RailStaff December 2019 by Rail Media

DECEMBER 2019 | ISSUE 263

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH BTP'S PROTEST RELEASE TEAM

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PLUS NEWS PEOPLE FEATURES HEALTH & SAFETY EVENTS TRAINING CAREERS

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Together we are replacing half of the country’s train fleet new for old In 2020, passengers are going to see over 1,000 extra, better train carriages arriving on our network

Investment Report 2020 Britain’s rail companies have published a joint investment report for 2020, with the industry committing to delivering over 1,000 extra services a week for passengers and introducing 1,000 new carriages in the year ahead. In total, an estimated £20 billion will be invested in running and upgrading the railway in 2020. The investment report builds on the industry’s long-term plan to improve passenger and freight services which will benefit customers, the people working together on the railway, communities and the economy. Thanks to your efforts, significant progress has been made since this plan was published two years ago with more than 2,500 brand new carriages already introduced and over 4,000 extra services running each week, improving journeys and better connecting communities across the country.

By the mid-2020s, over 11,300 extra trains a week will have been added to timetables, an overall increase of almost 10 per cent. This is alongside 8,000 new train carriages over the same period, an increase of 1,000 on previous plans and equivalent to replacing over half of the nation’s trains new for old. Passengers are also benefitting from hundreds of upgraded train carriages which are being refurbished like new. We congratulate all of those who have been a part of this step change in improving our railway. 2020 looks to be an exciting year for rail.

Read the report at www.bigplanbigchanges.co.uk

CONTENTS DECEMBER 2019 | ISSUE 263 CHRISTMAS WORK | 07

An army of 20,000 workers is tasked with delivering 386 rail improvement projects over the Christmas period.

EUROSTAR'S GREEN BIRTHDAY PLEDGE | 08

The high-speed operator has moved to further boost its green credentials as it celebrates 25 years of service.

FRANCHISING: REVOLUTION VS EVOLUTION | 15

Christos Mexias, YRP’s national operations manager, re-caps the talking points from the group’s recent 'Politics of Rail' event.

WHEN AN IMMOVABLE OBJECT MEETS AN UNSTOPPABLE FORCE | 16

The sophisticated tactics of protestors are being matched by the efforts of a specialist BTP team. Stewart Thorpe visits its headquarters to find out more.

MOMENTS TO REMEMBER | 25

A new cohort of unsung rail industry heroes was announced at a mesmerising Moroccan-themed RailStaff Awards ceremony on November 28.

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T H G I L T O P

| 20 RKING?near misses, O W E SID eeler covers s fatalitie TRACK olin Wh to the Margam nded C a r tr SAFER s te ri m ng fro port in afety w ti Track s terim re -evacua Rail's in ers self Network ks of passeng ris and the . trains

FRONTLINE HEROES | 34

RailStaff Award winners Margaret Capps and Aaron Koduah were celebrated for not only being great assets to their respective train companies, but for being great assets to the rail industry.

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Staff Contact us: Publisher:

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Editor:

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Production and design:

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Track safety:

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Advertising:

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RAILSTAFF DECEMBER 2019

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The next chapter

Contact email addresses News: news@rail-media.com Track safety: colin@rail-media.com Pictures: pictures@rail-media.com Adverts: adverts@rail-media.com Subscriptions: manda@rail-media.com

Going from one year into the next often feels like the beginning of a new chapter. Only, for 2020, there are significant new chapters in several stories.

Contact details RailStaff Publications, Rail Media House, Samson Road, Coalville, Leicestershire, LE67 3FP. Tel: 01530 816 444 Fax: 01530 810 344 Web: www.railstaff.co.uk Email: hello@rail-media.com Printed by PCP Ltd. RailStaff is published by RailStaff Publications Limited A Rail Media Publication

On December 8, the 21:42 direct service from London Euston to Wolverhampton brought a close to Virgin Trains’ 22-year spell on the West Coast main line and marked the end of the iconic brand in the UK - at least for now. Destinations on the West Coast main line will now be served by Avanti West Coast. Looking to the political sphere, voters headed to the polls shortly after this issue went to print to decide who should lead the country and in what direction - and, coincidentally, RailStaff is now undergoing a similar change as I stand down to take on a new challenge. Until a permanent successor is appointed, Nigel Wordsworth, of sister title Rail Engineer, will oversee the production of the rail industry’s positive periodical. Championing everyday railway workers for extraordinary feats of courage, kindness and skill has been at the forefront of my approach

as editor. Kevin Beechey, the station postmaster who discovered an explosive package at London Waterloo; Ruby Bhogal (pictured below), the project manager and Great British Bake Off runner-up; and Metrolink duo Caroline Haynes and Stephen Shaw, who achieved Britain's best finish at the European Tram Driver Championships, are just some of the standout stories covered by RailStaff this year that would have otherwise gone untold. Each issue has detailed the tales of unsung heroes and, in this final editor’s note, this seems a fitting opportunity to pay tribute to a railway hero of my own. Very much a quiet man, the actions of John ‘Jack’ Daft, a steam and later diesel train driver based out of Toton Sidings, spoke louder than any words ever could as his hard work helped to shape the lives of his family - including that of his grandchild he never had the opportunity to meet: me. Enter ‘railway magazine' into Google and you'll find dozens of trade and consumer titles but there's nothing quite like RailStaff, which is uniquely positioned as the only publication that prioritises people over trains, track and technology in its coverage - and it’s a peoplefirst approach I’ll carry with me. RailStaff’s upbeat style hasn’t meant ignoring criticism or concerns either, but rather approaching those topics in a constructive way. Years of reporting on the rail industry has left me with many great memories and proud achievements to treasure, and I want to thank you for your support along the way. One thing I’ll miss above all else is being an active part of the railway family. Never before have I felt so welcomed in an industry. Nonetheless, I’ll be keeping an eye on major developments and hope to never again read about a fatality on the railway. Enjoy yourself if you’re having a welldeserved break at Christmas, and thank you for your sacrifice if you’re working through. Either way, may the new year, and your next chapter, be a successful and happy one. stewart@rail-media.com FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.CO.UK

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TPE introduces new fleet TransPennine Express (TPE) launched its new ‘Nova’ trains at Liverpool Lime Street station on November 22. The £500 million 44-train fleet comprises of three different types: • Nova 1: bi-modes built by Hitachi that will operate between Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Edinburgh; • Nova 2: electrical multiple units built by CAF that will travel between Manchester

Airport and Liverpool to Glasgow and Edinburgh via Preston; • Nova 3: these carriages, built by CAF, will be hauled by Class 68 locomotives between Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, York, Scarborough and Middlesbrough. Leo Goodwin, managing director of TPE said: “The name Nova reflects the positive changes that will truly transform rail travel for our customers, with an enhancement to customers experience on board and an

increase in capacity of 80 per cent on all routes. “Our vision at TPE is to take the north further and these new trains offer more seats, improved connectivity and a higher standard of comfort.” The new trains feature more luggage space, plug and USB charging points, free onboard wi-fi in both standard and first class and the entertainment system Exstream, which features TV shows, news and films.

Dream day for young train fan

Jack Thompson, 12, became a station master for the day thanks to Great Western Railway (GWR) and children’s charity Make-A-Wish UK. The youngster was born with a brain tumour and is registered blind. He uses a white cane as

he is only able to see shapes and colours in the distance and read signs at close distances. Nevertheless, on November 8, Jack’s dreams came true as he made an announcement at Paddington station, inspected tickets, dispatched a train and posed for a picture with BTP

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officers. He also sat in the cab of an Electrostar - his favourite type of train - and also rode in the driver’s cab of an Intercity Express Train to Reading. Jack said: “I loved my ride on the train and being shown inside the driver’s cab. I can’t believe how fast it felt being on an Intercity Express Train. That was great fun. “I love trains and often ask my mum and dad to take me to the station so I can listen to the trains coming in and out. I also like playing Train Sim World on my PlayStation and driving the Great Western Express to Reading.” GWR customer ambassador Jennie Williams, who welcomed Jack to London Paddington and gave him a tour of the station, added: “He’s such a brave lad and has already proved himself to be a real fighter. It was lovely to be able to make it a special day for him.”

Avanti! FirstGroup and Trenitalia have chosen to operate under the name ‘Avanti West Coast’ for their West Coast Partnership franchise, which launched on December 9. Avanti is the Italian word for “forward” and, according to the train company, “reflects a mission to deliver an innovative railway service that is ready for today and fit for the future”. The Avanti West Coast logo is a bright orange triangle which symbolises the geographic extent of the route that serves Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow as well as London and North Wales. Avanti West Coast succeeds Virgin Trains as the operator of InterCity West Coast rail services. Steve Montgomery, managing director of First Rail said: “We’re excited to get our plans underway and take services to the next level.”

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Christmas work

An army of 20,000 workers will be tasked with delivering 386 rail improvement projects over the Christmas period. Although the majority of the network will remain open as usual, a handful of lines will be significantly impacted. Major projects include: • King’s Cross: Multiple upgrade works at the station, including tunnel and structure work, drainage inspection and upgrading overhead line equipment. The majority of these works will take place over Christmas Day and Boxing Day. On December 27, operators will have limited access into King’s Cross until 13:00, and they will run a reduced timetable. • Paddington-Slough: Between December 24-27, there will be no trains from London Paddington because of track renewals, switches and crossings and overhead line works between London Paddington and Slough on the Great Western main line. There will also be a reduced timetable between December 28-31. • Ashford: Switches and crossings renewal

works at Ashford International, to reduce delays caused by track faults, means Southeastern Highspeed and Eurostar services will not stop at Ashford between December 26-29. Main line services will run but some will be subject to change. • Liverpool Street-Hackney Downs: • Re-railing and track maintenance work between London Liverpool Street and Hackney Downs on the West Anglia main line, to improve service reliability, will result in Stansted Airport services starting and terminating at Tottenham Hale on December 26. Greater Anglia and Arriva Rail London services will run between December 27-29 but will divert around the works on the fast lines. Network Rail CEO Andrew Haines said: “Our passengers want and deserve a more reliable railway and that’s why this Christmas we are out working on track and behind the scenes to help make that happen. “Significantly fewer people travel over the Christmas holidays, which is why we do so much work at this time of year.”

Farewell Virgin Trains

A tongue-in-cheek music video featuring Sir Richard Branson, Mr Blobby and the character ‘Barry’ from Eastenders was filmed by Virgin Trains to mark the end of its 22 years on the West Coast main line. Soundtracked by the song ‘(I’ve Had) the Time of My Life’ from the movie Dirty Dancing, the video takes viewers on one final journey, starting when the franchise began in 1997 and ending in 2019. Phil Whittingham, the former managing director of Virgin Trains who has reprised his role at successor Avanti, said: “Of course we’re extremely sad that Virgin Trains is disappearing as a train operator, but we wanted to leave as we entered: by having fun. We’re immensely proud of our track record over more than two decades and hope our customers enjoyed travelling with us as much as we enjoyed serving them.” Over the course of its franchise, Virgin Trains has nearly trebled passenger numbers, achieved industry-leading customer satisfaction scores and introduced a fleet of tilting Pendolino trains. First Trenitalia began operating InterCity West Coast services on December 8.

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HS2's carbon case

Eurostar's green birthday pledge Eurostar has moved to further boost its green credentials as it celebrates 25 years of service.

A new report commissioned by the High Speed Rail Industry Leaders claims that HS2 will play a “crucial role” in the UK achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Produced by Ralph Smyth, who formerly led the Campaign to Protect Rural England's engagement on HS2, it concludes that only HS2 can release the rail capacity for commuter services and rail freight needed to significantly shift travel away from road and air alternatives. In addition, the report - titled ‘HS2: towards a zero carbon future’ - reveals that HS2 contractors are already outperforming carbon forecasts. For example, an unnamed main contractor is said to be delivering early works already 13 per cent under target for carbon emissions. Author Ralph Smyth said: “HS2 was proposed on the back of the momentous Climate Change Act 2008. Following the government making a historic commitment to deliver net zero emissions, it’s time to reboot HS2’s carbon case in time for the scheme’s 10th anniversary.” He added: “Achieving net zero will require big changes to the way we travel. Longer journeys are the hardest to decarbonise, which is why we need to make rail the longer distance travel mode of choice. Only HS2 can deliver the capacity and journey time savings to shift many more people out of cars and planes by the 2030s, without causing a decade of disruption to our existing train services.” Although the Oakervee Review will not report back until after the general election, a leaked copy revealed it would back the HS2 project in full, despite cost escalations. Ralph added: “Failing to deliver HS2 and maximise its carbon benefits could jeopardise achieving climate-friendly transport for another generation.”

