RailStaff November 2016 by Rail Media

NOVEMBER 2016 | ISSUE 228

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CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2016 | ISSUE 228

'TRAILBLAZER' APPRENTICESHIP STANDARD LAUNCHED | 12

NTAR, in partnership with Siemens, SWT and Fareham CEMAST, is among the first to have adopted the Rail Engineering Technician ‘Trailblazer’ Apprenticeship Standard.

LOST RAILWAYS OF HEATHROW | 18

To support the new runway at Heathrow, Andy Milne argues for a comprehensive strengthening of the airport’s rail links.

VISION FOR STATIONS | 44

Marc Johnson reports on the third RDG Rail Stations Summit.

SOUTHPORT SURGE FOR ACORP | 38

Delegates packed into the historic Floral Hall in Southport’s seaside convention centre for this year’s ACoRP Community Rail Awards.

LEVENMOUTH - SCOTLAND'S NEXT RAILWAY | 42

The success of Borders Railway leads David Shirres to ponder an interesting question: are there any other suitable contenders for re-opening?

T H G I L T O P

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DIGITAL LEARNING CURVE | 51

Three rail apprentices from telent talk about how well prepared they feel to take on the industry’s future engineering challenges.

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Staff

RAILSTAFF NOVEMBER 2016

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This old heart of mine

Paul O’Connor

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When Prince William knighted Sir Rod Stewart, he apparently said, ‘It’s great that you’re still going.’ Sir Rod, a boyish 71, shot back: ‘I have to - I’ve got eight children!’ Children certainly give families a focus, a reason to believe.

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Prince William, standing in for his grandmother, 90, didn’t mean anything nasty by the remark - but it does show up the jocular arrogance of youth. Both the helicopter pilot and his grandmother - who served with courage as an ambulance driver during the London Blitz - retain a wisdom drawn from the rubble of war and the anger of the sea. Ageism is not such a high-profile crime outside politically correct circles, largely because those blessed by the wisdom of their years think PC, absurd. Who now © Point Images / Shutterstock.com

remembers the irresponsible oxygen of free speech when anyone could shoot their mouth off about religion and sexuality without fear of physical violence and social vilification? Political correctness has bizarre side effects. The rise of a vicious anti-semitism puzzles a generation raised in the shadows of Auschwitz and Belsen. The idea of safe spaces at universities - where no discussion deemed unsettling to youthful sensibilities can take place - is emasculating academia. Hardly the right way to train for intellectual rigour and the struggles that will define an era more troubled than our own. A wiser world will roll back political correctness. Already ageism has little currency in the rail industry. Second careerists are welcome here. Struggling with redundancy and debt, in a broken dream? Consider switching careers altogether. The railway is itself a massive example of a second chance. Once deemed life expired the railway was given a second chance which it has capitalised - with an admitted clumsiness and certain amount of three-skittle juggling. But it works and it needs more people. Teachers, entrepreneurs, newsagents and mechanics are enriching the ranks of the railway. Among the best recruits to railways are people from the armed forces. Even when traumatised by war and its after effects the railway takes a chance on our heroes. Forget the job centre, your age and afflictions. Listen to Sir Rod and take that second chance. Alarmed at tight-fitting HVVs? Don’t be - you wear it well. Worried about the medical - this old heart of mine? No need to be. The heart of the railway industry is a human heart and it beats for you. andy@rail-media.com FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAILSTAFFUK | RAILSTAFF.UK

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A-Plant goes live A-Plant has acquired Lion Trackhire for £38 million and will merge the business with Eve, which it bought three years ago. From 1 January 2017, Lion and Eve will be rebranded Live, two letters from each company. Dale Robinson, who left Eve to found and run first TPA then Lion, will manage the business. Says Richard Thomas, managing director, Specialist Products Division at A-Plant, ’It’s a bold decision to consign names such as Eve and Lion to history, but we want all our staff, as the shop window of the business, to feel equally proud of the brand. A new brand is the best way of ensuring that happens. ‘This is a merger of equals. It’s two big, strong businesses coming together, combining a

huge amount of skills, knowledge and expertise, and we’re going to be a very compelling, solutionbased proposition for our customers.’ Dale Robinson will be given a free hand to build the new organisation. ‘Dale, who has built and grown TPA and Lion, will lead Live, bring it together and grow the business further. We as A-Plant take pride in the fact that, while we’re a big company, we give entrepreneurs like Dale the freedom to flourish.’ Live will become the UK’s leading supplier of temporary access systems, supplying equipment and expertise to customers in the events, energy and infrastructure sectors. The company’s extensive product range comprises trackway systems, barriers, fencing, bridges, gantries, seating and more.

Flash mob for Azuma The Virgin Trains East Coast HR team has been swamped by a huge amount of applications from men and women wanting to be drivers on the new Azuma trains - which enter service in 2018. With nearly 200 applicants for each post the hard working talent team has now started sifting through 15,000 applications. The 78 new drivers will work from depots between London and Edinburgh and are due to start a year-long development

programme in January 2017. Over the course of the year trainees will take part in a mix of classroom-based and on the job learning at different locations on the east coast route. Modules range from track safety, understanding operational route risks and emergency situations to getting to know the traction they will be driving. When they launch in 2018, the 65 Azuma trains, built in the UK by Hitachi, will be amongst the most advanced trains on the rail network.

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Swedish hook up for GB Railfreight Eurotunnel is to sell GB Railfreight (GBRf) to EQT Infrastructure II. Britain’s thirdlargest rail freight company will be acquired by EQT’s Hector Rail, a Swedish organisation. GBRf’s award-winning team of 650 rail staff operates over 1,000 trains a week, moving approximately 15 per cent of the UK’s rail freight. GBRf has a fleet of over 130 locomotives and 1,100 wagons. Customers include Drax, Network Rail, EDF Energy, MSC UK, Aggregate Industries and Tarmac. John Smith, chief executive of GBRf, welcomed the news. ‘We would be very pleased with EQT as our new owner and strongly believe that EQT’s industrial approach and network, extensive rail freight experience and access to capital would be of valuable support to GB Railfreight in our continued growth

ambitions,’ says Smith, who is also GBRf’s founder. The new Swedish owners are enthusiastic about GBRf and its team. ‘GB Railfreight is a company that understands its customers, staff, and the industry in which it operates,’ says Bo Lerenius, of EQT and chairman of the Hector Rail Group. ‘The focus on innovation and delivery of outstanding customer service are two key factors that make us believe that GB Railfreight would be an excellent fit with Hector Rail. We look forward to working in close partnership with GB Railfreight’s management team, to support the company in its continued growth ambitions,’ he added. Hector Rail is Sweden’s largest private rail freight company, providing traction services, locomotives and drivers across Scandinavia and Germany.

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The most exciting place in the world It’s official: Britain is one of the most exciting places in the world - thanks to developments at Widnes. Campus construction work at Alstom’s new technology centre and training academy in Widnes is underway toasted off by Rail Minister Paul Maynard MP. Says Nick Crossfield, managing director for Alstom in Britain and Ireland, ‘The UK remains one of the most exciting places in the world for rail companies like Alstom. Our new centre in Widnes will create hundreds of good quality jobs and apprenticeships, and boost the UK supply chain.’ The new academy will open in May 2017 and could create up to 600 local jobs. ‘Here in Widnes, we will create Alstom’s very own rail campus, bringing together our experienced team with the next generation of engineers and apprentices. Longer-term,

we would also be able to build trains here….’ added Crossfield. Showing renewed support for the rail industry, Paul Maynard said, ‘It is fantastic to see rail companies like Alstom grow their presence in the UK by opening new and modern sites. I am especially pleased with the employment and training opportunities that Alstom will offer at its new technology centre and training academy. It’s great news for Widnes as well as for the wider rail industry. Making sure that the industry has the skills it needs in the future is one of my top priorities.’ The first project that Alstom will deliver at the rail technology centre is re-painting the Pendolino fleet of 56 Class 390s used by Virgin on the West Coast Main Line. Alstom employs a growing workforce of 3,200 people at 12 industrial sites in the UK delivering services to operators, signalling equipment and railway infrastructure.

Fijian soldier in live-rail rescue A group of quick-thinking track workers at London Bridge have been praised for saving the life of a man on the tracks. Francis Tuinasakea, a cable worker on site at London Bridge station, was working a night shift when he spotted the confused young man. Together with other staff he chased after the man who ran across the tracks and was heading for a wall with a 35-foot drop on the other side. Brave rail staff at London Bridge managed to catch him in time and save his life. Mr Tuinasakea, from Fiji, served in the British Army and is a keen rugby player. ‘I trained as an infantry soldier and we had training about how to respond to that sort of situation,’ said Francis. Railway staff then helped carry the man back to the platform where he later assisted the police with their enquiries.

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Bristol depot raises staggering amount Great Western Railway’s open day at the St Philips Marsh depot, Bristol, has raised £26,000 for local charity, Springboard. GWR driver operations manager Simon Cassidy presented a cheque to Springboard’s Joint CEO and a founding parent, Ann Ramsey. Says Ann, ‘This is a first for us and a truly staggering amount of money. By helping to raise funds for and promoting Springboard and the needs of disabled children, GWR are helping to break down barriers and assumptions. GWR really have pulled out all the stops to make the open day a memorable one and the money raised shows how successful it was.’

Ann went on to say, ‘We are amazed and delighted by the interest shown by the public.’ Springboard is a north Somerset charity which provides support for children aged under five with disabilities. Children at Springboard may have a wide range of disabilities including autism; cerebral palsy; complex health and medical needs; Down’s syndrome; sensory impairments; language and communication difficulties. The depot opened up its doors to the general public in celebration of the 40th year of the Intercity 125 train, and unveiled a specially liveried locomotive in honour of the train’s designer, Sir Kenneth Grange. People queued to get into the depot. Driver operations

manager Simon Cassidy said, ‘Committed to the communities we serve, we have longsupported Springboard and it is fantastic to have raised such an impressive amount. We at GWR are only too aware of the vital

role rail has played and continues to play for the local and national economy. To have people queueing to enter the depot and see how it operates day-to-day, and to see such a selection of trains, is humbling.’

Pan up for Colin Kelly The boom in overhead electrification projects is driving up demand for skilled OLE staff. The surge in new business marks a personal triumph for Colin Kelly at ISS Labour. The electrification engineer first joined British Rail in 1985 as a linesman and later became an experienced OLE manager - he is now OLE director at ISS Labour. The business has been providing skilled railway engineers to undertake specialist overhead line electrification work on the rail network, and it has grown so strongly ISS Labour expects

revenues from OLE services to reach £4 million by March 2017. Says Colin Kelly, ‘Our objective has been clear in that we’ve aimed to become the natural partner to the rail industry in providing specialist, highly skilled people to help modernise the UK’s network. We have invested heavily in our overhead electrification offering in recent years, not least in our Salford training hub. This is now bearing fruit. That said, we know that being the recruitment partner of choice to the rail industry requires hard work and focus to ensure our people have the correct skill set, so anticipating where future demand will come from and staying one step ahead continues to be at the heart of what we do.’ As well as supplying OLE engineers, ISS Labour also provides staff training at its site in Salford, Greater Manchester. The facility, which opened last year, includes a twin-track replica of a section of the West Coast Main Line, including flat-bottom rail, bullhead rail, third rail and wooden timbers and concrete sleepers. In the year to March 2016, ISS Labour recorded total turnover of £21m. SPS acquired the business in 2013.

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Athletes take the train Three-hundred-and-fifty Team GB and Paralympics GB athletes took trains to London for free as part of nationwide celebrations of their Rio 2016 success. Says Mark Carne, chief executive of Network Rail, ‘It is our privilege to help honour our Team GB and Paralympics GB heroes. They did us proud in Rio.’ As they boarded their train in Manchester, the Transpennine Express Choir sung and local school children waved them off. On board the Caledonian Sleeper serving refreshments to the athletes was Martin Frobisher, Network Rail’s West Coast route managing director. ‘I was inspired by these Team GB and Paralympics GB heroes over the summer. Serving them croissants and coffee today was a great honour and, frankly, the least I could do.’

