RailStaff September 2012 by Rail Media

RailStaff

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Issue 178 / September 2012

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Gold Standard for Games Trains

New team for transport

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We’re in your corner Network Rail in partnership with Samaritans launches phase 2.

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Railways have been praised for rising to the challenge of carrying 1000s of athletes and spectators reliably and safely to and from the 2012 Olympics in London and across Britain. Over ﬁve million more people used rail and the industry provided extra, later and longer trains during the Games. Ridership increases of 18.5% on normal services did not faze railway staff. The rise is thought to be the most sustained surge in capacity in the railway’s 187-year history.

Plant & Equipment focus Some of the latest and most interesting items of plant & equipment.

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Stobart Rail road-rail vehicles and 24/7 Emergency Response Team Stobart Rail's substantial fleet of roadrail vehicles provide a comprehensive series of machine-to-trailer combinations, and also accommodates a host of highly specialised attachments, ranging from tamping and cabling equipment to ground investigation and soil nailing rigs.

We are experienced and ready for 24/7 Emergency response whether weather related, operational failure, derailment, culvert collapse - whatever the situation. To enquire about our roadâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;rail vehicles for use on your next project (can include POL) or for our most recent plant register contact us.

David Richardson Plant Hire t. 01228 518 150 e. david.richardson@stobartrail.com Andy Richardson Operations Director t. 01228 882 300 e. andy.richardson@stobartrail.com Keith Winnery Rail Director t. 01228 518 150 e. keith.winnery@stobartrail.com

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cOmmENT

Publisher:

Paul O’Connor

Editor:

Andy Milne

Production and design:

Adam O’Connor

Senior Reporter:

Jonathan Webb

Writer:

Nigel Wordsworth

Track Safety:

Colin Wheeler

Pictures:

Colin Garratt

Advertising:

Asif Ahmed Craig Smith Paul Curtis

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

Contact Details RailStaff Publications Ltd Ashby House, Bath Street, Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, LE65 2HF. Tel: 01530 56 00 26 Web: www.railstaff.co.uk Email: hello@rail-media.com Printed by Pensord. RailStaff is published by RailStaff Publications Limited. A Rail Media Publication.

SPEcIAL FOcuS

Face the future The wider community understands that when it comes to moving people, quickly and efﬁciently, railways win hands down

“Railways make economic, environmental and social sense. Run them on renewable or nuclear power and we have a firm base on which to face the future.”

RailStaff

Building a third runway at heathrow will be fiercely resisted by local residents, Londoners, environmentalists and aspirers to conservative Party leadership. The ominous news of an enquiry into aviation capacity came on the same day Citigroup revealed a report predicting that Saudi Arabia would cease to be an oil exporter by 2030. The Asian economic surge means fossil fuel is being used up at a far greater rate than western analysts complacently believed. Flying is about to become much more expensive. A new runaway at Heathrow will prove a canard. London is ringed by five airports – Heathrow, Gatwick, Southend, Stansted and Luton. Four have direct passenger access to the railway. The provision of the High Speed Two rail link to Heathrow, the building of Crossrail, Thameslink and the electrification of GWML will further obviate the need for a sky-scarring runway at Heathrow. Apparently business leaders and financiers are agitating for the third runway. Let us hope these are not the same people who precipitated the banking crisis and never saw the recession coming. The public in general and motorists in particular grasp that cheap oil is a thing of the past. Building roads and runways is not the way to continue Britain’s medal winning streak. The railways played a confident

and lead role in the London Olympics 2012. The wider community understands that when it comes to moving people quickly and efﬁciently railways win hands down. People returning through airports from summer holidays will afﬁrm this basic truth. Railways make economic,

PAGE 6

environmental and social sense. Run them on renewable or nuclear power and we have a ﬁrm base on which to face the future. The leaders of tomorrow will get right behind the rail industry and the fast developing plans we have for forging Britain’s Olympic-inspired industrial and economic future.

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Training matters In October’s RailStaff

War for the West coast mainline

Ridout Races for Railway children

check out the latest initiatives in rail training, as RailStaff reports on high quality professional training and assessment services from across the whole rail industry. To promote your training services get in touch today.

Never mind commercial conﬁdentiality, railways are a contract between the people running them and the passengers using them.

Andy Ridout of Advance-TRS has started training to compete in the Norseman Xtreme Triathlon in Norway next year - all because of a celebration.

Call Paul Curtis on 01530 56 00 26 or email pc@rail-media.com. www.railstaff.co.uk

Railways have been praised for rising to the challenge of delivering 1000s of sports people and spectators to and from the 2012 Olympics in London and associated venues across Britain. Over ﬁve million people used the railway, an increase of 18.5% on normal services. This is thought to be the most sustained rise in capacity in the railway’s 187-year history. In a strong show of unity and professionalism railway staff came together to keep the Olympics moving and worked round the clock to run extra trains and keep stations open later. Analysts say over 55% of spectators used rail to access the Games. Performance was at its best with more than 9 out 10 trains arriving on time. The railway was able to work at full capacity during the Olympics.

Maintenance and major track works were completed earlier this summer leaving the way clear for reliable runs into London. This helped train companies provide extra services and longer trains. The timetable was extended to cater for late running events. Hundreds of extra staff from train companies and Network Rail worked at the busiest stations across the capital and throughout the south of England. The London Underground saw a 30% increase in ridership at busy times during the games. The DLR saw more than six million journeys - up by over 100 per cent on normal levels. London Overground saw nearly six million journeys – a jump of 47 per cent on normal levels. A delighted Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, praised the army of volunteers, military personnel and transport staff, saying, ‘I want to thank the tens of thousands who have made this all possible from a range of partner organisations, including our fantastic police and emergency services, the Armed Forces and security personnel, Transport for London staff and all transport workers. They have not only ensured we have enjoyed a smooth, safe and secure Olympic Games but also given a warm and friendly British welcome to all our guests.’ Railway staff up and down the country were heavily involved in the Olympics managing a steady stream of visitors to the capital. Chief Operating Ofﬁcer of Virgin

Gold Standard for Games Trains

Trains, Chris Gibb paid tribute to the hard work put in by staff around the network. ‘Thanks to the positive efforts and commitment of staff, thousands of people were able to travel successfully to and from Olympics events by Virgin Trains.’ The trains ran well with available data showing that the daily average punctuality and reliability of national rail services ranged from 91.5% to 94.7%. Robin Gisby, managing director of network operations, Network Rail, said, ‘Britain’s railway helped millions of spectators travel to and from Games venues and other Olympic sites this summer, while keeping commuters and other passengers moving.’ He went on to thank all railway staff for working round the clock. Fully-staffed trains were kept on standby at different points around

the capital, ready to head off to stations when they become especially busy. The huge effort by the railway industry helped London stage what has been termed the best Olympic Games ever. Already railway people have been approached by Brazilian authorities to help organise the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016.

“In a strong show of unity and professionalism railway staff came together to keep the Olympics moving and worked round the clock to run extra trains and keep stations open later…” www.railstaff.co.uk

NEWS

Lose your headphones says Professor Green music artist Professor Green has teamed up with Network Rail to stop people listening to music on headphones at level crossings. The message is: ‘Lose the headphones not your life.’ Two people have tragically died this year at footpath crossings where it is thought they were wearing headphones. In the past ﬁve years, train drivers or railway staff have reported 19 incidents where pedestrians, joggers or cyclists wearing headphones have crossed the railway, seemingly oblivious to the approaching train. Professor Green continues, ‘I never imagined asking people to stop listening to my music but this is about staying safe, so just for a

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minute, I want them to stop. I know it’s very easy to get caught up in a track when you have your headphones on and get distracted from where you are and what’s around you but I’m asking, please, lose your headphones when at a level crossing and pay attention to all the safety warnings. I don’t want anyone to end up on the tracks listening to one of mine.’ The new digital campaign – Lose Your Headphones – features the popular rapper in a video which will appear on the music streaming service Spotify as well as being promoted via social media sites such as Twitter. Network Rail is also encouraging people to spread the word about

removing headphones by offering a prize of Sonos music speakers to ﬁve lucky winners who re-tweet the campaign message. Says Martin Gallagher, Network Rail’s head of level crossings, ‘People wear headphones all the time nowadays; on the train, walking down the street, and even cycling or in the shops. We think though that there are times when it makes sense to stop the music and devote your full attention to where you’re going. ‘Trains can travel up to 125mph on the main British rail network and even with safety warnings such as lights and signs at footpaths across the tracks, it’s easy to get distracted if you’re

caught up with your favourite tune. If Professor Green is asking people to stop listening to his music just for a few minutes, we hope people will listen up, lose their headphones, and not their lives.’ You can view the video on You Tube at: networkrail.co.uk/ loseurheadphones Network Rail has a dedicated youth initiative called Rail Life. Created in partnership with young people it aims to raise awareness of level crossing safety and other rail safety issues. The initiative will provide a wide range of resources, ranging from assembly kits to lesson plans, for use in schools and youth clubs.

most rail chiefs will tell you the most important people in a railway company are the staff. A company like Virgin Trains or First capital connect does not own the tracks on which it runs nor the trains it uses. Even the stations are leased from Network Rail which also operates the infrastructure. However when it comes to deciding who shall run a railway franchise the staff - and the customers that use the service – are, it seems, not consulted. Despite protestations by the system’s apologists when it comes to letting a franchise the DfT evaluates bids from rival

“The message from the rail industry is a simple one: Open the books and show us your figures. Never mind commercial confidentiality, railways are a contract between the people running them and the passengers using them…” 6

WAR IN ThE WEST

NEWS

commercial companies and appears to plump for the most lucrative. Understandably enough the DfT’s remit from government is clear: Get the best deal you can for the tax payer. The system doesn’t always work well. East Coast has collapsed twice and First Great Western decided to surrender its option to run through a franchise extension – the recession had rendered revenue projections of yester year unrealisable. Whilst the politicians and civil servants involved try and sort out the franchise controversy it must be noted that the staff on the West Coast Main Line continue to deliver a superb railway service on one of the most heavily trafﬁcked routes in Europe. As Chris Green once remarked, ‘They face a challenge not of their own making.’ Green, erstwhile CEO of Virgin Trains, was speaking of railway privatisation itself. That they do so with such aplomb and professionalism is largely down to their dedication to the railway, a commitment which transcends the vagaries of the system. Branson’s case on the west coast is that the winning bid is undeliverable Not so says First Group. The reaction of staff and passengers is markedly pro-Virgin. No one can be quite sure what staff actually think about carrying

on working for Virgin. Many of the staff want to stay part of Virgin. This must be qualified by mentioning the undoubted attractions of Virgin staff benefits and the aversion of people generally to change. If Virgin has a subversive new age feel to it then it should also be remembered that FirstGroup is a working class management buy out made good. The origins of First Group date back to the Thatcherite privatisation of the bus industry. In Aberdeen Moir Lockhead who started life as a fitter in his native County Durham - put together an MBO together with trade union support to head off the buccaneer capitalists rolling up the industry. Lockhead became chief executive of First and expanded the company across Britain and the United States and into rail. First is an established and respected employer. The steady stream of staff initiatives backed by First testify to this. What is clear is that the present system of bid and counter bid ill serves the industry, the tax payer and the staff who aren’t even mentioned. It is destabilising and causes confusion among customers, passengers, investors and staff. Railway people invest their careers in the railway and deserve better than this. The message from the rail industry is a simple one: Open the

books and show us your ﬁgures. Never mind commercial conﬁdentiality, railways are a contract between the people running them and the passengers using them. How this works out in terms of tax payer risk, fares and service provision is pertinent to all not just the DfT and the bidders. Secondly consult the staff. Sir Humphrey might argue that they are only interested in keeping their jobs. What is so inconvenient about that particular truth? Ask passengers what they want after train punctuality and it is always this: They want to see and hear real people on trains and stations, not machines or recorded announcements – helpful though these are. With the creation and strengthening of the Rail Delivery Group, the move of power in Network Rail down to the actual routes and the practice of alliancing - uniting wheel and rail once more - surely the time has come to pay greater attention to the people who actually do the work. Their voice should be heard. Both Virgin and FirstGroup are excellent companies to work for and have done well for railways. The people they have the good fortune to employ must have a say in the future of the industry to which they remain committed long after the current franchise agreements expire. www.railstaff.co.uk

New team for transport The new ministerial team at the dfT combines a former Staffordshire coal miner, an African educated historian with the continuing wisdom of Norman Baker of the Lib dems. The welcome return of popular former shadow transport minister, Stephen Hammond, completes the new line up. Justine Greening, now exiled to International Development, will be remembered for her firm support for High Speed Two and obdurate opposition to another runway at Heathrow. Theresa Villiers is now Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and is a fully fledged cabinet minister. Patrick McLoughlin, MP for Derbyshire Dales, started life as a farm worker moving on to join his father and grandfather as a coal miner deep under Staffordshire. Educated at the Cardinal Griffin

Stephen Hammond.

Patrick McLoughlin.

Simon Burns.

Roman Catholic School and Staffordshire College of Agriculture he worked underground at Littleton Colliery in Cannock. He was a member of the National Union of Mineworkers and served as an industrial representative for the National Coal Board’s Western Area Marketing Department. However he became involved in Tory politics in the late 1970s. He was Vice-Chairman of the National Young Conservatives and was a Staffordshire County Councillor from 1981 to 1987. Elected to parliament in 1987 he has previous at the DfT under the last Conservative administration. Most

recently he operated as Chief Whip. Simon Burns, MP for Chelmsford, the new Minister of State at the DfT was educated at Christ the King School, Ghana; Stamford School and Worcester College, Oxford. He worked for Senator George McGovern’s presidential election bid against Richard Nixon in 1972, and for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign during the New Hampshire Primary in 2008. He’s been an MP since 1987 and was previously Minister of State for Health. Stephen Hammond is now Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for Transport.

Born and educated in Southampton, he has an Economics degree from the University of London and has worked in the world of high ﬁnance. He was appointed a Director of the Equities division of Dresdner Kleinwort Benson in 1994 and four years later joined Commerzbank Securities. He was elected MP for Wimbledon in May 2005 and in December 2005 was promoted Shadow Minister for Transport, a position he held until 2010. Stephen is married to Sally and they have a daughter, Alice. He is a practicing Christian.

transport ministers. The Forum is housed by the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development in Paris. Viegas, who was elected by Ministers from Forum member countries was a professor of civil engineering at the University of Lisbon and chairman of TIS.pt, a transport consultancy ﬁrm.