From 2020, the train company will plant a tree for every service it operates as it seeks to encourage customers to choose rail travel over flying. In all, some 20,000 trees are expected to be planted each year in Belgium, France, the Netherlands and the UK. To mark a quarter of a century since its first train carried passengers from London to mainland Europe, Eurostar also celebrated a service first as it ran a ‘single-use-plastic-free’ service between St Pancras and Gare du Nord on November 14. Onboard the service customers were given wooden cutlery, recyclable cans of water, glass wine bottles, alternative paper-based coffee cups and environmentally-friendly food packaging. Eurostar chief executive Mike Cooper said: “We have always had a strong sense of responsibility for the environment but as the demand for sustainable travel becomes increasingly critical, we believe we can raise the bar. With our environmental ambitions and our tree planting programme we are providing an attractive, eco-friendly alternative to the airlines.” Eurostar, which emits up to 90 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions than equivalent flights, said it has reduced its carbon footprint by more than 40 per cent since 2007.

Historic HST on display at NRM Britain's most influential modern locomotive, Class 43 no. 4300, is set to join the National Railway Museum’s (NRM) collection after more than 40 years in service. The HST has been a familiar sight on the UK rail network since it was first introduced in 1976, quickly becoming the backbone of high-speed rail routes and reversing the fortunes of British Rail. The HST class also still holds the world diesel speed record of 148mph, which was set in 1987. NRM’s latest exhibit, which was named after

the train’s designer, Sir Kenneth Grange, in 2016, has been donated by Angel Trains and Great Western Railway. It was built in 1975, the same year NRM first opened. NRM head curator Andrew McLean said: “This is one of our most significant acquisitions, and I am delighted to be able to display the HST powercar, Sir Kenneth Grange here in York. It is fair to say that this train revolutionised rail travel and helped shape British society, bringing people and communities together.” The HST powercar is now on static public display in NRM’s Great Hall, alongside an exhibition that tells the story of British Rail.

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Driver retires after 51 years in the cab LUL boss joins TfW board

A 69-year-old man who is believed to be one of Britain’s longest-serving train drivers was given a special send-off by colleagues at Brighton station on November 21. Charlie Arnold was touched when his Southern colleagues made a surprise announcement and put up a notice to thank him for his outstanding service. Charlie joined the railway

aged 15 to work on the platform changing the oil-filled tail lamps of trains. He briefly worked at Hassocks station before becoming a box boy at Keymer Junction, which involved keeping a log of the trains passing through. Shortly before he turned 18, Charlie returned to Brighton, where he worked as a driver’s assistant until he was 23. In 1980, he landed a driver’s job at Redhill and was based there for 11 months before returning once again to Brighton, where he was based for the rest of his driving career. His last day driving a Southern train was November 20, when he went from Brighton to Barnham and Southampton and back. Charlie said: “It’s like a family when you work in the rail industry. People get to know you.

“It was amazing how many people came up to me to shake my hand during my send-off. I was quite surprised to see my name on the board.” Brighton depot driver line manager Neil Wyatt added: “For the short time I have managed Charlie, he has been an absolute pleasure to work with. He would come in every day with a positive attitude and he was a great representative of the company, as well as a great example to others. I have a great deal of respect for him and I hope he enjoys his retirement immensely as he deserves it and he will be missed.” As well as a special send-off at Brighton station on November 21, Charlie also received a long-service award from parent company Govia Thameslink Railway.

Senior posts filled at Nexus Nexus, the public body that owns and manages the Tyne and Wear Metro, has hired a new head of maintenance delivery and a new chief operating officer. Steven Shiel (pictured), previously the head of rail and civil engineering at the Newcastle College Rail Academy, takes responsibility for leading Metro’s orange army and maintaining 77km of track, overhead lines,

power supplies, signalling systems, bridges, tunnels and stations. He brings a wealth of experience to the role, having previously worked at Network Rail for 13 years in various maintenance and projects roles, and said: “It’s a dream job for me and a fantastic opportunity. I can’t wait to get started. “Metro is an iconic local brand and I am proud to be leading its maintenance teams. I want to ensure that we continue to keep up our excellent commitment to safe working. That is the top priority at all times. “I also want to look at everything that we do and see how we can do more to increase customer satisfaction. I’ll be out there, engaging with frontline staff to see what we do well and what best practices we can share.” Martin Kearney, who ran transport services in Sydney and Auckland, Australia, becomes Nexus’s new chief operating

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officer from January 20. Day-to-day activities on the Tyne and Wear Metro, as well as the cross-Tyne Shields Ferry service, will fall under Martin’s remit. Martin, who has over 30 years of experience in the public transport industry, is currently the chief officer for train and ferry operations at Transdev Australasia, a company that provides public transport services in eight locations in Australia and New Zealand. He said: “Nexus will be at the heart of North East England’s ambitions to transform local transport in the years ahead, as we introduce a £362 million new Metro train fleet and rise to the exciting challenge to modernise and reinvigorate public transport across the North East. “I am excited to be relocating back to the North of England and I can’t wait to join the team of 1,200 staff at Nexus who are proud to be delivering the best possible local services to customers.”

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Vernon Everitt, the interim managing director for London Underground and TfL Engineering, has joined Transport for Wales’ (TfW) board as a non-executive director. Vernon is also the managing director for customers, communication and technology at Transport for London, a role that sees him focus on putting customers at the heart of operations. He is accountable for fares and payment operations, contact centres, customer information, marketing and customer insight, media relations, public affairs, travel demand management and city planning. Vernon said: “I’ve worked for Transport for London for over 12 years in a variety of roles and this will be a great opportunity to share industry knowledge and expertise. “There are many similarities between TfL and TfW. Central to this is always thinking about the needs of passengers and customers and to continuously improve transport through creating accessible and integrated services. I’m really looking forward to working with TfW as they progress with their ambitious plans and transform transport across Wales and the borders.”

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New Hull Trains director West Coast appointments Hull Trains has strengthened its senior leadership team with a commercial and customer service director. The move coincides with the launch of the open access operator's £60 million ‘Paragon’ train fleet. New starter Anne Somers will be responsible for listening and responding to all customer feedback and shaping services around their needs, while maintaining competitive ticket prices for travellers. Anne, who has a wealth of experience of using customer feedback to influence product development in the financial services industry, said: “Throughout my career I’ve specialised in helping businesses really understand what it is their customers value, using intelligence and insight to improve customer loyalty. “Hull Trains has an opportunity to stand out in the market once

Phil Whittingham remains as the managing director for services on what was formerly known as the InterCity West Coast franchise as he moves from Virgin Trains to Avanti West Coast.

these new trains are in service and I’m excited to help strengthen the fantastic offering this business already has.” Louise Cheeseman, managing director of Hull Trains, added: “Anne’s experience is invaluable to Hull Trains as we focus on successfully rolling out our new fleet of trains. She brings an alternative perspective to the senior team which complements the expert operational and rail experience of the executive board.”

Capital Deliverers Network Rail has appointed a capital delivery director for each of its new regions.

In an unusual move, Phil is joined by all of the former Virgin Trains management team in running the new West Coast Partnership franchise. The team is as follows: Mark Whitehouse, executive finance director; Natasha Grice, executive people director; Sarah Copley, executive commercial director; John Sullivan, executive chief information officer; and Richard Scott, executive corporate affairs director. Phil joined Virgin Trains in 1999 as group management accountant having worked closely with the company while working as an accountant at KPMG from 1996. He was appointed finance director in 2007 before taking over as managing director in 2013. FirstGroup and Trenitalia, the joint venture in charge of Avanti, also announced that Caroline

Donaldson, who is currently the bid director at FirstGroup, will become the managing director of the West Coast Partnership Development (WCPD). WCPD will provide a range of design and development support for future high-speed rail services between the North and London in collaboration with HS2 Ltd and the Department for Transport. Caroline has been the bid director for FirstGroup since 2010. Steve Montgomery, managing director of First Rail, said: “Phil and Caroline bring great experience, insight and drive to deliver the significant improvements we’re committed to while also establishing the plans and initiatives which will form the bedrock of future high speed rail services.”

The new appointments have assumed responsibility for the delivery of all projects within their borders,

including track and signalling, and are as follows: • Eastern - Robert Cairns; • North West & Central – Eoin O’Neill; • Scotland – Kris Kinnear; • Southern – Tim Coucher (interim); • Wales & Western –

Stuart Calvert. Elsewhere, there have been further changes with other teams transferring to the regions, to the newly established Network Services, Route Services and the Chief Financial Officer directorate. For example, accountability

for commercial policy, standards and assurance now sits with Route Services, which now manages all supply chain operations, contracts and procurement, and other services, on behalf of Network Rail regions and routes. These changes mark

the completion of stage two of Network Rail’s transformation into a more passenger focused business. Phase three is planned for summer 2020, with all changes expected to be completed by the end of 2020.

Robert Cairns.

Eoin O'Neill.

Kris Kinnear.

Tim Coucher.

Stuart Calvert.

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British Empire Medal for tireless fundraiser

TfL manager Brendan Gallagher has been awarded an honorary BEM for services to young people.

Brendan has been recognised for his commitment and determination to raise money for children with physical disabilities and additional sensory needs, something he does in addition to his day-to-day job managing customer services on the Northern line. The tireless fundraiser has been dedicated to the Northern line Children’s Fund - which supports young people with learning difficulties as well as those facing adversity - since 2001. As chairman, he has transformed it from a committee of members who arranged small local staff fundraising events into a thriving fund, which has encouraged people to dig deep into their pockets and donate, coordinating activity along the whole of the Northern line. Working alongside Lisa Sainsbury, a train operations manager’s assistant and the

Fund’s treasurer, they have raised more than £100,000. Over the years, Brendan has put incredible efforts into developing relationships with schools, such as Richard Cloudesley School in Islington – which the Fund has been supporting for 50 years - and Oakleigh School in Whetstone, in order to provide children with improved facilities and more equipment through fundraising activities. Mike Brown MVO, London’s transport commissioner, said: “Brendan really deserves this recognition for his selfless efforts to improve the lives of children with physical disabilities and additional sensory needs, while also working hard to make sure that customers using the Northern line get to where they need to be. He is an inspiration both within TfL and the wider community.”

Progress on Greater Manchester tram extension

West Coast train order

Extensive testing has begun on Metrolink’s Trafford Park line extension.

First Trenitalia has awarded a contract worth more than £350 million to Hitachi to provide and maintain 23 new intercity trains for its Avanti West Coast rail service.

The first tram traveled at walking speed along Trafford Wharf Road between the Pomona tram stop and Warren Bruce Road overnight on November 10 with a team of engineers on hand to carry out essential checks. Signalling and control systems are the focus of initial tests.

Testing on the £350 million extension, which includes six new stops, is expected to last several months before driver training begins. The 5.5km route is expected to open in the first half of 2020. On November 5, Danny Vaughan, head of Metrolink at owner Transport for Greater Manchester, said: “Last week we poured the final bit of concrete, all but marking the end of construction, and this week we’ve undertaken the first tram testing. “This is another significant moment on our journey towards completion, as our focus now turns to the safety critical signalling systems and driver training.”

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Bringing additional capacity to services along the West Coast main line and in North Wales, these new trains will be built at Hitachi’s County Durham factory and start operating in 2022. The trains will be a mix of 10 seven-carriage electric trains and 13 five-carriage bi-modes. The electric trains will operate between London, the West Midlands and Liverpool while the bi-mode version will serve the London to North Wales route.

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‘Support on Life’s Jorney’ Railway Mission has been supporting railway staﬀ for over 130 years; providing independent, conﬁdential, impartial pastoral care. Regardless of faith, lifestyle or position in the industry, we are here to listen and share your journey.

