RailStaff July 2019 by Rail Media

JULY 2019 | ISSUE 259

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CONTENTS JULY 2019 | ISSUE 259

THE EUROPEAN TRAM DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP | 18

Metrolink duo Caroline Haynes and Steve Shaw recorded the best finish for a British team at this year’s contest.

RAIL SAFETY WEEK | 26

A report on the safety awareness initiative's inaugural conference.

NOWHERE TO HIDE | 28

Chief Inspector Peter Kooper talks to Stewart Thorpe about BTP’s new approach to counter terrorism.

CHAPLAINS CALL FOR HELP | 30

In times of need they are there without hesitation but now, in its time of difficulty, the Railway Mission is in need of help itself.

CONSTRUCTION MEETS RAIL | 32

Plantworx/Railworx was a success despite the wet weather.

32 48

T H G I L T O P ns up brighte

on ah, 38, AIL | 46 n Kodu nal messages R ro a IN A t E s o o IF ti h a L v e ti MY rains welcom his own mo Virgin T r journeys with ge . passen Crewe station at s rd a o b

FAST TRACKERS II | 48

Network Rail and Mott MacDonald’s engineering outreach programme was even bigger and better on its 2019 return.

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Staff

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Tragedy

Paul O’Connor

Editor:

Stewart Thorpe

Production and design:

Adam O’Connor

Matthew Stokes

Track safety:

Colin Wheeler

Advertising:

Asif Ahmed

Craig Smith

Keith Hopper

Contact email addresses News: news@rail-media.com Track safety: colin@rail-media.com Pictures: pictures@rail-media.com Adverts: adverts@rail-media.com Subscriptions: manda@rail-media.com Contact details RailStaff Publications, Rail Media House,

Leicestershire, LE67 3FP. Tel: 01530 816 444 Fax: 01530 810 344 Web: www.railstaff.co.uk Email: hello@rail-media.com Printed by PCP Ltd. RailStaff is published by RailStaff Publications Limited A Rail Media Publication

An overview of the site in Margam.

Sadly, shortly before this issue went to print, the industry was hit with the news that two railway workers were killed by a passenger train at Margam, near Port Talbot in South Wales. BTP named them as Gareth Delbridge (right), of Kenfig Hill, and Michael ‘Spike’ Lewis (left), of North Cornelly. A third, unnamed person was treated at the scene for shock but was not injured. Gareth, 64, was described as “the kindest and most loving husband, father, brother, grandad and great-grandad” by his family, a man who loved life, work, holidays and most of all, his family. Michael, 58, who was nicknamed ‘Spike’, was said to have been “known by everyone, and loved by everyone.” The two were part of Network Rail’s Port Talbot track team and had a combined 84 years of experience on the railway. The day after the tragedy, a number of public figures shared their condolences, including prime minister Theresa May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines also released the following message to staff: “This is a heart-breaking reminder of how dangerous it can be to work on the railway. Please, always continue to challenge anything that seems unsafe, tackle risks as soon as you see them and take personal responsibility for you and your colleagues' safety and well-being.” Industry colleagues from Network Rail, Transport for Wales and Great Western Railway held a minute’s silence to remember Gareth and Michael a week after the incident. Although there has been a long-term reduction in the number of workers dying on the railway, the incident is a stark reminder of the dangers that remain and how we cannot be complacent when it comes to safety. It

was only in November that an unnamed 37-year-old track worker died as a result of being hit by a train at Stoats Nest junction, between Purley and Coulsdon South stations, on the main line from London to Brighton. Prior to that it had been more than four years since a track worker was struck and killed by a train. Our sympathies go out to the friends, family and work colleagues of Gareth and Michael, the railway family mourns with you. Our thoughts are also with the train driver and industry colleagues who attended the scene in the aftermath. Lead investigator BTP believes that, unless a safety critical matter comes to light, it will be some time before it reports back on exactly what happened in the moments leading to this fatal collision. RAIB is also conducting independent investigations and Network Rail has since launched a £70 million track worker safety taskforce to accelerate its near miss reduction programme. When the reports are finalised, let’s hope investigators get to the bottom of what went wrong so that no one else dies as a result of being struck by a train while working on the railway. Something went horribly wrong and the industry must learn lessons to ensure it doesn’t happen again. stewart@rail-media.com

In further tragic news this month, it is with great sadness to hear rail legend Per Staehr, a former chief executive of Bombardier Transportation and chair of Rail Media, has passed away. Per was a great supporter and friend to the rail industry and I know he will be sorely missed by family and friends. Tom O’Connor, managing director, Rail Media FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.CO.UK

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Virgin Trains has made an application to the ORR to launch an open access service between Liverpool Lime Street and London Euston on the West Coast main line. If successful, the train company would run 24 services a day with stops at Lichfield, Tamworth, Nuneaton and Liverpool South Parkway from May 2021. By guaranteeing a seat or a full refund, free wi-fi, automatic delay repay compensation and tickets that are at least 10 per cent cheaper than equivalent tickets offered by other operators, Virgin Trains said it would be the UK’s “most advanced and customerfocused train service”. Incumbents Virgin Trains and Stagecoach were barred from bidding for the West Coast franchise with their partner SNCF in April – which they are contesting. The open access application is a partnership of the trio plus Alstom. Meanwhile independentlyowned Grand Union Trains has applied for track access to

Open access applications

operate a service from London Paddington to Bristol Parkway and onwards to Cardiff Central from late 2020. The hourly service - in both directions - would include stops at Newport, Severn Tunnel Junction and Bristol Parkway. A stop at Cardiff Parkway will also be added when it opens in 2022. A fleet of Class 91s, currently used by LNER on the East Coast main line, would be leased from Eversholt Rail to form nine-car

Aachen wins IMechE Railway Challenge 2019 Students from Germany’s Aachen University of Applied Sciences won the 2019 IMechE Railway Challenge, becoming the first foreign team to do so in the competition’s eight-year history. Transport for London was the runner-up and Ricardo Rail, the 2018 winners, finished third in the competition, which took place at the Stapleford Miniature Railway in Leicestershire between June 28-30. A record 14 teams, including one from Poland, entered the contest, which challenges participants to design and build a locomotive using creativity and technical skills to apply the latest technology with a series of track-based and presentation challenges. Bill Reeve, head judge of the Railway Challenge and rail director at Transport Scotland,

said: “When I come to this event, I see enthusiastic teams learning in a short period a huge amount about the realities of engineering projects. I also see real innovation in engineering design tested here in a low risk environment.”

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trains with first class, standard class and a full buffet car on each service. Grand Union Trains’ managing director Ian Yeowart, who was behind the successful introduction of Arriva-owned open access operator Grand Central, said: “This route has been monopolised by the incumbent franchised operator since 1996, but open access allows new services to be developed, meaning passengers and local business can enjoy the benefits promised by privatisation. “Our trains will provide the very best on-board experience, with more leg-room compared to other train providers, free wi-fi, a good choice of catering, on-board ticket sales at a fair price and a full complement of safety-trained staff including train guards.” Grand Union Trains will also guarantee its passengers a seat, offering a 50 per cent discount on their ticket if they’re unable to provide one. There are currently two trains

per hour running from Cardiff to London. Grand Union Trains’ plan will add a third, while also cutting the average journey time by 20 minutes. Up to 135 permanent, full-time jobs, mostly in South Wales, could be created if the service gets the green light. Finally, from one ‘Grand’ train company to another, Grand Central has revealed plans to run trains between Blackpool and London from spring 2020. Approved by ORR in June 2018, these services were initially going to be run by fellow Arriva-owned open access operator Great North Western Railway. Grand Central will operate five new direct train services every weekday between Blackpool North and London Euston. Blackpool will gain direct services to London on Sundays as well as later trains to and from the capital Monday to Saturday. All trains will also call at Preston and Nuneaton, with most stopping at Milton Keynes.

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Stage one of Network Rail reorganisation goes live Five new Network Rail regions - Eastern, North West & Central, Scotland’s Railway, Southern, and Wales and Western - went live on June 24 as part of the first wave of organisational changes. The move is set to shift power and decision making into smaller, regional organisations, led by managing directors, that are closer to customers and give local managers the authority to tackle performance issues headon to create a more punctual, reliable and efficient railway. Chief executive Andrew Haines said: “Addressing the decline in train performance for our passengers is our priority and I’m pleased to say we’re already beginning to see signs of improvement.” Further structural and cultural changes form part of the plan to devolve power from the centre, as well as new training to address historic skills gaps. This includes 14 new routes, which will come into operation later in the summer. The recruitment process for directors for each of these routes is ongoing. The 14th route (a change since the original announcement on the creation of regions and routes) is the West Coast Mainline South Route, which covers the West Coast main line from Crewe to London Euston and has David Dickson.

been created following further feedback and consultation with customers. Each of the new regions has new managing directors (RMD), who will take up their posts later in the summer. Until then the following interim appointments have been made: • South East – Sam Chessex. • Wessex – David Dickson. • London North Western – David Golding. • Western – Mike Gallop. The following routes will continue with existing arrangements in place: • Wales and Borders – Bill Kelly will retain his existing RMD Wales and Borders role on an interim basis. • Anglia – Meliha Duymaz will retain her existing RMD Anglia role on an interim basis. • London North East & East Midlands – Rob McIntosh will retain his RMD London North East & East Midlands role on an interim basis, alongside his new substantive role as managing director, Eastern region. • Scotland – Alex Hynes will take up the role of managing director for Scotland’s Railway and the role of managing director ScotRail Alliance will cease to exist. • NR High Speed – Katie Frost’s role remains unchanged as managing director of Network Rail High Speed.

South East extension

Operator Southeastern has been awarded a short-term extension to its franchise by the Department for Transport. Under the agreement Southeastern will run services until November 10 and introduce an improved compensation scheme for passengers. The Govia-owned train company, which began the franchise in 2006, could see its operations continued further as officials have the option to extend the contract until April 1, 2020 while work to award the next franchise continues. David Statham, Southeastern's managing director, said: “This extension gives us the opportunity to build on the customer improvements we've delivered over recent months, during which service punctuality has reached its highest levels in Southeastern's history.” Govia and an Abellio, East Japan Railway and Mitsui & Co joint venture are shortlisted for the next franchise.

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Crewe diesel depot open day RAILSTAFF'S ROVING REPORTER SHARES SOME SNAPS FROM A RECENT VISIT The railway industry has a long and proud history of supporting good causes - provide a good attraction and the enthusiasts will turn up, whatever the weather. On a miserable June 8, there were over 5,000 visitors to the Crewe depot (CD) and in excess of £55,000 raised for national and local charities, the main recipient being the NET Patient Foundation, which provides support to those with Neuroendocrine Cancer, in memory of Alison Austin. Her mother and brother both work at Crewe station. The old CD was made available by Locomotive Services Ltd, which has invested a great deal in upgrading the depot and adding a new carriage shed and boiler shop. Owner, Roger Hosking, must be thanked for delivering on his original promise that there would be public access to this site. He and his team must be proud of their achievements to date. The logistics of getting the train operating companies to provide support was managed by Virgin Trains and they must be commended for getting such a wide range of exhibits together.

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An additional sealed auction of nameplates provided by Virgin Trains raised £17,500 for the charity Rethink Mental Illness. Promotion and ticketing came courtesy of Railway Magazine and a special thanks go to Chris Milner for arranging RailStaff’s visit, which ended just as the hordes were arriving. As a poignant personal footnote, on a recent visit to Birmingham I was on my return train waiting to leave watching events with no great excitement when a Pendolino departed to London. Nothing special you might think, but this one carried the name ‘Alison’ on the end so I knew it was 390115 which was named “Crewe All Change” at Crewe station later in the day. So if you see it on your West Coast travels remember where the story started and the continued charity of the rail fraternity. See www.railstaff.co.uk for more images.

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BTP role for senior civil servant

Former Home Office director Hugh Ind has been appointed as the new chief executive of the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA). At BTPA – the organisation that set BTP’s priorities and allocates funding – Hugh will be responsible for leading the work to hold BTP to

account, overseeing contracts with train operators and maintaining good stakeholder relationships. During his 27 years in the civil service, Hugh was responsible for the development and introduction of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 – commonly known as RIPA, which allows the government to intercept online communications – and was also the principal private secretary to Tessa Jowell between 20012004 when she was Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Before joining BTPA, Hugh was the director general at the Cabinet Office and led the work on the government’s apprenticeship strategy.

Prior to that he was director general of immigration enforcement (2016-18) and strategic director for the UK asylum system (2008-12) at the Home Office. BTPA chair Ron BarclaySmith said: “At a time when the rail industry is facing various challenges in the face of unprecedented change, Hugh’s experience will prove invaluable to the authority and the Force as we look to provide an effective and efficient policing service in response to this change.” Ian Pigden-Bennett had been covering the chief executive role on an interim basis since October.

