Railway Strategies Issue 102 Early Edition

RAILWAY F o r S E N I OR R A I L M A N A G E M E N T

Issue 102 Early Edition

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz S T R A T E G I E S

Brighton’s transformation £5 million regeneration of concourse unveiled Page15

NEWS ORR’s Final CP5 Determination revealed Government publishes new business case for HS2 Waterloo’s Platform 20 comes to life again

Interviews :

Professor Peter Woodward & Douglas McCormick l Dr Libor Lochman l

FOCUS ON

Health & Safety and Security

Major plans announced for West Midlands connectivity New training academy for Northampton

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Chairman Andrew Schofield Managing Director Mike Tulloch Editor Martin Collier editor@railwaystrategies.co.uk Managing Editor Libbie Hammond Art Editor Jon Mee Advertisement Designer Jamie Elvin Profile Editor Kirsty Birkett-Stubbs Advertisement Sales Dave King Head of Research Philip Monument Editorial Researchers Keith Hope Karl Riseborough Gavin Watson Alex Merritt Administration Tracy Chynoweth

From the Editor

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The winds of change

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he end of October turned out to be highly significant for the rail industry. It all began on Friday 25th when the Government launched its refranchising prospectus for the InterCity East Coast Franchise, with services to commence

in February 2015. On Monday 28th disruption was wrought upon a swathe of southern England by the so-called St Jude storm, Network Rail prudently shutting down affected areas of the network until the worst of the weather had passed and the clear-up had been completed. Attention then turned to high speed rail with the publication of the Government’s ‘Strategic Case for HS2’ ahead of Thursday’s vote in Parliament paving the way for the line of route to be secured. The Bill duly passed to the Lords for further scrutiny. Thursday 30th also saw the publication of the Office of Rail Regulation’s Final Determination of the funding available to Network Rail for Control Period 5, with calls for further efficiency savings and a focus on the closure of more level crossings. And as we moved

Southern

into November at the end of the week, Newton Aycliffe became the centre of attention with Ministers visiting the site of the Intercity Express Train manufacturing facility and announcing the formation of a new Rail Industry Supply Chain Forum.

Issue 102 ISSN 1467-0399 Published by

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zzzzzzzzzzzzz Contents Features Interview – Peter Woodward & Douglas McCormick 10 Kirsty Birkett-Stubbs Speaking up for the CER 20 Libor Lochman Better late than never: biometrics and cloud computing arrive on time 23 Ollie McGovern

Interview 10

The secrets of successfully introducing new rolling stock 28 Jeremy Long

News

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Industry News 5 Stations 14 Rail Alliance 19 Signalling 26 Integrated Transport 30 Legal 32 Training 33 Health & Safety 36 Research 53 Conferences & Exhibitions 82 IMechE Training Courses 82

Profiles

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Derby Engineering Unit 56 London Underground 59 Anchor Systems 62 Inekon Group 64 Tube Lines 68 telent 72 Network Rail West Coast Main Line 76 Mechan 79

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Focus on...

Health & Safety

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Rostering health & safety into the rail sector 39 David Hughes The height of good sense 40 Ian Lofthouse Rail vehicles: Your last line of defence against terrorist attack? 44 Conor O’Neill

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Focus on...

Security & CCTV Seeing results 46 Danny Peleg Fighting copper theft with smart technologies 48 Jean Fehlbaum

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Strengthening security through design 50 Jonathan Goss The whole picture 52 Ian Graham

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zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Strengthening Britain’s train-building industry l The creation of a new forum to strengthen the British rail industry at home and abroad has been announced by Ministers during a visit to the site of Britain’s newest train factory. The Rail Industry Supply Chain Forum was announced by both Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin, and the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Vince Cable, when they visited the site of Hitachi’s new £82 million manufacturing facility at Newton Aycliffe, in County Durham, home of the new Intercity Express Trains.

The establishment of the Forum will bring together DfT, BIS and industry stakeholders to develop an industrial strategy to maximise the economic potential of the UK rail sector.

Terence Watson, the UK president of Alstom, will chair the Forum and over the coming weeks he will work closely with industry and Government stakeholders to consider the membership, operation and initial priorities.

The aim of the forum is to deliver significant benefits including: l Providing the Government with a better understanding of the capability of UK suppliers to inform our rail investment plans and identify where support or intervention is required l Building the capability of UK suppliers so that they are more likely to win work both here and abroad l Reducing the risk of UK suppliers facing ‘feast and famine’ in their order books and providing early warning of potential problems to the industry l Improving how Government and industry promote UK capability overseas.

Ultimately, a more innovative and capable UK supply chain that has a clearer understanding of Government policies and investment plans should result in lower industry costs and a better, more reliable railway.

NEWS I Industry

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New leadership of HS2 l Doug Oakervee announced at the end of September that he will be standing down as chairman of HS2 Ltd at the end of the year. His successor has been announced as current Network Rail chief executive Sir David Higgins (left), who will join HS2 Ltd on 1st January 2014 on a part-time basis before taking up the post full time from March. Mr Oakervee, a distinguished civil engineer and former chairman of Crossrail Ltd, took up the post of HS2 Ltd chairman in April 2012. He has overseen the development of the detailed proposals for the new High Speed 2 line and laid a firm foundation for the delivery of the largest rail project seen in the UK in more than 100 years.

Change at Keolis l Keolis has appointed Ruud Haket to the newly created role of chief operating officer. Ruud will join from Abellio’s Greater Anglia franchise, where he is currently managing director. He has previously held engineering director positions at Northern Rail and NedRailways, as well as being a former chair of the Railway Industry Supplier Approval Scheme.

Eliminating ‘not-spots’ l The rail industry is to roll out high-speed mobile broadband on the busiest parts of Britain’s rail network, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin announced at the end of September. Under the plans, 70 per cent of the travelling public will benefit from the new technology by 2019, with passengers expected to begin noticing improvements to their journey during 2015. Mobile signal on trains will be improved by a combination of an upgrade of Network Rail’s existing infrastructure and the installation of equipment that alleviates the barriers to good signal on board a train. The programme will tackle a series of ‘not-spots’ – areas along rail corridors with intermittent or poor coverage of mobile phone signals – delivering a consistent and reliable service for passengers on key routes. Network Rail and industry will now work on a business case to outline how they will fund the improvements.

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Smart ticketing spreading out l The Government is investing £2.85 million into a trial of paperless ticketing as it starts its multi-million pound push to deliver smart card technology to rail passengers across the South East. Train operator c2c will upgrade ticketing systems at all of its stations outside London and smart ticketing will be rolled out on services outside London from January and those into the capital from April. In a further announcement, Rail Minister Baroness Kramer has announced an investment of £3.25 million to bring ‘touch in – touch out’ technology to passengers in the South West. South West Trains will upgrade the ITSO ticketing system at all of its stations outside London, paving the way for the introduction of smart ticketing in 2014.

YRP look to the future with rebrand l Established in 2009, and recently celebrating their 1500th member, the ‘Young Railway Professionals’ has rebranded in 2013. Now to be known as ‘Young Rail Professionals’, they have updating their logo, shortened the web address to YoungRailPro.com and refreshed all marketing materials. They have also announced the date for their Annual Black Tie Dinner and Dance – it will be held in London on Friday 28th March 2014. For details, email Nicholas Lloyd via dinner@youngrailprofessionals.org. This event will also see the announcement of the ‘2014 Young Rail Professional of the Year’. Nominations for award this can be made via the website and will close on 28th February 2014.

New statistical release shows record growth in Britain’s railways l The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has published a new statistical release which highlights record growth in Britain’s railways. The ‘Passenger Rail Usage’ statistical release assesses rail passenger numbers and revenue from 2002-03 to 30th June 2013. The data shows that rail usage in Britain has steadily increased over the past ten years. Latest figures for 201314 Q1 (1st April-30th June) show: l Passenger journeys in 2013-14 Q1 reached 385.2 million, a 7.3 per cent increase on the same quarter last year l Total passenger revenue in 2013-14 Q1 was £2.02 billion, a 7.3 per cent increase on 2012-13. This is the highest revenue generated within any quarter since records began.

To read the full report visit: www.rail-reg. gov.uk/upload/pdf/pass-rail-usage2013-14-q1.pdf

The YRP Award

New engineering director l Greater Anglia has appointed Kate Marjoribanks as their new engineering director. Kate is a Railway Engineer with 20 years’ experience in the rail industry in the UK, Australia and Europe. She has previously worked for British Rail, Angel Trains, North London Railways, Interfleet, South West Trains and most recently as engineering director for Chiltern Railways.

Kate holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from Edinburgh University and achieved Chartered Status, becoming a full member of the IMechE during her time at Angel Trains.

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New chief executive l RSSB has announced that Chris Fenton, formerly director of marketing and strategy at Amey, is to be its new chief executive. Chris will join the organisation on 6th January 2014 and will take over from Len Porter who retires at the end of March 2014.

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NEWS I Industry

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Britain’s railways between 2014 & 2019 – ORR’s final determination

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In its final determination of Network Rail’s budget for Control Period 5, ORR has included funding to close around 500 high-risk level crossings and tougher targets to reduce severe disruption on long distance services

he regulator has confirmed that Network Rail can achieve £1.7 billion savings, and will be funded to deliver nine out of ten trains on time on regional, London and South East and Scottish routes, and improved reliability for long distance passenger services. It will need to improve standards of infrastructure management, network resilience, and safety for passengers and railway workers. The company will also deliver a programme of enhancements to the rail network worth more than £12 billion, involving train operators, stakeholders and passengers in how improvements are designed and delivered. Network Rail will start delivering the plan from April 2014.

ORR has consulted extensively with members of the public, consumer groups, industry, and Network Rail in finalising Governments’ multi-billion pound plan for Britain’s railways between 2014 and 2019. The plan is designed to deliver better performance, more capacity, and greater efficiencies.

Stretching, but deliverable, targets and new incentives will get the industry working closer together for the communities they serve – supported by a strong focus on areas which need improving. ORR has only revised its draft determination, published in June 2013, where new and compelling evidence has been provided. l Network Rail will receive more than £21 billion over the next five years to fund the day-to-day running of the rail network.

ORR will require the company to bring down the cost of running the network by around 20 per cent, bringing Britain’s railway up to the standards of the most efficient in Europe. Savings will be achieved through the implementation of new technologies, better management of the railways, and more efficient ways of working. The regulator has protected Network Rail’s funding for maintaining the rail network at nearly £5 billion. l Savings will not come at the expense of safety. There will be increased dedicated funding of £109 million to close around 500 level crossings and improve safety at hundreds more of the highest risk crossings in Britain. There will be around £250 million to help improve safety of track workers, to be invested in new equipment and safer working practices. ORR has also approved an extra £571 million to upgrade structures such as bridges and tunnels. l Network Rail will focus on delivering what matters for passengers – reliable services across the network and fewer bad days. Nine out of ten trains must run on time for all regional, London and South East, and Scottish routes. Passenger Focus’

research has shown that passengers on long distance services want fewer really bad days when services are cancelled or severely delayed. There will now also be a new regulated target for long distance services. By 2019, fewer than three in 100 trains on the West Coast Main Line and around four in 100 trains on the East Coast Main Line should be hit by severe disruption (delayed by more than 30 minutes/cancelled). l ORR has approved more than £12 billion worth of enhancements to Britain’s rail network to ease congestion and improve performance on the railways. Within this, projects totalling more than £7 billion do not yet have clear delivery plans or costs. ORR is giving Network Rail until March 2015 to work up efficient plans for these enhancements before approving the funds. This ensures that our determination is both deliverable and makes best use of public money. The regulator is also proposing that rail users and train operators are given a bigger role to shape the specification and delivery of approved enhancements. This will put passengers at the heart of decisions on how the railway is improved.

ORR will set new regulatory targets for Network Rail’s asset management in key areas where performance needs to improve, particularly focusing on how it manages, maintains and renews the rail network. Better asset management will allow the company to move from a ‘find and fix’ approach to maintenance to a ‘predict and prevent’ way of working, helping to boost capacity and improve performance on the network.

The regulator will also put additional checks in place to monitor the company’s progress on making the network more resilient to bad weather and climate change. Getting timely and accurate information on Network Rail’s progress will help ORR track its performance and intervene at an early stage to highlight any emerging problems early on for customers.

Network Rail is forecast to achieve efficiencies of 40 per cent in running the railway from 2004 to 2014. ORR is expecting Network Rail to deliver around 20 per cent efficiencies from 2014 to 2019, which will see the company itself fully meet Sir Roy McNulty’s efficiency challenge. By 2019, Network Rail will have delivered a 30 per cent reduction in the day-to-day cost of the railway per passenger kilometre.

Network Rail now has until 7th February to respond in detail and to decide whether to formally accept this final determination or to seek an appeal through the Competition Commission. zz

To read ORR’s Final Determination and summary overviews, visit: www.rail-reg.gov.uk/pr13/ publications/final-determination.php

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Future Railway competition seeks remote condition monitoring solutions

ow can the rail industry exploit technology to remotely monitor the condition of the rail infrastructure?

Innovators and developers in sectors as diverse as military and security technology, satellite communication and materials science as well as the railway are just some of those being invited to apply their ideas to address this question.

The 30-year vision for the GB railway, as set out in the Rail Technical Strategy, envisages intelligent ‘self-monitoring’ systems, which will enable targeted, risk-based, maintenance and repair of rail infrastructure assets delivering improved reliability, fewer delays, increased capacity, resilience, safety and all-round improvements in the performance of the rail business.

Remote condition monitoring (RCM) is already widely used on both trains and rail infrastructure, for example through Network Rail’s Intelligent Infrastructure Programme. The future railway will be under more pressure to carry more passengers and freight, making RCM a necessity. However there are still significant railway performance challenges which do not yet have RCM solutions. This competition is targeted at ten of these unsolved challenges and aims to offer innovators the opportunity to prove their solutions on the operational railway.

Working with the Network Rail and South West Trains Wessex Alliance to provide 90 per cent funding, the up-to-£3 million competition will cover ten specific challenges for remote condition monitoring technology demonstrators, previously identified through a series of industry workshops: 1) How to further reduce operational incidents by (near real time) analysis of existing data sets leading to predictive trend analysis 2) How to yield RCM alerts and alarms which are relevant, help ensure the right operational response happens in real time, and to use the data for predictive purposes to optimise safety and performance 3) How to detect and prevent potential safety risks using 24/7 High Definition visibility of the network 4) How to detect early the likelihood of flooding in risk areas with information provided in a timely fashion

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5) How to secure the railway boundaries and monitor access gates 6) How to detect voids in the track at an early stage to prevent asset failures and to be able to identify the speed at which the asset is deteriorating from the impact loading of trains, particularly at critical, high risk junctions 7) How to achieve a validated system that

monitors crack propagation in rail crossin 8) How to prevent trains running across track which is rendered unusable by movement of earthworks such as cuttings and embankments 9) How to achieve improvements in track circuit reliability 10) How to achieve improvements in signalling power supply reliability.

The competition forms part of the Future Railway portfolio of activities to accelerate innovation led by the Enabling Innovation Team (EIT) on behalf of the Technical Strategy Leadership Group. zz For further details see

www.fururerailway.org

Network Rail

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HS2 crucial to meet UK transport needs

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‘The Strategic Case for HS2’ sets out in detail the need for a new railway line to provide the vitally needed extra capacity

ritain cannot meet its future transport needs without HS2, according to new evidence published by the Government. Even with over £50 billion of planned transport investment over the next six years the country’s railways will be overwhelmed. Central to the case is new data that reveals the true extent of the crisis facing the UK rail network and the impact alternatives to building HS2 would have.

The document outlines how demand for rail travel will continue to grow. By 2026 on commuter services into London during the evening peak, 40 per cent of passengers will be standing, while research by Network Rail and Atkins shows that the alternative to HS2 would result in up to 14 years of weekend closures on existing lines and deliver only a fraction of the additional capacity.

Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin said: “We need a radical solution and HS2 is it. A patch and mend job will not do – the only option is a new north south railway. HS2 brings massive benefits to the north, is great for commuters and the alternatives just don’t stack up. Now is the time to be bold and deliver a

world class railway which Britain deserves and can truly be proud of. Future generations will not forgive us if we fail to take this opportunity.”

The East Coast, West Coast and Midland Main Lines can only carry a finite number of trains each day before they become clogged.

HS2 will add 18 trains an hour between Manchester, Leeds and London and will allow significantly more freight onto the wider rail network.

The new railway is also estimated to deliver an annual boost to the economy of up to £15 billion as a result of productivity benefits to business from faster journeys and reduced crowding. There will also be benefits of increased production efficiency from businesses being closer together. The analysis shows that the railway is vital in rebalancing the economy benefiting the north overall more than the south.

The Government expects considerable regeneration around stations delivering jobs and growth similar to the experience of HS1 (the Channel Tunnel Rail Link). The Strategic Case points to £10 billion private sector investment around the new HS1 station sites as well as Google, the Crick Institute and other major international firms moving in to the area around King’s Cross and St Pancras demonstrating the likely economic investment expected along the HS2 route.

The Government has updated the benefit to cost ratio (BCR) of the railway, valuing it at 2.3 or providing two pounds worth of benefits for every one pound spent. This is similar to

Crossrail and higher than the benefit cost ratio for some other major projects when approved, such as Thameslink and the Jubilee line extension. The BCR will increase to 4.5 if rail demand continues to rise until 2049.

Other benefits of the railway included in the document are estimates from Network Rail that over 100 cities and towns could benefit from new or improved services as a result of capacity released on the existing rail network.

These include: l Additional commuter services into London from places such as Watford, Milton Keynes, Rugby and Northampton l New commuter services into Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester l New longer distance services, for example providing new and better links between Bradford and London; Lincoln and London; Shrewsbury and London; and Leeds and Cambridge l More paths for rail freight, with at least 1000 lorry-loads a day carried on the network In addition, the Government will also aim to ensure that all towns or cities which currently have a direct service to London will retain broadly comparable or better services once HS2 is completed. The Government intends to launch a study to recommend how this can be done and also how services can support longterm economic growth. zz

The Strategic Case for HS2 may be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/ collections/the-strategic-case-for-hs2

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INTERVIEW I Peter Woodward & Douglas McCormick

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Professor Peter Woodward and Douglas McCormick tell Kirsty Birkett-Stubbs about how a new centre of excellence could give the UK a stronger voice in the field of high speed rail

Peter Woodward

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t is estimated that high speed rail projects worldwide will be worth hundreds of billions in the next 15 years alone. As the pace of the industry quickens, so a new meeting of expertise hopes to position the UK as a major contender in developing the solutions and technologies required to deliver this type of railway.

The aim is to bring together the best of the railway industry, both in terms of engineering expertise and cutting edge academic research, which is underpinned by a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Atkins and Heriot-Watt in July to create a high speed centre of excellence. This was followed by the appointment of Professor Peter Woodward as Atkins’ first ever Chair of High Speed Rail Engineering for the UK.

Researching the market Currently Professor of Railway Geotechnical Engineering and Head of the Institute for Infrastructure & Environment at HeriotWatt University, Professor Woodward also leads the High Speed Railways Research Group. Furthermore he was Principal Investigator on the EPSRC funded High-Speed Railways research grant, as well as on two Technology Strategy Board grants for

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rail innovation. He has given keynote addresses at major international conferences and workshops across the world on train-track behaviour. His new role with Atkins is the latest marker in a career that has been increasingly dedicated to high speed.

“For about ten years I was half in academia and half in the industry developing polymer technology to reinforce track for all speed and axial weight across the UK,” explains Professor Woodward. “This system was known as XiTRACK and has since also been applied overseas. As part of that I became very interested in high speed, so I began to develop systems that were able to analyse the effects of high speed trains on railway track. I then received funding through the Government to develop those concepts further, and now we have published work in the international literature on train track behaviour at high speed and how to push the boundaries in order to run trains at a faster line speed.”

He continues: “That has been my focus at Heriot-Watt over the last five to six years, but second to that I have also built the UK’s largest laboratory railway testbed facility, known as GRAFT II. This stands for Geopavement and Railway

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zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz The marriage of academia and industry is perhaps one of the most important functions of the new centre of excellence

Douglas McCormick

Accelerated Fatigue Testing facility, and enables us to look at the behaviour of different track structures at all sorts of speed and axial weights.”

A new appointment Describing the decision process behind Professor Woodward’s appointment as Atkins’ Chair of High Speed Rail Engineering, managing director of Atkins’ Rail business Douglas McCormick says: “There are three important elements around this. One is the creation of a centre of excellence for high speed design, and Peter is a world authority in aspects of design of high speed railways so there was an obvious connection. The next is that there’s a global market here and one of the things we’re looking at is how we create a UK Plc offering for high speed rail.

“If you say high speed people think of France, Spain, Japan and other countries starting to adopt that technology – you don’t immediately think of the UK, and yet we have excellent engineering in this country and we need to get it into an industry shape that allows UK Plc to sell that expertise in the world market. The third thing is around Heriot-

Watt’s graduates. In my role as a commissioner for the UK Commission of Employment and Skills, one of our great concerns is how do we encourage and attract high quality graduates into engineering, and Heriot-Watt produces high quality graduates,” he adds.

The existing GRAFT II facility at the university means that work on creating the centre of excellence can begin in earnest, but the long-term intention is to construct an ever more advanced test track facility – the GRAFT III. “We want to set ourselves up as one of the world’s premier test sites for high speed rail,” notes Professor Woodward. “We’re already pretty far down that route, but in order to look at even higher line speeds, we need to develop our facilities even further.

“If you look at a graph of maximum test speeds against operational speeds you will find that they are very similar, but what was a maximum speed 20 or 30 years now becomes an operational speed. We’re looking at 400 kilometres per hour with High Speed 2 (HS2) for example, but in the future this may be 450 or 500 kilometres per hour. We have the train systems to run at those speeds, but we don’t necessarily have the track infrastructure to support that, so again the academic work, linked with real practical input from industry, allows the research to be directed towards how we actually achieve that.

In turn industry gains tremendously with the knowledge of how to design the track infrastructure, and how to make sure the developments are of real practical benefits, and vitally, costeffective,” he elaborates.

Industry powerhouse The marriage of academia and industry is perhaps one of the most important functions of the new centre of excellence.

