Railway Strategies Issue 114 Early Edition

RAILWAY Issue 114 Early

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

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Beneath the streets of London See page 9

FOCUS ON

Infrastructure

NEWS

Towards full systems integration P10

London Underground to bring staff out of the back office

FOCUS ON

Health & Safety As pressure increases on the network P20

ÂŁ200m of network upgrades over Christmas UAVs to carry out key inspection work

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Have you details cha r nge Are you re ading som d? eon copy of Ra ilway Stra e else’s tegies?

Please em ail: info@railw ayst to amend rategies.co.uk you request a r details or regular co py

Chairman Andrew Schofield Managing Director Mike Tulloch Editor Gay Sutton editor@railwaystrategies.co.uk Managing Editor Libbie Hammond Editorial Designer Jon Mee Advertisement Designer David Howard Profile Editor Libbie Hammond Advertisement Sales Dave King Head of Research Philip Monument Editorial Researchers Keith Hope Gavin Watson Tarj Kaur-D’Silva Mark Cowles Administration Tracy Chynoweth

From the Editor

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A matter of people

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hile many of those working on the railways will be taking a well earned break on Christmas Day, it’s worth remembering the bevy of engineers who are set to descend on the network once the last

services have run, to begin an essential £200 million programme of upgrades and maintenance.

They will be taking advantage of the only period during the year when all services cease. This is an essential feature of public service, and it is totally reliant on people.

Across this month’s editorial we are looking closely at people related issues. We begin with an article from Graeme Harrison who discusses some innovative applications of sound in the transport industry and how this has led to unexpected results – an upsurge in retail sales, greater levels of relaxation and a fall in crime.

Further into the magazine, a revealing article from Nigel Lawson on page 24 analyses the airlines’ ability to persuade travellers to accept interminable hours of waiting and cramped travel conditions, and its success in tempting them to spend on services and creature comforts they can’t refuse. How can this be applied to the railways?

Finally, turn to our Health & Safety focus for an in depth look at the management of H&S from Mary Clarke, and some challenging suggestions from Jason Pearce that prompt us to review traditional thinking.

Let me just finish by wishing you all a happy Christmas and prosperous New Year.

Railway Strategies by email Issue 114 ISSN 1467-0395 Published by

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zzzzzzzzzzzzz Contents Features Naming and shaming? 6 Could new proposals change the prehistoric business practice of late payment?

Arnab Dutt A matter of rhetoric? 7 Why big infrastructure decisions need to move from concept to operation far more quickly Mark Cowlard

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Learning from the airlines 24 Tempting the passenger with offerings in comfort and service they simply can’t refuse Nigel Lawson Planning for tomorrow... 27 How growth in the rail industry could be spurred by investment in condition monitoring systems Yann Raguel Protecting the rail network 28 Taking a strategic approach to security could significantly improve crime prevention Neil Carter

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Saving money 30 Engaging with sub-contractors early on big construction projects can save money Richard Selby

Profiles

FP McCann 32 Kier Group 38 IDOM 41 Touax 44 Craig and Derricott 48 Semmco 51 Zonegreen 54 V.S. Rail 56

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zzzzzzzzzzzzz www.railwaystrategies.co.uk News Industry 4 Infrastructure 9 &13 Appointments 22 Conferences & exhibitions 26

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Focus on Infrastructure Configuring the future 10 The mysteries behind the design, integration and optimisation of modern mass transit networks Siemens

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Sound: an infrastructure blind spot? 14 Using sound creatively to improve comfort and behaviour on the railways Graeme Harrison Mobility = greater resilience 16 Mobile apps – a crucial tool for reducing the risk of disruption this winter Cathal McGloin Seamless winter service 18 The latest in de-icing methods, and how they’re evolving to protect the environment Kilfrost Wireless on the railways 19 Why installing Wi-Fi should be seen as an investment in future revenue streams Mark Keenan

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Focus on Health & Safety Giving safety the green light 20 The role research, training and best practice can play in improving safety Mary Clarke Challenging traditional thinking 23 Three important changes that could fundamentally improve safety on the railways Jason Pearce

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NEWS I Industry

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz In FACT 2015 faresh 2.2% Rail fares overall are set increase by 2.2% during 2015, the lowest rise for five years.

