RailStaff - Issue 272 - March-April 2021

MAR-APR 2021 | ISSUE 272

NETWORK CERTIFICATION IN A POST-BREXIT UK

Malcolm Dobell sits down with Craig Young, NCB's Head of Business Development to see how NCB has flourished and its plans for the future

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PLUS NEWS PEOPLE INTERVIEWS FEATURES HEALTH & SAFETY CAREERS

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CONTENTS MARCH-APRIL 2021 | ISSUE 272

HS2 APPRENTICE FLIES THE FLAG FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY | 05

HS2 is striving to address the gender imbalance inherent across the construction and rail engineering sector.

WHITE ZONE WORKING IS NEEDED TO CHANGE OUR RAIL SAFETY CULTURE! | 34

RailStaff safety expert Colin Wheeler explains how the latest reports on railway accidents and incidents call for the need of white zone working.

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IS ANYONE REALLY LISTENING? | 38

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You can share your health and safety concerns with the right people who can take action, without having to reveal your identity.

MPs RAISE CONCERNS OVER HIGHWAYS ENGLAND'S 'ASSAULT' ON LEGACY RAIL STRUCTURES | 40 Highways England's infilling and demolition programme could see the loss of 614 structures from the Historical Railways Estate.

RIBBLEHEAD VIADUCT REPAIRS COMPLETE | 44

Iconic structure benefits from sensitive remedial works over harsh winter.

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E | 42 ges rail staff ARD THCHALLENGE O ura B A e L e AL UR our Challeng ncmoental health and O H N H ing MILLIO s Million ort of improv p maritan p The Sa er in su e togeth m o c to g. wellbein

YRP OPPORTUNITY AND PROGRESS | 46

Newly re-elected chairman of Young Rail Professionals is determined for the YRP to reach a bigger and more diverse audience than ever before.

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A W A R D S

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MORE THAN AN AWARD Let’s recognise those who are outstanding, those that go above and beyond, those who are special. They need them to know just how much they are appreciated, especially after the year we’ve all had.

Apprentice of the Year

Health & Wellbeing Award

Rail Engineer of the Year

Award for Charity

HR, Diversity & Inclusion Person or Team Award

Rail Manager of the Year

Covid Hero - Outstanding Individual Award Covid Heroes - Outstanding Team Award Customer Service Award

Learning & Development Award Lifetime Achievement Award Marketing & Communications Team Award

Depot Staff Award Digital Railway (S&T) Person or Team Award

Rail Civils / Infrastructure Team Award

Rail Person of the Year Rail Project Manager Award Rail Team of the Year Safety Person or Team Award Samaritans Lifesaver Award Station Staff Award

Graduate or Newcomer Award

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Staff Contact us: Publisher:

Paul O’Connor

Production and design:

Adam O’Connor

Matthew Stokes

Track safety:

Colin Wheeler

Advertising:

Asif Ahmed

Craig Smith

Chris Davies

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HS2 apprentice flies the flag for international women's day

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Nineteen-year-old Lisa-Marie from London is defying gender biases. As a civil engineering apprentice she was flying the flag for women and girls working in the construction sector to mark International Women’s Day. Lisa-Marie joined Mace in September 2020. She’s now part of the team tasked with delivering HS2’s station at London Euston.

She drew inspiration from London’s architecture when deciding on her career pathway and from an early age was fascinated at how unimaginable design concepts turned to reality.

Lisa-Marie studied hard to follow her dream of becoming a civil engineer and secured three A-Levels in Mathematics, Physics and Geography. Her drive and academic success led to her securing her degree-level apprenticeship and within weeks of joining, she became part of the Mace team designing and building Britain’s new railway.

“The opportunity to work on Europe’s

biggest engineering project and transform Euston Station ready for HS2’s arrival is beyond what I ever imagined would be possible at such an early stage in my career,” said Lisa-Marie.

HS2 is striving to address the gender imbalance inherent across the construction and rail engineering sector and is inspiring young people to take an interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects and careers through its education programmes. Engineering UK’s 2018 report found that less than 12.5% of the engineering workforce is female and HS2 hopes that more young women will be inspired to follow in Lisa-Marie’s footsteps.

Lisa-Marie added, “The best thing about my job is that I’m building myself a meaningful career. Railways and bridges get us everywhere we need to go and help create communities where everyone can thrive. It’s incredible to physically see that you have built something new, which will be around for many generations to come, and that’s something I’m really proud of.”

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HS2 BEGINS WORK ON

UK'S LONGEST RAIL VIADUCT Work has started on the UK’s longest railway bridge, with ground engineers sinking the first of almost 300 piles that will form the foundations for the Colne Valley Viaduct.

All Photos: © HS2 Ltd | Align JV

The viaduct, which will carry the new high-speed rail line for 3.4km across a series of lakes and waterways on the north west outskirts of London, will be almost a kilometre longer than the Forth Rail Bridge and carry trains travelling at speeds of up to 200mph.

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Set low in the landscape, the design was inspired by the flight of a stone skipping across the water, with a series of elegant spans, some up to 80m long, carrying the railway around 10m above the surface of the lakes, River Colne and Grand Union Canal.

HS2 Ltd’s Central 1 Project Client Rohan Perin, said: “The Colne Valley Viaduct will be one of HS2’s most iconic structures and it’s great to see work now starting in earnest. I’d like to thank the whole team for the huge amount of work they’ve done to get us to this point.”

The structure will be supported by 56 piers, with the widest spans reserved for where the viaduct crosses the lakes, and narrower spans for the approaches. This design was chosen to enable views across the landscape, minimise the viaduct’s footprint on the lakes and help complement the natural surroundings.

Over the next year, engineers from HS2 Ltd’s main works contractor Align JV – a team made up of Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick – will construct 292 piles under the ground to support the viaduct piers.

On top of each group of piles – some of which will go up to 55m into the ground – a concrete pile cap will support the pier which will in turn support the full 6,000 tonne weight of the bridge structure above. Instead of hammering the piles into the ground, holes will be bored before being backfilled to create the pile.

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The main deck of the viaduct will be built in sections at a temporary factory nearby before being assembled from north to south.

Align’s project director Daniel Altier, added: “I have no doubt that the viaduct will become one, if not the most striking element of HS2 phase 1 once complete. The way it will be constructed is going to be equally fascinating for engineers young and old. The sections for the deck will be fabricated at our main construction site to the west of London just inside the M25, and using a huge launching girder, the deck will be formed from north to south, along the line of the route, thereby keeping unnecessary construction traffic off the roads.”

An extensive programme of test piling has already been completed with engineers sinking 12piles at two locations with geological and structural data from these tests fed back into the design of the viaduct. This has resulted in a 10-15% reduction in the depth of the piles and associated time and cost savings.

Colne Valley Viaduct concepts created for HS2 by Grimshaw Architects.

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First works on HS2 to Crewe HS2 has announced the signing of a new contract to create new woods and wetlands as part of early environmental works on Phase 2a between the West Midlands and Crewe.

The £52 million contract was awarded to Balfour Beatty and marks the first stage in extending the high speed rail line from Birmingham to Crewe.

HS2 Ltd’s Phase 2a delivery director Colette Carroll said “We said that we wanted to bring the benefits of HS2 to the north earlier than originally planned, and this early environmental works contract with Balfour Beatty on the new route to Crewe will put that promise into action."

The 36-mile stretch of Phase 2a from Birmingham to Crewe is projected to open alongside the first section of the railway from Birmingham to London, and will provide seamless high speed services between Crewe, the West Midlands and London, with a link to the mainline for direct services northwards.

Mark Bullock, Chief Executive Officer of Balfour Beatty’s UK Construction Services business, said, “Balfour Beatty’s contract with HS2 builds on our 'Building New Futures' strategy through which we’re committed to leaving a lasting positive legacy for the communities in which we operate. Our work on the route between Crewe and the West Midlands will build a better, greener future for everyone - through our ongoing and essential work to protect the environment, and our

continued focus on providing employment opportunities for local businesses and people.”

The environmental works will take place at 82 sites running north from Fradley in Staffordshire and will include tree planting at over 40 sites, covering the area of 86 football pitches; more than 18 miles of new hedgerows; and enough new grassland meadows to cover 140 football pitches to encourage wildflowers and insects to flourish.

HS2 pilot project to swap steel for retired wind turbine blades Worn-out wind turbine blades destined for the incinerator will instead be used to create carbon-friendly reinforced concrete on HS2.

The project, believed to be a world first, will swap steel rebar, traditionally used to reinforce concrete, with sections of glass fibre reinforced polymer turbine blades that have reached the end of their operational lives.

By 2023, around 15,000 turbine blades will have been decommissioned across the UK and EU. Until now, expired blades have either been ground down to be used as building materials or sent to energy-from-waste incinerators.

Substituting steel for sections of retired wind turbine blades cuts by up to 90% the carbon generated by concrete reinforcement.

HS2 Ltd innovation manager Rob Cairns said “This scheme is a brilliant example of the innovation happening on the whole HS2 project. If our world-first pilot project goes well, we could see a waste product from the energy industry becoming an essential material for the construction sector in the future.”

Work on the proof of concept pilot is due to start in Spring and will focus on swapping steel for turbine blades in low stress structures such as temporary access roads, top sections of concrete walls and ground bearing plinths – like those on which a portacabin might sit.

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HS2 casts first Chiltern tunnel wall segments

Preparations for the launch of HS2’s first giant tunnelling machines ramped up as the first of 112,000 wall segments for the Chiltern tunnel rolled off a purpose-built production line at the project’s tunnelling HQ close to the M25.

The project’s first two Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) – named Florence and Cecilia – are due to launch in early summer.

Each of the 170m long, 2,000 tonne machines will spend more than 3 years underground, digging and slotting the wall segments into place to create the 10 mile long tunnels.

Made of high-performance fibre-reinforced concrete, the segments are being produced at a temporary pre-cast factory next to the TBM launch pads at what will be the south portal of the tunnels.

Welcoming the milestone, HS2 Ltd’s C1 Project Director, Rohan Perin said: “The start of production at the tunnel wall precast plant is a major milestone as we countdown to the launch of our first TBMs later this year.

By casting all 112,000 segments on site we can significantly reduce the number of HGVs on local roads and reduce the amount of disruption for local residents.”

Once construction is complete, the precast factory and the rest of the south portal site will be cleared, with the chalk excavated from the tunnels used to landscape the site and create high quality chalk grassland and other wildlife habitats.

Didier Jacques, Align’s Underground Construction Director added: “We are using Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete (SFRC) in the segments due to the improved ductility and durability it offers. The SFRC segments are also easier to fabricate.

“Once in the moulds we are using robots to polish the concrete, a task that was previously manual, to improve the quality and consistency of the final product. With 7 segments in each ring, we will be producing a total of 160 rings ahead of launch of the first TBM later this year.”

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Work is underway to decommission railway lines and train depots to make way for a billion pound rail interchange at Old Oak Common.

Network Rail is removing overhead electric lines and disconnecting utilities before building and track demolition can begin to clear the site for the ‘super-hub’ station as part of Britain’s new high-speed rail network HS2.

After the last Heathrow Express train left its depot on a low loader lorry on 16 February, the site was formally handed over to Network Rail for the large decommissioning project to begin.

Patrick Cawley, director of On Network Works for HS2 Ltd and Network Rail, said: “Our teams are busy making sure

Network Rail clears Old Oak Common 'super-hub' station site that everything is ready for the latest stage of this vital project. Network Rail’s work, in collaboration with Heathrow Express, SRSA and the DfT, is crucial to facilitate the redevelopment of Old Oak Common. The new high-speed rail station will be truly

transformative, bringing significant passenger and community benefits.”

The Old Oak Common ‘super-hub’ station will provide connections to London, Bristol and the west and to Birmingham and the north via the HS2 line, the Elizabeth Line and existing rail services.

Rob Avery, senior project manager for HS2 Ltd, said: “HS2 is a game changer for the UK’s rail network and the super-hub station at Old Oak Common will offer unrivalled connectivity east, west, north and south. Working collaboratively across all partners, we have reached the stage of decommissioning the second of two previously operational depots at Old Oak Common. This is a crucial step as we begin the construction of the new station.”

It is due for completion in 2030 and will act as a catalyst for local regeneration.

HS2 contractor supports small business SCS Railways the HS2 joint venture contractor from Skanska Costain and STRABAG, are launching a virtual enterprise academy for the second time and are looking for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to get involved. The three-month programme has 150 free places available and will upskill businesses, giving SMEs the tools to work on projects like HS2.