Fundraiser to oversee £50m campaign Julie Moody has been appointed to the newly created role of campaign director at the National Railway Museum (NRM). She will lead the museum’s £50 million ‘2025 Vision’ fundraising campaign and will be responsible for overseeing a six-strong team as they deliver the museum’s most significant redevelopment since opening in 1975. Julie will develop relationships with supporters and secure funding for the 2025 masterplan, which is expected to come from a combination of sources, including land sale, corporate donors and the public. A former company director with more than 25 years’ experience, Julie has held senior business development and fundraising positions in the charitable, cultural and private sectors. She joins from Leeds Cares, formerly known as the Leeds Hospital Charity Foundation, where she was the director of communications and income generation.

Julie said: “Having visited many times with my own family, I know first-hand how important educational and cultural centres such as the NRM are to York and the wider region. But this also represents a significant challenge as this former railway site needs a complete overhaul and we must invest in our future if we want to have museums that rival the best in the world.”

New MD at iLECSYS Rail Rail business development manager Lewis Westbury has been announced as the new managing director of electrical enclosures and components distributor iLECSYS Rail. iLECSYS Group founder Grace Tipson said it was important to allow staff to develop as the business grows in size. She added: “Lewis has immersed himself in the rail side of the business. He talks rail, he knows rail. He offers a supreme level of service to our customers and it gives me great pleasure to officially hand him the reins of this exciting young company. “He has an amazing team around him including [engineering manager] Peter Dickson whose passion for the rail industry set us on the tracks in the first place.” Lewis will have full responsibility for the leadership and development of iLECSYS Rail.

Porterbrook hires two Julie Bignell, South Western Railway’s head of occupational safety, has joined Porterbrook as head of safety and operations. She is joined in the engineering services team by David Allen, who was most recently a depot manager at Northern with responsibility for Newton Heath and Allerton. He takes up the role of head of fleet services (north). Jason Groombridge, engineering services director,

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said: “I’m delighted that Julie and David are joining the Porterbrook team, bringing an exceptional track record of working directly with rail operators to improve safety and fleet management. “We are always looking to maximise the services we provide to our customers, not just in terms of putting trains on the tracks, but by helping train operators get the best possible operational performance from their assets.”

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A dozen jobseekers find employment with GTR Twelve youngsters were offered jobs by GTR after completing a four-week ‘Get into Railways’ work experience programme.

The second half takes place on GTR’s network, working with customer service and gateline teams to gain practical experience. At a graduation ceremony in London, emotions ran high as members of the 12-person group were told they had secured station, IT and on-board supervisor roles. Aristote Botamba (pictured with GTR chief executive Patrick Verwer), 23, of Tottenham, was among the cohort. He had turned to agency work when his hopes of becoming a professional footballer were dashed because of injury, before

Run in conjunction with the Prince’s Trust, the scheme is tailored to people aged 18-25 who have struggled to get into employment - whether that’s a result of bereavement, injury, illness or something else. The first two weeks are spent in a classroom focusing on presentation skills, crisis management, first aid, security protocols, and customer service.

approaching the Prince’s Trust. Aristote said: “Where I’m from, there isn’t this sort of opportunity. Being here for four weeks was a big change for me when you consider where I was to where I am now. It’s changed me a lot as a person. I feel like someone. It has been such a good opportunity. You have to give it all you have got.”

Paula Hillard, GTR’s engagement manager and scheme co-ordinator, added: “I think GTR fits in really well with the young people and gives them structure and a chance to meet some really great people. “I don’t think you can get that anywhere else. Our employees are helping the next generation be a massive success.”

HS2 announces MD's exit Jim Crawford, the man leading the infrastructure programme for Phase One of HS2, is set to step down later this year.

Thameslink major programme director and signalling and telecoms programme director. Mark added: “[Jim’s] work has helped us get to the point where we are supporting 9,000 jobs around the country and works well underway on 250 sites from the South East to the West Midlands. I look forward to his ongoing support in developing the business case for HS2 before he leaves the business later this year and wish him well.”

In a statement, chief executive Mark Thurston thanked Jim for his “tireless dedication” to the project over the past five years. Jim joined HS2 as the managing director of the phase between London and the West Midlands in August 2014. He previously worked at Network Rail, where he was

Coca-Cola to Eurostar Clare Hollingsworth has been replaced as chair of Eurostar after six years. Her replacement, Dominique Reiniche, was previously European chair of Coca-Cola and is also a non-executive director of Mondi, PayPal and Severn Trent. Mike Cooper, Eurostar chief executive, said: “I am delighted at the prospect of working with such an experienced, highcalibre individual as Dominique.

With her broad European outlook and deep experience of customer-facing businesses, Dominique will provide valuable insight and will complement perfectly the Eurostar culture.” Dominique added: “Over the last 25 years, Eurostar has transformed short-haul travel between the UK and mainland Europe and I look forward to supporting the team in driving the future growth of the company.”

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Change for Carl Kent With Jonathan Bailey leaving to join DFDS Seaways, GB Railfreight (GBRf) has appointed Carl Kent as the business’ new head of market development. Carl has been with GBRf for five years and was most recently head of strategy and innovation. Under his leadership, the business implementation team has secured new rail freight business in the intermodal, international, bulk, energy, infrastructure and rail services markets. He also played a key role in lobbying industry groups during Network Rail’s Periodic Review for 2018 and the ongoing Williams Review. Carl said: “Working at GBRf has been challenging and exciting, in equal measure. The culture of

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the business is something that I deeply buy into and try to instil in those around me. “I look forward to bringing my skills in developing solutions to deliver new business volumes in line with the development of new market opportunities for GBRf to successfully exploit.” SUPPORTED BY

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London's newest station New stock for DLR Angel Road, the second leastused station in London, was shut down for good on May 31. It was replaced three days later by another station located just 500 yards away. The new build, Meridian Water, is also in the borough of Enfield and has been built to cater for an estimated four million passengers a year – a far cry from the 32,938 passengers that used Angel Road in 2017/18 – as a result of the £6 billion Meridian Water regeneration programme. Up to 10,000 homes and 6,000 jobs are predicted to be delivered by the multi-billion-pound, 20-year development. Beginning in November 2017, construction of Meridian Water

was undertaken by Network Rail and principal contractor VolkerFitzpatrick. The station has three platforms, is managed by Greater Anglia and, with stairs and lifts providing stepfree access across the railway, provides improved accessibility for passengers when compared to Angel Road. It was opened on June 3 by Chris Grayling, Secretary of State for Transport, and Heidi Alexander, Deputy London Mayor for Transport. Martin Moran, Greater Anglia’s commercial and customer service director, said: “The station provides the area with better rail options, initially with weekday peak time direct trains running south to Stratford, enabling connections to London Liverpool Street, and north to Bishops Stortford, for connections to Stansted Airport and Cambridge.” Meridian Water station is part of a £170 million investment in the West Anglia main line – known as the Lee Valley rail programme - to increase capacity between London and Enfield.

Recognition for rail leaders A plaque of Rail Sector Deal (RSD) co-lead and diversity and inclusion champion Anna Delvecchio was unveiled at the London Transport Museum on June 17. Anna, who is also the commercial account director at Amey and began her career in transport aged 16, was a key figure in the rail industry securing a sector deal from government in December. RSD is a partnership between rail and the government to exploit the opportunities of new technologies, improve the efficient use of the rail network’s capacity and enhance the experience of passenger and freight users. The plaque, which sits alongside those to historical figures such as Hannah Dadds, the Underground’s first female

train driver, was revealed to Anna during a tour of the ‘Untangling the Tracks’ exhibition with rail minister Andrew Jones, shortly before the Rail Supply Group’s (RSG) spring reception. As RSD moves into its delivery phase, Anna has stepped away as co-lead. Her replacement Neil Ridley, managing director of Transport Genesis, was introduced to guests at the reception. Fellow co-lead Gordon Wakeford, chief executive of Siemens Mobility, has also stepped down as RSG chair as he retires from the industry after 30 years. Speaking at the reception, Gordon re-capped RSD, introduced incoming chair Philip Hoare, who is the president of Atkins, and paid respects to Anna. “The sector deal will be

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CAF has been awarded a contract to design, manufacture and supply a fleet of 43 trains for the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) – the UK’s busiest light railway. Thirty-three of the trains will replace DLR’s oldest rolling stock, which are nearly 30-years-old. The other 10 will be used to increase service frequency and capacity. Expected to enter service from 2023, the five-car trains will include the latest audio and visual real-time travel information, air conditioning, mobile device charging points, multi-use areas - which can accommodate pushchairs, bicycles and luggage - and dedicated wheelchair spaces. The undisclosed deal also includes a fleet support agreement to provide technical support services and spares supply.

transformational. It’s a deal that builds upon the here and now but importantly lifts our heads to the future… where we will change the landscape,” said Gordon. “I really wish to wholeheartedly thank Anna Delvecchio for all of her hard work and dedication over the last three years where she has steadfastly acted as programme director, driving us all forward for the common cause. Anna, the RSG would not be where it is today without your

perseverance." Sir Peter Hendy, chair of Network Rail, used the event as an opportunity to thank Gordon and his team for their work and also say goodbye to David Waboso, who retired from Network Rail’s Group Digital Railway in March. As a thank you for their work, both were presented with old railway semaphore signals, Gordon a yellow distance signal and David a red danger signal.

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Mountain challenge peaks to £3m milestone Off the back of its 17th consecutive year, Railway Children has announced that the Three Peaks Challenge by Rail has now raised £3 million for vulnerable children. The recent expedition began on June 13 and saw 180 charity mountaineers raise £227,130 by climbing Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell Pike in just over 36 hours. Staff from Direct Rail Services achieved the fastest time this year, completing the combined 3197m of climbing in an impressive 12 hours 44 minutes and 53 seconds while David Taylor, of Thales, and Brian Freemantle, of the Department for Transport, completed the event for an unrivalled 13th time. The aim for each team taking part in the Three Peaks Challenge by Rail is to raise a total of £3,500 to help provide shelter, food, clothing, medical supplies, education and counselling to street children in the UK, India and Africa. The team ‘Northern Soles’ raised an incredible £14,000 and won this year’s Three Peaks trophy for top fundraising team. Railway Children events manager Katie Mason said: “Three Peaks Challenge by Rail 2019 lived up to its reputation as one of the biggest and most

challenging events of the year, with extreme weather conditions pushing participants to the limits of their endurance, with everyone getting soaked on Snowdon’s summit. “Huge thanks go to our fantastic small army of volunteers, including the onboard crew who have the enormous task of making sure everyone is fed and watered. “In a world that sometimes seems divided, pessimistic and

angry, our Three Peaks train continues to be the greatest antidote, highlighting the very best of human spirit.”

The National Three Peaks Challenge A hardy group of Southern enforcement officers raised more than £1,200 for charity taking on the same ‘Three Peaks’ challenge at the end of June. Enforcement manager Wayne

Southern's Tom, Dillon, Wayne and Tom at the summit of Snowdon.

Harris and team leaders Tom Stovell, Dillon Xerxes and Tom Harvey overcame thunder, lighting and high winds to summit Ben Nevis and Scafell Pike. But a delayed start to their ascent of Snowdon because of heavy traffic, combined with the adverse weather conditions and visibility slowly being reduced, meant the decision was made to abandon the ascent of the final peak around three quarters of the way up. “It was a tough call to abandon on Snowdon - but we were all agreed that safety had to come first,” said Wayne Harris. “We're all really proud and very sore!” The officers had been training three times a week and had completed a practise hike up Snowdon in May. Wayne explained that the group took on the challenge to raise money for a special cause. He added: “We've decided to raise money for the Samaritans, mainly because in our area the work the organisation does is very close to our hearts. Last year alone, my team were directly responsible for potentially saving the lives of approximately 130 vulnerable people and the Samaritans have been extremely supportive in the training they provide.”

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NEWS IN BRIEF And then there were three…

CAF, Hitachi Rail and Stadler have made the final shortlist to build and maintain Tyne and Wear Metro’s new 42-train fleet. Bombardier Transportation and a joint venture between Downer and CRRC are out of the process. The successful bidder will be announced in January.

Bus replacement steam train

Yes, you did read that correctly. At the end of June, the Talyllyn Railway stepped in to offer free journeys to bus passengers left stranded by roadworks. General manager Stuart Williams told the BBC: “Having heard of the road closure and the temporary suspension of most of the daytime bus services between Abergynolwyn and Tywyn, we thought that we could make this offer as part of our commitment to the local community."

