perform even better,’ Branson argued. Back in the office Chris Green was no pushover to work with. He insisted on appointing Brenda Klug to head up marketing. Klug was a careerist at British Airways, now working for a medical company. ‘She’s part of the cure,’ Green argued and got his way. Branson has a catchphrase - ‘Screw it, just do it…..’ Startled railway managers found they had the freedom to do just that. Staff ideas were encouraged. Klug put bemused managers through a motivational course run by Mindstore’s Jack Black in Glasgow.

FIGHTING RAIL’S CORNER Quick off the mark in 1997, Virgin had painted an entire HST in the famous red and white livery. The press were invited for a mega-grice from Scotland to Cornwall. Virgin has always paid great attention to the press - railway and local. Almost alone among emerging railway organisations, Virgin fought rail’s corner in the media. In a laudable attempt to make sure it knew what it was talking about, VT at Euston hired old railway stalwarts like Steve Knight, one time editor of Rail magazine, and Dennis Lovett, walking encyclopaedia of railways. In Glasgow, the genial Allan McLean orchestrated a similar charm offensive with the Scottish press liberally fuelled by Scotland’s emerging micro-brewery scene. The media continued to pour scorn on Virgin Trains every chance it got but the railway fought back - heartily encouraged by RailStaff. Even politicians were routed. This still continues. Quite recently Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn claimed he couldn’t get a seat on an East Coast service. Flunkeys created a photo-op of him sitting on the floor. Virgin wasn’t having any of it and roundly disputed the ruse - using CCTV images to demonstrate there were spare seats on the trains. FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAILSTAFFUK | RAILSTAFF.UK

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DEEP TROUBLE Right from the start it was never plain sailing. The WCML upgrade ran into deep trouble with Railtrack, which couldn’t deliver what it had promised - 140mph running. There was a lesson here for the lamplighters at the DfT. But they ignored it. One consultant told me of Railtrack’s lawyers staggering ashen faced out of meetings with Virgin. Lesson - Branson believes in first rate legal advice. ‘Don’t let the pullovers fool you,’ one city analyst warned. The Blair administration never quite knew what to make of all this. Government involvement has always been treated with deep suspicion by the industry. As with the media, Virgin was happy to take it on.

FIRST THINGS FIRST The best episode for railway staff came with the awarding of the West Coast franchise to FirstGroup. Initially this was greeted equably. FirstGroup enjoys a certain affection amongst rail circles as it was set up by a management buy out staged by congenial fitter Moir Lockhead. I must record a conflict of interest here: Lockhead comes from a nearby village to me in County Durham. The lamplighters at Marsham Street, so legend has it, coined the phrase ABB Anyone But Branson. On the evening before the announcement, the lamplighters went home quite gleeful. The wonder kid and his rag-tag army of enthusiasts, rock stars and rail wonks had been stopped in its tracks. They laughed too soon. Branson wouldn’t accept it and challenged the decision in the courts. Rail franchising was already under intense scrutiny after a rash of over bidding. Branson insisted he had a realistic bid that his teams would deliver. In the end, Virgin kept the RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAILSTAFFUK | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

Richard Branson with Tammy Moreton.

West Coast and added the East Coast - in a partnership with Stagecoach. The story demonstrates that railway companies needn’t put up with being pushed around. Companies and the rail staff who work for them should be treated with respect.

FORGET THE PAST Like him or loathe him, Branson would be the first to point out Virgin is an idea that gives normal people the chance to out perform their background and their constraints. Whilst the boss was drifting haphazardly across the Atlantic in a hot air balloon, railway staff were taking out new trains and smashing punctuality records with similar curvedhorizon aplomb. The new fleet of Italian

tilting trains was an immediate success. Rail writer Roger Ford dubbed them ‘Pendolinos Britannico.’ Virgin staff continue to perform near miracles daily - they form a regular proportion of nominees and winners at the RailStaff Awards. The Virgin Azuma will be put to good use by them, depend on it. What of Miriam? Story goes she did well and then met a lad of Italian extraction in a poetic reflection of Branson’s success with the Pendolinos Britannico. The couple made a solid and enduring marriage, blessed with several children. Her story, like Virgin’s, proves you can forget the past and create a truly compelling future - if, of course, it’s what you really, really want.

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

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East West Virgin meets the test Over 20 years, Virgin Trains has established itself as a model for customer care, service frequency and marketing innovation, writes Clive Kessell. In short it’s a brand that has become identified with top quality travel. The initial acquisition of loco-hauled Mark II and III trains were soon replaced with the tilting Pendolinos, many lengthened to 11 coaches. The fleet has now clocked up a staggering 300 million miles. Such is the passing of time that these trains are coming up for mid-life refurbishment with the first set due out of the Alstom Widnes depot in June. On the East Coast, Virgin’s entire fleet of HSTs and Class 91 + Mk 4 coaches has been refurbished and a half-hourly service to Leeds at weekends will soon be a reality. The reliability of the east coast overhead line equipment continues to be a big risk requiring the introduction of pantograph cameras aiming to spot upcoming problems before breakages actually occur. The long awaited Azuma trains will soon be operating with driver recruitment now in progress.

Congratulations to Virgin not only for pursuing an amazing transformation but also for the engineering and introduction of new rolling stock. Phil Whittingham, managing director for Virgin Trains on the west coast route, said, ‘Here at Virgin Trains we’re proud to have been at the forefront of innovating British train travel for the last 20 years. Since taking over the franchise, we’ve transformed the West Coast and made it one of the most popular lines in Europe. We have constantly and consistently challenged the status quo, and sought to lead the way in the rail industry by introducing new services and initiatives that benefit passengers. ‘We are proud to be building on the success of this franchise, and are continuing to make improvements to areas that we know are important to our customers such as station facilities, and introducing more convenient mobile tickets, whilst working with Network Rail to take our punctuality and reliability to a record high.’ David Horne became managing director on the east coast in 2014. He reflected on

the route’s achievements since then. ‘Since we launched services on the east coast in 2015 we have committed more than £40 million to improving our existing fleet, to give our customers the best possible experience when they travel with us. The completion of our refurbishment programme was another milestone on our journey towards totally transforming travel for our customers on the east coast route. ‘We continue to improve on the high quality service our customers have come to expect of us ahead of the launch of our cuttingedge new Azuma fleet in 2018 which will substantially increase capacity, with Virgin planning to operate more than 200 services per day on this route.’

Special charter marks 125 anniversary

Virgin's Tyger says get your Glad Rags on

A special charity charter train travelled 800 miles in a day and raised £43,000 for Railway Children.

Heavy metal band Tygers of Pan Tang, fronted by Virgin’s Robb Weir, is enjoying renewed success this spring with its latest single Glad Rags released on 10 March.

The Inter-City 125, chartered by the Branch Line Society, took rail enthusiasts from London to Edinburgh and back, taking in the Blyth and Tyne route plus unusual visits to Bounds Green and Craigentinny maintenance depots. Those on board the ninecoach High Speed Train included its original designer and the godfather of British modernism, Sir Kenneth Grange. The man who gave us the Kenwood Mixer, Kodak’s Instamatic camera, an Anglepoise lamp and, less happily, the parking meter, is now the honorary president of 125 Group,

the enthusiasts’ society which aims to preserve one of the iconic trains when they are finally taken out of service. Kev Adlam, fixtures secretary, Branch Line Society, said, ‘Thank you to everyone from Virgin Trains, 125 Group, PLEG, East Midlands Trains, Network Rail and Rail Gourmet that made Saturday’s special train such an interesting, enjoyable and record breaking railtour. ‘At over 800 miles, it was the longest distance travelled by a one-day railtour in the society’s 62-year history, and we believe the new UK record holder for a one-day charity railtour in terms of funds raised. ‘The atmosphere on board was amazing, and for the total revenue to be over £43,000 is red hot.’

Robb Weir juggles three different lives as a Virgin Trains East Coast onboard senior host, family man and heavy metal rock star. The band played extensively in the 1980s and reformed in 1999. This year alone, the Tygers are scheduled to perform in Italy, Poland, Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands. How does he fit it all in? ‘I have a great relationship with the two wonderful people in our roster department, Jacqueline and Alistair, who really help me out. It also helps that the Tygers’ management organise what we are doing roughly a year ahead. In the music business, you really need to,’ says Robb. ‘I’m very open with work,’ says Robb. ‘I’ve never had to take any unpaid leave from Virgin. As I

know what I’m doing a year ahead, I can go to the roster department with a list of dates and say, Can I move this to then? Can I take my holiday then?’ The devoted Newcastle family man is a proud grandparent. Family is a third demand on his time – even when the Tygers are on tour. ‘It’s my grandchildren’s turn next to come and see me play, when they’re old enough. My eldest grandson, who’s 19, came to see me recently,’ says Robb. Putting on your glad rags can seriously improve your career…

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COMPANY FOCUS

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

CLEAR ROUTE AHEAD

omething like a thousand new passenger trains have been ordered for Britain’s railways over the last couple of years. Cities like Glasgow and Liverpool will both soon be operating new metro fleets and there are very few regional and longdistance routes that won’t benefit from new or refurbished trains at some point in the near future. Passengers aren’t the only ones who will benefit. The investment has been significant for the supply chain, creating stability and opportunity. These companies play a pivotal role in their local economies and represent another compelling argument for continued investment in rail. But the bodies that represent rail industry suppliers are all too aware that things can change and they are keen for the UK’s rail supply chain to expand its horizons. For some of these companies, exports actually represent the largest part of their business. One of the biggest suppliers of train windscreen wipers and wash systems in the world is based on the outskirts of Redditch in Worcestershire. From its unassuming factory in the West Midlands, Hepworth supplies wipers to 55 countries around the world. The design office is adorned with photos of Australian trams and Chinese high-speed trains - all of which use British-built wiper systems.