Meanwhile, season tickets and other regulated fares will go up by 2.5%, the Chancellor confirmed in the Autumn Statement.

98,442,742 passengers

Unveiling the first Bombardier Talent 2 train

Waterloo has retained its

National Express unveils the first of a new fleet of trains for Germany

position as the busiest station in Great Britain, according to Office

l National Express has unveiled the first of an new €170m fleet of Bombardier Talent 2 trains, which are destined to operate on its new German rail services next year. The new fleet, which can reach up to 100mph, will comprise 25 five-car and ten three-car sets featuring both first and standard-class seating, and will be fully accessible.

The units will operate on regional routes in North Rhine-Westphalia, which National Express takes over on 13 December 2015, along with the regional express service between RheineMunster-Cologne-Krefeld, and a Bonn-Cologne-Wuppertal stopping service.

At the launch, National Express Rail managing director Andrew Chivers said: “Today is a hugely significant milestone for National Express’ German rail operations. A year from now we will be operating these excellent new trains to link some of the largest cities in Germany’s biggest state. We are looking forward to serving the people of North Rhine-Westphalia from next year.”

National Express won the contracts to operate the two new services in February 2013.

of Rail Regulation. Between April 2013 and March 2014 some 98,442,742 passengers used the station, 2.6% more than the previous year.

£21,000 for charity Train operator East Coast reports raising £21,000 for a charity helping young homeless people. The cash was raised by running a special Santa train taking North East and Yorkshire families for a festive day out in London.

Stagecoach Group in UK top 20 for corporate reputation l Bus and rail operator Stagecoach has been rated Britain’s most admired public transport group, and came in overall 20th position in the Management Today survey of nearly 240 companies across 24 sectors.

In conjunction with Birmingham City Business School, Management Today asked Britain’s largest public companies to rate their peers using nine measures on a scale of zero to 10.

The criteria included financial soundness, community and environmental responsibility, value as a long-term investment, quality of goods and services, use of corporate assets, quality of marketing, innovation, ability to attract, develop and retain top talent, and quality of management.

The result placed Stagecoach above well-known businesses such as Marks and Spencer, Alliance Boots, BT Group, Coca-Cola Enterprises, and Rolls-Royce.

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Alstom increases its presence in Kazakhstan l Alstom has acquired a further 25% of Kazakh national railway company KTZ, bringing its total interest in the EKZ joint venture to 50%. EKZ has been awarded a €1.3 billion contract for the maintenance of freight and passenger electric locomotives over a 25 years period. Once the deal has been approved by the authorities, Alstom will become the main shareholder in EKZ. Kazakhstan is an important hub linking Europe, Middle East, Asia and Russia through the new Silk Way. With almost 20,000 km of tracks, the Kazakh railway network is the world’s third biggest using the 1,520 mm track gauge.

5,318 bikes stolen During 2013 to 2014, some 5,318 bikes were stolen from Britain’s railway stations, with an estimated value of over £1.5 million. In response, British Transport Police arrested 1,381 people between April 2013 and March 2014.

34 trains per hour According to Transport for London, the London Underground’s Victoria line is now operating the most frequent rail service in the UK. With up to 34 trains per hour, this is comparable with any of the best services across Europe.

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NEWS I Industry

Southeastern tightens security with bespoke access management system from Traka l Southeastern, which operates 1,000 miles of railway in the south east of England carrying 570,000 passengers every weekday, has installed a smart access management system from Traka to better manage the security and safety of equipment, tools and hazardous chemicals at its depots.

Traka is a bespoke access management system that comprises keys permanently attached to an iFob. Each fob contains an unique electronic ID chip which is assigned a specific port in an automated key dispensing machine. User profiles for all staff can be uploaded into the Traka software, and only staff with the right training and authorisation can retrieve the key.

The system also records key usage on its central database, and can produce a report for each key showing when it has been used, by whom, and when it was returned, even alerting management if it is not returned within the allotted time.

In addition to all the security, health and safety benefits, key allocation is now far quicker and keys are very rarely misplaced.

