ISSUE 37 | NOVEMBER 2015
T H E B I A N N U A L M A G A Z I N E F O R M E M B E R S O F T H E I N S T I T U T I O N O F R A I L W AY O P E R AT O R S
The Future Ahead
Jo Kaye on her new role as Director of Network Strategy and Capacity Planning at Network Rail
Train into Work
Industry work experience initiative launched
Exploring Farringdon Crossrail Linda Miller speaks about her work on the project
Operational Planning into the High Speed Era Introducing Cohort 2015 Photographs and interviews from the 2015 Academic Course Launch inside!
02 | WELCOME
Chief Executive Officer Fiona Tordoff fiona@railwayoperators.co.uk Professional Standards Manager (For Membership and Learning) Liz Walker 03333 440523 (ex. 201) liz@railwayoperators.co.uk Membership membership@railwayoperators.co.uk Learning and Development learning@railwayoperators.co.uk Industry Learning Manager Steve Ball 03333 440523 (ex. 205) steve@railwayoperators.co.uk Marketing and Communications Simon Rawlings 03333 440523 (ex. 204) simon@railwayoperators.co.uk IRO The Moat House 133 Newport Road Stafford ST16 2EZ 03333 440523 www.railwayoperators.co.uk Opinions expressed in editorial material do not necessarily represent the views of the IRO or its members.
Welcome Welcome to the November 2015 edition of Bulletin, the Institution of Railway Operators’ biannual magazine. If this isn’t your first edition of Bulletin you will have noticed that the publication has been redesigned – we hope you like the changes that have been made! As part of our effort to continually improve your comments will be invaluable, so please do get in touch. Tweet us @IRO_UK or send us an email: membership@railwayoperators.co.uk If this is your first edition of Bulletin, welcome! This Institution exists for its members and the rail industry, promoting best practice and representing the interests of railway operators at all levels. From area events to online courses, we hope you find yourself spoilt for choice with all of the ways in which we can help you develop your knowledge and expertise. As we approach the end of 2015 we are happy to report that it has been another busy year for the Institution. During the spring we launched www.irolearn.co.uk, a new online learning website that offers courses for all levels within the industry. Later in July we proudly watched students from the IRO GCU courses graduate at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall before welcoming students on the courses at the October Academic Course Launches in London and Dublin. 2016 promises to be just as eventful. As our membership continues to grow the Institution is set to welcome its 5000th member during the early summer. A new IRO GCU Masters degree is also set to launch in October 2016 that will further the learning opportunities available to members. Thank-you for your continued support and commitment to the development of railway operations. The IRO Stafford Team
Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter to join our growing online community of rail industry professionals. Find out about upcoming events, industry news and more. Twitter: @IRO_UK LinkedIn: Search ‘Institution of Railway Operators’ Picture Credits: Page 4: Network Rail, Page 9: East Midlands Trains, Page 17: Crossrail, Page 18: HS2 Ltd.,Page 19: Flickr ‘Cross County Voyager south of Oxford’ by Ed Webster is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0_, Page 21: Virgin Trains East Coast
Call: 03333 440523
CONTENTS | 03
Issue 37 | November 2015 Interview
Jo Kaye Interview IRO Chair, Jo Kaye speaks about her new role at Network Rail
Membership
Corporate Members Mark Phillips, Director of Research and Standards at RSSB on why his organisation joined the IRO
Learning and Development
04
04
08
08
Train into Work Unique work experience initiative launched at Derby Station
09
IRO Learn Martin Woollam, Service Development Director at Carlisle Support Services on how IRO Learn will help training in the workplace
10
Summer Graduation IRO GCU students celebrate their achievements at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
11
Meet our Students We caught up with some of our newest students to find out their reasons for studying and what they look forward to learning
12
11
Events
2015 Members’ Lunch and Course Launch A selection of photographs from two of the Institution’s biggest annual events
14
16
Areas
Exploring Farringdon Crossrail 16 Linda Miller, Project Manager at Farringdon Crossrail speaks about her work on the project and gives an update on the hurdles that lie ahead Operational Planning into the High Speed Era 18 How to ensure a reliable and workable timetable Voyager Simulators Members test their driving knowledge at CrossCountry Voyager simulators
19
Mobilising East Coast David Horne updates the South East Area on the mobilisation of the VTEC franchise
20
ERTMS on the East Coast Main Line How is ERTMS being introduced?
21
Meet the IRO Area Councils Rachel Heath and Chris Mackenzie speak about their work as Area Chairs
22
Back Page
Your Institution 24 Find out how IRO members make up one of the fastest growing railway membership organisations
www.railwayoperators.co.uk
20
19
04 | INTERVIEW
Call: 03333 440523
INTERVIEW | 05
The Future Ahead
Jo Kaye, Director of Network Strategy and Capacity Planning IN OCTOBER THIS YEAR JO KAYE, CHAIR OF THE IRO WAS ANNOUNCED AS NETWORK RAIL’S NEW DIRECTOR OF NETWORK STRATEGY AND CAPACITY PLANNING. JO WILL BECOME A MEMBER OF NETWORK RAIL’S EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE NETWORK AND THE TIMETABLING OF NATIONAL RAIL SERVICES. JO SPOKE TO SIMON RAWLINGS ABOUT HER NEW ROLE, THE IMPORTANCE OF PUTTING THE PASSENGER FIRST AND WHY SHE FEELS THE IRO IS CRUCIAL IN HELPING OPERATORS SUCCEED. Congratulations on your new role. What are you planning to achieve over the coming months? Well, I think the first thing I need to achieve is to understand the team better. Like all jobs in the railway, everything you do is achieved through the people who work for you so I’ve absolutely got to get to know the team. I worked with many of the team over the last few years, but this is getting to know them in a different way. We’ve then got to make some quick decisions about what we might want to change in the team, if anything, to put us in a better state to deal with all the challenges the world has to throw at us.