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PLAN FOR GROWTH Hepworth was founded in 1868. For most of this time, the company’s focus has been on manufacturing wiper systems for luxury yachts and naval ships. But in the early 1990s, the company began supplying train manufacturers in the Midlands and has since cultivated a much wider client base. Hepworth’s finance director, Craig Bagnall, said the rail division is at the centre of the company’s growth strategy. He explains that the rail business currently has a turnover of around £5 million a year. ‘In the context of the wider world market, that should be significantly higher,’ said Craig, who expects the figure to be closer to £10 million within the next few years. As well as a constant flow of orders for new systems, the business is seeing an increase in retrofit projects and is becoming increasingly

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

busy refurbishing systems for existing customers. Although best known for wipers, the company, through its fabrication business, also manufactures things like lineside cabinets and seating enclosures. Says Craig, ‘We have a great opportunity to grow the rail segment within the business because we have some really good people who have been here a long time and are really experienced in the rail business.’

The demand for automated wiper and washer systems is increasing as more metro operators opt for driverless vehicles.

COMPANY FOCUS

Over the last two years, the company has invested £1.5 million in new machinery, both in order to keep pace with demand and to add to its capabilities. In part this is driven by a need to innovate. The demand for automated wiper and washer systems is increasing as more metro operators opt for driverless vehicles. There is also a shift within the industry towards predictive maintenance. Operators want smart systems that, for example, can tell the driver when the water tank needs refilling. This investment can be seen throughout the factory’s multiple sites. In the workshop opposite Hepworth’s main office building is a brand new laser cutting machine. New machines are being delivered all the time, says account manager Alastair Timmis, one of the members of the rail team. FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAILSTAFFUK | RAILSTAFF.UK

COMPANY FOCUS

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

Left to right, Ian Lockett, Adam Lockett, Christine Hewitt, and Alastair Timmis.

Hepworth’s North Moons Moat site, which employs around 200 people, produces a range of pendulum and pantograph wiper systems. Almost every part of the finished systems that are bubble-wrapped and shipped from the site every day are manufactured on site. Dotted around the factory there are technicians building the motors and linkage systems, machinists fabricating metal components and programmers inputting data into the automated machining tools. There are also numerous welding stations and a powder coating plant - black is the most popular colour, not surprisingly. In another corner of the site, new systems are put through a rigorous testing procedure. The wipers run continuously for several months until they’ve successfully completed three million cycles, which is equivalent to six to seven years in commercial service.

RAIL TEAM Led by Bert Thijssen, the rail team includes Alastair; Ian Lockett, technical sales manager; Christine Hewitt, technical project manager; and Adam Lockett, after sales technician. Between them, they’re responsible for selling and designing new wiper systems and providing technical support to clients. Alastair and Ian know the business better than most, having joined the company fresh from collecting their A-level results. ‘Ian and I pretty much have gone through the same process,’ said Alastair. ‘We started on the shop floor, so we started learning how to build products.’ But it was when they moved into the returns department that they started to understand how the business worked. The pair now spend a lot of their time travelling around the world RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAILSTAFFUK | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

meeting clients and promoting the business. Says Alastair, ‘With a combined 30 years of employment, we have a great knowledge of the product and have built a client base and a great working relationship with our customers.’ Christine joined the team six months ago. She had previously spent three years in the company’s design office and was moved across to meet a recognised need for technical contract and design support.

FROM REDDITCH TO RIYADH Hepworth is currently supplying wiper systems to flagship rolling stock programmes in the US, Asia, the Middle East and across Europe. Although Hepworth is a global business, it is also an important local employer. ‘I would

probably say at least 80 per cent of our workforce are based within probably five miles of the factory, so we’re a true Redditch and Worcestershire-based employer,’ said Craig. Hepworth moved to its current site in 2008 after outgrowing its previous factory. The new site was much larger; Alastair says at first he was unsure they’d ever fill it. Just nine years later, space is already at a premium. Notwithstanding this, the business has ambitions to expand further, grow its workforce and increase its share of the market. Redditch is probably most famous for manufacturing motorcycles and needles - it even has a needle museum. It may be time to add Hepworth wipers to that list.

My team are pledging that we are Behind RBF - for one another and other colleagues’

We’ve got the boss out on the tracks with us! I’m paying good money to see it!

A fun night out playing pub golf and putting a few quid in the tin for RBF!

5th - 9th June

#BEHINDRBF WEEK! What are YOU doing for it? (Let us know!)

RBF Charity

RBF1858

Registered Charity No. 206312

0345 2412885 fundraising@railwaybenefitfund.org.uk

Now I know what the RBF does to help I’m going to join payroll giving this week

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CHARITY STARTS

AT WORK A Q&A WITH JASON TETLEY, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE RAILWAY BENEFIT FUND (RBF)

So, Jason what is your role within the charity. What is a typical day like for you? I have the privilege of being the chief executive of the RBF. My role is varied so no day is the same. I could be doing everything from meeting with rail unions and employers to discuss our services; to reviewing our fundraising and budgets; talking to supporters or even putting on my cycling shorts to raise funds!

Isn’t RBF only for retired and sick staff? Put simply, no. We understand that life is never straightforward and that ill health, bereavement, relationship breakdown and work problems can occur at any time, to any member of the rail workforce. Our purpose is simple: to support rail staff and their dependents in times of hardship.

So, who does RBF support? The RBF covers anyone who works in the rail industry from maintenance to freight, from administrative staff to station staff. We are the only charity that solely supports rail staff and their families and have an open support programme available.

Do you have to be a member of RBF to get support? Not at all. We are proud to say we are there for all railway people. We are not a membership-based charity. This means we will help anyone. Regardless of whether or not they ‘pay in’ to a scheme. We want to be inclusive and there for anyone who may need us.

What services and help do you offer? As we approach our 160th anniversary, we are reviewing the support we offer to allow us to extend our reach and impact across the industry. In particular, we are developing services that support current rail employees. RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAILSTAFFUK | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

Our challenge is to remain relevant to current staff and their needs whilst ensuring that we continue to provide valuable financial support to those in extreme financial hardship. The support we offer has broadened to include advice and information services, ensuring that those seeking help receive a package of support. Our aim is to provide assistance that deals with both the immediate hardship affecting the individual and the underlying causes, wherever possible. We offer free, confidential support that is person focussed.

What are the most common issues you are contacted about? The issues we see are varied and reflect the complexities of life. Life is a journey, and we are here to help people keep afloat and on track. The issues we see are often due to financial hardship as a result of old age, disability and are often because of a sudden change in circumstance or due to an emergency such as bereavement, sudden illness or loss of employment. We have provided children’s beds, disability vehicles, funeral grants and have assisted people to prevent them from going bankrupt through our advice service facility. I would like to provide a list of things we have assisted people with in the last year, but I very much doubt we would have the space!

How has the demand for RBF support changed over the years? Our charity has a long and poignant history within the rail industry. When we first set out, a very long time ago, in 1858 we were dealing with issues regarding safety and working conditions. Today in 2017, we are looking at a step-change in the services that we provide to current staff and, by extension, to develop and broaden the relationship that we have with rail employers.

Job insecurity, debt and financial worries, relationship and family issues and increasing caring responsibilities are a few examples of where RBF is looking to support rail staff. We are keen to develop our debt advice offer and recently launched a free confidential advice line for those struggling with debt or dealing with financial worries that is available to all staff irrespective of role or grade. Our aim is to develop this service and extend its reach across the industry on a rolling programme. We will also be launching a service to assist rail staff that may use payday loans and other forms of short-term, highinterest finance that often escalate cost and which does not solve financial difficulties.

How would someone needing help get in touch with the charity? We appreciate that the thought of contacting us for help may seem daunting and scary for some people. However, we want them to understand that it need not be. Our services team are dedicated to helping railway people when they need us, and always offer a listening ear, and kind words when dealing with our beneficiaries. Our service is completely confidential. You can get in touch with us primarily by calling us on our advice line or by dropping us an email, if this is easiest. Alternatively, you can visit our website where you will be able to find a variety of resources and advice to access in your own time.

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

COMPANY FOCUS

Lastly, what does the future look like for RBF? Well, bright! However, you can help shape our future by getting involved and telling us the services that can assist your colleagues and in turn help us offer more and better support to more staff across the rail industry. To find out more about getting involved in the charity contact: fundraising@railwaybenefitfund.org.uk If you want to speak to our dedicated service team about help contact: welfare@railwaybenefitfund.org.uk Or if you want to speak to us direct call: 0345 241 2885 Alternatively visit: www.railwaybenefitfund.org.uk

What can people do to support RBF and to get involved? We are always keen to have rail people involved in the work of our charity through fundraising, volunteering or simply spreading the word about us. In particular, this year we will be calling out to people in June to get involved in helping us in developing the support we can offer their staff. We are planning to have a mix of social media and workplace activities around our charity. We like to see this as a little bit of a celebration for the work we do, and what has been achieved together with our supporters over the years. We will be having a dedicated hashtag for the week of, you guessed it, #BehindRBF. We want to get as many staff involved as possible whether it be cake sales, BehindRBF selfies or fancy dress - just to have some fun whilst raising awareness. Challenge your teams and lighten the load in a world that is very fast paced and stressful. We just want everyone to share, like and tweet what is going on in their workplace that week. The best part about Behind RBF Week is that we will be asking individuals and companies to sign our RBF pledge. This is vital to us to show just how much support we have from within the rail industry. In turn, this will motivate more people to want to get involved. This week is about having fun in the name of RBF! FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAILSTAFFUK | RAILSTAFF.UK

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APRIL 2017 | ISSUE 233

RailStaff Awards Returns The Hows and Whys The RailStaff Awards is a mammoth undertaking for the events team at Rail Media. It takes months of planning, months of preparation and one hectic day of set up. Last year was the 10th anniversary of the awards evening. Work has now started towards the next 10. People express surprise as to how a small team, from its offices in rural North West Leicestershire, is able to organise an event on the scale of the RailStaff Awards. For the past few years, the awards evening has welcomed around 1,000 guests, entertainment

has included everything from fairground rides to tribal dancers. Sometimes, it’s fair to say, we’re pleasantly surprised at how it all comes together on the night; a lot of thanks must go to our extended team at the Ricoh Arena and our event partners Lemonzest. Although exactly how it’s all brought together differs from year to year, the reasons why we continue to host it remain unchanged. Mick Rayner, director and general manager of Rail Systems at Balfour Beatty - the sponsor of this year’s Rail Person of the Year award, has attended RailStaff

Awards evenings in the past. He described the look of excitement on the winners faces as ‘real’ and ‘tangible’. It’s not just the winners. The highly commended - even those with just one nomination appreciate the support. More than anything else, it is a platform to show appreciation for colleagues in front of the whole industry. Our winners don’t tend to talk about what the win will do for their careers - although we have heard some positive stories of awards offering a helping hand in climbing the ladder. They’re just pleased to win.

NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN! RailStaff Awards, Saturday 7th October, at the Ricoh Arena www.railstaffawards.com

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

'Saying thank you should be part of our everyday language'

ne of the rail industry’s biggest contractors, Balfour Beatty, is sponsoring the Rail Person of the Year category at this year’s RailStaff Awards - a sign, if it ever needed one, of the company’s sizeable contribution and commitment to the industry. In an interview with RailStaff last year, Mark Bullock, managing director of Balfour Beatty Rail, sought to change some perceptions about the direction of travel within the business. Its priorities may have changed, but the core rail business remains strong, he said. Over the last few months, Balfour Beatty has acquired Omnicom Engineering - part of a strategy to build up the asset management side of the business - and has begun integrating parts of its Plant and Rail Systems divisions in a bid to streamline project delivery.

Year of progress Twelve months on from that interview and the ethos seems much the same. ‘The last year has been a year of progress within rail,’ said Mick Rayner, director and general manager of Rail Systems. Work has continued on several major programmes of work. Balfour Beatty is playing a key role in the Crossrail surface works programme, building the new station at Abbey Wood in south-east London. The company is also working on the Great Western main line between Stockley Junction and Maidenhead, and has been responsible for the track remodelling work for Thameslink outside London Bridge station. Both projects are now well advanced. Mick explained how, with

several major projects coming to an end in the next 18 months, the business is now moving its focus away from project delivery to winning new work. Balfour Beatty is already engaged in the tendering process for the main civils works for HS2 and will be eyeing the rail systems contracts when more details are made available later this year.

Recognition and motivation ‘We’re only as good as our people, and our people perform miraculous feats fairly regularly,’ said Mick, who has worked for Balfour Beatty for more than half of his 42 years in the rail industry. Explaining why the company had chosen to support this year’s awards ceremony, Mick added, ‘It’s vital that our people are motivated and that we recognise their achievements’. Customers praise the company when it performs well, said Mick, but this message doesn’t always trickle down to every individual who has contributed to that success. ‘Saying thank you to people should become part of our everyday language.’

rail industry. Project delays, wage inflation and a deepening skills deficit were just some of the issues that could worsen if steps aren’t taken, the paper warned. Alongside an employee’s salary and benefits, awards are an important contributor to staff retention and motivation and keeping hold of talented staff members is an essential objective in any company’s skills strategy. But the awards themselves are also a ‘vibrant and diverse event’, says Mick. ‘To see the kind of excitement on people’s faces, it’s real and it’s tangible.’ To nominate your Rail Person of the Year, visit www. railstaffawards. com/nominate

Vibrant and diverse In 2016, Rail Person of the Year was won by former Young Rail Professionals (YRP) chairman Adam Stead, who in 2015 set up his own consulting business. The award was really an appreciation of his contribution to the industry as a whole. Formal recognition like the RailStaff Awards forms part of Balfour Beatty’s overall employee value proposition, said Mick. In February, Balfour Beatty published the ‘Staying on Track’ skills paper. It suggested that new funding models were needed to ensure the healthy flow of projects needed to support skills growth within the

RAILSTAFFAWARDS.COM | @RAILSTAFFAWARDS | FACEBOOK.COM/THERAILSTAFFAWARDS

Stephen Head who collected the award on Adam Stead's behalf.

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

Signalling a new era

ignalling and telecommunications will be profoundly affected by the current digital railway agenda. New equipment presents new technical challenges and it requires those trained in traditional skills to adapt to new ways of working. Last month, Westermo, which will once again be sponsoring the Signalling and Telecommunications Person or Team of the Year category at the RailStaff Awards, announced it was supporting Southampton Solent University by providing the university’s computer networking department with specialist communications equipment. The partnership was a natural choice - the university is just a 20-minute drive away from Westermo’s UK headquarters - but the company is looking at fostering similar collaborations with other UK universities. Although Westermo’s roots are in Sweden, it has become a key supplier to the UK industry. Its core business has been the supply of lineside communications infrastructure, but in recent years it has developed its offering of On Train networks. The company is a global provider of railway communications networks. It currently employs more than 200 people around the world - a quarter of which work in rail. Westermo says it hopes by introducing students to the kind of technology that underpins the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) it will be able to make a positive contribution to bridging the widening digital skills gap - a problem which isn’t isolated to rail.

Global communications provider The winner of the category last year was Alstom’s Jai Smart. He too spoke about a determination to encourage future generations of engineers. He spoke about wanting to bring graduates and trainees back to the engineering sector and put it ’where it needs to be’. Westermo’s sales manager, Phil Mounter, said the company was now focussing on showing clients the problems that its industrial communications systems can solve under the banner ‘data communications made easy’. There’s also more of an emphasis around cyber security solutions and the need for reliable communications networks. ‘Westermo are happy and proud to sponsor the Signalling and Telecommunications Person or Team of the Year in 2017 for the fifth year running,’ said Phil. ‘Supporting good causes such as the RailStaff Awards rewards people in our industry that have gone the extra mile and also provides opportunities and inspiration for others to do likewise.’

Inspire and encourage The award is also part of the company’s overall skills development strategy to support the industry. Says Phil, ‘We feel that this award is so important because we believe that industry needs to do much more to inspire and encourage our young people to RAILSTAFFAWARDS.COM | @RAILSTAFFAWARDS | FACEBOOK.COM/THERAILSTAFFAWARDS

pursue a career in engineering, and particularly the exciting field of signalling and telecommunications where, with Network Rail initiatives such as the Digital Railway, the digital age and the Internet of Things (IoT) will have an impact in transforming our UK railways as it already does in so many other industries, where soon everything will be connected to everything else. ‘We mustn’t forget of course that young men and women are educated at schools, colleges and universities before they start work. This is why Westermo has teamed up with the Solent University in Southampton to provide industrial networking equipment, invest in training and knowledge transfer of skills to professionals and students alike and are looking to do likewise with other training centres and innovation networks whose objective is to make the UK a global leader in rail.’ Information about this year’s RailStaff Awards evening and how you can nominate someone for an award can be found on the website: www.railstaffawards.com

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

Robust Industrial Data Communications –Made Easy

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RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

2017

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RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

EVENTS

Railtex prepares to open its doors The countdown to Railtex continues and by the beginning of April the number of exhibitors taking part in the show had risen again to more than 450. For nearly one third of these companies, this will be their first appearance at a Railtex event. And while there will be plenty of familiar names waiting to welcome visitors, the presence of so many new exhibitors also provides a great opportunity to meet some of the firms now supplying the UK rail market and to learn about their products and capabilities. With the show opening its doors at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham from 9 to 11 May, this is a good time to make sure you have registered for your free entry badge. Registration via the show website www.railtex. co.uk is open until 8 May. It is quick and easy, and gives access to the event over all three days – and it avoids an entry fee payable for

those who have not pre-registered. Visitors will also have unlimited access to no fewer than seven keynote speeches, more than 30 technical and industry seminars, plus three interactive discussion sessions. These will take place at two locations in the exhibition hall – the Seminar Theatre and the Knowledge Hub. The Seminar Theatre will also be the venue for the formal opening of the event on 9 May by Paul Maynard MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport. Check the detailed programme on the Railtex website to select the speakers you would like to hear and to make the most of your visit. For everyone attending Railtex on its opening day, 9 May, there will also be a welcome at the now familiar Networking Reception hosted by event organisers Mack Brooks Exhibitions – the ideal way to relax with colleagues and business contacts.

Getting around the table Third RIN event The first Rail Exec Club Roundtable event is set to take place next month, giving guests the opportunity to grill expert voices from organisations spanning rail’s various engineering disciplines. Under the banner ‘Rail Innovation 2017’, the event will be held at the Addleshaw Goddard Offices in London on 22 May. It is the first roundtable event to be held as part of the Rail Exec networking series. Guests will be able to choose to sit at one of six tables, each of which will have its own particular theme: Rolling stock, signalling/ ERTMS, civil engineering, station design, traffic management/ passenger information systems

and electrification. The day will begin with a keynote speech from the technical director of the Rail Industry Association (RIA), David Clarke, and will be hosted by Paul Hirst, partner and head of transport at Addleshaw Goddard. Paul said, ‘Addleshaw Goddard is delighted to be working with Rail Media on this roundtable event. Innovation in the rail industry is moving at such a pace that discussions such as this are vital to ensure that we all stay ahead of developments. ‘Having this forum to share ideas, opportunities and challenges presents a unique opportunity for attendees to really get to grips with the subject matter.’