To support your chaplains visit www.railwaymission.org

“Emotional and spiritual support in a time of crisis is one of the most valuable things you can give to a person. The Railway Mission provides this help to railway staﬀ, the British Transport Police and the travelling public – taking care of the mental welfare of our railway family both day-to-day and following traumatic incidents.” Sir Peter Hendy CBE, Chair Network Rail

Each year Railway Mission produces a charity calendar. To get your copy at www.railwaymission.org/merchandise The money Railway Mission receives for the calendars is used to support the work of the railway chaplains, from the north of Scotland to the south of England, from S Wales to Humberside and the Wash your Chaplains work to support rail staﬀ and members of the public aﬀected by rail incidents

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NEWS IN BRIEF Kirkdale complete

Work to upgrade Kirkdale depot in north Liverpool has been completed. The £21 million re-build began in 2018 and is part of a £460 million investment being made by Merseyrail on new trains and rail infrastructure. Washing and heavy maintenance capabilities as well as stabling room for 30 of the new eight-car trains are all included at the depot, which is also home to Stadler’s UK headquarters.

Infrarail partnership

The Railway Industry Association (RIA), the voice of the UK rail supply chain, has announced a new partnership with Mack Brooks Exhibitions for its upcoming show Infrarail, which takes place at Olympia London between May 12-14, 2020. At the show, RIA will organise: • The RIA Hub: An allocated, promotional space for association members; • The RIA Business Forum: A platform where visitors can hear from and engage with key industry figures about the latest projects, business opportunities and developments in rail; • The RIA Pavilion: A new area with corner stands where smaller companies and individuals who did not attend Infrarail in 2018 can exhibit. Nicola Hamann, managing director at Mack Brooks Exhibitions, added: “We are very pleased that RIA is continuing its long-term partnership with Infrarail. Their presence enhances the show considerably, providing excellent networking opportunities for professionals at the event.”

Paragon milestone Hull Trains celebrated the arrival of its first new ‘Paragon’ train on November 25. It is the first of five Class 802 bi-mode trains that form the new £60 million fleet, which began to enter service in early December. The fleet is being rolled into passenger service at intervals, with the full Paragon fleet expected to be in passenger service by early 2020. Louise Cheeseman, managing director of Hull Trains, said: “We have made a significant investment in these hi-tech trains which will completely overhaul the current service as our

customers know it. “Not only will these trains give a smoother ride, they will be a lot more reliable than our existing trains. They will include complimentary wi-fi, plug and USB sockets throughout, a brand new at-seat trolley service and an even greater choice and improved quality of hot and cold food. We are increasing capacity on our trains by 22 per cent which means more people are able to travel too.” Hull Trains currently operates 92 services between Hull and London every week. The new trains have more seats, can accelerate more quickly and offer greater reliability.

HST farewell

LNER will celebrate more than four decades of service from the iconic HST on the East Coast route with a special farewell tour this December. LNER will mark the retirement of the HSTs by operating a four-day special service taking in the majority of destinations along the LNER route. To make the farewell tour extra special, the train will be painted in the original British Rail InterCity 125 livery. Money raised from the tour will go towards LNER partner charity, Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). David Horne, managing director of LNER, said: “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us to express our appreciation for the decades of service from the iconic Intercity 125 on the East Coast route.” The tour will begin on December 18 when the Intercity 125 HST will travel from Edinburgh to Aberdeen, and then as a special treat for those on board the train will take a special route on to Inverness. The second day will see the farewell service depart Inverness for Edinburgh with day three covering Edinburgh, Newcastle, York and Leeds before a final stretch on day four stopping all stations from Leeds to London King’s Cross. LNER’s farewell tour will follow the last day of HSTs in passenger service on December 15.

5G tests

Before it handed over control of services to Avanti, Virgin Trains trialled 5G connectivity on the West Coast main line. The train operator worked alongside McLaren Applied and Vodafone to test super-fast on-board broadband, which – once rolled out - will offer customers wifi connections that are up to 10 times faster. The technology was tested on Virgin Trains services in November between London Euston and Birmingham New Street, and London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly. Testing, which is in the early stages of development, will continue under new operator Avanti. RAILSTAFF.CO.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

Registered charity no. 1120447

The best is yet to come At Woking Homes, the warmth of our welcome is matched only by the highest standards of care. When people have worked hard throughout their life and have been committed to helping others, we think they deserve extra cherishing. We are a railway charity and the only residential facility in the country dedicated to providing residential and respite care primarily for former railway employees and their close family members. At Woking Homes, we provide a secure, relaxed and homely environment in which the care, wellbeing and comfort of residents are of prime importance. Our philosophy emphasises the individuality of everyone within our home. Prospective residents are encouraged to visit the home to sample the atmosphere and level of service. Sometimes a short-stay of two or three days can be arranged to “feel the way”. Please call for a brochure or visit our website to find out more: Telephone: 01483 763558 Email: administration@woking-homes.co.uk Web: www.woking-homes.co.uk

Woking Homes, Oriental Road, Woking, Surrey, GU22 7BE

RAILSTAFF DECEMBER 2019

YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS

S L A N IO S S E F O R P L I A R YOUNG AIL R F O S IC IT L O P

CHRISTOS MEXIAS, YRP’S NATIONAL OPERATIONS MANAGER, RE-CAPS THE TALKING POINTS FROM THE GROUP’S ‘POLITICS OF RAIL’ EVENT RP, generously supported by law firm Dentons, held the annual ‘Politics of Rail’ event in September. The topic was ‘Revolution versus evolution of franchising in the context of the Williams Rail Review’. Since then, a white paper has been published,

a general election has been announced, and various rail promises have been made by all parties, ranging from full-scale nationalisation to the restoration of 25 miles of railway felled by Beeching’s axe. It seems that rail and politics are more firmly intertwined than ever. To tackle these difficult issues, we assembled a panel of distinguished industry professionals: Dick Fearn, chair of the Western Regional Board; Patrick Verwer, chief executive of Govia © iStockphoto.com

Thameslink Railway; Tony Poulter non-executive director at the Department for Transport; and Anna Delvecchio, commercial account director at Amey. It was interesting to learn that by 1875 there were already 112 Acts of Parliament regulating the railway – a legislative feat that would continue throughout the 20th century in magnitude, if not in volume. The outlines of the national rail debate have been remarkably stable since then: service, reliability, safety, frequency, and profitability. What has changed is the understanding of what these things mean. The rail industry has developed a reputation for untrustworthiness and helplessness. It is no longer seen as ‘cool’, dynamic or inclusive. It is portrayed as preoccupied with trains rather than focused on people. The aspirations of the white paper which followed the Williams Review present a timely opportunity to address these challenges. There is a clear need for improved coordination. Our industry’s skill base requires urgent and bold improvements. Effective ways for the public and private sectors to collaborate are there for the taking, if we are brave enough to learn from others. And we need to keep reminding ourselves that steel and concrete are means to an end – the travelling public and freight operators are our ultimate customers. At YRP, we will continue to develop the ‘Politics of Rail’ format for many years to come. The reason is simple – good rail is good politics, but the reverse is not always the case. FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.CO.UK

FEATURE

RAILSTAFF DECEMBER 2019

WHEN AN IMMOVABLE OBJECT MEETS AN UNSTOPPABLE FORCE THE SOPHISTICATED TACTICS OF PROTESTORS ARE BEING MATCHED BY THE EFFORTS OF A SPECIALIST BTP TEAM. STEWART THORPE VISITS ITS HEADQUARTERS TO FIND OUT MORE

BEHIND THE SCENES An invitation to visit this specialist division was extended to RailStaff following the flurry of activity on October 17, when Extinction Rebellion action caused disruption to London’s rail network after protestors climbed onto and glued themselves to trains. It was one of the PRT’s busiest days since the team was established in 2016 and brought its work into the public eye. Although specially-trained officers are spread across the RAILSTAFF.CO.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

t’s a mild day in November and I’m stood on a pavement in Lambeth, south London. There’s nothing particularly noteworthy about this scene except for one small detail: my hands are superglued around a lamppost on the doorstep of BTP’s protestor release team (PRT). After volunteering to be at the centre of this demonstration, a pair of goggles have been placed around my head, black tape has been stuck onto my shoe and I’ve been assigned the protestor identity 'A1', which has been written onto the tape. While officers work to free my hands and bring this underwhelming protest to an end, the initial enthusiasm for taking part has waned and the realisation of just how vulnerable I am has taken over. Aside from climbing the lamppost or ripping my skin free, I have placed my trust in these officers to set me free from this compromising position, and I’m not alone. Protestors, using far more complicated ‘lock-on’ methods involving chains, locks and concrete, some without the option of self-releasing, are doing exactly the same.

Because of the nature of its work, an evidence gather is usually present when the PRT is deployed. In this case, media relations officer Daisy Collingwood was on hand to ensure every moment of this awkward incident was captured.

RAILSTAFF DECEMBER 2019

FEATURE

A stock photo of a protest march in London's Parliament Square.

expertise together three years ago - welcomes me inside, it’s clear how unusual this site is. Flags, taken as mementos from political demonstrations, are displayed on the wall. There’s a large storage unit packed with power tools and a miniature museum of seized ’lock-on’ devices as well as a workshop to analyse them and create new ones for training purposes.

CAT AND MOUSE Sitting down to chat about the unit’s tricky work, Sgt Vafa explains that the tactics of protestors evolve in an attempt to stall officers and maximise the disruption caused. One of the simplest methods for locking on to rail infrastructure, he said, is to use super glue. However, the force is equally adept at using its secret ‘debonding agent’ to detach them.

country, in London, the PRT is based in Lambeth at a site shared with fellow colleagues from BTP’s operational support unit (OSU). The OSU contains officers who are trained in dealing with public order and incorporates another group which is often called upon to respond to protests on the railway: the working at heights team. From the outside it looks like any other BTP base – riot attachments on vans parked in the forecourt are the only signs that it isn’t. But, as unit leader Sergeant Ed Vafa - who pulled the force’s previously fragmented FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.CO.UK

FEATURE

RAILSTAFF DECEMBER 2019

On the other hand, what has proved difficult for officers to tackle is the manoeuvre referred to by some as “the sleeping dragon”. This involves a protestor using handcuffs or a carabiner to attach themselves onto a small pole, or another person’s wrist, inside an arm pipe, which is covered in layers of different material. Sleeping dragons are used to join a number of people together or to lock onto objects such as railway track or machinery. They are difficult to break because each layer requires a different tool to safely cut through without injuring the protestor. Sgt Vafa described one device which was covered in a mixture of cardboard, carpet and duct tape. In its storeroom, BTP’s PRT has thousands of pounds worth of tools and equipment conventional items such as angle grinders, car creepers and breakers that are used in unconventional ways to deal with whatever officers are faced with.

UNDER PRESSURE If a protestor is able to successfully lockon to a train or the rail infrastructure, every passing minute leads to further train delays and higher costs to the industry. It’s a pressure of the job that Sgt Vafa cannot ignore. “The entire problem of being locked-on to the rail network comes down to me or one of the other team leaders until that person is released,” he says. “The team shouldn’t be thinking ‘I’ve got to get this done really quickly’ but every tactic we’ve developed is the quickest way of doing something safely. “As a team leader that is my problem. That is one of the things I have to deal with. But that person’s safety, the safety of the team, and what is available to me at that time are the plates I have to spin.” Whether they’re on duty or not, when a report comes in of a protestor on the railway, enough officers within the PRT have to be prepared to drop whatever they’re doing to form a team and depoly to the scene. They also respond to incidents that take place on

Sgt Ed Vafa, BTP's national operations lead for protestor release. non-rail infrastructure, such is their expertise. It’s a reality of the job that has led to a strong sense of camaraderie. Since the unit was formed it has dealt with close to 100 protestors, none of whom have either been injured or complained as a result, according to Sgt Vafa. He said there is a great deal of respect between the protestors and his officers - who do not make the arrests - to the extent that some know each other by their first name. “It’s not unusual for us to get a handshake because they respect how we do our removals,” he adds. But the high skills and standards of this specialist division have not been achieved by chance. The discipline and almost surgical-like precision needed to cut protestors out of the trickiest of lock-ons means it is, unsurprisingly, no walk in the park to join the team. Any serving BTP officer who is a member of the OSU can apply to join if they are a level two public order officer. At first they have to pass a one-week course that covers how to safely use the full suite of tools at the team’s disposal for removing lock-ons, but it doesn’t end there. To ensure high standards are upheld, PRT officers undertake 24 hours of training each year, practising on actors in station, depot and general railway environments they are unfamiliar with. And even when a new officer joins the protestor release unit, they’ll initially only be tasked with lower-risk assignments such as debonding. After all, there is little room for error when it comes to cutting through complex lock-ons.

