The Rail Engineer - Issue 105 - July 2013

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the rail

engineer

JuLY 2013 - issue 105

this issue q RECYCLING A ROOF 38 q EASY TRACK MEASUREMENT 50 q POWER UPGRADE 56 q NATIONAL TRACK PLANT show 68

by rail engineers for rail engineers

Transforming New Street

Hidden away within this £600 million project is some excellent engineering which Nigel Wordsworth uncovers 8

Six projects within a project

The name’s Bond... Street Tunnelling and ticket halls. 16

Keeping up appearances

Hatfield Colliery Landslip

Grit and determination has driven the railway’s recovery. 42

Wakefield’s landmark station. 22

Manchester Victoria station A key interchange station again! 34 technology � design � M&E � S&T � stations � energy � DEPOTS � plant � track � rolling stock

the rail engineer • July 2013

Contents

The name’s Bond...

Street Chris Parker goes down to the new Crossrail levels at this central London Station.

3

News 6

10

Manchester Victoria - a key interchange again

There is plenty of work to do.

Transforming New Street

8

Nigel Wordsworth looks at six projects within a project.

CIS goes radio

20

Clive Kessell looks at the latest passenger information systems on Northern Rail stations.

Keeping up appearances

22

Graeme Bickerdike reports on station improvements in Wakefield.

Delivering Dalmarnock

26

Sport drives station regeneration in Scotland.

34

Haymarket’s tenfold expansion

30

David Shirres reports on a station that has been too successful!

Predictive and Probabilistic Gauging

49

Dr David Johnson looks at what is likely to happen, rather than what’s absolutely certain.

Elementary, My Dear Watson Station improvements and power upgrades come to Baker Street.

Upheaval!

Invnesys Signalling and Siemens join together

58

The latest major takeover. Clive Kessell speaks to the key players.

40

Münster Machinery

62

A look at all the yellow plant on show at this major European exhibition.

See for yourself

68

The UK’s track plant exhibition previewed.

Keep on track with the wildlife regulations

78

It could be expensive if you don’t!

See more at www.therailengineer.com

42 We’re looking to highlight the latest projects and innovations in

Signalling/Telecomunications

Safety Systems

in the September Issue of the rail engineer.

Got a fantastic innovation? Working on a great project? Call Nigel on 01530 56 57 00 NOW!

TRANSFORMING RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY AND BEYOND Hyder leads the way in providing innovative solutions to network operators on capacity enhancement and line upgrade schemes.

We create world class railway stations and deliver cutting edge designs for bridges, tunnels and rail infrastructure. :LWK DQ HQYLDEOH SRUWIROLR RI SURMHFWV LQFOXGLQJ &URVVUDLO 7KDPHVOLQN 1RUWK /RQGRQ /LQH PDMRU VWDWLRQV DQG GHSRWV ZH DUH WKH WHDP \RX FDQ WUXVW WR GHOLYHU \RXU PXOWL GLVFLSOLQDU\ UDLO SURMHFWV

Our expertise covers: ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡

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Hyder is proud to be working in collaboration with Network Rail and Morgan Sindall on the landmark redevelopment of Manchester Victoria Station. )RU PRUH LQIRUPDWLRQ SOHDVH FRQWDFW Mac Alghita, Sector Director - Rail T: E: PDF DOJKLWD#K\GHUFRQVXOWLQJ FRP

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Editor Grahame Taylor grahame.taylor@therailengineer.com

Production Editor Nigel Wordsworth

Stations

the rail engineer • July 2013

5

GrahamE Taylor

the good, the bad and sometimes very ugly

nigel@rail-media.com

Production and design Adam O’Connor adam@rail-media.com

Engineering writers chris.parker@therailengineer.com clive.kessell@therailengineer.com

But first, don your PPE, set your SatNav to Long Marston and make your way over to the National Track Plant Exhibition organised by Network Rail, with the support of the Rail Alliance and The Rail Engineer magazine. As our summary implies there will be a wide range of plant and rail mounted gizmos on display over 24/25 July.

Apparently we’re going to see, amongst other things, a Topper and Bopper - can’t wait!

collin.carr@therailengineer.com david.bickell@therailengineer.com david.shirres@therailengineer.com graeme.bickerdike@therailengineer.com mungo.stacy@therailengineer.com peter.stanton@therailengineer.com steve.bissell@therailengineer.com stuart.marsh@therailengineer.com

Advertising Asif Ahmed asif@rail-media.com

Paul Curtis pc@rail-media.com

the rail engineer Ashby House, Bath Street Ashby de la Zouch Leicestershire, LE65 2FH

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The small print the rail engineer is published by RailStaff Publications Limited and printed by Pensord.

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Part of

Over in Münster, Nigel Wordsworth has been to the huge International Exhibition for Track Technology where manufacturers of big yellow machines from all over Europe come to show their wares. With three exhibition halls and four sidings crammed with the stuff it’s difficult to know where to start, but Nigel makes a valiant effort.

Phyllis has passed through. Ida will soon follow. Not the prophesy of a medium but a prediction made with certainty by Crossrail’s Bond Street project team about the two tunnelling machines that are making their way eastwards towards Farringdon. They are but travellers, precursors of the millions that will follow once the line is opened. In the meantime, Chris Parker has been down below to look how the construction of the new Bond Street underground station is progressing and marvels at how sprayed concrete can be applied without numerous nozzle blockages and burst hoses.

“Hidden away is some excellent engineering which, in other circumstances, would form significant projects in their own right.” Nigel’s comments on some of the unsung work being carried out as part, just part of the Birmingham New Street project.

So, don’t forget the detail, that’s where the devil lurks.

Haymarket. That’s the station just before Edinburgh Waverley isn’t it? Pokey buildings. Once upon a time Haymarket had a completely different status. Back in 1842 it was the terminus of the Glasgow and Edinburgh Railway.

But then the line was extended to what is now Waverley and Haymarket’s noble past is only acknowledged by its grade I listing.

David Shirres has been to see what has been going on to transform this lowly station as well as visiting Dalmarnock 2 miles south-east of Glasgow city centre. It’s a station waiting its time - the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Manchester Victoria was never the jewel in the crown. Its glory days - if it ever had any - were generations ago. Its plainly ’orrible roof - assorted sheets of asbestos - is unattractive and difficult to get at. Even the ‘great winds’ of 1989/90 - not reported anywhere as they happened up north - couldn’t sort out the station despite it being lifted bodily by several inches before being dumped back down exactly where it started. Great pity! But now, as Collin Carr reports, its days are numbered and something truly fresh is going to emerge - even with the River Irk in the depths beneath.

We seem to be dealing with two stations this month both of which have attracted dubious accolades.

The aforementioned Manchester Victoria - drum roll - worst station in the country award 2009, and then there’s Wakefield Kirkgate another drum roll - worst mediumlarge station 2006 with the citation “intimidating, unwelcoming and putrid”. With Victoria on the mend, what hope now for Kirkgate? Well, Graeme Bickerdike is optimistic.

Great things are afoot in Wakefield, both for Kirkgate and Westgate, the other city station.

It’s odd, isn’t it, that all sorts of trivia can be sent from a passenger to the outside world (“I’m on a train”, “Have you had my email?”), and yet it seems forever difficult to send useful information from the outside world to a passenger. (“Your next station is on fire!”).

Clive Kessell explores the world of real-time information both for those lost souls waiting on deserted platforms and for the passengers forever ‘on a train’.

When there’s an announcement that two huge companies are merging it often seems to come out of the blue. Such is the nature of the silent, stately dances that go on during corporate courtships.

But, as Clive tells us, close industry watchers shouldn’t have been taken by surprise by the merger of Invensys Rail with Siemens.

His analysis makes sense of it all. Signalling expertise + train expertise = train-borne signalling.

Pretty obvious really.

It will remain the stuff of geotechnical textbooks for years to come. Some small consolation perhaps for those involved in the restoration of the Hatfield colliery slip. The scale is huge as are the problems involved in stabilising and shifting the muck that landed on the Doncaster to Goole line back in February. Treading carefully through the physical and legal debris, Graeme gives us an impartial view of what’s going on.

In an exquisitely elegant article on predictive and probabilistic gauging, Dr. David Johnson firmly puts the lid on the box-tickers of this world. At last there’s a pragmatic approach to clearances.

Never mind piling on every possible worst case scenario, let’s look at what’s really likely to happen. If it looks like common sense, then it is common sense..…...probably.

And finally a puzzle - UITP stands for the International Association of Public Transport . Really? How? Nigel will explain.

6

NEWS

the rail engineer • July 2013

Can you do it for £2 billion less?

Network Rail and the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) have a difference of opinion amounting to around £2 billion over the cost of running Britain’s railways for the five years from 1 April 2014.

In January, Network Rail submitted a Strategic Business Plan to the ORR calculating that it would spend £37.5 billion on running and expanding Britain’s railways in Control Period 5 (CP5), from 1 April 2014 until 31 March 2019.

Now, in a draft determination, the ORR claims that it has identified over £2 billion of savings in those plans. In other words, it believes that Network Rail can cut its costs by that amount and still deliver the same

programme.

If that’s true, then Network Rail has until 4 September to agree and the final budget will be published by 31 October.

If it’s not true, and Network Rail has budgeted for all the efficiency

savings it can make, then it will have to drop £2 billion of work out of its programme. And then the ORR will claim it can do that even cheaper. And the haggling begins.

It will be interesting to see how

it all turns out.

But it does mean that at least £35 billion will be spent on the railway by Network Rail in CP5.

So there will be plenty of work to do…

Network Rail results At the same time as negotiating for CP5 with the ORR, Network Rail announced its full year results up to 31 March 2013.

Improving the WCML In response to some of the criticism it has received, and to help drive up those punctuality figures, Network Rail has announced £40 million of projects to improve the West Coast main line (WCML).

Dyan Crowther, route managing director, said: “We are not satisfied with the current performance of our infrastructure on the southern end of the West Coast main line, which is one of Britain’s most vital rail arteries.”

As has been reported in The Rail Engineer, many of these problems are due to overhead wiring, so it is no surprise that two of the main remedial actions cover this area.

A specialist team of engineers has walked the entire route between London and Rugby and recommended a series of improvements to improve the reliability of the infrastructure

that are being delivered over and above regular maintenance and inspection activity.

To complement this work, Network Rail is changing the way it stores and analyses overhead line condition data which is captured by two specially adapted Pendolino trains. This change will enable the data to be analysed and essential maintenance work to be completed much more quickly.

There will also be improvements to lineside fencing and more work with the Samaritans to reduce the number of incursions onto the track.

So there is a lot of work being done…

Although admitting that train performance took a beating from the weather, Network Rail looks on the bright side. Amongst all the statistics are the comments: “In 2012/13 90.9% of passenger trains ran on time, slightly down on 91.6% last year but still the third best year on record,” and “In ten years, Network Rail has added over a million more train services a year, increased passenger journeys by half a billion and doubled the number of passengers arriving on time.”

It does admit, though, that

“Despite our best endeavours the weight of traffic and extreme weather means that regulatory performance targets for the end of the control period will be very challenging to meet.”

However, the ORR pointed out that train punctuality was still below target. In addition, it stated: “There is a backlog of maintenance work on some routes which is contributing to poor track quality on parts of the network.”

So there is still plenty of work to do…

NEWS

the rail engineer • July 2013

7

Newt retreat Still on the subject of the WCML, Grahame Taylor reported on the Stafford Area Improvements Programme, and the work at Norton Bridge, in last month’s issue. Since then the team has been hard at work – relocating Great Crested Newts.

This protected species was found in the Shallowford area of Norton Bridge. As a result, a dedicated reserve is being created for them at Shallowford House Retreat and Conference Centre.

Currently under construction, the reserve will feature six ponds, new landscaping and specially constructed walkways, with the newts being relocated there

Selby delayed

starting this autumn.

In the meantime, special fencing has been erected around the alignment of the pipeline diversions at Norton Bridge to help safely capture the newts, which are temporarily transferred

to a holding pond (also located at Shallowford House), before moving to their new home later in the year.

The newt relocation comes in advance of the proposed railway flyover at Norton Bridge which will remove a major bottleneck

The recent landslip at Hatfield colliery, covered in this issue of The Rail Engineer, has had other effects on the railway than just closing the line between Doncaster and Goole.

Phil Verster, route managing director for Network Rail, explained: “Two years ago we began to plan the most

significant refurbishment of Selby swing bridge since it was built in 1889. This work would mean that no trains would be able to

on the route and forms part of a series of preparatory pipeline diversions, scheduled to take place from July of this year through to early 2014.

So there is a lot of newt relocation work going on…

run through Selby. Therefore, we planned to complete the renewal of other bridges in the Hull area, as well as level crossing and track improvements, at the same time.

“This plan was reliant upon using a diversionary route via Hatfield and Stainforth to maintain a train service to Hull.

Unfortunately, the extraordinary events at Hatfield Colliery made it unworkable.”

The work on Selby swing bridge will now take place next summer.

However, some work will need to be done on other bridges and tracks this October to keep everything running.

So there is a lot of work not being done just now…

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the rail engineer • July 2013

NIGEL WORDSWORTH

Transforming New Street Six projects within a project

T

he redevelopment of Birmingham New Street station is an immense project. More than ÂŁ600 million is being spent over five years to turn a cramped, congested 1960s concrete box into a light, airy, spacious and efficient station for the twenty-first century.

The Rail Engineer has covered the project several times. In short, the platforms are being decluttered and tidied up so that more passengers can board and alight from trains more quickly.

The concourse is being enlarged by taking over the lower floors of the adjoining multi-storey car park and expanding into that space. This will also allow for

extra escalators and lifts down to the platforms to ease passenger flows.

The whole centre of the building from concourse level upwards is being removed and a transparent ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) plastic bubble roof installed to bring more light into the inner spaces.

A John Lewis store will bring new customers into the enhanced retail area on the upper floors, with the Pallasades shopping centre being upgraded and relaunched as Grand Central.

Externally, access routes, taxi and drop-off areas are being rearranged and the whole building clad in swoopy, mirrorfinish stainless-steel which will reflect the sky and give the large edifice an almost ethereal quality.

Recently, phase one of the project has been completed.

The car park has been turned into an attractive concourse area and public access has been moved into it so that the old one can be closed and refurbished.

Passengers are already benefitting from new entrances

the rail engineer • July 2013

and a larger retail area, and there is a lot more to come at the end of phase two in 2015.

However, it is easy to become so bemused by the scale of the overall undertaking that the detail is missed. Hidden away is some excellent engineering which, in other circumstances, would form significant projects in their own right.

Richard Thorpe, project director for delivery partner Mace, is well aware that the work of his various design and engineering teams may not be properly appreciated. So your favourite railway engineering magazine made three visits to Birmingham recently to meet Richard and his associate directors and look at these sub-projects in more detail.

Starting with demolition The first is where the project started, with demolition. Behind the western wall of the existing station concourse was the multi-storey car park in which a new concourse, with a total floor area about 50% larger than that of the current one, would be constructed.

However, car parks don’t have a lot of headroom.

To give enough space, a complete floor would have to be removed leaving a double-height space. This necessitated the removal of a concrete floor slab and all the supporting beams which would have to be cut off flush with the main columns.

In total, that added up to a lot of concrete - 7,500 tonnes of it. And underneath the ground floor were the live platforms of the station, so they couldn’t be disturbed.

Local demolition specialist Coleman & Company was brought in to undertake the work. A gantry

crane system was developed in conjunction with Mace which could be temporarily installed in the space and would transport cut blocks of concrete to the edge of the building and out through a hole in the wall where they could be loaded onto lorries and taken away.

This technique was a great success. Blocks of up to ten tonnes in weight could be extracted once they had been cut out of the structure. Meanwhile, the enlarging void was stabilised using a forest of bright-orange props and supports supplied by RMD Kwikform, another local company.

9

10

the rail engineer • July 2013

Removing the centre of the Pallasades at roof level.

Once the entire new concourse area had been opened out, holes were cut in the floor slab through which escalators and lifts would be installed down to the platforms underneath.

Great care had to be taken throughout the process. If a block had been dropped, not only would there be the obvious safety implications but it could have crashed through the floor slab down into the live station area below. So a great many plans were made and the whole process went off without a hitch.

In fact, Coleman & Company made such a good job of it, with its innovative use of the gantry cranes and runways, that it won the 2011 Contract of the Year award at the World Demolition Summit in Amsterdam.

Now for the atrium Having completed the concourse void for phase one, the demolition team moved on to phase two which involves the removal of the centre of the Pallasades shopping centre above the station to create the new atrium.

Another 6,000 tonnes has to come out, 4,000 from the upper roof and 2,000 out of the retail slab, but this time the gantry solution cannot be used as there is no convenient outside wall. Instead, a special machine is being manufactured that will dismantle the main beams once the slabs have been removed by more conventional methods.

This will all be ‘nibbled’ away at a rate of up to 50 tonnes per day, and will be removed down an unused escalator shaft.

Before the roof slab can be cut, the steelwork for the new atrium roof has to be in place to support the loads and the ETFE cover installed to provide weatherproofing above the demolition operation. A 400-tonne steel ring beam is being built on the roof, and from this will spring another 200 tonnes of steel arches which will carry the transparent ETFE panels. Of course, this temporarily increases the whole weight of the building by 600 tonnes, so designers Atkins had to make careful calculations to confirm that this could be supported. Some primary columns have been strengthened to ensure that there

EVEN 50 YEARS AGO WE WERE REGARDED AS A COMPANY WITH ALL ITS TRUCKS IN A ROW.

the rail engineer • July 2013

11

A service spine module is moved into position. is sufficient capacity in the structure and a complex temporary works solution developed to support the steel members during installation.

While talking about demolition, it is worth noting that the roof-mounted multi-storey car park, which was to be retained under the initial plans, will be replaced after all.

Investigations showed that it was in a poor state of repair. The concrete was full of chloride corrosion, much of which had come from water dripping off cars over many years, but there was also evidence of damage caused by additives in the original material.

As Coleman & Company was fully engaged in the atrium work, DSM was brought in to remove the old car park. It will be replaced, and in fact the new version will have some 450 spaces as opposed to 300 in the original.

Richard Thorpe is pleased with how the demolition is going. “To do demolition and construction works side by side is a very unique experience in construction,” he commented.

Installing a new spine As well as the wall separating the existing station concourse from the new one in the former car park, there was also the main station service spine. A rectangular

Evidently, even in the sixties, ours was a well-organised, uncommonly ambitious business. Over time, that business has become ever more sophisticated and advanced.

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construction about six feet high and three feet wide, it ran the whole length of the car park behind the wall at ground level.

With all the new retail and passenger services that the rebuilt station would contain, the spine would need upgrading anyway. And it would have to be moved. So a plan was drawn up to construct a new one, suspended from the retail slab above, farther to the west. It would also include fume extraction, ducted up from the platforms below.

However, plans change. It was decided to fit impulse fans, mounted above the running lines, to drive fumes out of the platform area into the open spaces at the ends of the station. So the new spine wouldn’t need any ducting.

12

the rail engineer • July 2013

It would still be a major piece of work though.

250 metres long, it would take an estimated 350 men to build, wire, plumb and test it.

Contractor NG Bailey suggested that there was a better way.

Prefabricating the spine offsite, in 22-metre long modules, would remove the need for all those people to work in cramped conditions in the roof of the old car park. Also, every system could be installed and tested in a factory environment leading to better reliability and repeatability, as well as workforce safety.

Each module, as delivered, was a steel cage fitted with all the services. It was transported to its final resting place using steel railway lines which spread the load on the concrete slab over the platforms. Hoisted into position, the various cables and pipes were coupled to the previous module and a fire-resistant cladding added.

The idea worked well. The complete spine was installed in a significantly shorter timescale with no defects. “It was a smart way of achieving one of our key installation objectives,” was Richard Thorpe’s comment.

The escalators were installed in sections due to the confined space.

The new spine sits over the central retail area of the new part of the concourse. A riser, also modular, makes the connection to each platform.

The new modular spine isn’t the only one in the building. There will also be a new eastern spine, but as so much can be included in this western spine the eastern one will not need to be as large and it will still be built using traditional methods.

