RailStaff - Issue 278 | March-April 2022

MAR-APR 2022 | ISSUE 278

RAILSTAFF.CO.UK

EXPERT COMMENTARY

NCB:

DC Richard Gentle of the BTP's Cyber Crime unit discusses the threat of cyberattack, cybercrime, and online fraud.

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PLUS NEWS PEOPLE FEATURES HEALTH & SAFETY COMPANY FOCUS EVENTS TRAINING INTERVIEWS CAREERS FINANCE, INSURANCE & ACCOUNTING

T N E D N E P E IND A S S U R A NC E

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NKER TO OR SAM BRU T C E IR D G IN G STRY, AND H NCB MANA IN THE INDU H GHT UP WIT IT U A W C E G FF N A A ST AYS. K, CH RAIL RITISH RAILW E OF ITS WOR B C T A N E A T R R G O H P IM IONSHIP WIT DISCUSS THE TURE RELAT FU 'S Y D O B E TH

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CONTENTS MARCH-APRIL 2022 | ISSUE 278

NCB: INDEPENDENT ASSURANCE | 20

Sam Brunker explains the importance of the NCB, its independence, and its potential relationship with Great British Railways.

UNDERSTANDING RISK AND RAIL INSURANCE | 32

Rail companies must protect themselves from operational risk. How does rail insurance work and what does it cover?

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PENSIONS - A NECESSARY EXPENSE | 34

Saving for retirement is crucial, even in times of financial strain. RailStaff speaks to the experts.

COST OF LIVING CRISIS | 38

Sky-high prices are making life a misery for many. What’s going on and what help is available?

CELEBRATING INNOVATION | 52

The 2022 Rail Innovation Exhibition showcased the most exciting innovations and projects the industry has to offer.

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T H G I L T PO

| 46 S 2022tes rail D R A W ra FF A celeb RAILSaTrdAs ceremony thar tit’s bigger and ea The aw d this y back an staff is r. an eve better th

TOTAL RAIL SOLUTIONS FIVE TO FOCUS | 54

CEO Paul Bateman discusses TRS’s vision for the future and its new initiative, Five to Focus.

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Staff

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

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FROM ONE CRISIS TO ANOTHER

Contact us: Editor:

Matt Atkins

Production and design:

Adam O’Connor

Track safety:

Colin Wheeler

Advertising:

Asif Ahmed Craig Smith Chris Davies

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

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In the last edition we welcomed the start of 2022, hoping to draw a line under the pandemic and march into the sunlit uplands. But while Covid-19 has all but disappeared from the news cycle, that particular story has been replaced rather than concluded. The past few months have been marked by the outbreak of war in Eastern Europe and the UK economy making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Email: hello@rail-media.com

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Coincidentally, this month’s RailStaff includes a focus on Finance, Accounting, and Insurance. In terms of personal finance, we consider the importance of pension plans.

Despite the current economic environment, pension saving is vital and representatives from Network Rail and three major pension firms give us the details. With the price of goods and energy going through the roof, we examine the background of the cost-of-living crisis and discuss some options if you’re feeling the pinch.

On the business side, we talk to the British Transport Police about the risk to the rail sector of cyberattack and how companies

and individuals can avoid falling victim to cybercrime. We also catch up with Marsh Commercial to discuss rail insurance, the unique dangers of working on the rails, and how companies can best protect themselves from operational risk.

Speaking of risk, we chat to Sam Brunker, managing director of the Network Certification Body (NCB). An independent subsidiary of Network Rail, NCB is the railway’s leading infrastructure assessment and certification body. Sam discusses the role of the NCB, the importance of its independence, and its future as part of Great British Railways.

Colin Wheeler’s regular safety column focuses on the incidents that occur due to carelessness and miscalculation on the part of passengers, workers, and management.

No one is perfect and mistakes are inevitable, so how can ‘unavoidable’ accidents be minimised?

Colin also looks at the Carmont derailment which tragically led to three fatalities on 12 August 2020. RAIB’s recent report on the accident shows it need not have occurred and recommends that all organisations implicated in the tragedy take radical action to avoid another similar incident.

This issue, RailStaff is joined by a new regular contributor, Daisy ChapmanChamberlain from Innovate UK KTN. She gives us a briefing on the Rail Innovation Exhibition, which showcased some of the rail industry’s most exciting projects and innovations.

We’re also pleased to welcome Fiona Westcough who has stepped up as Chair of the Young Rail Professionals (YRP) following George Chilcott’s departure. Over the course of the next year, Fiona will continue to provide a regular editorial, voicing the views of young rail professionals and shining a light on the work of the YRP. We look forward to following her journey as Chair of the YRP and wish her all the best in her new role.

Matt@rail-media.com FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.CO.UK

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In the past few months, the UK rail industry has joined together to facilitate sending more than a million items of aid to Ukraine in response to the humanitarian crisis in the region.

Aid for Ukraine

UK Rail for Ukraine, a cross-industry initiative set up by volunteers in early February, brought together large quantities of humanitarian aid from across the country. In mid-April, a first aid train left the UK on a special DB Cargo service bound for Ukraine, where it will be received by organisations working on the ground.

The service carried more than 1,500 tonnes consisting of a range of aid, including nonperishable food, hygiene and medical products, basic living equipment, and other muchneeded supplies that have been donated from a wide range of businesses and organisations following requests for aid from the Ukrainian authorities.

Transported in 24 shipping containers over a 500-metre train, the aid transported by UK Rail for Ukraine was labelled in all three languages to assist with distribution.

Ambassador Vadym Prystaiko, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom said: “I am expressing my gratitude to the UK Railway industry and everyone who contributed to the UK Rail for Ukraine initiative. We greatly appreciate your support during such challenging times.

“Despite the complexity of the logistic routes, the industry managed to organise a delivery directly to the places of greatest need in Ukraine.”

“In addition to the humanitarian aid gathered by volunteers from different businesses and organizations, UK Railway facilitated the delivery of 21 powerful industrial generators

purchased by the Ukrainian Embassy which are imperative for Ukraine’s energy sector.”

Andrea Rossi, chief executive officer of DB Cargo UK said: “Across Europe, DB Cargo is already leading the way in delivering humanitarian aid by rail to the Ukraine, having recently developed the first rail bridge to the war-torn region.”

“Here in the UK, we are pleased to be able to support the ongoing aid effort to deliver essential supplies to ease the suffering of the Ukrainian people impacted and displaced by the atrocities that are unfolding.”

Back to school

Rod Storer, Depot Safety Manager, GB Railfreight, said: “RIDC Melton can be extremely dangerous if people do not understand the risks associated with an electrified test track.

We are committed to educating communities local to our operation, especially children, to ensure they are aware of the dangers that exist.

“We hope the children of Crossdale school not only found the sessions engaging and informative, but have taken on the serious

Rod Storer, Depot Safety Manager, and Chris Parsons, SHEQ Manager, from Rail Innovation and Development Centre (RIDC) Melton, based in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, led a series of presentations adapted to suit the school’s Key Stage 1 and 2 students.

As part of an initiative to educate local communities about its operation at RIDC Melton, the sessions were based on the dedicated train testing facility, and its electrified high and low speed test tracks.

GBRf has already delivered safety talks to Asfordby Hill School, in Leicestershire, and plans to visit more schools in the East Midlands area.

© GB Railfreight

Children from Crossdale School, in Keyworth, Nottinghamshire, have received presentations from GB Railfreight’s (GBRf) safety team about the dangers of the railway.

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Further donations and contributions Those wishing to make smaller or general donations are encouraged to provide financial support to the Disaster Emergency Committee Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal (https://www.dec.org.uk/appeal/ukrainehumanitarian-appeal).

While further UK Rail for Ukraine services are not scheduled at this time, those who may have large quantities of high value physical items to donate are asked to contact Tony Gillan, International Product Manager via Tony.Gillan@ deutschebahn.com.

Businesses wishing to offer work to Ukrainians in or outside the country are encouraged to contact the International Chamber of Commerce which is coordinating efforts through its Centre for Entrepreneurship for Ukraine via icccoe@ iccwbo.org.

message that the railway is not a playground and ignoring important rules can result in lifechanging consequences.”

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

© Hitachi Rail

Hitachi wins sensor contract

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Pedal to Paris

Hitachi Rail and its subsidiary, Perpetuum, have been awarded a contract by Network Rail to develop a real-time digital solution that monitors, and eventually predicts, sections of track that affect ride quality and require maintenance.

The monitoring equipment is currently installed on trains across Scotland’s networks including the North Clyde Line, The Borders, and Fife Circle. By fitting digital sensors to trains, the pilot offers major benefits to the railway including: reduced disruption to passengers and improved safety; reduced risk to track workers; improved performance of the network and the ride quality of trains; and further movement towards the development of intelligent rail infrastructure that can predict and plan preventative maintenance.

Network Rail launched a half million-pound competition to develop and introduce new technology to improve track maintenance in the next control period (mid-2024). As part of this programme, it has agreed a contract with Perpetuum to expand its ride quality trial to Scotland. This development follows successful trials of Perpetuum’s ride quality monitoring technology with Network Rail on the West Coast main line in 2019.

Its team will cycle from London to Paris on a four-day charity bike ride, raising essential funds towards The Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal.

As proud Armed Forces Gold Covenant Award members, Auctus works in partnership with schemes that help exforces members transition into new and progressive careers that match the skills and attributes they have developed.

With the growing skills shortage, it works with the UK’s Ministry of Defence to give people leaving the Armed Forces the chance to retrain and build a successful career within the rail and infrastructure sector.

Richard Toy, Sean Harrison, Pankaj Kapoor, Graham Talbot, Brandon Raymond, Steven Broadfield, Paul Pashley, Ryan Spence, Rhys Radford and David White will be setting off on Thursday 1 September as Team Auctus looks to complete the challenging 460km route.

For further information visit: https:// auctusmg.co.uk/team-auctus-shirtsponsorship/ © Ika84

© Hitachi Rail

The regular use of Scotland’s railway means that, over time, parts of the 1,750 mile track degrade and need repair, which results in bumpy journeys for passengers, speed limits, and potentially disruptive maintenance.

At present, locations of ‘rough ride’ are reported by drivers, followed by manual inspection by maintenance crews walking on the track.

Perpetuum’s solution automates this monitoring and reporting, which improves the safety of the railway.

Working in partnership with Network Rail, ScotRail and Porterbrook, Perpetuum is using its self-powered monitoring technology to measure data in real-time between the train and the track. This is achieved by installing sensors with gyroscopes and accelerometers, either in the carriages or on the wheels, of trains already in passenger service.

At this stage of the development, Perpetuum’s solution can identify the onset of warping or changes to the track. By applying digital analytical tools, Perpetuum can build a picture of areas that are at risk, requiring inspection or maintenance in the future.

The ability to identify and fix this before it causes passenger disruption means it can be a preventative countermeasure, while simultaneously creating intelligent rail infrastructure.

Jim Brewin, Head of UK & Ireland, Hitachi Rail said: “Introducing in-service monitoring technology to improve ride quality demonstrates how Hitachi Rail can utilise digital solutions that support track maintenance. This ability to bring train and track together can solve issues for both passengers and train operators.

“Hitachi Rail is committed to constantly pioneering and championing new technology to make our railways safer and more reliable.”

Rail and infrastructure services firm, Auctus Management, will be back in Paris in 2022 to show its support for the Royal British Legion and the Armed Forces Community. As part of the Pedal to Paris fundraising event, Team Auctus will once again take to the roads of the UK and France.

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© Loram UK

© Network Rail

Timber transport trial

The flying banana Loram UK, the rail and rolling stock maintenance specialist, has agreed a major partnership with Network Rail to service its New Measurement Train (NMT).

The seven-figure agreement will see Derby-based Loram UK conduct a major midlife overhaul of the NMT, known affectionately as the Flying Banana because of its yellow livery and high-speed operation.

The NMT monitors and records track condition information at speeds up to 125mph, helping to identify faults before they become a safety issue or affect line performance.

It also helps to prevent unnecessary maintenance work. Network Rail said the train was the “most technically advanced train of its type in the world”.

The agreement is the latest between Loram UK and Network Rail and Andrew Watson, Loram UK’s International Business Development Director, said the programme would be vital to extending the life and performance of the Flying Banana.

“There is only one in the UK so the work it does is vital in measuring rail infrastructure to allow maintenance to take place and keep high-speed rail going.

“When you consider how important highspeed rail is to the UK, whether it is moving people or goods, the importance of the NMT cannot be understated and we are very proud to be working on it.”

The train, converted from an Intercity train, is equipped with high-tech measurement systems, track scanners, and high-resolution cameras, measuring the condition of the tracks and overhead line equipment at high speed. It records data points, which are then passed to the relevant infrastructure managers to assess.

Andrew said: “Without it and the monitoring work it does, high speed trains would not run at high speed. What we will be doing is essentially a mid-life extension programme for the next 12-14 months.

“We are delighted to be continuing to grow our trusted partner relationship with Network Rail to provide maintenance and service work for them.”

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A partnership between Network Rail and freight operator Colas Rail, has seen railtransported timber delivered to a sawmill in Abergavenny in Wales for the first time since 2004.

Felled in a forest in south Devon, the timber was transported 92 miles aboard a Colas Rail freight train from Hackney Yard near Newton Abbot to Pontrila Timber in Abergavenny.

The delivery is part of a trial run which, if successful, could see the return of ‘log trains’ travelling along the south Devon coastline.

As part of this pilot project, the freight train carried a total of 320 tonnes of timber in eight wagons, with the aspiration to more than double the load to 720 tonnes across 18 wagons in the future.

Pontrilas Timber was encouraged by the trial and hopes to work with Network Rail to produce a plan for carrying commercially viable loads, which would include improvements to the sidings and the adjacent road in Abergavenny.

Transporting this much timber by rail removes 76 lorries from the road, helping both reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions. It is estimated that over 0.45 tonnes of carbon dioxide is saved by using the railway for this journey, which equates to 54,739 charges of your smart phone or the carbon emissions per passenger taking a one way flight from Paris to New York.

The trial was made possible following © Network Rail

Network Rail strengthening one of the bridges at Hackney Yard, increasing the weight limit of vehicles entering the yard to 44 tonnes. This increase means larger Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) are now able to access the yard and load their cargo onto a freight train for transportation across the rest of the country via the rail network.

The strengthening of the bridge will also allow Aggregate Industries to use Hackney Yard to load freight for transportation to the south east in the near future.

Jess Lippett, Network Rail senior route freight manager, said: “Rail freight is a vital part of our infrastructure, providing a fast, green, safe and efficient way of transporting goods.

“This trial run shows how we can work together to have a positive impact on the environment and the economy. The work to strengthen the bridge at Hackney Yard means that we can facilitate the movement of heavy goods across the country more effectively, a benefit that will last for years to come.”

Simon Ball, Colas Rail UK freight director, said: “This is a great opportunity to expand our freight business, especially as we lead the field in the transportation of timber by rail.

“We provide a sustainable alternative by operating on rail, also reducing the number of HGVs on the road, especially during the shortage of drivers.

“Working with the client and Network Rail, I’m convinced that we can move forward and build on the success of the trial.”

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© National Trust Images/Chris Lacey

HS2 environmental projects

HS2 has been working closely with the National Trust, the Cannock Chase AONB Partnership and other local partners through the Trent Sow Group to identify schemes in an area around the Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Staffordshire, on the Phase 2a route (West Midlands to Crewe).

Across an area of just over 3,500 hectares, extending approximately 3km north and south from the HS2 line, six environment projects will

Five 'tests' for GBR The Railway Industry Association (RIA) has set out five ‘tests’ to ensure the establishment of Great British Railways, the new railway structure, will be a success.

The five tests provide clear criteria for the new railway body to ensure it is best able to harness the value and expertise of the rail supply industry. The tests are: • No hiatus in current work: More than 70% of Network Rail’s spend is with the private sector - and there cannot be a pause in this work.

• Transparency: Be clear and transparent with rail suppliers, to allow them to deliver.

• Partnership: Be an open and accessible client, and partner with the private sector for the best results.

• Productivity: Ensure the rail industry is able to thrive - financial sustainability will ensure rail delivers for UK plc.

• Ambition: Leave a positive legacy, including in safety, decarbonisation, exports and the economy.

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be implemented alongside the construction and subsequent operation of HS2, further integrating the railway in the landscape.

The area includes the washlands of the Trent and Sow rivers, the historic designed landscapes of Shugborough, Ingestre and Tixall, along with canals, listed buildings and environmental designations. The projects will restore historic landscapes and create new habitats in the area, benefiting a range of species, including birds, bats, aquatic flora and fauna, and pollinators.

Peter Miller, HS2 Environment Director said: “Over the last three years we’ve worked with partners including the National Trust to develop a package of projects that will enhance and preserve this important and treasured landscape. Our aim is to make HS2 the most

Darren Caplan, chief executive of RIA, said: “The railway industry is currently undergoing a major restructure which could change the way we work both now and in the future. So, it’s important that we get Great British Railways right, ensuring that we can all continue to deliver for passengers, freight users and the economy.

“The Railway Industry Association’s five tests – informed and developed by RIA members – set out what rail suppliers need to make the new structure a success.

The tests include a need to avoid any hiatus in current work, for the new GBR body to be open and transparent, for suppliers to work more in partnership with clients on rail projects, to ensure the rail industry is sustainable and

sustainable railway in the world through initiatives like this, and we’re delighted that the projects are now getting started.”

Ingrid Samuel, National Trust’s Placemaking and Heritage Director said: “With HS2 passing through this area of national importance, where historic designed landscapes merge into beautiful countryside enjoyed by so many people, the National Trust and others petitioned HS2 to go the extra mile to deliver a highspeed railway that leaves a positive legacy.

“We are pleased that partnership and planning over several years have led to a great set of projects to enhance the area benefitting local people, places, and wildlife. We hope that productive discussions can continue over the design of the railway in order to ensure it integrates into this special landscape.”

has the environment to thrive, and finally, for our railways to leave a positive safety, decarbonised, economic and exportsled legacy for the UK. “As GBR is set up - with the Transition Team already well established and legislation due before Parliament soon - RIA and our members will continue to engage with and support the process. We look forward to working with the Government, the Transition Team, Network Rail, and all partners to ensure we continue to deliver for the UK, supporting a thriving railway alongside generating future investment, jobs and economic growth for the country.” © Railway Industry Association

Six environmental projects, due to start in Staffordshire in 2022 as part of a £1.5 million HS2 funding package, will deliver HS2’s green corridor benefits, enhancing the landscape, preserving the historic environment, improving access and creating new habitats for wildlife.

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NEWS IN BRIEF Sniffing out crime Specially trained sniffer dogs are being used to track down metal thieves who cause major delays to passengers and freight on the West Coast main line between London Euston and Crewe.

Network Rail has enlisted the canine recruits, provided by Search Dogs UK, to crack down on criminals who steal vital cables and materials from the railway and catch those who illegally sell those items on.

A widespread operation is underway to mark railway property with a permanent synthetic solution only visible under special police torches, so metal can be found and identified after it goes missing. The spray has a unique scent which the dogs can detect.

Research anniversary The Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE) has marked its 50th anniversary as Europe’s largest academic research group driving UK and global rail research, education and innovation.

Over the past five decades, BCRRE has grown to become an internationally recognised centre with world-leading expertise in areas including railway control systems, cyber security, power systems, climate resilience, sustainable traction systems and aerodynamics, while its flagship hydrogen train project, was showcased at the COP26 global summit last year.

