RailStaff October 2018

OCTOBER 2018 | ISSUE 251

79LATER DAYS

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PLUS NEWS PEOPLE GEAR & TECH FEATURES HEALTH & SAFETY COMPANY FOCUS EVENTS TRAINING CAREERS

MARC JOHNSON FOUND OUT HOW DERBY'S 79-DAY PARTIAL BLOCKADE WAS DONE

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CONTENTS OCTOBER 2018 | ISSUE 251

This month's cover features Derby works project manager Kerry Arrowsmith.

ROOT AND BRANCH | 07

UK transport secretary Chris Grayling has announced a sweeping root and branch review of the country’s rail industry.

HUFTON TO BOMBARDIER | 11

07

Former Network Rail managing director Phil Hufton has left to lead Bombardier Transportation in the UK.

11

79 DAYS LATER | 18

Marc Johnson found out how Derby’s 79-day partial blockade was done.

DERBY DELIVERS | 22

East Midlands Trains (EMT) has presented the first of three renovated HST trainsets to the media.

EVERYONE MATTERS | 24

We look at how Network Rail is starting some difficult conversations to address workplace taboos.

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T H G I L T O P

Y Y, TODA A D R E T YES 4 PPE OFOMORROW o| k1 at the early T lo AND Thorpe takes a coming next.

Stewart PE and what’s fP forms o

THE UK AT INNOTRANS | 30

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Transport secretary Chris Grayling led the charge as UK rail companies went in search of new international opportunities at InnoTrans.

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RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

NEWS

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Under the radar

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Earlier this month, a full timetable of passenger services operated through Derby for the first time in two and a half months. The mammoth £200 million upgrade around Derby station had been completed, as project managers like to say, ‘on time, on budget’.

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The project was described as the biggest remodelling of the station layout since Victorian times and even as one of the biggest engineering projects ever undertaken

by Network Rail. It has been one of the great engineering feats of recent railway history and the headlines practically write themselves.

In reality, the wider media response was predictably muted. The BBC wrote 202 words online, leading with a Google image of Derby station’s city side entrance. ITV managed 123 words with a selection of photos and videos. The local press was more encouraging, with a more substantial report on its website, although it didn’t stray too far from the Network Rail press release.

There was also some acknowledgment in a local TV news report for the earnest engineering staff, who managed to only fully close the station once to traffic over the course of the 79 days.

Why is it that successful projects, especially those with no obvious new structure or monument, seem inherently less newsworthy? Is it simply because good stories don’t make great news?

Because news is about the unexpected not the routine? Maybe because in a world of perishable online journalism it just takes too long for reporters to get to grips with the technical nature of railways.

The latter certainly seems true. In an attempt to cut through the jargon, press releases are sent out with simple analogies and phrasing. Somewhere in this process the real magic of the work being undertaken can be lost.

But there will be other projects to get journalists enthused about. Crossrail, when it does eventually open next year, will attract international coverage. Those involved don’t need reminding of how important it will be to get that day right.

In the meantime, positive railway stories will continue to fly under the radar. Some will make the edit but reports about cancellations, nationalisation and industrial action will quickly shift the narrative back.

However, colleagues shouldn’t feel disheartened. The popularity of TV shows like Paddington Station 24/7 demonstrate the public’s interest in those that work behind the scenes. Frustration in failures of the system don’t seem to diminish the appreciation they have for those who are left to manage the fallout.

It shows that it is possible to reshape the natural skepticism that some passengers have about the railway. The staff they meet are often the people to do it. marc@rail-media.com FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.UK

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RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

Bombardier is to begin testing its new fleet of Class 720 Aventra units for Greater Anglia after unveiling one of the first completed trains at its factory in Derby.

Bombardier is building 665 new carriages, in total 22 ten-car trains and 89 five-car trains, to replace Greater Anglia's commuter trains in Essex, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and parts of Suffolk.

Greater Anglia said the trains' underfloor heating and air conditioning units will do away with the need for heating vents and create more legroom for passengers.

The walkthrough carriages will also allow passengers to move easily along the train.

While the new Aventras won't enter passenger service until next autumn, passengers will start seeing them on the network when they begin dynamic testing in early 2019.

Greater Anglia's Andrew Goodrum, who is leading the introduction of the new trains, said: “It’s great to see these

The main Aventra new trains nearing completion.

It’s now possible to see the huge difference they’re going to make to our commuters and other customers travelling to and from London Liverpool Street and across much of the Greater Anglia network.

"These new trains should be much more comfortable for customers, as well as more reliable."

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Caledonian Sleeper delays introduction of new fleet Brand new carriages will no longer be coming to the Caledonian Sleeper’s Lowland service between London, Glasgow and Edinburgh this month as originally planned.

The operator has confirmed that although production of the new rolling stock is well advanced, it was still completing the “time-consuming and complex” process of testing and commissioning the new carriages.

The new units are now expected to be operating from all stations by the end of May next year.

In a statement on its website, Serco, which operates the service, said 40 of the 75 sleeper carriages being built by CAF were in the UK, with the rest expected to be delivered in the coming weeks.

Guests who have booked

tickets on the Lowland services on or after 28 October have been offered a full refund or the opportunity to rebook.

Ryan Flaherty, Serco’s managing director at Caledonian Sleeper, said: “Our new trains will mark a magical new chapter in rail travel in the UK. “The new sleeper carriages are absolutely superb, and will transform the experience of travelling by train between Scotland and England. We are sorry that we will not be able to launch the service this autumn, and understand that customers who wanted to travel on them in 2018 will be disappointed.

“But with five different accommodation types, as well as on board catering, dining and shower facilities, this is the most complex introduction of new rolling stock ever undertaken in the UK, and we are determined to get it right.”

RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

NEWS

7

Root and branch

One from the archive UK transport secretary Chris Grayling has announced a sweeping root and branch review of the country's rail industry.

Described by the Department for Transport (DfT) as the most significant since privatisation, the assessment will consider making ambitious reforms to strengthen franchises and improve reliability.

Although private investment is at record levels and the network has one of the highest rates of safety in Europe, the industry has not kept pace with significant growth that has seen passenger journeys increase from 735 million in 1994-5 to 1.73 billion in 2016-17. This was evidenced by the disruptions following the introduction of the May timetable.

The review will be led by former British Airways chief executive Keith Williams and will look at the structure of the whole industry, increasing integration between track and train, regional partnerships and improving value for money for passengers and taxpayers.

It will analyse all aspects of the industry, alongside the country’s changing travel and work patterns, and make recommendations to improve the current franchising model in terms

of reliability, delivering better services and value for money for passengers, commercial sustainability and innovation. Keith Williams will be supported by an external panel and will report back in 2019. The government will publish a white paper on the review’s recommendations, with the implementation of reforms planned to start from 2020.

Announcing the review on 20 September, Chris Grayling said: “Privatisation has delivered huge benefits to passengers on Britain’s railways — doubling passenger journeys and bringing in billions of private investment.

“But it is clear that the structure we inherited is no longer fit to meet today’s challenges and cope with increasing customer demand.

“We’ve been clear that the railway needs reform to prioritise its passengers, and we have set out plans for closer partnerships between operators of track and train, including on the LNER and South Eastern networks.

“But as part of our vision for the future of mobility, we need to go further and more quickly, to get the best from the public and private sectors and deliver the railway we need for the 21st century. It is vital that this review leaves no stone unturned and makes bold recommendations for the future.”

Cross Country

Following the launch of the major review the new Cross Country franchise will no longer be awarded in 2019 as planned.

The DfT said it was concerned that awarding the franchise "could impact on the review’s conclusions", citing the “unique geographic nature” of the franchise as one of the factors behind the decision.

Existing franchisee Arriva will continue to operate services on the route while future options are considered and all responses received as part of the Cross Country public consultation will be considered in future plans.

A review into all ongoing franchise competitions and current rail projects will be launched, but these competitions will continue as planned.

A records assistant at Network Rail’s archive in York has stumbled across a notebook with George Stephenson’s plans for the world’s first locomotivedriven passenger railway.

John Page discovered the notebook by chance while looking for another document in the archive’s deeds room in April this year. It includes Stephenson’s redesign and budget for the Stockton and Darlington Railway, which opened in 1825, and was signed by G Stephenson at Killingworth Colliery on 18 January 1822.

The notebook, which shows Stephenson’s survey of George Overton’s original plans for the line and recommendations, has now gone on display at the National Railway Museum in York.

John Page said: “Because it is a historical document it would never have been loaned out or requested as it didn’t impact the running of the railway, so since the 1950s, it has sat on a shelf unnoticed amongst hundreds of other packets.

“I was looking for a deed for one of our internal colleagues and purely out of curiosity decided to look through the packets, and there it was, and what a thrill it was to find.”

Sir Peter Hendy CBE, chair of Network Rail, added: “George Stephenson’s original survey of the Stockton and Darlington Railway ushered in the railway age, not only in Britain, but around the world. Network Rail is delighted and proud to have found this astonishing artefact, and very pleased to have it displayed by our friends at the National Railway Museum.”

The notebook will be on display until 28 December in the museum’s Great Hall.

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RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

HS2 has released artist impressions of two of its brand new stations: Curzon Street in Birmingham and Interchange in Solihull.

WSP UK and Grimshaw Architects are designing Curzon Street and Arup is designing Interchange station.

Opening with seven highspeed platforms in 2026, Curzon Street will not only serve highspeed rail passengers, it will be a brand new public space in Birmingham city centre. It will be integrated into an extended tram network, as well as offering

HS2 reveals station designs for West Midlands cycle, taxi, bus and conventional rail connections to the rest of the city and the wider West Midlands.

The design also incorporates the surviving Grade 1 listed

Railtex returns

entrance designed by Philip Hardwick.

Interchange station will be a new gateway station for the region and part of a new public transport interchange serving Solihull, the West Midlands, Birmingham Airport and the National Exhibition Centre.

HS2 CEO Mark Thurston said: “Both of these new stations will be transformational for the Midlands and will create opportunities for regeneration, growth and economic benefits for the city and region.

“Preparatory work for the stations is well under way, with a variety of enabling works including the construction of access roads and archaeological investigations.”

Aberdeen reveal for Scotland's HSTs Railtex is set to return to Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC) between 14-16 May 2019.

It is the 14th edition of the show, held by organisers Mack Brooks Exhibitions, and will see industry professionals come together over a packed threeday programme of activity with a focus on shaping the future of UK rail.

Railtex 2019 will introduce three new areas to its programme, including a new High Speed Rail Hub, focusing on the aims of adding capacity and connectivity to the UK’s network.

A Digital Rail Forum will also be presented as part of a new conference, enabling broad discussion on the future of this revolutionary programme.

For the first time in the show’s history, the Railway Industry Association (RIA) will bring its members together in a dedicated hub: an environment that will

offer a platform for SMEs as well as contain the Knowledge Hub with its traditional updates, briefings and keynote addresses present at Railtex since the show first began in 1993.

Railtex brings together a mix of national and international companies from across the infrastructure and rolling stock sectors. Exhibitors will appear alongside a topical CPD-certified educational support programme in the Rail Engineer-hosted Seminar Theatre which will explore the major issues facing UK rail today and in the future.

Organisers Mack Brooks Exhibitions have said exhibitor and visitor numbers have been at their highest in 20 years, with more than 10,000 industry professionals attending the 2017 event. Demand is set to be high again, and companies are urged to book stand space early to avoid disappointment.

Visit www.railtex.co.uk for further details.

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ScotRail’s first upgraded HST has been launched by managing director Alex Hynes with an inaugural journey between Aberdeen and Edinburgh.

Named Inter7City - a reference to the fact that they will ultimately link Scotland’s seven cities - the revamped HSTs are part of ScotRail’s grand plans to improve services around the country.

An Inter7City passenger service will operate between Aberdeen and Edinburgh from Monday, 15 October.

ScotRail is leasing a total of 54 power cars and 121 coaches from Angel Trains which will form 17 five-car and nine four-car trains.