In terms of cost, the original study showed that adopting the new modular method would be fairly cost neutral. However, with the quality and safety benefits, as well as the reduced programme timetable, it has been estimated that the overall cost saving could be as high as 20%.

Just enough room for the escalators “This is an interesting story,” Richard Thorpe enthused.

The contract to design, supply and fit the new escalators, between the retail level and the concourse and from the concourse down to the platforms, was tendered in the open market using the OJEU (Official Journal of the European Union) system. Stannah won the contract for a system that was designed in the UK but manufactured in China.

The order for 36 new escalators was placed early so that manufacture could take place while the preparatory works were still underway. Chris Gale, Mace package manager, had some uncommon problems to solve. For a start, access to the various locations was severely limited. This not only restricted his ability to bring in the escalators, but he was also hampered by the lack of anywhere to put a crane or lifting equipment.

In addition, clearances were very tight – as low as 5mm in some areas. So the escalators would have to be shoehorned into place.

Once the escalators arrived at Stannah’s York base, testing and commissioning was planned to take 6-8 weeks. Changes in the programme at New Street meant that this was reduced by 20% and the access problems meant that some escalators, such as the pair between the main concourse and the retail floor above, would have to be cut down into three sections and then reassembled using bolted connector plates in situ.

It was a challenge. However, the whole team of Mace and Stannah engineers buckled down and got it done. Stannah managing director David Saunders even went back to his former role as a commissioning engineer to make sure the job was done on time.

The 15 new lifts, supplied by Otis, were less of a problem although constructing the shafts, from platform level to concourse, on live platforms with trains running and passengers everywhere, was a challenge.

Fireproofing Birmingham New Street is an underground station, one of two Network Rail managed stations which are so classified (the other one is Liverpool Street). That isn’t to say it is on an underground railway – it has twelve platform faces, is the busiest station outside London and the busiest interchange station in the UK with a train leaving the station every 37 seconds. However, it sits in a large box below ground level, with the approach tracks emerging from tunnels at both ends and the only way out for passengers requiring them to go upstairs, so it is officially classified as an underground station.

This means it has to adopt similar fireproofing and fire prevention measures as any other underground station. Fire doors, smokeproof cables, fire-resistant cladding and fire-retardant panelling all have to be used at all times.

On a building site, that can cause a problem.

One can’t remove a door today and replace it tomorrow – it would circumvent the two-hour fire rating.

The same applies to fire alarm systems.

When fitting a new one, the old one has to remain in full operation until after the switchover. Nothing can be left undone or inoperative, and the live platforms have to be protected at all times.

Consultants Norman Disney & Young advised on a fire strategy. However, this is a skill set that the Network Rail and Mace construction engineers simply didn’t have, not being used to working in such an environment.

“None of us have ever been involved in a job that is so intense in terms of fire precautions,” commented Paul Dalton, Mace’s senior project manager.

So Arup was contracted to supply fire engineers for the project. It is one of Arup’s specialities - the firm has 180 fire engineers working on projects worldwide although the New Street team is based in Solihull.

It’s a complex task. Working with Network Rail and the West Midlands Fire Service, Arup’s specialists had to check everything. As the project progressed, however, everyone got more used to the restrictions they were working under and the fire engineers became much more part of the team rather than overseers.

“Risk management, forced upon us by working on a sub-surface station, is about 20% of what we do,” Richard Thorpe explained.

“When we changed the concourses over, there was a risk that the new fire systems wouldn’t be stable enough in the first few weeks, so we had a team of fire marshals in place to make sure that there were no problems.”

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14

the rail engineer • July 2013

Tunnels which aren’t tunnels Risk management was the driving force behind another of Richard Thorpe’s chosen topics. Tunnels, in this context, aren’t the holes in the ground that the trains run in.

Rather, they are the pedestrian tunnels which passengers and shoppers walk through and which guide them around the part-constructed station. 140,000 passengers, as well as 40,000 shoppers, pass through the station each day.

There are three such tunnels at New Street.

These keep passengers safe from hazards as they cross work areas. And they have to do different jobs.

One guides shoppers from the top of the escalators above the new concourse, through the remains of the old Pallasades and out towards the Bullring shopping centre. It is the longest of the three, but the simplest in terms of construction.

The second leads through the base of the new John Lewis store, the steelwork for which is now up, and takes passengers to and from the entrance on Hill Street. It has a metal roof, tested to be able to resist a scaffolding pole being dropped end-on from a height of 20 feet.

The third is actually part of the station itself.

The original plan was to open phase one of the new concourse and close the old one entirely.

However, due to the layout of the new escalators, and the fact that each platform at Birmingham has A and B ends (one even has a C), a short train can stop some distance from an escalator. It was therefore deemed necessary to keep the old dispersal bridge and stairs open. This caused a problem, as the entire ceiling, services, old retail units and even walls of the old concourse had to come down.

So a pedestrian tunnel was the only solution.

But that tunnel had to go in while the dispersal bridge was open to passengers, or at least while it was closed for five hours each night. The answer was another modular construction. Waco UK, part of Premier Interlink, manufactures modular buildings for a variety of customers including the MoD and the prison service. So they are sturdy and vandal-resistant. Working with contractors Elliott Thomas, a system was devised whereby pre-constructed modules, complete with lighting, two sides and a roof, would be fitted

into the old dispersal bridge overnight. Plug-in electrical connectors would power them up.

These are now largely in place. Every day, modules are delivered into the old concourse.

Once the station is closed, these are wheeled out into the dispersal bridge, positioned and then connected together. Working from the ends towards the middle, three modules a night can be installed in this way.

During the day, passengers simply walk through the new tunnel where it is in place and through the old concourse lined with closed retail units where it isn’t. They almost don’t notice the difference, except that the new modules have better lighting. The last module to be fitted will join the two ends of the tunnel together and then passengers will be safely separated from the work which can then start.

The beauty of this system is that, when the tunnel has to be moved by 20 metres so that work can take place which it currently blocks, the modules can be separated, repositioned and coupled back together again, all over a Christmas or Easter shutdown.

Façade Outside, the stainless steel façade is the most noticeable feature of the new design.

Mirror-finish stainless steel panels are already in place along Stephenson Street, and the support ribs are in place around other sections of the building. That, too, was a complex engineering process.

For a start, the swoopy, curved shape means that every single panel is unique. That, in turn, means that its supporting structure is also unique. So every panel, bracket and beam has to be individually made and fitted.

Portuguese specialist Martifer Construcoes Metalomecanicas was thought to have the best expertise in this area.

The external brackets bolt back to the building. However, that also had a façade, albeit a concrete one, which is not structural.

So the bracketry has to pass through this to pick up a structural wall further back in the building. That places extra loading on the main building, both from the weight of the steelwork and from the wind loading on the finished façade. Designer Atkins had to undertake yet more structural strength calculations.

There was an added complication when the designers wanted to change the fastenings that fix the panels to the structure. This was to ensure a forty year life, based on observation of test panels that had been erected offsite at Bordesley Green. However, this change invalidated the planning permission, so a new application had to be made. That is now in place, and hasn’t delayed the fitting of the panels unduly.

And there’s more…

So those are Richard Thorpe’s top six. There are others. He could have talked about the Green Wall, a vertical flowerbed on a steel frame which includes irrigation pipes that sits alongside the new walkway to Moor Street station.

Or he might have discussed the granite floor tiles in the new concourse. Rough cut in China, these are finished off in the UK to a specification that was arrived at following testing of various finishes and coatings by laying strips in heavilytrafficked pedestrian areas.

And of course the project had to pull in the design and build of the entire John Lewis store building – 250,000 sq ft of top-line retail space that wasn’t even included in the original design for the station.

But six are probably enough for this report.

There will be plenty more to report on over the coming two years before the finished station reopens fully in 2015.

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the rail engineer • July 2013

The name’s Bond... Street T

he £14.8 billion Crossrail project involves a phenomenal amount of tunnelling work, as might be expected of a new rail link crossing a major metropolis like London. The statistics are worth revisiting. The project includes 21 km of twin 6.2 metre internal diameter tunnels and 37 stations, of which eight will be below ground. In addition there will be a new station at Custom House, separately funded and constructed but still integral to the completed railway. There are over 8,000 people employed on 40 worksites, and the project is providing apprenticeships to around 400 employees.

Tunnelling under London Eight tunnel boring machines (TBMs) will have been used by the time the construction of the project is finished in 2018. Each one weighs around 1,000 tonnes and is 148 metres in length. Their cutter heads are 7.1 metres in diameter and they are expected to average 100 metres/week (though the first two in operation have both achieved twice this rate) working pretty much 24/7. On each shift, these monsters are manned by sixteen people on the TBM itself and eight in the tunnel behind.

The tunnel boring machine

Our tunnel boring machines will build 42km of tunnels under London.

At the expected average rate of progress, each TBM produces around 7,500 tonnes of spoil a week while moving forward in 1.6 metre increments - the width of the eight-segment tunnel rings being installed behind them.

These segments are manufactured locally from 300mm-thick fibre-reinforced concrete and each ring weighs 24 tonnes.

As is to be expected, the progress of each TBM is monitored by a computer-controlled guidance system using lasers. Their position and direction is controlled very accurately

148m 1,000 tonnes

Length of our tunnel boring machines - the equivalent of 14 London buses end to end

Weight of each tunnel boring machine

CHRIS PARKER

using the four pairs of hydraulic articulation rams incorporated into the front body of each machine behind the cutterhead.

Some six million tonnes of spoil will be generated by the tunnelling, and 85% of this will be removed by rail and water after it emerges from the tunnels, so avoiding an estimated 270,000 lorry movements. At least three quarters of this material will be deposited at Wallasea Island in an arrangement which is enabling the RSPB to create Europe’s largest man-made coastal nature reserve.

58,000kN

The push force as the machine moves forward - equivalent to the force needed to lift over 2,900 London taxis

£10 million

250,000 Segments used to construct the tunnel walls

100m

Distance of tunnel built per week

6 million tonnes

Cost of each tunnel boring machine

Excavated material from our tunnelling - enough to fill Wembley Stadium three times

7.1m diameter cutter head

Screw conveyor moves earth from the cutter head.

Rotating cutter head loosens the earth.

Trimay/ Hardox plated and tungsten carbide tipped picks and disc cutters make the tools stiffer than steel and denser than titanium.

Rotating arm places segments with millimetre precision to form a ring.

Hydraulic cylinders brace themselves on the newly positioned rings to push the machine forward.

Belt conveyor system removes earth from the machine.

Each ring is made up of eight segments and weighs 22 tonnes.

Pre-cast concrete segments delivered to the segment feeder. Segments differ in shape to enable the tunnel to curve.

Conveyors move earth to the tunnel portal.

www.crossrail.co.uk

the rail engineer • July 2013

17

The western tunnels are being driven by TBMs ‘Phyllis’ and ‘Ada’. The former began work at the Old Oak Portal in May 2012 and ‘Ada’ in August that year. Their target is Farringdon, and en route they will have passed through Paddington, Bond Street (of which more later) and Tottenham Court Road stations.

The eastern tunnels were begun in December 2012 on the Limmo Peninsula with TBMs ‘Elizabeth’ and ‘Victoria’, also heading for Farringdon.

These tunnels are to pass through Canary Wharf, Whitechapel and Liverpool Street stations. Later this year, two further TBMs will start the section of tunnels from Pudding Mill Lane to Stepney Green.

Finally there is the twin-bore Thames tunnel running from the Plumstead portal through a station at Woolwich Arsenal and under the river to the portal at North Woolwich. These TBMs, ‘Sophia’ and ‘Mary’, differ from the others as they are slurry machines. This is because of the particular ground and ground water conditions expected along their drives. ‘Sophia’ began work in January 2013, and ‘Maria’ will follow later this summer.

Bond Street complex In March 2013, The Rail Engineer was invited to visit the Bond Street Station construction works. This is a major project in its own right. The new Crossrail platforms will be 250 metres in length to accommodate the 10 car trains planned for the line. Two accesses (ticket halls) are being built, one at each end of the intended platforms, and will provide step-free access from street level to the trains of the Jubilee and Central lines and to Crossrail itself.

The 1.2km of running tunnels in the overall complex at the station will be constructed by contractors BFK (Bam Ferrovial Kier joint venture) as part of its contract to deliver the western tunnels. All of the station works are being constructed by a Costain-Skanska joint venture (CSJV) with a phasing of operations between the tunnel and station contractors.

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Each ticket hall will have constructed above it an over-site commercial development, the one at Hanover Square is to be some 300,000 square feet in total area.

When visited, the tunnels at the eastern ticket hall at Hanover Square were being constructed by the BFK consortium. The site will be later handed over to CSJV. Meanwhile, two access shafts had been driven 25 metres below ground, down to floor level -5 which is the full depth of the intended construction. Compensation grouting had been applied during the shaft sinking works in order to limit ground movement and disturbance to neighbouring buildings.

Work was well under way opening out the excavation at this level and lining it with steel-fibre-reinforced sprayed concrete to make a reception chamber in preparation for the expected arrival of TBM ‘Phyllis’ on its 6.8km drive. It subsequently passed through successfully during the

18

the rail engineer • July 2013

Remote-control spraying

last few days of March. ‘Ada’ was to pass through the site later, actually going through the base of the north-west access shaft that is also used to provide access to the worksite.

A curtain wall of secant piles had been previously installed by CSJV around the perimeter of this site and the station box was to be excavated within this perimeter.

Five reinforced-concrete floor slabs, to be installed at the designed levels as this excavation proceeds, will prop the piled walls, providing the necessary restraint to them. This construction method was selected for the site due to the very close proximity of sensitive listed buildings on neighbouring sites. These buildings could not tolerate significant ground movement.

Real time monitoring of these structures takes place to record the expected movement so as to ensure that agreed limits were not exceeded.

The station tunnels are being constructed under a 30 month contract which began in 2012, and work is taking place 24 hours a day, 7 days per week below ground. The remotely-controlled concrete spraying machine that was being used was a very impressive device, quite a contrast to the equipment that

the writer encountered when using fibre-reinforced sprayed concrete to strengthen Arley Tunnel, on the Birmingham Nuneaton railway, back in the 1970s.

Then, it was normal for the operative spraying the concrete to have to manipulate the spray nozzle manually, and blockages in the system, caused by the steel fibres clumping together,

were a regular cause of delays and came with significant safety risks. There appeared to be no such difficulties with the current system. The ability of the operative to stand to one side of the robotically manipulated nozzle, freed of the physical struggle and able to better observe the work in progress, appeared to be a dramatic improvement, aiding the quality of work, the rate of production and the safety of the workforce.

Similar construction using sprayed concrete will be used in the construction of the passenger and service tunnels as they are driven for the new ticket hall once the two TBMs have both passed through this site.

the rail engineer • July 2013

19

Go west…

The western ticket hall at Davies Street, at the other end of the planned platforms, was being constructed by CSJV using ‘top down’ construction methodology as the works come to within three metres of the existing Jubilee Line tunnels. The ticket hall is to have five levels reaching down to 25 metres below street level, and construction began with 1.2 metre thick diaphragm walls around the perimeter down to below the intended bottom floor and a substantial temporary steel deck at street level. The latter was needed because the ground floor slab of the final works was not adequate to carry the temporary loads of construction including such items as plant and the arisings from the excavation.

Work on the diaphragm walls commenced in November 2011 and was completed in June of last year. Top down construction of the station started in November 2012 following completion of the capping beam installation to the diaphragm walls. When The Rail Engineer was on site, the access from the street was down one of two ‘mole hole’ shafts, the other being used to bring up the excavated spoil from below. Internal bearing piles and plunge columns had been installed to their full depth within the perimeter of the site to provide the necessary additional support to the floor slabs, and at that time work was ten metres below ground at floor level -2.

At one end of the site, preparations were well advanced with the shuttering and steel fixing for the next floor slab. This was to be cast onto the carefully levelled and smoothed ground at the then base of the excavation. A separation membrane had been laid over the ground to ensure a clean soffit to the slab which would be exposed later by the excavation of the next level below. The reinforcement required was substantial, as might be imagined, and careful detailing was clearly an issue to ensure that the steel could be fixed and that concrete could be poured and compacted satisfactorily around it.

In contrast, at the opposite end of the site the excavation was still proceeding to complete the dig for the floor. The way that the site had been

1926 693000

divided to ensure safe separation between the excavation plant and the personnel working on the slab preparations was impressive. In addition, a system called “my zone” was in operation to stop workers entering the unsafe area close to the excavators. This comprises a transmitter on each machine and receiver systems on the hard hats of each worker. Should an individual encroach too close to any machine, they received a warning by means of a vibrating alarm triggered by the system.

Work on the western site is subject to more restricted hours because of the possible effect upon neighbours, with the site starting work at 8.00 and closing down each evening at 18.00 on weekdays with permissions available to work until 10pm on occasions, and tighter restrictions at weekends.

The CSJV consortium is very proud of its health and safety system, and it appears that it has been very effective, having reached over 1 million man hours worked without any reportable accidents.

The new station is an integral part of the entire Crossrail project. Once complete, Bond Street will be only 26 minutes from Heathrow Airport and 15 from Stratford.

CIS goes radio 20

the rail engineer • July 2013

C

ustomer information is a subject that always hits the headlines when train service disruption occurs on a significant scale. Snow and ice can cause havoc and the news items of the day typically show passengers being interviewed to say ‘nobody tells us anything’. The reaction from train companies is usually mixed. Some claim that big investment will be made to improve information flows, others take a more pragmatic view, recognising that the problem is difficult and that no matter how much money is pumped into new systems, distributing meaningful messages when things go wrong is inherently difficult.

GPRS

CLIVE KESSELL

Patchy performance Considerable effort has been put into improving communication flows on train service performance across the country.

Major stations are all well equipped with modern flexible display boards and automated announcements that are excellent in telling the passenger routine train departure and arrival information.

Processes for dealing with mild disruption have been improved considerably in recent years and the occasional train or infrastructure failure no longer causes the information blackout that was once commonplace. The use of the internet and text messages enables smart phone users to get updates and alerts if travel disruption occurs.

Drill down into more rural locations, however, and the picture changes rapidly. Northern Rail is one such franchise; it has 476 stations of which 30% are equipped with only the most rudimentary information screens or loudspeaker systems. Line plant to enable train running data is often of poor quality or even non existent in the very remote locations, so intending passengers can be totally unaware of what is happening if the train does not turn up at the advertised time.

The provision of help points at some stations has assisted but this requires action by the passenger, not all of whom are willing or even capable of doing so. Such stations are invariably unstaffed and can attract the attention of local undesirables who mindlessly vandalise station equipment.

So what can be done?

Issue 70 (August 2010) of The Rail Engineer reported on an initiative by Northern Rail to provide customer information systems (CIS) on 53 stations in the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (PTE) area.

Working in conjunction with Hima-Sella (a company specialising in rail communication systems), the project is now completed and focuses on the distribution of information from the national time service database (TSDB) coupled with real time train running data from train describers (TD.NET). This data is fed into Northern Rail’s IT Data Centre at Newton Heath near Manchester, from which filtered information is sent to the Leeds area control office. Train running details are then forwarded over datacom links to the relevant stations.

CIS display screens mounted on a gallows type bracket, together with automated announcements from a PA system, keep passengers informed of next train departures and any late running. In the PTE area, landline provision is relatively good so getting reliable links to each station has not posed any major

problem. An update in system software during 2012 supplied Northern Rail with the latest CAIMAN Customer Information System.

Where landline provision is dubious, HimaSella, in conjunction with Funkwerk, has developed a system whereby GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) data sent over the public cellular 3G network can be used instead of a line connection. The already-designed Station Interface Unit (SIU) was modified to include a dual card which can accept either landline or radio inputs. This development was supported

by Network Rail as a trial to potentially provide a solution for several scheme renewals.

Developing the SIUs A contract was let in July 2011 via Telent, which has the telecom framework contract for this area, to produce the necessary equipment and to conduct a trial on the Bishop Auckland to Saltburn line, equipping all 18 stations with Long Line Public Address (LLPA). Perfecting the GPRS SIU took nine months, and further time was spent obtaining the necessary certification to conduct the trial.

