RailStaff Newspaper February 2012

ISSUE 171 FEB 2012

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In this issue...

Tornado blow for scrap thieves Police raids against scrap metal dealers suspected of receiving stolen metal have resulted in 36 arrests.

Page 4

Square deal for

© MILEPOST 921⁄2 -RAILPHOTOLIBRARY.COM

King’s Cross Plans to create a paved square with trees in front of King’s Cross station get go ahead.

All Together Now Vertical integration makes a welcome return to the railways this month.

South West Trains and Network Rail are reuniting wheel and rail under the direction of genial SWT boss, Tim Shoveller.

The new alliance will see staff from both companies working together under joint management to boost performance and cut costs.

Already the joint 24-hour integrated control centre at London Waterloo station is staffed

by South West Trains and Network Rail ops teams. Planned single reporting lines will ensure greater cohesion. A single, senior team will eventually take

charge of running trains and track.

The joint ten-point plan will deliver more punctual and reliable journeys on one of the busiest and most complex regions of the rail network. Further alliance frameworks are being set up between Network Rail and Abellio Greater Anglia, c2c, ScotRail, Northern Rail and Southeastern.

Says Sir David Higgins, chief executive, Network Rail, ‘Working more closely with the train operators, with decision making devolved to the front-line and better aligned incentives, will, I believe, bring substantial benefits. ‘The alliances will deliver a

better service for passengers and freight users and at lower overall cost to the taxpayer.’

Stagecoach has long argued for the return of vertical integration in the south west. Says Tim Shoveller, ‘Running one of the busiest and most complex commuter rail networks in Europe is a challenge for us and Network Rail.

‘The volume of passengers using our rail network continues to grow, and just like the road network, it is particularly difficult when problems happen at busy times and at congested interchanges.’

When British Rail was sold off the railway infrastructure was made into a separate entity.

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Another Brick in the Wall!

Bricklayers John and Wayne survey the repointed brickwork on the 11.3 million brick Ouse Valley Viaduct.

Railtrack was put in charge of rail, signals and major structures. Train companies buy access to the railway.

The system has been widely criticised for engendering a blame culture between train operators and track authority over delays as well as splitting the staff loyalties.

The new system is in keeping with the McNulty report which called for much closer co-operation throughout the industry.

Page 6

More disabled travel by train Record numbers of people with disabilities are travelling by train.

Page 14

Charles Dickens: Railway Rescuer Charles Dickens is less well known, but no less respected for for his timely intervention in the affairs of the railways.

Page 27

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2 | RailStaff | February 2012

RailStaff Editorial ‘I wasn’t nervous about the answer. We are made to be together,’ Tina Recourt said speaking of her marriage proposal over the tannoy to her intended, Jon Veitch, on a southbound Pendolino.

When railway people are convinced a course of action is right, no amount of fashionable arguments will convince them otherwise.

The split between rail and wheel has long been derided by most railway staff from the rail barons of yesterday to the platform staff and train crew charged with explaining the idiosyncrasies of Britain’s fractured railway system to an often bewildered public.

The Tories, under Chris Grayling, long ago admitted that the John Major administration botched railway privatisation. Major took as his starting point the EU directive to divide the cost of providing the fixed infrastructure from that of running a train over it. This was a misunderstanding.

The EU at the time wanted national railway administrations to produce separate sets of accounts showing the cost of the railway infrastructure. This would then enable other national railways to negotiate realistic tolls for running their trains over foreign tracks.

Here the government of the day regarded railways as in terminal decline and used the EU idea to explode BR into 400 different companies. The move appeared to neutralise any coherent opposition to the snuff rock choreography of the future. Officially the idea of small companies setting up new competitive train operations sounded fine. In reality several combines moved in.

Understandably enough they were more concerned about their share price than the altruistic ethics of the railway. National Express provides the most disturbing example of this. However, that’s all changing. The focus now at Network Rail and its allies is rather different - the railway for the sake of the railway. Get that right and the return on investment follows.

Many in the industry will be glad the Haitian Divorce of the last 16 years looks like drawing to a close. Most never accepted it anyway. Others will be suspicious of further change. The term Haitian Divorce dates from 1950s America where one partner in a marriage could fly to the Caribbean island and unilaterally get a divorce without the spouse knowing.

Sixteen years of separation will prove a difficult wound to heal.

The railway has always had a struggle between engineers and operators. However the new alliances are to be applauded and given every chance of success.

This is a country which now recognises the value of railways witness HS2, Crossrail and the myriad new train fleets. If asked the question - will the new train-track alliances work - no one committed to the industry should be nervous of the answer. Say yes as heartily as Jon Veitch did. For as his fiancée, Tina Recourt put it, ‘We are made to be together.’

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Keyline launches specialist rail business Keyline, part of the Travis Perkins Group, has launched a nationwide operation to deliver building materials solutions to the rail industry.

Drawing upon unrivalled expertise within the sector, the specialist business will enable Keyline to support all rail infrastructure projects across the UK providing the highest levels of compliance, product range and availability, service levels and logistics support.

Nationwide Network The new operation will be located at a newly opened National Rail Office at Electra Business Park in Canning Town, East London. It will be supported by 6 regional offices with dedicated rail specialists as well as a nationwide network of 88 Keyline branches and more than 1,700 additional locations within the Travis Perkins Group.

In addition to providing central management and customer service functions for Keyline’s rail business, the team at the National Rail Office will also lead Travis Perkins Group’s approach to Crossrail, Europe’s largest civil engineering construction project.

Keyline will take advantage of more than 80 branches along the Crossrail route and a further 100 locations within the M25, as well as Keyline’s approved fleet of compliant vehicles and drivers.

Keyline offers the most extensive supply chain to meet the precise needs of the rail sector and ensure contractors avoid costly penalties and fines as a result of delays or missed deadlines.

An in-house fleet of 179 craneoperated vehicles and 250 fully compliant drivers work round

the clock to provide a highly effective delivery solution that addresses the challenges of restricted access and time-constraints to stations and tracks across the rail network.

Working with main and subcontractors, along with organisations such as Network Rail and London Underground, Keyline provides the most comprehensive range of core and specialist products for the rail industry.

It includes product solutions for trackside, tunnelling, platforms, station buildings, traffic

management, transport links and site safety. Nationally Keyline also stocks more than 1,500 products in project quantities with 97 per cent availability and its dynamic procurement for specialist items, guarantees product availability for even the tightest deadlines.

Dedicated Operation Says Richard Wade, Rail Sector Manager at Keyline, ‘The creation of this dedicated operation means we are best placed to supply heavy building materials

to organisations within the rail industry.

‘Our unrivalled expertise and fully-approved resources ensure we can work in partnership with all specialist contractors, large infrastructure companies and rail organisations to supply the right products, to the right place, at the right time.’

Keyline is a Link-up approved supplier to the rail industry, complying with all legislative requirements such as health and safety practises, environmental concerns and British / ISO standards.

BTP in Rooney rescue British Transport Police have been praised for cracking the case of attempted blackmail of Wayne and Colleen Rooney.

Railway police in Manchester took on the case after Colleen Rooney lost her camera at a concert in Manchester. Two men found the camera and attempted to blackmail the pair.

British Transport Police, which has responsibility for policing the Manchester Evening News arena, was notified of the theft and attempted blackmail and launched an in-depth investigation.

The two men tried, unsuccessfully, to sell photographs from the camera to tabloid newspapers and celebrity magazines. When this failed the pair turned to blackmail and threatened to distribute the images if they were not paid £5,000.

Barry Platt (29) and Steven Edward Malcolm (42) were jailed for their part in the scheme to blackmail the famous couple. BTP used an undercover officer who arranged to meet Malcolm to exchange the images for cash. At the meeting Malcolm was arrested and further investigation – including detailed analysis of mobile phone usage – revealed the full plot.

Says Detective Inspector Andrea Rainey, ‘Platt and Malcolm conspired to extort money from Mr and Mrs Rooney by threatening to release images of their family. They approached both Mr Rooney’s agent and his employer in a bid to extort money.

‘I would like to thank everyone involved in this

© SHuTTERSTOCK.COM

investigation for the thorough nature of their work which has resulted in these sentences. I would also like to thank those who turned down the approaches of Platt and Malcolm and who were so helpful in bringing this case to a successful conclusion.

‘Their actions were deplorable and the sentence handed down today should serve as a warning to anyone else who believes extortion, blackmail and other criminal behaviour is acceptable.’

Platt, was sentenced to two years imprisonment for the blackmail and a further 12 months, to run concurrently, for receiving stolen goods. Malcolm was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment for blackmail and 10 months, to run concurrently, for receiving stolen goods.

RailStaff | February 2012 | 3

Fair payment charter welcomed

Rail News in brief > International rail school launched Eurotunnel has opened a training centre for rail staff near Calais.

The Centre International de formation ferroviaire de la Côte d’Opale (CIFFCO1), at Coquelles in the Pas-de-Calais will provide skills training for rail staff and cheminots throughout Europe. Track workers and technicians will be able to take courses enabling them to work on the French national rail network and those of other neighbouring countries.

> Snow patrols pay off

Suppliers and sub-contractors can look forward to faster payment under a new scheme launched by Network Rail.

The Fair Payment Charter has been signed by thirty of the biggest construction and engineering companies operating in Britain today. The idea is to speed up payment and increase liquidity throughout the supply chain as Network Rail delivers £7bn of renewals and enhancements over the next two years.

The Fair Payment Charter ratifies Network Rail’s recent decision to shorten the time it takes to pay suppliers from 56 days to 21 days.

Happily it commits Network Rail’s suppliers to make pay-

ment to their first-tier subcontractors within seven days of receiving payment. This means the time from submission of a main contractor’s application to receipt of payment by the first-tier supplier is now 28 days – a move which will dramatically increase liquidity in the supply chain and provide greater certainty for suppliers’ in terms of business planning.

Says Simon Kirby, managing director, Network Rail infrastructure projects, ‘The Fair Payment Charter is a statement of how the rail industry wishes to do business. Applying these principles will be a significant catalyst in improving cash flow across the industry, benefitting

suppliers and contractors of all sizes throughout the supply chain.

‘Network Rail is committed to meeting tough efficiency targets on it £7bn programme of renewals and enhancement during the remainder of the current control period. The Fair Payment Charter is a significant step in our repositioning as a client and reflects the aspiration for a new approach to payment in the railway industry which is not only fair but also helps to cut costs and drive out inefficiencies.’

The news has been welcomed by rail chiefs. Says Jeremy Cand field, director general of the Railway Industry Association, ‘This

is another key step in the transformation of supply chain relationships that we and Network Rail have been working hard to achieve, essential for delivering the efficiencies demanded by tomorrow’s railway.’

Douglas McCormick, managing director of Atkins’ rail business, said, ‘This is a strong example of Network Rail’s collaborative approach to working with its key suppliers and an important step in setting the correct tone for the industry. We welcome the direct benefit it will bring to Atkins and our own supply chain, and it will strengthen our drive for greater cost efficiency in all the work we undertake for Network Rail.’

While three inches of snow on the first weekend in February paralysed the road system and Heathrow Airport grounded half its flights the railway stayed open for business running 9 out of 10 booked services.

Rail staff worked through the night to keep the metals clear.

Early planning and bad weather strategies paid off. Chasing cars compounded the motorway chaos with some motorists stuck in their vehicles for six hours.

> A day at the races Roodee Viaduct, which crosses the River Dee west of Chester station, between the racecourse and the golf club is being completely refurbished.

The viaduct carries the main railway line between England and North Wales. Contractors will be working from scaffolding suspended beneath the decks of the viaduct, which was built wide enough for four tracks but now only carries two.

Engineers will grit blast the structure to take it back to bare metal and carry out repairs and strengthening where necessary. The viaduct will then have a protective coating applied to it before being repainted in its original grey colour. The £1.5m project has been carefully planned to meet standards set by Cheshire West & Chester Council and the Environment Agency.

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Tornado blow for scrap thieves © BTP

Lord Henley, with Ian Hetherington tour scrap metal yard with the BTP. Police raids against scrap metal dealers suspected of receiving stolen metal have resulted in 36 arrests.

Operation Mansoncity involving Durham, Cleveland and Northumbria police forces, supported by British Transport Police, targeted ten dealers who had failed to voluntarily co-op-

scrap metal dealers who are suspected of profiting from proceeds of metal theft and money laundering. Scrap metal dealers have a responsibility to ensure the metal they buy is from legitimate sources and that they keep appropriate records. It is not acceptable to turn a blind eye to stolen metal.

erate with Operation Tornado, designed to make the sale of stolen metal for scrap more difficult. The dealers were arrested on suspicion of money laundering and ten scrap yards were closed down.

Says BTP Deputy Chief Constable, Paul Crowther, ‘This multi-force operation targeted those

‘By helping criminals to turn stolen metal into cash, often quickly and easily, dealers are fuelling this crime which is blighting our infrastructure and disrupting the lives of ordinary people on a daily basis.

‘Whilst longer term we are looking for a change to the legislation to make it harder for stolen metal to be sold, we will continue to work within the current legislation to target the business practices of those dealers who wilfully flout the law for their own gain.

Today’s operation sends a clear signal that we will not allow dealers to ignore the law.’

82 per cent of scrap metal dealers in the north eastern counties of Durham, Cleveland and Northumbria are currently taking part in Operation Tornado, which began on 3 January 2011, and is strengthening the requirements for sellers to provide identification.

The DfT has announced four shortlisted bidders to run the West Coast Main Line from December 2012.

Abellio, FirstGroup, Keolis/ SNCF and Virgin go head to head to contest the franchise. The franchise is for 15 years and includes a commitment to provide 28,000 seats a day under a new flexible agreement which will allow further services to be scheduled around busy periods.

Says Transport Minister, Theresa Villiers, ‘Passengers will welcome the 28,000 additional seats this new franchise will deliver every day on what is becoming one of the UK’s busiest rail lines. A longer, more flexible franchise will encourage private sector investment, for

example in improving stations.

It will also promote greater efficiency to enable improvements to be made whilst driving down costs.’

The franchise winner will take on responsibility for 17 stations. The new franchise will commence in December and run until 2026, with an option to extend it for a further 20 months. The winner will be announced in August.

Under a section 54 agreement the franchise holder must continue to use Pendolinos until March 2022 and Voyagers until March, 2016. After this the franchisee is free to propose changes to the fleet. The successful bidder will have the freedom to vary timetables on

A railway worker has been praised for helping avert a disaster.

A burning oil tanker had crashed into the side of a bungalow and was at risk of exploding, endangering a nearby primary school. Darren Fletcher jumped into the cab of the burning oil tanker and reversed it away from a house.

‘The valves on the tanker had been undone and the passenger side was already on fire,’ says Darren who lives in Wareham, Dorset and works for Balfour Beatty Rail. ‘The engine was still running so I jumped in the cab and reversed the truck away from the bungalow. It’s terrifying now to think what could have happened.’

Police later arrested a 51 year old man who had fled the scene and was apparently the driver of the tanker. Fire fighters rushed to the scene and it took an hour to bring the blaze under control.

