RailStaff May 2017

MAY 2017 | ISSUE 234

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RAILSPORT 20 GLORY

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PLUS NEWS PEOPLE COMPANY FOCUS SUMMITS EVENTS FEATURE HEALTH & SAFETY INTERVIEWS GEAR+TECH TRAINING CAREERS

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MCGINLEY RE-LAUNCHES THE SAFETY BUS The McGinley Safety Bus is touring the UK throughout 2017 For more details or to book the Safety Bus contact 07815 or email safetybus@mcginley.co.uk

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CONTENTS MAY 2017 | ISSUE 234

DIGITAL RAIL SUMMIT | 24 How much of a threat do hackers pose to the railway?

GOING FOR RAILSPORT GLORY | 38 24

East Midlands Trains takes up the RailSport challenge.

40

COUNTING TREES | 40 Why mapping every tree lining the UK rail network could save Network Rail a lot of money.

WORKING OUTSIDE POSSESSIONS | 44 The problem with working outside possessions and what can be done to mitigate the risk to safety.

MANCHESTER’S RAIL DEVOLUTION CHALLENGE | 52 An interview with the woman leading Manchester’s rail devolution bid.

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T H G I L T O P

4 TION | L5abs A V O N d UT INLondon Midlan US ABO IO R nch of u E la S G n the IN o T s T rt E o p G roject. re hnson ation p v o Marc J ch inno st rail te te la e th

ON THE LADDER | 62 62

How TOCs are working with The Prince’s Trust to bring new talent to the rail industry.

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

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

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

5th - 9th June

#BEHINDRBF WEEK! What are YOU doing for it?

(Let us know!)

RBF Charity

RBF1858

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0345 2412885 fundraising@railwaybenefitfund.org.uk

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

Staff

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

NEWS

5

Yo no soy marinero!

Contact us: Publisher:

Paul O’Connor

Editor:

Andy Milne

Production and design:

Adam O’Connor

Senior Reporter:

Marc Johnson

Senior Writer:

Colin Garratt

Track Safety:

Colin Wheeler

Event Sales:

Jolene Price

Advertising:

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Contact Email Addresses News: news@rail-media.com Pictures: pictures@rail-media.com Adverts: adverts@rail-media.com Subscriptions: manda@rail-media.com

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May is a difficult month for students.

Pressure builds over exams, universities and courses. Older people, too, contemplate career change with trepidation.

Printed by Pensord.

RailStaff is published by RailStaff Publications Limited A Rail Media Publication

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© All rights reserved. No part of this magazine can be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of the copyright owners.

Confidence is key. Set a course through events rather than be blown about by them.

‘I am the master of my fate, the captain of my soul,’ William Henley wrote.

Sad to remember 13 May marks the anniversary of the birth of Ritchie Valens (pictured below), who died tragically young aged 17. We are not here very long. Swift choices can be regretted later. How many later mourn career paths pursed out of expediency instead of conviction?

Ritchie Valens, eschewing advice, pursued

a career in rock and roll. Left-handed, he struggled to master the guitar. Knowing what your vocation is at 17 is difficult. But don’t do what is expedient. Dream of being an engineer? Go for it. Arts and literature come easy to you? Pursue them. A top degree points to an educated mind. Passion pursued at university can be translated forward to great effect in any career. It’s your decision.

Undecided? Take time out. Several rail chiefs admit to wandering into a ticket office for a temporary summer job - a summer that stretched into a career.

Valens’ hit, La Bamba, is based on a folk song from the bustling sea port of Veracruz where they have a saying: I’m not a sailor but a captain. This means I’m not lying around waiting for a ship, I’m in charge of my destiny.

Always had a secret hankering to work for the railway? Do it!

Valens died in the same plane crash that took the lives of Buddy Holly, J.P. Richardson - the Big Bopper - and pilot Roger Peterson.

Hardly captain of his fate, the argument runs.

Not so. In his short life, Valens achieved everything a rock singer could dream of.

Songs he recorded serve to inspire those who teeter on the edge of big decisions this summer.

The message of La Bamba comes near the beginning of the song. It’s difficult to make out. Valens did not speak Spanish well. His parents, as immigrants, insisted their children speak English; yet his exhortation lives on: ‘Yo no soy marinero. Soy capitán,’ Valens counsels in a song filled with rip-roaring confidence and good cheer. ‘I’m not a sailor, I’m a captain.’ andy@rail-media.com FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAILSTAFFUK | RAILSTAFF.UK

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RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

Vierge à Grande Vitesse HS2 Virgin Trains is linking up with the SNCF to bid for the West Coast Partnership.

After the controversy surrounding the franchise, Virgin is leaving little to chance this time.

The aim is to combine the avowed determination and expertise of Virgin and Stagecoach with high-speed rail pioneers at the SNCF. The shareholding for the bid is Stagecoach 50 per cent, SNCF 30 per cent and Virgin 20 per cent.

The new franchise will include the existing West Coast

operation and the new HS2 railway and will run from 2019.

Bidders must have highspeed rail experience. The SNCF started its high-speed network in 1981 with its ParisLyon service - LGV Sud-Est. The Ligne a Grande Vitesse eventually extended to the south coast.

Cheap pricing is important to the SNCF. The high-speed operator launched a new lowcost high speed service, Ouigo, in 2013. Suggestions please for what the low-cost HS2 tickets might be called ….Yesallez? © Shutterstock.com

© TfL

Helen of Battersea The Northern Line Extension is underway as giant tunnel boring machine, Helen, begins her two-mile journey under London. Two TBMs - Helen and Amy - will extend the line from Kennington to Battersea.

Atkins diet for SNC-Lavalin Inspired by the boost to business consequent upon its takeover of Interfleet in 2011, Canadian construction giant SNC-Lavalin is to buy WS Atkins Plc. The price is set at £2.08 billion.

Neil Bruce, chief executive of the Montreal-based company, says, ‘By combining two highly complementary businesses, we will increase our depth and breadth of services to position us as a premier partner to public and private-sector clients.’

The deal will boost SNCLavalin’s position in the nuclear, rail and infrastructure industries.

Atkins has been involved in a wide range of rail projects including the Stafford Area Improvements Programme, the Birmingham Gateway Project,

Chiltern’s Oxford Parkway link and the redevelopment of Rochester station.

The original firm was set up in 1938 by the late Sir William Sydney Atkins and specialised in structural engineering and design.

It expanded massively after the Second World War. Most recently, SNC-Lavalin’s Rail & Transit team began working with London Underground to improve train accessibility for people with reduced mobility and visual impairments. The project covers trains on the Bakerloo Line, Central Line and the Waterloo & City Line. Internal space in these three fleets will be reconfigured

by SNC-Lavalin’s specialist engineering teams. It could be Canadian investors working in London will be travelling on SNCLavalin improved trains.

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The new underground tunnels will extend the Charing Cross branch of the Northern line from Kennington to Battersea Power Station, via Nine Elms.

The extension, should be completed in 2020 and is the first major extension of the London Underground since the Jubilee line in the late 1990s.

As the 100 metre long tunnelling machines advance forward, nearly 20,000 precast concrete segments will be slid into place to line the tunnels. A conveyor system will then take the spoil from the tunnels up to barges on the River Thames. More than 300,000 tonnes of earth will be excavated

by Helen and Amy. The earth will

be taken by barge to Goshems Farm in East Tilbury, Essex where it will be used to create arable farmland.

Each machine is capable of tunnelling up to 30 metres a day with teams of around 50 staff operating them. Tunnelling is expected to take around six months to complete. According to tunnelling tradition, tunnel boring machines cannot start work until given a name. Following a vote by local school children, the machines were named in honour of the first British astronaut, Helen Sharman, and British aviation pioneer, Amy Johnson, who was the first female pilot to fly solo from Britain to Australia.

Spoil excavated by tunnel boring machine Helen is taken by conveyor from the tunnel up to barges on the River Thames at Battersea. From there, it’s taken by river to Goshems Farm in East Tilbury, Essex where it will be used to create arable farmland. © TfL

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

NEWS

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Scot-Train unveils new training facility Training provider Scot-Train has opened a new training facility in Glasgow to support the delivery of its high-quality training services in rail and construction and the provision of occupational health services across the UK. Scot-Train, part of SWGR Training Services, provides a comprehensive training and development service for a variety of skills and qualifications. The new facility is based at Petershill Road - a two-minute walk from Barnhill railway station.

Scot-Train was formed by SWGR to meet the rail industry’s need for staff to have necessary training and qualifications. It has dedicated training centres in Glasgow and Rochester which are both National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR) approved.

The new training centre is Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) approved, and is a fully licensed provider of Network Rail training and assessment courses. This means it can offer assessments and mentoring for railway

courses such as track induction, personal track safety (PTS) and overhead line electrification (OLE).

Sandy Murray, general manager at ScotTrain, said, ‘The opening of this new training centre is fantastic news for Scot-Train, and for businesses and individuals in the industry requiring specialist training services.

‘With this facility, we can now offer a onestop facility for rail, construction, welding and occupation health courses, and can tailor courses to specifically meet client requirements’.

‘Our meeting and conference rooms are fitted with the latest projector and smart board technology and are ideal for meetings and presentations, and our state-of-the-art IT suite is perfect for online training and interactive events.’

In addition to three flexible meeting and training rooms, a conference room and an IT suite, the facility has on-site track and overhead line (OHL) facilities, for practical railway training courses.

Sandra backs steam team in Kent Tourist bosses in Kent are using the county’s historic railways this summer to attract more visitors.

The push for publicity is part of Visit Kent’s Heritage Railways project, launched after a successful bid for £75,000 of the DfT’s Heritage and Community Rail Tourism Innovation Fund.

Visit Kent has teamed up with Southeastern and five heritage railways, including East Kent Railway in Dover, the Kent and East Sussex Railway between Tenterden and Bodiam, the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in Shepway, the Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway in Swale and the Spa Valley Railway in Tunbridge Wells.

‘We are lucky to have five beautiful heritage railways in Kent,’ says Visit Kent boss Sandra Matthews-Marsh MBE. ‘What’s more, they are all easy to get to from mainline stations so we want to encourage people to spend a whole day out on the train.’

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RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

Upgrade strides ahead over Easter break

Network Rail celebrated milestone moment after milestone moment over Easter, completing upgrades across the rail network.

Several projects were completed on the West Coast main line. New track was installed in the Northchurch Tunnel near Berkhamsted and between Preston and Carlisle.

In Manchester, work continued on the city’s newest landmark rail structure - the Ordsall Chord. A ‘cattle creep’, which had allowed cows to walk under the railway, was removed between Buxton and Stockport. Work was also carried out in Watford, where the embankment was graded and strengthened.

Staying close by in North London, Network Rail installed a new pedestrian subway as part of its overhaul of Hackney Wick station, which is due to be completed next year. Located on the North London line, the upgraded Hackney Wick will, among other things, include a new entrance and ticket hall.

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Installing the subway was a major undertaking, requiring Network Rail and contractor VolkerFitzpatrick to remove the tracks and platforms running through the station. The subway was slid into place with self-propelled modular transporters and will replace the station’s footbridge, which was removed in February.

John Cox, managing director of VolkerFitzpatrick’s rail division, said, ‘We are very proud to have safely delivered this key milestone in the construction of an improved Hackney Wick station in collaboration with Network Rail and London Legacy Development Corporation. This was a complex undertaking which went smoothly due to the forward planning and engagement of all stakeholders. We look forward to completing the remainder of the works to the station and enabling the benefits this will have once finished in early 2018.’

North of the border there were a number of other significant project deliveries. The first phase of the Motherwell North Signalling Renewal project was completed and a new railway footbridge was replaced over Glasgow Road in Carmuirs.

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PEOPLE

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

Marshall for SWGR SWGR has appointed Harry Marshall as its new head of commercial and business development.

Marshall joins SWGR from leading bus and coach manufacturer Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL), where he was commercial and business development director. Prior to this he worked for energy services giant Doosan Babcock as head of sales and proposals.

SWGR was established in 1988 as a provider of welding and construction engineering resources to the oil and petrochemical sectors. Over the years, it has evolved into a multi-disciplinary service provider for organisations in the infrastructure sectors, and currently offers services ranging from legislative qualifications,

training, manpower provision, minor works contracting, PPE provision, disaster recovery and occupation health services.

Says Marshall, ‘I’m pleased and excited to be starting the next chapter of my career with SWGR. This is a wonderful opportunity to be part of an ambitious and growing company with expertise in many sectors, and I’m looking forward to challenging myself to help it achieve its goals. With the reputation SWGR has built over the last 20 years the scope is there for us to become the leading provider of services to our respective industries. My aim is to utilise the knowledge and skills I have developed over the years to deliver the strategies that will help us achieve this.’

Headquartered in Glasgow, SWGR has recently opened a new on-site training facility which

Mitchell to deliver for East End operator Joel Mitchell is moving from Hull Trains to take up the role of delivery director at c2c.

Joel has 18 years' experience in the industry, working for the likes of South West Trains and Southern. He joins c2c from Hull Trains where he had been the director of operations and customer experience.

Kevin is staying within c2c but will now focus on bid and business development opportunities for the operator’s new owners - Italy’s Trenitalia.

Says managing director of c2c Julian Drury, ‘Kevin Frazer has been instrumental in completing c2c’s turnaround from the days of

the Misery Line to becoming the UK’s record-breaking railway. We owe Kevin huge thanks for the great work that he has done at c2c, and I’m really pleased he will be staying with Trenitalia and we will be retaining his knowledge and experience.

‘While Joel has a tough act to follow, I’m delighted that he has joined us to take on the challenge. We’re determined to retain c2c’s reputation for running a punctual railway, and to ensure we meet our customers’ expectations for offering a highquality all-round service.’

Kevin Frazer (left) and Joel Mitchell.

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is Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) approved and is a fully licensed provider of Network Rail training and assessment courses.

Says Terry Flynn, managing director for SWGR, ‘We are in an exciting phase of growth and have made several key appointments in 2017 to build on our already established reputation. The position of head of commercial and business development is a new one which

aims to drive the business’s performance in the commercial landscape. Harry’s appointment is an important development for our business. His commercial awareness of key market sectors will be pivotal in helping us to identify target markets and secure future opportunities.’