The SIU is a complete unit which can be built and tested in the factory so that the amplifier, line / radio interface, LAN output, power supply, GPRS receiver and aerial are all in a single enclosure. The aerial is a low-profile fully-encased type mounted on top of the cabinet. The GPRS receiver is incorporated within a cellular radio unit that has a SIM card

the rail engineer • July 2013

21

Text-to-speech Another novel feature incorporated into the SIU is a text-to-speech facility (TTS). The challenge to perfect this technology has been around for many years; the desire is to be able to replicate speech by keying the word into a computer with software able to recognise this and convert it into an audio output.

With all the nuances of the English language, let alone any allowances for local dialects and shortening of station names, this can produce some strange results. Words ending in ’borough’ are typical examples. The TTS system has thus required changing all words into a phonetic spelling and storing these in a memory so that typing in the proper word will result in the correct pronunciation. The TTS facility has now been fully approved and a word library has been compiled for all Northern Rail stations.

System operation and the future specific to that location.

The complete cabinet is specified to operate within a temperature range of -20ºC to +60ºC with a power consumption of 30 watts. A standby battery, giving four hours operation, is included to maintain service in the event of a local power supply failure. In-built alarms will give warning to the control of any problems that occur, be it power loss or enclosure damage caused by vandals. The minimum radio signal required is -80dbm, well within range of the normal cellular radio coverage.

These initial SIU units have been produced by Funkwerk in Germany, with which Hima-Sella has a close relationship. The completed units have been handed over to Telent for installation and all are now delivered.

The enclosures are being located on station platforms so as to always be accessible in a ‘green zone’.

Hima-Sella will undertake the on-site testing before the system is commissioned.

Each station SIU holds the standard train-running messages for that location. This is primarily ‘next train’ detail that is broadcast just before the train arrives. The announcement is triggered by the receipt of a coded GPRS signal which takes only a fraction of a second to be received.

Should any train running delay occur, then this can be automatically calculated from the TSDB/TD.NET interaction and broadcast at the appropriate time. A TTS GUI (Graphic User Interface - i.e. a computer screen) is provided in York IECC where operators can adjust the messages whenever necessary. The system has yet to be commissioned but full product acceptance is expected by mid-2013.

Assuming that the system is successful, it is anticipated that further stations will be equipped with this technology. To enhance the product and improve ongoing support, Hima-Sella intends to transfer manufacture of the Funkwerk SIU product to Stockport for its UK business.

the rail engineer • July 2013

GRAEME BICKERDIKE

A

rchitecture inevitably splits opinion. As an analogue child, I find myself smitten with the exquisite Victorian façades that radiate affluence into West Yorkshire’s mill towns. Step out of Huddersfield Station and one steps back 150 years - only the smog and horse muck is missing. Today’s glass and steel erections, whilst often spectacular, sometimes feel cold and digital. But, in constructional terms, we must surely all agree that the Sixties proved to be a particular low point. Too much sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll clearly addled the planners’ minds.

PHOTOS: FOUR BY THREE

Keeping Up

Appearances

22

Huddersfield has wool foundations.

Wakefield, 12 miles to the east, grew up as an inland port and market town, served by a canal network which spawned huge waterside warehouses. Glassworks, brickyards, breweries, spinning mills - all changed the skyline as industry thrived on the back of 46 local coal mines. Wakefield’s prosperity might have had different roots but it equally shaped the city. Grand civic buildings asserted its position as the county’s administrative hub.

Of course, there isn’t really much manufacturing any more. Yorkshire suffered more than most when government put the Industrial Revolution into reverse through the 1980s. It led to very dark times hereabouts. But serious investment is now helping communities to find their feet again. Wakefield already feels cleaner, brighter, more vibrant. And the time has come for the railway to reflect that, playing its part in a twenty-first century rebirth.

Age of the train Locomotives first arrived in the city on 5 October 1840, pulling into Kirkgate Station along the Manchester and Leeds Railway, built under the superintendence of George Stephenson and engineered by Thomas Longridge Gooch. Seven years later the route became the major constituent part of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway.

Dating from 1854, Kirkgate’s main building stands testament to the showmanship of the age, its fine ashlar extending for more than 300 feet. Demolition work saw the station’s roof removed in 1972 but a Grade II listing now affords some protection from such vandalism.

With its staff gone, Kirkgate was blighted by a series of muggings and a serious sexual assault, greatly damaging perceptions of it. In 2006, a Council report damned the place as “intimidating, unwelcoming and the smell was putrid”.

The unwanted accolade of Britain’s worst medium-large station was bestowed upon it. Scarred by neglect and criminality, it’s hardly surprising that usage fell by 85,000 in the two years to 2012.

But things started to look up in 2009 with a million pound grant from the National Stations Improvement Programme, funding the installation of CCTV, help points and signage. Earlier this year, Network Rail completed a further package of work, removing a redundant spine wall and renewing the platform canopies. Serious traction had already been gained through Groundwork, an environmental regeneration charity, announcing its intention to restore the main building as a community hub,

23

PHOTOS: FOUR BY THREE

the rail engineer • July 2013

incorporating a ticket office, café and shop, as well as accommodation for local groups and small business ‘incubation units’. People will soon be working at Kirkgate again. £4.6 million has now been gathered in from the scheme’s diverse sponsors, amongst whom number Network Rail, Northern Rail, Wakefield City Council and the EU, together with the Railway Heritage Trust, Eggborough Power Station and open access operator Grand Central. Completion is likely to take a year.

Out with the old Further west, below the city’s civic quarter, the vista has been transformed by the emergence of a sleek commercial district.

Encompassing a 17-acre site, the Merchant Gate scheme has attracted funding to the tune of £70 million over its first two phases, providing a fabulous new home for the Council, its museum and library, multi-storey parking for 1,500 cars, apartment blocks, speculative office space and a public square. It has a bold visual impact.

At its south-west corner is Westgate Station.

More familiar to passengers than Kirkgate, for much of the day it offers two East Coast services an hour to London, between which appear Cross Country and local trains. It opened on its current site on 1 May 1867, built by the Great Northern to a design by Leeds architect James Fraser. Costing £60,000, it

Components for the Down-side bridge support are craned over the line.

The new footbridge is gently eased into place.

replaced the original station - a little to the south - following completion of the West Riding and Grimsby Railway which now forms the East Coast main line to Doncaster. One local newspaper reported that it was “one of the most perfect stations in England - special care in designing the works having been taken…in order that every facility might be given for the easy and expeditious working of the goods and passenger traffic.”

But that Sixties constructional low point wiped away Fraser’s Westgate. Gone was the rich, elegant frontage and pavilion roof; in came a design that echoed the austerity of the times. It was probably regarded as innovative in its day, but we look back now through different eyes. In modern parlance, it’s aesthetically challenged: too cramped to cope

24

the rail engineer • July 2013

fare evasion. Beyond that there are the less quantifiable benefits that simply come with making the passenger experience more welcoming and secure.

Local stakeholders have contributed to the design process, no doubt helping to ease the proposals through planning. Councillors gave them unanimous approval in January, without conditions. They align with a broader vision for the city, drawing visitors towards an alternative pedestrian route into the centre via the commercial district.

PHOTOS: FOUR BY THREE

Nature’s guiding hand

Work on the main site has been progressing since February.

with projected passenger numbers, poorly laid out, offering too few retail opportunities and, crucially, no level access to the Down platform except via a barrow crossing. It’s hardly the gateway Wakefield deserves, nor this part of West Yorkshire for that matter.

Great expectations Over the years, many words have been spoken about a new Westgate Station, largely by wishful thinkers. Until recently, no funding had been available. But now taking shape at the northern end of Westgate’s Up platform is Merchant Gate’s third phase - a striking contemporary station on what was formerly the overflow car park. It will become the East Coast main line’s first newly-built station in decades, recognising of course that King’s Cross, Peterborough, Newcastle and Edinburgh Waverley are all beneficiaries of considerable modernisations.

Costing £8.8 million, support for much of the scheme has come via the Station Commercial Project Facility (SCPF), with a further million each from the Access for All programme and English Cities Fund - a joint venture between Muse Developments, the Homes & Communities Agency and Legal & General. Delivery agent East Coast has appointed Network Rail as principal contractor, with the Buckingham Group acting as the latter’s design-and-build subcontractor.

Notwithstanding this structural relationship, the various parties, including the Council and CJCT, the Merchant Gate architects, have adopted a collaborative approach, coming together to build a business case for SCPF funding. This involved demonstrating that a new station would bring increased revenue, an objective achieved by almost doubling the footprint of the retail facilities and measures to tackle

Forming the station’s curved spine will be a black glazed-brick wall running across the site. This effectively delineates between the retail and back-of-house areas beyond it and the concourse in front, which has a flowing glazed façade. Leaf-like architectural features, notably the roof lights, are intended to create a sense of “organic growth”. If I’d been more Brian Sewell and less Peter Kay I would have recognised the influence of Wakefield-born sculptor Barbara Hepworth whose Modernist works are now celebrated at the nearby Hepworth Gallery, one of the city’s big attractions. Let’s agree the concourse will feel bright and spacious.

Any new public building now comes with an expectation of sustainability, both in construction and functionality. New Westgate achieves BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) 2011 Excellent standard - a measure of its CO2 emissions, energy efficiency and water consumption, as well as the use of low/no-carbon technologies. So there’s grey-water harvesting for the toilets and a roofmounted array of photo-voltaic cells. M&E functionality plays an important role in moving heat to parts of the building that benefit less from the glazing.

Out front, the forecourt area has been conceived as a flexible space, with improved foot access to the multistorey and taxi ranks. As well as some greenery and artworks from local talent, there’s passive provision for more retail units - perhaps a café with outdoor seating, climate change permitting.

Accommodating the free city bus has been a high priority, as well as progressing the concept of an integrated hub with the Passenger Transport Executive.

Breaking ground Planning consent was quickly followed by site mobilisation at the end of January.

Behind the Down platform, space was cleared to secure a compound. Here, piling took place for the steelwork that will host one of the lift shafts and support the new footbridge. No other work is required on this side as the existing structures have recently been refurbished.

“Many words have been spoken about a new Westgate Station, largely by wishful thinkers.”

25

PHOTO: ROGER HEPWORTH

the rail engineer • July 2013

The main site was occupied from the middle of February. This was relatively clutter-free, allowing an almost immediate start to the preparation phase, with piles installed prior to erection of the main steel frame in May. The team is fortunate that few elements demand any interface with the operational railway: it’s largely being treated as a highstreet environment. The footbridge and canopies are obvious exceptions, with the former being craned in during an eight-hour Rules of the Route possession in mid-June.

Running in parallel, but separately managed as part of the Intercity Express Programme, are extensions to the platforms. One intriguing workstream involved consultation to ensure that glare from the building’s brass trim wouldn’t compromise signal sighting prior to it weathering.

The structure will be watertight and ready for fitting-out in July, allowing the old station to be decanted into the new one over the three months that follow. Found behind the scenes are mess rooms, office space and a station management centre. On the public side is a customer information point alongside the line of automatic ticket gates, a generous first class lounge and an installation of assorted passenger information technology. The programme is on schedule for an opening in November.

A subsequent phase will bring removal of the existing footbridge, demanding the only disruptive possession. East Coast,

which leases the old station, will then release the site back to its owner Network Rail. Negotiations have taken place both with Muse Developments (part of Morgan Sindall Group plc) and the Council around future redevelopment options but, given the economic outlook, there is inevitable uncertainty.

Flying the flag What’s emerging here is not just a railway station - it’s a cornerstone for Wakefield’s new cityscape. It will become a destination in itself - a place for folk to meet - not just a portal to locations further afield. East Coast sees the approach taken with Westgate and its environs as a blueprint for what could be achieved elsewhere, using redundant railway land for something more socially and economically valuable than car parking.

Living three miles from Wakefield, I’ve seen the Merchant Gate development regenerate what was previously a tired corner of the city. It’s genuinely spectacular, particularly the new Council offices. But I often wonder how such architecture will be judged in a hundred years time. Will it have the longevity of Huddersfield’s Victorian façades?

It probably doesn’t matter. Wakefield’s landmark station is about more than just appearances. It undoes a wrong inflicted in the Sixties; it drives urban renewal. The city will soon have cause to be proud of its rail gateway again.

(Above) Westgate past and present.

(Left) How the new station will look come November.

26

the rail engineer • July 2013

Delivering dramatic

Dalmarnock G

lasgow’s east end, like the east end of London, has suffered urban decay with the closure of its major industries. Dalmarnock, 2 miles south-east of the city centre, was one of Glasgow’s earliest industrial centres due to its extensive river frontage along the Clyde.

Industries included various weaving factories, a cotton mill, gas works, iron works, tube works and a factory owned by Sir William Arrol (of Forth Bridge fame). With these long gone, the area was in urgent need of large-scale regeneration.

Just as with London’s Olympics, the driver for this regeneration is sport. For Glasgow, the 2014 Commonwealth games is an opportunity to transform its east end. So, on the site of old factories and tenements are now the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, the National Indoor Sports Arena and the athletes’ village which will eventually provide 700 homes. Also nearby is the not-so-new Parkhead stadium, home of Celtic Football Club.

The area’s transport links are also being developed for the games. A new road network foils most sat navs and the local station, Dalmarnock, is being transformed into a worthy public transport gateway for the games.

Three track levels Dalmarnock station has a varied history.

A high level station opened in 1841 on the long-gone Switchback railway which skirted Glasgow’s east side. The current low level station, which opened in 1895, was part of the Glasgow Central Railway that runs under the city’s streets and its Central station. This line closed in 1964 and was re-opened in 1979 as the Argyle line, part of Glasgow’s electrified rail network. A further aspect of the station’s history was the line to the adjacent gasworks which ran over the station, sandwiched between the Switchback and Glasgow Central railways.

DAVID SHIRRES

Having had its last makeover when the Argyle opened over 30 years ago, the station was in visibly poor condition and did not have the access required by the Disability Discrimination Act. With only 80,000 passengers a year, many being Parkheadbound Celtic fans, the station had not been a priority for refurbishment. This changed in 2007 when the 2014 Commonwealth Games were awarded to Glasgow and so discussions commenced on how to transform Dalmarnock.

Satisfying Stakeholders Project sponsor Gareth Woodruff has been involved with Dalmarnock station for almost

the rail engineer • July 2013

five years. As Gareth explains, rebuilding the station has involved a number of stakeholders, all of whom had be satisfied that the rebuilt station would meet their needs and have an acceptable appearance as the station will be used by most of those travelling to the eastern cluster of sporting venues. Transport Scotland, the client for the project, has pulled together an £11.5 million funding package with contributions from Clyde Gateway development organisation, Strathclyde Passenger Transport; Glasgow City Council and the European Regional Development Fund.

The station is a key part of the transport strategy which is based around the concept of

a ‘car free’ games. To support this, free public transport within Glasgow will be provided for every ticket-holding spectator on the day of their event. The strategy also has a planning objective of leaving “a positive legacy in terms of a continued modal shift towards sustainable modes of transport”.

Station designers Atkins therefore had to satisfy high expectations. These were met by specifying a sheer translucent skin for the station entrance hall to contrast with the original stone and brick - a design won ‘Best Proposed Project’ at the 2012 Scottish Design Awards.

Previously, the station entrance was on

27

Swanston Street, which is no longer a main thoroughfare. The new Dalmarnock Road entrance is on the other side of the station and faces the sporting venues. The new entrance hall is constructed on the old Switchback railway, requiring the removal of part of the old embankment and its retaining wall. This expands the station footprint using old railway land which, as Gareth explains, is permitted development that does not require planning permission.

The new station is designed as an event station with public realm space to accommodate waiting crowds. Features include a new footbridge, platform upgrades,

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the rail engineer • July 2013

a new ticket office, lifts, improved lighting, CCTV and customer information systems.

Passive provision is made for ticket barriers. The bridge that carried the old gasworks line over the station is retained as this is an integral part of the station’s structure. Although the bridge serves no purpose, the station design allows for its future use as a footbridge.

Work commences The main contract for the station rebuild was awarded in October 2011 to C Spencer, which had already been awarded a contract for advanced works consisting of site clearance and painting the station’s 15 over-track concreteencased steel beams.

The main work at the station started in April 2012. Subcontractors are local companies and include Reglit, which provided the large glazed façade, A McKie Building & Engineering Services, MG Piling and Miller Fabrication. Two apprentices were taken on as part of Glasgow’s Youthbuild programme.

With its low passenger usage and the extent of the work, it was decided that the station should be closed for six months commencing June 2012. However, unexpected ground conditions were found including an aquifer, peat, old toilets and unknown structures that pre-dated the railway. This delayed the work and required a new piling solution using ODEX heavy screwed piles.

A station transformed This extra work resulted in the station being closed for eleven months; it eventually re-opened on 20 May. However, Gareth stressed that this did not extend the project timescale. Work still to be completed includes lifting the new footbridge into position together with platform finishing work which is being done in a High Street environment or using rules of the route overnight possessions. The station will also remain closed on Sundays until its completion in December.

The thousands who will use Dalmarnock to visit the games will see an obviouslynew station but are unlikely to appreciate how much the station has been completely transformed. However, the station’s few hundred daily users should be impressed by how their dingy, dilapidated station has been changed into a larger, modern, dramatic building. With this, and other improvements in the area, hopefully daily usage might soon be measured in thousands rather than hundreds.

the rail engineer • July 2013

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Grand designs for London Underground

T

he London Underground (LU) system is a transport icon. First opened back in Victorian times, it now carries more than a billion passengers each year. Having been an integral part of London’s life for 150 years, it is important that it continues to meet increasing passenger demand. Announced this year, the London Underground Stations Stabilisation Programme is all about enhancing approximately 70 stations on the network so that they enjoy a longer life. Atkins has been awarded three station design contracts, for Paddington, South Kensington and Earl’s Court, and will complete the multidisciplinary design before the end of this summer.

Leading Atkins’ design team of over 90 engineers, architects and project managers is Chris Mintikkis, associate director. As Chris explains, Atkins was appointed across all stages from the original concept to detailed design. “This contract is all about refurbishing the three stations and partially replacing some systems which are in need of an upgrade.”

The design work encompasses a range of disciplines from electrical/mechanical to fire and communications. So the team has been busy over the past four months looking at everything from smoke alarms and fire detection systems to ventilation, passenger display and public announcement systems, CCTV replacement, ticket offices and staff facilities at the back of house.

More involvement, fewer drawings Co-ordinating and integrating all of these disciplines is no easy feat but Atkins has employed innovative techniques where possible to save time and money. For example, the design process has been streamlined to make it leaner. In the past the team has produced detailed drawings for every single aspect of the design which is costly. This time around, however, only real changes to the stations have been drawn up, which has saved time and money.

Atkins is also engaging with its client differently which is not only building good relationships but making design approvals much simpler. Chris said: “LU is part of our design team. They are involved every step of the way so that when we get to the review stage, our client knows exactly what they are going to get. They join all of our regular fortnightly meetings and the lines of communication are open so any issues can be dealt with as they arise. This eliminates time consuming rounds of changes and means that the multidisciplinary design for all three stations will be delivered in six months.”

With just two months to go until the final design is due, Chris says that the overall project has been relatively straightforward.

This is due to the inclusive design process that

has been used but it also helps that the core design team working on this project is based in the same location and most of the designers have been working together for the past ten years.

“We are committed to improving the design process and we take a systems integration approach to ensure that we meet our client’s needs,” Chris comments. This is done by closely monitoring the design during weekly meetings which culminates with Chris undertaking an interdisciplinary design check.

Here he asks his staff the right questions to check that the outputs of the design match the programme requirements. “We received a very specific brief from LU that detailed all of their requirements. This was a great starting point to base our detailed solutions on and has also contributed to the success of this project so far.”

A new look Construction work at Paddington, South Kensington and Earl’s Court stations is due to start later this year. So what can Tube passengers expect to see? “They’ll notice that everything looks fresher, the lighting has improved and that many cosmetic changes have been made. We’re not talking about major changes at the stations, they will have the same look but feel brighter,” Chris says. During the course of these projects, the stations have to remain open and fully operational as they are incredibly busy throughout the year being transport and tourist hubs.