“It has the ability to bring industry together, for that to then be promoted with one voice,” agrees Professor Woodward.

“It gives the UK the opportunity to bid for the very large infrastructure projects across the world knowing that when it does that it is backed by the UK’s premier high speed rail centre of excellence. This is both in terms of analysis and design, and testing facilities and the ability to link into expertise right across UK industry. That creates a very powerful message and marketing tool for UK Plc to promote itself at an international level.”

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INTERVIEW I Peter Woodward & Douglas McCormick

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MoU signing between Atkins and HW (Left: Professor Andy Walker, senior deputy principal at Heriot-Watt University, Right: Prof Dr Uwe Krueger, CEO at Atkins) Reflecting on the development of this association, Douglas notes: “Clearly the next stage is to set out a plan of action and the steps for achieving that. Around this we are jointly involved in a conference in Paris at the beginning of December, and Peter is speaking at a number of places as the Atkins Chair of High Speed, so I think that as the ambitions we have become known and understood and we solicit funding from various bodies, we will move from talking around this to a tangible centre that expands the existing facility. The proof will

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be in actually accessing the market successfully. HS2 would be the obvious domestic target for that, but there’s a huge world market and we’re very encouraged by the enthusiastic response from industry, other academic organisations and Government.”

Although the centre of excellence is initially to concentrate on the strengths that Professor Woodward has in track structure, the intention is to bring in more academic expertise to expand the focus to all aspects of the track from formation to overhead line and power systems. It’s not just about Atkins and Heriot-Watt in the future, but a much bigger concern to develop expertise from different parts of the sector, and around the world, and how the industry can learn and share collectively.

“High speed is our future,” concludes Professor Woodward. “The market is worth hundreds of billions and this is the UK opportunity to be a global leader in high speed in a rapidly developing market. Therefore it is our hope that UK industry and Government really get behind and go with it.” zz

Heriot-Watt University Tel: +44 (0) 131 451-8010 Email: p.k.woodward@hw.ac.uk Web: www.hw.ac.uk Atkins Tel: +44 (0) 20 7121 2679 Email: douglas.mccormick@atkinsglobal.com Web: www.atkinsglobal.co.uk

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Who supplies your suppliers?

ANNETTE GEVAERT offers her top tips on how to manage supplier risk in line with health and safety standards

Annette Gevaert, director of the rail and transport sector for Achilles in the UK, is in charge of the overall service delivery to more than 110 buying and 3500 supplier organisations that are members of the rail scheme Link-up. Link-up is the UK rail supplier qualification scheme that comprises information collection, validation and monitoring. As part of Linkup more than 1400 suppliers are audited every year.

Annette has 12 years of working experience in different countries. She holds an MBA from INSEAD, is a certified Project Management Professional and studied Business Administration at the University of Applied Studies in Stuttgart, Germany, in collaboration with Daimler.

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he summer of 2013 saw one of the worst rail disasters in modern history, when a commuter train derailed and killed 79 people in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Thankfully, these types of disasters are few and far between, but they do show the continued importance of health and safety standards in the rail industry to protect both employees and customers. In order to prevent such disasters and to closely monitor all health and safety, it’s imperative to assess and mitigate any risks that may occur.

Know who your suppliers are It sounds simple, but while most businesses know their own suppliers, very few have insight into their suppliers’ suppliers or those further down the chain.

Our world is becoming increasingly global and as such, it’s becoming more and more difficult to know who is involved in an entire supply chain. This means less visibility of potential risks and a struggle to ensure compliance with specific laws and regulations in each country.

To combat this, we would urge rail companies to adopt a global approach to managing their supply chains, co-ordinating all data from each one of their suppliers and keeping it on a single secured online solution. It is also important that companies work collaboratively. If agreed, whole industries can form ‘supply chain communities’ and can introduce one standardised approach. This would save money for both buyers and suppliers, increase transparency and performance across the supply chain and ultimately allow all rail organisations to be alerted in the event of a serious issue.

Map all tiers of your supply base Contact details for the Achilles Link-up team are: Tel: 01235 838 193 Email: Link-upbuyer@achilles.com Web: www.rail.achilles.com

It is impossible to mitigate risk without acknowledging and assessing all likely risks from within your supply chain. To fully understand potential scenarios that may occur, rail companies should map out their supply chains through the many tiers to identify possible risks and ways to manage and eliminate those risks.

For example, the automotive industry recently introduced a supply chain mapping tool, which sends

automated requests for information from a buyer to a supplier, and then to a suppliers’ suppliers, via a cascading invitation. This allows businesses to gain visibility of their entire supply chain and take proactive action to alleviate risk.

Validate supplier information Information provided by suppliers is only truly useful if it is kept up-to-date. All information should be securely stored (preferably in the cloud) and verified by a third-party source. Once information is updated and confirmed to be accurate, suppliers and the products and services they provide can be analysed through a risk model. The assigned ‘risk profile’ determines then the level of assessment required, which can range from a simple online verification to a physical inspection of their premises. Being aware of who you are working with is the first step to a proactive risk management and the development of crucial contingency and plans.

Legislation and compliance The rail industry is subject to many regulations and legislation, increasingly in regards to carbon emissions, CSR, ethics and of course, health and safety. Staying informed and ahead of the latest changes is not always easy but should become part of the corporate routine. To ensure that best practice is developed and established in your company, it’s advisable to regularly assess your own processes.

Failing to comply with UK or EU law can be a costly, time-consuming mistake.

While it is impossible to completely eradicate risk, there are proactive steps organisations can take to lessen them. Mitigating risks starts with understanding them. The best approach for rail companies is to map out their supply chain – beyond the first tier, assess the risks in the supply base, and create contingency plans before an incident arises rather than after. zz

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NEWS I Stations

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South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance

An impression of the proposed Cooper’s Row exit at Fenchurch Street station

Fenchurch Street upgrade l National Express train operator c2c and Network Rail have begun a £3.4 million joint project to create a new passenger exit at the flagship Fenchurch Street station. The construction work, which is expected to take around six months to complete, will create a third entrance and exit to the station on Cooper’s Row, at the back of the station. It will give passengers a quicker journey through the station, reducing peak-time congestion both on the platforms and at the current Tower Hill exit. The project is funded through Network Rail’s Discretionary Fund, aimed at providing congestion relief and increasing capacity.

The 10.11 arrival marks the re-opening of Platform 20 at Waterloo on 23rd October 2013. The former international platform will be used to provide extra capacity at Waterloo during times of disruption ahead of the full opening in May 2013.

l Waterloo’s former international terminal started to come to life on 23rd October as the South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance took its first steps to re-open one of the five platforms at the facility six months ahead of schedule.

Platform 20 welcomed the first passenger train service in over six years, following a special agreement put in place between the South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance and the Department for Transport. It means Platform 20 can be used to provide extra capacity at London Waterloo, the UK’s busiest station.

Under the new arrangements agreed with the Department for Transport and London & Continental, who have retained ownership of the former international terminal, from 23rd October train services are able to use Platform 20 during times of disruption.

The contractual agreement with the Department for Transport will start officially from May 2014 when timetabled train services will start using Platform 20 on a permanent basis.

Crossrail

Waterloo’s Platform 20 comes to life

An architect’s impression of the new Abbey Wood station

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Leeds funding

New landmark Abbey Wood station gets the green light

l Rail passengers in Yorkshire are set to benefit from better access to Leeds station thanks to funding confirmed at the end of October by Local Transport Minister Baroness Susan Kramer. The scheme consists of an enclosed structure over the River Aire that incorporates lifts, escalators and stairs allowing passengers access from the current western footbridge within the station to ground level either side of the river. The proposals also include CCTV, lighting, help points, ticket machines, passenger information screens, ticket barriers, cycle parking and measures to improve pedestrian access in the immediate surrounding area. The Department for Transport will provide a maximum of £12.4 million towards the full scheme cost of £17.3 million. The main works are scheduled to be completed by March 2015.

l Plans for a brand-new station have been approved by the London Borough of Bexley and the Royal Borough of Greenwich.

The new two-level station will open in 2017 and will be built above two new dedicated Crossrail tracks and those used by North Kent services. The station will include: l A bright, spacious concourse that leads directly onto a wide forecourt connecting the station to the Harrow Manorway dual carriageway which runs above the current station l Two new ‘island’ platforms for Crossrail and North Kent services l Lifts to help passengers get around the station and to provide step-free access to every platform.

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NEWS I Stations

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Brighton station’s concourse transformation unveiled Southern

Improvements to the concourse include: l Twice as many automated ticket gates spanning the width of the concourse l A new Travel Centre/ticket office l A new Customer Information booth l A new passenger waiting lounge with comfortable seating, train information and a cafe. l New customer information screens providing train departure information, re-sited so that the whole of the train shed can be seen. Additional customer information screens positioned above ticket machines, supplemented by monitors in retail units, waiting areas,

The new concourse looking south west

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Southern

he £5 million regeneration of Brighton railway station concourse has been formally unveiled. The concourse has been redesigned to provide many more modern facilities whilst keeping the architectural importance of the Grade II* listed station.

The improvements were delivered by Southern in a joint project with The Department for Transport and Network Rail. The work was funded

by Network Rail’s and the Department for Transport’s Station Commercial Project Facility and the Railway Heritage Trust. Southern also contributed to the project.

The taking down of the old WH Smith building and the removal of the departure boards to the north of the concourse has opened the concourse up to give an almost uninterrupted view of the whole station, and with improved passenger flow management, the station is now better equipped to cater for the needs of the passengers who make almost 18 million journeys to and from the station each year.

Still to come for the station is the construction of a £850,000 cycle hub to be situated to the rear of the station. The new two-storey building will include a cycle hire and repair shop, a lift and a café/meeting area with a terraced seating area. Also available will be lockers, toilets and showers for cyclists. The new hub will have up to 500 spaces – increasing the total number of cycle spaces at the station by around 220.

Southern

The new passenger lounge

Right: A new uninterrupted view of the train shed from the concourse

travel centre and entrances l Better views out to the historic train shed after removal of the old departures board and supporting structures l A better layout and opening up views of the concourse buildings following demolition of the WH Smith & control room building in the centre of the concourse l A wider selection of retail units l Opening up the third arch of the central walkway creating a wider central thoroughfare in and out of station l Refurbishment of new accommodation for British Transport Police and converting their office into a retail unit l Relocation and modernising the coffee stall in the centre of the concourse. l Relocation of existing Ticket Machines l Relocation of Bank ATMs l Refurbished toilets l New photo booths l Upgraded CCTV l Replacing the existing solid fencing between the concourse and the platforms with clear panels. l Resurfacing the ‘Cab Road’, to the east of the concourse, removing all road markings, adding drop kerbs, and adding gates to the entrance, so as to keep the look and feel of the cab road l Installation of a ‘Transvision’ advertising screen above the new departure boards l New seating on the concourse l Improved station signage.

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Engineering

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Four-stroke petrol rig

A secure option As a leading stockist and supplier of quality vibration engineered fasteners, Permalok Fastening Systems Ltd has the expertise to offer the perfect fastening solution for track or rolling stock applications

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ith more than 20 years’ experience in providing fastening solutions to a wide range of industries, Permalok Fastening Systems Ltd has earned an excellent reputation for solving some of the most common issues for both new-build and maintenance applications. As a wellestablished ISO 9001: 2008 registered stockist and supplier of quality vibration-resistant engineered fasteners, the UK-based firm has spent the majority of the past two decades developing its strong expertise in fastening systems for the rail market.

Safety is of critical importance in rail engineering, which is why Permalok primarily supplies the industry with products from manufacturer Huck International Ltd, over time becoming a leading distributor, adviser and the UK’s only Centre of Excellence for Huck Lockbolt Fastening Systems. A well-reputed

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brand in the rail industry, Huck International has long been at the forefront of antivibration applications, with its versatile products used in a wide range of areas such as switch and crossing applications. For example, fasteners are used for back heel blocks distance blocks, stockrail bolts, vee block bolts, insulated block joints, stretcher bars, checkrail blocks and vee splice rails.

For rolling stock, the company also suggests Huck’s Blind Fastener and Lockbolt ranges, which offer a variety of options to customers ranging from the Blind HuckLok one-piece structural self-locking bulbing fastener, which boasts a unique double lock system for maximum fatigue life and joint integrity, and the Blind Floortight Fastener, which boasts superior performance compared to conventional floor fasteners.

Meanwhile, the latter range includes a

number of quality lock bolts, such as the newly designed, compact, semiautomatic Bobtail r e tt Collar cu Lockbolt , which offers two second installation, up to twice as fast as other large diameter LockBolts on the market, as well as the Huck Spin Lockbolt, which has high resistance to vibratory loosening and a high clamping force that meets strength performance of grade 10.9.

When previously featured in Railway Strategies in March 2013, managing director of Permalok David Tyas elaborated further on the versatility and ease of availability of Huck’s products: “By the nature of the product, and the application where they are used, Huck fasteners are addressing industry challenges through their anti-vibration and anti-tamper properties. We ensure that we always carry extensive stock of the Huck products, which means there’s no extended lead-time for any rail requirement.”

Proud to supply bolts and fixings that can endure the pressure of hectic railway lines in the most extreme weathers, Permalok has also worked alongside Huck International to find a solution to the disruptive, expensive and damaging issue of cable theft. Keen to find a way to prevent the crime, the two companies joined forces to develop a system that utilises Huck fasteners and a guard to ensure cables are shielded. This product generated a moderate amount of interest, with both companies anticipating its utilisation on railways in the near future.

When not advising customers on the most suitable fastener for their application, Permalok also supplies engineers to install the Huck Fasteners; this ensures safety as the products are correctly secured, while also removing the need for customers to re-deploy staff from other duties. For clients looking for the best solution to their demands, Permalok even manages installation samples of Huck bolts for testing and evaluation.

Keen to deliver cost-effective quality and reliability, the company provides a complete service by working in partnership with suppliers such as Huck to deliver a range of tooling systems. For light engineering fasteners the company has a range pneumatic tools available; using hydraulic fluid, driven by air pressure at 90psi, these tools comes in a range of models that utilise suitable nose

110V rig & tooling

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assemblies for the installation of two piece fasteners and light engineering in maintenance and production situations. Meanwhile, for large diameter products used in heavy engineering, hydraulic tools and power rigs are used; utilising suitable nose assemblies, these products are driven and controlled by power packs. All tools are available for purchase, with many held as

ISO 9001: 2008 registered Link Up Approved

stock items, alongside a vast supply of spares that are available for maintenance and repair.

On top of this, a large collection of hire tools, both pneumatic and hydraulic, are also available to customers on long and shortterm lease.

As the only Huck-approved ‘Centre of Excellence for Tooling’ in the UK, Permalok

is not only a trusted adviser and supplier of Huck’s fastening systems; it can also offer an unrivalled and highly efficient repair and servicing capability at its dedicated workshop.

Here the company’s engineers ensure a quick turnaround to ensure minimum customer downtime, with maintenance tools offered to maintain production. On top of this, the safety-conscious firm provides training for the installation of all Huck products as well as the safe use of installation tools.

With an increase in demand seen from Network Rail and firms such as DB Schenker in early 2013, Permalok has a positive future ahead as the rail market continues to make investments and new trains come online. To remain consistently prepared for any new developments in the industry, the company will focus on continual development and enhancement of the products it offers. zz Permalok Fastening Systems Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 1302 711 308 Email: info@permalokfastening.co.uk Web: www.permalokfastening.co.uk

stockist and supplier

of quality vibration resistant engineered fasteners.

030578

Leading Edge Engineering Solutions to Vibration Problems

Permalok Fastening Systems Ltd: a name synonymous with consistent, reliable supply to rail customers and many other markets.

The leading specialist in supplying Huck© brand fasteners & tooling in the rail market, Permalok are dedicated to providing the right solution, at the right price, to any fastening problem.

By virtue of their high clamp forces, Huck© fasteners have high vibration resistance and are designed to provide the most cost effective joining methods in a wide variety of applications, they minimise repair work,

reduce downtime, and stay operational longer.

They need less maintenance and can also cut inventory costs.

With stock product ranging in diameter from 4.8mm to 32mm, including the installation tooling and spares, Permalok are able to respond quickly to the most urgent requirement as well as scheduled deliveries.

TEL 01302 711308 info@permalokfastening.co.uk www.permalokfastening.co.uk

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zz Insurance zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Rail professional opportunity Are you a rail professional open to offers for new business? ITIC, a rail and transport sector specialist insurer, needs a network of rail specialists in the UK and overseas, to advise and consult on claims

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nternational Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC) is an insurance association established in 1925, which insures 2000 different businesses throughout the world and is recognised as the leading mutual provider of professional indemnity insurance in its field. ITIC works closely with transport professionals and their insurance brokers to provide specialist guidance and advice on their risks in their working environment, both in the United Kingdom and overseas.

ITIC has concluded that many insurers do not understand the work that professionals in the rail industry undertake. Often, these insurers do not analyse the work of the professional working on a project and, as a result, your premiums are increased unnecessarily.

‘‘

The service that we provide and the width of our professional indemnity insurance has resulted in a significant growth in the number of companies involved in the rail industry insuring with ITIC over recent years,” says Roger Lewis, ITIC’s underwriting director. “To help us support this growing rail portfolio we need a bigger network of consultants we can call upon to help with specific claims on a call by call basis.

ITIC’s insurance includes worldwide cover for bodily injury and property damage as standard; this is of paramount importance to those working in the rail industry and differentiates ITIC’s insurance from many traditional underwriters who either exclude, or expect you to pay an additional premium for this important element of cover.

ITIC makes four recommendations to professionals working in the rail industry: 1. Ask your current insurers or brokers if they understand exactly what it is that you do. For example, if you are a signalling systems design engineer, your direct involvement in the day to day operational environment is limited. You design a signalling system on a railway network, but you are not necessarily the party who operates and maintains it. Your liability is substantially less than the operator and, therefore, you require an insurance that is adapted specifically to cover your liabilities if you make an error in

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the design of the system. However, the liabilities resulting from an error in the use of the system you have designed fall under the operator’s liability insurance programme.

2. Enquire about a longer term, non-contract specific, business-wide, professional indemnity policy. It is more expensive to buy insurance for each individual contract or tender than buying an annual policy that covers all your work.

3. Ask your insurance broker or underwriter whether bodily injury or property damage cover is included in your policy at no additional cost.

4. Ascertain whether your policy of insurance provides you with worldwide cover. zz

To express an obligation-free interest please contact Roger Lewis, ITIC’s underwriting director: ITIC Tel: 020 7338 0150 Email: ITIC@thomasmiller.com Web: www.itic-insure.com

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Rail Alliance

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Recent new members of the Rail Alliance Charcroft Electronics Ltd

The-labelling-company.com

UK Tram Ltd

Charcroft Electronics Ltd is a specialist, CECC/BS-approved distributor of AC/DC power supplies, DC/DC converters, passive, interconnect and electromechanical components. They are also a CECC-approved manufacturer of commercial and CECC-released passive components.

Tel: 01591 610 408 Email: sales@charcroft.com Web: www.charcroft.com

The-labelling-company.com is a specialist supplier of industrial labelling and signage for heavy industry sectors often in hostile working environments including oil & gas, rail, steel and nuclear. The company is UK Agent for Rebo bv., established in the Netherlands in 1976 and recognized as a leading manufacturer of heavy-duty industrial labelling and sign systems.

Tel: 01223 834 959 Email: max@uk-label.com Web: www.the-labelling-company.com

UK Tram speaks as a single voice for the Tram, Light Rail, Metro, Ultra Light Rail, Heritage Tramways and other Guided Systems in the UK, Ireland and the Isle of Man. It is the owner and maintainer of UK tramway Standards & Guidance, working with both operators and regulatory authorities. It takes the lead in developing industry innovation and sharing best practice within the sector working with both light and heavy rail partners.

It works within the UITP to ensure that UK operators are aware of innovations and changes in Europe and this is enhanced by its membership of the German VDV organization with which it shares information.

Email: uktram@centro.org.uk Web: www.uktram.co.uk

Costain Ltd Costain Ltd is one of the UK’s leading engineering solutions providers, delivering integrated consulting, project delivery, and operations and maintenance services to major blue-chip customers in rail and other targeted market sectors.

Tel: 01628 842 444 Email: peter.roberts@costain.com Web: www.costain.com

LPT-IT LPT-IT is a Danish company specialising in developing and providing effective software solutions.

LPT-IT provides VIAS: a PIS (public information system) which runs both on Linux and Windows platforms.

Tel: +45 7674 0484 Email: lpt@lpt.dk Web: www.vias-lpt.com

tusp Ltd tusp Ltd is a project delivery organisation with the skills and experience to run your entire project as a managed service or to supply carefully selected specialist resources such as Project Directors, Project Engineers, P6 Planners, Project Managers, Risk Managers, Environmental Managers, Commercial Managers and Project Control, to name a few.

Tel: 01233 640 257 Email: enquiries@tusp.co.uk Web: www.tusp.co.uk

For further information, please contact: The Rail Alliance Tel: 01789 720 026 Email: info@railalliance.co.uk Web: www.railalliance.co.uk

Quality Consultancy & Inspection Group Ltd The QCI Group Ltd provides support to the aerospace, automotive, rail and power generation sectors with warehousing, inspection, product sequencing and distribution of customer-supplied products.

Tel: 01543 677 792 Email: d.munday@qci-group.com Web: www.qci-group.com

Rainford Solutions Rainford Solutions are top-quality manufacturers of bespoke and standard electronic equipment enclosures, cabinets, 19� racks and cable management systems. The company has 30 years of engineering expertise and investment in manufacturing methods & equipment.

Tel: 01744 889 886 Email: enquiries@rainfordgroup.com Web: www.rainfordgroup.com

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INTERVIEW I Libor Lochman

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Speaking

up

As discussions regarding new legislation in the rail sector progress, Dr Libor Lochman explains how the CER is adding another voice to the conversation

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russels is home to over 15,000 lobbyists and 2500 lobby organisations all working to articulate and represent various interests throughout the political decision-making process. As the biggest rail association in this environment, the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) aims to promote the strengthening of rail as essential to the creation of a sustainable transport system, which is efficient, effective, and environmentally sound.