Women welcomed Greater Anglia has launched a campaign to encourage more women to apply for train driver roles. The train operator used International Women’s Day to promote the opportunities for women to become train drivers. On Tuesday 8 March, more than 40 women found out more about becoming a train driver at a bespoke event for existing staff currently in other roles, at Greater Anglia’s academy in Stratford.

The day included information about the recruitment process and assessments, driver training and a Q&A session with some of the company’s female drivers. Attendees also had a go at driving on a train simulator.

Cultural development A new theatre project in Stone, Staffordshire, has been awarded £75,000 from HS2’s Community & Environment fund to help build a new auditorium and community space for the town.

The Crown Wharf Theatre is built on the former Joule’s Brewery site. The firm has constructed and donated the shell of the theatre space to provide the project with a base to create the town’s new cultural space.

HS2’s award will enable the site to enhance accessibility and buy a lighting grid, sprung timber flooring, sound equipment, and acoustic treatments.

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Photography prize awarded The winners of the first ever Young Railway Photographer of the Year competition were named at an award ceremony in February at the National Railway Museum in York.

Organised by the Railway Photographic Society, and hosted by the Chair of Network Rail, Sir Peter Hendy, the competition saw more than 150 young people, some as young as eight years old, submitting their best images.

The overall competition-winning image was taken by Bradley Langton, (20) from Driffield in East Yorkshire who impressed the judges with a technically accomplished reflected view of an LNER Class 91 locomotive at London King’s Cross station.

The competition divided entries into two categories: photographers aged under 19 and those aged 19-25. The winner in the under 19 category was Sean Mattocks, (17) from Burnley who submitted a range of atmospheric photographs that included landscapes and close ups of people and locomotives.

Ben Taylor (17) from Prescot was named in second place, and third place went to Rowan Harris-Jones, (17) from Berwick-Upon-Tweed.

In the 19-25 category, the winner was Bradley Langton, whose set of entries included a striking shot of Glenfinnan Viaduct in the Scottish Highlands, made famous by the Harry Potter films.

Liam Barnes (20), from Rossendale was named in second place, and Dylan Robinson (19), from Cradley Heath was awarded third place.

Launched in 2019 and delayed as a result of the pandemic, the competition aimed to showcase the work of budding photographers across the UK. The competition theme was ‘the Railway Seen’ and entrants were asked to illustrate the variety of railway subject matter, whether vehicles, architecture, people, landscapes, or abstract images.

Competition organiser John Hillier, from the Railway Photographic Society and Bahamas Locomotive Society, said: “I would like to congratulate our competition winners. I extend my thanks to everyone who took part, despite the difficulties presented by Covid-19 and to our sponsors, and Network Rail and the National Railway Museum in particular for their enthusiastic support.

“The overall winning entry from Bradley Langton is a picture of high technical merit with some great colours and definition. It portrays a blend of the traditional and modern and is the ‘stand-out’ shot of the railways today and a worthy winner.”

(Above) Platform 1 King's Cross.

(Below) The people of the railway.

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

Fare dodger crackdown

There were 90,000 reported instances of attempted fare evasion in 2021-22, of which 53,000 were issued with a formal penalty fare.

Northern successfully prosecuted more than 11,000 of the worst offenders and, in total, was able to recover £2,077,559.

The data has been released by Northern’s Debt Recovery and Prosecution Unit.

Mark Powles, customer and commercial director at Northern, said: “Customers have a duty to buy a ticket for travel before they board a train – and the overwhelming majority of them do so via our app, website, ticket offices or one of more than 600 ticket machines across the network.

“Unfortunately, a small number of people

deliberately try to ‘fare evade’ and we have a responsibility to pursue those so that fare paying passengers - and taxpayers at large – are not subsidising the cost of travel for those who do not pay their fare.

“The money recovered can now be reinvested in making the rail network better for all our customers – including improvements to trains, stations and other passenger facilities.”

Northern has made it easy for customers to buy tickets, with digital tickets available for all journeys and is investing in the largest network of ticket infrastructure of any train operator in the country.

Northern operates nearly 2,000 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.

Fare evaders are prosecuted under the provisions of the Regulation of Railways Act 1889 and the Railway Byelaws made pursuant to the Transport Act 2000.

Undergrad programme launched University students who live in the Midlands are being offered the chance to join HS2 on a paid work placement this summer.

HS2’s construction partner, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), is launching a new undergraduate programme to help students gain valuable work experience aligned to their specialist subject area.

The eight-week programme, which begins on 4 July 2022, will include opportunities to join Balfour Beatty VINCI’s civil engineering, commercial, design, construction, project controls and planning teams. Roles will be based in Birmingham, North and South Warwickshire and Staffordshire.

The chance to gain hands on experience, supporting the construction of Britain’s new railway, aligns to HS2’s vision to ensure local people are given every opportunity to access training, enhance their skills and secure employment on the project.

Julie Venn-Morton, HS2’s Skills Manager for the West Midlands said: “HS2’s construction is already supporting over 20,000 jobs, and we expect around 14,000 more roles will be

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Nexans' products approved © Northern

The UK’s second largest train operator, Northern, recovered over £2m for taxpayers from fare evaders during the past 12 months (1 April 2021 – 31 March 2022).

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needed in the months and years ahead.

“With a number of skills challenges in our sector including an ageing workforce, and at least a decade of construction works ahead of us as HS2 extends north, it’s imperative that we create meaningful career pathways for the region’s thriving local talent pool to access.”

Balfour Beatty VINCI has already established a partnership with Birmingham City University in a bid to ensure its graduates benefit from career opportunities working on HS2 in their local area. It is now boosting that commitment by providing 30 undergraduates, who live or study within a 25-mile radius of the West Midlands conurbation, the opportunity to secure paid employment during their summer break.

Shilpi Akbar, Head of Stakeholders and Communities at Balfour Beatty VINCI said: “Our undergraduate programme allows students to earn, learn and put their studies into practice, providing the best possible start to their professional career.

“With thousands more roles still to recruit, we hope the opportunity to play a part in HS2’s construction will inspire the students to consider a career with Balfour Beatty VINCI when they graduate.”

Nexans Power Cable Accessories UK has announced several of its flagship products have been approved for use on the UK’s railway infrastructure.

Based in Castleford and with offices around the globe, it has successfully secured approval status of a wide range of products including its Euromold range of connectors and bushings, as well as the company’s slip on termination models for use on Network Rail.

Following rigorous testing of Nexans’ flagship products, Network Rail approved several of Nexans’ power accessories that are now registered in the firms Parts and Drawings Systems (PADS) catalogue. The product acceptance process ensures all products used on the infrastructure are safe, reliable, compatible and fit for purpose.

The approval allows for the installation of Nexans QM909TB interface ‘F’ connector and its QM909AR bushings to ground mounted oil filled transformers up to 52kV. Nexans’ Euromold AFN36-6 42kV single pole termination is now also approved for installation on indoor cable terminations for Siemens ASG25, 25kV air insulated switchgear.

Speaking about Nexans PADS approval, Joe Roberts, UK and Ireland sales manager said: “The rail industry naturally demands its products to meet the very highest industry standards and, as such, we are delighted that our products have met their very stringent requirements.”

Images © TNexans Power Cable Accessories UK

© HS2 Ltd

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Easter track works

Work was carried out over the four-day period as part of a larger package of work to renew track and points on this busy section of the railway. The remaining work is scheduled through May and June. The work is part of a package of improvement and includes; renewal of eleven points; over half a mile of track renewal; re-timber and re-rail over two bridges; platform works at Bishops Stortford station; and drainage works to keep the track bed in good condition.

© Network Rail

Network Rail completed track works over the Easter period which will make journeys to Stansted and between London and Cambridge more reliable.

© Network Rail

Track works like these are essential to prevent issues that cause delays. Just like road surfaces, track wears out from constant use from trains, even more so on busy main lines. Maintenance is carried out to keep the track in working order, but eventually a full replacement is required to prevent delays.

Passengers should continue to check before they travel at weekends in May and June while the remaining work takes place.

Ellie Burrows, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, said: “This work is essential to improve reliability and reduce the number of delays and cancellations on this busy part of the network. I’d like to thank passengers for their patience while we carry out this

Tree saplings donated

recently received a grant from The National Lottery’s ‘Together for Our Planet’ programme where our aim is to promote climate change and help our community take practical climate action.

“Planting new trees around our school grounds is a huge step in the right direction and it doesn’t stop there. We are hoping to transform our grounds into outstanding learning areas that will provide all of our children, their families and the community of Water Orton with a range of different opportunities for learning, playing, exercising and exploring.’’

As part of its green corridor programme, HS2 has already planted over 700,000 trees, including silver birch, hazel, hawthorne and holly, and created over 100 wildlife sites along the Phase One route between London and the West Midlands.

HS2 is planting up to 7 million trees on Phase One alone, leaving behind more than 33 square kilometres of new woodland, wildlife and river habitats - the equivalent of 23 new Hyde Parks lining the spine of the country.

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© HS2 Ltd

HS2 has donated around 400 English Oak saplings to local schools and community groups in the Coleshill area of Warwickshire, including Water Orton School and High Meadow Community School.

LMJV (Laing O’Rourke and J. Murphy & Sons), HS2’s enabling works contractor in the Midlands, working with environmental contractor Three Shires Ltd, collected acorns from a tree on HS2’s Coleshill Manor site in Warwickshire in 2020 which had to be removed during archaeology work before the land is prepared for the new railway line.

The oak tree saplings have been growing in a nursery over the last year and have now been donated to local groups to create a lasting legacy for the tree in the local area.

This project was in addition to LMJV’s extensive environmental mitigation programme across the whole region to ensure the biodiversity of local areas is preserved and enhanced, with many new wildlife habitats already flourishing and over 223,000 trees now planted.

Stuart Gibbs, Environmental Manager at LMJV said: “A key part of HS2’s environment programme is to work with local communities to find opportunities to preserve nature and leave behind a lasting legacy as we build Britain’s new zero carbon railway.

“We’re very pleased that we have gone over and above our planned green corridor programme and were able to harvest and grow these saplings from native trees. Donating them to so many local groups means that people in the Coleshill area will be able to enjoy them for years to come.”

Mr Chris Plow, Deputy Headteacher at Water Orton School said: “We have a project to develop our outdoor learning areas, including improving the landscape, creating an outdoor gym and planting trees. We have

important work to renew the track to improve reliability on this busy line.”

Jamie Burles, Managing Director, Greater Anglia, said: “We would like to thank customers for their patience while improvement work took place over the Easter weekend.

“Alongside Network Rail’s track work, we carried out eight days of works on the Hertford East line as part of a project to lengthen platforms at Hertford East and Ware, to make them ready for new, longer trains.

“We’re in the process of rolling out new trains across our network and this work will help to further improve reliability and punctuality on the line.”

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

NEWS

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McGinley champions Flexi-Job apprenticeships

I

f you’re thinking about the next move in your career or even a total change of course, you’d be wise to contact McGinley Support Services.

As one of the UK’s largest specialist recruitment businesses serving the infrastructure sector, McGinley boasts an established Rail apprenticeship programme designed to build success on track. The company offers fantastic opportunities to work with leading companies, earn a salary, and have your tuition fees paid in full.

Building on this, the company has just been approved by the Department of Education as one of only 15 Flexi-Job Apprenticeship Agencies, offering opportunities to apprentices and giving contractors the flexibility to meet apprenticeship targets with short term projects.

The firm is committed to training 120-150 apprentices between May 2022 and April 2023.

While McGinley invests heavily in apprentices, companies can also help by coming forward as a host employer providing work, or by sharing a portion of their apprenticeship levy funding to contribute to training costs.

HOST EMPLOYERS NEEDED Flexi-Job apprenticeship agencies like McGinley employ apprentices and place them with one or more host employers to complete part or all their on-site learning. A traditional apprenticeship requires a minimum commitment of at least 12 months, which can be a challenge in the infrastructure sector where work is often project based and can be short term. The new flexi-apprenticeship scheme helps companies unable to commit to the full duration of an apprenticeship.

Companies can instead act as host employer for a shorter period of between 3 and 12 months, yet still benefit from helping an apprentice start their career. McGinley’s responsibility as part of the scheme is to place apprentices on multiple projects, moving them to the next host employer within the rail and

construction industries so the learner gains experience with different employers and in different sectors.

The learners are managed by a trained team and will develop with support from an onsite mentor, site manager, plus guidance from current workers and ex-apprentices.

On top of this they gain valuable skills and industry-recognised qualifications including PTS or CSCS, with 20% of the programme spent training off-site while being paid with a 30-hour minimum contract.

OPPORTUNITIES ON OFFER McGinley is running several Flexi-Job apprenticeships suitable for the rail and construction sectors, including: • Level 2 Rail Engineering Operative 14-month Apprenticeship programme • Level 2 Transport Network Operations 12-month programme • Level 3 Rail Engineering Technician 36-month programme • Level 2 Construction Groundworker, or Construction Plant Operative - 15-months.

As the industry faces a skills gap, it is essential we encourage more people to get the right skills and to join the rail and civil engineering sector. Sharing the levy will help more apprentices into training and work. It also counts towards social value targets and provides opportunities for apprentices to get the experience they need to achieve their apprenticeship qualification with McGinley Support Services and Training providers.

If you are a levy paying business and want to find out more about pledging funds for a rail and construction apprenticeship, or could act as a host employer, please get in touch.

For all queries about flex-job apprenticeships, please contact Lisa Cunningham on 0333 023 5429 or email flexiapprenticeship@ McGinley.co.uk

Rail Engineering Operatives provide support to Rail Technicians and Engineers. The training covers track, overhead line electrification and signalling, plus safety critical awareness. Those working in rail engineering are responsible for the safe construction, installation, maintenance and renewal of the track to provide a safe and reliable railway for customers. The rail industry has a high level of safety critical work activities requiring a disciplined and responsible approach.

SHARE YOUR LEVY McGinley is also looking for companies that have part-used or unspent levy pots and who would be willing to pledge part of their levy to help fund the training. Current regulations permit all apprenticeship levy payers to share up to 25% of their levy funding with government accredited Apprenticeship Agencies.

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An automatic sliding step that will transform accessibility on the Tyne and Wear Metro’s new trains has been revealed for the first time.

The sliding step is a key feature of the new £362 million Metro fleet, making life easier for thousands of customers when boarding and alighting by eliminating the gap between the train and the platform edge.

They will be located at every door of the new trains, making boarding easier for Metro’s 50,000 wheelchair customers as well as people with children’s buggies, luggage, or bicycles.

The sliding step will automatically deploy from beneath the door sill every time the new Metro train pulls into a station, closing the gap between the platform. It then automatically retracts before the doors close and the train pulls away.

Both the sliding step and the doors are being made by a company called Bode Die Tur, which specialises in the development and production

Metro reveals sliding step

of electronic door and boarding systems at their factory in the city of Kassel in Hessen, central Germany – which has recently been refitted following severe flash flooding in the region in 2019.

Metro’s operator, Nexus, and the Swiss train builder, Stadler, conducted an official inspection of the technology, visiting the Bode factory in Kassel in Hessen, Germany. When the sliding step

and door systems are completed they will be transported to the Stadler assembly line for installation on each of the 46 new trains.

New Fleet Project Manager at Nexus, Sarah McManus, said: “It was fantastic to see the new automatic sliding step in operation. This piece of technology is a key feature of the new Metro train fleet that will transform accessibility for thousands of customers.

“We got the chance to inspect the sliding step and the new train doors on what is called a first article inspection of the production line over in Germany. Bode have an excellent track record and will be supplying the boarding system to Stadler as final assembly of our new trains progresses.

Find out more at www.nexus.org.uk/newmetrotrains

Minister's site visit Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth has visited the site of the £14 million Inverness Airport station to see first-hand the progress that has been made.

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© Network Rail

The project will deliver a two-platform station on the Aberdeen-Inverness line with step-free access, via a footbridge with lifts. Work also includes the creation of a passing-loop (a second line of track through the station) and the closure of Petty Level crossing.

The fully accessible station will have 64 car parking spaces with 10 electric charging facilities, four disabled spaces and cycle parking. There will be a new access road to the station for motorists and access to both platforms for pedestrians and cyclists.

Main construction work on the new platforms is well underway and the team is now starting on the concrete lift shafts and footbridge foundations. Creation of the access roads and carpark

will follow. Work has also been undertaken to upgrade the existing active travel path between the new station and the airport and two buses an hour will initially link the station and the terminal.

Ms Gilruth, said: “I have been keeping up to date with the work at Inverness Airport station, but it was good to have the opportunity to go on-site, meet the team and see first-hand the work that has been happening on the project since work began in October 2021.

“Providing easy local access to the Aberdeen to Inverness services will make this area more attractive for inward investment and housing growth, which will both support local communities and the wider economy.”

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

© Vital Human Resources

Vital Human Resources, part of the Morson Group, has saved 100 lives across the rail network since 2018.

What started as a trial project in partnership with Network Rail in October 2018, recently saw Vital’s Suicide Prevention Patrollers complete their 100th life-saving intervention. Its Patrollers are now raising awareness that suicide is preventable, whilst working to destigmatise, normalise and encourage open conversations about mental health to further protect vulnerable people and staff.

Vital’s first life-saving intervention, as part of this project, saw a young person be talked down to a safe area with support by British Transport Police, before referring the individual to specialist counsellors and Samaritans. Since then, 64 interventions have occurred on the East Coast route, 23 on the East Midlands route and 13 on the North & East route.

Vital’s Suicide Prevention Patrollers are trained as mental health first aiders, ensuring they can identify and support vulnerable people in the rail environment, which are then reported to the British Transport Police.

In 2018, Network Rail extended its contract with Vital to 2022 to ensure the programme remained in place. Vital’s Suicide Prevention Patrollers now also engage in a growing community programme to educate those living and working locally to rail stations to destigmatise mental health and educate local school children on the dangers and consequences of trespassing to promote helpseeking behaviours.

Since the partnership began, 1,778 additional concerns have been raised, most of which are classed as ‘associated faults’, such as damaged fencing or trespassing.

Chris Gostling, Vital’s UK manager for trespass & vandalism, said: “As a company,

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we feel a huge sense of achievement and incredible pride knowing we have positively impacted on hundreds of lives. Attempted suicide on the rail network impacts a lot of people, from the family of the individual through to train drivers and passengers, but we work hard to use the resources available to us to minimise that, and that’s what has made this outstanding result possible.”

Louise McNally, suicide and trespass prevention lead at Network Rail, said: “Every life lost by suicide is a tragedy, but thanks to the work of the rail industry and our partners like Vital Human Resources, for every life lost to suicide on the railway, seven are now saved.

Over 100 lives saved is a fantastic achievement.

We are delighted this partnership has been extended into 2022 and look forward to seeing even more lives positively impacted by the work Vital do.”

© Vital Human Resources

Life-saving milestone

NEWS

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GET READY FOR RAILTEX Renowned as the leading one-stop-shop event for the entire railway industry in the UK, Railtex / Infrarail reflects the dynamic developments in the sector and the vision of the rail network of the future.

Taking place from 10–12 May 2022 at Olympia London, the popular exhibition will once again bring the entire rail supply sector together, presenting the latest developments in sustainable and smart rail operations.

In 2022, as well as offering new partnership opportunities, the event will deliver a diverse programme of events and features to enhance the visitor experience, making this edition a must-attend!

With Railtex and Infrarail under one roof again, visitors can expect an impressive array of technologies and innovations on display.

Exhibits cover rolling stock technology, track and infrastructure, signalling and communications, vehicle maintenance equipment, fare collection systems, rolling stock leasing, electronics for rail applications, cable technology, and many other specialised products for the efficient and safe operation of rail and public transport systems.