The Academy runs from April to June and the modules will cover topics including HR, health and safety, social value, carbon management innovation, the environment, risk management, finance and commercial awareness.

David Poole, HS2 Ltd’s Procurement and Commercial Director said: “The scale and complexity of HS2 means that we need businesses large and small with a wide range of expertise to work with us. The SCS Railways

Enterprise Academy is a great opportunity for SMEs to receive support, prepare to win work and help us deliver this huge project.”

To get involved, businesses need to have a turnover of £1 million for 2019/2020, a core business offering that aligns with the construction industry, and must demonstrate why they would like to take part in the Academy.

To date, HS2 Ltd has already awarded around £18bn worth of contracts directly and a significant proportion of this value is expected to flow out to the wider supply chain. By the end of 2022, it’s estimated this figure will reach around £25bn. Over 2,000 businesses have already won work on the project, 70% of which are SMEs. Andrew Hazelhurst, Skanska Costain STRABAG Joint Venture’s Head of Procurement and Supply Chain, said: “We’re essentially giving a new crop of businesses the opportunity to learn and upskill, so they’re

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better positioned to compete and operate in our space. We want to give every company that attends the course the requisite tools that we look for in potential partners.”

Emerson Cranes, a Buckinghamshire based SME, were one of 16 firms that completed last year’s Enterprise Academy and have gone on to successfully win work on the HS2 project with SCS Railways.

Speaking about their

experience at the Academy, Wayne Carr, Director at Emerson Cranes said: “The academy was a great opportunity to ensure that we understood how we can best navigate the HS2 supply chain and importantly understand and act on delivering the values and commitments that HS2 and their contractor SCS are looking for.

The sessions were really useful and helped us to successfully work on the HS2 project.”

Britain’s Largest Specialist Transport Union

NO CUNETTWSORK RAIL at

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The cuts would have huge consequences for Britain’s railways as we emerge from lockdown.

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better connected at king's cross with unlimited free wifi

A range of improvements designed to improve the experience for passengers at King’s Cross has been topped off with the introduction of unlimited free WiFi throughout the station.

The internet upgrade is the latest in a series of schemes unveiled in time for the gradual return of passengers to the railway as Government restrictions are eased.

In December, new, environmentally friendly toilets opened for passengers after a £2.3million upgrade. The toilets on the mezzanine and ground floor levels were

completely refurbished and now use much less energy and water. The modern facilities are also more accessible.

An additional free drinking fountain, regulalrly cleaned with a specialist Covidkilling product, has been installed at the station to help reduce the amount of singleuse plastic bottles. Passengers can also benefit from new seating areas as well as improved digital screens, making the station more relaxing for passengers and keeping them up to date with the latest information as they wait for their train.

Laura Murphy, King’s Cross Station Manager

for Network Rail, said: “As restrictions ease and we welcome people back to the railway, we know that free, unlimited WiFi at King’s Cross will improve the experience for passengers.

“The online connectivity, as well as the other major improvements for passengers, means people can make the best use of their journey time before connecting to other towns and cities.”

Free WiFi is now available at most London stations, including Euston, Waterloo and London Bridge, and will be offered at all major stations in Britain by the end of 2021.

New accessibility services in the Southern region Network Rail’s managed stations in the Southern region, are offering two new services to make the railway more inclusive. These services will benefit passengers who use British Sign Language to help them keep up to date with station announcements, as well as blind and visually impaired passengers using the toilet facilities at stations.

Paul Lennon, Network Rail project manager, Customer Experience team, said: “Stations are the main point of contact for passengers and that is the time when deaf people like me want and need communication. In the past, I have missed station announcements like platform changes when travelling, so I suggested this as a way to help minimise frustrating things like this happening.”

The first innovation, SignLive is an around the clock sign language interpretation service.

This will mean that deaf or

hearing-impaired passengers can keep up to date with station announcements and safety information, no matter the time of day.

“We are delighted to be working with Network Rail to provide BSL interpreting in some of the busiest stations in Britain. Deaf passengers will now have better access to information thanks to an easy way to communicate with members of Network Rail’s team via SignLive,” said Joel Kellhofer, chief executive officer, SignLive.

The second innovation, RoomMate is an electronic, wall mounted device that provides blind and visually impaired passengers with a bespoke audio description in an accessible toilet.

Using RoomMate provides dignity and independence to those with sight impairments.

“For those with no sight like me, RoomMate is an essential addition to the fixtures and fittings in an accessible toilet.

Without this audio assistance, I lose independence and dignity.

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Network Rail has raised the bar in accessibility where before there was no help for people like me,” commented Steve Holyer, co-director, easyAccessibility Ltd – the company behind RoomMate.

The stations offering SignLive and RoomMate services are, Clapham Junction, Guildford, London Bridge, London Cannon Street, London Charing Cross, London Victoria and London Waterloo.

Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail

stations director, Southern region, said: “I’m delighted to introduce SignLive and RoomMate to all Southern region managed stations. Our organisation is committed to making stations open and accessible to all passengers. As more passengers return to the railway, coinciding with the lifting of lockdown restrictions, it’s essential we provide services that remove barriers to travel so that everyone feels welcome in our stations.”

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NEWS IN BRIEF Phase 3 awarded to Siemens Mobility

Siemens Mobility has been awarded the contract to deliver the GRIP 5-8 stages of the Victoria Phase 3 programme, part of Network Rail’s £750 million Sussex Railway Upgrade Plan. This sees aging equipment across the Sussex region replaced by new, reliable network-based digital signalling and train control solutions to provide increased capacity, reduced delays, enhanced safety and lower operating costs.

Phase 3 covers the area between Victoria and Streatham Hill, as well as the West London Lines from Clapham Junction towards Shepherd’s Bush. As principal contractor, Siemens Mobility will be responsible for all signalling, telecoms, civil engineering, electrification and plant, new trackside 650V feeder and associated principal supply points and associated track works.

Hitachi Rail aquire Perpentuum

Hitachi Rail has completed the acquisition of Perpetuum, a British rail technology firm that continues to pioneer digital solutions that dramatically improve train reliability and performance.

Perpetuum’s wireless sensors spot faults remotely, operating on a continuous basis while trains are running. This calculates the “Health Status” of the components, identifying potential issues to be fixed before they delay passengers’ journeys.

Andrew Barr, Group CEO, Hitachi Rail said: “Hitachi is focused on expanding its digital innovation and sustainability offers, and the acquisition of Perpetuum achieves both goals. We’ll be able to improve the service to our customers using Perpetuum’s data-driven insights – leading to better journeys for passengers. We’re delighted to be expanding our portfolio with this exciting digital asset management solution across our global mobility business.”

D/Gauge sign long-term contract with Network Rail for 'Network Clearance'

Gauging expert D/Gauge has announced its latest contract secured with Network Rail, to provide clearance assessments for the entire network. The new platform, powered by specialist gauging software, will be rolled out to over 1,000 Network Rail users. With this contract, D/Gauge will be able to support Network Rail’s key asset management, maintenance and design activities.

Colin Johnson, Managing Director of D/Gauge said “It’s a great privilege for us as an organisation. We are delighted to secure this long-term contract with Network Rail to deliver clearance assessment figures with enhanced reporting functionality.” The ‘Network Clearance’ system we have created will reduce the time it takes to analyse clearance information across the entire network and provide deep insight for users.”

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Full steam ahead for Camp Hill line to reopen as final budget approved West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) leaders have today approved the final £20 million slice of funding to get the Camp Hill Rail line in Birmingham reopened.

The approval means that the £61 million project to reopen Moseley, Kings Heath and Hazelwell stations is fully funded and on track to reopen to passengers in 2023.

Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris said: “Building great infrastructure is part of our wider agenda to level up all parts of the UK. With our investment in these three stations, alongside two others in Willenhall and Darlaston, we’re delivering a bright future for passengers across the West Midlands.”

Work has already started in Moseley where the station site is being cleared ready for full construction to begin later in the year.

Transport for West Midlands is leading the project which will offer the residents of south Birmingham a more environmentally friendly alternative to the car and traffic jams on Alcester Road for their city centre commute.

These Camp Hill line stations closed to passengers during the Second World War and the line is currently only used by freight

or through services. It means that commuters from Hazellwell station in Stirchley for example will have a 14 minute journey into the city centre by rail compared to a peak time journey by car of up to 45 minutes.

WMCA is providing £36 million towards the cost, with £20 million from the Department for Transport, confirmed in the budget earlier this month, and the remaining £5 million from Birmingham City Council’s clean air zone fund.

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “The people of Moseley, Kings Heath and Stirchley have waited decades for the return of passenger services on the Camp Hill line, and today we have taken a major step towards making that happen.

“With all the funding fully agreed we can now get on with the fun part, getting work started and getting these three stations built and opened to the public. Preparatory work is already underway, and construction of the stations will be starting later this year.

Transport for West Midlands and the West Midlands Rail Executive are working with rail industry partners including Network Rail and West Midlands Trains on the development of the new stations.

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BOB SIGNALS THE END OF 54 YEARS ON THE RAILWAY

New lease of life After 55 years of reliable service, the signalling control panel at Malton signal box on the popular York to Scarborough line has been upgraded by L.B. Foster TEW Engineering, ensuring performance well beyond 2060.

Originally known as Malton East, the signal box controlled the busy level crossing and junction towards Driffield. L.B. Foster TEW Engineering was commissioned by Network Rail to survey the existing panel and provide a proposal to manufacture a new like-for-like replacement as part of the CP6 lifetime extension works.

Pete Atkins, Senior Support Engineer (Signals) LNE, Network Rail, says: “This project has run extraordinarily smoothly, given the circumstances that we have all had to deal with related to COVID19 restrictions. From the original inspection and assessment of the panel at Malton, to the design, manufacture, on-site installation and testing, the team at L.B. Foster TEW Engineering has met our every ask, and more.

“With over 50 years of daily use, the old signalling control panel had really served its time and more. L.B. Foster TEW Engineering’s replacement panel now extends the life of the signalling system, providing a safer, more reliable solution for many years to come.”

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One of the West Coast Main Line’s longest serving employees has retired after 54 years on the railway.

Avanti West Coast Service Manager Bob Bigsby waved a final farewell to colleagues at Euston Station ending a distinguished career.

As a 15-year-old, Bob joined the railway after arriving at Euston on April 3, 1967. He Bob Bigsby in the 1980s. was given a role on a British Rail Service from London to the Lake District and back, where he pot-washed in the kitchen for First Class passengers.

“They gave me an induction which didn’t last long,” the 69-yearold said. “By 10am, I was on the train to Windermere. It was a shock because I’d barely left London. I was worried about my parents who had no idea when I’d be home – it was before the mobile phone days!”

Bob has held a number of roles working on the trains while travelling millions of miles on the network. These have included an Assistant Steward, Steward, Chief Steward (as the roles were known) and finally as a Service Manager for Avanti West Coast leading First Class and wider catering service on board.

Bob also worked on the Royal Train since 1974, including the Queen’s Silver, Golden, and Diamond Jubilees as well as being awarded the Royal Victorian Medal in 1999 for his role on the service.

“I went to Buckingham Palace to collect the Royal Victorian medal,” he said. “As the Queen was moving along the line of people, she said to me ‘we’ve been together for quite some time, haven’t we?’”

Explaining why he stayed in the job for so long, Bob said: “It’s the joy of meeting people that the railway brings. It’s the comradeship between the colleagues and the variety of customers I’ve had the pleasure to meet. I can honestly say I’ve had fun every single day.

“But like a lot of people I took stock of things during the lockdown. I’ve still got my good health and the time to retire just feels right.”

For someone who has seen plenty of changes over the years, Bob explained it’s the evolution of technology which has had a major impact.

“Technology has revolutionised things,” he said. “Whether it was my roster or orders, I had to write it all down or deliver and pick up notices all over the station. Now it’s all just a call or a click away.

“But what has stayed the same is the friendship of the staff.

There’s always been so much support and love, and if you’re in this world you’ll know what people mean by ‘railway family.’

Everyone stands by each other and that’s priceless.”

Paying tribute to Bob, his manager Kelsea Davies, said: “He’s been on the railways for over half a century and I don’t think we’ll ever see this length of service again.

“It’s such a pleasure to work with him and he knows the job inside out. He set a very high standard and he’ll be impossible to replace.”

‘Support on life’s Journey’ When life’s journey hits those ups and downs.

We are there to care, to listen and to help you cope with life’s uncertainties.

We are Railway Mission, a group of specially trained people who offer friendship and a listening ear to anyone connected with our nation’s railways.

We’re a Christian charity offering support to everyone.