“There are other railway associations, but none of them can count a comparable number of members, members of comparable size, or the diversity of our membership – a diversity which enhance ours representativeness,” states Dr Libor Lochman, executive director. “We were founded by fourteen member in 1988, at the start of a long story of production of rail legislation at EU level, which sees us now celebrating our 25th anniversary.”

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Today CER brings together more than 80 members, which in the EU, EFTA and EU accession countries represent 75 per cent of the rail network length, more than 85 per cent of the rail freight business, and more than 90 per cent of rail passenger operations. “Thirty-five per cent of our members are integrated companies, 56 per cent are not integrated, either performing operations or managing the infrastructure, and the rest represent various positions of the rail value chain such as leasing companies or independent path allocators and charging bodies. We also have public and private companies from the passenger and freight sectors,” outlines Dr Lochman.

Over the last two decades, the EU has produced an impressive number of pieces of rail legislation, related to all different aspects of the business. However, this is not an easy task given the complicated mix of private and public parties,

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zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz We are on the way to holistically overcome a historic railway system, driven by national intentions, and move towards a European rail model

“ Dr Libor Lochman has been the CER executive director since 1st January 2012 and their different interests. Describing how CER assists in this process, Dr Lochman says: “We have been here for the past 25 years to represent the interests of our members, to communicate to the law-makers what it is like to run a rail business, and to suggest new legislation which can help the sector to develop.”

The greatest change currently being seen in the industry is the move to unify the entire European rail sector. This has various implications as Dr Lochman explains: “We are on the way to holistically overcome a historic railway system, driven by national intentions, and move towards a European rail model. There is a long history of rail technical standardisation in Europe, but still many different rules exist in the member states.

The aim is to harmonise these technical rules, procedures for vehicle authorisation and safety certification. The major challenge is convincing all involved players including railway

undertakings, infrastructure managers, manufacturers, and National Safety Authorities to be fully committed to the European approach.”

He continues: “This will go beyond connecting national networks only; it will form the first steps towards rail being the backbone of the European transport system. Furthermore, with the unifying of the European rail system and allowing trains to run across the continent, we need a new – a common European – approach to safety. CER is assisting in these areas as the co-ordination platform for its members to discuss and shape new common concepts, strategies and approaches.

The approach to rail interoperability and rail safety, especially in the light of the Fourth Railway Package’s Technical Pillar, has been analysed intensively. CER is collecting and assessing various, and partly very differing opinions, in order to shape a common position and further on to speak with one voice towards the European institutions, other railway associations or other stakeholders concerned.”

This represents a major shift for the industry, which for years has been occupied by national incumbents only, each of which used to have a monopoly in its own country. At the same time as legislation at a national and EU level progressively liberalised the rail markets, new private capitals have been invested in the business. “Competitive pressure rose for freight operators first, and now it is increasing for passenger operators too,” notes Dr Lochman. “Everybody had to re-work their efficiency goals and find new ways of offering better services at lower prices.

“One of the main challenges today is how to design the best legislation for intramodal competition and how to find the right balance between legislation agreed at EU level and that agreed at national level for passenger services. This includes questions such as what should be defined as public services and what should be defined as open access, how public services should be awarded and who should decide upon that.

There is no doubt that EU law-makers should provide a general framework in which a truly European single rail market could be developed, but they must be careful. There are regional realities across Europe which are impossible to compare and any one piece of legislation which tries to govern them in too much detail risks being just a bad piece of legislation,” he adds.

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INTERVIEW I Dr Libor Lochman

zzzzzzzzzzz CER executive director Dr Libor Lochman outlined the CER achievements during the 25th anniversary party

Regardless of the political developments taking place, the railways are continuing with the aspiration to keep improving their services for the customer. In this context, there are several initiatives that deserve to be brought to public attention. For example, CER passenger rail operator and ticket vendors have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding by which they committed to a joint initiative to radically enhance rail booking opportunities through a new ‘Full Service Model’.

“Building on modern IT developments, this initiative will strengthen business partnerships by making it easier and cheaper for both railways and ticket vendors to provide accurate and transparent information about available rail products, for the benefit of their customers. The aim is to enhance end-toend journey information for passengers and make it easier to book train and intermodal journeys on a diversity of distribution channels, from operators’ websites to both high street and online travel agencies,” reveals Dr Lochman.

Whilst the work around intramodal competition and the single railway concept are highly welcomed by CER, the association believes there are other areas where progress needs to be made for the future. “We have to reach, at an EU level, a legislative level playing field across modes. Today the rail business is at

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Left: CER promotes rail as being essential to the creation of a sustainable transport system which is efficient, effective and environmentally sound a competitive disadvantage versus other modes of transport because the right legislation is not in place,” highlights Dr Lochman.

“Infrastructure access charges are compulsory for rail, but no such thing exists for road. Aviation pays no VAT on its fuel, whereas rail most certainly does. On top of that, rail also pays for the internalisation of pollution costs because it gets electric energy from producers who are compelled to participate in the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), and this does not apply to road. European Commission vice president Siim Kallas, commissioner for transport, is likely to conclude his five-year term with a proposal on road charging.

It is my biggest hope that the next commissioner builds more upon this, and provides us with the right legislative framework in which rail operators can compete with other modes in an even way,” he concludes. zz

CER Tel: +32 (0) 22130870 Email: contact@cer.be Web: www.cer.be

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Technology

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Better late than never: biometrics & cloud computing arrive on time OLLIE McGOVERN explores how technology is revolutionising time and attendance tracking in railway construction

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Ollie McGovern is founder of Simeio

Web: www.simeio.co.uk

ailway construction projects have always been under considerable pressure to finish on time and to budget. As most schemes are the result of much political debate and large investment, everyone involved must ensure operations are as sleek as possible, as maximising efficiency is crucial. This process is currently stalling however, due to a lack of transparency up and down the management chain. One area that poses a particular challenge is onsite time and attendance reporting. Conventional systems are only adding to the confusion, and in a climate where clarity and efficiency can make the difference to a firm’s bottom line, it’s high time they were reassessed.

Current methods of tracking time and attendance are outdated and inefficient. The traditional paper-based approach is still used widely, despite the fact that the underlying process is time-consuming and ineffective. Records can be lost easily and inaccurate data is often submitted – either due to error or deliberately. More up-todate alternatives, such as keycards, have been introduced, but they share many of these faults. A majority of these systems only have the capability to capture the data locally on the site, so each project’s data is effectively isolated from the other and businesses cannot get a company-wide perspective, which is now an essential for future

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Technology

success. For example, although they can be used to gather quantities of accurate data, it is often stored in a proprietary database and cannot be accessed quickly or easily. The information is predominantly locally stored on the site and can also be manipulated without too much difficulty, making these systems insecure.

Applying technology as the solution may yet be the correct course of action, however.

Advances in the field of biometrics and cloudbased platforms mean that, for the first time, users can gather large amounts of accurate time and attendance data across a multitude of sites and store it securely. Not only can this make site management easier, but when collected data is mined effectively, it can reveal patterns and anomalies that can impact future business decisions.

Biometrics basics Up until recently, biometrics was the preserve of science fiction and, to some extent, the devices and applications of today’s technology are indeed straight out of a ‘60s sci-fi show.

Despite the futuristic feel of the concept, biometric technology is in reality simple to use and cost-effective, and when integrated with a cloud-based software solution it can deliver an excellent ROI. A fingerprint or alternative biometric hardware can be used to collect the data and send it to a hub via a secure network for storage and analysis. In the context of a construction site, the software needed to

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process and present this data can be integrated with existing hardware and installed at points of site entry and exit, or on handheld wireless devices. It can also be integrated with an organisation’s management business processes and software. For example, when used to track time and attendance, users can build definitive reports detailing all workers’ actual hours on a single site or multiple sites. This data can then be integrated with the payroll system to automate the process and improve accuracy.

The data collected via devices equipped with biometrics can be accessed via a web interface at any time, with customised reports showing live, up-to-the minute data, including hours logged, absences, qualifications and lateness sorted by individual, team, contractor or site. It can also be secured and stored centrally in the cloud. Not only is the data secure, but it can be accessed by the user and stakeholders via a secure web interface.

Another advantage of cloud storage is that once a worker is registered at one site, their data will be stored centrally. If they then move to another, their data can be accessed quickly and easily by the site manager at the new site.

Crucially, cloud-based software is extremely scalable; it can be used across any rail construction site regardless of size, scope or duration. For example, it could be used by a contractor for just one construction site or by a subcontractor wishing to track time and attendance across a number of different projects. As the capital expenditure is minimal it is an extremely attractive proposition to firms of

all sizes as they only have to pay for what they need so the ROI is immediately recoverable.

Seeing the onsite benefits The benefits of installing biometrics with time and attendance software can be felt not only in the office, but also onsite. Accurate time and attendance tracking can lead to better communication on the ground. For example, as all workers have to gather round a fixed point at a set time, site managers have a guarantee that they can speak to the whole work force at least twice a day.

In addition, as biometric data is processed and delivered to users in real time, those signing in and out of a site must communicate their desire to leave early or arrive late in advance. It is also possible for managers to have notifications sent to their mobile phones when a worker arrives late or has left the site before the end of the agreed working day.

Improved visibility of attendance also makes it much easier for site managers to prove the worth of the teams they employ. Those working onsite must keep to deadlines and work efficiently if projects are to be a success.

A team of workers who show up on time and work the agreed times can be invaluable to contractors and subcontractors. With biometric data, it is possible to prove beyond doubt that your team is the right one for the job. The data can also be used to protect workers. If a client disputes the time it took to complete a project, site managers have a large amount of accurate data they can give as evidence of who was on

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When one contractor replaced its traditional paper-based timesheets with a software based system, it found that 26 per cent of contracted hours were in fact inaccurate, resulting in unnecessary costs. Independent studies have also found that 74 per cent of employers experience payroll losses due to ‘buddy punching’, or falsely signing in for another person. This is a system of time theft that cannot be performed through a biometric system. For subcontractors working onsite and managing a large number of contracted workers from various suppliers, this type of system can provide peace of mind. And as the data comes from biological characteristics, it cannot be forged, meaning only authorised workers can access a site.

Biometrics as business intelligence Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the application of biometrics to time and attendance tracking is that the potential of the data goes far beyond the creation of reliable time sheets.

When a large quantity of employee data is mined and analysed it can reveal the story of your business over time. Trends and anomalies can signpost areas that need attention,

or where efficiencies can be realised and ultimately, money can be saved.

Recently, one of our clients was able to use the data collected by biometrics to settle final accounts with their subcontractors. There was a slight dispute with one particular contractor concerning the man hours they were putting in on site. Historical data suggested that workers were travelling to and from the site during work hours on a Monday morning and Friday afternoon, as the workers lived a considerable distance from the project. The managing company was grateful for the information, and our client also used the experience to assess its supply chain and took the decision to use more local suppliers for future projects.

Accurate time and attendance data can also be invaluable when it comes to pitching for new business. Proof of an effective reporting system and reliable data on the number of people you employ and the time they spend on site can significantly enhance your bidder profile because you can demonstrate efficient project controls.

The key to success For a construction firm to be successful in the rail industry today it needs to do more than undercut its rivals. Firms need to closely manage their projects to ensure employees are delivering on time and to budget. Key to achieving this is clear communication of accurate data. Although time and attendance is only a small piece of the puzzle, it is undoubtedly a critical element and is currently an area where money is being lost due to inefficiency and the use of outmoded technology.

Biometric solutions present rail construction firms with an unprecedented opportunity to make these issues a thing of a past, while offering business owners a unique insight into the day-to-day running of their firm – and the business intelligence to improve the bottom line. zz

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New driv er’s cons ole fitted by SSL on th and ERTMS scre e e labora tory train n 313121

ERTMS

testing takes off Network Rail’s testing programme for cab signalling has enjoyed a successful start and has entered its second phase at the test centre in Hitchin

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he European Rail Traffic Management System and its signalling component ETCS (European Train Control system) will form the basis of future signalling schemes on the network. Starting with an overlay on the Great Western main line in CP5 and the southern end of the East Coast main line in CP6, ETCS will revolutionise the way trains are run in Britain; bringing new levels of control, capacity, efficiency, economy

and safety.

Network Rail’s client Simon Whitehorn said: “ETCS will have a huge impact on the railway and it’s vital we thoroughly test our equipment to get it right first time.

“Testing has gone very well and even in the first few days we were able to get the cab and trackside equipment communicating and complete the planned tests.

“The kit on the train is supplied by SSL, and therefore it was their trackside equipment that was first in line for testing. That has been completed successfully and we’re now in the process of testing Infrasig’s equipment.

“Switching the test facility on was a big moment for the team and it’s a big step towards eventually rolling cab signalling out across the country.”

The ETCS National Integration Facility (ENIF) at Hitchin utilises a five-mile stretch of the down line on the Hertford Loop between Molewood Tunnel and Langley South junction, controlled from a new structure in the former Hitchin goods yard. The test facility will be used by Network Rail for the next 18 months to examine four suppliers’ trackside ETCS equipment, using a converted Class 313 laboratory train.

Siemens and Ansaldo’s trackside equipment will follow in the testing programme, and Network Rail’s work at Hitchin will continue until the track and train are handed over to the Thameslink programme. This will allow them to test systems in advance of equipping the line from St Pancras to Blackfriars with ETCS and automatic train operation.

ETCS provides train drivers with a target speed, including movement authority, on a screen in the cab. The train ‘knows’ where it is through a combination of trackside equipment and on-board sensors, while instructions from the control centre are conveyed through the

Timeline for the introduction of ERTMS l European Train Control System (ETCS) is the

train-control element of ERTMS and includes Automatic Train Protection (ATP). ETCS works on the principle of providing to the train a maximum distance that it can travel, the speed profile of the track ahead and other track information about the route that has been set.

The train then permits the driver to drive the train, but should the distance or speed limit be exceeded, or be in danger of being exceeded, then the ETCS onboard equipment intervenes to control the train, bringing it to stand if necessary.

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2013 – Testing begins at Hertford National Integration Facility test track 2015 – Operational ETCS begins on Hertford Loop l 2016-2019 – Roll-out on Great Western main line from Paddington to Bristol l 2019-2020 – Roll-out on East Coast main line from King’s Cross to Doncaster l 2021-2022 – Roll-out on Midland Main Line from London St Pancras to Leicester l 2021-2024 – Roll-out reaches Scotland, including Stranraer-Ayr, Glasgow, Dundee-Aberdeen and Edinburgh West

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Rail

ERTMS laboratory train 313121 at Bletchley on test

Network

Network Rail

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Network Rail

Network Rail

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The second ERTMS screen in the cab of 313121 on test on the WCML

GSM-R (Global System for Mobile – Railway) signal.

By signalling each train according to its braking and accelerating capabilities, it will allow more capacity to be squeezed out of the current network, and also bringing considerable

The ETCS National Integration Facility at Hitchin

cost savings over traditional lineside resignalling schemes.

The ERTMS project is a cross-industry initiative, including the RSSB and ATOC. Signalling on the Hertford Loop is controlled from a new WestCAD workstation at King’s

Cross power signal box, with control of the test track switching to ENIF at Hitchin with the turn of a key.

ETCS is an important part of Network Rail’s wider Operating Strategy, which will see 800 signalling locations combined into 12 Rail Operating Centres, using Traffic Management software to control the flow of trains. zz

Call toaction – join our research panel today!

l Railway Strategies and market research consultants Accent have joined forces to create an exclusive research panel for members of the rail industry to voice their opinions on the latest hot topics. Together the team will tackle the most pressing and urgent issues affecting rail, and we’d like you to get involved.

We feel it’s imperative to listen to the voice of the industry when it comes to notable events and changes and we would like to hear from you. Every two months, we will issue a questionnaire on a hot topic, which will take no longer than five minutes to complete, and then feedback your views and opinions.

Speaking about the panel, Rob Sheldon, MD at Accent said: “The research panel is a great way for industry professionals to express their opinions on the items topping the news agenda. What’s also really interesting is to have these viewpoints from across the industry and see the effects upon the sector as a whole.”

Martin Collier, editor at Railway Strategies added: “We receive a lot of research-

based news stories, but what’s great about the panel is the research findings come from our readers. We can set the agenda and look in more depth at some of the topics affecting the rail industry, both now and in the future.”

Topics will vary depending on what’s making headlines and will cover any ongoing subjects such as HS2 and where best to spend budgets? What passengers are saying and how to improve customer service are just the tip of the iceberg. In addition, if you feel there is an important issue which needs the attention of the panel, simply let us know.

Joining the panel couldn’t be simpler, all you need to do is email yasamin.mehraj@accent-mr.com with your details. Once you have signed up you will automatically be sent the bi-monthly questionnaire.

All responses will be kept anonymous unless you express your consent to be quoted within Railway Strategies.

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Rolling Stock

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The secrets of successfully introducing new rolling stock JEREMY LONG summarises the key elements of the process for introducing new rolling stock onto an operational railway

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2. Introduce new stock gradually.

Especially when out-dated, older stock is being replaced, the temptation is to rush the new trains into service. But we know from experience that all too often the new stock performs worse on delivery than the stock which it is replacing.

Therefore, as we did with LOROL, you should bring new trains into service gradually, avoiding the massive service disruption that will enrage passengers and authorities alike. TfL has recently done this expertly with the introduction of the new S Stock, first onto the Metropolitan Line, and now the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines.

3. Have your experts on-hand whilst you’re introducing the stock.

MTR recently supported Metrô Rio (Concessão Metroviária do Rio de Janeiro SA) as new CRC trains from China were introduced to the Rio de Janeiro metro in Brazil. By having our expert team from Hong Kong on-hand, we were able to provide the required expertise to ensure a successful introduction of 19 new six-car trains.

A London Overground train

his September, MTR took delivery of the last of its latest fleet of new trains, a set of 22 bought from China’s Changchun Railway Vehicles Co Ltd (CRC). That’s nothing out of the ordinary for my colleagues in Hong Kong: MTR has brought over 800 new units into service over the last 15 years.

We have also successfully introduced new rolling stock in Europe. In the UK, our joint venture LOROL (London Overground) oversaw the introduction of 244 new Bombardier units between 2009 and 2011.

In Stockholm, MTR’s team will also be working with Bombardier to bring a whole new fleet of 384 units into service by 2017.

And despite the teething problems you always face with new stock, we’ve been consistently able to bring new trains into service whilst maintaining and improving

engineers to Bombardier’s Derby factory to work with them to optimise specific aspects of the new stock – for example ironing out initial problems with the doorclosing mechanism. It’s only by working hand-in-glove with the manufacturer that you can identify and resolve such problems.

performance: Hong Kong runs at 99.9 per cent and London Overground at 96.8 per cent PPM (Public Performance Measure).

So what has this experience taught MTR about the successful introduction of new rolling stock?

1. Work in partnership with the manufacturer. Train operators can no longer afford to take a traditional clientsupplier relationship and expect new stock to turn up and work perfectly. An open, honest and collaborative relationship with the rolling stock manufacturer means you can optimise stock as it is being commissioned, rather than waiting to find out what the problems are once you start running it.

On behalf of LOROL, MTR sent

4. In-house expertise is vital, even after the new stock is in service.

The train operator needs to have a detailed and expert understanding of the performance of the stock once it is in service, as optimising all aspects of performance is an on-going job.

As an international business operating in cities as diverse as London, Stockholm, Beijing and Melbourne, MTR has specialists working across a range of areas of expertise, from the door-mechanism technicians mentioned above to traction and CCTV experts, with the latter having worked on LOROL stock once it was in service.

Increases in rail ridership across the developed world, new lines being built in emerging economies, and the increasing

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That doesn’t need to lead to a collapse in performance, provided the right skills and expertise are in place. zz

A Metrô Rio train, which MTR helped introduce to their network shift from older DMUs to new highperformance EMUs means that rolling stock introduction is now a key part of the skill set that any train operator needs.

Over the next six years, large new fleets will be introduced in major cities across

Europe, including in London on Crossrail and Thameslink, in Stockholm on the metro, and in Berlin on the Ring-Bahn.

Add to that the rolling stock being brought into service on new and extended lines from Brazil to Beijing, and it is clear that

Jeremy Long is CEO of European Business for MTR Corporation – the Hong-Kong headquartered international railway and property company. In recent years, MTR has expanded internationally, with operations in Europe, mainland China, and Australia. In Europe, MTR are co-owners of the London Overground concession operated for TfL, and are the operator of the Stockholm Metro system in Sweden. Jeremy was formerly managing director of FirstGroup Rail Division, and was founder and chief executive of GB Railways Group plc.

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NEWS I Integrated Transport

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First tram of new fleet unveiled Powers approved for Metrolink’s second city crossing l Powers to install a second Metrolink route through the heart of Manchester city centre have been approved by the Government. The route – through St Peter’s Square, along Princess Street, Cross Street and Corporation Street and re-joining the existing Metrolink line just outside Victoria station – was the subject of a major consultation in 2011 and a public inquiry earlier this year. The Secretary of State for Transport, the Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP, has now approved Transport for Greater Manchester’s (TfGM) application for the Transport and Works Act Order required to build and operate the new line.

l The first of a £40 million fleet of new Midland Metro trams was officially unveiled on October 16th after successfully completing a four-day, 1000-mile journey from Spain. Sir Albert Bore, leader of Birmingham City Council took the wraps off the tram during a ceremony at the newly extended Midland Metro depot in Wednesbury.

The vehicle is the first of 20 being delivered to transport authority Centro over the coming months by Spanish manufacturer CAF. The new trams will go into service on the existing Metro route between Birmingham and Wolverhampton next year after undergoing several months of testing followed by a period of driver training. They will also be deployed on the Metro extension now being constructed through Birmingham which, when completed in 2015, will see trams return to the city’s streets for the first time in more than 60 years.

Renewed partnership agreement

by London Midland and Centro l Rail passengers are in line for more than £10 million of improvements to stations across the West Midlands thanks to a new partnership agreement. Transforming Rail Travel is a deal between Centro, the region’s transport authority, and London Midland to continue a successful two-year arrangement and deliver further enhancements to services and facilities. Measures include a pilot smartticketing scheme, more CCTV cameras at stations, more park and ride provision and better ticket vending machines. The agreement will cover the remaining period of London Midland’s franchise to operate local rail services – this will be until September 2015, although this may be extended until 2017 by the Government.