Darren Fletcher had just taken his daughter to school when he realised what was happening in Folly Lane, Wool, and made his brave bid to save the occupants of the bungalow.

‘It was all on fire when I got there but all I could think was that it could all go up at any second. It was so near to the school.

I knew the children were in danger and instinct just kicked in. The keys were in the engine and I got in and reversed it away from the house which was on fire from the inside. I knew that there was an obvious danger and that the tanker could have gone up because the passenger seat next to me was on fire.’

Darren was treated in hospital for smoke inhalation. ‘I’m not a hero, I don’t want to be called one. I was just in the right place at the right time and I did what I thought was best. I would do the same again,’ Mr Fletcher added.

© JONATHAN WEBB

West Coast contest begins

Rail worker foils fire tanker

individual days in order to better meet demand. This is a major shift from the previous micro-management of the DfT.

The new west coast franchise will allow the operator greater flexibility in boosting services around demand.

Soccer stars back further education Newcastle united football heroes John Beresford and Joe Allon took the controls of an Intercity 125 simulator at Newcastle Central to publicise further education courses available for rail staff in the city.

Says John Beresford, ‘The simulator is very realistic, right down to the landmarks alongside the track leaving Newcastle. It’s a real eye-opener to see how quickly the train driver has to think ahead and react at the controls. Learning something new is always positive – that’s why Joe and myself are keen to help East Coast raise awareness of the learning opportunities for hundreds of rail staff based at Central Station.’

East Coast is right behind the move. Says Driver Manager, Bob Howes, who started life as an apprentice player with the Magpies, ‘Both John and Joe enjoy the lifelong affection of United supporters, left-back John for

his memorable performances in Kevin Keegan’s ‘Entertainers’ team in the early 1990s, and striker Joe for his great goals across five years with the Toon from 1984 to 1988.

‘When I was a young apprentice with Newcastle United, they still made sure I went along to North Tyneside College once a week to continue my education. We’re already planning a second event for rail staff and the support from two legends of St James’ Park is very encouraging.’

The driving simulator is one of four based at East Coast driver depots in Newcastle, Edinburgh, Leeds and London King’s Cross.

Each features an exact replica complete with all the controls and gauges of the real thing.

The simulator can be adapted in seconds to depict either of East Coast’s two types of motive power, the Class 91 electric locomotive or the Class 43 diesel High Speed Train.

Beefeater heads for South Devon John Keohane, 62, who works for the South Devon Railway as a volunteer director, is relinquishing his role as the Tower of London’s chief yeoman warder.

The Beefeater likes nothing better than spending a weekend on the railway and is moving down to Devon to be near the SDR. John doubles as Sir Topham Hat, the Fat Controller, every so often for Thomas the Tank Engine days. He will also drive a Routemaster bus for weddings and other occasions.

John joined the army as a young man and served 27 years rising to the rank of Sergeant Major in the Royal Corps of Signals. With his wife Ruth, he lived in the Tower of London, responsible for guarding the crown jewels and locking up at night.

John has called for people to be more aware of their heritage represented by the Tower of

London. He says he’ll miss the job and the people he met which, as well as 1,000s of tourists from all over the world, ranged from Princess Dianna to Vladimir Putin. ‘I leave with many fond memories,’ he said.

PEOPLE MOVES

RailStaff | February 2012 | 5

New team takes the stage New Directors for PWI The teams running Stagecoach rail operations have been reformed.

Tim Shoveller has taken up his new post as South West Trains managing director while David Horne heads up East Midlands Trains. Mark Steward has been appointed as operations director for SWT. Mark, 49 was safety and operations director for East Midlands Trains. He replaces Ian Johnston. Mark has led the operations team at East Midlands Trains since the start of the franchise in November 2007 and has 28 years railway experience.

The rest of the team includes Christian Roth as engineering director and Andy West as finance director. Jake Kelly is the customer services director and Brian Cook is safety director.

Kelly Barlow has been appointed as new HR director replacing Andrew Welsby, who will be leaving the company at the end of March to take up a new role outside the rail industry. Kelly, aged 34, started her career working for SWT, before moving to a senior HR role within East Midlands Trains. Most recently, she has been working on the Stagecoach Business Development Team.

Over at East Midlands Trains David Horne takes over as managing director. Ian Smith has been appointed as the new safety and operations director. Ian, 43, has previously held senior roles within Wessex Trains, SWT, First Great Western and ATOC. At ATOC he worked on the roll out of the new GSMR system. He has

Ian Smith.

also covered the position of Customer Service Director of East Midlands.

Tim Sayer is the engineering director. The Finance Director is Tim Gledhill aged 45, who replaces Richard Bodicoat, now working as part of the Stagecoach Business Development team. Tim joined East Midlands Trains as Financial Controller in 2007.

Clare McCartney has been appointed as HR director at East Midlands Trains. Clare, aged 31, replaces Margaret Kay who has taken over the role of managing director at Stagecoach Supertram. Clare has held senior roles within the Human Resources team since the start of the East Midlands Trains franchise in November 2007.

Clare McCartney.

Tim Gledhill.

New team at Greater Anglia

Ruud Haket (above), who led Abellio’s successful bid for the Greater Anglia franchise, heads a new team as managing director. The team includes:

• Andrew Goodrum, Customer Services Director • Adam Golton, Finance Director • Thijs Jan Noomen, Projects Director • John Ratcliffe, Engineering Director • Nanouke van ‘t Riet, Operations Director • Andrew Camp, Commercial Director • Simone Bailey, Asset Management Director • Dave Welham, Interim HR Director.

Says Mr Haket, ‘We are all committed to delivering the propos-

als made within the bid and listening to the requirements of our customers, stakeholders and employees many of whom I have met during recent roadshows across the region. Although a short franchise - 2 ½ years - Greater Anglia will deliver improvements in customer service, station condition and operational performance.’

The changeover came on 5th February 2012. The Greater Anglia franchise, which includes Stansted Express, is Abellio’s first solo rail operation in the UK. It runs Merseyrail, and Northern Rail in a 50:50 joint venture with Serco.

Eastwards expansion Resourcing International, a subsidiary of the Resourcing Solutions Group, has appointed Carl Simington as International Recruitment Manager for its middle east operation.

Carl will work alongside Ikram Rabbani. In February Resourcing International opens its Dubai office and Carl Simgton will be taking up the reins there.

Carl has previously worked for Resourcing Solutions as well as Engage Selection and New Recruitment. He is returning to drive an expanded Middle

East operation as well as nurturing further commercial development in Australia and the Far East.

Says Richard Lawrance CEO of the Resourcing Solutions Group, ‘Carl and Ikram’s expertise at recruiting in infrastructure and the built environment sectors throughout the Gulf region will support our clients’ overseas recruitment needs.’

In February, Carl and Ikram will be attending the Qatar Projects 2012 conference taking place at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Doha.

Andy Cooper.

The Permanent Way Institution has recently appointed three non-executive directors to its board.

Andy Cooper, Managing Director, CrossCountry has a wide experience of transport and travel in technical, commercial, operational and safety matters.

He has worked in the public and private sectors as a senior line manager, financial and business planner and adviser. He has extensive experience in passenger, freight transport and engineering businesses.

John Dutton, is the Operating Centre Manager (OCM) for the

John Dutton.

UK and Europe for GHD, a consultancy business with a focus on the transportation sector in the UK and Europe. He has worked in the railway industry for the last twenty years and over the last ten years was part of the leadership team of Collinson Dutton Ltd., an international business, ranked 22nd in the recent ICE Consultants file for top firms in rail.

Colin Wheeler, Partner Consultant Wheeler Associates and respected columnist for RailStaff has been a railway civil engineer since 1967. His roles over the years have included Divi-

Colin Wheeler. sional Civil Engineer for BR, leader of the national Track Safety Strategy Group and Chairman of the Railway Industry Contractors Association.

He was founding editor of the rail engineer, and writes regularly for RailStaff. He is a director of the Robert Stephenson Trust.

His voluntary work as a senior reviewer for the Institution of Civil Engineers includes reviewing the competences of all membership grades from technician to fellow and helps him keep abreast of current developments in railway civil engineering as well as permanent way.

6 | RailStaff | February 2012

Royal Salute for Rail Britannia © JONATHAN WEBB

New focus on HS2

These routes can expect greater overcrowding in the coming years as demand for rail continues to grow. However initial analysis suggests as many as twelve trains per hour could operate on this section of the route in the busiest peak hours.

Other key beneficiaries include passengers travelling between the major towns and cities of the West Midlands and between London and destinations in the Trent Valley.

Companies that rely on moving goods by rail freight stand to benefit too.

Says Anthony Smith, Passenger Focus chief executive, ‘Passengers know that with more people using the West Coast Main Line it is only a matter of time before capacity runs out. If a new line was to free up this muchneeded route, passengers, especially commuters, have signalled they want to be able to get a seat as well as more direct services.’

Japan pledge by Osborne Chancellor George Osborne chose a bullet train in Japan to reaffirm government backing for a high-speed train factory at Newton Aycliffe in County Durham.

‘I am here in Japan seeing for myself the technology that is behind the new trains that will be built in Britain. The opening of the new factory that will build

them with the investment and jobs it will bring is good news for people in the North East and good news for people using our railways. It is also good news for the wider economy, and evidence of a new, more balanced economy in Britain that will help deliver sustainable growth in the years to come.’

The Hitachi-led Agility Trains consortium was chosen last March - subject to financial criteria - for the Intercity Express Programme. Despite local fears at the delay the government is expected to reach financial close in a few weeks time.

The commitment has been welcomed by local MP, Phil Wil-

son. ‘This is further confirmation of the Government’s commitment to get Hitachi trains to come to Newton Aycliffe, providing massive investment and jobs in the area badly needed at a time when unemployment has risen. I congratulate the Government on going ahead with this initiative and the previous government who’s idea it was.’

Hitachi is expected to build a similar train to the highly successful Japanese Shinkansen bullet trains.

HRH Prince Charles braved torrential rain at Wakefield Kirkgate station to rename 70000 Britannia.

The locomotive had just hauled the Royal Train on which the prince, a keen supporter of railways, had travelled. Greeting the many local children who had turned out to see him, Prince Charles made his way along the platform with Pete Waterman, who owned the LNWR works in Crewe where Britannia was overhauled, before renaming the British Rail stan-

dard class locomotive.

Said a delighted Pete Waterman, ‘He loves steam engines. He’s as much of an enthusiast as I am.’

The locomotive has a strong family connection with the Prince of Wales. 70000 Britannia hauled the funeral train of King George VI, the prince’s grandfather, in 1952. Britannia was built at Crewe works in 1951 and is only one of two, the other is Oliver Cromwell, to have survived.

Sadly the vast majority of the 55 strong class were scrapped in Scotland during the late 1960s.

© JONATHAN WEBB

As campaigners against High Speed Two try to reverse the government’s decision a new report published by Passenger Focus and Network Rail spells out public backing for the increased levels of rail service that will benefit hard pressed commuters.

The report also finds public support for the project increasing. HS2 will benefit commuters travelling between Northampton, Milton Keynes, Watford Junction and London.

Square deal for King’s Cross Haven help

Plans to create a paved square with trees in front of King’s Cross station have been given the go ahead.

The design, by architects Stanton Williams, will also reveal the Victorian Grade I listed station façade for the first time in 150 years. In place of the current

1970s concourse extension will be a 7,000 square metre open space. The square will be paved with Yorkstone and feature trees, seats and art displays.

Says Ian Fry, Network Rail’s programme director at King’s Cross, ‘The new public square and unveiled Grade I listed

Lewis Cubbitt station façade will be the ideal complement to the new concourse, which opens in the spring, and together will help transform King’s Cross station into a world-class public transport hub.’

When completed the square will be used by 140,000 people

every day. The square will sit directly above the London Underground ticket hall which limits the features which can be incorporated into the design. The site also sits above tunnels carrying the River Fleet - London’s largest subterranean river – as well as other utilities and tube lines.

Jenni White of Stansted Express is celebrating securing funding of £600 from the National Express Employee Charity Panel for the Little Havens Children’s Hospice in Thundersley.

Little Havens Children’s Hospice provides respite breaks, symptom control and end-of-life care to children and their families in Essex living with a life-limiting illness. Jenni has been a long-time supporter of Little Havens Children’s Hospice and often organises fund-raising events for the charity. In the past she has asked her Stansted Express colleagues to donate unwanted Christmas gifts, which are then used as raffle prizes.

Jenni began working on the railway 20 years ago as a signal-

woman at St Margarets and in recent years she has been a familiar figure at Stansted Airport. She is moving to a new position at Harlow Town station this month.

Linda Crane and Jenni White at Little Havens Children’s Hospice.

8 | RailStaff | February 2012

Record run for St Pancras Kirby headlines Infrarail © MALIAS

Proving that high speed railways are good for business, HS1 Ltd, owner of St Pancras International, is reporting all time high retail sales and footfall in the three weeks before Christmas 2011.

Sales rose 20 per cent in the run up to Christmas compared with the same period last year. Footfall was up by 18 per cent to almost one million per week. Currently, 25 per cent of people at the station are not travelling onwards but visit to shop, eat, drink or simply enjoy the buzz.

St Pancras International has more than 40 retailers, including luxury brands, boutiques, independent retailers, high street favourites and the first official 2012 Olympic Games shop.

Says HS1 Ltd chief executive, Nicola Shaw, ‘These are welcome figures and reflect what we have been doing to drive sales and promote growth for all sides of our business. The results of our retail team’s hard work are particularly impressive given the difficult environment for retail across Europe at present.

‘Looking forward, St Pancras International and High Speed 1 now have a crucial role to play during the London Olympic Games. The numbers of people who visit the station is set to grow significantly and we will continue to find new ways to make St Pancras International an attractive destination throughout 2012.’

As well as bars and cafés the station hosts bands and musicians playing live on the concourse.

Simon Kirby (right), managing director, Investment Projects, Network Rail, will be speaking at Infrarail 2012.

A member of Network Rail’s board since 2003, Simon Kirby is currently leading a series of reforms of Network Rail’s infrastructure business. On the opening day, 1 May, Minister of State for Transport, Theresa Villiers, will address visitors to the event, while on 2 May Howard Smith, Chief Operating Officer London Rail at TfL will be speaking.

The presentations highlight an extensive seminar programme running over all three days of the show and organised by Infrarail media partner, the rail engineer magazine. Taking place at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham from 1 to 3 May, Infrarail is Britain’s biggest showcase for railway infrastructure products and services.

Says Tom O’Connor, managing director of the Rail Media Group, which publishes the rail engineer and RailStaff and runs the RailStaff Awards, ‘We look forward to welcoming many of our readers and ad-

Northern hub progress Business and transport leaders met at the Northern Hub Leadership Summit recently to back plans for the scheme.

