RailStaff August 2016 by Rail Media

AUGUST 2016 | ISSUE 225

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CONTENTS

AUGUST 2016 | ISSUE 225

A CLASS 345 FOR ELIZABETH | 14

Crossrail’s operations director, Howard Smith, believes the Class 345 - Bombardier’s new train for the Elizabeth line - will take UK rail travel ‘into a new era’.

BRITAIN RUNS ON RAIL | 22

RDG launches major new campaign to showcase the railway’s contribution to the country.

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26 36

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THE RAILSTAFF AWARDS | 29

HItachi and Deploy UK Rail feature as our latest sponsors for this year's celebration.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN COOL | 36

Andy Milne considers the impact of Theresa May’s new administration on the rail industry.

SONG OF THE CLYDE | 40

For a generation of Scots, the elegant A-listed Edwardian station at Wemyss Bay will always be remembered as the gateway to their annual holiday.

GREAT WESTERN ENERGISED | 54

Pace is picking up on the Great Western electrification programme, with IEP trains now a common sight between Reading and Didcot.

NEXT GENERATION | 58

Former YRP chairman and engineer Stephen Head talks to RailStaff about his route into the rail industry.

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

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Staff Contact us: Publisher:

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

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Craig Smith

Keith Darlison

Never give up

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New rail minister, Paul Maynard has had more than his share of discrimination. As a cerebral palsy sufferer he has encountered ridicule both as a child and more bizarrely in the House of Commons. Maynard, who replaces Claire Perry, sweeps it all before him.

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‘It probably affects the way some people see me, and there will always be people who write you off because of it – but I’ve never let them stop me.’ This is the message from the new rail industry: Never ever give up. Read these pages. Railway staff from all backgrounds come together to raise money for charity. Often the story behind the charity fundraiser is compelling. A friend or relative who went down fighting and has thereby inspired many more to strive to live boldly and with strength. Life is not easy. We all face problems and disappointments: that fateful doctor’s appointment, the cop knocking at a midnight door and the trauma of divorce. Railways themselves are an inspired story, an industry that came back from weed-choked oblivion to sweep all before it. It’s a story worth celebrating, worth hanging onto. As the RDG’s new campaign has it, ‘Britain Runs on Rail.’ Audley Harrison’s song, Never Ever Give Up, is aimed at middle aged people contemplating suicide. But it speaks to all who struggle with career, education and life. Victory is closer than we realise. The darkest hour is just before dawn. Keep on keeping on.

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RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

RDG summit Rail industry leaders plan to hold a summit to discuss how to make train fares and tickets simpler and clearer. The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) will bring together the industry and government to discuss moves to tackle some of the complexity around rail fares and ticketing. The RDG wants to see: • Reform of the fares system • New rules for rail journey planners to include slower and cheaper options • A review of rules around routing and pricing • Simplification of fares restrictions.

Most of the changes need government approval and the RDG has been discussing proposals with the Department for Transport that would reduce the number of different fares available and give customers simpler options. Says Jacqueline Starr, RDG managing director, customer experience, ‘The rail industry can do more to make buying a ticket less complex and confusing for passengers. We want to help people get the best possible information and to be confident that they are buying the right tickets for their journeys.’

Alliance of the North Northern Rail has formed an official alliance with Network Rail. The operational partnership means closer working together and will promote innovation and cost-effective rail service delivery. Says scheme pioneer Martin Frobisher, route director Network Rail, London North Western, ‘The network across the north of England is undergoing a wide-ranging modernisation programme including electrification, new sections of railway and

upgraded stations. ‘To deliver these improvements and minimise disruption as much as possible, it’s essential we have an effective relationship with train operators. The alliance with Northern will mean that we continue to work closely together.’ The alliance was launched in Manchester by Alex Hynes, managing director of Northern, Helen Kavanagh, head of access at Northern, Martin Frobisher and Rob McIntosh head of Network Rail North East.

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Francesca challenges bolt-on culture Renowned disabled comic Francesca Martinez has teamed up with Network Rail to launch a new campaign, Spaces and Places for Everyone. The aim is to improve rail travel for disabled passengers. Francesca Martinez aims to challenge its historic ‘bolt-on’ culture. Francesca, who has cerebral palsy but prefers to describe herself as ‘a bit wobbly’, often uses the train to travel around the country for her work as a stand-up comic. ‘As a disabled passenger, I often feel as though my needs are invisible to the rest of society and that sometimes people like me are seen as a burden rather than as valued passengers. ‘Most people consider taking the train just a part of everyday life, but there are millions of people like me who need to carefully plan their journeys so they can get around without difficulty. This is why I am supporting Network Rail in its campaign to make the railway more suitable for the modern world and accommodating every single passenger, regardless of

their needs,’ said Francesca. ‘It’s really reassuring that the millions of disabled people in Britain are being considered right from the very start before rail projects leave the drawing board rather than being bolted on as they have been in the past, which will make a huge difference to their rail experiences in the future,’ she added. ‘Most of today’s railway was designed during the Victorian era when attitudes towards disability were very different,’ says Network Rail chief executive Mark Carne. ‘Since then, access for disabled people has been tagged on at a later stage, rather than being a part of the initial design strategy for our railway. ‘We know it hasn’t been good enough in the past, and we need to make it easier for disabled people to plan journeys and travel by rail. We are committed to changing this, and doing what is necessary to make sure that inclusivity is deeply embedded in our culture. Only then will our railway be a place where everyone can travel equally, confidently and independently.’

RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

NEWS

New IRSE licensing agency for AM Rail Group Longbridge-based signalling services provider and consultancy AM Rail Group is looking forward to new opportunities thanks to the accreditation of its IRSE licensing and training agency.

A-Plant Going FORS Gold

The company offers signalling training and competence development to graduate engineers and professionally qualified rail professionals that are looking to enhance their railway signalling expertise. Its worldwide EAL (Excellence in Achievement and Learning) approved Training Academy incorporates a fully accredited IRSE

Assessing Agency, which allows the company to offer and deliver a multitude of workplace and competence assessments on behalf of the signalling professional body. The AM Rail Group brand was created following a restructuring of the company late last year and has a core offering of signalling design and consultancy. Says managing director Miles Hancock, ‘We are delighted to have had our IRSE licensing and assessing agency accredited. We look forward to maintaining and enhancing the signalling industry’s professional training and competence.’

Equipment rental specialist A-Plant has successfully achieved gold status from the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS). The prestigious accreditation, which applies across A-Plant’s 25-strong Service Centre network in the South of England, was achieved after the company actively demonstrated its commitment to vehicle safety and efficiency.

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RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

Tammy tackles right side of the law

Virgin Trains has come up with a toolkit for businesses which offers practical advice on hiring ex-offenders. In the past three years, Virgin Trains on the west coast has hired 30 ex-offenders of which 25 still work for the company in roles across the business. The rail industry has been helping exoffenders a lot longer, with many finding gainful employment as track workers and engineers. Give an ex-convict a job and a place to stay and the likelihood of she or he re-offending drops dramatically.

Not a single ex-offender employee or candidate in the talent pool at Virgin Trains has re-offended and the company is looking to hire more. The Virgin Trains toolkit covers the company’s experiences from when it initially set up the programme three years ago. Tammy Moreton, 23, from Birmingham is now working for Virgin Trains on the other side of the law as a revenue protection inspector after spending two years in and out of prison. As an apprentice, Tammy is training staff on ticket scanning machines, cracking down on fare-dodgers and getting qualifications

Once upon a train Virgin Trains has teamed up with the award-winning children’s author David Baddiel to create an exclusive children’s story this summer.

Pokémon Woe TransPennine Express is urging people to stay safe when playing popular smartphone craze, Pokémon Go. Railway staff have been startled by players capturing virtual Pokémon characters on-board trains and at railway stations, oblivious as to what they’re doing or where they are. TPE is advising players to concentrate on their surroundings, especially when boarding trains or walking along platforms. The smartphone game allows users to catch a wide-variety of Pokémon using GPS. The creatures can be found at a variety of different locations and landmarks, including on trains and stations. RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAILSTAFFUK | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

Baddiel will travel on Virgin Trains across the UK collecting inspiration for a new story, launching on BEAM, Virgin Trains’ on-board content platform, this September. The comedian and award-winning children’s author of The Parent Agency and The Person Controller will have a unique role writing a children’s story inspired by some of the people he meets. Says Baddiel, ‘Trains are, I think, my favourite form of transport. Not least because they’re the best form of transport on which to write. ‘Something about the rhythm of the movement, the ability to look out of the window at passing scenery, and the presence of other people in the carriage to base characters on combine, in my experience, to inspire the imagination. I’m actually really looking forward to spending time on a train, just writing.’

along the way. Without her apprenticeship at Virgin Trains, Tammy believes she would have struggled to stay out of prison. Says Tammy, ‘I thought I would spend my life in and out of prison. But bit by bit I decided to take matters into my own hands and turn my life around. ‘I was incredibly proud when I was offered the apprenticeship at Virgin Trains and another chance at life. Since being employed, my life has really changed; I’m now mentoring other ex-offenders to find employment too. I am determined to put my past behind me and embrace this new future.’

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RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

Martyn Kompletes leadership team

Growth drive at RJ Power Group

Komplete Group has recruited a new business development manager, Martyn Turner, to help the company consolidate a period of unprecedented growth.

RJ Power Group Ltd, a specialist rail power contractor based in West Sussex, has made two new appointments to its leadership team to help build on the recent period of growth since it rebranded earlier this year.

Turner joins from BTRoS Interiors & Cabling - Derby, a subsidiary of Bombardier Transportation, and based on the Litchurch Lane site. Komplete Group has three separate, but complementary, divisions which are dedicated to bringing rolling stock up to the very highest standards – in terms of fit-out, presentation and even minor repairs. Its

specialist recruitment division not only sources and supplies the best people for its projects, it also matches individuals in the rail and engineering sector with permanent and temporary contracts.

Hydrologist bonus for Alstom

Owen Marsh (pictured) assumes the role of operations manager, delivering works across the full lifecycle of the company’s rail projects, striving to exceed stakeholder expectations. He has a strong project management background, with a record of success in global and domestic engineering projects in the aerospace, petrochemical and rail sectors – including SCADA systems. Mike Wakeford is the new business development director. He will be dedicating his considerable industry

Alstom has appointed Jonathan Willcock as managing director for signalling and infrastructure in the UK & Ireland.

Green signal for Coleman

In this newly created role, Jonathan will oversee Alstom’s growing signalling operation and its successful infrastructure division. Jonathan joined Alstom in 2013 as managing director, Systems and Infrastructure. He was responsible for managing Alstom’s large-scale construction projects, including a joint venture with TSO and Costain to fit out Crossrail tunnels with the track and power equipment. ‘Following our successful integration of the newly acquired SSL Ltd into our UK and Ireland business, our signalling operation is growing fast. ‘We are now looking to take full advantage of this by connecting signalling with our infrastructure activities, as the two areas are so closely related. I am looking forward to working closely with our customers to deliver current signalling and infrastructure contracts and ensure we continue to grow these important areas,’ said Jonathan Willcock. In his new role, Jonathan will

Pete Coleman has recently joined Linbrooke as director signalling.

report to Nick Crossfield, who was recently appointed managing director of Alstom UK & Ireland. Jonathan Willcock started his career as a graduate trainee with London Underground after gaining an MSc from Leeds University in hydrology and environment management. He joined Emcor Rail in 2001 and five years later did a stint at John Laing as a business development manager. Then at Vinci Construction, he worked as a bid director from 2008 and joined Serco three years later to work on health service development. Before joining Alstom in 2013, he spent 20 months as a bid director at Go-Ahead. ‘Jonathan’s experience in the management of large and complex rail projects is impressive. I have no doubt that he is the right person to lead the integration of our signalling and infrastructure operations to further growth,’ said Nick Crossfield.

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Pete began his career in 1991 as a trainee technician for British Rail, subsequently NIMCo and Jarvis Rail. He worked his way up to become a signalling technician, a team leader and a resident engineer in 2002. Coleman then moved on to become a site construction manager, where he was heavily involved in a number of signalling renewal schemes and civils works throughout LNE, LNW, the Western Region and Scotland. Continuing to work his way up within Jarvis Rail, Pete became a signalling project engineer and CRE in 2004, working on projects such as the Brightside re-signalling and Sleaford Interlocking Renewal, before holding the joint position of senior project engineer and project manager in 2007.

experience to expanding RJ Power Group as well as getting heavily involved in safety alongside Network Rail, looking at the innovation of plant and equipment, materials and working practices. RJ Power Group Ltd. restructured in 2015, changing its name from RJ Power Ltd. and rebranding to reflect its offering in both the rail and wider power networks sectors. The company is one of the fastest growing electrification specialists within the southern region.

Leaving Jarvis Rail in 2008, Pete joined TICS (Global) Ltd as a contracts manager where he was responsible for all tender management and contract review. Progressing still further, he became the general manager for TICS in 2012 before taking on the role of operations director, overseeing the day-to-day management of the signalling business. Pete built a construction and project management team within TICS to enable delivery of larger multi-disciplinary works. Bringing his expertise to Linbrooke in June 2016 as head of signalling, Pete is a powerful addition to the Linbrooke management team. As the chair of his local junior football team, Pete enjoys a number of sporting pursuits alongside assisting his local community.

RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

Consulting role for Jason Wassermann

Conroy is here

Jason Wassermann has joined Network Rail Consulting as its new regional director for the Middle East.

Andrew Conroy, 47, is the new customer experience director at East Midlands Trains.

Wassermann is a chartered civil engineer with over 26 years’ international commercial experience. He began his career at British Rail in 1990 as a civil engineering management trainee and spent a number of years as a permanent way maintenance engineer before joining Carillion in 1995. Whilst at Carillion, he was director of contracts and director of resource management before joining Siemens Plc in 2004. During his time at Siemens he was initially projects and operations director before progressing to managing director - rail control and information business, with 200 staff and a portfolio of 60 contracts worth over £120 million. Most recently, Jason has been the head of nuclear at

Capula Limited, leading the systems integration team in delivering complex safety critical programmes across the nuclear industry. ‘Network Rail Consulting has a well-established consultancy team in the Middle East and my aim will be to extend the breadth and depth of the services that we offer our clients in the Gulf region,’ says Jason. He is a chartered civil engineer and a fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers.