Although now more than 40 years old, the HSTs have undergone a major overhaul to prolong their operational life and bring their interiors to a standard which will satisfy modern passenger requirements.

ScotRail Alliance managing director Alex Hynes said: “This is another major milestone in our plan to build the best railway Scotland has ever had.

“Our Inter7City service will provide more seats, better services, and more comfortable journeys for our customers.

“The investment we are making in these iconic trains is a clear sign of the ScotRail Alliance’s commitment to building a bigger and better railway for the whole of Scotland.”

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Larkinson takes over as ORR's interim CEO

MacDonald appointed as rail ops director

John Larkinson has returned to head up the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) in an interim capacity following the departure of Joanna Whittington.

Lindsay MacDonald has left his role as Amey’s director of rail in Scotland to become rail operations director at NRL.

Joanna has left the ORR on 5 October to become director general for energy and security at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

John, who is currently director of railway markets and economics, will take over as CEO while a permanant replacement is found. John has been a member of ORR’s board since March 2017 and has held a number of senior roles since joining from the Strategic Rail Authority.

Stephen Glaister, ORR chair, said: “I thank Joanna for her

accomplished leadership over nearly three years and wish her all the best success in the future.

“I am pleased to welcome John as the interim chief executive. He has a wealth of rail knowledge and experience and is well equipped to deliver the role to the high standard we have all come to expect.”

NRL’s rail division provides trackside support, maintenance and servicing to the UK rail industry.

Lindsay, who was the major projects sponsor for the West Coast route modernisation in the early 2000s, will work under the leadership of Director Jim Taylor to “build on the business’ reputation for innovation and high quality service delivery”.

Chief financial officer Ben Humpage said, “Recognising our ambition to further strengthen our client services, we are pleased to welcome Lindsay on board.

“This important appointment reinforces our commitment to our specialist rail operations, as we

From Manchester to Australia Transport for Greater Manchester chief executive Jon Lamonte has been appointed as the new chief of Sydney Metro – the biggest public transport project in Australia.

Prior to his move into transport, Jon served in the Royal Air Force (RAF), attaining the rank of Vice-Air Marshal.

During his military service, Jon was in charge of the largest RAF base in the UK with his responsibilities including operations, aircraft fleet and training, in addition to developing a 10-year capital investment programme in equipment and infrastructure and leading strategic reviews of the Royal Navy.

Established in July 2018, Sydney Metro is an operating agency owned by the NSW Government.

Sydney Metro opens in the second quarter of next year in the city’s north west, then extending into the central business district and beyond to Bankstown. In 2024, Sydney will have 31 Sydney Metro stations and 66km of new metro rail, with a new metro train every four minutes in each direction during the peak.

New South Wales transport minister Andrew Constance said: “As chief executive of Transport for Greater Manchester since 2013, Jon has been responsible for delivering the largest transport capital programme outside of London, including expansion of the public transport network, smart ticketing solutions and a range of new interchanges.

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“He was previously CEO of Tube Lines, a privatepublic partnership company responsible for the upgrading of three London Tube lines.

“As the chief executive of Sydney Metro, Jon will be responsible for delivering a world-class metro railway service for customers.

“Jon’s experience leading customer-focused organisations in infrastructure delivery, and the management of complex multimodal transport systems run by private operators, makes him ideally suited to lead Sydney Metro.”

Jon will start his new role later this year.

continue to target growth in this thriving sector.

“We know the knowledge and expertise Lindsay brings with him will prove instrumental in supporting Jim Taylor to build upon our existing reputation for quality and innovation in the rail industry.”

Lindsay added: “I’m delighted to be joining at such an exciting time.

Over NRL’s 35-year history they have demonstrated a continuous drive to improve their operations and a reputation for quality service, so I’m looking forward to sharing my extensive industry knowledge to target sustainable growth in the UK’s rail industry.”

RBF's pop president Record producer and rail enthusiast Pete Waterman has become the new president of the Railway Benefit Fund (RBF).

Pete will help to raise the profile of the charity, the only one in the UK that’s dedicated to supporting current and former rail workers as well as their financial dependents in times of need, in his new role.

Chief executive Jason Tetley said: “We are thrilled that Pete Waterman is to become our new president. His support will certainly help raise the profile of the work we do to support current and former railway people during tough times.”

Pete Waterman added: “The charity is a fantastic cause. It does its best to help everybody… all railway people.”

RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

PEOPLE

11

New rail graduates join FirstGroup Ex-HS2 CEO joins Nichols FirstGroup has welcomed a new cohort of graduates across its UK operations, including South Western Railway (SWR) and TransPennine Express (TPE).

Eighteen graduates have been given roles within the business, with four joining SWR and three joining TPE. Following their induction at FirstGroup’s learning centre in Huddersfield, the graduates will join finance, engineering and operations management teams around the country.

FirstGroup received 2,796 applications for this year’s graduate programme, with the number of places increasing from 10 to 18.

Isobel Tully, one of SWR’s new rail operations graduates, said: “The FirstGroup programme appealed to me as it is an organisation that really cares about its employees.

The graduate programme with SWR is very hands-on which is exactly what I was after. I’m able to learn on the job every day and contribute to the development

Simon Kirby, the former chief executive of HS2 and chief operating officer of RollsRoyce, has joined the Nichols Group as an associate senior advisor.

of the operations side of the business.

“Initially, I’ll be based at Clapham Junction and Waterloo stations but will need to learn the SWR route from top to bottom.

I’m originally from Dudley in the West Midlands and studied geology at the University of Plymouth so everything will be very new for me. I can’t wait to get started.”

Philip Sears, rail operations graduate for TPE, said: “As someone with a deep interest in railways, I am very fortunate to have a place on FirstGroup’s graduate scheme.

“I am spending my first few

months in performance and control at TransPennine Express, as part of which I am particularly looking forward to experiencing real-time responses to incidents, and the interaction between the decisions made by control, the actions of staff on the ground, and the subsequent analysis and recommendations of the performance team.

“Indeed, it is the wide variety of different experiences on offer, as well as the opportunity to work towards making a real difference to customers in such an important industry, which make First’s graduate scheme so attractive.”

In his new role, Simon will be responsible for strategic advice and will report to the board.

CEO Kathryn Nichols said that Simon's experience will "greatly enhance [the company's] capability to meet clients' needs".

Simon added: "Nichols are an industry leading strategic consultancy supporting clients on many iconic projects across the world. I am very proud to join Nichols at an exciting time when they are growing and building a stronger reputation for meeting customer demands."

Hufton to Bombardier Louise Mendham on the board Former Network Rail managing director Phil Hufton has left to lead Bombardier Transportation in the UK.

Hufton, who will also become head of projects, will split his time between London and his home town of Derby from Bombardier’s Litchurch Lane facilities.

Prior to joining Network Rail, Hufton held various senior executive positions with London Underground, including chief operating officer and asset performance director.

Bombardier’s former managing director and chair, Richard Hunter, became Bombardier’s worldwide president of rail control solutions and wayside in March.

Per Allmer, Bombardier Transportation’s president of Western Europe, Middle East, Africa and South East Asia, said:

“We are delighted to welcome Phil Hufton to our Bombardier team.

“He is a proven leader with a deep knowledge of the rail industry and extensive experience in delivering complex railway operations, maintenance and renewals. In his new role, Phil Hufton will drive the performance of our UK business, focus on customer satisfaction and strengthen our leadership team.”

Long-serving Hull Trains employee Louise Mendham has been appointed as its new production director.

She joined the open access operator 14 years ago as operational support but has since risen through the ranks.

After three years as an operational support colleague, Louise was promoted to logistics manager where she was involved in the train company's planning and timetable managements.

Two years later she became planning and performance manager, handling performance analysis, train planning, and overall performance improvement and strategy for the business.

She said: “I’ve always taken on challenges throughout my

time here and this role was the right move for me - it feels like a natural progression.

"I’m ambitious and determined to succeed and I feel I have the experience and understanding of the business to bring about positive changes and move it forward."

Louise will be responsible for ensuring the safe and timely arrival of services and preparing for the rollout of new Hitachi Class 802 trains due in 2019.

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RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

A colony of bees looked after by Eurostar colleagues is expected to produce enough honey in 2018 to make the high-speed operator "sustainable in honey".

© iStockphoto.com

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In 2016, 10 bee hives were set up by Eurostar in collaboration with educational charity Global General and the Honey Club.

Located at Mersham, near Ashford in Kent, the colony takes advantage of large areas of arable land that form part of the biodiversity corridor alongside HS1.

Honey produced from the hives is used

by Eurostar's catering team in its onboard business premier desserts. They're also used in its own brand of gin, Toujours 21, which is produced with Silent Pools distillery and Raymond Blanc.

A Eurostar spokesman said: "We have had our own bees for a few years now, with the quantity of honey produced having grown since we launched.

"We have enough honey from the 2018 harvest to go into 25,000 business premier desserts on board."

Eurostar's chief beekeeper is a train driver, who is supported by colleagues from its contact centre and depot at Ashford.

Buzz around Eurostar © Love Productions/Channel 4

Project Bake Off If you know the difference between a soggy bottom and a showstopper, there’s a good chance you’ve been topping off your Tuesday with Channel 4’s the Great British Bake Off (GBBO).

Series 9 began at the end of August with 12 budding bakers putting their skills to the test and with most of the technical and superbake challenges out of the way, the amateurs have well and truly been separated from the serious contenders (Bear with, the rail link is coming).

Among the remaining contestants is 29-year-old Ruby Bhogal, a fellow member of the railway family. The GBBO star and Network Rail project manager has impressed judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith with her baking skills.

Despite her showstopper cake toppling in episode seven - the last to be broadcast prior to RailStaff going to print Ruby has become a fan favourite and with only a handful of episodes left, she has every chance of coming out on top.

All of us at RailStaff wish you the best of luck Ruby - the rail industry is behind you!

© Love Productions/Channel 4

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RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

GEAR+TECH

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EYE ON SAFETY

E

ye protection worn by Network Rail staff must conform to the EN 166 standard. It is the basic requirement all safety glasses must meet and the first thing you should check before carrying out any work.

The risks of not wearing eye protection when out on site are obvious and, like the requirement for high-vis orange and steel-toecap boots, the use of them is strictly enforced.

Despite this, eye injuries still occur - from minor irritations to life-changing incidents.

Network Rail reported 187 eye injuries in 2015/16. The tendency would be to think that eye injuries only happen when someone fails to wear any eye protection at all. There is also the misconception that all products provide the same protection, when in fact the level of protection needed can vary from job to job.

Network Rail hosts regular PPE awareness days to ensure staff are aware of what PPE is required as well as how to properly use and look after it.

With safety eyewear, all the information you need is right there. Look closely at any pair of safety glasses and you’ll see what would look to the uninitiated like a random combination of letters and numbers. There are actually two sequences - one on the frame and another on the lens - which explain whether the product is designed to withstand high or low impacts, whether it can provide protection from large or fine dust particles as well as the level of UV protection they offer and their overall optical quality.

Different standards also apply to different uses, for example the EN 169 standard is used for welding filters. Glasses may also include the letters K and N where K refers to antiscratch qualities and N to anti-mist.

THE CONSEQUENCES

Network Rail highlighted just how devastating eye injuries can be in a video interview with Jerzy Jamroz, who lost the sight in his left eye after being struck by a large piece of metal while attempting to use a chisel to dislodge a Pandrol clip.

Jerzy, who was a system manager on a track renewal train (TRT), openly admits that it was a job he shouldn’t have been doing, using tools he shouldn’t have been using.

He believes he could well have lost his eye completely were it not for the protective eyewear he was wearing at the time.

In the video, Jerzy explains how the injury has affected both his professional and family life. He is no longer allowed to work night shifts and he said he was unable to support his family as he could before the incident.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? In Jerzy’s case, the damage was dealt by a flying object but eye injuries can also be caused by chemical exposure or abrasions from small foreign bodies, such as rust or glass.

Some sight issues, however, can develop over time and often they are preventable.