Says Andrew Fender, Chairman of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, ‘The congested rail network in the north of England, most notably around Greater Manchester, is a significant stumbling block to economic growth. It’s vital that the Northern Hub, a programme

Health Spotlight

Fit for purpose

A certain level of fitness Similarly in the merchant navy officers and crew needed to enjoy a certain level of fitness in order to safely fulfil their roles.This is equally important in aviation.

However, modern occupational health practices also owe a debt to philanthropy.

Quakers and non-conformists were motivated to provide safe and caring working environments for their workforce, by their faith. They believed good health among workers was important for moral as well as commercial reasons. Thus they invested in works canteens, social clubs and the provision of medical services with factorybased nurses and doctors in support.

Potential legal claims A person, before performing a job, should be fit to do that job, free of the influence of alcohol and illicit drugs. There should also be no unacceptable side-effects, which might have safety implications, from prescribed medication. Alongside meeting the requirements of pertinent occupational health laws

and directives, a prudent employer will also wish to protect the company from potential legal claims.

Both the health of the workforce and the legal probity of companies can best be achieved by implementing initiatives that encapsulate health and safety, occupational hygiene and occupational health programmes. An occupational health programme will benefit the physical and mental wellbeing of the workers and ensure that the company is compliant with the law.

Occupational health is largely provided by the private sector in the UK. A good OH supplier should provide added value to client companies with a positive effect on the bottom line. An employer will look to an occupational health supplier for professional expertise, a highly flexible service and an economy of fees.

IRSE’s Chinese expansion The Institution of Railway Signal Engineers looks set to expand its activities in China following a successful visit by IRSE president, Claire Porter.

The Hong Kong section of the IRSE enjoys good relations with Beijing Jiaotong University which helped arrange the visit. IRSE Chief Executive Colin Porter ac-

companied Claire Porter to China. The IRSE is looking at the possibility of establishing a local section in Beijing. Claire Porter, Head of Strategy for Thales UK’s transportation systems business, took up the IRSE presidency in April 2011, the first woman to hold the post in the institution’s 99-year history.

Claire Porter.

of rail improvements to boost capacity on our railways, allowing commercial enterprise, labour markets and business growth to flourish, is funded as a single programme, rather than delivering improvements on a piecemeal basis.

Costing £560 million, it will generate over £4.1 billion in economic benefits for the UK economy – an impressive return on investment by any-

one’s standards – and could bring up to 30,000 jobs to the north of England. This is an exciting opportunity to redefine the economic landscape of the north, and we look forward to working closely with the business community and with political representatives from all parties in helping to make this happen.’

Transport for Greater Manchester organised the meeting.

Numbers soar at Parkway East Midlands Parkway is celebrating its third birthday.

Record numbers of passengers have used the station in the last year. Since 2009, the station’s first year of operation, the number of passengers travelling from East Midlands Parkway has in© JONATHAN WEBB

It is surprising that there are few books on occupational health, writes John O’Donnell, finance director of Express Medicals Ltd. Nowadays it is accepted as best practice that potential employees undergo medical assessments to ensure that they are fit-for-task and physically and mentally capable of undertaking a particular job.

An example of such practice comes from the time of Nelson’s navy when the ship’s surgeon would inspect all new recruits before they were signed up to the ship’s company. This was not a matter of kindness or altruism, but rather a question of operational necessity.

vertisers to the show. Infrarail 2012 marks a further vote of confidence in Britain’s emerging rail industry and is a good opportunity for meeting old friends and new.’

creased by almost 120 per cent, soaring to around 450,000 journeys. The station, at Ratcliffe-onSoar in Nottinghamshire, is connected to London, Derby, Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield.

Says Marc Turley, commercial director of East Midlands Trains,

‘Since the opening of East Midlands Parkway in January 2009, we’ve seen the number of passengers using the station steadily growing as more and more people become aware of its convenient location, easy parking and fast links to London.’

9th International Railway Infrastructure Exhibition

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10 | RailStaff | February 2012

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Carl Hasty, head of trading with Smart Currency Exchange, offers ten reasons why uK businesses should consider going global in 2012.

The uK economy is stagnant.

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) predicts the UK economy will grow by just 0.7 per cent in 2012, while growth in 2011 was less than one per cent.

Now, surely, is the time to look abroad for expansion. China and India as well as less talked about places such as Turkey, Singapore and Qatar are experiencing solid growth.

A hedge against uncertainty.

Nobody knows what will happen to the global economy as problems in the eurozone continue to fester. In an uncertain world, it’s surely prudent to have your eggs in more than one basket.

Boost employee engagement.

World-class support is available.

UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), the main support mechanism for exporters, has 2,400 staff and a presence in 96 countries. Private business bodies, such as the British Chambers of Commerce network and the CBI, also offer great support for exporters, including trade missions, seminars and networking opportunities.

Researching foreign markets is easier.

The internet has helped to reduce the number of time-consuming fact-finding missions abroad. Occasionally, a trip to a target market is essential; however, much of the ground and preparatory work can now be done via the web.

The pound is relatively weak.

UK exporters have taken advantage of a weak pound in recent years, in particular gaining a trading advantage against Eurozone-based businesses. While the euro may now be weakening against the pound, many believe sterling is still undervalued, representing an opportunity exporters need to grab now.

a catalyst for your business to step up a gear, with knock-on benefits for your domestic market.

The world is a smaller place.

While face-to-face might be required to close out a deal, technologies such as video conferencing and Skype mean it’s now possible to maintain healthy relationships with clients on the other side of the world without having to travel abroad.

Your competitors are doing it.

More and more UK companies are looking at exporting as an option, mainly due to the benefits outlined above. By sticking to domestic markets, your business risks being left behind by the competition.

Gearing up to trade globally.

And finally…

The process of preparing to trade internationally can have a positive impact on a business. The global market is no place for shoddily-run outfits. Going global can act as

Many businesses worry about foreign exchange when trading abroad. Will the volatile international exchange rates we have been seeing impact on profits? Will commissions on foreign exchange be costly?

The good news is that Smart Currency Exchange can provide a complete support package in this area. We adopt hedging techniques such as forward contracts to provide stability to those engaged in international trade. We also help exporters to maximise margins by offering significantly better-than-bank currency exchange rates. This support lets you focus exclusively on developing your business abroad.

To find out how you could benefit from the Smart Currency Business services and for more information call me today on 020 7898 0500 or email me at: Carl@SmartCurrencyBusiness.com

© SHuTTERSTOCK.COM

The process of heading into international markets will often reinvigorate employees and boost their motivation. Get them involved, whether it be researching target markets or overseeing an e-commerce facility on your website. International travel with work can enhance skills and boost career development.

Portec Rail Products (UK) Ltd | www.portecrail.co.uk (Leading Supplier of Friction Management Solutions and Track Component Products to the Rail Industry) Panasonic Electric Works UK Ltd (Provider of Electronic & Electromechanical Components to the Rail Industry) www.panasonic-electric-works.co.uk

EVENTS

Joing networking event with Midlands Aerospace Alliance 27th March - Location... MTC, Coventry Members’ Meeting & Networking Event Apr tbc - Location...TRaC Global, Skelmersdale - tbc Infrarail 2012 1st-3rd May - Location... NEC, Birmingham Infrarail networking event with European Cluster representation 2nd May - Location... NEC, Birmingham Railway Strategies 2012 21st June - Location... Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham Macrorail 2012 12th-13th Sept tbc - Location... Long Marston Innotrans 2012 18th-21st Sept - Location... Berlin, Germany

Vertical integration makes a

welcome return to the railways... how will that impact on safety?

Are there different standards applied to different parts of the rail industry?

With four speakers representing Train Operators and four representing Infrastructure - and one of the most sought-after leadership presenters in the US - this is the Safety Conference of the year not to be missed.

08.30 – 09.30

Registration and Exhibition Viewing

09.30 – 09.40

Conference Opening

Colin Wheeler

09.40 – 10.00

Preparing for and dealing with emergency incidents

Willie Baker Emergency Incident Consultant

10.00 – 10.20

FirstGroup’s Approach to Influencing Behavioural Safety

Seamus Scallon Safety Director, UK Rail FirstGroup

10.20 – 10.40

Q&A

19th April 2012

10.40 – 11.10

Coffee / Exhibition

11.10 – 11.30

Railways: Where are we on the ‘Safety Awards Rostrum’?

Steve Diksa Assurance Services Director Bridgeway Consulting

Holywell Park Conference Centre, Loughborough

11.30 – 11.50

The road to ‘World Class’

Catherine Behan Head of HS&E Capital Programmes Transport for London

11.50 – 12.15

Topic: TBA

Gareth Llewellyn Director of Safety and Sustainable Development Network Rail

12.15 – 12.30

Q&A

12.30 – 13.30

Lunch / Exhibition

13.30 – 13.55

Leadership and Zero-Accident Cultures in the Workplace

Jeff “Odie” Espenship President Target Leadership

13.55 – 14.20

Better Together

Steve Enright Head of Safety and Operational Standards Southern

14.20 – 14.35

Q&A

14.35 – 15.00

Coffee / Exhibition

15.00 – 15.25

Safe use of road-rail vehicles

Liesel Von Metz HM Inspector of Railways

15.25 – 15.50

Improving Safety in Train Maintenance depots

Christian Fletcher Director Zonegreen

15.50 – 16.00

Q&A

16.00

Conference Close

BONUS: Network Rail Safety 365 Truck on site

NE W

Rail Safety Summit 2012

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12 | RailStaff | February 2012

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Tower disappears The Stephenson Tower has finally disappeared from Birmingham’s city skyline.

The demolition of the 22 storey 1960s residential tower block is the first stage towards the construction of the new John Lewis department store which gets underway later in the spring.

Sitting above Platform 12 of New Street station, in the heart of the city centre, demolishing the building via controlled explosion was never an option. The tower was encapsulated in a protective wrap and taken down piece by piece. Around 7,000 tonnes of concrete was removed from the building, 95% of which will be recycled.

Says Chris Montgomery, Network Rail project director, ‘The redevelopment of New Street will deliver a fantastic new station for passengers with more space, better access and better facilities.

‘The project also delivers economic benefits and the successful demolition of Stephenson Tower is another step for-

ward in our plans for a new look Pallasades and John Lewis department store that will create jobs and help regeneration in Birmingham city centre.’

The redeveloped Pallasades centre and new John Lewis will open in autumn 2014 with the station redevelopment completing in 2015. Says Centro chairman, Angus Adams, ‘The disappearance of the tower is the first major sign of the enormous amount of work that’s been going on at New Street; it’s just that most of it has, until now, been inside and hidden from view.

‘That work will now become increasingly visible as we move forward on building a station that passengers and the West Midlands as a whole can be proud of.’

New Street station will remain open to passengers throughout the project with passengers noticing the first major changes to their journey at the end of this year when the first half of the new station concourse opens over Christmas 2012.

Fenchurch farewell for Trevor Trevor Capps, who worked for c2c at Fenchurch Street station in London, is retiring after over 48 years in the rail industry.

Trevor joined the railway in 1963 at Southend East station.

For the majority of his career he has worked on station platforms, despatching trains and looking after passengers. He has also worked stints as a shunter and in ticket offices.

Trevor joined the industry straight from school and has always loved the variety of the job, with no two days the same. Says Julian Drury c2c’s managing director, ‘Trevor is an integral part of our Fenchurch Street team and he will be missed. I would like to thank him for the loyalty and commitment he has shown c2c over the years and wish him a very happy retirement.’

Trevor Capps at London Fenchurch Street station.

Children take train wash trip

MTR’s newly appointed Chief Executive Officer, Jay Walder, recently joined a group of local school children from Hong Kong as they rode through the automatic train wash plant at Kowloon Bay

Depot on an MTR train.

Staff volunteers helped with MTR’s ‘More Time Reaching the Community’ Depot Open Day. A number of smart yellow engineering vehicles and new passenger trains were on display.

‘The yellow engineering vehicles are so big and full of gadgets,’ said ten-year-old Paul Lee. ‘The unimog is like something out of the Transformers.’

His colleague, ten-year-old Audrey Soo agreed, ‘This is the first time I’ve seen inside the front driving cab where the train driver sits. It’s very different to where we sit. I think it would be neat to see the tunnel like the train driver,’ said Audrey.

‘It’s great to be able to give children the opportunity to look behind-the-scenes so they can see how the railway works,’ said Mr Walder. ‘I must also thank our staff volunteers who gave up their personal time to make to-

day’s visit possible. MTR is an important part of the community and it is heart-warming to see the children’s excitement and happy faces at events such as these. ’ Jay Walder, from New York, took over MTR on 1st January.

Previous jobs include running the New York subway and a stint at Transport for London as finance director. MTR has a half share of London Overground Rail Operations Ltd, a joint venture run with Deutsche Bahn AG. MTR has railway operations in Hong Kong, Melbourne, Stockholm, Beijing and Shenzen and recently said it would bid for the Thameslink and Essex Thameside franchises.

Southern switch for Gatwick

Cllr Mike Whitby, leader of Birmingham City Council at the start of demolition of the 1960s built Stephenson Tower.

The day-to-day management of Gatwick Airport station has transferred from Network Rail to Southern.

Says Southern Director, David Scorey, ‘We already manage 156 stations and it’s that station management experience, which includes provision of excellent levels of customer service and train dispatch, which is at the core of our business. It was the obvious thing to do, especially as the station is set for major redevelopment, and I know that airline passengers and commuters alike will benefit tremendously from this move.’

Under new management.

RailStaff | February 2012 | 13

Special Constable praised Summer return for Brighton Belle

Special Constable Dax ByrneTurner (right) has been named British Transport Police North West Area’s inaugural Special Constable of the Year.

Dax, a student at the University of Central Lancashire, just outpaced fellow Special Constables Ryan Lee, Rachael Cobain and Simon Bowler to take the title. Says Area Commander Chief Superintendent Peter Holden, ‘Dax is commended for his enthusiasm, initiative and excellent organisational skills which he has demonstrated since becoming a Special Constable at Preston in 2011 whilst undertaking a foundation degree course in the Science of Policing at the University of Central Lancashire.

‘Dax has demonstrated a high level of commitment, interest and understanding in addressing the Force’s priority of tackling the problem of metal theft on the railway, resulting in him planning and organising a day of action in the Preston area. This initiative involved four borough councils,

Home Office police forces, Network Rail and other outside agencies such as utility companies, and was subject to local and national media interest.’

Chief Supt Holden praised the work of all Special Constables.

British Transport Police’s North West Area currently employs 25 Special Constables, 17 on active duty, who, during 2011, gave more than 6,200 hours of their time to help police the railway.

Grand Central clean sweep © JONATHAN WEBB

Richard McClean has been appointed managing director of Grand Central. The open access operator, which runs direct services between Sunderland, Hartlepool and London, was taken over by Arriva uK last year.

Mr McLean will continue as head of the group’s Tyne and Wear Metro operation. Sean English, currently Grand Central’s operations director, will take on the new role of general manager. Reporting to Richard, Sean will be responsible for the day-to-day delivery of all Grand Central services and will work with Richard to further improve Grand Central’s operations.