Rail companies shine in the North of England Excellence Awards l Merseyrail, has received recognition for transforming its business over the past ten years, and emerged the overall winner of the 2014 North of England Excellence Awards at the ceremony at The Royal Armouries, Leeds. This is the second time the company has been named Business of the Year, having previously received the title in 2011. Merseyrail also collected an Excellence Award and a Special Award for Customer Service.

Northern Rail, the UK’s largest train operator, received the Special Award for Sustainability and First TransPennine Express won the Special Award for Leadership.

London Underground to get more ‘hands on’ l From February next year, London Underground will begin transforming its approach to customer service, London Underground managing director Mike Brown has confirmed.

Today, less than three per cent of journeys involve a visit to a ticket office. So staff from underused ticket offices and back rooms will be moved to locations where they can assist customers most effectively – in ticket halls, at gate lines and on platforms All station staff will be trained in customer service and equipped with portable handheld devices loaded with information such as journey planner, ticketing options and prices, maps, real-time service levels and local information.

Around 150 new ticket machines are being introduced across the network and all machines are being modernised so that staff in the ticket hall can issue new Oyster cards, give small refunds and sort out journey discrepancies.

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Parsons Brinckerhoff is recognised for business integrity l Parsons Brinckerhoff UK has become the first engineering consultancy to be awarded the Investing in Integrity accreditation following a comprehensive assessment of its ethical policies, procedures and practices.

Launched in 2012 by the Institute of Business Ethics and the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment, the scheme tests an organisation’s ethical conduct against its value statements to ensure those values are properly embedded.

To gain accreditation, Parsons Brinckerhoff underwent an independent and rigorous assessment

by GoodCorporation which involved a comprehensive online assessment, site visits, staff interviews, employee surveys and a detailed review of documentation.

Simon Culhane, chief executive, Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment said: “Being able publicly to demonstrate a commitment to acting with integrity has never been more valuable and we congratulate Parsons Brinckerhoff on the award.”

ORR seeks industry opinion l T he Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) is calling for the rail sector’s input, as part of a review into the economic enforcement policy and tools with which it holds Network Rail and the industry to account.

To take part in the review, go to: orr.gov.uk/consultations/policyconsultations/open-consultations/ economic-enforcement-policyconsultation

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Comment

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Naming and shaming?

The late payment culture is still rife among larger multinationals. ARNAB DUTT welcomes proposals that could change this prehistoric business practice

I Arnab Dutt, managing director of Texane

n business, it’s always smart to know who you’re dealing with – especially from a financial security point of view. You want to be confident that you’re going to get paid for your products, services, or both.

Late payments are one of the most common problems for SMEs and the worst offenders on late payments are the larger multinationals. Of course from a business perspective, dealing with these larger firms can have its advantages, but do they outweigh the potential downsides?

If you are a small business and you want to deal with these bigger companies you may have to accept some harsh payment terms, which are typically 60 to 90 days. Aside from being an annoyance, this isn’t exactly practical for SMEs who do not have the same access to finance as bigger companies.

In many industries, prime contractors are awarded the larger contracts, so smaller companies have little choice but to deal with them and accept their payment terms. That gives the larger firms a huge advantage in negotiations with SMEs, and many of them have no qualms about abusing that.

Change is overdue At a time when David Cameron remarks that ‘red lights are once again flashing on the dashboard of the global economy,’ the issue of late payments needs to be addressed.

Governments all over the world are paying their first tier suppliers on time, usually within ten days in the UK, a policy that is designed to free up capital in the business world and reduce the stranglehold of the banks. It’s a direct response to the stifling of business and investment that resulted from the failure of the financial system and ensuing worldwide recession.

The fact that governments pay their suppliers so quickly is great news for businesses such as Texane.

As a supplier of components for mass transit systems, we frequently deal with government organisations directly and benefit from those intelligent payment terms. Most of our fellow SME businesses aren’t that fortunate.

Of course, governments paying their first tier suppliers on time doesn’t do you any good if you’re a second tier supplier to a large company, because they will take the government’s cash and often won’t pay you for two to three months.

So all the small to medium firms in the second, third

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and fourth tier have to go cap in hand to the banks for overdrafts and invoice financing. That causes hardship and business failures because the banks are still not lending, or their lending terms are harsh.