Railtex / Infrarail 2022 will take place from 10–12 May 2022 at Olympia London. Opening times are from 10am to 5pm on 10 & 11 May, and 10am-4 pm on 12 May. RAILSTAFF.CO.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

Visitors can now register in advance via the show website and benefit from free entry tickets.

Entry tickets are valid on all three days of the exhibition and include free access to all conferences and associated events.

Bringing together the entire railway industry to Olympia London, Railtex / Infrarail 2022 is an unmissable event and will be an excellent opportunity for rail professionals to share and showcase the latest innovations and developments in the railway field.

For further information visit: www.railtex.co.uk

International Exhibition of Railway Equipment, Systems & Services International Railway Infrastructure Exhibition

ON TRACK FOR THE FUTURE

10 – 12 May 2022 | Olympia London For the first time, Railtex / Infrarail takes place at Olympia London, covering all aspects of railway technology, including:

• Infrastructure • Rolling Stock • Rail+

• Passenger Experience • Net Zero • And many more

MORE THAN JUST AN EXHIBITION! Extensive conference programme CPD ACCREDITED On-Track display

Recruitment wall Plant and machinery exhibits

REGISTER NOW

www.railtex.co.uk

Organiser:

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RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

NCB: O

INTERVIEWS

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INDEPENDENT ASSURANCE

perating as an independent subsidiary of Network Rail, Network Certification Body (NCB) is the UK railway’s leading infrastructure assessment and certification body. NCB celebrated its 10-year anniversary on 4 April and RailStaff caught up with Managing Director Sam Brunker to discuss the importance of its work, structural change within the industry, and the body’s future relationship with Great British Railways (GBR).

Many thanks for joining us, Sam. To start, would you mind giving us a brief overview of NCB, its work, and its relationship with Network Rail?

NCB was set up and started trading exactly 10 years ago. We’re made up of around 50 engineers specialising in safety and risk management, covering each of the main railway engineering disciplines. We are a subsidiary company of Network Rail and we provide independent assessment and certification services required under legislation to Network Rail and other industry clients. The reason we’re a subsidiary is to meet accreditation requirements that we must comply with to demonstrate sufficient independence from our parent company, which is also our major client.

Our main focus over the last 10 years has been on infrastructure projects, but over the last year or so we have consciously branched out into offering wider assurance services, tailored to the client’s needs. This allows us to apply our niche expertise more broadly and to add value in other areas, such as general safety management and workforce safety as well. We’ve had a few clients in that space over the last year or so, and it has proved to be very successful.

Can you explain the principles of assurance?

Why is it important?

Assurance is about having evidence that the right thing is being done. It’s a form of risk management.

The greater the consequences of what you’re doing going wrong, the more certainty you need that it’s being done right. A good assurance framework will tell you as early as possible that something’s not right so you can fix it before it’s too late and when it will be much cheaper to do so. NCB has developed a progressive assurance approach that we call PAM (Progressive Assurance Methodology) to help our clients get the most value from this concept.

Another important principle is that the people doing the assurance need to be independent from those involved in what is being assured, and that exists at different levels. Network Rail, for example, has its own internal assurance framework, providing it with a level of confidence in what it’s doing. But NCB provides what is sometimes called third-party assurance that’s required by legislation for more significant activities. It’s complementary to the internal assurance and is needed given the rail industry’s low tolerance for accidents because of their huge impact.

What are the main safety issues currently facing the rail industry? Can you discuss any serious safety issues NCB has uncovered, and how these were put right?

It’s important to state that every fatality is one too many, but without taking away from that, it is a fact that on most comparators our railway has an impressive safety record. I think a key strategic safety issue the rail industry faces right now is to plan and manage the significant changes that are anticipated in a way that prevents our safety record suffering a setback. The industry is under massive cost pressures, and this rightly means that there is no choice but to modernise and to become more efficient and effective. But the safety risks associated with the changes need to be properly identified and managed, and they need to inform the changes so that there is confidence that safety will not deteriorate.

RAIB has just issued its report on Carmont and, amongst many findings in that report, there are clear issues identified in relation to assurance, including the handoffs between the various organisations involved in designing, constructing, and improving the drainage at that location. Going forward, it will be important that any changes in relationships between the industry players do not make these types of issues worse.

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INTERVIEWS

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NCB has provided independent safety assessment for around 70-80% of infrastructure projects over the past 10 years so, yes, we have uncovered some serious safety issues in our time. I’d rather not discuss the specifics on this, but in terms of how they were put right what I can say is that it always costs lots of money and creates delays. We in NCB are proud to have played our part in making the railway safer in these examples but it’s much better for everyone if the internal assurance regime I mentioned earlier picks up such issues before we do.

The fact that we do occasionally uncover some serious issues demonstrates the need for what we do. All the other less serious safety issues that we uncover, which are far more numerous, help to remove the precursors for the more serious ones.

You’ve mentioned that the Rail industry is facing major changes. How does this expose the industry to increased risk and how can this be mitigated?

I think it’s mainly around the relationships between the different players. If safety responsibility, for example, is currently with one organisation, and it moves to a different organisation, there’s a risk that that transition won’t happen effectively. Or, if one organisation is assuring what another organisation is doing, that assurance regime has got to be effective at providing decision makers with real information; and the formal relationships between the organisations must be designed to encourage and not inhibit this. There’s also risk around the numbers of people – have you got the correct numbers and types of people doing the various activities?

As for how these risks can be mitigated, I’d say apply a robust risk management framework from the beginning, for example by following the Common Safety Method for Risk Assessment and Evaluation (CSM-RA), and have your application of this independently assessed by an organisation such as NCB. And, let the risk assessment be a driver of the decision making, not just a side show.

How important is NCB’s independence from Network Rail? How does it strengthen NCB’s ability to accurately report safety issues?

We have to satisfy our external auditors that we comply with regulatory independence requirements, and this includes an appropriate degree of independence from Network Rail in the way we are set up. There are a few options as to how this is achieved but the principle of what the accreditors are looking for is separation, so that our assessors are not under pressures that conflict with the need to report findings impartially. NCB being a separate legal entity is a good way of ensuring that. What you don’t want is the pressure that RAILSTAFF.CO.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

naturally comes to bear on projects nearing completion cascading onto the independent assessors in such a way that inhibits them reporting safety issues.

You recently authored a white paper – The Value of Independent Safety Assurance. Can you tell us what this covers and the motivation behind its development?

The white paper covers a lot of what we’ve been talking about. I wrote it to inform the industry debate in this space, given the increasing importance of getting it right as we head into a period of significant change. It is important for rail to learn from other industries and the white paper refers to two major incidents - the Boeing 737 Max air crashes and the Grenfell tower tragedy - to which compromised independence in the certification process was a contributing factor. I want to help the rail industry avoid making similar mistakes as it considers restructuring.

What will be NCB’s relationship with GBR when it replaces Network Rail as the operator for rail infrastructure in the UK? Do you have concerns for the future independence of NCB? It is too early for NCB’s relationship with GBR to have been considered yet. However, perhaps a more important question is, how will GBR obtain the necessary internal and thirdparty assurance for its safety critical activities?

And in the meantime, who is going to provide the independent safety assessment of the GBR organisational design, as required by CSM-RA? That’s a question that I think needs to be asked now.

net.cert.uk

We don’t just tick boxes.

We protect reputations.

We’re your Network Certification Body (NCB), the certification partner of choice for many in the rail industry.

It’s our job to assess, and certify infrastructure and vehicles on Britain’s railway. But we do more than tick boxes. Working together, we’ll offer insights into the future of rail infrastructure standards, helping you minimise compliance risk, and maximise your savings.

Let’s work together. ncbenquiries@networkrail.co.uk

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REPORT BY COLIN WHEELER

PEOPLE MAKE

MISTAKES AND ALWAYS WILL

O

ne of the factors that leads to accidents and incidents is the behaviour of those who travel or work on the rails. Often, this is a result of individuals not following rules and/or procedures but it is sometimes a reflection of failures and miscalculations on the part of management or supervisors. Errors of judgement are a fact of life, and some accidents are unavoidable, but passengers, workers, and those in charge can take steps to minimise the risks.

Hand trapped in train door On 14 January at Wood Street Station in North East London, a passenger attempted to board a train but became trapped when their hand was caught in the closing rear doors of the fourth car. The train was the 08:22 departure. As the train moved off, the passenger was forced to run alongside it for approximately 20 metres until the train stopped. The doors were then released, and the passenger’s hand was freed without injury.

Following a preliminary examination and an assessment of the gathered evidence, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has decided to publish a Safety Digest. Arriva Rail London, which operates the London Overground on TfL's behalf, is undertaking a full investigation and working with the RAIB.

London Gateway derailment RAIB is also investigating freight train derailment that occurred at 05:45 on 24 December. The 22:35 GB Railfreight service from Hams Hall (near Birmingham) to London Gateway derailed on the Down Thames Haven line on the approach to London Gateway Port, near Stanford-le-Hope in Essex.

The freight train involved was formed of a class 66 locomotive and 33 wagons, all of which were of the ‘container flat’ type. The initial derailment occurred on Network Rail managed infrastructure, when the leading bogie of the 12th wagon derailed on plain line at about 13mph. The train continued RAILSTAFF.CO.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

travelling for around 500 metres after this initial derailment, before it reached a set of facing points within the port boundary, when a further four wagons derailed.

The first to derail was the middle wagon of an Ecofret2 set of three which were semi-permanently interconnected by steel draw bars. The wagon that derailed was the only wagon not loaded with a container.

There were no injuries, but extensive damage to track and signalling within the port boundary resulted. Temporary repairs were made so that the port could re-open on 4 January. An RAIB investigation is underway looking at wagon characteristics and loading, track condition and the way in which the train was driven.

Colin Wheeler.

A frightening headline The RAIB website recently reported a “Near miss with two trackworkers and collision with a tree on the line” at Uphill Junction near Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. This occurred at around 13:10 on 14 January. The train was travelling at 95mph when it struck part of a four-metre tall, 165mm tree at the junction.

The workers were part of a team working on vegetation on the embankment adjacent to two running lines that were both open to traffic. After felling, the tree came down the embankment and landed in the cess.

The workers went onto the open line and tried to remove the tree. They became aware of the approaching train and moved two metres clear “several seconds before

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

TRACK SAFETY

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Confidential Reporting for Safety

Asset issues

Damaged fencing

Tracks

Faulty equipment Level crossing

Maintenance

Vehicles

www.ciras.org.uk Report hotline UK: 0800 4 101 101

Report hotline ROI: 1800 239 239

Report textline: + 44 7507 285 887

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TRACK SAFETY

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

the train passed”. The train hit branches of the tree and scattered debris. Their attempt to move the fallen tree was unsuccessful and moved it to a position where it was foul of the running line.

The bulletin comments that this was “one of several recent safety incidents involving de-vegetation works beside the track each of which could have been much more serious”. RAIB has decided to publish a Safety Digest which will hopefully examine how the work was planned.

passengers, driver and guard evacuated onto the track and were then taken back to Reedham Station by a rescue train. No-one was hurt and the train was recovered undamaged, but the line remained closed for a week while repairs were made.

returning to West Worthing Station. It would then form the next passenger service back to Brighton. At about 20:33, a second train travelling at around 33mph passed the stationary train in the siding some 300 metres west of West Worthing Station. It struck and fatally injured the stationary train’s driver who had left the train cab and descended to track level. The news story from the RAIB, whose investigation is underway, says "train drivers should not normally need to leave their trains as part of their duties while waiting in this siding”.

Near miss with LOWS operated warning system

Acetylene or propane?

Network Rail’s Safety Central website and its Safety Bulletins are usually concise and to the point. One issued on 20 December refers to a technical issue but is arguably indicative of less than complete communication between local workers and a contractor’s choice of gas. Capital Delivery Contractors went into Sevenoaks Tunnel to cut out some metalwork from a ventilation shaft using propane but were told by the maintenance welding team that they could not use propane inside the tunnel. Consequently, they removed their oxy-propane equipment. However, the contractor had assessed the risk and identified the problem of using acetylene which is lighter than air so proposed propane as a safer alternative.

Network Rail’s standard for ground level welding recognises the use of acetylene because propane could gather at low level and create fire or explosion risk. The Safety Bulletin says that a review of Network Rail’s standards is now underway and its listed discussion points comprehensively address risks and method statement issues. There is no reference to the management failure to keep their own welding people aware of contractors working in their geographical area.

Track formation washed away At around 07:45 on the morning of 30 January, the 07:25 Greater Anglia Norwich-to-Lowestoft train ran into a section of track where ballast and the formation had been washed away by flooding water from the Haddiscoe New Cut Waterway. This Waterway is northeast of the railway and crosses it, discharging into the Haddiscoe Marshes.

Approaching the area, the train driver saw standing water on the tracks ahead and braked. The train consisted of three coaches and a power car which came to a halt with its front carriage above the flowing water.

During the next 20 minutes the water caused the track to sink, and the first carriage tilted both forwards and sideways. The driver attempted to reverse back from the undermined track, but this failed due to the angle of the first carriage. Consequently, the five RAILSTAFF.CO.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

A “significant tidal surge” affected drainage from the Broadland rivers and raised the level of the New Cut. The Environment Agency’s flood warning had not predicted a flood level higher than the flood defences. RAIB’s investigation is underway.

Train driver fatality near West Worthing On 1 February a train driver was struck by a passing train and fatally injured near West Worthing. The train had been driven from Brighton before entering the siding where it was timetabled to wait before

At 10:08 on 28 February, a train driver reported a near miss with track workers at Sharnbrook East Midlands who were regulating ballast protected by a Lookout operated warning system (LOWS).

Details can be found on Network Rail’s Safety Central website.

The LOWS Controller “received a warning which he cancelled in error” for the Up line. Immediately afterwards he received another warning which he wrongly assumed was a reinstatement of the earlier one.

A train on the down Line then passed the team who were in a position of safety. The up line train, for which the LOWS warning had been wrongly cancelled then came round the curve. The controller shouted for the team to stand clear, and they moved to both sides of the track. The driver saw them move clear and reported the incident to the signaller.

Stopping the use of lookouts was overdue when it eventually happened but should we still be using LOWS in the twenty-first century?

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

REPORT BY COLIN WHEELER

Colin Wheeler.

TRACK SAFETY

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REPORT 02/2022: DERAILMENT OF A PASSENGER TRAIN AT

CARMONT

O

n March 10 the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) published its report 02/2022 into the accident that occurred at around 09:37 on the morning of Wednesday 12 August 2020, when a passenger train derailed at Carmont in Aberdeenshire resulting in three fatalities. A briefing for the media took place in Aberdeen on 10 March with Simon French, RAIB’s chief inspector making a presentation and answering questions.

Overview of the dranage system (locations marked 'CP' are catchpits).

The 20 recommendations indicate that radical action is needed by most of the organisations involved and hopefully this will be stimulated by the actions of the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), Procurator Fiscal so that the Great British Railway (GBR) organisation is more successful.

INVESTIGATIONS The wording of the preface to RAIB’s reports is especially relevant. It states that: “It is inappropriate that RAIB should be used to assign fault or blame or liability, since neither the investigation nor the reporting process has been undertaken for that purpose. RAIB’s findings are based on its own evaluation of the evidence that was available at the time of the investigation and are intended to explain what happened and why, in a fair and unbiased manner.” Other investigations by Police Scotland with British Transport Police and the ORR will be of interest to the Procreator Fiscal in Aberdeen.

NOT CONSTRUCTED AS DESIGNED RAIB’s investigation found that the accident was caused by a French drain and the ground immediately surrounding it; installed in 2011/12 as part of a scheme to address earthwork stability problems. The drain was a 450mm diameter perforated pipe with a gravel filled trench. It ran for 306 metres alongside a field edge at the top of the slope and then downwards at a one in three gradient for 53 metres to track level. Catch pits were sited at intervals for inspection and maintenance.

On 12 August 2020, two inches of rain fell between 05:50 and 09:00, a one in a hundred-year frequency event. RAIB’s report states bluntly that “the drainage system was not installed according to the design drawings”. A low artificial ridge or bund was constructed which concentrated the water flow into a short length of gravel filled trench.

Consequently gravel, and stony material was washed out. The drainage pipe trench was filled with 20-40 mm gravel and “its use in such a steeply sloping trench increased the likelihood of it being washed away.”

Aecom (appointed by RAIB) advised that the drainage system as designed would have safely accommodated the water flow on the morning of 12 August. But Carillion did not construct it in accordance with the design. The most significant difference was the bund which was built outside FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.CO.UK

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Network Rail’s land and diverted water into a gully, increasing the likelihood of a gravel fill washout. No evidence was found of Network Rail being notified of this bund’s construction.

UNNOTIFIED DESIGN CHANGES Additionally, RAIB uncovered other differences between the designs and the drainage system that was installed including: Pre 2010 drainage not connected into 2011/12 drainage at catchpit 18; catchpit 18 being relocated; lack of textile lining to drainage trench (used to prevent fines clogging up the drain in the area of the washout); holes cut in catchpit sides significantly larger than entering pipes; and a pipe bend not coinciding with a catchpit just a metre downslope of catchpit 18. No evidence was found of any of these changes being referred to the designer.

Arup was the designer and Carillion was responsible for delivering the works as designed. Any changes should have been notified to Arup but none of them were. The report says that Network Rail’s project team was probably unaware that the 2010/11 drain differed significantly from the design and were not required to check it by Network Rail’s business processes.

SEVEN YEARS BUT NO INSPECTIONS As built drawings were a requirement, but the RAIB investigators found no evidence of their being provided. They are used to assist with future maintenance and are required by the Construction (Design and Maintenance) Regulations 2007. RAIB sample-checked 64 projects and discovered that “more than half of them were missing any trace of a Health and Safety file”. Of 11 sampled drainage projects, five were not transferred into the Network Rail asset management system.

In December 2012 the adjacent landowner visited the sloping drainage system and took a picture of the steeply sloping drain uphill of catchpit 18. This showed slight erosion to the drain’s gravel surface.

Copies were passed to both Carillion and Network Rail.

Network Rail’s Ellipse system holds drainage information and is used for inspections and maintenance, but when the work at Carmont ended no entry was made into Ellipse. Consequently, no inspection regime was established for the upper section of drainage and RAIB found no evidence of any inspections between March 2013 and August 2020.

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12 AUGUST 2020 At 09:00 there was flooding and a landslip at Ironies Bridge, flooding at Newtonhill (north of Carmont) and another landslip near Laurencekirk Station to the south, but no instruction was given to the driver or signaller for either reduced speed running or for the line to be examined. RAIB found that the controllers had not been given sufficient guidance or training. It questions whether Network Rail “appreciated the risk from very heavy rainfall to earthworks and associated drainage” and whether its management realised that risk mitigation measures had not been effectively implemented in Route Control.

The report states that “despite awareness of risk Network Rail has not completed implementation of additional control measures following previous events involving extreme weather; they still have to complete actions to enhance the capability of operating staff to manage complex incidents.”

RAIB’s “causal factors” are summarised as: (i) the gravel in the drainage trench was vulnerable to washout if large flows of surface water concentrated into a short length of drain; and (ii) Carillion did not construct the drain in accordance with the designer’s requirements.