Steve heads PWI Steve Featherstone was inaugurated as president of the Permanent Way Institution at the PWI AGM on 25 June. Steve is currently the programme director Track, Infrastructure Projects for Network Rail responsible for the high output and conventional plain line teams and the North and South S&C Alliances. Prior to this, Steve was

maintenance director for Network Rail, responsible for track, signalling, telecoms, power and overhead line system maintenance across the UK rail network. Steve joined the rail industry nine years ago, bringing skills from the gas industry where he had spent 20 years managing safety critical infrastructure. Whilst in the gas industry, Steve was honorary secretary and then

The move caps a hard won career for the police officer’s son from Bishop Auckland, County Durham, who joined British Rail from school 30 years ago. The move complements the elevation of Lawrence Bowman, 35, to commercial director. Andrew Conroy was previously head of customer experience delivery, leading a team of 1,000 station staff and train crew. As a British Rail trainee in the north-east, Conroy covered a broad portfolio of challenging front line operational roles. Heading south, he joined Gatwick Express, pioneering award-winning standards of customer care on the flagship service. He was customer service director and route director for Gatwick Express before moving to East Midlands Trains in 2012.

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Lawrence Bowman moves up from head of business planning for East Midlands Trains to become commercial director. Lawrence joined Stagecoach Rail in 2005 as part of the business development team. He has held various commercial and customer service roles within East Midlands Trains since the start of the franchise in 2007. Andrew and Lawrence replace Neil Micklethwaite who has moved to the role of commercial director for Stagecoach Rail. Says Jake Kelly, managing Director for East Midlands Trains, ‘I am particularly pleased that we have been able to replace Neil with two very strong internal candidates. It demonstrates our continued commitment to developing and recognising our internal talent.’

president of the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers, which is the fourth oldest of the engineering professional bodies. Steve is a chartered engineer, a Fellow of the Permanent Way Institution, a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, a Fellow of the Institution of Gas Engineers and a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. He believes that the PWI has a key role in improving standards and professionalism both within Network Rail and in the wider rail industry.

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

RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

NEWS

Manchester launch for WiCR Rail chiefs are backing new organisation Women in Community Rail (WiCR). At its official launch in Manchester Manchester Victoria naturally - Marion Atkinson, chair of WiCR said, ‘I am absolutely delighted with the support we have received so far from industry partners. It’s clear from the enthusiasm shown this is something that is not only needed but valued by partners. I would encourage everyone to become a member of the group and help us achieve change together.’ The idea of WiCR is to support all colleagues throughout the community rail movement. The group aims to promote and support inclusiveness and diversity in community rail. Endorsed by the Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP), WiCR was established earlier this year. The aim is to get more people from all backgrounds involved in community rail, making it more reflective of the communities served by local railways.

The group aims to create a mentoring network for people throughout the industry; share best practice, knowledge and expertise; and encourage young people to get involved. Women already make a powerful contribution to railways and the group will further encourage this. Speaking at the launch, Kathryn O’Brien, customer experience director for TransPennine Express, said, ‘I am thrilled to have had the chance to speak at the official launch of the Women in Community Rail Group (WiCR). TPE is passionate about building a more diverse railway which reflects the rich and varied communities we serve. ‘I am delighted to be a member of WiCR and know that the group will play a pivotal part in encouraging more people into the world of community rail.’ Jan Chaudhry-van der Velde, managing director, Merseyrail, and Dr Karen Booth, interim communities and sustainability director,

Firing squad rail captain honoured A Great Eastern Railway sea captain who was shot by firing squad by the Germans in Brussels at seven o’clock in the evening of 27 July 1916 has been remembered at a special service at London Liverpool Street station. Family members joined railway staff for the service, conducted by a naval chaplain. Charles Fryatt, 44, captained the Great Eastern Railway’s steamer, SS Brussels, and continued the dangerous

Rotterdam run dodging U boats and enemy shipping. On one occasion, he protected his ship from U boat attack by steering straight for the enemy sub, forcing it to dive. Fryatt was later captured and put on trial for trying to sink the U boat. The Germans accused him of being a franc-tireur - a free shooter or military associate. Although a civilian Captain Fryatt was sentenced to death and taken out and shot. The murder of Captain Fryatt was condemned across the world. After the war his body was brought back to Britain. After a funeral at St Paul’s Cathedral, crowds lined the route to Liverpool Street station where the Great Eastern Massed Bands were playing. A special train bore him to his home town of Dovercourt. At many stations down the line, crowds gathered to pay their last respects. Fryatt was 44 when he died. The Great Eastern Railway awarded Fryatt’s widow a pension of £250 per annum with some alacrity. The government granted her an extra £100 per annum pension on top of her entitlement.

Northern, also gave heart-felt supporting speeches. Guests were entertained by the TransPennine Express Choir, who performed a number of songs on the station concourse. Neil Buxton, general manager of ACoRP, is an enthusiastic supporter of the scheme. ‘The formation of WiCR is an important step towards recognising the influence of women in this sector. ‘The group will be helping to address wider diversity issues in community rail, which ACoRP welcomes and supports. We congratulate them on the successful launch and look forward to working with them in the future.’

Piggy in the middle A cat reported dead was found alive after surviving for two days under a high-voltage third rail on Merseyside. Piggy, a 12-year-old tabby, was found by Network Rail engineers under the live rail at Bebington station on the Wirral, Merseyside. Rail staff staged a dramatic rescue after a member of the public spotted the motionless cat and assumed the worst. Network Rail’s Dave Huntingdon was given the grisly task of going to remove what he thought was a dead cat - but was then delighted to find Piggy very much alive. Says Lesley Jones, Piggy’s owner, ‘We only moved into this house a few weeks before Piggy went missing. He left the house to check out his new surroundings, and we didn’t see him for a few days which was quite unusual, so when we received a call from the vet to say that Piggy had been found we had a real mix of emotions. ‘We were elated that he’d been found but understandably worried that he’d been injured.’ Piggy was a stray taken in by his owners when only a few months old.

‘It’s been quite an ordeal for him, and we’re so relieved to have him back home after his stay with the vet where he was in an oxygen tent and on a course of steroids. He still can’t move his back legs properly but he’s eating well and recuperating. I think it’s safe to say that he’s had his fair share of excitement for a while and I’d like to thank Network Rail for rescuing him.’ Dave Huntington, of Network Rail, said, ‘We rescued Piggy and took him to a nearby vet who cared for him. Fortunately Piggy was microchipped, so we were able to identify his owners. I’m not sure how many lives Piggy used up while under the live third rail with many trains travelling through the area but I can’t imagine that he’s got many left!’

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(L to R) Richard Hunter, Bombardier Transportation UK MD; Per Allmer, Bombardier Transportation President Western Europe, Middle East & Africa (WMA); Mark Wild, Managing ??? Director London Underground and Elizabeth line; Mike Brown MVO, TfL Transport Commissioner; Howard Smith, Operations Director for the Elizabeth line; Peter Doolin, Bombardier Transportation Vice President Projects, Crossrail & London Underground.

Howard Smith in the cab of an Elizabeth line Class 345.

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RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

FEATURE

A CLASS 345

FOR ELIZABETH CROSSRAIL’S OPERATIONS DIRECTOR, HOWARD SMITH, BELIEVES THE CLASS 345 - BOMBARDIER’S NEW TRAIN FOR THE ELIZABETH LINE - WILL TAKE UK RAIL TRAVEL ‘INTO A NEW ERA’

ombardier has unveiled its first completed Class 345 Aventra train for Crossrail. With two now built, and three more underway, preparations are in full swing ahead of the train’s debut in May 2017. On 29 July, the first new train carried out a series of short test runs at Derby’s Litchurch Lane factory - a milestone moment caught by local TV crews and trade press regulars.

TFL RAIL

Bombardier was awarded a £1 billion contract in 2014 to supply 66 nine-car trains for London’s new railway. The first of these will go into passenger service in TfL Rail colours between Liverpool Street station and Shenfield in May 2017. These first 15 trains will consist of seven cars initially to account for the short platforms at Liverpool Street. The first full nine-car trains will come into operation in May 2018 on the western section of the route between Paddington and Heathrow. This will be followed in December 2018 with the opening of the tunnels. The final two stages of the project will involve feeding the surface-level services into the tunnels, starting with the Shenfield services in May 2019 and then the western services in December 2019. ‘I’ve been working on Crossrail, working on the train, for many, many years, actually before we even let the contract,’ said Howard Smith, who became Crossrail’s operations director in 2013. ‘The first thing that I think people underground will realise, or strike them, is how long it is because your mental picture of an Underground train in London is about 100 metres long; these, by the time they go into the tunnels, will be twice that.’

In order to test the 200-metre Class 345 units, Bombardier has invested in a new £12.5 million test facility at its Derby site. During last month’s visit, the facility housed the second completed train, giving guests the opportunity to test out the Class 345’s distinctive interior. The nine-car Class 345 can carry up to 1,500 passengers and to match the mixed suburban/metro service provided by the Elizabeth line, the trains will include a combination of longitudinal and bay seating. The Class 345s will also offer free Wi-Fi and there will be a stable 4G signal from the platform onto the train to meet the evolving needs of passengers.

ON TO OLD DALBY Following the unveiling, Bombardier released a time-lapse video documenting the construction of a Class 345 carriage. Up to seven carriages a week are currently rolling off the production line in Derby. The Aventra is Bombardier’s new regional/suburban EMU product - a successor to the Electrostar. Howard Smith said the new trains didn’t just represent a new generation of products for Bombardier. ‘Fundamentally what they bring is capacity, and joining things up - that’s what the Elizabeth line is actually about, but the experience on the train itself right through to things like the customer information systems and the like will take us into a new era.’ With its factory testing complete, the first train will make its way to Old Dalby in Leicestershire this month. Mike Brown MVO, London’s Transport Commissioner, said the trains were ‘a great showcase of British design and manufacture’. He added, ‘The trains are fully accessible, will have air cooling, and once the whole line opens, they will help our passengers move more easily into and across the city every day.’

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RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

North of Eden The full-length of the Settle and Carlisle railway should be re-opening next March, says Network Rail. Currently services to and from Leeds terminate at Armathwaite - 10 miles short of Carlisle with a transfer bus service in operation. Supporters of the line have been working hard to boost public awareness that most of the Settle and Carlisle is still open for business.

Engineers are building an enormous concrete-and-steel structure that will sit beneath the railway, 70 metres above the River Eden, providing a base across the damaged and unstable ground. Two rows of high-strength piles – steel tubes filled with concrete – will then be driven into the sloping bedrock of the Eden gorge, north of Armathwaite. An underground colonnade of piles will form a corridor, set into the hillside, on which a 1.5 metrethick, 100 metre-long concrete slab will be placed. This slab will form a solid base for the historic railway. This structure will stabilise a section of the rolling landscape above the River Eden which gave way in February, causing ground below the railway to slip 1.5 metres below its normal level in the weeks that followed. An extensive earthworks project, costing an estimated £5 million, installing drainage systems and ‘rock armour’, will help prevent erosion.

Railway expansion for Scotland

Comprehensive tree planting will further stabilise the land. Staff from Network Rail, Northern Rail and members of the Friends of Settle Carlisle Line have been out calling at homes and dropping leaflets explaining progress. ‘The enormity of the repair task cannot be overstated,’ says Douglas Hodgins, chairman of FoSCL. ‘We are very grateful that such effort has been put into getting us to this stage, and we are all working hard to ensure

that the line - built as a main line between London and Scotland can resume its role as a vital part of the UK’s rail network as soon as possible. This particular bit of the Eden gorge slipped in the 1870s when the line was being built. It took the then Midland Railway two years to stabilise the ground with Victorian resources and know-how. We are immensely grateful to Network Rail for devising and commissioning this 21st century solution.

Network Rail’s new Scotland Route Study anticipates further growth and calls for greater capacity on the Scottish network. Strong growth is likely to continue in Scotland, with Edinburgh commuter traffic potentially increasing by 135 per cent by 2043, Glasgow by 128 per cent and Aberdeen by 226 per cent. Says Phil Verster, Network Rail managing director Scotland, ‘Travel on Scotland’s railway is more popular now than ever before with more than 96 million journeys made on our network each year. ‘We have seen passenger numbers nearly double over the last two decades, and we need to make sure we have the plans in place to invest confidently in our infrastructure to meet future demand.’ Plans identified by the study, which will inform funding decisions for the period 2019 to 2029, include: • Four-tracking the East Coast Main Line between Drem-Prestonpans • Edinburgh Waverley platform extensions • Lengthening services on the Ayrshire and Inverclyde routes • Expanded capacity at Glasgow Central • Phased electrification to Perth • Electrification of East Kilbride/Barrhead and Kilmarnock/Barassie lines • Route enhancements on Inverness / Aberdeen / Far North.

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ISSL students out ahead ISS Labour is hiring five students from the North East’s first rail academy as part of a drive to boost on-track engineers. The moves cap the final stage of an annual programme - run by ISS Labour - which involves sponsoring 10 students at Newcastle College’s Rail Academy.