Sea wall build begins

Network Rail has started construction of a new sea wall at Dawlish, Devon, using plans drawn up by world-leading engineers. Standing 2.5m higher than the existing wall with a curved edge to send waves back towards the sea, the new sea wall will “protect the rail artery to the south west for the next 100 years” according to senior programme manager David Lovell.

Care fund for crime fighting canines A new charity has been launched to lessen the financial burden on the owners of retired BTP service dogs that experience costly medical conditions. The Railway Dogs Benevolent Fund (RDBF) will help to pay for ongoing medical care that has been caused by years of chasing criminals, sniffing out drugs and searching for explosive devices. Led by a team of volunteers - including two police dog handlers - the charity will organise fundraising events and sell merchandise such as police dog calendars. When police dogs retire all costs relating to their health and welfare become the responsibility of the owner; usually the handler who takes the dog on as a family pet. Vet bills can be extremely costly and it is often difficult to obtain adequate pet insurance because of pre-existing ailments, injuries sustained at work and conditions related to the dangerous nature of policing, according to RDBF. BTP officer PC Paul Wood played a crucial role in setting up the fund after losing his police dog to a serious illness in 2018. German Shepherd Luka developed a severe bacterial infection in his nose which began attacking his immune system.

Several courses of medication didn’t improve Luka’s health and he was referred for a scan. A week later his condition deteriorated suddenly. Having already spent £1,000 on treatment, and facing a bill for a further £3,700, it was a race against time for PC Wood to find the money. Essex Retired Police Dog Fund came to his aid but sadly it was too late for Luka and he passed away in June. PC Wood said: “Luka was with me every day of his working life and we had an incredible bond. When he retired with cruciate ligament disease there was no doubt in my mind that he would

continue to live with me. He was part of my family and I was heartbroken to lose him. “Following the amazing response and assistance I received from Essex Retired Dog Fund, I was determined that we should have our own charity to assist all retired working dogs associated with the Transport Police and I am extremely pleased that we have been able to get the fund up on its feet. It’s been a year in the development and will be a much needed, worthwhile and important charity.” There are currently 22 retired BTP dogs living with their former handlers or adopted families.

NR bids for British Steel

An “indicative offer” has been made by Network Rail for the specialist division of British Steel responsible for the welding, finishing and storage of rails. A spokesperson said Network Rail’s “overwhelming preference” is that a bidder for the entire business is found but that it’s “exploring all options” to ensure it will be able to continue to safety run the railway. British Steel, which supplies Network Rail with around 95 per cent of its rail, was placed into compulsory liquidation on May 22. Network Rail’s bid is believed to be one of 10 submitted to the Official Receiver.

App connects control room to frontline staff Virgin Trains has launched a new mobile application to connect its control centre with frontline staff during periods of disruption. Described by Virgin as a global first for a transport company, ‘Back on Track’ improves communication and coordination and allows customer-facing staff to have up to the minute, accurate information to relay to customers. Virgin Trains’ chief information officer John Sullivan said: “Our main problem at times of disruption is simple - thousands of Virgin Trains colleagues trying to find out the latest information to communicate to as many as 100,000 customers. “Our control centre can get a thousand calls a day from staff across the network during disruption. If the information they need is instantly available on their

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mobile, there’s no need to make that call, freeing up control to deal with the root cause.” Virgin Trains estimates that calls to inbound teams could reduce by nearly 50 per cent and that the average time to resolve incidents could be reduced by at least 20 minutes.

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RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

Infrarail 2020 Next year’s Infrarail will move to a new location, organisers have announced. Instead of being held at the ExCeL in east London, the 2020 show is moving to west London’s Olympia exhibition centre. Held between May 12-14, the event showcases every aspect of rail infrastructure technology and expertise and welcomed more than 200 exhibitors from 16 different countries last time around. Infrarail’s programme of keynote speeches, technical seminars and discussion forums will be revealed in the coming months.

Amateur historian's research to become official record

New Northern trains roll out

Sales clerk Laura Lee’s painstaking research into Sussex rail staff who served in World War One has become an official council reference document.

Northern launched the first new trains from its £500 million order with CAF on routes between Doncaster and Leeds, Cumbria and Manchester Airport and Liverpool and Manchester Airport on July 1.

What began as a pet project in the Southern worker’s spare time in the run up to the centenary of WWI snowballed into something far bigger. Initially she collated the names, ages, roles and fates of those who had been based at Arundel station. This sparked a joint project between her employer and Sussex Community Rail Partnership but it didn’t stop there. Given the interest in her work, Laura was encouraged to continue her research for as many as 30 stations, all the way from Crawley to Emsworth, and along to Brighton. Laura continued the research into rail workers on the Arun Valley line in her own time, detailing their post on the railway, their ages, and what happened to them. For those who are buried overseas, she included a photograph of the war grave. Once Laura has completed the last part of her project she will hand over her findings to West Sussex County Council’s records office. Laura said: “It was just a project I was doing to satisfy myself and it’s just snowballed. I just focused on my own station and then people started asking, ‘why don’t you do the other

The remainder of the 101-train fleet will be rolled out over the next few months in the biggest upgrade for local rail services in a generation. Rail minister Andrew Jones said the new trains shows that the “transformation continues on the north’s rail network”. “Together with new fleets on Northern, TransPennine Express and the Azumas on the East Coast, we are one step closer to saying goodbye to outdated trains and the start of a more modern rail network fit for people across the north,” he added. Northern’s new trains have been funded by Eversholt Rail and built in Spain and Wales by CAF. Each of the new trains features free wi-fi, air-conditioning, at-seat power and customer information screens with real-time information. They are also more spacious for customers and are fully accessible with spaces for wheelchairs and cycles.

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stations?’ and it grew from there. “I do a couple of hours of research every evening when I’m in the mood for it. Sometimes I sit there for hours; it’s been very interesting. There must be 300 to 400 names in my folder."

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INTERVIEWS

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

All Photos Â© Tram-EM

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RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

INTERVIEWS

THE EUROPEAN

TRAM DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP

METROLINK DUO CAROLINE HAYNES AND STEVE SHAW RECORDED THE BEST FINISH FOR A BRITISH TEAM AT THIS YEAR'S CONTEST. THEY TELL STEWART THORPE WHAT IT WAS LIKE TAKING PART IN THIS BIZARRE COMPETITION

ach year a different European city takes its turn hosting the European Tram Driver Championship. First organised in 2012 to coincide with the 140th anniversary of horse-drawn trams in Dresden, Germany, the competition pits some of the continent’s very best against each other in tests of skill, speed and sheer luck. In the United States, the Maryland Transit Administration organises a ‘Rail Rodeo’ for its own light rail operators. Otherwise, there is nothing like the European Tram Driver Championship anywhere in the world. As the country that invented tramways, you could be mistaken for thinking Britain would dominate the championship, but you’d be wrong. A team from Greater Manchester’s Metrolink was the first to enter in 2013, finishing midway in sixth place from a pack of 14. Ever since, however, British entries have been disappointing to say the least. In 2015, Metrolink finished in last place in a 23-team contest. In 2018, it finished second bottom, but this was in a field of 25 entries. When National Express’ Midland Metro stepped in as the nation’s only competitor in 2016, the overall performance was Britain’s worse to date, with the drivers from Birmingham finishing 27th out of 27 teams.

BRITISH TRIUMPH In Brussels earlier this year, that trend was bucked when Metrolink drivers Caroline Haynes and Steve Shaw finished in a respectable seventh. In total there were 25 teams from 21 different nations. Those present included teams from Berlin, Dublin and Paris as well as Budapest, Helsinki and Luxembourg. Caroline and Steve were chosen at random from a pool of 25 drivers who applied to represent Manchester – and, therefore, Britain – on the international stage.

“All my friends were like ‘You’re doing what?! There’s such a thing as a tram championship?’” said Caroline, who spent 15 years working in casinos before packing it in to drive buses as a gateway into operating trams, which she has done for the past seven years. “I was showing them the videos and they were like: ‘Seriously?’” Both were unsuccessful in attempts to take part in previous years, so when they received the call-up, they wanted to seize the opportunity with two hands. Steve added: “Obviously you get a bit of feedback from the drivers that have been in the past saying how hard it is. We’ve always struggled. I think we’ve come last and second last over the last few years.” A former admin worker, Steve achieved his dream of working in rail six and a half years ago when he became a tram driver and hasn’t looked back since. “When we were chosen, I spoke to Chris Allen, driver manager at Metrolink, and he said we’ve got no chance of winning, to which I said: ‘Why not?’ “We’re both quite competitive, me and Caroline, we knew that previously we’d done pretty poorly so the main thing was to not finish down there. We just wanted to finish as high as we could.”

PRACTISE

Before this year’s championship began, the 50 contestants spent a day listening to presentations, riding on Brussels STIB tram network and partying at a big welcome dinner. Crucially, they also had time to drive the three trams they would use in the following day’s challenges - out of service. The first was a heritage tram truck from the 1930s, the second was a PCC Streetcar that requires the driver to use floor-mounted pedals and the third was a Bombardier-built T3000 Flexity tram. Steve said: “The very old heritage tram had air brakes and was unlike anything I’ve ever driven before – it was crazy. I couldn’t get the hang of it in training, but it seemed to go okay in the competition. “The second was the tram that you use pedals, basically like a car, to drive. You did nothing with your hands - it’s quite a weird feeling. “And then we had the more modern tram, which is quite similar to the ones we drive in Manchester, just on a lower level because we have higher platforms. Very similar just slightly different with the TBC - traction brake controller - and things like that.” FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.CO.UK

INTERVIEWS

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

THE TRAM-PIONSHIP

And then, on Saturday, May 4, the main event. In total, drivers had five minutes to tackle six back-to-back disciplines: 1. Precision stop: After pushing a big green button, the circuit begins with the driver boarding the heritage tram. Their first test is to accelerate and then brake within 20cm of a cone without hitting it. 2. Estimating lateral distance: While their teammate goes ahead to place a cardboard cut-out of Brussels’ famous ‘Peeing Boy’ statue as close to the tracks on a curve as possible without hitting a passing tram, the challenger runs to the second tram for the lateral test. The closer they can pass the statue (within 20cm) without touching it, the more points they rack up. 3. Door stop: With the clock ticking, drivers then board the final tram where – with their mirrors disabled – they have to stop the second set of doors on a designated metre-wide arrow that’s placed at the side of the tram line. 4. Speed: Staying in their seats, the drivers first have to

accelerate and reach 30km/h without the assistance of a speedometer. 5. Estimation of braking: Shortly after challenge four, the competitor has to take their hands off TBC to see how close they can get to a marked area on the ground. TBC is a safety feature on modern trams that activates the brakes a couple of seconds after a driver lets go of the lever.

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One member from each team competed in the morning and the other in the afternoon. For team Metrolink, Caroline went before Steve. She said: “In the first challenge I hit the cone. The second one I had to do a swept path, which meant Steve placing the dummy at the same time. “In the third one, the door one, I missed that by about half a foot. Then the fourth and fifth were combined. I did that really well. We practised it in the morning by watching when the other drivers were letting go to stop. I was timing it in my head how many seconds the delay was, so I tried to judge from that as to where to let go.”

TRAM BOWLING

The first five challenges were based on situations that tram drivers find themselves in on a daily basis. For example, when estimating the lateral distance, the aim is to correctly assess the passing distance of obstacles such as parked cars, to prevent accidents. The sixth and final challenge is something that none of the drivers would have experience of - well, at least if they wished to keep their licence – and it is appropriately named tram bowling. It’s a challenge that has attracted the public’s attention more than any other since it

was introduced in 2014. Videos of drivers performing perfectly executed shunts of huge blown-up bowling balls that send skittles flying have racked up tens of thousands of views online. The aim is simple: knock down as many pins as possible, but, as Steve and Caroline explained, it’s not as easy as it looks. “I didn’t hit the ball hard enough,” said Caroline. “It’s just really weird. There are a few guys standing either side of the ball and it’s just totally wrong to drive at people at speed. It goes against your natural instinct to drive at something. You automatically think to brake. Even when you’re driving a car it’s just something you do without thinking about. “Because the contest lasts five minutes and you’re having to rush around, you kind of panic. It was great fun though.” Steve explained that if you’re driving too fast and end up knocking into the pins with the tram, you’re awarded zero points, which makes tram bowling even more difficult. He added: “I’ve never done anything like it really. I’m usually asked to do the exact opposite, to avoid everything. You’ve got to go against your gut feeling.” Neither of the Metrolink drivers scored any points in this challenge. Caroline didn’t knock any pins over while Steve drove straight into them. The obstacle course ends here so the competitor disembarks off the tram and runs over to hit a big red button.