As protestors develop new manoeuvres, the PRT has to challenge itself to find new solutions and think about what might come next - and BTP isn’t alone. In 2018, the protestor release experts of police forces from across the country came together to put each other’s skills and knowledge to the test, taking turns in creating and breaking through their most innovative lock-ons.

A PUBLIC APPEAL Returning to the Extinction Rebellion rushhour protests of October 17, many people will remember the footage of clashes that took place between protestors and commuters at Canning Town station, actions which were condemned by BTP. Sgt Vafa adds: “I think everybody would understand why the aggression was there to go onto it. But let the police do what it is there to do which is to handle it. We live in a country of law, the land of the law, let the land of law rule and not mob rule. “In countless countries across the world we have seen how bad it’s gotten when the public take the law into their own hands.” Meanwhile, at Shadwell station, the PRT was swift, decisive and professional and, with colleagues from the working at heights team, brought the protest to a close within half an hour of arriving at the scene. The team may have respected the protestors in removing them from the railway, but that doesn’t mean it respects their methods. “It’s just a silly idea,” says Sgt Vafa. “First of all, it’s an environmentally friendly mode of transport. Also, when you do it, you’re thinking of your own cause within it all, and you think you’re delaying people getting to work and that the impact isn’t much. What you don’t consider is the pregnant woman who then gets stressed out. You don’t consider that, at rush hour, the trains might be packed and that people in there are already overheating and might end up passing out because of that. Even that person who’s going for that job interview to try and better themselves gets impacted because of people’s actions. And you don’t win the hearts and minds of the public. “It’s hard to argue with climate change, but you need support and support doesn’t come from impacting the general public to this level.” An example of a sleeping dragon lock-on device that was hidden inside a suitcase.

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RAILSTAFF DECEMBER 2019

RAIL FORUM MIDLANDS

CREATING VALUE THROUGH COLLABORATION

orty small and medium sized companies from the rail supply chain gathered in Derby in November to learn how to get involved with Porterbrook’s ‘Innovation Hub 2020’. At the event, which was organised by Porterbrook and Rail Forum Midlands (RFM), Porterbrook’s head of asset protection, Kevin Eley, explained that the hub was developed to meet his company’s supply chain engagement and collaboration objectives. The hub is a four-car train that serves as a promotional platform for new technologies. It was launched at Rail Live 2019 where it showcased 30 innovations from 25 different companies. Porterbrook’s presentation was followed by a talk by Resonate’s business safety and services manager, Robert Cooper, who is assisting RFM to deliver a Rail Sector Deal (RSD) workstream and who described the background to RFM’s leading role. Focusing on SMEs’ growth through collaboration, Robert said: “The UK supply chain characteristically comprises lots of SMEs that often find it difficult to compete against larger European companies. “The workstream to grow SMEs should provide real opportunities for them to work together and break into new areas and/or win bigger contracts.” Collaboration was the morning’s focus and RFM’s independent collaboration expert, Robin Singleton, held an interactive session on what this means. Delegates contributed their own ideas until it became apparent that

collaboration can mean many things but, fundamentally, for collaboration to work, rail organisations need to envision their own gains even though their objectives might differ. For example, one company might be focused on gaining access to different technologies while another wants to increase immediate turnover or profitability – what matters is that individual goals are met. Robin described collaboration as a “deep business relationship that creates value for all parties involved”. The group then heard from Aura Graphics about the success of its involvement in the 2019 Hub. One of the greatest benefits was the important opportunity to showcase its product to potential customers. Delegates had the chance to introduce themselves and their companies to each other and, at the end of the formal session, time was also provided for informal discussions. Elaine Clark, CEO of RFM, concluded: “The event gave suppliers a valuable opportunity to discuss ways of collaborating to grow which will, in turn, help deliver the Rail Sector

Porterbrook Innovation Hub 2020 Timeline

• December 24: Application deadline • January: Selection process • End of January: RFM announce winners • February 4: SMEs visit Quinton Rail Technology Centre • April to May: Innovations installed onto rail carriages • June 17-18: Exhibit at Rail Live Deal. It was great to see such a high level of networking after the formal presentations. “We will be extending help to those companies that couldn’t attend to support them developing collaborative partners so they can become involved in this project.” Suppliers are invited to submit applications to exhibit their innovations on the 2020 Innovation Hub. They are asked to base their proposals on three RSD themes: collaboration, digital and sustainability. For more information visit: midlandsrail.co.uk.

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TRACK SAFETY

RAILSTAFF DECEMBER 2019

REPORT BY COLIN WHEELER

SAFER TRACKS

N Colin Wheeler.

etwork Rail’s Safety Central website includes safety bulletins which are viewed 143 times each day. It contains an explanation of a programme called ‘Safer Trackside Working’ funded by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) with ringfenced funds. This aims to “research and develop new, high reliability, protection and warning systems to stop track workers being hit by trains”. The objective is the achievement of its commitment to “reduce fatalities and major injuries to zero”!

NEAR MISSES, AN INTERIM MARGAM REPORT FROM NETWORK RAIL, AND PASSENGERS AT RISK WHEN SELFEVACUATING ONTO TRACKS

Safer ways of working on track and more efficient and faster ways of establishing safe systems of work are identified as the way forward. New warning systems available for all routes for safer working be it on maintenance, renewals or enhancement works for track workers be they Network Rail employees, contractors and contingent labour are apparently on offer. This Control Period 5 initiative is for the use of these systems to contribute towards the aim of eliminating fatalities and major injuries by the end of 2019! Route based pilots are promised as “part of a localised improvement plan once the technology is product approved”.

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(Left) The Stamford Underbridge trench collapse. Photo: Network Rail. (Above) View from the cab of the near miss in Lichfield.

Failure to use a trench box

Crouched in the four-foot

Not every accident causing injury occurs on track, but most if not all could be avoided by a strong, focussed motivation to work safely. Safety Central currently has a safety bulletin dated October 2 describing an incident at a Stamford Underbridge where a trench collapsed resulting in a supervisor sustaining a fractured pelvis. Drainage works were being undertaken at the underbridge. Earlier work had included the use of a trench box but unfortunately, by mistake, a levelling rod was left in the trench. The supervisor entered the unsupported 2.5 to 3m deep trench to retrieve it. The trench wall collapsed onto his back and legs as he was climbing back out of the trench. He was safely removed and taken to hospital.

Safety bulletin 19-12 was issued on September 12 titled “continuing near misses with track workers”. It described an incident in Lichfield on August 15. The train driver saw a person wearing personal protective equipment crouching in the four-foot in front of the train. Sounding the train horn caused the individual to move clear. The train was only travelling at 20mph. The track worker was a track patroller who had used lookout protection for an earlier patrol but being conscientious returned without protection to rectify a fault found earlier! The patroller was working on the 14th day of a spell of continuous working!

Lots of near misses!

Emphasising that this was in no way an isolated incident, the bulletin lists no fewer than four reported near miss incidents that

RAILSTAFF DECEMBER 2019

TRACK SAFETY

SIDE WORKING? Margam interim Network Rail report happened between July 31 and mid-August: • July 31, Finsbury Park Junction: Two track Understandably the full investigation report workers, three seconds to spare; on the Margam fatalities from the RAIB will • July 31, Swale: Three track workers with lookout not be released for some months. I expect it protection were narrowly missed by a train; to include a number of carefully considered • August 15, Bentley automatic half-barrier recommendations for 2020 and beyond. crossing: Group of track workers was slow to The tragedy happened on July 3 and to its move clear; credit, Network Rail released its own interim • August 16, near Norwood Junction: Seven track report a month ago. Thirteen track workers workers near miss with an empty coaching from Port Talbot depot arrived at Margam stock train because they failed to move to a soon after 8am. They were split into two place of safety. groups. Last month I described the near miss near Seven worked within a possession at Gatwick Airport that occurred on October 21 Margam Moor whilst the other six went to which also features on Safety Central. I am sure work at Margam East Junction. Two options there are many more including unreported were planned for the latter site. Either working ones! Will anyone live long enough to see the within a possession or using the alternative end of RS0001_Adhesion_RailEngineer_190x130mm_AW_V1_Outlined.pdf safety bulletin publications due to a lack as specified in the work pack;14:06 working 1 safe 04/07/2019 of incidents and accidents? during the afternoon with unassisted lookouts.

One of the six agreed to be the person in charge (PIC) and he appointed another team member to act as the controller of site safety (COSS). Both distant and site lookouts were appointed.

Train approached at 70mph

It was decided that work on crossing bolts that had not been planned would also be done. To do so they used a petrol driven impact driver which, being noisy, required those working with it to wear ear defenders. Just three of the group were working on the crossing bolts when the COSS, site lookout and one other moved 150 yards away. The remaining three worked on the crossing bolts. To do this the interim report says that there was no appointed COSS nor was there a safe system of work or a distant lookout.

CMY

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TRACK SAFETY

RAILSTAFF DECEMBER 2019

The PIC said he would look out, but then became involved in the work. None of them saw the train coming. It approached the site at around 70mph.

Train horn used

The train driver gave a warning using the high and low tones of the horn. The interim report draws attention to the Rule Book requirement for urgent warnings to be given using the high tone with “a series of short urgent danger warnings” for anyone who has not moved clear. In addition to the involvement of Network Rail and RAIB, the ORR and the police have also been involved in investigations.

North Pole self-evacuation

On November 20, RAIB published safety digest 09/2019 completing its investigation of an incident on July 15 this year when passengers began self-evacuating a passenger train at North Pole Junction. At 16:54, an Arriva Rail London (ARL) train (five-car Class 378) travelling from Clapham Junction to Stratford stopped a short distance beyond Shepherds Bush across the junction. It had failed to draw power when it switched over from 750v DC to 25Kv AC from the overhead supply. After a few minutes the driver reported the problem to the Wembley signaller and the ARL control. He was unable to report to the relevant signaller at the Victoria Signalling Control Centre using the GSM-R radio. The digest says that “conflicting messages” between ARL and Network Rail caused delay.

“Fearful for their own safety”

After waiting 57 minutes, passengers began to self-evacuate onto the track where both the third rail and overhead supplies were still energised! Seeing passengers on the track the driver of a train in a siding made a radio phone call asking for the traction current to be turned off. It was a fine sunny day with temperatures around 21 degrees and passengers were

feeling the heat! Some became stressed and “fearful for their own safety”. Due to a train fault the previous day only half the lighting, ventilation and air conditioning in the first coach was working and as soon as the power was lost only the ventilation worked. By 17:22 the first coach had lost its ventilation too, and by 18:06 both lighting and ventilation had shut down throughout the train.

27 minutes conversation saying no power supply!

At 18:05, police got all passengers onto the train and then together with emergency services and railway staff all were safely evacuated using the train’s north end cab ladder through to the Mitre Way access point. This was completed by 19:14! Ambulance crews treated a number of people at the roadside. The digest points out that “the extended delays were caused by the absence of a decision as to the most appropriate course of action”. There was a lack of appreciation that the driver was unable to move the train under its own power and the driver spent over 27 minutes of the first hour on two radio and phone conversations repeatedly reminding both ARL control and the signaller that the train was not connected to a power supply!

Low standards of safety critical communications

The digest lists three similar previous occurrences: in May 2011, Brighton to Bedford train report 07/2012; in November 2017, Peckham Rye report 16/2018; and in March 2018, Lewisham report 02/2019. The most telling comment comes at the end of the digest stating that “a low standard of safety critical communications and messages not being passed correctly or efficiently… resulted in poor decision making and a lack of a complete understanding of the situation on the train on the part of both signallers and control offices”.

Electrical equipment coach explosion RAIB intends to issue two further safety digests within the next few weeks. When changing ends at Birmingham New Street station on September 26 on an empty passenger train that had travelled from Central Rivers Depot in Staffordshire: the driver discovered there had been an explosion in a coach vestibule electrical equipment cupboard. Considerable damage had been caused to the vehicle interior.

Fallen oak tree blocked the track

Another RAIB news story issued on November 14 describes an accident on October 17 at Spittal in southwest Wales. A train carrying 13 passengers and two train crew collided with a large oak tree that had fallen across the line from third-party land. The driver suffered minor injuries and was shocked by the incident. The train was not derailed but was badly damaged. Subsequently the line was closed for tree felling.

Putting safety first all the time!