In his spare time, Harry says he enjoys spending time with his family, working on DIY projects, and walking his cocker spaniel.

Pitt start for Porterbrook Porterbrook Leasing has appointed Andy Pitt as the company’s new non-executive director.

A business leader with over 30 years' experience in rail, Pitt was part of OPRAF at rail privatisation. Under the then franchising director, John O’Brien, OPRAF succeeded in moving 25 train operating companies or franchises into the private sector just ahead of the Labour election win of 1997.

Andy Pitt was involved in the specification of rolling stock requirements for the first generation of rail franchises.

From 1997 onwards he worked at Stagecoach and South West Trains - he was managing director of SWT from 2009 to 2012.

Latterly Pitt has been executive chairman of Cross London Trains organising new rolling stock for the operator of the Thameslink franchise. In addition he is a nonexecutive director of Transport Systems Catapult.

Says Phil White, chairman, Porterbrook, ‘I am delighted to welcome Andy onto the board

and look forward to working with him; his wealth of experience will be an invaluable asset to us. Andy has been a key figure in the railway since privatisation in the 1990s and his leadership experience of both franchise bids and operational delivery will provide significant advantage to the management team and the board.’

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

PEOPLE

Aces high at Mott MacDonald

Front and centre job for Tonkin

Mott MacDonald’s group people director, Tania Heap, has been appointed to the board of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) as chair of its Human Resources Task Force.

David Tonkin will head the Railway Industry Association as its new chairman.

Tania Heap’s two-year appointment will see her lead a task force established to help companies tackle skills shortages, increase diversity, and cope with Britain’s departure from the European Union.

Says Tania, ‘This task force is a great opportunity to increase dialogue amongst members and the industry. I want to support ACE members, wherever they are in the UK and whatever the size of their workforce, to

make use of their extensive collective experiences. Some challenges are too big to face alone. However, by pooling our knowledge we can find the resources and expertise to address them and allow the many voices in the industry to be heard.’

Heap joined Mott MacDonald over 20 years' ago and before that worked for Prudential Assurance. As group people director she is a member of Mott MacDonald’s senior management team. Tania Heap is an active member of ACE, providing advice to members and regularly attending the HR Task Force meetings and lobbying Government departments on key issues impacting the industry.

Hanson to Hansford Economist Daniel Hanson has been brought in to support the Hansford rail review.

Hanson, a director of economics at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), whose rail CV includes roles in High Speed 1 and Crossrail, will ‘examine contemptibility in the UK rail market, as well as exploring options for third party investment and infrastructure delivery’.

He joins Alistair Gordon, chief executive of Keolis; Andy Milner, chief executive of Amey; John Smith, managing director of GB Railfreight; Matthew Symes, a partner at Concerto; Mike

Gerrard, an independent expert; and Zara Lamont, performance improvement director at Carillion.

Professor Peter Hansford said of the appointment, ‘I’m delighted to welcome Daniel as a member of the Hansford Review panel.

Daniel has already been able to inform our thinking, playing an active part in the review of evidence and data by panel members that took place just before Easter. His expertise in economics will be particularly important as we move into the final stages of this review.’

The review is due to report its findings back to Network Rail in spring 2017.

Tonkin was previously CEO of Atkins UK & Europe and has enjoyed a long association with RIA as a member of its council for eight years. He was interim CEO of RIA last year and has also chaired the Strategy Review Team at the Rail Supply Group. A west countryman, he studied at Yeovil Grammar School and read Business Studies at Plymouth University.

RIA is the trade body for Britain’s expanding rail supply industry. Tonkin takes over from Gordon Wakeford, the managing director of Siemens Mobility in the UK, who has completed more than two years as RIA chairman.

Says RIA chairman David Tonkin, ‘I am delighted to be back formally within the rail

Tom Lee has been appointed director of standards at RSSB. Lee joined RSSB in 2002 and has been acting director of standards since May 2016. Lee joined British Rail after graduating from Birmingham University.

Specialising in signalling, he worked for GTRM, Alstom and Carillion before moving to RSSB. A chartered engineer, he is also a fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology and a fellow of the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers.

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industry, an industry that I have always held a particular passion for. I am equally excited to be working with new RIA chief executive Darren Caplan and the board to ensure RIA is front and centre in driving the case for a thriving and successful rail industry, fundamental to enabling the Government’s ambition for the UK.’

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RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

School children build bridge

Railway engineers working on the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP) joined school children at Linlithgow Bridge Primary School in West Lothian for a workshop on railways and bridges.

The ‘Bridges to Schools’ initiative aims to recruit the next generation of the Orange Army in the classroom.

Sixty children took part in three separate workshops where they constructed a 12.5-metre long cable-stayed bridge.

Pictured here, the children with colleagues at Network Rail fitted the uprights and the aluminium and plywood decking and stainless steel cables. Once built, the students walked across the bridges to test their stability. The workshops have proved a great hit with pupils.

Says Susan Webster, head teacher of Linlithgow Bridge Primary School, ‘We are grateful to the engineers from EGIP for taking time out from the project to deliver the workshops. They have provided pupils with a valuable insight into civil engineering and the difference it makes to our everyday lives.

‘The workshops highlighted the importance of working as a team, allowing the children to experience first hand the role each individual makes to the overall outcome when delivering a large-scale project.’

More ‘Bridges to Schools’ workshops are planned in Linlithgow before schools break for the summer holidays.

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Olive branch for Willingdon Trees community centre Willingdon Trees community centre and its members are set to benefit from a £10,000 funding boost from Network Rail.

The money will help give the community centre a much needed facelift.

Says John Halsall, Network Rail’s route managing director for the South East, ‘We recently closed Willingdon Trees level crossing because of concerns that it was being misused, especially by young people.

I’m really pleased that we can now support the local community centre in its efforts to provide engaging activities for local young people and families in the area.’

The funding, which was awarded following a public vote on three potential schemes, is part of a Network Rail pilot project which aims to help the company work more closely with railway neighbours and communities.

Local children look set to benefit from the scheme. Says Emma Jordan from Sussex Community Development Association, ‘Thank you to Network Rail for getting behind our community and giving the centre a welcome funding boost. It is such a vital community asset and with the extra resource we can provide more activities for young people and families, and also undertake some long overdue repairs and improvements.’

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RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

Buns for Barking To show their appreciation of the local Railway Mission chaplain, Michele Ashton, rail staff at Barking Station have been selling Hot Cross Buns.

The aim was to raise money for the Railway Mission. Says Scott Walker, duty station manager, ‘It was a lovely experience and we should do something similar again later in the year.’

Says Liam Johnston, executive director, Railway Mission, ‘All of us at the Railway Mission are very grateful for the generosity of Mr Walker and the team at c2c.’

Michele used to work in catering and appreciated the gesture.

Barking station recently celebrated 163 years in the business. The station originally opened on 13 April 1854 - a Maundy Thursday just before Easter that year - just in time for hot cross buns.

Virgin Trains’ general manager Natasha Wilding pulls a pint in The Draughtsman Alehouse, with owner Russ Thompson, left, and Craig Lee, from Rudgate Brewery.

Stone the coals GB Railfreight has converted 49 coal wagons to move aggregates for Tarmac.

The coal hoppers, known as Vulcan wagons, were converted by removing the middle section to make them long enough for aggregate use whilst retaining their 102-tonne maximum gross laden weight.

An initial set of 24 wagons was adapted and is now working trains from Tarmac’s Arcow quarry to Bredbury, Agecroft and Leeds. A second set of 25 wagons has also now been converted and will be working further services from Arcow and Swinden quarries.

Says John Smith, managing director, GB Railfreight, ‘GB Railfreight is delighted to work with Tarmac, hauling aggregates from its quarries, and the refurbishments we have been able to do as part of this service.

‘We are very pleased to have been able to refurbish and

upgrade 49 new wagons, and continue to find innovative ways to support our customers.

‘By being able to take such innovative measures and have positive relationships with our customers like Tarmac, we are able to proudly call ourselves one of the leaders of our industry.’

Tarmac’s rail operations are important for both reliability and environmental reasons.

Says Chris Swan, head of rail at Tarmac, ‘Increasing rail freight capability supports our underlying commitment to sustainability, enabling us not only to lower the whole life carbon footprint of customers' projects but also reduce our transport CO2 levels.

‘Efficient wagons have a key role to play in delivering these ambitions and so it’s good to see the repurposing of materials and equipment with the arrival of this latest wagon set from GB Railfreight.’

Doncaster rail bar honours Barry Thompson A railwayman’s son who works as a builder in Doncaster has opened a new pub on the town’s railway station.

Russ Thompson has merged his passion for local history and real ale to create the stunning new bar in the old buffet and waiting rooms. The bar is named The Draughtsman as a tribute to his dad who died when Russ was 12.

Says Russ, ‘My father, who died in 1978, used to make the

drawings to manufacture train engines, some of which were used at this station.

‘I’m so proud of my railway history and being born and bred in Doncaster…I wanted to do something to promote the history and heritage of the town and its great railway past, as well as provide a special place for customers to sup real and cask ale at the start or end of their journeys.’

Russ, 51, has used his 30 years’ experience in the building trade,

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along with the support of his family and Virgin Trains staff to restore the old buffet to its former glory, opening as an alehouse on Platform 3b.

The buffet was once used by railway workers on the night shift but had stood shut and shuttered for 20 years. It took Russ and his team seven weeks just to strip the paint from the walls, revealing the old Victorian tiles.

The bar is decorated with railway memorabilia and is serving specialty craft beers.

Says Natasha Wilding, of Virgin Trains, which manages Doncaster station, ‘We’re thrilled with the transformation of what became a disused storeroom into a beautiful alehouse and a fantastic place for customers to relax.’

‘I have also added my dad’s tools to the walls, including his compass,’ says Russ. ‘I’m sure he would have loved it and I could not think of a more appropriate name, given his job for the railways and, of course, we’ll also serve draught ale!’

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16

NEWS

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

Change for the better The railway runs in Tony Noad’s family - both his father and brother were train drivers.

Tony, who works in the ticket office at Wickford, has just clocked up 40 years on the railway.

He left college at 16 and worked in catering for four years before joining British Rail at Billericay. Tony, who lives in Leigh, has since worked at various ticket offices on the

Southend Victoria line, including Rochford and Wickford.

Says Andrew Goodrum, customer service director at Greater Anglia, ‘We are very grateful to Tony for his continued long service; 40 years is a great achievement.’

Railways have improved, says Tony, who enjoys the job and the people and has no plans to retire.

‘I have seen a lot of changes during my 40 years on the railway. I think everything is better these days – you have better trains, better ticketing and more services. It’s totally different from when I started.

‘I know there’s a lot of work taking place on the Southend line at the moment but ultimately people will get a better railway, with new trains.

‘I have worked with some great people over the years and I have no plans to retire just yet. It’s surprising how quickly the time has gone.’

Tony Noad at Wickford ticket office.

Jellicoe Express remembered Gathering at Edinburgh Waverley recently, the Honourable John Jellicoe, project coordinator Moya McDonald, and Captain Chris Smith have inaugurated the first of five plaques marking the centenary of the initial Jellicoe Express.

The packed troop trains have passed into history.

The Jellicoe Express, named after Admiral John Rushworth Jellicoe, who led the British

Grand Fleet, was first waved off in 1917.

The trains conveyed sailors and soldiers northwards to Thurso for transfer to the British Fleet in Scapa Flow. The trains ran again during the Second World War, carrying army, navy and air force personnel.

Journeys from Thurso to London could take 24 hours many standing all the way. Army recruits headed south with US servicemen and sailors heading in both directions.

Ore-some result for Sussex CRP Sussex Community Rail Partnership and Govia Thameslink Railway notched up their 65th station adopter recently. The latest partnership, making it a clear 65, was Ore station, adopted by the Ore Transport Group.

Says Kevin Barry, Sussex CRP’s line officer for the Marshlink, ‘I’ve always thought Ore was crying out for an extra green touch, and I’m really pleased to see how

everyone working together will help to make this happen. My thanks to Trevor Davies from Ore Transport Group, Southern and ACoRP.’ During 2016, GTR, working with Sussex CRP, added 22 new partnerships across its network.

With everything from student art to help-yourself herbs, a whole host of new partners is involved.

Rail chiefs have been surprised, delighted and grateful.

Says Andy Harrowell, of GTR, ‘We

are genuinely amazed by how many volunteer groups have got involved with us over the last year by adopting their local station and our grateful thanks go to them. I’m delighted to welcome the latest addition at Ore station which sees us hit 65. These relationships really help to further tailor stations to the communities they serve and improve the experience for all.

My thanks also go to Sussex CRP.’

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18

NEWS

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

Menai rivers to cross Work to upgrade the footbridge at Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch station on the Isle of Anglesey has been completed.

The town, which is just over the Menai Strait next to the Britannia Bridge, is predominantly Welsh speaking. Over 70 per cent of local people speak the language.

The footbridge, which is over 100 years old, was taken out earlier this year. A £395,000 upgrade, including specialist refurbishment works and repairs took place at the Centregreat Rail workshop in Cardiff.

Engineers cleaned, strengthened and painted the footbridge.

The stairways were kept in place and covered while they were shotblasted, primed and re-decorated, in preparation for the return of the refurbished landing. New white palisade fencing was also installed at the station.

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch means ‘St. Mary’s Church in the hollow of white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio near the red cave’.

Scottish reversal for BTP In a further blow to railway policing north of the border the Scottish government's justice committee has backed a controversial bill to integrate BTP with Police Scotland.

integration, as did four MSPs, including the convener. BTP has 231 officers in Scotland and a network of 11 offices at main railway stations.

The Scottish government wants its national force to take over the specialist role of the British Transport Police.

The majority of respondents to the committee opposed the RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAILSTAFFUK | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

Walkers set to scale Forth Bridge Members of the public with a head for heights may soon be able to scale the Forth Bridge at South Queensferry.

Access will be provided via an existing gangway under the south approach to a new steel walkway in the sky. Visitors will be sent up in groups of 15 from a new building near Hawes Brae.