In summing up the project Chris said: “We have worked with LU for many years and it has been great to be involved in this important programme of work. These projects now are very familiar to Atkins and it is imperative that we deliver everything to time and budget. Good working relationships have really been the key here and we hope to support LU in the future with the Stations Stabilisation Programme.” www.atkinsglobal.com/railandmetro

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the rail engineer • July 2013

Haymarket’s tenfold

expansion

S

Original terminus

cotland’s railways are a success story with passenger traffic increasing by 47% in the 15 years up to 2012. Edinburgh’s Haymarket station, however, has been almost too successful. Over the same period the increase has been a massive 138%. Over two million passengers now use the station each year, making it the most congested in Scotland.

When opened in 1842, the station was initially the terminus of the Glasgow and Edinburgh Railway before the line was completed through a tunnel and Princess Street Gardens to what is now Edinburgh Waverley station. Its ticket office is one of the UK’s oldest station buildings but, with the number of passengers now using this small building and the narrow footbridge beyond it, travelling through Haymarket station is not a pleasant experience.

With major developments planned for the area and the opening of a station tram stop next year, things can only get worse. However, Haymarket’s passengers know something big is afoot. The new, large steelwork structure above the station platforms cannot be missed and redevelopment is underway.

The last time the station had a makeover was in 1983 when the current footbridge replaced a smaller one and new platform canopies were installed. Platform 0, on the north side of the station, was provided in 2006 to give some capacity relief during the re-construction of Edinburgh Waverley station (The Rail Engineer issue 26 - December 2006). With its high number of passengers, Haymarket was a priority for the installation of lifts to meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act, despite the pending station improvements. As a result, lifts to the platforms from the footbridge were installed in 2011.

DAVID SHIRRES

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EXISTING FOOTBRIDGE STAIRS & LIFT (TO BE REMOVED)

TEMPORARY STAIRS

Redeveloping Haymarket The redevelopment of the station at Haymarket is part of the Scottish Government’s strategic Edinburgh-Glasgow Improvement Programme or EGIP (as described in The Rail Engineer last month - issue 104).This aims to improve all aspects of the rail service between Scotland’s two largest cities and builds on feasibility studies drawn up by First ScotRail in 2007. With the need for capacity improvements becoming increasingly urgent, the project was taken over by Transport Scotland. A multidiscipline design team was appointed, led by the Halcrow Group as lead consultants with architectural design by IDP Architects and mechanical and electrical engineering support by SVM Glasgow.

With its grade 1 listed booking office, sensitive city location and the adjacent tram works that will provide a stop at the station, this scheme has many stakeholders including the City Council which, according to Network Rail’s project manager, Tom McPake, was very supportive. As a result, the design had a number of iterations. For example, instead of the originally-proposed copper cladding, the planning permission now requires zinc as well as black granite which will be installed by Curtis Moore. The station design also had to account for large crowds attending events at Murrayfield stadium.

The final design provides a new, 2250 square metre concourse linked to and behind the existing station building. 15% of this new concourse will be retail space and passengers will have ten times the current circulating area. Access will be either through the existing building or a new entrance adjacent to the tram stop. Platforms will be served by a new footbridge, around four times wider than the current one with lifts, steps and escalators. Special event stairs will direct crowds to Murrayfield away from the main concourse.

A new 500kVA power supply is being installed by SES Electrical Contractors in the undercroft below the new concourse, alongside the new power supply for the Edinburgh trams. Although this is twice the existing supply, there will also be new energy-saving lighting. The station will incorporate modern passenger information systems, including help pads and the use of screens to eliminate paper signs. Platforms are to be resurfaced using hot rolled asphalt with tactile copes. The canopies are to be replaced and extended to give passengers more space in bad weather, reducing boarding times.

31

Photo: Edinburgh tram project

the rail engineer • July 2013

Ariel view of Haymarket taken in March 2013.

Air filled pillow roof An unusual feature is the ETFE Air Filled Pillow (AFP system) roof provided by Novum Structures. This uses pillows of transparent ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) material filled with dehumidified air from a central air pump which cycles as necessary. It offers the advantages of reduced weight and is sacrificial in the event of an incident. The material has been used at the Beijing Olympics and, closer to home, is currently being installed on the façade of the Scottish Hydro Arena in Glasgow.

The £25 million contract for the station works was awarded to Morgan Sindall in December 2011 and is a target cost contract. Tom McPake explained that a significant factor in the selection process was the proposed construction methodology which included the use of large cranes to lift complete steelwork assemblies into place.

When work started on site in May 2012, amongst the first items of work were temporary station alterations to create space for the new concourse and the undercroft below it. The stairs from the footbridge to Platform 1 were removed and replaced by temporary stairs away from the footbridge. It was also necessary to shorten and

32

the rail engineer • July 2013

infill Platform 0. When the station work is complete this platform will be extended to its original length within the undercroft.

The big lifts The footbridge steelwork was fabricated in two parts in the original station car park by contractor J&D Pierce. Critical to the project programme were the lifts for these two major components. On 17 November 2012, a 1200 ton crane was used for a 150 ton lift between Platforms 4 and 2/3. This was followed by a 110 ton lift on 22 December between Platforms 2/3 and 1 using a 1000 ton crane. During this lift there was only 3 cm between the steelwork and retaining wall. Tom McPake was impressed by the quality of the setting out with the eight legs of the structure landing precisely in position.

The steelwork was lifted with its scaffolding and working deck already in place, an example of building off-site wherever possible to minimise passenger interface and a good example of design for safety. The use of these cranes also required discussions with the Edinburgh tram project as the heavy cranes had to be moved into position across newlylaid tram tracks.

Once the new footbridge steelwork was in place, the steelwork for the concourse above the old car park was erected in situ. Tom advised that the station work involved no disruption to train services as it only required rules of the route possessions. It did involve OLE work with wires through the station being re-hung on the underside of the new building, the provision of two new portals, moving

the return conductor to rail level and the shortening of Platform 0.

Keeping the station operational The project’s main challenge was to keep the station operational, and the key to this was the daily co-ordination meeting between the train operator, the contractor and Network Rail. Tom felt that the “best measure of success was the great working relationship” from these meetings with a one-team approach to avoid passenger disruption. This included measures to minimise passenger interface with all work done above or behind hoardings, ensuring exposed platform areas were put back into public use by the next day, a good traffic management plan for deliveries, co-ordinated movement of hoardings, flyers on trains and the provision of floor walkers to direct passengers when the stairs were re-located on Platform 1.

First ScotRail is involved in the final specification of the facilities to be used by its personnel. The agreed room data sheets include such items as power points, flooring, storage, air conditioning, cash security and customer displays. Tom sees this approach as a model that will be used for forthcoming EGIP station projects at Edinburgh Gateway and Glasgow Queen Street.

Working with the community

First section of the footbridge is lifted into place.

Tom was clearly pleased with the way that the project had worked with the local community. This included visits to the local Dalry Primary School which had been involved

the rail engineer • July 2013

in the placement of a time capsule at the station. The project was also working with homeless charities and was in discussion with Sustrans to ensure that the cycling community’s needs were met. The most visible aspect of this community work is a mural, commissioned by the project, which was subject to this motion in the Scottish Parliament: “That the Parliament congratulates Network Rail on commissioning Gary Mackay, an urban artist, to create what it considers a striking mural at Haymarket Station that depicts key moments in the community’s social, cultural, sporting and artistic history; understands that the mural is part of a Scotland-wide initiative to engage urban artists in order to address unwelcome graffiti; understands that the mural also conceals the ongoing construction work that is aimed at transforming Haymarket

Station into a 21st century transport hub for the city, and believes that Gary’s work might encourage people of all ages to take an interest in their community and its history.�

The work at Haymarket is visibly approaching completion. By July the footbridge and concourse will be weather-tight and the project will have moved to a fitting-out stage.

The new concourse will open to passengers in December, following which finishing works, including removal of the old footbridge and lifts, will continue until April 2014. The lifts will be re-used as part of Transport Scotland’s “Access for All� programme.

experienced by King’s Cross’s passengers last year. The tram works are due to be complete at the end of summer. In December their 1842 station building will continue to welcome them as they pass through into a 21st century station with its new concourse providing ten times the space in a modern station environment.

From 1842 to the 21st century Currently Haymarket’s passengers face not only an over-crowded station inside but also tram works outside. Soon they are in for a well-deserved treat comparable to that

Writer’s Postscript: For me this was a particularly satisfying project on which to report as I was responsible for Haymarket Depot’s 45 ton rail steam crane, built in 1936 for the LMS railway. This was used to lift the current footbridge into position thirty years ago. The lack of hard hats and method statements are just two examples of how this was a very different age!

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34

the rail engineer • July 2013

Manchester Victoria

a key interchange station again!

COLLIN CARR

the rail engineer • July 2013

W

hen talking with colleagues about Victoria Station Manchester, built in 1844, the invariable response is: “That’s the station with the longest platform in the UK, isn’t it?” Which, of course, used to be true. Today, Victoria Station is also the station which, in an independent report commissioned by the Department for Transport carried out in 2009, was voted the worst station in the country. Coupled with that, the station roof, which is a muddle of a design, is in very poor condition, a situation exacerbated by the IRA bomb in 1996 that caused significant damage in the centre of the city.

35

36

the rail engineer • July 2013

So, the image Victoria Station projects today is not very attractive and it is also not in tune with the plans and aspirations of a city like Manchester. However, that is all going to change according to Marcus Barnes, Network Rail’s sponsor for a project to transform the station into a key interchange location for transport in the city.

Unique engineering aspects Developing this scheme has not been easy. To start with, the station is a Grade II listed building and an essential aspect of the proposed scheme requires the removal of the existing station roof to enable increased capacity. For some time now, detailed discussions with both Manchester City Council and English Heritage have been taking place about the removal of the roof. To help the discussions, a detailed heritage survey was commissioned to establish whether there were any unique engineering aspects to the roof that need to be retained and preserved for future generations. Fortunately, none were

found and it was agreed that full demolition would be allowed and full planning and building consent to do this was granted.

New design concepts for the station were developed by Network Rail’s representatives, BDP architects who are based in Manchester.

Apart from the roof there are many other features within the station that do need to be preserved. For example, there is a wonderful Victorian glazed dome situated over a cafe area that is in need of substantial repair.

There is also a very interesting map on white glazed brickwork which displays the old Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway network. The map dominates the booking hall area reminding us how complex the pre-Beeching railway network used to be. Underneath the map is a large bronze WW1 memorial and in another part of the station there is a “soldiers’ gate” which was used by those who were going off to the Continent to fight in the trenches. All these features, plus the booking offices and the Victoria Station buildings and canopy, will be part of the project restoration works.

Additional tramway line Marcus also needed to liaise with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), another key stakeholder, to preserve its operations that pass through the station either side of an island platform. Network Rail had to ensure and reassure TfGM that its services would not be hindered whilst construction work took place. To minimise passenger disruption and for design synergy and cost benefits, a decision was made by TfGM to include in the works an additional new line, island platform, switches and overhead lines. Network Rail will deliver these works on behalf of TfGM. Besides the existing TfGM island platform, Victoria Station has two bay platforms, numbered 1 and 2, and four through platforms (3 to 6) now located under the modern Manchester Arena which was built in 1995.

The Arena has quite a significant impact on the footfall of the station since it can accommodate 21,000 people.

Crowd control measures One of the main exit routes from the Manchester Arena leads onto a stairway situated alongside the main entrance to Platforms 3 to 6 and the existing concourse area. This is not an ideal arrangement and, following detailed discussions with the Arena, a new, much longer footbridge will be constructed that will lead people to the station exit for rail or Metrolink services. This will separate visitors to the Arena from the travelling passenger. Marcus outlined the many issues that had to be resolved before this arrangement for the footbridge was agreed.

He then went on to explain that the Arena complex includes retail outlets, as well as a call centre which employs up to 1,000 people, pointing out that this will represent a considerable challenge on-site and noise will have to be very carefully monitored

the rail engineer • July 2013

throughout the project. To strengthen the need for noise control, across the road from the station is the residential Chetham’s School of Music.

The Co-operative Society, which owns much of the land in the area, intends to build a new 14-storey hotel alongside the station and one must not forget Northern Rail, which has the franchise for managing the station, and the other train operators that use it. In all, Marcus reckons that there are more than 40 different organisations involved in this project - without even mentioning the huge public interest in the consultation process.

Developing the design Richard Davies, Network Rail’s project manager for the scheme, oversees the £31.5 million target cost contract recently granted to Morgan Sindall, the principal contractor. Site manager for Morgan Sindall is Grahame Kirsopp. Both Richard and Grahame explained how the original concepts were developed up to GRIP 3 by Hyder Consulting with architect BDP and then progressed through a competitive tender to design in principle. Morgan Sindall, having won the contract, acquired the services of Hyder Consulting for the finished design.

Richard described how, to help other stakeholders and to gain a better understanding of cost and programming, they were developing a five-dimensional perspective Building Information Model (BIM). This is essentially a three-dimensional model with the cost and programme aligned to it, offering greater visibility of the build process. This is a new approach for both Network Rail and Morgan Sindall. The opportunity to visualise exactly what is to be built has enhanced their ability to adopt a coordinated design approach as well as to identify the preferred and most efficient sequence of building.

A short while ago, the first phase of scaffolding was in place, ready to start the demolition of the existing roof. Morgan Sindall has brought in Crossway Scaffolding (Elland) group to supply and erect the scaffold using a new lightweight system provided by a Dutch company, Van Thiel.

One advantage of this system is that there are fewer loose components, thus reducing the risk to the public passing underneath. It is also more efficient to erect than conventional scaffolding since construction takes less time and is achieved using less manpower.

The plan is to have the old roof removed by the autumn of this year.

Meanwhile, a network of continuous flight auger (CFA) piles will be driven and, where headroom is tight, grout piles will be used. This is in preparation for the next stage which is for fifteen steel box-girder rib units, fabricated by Severfield-Watson Structures Ltd, to be erected.

The largest of these units is 120 metres long and the intention is to lift all the box girders into place as complete units. However, the crane will have to be positioned over a seven metre diameter tunnel that carries the River Irk under the station area. This is one of the many occasions when the 5D modelling will become invaluable to Grahame and his team.

37

Better than glass Lateral steel bracing will be fitted to stabilise the ribbed units. This will form a framework designed to support cushioned clear light reflecting panels using a material known as ETFE (ethylene tetraflouroethylene), the material used on the Eden project in Cornwall and Piccadilly Station in Manchester. ETFE is lighter than glass; it is also cheaper as well as safer. The manufacturers also claim that it lets in more light than glass.

It will certainly make the station brighter and more inviting to pass through or visit.

Given that this is Manchester, it would be remiss not to mention drainage. The rain water, if there ever is any in Manchester, will be directed down the new roof away from the station building and into new attenuation tanks designed to control release of rain water into the existing drainage systems.

Whilst this work is in progress, the new footbridge will be constructed from the Arena entrance to the far end of the concourse and an existing footbridge, spanning Platforms 3 to 6, will have an additional staircase added. External work to the station buildings will also be underway, as will work to restore the railway network map and war memorials with completion planned for late 2014.

Bring out the bodies All this work is expected to take place whilst Network Rail continues to provide a 24-hour service maintaining the main line station, Metrolink tramway and the Manchester Arena activities.

However, there is another group that hasn’t yet been mentioned - the bodies. The station is built on an early nineteenth-century paupers’ graveyard. In 2010, Richard worked there reconstructing Platforms 1 and 2 which is when they started to uncover skeletal remains. So, this time they are prepared and they are being supported by SLR Archaeology Consultants. The intention is to move any remains to Southern Cemetery. It is just another not-insignificant issue that will have to be managed very carefully.

So it is early days. The funding is extremely complex, as is the location, and the engineering challenges are interesting. Nevertheless, the expectation is that Victoria Station will be returned from being a rundown backwater station to one that forms an integral part of a revitalised rail network on the north side of Manchester. This includes electrification of the routes to Liverpool and Preston and over the Pennines to Leeds. In addition, the major recast of rail services across Manchester proposed under the Northern Hub scheme will see Victoria once again accommodate the main east-west Transpennine Express services between Liverpool and Yorkshire and additional services on other lines north of the city.

Updating this station will transform it into an important modern transport hub capable of dealing with the expected increase in passenger throughput to over 13 million people per annum, thus providing an essential service to the transport system of this very important city.

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the rail engineer • July 2013

Recycling a roof The redevelopment of London Bridge station forms part of the Thameslink programme. It is a £600 million, five year long (running to 2018) refurbishment programme aiming to successfully redevelop one of London’s most historic and busy stations. The project is being led by main contractor Costain and Network Rail.

Leading scaffolding contractor XERVON Palmers is in the final stages of a 14-month contract worth around £20 million to deconstruct the train shed roof at the historic station, opening up the station to the sky for the first time in over 100 years.

Crucially, the contract has been completed without the use of major cranes and with all railway operations continuing as normal. The station was still capable of serving its 100,000+ passengers per day and there was no disruption to traffic in the surrounding streets.

Down onto the deck The huge project included creating a structurallysupportive 18,000 square metre protection deck running the full 70 metres across the station.

This incorporated some 10,000 aluminium special access panels, 350 tonnes of temporary steel and a secondary mobile access.

XERVON Palmers’ contract included the safe removal and recycling of the dilapidated, historic, crescent-shaped train shed roof and the creation of a mobile access walkway in the side roofs to remove the roof cladding (with a bespoke access in the central barrel of the site with integral support beams). More than 1,200 tons of steel was removed (all by hand) along with asbestos, polished reinforced glass and rare heritage pre-1880 wrought iron.

The deconstruction sequence ensured that, when each piece was removed, the remaining structure was compliant with the

detailed loadings allowed. Each piece was manually removed from site via loading paths created within the protection deck. A great deal of effort went into planning and coordinating the works, managing the logistics and transport to remove and safely dispose of the waste.

The vast London Bridge project adds to XERVON Palmers’ extensive transport scaffolding and access CV, with recent jobs including St. Pancras, Paddington, Waterloo, Waverley and King’s Cross in addition to works on the iconic Forth and Tay bridges.

On reflection “This has been an exciting and challenging task,” said Ian McFarlane, director for business and project development at XERVON Palmers. “The creation of the protection deck has allowed work above to continue whilst the station operates as normally as possible at ground level. Thanks to our design and execution, commuters would know nothing of the comprehensive work plan which allowed the roof to be deconstructed into manageable sizes and weights. We used all of our experiences from the past to develop this excellent, expert solution.”

David Crabtree, who headed the XERVON Palmers team

throughout the London Bridge project, said: “We’re coming to the end of a huge 14-month scaffolding and access job. The design provided has delivered a safe, cost effective, viable and onbudget and on-schedule solution for the whole project - allowing railway and passenger movements to continue as normal.

“The protection deck was a major design solution, created to fit in with Network Rail’s health and safety regulations. As such, before construction began, we carried out extensive drop testing in the design process on a test rig - to prove to Network Rail and Costain the integrity of our protection deck design.

“And it has proved to be an extremely safe and successful set-up - as well as simultaneously providing lateral restraint for the two external walls of the station structure, with a 70-metre tied and braced system, putting loads back into the protection deck with a bracing plane throughout the works.

“It’s been a big, rewarding and successful job for XERVON Palmers, showcasing the depth of talent in the company and our ability to take on complicated jobs like this, on sites of historical importance and at busy operational centres, with the minimum of disruption.”

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the rail engineer • July 2013

Elementary,

My Dear Watson

L

ondon Underground is currently celebrating its 150th anniversary since steam trains first trundled down the line back in 1863. One of the original stations that opened on that first line was Baker Street. Currently handling over 27 million customers through the entry and exit gates each year, the station connects five lines - the Bakerloo, Circle, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee and Metropolitan lines - across ten platforms.

While modern electrical systems generally consume less power than earlier equivalents, there are just so many more of them these days that power consumption has increased.

More lights, ventilators, lifts, escalators, CCTV, signalling, public address, fire alarms, smoke detectors, and even Wi-Fi at some stations - it all adds up. And eventually the existing power supply will fail to cope.