When London’s Camden Centre played host to the third Rail Infrastructure Networking Event (RIN) on Thursday, 2 February 2017, over 150 rail professionals attended from across the UK, breaking previous records. Free rail networking is clearly growing in popularity. RIN is a quarterly networking opportunity, organised by Jobson James Rail, a specialist insurance broker which offers bespoke solutions to companies and individuals working in rail. Each event takes place in a different UK city with its own particular relevance to the UK rail network. London was an obvious choice for RIN, both for its world-famous, bustling railway stations and the number of significant railway projects taking place within the capital. London’s Camden Centre is a Grade II listed building renowned for its art deco features, and an impressive venue for RIN. The growing popularity of RIN is such that the next event is highly anticipated and has already received the largest number of registrations yet. It will be taking place in Crewe at the Alexandra stadium on Thursday, 4 May 2017. RIN is the brainchild of Keven

Parker, director of Jobson James Rail. Keven has 25 years’ experience as a broker and is a lifelong rail enthusiast. He said, ‘What marks the RIN events out as something distinctly different is their structure; they are free of charge and free from the kind of long speeches usually associated with such events, which reduce the time available for networking. This gives visitors far greater opportunity to get together and discuss what they are currently doing and would like to do in the future. ‘Attendance at RIN has grown quarter after quarter, with a record number attending the London event. We expect this trend to continue at Crewe as we continue to see high registration numbers. ‘It is clear to see that we are developing an exciting reputation as the UK’s only free rail networking event.’ To register your place at the next RIN event visit http://www. rinevents.co.uk/register/

FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAILSTAFFUK | RAILSTAFF.UK

EVENTS

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

conference exhibition conference conference KEY EVENTS conference techexhibition exhibition

CONFERENCE

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VISIT

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RAIL MEDIA'S RAIL EXEC CLUB, IN LONDON, MARCH 2017

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free TOdinner FREE ATTEND dinner free

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EVENTS

free

APRIL

TRAINS THAT FIT - GAUGING DILEMMA conference exhibition

INTERNATIONAL RAIL FORUM & CONFERENCE

13th APRIL, Londontech

IRAIL 2017

exhibition

22nd-24th APRIL, Czech Republic

press conference

www.events.imeche.org

25th-26th APRIL, London

tech

press conference

network

awaards

tech dinner

POLICY PRIORITIES FOR UK RAIL SERVICES - MARKET REFORM, THE DIGITAL RAILWAY conference exhibition

14th APRIL, Derby press conference

free

www.midlandsrail.co.uk network awaards

dinner PASSENGERconference TERMINAL EXPO 2017 exhibition techfree

tech 23rd APRIL, London

press conference

awaards RAIL FRIEGHT GROUP dinner CONFERENCE 2017 conference exhibition

dinner

free

free tech

26th APRIL, London

press conference

www.waterfrontconferencecompany.com network

www.westminsterforumprojects.co.uk/

exhibition 27th APRIL, London tech

www.passengerterminal-expo.com

forums

www.railsummits.com press conference

16th APRIL, London free

dinner

exhibition

PASSIVE SAFETY PFtech free conference ROLLING STOCK press conference exhibition

tech exhibition tech

press conference press conference

www.hsl.gov.uk/stress-summit

23rd-24th APRIL, Berlin

tech

press conference

network

network www.railway-network.info/passive-

network

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21st-22nd APRIL, London press conference

tech

free

28th-30th APRIL, Netherlands press conference

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conference www.waterfrontconferencecompany.com exhibition tech

network

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21st-22nd APRIL, Hong Kong press conference free network www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/

asia-pacific-rail

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SIFER 2017

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free exhibition tech

21st-22nd APRIL, Lille, France press conference

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THE STEPHENSON dinner CONFERENCE: RESEARCH free free FOR RAILWAYS conference exhibition 25th-27th APRIL, Londontech

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conference

free

www.events.imeche.org

network awaards

MAY

press conference

RAILTEX 2017

exhibition

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tech conference

tech

www.railtex.co.uk

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network

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dinner conference NRM ANNUAL DINNER

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GUIDE TO UP COMING EVENTS IN THE RAIL INDUSTRY THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, AT A GLANCE

free tech

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network

JUNE

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conference

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exhibition

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AFRICA RAIL 2017

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RAILLOG KOREA 2017

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14th-17th JUNE, Busan, Korea press conference free raillog-korea.kr.messefrankfurt.com network awaards

RAILWAY ENGINEERING conference exhibition 2017 conference exhibition tech

tech 21st-22nd JUNE, Edinburgh press conference press conference

www.railwayengineering.com RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAILSTAFFUK | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

awaards free dinner

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network 13th-14th JUNE, Johannesburg press conference

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conference

press conferenceexhibition 9th-11th MAY, NEC Birmingham press conference

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25th MAY, York www.nrm.org.uk

www.railtech.com/railtech-2017

network

ASIA PACIFIC RAIL 2017 press conference

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DIGITAL RAILconference SUMMIT

14th-16th APRIL, Amsterdam press conference network

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www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/

www.irfc.ew/en

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WORLD METRORAIL CONGRESS 2017 conference exhibition

conference

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dinner free

@railexec

R O U N D T A B L E

The Rail Exec Club is changingâ&#x20AC;¦

Introducing the Roundtable Event Focussed discussions with leading industry professionals

DELIVERING INNOVATION IN RAIL

HOSTED BY

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

ELECTRIFICATION TABLE HOST

Paul Hirst Addleshaw Goddard

David Clarke RIA

Saleem Mohammed Network Rail

FUTURE OF STATION DESIGN HOST

CIVIL ENGINEERING TABLE HOST

Rob Naybour Weston Williamson

Scott Harrison SPX Flow

Your chance to discuss the following disciplines with industry leaders Rolling Stock

Signalling/ERTMS Civil Engineering (Bridges/ Tunnels) The Future of Station Design Traffic Management/Passenger Information Systems Electrification

MONDAY 22 MAY 11:30 - 15:00 ADDLESHAW GODDARD Milton Gate, 60 Chiswell Street, London, EC1Y 4AG, United Kingdom

B O O K

N O W

A T

W W W . R A I L E X E C . C O M

EVENTS

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

NEW VENUE FOR

RVE R

VE 2017 will return this October hosted at one of the East Midlands’ exciting new venues: Derby Velodrome. Organised by Onyxrail, RVE 2017 already promises to continue its expansion to becoming a major international event, with exhibitors already lined up and key conference speakers secured. There will be 88 stands in total, showcasing leasing companies, train operators, maintainers, consultants and the International supply chain. Sponsored by Wabtec Group, the show has attracted the likes of Knorr-Bremse, Ciesse, Infodev, Leoni, Westermo, Alan Dick Comms, KeTech, Televic, Vossloh Kiepe, Certas Energy, LPA, Sabre Rail, R2P, UR Group, Ricardo Rail, Skills4Rail and Aura Graphic.

EXHIBITION AND CONFERENCE Derby Velodrome is located a short distance away from Derby railway station and includes parking for up to 1,000 cars. The exhibition provides visitors with the opportunity to meet suppliers that offer the high technology equipment sought by franchise bidders and operators to deliver improvements for passengers whilst also showcasing the traditional technical consultancy and maintenance services required for a reliable railway. With more than 60 per cent of the stand space now sold, the event will showcase exhibitors from Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Northern Ireland and Belgium. Visitors can learn more about the industry, and the opportunities available, in the conference area. They will also be entertained by Ian Walmsley, whose often controversial views provide a thought-provoking challenge to train owners, operators and the supply chain. The conference will offer a broad range of interest with speakers from leasing companies, operators and government bodies. Technical presentations will focus on innovation, with Wabtec Group leading the headline presentations.

RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAILSTAFFUK | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

MEET THE BUYER The Department for International Trade will be returning with its Meet the Buyer event. The Department for International Trade provided a very welcome addition to the show enabling suppliers to obtain direct face-toface appointments with major new builders, train operators and the tier one suppliers. This event will be back again for 2017 following its popular launch at RVE 2016. The event received significant take up, with international buyers busily meeting suppliers throughout the day. The Rail Alliance will be running a B2B event which will provide existing and prospective suppliers with opportunities to find and develop new business by increasing their own exposure and also through the exceptional networking that Rail Alliance and the RVE event offer. Kevin Lane, managing director of Onyxrail, said, ‘RVE 2017 marks a step change in the continual growth of the Rail Vehicles and Enhancements event with a new venue and the continued support of Wabtec Group, The Department for International Trade and the Rail Alliance.’ The event, which takes place on the 5 October, will be free to attend. Stand space enquiries should be directed to rve@onyxrail.co.uk

RVE 2017

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

EVENTS

www.rve-expo.co.uk

Derby Velodrome, Pride Park, 5th October

Rail Vehicles and Enhancements Exhibition, Conference, Meet the Buyer

60% of Stand Space Sold - The event is Free to Attend - Visitor Registration opens in May

Exhibitor Enquiries www.rve-expo.co.uk or call 07527 811700

Organised by

Gold Sponsor

Sponsors

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TRACK SAFETY

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

REPORT BY COLIN WHEELER

NEAR MISSES CONTINUE AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT THEY LEAD TO! LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT NEEDS TO START BY LISTENING AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE DOING THE WORK

A ten second near miss From the start of this year I have become increasingly concerned by the number of near misses that are occurring. In February I mentioned the near miss that happened on 2nd November 2016. The RAIB Safety Digest that has been published recently reveals how close the advanced lookout track-worker came to being hit. The 0755 from Weymouth to Waterloo was travelling on the Up Fast (permitted speed 80 mph). As may be seen in the picture he was standing in the six-foot between the Up Fast and Slow Lines. The Up Fast train had passed him when just ten seconds later a second train (1024 Hampton

Still image from forward facing CCTV image from the second train, looking away from Surbiton, showing the rear of the first train. © South West Trains

am still eagerly awaiting the publication of the (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) RAIB’s investigation listed as “Track worker safety outside of possessions” which I understand as meaning red zone working. This has held the status of “consulting” ever since 19th May last year! Currently Network Rail’s “Safety Central” website is trailering the revision of their standard 019. Both should make interesting reading. Meanwhile details of yet more near misses continue to appear!