In regards to challenges, do you foresee any arising and, if so, how do you plan to overcome them? We’ve got a couple of reviews ongoing at the moment: the Bowe review, the Hendy review and the Shaw review, so an immediate focus for all of the team is to effectively provide our input and information into these reviews. Once they are published we’ve then got to very quickly enact the recommendations and outputs in a way where we’ve got a clear plan with very clear milestones that we deliver on. This will significantly help improve Network Rail’s reputation when we have a plan that we stick to and deliver. Beyond that we’ve actually then got to continue with all the good work that we do all of the time which is effectively planning for the future of the railway, trying to articulate that in a way that not just railway people understand, but actually the people that we really need to understand which is the public, tax payers and other funders.
www.railwayoperators.co.uk
In recent years you have been working as Network Rail’s Strategy and Planning Director for the North of England - how do you plan to build upon this experience? Probably the most material thing that occurred in my time in the Northern job was the government’s devolution agenda. You can see signs of that developing elsewhere in the country now. One thing
‘‘
One thing that not just my team, but the whole of Network Rail has got to do, is to understand the devolution agenda and be able to respond appropriately to it. That will be different in different places; the agenda that the North has and the way that they’ve set themselves up might ultimately be different from what the Midlands chooses to do, or the South West.
that not just my team, but the whole of Network Rail has got to do, is to understand the devolution agenda and be able to respond appropriately to it. That will be different in different places; the agenda that the North has and the way that they’ve set themselves up might ultimately be different from what the Midlands chooses to do, or the South West. Not everybody is necessarily going to follow the TfL model. So, we absolutely need to be much more agile in setting ourselves up for the specific circumstances in which we find ourselves. Having been through that process to some extent with colleagues in transport for the North, I think that’s one of the things we’ll be doing a lot more of across not just my team, but the whole of the business.
Will you be doing anything differently during your time in the role? Some things just by definition will need to be done differently because the role I’ve taken over is not a direct replacement for Paul Plumber. Paul’s role also included all of the planning and regulation elements which have now gone elsewhere in the organisation,
06 | INTERVIEW
but a lot of the activity that we do requires us to work really closely so we’ll be operating the matrix in a much more live way than has been the case previously.
Having joined Railtrack as a graduate, you have built extensive experience in operational roles. What advice would you give to young people thinking about a career in the industry, or those are thinking about a change in career altogether? So, for people looking for a career in the industry my advice would be that the rail industry and, the transport industry more widely, is so huge that there is absolutely something for everybody. Regardless of your background (my background happens to be in Biology which must be one of the weirdest links you could possibly make to run trains!) there is something for everyone so don’t be put off by the concept of not having done anything to do with transport or engineering. Actually, the skills that you get in all kinds of other areas of life are really useful. For people in the industry thinking where to start, I would always recommend that people do an operational role early on in their career. This is for two reasons: Firstly, I think it’s important that people understand how the railway really works at the front line before they move into other jobs that have an influence on that. Secondly, if you don’t do it early on in your career it can be quite difficult to go back into front line operations later on so it’s definitely something that you should do early.
Alongside your work at Network Rail you have also been Chair of the Institution for over two years, what initially drew you to the IRO? When I was in an operations role it was very clear to me that, whilst there are longstanding institutions and professional development opportunities for all kinds of other disciplines in the railway, operations was pretty lacking in that area. The IRO is the only organisation that seeks to do that and has been massively successful in a very short period of time. I wanted to make sure I did my bit to help it work.
What have the highlights been so far?
the courses has also been a highlight, seeing what they are looking to get out of it and how we can try and help them.
How do you think the Continuous Professional Development opportunities offered by the IRO can help operators in their day-to-day work and careers? The things that the IRO offers absolutely have to be part of a wider plan that people have. Even the fantastic opportunities that the Institution offers are not going to be enough professional development in itself. If you’re serious about professional development then you have to know what it is you’re seeking to address - what gaps are you trying to fill and how can a range of things can help you to do that? Formal education is one, mentoring and seeing new opportunities can be other ways of filling those gaps as well. The things that the Institution offers has to be part of a complete package that you feel very passionately about because it is the professional development of the individual. You have to take responsibility for it and then follow it through.
You have previously said that, as a graduate, you initially planned to work in the industry for around two years. What convinced you to stay? I’ve still not identified exactly what it is, but absolutely the railway has a way of getting its claws into you and sucking you in. For me, there is definitely an element of service. One of the things that has become increasingly important to me in my life as I’ve matured is to do something that actually delivers something for other people, and the railway is absolutely that. We provide a service to people; sometimes it’s the service that we don’t even notice from day-to-day and, other times, they rightly are either very passionate or very angry about it. However, it is a service and that is what I think is ultimately at the root of it and what sucks people in. The fact that there are so many people who do a good job in often very difficult
“When we’re thinking about areas to improve we’d all do well to think about a passenger who’s never used the system before.”
Without a doubt, the highlights are seeing students come out the other end of the Institution’s education programmes. Some have had an easy time it, some have had a really difficult time of it, but it’s always really great to be at graduation ceremonies. Meeting new students on
Call: 03333 440523
INTERVIEW | 07
“One of the things that has become increasingly important to me in my life as I’ve matured is to do something that actually delivers something for other people, and the railway is absolutely that.” circumstance gives you a real team feeling.
Is there are specific part of it that you would most like to improve? When we think about things that we need to improve, we should all think about it from a passenger’s perspective. I think there’s always a real risk that, as industry professionals, we focus on technical things to improve whereas probably the things that we should actually spend more time thinking about are those that are important to passengers. Simple things like ‘How do I find the station?’ or ‘How do I buy a ticket?’. If you have never navigated our network before we don’t make it easy so, for me that passenger access - and I mean that in the very widest sense to the whole railway - is very important. I think we definitely need to do more in that area because we see it as professionals - we know how to work it. I always use my Mum as a benchmark in this area because she travels long distances by train about three or four times a year. Some of the questions she has asked, “How do I get there?” and “Where do I go?” really bring home to me how complicated we sometimes make it. When we’re thinking about areas to improve we’d all do well to think about a passenger who’s never used the system before. If we are going to materially
www.railwayoperators.co.uk
improve the numbers of people traveling, and the number of times that they choose to travel, then we’ve got to demystify it, we’ve got to make it simple. There’s lots and lots about the railway that can be quite complicated and, if you’re not a confident traveller, quite scary.
What would your message be to new members of the Institution who have recently joined? My key message would be that the Institution is made up of its members. So, if there’s something that you think is missing from the Institution, or if there is something you would like it to do then you should try and take the initiative and make that happen. Whilst we have a great team at Stafford providing a lot of the services, any membership organisation is only as good as its membership. If you are a new member and it isn’t working for you in some way then you should talk to other people and see what you can do to address that. We’re certainly not the only source of good ideas about what the Institution should do and it very much needs to be what the members need it to be. If we ever lose touch with that then we’re in serious trouble. So, if you’ve joined and it isn’t quite what you were expecting, or you need something different, then you should absolutely put your hand up and tell us what it is. Also, be prepared to stand up and do something about it yourself because it’s kind of a self-help organisation as much as it is anything else.
Comment from Mark Carne
Commenting on the appointment of Jo Kaye, Mark Carne, Network Rail Chief Executive, said: “I am delighted to announce the appointment of Jo as director of network strategy and capacity planning. She brings strategic planning and deep industry knowledge and has developed strong relationships with stakeholders including the department for transport and local authorities.”