Richard replaces Tom Clift who is leaving the business. Says Tom, ‘I have enormous pride in the small, committed and professional team that has worked so hard to make Grand Central the success it is today. I thank them all for their support over the years.’

McClean has more than 30 years’ rail industry experience, including 10 years in inter-city operations on the East Coast Main Line. Since April 2010 he has led the Tyne and Wear Metro concession, operated on behalf of Nexus. Sean English, originally from Glasgow, has been with Grand Central from its launch.

Says Bob Holland, managing director at Arriva UK Trains, ‘The 95 per cent customer satisfaction rating, the highest in the latest National Passenger Survey, is testament to Tom and his team’s achievements with Grand Central.

‘Grand Central complements Arriva‘s existing rail portfolio and under Richard’s leadership, supported

by Sean, we look forward to taking the business forward as a commercial open access dimension to our UK rail operations.’

Axle box theft alert The Scottish Railway Preservation Society in Bo’ness has offered a reward for the return of four specially-cast brass axle boxes, worth £10,000.

Thieves stole the gear. A bronze plaque on Blackness War Memorial has also disappeared.

The railway is offering a £1000 reward for information leading to the recovery of the axle boxes

which were to be used on the Caledonian Railway tank engine No 419. The loco is undergoing a major overhaul at Bo’ness yard.

Says chairman John Evans, ‘It will have a major impact on us, having to get them recast. They are of no use to anyone as they are. It is purely the value of the metal.’ The boxes, whose dimensions are 14 inches by six inches

by 15 inches, would have needed at least two people to lift them.

The Scottish Railway Preservation Society operates the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway, which has been developed since 1979 on a green-field site by the south shore of the Firth of Forth.

Bo’ness station opened in 1981.

The line was extended to Kinneil in 1987 and to Birkhill in 1989.

A project to restore the Brighton Belle is making progress and the iconic train could return to the metals this summer.

The 5Bel Trust wants to restore a full working version of the train. The well loved express was withdrawn from service in 1972 much to the horror of local people, railway staff and passengers like Laurence Olivier.

The Brighton Belle was launched

in 1933 and was reputedly the only all-electric multiple unit Pullman in the world.

Says Neil Marshall of the 5Bel Trust, ‘When we displayed it last year it literally stopped traffic.

People could not believe it was there. It is very much at the heart of Brighton’s history. The project is a huge engineering challenge. Only 15 carriages were ever made. Half were bought by

the Orient Express for spares.’

The project has been funded by volunteers. ‘There are a variety of backers who believe in restoring heritage for the next generation. It is quite humbling,’ says Neil. Restoration of the cars to the exacting standard of the ORR is being carried out at Barrow Hill and Derby. For more information visit: www.brightonbelle.com

14 | RailStaff | February 2012

More disabled people travel by train Anniversary run

Record numbers of people with disabilities are travelling by train.

The good news coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Disabled Persons Railcard. Taking the train may be easier but changing the public’s attitude to disabled people is still a struggle.

have more than trebled in the last 15 years, accounting for 3.5 million journeys a year. The Railcard, launched in 1981 offers passengers a third off the cost of most tickets.

The rail industry itself has endeavoured to make travel easier for disabled people. Staff re-

Says Hannah Hollingworth of the Leonard Cheshire Disability charity, ‘We hear stories from disabled people of being stepped over in train carriages, trapped in toilets, and having to wait a long time for assistance.’

Research by ATOC shows that journeys made using the railcard

The Great Central Railway cele brated the 50th anniversary of one of its most popular diesels by hosting a special running weekend for Brush-built D5830, a locomotive that narrowly escaped being scrapped.

The loco was originally released into traffic from the nearby Brush works in Loughborough on 11 January, 1962. After withdrawal D5830, by then renumbered 31563, was purchased by the Type One Loco© JONATHAN WEBB

ceive special training and stations are in the main fully accessible. In 2009, ATOC launched Stations Made Easy, an interactive web guide showing access facilities and layouts of all 2,500 stations in Britain.

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) was extended to cover the railways in 2005, leading to the removal of all trains with slam doors. The Passenger Assistance Scheme allows disabled people to book ahead as a way of ensuring that they get the assistance they need.

Says David Sindall, Head of Disability and Inclusion at ATOC, ‘Accessible public transport plays a key role in allowing disabled people to lead an independent life, so it’s good news that more and more people are taking advantage of the Railcard.

‘Over the last three decades huge progress has been made in improving rail services for disabled people, making their journeys quicker, easier and more straightforward than they used to be.

‘Train companies are committed to responding to passengers’ needs and will continue to work closely with disability charities and support groups to improve services even further.’

motive Company minus windows, batteries and radiator elements, as a source of spares for sister locomotive 31418.

Discovering that its condition was better than had first been thought, enthusiasts set about restoring D5830 to full working order. Over 25 of the class have found their way into preservation and are a firm favourite with television producers and enthusiasts alike, having starred in shows like Top Gear, Casualty and East Enders.

D5830 is seen, shortly after leaving Loughborough, at the head of a Leicester North service.

Trying to think of somewhere romantic to take his girlfriend on Saint Valentine’s Day three years ago, Ajit Chambers hit upon the idea of opening up a disused underground station as a night club and restaurant.

Three years later his plan is edging closer to reality. Mr Chambers has won the commitment of Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.

Recently 60 MPs went on a visit to Old Brompton Road station which closed in 1934. The station is owned by the Ministry of Defence and is one of 26 disused stations that could be converted. Ajit plans to open Old Brompton Road in time for the Olympics. Next on the list is Aldwych in the heart of London’s theatre land.

© ANNIE MOLE

Olympic role for ghost stations Chicken run

Hampshire County Council and its partners are looking at reintroducing passenger services between Southampton and the Waterside area, opening up a line currently used for freight.

The move follows the completion of a Governance for Railway Investment Projects 2 ( GRIP 2 ) study which reported a strong business case for a new passenger service serving Totton, Hounsdown, Marchwood and Hythe. The GRIP 3 study, that will begin this spring, will examine

what infrastructure would be required to restore the line for passenger use, predicted passenger demand and how to fund the project.

Says Councillor Mel Kendal, Executive Member for Environment and Transport, ‘There is no doubt that there is potential for the development of the rail network in South Hampshire and we have had some very constructive discussions with Network Rail and South West Trains on this matter. Passenger serv-

© JONATHAN WEBB

Southampton gets grip on rail

ices along the branch ceased in 1966 and the new service would run between Southampton Cen-

tral and Hythe at hourly intervals, with a journey time of 23 minutes.

Work starts this month on repairing the collapsed embankment, known as ‘Chicken Curve’ just north of Winchcombe on the volunteer-run Gloucester and Warwickshire Steam Railway.

The embankment collapsed in January 2011 and severed the railway in two. Since the collapse started the embankment has continued to move. The £670,000 project involves stabilising the embankment. The company needs another

£170,000 to complete the work and re-connect the separated parts of the railway.

The work will involve digging out a substantial part of the failed earthworks and rebuilding with new material. Other parts of the embankment will be stabilised using high-tech solutions such as ‘soil nails’ which extend through the embankment into the ground beneath, holding the embankment in place. The project also includes substantial drainage works.

RailStaff | February 2012 | 15

Blue Train wins again

The Blue Train in South Africa has been named as the best luxury train in the world.

The train runs 1,000 miles between Cape Town and Pretoria. The train which started operations in 1923 boasts

butler service and en-suite compartments with full sized baths. The Blue Train won the Luxury Train award for the third consecutive year at a ceremony held by the World Travel Awards, in Doha, Qatar.

Says Blue Train’s executive manager Hanlie Kotze, ‘It is not only a huge achievement for us as The Blue Train, but also for South Africa as a country.

Further still for Transnet Freight Rail in being awarded the World’s leading lux-

ury train says something about the company as a railway provider for having developed this product and maintaining it to world class standards.

‘The Blue Train has been blessed with a wonderful team of people who are pas-

sionate and committed. Our staff are proud ambassadors of the train but also our beautiful country. Every time we have a satisfied guest we are sure of more people that will visit our country and at the same time experience our product.’

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• Registration and clerical/ NCCA fees.

• Medicals (incl. D + A Screen) £135.00 per head • Rule Books - POA • Machine Hire – POA • MC/CC/OTP Attachments – POA. These may add additional training days • CPCS notifications fees at £25 per notification plus plant hire where required.

We can also offer CPCS plant Training and Testing and follow up with the appropriate NVQ; for more information please contact a member of the Training Team on the details below.

For multiple delegates and dedicated courses please contact a member of our training team as we can offer discount on the above rates.

This tariff is for training carried out at our facilities.

For training at customer’s own premises the cost may be different. Price on application.

CONTACT US:

Solway Business Centre, Kingstown, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA6 4BY. Tel: 01228 882 300 Fax: 01228 882 301 claire.bainbridge@stobartrail.com jeff.broadhurst@stobartrail.com

© BBC/LuKE HALLAM

16 | RailStaff | February 2012

Peruvian link

dean mountains to the port of Callao. ‘The gradients are astonishing. I’m quite practical as I used to be a mechanic, but every driver told me a different way of putting on the four brakes. And if you look away for a second with all that weight behind you, the speed races away. © BBC/LuKE HALLAM

A Pendolino driver has been speaking of how he drove a freight locomotive down a mountain in Peru.

Simon Davies was taking part in the BBC documentary, ‘The Toughest Place to be a … Train Driver.’ The BBC approached Aslef for help with the programme and several drivers responded.

Says Simon, who works for Virgin Trains, ‘The plan was to spend a couple of days ‘roughing it’ as I drove the freight train that brought minerals from the mountains to Lima’s port. Then we would recuperate for a day or so in a pleasant hotel. But someone had miscalculated the distances - and the days of luxury didn’t happen.

Chosica was the last nice place we stayed in. After that it was grim mountain towns, povertystricken polluted places surrounded by grey shanty-town mining villages. Some places looked like the moon: others like hell. And yet in the middle of all this terrible poverty and devastation, I met some unforgettably kind, welcoming and wonderful people.’

Simon was driving a big American GEC diesel with anything up to 30 wagons from the An-

The conditions were beyond belief. The shifts were usually about eleven hours and the drivers had no flasks or food with them.

‘The train crawled alongside 1,000 feet drops inches from the track and other drivers would point out the sites of crashes.

‘They’d casually point out bits of metal that showed where a loco had gone off the mountain.

Was I frightened? Of course I was! You should see the state of some of the bridges we crossed.’

The altitude brought its own special form of sickness. ‘I got it really badly at one stage. I’d

hardly slept and the lack of oxygen means it’s difficult to digest food. I slept with an oxygen bottle next to me a few nights, as ill as I’ve ever been.’ In La Oroya, one of the most polluted places on the planet, Simon met a driver called Eloy.

La Oroya is in a massive valley,

11,000 feet above sea level, surrounded by mountains and mines with a huge smelter bang in the middle. It’s polluted with lead, copper, zinc and sulphur dioxide. Eloy had moved his family to a farm five hours away after his son collapsed with breathing problems. The lead levels in La Oroya are three times the World Health Organisation’s limits. To keep his job Eloy lives in railway accommodation, visiting his family when he can.

‘But in the middle of this hell, you find the most wonderful humanity. Eloy invited us all to his farm and it was an amazing experience. I felt so ill that day I was almost helped into the car, but when we arrived I could hardly believe my eyes! We were met by a brass band that led us through the village with everyone coming out to greet us. We had an astonishing party, an incredible experience. It was the first time I’d eaten guinea pig!’

All Simon had to give them in return was some Aslef regalia and badges. ‘I wish there was more we could do for them, ‘ he says. An Aslef plate now hangs upon the walls of Eloy’s mother’s house.

RailStaff | February 2012 | 17

To Oslo with cello

space that meets those criteria on a severely crowded Eurostar!

The buffet car gives us the space we need for the cello, but unfortunately for us this means standing room only. Exhausted already, we slump onto Caitlin’s 120 litre bag.

A delayed arrival time in Brussels means a further dash for our connecting Thalys train to Cologne. Once aboard, we again find ourselves struggling for space for Mathea the cello, so we content ourselves with sitting in the vestibule on fold-out seats.

Some grateful passengers without seat reservations benefit from our relocation and the atmosphere is jovial. However, after nearly four hours of squeezing ourselves into the communal areas of trains, I’m starting to feel that air travel has certain merits.

system and the result is a flood, all over the floor of the couchette.

Luckily Mathea is rescued in the nick of time, but the floor of our sleeping area (fully carpeted) is saturated. We alert the guard to our plight. He reacts with a panicked expletive and rushes off in search of towels.

Despite his best efforts to dry out our cabin, we are left with a small marshland for a floor. Cellos and water do not make good bedfellows so we are back to the drawing board on where to put Mathea. The only viable option is on one of the bunks, so Caitlin spends an uncomfortable night, nose to string with her cello.

Seal of approval The X2000 train gets Caitlin’s definite seal of approval as the best train we have travelled on yet (the sleeper train lost the vote quickly after the flood!). She likes the wood trim and comments on the smooth ride -all of which is impressive for a train that is more than 20 years old.

The X2000 has been in service since the 1990s, originally launched as a luxury intercity service and having retained many of those defining characteristics.

When I planned this journey a prospective highlight for me was the crossing of the Oresund bridge, Europe’s longest

Norwegian operator NSB and built by Strommens/Bombardier). I commend the Scandinavians for their ability to transport people comfortably with ample space for luggage and - presumably - ski equipment, although none is in evidence on this trip. A slightly wider gauge makes a big difference.

By now, it is dark outside, so we don’t get to experience a view of the beautiful Norwegian scenery, with its vast fjords and stunning frozen landscape, but these are saved for my return journey.

Just 48 minutes from Oslo we reach Rygge, the closest station to Moss airport (used by Ryanair

cable stayed bridge, carrying both cars and trains. I had heard a great deal about this renowned tribute to civil engineering which converts from a bridge to a tunnel in the middle of the sea, by means of a purpose built island.

However, the Oresund bridge proves disappointing, purely because being on the bridge itself does not allow us to fully admire its engineering structure. The experience is also over quickly as the train speeds across rapidly we cover its full 10-mile length in a matter of minutes.

From Gothenburg to Oslo, we board an equally comfortable 73 series intercity train (operated by

for its flights to Oslo). With a flight time of around 2 hours, it puts into perspective the cost/time comparison for the air/rail journey. Saving the environment is not without its sacrifices.

However, if, like my younger generation niece, you believe that a journey is part of the whole rich experience of reaching an overseas destination and better for the planet - then this particular rail journey, with its diversity of landscape and the opportunity to experience different cities en route would not fail to delight. But perhaps leave your cello at home!

Sleeper cabin

‘Choosing to travel by train rather than flying is important to me mainly for environmental reasons,’ says music student, Caitlin Core (above), 19.