Last month I concluded by remarking that “too many jobs next weekend will be undertaken by groups working together for the first time”. Conversely the Network Rail interim Margam report lists anomalies including “the group becoming focussed on the task and unaware of the approaching train” and “the wide experience of the closely-knit group and familiarity with each other potentially affecting their perception of risk”. Both are equally valid comments I suggest. By the time you read this the results of the general election will be emerging, and we may expect our industry to be altered by the new government. Concerns about health and wellbeing often identify the rise in electronic communication and consequent reduction in face-to-face communication as a problem area. I believe it is and suggest that always putting safety (both personal and by working groups) top of the agenda whenever people go onto railways is essential and sensible. Words like “just this once” and “it will be alright we have done it before” should never be used. Those needing to get work done should make a point of listening carefully to any concerns the people who work for them have. The reasons for the concerns of RAIB about low standards of safety critical communications are a matter of concern for everyone. Recalling a time when railways worked with some barely literate but safety committed railway staff (to whom rules were read out loud), we ought to be doing better now!

Location of the stranded Arriva Rail London train. RAILSTAFF.CO.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

PULSAR

The PULSARÂ® Winter Clothing Collection Keeping you warm, dry, comfortable and visible whilst working in some of the toughest weather conditions

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EVENTS

RAILSTAFF DECEMBER 2019

RAIL PARTNERSHIP AWARDS 30 JUNE 2020, THE VOX, BIRMINGHAM

EVENTS

DECEMBER 2019

WORLD RAIL FESTIVAL 3rd-5th December Amsterdam, Netherlands

terrapinn.com/conference/rail-festival/

DRIVER AND PILOT ALERTNESS

5th December One Birdcage Walk, London www.imeche.org/humanfactors

JANUARY 2020

TRANSPORT-LED DEVELOPMENT IN LONDON AND THE SOUTH EAST 15th January London

waterfrontconferencecompany.com

SECURING INVESTMENT IN THE RAIL SECTOR 28th January London

waterfrontconferencecompany.com

TRANSPORT TICKETING GLOBAL 28th-29th January Olympia, London

www.transport-ticketing.com/

RAILWAY CHILDREN SLEEPOUT

30th January Birmingham, Derby, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Milton Keynes stations railwaychildren.org.uk/events/events/ railway-children-sleepout/

MARCH 2020 IT-TRANS

3rd-5th March Karlsruhe, Germany www.it-trans.org

SAFERAIL CONGRESS 17th-19th March Boston, USA

www.smartrailworld.com/events/

FEBRUARY 2020 RIN

6th February Business Design Centre, London

RAIL LIVE

31st March - 2nd April Madrid, Spain terrapinn.com/conference/rail-live/

www.rinevents.co.uk

9TH INTERNATIONAL RAILWAY SUMMIT 19th-20th February Warsaw, Poland www.irits.org/

MIDDLE EAST RAIL 25th-26th February Dubai, UAE

www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/middleeast-rail/

RAILWAY DIVISION ANNUAL LUNCHEON

28th February Grosvenor House Hotel, London www.imeche.org/railwayluncheon

APRIL 2020 ERTMS & ETCS: THE FUTURE OF RAILWAY SIGNALLING TBC April TBC, London

waterfrontconferencecompany.com

RAIL FREIGHT GROUP CONFERENCE 2nd April London

waterfrontconferencecompany.com

RIN

30th April DW Stadium, Wigan www.rinevents.co.uk

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

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Moments to Remember

he room falls silent. Bums occupy the edges of seats while the audience’s gaze locks onto the presenter’s lips as he prises open the envelope and announces: “And the winner is…” Suddenly, a roar of applause erupts from the crowd as an unassuming member of staff gets to their feet and, overwhelmed by the spectacle, begins the triumphant walk to the stage. Gliding past the roaming photographer, who captures the raw emotion of the moment, they step onto the stage and into the limelight. The category judge greets them and after posing for another picture, hands over their trophy. Still in shock, they glance up and see a room of 1,000 people, from cleaners to CEOs, united in celebrating their achievements. It’s a moment of recognition, of great pride and emotion. A moment to remember.

THANK YOU The RailStaff Awards takes the best part of a year to organise and would not be possible if it weren’t for a few very special groups. First of all we’d like to express our gratitude to the nominators, thanks to you some 760 rail workers have been made to feel special by your recognition and appreciation of their hard work. Second of all, a huge thank you to those who’ve engaged with the awards process, whether that’s through judging, voting or attending the ceremony, your support makes it all possible. And last, but by no means least, thank you to our sponsors: Bollé Safety, Colas Rail, Connect 4 Voice & Data, G&W (UK/Europe

Region), Govia Thameslink Railway, Great Western Railway, Heathrow Express, Intertrain, Jacobs, Land Sheriffs, Matchtech, PTM Design, Pulsar, RailwayPeople.com, Samaritans, telent Technology Services, Total Rail Solutions, Traffi, Transport Benevolent Fund CIO and Westermo Data Communications. Event organiser Gemma King said: “And so we bring a close to yet another memorable RailStaff Awards night. We hope you all enjoyed exploring the Moroccan Kingdom and congratulations, once more, to the winners. You’ve all earned your place in the RailStaff Awards hall of fame.” Information on all of the finalists, as well as pictures and videos from the night, will be available by going to: www.railstaffawards.com

RECOGNITION The only awards ceremony to solely celebrate rail workers, the RailStaff Awards is blessed to have 20 of these special moments each year. On November 28 at the NEC, Birmingham, a new cohort of unsung rail industry heroes was announced in a mesmerising Moroccan themed celebration, and their stories are detailed in the pages ahead. If that wasn’t enough, guests were also entertained by jaw-dropping aerial performers, live music from Fully FunKtional, a fairground and the return of host Richard Salkeld.

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF DECEMBER 2019

Ones to Watch

oe is the most driven and professional apprentice with such huge talents, according to one nominator. “Zoe is so diligent, agile and organised she is amazing,” added another. “She’s a fantastic asset to Virgin Trains and has a great career ahead”, said a third. Not only were Zoe Auld’s co-workers blown away by her contribution to Virgin Trains, but so were the RailStaff Awards judging panel, who named her ‘Apprentice of the Year’. The Manchester Metropolitan University student is completing placements around the business as part of her higher-level degree

apprenticeship and has left behind a trail of success. At the age of 18, Zoe became the youngest qualified route controller in the organisation and at a busy Christmas period she helped frontline staff by learning to dispatch trains during industrial strike action. She also played a key role in the launch of the company’s ‘Back on Track’ staff app. As part of staff training, she took the time to explain to each individual how the app works and how they can interact with it, making sure to spend enough time with those that weren’t as tech savvy. She even went out of her way to compile a list of colleague recommendations and to liaise with the developers to enhance the system. On top of all of this, during her

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placement Zoe even re-located from Scotland to Birmingham, such is her determination to succeed, all while studying and getting top grades in her degree. Zoe was unable to attend the awards ceremony but afterwards she said: “I found out I was the winner whilst I was in New York City celebrating my 21st birthday. I was shopping and looked at my phone and had loads of texts and calls from colleagues who were at the event. “I was completely shocked, I forgot about the time difference and didn’t realise the event was on, I felt emotional and ran to my family in another shop to share with them the amazing news. I couldn’t have been happier.” The Apprentice of the Year category was sponsored by Jacobs. Such is the size of the professional service leader’s portfolio of domestic

and international projects, and the subsequent demand for technical and scientific minds and natural leaders, that Jacobs provides enriching development opportunities for all levels of staff to attract and retain the very best talent.

Highly commended:

Magda Taranowicz, Jacobs Shaun Jones, Network Rail

RISING STARS Another one of rail’s rising stars is Evie Barrett, a graduate engineering geologist based in Leeds, who was praised for her work supporting the construction of a multi-billion-pound highspeed railway in California. Evie is a member of Jacobs’ tunnelling and ground engineering (TGE) unit and, from the other side of the globe, has been a key player in developing the geotechnical database needed to allow

construction to go ahead. As “a single source of truth,” this database has vastly improved efficiencies and quality on the project. Evie was part of the team that took ownership for delivering geotechnical engineering data reports in 2018 and then took the significant step up to lead the delivery of geotechnical baseline reports - a move that saw her work above her grade. She is now responsible for liaising with the Jacobs teams in the USA and managing four teams of engineers in England, Scotland and Poland to ensure the consistent delivery of these reports. One nomination for Evie read: “She has demonstrated great maturity, composure and technical ability to ensure that the reports are being delivered on time and to a high standard.” Evie has also worked on other rail schemes, such as the Transpennine Route Upgrade, Calder Valley Journey Time Improvement and the West Ruislip Northolt Corridor projects since joining Jacobs in 2015. Her enthusiasm for geology has also seen Evie return to the University of Leeds, where she completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the subject, to mentor post-graduates. At present she is also leading the production of a Jacobs TGE work experience booklet, to ensure students benefit from their time with the company. On November 28, Evie pipped the competition in a hotly contested category to scoop the Graduate or Newcomer Award, which was sponsored by Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR). Ian McLaren, chief financial officer at category sponsor GTR, said: “It’s really important to recognise young people coming up through the organisation. We’re a massive industry and we’ve got to show progression for people new to the sector and show they can actually achieve amazing things at such a young age.”

Highly commended: Miraan Jothinath, Network Rail Aisha Mughal, Colas Rail (Above) Virgin Trains colleagues of Zoe Auld, who accepted the trophy on her behalf. (Left) Ian MacLaren and Evie Barrett.

Well done

Congratulations to the RailStaff Awards finalists!

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF DECEMBER 2019

Humanity at its Best

selfless signaller who dedicates his spare time to helping the homeless was celebrated by industry colleagues on November 28. Chris Conway, known as “the big man with the big heart,” leads a team of volunteers who support rough sleepers in Blackpool. In 2018 he started weeknight community street walks, where up to 40 volunteers decked out in ‘United Blackpool' hoodies give their support to the homeless, and has since helped over 30 people get off the streets and into accommodation. He also works with Blackpool charity Amazing Graze to run the local soup kitchen three nights a week and has presented

to schoolchildren to raise awareness of homelessness. Over the last year, Chris’ altruism has been increasingly recognised within and outside of his employer Network Rail, where he works as a relief signaller at Bamber Bridge, near Preston. He is now the North West & Central region’s charity ambassador, providing his expertise to station teams and railway staff about how to break the stigma around homeless people and the best way Network Rail can help. Working with Network Rail and Northern, he organised a ‘sleep out’ fundraiser at Blackpool station and is trying to arrange for a sleeper train to be used as a homeless facility in January. For his relentless work, Chris took home the Award for Charity at the RailStaff Awards. Chris said: “I’ve spent the last few weeks reading everyone

else’s nominations and just thinking: ‘I’ve got no chance!’ So I’m over the moon.” He thanked Network Rail for the support given to him and, when asked what drives him, said he was “just born like it”. Chris added: “I do it because now I’m at an age where I‘m earning enough money to be able to give back. I can’t think of life any other way.” Professional security firm Land Sheriffs, which predominantly works across the South East and Anglia rail network, was the sponsor of the Award for Charity. Tyler LeMay, managing director of Land Sheriffs, said Chris stood out from other shortlisted entrants because of the leadership skills he displayed in developing the charitable initiatives. He added: “Chris’ work is very close to that of my business; we do a lot of work with the homeless through a charity called St Mungo’s. Hearing Chris’ story about what he’s doing and selflessly helping the homeless is

commendable.”

Highly commended:

Jason Weetman, Network Rail The Crewe ‘All Change’ Project Team, Virgin Trains

SMALL TALK SAVES LIVES The Samaritans Lifesaver Award is one of the most difficult categories to judge. Not only is it a tough task because of the subject matter, but because there are so many deserving winners. For their compassion, sensitivity and confidence to engage in small talk, Land Sheriffs' John Dawson and Rob Shannon were awarded this year’s trophy. While on patrol as one of the company’s ‘safer station teams’, the pair noticed a woman wandering around St Pancras station who appeared upset but was not looking to board a train. They approached her but she was initially reluctant to talk so John and Rob gave her

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Chris Conway and Tyler LeMay

some space. However, she soon re-engaged with them and admitted she intended to end her life. John and Rob spoke with her to keep her calm and away from platforms and crowds, as this seemed to be making her agitated. They took her to the station coffee shop for a hot drink to warm her up and chatted away to keep her calm. In all they sat with her for over two hours while waiting for the emergency services, who were extremely stretched on the night, to arrive. The police were the first to arrive on the scene but their

presence caused the woman to become agitated, so withdrew and left her with John and Rob. A short while later an ambulance arrived. The Land Sheriffs walked the woman to the ambulance, however, as soon as she stepped into the vehicle, she became aggressive. She was let out but, with the assistance of John and Rob, she was convinced to get back in. As the female was still slightly agitated, the duo offered to go with her to the hospital which both she and the paramedics were grateful of. Chris Gough, operations manager, Land Sheriffs, accepted the award on behalf of John and Rob. He said: “Every day is different for John and Rob. They receive Samaritans training and use this to approach vulnerable persons and, on this occasion, they saw a vulnerable person, they approached her and, by doing so, prevented the unthinkable and gave her the help that she needed.” Steve Tollerton, Network Rail training officer, Samaritans, added: “We’re very proud of

these guys. The training is so important, but it’s not the training itself, it’s the guys stepping out of their comfort zone and approaching a suicidal person and saving someone’s life. Ultimately, its takes courage and

confidence to do that, which is a credit to them.”