“The International Transport Forum faces great opportunities for a strategic reorientation…”

AEcOm role Viegas to for mobbs head Forum Iain mobbs has joined AEcOm’s European transportation practice as an Associate director with responsibility for developing the ﬁrm’s rail planning practice in Yorkshire and the north east of England. Formerly an Associate with Arup, Iain has 16 years experience in strategic rail planning, revenue forecasting and business case development. Iain was educated at Stratton Upper School in Bedfordshire and Cardiff University.

Internationally renowned academic, José Viegas of Portugal, is the new Secretary-General of the International Transport Forum. ‘I am delighted to come to this job at this moment,’ says Mr Viegas who will be based in Paris. Alluding to the challenges Europe faces he went on, ‘The International Transport Forum faces great opportunities for a strategic reorientation, based on its existing strengths and its expanding membership, to further strengthen its role as the foremost platform for a global dialogue on transport policy. ‘I will work hard to provide engaging and successful leadership in these processes.’ The International Transport Forum is an intergovernmental organisation with 54 member countries that acts as a strategic think tank for global transport policy and organises an annual summit of

www.railstaff.co.uk

PEOPLE NEWS

New comms chief for Bombardier Stephen Bethel has joined Bombardier Transportation in Britain as communications director uk and Ireland. Based in London, Bethel will report to Sharon Christians, public affairs chief in Berlin. He joins the senior management team in Britain working with Paul Roberts, Chief Country Representative, Bombardier Transportation, UK. Stephen, formerly Communications Director at BAE Systems, has spent 12 years in public relations. He has worked for the Department for Transport and the Ministry of Defence. Says Paul Roberts, ‘We are pleased to welcome Stephen to the UK Senior Management team. His experience as an international communications professional ﬁts

moulin move

very well with the global approach we take in terms of delivering the best possible products and solutions for our clients in the UK. He will be an invaluable asset.’ He was educated at Oxford University.

“We are pleased to welcome Stephen to the UK Senior Management team. His experience as an international communications professional fits very well…” PAuL ROBERTS, BOmBARdIER TRANSPORTATION

Emmanuel moulin has stepped up to take over as deputy chief executive of Group Eurotunnel.

The move follows the retirement of Claude Lienard. Moulin, 44, was educated at the Ecole Nationale de l’Administration and has further qualiﬁcations from IEP, Paris and ESSEC. He started his career in the Transport Department of the French Treasury in 1996. He became a deputy director at the World Bank in Washington in 2000. Between 2003 and 2005 he was Secretary General of the Club de Paris before joining Citigroup Global Markets in 2006 with responsibility for France and Belgium. In 2007 he was appointed Deputy Director in the ofﬁce of the French Minister for the Economy, Christine Lagarde, before taking on the role of economic advisor to the President of France between 2009 and 2012.

Stagecoach boss steps down Sir Brian Souter, who together with his sister Ann Gloag founded Stagecoach, is relinquishing the post of chief executive. However he plans to become chairman of the Perth based company next May. Finance director Martin Griffiths will take over as chief executive. Current chairman, Sir George Mathewson is to retire. Ross Paterson, currently director finance & company secretary, joins the board as finance director. Says Sir Brian, ‘I remain committed to the success of Stagecoach and consider now to be an appropriate time to plan to take a step back

from the day-to-day management of the business.’ Although Britain’s Corporate Governance Code recommends that the chief executive of a company should not become that company’s chairman the Stagecoach board feels the cofounder and architect of its success should take the chair. In a statement Stagecoach said, ‘The entrepreneurial skills of Sir Brian are consistent with the Company’s business model to drive growth and take advantage of new opportunities.’ Stagecoach is one of Britain’s most successful transport companies with a stock market valuation of £1.7bn.

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RAIL ALLIANcE NEWS

Join the Rail Alliance now Rail Alliance membership starts from just £500 per year

Berlin Beckons It’s Innotrans month again. certainly doesn’t feel like two years since we last went to the Berlin messe and sampled the delights of what the international rail industry can offer. Innotrans attracts in excess of 110,000+ visitors and is one of the largest shows in the calendar - for us anyway! Colin Flack, CEO Rail Alliance and Robert Hopkin, Executive Director Rail Alliance will be visiting the show and already we have a packed schedule and are looking forward to renewing old acquaintances and

meeting newcomers to the show. In particular, we will be visiting UK exhibitors around the halls (quite often ﬁrst-time exhibitors) as well as those more familiar with exhibiting at this show. Some of these will be centred around the UK Pavilions in Hall 2.2 (Technology) and Hall 26 (Infrastructure). If you are new to Innotrans and want to meet with the Rail Alliance team then send us a text to 00447772641835 and we will arrange a time to meet up with you or come and visit your stand. This month’s member spotlight gives you more information about Korec’s Demonstration Day at our Long Marston Headquarters on 26th and 27th September – this is a great opportunity to get a ‘hands

on’ appreciation of Korec’s products and services as described below. We are also delighted to conﬁrm that Simon Pain, Crossrail’s Programme Supply Chain Manager, will be presenting at our next Members’ Meeting and Networking Event on 25th September at the Chiltern Rail “Cube” just off Platform 2 at Birmingham Moor Street networking and refreshments from 0930hrs with the main event getting underway at 1000hrs sharp. As well as describing the opportunities for supplying to Crossrail, this event will also include a presentation from member R&D Tax Claims Ltd outlining how they specialise in helping innovative and forward looking companies to claim back

korec comes to Long marston kOREc has announced that this year will see its ﬁrst ever event solely dedicated to the rail industry.

The event will be held at the Rail Alliance headquarters in Long Marston near Stratford upon Avon on the 26th and 27th of September.

log on to www.railalliance.co.uk email jo.bennett@railalliance.co.uk or call 01789 720026.

corporation tax on their R&D activities. So far, their efforts have realised an average saving of £70,000 per client. Remember, nonmembers are welcome to attend up to two meetings free of charge.

The facilities at Long Marston are perfectly suited to enable guests to have the opportunity to get ‘hands-on’ with equipment and also allow KOREC technical experts to demonstrate rail solutions in a life-like environment. Recent government investment in the UK’s rail industry which aims to accelerate business innovation and growth will help to support the development of new technologies. One such innovation that delegates will get to see is the Trimble GEDO Vorsys twin-TMD system which was recently approved for use by Network Rail and offers real productivity beneﬁts when working with Tampers. There will also be 3D machine control demonstrations, enabling guests to experience its

speed, accuracy and ease of use, showing why this technology works so well for the rail industry. With monitoring becoming a vital part of many projects, we will also be showing Trimble’s scalable solution and highlighting projects worldwide as well as here in the UK. In addition, there will also be live demonstrations of both of KOREC’s UAV’s, the SenseFly Swinglet CAM and the Aibotix Aibot X6. Both products have different capabilities and strengths beneﬁcial to the rail industry. The event has been designed to give customers a chance to see how KOREC products can be utilised throughout all stages of a rail project. Attendance is free and will include food and refreshments, registration can be accessed via; www.korecknowhow.com. Places are however limited so book early to ensure you don’t miss out.

kOREc 26th-27th September Long marston

members meeting (Aerospace) October TBA Long marston

Rail Alliance events Innotrans 2012 18th-21st September Berlin, Germany 10

members meeting (crossrail) 25th September Birmingham moor Street Station

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NEWS

Ridout Races for

Railway children

Andy Ridout, managing director of advance-TRS, has started training to compete in the Norseman Xtreme Triathlon in Norway next August - all because of a celebration. Andy has previously competed in the London Marathon and the Barcelona Triathlon. Says Ridout, 39, ‘Me and my team were celebrating our 100th placement we started this business just over a year ago.’From a standing start in 2010 the new company, advance TRS, now supplies top quality professionals across the railway industry. ‘We were talking about growing the business and feeling pretty confident about it,’ says Andy, ‘I found myself thinking out loud about a parallel physical challenge to sit alongside expanding the business.’ The idea of the Norseman Xtreme had come to him some time ago. The race starts by jumping 20 feet into the icy waters of the, wonderfully named, Hardangerfjord, from the loading bay of a car ferry. Competitors then swim three miles to the town of Eidfijord for the start of the cycle race - 112 miles of harsh gradients including seven mountain passes. After that comes a gruelling 26 mile run. The first 15 miles are fairly flat then it’s an 11 mile uphill push to the top of Gaustatoppen - an extreme climb www.railstaff.co.uk

of 1850 metres. Andy Ridout plans to raise £10,000 for a charity very close to his heart, the Railway Children. ‘In India 11 million children live on the streets and in the UK 100,000 run away from home every year, often as a result of sexual abuse, neglect and violence. As a father of three I ﬁnd this both shocking and distressing and am committed to generating as much money and awareness as physically possible to help the situation,’ says Andy. ‘After all, what if these were my children?’ Over the coming twelve months Andy plans to visit children in the UK and India who will hopefully beneﬁt from his campaign. The Norseman Xtreme is thought to be one of the toughest triathlons yet devised. The whole event runs point-to-point and is unsupported. Competitors need to bring their own crew to carry food, extra clothing, water and supplies. Already Andy is hard at work building up a core base of stamina and muscle ahead of distance endurance training next year. ‘I run to work which is about six miles or cycle taking a longer route. I also swim. It helps that I live in a hilly area. I like to train in the morning. A typical routine is a swim of 5k before cycling to work. I did the London Marathon and really enjoyed it. That’s what drew

me to triathlons. Barcelona was great but Norway will be a totally different experience. At ﬁrst I put the idea to the back of my mind but it shaped up as a challenge and I knew I had to do it. ’ Says Paul Merton, Operations Director at advanceTRS, ‘Anyone who knows Andy understands that he is not one to shy away from a challenge. When he sets himself a target it will be completed. £10,000 is a lot of money, but if anyone can do it, it will be Andy Ridout, I’m conﬁdent.’ To launch the fund raising campaign Ridout has been asked to speak at 2012’s Dinner at the Roundhouse on the 11th October and is currently auctioning logo advertising space across his

running vest and cycle jersey - see below*. To join the fun and support the cause you can secure your company logo space by contacting Andy directly on 01483 361061 or ar@advance-trs.com. Alternatively, simply donate at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ AndyRidout To track Andy’s fundraising and training progress please ‘like’ advance TRS on Facebook or visit the company website at www.advance-TRS.com More info about the Xtreme Norseman can be seen at http://www.nxtri.com/ Advance-TRS has placed over one hundred candidates in employment throughout the UK and internationally. The niche railway recruitment consultancy is now among the fastest growing suppliers to the majority of the rail industry’s key players.

Sleeper staff visit Lords As a way of saying thank you to caledonian Sleeper staff for top notch service down the years, Lord Glenarthur invited ﬁve ScotRail staff for a trip around the houses of Parliament. The Aberdeenshire-based peer has used the sleeper for over 30 years. Operations manager Billy Davidson, team leaders Jenny Still and Tony Montes and on-board hosts Sheena Deans and George Morrison joined Glenarthur for afternoon tea in the Peers Dining Room.

Says Jenny Still, ‘It was fantastic. The House of Lords was beautiful and we had the most memorable day.’ The ScotRail staff on the tour all live in Aberdeenshire, except Billy Davidson and Tony Montes, who are from Arbroath. ‘The invitation to the House of Lords was my way of saying thank you to ScotRail’s staff for the high levels of service they offer to Sleeper passengers, and also to let them see the inner workings of Parliament,’ says Lord Glenarthur.

Brief Encounter An updated version of Noel coward’s play set in a railway waiting room, Brief Encounter, has being staged at the Edinburgh Festival this August. Restyled ‘Still Life’ - Noel Coward’s original title of the play Dead Posh Productions will be performing the play in aid of the Railway Mission. In the play Alec and Laura, falling in love, are constrained by convention and marriage from being together. In the ﬁnal scene Laura contemplates suicide but lets the train go by. The ﬁlm version starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard was released in 1945. ‘Life is full of encounters, some brief and some not so brief. I see the play Still Life as a snapshot of the complexities of human relationships that we all encounter,’ says Liam Johnston of

the Railway Mission. ‘We are proud to be associated with this delightfully engaging production and we are very grateful to Dead Posh Productions for this wonderful gesture.’ A donation from each ticket went to the Railway Mission, a charity with a 130-year track record of attending to railway passengers and employees in their time of need.

couple take computer course together husband and wife team, Paul and Amanda Green (pictured) from Norwich both decided to take a free European computer driving Licence course (EcdL) together. Paul and Amanda each work for a different train operating company. Paul Green is a Driver Instructor for East Midlands and Amanda works in Customer Services at Greater Anglia. The online course was provided by City College Norwich which enabled Paul and Amanda to ﬁt the course around family and work commitments. Progress reviews were held with their tutor, either at Norwich Station or at the local Trade Union Education Centre. Paul wanted to do the course as, being self taught, he wanted to further enhance his knowledge of using a computer. He also felt the course would help with his job as a Driver Instructor for East Midlands Trains. Amanda’s reason for wanting to do the course was to help her in her role in the Customer Services Department of Greater Anglia. 12

When asked about the course Amanda said it was interesting and the time allowed to complete each module was generous. She went on to say that she found some parts harder than others, especially those she was new to, but that by the end of the course she had it sussed. She went on to say that she enjoyed learning how to set up letters and save them, and how to use PowerPoint. Paul said he thought he knew a fair bit, but found lots of things that he had not used before, like the shortcuts, in some of the programs, to be especially useful. He went on to say that the ongoing assessments helped to identify which areas he was not so good at. They both found the support shown from their local ULR, provider and their respective companies excellent. Paul added that if he needed any help or advice all he had to do was make a quick call and help was on hand. Paul said, ‘It was a very enjoyable course and I am happy with what I’ve learnt, and improved in other

areas I was already familiar with.’ Amanda agreed and said, ‘Doing the course has given me more knowledge of the computer and helped me a lot at work.’ Both agreed that they would recommend the course to others, wanting to up-skill their computer knowledge. They also said that in the future they would like to take up the opportunity to do some more learning.

The course has been a joint venture between the train operator and learning bodies from the rail industry unions ASLEF, Unite, RMT and TSSA under the banner ‘Ticket to Learn’. If you feel you would like to do the ECDL course or any other learning please contact Trevor Southgate your local Union Learning Rep on 07798 857528 or by email at: trevor.southgate@greateranglia.co.uk www.railstaff.co.uk

NEWS

French blast Rihanna over rail riot

John hockley steps down The son of a family of dock workers has retired after 50 years on the railway. London - Norwich Greater Anglia driver, John hockley, joined the railway on 13th August 1962 - three days after his ﬁfteenth birthday. Born and brought up in Dagenham, John comes from a family of dock workers, but decided to buck the trend. Always an enthusiast about railways John started work at Stratford Depot, once the biggest steam depot in

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Railway staff have been praised for helping reunite a Jack Russell terrier with his owner. CCTV footage showed Frankie hopping on a train to St Pancras from Gravesend in Kent. He chose a window seat for the 30 minute journey. The train manager rang the phone number on Frankie’s collar to contact his owner, Jane Abbott, who came to collect the rail rover. Frankie had walked a mile and half to the station before nonchalantly boarding the train. Ms Abbott bought a ticket and travelled up to London to collect Frankie - who had his fare waived.