RAIB’S RECOMMENDATIONS As a consequence of this accident, RAIB has made 20 recommendations for the improvement of railway safety to the ORR, requiring them to consider each one and where appropriate take action and report back to the RAIB. The areas covered include: (i) better management of civil engineering construction activities by Network Rail and its contractors; (ii) additional standards and guidance on the safe design of drainage systems; (iii) improved operational response to extreme rainfall events; (iv) enhancing the capability of route control offices to effectively manage complex events; and (v) measures to prevent derailed trains from deviating too far from the track.

The full report and all 20 recommendations can be found at: https:// www.gov.uk/government/news/report-022022-derailment-of-apassenger-train-at-carmont.

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HEALTH+SAFETY

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

STEADY AS WE GO RSSB'S THIRD QUARTER SAFETY PERFORMANCE UPDATE DEMONSTRATES AN EVEN TREND, BUT THE NEED FOR VIGILANCE REMAINS.

T

o make sure everyone gets home safe every day, you need to have eyes everywhere. For this, you need data, but you also need to be able to look down to the weaker signals evident in the daily control log, and you need to be able to check that what you’re doing is making a difference.

This is exactly why RSSB produced the Leading Health and Safety on Britain’s Railway strategy and why it publishes a quarterly update to make sure members have a clear picture of what’s going on out there. The latest of these reports covers the third quarter of the 2021/22 fiscal year, essentially mid-September to mid-December.

THE BIG HEADLINES First, there are still train accidents – potentially higher-risk ones, we call them.

Four occurred in Quarter 3 (Q3): a buffer stop collision; a collision with a road vehicle at a level crossing; a collision between two trains; and one derailment. One of the precursors to a train accident is a signal passed at danger event, a SPAD. There were 62 in Q3, two more than the previous quarter. The associated risk has gone up too – but this doesn’t mean that the railway is suddenly a dangerous place, as the risk figure will have changed to reflect the SPAD that led to the collision at Salisbury Tunnel Junction on 31 October 2021. As RAIB has revealed, the cause of the SPAD in the first place was wheelslide. RAIB will release its findings in due course, and RSSB – and the Train Accident Risk Group – will take the lessons forward in future thinking and future projects aimed at mitigating against the causes.

The number of recorded trespass incidents in Q3 was just under 2,700, which is down on the number reported in the same quarter last year (2,864). This follows a spike seen at the start of 2021/22 as we were phasing out of the second lockdown and while children were on their Easter holidays. Child-related trespass has RAILSTAFF.CO.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

continued to rise in line with all trespassrelated events. Cases of children (and older) sitting over the edges of platforms are still being recorded, as are ill-advised games of ‘chicken’ involving running across the track between platforms.

The industry supported the important messages to prevent trespass and shared the new ‘You vs Train’ campaign via social media. A new campaign is also being planned to mitigate the increase in trespass over the holiday peaks. New resources to educate children from ages 3-16, to promote safe crossing use, have also been made available to schools via www. switchedonrailsafety.co.uk.

We are pleased to report that there were no workforce fatalities in Q3, pleased too that near misses have continued to fall. This reflects the efforts of Network Rail’s Safety Task Force (STF) to cut unassisted lookout working and use more line blockages, although a steady increase in line blockage incidents is now starting to be seen.

HEALTH AND WELLBEING Where safety data has always been comparatively plentiful, the same has not been the case for health and wellbeing.

Thankfully, that looks set to change, with the launch of a new Health and Wellbeing Index (HWI). To streamline the data collection process, HWI components have also been integrated into the Industry Health & Wellbeing Performance Measurement System, an ongoing project to develop an industry-wide health and wellbeing monitoring dashboard.

The cross-industry Rail Mental Health Survey report was published on 2 November, with some insightful outcomes. The results showed that over 40% of rail workers are experiencing mental health problems. Rates of anxiety and PTSD were found to be higher among rail workers than the general population. In addition to the main report, companies with high numbers of responses have each received a highlights report for their company.

LOOKING FORWARD The Q3 report reflects a period of improvement, but it is a continuing journey.

Here are just three things to look out for in the coming months: • Improving our Safety Management Intelligence System (SMIS). RSSB is currently working with industry to simplify SMIS to make it quicker and easier to record events and enable automatic data transfer with company systems.

• Rebuilding the Safety Risk Model (SRM).

The SRM provides estimates of the risk from rail operations and maintenance. It is currently being rebuilt to create a simpler more flexible structure which better meets requirements for localised risk assessment.

• Developing the regional Precursor Indicator Model (PIM). The PIM provides a risk-weighted measure of failures, acts, and conditions that have potential to cause a train accident in different circumstances. Following engagement with 30 industry stakeholders, work is under way to update the calculations, produce regional breakdowns and build a dashboard to present the results.

Read the full report at https://www.rssb. co.uk/safety-and-health/leading-healthand-safety-on-britains-railway/lhsbrquarterly-progress-report.

Now more than ever, the railway needs to work together to protect and enhance health and safety

Get involved in Leading Health and Safety on Britain’s Railway

www.rssb.co.uk/LHSBR

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FINANCE, INSURANCE & ACCOUNTING

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

UNDERSTANDING RISK AND RAIL INSURANCE

T

he Rail industry spans countless companies, each facing complex and unique risks in their day-to-day operations. Working on the rails is one of the most hazardous professions, with rail environments carrying specific and complex dangers. All companies operating on the rails must therefore protect themselves from operational risk, but how do they do this? How does rail insurance work, what does it cover, and how complicated are available products?

The UK’s rail network is one of the safest and busiest in Europe, but it faces major challenges. Despite the setbacks of the past few years, passenger numbers are improving, reaching 80% of pre pandemic levels in March 2022, according to the Department for Transport. And, with rail leading the way as a sustainable means of transport, both for freight and passengers, the next decade will see increasing traffic and major works across the network. All of this means increased risk exposure for rail firms.

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED When we discuss risk, what exactly do we mean? Incidents are varied and range in severity but, broadly speaking, can fall into the following categories, says Matthew Whitehurst, Account Director at Marsh Commercial.

“Operational risk includes loss and damage to rolling stock, internal breakdown, collision, derailment, theft, and fire damage; loss and damage to plant and equipment; and Schedule 8 Penalties, where damage causes a delay on the mainline.

“Liability risk covers injury to volunteers and employees during the course of their activities; injury to members of the public; damage to third party property, such as infrastructure and track; negligence acts by trustees or directors; and professional negligence.

“Static risk is loss and damage to property, infrastructure, and theft of property at a premises. And finally, business interruption is loss of revenue following damage to rolling stock or at premises.

EVOLVING THREATS Cybercrime has been a threat to commerce and industry for many years now, with criminals targeting businesses for financial gain. And as state actors increasingly turn to cyberattacks to achieve their own aims, the risk to key infrastructure targets such as the rail is at an all time high. With the railway becoming increasingly digitised, this threat will only grow in years to come. So how can rail companies limit the damage?

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“A major cyber incident could potentially bring the rail network to a standstill for hours, days, or even weeks,” says Matthew, “and because rail is critical infrastructure, disruptions can ripple through supply chains, causing significant delays and other issues. In addition, cyberattacks could lead to physical damage that threatens not only operations, but the safety and security of workers and others.

“Such risks underscore how important it is for rail to invest in a smart digitalisation strategy that identifies and addresses vulnerabilities and creates a resilience that is able to withstand and recover from a cyberattack.”

A critical first step towards improving cybersecurity is to carry out an in-depth cyber assessment with third-party stakeholders focused on the identification of key IT assets. Companies should also engage in scenario planning to help them understand the impact of potential attacks and rehearse the response to them.

Understanding third-party risks is also crucial. “Rail operates within a complex ecosystem of suppliers, users, and customers,” Matthew says. “The network can have hundreds of stakeholders providing services, each with various cybersecurity strengths and weaknesses. Mapping out the touchpoints and how operations connect will help in the understanding of how each player contributes to cybersecurity vulnerabilities.”

Training and education also cannot be stressed enough. Many employees at all levels within the rail industry do not receive the appropriate technology and digital training to prepare for their role in managing the cybersecurity risks faced by an increasingly digitalised industry.

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GET PROTECTED Given the broad range of risk that rail companies face in their day-to-day operations, numerous insurance products have been developed to help protect against a wide range of events. Insurance protections for the rail sector fall into three broad heads of cover, explains Matthew: “Protection of assets covers property insurance (premises, machinery, fixed and mobile plant); rail vehicles; and materials, tools, plant, and customers goods.

“Protection of revenue protection covers revenue and/or gross profit; and insurance of customer debts and performance bonds.

“Protection of legal and contractual liabilities covers employee and contractor injury; third party property damage; motor fleets; plant hire liability; and professional indemnity.”

It’s important, therefore, that when purchasing insurance, rail companies fully understand the risks that this insurance provides protection for and what policy excess they can reasonably accept. Rail companies will therefore be at a significant advantage where they use a dedicated rail insurance broker and risk advisor who understands the unique risks of the sector and who has access to specialist insurance products.

UNDERSTANDING LIABILITY In most industries, it clear to see where responsibility lies when it comes to processing an insurance claim, but it’s often not so clear cut in the rail sector. The industry is built on collaboration and incidents will often involve more than one organisation. Busy worksites, staffed by multiple teams supplied by different companies, are not uncommon and this complicates the situation.

“It is extremely important to understand the allocation of liabilities in the rail sector,” says Matthew. “There will be incidents where more than one organisation is involved and there could be disagreement over who is liable.

Contract conditions can interfere with the way a court views an incident and ultimately where liability lies.

“Sadly, rail companies may find themselves liable and if all contractual terms that they agreed to have not been disclosed to the insurers, this could leave them potentially uninsured.”

Many railway companies continue to rely on general insurance brokers who do not have any rail sector or rail contractual knowledge.

Often, this is the result of longstanding relationships with brokers, but with so many elements to consider, managing insurance in the rail sector properly is a complex task, and companies can best protect themselves by using specialist firms.

“Marsh Commercial are also able to identify where potential insurance issues could arise due to rail contract wordings,” says Matthew.

“Onerous terms and areas could potentially leave our client vulnerable to uninsured risks.

We then create a risk presentation detailing all material facts for our insurer partners.

This provides us with reassurance that they have in depth knowledge of our client’s business operations and contracts. Through this analysis we create a bespoke insurance programme tailored to our client’s needs, which takes into consideration both regulatory and specific contractual requirements.”

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FINANCE, INSURANCE & ACCOUNTING

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

PENSIONS A NECESSARY EXPENSE DESPITE TODAY'S ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT, PENSION SAVING REMAINS A CRUCIAL CONSIDERATION. RAILSTAFF SPOKE TO THE EXPERTS.

R

etirement may seem a long way off but preparing for your autumn years is vitally important. According to the Office for National Statistics, just 53% of UK adults regularly pay into a pension fund.

But with the state pension age rising, those without a private or workplace plan may be working well into their golden years before they can afford to retire. So, what are the options for rail workers? What packages does the rail industry provide and is a private pension a sensible option?

In 2012 the government introduced legislation requiring all employers to offer a workplace pension scheme and automatically enrol eligible workers in it. Since autoenrolment was introduced, it has proved a gamechanger for the UK’s savings landscape.

More than 10 million people are now saving into a workplace pension thanks to the scheme and opt out rates are low.

However, despite the success of autoenrolment, workers are still not saving enough, broadly speaking. “The minimum contribution rate of 8% between workers and employers has become the de facto contribution rate,” says Robert Cochran, Senior Corporate Pensions Specialist at Scottish Widows. “This is far too low to secure a comfortable retirement for the average saver.

“The government has long talked about evolving auto-enrolment so that more people are saving more money for their future.

This includes plans to reduce the age at which people are enrolled from 22 to 18 and removing the lower earnings limit to make it easier for lower-income and part-time workers to save for retirement.”

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CIRCUMSTANTIAL INEQUALITY The auto-enrolment system also does not apply to some workers, leaving a significant portion of the UK workforce facing difficulties when they finally retire. “This is a particular problem for part-time workers, who are often women,” says Dale Critchley, Workplace Policy Manager at Aviva, “because the first £6,240 of earnings is not pensionable under autoenrolment regulations. This means that lower paid employees get a lower percentage of their total pay paid into their pension, and those earning less than £6,240 get nothing at all.

“The other group not saving sufficiently into pensions are the self-employed. While 54% of self-employed people have a pension plan in place - perhaps from a period of previous employment – Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show that only 19% have an active pension plan in place.”

That said, the rail industry has been rather proactive on this issue for some time.

Railway companies were some of the earliest employers to arrange pension benefits for their staff and, since 1994, over 150 companies have become part of the Railway Pension Scheme which boasts over 340,000 active and retired members.

“In the rail industry, generally, people are exceedingly engaged in their pensions, compared to other industries, says Mark Engelbretson, Head of Pensions at Network Rail. “Our opt out rates for the Network Rail pension scheme is exceptionally low. I think employees of Network Rail put a very high value on their pension benefits, which is great. Network Rail as an employer also puts a high value on its pension benefits, and that's reflected in the fact that we offer our employees three very different types of pension benefits, giving them the choice and the flexibility that many other employers do not.”

TIGHTENING THE BELT With the UK’s cost of living currently going through the roof, everyone is looking for a way to cut back on expenditure. But diverting money from your pension pot, while tempting, may not be a sensible option in the long term.

“Unfortunately, long term savings are an area people feel they can cut back on because they won’t immediately feel the pain,” says Robert. “The Scottish Widows’ Household Finance Index (Jan’22) found

Dale Critchley.

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FINANCE, INSURANCE & ACCOUNTING

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that nearly a quarter of UK households said they would have withdrawn money from their pension if they could have to manage recent unexpected costs. For 34 to 44-year-olds this figure rises to 27%.”

But with the recent rise in National Insurance and energy costs seemingly spiralling out of control, the impact of the increasing outgoings is bound to increase the pressure on savers. “We do have concerns that some people will be more likely to take a contribution holiday,” says Robert. “However, sacrificing your tomorrow to pay for today has real long-term consequences. This is because of the power of compound interest, which makes £100 invested in your 30s worth twice as much as £100 invested in your 50s.”

On the flipside, times of financial strain can cause savers to pay even more attention to their savings, and look for ways to make their money work harder, suggests Romi Savova, CEO of PensionBee. “There are many advantages to saving into a pension, such as government tax relief on personal contributions and free employer contributions for those who are auto-enrolled, making them an attractive long-term investment.

“While it may seem impossible for savers to boost their pension savings at the moment, they should remember that saving for

retirement should be viewed as a marathon, not a sprint. This means there may be times where a saver may be able to contribute more or less to their pension. Taking the time to put in place an achievable short-term saving plan can help keep consumers on track, even in times of greater financial stress.

This can then be balanced with periods of higher contributions when a saver has more disposable income available.”

OVERWHELMING OPTIONS People put off saving toward their pension for many reasons. For younger members of the workforce, retirement is a remote concept and saving now might not seem so urgent. When you consider the economic struggles young people face today, that’s understandable. Getting on the property ladder is difficult enough, let alone saving for the distant future.

Pensions are also often viewed as one of the least interesting financial products and are seen as overly complicated. The sheer number of pension products on the market can be overwhelming and lead to apathy and indecision.

However, there is a lot of information out there to help an individual start a pension.

Many pension companies offer details on

their website on how to get started and if your employer offers a workplace pension the individual effort required to sign up is minimal.

“When an individual comes to work for Network Rail,” says Mark, “the default position is that they're automatically enrolled onto the Network Rail Defined Contribution Scheme, or NRDC as we call it. The starting point there is that the individual and the company make contributions based upon qualifying earnings. Individuals have the option to move their contributions away from qualifying earnings to basic earnings and, if they do, they get matching contribution rates from the employer, which can range from 3% up to 7% of basic salary, with the employee paying anywhere between 0% and 4% to get that matching contribution.

“From day one of joining Network Rail, our employees also have the option of applying to join our Network Rail Career Average Revalued Earnings (CARE) Pension Scheme, which is a defined benefit pensions arrangement. Out of the three schemes we offer, the CARE scheme has the potential of providing the highest level of pension benefit for a high percentage of our employees that have joined since 2016. Signing up is simply a case of filling out an application form when they join the company, or at any point in the future.

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© Brian A Jackson

“The final option that we offer our is the Railway Pension Scheme, which employees can enter after five years of continuous service with the company. For many, this is seen as the holy grail of pensions but the contribution rate of 7% of pensionable pay is actually slightly less than in the CARE scheme and there is an annual pay cap. Over time, people are seeing that the Railway Pension Scheme doesn't necessarily keep pace with their basic pay and we’re getting more people look at the CARE scheme.”

If you’re unsure about your own options, it’s worth speaking to your HR or Pensions department about how to join a workplace pension if you are not automatically enrolled or have previously opted out. It may also be a good idea to speak to a financial adviser.

“They will talk to you about your hopes and plans for the future and recommend the best products to suit your situation,” says Robert.

“Before meeting with a financial adviser, I would recommend thinking about your goals and aspirations for the future, so you are not thinking on the spot.”

HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH? Once you’re enrolled in a pension scheme, you’ll probably wonder whether you’re saving enough. If you’re lucky and long-lived, you may need to live off your savings for 30 years or more, so how full should your pension pot be when it’s time to retire?

“There are three rules of thumb to consider,” says Dale. “Start actively saving for your retirement at least 40 years before the age you

contributions by an additional 1-2% percent of their salary. Over time, the compound returns they’ll receive on their savings could have a significant impact on their pension pot by the time they decide to retire.”

The main takeaway is to start putting money away early and to make it a habit. “The key thing with pension saving though is to get into the habit” says Robert. “Regular savings makes the biggest difference and the earlier the better. We call your twenties the golden age of pension savings as it means your money has a really long time to grow.”

plan to retire. Put at least 12% of your salary into your pension every month, which includes a contribution from your employer. Aim to save the equivalent of 10 times your salary into your pension, by the time you retire.”

But there’s no one-size-fit-all solution when it comes to saving for retirement, and individual circumstances, as well as the ups and downs of the economy mean some flexibility may be required.

“It’s estimated most people will need about 70% of their salary to live comfortably in retirement,” says Romi, “however this largely depends on individual circumstances and lifestyle. It’s important for savers to think about how much they can afford to save, how long they’ve got until they retire, and then their desired retirement income.”

“A little can go a long way in terms of pension savings so, if they can, savers should try increasing their current level of

MANAGING YOUR MONEY

© Aajan

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Once it’s set up, you can choose to forget about your pension for a while, but the more astute of you might prefer to evaluate its health from time to time. Pensions are often viewed as complicated and difficult to manage, and many people associate their pensions with filling out paperwork, but is this the reality? Surely pensions are simpler to manage and monitor in the age of mobile apps?

The pension industry has been slow to modernise,” says Robert, “but this is beginning to change.” Companies across the industry are creating tools that allow easier access to view pension savings. For example, Scottish Widows customers who bank with Halifax, Lloyds or Bank of Scotland can see their pension balance right next to their current account balance via their banking app.”

Romi agrees that the industry hasn’t kept up with technological trends, to the detriment of consumers. “Slow, difficult paper transfers have been an issue for years in the pensions industry,” she says “with many savers still

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

required to complete paperwork by post for their pension transfers. This is despite electronic transfers being widely recognised as much faster, more efficient, and, crucially, more secure than traditional paper-based methods.

“Apps like PensionBee’s increase consumer engagement with pensions and help savers feel a sense of control and ownership over what’s happening to their money. A wider adoption of modern technology across the industry can help arm savers with easily accessible, up-to-date information, and go a long way to dispelling the belief that investing is too complex to engage with.”