Highly commended:

Gary Campbell, Virgin Trains Nathan Stockman, Great Western Railway

Samaritans is proud to sponsor the Lifesaver Award

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RAILSTAFF DECEMBER 2019

Digital Champions

etwork Rail’s Intelligent Infrastructure Track Team has designed a digital tool that will revolutionise the way teams carry out maintenance work. Commencing at the start of CP6 on April 1, 2019, the Intelligent Infrastructure programme has developed a tool which looks at the infrastructure and predicts future faults so they can be fixed before they cause any delays on the railway. It has been developed in six months and is now out with customers for comment, trials and testing. For the first time, track teams in the routes will be able to access all the information they need, from one digital source, to carry out the right work, at the right time, in the right place. Referred to as the Track Decision Support Tool, it will shift Network Rail from century-old ‘fix on failure’ regimes to ‘predict and prevent’ regimes – allowing work to be planned ahead while also reducing speed restrictions and delays for passengers. The team, which picked up the Digital Railway Award, is a collaboration of Network Rail colleagues from engineering, business change and analytics disciplines, working with Atkins - Network Rail’s partner and systems integrator. Programme manager Martin Mason, of Network Rail, said: “It’s the first time in the traditional railway sense that we’ve started to use intelligent data to predict and prevent faults. “As an industry we’ve always been very data-rich but not data-

intelligent. Now we’re moving from a situation where we’re not a reactive organisation but a proactive organisation.” The Digital Railway Person or Team Award was sponsored by Westermo Data Communications. A long-standing ally of the RailStaff Awards, Westermo is a Swedish company that manufactures robust data communications products for mission-critical systems. Phil Mounter, transportation sales manager at Westermo, said: “Teamwork was what stood out more than anything, and collaboration, which is producing excellent results after such a short time.”

Highly commended:

Trevor Wheeler, telent Technology Services Abdul Rehman Savant, Amey Consulting

THE VOICE OF AN ORGANISATION Jaye Dry is the voice of Freightliner’s social media and is responsible for creating and protecting the company’s brand and image. Connecting with CEOs, employees, competitors, customers, potential customers and enthusiasts, it’s a role she undertakes with great care and compassion. With a talent for engaging with audiences through social media, Jaye was picked out by Freightliner train driver Heather Waugh for being an “incredible asset” at the company.

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Jaye Dry and Bobby Singh.

Network Rail's Intelligent Infrastructure Track Team. “A woman with the kindness, commitment, and empathy that defies her young age,” said Heather. “She, along with others in Freightliner, have made me feel more valued than at any other time in my career. She has inspired me to do more to encourage others into the rail industry, and freight in particular.” Heather highlighted Jaye’s empathetic response to a transgender train driver who described some of her issues in the industry and her diligent response to a video which appeared to show a Freightliner loco making an unusual noise as examples of her exceptional work. After picking up the Marketing & Communications Award, Jaye said: “As a group, we are trying to make rail more human and to appeal to a wider audience.” On the subject of Freightliner’s new branding, she added: “As a team, there are just two of us, we’re trying to make that one big family – “orange is the new green” is the hash-tag – but its business as usual really, just adopting the same culture and moving forward with safety and customers as the main focus.” Communications specialist Connect 4 Voice & Data was the sponsor of the Marketing & Communications Team Award. Bobby Singh, managing director of Connect 4, said: “I think marketing communications is key to any business. Jaye has worked with her team and individually and

her entry highlighted how good she is in her role.” He added: “The RailStaff Awards is just fantastic. This year has even topped last year.”

Highly commended:

Track Safety Alliance Team, Network Rail Northern Marketing, Northern

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RAILSTAFF DECEMBER 2019

Frontline Heroes

fter receiving an extraordinary 31 nominations, Southeastern’s Margaret Capps was awarded the top prize for customer service. Margaret runs a station in leafy Etchingham, Sussex, and has very much become part of the fabric. She has brought colour to the village station with floral displays, keeps a box of confectionary at the counter for customers and has even created a fairy garden to entertain children. Such are the efforts Margaret goes to that one customer, who nominated her for a RailStaff Award, said they can get to London quicker via other stations but they choose Etchingham

because of Margaret. Using her expert knowledge, in times of disruption she ensures everyone is safe, understands what’s going on and knows how best to get to their destination and she even helps customers to organise lifts with each other if necessary. Calm, professional and equipped with a ‘can do’ attitude, she copes well under pressure. One nomination perfectly summarised what an asset Margaret is to Southeastern and the rail industry as a whole: “I never thought buying a ticket at the start of the day to commute to London could be so enjoyable!” Margaret, whose trophy will take pride of place at Etchingham station, said: “I would expect the same treatment that I give to customers from anyone else. I

know people say it’s your job, but if you don’t enjoy your job, don’t do it, walk away. I do actually love my job – but don’t tell the managers! But I actually do, my station is really, really good. “My customers are going to be really pleased because they adore me and I really adore my customers.” The Customer Service Award was sponsored by Genesee & Wyoming UK/Europe Region. Group companies include Freightliner; the UK’s largest intermodal rail freight provider, and Pentalver, a leading UK container logistics provider. Neil McNicholas, managing director of rail from G&W UK said: “For me, this is the award of the night because without customers none of us would have any business whatsoever. I’m in freight, we need our customers, it’s our lifeblood, it’s the same with passengers. Without any of that, none of our

businesses would exist. And this is the key award of the night and well deserved.”

Highly commended:

Danielle Henshaw, Virgin Trains Donna Taylor, Merseyrail

A RAY OF SUNSHINE Aaron Koduah brightens up passengers’ journeys with his self-penned motivational messages on the announcement board at Crewe station. For more than four years the Virgin Trains welcome host has provided a ray of sunshine for customers on even the dreariest of days with his contagious smile and often topical thoughts of the day. At first he was nervous about doing something differently, but with his message board becoming synonymous with Crewe, and celebs such as Paul ‘The Sinnerman’ Sinha from gameshow the Chase

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Neil McNicholas and Margaret Capps.

Chris Sullivan and Aaron Koduah.

taking snaps of his quotes, Aaron now takes great pride in the impact he’s able to make to customer’s days. He has also channeled his positive energy into publishing a book: Developing A Strong Mindset, which features a collection of his favourite quotes.

Aaron, who works on the gateline, received 17 submissions from customers and colleagues during the nomination process, and for having such an impact on the customer experience at Crewe, he was recognised in the Station Staff Award category. The former soldier’s outlook is even more remarkable considering he and his partner were hit with tragic news last year when their son died shortly after he was born. Aaron said: “I just feel like life changes so, when you are in a bad situation you have to keep holding on because you don’t know what the future holds.” The Station Staff of the Year Award was sponsored by the Transport Benevolent Fund (TBF) CIO, a membership charity that offers a wide range of financial, health and welfare benefits to public transport workers should need, hardship or distress arise. Such is the size of the charity’s backing that in 2020 it will pay out almost £3 million in benefits to its members. Chris Sullivan, chair of TBF, said: “These awards are important, we need to encourage more young people into this business… We need to encourage more people

and people like Aaron with his attitude towards the work, they’re the people that will drive the railway forward it’s not the big money that’s being invested. It’s all about the people, just like TBF.”

Highly commended: Antonia Ugbaja, South Western Railway Mohammed Tohow, Proactive Rail

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RAILSTAFF DECEMBER 2019

Overseeing Success

ver the last three years, fleet engineer Richard Vernon has worked tirelessly on the introduction of Hull Trains’ new £60 million ‘Paragon’ train

fleet. Built using “bullet train technology” by Hitachi in Japan and Italy, the first units from this new five-train fleet were recently rolled out during a ceremony at Hull Paragon station. The entire fleet is expected to enter passenger service by early 2020. Since joining Hull Trains in February 2016, Richard has risen through the ranks to lead this milestone project for the open access operator. He has been the primary interface between

Hull Trains, fleet owners Angel Trains, manufacturer Hitachi as well as other key partners such as Network Rail. This has involved regular visits to Hitachi factories in Kasado, Japan, and Pistoia, Italy, as part of quality checks. It is through those continual checks that Hull Trains has been able to sign off the trains at each stage to the schedules determined in the contract. Considering the issues with its existing fleet - including mechanical failures and an onboard fire - delivering these new trains on time has been even more important for customers. In addition to his instrumental work on the Paragon fleet, Richard has also led smaller projects, such as: the introduction of an on-train passenger

Supporting Project Managers with graphics and signage projects for over 35 years.

information screen to improve accessibility, installation of a driver advisory system and the introduction of on-train wi-fi. On the night of the RailStaff Awards, Richard said: “It means a lot to receive this award and I’m really grateful to have been given the opportunity to work on such a key project for Hull Trains. “Managing this project gave me the opportunity to travel to Japan and Italy, as well as improving my understanding of design reviews, contract specifications and the train production and manufacturing process. I enjoyed learning about the train’s design, refining the train interiors and working with Hitachi Rail and Angel Trains to bring the vision to life for our staff and customers. “It was a compliment to be given such a big project but it’s one I’m really pleased to have led.” PTM Design, specialists in rail and fleet livery, vehicle wrapping, wayfinding information systems and interior installations,

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Richard Vernon and Ajmal Akram.

sponsored the Rail Project Manager Award category. Ajmal Akram, head of business development at PTM Design, said: “There were a lot of good entries in the category but, knowing that, of the rail operators, Hull is quite a small operation, this entry stood out for having someone take on the challenge of the implementation of the train. That’s what stood out.”

Highly commended:

Catherine Lough, Colas Rail Ltd Neil Workman, Network Rail

MANAGING CHANGE For achieving so much in such a short space of time, Kevin Tarrier pipped the competition to the ‘Rail Manager of the Year’ gong. The Heathrow Express employee began as the control room manager last year whilst the team was going through its biggest change since the airport rail link launched in 1998.

Kevin Tarrier and Ashley Bray.

In a nomination, colleague Philip Tweedie said: “You might say all businesses go through change but this was no easy task as the team were in the middle of agreeing TUPE conditions and right around the corner was the implementation of a brand new tunnel control system and control room revamp.” Kevin got to the bottom of concerns and issues, ensured they were resolved and organised the move to the back-up control room. With an increase in the number of staff, Kevin also had to implement a new roster, which hadn't

been changed since 1998. Kevin ensured there was a fair consultation by getting the controllers’ input while addressing any concerns. He also helped to arrange an away day with the controllers for team building and leadership training. Colleague Philip added: “Kevin will probably say he does not deserve all of the credit for our achievements this year and a lot of it should go to the team. To an extent yes but without his leadership and direction it certainly would not have been possible.” After stepping on stage to receive the award, Kevin said: “You never think you’re going to win these things, especially when you read the write-ups of the other guys and girls on the shortlist so it’s quite a surprise but very nice. “I started my career in the army where you learn to be quite personable with people and throughout my career I’ve tried to stay true to myself and remember that most people come to work to make a difference.” Ashley Bray, head of HR operations at category sponsor Great Western Railway, added: “The key thing for us when we

were judging is that we were looking for those that are putting their people first, thinking about individuality, are engaging with their people and really being an inspirational leader that thinks about the individual rather than

the collective. From what we were looking for Kevin was the clear winner.”