How do we help?

Railway Mission has been offering support to the railway family for 140 years, but we’re totally up-to-date with the trials of modern living. We help railway staff (at all levels) and the travelling public to enjoy the good times and get through the bad times. So if life’s

journey feels threatened we offer face-to-face friendship and an opportunity to talk about problems and explore solutions.

Help us support them

Donations

Railway Mission relies on donations to finance our work and meet an ever-growing need for our services. While we receive some rail industry support, we depend on the generosity of individuals like you.

There are various ways to give, for more information visit: railwaymission.org/donate.

Please give something so that we can give a helping hand to those who need us.

For further information please email: office@railwaymission.org.

Charity number in England and Wales: 1128024 Scotland: SC045897

We’re also on hand to help staff and the public in the event of rail incidents, including suicides.

Cheques should be made payable to Railway Mission and sent to: Railway Mission, Rugby Railway Station, Rugby, CV21 3LA

To donate £5 text RAIL 5 to 70085.

This costs £5 plus a standard rate message.

Alternatively, you can opt to give any whole amount up to £20.

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Cat avoids train surfing hitch hike

Easter upgrades on the WCML

A cat had a lucky escape at London Euston station after it was spotted on the roof of an Avanti West Coast train which was about to speed to Manchester.

Network Rail has completed a range of essential upgrades to the railway between Euston, the Midlands, North West and Scotland over Easter.

Wide-eyed and terrified, the cat was seen curled up on top of the 125mph Pendolino service while it was stationed at a platform.

Fortunately the misplaced moggy was seen before the train was meant to set off at 9pm.

Joe Hendry, Network Rail station manager for Euston, said: “We often have to deal with birds inside the station but in all my time here this is the first train surfing cat! Thankfully curiosity didn’t kill this cat and we’re glad it avoided using up one of its nine lives thanks to the swift action of the station team and Avanti West Coast staff who organised for passengers to get onto a different train for the rescue to take place.”

To rescue the cat the train was taken out of service and another one made available for passengers to continue their journey, with

Between Friday 2 and Tuesday 6 April, teams carried out vital work on the railway to improve passenger and freight services on the West Coast main line – the Backbone of Britain.

Highlights of the £31m investment saw ongoing work to upgrade Birmingham New Street station's signals, two new bridges installed at Warrington Bank Quay station, two underpasses driven under the Chiltern main line along with work to prepare Euston station for HS2.

Tim Shoveller, managing director for Network Rail’s North West & Central region, said: “Hundreds of frontline staff worked throughout the bank holiday to improve journeys for passengers and freight in the North West and Central region and I’m immensely proud of them and our contractors who helped Network Rail deliver these major upgrades. This is just the start of 2021’s work to make the West Coast main line more reliable for our passengers and pave the way for HS2, which will bring much-needed extra railway capacity as the country builds back better from the pandemic.

“Now our attention turns to the early May bank holiday when more essential railway improvements will take place.”

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only a slight delay.

In total it took two and a half hours to coax the cat down to safety away from the 25,000 volt overhead lines. Eventually a bin was pulled up beside the carriages to give the scared cat its own special platform on which to disembark.

Kathryn Pranga-Wells, lead station manager for Avanti West Coast, said: “The things some pets do to avoid lockdown. Thankfully we managed to avoid a cat-astrophe but don’t ask me-ow the cat got up there.”

It’s not known how the frightened feline came to be on top of the high-speed train.

Seemingly the entire caper left the trainspotting tabby cat rather unfussed, with station staff describing it ‘swaggering off’ with a sense of somewhere else to be after its 180-minute brush with danger.

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Journeys on Stourbridge’s unique ‘people mover’ will soon be much smoother for passengers after a week-long upgrade of its railway line.

Network Rail engineers replaced the track along the Stourbridge Town branch line in just seven days. From planning to completion, the whole project took eight weeks, normally it would take 18 months.

The superfast approach has been possible as Network Rail has worked closely with train operator West Midlands Railway to complete major upgrades while passenger numbers are low during the latest lockdown.

Martin Colmey, operations director for Network Rail’s Central route, said: “This speedy upgrade of the Stourbridge town branch line shows how the rail industry is coming together to get Midlands routes in the best possible shape for passengers when they can return once coronavirus travel restrictions are eased.”

Britain's shortest branch line gets superfast upgrade

FirstGroup Delay Repay donated to mental health programme Customers travelling on all of FirstGroup’s rail companies including Avanti West Coast, Great Western Railway, Hull Trains, South Western Railway and TransPennine Express have the opportunity to donate their Delay Repay compensation to the Group’s UK charity partner, Action for Children.

Chiltern main line improvements Almost 2.5km of railway track is being replaced along the Chiltern main line as the rail industry works together to build back better after the coronavirus pandemic.

Network Rail is investing more than £2.2m to renew track in several locations between London Marylebone and Bicester.

The upgrades are taking place during this latest period of national lockdown – when only essential journeys are permitted – so fewer passengers will be affected by the railway closures needed for the work to be done.

Dave Penney, Network Rail’s Central route director, said: “While passenger numbers are still low, we’re making sure the Chiltern main line is in the best possible shape ready to welcome passengers back when lockdown measures are eased.”

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Anyone who experiences a delay of 15 minutes or more to their rail journey can easily apply for a refund through the relevant operator’s Delay Repay scheme. When doing so, there is the option to donate this money to the charity.

If a customer selects the option to donate their compensation, then 100% of this amount will go straight to the charity.

Kate Broome, FirstGroup’s director of corporate responsibility, said: “We know how challenging this year has been for so many people in our communities around the UK, including the children and young people supported by our charity partner Action for Children.

“Any donations of Delay Repay compensation that our customers choose to make, no matter how small, will support the vital work of Action for Children and have a

real impact on the lives of young people and their families in our communities.”

Action for Children works to protect and support vulnerable children and young people by providing practical and emotional care and assistance. The award-winning partnership, which has just received a oneyear extension to March 2022, helps the charity continue their vital work on behalf of young people across the UK. Locks Farmer, Director of fundraising and Marketing for Action for Children, adds: “We are incredibly grateful to FirstGroup for setting up this brilliant initiative.

The Delay Repay scheme is just one of many ways FirstGroup’s UK businesses are supporting Action for Children, which FirstGroup has partnered with since 2018.

Steve Montgomery, managing director First Rail, said: “Each of our train operating companies endeavours to provide a reliable service for our customers and is committed to compensating customers when their journey is delayed by 15 minutes or more.

“Now with this new initiative customers can choose to help Action for Children deliver much needed mental health programmes and benefit young people and their families when they need it most.”

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NEW LONDON UNDERGROUND

PICCADILLY LINE TRAINS REPORT BY MALCOLM DOBELL

In March 2021, Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London and Michael Peter Global CEO of Siemens Mobility unveiled the design of the forthcoming Piccadilly line trains for London Underground.

TfL commissioned Siemens to supply 94 nine-car Inspiro London trains in November 2018 and new trains will be in operation on London Underground’s Piccadilly line from 2025. The contract has options that will enable LU to additionally order further trains

to enable a standard fleet of trains on the Bakerloo, Central and Waterloo & City lines in the future, subject to funding agreement.

The new metro platform, called Inspiro London, was specifically developed for the capital city, and sets new standards in design and innovation to meet LU’s unique and diverse requirements. They boast a 10 per cent capacity increase thanks to increased length and articulated design that reduces the number of bogies required per full length train whilst maximising the available interior space

– important in the space-constrained Tube environment.

The train follows the principles of the design developed by Priestman Goode which reflects the Tube’s iconic heritage whilst delivering a modern look. It also delivers cost savings through increased reliability, greater standardisation of train operations, staff training, equipment, spares and maintenance especially if adopted on all four lines.

The longer, more spacious, air-conditioned trains, with HVAC units integrated under the train, will be fully walk-through, boosting accessibility and ensuring customers can move easily to quieter areas. They will also be lighter, more energy-efficient and significantly more technologically advanced than current trains, with digital screens for real-time customer information and advertising fitted throughout.

The new trains feature regenerative braking and cutting-edge traction systems using lowloss permanent magnet motors and auxiliary electric systems that feature silicon carbide technology, as well as Lithium Ion batteries.

Eight of the ten bogies will have motors.

When combined with LED lighting and advanced energy management, overall energy consumption is reduced by 20 per cent compared with the existing fleet.

They will also emit less heat into the tunnels than current rolling stock. Indeed, it is the light weight, efficient traction drives and regenerative braking that enable air conditioning without the tunnels becoming overheated.

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COMING OUT OF

LOCKDOWN As the country takes the next steps out of lockdown, rail companies are running more services and longer trains, increasing space to support social distancing as part of the rail industry’s safer travel pledge.

supermarkets stay stocked and key workers get to where they’re needed. When schools reopened, train operators across the country added more services on key routes for school children.

To ensure people can travel with confidence, rail companies have been closely monitoring passenger numbers and adding services where possible and as necessary.

More than 1,000 weekday services have been added since mid-February increasing to almost 18,000, yet an even more significant service uplift is planned through May and June.

Robert Nisbet, Director of Nations and Regions for the Rail Delivery Group said, “In addition to enhanced cleaning and providing better information to help people avoid busier times, rail companies are increasing space on trains across the country by adding services as we take steps out of lockdown. We are closely monitoring passenger numbers as restrictions ease to carefully balance service levels with demand, and the need to run the railway efficiently for taxpayers.”

Rail companies have been supporting the country throughout the pandemic including during the recent lockdown, ensuring

Testing

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The rail industry is working to keep rail staff safe in turn, with many operators incorporating lateral flow testing for rail staff, enabling them to more quickly identify any staff member who may have contracted Covid-19 and protect other members of staff.

Cleaning

Rail staff are working hard to ensure that stations and trains are also kept clean. 1,500 additional people have been employed to clean the railway during the pandemic, an increase of almost 25% since March last year, and 13,250 litres of cleaning agent is used every month to sanitise surfaces across the network. Surveys undertaken by the independent passenger watchdog Transport Focus have consistently shown that around 90% of people making train journeys in the past two weeks feel safe doing so.

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Christine Smith, who manages the cleaning of Govia Thameslink Railway trains said, “We’ve pulled out all the stops to make sure stations and trains are thoroughly cleaned and sanitised many times every day, with extra attention paid to high contact touchpoints like handrails and buttons. If you touch it, we’ve cleaned it.”

Ventilation

Increasingly, the government is promoting effective ventilation to disrupt aerosol transmission of coronavirus indoors. The EU Agency for Railways has stated that ventilation systems on trains, which renew the air in a carriage at least every ten

minutes, are important to extract harmful aerosols including coronavirus, suggesting that trains may be safer than some other indoor settings.

Mark Phillips, CEO of the Rail Safety and Standards Board said, “As restrictions ease, it is extremely reassuring that rail companies

are taking the necessary steps to ensure people can travel with confidence. While research into this field continues, we know that ventilation systems on most trains are effective in replacing air in carriages meaning transmission may be less likely on trains than in other indoor environments.”

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TfW employees will be equipped with Axon Body 2 cameras following a successful trial last year. The cameras will be rolled out across 15 key locations around the network, including Cardiff, Chester, Swansea and Pontypridd.

During the trial, the cameras proved pivotal as evidence against people carrying out offences on the railway, including in trespass offences.

Transport for Wales’ continuous improvement manager Chris Watkins said: “While the railway is already a very safe environment to travel in, we want to give our customers and colleagues that added piece of mind that their safety comes first.

Axon cameras will also add transparency to ensure any incident claims can be quickly and accurately verified.

“Body cameras are proven to be incredibly effective in lowering crime rates both because they are a deterrent and because the evidence they help us gather is so good that it is often key in helping the police secure successful convictions.

British Transport Police Superintendent Andy Morgan said: “The safety of passengers

Transport for Wales gets body-worn cameras

and our rail industry colleagues is our absolute priority and we do everything we can to protect them.

“We fully support the introduction of body worn cameras for Transport for Wales’

frontline staff – we know from experience that body worn video is a fantastic piece of kit that helps us in securing convictions against those who target staff with unnecessary violence or abuse.”

Experiences auction for railway family week

Sir Peter Hendy, Chairman of Network Rail, has shown his support for a charity Auction of Experiences, organised by the Railway Benefit Fund as part of their Railway Family Week event.

Sir Peter has himself donated a one of a kind experience to the auction: a trip out on his own London Routemaster bus for 63 guests. The prize winner will be chauffeured around the key sights of London – a unique and not to be forgotten experience.