Network Rail’s pension schemes are slightly ahead of the curve and do offer this type of facility, says Mark, but getting people to register and check in regularly is the sticking point. “Each of the three pension schemes Network Rail uses has a member website where members can sign in using their own login details, a little bit like online banking,” Mark says. “Here they can access details on their pensions and their value. They can run calculations and request certain information as well. We have a reasonable number of people registered, but more people need to use these facilities.

That’s really important across the whole of the rail industry.

“The technology isn’t perfect yet, but it's getting a lot better. At the end of the day, a pension is your biggest savings account. You probably check your bank account regularly, and you should be doing the same for your pension.”

THE THREAT OF FRAUD

PROTECT YOURSELF Regardless, savers will remain responsible for protecting themselves from scams. For starters, you should stay alert and remain suspicious of any scheme that seems too good to be true. Any investments should be thoroughly researched and, if you feel pressured into making decisions, it’s probably a red flag.

“Savers should also be extremely careful when sharing any personal information online,” says Romi, “whether that’s via websites, email and social media. While cold calling is banned in the UK, telephone scams still occur and savers should be wary of anyone calling to offer free advice or recommending they move their investments as this is not something a reputable financial services professional would do.”

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Once you’ve reached retirement age, or if you’re nearing it, don’t make the mistake of thinking that the risk has waned. “As you retire, or if you have recently retired, there are some new scams to be on the lookout for,” warns Robert. “As you can take all of your retirement savings at once, fraudsters will likely try to target customers who have access to large lump sums of money. Therefore, there may be a significant increase in scams to steal pension money, or high-pressure sales techniques to tempt customers into risky or poorly managed investments.”

Fraudsters are always looking for new ways to get hold of people’s hard-earned money and pension savers should always be vigilant.

PROTECT YOUR FAMILY One final piece of advice regards what happens to your pension should you pass away before you reap its benefits. When you open a pension, you’ll be asked to nominate potential beneficiaries who receive the proceeds of the plan when you die. However, many fail to do this, and what happens to their pension may not be in line with their wishes and may not benefit the loved ones they leave behind.

“It still surprises me just how few people have filled out their nomination form, says Mark, particularly in light of the events of the past two years. You should really be filling out a new nomination form every two to three years, even if you nominate the same person, because that way gives a very clear message as to who you want that benefit to go to should the worst happen.” © Shapecharge

No matter how closely you track the growth of your pension, it will all be for naught if someone else manages to get their hands on it. With the incidence of online fraud peaking since the start of the pandemic, scammers are increasingly preying on savers simply hoping to make the most of their money. And while the elderly or those in cognitive decline are seen as soft targets, anyone can be targeted.

“Clone-firm investment scams accelerated during the pandemic,” says Dale. “Fraudsters impersonating well-known financial services brand names through online advertising has been fundamental in this type of fraud, which involves persuading people to part with their retirement savings.”

“These kinds of scams can take many forms,” says Robert, “such as receiving an unexpected phone call, email or text offering a ‘free pension review’, or a company that will send couriers to your home to collect paperwork.”

Legislation is currently being discussed which should make the landscape a little safer, particularly when it comes to online pension fraud. The Online Safety Bill has been strengthened with the addition of fraud and financial crime to the list of priority offences and the Pension Transfer Regulations announced in 2021 introduced new measures which give pension providers and scheme trustees the power to say no to a pension transfer when their assessment tells them it is likely to be a scam.

FINANCE, INSURANCE & ACCOUNTING

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FINANCE, INSURANCE & ACCOUNTING

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

COST OF LIVING

CRISIS

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ith the price of goods and energy going through the roof, RailStaff looks at the background to the cost-of-living crisis and what you can do if you’re struggling.

Unless you’ve been avoiding the news or haven’t checked your bank balance in the past six months, you’ll be more than aware that the cost of living has rocketed. The price of goods and services rose steadily throughout 2021, but in March this year inflation reached its highest point since 1992, which, combined with supply chain bottlenecks, sent the price of goods and services skyward.

One driver of inflation has been energy prices, which have been creeping up for some time due in part to a return of global gas demand as pandemic restrictions were lifted, along with lower-than-normal production of natural gas. The pressure for consumers was compounded on 3 February when the energy regulator, Ofgem, raised the domestic energy price cap by 54%.

So far, so depressing. But to make matters worse, in late February, the first major European war since 1945 broke out. While the suffering of the British public can’t be compared to those in Ukraine, the conflict has pushed oil and gas prices up further, dealing yet another blow to those standing on the financial precipice. Though prices have since fallen back slightly, they remain above their previous levels.

Worryingly, the conflict may have a further an impact on food prices. Russia and Ukraine are important producers of numerous agricultural products. As a major producer of fertilisers, Russia has restricted exports, pushing prices up around the globe. It is also feared that Ukrainian farmers, impacted by the conflict, will be unable to tend their crops sufficiently, the impact of which will be poor harvest in the summertime. Long term effects are feared, and the UK’s National Farmers’ Union has warned that the disruption to food output may last for years.

SORRY STATISTICS The average UK earner has been feeling the pinch for some time, but in the past 6 months, belts have tightened considerably.

According to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), around 87% of UK adults reported an increase in their cost of living over the previous month in March 2022. This compares to around 62% of in November 2021.

The ONS report - The rising cost of living and its impact on individuals in Great Britain: November 2021 to March 2022 – also found that almost a quarter (23%) of adults found it difficult to pay their usual household bills in March 2022, compared with a year ago; an increase from 17% in November 2021. The most common reasons reported for increased cost of living were increases in the price of food shopping (88%); gas or electricity bills (83%); and the price of fuel (77%).

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© Prostock-Studio

REPORT BY MATT ATKINS

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© StudioMars

Unsurprisingly, the ONS reported an increase in borrowing, with 17% of adults reporting borrowing more or using more credit than in March 2021. Forty-three percent of respondents said they would be unlikely to save money for at least the next 12 months.

It’s clear then that the financial noose has tightened significantly, coming straight after the economic pressure brought by the Covid outbreak. Shrinking pay packets and rising costs means that the pressure on households is building and the situation is unlikely to change for some time.

But when many people are already at breaking point making further cuts to daily spending is impossible. What exactly can be done to help ease the pain?

FOOD COSTS The immediate concern for many is putting food on the table. With costs surging, how do you avoid cutting back on the basics?

According to the government-backed Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), the average UK family wastes around £700 of food each year. This is an easy win if you’re looking to save on food costs, and you can avoid some of this waste by freezing items that are about to go out of date. You should also remember that ‘use-by’ and ‘best-before dates are two very different

things. If something’s passed it’s ‘use-by’, it’s no longer fit for consumption, so throw it out. However, the best-before date is just an indication of how long a product is in its best condition. You don’t need to bin something that’s passed its ‘best before’ by a couple of days.

Buying food in bulk is one way to bring down the cost of your shop. Tinned foods, pasta, and rice are often cheaper if you purchase them in large quantities from a wholesale retailer. And even if you’re sticking to the supermarket, multi-packs of these items are much more cost-effective than individual items. Remember, it’s also wise to switch to the own-brand versions of these non-perishable items. You’ll be paying much less for exactly the same produce.

Cooking in bulk is another way to bring down costs. If you can put aside an hour or two, you can save an impressive amount by batch-cooking meals and storing portions in the freezer. Curries, casseroles, bolognese, and soups are great candidates for batchcooked meals, although finding the time can be difficult and your plan may be scuppered by any fussy eaters in the family.

Avoiding convenience stores can save you money. Shops such as Tesco Express and Sainsbury’s local often charge more for products than their larger counterparts.

You’re paying extra for the convenience of a

local store, but your wallet will thank you for travelling a few extra miles.

Another way to cut down your food bill is to change supermarkets completely.

It’s startling how much you can save just by shopping at another store. Customer choice champion Which! analyses thousands of prices every month to find out which supermarket is the cheapest. Lidl was the cheapest supermarket in March 2022. A basket of 21 groceries currently cost an average of £26.83, while the equivalent at Waitrose would have cost £36.04.

You can find the Which supermarket price comparison page at: www.which.co.uk/ reviews/supermarkets/article/supermarketprice-comparison-aPpYp9j1MFin

ENERGY BILLS Keeping the house warm is next on the list of essentials. Although we’re now through the worst of the winter months, it’s not summer just yet. Heating costs remain problematic for many, so what do you do if you start to fall behind on payments?

Anyone falling behind with their energy bills should contact their supplier as soon as possible, says Ofgem. According to the regulator, energy suppliers can’t just cut off your supply and customers should be able to negotiate a new, affordable payment plan.

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© Zedelle

As well as a review of your payments and debt repayments, your supplier may offer a payment break or payment reductions; more time to pay; access to hardship funds; and advice on how to use less energy. Whatever help you receive is decided on a case-by-case basis, and repayment must be based on your ability to pay.

Contacting your supplier is much more urgent if you’re on a pre-payment meter, says Ofgem, as you may face disconnection.

All suppliers offer emergency support which includes emergency credit if your meter runs low or runs out; ‘friendly hours’ credit if topup points are closed or your meter is running low; and extra credit support if you are in a vulnerable situation, though you will need to pay this back when next you top up.

Additional support credit may be available if you can't afford to top up, says MoneySavingExpert. What you can get, how this works and if you're eligible will depend on your supplier. In general, this type of credit is usually only available for people in vulnerable situations, such as those of state pension age, or those with a disability or long-term medical condition, but even if you're not in a vulnerable situation, your supplier could still help if you're unable to top up.

If you’re still struggling, many energy suppliers have charitable trusts and funds that can help if you're in debt and struggling to repay.

They offer schemes and grants to help with energy costs, to replace faulty or old boilers, and help to make your home more energyefficient.

A number of energy firms offer support, but you'll usually need to be a customer of the firm to apply, the application process for help with energy debt is quite rigorous, and you’ll need to have already spoken to a debt adviser before you can apply.

For more practical tips on how to save energy while staying warm, MoneySavingExpert has published a guide titled ‘Heat the human not the Home’. The guide investigates the cheapest ways to keep yourself warm, from hot water bottles to electric gilets, and can found at www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/heat-the-human-not-thehome-save-energy.

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DON’T SUFFER IN SILENCE If you’re fighting financial difficulties, remember - you’re not alone.

Thousands of people across the country are battling to keep their heads above water for no fault of their own. The current financial landscape is a result of world events beyond our own control, and no one who’s struggling should feel any sense of shame.

Remember also that there are many organisations you can turn to for support, both within and without the Rail industry. These include: Citizens Advice. If you're in England or Wales, you can speak to a trained adviser on 0808 223 1133 or fill in online form and they'll respond by email. If you're in Scotland, you'll need to speak to your local Citizens Advice Bureau.

StepChange is a debt charity that provides free debt advice to people in England, Scotland and Wales. You can contact it on 0800 138 1111 or get online debt advice.

MoneyHelper is sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions, and provides free, impartial and confidential money guidance to anyone in the UK. You can contact it on 0800 138 7777, or via webchat, email or WhatsApp. Railway Mission is a Christian faith-based charity offering independent, confidential, impartial pastoral care to the railway community and members of the public affected by rail operations.

The charity provides counselling support for a wide range of issues including financial difficulties. It can be contacted by phone on 0203 887 7000; by email at office@railwaymission.org; and online at www.railwaymission.org/contact-form Railway Benefit Fund (RBF) is the only UK charity solely dedicated to supporting current, retired and former railway employees and their families through tough times. It’s monetary grants and access to expert advice can help you overcome tough situations which may impact your financial, family, mental and physical well-being. The team can be contacted by phone on 0345 241 2885; and by email at support@railwaybenefitfund.org.uk; or online at www.railwaybenefitfund.org.uk/contact-us.

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EXPERT

COMMENTAR DC RICHARD GENTLE, CYBER CRIME UNIT, BTP

Hi Richard, thanks for joining us. To start, could you give us a brief outline of your role and the work that BTP does to fight cybercrime?

Hi Matt, thanks for having me. BTP don’t just police the railway by offering visible uniform presence – we also have a whole host of crime departments including a Cyber Crime Unit just like any other police force. We have four working pillars that we call the ‘Four Ps’. These are: Protect, Prevent, Pursue and Prepare.

The Protect strand is effectively cybercrime awareness and crime prevention, while the Prevent strand is the ability to identify young individuals who commit cybercrime offences and offer them alternative paths within the commercial world to steer them away from hacking and committing cybercrime.

The Pursue strand is the active response to cyber-attacks on the railway and members of the public who become victims of cybercrime. We have two teams of detectives dedicated to the response aspect. The final strand is Prepare, which goes hand in hand with the Protect strand and that aims to buildg resilience for business via tabletop exercises and similar activities.

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Can you give us an overview of the types of cybercrime that the rail industry is exposed to? How well prepared are the rail network and companies within the wider industry?

The railway industry, just like any other, is exposed to cybercrime and all businesses involved in the railway, regardless of size, need to bolster and strengthen their capability to keep themselves safe from cyber-attacks.

One of the methods that cyber criminals tend to deploy is being able to reach a company they wish to target and infiltrate it via their supply chain.

Therefore, it’s really important for the wider industry which acts as a supply chain to the Network, train operating companies, and freight companies, to maintain good cyber standards and keep good cyber hygiene practices within their business.

Has the Covid pandemic had any effect on cybercrime? Has the behaviour of cyber criminals changed since an increasing number of us now work from home?

Covid-19 has allowed a digital transformation across several industries and has arguably accelerated the rate of cyber-attacks and changed the cyber security landscape.

As people work from the comfort of their own home, cyber criminals have found new and ingenious ways to target employees and exploit the situation to their advantage, with targeted phishing campaigns and an increase in reconnaissance through social media.

New types of scams have also emerged, playing on people’s emotions. One such scam touted the availability of vaccines for Covid-19, prior to them actually being created and rolled out.

© solarseven

C

yber threats to national security, businesses, and private individuals are increasing, and several million cases of fraud and computer misuse are reported to the police each year. Cybercrime can take many forms, targeting supply chains, operations, and finances by exploiting human and security vulnerabilities. Matt Atkins spoke to DC Richard Gentile, a Detective in the Cyber Crime unit of British Transport Police (BTP), to discuss the threat of cybercrime to the rail industry and how organisations and individuals can avoid becoming a victim.

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© PeopleImages

RY © LeoPatrizi

What types of attacks are motivated by financial gain? Are you seeing an increasing number of increasing attacks on rail companies?

When we think of hostile actors within today’s digital environment, we need to think of Organised Crime Groups (OCGs), Nation State actors, and Hackers. Broadly speaking, these are the main three actors. The motivation of OCG’s is most defiantly financial gain, while the hacker’s motivation can sometimes be financial gain but is mostly around kudos.

We have seen an increase in both cyberenabled and cyber-dependant crime on the railway especially Ransomware, where a company’s data is held at ransom with the premise that if money is not paid within a time frame set by the criminal, it will either be destroyed or leaked on the dark web.

We’ve definitely seen an increase in these types of attacks, hitting train operators and their supply chain.

What measures can companies take to protect themselves from financial cybercrime? Are companies doing enough to mitigate the risk at present?

Keeping to basic standard practices to protect themselves can mitigate quite a number of cyberattacks but, overall, I don’t think companies are doing enough. I believe this is down to the stigma that cyber awareness and education comes with a price tag and is too expensive to invest in, so companies will invest more in technology to try and keep them safe.

There is no real silver bullet to solving the problem of cybercrime and keeping your business protected. But, as approximately 90% of all cyberattacks are due to human behaviour, education and awareness are the best way to mitigate the majority of cyber-attacks.

If we think of there being five layers to defend your business, these would be: (i) Anticipation - the best way to defend against cyber-attacks is to anticipate them, this means being aware of the latest threats and vulnerabilities and having a process to mitigate these; (ii) Education - all employees should be trained on cyber security best practices to know how to identify and defend against potential attacks; (iii) Detection - organisations should have systems in place to detect attacks as they happen so they can respond quickly and minimise damage; (iv) Reaction - having a quick response plan in place and taking steps to mitigate the damage; and (v) Resilience - even if your business is successful in defending against attacks its’s essential to have plans to recover from any damage that occurs.

Going back to the ‘Four Ps’ we discussed, we do have the capability to respond and investigate cyber-attacks if a business is undergoing a cyberattack. However from a Protect perspective, the BTP can offer a whole host of products and cyber education to organisations within the railway industry, and they’re all free. These range from tailored cyber awareness training, cyber escape rooms, tabletop exercises and guidance.

In terms of technology, we offer a free tool called Police Cyber Alarm to help members understand and monitor malicious cyber activity. This service FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.CO.UK

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Do you have any predictions for the cybercrime landscape over the next 12-18 months? Do you expect to see an increase in cybercrime as a result of the events in Ukraine?

is made up of two parts: monitoring and vulnerability scanning. Police Cyber Alarm acts as a ‘CCTV camera’ monitoring the traffic seen by a member’s connection to the internet. It will detect and provide regular reports of suspected malicious activity, enabling organisations to minimise their vulnerabilities.

I think we’ll definitely see an increase in ransomware and far more hostile reconnaissance, especially around business networking platforms from hostile actors such as cyber criminals and OCGs. Campaigns like ‘Think before you Link’ from the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) is a great campaign which provides free assets for organisations to help keep them safe and raise awareness among staff.

Following Russia’s unprovoked, premeditated attack on Ukraine, the NCSC continues to call on organisations in the UK to bolster their online defences. The NCSC – which is a part of GCHQ – has urged organisations to follow its guidance on steps to take when the cyber threat is heightened.

While the NCSC is not aware of any current specific threats to UK organisations in relation to events in and around Ukraine, there has been a historical pattern of cyber-attacks against Ukraine with international consequences. HermeticWiper, a wiper malware used against Ukrainian organisations, has the potential to impact

When we think of cybercrime and how it can affect an individual there are a whole host of scams and tricks that members of the public can become a victim to. These include phishing emails - targeted or general emails, where criminals hope you click on a link they’ve sent you; smishing scams which are the annoying text messages you receive where scammers impersonate companies such as delivery companies or banks; romance fraud which can cost victims thousands of pounds; and computer software fraud, with 23,625 reports last year and £27.3 million in reported losses.

One of the more current frauds is Payment Diversion Fraud or PDF. This type of fraud involves scammers impersonating companies that you might already be working with and asking you to pay outstanding invoices.

There are very simple steps that members of the public can take to keep themselves protected and that involves changing their mindset and not ignoring things that can make them more secure such as their mobile or computer asking them to update their software, adopting two-factor authentication, not recycling passwords, and creating strong but memorable passwords that are not easy for a cybercriminal to break.

There is some great guidance around using the ‘rule of three’ to create passwords on the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) website (www.ncsc.gov.uk) and the cyber aware website (www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberaware/ home)

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What is the risk of financial cybercrime to the general public? What form do these attacks take and how can individuals protect themselves?

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organisations outside of Ukraine. Wiper malware can erase data from the hard drive of an infected computer. UK organisations are therefore strongly encouraged to follow the actionable steps in the NCSC guidance that reduce the risk of falling victim to an attack.

Thanks Richard. Finally, what steps should individuals and organisations take if they suspect they’ve been the victim of cybercrime?

If you suspect you are currently being subjected to a live and ongoing cyber-attack, believe you have been scammed, defrauded or otherwise been a victim of cybercrime, contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

They have a 24-hour contact centre which will inform the police of the crime. For more information, the Action Fraud website can be found at www.actionfraud.police.uk.

If you are a Train Operating Company or part of the railway supply chain and experiencing a live and ongoing cyber-attack once reported to Action Fraud please contact our control room on 0800 405 040.