Everyone will be hooked on to the bridge using a harness and a continuous safety line.

Network Rail estimates 80,000 visitors a year could turn up to climb the 127-year-old structure. Says David Dickson, infrastructure director, ScotRail Alliance, ‘We have explored numerous options over the last two years to take forward our visitor proposals, however, after reviewing the business case we have chosen to focus, at least initially, on the bridge walk option. This requires a lower up front capital investment and offers a quicker rate of return.’

This option involves the South Queensferry side.

‘Importantly, the bridge walk hub will be located just 250-metres from Dalmeny station. While we will have sufficient parking on site to meet customer needs, we want to encourage visitors to enjoy the convenience of access by rail and will be looking to incentivise that within our management of the facility.’

A public consultation on the proposed development is expected to begin in summer 2017.

‘The Forth Bridge is one of Scotland’s most loved structures and our plans reflect that,’ says Dickson. ‘The access gantry we are proposing will be almost invisible from the shore and fully reversible should we wish to remove it in the future. What we must not forget is that the Forth Bridge is a working structure which has always required maintenance and that will continue.

What we’re proposing will simply allow us to invite visitors to learn about the history of a structure that, in the past, has only ever been accessible by a lucky few railway workers.’

The costs of developing that walkway, building and access construction are estimated at £10 million.

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20

NEWS

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

This May, Cambridge gets a new railway station Cambridge North - serving the city’s science and business parks and suburbs and villages north of the city centre.

Trains from both Greater Anglia and Great Northern will call at the three-platform station, connecting Cambridge North with London Liverpool Street and Norwich.

The station includes a 1,000-space cycle park for the bike-focused city and a car park for 450 cars.

Cambridge North sports a cafe, shops and smart waiting rooms on each platform. Green technology is incorporated in the station. Metal cladding on the outside of the building and footbridge uses a pattern based on a mathematical theory called the Game of Life by Cambridge mathematician James Conway.

Says Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia’s managing director, ‘The existing station at Cambridge is one of our busiest stations.

This station should relieve some of the pressure on it. It takes about 30 minutes to drive from Cambridge station to Cambridge North, but just six minutes by train, so it should be a great boost to people commuting to work in the science park, or for people commuting from northern suburbs or villages.’

Gingerbread Women TfL is piloting a new work placement programme aimed at getting more women into transport.

Fifteen women are taking part.

Run in partnership with charity Gingerbread and the not-forprofit organisation Women into Construction, the women come from a range of backgrounds.

New to the industry, their training also includes tips on how to develop their CVs and present themselves in interviews. Once they successfully complete their training, they will also receive a level one health and safety qualification and a Construction Skills Certification Scheme Certification (CSCS) card, which

enables them to work on construction sites.

Says Rosie Ferguson, chief executive of Gingerbread, ‘We know from our daily meetings with single parents that getting back into the job market is a big concern for many of them, but lack of opportunities, experience and even confidence can often hold them back. Transport for London’s brilliant scheme gives them the chance to show that they can excel in any environment. Thanks to all the great partner groups involved, participants will no longer have to ‘mind the gap’ between where they are and where they want to get to!’ Arup, Siemens and Arriva Rail London are all helping pioneer the scheme.

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

Game of Life for Cambridge North

Back to College From Tinsley Chord to College Road in Rotherham, rail contractors and engineers are pushing ahead constructing a new tram system that runs rail vehicles on heavy and light rail alike.

A new track connection that will link the South Yorkshire Supertram with the national rail network was installed at Tinsley this Easter. The new junction will sit at the start of a new 400-metre section of track called the Tinsley Chord. This will allow trams to travel direct between Sheffield and Rotherham from 2018.

Says Simon Coulthard, Network Rail, ‘This is a challenging project and there is still much to do, including the construction of the tram stops at Rotherham Central and Parkgate and the completion of the

overhead line power system.

‘The work we have completed this Easter is a crucial step forward as we continue work with our partners to deliver the full Tram Train service from Sheffield city centre to Rotherham Central and Parkgate next year.’

The Tram Train pilot also saw work begin on College Road bridge in Rotherham. This bridge will be demolished and replaced during the Spring Bank Holiday weekend at the end of May. Engineers will install a raised bridge, providing space for the overhead lines underneath.

The Tram Train pilot will run for two years and is a joint effort by South Yorkshire PTE, Network Rail, Stagecoach Supertram, Arriva Rail North and the DfT - which put up £51 million to deliver the scheme.

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22

COMPANY FOCUS

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

PEOPLE the CEO's biggest challenge?

A

ll great railway innovations and achievements are the byproduct of what people do. They are the industry’s biggest asset, and due to the acute shortage of talent, its biggest challenge.

Business leaders need to get involved personally and recognise the organisational barriers that are inhibiting the attraction and retention of talent. Beyond acknowledging the issues, they need to put their full weight of influence to ensure the silos between finance, purchasing, operational management and HR are removed.

SKILLS-SHORT ENVIRONMENT Rail employers consistently cite skills shortages as the biggest threat to them taking full advantage of the vast inward investment to the industry. Training new talent is the long-term solution, of course, but what happens to organisational performance between right now and the five to 10 years it will take to fully skill the sector?

It comes down to one central issue. In a skillsshort environment people with skills are consumers and you have to treat them with the same level of consideration as consumers of your products and services.

As a rhetorical question, would a train manufacturer, for example, simply go to a ROSCO and say ‘Here’s a picture of a train we’re building, do you want to buy it?’

Assuming not, why then would a person currently in employment holding in-demand skills be remotely motivated to join that organisation when all they’re being presented with is a job title, job description and compensation information?

Persuading people to join or remain with your company should be seen as an even bigger challenge than selling your products or services. Candidates are being asked to commit 67 per cent of their time to the business. Employment is the most important decision they’re going to make as a consumer.

They don’t take that decision lightly.

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

THE CHAIRMAN OF RAIL TALENT SPECIALISTS FORD & STANLEY, PETER SCHOFIELD, CHALLENGES SENIOR LEADERS TO GET TO GRIPS WITH THE SKILLS CHALLENGES IN THEIR ORGANISATIONS.

NOT A COMMODITY People aren’t a commodity purchase, but they are often treated as one given the all-too-common organisational silos.

One year into a recovering market, finance sees the cost of recruitment rising and challenges purchasing or HR to centralise recruitment functions and cut costs. Essential dialogue between internal or external recruitment functions and line management is eliminated, meaning 60 per cent of the information critical to

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

effective candidate attraction and selection is missing.

What companies should be considering with each piece of recruitment is: - Without this person, who’s working late, being overworked, what isn’t getting done and what are our customers not going to end up receiving?

- What is the opportunity inherent in this role. Do we need a superstar earmarked for progression, a hero to resolve a shortterm problem, or a performer to consistently deliver to a level without the pressure of promotion?

The CVs of these differing types of people probably look identical, but the motivations behind the paper are completely different, so employers need to attract them in the right way.

These views are based upon empirical evidence resulting from the Ford & Stanley teams holding in excess of one million career-based conversations with individuals in job-change situations, hearing first hand exactly why they leave and join companies.

If the current organisational approach to recruitment prevents critical information being investigated and communicated, then the approach needs to be changed.

This is a ‘lighthouse principle’, one that will not shift.

Employers can recognise the situation and find a way to work around it, or break their organisational performance ambitions against it.

For this reason, surely it makes sense for the most senior custodian of organisation performance to get fully involved?

COMPANY FOCUS

23

Top 10 reasons candidates decide to make a career move* 1. Lack of challenge/seeking new challenge 2. Lack of progression/opportunities to progress 3. Culture/working environment 4. Enjoy a better work-life balance/reduced commute time 5. Lack of recognition/appreciation or overlooked for promotion 6. Salary/opportunity to earn more money 7. Relationship with direct manager/director 8. Uncertainty over organisational stability 9. The kudos of working for a particular brand or project 10. Lack of exposure, understanding or belief in wider company vision, mission or business goal *Based on over one million career-based conversations Ford & Stanley have held over the last 25 years

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

24

SUMMITS

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

Dozens packed into the lecture theatre to hear from industry experts.

Bird & Bird's Simon Shooter talks about the legal perspective of cyber security.

REPORT BY STEWART THORPE

S

triving to tackle the country’s rail capacity problem, companies are making a sustained push to digitise the railway. Stewart Thorpe reports from the Digital Rail Summit to find out what progress is being made.

Would anyone hack a railway? That was the leading question in an investigation carried out by Koramis to discover just how vulnerable the railway network is. The German IT specialist partnered with security firm Sophos in 2015 to create a real control system for what appeared to be a real rail network somewhere in the world - it was in fact simulated.

The results from Project HoneyTrain, says SNC-Lavalin Rail and Transit principal consultant David Robson, were ‘a little scary’. Complete with real CCTV feeds, in-cab driver videos and a fully operating customer-facing website, over a sixweek period the control system was attacked 2,745,267 times.

‘I think the sheer volume of attacks shows that people don’t care if it’s a railway, they’ll happily have a go at hacking because it’s fun,’ says David, who has a background in developing control systems.

‘During an interview with the chief research officer, he stated that HoneyTrain was a great experiment to analyse the adversary’s moral limits. He went on to say that they had attackers derailing trains and running them at full speed into a dead end. These hackers did not know this was a pretend railway, as far as they were concerned they’d found a railway and thought they’d have some fun.’

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

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

SUMMITS

25

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26

SUMMITS

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

Presentation from David Brewer, market director, strategic rail, Atkins.

MISCONCEPTIONS Held at international law firm Bird & Bird’s London office, David’s talk at the Digital Rail Summit focused on overcoming two common misconceptions: that no one would hack the railway and that its systems are too sophisticated to infiltrate. The HoneyTrain report was the most startling of a dozen presentations held at the summit on 26 April, which examined the major initiatives to digitise the railway.

Referring to an incident which saw Devon County Council held to ransom for £3,000 for the safe return of its allotment waiting list, David says that hackers will hack anything and that this needs addressing on the railway network. But it is not a case of a one-off change, cyber security is an evolving subject that needs constantly reassessing. Legacy equipment needs protecting as well as new technology and staff need training to prevent them giving system access to malicious software.

‘We need to accept that the world is getting more and more connected. Cyber security is not going away. Cyber security incidents are only likely to increase. Do we really need to wait for a major incident before we start taking this as seriously as other safety issues?’ David concluded.

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

SMART TICKETING The digital railway may have its challenges but there are great opportunities to seize as well. The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) is trying to create a ‘frictionless’ customer experience with the introduction of smart ticketing across the country. Demanding that all train operating companies (TOCs) make Oyster-style cards available to customers by 2018, Secretary of State Chris Grayling is a driving force behind the change.

Smart tickets will allow for great information management, to be able to accurately calculate peak load and to figure out how many passengers are coming through and ways to influence that traffic, as well as making it a better user experience.

RDG’s managing director of technology services Dennis Rocks says that they’re working to connect disparate ticketing systems to break down the virtual barriers.

‘What we’re saying is that, some time between 2020 and 2022, magstripe will be the least used ticket fulfilment, but it will still be there,’ says Dennis.

‘The challenge to us is how we move from what is a fairly analogue age into a digital age and eventually how we also move away from card and into using phones. It’s all about the customer and doing the right thing.’

The fact that there are currently 600,000 smart cards in circulation, compared to 920 million magnetic stripe cards used across 2,500 stations every year, helps to put the size of the transformation into perspective.

DENMARK ERTMS A central part of the digital railway programme is the implementation of European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) and Hanne Nybo Johansen of Atkins has been leading the rolling out of ERTMS level 2 in Denmark since 2014.

‘The traditional railway has a lot of signals, ERTMS level 2 is a detailed radio-based system which continuously transmits the data to the cab on the train,’ explains Hanne, who says that the project’s implementation will reduce the number of traffic control centres from 60 to two. ‘It will enable us to double the number of passengers travelling on the rail by 2030.

‘We are looking forward to having about 80 per cent of the delays caused by the signalling system disappear after introducing the new system. We are also looking into the reduced cost of maintenance and operation cost.

‘It might not be an overnight big bang but it is a big bang done in a very short time. It is also the first time it is being done nationwide and it is a chance to get to this whole solution approach rather than people managing their own systems. This is all about getting a more attractive railway.’

Representatives from Siemens, Alstom, EAMS Group, ESP Group, Huber+Suhner and Nexus Alpha spoke about ‘visible’ and ‘invisible’ aspects of digitising the railway.

Figures from Bird & Bird spoke about the respective legal perspectives on a number of topics and members of the audience were given the opportunity to ask questions too.

Above all else, the Digital Rail Summit showcased the opportunities that are available to the rail industry to overcome its capacity conundrum without the need for expensive infrastructure projects.

Britain was at the forefront of developments in the railway and, if events such as the summit continue to provide the platform to share and discuss experiences, there is every hope that Britain can be at the forefront of the digital railway revolution too.

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

SUMMITS

27

Thanks to event sponsors ADComms, Amey and Costain, lanyard sponsors Westermo Data Communications and Bird & Bird for hosting the Digital Rail Summit. The next event is the Rail Safety Summit which is taking place on September 13, followed by the Rail Sustainability Summit on September 14. For more information go to www.railsummits.com.

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

28

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MAY 2017 | ISSUE 234

Partnership brings positive change In the build up to the RailStaff Awards later this year, we’ve again looked at the alliance forged between Network Rail and Samaritans – a partnership that the statistics show is making a difference.

What’s the wider message of this relationship? It demonstrates that a joint effort is needed by industry, government and, in this case, the voluntary sector to tackle the railway’s biggest challenges.

How these work in practical and contractual terms is an area of debate but few people would argue with the basic idea of working more closely together.

The issue of skills, raised this month by AECOM’s head of rail, is one of the most pressing. Both the private sector and the state know what needs to be done and some of the most effective programmes are those involving collaboration.

The Digital Railway and the subsequent impact it will have on the network’s mass of signalling

and communications networks is another challenge that is too big for any one organisation to take on.

For a night in October, disparate groups from across the industry will be brought together in one room to celebrate their successes.

It’s clear to see how important it is for everyone to do their job well. Innovative engineering is needed to deliver vital infrastructure, great customer service is essential for continued passenger growth and those training the future generation have the future of the industry

on their shoulders.