0 8 | MEMBERSHIP
IRO Welcomes New Corporate Members THE INSTITUTION HAS RECENTLY WELCOMED RSSB AND TRANSPORT FOR GREATER MANCHESTER (TFGM) AS CORPORATE MEMBERS. Throughout the coming months we will be working with RSSB and TfGM to ensure each organisation is able to make the most of the benefits that come with Corporate Membership. Through access to learning opportunities, professional development, helpful people and a wide range of events, employees of RSSB and TfGM will able to benefit from a broad range tools and services to develop their operations knowledge.
To find out more about why RSSB joined the Institution we spoke to Mark Phillips, Director of Research and Standards at RSSB. We asked Mark what benefits he believes Corporate Membership of the IRO will bring to the organisation. Mark said: “RSSB and the IRO have developed a partnership with the aim of sharing knowledge and learning. RSSB has become a Corporate Member of the IRO to promote the Institute within the company and establish a closer working between people in the standards, knowledge, safety systems and future rail teams and leaders at the IRO. Academics and students carrying out research supported by the IRO will gain full access to SPARK, a web portal housing over 20,000 research reports. �
Our current Corporate Members are:
Our Industry partners are:
Call: 03333 440523
LEARNING | 09
East Midlands Trains launches unique new work experience initiative THE INSTITUTION IS PROUD TO HAVE HELPED DEVELOP A NEW UNIQUE WORK EXPERIENCE INITIATIVE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE COMMUNITY RAIL PARTNERSHIP (NSCRP) AND EAST MIDLANDS TRAINS (EMT). WITH SUPPORT FROM ALSAGER JOB CLUB AND THE MOORLAND LEARNING DISABILITIES TEAM AT STAFFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL, AMELIA HUMPHRIES AND MITCHELL GRANT WERE THE FIRST TO BENEFIT FROM THE INITIATIVE AS THEY RECENTLY COMPLETED THEIR FOUR-WEEK WORK PLACEMENT WITH MEMBERS OF THE EMT DERBY STATION TEAM. The new ‘Train into Work’ work experience programmes will provide long-term unemployed and young people with 20 days’ work experience in customer service with EMT and aim to aid local regeneration on the North Staffordshire Line (Crewe-Stoke-Derby). The joint project between EMT and the NSCRP is unique for community rail and if successful, will be rolled out to other routes on the EMT network. The IRO has endorsed the project and has supported it by developing the Train into Work trainee workbook to help the two placement students learn and develop during their operations work experience. During her placement Amelia worked at Derby station, gaining experience in customer-facing roles, including in the ticket office, at the ticket gates, on the platforms and trains. Speaking at the launch, she said: “I have been excitedly counting down to today and hope this opportunity will help me on my way to my destination of a full time job.” Mitchell joined the Station Service Team for the North Staffordshire Route and volunteers at other stations to keep the stations looking clean and tidy. As well as this, he spent two weeks working at Derby station. At the launch Mitchell
www.railwayoperators.co.uk
added: “I am looking forward to being part of East Midlands Trains and getting on the right track to a new job!” As well as the hands-on work experience that gave a great insight into how a customer-service focused business works, Amelia and Mitchel were also provided with a programme of ongoing support including help with interviews, writing CVs and practical support in helping them find future employment. Faye Lambert, Project Manager for North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership said: “Train into Work is the first of its kind in community rail that will give exceptional and determined young people like Amelia and Mitchell focused learning through work experience to help them into employment.” Jason Cocker, Area Station Manager for East Midlands Trains, added: “This is a really exciting initiative and one that I personally am very pleased that we are able to support. We are very focused on our local communities and the new Train into Work initiative is a great example of us looking for different ways to support our communities. None of this would have been possible without the support of the North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership and the IRO and on behalf of
East Midlands Trains, I would like to extend a big thank you to everybody involved in driving forward this fantastic new initiative.” Steve Ball, Industry Learning Manager for the Institution of Railway Operators, said: ‘’The Institution of Railway Operators is pleased to be involved in conjunction with both North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership and East Midlands Trains, collectively delivering the valuable ‘Train into work’ pilot scheme. “The Institution of Railway Operators has supported the initiative by providing a structured learning framework and workbook that compliments perfectly the practical training to be delivered by East Midlands Trains to the trainee candidates.” Credit: East Midlands Trains
10 | LEARNING
Where would the industry be without trained railway operators? E-Learning for the Rail Industry BY STEVE BALL YOU WILL NO DOUBT BE AWARE OF THE EXISTENCE OF IRO LEARN, THE INSTITUTION’S E-LEARNING WEBSITE. WHAT IT SET OUT TO ACHIEVE THROUGH ITS INTRODUCTION WAS TO OFFER ACCESSIBLE BITE SIZE OPS-SPECIFIC LEARNING TO HELP BROADEN THE MEMBERS OUTLOOK, FILL GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE AND PROVIDE TANGIBLE MEANS OF ADVANCEMENT THOUGH RECORDED CPD AND SELF-LEARNING.
Following the OPS90 range of on-line courses, designed to mirror the Institution’s learning framework (POD) it will provide valuable railway operations understanding, in most cases extending beyond the boundaries of the users specific job role. The aim is to develop more rounded, capable Ops workers and managers by delivering a broader understanding of railway operations from every aspect. The values of this type of instant access learning, filling the gap between on-thejob training and more academic studies is clear. Available to both individual and corporate member groups, the OPS90 self-taught eLearning opportunities can be of benefit to anyone from the railway operations sector, either as a personal development initiative or structured company training tool. To complement our online learning, more traditional direct face to face training is offered in the form of OPS180 taught courses delivered in classroom situations by industry experts, in many cases tailored to meet the exact requirement of the operating company or organisation. In addition to the more advanced online learning OPS90, the IRO provides an Introduction to the Railway Industry eLearning programme. This interactive short course is divided into nine manageable sections and provides people who are new to rail with a basic overview of each aspect of the industry. There are simple to follow explanations, videos and diagrams along with supporting text in each section, finalised by a simple five question quick-quiz at the end of each section to qualify understanding. In addition to being of great value to
those just starting out in their rail career, this course could typically be used within larger companies forming part of a corporate induction package or basic training module. We spoke to Martin Woollam, Service Development Director at Carlisle Support Services (one of the Institution’s newest Corporate Members) about IRO Learn and the benefits it brings to staff training. The possibility of the Introduction to the Railway Industry course forming part of staff inductions at Carlisle Support Services has been welcomed by the organisation, as well as the option to tailor staff training through the flexibility the Ops90 modules offer. Martin said: “Carlisle Support Services is proud to be a Corporate Member of the IRO – and seemingly the first from the FM market. We recognise the unique position it holds in a sector we have worked in for over two decades. One of the biggest attractions for Carlisle when making the decision to join was access to IRO Learn. Carlisle, as a support services business, was looking for ways to make our bids and service offerings stand out and in an age of many “me too” providers one true way to differentiate is to get a full and accurate appreciation of what makes a client and their operating environment tick – and for us make it tick louder and faster! The IRO Learn package facilitates that intimacy of understanding from all aspects of service delivery within the rail sector - a unique insight that gives us fresh eyes. The beauty lies in the fact it has something for everyone. As the cleaning sector aligns more with engineering to understand that aspect of delivery from the industries point of view as opposed to a standard cleaning industry view gives us new areas to remodel propositions. To understand rail finances also helps us align security and revenue protection solutions too. While some of the “big boys” in our market are declassifying their rail or transport credentials to terms like “industrial”, Carlisle believes that such a unique sector needs to be fully understood before conquering. IRO Learn is an essential step on that journey for us. What I have found particularly encouraging is the IRO Learn teams drive to improve what is an already excellent product. Carlisle would like to see the IRO learn as a two way mirror, we can learn huge amounts from what’s there but we would love to input our sector expertise into the wider aspects of service delivery in time when collaborative working is critical.”