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Dear Sirs , As the an crash pasniversary of the P and offer sed yesterday - addington train dispute w my voice in supp I wanted to write ort of you ith South ern. r As a surviv and coun or of the crash in injured, I tless others were which 31 died the guardam only too awar burnt and e of the r /conducto ole of r. Colin, our my eyes guard helped man survivors was a hero, direct y people and in you may to safety. What d ing many ask? id the driv ers do Sadly, the which for y were both imm importanc me underlines th ediately killed serious in e of guards in thee deep cident. event of a We must n o t forget eit was caus her of commued by lazy managthat the incident ement an nication. d lack I wish you well in yo ur endea Helen Mit vours chell

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Caplan to head RIA The Railway Industry Association (RIA) - which represents UK-based suppliers to the world’s railways has appointed a new chief executive, Darren Caplan. Caplan comes to RIA from the Airport Operators Association where he has been chief executive for the last six years. He will commence his new role early in the new year and takes over from interim chief executive, David Tonkin, who has led RIA since the much respected former RIA director general Jeremy Candfield announced his retirement in the summer. Says RIA chairman Gordon Wakeford, ‘We are delighted to welcome Darren Caplan to RIA as our new chief executive. Darren comes with an excellent track record of successfully running a transport trade association, campaigning for sectoral growth, enhancing its performance and delivering improved member satisfaction scores every year.

Ricardo move for Andrew Witkowski Andrew Witkowski has moved to Ricardo Rail as key account manager for major rail industry clients such as Network Rail and TfL.

The RIA team and members look forward to having Darren on board as we embark on the next stage of the association’s development.’ The Airport Operators Association (AOA), is the trade association for British airports and suppliers. At the AOA, Caplan campaigned for airport sector growth and fairer levels of aviation tax. In July this year he won the Trade Association Forum Award for Association Leadership. Before joining the AOA, Darren worked for 14 years in communications, politics and public affairs.

Witkowski was previously with Halcrow Group as its rail director, a position he held for five years. Before that he was for six years the director of traction and rolling stock, involved in building Halcrow’s global T&RS business. ‘Since joining Ricardo Rail, I have been getting to know the people that give our business its unique qualities. From the managing director to the business managers, engineers and all the support staff, there is an overwhelming commitment to build a successful rail business and to foster long-term relationships with clients and the supply chain alike. ‘In my role as key account manager, I am committed to supporting the team in their efforts to introduce even higher levels of safety, reliability and efficiency into the UK railways,’ says Andrew, who has a degree from the University of Derby and is a fluent Polish speaker. Ricardo Rail was formed following the transfer of the Lloyd’s Register rail assurance and consultancy business to Ricardo plc in July 2015. The

parent company itself celebrates 100 years in engineering this year and was originally founded by Sir Harry Ricardo. Among his early attempts at transport engineering was the building of an internal combustion engine to power his bicycle at Rugby School, apparently much to the consternation of his masters. Later, during the First World War, Ricardo designed a new engine for the military tank which created less exhaust smoke. Tanks arguably brought to an end the stalemate of trench warfare that had seen the death of so many. As well as supplying the armoured vehicle Ocelot - Foxhound to the MoD, Ricardo still supplies scout cars to the US army. Currently Ricardo Rail sports a 100-strong rail team based in its technical centre in Derby and across a network of offices in Bristol, London, Preston, Shoreham and Leamington Spa. The name comes from a family of Sephardic Jewish Portuguese immigrants who came to Britain from the Dutch Republic.

New rail MD for Telent Steve Dalton is to take over from Steve Pears as the managing director of Telent’s Rail Division. Steve Pears is retiring, having worked for Telent and its predecessor companies, GEC and Marconi, for almost 40 years. Steve Dalton, who was managing director of the company’s Network Services Division, joined GEC in 1985 as an engineering apprentice. Says Mark Plato, chief executive of Telent, ‘We would like to thank RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAILSTAFFUK | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

Steve Pears for his valued contribution to Telent over the years. ‘We are pleased to announce Steve Dalton as Telent Rail’s new managing director, and we are confident in his experience and proven ability to deliver results.’ Steve Dalton, who presented the award for Graduate of the Year at this year’s RailStaff Awards, said he was looking forward to joining the rail division during a time of ‘digital transformation’ for the company.

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New ops director for Morgan Sindall

Snell crosses over to Rosehill Rail

Morgan Sindall Professional Services (MSPS), the design and engineering consultancy, has appointed Paul Smith to take up the new role of director of operations.

Daniel Snell has joined Rosehill Rail, the railway crossing systems manufacturer, as sales executive. It’s a new role and answers increasing demand for Rosehill Rail products and services.

Paul was previously director of operations for Jacobs’ UK Process Business. A 25-year career spans life sciences and manufacturing, nuclear, power, defence and the public sector. Paul is a Fellow of the Institute of Chemical Engineers, and Fellow of the Institute of Directors, and both a chartered engineer and a chartered scientist. He originally studied engineering at the University of Sheffield and has an MBA from Henley Management College. A fundraiser for Christian Aid, Paul also helps run Goostrey Juniors Football Club.

The move marks further expansion at Rosehill Rail, based in Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire. Daniel Snell has over five years’ sales and account management experience and joins Rosehill Rail from Servest Security where he was sales manager responsible for new business development, account management and taking new solutions and products to market. He will report to Wayne Hutton, Rosehill Rail’s UK sales manager. ‘Across the global rail industry, networks are under increasing pressure to minimise disruption

and reduce costs. Our innovative crossings deliver strongly on both these objectives, so there’s significant scope to capture more of the market, creating a massive opportunity for future growth,’ says Dr Alexander Celik, managing director of Rosehill Rail.

New faces at Heathrow Express Heathrow Express has recently strengthened its marketing and sales team. Based at the head office in Heathrow, Elizabeth Hillerby takes up the role of head of marketing and Richard Young is sales and distribution manager. Hillerby joins from ATOC, now RDG, replacing Jo Briody who held the post on a temporary basis. Elizabeth Hillerby has a 13-year experience of the leisure, travel and media industries. Before ATOC, she worked at British Airways and the BBC. Richard Young, sales and distribution manager, has worked for a number of travel companies including Amadeus, Hillgate Travel, Hertz and KLM. He lives in Surrey and has a degree from Brighton University.

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DEMI FLYNN APPRENTICE TECHNICIAN, SIEMENS

NICKY MORGAN AT BRUSH ELECTRIC

Trailblazer apprenticeship standard launched

The new standard forms part of the highly successful Siemens-SWT apprentice training programme, now in its third year, with the first cohort due to enrol this month. The three-stage training programme will teach apprentices the fundamentals of engineering while also covering advanced subjects, including project management and rail-specific units such as passenger comfort and traction conversion. The final stage will place apprentices in the workplace, where they will develop further businessspecific skills and complete their end-point assessment - a compulsory part of all new apprenticeships. Says Dan Walker, head of apprenticeship delivery at NTAR, ‘The Siemens-SWT programme has grown over the years, and the introduction of the new standard has allowed us to take it to the next level. The learning experience that these organisations now offer together is powerful. It really sets the standard for collaboration and apprenticeship training in the industry.’ RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAILSTAFFUK | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

Rob Hulson, apprentice and graduate manager at South West Trains, said, ‘Our partnership has led to amazing results so far and it’s something I’m really proud to be a part of. ‘With the demands of modern trains and new technology, the next generation of engineers need to be trained to the highest possible level. Through this partnership our apprentices have the chance to build an exciting and fulfilling career within an everchanging industry.’ EAL is the awarding body for the new Level 3 Rail Engineering Technician apprenticeship. It plans to introduce Level 2 and Level 4 standards in January and April next year. Says Allan MacDonald, EAL’s rail specialist, ‘EAL has a pivotal part to play in transforming the rail sector in the UK – developing

a workforce that will digitise a Victorian infrastructure.’ Trailblazer apprenticeships are at the centre of a reform of apprenticeships in England. From next year, they will replace the current framework system. One of the key features is the role employers play in helping shape the programmes. Companies involved in the creation of the Rail Engineering Technician standard apprenticeship include Network Rail, Alstom, Hitachi, HS2, TfL, VolkerRail, Carillion, Babcock, Amey and Telent. In this month’s training section, three apprentices from telent have spoken about their experience of joining the rail industry and how they view the engineering challenges that lie ahead (page 51).

The National Training Academy for Rail (NTAR), in partnership with Siemens, South West Trains and Fareham CEMAST, has become one of the first rail training centres to adopt the Rail Engineering Technician ‘Trailblazer’ Apprenticeship Standard launched by Neil Robertson, genial chief executive of NSAR, at Rail Media’s Rail Franchising and Sustainability Conference in Leeds earlier this summer.

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Huddersfield rail lab opens The Fearless Foxes Claudio Ranieri and Wes Morgan from Leicester City Football Club teamed up with Eddie Cocker, area station manager for East Midlands Trains (EMT), to launch a train named in honour of the Premier League Champions. Name tag, ‘The Fearless Foxes,’ is now emblazoned on the side of one of EMT’s High Speed Trains which is used for services across the East Midlands to London. Says Andrew Conroy, customer experience director East Midlands Trains, ‘Leicester City’s success last year was a truly special achievement. Nobody, perhaps except from the most ardent of Foxes fans and the squad involved, believed it was possible for Leicester City to win the title

so soon after being promoted to the top tier. Our connection to the local communities we serve is very important and so we were very keen to recognise this by naming one of our trains ‘The Fearless Foxes’ after the amazing Premier League winning team, Leicester City.’ The staff-originated idea of naming a train after the Foxes came towards the end of last season when it seemed like the impossible might come true – but the name has been kept under wraps until now. After the unveiling of ‘The Fearless Foxes’ plaque at Leicester station, the train departed for London where manager Claudio Ranieri and captain Wes Morgan and their players were travelling for an away trip to Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge.

Drama at Duffield The new station building at Duffield on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway is open for business. Brainchild of the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Association, the charitable arm of the EVR, the Duffield Booking Hall replaces the small tin hut which gamely provided ticket selling space. Starting in March 2015, the project raised the £25,000 required for a purpose-built structure which is now complete. Association volunteers painted the building, laid paths and are now fitting out the interior of the building. RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAILSTAFFUK | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

Higher education’s involvement with railways continues to deepen with the opening of the University of Huddersfield’s Railway Research Laboratory. The £4.5 million facility, part of the University’s Institute of Railway Research (IRR), was funded by the Regional Growth Fund, RSSB, Unipart Rail, Omnicom and the National Skills Academy for Rail. Richard East, IMechE Railway Division chairman, formally opened the new facility in October. The laboratory includes a six-axis hexapod motion platform and high performance computing system for big data analysis. However, its most impressive facility is a full-scale bogie rolling contact, adhesion and braking test rig. This has a 2m diameter rotating rail drum driven by a 0.5 MW hydraulic motor which can test a bogie at up to 125 mph and apply a braking torque of 110 kNm. Part of the rig is a dynamic test

cell which can apply loads of up to 50 tonnes on the bogie or to any other component. Indeed, the rig’s first use will not use the roller. Instead the dynamic rig only will be used for accelerated fatigue testing of slab track. This will be subject to variable loads to simulate the passage of trains and will be applied over a 30-day period.

(Below) Bob Cyran, Richard East and Simon Iwnicki at the launch event.

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John Meikle VC honoured at Nitshill A plaque in memory of Sergeant John Meikle VC has been unveiled at Nitshill station in Glasgow. The World War One veteran’s two nephews, John and Alan Meikle, attended. Sergeant Meikle worked in the booking office at Nitshill before going off to serve on the Western Front, where he showed immense heroism and was killed in 1918 while trying to protect his comrades. The Railway Heritage Trust provided the stone memorial for permanent display at the station, with support from ScotRail and the Railway Mission. The memorial is located in the exact spot where the old Nitshill booking office once stood. John Meikle is one of seven Great War railway veterans in Britain to be awarded the Victoria Cross. A previous memorial in the station was removed in 1971 after being vandalised and

was later erected in Dingwall, where his regiment, the Seaforth Highlanders, was based. Railway staff were joined by local army cadets at a special service. Speaking at the service, ScotRail Alliance managing director, Phil Verster said, ‘It is the most fitting tribute that this plaque stands exactly where the old booking office where John worked was. It’s important that we remember Sergeant Meikle, but also remember all who have lost their lives in conflict.’ John Meikle’s nephew, John, said, ‘Our family are proud to see the plaque re-erected. It is a reminder to the people in the Nitshill area, what a fine and kind young man he was.’ (Left to right): Andy Savage Railway Heritage Trust (Back left), Alan Meikle (Next to Andy) Cadets Sonia Georganta, Chris Malone, Jamie Monaghan, ScotRail managing director Phil Verster and John Meikle.