Court to Waterloo) that had stopped at nearby Surbiton Station reached him. The Hampton Court train driver braked and slowed his train before stopping to report the near miss. The usual advice about lying down in the six-foot if unable to reach a place of safety was inappropriate in the area due to the third rail electrification.

Lack of briefing and local knowledge The track-worker was part of a track inspection patrol team. The “Safe System of Work” specified “unassisted” lookout protection with a distant as well as a site lookout, due to the restricted sighting. The patroller was also the Controller of Site Safety (COSS) and had carried out the patrolling many times using lookouts who were familiar with the area. Due to

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a “resource shortage” he had two agency staff acting as lookouts. The advanced lookout was not familiar with the area. He was instructed to walk about 200 metres ahead of the COSS patroller and site lookout as they progressed along the Up lines towards Surbiton. Where the railway passes under the King Charles Bridge the six-foot becomes a wideway sufficient for a place of safety, before narrowing

Colin Wheeler. back to standard six-foot proportions under the road bridge carrying the A240. The COSS expected the advanced lookout to cross to the Up Slow line and use the Up Cess. There is even a sign (albeit in poor condition) denoting the limit of the wideway as a place of safety (Cess path). The lookout continued along the Up side towards Surbiton and signalled the approach of a train on the Up Fast before becoming aware of another train coming towards him on the Up Slow! RAIB concluded that the incident occurred due to unfamiliarity with the area, and a lack of briefing by the COSS in explaining the transfer of the place of safety from the wideway to the cess.

Tractor destroyed On March 14th RAIB published their report into the accident that occurred on April 10th last year. The 1230 Norwich to Cambridge passenger train collided with an

agricultural tractor and trailer on Hockham level crossing whilst travelling at 87 mph. When he saw the tractor the train driver sounded his horn and applied his brakes but he could not stop and collided with the tractor. The tractor as may be seen in the picture was destroyed. Its driver was seriously injured, the train cab was damaged but the train stayed upright. Its driver and four of the passengers suffered minor injuries but the other 130 were uninjured. The tractor driver had been the sole user of the crossing since 2014 which is a restricted byway with user operated gates.

Concentration lapsed Just one minute before the collision the tractor driver had obtained the Signaller’s permission to cross. The report concluded that the Cambridge Signaller had “lost his awareness of the position of the train because his powers of concentration had lapsed, and his competence to operate the workstation safely and effectively had not been maintained”. In 2012 a system using red and green lights for the crossing was installed indicating when it was safe to cross. It was not working at the time of the accident as Network Rail had decommissioned it due to concerns about its safety

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

integrity. Consequently the tractor driver had to ring the Signaller for permission. The report states that Network Rail had not come to a clear understanding with the manufacturer of the system on how it met the required safety integrity level; having assessed the risks they decided to turn off the system whilst improvements were made.

Fatigue and spilt oil The report adds that arrangements for managing fatigue amongst signalling staff were inadequate; adding that two other investigations into dangerous occurrences of this type were opened last year. Network Rail are recommended to review measures for protecting such crossings with the objective of reducing the risk of signalling error. After impact the train travelled some 410 metres beyond the crossing. Before impact the driver, having applied normal and emergency braking, moved to a position of relative safety within his cab. Two local residents saw the crash and used the crossing telephone to call Cambridge Power Box. The tractor’s offside wheel and hub were dragged along under the train and this resulted in 75 litres of engine oil, 60 of hydrostatic fluid and a large quantity of diesel being spilt.

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Cluttered display screens Hockham Level Crossing has existed since the Ely to Norwich railway opened in 1845. The user told the RAIB that between 2002 and 2004 signallers had twice given permission for vehicles to cross when trains were approaching. Network Rail’s records include 4 near misses between 2002 and 2012 and 15 incidents of misuse between 2009 and 2012 with users not contacting the signaller before crossing and leaving the gates open afterwards. The report includes references to the EBI Gate system designed to provide a red light and audible warning if a train is within 40 seconds of reaching the crossing. It also features detailed reconstructed images of the display screen layouts for the Thetford workstation. The report queries fatigue, training and signallers’ involvement and confidence in the use of the workstation. Staff representatives had questioned the length of the signalling sections and the number of user worked crossings. Although the original design was of four VDU’s (visual display units) only three were provided but a further assessment in 2015 recommended increasing to five! Comments I have received from readers include criticism of the cluttered screens, and a signalling engineer’s incredulity about the removal

of an automatic system and its replacement by telephoning the signaller. He asks the question about the SIL levels! What is the SIL level of a fatigued signaller I wonder?

Shawcross near miss RAIB’s report into the near miss on 24th June 2016 was published on March 24th. It was near Shawcross Station that the Waterloo to Portsmouth narrowly missed a track worker. The track worker was trying to locate a reported rail defect using a handheld GPS unit; he was badly shaken but uninjured. The COSS and track worker were both from Eastleigh Depot working in the rail testing and lubrication section. They had accessed the railway from the Down side and were walking along the Down Cess initially. The track worker left the COSS behind to lock the access gate behind them. Having the GPS coordinates the track worker was trying to locate the defect. By the time the COSS set off the track worker was 200 metres ahead; he stopped and then crossed all three open lines to the Up Cess whilst attempting to get the coordinates to match. After a train from Shawcross Station passed him on the Up Main he began to cross back to the Down side but as he stepped onto the Down Fast the unit bleeped and so he stopped to look at it, oblivious to the train approaching him on that line at 85 mph!

Just one second to spare! As he travelled through the Junction the train driver saw him and sounded his horn. The track worker failed to acknowledge so he gave an urgent warning and made an emergency brake application. The train was just two seconds away when the track worker stepped over two live conductor rails and into the Up Fast line with a single second to spare. The COSS heard the urgent horn being sounded and saw that the train had been brought to a halt 100 metres before the station. Its driver reported the near miss. The track worker was too shaken to respond when the COSS reached him so they did not contact the Control Centre but decided to tell their Section manager back at Eastleigh Depot.

Track worker resorted to sleeping in his car The RAIB suggests that the track worker was probably fatigued. He had moved to Essex in April and accepted a job in Kent which he asked to be released to take up at the beginning of May. The section manager said he could not be released until June 24th. No special arrangements were made for him and consequently with nowhere to stay he decided to sleep in his car rather than complete the round commute from Essex of 250 miles each day. The section manager had told him that a 4 am start from his new home in Essex would be alright as he would be at work for RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAILSTAFFUK | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

7-45 am and ending his shift at 3-15 pm would get him back home to Essex for 7 pm each day. He tried travelling the first week and did so once in week two before deciding that sleeping in his car was preferable.

Liverpool Lime Street The Liverpool Lime Street wall collapse is naturally still under investigation by RAIB. The wall that fell onto the track came from around 20 metres or so above it and it has been estimated that 70 to 80 cubic metres of material fell onto the tracks knocking down the over-head line equipment on two of them and damaging the equipment on a third. Their investigation will include details of the site and history of the wall, Network Rail’s management of it, the findings in reports of its structural examinations, the processes used to examine the wall and the land it supported together with any underlying management factors. It should make interesting reading!! In today’s world there is still great reliance on detailed records and data and for good reason. However, the oft repeated adage “if you cannot measure it you cannot manage it” is over-rated. If the work is to be done well the manager needs to speak regularly and often with the workforce. The concerns they have need to be understood and addressed. Doing so will always lead to an increased commitment and consequently improving performance. The converse is equally true.

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ou can’t effect change if you’re not part of the discussion. That is the belief of one of the country’s leading civil engineering and construction groups as it looks to forge new links with its industry partners. Costain is now formally a member of RSSB. As such, the company will be assigned a seat on various committees and policy groups; it will also gain access to RSSB’s rich bank of resources, including information on standards, risk modelling tools and updates on new safety innovation. There are other benefits too. Members have access to data from the Railway Documentation & Drawing Services (RDDS) - a subsidiary of RSSB that houses the former British Railway Board’s library of traction and rolling stock drawings and documents from before privatisation. ‘For us it means we get to be committed to the ongoing improvement we want to see in the industry,’ said Nicola Uijen, rail safety, health and environment (SHE) director at Costain.

ROGS Of course, Costain has been working with RSSB for many years, particularly in areas like occupational health, hand arm vibration and mental health. Costain contributed to the RSSB’s ‘Railway Health and Wellbeing Roadmap’ and was one of several organisations to endorse the RSSB’s ‘Leading Health and Safety on Britain’s railway’ industry strategy. At the launch of the strategy, Costain’s director of rail, Gren Edwards, said, ‘Leading Health and Safety in Britain’s Railways is a positive step to identifying significant common industry risk and providing a co-ordinated approach to its prevention, reduction and mitigation. Costain see real benefits in aligning our strategy with this approach to support improvements to protecting passengers and worker safety and health throughout the UK rail networks.’

JOINING THE DEBATE

Companies have a legal obligation to collaborate under the Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations 2006 (ROGS). Formal membership within the RSSB, however, gives companies like Costain a louder voice on the issues that affect their workforce. ‘We span the whole system,’ says RSSB in its membership guide. That said, Costain is one of only a handful of companies directly involved in the delivery of complex rail infrastructure programmes to gain RSSB membership. The company will be able to lead the debate and highlight construction safety issues within an organisation that tends to focus on operational safety.