National Eye Health Week, which was held between 24-30 September, promoted the significance of having regular sight tests - at least once every two years - to good eye health.

Eye health advice from the NHS indicates that smokers are more likely to develop agerelated macular degeneration, which is the most common cause of sight loss in the UK, and cataracts. Heavy alcohol consumption can also accelerate the onset of age-related macular degeneration and those who don’t regularly exercise can be more at risk.

For good eye health, it’s important to eat a balanced diet, wear sunglasses to protect from UV damage, exercise regularly and ensure you are getting enough sleep.

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PPE OF 14

GEAR+TECH

RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW STEWART THORPE TAKES A LOOK AT THE EARLY FORMS OF PPE AND WHAT'S COMING NEXT

R

ecords have shown that rail workers have equipped themselves with personal protective equipment (PPE) since the 19th century. As industry safety practices have been developed, so has the look and quality of protective clothing.

In a booklet titled ‘The Safety Movement’, which was produced by Great Western Railway (GWR) in 1914, the company advised its 80,000 employees to wear veil respirators while working at grindstones and scrubbing water tanks and to wear goggles when using workshop machinery. The PPE, sometimes provided by the employer but other times improvised by the worker, was basic, as history lecturer Mike Esbester, of the University of Portsmouth, explained.

“You get things such as goggles, which, in their early incarnations - variants were around in the 1880s and 1890s, possibly earlier - were uncomfortable, they tend to fog up and restrict the view because, as well as the glass plate front, they tend to have a gauze around the side.

“There’s an interesting idea of responsibility,” he added. “An idea that if the worker is provided with stuff, it’s their own fault and carelessness if they’re hurt if they don’t use it because they gave them the opportunity.”

In its handbook, GWR was clear who had ultimate responsibility for the safety of its workers: “We’re trying to make you realise the need for thinking of your own safety. We want you to look after yourself.”

A grindstone worker wearing a veil respirator.

Image taken from GWR's 1914 booklet The Safety Movement.

© Mike Esbester/Railway Work, Life and Death project

CHANGE

© Railway Museum

“Towards the end of the 19th century, in the rail workshops where grinding is going on, they are using wet rags over their mouths and noses to try and reduce the particles breathed in. You can imagine they’re not tremendously effective.”

Mike, who has studied the cultural history of safety and accident prevention, said machine operators would also use guards to reduce the risk of accidents but for workers on a piece rate it would almost certainly decrease the amount of money they would earn.

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Over time the industry’s perspective on PPE and who is responsible for worker safety has shifted. In the 1960s, high-visibility clothing was introduced to the country’s railways, supported by a now controversial poster campaign featuring a bikini-clad woman to encourage reluctant men to wear them (PPE, not bikinis).

“I’ve seen some of British Rail’s minutes from that period when they were trying to introduce it and they say it’s a problem getting men to wear these things.

They see them as unmanly,” says Mike. “By the early ‘70s, I’m not saying there is widespread love of it or acceptance but - from the minutes of the meetings I’ve read - it says people are more willing to wear it.”

Regulation in the form of the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 and the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002 have since changed this, putting a legal duty on employers to provide suitable PPE.

British Rail mesh goggles from the late 1960s.

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GEAR+TECH

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A British Rail safety poster from 1967.

PROGRESSION

© Science Museum Group

As the industry’s approach to safety and its resultant practices have developed, so has PPE, which continues to evolve. To get a better insight, RailStaff spoke to some of the leading workwear manufacturers to find out what has changed, what is being developed, and why.

Stuart Jukes, managing director of Pulsar, has worked in the industry for almost 20 years. Originally the workwear manufacturer was known as Praybourne but reinvented itself in 2007 to target a higher end of the market producing protective clothing with more features and benefits for the wearer.

“I would say that when we first got into the industry 10 or 11 years ago there was a huge push towards price,” said Stuart. “You found that a lot of people were using heavier non-breathable fabrics, which then became lighter, non-breathable fabrics, which reduced the performance of the garment. Now there is a move to lighter weight, highly breathable fabrics.”

The company’s experience in producing a product that is lighter and more comfortable is the same as that of ProGARM, a specialist firm that exclusively manufactures arc flash and flame resistant clothing. ProGARM’s product and quality manager Adrian Jaoudat said there have been huge advances in the technology used to make the fabrics by learning lessons from the sports industry, specifically ski and hiking wear.

He added: “It is really more about agility and making the wearer more comfortable while exercising. In terms of design you have side panels that assist with movement and different shapes for the knee area to match bends to the joints as well as articulated sections of the garments or seams in different places. In the past it would be a straight garment with no thought process beyond the actual patterns of it.

“The end user has realised they don’t just need a garment to meet the specific standards, they also want it to be comfortable and look nice. It needs to have features and certain aspects that you wouldn’t have seen 10 years ago.”

© Ballyclare

WOMENSWEAR In recent years, the industry has sought to tackle its previously unisex approach to PPE, as women increasingly take up traditionally male-dominated roles. Assumptions that women can use the same PPE as men have been cast aside because of risks to safety, the barrier it creates to more women entering the workforce and equality law, which requires employers to treat women no less favourably than men.

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16

GEAR+TECH

RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

TfL's range of female PPE (Left) modelled next to the unisex issue equipment (Right).

Speaking in 2015, Melanie Ogden, a project manager on the Northern Line Extension, welcomed her employer Transport for London’s (TfL) launch of its first range of women’s PPE. “Finding PPE that fits has always been a challenge for women in engineering, whether it’s rolling up sleeves, holding up trousers or having to wear multiple pairs of socks just to keep our shoes on,” she said. “A ‘one size fits all’ approach for men and women hasn’t worked, which is why it’s great to see TfL taking a lead in this area. Taking part in the trial to source new women’s PPE has been enjoyable and has resulted in comfortable clothing that allows us to move more freely and work more effectively.”

Safety equipment provider Arco is currently working on a product that will support the increasing diversification of the workforce for both the rail and construction industries. Richard Sansom, product and procurement manager, said it hopes to launch the high-visibility ‘modesty tunic’ in 12 months’ time.

He added: “Simply providing female workers with PPE designed for men isn’t a solution. For people of certain faiths and also from a maternity perspective, women’s hi-vis garments are too fitted. So one of the things we’re in the development stage of is offering modesty clothing, which is a looser fit and will still be certified to the hi-vis standards but not cause snagging issues.

“There’s no reason why a pregnant woman shouldn’t continue to do their job if she’s fit to work or someone with a particular religion made to feel uncomfortable and not supported by the industry for the PPE they are being provided.”

WHAT NEXT? During September’s London Fashion Week, campaign group Friends of the Earth called on clothing firms to do more to tackle plastic pollution, with many people unaware just RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

© TfL

how much plastic there is in their clothing particularly in high-visibility clothing - and from talking to manufacturers, there is an appetite to change.

Pulsar’s Stuart Jukes added: "Environmental impact is becoming increasingly important, as we continue to look towards sustainable and renewable materials and fibres. As the climate continues to change in the UK, we need to make sure we are manufacturing products that are more adaptable to that climate change."

Charles Wilson, the UK sales manager for international fabric supplier Carrington, said his company has had a “big push” to have as little amount of impact on the environment as possible. He added: “People want to be able to recycle their garments and they also want recycled fabric used. So we do recycled polyester from plastic bottles, we use organic cotton, but also we are getting into garment recycling.

“The accountability to the environment is going to be the next big thing, the trail of how where and when the fabric was made.”

Driven by the fast pace of technological progress, the development of PPE and the processes involved in producing it show no signs of slowing down. Before they went into liquidation, Carillion was working with one of Carrington's customers on futuristic protective clothing that would be able to monitor the wearer’s temperature by integrating technology into the garments.

There are multiple transformative applications and possibilities as the techniques for doing so become better developed and costs decrease but there’s one big hurdle to get over before it becomes commonplace.

“The problem with all this wearable tech is that it doesn’t wash,” said Charles. “It looks great on a fashion walk, and it looks great on a prototype but in the real world, we’re nowhere near there yet. It will come, and we’re talking decades, but it’s not possible to do that yet.”

© TfL

RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

GEAR+TECH

17

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FEATURE

RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

79 DAYS LATER

18

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MARC JOHNSON FOUND OUT HOW DERBY'S 79-DAY PARTIAL BLOCKADE WAS DONE

TRUSTED TO DELIVER. Stobart Rail & Civils are focussed on prevention as opposed to repair. A proactive approach that plays a positive role in the rail network’s drainage system.

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RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

FEATURE

Y

ou can achieve a lot in 79 days. Last year, British cyclist Mark Beaumont, inspired by the Jules Verne novel, cycled around the world in less than 80 days, covering more than 18,000 miles and claiming a new world record.

In July, Network Rail embarked on a £200 million remodelling of Derby station and the railway that surrounds it. The project team had 79 days to complete the work and it would have to do so, for the most part, without closing the station.

On 8 October, the station fully reopened to passengers for the first time in two and a half months and, like Mark, it did so with time to spare.

“To do the scale of what it is, as well as then running passenger trains, has been quite a challenge,” said Network Rail’s Kevin Newman (pictured right), the project’s senior sponsor, during a site visit on day 67.

“Quite a challenge” may be something of an understatement.

While closing the station completely may have been a simpler option, Kevin revealed that diverting all services away from Derby would only have shaved a week off the delivery time and severely disrupted passengers travelling through the East Midlands. The decision was taken instead to partially close the station and keep as many trains running as possible.

MANAGED WITH COMPOSURE Work began with a possession on the Birmingham line, retaining North-South services. This was then extended to include the South lines towards Trent and the second phase saw Derby effectively become a terminus station for trains from the south and west, with no services running north of the station towards Sheffield.

SUNNY HILL LOOPS

But the challenges of this way of working appear to have been managed with composure. Over the course of the 79 days, there was only one day where no trains ran at all and the programme was never more than a few hours behind schedule. As well as running passenger trains and maintaining access to East Midlands Trains’ Etches Park depot, the project team was able to allow Bombardier to move newly built trains out of its Litchurch Lane factory and, in the early phase, accommodated a delivery of aviation fuel via the Sinfin branch to Rolls Royce.

As always, there were some testing moments. A lack of accurate records and drawings have caused issues, with buried utilities and other surprises appearing where they shouldn’t. Kevin explained how at one stage they had to excavate concrete blocks the size of vans that weren’t on any documentation for the site.

DERBY PEARTREE

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LNW JNC

2017 LAYOUT

1

WEST 2

3

5

46

DERBY JNC

BOMBARDIER ROLLS ROYCE

SPONDON

MCB CCTV

UP & DOWN MAIN WEST

LONDON ROAD JNC

RTC

NORTH

SOUTH

CHADDESDEN

UP & DOWN GOODS MANUALLY-CONTROLLED MCB BARRIER WITH CCTV CCTV

SUNNY HILL LOOPS

DERBY

NEW LAYOUT FROM OCT 2018

PEARTREE 1 UTF

WEST

DTF UTS

2

3

4

5

NORTH

DTS BOMBARDIER ROLLS ROYCE

6 NEW TRACK

MCB OD SPONDON

SOUTH

UP TAMWORTH FAST

RTC ETCHES PARK

CHADDESDEN

UTF

DOWN TAMWORTH FAST

DTF

UP TAMWORTH SLOW

UTS

DOWN TAMWORTH SLOW

DTS

MANUALLY-CONTROLLED MCB BARRIER WITH OD OBSTACLE DETECTION

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FEATURE

RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

RENEWAL AND ENHANCEMENTS

At its peak, around 900 people were on site every day.

Network Rail also had to work with Severn Trent Water and Derby City Council to repair damage to a listed road bridge which crosses over the railway on Alfreton Road after a water main burst in August. The fact that the entire length of the railway north of Derby sits within the Derwent Valley Mills Unesco World Heritage Site hasn’t made things any easier.

That’s why measures were taken throughout to keep the project on target. Project manager Kerry Arrowsmith explained how £7 million was spent upgrading the diversion route via the Erewash Valley line ahead of the 79-day partial closure. Additional plant and equipment was also on standby in case of any failures, to minimise delays

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and spare the railway from anymore adverse publicity.