‘I think we should always question the impact we are having on the world. But as well as this, train travel is an adventure in itself. The journey to Norway becomes much more significant when it takes three days instead of just a couple of hours, giving you the time to enjoy the slow changes across Europe seen and heard in language and landscape,’ reports Jeanette Bowden, professional writer and PR consultant for Bombardier Transportation UK. ‘When my niece, Caitlin, decided to travel to Oslo from the UK by rail, I leapt at the opportunity to accompany her. Caitlin is studying music at the Barratt Due Institute of Music for 6 months so taking a large amount of luggage was to be expected.

‘Yet an even greater challenge was the transportation of her musical instrument - a cello.

Our journey would take us two full days/nights and 24 hours of solid time on the rails, so I gained a swift education on the practicalities of transporting an instrument that is around 4 feet in length and weighing 30-40 pounds.’

Bottleneck At London St Pancras crowds of people are making their way to the Eurostar departure gates, heading home between Christmas and New Year. With both the Paris and Brussels trains departing within 3 minutes of each other and two full train-

loads of passengers arriving together for the 30 minutes recommended check-in time, the volume of people creates a bottleneck.

Consequently, with 15 minutes to go before our Brussels train is due to leave and already preparing to board, many passengers (ourselves included) are stranded behind the check-in barriers. Passengers bound for the earlier Paris train are given priority, which causes a knockon problem for us. I’m quietly panicking as, if we miss this train, our whole itinerary is scuppered.

Finally we make it through the check-in and the cello Caitlin has named her Mathea in deference to her German heritage - experiences a rough ride on the baggage scanner. Nudged along by an impatient passenger, it bounces awkwardly as if descending the rapids of a fast flowing river.

A mad last minute dash - in as much as a dash is possible with a cello, a suitcase, two rucksacks and a 120 litre cargo bag (just usual baggage for 2 ladies travelling!) - and we reach the Eurostar with seconds to spare before departure.

Standing room only We bundle ourselves into our designated carriage, which happens to be adjacent to the buffet. I begin to experience first hand the challenges of transporting a cello by rail (Caitlin is a seasoned cello-carrying rail passenger and used to its foibles).

It has to be lodged upright, but somewhere that it won’t topple over - not easy to find luggage

For the 12 hour City Night Line journey from Cologne to Copenhagen, we have the luxury of a sleeper cabin just for the two of us, or three of us counting Mathea - a fact we are mightily relieved about at this stage in our journey.

However, even with our own dedicated room, finding a space for Mathea and our bulky baggage proves a challenge. There are two bunks and an en-suite bathroom in our couchette, with only a small corner of the room for luggage. The large knapsack and my case fit in at a squeeze, but leave no spare room for the cello. Eventually we settle for sliding it partially beneath the lower bunk (mine), but it still protrudes awkwardly into the room.

The en-suite bathroom is a masterpiece of ergonomic planning. The washbasin can be rotated either over the shower, or over the toilet, to ensure the available space is optimised.

In turn we decide to try out the shower. Whilst the space usage is exemplary, the same cannot be said of the water drainage

Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen Following a day’s sight-seeing, a comfortable night in a hotel in Copenhagen does a great deal to revive the jaded spirits of the travelling trio and we celebrate New Year’s Eve in the Danish capital, prior to our next leg of the journey to Gothenburg in Sweden.

We board an X2000 train bound for Gothenburg. For cello carriers, this train is sublime.

Not only is there ample space for passengers, but there is also abundant luggage space, even for Mathea, so for the first time in our journey we can sit and relax in comfort.

MAD Appeal

18 | RailStaff | February 2012

Sporting Spotlight

Ironman welcomes Fair Pay Charter

Andy Ridout, Managing Director of Advance Training and Recruitment Ltd is hard at work training for the Norseman Ironman competition.

Andy is dedicating his efforts to the Railway Children charity. As a father of three he aims to raise £10,000 through sponsorship. Says Andy, ‘Everyday thousands of homeless children put themselves at risk through desperation to survive on railway lines around the world. There is nothing more precious in this world than children and I hope that my efforts can make more people aware of this fantastic cause.’

Andy Ridout has welcomed the news of Network Rail’s recent agreement to create a fair

pay charter. Says Andy, who recruits permanent and contract staff throughout the railway sector, ‘It is a great and positive step for the industry which will have a hugely beneficial effect on the entire supply chain.

‘I hope that small and medium enterprises adopt a similar attitude in order to sustain the fluidity of the payment structure throughout the industry.

The agreement sets to open new doors for the rail sector. By reducing the risk involved in investment, smaller business will be encouraged to invest in the industry, thus adding greater competition and improving on costs.’

Advance TRS offers discounted introductory fees in return

for shorter payment terms. The new charter will hopefully pave the way for the larger contractors to take advantage of this offer, giving them the opportunity to invest even more heavily in areas such as safety.

To follow Andy’s fundraising journey or to sponsor him please visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AndyRidout

Mighty motivation A group of Airdrie and Helensburgh based ScotRail staff raised £750 for a men’s cancer charity, without having to lift a finger.

Nine drivers, ticket examiners and members of station staff took part in ‘Movember.’ Their fundraising efforts in aid of The Prostate Cancer Charity (Scotland) were boosted by a generous £500 donation from FirstGroup, ScotRail’s parent company.

David Gilchrist, a train driver from Gartleahill in Airdrie, applied

for the donation via the company’s Charity and Sponsorship Committee. The 46-year-old is no stranger to charity fundraising.

He and a colleague cycled 54 miles from Glasgow to Edinburgh in 2010 to raise £1,400 for Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres.

Says David, ‘It was great to get a whole group involved in fundraising for such a good cause, and the donation from FirstGroup was a great boost. The Prostate Cancer Charity and Movember do so much for raising awareness of men’s health

issues. We were glad to take part and delighted to send a cheque for £750 to the charity.’

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in men in Scotland with 2,700 diagnosed with prostate cancer every year and 19,000 currently living with the disease. Two men die of prostate cancer every day in Scotland. Anyone concerned about prostate cancer can call The Prostate Cancer Charity’s free and confidential Helpline on 0800 074 8383 or visit www.prostate-cancer.org.uk

Light run for Lee

Lee Potter is in training for the 2012 London Marathon.

The Trust Clerk at First Capital Connect has lost an amazing 12 stone 3 pounds since he took up running and joined a weight watchers programme.

Last autumn Lee took part in the Royal Parks Marathon. ‘It was one of the best feelings I have ever experienced completing an event like that,’ says Lee who has also competed in

the Stevenage Half Marathon.

Encouraged he set his sights on the London Marathon.

24 year old Lee peaked at 27 stone 13 pounds. He puts his weight gain down to life style, working shifts and lack of exercise. Now Lee has put that right and walks and runs ten miles a day as well as working out in the gym and eating healthy whole foods.

‘It’s a question of taking charge of your life,’ he adds. Lee Potter was inspired by reading Charlie Walduck’s book ‘Slimmer Charlie.’ Colleagues are rallying behind the runner.

Says Neal Lawson, Managing Director of FCC, ‘Lee is an absolute inspiration. What he’s achieved is phenomenal. Everyone at FCC is right behind him

and we wish him the very best in his marathon effort.’

Lee will be running the London Marathon on behalf of the children’s charity Scope. Says Lee, ‘My whole programme is leading up to the London Marathon. I began my preparation at my first running event in October last year and I have since completed a further four.

‘I chose Scope as my dedicated charity as I believe they offer a tremendous amount of support for people with Cerebral Palsy and their families. It really is a worthy cause and I would like to thank every one who has supported me so far.’

You can back Lee’s bid for the marathon by going to http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ leepotter

.COM OCK RST TTE u H ©S

There’s still time to join the Railway Children’s Make a Difference day.

‘We’re currently signing up as many people as possible to ensure our forthcoming Make a Difference (MAD) Day is a runaway success. We provide the online fundraising packs and materials, and you do something a bit bonkers to raise some much needed cash for Railway Children,’ says Katie Mason, events organiser at the Railway Children.

MAD days can be held on 9 March 2012, which is when MAD Day takes place this year, or participators can choose a day that works better for them. All fundraising activities will help ‘Make A Difference’ to the lives of street children in the UK, India and Africa.

What do you do? Throw custard pies at your colleague, eat a platter of jelly with chopsticks, do a sponsored bush-tucker trial or gobble the greatest number of doughnuts without licking your lips - all MAD ideas in the

name of charity.

You may even get the boss dressed as a chicken or bask in a bath of beans. The aim of the fundraising campaign is to encourage people across the rail industry to give their time and raise money for the charity.

Chris Scoggins from National Rail Enquiries is right behind the event. ‘National Rail Enquiries was very proud to be associated with MAD Day. It became a motivational event for staff with everyone rolling their sleeves

up. The day had team building benefits too - people working together in new ways to do something outside their normal routine. And we raised a lot of money for a great cause to boot,’ says Chris.

If you like the sound of MAD Day and would like to know more about how to get involved, take a look at the website: www.railwaychildren.org.uk/madday.

Leila Edwards bathes in baked beans and raises over £700.

The next few minutes will change Rani’s life forever...

Rani has some quick decisions to make.

Does she run from the man coming towards her, or does she talk to him? Should she trust him, or will he abuse her, or even rape her? She knows that it happens all the time. Should she agree to do things with men, bad things, if it means she can stop herself and her little brother starving? What should she do for the best?

Thousands of children at stations around the world are making decisions that can shape their whole futures. The dangers are many, and the adults who will abuse them are all too persuasive.

Rani was lucky - because Railway Children were there Rani arrived at India’s Lucknow Train Station with her little brother. Orphaned, she was left with relatives that didn’t care. Desperation led them to board a train to the nearest city, they were alone and incredibly vulnerable.

Fortunately, a Railway Children worker got to them first.

He gained their trust, and made sure they didn’t fall into the wrong hands. Now Rani and her brother are safe, happy and hopeful - as children should be.

Please help children like Rani today by calling 01270 757 596 or use the form below (please quote ‘PRRSTF’)

✁ Yes, I’ll help children on the streets or at railway stations. Here’s my donation to make sure Railway Children get there first.

I would like to give £10 or my own amount of £............

Title ......................... First name(s) .............................................................................

Surname .....................................................................................................................

I enclose my cheque/postal order made payable to Railway Children OR Debit/credit card. Type of card: MasterCard

Address ......................................................................................................................

Visa

Maestro/Switch*

CAF

Card no:

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Start date:

Expiry date:

..................................................................... Postcode ..............................................

*Issue No:

CSV no. last 3 digits on reverse of your card

Data Protection: Railway Children hold your data for marketing purposes to keep you updated about our work. We will not share your information with any third parties.

If you do not wish to receive updates from us please call 01270 757596. Registered charity number: 1058991

(code ‘PRRSTF’)

Please send to: Railway Children, FREEPOST RRHJ-ESZK-EYCG, 1 The Commons, Sandbach, CW11 1EG or donate online at

www.railwaychildren.org.uk To protect identities, names are sometimes changed. Wherever possible we gained the consent of the child pictured in accordance with our child protection policy.

Find us: facebook.com/railwaychildren Follow us: @railwaychi1dren

TRACK SAFETY

20 | RailStaff | February 2012

Devolving Track Safety and Track Work becoming a “Hands On” activity for Alliancing for Train Operators!

Also why polished paving at stations shouldn’t be a safety concern!

A new Asset Management Director for Network Rail

Colin Wheeler writes...

Last month I focussed on drugs and alcohol followed by slips, trips and falls.

One reader made the connection which was unintentional.

Another wrote in praise of the use of tarmac for the new station at Ebbsfleet, suggesting that it was preferable to the use of Terrazzo flooring that becomes dangerously slippery when wet.

He suggested that Terrazzo flooring began in Scotland with Chris Green driving the idea.

Sorry, but I do not share this reader’s concerns. It is surely wrong to limit choosing the most attractive materials because it is feared roofs and drainage will be inadequately maintained?

The image and ambience of all our stations needs to compare favourably with the very best airport terminals. Market forces will result in fewer internal air services as High Speed train services become more available, but only if high standards are set by rail infrastructure owners and operators.

The success of Manchester’s Metrolink is due in part to its image of modernity, comfort and efficiency (despite it having replaced a remarkably reliable train service between Manchester and Bury using some of the oldest coaching stock I have ever travelled in!) Network Rail and the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) are rightly setting new standards for our industry. I support their initiative, including more terrazzo floors where appropriate.

Peter Henderson was Network Rail’s first Director Asset Management. Having read the advertisements for a new post on Network Rail’s Board of “Group Asset Management Director”, reporting to the Chief Executive, it is clear that the appointed replacement will have an altered job remit.

The phrase “working in close liaison with devolved teams at route level” says it all. The job dimensions are described as “setting strategic direction through to managing delivery on 10 strategic routes and 10,000 route miles of railway”.

Last year I wrote in praise of the direct and unambiguous nature of Chief Executive David Higgins’ Safety Policy Statement.

Now I am looking forward to dis-

covering how the Route Managing Directors will each focus on specific track safety initiatives for their routes.

Alliances and even deep alliances!

Already we have heard mention of “alliances” and “deep alliances” at route level between train operating companies and Network Rail, with the employees of both working together in joint management teams. I look forward to the mutual understanding this should promote and its potential benefit for safer working.

Back in the underfunded days of British Rail I vividly recall the benefits achieved when engineers, operators and passenger or freight marketing people met to decide how best to tackle infrastructure problems. I suggest

the focus of those working on a particular route should rightly be on its Route Managing Director (RMD).

If they all have individual safety policy statements which support the Chief Executive, but are meaningful to each and every person who works the route, safety will improve. If each RMD makes sufficient unannounced site visits and listens to workers concerns they will want to please him or her and both safety and productivity will benefit.

Taking the fear away from contracting Route alliance meetings (with the timing of work and possession details on the agenda) need to involve designers and contractors at a very early stage.

When work is to be tendered the

relevant asset engineers and train operators must also be involved.

Safe working needs to be top of their shared agenda from the outset. Tendering and contract award processes need to involve the local engineers at all stages. Based upon my experience I would go yet further. Involving those who will both supervise shift by shift, and those who will do the physical work at the earliest possible moment, will also bring dividends.

Safer, simpler, easier and hence less costly methods of working will result. For this to happen it will be necessary for members of all the contracted team to be involved with the front line subcontractor.

They must feel confident that speaking out will not harm their chances for further subcontract

work. Their bosses need to be assured that reporting incidents and problems will not stop them being considered for further contracts either.

“Lack of’s” and Improvement Notices Any reader who believes that this sort of initiative is not needed, should research the current listing on the ORR’s website of outstanding Improvement Notices from last year. To quote a few “lack of risk assessment for gas cutting work”, “lack of practicable arrangements for inspection, management and maintenance of permanent way”, “failure to isolate power systems when maintaining machinery”, “lack of planning for use of excavator cranes”, “lack of control of fatigue in subcontract staff with potential effects on themselves and others”, “inadequate control and management of the inspection of structures”.

Of course this list excludes the vast majority of work which is safely and satisfactorily completed. But we can all do better I am sure! Encouragingly the list of enforcement notices revealed nothing left outstanding when I examined it!

Whatever happened to that pantograph?

Of course some incidents investigated by the Rail Accident investigation Branch (RAIB) are caused by the rolling stock rather than the infrastructure.