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the business will cultivate new RSSB contacts, including areas like technological innovation and sustainability. There are clear benefits for companies from membership, but there are ideas and approaches being pioneered by Costain that will gain a bigger platform. Earlier this year, Costain launched a new carbon counting tool that can identify potential emission hotspots on project sites and

‘The industry is bigger than just that,’ said Nicola, reflecting on her desire to bring more attention to construction safety issues in the industry. She went on, ‘It absolutely gives us that key influence… We’re now in a position where we can influence more and be part of the decision making and the toolkits they put together.’

Sustainability and innovation The connection with RSSB will go beyond the health and safety department. Most parts of

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help project managers reduce their carbon footprint. The tool has already been used by Costain Tideway East project. Costain’s R&D should benefit from membership. RSSB can obtain government funding for research programmes, as well as offering grants or match funding for beneficial schemes. Costain is working with 13 strategic partners to further research projects with SMEs. The company hopes

HEALTH+SAFETY

to advance its knowledge of intelligent infrastructure business innovations.

Representing the contracting community Nicola, who has worked in construction and rail-related health and safety roles for the past 24 years, believes it’s important that more contracting companies seek membership too. ‘The RSSB is set up to help the industry deliver improvements to the railway industry. Currently the membership is skewed particularly in the direction of operating companies and infrastructure owners. ‘This is a great time to be involved and influence from the infrastructure contractor’s perspective. The more contractors that join, the better. We can really get the RSSB working for the contracting community that support the industry. This will assist in sharing of data and best practise leading to greater improvements to safety, health and wellbeing of the railway family.’

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GEAR+TECH

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

Utilising

SUPPLY AND DEMA BALLYCLARE ROLLS OUT ITS HI VIS GORE-TEX® PPE TO NETWORK RAIL WORKERS

t Rail Live, back in June 2016, Ballyclare announced its successful contract win to supply Network Rail with protective workwear. It’s been all go since. The contract win was great news for the Ballyclare and Gore partnership and was considered to be one of the biggest UK deals to supply railcompliant workwear. It was also great news for the Network Rail workers, both male and female, who have benefitted from easy access to a wide selection of base layers, jackets, trousers, salopettes, coveralls and body warmers. In fact, within 15 seconds of a Network Rail worker placing their product order, it is received at Ballyclare’s warehouse where products are then picked, bar coded and labelled, and packed for swift dispatch.

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Every garment Ballyclare supplies is assigned to the individual wearer and tracked via an automated system.

Maggie Shaw, Ballyclare’s sales and service manager for the rail industry comments, ‘We started supplying in October 2016 with a soft launch approach which we felt was the best option to ensure a smooth transition from the incumbent to Ballyclare. Since then, uptake has been excellent and feedback has been positive from all levels within the business. We’ve started attending PPE Days which are hosted by Network Rail and held at depot level to talk through with the end users all elements of the PPE provision. This covers supply, design, dispatch as well as open question and answer sessions.’

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

GEAR+TECH

BALLYCLARE AND GORE PARTNERSHIP Ballyclare Limited is an established supplier with over 20 years’ experience of designing, manufacturing and distributing an extensive range of industrial workwear, corporate garments, high visibility and waterproof/foul weather garments. It’s been successfully partnering with Gore for a number of years to supply Technical GORE-TEX® Garments to the rail and other industries.

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CLEANING UP Cleaning and maintaining the products in the new range has not been overlooked. To keep garments in peak condition they can be cleaned and maintained repeatedly. This not only extends the lifecycle of the garment but also ensures end users consistently and constantly benefit from being kept safe, seen and dry. Ballyclare’s Maggie Shaw comments, ‘For the Network Rail contract, we are working closely with PHS who are their independent laundry provider. We’ve produced end user product information sheets which have gone into depots so that everyone is clear how to use a garment layering system, as well as providing instructions on garment and laundry care.’ Every garment Ballyclare supplies is assigned to the individual wearer and tracked via an automated system by Ballyclare and PHS. This means that Network Rail have up-to-date access to all the information they need to ensure that their workwear is maintained in prime condition. Network Rail also provides its workers with a dedicated PPE Help Desk service.

MAND Jonas Andersson, Gore Workwear Associate added, ‘Gore is proud to work so strongly and effectively with its brand partners. We are delighted with the feedback that both the products supplied and service received is exceeding expectations. ‘The GORE-TEX® Fabric technology is keeping workers warm, dry, visible and comfortable even during our most foul winter weather. This is complemented by Ballyclare’s expert design and manufacturing, plus their high quality customer service, meaning that the rail industry gets the best products and service level support it deserves.’

It is not just Network Rail workers who can benefit from the Ballyclare portfolio of GORE-TEX® Garments. Anyone working within the rail sector can order these high quality and durable products directly from the Ballyclare website (ballyclarelimited.com). In addition, there is the option for garments to be individually branded if required. Ballyclare is an accredited supplier under the Rail Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme. The company supplies a full range of workwear for the industry, all of which complies with the Rail Industry Standard RIS-3279-TOM, which recently replaced Railways Group Standard GO/RT 3279 standard. It includes waterproof and flame-retardant garments, plus an extensive range of fleece and next-to-skin options, allowing the customer to create the perfect workwear solution for all employees, regardless of their role. Visit: ballyclarelimited.com gore-workwear.co.uk

GORE-TEX® Fabric technology is keeping workers warm, dry, visible and comfortable even during our most foul winter weather. FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAILSTAFFUK | RAILSTAFF.UK

FEATURE

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

MURDER ON THE METALS NRM STAGES MISSING PASSENGER CRIME SHOW...

here’s something about the railway that seems to stir the imagination of crime writers. Within these circles, the Victorian corridor coaches are held in the same esteem as a creepy country estate or a grand art deco hotel. Real-life crime on the railway has demonstrated the same ability to draw the public’s interest. The very first murder on Britain’s railway was committed in 1864 by Franz Muller - a German tailor - who killed Thomas Briggs on the 9.50pm North London Railway service out of Fenchurch Street station. Briggs, an elderly bank clerk, was beaten, robbed and thrown from the compartment. Muller was pursued by police to New York and extradited back to England where, following a trial, he was executed. His was one of the last public executions of its kind. There were other notable cases throughout the 19th century, all of which are detailed in

the BTP’s historic case files. On 11 February, 1897, the body of Elizabeth Camp was discovered under a seat in a carriage at Waterloo. Her fiancé, Edward Berry, had been waiting on the platform to meet her. Elizabeth Camp had received multiple blows to the head, thought to have been inflicted by a pestle, but the murderer was never found. In 1881, Percy Lefroy was convicted of the murder of Isaac Gold. Lefroy was spotted by rail staff leaving a train at London Bridge covered in blood. At the time he claimed to have been attacked. The body of Gold, who had been shot and stabbed, was discovered in Balcombe Tunnel. Despite being escorted by a detective, Lefroy managed to evade police and went on the run. A manhunt was launched and a £200 reward was offered for information that would lead to his arrest; the Daily Telegraph even published Lefroy’s portrait - the first time a national newspaper is thought to have published the picture of a wanted man. Lefroy was eventually caught, convicted and hanged.

Perhaps these cases were followed with such interest because they fuelled the anxiety that many people at the time had about travelling on the railway. They no doubt will have played some part in constructing the mystique around railways that has made the train carriage such a popular setting for fictional crime tales.

MYSTERY ON THE RAILS For the next few months, the National Railway Museum (NRM) in York is running its Mystery on the Rails season. The event series will allow visitors to play the role of detectives and learn what it is about the railway that has inspired crime authors over the decades. In an announcement promoting the new exhibition series, Amy Banks, NRM’s head of exhibitions and design, said, ‘Crime on the railways has always fascinated the public, media and crime writers alike and the unique setting of the railways, which is so familiar to us all, makes a perfect setting for a thrilling crime story. Trains are exciting, exotic and glamorous locations to set a

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RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

FEATURE

crime story and real-life stories of crime on the railways have, and continue to be, fascinating backdrops for writers to explore the darker side of society.’

MISSING PASSENGER The centrepiece of the series is the Missing Passenger exhibit - a visitor exhibition trail from artist and director Geraldine Pilgrim. The exhibition will be held in the museum’s Station Hall. Visitors will be taken back in time to 1937 and tasked with solving the murder of Edward Robey, a theatre and film agent to the stars. The investigation will require them to talk to passengers on the train and accumulate evidence before gathering the suspects together and presenting their findings. Amy went on, ‘We are really excited about The Missing Passenger as it gives visitors a chance to immerse themselves in a specific murder mystery trail inspired by the enduring role railways play in crime and detective fiction. It combines two enduring British fascinations - crime and trains and is a new twist on what adult visitors might expect from

an exhibition at the National Railway Museum.’ Although crime on the railway is an enduring challenge, things like CCTV and DNA evidence have, more or less, resigned the real-life railway murder mystery to history. It seems safe to assume that most passengers don’t fear a gruesome end every time they catch a train. Thankfully the 21st

century railway is a much safer place in all respects. Mystery on the Rails runs from 23 March to 3 September 2017 at NRM in York. More information is available on NRM’s website. To find out more about historic murders on Britain’s railways visit the ‘Crime history’ section of the British Transport Police (BTP) website.

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TRAINING

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

GENDER, SKILLS AND SHORTAGES

HOW MUCH PROGRESS IS BEING MADE?

or a day in March, International Women’s Day and National Apprenticeship week coincided, giving much-needed prominence to two recurring areas of debate for the rail industry. Both events have been whole-heartedly embraced by rail companies but what practical steps are being taken to match this enthusiasm? Network Rail used International Women’s Day to highlight the specific targets it has set to address the gender imbalance in its organisation. Women currently account for 16 per cent of Network Rail’s 37,000 employees - that’s around 6,000 women. By 2020, Network Rail hopes to increase this to 20 per cent: what it is calling its ’20 by 20’ plan. International Women’s Day has been recognised annually for more than 100 years. Demonstrations held in Petrograd in 1917 were even credited with playing a key role in starting the Russian Revolution. In the 21st century, the event is more about awareness than defiance. The day has

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become PR fodder for companies that, understandably, want to shout about the positive contribution made by women to their businesses. As an outlet for good news stories about those already convinced to join the industry, it succeeds. But the day also highlights some of the worrying statistics around gender. In November last year, Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) estimated that only 33 per cent of girls who undertake maths and science GCSEs continue STEM learning into further education. It described the ’50,000 girls turning away from STEM education every year’ as an obvious place to start to address the overall shortfall.