Hanging on to cash that should be paid to smaller firms gives these companies access to free finance.

So, many of the large companies are effectively using their suppliers to bankroll their businesses.

At Texane, we don’t have too much of a problem with late payment because many of our customers are typically government organisations, rather than multinationals. Due to the niche nature of our technology we can also leverage that to get improved terms from our multinational customers.

Another way we take the stress out of the risk of late payment is by having credit insurance, keeping us protected against the high risk economy. Of course credit insurance is just another cost for SMEs but a large customer failing to pay you could be life threatening for the business.

Dealing with like-minded small to medium firms is another way around the problem of late payments. In marked contrast to their big business counterparts, they pay on time. As a managing director of an SME myself, it is my opinion that fellow SME owners recognise how problematic late payments can be, and so avoid such practices, which is good news all round.

New proposals on the table The reality is that the Government needs to do more to address the issue of late payments and I therefore welcome the timely announcement by business minister Mathew Hancock, which puts forward a proposal obliging large and listed companies to publish detailed information about their payment practices and performance.

The proposed changes will provide robust information making it easier for SMEs to compare the best in practice with the worst in practice in relation to average payment time. It will make transparent the proportion of invoices paid beyond terms and the terms themselves. There is nothing like shining clear daylight into the dark corner of payment abuse to name and shame the worst offenders.

Late payment and unfair payment terms damage the UK economy. If we want to see dynamic growth and our SME sector flourishing, the large companies and multinationals will need to change their prehistoric payment culture now!. zz

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Comment

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A matter of rhetoric?

The latest statements from Government are just reinforcing the slow pace of progress in defining our big national infrastructure schemes.

MARK COWLARD, head of rail at EC Harris comments

I Mark Cowlard, head of rail, EC Harris

n this year’s Autumn Statement, George Osborne put great emphasis on creating a ‘Northern Powerhouse’ as a counterweight to the dominance of London: this mode of thinking must be welcomed. Investment in infrastructure contributes to GDP growth in a way that few other investments are able to achieve, and the proposed rail upgrades set out in the National Infrastructure Plan will have an enabling effect on the regional economies. However, a lengthy decision making process on important and inevitable infrastructure projects is preventing any local and national economic benefits these schemes will bring from being realised.

The National Infrastructure Plan and Autumn Statement did not reveal anything new; the refranchising of Northern Rail and the TransPennine Express, and replacement of ancient Pacer trains are already well underway. With a general election approaching next year, what is really needed now is cross-party support to realise these plans, accelerate the schemes, and to deliver any resulting economic and passenger benefits as early as possible.

Support the process Public consultation on big infrastructure decisions is important, but it often leads to unfortunate delays for schemes that have clear economic benefits locally. Other democracies are able to move from concept to operation far quicker than the UK. We have the skills to put these plans into place but we need to accelerate our decision making process.

Where schemes are badly needed and inevitable from a planning point of view, we should be able to move much more quickly to development. All interest groups have reason to support this, as local and national economic benefits will be delivered more rapidly.

For now, focus must remain on the big schemes.

HS2, including its second phase, is critical and the calls for a further trans-Pennine route (HS3) are also welcome. The connection of these schemes to local needs through connectivity and economic growth is vital to driving plans from conception to operation. Cities therefore need to think carefully and quickly about how national projects fit into local transportation plans, how they will make the case for investment, and how they speed up the decision making process.

Is this hot air?

How much of the Autumn Statement and National Infrastructure Plan is really just electioneering? Political developments, including the rise of UKIP and Ed Miliband’s uncertain stewardship of the Labour Party, mean that the result of next year’s general election is even harder to call. All parties, and particularly the Conservative-led government, need to court the northern electorate and the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ rhetoric certainly plays to this – indeed, for all of George Osborne’s fanfare, no new announcements were actually made. So, with such a frustratingly slow decision-making process, the tangible benefits of northern infrastructure remain a long way off.

Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and Liverpool – the cities that will most obviously benefit from the proposals, have worked hard independently of one another, maximising the opportunities presented by the government’s localism agenda. But it is my view that whilst cities need to respond with their own local plans to national investment opportunities, collective regional direction would help speed up the crucial decisionmaking process and deliver economic benefits much more quickly. The delivery of HS2, HS3 and the modernisation of the trans-Pennine railways are critical and inevitable regional developments, and regional leadership is therefore required to turn electioneering into genuine local benefit.