More power, higher performance So now, Baker Street is receiving a welldeserved electrical upgrade. The Rail Engineer caught up with Martin Robertson, project manager for McNicholas, to take a look at what’s going on at Baker Street from an electrical point of view.

Over the last 5 years, McNicholas has been working with TfL on other station upgrade projects; Vauxhall, Stockwell, and Bank amongst others. In addition, the company is involved in the diversion of multi-utilities -

gas, water, power and telecoms - associated with the new Crossrail stations at Bond Street, Farringdon, Liverpool Street and Whitechapel.

McNicholas has been contracted to design, build, test and commission new electrical assets which have been identified by London Underground as being in need of upgrade or renewal. This will improve the overall performance of the systems and ensure the systems are sustainable for the foreseeable future.

New replacement low voltage distribution panels will distribute the power to a large number of safety critical assets throughout the station, ensuring the station remains operational each and every day.

Shine a light LED lighting will be commissioned throughout the station to improve lighting levels whilst also increasing efficiency leading

to a reduction in energy consumption. There are over 1,000 lights to be replaced with the old ones being carefully removed and disposed of in accordance with regulations.

Manufacturers suggest that LED lights are about five times more efficient than traditional fluorescent lighting plus they offer an increased lifespan, reducing the amount of maintenance required.

There are significant quantities of these lights in awkward-to-access locations. With just four hours of work time available each night, McNicholas has engaged with specialist access companies to supply bespoke equipment for use on the track.

New power supplies mean new cables, and cable management systems have been developed which not only separate and protect the supplies but also are sympathetic to the station’s Grade II listed status.

The complexity of the project has necessitated meticulous planning. This can’t

the rail engineer • July 2013

be done in isolation as there are a number of other contractors on site, undertaking upgrade works such as new platform surfaces, canopies and station signage as well as new mechanical and telecommunications systems. All have an impact on the planning of the electrical works so McNicholas has to liaise and co-ordinate its works with both London Underground and the other contractors.

All in all, it is a very complicated project which will last until August 2014. Knowing that half a million people a day are depending on having the station opened, lit, escalators working, CCTV functioning and barrier gates opening for Oyster cards places an undoubted pressure on the team. However, when asked, Martin simply responded by saying: “As long as we stick to the plan, it’s elementary, my dear Watson.”

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the rail engineer • July 2013

MAIN PHOTO: FOUR BY THREE INSET PHOTOS: NETWORK RAIL

How grit and determination has driven the railway’s recovery from the Hatfield Colliery landslip, bringing its reopening ahead of expectations.

the rail engineer • July 2013

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GRAEME BICKERDIKE

Upheaval!

C

ollieries and railways, in their various forms, have a long history of happy coexistence. Wooden wagonways were commonly carrying minerals to river wharves back in the 17th century. As new coal mines appeared in the landscape, tracks were soon laid to serve them. And their produce did of course power the railway’s locomotives throughout the steam age, ever since Salamanca’s first outing at Middleton pit in 1812.

As a child of West Yorkshire, I grew up accustomed to a skyline broken by pit headgear and t’slag ’eaps. How times have changed. Given the prevailing health and safety culture, it seems inconceivable today that colliery tips were entirely unregulated until 100,000 tons of slurry slid down a valley side to consume fog-

bound Aberfan on 21 October 1966. Lost that morning in South Wales were 144 lives, most of them school children.

The formal inquiry pulled no punches. Underlying the tragedy was “a terrifying tale of bungling ineptitude” on the National Coal Board’s part: it had no tipping policy in place and offered no guidance

the rail engineer • July 2013

to its workforce on how spoil should be managed. Despite previous slips in 1944 and 1963, evidence of which were clear on the hillside, the tips at Aberfan were not routinely inspected. Legislation bolted the stable door in 1969, courtesy of the Mines and Quarries (Tips) Act. Railways have never claimed immunity from mining’s impact. The route through Bolsover’s notorious tunnel had to be singled, with the track slewed onto its centreline, after subsidence and distortion caused by local coal workings. Finally abandoned in December 1951, it then suffered the ignominy of being backfilled with 150,000 cubic yards of colliery waste. Annesley and Clifton Hall tunnels were similarly treated. More recently, however, mining had not imposed any significant operational constraints on the railway until the events at Stainforth, South Yorkshire, in February this year.

The earth moves During the First World War, Hatfield Colliery established itself alongside the line linking Doncaster with Goole and Scunthorpe via Thorne Junction - a four-track route now used daily by First TransPennine Express, Northern Rail and about 140 freight trains serving

power stations, steel works, waste plants and assorted petrochemical facilities. By volume, about 20% of the UK’s rail freight passes along this corridor. Under British Coal’s ownership, the pit closed in 1993 but it has since witnessed several reincarnations, the latest coming in 2007. Hargreaves Services runs the current operation.

No problems had been recorded with the section of track running past the colliery for about 20 years. But on Saturday 9 February, routine inspections identified a track defect on the Up Slow, nearest the pit. This coincided with a driver reporting a rough ride. Remedial lifting and packing failed to resolve this and more reports came in the following day.

Overnight Monday into Tuesday, the track was moving at a rate of 1mm per hour; tension in the rails was increasing audibly. By 7am on Tuesday 12 February all lines had been closed.

Driving this movement was a failure of the adjacent spoil heap. By the time it had stabilised, more than a week later, four running lines and a siding were displaced by as much as five metres vertically and rwenty metres horizontally over a distance of 300 metres. Forming the slip was excavated mudstone waste, known as coarse discard, as well as slurry-like MRF (multi-roll filter),

with 40% moisture content, produced during the washing and reclamation of coal fines.

The role of the coarse discard was to support a 20-metre deep cell of MRF - some 200,000 cubic metres of it - but the slip had allowed this to shift towards the railway. Potentially dynamic conditions created by fractures in the heap prompted a period of apparent inactivity.

With surveys impossible on foot, remotely controlled drones flew over to confirm the heap had stopped moving.

The vast muck shift - powered by a hastily sourced collection of excavators and dumpers - will continue for many months.

PHOTOS: FOUR BY THREE

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the rail engineer • July 2013

S T A I N F O R T H

SPOIL HEAP

INITIAL TIP SITE

BUND

MRF CELL INITIAL TIP SITE

ACQUIRED TIP SITE

COLLIERY BUILDINGS

LIP LANDS

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HATFIELD & STAINFORTH STATION

BRID LEW A

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HAU

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IN/

SPOIL HEAP

BUND

BRI

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TO THORNE

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CO

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COUNCIL WASTE RECYCLING CENTRE

Spinning plates But much was going on behind the scenes as Arup developed the design solution. This featured three distinct elements: stabilisation of the heap, reinstatement of the railway and the subsequent protection of the live lines.

Stabilisation has involved a vast muck-shifting exercise which will ultimately encompass around one million cubic metres of material.

Taking the tip back to a gentle slope involves complex and careful sequencing, all within the weather’s influence. Charlie Chell, Network Rail’s senior construction manager and a seasoned railway firefighter, had many a sleepless night listening to the rain thumping on his roof.

“Not good.” Favours have been called in to secure sufficient plant - high-capacity excavators and dumpers, with competent operators at a time of year when such resources are hard to come by.

Relocating the MRF cell was an early priority as this was still contained by the landslip, thus preventing clearance of the railway alignment. An opportunity was identified in a valley between the colliery’s two main heaps - the intention being to erect bunds at either end and then infill it with the slurry.

As well as inevitable ecological concerns, two constraints emerged here in the form of a public bridleway and water main - the only supply into the adjacent village of Stainforth. Apart from comprising a concrete asbestos spun pipe, little else was known about it: condition, depth, location. Once found, it was initially sleeved before a permanent diversion was laid around the site’s eastern end. The bridleway will follow a similar path when it reopens.

Early on, bunded areas close to the village received around 200,000 cubic metres of material, a process that advanced more rapidly than expected thanks to decent weather making the MRF less fluid. Space within these tips soon became restricted so they started backfilling the haul roads.

But still to be dealt with was an even larger quantity of spoil, upwards of 300,000 cubic metres. Its new home would be across the road in fields for which the colliery had already been granted outline planning permission. These were acquired, the topsoil removed to form a sound barrier and an aquifer capped to prevent groundwater pollution. A three-quarter mile haul road has been established alongside the

N

500m

An area of farmland (shaded orange, top right), for which outline planning permission had previously been obtained, will receive most of the redistributed spoil.

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the rail engineer • July 2013

railway, passing beneath two bridges, to access this area without disrupting the highway. 60-tonne laden dumpers process perpetually to and fro, and will continue so doing for at least another 12 months.

Convention dictates inclusion of a few words here about the collaborative approach taken by all those involved. But this has been a project with tensions, perhaps understandably given the circumstances that have thrown the parties together. Forging progress where it’s really been needed has involved a relentless push push push. “It’s two separate worlds meeting,” asserts the aptly named Tony Heap, Network Rail’s project engineer.

Ground investigators were brought in to support the team in challenging the colliery’s restrictions on railside activity. Incremental benefits ensued, resulting in the railway being largely cleared of debris, piecemeal fashion, ahead of the time programmed for actually starting that work. “At every opportunity, we’ve been looking to take seconds off,” insists Charlie.

Road to recovery

The colliery power line (far left), with one displaced pylon, overlooks a remarkable scene of industry.

So July will see the railway fully operational again, the substantive work to reinstate it having begun in midJune. Amco is acting as civils contractor (see page 48) whilst the track, signalling and telecoms work is being fulfilled by Babcock. Although only 300 metres of track were damaged, around 500 metres are having to be replaced as a result of the design solution and adjacent S&C. Despite everything going back like-for-like, service reintroduction will be phased due to issues surrounding route learning.

Discounted at an early stage was a diversion of the tracks to the south through Doncaster Council’s household waste recycling centre, separated from the railway by a power line to the colliery. Also ruled out due to time constraints and geological/groundwater implications was a piling solution.

Instead a 500mm sump has been formed using granular Type B material on a reinforcement geotextile, extending 10 metres beyond the slip zone in both

directions. Associated with this is a 300mm toe drain, installed prior to the main dig to assist with drainage.

This lies below the Down cess and empties into the colliery ditches. A floating raft is then being constructed, keyed back into the existing formation by means of 20-metre transition ramps. Comprising it are a geogrid base and a layer of Type 1 stone, falling towards the Down side at a gradient of 1:50. 300mm of ballast then sits on top of it.

The muck shift will continue for months beyond the railway’s reopening, demanding a set of robust protection measures to prevent any incursions from the haul road. There’s also a highways interface at the bridges. Rail and colliery operations rarely come into such proximity, imposing particular challenges for the team which has had to draw down on mining & quarrying, CDM (construction design and management) and highways regulations to develop an approach that’s fit for purpose. So going in on a foundation strip is 1km of concrete L-units with engineered fill at the back, providing a minimum 1.5 metre barrier between trains and dumpers. The bridges have concrete slabs beneath them to maintain levels whilst four A-frames will provide solid impact protection.

As you’d expect, ground monitoring continued throughout the recovery works and a LiDAR was undertaken across the site to produce a plot of all levels.

Inclinometers, taken out for the railway reinstatement phase, will go back in until the muck shift is completed.

The flank protection will also be monitored.

Underlying cause All of which leaves an elephant in the room: what triggered the slip? With legal action pending to recover what it describes as “multi-million pound” costs, Network Rail is unable to comment. But notwithstanding any unique local factors, only three basic actions will affect a tip’s stability according to Paul Nathanail, Professor of Engineering Geology at the University of Nottingham: taking support from the toe, adding load at the top, or introducing water.

Whilst there is no evidence that material had been removed, this was certainly an active tip and the winter had been wet. In which case, what’s happened here was effectively a rebalancing as the load on the tip increased and overcame the resistive forces of looser natural ground above a sandstone layer 7 metres below track level. This shifted along a plane of weakness, perhaps exacerbated by the high groundwater. The slip’s toe started to daylight after passing beneath the tracks and adjacent power line, causing one of the pylons to lean back towards the railway. “The ground moves because it’s unstable and tries to find equilibrium,” Paul contends. “Then it stops of its own accord. It can find that equilibrium either because, in moving, it releases water pressure or, as the tip’s geometry changes, the toe eventually becomes able to support the weight of whatever is driving it.”

Courage and conviction Industry firsts are rare occurrences. Stainforth was one such, certainly within living memory. Just days after the slip, Network Rail’s mining team had performed its

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PHOTOS: FOUR BY THREE

the rail engineer • July 2013

own surveys of similarly-built structures to reassure the industry that no repetition was likely elsewhere. Once is obviously enough.

Whilst the impact on customers of five months’ service disruption shouldn’t be underestimated, recovery from this event had the undoubted potential to drag on into the far distance, just as the muck shifting will. With trains about to start running again rather against the odds, we must doff our hardhats in the direction of the project leaders whose willingness to bring their steel toe caps into the negotiating room paid real dividends.

There is a broader lesson here: if you know you’re right, don’t take no for an answer.

(Top) A bench was formed to create space for the formation dig.

(Inset) Water from the sump will reach the colliery ditches via a toe drain beneath the Down cess.

PHOTO: FOUR BY THREE

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the rail engineer • July 2013

Understanding

Hatfield O

ne of the contractors most intimately involved with the situation at Hatfield/ Stainforth was AMCO. The company has provided a 24/7 emergency call-out service for Network Rail for many years so was one of the first to be contacted. During the afternoon of 11 February, its emergency response team strove to understand the emerging events that were occurring on the railway line by the side of Hatfield Colliery.

Initially, it was thought that that the track was suffering from a depression, brought about by potential shallow mine workings under the track, although this theory was quickly dismissed.

Investigations It was vital to understand what was happening, so a suite of site investigations was undertaken to determine the answer.

Within a couple of hours, road-rail vehicles, drill rigs and compressors were mobilised to site.

The site investigation comprised a mixture of the following: »» Cone penetration tests »» Cable percussion boreholes »» Window sample and inclinometer installations »» Rotary cores Experts from consultants such as Pell Frischmann, Donaldson and Halcrow were drafted in to help. Their knowledge of ground investigation, slope stability and spoil heap construction proved valuable in the search for answers.

As the tracks continued to bend and buckle it was no longer safe to be near the slip. In the quest to measure the movement and provide a benchmark, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) were deployed to carry out detailed topographical surveys, linked to GPS, and to

take high quality photographs. These surveys still continue as they are a reliable method of measuring the volume of material that has been removed.

Due to the approach of the bird nesting season it was necessary to remove the vegetation along both sides of the railway line.

Within one week, 2,000 metres of vegetation were removed to prevent delays due to nesting birds.

Starting once it stopped Gradually, movement of the slip slowed down and eventually stopped. This provided the opportunity to remove the bent and twisted wreckage that was formally a four-track railway line. Track panels were flame cut and removed to a stockpile area, from where the panels were split into the component parts of rails, sleepers and accessories and loaded onto a train for removal off site.

The haul routes to remove the spoil were decided. These highlighted the need for bridge protection measures to prevent the 40-tonne Volvo Dump Trucks colliding with the delicate steel lattice piers of two overbridges.

Precast concrete L-Units were installed on a reinforced concrete foundation going through the structures and height restriction barriers installed. These bridge protection measures were designed to guide the drivers through the structures without risk to the infrastructure.

Other protection measures were identified to separate moving plant from the railway.

While all this was going on, AMCO also installed 500 metres of new cess drainage and a new buried cable route through which were pulled the new cables for signalling and telecoms.

As the target date for opening the railway draws ever closer (a limited service is planned from 8 July), it is worth reflecting on just how much has been accomplished, accident-free, since 11 February. Work will continue, however, as the teams from AMCO, Network Rail and others strive to have the railway fully restored as quickly and safely as possible.

the rail engineer • July 2013

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G

auging has advanced rapidly in recent years from a process where vehicle gauges and structure gauges were simply profiles that must not be exceeded.

Most British rolling stock is now gauged ‘absolutely’; the swept envelope of the vehicle is modelled by computer and compared with a profile measurement of the infrastructure considering the operating conditions at the particular location, for all structures along a route. The space between the vehicle envelope and the structure is known as the clearance, and must be at least as large as that required by Railway Group Standards. As a result of using these advanced techniques, it is possible to run larger trains than the rail network was originally designed for.

DR DAVID M JOHNSON DIRECTOR, DGAUGE LTD

Predictive and Probabilistic Gauging

the shoehorn effect

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the rail engineer • July 2013

This is because traditional vehicle gauges require the gauge line to include an allowance for the maximum vehicle suspension travel which would normally occur at maximum speed and cant deficiency. Even if a vehicle is operating at maximum speed, operating at the extreme of cant deficiency only occurs at relatively few locations. On straight track the amount of the maximum swept envelope occupied by the vehicle is quite small.

Absolute gauging develops a swept envelope appropriate to local operating conditions and in the case of straight track would be smaller than that on a curve. Accordingly, the hole required for the train to pass would be smaller.

Traditional gauging methods Such calculations originate from handcalculation methods developed in the 1980s to enable the introduction of rolling stock with air suspension (which have greater suspension movement than metal-sprung vehicles) onto routes that had insufficient indicated space when tested by the traditional gauging methods. BASS501, produced by British Rail, was a seminal document which defined a method that considered both the effect of curving forces and movements associated with the vehicle travelling over imperfect track.

More recently, dynamic simulations using VAMPIRE® software allow even more realistic modelling.

Today, gauging calculations can only be undertaken using gauging software which is used to compare detailed profiles of the vehicle with the infrastructure through which it passes. In Great Britain, ClearRoute™ software has been used for many years to perform such calculations to great effect and its introduction in the 1990s provided the opportunity to assess the true capability of the railway network and allow the introduction of trains such as Pendolinos and 9’6” container traffic.

Conservatism in the calculations However, when (Network Rail’s) National Gauging Database was introduced, it became clear that some rolling stock was running in locations where clearances were indicated to

the rail engineer • Junly 2013

be sub-standard or foul. The accident-free history of the running of such rolling stock indicated that this was not likely to be a true clearance issue, but one of conservatism in the calculations. More detailed examination revealed the origin of such conservatism as being in the tolerances that are routinely applied as part of the gauging process.

Whilst simulation provides a good indicator of vehicle movement under various track conditions, the vehicle / infrastructure relationship is by no means a reflection of the title ‘permanent way’. Track moves over time, rails and wheels wear, suspension parameters change and loading conditions vary – all of which affect the clearance between a train and a structure. To accommodate such variations, tolerances are included to ensure that indicated clearances are ‘worst case’. These tolerances are applied additively and in the ‘worst’ direction. At the top of a typical vehicle, such tolerances may amount to 70mm. In practice, this means that if a true clearance of 100mm exists, simulation could indicate 30mm clearance and much effort would be applied to maintain a regime of special reduced clearances.

Unlikely aggregation of tolerances Aside from such analysis indicating that trains may be unable to pass infrastructure, the more general view is that we are providing clearance beyond that required to accommodate rare events that might happen simultaneously. We are considering, for example, that track might be at one extreme of its positional tolerance, at the same time as installed cant, wheel wear and maximum sway also align in the same direction. If we are considering passing clearances, we must also assume that adjacent tracks are forced towards each other, albeit with a small allowance to reduce the conservatism that this introduces. Such aggregation of tolerances is, at best, unlikely.

However, the concept of ‘unlikely’ does not sit well in our railway world and particularly when it comes to determining whether a train will strike the infrastructure. But whether we like it or not, likelihood is a reality because we are dealing with statistically derived parameters yet deluding ourselves that they are absolutes.

We must provide 100mm clearance, period.

Uncertainty analysis Other engineering disciplines have taken a more enlightened approach and considered the probabilities of an event occurring.

These industries are not benign – nuclear, aviation, aerospace, automotive, etc. The consequences of risk in these industries is equally, if not more, serious than in our own.

And even if we do not recognise it, in gauging we are using statistical measures in our calculations. Specifically, we apply a maximum suspension movement of the vehicle. Such is the dependency of this factor on, say, track irregularities that might develop, it is extremely difficult to provide a reasonable value of movement that would not be exceeded. However, in recognition of this, the statistical measure of maximum movement being the mean movement (due to curving forces) plus 2.12 standard deviations is used.