The interior of the new CAF Urbos 3 tram, which is a third bigger than the Midland Metro’s existing Ansaldo Trasporti trams

New trams for Wimbledon l London Tramlink has ordered four new trams to deliver a 50 per cent increase in capacity on the Wimbledon to Croydon link, the busiest route on the network.

The new Stadler trams are part of the £30 million Wimbledon Line Enhancement Programme and will complement the replacement of a single-line section with double tracks and an additional tram platform at Wimbledon station.

The Stadler trams are 2.5 metres longer, are air-conditioned and 100 per cent low-floor which provides better accessibility

London Midland commercial director Richard Brooks, left, Centro chief executive Geoff Inskip, and Cllr Roger Horton, Centro lead member for rail look on as Partnership Plus is signed by Cllr John McNicholas, left, the chairman of Centro, and London Midland managing director Patrick Verwer

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for passengers. They are each made up of five sections with wide gangways between each section giving them a more manoeuvrable and spacious interior.

The first of the new vehicles will be delivered during the summer of 2015 and the last is scheduled to arrive in 2016. The contract is worth £10.2 million and the four new vehicles are being bought under an option in a contract which saw six new trams delivered in 2012.

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NEWS I Integrated Transport

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Centro’s £2 billion Local Connectivity Package

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Centro

£2 billion package of rail, tram and rapid transit schemes to ensure the West Midlands secures the maximum economic benefits possible from HS2 was formally agreed on 23rd October.

The Local Connectivity Package, which was ratified by the region’s new Integrated Transport Authority Shadow Board, will enable the West Midlands to more than double the potential benefits of HS2 by best connecting and feeding into the high speed rail line.

The package includes extensions to the Midland Metro tram system in Birmingham and the Black

Map showing package of key public transport infrastructure improvements in the West Midlands

Country, new and upgraded rail stations, opening up rail freight lines to passenger services and the electrification of other key rail routes.

Cllr Roger Lawrence, spokesman for the ITA Shadow Board which is made up of the leaders of the seven West Midland councils, said: “HS2 offers a once-in-alifetime opportunity for our region and we intend to grab it with both hands.

“With the right local transport connections we can secure more than 51,000 new jobs and boost the West Midlands economy by more than £4.1 billion a year, benefitting people right across our region.

“We have already secured more than £320 million towards this package so we can press on and build several of the schemes over the next five years or so.

“That’s a great start and we will now continue to work closely with the region’s Local Enterprise Partnerships and Network Rail amongst others to deliver the rest of the package.”

Cllr Lawrence said the £320 million already secured would be used to: l Extend the Midland Metro tram from St George’s in Wolverhampton to the city’s rail station and from Birmingham New Street to Centenary Square l Electrify the Walsall to Rugeley and the Coventry to Leamington Spa rail lines l Build a new rail station and provide services at Kenilworth – Rail Improvements l Expand park and ride sites – Rapid Transit / Metro – SPRINT BRT at local rail stations l Strategic Interchange Hub l Introduce a tram-style bus rapid transit system called SPRINT along the Hagley Road l Upgrade the area between New Street and Moor Street Stations to create a ‘One Station’ environment l Improve cycle links.

The schemes are earmarked to be built between 2015 and 2019.

Other schemes in the Local Connectivity Package include capacity improvements on the Snow Hill lines, the introduction of rail passenger services on the Camp Hill line in south Birmingham, Metro tram extensions from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill and through Birmingham’s Eastside district to the city’s HS2 station and a rapid transit link between the HS2 station at the airport/NEC and Coventry.

Potential funding sources for the schemes include Network Rail’s control period 6, the Single Local Growth Fund, Enterprise Zone, private sector developers, local and national government and HS2 Ltd. The schemes would be delivered over a 10-15 year period, the equivalent of a £167 million a year investment in the West Midlands. zz

The Connectivity Package document is available at:

www.centro.org.uk/rail/HighSpeed2.aspx

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NEWS I Legal

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Reforming the law on level crossings

l The Law Commission for England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission have published a joint report on the law governing level crossings.

There are between 7500 and 8000 level crossings on the railway network in Great Britain. Every year there are accidents on level crossings. These crossings can also cause considerable inconvenience to road users, pedestrians (particularly disabled users), horse riders and others.

The Law Commissions’ report recommends reform of the law aimed at: l Improving the safety regime for level crossings by bringing it into line with that of the railway generally, while making such special provision as is necessary l Providing a new procedure to allow for the compulsory closure of level crossings l Clarifying the law relating to rights of way across railways.

Currently, safety is governed by a specific regime for level crossings alone (the Level Crossings Act 1983) which provides for inflexible and unresponsive orders, the legal status of which is uncertain. The proposed reforms would bring level crossings into the general Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 system, with special provision for level crossings plans to be made when it is desirable to do so.

There is no bespoke procedure for closing (if necessary, with replacement) road or private level crossings in England and Wales (only one for public footpath crossings), and none in Scotland. The proposals would create a new, speedy but fair system for compulsory closure.

Frances Patterson QC, lead

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Commissioner at the Law Commission, said “These reforms will, if adopted by Government, make for a more efficient safety system for level crossings. It will also allow Network Rail to go further than they already have in closing as many level crossings as possible, reducing costs on both the railway and road networks.”

Dr Andrew Steven, lead Commissioner at the Scottish Law Commission, said “Our recommendations provide a new legal framework for level crossings in Great Britain. In relation to Scotland we have sought carefully to draw a balance between the compelling need for safety on railway lines and the rights of the public to have access over land under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and common law.”

Ian Prosser, Director of Railway Safety at the Office of Rail Regulation, said: “The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) welcomes the Law Commissions’ proposals to modernise level crossing legislation, which will cut red-tape and make it easier for high-risk crossings to be closed. Great Britain’s level crossings, although among the safest in Europe, pose a significant rail safety risk to the public. That is why we have announced millions of pounds’ worth of extra funds to close or upgrade level crossings over the next five years, and will work to support implementation of improved level crossing laws.”

The Commissions’ Report on Level Crossings, is available at: http://lawcommission.justice.gov.uk/ areas/level-crossings.htm

Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 welcomed l Network Rail, The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) and the Rail Freight Group (RFG) are delighted by the introduction of the new Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013, which came into force on 1st October.

The theft of metal remains a significant problem in the UK affecting many industry sectors, not just the railway. The current cost to the UK economy is estimated at hundreds of millions of pounds a year and the crime is directly fuelled by the increase in the price of metals, particularly copper and lead.

In the financial year 2013/14 up to the end of period 6 (14th September 2013) there have been 95 incidents of cable theft which affected train performance. This caused 30, 928 minutes delay and an estimated compensation cost of £1,053,649. At the same point last year there had been 165 incidents causing 90,190 delay minutes and costs of around £3,497,974 Compensation costs (known as schedule 8 costs) are paid to train and freight operators for the disruption caused by the delay. This payment is set in a formula basis designed, on average, to compensate the train operator for the future loss of revenue.

It is not related to and does not include provision for any additional costs incurred by train operators, such as compensation costs to passengers. This is a substantial part of the cost to the industry of cable theft but does not include the cost of staff time to repair and replace the cable, replacement cable itself and the cost of mitigation measures such as security patrols and investment in new technology. The amount of compensation paid depends on the type of services delayed.

Network Rail believes that a cohesive strategy, including enforcement (Operation Tornado led by British Transport Police and the Home Office funded metal theft taskforce), education (awareness of the issue helping to support the case for legislative change and leading to increased reporting of suspicious activity to police), engineering (new and improved technology to make cables harder to steal and easier to identify) and enablement (giving engineers the tools to respond quickly and effectively to incidents) have combined to reduce the impact of cable theft.

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NEWS I Training

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An artist’s impression of the new National Rolling Stock Academy

Rail training academy gets the go-ahead l The UK rail industry is set to receive an extensive skills boost – thanks to a new rail training academy developed collaboratively by Siemens and NSARE (National Skills Academy for Railway Engineering). An innovative agreement between NSARE and the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) with support from the Department for Transport (DFT) will provide half the funds required, with Siemens contributing the other 50 per cent.

Go-ahead for the new training academy, which will specialise in traction and rolling stock skills, was announced in September at the NSARE annual conference in London. It will be located in a state-of-the-art facility at the site of Siemens’ existing flagship train depot and UK service headquarters in King’s Heath, Northampton, creating around 100 jobs in its construction and subsequent operation. It is expected to open its doors to the first students in spring 2015.

Currently some 13,500 people work in specialist traction and rolling stock roles across the UK. The new academy will focus on addressing the future skills shortage in this part of the UK rail

sector – forecast to be around 4500 people over the next five years – caused by a combination of factors, including: an ageing workforce; the technological advancement of rolling stock; and, investment and growth in the industry.

The Northampton training centre, which will offer 20,000 man days of training per year, will act as a national ‘hub’ with regional ‘spokes’ located at other train care facilities around the country. The 50/50 funding agreement will release 50 per cent of the academy’s training capacity to the wider UK industry, with the remainder used by Siemens own rail sector employees.

In addition to encouraging more entry-level talent (both apprentices and graduates), existing rail industry employees will also benefit from an opportunity to ‘upskill’ in response to advancements in the industry and new train developments such as ‘fly-by-wire’ (a system that replaces the traditional manual controls of a train with a precision electronic interface) and ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management Systems – replacing traditional signal controls with a computerised, in-cab display).

New website helps SMEs put their business first l Sector skills council, People 1st, has launched a brand-new website specifically designed for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating in the rail industry. Called My Business 1st, the site was established after research showed that while SME owners most often look for business advice online, they often struggle to find relevant and correct information quickly.

The My Business 1st site also offers users free access to online business tools, tips and links to training to start, manage and grow their businesses. With much of the recommended training available online, the site helps SMEs access training more easily and conveniently.

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Health & Safety

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Providing health & safety in the rail industry

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ailway workers face a variety of risks and hazards on a daily basis. As a rail track maintenance worker, you help repair and maintain the railways, tunnels, bridges and trackside equipment.

Safety is critical to this job, and your company would provide you with protective clothing, like reflective overalls, a hard hat and safety boots.

Dickies offer a wide variety of workwear to protect you from head to toe.

GO/RT safety clothing Dickies’ new range of GO/RT safety clothing is manufactured to meet Railway Group GO/ RT 3279 and BS EN471: 2003 standards.

Designed for high visibility, and constructed with hardwearing fabric to ensure durability and performance, these garments are essential for being seen and safe trackside.

The new range includes: GO/RT Underground Bib – with zip fastening, Velcro

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Providing railway workers with personal protection and workwear is just as important as giving them the correct equipment to safely and efficiently carry out daily tasks. MAURICE MORTON looks at the importance of wearing the right gear to go with the job… adjustable side seams and shoulder seams for a quick release; GO/RT Waterproof Bib and Brace-buttoned adjustable waist, waterproof, breathable with stitched tape and welded seams; alongside GO/RT Reversible Bodywarmer, Mesh Waistcoat, Fleece Jacket, Long Sleeve Polo and Hooded Sweatshirt.

The extension of the GO/RT offering within

the Dickies collection gives a wider choice in both style and fabric type. The Dickies polycotton range utilises Korean cloth, which Dickies has invested in for these hard-working products because of its extra strength and durability.

In addition for railway workers there is Dickies’ high-visibility clothing; safety wear and reflective gear all meet European Standard EN471. Your safety is Dickies’ business, therefore Dickies’ range of reflective highvisibility clothes is of the highest quality.

Dickies’ high visibility clothes are manufactured with varying levels of protection.

Each product carries a different level of high visibility protection within the product description. This enables you to choose the correct high visibility workwear or safety vest for you or your employees.

The Dickies waterproof range offers both protection against foul weather but also

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz breathability for extra comfort. The first layer product offering has been extended and there are further new developments due later this year.

Dickies also offers unique spun fabric 85 per cent polyester – 15 per cent cotton; 280gsm for maximum strength, durability, maintaining high visibility in the product which is essential for this industry where being seen to be safe is paramount.

Dickies Baselayer Thermal Long Johns are a modern variation of a very traditional product. Designed with highly breathable, quality fabric that will help to regulate your body temperature whatever the working conditions. Team with the base layer vest for total body coverage. Down to the toes, Dickies offer high quality thermal socks, designed to keep you warm during the winter months.

of busy feet on rough ground. Your safety is priceless – why trust anything less?

Personalised workwear Nothing says professional quite like embroidered workwear. Embroidered company logos or badges on work shirts, gloves, overalls and jackets provide an air of authority and quality; Dickies help you achieve that professional look with a personalised embroidery service for all types of workwear. Dickies’ embroidery team will also provide you with expert advice on the colour, size and placement of embroidered logos. Professionally embroidered logos can be used to complement formal work trousers, shirts and uniforms, or can be used to polish off casual workwear, such as shorts, T-shirts and caps. Not only does embroidered workwear look professional, it also serves an important identifying and uniting purpose amongst employees. zz

Flame-retardant workwear Experts in the field of specialist workwear, Dickies’ produces a selection of Proban and Pyrovatex flame-retardant garments. Workers can be assured that Dickies flame-retardant garments will provide protection as per the up-to-date regulations.

All Dickies’ flame-retardant overalls comply with British Standards to ensure your protection.

Proban is a flame-retardant solution that provides peace of mind to both industrial and consumer markets. It has been developed to give cotton (or cotton-rich fabrics) reliable flame-retardant properties that meet industry fire regulations.

Pyrovatex is one of the most widely used flame retardant treatments for 100 per cent cotton fabrics. Pyrovatex not only affords regulation protection for the whole life of the garment, but the cotton retains its comfort and durability.

Footwear Safety footwear is critical for railway workers for inclement conditions. All safety footwear sold by Dickies conforms to EN ISO 20345, which provides a basic impact level of 200 joules. This means the

For more information, please visit

www.dickiesworkwear.com Maurice Morton is sales and marketing director of workwear manufacturer Dickies.

toe-cap will withstand an impact of 20kg falling from a height of 1.02 metres.

The Dickies Urban Hi Boot is entirely free of metal, with its fully composite safety toe and midsole construction. The boot has a fullgrain leather upper and a thinsulate lining. The padded collar and tongue provide additional comfort.

The Medway Safety Boot is S3 SRA has 200 joule toe-cap protection; closed seat region (fully enclosed heel); antistatic properties; energy absorption of seat region; water penetration and water absorption resistance plus penetration resistance; and a cleated outsole.

The heel is energy absorbing, easing the punishment

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NEWS I Health & Safety

Courtesy of Codelco

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Antimicrobial train l Antimicrobial copper touch surfaces are becoming increasingly common in hospitals, but a train on the Valparaiso Metro in Chile is the first of its kind to be equipped with Antimicrobial copper hand rails and poles. The move is intended to help reduce the risk of infections spreading between the Metro’s 18 million annual users and improve the public transport experience.

Antimicrobial copper is a portfolio of materials – comprising copper and copper alloys – that benefit from copper’s inherent ability to rapidly kill bacteria, viruses and fungi on contact. Given an estimated 80 per cent of infections are spread by touch, manufacturing frequently touched surfaces such as hand rails, light switches, taps and door handles from materials that will continuously kill germs – 24/7 and in between regular cleaning – can help reduce the spread of infection.

Antimicrobial copper hand rails and poles on the new Valparaiso Metro train

l Network Rail has announced the appointment of David Johnson as suicide prevention manager for the London North Western Route. David, on secondment from Virgin Trains, previously fulfilled a similar role covering the southern end of the LNW route.

His original appointment, and the extension of his role, is in response to recommendations contained within the final report of the West Coast South Reliability Programme (also known as the Gibb Report).

David’s expanded role will see him work both with Samaritans and British Transport Police, as well as passenger and freight operators to help reduce such incidents across Network Rail’s London North Western Route.

Network Rail and train operating company partners have also been working together on a five-year programme with Samaritans which has seen thousands of railway staff taking part in courses designed to reduce the risk of suicides. Support posters and signage from the Samaritans at stations and other priority locations is also contributing to reducing the devastating impact that suicides have upon both the railway and local communities.

Network Rail continues to invest significant sums on active and passive suicide mitigation measures across the LNW and other routes. These include the installation of additional station and lineside fencing, improved CCTV systems and enhanced security lighting, as well as a continuing programme of staff training.

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Network Rail

Joint effort on suicide prevention

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Risk assessments for expectant mums Employers have a legal obligation to protect the health and wellbeing of expectant mothers and their unborn babies in the workplace.

VIVIENNE STOCK has first-hand experience at Express Medicals

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inding out you are pregnant is a major milestone in any woman’s life, and one which recently happened to me. Expecting a child means a lot of changes – your body changes, quite often your mind changes (mood swings, ‘baby brain’ anyone?), your home changes as you prepare for the new arrival – but it also warrants lifestyle changes.

Expectant mothers are advised to: l Avoid alcohol and smoking l Avoid eating certain types of cheese & fish l Avoid eating undercooked meat or eggs l Take 400μg folic acid & 10μg vitamin D daily l Eat healthily and exercise.

Depending upon their job, some women may find that they cannot or should not perform certain tasks during pregnancy.

Employers have a legal obligation to protect the health and wellbeing of expectant mothers and their unborn babies in the workplace.

Express Medicals offers risk assessments for new and expectant mothers. These are reviewed by an Occupational Health physician who will then determine the level of risk posed to the mother from her job, and suggest control measures accordingly. For example I am in a low-risk role; the main risks are possible contact with urine from collecting samples for drug and alcohol testing, and potential risk of violence/aggression from people whilst carrying out reception duties.

Both have been deemed to be low risk based on the likelihood and the consequence of each occurrence, and as such no changes to my role are deemed necessary.

Other women in higher risk groups such as those who do manual handling as part of their job, or do long or unsociable hours, or those who work with chemicals, may be advised to alter their hours or workload so that risk to the mother and/or their child is eliminated or reduced. Some mothers may be placed in a higher risk group due to other factors, such as their general health and wellbeing throughout the pregnancy. In such cases it is advised that more than one risk assessment is carried out on the individual to monitor changes as the pregnancy advances.

pregnancy or otherwise? l Their working hours – full time/part time, day/night shifts? l Their role and what it entails – standing/ sitting for long periods, heavy lifting etc l The working environment – who or what they may be exposed to and how often.

If you, or any of your employees, are expecting a baby and you require advice or assistance regarding entitlements, legal obligations and risks visit: www.hse.gov.uk/mothers/ zz When carrying out a risk assessment the following should be considered: l The health and wellbeing of the mother – any illnesses/complications as a result of

Express Medicals Ltd Tel: 020 7500 6900 Web: www.expressmedicals.co.uk

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zz Health & Safety zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Wellbeing at work It makes sense to avoid developing type 2 diabetes explains Dr MARK VANDERPUMP

T Dr Mark Vanderpump is a London-based consultant physician and senior lecturer in diabetes and endocrinology. See www.markvanderpump. co.uk.

Dr Vanderpump has provided training to the medical staff at : Express Medicals Ltd. See www.expressmedicals. co.uk or call 020 7500 6900.

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ype 2 diabetes is the form of diabetes that usually occurs in middle-aged and older persons.

It is characterised by elevated blood glucose due to deficiency in the action (i.e. insulin resistance) and secretion of the hormone insulin. It is usually treated by diet, exercise and tablets and may eventually require insulin therapy in some cases. In up to 80 per cent of cases it is associated with obesity.

The number of people classified as obese has trebled since the 1980s and the projection is we should expect a ten per cent increase in the number of men who are obese and a seven per cent increase in the number of women, taking the population estimates up to one in four of them being obese in 2012. The increase in obesity has already caused an increase in type 2 diabetes which is expected to also rise significantly in the next five to ten years. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is approximately seven per cent in London and by 2020 it is estimated to be nearer ten per cent. Even higher rates may be seen among people from South Asian origin.

The metabolic syndrome describes a collection of abnormalities including abdominal or central obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and fat levels and high blood sugars all of which increase risk of cardiovascular disease. Obesity is usually defined by the body mass index (BMI). This marker of obesity is calculated from the weight in kg divided by height in metres squared. A BMI greater than 30-35kg/m2 is thought to be significantly obese. However the key issue is where you have collected your weight not your total weight. Many patients with type 2 diabetes have a BMI in the slightly overweight range but who have collected significant fat centrally within the abdomen.

European men are defined as being centrally obese once their waist circumference is above 37 inches (94cm) and their risk of diabetes is significantly raised once their waist circumference is greater than 40 inches (102cm). The equivalent figures for women

are 31.5 inches (80cm) and 34.5 inches (88cm).

There is now strong evidence that your waist circumference is the first sign of an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The waist circumference is measured around the abdomen at the level of the belly button (umbilicus) and reflects the fat that collects inside the abdomen around the gut. Fat collects here if the insulin hormone which controls carbohydrate metabolism is not working effectively. Most patients assume the fat is collected under the skin (so called ‘love handles’) but in reality this subcutaneous fat does not differ as much as you might expect between thin and overweight people. This is the reason why the fat removed by liposuction usually re-accumulates within a year. Most men believe that their waist circumference is at least three inches less than measured as men are used to wearing their trousers around their hips and clothes manufacturers pamper their egos.

The measurement of the waist circumference therefore allows us to identify people at risk of type 2 diabetes. It allows you the chance to stop or slow the progression to type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle modification is key with regular cardiovascular exercise (at least three 45 minute sessions per week) and grabbing every opportunity for exercise in your daily life such as avoiding lifts and walking up stairs etc. There is no doubt that we are eating too much carbohydrate which encourages insulin production so make the majority of your diet foods such as chicken, fish, fruit and vegetables and cut back significantly or your portion sizes of bread, pasta, rice and potatoes.

If you manage to lose 10kg then you know that you will have significantly reduced your blood pressure and cholesterol as well as your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. As there is a strong inheritance element in type 2 diabetes (i.e. if your mother or father has type 2 diabetes then your risk is almost 50 per cent) then there is also the opportunity to encourage the younger members of your family regarding the benefit of keeping their waist circumference as low as possible as well. zz

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Rostering health & safety into the rail sector DAVID HUGHES considers the issue of human resource tracking

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David Hughes is marketing director at Crown Computing

ith so much at stake in the rail sector – human life, corporate reputation, share price, revenue – the rail sector will always be held under scrutiny over its ability to maintain high health and safety standards. Despite its importance and with so much regulation out there to adhere to, it is not that straightforward to meet.