Each of the 20 awards that will be handed out on the night are as important as the previous one.

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

30

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

Recognition for future leaders

A

pprentices are now first in line to meet dignitaries and VIPs at project sites.

An enthusiastic PR campaign over the past couple of years appears to have shifted the view of apprenticeships. Comments about some apparent stigma around such schemes are beginning to feel less and less valid.

Such schemes are celebrated for the fresh talent they are bringing into the industry by widening the choice of routes to entry for young people.

In March, AECOM apprentices in Glasgow met their local MP. The visit was part of Scottish Apprenticeship Week - an awareness event that was also promoted widely south of the border by railway companies across the sector.

AECOM is one of the largest multi-sector engineering companies in the world, with that comes expectations of leadership on central issues like skills and diversity.

Industry-wide agenda Russell Jackson, AECOM’s head of rail for the UK and Europe, said the company’s agenda reflected that of the industry as a whole. Issues such as skills, health and wellbeing - particularly around mental health - are at the top of its priorities.

‘Another of our priorities is around how AECOM’s scale and global capabilities can address the wider industry challenges,’ said Russell, detailing what he saw as the company’s main focuses in 2017. ‘That’s around the scale of the likely demand of the projects across HS2 and the affordability challenge that Network Rail has. How we can

help with this and how we can respond to those challenges.’

AECOM employs around 650 people in its UK rail business - a substantial part of the rail division globally. As well as working on major projects like HS2, the Wessex Improvement Programme and Crossrail - for which AECOM has designed three of the new stations - the UK rail team supports the delivery of projects all around the world.

But its reach extends beyond these mega projects. The company recently celebrated the opening of Ilkeston station, which it designed. The station was funded by the government’s £4.5 million New Stations Fund a far smaller project in terms of its price tag but one of significance for the communities in Derbyshire it will serve.

Important award Having a constant flow of graduates and apprentices into the business is critically important. This year, AECOM is sponsoring the Apprentice of the Year category at the RailStaff Awards, which will be held at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena on 7 October.

Last year, the category was won by Billy Welch, an apprentice working on the remodelling of London Bridge station.

Although a relative newcomer, Billy had managed to make a significant contribution to the safe delivery of the project.

Russell said he found it extremely satisfying to see new starters go on to become advocates for their industry.

‘That’s why I think this award is so important,’ said Russell. ‘This isn’t just about apprentices that are already at this stage of their careers doing great things it’s also recognition of the people that will be future leaders.’

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

Both recruiting new staff and cultivating the next generation are part of this strategy. ‘That happens and we encourage STEM engagement at all levels - it’s vital to explain and bring to life the huge potential of a rail engineering career,’ said Russell, when asked whether AECOM employees were regular speakers at their local schools and colleges.

A nomination could be another simple solution to this complex challenge.

Nominations for the RailStaff Awards are now open. Visit www. railstaffawards. com/nominate and submit an entry today.

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

31

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

Seven years saving lives

P

artnerships in industry are usually measured in terms of turnover and on-time delivery - few are judged on their value to society.

Samaritans has been working with Network Rail, the British Transport Police (BTP) and the industry as a whole for the past seven years to prevent suicide on the railway. Thousands in the industry have completed the suicide prevention course offered to staff through the programme and a good number of these have gone on to save lives on the rail network.

Fall in rail suicides Figures released by the RSSB have shown that railway suicides fell by 12 per cent in 2016/17.

Samaritans says they are now seeing more than a thousand interventions reported every year, many by employees that have completed the training.

The strength of the programme is demonstrated by its presence across the network. In April Samaritans volunteers worked alongside rail staff from London Midland, Virgin Trains, Network Rail and British Transport Police to raise awareness of the charity’s service at stations across the West Midlands.

Although the training course represents a large part of what the partnership does, it also provides a support service to help staff and passengers following traumatic incidents.

Around five per cent of all suicides in Britain occur on the rail network. Many passengers will have seen the Samaritans posters at stations around the network which seek to highlight that help is available for those who are struggling to cope.

The joint initiative between the industry and Samaritans is well

known and well respected, but those close to its work will still say there is much more still to do.

Samaritans is once again backing the Lifesaver Award at this year’s RailStaff Awards evening. Since 2012, the RailStaff Awards has been recognising those who have made a lifesaving intervention. In many cases nominations tell the stories of railway staff and BTP officers who have made an intervention to prevent someone from taking their own life.

Says Ola Rzepczynska, the strategic programme manager at Samaritans, ‘Samaritans are delighted to be sponsoring the Lifesaver Award for the sixth year in a row.

‘We have been working with the rail industry since 2010 on the suicide prevention programme and have delivered our suicide prevention courses to over 13,000 staff, giving them the tools to be able to help vulnerable and potentially suicidal people on the network.

‘During this time there have been many examples of potentially life-saving interventions by rail industry personnel and British Transport Police officers all over England, Scotland and Wales.

Approximately 1,500 interventions have been carried out since April last year.’

Courage and recognition Abellio Greater Anglia’s Scott Paton won last year’s award. He spoke positively about the training course, believing it gave him the confidence to make the approach that gained him

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the nomination.

Ola added, ‘All of the individuals involved have proved that having the courage and taking the time to talk and listen to someone in need can make a real difference to a person’s life.

‘It is fantastic that we are able to recognise the huge positive difference that rail industry staff have been making on the network at the RailStaff Awards this year by sponsoring the award once again.’

If you know someone who has made a life-saving intervention, nominate them now for the 2017 RailStaff Awards at www. railstaffawards.com/nominate

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

TALKING SAVES LIVES Samaritans is proud to sponsor the Lifesaver award at this years’ RailStaff Awards 13,000 rail industry personnel and British Transport Police officers have been trained with the skills to help a person in need. These skills can encourage people to talk about their problems and help save lives.

For more info and to nominate a colleague  www.railstaffawards.com

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

33

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34

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

When good communication matters

P

assengers appreciate good communication.

During times of delays and cancellations, it can be the difference between a passenger being just mildly disgruntled or indignant.

The winner of the Customer Service of the Year award at the 2016 RailStaff Awards was won

by TransPennine Express’ Danny Roberts - a characterful fixture at Grimsby station. Front line rail staff often garner nominations for their ever friendly manner and helpful approach.

How companies deliver good customer service has changed significantly. Traditional communications methods are being augmented with more and more digital platforms and passengers now rely on service information delivered directly to their smartphone in a way that

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would have seemed unthinkable 15 years ago. But the role of knowledgable staff hasn’t been depleted by this. By arming them with this same information, the industry has actually been able to enhance the service it provides to passengers.

Everyone’s a customer This year, the Outstanding Customer Service category is being sponsored by telent’s rail division.

At the heart of telent’s rail business is the design, installation and maintenance of station security and information systems; the big-screen displays, public address systems, help points and cameras on the network that passengers rely on to keep informed and protected.

The company’s mission statement is ‘keeping the UK & Ireland connected & protected’.

To do that, the company needs each of its 2,000 employees, and especially the more than a thousand technical and field staff, to play a vital role.

Every single person is a customer, whether they are a passenger, colleague or client - a point which highlights the important status of this particular award.

The investment and commitment telent makes to its customers was demonstrated recently when the company announced it had been awarded five-star supplier status in its annual Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme (RISQS) audit.

Says Steve Dalton, managing director of telent’s rail division, ‘At telent we never forget that every connection we make is for someone and that’s why our innovative and passionate, respectful and resourceful people have always mattered

most to our success and why we go the extra mile to deliver our clients' promises to their customers.

‘I’m really excited that this year telent is supporting the Outstanding Customer Service Award, and I look forward to meeting the finalists, hearing their stories about how they have gone the extra mile to deliver truly outstanding customer service and to say thank you on behalf of the customers they have helped.’

Get nominating Steve also wants to stir the industry into nominating inspiring colleagues. ‘I encourage everyone to recognise the talented individuals and teams in their businesses by nominating them for a RailStaff Award and on behalf of everyone at telent I wish every nominee every success in October and in their on-going careers in our most vital rail industry.’

More information about this year’s event can be found on the RailStaff Awards website: www.railstaffawards.com

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

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38

EVENTS

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

EAST MIDLANDS TRAINS

GOING FOR RAILSPORT GL

EAST MIDLANDS TRAINS WILL FIELD A TEAM OF 30 FOR THIS SUMMER'S RAILSPORT GAMES

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E LORY

S

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

ast Midlands Trains has signed up for the RailSport Games this summer. As well as bringing many of this year’s competitors to the event, the company will be competing for gold across a number of sports.

The operator, which is based in Derby, is supporting the annual sporting competition as it moves from its former home in Blackpool to the East Midlands.

East Midlands Trains (EMT) will field a team of 30 for July’s multi-sport competition. Those taking part come from various areas of the business. Front line station staff will compete alongside colleagues in recruitment and HR, depot technicians and head office employees.

BEGINNER’S LUCK

‘It’s like a company sports day,’ says Tania Basile, a senior talent business partner at EMT, who was confident of her team’s ability to come away with the spoils. Tania will be part of the company’s rounders team, but she’s also a handy tennis player and, at one time, managed a women’s football team something she thinks will help against the toughest opposition.

Paige Hooton, an internal communications coordinator, will be taking part in RailSport for the first time this year. She only joined EMT eight months ago, her first role in rail, having previously worked in retail. Like Tania, she’s confident the team has medal-winning potential.

‘It’s probably just about having a good time with work colleagues,’ said Chris Buckley, talent manager, giving a more diplomatic rating of their chances.

Chris’ colleague Dave Meredith, a resource strategy manager, opertaions, will be competing in the 100-mile British Cycling-registered sportive event, which will take place on the second day of competition. Dave spends his working day overseeing train crew requirements for major projects. He’s been with EMT for 20 years and is currently heavily involved in the remodelling of Derby station.

Dave hopes to complete the course, which will cross through Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, in five hours and post a personal best time.

The team will be cheered on by Matt Price, EMT’s head of learning and development. Matt spent 15 years as a physical training instructor with the RAF and will be helping prepare the team before it goes head-to-head with the rest of the industry.

EMT staff will become a familiar sight at this year’s event. For competitors arriving by rail, the friendly staff at Loughborough station will be on hand to help teams as they make their way to the venue. Loughborough is one of 90 stations managed by EMT, which operates more than 470 regional and intercity services a day. The company won an industry award for its performance last year when 92 per cent of services arrived within 10 minutes of their scheduled time.

EVENTS

39

Says Kirsty Derry, EMT's HR director, 'We're very excited to be taking part in this year's RailSport Games.

'It's a great team building opportunity for our staff, bringing people together from diverse backgrounds to compete as 'one team'.

'We're really looking forward to getting out on the field; let's hope we have what it takes to make it through to the finals.'

WORLD-CLASS VENUE RailSport will be held between the 8-9 July. Supporting bodies for the competition this year include Network Rail, HS2 and Public Health England, which will be promoting its ‘One You’ campaign, an initiative which offers advice and tools to help people live healthier lives; it covers issues like smoking, alcohol, eating, physical activity, sleep and stress.

Loughborough University’s 440-acre campus will host the Games. The event will bring together the university’s strong sporting pedigree with its equally respected, if not so well publicised, rail industry links.

Loughborough University was recently named as the best sporting university in the world.

The QS higher education league table put Loughborough in joint first place with the University of Sydney.

Loughborough is renowned for its teaching and its world class facilities. The university has one of the centres that makes up the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine. It is also a popular base for Olympians and other world-class sportsmen and women.

In the past couple of years, the university has also been at the forefront of innovation in the rail sector. Researchers in the university’s Control Systems Group have developed a new fail-safe switch design called Repoint - a past winner of one of Rail Media’s Most Interesting Awards.

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40

FEATURE

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

COUNTING TR W

ith snow, gales and gusts of up to 94 mph hitting parts of Britain, Storm Doris was a ‘painful event for the railway network’ recalls Network Rail’s go-to authority on lineside safety, Paul Meads.

The weather bomb, as the Met Office later classified it, caused transport disruption across the country but arguably nowhere was the impact felt greater than on the Conwy Valley line.

On 23 February, a tree fell onto the Welsh line between Llanrwst and Blaenau Ffestiniog, Snowdonia - close to where the Met Office recorded Doris’ highest winds - disturbing lineside vegetation on the nearby rock face.

More than six weeks after it had closed, and only after Network Rail conducted an aerial assessment of the rock face and completed essential repair work, it re-opened to services.

Network Rail preemptively issued temporary speed restrictions on parts of its network, deployed extra staff and issued warnings of delays but it could not prevent the impact of the fallen tree.

A delay of that magnitude is not common there were logistical issues due to there being no road access, dense vegetation and extreme weather conditions to contend with - but trees falling onto the railway cause thousands of pounds of damage and thousands of minutes of passenger and freight service delays each year.

In 2016, there were more than 470 incidents of vegetation on the railway, from compounded fallen leaves affecting train braking to fallen branches causing overhead line dewirement and trees blocking routes entirely.

Network Rail is unable to give a precise figure for the cost of dealing with vegetation incidents but, according to the Linear Infrastructure Network, a group made up of infrastructure asset owners, managers, consultancies, Government and its agencies, the annual cost of vegetation impacts on train performance to the UK economy is £100 million.

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TREE CENSUS

Network Rail decided the answer to the problem was to survey the estimated 10 million trees across its 20,000 miles of railway.

It may sound like an epic challenge but that is exactly what has been done, with the help of aerial surveying from drones and helicopters.

After capturing the data, which covers a number of tree attributes, it is fed through a risk model, simply referred to as a black box, which outputs key problem trees in priority order.

Beginning in 2014, the tree census has covered nearly all areas of the rail network - except for exclusions around airports, for example - and is the latest offering from the Offering Rail Better Information Service programme (ORBIS), a programme aimed at supporting the railway industry by collating, analysing and exploiting data.

Already ORBIS has helped to save £207 million, according to Network Rail, by helping engineers to make smarter decisions and it expects to save another £281 million by 2019.