“Unfortunately there’s one diversionary route round Derby, and if that fell over for any reason we’d lose a lot of services. So we made sure we had strategic teams at certain places, we had spares at strategic places, we built maintenance into the timetable, so we had white periods where we could get on and do certain bits of maintenance work on the different points etc.”

She added: “Obviously the timetable team did a fantastic job in timetabling all the trains because literally everything that comes into Derby was going round it, so we had all the freight, all the CrossCountry trains and a lot of the East Midlands trains went all the way round.”

Passengers looking out at the intertwining track beneath the London Road bowstring-arch bridge which sits atop the railway to the south of the station may have wondered what all the fuss was about, but the project has involved a staggering amount of work.

As well as the station’s new Platform 6, Network Rail and its principal contractors Galliford Try, Siemens and the S&C North Alliance (Network Rail and AmeySersa) - plus their numerous subcontractors - have laid more than 15 kilometres of new track; installed brand new signalling equipment, which will enable control to migrate completely to the East Midlands Control Centre (EMCC); and upgraded Spondon level crossing. At its peak, around 900 people were on site every day, spread across three eighthour shifts on a sprawling site which stretched out from the station for around four miles in each direction.

Kevin described the remodelling around Derby as one of the biggest engineering schemes ever undertaken by Network Rail. Although relatively modest in terms of cost, the project required 240 engineering trains, consumed 150,000 tonnes of new ballast and installed 21,177 sleepers.

The project marks the end of the Midland main line resignalling programme and the start of the next major upgrade programme,

RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

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which aims to transform service quality on the LNE and East Midlands route during CP6.

The work itself involved a combination of renewals and enhancements. As well as replacing life-expired signalling equipment, the project’s track engineers had the job of untangling the track layout around the station.

The existing layout hadn’t changed much since Victorian times and was designed to accommodate high volumes of coal traffic that no longer exist.

The new layout is a “massive simplification”, said Kevin, and will mean fewer trains will have to be held at red lights outside the station waiting for a platform. Passengers will immediately notice improved journey times from the faster line speeds through the station (from 15 mph to 30/40 mph) and better facilities at the station.

PLATFORM 7 The installation of a new bay platform at Derby station has actually created two new platforms, although only Platform 6 has been commissioned for passenger services. Platform 7 will be available during emergencies, but it will mainly be used by East Midlands Trains as a service platform to collect train crew, removing the need for trains leaving Etches Park to perform a shunting move into the Chaddesden loop.

Sections of the Chaddesden loop have also been doubled to provide more flexibility for empty coach movements.

TOUGH CONDITIONS For the staff on track, the project involved a prolonged period working alongside an operational railway - a changing one at that.

Everyone who worked on site was required to have completed a ‘line open to traffic’ brief that explained which lines were open

at different times. This information was then reemphasised in engineering supervisor and COSS briefs, but they also tried to create physical barriers between worksites and running lines wherever possible.

The extremely hot weather in July exacerbated another common hazard. The ballast being delivered to site was extremely dry and, as a result, was generating more dust than normal, posing an even greater risk to staff. Dust suppression units had to be used around the station and staff working within the 30-metre exclusion zone were required to wear full breathing apparatus.

RIGHT UP THERE Kevin has been connected with resignalling work around the East Midlands for the past 10 to 15 years. He was involved in the Nottingham resignalling upgrade in 2013, the Midland main line speed upgrade and the refurbishment of Nottingham station, something he is particularly proud of.

That hard work was almost undone earlier this year when part of the station was devastated following a fire. “I couldn’t believe it,” said Kevin, recalling his shock at hearing what had happened. “I saw the pictures on the news and it was awful, absolutely awful.”

While Kevin admits the restoration of Nottingham station’s iconic porte cochère was probably his favourite, the sheer immense scale of the work at Derby has become a defining scheme for him. “It’s right up there.”

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FEATURE

RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

DERBY DELIVERS

I

t’s 1:30pm at Etches Park train depot in Derby and the canteen is filling up.

Technicians down tools and join the excited chatter of colleagues standing side by side managers and a number of executive site visitors, who are all glued to the canteen TV. Months after the project first began, East Midlands Trains (EMT) has presented the first of three renovated HST trainsets to the media. In one of the refreshed first class carriages, a regional broadcaster is about to go live to talk about extra capacity and an improved customer experience. Cutting from the studio to a roving reporter, a presenter asks what’s

going on at the depot. Ironically, in that very moment with workers glued to the TV, the answer is very little. Since the start of the year, however, contractors and depot staff have been busy undertaking £3 million worth of rolling stock refurbishment.

GUARDIAN ANGEL From the buzz around the depot, it’s obvious the project is a source of great pride. A rare positive in the midst of a barrage of recent negative press on the rail industry.

One event that drew some of the most high-profile criticism was the May timetable change, which is where this HST project originated. Introducing the Thameslink timetable caused some EMT journey times to

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decrease and others to increase, making it necessary to acquire extra trainsets to continue to meet delivery expectations.

EMT has leased the units from Angel Trains via an agreement with the Department for Transport.

Each trainset is comprises six coaches and two powercars, with three buffet cars being cascaded from Great Western Railway and the remaining coaches and the powercars from Grand Central.

These join the existing nine HST trainsets of eight carriages and two power cars leased from Porterbrook.

LOCAL TRAINS, LOCAL WORK

After being delivered in January, the three HSTs have been carefully refurbished at

Etches Park depot to ensure they are comparable with the rest of the fleet. Phase 1 of the work involved stripping the trains back, treating them for corrosion and giving them a lick of paint while phase 2 concerned the internal refit.

During a visit to Etches Park depot in September, RailStaff spoke to some of the companies involved. Designer Andy Sykes and a small group of 3D modellers and visualisation colleagues from DGDESIGN were contracted to assist with the train’s interior design, including new first class saloons, rebranding standard class, and updating the EMT exterior livery and the powercar graphics. The five-man team worked alongside SNC-Lavalin, which oversaw the engineering design to ensure the interiors function as required.

Andy said his team had to coordinate the new colour scheme to correspond with EMT’s developed branding that it now uses in stations and in publications. They also had to source and decide on fabrics on racks, curtains, dado panels, seat leathers and wood finishes. With the team

restricted to re-using certain interior finishes, the project has been about getting “the best bang for buck”. The need for a quick turnaround also posed many problems that the average passenger wouldn’t think about.

Andy said: “Selecting colours for a new carpet can take time because the yarn has to come from the sheep to the process to get coloured and then woven into the carpet.

“If the available project time is condensed, we work with the carpet suppliers to find creative ways to use yarns from ongoing projects, reusing colours but altering the construction so it captures the East Midlands Trains brand.

“So what may appear as a straightforward project actually has lots of little things like that which aren’t immediately obvious - there’s a lot going on.”

As well as the engineering

design, SNC-Lavalin also procured the materials and oversaw the work, which was completed by Loram with the support of EMT depot staff. Up to 25 employees from SNC-Lavalin have been working on the project at any one time and around 20 from Loram. Altogether there have been around 30 key suppliers used throughout the project, including local consultants Yellow Rail, fabric firm Botany Weaving carpets and leather manufacturer Muirhead, and all of the refurbishment work has been undertaken by companies in Derby.

EMT fleet director Chris Wright said: “It’s particularly pleasing we have been able to provide these improvements by working locally with neighbouring suppliers, creating jobs and delivering investment into the local Derby rail industry.”

RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

OLD TRAINS, NEW JOBS One of the HSTs was sent out for a naming ceremony in February, to thank the efforts of the emergency services following the fire at EMT-managed Nottingham station in January. Since then, maintenance work on the trains has “really ramped up”, according to Etches Park depot manager James Wale.

He added: “I think [the first refurbished train is] better than what I expected. You see renderings and the plans that the design guys produce and when you actually see it, it looks a lot better than it did on paper.

“For the age of the train, they’re 40 years old now, and if you look at what we’ve delivered inside, it’s like a modern new train.”

Not only has the HST refurbishments provided work for around 50 people, it has also created permanent positions. To tend to the new trains’ ongoing

FEATURE

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maintenance programme, 13 jobs have been created at the depot and two elsewhere. These new positions have been a combination of technicians and shunters, which brings the total number of staff at the Etches Park depot up to 110.

NEW TRAINS Work on EMT's new HSTs is now winding down. Two of the trainsets have entered service and the third will follow, with refurbishment work due to finish in October. Already suppliers will no doubt have their eye on a big upcoming opportunity.

When the next operator for the East Midlands franchise is chosen, Derby’s rail industry will be hoping the attention once more falls on them to deliver.

This time it won’t be for injecting new life into workhorse trains but helping to manufacture state-ofthe-art next generation rolling stock.

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FEATURE

RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

EVERYONE MATTERS HOW NETWORK RAIL IS STARTING DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS TO ADDRESS WORKPLACE TABOOS

C

reating more diverse, inclusive workplaces will require everyone to have some difficult conversations.

Discussions to address gender equality, the industry’s ageing workforce and mental health have all found their voice but there are many hidden issues that are trying to make themselves heard.

At the beginning of October, Network Rail organised a series of sessions for Everyone Week - an awareness event devised to explain the relevance of diversity and inclusion to the more than 30,000 people Network Rail

employs.

The Everyone Week programme is based around the nine protected characteristics defined by the Equality Act 2010: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

Working with Network Rail’s six employee networks, the diversity and inclusion team arranged sessions on a number of topics which often aren’t discussed openly in the workplace, such as epilepsy, domestic abuse and deaf awareness.

“The problem is, if we don’t talk about it we won’t ever overcome some of those issues,” said diversity and inclusion project manager Karen Venn, speaking after a session about menopause at Network Rail’s Quadrant headquarters in Milton Keynes.

GAP IN AWARENESS Karen and her colleague Janet Trowse, who is head of HR for System Operator, have both been managing menopausal symptoms for a number of years and established the menopause programme in 2017 to address a gap in awareness and create a support network for women within the business.

Karen said: “It’s about those difficult conversations and this is probably one of many difficult conversations but the more we start to tackle those difficult conversations the more it’s going to be easier for people to go to their line manager for support and help.”

Earlier this year, Network Rail launched its 20by20 project, which seeks to increase the percentage of women within

the business to 20 per cent by 2020. This, coupled with the fact that more and more women are working later into life, means the issues associated with menopause are likely to become more pronounced.

Janet and Karen believe it’s important for women, and men, to understand the effect the menopause can have on women so that reasonable adjustments can be made to help manage the symptoms. Examples may include flexible working hours or even just providing a desktop fan.

“There is a certain amount of stigma attached with going through menopause,” said Janet.

“For women it can have quite an impact on your self-esteem and you can get very confident women who start to suffer anxiety issues, loss of confidence.”

WHAT IS THE MENOPAUSE? The menopause is defined quite literally as the day after a woman has gone 12 months without a period. The postmenopause stage can see women experiencing symptoms such as hot and cold flushes, mood alterations and memory issues caused by an imbalance in the levels of oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone. The symptoms can last for several years and the severity can vary from woman to woman.

While most women will experience menopausal symptoms between the ages of 45 and 55, it’s not uncommon for symptoms to occur much younger.

Around one in a hundred women will experience menopause before the age of 40 and one in 10,000 women will experience it as a teenager.

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RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

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L-R Deborah Garlick, Richard Peters, Janet Trowse, Karen Venn and Rachel Shaw.

World Menopause Awareness Day is being held on 18 October to raise awareness of the associated health risks that accompany the menopause.

Women naturally lose bone density following the menopause and are at higher risk of developing heart disease.

The session at Quadrant MK included a presentation from Rachel Shaw, who was representing Network Rail’s employee assistance programme (EAP) provider Validium, and a talk by Deborah Garlick, founder of Henpicked.net - a lifestyle website aimed at women over 40 and Menopause in the Workplace.

When it comes down to managing the menopause a lot of women wait until it becomes too much, said Deborah.