Buxton's heroes honoured A Freightliner Class 66 diesel locomotive has been named Poppy in memory of 15 workers from Buxton Lime Firms (now Tarmac) who served and died in the Battle of the Somme. The naming ceremony at Tarmac’s Tunstead Quarry was attended by more than 50 people, including local MP Andrew Bingham and members of the Royal British Legion. Inspiration for the locomotive name was taken from a large copper poppy sculpture produced earlier this year by three Tarmac Buxton apprentices to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.

Poppy train rethink

Billy Vickers, Ron Ferguson, Paul Staples, and Alison Bunn.

TransPennine Express has launched a new poppy train aimed at raising awareness of the Royal British Legion’s (RBL) annual Poppy Appeal on routes across Scotland and the north of England.

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Veterans, volunteers and an air cadet band helped mark the launch at Manchester Airport station. This year the RBL is asking the nation to Rethink Remembrance by recognising the sacrifices made not just by the Armed Forces of the past, but by today’s generation too. Says Paul Staples, fleet director at TPE, ‘I’m delighted that for the second year running we’re able to specially decorate one our trains to show our support for the Poppy Appeal. It’s an excellent way to recognise the great work the RBL does to support veterans and the Armed Forces.’

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o support the new runway at Heathrow, Andy Milne argues for a comprehensive strengthening of the airport’s rail links. The choice of building a third runway at Heathrow at first glance appears foolhardy. Public opinion in London is against it. The airport already creates noise, gridlock and pollution. Nearby roads and motorways struggle to cope with the volume of traffic as it is. The prospect of more domestic flights hardly fits with environmental aspirations of a greener, cleaner Britain. That said the choice of Heathrow if developed responsibly could lead to a net gain for the economy. Railways pressed into the front line of Heathrow’s supporting infrastructure can mitigate the impact of increased passenger volume on the environment. The secret lies in making more effective use of the lost railways that shadow Heathrow’s roads and runways.

EXISTING LOCAL SERVICES Contemporary experience attests the wisdom of expanding railways to access Heathrow. Locally the railway is already delivering thousands of passengers to and from London Heathrow. The Heathrow Express has become a phenomenon in its own right - easier to use than a cab and faster - 15 minutes from Paddington. Trains are run by well-informed often multi-lingual staff. Heathrow Connect, its sister service, brings new trains and fast services to intermediate stops between the airport and the suburbs of west London. Similarly London Underground’s Piccadilly line first reached Heathrow in the late 1970s. Plans for its upgrade - the Deep Tube Programme - include new driverless rolling stock, fully air conditioned and digitally controlled - creating extra capacity for more trains. This is still 10 years off but will at least be running by the time the third runway is ready. The lesson from the London Underground and Heathrow Express experience is that people will flock to airport railways with enthusiasm. Just connect them up as the name suggests. It’s time to stop the dilatory approach to railway projects and open up the throttle.

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GREAT WESTERN ELECTRIFICATION The completion of the Great Western Electrification scheme presents a great opportunity for Heathrow. Traditionally the problem Heathrow has with railways was underground railway safety legislation which banned the use of diesel traction underground. Unfortunately the airport stood by one of the last unelectrified lines in the UK. The section between Paddington and Heathrow was electrified specifically for the Heathrow Express. However, with hindsight, the creation of a London-facing junction at Stockley Road was myopic. The rather flimsy excuse that the lake to the west stood in the way won’t do. Trains cannot run westward out of Heathrow. Various erstwhile transport secretaries, including Philip Hammond and Justine Greening, have admitted the mistake of this. Railway managers and, to their credit airport executives, warned that this was

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shortsighted, back when the spur was under construction. Network Rail, with admirable prescience, has been getting on with public consultation - an interminable process which will go on throughout next year. Then the scheme goes to the Secretary of State for approval, another potential delay. Undaunted, Network Rail already has a secret convocation of junctionnaires ready and poised to put in a left turn at Stockley.

CROSSRAIL AND THE EAST The Crossrail project strengthens the Stockley Junction argument. By the time the third runaway opens, the Elizabeth line will be operational and connecting the Thames Valley with the hinterlands of Essex. Trains will run to and from central and east London to Heathrow - largely replacing Heathrow Connect. Once again, the question arises: could provision be made to run trains direct into Heathrow to and from Reading or is the only way Essex?

WALES AND THE WEST Happily the Welsh Assembly is already on the case lobbying hard for a Welsh Connection at Heathrow. Trains from the airport - given a link at Stockley - could connect Cardiff with airport terminals in under two hours. Great Western Railway (GWR) recently named a train ‘The Welshman’ in recognition of the pre-electrification work done in the Severn Tunnel. How about naming another The Flying Welshman… and bringing a little more pressure to bear on DfT ground crews at Marsham Street? Imagine a Welsh Connection opening up Heathrow to the west generally Bristol, Swindon, Penzance, Exeter. The Welsh Connection articulates another argument for Heathrow’s railway expansion. Any major transport development originating in the south-east has to identify advantages for the rest of the UK. London’s economic ripple effect will be borne westward by rail. The Government can best demonstrate its

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determination to bridge the gap between regions and the capital by putting rail in play at Heathrow.

SCOTLAND AND THE NORTH An emboldened Heathrow has to benefit the north country and Scotland. Not with the chaff of terminal-clogging domestic flights but by connecting Heathrow to Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and a host of other cities by rail. This is well within the compass of current railway dynamics. Heathrow has a little known rail connection with Scotland and the North. The Great Western Main Line (GWML) is connected to the West Coast Main Line (WCML) via Acton Yard and Willesden. Admittedly trains have to snake through at low speed but it can be done. Euston can be similarly accessed by this route. Plans exist but are gathering dust, drawn up when the railway aspired to run Heathrow Express services to Euston down through Primrose Hill Tunnel. The GWML and WCML are just a few hundred metres apart at Old Oak Common. This route, if developed and expanded, can also give access to HS2 at Euston and HS1 at St Pancras.

SURREY AND THE SOUTH Heathrow Airport has long argued for a southwest rail link connecting it to the commuter hinterlands of south London and

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Surrey. Much of the workforce lives down here. Once dubbed Airtrack, no fewer than 10 feasibility studies examined the scheme. The idea is to connect Terminal Five - which already has space for two Surrey-in-a-Hurry platforms - with the Staines and Windsor Line along the route of the old West Drayton and Staines railway. The link will effectively connect the airport with Waterloo. Unhappily the scheme was shelved in 2010 even though forward thinking aeronauts at Heathrow had done the legwork for a Transport and Works Bill in a game attempt to focus ministerial minds. Glum passengers on flights can actually see this railway as they look south on take off. A Third Runway makes such a link an imperative. A shame it was not progressed in 2010 - a case of who’s Surrey now?

FIT OF THE VAPOURS To sum up London Heathrow, if it is to flourish it needs re-calibrated rail links with Surrey and the southwest, Wales and the West, HS1, HS2, Scotland, the Midlands and the North. Before Marsham Street succumbs to a fit of the vapours at the cost of all this, consider what Heathrow represents. It’s one of the biggest business opportunities in the game. The revenue from the new runway will be healthy indeed. Like it or not, the world wants to come to London. Part of post-Brexit policy has to be to make it easy for that to

happen. Anticipating projected revenue from the airport can inform the arithmetic of build, running and maintaining rail links.

LOST AND FOUND Although this article is called the Lost Railways of Heathrow the truth is we all know where they are. Myths and legends abound - all pointing to the eminent practicality of developing Heathrow’s forgotten railways. A Eurostar secretly sneaked into Heathrow Airport under cover of darkness back in 1998, so old rail hands attest. A Gatwick Express train - back in the days of the Class 73s - once threaded its way round the West London Line from Victoria to St Pancras. This was to mark the day National Express first braved the metals, proud custodian of two franchises, Midland Main Line and Gatwick Express. I know, I was on that train. The Government under Theresa May and long-standing transport strategist, Chris Grayling, has taken a difficult decision over Heathrow. Complementing an enlarged Heathrow with a comprehensive railway support structure will draw the sting of national criticism and lodge Europe’s most important airport at the heart of the most successful, can-do, industry in the UK. The lost railways of Heathrow hold the key to a successful third runway. The Orange Airforce is standing by.

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WHY CONNECTIVITY IS CRUCIAL NEW MEMBERS ATA RECRUITMENT LTD (Part of the RTC Group Plc with global operations supporting the transportation and infrastructure sector in the delivery of executive and confidential search, strategic and professional talent acquisition, ethical and volume contingent labour solutions, international on site project delivery and advisory/ consultancy service) www.ata-recruitment.co.uk

As a conduit to business development and growth, the Rail Alliance continuously looks to identify new ways in which to support its members in the rail supply chain. Recognising the high investment and growth taking place in the Sheffield, Doncaster and wider Northern area, what was initially an idea became reality when the Rail Alliance, Handelsbanken and Nabarro joined forces to deliver a unique event to highlight the importance of connectivity. Bringing together a mix of industry, academic and government leaders, this event included representatives of the Sheffield City Region (SCR) LEP, Doncaster and Sheffield councils, Transport for the North, Rail North and the National College for High Speed Rail alongside business leaders from regional, national and international rail companies based in the SCR region. The overriding theme was set to celebrate the importance and vibrancy of the rail sector to the economy of Doncaster and the wider Sheffield City Region. It also provided an important platform to discuss the importance of rail to the region, the UK rail sector as an enabler of economic growth and its role within the ambitions of the Northern Powerhouse. Held at the prestigious Rossington Hall in Doncaster, the evening began with a drinks reception followed by pre-dinner talk by Martin McKervey, partner at Nabarro and board member of the Sheffield Region LEP, and David Mountain, branch manager of Handelsbanken, and an after dinner speech by David Brown, chief executive of Transport for the North. Colin Flack, chief executive of the Rail Alliance, said, ‘Rail Alliance is absolutely delighted to be able to support and help facilitate such an important industry event. To us the lifeblood of business is connectivity and this is what the Rail Alliance stands for. It is our role to work between networks where they exist and to create them where they do not. ‘The Rail Alliance is not the end product, although important in its own right, it is merely a conduit for others to achieve. As a modern trade association, we thrive on helping

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companies large and small make contacts to grow their businesses and to differentiate their products goods and services. ‘Now that nationally we have the Rail Supply Group (RSG), supported by both the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Department of Transport (DfT)... through which we are leading the delivery of the 'Creating the Conditions for Market' workstream, that takes care of the needs of our members for lobbying. We are proud of our relationships with great organisations like the EEF (The Manufacturers’ Organisation), the British Chambers of Commerce and of course more regionally focussed groups like LEPs, and regional councils - to mention just a few. ‘For modern business to thrive it needs to network, to collaborate and innovate in the company of others. As we go forward now into this brave new Brexit era, whatever that means, our great businesses will be the ones that connect, that get past the adversarial relationships of the past and work with, not in spite of, their supply chains.’ Martin McKervey, Nabarro, went on to say, ‘We want to build a competitive and world class economy in the Sheffield City Region, delivering housing and infrastructure, and creating an environment where the city region is open for business. David Brown, chief executive, Transport for the North, concluded by saying, ‘Ambition, historically the North hasn’t grasped the level of ambition needed so one of our jobs is to maintain a level of ambition, to plan now, on a 25-year timescale, to plan for the future. We are submitting our proposal next week for a sub-national transport body which will be a regional voice for strategic transport planning in the North of England. Currently planning is conducted on a local level we need to be prioritised on a national basis.’ Following the success of this event, there will be further events to follow based on the theme of connectivity.

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Fife Rail Pastors An intrepid team of Rail Pastors will be out on evening trains throughout the historic Kingdom of Fife this winter, offering a helping hand to party-goers and railway staff.

Brian’s swansong A Network Rail track worker has been praised after he carried an injured swan which crash landed on the railway line in West Yorkshire for half a mile to receive treatment. Brian Harris, a mobile operations manager at Network Rail’s Knottingley depot, came across the dying swan after it crash landed on the railway near Wakefield. Undeterred Brian made the swan comfortable by wrapping it in his fleece. He then carried the stricken bird half a mile back to his van. Brian contacted Yorkshire Swan and Wildlife Rescue who found

injuries to both its legs and wings as a result of the crash landing – but nothing life threatening. After treatment the swan was given a clean bill of health and was released back into the wild over the weekend. Says Dan Sidley, founder of Yorkshire Swan and Wildlife Rescue, ‘After time spent in one of our intensive care pens, the bird was soon healthy enough to be transferred to our outside rehabilitation paddock. We are extremely grateful to Network Rail staff for their intervention in ensuring this swan was taken to a place of safety where it could be saved.’