French rail chiefs have called Rihanna irresponsible after she tweeted her arrival time and platform at Gare du Nord in Paris. In the ensuing riot fans besieged the station as the star with just one bodyguard arrived on a Eurostar. Screaming youngsters ﬂocked to the station on a Saturday night to catch a glimpse of her. A security chief said, ‘It was absolute chaos, and all Rihanna’s fault. Fans had her train number and its arrival time. The result was a mass of people waiting on the platform.’ Major stars including Mick Jagger and Paul McCartney regularly use Eurostar to slip into Paris and Brussels ﬁnding it a more discreet way of arriving than the closely monitored airports.

Jack Russell jumps train

Europe, as locomotive cleaner, becoming a messenger boy a few months later. In 1969 he worked on the Royal Train on which the Queen and Princess Anne were travelling. He was given a memorable 15 shillings for his trouble. On 13 February 1972 John fulﬁlled his boyhood ambition and qualiﬁed as a train driver, based at Ripple Lane Depot, Dagenham. He drove freight trains to Swindon, Southampton, and Peterborough. In 1993 John transferred back to Stratford Depot, where he began to drive passenger trains on the Great Eastern mainline route between London and Norwich. Says Andy Camp, Greater Anglia’s Commercial Director, ‘John’s dedication to the railway is

“On 13 February 1972 John fulfilled his boyhood ambition and qualified as a train driver…” legendary, as is his enthusiasm. We all wish him a very happy retirement, but we will miss him.’ John Hockley lives in Dagenham, where he attends his local church and is a keen youth football coach. In retirement John, a Christian for 51 years, will continue to be involved with his local church. He is a committee member of the East London Christian League. John’s ﬁnal train was the 09.30 Norwich to Liverpool Street, hauled by 90012. Upon arrival in

London Carol and a number of Greater Anglia managers greeted John. Carol was presented with ﬂowers and John was given a bottle of wine.

Energy award for East coast delivered. One of the most successful locations has been East Coast’s Clayhills depot in Aberdeen, which has reduced its electricity use yearon-year by 22% thanks to the introduction of more energyefﬁcient gas boilers, better management of shore supplies used to provide power to trains in depots - and the use of sensors to turn off lights when not in use. Measures introduced at Durham station have achieved an impressive 30 per cent year-onyear saving in energy consumption. Electricity use fell by 7% over the same period after East

East coast has won an award for reducing energy use at its stations, depots and offices. The company has been awarded the Gold Carbon Saver Standard as part of the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme by Carbon Saver, an independent organisation which works with firms to save energy and contribute towards Britain’s carbon reduction commitment (CRC). A network of East Coast environment champions has been set up at stations and depots. The environment champions help identify areas where energy use could be reduced and savings

Coast’s environment champions switched off water boilers when not in use. Low energy lighting reduced power consumption in the travel centre and waiting rooms, while better fault reporting of car park lighting sensors ensured lights were all switched off during daytime hours. An 8% energy saving was also achieved at East Coast House, the company’s headquarters in York, by reducing use of air conditioning in the evenings, launching software to power down computers at night, and more efﬁcient maintenance of heating and cooling systems. Says East Coast Environment Manager, Jim Harbidge, ‘The award of Gold Standard by Carbon Saver followed visits to each of our managed locations by assessors

who looked for evidence of how we are saving energy and encouraging our people to get involved. The Gold Standard recognises the great progress made at East Coast towards greater energy efﬁciency – but this is just the beginning. We’ve set ourselves a target to reduce energy use by a further 5% this year, supported by a network of environment champions based at each depot, station and ofﬁce building managed by East Coast.’ Reducing energy use makes good economic sense too. East Coast currently uses energy worth around £1.75 million each year. As well as reducing its power bill, the company hopes to play its part in meeting Britain’s carbon reduction commitment.

Railway wedding for Aisha and Ben

App happy

making your Wedding day memorable is important and Ben howells’ idea of taking the train to and from the nuptials achieved just that. Aisha Allarakhia and Ben Howells of Ipswich together with family and friends travelled on the 1200 Greater Anglia Sunday service from Manningtree to Harwich, for their wedding service at the Electric Palace, Harwich. The bride and groom joined their guests for the return journey on the 1428 service on which cake and sparkling wine were served. The main reception was held at a garden party in Manningtree. Volunteers from the Essex and South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership were on hand to decorate a carriage especially for the wedding party. The driver, Graham Philpin,

more than a million people have installed the National Rail Enquiries free smartphone app since its launch in may this year. This makes it one of the most popular travel apps in Britain. The NRE app for iPhone and Android operating systems provides passengers with real time travel info. This includes details of arrivals and departures, a real time journey planner and live progress reports. By developing the app in response to customers’ needs and requests, and by making a free version available, we have made it easier for more passengers to access detailed, real-time train information while on the move.’ The National Rail Enquiries app is free and can be downloaded now from the Apple App Store.

sprinkled the happy couple with confetti. Ben, who is a regular commuter on Greater Anglia services, had seen reports of special event trains organised by the Community Rail Partnership and wondered if a similar exercise would be possible. Though wedding trains happen from time to time on heritage railways, it is unusual to ﬁnd them on a commuter rail line, but on the day the Community Rail Partnership and Greater Anglia worked together to make the day as special as possible for Aisha and Ben. Says Lucy Ainger of the Essex and South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership, ‘We were delighted when Aisha and Ben decided to travel on the Mayﬂower line from their wedding to their reception. We decorated a carriage especially

The happy couple were sprinkled with confetti by Greater Anglia train driver Graham Philpin.

for them and did everything we could to make their day as special as possible. We wish them every happiness in their life together.’

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NEWS

Ski Travel

A teenage international skier has won free rail travel to his training base in Edinburgh thanks to the intervention of his uncle who works on the railways. David Bilsland, 17, a member of the Scottish National Freestyle Ski Team is working hard to achieve selection to Team GB and then compete in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia. To help with his training

Waiting room concert

programme, he has secured a £500 donation from FirstGroup’s charity committee. This will cover the cost of rail travel between Glasgow and Edinburgh – a journey David makes up to three times each week. The former pupil of St Ninians, in the south side of Glasgow, received the funding after his uncle, John Hay, a traincare maintenance ﬁtter at ScotRail, applied to FirstGroup for sponsorship. Says David, ‘Freestyle skiing has only recently been incorporated within the Games and I am focussed on being the best. As an integral part of my training is based in Edinburgh, the rail card will allow me to travel through more often so that I am at peak ﬁtness when it comes to Team GB selection. I really appreciate the support from FirstGroup as I am funding the majority of the training myself.’ Avril Gill, FirstGroup‘s Marketing Manager, Group Brand, said, ‘Inspiring and encouraging young people into sport has been a clear message this year. This is a perfect example of the commitment involved and we are delighted to help. We wish David the best of luck.’

A classical violinist playing Bach at Tiverton Parkway station waiting room remained unfazed when two high speed trains hurtled through the station in opposite directions in the middle of her recital. As part of preparations for the Moors Festival famed violinist, Kerenza Peacock was playing excerpts from Bach’s E major Partita at the station. The concert was part of run through ahead of ﬁve more concerts - sadly all sold out - which will be staged at the

station in October. The Two Moors festival - Exmoor and Dartmoor was launched in 2001 in a bid to bring people back to the countryside after the foot and mouth crisis. The festival has proved enduringly popular and has grown year on year. More venues are needed and Tiverton with its stone ﬂoors and high ceilings has perfect acoustics. Tracy McCarthy, the very helpful station manager, thought the idea was terriﬁc and has been unstinting in her support.

team created the system so that air crews surveying the line could ﬁnd their location and send it to ground-based teams in a variety of formats, including the post codes used by the emergency services, grid references used by helicopters and the railway’s own mileagebased line reference. Says Network Rail’s director of asset information, Patrick Bossert, ‘We are always looking for innovative solutions to the

challenges we face in managing assets distributed over a 20,000mile network. By using modern technology we can offer a stepchange in the speed and ease with which we can locate and tackle problems to keep trains running smoothly.’ Network Rail used two helicopters regularly, with a third in use over the Olympic period. More usually helicopters are used to survey overhead wires, lineside

fencing and the track itself. They are also in use to combat cable theft and vandalism.

Air App A new smartphone application developed by Network Rail and linking track crews with aircraft has already proved its worth. The app, called Where Am I?, was delivered in time for the Olympic Games. Railway helicopters patrolled Olympic stations and routes during the games. In July a rail helicopter crew was able to direct police to a speciﬁc location in London where lasers had been seen targeting aircraft. The app links helicopters to emergency services and track crews improving incident management on the railway. The system uses GPS to pinpoint locations to an accuracy of 5 metres. The app then provides a GPS, Ordnance Survey and Engineer’s Line reference. Where possible it will also give you the post code for the site. Network Rail’s asset information www.railstaff.co.uk

“We are always looking for innovative solutions to the challenges we face…” PATRIck BOSSERT, ASSET INFORmATION dIREcTOR, NETWORk RAIL 15

mechan shows support for depot staff

maintenance equipment specialist mechan, is proud to be sponsoring this year’s depot Staff of the Year award. Shefﬁeld-based manufacturer Mechan is renowned for the quality, safety and reliability of its lifting products and works tirelessly to improve depot working conditions and speed up the railcar maintenance process. Says Richard Carr, Mechan’s managing director, ‘We are very pleased to be associated with the RailStaff Awards, as we work so closely with the engineers and maintenance crews who keep our rail industry on the right tracks. ‘We understand that depots are under increasing pressure to service longer trains in ever shortening timeframes. We are making rapid technological advancements to enhance the capacity of our equipment so depot staff can meet quick turnaround times without compromising safety standards.’ Technological development remains the key to Mechan’s success and ensures its wide range of equipment can be adapted to the needs of any rail vehicle. Says Tom O’Connor of the Rail Media Group, ‘We are very pleased to welcome Mechan to the RailStaff Awards 2012. Depot staff work at the very heart of the industry and this is an important and popular award.’

Global expansion

Revolutionised Mechan’s innovative Microlink controller has revolutionised the way multiple carriages are lifted, making servicing easier and quicker. The patented system allows a network of jacks to be raised simultaneously by just one operator from anywhere in the chain. Recent updates to the Microlink system have enabled the ﬁrm to install the largest set of jacks in the UK at the Alstom Transport Traincare Centre in Longsight near Manchester. By combining bespoke software with off the shelf

hardware, Mechan has increased the system’s capacity to 44 jacks and has added a colour touch screen panel to provide constant feedback on the lift. It also stores data on usage and faults to indicate when maintenance is required and what action needs to be taken.

A baby girl born on a delhi metro train is to become the railway network’s mascot. Juli Devi, 27, was on her way to Safdarjung Hospital for a checkup with her husband, three-year-old daughter and brother-in-law, when she suddenly went into labour. The train had just left Khan Market station. Women passengers helped her while railway staff brought the train to a halt. ‘This surely is the ﬁrst incident of its kind for Delhi Metro, and possibly for any metro in the world,’ says Anuj Dayal of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. ‘One of the women with some medical knowledge took the lead and ensured a safe delivery,’ Mr Dayal said. 16

On board baby becomes metro mascot

Railway staff called an ambulance and mother and child were transferred to hospital. ‘Her gynaecologist had said the delivery date was 10 days away. But everything went off well, thanks to

the women commuters and Metro ofﬁcials,’ said Mrs Devi’s brother-inlaw, Sanjit Kumar. Delhi Metro chief Mangu Singh says the railway company will take care of medical expenses incurred at the hospital.

With more than 40 years experience in the heavy lifting and rail industries, the firm’s impressive range of handling equipment now enjoys success at home and overseas. In this highly specialised field, export business is becoming increasingly important and is forecast to account for 25% of turnover in 2012, compared to just 2% in 2005. Mechan has continued its global expansion, opening up new markets in Taiwan, New Zealand and Belgium this year. Mechan is a familiar face at the bi-annual InnoTrans exhibition in Berlin. As part of the delegation led by Railway Industry Association and UK Trade and Investment, the firm will be showcasing its new Microlink system, alongside its wide range of depot maintenance products, at Innotrans: Hall 2.2, Stand 215m from September 18-21. For more information telephone (0114) 257 0563 or visit www.mechan.co.uk

Whisky planters at kingussie Scotland’s newest group of station supporters, Friends of kingussie Station, has been launched with a whisky-redolent ﬂourish. Kingussie is sporting a dozen colourful planters on the main platform thanks to the efforts of the volunteers. The Friends of Kingussie Station, founded this summer, bought and planted whisky barrels as part of ScotRail’s Adopt a Station community project. Volunteer gardeners have planted a similar ﬂoral display at Aberdeen station. Three classic Edwardianstyle tiered planters were supplied by Aberdeen City Council. www.railstaff.co.uk

NEWS

Fhoss backs Railway children Staff at Fhoss Technologies have nominated the Railway children as the company’s charity of the year. The company, based in Westonsuper-Mare makes PPE, Personal Protective Equipment. Says Andy Kimitri, Executive Chairman of Fhoss Technology, ‘We are delighted to be raising money for Railway Children. It will be our main charity for 2012/13. We asked people to nominate charities for us to support for 2012 and we had a fantastic response. We would like to thank everyone that nominated a charity and we will be in touch with the other worthy causes regarding possible future partnerships too.’ Fhoss produces a light emitting reﬂective tape, which has been designed for use in environments where wearing a high visibility

cab Ride for George Staff at Greater Anglia recently helped arrange a cab ride for school boy George James on a cambridge-Bishop’s Stortford service. George James is a year 7 pupil at The Cabin, a small unit that provides help and support for eight students with Aspergers Syndrome. Staff in the Cabin work one to one with the students. Ann Fazackerley, teacher in charge of The Cabin said, ‘We’d like to say a really big

thank you to Greater Anglia for arranging this cab ride for George; it has meant the world to him and will really help in positively reinforcing the progress he has been making since joining The Cabin.’ Says Greater Anglia driver manager Steve Ball, ‘We were pleased to arrange a trip out in the cab for George. He has a great enthusiasm for the railway and I hope this exclusive journey with Greater Anglia has inspired him.’

vest, is often mandatory. Adds Andy, ‘We will help the Railway Children by donating products as well as assisting with fundraising initiatives wherever possible.’ www.fhoss.com

Silver Jubilee for dLR

London’s star performing docklands Light Railway is celebrating its Silver Jubilee. In only 25 years, the DLR has grown from just two routes and 11 trains to become an essential part of the London Olympics as well as playing a major role in the regeneration of London’s Docklands. The DLR was opened by the www.railstaff.co.uk

Queen in August 1987 and in its ﬁrst year of operation it carried 6.7 million people. Today the railway which is entirely step-free - has 45 stations, 46 km of track, 149 carriages, and carries 86 million passengers each year. The DLR has been extended to Bank, Beckton, Lewisham and Woolwich Arsenal. More recently, TfL has delivered an Olympic

Delivery Authority-funded extension that has seen the network extended and four new stations created at Star Lane, Abbey Road, Stratford High Street and Stratford International. Says DLR Director Jonathan Fox, ‘We are proud to have been at the heart of communities in east and south east London for the last 25 years, and to have played our part

in supporting Team GB and serving the international sporting community during the Games. In doing so, the DLR broke all previous records for passenger numbers thanks to dedicated staff and many years of preparation beforehand which included adding extra carriages and installing signalling upgrades. ‘When the Games are over, this Olympic legacy will ensure that team DLR will be well placed to continue its daily role serving commuters as well as being part of the foundations for regenerating this vibrant and developing part of the Capital.’ During the Olympics 7.2 million passengers were carried on the DLR - up 100 per cent on normal levels.