Thus, we would expect a vehicle to exceed this movement envelope in approximately 3% of situations (it is not a ‘normal’ distribution). And yet we use this value, add the tolerances, and check that we have met a 100mm clearance, precisely.

In recent years, this approach has been questioned. RSSB commissioned two research projects (T373 – “Uncertainty in Structure Gauging” and T670 – “Investigation of the accumulative effect of vehicle tolerances on gauging”), which specifically investigated the potential of ‘uncertainty analysis‘ as a means to aggregate tolerances and allowances in a statistically valid manner. The process of uncertainty analysis considers how individual tolerances many vary, and how they are aggregated as part of a system.

Some parameters affect the swept envelope of a vehicle directly; others act to change the dynamic behaviour of the vehicle, with a different effect on its swept envelope.

If we consider each parameter, and there may be many, we can look at the probability distribution of its likely magnitude. Some may linearly relate to component life (for example radial wheel wear), others may relate to a ‘normal’ distribution (for example build tolerances). Others may possess unique distributions (such as the movement generated from track irregularities). There is no simple way of evaluating the statistical

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aggregation of such a diverse range of parameters, particularly when some affect the system directly and others affect it indirectly.

Greater understanding of railway gauging As part of an academic exercise, the author constructed a sophisticated gauge modelling platform based upon best practice in modelling the various component subsystems that comprise the gauging system. These included models for structure, track, rail, wheel, bogie and body with new models developed for pantographs and the overhead line electrification (OLE) system. Rather than use a conventional ‘rule’ based approach to gauging, the platform is intrinsically linked to a ‘Monte Carlo’ event generator which can generate ‘events’ where all tolerances are within their prescribed bounds, and which occur within their own probability distribution.

Coupled with rapid calculation of clearances it is possible, for example, to undertake 10,000 or more simulations and quickly generate a composite probability distribution of the resultant clearances that would occur over this representative lifetime.

For example, the results of such a simulation for Liverpool Street Platform 12 indicate that although tight, only extreme events would lead to a foul clearance developing. By managing such extreme events, there would be no need to reach for the angle grinder and remove another section of the passenger / train interface.

The ‘academic exercise’ has now been developed into a more robust software system, known as PhX rail™, which is accredited by Network Rail. It is in regular use providing a much greater understanding of railway gauging, and releasing a further tranche of space in our infrastructure that is reducing the cost of electrification and new train introduction or cascade.

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the rail engineer • July 2013

This new device is the GG-05. It is a lightweight (17kg), rugged, alloy-constructed, active TMD that is highly portable with quick and easy assembly at the track side. The unit is also easily transported in a supplied roof rack and soft padded bags with only one person needed to manually assemble it without tools.

The Topcon GG-05 uses remote data logging, transferring the track data - including cant, gauge and chainage - to all the available data ports (Bluetooth, radio and serial) simultaneously and continuously, meaning that it can be used in three modes depending on the application that the user requires.

Easy track measurement W

ith expenditure on the railway network being closely controlled, and budgets being squeezed, there is a drive to make equipment of all types do more for less money.

In response to this, Topcon has developed a new Track Measurement Device (TMD).

The aim was to produce a competitive, highly accurate, easy to use, lightweight and costaccessible device for all common tasks on track associated with the determination of geometric parameters.

Track Geometry The first mode is ‘Relative Measurement for Checking Track Geometry’. This requires that the GG-05 issued with either a Topcon FC-25A or FC-236 logger running TMD CE software. In this mode of measurement, the TMD records cant, gauge and chainage and transfers these values, via a Bluetooth connection, to a data logger. Results are displayed in the TMD CE software and can be recorded to a text file format.

This data collection method can be automated with the user determining the data collection interval in meters within the TMD CE software or it can be manually carried out by selecting the ‘record’ button on the screen of the Topcon logger. Calibration can also be carried out directly on the TMD.

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Simon Crowhen Rail/Geomatics Product Manager simon.crowhen@topconsokkia.co.uk 07710 858417

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the rail engineer • July 2013

Absolute kinematic The second method of measurement for the TMD is Absolute Kinematic. This can be used to assist with the re-alignment and maintenance of existing rail track, positioning and checking new track and making distance measurements. The items required for this measurement mode are a GG-05 Rail TMD, Topcon robotic total station, 360º prism, RailSURV software on the total station and Rail+ PC software.

This method uses a robotic total station to track the 360° prism mounted on the TMD. Cant and gauge are continuously transferred back to the robotic total station. The data is synchronised, recorded and stored remotely in the robotic total station using the on board RailSURV software. Measurement intervals are determined by time in seconds by the user. This means that the data is automatically recorded without the need to halt the TMD. In the offline mode, the collected synchronised data would be processed in the Rail+ PC software to create absolute positions along the track axis/centreline to be processed against an existing design.

The results can be used to calculate lifting and sluing values that can be exported out to tamping machines in industry standard formats as well as producing graphical drawings of the vertical and horizontal differences of the track to the design.

Once the TMD has come to a stop, the total station records the prism position. The data that is collected in this way can be processed in Rail+ software in the same off-line method mentioned above and is the most accurate method of recording the track axis/centreline positions.

This method also gives the user the opportunity to work in the online mode of the Rail+ software when used with a ruggedised PC mounted onto the TMD. In this online method the data from the total station is combined with the track data at the TMD and transferred to the computer via Bluetooth. The appropriate design is imported into the Rail+ software and differences from the track are calculated and

displayed in situ while the TMD is on the track. Once again this information can also be exported in industry standard formats for tamping machines.

Additional benefits

Stop and go The third and final method of data collection for the TMD is the ‘Absolute Stop and Go’ method. This requires the same kit as the Kinematic method and has the robotic total station tracking the TMD as above. However, this method requires the operator to stop the movement of the TMD along the track at pre-determined intervals (in meters) for the robotic total station to take more accurate positions to the 360° prism. These metered intervals are determined by the odometer wheel of the TMD which emits a loud beep to indicate when the desired meterage has been reached.

One of the many benefits of the GG-05 TMD is the unique integration of the odometer and spring-loaded gauge sensor into a fully isolated unit to stop signal transfers between the left and right rail. The spring-loaded nature of the gauge sensor means that the flange of the rail wheel fits into the correct position against the running edge of the track automatically. The TMD operator is not required to

lock the unit into place manually so that the TMD can be taken on and off track easily and quickly by only one person.

In addition, the GG-05 has a fully integrated control unit that contains the central processor of the TMD, a dual-axis inclinometer (for cant measurement), spread spectrum radio, Bluetooth, battery and antenna, all in one housing. Externally, the GG-05 has only a power button and serial port for simplicity of use.

The GG-05 is a worthy addition to Topcon’s range of precise satellite positioning products and software solutions for surveying and civil engineering, earthworks and rail construction.

the rail engineer • July 2013

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Office-based surveying A

ccessing a new work site can be an expensive, and certainly time-consuming, undertaking. Arranging access, travelling to site, organising safe systems of work, line closures and speed restrictions all play a part, not to mention the weather! Now, however, much of this can be done from the safety and comfort of an office desk.

file. This displays the signalling and track data according to geographical position with overlaid Ordnance Survey topography and aerial imagery.

The geographic file is the centre-pin of the ISP-Scheme as this is the file into which all surveyed data is imported and from which all layout plans are generated. The imported files contain data for track centre lines, track connection, datum points, point nodes and the assets. The ISP-Scheme then converts the geographic data into a more familiar schematic or “as-is” layout that depicts the track and signalling layout with sections scaled according to the user requirements and is linked to the static imagery associated with the assets.

Richard Cooper of the Swindon signalling design group said of the method; “This new method of producing signalling plans is accurate, with digital images and position data readily available at the touch of a button and easily shared with other disciplines.”

In the can Over the last 15 years, Omnicom Engineering Limited has developed its video surveying and asset management software, OmniSurveyor3D, to bring the network to the desktop. Widely used across Network Rail project teams, it has been used at every stage of project planning. Contractors have seen benefits during the bidding process as the expense of initial site visits is kept to a minimum and they have accurate data on which to make decisions.

Positions and dimensions OmniSurveyor3D allows users to identify accurately the geographical and linear positions and dimensions of assets which are automatically assigned a unique ID. This information can be incorporated into a comprehensive geospatial database of assets with the ability to include condition/inspection information. Details can be exported to assist with engineering reports and data gathering exercises.

At its most basic level, the software can be used to identify and understand the assets of a route and the surrounding environment.

Height profile data can be interrogated for the creation of gradient information. Site reports and images relating to any asset can be added to the database. When the time comes for site

visits, inbuilt aerial imagery combined with access points within the database allows for access route planning.

Experienced operators can use a further array of tools to make life easier.

Measurements can be taken between two points in three dimensions to an accuracy of a few centimetres and giving both direct distance and track distance. This can be used to display lineside measurements, signal distances, level crossing widths, bridge height/ length and the like. The signal sighting tool can be used to check driver’s line of sight to a signal. Also, with a bank of virtual asset and object models, OmniSurveyor3D enables users to overlay and manipulate objects for signal planning/sighting, new track layouts and station builds. Third-party imagery and data can be imported, and the software can also be used for office-based driver route learning.

Signalling design Network Rail’s signalling design group used OmniSurveyor3D and it was an integral part of the Swindon team’s production of base signalling plans and scheme plans for the two modular signalling trial routes, Ely to Norwich and Shrewsbury to Crewe. Importing data into the Intelligent Scheme Plan (ISPScheme) software produces a geographic

Several major projects have been surveyed recently, including Crossrail, Birmingham New Street, the Great Western main line and the Northern Hub. All of these have HD video data with assets and the majority have been used with the ISP-Scheme.

The vehicle-mounted recording system allows for surveys to be carried out using the Network Rail Track Recording Unit, a converted Class 150 DMU, within normal timetables and at line speed to reduce disruption to services. With its configurable camera set-up, the system can be adapted to meet specific user requirements including capturing CESS, overhead line or bridge detail. Positional information is recorded using military grade inertial measurement systems and GPS. Surveys are currently carried out on a Network Rail project-by-project basis but, historically, the entire network was surveyed on a rotational basis so data is available for over 90% of the mainline network.

Omnicom was founded in 1995 and set out to centralise the national network asset information, making the data readily available to those who needed it. Since then, the company has built up a reputation for using the latest technologies to provide pioneering solutions that match clients’ unique business requirements. www.omnicomengineering.co.uk

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the rail engineer • July 2013

COLLIN CARR

Power upgrade – growing the resource

O

ver recent months there have been numerous announcements declaring the Government’s commitment to invest in a programme of electrification that will help transform the railway and provide Britain with a sustainable world-class transport system.

By electrifying key railway routes, it is argued that we will have faster, greener and quieter trains. Reliability will improve as will the general experience for thousands of passengers. It is claimed, alongside the case for HS2, that such work will help support economic growth across many parts of the country and will reduce congestion on some of the busiest routes including the West Coast main line (WCML).

This is all good news, especially for those associated with rail engineering. However, there is a problem - the size of the skill base required to deliver such a programme of work is currently woefully inadequate. The question is how Network Rail will address this problem and develop a resource that will satisfy the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) that this ambitious programme of work can be delivered on time, in a safe and cost effective manner while also offering value for money to our economy.

The value of BS11000 This question was partially addressed in issue 91 of The Rail Engineer (May 2012). I wrote about Network Rail’s commitment to BS11000 Collaborative Business Relationships based on the assessment of essential

behaviours and cultures associated with client/supplier relationships.

One of the champions of this initiative within Network Rail was Katie Ferrier, then head of supplier engagement for Network Rail. Her role has changed and she is now the programme manager for the Central Electrification Team that forms part of Network Rail’s National Electrification Project within their Infrastructure Projects division.

Meeting with her at her project HQ, located alongside Rugby Station, she explained that, in an attempt to address the resource issue, Network Rail recently let a £48 million contract to a new partnership made up of

three significant contractors: Alstom, Babcock and Costain (ABC Electrification). The contract provides a power upgrade to the West Coast main line (WCML) between Whitmore, south of Crewe, and Great Strickland near to the Scottish border. This is known as Phase 3b, which is the last phase of the £100m West Coast power supply upgrade programme. Work is expected to start on site by the end of June this year, to be completed by June 2016.

Collective experience Mark Berg, managing director of ABC, explained that, although the partnership is relatively new, it is well balanced and offers the industry a significant amount of expertise.

Alstom provides a European resource alongside a significant presence in the UK for power supply technology. Babcock brings its experience of maintaining and renewing

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scheme through the various GRIP stages, ABB product suppliers are going through a Product Approval process with the intention of supplying Network Rail with the appropriate equipment, Bourne Rail will provide additional manpower and OSL Consulting are providing the testing and commissioning support.

Looking for and finding potential savings

railway-specific infrastructure while Costain offers major project and programme management experience that was often acquired on projects associated with railway industry.

For this specific contract, ABC is building its own depot at Crewe. This is in addition to a significant level of expertise based in Rugby working alongside Network Rail’s designers.

So a new engineering team is coming into the market. It could just be seen as just reshuffling what is already available - until one considers how the contract was let and under what conditions. The work that Katie introduced as the head of supplier engagement, namely the introduction of BS11000, has been used to form the framework for the delivery contract let to ABC. As a consequence, instead of having a Network Rail team alongside an ABC one, man marking has disappeared and the two teams are totally integrated. Mark pointed out that this means they can run the project with a joint management team of around 70 managers and supervisors whereas traditionally they would need up to 100 people. This offers a potential 30% reduction of a scarce, and therefore very expensive, resource.

Network Rail and ABC jointly lead the project teams and both parties appear to be very comfortable with this approach. Costain and Babcock have BS11000 accreditation and Alstom are currently going through the process. The behavioural assessment previously mentioned is designed to ensure that appropriate skills are available, people are doing work that they want to do and work that they are best suited to do and, most importantly, the reputation of the project is considered to be everyone’s responsibility and requires everyone to be involved. Both Katie and Mark commented: “It’s all about collaborative delivery.”

Training new people As part of the process, ABC is required to identify, locate and train new people to carry out the technical skills involved in a power upgrade project. A two week intensive training course has been designed and is up and running at Hamilton. The trainees will then serve a six month apprenticeship working with a mentor before being assessed as competent to work alone.

The course was developed and approved by the National Skills Academy for Railway Engineering. The aim is to provide 50% of the workforce through this process. This will start to get around the problem that has existed in this industry for some time whereby contractors avoid having to develop skilled technicians by borrowing them, at a considerable price, from fellow contractors. Without doubt, the approach adopted in this contract should help to create a resource base that can then tackle the potentially huge workload that is being planned. It’s good news for industry.

The work on the ground will be varied and many faceted. It will include the construction of ten new substations, switch gear design and installation as well as repairs and refurbishment of stanchions and other existing structures. WSP is the principal designer taking the

New troughing routes will be constructed and existing ones replaced.

The project team are hoping to reduce the length of the contract by at least six months. It is a challenge that they have set themselves and they are already making potential inroads, driving out inefficiencies and therefore potential delays and unnecessary time.

For example, by working as one team they are able to reduce design queries from a current 40 day period for resolution to a position where it can be substantially reduced and, on occasions, sorted the same day.

They are looking at the possession strategy for the WCML route and reviewing possessions already planned for other work such as track renewals to see what work they can do at the same time which will not interfere with the planned possession work. This has proved to be very productive and the team is now extending this approach into midweek nights.

The combined team has adopted the Network Rail Life Saving Rules associated with the strap line “everyone home safe every day”. To underpin this commitment, it is talking to local asset managers to understand the hazards and risks that they identify on a daily basis and then incorporating these into its design work, so sharing the knowledge with those who will execute the design.

In terms of engineering projects, it doesn’t have the explosive impact of a Crossrail tunnel boring machine reaching its destination or the impact to the landscape of a new Blackfriars station on the Thameslink project.

However, it does have the capacity to engender sound, mature working relationships between client and supplier built on mutual respect, it does have the potential to deliver significant cost savings and it does have the ability to address a resource problem that, to date, has been too difficult to handle. As Mark pointed out: “It’s a step change for everyone and hopefully will become the benchmark for future collaborative delivery.”

For these reasons, it is definitely a project with which The Rail Engineer will want to keep in touch.

the rail engineer • July 2013

Invensys Signalling and Siemens Join Together

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T

he recent announcement that Invensys Rail was to merge with Siemens may have caused a few raised eyebrows, but in fact this event had been likely for many years. It almost happened in 1992, when Siemens sought to take over from then owners Hawker Siddeley but were outsmarted by BTR (British Tyre and Rubber), an industrial conglomerate which was seeking new areas of business. The company became Invensys Rail in 1999 after BTR merged with Siebe.

Nick Crossfield.

Well-established in the UK with associated companies in Australia, America (Safetran) and Spain (Dimetronic), with a good order book and many projects underway across the world, why should the acquisition have happened and what are the anticipated benefits?

The Rail Engineer travelled to Chippenham to meet Nick Crossfield, recently announced as managing director of Siemens Rail Automation in the UK and also spoke with Jürgen Brandes, CEO of the global Rail Automation business, to find out more.

Company history Westinghouse had been a bedrock of the signalling supply industry for decades and many people still referred to this name even after the change to Invensys Rail.

Regarded as a ‘safe bet’ in terms of delivery and performance on both projects and product integrity, it has an impressive number of projects currently being undertaken for Network Rail and others.

Westinghouse had been one of the three partners who collaborated to develop the world-beating Solid State Interlocking (SSI) in the 1980s, the others being GEC and BR Research. Although newer systems have since been brought out, SSI is still produced today, which says something for its status. The

Invensys Rail influence is strong in the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia and Turkey, and South America especially Brazil, as well as in its home territories.

Siemens equally has a long history for producing signalling equipment and systems for the German, Swiss and Austrian home markets and has developed this into a worldwide signalling business. As with Invensys, it is regarded as a reputable and competent supplier giving reliable customer support.

Siemens briefly entered the UK market in the last decade with its SIMIS interlocking product and a project team was established at its existing Poole premises.

So what was the rationale behind the acquisition? Debate continues as to how many large companies the signalling business can support on a worldwide scale. Answers vary from three to around six.

The high cost of research and the need to develop products that are increasingly sophisticated but have a much shorter lifespan than those produced hitherto make combining into bigger more cost effective units almost essential for a successful ongoing business. In addition, the UK market is seen as big within Europe and being able to offer a wider range of proven products will be conducive to a larger element of this.

Siemens is, of course, already well established as a rolling stock supplier to the UK. With a future that puts an increasing percentage of signalling equipment on board the train, having a presence on both sides of the wheel-rail divide is viewed as advantageous.

Siemens Rail Automation This will be the name of the new company and its headquarters will be in Berlin where overall policy and strategy will be formulated.

However, the company has decided

CLIVE KESSELL

Jürgen Brandes. upon a matrix structure with four main business areas - Main Line, Mass Transit, Rail IT and Freight Products - complemented by autonomous regional business units. Each of the latter will have its own financial responsibility with design, implementation and maintenance capabilities plus an R&D team to support global development activities and fulfil local specific initiatives.

The UK HQ will be at the former Invensys base in Chippenham but the signalling offices in Glasgow, York, Birmingham, Croydon and London will be retained. Partly this is to align the business structure with the new Network Rail devolved regions and thus encourage local relationships to flourish. The UK arm will also include the existing Siemens companies at Ashby de la Zouch and Poole as part of the overall rail automation thrust. The official language of the new company will be English so compulsory German lessons for Invensys employees will not be needed!

Product portfolio and development With its existing customer base well established, Siemens knows that it must maintain continuity on its wide range of equipment for many years to come. It also knows that the many countries it

the rail engineer • July 2013

does business in have different operating philosophies that customise products within a home market. The last thing the new company wants is to upset this arrangement in the short term although, with the advent of newer technology, harmonisation will gradually emerge.

An obvious example is ERTMS / ETCS, where both Siemens and Invensys have developed products and worked hard to get orders won and systems implemented. Both products will continue for the time being and existing contract commitments will be fulfilled. Invensys Rail is preferred bidder on the Thameslink high capacity infrastructure contract and, with the order for the new fleet of trains won by Siemens, this could lead to a useful partnership. Invensys Rail will be one of the four suppliers for the ETCS National Integration Facility on the Hertford Loop deployment trial where its offering will be tested for interoperability with products from other companies.