Call: 03333 440523
LEARNING | 11
Andrew Bolton (Southern) Degree graduate
Sandra Bregger (Southern) Degree graduate
Richard Clevett (Network Rail) Degree graduate
Elizabeth Lumber (Southern) Degree graduate
Graduates Celebrate Success ON 1ST JULY THE INSTITUTION WAS DELIGHTED TO SEE STUDENTS FROM THE CERTIFICATE, DIPLOMA AND DEGREE COURSES IN RAILWAY OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT ATTEND THEIR GRADUATION CEREMONIES IN GLASGOW. THESE STUDENTS HAVE DEMONSTRATED A CLEAR COMMITMENT TO IMPROVING THEIR INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE AND WE WOULD LIKE TO WISH THEM ALL THE BEST FOR THE FUTURE.
www.railwayoperators.co.uk
Certificate: Martin Edwards (Great Western Railway) Robert Kitley (Great Western Railway) Jane MacLennan (Network Rail), Jordan Morris (Great Western Railway) Stephen Parker (Govia Thameslink Railway) Ellie Powers (Great Western Railway) Matthew Ryder (Great Western Railway) Alexander Wall (Great Western Railway) Zac Weallans (Great Western Railway) Niall Wiggins (Great Western Railway)
How well did the course meet your expectations?
Diploma:
What specific feature did you like most about studying with the IRO?
Pamela Nakazzi, (Southern).
Degree: Damian Agnew (Translink), Andrew Bolton (Southern), Sandra Bregger (Southern), Helen Bullock (Great Western Railway) Kathleen Carroll (First Transpennine Express) Richard Clevett (Network Rail) Stephen Duckering (First Tram Operations) Elizabeth Lumber (Southern), Mary McCrum (Translink), Joel Mitchell (South West Trains), Paul Neve (Network Rail), Tony Prankett (Network Rail) Stewart Prentice (Direct Rail Services Ltd) Babita Sohal (Heathrow Express).
“Tutorials at the beginning of every module were very helpful as we got to meet the Tutors and other students. Tutors were very supportive and so were the IRO staff at the tutorials.” – Sandra Bregger
“The flexibility! Being able to study around my work and life, not the other way round.” – Richard Clevett
What are the benefits of studying on the IRO academic programme? “It enables you to see all sides of the industry, not just the area in which you work.” – Andrew Bolton
12 | LEARNING
Meet our Students Andrew Derrig
Introducing Cohort 2015
ON 3RD OCTOBER THE IRO AND GLASGOW CALEDONIAN UNIVERSITY (GCU) WELCOMED STUDENTS TO THE 2015 ACADEMIC COURSE LAUNCH IN LONDON. THROUGHOUT THE DAY WE CAUGHT UP WITH SOME OF THE STUDENTS TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THEIR REASONS FOR STUDYING AND WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING.
Ben Shewchuk
Diploma
Certificate
Project Interface Manager, Great Western Railway
Revenue Protection Inspector, Great Western Railway
Matthew Spence
Emily Clarke
Diploma Operations Controller, Network Rail
Certificate Train Crew Roster Manager, Great Western Railway
Call: 03333 440523
LEARNING | 13
Can you tell us a bit about yourself? Andrew: I work for Great Western Railway as a Project Interface Manager looking after the Crossrail project. I enjoy the challenges the industry faces and the opportunities for personal and professional development it offers. Ben: I am a Revenue Protection Inspector based at London Paddington for GWR. Officially I am still based at Reading where I started just under 4 years ago, but as they’ve never had inspectors here in London I am part of a trial. My role, like all front line staff is 90% customer service, but I also investigate incidents of fare evasion and rail fraud and am trained under the mandate of the Police And Criminal Evidence act, I am constantly aware that everything I say or do could end up in front of a judge for any amount of reasons. I’ve been in Revenue since I started, amazingly I’d lived in a commuter town or near it most of my life and never considered working on the railway once. It was some choice words by my then housemate that made me apply, and I wished I’d thought of it sooner. Matthew: I am currently employed by Network Rail. I started with the company in 2008, at St Pancras International as station staff, then became a Grade 9 Signaller at Victoria Signalling centre. I now work as an Operations Controller for Anglia Route control and currently awaiting to start my next role as an Incident Controller TMS. The sheer variety of jobs within the rail industry drew me in and I realised that I can have a long, varying career. Where every day is different.
and skills to further my career in the future for management roles. Andrew: I wanted a better understanding of the intricacies of railway operations, which the IRO is well placed to provide. It is also a fantastic opportunity to further develop the skills and knowledge I have gained over the last seven years. Emily: My colleagues told me about the courses available; they sounded very interesting and looked like they would help me increase my knowledge of how the railway works. Ben: My background is in hospitality as well as the building trade. I was drawn to the IRO as I was looking for a way to re-educate myself. There aren’t many opportunities to do so for someone only qualified to be a chef, not after the age of 21 anyway, and I knew I would eventually get bored in my current role. The railway seems to hold boundless possibilities and I want to know what they are, it seems the IRO and GCU can help, and the company are willing to fund it.
How did you find your first tutorial? Emily: I found the tutorial very informative and a good insight into how the course works. It was also a great chance to meet others on the course and share experiences. Ben: The first tutorial was a long day but I put this down to the fact that I work permanent late shifts. The tutors were very helpful and informative and I never felt like I wasn’t equal to anyone else in the room.
Emily: I work for Great Western Railway as a train crew roster manager. I have been in the industry for 18 months. I did work experience for 6 weeks and thoroughly enjoyed myself and decided that I wanted to peruse a career on the railway.