The Auction of Experiences has seen the rail industry come together to donate fabulous prizes all for a great cause. All money raised from the auction will go directly to the Railway Benefit Fund - the only UK charity solely dedicated to supporting railway people and their dependants. In the past 12 months the RBF have seen a real increase in demand for their services, which is why they have organised Railway Family Week - a fundraising event designed to bring the entire rail industry together, held from 26th April to 2nd May. Network Rail have generously donated a range of exclusive 'money can’t buy' rail experiences. Among these include a trip on Scotland’s Helicopter, a walking experience across the Ribblehead Viaduct, and the opportunity to record your own announcement at Euston Station.

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Sir Peter Hendy, Chairman of Network Rail, said: “I’d like everyone in the Railway Family to show their support for the Railway Benefit Fund. The Railway Family has done its very best in the last 12 months. Railway people have made an enormous impression on Britain by keeping going during these tough times, and the Railway Benefit Fund stands behind our family to help them when help’s needed. I think it’s a great thing to support. Please do all you can – I am.”

One prize which has generated a buzz is a visit to the British Transport Police Dog School. With this prize you will receive a behind the scenes tour and see the training in action. BTP have over 60 working dogs across the network, and they all begin their careers at this training school, which is located in Kent.

These are only a few of the incredible experiences up for grabs.

There are over 30 prizes available to bid on in this online auction, ranging from behind the scenes tours, a bus driving experience, cab rides and even a cottage stay in Northumberland.

Claire Houghton, CEO of RBF, said: “We are delighted to have launched our Auction of Experiences, which has so many 'money can’t buy' rail experiences up for grabs. RBF would like to say thank you to all those who have donated a prize for our auction- your generosity will raise a lot of money for the charity!”

How much do you pay for your daily latte, cappuccino, or flat white?

For less than 20p a day, you, your partner and dependent children can all benefit from TBF membership.

Membership is available to all those working in the public transport industry and offers a wide range of health, welfare and financial benefits for just £1.25 per week.

help@tbf.org.uk www.tbf.org.uk Transport Benevolent Fund CIO, known as TBF, is a registered charity in England and Wales, 1160901, and Scotland, SC047016.

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Protected species benefit from licence deal Network Rail is the first organisation in the country to sign a ground-breaking agreement designed to enable works whilst improving the natural habitat of the great crested newt.

Usually found in ponds, woodland or underground, the protected species of newt can sometimes be impacted by essential improvement, safety or maintenance work on the railway.

Now, in an industry first, Network Rail has been granted a new licence from Natural England which will ensure that any newt habitat impacted by teams working on the Midland Main Line Upgrade is compensated for by new habitat creation.

Gary Walsh, Route Director for Network Rail’s East Midlands route, said: “We’re committed to supporting wildlife and increasing biodiversity. This can be a tricky balance for our industry which

relies upon heavy engineering and important standards to keep everyone safe.”

The scheme is being carried out in collaboration with NatureSpace Partnership – an organisation dedicated to working with conservationists, industry and developers to

understand, grow and protect the great crested newt’s habitat.

Dr Tom Tew, CEO of NatureSpace, said: “The great thing about this licence is that it delivers a long-term and landscape-scale approach to the conservation of a rare and declining species. Not only

Newt sniffin' dogs join Network Rail Network Rail teams in Hitchin are using innovative methods - and two new recruits - to detect and protect great crested newts.

Rocky and Arnie are the world’s first scientifically proven great crested newt detection dogs.

Great crested newts are usually found in ponds, woodland or on grassland, but the amphibians, which are a protected species, sometimes make it onto worksites. If present, they must be trapped and safely moved to a suitable habitat away from where the work is taking place which takes time and can delay projects.

That’s where the detective duo step in. As well as saving time and money, Rocky and Arnie can cover large areas much faster than workers on site and accurately detect any newts.

The dogs were trained for their careers following research and trials with Atkins, Wagtail UK and Natural England.

Steve Hughes, Programme Director for Network Rail, said: “It’s amazing to see how quickly Rocky and Arnie managed to cover the worksite in Hitchin and

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check if there were any great crested newts. This method will save valuable time and reduce delays to vital improvements to the railway.”

are individual newts moved out of harm’s way during rail operations, but we and our partners are creating and managing top-quality new ponds and habitats along the length of the railway line. It’s quicker for Network Rail and avoids delays to engineering but it’s also much better for great crested newts and for a whole host of other wildlife too.”

The Midland Main Line Upgrade is being carried out between Market Harborough and St Pancras International and the licence covers all aspects of the improvement programme, from setting up compounds to building railway embankments and installing new equipment.

Dr. Lorna Shaw, from the District Level Licensing team at Natural England, said “We are pleased to have worked with the NatureSpace Partnership and Network Rail over this licence. We are keen to directly offer similar licenses to others interested in improving conservation outcomes for great crested newts and delivering best practice.”

“This licence application was complex, requiring time and attention to detail to assess but this approach will be repaid many times over through the upfront, secure new habitat for great crested newts and the reduction in delays to the license holder that this strategic approach affords. This important work reflects how Natural England are working with others to bring about nature’s recovery.”

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£15m investment in TfW Passengers using the Wales and Borders network will have access to more seats and improved trains as part of a £15m investment by Transport for Wales.

The latest four-carriage Class 769 offering greater capacity, more room and better accessibility has gone into service and the first of the new-look Class 150s has left TfW’s Canton depot ready for use across the Wales and Borders network.

Ken Skates, Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales, said: “Improving the quality of our trains was a big motivation behind the investment in our rail network we’ve made through Transport for Wales.

“Helping more people use public transport not only requires convenient and reliable services, but also high-quality trains and stations that makes the rail network more attractive to use. It’s therefore really good news to see this progress being made.”

Rockfall shelter plans Plans to extend a rockfall shelter that will protect the only railway line into the south west for the next 100 years, have received confirmation of government funding.

Confirmation of the £37.4m of funding from the Department for Transport, will help Network Rail realise its plans to build a 209m long extension of the rockfall shelter north of Parsons Tunnel between Dawlish and Holcombe.

The rockfall shelter will play a major role in helping protect trains against falling rocks along this vital stretch of railway that connects 50 towns and cities across the south

west with the rest of the country.

Parsons Tunnel was previously extended 100 years ago and Network Rail proposes to extend that further by providing a rockfall shelter in modern materials, but with open sides rather than the previous brick built enclosed tunnel extension.

Ewen Morrison, senior programme manager for Network Rail’s South West Rail Resilience

Programme, said: “We are delighted to have received the support of the government to build this important rockfall shelter which will help protect the railway in Devon for the next 100 years.

“This coastal stretch of railway is beautiful but also faces a number of vulnerabilities either side of the railway; rough sea conditions on one side can cause flooding whilst steep cliffs on the other side make

the railway at risk of rock falls and landslides.

“We’re looking forward to getting started and are excited by the engineering challenge of building such a critical structure in such an inaccessible location whilst minimising the impact on train services.”

Construction is expected to start in August with the work expected to take around a year to complete.

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Tackling Hate Crime on public transport A new Hate Crime Charter for transport has been launched in Scotland.

Transport Scotland together with Disability Equality Scotland, SEStran, People First, Police Scotland and British Transport Police have launched the charter – aimed at tackling hate crime on Scotland’s public transport network.

The purpose of the Charter is to encourage transport providers, members of the public and other services to support a zerotolerance approach to hate crime and encourage people to report incidents.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson said: “We want Scotland to have a transport network that is safe for everyone to use and this Charter will help to raise awareness of hate crime, in all its forms, and remind everyone that it will not be tolerated.”

This builds on a pilot initiative that Stagecoach, First Bus and ScotRail operated in December 2019 and January 2020. Initial results demonstrated an increased awareness amongst transport staff who felt better equipped to recognise and report hate crime that they encountered.

Alex Hynes, managing director, Scotland’s Railway said: “Everyone has the right to travel safely. Hate crime has no place in society and certainly not on Scotland’s Railway.

“It is a cowardly and disgraceful way of targeting someone on the grounds of their disability, race, religion or sexual orientation.

“ScotRail is proud to be one of the first transport providers to sign up to the Hate Crime Charter and we will do all we can to help eliminate this despicable offence.”

'There is always hope' campaign launched Young people have seen their mental health deteriorate the most since the pandemic began, according to new research from Network Rail and national mental health charity, Chasing the Stigma.

Almost three quarters of 18-24-year-olds (69%) say that Covid-19 has had a negative impact on their mental health compared to 28% of over 65s, while nearly half of Brits (48%) agreed that their mental health has taken a hit since the pandemic began.

The research was carried out as part of Network Rail’s new There is Always Hope campaign aimed at encouraging those struggling with their mental health to seek help before they reach crisis point.

According to the study, mental health symptoms have surged among all age groups over the last 12 months, with respondents reporting increases in anxiety (40%), loneliness (31%) and depression (31%).

The study of more than 2000 GB adults by research agency Yonder, reveals that the pandemic has also had a significant impact on students, with 64% claiming it has affected their mental health, along with 65% of those who identify as being LGBT+.

The rail infrastructure giant has partnered with charity, Chasing the Stigma to create a new film which portrays a young man looking distressed and withdrawn, who finds himself surrounded by positive moments of hope as he moves through a railway station.

At the end of the film, he finds himself having a moment of connection with a fellow passenger, which leads to them striking up a conversation as they embark on their journey. By showing these moments of care and connection throughout the film, the aim is to show that no matter how desperate you may feel, there are people around you who care and there is always hope.

The film ends with a call to action encouraging people to download the Hub of Hope app if they are struggling with their mental health. The Hub of Hope app is provided by Chasing the Stigma and brings together all of the mental health support available to someone in any given area, from NHS support and national charities like Mind and Samaritans to voluntary, private and third sector services.

Andrew Haines, chief executive of Network Rail said: “We have a huge responsibility to keep people safe and support the wellbeing of both our staff and

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passengers. Through this campaign, we are trying to help vulnerable people who are at risk before they even come to the rail network by signposting them towards support services through the Hub of Hope.”

There were some hopeful findings however, with three in five claiming to know where to go for mental health support in a crisis (58%), two in five people saying they have saved money as a result of the pandemic (40%), and a quarter reported having been able to spend more time with loved ones (26%). Meanwhile, half of those surveyed said they were feeling hopeful about the future due to the vaccine rollout (49%).

Additional findings from the research revealed: • One in ten have accessed mental health support during the pandemic (9%) • Social isolation has been felt by almost half of respondents (43%) • Three quarters of those who struggled before the pandemic say their mental health has got worse (75%) • More than a third (36%) of those who did not struggle with their mental health prior to the pandemic have done so since it began • A quarter said they have had more time to devote to hobbies and interests (25%) • Just under half have concerns about the economy (42%) The latest campaign forms part of the rail industry’s efforts to reduce suicides across the rail network – sadly an ongoing challenge faced by Network Rail, train operating companies and the British Transport Police. Ongoing measures are being taken to prevent such incidents from taking place, such as training thousands of industry staff and running campaigns such as Small Talk Saves Lives, which calls on people to look out for one another and intervene safely if they see someone who might need help.

There is Always Hope however, has been created with the input of suicide prevention and mental health experts to signpost those at risk of suicide towards support services much earlier on in their mental health journey, before the idea of ending their life on the railway becomes a conscious thought.

Anyone struggling with their mental health can download the Hub of Hope app or visit www. hubofhope.co.uk

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Colourful community art brightens up Bristol

Five local artists and artist groups have successfully covered up graffiti with a range of new vibrant artwork at Fox Park viaduct in Easton, Bristol.

Network Rail and Severnside Community Rail Partnership jointly commissioned the five fabulous pieces of artwork which were created by Peace of Art, Silent Hobo, Graft, Anna Higgie, Dave Bain and Zoe Power.

The painting has taken two weeks to complete and aims to improve the overall look and feel of the area by making it a more pleasant environment for local communities and passers-by.

Each piece of art has been focused around a different theme, including promoting sustainable travel, bringing communities together and providing communities with a voice.

Steve Melanophy, Network Rail’s community safety manager, said: “It feels fantastic being able to see this art scheme completed from start to finish. The local artists have made a huge difference to the local area and the brightly coloured artwork reflects the true style of Easton and the wider Bristol community.

“We want Bristol’s railway infrastructure to be a clean and welcoming environment for passengers and local residents living alongside the railway. We hope that art schemes like this will encourage people to look after the infrastructure for generations to come.”

This is the latest example of a wider Network Rail initiative known as Project Sprint, that involves tackling graffiti hot spots on the railway across the south west, ensuring the condition and appearance of the railway is graffiti-free and well maintained.