At about 7-19 am on Thursday January 5th this year the early morning train to London from Kings Lynn suffered two shattered passenger windows whilst travelling at around 80 mph.

The incident occurred during high winds when, according the preliminary RAIB report, the pantograph lost contact with the overhead contact wire and

TRACK SAFETY

RailStaff | February 2012 | 21

19th April 2012

Holywell Park Conference Centre, Loughborough

SEE PAGE 11

Rail Safety Summit 2012 www.railsafetysummit.com

struck an overhead line structure before smashing into the two windows.

The incident happened near Littleport in Cambridgeshire.

The driver sensibly continued on to the next level crossing before stopping his train. RAIB say that they will be looking into just how the pantograph came to lose contact with the wire and the effects of the high winds on that day.

I would like to ask both drivers and train maintenance staff if this incident came as a complete surprise to them; and if it did not whether they have ever raised the matter with anyone.

ian train stayed upright despite having a broken axle whilst it was brought to a stand about two miles further on (see picture).

There were five train-crew and 190 passengers on board. 1,100 concrete sleepers, an AWS (automatic warning system) Magnet, a hot axle box detector and various cabling had to be replaced.

Whilst establishing the most likely causes of the broken axle has taken some time, and been carried out thoroughly with the full co-operation of all involved, surely the existence of a route alliance would have helped?

And that axle!

Summit tunnel, a big pile of ice and “all staff”

The RAIB has recently released its report into a passenger train derailment two years ago.

Around 1549 hours on February 20th 2010 the 1455 London to Sheffield train derailed at 94 mph near East Langton in Leicestershire on the Midland Main Line.

The seven car Class 222 Merid-

Returning to the importance of involving those who spend their lives physically working on the infrastructure, I would recommend reading of Network Rail’s Infrastructure Group Safety Bulletin 256 which can be found on their Safety Central website.

Summit Tunnel is just 15 miles north of Manchester. On 28th

December a train was derailed there by a large pile of ice across the track. Whilst the temperatures were lower than for many years in 2010/11 I do not agree that they were “unprecedented” as stated in the Bulletin.

The lines through the tunnel had been closed for several days.

Water seeping through the brickwork onto the interior faces of the air shafts froze there. Predictably, as the temperatures rose this frozen water loosened and collapsed onto the tracks below.

The Bulletin tells “all staff” to report such problems to signallers at route control so that fault control teams can be called to inspect. I question whether this is the right priority. Am I wrong to assume “all staff” implies Network Rail’s own staff only?

Secondly I would expect the local knowledge and experience of track staff responsible for the track through the tunnel to have been very aware of the potential dangers of re-opening the tun-

nel as temperatures rose.

At the very least I would have expected the local maintenance engineer and supervisors to have insisted on extra shaft examinations before re-opening the tunnel. This would have revealed that there were still heavy accumulations of ice clinging to the air shaft walls which could fall onto a passing train or as happened block the track. Were “they” under pressure from a train operating company to reopen the tunnel? Maybe the new “alliances” will make a recurrence less likely?

Level Crossings Understandably Network Rail has added access to a Level Crossing Safety Hub to the Safety Central website. Apart from the recent Court case relating to a long past failure of Railtrack, there have been a number of more recent incidents including a near miss with a pedestrian and accidents involving road vehicles struck on unmanned level crossings.

The ORR seems keen to bring charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act, but I remain concerned despite television advertising etc. with the general attitude of “Joe Public”.

The thinking is often still to take a chance, and then be proud of getting away with it, but blame someone else if you don’t.

That may seem harsh but although mistakes are inevitably made from time to time our level crossing (and fencing arrangements are generally the most comprehensive in Europe).

In mainland Europe the vast majority of pedestrians and drivers seem more aware of being responsible for their own safety when crossing a railway. Demarcation is provided between road and rail but generally with less provision of idiot proof systems. The Level Crossing Safety Hub gives a national 0845 helpline number. Again for the future I recommend a local one, with a named if not pictured individual.

To sum up, I support the cur-

rent devolution with delegation of both responsibility and accountability to the ten Route Managing Directors. I can see potential benefits to much closer working between the train operating companies and all who work on Network Rail’s infrastructure, regardless of employer.

I remain doubtful of the value of paying lawyers large sums of money to prosecute Network Rail for the past misdemeanours of its now discredited predecessor Railtrack. The costs involved would be better used to improve and expand our railway infrastructure to meet the growing demand and the safety of those who work on it.

I am curious as to how the drive towards zero accidents etc. will be driven and co-ordinated

by Network Rail’s “Safety and Sustainability Director” Gareth Llewellyn. I hope to discuss this with him very soon and give you some answers next month. If you have any questions you know how to contact me!

22 | RailStaff | February 2012

Boxing clever at Paddington

Happy to be back

Construction of the new Crossrail station at Paddington is pressing ahead as excavation of the station box gets underway.

The new Crossrail station will be built under Eastbourne Terrace, to the left of the station facing the tracks from the concourse. To enable excavation of the 260m long station box, Westminster City Council has agreed

ScotRail conductor, Alan Mitchell, 63, who featured in a video watched by millions on the internet, has returned to work.

The two-minute video clip taken by a passenger on the train shows Mr Mitchell talking with 19-year-old Sam Main over an alleged unpaid fare before he was removed from the train by another passenger. The incident took place on an evening Edinburgh-Perth service at Linlithgow last December.

Alan ‘Big Man’ Pollock, 35, from Stirling, was named as the man who allegedly removed Mr Main from the train at Linlithgow station. A 35-year-old man from Stirling has been charged with

has changed beyond recognition and is now one of the fastest growing business and residential areas in the capital with significant further investment underway.

‘The new Crossrail station at Paddington will deliver improved and direct transport connections with areas to the west and east of the capital as well as with London’s other major em-

ployment centres. Crossrail has worked closely with us ahead of these major works commencing and while there will be an impact locally we are clearly focused on the long-term benefits that will be delivered.’

Cabs that use the parallel departures road will be using a new rank to the north of Paddington station, above platform 12.

assault and a 19-year-old man from Falkirk has been reported for a contravention of section 38 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing Scotland Act (2010) and a trespass in connection with an incident on board the 21.33 Edinburgh Waverley to Perth service at Linlithgow on Friday 9 December 2011.

However, authorities have now dropped both cases. Alan Mitchell is glad to be back at work. Says Mr Mitchell, who has been a railwayman for 37 years, ‘I have always wanted to return to duties. Railways are my hobby as well as my job. I never get that ‘Monday morning feeling,’ and I’m delighted to be back. I really like my work.’

© JONATHAN WEBB

to a full closure of Eastbourne Terrace from 12 February 2012.

This will cut costs, save time and make the site safer for construction workers. Once the box structure and excavation is complete, work will get underway to fit-out the new station.

Says Kay Buxton, Chief Executive, Paddington Waterside Partnership, ‘The Paddington area

Kirkgate kudos Railsport heralds Olympic Games © JONATHAN WEBB

The 2012 Railsport Games will take place in Stanley Park, Blackpool, on 23rd and 24th June.

The curtain raiser for the equally prestigious London Olympics the following month will see 1000s of athletic rail staff flocking to the Lancashire coast resort to prove themselves against the verve and vigour of competitors from across the industry.

Railsport promotes and supports sporting activity by staff working in the railway industry and is run by volunteers. This year because of the expected upsurge in Olympian interest more volunteers will be needed to organise and run events. If you think you can help please contact Railsport Secretary, Cliff Robinson. www.railsport.org.uk

A £1.5 million project will complete the transformation of longneglected Wakefield Kirkgate.

Already the grade II listed station, which dates from 1854, has been tidied up and the subway and entrance lobby repaired. Work on removing the spine wall and replacing the station canopies is expected to commence this month and be completed by May.

The station buildings have fallen into disrepair and are in urgent need of attention. Local leaders hope a rejuvenated station will catalyse the regeneration of Kirkgate. Plans for the station have been drawn up by Groundwork Wakefield with support from Network Rail, Northern Rail, West Yorkshire PTE, Wakefield council and Railway Heritage Trust.

Haggis arrested on train

Railsport Games will act as a curtain raiser for the almost-as-exciting London Olympics.

A model of a haggis dressed in a kilt was the focus of a security scare on Burns Night at Inverness station.

The haggis, 4ft tall and dressed in a kilt and with an ‘honest sonsie face’ was put on the train in Fife as part of a student literature and art project. Bemused railway staff were alerted by alarmed passengers who reported the haggis as unaccompanied baggage. Police and rail staff at Inverness examined the haggis

only to discover it carried a message, ‘This haggis needs friends.’

Rabbie Burns is Scotland’s national poet and his life is commemorated by Scots and fans of good literature around the world every year on Burns Night, on 25th January. A haggis is traditionally piped in and consumed after the reading of Burns’ Address to a Haggis, which starts: ‘Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o’ the puddin’ race.’

RailStaff | February 2012 | 23

Retailers get on track

Royal Railway Show

The Freight Transport Association has praised Britain’s retailers for attempting to move more goods by rail.

The FTA’s report, ‘On Track!’ points out the economic and environmental benefits of using rail in supply chain logistics. Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Waitrose, Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury’s, the CoOp and B&Q all contributed case

To celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the Museum of the Great Western Railway, called STEAM, is putting on an exhibition devoted to royal rail travel.

‘The Royal Road’ exhibition shows the original clock from Queen Victoria’s Royal Waiting Room at Windsor Station and original fittings from Queen Victoria’s Royal Saloon, as well as doc-

studies to the report, outlining the challenges of switching to rail.

The report also shows the achievements they have made so far. On Track! is the result of co-operation between the FTA and the Department for Transport and hopes to increase rail freight traffic from retailers.

Says Christopher Snelling, FTA’s Head of Supply Chain Pol-

icy, ‘Retail has shown a leadingedge attitude to innovation in the supply chain. Our study shows that the volume of goods in high street stores and supermarkets being regularly moved by rail is on the rise and that the retail sector’s appetite for modal shift is stronger than ever. Our study shows that it is clearly reaping the benefits.’

Coal Spell for Aberthaw An eight-miles long disused freight line at Cwmgwrach has been brought back into use.

Coal from Unity Mine will now be moved by freight train to Aberthaw. The coal train, which is operated by DB Schenker, will haul 21 wagons with 70 tonnes of coal on each wagon and will be moved three times a week from the siding in Cwmgwrach to Aberthaw.

Says Mark Langman, route managing director for Network Rail Wales, ‘Wales relies on rail and the value of rail freight is considerable. For businesses, rail freight can offer a cheaper, quicker and more

practical alternative to moving goods by road. Almost £700m of social and environment benefits each year can be attributed to freight traffic on Britain’s railways. For instance, around 80,000 tonnes of waste from Bristol are removed by rail annually.

Without the railway, the anticipated growth in freight traffic over the next 30 years would mean an extra 1.5m lorry journeys on Britain’s roads each year.

Each freight train can take up to 60 lorries off the roads and by shifting traffic from already congested roads to rail will bring greater future benefits.’

Steps spectacular

The refurbished Waverley Steps at Edinburgh Waverley Station have reopened to the public completing the first phase of a multi-million-pound project to overhaul the station’s Princes Street entrance.

The historic station steps have been rebuilt, and three banks of double escalators installed, as part of a £7m contract to improve access at the station. Two 16-passenger lifts will be installed, connecting the top of the Princes Mall with the station platforms below.

The new lifts will be completed by July 2012.

Says David Simpson, Network Rail route managing director for Scotland, ‘The new steps will vastly improve access to the station for passengers, especially less mobile travellers. The refurbishment has delivered a modern gateway to one of the country’s oldest stations which is also sensitive to the heritage and history of the building and those around it.’

uments, notices and artworks relating to royal travel. The original notes of Queen Elizabeth II to the Royal Train inspector are among the selection of royal pieces.

Says Felicity Jones, Curator at STEAM, ‘Queen Victoria’s first journey on a train of any kind was on the Great Western Railway line, from Slough to Paddington in 1842. It is fasci-

nating to think that STEAM has links with Queen Victoria’s first rail experience.

‘As well as the many royal items on display, our new exhibition tracks royal rail journeys and also royal visits to railway stations.

These include those made to Swindon Works by King George V and Queen Mary in 1924 and by Princess Elizabeth in 1950.’

Artist’s impression of Queen Victoria’s Royal saloon circa 1840.

Get Ahead of the Games Rail companies like Southeastern together with TfL, have joined forces to launch ‘Get Ahead of the Games’ aimed at keeping London moving during the summer Olympics.

The ‘Get Ahead of the Games’ campaign will help people in the capital check out travel hotspots with

up to the minute information. By logging on to the website or following @GAOTG on Twitter, commuters and spectators can get the latest updates, travel information and advice on how to plan ahead and avoid snarl ups. www.getaheadofthegames.com

24 | RailStaff | February 2012

Just the Ticket

Crossrail casts tunnel lining

This month a total of £18.7m is being made available to fund improvements to stations.

Projects must be able to deliver a financial return over and above cost. The money is the final tranche of a £100m fund to improve stations in England and Wales. Since the idea was launched by the DfT, Network Rail and the ATOC in April 2011, more than £80m has been authorised for projects ranging from park-and-ride schemes to new shops at stations.

The latest bids to get the green light were for a café, waiting room and ticket office and other improvements at Wakefield

A new tunnel segment manufacturing plant has begun full operations in west London.

Construction staff are hard at work pouring the first batch of 250,000 concrete segments that will line the 26 miles of Crossrail tunnels. The plant is at Old Oak Common and will employ about 60 people at its peak, including the first of 15 trainees. Segment production has begun ahead of the start of Crossrail tunnelling next month.

The first tunnel boring machine is currently being assembled at Westbourne Park. The concrete segments will be loaded onto the 1,000 tonne mobile underground factory. As

the 140 metre long machines advance forward the precast concrete segments will be formed into rings to line the tunnels behind the TBM cutter head.

Joint venture contractors, BAM Ferrovial Kier (BFK), will manufacture more than 75,000 tunnel segments at the Old Oak Common site to be used in the 4 mile twin tunnels running between Royal Oak in west London and Farringdon. Construction of the segment factory for the eastern running tunnels between Farringdon and Docklands is currently underway at Chatham in Kent and scheduled for completion in late April.

Says Crossrail’s Western Tunnels Project Manager Andy Alder, ‘Preparations are well underway for the start of Crossrail tunnelling next month. Ahead of that, we are stockpiling tunnel segments and have begun pouring the first batches of more than 250,000 concrete segments that will be made to line 42 kilometres of Crossrail tunnels.’

The factory will produce more than 200 segments per day at its peak and include a laboratory to test the quality of the concrete to ensure that the segments have a 120 year life.

Once the tunnel is built the site will be converted for use as a train depot.

Extra train for school children

Train named for Mick Winnett

ScotRail is providing an early morning train to ensure that Plockton High pupils can get to school - free of charge - while the Stromeferry bypass remains closed.