Matthew: I found the first tutorial very informative and to actually have a topic, that is non railway related is great, as it gets you thinking outside the box on what is a core skill for personal development and future leadership.
Why did you decide to study an IRO GCU academic course?
Andrew: I enjoyed the first tutorial; it was informative and well-presented and gave me a good idea of how the course will run over the next two years.
Matthew: I decided after 3-4 years of debating to do the course, that it would be a great way to encompass all my knowledge
www.railwayoperators.co.uk
What are you most looking forward to learning on the course? Ben: I have no idea what I’m best looking forward to finding out, I wish to progress to the degree so I want to learn it all, I don’t know what will be interesting or fascinating or boring, but I am looking forward to finding out. Andrew: I am most looking forward to learning how Group Standards are conceived and established. I am also interested in better understanding the logistics of Train Planning. Emily: I am most looking forward to learning more about the history of the railway and gaining a greater insight into the industry. Matthew: I am most looking forward to learning areas, where my knowledge is lacking such as Safety Law and Management & Managing People, I see these topics as critical for future managers, as it’s not just important knowing how the railways operator but also the way in which to manage people and health and safety laws.
Do you have any other comments? Matthew: I’d just like to add it’s been good to meet likeminded people, from other TOC’s and my own company. We all share the common focus of becoming good operators and future leaders. I am also looking forward to carrying on my studies in the future, when I go on to complete the degree after the diploma.
14 | EVENTS
2015 Members’ Lunch & Academic Course Launch
ON 19TH JUNE THE INSTITUTION WELCOMED MEMBERS AND GUESTS FROM ACROSS THE INDUSTRY TO THE 2015 MEMBERS’ LUNCH AT THE CUMBERLAND HOTEL IN LONDON. Prior to the lunch members also gathered for a morning seminar that explored the digital railway, non-technical skills, innovation in franchising and ERTMS. The Institution was also delighted to welcome Peter Wilkinson (MD, Rail Executive, Passenger Services, DfT) to the event as guest speaker. Thank-you to all who attended, we look forward to seeing you again next year!
Call: 03333 440523
EVENTS | 15
On 3rd October the Institution and Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) welcomed new students onto the Certificate, Diploma and Degree courses at the 2015 Academic Course Launch. Held at GCU’s London campus, the event saw students from across the industry take the first steps towards achieving an internationally recognised qualification in Railway Operations Management. We would like to wish all students the best of luck with their studies!
www.railwayoperators.co.uk
16 | AREAS
Exploring Farringdon Crossrail BY SIMON RAWLINGS
ON 30TH APRIL THE SOUTH EAST AREA WENT BEHIND THE SCENES AT EUROPE’S LARGEST AND ARGUABLY MOST FAMOUS CONSTRUCTION PROJECT – CROSSRAIL. THE VISIT OFFERED MEMBERS A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE FARRINGDON CROSSRAIL SITE WHICH INCLUDED A TOUR OF THE STATION WORKS AND TUNNELS.
T
o start the visit members were given a captivating presentation by Linda Miller, Project Manager at Farringdon Crossrail. Describing the station the ‘Heart of Crossrail’, Linda gave an overview of the station and also discussed how the use of compensation grouting has been successful in counteracting any settlement. As well as this members learnt about the tunnel boring machines (TBMs) that have been used to excavate 6 million tons of material from underneath the streets of London. Work on the project began 5 years ago in May 2009. During this time 3 of the 6 million tons of material excavated has been used to help create the biggest man-made nature reserve in Europe (Wallasea Island in Essex). Crossrail and the Royal Society for the protection of Birds (RSPB) have worked together for this project, a partnership which is a key part of Crossrail’s sustainability strategy. Commenting on this partnership, Andrew Wolstenholme, Crossrail Chief Executive said: “This trailblazing partnership with the RSPB is a key part of Crossrail’s sustainability strategy and shows that by working together, the construction industry and environmental groups can benefit both the economy and the environment.” After a thorough safety briefing members changed into PPE before starting the tour of the site and tunnels. Members were shown the tunnels that will be soon carry an estimated 200 million annual passengers and were even able to see the KERN Shutter in action. There is no doubting that Crossrail will
Interview:
Linda Miller
transform rail transport in London and the South East. Towards the end of the tour members were shown where the platforms will be constructed and, with a little imagination, it was easy to picture the finished project. It is estimated that central London’s rail capacity will be increased by 10% and the first services through central London will start as early as late 2018. We would like to thank all the staff at Farringdon Crossrail for their time and for giving IRO members access to behind the scenes at the site.
Linda Miller, the Project Manager of Farringdon Crossrail, has over 20 years construction experience that compliments her time as a paratrooper and helicopter pilot in the US army. During her time at Crossrail Linda has led the renovation of the 130-year-old Victorian Connaught Tunnel and the installation of a cofferdam and draining of part of the Royal Docks. In October Linda spoke to Simon Rawlings about the work that has been completed since the Institution’s visit to the Farringdon Crossrail site earlier this year, the hurdles ahead and the legacy she will be proud to be a part of once the project is compete.
Call: 03333 440523
AREAS | 1 7
Interview: When the Institution visited the Farringdon site in April work had begun to increase the diameter of the tunnels from 7 metres to 12 metres to allow room for platforms. Can you summarise what further work has taken place at the site since our visit? The work to widen the platforms from 7 metres diameter to 12 metres diameter is now 100% complete - it’s a great achievement for us. In addition to that we have now finished, just in this last month, all of the cross passageways and the escalator barrels as well – so that is us finished with all of our original contract mining. You have previously said that Crossrail has performed ‘open heart surgery’ on the Connaught Tunnel, a disused 130 year old Victorian tunnel in Docklands. What was the greatest challenge you faced during the restoration and how did you overcome it? It was a proud thing for the whole team to be able to bring a very beautiful piece of 130 year old Victorian rail architecture back to life because it had been abandoned for many years and disused. Firstly, there were no 130 year old drawings – we were surprised by a number of things and we had to reengineer and refine our plans.