Highly commended:

Wales Cheung, AECOM Frankie Lynch, Southeastern

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF DECEMBER 2019

Engineering Excellence

he S&C South Alliance’s ‘Euston Team’ won the Rail Civils/Infrastructure Team Award for delivering a crucial programme of enabling works for HS2 ahead of the May 2019 timetable change. This challenging programme of works took place on the critical path to enable the construction of the new HS2 terminus at Euston on a short time scale. The successful delivery of this project was only possible through collaboration, commitment and teamwork by the alliance partners Network Rail, Colas Rail and AECOM. Focussing on these principles, the team developed positive working relationships with the many stakeholders from the

LNW route, train operators, third parties and the local maintainer. The core works for this programme were delivered in an area of central London where there is opposition from some residents. Mitigating against this required careful stakeholder engagement. Throughout the project, the team went above and beyond to put the passenger first. This was evidenced by the team assisting to get passengers off a stranded train in the Euston Throat when competent railway staff were required at short notice. The team also undertook litter picking, de-vegetation works and graffiti clearance. Alliance spokeswoman Cate Lough, of Colas Rail, said: “It wasn’t just the work we delivered, it was everything that went into it. We were working in a really sensitive area, we went

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above and beyond with the local community, we changed our programme of works to affect them as little as possible while building a good relationship with the train operating company and infrastructure operator.” Stuart Jukes, managing director of category sponsor Pulsar, added: “Everybody had worked incredibly hard, as a lot of the other entries had as well, but the S&C Alliance Team really stood out and I can’t commend them enough. “For such a small team to go out there and do it is just phenomenal.”

Highly commended:

LNE Construction Team IP Signalling, Network Rail Three Bridges to Brighton Project Team, Network Rail and GTR

RAIL ENGINEER OF THE YEAR Colleagues describe Paul Belle as a great ambassador for rail engineering. He is passionate about making a difference, maintains high standards in his work and is, as a result, well-

Paul Belle (L) shortly after his award win.

respected by his team, peers and clients. He has a great in-depth knowledge of railways and, in particular, multi-disciplinary integration and coordination. Combining this stunning ability with his direct communication skills, he is able to overcome concerns before they become issues. Paul led the development of the GRIP 1-3 feasibility studies for the Rail Systems Alliance South (formally S&C Alliance) in the East and has achieved class leading standards of delivery through his understanding of stakeholder requirements and applying his technical and pragmatic expertise. In a RailStaff Awards submission, one colleague said: “I truly admire his passion and drive doing the right things, providing solid and pragmatic engineering solutions, considering all stakeholders’ interests as well as whole lifecycle of the railway engineering works.” Talking about his passion for rail

The S&C South Alliance's 'Euston Team' with Stuart Jukes (centre, right).

engineering, Paul added: “I always wanted to do something for the greater good, I wasn’t interested in getting a job and making money for the sake of making money, it was all about doing something for the greater good, for

society. “When I was a third year student at Exeter University, I remember being stood on the platform at Exeter St David and everybody there was slagging off the railway. The Voyagers were coming in and they were taking away the standard HST sets. Half the train at twice the frequency, they said, but it was half the train, twice as delayed, and people were slagging engineering. “As an engineering undergraduate, at that point I decided I am not going to have that. I had the skills so I got in the game.” “What drives me now is about leaving a legacy for the next generation.

Doing the right thing for the right reasons.” But he was keen to stress that he wouldn’t be where he is today without the help of others. “I am only as good as the individuals that have invested

their time into me,” he added.

Highly commended:

Dan Reilly, Atkins, part of the SNC Lavalin Group Paul Hooper, Atkins, part of the SNC Lavalin Group

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF DECEMBER 2019

Going Above and Beyond

ommunity heroes from ScotRail were crowned ‘Rail Team of the Year’ for their contributions to building the “best railway Scotland has ever had”. The ScotRail in the Community Team has successfully delivered a number of community rail, regeneration, transport integration, accessibility and charitable schemes over the last year. This includes high-profile events such as hosting the Association of Community Rail Awards in October 2018, which was attended by close to 500 people - an event record. There have also been smaller changes that have had a big impact on people’s lives. Grace’s Signs, a more inclusive toilet door sign for people with invisible

disabilities, has been introduced to all stations. It is named after 13-year-old Grace Warnock, who has Crohn’s Disease and who came up with the idea after facing criticism from strangers when she used accessible toilets. In a nomination bursting with success stories, there were also mentions of: a comprehensive programme of cycling initiatives; reducing the notice for passenger assist times to only two hours from April 2019; and increasing ScotRail’s ‘Adopt a Station’ programme to 75 per cent of its stations while reducing overall costs by 20 per cent. James Ledgerwood, head of economic development and communities at ScotRail, said: “I’m so pleased for the team, because that’s the key thing. I work with a wonderful team, they’ve worked so hard since Abellio won the franchise to really change what the railway’s about.

“They’ve changed it from being just about getting from A to B to being much more about the community and this is just a small reward for the work the boys and girls have done. “Community rail is at the forefront of what the franchise is all about. Railways are going to be so important in the future, they’re going to be at the heart of communities, whether it be for getting people to education, work or for tourism, it’s about connecting people to opportunities.” The Rail Team of the Year Award was sponsored by ontrack plant hire specialists Total Rail Solutions (TRS). Paul Bateman, chief executive officer at TRS, said: “What can I say, another fantastic evening showcasing the rail industry and the people who make it happen. “For a second year we have chosen to sponsor the Rail Team Award as I

Proud sponsors of Depot Staff Award 2019

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firmly believe it takes a team effort to deliver success and this is certainly the philosophy at TRS. So much so we have already agreed to continue our support at the 2020 awards.”

Highly commended:

Community Ambassadors, South Western Railway Fast Trackers, Network Rail and Mott MacDonald

FROM DISNEYLAND TO A TRAIN DEPOT A Southern employee has been praised for leading the push to introduce time-saving software at some of Govia Thameslink Railway’s depots. David Mitchell took on the initiative to roll out the chat-based digital workspace Microsoft Teams at East Croydon. As a result, the level of communication and engagement between management and the team increased tenfold. The move has given staff access to

Rail Team of

This award is for teams whose concern for colleagues and customers project whilst overcoming significant challenges. It is sponsored by

Apprentice Team Great Western Railway

information they previously had to request and has also brought the depot closer to becoming paperless. Following the productivity uplift from the initial rollout, David spent time visiting other onboard supervisor depots to help them set up the scheme.

His enthusiasm for new technology was an important factor in teams adapting to the technology, which has transformed the way onboard supervisors work and communicate. Workmates said they were inspired by David who not only works tirelessly for his team and takes the time to share his knowledge of the on-board supervisor role but has also found time to raise more than £1,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital. A former Disneyland Paris performer, David is driven by a desire to push customer service standards even higher, which was another contributory factor in his awards success. “I started off as a conductor down at Brighton for Southern and have always thought I could make a difference with my background,” he added. “Times are changing. It’s not always all about safety. It still is a massive part but people are paying £6,000 a year [on season tickets], they want to see where their money’s going. And it’s not just me, there’s a massive culture change in Southern.” Traffi, an industry-leading designer and manufacturer of PPE safety gloves, sponsored the

GWR’s apprenticeship team works tirelessly, delivering a young pipeline of talent into the business year ScotRail Community Team. after year. Whilst the team is only small, they collectively manage up to 65 apprentices, based at numerous locations ‘Depot of the Year’ and hopethe to Depot Staff Award. across all functions. As part of the various programmes, to support theactivities. RailStaff Dean Cracknell, head of deliveringcontinue team is responsible for many community Awards in 2020.” marketing at Traffi, said: “Traffi has strong links to the rail sector The team also operates a 24/7 on-call service for the Highly commended: and has enjoyed keeping apprentices. Trained in hands all areas of safeguarding, the team is safe among wearers for 10 years. Nigel Moody, Network Rail truly dedicated to the apprentices’ safety. We were delighted to sponsor Ian Parr, Merseyrail

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF DECEMBER 2019

Innovative Thinking

etwork Rail’s human resources team on the South East route changed the way hiring is carried out through a series of innovative measures for the Thameslink Resilience Programme - known as the ‘Big Plan’. Sarah Saliba, Lethea Booyens and Chloe Bertenshaw were tasked with working alongside the Thameslink programme team to identify the requirements for a scale of recruitment that had never been done before. Following a successful consultation, 216 new maintenance posts for various roles were created across Kent and Sussex. But, to ensure fast, effective results, the team had to do things differently.

They worked with key stakeholders, hiring managers and unions to develop a phasing plan, which ensured they kept on track each period, helped identify risks and enabled them to confidently hold the business to account when actions were incomplete. The trio also developed a control board that focused on outstanding and imminent actions, thereby ensuring transparency and professionalism in their dealings with stakeholders. The project was such a success that the route’s recruitment team have rewritten the recruitment strategy to focus on four workstreams to enable them to consistently deliver a platinum level of service: • Resourcing for the future; • Process and communication; • Attract and retain; • Induction and onboarding.

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Resourcing business partner Chloe Bertenshaw said: “With Thameslink Rail we had to introduce 216 posts within the maintenance world, so into the infrastructure. “This huge number meant it was a challenge. We were basically given a year to put everything together, from attraction to advertisement to early engagement and looking at the external market.” Chloe explained that there is a huge shortage of technicians and that her team developed a structured development plan to allow operatives to progress to this critical level in one rather than three years. Mark Smith, interim HR director of Network Rail’s Southern region, said: “Recruitment in and around greater London is extremely competitive. We were seeking a specific group of technical employee types against many of the same players in the industry. “This team created a very specific way of programmed recruitment campaigns with aggressive targets set with a detailed plan and definitive requirements to enhance the numbers in the candidate pool. “Not only have targets been met, we have seen a very positive impact on our community in the more deprived areas of London. We have used this as a way of

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Lethea Booyens, Sarah Saliba and Chloe Bertenshaw.

promoting our ever-increasing inclusive employee base and raising the positive profile of Network Rail. Because of this, we are rolling out this programme to the whole of the South East route. The Recruitment Team of the Year Award was sponsored by RailwayPeople.com.

Highly commended:

Recruitment Team, South Western Railway Simon Kishore, Resourcing Solutions

BUILDING A VIRTUAL RAILWAY Motion Reality, the not-for-profit arm of engineering firm Motion Rail, tours schools and Big Bang Fairs with its specially designed virtual reality (VR) software that raises awareness of the dangers of playing on the railway through ‘gamification’. Users have to strap their head into a VR headset and grab two controllers that allow them to move around in the virtual world. One

The Motion Reality Team. simulation sees the user presented with a typical scenario at an automatic half barrier level crossing. When a train begins its approach, the barriers begin to close and the user has to follow the right sequence of tasks. If they decide to cross as the train passes, it hits them but doesn’t result in any gore. Although the impact of the Motion Reality

programme on trespass and incidents has yet to be known, the University of South Wales assessed rail safety knowledge in children pre and post training. Following the training, knowledge and retention improved by 42 per cent on average. Although, working in partnership with Network Rail, it's now used to educate youngsters throughout the communities it works in, it was originally developed to give office staff a greater awareness of the railway and the associated hazards so they could support the site teams more effectively as well as to help train lookouts and COSS’s. Plans are now in place to take Motion Reality to railway stations as part of the Samaritans Million Hour Challenge to hold sessions around mental health awareness, educating people on how train drivers feel when a person is struck and the devastating ripple effect it has on individuals, friends and family. Since the beginning of 2018, more than 300,000 people have used the system, which scooped the award for Learning & Development - sponsored by airport rail link Heathrow Express - at the RailStaff Awards. Emma Dymond, group chief executive at Motion Rail, said:

“Everybody thought we were mad wanting to build a virtual reality railway two years ago so getting recognition for this crazy idea is absolutely overwhelming – I don’t think there’s a better word for it.”

Highly commended: Learning and Development Team, Network Rail Iain Thompson, TXM Plant Limited

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF DECEMBER 2019

Pushing Safety and Diversity Up the Agenda

s one of the founding members of the Track Safety Alliance, the McGinley Safety Team works tirelessly with peers to create a safer railway

environment. It is also the driving force behind the innovative mobile reporting app ‘Safety at McGinley’, or SAM for short. In its current form, SAM is a bespoke multi-platform designed to give users a ‘one-stop’ safety experience and knowledge base. It allows them to report close calls and receive and give safety briefings anytime, anywhere. As one of the first of its kind, SAM enables live safety feedback from site directly to

the McGinley Safety Team as well as ensuring the successful implementation of railway safety briefings. Initially the idea for the app was brought about through a collaboration between the internal health and safety team, safety representatives and frontline workers. Each worker reporting a close call through SAM receives an email to thank them and outline actions that may be taken. This confidential, personal touch has been key in changing worker perceptions on close-call reporting, which have risen by 70 per cent since SAM launched in April 2018. John Jebson, HSQE director of McGinley, said: “It’s taking mobile platforms to the next level. It’s not one dimensional, it’s taking a communication that we want

RailStaff Awards 2019 City & Guilds Group and Intertrain Proud sponsors of the HR, Diversity and Inclusion award 2019 cityandguildsgroup.com railway-training-courses.com

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to give to the workforce and then receiving an equivalent communication back. So we can brief things in real time, get feedback and we can get worker participation a lot easier than just sending a one-way message. Everybody carries a smartphone these days, we don’t want to carry reams of paperwork around.” Premium eyewear manufacturer Bolle Safety was the sponsor of the Safety Person or Team Award.