Organisations or businesses that want to contact us can speak directly to our Pursue team by contacting cybercrimeunit@btp. police.uk. For information on any of our free Protect services, contact cyberprotect@btp. police.uk.

T H E

R A I L S T A F F

A W A R D S

2 0 2 2

MORE THAN AN AWARD Let’s recognise those who are outstanding, those that go above and beyond, those who are special. They need to know just how much they are appreciated.

Apprentice of the Year

Health & Wellbeing Award

Rail Engineer of the Year

Award for Charity

HR, Diversity & Inclusion Person or Team Award

Rail Manager of the Year

Covid Hero - Outstanding Individual Award Covid Heroes - Outstanding Team Award Customer Service Award

Learning & Development Award Lifetime Achievement Award Marketing & Communications Team Award

Depot Staff Award Digital Railway (S&T) Person or Team Award

Rail Civils / Infrastructure Team Award

Rail Person of the Year Rail Project Manager Award Rail Team of the Year Safety Person or Team Award Samaritans Lifesaver Award Station Staff Award

Graduate or Newcomer Award

NOMINATE TODAY! www.railstaffawards.com THE NEC, BIRMINGHAM // 24TH NOVEMBER 2022

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

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RAILSTAFF

AWARDS THE RAILSTAFF AWARDS ARE BACK AND THIS YEAR THEY'RE BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER!

E

very year, the Awards attract more entries, more interest, and more companies - so why are they so successful?

The rail industry, like most others, has its fair share of awards evenings.

Organised by trade associations, publications, interested parties, and even individual companies, they are all pretty much alike. Since its inception in 2007, only the RailStaff Awards have stood out as being completely different from the rest.

The first major difference is that no company ever wins anything. The RailStaff Awards are for rail staff – the people that make the industry great. There are 22 categories, some for teams, some for individuals, and some for both, but they are all for people.

Of course, all of those people work for a company, and their employers gets the kudos of them winning an award. Many companies encourage employees to enter and even help them do so, but at the end of the day, the person is in the frame not the company.

Very often, the entrant isn’t even nominated for their performance at work.

The Train Driver of the Year doesn’t win because she is great at driving trains, and the Signaller of the Year isn’t a winner because he is a conscientious signalman.

No, they win because of what else they do, in their spare time and between shifts.

They work to support colleagues, the public, and the industry, to make the railway safer or to help the needy and infirm. To help

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schoolchildren be safe around the railway or to develop new ways to make the railway more efficient and perform better.

In short, they win for ‘going the extra mile’ – a rather hackneyed phrase but one which, in this case, describes exactly what the judges are looking for.

Do you work with an extraordinary train driver, station manager, or engineer? Nominate them in one of 22 categories today:

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

Apprentice of the Year Award for Charity Covid Hero – Outstanding Individual Award Covid Heroes – Outstanding Team Award Customer Service Award Depot Staff Award Digital Railway Person (S&T) or Team Award Graduate or Newcomer Award Health & Wellbeing 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 Safety Person or Team Award Samaritans Lifesaver Award Station Staff Award

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2 Everyone has a great time

Nominations and public voting The second difference from other awards is that nobody enters. Everyone is nominated by somebody else. So, individuals and teams are nominated by colleagues and co-workers, by management, by friends, by union reps, and even by the public. Anyone can nominate, but you can’t nominate yourself.

Once the nominations are in, details are posted on the Awards’ website and then the public voting commences. Yes – public voting!

Anyone and everyone can go onto the website and vote for their favourite, whether it’s for an entry that has really impressed them or just for their mate. This is when the nominees need to mobilise their fan clubs to get the votes in.

Once the public voting is complete, details of the top 15 in each of the 20 categories go off to an Independent Judging Panel made up of industry leaders. For each category there are at least three Independent Panel Judges and one Category Sponsor Judge.

The judging teams choose a winner and up to two ‘highly commended’ entries for each category.

To give some idea of the volumes involved, in 2019, the 20 categories attracted 1,359 nominations for 765 nominees (some had multiple nominations) proposed by 1,221 nominators. Those nominees then received 100,776 public votes, or an average of 131 votes each.

On the night, after a good dinner and some spectacular entertainment – usually consisting of fire-eaters hanging from the ceiling by ribbons (watch the video on the website if you don’t believe it!) – the compere runs through the various categories, every short-listed finalist is named, the highly commended entries are announced, then the category winners go up on stage to receive their awards to thunderous applause (and sometimes a lot of screaming from colleagues at the table!).

After the presentations are over, and photographs taken, the RailStaff Awards show the third way in which they differ from other industry affairs. Rather than a largely male audience leaving their tables and aiming for the bar, in this case, as the Awards are for people, attendees and their spouses, partners, and/or colleagues party the night away!

Dancing continues until one, and there are various other activities to enjoy.

In summary, the annual RailStaff Awards are an EVENT. They’re a celebration of what makes our industry great – its people.

Winners and finalists come from all levels of the industry, and they mix and mingle and have a great time.

If you’ve never been to the RailStaff Awards, then you should attend in 2022. It’s not a ball, it’s not a networking event, and it’s not a corporate event – it’s all of those things and more. It’s the RailStaff Awards!

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ALL ABOUT

PEOPLE T

he men and women who staff the 2,500 railway stations around the country have a lot to cope with.

They have to keep those stations safe for passengers, make sure they are clean and provide opportunities for ‘retail therapy’ for passengers in a hurry as well as for those with time on their hands.

Train-operator staff have to sell tickets and then check them, direct passengers and answer a multitude of questions. They are expected to know everything about the railway, the local area, bus timetables, taxi fares and the weather forecast.

They also have to despatch trains, assist passengers boarding and disembarking, look after or search for lost luggage and dispense first aid. Oh, and they have to deal with drunks, vagrants, children, the harassed, the pregnant, the disabled, the suicidal and the just confused.

Above all, they have to be nice to people, all the time, no matter what.

It’s a mammoth job that goes largely unnoticed. Passengers are often quick to complain yet slow to praise.

But colleagues notice a job well done. Last year, 98 nominations were received for the Station Staff award, sponsored by the Transport Benevolent Fund CIO.

RAY OF SUNSHINE Under the headline ‘Frontline Heroes’, last year’s review of the RailStaff Awards described how Aaron Koduah brightens up passengers’ journeys with his self-penned motivational messages on the announcement board at Crewe station.

For more than four years, Aaron, who works at the station as a welcome host, has provided a ray of sunshine for customers on even the dreariest of days with his contagious smile and often topical thoughts of the day.

At first, he was nervous about doing something differently, but, with his message board becoming synonymous with Crewe, and celebs such as Paul ‘The Sinnerman’ Sinha from gameshow ‘The Chase’ taking snaps of his quotes, Aaron now takes great pride in the impact he’s able to make to customer’s days.

He has also channelled his positive energy into publishing a book: Developing A Strong Mindset, which features a collection of his favourite quotes.

Aaron, who works on the gateline, received 17 submissions from customers and colleagues during the nomination process, and, for having such an impact on the customer experience at Crewe, he was recognised in the Station Staff Award category.

The former soldier’s outlook is even more remarkable considering he and his partner were hit with tragic news last year when their son died shortly after he was born. Aaron said: “I just feel like life changes so, when you are in a bad situation you have to keep holding on because you don’t know what the future holds.”

The Station Staff of the Year Award was sponsored by TBF, a membership charity that offers a wide range of financial, health, welfare and financial benefits to public transport workers should need, hardship or distress arise.

Rob Jones, TBF Chair, said: “Railway staff do an amazing job, sometimes under very difficult circumstances. The great service they provide can often go unnoticed by the travelling public and this is why it is most important that the industry itself recognises the achievements of all members of staff.”

IT'S ALL ABOUT PEOPLE TBF returns to sponsor Station Staff again this year. This non-profit making membership charity is available to anyone engaged in the public transport industry in Great Britain.

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Membership costs £1.25 a week, covering the member, live-in partner and dependent children. Each family member is considered separately and benefits paid are not cumulative for whole family. The membership fee can be deducted through the company payroll facility or, if not available, paid by Standing Order.

Benefits include: • cash grants to help cover short-term financial hardship from sickness (typically 2-weeks or more) • debt advice • legal help on non-employment matters • bereavement grants • scans and tests and medical consultations if not available on the NHS within a reasonable timeframe • a wide range of complementary and alternative therapies • medical equipment • prescription pre payment certificates • convalescence

As in all walks of life, coronavirus has had a huge impact on the rail industry and its staff.

One of those who sadly lost their life to the virus was Belly Mujinga, a frontline worker and TBF member. Belly’s story highlights the difficulties rail workers face daily and why TBF set up a memorial fund in her name. Help is available for rail staff affected by the virus and who are not currently a TBF member.

As the Fund approaches its centenary next year it is a sad fact that, even in these modern times, we have public transport employees suffering hardship, and these numbers have only increased during the challenges of the past couple of years. TBF currently has over 61,000 members and the continuing relevance of the Fund’s work is best illustrated by the volume of awards to members, which, during the past 12 months, have been in excess of £2.6million.

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The Fund is run by a board of Trustees, the majority of whom work in the industry and decide on all benefits. TBF’s Patrons include leading figures in the major transport groups and trades unions.

In recognition of the valuable work carried out by all those working in the rail sector, TBF has supported the RailStaff Awards for many years.

John Sheehy, TBF CEO and main judge of the nominees for the Station Staff Award, said: “TBF’s mission is to help its members in times of need and the Station Staff Award is a great opportunity to thank those who regularly help others in need. Station staff are an integral part of the railway and being the first point of contact for passengers, they play a vital role in helping customers’ experience on the railway to be a safe and pleasant one.

“Staff often face difficult situations requiring compassion and courage.

On a day-to-day basis they are the unsung heroes of the railway and that is why TBF is proud to take this opportunity to acknowledge their valuable contribution to the sector.

“When judging the nominees for the Station Staff Award category we are looking for a commitment to helping others, ensuring customers have a positive experience of the railway. The potential winner should be reliable, hardworking and demonstrate their initiative in response to often challenging, and occasionally, life-threating situations.”

The Transport Benevolent Fund CIO, known as TBF, is a registered charity in England and Wales, 1160901 and Scotland, SC047016.

PROUD SPONSORS OF THE STATION STAFF AWARD, 2022 ALL ABOUT PEOPLE

PEOPLE WORKING IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT...

A comprehensive range of health, welfare and financial help and support during times of need; helping to improve members’ work-life balance and reduce staff turnover for the employer.

£1.25 a week covers you, 20p your live-in partner and a day dependent children.

less than

www.tbf.org.uk 0300 333 2000

Transport Benevolent Fund CIO, known as TBF, is a registered charity in England and Wales, 1160901, and Scotland, SC047016.

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TBF22Advert_90x130mm.indd 1

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

HR, DIVERSITY

AND INCLUSION O

ne of the longer titles for a category in this year’s RailStaff Awards - the HR, Diversity & Inclusion Person or Team Award - is also actually one of the most topical.

recruiting or recognising progress. The proportion of female graduates in the rail division has risen from 12 per cent in 2015 to 43 per cent in 2019.

Diversity is always in the spotlight. Whether it is Network Rail’s attempts to get its proportion of female employees up above 20 per cent, the activities of the Archway network for the railway’s LGBT+ community, or initiatives to include more disabled, ethnic minority and disadvantaged people into the rail community, it is all of great public interest.

The specialists who look after diversity and inclusion tend to work for HR – human resources. So, the three areas are rightly combined in this award.

Of course, winners don’t necessarily win for their work in these fields, so the actual nomination could be for something completely different.

HR SUPPORT The winner at the last awards evening, though, did win for his efforts in HR support.

Dave Rees joined WSP’s UK rail business in 2008. Since then, it has engendered a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion while growing its headcount from around 250 to 760. His practical approach has helped deliver exceptional results for WSP and put it in a strong position to achieve its ultimate objective of being Britain’s first genderbalanced engineering consultancy.

As a result of Dave’s insight, drive and industry knowledge, particularly in identifying and targeting post-chartership staff as the group most at-risk of leaving, WSP’s attrition rate has fallen from 17 to seven per cent. It is becoming an ‘employer of choice’, attracting and retaining the most talented rail people in the industry.

As well as training the senior leadership team to see things from a people perspective, he has overseen the roll-out of ‘unconscious bias’ training to almost all senior rail staff, to ensure they make the right decisions when

Picking up the award last year, Dave said: “I’m fairly modest about what I do. I feel I’m just doing my day job, but other people see something I don’t – thinking outside the box, trying to bring a different view into what the business tries to achieve - and hopefully it works and we improve our inclusion, our diversity, the way we do things.”

FREIGHTLINER The RailStaff Awards Sponsor of the HR, Diversity and Inclusion Award, G&W UK/ Europe Region companies, which includes Freightliner and Pentalver, place great emphasis on improving diversity and inclusion across its respective business areas.

Attracting highly skilled and diverse talent to G&W UK/Europe Region companies has been an ongoing priority for the Group. With a stronger focus on diversity and inclusion in the last few years, they are slowly starting to reap the benefits, especially with the recruitment of females into frontline operational roles,

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including train and truck drivers.

Following a complete relaunch of the company website, the Careers pages now feature testimonials and videos of female colleagues in engineering and frontline roles and recruitment advertising promotes, and celebrates, a diverse workforce highlighting the development and career opportunities available to all. Ensuring equal opportunities are available regardless of background, race or gender is of the upmost importance – particularly in historically nondiverse industries such as rail and logistics.

The group is also an established member of WORK180 as an Endorsed Employer for Women. WORK180 pre-screens employers before they can advertise jobs against a set of criteria; including pay equity, flexible working, women in leadership and paid parental leave.

Actively participating in events such as the Big Rail Diversity Challenge has provided an opportunity to showcase that teamwork and diversity is not only beneficial, but also essential to the productivity and success of a business.

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G&W UK/Europe also support the Women in Rail Awards and are proud that one of their female train drivers was Highly Commended in the ‘Inspirational Woman of the Year’ category in 2020 – all raising the profile of a career in Rail/Transport for women.

G&W UK/Europe value the importance of getting first-hand feedback from female frontline workforce and for the third year running, they celebrated International Women’s Day (‘IWD’) at their Headquarters in Birmingham where 40+ ladies, mainly frontline, came together in celebration of women in the rail and logistics industry. As a spin off to IWD, a female driver forum has been established, chaired by a female train driver, aimed at identifying, voicing and addressing challenges that impact women in the workplace and particularly for those frontline.

Events and forums such as these provide a valuable insight on how G&W UK can improve diversity and encourage more females into frontline roles. It also ensures every single person in the company is valued, heard, respected, empowered, and feels a true sense of belonging.

In the words of G&W UK HR Director, Glynis Appelbe “If we do not embrace and welcome change and diversity, irrespective of what sphere of life or work we are operating in, then we run the risk of being left behind and ill equipped to face the diverse and changing challenges work, or life, present us with. We also inevitably fail to seize and capitalise on emerging and exciting opportunities either personally or work wise. As an industry, and as a business, if we are not willing to change and to diversify, then we run the risk of continuing to think and operate in the same way we have always done and hence we will end up with the same results which is absolutely not what we want.”

Freightliner is proud to sponsor the HR, Diversity & Inclusion category at the Railstaff Awards 2022

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FEATURE

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

CELEBRATING

INNOVATION

THE 2022 RAIL INNOVATION EXHIBITION HELD ON 22 MARCH SHOWCASED SOME OF THE MOST EXCITING INNOVATIONS AND PROJECTS THE RAIL SECTOR HAS TO OFFER. DAISY CHAPMAN-CHAMBERLAIN COVERED THE EVENT FOR RAILSTAFF.

I

nnovation is crucial to rail. As we move into the future, pushing and striving for better ways of working, more efficient services, happier customers, and a safer network for everyone are all key to success.

While innovation forms the core of these improvements, it also must be developed, delivered, and used in partnership, and with buy-in, from railway staff, both in frontline and back-office roles. Ensuring that new technologies and services work for the people that operate, manage, maintain, and indeed use the networks might seem obvious, but this is often overlooked in the excitement of new concepts or products.

It also explains why collaboration was the core focus for innovators displaying their products at this year’s Rail Innovation Exhibition, which saw 500 delegates flock to discuss innovation and create new opportunities. The event, organised by Innovate UK KTN, on behalf of the Department for Transport and Innovate UK, and in partnership with the Railway Industry Association (RIA), celebrated innovation with 65 exhibitors showcasing success from Innovate UK funded projects and beyond.

FORWARD THINKING Kicking off the event, Rail Minister, Wendy Morton, focussed on the need for rail to move forward and not fall into old ways of thinking: “Our railways are at an existential moment - where they must change not just to survive but to thrive, now is not the time for conformity, or for going back or going by the book. We need creativity and outside the box thinking.” This was demonstrated by the exhibitors pushing for the best new technology, services, and ways of working to enhance rail for passengers and freight customers alike, in partnership with the people who keep the network running.

One excellent example of this technology and human partnership approach comes from Window Seater (funded by First of a Kind from the Department for Transport and Innovate UK), which provides high quality geolocated audio stories which link all the fascinating features along the railway, connecting rail travellers to the world outside their window. Alongside Great Western Railway, they have developed a new Community Rail Content Platform that integrates local stories collected and held by people working within local community rail partnerships (CRPs), with passenger-facing technologies used by GWR. Among the lines already online for passengers to listen along to are Bristol to RAILSTAFF.CO.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

Find out more about GA’s services at www.galvanizing.org.uk/tech-advice Download GA’s new Circular Economy guide at www.galvanizing.org.uk/ circular-economy-guide

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

FEATURE

53

REPORT BY DAISY CHAPMAN-CHAMBERLAIN

Weymouth (The Heart of Wessex Line) and Bristol to Severn Beach (The Severn Beach Line).

Enabling safer, more efficient working practices for staff is a common theme for projects successfully funded by First of a Kind. In 2021, Dynamic Crowd Measurement Ltd was successfully funded to deliver their CCTV-based passenger density sensing and optimisation project.

Accurate information on crowd measurements is put into the hands of rail staff to ensure they can plan safer services and deliver the all-important excellent transport experience for all. And, as a bonus, it provides direct information to passengers on crowding in carriages and on platforms, allowing for better journey self-management and increased confidence in the rail system.

IRIS, an information system for railway station staff, developed by Liverpool’s John Moores University, is also an outstanding example of empowering rail staff through information innovation. The system equips staff with a two-way communication mechanism, currently used

by Merseyrail, with richer, faster, and more accurate information from different sources into one simple, single view. It also has a real-time passenger count at platforms, allowing staff to quickly understand the situation in the station with a quick glance to make informed decisions.

PEOPLE FOCUSSED Of course, staff are central beyond technology, and in the roles that they play on the network. The Mayor of London’s recent campaign ‘Have a word with yourself, then your mates’ focusses on men challenging their friends when they witness sexual harassment of women. On rail, we know that women’s safety (and the safety of all) remains a challenge; with statistics from the British Transport Police released on 4 November 2021 showing that reports of sexual harassment on public transport increased by 63% in summer 2021 compared to the same period two years earlier.

Charities such as Visible Platform are aiming to assist women in coming forward to report crimes when they take place; but rail staff are key in ensuring crimes can be prevented by providing a human assistive presence, and also ensuring that crimes can be stopped and that victims are supported. Staff are also crucial in ensuring accessibility across rail for those living with disabilities; ensuring staff have the right technologies and innovations in this space is crucial in enabling access for all, and that staff are supported.