The development is part of the Street Pastor movement which regularly helps out in town and city centres. The idea is to keep partygoers safe. Says Sandy Scrimgeour, chief executive of the Ascension Trust, which runs the initiative, ‘The rail pastors are essentially doing the same work they do when they’re

on the streets. They are there to listen and care for people and help wherever they can.’ Adds Sandy, ‘We are faith based but we do not preach that.’ The Rail Pastors initiative is supported by local police and the BTP. The first team, in Barnet, north London, has recently expanded its area of operation and now also carries out patrols on the Great Northern Route. The rail pastors are a reassuring presence to passengers and are ready to help any needy or vulnerable passengers on the station platforms.

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Magnificent Severn The Severn Tunnel reopened to rail passengers on Saturday, 22 October following the completion of six weeks of upgrade work to prepare it for electrification. Rail staff and contractors worked day and night to install over eight miles of conductor rail which will eventually power a new fleet of electric trains through the 130-year-old tunnel. An extensive amount of work to prepare neighbouring Patchway Tunnels was also completed. Without the six-week closure it would have taken engineers up to five years to complete the

upgrade. ‘It has been a phenomenal team effort, involving over 250 engineers and close working with our principal contractors ABC Electrification and Babcock, as well as numerous suppliers, designers and sub-contractors including Amco, Keltbray and Arup, to deliver this essential stage of the electrification project. ‘I would like to thank every single member of the team that has worked on this iconic project for their hard work and dedication to deliver this upgrade successfully and on time,’ said Dan Tipper, project director at Network Rail Wales.

Y Cymro - The Welshman Great Western Railway has named a train Y Cymro - The Welshman - to mark the re-opening of the Severn Tunnel. Y Cymro joins three other named trains: The Red Dragon; St David and The Capitals United. Says GWR managing director Mark Hopwood, ‘With a large number of passengers travelling by train between Cardiff and London Paddington, it is clear that rail remains the most convenient way to travel.’

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Moth side magic Railway staff and conservation volunteers have joined forces to save a rare moth which lives in the Scottish Highlands. The Small Dark Yellow Underwing can only be found in Scotland and 90 per cent of all sightings are recorded within the Cairngorms National Park. Numbers are dwindling and no adult moths were seen at all between 2011 and 2014. In October, volunteers from Butterfly Conservation’s Highlands branch were joined by Network Rail operations and maintenance staff to improve a former site for the day-flying moth in the hope of increasing its numbers in the Cairngorms. The section of railway embankment on the Highland main line, just south of Newtonmore, was once favoured by the Small Dark Yellow Underwing because of the presence of Bearberry – the only food plant of the moth’s caterpillar. Says Butterfly Conservation’s senior conservation officer for Scotland, Tom Prescott, ‘This low-growing evergreen plant had nearly disappeared from the land near Newtonmore, which had become too shaded and overgrown with leggy heather and broom.

‘The volunteers worked really hard to clear scrub from the area and we’re hoping that the Bearberry plant - which is so vital to this moth’s survival - will once again thrive and spread out on to the newly opened ground. It’s been great to work in partnership with Network Rail, and we are hoping to continue working together to help this moth and other species on their land.’ Railway cuttings and embankments make great conservation areas. Largely undisturbed lineside habitat can favour a whole range of flora and fauna. Double Yellow may mean proceed with caution on the railway but staff hope more Dark Yellow Underwings will overcome their caution and return to the railway.

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RAILSTAFF NOVEMBER 2016

Fresh call for Femin-engineering

As the rail industry redoubles its efforts to recruit more women to operational and engineering roles, Rebecca Feldman (pictured), the first female materials engineer at William Cook Rail, has gone public, encouraging more young women to consider careers in industry. Says the Cambridge graduate, ‘When I started the graduate scheme, that’s when I thought I was in a minority. But it didn’t worry me. The most important thing is that you are capable of doing a good job. Gender should not matter.’ Feldman worked for Firth Rixson, Tata Steel Europe and Corus - which she joined as a graduate trainee - before joining

William Cook Rail two years ago. She read natural sciences at Newnham College, Cambridge. According to the Royal Academy of Engineering, Britain needs an additional 87,000 graduate level engineers each year between now and 2020, but the higher education system is only producing 46,000 engineering graduates. Just eight per cent of the UK’s professional engineers are female. ‘Industry is as much about brain power as physical power. It can be noisy, dirty and smelly. You have to wear a hard hat and steel toe caps rather than make-up and high heels. But I love science and its practical applications and I always wanted to be part of a team.’ It’s rewarding work. ‘Quite a few of my peers at university went into the City of London to make money working at banks or consultancies. That is a loss to the science and engineering communities. The City does not produce anything tangible. It is virtual, electronic money,’ says Rebecca. ‘I would encourage girls and young women to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics at school and university. There are so many opportunities in these fields and there is a shortage of these skills.’

RDG Runs On Rail ATOC, RSP, TISL, Rail Delivery Group, RSTL, NRES have all now formally joined together to become ‘Rail Delivery Group’ as of 24 October 2016. The move aims to clarify the relationship between RDG and ATOC which has caused confusion and reduced effectiveness. Roles and responsibilities of all staff will not change. However, all staff email addresses will change to the format of firstname. lastname@raildeliverygroup.com or groupname@raildeliverygroup.

com for any shared email addresses. Current email addresses will continue to receive and automatically forward mail for a period, whilst senders update their email contact lists. The RDG website will also form part of the web addresses for key internal systems e.g. the intranet, sites, IT/facilities helpdesk system. The legal names of ATOC and its companies will not change for the time being. RDG will continue to build public awareness of the good work done by rail staff and the rail industry through its inspired ‘Britain Runs On Rail’ campaign.

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Siege of uncertainty lifted at Linbrooke Linbrooke has been awarded the prestigious Sir Donald Gosling Sword for providing the most significant support to the Royal Marines Charity over the last 12 months. Commissioned in 2014 to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the Royal Marines, the Sir Donald Gosling Sword is presented annually. Celebrated for being a symbol of gratitude and recognition, this year the honour was bestowed upon Linbrooke Services Ltd and presented to former Royal Marine and Linbrooke chief executive Lee Hallam. With a passion for serving those who so bravely serve our country, Linbrooke has assisted a large number of armed forces leavers into full-time employment. Many have joined the rail industry and in the tough conditions, companionship and excellent career opportunities, found an echo of services values. ‘Joining Linbrooke has quashed my negative feelings about leaving the Armed Forces; it provides a diverse and challenging environment and it is reassuring to know that I am in an organisation with a lot of likeminded people,’ says Ian Ronald, assistant delivery engineer. Working with Royal Marines charities since 2011, Linbrooke has provided training, development and employment to over 350 military service leavers. Encouragement and top class training has ensured most find a role that is best suited for them. With a workforce made up of 40 per cent former military personnel, Linbrooke provides the perfect atmosphere for service leavers to transition back into civilian life and find a new

career path to suit them. Former Royal Marine Lee Carroll said, ‘Attempting to support my pregnant wife while dealing with an uncertain future, I became severely depressed. Since joining Linbrooke for an extended placement, I have regained my purpose and my pride. This company has truly given me a reason to get up every morning.’ Sharky Ward, deputy chief executive for the Royal Marines Charity, is enthusiastic about the company, ‘Linbrooke are leagues above the rest. They have helped our boys out on such a massive scale, providing support to the core. As the catalytic agent for his business, Lee has ensured that the company offers more than just a temporary fix – they provide an entire future for those who are besieged by uncertainty.’ Introducing a number of other companies to the process of military resettlement, Linbrooke makes a point of being infused with the commando spirit and a quality driven, can-do ethos that is further demonstrated by a commitment to providing extra housing, welfare and social environment maintenance for the bootnecks they assist. Says Linbrooke chief executive Lee Hallam, ‘As a former member of the corps, I have dedicated myself to giving back to the family who gave so much to me. Aiming to serve those who serve our country, it is a constant goal of mine to do as much as I can to help former Royal Marines transition smoothly back into civilian life. Knowing that I have made any kind of progress in this regard is amazing and I am honoured to have been chosen to receive such a meaningful accolade.’

TRACK SAFETY

RAILSTAFF NOVEMBER 2016

COMMUNICATION A PRE-REQUISITE FOR SAFETY IT NEEDS TO BE CLEAR AND EASILY UNDERSTOOD

hen I started to work on the railway my conditions of service specified that I must live within two miles of my “Home Station”. This was a legacy from the days when railway people walked to work and could be and were called in at short notice if something went wrong. Even at the Regional Headquarters’ offices telephonists still manually connected callers to individual desk telephones. The Rule Book had a black cover and fitted neatly into a standard issue raincoat pocket. On foggy, snowy and very wet days individual track gangs would spend time listening whilst The Rules were read aloud to them. Archaic in these days of higher literacy, but the rules were then discussed and a degree of in depth understanding was established. I still believe that face to face communication is best. Eye contact and seeing facial expression gives an assurance of understanding and acceptance. Terse emails, whilst concise can inadvertently cause offence and even result in resistance. Mobile phone use and video conference calls may fail to reveal an individual’s reservations. There are safety implications. Today’s modular Rule Books allegedly contain rules for all occasions. Now the RSSB has instigated the development of a Rule Book app to support their website versions. I recommend the evolvement of an edited working version hugely reduced in length and simplified for daily use. If you need to look things up whilst working existing ones are too long and complicated. With all the improved technology we now have, inadequate communication is still a major threat to railway safety as recent reports clearly illustrate!

REPORT BY COLIN WHEELER

Train struck conveyor boom at 102 mph! The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) on October 27th published its report on the accident that occurred at Barrow upon Soar at around 1026 on 14th February this year. A passenger train travelling at 102 mph collided with the conveyor boom of a freight vehicle in an aggregates train that was standing on the adjacent Barrow Railhead Sidings. Two coaches were damaged but the train was not derailed. The boom was damaged and a fitter who had been working on the conveyor seriously injured. The conveyor belt and boom “became detached” as a result of the accident. The train driver applied the emergency brake and stopped his damaged train 0.72 miles further on. The wagon owners were Tarmac with Wabtec being their appointed maintainers. The report notes that realising the danger, one of the fitters ran to the site control room and telephoned the signaller asking for trains to be stopped but he was too late to stop the train that struck the boom.

Push button got stuck The aggregate train in the siding had been loaded ready for departure the following day. The fitter had been checking the wagons and identified that one needed to have maintenance work done. Whilst he was working on it a failure occurred in its control circuit. A push button became stuck in the “ON” position and as a result the RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAILSTAFFUK | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

conveyor boom rotated to its full extent becoming foul of the adjacent open operational line in the process. (picture below). Risk assessments for the site had not addressed the possibility of the conveyor boom moving out of control and affecting other train operations. The RAIB investigation has concluded that corrosion caused the button to get stuck probably due to the contact block being “exposed to environmental conditions for which it was not designed”.

Absence of adequate maintenance The report adds that Wabtec had recommended replacement of the entire electrical system in January 2014 but this had not been done. The wagon owners told the RAIB that they were unaware of the safety implications. It also says that the lack of an operational emergency stop had not been detected by either the owners or maintainers, and supervision of maintenance staff at the Barrow Railhead had failed to notice that checks were not being made using the check sheet. Following the accident, Tarmac removed all the SDT wagons from service and put them in store. The RAIB report’s recommendations cover the processes for hazard identification and risk assessment, the maintainer’s management arrangements and procedures at Barrow. The Chief Inspector has commented that “the condition of the electrical

RAILSTAFF NOVEMBER 2016

TRACK SAFETY

Train damage from striking the conveyor boom.

system used to control a wagon mounted unloading boom had been allowed to deteriorate to the point where reliable operation could no longer be assured. An absence of adequate maintenance led directly to the boom slewing into the path of a passing express passenger train.”

the train or crew but the leading bogie was badly damaged and track repairs were necessary. The bucket was pushed under the train and its leading bogie briefly lost contact with the rails although it remained upright. The floor of the leading vehicle was buckled by it.