DETAILED ANALYSIS The census is being rolled out across the country and promises to revolutionise engineers’ work by providing them with a heat map of high priority problem trees that could later impact the railway, explains Paul Meads, who leads the development of lineside policy.

‘We’ve surveyed up to 60 metres either side of the railway covering 20,000 miles, and catalogued over 100 different attributes per tree including height, thickness, health, slope angle, proximity to bridges and power lines, which are measured to predict the risk an individual tree represents to the railway,’ he says.

‘Our analysis revealed the majority of trees that fall on the railway during storm conditions are healthy - yet previous inspections may have assessed these as lower risk.

‘Scotland had done their own survey before 2014, they’ve led the way with this - because they tend to suffer the more extreme weather and we have adapted their version.

‘They are at the forefront of how we can benefit from this and we are working closely with them.’

WALK THE LINE Previously the requirement was that Network Rail would undertake the ‘arduous’ process of walking along the line looking for any potentially problematic trees every three years.

This was supplemented with a more thorough report every five years assessing the trees in greater detail.

‘From the first use of the data I was able to identify areas to be managed and remove the need for a tree survey in those locations. This allowed for immediate cost saving for the route,’

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

FEATURE

41

REES The new programme allows engineers to target individual problem trees.

says Alex Hinshelwood, Network Rail’s senior asset engineer in Wales, who uses the database in his day-to-day work.

‘From my desk, I can analyse the trees that pose a risk to the railway, and using this data, I am able to develop a work bank for our vegetation management teams.

‘Now, with targeted, evidence-based information, I can save money and reduce the need to carry out lineside surveys.

‘The new heat map is an extraordinary development; I can click on the Cardiff area and in an instant highlight where potential problem areas exist.

‘The clustering data shows how many trees exist and you can drive right down to individual trees to uncover a range of different details, from height and location, to tree width.

‘We can’t simply cut down every tree on the lineside; we have to consider the natural environment and the impact of our work on our lineside neighbours.

‘The vegetation management data has the potential to completely change the way we carry out vegetation and tree management across the routes and will be an invaluable tool that can be used with our existing inspection records and asset data to help us make real asset management decisions.’

DRAMATIC REDUCTION By using the tree census, Network Rail is expecting there to be a dramatic reduction in the number of trees falling onto the tracks, as a result reducing delays and should be savings thousands of pounds.

There is also a safety consideration, reducing the risk to trains and, by reducing the time they spend trackside, improving the safety of workers, which will free up manpower for more productive activities.

‘Our use of the tree census is emerging,’ says Paul. ‘Feedback will be useful to see the benefits that it has.

‘I can sit here and say there are a great deal but we are really trying to understand how it is being used.

‘It’s very much in its early days but I think it will have a real benefit to the rail industry as a whole.’

In future, with the technology to identify and target trees before they become problematic to the rail network, it is hoped that prolonged delays such as those experienced on the Conwy Valley line can be avoided entirely.

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42

HEALTH+SAFETY

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

ALL UNDER CONTROL

‘A

t around 17:50 on Monday 20 March, six loaded wagons of an eastbound freight train became derailed as the train passed over East Somerset Junction, between Castle Cary and Frome, while travelling at about 20mph (32 km/h). The train, the 17:05 service from Merehead to Acton yard, was joining the up Westbury line from the Merehead single branch line.

“There were no injuries. The accident resulted in substantial damage to the railway infrastructure; around 100 metres of track including two sets of switches and crossings were destroyed. Train services between London Paddington and the West Country were diverted via Swindon while the wagons were recovered and track repairs took place over the following four days.”

These are the necessarily stark and clinical words at the start of a recent industry brief by the RAIB (Railway Accident Investigation Branch).

The words say it all. A train came off the line, caused considerable damage and the line was eventually reopened four days later.

Relatively straightforward incident Here at the Rail Engineer magazine we have covered several mishaps in the past. Mostly we have concentrated on the engineering needed to put things right - and sometimes the engineering that caused the initial problem in the first place!

This time we’re taking a somewhat different approach. This was, after all, a relatively straightforward incident - albeit reasonably spectacular.

We’re going to look at how the incident was managed from a railway operating point of view, rather than the detail of the remedial works.

Why? Well, we feel it’s useful for engineers to understand what is going on in the background, when sometimes it may seem that attention is on other things.

So, follow us now through the events of Monday 20 March and get a feel of how the railway, as a whole, dealt with the aftermath of the derailment of 7Z15.

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The alarm Neil Latham is the acting senior incident officer working for Network Rail, based at Swindon. Network Rail has three levels of incident command - gold, silver and bronze. Neil carries out the duties of a gold command officer, taking on strategic overviews of major incidents.

At almost 6 o’clock on the Monday evening, he was just putting on his coat ready to go off duty when an alarm rang in the control room.

“Think of the alarm that they set off in Star Trek. That’s the sound it makes,” he described it.

This alarm goes off when a driver’s emergency button in a loco cab is hit.

There is a direct line between the driver and the nearest signalbox with the conversation relayed over loudspeaker to the Swindon control room.

The alarm got everyone’s attention.

They listened to the words of the driver

who explained that his train was derailed at East Somerset junction, that several wagons were involved and that all lines were blocked.

Neil took his coat off. Going home would have to wait.

An abrupt and unplanned halt East Somerset junction lies between Frome and Castle Cary on the main line between Reading and Exeter. It is the junction between a single line leading to a quarry at Merehead that supplies a wide range of aggregates to the building industry.

It’s known locally as Witham, being close to the village of Witham Friary. To non-locals - the media especially - it is known as Castle Cary (which is eight miles away!).

The train in question was bound for Acton yard in west London and was hauling around 3,800 tonnes of aggregate, shale, rock ballast and sand. As it travelled onto the main line it came to an abrupt and unplanned halt.

The driver applied more power but nothing happened. The brakes came on.

Looking out of his cab window, all he could see initially behind him was a cloud of dust. As this settled it was obvious that the middle part of the train was on the floor.

The signaller placed all signals in the area at danger, although damage to signalling equipment by the derailment had already caused signals to go to red.

In the control room, the controllers set about dealing with an incident that they could tell from just a few words was certainly not going to be cleared up in 20 minutes.

Training kicks in Network Rail carries out regular practices of train disruptions, and Neil emphasised that managing an incident is much more about considering the railway in the future rather than looking backwards at the incident itself and the causes of the incident.

The incident has happened. That’s the end of the matter. Why it happened is for others to worry about.

“If you get involved in analysing causes in the first few minutes or hours, then the effective management of the railway as a whole becomes distorted and very difficult,” he commented.

The track circuit diagrams are mimicked in the Swindon control room and so it was possible to see what the signaller could see. The diagrams were quickly photographed and, from those images, the controllers could understand which routes in the area were blocked and which were

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

available. With information gathered from other boxes, it was possible to tell whether there were any trains trapped and whether there were trains that could become trapped. These latter were diverted and diversionary routes planned for any following trains.

It is the role of the controllers to sort out vital details such as driver route knowledge, platforming, stabling, stock availability and all the minutia, any one of which could prove to be a showstopper.

In the meantime, the trapped trains had to be drawn back to stations where passengers could be disembarked and transferred to road transport.

Setting all this up has to start straightaway, as does the briefing of all parties involved.

These included the RAIB, the freight operator, the passenger train operator, the DfT and the infrastructure maintainer. Network Rail’s breakdown crane was mobilised.

No rushing off to site There was intense activity, but none of it involved a mass exodus to site. As Neil emphasised, there was absolutely no point.

The site would have been quarantined and, with several hundred tonnes of steelwork sat firmly on the floor, nothing was going to move and nothing could be moved until a detailed recovery plan was set up.

Around 45 minutes after the incident 45 minutes that passed pretty quickly - a conference call was set up with those involved in the medium and long-term management of the incident.

During this conference, the appropriate command structure was confirmed and the aims and objectives of the operation defined.

Very early on, it was appreciated that the coming weekend involved some very extensive engineering work in the area which, in turn, required a diversionary route over the site of the derailment. This defined the timescales for the recovery and reinstatement work.

A basic railway was needed by 22:00 on the Friday. If this deadline was missed then there was a real risk that the engineering work could be disrupted or cancelled.

Again, the natural instinct of people to go and help had to be curbed. With the short-term measures already being planned, it was far more useful to set up rotas and send everyone home so that they could arrive on site when there was something to do and to ensure fresh cover through the incident.

Through the night, controllers worked on the temporary timetable that would operate over the next 48 hours.

In the morning, the RAIB arrived and began its investigations. A small team from Network Rail was allowed access so that an inventory could be made of the damage. This enabled a first ‘stab’ to be made at sourcing materials and other resources that would be needed. It was not a detailed survey, but enough to make at least an upper-bound evaluation of what had to be replaced.

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Wagon recovery plans The wagon recovery team was also allowed to view the wagons so that an outline recovery plan could be put together. There are two basic options available. Either a wagon can be rerailed with its own or with temporary bogies, or it can be purchased from the owner and cut up either in-situ or having been placed on adjacent land.

Each vehicle had its own bespoke recovery scheme. With the Friday deadline in mind, the method of recovery for each wagon was determined by the time that it would take.

“In the end,” Neil recalled, “all of the wagons were railed out despite some of them looking a bit hopeless.”

As the wagon recovery timescale became clearer, the track and signalling engineers were able to plan their operations working back from the 22:00 Friday deadline.

The last wagon was dispatched on Thursday morning. Track reconstruction took place from Thursday afternoon and all through Friday.

Access was not an issue as there is an existing road close to site. There was no need to put in temporary access over farmland, although the farmer did benefit from acquiring all the spoil!

Some track materials were on hand locally, and one of Network Rail’s main hub depots was not far away, at Westbury, and it had everything else that was needed.

“By the Friday deadline we had got 50 per cent of the railway back with full signalling restored. Of the two lines that come on to the main line, we had replaced one and abandoned the other one until a later date.

“Passenger services were pretty much unaffected, apart from a temporary speed restriction which caused only minimal delay.”

The planned engineering works at the weekend were able to go ahead with the diversionary routes fully available.

In those minutes immediately after 17:50 on the Monday, not only had a strategy to maintain the weekend work been formulated, a functioning railway system had been set up around the incident site.

The railway can never just stop. There are people and freight that need to keep moving and it takes the calm practiced expertise of the controllers and the incident officers to ensure that they do.

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RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

WORK

A

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© Shutterstock.com © Four By Three

long-awaited report examining the safety of those working outside of possessions was released by RAIB last month.

Following investigations into a number of incidents, the RAIB has made several recommendations to address its ongoing concern around track worker safety highlighted in recent annual reports.

The document, which including appendices is the best part of 90 pages long, makes five recommendations to Network Rail: • Improvements in procedures and/or training for those in leadership roles to be able to adapt to changes in circumstances; • Improvements to the training of track workers in non-technical skills; • Changes in the competence requirements for people who lead track work in higherrisk situations; • Making location-specific photographic and video information more easily available to staff involved in planning and leading work on the track; and • Improvements in the collection, analysis and reporting of information on incidents involving track workers.

Over the last 10 years, there have been six track worker fatalities on Britain’s railways.

The most recent occurred in 2014 and since then the RAIB has raised concerns about the number of near miss incident reports generated by Network Rail’s national operations centre (NOC) that had the potential to result in multiple fatalities.

RAIB’s research demonstrated the high risk posed by red zone working - where the normal running of trains isn't blocked.

Red zone working with unassisted lookouts equipped with a flag, horn or whistle was in place for 36 per cent of the near misses investigated.

One way of reducing this figure, the report suggests, would be to invest in lookoutoperated warning systems (LOWS). Red zone working with LOWS accounted for only 6 per cent of all near misses. The fewest near misses (1 per cent) were reported where work was undertaken within a fenced green zone.

BEST LAID PLANS RAIB chief inspector Simon French pointed out that in 2015, 71 near miss incidents involving track workers working outside a possession were reported on Network Rail infrastructure.

The RAIB found that in more than half of these incidents the situation on site had changed from the planned safe system of work.

Says Simon, ‘I have detected a real determination in the railway industry to address this issue, and recognise the significant number of initiatives with the potential to reduce the risk to track workers, including the use of technology to provide improved protection from trains.

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KING OUTSIDE POSSESSIONS What the RAIB says

‘Another such initiative is Network Rail’s Planning and Delivering Safe Work (PDSW) programme, which is intended to ensure that every task is correctly planned, and implemented by a specially selected and trained individual, designated the ‘Safe Work Leader’ (SWL), who has been involved in the planning of the work.

Although the implementation of the PDSW programme has been seriously delayed, I hope that in time it will bring further improvements to the management of track worker safety.’

ATTITUDE AND CULTURE The recommendations emphasise the need for additional training, both in terms of understanding best safety practices but also non-technical ‘soft’ skills.

‘Our analysis has also found that the behaviour and attitudes of track workers, including those with responsibilities for leading safety, are major factors in the causation of incidents,’ said Simon. ‘Given that behavioural and cultural issues can lead to breakdowns in site discipline or loss of vigilance, the RAIB

considers that the industry should reinvigorate the training it provides to track workers in the ‘non-technical skills’ needed to work safely on the railway (ie generic skills such as the ability to take information, focus on the task, make effective decisions, and communicate clearly with others).’

RED ZONE WORKING Simon said the evidence all suggests that the industry needs to continue to look for alternatives to red zone working that separate the workforce from the live railway.

Says Simon, ‘Although supportive of the industry’s intention to minimise the extent of red zone working, I am concerned that the industry needs also to carefully analyse the risk implications of extending the number of temporary blockages of the line, which are vulnerable to errors made by signallers as well as by those leading work on the track.

‘I am encouraged that the industry is continuing to research and develop systems and processes designed to reduce the chance of a human error… leading to an accident.’

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46

TRACK SAFETY

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

REPORT BY COLIN WHEELER

PUBLISHED AT LA RAIB'S REPORT INTO RED ZONE WORKING AND THE NEAR MISSES AND ACCIDENTS THAT RESULT

L

ast month I began my article by referring to the delayed publication of the (RAIB) Rail Accident Investigation Branch’s report of their “Class investigation into accidents and near misses involving trains and track-workers outside of possessions”.