“There’s so much help, so many things, very practical things that could be done to tackle menopause symptoms.”

Karen and Janet have so far hosted focus groups in Wales, Swindon, York, Leeds and Milton Keynes to promote menopause awareness. They have also launched a video on the Safety Central web portal which explains more about the menopause and managing symptoms.

The pair have presented to a working group in Milton Keynes which gives women a forum to discuss any concerns and talk openly about their experiences.

They hope that more of these support networks can be set up around the business to help women in the same way the programme has helped them.

Karen and Janet didn’t know each other before working together on the programme but have

established a strong friendship through a shared experience.

“I know that I can send a little emoticon on a WhatsApp to Karen and Karen will know instantly that I’m having a rubbish day and vice versa,” said Janet. “It’s extraordinarily important. We may have to be swans in the workplace with what we do, but we’re peddling hard underneath.”

For more information visit www.safety.networkrail.co.uk and click on the menopause section within the Health and Wellbeing tab. Network Rail employees also have access to free 24/7 guidance and counselling support through the Validium EAP programme.

Contact 0800 358 4858 for more information.

TABOO AND STIGMA Nearly 40 per cent of all female employees that leave Network Rail are aged between 40 and 60. Network Rail’s chief medical officer and the programme’s sponsor, Richard Peters, believes a lack of support and understanding about the menopause could be a factor.

“What I do know is the amount of people that are reporting gynaecological and pregnancy related conditions is very low. I mean together it probably doesn’t even hit one per cent of the reason for sickness absence. But what you need to consider is the secondary conditions that result from the menopause.”

While there is more to do, he believes Network Rail is doing a lot of things right. “I think a lot of organisations aren’t that far ahead and haven’t produced the basic documents but what we’re trying to do is take it a step further by ensuring the education is there, the awareness is there and that people feel comfortable to talk about a normal physiological response which has so much taboo and stigma associated with it.”

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TRACK SAFETY

RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

TRAPPED IN THE TRAIN OR TRAM DOORS! REPORT BY COLIN WHEELER

CHANGES AT THE TOP AND MAYBE MORE TO COME? BUT SAFETY MUST BE THE TOP PRIORITY

I

t is almost three years since Joanna Whittington joined the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) as their chief executive. Now she is to move back to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and will initially be replaced by an interim chief executive.

Back in August, Network Rail’s new chief executive Andrew Haines began work and their route directors have delegated powers which will include safety responsibilities. If it does little else, the timetabling muddle has ensured our railways were on the agendas for this year’s round of political party conferences and may well lead to further organisational changes.

The increasing use of rail-based systems of transport is to be welcomed, but we remain lacking in ensuring safe and consistent standards are applied.

Last month near misses dominated.

This month, following the Rail Accident Investigation Branch’s (RAIB) release of several reports and digests, incidents of people, a pushchair and a dog being trapped in closing doors predominate.

Trapped by the doors at Bushey

In September, RAIB issued its report on an incident that happened at 9:24 pm on 26 March this year at Bushey station.

Having got her forearm trapped in the door of a departing train, a passenger was forced to walk and then run alongside the train before it was brought to a halt having travelled 27 metres and reached a speed of 9 mph. The conductor initiated the emergency brake application.

The train was the 8:59 pm Tring to Euston West service consisting of two four-car Class 350 EMUs. The driver used the emergency brake plunger when he heard passengers shouting “stop”.

Colin Wheeler.

Forearm not detected

The door design requires the female edge sensitivity to switch off before it meets the male edge which stays active until the door is closed and locked.

RAIB’s report notes that they previously found that the door system involved can be detected as closed and locked with an object the size of a forearm or wrist trapped in its doors! In particular they quote the incident that happened at Newcastle Central station (Report 19/2014).

Air systems like those involved at Newcastle and Bushey have now been superseded by electrically operated ones which either omit or are less dependent on sensitive edges. The passenger was rushing for the train and put her forearm between the closing doors expecting them to reopen as lift doors do.

Trapped by the doors on the Central line

Adult male wrist, approximately 45mm by 70mm, trapped in a Class 185 door (of similar design to B Class 350 door) detected as closed and locked.

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RAIB’s report 14/2018 refers to a dreadful incident that happened around 4 pm on 31 January this year at Nottinghill Gate station on the westbound side of the Central line Underground station. The elderly passenger was trapped by the closing door as she attempted to board the train when the doors were closing.

She was dragged 75 metres along the platform and into the tunnel. She suffered serious injuries and was hospitalised for around a month as a result. Her bag had been trapped

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Image from station security camera (left) and RAIB reconstruction (right) showing the bag trapped in the doors.

inside the doors whilst her wrist was in its handle.

The report says that the in-cab TV monitor view did not assist the train operator in detecting that a passenger was trapped in the doors, adding “he relied on other cues to depart rather than making a thorough check of the in-cab CCTV monitor”.

Doors open for nine seconds!

The 78-year-old lady, resident of Shepherds Bush who was trapped and injured was a regular traveller.

She was carrying a canvas totestyle bag containing books and her personal belongings.

The train doors were open for just nine seconds before the closing sequence was

initiated. The lady expected the doors to stay open longer.

When they started to close as she approached, she swung her bag ahead of her and it became trapped just below its handles.

She fell as the train moved off and was dragged along; after ten seconds the train had moved 56 metres and another passenger had activated the emergency alarm. The emergency brake was used by the operator and the train detected a partial door opening in its fifth carriage. The passenger was separated from her bag as she entered the tunnel.

She came to rest about 15 metres inside the tunnel and it took the emergency services about an hour to rescue her.

Trapped by the doors Manchester Metrolink

RAIB has published its report 08/2018 on the passenger who was trapped in tram doors in Bury Greater Manchester at 1:33 pm on 30 May this year.

His hand became trapped in a pair of closed and locked doors and the tram travelled about 15 metres before being stopped by its driver reaching a speed of just 6 mph. He remained on his feet throughout. As the doors were closing, he put his hand between them and it became trapped when they closed.

The tram driver had checked that the green “doors closed” in-cab light was showing. Before he set off he made a visual check of his in-cab CCTV monitor and

saw a group of people close to the rearmost set of doors who he believed did not intend to board his tram. The passenger who became trapped was part of that group!

The door design system ensures automatic re-opening if objects at least 30 mm thick are detected. In response to RAIB, on 9 February Metrolink issued a safety brief to all its drivers. Each one was “verbally briefed faceto-face and given a copy of the briefing document”.

The report lists similar incidents at Wellesley Road Croydon in June 2007; and Radford Road Nottingham December 2017 (see below).

Pushchair trapped by the door

RAIB’s report on this one (15/2018) was also published last month but the incident occurred on 15 December last year. Around 1:29 pm an empty pushchair became trapped outside a set of closed and locked tram doors at Radford Road tram stop in Nottingham.

The pushchair’s plastic rain cover was trapped in the closing

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doors. The tram driver was unaware, despite the trapped pushchair showing on a monitor in his cab, and drove on to the next tram stop, Hyson Green, some 400 metres away.

No one was injured but the pushchair was destroyed by being crushed between the tram and a high kerb as the tram travelled on. A family group were travelling with the mother carrying an infant. The mother pushed the pushchair through the closing doors because one of the travel officers checking tickets did not ensure that the whole family were able to get off the tram together. Objects thicker than 10 mm are detected by the door system but the rain cover was only 6 mm thick (pictured right).

When an object is detected the system re-opens the doors and will do so up to three times, and they will then remain open. The report says that the CCTV coverage on the Citadis trams had been modified in a way which reduced the likelihood of the driver seeing the pushchair. There were three trained travel officers on the tram none of whom used their handheld radios to make an emergency call.

Lady’s dog “Jonty” dragged and killed at Boreham Wood

Press reports describe the sad event that happened at 2:05 pm on 11 September. A disabled retired nurse aged 75 years lost her 8-year old Shih Tzu pet dog “Jonty” when his lead got caught in a train’s closing doors. The dog was dragged along and into the tunnel and died as a result. It happened at Boreham Wood station. The dog’s owner had been struggling to join the train with her walker, luggage and the dog. The RAIB has opened an investigation into the incident.

A week later a blind woman became separated from her guide dog on the Northern line London Underground at King’s Cross when the Tube train doors closed on her guide dog’s lead. The dog was on the train, but his mistress was still on the platform holding its lead.

Thankfully another passenger snatched the lead from her so she was not dragged. Then station staff were alerted and her guide dog was taken off at the next station and reunited with her after just half an hour.

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Tram over-speeding in Sheffield

RAIB Safety Digest 10/2018 published on 28 September refers to a 3:58 pm incident on Sheffield Supertram that happened on 19 July this year. A tram entered the tight curve approaching Middlewood Terminus at 23 mph; the permitted speed is 10 mph.

Having realised he was going too fast, the driver applied the emergency brake and stopped. Due to “excessive lateral accelerations” a passenger was thrown over and fell into the tram’s external doors. Then impact resulted in a door system component failure and the door partially opened. The passenger was injured.

The advice says that under different circumstances the passenger could have been ejected through an open door. At least one other passenger suffered a minor injury.

Supertram door fittings being checked

Trams and road vehicles in Sheffield share Middlewood Road where both are restricted to 30 mph. On the approach to Middlewood Terminus trams go through a reverse curve and into a holding area. (pictured below) The tram driver “lost awareness” of where the tram was. There is a reminder sign at the start of the curve but there were no advance

markers. Now a “step down” 20 mph restriction 100 metres before the curve has been put in place.

The tram doors are swing/plug type, four on each side. Their leaves are activated by vertical rotating shafts, top connected by a ball joint.

When the passenger was thrown against them the ball joint/shaft connection failed leaving the door leaf free to open. Following this incident Stagecoach Supertram started to check the condition of all ball joint door fittings.

Standards and door gap detection

There are clearly differences in the specifications if not the standards applied to the growing number of train and tram systems we have across Britain. RAIB’s reports and digests are thorough and detailed in a way we have come to expect.

The incidents summarised this month confirm that the general belief held by the travelling public is that the automatic doors on trains and trams will spring open just as lift doors in public areas do when a hand, arm or bag gets in the way of their closing.

Not only is this not true, but the detection gap minimum widths quoted in these few examples vary widely! Clearly there is work for the incoming new chief executive of the ORR to do. Improving safety and bringing a degree of consistency to our growing network needs to be high on the safety agenda, alongside raising the general travelling public’s awareness of the working of automatic door systems!

My own memories of organisational change within the railway are of the breaking up of established networking groups and the subsequent delays and frustrations as new contacts were established within the organisation and management. It then takes time for effective working relationships to be established. Whatever befalls, safety still needs to be improved as will be discussed at this year’s Safety Summit on 1 November.

Photos and diagrams courtesy of RAIB / Crown Copyright

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THE UK AT

InnoTrans T ransport secretary Chris Grayling led the charge as UK rail companies went in search of new international opportunities at InnoTrans. The Railway Industry Association (RIA) struck up strategic partnerships with booming markets abroad and businesses big and small secured new leads.

On a tour of some of the UK businesses that were looking to export their products and services, Chris Grayling was present to witness both Network Rail and Belgium’s infrastructure manager, Infrabel, putting pen to paper on rail supply contracts with British Steel.

“British Steel is seen worldwide as the best to put on railway lines, the highest quality, the most innovative and it’s been great to see the current management really taking the business forward,” said Grayling, who added it was a pleasure to support one of the best – “if not the best” – and most consistent suppliers to the UK’s railways.

MESSE BERLIN Around 120 UK companies were showcased at the Messe Berlin exhibition grounds, with many more joining the 160,000 visitors to the world’s largest rail industry trade show. From CRRC, Alstom, Bombardier, Siemens and Hitachi to Knorr-Bremse, Wabtec and Progress Rail, the biggest global rail equipment suppliers were all present. The biennial show, which was in its 12th year and ran from 18 to 21 September, also welcomed a record 3,062 exhibitors, who came from 61 different countries.