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

HOMETOWN GLORY

STIB, the host’s team, were crowned the 2019 winners on 3,530 points. Metrolink finished on 2,650 points. Caroline pointed out that STIB benefited from the home advantage, operating trams – at least the final tram – they would have prior experience with. Except for the brief session before the competition, neither Steve nor Caroline spent any time practising, but that was not the case for everyone. Steve said: “Stockholm won it in 2018 and they were very meticulous in their preparations for 2019. They’d been practising

INTERVIEWS

all week in Stockholm before they got to Brussels.” Steve said Stockholm’s team members were also taken off roster for a couple of weeks before the competition to practise. Not that it helped – they came last in the championship on 1,200 points. Steve added: “When you’re trying to stop your doors in a certain place and you’ve got nothing to line up against, yes there is skill involved. The statue challenge – yeah there probably is a little in measuring distance. The emergency stop one? Definitely. The bowling? It’s a complete fluke. No skill in that. It’s pure luck.”

HIGHLIGHTS After having a few weeks to reflect on their experience, Caroline and Steve were in agreement on the highlight of their four-day stay in Brussels. “Not coming last,” said Caroline. “Everyone has been utterly abysmal before us. We were just happy we didn’t come last.” Steve, who intends to put his name into the hat again next year, added: “For Manchester, it was our best position – certainly as it’s gone to 25 teams anyway. We were really pleased with it to be honest. We wanted to come in the top ten and got it.” The entire event was live streamed, with tens of thousands of people tuning in to cheer on their countrymen. On the ground, there were also many who lined the course - including a handful of British families who had travelled hundreds of miles to witness the event first hand. Next year’s event will take place in Oradea in Romania and perhaps one day we might see the contest take place on one of Britain's tram systems - organisers TRAM-EM are certainly keen to come. And, should the home advantage prove as successful as it did for Brussels, we might finally see a British team take home the European Tram Driver Championship crown. Even if we didn’t, who wouldn’t want to see tram bowling on their local network? FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.CO.UK

TRACK SAFETY

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

REPORT BY COLIN WHEELER

TWO NETWORK RAIL TRACK WORKERS KILLED

AT PORT TALBOT ON JULY 3

y condolences and prayers are for the two local Network Rail staff (pictured) aged 58 and 64 who so tragically lost their lives in the dreadful accident at Port Talbot, their colleague who escaped physical injury and the families, friends and colleagues who mourn their passing. Although the press as ever rushed to preempt the investigation, I am more than content to await the results from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) before commenting further. Its record of in-depth investigations is exemplary as is its partnership with the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). RAIB has told me that the outline of the scope for their investigation will not be confirmed for a few weeks yet. My hope is that the industry will now move forward and reduce red zone working to an absolute minimum.

Underlying management factors It has become usual for the RAIB to include the identification of underlying management factors in its investigations. This, together with more general management matters, often influences its recommendations and may lead to legal action being taken by ORR. I believe that far more emphasis needs to be focussed on the management and motivation of people working in the industry. The return by Network Rail to a more locally managed organisation is a step in the right direction.

Rule reading and discussion

When the old British Rail single pocket-sized versions of the Rule Book were in use, rule reading took place during bad weather. Those sessions included face to face discussions and consequently increased understanding and detailed knowledge. Today’s rules and instructions despite the enormously larger number of them are more easily managed due to technology and may be distributed electronically and saved unread! © RAIB

Colin Wheeler. Consequently, even job by job paperwork is rarely seen and read by all and briefings are often given and heard by workers who have never met until the start of booked shifts. Is that really the best way to safely and productively manage? I also question the prosecution of organisations rather than individuals when things go wrong. Huge fines may result but the probability of a responsible manager receiving a heavy fine or a deferred prison sentence would be more effective.

Cutting slope washout traps passenger train

On June 27 RAIB announced the launch of its investigation into an accident at Corby in Northamptonshire that happened at around 15:53 on June 13 when a diverted passenger train ran into aggregate washed out from a cutting slope (pictured left). The northbound train (14:34 St Pancras to Nottingham HST with power cars either end and eight coaches in between) had been diverted via Corby due to an incident south of Leicester station. The train driver discovered that the rear power car was trapped by a further washout of aggregate after the train was stopped. The passengers were evacuated by road to Kettering station and there were no reported injuries. RAIB’s investigation will focus on slope and drainage history and maintenance,

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RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

TRACK SAFETY

Michael Lewis. © BTP

Gareth Delbridge.

infrastructure management in response to prolonged heavy rain and “underlying management factors”.

Dollans Moor subways were no longer being used!

RAIB’s report 05/2019 has been issued and covers the collision at Dollans’ Moor Channel Tunnel freight yard in Kent that happened on September 4 last year at 03:39. An arriving train travelling at 22mph struck a small 620kg petrolpowered buggy which was stationary on a level crossing (pictured below). The train driver was unable to stop in time to avoid the collision. Although the shunter who © RAIB

was driving the buggy attempted to jump clear at the last moment, he was dragged over 20m and suffered life changing injuries. The buggy was destroyed (see picture) and the train cab also caught fire as it travelled 105m from the crossing. The yard was built for the Channel Tunnel trains, brought into use in 1994 and is now operated by DB Cargo. As designed and built, the yard provided subways at each end of the yard giving routes for access to individual sidings without the use of level crossings. The crossings were provided for emergency use with signal protection from approaching trains. However, custom and practice had “normalised

the use of the level crossings by buggies without signals being used”. Unsurprisingly the report identifies this as an underlying factor; “DB Cargo’s management of the use of buggies, subways and level crossings was inadequate”.

Shunter trained in 2018 to use crossings

Until 2010, Dollans Moor safety documents required the subways to be used by buggies crossing the sidings. This requirement had been dropped by 2012 and by 2014 only one of the subways was open and its lighting had failed. Its use was not enforced and “most shunters chose to drive across the level crossings which had no barriers, signs of written instructions indicating that their use was not allowed unless signals were being used to stop approaching trains”. When the shunter who was injured began working in 2018, he was trained to use the level crossings to cross the sidings without signalling protection.

Willesden Freight train derailment

On June 11 RAIB announced the launch of an investigation into a freight train derailment at Willesden High Level Junction on May 6 at 21:30. The 19:45 freight train from Hoo Junction Up Yard in Kent derailed and then re-railed itself as it passed over the High Level Junction.

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TRACK SAFETY

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

A stock photo of a level crossing.

The train was carrying spoil from an engineering worksite. It consisted of a Class 66 diesel locomotive hauling 21 MPA-type two-axle wagons. The wagon that derailed was the 20th from the front. Network Rail only became aware of the derailment when it was reported by signalling technicians investigating a fault at 13:56 the next day! They found severed cables and damaged track. The RAIB investigation will examine the sequence of events, maintenance of track and wagons, track condition, local infrastructure management and underlying management factors.

Improving private level crossing signage

On June 27 rail minister Andrew Jones and the Department for Transport (DfT) announced plans to improve private level crossing signage. Their motivation is to make their use safer and the DfT acknowledges changes have occurred in the use of these crossings due to current shopping practices and the involvement of couriers and delivery drivers in addition to mailing companies. The DfT has been working with Network Rail and the ORR to trial new designs at Cannock Chase in Staffordshire since August last year. Now they plan to update the Private Crossings (Signs and Barriers) Regulations 1996 and upgrade the crossings starting next year. The RAIB report of a fatal collision involving a delivery van and an HST at a private crossing in Teynham Kent in October 2017 included a number of recommendations. The proposed change will meet one of them.

Frampton Mansell level crossing fatality

An inquest held on June 12 examined the circumstances under which a Land Rover driver with his own private level crossing key (to access land where he ran a camping business)

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had telephoned the signaller from his user operated crossing. The accident happened in February 2017 at Frampton Mansell near Stroud, after the caller had been told by the signaller that it was safe to cross having been told that the train had passed! A verdict of accidental death was recorded.

Peterborough near miss comments

I have received correspondence from a reader following up on the near miss near Peterborough involving an advanced lookout using a chequered flag. I agree with his outrage. He says he is “appalled that it is permitted to communicate the approach of a train over a long distance by waving a flag” and adds “it never was safe, and now even less so!” He also remarks that “there are plenty of reliable short distance fail-safe radio systems that should be applied”. “If or when someone has been killed can you imagine what the prosecution will say?” He also advocates the use of GPS technology by those working on track.

Wrong side failure at Ashtown

The Railway Accident Investigation Unit in Ireland (RAIU) has completed its investigation of a wrong side door failure with a 19:73 eight-car 290 000 DMU (diesel multiple unit) travelling from Pearse to Maynooth at Ashtown Station on August 12 last year. At 20:04, and having watched passengers leaving and joining the train, its driver pressed the close door button. The interlock light that confirms the passenger doors are closed and locked illuminated, despite the fact that the door immediately behind the driving cab was still physically closing. This was repeated on the return journey so the train was taken out of service at Connolly station. Report 2019-R001 was issued on June 25. The cause was “unwanted contact with the

door interlock loop crimp with the battery positive spade causing the door interlock light circuit to be completed whenever a door was opened in the front set of doors whilst the rear set remained closed”. A lack of insulation beyond two crimps and detachment from associated spades were found.

Fatality and injury potential

Recommendations include a review of vehicle maintenance and the examination of the 290 000 vehicles after incidents. On the decision to investigate the report comments that “under slightly different conditions this incident may have led to a serious accident with the potential for fatalities and serious injuries due to passenger doors being open while the train was able to take power”.

Rail industry culture

John Larkinson, chief executive of ORR has been open and forthright in his criticism of timetable changes and service updating. In a published letter to Network Rail and train operators dated May 30 he comments as follows: “A bad culture has developed, train operators have engaged with Network Rail and third parties too late. Network Rail has been unwilling to commit to access rights before a full timetable has been developed, and where there are conflicts in train service specifications these have been slow to be identified/ resolved.” His letter ends with the admission that “we in the ORR have been too flexible in trying to accommodate…” etc. His comments relate to the May 2019 timetable changes for which there were 20 applications with 80 per cent of them being received in the last six weeks before the timetable change and all needing ORR approval. If we learn nothing more from the recent past than the absolutely criticality of our industry sharing a better culture of safety progress will have been made.

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Safety Summit

HEALTH+SAFETY

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

RAIL SAFETY WEEK Whether it’s the introduction of new rolling stock, timetables or a company structure, change poses a risk to safety and must be considered carefully.

That was one of the key messages from Rail Safety Week’s inaugural conference, which was held at RSSB’s Moorgate offices in London on June 24. RSSB chief executive Mark Phillips mentioned Keith Williams’ Rail Review as a particular risk, and told audience members this was stressed in RSSB’s submission. Mark’s thoughts in the opening presentation were later echoed by chief inspector Ian Prosser, director of safety at ORR, who said he was in regular communication with Network Rail’s transformation team to ensure its reorganisation is safety validated. Ian, who joined the rail industry as a result of the Ladbroke Grove rail crash in 1999, said: “It is so important that change is managed because you can spend years and years trying to get better and you can lose that in a moment and, basically, all hell breaks loose.” Representatives from BTP, CIRAS, RSSB and Network Rail covered key safety messages from their respective sections of the industry as part of the conference – the headline event in Rail Safety Week’s 2019 programme of events to provide an industry focus on safety. Among the line-up were speakers from two organisations not usually represented at safety conferences: the Railway Benefit Fund (RBF) and the Scouts Association. President Pete Waterman explained the work of RBF and how Charles Dickens became an early benefactor following the Staplehurst rail crash in 1865. Mark Hislop, commercial director of the Scouts, was there to talk about a successful partnership it established with CrossCountry in 2017 to launch a Cub Scout Personal Safety Activity Badge as part of a strategy to reduce rail crime in the UK. More than 34,000 Cub Scouts have since earned the badge. In his opening speech, RSSB’s Mark Phillips told delegates that despite the UK’s rail safety record being transformed since World War Two – it is now the safest railway of the top 10 major railways in Europe – there remains a lot to do to reduce safety risks further. For example, in the past six months RSSB has noticed an uplift in risks around signals passed at danger (SPAD) and level-crossings. Mark also revealed that nine of the 18 rail worker fatalities in the last decade were as a result of driving. RAILSTAFF.CO.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

Platform-train interfaces and trespass are two big areas of work for RSSB. Trespass costs the rail industry £16 million a year and is also a major focus for BTP, as Assistant Chief Constable Robin Smith explained. In 2018, there were 10,108 such incidents. A recent trend has seen BTP faced with people either protesting or in a mental health crisis taking up precarious positions at stations, bridges or other parts of the infrastructure, causing significant delays across the network. A nine-hour incident at Leeds station on May 30 saw a man climb the station gantry. Only when a negotiator was called was he talked down. As a result, thousands of passenger journeys were disrupted at a cost of over £1 million to the rail industry. The man has since been jailed for six months. Asst Ch Con Robin Smith said: “The rail network is a magnet for people in mental health crisis and the rail industry will work with the Samaritans to help frontline staff to support them.” Steve Longden, trespass improvement programme manager at Network Rail, told delegates that 70 per cent of trespass incidents take place at or within 100m of stations and that different placements of different types of fencing, gates, lighting and signage are being trialled to try and mitigate this. He also noted that the ‘You vs Train’ campaign, organised in association with BTP, is helping to significantly reduce trespass incidents at targeted hotspots.