www.railwayoperators.co.uk
The fact that the tunnel ran underneath the dock waters also made the need for us to care for the waters around us incredibly important. People swim in this water and it is also home to a great deal of wildlife. Endangered bats even used it as a highway at night, so we had to take care and make provisions for them. The Royal Victoria Dock is where we also needed to build our coffer dam. Two of the most prestigious shows in the country take place at the Excel Centre which was blocked when we had our coffer dam in. The London Boat Show attracts tens of thousands of people looking at everything from multi-million pound yachts and up. The Defence and Security Equipment International exhibition also has everyone from the Royal Navy sailing in for that. We had a hard job to do the amount of work we needed to do in between January and September as promised. Boasting direct connections to London Underground and upgraded and expanded Thameslink services, Farringdon is set to become one of the UK’s busiest rail hubs. With 26 miles of tunnelling work now complete, what key hurdles lay ahead before the first trains can run through Farringdon? I have in the past here at Farringdon had 100 great big things to worry about every day. Going forward here very shortly there is going to be, not 100, but one million little things to worry about. Every one of those million things is as important as the 100 big things behind us. For example, there is everything from the signalling equipment rooms and communications equipment, to the lighting, speakers, CCTV cameras and the customer information systems. Every one of those not only has to look right, but has to be of good quality and function. Aesthetics are a really hard but important job ahead too. The benefits Crossrail will bring are unsurprisingly diverse and far-reaching. The economy is estimated to benefit by at least £42 billion and it will encourage regeneration and social inclusion and provide access to thousands of job opportunities, not forgetting the benefits
it will bring to the passengers. What aspect of Crossrail will you be most proud of when it is finished and fully operational? For me, having participated through the construction, it will be that Crossrail never only sees itself as building a transportation system, but instead, creating legacy. Some of the fantastic work that we’ve done around helping to kick-start apprenticeships again in our industry is something that I love - nearly 500 apprenticeships have been created! A huge passion of mine is convincing women to come into engineering and construction careers. I love that there’s a whole big piece of Crossrail that feels that this is important. Of course, I love Wallasea Island. Almost half of our 7 million tons of soil that we excavated has been used to help create this. In construction this material is normally called ‘spoil’ or ‘muck’ and is considered a waste product. In our case 3 million tons went out to a small island in the north-east of London to create one of Europe’s largest nature reserves. We breached the sea walls to flood the lagoons and waterways earlier this summer. It’s one of my favourite parts of the story - I started with the digging of the dirt and it does me well to know that’s where it wound up. A huge piece of Crossrail is also about changing how lorries and cyclists interface. We introduced cycle safety training and cycle safety equipment for all of our thousands of lorries. The lorry drivers and their companies said this was too much, that it was too far a reach, and yet we have. I love that we dug in and kept our reserve around that interface around lorries and cyclists.
18 | AREAS
Operational Planning into the High Speed Era WILLIAM BARTER IS THE IRO TUTOR FOR OPERATIONAL PLANNING AND HAS CLOSELY FOLLOWED THE PROGRESS OF THE HS2 PROJECT. AT A NORTH EAST AREA EVENT HELD EARLIER THIS YEAR MEMBERS WERE FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE HIS EXPERIENCES OF PLANNING FOR MAJOR PROJECTS. BY DAVID MONK-STEEL The timetable is an important input to the business plan and infrastructure design, so is an essential tool in project development to determine the optimal infrastructure, fleet size and labour force from the very earliest stage in planning a new railway. HS2 is essentially that and William made direct reference to the challenge of a blank sheet of paper, and perhaps many such, as various iterations of the plan are tried. The basic principles for planning for high speed remain the same in that a successful plan has to reflect and optimise Operational Costs (Fleet Management, Fuel, Staff etc.) and Capital Costs (Rolling Stock and Infrastructure) against Revenue. There have to be strict but realistic planning rules which ensure a reliable and workable timetable. If this is right then the system will be right. A lot of the planning processes for High Speed are no different to conventional railways. The Commercial Specification and System design are key inputs
although the draft plan can influence the viability of both and should suggest where improvement can be made. The Planning Rules have to include such fixed factors as Sectional Running Times, Station Dwell times, Headways, Junction Margins, terminal times etc., many of which will have to be calculated for as yet unrealised assets using simulation tools. It is possible however to recommend infrastructure changes at this stage to improve performance and viability. A new railway such as HS2 incorporates features which do change the way that operators think about the plan, including infrastructure features such as grade separated junctions, shorter headways, operation at terminals and key junctions, standard train formations, and standardisation of turnrounds to maximize utilisation of capacity at terminals. In fact, a modern high speed railway has features not dissimilar to an intensively-worked suburban railway, regardless of the top speed. However, because of the greater
Call: 03333 440523
AREAS | 19
Midlands Area Members Visit Voyager Simulators BY BILL MAHONEY MEMBERS OF THE MIDLANDS AREA WERE RECENTLY GIVEN THE COVETED OPPORTUNITY TO SIT IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT AND HAVE A GO ON CROSSCOUNTRY’S VOYAGER SIMULATORS AT THEIR DERBY TRAINING CENTRE.
speed and closer headways the timetable needs to be more accurate. Timings to less than half a minute may indeed be required. Certain constraints will present themselves. Modern permanent way design aims to simplify station and junction layouts so as to design out sources of failure. This is a worthy objective but can increase junction margins and restrict layout flexibility, which may have to be offset by additional facilities elsewhere. Members were extremely appreciative of the insight, of which William included many personal observations based upon his experience of operational planning for a range of major projects over the years. If you would like a copy of William’s presentation please email: David Monk-Steel, North East Area Secretary: ne.secretary@railwayoperators.co.uk
www.railwayoperators.co.uk
As all Voyager drivers are assessed at the training centre on a three-year cycle, the simulators are continuously updated as and when any changes are introduced to operational trains. The control software can also simulate three different routes over which CrossCountry trains pass which allows all drivers to be tested on a route they currently, or will sign. During the visit members learnt about the difficult and challenging scenarios that are often presented to the drivers in the simulators. These can vary from a lorry stuck on a level crossing to a train on fire on an adjacent running line. Whilst the scenarios test the reaction of drivers in difficult situations, they also identify what training is needed to ensure a driver is fully prepared in the event of an incident. This allows CrossCountry to ensure the safe operation of their trains and the safety of staff and customers. After a comprehensive briefing, each member was given the opportunity to take the controls. They were faced
with a variety of incidents whilst driving the given route and, despite their lack of driving experience, they all took action in the incidents that were placed before them. Our thanks go to Simon Thursfield and the team at CrossCountry trains for a memorable and testing visit which gave a valuable insight into the steps taken to ensure the safe operation of a Voyager train.