I said I preferred the well understood phrase of “red zone working” rather than “outside of possessions”. When compiling that article I admit I was shocked by the number of near misses that have occurred in the last few months –and they are continuing to happen!

Colin Wheeler.

Delayed by almost a year

Five recommendations

I now understand that the report had been held back ever since its draft completion in May of last year whilst the RAIB consultation process was completed.

With such a major delay I am left wondering just which organisations found it contentious and how many observations and draft conclusions ended up on the cutting room floor! I would like to think that Railstaff’s interest prompted its publication.

It came out on April 13th just days after the April edition of Railstaff was published! It is based on an in depth analysis of just ten of the 71 near misses that were recorded in 2015, some of which could have resulted in multiple fatalities.

Its five recommendations are reasonable but I do not believe they go far enough. It recommends improvements in procedures training for those in leadership roles so that they may better adapt to changes in circumstances.

To my mind this ignores the possibility (or some might allege probability) that all those in management roles have that potential. If the assumption is valid then the real hurdle to be cleared is changing the culture so that safety is ranked above performance.

Recent near misses are revealing in that they show the highest motivational force is towards keeping the railway

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running on time. Consequently those called out to incidents put themselves at risk to identify and rectify infrastructure defects affecting train running.

I suspect that when they do so they are often congratulated by their managers for doing so!

Improved training Improving the training of track-workers is a second worthy recommendation but why is it only aimed at Network Rail? From personal experience I would add that personality, commitment and motivation focus are also critical.

I recall a track supervisor whose work output was second to none. He could be relied on to “get the job done” whatever the circumstances but in doing so his enthusiasm to get in and do the work led him into taking chances with his own and the track workers safety. The only solution in the end was to move him out of his supervisory role.

Consequently I welcome also the recommendation of changing competence requirements for leaders of track workers in high risk situations. This is coupled with the recommendation that risky situations need to be minimised.

Surely what is meant is that there needs to be track level motivation, supported by management, that safety really must always be the primary motivation.

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

TRACK SAFETY

47

AST Photographs and videos A separate recommendation is for the availability of photographic and video information to be increased for the use of people planning and leading work on track. In itself this I welcome as a good idea but only as an aid.

I am firmly convinced that each and every job, (often each and every shift for the more complex work) should be subject to a joint site visit by the planner and work leader. Not only will they pick up potential difficulties which a desk exercise can easily miss, they will also both increase their commitment to that job being completed safely. Photographs and videos can help but not replace site visits.

Six near misses or more every month?

Another recommendation is for “improvements in the collection, analysis and reporting of information on incidents involving track workers”. Currently RAIB gathers data from Network Rail’s National Operations Centre’s daily incident reports.

Sometimes near miss incidents are not reported until sometime after they occur so they do not appear in the Log which closes at 6 am each day after recording a period of 24 hours. For the class investigation RAIB was also able to include data from separate health, safety and environment performance reports which include potentially severe “operational close call incidents”.

Reluctant to report There remains reluctance by track workers to report incidents.

Too often it is left to train drivers to make a report.

RAIB Chief Inspector Simon French is quoted. He draws attention to the fact that there have been six track worker fatalities over the last ten years and; although the last one was in 2014. During 2015 alone RAIB identified no fewer than 71 reported incidents where “track workers working outside a possession were at risk of being struck by moving trains.”

That equates to around six reported near misses every month! He goes on to comment on the potential use of technology to improve protection from trains. He expresses the hope that the long delayed “Planning and Delivering Safe Work” initiative (PDSW) will bring improvements to the management of track worker safety.

PDSW remains “paused”!

PDSW was implemented in the East Midlands back in May 2015 and some 13,500 people were trained in its use. Then in January 2016 “the PDSW programme was paused and the use of the e-permit system was suspended in Network Rail’s maintenance organisation”.

However according to the report it has continued to be used in work managed by Network Rail’s Infrastructure Projects organisation.

Presumably contractors who are required to work under both systems have to be remarkably flexible or ambidextrous! I question the wisdom of continuing with the current confusing situation.

Funding for warning systems Network Rail funding agreed with the Office of Rail and Road for Period 5 on funding for the “development of high reliability and integrity warning systems for track-workers”.

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TRACK SAFETY

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

The programme it was decided would be split into two phases.

Firstly “tactical solutions that can be deployed quickly at relatively low cost with fast realisation of benefits”; followed by stage two.

The second phase being the finding of “strategic solutions providing benefits along lines of route covering a greater proportion of the infrastructure”.

These are to be implemented during Period 6 it says, as part of the Digital Railway programme.

Digital Railway I assume that the second phase references to the Digital Railway imply the integration of track warning systems into a Digital Railway control system.

Clearly the timetable for this would be determined by the development and introduction of a line of route digitised railway.

My hope is that we will examine in detail what has already been done elsewhere.

More than twelve years ago I recall a visit to Zurich in Switzerland, a busy hub station with 19 platforms. We visited the Signalling Centre and then went on track. We were led on walkways to a booking-in point at which our Track Supervisor clocked us into the signalling system giving us the equivalent of a possession between trains.

The system then automatically contacted him when we were

required to move out to the place of safety. I hope for a similar initiative here before we reach the end of Period 5! The system was programmed to treat us as a train in section.

Lookouts?

Simon French admits that he has been asked whether or not it is still appropriate for track workers to be reliant on warnings given by one or more lookouts.

After 11 years he says we need to find reliable systems that separate trains from people.

I agree. But he goes on to say that we need to analyse the risk implications inherent in extending the numbers of temporary blockages of the line which are then vulnerable to human error by either signallers or track supervisors.

The Office of Rail and Road will have a role to play in ensuring that the new High Speed 2 railway infrastructure is fit for purpose and a commissioning inspection will doubtless take place before commercial operations begin.

Network Rail’s operations permit the use of lookout protection including site and distant lookouts with horns, whistles and flags as appropriate, at speeds of up to and including 125 mph. At speeds above 125 mph red zone working, as I prefer to call it, is not permitted.

75 mph is fast enough for lookout working I question whether or not there is any risk assessed or indeed logical reason to draw the line at 125 mph? I recall my early days working for a County Council Highways organisation whose responsibilities included the maintenance of the M5 motorway.

Manually nailing traffic monitoring tubes to the road surface was a hazardous occupation, but fortunately traffic volumes were much smaller than now.

We grew used to seeing approaching vehicles and our perception of speeds up to 70 mph was good. However I don’t believe the same can be said for a speed of 125 mph.

The use of automatic systems driven by the signalling system (digital or otherwise) should surely be introduced progressively with a review of any route where speeds above 70 or 100 mph are permitted.

After all, the use of horns and © Virgin Trains East Coast/RAIB

Train driver dives to the ground to avoid being hit by oncoming train.

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flags is an historic relic of a railway that began with a man waving a red flag leading every train!

Another stone carrying train derails In March I featured the low speed stone carrying freight train derailment that occurred near Lewisham South on January 24th. At 1750 on Monday March 20th a Class 59 Diesel Electric locomotive hauling 38 stone carrying wagons derailed causing main line disruption.

The recovery work took four days. The train was passing over East Somerset Junction between Castle Cary and Frome in Somerset at just 20 mph when it derailed. It was the 1705 Merehead to Acton Yard service and was joining the Up Westbury Line from the Merehead single branch line when the accident happened.

There were no injuries but substantial damage to the infrastructure. Trains between London and the West Country were diverted through Swindon and the track repairs took four days to complete.

The train split between the 21st and 22nd wagons due to the derailment of wagons 24 to 29 and was brought to a halt by the automatic application of the brakes. The leading derailed wagon was type HOA and the derailment occurred at the point where in 2012 trap points had been plain lined.

The ongoing RAIB investigation is focussing on track condition and maintenance, wagon loading and maintenance and any underlying management factors.

Clearly the long term objective of the RAIB must be falling rates of accidents and incidents; regrettably there seems to be little tangible progress in that direction at present!

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HEALTH+SAFETY

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

HEART TO HEART

G

et your ticker checked - it could save your life and your wife. That’s the message from John Jebson, head of safety at McGinley Support Services, after a dramatic, international rescue operation co-ordinated from France.

John was about to leave for a working holiday with his children in France, where he’s been doing up an old French farmhouse. The night before setting out for France, the Jebson family went out to celebrate their son Samuel’s 21st birthday.

‘We had a great time at an all-you-can-eat buffet and certainly got our money’s worth,’ says John, writing in the company magazine and must-read, ‘SafetyINRail’ newsletter.

‘When we got home, we settled down to watch our favourite programme, Band of Brothers. As we sat there, my wife, and mother of our four children, who is 46 years old, 5ft tall, size 8, a social smoker and drinker, complained of jaw and neck ache as well as shoulder and arm pains which she put down to a tight bra.’

The band of brothers rallied round and did a Google search of the symptoms. Search results came up with angina - possibly.

Jeanne Jebson agreed to see her GP as soon as possible.

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Most people enjoy good health and take it for granted. Says John, ‘I cannot remember the last time I went to a doctor, so I must be really healthy, right?’ Wrong. In fact symptoms can surface long after the condition first starts.

Moreover you may look and feel fit but be suffering from an undiagnosed hereditary condition.

‘How many of us know our blood type, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugars etc? I, like most, believed that ignorance is bliss,’ says John.

Once in France the family set to work on the house. Jebson then received an urgent text from his doctor’s surgery. The GP and his team had done several tests on Jeanne and were now trying to track her down as a matter of urgency. In fact, the supposed angina was a heart attack - the latest, the medic thought, in a series. It was vital that Jeanne be found and whisked straight away to hospital. The next heart attack could prove much more serious, the GP warned. ‘Her Troponin levels were at 2700 (2.7) and cholesterol at 9.5. It was highly likely that another larger heart attack was about to happen,’ recalls John.

Troponin is a protein found in heart muscles and is released into the blood when there is damage to the heart.

In a dramatic race against time, Samuel Jebson tracked his mother down and alerted the GP. Jeanne was picked up within minutes and taken to hospital in an ambulance with lights flashing and sirens full on. Kind motorists pulled over as the ambulance screamed across town to the nearest hospital with a cardiac arrest unit.

After an angiogram, angioplasty and a comprehensive set of blood tests, the doctors prescribed an emergency course of treatment and a follow-up series of drugs. Jeanne was released from hospital a few days later and told to recover at home for six weeks. Medication and lifestyle changes are now making good the damage done.

What was the cause? ‘It seems an undiagnosed hereditary cholesterol problem, which is not connected to diet or lifestyle, was the cause in this case,’ says John.

‘There were some warning signs which were dismissed - a bad back, neck and stomach

pains and some visual migraines, but at no point did anyone think it could be a heart attack.’

People assume heart attacks start as chest pains followed by a collapse. That isn’t necessarily so. Not all heart attacks present in the same way. Those odd aches and pains can be warnings of something much more serious.

Some conditions are not visible. Warning symptoms differ between genders and ages.

The story has a happy ending and Mrs Jebson’s lucky escape could save lives in future.

Says John, ‘The Safety Team at McGinley has looked into what we can do to help our colleagues.’ Part of McGinley’s safety culture now extends to include plans for health awareness days for all staff. An occupational health practitioner carries out a series of tests and checks under patient confidentiality rules.

Only the person being tested will be given the results. However it is imperative that people take responsibility for their own health and become pro-active in heading off problems.

Staff are encouraged to check out their hearts and health generally - and that of their spouses and families. Getting your heart checked could save your life.

What is the moral of this story? For the Jebson family it’s quite simple. Know your numbers - blood pressure, resting heart rate, blood sugars and cholesterol levels. Check it out - it’s your responsibility. Do not ignore symptoms. Go to your GP if you feel unwell.

As they say in France, ‘Un bon cœur ne peut mentir.’ A good heart does not lie…

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McGinley Support Services Safety Bus goes on tour McGinley Support Services has launched a new Safety Bus now on tour throughout the UK - aimed at taking briefings and safety communications out on site for the direct benefit of hard working staff.

As part of a continuing drive to improve working practices and site security, the Safety Bus means face-to-face briefings can be delivered in a live environment right alongside the locations and shifts they affect.

Workers on site are briefed by competent staff with first-hand

understanding and knowledge of the industry. Every worker is involved and McGinley Support Services prides itself on embedding safety in its dynamic company-wide culture.

Safety Bus briefings are designed to provide information in a direct, personal and accessible way. The Safety Bus initiative gives the worker an opportunity to ask questions, check procedures and refresh his or her knowledge in their own working environment.

On tour for the next six months, the aim is to cover health and

safety issues at site, reinforce formal training and strengthen attitudes to safety. McGinley Support Services supplies personnel and support to the national rail and metro sectors. As a RISQS accredited supplier, its rail recruitment division continues to grow and is now one of the largest suppliers of contingent labour in the rail industry.

From track workers to technical staff and top executives, McGinley people form a proactive core in workforce

planning, training and responding safely and quickly to the needs of the rail industry. Safety is at the forefront - and the four foot - of McGinley Support Services which operates on metros, tram systems and the national rail network 24 hours a day.

The McGinley Safety Bus is touring the UK throughout the summer and will be at several safety events and conferences throughout the year. For more details check out www.mcginley.co.uk

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52

INTERVIEWS

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

MANCHESTER'S RAIL DEVOLUTION CHALLENGE MARC JOHNSON SPEAKS TO TFGM’S HEAD OF RAIL, AMANDA WHITE - THE WOMAN LEADING THE AUTHORITY’S RAIL DEVOLUTION BID

W © Shutterstock.com

hen Transport for Greater Manchester’s head of rail, Amanda White, joined the body in 2014, it had one major goal in mind.

Manchester had just signed a devolution deal with Whitehall in which the city set specific objectives around the better integration of public transport in Greater Manchester.

One priority was to look at how stations are managed and whether the current model makes the most of the city’s assets.

Amanda joined TfGM from HS2, where she had been designing the route from Birmingham to Manchester. She had slowly been making her way up to the North West even then, she joked. For the past two years, one of her priorities has been to add some meat to the bones of Manchester’s rail devolution plan. The first substantial detail was published in TfGM’s ‘Case for Change’ document in March.