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FEATURE

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

NOWHERE TO HIDE

CHIEF INSPECTOR PETER KOOPER TALKS TO STEWART THORPE ABOUT BTP'S NEW APPROACH TO COUNTER TERRORISM

he terror attacks of 2017 reminded us all that terrorism can take place anywhere, at any time. Attacks at Westminster Bridge, Manchester Arena, London Bridge and Finsbury Park saw 36 people lose their lives while hundreds more were forever changed as a result of physical and psychological injuries. It was a dark year for the UK, one which saw more people die as a result of terrorism than in any year since the 7/7 bombings ripped through the capital in 2005. In June, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon, senior national coordinator for counter terrorism policing, warned the UK still faces an “unprecedented level of threat from terrorism” but that a step-change in terrorist activity is being matched by a similar increase in the work of the police and security services to keep the public safe. As the specialist force that polices one of the country’s key economic arteries, the British Transport Police (BTP) has been an essential part of this uplift in capability.

AN EVOLVED THREAT BTP first deployed armed officers, primarily at major London stations, in 2012, to protect the public against emerging threats and evolving terrorist tactics - attacks on transport systems in Madrid (2004), London (2005) and Mumbai (2008) all resulted in large numbers of fatalities. Likewise, the launch of the firearms capability in London coincided with the London 2012 Olympic Games. These patrols provided a strong deterrent to wouldbe terrorists and allowed BTP to improve its response to any potential threats. Stations outside of London were patrolled from 2017 but firearms officers had to travel to them from the capital, until now. In 2018, BTP strengthened the size and reach of its counter terrorism capability by opening two special operations hubs, one based out of Birmingham and the other from Manchester. Firearms officers now work alongside dog handlers and special teams across the network in England and Wales from the two bases. “Clearly, after the events of 2017, it caused us to consider our capabilities outside of London,” said Chief Inspector Peter Kooper, the supervisor of BTP’s regional counter terrorism units. “These special operations hubs based in Birmingham and Manchester essentially replicate the existing specialist operation hub that is down in London. “Manchester and Birmingham were seen as the most strategic places to base resources, based on the threats and assessments from the intelligence service.” Ch Insp Kooper has spent the last 24 years in a variety of specialist areas with BTP and has led the regional counter terrorism unit since its inception in May 2018. He added: “The biggest difference you will see now, as a consequence of the team

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BTP and the 2017 terror attacks • March 22, the Westminster attack: BTP played a critical role in London’s response after a vehicle was driven into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing five and injuring more than 50. • May 22, the Manchester Arena bombing: As the first emergency responders to arrive on the scene, BTP officers made the area safe for other emergency services and provided immediate life-saving care to the injured. In total 22 victims lost their lives and more than 800 suffered physical and psychological injuries. • June 3, the London Bridge attack: BTP officers PC Wayne Marques and PC Leon McLeod ran towards three terrorists who had driven into pedestrians and were then stabbing members of the public in the London Bridge and Borough Market area. PC Marques was seriously injured after running towards attackers armed only with a baton. Both were recognised by the Queen for their acts of heroism. Around 160 BTP armed officers formed part of the specialist response alongside the Metropolitan Police Service and the City of London Police. Eight people died and dozens of others were left seriously injured. • September 15, Parsons Green train bomb: BTP armed officers and other specialist teams worked to evacuate passengers, make the area safe and support the investigation to find the man responsible. More than 50 people were left with injuries from the explosion and resultant panic and crush.

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

FEATURE

INTELLIGENCE

opening up, is the firearms capability. We didn’t have any firearms officers up here before the hubs opened last summer, so that’s the greatest capability. “To deal with a Paris Bataclan-type terrorist attack, we’re going to need support from Special Forces, including specialist firearms officers, but we have that capacity to provide the initial response to it as well as having that deterrent piece as well.” Before the regional units were launched, BTP had one explosive search dog (ESD) based outside of London - PD Mojo, which was awarded the animal equivalent of an OBE for being the first police dog on the scene of the Manchester Arena bombings. This capability has now been significantly increased since opening the regional units.

PROJECT SERVATOR As a specialist team, the BTP’s counter terrorism units carry out a range of overt and covert activities in order to detect those with terrorist intent before they act. Its work is a key part of the force-wide ‘Project Servator’ initiative - the name given to the unpredictable and highly visible police deployments that are designed to disrupt a range of criminal activity, including terrorism. Project Servator involves uniformed and plain clothed officers who are specially trained to spot telltale signs that an individual may have criminal intent. They are supported by resources such as police dogs, armed officers, real-time CCTV monitoring, automatic number plate recognition and vehicle checkpoints. Police officers aren’t the only ones that play a part. Rail staff are trained to quickly identify

what makes an unattended item suspicious, to reduce unnecessary and costly disruptions to passengers who themselves are encouraged to report unusual activity and items through the ’See it. Say it. Sorted.’ campaign that can be seen and heard at stations. If a more specialist assessment is required, BTP deploys personnel from its counter terrorism units. Project Servator relies on those who work on the rail network and the people that use it to be extra eyes and ears for the police. The approach is designed to identify and disrupt hostile reconnaissance – the information gathering a criminal does when planning to commit a criminal act, including terrorist attacks. “It doesn't matter whether you’re a criminal who goes into WHSmith to steal a Mars bar or a potential terrorist doing some reconnaissance for a future attack, our specially-trained officers will cover this broad spectrum, looking to identify any hostile intent,” said Ch Insp Kooper, who explained that the counter terrorism unit’s presence is having an overall impact on crime. If an officer has spotted telltale signs that someone is planning or preparing to commit a crime, they will speak to that person to find out more. On occasion, there will be grounds to undertake stop searches. Ultimately, that can lead to intelligence on potential terrorist activity and arrests for carrying drugs or weapons."

As well as 150 arrests, the Birmingham and Manchester-based counter terrorism teams have gathered more than 1,000 pieces of intelligence since September, which have been passed onto other counter terrorism units across the UK. Because of the nature of its work, BTP’s counter terrorism unit is unable to record what happens as a result of passing intelligence onto security services. Nevertheless, an incident at the end of 2018 highlighted the impact the unit has had. Hours before the clock struck midnight on December 31, Sergeant Lee Valentine of BTP’s counter terrorism unit ran towards a knifeman at Manchester Victoria. As the first officer on the scene, Sgt Valentine used a taser and CS spray to tackle and arrest the assailant. Three people, including Sgt Valentine, were hurt in the knife attack, but the officer’s quick thinking prevented more passengers from being hurt. The incident was investigated by the National Counter Terrorism Network and a man in his 30s has since been charged with three counts of attempted murder and one of possessing a document useful to a person committing an act of terrorism. Ch Insp Kooper added: “New Year’s Eve clearly was a massive risk for us in terms of the nature of the event, the crowded place, the transport hub, all that sort of stuff, and for us to be in the right place at the right time and have the capability to actually deal with this individual is a positive thing for us.”

VIGILANCE Although BTP has strengthened its counter terrorism division, it cannot work in isolation particularly as the terror threat level remains at ‘severe’ - and relies on the eyes and ears of rail staff and passengers to pick up on potential threats. Ch Insp Kooper said his unit receives a lot of calls and messages from the public following high-profile incidents and campaigns but that this drops at other times. Whether people work in London, Manchester or Cardiff, the advice is to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to police. BTP, now more than ever before, is in an ideal position to stub out potential threats before they can escalate further. “It’s been incredibly rewarding so far,” Ch Insp Kooper added. “We really, really are incredibly proactive and I think it will only carry on over the coming years.” Passengers and rail staff can discreetly contact BTP by texting 61016.

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FEATURE

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

CHAPLAINS CALL FOR HELP

n times of need they are there without hesitation, offering a listening ear and confidential support. But now, in its time of difficulty, the Railway Mission is in need of help itself. From remote areas of the network in Scotland to the busiest hubs in London, the Mission’s band of specially trained chaplains provide ‘psychological first aid’ to staff going through dark times. In 2017, the charity supported rail staff on 15,925 occasions during visits to stations, signal boxes, depots and offices. This includes following up 253 suicides or suicide attempts with chaplaincy support. It also deployed 2 chaplains to help those affected by the recent worker fatalities at Margam. Like all charitable organisations, fundraising is an ongoing challenge for the Railway Mission. Following the removal of two major sources of funding, it was left with a financial black hole of £120,000 a year in 2018. The situation forced the charity’s hand and led it to making two members of staff redundant, a figure that would have been higher had another not resigned. Executive director Liam Johnston said: “We’re a dedicated, professional charity service. With the exception of a couple of volunteers, we employee our chaplains because we want to employe the best we can get. “Unfortunately that squeeze on the finances has meant that we’ve had to reduce the numbers of staff so we’re really struggling in some areas.”

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STRETCHED

Currently there is no dedicated chaplain for the London Underground - the nearest support is now located at the major London terminals - the equivalent of only one full-time chaplain covering Scotland and the chaplains in the north of England are having to cover large patches. At its peak there were 27 chaplains, now there are 20. Without finding additional sources of income, the Railway Mission will be unable to bolster its staff, meaning its capability will continue to be reduced. Liam said there is a three-year plan to prevent the charity from eating further into its reserves, but this will mean being less flexible with its support and helping less people. He added: “We can cope as long as we’re not hit by anything major. Our capacity to cope with those events is majorly reduced. “What we really need is an increase in funding to not only decrease the deficit but allow us to go back to the level of chaplaincy that we have had in the past.”

NEW BACKERS

Liam is determined to establish the backing of major funders but the Railway Mission also wants to encourage more members of staff to donate via payroll giving. “What we’ve seen is the amount of money people give on a regular basis has gone down, and that causes a knock-on effect. “I think that’s typical for the times that we’re in. Everybody’s a bit concerned about their financial future whether it’s to do with Brexit, whether it’s to do with prices, whatever the reason. “With payroll giving, if someone gives £5 or even £1 a week that continues through their career and over time adds up to a significant amount of money. If you get lots of people giving small amounts, as people retire or move jobs, it doesn’t have that big effect of one major funder stopping giving thousands of pounds because you’ve got lots of smaller supporters, there’s lots of flexibility in that. It’s a more sustainable income stream in the long term.” Liam added: “The work of the Railway Mission doesn’t pull on people’s heart strings as much as other causes. “Everybody knows somebody that’s been effected by cancer, everybody knows someone who has children, so charities that deal with children, charities that deal with cancer, they really pull on the heart strings. “We’re here to support people who are in employment, generally, who are seen as being well paid but everybody who goes through a difficulty in their life, whether it’s ill health, divorce, whether it’s problems with their family in some way, all of those people need support.”

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

EVENTS

RAILSTAFF AWARDS 28 NOVEMBER, NEC, BIRMINGHAM

EVENTS

JULY 2019

SEPTEMBER 2019

OCTOBER 2019

FUTURE OF INFRASTRUCTURE CONFERENCE

IOSH CONFERENCE

SmartTransit

www.ioshconference.com

www.smartrailworld.com/events/

18th July London

16th-17th September icc, birmingham

infrastructure.co.uk

TRAKO

RSSB RESEARCH AND INNOVATION SHOWCASE

www.trakofair.com

24th July The University of Huddersfield www.rssb.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 2019

RIN

5th September Derby www.rinevents.co.uk

RAIL~VOLUTION

8th-11th September Vancouver, Canada www.railvolution.org

nextRAIL.19

12th-14th September Zurich, Switzerland

28th-30th October Addleshaw Goddard, London smart-transit

24th-25th September Gdansk, Poland

NOVEMBER 2019 RAIL + METRO CHINA

OCTOBER 2019 RAIL SAFETY SUMMIT

3rd October Addleshaw Goddard, London www.railsummits.com

RAIL BIM / ASSET MANAGEMENT SUMMIT

10th October Addleshaw Goddard, London www.railsummits.com

12th November Shanghai, China

www.railmetrochina.com/en

ROLLING STOCK PROCUREMENT FORUM

21st November Addleshaw Goddard, London waterfrontconferencecompany.com

MASS-TRANS INNOVATION 27th-29th November Chiba, Japan www.mtij.jp/english

ASPECT 2019

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

22nd-24th October Delft, Netherlands www.irse.org/aspect/default.aspx

28th November NEC, Birmingham

www.railstaffawards.com

www.nextrail19.ch/en/registration

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

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EVENTS

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

CONSTRUCTION

MEETS RAIL PLANTWORX/RAILWORX WAS A SUCCESS DESPITE THE WET WEATHER

very two years the Construction Equipment Association organises a big plant show: Plantworx. And it is big – the latest kit from major players Caterpillar, JCB, Doosan, Volvo and Komatsu are put on working display for thousands of visitors to see. For 2019 there were two major changes. The first was the location – the show moved from Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground in Leicestershire to the East of England Arena in Peterborough. Secondly, due to the amount of rail construction that has been going on recently, and with more to come in the shape of HS2 and Crossrail 2, the decision was taken to launch Railworx. Here, rail suppliers would be able to show off both plant and equipment. Rail Media was tasked with arranging rail exhibitors and some 50, from all areas of the industry, accepted the challenge and came to Peterborough between June 11-13.