The rail recruitment specialist has also helped the students through their diplomas in engineering by offering paid workplace experience, helping them develop their skills. In addition, ISS Labour has invested in further rail training and has fulfilled its pledge that at least five of the students will be offered full-time contracts after 12 months. ISS Labour will still sponsor the remaining students and provide further workplace experience. The five new engineers are currently working on ISS Labour contracts with Network Rail in the north-east. Says Simon Higgens, chief executive of ISS Labour, ‘A lot of major rail projects have been commissioned recently, creating huge demand for on-track engineers. We believe that one of the best ways to meet this demand is to maximise its attractiveness as a career. ‘Having a good chance of a

guaranteed job straight after passing a course certainly gives a lot of reassurance, especially at a time when the job market is so competitive.’ He added, ‘We’re very proud of what all our students have achieved and we look forward to helping next year’s cohort.’ The Rail Academy’s students celebrated their achievements at an awards ceremony in

Good news from Ghent GBRf has launched a new weekly service through the Channel Tunnel, transporting new cars from Bristol to Ghent in Belgium. The traction for the car train was provided by GB Railfreight, a subsidiary of Groupe Eurotunnel, hauling car transporters for STVA UK Ltd. Each train is made up of nine double-decker STVA wagons, which were tailor-made to transport vehicles. Each wagon can carry 24 cars. The components that went into the manufacture of the vehicles being transported came in part from continental European suppliers themselves and had already been transported through the tunnel enroute to the assembly plant. Says new Rail Minister Paul Maynard MP, ‘This is a great example of how the rail freight industry in the UK is continuing to offer real benefits for the environment and for UK businesses. ‘The extensive security measures put

in place last year by both the French and UK Governments and Eurotunnel mean that customers now have confidence the Channel Tunnel site is secure and open for new business.’ Back when the Channel Tunnel opened, automotive traffic was among the first revenue earning freight carried. John Smith, managing director of GB Railfreight, plans to win more motors back to the metals. ‘Over the course of the last three years, we have built a strong relationship with STVA UK Ltd, and we are really proud to have added this new flow to our portfolio. ‘There is huge potential to increasingly transport bulk items, such as cars, on rail and through the tunnel, cutting carbon emissions and relieving congestion on our roads,’ said John. ‘We will continue to work closely with government and the industry to ensure that we unlock capacity on the rail network in order to support the true potential of freight.’

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Newcastle. Several of ISS Labour’s sponsored students won awards including Aaron Richardson, who won the Student of the Year award for his category and age group. ISS Labour is part of Specialist People Services. The Rail Academy is operated by Newcastle College. Based in Gateshead it opened in September 2014.

First in the USA Aberdeen-based FirstGroup has been awarded its first train operating contract in the USA. First Transit, a US subsidiary of the British company, will take over running the Denton County’s A-train commuter rail network in October under a nine-year, $9 million-a-year contract with the Denton County Transit Authority. Says FirstGroup chief executive Tim O’Toole, ‘This contract for A-train service represents an exciting new development for the Group and we welcome the opportunity to develop and share our rail expertise with a progressive partner such as the Denton County Transportation Authority. ‘Our US rail team blends our significant experience in rail in the UK with North American transit expertise in both rail and bus. We look forward to building on this success as we explore further opportunities in the sector.’ The A-train network has five stations - Eulene Brock Downtown Denton Transit Center, MedPark Station, Highland Village/Lewisville Lake Station, Old Town Station and Hebron Station. It also calls at Trinity Mills Station in Carrollton, providing a connection to the DART Green Line into Dallas.

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Platform Ale House Two couples with children at university have started a pub on a railway station to make money to offset the eye-watering cost of higher education. Beleaguered parents might be forgiven for reaching for a drink but at Albrighton it looks like paying off. The Platform Ale House on Albrighton station in Shropshire opened at the end of July

and is sited in the old station house. Passenger numbers have increased dramatically at Albrighton over the last 10 years. Thirsty commuters on their way back from Birmingham and Shrewsbury are rolling up and local people are supporting the new venture. The Grade II-listed building has been transformed into the Platform Ale House with a £30,000 makeover. Lifelong friends Emma and Paul Thompson and Alison and Craig Taylor are behind the venture. The idea is to create a family-run business that provides part-time work - for students - with some of the profits going back into a fund to support progress through higher education. Supported by the Albrighton & District Civic Society, the micro pub offers five locally sourced ales, ciders, wines and a range of bar snacks in a friendly atmosphere with good conversation to boot.

Smart move The USIC Railway International Chess tournament took place in Peterhof near St Petersburg in the first week of July. The event takes place every four years and was well organised by Russian Railways, reports Mike Broad. The tournament was won easily by India who selected two grandmasters and four international masters. The United Kingdom team came 11th in the very strong tournament, with John Bass and Will Taylor having the third best results on boards three and four respectively. The Indian team was presented with its trophy by

Porterbrook action plan A team of rail staff from Porterbrook in Derby has cycled 50 miles through the Brecon Beacons, scaled the daunting heights of difficult mountain Pen y Fan - unkindly described by the military as a pimple on the backside of Wales - and canoed two miles across Pontsticill Reservoir in aid of children’s charity Action Medical Research. Fleet director Neil Foster, Fiona Malcolm, Stephen McGurk and Shane Duffy, who dubbed themselves ‘The Porterbrook Express’, steamed through the gruelling endurance race on Saturday, 25 June, in nine hours and 41 minutes and they’re on track to raise more than £3,000 to fund vital research to help save and change children’s lives. ‘The whole thing was both a challenge and a great experience. It took a team effort to complete the event and it was a great atmosphere on the day competing with the other teams who were all supporting the same great cause,’ says Neil. Training for the event the quartet was joined by colleagues for a 136-mile ride from their Pride Park headquarters to the firm’s office near St Pancras in London in early May. Action Medical Research is currently funding research into meningitis, Down

the man in control of world chess, FIDE president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. A colourful closing ceremony included impressive entertainment. It’s a truly global event. One of the Russian players travelled 5,000 miles to play in the tournament from the other side of Russia on the Pacific. The United Kingdom team included Matthew Lunn (TfL), Graham Bolt (Network Rail), John Bass (Network Rail retired), Will Taylor (Network Rail), Richard Cowan (Network Rail), Dennis Thompson (DLR), Alan Giles (Virgin Trains retired) and non-playing delegate Mike Broad (Network Rail retired).

Unipart wins wellbeing award Unipart Group had been named the winner of the Bupa Wellbeing at Work Award in the 2016 Responsible Business Awards.

syndrome, epilepsy and premature birth, as well as some rare and distressing conditions that severely affect children. action.org.uk/sponsor/porterbrookexpress

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This award recognises Unipart’s approach to staff wellbeing. ‘Winning this award is particularly important because it recognises that our wellbeing programme is strongly rooted in the philosophy and values of our company,’ says George Tillier, managing director of Unipart Rail. The WorkWell programme provides a way for Unipart Rail’s staff in Doncaster to take better care of themselves and their families. Managers and team leaders have participated in training programmes for managing pressure positively. Across the Unipart group over a quarter of people have engaged in health checks, gym and fitness sessions, stress workshops, mental health awareness training, or stop smoking clinics and over 350 people have used the free confidential helpline called Unipart Cares. ‘This award is an important level of recognition for our commitment to the wellbeing of all our people,’ added George. ‘It demonstrates to other companies, partners and potential employees that we all continue to strive to live our values despite the increasingly challenging business environments in which we operate.’

COMPETITION:

TELL US WHY ‘BRITAIN RUNS ON RAIL’ and be in with a chance to win Eurostar tickets!

As the rail industry comes together to launch a new national advertising campaign – Britain Runs on Rail – rail industry staff have a unique opportunity to get involved. All you have to do is complete the sentence: Britain runs on rail because… The person replying with the most original answer will win two Eurostar tickets return to Paris (plus domestic rail tickets return to London St Pancras)! Please email entries (by 5pm, 9 September 2016) to: RDGcommunications@raildeliverygroup.com

See www.railstaff.uk/bror for full competition terms and conditions.

INTERVIEWS RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016 FEATURE

BRITAIN RUNS ON RAIL RDG LAUNCHES MAJOR NEW CAMPAIGN TO SHOWCASE THE RAILWAY’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE COUNTRY

ailStaff is delighted to support the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) as it prepares to roll-out a groundbreaking new national campaign – the first of its kind since the 1980s. Launching in the autumn, Britain Runs on Rail tells the story of today’s railway, highlighting rail’s ever more crucial role and telling customers and taxpayers about the industry-wide Railway Upgrade Plan - over £50bn is being invested to help build the railway the country needs now and in the future. The campaign has been developed by the RDG, which represents Network Rail and freight and train companies. At a unique time in the railway’s history, Britain Runs on Rail promises to shine a spotlight on the railway’s role in British life, championing its economic and social impact as well as helping to grow the railway’s reputation as an attractive place to work.

COMPETITION Ahead of the launch, readers can get involved with the campaign by entering a competition to complete a tiebreaker: “Britain Runs on Rail because….”. (see page 21) The campaign will focus on why we need to keep investing in order to achieve a better railway: • Every day, more than 4.5 million journeys are taken by people as they travel by rail to work, study or visit friends and family. • Over the last 25 years, rail use has grown more than any other type of transport in the UK. • Rail passenger journeys are expected to double again over the next 25 years. • Government investment has combined with commercial drive to create the safest and fastest growing railway in Europe. RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAILSTAFFUK | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

SHOWCASE Britain Runs on Rail showcases the modernisation of Britain’s railway and its ever more important role in national life. Through a series of innovative adverts, customers and taxpayers will learn how their money is being invested to help build a better railway. This is crucial in maintaining support for the future investment the railway is going to need. Adverts will also feature the campaign tagline, “…which is why our rail companies are working together to deliver faster, more reliable journeys”. As part of the new campaign, the iconic National Rail logo has been

refreshed to reflect the modern rail industry. The logo (see opposite above), designed in 1965, has become an iconic part of Britain’s design landscape, as the identifier for the National Rail network on road signs, station buildings, tangerine tickets and railcards. With the modernisation of the network taking place through the Railway Upgrade Plan, the logo has been adapted to show Britain’s rail companies working together. As the campaign’s identity, it will be seen online, on station posters and advertisements on trains, with a TV advert expected to follow next year.

VITAL SERVICE

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Says Paul Plummer, RDG chief executive, ‘The railway is an ever more vital public service, making a crucial contribution to national life. But large parts of our railway are full because of decades of under-investment and a big increase in services to respond to a doubling of passengers in 20 years. That’s why we are investing billions, innovating and working closer together to enhance the experience of our customers – improving reliability, increasing capacity and modernising retailing and information. ‘We know we need to do much more to engage with the public to explain better how their money is building a better railway. We also need to communicate more effectively how some of this improvement work, although ultimately worthwhile, will unfortunately in the short term have a knockon effect on services. ‘Our goal is to sustain support from the public and private sector for continued investment so that we can build the bigger and better railway that our growing number of passengers and the country need and want. ‘This is a unique opportunity for colleagues across the rail industry to get involved. We hope you will join us in telling passengers, your families and your communities how Britain Runs on Rail.’ ‘This is excellent news and a welcome statement of faith in the new rail industry,’ says Asif Ahmed, commercial director, Rail Media, which is promoting the campaign. ‘At RailStaff, we have been backing railways, supporting and encouraging all who work in them for many years now. Rail in the UK is a great success story and deserves a far wider airing - well done RDG.’ FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAILSTAFFUK | RAILSTAFF.UK

RAIL ALLIANCE

RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

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THE RAIL ALLIANCE NETWORKING EVENT ‘PRODUCT APPROVALS AND ACCEPTANCE IN RAIL’ (PAAR) HAS BEEN ADJUDGED A GREAT SUCCESS.

he well attended event was held on 14 July at the Greater Manchester Chambers of Commerce and sponsored by Alstom Transportation, reports Lucy Prior, membership development and international trade director at the Rail Alliance. The Rail Alliance runs a lively and informative series of networking events for its members across the country, covering a multitude of topics. It is a key feature of our networking programmes that they are run across regions as we are a nationwide organisation and strive to support our members both in their neighbourhoods and nationally. The North West is an area that is home to many a Rail Alliance member, and we are proud to support the North West Rail Industry Leaders Group (NWRILG), with which we share numerous mutual members.

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The Greater Manchester Chambers of Commerce made a great venue. It was chosen as much for its grandeur and great facilities as much as for the pivotal role it plays in the region’s vibrant rail sector, being one of the founder members of the NWRILG. Product approvals and acceptance in rail was designed to provide first-hand information from industry experts on what can be a very confusing, but essential, part of working in the rail industry. With speakers from Network Rail, the RSSB, RISQS’ scheme manager, Atkins, Alstom Transportation and the University of Huddersfield a lively interactive session ensued. Focused debate raised and answered many questions and generated a raft of vital networking between attending companies. To illustrate the reputation of Rail Alliance networking events the majority of delegates were of senior decision-making positions and ranged from local companies to the Welsh Government, Achilles and the Network Certification Body. We are keen to highlight the fact that three of the speakers each hail from companies active within the NWRILG (www. nwrilg.net) - the others being national bodies or schemes and would like

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to acknowledge Alstom in particular who sponsored the event and who illustrated their dedication to the region with a presentation that included project case studies from Longsight TMD and a look at the upcoming Widnes facility that will drive skills and productivity for generations to come.

RAIL ALLIANCE EVENTS CALENDAR Rail Alliance Networking Events: • 11th August: Asset Management, Communications & Data • 13th September: First Time Approvals • Oct: Opportunities in Infrastructure • Nov: Education in the Supply Chain in Rolling Stock • Dec: Members Only Christmas Networking Lunch RSG Best Practice Workshops: • 15th September: Whole Life Cost/Whole Life Value • 13th October: BIM • 16th November: Lean • 14th December: Off site Trade Fairs & Exhibitions: • 20th-23rd September: InnoTrans • 6th October: Rail Vehicle Enhancements • 2nd-3rd November: Advanced Engineering • 1st Feb 2017Light after Dark Railway Lighting & Security Exhibition • 9th - 11th May 2017 Railtex • June 2017: Rail Live For further information on Rail Alliance events, please take a look at the events page on the Rail Alliance website – www.railalliance.co.uk

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TRACK SAFETY

RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

ORR ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2015/16

REPORT BY COLIN WHEELER

DISCUSSED WITH THEIR CHIEF INSPECTOR IAN PROSSER

he annual report of the Office of Rail and Road was issued on July 19th. Its key message is that our railways are the safest they have ever been but there is room for improvement. It heralds a year without a railway worker fatality; nonetheless it comments that their Inspectors “found that rules and procedures were not always implemented consistently”. Although it claims that there was “good collaboration across the industry”, we discussed the extent to which this reached front line track staff.