NOT JUST TRACK AND TRAINS One of the biggest challenges for the industry is demonstrating to young people the variety of job roles that are available, said Porterbrook’s Fiona Malcolm, speaking at iRail 2017 - an event which gives year nine students from schools in the East Midlands the opportunity to learn about the rail industry. Says Fiona, a fleet engineer and project manager, ‘I think it’s really important to explain how big the rail industry is and how many jobs are going on behind the scenes. It’s not just the track and the trains or the manufacturers. I think it’s important to promote the industry and promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) subjects because there’s going to be a massive skills shortage and so we need the engineers of tomorrow to decide that they’re going to be engineers today.’

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

TRAINING

Teams from 12 different schools took part in iRail 2017.

IRAIL CHALLENGE

The challenge was both a test of design ingenuity and project management skills.

Now in its eighth year, iRail 2017 was held at Derby County’s Pride Park Stadium. This year the event, which is part of the national Big Bang careers programme, included a practical engineering challenge. Teams from 12 different schools were given six sheets of card, a ruler, sticky tape and scissors and were asked to build a bridge. The structure needed to be strong enough to support a train running over it, high enough to provide the clearance for a train to run beneath it and wide enough to allow different sized loads to pass below it along a curved section of track. The challenge was both a test of design ingenuity and project management skills. Teams were allowed additional materials, but at a price. Extra lollipop sticks cost £50,000 and time on the test track would set them back £100,000 a minute. The students then had about an hour to plan and build their bridges. Loughborough High School - a selective, independent girls’ school - took home the winners’ trophy. Lady Manners School in Bakewell came a close second. FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAILSTAFFUK | RAILSTAFF.UK

TRAINING

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

Before the challenge began, the students were given tours of Bombardier’s Litchurch Lane factory and East Midlands Trains’ Etches Park depot, where they got to see one of Network Rail’s mobile maintenance trains (MMTs). There was also an opportunity during the challenge to talk with companies like Porterbrook, SNC-Lavalin, and Atkins about careers in rail. The event wasn’t just aimed at students. There was also a careers session for teachers to enthuse them about the rail industry and ensure they are able to have informed discussions with their students about what the industry has to offer. The Derby Railway Engineering Society (DRES), which supports the event, helped adjudicate. Judge - and Rail Engineer writer - Peter Stanton said iRail was partly about raising the profile of rail engineering.

‘This was the eighth event of the series we have run and it continues to work to bring the status of the rail industry in front of year nine pupils,’ said Peter. ‘There is a story that the iRail event kicked off after one of our members took his grandson to meet the careers teacher at school. When he said he wanted to study engineering, he was asked ‘automotive or aeronautical’... And there the question stopped. This was Derby. ‘The pupils’ work was of amazing quality and the multiple solutions to the rail-related challenge we gave them were truly impressive. We are so grateful for the support received and from the feedback we are sure that we can continue to bring the real positive opportunities in the rail industry to young people’s attention.’

APPRENTICES National Apprenticeship Week served as a chance to highlight another pathway young girls and boys could pursue. Between them, Network Rail and Transport for London will take on more than 300 apprentices this year - a contribution to the tens of thousands needed in the coming years. Two female apprentices from Atkins, Charis Nelson and Anastasia Lake, spoke to students during iRail RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAILSTAFFUK | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

about their roles as OLE design engineers. Neither felt they had received the proper information about apprenticeship opportunities while they were at school, something they hope to play some part in remedying. Fiona, who won the Young Rail Professional of the Year award in 2016, explained what she felt the students took from the event. ‘I think they realise there’s a lot of projects going on; a lot of different ways to be involved and a lot of different ways to get into it, so you don’t just have to get a degree; you can come in as an apprentice to some of the companies, you can go straight from school, there’s the UTC, there’s lots of ways to get involved and lots of different types of jobs within it. It’s not just fixing trains or building bridges. There’s a lot more to it than that.’ International Women’s Day and National Apprenticeship week might have coincided for one day in 2017 but thanks to the efforts of railway staff and an increasing array of teachers, careers officers and rail recruitment specialists, it looks like becoming a year-round exercise in attracting young men and women, school and university students to the rail industry.

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RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

S L A N IO S S E F O R P L I YOUNG RA

E G N A H C AL L

lections have taken place for the new Young Rail Professionals’ chair’s office and Executive Committee. As well as many new faces in the Executive Committee, we are very pleased to announce that this year’s national chair is Paul Case. Paul is a project manager for Transport for London, working within the Station Works and Improvement Programme (SWIP). He recently completed (with distinction), a part-time MSc in project management at UCL and is currently working towards chartership with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveys (RICS). Paul’s drive, unique passion and engaging demeanour makes him the ideal candidate to take over the chair’s role from Sabrina Ihaddaden and to build on the successes YRP has continued to enjoy under Sabrina’s tenure. Having joined the rail industry in 2013, Paul had an early desire to find new learning opportunities, build networks and help to promote the great industry he now worked in. As well as taking advantage of many opportunities within his own organisation, Paul actively sought new experiences externally both to enhance his own development and the development of peers and colleagues around him. To this end, he took early responsibilities with the Young Rail Professionals (YRP) and over the past two years has quickly risen within the organisation to be elected national vice-chair for 2016/17, and now chair for the year 2017/18.

POLITICS OF RAIL In his first national role with YRP as national external relations manager in 2015/16, he established two of our most popular and enduring events. The Politics of Rail Series, now in its fourth year, was built on the idea that young professionals rarely get to hear first-hand from politicians and senior industry leaders about the political decisions and policies directly affecting the industry they work in. These events created this opportunity and have over three years seen some amazing speakers talk to, and answer questions directly from, YRP Members. Past speakers have included Lilian Greenwood, former Shadow Rail Minister; Mike Brown, Commissioner, TfL; and Val Shawcross, Deputy Mayor for Transport; among many others who contributed to this ongoing discussion. He also established YRP’s Corporate Stakeholder Event Series. During his tenure as National External Relations Manager, Paul established collaborative relationships with a number of companies across the industry. These events were set up to bring senior managers and directors from these companies together with young people, enable them to network, share ideas and showcase some of the amazing successes YRP has achieved across the sector. Paul didn’t stop for a rest; his passion to improve the industry and the opportunities for young people in it led to his recent election as national chair for the year 2017/18. In his current capacity, he wishes to develop the organisation on a platform of two objectives; the first is to strengthen YRP’s organisational capabilities, and the second is to enable YRP to continue to grow and deliver more for the industry. He believes that YRP’s greatest strength lies in the diversity, passion and commitment of its many volunteers and wishes to enable them to deliver and be the best they can.

MAJOR PROJECTS One of the key changes Paul has already implemented in YRP is to appoint the first YRP major projects manager, May-Ann Lew, the former national ambassadors manager 2016/17. May-Ann will lead and support YRP volunteers this year in delivering some of YRP's most ambitious events and projects, including the joint YRP/Women in Rail Mentorship Programme and follow-up to our award winning 2016 programme, Rail Week. These amazing programmes are successful RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAILSTAFFUK | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

due to the energy and commitment given by our volunteers and partners, and May-Ann will help coordinate and focus this energy into ensuring these programmes continue to grow and become even more successful. The Major Projects Division will manage our key events, which take a huge amount of energy and time for the organisers, but are incredibly worthwhile projects for the YRP; events like the award-winning Rail Week 2016 and the YRP National

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

Leadership Conference. This conference brings together the talented individuals that run YRP to plan YRP’s growth and future successes and also to develop their own skills, as future leaders of the industry. Creating a Major Projects Division allows us to free up the national managers to focus on their roles and provide the service required by the regions to maintain the organisation’s national reach. We are growing as an organisation every day, so Paul’s manifesto is to plan for the future and solidify the organisation’s capability to be self-sufficient at the regional levels. Paul has looked at YRP’s strengths and achievements, and also where the biggest gaps and risks exist. He is working with the current and incoming YRP Executive team members to plan ways to fill these gaps and build on current strengths. He has made it his priority to improve internal communications and management processes and bring the organisation up to speed technologically. The

YRP website has been given a facelift and a fantastic new user interface, and now is in the process of a major backoffice overhaul. This is crucial to allowing the regions to have autonomy in managing their processes, and is the legacy Paul hopes to create throughout his year as chair. Paul says, ‘This year, I will seek to grow the organisation, build and strengthen its capabilities and ensure that YRP retains its status as the number one national and regional organisation for young professionals within the railway industry; I want to deliver on my promise to help fill the skill gaps in the industry, facilitate idea sharing across organisations and solidify YRPs reputation as a highly professional organisation owned and managed by outstanding volunteers from across the industry. ‘I’d like to thank Sabrina for her support and encouragement while she led the organisation and her continuing support as she hands over this role to me. It’s set to be an exciting 2017!’

YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS

YOUNG RAIL

PROFESSIONALS

Networking & Development

WHO ARE WE? Young Rail Professionals are a professional network of young people from across the rail industry, from engineers, to operators, lawyers, marketing, HR, and commercial. Our mission is to promote, inspire and develop the next generation of railway talent.