INGENIOUS SOLUTIONS Finally, innovation can even help tackle the dreaded SPAD (signals passed at danger) for drivers. Low adhesion in the Autumn period can exacerbate this risk; when leaf fall contributes to slippery conditions, leading to SPADs, disruption and more.

Enter CoCatalyst Ltd, with the ingenious solution of spraying water from the train when a slippery rail is detected to clear leaf fall, improve traction and braking, and progressively reduce the chance of later trains having braking problems.

Marcus Waite, chief engineer at McLaren Automotive joined the event to discuss some best practice examples that rail could learn from. He shared one such example; to achieve the best tuning of its McLaren Senna sportscar for track running, the company’s Aerodynamics and Vehicle Dynamics departments both brought their own expertise to the car for a joint development track test. The knowledge that each of the teams held about the car was shared in real time and in person, and they ended up with a configuration of the car that matched the tyres, suspension settings and aerodynamics to deliver the fastest track car with a numberplate. Whilst consultation does take place between all the different end-users for rail (especially rolling stock), there is a lot we can take away from this concerning collaboration, communication, and agility of decisionmaking (in line with safety regulations and standards).

Technological solutions are progressively improving rail, but it remains a fundamental fact that these must exist alongside and working cohesively with rail staff; to deliver into the future of rail, to ensure Great British Railways oversees a globe-leading network, and to facilitate the best possible and safest experience for both passengers, freight customers and staff.

Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain is the Rail Knowledge Transfer Manager at Innovate UK KTN, connecting ideas, people, and communities to respond to challenges and drive positive change through innovation.

Find out more at: https://ktn-uk.org.

Contact Daisy at: daisy.chamberlain@ktn-uk.org.

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COMPANY FOCUS

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

TOTAL RAIL

SOLUTIONS FIVE TO FOCUS I

t’s fair to say that the last few years have been challenging for the Rail industry, but Total Rail Solutions (TRS) is emerging with a renewed sense of purpose and priorities for its people. RailStaff spoke to CEO, Paul Bateman, to discuss the company’s vision for the future and its new initiative, Five to Focus.

Thanks for joining us Paul. Before we begin, could you give us an overview of TRS and the service it provides to the rail industry?

TRS is a leading national road rail plant provider for the UK rail market. Predominately, we operate road rail vehicles (RRV), offering for hire and via Plant Operations Schemes (POS). We undertake a variety of work with both main contractors and sub-contractors, the business is multi-disciplined with an expertise in enhancement and maintenance work.

Operationally, TRS delivers its services from three strategically placed hubs; South Wales, Yorkshire and Newbury in Berkshire, where we also have our head office.

What key trends and challenges are you seeing at present, and how are you addressing these? What trends do you expect to see in the next 6-12 months?

The challenges the industry faces right now are caused by the aftermath of the transition to CP6 and the impact on the market as a result of COVID. The outcome of which is the understandable, reorganisation, and prioritisation of the type of projects undertaken by Network Rail.

Renewal programmes were and indeed remain an area of focus from both an operational requirement and investment perspective.

Clearly there remains a challenge in recruiting and retaining staff, with a continuing skills gap for the key roles of HGV drivers and plant operators, an issue that persists across many other sectors other than rail.

Rising fuel, labour and supply costs represent a significant challenge for the industry. I am pleased to say we recognised our dedicated and loyal workforce and have been able to attract new talent to the business during this time. In addition we took the decision in the summer of 2021 to stop filling our machines with diesel and switch to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), a decision that has medium to long term savings and is much kinder to the environment.

As the market recovers and confidence grows, we remain competitive. We have a good plan, a great team, and continue to invest heavily in our fleet.

With that in mind could you tell us about TRS’s Five to Focus initiative? What is the purpose of the programme and what prompted its development?

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Setting a vision for the business is a fundamental objective of any leadership team. I wanted to find a mechanism to share with the TRS team what our vision is, what we stand for, our purpose, our mission and, critically, where the business needs to focus to grow and prosper.

Settling on five key areas, Five to Focus was conceived. The five areas are: Health, Safety & Environment - safety first, everyone goes home safely every night; Team - we’re accountable for our actions and belong to a team of which we’re proud; Finance - commercially minded, we always act with fairness and integrity; Engagement collaborating to succeed, we are empowered to act and respectful to all; and Innovation - passionate to be the best, customers recognise and respond to what we do.

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

purpose which we believe will give our staff more clarity around what we stand for, what the future looks like, and how we will get there.

How has the initiative been received by the TRS team?

Dedicated members of my senior leadership team have been given, based on their skill set and accountability, responsibility for one of the Five to Focus.

Returning from the pandemic and into new headquarters, with a new branch movement, we felt the time to launch our focus and define our vision, purpose, and values was now.

We want Five to Focus to become a way of life in our business. By definition, it will provide a focus that drives behavioural change. Our reviews and communication will all be Five to Focus driven, leading to strengthened team cohesion.

What do you believe the new vision and values will do for the business?

Five to Focus and our new Vision, Purpose, and Values have given us a renewed sense of

It was really important that we consulted with the business during the thinking and development stage of the initiative. We worked the plan through rigorous scrutiny with our leadership team then, critically, we asked two separate groups of 20 team members, to review the plan and give honest feedback.

These two focus groups met, two weeks apart, with an independent facilitator. Anonymity was assured as the groups rated the initiatives both quantitively and qualitatively. The feedback was evaluated and reviewed, with numerous genuine amendments made to create a final approved version.

How have you presented Five to Focus to the business?

As part of the programme, we’ve developed a graphic which we’re calling ‘The Wheel’. The wheel displays in segments, the statement of intent, ambition, and direction for each business area we’re focussing on.

Five to Focus will also enable a new way to communicate our monthly results - not just our financial performance but lead indicators such as shift counts, physical utilisation, and incident reporting.

All of this information will be communicated to the entire business, engaging the team to further drive performance and profitability. It’s a clear message to the company that yes, we’ve been through some challenging times but we’re back.

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How will Five to Focus be communicated to senior leaders, management, and the wider workforce?

Sustaining the initiative is more important than the work we have done to launch. Our Head of People, Mel Budworth, will liaise with senior colleagues to ensure continued and sustained buy in, via monthly cascades of performance.

We have created a launch plan that will commence with a team brief to the business. We employ over 120 people, a proportion of whom are site-based, so we will conduct a series of roadshows around the business. Additional media, such as videos, presentations, and branch graphics will reinforce the initiative. This content will be uploaded to our internal SharePoint to allow the team constant access.

Finally, how will you measure the success of the initiative?

We're going to review and measure each of the five core values on a monthly basis, and we’ll be sending out regular company-wide updates. Monthly updates will also provide the business with a visual aid of how the company is performing, creating a culture of continuing improvement.

The Five to Focus team owners will provide the measures of performance from their area of responsibility. The company will provide the financials, all on a one easy to read one page infographic.

We’ll really know we have achieved our Five to Focus objectives when the TRS team has a mindset that enables a two-way flow of information, communication, and initiatives that deliver tangible improvements and results. All for the good of the business and the good of the TRS team.

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YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

S L A N IO S S E F O R P L YOUNG RAI

G N I T A R B C E LE S R E D A E L E R FUTU

I

n April I stepped in as Chair of Young Rail Professionals (YRP). Over the course of the next year, I’ll write a series of editorials in RailStaff which will voice the views of my peers - young professionals in rail, and the future leaders of our industry. I will also report on YRP activities, shining a light on the fantastic volunteering work undertaken by inspiring young professionals and celebrating their successes so that they may gain exposure to the wider industry.

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN I fell into both the rail industry and my profession as an engineer.

Growing up, I was always strong at maths and physics at school, and I decided to study a master’s in mechanical engineering at the University of Sheffield thinking that if I didn’t enjoy it, I could always go into finance or accountancy!

The complex problem solving involved in the degree suited me, however, for fear of not ‘fitting in’, a prevailing sense of doubt lingered in my mind as to whether the profession was for me. Determined not to let this stop me, between my third and fourth years, I undertook a summer placement at SNC-Lavalin (formerly Interfleet). Here where I had a female mentor, Jill Sellers, and a role model who helped me understand that I was well suited to engineering and that it was a profession that could offer many career opportunities.

Fiona Westcough.

I returned to university in my fourth year with a greater confidence in my abilities and achieved a First-Class degree and an award from IMechE for my Thesis project entitled “An Oblique Impact Test Method for Bicycle Helmets”. My thesis investigated an alternative test method to reflect the relationship between the acceleration and implied kinematics of the brain and skull during cycling impacts.

As you can tell, this had very little to do with rail, but tapped into my interest in sports and human anatomy (outside of my day job, I’m a keen sports woman). I considered a career in sports or medical engineering, but eventually decided to return to Atkins (member of the SNC-Lavalin Group) and the rail industry, purely based on the wide variety of roles and geographical locations that it could offer.

THE PATH TO YRP One of my strengths lies in my ability to ‘join the dots’. So, you could say that it was a perfect fit that I started my Graduate Scheme RAILSTAFF.CO.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

in Rail Consulting’s Systems Engineering team under the line management and mentorship of Tom Flannery. Undertaking an 18-month secondment with Bombardier (now Alstom) threw me into the deep end, supporting the delivery of the Class 701 European Train Control System (ETCS).

It was during this period that I considered joining a YRP committee, delivering free development and networking events, potential for leadership opportunities, and introduce other people to our brilliant industry. An incredible experience with Young Rail Tours (YRT) to Japan in March 2020 cemented my desire to be involved with YRP, as it allowed me to build relationships with professionals 5-10 years further into their career than I. Without hesitation, and perhaps too much time on my hands due to the pandemic hitting, I took on the roles of East Midlands Regional Vice Chair and National Marketing & Branding Manager.

The following year laid the foundations for me.

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN From June 2021, I undertook a sevenmonth placement with TfL as a Rolling Stock Engineer on the S8 Programme Lift. This opportunity highlighted the complexities of rail programmes and suited my mechanical skill set. I tapped into my ability to coordinate with a variety of stakeholders to get things done. On reflection, the project taught me the power in asking important and impactful questions. This may seem like an incredibly simple concept, but I believe the quality of your questions determine the quality of your answers, and your answers are important because they guide your actions.

The changing landscape of UK and Global markets fascinates me, and my recent appointment within Atkins’ Strategic Rail team is providing me with a great opportunity to explore how these changes have ripple effects across our clients’ needs.

My employer and clients have always been incredibly supportive of my involvement in YRP, for which I will always be grateful. My colleagues see it as part of my continual development, taking on a higher level of responsibility relatively early in my career in an environment that allows me to make mistakes so I may learn and be a better leader for the future. My wish is that other employers develop this encouraging attitude to allow the same opportunity for young professionals following in my footsteps.

A CLEAR VISION With the formation of Great British Railways (GBR) the industry is stood at a crossroads.

We can either choose to do as we have done before or shine a fresh perspective on how we go about operating. YRP welcomes the Whole Industry Strategic Plan (WISP); a sectorwide, long-term strategy for rail. However, the

YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS

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young professionals currently entering the industry will arguably be the ones to deliver this 30-year plan, so shouldn’t they have a say in what they’re being committed to deliver on?

My vision for the year ahead as Chair is to raise awareness of the vital role young people play in ensuring the industry has the skills and people it needs to succeed. This involves collaborating with key industry organisations, such as the GBR Transition Team and RIA, to ensure a focus on attracting and developing talent, refreshing our brand towards the Net Zero agenda, and promoting positive change associated with the Industry Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Charter.

Many young professionals have not known a working world before the pandemic, so have not necessarily experienced the true benefit of in-person interaction. Every time I have represented YRP at an event, I would make a new contact, learn something new about the industry, or develop my professional portfolio. Therefore, I also make it my aim to re-connect our community, and create a YRP alumni network, to forge futures through mentoring opportunities from current industry leaders.

I am excited for the year ahead and grateful to lead such a fantastic organisation.

If you would like to get involved or support our commitment to developing the next generation of young rail professionals, then I encourage you to get in touch.

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TRAINING

RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

ARM:

We’ll be at Railtex 2022!

If you want to find out more about apprenticeships and ARM, come say hello.

APPRENTICES IN RAIL

W

ith the ongoing talent shortage and increasingly ineffective talent acquisition methods, how can we reinvigorate rail recruitment? The answer is apprentices. We caught up with Zach Howgill and Erin Holland, two apprentices in rail recruitment at Advanced Resource Managers (ARM).

Why did you choose an apprenticeship with ARM? Zach: Faced with the choice of waiting two more years to get into the world of work, or getting stuck in immediately, an apprenticeship seemed like the obvious choice.

Now I get to learn on the job, gaining invaluable experience and developing so many skills that you just can’t get through an A Level syllabus.

Erin: Having worked in recruitment previously (in fire and security) I found a distinct lack of support– no one would show me the ropes, and there was no structure to my training of any form. I was struggling to get my foot in the door for a job and so decided it was time for a change of scenery. With the shift over to ARM and their apprenticeship structure, I’ve had the opportunity to properly learn, to understand the industry in depth, and all while getting paid.

What attracted you to the recruitment industry, and why rail recruitment in particular?

Zach: I’m naturally very chatty.

I genuinely enjoy talking to people, especially when I’m able to help them out as a result, so recruitment just felt like the right path to take.

In terms of the rail sector, I honestly had little prior knowledge on the subject when I started, just a general interest and a level of understanding of its scale.

After some research into the rail market, seeing just how exciting and dynamic it was, I wanted to learn more. I’ve been working in rail recruitment for just over a month and a half now, and it’s just confirmed I was right. There’s so much happening all the time in this industry, which keeps life interesting.

Erin: My background in recruitment helped with the decision, but I chose to join ARM and especially the rail team, due to the sheer potential for growth in this company and sector.

Operating in such a massive industry means there are endless jobs, candidates, and clients to construct my own network and build my own professional development.

What has been the greatest challenge in recruiting for the rail sector?

Zach: The most challenging aspect of this role and sector, resulting from the ongoing skills shortage, is how difficult it is to retain candidate attention. You have to move so fast. The number of calls and emails sent out each day which don’t get a response, can be quite disheartening. But I have a great team to support me, and I know that I’m still learning.

Erin: We experienced the talent shortage first hand within rail recruitment. When I initially started at ARM it was just myself and Wayne on the team, and

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the learning curve was so steep.

But now we’ve added five new members to the team, and everything is so much more manageable – I feel on top of everything again. I think the most challenging element can be client expectations. Most of the time I feel able and equipped to fit their requirements, but you do get the odd client looking for some sort of unicorn, and when they don’t receive this, they close the role. It’s so frustrating.

Zach Howgill.

What have you gained through this apprenticeship?

Erin Holland.

Zach: This apprenticeship has boosted my confidence - not only in my ability to thrive in a full time work environment, but also in my communication skills. I now make so many phone calls to complete strangers at all hours of the day.

My time management has also been completely overhauled -not that I had much of a choice in this job!

Erin: In my interview at ARM I was a nervous wreck – this is a massive office, full of new faces, and I was previously not

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the biggest fan of change. But through this experience I have well and truly moved out of my comfort zone, with the help of my colleagues, to the point where this feels like my second home. Where else could you develop confidence like that? I’ve also developed numerous skills, which via other routes may have been neglected, namely my adaptability – in recruitment two days are never the same.

Any advice for those considering an apprenticeship?

Zach: I would recommend a recruitment apprenticeship to anyone willing to work hard, willing to learn and looking to earn good money straight out of school. It is such a rewarding role, even though it can be difficult at times, but it is just about showing perseverance to keep going and push through.

Erin: I’m not going to sugarcoat it – this apprenticeship has not been easy, and I have had a few moments over the last nine months where I’ve genuinely considered giving up. But with the right support in place, there are a lot of fun elements to the job, and expanding my knowledge, pushing myself, and gaining fresh perspectives has been invaluable.

Looking back now, as I reach the end of the apprenticeship, I’m so proud of how much I have achieved and so happy with the team I’ve been lucky enough to join.

The flip side

To find out what we stand to gain working with apprentices and how best to support them, we spoke with Erin and Zach’s manager Wayne Smith.

What are your top tips for effectively supporting apprentices?

Wayne: The key is, perhaps predictably, to listen. By listening to your apprentices, learning about their strengths, worries, you ensure that you’re giving them the time, space, and tailored support they need to succeed.

Apprenticeships take time – at least one day a week of work – but what they’re gaining through the combination of this structured learning and direct employment is invaluable. Allow them to prioritize their own development – this will result in the best outcome for everyone.

Another tip would be to facilitate a culture of questions, where knowledge-sharing is just par for the course. The nature of the office environment allows for people from all sorts of professions, expertise, and interests to interact on a day-to-day basis, and to learn from one another.

Finally, treat everyone like an adult. It seems obvious, but I think it’s fair to say there is a tendency to underestimate young people, despite their vast offering. Don’t hold them back. Get your apprentices involved at the deep end (with support of course).

Why should we be investing in apprentices? What can we learn from them?

Wayne: Apprentices have so much to offer any business: fresh perspectives, different insights, an injection of vibrancy to the office space! My team of apprentices is able to engage with a huge spectrum of individuals, capable of relating to different age groups and much more effective therefore at engaging them. They also bring such a range of skills, the nature of the apprenticeship path allowing for a much wider talent pool.

I’ve learnt so much from the apprentices at ARM. As well as a newfound knowledge of Netflix and online shopping retailers, I’ve been fortunate enough to learn about different learning styles and how to adopt these in my daily life, and about new approaches to recruitment practice. I’m extremely proud of my team, and I definitely laugh more now than before they all began their apprenticeship journeys here at ARM. Wayne and another of our rail team, just as she's made her first placement.

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Ellie Burrows takes helm of New managing director RSSB safety leadership group for West Midlands Trains Network Rail’s Anglia Director, Ellie Burrows, has been appointed chair of RSSB’s System Safety Risk Group (SSRG). She takes over the chair from Steve Murphy, CEO of MTR UK. SSRG promotes collaboration through the industry’s shared strategy: ‘Leading Health and Safety on Britain’s Railway’ (LHSBR). This sets out the opportunities to improve across 12 key risk areas as well as industry’s own capabilities, helping to keep Britain’s railways among the safest in the world.

In addition to her role at Network Rail, Ellie has been Train Services Director at Southeastern, as well as being a Fellow and Deputy Chair of the Chartered Institution of Railway Operators.

On her appointment, Ellie said: “I’m delighted to be taking the helm of the System Safety Risk

Ian McConnell is to join West Midlands Trains (WMT) as managing director. Currently chief operating officer at ScotRail, he will join WMT during April, once ScotRail has been successfully handed over to Scottish Rail Holdings.

Group at what is a critical juncture for our industry. The railways are embarking on reform, and with change comes risk.

“I want to ensure the industry retains its collaborative spirit and shared commitment just as I also want us all to take full advantage of RSSB’s data and brainpower to drive us forward.”

RSSB’s Director of System Safety and Health, Ali Chegini, said: ““With Ellie on board, SSRG can ensure the industry collectively stays on its toes, remains alert to the risks and focusses attention on the right action as the right time.”

West Midlands Trains. He brings a wealth of leadership experience to this role and has the skills, determination, and experience needed to lead West Midlands Trains as it seeks to recover from the pandemic.”

Ian has considerable experience and expertise within the rail sector, having previously been Franchise & Programmes director at Greater Anglia and prior to that undertaking several project and leadership roles at ScotRail and London Overground.

Ian said: “I’m delighted to be joining the West Midlands Trains team at such an exciting time, with the introduction of a new train fleet and the Commonwealth Games taking place in the region later this year.”