Ian Prosser Chief Inspector HMRI I was surprised after entering the One Kemble Street offices to find that the identification lanyard I was wearing after signing in was labelled for the Civil Aviation Authority. But the size of the office block explained all. The interim Chief Executive of the Office of Rail and Road (they have recently acquired responsibility for Highways England too) is Joanna Whittington who has been on post since January 16th this year. Ian Prosser as Chief inspector of Railways and the Director Railway Safety was appointed on 26th September 2008.

He studied for his first degree at Imperial College London and worked for Metronet Rail/London Undergound before joining the ORR. In his review as Chief Inspector of Railways Ian asks whether or not Bad Aibling could happen here? (You may recall this was the dreadful accident caused by human error that occurred on February 9th in the Magfall Valley in Germany when two passenger trains collided head on resulting in 12 fatalities and 85 people injured due to human error.)

Scope for improvement The ORR report needs to be read in the knowledge that main line passenger numbers have risen by some 57% over the last ten

years. It acknowledges that harm to the public and passengers on trains and platforms increased by 8% last year. Ten passenger and public fatalities were recorded, the highest number in a decade. It was no surprise to me to read the assertion that although harm to the railway workforce has reduced the Inspectorate had found “insufficiently effective arrangements to manage some faulty basic worker construction health and safety risks such as manual handling”, together with delays to the planned roll out of safety enhancements for infrastructure workers. Manual handling was one of the areas in which the Inspectorate took enforcement action. The same thoughts are applicable to the report’s assertion that there is scope for Network Rail to improve its stewardship of earthworks, bridges, tunnels and viaducts.

Praise for London Underground Conversely London Underground is praised for the “good practice in management of contractors and its supply chain”. The report adds, “in 2015/16 there was a focus on individuals responsibility for behavioural safety which challenged the traditional controls used: site best practice guides used pictures not words, to communicate key safety messages during work planning and construction phases - a shift in the way messages are delivered – and something from which other sectors might benefit”. Praise indeed! RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAILSTAFFUK | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

ORR offices, One Kemble Street, London.

Renewals deferred but few additional speed restrictions? In this world of jargon, (much unnecessary unless it is intended to confuse) RM3 refers to the Railway Management Maturity Model used by the ORR to measure safety performance. Despite a 30% reduction in RIDDOR accident reporting, their recent evaluation of Network Rail’s position identified a need for “better safety leadership and governance at senior level”. They also comment that safety initiatives “often fail to translate into front line improvements” and note a great variation in levels of management maturity with assessments ranging from ad hoc to excellent! These results took into account information gathered by unannounced sampling site visits to a number of Route Asset Managers. In the second half of 2015/16 Network Rail revised their renewal plans due to “financial constraints”. The deferral of renewals inevitably led to increased reliance on

maintenance and the expertise of staff to manage failing track geometry. I discussed this with Ian Prosser ORR Chief Inspector of Railways when I met him in Kemble Street Offices in central London on July 21st. I asked whether or not the result of the deferred work had been a significant increase in the number of consequential speed restrictions that had been imposed. Ian assured me that this was not the case!

Planning and Delivery of Safe Work - delayed! The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) have understandably criticised the voluminous method statements and briefing documents that are now regularly produced and sometimes partially read. Network Rail’s initiative known as “Planning and Delivery of Safe Work” (or PDSW if you must), only surfaced briefly. I was told that it had met with numerous problems within the maintenance function. Section 2.8 of the report is blunt; “the trial of the new safe

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TRACK SAFETY

RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

worker role on the East Midlands route failed at implementation stage because of insufficient resourcing, an insufficient IT platform, the culture and competences of existing frontline managers and unnecessary self-imposed deadlines”. I am not surprised by this conclusion! Ian Prosser went on to agree that one of the problems with the current system is that the Controller of Site Safety is often not the most senior person on site. Network Rail have now set a new baseline, are looking at how things are currently done at track level and are also looking at how they may best influence the culture and motivation of track staff.

Need to involve those “on the front line” This initiative having gone back to involving track level front line people I believe will give it a greater chance of success. We next discussed the initiative currently in hand to progress to automatic track warning systems to protect staff

working whilst trains are running. I suggested that London stations such as Liverpool Street might be good places for trials and early proving usage. Ian responded by suggesting that future work at Waterloo might be an opportunity for the inclusion of automatic track warning systems for track workers as an element of a “safety by design” initiative. I commented on my own experiences of being protected by such an installation over a decade ago at Zurich’s Main Station. Ian expressed the view that the current RAIB class investigation into Red Zone working is likely to provide useful information with which to prioritise initiatives to reduce risks to those who work on track.

Implementing RAIB recommendations and reviewing RSSB I pressed Ian on the speed of his pursuance of RAIB report recommendations. He emphasised the pressure he exerts to close out the actions needed.

IAN PROSSER (LEFT) WITH COLIN WHEELER

Whilst he acknowledged that there are currently 136 outstanding recommendations he pointed out that 42 of these are less than a year old. During 2015/16 17 enforcement notices were issued together with 6 prohibition notices (four fewer than the previous year). A total of four prosecutions were completed resulting in the imposition of fines totalling £802,000. During our conversation Ian emphasised the regular and in depth discussions he regularly has with Simon French from the RAIB. Whilst we discussed the work of the RAIB he told me that one of the tasks allotted to the ORR is a five yearly independent review of the work of the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB). Although the last such review was carried out in 2010 the following one will not be completed until November this year. The delay was agreed to allow time for both their new Chief Executive and Chair to be appointed and settle in.

Fixed earthing devices on the way! I asked about the involvement ORR has with the Department for Transport; major projects and policy was the answer. He stressed that the Department does not get involved in day to day matters. However there have been discussions on the client role under the latest Construction, Design and Management Regulations. I hope to learn more at the September Meeting of the Rail Exec on September 15th at Drapers' Hall! Current initiatives being ecouraged by the ORR include trials of fixed earthing devices for both DC and AC electrification. DC is being looked at first and already three trials have taken place. Delivery of viable systems is due by the end of Control period 5.

Track engineering expertise I questioned the level of unannounced railway inspector visits to track sites. Ian Prosser made it clear that such visits are important to him and that

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he is proud of the fact that his inspectors warn others that he himself can and does pop up when he is not expected. His team of inspectors are required to spend over half of their time carrying out worksite inspections which is I suggest a good principle. He mentioned specific areas where he has had concerns about the competency of Network Rail Track Maintenance engineers particularly in respect of cyclic top, twist and how best to both identify and treat these and other track defects.

Safety culture Throughout our discussion (and that I had a few weeks ago with Simon French of RAIB) I have been impressed by the fact that all our views coincide in a number of areas. Ian’s commitment to getting out on track unannounced and seeing for himself what is going on is laudable. We also talked about the importance of cab riding and hearing train drivers’ views. I was encouraged to hear that his inspectors are required to spend half of their time on site with the front line workforce. Both organisations are evidently convinced that more needs to be done to increase the safety culture and hence motivation of those engaged in physical work on our mainline railways.

Ballast scratched boots for all! There is also a recognition that technical engineering competency levels vary and are in some places inadequate for the job in hand. “Ballast scratched boots for all”, I suggest as a worthwhile slogan for the future to reflect the need for a step change in the competency, commitment and culture of local management, front line supervisors and those working on track. I commended the example of the British Rail safety campaign some decades ago when a group of respected local track working supervisors were brought together to look at and either agree to or reject all track safety improvement plans. It worked then and resulted in well over a year without a track fatality! colin@rail-media.com

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Defining moments It doesn’t seem adequate to say Hitachi has had a good 18 months. Lucrative? Yes. Defining? Definitely. In September, the company opened its much-vaunted manufacturing facility in Newton Aycliffe; this was swiftly followed by additional train orders from Great Western - part of which was confirmed this month Abellio ScotRail and TransPennine Express. The first Class 800 - the difficult second album to follow the success of the Class 395 ‘Javelin’ fleet - celebrated its own milestone recently, successfully completing its first test runs on a newly electrified section of the Great Western Main Line (GWML). The past 12 months has also seen Hitachi complete its acquisition of AnsaldoBreda - now Hitachi Rail Italy - alongside a 50 per cent share in Ansaldo STS, giving it a manufacturing base in Italy to support its operations in the UK and Europe. Its rise over the past couple of years has been remarkable, with the company now established as one of the leading rolling stock suppliers in the UK.

Recognising drivers Last year, Hitachi’s Ashford maintenance centre crew won the Depot Team of the Year Award. The depot’s fleet manager, Nigel King, praised the site’s 100-or-so staff for its success. Ashford looks after Southeastern’s Class 395 ‘Javelin’ fleet and, as we move closer to the roll-out of the Class 800 on Great Western, it is being held up as an example of good practice for the IEP maintenance teams. This year, Hitachi is supporting the awards, sponsoring the popular Train Driver of the Year category. Given the volume of new trains coming out of Hitachi’s factories over the next few years, the company is looking to recognise those who will be operating them. It’s a category which recognises drivers on routes all around the country. People like London Underground’s Frank Hoffman (pictured below), who won the 2015 award after he came to the aid of a passenger who had collapsed on his train.

Strategy Says Kendra Ayling, brand and marketing specialist at Hitachi Rail Europe, ’As we ramp-up for delivery of the Intercity Express Programme trains across the UK we are opening new maintenance centres to support the contract including Doncaster, Stoke Gifford and North Pole. ‘We have exciting plans to recruit and retain the best talent for these sites and we see the RailStaff Awards as a big part of this strategy – which is why we have decided to sponsor this year. It’s a great way to reward our teams for the excellent work they do each day to get our trains into service in pristine condition, and we are looking forward to what looks like an amazing night.’ For the latest Hitachi job vacancies, go to page 63. Nominations are open for the RailStaff Awards 2016. To submit an entry, visit www.railstaffawards.uk/ nominate

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Deploy and deliver The term ‘infrastructure’ has a wide definition when talking about the railway. The track itself is actually one of the final components - a finishing touch. Railway systems require electrical infrastructure, signalling, power and all of the associated commercial and civil infrastructure that brings the case for building it in the first place. Deploy UK Rail, part of the DE Group, is sponsoring this year’s Rail Infrastructure/Possessions Team of the Year Award at the RailStaff Awards in October. The category reflects the wide-ranging definition of infrastructure services within the group, which also covers asbestos and hazardous material disposal, construction recruitment, demolition, health and safety consultancy and subcontracting.

Regional bases Deploy UK Rail was established in 2013 to serve a burgeoning rail sector. Recruitment agencies are finding they need to offer something to be noticed by clients. Deploy now sees itself as a delivery partner, says Paul. The company is primarily a provider of construction and rail resource but has widened its offering to include planning and delivery

of works. Not surprisingly, possession planning also represents a significant portion of Deploy UK Rail’s output. Starting with just three employees, the company has now grown to a team of 14, with more than 300+ sponsored staff on its books. Although originally focussed around London and South East, in 2016 Deploy Rail now has offices in Plymouth and Manchester - part of a strategy to create regional offices to service large rail schemes with knowledge of the routes they’re working on. ‘The biggest problem we’ve got industry wide is the shipping of staff around the country,’ said Paul Smith, Deploy’s technical sales director. Deploy aims to replicate the model it has successfully created in London - to supply a well-equipped, local workforce to projects within the regions they operate in. Recruitment agencies operating in the rail industry in 2016 should know better than anyone the importance of keeping their workers happy. ‘The key things that we are coming across is the compliance, H&S, PPE and making sure that the guys are paid properly… Small things but make massive differences.’

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FEATURE

RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN

COOL

ANDY MILNE CONSIDERS THE IMPACT OF THERESA MAY’S NEW ADMINISTRATION ON THE RAIL INDUSTRY

ne of the most intriguing pictures of Theresa May is a shot of her talking to rock star, Alice Cooper. The pair met in a corridor at the BBC. May, a fan, stopped and talked to Cooper. The vicar’s daughter meets death cult superstar? Hard to imagine any common ground. What did they find to talk about? Quite a lot, it appears. She is reputed to have taken the idea for killer-cat shoes from Cooper. Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Alice Cooper’s stage act has included mock executions, huge snakes, fire dancers and dentist drills. Think it through and the parallels with the modern Conservative Party are all too apparent. However their connection goes deeper. Nowadays Cooper is a sober, born again Christian and May, a restrained and committed Anglican, describes herself as a regular communicant. She does not frequent the bar room social circuit at Westminster.

NO MORE MR NICE GUY By contrast the differences between May and Cameron are more marked. In his last Prime Minister’s Questions David Cameron came across as an affable, clubbable man, keen to detoxify the Conservative brand - once dubbed by May as the Nasty Party - and shoe horn modern Toryism into the popular nostrums of our time. Turkey’s admission to the EU, same-sex marriage, Hug-a-Hoodie, backing for the Arab Spring: Call-me-Dave had a good word to © Craig Sterken / Shutterstock.com

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say for them all. Theresa May has unceremoniously rolled up Cameronian conservatism - doubtless humming ‘No More Mr Nice Guy’ as she did so. May has a steely eyed grasp of detail. For her the high finance, morally bereft consumer culture of the west is adrift. In her first speech on the steps of 10 Downing Street she spelled out a very different form of conservatism - note the small ‘c’.

IN CONTROL ‘The government I lead will be driven, not by the interests of the privileged few but by yours.’ May said. If true this is remarkable. The novelist, Nancy Mitford, once observed that Britain until the last century was run by roughly 40 families. Accurate or not the remark points to a world run by a distinct upper class. Back then it was who you knew not what you know. Immigrants and working class entrepreneurs will tell you trying to get past the smiling wall of pink faced ex-public schoolboys is well nigh impossible. May, state educated in the main and her grandfather a Regimental Sergeant Major to boot, is speaking directly to the responsible working and middle class. ‘We will do everything we can to give you more control over your lives,’ she said. May also used the speech to distance herself further from the

metropolitan ruling elite. ‘If you’re from an ordinary working-class family, life is much harder than many people in Westminster realise.’ She has also committed to putting workers on boards of directors and ending the obscenity of big bonuses for the suits.