The A 890 Lochcarron – Kyle/Plockton road has been closed since 22 December as the result of landslides and the continuing danger of further rock fall. The red eye service, the 06.12 Inverness-Kyle of Lochalsh, transports the children to Plockton before 9.00. Other passengers can also buy tickets for the service. However to free up rolling stock the 07.26 Elgin-Inverness © DAVID JONES

Drivers past and present of First Capital Connect gathered to name a train ‘Driver Mick Winnett’ in honour of one of their number at a ceremony in Bedford station on Monday 6 February.

The widow of retired Bedford driver instructor Mick Winnett unveiled the name plate on a Class 319 unit berthed in platform 1A. Mick started his railway career in 1958 in the days of steam at Kettering as an engine cleaner before being passed out for firing duties.

He ‘fired’ on many of the turns allocated to Kettering including lodging at Toton with ironstone trains. When Kettering closed in 1969 he moved to Bedford where he was made a driver and in 1978 he became an instructor on all types of diesels that operated at that time.

He continued as an instructor until he retired in October 2007 almost 30 years later. Whenever a trainee was having difficulty it was always, ‘What’s Mick Winnett doing next week?’ This resulted in many having the benefit of his immense knowledge of both rule book and traction. He died in August 2011 after a battle with cancer.

FCC Operations Director Jackie Townsend attended Monday’s

ceremony and said, ‘This was a very important occasion for First Capital Connect and colleagues and we were delighted to be able to name one of our trains after Mick. He was one of our most respected driver instructors who taught scores of trainees to a high standard.

Without the likes of Mick and others who have followed in his footsteps, we would not be able to transport the 150,000

Kirkgate - a grade II listed building - and an ambitious 710 space multi-storey car park at Bristol Parkway.

Says rail minister Norman Baker, ‘Rail travel is not only about the time spent sitting on a train. Pleasant, attractive railway stations with the right facilities encourage more people to travel by rail. This coalition government’s Station Improvement Fund has so far seen £80m awarded to 38 stations and we are now making available another £20m to renovate and rebuild even more stations left to us by our Victorian forefathers.’

people we do every day.’

Bill Davies, a retired driver from Chapman Close, Kempston, was a close friend. ‘It was always a joy to have Mick as your instructor as he made learning a pleasure,’ says Bill. ‘He had a marvellous smile and dedicated his working life to the railway.

When he died it was a spontaneous reaction of all the drivers at Bedford that we make this permanent reminder of him.

Mrs Joan Winnett (pictured centre in red) proudly holds a replica of the name plate surrounded by her family.

Now, when someone says ‘Where’s Mick?’ we can say, ‘He’s probably on his way to Brighton or on his way round the Wimbledon Loop.’ Mick Winnett leaves a widow Joan, son Peter, daughter Jane and grandchildren.

train is being replaced by a bus.

Says Jerry Farquharson, Scot Rail’s director of business planning, ‘We’ve worked closely with Highland Council and HITRANS to put this plan in place. It means that pupils will be able to get to school over the coming weeks with as little disruption as possible – and without incurring any extra travel costs.’

Local leaders have welcomed the rail rescue. Says Dr Michael Foxley, Highland Council leader, ‘This is great news. ScotRail’s cooperation is much appreciated, particularly as the children will get to travel for free.’

The West Highland Line remains a vital link.

RailStaff | February 2012 | 25

Special announcement © SHuTTERSTOCK.COM

The train from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston had just left Stockport when passenger, Jon Veitch, IEP director at East Coast, received a shock proposal over the tannoy.

Tina Recourt, former Holyhead customer services assistant with Virgin Trains, proposed over the public address system: ‘This is a special announcement for Jon Veitch in Coach G... yes, you Jon!’ Tina said, ‘You keep asking me a question and the answer is this; this is how much I love you..(enough) to do

this publicly. Will you marry me?’

Both Jon and Tina had worked at Virgin Trains. On the train that evening Manchester-based Train Manager Tracy Lightfoot made a short introduction saying there would be a special announcement. The romantic gesture was arranged through On-Board Managers Brett Hobson (Wolverhampton) and Lesley Comber (Manchester Piccadilly) after Tina got in touch with Brett who knew Jon from his days as Head of Fleet for Virgin Trains many years ago.

Passengers held their breaths. Then a few minutes later Tracy was back on the air saying he had accepted. The train erupted with cheers and applause.

Says Tina, ‘The idea came about because Jon has been wanting to get married since we met... but he has said I am not a romantic so I wanted to prove him wrong. It was our two-year anniversary of when we had our first date on (that) Saturday and I had a sneaky feeling he would ask me. So I decided to ask him first! I wasn’t nervous about the answer. We are made to be together.’

New trams for Centro The next generation of Centro’s tram fleet looks like being built in Spain.

CAF has been chosen as preferred bidder for the Midland Metro’s new fleet. The new fleet of 25 Urbos 3 trams, costing approximately £40 million, will replace the current 16-strong fleet. Extra capacity will be needed to accommodate expected growth once the extension between Snow Hill and New Street via Bull Street, Corporation Street, and Stephenson Street is open.

The new trams will start running from late 2014 on the current route from Snow Hill to Wolverhampton, with the Mid-

land Metro extension from Birmingham Snow Hill to Birmingham New Street station coming on line in 2015.

Says Geoff Inskip, chief executive of Centro, ‘This is an important milestone in the delivery of a world class integrated transport network. Linking the £600m investment New Street station with the Jewellery Quarter, and the Black Country will stimulate our local economy.’

CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocariles) is based in Zaragoza, Spain and produces trams and trains which operate on a number of systems around the world. CAF supplies Class 332 trains for the Heathrow Ex-

press and 64 Class 333 trains for Northern Rail.

The Urbos 3 is a five section airconditioned tram with a passenger capacity of approximately 200, compared to 156 on the current trams. The Midland Metro runs between Wolverhampton and Birmingham Snow Hill station via Bilston, Wednesbury and West Bromwich.

Says Antonio Campos CAF’s commercial director, ‘CAF is thrilled to be part of this prestigious project and believes the Urbos 3 trams will provide an enhanced travel experience for the people of Birmingham and the West Midlands.’

Southern signalman Signalman Ted Cook has published his memoirs.

The book is an informative, entertaining, and sometimes earthy story of a young lad starting work in the swinging sixties at a rural Sussex station. While it may seem to many of us only yesterday, the railway scene has changed considerably.

Many of the Southern boxes mentioned have been demol-

ished and the Slam Door rolling stock of the period has been consigned to the breaker’s yard. The recent past it may be but certainly a period worth recording for future appreciation and examination…

Says Ted, ‘I retired in 2008 and since then have been putting into print the stories I would tell of my time in the Signal Box. I started on the Southern in 1965

at 15. I moved to Leicester in 1972 after marrying and worked in the signal boxes until 2003 and then did my last five years as Briefer when the stories would come out.’

Ted Cook was in RailStaff recently when Leicester PSB closed. The book is published by Buggles Kelly Books priced £11.95. For more info email: buggleskellybooks@hotmail.com

Frodsham makeover The station master’s house at Frodsham in Cheshire is to be restored following agreement with the local council.

The Grade II listed building dates back to 1850. Inside all the rotten woodwork will be removed and the flooring renewed. The roof will be renewed

and the original Welsh slates relaid. The work will be done to match the Victorian original.

Brickwork will be repointed using a lime based mortar.

External doors and windows will be renewed on a like-for-like basis to match the Victorian originals using materials agreed

with the local conservation officer. Work on the £400,000 project is expected to be finished by the end of May and will have no effect on the running of train services from the station. Network Rail then wants to let the building for use as a restaurant, studio or offices.

Stamp of approval The Channel Tunnel is to be featured on a postage stamp in Britain.

Issued by the Royal Mail the stamp forms part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

The special commemorative Channel Tunnel stamp has a face value of £1.00 and celebrates the historic linking of our two nations in May 1994 when the Channel Tunnel first

began operations.

Says Jacques Gounon, CEO, Eurotunnel, ‘It is a great honour for us to see the Channel Tunnel on a British stamp. This is recognition of the magnificent feat of engineering that was the building of the Channel Tunnel and of the enormous impact the Tunnel has had on travel and trade for the United Kingdom over the past 18 years.’

Green plan at East Ham East Ham depot is recycling 96% of its waste every month making c2c among the greenest train companies in the business.

The recycling process at the depot starts with waste being segregated into specific containers for scrap metal, dry recyclable material, paper and cardboard. c2c has built its own paper compactor at East Ham to ensure that efficient use is made of the skips. All waste that does not fall into these categories is segregated as general industrial waste and sent to a recycling depot.

Says Julian Drury c2c’s managing director, ‘Over the last year we have been doing our utmost to ensure as much waste as possible from our depot is recycled. We’ve made great strides in recent months and

now around 96% of waste from East Ham is recycled each month. As a company we aim to be as environmentally friendly as possible.’

c2c’s Shenay Musova and Tatyana Bayravtanova.

26 | RailStaff | February 2012

Easy like Sunday Morning

Desert railway planned

sult Thales no longer requires these engineering hours.

Says Jon Lamonte, Senior Transport for London Director, ‘This is great news for our passengers who, thanks to the hard work of the Thales engineers and our team, have been spared several weekends of inconvenient late start ups. We will continue to put all our efforts in to minimising disruption as we progress with our work to upgrade the signalling on the

Northern line, some of which dates back to the 1950s.

‘Once this is completed we’ll be able to deliver faster, more frequent trains and as a result capacity on the line will increase by 20 percent.’ Aside from Sunday 26 February, all Sunday morning late starts will be cancelled for the next couple of months before recommencing on Sunday 1st April. However a full weekend closure on 3rd and 4th March will go ahead as planned.

© JONATHAN WEBB

The signalling upgrade on the Camden Town to High Barnet/Mill Hill East branch of the Northern line is currently ahead of schedule.

TfL says the Sunday late start ups planned for the next few months have been cancelled.

The decision to withdraw the closures was made after receiving the news from Tube Lines that the upgrade signalling installation programme is currently ahead of plan and as a re-

The Red-Med railway will link the bustling port of Eilat with Tel Aviv.

A new 200 mile railway stretching from the Red Sea port of Eilat to Tel Aviv has been approved by the Israeli government.

As well as passenger services the new line will carry freight

traffic and can act as a land bridge alternative to using the Suez Canal. Says Israeli premier, Benjamin Netanyahu, ‘The Tel Aviv-Eilat railway line, which will shorten travel time to two hours, will change the face of the

country. For 63 years, there has been talk about linking up the periphery to the centre, but nothing has been done.’

The port of Eilat is a popular tourist destination. It is Israel’s southernmost city.

Signalling upgrade is proceeding faster than planned.

Local power for rail

Winter work out for SVR

Decisions on funding for new local rail stations could be devolved to local authorities under proposals put forward

by Transport Secretary, Justine Greening.

Local communities and businesses could be given control of decisions and budgets for major local transport schemes in their areas. Currently central government must approve all schemes

This month the Severn Valley Railway is celebrating 150 years in the business.The first train ran between Worcester and Shrewsbury on 1st February 1862.

Says David Postle of the SVR, ‘A lot of the railways have disappeared - there was a big cull in the 1960s - so it is important because not many that were closed have reopened.’

Over 250,000 passengers still use the SVR each year. The line was built between 1858 and 1862, and originally ran for 40 miles between Hartlebury, near

frastructure that they rely on so much. These proposals could hand real power to communities so they can make locally accountable decisions on what transport improvements are needed in their area. This is a key plank to our localism agenda, freeing local authorities from central government control, so I look forward to responses from across the country.’

Autumn return for A4s Two A4 class steam locomotives are returning to Britain to take part in celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of Mallard’s world record breaking 126mph run down Stoke Bank on 3 July 1938.

The National Railway Museum has reached a formal agreement to temporarily repatriate A4s, 60008 Dwight D Eisenhower, from Wisconsin, and 60010 Dominion of Canada, from Montreal, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of sister locomotive Mallard’s 1938 record breaking speed run.

The survival of 60008 owes much to the tenaci© NELSON MINAR

ty of the then chairman of the National Railroad Museum’s board, Harold Fuller. Learning that there was a steam loco named after President Eisenhower, Fuller decided to add it to the museum’s collection. When the A4 was withdrawn in 1963 British Rail agreed to donate it to the museum along with two LNER carriages.

Fellow A4 60010 was also donated by British Rail and resides in the Canadian Railway Museum. Mallard, with driver Joseph Duddington at the regulator and Thomas Bray on the shovel, reached 126 mph near Little Bytham on 3 July 1938. Such was the high esteem that driver Duddington was held, that when he retired in 1944 not only was it covered by a Pathe film team, but the LNER ensured that his last turn was on Mallard.

Both 60008 and 60010 are expected to arrive this autumn. Says Steve Davies, Director of the National Railway Museum, ‘I am delighted that the two museums involved have shared in the National Railway Museum’s vision to make this happen and I have no doubt that what is being planned will be beneficial to all parties.’

© ROGER CARPENTER

over £5m. However the Government is proposing that from 2015 local transport bodies should have the power to decide for themselves how to spend their money.

Says Justine Greening, ‘We want a system that is much more responsive to local needs and it makes good sense to give local residents and passengers a greater say in the transport in-

Droitwich in Worcestershire and Shrewsbury in Shropshire. The railway now runs between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth.

However, the anniversary was marked by more hard work.

Contractors were out in force, just as their Victorian forerunners were 150 years ago, laying and connecting up new 60ft lengths of track. The race is on to complete the work in the 480yard long Bewdley Tunnel before the February half term. A major £250,000 civil engineering project will see new drainage channels cut in the tunnel. Track will

be replaced and the bed reballasted.

‘We are officially celebrating the 150th anniversary on May 19th and 20th with a brand new event - our first ever Victorian Weekend - which, with the help of ‘Queen Victoria’ herself, and some amazing Victorian steam locomotives from the 1860s and 1870s period which we are bringing in specially.

‘We will create the mood of the Severn Valley Railway just as it was when it first opened in 1862,’ says SVR General Manager Nick Ralls.

The Severn Valley Railway is 150 years old this month.

RailStaff | February 2012 | 27

Charles Dickens: Railway Rescuer

Known for his searing indictments of social and economic poverty in working class Victorian Britain, Charles Dickens is less well known but no less respected for his timely intervention in the affairs of the railways, writes Andy Milne.

Dickens was travelling in the forward car of the Boat Train from Folkestone that derailed at Staplehurst in Kent in June1865. Ten people died and 40 were injured. 42 feet of track had been lifted for repair and the supervisor did not expect the train until much later.

To compound it, the accident happened on a bridge. Most of the train toppled into the river below. All but one of the first class coaches plunged in. Dickens and his party, returning from Paris, were in the surviving carriage. Far from fleeing the scene Charles Dickens descended gamely to the river and helped rescue the injured. He described the scene as unimaginable.

‘The Signalman’

Dombey and Son

The accident troubled Dickens for the subsequent five years of his life. The short story ‘The Signalman’ remains one of his most evocative. It tells of a railwayman who has a presentiment of death.