Dominic Booth, managing director at Abellio UK said: “I am really excited to welcome Ian to

New head of UK Rail at Zipabout Transport communications company Zipabout has announced that Charlotte Pearce will be joining the company as head of UK Rail.

Charlotte will take responsibility for Zipabout’s commercial partnerships within rail in the UK. She will lead on the ongoing roll-out of personalised information services for all UK rail operators using Zipabout technology as well as spearheading new business development within the sector.

Charlotte said: “I am so excited to work with the Zipabout team, strengthening and growing already established relationships across the Rail Industry. As the UK passenger network continues to bounce back, I am proud to be at the centre of this success.”

Charlotte brings more than 25 years’ experience working within the transport sector across stakeholder engagement, new business, and marketing. Over

the last five years, she has specialised in business development within the rail industry, working as business consultant for Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems (UK) Ltd, industry engagement director for Rail Alliance, and supported LNER with the media launch of the Hitachi Azuma fleet. Previously, Charlotte also led on communications and new business as director of External Relations at the Community Transport Association.

Alex Froom, CEO at Zipabout, said: “This is an exciting time of growth for Zipabout as we look to expand both within and beyond the UK, so I’m delighted that our commercial rail partnerships will be taken forward by someone with such breadth of industry experience as Charlotte.”

Zipabout powers the ‘Alert Me’ service provided through National Rail Enquiries as well as similar services for rail operators across the UK.

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Trenitalia c2c welcomes new managing director Train operator Trenitalia c2c has announced the appointment of Rob Mullen as managing director, following the departure of Ben Ackroyd who leaves the role this Spring.

Rob joins c2c from Thameslink and Great Northern, part of GTR, where he was train services director and oversaw a real improvement in overall safety and operational delivery, with a focus on implementing Automatic Train Operation and the European Train Control System through London’s core, in addition to navigating the pandemic.

Rob started his railway career working in consultancy, predominantly in performance

modelling and timetable compilation before moving into the world of train operations.

He joined c2c Rail as route performance manager, moving onto various roles including operations director at Great Western Railway.

Rob Mullen said: “I am delighted to be returning to c2c as managing director at such an interesting time for the rail industry.

I look forward to the challenges ahead and working with colleagues to attract customers back onboard our fantastic railway.”

Ernesto Sicilia, chairman and managing director of Trenitalia UK Ltd said “I am pleased Rob will be coming back to c2c as

New head of engineering at Northern Northern has appointed Tony Plumbley as its new head of Engineering. He joins the operator from Merseyrail, where he was head of fleet and engineering.

In his new role, Tony will manage major fleet projects and performance enhancement schemes aimed at improving the maintenance and performance of Northern’s rolling stock, and help deliver new asset information systems.

Commenting on his appointment, Jack Commandeur, engineering director at Northern, said: “Tony has a wealth of experience of engineering in the rail industry.

“His experience of managing a legacy fleet whilst simultaneously overseeing the introduction of all-new, state of the art rolling stock makes him a great addition to the Northern team.”

Tony added: “Northern has an ambitious programme of fleet upgrades in the pipeline and I look forward to working with their teams across the North of England to deliver those for the business and ultimately for our customers to enjoy.”

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Claire Ansley expands role at LNER

managing director. Rob brings with him a wealth of experience in the rail industry and I have no doubt he will help us to maintain our high standards and focus on customer service. I know that with his experience and dedication he will be a great leader for everyone at Trenitalia c2c Ltd. “I would like to pay thanks to Ben, who leaves us for a new role in the rail industry and has done a great job over what has been an incredibly challenging 18 months.”

Network Rail appoints new Group Property director Robin Dobson has joined Network Rail Group Property director, replacing Stuart Kirkwood who has left the organisation after 11 years’ service.

Robin joins Network Rail from the property development and investment company Hammerson Plc and brings extensive experience in all property asset classes across UK and Europe.

Commenting on his appointment, Robin said: “I am excited to be joining Network Rail at this time. The focus will be on infrastructure growth and delivering developments across Great Britain with both the private sector and public partnerships, particularly in support of the Government’s levelling-up agenda around housing and investment.”

Jeremy Westlake, Network Rail’s chief financial officer, added: “We are delighted Robin is joining us. He has a proven track record of delivering growth through multiple UK wide regeneration projects. His expertise will be of real value as the industry plays its role in supporting Britain’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Stuart for his sterling work in unlocking land for housing and commercial developments, and maximising profits from Network Rail’s property portfolio all of which have enabled investment in upgrading the railway. We wish him a very happy and welldeserved retirement.”

London North Eastern Railway (LNER) is pleased to announce that Claire Ansley has been appointed to the new role of People and Customer Experience Director.

Claire, who has been Customer Experience director for four years, will additionally oversee the People Team at LNER and continue to ensure customers receive the worldclass, high-quality service synonymous with LNER. Speaking about her new role, Claire Ansley said: “I’m delighted to be taking up this new role as People and Customer Experience Director. We put our customers and our people are at the heart of everything we do. I am truly committed and passionate about continually enhancing our customer experience at LNER and our amazing people, who put their all into delivering the very best.

“I’m incredibly proud of the recognition we’ve received so far and working with my teams, we will build on that to create an even greater experience for our customers and colleagues as we welcome more people back to rail.”

David Horne, managing director at LNER, said: “Claire continues to be an inspiring leader dedicated to ensuring teams deliver our legendary LNER customer service. She brings huge experience, passion and energy to her role and I am delighted she will be leading our People and Customer Experience teams.”

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RAILSTAFF MARCH-APRIL 2022

Joel Sainsbury joins Serco as director

Northern appoints new TrainCare Centre manager

Serco has appointed Joel Sainsbury as its new director, Rail Technical Services, based in Derby. Richard Hobson, who has led Rail Technical Services since 2011 will be retiring at the end of April after a long and successful career.

Northern has appointed Andy Marden as its new TrainCare Centre manager at Neville Hill depot.

Joel joined Serco’s Rail Technical Services business nine months ago, since when he has been leading the Engineering Team. He started his career in AEA Technology Rail and then progressed in Rolls-Royce Submarines in various roles with an international assignment in North America before latterly being commissioning manager of a chemical manufacturing facility in the UK. Commenting on his appointment Joel said: “I am both proud and excited to have the opportunity to lead Serco’s Rail Technical Services business.

The business has a great team

of people with industry leading skills and together we have a great opportunity to develop and grow the business in the coming years.”

John Whitehurst, Managing Director of Serco’s Transport business, said: “We are pleased to have recruited someone of Joel’s calibre. Having spent a few months in the business he has proven that he is the right man to lead the business in the coming years.

“I also want to thank Richard for his commitment, skill and leadership over the past years and wish him well in his retirement.”

He has been promoted from his previous role leading the rail operator’s Engineering Transformation Programme, which included the introduction

of 101 new trains and the refurbishment of 240 trains.

In his new role, Andy will work towards increasing Northern’s fleet reliability and availability and lead the Neville Hill team to meet their quality and performance targets.

Commenting on his appointment, Jack Commandeur, engineering director at Northern, said: “With his experience and being Yorkshire born and bred, Andy is well placed to lead our Yorkshire TrainCare Centre, which will see a huge programme of modernisation.”

Andy, who lives in Doncaster, has previously worked for Unipart Bombardier and East Coast.

He said: “Northern has an ambitious programme of modernisation in the pipeline at Neville Hill, which I look forward to working on with our teams across the North of England, to create an industry-leading facility for the business”.

East West Railway company names new CEO Beth West has been appointed as chief executive officer (CEO) of East West Railway Company (EWR), succeeding Simon Blanchflower who retired on 31 March 2022.

Beth takes notable strengths to EWR including a successful track record in innovative construction in transport and infrastructure; experience of working together with communities and strategic partners; and a passionate commitment to using infrastructure to deliver real improvements for local people and businesses.

Beth joins EWR after a period of consulting, having previously been the Regional South Managing Director at Balfour Beatty where she had responsibility for a wide array of civil engineering and building projects. Beth has a rich knowledge of the transport sector, strong commercial acumen, and a long track record in driving construction innovation. Her previous positions include being Commercial Director for HS2; Head of Development for Landsec;

and spending nine years in several roles at Transport for London.

Beth is a fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers; the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply; and is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

She said: “I am honoured to have the opportunity to lead EWR Co. The organisation has ambitious plans to make a significant and positive difference to the lives of communities and businesses along the route. Delivering a new, sustainable connection between Oxford and Cambridge will be good for businesses, create more jobs for local people, help attract investment to the area and increase prosperity.

“I intend to see EWR at the forefront of innovation, exploring new and better ways to plan, build and run rail in the UK. I am really looking forward to working with local communities, as well as the EWR Co team and our partners, and a wealth of other stakeholders to deliver East West Rail.”

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CrossCountry appoints Mark Goodall as service delivery director Long-distance operator, CrossCountry, has announced the appointment of Mark Goodall as Service Delivery Director.

Mark joins from Chiltern Railways where he was Operations Director. Prior to that he held numerous senior operational roles including Head of Alliancing at West Midlands Trains, where he led on building strong relationships with key stakeholders such as Network Rail, West Midlands Rail Executive and Birmingham University.

He has significant experience of building reliable and consistent services which put the customer first as well as having worked

closely with the trade unions for many years. Mark also has a Master’s in Industrial Relations and Employment Law from Keele University.

On his appointment, Mark said: “CrossCountry is unique in that it spans the length and breadth of Great Britain, connecting dozens of towns and cities on the way. I am looking forward to working with Tom and the wider CrossCountry team to positively change the way our train service is delivered across Great Britain so that we support the country’s economic recovery and exceed customers’ expectations.”

Tom Joyner, Managing Director at CrossCountry added: “Mark brings significant operational

experience and leadership to CrossCountry, which will be vital as we attract customers back to rail. Our industry and our business are changing and appointments like Mark place us in a strong position to be at the forefront of that positive change.”

Mark will join the business in the early summer.

Samantha Facey becomes GTR Health, Safety and Security director Rail operator Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has appointed previous interim Head of Safety and Health, Samantha Facey, as Health, Safety and Security Director.

Samantha started in the new role in late February, reporting to Patrick Verwer, GTR’s chief executive officer. She took on the position after serving as Head of Zero Harm Strategy since 2019.

During her tenure, the rail operator has recorded year-on-year improvement in operational safety performance, resulting in a 9% reduction in 2019/20 and a further 18% in 2020/21. GTR has also seen a 40% reduction in fatalities year-onyear and the number of life-saving interventions more than double, with 40% of the organisation so far undertaking training on how to make a safe intervention.

Samantha said: “I’m delighted to take up this position at a time where our passengers are returning to our railway and expect a safe and reliable railway. I’m really proud of our Zero Harm strategy and the shift it’s facilitated in our safety culture. Having witnessed first-hand the everyday actions colleagues take to look after each other and support our passengers during what has been a complex time for us all, I’m confident we’re ready for the next challenge.

With more than 20 years’ experience in the

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transport industry, Samantha has held numerous roles across operational delivery, project management, business planning, training and health and safety, and originally joined GTR in 2013.

Patrick Verwer said, “I am delighted that Samantha has been appointed Head, Safety and Security Director. With extensive industry experience, she brings a can-do attitude and firm focus on making things better for customers and colleagues alike; I’m sure we will continue to see great work toward our Zero Harm ambitions with Samantha in her new role.”

DB Cargo UK welcomes Jon Harman DB Cargo UK has appointed a new Head of Asset Management and Maintenance to oversee the company’s in-house and thirdparty engineering operations.

Jon Harman, who was previously Head of Fleet for First Bus, has more than three decades of experience in engineering, having worked in senior management roles for a variety of companies including Thomsonfly, Lex Multipart, and Arriva London.

Jon started his career as an Aircraft Engineering Apprentice in the RAF back in 1987 and has since embarked on a rigorous programme of personal and professional development which has seen him earn qualifications in a range of additional disciplines including Engineering, Business, and HR management.

He has an outstanding record in challenging legacy thinking, defining strategy, developing operational infrastructure, and harnessing the power of robust systems to deliver business-critical objectives.

DB Cargo UK’s Chief Operating Officer Neil Ethell said: “We are delighted to welcome Jon who brings with him a wealth of experience in managing large fleets and aligning engineering excellence with the delivery of companies’ overall business plans.”

Commenting on his new role, Jon said: “DB Cargo UK has a fleet of 228 diesel and electric locomotives and over 5000 wagons that transport in the region of 37 million tonnes of freight each year across the UK and Europe. It’s a massive undertaking and I’m looking forward to tackling the numerous challenges that come with such a responsibility”.

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CELEBRATING THE ACHIEVEMENT

WOMEN IN RAIL

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nternational Women’s Day, held on 8 March, celebrated the achievements of women and marked a call to action to accelerate women’s equality. International Women’s Day has been marked for over a century, with the first gathering in 1911 supported by over a million people.

This year’s theme, #BreakTheBias, advocates a world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that is diverse, equal, and inclusive.

Specialist recruiter Advance TRS sat down with two of its successfully placed female candidates. Both have found placements within the rail sector as Specialist Consultants and Safety Assurance Engineers. They talked about their experiences and achievements in their chosen fields.

When did you first consider pursuing this career?

Nicky: Well I didn’t really plan on doing this career. A friend sent through a short-term opportunity which was so interesting. I found I met most of the criteria they were looking for, apart from sector knowledge/experience. Using an agency like Advance TRS helped me see that I had transferrable skills that I could use across sectors. Their knowledge gave me the confidence in my capabilities when I couldn’t see them myself, which was really encouraging.

Ria: I’ve actually been in the rail sector for over 12 years now. Originally, I was working in the aviation and maritime industry, but was then offered a new opportunity when my company moved offices. I felt this was quite a good move to make, I had skills that could be transferred across, I just had to learn more about the rail industry and technical aspects.

What was your experience of entering the industry?

Nicky: It was good. I found the industry and people very welcoming and didn’t feel like there were any barriers holding me back.

Ria: Generally very smooth sailing. Early on in my career as a junior it could get a bit intimidating being the only woman and having your voice heard, but on the whole, there were never any hindrances.

What made you want to pursue/continue with this career choice?

Nicky: I enjoyed the prospect of being challenged by something new, it was a good opportunity. The scale of projects is interesting; you’re involved in something that is there for years to come. I feel rewarded knowing that I’m making a difference to people’s lives, or making their journeys easier. I also get to work with world class engineers, highly specialised in their roles and incredibly knowledgeable, it’s very fulfilling work.

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and generally is, very understanding of that. It’s so important to feel part of a diverse workplace, where you can be heard, no matter what your experiences, or where you are with your life or career.

Ria: At the start of my career it wasn’t something I really thought about, however I was aware that I was one of very few women, and the only woman of colour. In recent job searches I am more aware of it and have noticed a lot of progress, lots more inclusion/ diversity. However, I have still seen instances where, for example, a job description is written in the male pronoun, using “he”.

What would you say is your greatest professional achievement so far?

Nicky: I’ve been very fortunate to work on several ground-breaking campaigns, introducing new technologies, working with amazing teams and clients. Even though I might have played a small part in the project, it’s so rewarding to see the result and know you’ve been a part of that. Balancing work and family life is also something I feel proud of.

Ria: Completing my master’s degree in Railway Systems Engineering & Integration. I completed this whilst working full time, studying part-time and expecting my first child. It was a lot to take on but brought a lot of value and additional knowledge that I didn’t have before.

How important is diversity and inclusivity when you are searching for a job?

How would you describe your experience of being a woman in your industry?

Nicky: This is always at the top of my list.

We all have different circumstances, situations, backgrounds etc and the industry needs to be,

Nicky: While diversity and gender balance are improving, engineering is still a male-dominated sector and you’re

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sometimes aware that you are working in an environment where you are the minority.

However, I’ve never had any negative experiences or felt like being a woman is an issue. I’ve seen a big improvement in equality and more women are coming into the industry. There are many opportunities for women to enter and it’s good to see a greater variety of roles beyond engineering.

This includes senior roles, management roles and apprenticeships.

Ria: It’s never felt like a barrier. You have to find your voice and fight for what you believe in, not be afraid to say how you feel. I do feel like my degree has helped empower me and prove to people that I do know what I’m talking about.

Have you been given any advice that has helped shape your career?

Nicky: As early as possible, find your niche.

If you can find something you enjoy doing, get really good at doing it. It took me a while to understand what that means/what that is but try anything! Don’t be afraid to try different things to narrow down what it is that you’re looking for. Also, take opportunities when they present themselves, until you try – you don’t know.

Ria: I don’t think there has been any specific advice, but I did have a mentor that really supported me. She helped me navigate and overcome challenges that I was having and encouraged me in recognising my achievements. Sometimes it’s hard to recognise these in yourself but she really saw the best in me. It’s hard to explain the value and impact this had on my career.

Do you have any female role models that have encouraged you in your career?

Nicky: Yes, I have a strong network of men and women and I’ve received some great advice from them throughout my life and career.

I always listen carefully and learn from them – to take on board their suggestions and advice and carry it forward in what I do. It’s important to welcome and consider any feedback you receive – from everyone.

Ria: I’ve got a good friend who’s a chartered engineer in a senior role. She’s also a mum of two so it’s really inspiring to see someone else managing both career and motherhood. It helps me recognise what I can achieve myself. I also think having a female support network around you is so important. Having people looking out for you and wanting the best for you is really encouraging.

Based on your experience, what advice would you give to women considering a career in your sector?

Nicky: You must find your voice, find confidence in what you do and how you do it.

In this sector you’ve got to be quite versatile and be able to think on your feet. Do what you can to get as much experience behind you as possible, so you’ll feel more confident and able to succeed. Create a support network.

Build your own personal brand! There are many opportunities, go for it!

Ria: It’s a globally growing industry, with many projects starting up. This sector needs female intelligence, the way we think and being able to provide a different perspective. Believe in yourself and challenge yourself, don’t be afraid to go for it – take a chance!

ADVANCE TRS Advance TRS is a niche recruitment consultancy specialising in the provision of highly skilled technical professionals for the built environment. It provides permanent, contract and temporary recruitment solutions to both candidates and clients across several key technical sectors including rail, construction, and water & environment services.

Advance TRS believes everyone deserves the same opportunities, regardless of age, race, gender, religion or sexual orientation.

It is committed to supporting contractors and staff to work in an environment that is free from discrimination and promotes equal opportunities for all.

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Are You Tired of Digging Ballast?

Are you COSS and ES qualified?

Do you still want to work in rail but fancy a career change to Structures Examinations, S&T or Specialist Rail Infrastructure Engineering?

Do you want to work for a reputable business with nationwide contracts, have a stable future with attractive pay and benefits?

If the answer is yes - then please get in touch, email your CV to recruitment@bridgeway-consulting.co.uk or give our recruitment team a call on 0115 9191111 to discuss your future career at Bridgeway!

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Exceeding Expectations Everywhere Safely & Sustainably

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ALSTOM AND ADVANCE TRS ARE LOOKING FOR DESIGN VERIFIERS A typical role will involve producing, delivering, and verifying safety-related Signalling design deliverables at a principle and system level in accordance with the client specific requirements, appropriate railway standards and technical constraints.

A candidate will also be expected to support the Designer Delivery Manager or Responsible Engineer with design verification assurance activities including undertaking audits, validation of design deliverables and work package management.

ADVANCE-TRS.COM

01483 361 061 | info@advance-trs.com

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With the top career opportunities updated daily, your next move is a fingertip away.

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Visit RailwayPeople.com today to find your next role and become an essential part of the UK’s rail industry to help the nation build back better.

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