Will these schemes lead to a rebalancing of the economy? They won’t do so on their own, but improved infrastructure through national and local railway projects will unlock invaluable human resource benefits for the regional economy. zz

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Crossrail tunnelling beneath the city of London now 90% complete

Bond Street station platform tunnels

providing access to Heathrow, and on a new dive under at Acton.

In addition, a temporary station has opened at Abbey Wood to allow the new Crossrail station to be built.

With the project currently on time and to budget, Crossrail chief executive Andrew Wolstenholme said: “We are on schedule to provide London and the South East with a fantastic new railway in 2018.”

Over the coming months, while tunnelling will continue, the project’s focus will shift to the substantial job of fitting out the stations and tunnels.

Machinery in the new platform tunnels for Liverpool Street station

Crossrail

Crossrail

l As the year draws to a close, new images from Crossrail record the progress of the monumental construction project taking place beneath the streets of London. More than 23 miles (nearly 90%) of train tunnels are now complete and tunnelling is due to finish in spring 2015. Six of Crossrail’s eight tunnelling machines have now completed their drives. Meanwhile, the ten new stations are under construction in central and southeast London are more than half complete.

The surface works, delivered by Network Rail, are well underway.

Significant progress has been made on the new flyover at Stockley,

New operator aims to improve Docklands Light Railway customer service l KeolisAmey Docklands took over as the new operator of Docklands Light Railway (DLR) on 8 December 2014. The new agreement includes clear incentives to drive higher levels of customer service, with cleaner trains and stations, more reliable lifts and escalators, more efficient and reliable station maintenance and faster passenger journeys. These incentives will also help maintain the network’s current 99 per cent reliability record, which has made it the best performing railway in the UK. The first significant change will be the introduction of a five-minute off-peak service to Woolwich Arsenal, and a five-minute service between Bank and Lewisham until 11:30 pm each night early next year, cutting waiting times in half. Three-car trains will also be introduced between Stratford and Canary Wharf at weekends. In the

longer term, a five-minute off-peak service will be introduced across the whole network by 2017.

Keolis UK CEO, Alistair Gordon, said: “It is our ambition that over the course of this franchise the DLR will become the best automated service in the world. We’re confident that our expertise as the global leader in light rail services and as the operator of some of the UK’s busiest rail franchises, combined with Amey’s technical excellence has created a best-in-class offering that will help us achieve this goal.”

The DLR began operating in 1987, with 11 trains serving 15 stations and in its first year of operation it carried 6.7m people. Today the railway has 45 stations, 38 km of track and 149 carriages. During the 2013/14 year, it carried a 101.5m passengers, and that figure is expected to increase to 109m for 2014/15.

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Configuring the future With modern mass transit networks increasingly functioning as a system of systems, Siemens explains some of the complexities that go into their design, integration and optimisation

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oday’s passengers are no different from people who rode on the earliest trains – they simply want to travel from A to B, safely, reliably and comfortably. The railway itself, however, has changed dramatically, with multiple systems now working automatically to set routes, regulate train movements and make decisions about everything from passenger flow to air conditioning.

On London Underground’s Victoria Line, for example, the Siemens Train Supervision System predicts train positions with a 20-minute look-ahead, several times a second. This drives automatic train regulation algorithms that modify train departure times and driving profiles, which are then used by the onboard system to drive the train automatically from station to station. It also generates accurate information displays, giving passengers the opportunity to alter their journeys if necessary.

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The challenges As passenger numbers continue to rise, accurately predicting and managing surges in demand is essential.

For example, at current annual growth rates of six to eight per cent, the West Coast Mainline will be at full capacity by the early 2020s. In recent years, technologies such as Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) for metro systems and European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) for mainline networks have allowed more trains to operate at higher frequencies than was previously possible, significantly boosting line capacity.

Both systems use radio to communicate with trackside equipment, so trains are updated almost instantaneously with information about how far they can safely go and at what speed. London’s Victoria Line now timetables 34 trains per hour (TPH) at peak times, and new suburban railways such as Thameslink and Crossrail

will have 24TPH timetables.