An earlier work by Dickens is rather more cheerful in its dealings with railways. Dickens witnessed at first hand the unfolding of the railway age - he was born in 1812. In Dombey and Son, published in installments and completed in 1848, he describes the hive of activity surrounding the building of the new railway as an earthquake. The scene is set in Camden Town.

‘The first shock of a great earthquake had, just at that period, rent the whole neighbourhood to its centre. Traces of its course were visible on every side. Houses were knocked down; streets broken through and stopped; deep pits and trenches dug in the ground; enormous heaps of earth and clay thrown up; buildings that were undermined and shaking, propped by great beams of wood.

‘Here, a chaos of carts, overthrown and jumbled together, lay topsy-turvy at the bottom of a steep unnatural hill. …

Everywhere were bridges that led nowhere; thoroughfares that were wholly impassable. In short, the yet unfinished and unopened Railroad was in progress…’

Dickens’ wife Catherine lived in Gloucester Crescent in Camden hard by what is now the West Coast Main Line.

She had separated from Charles but he would have visited her there. Later in Dombey and Son he talks of the changes railways wrought to the landscape - long before the irritants of town and country planning.

‘Staggs’s Gardens…had vanished from the earth. Where the old rotten summer-houses once had stood, palaces now reared their heads, and granite columns of gigantic girth opened a vista to the railway world beyond.

‘The miserable waste ground, where the refuse-matter had been heaped of yore, was swallowed up and gone; and in its frowsy stead were tiers of warehouses, crammed with rich goods and costly merchandise. The old by-streets now swarmed with passengers and vehicles of every kind. The new streets that had stopped disheartened in the mud and wagon-ruts, formed towns within themselves, originating wholesome comforts.’

Powerful and prosperous relation He writes of traders and local people forsaking their initial reservations about railways and joining in the commerce and opportunities to be had. ‘As to the neighbourhood which had hesitated to acknowledge the railroad in its strag-

gling days, that had grown wise and penitent, as any Christian might in such a case, and now boasted of its powerful and prosperous relation.

‘There were railway patterns in its drapers’ shops, and railway journals in the windows of its newsmen. There were railway hotels, office-houses, lodging-houses, boarding-houses; railway plans, maps, views, wrappers, bottles, sandwich-boxes, and timetables; railway hackney-coach and cabstands; railway omnibuses, railway streets and buildings, railway hangers-on and parasites, and flatterers out of all calculation. There was even railway time observed in clocks, as if the sun itself had given in.’

‘Even the local chimney sweep has got in on the action securing a contract with the railway company. He, the sweep, ‘Now lived in a stuccoed house three stories high, and gave himself out, with golden flourishes upon a varnished board, as contractor for the cleansing of railway chimneys by machinery.

‘To and from the heart of this great change, all day and night, throbbing currents rushed and returned incessantly like its life’s blood.’

urgency and power In his prose Dickens manages to capture the urgency and power of the steam railway age. ‘Night and day the conquering engines rumbled at their distant work, or, advancing smoothly to

their journey’s end, and gliding like tame dragons into the allotted corners grooved out to the inch for their reception, stood bubbling and trembling there, making the walls quake, as if they were dilating with the secret knowledge of great powers yet unsuspected in them, and strong purposes not yet achieved.’

A friend of the railways Charles Dickens remains a powerful writer but he should also be remembered as a friend of the railways. At Staplehurst he filled his top hat with water and produced a flask of brandy to comfort the injured and the dying.

He watched a man die, pinned under the train. He gave a sip of brandy to a lady who subsequently died. Dickens stayed at this work for three hours.

Eventually railway staff and local militia arrived to help. The site was sealed.

Walking away Dickens suddenly remembered he had left the manuscript of his latest novel in the carriage. Despite the risk, he scrambled back onto the bridge and climbed into the carriage to retrieve it. The book would later be published under the title, ‘Our Mutual Friend.’

The courage and help Dickens rendered rail staff and passengers on the Boat Train that day should never be forgotten. Charles Dickens remains a mutual friend indeed.

28 | RailStaff | February 2012

APPOINTMENTS

APPOINTMENTS

RailStaff | February 2012 | 29

Railway Track Safety Trainer / Assessor Cold Meece, Staffordshire Railway Track Safety Trainer / Assessor required to carry out Sentinel based railway track safety training.

Must have valid medical, NCCA card, training qualifications and be licensed by NSARE. Based in Cold Meece (nr Stone) in Staffordshire although some travel to sites across the UK including overnight stay will be required. Salary & hours negotiable dependent upon skills and experience.

To apply send CV, covering letter and full list of training capabilities to applications@renowntraining.co.uk.

Travelling Technician The Orient-Express group of hotels, trains and cruises is recruiting for our iconic UK based train, the Northern Belle, sister to the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

This is your opportunity to join our team of skilled professionals as a Travelling Technician.

The role will ensure the efficient and safe operation of our train whilst on board and through maintenance at our Crewe based depot. A comprehensive knowledge of Loco Hauled Rolling Stock, Mark 1, 2 or 3 vehicles will be needed.

The successful applicant will hold a recognised mechanical and electrical railway apprenticeship (or equivalent) to technician standard.

The normal working hours will be 48 hours per week with weekend and night working.

In return, we will offer an excellent salary and benefits package.

Please send a full CV with your salary expectations to Julian Clark, Fleet Maintenance Manager, VSOE Engineering, Railway Depot, Dickens Street, Battersea, London SW8 3EP or apply online at www.oeh.com/careers The closing date for applications is 15/03/12

APPOINTMENTS

30 | RailStaff | February 2012

Opportunities in Rail and Infrastructure If you’re a skilled Engineer, Manager or Technical Specialist looking to work on some of the most exciting and challenging projects in the Rail and Infrastructure sector, then TRS Staffing Solutions can help - now.

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We would like to hear from the following for prestigious projects starting in London, South East and South West of England:

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Surveyors Planners Commercial personnel Safety Critical personnel General Foreman Site Managers

CarmichaelUK Rail Division is expanding its services into the Australian market with new offices

TRS are a global organisation and we are currently recruiting for rail specialists in the UAE, Australia & Far East, West Africa and Canada. If you are interested in working abroad contact TRS today.

To apply Please send your CV to rail@trsstaffing.com Or if you’d prefer to discuss a role in more detail and in confidence, please contact one of our specialist consultants on

+44 (0)20 7419 5800

Senior Rail, Port and Marine Design and Construction Managers West Africa & Australia - 60K-100K Experience in Rail, Mining and Port Design

opening soon in 2012. This expansion puts CarmichaelUK Rail Division into a unique market position for recruiting railway staff for clients in the UK and Australia. For more information about opportunities in Australia, please email: international@carmichaelau.com Register your CV today online or via email in word format to:

Commissioning Engineer London - £52K 11 & 33KV commission experience

rail@carmichaeluk.com or call one of our consultants on: +44 (0) 208 522 8888

Rail Project Managers UK, UAE, Australia, Far East & Africa - £50-80K Working on major freight, heavy haul and high speed rail projects

FebruaryTRSAdvert.indd 1

Job vacancies posted daily on our site

www.carmichaeluk.com

7/2/12 16:46:41

Great opportunities throughout the UK and Overseas SAFETY CRITICAL STAFF

LONDON UNDERGROUND

McGINLEY TECHNICAL

PTS, L/O, S/W, AOD's, COSS, PC, MC/CC, ES, PICOP, SPICOP

Excellent opportunities for all levels of competencies throughout the London Underground Infrastructure.

Following on from continued success with major rail/engineering clients across the UK and internationally, particularly the Middle East, McGinley Technical are in the process of recruiting for numerous staff with strong rail/engineering project experience.

McGinley Support Services are looking for Safety Critical staff throughout the UK. We have been successful in winning long term contracts and are looking for candidates with the following competencies for immediate starts:

• Experienced Trackworkers (Track Inducted FULL WHITE HATS) • Lookouts/Site Wardens •HSM • Strapman •LXA • Points Operator •Coss •P.C. •Machine Controllers • E.S. • PICOP • SPICOPS Please call John Kingham on 0845 543 5953 for more information. Alternatively please email john_kingham@mcginley.co.uk

KEY RAIL PERSONNEL

Current Vacancies:

• Site Person in Charge/Foreman • Track Platelayer • General Operative • Protection Master (Eh) • Protection Master (Eh)/SPC • TOO2/3 Hand Back • Multi skilled Operative (with the following competencies) I. Track Trolley Operator II. Lift and Escalator III. First Aider IV. Hand Tools Training V. Track and Depot Accustomed All of the above need to have a minimum LUA certificate.

Also required immediately in the following areas: South West Wales/Cornwall:

• PTS Operatives required for Track Drainage, Level Crossing

Please call 020 7537 3675 between 10am and 4pm to arrange registration or send an email to lu_vacancies@mcginley.co.uk

Current Vacancies:

• Project Planners, P3e, P6 • Project Managers – All disciplines, signalling, civils etc • Delivery Engineers, STO, PTO, all with p-way experience • Commercial Managers • Civil Engineers • Structural Engineers • CRE Engineers • Project Engineers – all disciplines [drainage & track ASAP] A range of both contract and permanent opportunities available.

Please call Mark Craft on 01923 696667 for more information.

Alternatively please send your cv to technical@mcginley.co.uk

Installation & Cable Route Works South East:

• Level 1,2,3 Stresser • Crane Controllers • Handback Engineer Level 1 2 3 4 • Engineering Supervisors • White Hat Track Inducted PTS (preferably with small tools tickets) North East:

• Engineering Supervisors • LKT’s • LXA’s Please call John Kingham on 0845 543 5953 for more information. Alternatively please email john_kingham@mcginley.co.uk

Head Office: Ground Floor, The Edward Hyde Building, 38 Clarendon Road, Watford, Herts WD17 1JW Tel: 0845 543 5953 • Visit: www.mcginley.co.uk

APPOINTMENTS

Manager M Rail Projects c£50,000 per annum

www.wymetro.com

METRO

Fixed Term to December 2014 Leeds City Centre Location Delivering better integrated transport on behalf of the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority is essential for the competitiveness and vibrancy of our region.

Metro has been successful in securing funding for three major rail projects; Leeds Station Southern Entrance, Kirkstall Forge/Apperley Bridge stations and Low Moor Station. Between them they have a value approaching £40m and all must be delivered by 2014/15.

We are seeking to appoint an experienced and enthusiastic Rail Projects Manager to assist the team of scheme project managers delivering a significant programme of new build stations and other rail enhancements.

If you have experience in managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders and tight deadlines and a commitment to rail and integrated transport, we’d like to hear from you.

You will be responsible for the overall programme of major rail projects and ensuring they are delivered to time and budget. You will also be responsible for managing all the interfaces with the rail industry including Network Rail.

Metro is an IIP organisation and is ranked as one of the best public sector employers to work for in the UK. We offer a comprehensive range of benefits including local government final salary pension scheme, free countywide travel by Metrocard and flexitime working scheme.

For further details and application form: visit www.wymetro.com, email recruitment@wypte.gov.uk or call 0113 251 7385 Completed application forms should be returned by noon on 24th February 2012

RailStaff | February 2012 | 31

www.sw-gr.com

Manpower

Rail

Recruitment

Opportunities throughout the UK for Railway Staff (Competitive Salaries) Due to the fulfilment of on-going contracts and continuation of investment being made in Railway Infrastructure throughout the country, SWGR are keen to hear from the following individuals in a variety of locations throughout the UK.

We have an urgent requirement for: SSoWPs (Safe System of Work Planners) Possession Planners Isolation Planners Track Engineers Project Managers Structures Managers: We are particularly keen to hear from experienced Structures Managers. The right candidates are required for an immediate start on a long term contract.

Main duties will include performing on-site examination of structures to client specifications in order to determine structural condition along with producing high quality condition reports for submission, in line with company procedure and strict timescales.

Candidates should have a sound Structural/Design Engineering knowledge, backed up with a relevant degree or equivalent qualification, awareness of railway Infrastructure and a full, clean UK driving license.

To apply for any of the posts above please send your CV in Word Format to: billyf@sw-gr.com in the first instance or call Billy Franks on 0844 6920692.

M Metro. Here to get you there

Seeking Leaders in Railway Design and Graduate Engineers GHD is one of the world's leading engineering, architecture and environmental consulting companies. Wholly-owned by its people, GHD is focused exclusively on client success.

Our network of more than 6500 people across five continents serves clients in the global markets of water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings, and transportation.

We are a privately owned company that enjoys strong revenue and growth.

We are now seeking experienced consultants in our York and London Offices who are Leaders in Railway Design, including Permanent Way, Signalling and Electrification/Power.

The successful applicants will have the relevant professional qualifications and must be proven design leaders within a multi-disciplined railway organisation.

In addition we are also seeking applications from Graduate Engineers who are interested in a career with a multi-disciplined consultancy organisation.

Salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications.

This is an opportunity to join a large, established organisation with a wealth of worldwide projects and a successful history.

We offer a professional working environment and believe that work/life balance is critical to the success and happiness of our people.

To be considered for any of these this positions, please forward your CV and a letter of application to, Julie Ashley, HR Manager, GHD, 4 Innovation Close, York Science Park, York, YO10 5ZF or alternatively via email at Julie.ashley@ghd.com Please be advised we are accepting direct applications only and not engaging in the services of Recruitment Agents.

U K

W I D E

S E R V I C E

C E N T R E S

Total Rail Solutions:

Your Infinitely Flexible Solution - For Railway Safety & Services

Current Vacancies: Plant & Transport Manager Technical Officer

Recruitment Consultant

Winchester | up to £35k

Winchester | £Negotiable

Winchester | up to £35k

TRS are also looking for: Crane Controllers based in the London area, salary £Negotiable on experience.

NCCA sentinel registered with LUAS & LUL track accustomed tickets.

TRS is a leading provider of fully-managed safety-critical rail services across the UK. To apply to any of these roles please contact: Chief Executive, Total Rail Solutions, Unit 1, Hazeley Enterprise Park, Hazeley Road, Twyford, Winchester, So21 1QA.

Tel: 01962 711642 E-mail: info@totalrailsolutions.co.uk www.totalrailsolutions.co.uk ISO 9001 Registered Firm

International Accreditation Board

ISO 14001 Registered Firm

International Accreditation Board

Certificate No. GB2002956

Registration No. 0044/1

Certificate No. EM2000303

Registration No. 0044/1

Drug and alcohol-related problems are responsible for millions of lost work days per year.

They are also involved in up to 60% of all fatal work-related accidents.

Express Medicals are long-standing and experienced workhealth providers to the rail industry and understand the need to satisfy compliance demands whilst reducing disruption to operations.

Our medical expertise combined with first class service levels helps to increase productivity, reduce absenteeism and minimise risk, taking the stress out of your healthcare and screening provision.

WorkHealth clinics nationwide: Ashford (Kent)

Glasgow

Birmingham

London

Bristol

Manchester

Cardiff

Newcastle

Derby

Southampton

Doncaster

Stoke-on-Trent