Ten Grand total for heroes colin martin has raised an amazing £10,000 for the force’s charity help for heroes. Colin works for Greater Anglia’s Customer Service team at Colchester and Chelmsford stations in Essex. Last year he set himself the target of raising £10,000 in 12 months for Help for Heroes and he’s just reached his goal. He’s also raised a further £500 to be donated directly to the force’s Chavasse VC Recovery Centre, in Colchester, which was built with the assistance of Help for Heroes. Colin organised golf days, discos complete with a hog roast and a sponsored slim at work. His family helped too with his children selling Help for Heroes wrist bands. Greater Anglia provided two pairs of ﬁrst class tickets as prizes at the discos. At the most recent

Major Thomas, Colin and Steve Schollar.

golf day, organised with the assistance of Frinton Golf Club, Colin raised an incredible £4,500. Says Colin Martin, ‘I’d like to say a very big thank you to my family, friends, colleagues and the local businesses who have supported me. A special mention too to my right hand man Ian Lock, who helped organise the events. Together we’ve raised a fantastic amount for a very worthwhile charity.’

Plumstead preparation complete Preparatory work at crossrail’s Plumstead portal is now complete. Engineers from hochtief murphy JV worked safely just three metres from the main line. The Plumstead portal will take Crossrail’s slurry tunnel boring machines below the River Thames in August. The last diaphragm wall panel marked the end of six months of intensive ground engineering utilising varying methods of piling, diaphragm walling and grouting. The works have seen 2,300t of reinforcement

ﬁxed on site and 22,000m3 of structural concrete poured using ﬁve rigs at peak activity with a combined workforce of 70 from Skanska Cementation and HMJV. The greatest achievement has been the completion of the works within 3 metres of the North Kent running line with up to 16 train movements per hour. The close working relationship with Network Rail was a key factor in ensuring the success of the works and has set a new benchmark for the installation of large scale ground engineering in close proximity to live railway infrastructure. The next phase of works will involve bulk excavation of the portal and propping works in preparation for the arrival of the tunnel boring machines later this year.

Semaphore sign off

The August Bank holiday weekend saw one of the last pockets of semaphore signals and traditional absolute block working abolished in the West midlands. The West Midlands Signalling Centre at Saltley took over control from ﬁve signal boxes at Hartlebury, Kidderminster, Blakedown, Stourbridge and Kingswinford as part of an investment worth over £13 million. The WMSC will eventually control

the whole of the region. Some of the signal boxes date back to the 1880s. Parts of the Kidderminster signal box will live on as spares used by the adjacent Severn Valley Railway to help maintain the SVR’s numerous Great Western Railway manual signal boxes. At the same time the resignalling of a facing crossover was also installed at Kidderminster allowing for easier access onto the heritage railway.

New Station for Stratford A new station north of Stratfordupon-Avon at Bishopton could be open next year – seven months earlier than foreseen. Warwickshire County Council says it has signed contracts to design and build the new station and that work should start later this year. The design and build project has been awarded to the Buckingham Group. Work on site to construct the new station is due to begin later this year. The award of the contract means that the station looks set to open seven months ahead of schedule, in May 2013. The new weekday evening and Saturday services being provided by London Midland to support the new station will also begin at the same time, with the weekday off-

“As a local company we are especially pleased to have this opportunity to work with Warwickshire County Council on this exciting and challenging project…” peak services following in December 2013. Says Simon Walkley, Buckingham Rail Director, ‘As a local company we are especially pleased to have this opportunity to work with Warwickshire County Council on this exciting and challenging project. We look forward to delivering a scheme which will bring many sustainable beneﬁts to the local community.’ www.railstaff.co.uk

NEWS

Olympic teams catch trains home Athletes travelled to and from the Olympics by rail, some from overseas in the case of France, Belgium and the Netherlands. A party atmosphere greeted departing athletes on the Eurostar platforms at St Pancras after the games. Staff handed athletes glasses of champagne and a Beatles tribute band played them off to ‘Hello/Goodbye’ and ‘Michelle.’ Specially adapted trains were laid on by Eurostar which teamed up with the French and Belgian National Paralympic Committees to transport the country’s athletes to and from the Paralympic Games. Says Mary Walsh, Eurostar director of communications, ‘St Pancras has been awash with sports fans and athletes

Gold ride for Ruben Limardo Venezuelan fencing champion, Ruben Limardo, wore his gold medal proudly on the London underground. Mr Limardo won Venezuela’s ﬁrst gold medal in 44 years. Huge crowds turned out to greet him when he arrived home in Caracas. However after winning the Men’s Individual Eppee he travelled, with his 20 strong team, more quietly on the tube. When a fellow passenger asked him about the medal he said. ‘I’m a fencer from Venezuela.’

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Nicolas Petrovic, Chief Executive of Eurostar was joined by Britain's F57 javelin world champion and world record holder, Nathan Stephens; Belgium’s top Paralympic wheelchair tennis player, Annick Sevenans; and France’s leading Paralympic fencing champion, Moez el Assine to visit the East London depot – within a stone’s throw of the Olympic Park - to find out how each train will be adapted by Eurostar’s fleet engineering team.

throughout the Games and it has been a tremendously exciting place to be.’ Before setting off

home to France swimming champion Camille Muffat, who clinched victory in the women’s

400 metres freestyle swimming, displayed her silver and bronze medals at St Pancras.

Railway war victims remembered “On 4th August 1942, Middlesbrough railway station was bombed killing eight railway workers and civilians…”

Railway staff joined together to remember victims of a Luftwaffe bombing raid on middlesbrough in the Second World War. On 4th August 1942, Middlesbrough railway station was bombed killing eight railway workers and civilians. 70 years on, staff from First Transpennine Express, Northern Rail and the British Transport Police joined

some of the victims’ relatives to unveil a commemorative plaque. The plaque was unveiled at 13.00 followed by two minutes silence at 13.08 – the exact time the bombs are thought to have hit Middlesbrough railway station. Those remembered included George William Barrett, James Fred Binks, John William Bowe, Timothy Carroll, Derek Corﬁeld, Solomon

Peter Niman, Charles Raymond Taylor and William Henry Thornelowe. Says Neil Stirk, station team leader at Middlesbrough, ‘Today’s event was incredibly emotional not only for the relatives of those killed in the attacks 70 years ago, but also for staff from FTPE. I am however delighted that we were able to respectfully honour the gentlemen involved with a commemorative plaque at their place of work, Middlesbrough railway station.’ Middlesbrough was the ﬁrst major British town and industrial target to be bombed during the Second World War in May 1940.

What do they do

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch continuing our series looking at people and organisations in the rail industry, RailStaff asks the question: What do they do? Nigel Wordsworth looks at The Rail Accident Investigation Branch

So far, this series has looked at the work of the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) and the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR). Both promote safe working practices on the railway, with the RSSB setting standards and the ORR enforcing them. However, what happens on the day that things go wrong and there is an accident or, even worse, somebody hurt? No matter whether it is an overturned digger, or a crashed train, someone needs to find out what went wrong, so that lessons can be learned and it doesn’t happen again. Enter the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB). Set up in 2005 following Lord Cullen’s public inquiry into the Ladbroke Grove rail accident, the RAIB is one of three transport Accident Investigation Branches, the other two being Marine and Air. Each Branch is required to be operationally independent of all other organisations, including the Department for Transport (of which they are part) and their respective regulators. The RAIB’s chief inspector, Carolyn Griffiths, reports directly to the Secretary of State for Transport on investigation matters.

RAIB defined

Carolyn Griffiths.

The RAIB investigates whenever a serious railway accident occurs, one from which it judges there could be material safety lessons learned. A serious accident is deﬁned as a derailment or collision which results in, or could result in, the death of at least one person, serious injury to ﬁve or

more people, or extensive damage to rolling stock, the infrastructure or the environment. It also includes other types of accident with an obvious impact on railway safety regulations or the management of safety. As well as these statutory duties, the RAIB has the discretion to investigate any other accident or incident, which, under slightly different circumstances, may have led to a serious accident. It can also look into any other accident, near miss or trend if it believes an RAIB investigation might lead to recommendations that will materially improve the safety of the railways. Its jurisdiction is the whole of the UK, including Northern Ireland and the channel tunnel in collaboration with its French counterpart, BEATT. In addition, the RAIB investigates worker accidents that are specific to the operational railway (defined as those associated with the movement of trains which includes on track engineering vehicles). It does not investigate suicides or accidents involving deliberate trespass. All this is laid down in the Railways (Accident Investigation and Reporting) Regulations 2005. These Regulations specify that mainline passenger, freight, metro, heritage, tramway and cable-hauled railways are all within RAIB’s scope. They also place a duty on the railway industry to notify the RAIB of specific types of incident within prescribed time limits which ensures that RAIB inspectors can respond quickly, where necessary, to attend the accident site.

Training an inspector Being an accident investigator is a very skilled job. RAIB inspectors are generally recruited from specialisms within the industry, and are then trained in-house to become competent, crossdiscipline, professional accident investigators. The type and scope of the training is so specialised that it had to be developed especially for or by the RAIB. The industry, the European Rail Agency (ERA) and other accident investigation organisations have all expressed interest in learning from and sharing this training, and the RAIB is working to facilitate this where ever possible.

Quick actions Once notiﬁed of an accident, the RAIB will normally lead an investigation unless there is a clear indication that a serious criminal act has caused the accident, in which case the police will normally lead. If it is felt that there is critical evidence at site, for example perishable evidence or evidence that needs to be recorded or secured, inspectors will be deployed immediately to the site. In most cases the RAIB conducts a preliminary examination. This is to gather sufﬁcient details and evidence to enable the RAIB to make an informed decision on whether or not to conduct a full investigation. In forming this decision, the RAIB takes into account the actual or potential seriousness of the accident or incident, the potential for www.railstaff.co.uk

FEATuRE

recurrence, and whether an investigation by the RAIB would likely meet the aim of improving the safety of the railways. If the accident or incident does not warrant a full investigation, but the RAIB feels there may still be some learning points for the industry, it will publish a short bulletin. Although completely and legally independent, the RAIB will involve the industry in its investigation as far as is appropriate and keep all parties informed of progress during the investigation. It will share technical evidence and factual data arising from its tests and examinations with other statutory investigatory bodies. It will not, however, share the identity of witnesses nor their statements so as to enable witnesses to speak with the RAIB openly. The RAIB’s sole function is the independent investigation of accidents and incidents with the aim of determining the causes, improving safety and preventing similar accidents and incidents in the future. It does not determine liability or apportion blame. Therefore, after every investigation, a report is published outlining what happened, the cause of the accident, and any recommendations that the RAIB feels justiﬁed in making to improve safety in the future. The RAIB has no role or statutory powers to follow up on the implementation of recommendations, other than if it becomes relevant as part of a subsequent investigation. It is the safety authorities (the ORR, the Department of Regional Development Northern Ireland, and the Intergovernmental Commission for the Channel Tunnel) which must ensure that the industry takes appropriate and timely action in response to the RAIB’s recommendations

report includes five recommendations. Of these, where the outcome has been reported, 96% have been accepted and have been, or are being, implemented. Currently, the response to 87 recommendations is being considered by the industry. The RAIB works from two centres. One has recently moved to Farnborough, on the same site as the Air Accident Investigation Branch, and the other is in Derby. The chief inspector, Carolyn Griffiths, manages a budget of around £5 million a year. Even this amount has come under costsaving pressure, and is around £1 million less than it was a year or so ago. Carolyn was, in fact, the first ever employee of the RAIB in 2003. An experienced railway engineer who has worked in the UK, Sweden, Germany and Singapore, she was recruited to establish the organisation from scratch and develop its legislation, its team and all its training, logistics and operational procedures ready for the launch in 2005.

Excellent reputation

Seven years on

Since going operational in 2005, the RAIB has published 182 investigation reports into accidents or incidents, and 30 bulletins. There are currently 27 investigations in progress and the average time to complete an investigation report is approximately 11 months. On average, each investigation

Looking back on the ﬁrst seven years of operation, Carolyn is proud of the reputation that the RAIB has gained. “We have come a long way in seven years,” she commented. “Starting from nothing, the RAIB is now seen by others as a world leader in rail accident investigation. “We have had investigators from

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other European countries come to us for learning and training. We shall shortly be receiving investigators from further afield on our upcoming training courses. We have also assisted other countries’ investigations when they feel that they could benefit from our particular expertise or experience.” Over the seven years, a wealth of experience has been built up. “As time has gone on, our knowledge increases and we have been able to identify trends in the accidents we investigate,” Carolyn continued. “We have seen causal factors that are connected to common areas of equipment, infrastructure or operations, and this has influenced our ongoing recommendations and the safety discussions we have with the industry. “Examples are level crossing risk management and safety management and leadership during track renewals and maintenance.” These areas will be discussed in more detail in the RAIB’s Annual Report which will be published later this month. “In recent years, we have seen a limited number of accidents which our earlier recommendations might, in our opinion, have prevented. In these cases it is vital we investigate why those recommendations were not implemented, so we look at actions taken by the industry and the safety authority in this respect. And we will redouble our own efforts to influence the adoption of

any additional related recommendations. “The RAIB makes recommendations - it can not require organisations to take actions. It is the safety authorities’ responsibility to ensure those to whom we make those recommendations properly consider them and take the appropriate action.” Carolyn is upbeat. “We have a very good working relationship with the industry and other stakeholders such as the police. People have seen what we have to offer, we have credibility and are taken seriously, and we are now welcomed at accident sites as everyone knows what we have to do and the ability to do it.” So, although RAIB inspectors are only seen on the railway when things have gone wrong, their resulting recommendations are designed to make everyone safer. No wonder the whole industry is cooperating.