Hull Trains returns with live tracker Hull Trains has introduced new technology which publishes the level of passengers onboard in real time, to help make socialdistanced travelling easier when services resume.

This innovation allows passengers to check how busy the train is on the Hull Trains website or app, thanks to official data supplied by onboard managers.

It has been developed by First Rail, part of FirstGroup the parent company of Hull Trains, to help manage social distancing and is part of the preparations to welcome passengers back onboard Paragon trains.

Louise Cheeseman, managing director for Hull Trains (pictured), said the tool can give people confidence when travelling by train as the country starts to ease out of lockdown.

“It’s important that passengers feel that they can travel confidently with us. The Live Train Tracker will help people to make more informed decisions about travelling by train while we steadily reintroduce services and build the business back up.”

People will see how busy the trains are in real time through a simple, red, amber and green code. It also shows locations of toilets and priority seating to limit people walking through carriages.

Louise added: “This is one of several measures we have put in place to keep people

safe onboard, our seats are clearly labelled with spaced out seating and we have a dedicated cleaner on every journey. We are currently limiting the number of tickets available to maintain social distancing and this technology will make it easier for people to decide which carriage to sit in.”

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INTERVIEWS

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2021

A NEW BEGINNING

NETWORK CERTIFICATION IN A POST-BREXIT UK

MALCOLM DOBELL SITS DOWN WITH CRAIG YOUNG, NCB'S HEAD OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TO SEE HOW NCB HAS FLOURISHED AND ITS PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

N

etwork Certification Body Ltd (NCB) is an Assessment Body accredited by UKAS that provides independent assurance to rail projects and the regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.

Its role is to certify that legally mandated requirements have been complied with and that suitable & sufficient safety analyses have been performed with the resulting actions completed.

In RailStaff April 2019, Sam Brunker, managing director, and in March 2020, Tim Dugher, retiring chair, both talked about the development of NCB since it was set up as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Network Rail in 2012.

It is timely to revisit the company and understand what has had to change as a result of COVID-19 and Brexit. In March 2021 RailStaff talked to Craig Young, NCB’s Head of Business Development about how NCB has flourished during all this change and its plans for the coming years.

NCB’s certification and assessment team specialise in all forms of rail infrastructure (structures, track, telecommunications, command and control) and they currently have just over 60 people on the payroll with a turnover heading towards £7m/pa. In addition, during the last The East West Rail Link Winslow Station illustration.

two years, NCB has created a Specialist Services function, bringing together its non-infrastructure capability (including plant, freight and rolling stock) with other technical services.

As might be expected, most of their work is for Network Rail but they are also increasing third party funded portfolio as UK railway devolves funding. One example is NCB’s partnership with Certifer where they are working on HS2 (NCB in the lead) and Rail Baltica (Certifer in the lead).

Craig highlighted the latter as one of their key recent wins.

Rail Baltica is the largest Baltic-region infrastructure project in the last 100 years, a greenfield rail transport infrastructure project aiming to integrate the Baltic States in the European rail network. The project is being implemented by Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania but includes five European Union countries – Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and indirectly also Finland. It will connect Tallinn, Pärnu, Riga, Panevežys, Kaunas, Vilnius and Warsaw and, eventually Helsinki. It is one of the EU’s priority transport projects. Other projects include:

The East West Rail scheme

Re-establishing a rail link between Cambridge and Oxford to improve connections between East Anglia and central, southern and western England. NCB has been awarded a contract to deliver an assessment of the compatibility of the infrastructure with the rolling stock and also have been awarded AsBo, ApBo and DeBo contracts. This work is for phase 2 which will provide the first direct rail link in more than 50 years between Oxford and Bletchley/Milton Keynes/Bedford.

The Midland Main Line Upgrade programme

A £2bn infrastructure investment, that includes the electrification from London to Corby, Market Harborough line speed and station improvement and Derby station re-modelling. NCB’s new contract is for ApBo/DeBo/AsBo service for Key Output 1A which is the start of the work to extend the electrification north from Kettering/Corby.

The Victoria Area Re-signalling Programme

A major four-year package of upgrades to modernise 1980s track and signalling on the lines into London Victoria station. The upgrades will improve the reliability on the network. Again, NCB will provide ApBo/DeBo, AsBo services.

COVID-19 Craig turned to challenges that NCB has faced and is likely to face.

The immediate challenge has been and is likely to continue to be responding the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that there were difficult RAILSTAFF.CO.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2021

The Victoria Area Re-signalling Programme. times in March/April 2020 when NCB, like most other organisations, had to manage with its workforce operating from their homes – as Craig put it “from 95% office work to 95% home working”.

He paid tribute to the team who have kept safe whilst delivering high levels of service with great flexibility, although, at first, there were some IT challenges. Through credit to Network Rail’s IT teams who rapidly improved the remote working capability whilst NCB’s staff worked through how their process could be adapted to virtual, rather than face-to-face, meetings and assessments.

One of the features of assessment work is the need to inspect works or witness tests, and Craig said that the teams had made great use of video where project personnel carried out their work whilst recording on video to demonstrate the conformance of the works to the assessors. Remote working has led to the development of risk-based and other flexible techniques and Craig was sure that some sort of blended office/home working will be a feature of work for the future.

BREXIT

The panel explains how the assessment and authorisation process has changed with Brexit. Craig suggested that these changes are just the start and he can foresee that there will be further changes. For example with the introduction of “project SPEED” and of PACE, organisations could be given the responsibility to self certify compliance with NTSNs or perhaps NTSNs might be merged with RGSs. As part of a strategic review, NCB decided that they needed to diversify and are therefore developing new products. They are also taking the opportunity to work with clients to make the assessment process more efficient and to add more value to projects.

COMPATIBILITY ASSESSMENTS NCB has developed a new product to deliver compatibility assessments to demonstrate that new or altered infrastructure is compatible with the existing railway and the rolling stock that runs or could be required to run on the route. It is the opposite side of the interface to the assessment that projects have to do to

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demonstrate that new trains, trains new to the route or enhancements of existing trains fit the existing environments.

Craig emphasised that NCB can complete this work and maintain its independence as long as the engineer has no involvement in the assessment of the project.

This and other diversified services will make NCB less reliant on traditional assessment work although Craig thought that assessment would remain the lion’s share of the work for the foreseeable future. This type of work also gives the NCB engineers more variety helping them to “keep their skills finely honed” as Craig put it.

PROGRESSIVE ASSURANCE METHODOLOGY When the current Interoperability certification/ authorisation process started in circa 2012, many projects saw it as an unwelcome bolt-on at the end of the project that consumed money and time, and even worse sometimes identified non-compliances that were expensive to fix.

It is a truism that it is easier to fix a noncompliance at the requirement or design stage than during or after construction.

NCB has been working with its Network Rail clients to develop ways of providing progressive assurance, and being engaged early, ideally at GRIP 2 stage (feasibility) is an important enabler. The idea is that any issues of conformance can be flagged as early as possible and not at the end.

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INTERVIEWS

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2021

Clearly certification can come only at the end, but with progressive assurance, there can be a stock take at each GRIP/ PACE (see panel right) stage or step on the project V cycle. NCB aim to develop a relationship with the client based on shared objectives whilst recognising the independent role of the assessment body.

NCB has also been working on riskbased assessments and findings that are clearly communicated. Findings are classified as major, minor or observation and each will be explained; i.e. the reason for the finding and the reason for the classification. The first should be rectified immediately, the second before close out and observations should be taken on board. The benefit will be that issues can be resolved early and will thus generally involve less time and cost.

SOFTWARE Finally, the conversation turned to software. More and more software is used in safety functions on the railway and there has been much concern expressed by regulators and investigators about how the safety of software can be assured and certified.

There is also the issue of cybersecurity.

Craig said that NCB is growing its skills in both software and cybersecurity and has also noted that their recently appointed non-executive director has a special interest in this topic; Professor George Bearfield.

COVID has provided many companies with significant challenges over the last year, and the most successful organisations have faced and embraced the challenges, have continued to grow, and will come out of the pandemic even stronger than when they started. Craig was absolutely confident that NCB will be one of them.

What does a Certification Body do?

The role of a Certification body was described in the March 2020 RailStaff article. What follows is their role in a post-Brexit world. Although it appears that it is a case of “plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose”, there are a lot of details to trip up the unwary.

Legislation to adopt EU law that UK wishes to continue to comply with has been adopted in UK law and since January 2021, the Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations are once again the top level safety regulations covering railways safety management and includes authorisation and certifications, driver licencing, vehicle registration, Entities in Charge of Maintenance and the Common Safety Methods.

The Railways (Interoperability) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations have mandated that technical requirements that were contained in Technical Specifications for Interoperability will now be in National Technical Specification Notices (NTSN) with requirements unchanged for now, with the specific UK cases and other UK requirements in National Technical Rules (Railway Group Standards).

What is unchanged is that the essential requirements: conditions relating to safety; reliability and availability; health; environmental protection; technical compatibility and accessibility are contained in the NTSNs and currently they are unchanged from the former TSIs. As before, all this applies to all elements of GB’s main line railway (approximately but not exclusively Network Rail Infrastructure and trains that run on it; different rules apply in Northern Ireland, metros, tramways and heritage railways).

The legislation applies to significant new projects or significant alterations to existing assets/systems.

Significant projects/alterations must continue to be authorised by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), following the submission of a Technical File demonstrating that the essential requirements have been complied with. This demonstration has to be certified, and this is the role of certification bodies.

Prior to January 2021 Notified Bodies (NoBo) certified that TSIs had been complied with, Designated Bodies (DeBo) certified that Notified National Technical Rules had been complied with, and Assessment Bodies (AsBo) certified that safety management had been appropriately carried out in compliance with the EU’s Common Safety Method and that hazards/risks, have been appropriately identified, assessed, managed, closed and/or transferred. All three tasks continue to be carried out, but Notified Bodies are now known as Approved Bodies.

Approved Bodies (ApBo – the new acronym), DeBos and AsBos continue to be accredited by UKAS, the UK’s National Accreditation Service, and be approved by the DfT. There is no longer a requirement to notify them to the EU and they cannot work on NoBo, DeBo or AsBo work in the EU unless they either partner with a Certification Body based in Europe or set up a subsidiary based in Europe and seek EU accreditation.

Network Certification Body carries out all these functions and is also a Certifier of Entities in Charge of Maintenance – an activity required under legislation adopted by UK for freight vehicle maintenance.

What is Project Speed?

Project Speed is part of a government strategy to rebuild Britain and fuel economic recovery by accelerating investment in core infrastructure across all sectors, including health, education, town centres, energy, flood defences, waste, roads – and rail. It is led by the Treasury, with the aim of cutting the delivery time and cost of projects.

What is PACE?

GRIP (Governance for Railway Investment Projects), in use by Network Rail for the last 10 years, is being evolved into PACE (Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment). In the words of Toby Elliott, Network Rail Head of Communications, “PACE is designed to deliver projects more quickly, at lower cost and higher quality. PACE will start to be rolled out from the beginning of next year, but there will be many projects still going through the GRIP steps as it will take time to get the new PACE process right.”

For a full explantion of GRIP see www.railengineer.co.uk/grip The principles of managing though stage gates does not change but there is a huge emphasis on leadership, attitude and competence supported by the PACE process rather than pedantic, slow and expensive adherence to process which was the point made by GRIP’s critics.

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net.cert.uk

We don’t just tick boxes.

We protect reputations.

We’re your Network Certification Body (NCB), the certification partner of choice for many in the rail industry.

It’s our job to assess, assure and certify infrastructure and vehicles on Britain’s railway. But we do more than tick boxes. Working together, we’ll offer insights into the future of rail infrastructure standards, helping you minimise compliance risk, and maximise your savings.

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01908 784 002 ncbenquiries@networkrail.co.uk

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TRACK SAFETY

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2021

REPORT BY COLIN WHEELER

WHITE ZONE WORKING IS NEEDED TO CHANGE

OUR RAIL SAFETY CULTURE 30 YEAR OLD TRACK PATROLLER FATALLY INJURED NEAR SURBITON AND RAIB PUBLISH REPORT ON FATAL ACCIDENT TO VISION IMPAIRED PASSENGER AT EDEN PARK STATION

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here was a euphoria about the pandemic vaccinations which has affected us all until I heard about the fatal accident to a young man working as a track patroller near Surbiton on February 9th.

Equally distressing is the saga that led to the accidental death of a vision impaired intended traveller who fell onto the track at Eden Park Station over a year ago on February 26th 2020 as his train entered the station.