POPULAR REVOLT How much of this is genuine and how much political expediency remains to be seen. The result of the EU referendum informs May’s view of the new political landscape. The Brexit poll was won in the political heartlands of the Labour movement - the north of England, Wales and the Midlands. May knows she has to harness this vote or throw the next election. Delivering Brexit has to be her number one objective. Wobble on this and UKIP scoops up those votes - even without the charisma of Nigel Farage. Fail altogether and how many voters will revert to Labour come the next election - assuming there is a still a Labour Party to vote for? The emerging conservatism of Theresa May is aimed at harnessing the popular revolt against the EU. Moreover she recognises that vote of itself comes out of a widespread disenchantment with a politically-correct, morally-averse urban meritocracy.

ALL I EVER

WANTED

CHRIS GRAYLING, NEW SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TRANSPORT, SAYS HE’S FINALLY GOT THE JOB HE’S ALWAYS WANTED

ays the MP for commuter-heavy Epsom and Ewell, ‘This is the job that I’ve always been most interested in doing in government. It’s the area that has been my prime focus for political interest since I arrived in 2001 and joined the Transport Select Committee.’ Grayling went on to become shadow transport secretary before Cameron’s election victory in 2010. Grayling might have crossed the airy portals of Marsham Street earlier had it not been for the bed and breakfast controversy in March 2010. Faced with the question of same sex couples booking into private B&Bs he said, ‘I took the view that if it's a question of somebody who's doing a B&B in their own home, that individual should have the right to decide who does and who doesn't come into their own home. ‘If they are running a hotel on the high street, I really don’t think that it is right in this day and age that a gay couple should walk into a hotel and be turned away…’

CONTROVERSY Though it seems mild in retrospect, the ensuing fury meant Grayling was offered no ministerial cabinet post four months later when Cameron and Clegg launched the coalition government. Grayling served in the Department of Work and Pensions. In 2012, he joined the cabinet as © DfT

Justice Secretary, where he is credited with introducing greater protection for householders defending themselves against violent intruders. Less popular were legal aid reforms. Grayling is no stranger to controversy. Back in 2006 he admitted that John Major’s privatisation of the railways was flawed and needed reexamining. Although Tony Blair had promised re-nationalisation little had been done. ‘The whole franchise structure at the moment is completely flawed,’ he said in an interview with RailStaff in 2007. ‘It comes down to the changed nature of the role of government. Franchisees are no longer bidding to run a railway business. They are bidding to operate a timetable on behalf of government. The government specifies in minute detail what services run, where, when, how, which stations get a service and which don’t. This is micro-management gone mad.’

FASTER DECISION MAKING Interestingly he opposed the Eddington Report’s shortcomings on railway infrastructure provision, issued in December 2006. ‘To say we can deal with all our future transport needs on our existing infrastructure I don’t believe is right,’ he said. Grayling has also long been familiar with the near stasis surrounding decision making. Back in 2007, he said, ‘Do I honestly believe that the current industry structure is capable of delivering faster decision making and better use of its money by operating in a more efficient way? Actually, I don’t and most people in the industry I speak to say they don’t.’ Happily married with two children Grayling once worked for the BBC and Channel 4 and is familiar with the corporate culture that can bedevil new thinking. A varied career has included running small TV production businesses and a spell at Burson-Marsteller. Grayling remains a committed supporter of Manchester United, attending home games at Old Trafford.

FOCUS ON THE PASSENGER For Grayling, railway policy has to focus on service to the passenger. Last month, on taking up his new role, he told rail chiefs, ‘My one message to all of you would be please think in everything you do, every decision you take, every plan you put together…..Is what we’re doing going to make life better for the passenger? Because that fundamentally should drive absolutely every decision we take. ‘If it’s not going to make things better for the passenger then why are we doing it?’ FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAILSTAFFUK | RAILSTAFF.UK

FEATURE

RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

REPORT BY KEVIN BENNETT

PLANNING FOR A

WORLD'S FIRST! ELEVARCH MASONRY ARCH JACKING TRIAL

nnovation is a tortuous path which requires a great deal of support from a wide spectrum of people. The Department for Transport has recognised the importance of promoting innovation and engages RSSB to manage the dissemination of funding to companies and individuals through its innovation programme. This is a scheme dedicated to funding idea development and facilitating access to live rail proving grounds. In February 2014, RSSB’s Innovation Programme invited participants to an event entitled “The Avoidance of Bridge Reconstruction”, during which it was estimated that 25 per cent of the cost of electrification is attributed to bridge reconstruction. Attending this event was Freyssinet, a structural repair contractor, more often than not to be found beneath a highway bridge doing bridge jacking and bearing replacement, concrete repair or cathodic protection. Acknowledging the call from the rail industry for new entrants to help deliver the CP5 expenditure plan, Freyssinet formally set up its Rail Division in 2013 with the aim of developing new solutions as well as transferring skills between sectors. The Avoidance of Bridge Reconstruction competition was trying to find an alternative

to demolishing overbridges, which often becomes necessary when electrification or larger rolling stock needs to be accommodated on a line. Hundreds of overbridges have been demolished, at great cost to Network Rail which hoped there must be a better way.

JACKING A MASONRY ARCH Freyssinet teamed up with Bill Harvey at that event. Bill is a renowned masonry arch expert who already had the idea of how to vertically jack arches, without having a route to market. Freyssinet provided that route and so the ElevArch® team was born. Each brick in a masonry arch is held in place by the support offered by the neighbouring brick, so a thrust line develops around the arch and down into the ground. Provided the abutment, wing walls and soil are able to provide an equal and opposite reaction, the arch remains stable. It takes a brave person to contemplate disturbing this most fundamental of structural stability rules, but that was Bill Harvey’s plan. The team, along with eight other companies exploring totally different concepts, won funding in 2014 from RSSB for a desktop study to explore the feasibility of the concept. In 2015, ElevArch was chosen, with four others, to advance into phase two of

the competition - the full-scale demonstrator. A suitable structure was located on the East-West Rail phase 2 route. This is Moco Farm occupation bridge, which carries a live farm access over a mothballed railway that is currently being recommissioned as part of the East-West route between Bicester and Bletchley. It is an unremarkable brick segmental arch bridge, 4.3 metres wide with a 10.1 metre span and dating back to 1850. But Robert Stephenson designed the line and, whilst it is not a listed structure, it nevertheless seems a shame to lose it. The structures on East-West Rail phase 2 need an average of about 900mm extra headroom beneath them for the OLE and kinematic envelope. The traditional options are bridge reconstruction and track lowering and, if the ElevArch trial works, 10 similar bridges on the route are possibly suited to the technique as well. Other lines look promising for exploiting the technique too, such as west of Leeds on the Trans-Pennine project and the Midland main line.

ELEVARCH EXPLAINED

Schematic of the bridge lifted by 900mm with the jacks and timber crib stacks clearly visible. RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAILSTAFFUK | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

So, what is ElevArch? It is a patented technique which involves cutting the arch free from its abutments and wing walls so it can be jacked skywards to enlarge the space below it. The sequence of operations is key to maintaining that all-important thrust line. A horizontal saw cut is made through each abutment just below the arch springing in conjunction with coring five holes horizontally into each abutment. Vertical lifting jacks are inserted into these holes and they support the weight of the bridge. The horizontal component of the thrust force is taken by four vertical slip bearings which

Moco Farm bridge spans the currently mothballed railway between Bicester and Bletchley.

flooded with concrete to restore permanent support so the jacks can be recovered for reuse. The bearings are left in the wingwalls with the saw cut grouted up having first had the facing brickwork made good.

AN ADDITIONAL OPTION

are inserted into slots cored through the four wing walls. These bearings prevent the arch from spreading horizontally whilst allowing vertical movement. Once they have been grouted in place, it is safe to wire saw cut the rest of the wing walls to free the arch from the foundations and the magic can begin. The 50 tonne capacity jacks are computer controlled from a central unit to within 0.1mm of each other, thus guaranteeing a fully balanced synchronous lift. In late September 2016, Moco Farm bridge will be jacked 900mm into the air. As the jacks lift, hardwood timber crib stacks will be inserted beneath the jacks to support the bridge each time the jack foot retracts. The lift will take about six hours, during which constant monitoring will verify that the arch is behaving as predicted. The arch will then be lowered by 465mm so that re-profiling of the approach ramps is unnecessary for the trial. Thus the bridge will be left 435mm higher than the starting position and the gap in the abutment where the bridge has been lifted will be faced with brickwork and

The methodology has been developed to minimise the intrusion into the rail environment as much as possible. A bridge reconstruction or track lower can often require several days of railway closure. With ElevArch, in most situations, there will be a Rules of Route possession to erect the trackside safety barrier and another to remove it at the end. The jacking is intended to take place early on Sunday morning in another Rules of Route possession as it will only need about six hours to complete the lifting operation. The coring, sawing, grouting and other tasks can all take place from behind the barrier using relatively light equipment. So, not only are the direct costs of this technique expected to be significantly less than bridge reconstruction or track lowering, but the

demands for track time will be reduced as well. It is also perceived to be less risky as there is no need for a large crane with all its access and weather susceptibility issues. The ElevArch technique is not expected to replace bridge reconstruction or track lowering completely, but rather join that pair as a third option to be selected by the engineer as the solution when the situation is most appropriate. It is expected to be of significant interest in heritage situations when track lowering isn’t viable - it’s better to sympathetically move a heritage structure than remove it altogether. With something in the region of 500 overbridges getting in the way of Britain’s electrification programme, the future for this bold but simple technique is expected to be bright. Kevin Bennett is sales and technical director, Freyssinet. Freyssinet wish to acknowledge the tremendous support given by the EastWest Rail team in bringing this concept to trial. Anyone interested in attending the open day and witnessing the world’s first ElevArch trial in September should contact John Kennils at john.kennils@freyssinet.co.uk.

Brickwork repairs will be necessary before the bridge can be lifted.

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Wemyss Bay is the port for sailing to Rothesay and the Isle of Bute.

Spencer Group’s team kept safety a top priority, receiving zero RIDDORs throughout the entire project.

pencer Group has completed a sensitive refurbishment of the historic Wemyss Bay station on the Clyde coast in Scotland. The contract, which began in April 2014, required Spencer Group’s team to carry out a range of works, including refurbishing platform canopies and the concourse roof, installing a new access system to canopies and a series of other external and internal building works.

For a generation of Scots, the elegant A-listed Edwardian station at Wemyss Bay will always be remembered as the gateway to their annual holiday. Wemyss Bay is the port for sailing to Rothesay and the Isle of Bute.

GEORGIAN WIRE The project was originally to be delivered over two financial years to take advantage of two summer periods and ensure tools could be downed during the winter which, because of the station’s location, can be harsh.

However, following the initial works on the site, it soon became clear that the completion date was unrealistic, as more and more issues with the structure were discovered. The problems stemmed from the age of the building materials, such as the Georgian wire over the canopies and the paint used, and the inability of these old technologies to handle the station’s coastal location, with water ingress and rust causing significant damage. Difficult access to many parts of the station building led much of it to fall into disrepair.

BAD WEATHER Almost all of the station’s existing roof slates were classified as unsuitable for the coastal environment, needing a total of 1,434m2 of replacement tiles. A post-contractaward structural assessment also revealed significant overstressing to the existing structural elements, requiring substantial strengthening with 3.5 tonnes of steel. Several problems with the paint on the station’s steel beams, including rust and the use of lead-based paint, meant that nearly 4,000 litres of new paint was used in the refurbishment works in total. The delay these unexpected issues should have caused was lessened

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RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

FEATURE

SONG OF THE CLYDE by working through the winter, which required the implementation of extra measures to cope with seasonal bad weather. Despite the bad weather conditions and high winds, Spencer Group’s team kept safety a top priority, receiving zero RIDDORs throughout the entire project.

Difficult access to many parts of the station building led much of it to fall into disrepair.

WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE Andy Ewing, Spencer Group’s project manager at Wemyss Bay, said, ‘Wemyss Bay Station is a wonderful old building and because of this, the materials and technologies used during its original construction created a number of structural issues which needed urgent attention. ‘Fortunately, our teams have a wealth of experience in this field, having completed multi-disciplinary works on a number of listed station buildings, including Edinburgh Waverley station. We were able to successfully work through the harsh conditions of winter in this coastal location, bringing the project to completion to the satisfaction of client and stakeholders. ‘I’m delighted with the work of all our team members, with special mention to our construction managers, Peter Benning and Pawel Pliszko. Their experience in working

on special buildings with a listed status, combined with their technical and leadership skills, have been invaluable and I would like to thank them for their efforts.’ The team also gained permission to close one of the platforms to allow it to work in isolation, which meant that they were able to work safely throughout the day, as the station remained operational throughout these works.

FAMILY HOLIDAY The final stages of the work involved installing new access systems to the canopies to prevent the previous issues of access difficulty leading to disrepair, refurbishing the concourse roof with a total of 165.5m2 of new glass panes, and other miscellaneous finishing tasks.

Wemyss Bay station in Inverclyde was designed by James Miller in 1903 for the Caledonian Railway. It incorporates the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry terminal, connecting mainland Scotland to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute. With its historical importance for transport links in this area of Scotland, the station gave working people the means to get away for a family holiday, opening up destinations like Rothesay, Millport and Tighnabruaich to the masses. Wemyss Bay station is well-loved by local residents. As such, Spencer Group consulted with 300-strong community group ‘The Friends of Wemyss Bay Station’ throughout the works, updating them on progress and even granting them privileged access to gain a sneak peek at the refurbished station prior to completion.

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FEATURE

RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

CLYDE RIDE

REPORT BY DAVID SHIRRES

A CROWD OF PHOTOGRAPHERS NEXT TO THE RAILWAY IS A SURE SIGN THAT A STEAM-HAULED SPECIAL TRAIN IS DUE

heir wait will be rewarded by the impressive sight of a hard-working steam locomotive in sight for less than a minute. Yet, how many of these photographers know that it is possible to stand next to a railway steam engine under power and experience its sight, sounds and smell for as long as they like? This is the 2,100 hp triple expansion steam engine that powers PS Waverley, the world’s last sea-going paddle steamer. This is one of 11 steam engines on the ship which includes those driving pumps, steering gear, capstan and windlass.