“We’ve never been a talking family… talking’s not a big thing. I don’t think we’ve ever done it… there’s a block there somewhere… you just hold it in the back of your mind somewhere and it sort of goes away. I didn’t talk about the divorce - it’s always been a sign of weakness isn’t it…”

Did you know? Samaritans is available 24 hours a day and are contacted more than ﬁve million times a year - once every six seconds. For more information about the work of Samaritans, visit www.samaritans.org 22

In January 2010 a pioneering Samaritans and Network Rail partnership launched covering the rail network in England, Scotland and Wales, with the overall aim of reducing the number of suicides on the railways by 20% over a ﬁve year period. Suicides by men are three times more common than by women and working class men in their 30s, 40s and 50s are those most likely of all to take their own lives, including those on the railways. Besides the tragic loss of life, suicide has a devastating effect on family, friends, train drivers, railway staff and witnesses. The £5 million partnership between Samaritans and Network Rail is now in its third year and involves the roll out of a programme of suicide prevention and post-incident support activities. Over 3,000 rail staff and BTP ofﬁcers have now been trained in how to spot someone in distress, how to intervene and get them to a place of safety. The partnership also involves stations teaming up with local Samaritans branches to help support them following an incident. With the support of Network Rail, Train Operators and the British Transport Police, the partnership has been making a positive impact. Samaritans has www.railstaff.co.uk

NEWS

We’re in our corner been informed by railway staff about incidents where rail staff have intervened when they’ve seen someone on the platform in distress. One of the essential elements of the partnership is the ‘We’re In Your Corner’ nationwide public awareness campaign, which is being developed in two phases.

Campaign phase 1 ‘Men on the Ropes’ In September 2010, the ﬁrst phase of the national advertising campaign was launched called ‘Men on the Ropes’. It was designed to increase public awareness of Samaritans’ support services for those who may be struggling to cope. Over a two year period the boxer image has been displayed around railway stations, level crossings and in nearby pubs nationwide. Station packs containing key information about the partnership, along with leaﬂets and pocket contact cards for distribution to affected passengers, have been distributed to railway locations nationwide.

Campaign phase 2 The second phase of the ‘We’re in your corner’ campaign, launching on 20 September, will build on the success of ‘Men on the Ropes’ and its ‘boxer’ image. www.railstaff.co.uk

The challenge with this year’s campaign was ﬁnding an image, or archetype, that is recognised and respected amongst the target male audience, in the same way that the boxer image from 2010 was. From this, coupled with feedback from the railway industry, the decision was made to produce three images, featuring men of different ages, and reaching different male audiences. It was felt that because people had seen the boxer images often, it was time to update them to create more of an impact.

What the research told us Samaritans carried out in-depth research to help understand the target group of ‘men’ and identify the challenges in developing a targeted campaign.

Here’s what was discovered:

• most men don’t like to talk – or at least admit to it • for a lot of men talking about their problems can feel like an admission of defeat, that they aren’t able to solve them on their own • as men get older, they can get ground down, feel that their ‘ﬁre’ can go out, that they no longer have a rage inside them, but rather a depressive acceptance of the fact that life is not going to improve.

In order for the campaign to work, the images need to connect with the audience. Suicide is an uncomfortable topic and it was essential that the target group were able to identify and connect with the images.

How to get the ‘image’ right? To help shape the campaign, a series of one-to-one in-depth interviews were conducted, with men from the target audience to test a series of new images. Three different images tested positively: a boxing trainer, a soldier and a workman. The boxing trainer tested well as boxing remains a tough, well respected, accessible sport amongst working class men. The soldier garnered the most respect amongst this audience, and it was acknowledged that they would have potentially ‘seen things’ that could cause them to have problems. The workman signified the ‘everyday man’ who could be easily identified with. The findings highlighted the need to portray the ‘ordinary man’ but they still needed to be tough, be seen to be ‘holding it together’ and getting on with life - and most importantly they must not appear beaten, or be seen as an object of pity.

The ﬁnal images chosen, the boxing trainer, soldier and workman deliver a clear message that ‘it’s ok to call Samaritans’.

New research: Men, Suicide and Society Statistics show that working class men in their 30s, 40s and 50s are those most at risk of suicide, but what is not clear is why. Alongside the new poster images, Samaritans commissioned ﬁve experts to look into the reasons why this target group are so vulnerable to suicide. The results of this research are being published later in September with the hope that it will help those working in suicide prevention to understand more about this group and how to reach out to them.

“Talking’s good if you know how to do it and if you don’t know how to do it, it’s hard…” 23

TRAINING

TRAINING FOcuS... sponsored by Vital Skills Training

With the Government committing to invest £9 billion in our railways over the next decade, this has arguably become the largest investment in the rail infrastructure in modern times. It is all good news - for the commuter, for the rail industry and for the young people who might now have the prospect of a secure, satisfying job or career. Among other things, this investment will bring electriﬁcation to areas such as the Welsh Valleys and the Great Western mainline which has the potential to create thousands of rail industry jobs. The positions that will be created by this project are long-term and it will take an army of people with the necessary skills to maintain the new infrastructure and keep everything moving efﬁciently and safely. This is where one of the real challenges lies; in training these individuals to the required standard and ensuring that they receive appropriate professional development throughout their working life.

But hold on, something else has to happen ﬁrst. Young people do not walk out of school and slip effortlessly into an engineering career in the rail industry. If only it was that simple. First of all, and preferably before they choose their GCSE subjects, they need to be aware of what is available in the rail sector. An impressive 98% of teachers in state schools say they regard it as important that students meet potential employers. Already there are schemes that encourage this a big step in the right direction. What the industry has to do is maintain that interest so they follow through with training. Until recently apprenticeships were regarded as the poor relation when it came to moving on from school. University was the hard sell, the place to go, the goal to reach. The hard fact is, though, that not everyone wants to go to university; some want to work and combine that hands-on experience with study. These are the young people

who could come into our industry - if only they knew what fantastic opportunities there are and what great training is available. Many see the ‘glory days’ of apprenticeships as the 1950s and 1960s. Apprenticeships were the main route into a job in most manufacturing, engineering and construction industries. According to the government, the number of Apprenticeships undertaken in the late 1960s rose to almost 150,000. The decline in the UK’s manufacturing industries can explain the fall in Apprenticeships during the 1970s and 1980s, but it seems now we are experiencing an Apprenticeship renaissance. Recently there has been a change of focus and Apprenticeships are slowly becoming the realistic and recognised career option with the opportunity to progress onto a qualiﬁcation in rail engineering at NVQ levels 2 and 3. The numbers rose 63.5% in 2010/11 over the previous year, with 457,200 individuals beginning Apprenticeships.

for the future

The National Skills Academy for Railway Engineering (NSARE) is currently working to determine the future training needs of the industry and a report, funded by the Ofﬁce of Rail Regulation (ORR), will be published in the autumn. This will highlight which skills are needed, providing us with a framework around which we can do that all-essential planning. It’s a tall order and, while we don’t have a crystal ball, we know there will be a demand for trained professionals. What we need to do is ensure that we have the resources in place to provide the necessary training. One thing is certain: we can’t afford to stand still.

“98% of teachers in state schools say they regard it as important that students meet potential employers…”

Helping our clients get from... Track

A Web.

www.vital-rail.com

OLE & Isolations

Email.

Signalling & Telecoms

info@vital-rail.com

Building and Civils

Tel.

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Recruitment

B Fax.

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS SAYING “THANK YOU” TO THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP THE INDUSTRY MOVING

Vote Now

The Olympics saw heroes from around the world competing, striving for excellence. Our own rail heroes continue to deliver what has to be one of the most inspiring industrial phenomena of recent times.

Look at the date when you read this and check to see if you still have time to vote in the RailStaff Awards 2012. Voting ﬁnishes up on 16th September. This summer all of us have marvelled at the displays of heroism and bravery we have seen on our screens and at the Olympic venues in London and around Britain. Watching athletes from all over the world head home – many by train from St Pancras – it is easy, in a wave of emotion, to wish they had all won a medal. All trained hard amazing the rest of us with their dedication, determination and courage. Particularly inspiring were the Paralympic athletes. For they take away the last excuse the rest of us spectators have for not taking up sport or at least exercise. The athletes themselves will always live with the knowledge that they competed in the greatest Olympic Games ever staged. We wish them well in their future lives and careers. Their example has inspired us all.

An athlete in training will list the various elements of a programme designed to get them to peak fitness – cross training, diet and attitude. All these attributes find a parallel in those we work with. Instead of simply looking at a colleague or an employee as you have always done it is a worth while exercise to mentally tick off the good points about her, the hundred character indicators that go towards making up the person you meet every day. Wasn’t he involved in that charity fund raiser? How does she hold down a full time job and juggle a busy family life? A remarkable aspect of life in the railway is the variety of roles people play, all going to make up the individual that benefits the place and the organisation where you work. He or she may be a good sport – but good sports people in the railway don’t always win medals. More often than not their professionalism and compassion goes unremarked. The RailStaff Awards is an industry wide

attempt to recognise the hard work and inspired professionalism of the men and women who deliver the railway safely day by day, night by night. For its success the RailStaff Awards depends on you the reader. Many thanks for the nominations more this year than ever before. What we need now is you to look through them at the web site railstaffawards.com and vote as you think best. Voting closes on 16th September. The ﬁnalists will be announced on the 21st September. Table bookings are starting to ﬂy in - Early Bird of £80 (ex VAT) is only available until the 16th September, after that tables are £95 (ex VAT). Like the competitors at the London Olympics 2012 every nomination is a triumph. The nominations themselves – the actual text – can be kept, a lasting thank you and tribute to our own Olympic heroes who continue to make this a gold medal winning industry every time.

in association with

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Nominations are now closed but voting is still open until the 16th September. Finalists will also be announced soon, so keep in touch with: www.railstaffawards.com VOTE NOW!

BridgeZone sponsors Rail Engineer of the Year

PAGE 27

New Special Lifesaver Award

PAGE 29

RIFAA aids Trainer of the Year

BAck A hERO

PAGE 31

Who will be your next rail hero? In their job? In your job? For the business? Personally? For charity?

Finalists Announced Soon! www.railstaffawards.com

Delighted D elighted to to sponsor sponsor

Rail Manager of the year 2012 We W ep provide rovide all all our ou r members m embers with with access a ccess to… to… » A professional network » Area events » Academic qualifications » Professional Development » CPD schemes

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www.railstaffawards.com

RAILSTAFF AWARdS

BridgeZone backs Rail Engineer of the Year Leading difficult-to-access inspection specialist BridgeZone Ltd, is backing the Rail Engineer of the Year at the RailStaff Awards. “The rail industry is keen to attract, develop and retain railway engineers,” says Tom O’Connor, managing director of the Rail Media Group. “Rail engineers are among the most respected professionals on the railway. It is time we honoured them for the hard work, ingenuity and determination they display on projects and renewals up and down the network day and night,” he added. BridgeZone Ltd is a civil engineering consultancy, specialising in Difficult Access Inspection of built structures such as bridges, tunnels and operational property large and small, with extensive experience in rope access, diving and confined space operations. Undertaking difficult

access inspection, assessment and design in sectors such as Renewable Energy, Coastal and Marine and in the Highway, Petrochemical, Aviation and Rail industries, BridgeZone draws on a wealth of experience, both nationally and – more recently – internationally, for new and existing clients. As a member of the Association of Diving Contractors, an operating member of IRATA (Industrial Rope Access Trade Association) and registered with the HSE to undertake inshore and inland diving operations, BridgeZone provides professionally qualified and experienced civil and structural engineers, trained in wide ranging disciplines such as commercial surface supply diving, difficult access inspection, confined space operations (incorporating full breathing apparatus for hostile conditions)

Lee Johnson Engineer of the Year winner 2011.

and rope access. BridgeZone offers an alternative to standard working at height restrictions, allowing access to most sub-surface and conﬁned space environments by which Difﬁcult Access Inspection, survey, investigation and assessment of structures can be carried out. “We are totally committed to

investing in our people and developing our engineering skill base. This is a fundamental part of our strategy to grow the business, make a positive difference to people’s lives and sponsoring ‘The Rail Engineer of the Year’ category is a reﬂection of that”, said BridgeZone’s Managing Director Paul Marshall.

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Network Rail isNetwork proud Rail to sponsor is proud the RailStaff awards 2012 to sponsor the RailStaff Awards 2011 It’s the hard work of individuals and teams within our industry that’s helping us build a It’s your hard work – the individuals and teams within our better railway for Britain. From pioneering industry – that’s helping us build a better railway for Britain. investment and development projects, to From pioneering investment and development projects,services innovations that make everyday to innovations faster, that make everyday services faster, smarter in smarter and safer, we believe and safer, we believe in recognising the excellence that’s recognising the excellence that’s enabling enabling the transformation of our network.

the transformation of our network.

That’s why we’re very proud to once again sponsor this year’s RailStaff Awards. That’s why we’re very proud to once again

sponsor this year’s RailStaff Awards.

Helping Britain run better

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Helping Britain run better networkrail.co.uk 28

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RAILSTAFF AWARdS

New Special Lifesaver Award

A new RailStaff Award has been launched this year aimed at drawing attention to the many acts of courage and heroism that prevent death on the railway. The Network Rail/Samaritans Partnership is supporting the Special Lifesaver Award. The object is to recognise the preemptive actions of station staff, train crew, track workers and many railway staff who by timely intervention prevented a potential fatality. Rachel Kirby-Rider, Executive Director of Fundraising and Communications at Samaritans says: ‘There have been a number of interventions by railway staff following participation in Samaritans training that could have otherwise resulted in fatality. Approaching a stranger who may be distressed and suicidal requires signiﬁcant dedication and is so much more than ‘just part of the job’. Being there for an individual at a point in their lives of extreme vulnerability does make a huge positive difference. This is why

we’re delighted to be launching the Samaritans Lifesaver Award.’ The Network Rail/Samaritans Partnership was launched two years ago with the aim of reducing the number of suicides on the railways. Network Rail is investing in the partnership. Special courses have been developed to equip train staff with the skills to approach vulnerable people and help to get them to a place of safety, as well as a call-out service that involves Samaritans volunteers visiting stations to offer support to vulnerable people and staff. Says Paul Curtis of the Rail Media Group, which organises the RailStaff Awards, ‘Suicide on the railways is a continuing tragedy not only for the deceased themselves but for railway workers especially train drivers, other staff and police ofﬁcers who have to deal with the immediate aftermath of the death. I know from my own experience that it is also a source of continuing distress for the many families and

friends left behind. Human life is sacred and anything we can do to help save even one life has to be worthwhile.’ Paul lost his sister-inlaw’s brother in a railway suicide and has since been a vigorous supporter of measures to reduce suicide. The aim of the award is to draw attention to the many instances of railway staff intervention which have served to save life. Says Paul, ‘If you know of a colleague who has prevented someone from taking their life on the railway in the last year please consider nominating them for the Special Lifesaver Award.’ Says RailStaff editor Andy Milne, ‘The whole question of suicide is a delicate one. However by publicising the work of the Network Rail/Samaritans Partnership we can draw more staff into it - to take part in free courses and brieﬁngs. People nominated serve as both an example and inspiration to the rest of us. It’s valuable work and, put bluntly, it saves lives.’