Whilst national ERTMS implementation is the longer term goal of many countries, it will take many years to achieve. In the meantime, more conventional signalling systems have to be developed and implemented.

The drive to reduce the cost of signalling is important and one UK initiative to achieve this is Modular Signalling for secondary routes. The Invensys Rail system has been installed on the Crewe to Shrewsbury route and will be commissioned this year. Its components have already been tried out in the signalling system for the newly built Reading train depot, a useful way of proving the technology.

The concept is to produce standard signalling elements, manufacture these on a production basis, assemble the system as far as possible in the factory and ship to site for installation as complete units. Invensys Rail sees this modular approach as something that can be developed for use elsewhere and Siemens sees it as a product that can be exploited.

The big plus point is that the system has no implications for rolling stock fitting and can thus be deployed in quick time on routes with old signalling systems. The risk as always is that railway organisations will seek to change the configuration (sometimes called customisation) that will cause the standardised advantages to be lost and the cost benefits diminished. Modular is of course fully compatible with ETCS, as the RBCs (Radio Block Centres) can be connected to the same network as the signalling system.

Traditional signalling with relay technology will continue to exist for years to come and producing new relays or servicing existing relays is a business that must continue. Commitments will be given to customers in the many countries which use British relay technology that this supply line will be maintained.

Metros and mass transit The growing number of Metros worldwide, and the increasing levels of automation, make this an important business opportunity for any control system supplier. Both Siemens and Invensys Rail have established products. Invensys Rail has the ‘distance to go’ radio system as deployed on the Victoria Line of London Underground and also adopted by the Taipei Metro. This is a fixed block system but with very short block lengths such that a capacity of 33 trains per hour (tph) has been achieved and is timetabled during peak hours today.

At the same time, Invensys also developed the SIRIUS CBTC moving block system used in Singapore, Sao Paulo, Caracas and Istanbul.

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Siemens has its Trainguard MT system which is also CBTC moving block technology and is deployed in several cities including Copenhagen, Hong Kong and in Paris RATP Line 1 where it was a key element for the upgrade to UTO (Unattended Train Operation). It has also been chosen for the metro element of the Crossrail project in London.

In time, these systems will be rationalised, but the strong message coming across is that the present product lines will be maintained for at least the expected life of the systems. The opportunity for migrating to a single product will happen probably by integrating the best features of the existing systems and introducing updated technology at the same time.

Future predictions Siemens is an industrial giant with a turnover of €80 billion worldwide.

This is larger than the economies of the seven smallest countries within the EU. The Rail Automation element is only part of this but the acquisition makes it the biggest signalling control system supplier in the world. It is the Siemens view that train control engineering will eventually follow the telecom sector and undergo a degree of liberalisation. As and when this happens, the company must be ready for it and part of the success criteria will be a deep understanding of localised markets.

Whilst the short-term focus will be on maintaining the existing systems installed in the many infrastructure organisations, getting new products developed that use emerging technology in an agile and flexible way, probably with a distributed architecture, is seen as vital to secure ongoing business.

Siemens is keen to offer all or most technologies that make up a turnkey solution for future UK rail business. Already well established in rolling stock and telecommunications, gaining a signalling capability is an important part of this. Increasing rail capacity and improving energy consumption are already crucial requirements for the modern day railway with automation and IT being seen as key drivers.

Whilst neither Siemens nor Invensys Rail were chosen as one of the nominated organisations to develop a traffic management capability for Network Rail, a pragmatic view is taken to see what develops and to participate at a later date using technology deployed elsewhere. Indeed, a traffic management element is already included within the Invensys Rail signalling contract for Thameslink.

Similarly, having technologies that enhance the efficiency of the rail freight business will be required to ensure effective competition with road transport. Real time train and wagon tracking systems are part of this process.

The worldwide critical shortage of skilled engineers and technicians in rail engineering generally, and signal engineering specifically, is a problem. Strenuous efforts are being made to attract younger people into the profession but better use must be made of the resources currently available, which means avoidance of duplication wherever possible.

Many people will be watching how the new company fares in this highly competitive and cost sensitive world, but the omens are good. Has Britain sold the family silver yet again? Maybe, but if this is the price of being part of industry dominance, then so be it.

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the rail engineer • July 2013

U

ITP - the Union International of Transports Publics. Can you see the French influence? It dates from 1885, in the days when all good international organisations used French as their official language.

Today, even the website calls it the International Association of Public Transport. But it is still UITP - “the international network for public transport authorities and operators, policy decisionmakers, scientific institutes and the public transport supply and service industry. It is a platform for worldwide cooperation, business development and the sharing of know-how between its 3,400 members from 92 countries.”

Every two years, UITP organises a World Congress and Exhibition. This year was the sixtieth such event, and it was held in Geneva.

For four days, 25,000 delegates attended the congress sessions while the world’s transport press were exposed to a series of press conferences from the big names of the global transport industry.

The Rail Engineer was there too, as much as to see what new technology was being shown off as anything else.

Geneva goes Global

the rail engineer • July 2013 Tram Tours The first thing to catch the eye when entering congress site alongside Geneva airport was a shiny new tram. Literally. The whole tram was decked out in a mirror finish.

However, this wasn’t a publicity stunt for a fancy new model. It is the first production tram of a batch of twenty-one for the city of Tours. Manufactured by Alstom, the Citadis trams have the distinctive mirror finish to “reflect the colours of the town and the weather.” The whole fleet will be the same.

It is certainly very distinctive.

The rather square front end is also distinguished by having coloured light strips running vertically the full height of the tram - and they change colour too.

Inside, the trams were also quite novel in terms of their decoration. The vertical grab bars are forked to form the branches of a large plant, with a metal ‘bud’ in between. Each bud was designed by a different artist and there are twenty-one different designs - one for each tram.

One stop shop Inside the exhibition, Alstom focussed on its versatility and the completeness of its offering to train and metro operators worldwide. Signalling and train control, rolling stock (both with steel wheels and rubber tyres), turnkey projects - all are available and ready to go.

A look at the case studies used in the literature showed the group’s diversity: signalling in Singapore, cateneryless trams in Dubai, reversible power-supply substations in Milan, unattended train operation in Lille, trams in Casablanca and traction systems in Mexico.

The two new products on show continued that trend. AXONISTM is a turnkey light metro system offering quick construction and easy insertion into the existing urban infrastructure of a densely populated city. Essentially an elevated railway, it can simply be erected down the centre of

existing roads and requires little demolition or movement of services.

URBALISTM Fluence is the latest CBTC (communications-based train control) which gives more robust operation and headways down to 60 seconds.

Electric bus The next stand was occupied

by Bombardier. The Canadianowned, German-based train manufacturer had a bus on its stand.

A bus? Do Bombardier make buses? The answer is no, but they do have a Primove inductiveloop electrical charging system, developed to run trams across historic market places without unsightly wires. Install them at bus stops, place some big, efficient Lithium-Iron batteries on the roof, and Hey Presto! You have an electric bus.

Bombardier’s success in this area is down to both its inductive loop technology and its innovative battery pack design. Lighter and able to charge faster than others on the market, a one-minute stop at a bus stop can put enough charge into the system to top it back up ready for the next leg of

improvements, and even Volvo had a bus with a pantograph.

Like the Bombardier one, this bus charges up at bus stops but it makes its electrical connection using a small pantograph and overhead wiring.

Other buses looked like trams.

Has the tram become an iconic design? Forget bendy-buses, these had three segments and were very long indeed. Imagine what Boris would say? With sloping noses and concealed wheels, one would have to look hard to notice the lack of rails.

A bus-tram. Is that a bum? Or a trus?

Virtual ticket office We are getting used to electronic ticketing. Oyster cards and ITSO, bar codes, machines on stations - we have all of them.

However, what do you do when you get in a tangle? Who do you talk with?

Now Cubic Transportation Systems has the answer. It is still a mechanised ticketing system, but it has a TV screen on top. Simply push the button and a face from the call centre pops up. You can see them, and they can see you (by CCTV). So you

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answer to those concerned about unmanned (or unwomanned) stations at night - there will always be a friendly face the push of a button away.

Low light, no light Talking of security, CCTV has its limitations when the lights go out. Infra-red is one solution, but criminals and vandals can see the red glow from the infra-red lights and put a brick through them.

Now Axis Communications has come up with a low-light camera that works in almost complete darkness. With no lights needed, they are great stealth cameras, watching people who don’t realise they are being watched breaking into cars, stealing cable, terrorising passers by. What’s more, the cameras even work in colour. While not a deterrent, as not being seen is the whole idea, they should enable the authorities to catch people who don’t suspect they have been spotted.

Well done Axis. They even served coffee with a little dragon on it. Cool!

Timekeeping

the journey. Think of it as a trolley bus without wires - clean and silent vehicles which can work around other traffic in the city.

One of the challenges has been finding a new power steering pump. Once the bus was all electric, and silent, the power steering pump was found to be noisy so a new one had to be sourced. An engineer’s work is never done.

A bus with a pantograph That wasn’t the only electric bus on display. There were several conventional trolley buses, although no doubt with modern

get real one-on-one help and assistance from a real person, even if they are actually located miles away.

Work is going on to make the new system into a help-point as well, and this could be the

It was hard to get away from the fact that UITP was in Switzerland. There was chocolate for the delegates, and a Swiss mountain-horn ensemble in the reception area.

Oh, and have you ever wondered why Swiss trains are always on time? They have the biggest clocks!

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the rail engineer • July 2013

Münster machinery E

very four years, Europe’s railway engineers and equipment manufacturers gather at the town of Münster, in northern Germany for the IAF (Internationale Ausstellung Fahrwegtechnik) - the International Exhibiton for Track Technology. It has been going for some time, this year was the twenty-sixth, and it has become THE place to go for track engineers, manufacturers, contractors and anyone involved in railway track construction, maintenance and renewal.

Not to be outdone, The Rail Engineer went along as well at the invitation of several of the German manufacturers to see what was what.

To start with, it is bigger than one would expect. Three decent-sized exhibition halls house stands from manufacturers of everything from overhead wiring to track clips, rail to level crossings, and on-track plant to depot equipment.

But it is outside that the real interest lies.

Three tracks run the entire length of the exhibition site and, with a couple of smaller spurs, these are packed with simply enormous machines - most of them yellow.

By far the largest stand in the halls, and the biggest display outdoors, is by Plasser & Theurer. The Austrian manufacturer had 16 full-sized machines on display. Just the logistics of getting them all there had to have been problematic, let alone the conversations

with various customers so they could be ‘borrowed’ for the week.

Among them were some world firsts such as the all-in-one turnout and track maintenance machine, a completely new kind of ballast cleaning machine for turnouts and a mobile rail welding robot on a road-rail vehicle.

Better ballast cleaning The first of these is the URM 700. A ballast cleaning machine with several novel features, it doesn’t require an entry hole to be dug for the guide bar, it does that itself. The width of the excavation is infinitely variable, so it can continue along the main line without having to stop for turnouts.

In addition, the URM 700 can be used as a shoulder cleaning machine, and is ideal for use on moderate lengths of track in short possessions as the ability to dig its own entry hole saves a lot of time.

In contrast, the new ZRM 350 can undertake ballast cleaning with or without track. In the

(Above) Plasser & Theurer’s new URM 700 was launched at IAF. (Left) The new ZRM 350 ballast cleaner.

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(Left) Crawler tracks on the new ZRM 350.

(Below) SB Rail’s shiny new Unimat 09-4x4/4S is destined for the UK rail network.

latter case crawler tracks support the machine while ballast is replaced, and two different ballast feed mechanisms mean that it can go down in layers.

Two tampers Tamping is one of Plasser & Theurer’s core product lines, so two new tampers took pride of place in the display.

The latest ideas in tamping switches and crossings are included in the Unimat 09475/4S N-Dynamic. This is an all-in-one machine that combines ballast placement, ploughing, profiling, tamping, stabilising and sweeping. When tamping points and turnouts, there is often a lack of good ballast on site, meaning that some has to be delivered separately. Now this new machine can supply ballast directly down to the track itself, saving both time and cost. In one pass, the whole job is done from start to finish.

The latest tamping technology has now come to the UK as the second new machine was a Unimat 09-4x4/4S. This is a continuous-action one-sleeper tamping machine with threerail lifting and four-rail tamping. Designed specifically for the UK market, the actual

machine on display was handed over to its new owner, Babcock-Swietelsky, at the show.

A tamper with a difference was the model 09-2X/SD. Not only is it a versatile tamper, it can switch between one and two-sleeper tamping at the push of a button, it also has another attribute - it is quiet. Noise pollution is a hot topic in Japan, and this machine is destined to work for contractor NKH on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line. So the engine compartment is sound-insulated and the machine is equipped with sound protection panels on the sides.

The air intake and the exhaust units also have special sound insulation.

Truly mobile welding Rail welding may not be such a familiar Plasser & Theurer speciality, but it is. For the first time, the company showed a mobile flashbutt welder built into a road-rail lorry. One of the challenges was to keep the whole vehicle under 32 tonnes.

The actual welding technology is the same as on Plasser & Theurer’s rail machines, this is just the first time that it can travel to sites by road. The actual welding process is automatic, and every weld is certified.

Simulated training As with all complicated, expensive and potentially dangerous machinery, training is important. For some time, Plasser & Theurer has operated two training simulators for tamper operators, at Linz in Austria and Bingen am Rhein in Germany. However, the first mobile simulator was on show at Münster so now tamper operators can be trained close to their workplace, making it even easier to be safe.

The simulators are part of a larger training organisation which not only covers operation but also maintenance and repair.

(Left) The Unimat 09-475/4S includes the latest technology for tamping switches and crossings.

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the rail engineer • July 2013

(Main) Inside the working area of a Robel MMS. (Left) Note the sluices for cleaning tunnel drainage.

(Below and right) the first two sections of Network Rail’s new high -output electrification train.

the rail engineer • July 2013

Robel round-up

Battery packs

Robel Bahnbaumaschinen GmbH was another company with a major display, which encompassed both large and small machines.

On track, the company displayed a couple of versions of its Mobile Maintenance System (MMS). These three-car units are designed to protect and support a mobile workforce undertaking quick and safe track repairs.

The three cars are a driver’s cab, power unit and crew quarters, a workshop and storage area, and the mobile work area itself. This is a car without a floor and with extendable sides. The whole vehicle can travel to site at speed. Once in-situ, the sides of the work area are extended to a preset distance to give the maximum access to the damaged track without impinging on adjacent lines or structures. It is now safe to work on the track under the car, in the dry with lights provided and using hand tools, power tools and overhead hoists.

Items such as replacement rails are simply hoisted up in the workshop car, run along an overhead track between the two vehicles and lowered into place. A removed rail goes back to the workshop the same way. It is all much quicker that conventional methods as all the equipment is to hand and items such as the hoists are easily available.

Two versions of the MMS were shown. One was the layout as described, which with a bit of modification could be made to work on the UK network. The other was a double-deck arrangement with the crew quarters over the work area. This was also kitted out for clearing drainage in tunnels with suction and sluice arrangements built in.

On the small side, Robel were showing off two interesting new battery-powered tools.

One was a rail drill which easily bored bolt holes in demonstration rails, and the other was an impact wrench the head of which could be pivoted to accommodate either horizontal fishplate bolts or vertical rail retaining bolts. .

The lithium-iron battery packs were a new Robel development and had plenty of power to do these jobs. The interchangeability also allows only one battery to be taken on a job requiring several different tools, saving weight, or several batteries to be taken when it is known a lot of power will be consumed.

These two new tools were demonstrated and show visitors could try for themselves. Even your writer drilled a perfectly satisfactory hole in a short length of rail in only half a minute impressive.

Having interchangeable power packs is not new for Robel. Its modular hydraulics series was launched at InnoTrans last year and has proved popular. Extra modules were released at IAF and a selection of clipping/unclipping machines was on show for even the newest FE clips. The power modules (petrol or cableelectric) are easily attached and removed, allowing for easy transport and versatile use.

At 70kg per module, they are much more easily transported than a one-piece machine weighing over 150.

Overhead electrification Windhoff was showing the first two sections of the high-output electrification train that it is building for Network Rail. Basically multipurpose vehicles with manipulator arms on the beds, these will be joined by over twenty more units by the time the train is complete.

The Swedish Huddig machines mentioned in The Rail Engineer recently (issue 104, June 2013), and often used for overhead line replacement, were also on display - this time with Rosenqvist attachments. Both Swedish and British versions of SRS were present as well, the latter with a Chinese-built road-rail lorry.

Another Swedish company, Railcare, had its snow melter parked on track next to their hospitality unit. Mainly used in depots, snow is swept up off the track and blown back into a warm water tank inside the machine, where it melts. Excess water is pumped back to a storage tank in a trailing wagon. Hopefully, that too is heated or it is a great way to make a big block of ice! Incidentally, Railcare’s Rail-Vac machines can be used for snow clearance at a push. As the UK always seems to be surprised when it snows, that may come in useful.

65

Robel 30.20 battery-powered impact wrench.

Rail refinishing Specialist manufacturer and contractor Speno had a large stand and a large track grinding train. The company runs one train in the UK, in the south, but has many more around Europe.

Rail milling specialist Linsinger was there too, although based inside the hall. There seemed to be a steady stream of visitors to the stand.

Friendly faces Quite a few companies well known to The Rail Engineer were at Münster. Several Network Rail representatives were having a look around. Tata Steel were showing the latest developments in rail, and doing a nice line in sandwiches - thanks Karen!

Strail had a busy stand, and RSS, manufacturer of the magnetic safety barrier which was first seen in the UK at the Rail Safety Summit a year ago, was showing how many different poles and uprights are needed for different markets. There was British blue, and yellow/black, and red/white - what was that about European standardisation?

There was even a little yellow wagon outside the hall. That too was a Robel product. A number of contractors use little yellow wagons they have made themselves, and which are now failing safety checks due to tightened regulations. So Robel has made a proper one.

Just another measure of the variety on show at IAF 2013.

Robel’s little yellow wagon.

The UK’s Largest Track Plant Event Network Rail in association with The Rail Alliance and the rail engineer welcome you to the first National Track Plant Exhibition, 'The Track Innovation Showcase'. Ÿ Over 100 Suppliers exhibiting Ÿ A full 8 hour live 400m track renewal possession (Hosted by Babcock Rail)

24-25th July 09.00 - 17.00 Long Marston, Stratford on Avon Register for your free ticket on the website.

www.nationalplantexhibition.com

Rail Team of the year 2012

Civil Engineering Projects & Nationwide Plant Hire Stobart Rail owns and operates an extensive fleet of specialised plant that is available for hire with or without operators on a nationwide basis including road-rail equipment to match the special requirements of operations on, or near the permanent way.

The Company has an extensive range of earth moving, excavation and earth removal vehicles, enabling Stobart Rail to tackle the most demanding of tasks - this significant investment is continually being added to and upgraded and is predominantly used on

Stobart Rails own contracted works.

Stobart Rail’s substantial fleet of road-rail vehicles provides a comprehensive series of machine-to-trailer combinations, and also accommodates a host of highly specialised attachments; ranging from tamping and cabling equipment to ground investigation and soil nailing rigs.

To enquire about hiring our plant for use on your next project (can include POL) or for our most recent plant register contact:

Andrew Sumner Rail Contracts Manager t. 01228 882 300 e. andrew.sumner@stobartrail.com Gary Newton Estimating Manager t. 01228 882 300 e. gary.newton@stobartrail.com Dave Richardson Plant Manager t. 01228 882 300 e. david.richardson@stobartrail.com

stobartrail.com

68

the rail engineer • July 2013

See for yourself

National Track Plant Exhibition Network Rail, with the support of the Rail Alliance and The Rail Engineer magazine, is organising the first National Track Plant Exhibition, ‘The Track Innovation Showcase’.

This will be held at Long Marston, near Stratford-upon-Avon, on 24/25 July.

The National Track Plant Exhibition will provide rail suppliers with the opportunity to demonstrate and exhibit their plant.