Lessons learnt involve the inconsistent and confusing use or nonuse of tactile strips on platforms and the reasons for the twelve-minute delay in rendering assistance to a traveller who died at the scene. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) report is thorough, and its recommendations are far reaching.

Track patroller fatality near Surbiton

Tragically I must begin by expressing my sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of track patroller Tyler Byrne from Aldershot who at around 1135 on the morning of February 9th was struck and fatally injured by a passenger train near Surbiton Station in south west London. The Waterloo to Salisbury train involved was travelling at 76 mph on the down fast line.

The RAIB investigation is underway. Their news story says he was one of four track workers undertaking a regular planned inspection of switches and crossings whilst the lines were open to traffic “with arrangements in place to protect staff from train movements”.

Network Rail’s Safety Central website says that a cyclic weekly inspection was being undertaken with the patroller working with three

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others acting as site lookout, distant lookout and patrollers assistant respectively. The team were experienced and familiar with the location. The up to down fast crossover was being inspected at the time of the accident. On Network Rail’s website a number of points to consider are listed including, “What arrangements could you use to avoid unassisted lookout working?”

Safety Culture and “White Zone Working”

Over a year ago in response to the fatal accident at Margam Port Talbot a 100-person strong task force was set up by Network Rail to improve the safety of track workers. Four key elements have been identified.

• Risk based maintenance, technology to protect people.

• Consistent use of track circuit operating devices and other

Colin Wheeler.

protections.

• Signaller workload and the use of line blockages.

• Safety culture.

Network Rail’s Chief Executive Andrew Haines described safety culture as “the big nut to crack”.

Not only is it big, but I suggest it is by far the most important of them all!

In Railstaff July/August last year I emphasised my support for “White Zone Working” as advocated by Simon French of the RAIB. He highlighted the fact that the French and other European railways, as well as Docklands, London Underground and others all benefit from the timetabling of White Periods with no trains running so that inspections and maintenance works may be carried out more safely in off peak daylight hours.

RAIB’s annual report last year noted that “since 2005 there had been 45 incidents involving track workers, 8 resulted in fatalities, and 12 in injuries.

Between 2005 and 2019 a total of 44 investigations by RAIB involved trackworkers”. I question the need for any regular track inspections being carried out whilst trains are running.

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2021

TRACK SAFETY

35

E!

driver made an emergency call to the signaller asking for the traction current to be switched off and emergency services to be called.

Another passenger called 999 whilst talking to the passenger underneath the train.

On arrival emergency services were unable to determine whether the third rail traction power supply had been turned off until a member of Network Rail staff arrived at the scene! This resulted in a 12-minute delay between ambulance staff arriving on site and being able to access the track and provide medical care!

Passenger fatality at Eden Park Station

On February 19th RAIB released their report 01/2021 following their investigation of the fatal accident to a 53-year-old vision impaired man that occurred on Wednesday 26th February last year. The man entered Eden Park Station 14 minutes before the accident and used the subway and stairs to access the platform.

The station is on the third rail electrified 750-volt DC Mid Kent line and is leased from Network Rail by the Southeastern Railway.

The train involved was the 1900 Hayes to Charing Cross, an EMU service made up of 10 cars including but both Class 465 and 466 units. The forward-facing CCTV with which they were fitted was not working at the time of the accident!

When the arrival of the train was announced the intended passenger moved

towards the edge of the platform and walked along, falling onto the track as the train driver sounded his warning horn as he arrived at the platform.

Incomplete tactile surfaces and 12 minutes delay

The published report reviews the use of tactile surfaces, research both here and in the USA and the advice of the Royal National Institute for Blind People. Network Rail’s standard requires the installation of tactile surfaces when there is a “reasonable opportunity” but no work had been done to match this in the 20-years before the accident. A survey of Kent and Sussex route stations in 2019 identified 145 with tactile surfaces that were not installed over the full length of the platforms.

Immediately after the accident the train

Poor standard of communications

RAIB’s review of voice recordings revealed “a poor standard of safety critical communications throughout which contributed to the uncertainty about the status of the electrical power during the response to the accident”.

Eden Park has now been fitted with platform markings to assist visually impaired people including tactile surfaces and Network Rail Southern Region have funded the installation of tactile surfaces throughout their Kent and Sussex routes. These are scheduled for completion by April 2022.

RAIB recommendations

Department for Transport and Network Rail in consultation with others are to create a coherent policy and associated process for establishing when tactile surfaces should be provided at the edge of platforms.

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TRACK SAFETY

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2021

Near misses at User Worked Crossing (UWC) in Norfolk On February 17th RAIB announced its investigation into a near miss at Coltishall User Worked Crossing that occurred at around 1721 on January 21st when a passenger train narrowly avoided colliding with two cars. Coltishall, a public road crossing, had “higher than normal levels of road traffic due to the temporary closure of a nearby main road”.

Closed circuit television recordings showed the first car clear of the crossing just three seconds before the train passed with a following car approaching from the same direction stopping clear of the crossing as the train approached. There were no injuries or damage.

Coltishall crossing has telephones which users are directed to use with signage directing them to obtain permission from the signaller before crossing. However, the RAIB news story says “RAIB has been unable to find any evidence that a request was made by the drivers of the cars involved in this incident”.

It will consider how the crossing was being managed by Network Rail, including how risks associated with a user worked crossing on a public road were assessed and mitigated. It will also consider the presence of user worked crossings on public roads more generally and any other relevant underlying issues.

White Zone working now!

They are also to develop and progress a time bound programme to install tactile surfaces where justified by safety benefits and the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) assisted by the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) and others are to research and develop means of reducing risk where tactile surfaces have not been installed.

Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is to amend its “Accessible Travel Policy” to ensure the publication of information detailing which stations are fitted with tactile surfaces. The RSSB is also is to develop ways of managing data so that the safety risks to disabled people travelling are managed. The sixth and final recommendation requires BT Police, Fire, Ambulance and Network Rail to review and improve their processes for requesting and confirming that no trains are moving and electrical power supplies are switched off when Network Rail are not on site.

Simon French, Chief Inspector of Rail Accidents said “This tragic accident resulted in the death of someone who had impaired vision and mobility, and relied on the railway to transport him safely. My thoughts are with his family, and others who knew and were close to him, as we publish our investigation report. Our investigation concluded that the absence of a tactile strip along the platform edge may have been a factor in this accident. These strips are used to provide visually impaired passengers with an indication that they are approaching the platform edge. Eden Park is far from unique: around half of all mainline stations in the UK are also not equipped with this valuable aid to the visually impaired.

Our investigation found that government and the railway industry have policies in place to make rail travel more accessible for people with disabilities. However, there appears to have been no coherent strategy for the provision of tactile strips, despite their obvious importance to visually impaired people who value the opportunity to travel independently, without reliance on staff.

Although RAIB recognises that the immediate provision of tactile strips across the network would be very expensive, there is a need to develop a new policy to guide decision makers. This would inform the development of a programme for installation of tactile strips, particularly at places where the risk is likely to be higher, such as busy unstaffed stations. It cannot always make sense simply to wait until platforms are refurbished to install the strips.

While accessibility has rightly been promoted in recent years, it is important that safety is properly considered when the industry is looking at the arrangements and facilities that they provide for disabled or impaired passengers. The well-established principle that additional measures should be provided to protect rail passengers, where reasonably practicable to do so, applies to all. It is for this reason that we are urging a re-think on the approach to provision of tactile strips to ensure that they are installed where most needed.”

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I suggest that now is the right time for the rail industry to take stock and review its working practices and adopt the RAIB proposal that White Zone working should be mandated for all planned inspection and maintenance work. Due to the pandemic fewer trains are running and it seems likely that the return to morning and evening peaks will be slow and involve fewer travellers than before the first lockdown.

Arguably a mixture of working from home and office working will become the norm with businesses reducing their costs by paying for less office space. I have little doubt that White Zone planned working will not only save lives but also contribute to “cracking the nut” by changing railway safety culture.

THI THIS IS WHAT WHAT A ASSURANCE ASSURANC LOOKS LOO LIKE

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Designed with industry involvement, it gives members a clear sight of what good looks like. So you know exactly how to reach, maintain and access industry-agreed levels of quality and safety – while saving money and time.

See how our new, smarter platform and enhanced audit services could help your business. Visit risqs.org today.

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COMPANY FOCUS

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2021

IS ANYONE

REALLY LISTENING? YOU CAN SHARE YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE WHO CAN TAKE ACTION, WITHOUT HAVING TO REVEAL YOUR IDENTITY.

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hink of a time you decided to keep your mouth shut.

Perhaps you kept quiet to maintain harmony at home, because the conversation had already gone on too long, because the boss was there, or the people you were with seemed more interested in hearing their own voices.

Multiply that by everyone in your organisation and you can understand that there are many occasions when ideas, feedback, concerns or suggestions go unspoken and unresolved.

It is not surprising that you might not speak up if you think that what you have to say will be ignored. People usually need to feel that their concerns or ideas will be listened to and acted upon – making any perceived personal risks to speaking up worthwhile.

Teams that are ‘psychologically safe’ – where speaking up about concerns and learning from mistakes are encouraged and even welcomed – are especially important in safety-critical industries such as rail.

Unsafe team environments – where people are reprimanded for mistakes and there is no space for discussion, understanding and lessons learned – are likely to put people off raising concerns. That means any issues or mistakes will continue to happen again and again, putting people at risk.

Companies are only really listening to their employees when everyone feels able to speak out about health, wellbeing and safety, however they choose to do this. If you have a concern, you might speak out in an open forum, choose a quiet word with a supervisor, or stay silent.

There are many powerful reasons why you might not want to raise concerns unless your identity is protected – from past experiences to fear of the reaction. This is where the CIRAS confidential reporting service can play a part: your confidentiality is guaranteed.

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A listening ear needs more than an open door. A psychologically safe environment also means respecting that everyone is different and that how people prefer to speak up reflects this.

TACKLING WORKPLACE ABUSE Consider the issue of workplace abuse.

Sadly, the number of abusive incidents on the railway has not decreased in line with fewer passengers travelling. Transport workers are on the frontline for frustrated travellers when journeys don’t go to plan, or rules are in place that they disagree with, and this can translate into verbal and physical abuse.

People who have called CIRAS confidentially over the last three years to raise abuse-related concerns have on average put up with the situation for over a year, often longer. The vast majority explained they didn’t think reporting internally would make a difference – either they had tried and nothing changed, or they had lost faith in trying.

Others said the company culture had kept them quiet.

CIRAS has heard from people who have been or are fearful of being abused because of inadequacies in security arrangements, staff numbers, crowd-control planning, lone working or use of technology. Once alerted, companies investigated and acted where appropriate to protect their staff. Managers did listen, but they only had the chance because CIRAS enabled these workers to speak out with confidence.

Most organisations want their people to come forward when they are suffering from abuse at work – and that is encouraged. But CIRAS is there if the alternative for you is to keep quiet and continue to suffer.

DIVERSE VOICES CIRAS has noticed that people reporting abuse tend to be younger than those reporting other issues. The rail industry is full of individuals from a variety of backgrounds

This is Fred

Confidential Reporting for Safety

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2021

and with a unique range of experiences, so priorities and concerns also vary from one person to the next.

We might all identify different hazards or perceive different potential outcomes from an unresolved issue. Some concerns might affect a group of employees – such as young workers – more than others. If businesses can’t hear from all staff, they may be missing out on the need for change. It’s important for everyone to be able to speak up.

It can be daunting for anyone to raise a concern or idea. Even more so if you already feel ‘different’ in your team because of something integral to who you are – and are perhaps singled out for it. You might feel, rightly or wrongly, that speaking up could emphasise this

COMPANY FOCUS

39

and even impact work relationships. But a range of perspectives can highlight opportunities and improvements.

If your managers are only hearing some voices and not others, either because some speak up more than others or because some are listened to more than others, workplaces are less safe. By reporting confidentially, the focus can only be on the safety concern rather than who raised it, overcoming any unconscious bias.

Questioning assumptions or traditional ways of working is often necessary for a safer, healthier workplace. Including everyone’s perspective is important. If you have a concern, remember that your voice matters and needs to be heard, however you prefer to speak up.

Confidential Reporting for Safety This is Samar Samar works on a client site Samar feels unsafe, but fears speaking up might cost him his job Samar spoke to CIRAS and safety has improved Samar feels much safer now Be like Samar The name we’ve used is fictional. We share your concern so the company can address it. You will not be identified.