One particular soft aspect that is not often immediately considered by organisations when it comes to improving H&S standards is the idea of ensuring the right people with the right skills are in the right place at the right time – and for the appropriate amount of time. Ensuring people with the right skills, energy and time available to work can make all the difference between productivity and an accident, or even a fatality.

While various H&S standards have been designed to protect organisations and employees, not all businesses serving the rail sector have efficient systems in place to help them manage and meet their workforce management requirements.

Part of the problem is down to the fact that many organisations rely heavily on archaic spreadsheets to support them with rostering and managing employee time and attendance (e.g. hours worked, absenteeism, annual leave).

And, although the spreadsheet served its purpose years ago, it is not without its faults.

Spreadsheets require careful set up and manual input, making them prone to error and inaccuracies. The insights from data entered are also not always easily extracted, which is not ideal in those instances when organisations need to make critical and often instantaneous decisions about their workforce.

Moreover, spreadsheets are not ‘automated’, meaning they cannot gather the information

required by management teams automatically. They also do not have the ability to alert management teams when staff and the organisation are not abiding by the various H&S legislations.

These include the European Working Time Directive, Working Time Regulations, and the 2007 Road Transport Working Time Regulations – all of which have set stringent requirements in place to protect staff and businesses.

This, effectively, is where modern workforce management systems excel (no pun intended).

They are a very sophisticated evolution of the ‘dated’ spreadsheet: they not only enable organisations to record data accurately and reduce errors, but they have easy-to-read dashboards and reports that let businesses gain a true and current status of how their staffing complement is performing at all times.

Typically newer systems also integrate with other vital organisational systems (e.g. data capture terminals, HR and payroll systems) and enable management teams to build profiles of staff members that enable them to run their teams better. For example, they can measure time worked, staff member skills, absenteeism, annual leave, and so on.

All this information is taken into account when managing teams: roster managers can establish whether businesses are adhering to H&S standards, work out if staff scheduled to work have the right skills for the job at hand, and involve them in some of the rostering process.

Workforce management will never be the complete answer to solving H&S issues within organisations. But, they can offer powerful insights on business and staff performance and ensure that the organisation adheres to the various H&S standards that have been set by legislators from a time management perspective.zz

Creating an H&S-focused workforce management strategy

There are four key factors businesses need to consider if they plan to incorporate workforce management technology systems into their H&S strategies: l Automation is going to become more critical than ever before – Microsoft Excel is not a workforce

management system. It allows for data entry but is very limited in offering any strategic planning information. Modern workforce management systems differ in that they allow information to be recorded more efficiently – they can also automatically highlight any potential upcoming H&Srelated time management issues to management teams through insightful reporting as and when they happen (for example alerts can be sent when any legislation or directives are near to being breached). l Develop your data strategy – most organisations believe they are recording the right information about the state of their workforce, but when they have to examine it they soon discover they can’t actually decipher what it means. This makes it highly important for management teams

be set, measure and analyse the correct parameters. You do not want to computerise inefficiency. l Implement a pilot project – before settling on a strategy trial it at one site and learn from the first implementation. Then optimise it and apply it to other sites, but take into account that there may be variations across locations. Understanding the variations will enable you to create a more structured and strategic workforce management strategy that takes into account these idiosyncrasies. l Integration with clocking systems, HR systems and payroll – it is no longer good enough for technology to operate in silos. Therefore it is vital to the success of the organisation that the systems can integrate and communicate with one another. This will enable management teams to develop stronger insights about the overarching performance of the entire organisation.

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ore than 4000 people a year in the UK suffer major injuries from falls while working at height and it is a major cause of workplace death.

While the majority of these incidents occur in construction, other sectors of employment are also affected. Most of the major injuries are associated with falls of less than two metres.

The practice of working at height is also risky for those who might be standing below, through objects such as tools being dropped onto them and causing injury.

The Work at Height Regulations (2005) state that employers have a duty to assess the risks and plan and supervise all workers who work at height. The Regulations require all employers to ensure that any task which is to be carried out at height has been properly planned, is fully supervised and that it is only carried out by those who are competent to do the work.

They must also ensure that operatives receive

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The height of good sense

s USE review O H T F O L g IAN ’ in workin e ic t c a r p t ‘bes at height

thorough instructions and training, and that they are given all the necessary information required in order to carry out their tasks.

The Regulations cover everything from how workers access working at height to how they and their tools are prevented from falling to the ground.

It is essential that appropriate work equipment is selected and used and that people working at a height are competent to do so. Equipment used for work at height must be properly inspected and maintained, while risks from fragile surfaces must be properly controlled.

Work must be planned, organised, supervised, and carried out by competent persons, using the following hierarchy of controls: l Avoid work at height wherever possible where there is a risk of significant injury l Prevent falls where work at height cannot

be avoided by using suitable measures, such as guard rails or work platforms, that protect all workers l Mitigate falls: minimise the distance and consequences of a fall where the risk of a fall cannot be eliminated by using personal protective equipment such as fall arrest systems l Take additional measures if it is not reasonably practicable to avoid, prevent or mitigate falls, such as the provision of additional instruction and training, and the demarcation of edges with painted lines l Set up protection schemes to prevent injuries to people below from dropped tools, securing all tools from falling and taking every precaution underneath workers to prevent any objects that are dropped from falling on those standing below (a claw hammer dropped from 6m is the equivalent of it being dropped from the second floor of a building, attaining

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz 24mph/39kph on impact with an impact weight of 117kg) l If the workplace contains an area in which there is a risk of someone being struck by a falling object or person, ensure that the area is clearly indicated and that, as far as is reasonably practicable, unauthorised people are unable to access it For those who do not work at height very often or are unsure about which type of access equipment to use, it is important that the risks are assessed and the right equipment for the job is selected.

If it is a light duty task that will take less than 30 minutes and the task can be completed mostly with one hand, or temporary access to a fixed working platform is needed, a ladder, step ladder or combination ladder may be appropriate.

If the task is less than 3.8m high and two hands are needed to complete the job, a podium step or folding platform may be required.

For tasks above 3.8m or which need access

in the same place for an extended period, a prefabricated scaffold tower may be suitable.

If the work comprises several tasks up to 15.9m high and not all in the same place, the best solution may be a MEWP (Mobile Elevated Work Platform) or powered access equipment.

For longer duration work at height in a fully guard-railed work zone with a larger work area and work load capacity, towers may be needed.

The overriding criteria when selecting equipment for work at height are: l Use the most suitable equipment l Give collective protection measures (e.g. guard rails) priority over personal protection measures (e.g. safety harnesses) l Take account of the working conditions and the risks to the safety of all those at the place where work equipment is to be used.

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 apply to all work at height where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury. It places duties on employers, the self-employed, and

any person who controls the work of others (e.g. facilities managers or building owners who may contract others to work at height) to the extent they control the work. It is the responsibility of all companies involved in working at height to know the law surrounding worker safety and dropped objects, and to follow it accordingly. zz

Ian Lofthouse is business manager, tools & maintenance, Brammer UK Web: www.brammeruk.com

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Ian Lofth

GEO Business 2014 launches a Call for Papers l GEO Business, the brand-new geospatial Exhibition and Conference for everyone involved in the gathering, storing, processing and delivering of geospatial information has recently announced a Call for Papers.

Organised in collaboration with The Survey Association (TSA), Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (ICES) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) the international trade exhibition, cutting edge conference and programme of live workshops and demonstrations will be taking place in London from 28-29 May 2014 at the Business Design Centre in Islington.

The Conference Technical Committee led by Conference Chairman Chris Preston from Network Rail is seeking papers and work-in-progress reports on all aspects of geospatial technology and applications with a particular emphasis on papers that address the key commercial and technical issues facing the industry.

Interested parties should submit their abstracts by the deadline of 29th January 2014 online at: http://geobusinessshow.com/conference/call-for-papers/ Topics of interest include but are not limited to: recent project examples; big data and the role of geospatial professionals; survey operations and systems integration; developments in GIS; BIM meets geospatial; positioning, location and tracking with global navigation satellite systems applications; hydrographic/coastal/near-shore; land administration; data processing, presentation and applications; specifications and standards; educating the future global geospatial expert; international issues.

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Safety right down the line

Pilz SafetyNET p and PSS 4000 as the basis for remote control and protection on rail networks

Operation of MOB’s 75km single-track main line is now managed remotely from two control centres at Montreux and Zweisimmen

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ailway systems can be compared with distributed production systems in industry: as an operator, the objective is to find a simple way to incorporate even remote sections into an integrated overall concept and to monitor and control the process from a central control station, without having an immense amount of wiring to do. The real-time Ethernet SafetyNET p works in conjunction with the automation system PSS 4000 from Pilz to perform holistic control and safety tasks in the rail industry. The system has the necessary CENELEC approvals and is even SIL 4-capable across the whole application.

The railcar from the GoldenPass line pulls away from the station at Montreux on Lake Geneva at 8.45 precisely. Over the next two-and-a-half hours, the train will wind its way over mountain passes and valleys, through one of Switzerland’s most scenic and attractive regions. It will reach Zweisimmen at 10:43, arriving in Lenk im Simmental at 11:21 – on time, as is almost always the case. The metre-gauge train is fitted with panoramic cars; on its journey it will have passed a total of 36 villages and stops, around 50 level crossings as well as numerous signal and control devices.

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Economical solutions are in demand From a control and automation technology perspective, rail networks are widely distributed systems; in terms of their operation and safety, they are highly demanding on many levels. Above all, the components need to be able to interact efficiently and reliably.

The private rail company Compagnie du Chemin de fer Montreux Oberland Bernois (MOB) has been operating a 75-kilometre rail network in Switzerland since 1901, including the line between Montreux – Zweisimmen – Lenk. Economical solutions are in demand on every level if they are to stay competitive in the long term with an attractive transport

The system must control more than 50 level crossings along the MOB route

and service offering. This applies to the railway engineering technology too, of course.

Appropriate operating and control concepts must optimise processes and traffic flow, but most also offer maximum safety. The latter is particularly important where hazards typically occur, such as on level crossings, for example.

This is a particular challenge, not least because of the huge distances that are involved.

Industrial automation technology for railway systems Intelis SA is based in Bussigny-près-Lausanne and has specialised in all-round railway control and safety concepts for both private and public train operators since 2007. The remote

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz as well as the potential risks along the single-track route. All points, signal boxes, level crossings, signals, track parts and block signalling systems were considered along with specific customer The PSS 4000-R Safety PLC system with rail approval requirements, as part control solution INIS-TC developed by Intelis of an overall assessment. “How can we is responsible for ensuring that rail traffic on simplify the system? How can we replace the 75 kilometre line from Montreux to Lenk automated and conventional relay technology is optimised to run smoothly and safely. The with software? How do we integrate the relay Swiss Federal Transport Office (BAV) has technology that’s still necessary and how granted the necessary operating permit. At the can we guarantee safe operation?” says heart of the remote control solution is the realRoland Balimann, technical manager at Intelis, time Ethernet SafetyNET p in conjunction with summarising the questions that were posed at the automation system PSS from Pilz. Having the start of the project. demonstrated its flexibility and openness not Intelis started by conducting a feasibility only in classic mechanical engineering but study to test potentially suitable products and also on cable cars and dockside cranes, the systems on the market. The requirements innovative automation solution for standard and analysis essentially demanded safety level safety is now being put to use in rail transport.

SIL 3 for safety-related commands and SafetyNET p connects the subsystems feedback, the ability to adapt to new and over long distances and using various media. existing protection systems and the ability to PSS 4000 examines aspects of standard use industrial products and systems. The result automation and safety within one system, showed a clear case for the flexible, modular offering the benefits of a decentralised control automation system PSS 4000 and SafetyNET p structure without the complexity that is normally from Pilz, which Intelis ultimately chose. associated with such a system. In detail, the automation system PSS 4000 consists of multiple hardware and software components, such as the decentralised I/O system PSSuniversal, plus the real-time Ethernet SafetyNET p and corresponding network components. These can be used to connect other decentralised control systems and input/ output modules.

Modules with -R (Railway) in the product name are characterised by a particularly robust design. The overall solution meets increased Modular components can be easily connected to the optic fibre network safety and environmental requirements up to SIL 4 of CENELEC 5012x.

Phasing out classis relay technology Even today, classic relay technology with positive-guided contacts is still widely used in railway and signal engineering. As part of modernisation measures, however, it is becoming the trend wherever possible to replace wearing, cable-intensive hardware with powerful software, coupled with an easyto-use network. Safety and economy are not mutually exclusive in this; in fact, they are mutually dependent. For Intelis, the initial task was to work out the potential of automation,

Safe data transfer Today, 17 stations are equipped with the safe programmable control unit PSSuniversal, which has an integrated interface to the signal box. This sends information to the communication server and also to the programmable safety systems via SafetyNET p. It was here in particular that the modularity of the components proved to be a particular advantage; the inputs and outputs could be configured in standard and failsafe mode according to need, with minimum wiring.

The SafetyNET p network is a closed loop; a fibre-optic cable connects all the components

that communicate with each other across the whole route. Today, dispatchers monitor and control all rail traffic on the line safely and reliably from two central control stations in Montreux and Zweisimmen. They receive regular as well as safety-critical messages, which display the status of the rail traffic and signal boxes without feedback and in real-time.

If necessary the dispatcher can actively control rail traffic or take appropriate measures if faults should occur.

Data exchange is via SafetyNET p, which is approved by TÜV to SIL 3. If a fault should occur anywhere on the loop, data exchange is still guaranteed through intelligent switches.

Appropriate operator panels are used to visualise information and operating states, graphically represent the stations and display alarm and event messages. But the actual safety always stays close to the action: it is always the respective PSSuniversal head modules on site that check whether a half barrier is closed or a track section is actually free, for example.

Easily integrated into existing networks Intelis has been using products and solutions from the automation specialists from Ostfildern, near Stuttgart, for some time. Ultimately it’s to do with having industry-proven products that have already demonstrated their safety and reliability, without exception. “The modular design of the automation system PSS 4000 offers users many benefits: they only buy what they actually need; the system is future-proof and can grow to suit requirements. What’s more, solutions can easily be integrated into existing networks and can also be quickly installed using SafetyNET p. Ultimately, the price/performance ratio is simply right”, says Roland Balimann.

Soon, the funicular that connects to the railway line in Les Avants will also be integrated into the existing and successfully operating INIS-TC remote control system. “Something else that we value in our co-operation with Pilz is the fact that the company is always open to suggestions on ways to optimise the system. As a result, we are always able to offer customers solutions that use state-ofthe-art technology” says Roland Balimann, summarising. A partnership of equals; and with new projects, it’s set to continue. zz

Pilz Automation Technology

Web: www.pilz.co.uk

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The Metro de Madrid vehicle during the test blast

Rail vehicles: Your last line of defence against terrorist attack?

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usy metro and commuter trains have been identified as particularly vulnerable targets for bomb attack due to their open-access nature and high density of transit passengers. As a result the rail industry in Europe called for increased research into the effects that a bomb blast can have on these systems. The primary goal was to identify and investigate methodologies and technologies which would assist in mitigating the effect of such attacks.

Out of this research initiative the European-funded SecureMetro project was born. Its primary objective was to develop a more blast-resilient vehicle, thereby reducing the number of injuries and fatalities from blast attack.

Led by Conor O’Neill at NewRail, a railway research centre based at Newcastle University, the project focused on three main aspects: characterisation of terrorist attack trends; understanding the principles

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Following the Madrid bombings in 2004 and the 7/7 attack in London in 2005, the focus of anti-terrorism initiatives shifted from air to rail and a European project, known as SecureMetro, was instigated to improve rail vehicle resilience of blast mechanics in confined spaces; and performing blast tests to prove the application of new technologies.

The terrorist threat In total, 833 terrorist attacks on rail systems spanning the past 50 years were investigated during the project. Of these, 57 per cent were perpetrated through

bombing. Interestingly there is little change in the statistics when the timeframe is narrowed down to the last decade, where 58 per cent of the attacks used explosive devices.

Of the tactics adopted, bombing is the deadliest with 70 per cent of the total fatalities occurring as a result of bomb attacks. This trend is also reflected in the number of injuries with 77 per cent of the total people wounded by bomb attacks.

With this in mind, the project began the initial investigations into how a metro vehicle responds to a bomb blast.

Understanding explosions To simulate a terrorist attack, the project developed an attack scenario based on the trends identified in past incidents. This established parameters such as the device size, the device type, the location on the vehicle, the probable timing of the attack, and the position of the vehicle in the infrastructure.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz popular with passengers and manufacturers as a design solution).

However, they Interi may not be ideal vehicle s or of the Metro d howing in the event of an debris in e Madrid gan followin explosion as such a g the tes gway t blast design can allow the blast wave to travel the full length of the vehicle.

Ceilin g tile Draught screens in the s ins Secu ide the aisles and gangways at r Demo eMetro the sides of seats could be Vehic nstrator place le held in implemented, which would postblast go some way to help protect passengers. But material choice in this event would determine whether or not strator o Demon such a solution would be tr e M re u The Sec blast t viable. s o p le Vehic Another key issue was the amount of debris, particularly in the gangway. A tethering technology was proposed: a cheap, thin, metal wire which would connect ceiling panels and speakers to the main vehicle structure. Thus when they become detached from their Determining the progression of the blast mountings they do not fall to the floor wave through the vehicle was conducted but instead ‘hang’ just below the ceiling. using finite element software. Such an This would remove a large amount of approach gave early indications of the areas debris thereby providing a clearer path for in the vehicle which would be affected by the emergency services coming on board. blast and estimate where the structure was most likely to fail.

Testing the theory Using the same attack scenario, a blast To determine which materials would be test was conducted on a decommissioned suitable in a blast scenario, the SecureMetro Metro de Madrid vehicle. This gave a unique project undertook a suite of explosive tests opportunity to understand how state-of-theon panels, glazing and reinforcing materials. art metro vehicles respond to bomb blasts.

In total 63 material configurations were Doors, windows, bulkheads, seats, flooring tested and the most suitable of these were and equipment were all analysed after the chosen to be included in the SecureMetro test to determine how they were impacted by Demonstrator Vehicle. the blast. The spread and trajectory of debris Designed and built by the consortium, was investigated, which gave an insight into the demonstrator vehicle was a full-scale projectile size and velocity. metro representation, complete with system, This test raised a number of issues relating doors, windows, bulkheads and draught to blast wave progression. One issue is that screens. Seating was introduced in two modern metro vehicles are designed to be configurations to determine whether the fully open from one end to another (being orientation of the seats could impact the

severity of an attack.

The demonstrator vehicle was blown up using a bomb of the same size as used in the Metro de Madrid test, allowing good comparison of results. The results were astounding. Simple glazing films on the windows kept them intact and attached to the vehicle, only emergency windows were blown out and even these held together in one piece. The tethering system kept ceiling panels off the gangways, leaving a clear exit route for passengers. Energy absorbing materials protected the driver’s bulkhead, and all the seating remained intact.

A safer metro The SecureMetro project clearly demonstrated that cheap, effective design solutions can be implemented which could improve the response of a metro vehicle during a terrorist bomb attack. Some of these solutions can be captured at the design stage; others could be implemented on existing rolling stock.

A number of protection systems come into force when a terrorist threat is near – such as early intelligence, CCTV, security patrols, and passenger vigilance. But should all these systems be bypassed by a terrorist, the vehicle itself can act as your last line of defence.

About the project The SecureMetro Project was an EU-funded Framework Programme 7 initiative, under Grant Agreement #234148.

The project partners were: NewRail (UK), Stamtech (Italy), Tecnalia (Spain), IFSTTAR (France), Suncove SA (Spain), RATP (FRANCE), Maxam-Expal (Spain), Istituto Affari Internazionali (Italy), Spanish Railway Foundation FFE (Spain), Bombardier (UK), Metro de Madrid (Spain). zz

Conor O’Neill is the manager of NewRail’s Rail Vehicles Group.

Tel: 0191 208 3973 Email: conor.oneill@ncl.ac.uk Web: www.newrail.org

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Seeing results

Although the technology may have progressed, Danny Peleg explains how video surveillance remains a key weapon in the rail industry’s security arsenal

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ecurity is a high-level concern in any industry, and public transport is no exception. The fast-paced nature of these systems, and the large number of passengers, present notable challenges though. As such, vendors around the world offer a wide array of different technologies and solutions aimed at assisting in this task.

“The challenge with rail is that unlike air travel for example where all passengers and employees have to undergo security screening to gain access to an aircraft, public transportation is wide open. As such it’s about how you can ensure that no one will enter that system with a malicious or criminal intent,” begins Danny Peleg.

“One way is the visible security personnel that you see on stations and in public transportation hubs, that not only deter crime but can also react instantly if an incident occurs. Then of course you have technology which can assist in all kinds of ways, and for rail this means part reactive and part preventative.”

Of these technologies video surveillance perhaps plays the biggest part in public transport security systems, as Danny notes: “Whether above or below ground, most rail stations have relatively narrow entry points so if you position a security camera there you can effectively capture the crowd going in and out. Then you have the use of cameras to provide an overview in monitoring a station where you can quickly see if anything happens.

“Then there is the ability to not only enhance security but also safety. One concern in rail is the proximity of passengers to the open line, and the risk of someone going onto the track. We’re now conducting a pilot at a prime transport hub in the US where we can use video analytics that are fully integrated with our video management platform to alert the driver if someone is on the tracks so they can take the necessary action.”

Whilst the term CCTV is still widespread, the types of camera that Danny’s company deals with are far removed from the closed system that name suggests. Where once analogue cameras were connected to VCRs and then digital video records, the emergence of internet protocol video

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technologies means the boundaries of the system today are the boundaries of the network itself.

“We offer open architecture IP-based video surveillance systems,” states Danny. “The beauty of this is that the customer has the freedom to select the best of breed of hardware, as opposed to being tied to a proprietary system of one supplier’s software and cameras. So whilst one camera may deliver good results in favourable lighting, it may not perform as well in a tunnel, whereas a camera from another vendor using a different technology may get a very bright picture despite the darkness.