Opportunities were seized by RIA, which announced a memorandum of understandings with the Malaysian Rail Industry Consortium as well as the Australasian Railway Association. Both countries are experiencing booms in their respective rail markets and it is hoped the pacts will promote a close working relationship between the suppliers of each country. © Paul Bigland

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WORLD PREMIERES

For others, the show was less about announcing new deals and more about presenting world premieres. Swiss train maker Stadler was one of the busiest, showcasing no less than seven new trains. This includes new FLIRT trains for Greater Anglia and one of Stadler and delivery partner Ansaldo STS’s underground trains (right) for the Glasgow Subway.

Operating within the confines of original Victorian tunnels that have a 3.4m diameter has represented a challenge (For reference, Crossrail tunnels have a diameter of 6.2m), but so has the unique 1.22mm track gauge, which means it is only possible to test the train on the Glasgow Subway system.

The 17 four-car sets - described by one German visitor as the most beautiful metro train he’s ever seen - are being manufactured in Altenrhein, Switzerland, and are set to enter service in 2019.

© Paul Bigland

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES Strathclyde Partnership for Transport operations manager David Christie was on hand to talk about the impact that moving from partially automatic trains to unattended train operations will have on staff. While on the one hand it is exploring the option of sending maintenance engineers to Switzerland for two years to acquire the knowledge to be able to maintain the trains, it is also looking at how best to manage a decreasing need for drivers.

He said: “The plan is that we won’t have drivers on trains in the future, but we will not be making people redundant. We will be looking at people who have reached the end of their worklife and want to retire.”

Spread across 41 halls and 3,500m of railway tracks were countless innovations that promise to improve costs,

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© Paul Bigland

performance and safety. One to look out for is Porterbrook and the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education’s ‘HydroFlex’ train. Following on from the recent commencement of development work, the two have agreed to work together to create the UK’s first hydrogen-powered train. Although they face stiff competition from Alstom and Eversholt Rail to the achievement, the plan is to convert one of Porterbrook’s Class 319s and undertake test runs in summer 2019. © Paul Bigland

THE B WORD

After four days of walking, talking and exchanging business cards, InnoTrans came to a close.

By the time of the next show in 2020, or even the next major UK rail exhibition Railtex, Britain will have left the European Union. For those that are worried about the impact Brexit will have on the rail industry Grayling had this message.

He said: “This show has businesses from every corner of the globe working with each other, selling to each other, forming

partnerships with each other, and that I think is our vision for British companies post Brexit.

“We’ll be back here in two years’ time as a UK team supporting UK companies, you will carry on going from strength to strength throughout the world.

“This is a moment of opportunity for the rail industry. All around the world people are investing in public transport systems, both light rail and heavy rail because of the pressure on their cities. This is not a market that is going to shrink for you and you’ve got some great products to make the best of it.”

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS 29TH NOVEMBER, NEC, BIRMINGHAM

EVENTS

OCTOBER 2018

NOVEMBER 2018

DECEMBER 2018

DELIVERYING THE ELIZABETH LINE AND THE OUTLOOK FOR CROSSRAIL 2

RAIL SAFETY SUMMIT

YOUNG ENGINEERS RAILWAY SEMINAR - IMECHE

11th October London

www.www.westminsterforumprojects. co.uk/conference/completing-crossrail-18

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON VEHICLE AERODYNAMICS 2018 16th - 17th October Birmingham www.rcea.org.uk

RFEM ANNUAL CONFERENCE 18th October Pride Park Stadium, Derby

www.midlandsrail.co.uk/events/

IMECHE PLATFORM TRAIN INTERFACES 2018 30th October London

www.imeche.org/events

YOUNG ENGINEERS AND APPRENTICES RAILWAY SEMINAR

31st October - 1st November Northampton www.imeche.org/events

1st November Addleshaw Goddard, London www.railsummits.com

BUILDING A RAILWAY THE HARD WAY 14th November Gloucester

www.imeche.org/events

RAIL ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BRANCH 21st November Aldershot

www.imeche.org/events

PROCUREMENT SUMMIT & DRINKS RECEPTION 22nd November Bird & Bird, London

December TBC

www.imeche.org/events

THE NEW P2 LOCOMOTIVE PRINCE OF WALES 5th December stafford

www.imeche.org/events

JANUARY 2019 TRANSPORT TICKETING GLOBAL 29th January London

www.imeche.org/events

www.railsummits.com

ANNUAL CBTC CONFERENCE 29th-30th November Toronto www.irse.org/events/

RAILSTAFF AWARDS 29th November The NEC, Birmingham www.railstaffawards.com

MARCH 2019 RAILWAY DIVISION ANNUAL LUNCH

1st March Grosvenor House Hotel, London www.imeche.org/events

ACCELERATE: RAIL 2019

19th March Hilton Tower Bridge, London new.marketforce.eu.com/accelerate/

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

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events/rail-conference/

1 NOVEMBER 2018 – ADDLESHAW GODDARD, LONDON

CALL

01530 816 444

We’re used to hearing phrases like “work smart, work safe”.

They’re a reminder that safety is never off the agenda.

Book your tickets now at www.railsummits.com

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Humble

“P

eople can be frustratingly modest,” said Great Western Railway’s media and communications manager Richard Salkeld (pictured right). As someone whose job it is to show rail’s best side to the outside world, prising out good news stories from self-effacing staff can be a challenge, but it’s not for a lack of material.

Earlier this year, GWR was approached by the charity Make A Wish UK with a request to help a boy with a rare form of eye cancer fulfil his dream of becoming a train driver. Staff at Paddington station were more than happy to help and just a few months later he was on board one of the operator’s new Class 800 units meeting passengers and checking tickets.

The day wasn’t about creating positive publicity though our embattled train operators could use some. No journalists were invited and there was no press release.

But, overwhelmed at the lengths GWR’s staff had gone to, the family asked for the story to be shared across the industry as a thank-you to those who helped make it happen.

It was a powerful moment, said Richard, who will be hosting this year’s RailStaff Awards evening on 29 November.

Heroes

WONDERFUL IMPACT Richard has seen numerous similar examples of kindness, and modesty, since joining the industry five years ago as a media and public relations manager on the East Coast route. Before taking up that role, he worked as a broadcast journalist for the BBC and ITV in North East England. Transport stories came across his desk most days and when the opportunity came up it seemed like a natural move to make.

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“When I was asked if I’d be interested in hosting the awards it’s something I was really keen to do,” said Richard. “I think the impact that it can have is absolutely wonderful.”

As well as the role it plays in recognising staff across the industry, Richard believes the event will also be an opportunity for him to discover more stories of dedication and outstanding service within the industry. “As an enthusiastic champion of the railway, I enjoy meeting new people and helping celebrate achievements of those who are delivering unbeatable service; ultimately helping to revalue rail in the hearts and minds of the public.”

OUR BIGGEST STRENGTH Nominations have now closed for the RailStaff Awards 2018 and individuals have the opportunity to vote for their favourite entries.

When the votes have been counted, an announcement will be made confirming this year’s finalists.

Tom O’Connor, managing director of Rail Media, feels the awards is playing a particularly important role for the industry in 2018.

“The railways have plenty of positive things to talk about. Passenger numbers continue to increase overall and the major improvements that have been talked about for the past few years are starting to show, but that’s not how passengers will remember 2018.

“The timetabling issues in May have cast a shadow over the many good things that have happened this year and it can make us as an industry uneasy about dealing out praise where it’s due for fear it will be misinterpreted by passengers.

“But while we shouldn’t ignore shortfalls in the system, we must continue to recognise its biggest strength - its people.”

To find details about how you could attend the 2018 RailStaff Awards, visit www.railstaffawards.com/event/2018/tickets

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- A WA R D SPON SOR S -

THURSDAY 29 NOVEMBER 2018

ER B T M F U LE N S E ED L IT B M TA LI F O

Staff St afff S ta Awards Awa warrds ds A

THE NEC BIRMINGHAM

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GUARDIANS 0F THE RAILWAY GREATER ANGLIA

I

f you listen to speeches from industry figureheads, we are often reminded that passenger journeys on the railways have more than doubled in the past 20 years, and for good reason. Higher demands on a railway that was largely built during the Victorian era has led to the need for big capacity-enhancing projects to alleviate some of the network’s stresses and strains.

However, capacity isn’t the only issue for the crowded network, as Land Sheriffs managing director Tyler LeMay explains.

“A general increase in people using the railway unfortunately brings with it more trouble. More efforts are needed so that it is policed not only by the BTP but via companies like us that bring an element of safeguarding for employees and customers.”

The professional security firm works with the rail industry in the south east to provide a reassuring presence on-board trains and on station platforms, to deal with anti-social behaviour and enforce railway bylaws.

Over the course of the last year, the company has experienced a surge in the demand for its services. In September, Greater Anglia announced the introduction of extra Land Sheriffs to improve safety and security for passengers on trains. The train company’s head of customer service Neil Grabham said the Land Sheriffs, of which 30 now patrol East Anglia, “do a great job of deterring crime”.

The latest deployment of security personnel on intercity trains, predominantly from Norwich into London, is the first such dedicated on-board force, rather than on an ad-hoc basis. Crucially these are not employed to fulfil the role of conductors or train guards but to carry out safeguarding duties.

Life-saving interventions are another big part of Land Sheriffs’ work. So far this year, specially trained personnel have made 34 potentially life-saving interventions across the company.

LeMay said: “We’ve been more actively involved in a safeguarding role around wellbeing and the safety of our customers’ frontline staff. Workplace violence and problems with antisocial behaviour seem to be on the increase.

“There seems to be a general trend across all crime statistics at the moment. We’ve been much more focused and relied upon to deal with helping with the safeguarding of passengers, commuters and frontline staff, gateline staff, station staff and obviously staff on trains as well.”

RECOGNITION The type of work Land Sheriffs are tasked with means that it can often be a stressful job, and the company has systems in place to ensure staff are monitored and have access to support should they need it.

Part of the wider support includes recognising hard work and when staff do something extraordinary. Every month, Land Sheriffs, which is a living wage employer,

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issues an Employee of the Month award. In addition, for the last two years, LeMay and the management team have handed out Life Saver Awards every time a member of staff undertakes a potentially lifesaving intervention. Recipients of both awards have their photo taken which is posted online to celebrate their achievements.

Last year, security officers Tek Malla and Purna Gurung achieved what LeMay described as “the next level of recognition” when they took home the Samaritans Lifesaver Award at the RailStaff Awards. The duo dedicated the win to the whole Land Sheriffs team and have since proudly put their awards on display at home.

“It was great for the whole team, from management who deliver the training right through the organisation to the teams that Tek and Purna work with. I think it was nice for them to feel recognised,” said LeMay. “Across the industry there are lots and lots of people each day saving lives, so to be recognised by industry and by the judging panel as the two that they see as the best of the best was really big for them.”

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LESS THAN TWO MONTHS TO GO

For this year’s RailStaff Awards, Land Sheriffs will not only be taking members of its 150-strong workforce to the ceremony on 29 November, but it is also sponsoring the Charitable Person or Team of the Year category.

LeMay said: “It’s not about the size of the project or the amount of money they have raised, it’s what effort the individual person has put in in order to achieve whatever they’ve set out to do. We’re quite big on charitable giving and community engagement, so it was nice to be able to choose an award that we believe is very important and to help give something back to the community.”

He added: “The great thing about these awards, hence the name, is it brings the staff to the fore. There are lots of big business and corporate ones, and it’s great for businesses to be recognised, but every big business is built on good people and it’s important they are recognised.

“The RailStaff Awards does a fantastic job of bringing people from all over the country together for a celebration right across the industry.”

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PEOPLE

ARE OUR FUTURE

C

P5 has been a challenging control period for the whole rail industry; however, through collaboration, developing relationships with new customers, and investing in technology and people, telent has been involved in a number of exciting projects delivering and maintaining railway communications systems nationally.

Working on high-profile projects, such as Crossrail, Wessex SISS renewals, BASRE, National Power SCADA, RETB in Scotland and TfL’s ‘Hello London’, telent has utilised these opportunities to develop its workforce, creating delivery teams made up of a blend of our experienced employees, graduates and apprentices to encourage knowledge sharing and to bridge the skills gap needed for the start of CP6 and beyond.