!"#$%#&%'()%*+,&%-.&#)&'%% /$#0%!1)/$'!/2%3")/%!4)% 5#00#!4%1)!10)%.&)%!./% &)/"#6)&%)")/7%8$72% !"#$%&'(%)'%'(*%

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In partnership with

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The Transport Benevolent Fund is proud to sponsor the Station Staff of the Year award again this year. With the help of the TOCs, Network Rail and other employers throughout the public transport industry we now have 36,000 members. For just ÂŁ1 a week a variety of benefits are available to you, your partner and dependent children. Join today!

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RAILSTAFF AWARdS

RIFAA aids Trainer of the Year Alison Walters Trainer of the Year winner 2011.

RIFAA Ltd is supporting the Trainer of the Year at this year’s RailStaff Awards. ‘Many of the stories of heroism and life saving we see at the

RailStaff Awards would not be possible if the men and women concerned had not taken the initiative and developed ﬁrst aid and other skills in emergency and

incident handling’, says Tom O’Connor, managing director of the Rail Media Group. ‘RIFAA plays an important role in training many railway staff in skills that save

lives and maintain the health and welfare of those in our charge.’ Established in 1997, RIFAA Ltd is committed to continuing its long established objectives, promoting all forms of first aid provision within the rail industry. RIFAA Ltd has partnership arrangements with many organisations to provide cost effective First Aid, Fire, Manual Handling, IOSH Safety and other Health and Safety training. Training is delivered by top professionals in their respective field of expertise. RIFAA Ltd supports and encourages rail staff with the provision of volunteer classes around the country, as well as the free access ‘Save a Life’ community first aid courses for both rail staff and their families. ‘The Trainer of the Year is open to all involved in the broad field of railway training across a multitude of disciplines. As the industry seeks to make good the skills’ shortfall, professional and committed trainers have never been more important’, says Tom.

PROUD TO SPONSOR Signal Engineer of the Year

Morson Group PLC operates through two main subsidiaries, Morson International, providing specialist engineering and technical personnel and Morson Projects Limited, which provides outsourced engineering and project management design services.

www.railstaffawards.com

RAILSTAFF AWARdS

Who will be your next rail hero? In their job? In your job? For the business? Personally? For charity?

Finalists Announced Soon! Depot Staff of the Year

Rail Safety Person of the Year

Public vote closes:

Lifetime Achievement Award

Rail Team of the Year

16th September 2012

Newcomer / Graduate of the Year

Recruiter / HR Person of the Year

Outstanding Customer Service Award

Samaritans Lifesaver Award

Finalists announced:

Rail Engineer of the Year

Signal Engineer of the Year

18th September 2012

Rail Infrastructure Person of the Year

Station Staff of the Year

Rail Manager of the Year

Sustainability Award

Table bookings:

Rail Person of the Year

Train Driver of the Year

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NEWS

All train operators strive to improve their passenger experience. comfortable and happy passengers are likely to travel again, and it is a major way to secure repeat business. Rail Vehicle Enhancements 2012 is a new initiative, aiming at helping all those involved with making sure that passengers feel comfortable and safe during their journey. Running in two locations, London and Derby, on successive days 3rd and 4th October, RVE2012 will introduce the latest technology - available today. Environmental systems, to keep passengers cool, will be alongside other technologies intending to keep those same passengers informed. There will also be CCTV installations, sending live pictures to an off-train control centre, and automatic passenger counters ensure that operators know all they need to about train loadings.

ÂŠ JONAThAN WEBB

Rail Vehicle Enhancements 2012

Passenger expectations As well as a good travelling experience, passengers expect value for money within the ticket price. Train loading is key in certain areas, as is maximising revenue by targeting fare dodgers or planning services without the cost of consultancies modelling predicted passenger numbers when real information can be available.

Many of these technologies bring social beneďŹ ts such as reducing carbon foot print whilst also delivering sound economic business cases for implementation based on reduction of fuel use, safety or by providing advertising revenue streams.

Multiple Systems The ability to support a multiplicity of systems on train is

now all the easier by installing on the train, hard wired ethernet connections between equipment, ensuring the installation costs are minimised by utilising a common platform. The need to keep rolling stock in continued service means that investment in rolling stock assets is essential to ensure that they are up to date, meet passenger expectation and are sought after by train operators. These initiatives make it all the more timely to take the opportunity to overlay maintenance and refurbishment with enhancement programmes. The companies that can provide the products that deliver all of these train enhancements and more are assembling at Rail Vehicle Enhancements 2012. See for yourself, at the Grand Connaught Rooms, London, on 3rd of October and at the Ramada Encore Hotel, Pride Park, Derby on 4th October.

supported by Organised by

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London | Grand Connaught Rooms | Wed October 3rd Derby | Ramada Encore | Thurs October 4th

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When will we begin to see an overall improvement in safety culture and performance? It does not appear to be happening yet! SAFETY COLIN WHEELER colin@rail-media.com

Fig 1

Last month I featured the trolley runaway at haslemere that was only reported sometime after it occurred when a concerned and sensible whistle blower spoke up! Quite rightly the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) stressed the lack of a safety culture at Havant Depot and it will have come as no surprise to readers that I was pleased to see this identiﬁed as a cause. My optimism last month in reporting the progress made by the Carillion Lifeguards has been severely dented by the reports from RAIB released during August and incidents reported in the last month or so.

One seriously injured, five near misses At 0528 on the morning of Sunday June 12th 2011 (the sun rose at 0442 so was still low in the sky) a Gatwick to London Victoria train travelling at 60 mph struck and seriously injured a trackworker a mile south of Purley Station at Stoat’s Nest Junction (between London and Brighton see fig1); remarkably he lived. Five others were “narrowly missed” according to the report. The planned work involved the use of a pre-cut closure rail which on the night was found to be too short. The cutting etc. of a replacement resulted in time running out. When the Engineering Supervisor contacted the Controller of Site Safety he found that the man was not on site having been sent elsewhere. In the confusion that followed the line was returned to trafﬁc whilst the work was still ongoing as can be seen from the CCTV images at 0517 some seven minutes after the handback! The report states that the “authority of the COSS was confused and undermined by the presence of more senior 34

management.” This is the basis for a major report recommendation, together with “improving safety culture and qualities of leadership”.

Cover plates flew off The RAIB has also released its report into an accident on 18th July 2011 which luckily injured no-one. At 1752 a metal cover plate that had been temporarily attached over a ventilation grill on the side of a container came loose and struck the cab of a passing train. The covers measured 2.5 metres by 1 metre and had been ﬁxed to prevent water entering the containers on their subsequent sea voyage. Potentially their coming free could have resulted in a fatality. The securing screws had worked loose. Did anyone suspect they might? Did anyone notice anything - and if they did, why did they choose to say nothing?

Marginal bank became a landslip due to drain On 27th April this year at 1155 a Class 142 Lincoln to Adwick passenger train ran into a landslip

at Clarborough Tunnel near Retford. One passenger sustained minor injuries; the other 16 and two-crew were uninjured. The last examination was carried out on January 27th 2010 when the bank was classified as “marginal” meaning a five yearly future frequency of examinations but the examining engineer was unable to access the crest drain. The Network Rail Drainage Engineer walked through in August 2011 but his work “did not reveal any observable problems with the drain”. The landslip was caused by the crest drain. In such matters I remain of the view that the benefits of involving a number of specialists in an area to inspect for problems with any part of the infrastructure will always be outweighed by using locally based people who will be sensitive to changes and keep a watchful eye on known problems. There needs to be a balance, but was the balance right in this case?

Shunter crushed It would be nice to conclude that the lessons of these year or so old incidents have been learnt and

consequently the frequency of such events has fallen, but this does not seem to be the case. On Tuesday June 12th this year a shunter was crushed between two wagons and suffered serious injuries in the DB Schenker Maintenance Sidings at Margham Yard near Port Talbot (see fig2). The BYA buckeye type couplers are designed to engage automatically, but only work when the locking pin on each coupler is raised and the couplers are centred/aligned. An adapted fork lift was used to push the wagons whose air brakes were inoperative, so handbrakes operated by staff walking alongside were being used. When the couplers failed to engage the injured person went between the wagons to realign them but was lost to view as the brake was released and forklift pushed. A full investigation is underway.

Train ran onto unsupported track A potentially very serious incident occurred in Northern Ireland at Knockmore between Belfast and Port Rush at 0705 on the morning of June 28th (see fig3). www.railstaff.co.uk

TRAck SAFETY

A special train of six coaches was carrying 100 passengers and ﬁve staff to the Irish Open Golf Tournament. The train ran onto an area of washed out track formation and came to a halt with the ﬁrst of its coaches on an unsupported section of track. Fortunately the driver was able to reverse his train off the washed out section without it de-railing. Although the RAIB were made aware of the track washout and embankment failure on July 4th it took until August for them to discover the details of the incident with the six coach train. Doubtless the inspection records of the embankment etc. are now included in their enquiries.

Just two seconds to get clear On 16th July at 1341 a group of track workers had a near miss at Roydon Essex, when the 1304 passenger train from Cambridge to London Victoria came upon them at a small bridge over the river Stort just east of the Station. Two track staff had been taking measurements between the bridge girders and track. The cess walkway was along the top of the girders accessed by steps at either end. The safe system of work being used was for verbal warnings to be given by a lookout but the “sighting distance was too short to provide time for workers to move clear”. The pictures taken by the CCTV cab camera show that staff were only able to get clear 2 or 3 seconds before the train passed. The RAIB advice says that they are looking speciﬁcally at “the

Fig 2

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work planning, system of work and how the sighting distance was determined”. I assume this near miss was reported ﬁrst by the train driver!

Fig 3

Another track worker struck by a train On August 6th at 0931 a track worker was struck by a train and seriously injured at Bulwell Nottingham. The 0925 Nottingham to Worksop train approached the short section of single line at around 55 mph whilst the trackman was standing adjacent to it. His job was the solo inspection of vegetation around the site and the initial report says that the system of work “required him to look out for trains and move clear when one approached.” Presumably he was working as an IWA (Individual Working Alone) on a site where this was a reasonable way of working. The train driver sounded his horn but the man was struck by the train footsteps as it passed. I still remember losing concentration in sidings many decades ago and only moving completely clear when a colleague shouted at me!

Two track machines collide On 9th/10th August at Arley Warwickshire it was 0420 in the morning when a Stoneblower collided with a stationary Ballast Regulator within a possession worksite on the Down Arley line. The leading bogies of both machines were derailed by the impact and both machines were damaged.

Of the 4 staff on the Regulator and 3 on the Stoneblower only one needed hospital treatment. The RAIB investigation is focussing on the sequence of events and the communications between machine controllers and drivers.

Safety culture is still the key Following on from my optimism last month, I have been shocked by the information released by the

RAIB recently. The full reports are up to a year old, but the number of incidents and potentially fatal accidents reported in the last couple of months dispels all optimism. Network Rail’s “Safety Central” website now features the eleven “Life Saving Rules” in a downloadable PDF format which I welcome. However the “Safer Connected” video begins like an advertisement for Pandrol clips, then emphasises that “people are the backbone of safety” and, after claiming that sleeves have been rolled up, states that future rules will be based on “what we do every day”. I appreciate the aspirations, but they are exclusively focussed on Network Rail’s own staff. I would have preferred an approach encompassing everyone who does work on their infrastructure although maybe recent reports indicate that creating a better safety culture within Network Rail needs to be their initial priority! The RAIB should not ﬁnd grounds for suggesting that the presence of senior managers undermined safety.

NEWS

Timeless charm of Rural Japan “On the first day of each month around 20 people gather at the station, and during the winter months begin by holding a planning meeting around a wood burning fire just outside of the station…”

The delightful rural station in the Japanese village chikugo Oishi is almost as far away from the country’s iconic high speed Shinkansen routes as it is possible to get, reports Jonathan Webb. Situated on the southern island of Kyushu on the Kyudai mainline, which is single line throughout apart from a number of passing loops, the unmanned station once had a passing loop and bay along with a station master who took great care of the station and its passengers. Although the station staff have long gone the station remains an important part of community life, especially for the village’s elderly population who meet once a month to clean and maintain the one remaining platform and station buildings. On the ﬁrst day of each month around 20 people gather at the station, and during the winter

months begin by holding a planning meeting around a wood burning ﬁre just outside of the station. This allows everyone to know what work needs doing at the station and who will do it. This can range from pruning trees in the station garden to sweeping the platforms and tidying up the waiting room. The waiting room bears more resemblance to a toy shop with numerous toys and books including those featuring Thomas the Tank, all donated by local people, for children to occupy themselves as they wait for their train with their parents. On the platform passengers can wait on donated chairs and seats. Despite being located in a very rural area there is a train each way every hour, even on Sundays, between 05.30 to 22.30 and although there are no station staff vandalism is unheard of.