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Bucket weighed 670 kg Carriage floor buckled Also last month RAIB released its report into an accident involving another passenger train. This one occurred at around 6-53am on the morning of February 4th this year, near Knockmore Junction in Northern Ireland. Two Class 3000 DMU’s, each consisting of three cars, formed the 0625 Belfast Victoria to Portadown service which ran into an excavator bucket that had been left on the track some two kilometres from Lisburn Station. The train hit the bucket whilst travelling at 57 mph and then ran on for 330 metres before stopping. There were no significant injuries to people on

The previous night-time work was part of the rehabilitation programme for the Belfast to Lurgan route. A temporary road/ rail access point adjacent to the entrance to a worksite compound had been built up to rail level using ballast. The work group had been replacing sleepers between level crossings at Lissue and Maze, in a 2.3 km worksite within a 28 km long possession. Two site machines had been used; both were 20 tonne, 360 degree hydraulic type excavators. The detached bucket was 1330 mm wide and weighed 670 kg, so it just fitted between the 1600 mm gauge rails. It had been released by the machine driver

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TRACK SAFETY

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using a “quick hitch” that can be operated by the operator without assistance. The machine was then used with chains to lift loads for the group changing sleepers. A 5 metre flatbed ballast box was also being used to bring fresh ballast to the site. The excavators were subcontracted to the main contractor; one was used to bring ballast to the site whilst the other offloaded the ballast and then shed its bucket to lift the ballast box onto the cess.

Working by torchlight The detached bucket had been forgotten by the machine operator and the Track Safety Coordinator had not stayed with the machine so was unaware that the bucket was on the track. In the darkness other members of the workgroup had not seen it either. Site lighting had not been provided, and the work group were reliant on the use of torches. Although not a factor in the accident, the Engineering Supervisor and Safety Coordinator had arranged the access using “an informal method that did not meet Rule Book requirements”. Previously the ballast box and trailer had been taken into the compound but the machine drivers decided it would be easier and less hazardous to leave them in the cess.

The report comments that the Engineering Supervisor (ES) and Track Safety Coordinator had “adopted an informal method of signing in and signing out of the worksite”. It also notes that the ES had acted as an emergency operator at Lissue Level Crossing and consequently could not personally walk through the worksite. The report makes two recommendations; the first is for a “formalised process for checking lines are safe after engineering work is complete and before the line is reopened to regular traffic” and the second calls for “a review and possible modifications to the formalised communications used by engineering supervisors controlling access to the railway.”

75 mph through a 5 mph Emergency Speed restriction! On the morning of January 5th this year the 0739 London Midland passenger service from Bletchley to Euston was carrying an estimated 2,000 passengers whilst being driven by a driver manager who was under assessment by a second driver manager. At 0828 the train went through 2322B switches and a crossing at 75 mph despite the crossing being under the protection of a 5 mph emergency speed

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restriction. This was due to the discovery of a crack in the crossing. It was under surveillance by a watchman appointed to monitor its condition who reported the incident. The crack had been found at 0310 that morning and reported to Control at 0350. The Emergency Speed Restriction details were emailed out to drivers at 0523 but although the driver manager noticed the email he did not open it. He also looked at the signing on point late notice case at around 7 am. A “what might have been” case, but fortunately in this instance there were no injuries and no damage was caused to either the infrastructure or the train.

Are possession arrangements still fit for purpose? These three reports all illustrate the inadequacy of current communications despite the equipment now available to us. I suggest the blame should not rest with those doing the

work but with the inadequacy of outdated rules and processes. If experienced supervisors are deciding not to follow the rules surely they need to become involved in changing them? Do we really expect those in charge of possessions and worksites to walk through them end to end to check for line obstructions before handing back to traffic? I recall doing so with 400 metre long sites; but in Northern Ireland the worksite was 2.3 km within a 28 km possession. In this day and age should we be using motorised robot trolleys or drones flying over with cameras to check the line instead? For all possession working the digital railway will bring new opportunities, but are we using the best of what we have today?

Is today’s safety information adequate or excessive? As for speed restrictions and late notices, they ought to be read and could be displayed in the driver’s cab as the train travels. I have sympathy with those who are unaware of some parts of the Rule Book that affect their work. However it is presented, it needs to be reduced to something short enough to be periodically read, or even read out loud. Similar comments apply to method statements and briefings. Are they viewed as useful by those doing the work? A single sheet of salient site specifics is all that trained and competent rail workers need. I recall the apocryphal story of the trackman found wheeling a barrow along the line during possession work. He was challenged by an auditing safety professional and in reply explained that the barrow was not being used on the works at all; it was his easy way of transporting the site safety paperwork around!

EVENTS

RAILSTAFF NOVEMBER 2016

Countdown to Railtex In a little over six months’ time, exhibitors will be welcoming visitors at Railtex 2017. The UK’s major exhibition of railway technology and services returns to the NEC in Birmingham from 9 to 11 May next year, and by mid-October 2016 more than 240 companies had signed up for the event, suggesting that this will be another great show. Among major industry names taking part are Alstom Transport, Hitachi Rail Europe and Siemens, together with Faiveley Transport, Knorr Bremse Rail UK, Talgo, Unipart Dorman, Voith Turbo. A quick glance at the list of exhibitors reveals the broad scope of Railtex – Compin Fainsa, manufacturer of train seating; Mechan, supplier of depot and workshop equipment; Pfisterer, providing products for electrification; and telent, specialist in communications and signalling technologies, are all among a growing list of firms planning to be present.

Check the latest list of exhibitors at www.railtex.co.uk/exhibitor-list/ Familiar show features will be returning too. The Track display area showcasing track-related equipment and machines is being sponsored and equipped by British Steel, exhibiting for the first time under its new name. The Yard provides a dedicated area of the exhibition hall for exhibitors to display larger items of plant such as RRVs. And the Rail Alliance Hub will again give its members their own feature area. There will be the usual strong programme of supporting activities, giving insights into industry developments and trends. Its centrepiece will be the daily keynote speeches from industry leaders that have always drawn large audiences. In addition, there will be exhibitor presentations covering developments in rail technology, project updates, industry briefings and interactive discussion forums, all free to attend as usual. Among key organisations

supporting Railtex are Network Rail, the Railway Industry Association (RIA), Rail Media, the Rail Alliance and the Rail Supply Group (RSG). Reflecting the government’s increased focus on exporting the UK’s railway products and expertise, the Department for International Trade is also endorsing the event. With an increase of nearly 10 per cent more occupied floor space, the 2015 exhibition was the biggest Railtex for more than a decade and this provides a benchmark for the 2017 event. Many of the 468 exhibitors said their expectations were exceeded and reported significant successful business connections. The event attracted nearly 7,500 visiting industry professionals, with a further 2,700 present as exhibitors. Says exhibition manager Kirsten Whitehouse, ‘The enthusiastic

response we have seen from the industry for Railtex 2017 points to another great show at the NEC. ‘There has been strong demand for stands, and we have already allocated 16 per cent more space than at the same stage for the 2015 exhibition. This is an exciting time for rail in the UK, with plenty of business opportunities for companies offering the right products. ‘Railtex provides a unique showcase for those firms, as well as for exhibitors keen to export. We will also offer a free business matching service to ensure a good quality and quantity of meetings and networking opportunities for all attendees.” Registration to visit Railtex 2017 opens via www.railtex.co.uk in early 2017. In the meantime the website provides the latest show news.

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GEAR+TECH

RAILSTAFF NOVEMBER 2016

EVERYONE

HOME DRY EVERY DAY

ailway workers spend most days and nights exposed to the elements. With winter now taking hold and wetter, colder nights on the way, poor quality protective workwear can be exposed for what it is. Through its network of nationally based distribution partners, Orbit International has been supplying PPE clothing to the rail industry for decades. At this year’s Infrarail exhibition, Orbit, in partnership with GORETEX® Fabrics, launched Pro-Rail® - a product which it believes represents a step up in PPE standards. Orbit and Gore have been producing high quality safety workwear for more than 20 years, however, this is the partnership’s first dedicated branded product for the rail industry. Pro-Rail’s credentials derive from Orbit’s position as one of only a few suppliers to hold both a trademark license and a certified manufacturing agreement with Gore. The partnership is a quality mark to provide consumers with confidence that quality manufacturing standards have been maintained, that the garment is fit for the end user, fit for purpose and tested to the

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highest standard both in the laboratory and in the field. The GORE-TEX Pro-Rail range includes a storm coat and bomber jacket, salopettes, a coverall, and two varieties of over trouser. The range features a mix of two and three-layer garments. To produce the two-layer jackets and coverall, the GORE-TEX membrane is laminated to an outer fabric layer and incorporates a loose inner liner. For trousers a three-layer system is used which has protective fabric layers either side of the membrane. This is used to provide the extra protection needed by workers whilst working and kneeling at ground level. Both the two-layer and three-layer fabrics are designed to provide protection to users in all weathers thanks to the clever properties of the company’s trademark GORE-TEX membrane.

Breathability and waterproofness The membrane, which was originally developed by Bill Gore in 1958 to insulate copper cables, is made of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE). The membrane structure of the ePTFE is tight enough to prevent a water droplet passing through from the outside but porous enough

to allow moisture vapour (sweat) to escape from the inside. It’s this combination of waterproof and breathability properties on which the GORE-TEX brand is based. ‘If you’re a railway worker and you want to be kept dry or you want the guys working for you to be kept dry then GORE-TEX products are your best friend,’ says Gore Associate Jonas Andersson. He went on to discuss the safety benefits of wearing reliable waterproof PPE. ’If you’re distracted by feeling wet or cold, you or a colleague you work with could be at risk,’ says Jonas. Add to this the potential occupational health risks associated with working in wet conditions for prolonged periods of time without adequate waterproof protection.

Rain tower From the initial design concept through to full-scale manufacture, Gore and Orbit have worked closely together to bring Pro-Rail to the market. A detailed design process was followed by a rigorous test phase. Once Orbit manufactures a new garment, it is sent to Gore for style approval. This process involves a combination of laboratory and field testing, some of which is done in Gore’s purpose-built rain tower, to check that it meets

RAILSTAFF NOVEMBER 2016

All GORE-TEX garments in the range meet the highest EN20471 standard of visibility and comply with GO/RT 3279 rail industry standards. In order to maintain the required luminosity, PPE needs to be laundered, but with many products water will leak through the seams of jackets and trousers, compromising the overall performance. To back up the quality of the GORETEX fabric, Gore has developed its own seam sealing technology which ensures garments remain waterproof even after several washes, extending the life of the product and in turn reducing the lifecycle cost to customers. In addition, ProRail garments can withstand both professional and domestic laundering without the risk of any gradual degradation in quality. Overall, the quality of PPE clothing in the rail industry is improving, says Ken Elavia, managing director of Orbit, speaking in general terms about the industry. This has been driven by the efforts of manufacturers to develop their products and linked to an evolution in procurement practices in the sector. Whatever the reasons, it’s a positive outcome for staff, who are now wearing higher quality, higher performance garments. With Pro-Rail, Gore and Orbit aim to not only keep the workforce safe and dry, but to continue to drive up PPE standards, improve user satisfaction and boost morale.

APPROVED TO MEET GO/RT 3279, EN ISO 20471 AND EN 343 3:3 STANDARDS

Gore’s exacting standards. Drawing on expertise from the Met Office, the rain tower has been designed to replicate realistic wet weather conditions; even the size and frequency of the rain drops have been carefully calculated. Says Jonas, ‘We do all that because we want the wearer to know that when they see the GORE-TEX brand on their jacket, it will protect them even in the worst possible weather conditions.’