“Open architecture enables the client to pick and choose the cameras that best fit the application to optimise video quality. This type of software can also be installed onto any consumer off-the-shelf device, and is compatible with almost every storage device, which is vital given the amount of data being generated every day. In many cases we see that video surveillance is not a stand-alone system, but integrated with other services such as intrusion panels, fire detection, alarms, access control and video analytics. An open architecture system makes it much easier to integrate video with these other operational platforms,” he continues.

Likewise, cameras are not only restricted to infrastructure assets such as stations, but are often also installed onboard the trains themselves. “It’s not enough just to cover the stations, because if an event happens on the train visual evidence makes it much easier to work out what happened. As such we see more and more public transport entities installing cameras onto their fleet, and increasingly these are in the form of IP solutions. This means that data can be offloaded directly to the surveillance centre from the train through a wireless connection, removing the need to physically extract it,” highlights Danny.

Despite being a mature concept, the scope of application for video surveillance continues to widen as new innovations and technologies are brought into play. One such area is real-time monitoring, which presents a huge challenge in terms of the huge wealth of data being collected. “It’s here that video analytics can again be used to identify when something out of the ordinary happens and draw

‘‘

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attention to it. In the same way there are companies that have the technology to browse through hours of video in a matter of minutes, which makes it far easier to find, and react to, a specific event,” describes Danny.

He continues: “Facial recognition is another hot area, where we don’t know what the end result will be, but at some point the algorithms will be good enough to achieve that. This could mean that video surveillance can be used as a barrier to stop someone before they enter the system. At my company we’ve created a mobile application that can be downloaded onto a smartphone, which when clicked turns that phone into an IP camera streaming video to the surveillance centre. This enables our clients to leverage the fact there is a camera in these devices and turn them into another in their fleet. We also have another concept, known as Federation, that can connect together independent surveillance systems, which may be owned by different parties, to provide a holistic view of critical infrastructure in a city.”

Although the benefits of open architecture IP solutions are well publicised, it remains the case that many traditional CCTV systems are still in use, and being purchased today. A recent change in recommended practices in the US though, may drive a significant shift in migration to IP in the near future as Danny explains: “The American Public Transport Association (APTA) communications subcommittee is a group of experts, technology vendors, and end users, which together develop recommended practices for the industry.

“This includes video surveillance in public transport, which in the past has been very analoguecentric. As of March 2013 though they have adopted a new recommended practice will calls for the use of IP video. This means that any public transport entity in the US that seeks funding from federal government for a technology refresh or upgrade, or new installation of video surveillance will have to comply with those recommended practices. Therefore we see this opening up a lot more doors in the market for IP solutions,” he concludes. zz

Danny Peleg is director of transportation at Genetec

Web: www.genetec.com www.railwaystrategies.co.uk

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CORE-TAG®

Fighting copper theft with smart cable technologies

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he continuing high price of copper on world commodity markets means that the theft of vital power, signalling and control cables, installed alongside railway tracks, has become a lucrative business for organized criminal gangs and for their associates who process and fence stolen metals. Across Europe, hundreds of incidents occur on a daily basis, adding up to thousands of tons of lost conductors (mainly copper) every year and a replacement bill which runs into hundreds of millions of pounds, representing a significant added burden for already cashconscious railway network operators.

In addition, copper theft causes service interruptions which can greatly exceed the pure replacement costs of the cables. According to a recent report, in France, 5800 hours of delays were accumulated in just one year.

Furthermore, this constant damage to vital infrastructure is a significant threat to public safety.

Triple challenge The problem has become so serious that France’s RFF has set aside a budget of around £30 million to find a solution, and

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JEAN FEHLBAUM outlines two different technical solutions developed to discourage copper theft and to help track down cable thieves and those who deal in stolen metals even governments see the protection of rail infrastructure as a top priority. As one of the world’s leading railway cable producers, Nexans has been closely involved in projects to analyze the problem of theft and identify how it could be significantly reduced, if not eliminated.

There were several challenges to be faced: how to make cables harder to remove and unattractive to potential thieves; how to make it possible to easily identify ownership, especially after the insulation has been burned off and thus discourage resale to scrap metal yards; and how to ensure compatibility with existing cables to keep installation, maintenance and replacement costs to a minimum.

Making cables unattractive to steal Cable thieves are attracted by their pure

copper conductors. So one obvious solution is to incorporate unattractive metals, or to replace copper completely with less attractive aluminium. However, aluminium does have its drawbacks. Its lower conductivity calls for larger conductor cross-sections, requiring installers and maintenance personnel to deal with two different standards, as well as using two tool kits, special bending tools, lugs and crimping devices. Moreover, aluminum tends to buckle over time, and there are some concerns about how it will react to long-term trackside shocks, vibration and stress.

The Nexans RHEYRAIL® solution for surface-installed grounding wires and rail joiners is to include steel wires in the conductor construction. To maintain conductivity and simplify termination an oversized standard conductor is selected, in which several of the copper wires are replaced by steel wires.

This offers two benefits. First, the steel wires complicate cable cutting making it more difficult for thieves to steal. Second, having copper and steel mixed together means that its value on the black market is a mere fraction of the pure copper version. In addition, these conductors are fully compatible with existing

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This solution was developed for railway applications in Germany and is now being deployed on selected lines in south Germany.

Installers and maintenance workers have shown enthusiastic support for this fully compatible new cable, and rail networks in South America and Scandinavia are also showing interest in a solution which could also be used effectively for metros and tramways.

Cable identification Despite the best efforts of cable manufacturers and installers to clearly mark the origin of railway cables, thieves can easily overcome them by simply burning off the cable insulation to remove recognizable markings and preserve only the pure copper. Some sort of nearly indestructible identification is needed to alert potential buyers and third-party scrapyard auditors to the presence of stolen goods.

Unlike biological matter, metal leaves no genetic or DNA fingerprints.

In contrast to more complex and expensive

tagging techniques, such as those using rare earth elements, Nexans’ CORE-TAG® solution is a fire-resistant copper tape which is intertwined within the strands of the copper conductor, not unlike the ‘red thread’ or identification markings which run through marine ropes. Every 30cm, a dot-matrix series of holes perforate the tape forming an identification code or name. This code can be read with the naked eye and clearly identifies the owner (or previous owner) e.g. RFF. The presence of the identification tag within the cable is easily identifiable by visual examination of the cut cable cross-section. Only a short length then has to be opened up to read the identification code. Since the tape is embedded along the length of the conductor, it is virtually impossible for the thief to remove it.

Aside from being near impossible to remove and indestructible by fire, the tape improves the conductivity of the conductor. This fullypatented solution is currently available for grounding cables, and can be easily adapted to any conductor (e.g. power or earthing cable)

greater than 16mm2. Cables that incorporate CORE-TAG are just as easy to handle and install as conventional cables, using the same tools and accessories.

We must not overlook that recycling is a vital element within the copper supply chain.

But it is very difficult to establish the origin of recycled copper. However, these new technologies offer excellent potential to make rail cables less attractive to steal, as well as providing the wider copper supply chain with new tools to identify when stolen copper comes into the eco-system. The challenge is not just about finding the answers. A key task across the industry is to promote and communicate them across the recycling community, so they know what to look for, and also to make it clear to potential thieves that in future they will find railway cables both hard to steal, and even harder to dispose of. zz

Jean Fehlbaum is Nexans vice president of marketing responsible for railway infrastructure projects.

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Strengthening security through design

JONATHAN GOSS discusses how security and design can combine to provide protection for transport hubs, in a way which doesn’t alarm travellers

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ith the requirement for security and protection of public buildings from criminal and terrorist attacks increasing, high profile buildings are stepping up on anti-terrorist protection. The high concentration of people passing through transportation hubs makes them vulnerable to attack from vehicles carrying explosives, so it’s vital transport facilities managers identify ways to stop vehicle-borne attacks.

Waterloo station had 94,045,510 passengers travel through from 2011 to 2012 (Ref. 1), making it Britain’s busiest rail station. Day to day traffic through our rail stations is increasing as fuel prices rise. In addition to this, large scale sporting and cultural events mean substantial increases in the number of rail journeys made in short bursts of time. In fact, estimates from the Association of Train Operating Companies suggest the overall national impact from the Olympic Games was 21.2 million journeys (Ref. 2). These high numbers of passengers travelling through any one station at a time create a target for terrorists. However, after 2005’s 7/7 London bombings it became clear that attacks can happen at any time, not just during major events.

The question is how can transport facilities managers protect their people and property

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discreetly and sympathetically to the local environment?

We need security which can be achieved in an aesthetically pleasing manner. A security system should complement the design of the building and be hardly noticeable to the people using it, whilst still being a deterrent to vehicle-borne attacks.

Many airports and tourist attractions around the UK have already found one solution, the Counter Terror (CT) Block, a hostile vehicle perimeter protection system which various rail stations, airports and other transport hubs are already incorporating into refurbishments.

Designers and facilities managers at Manchester Airport Group used the CT Block system at its main terminal entrances

to protect potentially vulnerable targets. The CT Blocks were manufactured from a unique reconstituted stone mix using specially selected aggregates. Additional quartz Cornish fines were added to the mix to enhance the final finish of the exposed natural stone. The CT Blocks were then positioned at seating level onto the busy pedestrian plazas at the front of the airport terminal, adjacent to the vehicle drop-off points.

The CT Blocks combined the elements of form and function perfectly and collectively convey a visual deterrent while adding an attractive feature to the open plaza in front of the main terminal buildings.

Manchester Airport Group also positioned the vehicle defence system to create a new passenger drop-off area designed to improve customer transit times and enhance the whole airport experience.

Facilities managers have a duty of care over the safety of their passengers. Various methods are already in place at most stations such as CCTV, barriers and safety glass. However, the threat of terrorism is everywhere and all busy transport facilities need to be aware of its forms and do everything in their power to prevent it. This can be achieved in a design-friendly way that is unobtrusive and discreet, whilst still offering protection against vehicle-borne attacks.

Using other forms of street furniture in a clever way, such as selecting CT Block for seating areas and low-level posts and railings designed and positioned to ensure good visibility, can act as a deterrent for terrorists and help to reduce crime.

A transport hub such as Manchester Airport is a great example of how design and security

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can work together. By blending security measures into the architectural landscape these public spaces have been able to cleverly create a safe environment for visitors with a robust security system which actually enhances the visitor experience. zz

References Ref 1: http://www.theguardian.com/news/ datablog/2011/may/19/train-stations-listed-rail#data Ref 2: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/ system/uploads/attachment_data/file/35761/ tsgb_2012_-_olympics_summary.pdf

Jonathan Goss is the managing director of Townscape Products, manufacturers and suppliers of vehicle defence products and street furniture.

Jonathan works with architects and landscape designers to develop innovative ways to use architecture as an effective tool to protect buildings and public areas. Jonathan has overseen the development of the Counter Terror (CT) Block an effective PAS 68 perimeter protection system which defends buildings and public places from hostile vehicle incursions.

Web: www.townscape24.com.

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The whole picture When it comes to effective infrastructure management, Ian Graham describes how video surveillance is more than just another pair of eyes

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Ian Graham is senior vice president and general manager EMEA at Verint Web: www.verint.com

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rom cameras around the station, to monitoring critical infrastructure points, video surveillance is one of the more prominent security features of the railway. As such, a whole industry has grown up around this and other intelligent security solutions, providing products and support to operators.

This includes advice on best practice and new technologies to ensure that video surveillance remains an effective tool in security planning. Describing current shifts in these requirements, Ian Graham says: “We supply video solutions to critical infrastructure such as railways, including in excess of 50 different underground and overground stations and that is just within UK. What we are seeing, is that there is an ageing infrastructure where the demand is not only to upgrade to the latest and greatest technology, such as IP and digital solutions, but also for integration to third-party solutions.

“Many different aspects of the transport organisation may require access to the video system, not only for recording and playback for security purposes, but equally through command and control systems in the case of major incidents. This enables operators to deliver systematic responses with emergency services, activate alarms, and prime certain systems to take priority,” he continues.

In basic terms, video surveillance is usually made up of cameras, either analogue or digital, which link back to a central point within the station or off-site, where the video can be monitored. The ticket hall, platforms, entrances, and other locations are typically covered by the technology, as well as car parks as Ian notes: “Recently there’s been a lot of upgrade work being done to station car parks, which includes new lighting and security systems. Where this has taken place the station management have typically seen use of the station increasing, as people feel more comfortable using those areas at night.”

Outside of the main station, video surveillance is also being used to help protect at-risk areas, or critical assets such as perimeters and signal boxes.

In addition, the system can help counter anti-social behaviour and metal theft by providing operators with a view of the whole network, and an ability to identify events of concern.

Ian explains that it’s here that integration plays its part: “Within stations there are systems such as Help Points, and in many cases these need to be connected to the video management system, so that, for example if someone raises a call at a Help Point, the camera

associated with that system will automatically turn and monitor the event. Furthermore, using video analytics you can programme the system to activate alarms to a centralised point should the camera identify a group of people where they shouldn’t be, or someone getting too close to the tracks, for example.

“It’s also important to remember that the people within the control room can’t physically watch every camera all the time. They may have a certain number of screens where they can monitor focal points or areas of concern, but again integration with other systems and video analytics means if something happens or an alarm goes off elsewhere on the network that video is brought automatically into their view so they can manage the situation. The technology used needs to be flexible enough to allow that. Another recent move is towards centralised data storage which can hold this information, and again the system used needs to be compatible with that as well,” he adds.

As well as integrating with existing sub-systems, there are some instances where the installation of a new video surveillance solution has to operate alongside what is already there. For example, this may be when a station is undergoing an upgrade and therefore needs the old system to remain operational in parallel with the new one to ensure security isn’t compromised. Methods of achieving this may be working with the existing equipment such as the cameras, or installing new cameras onto the old system and then switching seamlessly to the new one once in place.

Although far from being a new technology, video surveillance has perhaps still not reached its upper limitations. “I think there’s more that can be done,” confirms Ian. “We’re seeing a lot more enquiries around access to the existing systems from the likes of the British Transport Police (BTP) that may need to remotely dial into these systems. So third-party interaction is an increasing trend. Hand-in-hand with the move to digital IP video solutions, we also see a shift to voice over IP as you should be able to put in the same infrastructure for audio as well as video.

“Another point that remains a major concern is that video surveillance systems are easy to use, install and maintain. The equipment needs to be easy to use for our customers, easy to install for our integrators and partners, and then simple to maintain and upgrade for its lifetime in order to get the most out of the technology,” he concludes. zz

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Research

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The CAPACITY4RAIL project Since the advent of railways in the 1800s, tracks have been laid by fixing individual rails to individual sleepers on a bed of ballast. Now, a team of University of Huddersfield researchers is to break with tradition and work on the development of modular, all-steel track sections that can be laid quickly and embedded with fibre optic technology, which provides instant safety alerts.

This could lead to massive cost savings and gains in efficiency

Innovative steel-track construction prototype

by Tata-Steel, on which the Institute of Railway Research was closely involved, developed from the EU-backed INNOTRACK project

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he Institute of Railway Research (IRR), headed by Professor Simon Iwnicki, is based at the University of Huddersfield and is one of the partners in a 15 million euro, four-year project funded by the European Union under its Seventh Framework Programme. Named CAPACITY4RAIL, the ambitious scheme aims to ensure that railways will continue to meet Europe’s transport needs over the decades to come. Low maintenance infrastructure, more resilient and easily repairable points – or switches – and higher-speed freight vehicles are among the goals.

There are 47 partners – including major technology companies and European universities – and the University of Huddersfield’s IRR concentrates on a work package entitled ‘modular integrated design of new concepts for infrastructure’.

One of the IRR’s tasks will be to help in the development and design requirements of new track systems. The Institute’s Head of Research, Dr Yann Bezin, said: “We will be looking at more efficient designs and methods of building a track, in a modular way rather than by laying down ballast layers and

then individual sleepers and putting the rails on top.

That takes a long time and requires very expensive and heavy machinery. Modular concepts allow track to be brought pre-assembled in sections for a quick installation.

“A big problem is vertical support of the track,” explained Dr Bezin. “Currently you get deterioration from one sleeper to the other or the ballast degrades and some sleepers become unsupported. A concrete sleeper is the norm, but we have studied a steel track system that uses steel beams. This gives consistency of support and better control of dynamic forces.”

Dr Bezin added that the construction of modular track sections in the factory would mean that they could be pre-equipped with smart technology.

“We could make the track system intelligent. Fibre optics running along the rail would enable you to know from the signal whether or not there is an unusual deformation, an indication of fatigue cracking or some other problem”.

This condition monitoring system would make maintenance a much simpler process, adding to the efficiency gains from modular track construction.

The IRR will receive more than 470,000 euros for its contribution to CAPACITY4RAIL. In addition to work on modular track sections, the Institute’s researchers, who are based in specially-equipped labs at the University of Huddersfield, will study new designs for the construction of switches and crossings – complex elements of the rail network that are the most vulnerable to wear and damage.

The IRR will be investigating resilient new materials for crossings and switches, working with the metallurgist Jay Jaiswal, formerly of Tata Steel, who has been appointed a visiting professor at the University of Huddersfield.

The Institute will also be working with major companies such as SYSTRA, which has constructed all of France’s and half of the world’s high speed lines. And the CAPACITY4RAIL research will build on the findings of previous projects that the IRR has been closely involved with, such as the EU-backed INNOTRACK, which has investigated many of the technical challenges posed by the European Commission’s goal of doubling rail passenger traffic and tripling freight traffic by 2020.

CAPACITY4RAIL is to be launched at a meeting in Paris, attended by all of the partners. Ahead of this, the IRR will be holding a special brainstorming session at the University of Huddersfield, so that its researchers can develop the details of their contribution to the project. zz For further information, go to:

www.hud.ac.uk/research/researchcentres/irr/

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2013 Rail Customer Experience Competition winners announced

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inners of the 2013 Rail Customer Experience Competition were announced at the Final Live Event, held on 17th September.

This was the pinnacle of the £1 million prizebearing competition, led by the rail industry’s Enabling Innovation Team, which looked for innovative solutions to transform the passenger and freight customer experience within GB rail in areas of service culture, business process, journey planning, seamless journey experience and design of facilities.

In total, sixteen finalists from 111 entries were involved in the Final Live Event, competing for a total purse of £300,000 in cash prizes, plus the opportunity to bid for funding from a total investment pool of £700,000. But rewards were also to be found in the invaluable networking opportunities the event presented – opening the door for potential partnerships, collaborations, sales and further investments.

In addition to a ten-minute pitch, each finalist had a private Q&A session with a panel of expert judges that provided the finalists with an opportunity to lay bare their business idea, identify its strengths and weaknesses, and take this knowledge gained to work and improve upon it. After careful deliberation, the winners were decided by the respective judging panels and announced at the evening’s award ceremony.

In the Regular Rail Passenger Challenge, which addressed the experience of regular rail passengers such as commuters, Caution Your Blast and Ayoupa won with their mobile

app – ‘Commuter Intelligent Passenger’.

This offers real-time journey monitoring on intermodal door-to-door journeys and personalised information, advice and alerts from its intelligent predictive capabilities.

The two runner-ups in this Challenge were Jeppesen and Gerrit Boehm.

platforms, amenities and access routes. The two runner-ups in this Challenge were Capito Systems and 4ward Thinking.

The Rail Freight Customer Challenge was won by the Stobart Group for their ‘Stobart Express’ innovation, involving high speed trains and/or small modular load units combined with

Freight Prize winner: Nick Gallop of the Stobart Group Discretionary Prize winner: Tim Jones of 3Squared

The Discretionary Rail Passenger Challenge, which tackled more occasional passengers’ experience, was won by 3Squared with their ‘Station Master’ smartphone app, taking the concept of route planning provided by popular apps such as Google Maps and applying this technology and concept to station layouts – enabling tourists and those with impairments to find

low-emission road delivery vehicles, to enable fast and low-emission door-to-door distribution of multiple small-volume loads, to local stores, other business premises and residential properties. The runner-up in this Challenge was FreightArrange The ‘Cross-over Prize’, rewarding exceptional proposals that transferred innovations developed for another application to the rail industry, was awarded to routeRANK. Having already successfully

Regular Rail Passenger Challenge Prize winners: Ben Stewart & Pascal Simplice of Caution Your Blast and Ayoupa

Cross-over Prize winner: Jochen Mundinger of routeRANK

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zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz applied their innovation and technology in the travel industry, routeRANK provides a software solution for freight transport planning.

Incorporating road, sea and air transport data, their ‘Integrated Rail Freight Planner’ would be able to compute multi-modal shipment route options and propose real-time alternatives in the case of disruption.

In addition to the pitches, there was a discussion panel on the barriers to innovation in achieving a seamless end-to-end journey, featuring David Clarke from EIT, John Boon from Network Rail, Richard Kemp-Harper from the Technology Strategy Board, Sharon Hedges from Passenger Focus, Geoff Inskip from Centro and chaired by InnoCentive’s Jonathan Slater. David Simoes-Brown, Founder and Strategy Partner at 100% Open, and Ian Downey, the UK Ambassador for ESA’s Integrated Applications Promotion programme, joined as the keynote speakers for the day.

Altogether, it demonstrated the high capacity for innovation amongst the world’s entrepreneurs and indicated a promising

Dr David Clarke, director of EIT

future for customer experience on the GB railway. By bringing together rail and non-rail sectors, there was significant opportunity for knowledge exchange and drawing new talent into rail. Winners will now go on to bid for funding from the £700,000 investment pool.

David Clarke, director of EIT, congratulated all the winners as well as everyone else who had taken part in the competition: “For the winners,

this is a tremendous opportunity to kick-start some really significant concepts and turn them into a commercial reality that can be applied full-scale on the railway. There’s a diversity in the nature of rail customers both in freight and passengers, and the variety in the responses to this challenge truly reflects this: there is no one-size fits all for rail customers and I was particularly pleased to see a number of truly cross-modal proposals which recognise that rail customers are in fact transport customers.

This has been a really successful competition and it’s a great case study for any doubter out there that wonders whether we’ve really got any innovation waiting in the wings worth discovering.”