THE LAST SURVIVOR

Waverley was built for the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) company to replace her namesake, sunk at Dunkirk. She was launched in 1946 at Clyde shipyard, A&J Inglis, now site of Glasgow’s Riverside museum and is the last of dozens of paddle steamers to be built for service on the Clyde. In their heyday, these ships carried thousands of commuters and tourists from around 70 Clyde piers, some of which were effectively an extension of the rail network. As an example, steamer traffic justified the construction of a 2,110-yard railway tunnel, Scotland’s longest, for the three-mile extension from Greenock to Gourock station which opened in 1889. This long-gone traffic is still evident today in the broad covered walkway between the pier and the ornate Wemyss Bay station and the signalling system at Kilcreggan pier to control paddlers as they competed to reach the pier. When she was withdrawn from commercial service in 1973, Waverley was the last survivor. However instead of scrapping her, Calmac gifted the ship to the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society (PSPS) for a pound. After much hard work, PSPS re-introduced her to the Clyde in 1975. In the following years, her operations were extended throughout the UK during which she undertook three round Britain voyages. Her current service pattern is early June in the Scottish Western Isles, July and August on the Firth of Clyde. She then does cruises from Liverpool, North Wales, Bristol Channel, the South Coast and the Thames before returning to Glasgow in mid-October.

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A DEMANDING OPERATION Running a paddle steamer today is a complex operation. Waverley is quite different to a conventional ship and so it is difficult to apply modern marine legislation to her. Her operation is also costly with high fuel - around £350 per hour - and maintenance costs. Moreover, unlike preserved steam railways, she cannot be operated by volunteers or run at weekends as she can only sail with a fully certified crew of over 20 officers, seamen and engineers who live aboard the ship. Today, with only one paddle steamer on the Clyde, funding pier maintenance is also a challenge. Support from councils and pier authorities enables Waverley to call at 16 piers during her Clyde season. However, some piers have been lost. During the winter months, Waverley’s engineers and volunteers maintain the engine, boilers, paddles and deck gear whilst the ship is moored at Glasgow. The ship is also dry-docked in Greenock for two to three weeks for a full hull survey, painting and repairs. This is demanding work, especially as the ship is the only one of her kind and the Clyde shipyards, where specialists maintained her machinery, are long-gone. In recognition of this ‘fantastic restoration work’, Waverley was awarded an engineering heritage award by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) in 2011.

A UNIQUE OPERATION The ship’s operation is unique. Communication between the captain and engineer is by a ship’s telegraph. Her handling differs from other ships as there is no propeller in front of the rudder which is thus ineffective at low speed. However, her large paddles give her a much greater deceleration than other ships. Thus, to maintain her steerage, Waverley has to approach piers faster than other ships and then stop quickly. Ropes then position the ship against the pier by the use of the steam-driven windlass and capstan. This is a specialised operation which has to take account of varying winds and tides. It requires effective teamwork between the bridge officers, engineers and deckhands and is best seen from the upper aft boat deck as the ship docks. It is also seen to good effect

from the engine room alleyway as the chief engineer operates the engine in accordance with the engine room telegraph commands from the bridge. Unlike railway practice, the reversing gear is steam driven as it has to operate instantaneously. Her current captain, Ross Cochran, started his career with P&O cruises. He is ‘very conscious of Waverley’s historic status and uniqueness’ and finds his historic charge to be ‘a world away from the giant cruise liners’ but ‘they were all about people and so is Waverley’. The ship carries up to 700 passengers and has a dedicated following of supporters whose websites have noted his impeccable handling of the ship, regardless of his recent transition from large cruise ships. On the engine room platform, chief engineer Alex Snedden is glad to answer passenger’s questions when he is not too

busy. Common questions are: Where do you keep the coal? (the ship is oil-fired) and is this really a steam ship (Yes! however there is not much steam to be seen as it is condensed and recirculated). The most common question is whether the ship can be steered by turning the paddles in different directions to which the answer is no as both paddles are directly driven by the engine’s crankshaft. Seventy years ago, the LNER provided today’s generation with a unique must-see attraction for anyone with an interest in ships and industrial heritage. A trip on the Waverley, whether on the Clyde or from her ports of call in England, is not only a great day out but helps preserve her for future generations. Visit www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk to book tickets and www.paddlesteamers.org for information about the organisation that saved and supports her.

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NEWS

RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

Queen’s Award for 3Squared James Fox and Tim Jones, directors of rail software company 3Squared, recently went up to Buckingham Palace to receive the ‘Queen’s Award’ for Innovation. 3Squared was recognised in the ‘Innovation’ category for its RailSmart software solution, a suite of apps developed specifically for the rail industry. The two company directors, who met at Sheffield Hallam University 15 years ago, had always harboured ambitions to start their own business and one day collect a Queen’s Award. Last week, their dream became reality as Tim and James collected the award, widely acknowledged as one of the highest accolades for UK businesses. James Fox, commercial director at 3Squared, said, ‘We were so proud when we found out that we had won the

Queen’s Award for Innovation. Attending the Palace was a great honour and is something we have often discussed during the last 15 years. It is fantastic to think how far we’ve come as a company and it really was one of the proudest days of my life receiving the Queen’s award for our rail industry software.’ Tim Jones, managing director at 3Squared, agreed. ‘It was a wonderful day and the culmination of a lot of hard work and effort, not just by ourselves but our team,’ said Tim. 3Squared achieved the Queen’s Award due to the major efficiencies its RailSmart suite has delivered for train operating companies, alongside the significant business growth

Track rescue for Terry

Terry the tortoise is safely back with his family after a dramatic rescue by rail worker Alan Axon. Tracy Taylor, who has owned Terry for 14 years, had been distraught since his disappearance on 13 July. ‘My husband Mark had let Terry out of his hut to stretch his legs in the garden while he RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAILSTAFFUK | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

the company has experienced in terms of sales expansion, increased turnover and heightened profitability. The commercial success of the products has both enabled and compelled the business to enter a period of rapid growth and 3Squared is taking on more staff - another rail success story. Says Tim Jones, ‘Our business has grown significantly as a direct result of RailSmart, and we have increased our staff levels by 40 per

was cutting the grass. The next thing we knew, he was gone. We looked everywhere – we even moved the garden shed in case he was underneath it. But although we searched the neighbourhood, he’d completely vanished, and we were afraid we’d lost him.’ Terry had wandered on to the railway line which runs not far from the house. Fortunately VGC rail delivery deputy supervisor Alan Axon and his colleague Paul Gregory were doing a site inspection during a line closure, before arranging to deliver new rails for Network Rail upgrade works near Cottingham. Alan spotted Terry ambling along the tracks. ‘He wasn’t going to be safe once the trains started running again,’ said Alan, who picked Terry up and took him back to his vehicle. After the shift, he sent a photo of Terry to VGC’s head office.

cent in the past 12 months to meet demand. This has enabled us to appoint a new management team to give us the platform we need to be able to service even larger, national contracts in the future.’ 3Squared is a Sheffieldbased software development consultancy. The company has over 14 years’ experience in helping organisations to use the latest technology to overcome business problems, improve efficiency and save money.

Terry was looked after by Alan’s friend, Gemma Hall, a staff nurse at Durham University Hospital. When Mark’s son, Daniel, spotted Alan’s photo on VGC’s Facebook page, Tracy couldn’t believe it. ‘We were absolutely astonished – but also so excited.’ They got in touch with VGC, and Alan took Terry home. ‘Family and our friends can’t believe how lucky we are,’ Tracy continues. ‘We cannot thank Alan enough for looking after Terry and saving him from harm.’ This is not the first time Terry has been in trouble. ‘His first adventure was when he climbed into Mark’s work jacket which was among the laundry on the floor. I had put it in a boil wash. Then I realised Terry was missing. I stopped the machine immediately, but we had to worry and wait for an agonising minute before we could open the time-locked door. He came out of the jacket, shook his head, and walked off as if nothing had happened!’ And earlier this summer the family had to fend off an attack from an angry magpie. Says Tracy, ‘A massive thank you to VGC, for all they’ve done in for arranging for him to be brought home to us so quickly and smoothly.’ Meanwhile rail officials are stepping up summer campaigns to keep kids (and reptiles) off the railway.

Ready, teddy, go

Staff from the Bolton Interchange site team recently took on an eight-mile cycle and trailer ride to raise money as part of a national charity event. Volunteers from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and contractors Kier Construction saddled up and set off accompanied by furry mascot Kier Bear. Pedal power, teamwork and encouragement saw the team reach their destination at Kier’s offices in Hindley Green in just 40 minutes. The event was organised as part of Kier’s national ‘Where’s the Bear 2016 10k’ scheme, which challenges staff to travel 1,000 miles across their sites, transporting a mascot bear along the way and using only nonconventional, non-motorised transport. Each site on the journey is challenged to raise £500 as well as getting the bear safely to its next destination. The overall fundraising target for the event is £10,000. Money raised from this leg of the challenge

will be split between TfGM’s nominated charities, Samaritans and Kidscan Children’s Cancer Research, as well as the Kier Foundation, which distributes money to local and national charitable causes as well as community projects. To donate, visit: mydonate.bt.com/ fundraisers/chrisscarr1 Andy Raw, project control engineer for TfGM, said, ‘I really enjoyed taking part in the event, which not only raised money for charity, but was also an excellent way to build team spirit, achieve something and raise the profile of the Bolton Interchange project. ‘If I’m being honest, there were one or two occasions where I would have liked to swap places with Kier Bear, but I’m delighted we were able to complete the challenge and chalk some miles off the national target.’ The Bolton Interchange is being delivered by TfGM and Bolton Council. The £48 million scheme is being funded by the Greater Manchester Transport Fund.

Kier Agent, Chris Scarr with Kier Bear 29 July 2016

Safest in Europe Britain’s railways are the safest in Europe, says the ORR. Launching its annual report on railway health and safety, ORR’s director of railway safety, Ian Prosser, said, ‘A decade of sustained investment and a shared commitment from industry leaders, managers, workers, unions and governments has dramatically improved health and safety on Britain’s railways. ‘It is a significant achievement to be rated as the safest railway in Europe, but it’s vital no one becomes complacent.’ Prosser called for greater consistency. ‘Our evidence highlights key challenges facing the rail industry. In particular, the need to ensure that safety arrangements set by railway leadership are implemented consistently, as well as managing the safety risks from rising passenger numbers. We need to see further evidence of industry improvement here.’ ORR says rail staff health is a priority and has identified 12 priority areas requiring attention such as worker health and wellbeing, fatigue management and station operations.

(L-R) Kier Agent, Chris Scarr, Project Control Engineer for Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), Andy Raw and TfGM assistant project manager Nathan Cox. FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAILSTAFFUK | RAILSTAFF.UK

EVENTS

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

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER conference

conference

exhibition 6TH ANNUAL MODERN conference tech exhibition RAILWAYS press conference tech

exhibition FIRE PROTECTION AND tech SAFETY IN TUNNELS press conference 2016

3rd - 5th August, Singapore press conference modernrailwayslse. network awaards network marcusevans.com/ awaards dinner

6th - 8th September,conference Norway awaards press conference dinner

press conference exhibition

press conference

exhibition

network

free conference free

exhibition free

tech September, Netherlands 14th - 16th press conference www.heart2016.org conference

free

network

MICHIGAN RAIL CONFERENCE

DIGITAL RAIL SUMMIT

awaards dinner

conference exhibition

8th September, London www.rail-media.com

free

tech 17th - 18th August, Michigan, USA press conference www.railserve.com

conference exhibition tech press conference

network

conference APTA ANNUAL exhibition CONFERENCE tech

network

IEEE INTERNATIONALdinner CONFERENCE ON free INTELLEGENT RAIL conference exhibition awaards

dinner

exhibition

network

AREMA CONFERENCE awaardsconference exhibition dinner

awaards RAILWAYawaards DIVISION CHAIR'S dinner dinner ADDRESS: SUSTAINING THE free free FUTURE conference exhibition

network

15th September, Londondinner www.rail-media.com

free

4TH ANNUAL SOUTH ASIA TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE CONFERENCE conference exhibition

19th - 20th September, tech press conference Dehli, India bricsaconsulting.com network awaards dinner

awaards

dinner free

tech

RAIL EXEC NETWORKING press conference dinner LUNCHEON – WWW.RAIL – free MEDIA.COM network

network

awaards

exhibition

awaards

free

network

tech 28th - 31st August, Orlando, USA tech 12th September, London press conference press conference free www.arema.org www.imeche.org

network

awaards

awaards conference

11th - 14th Sept, LA, USAtech press conference press conference www.apta.com

tech 23rd - 25th August, Birmingham press conference www.ieee-icirt.com

waterfrontconferencecompany.com

HEARTdinner 2016 SYMPOSIUM

8th September, Birmingham dinner www.riagb.org.uk

tech

dinner

conference exhibition tech

exhibition

20th - 23rd Sept, Berlin press conference tech www.riagb.org.uk press conference network

press conference

awaardsawaards network dinner dinner awaards

awaards

press conference

conference INNOTRANS

tech 14th September, London

network

RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORKING networkfree

conference free

16th August, London www.rail-media.com

tech conference

exhibition network www.arena-international.com/fpst tech

dinner

MARCOMMS EVENT free

3RD ANNUAL: UK RAIL conference exhibition INDUSTRY, FORUM 2016 exhibition tech conference

free

awaards

network dinner NATIONAL RAIL AWARDS 2016 awaards free dinner

22nd September, London www.awards. free railbusinessevents.co.uk

HIGH SPEED RAIL TECHNOLOGIES

conference exhibition

26th September, London tech press conference www.imeche.org network awaards 5TH RAIL ENGINEERING dinner AND MAINTENANCE conference free SUMMIT 2016 exhibition tech

27th - 30th September, press conference Singapore network www.equip-global.com awaards

dinner

RAILWAY CONDITIONING free MONITORING conference exhibition

27th - 28th September,tech press conference Birmingham www.conferences.theiet.org.rcm network

free

awaards dinner

free

R E A C H F O R T H E S TA R S

Staff Awards

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SATURDAY 8TH OCTOBER 2016 THE RICOH ARENA, COVENTRY

Hollywood meets Bollywood: time to enjoy the 10th anniversary of the RailStaff Awards in October.