FIRST AMONG EQUALS Chief among them was Network Rail’s Signalling Innovation Group, which showed off its latest ideas. Simulation, modelling and traffic management specialists Hitachi Infocon took the stand next door and were among a variety of exhibitors in the Railworx line-up. This included: safety glasses manufacturer Bollé, road rail access point installer Premier Rail Services, Mixamate and its giant concrete mix-and-pump trucks, and Van Elle with its piling rigs. Taylor Construction Plant also had some big kit, a TXM road-rail excavator fitted with a manipulator, which waved a large pole around the sky throughout the show. Genwork chose Railworx to launch its brand new Klik-Lok range of purpose-designed environmental noise barrier solutions, specifically aimed at infrastructure projects involving road and rail where noise reduction is of critical importance. A series of panels lock together in a vertical frame, with the frame giving good vertical stability and the locking action reducing the assembly time and removing the need for heavy plant. On its stand, Genwork was displaying a pair of three-metre-high barriers, which business development director Roger Kemp explained was the minimum height for effective sound reduction. Made in the UK, the panels can be manufactured in any colour to suit a contractor’s needs. With an estimated life of 40 years, the Klik-Lok noise barrier system can be used for both permanent and temporary installations. The show organisers were so impressed that they presented Genwork with a New Product Launch Award on the middle day of the show. RAILSTAFF.CO.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

SOGGY TUESDAY The award was presented on the Wednesday because, however much one plans for an outdoor show, there is one thing that can’t be predicted - the British weather. On the first day, June 11, the heavens opened. To avoid the wet weather, the depleted crowd of visitors sought shelter in the indoor section of the show. In the main hall there was plenty to see. Peli Products had a stand that required no lighting – they had brought enough of their own! LED lights, protective cases and even covers for iPads were all attracting interest. One of the appeals of Plantworx is its crossindustry spread of visitors, and Peli said it had been visited by a number of utility contractors.

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

EVENTS

L Oilaway occupied a double-size stand and also seemed to be doing business with visitors from a range of sectors. Protective clothing specialists Portwest Clothing, fellow PPE providers Safeaid and Role Recruitment were all also indoors. There was also a stand for Platform Edge Protection, which has created a safety barrier system for station platforms that “almost eliminates the plant/ person interface and fall prevention risk” during maintenance or refurbishment works. At a corner of the hall Rail Media colleagues Railway People were also talking to visitors alongside charity Mind and a CV writing service from JW CVs. When contractors are on site, safety is naturally a priority. Minor injuries outnumber major accidents, so on-site treatment of wounds, abrasions and sprains is important. Aero Healthcare supplies everything from first-aid kits to defibrillators, even the lightweight stretchers used for medical evacuations, and used Railworx to showcase its first-aid solutions for the rail industry. With six state-of-the-art simulators replicating a working construction site in the Simulation Zone, there was also plenty to do inside!

BETTER WEDNESDAY Although the pouring rain gave way to a light drizzle on day two, visitors went to the indoors arena to attend the show’s GET SET Conference, which shone the spotlight on skills and skill shortages. Joe Guy, group HR director for integrated talent solutions at Network Rail; Trudy Langton-Freeman, lead HR business partner for rail at Costain; Clair Mowbray, chief executive of the National College for High Speed Rail; Mohanad Ismail, national vicechair at Young Rail Professionals, and Neil Franklin, head of skills intelligence at the National Skills Academy for Rail, spoke on this important topic.

AND THERE’S MORE Rail suppliers weren’t confined to the Railworx section. Tools and equipment hire specialist A-Plant was in among the construction exhibitors. So too was Wacker Neuson, whose compactors are used extensively in track renewals to flatten and

compact the trackbed before track is laid. Force One, which specialises in the vacuum excavation of aggregates and earth – and ballast around track and S&C – has developed a three unit ‘train’ to work on track. The front unit is a road-rail excavator fitted with the suction head and hose. That’s coupled to a storage trailer than can hold up to 15 tonnes of spoil, and that in turn is connected to the vacuum fan unit which provides the suck. It’s still under development, with a conveyor unloader system planned for the spoil truck, but should be working out on the rail network next year. So, was Plantworx/Railworx wet? It certainly was. But was it a washout? No way! With almost 500 exhibitors’ displays spread out over 140,000m2 of the East of England Arena, there was something for everyone, and too much to see, even in three days. And there will be even more in 2021! Hopefully the weather will be better but, in any case, it will be an event not to be missed. FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.CO.UK

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

INTRODUCING YOUR HOST...

howman Richard Salkeld shone so brightly at the 2018 RailStaff Awards that organisers have signed him up to return for this year’s ceremony. Not only did his sequin jackets add a touch of glitz and glamour in a room of black-tie suits and cocktail dresses, Richard perfectly orchestrated proceedings, which cost tens of thousands of pounds and took the best part of a year to organise. He may not have known what to expect, having never attended the RailStaff Awards before, but Richard was unfazed by the thousands of watching eyes and had the necessary skills and personality to keep the momentum going regardless of what was thrown at him. “It was genuinely a real joy,” said the former journalist, who recently swapped the Great Western for the East Coast main line to oversee media at LNER. “It has always been an ambition of mine to host the Eurovision Song Contest and I think that night was the closest I’ve got to it. “The whole event felt like a glossy Saturday night floor show with entertainment, the spectacle, the awards themselves, the personalities and with everybody looking so fantastic. It was kind of like a Royal Variety Performance railway awards. “I recall a real sense of railway family at the event which certainly made it feel like an intimate event despite being at one of the country’s largest venues.”

Do you work with an extraordinary train driver, station manager or engineer? Nominate them in one of 20 categories today:

THE CATEGORIES IN FULL: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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Apprentice of the Year Award for Charity Customer Service Award Depot Staff Award Digital Railway Person or Team Award Graduate or Newcomer Award HR, Diversity & Inclusion Person or Team Award Learning & Development Award Lifetime Achievement Award Marketing & Communications Team Award Rail Civils / Infrastructure Team Award Rail Engineer of the Year Rail Manager of the Year Rail Person of the Year Rail Project Manager Award Rail Team of the Year Recruitment Person or Team Safety Person or Team Award Samaritans Lifesaver Award Station Staff Award

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

MEMORABLE MOMENTS

Richard takes great pride in his work and the impact it can have, something that is helped by his lifelong love of railways. “I’ve got a real affinity with the East Coast route. My grandad was a train driver for British Rail and I remember him taking me to Newcastle station to have a look inside the cab of an InterCity 125 and being allowed to honk the horn. “I remember holding it for so long that I can remember seeing pigeons flying out past the canopy of the station and having to have my fingers peeled off the lever to stop the horn from going off.” Richard said he treasured his time at Great Western Railway and the opportunity to learn about the Class 800 trains and a different part of the country and that he returned to the East Coast with “more knowledge and experience”.

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

When the RailStaff Awards returns in less than five months time, Richard will also return to the role as host with more knowledge and experience. “I’ve been really privileged to host or co-host events ranging from the Railway Benefit Fund Gala Dinners to the Association of Community Rail Awards to name a few so it’s always difficult knowing what the audiences will be like and if the tone and humour will hit the spot,” he added. “I’d like to think the professional set-up, big screens, sparkly jackets and occasionally deviating from the script to have a chat with winners and sponsors made for an unpredictable and entertaining night - and will again this year.” Organisers meanwhile are hoping to draw on your knowledge and experience to make the ceremony on Thursday, November 28, possible.

Do you work with a selfless charity fundraiser, a station assistant who’s saved a life or a hardworking OLE engineer? If you do, head to railstaffawards.com and nominate them for a chance to be recognised by the industry. Spending a few short moments of your time telling us why they deserve to win could help to create more special moments that will be remembered for years to come. Tickets for the RailStaff Awards are now on sale. To secure your ticket or table, go to www.railstaffawards.com.

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

CELEBRATING EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE

n May 18, hundreds of people travelled between London Paddington and Exeter St Davids on Great Western Railway’s (GWR) last High Speed Train (HST) in regular passenger service. Rail enthusiasts lined the route to snap a final photo while customers and colleagues took a minute to appreciate the iconic train that saved intercity rail travel. Such is the public sentiment for the trains that this final trip attracted coverage from a host of media outlets. A video news report on the BBC website even became its most watched clip of the day. On Twitter, the hashtag #LastOfTheHSTs trended and the resultant buzz of users celebrating the historical moment saw GWR’s social media team receive its highest ever positive score. After 43 years in operation, the fleet of HSTs has been replaced with 93 Hitachi-built Intercity Express Trains (IET). The first IET entered service on October 16, 2017, and GWR took delivery of its final trainset in May this year. “It was a great event that was quite nostalgic,” said GWR managing director Mark Hopwood, talking about the last HST. “Colleagues from all over the business worked hard to make it a success - little touches like bespoke window labels helped make the day extra special for customers.” But, as Mark explained, it was an event tinged with sadness. “Many of our colleagues loved working with these trains - some of them for 40 years,” he added. “That being said, the retirement of the HST from high-speed service represents a significant milestone for our transformation, and while

it is poignant there is plenty to be excited about in the future.” The new fleet is part of the biggest upgrade to GWR in a generation, which, combined with a major timetable change in December, will boost the number of trains and seats and cut journey times.

from the historic Dambusters raid in 1943; and Rick Rescorla, a Cornishman who died saving the lives of thousands of people during the 9/11 World Trade Centre attacks in New York, are examples of the names that appear on the new IET trains.

INFLUENTIAL FIGURES

RAIL MANAGER OF THE YEAR

With so many new trains being introduced, GWR has seized the opportunity to name 50 of them after inspirational locals who have influenced the towns and cities it serves. The campaign will see each of the trains fitted with plaques inscribed with the name of one ‘Great Westerner’. Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the revolutionary engineer who designed and built the Great Western Railway; George ‘Johnny’ Johnson and Joy Lofthouse, pilots

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The train naming project has been set up to recognise the achievements of extraordinary local people – and it’s the same drive to recognise greatness that’s led to GWR supporting this year’s RailStaff Awards. Following on from sponsorship of the 2018 ceremony, GWR will once more return to sponsor the Rail Manager of the Year category. “Having great line managers to guide our colleagues through the huge transformation we’re

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

seeing on the GWR network is key to us delivering our purpose of revaluing rail in the hearts and minds of the travelling public,” said HR director Ruth Busby. “I see and hear of fantastic examples of leaders who demonstrate our values and use their Great Experience Maker customer service training, so this category particularly resonates with me.” By coincidence - and it really was, judging is independent last year’s category was won by GWR’s Carys Thomas, a former duty station manager who is a graduate of the company’s 'Aspire'

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

apprenticeship scheme. Carys, who now works as an operations compliance manager, had a significant impact at Bristol Temple Meads station. She boosted staffing levels from 67 to 96 per cent and worked tirelessly to help improve much-needed station administration; helping to maintain operational and occupational compliance. The RailStaff Awards will once more take place at Birmingham’s NEC, this year on Thursday, November 28. To find out more head to: www. railstaffawards.com.

THE FAMOUS FIVE © 2018, Hodder & Stoughton Limited. All rights reserved. Advertising based on an increase of over 10% in train seats on long distance, intercity services in May 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. Correct as of 18 June 2019. Selected routes only. Visit GWR.com for full terms and conditions.

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

SHERIFFS ON PATROL

hether they’re opening a new building or marking a new milestone or landmark anniversary, MPs are often snapped celebrating special occasions with organisations associated to either their constituency or government department. So, when Land Sheriffs welcomed not one but two politicians to its headquarters in Essex earlier this year, you know it was for something significant. At the beginning of 2019, the professional security firm recorded its 200th life-saving intervention since 2013 when it first started actively working to prevent suicide on Britain’s railways. As of June this year the figure currently sits at 222 and refers to incidents whereby a member of the public is handed over to the BTP, the ambulance service or another police force for a mental health assessment.