The competition forms part of the portfolio of activities to unlock innovation led by the Enabling Innovation Team (EIT) on behalf of the Technical Strategy Leadership Group, for the rail industry to fulfil its 30-year vision for a world-class national rail system, building and deploying the best innovation, technology, people, principles and processes. zz

Call toaction – join our research panel today!

l Railway Strategies and market research consultants Accent have joined forces to create an exclusive research panel for members of the rail industry to voice their opinions on the latest hot topics. Together the team will tackle the most pressing and urgent issues affecting rail, and we’d like you to get involved.

We feel it’s imperative to listen to the voice of the industry when it comes to notable events and changes and we would like to hear from you. Every two months, we will issue a questionnaire on a hot topic, which will take no longer than five minutes to complete, and then feedback your views and opinions.

Speaking about the panel, Rob Sheldon, MD at Accent said: “The research panel is a great way for industry professionals to express their opinions on the items topping the news agenda. What’s also really interesting is to have these viewpoints from across the industry and see the effects upon the sector as a whole.”

Martin Collier, editor at Railway Strategies added: “We receive a lot of research-

based news stories, but what’s great about the panel is the research findings come from our readers. We can set the agenda and look in more depth at some of the topics affecting the rail industry, both now and in the future.”

Topics will vary depending on what’s making headlines and will cover any ongoing subjects such as HS2 and where best to spend budgets? What passengers are saying and how to improve customer service are just the tip of the iceberg. In addition, if you feel there is an important issue which needs the attention of the panel, simply let us know.

Joining the panel couldn’t be simpler, all you need to do is email yasamin.mehraj@accent-mr.com with your details. Once you have signed up you will automatically be sent the bi-monthly questionnaire.

All responses will be kept anonymous unless you express your consent to be quoted within Railway Strategies.

www.railwaystrategies.co.uk

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Bespokeengineering The Derby Engineering Unit has developed with a culture of offering its customers first-class engineering solutions and grown from a start-up company to turning over ÂŁ6 million in 2012

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ounded in 1996, the Derby Engineering Unit (DEU) was conceived after the closure of the Engineering Development Unit (EDU). Realising that the EDU had been comprised of engineers and staff with highly valued industry knowledge and experience, the DEU current board members decided to seize the opportunity to start a new venture, which services the railway and rolling stock industries. Although based in the Midlands, the DEU operates across the UK and works as far afield as Laira in Plymouth and Craigentinny in Edinburgh. The company is focused exclusively on the rail industry but has worked with trams and light rail, which it considers to be rolling stock and part of the wider rail network. As such, it has carried out a significant amount of work on the Docklands light rail and tram systems.

Operating within the UK rail network with various operators and ever evolving build variations can present challenges when offering complete solutions. This can be especially prevalent in areas like fleet renovation, where often slight anomalies between vehicles means that a single design solution will not be suitable across the entire fleet without modification. The DEU takes pride in describing itself as a ‘problem solver’ and offers tailored services for everything from furnishings to electronics and fleet modification. Addressing the problem of fleet variation the DEU offers fixed price service packages across the fleet as mechanical director, Peter Albon explains: “A lot of other companies will survey a vehicle and develop a design based on that one vehicle. What can happen is that when it comes to fitting the

design to the fleet there are variations that end up costing the client money. We look at the problem to start with and offer a single quote and that’s what it is. It’s fixed price work.” For services that are not provided in-house, like painting and metal finishing, the company partners with trusted subcontractors to ensure that a full package of services is available.

As part of its bespoke services portfolio the DEU is also able to offer a prototype service where innovative design solutions are required to service customers’ needs. “On occasion we deal with customers who have problems but don’t know the best solution,” says Peter. “We will give them a solution, sometimes several, and let them try it. So we make a one-off kit for customers to trial and test and if one is selected they will come back to us. Part of this is that we do not pick and choose and say that if we provide the prototype that we must do the whole fleet or supply all of the components. We can just offer the prototype and design service if that is what the customer

Omnicom Engineering Omnicom Engineering has been working with DEU on the successful delivery of projects to clients for more than ten years; from the design and installation of a portable surveying frame for Nexus, to the upgrade of Network Rail’s Infrastructure Monitoring fleet with new and innovative measuring systems. The key to success has been collaborative working, with Omnicom acting as Systems Integrator and DEU providing the mechanical, electrical, installation and VAB approvals.

Omnicom specialises in digital imaging, laser profiling, 3D mapping, high speed inspection, large scale geospatial data management, real time monitoring, positioning systems, 4D modelling, SaaS and multiplatform mobile apps.

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requires. I think the business is generally very customer focused.”

The majority of the DEU’s business is based on repeat custom, which is a feat that is achieved through a combination of expert fabrication services and dedicated customer focus as Peter observes: “Obviously expertise is very important, but I think that the company’s general attitude towards its customers is very important too. I would say that clients can expect a very personal service from us. I’m not saying we get everything right all of the time because everybody makes mistakes, but it is how we react to a clients’ needs that makes us a little bit different from everybody else.”

Supporting the company’s customer focused service package is its manufacturing facility that incorporates machine and fabrication components. Its welders are conversant in working with a full range of materials including aluminium, mild steel and stainless steel and its electrical services department is able to offer electrical modifications or supply modification kits to clients. These well-equipped facilities allow the DEU to service clients’ requirements from the discussion and development phase through to production and installation. “We are problem solvers,” Peter says. “We can offer

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our products in kit form or we can install them ourselves. We don’t insist on having to work right from A-Z. If a client wants us to stop at any point and simply have us provide them with a kit, we will do that.”

The DEU has earned a reputation throughout the industry for providing excellent customer service and design solutions, and this is reinforced by both Link up approval and ISO 9001 certification. Recently it has undertaken

a major round of refurbishments with Network Rail, which has involved working with 14 of the company’s infrastructure monitoring vehicle fleet. “The vehicles come in and are stripped to the bare shell and then rebuilt with bespoke equipment inside and a new finish externally,” Peter elaborates. “This has been a big project for Network Rail for the past few years.” The project has also seen the DEU acting as lead contractor pulling together and installing components from well-known industry names like Omnicom, Balfour Beatty and KLD. As 2014 rapidly approaches, the DEU is prepared to continue to offer its trusted bespoke solutions to a fast moving industry.

As the UK government continues to invest in the nation’s railway network the market is becoming increasingly competitive, but the DEU is confident it will continue to be a leading name within the sector. An important future development in the company will be to work with internet providers to install wifi throughout the rail system and although the company does not provide wifi itself, through close relationships it anticipates this to be a demanding future venture. zz

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London Underground

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New 3D overview of Victoria Underground station

Recognising innovation As the ‘engine for the United Kingdom’s economy’, the city of London is a bustling entrepreneurial and social hub where an efficient transport network is vital. The London Underground is at the heart of the city’s expansive transport solution

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he task of rebuilding one of the world’s busiest mass transit systems and increasing its capacity falls to the staff of London Underground’s Capital Programmes Directorate. London Underground is a heavily relied upon service, carrying upwards of 1.2 billion passengers per annum, nearly as much as the entire rail network.

Commenting on the challenge of servicing such a large number of passengers director of capital programmes, David Waboso says: “We are investing in new stations, infrastructure and train systems. We are carrying out big schemes at places like Bank, Victoria, Bond Street and Paddington to increase capacity where we currently have big constraints. At Victoria for example it is so busy that we often need to close it because it is at full capacity. It’s a great thing, we love that people use our product but it does mean that we need to increase the capacity of what we have.”

New S Stock trains at King’s Cross Station Following the merger with the two previously separate InfraCos, London Underground now has full control of its capital programme allowing it to take a much more integrated approach to its projects. Previously under the Public Private Partnership (PPP), private infrastructure companies were responsible

for upgrade and renewing rolling stock, stations, tracks, tunnels and signals while London Underground managed operation of the network. With the maintenance and upgrade of the underground’s network now fully undertaken in-house the main challenge comes from the volume of demand placed on the system. During 2012 over 1.2 billion passengers used the London Underground and that number is set to rise. Remarkably, delays across the London Underground are down 40 per cent based on lost customer hours between 2007/8 and 2011/2, which is a feat achieved through careful planning of works and closures as David explains: “You can’t just close a huge part of the system down; you can’t cause massive disruptions when you bring in the new systems so you have to strategically carry out works at weekends, nights and as much as you can during the day.

You’ve got to get the work done and bring in

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these new systems, reliably, during relatively short times. That’s the biggest challenge.

“You can’t do everything at once, it’s a case of looking at priorities. But we have been very successful, reliability is in everyone’s DNA now and every day we are looking at where the biggest causes of delays are, and we go and engineer them out. There’s no magic bullet.”

The benefit of having its operations fully integrated under the London Underground is apparent when taking into account the ongoing Northern line upgrade. Under PPP operation it was anticipated that 65 weekends of full line closures would be necessary to complete the work. Under London Underground’s current structure only eight weeks of full lines closures are expected while work is carried out, while eight weeks of partial lines closures and six weeks of closures over the quieter Easter and Christmas periods will also be necessary. This greatly reduced amount of closures represents a significant reduction in disruption for commuters relying on the London Underground to carry them across the capital. In fact, the

Bank SCU – Station Entrance

whole Northern Line Upgrade, one of the most complex resignalling jobs ever undertaken, is ahead of schedule and within budget.

The current round of investment projects is the biggest that the London Underground has ever seen and involves a host of renewals across infrastructure, stations and trains.

Following a lack of investment during the 1990s, significant renewals have become vital throughout the system and London Underground has worked to replace record amounts of track, eliminating the need for speed restrictions, pinch points and stabilising embankments. In upgrading the system there have been challenges along the way as David explains: “Power has always been one of the

Lanes Group Drainage specialist Lanes Group has proved its growing civils maintenance capability with the completion of a complex project to refurbish a Victorian footbridge for Tube Lines. The work to strip, repaint and repair the bridge on the Northern line near Finchley Central has been part of a five year improvement programme.

Tube Lines’ bridges and structures manager Jide Oriogun said: “The collaboration with Lanes has been very successful. Despite technical challenges, it has gone very smoothly.”

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zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz big constraints that we have had, the question was always can we get enough power for the new trains. However, this has gone fantastically well, we have never had a delay where power has not been in place when we’ve looked to upgrade according to timetable – so that has been an incredible success story.”

As well as the extensive upgrades that are ongoing across the system, London Underground has also benefited from an innovative approach to how it works with contractors and how it uses their design ideas. During 2012 it launched the Innovative Contractor Engagement programme (ICE), which is designed to reward contractors for their contributions to design and allow London Underground to retain and use innovative engineering solutions. Rather than approaching contractors with finalised designs and waiting to see who could offer the best price, London Underground’s approach was to share the business case for what it wanted to achieve and challenged contractors to design the most effective solution. “We are putting the design in the hands of some very clever, very sophisticated engineers who are able to offer solutions that you or I would never think of,” says David. “So what you are doing its giving contractors the business case and telling them that you are prepared to pay some money for a solution that gives you as the customer value!” Furthermore, as part of the scheme, London Underground is able to purchase the ideas of the bidders who do not win the final contract, adding their expertise to the available portfolio of solutions that could potentially be used with current and future projects. ICE was the method used in finding a contractor for the Bank project as David elaborates: “For Bank we had a fantastic solution from the contractor Dragados, which was able to reduce journey time, increase capacity and do so without significant disruption to service.”

As it moves into the future London Underground will continue to focus to on completing its current upgrades before gearing up for another round of works as new standardised deep tube trains are brought in. “We are bringing on more and more new trains. Next year we are expecting more new sub-surface trains on the Hammersmith & City and Circle line. We’ll be letting the contracts for the Northern line extension, finishing the design for Bank station and getting ready for the new generation of deep tube trains, which will take us into another level in our train technology and operations,” David concludes. zz

London Underground

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Victoria station Underground New North Ticket Hall

Victoria – South Ticket Hall

Tube Upgrade Bank Station Northern Line Platform B

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Anchor Systems (Europe)

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With its innovative new system being used across the London Underground, Anchor Systems (Europe) is putting in the groundwork for growth

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Laying foundations

nchor Systems (Europe) Ltd supplies ground anchoring systems, for all forms of temporary and permanent works, and rapidly installed mini piles for a wide range of applications. As of its formation in 1995 the business was known under a different name as part of the WT Group. This was later changed to Anchor Systems (Europe) Ltd. The company remained part of the WT Group until 2004 when a management buy-out saw it become a standalone company under the guidance of managing director Ewan Smith. “From that point we started to develop other ideas and new systems, which has seen us grown into the company we are today,” he explains.

“We’ve increased trading at quite a good rate with a turnover in excess of £1.5 million today, and potentially more for this year. As a stand-alone company we have expanded more into Europe, and other parts of the world such as the Middle East and US. A lot of this export work is very much in its infancy but is increasingly gathering momentum at the moment.”

Much of this is down to the new products that Anchor Systems (Europe) has introduced. The company’s primary

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product has long been the Duckbill ground anchor, which has proved itself reliable in many structural and groundwork applications including stabilising stone and masonry walls and structures, as well as slopes and embankments. On the back of this has come the Patented Anchor Post system.

“This particular product has forged ahead beyond all expectations,” enthuses Ewan. “It’s a small but robust steel foundation system that is driven into the ground like the Duckbill anchor, without the use of wet trades. It was originally designed for use on London Underground to support trackside cables, where it offers significant benefits compared to traditional post installation methods due to it being up to ten times quicker to install. Therefore labour required is also reduced, and together these aspects add up to significant cost savings for the client.”

As well as cable route management, the Anchor Post is suitable for a whole range of other applications including gabions, cable troughing, barriers, street furniture, signalling, mooring bollards, switchgear boxes, security fencing, and signage. “Although we don’t deal directly with London Underground, they are one of our biggest end-clients as a lot of our

work is with their contractors. We’re also in discussions with companies which could see our products go into Network Rail projects as well,” notes Ewan.

At present Anchor Systems (Europe) is undergoing product approval with Network Rail, which it hopes to have in place shortly. The company is already on the organisation’s matrix system for foundations as one of only a handful of companies, which is the strength of the business. “We have quite a neat package to offer to Network Rail projects in terms of assistance with structures,” highlights Ewan.

“As well as the Anchor Post and Duckbill ground anchor, we have a range of other products that can solve any problem related to stitching, securing or anchoring of works. This includes the sock anchor, which is a mechanical and chemical anchor system for stabilising heritage sites, bridges and other structures. It comprises a steel bar surrounded by a woven elastic polyester grout sock, which is inserted into a predrilled hole and pressure grouted to form a strong reinforcement. We also offer helical anchors which are screwed into the ground to offer quick and reliable fixing points, and soil nails,” he continues.

With considerable expertise in

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geotechnical and structural stabilisation, Anchor Systems (Europe) is able to offer a comprehensive technical support service to clients, including advice, design specification, site testing and product installation. This ensures that the customer always gets the anchor system that is most appropriate to their requirements.

“I think the scope for these systems in the market is vast and that we haven’t

even really touched the edges of that yet,” describes Ewan. “Rail is one of our biggest target markets particularly within the UK and Europe. Some of our export work in areas like Poland and France is very rail orientated at the moment, and we have quite active distributors looking at the rail industry over there.

“In the Middle East we are focusing on oil and gas, where we believe we will see significant work this year, whilst in

the US we are targeting the solar industry.

Once we’ve got a footprint in that market though, we may be able to expand into other sectors such as rail. At present it is very much a case of raising awareness of our products throughout the industry, at both Network Rail and contractor level, and the value engineering that we can bring to those customers,” he concludes. zz

Web: www.anchorsystems.co.uk

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INekon Group

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Low profile

Whilst the rail network has been expanding across continents, Inekon Group has been developing the systems that keep the industry moving

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nekon has been supplying locomotives and rail vehicles since its birth in 1990, and over 20 years on continues to regenerate its growth in new regions. Its customers are fast filling the seats, boasting successful projects as early as 1991 with a two hundred million dollar order to supply two hundred diesel electric locomotives to the Soviet Union and later to Germany, Italy, Hungary, Vietnam and Cambodia. It now designs its own trams and after production is selling to Europe, the United States and recently has been expanding to new communities, holding negotiations with African and South American cities.

From its origin Inekon Group has focused on three areas of business activity: rail vehicle and railway tracks, chemical products and waste water treatment, and the export of investment units. Having its own design studio and production site, structured solely to meet demands of the rail industry, has ensured it has the capacity to be a continued success.

Utilising its design and production capabilities for tram development, Inekon has manufactured a triple-articulated vehicle incorporating a universal design with a lowered floor in the middle section for easy boarding.

The low-floor Inekon 01 Trio has an electrically controlled telescopic platform to assist the array of passengers requiring level access.

With effective ventilation and heating, this unit

Wikov MGI Wikov has opened a new development facility for rail vehicle gear units. On Thursday, October 3, 2013, Wikov MGI in Hronov officially opened a unique test facility specially developed for rail vehicle gearboxes. Wikov presented the development facility to the general professional public and customers from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, and Russia. The development of the test stand was carried out under the auspices of the project of the Ministry of Industry and Trade TIP FR TI3/261 and the Czech Technical University. The construction of the facility was implemented using the subsidy project Potential 4.2 PT03/356.

Wikov MGI manufactures a wide range of industrial gearboxes, for example for hydroelectric and wind power plants, gear units equipment for building machines, ships and rail vehicles or for the oil and gas industry. Its annual sales range at a level of approx. CZK 1 billion. The company employs 450 people.

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Inekon Group

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz has already had an impact in the Czech and American markets. The design of the tram body and shock absorbers provides the users with a smooth travel experience. The operating company also benefits from a reliable long-term operation and uncomplicated maintenance.

The final tram equipment depends on customer requirements, and Inekon continues to keep an open mind on design to ensure satisfactory delivery.

Adapting its managerial planning and control experience, Inekon has set up a joint venture in Hong Kong with Chinese manufacturing group, XEMC, for the production and sale of trams to the Asian market, with a main drive being towards China, where XEMC developed the first generation of urban light rail vehicles.

The joint venture is working towards the production of the fourth generation. Railway Strategies spoke with Josef Husek, director general and chairman of Inekon Group about its rail-borne vehicles and tracks. “With regard to the Chinese market, we are preparing the 100 per cent low floor with routable bogies,” Josef said. Furthering the design of the lowfloor tram, Inekon is working on its 04 Superior, based on a triple-articulated one-way modular conception. The vehicle features a swivelling chassis design. “It is our own patent, which is having a remarkable advantage in comparison with firm bogies because it is not damaging the rail tracks,” he added. Alongside this system that reduces the wear and tear of rails and wheels this vehicle can also transport up to 324 passengers, and similar to the 01 Trio equipment may be adjusted to customer requirements.

With a successful growth in the design department, Josef explained: “We are completing the documentation for the supply of new trams to Seattle (US) which also use a battery system.” As many as 26 new trams may be delivered to the US as part of this

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zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz deal over the next three years, following the commitment into a contract which saw the American city purchasing six vehicles, reserving the option of purchasing 20 more. This fleet will use a revolutionary self charging battery propulsion power system whilst operating in the inner city and re-charging out of the centre.

For selected independent projects Inekon Group is able to procure finance to secure its delivery. As well as dealing with the design of new trams Josef highlighted the interest of the company in the modernisation of old trams. “We are currently executing the upgrade of Russian electric locomotives in Georgia, the same type that have been supplied to Azerbaijan and Ukraine. Beside the trams, we are building and repairing tracks, and have completed a new tram depot in Moscow. In co-operation with other Czech companies we are able to propose a complete urban transport system and build it on a turnkey basis, inclusive of financing,” he explained.

Inekon has also acquired a contract worth eight million euros to modernise nine suburban train units for Salzburg, Austria. Joseph

informed: “We have already completed the delivery of seven vehicles. We are modernising the existing wagons and we have designed and manufactured the middle section which is now 100 per cent low floor.” He added: “We are under negotiation for another two joint ventures where we would like to manufacture the trams according to our documentation.”

With the conclusion of a financially challenging 2013 drawing near, Inekon is

looking toward 2014 and beyond. “We are expecting that the economic crisis is slowly over and cities will begin to have money for the procurement of a larger quantity of our vehicles,” Josef said. With a sense of expectation to the longer term he summarised: “With Czech trams now in Moscow and Washington D.C, our vision for the future is that Inekon trams will be operating in Peking (China).” zz

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London Underground AP-JNP

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Steaming ahead © TfL

London Underground, AP JNP (Asset Performance Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly), is a business area within London Underground (LU) with a proven track record. s– Stewart Mill ations er op of or ct re di

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riginally Tube Lines but now part of LU – it is responsible for the maintenance, renewal and upgrade on the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines. Over 500 million passenger journeys are made every year on these lines and they play a key role operating part of London’s frenetic transport infrastructure. The Jubilee line was critical in meeting the challenges of the 2012 London Olympics and all lines now face the demands of the capital’s growth as reliance on the city’s transport network is increasingly stretched.

Transport, and in particular the Tube, were vital to the success of the London 2012 Olympic Games. The Games required years of preparation to ensure that the capital’s transport network would be ready for the inevitable influx of passengers during the event. There have been multi-million pound programmes to upgrade and improve the assets. This included the completion of a flagship project upgrading the Jubilee line signalling system to ensure that the network was able to cope with the 60 million journeys

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that were made during the 17-day Olympic period. This equated to a 100 per cent increase in passenger journeys.

As well as major track and infrastructure development, 36,000 components on the current fleet of 63 Jubilee line trains were renewed to make them even more reliable. This massive piece of work meant that for every day of the Games it was able to turn out 100 per cent of its fleet to meet the demand. Following the formidable success of the Games, which saw LU praised by high profile politicians including the Mayor of London and Games’ chief, Lord Coe, LU established a review to decide how best to continue the legacy of the games.

Stewart Mills, director of operations for Asset Performance JNP at London Underground explained: “Our job is to deliver

improvements and investments in asset performance and maintenance for London Underground. The Olympics was a hiatus from the norm and LU – and indeed the whole of Transport for London (TfL) – quite rightly has been given a lot of confidence and kudos by demonstrating what could be achieved with an integrated transport system approach.

“TfL’s integrated structure means that it is able to clear many of the barriers that would normally hinder attempts to complete improvements. Activity to support spending reviews and funding allocation, for example, can now be managed much more effectively as the business strives for greater efficiency in its upgrade projects. This is a vital step for London Underground as it takes on the increasing challenges faced by an ever growing city like London.”