Although only a proposal at this stage, it clearly signals TfGM’s intentions. The authority said it wants to own and manage 97 stations around Greater Manchester, including Manchester Piccadilly.

By owning the stations, TfGM can look at long-term investment programmes and tailor the facilities to match the communities they serve.

‘At the moment the rail stations are the missing piece of the jigsaw for us,’ says Amanda. ‘Because we can’t have as much influence as we do say with your Metrolink infrastructure or your bus infrastructure.’

She went on, ‘Even today, we don’t have any responsibility for the stations but we do receive the complaints, so there’s confusion about ownership now.’

Having worked in the industry for 14 years, Amanda understands all too well the network’s complex ownership structure. Prior to working for HS2, Amanda was at Network Rail. Out of university, she joined Network Rail’s electrification and plant division in York, eventually moving down to London to work on enhancement schemes.

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She explained why she felt the current system wasn’t delivering for the city and wider county. ‘The rail industry is focussed on running trains, they’re not incentivised, they don’t have a remit to look at local regeneration or railway assets, for example.’

Starting with the basics Of the 97 stations mentioned in the document, around half are unmanned and three of them serve the Glossop line outside the Greater Manchester boundary.

The largest by far is Manchester Piccadilly, the fourth busiest station outside of London.

From the day it receives the keys, TfGM says it will look to rebrand and deep clean the stations, first targeting what it can immediately improve - things like access and comfort. ‘We’re starting with the basics and building up,’ says Amanda.

Long-term plans have already been produced for 21 stations.

Over the next 18 months, plans for the remaining 76 will be drawn up. In particular, they are looking at what services could be offered at stations to address certain community issues, says

Amanda. A desk for community support offices could be created at stations with high levels of antisocial behaviour, for example.

TfGM’s role in shaping rail services in the North West has been growing for some time. As part of Rail North, it was one of the strategic partners whose feedback helped define the specification for the current Northern and TransPennine franchises. But the same kind of partnership wouldn’t allow TfGM to achieve all of its aspirations, says Amanda.

‘You can get so far with a partnership or alliance but you can never guarantee the delivery of the outcome that you’re looking for as a single owner or single responsible organisation.’

In the future, TfGM hopes to develop its capability, says

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

Amanda White.

53

Solid foundations

Governance

TfGM already owns Horwich Parkway, which sits on the Manchester to Preston route. The initial outlining business case suggests that the 94 local stations could transfer to TfGM in the next two to three years. A target of the mid 2020s has been put on the three larger stations Piccadilly, Victoria and Oxford Road.

All of the operational staff for these stations would be transferred over to TfGM - a move that will provide more long-term stability for those employees, says Amanda. She believes that the infrastructure already exists within TfGM to begin running a portion of those 94 local stations straight away.

‘It really depends where we end up,’ says Amanda. ‘If we have a big bang

When the current Northern franchise launched last year, new operator Arriva set out how it planned to improve its stations. It has an obligation to the Department for Transport (DfT) to deliver on these plans. Under the Case for Change proposals, TfGM will instead have a contractual obligation to the train operating companies and a political obligation to taxpayers.

Says Amanda, ‘We’ll have a contract and we will have performance measures that are monitored through that franchise, but secondly we will be monitored through taxpayers and our own governance through GMCA.’ The rail infrastructure itself would remain Network Rail property. Major events and maintenance activities would require the same kind of close working that already goes on in the background.

‘There is no doubt that whatever we do the train operating companies and Network Rail will be our partners because Network Rail are the ultimate landlord,’ says Amanda. ‘We will always have to seek their approval and work closely with them to protect their assets.’

There may also be more opportunities to support the work of station adopters and community rail partnerships.

Says Amanda, ‘What we should do is actually open up more doors, generate more funding, improve the number of opportunities and relationships that can be generated with the CRPs, so we’re not going to walk away from those relationships either.

‘We already sit within the steering groups that work with the CRPs, but we can bring in a whole host of other relationships with our health departments or our policing or skills and make the connections a lot easier.’

© Shutterstock.com

Amanda. The idea of it operating services directly is not entirely unlikely and although a new 10-year operating concession was awarded for Metrolink earlier this year, TfGM may choose to follow Midland Metro and bring its tram services in-house in the future.

‘As our responsibilities grow and as our network grows it may be that in another eight years time when we’re considering what that contract looks like we might want to bring in-house, completely inhouse, the operations and the maintenance work or it might be that we see that there are advantages to leaving it as a concession and that’s how we manage the rail stations.’

INTERVIEWS

and we get what we’ve asked for here with the 94 then we’re going to need to bring in a mobilisation team with the expertise to write up the contracts, legal agreements and do all the condition assessment that’s required alongside that. But on a very, very small scale, we do have the foundations of the right kind of expertise right across the organisation.

‘We already have our facilities management team who directly manage the maintenance of facilities, management of bus infrastructure and our own property estate. We have a very strong commercial, legal and financial team who are running the contracts for Metrolink as they stand. Plus the rail team that exists today which has within it our own very small, but completely relevant, asset management process for managing Horwich Parkway station.’

Transformation Amanda was the only girl in her A-level physics class. She was also one of just three women out of 30 students to complete the university mechanical engineering course she was on. The rail industry presents opportunities to work on transformative projects, said Amanda.

‘With a project like HS2, it’s a legacy that you can leave, understanding that it’s my name behind that route design to Manchester. A lot of people will not like it, but I do actually sleep well at night knowing that we went through a process and a consultation which I know is the right thing to do for that infrastructure design and I'm proud of being part of that.’

Taking charge of Manchester’s stations may not transform the country in the same way as HS2, but the ripple effect could see more local authorities seeking greater control of their railways.

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54

GEAR+TECH

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

GETTING SERIOUS ABOUT INNOVATION

T

he railway’s slow rate of change and innovation is a popular topic of conversation at conferences and over networking drinks.

A lack of free Wi-Fi and the limited rollout of things like automatic delay repay and ticketless travel lags behind the expectations of the modern passenger.

Seeking a solution, train operator London Midland launched a tech accelerator programme last month at Birmingham’s iCentrum building. For the next 12 weeks, 10 selected startups will develop new products and services that London Midland will look to harness to improve the experience of its passengers.

DIGITAL DISRUPTION Built by Bouygues UK on the Innovation Birmingham Campus, iCentrum, with its expansive central atrium, opened in 2016 - custom-built to support a new generation of digital ingenuity and disruption.

More than 100 companies initially expressed an interest in the project. A shortlist of 30 companies was then drawn up and from those 10 were selected. The solutions range from an analytics tool that uses facial recognition technology to an app which can convert audio announcements into text notifications for the hearing impaired.

London Midland has invested a quarter of a million pounds in the Labs project and the company’s managing director, Patrick Verwer, has described it as the beginning of a new era for rail passengers.

‘What we wanted to do here was demonstrate to our travelling passenger that we’re serious about innovation,’ said Ian McLaren, London Midland’s finance and contracts director - the man behind London Midland Labs.

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© PopWork

COLLABORATION AND COMPETITION The potential for hosting a rail innovation accelerator was raised prior to London Midland receiving its direct award contract to continue operating the West Midlands franchise until October 2017. Ian joined the operator in 2014 and brought experience from working in the technology sector. Prior to that, he had held similar roles at Serco and Merseyrail.

The original 120 companies that applied to be part of the Labs project included both individuals straight out of university with an interesting idea and established businesses.

Ian set out what he felt were the benefits of the accelerator format.

‘We’ve seen a number of the start-ups

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

have actually come in with a preconceived idea of how the rail industry worked and morphing and changing.

And also competing with each other as well and collaborating with each other to get the best out of their products.’

During the 12-week programme, the 10 participating companies will be able to draw on London Midland’s data and resources. Workshop space at iCentrum and mentoring support will also be provided free of charge.

‘Having a direct link with a train operating company will allow the companies to mature their products and services more quickly for the UK rail market’, said Ian. Following the initial three-month accelerator, each of the start-ups will take part in a demonstration day to show what progress they have made.

POP-UP PODS One of the companies taking part is PopWork, a supplier of pop-up meeting pods: a posh mobile shed of sorts that can be booked out through a smartphone app. Three of these pop-up spaces will be installed at Milton Keynes station later in the year the first time they have been trialled at a railway station.

Two of the start-up organisations - Braci and TransReport - have come up with applications that could allow London Midland and Network Rail to better target maintenance activities.

GEAR+TECH

55

TransReport is a fault reporting app.

Once a fault has been flagged, sensors on the train will direct technicians to the issue and the passenger who reported it will receive updates about the repair.

Although it employs different technology, Braci’s sound recognition application could offer similar benefits.

The app, once switched on, can listen out for defects on the track or train wheels. This is just one of its applications. It could also help those with hearing impairments, or even just someone wearing headphones, by listening for relevant announcements and sending a visual notification to the user’s phone.

SECOND COHORT These are just a few of the projects being progressed by the Labs initiative. Others include a delay repay system, a messaging platform and a support service for passengers with additional needs.

Ian went on to explain how London Midland is already directly investing in around half of the companies and what its future plans are for the programme.

‘This is our first cohort. We’ll soon be looking at the second cohort later on in the year and to continue that through future franchises,’ said Ian. ‘We’re doing this because we want to, because it’s the right thing to do and the industry needs to evolve.’

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56

GEAR+TECH

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

Utilising

RESULTS IN FOR APPRENTICE WEARER TRIAL

G

ore and Ballyclare Limited set up an apprentice wearer trial programme last November inviting young men and women in the rail sector to step forward and join the test team.

A total of 11 rail apprentices took part, working for a wide range of key companies in the rail sector, such as Network Rail, Costain Skanska, Siemens and Atkins.

Ten male and one female apprentice made up the test team, which was spread across all areas of the country; London to York, West Midlands to Derby. The test team each received a GORE-TEX® jacket and trousers manufactured by Ballyclare from their Rail Safety Range, free of charge, in exchange for their opinions and feedback on the kit.

TRUE BRITISH WEATHER After the first month of wearing the garments in what can only be described as the true reality of British winter weather - including strong biting winds, heavy showers and some snow, cold conditions down to -3 degrees then up to 15 degrees - the team was asked for their qualitative feedback.

One apprentice commented, ‘The trousers felt a lot higher quality than I have used previously with a good fit which isn’t too baggy or too slim, great for visiting sites as you can fit them over other trousers.’

Another reported back on his jacket, ‘It was very suitable for keeping high winds out, kept me warm during walks and works in tunnels which can be quite a harsh environment when it’s cold outside and the fans are on full.’

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Following another two months of wear, the team filled out an online survey. Working predominately outside or within tunnels, all respondents stated their work involved a mixture of standing, kneeling, lying on the ground and climbing. All stated their garments were the right wearing weight and 90 per cent thought the kit great at keeping out the rain.

When kit was worn in wet weather conditions, 46 per cent said it dried within a few hours and the remaining 54 per cent said it dried easily overnight ready for use the next day.

SAFE AND VISIBLE When asked how their test kit performed compared to their standard issue PPE, 54 per cent stated better for breathability, 90 per cent stated better or same for flexibility, 70 per cent said it was much better for keeping them dry. All testers felt safe and visible in their GORE-TEX® Ballyclare kit.

When asked to provide suggestions for future improvements on the design of rail PPE, a unanimous call for more pockets to hold tablets, gloves, phones and tools was made.

Says Maggie Shaw, Ballyclare’s sales and service manager for the rail industry, ‘Gore and Ballyclare would like to thank the apprentice test team for taking part in this wearer trial.

Wearer feedback is important to us and we’ll definitely be feeding back their comments to our design team.’

Jonas Andersson, Gore Workwear associate, comments, ‘We are very pleased with the results of our first apprentice test team programme and will continue to support Ballyclare and the entire rail sector in the provision of high-calibre GORE-TEX® Garments.’

For further information: www.gore-workwear.co.uk www.ballyclarelimited.com

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COMPANY FOCUS

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

HELPING PROJECTS RUN

SMOOTHLY

SNC-LAVALIN’S LAURA HAWKSLEY TALKS ABOUT HOW SHE BECAME PART OF THE COMPANY’S NETWORK OF SUPPORT STAFF

‘I

sort of fell into the rail industry,’ says Laura Hawksley, an assurance consultant at SNCLavalin. It’s a familiar tale.

Someone unhappy with how their career is panning out acts on the recommendation of a friend or family member and finds their perfect role in an industry they would never have otherwise considered.

Chatting at SNC-Lavalin’s offices in Derby, Laura said she had planned for a future that was in events and hospitality, but soon found it wasn’t all she’d expected. ‘The thing is with hotels it was quite unsociable hours and there was no real chance of progression in the role that I was doing,’ said Laura, who is from Swanwick in Derbyshire’s Amber Valley. ‘I was keen to get on.’

SUPPORTING ENGINEERS Laura joined SNC-Lavalin, or Interfleet as it was at the time, in 2011 on the company’s advanced apprenticeship scheme. For the first few months, she moved around the business, supporting a number of different technical engineering teams, while completing an NVQ Level 3 in business administration. ‘It was good to work with different people and see how their goals fed into the whole industry,’ said Laura.

When her apprenticeship was complete, Laura applied for a full-time role within the specialist engineering department. While Laura chose a more technical role others on her course went on to pursue opportunities in marketing and finance.

In her support role, Laura would help compile reports, book meetings and produce purchase orders. Laura, who went on to lead

her own support team, explained what skills the role demanded. ‘You’ve got to have really good organisational skills and make sure things are done on time so it doesn’t affect their work and ultimately the projects.’

There are lots of opportunities to progress within the company, says Laura. She later moved to the safety management and project assurance department as a certification project coordinator on a temporary contract to cover maternity leave. She ended up staying with that team. Her role involved supporting the approvals process for new rolling stock designs, from initial concepts to authorisation. Says Laura, ‘That role really let me get involved with interfacing with the client and seeing the approvals process really from start to finish.’

THE FUTURE In February this year, SNC-Lavalin saw its Investors in People accreditation renewed for the 19th consecutive year. The company has been given the body’s gold standard since 1998 - a reflection of the company’s continued investment in training and staff recognition.

Laura was given the opportunity to pursue a degree in business management supported

by SNC-Lavalin, something she considers her biggest achievement since joining the company.