Broaden your wider industry awareness and meet new people at inspiring Seminars, Workshops and Networking events

Railway Ambassadors

WHY JOIN? We are free to join. Simply register on our website and membership will allow you to: • Attend our free evening seminars • Learn about upcoming workshops and conferences • Join our community of likeminded professionals • Become an ambassador for the rail industry.

Inspire the next generation by helping to promote the rail industry in Schools, Colleges and Unis

youngrailpro.com

/youngrailwaypro

@youngrailpro

/young-railway-professionals

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CAREERS

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

Contractor’s Engineering Manager – CEM The CEM would be responsible for managing and directing all engineering governance and assurance across a complex and challenging scope of multidisciplinary civil and rail works. The role will cover design and engineering development as well as on site construction delivery. An Engineering Manager should be confident, self-motivated and a strong team player, who would have acquired adequate knowledge and experience in practicing the following Network Rail Standards:

• • • •

NR/L2/INI/02009 (Engineering Management of Projects). NR/L3/CIV/003 (Engineering Assurance of Design & Construction). And other relevant standards as referenced in the above two. CDM 2015.

REQUIRED SKILLS

• • •

Day to day management of all project level engineering activities, including assessment of permanent and temporary works design, works requirements and the appointment of suitable resource to satisfactorily complete those works. Manage delivery of guidance and service support to contribute a clear view for delivering design management and engineering. Provide operational, strategic and contractual advice and service to bid preparation and project management when associated with design management and engineering.

Location: New Eltham | London

• • • •

Salary: £50k-80k pa

Selection and appointment of Contractor’s Responsible Engineers (CRE’s). Review of all Designs to ensure coordination between design disciplines. Final review and acceptance of all AFC documents. Responsible for ensuring that all changes in client / company standards are captured, reviewed and briefed.

THE CANDIDATE To be considered for the above post, ideally the candidate should have the following:

• • • •

HND, B.Eng, M.Eng or equivalent degree in civil engineering. 5 years minimum experience in a rail civil environment. Previously acted as a Network Rail approved CEM or a member of ICE with CEng Status would be advantageous. Ability and desire to work under pressure to meet business objectives, without compromising Safety and Compliance.

BENEFITS

•

£50k-80k pa depending on experience and qualifications with benefits package including a vehicle.

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CAREERS

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Global Scale. Local Focus.

Permanent Way Track Engineering Staff Required Due to the increasing success of our business, we are currently recruiting track engineering staff to work on contracts across all of the TfL infrastructure and Network Rail, carrying out track maintenance works, reconditioning works, re-railing works and project renewal works. Applicants with experience must hold valid certification / licensing. All applicants must be prepared to work days or nights, Monday to Friday or Sunday to Thursday with some weekend possession works.

Locations: London NW10, Kent, Sussex and Wessex STAFF WITH EXPERIENCE IN THE FOLLOWING DISCIPLINES ARE REQUIRED:

T002/3 Handbacks

– Rail and Infrastructure Vacancies Currently Available – Data Site Manager – Retail Comms, CCTV, CIS & Cabling

Site Manager – Civils, M&E - Station Modernisation

London £280 per day

London, Bristol and Birmingham £250 - £350/day

Project Development Manager – Grip 2 - 4

Conformance Engineer

London Station enhancement background required £50,000 - £65,000 p/a

London, Milton Keynes, Birmingham, Manchester. £400 per day

OLE Engineer – OLE Project Engineer

P6 Project Planners

London, Swindon and Reading £350 - £450 or £450 - £550/day

London, Midlands, Reading and Manchester £40K - £65k or £350 - £500/day

Quantity Surveyors / Commercial Managers

Project Controls Manager

PWT/SPIC/P-Way Supervisors Track Operatives COSS

London, Guildford, Bedford, Midlands and York £35 - £65k or £300 - £450/day

PTS/TIC Crane Controllers Engineering Supervisors Please apply by email to recruitment@cleshar.co.uk quoting ref LU Track and attaching your CV.

London, Midlands, Reading and Manchester £55 - £70k

TRS Staffing Solutions are international engineering recruitment specialists. We recruit for major national and international projects for leading national rail organisations, main contractors and consultancies.

Cleshar is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Please email your CV to jonathan.miles@trsstaffing.com or if you’d prefer to discuss any roles call +44 (0)20 7419 5800 FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAILSTAFFUK | RAILSTAFF.UK

CAREERS

RAILSTAFF APRIL 2017

Head of Fleet Contracts Located Rail House, Liverpool – £Competitive Salary

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join Merseyrail as Head of Fleet Contracts, as we embark on a programme that will lead to the introduction of new Stadler trains on the Merseyrail network. This new role will be the principal Merseyrail commercial interface managing the provision of train maintenance and cleaning by Stadler Rail Service UK. This includes the existing fleet under a Maintenance Sub-Contract (MSC), to be replaced by new trains during 2019-2020 under a Train Reliability & Availability Agreement (TARA). This is a new permanent position and a member of the senior management team at Merseyrail. You will be responsible for recruiting and forming the Fleet Contracts Team with the Engineering Director, to whom you report. Initial priorities will be to develop new processes that will enable day-to-day contract management of the fleet, whilst delivering high levels of safety, reliability and availability. The role includes reconciling fleet performance in each period to ensure the contract Service Fee payable to Stadler is accurately calculated. You will also be the main interface for managing the heavy maintenance contract with Angel Trains for the existing fleet. The MSC and TARA are multi-million pound contracts, therefore commercial acumen is key, so candidates should be able to demonstrate experience of managing large budgets in an engineering environment. The Head of Fleet Contracts will also be actively involved in managing the transition from old fleet to new and will be Merseyrail’s principal contact for the new fleet lease with Merseytravel.

Practical experience of contract management and negotiation is a must, together with stakeholder and people management skills. Railway rolling stock experience would be an advantage and candidates must be confident working at both strategic and operational levels. Computer literacy and excellent report writing skills are essential and you will be educated to degree level (or equivalent). Candidates may be required to undergo relevant psychometric testing. As a Merseyrail employee you will receive a competitive salary and a final salary pension. Free travel is provided across the Merseyrail network with a discount on national rail travel. A generous holiday entitlement and comprehensive benefits scheme make Merseyrail a very attractive place to work. Our headquarters are in Liverpool City Centre, near Lime Street station with easy access to all major transport links. To apply, please log onto our website www.merseyrail.org and follow the link on the careers page. Those shortlisted to go forward to the next stage will be invited to attend an interview.

General Manager Flexible package starting at around £34,000 - £38,000 p.a. STOURBRIDGE – WEST MIDLANDS

‘An opportunity to join one of the most successful rail based transport companies in the UK and we are looking for an outstanding individual to fill this new post.’ Your role will include the following key responsibilities: Managing the day to day operations and engineering activities of PMOL. Reporting on a regular basis to the Directors on all aspects of operational and engineering performance. Acting as our primary contact with the WM franchise holder – London Midland. Full responsibility for staffing issues including the deployment of competent staff to meet operational requirements. Maintaining the associated office/administration systems and procedures. Managing the Health and Safety requirements of the organisation. You will need to have a degree or equivalent qualification in a related discipline, good communication and IT skills. You will also need to be able to manage change and deal with ‘Safety Critical’ and staff disciplinary issues as required. Ideally you will have knowledge of public transport operations and have management experience in a service delivery organisation. For further details of the company and a full job description for the post please refer to our website at www.premetro.co.uk If you are interested in this exciting and challenging opportunity, please submit a CV (no more than 3 A4 pages) to: premetro@aol.com or call +44 (01384) 441325 for further information. Closing date for applications April 29th 2017

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Exciting Rail Manufacturing Opportunities Across The UK Our Talentwise division are recruiting for a variety of leading rail manufacturing companies based in various locations around the UK. These are long term secure opportunities for people who want to progress their career in the railway. Minimum of NVQ Level 3 is required in a relevant subject. Vacancies include:

• Rolling Stock Technicians (electrical biased) for national locations including London • Electrical Fitters / Electricians on contracts UK wide • Welders MIG & TIG Welders for permanent and contract jobs in the midlands Applicants with or without Rail experience may be considered for the roles. Successful candidates can expect a competitive salary and benefits. For further information on the listed opportunities, please contact Richard Wright on +44 (0)1332 851 796 or email: richard.wright@fordandstanley.com

Founded in 1911, SNC-Lavalin is one of the leading engineering and construction groups in the world and a major player in the ownership of infrastructure. With offices in over 50 countries and SNC-Lavalin’s approximately 40,000 employees, we are an engineering powerhouse. SNC-Lavalin is looking to expand the Rail & Transit team in the company’s new Manchester City Centre office.

NEW OPPORTUNITY

Lead Engineer Contact Systems (OLE) Manchester The Lead Engineer for Contact Systems (OLE) is accountable for the delivery of the services offered by the Contact Systems team into both the UK and international markets. This responsibility includes the establishing and continued growth of a Manchester OLE product whilst ensuring the rail professionals we recruit are motivated and working productively in line with the business plan. The Lead Engineer will actively support and undertake business development activities and manage assignments, whilst acting as a principal level technical resource on projects. This is a varied and challenging role which provides an opportunity for a motivated individual to spearhead the Manchester OLE team offering OLE design capabilities across the UK. This is an opportunity to join the team on a permanent basis out of the company’s King Street office. On offer is a market-leading remuneration and benefits package (including an enhanced contribution pension plan) for this role along with opportunities for career progression and continued professional development.

Fission Recruitment are the exclusive official recruitment process manager for this role. Fission Recruitment and SNC-Lavalin are working in partnership and only applications received via Fission Recruitment will be considered.

To submit an application, contact Samuel Shaw to discuss this exciting career opportunity. Email: sncl@fission.co.uk Phone: 0151 356 5610

Be part of SNC-Lavalin’s continued success and growth plans in all of its regional offices – email your CV to the email address above today!

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