It is possible to purchase a ticket from one of the village shops and fare evasion is extremely rare. The line is worked mainly by one man operated single car trains where the driver both drives and checks tickets as passengers leave the train. If a passenger ‘forgets’ to show the driver their ticket upon leaving the train the driver will announce over the loud speaker attached to the front of the train that they need to return and show their ticket. Such is the social embarrassment of this happening in a rural village where everybody knows each other it acts as a natural deterrent. Once all station work has been completed the volunteers make their way to the former staff hall and enjoy a chat and cup of green tea before planning for next month’s meeting. www.railstaff.co.uk

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Welcome to the Show! autumn adhesion problems and Frost Rovers that attack ice on the third rail. The Weld and BV1000 Rovers are very successful as there is no need to transfer equipment at the access point, saving an average of 100 minutes per shift (Network Rail - Glasgow) and increasing welding productivity three-fold (Network Rail Wessex).

civil engineering is heavy work. Whether it is digging ditches, moving muck, removing rocks, shifting sand, carrying concrete, grading gravel or levelling the landscape it is all hard work, and needs some powerful machinery. When that work has to be carried out on the railway, things get even more complicated. Access may only be possible down the railway itself, which can be quite a narrow route. Traditional plant and machinery has to sprout ﬂanged wheels, new power sources and braking equipment, just to travel down the track. Then, having ﬁnally arrived, that machine has to access the whole site from its perch on the railway tracks, so longer booms may be needed. Little wonder, then, that the railway plant and equipment market is quite specialised. It has to be seen to be understood, so for the last few years Network Rail has organised regional and national shows so that its engineers can examine the latest machinery and decide what it can do for them. However, not this year. Various factors conspired to make a national show impossible for 2012,

so RailStaff has stepped into the breach to bring you some of the latest, and some of the most interesting, items of plant and equipment specially designed for use on the railways.

New trailers from Aquarius Land Rovers are versatile pieces of equipment, so are obvious candidates for the road-rail ﬂanged-wheel conversion. Based in Ripon, North Yorkshire, Aquarius Railroad Technologies has built up a strong reputation for providing quality RRVs and niche products. Although Land Rovers are traditionally seen as personnel carriers two new products: the Road Rail Trailer and the Load Tray Extension, challenge this perception. With a payload of 2.7 tonnes the Road Rail Trailer, pulled by an Aquarius Land Rover, transports a variety of rubber-tracked machinery (such as chippers or excavators) from the depot direct to the track worksite. Logistics are reduced while time and money are saved with plant, equipment and personnel being delivered in one journey.

The Load Tray Extension can be either towed or propelled along the track by the Land Rover, providing additional payload (500kg per tray) to get equipment out of the vehicle, allowing more personnel to be carried to site safely and quickly. These two new products join a host of problem solving solutions from Aquarius. The Land Rover RRV is very adaptable for a series of applications: Sand Rovers for

Peli Lights just got brighter! With most railway work taking place at night, when lines can be closed without disrupting passenger trafﬁc, good quality lighting is essential. LED lights, which take a lot less power than earlier incandescent lamps, are now commonly seen. However, LED lighting is still a developing technology. Now, Peli Products have made their popular model 9460 and 9470 area lighting

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PLANT & EQuIPmENT FOcuS

units 50% brighter with a longer battery burn time – up to 40 hours. These units now also feature an “intelligent control” panel which adjusts the light output according to the length of light duration required and provides a real-time display. Using the keypad, the operator can set the control panel to the number of hours and minutes of light required and the unit calculates and adjusts the output. Intelligent control was initially developed following requests by rail maintenance companies for a longer light duration, allowing them to use the unit for more than one shift without recharging. David Smith, Product Manager, commented: “We have harnessed new technology to develop a smarter product within the overall design of the existing unit. This real time display allows the user to plan their time and shifts accordingly.” As well as consuming less power, LED lights are lighter. Peli’s new 420 LED is available in standard and XL versions – the latter includes a case, shoulder strap and two battery packs so one can be charging while the other is in situ with the system operating. Weighing only 3.81kg, the 9420 is compact, lightweight and the mast extends above 1.5 metres allowing a wide area of illumination. The unit folds down quickly to just 74cm, there are no trailing cables to create a trip hazard and the rechargeable light is silent running. www.railstaff.co.uk

The world’s most powerful vacuum excavator Railway plant comes in all shapes and sizes. One of the larger pieces of kit is a great way for maximising short possession times during the week. It is the world’s most powerful air/vacuum excavator, better known as the BVES RailVac RA7, made in Sweden by Railcare Group AB. Not surprisingly, this machine is attracting a lot of interest for its remarkable excavation capabilities. The RailVac’s powerful suction pump simply “vacuums up” the ballast without disturbance to track or buried installations. Combining 20 years of working on the Scandinavian railway network with an incident-free track record over the past seven years of its UK operation in all circumstances, the RailVac is now fully certified and approved for the UK, and its impressive reliability is well proven. Since the RailVac RA7 can be train hauled to and from site and only need a minute or two to start up and wind down, the RailVac maximises available possession time by focusing on the task in hand. Once in position, for S&C reballasting operations the RailVac is easily the fastest and most efficient solution yet available, and some forty other maintenance requirements have been identified as being well within the RailVac’s capabilities. Its minimal impact on infrastructure means digging can be carried out without any risk of

PLANT & EQuIPmENT FOcuS

damaging buried installations such as power or signalling cables. Its minimal impact means that time and cost-consuming CAT scans or trial holes aren’t needed either, and the risk for possession over-runs leading to costly train delays is also removed. Furthermore, the RailVac can safely work underneath live overhead lines (OLE), and there is no need for disconnections.

Dead men and cameras Using plant on the railways often calls for special measures, and companies such as Flannery are well used to making those changes. One such system is 360˚ Vision, a system that merges images from 4 cameras to create one image that appears as a bird’s eye view. Working with technology specialists Spillard Safety Systems and Vision Techniques, Flannery now has several of these systems ﬁtted to plant in different working environments, trialling 360˚ cameras on excavators. Adding secondary “Dead Man” devices is another challenge, and Flannery has looked at different methods of achieving this. One option is to link the dead man

device into the seat belt – as the driver removes his belt it disables the machine. A similar result can be achieved using pressure pads under the seat. The converse of these two devices is that when the driver is seated, or fastens his seatbelt, lights can be made to ﬂash, warning nearby personnel that the machine is now “live”. A remote control can be wired into the dead man device as well. This will enable a banksman to disable the machine, stopping it immediately as an important additional safety feature.

Should the sight of the tower not be enough, then the intruder will be given a clear live audible warning that they have been detected. The CCTV system on the tower uses an advanced detection

More cameras The OnGarde Rapid Deployment CCTV tower is just what it says – a CCTV tower that can be deployed rapidly. It can be installed in as little as one hour and comes ﬁtted with many features as standard including ﬂoodlights and an anti tamper alarm system. The tower is available in either 110V or 240V versions with up 72 hours battery backup if power is cut. As additional security, the tower itself is enclosed in a highly visible tamper-proof cabinet that should put off most opportunist criminals.

method of Video Content Analysis (VCA) to identify intruders. This system becomes aware of any changes in the detection area and will automatically report these changes to the monitoring centre. This activity will then be evaluated by monitoring staff to avoid false alarms and, if the threat is genuine, take the appropriate action. The use of VCA allows the OnGarde tower to be installed to the speciﬁc needs of a site resulting in signiﬁcant savings in both normal man guarding costs and call outs due to false alarms.

Hole in one The high quality of Rotabroach hole cutting systems has, over the last 30 years, made the company into the world leader in the manufacture of magnetic drilling machines, rail drilling machines and annular cutters. Rotabroach Rhino-series rail machines are available with either 2-stroke or 4-stroke petrol engines or with electric power. The machines are lightweight, highly portable, and user-friendly in operation giving robust and reliable service every time. Approved by Network Rail and SNCF, the machines are distributed around the world for use on all major railway networks. Complementing the Rail Drilling Machines, Rotabroach offers a wide range of its highly efﬁcient Annular Cutters in both M42 high speed steel and in carbide-tipped versions.

Offset booms Plant hire experts Story Contracting are investing in new plant for the railway industry. The latest purchase is a ﬂeet of eight Liebherr A900 machines which are fully-equipped with offset booms, giving the machines an excellent drainage capability. These machines have rail wheel braking already installed enabling them to work safely on gradients. All of the

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machines are identical, offering a tandem lifting capability alongside versatility and safety. The new machines are backed up by new trailers, deep trailer boxes and a full range of attachments, including Rosenqvist sleeper changers (SB60’s), ballast ploughs, twin tamping banks and ballast brushes. These new A900s will be added to Story Contracting’s extensive plant hire fleet of machinery, suitable for undertaking the most complex of projects anywhere in the country. The rail fleet also includes Colmar T10000 heavy lifting machines, zero-tailswing rail bugs, low-rail and hydrastatic drive machines with the ability to work on gradients. All Story Contracting operators are trained in house and have gone through a full familiarisation, assessment and mentoring programme before they are considered for working unmentored on the infrastructure. All maintenance and haulage is kept in house which means Story has complete control over delivering stringently maintained plant to the right place at the right time. This continual investment in both the fleet and operators ensures that Story Contracting’s machines are some of the most reliable, versatile, efficient and environmentally friendly on the infrastructure. As a principal contractor in its own right, Story Contracting is a plant hire company with a contractor’s work ethos, making sure that the job always gets done.

maintenance projects. GGR’s mini cranes are particularly useful for working on station improvement programmes as they can easily move around the existing building structure. As they can also be operated on rail tracks rather than just from the road side, work can be completed during the day without the need for road closures.

With 9 models in the range (from 0.995 tonnes to 10 tonnes lifting capacity), these spider cranes have major advantages in many rail industry applications over the traditionally used RRVs. Winner of the Infrarail

Mini cranes, maximum lift One company specialising in solving access problems is GGR Rail. From off-track projects and permanent way maintenance, to overhead line and signal upgrades, GGR Rail’s UNIC mini cranes deliver the ultimate combination of compact size and heavy lifting power.

2012 award for Plant and Equipment, GGR Rail’s spider cranes are the only cranes under 10 tonnes with Network Rail Product Approval. With multi-fuel

options and remote operation, these lifting machines have the ﬂexibility to be used for a variety of applications as they are small enough to be ﬁtted on a track trolley and work under overhead lines. Their small size doesn’t mean that these machines lack features. The UNIC mini cranes include extra safety features such as working area limitation so safe parameters can be set when operating in higher risk areas. They also include a stability warning system and safe load indicator to prevent the crane from operating outside of its safe working envelope. Their tracked mobility also enables them to travel over uneven surfaces and slopes, proving invaluable for inaccessible off-track

More tamp, less vibe Using machinery by hand can often be a problem if high levels of vibration are involved. However, Wacker Neuson’s new BH24 low vibration two-stroke tamper received Network Rail approval in April this year and has a low hand-arm vibration level of 4.9m/s². In addition, the complete hood is damped from vibration to improve operator comfort and safety. The BH24 offers a number of other advantages. The low emission engine, complete with a catalytic converter, results in a reduction of carbon monoxide by 50% and hydrocarbons by 70% (well below current EU limits). An air purging system on the carburettor gives reliable, trouble free starting while low fuel

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9460

NEW INTELLIGENT CONTROL

AREA LIGHTING SYSTEM !Rechargeable LED Lighting system !Portable unit can be quickly deployed !Now 50% brighter !Up to 40 hours light duration !Silent running !No fuel required, no fumes emitted !New Intelligent control system (also on 9470 unit)

Intelligent control adjusts the light output according to the light duration required. The user inputs the hours & minutes of light required & the unit will calculate & adjust the output accordingly.

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Peli Products (UK) Ltd Tel: 01457 869999 www.peliproducts.co.uk $

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Getting rail maintenance on rubber tracks An all-new concept from Aquarius

the Road Rail Trailer Revolutionising transportation of small rubber-tracked plant to the track site, our Road Rail Trailer is a cost effective and efficient solution for the delivery of machinery and personnel. •

Delivers to trackside from the depot

• No transferring at the access point • Reduces logistics with no requirement to deliver machinery to the work site Therefore: • No expensive low loader delivery • No vandalism and parking issues • Personnel transported as part of the package • One Road Rail Trailer for multiple uses • 2.7 tonne payload

www.railstaff.co.uk

Aquarius Railroad Technologies Ltd Call us for further information on

T: 01765 635021 Or visit us at

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PLANT & EQuIPmENT FOcuS

supplies an extensive range of portable equipment to Network Rail and all the major rail renewals and projects contractors, together with London Underground’s contractors. Trackside lighting is also a core activity available from all depots, either to hire or on a contract basis. Lighting suitable for a wide range of site conditions is available, from traditional

consumption of 0.9l/hr along with a 1.8 litre fuel tank provides 2 hours run time. When it does need refuelling, the design of the fuel tank allows the machine to be refuelled when laid down, which is safer as the machine is less likely to fall over.

Very Tasty! Tasty Plant Sales is a small company based near London and with a range of hydraulic attachments dedicated to Rail Infrastructure maintenance. It prides itself on speedy response times and full customer technical support as and when needed. Having served the industry now for over 10 years, the range of Richter & Muller and BSB attachments are renowned for their quality and inherent reliability. The Ballast Brush, in particular, is cited as being the best in the market with unsurpassed power and unmatched quality of work achieved. The brilliant S1 Ballast Regulator and TC1 TubeCube, with various design patents, are also worthy of mention. As an approved Network Rail supplier, Tasty Plant Sales

continues to strive for excellence and is strategically well placed to carry on serving this specialist market.

Torrent 24/7 service In an industry where any down time can create major delays, high quality plant and a dedicated rapid response service are of paramount importance. That’s why Torrent Trackside has introduced a dedicated 0845 number which is continually manned and ensures a quick response on a local basis. Torrent Trackside specialises in the hire of portable track repair and renewals equipment, trackside lighting and related support services to railway infrastructure maintenance companies. It

‘Linklites’ through to highpowered Tower Lights and specialist tunnel lighting. Many of Torrent’s contracts are semipermanent installations. With so much specialist equipment, Torrent undertakes the maintenance of its own assets to the highest standards. Because of this expertise, some customers asked if Torrent could service and repair their equipment too, so the company now provides asset management, maintenance, repair and product certiﬁcation services to some of its major customers. Being a dedicated rail industry supplier, Torrent takes safety very seriously. It conforms to all the recognised industry standards and

is now over 4 years RIDDOR free. However, there is no room for complacency, and continuous improvement in safety and compliance has become part of the culture of the business.

Tiny tamper Large track tamping machines are a common sight on the rail network. However, their very size prevents them from being used where clearances are limited. So, traditionally, tamping on private sites, on tight-radius curves and turnouts, has been carried out by hand. However, VolkerRail has recently brought its second Unimar tamper over from the Netherlands. These Unimar tampers are the only two in the UK, and they are perfect for use in locations that even a small Beaver tamper is unable to reach where they can cut manual labour times by half. The ﬁrst Unimar, which has been in the UK for over a decade, has been working continuously at Tata Steel’s Scunthorpe, although VolkerRail did manage to use it on the recent DLR 6 Stratford International Extension project. Barry Kennedy Plant Director commented on the new acquisition. “This machine is another addition to our tamping ﬂeet and allows us to offer tamping services to clients where access may be restricted. It provides us with a full range of tamping machines from main line S&C to private sidings and goods yards.” The Unimar, which is operated solely by one of VolkerRail’s inhouse trained operators, can be used alongside any team for all small renewals projects and is transportable by road to any site due to its self-loading capabilities.