MINISTERIAL PRAISE Tyler LeMay, managing director of Land Sheriffs, welcomed mental health minister Jackie Doyle-Price and local MP Robert Halfon to the company's offices in April for the event. “We tried to make it more of a recognition of staff because the event was tinged with a little bit of sadness because there were 200 people who were in very dark places,” Tyler said. “We never set our sights on targets. We don’t have a KPI for it. We trust our staff's experience and training to intervene when they feel able to.” On the day of her visit, Jackie DoylePrice tweeted the following message: “Congratulations on all that you have done, please continue that good work. I am going to preach to the world about what you have done here because it is so impressive, thank you very much indeed.” Tyler explained that when staff make these life-saving interventions, they're not just saving

one person's life. He added: “You’ve saved their family, friends and partners from going through the pain and heartache of that person taking their own life. "Plus, if a train driver's involved, some train drivers never come back to work, even though there’s nothing they could do."

A RISE IN CRIME Working predominantly across the South East and Anglia region of the UK, including major London Hubs such as Victoria, Charing Cross and Liverpool St stations, Land Sheriffs isn't just contracted for suicide prevention by Network Rail and train operators. A key aspect of its work relates to violence and antisocial behaviour on the network. In the last three years, the number of overall recorded crimes in England, Scotland and Wales has increased from 49,000 in 2015/16 to 52,000 in 2016/17 and 61,000 in 2017/18,

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according to BTP - although these figures are lower than they were in 2005/06 (79,000). Following this trend, Land Sheriffs has also seen a rise in violence and antisocial behaviour, which Tyler believes is partly down to a change in workers’ attitudes to reporting. "No one goes to work to be abused or called names or threatened with violence, but it seems as if there’s an acceptable culture in the rail industry that rail frontline staff can be abused, without repercussions” he added. “Lots of these frontline staff, gateline staff, staff in customer service, they’re not there to deal with conflict, they’re not trained to deal with conflict. “Our staff, certainly in our sector, are trained and – like a police officer almost – they’re willing to enter into conflict in order to deal with a situation."

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

GIVING BACK

As it has grown its presence in rail, Land Sheriffs has sought to give something back to the communities it serves. In the immediate area of Harlow, the firm raised enough money to allow all of the nurses from the neonatal unit at the nearby Princess Alexandra Hospital to undertake special training, to improve their knowledge and skillset around caring for babies and their families. In the rail industry, it is once more returning to sponsor the Charity Award at the RailStaff Awards. “It’s an award that’s close to our hearts. We do a lot of charity work and I think it’s good to give back to your local community," said Tyler. “Lots of the staff that are nominated don’t do it for the recognition either, they just do it for a passion or a drive, something that’s touched them or their family. They do it for the cause, which they should be recognised for."

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

Proud Sponsors of the

Award for Charity

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To nominate one of your colleagues or to find out more information, head to www.railstaffawards.com

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

LIFESAVERS

OF THE 20 TROPHIES PRESENTED AT THE RAILSTAFF AWARDS THERE IS ONE THAT IS MORE EMOTIONALLY CHARGED THAN ALL THE OTHERS

he Lifesaver Award is a category that is inundated with stories of rail staff stepping out of their comfort zone to help in someone’s time of need. These selfless acts of humanity aren’t listed in the job descriptions of these everyday heroes, but they undertake them anyway. Customer service experience manager Rizwan Javed, of MTR Crossrail, made 25 lifesaving interventions in three years, repeated feats of courage and compassion that saw him presented with the 2018 Lifesaver Award. Jason Alexandre, managing suicidal contacts trainer at category sponsor Samaritans, said the award was a great recognition of Rizwan, who represents the group of people that made over 2,000 life-saving interventions in 2018/19. “I’ve spoken to Rizwan a couple of times since the award and he has since gone on

to help us with our rail industry campaigns,” said Jason. "He’s a great advocate of giving colleagues the confidence to go out and speak about mental wellbeing. He’s said that if he can help and support in any way he’d love to do that if it saves somebody’s life. “People who make that intervention, who make that connection, they often want to do more to help, sometimes like Rizwan, they add their passion giving incredible energy to these campaigns to help and support people.”

EMOTIONAL HEALTH Samaritans' Real People, Real Stories campaign, which sees men who have overcome tough times share their stories to encourage others to seek help, was launched in March with a burst of media activity. More than 20 news outlets covered the new campaign and it featured on talkSPORT and BBC Breakfast to help spark conversations on mental wellbeing, particularly for men. Suicide is

the biggest killer of men under 50 and 80 per cent of suicides on the railway are by men. Since the rollout, authentic stories from sporting celebrities – including former footballer Leon McKenzie and international rugby referee Nigel Owens – have aired on talkSPORT and shared on social media. Over 1,500 posters have been distributed to railway stations across Great Britain. As well as people such as Rizwan who make a life-saving intervention, Jason was full of praise for staff for providing ongoing emotional support for passengers. He touched on a recent example of a member of gateline staff who had got to know a customer who had cancer and would regularly chat to them about how they were doing. Jason added: “As soon as you feel like you’re struggling to cope, it’s really important to talk to someone. Samaritans is not only there for those experiencing suicidal thoughts, in fact only one in five of those that contact us say that they are feeling suicidal. We want to reach people whenever they are finding life tough.”

Can you help Samaritans share its new Real People, Real Stories awareness campaign through local professional or semi-professional football or rugby clubs? If so, please email d.masters@samaritans.org

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RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

MARATHON EFFORTS

Building on the success of Real People, Real Stories, Samaritans is putting plans in place for its next big campaign, Samarathon. Jason added: "We know that physical health has an impact on mental wellbeing. And so what we’re encouraging people to do in the month of July is to either walk or run a marathon – at their own pace – with friends and family. People can then go onto our website and record it and their sponsorship.” Jason explained that Samaritans hopes to raise money, awareness, build resilience through improved physical health and have "a bit of fun" too through the campaign.

RAILSTAFF AWARDS Come November, more people and more stories such as Rizwan and his heroic efforts will be acknowledged at the RailStaff Awards. “We are so proud to sponsor the RailStaff Awards," added Jason. "All of these guys do a really great job. They’re working hard and this is an opportunity to recognise what they do as they often go above and beyond. “It’s an opportunity to thank them, acknowledge them and when that person gets awarded I think it’s an award that people can associate with and say we as an industry are being recognised too.” To nominate one of your colleagues in one of 20 awards categories or to find out more information, head to www.railstaffawards.com FACEBOOK.COM/THERAILSTAFFAWARDS | @RAILSTAFFAWARDS | RAILSTAFFAWARDS.COM

RAIL FORUM MIDLANDS

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

THE ROLE OF

APPRENTICESHIPS IN FILLING THE SKILLS GAP

ot a day goes by without some reference to the skills gaps in the rail industry. Numerous organisations continue to report difficulty finding qualified people to fill vacancies created by experienced staff moving on or to support growth and expansion within their business - and the next few years look set to get even tougher as the age profile across the industry really starts to bite. So how might apprenticeships help?

SHARED APPRENTICESHIPS The Rail Forum Midlands (RFM) has been asked to lead some work as part of the Rail Sector Deal to stimulate the uptake of apprenticeships across Midlands-based rail companies through the development of shared apprenticeship schemes. “Whilst the concept of shared apprenticeships has been around for some time, we are keen to explore several options that might work for our supply chain companies and SMEs in particular, so we have no preconceived ideas about what a shared scheme might mean,” said Elaine Clark, chief executive of RFM. “It may be simply sharing a cohort of students that go to college together; or it could mean providing an apprentice with several different work placements across

different employers to provide broader work experience. It could also mean a third party employing the apprentices on behalf of the SMEs, but only if we can guarantee a quality experience for the young people undertaking their apprenticeship.” RFM is currently gathering views from a range of employers to understand the current challenges and barriers for SMEs recruiting apprentices and to gauge the level of interest in some of the key apprenticeships available.

CHANGE “Apprenticeships look very different now compared to what colleagues across the industry may remember from when they completed their training - perhaps many years ago!” Elaine added. “To be classed as an officially recognised apprenticeship, certain criteria have to be met – an apprenticeship is a real job with a recognised training programme; combining knowledge, occupational skills and behaviours structured around the specific occupation or job role. The knowledge (or academic) elements of the apprenticeship are normally delivered by a college, private training provider or a university; this is known as off-the-job training. The occupational skills and behavioural elements can be a mixture of off-the-job; learning new skills in a safe environment, and on-the-job experience; supported in the workplace, by the employer. This skills development often

leads to some form of competence assessment process.” Apprenticeships are available in many occupations from basic entry level, right through to post graduate degrees. Whilst ‘degree level’ apprenticeships are relatively new, they are already proving popular with students and employers alike; providing the opportunity to gain real work experience alongside academic studies. One of the key things about all apprenticeship standards is that they are developed with significant input from employers. Rail sector specific standards exist for a range of occupations that are relevant across infrastructure, rolling stock and operations, however the nature of the industry means that standards developed in other sectors such as manufacturing, IT, finance, management and so on, will also be relevant to many employers. Navigating the different options can be off-putting but working with a local training provider can help identify the best standards for a particular role. All apprenticeships have a minimum duration of 12 months and some will run for up to two or three years. While apprentices must be aged 16 or over, they don’t have to be new recruits, so an apprenticeship can be used for upskilling the existing workforce.

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

RAIL FORUM MIDLANDS

FUNDING Elaine added: “One of the common obstacles is often funding; or rather the lack of understanding of how funding works. All apprenticeships are allocated to a funding band, this sets out the amount of funding available to pay for the basic apprenticeship. The funding may come from an employer levy account or direct from government for smaller employers.” Since April 2017, employers with a pay bill of over £3 million a year pay an apprenticeship levy based on a percentage of their pay bill. In England, the government tops up the employer levy with an extra 10 per cent, this is paid directly into the employers’ apprenticeship account. If your organisation is too small to pay the levy, the government will pay 95 per cent of the cost of the apprenticeship, up to the maximum funding band for the specific apprenticeship standard, with the employer paying the final five per cent. As of April 1 this year, levy-paying employers can transfer a maximum amount of 25 per cent of their annual funds to other employers, such

as those in their supply chain. They can make transfers from their apprenticeship account to as many employers as they choose. Transferred funds will be used to pay for the training and assessment cost of the apprenticeships agreed with the receiving employer. Whilst this facility is still very new, it’s something RFM will be looking at more closely as it develops its shared apprenticeship workstream, to ensure smaller employers are taking advantage of unused levy paid by larger companies in the industry. “The industry is going to need a lot of new people over the next five to 10 years and larger public sector contracts are now demanding a certain number of apprentices per million-pound spend to encourage everyone to do their bit,” said Elaine. “We need to address the barriers that SMEs face and our shared apprenticeship workstream will help address some of these issues.” To find out more about RFM’s sector deal apprenticeship workstream, contact elaineclark@midlandsrail.co.uk. FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.CO.UK

YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

! D R A O B A L AL S L A N IO S S E F O R P YCOO-UFONUGNDRSAYIOLUNG RAIL TOUR YRP IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE LAUNCH OF YOUNG RAIL TOURS, A COLLABORATION WITH YOUNG MEMBERS OF THE IMECHE'S RAILWAY DIVISION, THE IRSE, AND THE IET'S RAILWAY TECHNICAL PROFESSIONAL NETWORK

his new collaboration will deliver an ambitious programme of domestic, European and international study tours designed to be affordable, accessible and relevant to young professionals working in the UK rail industry. Expanding on earlier partnerships between the IMechE Railway Division’s Young Members (RDYM) and YRP, Young Rail Tours has been established to ensure that new members within the UK

rail industry can witness, learn from and develop their understanding of successful transportation networks across the world. YRT and our partners strongly believe in the importance of creating opportunities for young professionals to build experience, develop new skills and create global networks within their early careers; learning lesson’s they can carry forward as they progress into leadership roles. We also believe in forging links between future leaders in the UK rail industry and our colleagues around the world; building lifelong relationships that will benefit the whole rail industry.

ORIGIN The IMechE RDYM has run technical tours for several years. In 2017, Ben Vallely and Paul Case - who were, at the time, chairs of the RDYM and YRP, respectively - identified an opportunity to share resources

and deliver more ambitious, collaborative tours for the benefit of both memberships. What followed was the first joint study tour to the Netherlands in 2018, which included visits to Utrecht and Amsterdam. The event attracted almost 40 delegates and received hugely positive feedback. A second sold out tour to Germany took place in April, with 46 delegates visiting a construction site for Munich’s new metro tunnel (Stammstrecke 2), the Bavarian regional control centre and Siemens’ Allach rail service centre, among others. Demand for the tour was overwhelming, with over 70 young professionals requesting places. The tour received universally positive reviews from delegates, with 100 per cent stating that they felt the tour was good value for money and 97 percent said they would like to attend future tours.