Laundering

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Amazon 2 Two-layer jacket Sizes - XS - 4XL Product Code - GB2FWJR - EN ISO 20471 Class 3 - EN 343 3:3 - GO/RT 3279 - Interactive zip - Two-way zip fastening - Studded storm flap

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Orbit also offers PPE branding services, including screen printing, heat sealing/transfer and embroidery. Orbit audits all its suppliers and only chooses those that meet the company’s social, ethical and environmental standards. For more information please visit www.orbit-intl.co.uk or contact sales@orbit-intl.co.uk

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FEATURE

RAILSTAFF NOVEMBER 2016

Southport Surge for ACoRP

‘F

or the first time we’ve actually had to turn people away!’ the Association of Community Rail Partnerships’ (ACoRP) general manager, Neil Buxton confessed as he surveyed the 450 community rail volunteers, railway staff and a phalanx of sympathetic leaders and politicians headed by the increasingly impressive Paul Maynard MP. Delegates packed into the historic Floral Hall in Southport’s seaside convention centre. The mass of railway people had gathered at the end of the summer for the Community Rail Awards - an uproarious expression of confidence in Britain’s rail industry. Southport is a busy town with broad boulevards, a pier and excellent rail connections, an inspired choice of venue on the Lancashire Riviera. Outside the convention centre gale force winds and rain squalls failed to deter delegates from fighting their way across town to the annual Community Rail Awards. Winds scoured sand off the mile wide beach and racing tides underpinned the urgency of one of the railway’s most compelling endeavours. Wherever ACoRP gathers, the venue quickly becomes a theatre for good news stories about railways. Lines supported by Community Rail Partnerships are seeing a surge in ridership. According to Neil Buxton, passenger numbers on CRP-supported railways are growing faster than on mainline routes. No wonder capacity was at a premium at the Floral Hall.

Celebrating ordinary people Over the last few years, ACoRP has unwittingly orchestrated an annual pilgrimage to the extremities of a resurgent rail-connected nation Scarborough, Llandudno, Southend, Torquay - as well as the heart of the rail industry - Swindon - and next year Derby. Better still in 2018, the Community Rail Awards will be held in Edinburgh, saluting the industry of Scotland’s booming community rail movement. It’s a celebration of what ordinary people can do for their community and emphasises the acceptance of community rail volunteers as equal partners in the rail industry. Rail Minister Paul Maynard MP praised the energy and passion of the community rail movement. ‘Across the country we have seen the positive benefits that an active Community Rail Partnership can deliver. Neglected, low usage lines and tired rural stations are being replaced with vibrant community centres, independent cafes, book clubs, safety programmes for children, fabulous station art, line guides, shelters, seating, tourist information and even a return to traditional heritage style livery and signs on some stations.’

Government commitment Mr Maynard re-affirmed government commitment to community rail. ‘I want to ensure that there is long-term funding available for partnerships so they can plan effectively for the future which is why we are making sure that community rail is getting a record level of funding and the recognition it deserves in all future rail franchises.’ Overall winner was the Great Western Railway and its community rail partnerships - another one was launched in Wiltshire on the morning of the awards. The awards recognised a wide range of community rail efforts and initiatives from art schemes, station RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAILSTAFFUK | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

enhancements, events and campaigns to outstanding contributions and ideas aimed at involving young people and other groups. The movement continues to expand. Referring to the re-organisation of ACoRP, Neil Buxton promised it would provide, ‘More and better services to the rail industry and our members.’ The only sadness of the evening was the farewell delegates paid Neil, who is retiring at the end of the year. Neil Buxton has built upon the foundations laid by Dr Paul Salveson. Under Buxton, the fledgling organisation has grown to be a national phenomenon whose advice is sought by ministers and rail chiefs alike. Self effacing as always, Neil paid tribute to people as diverse as Chris Austin, Richard Bowker and Paul Wilkinson. He recalled an early meeting with Bowker at which the then chief of the Strategic Rail Authority leant back and said, ‘All right, I think I can work with you because you’re pragmatists!’ Buxton is to be congratulated for getting people like Bowker, rail chiefs and the secret necromancers of the DfT on board. From all of us: Thank you, Neil. ACoRP, as an organisation, has encouraged, launched and sustained dozens of local initiatives all of which have drawn people, resources and ultimately more passengers into railways. It is an achievement that deserves far greater recognition in the wide pages of the UK’s success audit.

RAILSTAFF NOVEMBER 2016

FEATURE

A fabulous night

GWR was named as the Overall Winner.

Community Rail Lancashire collecting the Involving Young People Award, sponsored by Rail Media.

The 450 guests who attended the gala dinner at the Floral Hall helped raise £1,724 for charity during the evening. Alzheimer’s Research UK and Cancer Research UK are to share the funds. Says Hazel Bonner, events and fundraising manager for ACoRP, ‘It was a fabulous night, the atmosphere was brilliant and we saw some really wonderful projects and people publicly recognised.’ The awards were presented by the managing director of Merseyrail, Jan Chaudhry-van der Velde, and the managing director of Northern, Alex Hynes. Both spoke powerfully of the need to advance and sustain the work of community rail partnerships. The abiding winners of the Community Rail Awards are the thousands of volunteers actively involved in their local railway. Added Neil, ‘We would like to congratulate all the winners, they are all very well deserved! We would also like to acknowledge all the runners up and shortlisted projects.’ On the train to Manchester the following day, Mick Stone from the Swanage Railway Society leant across and said, ‘Thanks, RailStaff, for my badge.’ Mick was wearing a Britain Runs On Rail badge - identifying with the Rail Delivery Group’s timely campaign. How fitting that a rail volunteer should be wearing a badge aimed at staff. For the truth of Southport is that the railway itself is a community. Fair weather friends is not a term you could apply to the storm-tossed delegates of the 2016 Community Rail Awards. Rather these are pragmatists, playing a central part in the permanent way of rail resurgence. Southport underpins the rail industry’s commitment to community rail. Happily there is plenty of room for more community rail volunteers. Pass right down inside the cars, please! FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAILSTAFFUK | RAILSTAFF.UK

YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS

RAILSTAFF NOVEMBER 2016

S L A N IO S S E F O R P L I YOAULNLEGNGREAAND ACHIEVEMENT CH

ctober was a great month for Young Rail Professionals – we are delighted to announce that we have achieved record success at the RailStaff Awards, with former YRP chairman Adam Stead winning Rail Person of the Year, and Hannah Jones being highly commended in the Project Manager of the Year category. We are extremely proud of both Hannah and Adam for excelling in these two tough categories. RailStaff said of Adam, ‘Adam has not only excelled in his day job, establishing his own consulting company; but has also sought to better the industry through his leadership roles within various professional organisations, including the Railway Study Association, INCOSE and most prominently with Young Rail Professionals.’ In this industry, we hear time and time again that one of the largest issues facing us is the skills shortage – Adam’s passion for bridging this skill gaps is what really makes him deserving of this award. Adam is a doer, not a talker - he decided the best way to demonstrate this was to engage schools; and he developed the vision for the first ever Rail Week. Adam knew it needed a collective industry effort, a catalyst for change, and that YRP was now ready to take on that challenge. He led the Young Rail Professionals in this huge undertaking, earlier this year. Adam brought together a team of YRP volunteers from across the country to create the tools for industry to make the most of Rail Week, with a dedicated website, marketing and PR, lesson plans for schools, careers fliers, and presentations - all to help young people imagine their future in rail. To make Rail Week a reality, Adam secured the funding and support from senior industry leaders and government departments, and built key relationships with partners such as STEMNET to manage 98 Rail Week STEM Ambassadors. Adam also led the stakeholder engagement for Rail Week to get commitment from companies to be part of Rail Week, including Alstom, Bombardier, Hitachi, Siemens, TfL, Crossrail, HS2 and Network Rail. Over 2,500 young people in schools, colleges and universities have been inspired this year as a result of Rail Week. Adam’s pioneering spirit, leadership and dedication has given the rail industry a great platform and catalyst to address the skills gap and inspired thousands of young people to consider careers in rail.

ASTOUNDING EVENTS PROGRAMME Hannah Jones is starting out in her career in the industry and what a phenomenal start she has made! Hannah came to work for Young Rail Professionals at a critical time in the development of Rail Week where significant risks to delivery were starting to emerge. As Rail Week delivery manager, Hannah became a single point of contact for the industry and the education sector to engage with Rail Week. Hannah on-boarded 40 new companies to get involved in Rail Week, helping companies to maximise their involvement. The scale of the Rail Week is a credit to Hannah, who grew the programme from 30 events when she came on board to an astounding 157. Hannah is quite new to working in rail but what she achieved to date is indicative of her future potential. She worked on her own initiative coordinating the delivery of 11 workstreams made up of YRP Committee volunteers, giving them the direction to think more strategically about the plans for Rail Week. Hannah was a lifesaver for Rail Week and Young Rail Professionals; several times she spotted things that were missing from the plan, took the initiative to fill the gaps and reported on the positive outcomes without waiting for direction. With YRP volunteers only being available to meet and work in the evenings and weekends, Hannah would always go the extra mile to accommodate the needs of YRP volunteers and work flexibly to meet our challenging timescales to deliver this pioneering initiative.

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Both Adam and Hannah were integral to the success of Rail Week 2016, and we offer them both our massive congratulations on receiving these awards. Both shining examples of what a career in the rail industry can bring! Thanks also to RailStaff who hosted a fantastic and hugely enjoyable event, YRP particularly enjoyed the Hollywood-Bollywood theme, the entertainment, and especially the props that were distributed at the event – feather boas and fake moustaches are always well received by YRP!

RAIL BIG RAIL DIVERSITY CHALLENGE On Friday 30 September, 10 YRP members from across the country assembled at Hangar 42 to take on the Women in Rail Big Rail Diversity Challenge. ‘A fun day with a serious message’ – the challenge was designed to raise awareness of the benefits of gender diversity through a series of mental and physical challenges undertaken by teams with a gender ratio of 50 per cent female, 50 per cent male. Over 15 companies from across the rail sector paid to enter teams, with all profits going to the Railway Children charity. Accurately described as a cross between ‘It’s a Knockout’ and the ‘Krypton Factor’, the YRP team had to work together, under the direction of both male and female leaders, to complete 10 challenges which tested their teamwork, communication and ingenuity. Whilst running in zorb balls, racing segways, riding in supercars, dancing the haka, blindly decorating gingerbread and bouncing around on space hoppers, the team were developing invaluable skills and realising the benefits of gender diverse teams

RAILSTAFF NOVEMBER 2016

YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS

– better for people, better for business, better for rail. National chair Sabrina Ihaddaden said of the event, ‘The team and I had so much fun, creating fantastic memories in what was an excellent team building experience. This is without forgetting the purpose of the event – YRP committee members know the value of diverse teams – whether it is gender, age, nationalities, background and even professions.’ Thank you to Women in Rail for organising this amazing event. We look forward to returning for next year’s challenge! This time of year YRP hosts regional Welcome to Rail events. On Thursday, 29 September, YRP West Midlands hosted their third annual Welcome to Rail event at the Mailbox in Birmingham. Present were graduates from telent, Network Rail, CrossCountry and other companies. There was a short introduction by YRP national secretary Michael Charteris, with contributions from the rest of the West Midlands committee followed by a talk from our guest, Colin Flack – chief executive of Rail Alliance. He discussed his

route into the rail industry and the importance of building an effective professional network. His breadth of knowledge was impressive and the attendees found it a very engaging talk. Following Colin’s muchvalued contribution, there was a Pictionary round – from which many creative interpretations of the clues were drawn, followed by a guess the logo quiz. Thankfully it appeared that everyone managed to guess at least their own logos correctly this year. The final round was an emoji round, where each team had a series of emojis relating to rail stations in the United Kingdom. Some were simple, but some were fiendishly difficult and there were some notably – although not necessarily correct – lateral solutions to some of the clues. The evening was rounded off with food and drink in All Bar One, Brindleyplace, where everyone could chat and network for the rest of the evening. Thank you to all who helped organise and those who took part. Keep an eye out for similarly fun and engaging Welcome to Rail events, and Christmas parties to add to your YRP regional calendar!

Team YRP took part in the Women in Rail Big Rail Diversity Challenge.

April

YRP ANNUAL BLACK TIE DINNER AND DANCE Tickets are now on sale for the Young Rail Professional’s Annual Dinner 2017. The black tie event will be taking place at the famous Troxy venue in London and is proudly sponsored by CPC Project Services. Book your ticket now at www.YoungRailPro.com

YOUNG RAIL

PROFESSIONALS

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FEATURE

RAILSTAFF NOVEMBER 2016

LEVENMOUTH SCOTLAND'S NEXT RAILWAY?

he Borders Railway connects around 20,000 people in Galashiels and another 20,000 in Midlothian to Edinburgh. It’s had a strong start, carrying over a million passengers in its first year. The line’s construction, which cost the equivalent of £11.7 million per mile, required 30 miles of new railway built on an old track bed with many blockages. This needed 42 new and 95 refurbished bridges, including some major structures, 1.5 million tonnes of earthworks and 3.6 km of new alignment. At an event in September to mark its first birthday, Scottish Transport Minister Humza Yousaf was glad to see that ‘the line’s increased accessibility has breathed new life into the region, boosting tourism and employment opportunities’. Borders was an act of faith by the Scottish Parliament who, in 2006, approved it on the basis of a business case which, in strict economic terms, showed a Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) of 0.96 (i.e. its costs were greater than benefits). However, as events have shown, the parliament was right to consider wider social and economic benefits. Few would now dispute that the Borders Railway is a success story. It also gives a clear demonstration of how communities benefit from their railways.