Recognising the company’s fantastic talent, and as part of its engagement and retention drive, telent has an internal ‘Thanks Awards’ scheme, where employees can nominate colleagues they feel have gone above and beyond, whether within R&D, design, project management or out in the field - be it project performance or safety based.

The nomination is reviewed by senior management and is then communicated throughout the organisation via regular newsletters, intranet and exec roadshows, recognising the individual and/or team whilst sharing knowledge.

Steve added: “The levels of dedication and commitment of those working not only within telent but the whole rail industry is incredible. When you speak to people about what they do, they genuinely do not realise the extraordinary efforts they put in for telent, the railway and our customers.

RECORD NUMBER OF GRADUATES Understanding the importance of talent and the skills needed to deliver the expected work bank for CP6, we have invested heavily in our workforce over the last two years, taking on record numbers of graduates and apprentices, and we are the first in the industry to offer a railspecific cyber security apprenticeship scheme.

“We have a diverse workforce at telent, and we are committed to developing each and every person, whether it be via formal training or through working alongside colleagues to gain knowledge and experience, said Steve Dalton, telent’s managing director for transport.

“We are a people business and understand that we are only as good as our workforce which is why it is important to not only provide training but to recognise and share the contribution each person makes to encourage continual development.”

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“At what could be regarded as a challenging time for the rail industry in terms of criticism of its performance, this year’s RailStaff Awards is really a great opportunity to recognise those individuals and teams who have gone above and beyond to keep our railway running safely, which is why telent is particularly proud to be one of this year’s sponsors.”

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E PERFECT SENSE

With so many people at telent starting their careers in the railway and working their way up through the ranks as did their CEO Mark Plato, combined with telent’s commitment to mentoring and training the next generation, meant that for Steve sponsoring the RailStaff Awards’ ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ “made perfect sense”.

“It is so important to celebrate and recognise those who have dedicated their working life to a career in rail,” said Steve.

Looking ahead to CP6, telent is very positive about Network Rail’s plans and the government’s financial support for the UK rail industry, in particular the aspirations and commitment for the Digital Railway programme roll-out and for the ‘Connected Corridor’ (5G & Wi-Fi) now becoming a reality.

By deploying its proven technical capability, consistently developing our talent to meet the evolving industry requirements and through collaborative relationships with innovative partners, telent is already well-positioned for CP6, and ready to support these exciting, highprofile and game-changing plans.

Innovate Collaborate Integrate

t

0800 783 7761 www.telent.com

e

talktotelent@telent.com @telent_UK

linkedin.com/company/telent

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HEALTH AND WELLBEIN A HOLISTIC APPROACH

A

A Better, Safer Railway

REPORT BY NIAMH MCMAHON, HEALTH AND WELLBEING SPECIALIST, RSSB

t RSSB the topic of employee health and wellbeing in the rail industry is not a new one but it has gained increasing attention in the past few years.

Employers in all industries can no longer afford to ignore the benefits of investing in the health and wellbeing of their staff.

Across our members, we have a huge variety of employee roles and positions to consider from desk-based office workers to the site staff working on the tracks across a variety of shifts, day and night. No matter what the role, we know employee wellbeing needs to be considered and addressed.

Evidence suggests that taking a holistic behavioural change approach to individual health and wellbeing is key to long-term and sustainable changes. In 2013, the World Health Organisation published an article entitled “No physical health without mental

health, lessons unlearned” based on scientific evidence of the bidirectional relationship of mental illnesses, in particular anxiety and depression, and physical health outcomes.

In 2010, another study was published from the Institute of Psychiatry on the relationship between mental and physical health which concluded that many chronic illnesses cause higher depression rates but also that depression often precedes the onset of chronic illness.

THE PHYSIOLOGY OF DISTRESS Our immune system is like a thermostat. Most of the time it is turned down, but the gauge rises when we have an infection or experience psychological distress.

Our bodies can respond in similar ways to both mental and physical stressors. Inflammation is a normal and healthy part of the immune response. It plays an important role in healing wounds and defending against foreign bodies.

According to Prof Peter Jones, “inflammation may be a common

mechanism that influences both our physical health and mental health”. People who are exposed to persistent stressors and adversity tend to have the thermostat permanently set a bit higher. It is thought that persistent inflammation in turn increases the risk of various mental and physical illnesses.

As well as triggering an immune response, psychological distress triggers our fight and flight response. Distress activates a part of our brain, called the amygdala, which prepares our inner caveman to either fight the threat or run away from the danger.

Physical responses include the release of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which is why our heart beats more quickly and our body may become tense, ready for action. In the short-term, these changes help us cope, however the problem comes when the stressor is persistent.

No one needs a sustained stream of cortisol and adrenaline to their hearts.

Of course, if you suffer from physical ill health, chronic inflammation (arthritis, psoriasis, Irritable Bowel Disease, etc.) the body’s stress response is likely to make it more challenging to maintain good mental health. For the many people who struggle with both poor mental and physical health, it can feel a bit chicken and egg.

THE BEHAVIOURAL RESPONSE TO DISTRESS We all respond to distress differently. Cortisol, our stress hormone, can increase appetite which instructs your body to absorb high energy foods.

This makes sense if you are a caveman regularly battling RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

sabretooth tigers but less sense if you are deskbound in an office.

When we feel particularly low, whatever the reason, we may find ourselves wanting to withdraw from the world.

Withdrawing would help make sure cavemen avoided further harm, but in the modern world it can mean losing touch with the things that give you pleasure or natural pain relief, such as exercise. The action of withdrawing is thus causing more harm than good.

Distress can lead us to unhealthy lifestyle behaviours, while in turn, the unhealthy behaviours can increase our risk of poor physical health.

This means people can often feel trapped in a vicious cycle.

The good news is that because there’s so many factors involved, we have lots of potential points for intervention.

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NG

WORKING WITH OUR BODIES IN CONTEXT

In order to take a holistic approach to health and wellbeing in rail, we must therefore consider all aspects of an individual’s health and wellbeing. Our bodies are complex machines and the brain and body interact with the environment. For example, if you decided you wanted to lose weight and started to exercise every day but your diet was very poor and full of junk food with little nutrient value then you are highly unlikely to get the long-term results you want. Likewise if someone suffers from anxiety they might start meditating but if they have a poor diet and are physically inactive again long-term results are less likely. An overall healthy balanced lifestyle is key, avoiding extremes and understanding what we need.

There has been a lot of great information available in the rail industry about nutrition, mental health, fatigue and the benefits of exercise for quite some time now and a lot of our members are doing great work in this field, but health and wellbeing is both a cultural and an individual issue and therefore needs to be addressed from various angles. We know that forcing information has little to no longterm affect and can often create resentment and disengagement.

Everyone has their own story, their own level of knowledge, their own health experiences and values. All these factors contribute to what will work for them. One shoe does not fit all.

Understanding the synergistic relationship between our mental and physical health and that everyone has different needs is key to moving forward and hopefully achieving positive outcomes in this field.

WHAT ARE WE DOING AT RSSB?

It is an exciting time for health and wellbeing in rail. The health and wellbeing team at RSSB has recently expanded to cover employee wellbeing, mental health and occupational health. As a team we have a passion for making positive change, and our aim is to work closely together with our members and stakeholders to achieve significant and consistent results in all aspects of physical and mental health and wellbeing in the rail industry.

We have newly established a cross-industry Healthy Behaviours Subgroup and Mental Wellbeing Subgroup which is committed to improving holistic health and wellbeing in the industry. These groups feed into the Industry Health and Wellbeing Policy Group. Together we all want to drive positive change.

To find out more about the work RSSB is doing in this area, go to www.rssb.co.uk/Pages/health-and-wellbeing.aspx FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.UK

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COMPANY FOCUS

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VITAL

INTERVENTION

D

elays and cancellations on the line due to unauthorised access especially from those contemplating suicide are all too common.

Fatalities are another troubling reality for staff on the front line, with 273 suicides or suspected suicides on the railway throughout 2016-17. This figure could well have been much higher were it not for the vigilance of railway staff and police officers across the network.

Around 18 months ago, Vital was approached by Network Rail to help identify and address the costly root causes of disruption on the LNE and East Midlands route. As the primary supplier of contingent labour, Vital took on the responsibility, hiring 12 new trespass and vandalism patrollers as part of a trial scheme to support the efforts of Network Rail, train operators and the British Transport Police (BTP).

The trial has proven successful. In 2017/18, the Thameslink area reported a 53 per cent reduction in suicides off the back of Operation Regatta - a joint Network Rail/BTP/TOC operation of which Vital formed the backbone.

Over the course of a year, Vital patrollers spent 157,680 hours out on the network and contributed to a significant number of the more than 50 lifesaving interventions reported.

Network Rail recently extended the scheme for the next five years, with 40 patrollers now deployed along the route.

“For me, over and above everything else, it all comes down to making everything safe,” said Sonia Andrews, the business operations manager for Vital’s rail division. “The public need to be safe but those who are working on the rail or travelling on trains need to be safe equally.”

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EYES AND EARS

The primary role of the patrollers is to identify unauthorised access, especially to prevent suicide, that could affect the operational running of the railway. Travelling in teams of two, they ensure access gates and the boundary line are secure, carrying out minor repairs if needs be. But they are also there to act as a visual deterrent ready to intervene and feed back important intelligence to Network Rail and the BTP. Patrollers log in with Network Rail control at the beginning of each shift and are despatched to reported unauthorised access.

They also spend time on station platforms, handing out cards with contact details for BTP and Samaritans to encourage passengers to report anything of concern.

The patrollers also take an active role with the travelling public. Vital has said that since the start of the trial programme its patrollers have been involved in a large number of potentially life-saving interventions. Every patroller receives Samaritans training, explains Sonia, to make sure they have the skills to sensitively approach members of the public who may be considering ending their own lives.

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“Though they are there to intervene it’s more of a sensitive verbal exchange,” said Sonia. “If anything does start to move in an unsatisfactory way they will be straight on the phone to BTP control to advise them. If they ever feel threatened, if they can see that the situation has the potential to escalate, the BTP are only a phone call away.”

There’s also additional responsibility on senior managers and supervisors to support their staff, particularly following traumatic incidents. Training is provided by Vital to its management so they are able to offer appropriate support and counselling if required.

Sonia added: “Who knows what’s ahead of us. I don’t know the situations the patrollers are going to encounter and my patrollers need to know that I’m able to support them and that Vital as a business are there to support. We do have that mechanism in place.“

MAKE THAT CHANGE

Last year, one of Vital’s patrollers, Iman Masoud, was involved in an intervention at New Southgate station. Iman spoke to a member of the public who appeared to be in distress while a colleague contacted the BTP and had all passing trains stopped. He was rewarded for his actions by attending a suicide prevention event at the Houses of Parliament for this and two other lives he saved.

Sonia said: “That’s how high-profile this whole contract can be because the realism is all of the interventions, no matter how small they may appear, when others may not notice the most vulnerable of society, our patrollers are there reaching out trying to engage, trying to communicate, that really does make a difference and, as a result, it is very much acknowledged at a very high level.”

SUPPORT MECHANISM While patrollers are encouraged to actively approach and provide support, encountering people who may have accessed the railway to do themselves harm can be a potentially dangerous activity.

Vital was selected based on extensive experience of providing safety critical roles to the rail industry with patrollers that are all COSS competent and knowledgable about the risks railways pose. They also know the routes they are patrolling. Some have been working in the industry for almost 30 years, but experience isn’t the only quality that Vital looks for in its patrollers.

“I need something else. I need to see that spark,” said Sonia. “I need to see that eagerness to make that change to really give something back, ultimately to society, which is exactly what this is doing.”

She added: “I need them to be empathetic, caring, understanding, very self motivated because, at times, potentially they may be travelling around and performing quite mundane tasks but equally important such as checking access gates time and time again, but in a different space I need them to have strong relationship building capabilities because for this to be able to work, it’s all about working in partnership.

