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News in brief The IKOS Group acquires UK-based rail company AEGIS
HS2 joins forces with Digital Catapult to harness latest technologies for the project
The IKOS Group, which specialises in engineering consultancy, announces the acquisition of the UK-based rail company AEGIS. This is the first external growth operation for this leading railway company, which is already present in France, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, the UK, Italy, Sweden, the USA and Canada. The three AEGIS entities located in London, Derby and Madrid will be added to the 19 offices of the IKOS group already established around the world, with a team of 100 engineers in the UK. ScotRail staff march three million steps for mental health awareness At a time when many of us have been neglecting our fitness, ten plucky members of ScotRail staff have taken on a test to raise awareness of mental health issues and collect a few thousand pounds along the way. Each one accepted the challenge thrown down by Samaritans to take 10,000 steps a day over the 31 days of March. The results are in and, the train operator can reveal they all completed the task, marching an awesome total of 3,100,000 steps between them.
HS2 is linking with Digital Catapult, the UK’s leading advanced digital technology innovation centre, to identify and secure the potential offered by emerging technologies such as 5G and machine learning. As part of a three-year framework agreement, HS2 will draw on Digital Catapult’s expertise to harness opportunities to develop, run and maintain Britain’s new high speed rail network. Together they will assess the feasibility of using advanced digital technologies to
manage assets during the construction of the railway, to help predict maintenance requirements during its operation, and create a long lasting innovation legacy for the project. The partnership’s first project, starting in May, will explore how 5G wireless technology could help monitor HS2 infrastructure such as bridges and tunnels. By replacing fixed cabled equipment it could potentially enable flexible, easy and fast deployment of monitoring systems anywhere along the route.
New train washer installed at Southend Victoria depot Trains in East Anglia are set to sparkle after Greater Anglia installed a new carriage washer machine at Southend Victoria depot. The £1.5 million machine was installed in March and can wash up to 70 carriages per hour. The new train wash is more efficient and effective, saving water, energy and time. The washers at Clacton, Colchester, Ilford depot and Orient Way in London are also being refurbished, as part of a £4 million project to improve train cleaning, as the company introduces new trains.
Rail Professional
Stations set to go green as rail companies make sustainability pledge More solar panels, wildflower zones and electric vehicle charge points may be appearing at railway stations across the country as all rail companies responsible for managing railway stations today pledged their commitment to making stations more sustainable. The pledge was made as the rail industry published a new Sustainable Stations: Best Practice Guide, which details ways in which train operators can meet this commitment in support of global goals of decarbonisation, reducing waste and supporting local plant and animal life. The document will also be
used by train companies when agreeing future contracts. Network Rail, which is responsible for managing 20 railway stations, including some of the nation’s biggest and busiest, have also committed to make their stations more sustainable by meeting targets set out in the Network Rail Environmental Sustainability Strategy. Action to reduce waste, support local wildlife and cut the carbon footprint of railway stations will be informed by the industry’s new Sustainable Stations Guide launched today. The 2,563 railway stations