Work environment

Rules & procedures

Fatigue

Welfare facilities

Equipment

Shift design

Safety practices

Training & competence

www.ciras.org.uk Report hotline: 0800 4 101 101 Be like... adverts for Rail Media (190mm x 130 mm half page).indd 7

Report textline: 07507 285 887

Freepost: CIRAS

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40

FEATURE

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2021

MPS RAISE CONCERNS OVER HIGHWAYS ENGLAND'S

© David Woolfall

'ASSAULT' ON LEGACY Huw Merriman MP.

The House of Commons Transport Committee has intervened in a row over Highways England’s intention of infilling or demolishing hundreds of disused railway structures, many of which have the potential to play roles in future sustainable transport schemes.

The state-owned roads company manages the Historical Railways Estate (HRE) of 3,200 legacy bridges, viaducts and tunnels on the Department for Transport’s behalf. In January,

it was revealed that 134 structures are going to be put beyond use over the next five years, with the possibility of 480 more to follow.

According to The HRE Group - an alliance of engineers, cycling campaigners and greenway developers - around one third of the bridges earmarked for infilling are already proposed for reuse as part of reopened railways, heritage line extensions or new active travel routes, or have identified potential to do so in the future. The Group says this “takes a wrecking ball” to Government policies encouraging more of us to walk and cycle.

Five members of the Transport Committee met a representative of The HRE Group last month and a letter has since been sent to Baroness Vere, the Minister for Roads, Buses and Places, and Nick Harris, Acting Chief Executive of Highways England, urging them both to view the structures as “assets to be preserved, repurposed for public benefit and enjoyed.”

The Committee makes clear that the Estate is not only part of our national heritage, but includes many assets with © The HRE Group

demonstrable public value. It says that the formal agreement under which Highways England manages the structures should be amended to reflect their cultural and strategic importance.

Chair Huw Merriman MP voices the Committee’s concern at the likely impact of the proposed infilling and demolition programme on future rail and greenway projects. He also challenges the use of Permitted Development powers which, in many cases, Highways England is invoking to progress work on structures that are effectively safeguarded from adverse development through policies adopted by local councils.

“The future of these historic bridges, viaducts and tunnels should be determined by an open, transparent and democratic process”, says Mr Merriman. “Highways England should assess both the safety and value of these structures and, in non-urgent cases, apply to local authorities for planning permission, if it wishes to demolish or infill them.”

He goes on, “we understand the average cost of infilling is around £145,000 per bridge, whereas the costs of strengthening to increase the capacity of historic bridges can be much lower, at £20,000 to £40,000 per bridge. We would like to know why it is better use of public money to infill, rather than strengthen, the bridges affected by the programme.”

The Committee notes that Highways England has objected to planning applications for new walking and cycling routes that are proposed to pass beneath HRE structures and has fenced-off parts of the Estate to which the public previously had access. Highways England and the DfT are asked to set out what steps they are taking to facilitate and encourage access to as much of the Estate as possible.

(Left) Contractors progress the partial infilling of a bridge on the Penrith-Keswick line which is proposed for reopening, but the archway is not big enough to accommodate trains.

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RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2021

FEATURE

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Y RAIL STRUCTURES © The HRE Group

(Right) A masonry bridge next to the delightful former station at Staward, Northumberland, is earmarked for infilling.

without engineering justification or any prior appraisal as to the impacts of their actions.

“At a time when the value of fresh air and green space has never been clearer, it is unsustainable for the Government to allow vandalism of this kind if it expects us to take seriously its stated commitment to driving an active travel revolution.”

A petition against Highways England’s plans, launched by The HRE Group, has so far been signed by more than 12,300 people.

(Below) Highways England intends to infill this bridge in Cumbria, blocking a proposed link between the heritage railways at Kirkby Stephen and Warcop.

© The HRE Group

Graeme Bickerdike, a member of The HRE Group, said: “We welcome the Transport Committee’s scrutiny of the approach being taken by Highways England in managing the Historical Railways Estate. Supported by the DfT, the company is guilty of an assault on our great railway heritage and democratic process, pulling the rug from under those who are trying to build a better future for their communities.

“In Herefordshire, Northumberland, East Renfrewshire and elsewhere, proposals for new active travel routes are now in doubt because Highways England is recklessly pursuing infilling and demolition schemes

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42

FEATURE

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2021

ALL ABOARD THE

MILLION HOUR CHALLENGE

THIS SPRING MARKS THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE MILLION HOUR CHALLENGE, ENCOURAGING RAIL STAFF TO COME TOGETHER AND DONATE THEIR TIME AND SUPPORT TO SAMARITANS AND IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING.

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he challenges that people face up and down the country have been felt even more acutely over the last year, given the profound impact of the pandemic on the nation’s mental health.

Research from Samaritans reveals over a fifth of calls for help to the charity have been related to coronavirus in the past year, although volunteers indicate that the pandemic has affected all callers in some way. This includes the knock-on effects of the pandemic such as social isolation, relationship breakdown, loss of income and other financial worries.

“At Samaritans, listening to our helpline callers, we know that the pandemic has had a huge impact on people’s mental health and has magnified many worries they might have faced before, such as finances or loneliness. As we start to look beyond lockdown, the long-term impact is concerning with pressures likely to continue for some time” says Julie Bentley, Samaritans’ CEO. “That’s why we’re so grateful for the rail industry’s support and commitment to Samaritans, to not only help the charity to be there for everyone who needs us, but also in recognising the need to look after the industry’s own wellbeing right now too.”

After a challenging year for so many, Samaritans is calling on rail industry staff to take part in the Million Hour Challenge.

This volunteering initiative builds on Network Rail and the rail industry’s partnership with Samaritans to reduce the number of suicides on the railway and support those affected by them.

“The Million Hour Challenge is a great opportunity for the rail industry to make a real difference to those who may be

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CASE STUDY

ALAN DURHAM, NETWORK RAIL

struggling to cope. The past year has seen so many people pushed to their limits, that’s why we want to get out and help, so please get involved!” is the rallying cry from Andrew Haines, chief executive of Network Rail.

There are several ways staff can get involved, simply by signing up to the Challenge’s website and logging their chosen activity hours contributing to the ambitious one million target. Volunteering options include: • Organising or taking part in fundraising activities – such as Samarathon, a challenge to run, jog or walk a marathon within a month • Organising awareness events or workplace tea events including Brew Monday to support staff’s mental health and wellbeing • Sharing and raising awareness of Samaritans’ services on social media • Online training including Samaritans’ ‘Wellbeing in the Workplace’ and ‘Managing Suicidal Contacts’ course • Possible volunteering opportunities with local branches - including training to become a listening volunteer or admin and support roles

GIVING BACK Research shows that volunteering and the power of giving back and helping others also has benefits to improving mental health and wellbeing.

In a survey of Network Rail employees who have used their volunteer leave days to volunteer for a charity, over three quarters of respondents said the main reason they decided to volunteer was to benefit the community and a third said to improve their health and wellbeing.

Ian Prosser, HM Chief Inspector of Railways, ORR said “I’ve seen and felt the impact of suicide on a personal level and understand the importance of the work the Samaritans does. We launched the Million Hour Challenge to support the industry’s long-standing partnership with the charity, whose care and support is vital. Over the last few years, this has benefitted the health and wellbeing of our staff by volunteering their time to undertake training, fundraising or listening and help Samaritans with increasing demand for their services.”

The Million Hour Challenge is open to the entire rail industry and to date 30 rail partner organisations have pledged their support with an opportunity for around 165,000 of their staff to support Samaritans’ efforts.

FIND OUT MORE AND SIGN UP TO BEGIN LOGGING HOURS AT WWW.MILLIONHOURCHALLENGE.COM

There are several ways volunteers can get involved and log hours for the Million Hour Challenge. Here, Network Rail’s Alan Durham shares his volunteering experiences with Samaritans…

Working for the rail industry, suicide prevention and looking out for passengers is a big part of the job and in 2011 I took part in Samaritans ‘Managing Suicidal Contact’s training. This inspired me to become a Samaritans listening volunteer. I’ve always enjoyed helping people and I thought ‘I might not be able to save the world but if I can save one person’s world, that’s something’.

The support I had when learning from other volunteers and the training team at Samaritans was absolutely brilliant.

Volunteering has definitely changed my outlook on life and other people. I’ve learnt to become a better listener and most of all have empathy for those around me, including my friends, family and colleagues, which has helped me at work and in my social life too.

I’ve recently taken a break from my listening volunteer role but have continued to support my local branch as the Network Rail representative and coordinator for engagement and partnership events, and continued fundraising for the charity through sponsored cycling challenges. During the pandemic, I joined in with Samarathon and cycled 500 miles in the month of July raising money for the charity. Cycling has not only been great for me physically, as I’ve lost six stone since I started, but also a great mental benefit too.

Although our activities have been limited this year due to the pandemic, we’ve still found ways to support Samaritans and look after our own mental health too. I organised a virtual Brew Monday event for my Network Rail team in January where we all talked about how we were feeling, which we’ve made a regular check in now. It’s brilliant that we’re all talking and caring for each other, which is so important right now.

I am immensely proud to say that I have been a Samaritans volunteer and my wife and family are really proud of me too.

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RIBBLEHEAD VIADUCT

REPAIRS COMPLETE ICONIC STRUCTURE BENEFITS FROM SENSITIVE REMEDIAL WORKS OVER HARSH WINTER

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© Forgotten Relics

S

ince November 2020, 100ft high scaffolding towers have moved across seven of the viaduct’s 24 arches to carry out masonry, drainage and repainting work.

The £2.1m investment as part of the Great North Rail Project will secure the Grade II* listed structure's future as both an historic landmark and vital railway link on the SettleCarlisle railway line.

Philippa Britton, principal programme sponsor for Network Rail, said: “The teams have worked throughout a harsh winter to restore this hugely important and impressive piece of Victorian engineering for the future and I’m hugely proud of the work we’ve carried out as part of the Great North Rail Project.

“We’ve worked incredibly closely with heritage experts and conservationists to make sure the repairs were sympathetic to

the historic structure but would also last the test of time. Now these once in a generation repairs are complete we hope you won’t see scaffolding on this scale at Ribblehead again for many years to come.”

The improvements have been completed in time for easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions this spring ready for an expected ‘Staycation Summer’. Bumper visitor numbers are expected for the Yorkshire Dales National Park, with the Ribblehead viaduct being one of its star attractions.

The much-loved Ribblehead viaduct is not only one of the country’s most recognisable railway structures, it’s also an important transport corridor for local people, tourists and freight. It carries the Settle to Carlisle railway 400 metres across the Ribble valley.

Mark Rand, vice-president of the Friends of the Settle to Carlisle line, said: "This has been another chapter in the history of the amazing Ribblehead viaduct. Thirty years ago it was declared to be 'life-expired' and in

need of replacement or the entire line would have to close. Happily, neither of those things happened. All credit to Network Rail and their contractors who have done this work through a bitter Ribblehead winter.

The viaduct stands proud and strong, a monumental tribute to those who lived, and died, to build it."

During this project, the latest laser and drone survey technology mapped every inch of the Grade II* listed viaduct for the first time, giving a detailed record of its condition so it can be closely monitored in future.

During the works, further minor faults were found and planning applications were granted so the repairs could be completed as part of the same project. With experts already in place this has saved a huge amount of taxpayers’ money – preventing Network Rail from having to come back and erect scaffolding all over again in the near future.

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YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS

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S L A N IO S S E F O R P L YOUNG RAI Y AND IT O P P O RT U N PROGRESS

NEWLY R IS DETER DIVERSE

George Chilcott.

I

’m delighted to be writing as the newly re-elected Chairman of Young Rail Professionals. I’m the first chair in our modest history to run twice, and looking at my day-job diary (as Sponsor for Euston Station at HS2 Ltd), I’m trying not to regret it!

Joking aside, I wanted to lead YRP for another year because post-COVID is probably the most exciting, disruptive period of rebalance and regrowth any of us will experience in our lifetime. Like many others I am daunted by change and the great unknown, but I take enormous solace in what has come before and the trajectory that our industry was following until everything ground to a halt last March.

Many of my fellow Young Rail Professionals (both those young in age and those older but fresh to the industry) will number in one of the only generations with cause to wonder if rail really will provide a “career for life”.

With uncertain and somewhat pessimistic passenger demand forecasts, dangerously high industry costs and a legacy of poor public perception of the railways, you could forgive them for worrying about their future.

However, this uncertainty can be a good thing for those less experienced in the industry.

Being new and agile allows for adaptation to change with greater ease. Operating with fewer ties in a changing industry opens opportunities to make one’s name, capitalise on career openings and accelerate through a sudden meritocracy like never before.