20 | AREAS
Mobilising East Coast
AT A RECENT SOUTH EAST AREA EVENT A PACKED AUDIENCE WAS ADDRESSED BY VIRGIN TRAINS EAST COAST’S MANAGING DIRECTOR, DAVID HORNE ABOUT THE MOBILISATION OF THE NEW VTEC FRANCHISE. BY ROBIN MORGAN Unusually, the Virgin (10%)/Stagecoach (90%) marriage actually bought the shares in the East Coast Mainline Company Ltd which were formerly owned by Directly Operated Railways (DOR). David explained to the audience that this was different in mobilisation terms to a traditional franchise takeover, simplifying the process as it avoided the need to TUPE staff, or to apply for a new Safety Certificate. David gave meaningful comparisons between this experience and when he was Mobilisation Director for East Midlands Trains. David looked back on the process, citing his two-week tour of the network as particularly helpful for staff engagement and explaining the plans of the new company to stakeholders. DOR were praised particularly for their helpfulness in the handover - providing co-operation that not all new franchisees have the benefit of. IRO members heard about issues with social media during the handover and the somewhat low-key (for Virgin!) launch to turn King’s Cross red. David also touched on the alliance that VTEC is to build with Network Rail. Looking forward, we heard about certain aspects of what we can perhaps call the ‘Virginification’ of the line including: a £21million refurbishment of the current fleet as a precursor to the raft of improvements involved in the Intercity Express Programme (new trains, new signalling...), hot food in standard
class, a 3 hour 59 minute London to Edinburgh journey time and customer service improvements. Following his presentation David also took questions from the floor which invited him to discuss why the franchise is branded Virgin rather than Stagecoach, and how the new trains will match the HSTs’ performance north of Edinburgh.
Call: 03333 440523
AREAS | 21
Introducing ERTMS on the East Coast Main Line BY DAVID MONK-STEEL
“An attentive audience learnt about an aspect of the industry that is little known, and even those involved in the bidding process will have gained a great deal from the insights that David provided,” commented the IRO’s Martin Ward. He further added that “we are grateful to David for his ongoing support of the IRO, and this talk exemplified how the IRO creates a unique platform to share knowledge and best practice across the whole industry.” One thing is for certain - there are some exciting times ahead, and once again (building on the vital stability that the DOR team created) the East Coast Intercity operation is going flourish!
www.railwayoperators.co.uk
IN MID-MAY NIGEL CAY (PROGRAMME SPONSOR, NETWORK RAIL) AND TOM HANHAM, (ALLIANCE MANAGER, VIRGIN TRAINS EAST COAST) UPDATED MEMBERS OF THE NORTH EAST AREA ON THE INTRODUCTION OF ERTMS (EUROPEAN RAIL TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM) ON THE EAST COAST MAIN LINE. The whole project, which is being jointly delivered by both Network Rail and VTEC, represents a sharing of operational knowledge and expertise. At the event members learnt that the ERTMS project is the keystone of the Digital Railway Strategy. It will drive forward a revolution in how the railway operates. Timetabling rules will be re-written, and the entire project is operations and not engineering led. It will also be essential to design in all possible and necessary operation requirements at the outset and will herald a change of culture that will be a major step forward. Timescales are quite challenging but robust. Trials are already taking place, including a number of years on the Cambrian Coast route, and a test facility has now also been provided in the Kings Cross Power Box area on the Hertford Loop line. The programme for installation starts with commissioning at Kings Cross and
Moorgate from Quarter 1 2019, continuing to Doncaster South by Quarter 3 2020. Doncaster and north thereof will follow. New rolling stock will aid the programme with 700 class Thameslink stock operating from London to Peterborough, and 800/801 IEP stock on Virgin East Coast services. All these will be ERTMS fitted from new. Existing stock will be fitted where there is a need for operations south of Doncaster, including locomotives which operate freight services. Reflecting upon the event one IRO member commented, “The prospect of dual running in the early phases will bring an interesting concept to our operations!” Our thanks go to Nigel and Tom for their interesting and informative presentation that provided IRO members with an upto-date understanding of the project.
22 | A R E A S
Meet the IRO Area Councils The seven IRO Areas are integral to the success of the Institution. Their objective is to connect members with experience and learning opportunities that broaden their understanding of railways, grow crossindustry and inter-disciplinary awareness and develop their knowledge and enhance their skills. Throughout the coming issues of Bulletin we will be interviewing members of the IRO Area Councils to find out more about their role in the Institution. For this issue we caught up with Rachel Heath (Midlands Area Chair) and Chris Mackenzie (North West and Wales Area Chair).
Rachel Heath Midlands Area Chair Rachel joined Virgin Trains in 2002 as a Train Manager, later for CrossCountry Trains under the franchise change. At CrossCountry Rachel trained new Train Managers and Conductors and finished in the Performance team. She now works at Network Rail, as Planning and Business Development Manager in the national High Output Track Renewals team. Rachel is a Member of the Institution and joined the Area Council picking up the role of Events Organiser for the 2014/2015 programme and elected in as Chair in summer 2015.
Chris Mackenzie North West & Wales Area Chair Chris joined the railway in 1999 following a career change from Darlington Borough Council’s Social Services. He has held a variety of positions on the railway including both within station grades and Traincrew. More recently, Chris has been a train driver since 2006, employed initially by Northern Rail and currently DB Schenker. Chris also has experience in trade union activities, including having been an industrial representative and union learning representative, but Chris’ main trade union experience comes from formally being a Health and Safety representative for one of the biggest depots in the country. These positions led to undertaking a variety of academic courses, most of which undertaken without corporate support, culminating in gaining full membership of IOSH in 2013. The North West and North Wales Area council is quite unique, having a chairman from a non-managerial grade.
Earlier this year you were both elected as Area Council Chairs. How have your first few months in the role been? Rachel: Hectic! I have been trying to put the programme together for 15/16 as well so I have had to rely a lot on the rest of the committee to cash in favours with their contacts, so far it has worked nicely, a couple of weeks ago we have the Chief Exec of Centro presenting to our area. We also have newly elected members on the committee so making sure everyone is set up to promote the IRO has been a priority. Chris: The first few months have been quite a challenge, updating the council’s processes and finalising the program for this year. A lot of the work of the council goes on behind the scenes, this can mean dealing with companies and individuals that you wouldn’t otherwise have dealt with, but, is that not what the Institution is all about? Additionally, I hope members will start to see an element of my own laid back style and good humour, because let’s be honest, sometimes you need a sense of humour in this industry! With the help of the rest of the council we are now on a firm footing that I hope the area membership will see the improvement going forward. Saying that, we are always eager to welcome new blood and new ideas, bring them on.
You have both been a member of the Institution for many years. What particular aspect of the Institution first appealed to you? Chris: I have been a member of the IRO for 5 years and a council member for about 4. I have always been keen to continually improve myself and the Institution offers that, whether it is through academic courses, through the events that the areas offer or by meeting the many characters that make up our industry. I did note that one part of the IRO that, I believed was missing, was the role of the trade unions within the industry. Irrespective of personal ideologies, they play a large part of how the industry moves forward and I thought I could offer some experience that maybe useful Rachel: The networking aspect; there are so many interesting characters in the Railway with a wide knowledge base, it is great to be able to meet people who are able to understand the network. Getting young people interested in the Railway has always been a passion of mine, and the IRO gives me an opportunity to introduce the next generation to railway operations.