WHAT NEXT AFTER BORDERS? The Border’s success begs the question of whether there are any other suitable contenders for re-opening. In Scotland, the largest settlement without access to a railway is Levenmouth in Fife. This comprises of the towns of Leven, Methil, Kennoway and Windygates which have a total population of 37,000. It is the largest urban area in Scotland without a train service.

REPORT BY DAVID SHIRRES The area also boasts the largest distillery in Scotland run by Diageo, which has a nearby 150-acre bottling plant which generates 80 HGV movements a day. If the rail line was re-opened, these could be transferred on to two daily container trains. Although the passenger service to Leven was withdrawn in 1969, it is still rail connected, albeit with a

five-mile mothballed railway. This line is in the Sectional Appendix and is still part of Network Rail’s infrastructure. It has an operational connection at Thornton North Junction which until recently was used for freight trains along the first mile of the branch carrying open-cast coal from the Earlseat loading point.

CROSS-PARTY SUPPORT For some years, the LevenMouth Rail Campaign (LMRC) has been actively campaigning for the re-opening of the line. On 23 September it held a conference to consider the next steps. This was attended by the area’s four Members of Parliament (one MP, three MSPs) who all expressed strong crossparty support. The scheme is also backed by Fife Council, Fife Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses who were also present. Deputy Leader of Fife Council Lesley Laird emphasised that the Levenmouth re-opening had the full support of the council who had committed £2 million to its development, including funding two feasibility studies. However, she expressed her frustration

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that there is no roadmap for such rail re-openings and that, despite numerous discussions, the next step was not clear. New lines do not feature in Network Rail’s ‘Scotland Route Study’ which is understandably concerned with enhancing existing infrastructure to meet increasing demand. The study explains that new lines were not considered as it was felt wrong for the industry to propose how new transport requirements should be met. However, it does commit Network Rail to work with promoters to integrate any reopening schemes into the existing rail network should any be progressed.

A STRONG CASE The most recent council-funded study was published last year and was undertaken in accordance with the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG). This concluded that, without taking account of wider economic benefits, reopening of the line had a BCR of 1.3. It is estimated the cost of re-opening the line to be £78.4 million, or £15.9 million pounds per mile which is 35 per cent more than for the Borders Railway. The reason for this high cost is that STAG report’s estimate has to include a high level of contingency in accordance with

RAILSTAFF NOVEMBER 2016

Transport Scotland requirements. However, it is surely unrealistic to suggest that re-opening of a mothballed railway will cost more per mile than the Borders which required major civil engineering work and land acquisition. Hence, the STAG report significantly overstates the cost of re-opening and thus understates the Benefit Cost Ratio. Although there is a strong economic case, the conference also highlighted the benefits to the community in personal terms. LMRC secretary Allen Armstrong explained how recent Scottish Government statistics had shown that half of the Levenmouth area was ranked within the 20 per cent most deprived areas of Scotland and that 36 per cent of its local residents do not have access to a car. He had no doubt that a rail service would transform the area. Between each presentation LMRC chair, Eugene Clarke, introduced personal stories to highlight the problems people faced without a rail service. These included someone who had to give up her job in Edinburgh because her public transport commute took four hours each day and a family of five who had hoped to visit Edinburgh Zoo but found that public transport was too inconvenient and costly. The conference presentations, and feasibility work done to date, have shown that the Levenmouth rail re-opening proposal will bring benefits comparable to the Borders Railway at a fraction of its cost. With such a strong case it is not surprising that the LMRC campaign had attracted strong local support. The next step is to seek the Scottish Government’s commitment to this project.

FEATURE

For Borders a viaduct had to replace an embankment removed for a roundabout. Leven station before its closure in 1969 (left).

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SUMMITS

RAILSTAFF NOVEMBER 2016

RDG has released artist impressions to illustrate its Vision for Stations.

Flying Scotsman owes its comeback in part to public contributions.

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RAILSTAFF NOVEMBER 2016

SUMMITS

VISION FOR STATIONS

TOWARDS THE END OF THE 19TH CENTURY, JOSEPH PULITZER RAN A CAMPAIGN IN HIS NEWSPAPER, THE NEW YORK WORLD, TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE BASE OF THE STATUE OF LIBERTY AFTER THE US GOVERNMENT HAD FAILED TO RAISE THE FUNDS ITSELF. IN RETURN FOR A FEW DOLLARS, READERS RECEIVED A MINIATURE SOUVENIR STATUE - AN EARLY EXAMPLE OF CROWDFUNDING.

he story behind the Statue of Liberty’s plinth was told by Niraj Dattani, head of community development at crowdfunding platform Spacehive, during the third Rail Delivery Group (RDG) Stations Summit last month. Crowdfunding has already been used successfully to benefit Britain’s railway. Flying Scotsman owes its comeback in part to public contributions. Niraj, the final speaker of the day, was now pitching crowdfunding as an alternative way of funding station projects. It is an interesting idea to many in the audience in an environment where investment tends to be targeted at large stations, leaving smaller interchanges relying on community rail partnerships to deliver improvements. RDG began its Stations Summit series in 2014. The first event tried to establish a shared vision for stations for the industry to back, the second launched that vision and the third set out to begin embedding it. ‘Railways really matter and stations are the gateways to our amazing railway system,’ said Dominic Booth, managing director of Abellio UK and chair of the RDG’s Station Strategy Group, opening the conference. The vision for stations is based on a set of fundamental ideas for what stations should be. These nine principles stress that stations should be designed to meet the needs of all customers, be integrated with other travel modes, be safe and secure, and enhance the communities they are at the heart of. The ‘Vision for Stations’ document talks about ensuring that stations continue to meet the fast-changing needs of passengers. To illustrate this, RDG approached BPR Architects to design a set of CGI concepts for a station that incorporated each of these attributes; a model on which the more than 2,500 stations around the country could be based on.

REPORT BY MARC JOHNSON

COHERENT STRATEGY An operator currently struggling with its stations is Northern. The lack of a coherent strategy over the years has left many of the stations across the Northern network bearing little resemblance to one another, said managing director Alex Hynes. Given that Northern manages around 20 per cent of the national stations estate, it is a sizeable challenge to take on. But, with its new franchise deal in place, Northern is in a position to do something about this. Over the next few years, the operator will invest £60 million in its stations. ‘We’re going to make sure that the small and medium-sized stations get their share of the action,’ said Alex. One particular point of contention for Alex was the lack of shelter at many stations, but the money will help address a number of other issues as well. ‘We operate more stations than anyone else. Most of them have no real-time information, no staff and no ability to buy a ticket.’ Alex also spoke about increasing the number of station adopters across the network. Earlier in the year, Northern created its Community Rail Executive Group (COMREG) - a forum led by Arriva designed to build on its relationships with community rail partnerships and friends group along the route. In addition, Northern has created new community outreach management roles within the business.

PROJECT OSPREY ‘It’s difficult to deliver exceptional customer service if we don’t have investment,’ said Network Rail’s managing director Phil Hufton at the beginning of the conference, discussing the important role stations play in customer satisfaction. Although so much of the summit was focussed on the challenges facing small and medium-sized stations, it is actually the smaller stations which regularly outperform Network Rail’s

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SUMMITS

RAILSTAFF NOVEMBER 2016

Abbey Wood station is a good example of a new mediumsized station which embodies many of the vision's principles.

18 managed stations in the National Rail Passenger Survey (NRPS). Network Rail’s stations director, Norrie Courts, later gave details about Project Osprey, an initiative exploring alternative funding models for stations, starting with the 18 largest. Norrie said that with less government funding expected in the future, the industry will need to be clear on its station investment priorities for CP6. Norrie followed Mike Goggins, who spoke about a complementary piece of research Steer Davies Gleave is working on which, in part, is looking at future models for leasing and managing stations. The vision, by trying to anticipate the needs of future passengers, hopes to bring stations in line with public expectation. One session considered what facilities and services a station for HS2 might need. Will passengers still rely on large passenger information boards in 2027? By 2030, RDG hopes to have achieved its vision. The Station Strategy Group is currently working with the Department for Transport (DfT) to deliver franchises that offer a transformative future for stations and also with local authorities to consider where stations fit within housing and development masterplans. More funding for community rail partnerships in the next few years will also mean more worthwhile projects will be able to get off the ground than in the past.

As Dominic Booth wrote in his foreword, RDG now needs to come up with a strategy to realise its vision. The complex nature of ownership and funding within the rail industry suggests that this won’t be straightforward, but those passionate about delivering it don’t believe it is insurmountable.

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We provide our candidates with railway approved tooling, safety work wear and industry accredited training from day one.

Talent. Tooling. Training. For more information contact us on +44 (0) 1332 344 443 or visit: www.fordandstanley.com

TRAINING

RAILSTAFF NOVEMBER 2016

MAINTAINING RAILWAY SKILLS

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TRAINING AND TOOLING Ford & Stanley announced the creation of its Talentwise service, which focuses on the provision of a blue and grey-collar workforce for the rail sector, in 2015. Since its launch, Talentwise has sought to deviate from a typical recruitment service by providing complementary workwear and tooling for employees and access to training, which it delivers in partnership with Qualitrain. © Shutterstock.com

elding steel vs welding aluminium. How different can it be? Very, it turns out. Although not completely distinct from one another, aluminium and steel have different melting points, they require different pretreatment and different shielding gases are used to ensure the quality of the weld. Aluminium can be particularly tricky. A momentary distraction could leave a bigger hole than the one the welder started with. The intricacies of welding illustrate the wider challenge of retaining traditional skills. A proliferation of orders for new trains in the last few years will pull the average age of the UK’s rolling stock fleet down and will give manufacturers plenty of opportunity to strengthen the workforce. The chance to build exciting new fleets of trains will appeal to apprentices and graduates, but rolling stock engineering is about more than just new trains. Backing up the introduction of new fleets are a host of upgrade programmes that require engineers with a varied set of skills. In general, modern trains in the UK are built around aluminium body shells. The industry will need new technicians who understand modern manufacturing methods and technology, but engineers with knowledge of older fleets and traditional crafts will be in equally short supply. Says Chris Jones, the newly appointed head of Ford & Stanley’s Talentwise division, ‘The public will potentially see a vision of a new train, an artistic impression of a new train, which is absolutely fantastic. Often they don’t notice that there’s a new passenger information system on the rolling stock or maybe they don’t come across driver advisory systems that are being installed.’ He went on, ‘Those programmes happen in the background as part of a franchise agreement… They often will need engineers and technicians to carry out that work and they’re the type of people we’re supplying. We’re looking to ensure we’ve got a good quality, informed workforce that can move from customer to customer to carry out those pieces of work.’

RAILSTAFF NOVEMBER 2016

TRAINING

Chris Jones (inset).

Reflecting on how things have evolved since he first started, Chris said he feels the industry is under pressure and there needs to be early engagement with recruitment companies to predict labour requirements; even for projects a number of months or years down the line. Says Chris, ‘We need to ensure we’re sharing industry knowledge which stretches the available scarce skills and puts pressure on the industry’s workforce. Early engagement will help with resource planning.’ That said, there will always be a need for flexibility. ‘We can react to requirements at short notice, clearly. That’s part and parcel of being a relatively light-footed recruitment business. But to provide the full service, we advocate it’s best to have early engagement and good planning.’

DIVERSE WORKFORCE Within the business there is a belief that, over the next five years, Talentwise will play an important role in strengthening the skills base of rolling stock technicians. ‘It is the responsibility of train operators to deliver a first class level of service to the public and to keep their rolling stock in tip top shape,’ adds Chris. ‘So there’s a constant need for maintenance programmes to ensure the right skill sets are available.’

EARLY ENGAGEMENT Chris has worked in recruitment for 27 years and has specialised in recruiting for the rail industry since 2001. Like so many in the industry, Chris has a strong family connection to the railway. His grandfather was a train driver - most notably piloting Royal Scot. His uncle was also a train driver and his mum worked for British Rail.