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holdfast Gets You On Getting RRVs – road rail vehicles on and off track takes a bit of space, a reasonably smooth runup, and necessitates some way of protecting the track itself from damage. For that reason, level crossing specialist, HoldFast, has developed special road-rail access points (RRAPs) using its familiar recycledrubber panels. A 160-metre continuous HoldFast RRAP was recently installed at

Ruislip Underground Station Loading Bay by Level Crossing Installations Limited, together with a concrete footpath adjacent. Work was carried out in eight-hour possessions and completed in eight days in February this year. HoldFast RRAPs have now been permanently installed at many depots across the UK. In many locations, they have been customised to ﬁt complex switches. They also continue to be

Speedy Supporting the Rail industry

used away from depots as temporary track access points on most modernisation schemes and as permanent installations for

routine works access and emergency access. In such locations, the panels can be quickly removed and returned for tamping.

Speedy’s range of specialist rail equipment and services covers all your rail project needs from site planning, mobilisation, enabling & advanced works. Announcing the opening of our brand new Doncaster rail depot servicing projects across Yorkshire, the North East & East Coast.

0845 601 5129 customerservices@speedyservices.com speedyservices.com

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Road-Rail Vehicles A Life Story In Brief The road-rail vehicle (RRV) has become a ubiquitous sight on the railway. Liesel Von metz, hm Inspector of Railways, Ofﬁce of Rail Regulation, reports. Coming in many types and models, one of the most commonly used RRVs is that based on a construction excavator - the ‘360 type’ RRV that is fundamentally a digger ﬁtted with rail wheels. Once converted to an RRV, it is commonly used not just to excavate, but is also used as a small general purpose crane. Such RRVs have therefore become the ‘Swiss Army Knives’ of the engineering worksite. However it was not always so. The RRV is a relatively new piece of equipment that really started to gain use in the 1990s following rail privatisation. Flexibility and the relatively low capital cost of RRVs made them popular. Machines from the pioneering days of RRVs were described by some as ‘agricultural machine conversions’, although that is perhaps slightly unfair. In the early days, there was a myriad of different adaptations - some of which proved to work better than others. Development of RRVs was thus a process of evolution rather than of fundamental engineering design.

Safety issues Although generally successful at delivering the beneﬁts of ﬂexibility and at a relatively low capital cost, the most common design of ‘360

type’ RRV proved to have some technical, and user, problems and were implicated in a number of serious incidents including runaway RRVs, overturns, and collisions with track workers. In light of this, ORR was robust in getting the industry to address and enhance RRV safety. ORR’s inspection programmes during 2008-2011 included focus on RRVs and a signiﬁcant proportion of ORR’s formal enforcement activity during this period related to RRVs. As a result of ORR’s concerns and continued action, in early 2011 Network Rail made a formal commitment to improving RRV safety and put in place the RRV Safety Improvement Programme. This programme brought together the many strands of work concerned with RRV safety, increasing the pace and drive of improvements. To support collaborative working with Network Rail, ORR provided an inspector on secondment to the RRV Safety Improvement Programme for six months. Previous safety improvements had included changes being made to RRVs, for example requiring the installation of key safety devices such as interlocks for axles intended to prevent RRVs from running away - and more sophisticated rated capacity indicators (RCIs) which help reduce overturn incidents. However these modiﬁcations still had limitations and the RRV Safety Improvement Programme began to

focus on the root causes of incidents. To address the incidents caused by RRVs running away (due to poor braking ability on the rail-wheels), ORR’s work with Network Rail led to Network Rail designing and funding rail wheel braking for certain RRVs that were implicated in such incidents. Many of these RRVs also work on London Underground, so ORR is encouraging London Underground to adopt a similar approach.

Lifting limitations Other incidents with RRVs derive from the poor planning of how loads are lifted. ORR’s inspections during 2008-2011 found that many of the rail workers planning this work were not properly trained and did not have the authority to decide which type of machine should be used. Yet planning RRV lifting work can be more complicated than planning the same work with a crane. Additionally, there is the associated problem that RRVs are often used at the top limits of their load lifting capacity, leaving little room for error. Having taken formal enforcement action relating to lifting, ORR was keen that actions to deal with this situation should form a key part of the RRV Safety Improvement Programme. The programme therefore focuses on improving the awareness of those in the industry responsible for planning RRV lifting operations

and ensuring an understanding of machine limitations, particularly among those who hire the machines and manage sites on which the machines are being used. ORR’s combination of formal enforcement action and collaborative working with the industry is beginning to show positive results, with a new ‘lift planner’ training and assessment scheme being trialled and introduced, a programme of ‘RRV awareness’ training being developed, and the removal of the responsibility for lift planning from the crane controllers who are not trained to do this.

RRVs and people Other concerns also need to be tackled. One of the most serious types of incident is where RRVs collide with people. There are usually a number of factors involved, including lack of communication between the machine operator and machine/crane controller, track workers habitually getting too close to machinery, and a lack of safe places to stand away from RRVs. These are the underlying causes of such incidents. Since 2008, ORR has taken formal enforcement action following proactive inspection or investigation, and after near-hits or incidents in which track workers have been seriously injured. ORR’s and Network Rail’s collaborative work on the RRV Safety Improvement Programme

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has focused on addressing the main causes of these serious incidents. In March 2011, Network Rail mandated radio communications equipment between machine operators and machine or crane controllers for RRVs working on their infrastructure. Simple rules have also been developed to try and change poor work behaviours and planning so that track workers have a safe place to stand away from the RRVs.

Looking ahead The collaboration between ORR and Network Rail on the RRV Safety Improvement Programme has shown what can be achieved when working together with shared goals. This approach can also help the rail industry to look ahead. The emerging risk posed by adjacent line open (ALO) working with RRVs on one line and trains passing on the next lines - is an emerging issue. ORR is encouraging Network Rail to be

proactive in assessing and controlling the risks posed by this activity and, in conjunction with engaging with Network Rail, ORR carries out proactive inspections to ensure that serious incidents are prevented. ORR is also working with Network Rail and the Health and Safety Laboratory run by the Health and Safety Executive to look at the reliability of movement limiting devices ﬁtted to RRVs. This work will help deal with the emerging risks posed not only by ALO working but also other more recent activities with RRVs, such as working under live overhead line equipment (OLE). When looking at the totality of this work, it is evident that the RRV is ‘coming of age’. The early advantages of RRVs - the low capital cost and technical

ﬂexibility- have largely gone. To be capable of doing the tasks required on the railway of today, RRVs are becoming more specialised, and they are no longer simple low-cost pieces of equipment. ORR is encouraging Network Rail to consider the long-term requirements for engineering equipment. So far, two clear priorities have emerged: the need for a rail crane/excavator machine (designed primarily for lifting on the railway) that can also go on the road, and a lorrybased type of machine that can load up in the depot and then carry out maintenance on the railway. With skilful engineering design going into the road-rail vehicle concept, the RRV has truly come of age.

Call Mark Coates Smith on +447970 656143 Email: mark@holdfastsolutions.co.uk www.holdfastsolutions.com

Rosehill Polymers Ltd manufacture the HoldFast system on behalf of HoldFast Level Crossings Ltd www.railstaff.co.uk

danger zones exclusion zone safety Mark Prescott, Network Rail reports

Network Rail has been tackling the management of exclusion zones from all angles with new technology solutions, communications and safety culture improvements. Its most recent work to reduce risk in this area focuses on the well-known problem of ‘Yellow Machine Magnets’ - people who unknowingly put themselves in harm’s way to get a clearer view of the work being done by Road Rail Vehicles (RRVs). It’s a common problem for the industry, with more than 430 personal accidents and injuries over the past ten years caused by people getting too close to operating RRVs. Safety teams at

Network Rail have now introduced a host of solutions to reduce the risks of working around RRVs, from new technology to extensive communications campaigns. An RRV Safety Improvement Programme (SIP) was commissioned by Network Rail’s Tactical Safety Group in response to the continuing trend of accidents, as well as concerns raised by its Safety and Health Executive committee and the ORR. The plan combined a number of RRV initiatives and improvement schemes into one focused programme, aimed at gaining industry-wide commitment to the safe use of RRVs.

RRV Safety Improvement Plan key focus areas: • Runaways • Separation of people and plant • Effective site management • OTP under live OLE • Adjacent Line Open working • Delivery point management • Safety by design and selection. The work, which currently includes over 40 work-streams, began back in 2011, when Network Rail introduced new Person Plant Interface Duplex Radio Communications to allow those working with machinery to communicate with the operator without being close to the machine.

This technology also gives the Machine Controller the ability to communicate with the Machine Operator instantly without having to press a button, allowing safer and more efﬁcient control of RRV movements, as well as the ability to call halt immediately in the event of an emergency. Mandating this equipment represented a realstep change in safety behaviour for all involved as it required new skills, training and a totally new approach to working with RRVs.

Making the change As expected, there were a number of teething problems when the equipment was ﬁrst rolled-out to all users, including the suppliers’

S AP RR

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PLANT & EQuIPmENT FOcuS

ability to provide sufficient quantities to meet industry expectations for safety change. There have also been some technical difficulties with the equipment, but these were quickly resolved with a small software change to resolve ‘pairing’ difficulties. Training proved essential throughout the equipment’s introduction, and problems with the lightweight headsets were found to be a result of the wearers’ lack of briefing on how to fit and wear them correctly - a simple but crucially important element of their use. Knowing how vital the briefing materials were, the SIP team published them all on the industry safety website Safety Central, including Network Rail’s new series of RRV-TV videos.

Briefing - RRV-TV RRV-TV is a series of short video clips on RRV safety topics including ‘How to ﬁt your lightweight headset’ and good practice for planning and carrying out Tandem Lifting. The clips focus on increasing the understanding of site supervisors, line and senior managers so that they’re aware of the safe practices that should be used when carrying out assurance checks. The videos will soon be published and made accessible to the industry at no cost. Another priority workstream of the programme following recent concerns raised by ORR is the management of RRV operations when working near to open railway lines. The programme has been working to develop improved guidance while a detailed risk assessment is carried out over the next few months. The scenariobased guidance explains the minimum controls required for most RRV activities and track layouts and is currently undergoing further development and brieﬁng

Lifesaving Rules As working around RRVs was found to be one of the biggest threats to life in the rail industry over the past 10 years, it was an obvious addition to the Lifesaving Rules, Network Rail’s new set of 11 simple rules designed to save lives. The rules underpin Network Rail’s new safety vision of ‘everyone home safe everyday’, which aims to get everyone thinking about their impact on safety, whether they’re working in an ofﬁce or on the front line. The 11 Rules were developed with input from over 1,300 Network Rail employees, contractors and Trade Unions, and have marked a step-change in the approach to safety by keeping things short and simple. The Working with Machinery Lifesaving Rule – Never enter the agreed exclusion zone, unless directed by the person in charge – has been shared with Network Rail and its contractors through a wide communications campaign. The Rules and the Everyone Home Safe every day vision they sit under, have also signalled a move towards a new safety culture. The way they’re applied helps to make sure rule breaches are fully understood, meaning root-causes can be addressed and repeat incidents are far less likely.

themselves from harm and take responsibility for their own safety. It will also help to explain and support the new Lifesaving Rule.

can work in that particular area • Only when you receive this authority from the MC/CC can work commence.

Ask before you pass

3. Walking past a machine

To support the Lifesaving Rule, the cross-industry and trade union represented Person Plant Interface group has developed some simple guidance that must be deployed when:

• When you need to move past a machine stop at a safe distance • Make contact with the MC/CC • Only proceed when authorised by the MC/CC. Together with the duplex communication equipment, this simple guidance will give the Machine Controller and those working in and around an RRV the ability to effectively manage and control people entering the dangerous machine operating area and therefore reduce accidents. For those just walking by a working RRV this guidance promotes track workers taking responsibility for their own safety. In all of the work that is being carried out by Network Rail now and in the coming months, a simple principle is applied and promoted - ask before you pass!

Person Plant Interface

1. Working with a machine

These cultural developments coincided with a targeted series of cross-industry workshops and working groups, where it was found that individuals are often unsure of the correct way to behave around RRVs. The Person Plant Interface project acted on this information to produce a wide-reaching series of guidance and training, setting out exactly how to work around RRVs and how to pass through or work within an exclusion zone safely. This work will allow those who work around RRVs to protect

• You must discuss with MC/CC what type of work is required to be carried out • The MC/CC will inform you when this work can commence • Only when you receive this authority from the MC/CC can you undertake this work.

2. Working in the vicinity of a machine • Before you work in the vicinity of a machine you must ﬁrst make contact with the MC/CC • The MC/CC will inform you if you

Call Mark Coates Smith on +447970 656143 Email: mark@holdfastsolutions.co.uk www.holdfastsolutions.com

Rosehill Polymers Ltd manufacture the HoldFast system on behalf of HoldFast Level Crossings Ltd www.railstaff.co.uk

PLANT & EQuIPmENT FOcuS

Rail Plant Association Keeping up to date The Rail Plant Association exists to make life simpler and safer for rail plant owners and operators. The Rail Plant Association (RPA) was launched by the construction Plant-hire Association (cPA) in 1999 to look after the interests of road rail vehicle (RRV) hire companies and those involved in RRV plant operation. Many are initially drawn to the RPA because of the CPA model conditions and the Rail Speciﬁc RPA Supplementary Hire Conditions which assist in protecting and safeguarding owners in this specialist sector. The RPA’s main responsibility is to keep its membership up-to-date on what’s happening in the rail industry and to steer current rail industry initiatives to better meet the need of the plant hirer and operator. As most operators are aware, the goal posts are always moving, and the RPA exists to make life simpler and safer for rail

plant owners and operators. Typical issues that the RPA has been involved in with Network Rail and the Ofﬁce of Rail Regulation (ORR) include the safe delivery, collection and transportation of plant by road, hearing and vision standards, duplex radio communication (DECT II), RRV braking of type 9b machines and service braked trailers. Safety during lifting operations is a key issue, and RPA is involved in the standardisation of lifting machine duty charts, lift planning and crane controlling competencies, and the segregation of men and machines. New areas of interest are always being developed, and future initiatives driven by the rail industry will include working under live overhead lines and with adjacent lines open to trafﬁc,

LIFTEX (the next generation of Network Rail speciﬁed lifting machines), and lobbying for change where commercial pressure and historic working methods erode the safe use of plant on the rail infrastructure.

The association’s management committee is always available to give advice and to steer organisations through any plant issues that they may have. More information is available from the RPA website: www.cpa.uk.net

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cAREERS

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