Visitors will be able to meet suppliers, watch

live demonstrations of plant and techniques and have the opportunity to see new innovation in action.

Invitation to the National Track Plant Exhibition has been extended to all rail professionals interested in track delivery.

There will also be the opportunity to meet and network with Network Rail’s new ontrack plant specialists.

Due to the fact that there will be live

demonstrations, all visitors are asked to attend in full PPE. Admittance to the exhibition will not be allowed without boots, high-vis trousers and jackets/vests… so don’t forget them!

Register free at: www.nationalplantexhibition.com

»» Kwik-Step

Handy refuges Less-than-efficient track drainage and extreme weather conditions have contributed to some degraded embankments on the UK rail network with a reduction of the available line-side cess in some locations. This creates problems for inspection and maintenance staff with a lack of a stable level area adjacent to the track.

In these areas, the Kwik-Step Modular Refuge can be installed with minimal ground preparation and with hand tools at the appropriate distance from the running line and frequency along the track. These refuges provide an easily-identifiable and correctly-positioned versatile, stable and secure method for structure inspection, lineside position of safety, look-out post or plant and equipment support, overcoming many of the access issues experienced on the rail infrastructure Constructed in GRP composite with hi-visibility hand rails, ballast ramp and

adjustable legs, the robust-yetlightweight refuge is versatile and suitable for both permanent and temporary installation.

The innovative sequence continues with a product trial of the anchor system to secure the refuge directly to the track infrastructure, successful results will reduce safety risks; enhance working practice and provide tangible benefits.

To complement the product range, the cess walkway provides continuous access over suspect line-side areas.

Secured with the patented adjustable frame support, the lightweight structure causes minimal disturbance and loading on embankments.

Developing access solutions through innovation, Kwik-Step is adaptive to

customer demands and needs and supportive of the safety requirements, cost and time savings required to increase capacity and efficiency of the UK rail network.

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70

the rail engineer • July 2013

»» SRS Rail Systems

New MEWP and enhanced wiring SRS Rail System Limited will show a new 17 tonne road-rail vehicle which it intends to market worldwide. Built in cooperation with CSR Sifang, a Chinese company better known for manufacturing high speed trains, it is designed to EN280:2001 and EN15746 standards. Icon-8 is a mobile elevated work platform (MEWP) built on a Volvo chassis with Chinese-made road-rail gear and access platform.

The company will also show one of its wiring units. Based on a single 26 tonne SRS road-rail vehicle, it is fitted with two hydraulically operated cable drum carriers together with wire manipulating rollers both fore and aft. Such wiring units are at the heart of SRS road-rail vehicle wiring teams.

»» Balfour Beatty Rail

Strategic plant and live demonstrations Balfour Beatty Rail, the leading providers of specialist rail plant, will be showcasing their extensive range of on-track plant.

Strategic plant, ranging from a rail-mounted Kirow crane to the Plasser & Theurer Track Relayer, will be on show alongside other equipment such as the innovative Front Shovel Excavator and the Autech Rail Grinder.

Further plant including Ground Penetrating Radar, the Topper and Bopper, and the Universal Rail Thimble will be in attendance.

Live demonstrations will enable visitors to experience some of Balfour Beatty Rail’s plant in action, as well as having the opportunity to consult with the company’s on-site experts to discuss any specific requirements regarding custom-built solutions.

The company also provides a complete Track Geometry Service including tamping, regulating, ballast cleaning and track stabilisation, supported by a 24-hour control centre service.

Balfour Beatty Rail continues to commit

substantial investment in sustainable rail plant to drive innovation and efficiencies within the industry, offering the complete single source plant solution to all customers.

the rail engineer â&#x20AC;˘ July 2013

71

72

the rail engineer • July 2013

»» Factair

Safer conditions in tunnels Rail renewal and maintenance work in railway tunnels can be a hazardous undertaking, especially considering the dust and fumes generated from the work.

Atmospheric pollutants can come in many forms including exhaust fumes from renewal plant and equipment, ballast dust from stone being removed or replaced, brake dust and fumes from welding, cutting and grinding.

To help in managing this problem, Factair has developed the most extensive range of temporary ventilation and monitoring equipment on the market, designed specifically for rapid deployment and short duration possessions. This is supported by a comprehensive environmental air quality report service utilising a sophisticated range of air quality monitoring instruments.

At this year’s Network Rail National Track Plant Exhibition, Factair will be exhibiting its latest electric and self-contained diesel engine-driven fans, together with

its monitoring instruments and battery powered air-fed respirators, which provide individual protection for those working in dusty environments.

»» Sandhurst Rail

Attachment rental to military standards Sandhurst, apart from being the UK’s top military training academy, also just happens to be the name of the UK’s premier attachment rental company.

One thing both share is very high standards. You could say - military standards.

Sandhurst Equipment Rental is the UK specialist which has been working with excavators and attachments for over 40 years and is proud to have built a reputation for excellence in its niche sector - hydraulic attachment rental.

The company was instrumental in creating market leadership for the German company Krupp Bautechnic Hydraulic Products in the 1990s as its UK distributor. Following Atlas Copco’s acquisition of Krupp, Sandhurst still remains a major customer for Atlas Copco breakers and compactors. In fact, Sandhurst operates the UK’s largest single stock of Atlas Copco breakers in its rental fleet, suitable for all sizes and types of

excavator. Breakers, though, are just the tip of the iceberg as the company has a comprehensive range of attachments available, capable of undertaking most excavator tasks.

Having been around for so long has helped the company develop a tried and proven, ISO-accredited rental service which many UK companies large and small depend upon. Operating from six regional rental centres, Sandhurst boasts a sizeable fleet of modern, high quality excavator attachments all kept in excellent order thanks to a strict schedule of routine maintenance and service.

As a vital part of Sandhurst rental’s service is making life trouble free for its customers, the company is passionate about service and reliability. When an attachment is delivered to site, the fitter leaves only after the unit is working to the user’s satisfaction.

Visitors to The National Track Plant Exhibition are invited to come along

and meet staff from the newly formed specialist rail division, Sandhurst Rail, and to check over a variety of attachments that are regularly used by its rail contractor customers.

There will be a selection of attachments on show such as a hydraulic breaker and compactor and a number of working attachments such as a post/pole manipulator, low headroom clamshell grab and low headroom 5-tine grab. There will also be new dedicated rail attachments each designed to tackle specialist tasks.

All visitors are welcome and are invited to enter a free champagne prize draw.

74

the rail engineer • July 2013

»» Kwik-Step

Safer access to track and cess An increasing focus on risk management whilst controlling cost seems so paramount in many objectives today. The constant challenge of lean resources and the reduction of available time can create a real challenge. In addition, increasing utilisation of the rail infrastructure will reduce the time available for routine maintenance.

So having safe and rapid access to the UK rail infrastructure will become even more critical.

The versatility of the Kwik-Step modular stairway enables an immediate resolution to unsafe or non-existent access on embankments and cuttings, which account for approximately 44% of the UK rail network. The galvanized steel Durbar® tread plate has excellent non-slip properties.

2, 3 and 4-tread modules covering all gradients from 20° to 50° along with associated landings, hand rails and fixings, are all available from a stock of over three kilometres of stairway.

Dispatched nationwide from the Bristol facility, usually within 3 days of order receipt, the delivery is palletised complete with a full suite of laminated documents, delivery note, site sketch, as-built drawing and instructions with pictorial references for simple installation using the optional tool kit.

»» Road Rail Cranes

Safer Lifting Road Rail Cranes Ltd takes delivery of its first 40 tonne (max) capacity road-rail mobile crane in July after more than five years of development by Steve Williams.

With an overall length of 8.5 metres, all wheel steering and hydraulic suspension, it accesses the track with ease.

The crane has a 31.2 metre (max) boom, usable through 360 degrees and also towing hitches with air brake connections at both front and rear.

Safety features include a datalogger, rated capacity indicator, interlocked outriggers preventing travelling down the track with outriggers extended, lifting on outriggers only ensuring stability at all times, cameras side and rear and an auxiliary engine for emergency recovery.

All lifting operations will be planned and supervised by a competent appointed person and crane supervisor in accordance with LOLER Regulations 1998.

Tel: 0844 693 2213 Email: steve@roadrailcranes.com

Sandhurst

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the rail engineer • July 2013

»» Morris Site Machinery

Welding and lighting Morris Site Machinery will be unveiling a raft of world-leading onsite products suitable for the rail industry.

On show will be two exclusive Network Rail approved products including the market leading ArcGen Weldmaker 165SP2 and the SMC TL-90 lighting tower.

The ArcGen welder generator, the Weldmaker 165SP2, is a super silent petrol welder generator designed for use in a wide variety of applications. With up to 10 hours of operation, the Weldmaker is one of Morris Site Machinery’s most trusted and respected models on the market offering improved fuel economy, versatility and superior performance compared to others.

The Weldmaker was approved by Network Rail for its proven cost savings in the repair of damaged rails and it ability to link two machines together via a parallel box to double welding output.

The Network Rail approved SMC TL-90 mobile lighting tower is one of Morris Site

Machinery’s most popular products. With mast deployment to 9 metres in 12 seconds, the metal halide lamps provide a strong and even light stream. Crucial safety features include wind down jack legs for added stability and the ability to withstand winds

up to 100km/hour, an emergency stop button that disconnects all electrical circuits and a mast deployment alarm and auto descend safety system. These ensure that the SMC TL-90 lighting tower is one of the most stable and robust for all rail projects.

Power in your hands

At Morris Site Machinery our mission is to bring the world’s best onsite power brands to your business.

Our Denyo and ArcGen ultra and super silent diesel generator ranges are the quietest on the market, available from 6kVA to 350kVA, whilst our ArcGen super silent petrol and diesel driven welder generators range from 165amps to 500amps, with unrivalled welding characteris cs and reliability.

Famously robust, offering the highest quality and always reliable, our top-class machines are only matched by our unparalleled service.

Call: 0845 409 0277 Email: sales@morrismachinery.co.uk

www.morrismachinery.co.uk

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innovation on the move

COMPOSITE STRUCTURES & TRACKSIDE EQUIPMENT

Low Theft Risk No Maintenance Increased Safety

RAIL

Unit 4, Tring Industrial Estate Upper Icknield Way Tring, Herts. HP23 4JX Tel: 01442 828387 email: enquiry@ilecsysrail.co.uk www.ilecsysrail.co.uk Supplier No:24180

78

the rail engineer • July 2013

I

t is critical that rail engineers keep up-to-date with the legal and policy issues affecting wildlife if they are to avoid expensive delays and other unforeseen costs on rail construction projects. John Newton, managing director of The Ecology Consultancy outlines some of the things that you need to know.

Keep on track with the wildlife regulations

Photo: the ecology consultancy

Why does wildlife matter?

Why should you, as a rail engineer or a project manager on a rail infrastructure project, be concerned about wildlife? Whilst we tend to appreciate things more if they provide us with tangible products, for example bees making honey, maintaining a healthy ecosystem in which we all live and work requires a different perspective. More prosaically, if species and habitats are protected by law and policy then it is essential that these are taken into account early in project planning.

One way to ensure that this happens is to undertake surveys as an integral part of any project.

Failure to identify such species or habitats may cause costly delays to your upgrade or maintenance project, but, worse, you could end up with a heavy fine or even a prison sentence. Not only can taking the time to get it right save you money, it can also help create and maintain an interesting and healthy environment in which to work and live.

Railways are important for wildlife Bats, badgers, great crested newts, reptiles, nesting birds and even dormice are frequently found in and around the existing rail infrastructure and land designated for rail development.

Habitats can include woodland, heathland and chalk grassland.

Railway maintenance and construction projects can have an impact on these species and habitats in a number of ways including: »» Direct loss – disturbing or destroying habitats and the species that live there; »» Fragmentation – such that species become isolated and potentially suffer local extinction; »» Disturbance – for example by noise and light;

Photo: the ecology consultancy

»» Accidental introduction or spread of foreign or invasive species such as Japanese Knotweed.

Surveys and accompanying impact assessments can not only help identify what may be affected by any proposals but how any impacts can be mitigated. In some cases projects can provide enhancements for wildlife, but to be most effective these again need to be based on accurate survey data.

Wildlife law and you The main acts to be aware of are the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (amended) and The Conservation of Habitats & Species Regulation 2010. The latter is important as it places greater responsibility on land owners with regard to European Protected Species.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is the main piece of legislation protecting wildlife in the UK. Generally, it protects the nation’s most important habitats, such as Epping Forest, by designating them as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). It also protects individual species. For example, all wild birds are given protection especially during the breeding season, and other species (wild animals and some plants) are given different degrees of protection depending on their conservation status.

the rail engineer • Junly 2013

79

Important pieces of EC law are The Wild Birds Directive, which focuses on the protection of the habitats of endangered as well as migratory species, and The Habitats Directive, which protects a variety of native animals including bats, dormice, great crested newts, and otters. Both of these directives are implemented by The Conservation Habitats & Species Regulations 2010.

The cost of getting it wrong Breaching any of this legislation is a criminal offence and getting it wrong can be costly in many ways. A successful prosecution for a wildlife offence can lead to a £5,000 fine or a six-month prison sentence per offence. For example, the destruction of a barn owl’s nest containing three eggs could result in two years in prison - six months for the destruction of the nest plus six months per egg! The cost of destroying a bat roost hosting thousands of bats doesn’t bear thinking about at £5,000 per bat!

Know your ecological surveys The best way to ensure that you get it right first time is to enlist the help of the professionals. Specialist ecologists will provide timely advice and conduct a range of ecological surveys including Phase 1 habitat surveys, protected species surveys, and invasive species surveys. There are different stages in this process: Screening is mainly a desk study used to collate existing information on a site to flag up possible ecological constraints or opportunities and to identify what may be needed by way of further surveying. Screening is not season-dependent and looks for: »» designated areas »» areas of semi natural habitat »» habitats included in a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) »» records for

• European protected species

• Biodiversity Action Plan species

• Red Data Book (RDB) species

• Birds of Conservation Concern (BCC).

Photo: amy lewis

A scoping survey includes the desk study as above, but also includes a short site visit, possibly at pre-acquisition phase to identify any possible ecological constraints to development and any opportunities for ecological improvement. It is important at this stage to identify the next steps to take in terms of survey. A scoping survey can be carried out any time of the year and looks for, amongst other things, semi-natural habitats and protected and notable species.

Phase 1 Habitat Surveys identify the habitats that comprise a site and the key plant species for each of those habitat types. They provide ‘target-notes’ on important aspects of the site, such as the presence of a rare plant or a protected species of animal, or a special habitat feature such as an ancient hedgerow.

This type of survey can be carried out any time of the year, but is best done in spring and summer when the characteristic vegetation types are more readily identifiable.

Phase 2 surveys provide detailed studies of important animal and plant groups. They may require specialist input and may have to be conducted at the right time of year, over a number of specific days, at the right time of day and in appropriate weather.

The surveyor undertaking these surveys should be a professional, experienced ecologist and may have to be in possession of a special licence from Natural England in order to disturb and handle protected species.

To avoid delays in lineside management or construction projects, the rail engineer or project manager should make sure that there is sufficient time for a professional ecologist to conduct the relevant surveys properly. In addition, these need to be commissioned well in advance of any works or planning submission.

Booking your survey

Photo: the ecology consultancy

The dormouse survey season runs from April until November, bat roost and activity surveys are undertaken between May and October, whilst hibernation surveys take place from December to February. Badger setts can be surveyed all year round, though badger activity surveys take place in spring and autumn, when the animals are moving about. Reptiles are surveyed from March to the end of September and great crested newts are trapped and counted from mid March to mid June (though the suitability of ponds to support great crested newts can be assessed year-round). The Breeding Bird survey period runs from March to June, but regard must be given to birds still nesting into August.

the rail engineer â&#x20AC;˘ July 2013

RECRUITMENT

Rail Automation

We make the most of rail. Together!

Following the successful acquisition of Invensys Rail by Siemens we are keen to attract the very best talent to our business. If you are interested in joining one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading engineering organisations within our rail signalling business we will be holding recruitment fairs on the following dates: Birmingham Burlington Hotel, 12 July 11.00-20.00 Bristol Hilton Garden Inn, 22 July 11.00-20.00 Croydon Juryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inn, 10 July 11.00-20.00 Glasgow The Grand Central Hotel, 3 September 11.00-20.00 London Hilton Hotel, Euston, 9 July 11.00-20.00 Manchester The Double Tree Hilton, 1 July 11.00-20.00 York The Royal York Hotel, 15 July 11.00-20.00 For further information regarding available opportunities please visit www.siemens.co.uk/careers or send your CV in writing, detailing the position you are interested in applying for to: Susannah Minshall, HR Department, Siemens, PO Box 79, Pew Hill, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 1JD

Available opportunities include: Commercial Managers Senior Project Managers Construction Managers Senior Project Engineers Installation Managers Project Managers Signalling Designers Engineering Managers Signalling Engineers Design Managers Signalling Testers Planners Project Quantity Surveyors We welcome candidates with experience in rail, civil, mechanical and electrical engineering.

siemens.co.uk/careers

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Due to successful tender awards and a growing work bank in the South East, Carillion Rail is looking for the right people to join their teams at Crossrail, Thameslink and Reading.

Join our team If you feel you have the necessary skills and experience, in the first instance, please forward your CV to Jessica.Duncan@carillionplc.com or visit www.carillionplc.com/careers to search and apply for the next step in your career.

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the rail engineer • July 2013

RECRUITMENT

Innovation in Engineering Keltbray Group is one of the fastest

We are also looking to recruit a number of

developing and most progressive railway

individuals with an engineering degree or

electrification businesses in the UK

equivalent to be part of our bespoke Graduate

specialising in Overhead Line Electrification

Training Scheme.

(OLE) Construction and Maintenance to the rail industry and urban light rail systems.

An attractive package related to qualifications and experience will be available for successful

We are currently looking to expand and develop

applicants. So, if you are looking for an exciting

our delivery capability in order to be best placed to

and challenging future in railway electrification and

take advantage of the development and increased

have what it takes to be part of a successful team,

investment in this area of the rail industry. As such,

please forward your CV and work experience to:

we have vacancies in a number of key overhead line engineering disciplines including:-

Kate Swindell Human Resources Advisor

Ÿ

Works and Delivery Managers

Unit 12, Crewe Hall Enterprise Park

Ÿ

OLE Engineers, Technicians and

Weston Road

Supervisors

Crewe CW1 6UA

Ÿ

Field Engineers

or email kate.swindell@aspirerail.co.uk

Ÿ

Lineworkers

Ÿ

Nominated and Authorised Persons

www.keltbray.com

Closing date for applications: Friday 26th July

Train Drivers up to £60k per year, Various Locations (Within the UK & Internationally) Balfour Beatty Rail is an international leader in the design, construction, maintenance, management and renewal of rail assets and systems. We operate and maintain a diverse fleet of On Track Machines and we currently have a range of exciting opportunities for experienced train drivers to help deliver our expanding business portfolio.

The roles primarily involve train driving and route conducting duties in the following key areas: London and the South East, South West England, East & West coast main lines and with the possibility of other opportunities in the Republic of Ireland. In addition, there may be opportunities to acquire machine operation skills in areas such as tamping and rail grinding.

Candidates will need to possess the following key skills and experience: Ÿ A qualified train driver with a good safety record. Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Experience of the operation of on track plant, or an ability and willingness to learn.

Able to carry out minor maintenance and repairs.

Good awareness of health and safety requirements, particularly as they relate to train operations.

Be able to make a positive contribution to a small dedicated team working on high profile contracts.

A flexible approach to work, being prepared to work around a roster that includes night, weekends, bank holidays and respond to short notice changes of plan.

Appreciate the importance of good customer relations.

Able to communicate clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing.

Hold a current UK driving licence with no more than 6 penalty points.

In return we offer a competitive salary and benefits package with an OTE of circa £60k p.a.

To find out more call our recruitment team on 0115 9210471, or apply on line at www.bbrailjobs.com or in writing to: Dave Brewin, HR Advisor, Balfour Beatty Rail Plant, Old Station Yard, Sandiacre, Nottingham NG10 5AG.

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Operation & Maintenance

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Finance