Ford & Stanley is working with colleges and is looking at resettlement opportunities to find engineers and technicians with transferable skills that could be applied in a train depot or workshop. In the 15 years he’s worked in the rail industry, Chris has seen changes which have improved the competitiveness of rail. Longer franchises promote greater stability. ‘That’s a better drum to beat for the sector,’ says Chris. Much like the distracted welder, the industry could find it has a much bigger problem if it doesn’t act now to create an engineering workforce with a diverse range of knowledge and experience. Chris and his team are at the forefront, addressing the issue one placement at a time. Says Chris, ‘I am a great believer that a team working effectively together will achieve greater success. Collectively, we will be responsible for delivering a first class service to our clients and the candidates we represent.’ FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAILSTAFFUK | RAILSTAFF.UK

TRAINING

RAILSTAFF NOVEMBER 2016

DIGITAL LEARNING CURVE

kills forecasting is a tricky business. With advanced programmes like Digital Railway, it is not easy to know exactly how technology will evolve in the next five to 10 years and what kind of skills will be required. ‘When I first took over, we were doing it to bolster our workforce and now we’re seeing these individuals as our leaders of tomorrow,’ said Kevin Saron, who heads up the Rail Apprenticeship programme within telent. ‘With the railway changing so drastically and the Digital Railway coming in… it’s quite a hard thing to predict.’ The company has looked to adapt its apprenticeship blueprint in the last couple of years to meet its future needs. It has done so by analysing feedback from those in the business and looking at changes within the industry to assess what level of proficiency its workforce will need in the future. To help do this, the Digital Railway programme is in the process of formulating a long-term strategy that will give company’s like telent the confidence to invest in training. Some of the changes to telent’s apprenticeship scheme have focused on the delivery rather than the content. Whilst working as a construction manager on Thameslink, Kevin identified ways in which he believed the Rail Apprenticeship programme could return better results for the company. Until a couple of years ago, apprentices would immediately undertake a mix of work placements, learning the theory at night through distance learning to achieve an NVQ Level 2 in ICT Systems and Principles. The apprenticeship programme now puts an emphasis on classroom learning. Apprentices work towards an NVQ Level 3 in Electrical Engineering and spend a full year at Prospects College of Advanced Technology (PROCAT) in Basildon developing practical skills before they are deployed on a live site. ‘The big thing for us is our behaviour and culture which backs it up,’ said Kevin. ‘By bringing the engineers through our own apprentice scheme, the beliefs, the behaviours, the cultures are there all the way through.’ He added, ‘The work we do within telent is quite bespoke. The GSM-R work we’ve done is quite bespoke, the RETB work up in Scotland is quite bespoke… so the guys that we bring through like that they’ve already had the knowledge and they’ve worked and got the experience on these bespoke projects so when another one comes in it’s not daunting for them.’ As well as discussing best practice within telent, Kevin attends a forum between the various engineering companies that deliver their apprenticeship programmes through PROCAT. Although determined to hold on to them, Kevin recognises that investing in apprentices is good no matter where they end up. ‘The industry’s small. We’ll bump into them again,’ During a visit to telent’s headquarters in Warwick, three rail apprentices at different stages in the programme, Charlton, Joe and Alex, spoke about how well prepared they feel to take on the industry’s future engineering challenges.

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CHARLTON MCBRIDE, 23, COVENTRY ‘When I left school I didn’t know what I wanted to do,’ said Charlton, who left sixth form with A-levels in sport science, drama and media. Charlton plays Gaelic football and is a member of the Four Masters squad, which is surprisingly one of three Gaelic football teams in Coventry. As well as contemplating a career in sport, he had toyed with joining the RAF, and later considered university, before applying for the apprenticeship following a recommendation from one of his teammates. Charlton was one of the last to complete the old format apprenticeships. The first project he worked on was an RETB scheme in Wales, followed by the resignalling scheme at Nottingham station in 2013. ‘It’s hard when you work away Monday to Friday and then you’ve got to make the most of your weekend really,’ said Charlton. ‘You’ve got to see the girlfriend, see family, try and fit sports in as well, but it’s good, I enjoy it.’ Charlton is currently undertaking a level three qualification in site management after which he plans to look into doing a level seven qualification.

RAILSTAFF NOVEMBER 2016

TRAINING

ALEX ROBINSON, 21, LEAMINGTON SPA

‘There’s constantly going to be work on the railway,’ said Charlton who was also excited by the prospects presented by HS2. ‘We’ve just come on at the right time, so hopefully when HS2 does go off then we’ll be there ready. We’ll have the experience to go work on that.’

JOE NORTHORP, 21, COVENTRY Working all day and then getting called out late at night isn’t for everyone, says Joe, but he quite enjoys it. Like Charlton, Joe had been courting a career in sport before spotting the opportunity to join telent online. Studying a degree only to later pursue a different career entirely didn’t suit Joe. ‘I think you find it a bit more rewarding being an apprentice because you’ve worked so hard for three years, or however long your apprenticeship was, and then you’re going into that industry afterwards… you’re always working towards something.’ Joe is two years into his three-year course. He was one of the first to complete the block training year at PROCAT. Having completed his first year, Joe went to work on the East West Rail project, delivering a new rail link between Oxford and Bicester. The project, which didn’t impose quite the same pressures as working on a live railway, was a forgiving introduction. Even so, Joe was keen to get involved and was undaunted by the tasks he was asked to complete. ‘It’s responsibility you want to take yourself. It’s not just being forced upon you. You want to take responsibility yourself because you want to learn, you want to get better yourself.’ He added, ‘We want to do it, do it ourselves, do the work not just stand by and hand people tools, you want to actually get involved.’

Alex is the newest of the three recruits. With his year at PROCAT complete, Alex is now starting to put into practice some of the theory. Having worked at sites in Swindon and Bristol, he’s now supporting a project in the capital. ‘Now I’m down in Euston, which is a survey and removal project. They’ve taken me down there to write spreadsheets to record all the data of removing and see what’s left so that’s given [me] a bit more responsibility within the project.’ Alex found information about telent’s apprenticeship scheme on the National Apprenticeship Service website. ‘To me it is a good opportunity,’ he said. ‘It lets you learn, get the skill and obviously the perk of being paid.’ The prospect of a digital railway, what it will mean for contractors and suppliers, is daunting. But there are steps being taken by the rail industry - at telent and elsewhere - to stay ahead of the curve, planning and studying now for a future that although more challenging promises to be much more rewarding than the past.

Left to right; Joe Northorp, Kevin Saron, Alex Robinson and Charlton McBride.

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TRAINING

RAILSTAFF NOVEMBER 2016

BRIDGEWAY

0115 919 1111

TRAINING

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Recertification – 3 days 14/12/2016 West Malling, Maidstone

DCCR – WORKING NEAR OR ADJACENT TO DC CONDUCTOR RAILS

CONTROLLER OF SITE SAFETY

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INDUSTRY COMMON INDUCTION Initial – 1 day 01/12/2016 West Malling, Maidstone

INDUSTRY COMMON INDUCTION Initial – 1 day 12/12/2016 Nottingham

LOOKOUT/SITE WARDEN ENGINEERING SUPERVISOR Initial – 2 days 05/01/2017 West Malling, Maidstone

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Recertification – 3 days 13/02/2017 Nottingham

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Recertification – 1 day 18/01/2017 West Malling, Maidstone

LOOKOUT/SITE WARDEN Recertification – 1 day 07/02/2017 Nottingham

PERSONAL TRACK SAFETY Initial – 1 day - E-learning & ICI 30/11/2016 Nottingham

Learning and Development Delivering Training and Assessments for Sentinel Competencies

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Over 2,000 people have found great careers with telent

We are offering a wide variety of career paths across the UK to high-calibre applicants.

Natalie Haden

Stephen Schofield

Joining telent after graduation, Natalie has progressed from Project Support to Project Manager receiving extensive training and support including the completion of PRINCE2 Project Management on the way. With experience in both Operational and Station Comms, she is currently managing a DOO CCTV Renewals Project worth circa ÂŁ4 million.

Stephen joined telent 14 years ago as an apprentice. Completing the apprenticeship programme, he took up a position in systems integration. Having progressed to become a System Engineer, he became the lead engineer on a large CCTV networking project. He now leads his own team designing and migrating stations from analogue to IPCCTV.

Mark Warrender

Andy Weller

Mark started out as an engineer for Cable and Wireless 26 years ago and in his career has travelled the world since then. He spent the last 4 years working on network infrastructure projects in Australia before joining telent in July to lead our network design team. His team design and build data network solutions for the rail industry, using the latest IP/MPLS technologies to deliver the digital railway.

Starting as a Telecommunications Apprentice 18 years ago, Andy now leads a team of 20 software development engineers who are growing telentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flagship Station Management System and supporting asset maintenance with business applications. Andy himself is involved in spearheading an R&D programme to provide cutting edge cloud based IoT solutions.

Emi Roberti

Tim Meade

Emi joined telent in 2014 from a specialist CCTV product manufacturing business where he led their software development team. He is now a Technical Architect leading the development of complex video analytics applications for our remote monitoring business and doing research into media distribution and display systems to improve customer information on stations.

Tim joined our Graduate Scheme 18 months ago as a Graduate Project Manager. Based in Warwick, Tim has been working on a Power SCADA project, originally with the Software team before rotating into the Outstations sub-project, quickly earning promotion to Assistant Project Manager.

[Project Manager]

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Be part of our ever-growing success story. Send your cv to careers@telent.com t

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CAREERS

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B & M McHUGH LIMITED

Building, Civil & Environmental Contractors www.mchughltd.co.uk

Health and Safety Advisor B&M McHugh Limited is looking for a H&S Advisor to join our team. You will be located in New Eltham but working on a varied amount of rail projects across all of our sites visiting each one to help enforce the high standards of health and safety.

Thousands and thousands of RAIL OPPORTUNITIES

This is a permanent position – perfect for a H&S advisor looking for stability, longevity and career progression. As a Health and Safety Advisor you must be able to: • Conduct risk assessments on construction sites and identify how to lower risks • Make regular site inspections to enforce policies and procedures • Ensure working practices are safe and compliant • Record any incidents and accidents, provide reports and suggest improvements • Be responsible for keeping up to date with latest rail safety concerns What’s in it for you? • Generous basic salary • Fantastic career progression • Extra work benefits To do this role you must have: • NEBOSH diploma • Experience working within a rail environment • Outstanding attention to detail • Perfect written/spoken English

HO’S W E N O U THE GANISING O Y E R A Call 0208 859 7706 or email maggie.corner@mchughltd.co.uk ? S OR ALWAY AND GAMES ES MATCH • Experienced in writing policies and procedures

www.railwaypeople.com

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK.

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ARE YOU THE ONE NISING A G R O S ALWAY

MATCHES AND GAMES?

The all-new RailSport Games will be hosted at Loughborough University in July 2017, when we’ll bring together over 1,000 people from the rail industry to compete in 15 different sports.

>> WE’RE LOOKING FOR RAILSPORT AMBASSADORS TO HELP SPREAD THE WORD...

If you are passionate about sport and motivated to inspire others to get involved, then this is for you. When you become a RailSport Ambassador, you will receive: • A pack to help you start promoting the event • Regular updates on the planning and progress of the event • Complimentary entry to your chosen sport • Limited edition RailSport Ambassador T-shirt If you’ve ever been to a Rail Media event before, you know we like to party. After the final whistle, competitors from across the industry can enjoy an evening of live music and socialising.

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WE NEED Y OU!

in helping us If you’re interested t, then email promote the even ilsport.uk ambassador@ra

Opportunities at Siemens Siemens Communications and Information Systems (CIS) has grown rapidly over the last three years and is now expanding further. The Siemens CIS business has a number of exciting permanent opportunities at all levels working on major rail infrastructure projects UK-wide and overseas.

Business Development Senior Project Manager Test & Commissioning Manager Senior Project Engineer Bids and Tendering Design Management Software Engineering SCADA & Telecoms Design Site Management Project Planning The Siemens CIS business has offices throughout the UK so you could be located at either our Ashby de la Zouch facility or at our regional offices in Glasgow, Manchester, York, Birmingham, Chippenham or London. If you are interested in the opportunities, please search the current vacancies via the website as this is regularly updated. For further information on these positions, please contact Savin Sathyanath on savin.sathyanath@siemens.com

siemens.co.uk/careers

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