“They’re not isolated, they’re not just working with the British Transport Police, they’re representing Vital, Network Rail and the wider rail collaboration, so they have to build those relationships with the station managers, with the mobile operations managers, with all of the BTP officers, with the public as well.”

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COMPANY FOCUS

RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

HAS

HEALTH & SAFETY HAD ITS DAY?

W

REPORT BY PETE SCHOFIELD, FORD & STANLEY CHAIRMAN

hen we’re running our leadership development workshops, we like to generate passionate discussion within the group so pose questions that energise people and divide opinion. There’s one question almost guaranteed to work: “Does health and safety take a back seat when it comes to maximising the performance of your company?”

Usually some individuals argue that ‘safety first’ is paramount in all situations. On the other hand other people, especially those responsible for hitting targets, often state a different, more cynical view.

Other people argue that individuals who carry performance targets have a tendency to cut corners and do whatever needs to be done, regardless sometimes of the inherent risks this represents.

The fact that we hear this argument play out so often it shouldn’t come as a surprise.

Whether we like it or not, health and safety (H&S) appears to be more interesting to people who have it in their job title than people who have responsibility for ensuring that it is a way of life.

Unfortunately for too many people H&S still has connotations of either red tape or extra work and hassle. Even to people who should innately understand its importance.

Is it time to give H&S a makeover? How do we actually get people excited about H&S?

BOTTOM LINE As with any attempt to communicate, we need to talk in a way that appeals to those we are trying to influence - and there are some very compelling arguments for those charged with the performance of your organisation, to take as much notice of the opportunities as those involved in health and safety.

Take the recent example of the train driver who went through a red light and derailed due to being distracted by using their mobile phone – despite attending a H&S briefing on that very subject not 30 minutes prior to the crash! © iStockphoto.com

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With the minimum cost of a derailment to the business being reported to us as £1 million, how many paying passengers would have to be carried to generate the profit to put that £1 million back on the bottom line?

If we could offer the person in charge of organisational performance at that company an initiative guaranteed to create a safer environment and generate an additional £1 million in profit, do you believe there’s a fair chance they might sit up and take a keen interest?

Part of what we do at Genius Performance is deal with the personal challenges that are getting in the way of our employees performing at their best and/or distracting them from carrying out their work in a safe manner.

We call this part of our business ‘Performance Transformation’ and it’s all about maximising the wellbeing of employees, helping individuals feel better about what they do by feeling better about themselves, so they can be ‘in the moment’ whilst at work and not distracted by other things.

We developed Performance Transformation because we recognised that, given the pressure of life today, anyone at some point in their career could encounter overwhelming or challenging circumstances. Many actually do and this is estimated to be costing UK industry 90 million workdays per year. (See if the performance analysts in your business can quantify the upside of a remedy to this kind of KPI!)

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© iStockphoto.com

Sometimes the cause is something at work. Other times it may be something outside of work. The truth is it doesn’t really matter as either way it affects our work performance and poses potential safety risks if not addressed.

Work issues include areas like stress, managing workload, relationships with customers or

colleagues, loss of confidence, focus or motivation.

Personal issues could be derived from any event or experience, including trauma, family relationships, bereavement, depression, anxiety, phobias, pain control, obsessive compulsive disorders, loss of life/career purpose or debilitating habits and beliefs.

Whatever the cause, the benefit of investing in the sort of employee support that is valued by the workforce (as opposed to simply ticking a box for the employer) and seeking to quickly remedy whatever issue is getting in the way for the individual can be substantial. The payback to the employer can be quantified in many ways, as described by the company where we first piloted Performance Transformation almost a decade ago.

“We’re getting about a 10-times payback. Our people are here more, they are happier, healthier and contributing more.

We’ve improved our retention, improved our employer brand, improved our health and safety performance and we’re collectively more productive as a result.”

What can this teach us about the way H&S presents itself? Is it time to present H&S in a new way that resonates with people who don’t have health and safety in their job title?

Have you gone online and searched for a definition of H&S recently because it’s a revealing experience. Here’s a typical definition: ‘Regulations and

procedures intended to prevent accident or injury in workplaces or public environments.’

Is it that surprising that people aren’t getting too excited about it?

What about if we said goodbye to H&S and said hello ‘HSP’?

AND WHAT IS HSP? ‘Healthy, Safe Performance’.

With the inclusion of the word performance, H&S appeals directly to those with performance targets and bottom line responsibility, which in today’s world is a rapidly growing and highly influential audience.

Unlike H&S, HSP promotes the mutually beneficial link between H&S and performance.

It makes the point that they’re complementary, not conflicting goals.

We live in an image driven world where perception matters.

If you want people on board with you, you have to speak their language. It’s no good trying to sell people what they ‘need’, you have to sell them what they ‘want’.

To find out more about how Genius Performance is promoting healthy, safe performance visit: www.geniusperformance.com

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YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS

RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

S L A N IO S S E F O R P YMOEEUTNTGHRE AEXILECUTIVE TEAM JACK THOMPSON, MANAGER S N IO T A L E R L A N R NATIONAL EXTE

F

or a long time, I’ve known that rail was the industry for me.

The signs were always there - even as a kid my trainsets were overly elaborate (a clear tell-tale sign). I went to the University of Surrey in 2011 to study civil engineering where I took every optional transport module offered. My dissertation was even on rail demand forecasting and from that I realised that transport planning would be my way into the industry.

I joined Transport for London’s graduate scheme after graduating, completing placements in buses, interchanges and finally Crossrail 2 where I stayed for over two and a half years. I was highly impressed by the energy within the industry, so many professionals each working to improve a world they were so passionate about. The scale of projects within UK rail was also so immense and beyond anything I could have imagined before joining.

Since April 2018, I’ve moved across into consultancy firm GHD, where I’ve gained exposure to a broad range of incredible projects all across the country.

INCREDIBLE EVENTS I’ve been keeping busy in my spare time, completing an MSc in transport and city planning in 2017, and afterwards commencing work towards a PhD in transport from ITS. My research is attempting to identify how the rail industry has become more successful at making the case for investment over the last two decades - something I hope to apply to my day-to-day work.

I attended my first YRP event in October 2014 titled “Leadership in Major Projects”. I was amazed that young professionals starting out their careers were able to put together such incredible events.

That in itself significantly motivated me in my day-to-day work. I joined YRP’s London & South East committee in 2017 before moving over to the National Committee as external relations manager earlier in 2018. It’s been excellent contributing to the success of this organisation which, ultimately, is entirely dependent on the help of its volunteers and support provided by its corporate members.

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© iStockphoto.com

Ashraf Nsubuga West Midlands Chairman I work as a systems engineer for Siemens based in Ashby de la Zouch and my department Systems Delivery - are responsible for delivering communication and control systems for numerous national and international clients including Network Rail. My job involves activities across the full spectrum of the project lifecycle including requirements, design, build, testing and commissioning.

I joined Siemens in 2014, from the banking industry where I was a software engineer since graduation two years prior to that. I am currently working on the Riyadh Metro project. The deliverables in our work package include: Passenger Information System (PIS) and Public Address System (PAS) for providing customer announcements visually and orally to customers around the station; and RailCom Manager – our integrated supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system for monitoring and controlling various subsystems around the station environment such as CCTV cameras and displays.

PASSIONATE VOLUNTEERS It’s a bit of a cliché but no day is the same. As we are in the test phase, my day-to-day activities may include meeting with the team to discuss progress and current priorities; answering client queries and ensuring compliance with requirements; assisting the test team in the lab and resolving issues that arise during testing.

I’m also involved in various other ad-hoc jobs for projects including Old Oak Common depot and Cathcart ECR Upgrade. I’ve really enjoyed opportunities to go out to site at substations and control rooms to install and test our kit and work with our interface partners when integrating our kit into a wider communications system.

I first heard about the YRP when my manager invited me to attend the Annual Black Tie Dinner in 2015. What I saw was an organisation that was run by passionate volunteers working in different capacities in the industry, putting on networking and professional development activities for their members. It was great to hear the speeches

RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS

47

JOIN

US from experienced guests within the industry and see young people being rewarded for their work and going the extra mile.

Following this, I joined initially as an Ambassador doing school engagements on behalf of YRP, I followed this up by becoming network and development manager to put on social activities and learning events for our members, and this year I was elected as regional chair in the West Midlands.

What do you enjoy about YRP?

I have always been keen on volunteering since I started doing mentoring at university which I continued to do when I

entered work. The exposure and responsibility that I have been afforded working voluntarily for YRP has greatly impacted my career. I have met senior people from across the industry at conferences and seminars as well as worked with people outside of my organisation who share the same experiences and ambitions as me. YRP gives me the opportunity to gain insights into what is happening in the wider industry and what we can look forward to as we develop our careers. I have a really good team both in the region and nationally without whom we wouldn’t be able to do the good work we’ve done for our membership.

YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS

MEMBERSHIP Young Rail Professionals promote, inspire and develop the careers of young people in the rail industry. Membership is free and entitles you to attend our annual black tie dinner, seminars and be part of the fastest growing online rail community. www.YoungRailPro.com

YOUNG RAIL

PROFESSIONALS

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48

TRAINING

RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

AMTRAIN

TRAINING

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LOOKING FOR A CAREER IN THE TECHNOLOGICAL AGE Searching for a job can be a daunting prospect; understanding your worth on the job market, navigating job boards, recruiters and social networks can all present barriers to finding the perfect role. But all is not lost, new technology and algorithms on established platforms are all geared to help you find your next role with minimum effort.

So how do you find a job in rail in the technological age?

Here are three simple tips to help speed up your job search.

Update your virtual CV

Your social media profile can act as a virtual CV, it’s there 24/7 as your own personal advert to the job market. Create a LinkedIn profile or update your existing profile by detailing your relevant skills and experience to maximise your online presence. Share your profile edits to draw attention to your refreshed profile among your followers.

Register for job alerts

Save time with your search by registering for job alerts. By registering with relevant job boards and setting up job alerts, you can receive notifications of new opportunities straight to your inbox. You can be as specific as you want to be, narrowing it down to location, salary, job title or industry. Targeting industry-specific job sites, such as RailwayPeople.com, can be a good way of narrowing down the number of jobs sent to you.

Utilise recruiters

Good recruiters will have a comprehensive understanding of your market and current opportunities. Engaging recruiters is a quick way of tapping into this knowledge to help you in your search. Even better, they already have a relationship with the hiring managers and can guide you through the process, from interviews and salary negotiation through to offers and onboarding.

You can now choose to show recruiters and hiring managers, who are searching for potential candidates, that you are ‘open to opportunities’ on LinkedIn. This will not be visible to your current company but will alert hiring managers and recruiters that you are open to approaches!

Looking for your next career in rail?

Advance TRS is a niche recruitment consultancy specialising in the provision of highly skilled technical professionals.

Since being established, Advance TRS has grown rapidly and now provides permanent, contract and temporary recruitment solutions to both candidates and clients across a number of key technical sectors, including rail.

For the latest opportunities visit www.advance-trs.com or speak to one of our team on 01483 361061.

50

CAREERS

RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018

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SHAPING A BETTER FUTURE, TOGETHER. It’s never been a more exciting time to work in SNC-Lavalin’s Atkins business. If you have experience working on track plant projects, find out how we can enhance your career.

To apply please send your CV to emma.rees@snclavalin.com or call 01332 223050

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Train Crew Resource Planner Freightliner Heavy Haul

Location: Crewe/Ferrybridge

A vacancy has arisen for a Train Crew Resource Planner role within the Train Planning Unit. This key role is a part of a small team responsible for all aspects of Train Crew diagramming for UK Rail.

Essential experience and expertise:

• • • • •

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Freightliner is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

Please note that the company operates a strict drugs and alcohol policy.

If you’re interested in joining the Freightliner team, please send your application to:

@RailFreight

Freightliner Group Ltd

railrecruitment@freightliner.co.uk

Freightliner Group Ltd

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