Stewart elaborates: “We have an obligation with the Mayor of London to achieve a 30 per cent improvement in reliability across the Tube network by 2015. It is what we are driving towards – providing a safe, reliable service in a cost effective way. It is what our customers demand of us and what London needs us to deliver.”

Upgrades to the Jubilee and Northern lines have been vital to London’s thriving economic success. Currently, London Underground continues with a £392m modernisation of the Northern line, which will be completed by the end of 2014. Modernisation started with the Jubilee line,” explains Stewart. “It was about improving capacity and reliability and we have successfully continued to do this. We are providing a service of 30 trains an hour which has increased capacity by 33 per cent.

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“The Northern line’s upgrade involves the same new signalling system plus, later, a proposed extension to Battersea, which will open up greater access to this part of the capital. The line represents a different challenge from that experienced on the Jubilee line as it is made up of older infrastructure and has twice as many complex junctions, depots and sidings. However, the AP JNP team in LU has maximised the efficiency of its works by utilising lessons learnt from the Jubilee

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line upgrade.”

As the UK’s capital city continues to grow, continuing investment in infrastructure and services will remain critical to London in the coming years. “We have the oldest Underground metro in the world and we are working with a system which is 150 years old in some parts.” says Stewart. “The continual drive to improve the way we work, coupled with the investment and upgrade work is allowing us to achieve some really excellent results.” zz

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telent

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Stephen Pears

New lines of communication Continuing to deliver critical communication networks to the rail industry, telent is also widening the scope of its services

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he critical role that communication networks play in many industries means that companies look for a reliable supply partner. A technology services company with a long experience in the market and amassed annual revenues of over £310 million, telent’s reputation speaks for itself. This is in part due to the high degree of technical competency, both from a design and implementation perspective, that telent displays, which enables it to deliver everything from legacy work to implementation of new technologies.

In the last 12 months, telent has seen a widening of its offering, both from a functional and geographical point of view. This includes a significant new contract in Scotland, as managing director Stephen Pears explains: “Up until a year ago we’d not done very much work in Scotland, and now we have a significant volume of work across the country,

so that’s a major geographical change for us.

“The biggest of these contracts is for the Radio Electronic Token Block (RETB) upgrade programme, which requires the replacement of the current radio infrastructure. In the past we’ve done some smaller pockets of RETB work, but this is our first major upgrade for this technology it also requires us to carry out train fitment, so these are new services into new types of projects.”

As to the reasons behind its award of this contract, telent believes that it is down to the company’s strong radio pedigree, which includes significant work with Network Rail on its GSMR programme. Likewise, telent has a very good knowledge and understanding of the railway, and its own qualified workforce that enables it to deploy people trackside without the need for subcontractors.

“We’ve also been successful in the contract for the electrification SCADA programme, which again is a very significant win for us,” notes Stephen. “This new system, will control

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traction power and distribution across the national network. At present there are separate systems that control electrification, which are not joined and come from different suppliers with different operational requirements. The need here is to bring all of them together in a single national system that will offer flexibility of operation.”

He continues: “That’s important in two ways, to unify what is already there, but also

TEW Group In 2014, The TEW Group celebrates its centenary and throughout its long association with the rail industry, TEW has supported the sector’s main players with many dedicated products and services. Specifically for driver only operation, TEW has developed a range of hardware including fold down camera posts; raise/lower monitor stacks and camera posts plus a range of IP65 rated DOO TFT Displays. TEW’s reputation for engineering excellence continues to grow and flourish as it approaches its landmark celebrations.

to create a solid foundation for the growth and development of electrification given the huge volume of new work that is planned.”

Both the RETB and SCADA contracts are long-term projects extending over the next four

years. Within the same period though, telent has also seen a number of its maintenance contracts extended and renewed with its existing customers. These types of ongoing relationships are important to the business.

tfl

Enclosure Solutions

Tyrone Fabrication Ltd

TFL has developed a diverse and dynamic range of innovative, value for money equipment enclosure and integration solutions for the Transportation sectors.

Solutions range from location cases to Relocatable Equipment Buildings (REBs).

At TFL, flexibility, innovative and an indepth understanding of our market place are at the heart of our specially tailored solutions, backed by quality of design, engineering and manufacture. Current Network Rail customers include: Network Rail, Unipart Rail, MGB Signaling, Atkins Rail, Henry Williams, Colas Rail, Etc.

TEL: 028 8556 7200 FAX: 028 8556 7089 www.tfl.eu.com - sales@tfl.eu.com TFL,Goland Road, Ballygawley, Co.Tyrone

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zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz “Another area that we’ve developed over the last year is remote condition monitoring.

We delivered the first system just prior to the 2012 Olympics, which proved very successful, it is a growing business for us. Primarily we’ve focused on remotely monitoring the condition of assets such as control rooms, lifts and escalators, and providing that information to the operating organisation so they can understand if these assets are functioning correctly or in need of some maintenance attention,” outlines Stephen.

“Cost is always under pressure within the rail industry and therefore we feel it is very important to be able to offer solutions that are cost effective for our clients. Systems like remote condition monitoring enable them to be more efficient in the way that they operate, and also improves the service provided.

Maintenance is carried out only when needed, the technology helps to predict that there is a fault coming so you can carry out preventative maintenance before something breaks down.

So it’s two-fold – there’s an element about cost

and efficiency, and an element about quality of service,” he adds.

Although primarily a service provider, telent also has its own line of key products, which includes the MICA station management system. This has been utilised on the London underground for some time now, but this year the company welcomed the first major installation of the system on Network Rail infrastructure at Reading station. “In doing this we’ve increased the functionality of MICA so we’re now able to interface into fire panels, as well as CCTV, help points and PA systems,” describes Stephen. “The operator has been

very enthusiastic about the system since installation. Train Operating Companies and Network Rail appreciate the benefits of that integrated station management approach.”

As demonstrated in each area of its activities, the consistent element of telent’s business model is its ability to understand and meet its customers’ needs and requirements. The scale of the business is equally unique in the market, not least due to its large engineering capability, its field force and through the new areas that telent has moved into.

“I think that the things we’ve been doing this year are driving the future direction of the business, where we see that assisting our clients to improve their efficiency, lower their costs, and improve their services are very important activities. We need to be thinking about what our customers will want for the future, and where the industry’s going, so that we can ensure we have the skills and services available when they are needed,” concludes Stephen. zz

Web: www.telent.com

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NR West Coast Main Line

CGI visual of the Manchester Victoria station redevelopment

Atkins

The heart of the matter As a main artery of UK rail, Network Rail is investing to improve performance along the West Coast Main Line

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ecognised as the busiest mixed-traffic railway in Europe, the West Coast Main Line (WCML) connects the biggest cities and largest urban areas in the UK. In the last 15 years the number of trains using the route and passengers travelling on it has more than doubled, and it’s getting busier with over 5000 services running on a typical weekday, including a quarter of all rail freight in the country.

Against this backdrop, whilst the number of incidents and infrastructure failures is coming down as a result of the work of Network Rail, where they do occur it typically takes longer for the services to recover due to the sheer number of trains on the line. “We have 12 different operators on the route, fast and stopping passenger trains mix with each other and with heavy freight trains,” elaborates Dyan Crowther, route managing director LNW at Network Rail.

“Different trains stop at different stations, at different frequencies, and other lines join the WCML at regular intervals. Train paths are as precious as airport take-off or landing slots, and its terminus, London Euston, handles more passengers every day than Gatwick.”

The acute shortage of train paths at the

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southern end of the WCML greatly restricts the number of services that can run, and many trains are already overcrowded. It is projected that by the mid-2020s, both the trains and the line will be full as demand outstrips supply.

“On the WCML we’re asking our infrastructure to deliver more than ever before with more trains, more passengers, and more freight all using the existing line. Our job is to make that intensively used section of railway, particularly the southern end, as reliable as possible to keep services moving and satisfy the demand for additional services from both our passenger and freight customers. We’re doing this through the £40 million investment to tackle the common causes of delay. In addition to this we are now about to deliver a huge amount of track renewals along the line to make sure the track is reliable and able to cope with the additional traffic it is seeing,” highlights Dyan.

This includes the closure of an 18-mile stretch of the WCML in Lancashire back in July for track and junction replacement. With the agreement of train operators and other industry stakeholders, the decision was taken to close the line for nine days to complete the

The West Coast Main Line (WCML) is the busiest multi-traffic railway in northern Europe. It has recently undergone a series of improvements to modernise ageing infrastructure and Atkins has been at the forefront of many of these upgrades.

In 2007 and 2008, Atkins re-signalled 30 miles of railway from Nuneaton to Rugby increasing line speed from 75mph to 125mph. Over three years, 51 signalling stages were delivered on time with modern axle counter train detection and 16 new interlockings.

Four years later and the same team successfully commissioned new signalling and telecommunications equipment for Nuneaton North Chord. This vital freight project - which links the southeast with the Midlands - won ‘Project of the Year’ at the 2013 Rail Freight Group awards. Atkins is currently working on the Wolverhampton Re-signalling Project, which is part of the West Midlands Re-signalling programme. This scheme will see all signalling equipment modernised between Dudley and Penkridge with signalling control being moved from Wolverhampton to the West Midlands Signalling Centre.

Heading north from Wolverhampton, the next infrastructure project is the Stafford Area Improvements Programme. This mega-project is being delivered by the Staffordshire Alliance, which consists of Atkins, Laing O’Rourke, Network Rail and VolkerRail. The first UK rail scheme to be delivered by a ‘pure alliance’, this project will re-signal the Stafford area and grade separate the busy junction at Norton Bridge. These works will unblock a significant capacity constraint that has existed since the West Coast was first constructed. Atkins and its industry partners are proud to support Network Rail in its quest to improve capacity, journey times and reliability on the WCML. It looks forward to continued delivery through collaborative working relationships that have been developed over many years of successful project completion on the WCML.

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NR West Coast Main Line

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CGI visual of the Birmingham New Street station redevelopment

work as opposed to multiple weekend closures, which would have cause more disruption over a longer period. This proved a success as the line reopened on schedule, with four life-expired junctions and three miles of track replaced, which will improve reliability and help increase line speeds.

“We’ll also be doing major work on the WCML at Watford throughout 2014 and 2015 with five complete closures of the line between May 2015 and Easter 2015,” adds Dyan. “This scheme represents significant investment in the southern end of the WCML to improve punctuality and make the railway more reliable.

During the project, the signalling at Watford will be upgraded alongside new junctions and track. There is never a good time to carry out major work on such a busy line, but after careful discussion with train operators and industry partners, it became apparent that doing so over five longer closures when fewer people travel, would cause less disruption overall.”

The north of England is also seeing major improvements to the railway, not least in the form of electrification. Network Rail is delivering a programme to upgrade and electrify 350 track kilometres across the region, as part of the wider Northern Hub scheme. In addition, two of the most important stations – Birmingham New Street and Manchester Victoria – are being upgraded. Once completed they will be transformed and providing world class facilities for the ever growing numbers of people using the railway in the Midlands and the north.

One of the biggest focal areas is the Staffordshire Area Improvement Programme (SAIP), which seeks to remove a major bottleneck in the area. Once complete, the programme will facilitate the introduction of new timetables between 2015 and 2017, and help

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External CGI visual of the Manchester Victoria station redevelopment create the capacity to run: l Two extra trains per hour in each direction between London and the north west of England l One extra fast train per hour in each direction between Manchester and Birmingham l One extra freight train per hour in each direction through Stafford.

This will be delivered through three key projects as Dyan outlines: “Phase one will see linespeed improvements between Crewe and Norton Bridge from 75 mph to 100 mph.

Running from January 2013 to Spring 2014, these works include modifications to the overhead line equipment and installation of four

Overhead line works near Crewe for the SAIP in July 2013

new signals. In phase two we will carry out resignalling in Stafford between spring 2014 and summer 2015.

“This includes installation of a new freight loop and the replacement of life expired signalling, telecoms and power supplies, with signalling control transferred from the existing Stafford No4 and No5 signal boxes to Rugby.

We will also install bi-directional signalling for platforms four, five and six, and increase ‘slow’ line speed from 75 to 100mph between Great Bridgeford and Stafford. Finally, phase three is a proposed flyover at Norton Bridge.”

She continues: “This grade-separated junction will include construction of ten kilometres of new 100 mph railway, 12 new bridge structures, four river diversions, major environmental mitigation works, pipeline, road and footpath diversions and temporary haul roads. The scheme is currently subject to a Development Consent Order, which if granted will see the work take placed between spring 2014 and 2017, with key commissionings in 2016.”

Whilst this work is vitally important in terms of strengthening the WCML and making best use of its capacity, it is not an absolute solution to the base problem of how to accommodate the levels of growth. Reflecting on the ongoing impacts, Dyan concludes: “In the long term, commuters will be affected first, with some unable to board their trains at the busiest times, before similar problems begin to affect longer distance passengers. Even if trains were lengthened and the line upgraded to its maximum possible capacity we cannot create enough extra train paths to meet future demand so in our view only a new line can provide the step-change in capacity we need for the long term.” zz

Web: www.networkrail.co.uk

Closure of the West Coast Main Line at Warrington in July 2013

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MECHAN

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Jacks - Alstom Longsight

Technically strong Throughout 2013 Mechan has continued to establish itself as a major force in the design and delivery of mechanical handling systems for use in rail depots

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heffield-based Mechan is a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of mechanical handling equipment for rail depots and workshops. During its 40-year history, the firm has established an impressive reputation for the quality and reliability of its standard and bespoke depot maintenance equipment, jib cranes and associated peripherals. Its product range has grown throughout this time and now includes lifting jacks, storage stands, bogie changing systems, turntables, and undercar lifting and handling systems.

Today, Mechan’s innovative products can be found in rail and tram depots around the world, thanks to its unique mix of traditional engineering skills and use of the latest

technology. The international spread of its client base has led the firm to establish a global network of approved distributors and forge links with leading manufacturers of depot maintenance peripherals, for which Mechan is now the sole supplier to the UK and Irish markets.

At Railtex 2013, Mechan showcased the latest updates to its lifting and handling range.

This included a working version of its Microlink controller that now has the capacity to operate up to 44 jacks from anywhere in the chain, via a single cable. A recent phase of development added a colour touch screen panel to the patented system that provides constant feedback on the lift and data on usage and faults. This makes servicing much easier and

Traverser - Felixstowe

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quicker, offering maximum flexibility without compromising safety or synchronisation.

The firm’s expert engineers have refined Mechan’s intelligent lifting jacks to enable coordinated multiple use to a 3mm tolerance.

They are supplied with a fixed or moving anvil and are quick to set up, interlink and substitute if necessary. Lifting capacity ranges from five to 45 tonnes and they have been designed to cater for all types of vehicles, from trams and light rail to heavy on-track plant.

Perhaps Mechan’s most notable achievement this year is its installation of the largest capacity rail traverser in the UK at the Port of Felixstowe’s new North Rail Terminal.

Whilst it proved to be a massive undertaking it demonstrates the firm’s ability to handle large, complex and technologically challenging projects.

This record breaking behemoth is one of a kind and was designed specifically to move freight locomotives between lines at the €37 million North Rail Terminal, which is set to boost capability at the port by 100 per cent

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and will reinforce Felixstowe’s position as the busiest intermodal rail hub in the UK. This is the most advanced traverser ever produced

by Mechan and with a capacity of 170 tonnes

HADEE Engineering

UÊFabrication and Welding UÊMachining UÊDesign

UÊMechanical & Electrical UÊPainting & Finishing UÊProject Management

Whether large or small, if a product can be manufactured in steel, we have the expertise and equipment to fabricate the design for you.

Call 0114 248 3711 or visit www.hadeeengineering.co.uk

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it is equipped to handle future vehicles that are expected to be larger than today’s trains.

Mechan has also introduced a range of energy efficient shunters to the UK market

One brand, many industries

H-SERIES Helical gear reducers

B-SERIES Bevel helical gear reducers

MOTOVARIO LTD. Rushock Trading Estate, Droitwich, Worc’s, WR9 0NR, UK Tel: +44 1299 250859 Fax: +44 1299 251493 uk@motovario-group.com www.motovario-group.com

S-SERIES Shaft mounted gear reducers

We are proud to support Mechan and wish them the best for the future

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Zwiehoff Shunter this year. The firm is now the sole UK and Ireland supplier of the award winning Zwiehoff electrically powered road and rail shunters.

These innovative, environmentally friendly machines use just a few battery cells and a small quantity of liquid to provide the necessary drive, whilst achieving zero emissions through the recovery of energy during operation.

The innovative CALIPRI-Wheel, which Mechan supplies to the UK on behalf of NextSense, is one of the firm’s most popular third party products. This handheld, noncontact measuring device has been developed specifically to inspect wear on wheelsets, providing precise measurements of all safety parameters, including flange height, thickness, slope, dishing, wheel width and rim thickness.

The CALIPRI-Wheel is proven to perform far better than conventional scanning methods and can even be used in restricted spaces or

under vehicles.

Bornemann Gewindetechnik “Mechan have been working with BornemannGewindetechnik for a number of years and we have benefited from their expertise in the manufacturing of specialised screws and nuts for heavy lifting applications.” - Richard Carr (Managing Director of Mechan) As a specialist for custom made threaded parts Bornemann Gewindetechnik has extensive experience in industries with high quality requirements such as the drive technology sector, medical technology, food processing, offshore applications, the defense industry or heavy lifting machinery. For these applications Borneman Gewindetechnik provides threaded parts with a very high degree of customization based on individual customer requirements.

www.bornemann.de

Mechan’s build quality is matched only by its customer service and thanks to its high standards of after sales care the company enjoys longstanding relationships with many prestigious names in the transport industry, including Siemens, Bombardier, Hitachi, Network Rail, Alstom, and Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation.

Much of Mechan’s success rests on its understanding of the rail sector and its focus on developing equipment that not only offers cutting edge technology, but also value for money. By retaining these core values, the firm has become known throughout the industry for its commitment to safety and durability and will continue to strengthen and develop its business going forward. zz

Web: www.mechan.co.uk

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zz NEWS I Conferences & Exhibitions zzzzzzzzzzz Forthcoming Conferences and Exhibitions This listing represents a selection of the events about which we have been notified. It is strongly recommended that direct contact should be made with the individual organiser responsible for each event before booking places or making travel and accommodation reservations. Cancellations and other last-minute alterations are liable to occur. The editor and publishers of RAILWAY STRATEGIES are not responsible for any loss or inconvenience suffered by readers in connection with this guide to events.

3 December – Rail Technical Strategy: Determining Our Industry’s Future London Organisers: IMechE Tel: +44 (0)20 7973 1316 Email: c_barry@imeche.org Web: www.imeche.org/events/S1772

11-13 December – EuroCode 7 Geotechnical Seminars Altrincham Organisers: ECS Publications Tel: 0131 447 0447 Email: edna@ecspublications.com Web: www.geotechnicalseminars.com

12-14 March – Exporail South East Asia – Thailand 2014 Bangkok Organisers: Mack Brooks Exhibitions Tel: +44 (0)1727 814 400 Email: thailand@exporail-southeastasia.com Web: www.exporail-southeastasia.com/

4-5 December – POLIS – Sustainable Mobility Brussels Organisers: POLIS Network Tel: +32 2 500 56 70 Email: polis@polisnetwork.eu Web: www.polisnetwork.eu/2013conference

13th February 2014 – Gen Y Rail Newcastle Upon Tyne Organisers: The National Skills Academy Tel: 0161 833 6320 Web: www.nsare.org

1-2 April – The Urban Rail Show 2014 London Organisers: Terrapinn Tel: +44 (0)20 7092 1000 Email: enquiry.uk@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapin.com/conference/metrorail

5-6 December – Ballast: Issues & Challenges Paris Organisers: SNCF/Heriot Watt University/UIC Web: www.rtse-workshops.org

March – Intermodal Asia 2014 Shanghai Organisers: Informa Exhibitions Tel: +44 (0)207 017 5112 Email: sophie.ahmed@informa.com Web: www.intermodal-asia.com

20-22 May – Infrarail 2014 London Organisers: Mack Brooks Tel: 01727 814 400 Web: www.infrarail.com

Institute of Mechanical Engineers Training Courses Technical training for the railway industry A listing of courses currently available from the IMechE (Unless stated otherwise, all courses are in London) 11th – 15th November Introduction to railway signalling technologies An overview of railway control systems, subsystems and technologies used on UK main line and metro railways 19th November Train control and safety systems Learn of the systems used on UK fleets that provide safety and train operational control 20th November Train communication and auxiliary systems New and existing systems in use on today’s rolling stock fleet 26th November Train structural integrity Structural integrity, fire and crashworthiness systems found on today’s rail fleets 27th November Optimising fleet maintenance efficiency Understand the issues affecting rail vehicle performance and cost of maintenance

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4th March 2014 Introduction to rolling stock Key design principles affecting the performance of railway systems

20th March Fleet maintenance Improve your processes and fleet maintenance processes

5th March Traction & braking Principles of traction and braking for railway engineers

1st April Vehicle Acceptance and Approvals Introduction to acceptance procedures which apply across the rail network

6th March Vehicle dynamics and vehicle track interaction Understand the dynamics of railway vehicles to improve safety, comfort and asset life

2nd April Optimising fleet maintenance efficiency Understand the issues affecting rail vehicle performance and cost of maintenance

18th March Train control and safety systems Learn of the systems used on UK fleets that provide safety and train operational control 19th March Train communication and auxiliary systems New and existing systems in use on today’s rolling stock fleet

3rd April Train structural integrity Structural integrity, fire and crashworthiness systems found on today’s rail fleets A downloadable brochure is available at: www.imeche.org/docs/default-source/learningand-professional-development-documents/l_d_ railway_training_web.pdf?sfvrsn=2 For more information, please contact Lucy O’Sullivan, learning and development co-ordinator: Tel: +44 (0)20 7304 6907 Email: training@imeche.org Web: www.imeche.org/learning/courses/railway

RAILWAY FOR SENIOR RAIL MANAGEMENT

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Schofield Publishing 10 Cringleford Business Centre Intwood Road Cringleford Norwich NR4 6AU

T: +44 (0) 1603 274130 F: +44 (0) 1603 274131 Editor Martin Collier

editor@railwaystrategies.co.uk Sales Manager Rob Wagner

rwagner@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

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