AUGUST 2016

EVENTS

conference

exhibition tech press conference

OCTOBER RSI/CMA 2016 RAIL EXPO AND TECHNICAL CONFERENCE conference exhibition

tech October, Omaha, USA 2nd - 4th press conference www.rsiweb.org/rsicma16

13TH UIC SUSTAINABILITY CONFERENCE conference exhibition tech 12th - 14th October, Vienna, press conference Austria uic-environment.org network awaards

network

RVE 2016 dinner

conference

awaards

RAILCON 2016

exhibition tech

6th October, pressDerby conference free conference www.rail-media.com exhibition network (Media Partner) conference awaards tech exhibition

press conference

tech

conference

dinner exhibition

tech

13th -14th October, pressSerbia conference exhibition www2.masfak.ni.ac.rs/ tech network press conference zelkon2016 awaards conference

dinner

free

awaards dinner

ROLLING STOCK FIREfree awaards SAFETY; WHERE NEXT? dinner

network

SMART TRANSIT

tech 11th October, London press conference www.imeche.com

AFRICAN RAIL EVOLUTION

conference

exhibition tech

dinner

network awaards HS2; PHASE ONE dinner AND BEYOND conference exhibition free

12th October, London tech press conference www.transporttimes.co.uk/ conferences.php/HS2-Phasenetwork One-and-Beyond-52awaardsdinner

dinner DINNER dinner

free free TO ATTEND FREE free free free

free

tech

SINGAPORE free INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT CONGRESS conference AND EXHIBITION exhibition tech

19th - 21st October, Singapore press conference www.sitce.org

EXPORAIL 2016

exhibition

awaards

tech

dinner free

dinner

conference

exhibition tech

free

26th - 28th October, Russia press conference www.exporail.mx/en network awaards

dinner RAIL INDUSTRY SUMMIT CASABLANCA conference free exhibition

tech 26th - 28th October, Morocco press conference www.railmeetings.com/accueil/ rail-industry-summit-casablanca network

network

awaards

free

network

conference

25th - 26th Octobe,pressNew Jersey, conference USA network www.smarttransitusa.com awaards

press conference

exhibition

awaards CONFERENCE PRESS

press conference

18th - 19th October, Durban, South Africa network rail-evolution.com awaards

conference

press conference press conference network

network awaards network dinner NETWORK network network dinner network awaardsnetwork awaards awaards awaards AWARDSfree awaards dinner awaards dinner NATIONAL free dinner dinner

www.westminsterforumprojects.co.uk

free

SUSTAINABILITY: BUSINESS BENEFITS TO RAIL SEMINAR

press conference tech tech VISIT TECHNICAL press conference press conference press conference network

25th October, London

17th October, London www.imeche.com

free

awaards dinner

network awaards

8th October, Coventry dinner www.rail-media.com free

tech 19th - 20th October, press conference Republic of Korea www.acrt2016.org network

NEXT STEPS FOR free INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING AND DELIVERY OF MAJOR PROJECTS conference exhibition

dinner

RAILSTAFF 2016 press conferenceAWARDS free network â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 10TH BIRTHDAY

EVENTS KEY network conference 1ST ASIAN CONFERENCE ON CONFERENCE conference awaardsexhibition RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURE conference conference exhibition conference conference tech EXHIBITION dinner exhibition techexhibition exhibition AND TRANSPORTATION conference exhibition conference press conference tech LECTURE exhibition tech tech press conference exhibition tech conference free exhibition

dinner

dinner free

free

RVE 2016

Back in Derby for the Fifth Year Riverside Centre, Pride Park, Thursday 6th October

Rail Vehicles and Enhancements - Exhibition and Forum

Free to Attend register now at www.rve2016.co.uk

Event Sponsors

Exhibitor Enquiries maria@onyxrail.co.uk or Book via the Web Site Organised by

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FEATURE

RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORT IN

THE NORTH

THE NORTH OF ENGLAND MUST BE UNITED AND DETERMINED TO SECURE VITAL TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT

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RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

t must create a brand and identity with global and national reach. These are the key findings of an interim report into meeting the region’s transport needs published by Addleshaw Goddard, Atkins and Grant Thornton. A series of roundtable sessions hosted by Addleshaw Goddard, Atkins, and Grant Thornton over the past year have highlighted other key areas the region must focus on to secure the investment and growth it needs. The aim was to create a forum and give Transport for the North (TfN) the opportunity to listen and ask questions. With one event to go, the feedback so far has been an overwhelming success. The North of England has a once in a generation opportunity to transform its infrastructure and economy with the creation of the Northern Powerhouse and the devolution of powers hitherto held centrally. Key to that is a much-overdue upgrade and expansion of its transport links to provide the connectivity the region needs.

ONE DIRECTION The most important finding in this Interim Report is that there is unanimity across the whole spectrum of business and politics in Northern England to have a single coherent vision of its transport needs. A single message and many voices speaking it will be critical if investment is to be secured. But a fundamental question is - what is the Northern Powerhouse? Transport for the North will play a critical role in determining the future infrastructure of the North of England. Critical to the ongoing success of Northern England is confidence. Although on a macro level the European Union referendum has created uncertainty, this has strengthened the need for devolution. This is now the time for Northern England to come forward with a clear strategy that addresses long-term needs across the entire region.

STRATEGIC THINKING A repeated frustration of respondents is the inability to push through projects which have planning and construction timeframes measured beyond the life of a parliament. There is a growing belief, and not just in the North of England, that conventional benefit: cost ratio (BCR) approaches are flawed, being unable to capture and account for wider socio-economic benefits from investment. Benefits such as increased access to work, lower road congestion, greater educational opportunities and increased social cohesion are difficult to capture using current methods. A new approach would take account of this and target investment where it can make most difference.

FINDING THE FUNDING Investment is unlikely to be solely from the public sector. The North of England has to find a way of unlocking private sector funding that provides a return for investors while retaining best value for taxpayers. There are proven methods of achieving this - such as the Project Evergreen railway upgrade for Chiltern Railways - as well as options such as applying business levies on areas which benefit significantly from enhanced infrastructure. However, it needs to be acknowledged that models applied elsewhere in the UK may not be applicable for pan-Northern funding solutions. Flexibility is vital for Transport for the North too in order to access as many sources of funding as possible. The North of England has some of Europe’s finest universities and businesses - genuine world leaders in their fields. The North’s universities went out into the world to attract students and achieved this with a focused target backed by enhancing their research and campus facilities. It is now vital that the region ensures that it can retain graduates into employment in the North of England.

CLEAR CONSENSUS While a clear consensus is emerging from Addleshaw Goddard, Atkins and Grant Thornton’s work, the North of England still has to address fundamental concerns. How can the entire region benefit from the Northern Powerhouse? At present much attention has focussed on the big cities of Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield - but Northern England is much bigger than that area. The benefits must be spread to areas such as Tyneside and

FEATURE

Teesside with its manufacturing prowess, Cumbria with its shipbuilding expertise at Barrow-in- Furness, and to rural areas. While investment must be targeted where it has the greatest impact, the North of England must ensure that it does not create a region of ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’. Bringing what might be termed ‘outlying regions’ on board for the North’s transport strategy is a challenge.

SCOPE FOR OPTIMISM While there is considerable political and economic certainty at present, the interim findings of this report give considerable scope for optimism. The fact that there is such near unanimity across industry and political sectors on the key issues facing the North of England and what is needed to address them should provide real confidence that they will be addressed. With a large and highly skilled population, combined with world-leading engineering, manufacturing and services companies, the North of England should be looking forwards and outwards.

TALK AT YORK The final roundtable event takes place on the 29th September at the iconic National Railway Museum in York. We will look to the future for Transport for the North and what we can do now that will make a difference in the longer term. Amongst the topics being discussed will be: - How can the North benefit from ‘Best in Class’ technology? What does the digital future look like from both a transport infrastructure and a customer perspective? - Is it more realistic to focus on a series of short term smaller projects now, which will create a long-term sustainable platform for growth, rather than creating a ‘mega-project’ that may generate a short-term surge in economic growth? - What are the best ways in which the region can help pave the way so that Transport for the North can swiftly start to implement their plans when confirmed as a statutory body in 2017?

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INTERNATIONAL RAIL

RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

Three in one Work has started in Singapore on a three-storey train depot - the first of its kind anywhere in the world. The East Coast Integrated Depot will combine the depots for the Downtown Line (DTL), the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) and the EastWest Line (EWT) into one 36-hectare site. The East Coast Integrated Depot is expected to be completed in 2024. Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan said the depot, which will also incorporate a bus depot next door, will harness automatic train inspection technology and predictive maintenance to address current reliability problems. A groundbreaking ceremony coincided

with the start of work on the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) East Coast stretch and Downtown Line 3 Extension (DTL3e). The Land Transport Authority’s aims to increase the size of Singapore’s urban rail network to 360 kilometres by 2030. DTL3e is the final phase of the Downtown Line (DTL) project. The 2.2-kilometre extension includes two new © Land Transport Authority stations: Xilin and Expo. An interchange station at Sungei Bedok will connect the DTL to the 13-kilometre eastern DTL3e will open in 2024 and the TEL East section of the TEL, which will create nine new Coast stretch is scheduled to open in two stations along Singapore’s south east coast. phases between 2023 and 2024.

Level crossing safety The number of fatal accidents at level crossings in the Netherlands has fallen by 80 per cent over the past 30 years, new figures from ProRail show.

Line to the Olympics Rio de Janeiro’s Metro Line, which will take spectators and competitors to and from the Olympic Park, has opened to passengers. The line adds six new stations to the city’s metro network, including the Olympic Park’s Jardim Oceânico station. Around 300,000 passengers are expected to use the line, which links Barra da Tijuca and Ipanema, every day. Funded primarily by the state government, the R $9.7 billion project is an essential piece of transport infrastructure for the Olympic Games. A couple of months ago, the VLT Carioca light rail line opened. The tram system connects Santos Dumont Airport with Parada dos Museus.

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The Dutch infrastructure manager said 68 died at level crossings in 1986 compared to four in the first half of 2016. As is happening in the UK, ProRail is implementing various measures to try and reduce incidents at level crossings, including closing around 1,000 crossings in the last 30 years. There are currently 2,500 crossings on the Dutch rail network. In order to reduce the number of collisions and fatalities further, ProRail is looking to improve the lighting at crossings, remove any distracting signs or objects and clearly mark safe zones for pedestrians. © Shutterstock

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FEATURE

RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

DELIVERING FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW

SHAUN ROSE, MECX ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, DISCUSSES THE RESPONSIBILITY COMPANIES - BIG AND SMALL - HAVE TO REPLENISH THE POOL OF RAILWAY ENGINEERING SKILLS IN THE UK

he electrification of the Great Western Main Line (GWML) is rarely out of the news. Too often it has been making headlines for the wrong reasons, but in recent weeks the stories have become more positive; testing is now underway and real progress is starting to be made. But when projects such as this one face challenges, it’s not often the blame lies with an individual or team. These delays point to a more fundamental issue. With other major electrification schemes on the horizon - Midland Main Line, the Transpennine corridor - it is important that lessons are learnt now. The shortage of linesmen and electrification skills is a particularly acute problem. This issue has resulted in the opening of dedicated OLE training facilities around the country - one of which sits right beside the GWML. The Swindon Electrification Training Centre, built at the unassuming Cocklebury sidings east of Swindon station, opened in May this year. The £10 million facility has allowed Network Rail to install the overhead line equipment it is using for the electrification programme in a variety of different configurations on a real section of track - albeit a section not connected to the live railway. Network Rail appointed Amey to build the training centre, which in turn contracted MECX to carry out a substantial portion of the work, including laying the foundations for the classrooms and workshops, installing the OLE training infrastructure and creating a new access road to the site. The works at Cocklebury were carried out by MECX Contracting - the company’s civil engineering division. The group also has a signalling and electrification business, MECX Technical Services, which holds a principal contractor’s license with Network Rail.

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The company began life as JSB Rail in 2000, focussing on overhead line isolations and the construction and maintenance of electrification assets. Fast forward to today and MECX Contracting and MECX Technical combine to form MECX Group, which aims to provide technical and contracting services to the electrification, signalling and buildings and civils segments of the railway infrastructure sector.

SHARED RESPONSIBILITY MECX’s role at Cocklebury points to a new area of focus for the company - training. ‘Training is a new venture for us really, but one that supports the group’s strategy for growth,’ said Shaun Rose, MECX associate director. MECX now offers apprenticeship programmes, both internally and for third parties, and other electrification-related training and assessments. It’s not just your average OLE training, says Shaun. The decision to create a distinct service offering came from a

recognition of this lack of skills within the rail industry, specifically within the fields the company operates. It was also recognition of the responsibility that all companies have, not just the largest few, to find and train qualified people to deliver future works. ‘The challenge is always going to be around skills,’ said Shaun. ‘Infrastructure investment is seen as a way of furthering growth. For us to play a part in that growth, it cannot just be how do we maintain our existing workforce, it also has to be how do we enhance and develop the workforce so that the individual, the company and the client all benefit.’

EXPANSION AND DEVOLUTION

MECX Group aims to provide technical and contracting services to the electrification, signalling and buildings and civils segments of the railway infrastructure sector.