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RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

COMPANY FOCUS

59

‘When I first joined, ultimately I wanted to be a PA,’ said Laura, who admits that the scope of her ambitions has widened significantly since then. Laura’s role has only recently changed again. She’s now an assurance consultant and manages her own portfolio of projects.

‘I think for me personally, I’d like to take on larger, more complex projects,’ she added. ‘There’s so many development opportunities available and, we’re growing so much, I can see that if you wanted to you’d be supported to do anything you really want to go into.’

As an engineering business, SNC-Lavalin faces the same challenges as much of the rail industry to boost the number of women in technical roles. Says Laura, ‘I just think it’s something maybe young women don’t think about as a career path because it is seen as a very male-dominated industry.’

She went on, ‘I think a lot of people have got the perception that it’s just engineering and, of course, that’s the main aspect but there’s so many different support functions and they all feed into the rail.’

EVERY OPPORTUNITY Laura, by her own admission, fell into the rail industry, but since joining she has embraced every opportunity. Last year, she was part of an SNC-Lavalin team that raised around £10,000 for Railway Children by completing the leg-draining Three Peaks by Rail challenge - three mountains in less than three days. She is also keen to support a mentoring programme within SNC-Lavalin to demonstrate to other apprentices joining the business the range of options open to them.

‘Now I’m in, I don’t think I’ll work for another industry,’ said Laura - another familiar sentiment.

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YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

S L A N IO S S E F O R P L I YOUNG RAO REMEMBER A NIGHT T

T

he Young Rail Professionals Annual Dinner 2017 was another fantastic success. Over 500 young people (and some more senior) gathered at the infamous Troxy theatre in London to celebrate the past year in the industry, and in particular the young professionals who work in the sector and who continue to excel and drive the railway to new heights.

The event was sponsored exclusively by CPC Project Services, and huge thanks must go to them for their contribution and commitment to developing and supporting young talent year after year. The atmosphere in the room was exciting, as young people from across the sector networked, catching up with old friends and making a few new ones. Signallers talking to fleet engineers, project managers to track apprentices, swapping business cards and contacts and setting up visits, it was a fantastic way of developing individual prospects and proving the future of the industry is in safe hands!

The keynote speech was delivered by Michele Dix of Crossrail 2, who spoke enthusiastically about Crossrail 2 and the future of the industry in London and beyond. She was very inspiring and reminded everyone that there is not one particular path for a career, and not to be disheartened if you don’t get something the first time. It was brilliant to gain her insight and plans for Crossrail 2 going forward, and of course to hear some of her excellent poetry!

YRP AWARDS One of the highlights of the night was the Young Rail Professional Awards. This year, the awards were expanded to include Mentor of the Year, which was awarded to Andrew Pankhurst from Alstom, and Apprentice of the Year, which went to Annais Siddall from Linbrooke Services. The winner of the coveted Young Rail Professional of the Year award was Daniel Harrison from Transport for London.

Each of the winners impressed the judges with their talent, commitment and enthusiasm for their careers and the rail industry.

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Paul Case, the new YRP chair, said, ‘Congratulations to our award winners and the finalists. The judges had some very hard decisions with such strong individuals. We were delighted to see so many excellent nominations this year who have shown their commitment and passion for the industry. We look forward to watching their careers go from strength to strength.

‘This has been an amazing year for YRP as our membership has grown to over 5,000. The Annual Dinner was the perfect time to celebrate our achievements and thank our corporate supporters for their continued backing to help us deliver our mission to promote, inspire and develop generations of young professionals in our industry.’

Steve Mole, CPC’s managing partner added, ‘Our relationship with the Young Rail Professional goes from strength to strength each year. Again, we are proud to sponsor YRP’s Annual Dinner and support them as they continue to encourage and nurture young professionals in the rail industry. YRP is an excellent organisation, dedicated to young professionals and their ongoing development, and we are delighted that so many of our staff are active members who are committed to building their careers in rail project management.’

The award runners-up were: • YRP Mentor of the Year - Andrew Fawkes, VolkerRail, and Nikki Escreet, Northern Rail • YRP Apprentice of the Year - Reece Aspin, VolkerRail, and Ahmed Arteh, Network Rail • Young Rail Professional of the Year - Amy Ellis, Atkins, and Nicholas Boot-Handford, TfL

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

A raffle was held at the dinner in support of Railway Children YRP’s charity of choice for 2017.

Among the prizes was a trip on the Belmond British Express, kindly donated by Sir Peter Hendy; two London Transport Museum undiscovered London tickets, donated by London Transport Museum and Paul Burkitt-Grey from TfL; two standard tickets for the Virgin Trains West Coast network, donated by Virgin Trains; and one Makeblock mBot Bluetooth Programmable Robot kit, donated

by Rail Delivery group.

Everyone was very generous in their donations, and it was fantastic to support such important work fighting for vulnerable children living alone on the streets at risk of violence, abuse and exploitation in the UK, Africa and India.

RAIL WEEK The other exciting launch of the night was that of Rail Week 2017, this year to be held between 9-15 October. Following last year’s success, this year Rail Week is set to be bigger and better than

before. Rail Week is a pan-industry collaborative effort aimed at bridging the sector’s looming skills gap and inspiring the next generation of rail professionals.

The week of rail-related activity will include a plethora of events, visits and talks to promote careers in our great industry.

The Rail Week initiative has been the brainchild of YRP and we are now urging organisations across the rail industry to get involved by pledging to host events and reach out to schools, colleges and parents in their area.

May-Ann Lew, the Rail Week project lead for YRP, said, ‘Rail Week is our opportunity to showcase the range of different careers and skills in our sector and encourage people from all backgrounds to join rail.

‘Once again we will be looking to our members, supporters and all those in the industry to help us to deliver this ambitious but essential campaign. Now is the time to start thinking about the special events and talks to take place during the week to inspire young people to choose rail careers.’

YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS

61

YOUNG RAIL

PROFESSIONALS

Networking & Development

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

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

Railway Ambassadors

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

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

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62

TRAINING

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

ON THE

LADDER M aking the first step onto the career ladder can seem a daunting task if you are a jobseeker.

The endless job applications, the need for experience without an opportunity to impress and the intimidating prospect of an interview can be difficult to get past.

Bridging the gap, The Prince’s Trust has set up an initiative to remove these barriers and support disadvantaged youngsters to become the rail industry’s next generation.

Since 2013, more than 200 unemployed jobseekers aged 16 to 25 have joined the rail industry through The Prince’s Trust ‘Get into Customer Service’ programme. The scheme teaches jobseekers the skills to succeed in the field and provides them with a platform to practise by manning ticket barriers, providing assistance to customers on platforms and supporting staff on board train services.

By collaborating with Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and FirstGroup, the youth charity is helping unemployed youngsters get on track with a career in the rail industry.

From the most recent GTR programme, 16 out of 18 on work experience were offered jobs, including Daniel Ratchford, from Stevenage, who worked for the TOC’s Great Northern franchise at the Finsbury Park and King’s Cross stations.

‘I’m so pleased to have the chance to wear this uniform again to make a good life for me and my son,’ he says. ‘I’ve been a single dad for the last three years and I wanted a chance to challenge myself.

‘I was really grateful to be accepted by the station team I worked with.’

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Across four weeks, youngsters are taught first aid and customer service skills, working in the classroom and in stations to develop a skillset that will help them find employment in customer service, but with a particular focus on the railway.

In return, the TOCs fulfil a social responsibility requirement that is needed to bid for publicly funded contracts such as HS2 or for retendered franchises, according to The Prince’s Trust.

Joining Daniel, six graduates from the Get into Customer Service programme have since found employment with Southern, five with Thameslink and another four with Great Northern as part of the TOC’s two-year partnership with The Prince’s Trust.

During the scheme, candidates’ employability is further enhanced with tips on CV writing and interview techniques to help them in their job hunt.

‘Youth unemployment is a worrying issue so it’s important to provide as much support as possible for young people finding work,’ says

Peter Yarwood, programme manager at The Prince’s Trust. ‘This group of young people are an inspiring example of just how much can be achieved.

‘With the right guidance, positive and long-term steps to success can be made.’

PRACTICAL AND VOCATIONAL SKILLS Through the one-year partnership with FirstGroup, The Prince’s Trust has worked with Great Western and Transpennine Express (TPE). A group of 10 from the latter has recently graduated.

Sue Whaley, TPE HR director, said, ‘It has been an absolute pleasure welcoming our new colleagues to TPE over the last four weeks.

‘Not only have they taken huge steps to progress their practical and vocational skills in customer service, they have also been a real asset to TPE, truly becoming part of the team.

‘It is obvious to everyone that has

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RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

Great Northern's new starters.

GTR has created employment opportunities across its Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern services.

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worked with the group that they have both the ability and work ethic to succeed, and I wish them the best of luck in the future.’

But The Prince’s Trust isn’t the only charitable organisation creating a new pathway into the railway industry. The Construction Youth Trust runs a similar programme but with an emphasis on practical skills. The ‘Budding Builders’ programme supports young people across London to achieve their Level 1 Award in Health and Safety in a Construction Environment as well as their CSCS card, which tells employers that the holder knows about safe working practices in the industry, as well as basic construction skills.

Held across three weeks with three sessions each week, students are given a foothold onto the employment ladder.

All 25 of the recent cohort graduated from the scheme, three of which have been made promising offers, and if those figures are anything to go by work experience programmes like The Prince’s Trust and the Construction Youth Trust can only serve to strengthen the industry’s work force and give dozens more jobseekers an opportunity to establish a career for themselves.

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64

TRAINING

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

AMTRAIN

TRAINING

CRANE CONTROLLER GROUP 5 - VACCUM 15/05/2017 - 1 day Fradley

E-LEARNING 15/05/2017 - 1 day Fradley

E-LEARNING 22/05/2017 - 1 day Fradley

CONTROLLER OF SITE SAFETY INITIAL WITH PTS 05/06/2017 - 6 day Fradley

PTS AC RECERT 22/05/2017 - 1 day Fradley

CRANE/MACHINE CONTROLLER 05/06/2017 - 5 day Fradley

PTS AC RECERT

CONTROLLER OF SITE SAFETY RE-CERT WITH PTS

15/05/2017 - 1 day Fradley

22/05/2017 - 4 day Fradley

CONTROLLER OF SITE SAFETY INITIAL WITH PTS

CC GROUP 2 - CIVILS

DCCR RECERT

12/06/2017 - 6 day Fradley

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PTS AC PRACTICAL DAY

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16/05/2017 - 1 day Fradley

23/05/2017 - 1 day Fradley

DCCR RECERT

DCCR

CRANE/MACHINE CONTROLLER

16/05/2017 - 1 day Fradley

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12/06/2017 - 4 day Fradley

DCCR (DIRECT CURRENT CONDUCTOR RAIL)

LOOKOUT RE-CERT

PTS AC RECERT

26/05/2017 - 1 day Fradley

13/06/2017 - 1 day Fradley

SAFE SYSTEM OF WORK PLANNER RE-CERT

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MACHINE MEWP 17/05/2017 - 1 day Fradley

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CONTROLLER OF SITE SAFETY INITIAL WITH PTS 03/07/2017 - 6 day Fradley

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TRAINING

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

ORION

TRAINING

PTS AC PRACTICAL 16/05/17 - 1 day Glasgow

ICI VERIFICATION ASSESSMENT 26/05/17 - ½ day Glasgow

PTS AC RECERT 17/05/17 - 1 day Glasgow

25/05/17 - 26/05/17 - 2 days Glasgow

29/05/17 - 1 day Glasgow

30/05/17 - 1 day Glasgow

31/05/17 - 1 day Glasgow

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PTS AC PRACTICAL LKT RECERT 02/06/17 - 1 day Glasgow

DCCR RECERT 26/05/17 - 1 day Glasgow

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ES RECERT LKT INITIAL

PTS AC RECERT 23/05/17 - 1 day Glasgow

08/06/17 - 1 day Glasgow

DCCR RECERT PTS AC RECERT

PTS AC PRACTICAL 22/05/17 - 1 day Glasgow

07/06/17 - 1 day Glasgow

DCCR INITIAL PTS AC PRACTICAL

PO INITIAL 19/05/17 - 1 day Glasgow

06/06/17 - 1 day Glasgow

PTS AC RECERT PTS E LEARNING

ES RECERT 19/05/17 - 1 day Glasgow

29/05/17 - 01/06/17 - 4 days Glasgow

PTS AC PRACTICAL ES INITIAL

COSS RECERT (EXC DCCR) 15/05/17 - 18/05/17 - 4 days Glasgow

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15/06/17 - 1 day Glasgow

PTS AC RECERT COSS INITIAL (EXCLUDING DCCR)

14/06/17 - 1 day Glasgow

29/05/17 - 05/06/17 - 6 days Glasgow

IWA RECERT 12/06/17 - 13/06/17 - 2 days Glasgow

COSS RECERT (EXC DCCR) 12/06/17 - 15/06/17 - 4 days Glasgow

PTS AC PRACTICAL 20/06/17 - 1 day Glasgow

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ES RECERT 23/06/17 - 1 day Glasgow

RAILSTAFF MAY 2017

CAREERS

67

A D VA N C E -T R S RAIL RECRUITMENT SERVICES > Signalling > Telecommunications > Permanent Way

Senior Project Engineer

Signalling Engineer

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CAREERS

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We're proud to be exhibiting at Railtex once again. Being part of this event gives us the chance to meet and chat with rail professionals about their next career move, and to discuss resource requirements with rail companies. We look forward to seeing you there - at stand K80.

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This is a key role that will see the successful candidate assume responsibility for leading the operations of the resourcing and recruitment division throughout the whole of the UK. We are looking for an exceptional candidate with numerous years of resource and recruitment experience who is able to demonstrate a successful sales track record throughout their career. Rail industry experience is essential.

The successful candidate will operate a flourishing resourcing and recruitment division whilst contributing to the overall success of the business as a whole.

The Divisional Director will market and promote the companies services across multiple sectors, to achieve growth and profitability targets. The role involves extensive travel throughout the UK so a full valid driving licence is essential.

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

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