Membership of the IRO is continuously growing and is set to reach 5000 by mid-2016. What would your message be to our new members? Rachel: Never underestimate the power of professional networking and continual learning, there is always someone who can help you or point you in the right direction and the IRO gives the perfect opportunity to do this on a regular basis. Don’t be afraid to volunteer to help, even just a few hours a month can make the difference to the rest of the area membership. Chris: Don’t be shy and come and say hello, whether it be by attending an event or by personal contact, you’d be surprised at the people who make up the IRO. There is always someone out there that knows the answer to that burning question you have. Also, we treat everyone equally, it isn’t a management’s only club, if it were; I would neither be a member not to mention a chair of one of its regions. This is a myth I have worked hard to dispel. We also have free sandwiches, what more reason do you need to come along?
What future events can members look forward to from your Area? Chris: We try and cover the full industry as best as we can from passenger to freight, from heavy rail to light. We also, try and include a comparator to other forms of logistics providers. This year we have talks on signalling and rail replacement an outdoor event at Fiddler’s Ferry Power Station and the ever popular driver simulator visit, although, not sure I personally am looking forward to that one. Rachel: Presentations on Nuneaton, Kenilworth and Coventry line improvements, as well as a share with pride from Birmingham Gateway project and of course our family summer day out which we are already busy arranging.
Is there anything else you would like to share with our members? Rachel: Christmas is less than 100 days away… Chris: Whether you are a member either studying or not, the institution is only as good as its membership, bring your ideas forward. Particularly students; you are undertaking courses that can be onerous, if there is a module coming up you need help with, let us know. We can help with providing mentors or, given enough notice, we could even arrange an event that maybe useful. You can bet your bottom dollar you are not the only one that will need help with that subject. Also, it could be worth registering for events at all regions, we may not have an event that is of use but other areas might. We can always see what we can do with regards to assistance in travelling to other area’s events. Don’t feel isolated in your studies, you know where we are.
Call: 03333 440523
DIARY OF EVENTS/CONTACTS | 2 3
Diary of Events WEDNESDAY 18TH NOVEMBER
TUESDAY 12TH JANUARY 2016
17:00 – 19:30 | YORK – NORTH EAST AREA The North East Area Council welcomes Phil Graham, Railway Operations Expert, to run a masterclass on Signalling Controls Manual & Automatic. This is the 2nd of a series of events to provide people with an overview of how the different systems work. This will be of particular interest to those who are keen to further their knowledge of this fascinating subject, as well as those who would like an introduction to this vital foundation for railway operations.
17:15 MEET FOR 17:30 START BIRMINGHAM – MIDLANDS AREA Chris Montgomery, Network Rail Project Director will be coming to give a presentation on the good, the bad and the amazing from his time leading the Birmingham Gateway project. The station opened September 2015 to a huge media fanfare, and this will be the perfect time for Chris to reflect on what was achieved. A must attend for anyone with an interest in major project work.
Signalling Controls Manual & Automatic
THURSDAY 3RD DECEMBER
Christmas Social and Quiz
17:00 – 21:00 | YORK – NORTH EAST AREA We will be hosting a social evening at The Windmill Inn in York. All members are welcome to come along and share some refreshments, relax and have a quiet drink. Members of the Council will be happy to discuss what the IRO can offer you. A general knowledge quiz will also be on offer. MONDAY 7TH DECEMBER
Rail Replacement - All You Ever Wanted To Know
17:30 – 19:30 | MANCHESTER – NORTH WEST & WALES AREA Please visit the website for further information. MONDAY 7TH DECEMBER
Christmas Social & Drinks
17:00 – 21:00 SWINDON – SOUTH WEST & WALES AREA Following the success of the previous IRO South West Area Christmas Quizzes, Lawrie Hall & Chris Prior have produced another fiendishly hard quiz with a railway bias. TUESDAY 8TH DECEMBER
Christmas Social and Drinks BIRMINGHAM – MIDLANDS AREA Time to be confirmed. Please check the website closer to the date.
Birmingham Gateway Presentation ‘Share with Pride’
THURSDAY 21ST JANUARY 2016
Delivering the Customer Experience by Natalie Loughborough
Your IRO Area Contacts To get involved with your regional IRO Area or to book a place on any of the events listed please get in touch using the contacts below.
Irish Area:
Hilton Parr i.chairman@railwayoperators.co.uk
Scottish Area:
Jim Douglas s.events@railwayoperators.co.uk
North East Area:
David Monk-Steel northeast@railwayoperators.co.uk
17:00 – 19:30 | YORK – NORTH EAST AREA Please visit the website for further information.
North West Area:
FRIDAY 29TH JANUARY 2016
Midlands Area:
Golden Whistle Awards 2016
12:30-15:30 LONDON The Golden Whistle Awards are dedicated to people who work in or interface with railway operations. They recognize those who have gone above and beyond expectations in order to deliver outstanding operational performance. The 2016 awards will take place in conjunction with the 4th Friday Club and Modern Railways on the 29th January 2016 at the Marriott Grosvenor Square, London. TUESDAY 9TH FEBRUARY 2016
Chris Mackenzie nw.chairman@railwayoperators.co.uk
Rachel Heath m.events@railwayoperators.co.uk
South West Area:
Martin Bonnington sw.events@railwayoperators.co.uk
South East Area:
Omar Soares se.comms@railwayoperators.co.uk
Young Operators:
Petr Mikyska yo.events@railwayoperators.co.uk
Nuneaton, Coventry, Kenilworth line Improvement Project 17:15 FOR A 17:30 START BIRMINGHAM – MIDLANDS AREA A presentation from a Network Rail perspective of the ongoing plans for improvements in this area by the project sponsor.
and LinkedIn to discover more about future Area and IRO events that are happening near you. Keep up to Follow us on Twitter Follow us on... Search ‘Institution of Tweet us at... date on all Railway Operators’ www.twitter.com/IRO_UK area events! More details of area events are listed on the website at www.railwayoperators.co.uk/whats-on/
www.railwayoperators.co.uk
Average Age: 43.2
Membership at a glance Membership of the IRO is growing at a rapid pace. Discover how our members make up one of the fastest growing railway organisations.*
<35 years
1309
35-65 years
3227 139
65> years
Total Members: 4675
Locations
01/10/2013
2978
01/10/2014
3841
01/10/2015
4675
Gender:
Great Britain Ireland
3551 515
Middle East South Africa
Australia
50
Europe
6
163
North 20 America
9
375
Far East
6
*All information correct as of 01/10/2015
as of 01/10/2013
Male: 2639 Female: 339
as of 01/10/2014
Male: 3314 Female: 527
as of 01/10/2015
Male: 4026 Female: 649