Shaun believes the objectives have now changed for organisations like Network Rail. With reclassification and a limited pool of trained technicians, the approach to resourcing for major schemes has to be different. ‘It’s not just about opening up the bank balance and going back to the industry. It is about what capability we’ve got and what’s the demand for skills and how do we find it.’ MECX currently employs 84 full-time staff at its three main centres in Cardiff, Rugby and Crewe, and has a further 250 retained staff. This is expected to grow in the next few years, with the company set to expand into the North East and South East. From all five depots, it will be able to offer clients access to electrification, signalling, building and civil engineering works and services. MECX reported revenues of £16 million last year. The company hopes to treble this by the end of the current control period, growth that it aims to achieve both organically and by acquisition. Shaun, who joined MECX at the end of 2013 in a business development role, has helped the board to define and attain their strategic goals. The expansion of the business will reflect the devolution of Network Rail to the routes. ‘While this might appear to be reminiscent of a situation last seen during the time of Railtrack, the route structure will provide more clarity…That’s what we want in any business,’ believes Shaun.

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FEATURE

RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

GREAT WESTERN

ENERGISED

Overhead line engineers pictured at the Coleg Y Cymoedd training facility in Nantgarw.

PACE IS PICKING UP ON THE GREAT WESTERN ELECTRIFICATION PROGRAMME, WITH IEP TRAINS NOW A COMMON SIGHT BETWEEN READING AND DIDCOT

REPORT BY MARC JOHNSON Network Rail and its industry partners are electrifying 380 kilometres of track in total between Maidenhead and Swansea - the first major electrification scheme in the UK for decades. At the end of June, the first of 57 Class 800s destined for the route carried passengers from Reading into central London in Great Western’s historic green livery in a ceremonial journey to commemorate the railway’s 175th anniversary. That milestone was appropriately followed by the start of testing last month.

FREQUENCY AND SPEED The project has been a challenge for Network Rail. The overall cost has risen substantially from £874 million to £2.8 billion - the result of failings in the planning and cost estimation of the works - and passenger services are now not due to begin until 2019. But when they do, the benefits will transform rail travel between the capital, South West England and Wales. Capacity between Bristol and London will increase by around 70 per cent, with 45 more services operating between Paddington and the two Bristol stations, Bristol Parkway and Bristol Temple Meads, every day. Journey times will also improve. When the Elizabeth line opens in 2018, journey times to some destinations will be cut further. It currently © Keltbray

This is the future of rail being built before our eyes and it’s a very exciting time to be involved in this project

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takes around two hours and 15 minutes to travel from Bristol Temple Meads to Canary Wharf. The combination of IEP, the Great Western electrification and Crossrail will bring that down by around 35 minutes. While the intercity routes will be strengthened by the Class 800 fleet, additional Class 387s will boost suburban services. GWR is to receive a total of 45 Class 387 Electrostar EMUs from Bombardier for the Thames Valley - the first of which are now under test and will enter service in early September between Hayes & Harlington and London Paddington. The arrival of Class 387s will then allow for the cascade of Turbo DMUs from the Thames Valley to operate local suburban services in Bristol. In a statement issued following the first successful Class 800 test, Mark Langman, route managing director for Network Rail Western, said, ‘This is a great step forward, and I’d like to pay tribute to the team who have worked very hard to make this happen. ‘This is the future of rail being built before our eyes and it’s a very exciting time to be involved in this project. This weekend we’ve come a big step closer to providing faster, quieter, and more efficient services to the people of the region who depend on railways.’

SEVERN TUNNEL The focus over the next few months will be on the border. Between September and October, the Severn Tunnel will close for six weeks so engineers can install conductor rail, which is used in place of overhead wires, along the length of the structure.

‘Without a six-week closure, it would take engineers up to five years to complete the upgrade, causing long-term disruption for passengers and delaying the introduction of the new electric trains,’ explained Dan Tipper, area director at Network Rail Wales, in an announcement describing the extensive preparatory works that have had to be carried out ahead of time. The project has been hindered by a shortage of electrification engineers. Network Rail released some images in July from inside its training facility at the Coleg Y Cymoedd in Nantgarw, which is being used to train technicians on the specific challenges thrown up by the conductor rail equipment that will be used through the Severn Tunnel. Across the border in Swindon, Network Rail’s electrification training facility at Cocklebury sidings has well over a thousand training days booked in so far this financial year. With a varying level of competence across its staff, the length of training can vary, but Network Rail expects to train between 200 and 300 linesmen at the site within that period. Other centres around the country have been

contributing to the skills drive for the Great Western programme, including at Keltbray’s electrification centre in Crewe. For the last couple of years, the company has worked in partnership with South Cheshire College, drawing promising students from the college’s engineering courses to pursue an overhead line apprenticeship. The centre has also

been used to retrain former power industry employees from South Wales as linesmen. The principal of Coleg Y Cymoedd said the electrification programme had allowed the college to expand - an example of the investment in education currently being driven by the lack of required skills for major rail upgrade programmes; the opportunities created by adversity. ‘We’ve got four campuses across Rhondda Cynon Taf and Caerphilly and the Rail centre at our Nantgarw campus is easily accessible from the M4. I’ve already started discussions within the college as to whether or not in the next year or two we might even consider expanding. If the growth continues at the speed it is, I can see us having to put on an extension in the future.’

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YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS

RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

YRP LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONAL (YRP) COMMITTEE MEMBERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY GATHERED AT NETWORK RAIL’S WESTWOOD CENTRE ON FRIDAY 15 JULY FOR YRP’S FIRST EVER LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

rganised by executive vice chair Paul Case, the conference enabled members from all regions to come together, get to know one another and help define the future direction of the organisation. Since regionalisation in 2013, everything that YRP delivers is coordinated by a small team of 60 volunteers, who take on roles either within the executive or one of the regional committees. Since its establishment in 2009, membership has grown phenomenally. Beginning with just four members in London, there are now over 4,000 members across seven regions, in just seven years. In the opening presentation, Sabrina Ihaddaden, chair of YRP, highlighted the importance of stabilising YRP’s growth and ensuring consistency across all of the regions. She stated that one crucial aspect of this was to get the committee involved in developing YRP’s plan through initiatives such as the leadership conference.

LEADERS VS MANAGERS The day began with a leadership session by Kevin Challis, expert in people development. He focussed on defining the differences between group and team, and leadership and management, putting this into context for YRP. He said that the organisation has ‘amazing potential as a team – not as disparate groups’, echoing Sabrina’s sentiments about developing consistency across the regions and a national ‘team’ approach. Members had the opportunity to practically develop as a team… in just 18 minutes with the help of spaghetti and marshmallows. One of the key messages from the session was that by performing as both leaders, and managers where appropriate, committee members can contribute to developing YRP’s potential. The final part of Kevin’s session looked at different methods to inspire creativity, ahead of break-out sessions to develop ideas for the future of YRP. Within each of the sessions, tailored groups of committee members focussed on different aspects of the organisation and gathered ideas on how to develop these aspects in the future. The sessions covered everything from finance to strategy. The outcomes will be collated and RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAILSTAFFUK | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

used by the executive to develop objectives for the coming years. In the concluding session, a number of the executive presented their disciplines to clarify roles within the region, offer advice and inspire the regional managers. National Ambassadors manager May-Ann Lew said that the conference had left her ‘feeling refreshed’ and ready to tackle her role.

‘ASTOUNDING GROWTH’ Overall, the conference was a huge success, in no small part due to Paul Case. Thank you to Paul for taking the time to organise the event and ensuring its smooth running throughout the day. Paul said of the event, ‘The first annual YRP leadership conference was a huge success, with over 40 of the best and brightest young professionals from across the railway industry coming together to discuss, plan and strategise how, over the coming years, YRP can continue to deliver even more benefits and value to the UK rail industry. ‘For us as an organisation, this conference came at a critical time as we ride high on the back of 18 months of astounding growth and the recent delivery of Rail Week;

our most ambitious project to date. Rather than simply sit back and enjoy our success, however, we’re already planning even bigger, more ambitious projects for YRP and the industry. ‘With so many committed and talented volunteers driving YRP forward across the country, we can only continue going from strength to strength.’ Special thanks also to Network Rail for providing use of their facilities at the Westwood Training Centre. Finally, YRP would like to thank all of the committee members who attended and engaged with the sessions. Together, we will continue YRP’s success. If you would like to get involved within the regional committees, please contact your local regional manager, as listed on the YRP website - www.youngrailpro.com/about-yrp/committee/

PLOTR CAREERS In other news, the new virtual world on the careers website Plotr has been launched, in partnership with Network Rail, HS2, the

RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation, the National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR), Transport for London (TfL) and YRP. Plotr is an advice and inspiration website that helps 11-24 year olds discover and explore careers to suit them. The ‘worlds’ aspect of the site enables users to interactively explore the different types of environment that they could work in and the series of jobs that are available to them in a particular sector or organisation. There are a variety of routes into the industry and opportunities can range from being an archaeologist, a software designer or even a quantity surveying degree apprentice. By working together and creating a single world, the partners are enabling young people to learn more about the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) opportunities that are available across the transport industry from large employers to SMEs as well as the softer skills that they may need to develop.

YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS

The Plotr world also promotes the roles where there are, or will be, skills shortages, so that young people appreciate how valuable these skills are and will consider studying them. Users can also discover how they can make a difference to customers and a range of communities by choosing to work in the transport industry. Sabrina Ihaddaden said, ‘The rail sector is a great place to work, with exciting projects to get involved in, good career prospects, and a wide range of different roles to undertake. ‘Young Rail Professionals is keen to help showcase the range of people and opportunities available. Plotr is a great resource to help encourage students, who may not think to consider rail, to explore the industry and skills required.’ Explore the world on the Plotr website at www.plotr.co.uk/careers/worlds/a-betterconnected-future-transport-careers/

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NEXT 58

TRAINING

RAILSTAFF AUGUST 2016

GENERATION REPORT BY MARC JOHNSON

THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF ARTICLES LOOKING AT THE NEXT GENERATION OF RAIL INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS

t’s not surprising that Stephen Head ended up working in the rail industry. Someone who has spent large chunks of their childhood visiting and helping out at a local heritage railway will invariably find themselves working with the real thing at some stage. Stephen and his dad were regulars at the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway (RH&DR) when he was younger. Even now, he still volunteers on the miniature steam railway. ‘I liked understanding how things worked, I liked taking things apart, building things and so engineering always seemed a fairly natural thing for me to go into,’ said Stephen, an engineer at SNC-Lavalin, Interfleet as was, and former chair of the Young Rail Professionals (YRP).

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Since joining Interfleet six years ago, Stephen, 29, has contributed to the design and installation of remote condition monitoring on East Coast, he’s fed into the company’s work around ERTMS and is currently seconded to Serco Caledonian Sleeper as its fleet engineering manager. Sitting down with Stephen at Interfleet House in Derby, he described his first encounter with the rail industry. It was a couple of years into an engineering design degree at Bristol University, during a summer placement with Arup, that Stephen began to think of a career in rail as a real possibility. The following year, Stephen returned to Arup to complete a year in industry, spending his placement working on permanent way designs for the Thameslink depots in Hornsey and Three Bridges. While working on the Thameslink depot track designs, Stephen would attend meetings with the DfT and other scheme stakeholders. At these meetings, a senior design engineer from Interfleet would make alterations and suggestions which Stephen would then have to incorporate. Stephen immediately realised he was in the wrong job! In 2010, Stephen enrolled on the Interfleet graduate scheme. The programme involved a series of short placements in different areas of the business, something Stephen believes was important in helping him adapt to what is a complex industry. Says Stephen, ‘Although I spent a year in industry and two summer placements with Arup, I probably still didn’t really understand actually how the industry works because I think it is an incredibly difficult industry to actually get your head around.’

Stephen was a member of the Interfleet team that won the inaugural IMechE Railway Challenge in 2012. RAILWAY CHALLENGE Stephen was a member of the Interfleet team that won the inaugural IMechE Railway Challenge in 2012. A group of Interfleet graduates, including Stephen, was backed by the company to take part in the competition, which requires teams to build and test a mini locomotive, as part of the practical component of the graduate scheme. ‘I think we had a 12-week design time from start, going from scratch, actually having no loco and no idea about what it should look like and bearing in mind we’ve never done this before. We’re still trying to work out what the rail industry’s all about, so we had 12 weeks to design it and five weeks to build it which were incredibly challenging timescales.’ Up until March, Stephen was chair of YRP. It’s a role which is gaining increasing notoriety - and with that additional pressures. Current leaders are looking for the next wave of talented professionals and any organisation that can help entice the best individuals toward the rail industry. ‘It’s come so far, which I think is incredible to see,’ said Stephen, reflecting on how YRP’s membership has grown from nothing to more than 3,700 people in just five years. The organisation is now financially stable, says Stephen, who became involved in YRP when he joined Interfleet’s rail control system team and moved down to London. It has a regular income and its growing calendar of events hints at the engagement from the rest of the industry. But Stephen acknowledges that, as with any voluntary organisation, there are challenges. ‘It’s completely reliant on getting people to do stuff in their own time and that is always a big risk. That’s the thing that has to be carefully managed.’ That said, he feels the organisation is in a good place. Its Ambassadors programme has seen YRP members visit colleges and universities around the country and the organisation has just orchestrated its first ever Rail Week event series. ‘It’s been amazing the industry support we get,’ said Stephen. ‘It’s easy to come up with a good idea, it’s easy to talk about it, but YRP actually started delivering stuff and doing stuff and having a regular high quality lecture series, putting on a really good annual dinner on a regular basis.’ Companies ‘like doing the easy stuff’ says Stephen and this has been part of the reason for YRP’s success: its willingness to take on some of the more difficult, time-consuming outreach activities. ‘That’s where YRP can add a lot of value because we can play a role bringing people together and we have got a lot of enthusiastic young people who are the best placed to do this industry promotion.’

FUTURE LEADERS Stephen is excited to see how the industry will change over the next 10 to 15 years as the then not-so-young rail professionals take on senior management roles. ‘I think everyone who’s on the YRP committee is generally pretty driven, personally driven, because otherwise if they weren’t they wouldn’t be doing that in their own time, so I suspect a lot of the YRP committee will go on to be various leading or senior figures in the industry later in careers… Firstly it will be interesting when the committee get to that point to see how that affects how business is done.’ In the future, YRP won’t have to convince industry leaders of its value as they will be the people who established it in the first place. ‘It will lend itself to having a lot more support and buy-in to YRP because people have been through it and will inherently know what it’s all about.’

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TRAINING

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