Highly commended:

Principal Designers Team, Jacobs HSQE Advisors, Kelly Rail

ATTRACTION AND RETENTION WSP has witnessed a transformation in its HR support over the last decade. Under the guidance of Dave Rees, who joined in 2008, WSP’s UK rail business has engendered a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion while growing its

headcount from around 250 to 760. His practical approach has helped deliver exceptional results for WSP and put it in a strong position to achieve its ultimate objective of being Britain’s first gender-balanced engineering consultancy. Dave’s insight, drive and industry knowledge have supported WSP UK Rail’s aim to become the ‘employer of choice’, attracting and retaining the most talented rail people in the industry. As a result of his work, WSP’s attrition rate has fallen from 17 to seven per cent. A key element of his work was to identify, and target, postchartership staff as the group most at-risk of leaving. As well as training the senior leadership team to see things from a people perspective, he has overseen the roll-out of unconscious bias training to almost all senior rail staff to ensure they make the right decisions when recruiting or recognising progress. Dave has also been an

Highly commended: Rebecca Bartlett, Network Rail Brighton and Hove PRIDE Steering Group, Govia Thameslink Railway

(Above) Dermot McGinley, John Jebson, Rebecca Meggs, all of McGinley, with Asif Ahmed RailwayPeople.com director. (Left) Martin Hottass and Dave Rees.

conseil

active member of the rail trailblazer scheme to introduce a new apprentice standard to the industry. As HR business partner, Dave has worked with team leaders and recruitment teams to promote greater female representation and the per cent of female graduates in the rail division has risen from 12 per cent in 2015 to 43 per cent in 2019. Picking up the award for HR, Diversity and Inclusion Person of the

Year, Dave said: “I’m fairly modest about what I do. I feel I’m just doing my day job, but other people see something I don’t – thinking outside the box, trying to bring a different view into what the business tries to achieve - and hopefully it works and we improve our inclusion, our diversity, the way we do things.” The HR, Diversity and Inclusion Person of the Year Award was sponsored by Intertrain, one of the UK’s leading training providers for railway infrastructure that has recently been taken over by City & Guilds Group. Martin Hottass, group director, technical training, of City & Guilds Group, said: “We chose to sponsor the HR, Diversity and Inclusion Award as it fits with the City & Guilds Group’s purpose as a charity: to champion all members of the workforce to enable them to develop their skills for growth. “As always, the RailStaff Awards was a brilliant occasion to come together with different organisations from across the industry, to witness how the sector celebrates its people and the vital work its unsung heroes do on a daily basis.”

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF DECEMBER 2019

A Stalwart and a Superstar

ed Mason is the chief executive of specialist recruiter Morson. He joined the company in 1986, stepped up to become the managing director in 1999 and to his current position in 2005. As he’s risen through the ranks, Ged has embraced the firm’s family values - it was, afterall, founded by Ged’s father Gerry in 1969 - by using his position to help others. In his drive toward global growth, and as it nears £1 billion group turnover, Ged has accelerated the company’s integration of technology, setting the tone for Morson and the industry for years to come. Amid escalating competition for talent, Morson is working to

discover new candidates from previously untapped areas, tackling diversity challenges and opening doors for fresh talent. As the mastermind behind this ambitious drive, Ged uses diverse platforms – networking events, awards, social media to encourage others to make similar pledges. He has also spearheaded a partnership with The Girl’s Network to empower young women from disadvantaged Salford communities to connect with leading female role models. A key extension of the Group’s company values is the provision of extensive training to senior management in the area of equalities, diversity and inclusion. Combatting unconscious bias through training, blind auditioning and CV anonymisation is also part of this. For these selfless qualities and the impact he has had on

www.matchtech.com

business performance since joining the company, Ged was given the award for Lifetime Achievement. Asked what he is most proud of doing in his career, Ged said: “Bringing in new talent and seeing them being mentors for the new generation coming through. You have to look to the future for the talent and the apprenticeship programme. I’m very proud of bringing new blood into the industry which is vitally important, of course.” The Lifetime Achievement Award was sponsored by telent Technology Services, a supplier and maintainer of mission-critical communications equipment. Stephen Dalton, managing director – transport, telent, added: “What Morson have done is they have constantly reinvented themselves, they have done everything from software applications to supporting companies like ourselves. As the railways have moved, they have moved with them and, in many cases, got ahead of the curve. They bring in ideas from other areas and they offer solutions.”

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Pete White and Kenny Burton.

Highly commended: Chris Davis, Network Rail Andrew Fairbank, South Western Railway

A RAIL INDUSTRY HERO Great Western Railway’s (GWR) Pete White is always going the extra mile for customers or taking time out to support youngsters coming through the Prince’s Trust programme but it was for his actions when a train he was working on became stranded that he was nominated for a RailStaff Award. With heavy snow falling across the network, Pete was on duty one evening when his train came to a halt with around 20 customers on board, including children. Concerned about morale, he spoke to each of the customers several times to build up their spirits, keeping them calm and reassured. As the train was still stranded come 22:00, and with

Stephen Dalton and Ged Mason.

customers having been onboard for nearly five hours, Pete took it on himself to make the situation more bearable for customers. After struggling through snow, Pete returned from a local shop with food and drink for customers and fellow staff members. Later on that night he was contacted by his line manager at 23:30 who informed him that Network Rail and the local police would be unable to help for several more hours. Pete spoke to every customer informing them of the current situation, despite facing some challenging conversations. He also took the name and numbers of all passengers so GWR could contact them at a later date. The points were cleared at

approximately 01:00 and the train was finally able to transport most of the customers back towards home but it again became stuck at frozen points. A few customers were still on board and Pete again did his best to keep them up-beat and they eventually arrived back at around 03:30. Pete had by this time been on shift for 14 hours, all of that time taking care of his customers with a smile, reassuring them with his fantastic customer service and looking after them at risk to himself. For going above and beyond, Pete was awarded the ‘Rail Person of the Year’ trophy at the RailStaff Awards. He said: “We all do a tough job on the railway – anyone in my position would have done the same thing. “I just come from a slightly different background, that’s all, and made a success of it. “I went from being long-term unemployed to having a lifelong career ahead of me - from being jobless for as long as I was, that’s not all that common.” The Rail Person of the Year Award was sponsored by Matchtech and Resourcing Solutions. Spokesperson Kenny Burton added: “I’m a firm believer

in ‘you can teach anything to anyone’. But what you can’t teach is the attitude towards anything. The right attitude outweighs talent any day of the week and, if you’re talented as well, it’s a winwin situation.”

Highly commended: Paul Case, CPC Project Services LLP Scott Nickels, West Midlands Trains

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CAREERS

RAILSTAFF DECEMBER 2019

QUALITY RECRUITMENT SOLUTIONS FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT Principal Technical Officer Location: Wimbledon Salary: £37k per annum Type: Permanent An outstanding opportunity to join a market leading contractor at the heart of revitalising Britain’s railway. Knowledge of design requirements and processes is essential.

Location: London Salary: £50k per annum Type: Permanent

Location: West London Salary: £50k per annum Type: Permanent

Opportunity for a Quantity Surveyor to join a key client working on a number of projects within the Infrastructure sector. Experience with a variety of contract types essential.

We’re looking for a Senior Cost Manager to undertake duties on a high profile aviation project based in West London. Experience with a variety of contract types essential.

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1. ENGINEERING MILLIONS OF BETTER RAIL JOURNEYS R A I L E N G I N E E R S A N D R A I L T E C H N I C I A N S AT A L L L E V E L S When you think of engineering at Heathrow, you probably think first of air rather than rail travel. But for many of the 201,000 passengers arriving and departing every day, rail plays a vital role in getting them where they need to be. Our Heathrow Rail teams own and maintain our rail infrastructure, including tracks, platforms and signals, for use by train operating companies such as Heathrow Express and London Underground. In addition, they operate and maintain Heathrow’s POD system of personal rapid transit vehicles and the Terminal 5 Track Transit system. With our new high-capacity track transit fleet, an extra 19,000,000 passenger journeys will be made each year. That means we’ll be carrying more people than the East Coast mainline service. And importantly, every one of those passengers will be able to join the first train they see, with a train in each station every two minutes and 48 seconds. It will take a lot of hard work on our end to offer these unrivalled passenger services. That’s why we’re growing our team to make sure we continue to keep up our world-class standards. That’s where you come in. Our rail engineers and technicians are crucial to our success and we’re looking to hire more of them. From designing and delivering system upgrades, to coaching team members, and providing first-class monitoring and maintenance services, their tasks are many and various. But they all have one goal: to make every journey better.

With expansion on the horizon at Heathrow – and the ambition for 50% of journeys to Heathrow to be completed using public transport by 2030 – there are more and more exciting opportunities to work on interesting new rail projects, to learn and to develop. So, you won’t just be keeping Heathrow moving. You’ll be keeping your career moving too. We’re looking for those with engineering qualifications from a whole range of backgrounds. Rail-specific experience isn’t necessary to join us as a Technician, but will be for the Engineer, Trainer and Infrastructure roles. We need: • Rail Technicians • Control Room Operatives • Technical Trainer • Systems Engineer (Electrical) • Lead Systems Engineer • Rail Reliability Engineer

There’s never been a more exciting time to join our rail engineering team.

To find out more and apply, please go to careers.heathrow.com

Career Opportunities Are you a leader, a pioneer and not frightened of doing things differently? East West Rail is one of the most exciting and high-profile infrastructure projects in the UK. We champion a proposed new rail link between Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford, Cambridge and potentially beyond. It will improve local connectivity and serve as a catalyst for economic development. East West Railway Company do things differently, acting as a positive disrupter and innovator in the rail industry. You will join an enthusiastic and highly professional team with lots of positive energy. East West Railway Company is an equal opportunities employer and promotes diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Employer: East West Railway Company Basis: Permanent Location: Central London initially, then based in Milton Keynes (2020) Offering a competitive salary, performance structured bonus, pension, 33 days holiday a year (including bank holidays), life assurance, and much moreâ&#x20AC;Ś Fission Recruitment and East West Railway Company are working in partnership and only applications received via the recruiter will be considered. For more information and a detailed application pack please telephone 01513 565 610 or send an email to eastwestrail@fission.co.uk

Programme Delivery Director Accountable for the capital delivery of the East West Rail programme, the post holder will balance time, cost and quality metrics with a dedication to innovation and sustainability across the project. Other top line responsibilities include leading the Development Consent Order process, acquisition and management of land requirements, overseeing control change, as well as governance and approvals within delegations of authority. Strategy Director Providing strategic leadership to the establishment and operation of the Company, this role is fully accountable for the development of processes, defining system requirements, and the management of associated strategic and sponsorship functions. They will support policy development and communications, providing strategic challenge to ensure East West Railway Company is aligned to the objectives set by the Secretary of State for Transport. They will hold and create strong working relationships with key Government stakeholders and regulatory organisations. Engineering Director Providing oversight and drive for all engineering disciplines and activities across the whole route, the post holder will lead the development of processes and define system requirements and associated engineering data. As well as leading the technical engagement with Network Rail, this role will develop and manage policies for all aspects of the railway and be responsible for compliance with associated policies, standards and safety requirements. Customer Services Director With a mandate to set a new benchmark for our customers, this role will be accountable for the delivery of East West Railway Companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s customer vision. This includes framing the relationship with the customer with a whole journey focus, considering the links to the local community, the intersection with wider transport networks and driving an improved quality of service. Additional tasks include responsibility for industry systems integration to mitigate sector wide risks to support the successful launch of services.

Job descriptions have been abbreviated within this advert. Full job specifications will be sent via email or are available online at www.fission.co.uk

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