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During my association with YRP I have witnessed a year-on-year improvement in how the industry expects diversity and equality to be prioritised in how we operate and promote ourselves to the world. I have seen the YRP gender balance improve, greater ethnic representation on YRP committees, and this year is the first with equal male and female YRP Company Directors. There is an assumption built into every decision that we make; only fair, equal, and highly moral outcomes are acceptable.

This is a brilliant platform from which to execute change. Early career professionals treated with respect and recognised for their essential role in solving the rail skills gap will quickly become the next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs and problem solvers.

HS2 is an excellent example of the new generation of railway industry players operating under such high expectations.

Through job creation, extremely high standards of organisational equality (in February HS2 achieved Platinum Standard accreditation from Clear Assured in inclusive best practice, the only organisation in the UK to have ever achieved it) and world-leading targets for sustainability, HS2 is creating opportunities for Young Professionals to lead and enact change. The rest of the industry cannot be far behind – net-zero carbon targets and increasingly competitive tenders will drive a change in operations and approach, and the limited pool of resources will mean companies will need to exhibit the high standards of equality and morals expected by the younger workforce in order to attract and retain staff.

The change underway in rail is not limited to its workforce. Our contribution to a more carbonsustainable future will be critical for the transport of our nation,

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SIONALS S E F O R P IL A R G N U MAN OF YO RE-ELECTED CHAIR AND MORE R E G IG B A H C A E R RP TO RMINED FOR THE Y BEFORE R E V E N A H T E C N IE E AUD

the life-blood between cities and regions. Massive improvements in the accessibility of our infrastructure and services are moving the public perception of rail from an industry of the 19th to the 21st century. Those prepared to take risks to accelerate

these changes are those that will benefit most- and who are amongst those most able to take risks? Early career professionals with a strong forward look and a healthy scepticism for the conservative, safe past.

Don’t get me wrong- I love

reflecting on our past and take great strength from the incredible history on which our railway is built. I also don’t think that the status quo is automatically wrong. But, much like a strong safety policy, the right mix of established foundations and

evidence combined with an everstriving will to improve and adapt can only improve what our elders have achieved.

This year with YRP I am determined for us to reach a bigger and more diverse audience than ever before. On the track to recovery, rail is going to need a levelled-up workforce with new skills – skills which keep our technology current, our customer service at the forefront and our productivity sector-leading. I want YRP to provide the community for Young Professionals to rapidly develop and network – to learn from their peers and teach others too – to accelerate their careers and step up to the myriad challenges which face us.

Just as the pioneer railwaymen transformed a world without railways, our Young Rail Professionals must bravely take on the challenge of transforming this world for the generations of tomorrow.

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Two appointments to RSG Council

New Chair at East West Railway

The Rail Supply Group (RSG) have announced the appointment of two leading experts to its industry-wide Council, Jacqueline Starr, CEO of the Rail Delivery Group and Elaine Clark, CEO of the Rail Forum Midlands.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has appointed Nilesh (Neil) Sachdev as Chair of the East West Railway Company (EWR Co.).

Jacqueline Starr became CEO of The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) in December 2020, replacing Paul Plummer. The RDG brings together the companies that run Britain’s railway into a single team with one goal – to deliver a better railway. Jacqeline’s passion and expertise in bringing the industry together to deliver better customer experience will be central to her role with RSG. Elaine Clark is CEO of Rail Forum Midlands (RFM), a national industry association based at the centre of one of the largest clusters of rail businesses in the world. With some 250 members, RFM has been leading the Rail Sector Deal ’Midlands Pilots’ project, which is specifically designed to encourage SME growth through collaboration and schools engagement.

“The Rail Supply Group is driven by accomplished individuals who are ready to use their experience and expertise to implement positive change for the entire rail industry. I warmly welcome Jacqueline and Elaine, two such leading experts, to the RSG. Each brings their unique and much needed expertise at a pivotal time for our industry’s ambition to build back better” said Philip Hoare, Chair of the Rail Supply Group.

Mr Sachdev has been appointed for a term of three years and will oversee the delivery of the East West Rail project, which will deliver a new direct rail link between Oxford and Cambridge serving towns and cities along the Oxford-Cambridge Arc. EWR Co. was set up as an operational arms-length body in 2018 to explore new and better ways of delivering infrastructure by accelerating the pace at which projects are built whilst driving down costs to secure a better deal for customers and taxpayers.

Mr Sachdev’s appointment comes as the project enters a new phase of delivery, following the confirmation in January of £760 million in Government funding for works between Bicester and Bletchley.

Mr Sachdev brings a wealth of leadership experience at board level and strong commercial and business acumen. He is currently a non-executive director of Network Rail Property Limited and Chair of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation Board for the Ministry of Defence. He has previously held a variety of senior leadership positions in the energy, property and retail sectors.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “I’d like to welcome and congratulate Neil, who joins this project at a hugely exciting time, following an injection of £760 million to kick off a new phase in delivering the railway. East West Rail will serve as a catalyst for growth along the Oxford-Cambridge Arc by creating jobs and improving connectivity.

Two new non-executive directors at Network Rail Network Rail has appointed Ismail Amla and Stephen Duckworth OBE as nonexecutive directors to its Board, effective from 1 April 2021.

Ismail and Stephen have considerable experience in both the public and private sectors, and join the Network Rail Board having held various senior positions in Britain and abroad.

American Services business for IBM out of New York. Prior to IBM, Ismail was CEO for the consulting firm Capco in North America, and before that was a member of the leadership team for Accenture in the UK. Ismail is passionate about harnessing the power of diversity and in ensuring that technology is used as a force for good in bridging inequality.

Ismail Amla

Having lived in the USA for nearly a decade, Ismail has extensive international experience helping leading brands and disruptive startups across multiple industries, including rail infrastructure, leverage emerging technologies.

Ismail is currently the Chief Growth Officer at Capita, having previously led the North

PEOPLE MOVES

Stephen Duckworth OBE Stephen founded and ran Disability Matters Limited, a research and consultancy business with expertise in health and safety, sustainability and diversity with an emphasis on access and mobility.

Stephen sits on the Boards of several organisations and has held numerous advisory roles to Government, in addition to an extensive body of international work across various EU states, the US, China, New Zealand, Australia, India, South Africa and the Middle East. He has also been listed in the Power 100 of the most influential disabled people in Britain.

As a wheelchair user who regularly travels by train, Stephen has a keen interest in the railway and accessibility, and has previously carried out

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consultancy work with Southwest Trains and Eurostar.

Sir Peter Hendy CBE, Chair of Network Rail, said “I am pleased to welcome Ismail and Stephen, and the Board and I look forward to the important contributions they will make to the organisation in the months and years ahead.”

The Secretary of State for Transport has also consented to Network Rail re-appointing Mike Putnam and David Noyes on the Board.

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New CEO for G&W UK Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W) the owner of Freightliner and Pentalver have announced the appointment of Eddie Aston as chief executive officer of its UK / Europe Region.

Eddie joins from background DHL, where he was CEO of Global Sectors, CEO of the Global Life Sciences and Health Care Sector and held leadership positions in DHL’s supply chain solution divisions in the UK. He also served as UK, Ireland and Nordics Managing Director at Ceva Logistics and as UK Managing Director at Northgate Plc. “Eddie is a seasoned business leader with deep experience in logistics as well as business transformation,” said G&W Chief

Executive Officer Jack Hellmann.

“He is a highly energetic leader who is intensely focused on customers and will fit in well with G&W’s culture. We are excited for him to lead the next phase of G&W’s business transformation in the UK and continental Europe.”

Eddie succeeds Gary Long, who has served as UK/Europe Region CEO since 2017 and is transitioning back to the United States as planned.

On track to be a chaplain

Helen Lewis has joined Railway Mission as the Railway and British Transport Police Chaplain for South and MidWales. She joins the railway industry as an experienced chaplain, having first gained experience as an outreach worker within schools and as a chaplain with Welsh Netball; being a chaplain to both the Wales senior national squad and the Celtic Dragons Super League team.

As a chaplain Helen knows that her past experiences with poor mental health could be of benefit in understanding the issues that others might be struggling with.“It was as part of this role with Welsh Netball that I became aware of

Mental Health First Aid training,” said Helen.

Soon she trained as an instructor and set up a small training business with a vision to see at least one Mental Health First Aider in every church in Wales, which she has been working towards, training people across Wales in Mental Health First Aid. Now Helen has taken on the role of Railway Mission chaplain for three days a week, allowing her the opportunity to continue training people to be Mental Health First Aiders, while still practising the skills and knowhow she has gained over the years.

One of the biggest issues the railway industry faces is that of fatalities on the railway. On average around 270 people a year lose their lives on the network in a deliberate act with others being left with life-changing injuries. Railway Mission chaplains offer support to the rail staff involved in such incidents, and to members of the public that are also affected and referred by British Transport Police.

DON'T MISS OUT!

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Stagecoach's Rob Jones newly elected Chair at TBF Following the annual election for serving members of the Board of Trustees, Rob Jones, Managing Director Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire, has been appointed Chair of the Transport Benevolent Fund CIO. Jones has been a serving trustee for the past 10 years and picks up the baton from outgoing chair, Chris Sullivan who retired from the post.

Jones said; ‘I am extremely honoured to be asked to take on the role of Chair for the fund, and I thank my fellow trustees for their confidence in my ability to take up the position.

“My fellow Board members and I thank Chris Sullivan for his contribution during his time at the helm. He has been a great ambassador for the fund’s work and I am looking forward to continuing working together in our role reversals.

“Of course, the past 12 months have been particularly challenging

for everyone, but TBF has been operational throughout and continues to offer support to those members who find themselves in need. The fund continues to evolve and we have some exciting times ahead with the increase in the value of benefits available; streamlining of the claims process; and the introduction of a membership portal, making access to personal records so much easier for members.”

Sullivan said: “It has been a pleasure to serve as Chair of the Board of Trustees and I am extremely proud of the fund’s work, but after more than 10 years in the post I feel that it’s time to step aside and allow new blood with fresh ideas to lead the way. I will continue to serve as a Board Trustee and offer my full support to Rob in his new position.”

During the election process, Ian Wilson, Network Rail Asset Engineer (Structures), was re-elected as Vice-chair of the fund.

New PMO boss for Alstom With the recent announcement of Alstom completing the acquisition of Bombardier Transportation, there had been little delay in appointing the Head of Procurement, Supply Chain Transformation and Governance. Helen Endacott, formerly of Rolls-Royce Plc and the Environment Agency spoke of her recent appointment Litchurch Lane.

the role, one not to miss. It has been made even more exciting following the recent Alstom acquisition and I am very much looking forward to embracing the integration of organisational cultures, as well as creating world class sustainable supply chains – can’t wait to meet the new team”

Commenting on the appointment, Helen said, “Although not actively seeking opportunities at the time, following an approach from Ford & Stanley Executive Search, the Alstom opportunity at Litchurch lane to head up a PMO function sounded like an ideal fit and considering the potential in SUPPORTED BY

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way People.com

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DELIVERING QUALITY RECRUITMENT SOLUTIONS FOR THE RAIL INDUSTRY H&S ADVISOR

LEAD PLANNER Location: London Salary: £ Negotiable Type: Permanent

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Nominated Person(s) AC You will be responsible for taking isolations to NWR standards, be able to read OHLE drawings, be fully conversant with wiring instructions and understand the dangers of working on and around the overhead line system.

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Pearsons Engineering Services is a dynamic railway engineering company based in Derby.

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Derby | £23,000 | Permanent An excellent opportunity has arisen for an individual to join our team as a Track Maintainer. Responsibilities include P/way track maintenance, civils and health and safety.

Successful candidates will have some knowledge and experience of working in a railway environment however, full training will be provided. Starting salary be £20,000 per annum for the first 6 months and following successful completion of 6-month probationary period, salary will increase to £23,000 per annum.

Applicants will need to be flexible in their approach as weekend working, overtime and working away from home is a requirement of the role and live within a reasonable commuting distance to the Derby area. Holding a full driving licence is a pre-requisite.

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Responsibilities include managing a team, supervising railway infrastructure repairs and projects, preparing weekly schedules, overseeing various maintenance activities and ensuring the work is completed on time and to budget.

In addition, the role will ensure that plant and equipment inventories are maintained, conducting preventive maintenance work, follow-ups on maintenance and repair work, carrying out safety inspections and establishing strategies to meet workload demands.

To apply, please email info@pearsonsengineeringservices.co.uk or apply online at www.railwaypeople.com

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