OPPORTUNITY The success of and demand for the Netherlands and Germany tours demonstrated to the RAILSTAFF.CO.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS

PLANS

organisers a demand within the industry for rail study tours catering for, and marketed towards, young professionals. Young Rail Tours co-founder Paul Case said: “YRP and the IMechE had been collaborating for just two years and already for the Munich Tour we had to turn away nearly half of the applicants as we were oversubscribed, which we hated having to do. It was whilst sat in a brewery in Munich surrounded by nearly 60 UK and German railway colleagues that I realised that to meet the demand and need of young professionals within the industry, we were going to have to deliver a more ambitious programme of tours. “Organising Munich had stretched our limits, along with the resources of myself and my colleagues from YRP and the IMechE, both in time - we all have demanding day jobs! - and funding to subsidise the trip. We quickly realised that to support my vision of growth we were going to have to expand our organisational capacity and gain additional input from other professional bodies.” What followed was a meeting between the chairs of the young member divisions of the railway sections of the IMechE and the IET, as well as the IRSE and YRP. Paul Case and Ben Vallely sat down with Emil Tschepp (IMechE), Keith Upton (IRSE) and Martin Halligan (IET) to go over the concept for a series of rail tours for new and young professionals within the railway. This was to form the Young Rail Tours programme.

The Young Rail Tours team has developed a strategy for the next five years. In autumn 2019, our inaugural domestic tour will be visiting several key sites in Glasgow and Edinburgh. We will host our first major international tour in early 2020, taking 25 UK professionals to Japan. This will be the first international tour organised by any of the founding committees and is set to provide a unique and outstanding learning and cultural exchange opportunity for our members and delegates. As well as arranging tours, we will host reciprocal tours for young professionals visiting the UK from other countries. Historically, YRP has informally hosted visitors from France, Germany and the Netherlands. Between July and August this year, we will be hosting 41 delegates from CRRC Corporation in China for a month as they tour cities and railway facilities across the UK. The group are made up of young professionals aspiring to leadership roles and are currently enrolled in a leadership course at the International Business School Suzhou in China, which has links to the University of Liverpool. This is a fantastic first opportunity for UK organisations and professionals to network and share ideas with colleagues from China, while showcasing the best of the UK rail industry!

GET INVOLVED! Young Rail Tours will soon be advertising its first tours to Scotland and Japan. We’re also looking for organisations to partner with to help us deliver the best development opportunities possible for our members and young professionals across the UK. For more information contact Young Rail Tours co-founder Paul Case: paul.case@cpcprojectservices.com. FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.CO.UK

CAREERS

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

MY LIFE IN RAIL Virgin Trains welcome host Aaron Koduah, 38, brightens up passenger journeys with his own motivational messages on boards at Crewe station. Describe a typical day at work

Providing a friendly face to welcome and assist people on their travels.

What’s your favourite/least favourite part of the job?

Favourite part is meeting new people and just generally helping people. Least favourite part is the late finishes.

You’ve worked at Crewe for the past four years. Do you know any little-known facts about the station?

The station has underground tunnels which are haunted. Myself and a colleague have taken random pictures of the underground tunnels of which the pictures displayed some ghostly images!

How did you get into the rail industry?

I applied to work for Virgin Trains after I completed my graduate degree at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Tell me about your time in the armed forces, where did you serve and what did you do? I was a supply specialist in the Royal Logistics Corp, British Army. In seven years’ service I went on operational tours of Afghanistan and duty tours around Europe.

Where does your love for inspirational quotes come from?

I’ve always had a love for a good quote and would often search online for motivational quotes to help me get through some dark times in my life. I then began writing down my own quotes of which I shared with friends and family on social media. I was really chuffed when I began receiving positive feedback and felt proud that my own words were now helping others through their bad times. I then began sharing both my own quotes and those of other famous and influential celebrities daily at the

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station on the information board – now renamed the ‘thought of the day’ board. The reactions from customers has been overwhelmingly positive.

Do you remember the first time you wrote a quote on a welcome board?

I can’t actually remember what I wrote the very first time as it has been four years now, but I do remember feeling nervous about it and thinking ‘Will anyone actually read them?’ But now I even get celebrities tweeting my thoughts of the day, including Olympic cyclist Joanna Rowsell Shand and Paul ‘The Sinnerman’ Sinha from the Chase. I enjoy motivating people and making people smile and appreciate life. I posted quotes frequently on social media and they were well received so I wanted to expand my reach and connect with more people. Everyone can appreciate a little motivation sometimes.

You write a lot of the messages yourself, where do you get the ideas from?

I think about ways in which I could help uplift others who are currently struggling with life challenges and as I myself know how difficult life can be sometimes, I think about life and write my quotes from memory.

And what led you to collect 500 to put into a book?

Customers regularly take pictures of my quotes that I write daily on the thought of the day board at the station. Many approached me expressing how beneficial my quotes have been for them. The idea for the book came from customers who would regularly ask me where I would get my ideas from and if I could compile them for future reference.

How has the book been received? I have received numerous positive feedback from both our customers and the general public. Many have approached me and thanked me for the book as it has been helping them deal with life challenges. I have sold over 300 copies so far.

Is there a particular inspirational quote that keeps you motivated at the moment?

One of my self-penned quotes: When everything is going wrong and you feel like given up, always remember that there is someone going through worse and who would willingly rather walk in your shoes.

Who inspires you?

My mother has always been my source of inspiration and she was always so positive and mentally strong throughout her life until her passing in 2010.

What’s your proudest achievement to date?

My proudest moment was the day I was having my book signing at Crewe station in November last year. So many people purchased my book and asked for selfies.

What next?

I am currently working on my second book which I am hoping to release soon.

Where can people pickup a copy of the book? Developing A Strong Mindset can be purchased on my website, www. aaronkoduahuk.com.

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Engineer

CAREERS

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

FAST TRACKERS II

NETWORK RAIL AND MOTT MACDONALD'S ENGINEERING OUTREACH PROGRAMME WAS EVEN BIGGER AND BETTER ON ITS 2019 RETURN

looming skills gap in rail engineering continues to hang over the industry's head, one that will drive up costs, lead to productivity losses and hit the national economy. It's not going to be overcome overnight, but what is being done about it? One of the biggest programmes for students aged 16 and up is Fast Trackers, an outreach scheme that aims to encourage learners to pursue a career in engineering or, even better, rail. Organised between Network Rail engineering graduates, Mott MacDonald and their industry and education partners, Fast Trackers was born out of 2018's Year of Engineering campaign to target students from areas with the lowest uptake of further education. Building on the inaugural event’s success, organisers expanded Fast Trackers' reach from two to seven regions for 2019, engaging with more than 300 students. Lancashire, London, the Midlands, the North East, Scotland, Staffordshire and Yorkshire all hosted their own three-day regional heats and the winners from those were invited to a grand final in Birmingham between July 2-4.

THE CHALLENGE After topping their regional heats, teams were tasked with a new engineering challenge in the final leg: redesigning Birmingham New Street station. The 40 students spent the best part of their first day at the National College for High Speed Rail, where they learnt about ideas such as sustainability, BIM and pedestrian modelling, and finished the day with a list to the subject station to see how it could be improved. After exchanging ideas and putting pen to paper on the middle day, the five teams pitched their ideas to a panel of industry leaders – including HS1 chief executive Dyan Crowther, who oversaw the station’s redesign in 2015 – on the final day at the University of Birmingham's School of Engineering. But before they took their moments in the spotlight, Cathy Travers, managing director of Mott MacDonald in the UK and Europe, who was one of the judges, shared her own career story. Cathy grew up in Blackburn as the youngest of five siblings and began her journey to where she is today thanks to encouragement from her mum. “She was an English teacher and she said ‘Cathy, you want to go and do engineering because it is a chance to problem solve, it’s a chance to see what you’ve created and develop but it’s also a chance to change people’s lives’”, she said. “So, I thought what the hell, I’ll give it a go.” She initially failed her A-Level maths but returned to restudy, which enabled her to go to university to study civil and structural engineering. Fast forward to the present day and Cathy now manages a £1 billion business with 8,000 employees. “My mum was right, it really is a fantastic career, you can change people’s lives, and I hope you’ve seen a little bit of that through the work you’ve been doing on Birmingham station and actually how what we do in this industry can make a difference to people’s lives.” RAILSTAFF.CO.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

A taste of engineering Regional heats allowed the teenagers to explore a variety of work that engineers undertake in the rail sector. Across the programme activities included: • Gearing up in PPE to learn how to remove fastenings and replace rails using tools and lifting equipment at Newcastle College's test track; • An exclusive tour of St Pancras station's innovative design features by Jay Newton, head of stations engineering at HS1; • Getting up close and personal with a diesel as well as an electric-powered CAF train at Alstom’s state-of-the-art maintenance centre in Liverpool; • Designing a HS2-inspired high-speed line between Birmingham and London as well as redesigning London Euston to accommodate it – the main challenge for participants at the regional level; • Sitting in the ‘driver’s seat’ to test the University of Birmingham’s railway control and operations simulator.

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

CAREERS

Drawing on her more than 30 years’ experience as an engineer, Cathy then left the students with some words of wisdom. “The other massive lesson I’ve learnt is just believe in yourself. You can achieve whatever you want to achieve. It really comes down to believing in yourself and having that confidence to go for it.”

FRESH THINKING One by one the teams shared the results from their two days of research and brainstorming on issues such as sustainability and enhancing customer experience. Almost all of the students agreed that navigating around Birmingham New Street is not easy, whether that’s to find your platform, the most appropriate exit or the reception. Solutions included dedicated mobile apps for the station, which would integrate wayfinding functions with real-time train information, holographic 3D maps that would pop out of the floor and focus on the user’s location, as well as colour-coded lines on the floor to guide passengers to platforms. They also developed an understanding of why emissions are so bad at stations, and sought to tackle train emissions through the introduction of electric and hydrogen powered trains and reduce overall station emissions by encouraging cycling and introducing an emissions zone in the surrounding area. The notion that stations are more than transit space was grasped too. Gyms, nurseries, entertainment areas and even a homeless

Organisers from Network Rail and Mott MacDonald. shelter was integrated into community-centric plans. The group from Manchester planned to harness energy from passengers through Pavegen technology and on-site gyms, allowing them to restore their energy with sleep pods before setting off for their destination. The eventual winner was the five-man team from Birmingham, who came suited and booted in ties and blazers. One of their standout ideas was to remove ticket barriers entirely and to instead rely on near field technology because of the impact barriers have on congestion during peak times, although they realised the limitations of rolling this out without putting revenue safeguarding procedures in place.

FUTURE PROSPECTS A graduation-style ceremony proved a fitting end to the Fast Trackers programme. It was evident the students had invested much time and thought into the programme, wracking their brains to come up with solutions to modern day problems. They displayed vital skills of communication, collaboration, teamwork, organisation and critical thinking and would all find a place working in the rail sector. Via feedback, organisers were able to track that more students had considered engineeringbased career afterwards than before, more were aware of transport sector career options and more were considering a career in rail. The industry will be hoping that graduate programmes and the real-deal graduations await them in the years ahead. FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.CO.UK

CAREERS

RAILSTAFF JULY 2019

DELIVERING QUALITY RECRUITMENT SOLUTIONS FOR THE RAIL INDUSTRY Minor Frameworks Project Director Location: London pension Salary: £ £90-120k + ( +andcar,healthcare ) Type: Permanent An exciting opportunity has arisen to join a global engineering ﬁrm to lead and direct the minor works framework through Control Period 6 on some exciting works that will set a new and ﬂedgling division on their way. The company has some challenging and ambitious growth plans and as the framework director you will be required to drive and steer these contracts.

Signalling Supervisor

P-Way Engineer

Location: London Salary: £ Negotiable Type: Contract

Location: South East England Salary: £ £350-450 per day Type: Contract

Our client is seeking experienced signalling supervisors to join their growing team working on Mainline Rail Projects, with the opportunity to become a key part of their delivery unit working on various signalling schemes. Based in London, you will be part of a larger team covering oﬀ various projects across maintenance works, leading a team on site and overseeing activities to a high standard.

The successful candidates will take a signiﬁcant role in the successful delivery of my client’s projects, across numerous permanent way engineering projects within the rail division. You will be working within a team of other engineers to deliver P-Way works, as well as interface with multi-discipline departments, within infrastructure work in the Rail Civils teams.

+44 (0)1483 361061

info@advance-trs.com

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Birmingham Rail experience required £60,000-£80,000 + package

Ireland Long-term opportunities €60,000-€90,000 + contract roles

TRS Staffing Solutions are international engineering recruitment specialists. We recruit for major national and international projects for leading national rail organisations, main contractors and consultancies.

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

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