As well as increasing capacity on the railway, there is also an urgent need to address the rising cost and the environmental impact of using fossil fuel for powering rolling stock. To future-proof its network, the UK rail industry is investing £4 billion in a national electrification programme over the next five years as James Goulding, a business development manager at Siemens, explained: “Siemens is a key member of the Rail Electrification Delivery Group (REDG), and as such we are working closely with Network Rail to overcome the challenges of electrification, such as innovating unique designs in switchgear and overhead line engineering that improve productivity.”

Managing expectations Like access to running water, 24/7 power or any other national infrastructure asset, the general public only really notices the railway when something goes wrong. Of course, even a service that combines a state of the art signalling system and high-performance trains is vulnerable to delay if someone gets their umbrella stuck in the train doors!

But, to a generation used to playing games and videos, taking photos and sending emails, all wirelessly and reliably on their mobile phone, the concept of a train not running because of leaves on the line or a signalling failure is difficult to comprehend.

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zz Infrastructure zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz “Dozens of systems need to interact to ensure a smooth journey for the passenger, but at the moment many aren’t connected and don’t share information with each other,” explained William Wilson, Siemens’ director sales and commercial. “We are committed to making this happen more efficiently in the future, so that we optimise the cost of railway operation, reduce carbon impact, increase capacity and make the passenger experience more comfortable.”

With the growing demand for a 24/7 railway, it is no longer acceptable to close railways to upgrade signalling, train control, telecommunications and line management systems. Recent work on London Underground’s Victoria Line proved that migration work to new systems can be efficiently phased over time to ensure the railway keeps running, with the help of detailed systems engineering, flexible equipment and highly skilled staff.

“Our programme of upgrading brown field sites requires manufacturing, designing, installing, testing and commissioning (often at anti-social times such as bank holidays, Christmas or Easter) – in such a way that the transition is seamless for passengers travelling under the control of the old system one week and under the new system the next,” Mr Wilson said.

Towards an integrated system As if the complexity of moving millions of people daily around the rail network was not challenging enough, the underlying business model needs to be sustainable – in every sense. The railway needs to make enough money to cover costs of operation and investment over an extended period of time, while at the same time optimising energy usage and human and infrastructure resources, and reducing environmental impact.

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At MTR’s Kowloon Canton Railway in Hong Kong and the Richmond Airport Line in Vancouver, Invensys Rail integrated CCTV, lifts, escalators, ventilation, power distribution and traction control systems in a small number of multi-headed workstations, reducing operational costs through more efficient use of employees.

Train and station designs are also important factors.

The latest trains maximise space and passenger movement along the length of the train. “Many trains now integrate complex ethernet-based networks of CCTV, passenger alarm, traction and braking systems, air conditioning and ventilation control,” said Maurice Carter, Siemens’ head of engineering operations. “There are clearly benefits in moving towards full integration of systems such as traction, automatic train protection and automatic train operation in trains too.”

Good-quality communication with passengers will become even more safety critical as more trains are implemented to Grade of Automation 4 (that is, with no employees on board, such as Line 1 of Paris Metro and Singapore’s Downtown Line) and so require close integration with CCTV systems.

In conclusion, William Wilson added: “We are continuing to explore ways to design signalling and train control systems, trains, traction and environmental control systems that work effectively together as a whole. In doing so, we are helping deliver reliable, safe, sustainable and integrated systems that encourage people to travel by train. This means passengers can relax and enjoy their journey, not only in normal, everyday operation, but also during the major upgrade projects needed to create a railway for the twenty first century.” zz

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NEWS I Infrastructure

Signal gantry installed on the approach to London Bridge

An army of 11,000 railway engineers is set to deliver record-breaking Christmas investment programme l This year plans are in placeProfessor to undertake biggest Christmas and New Year investment Simonthe Iwnicki programme ever carried out on Britain’s rail network. Once the last trains have run on Christmas Eve, an army of over 11,000 engineers will begin work delivering a £200m programme of grades and improvements.

These include new station facilities, new platforms, new flyovers, new junctions, meanwhile thousands of pieces of new equipment will be installed.

The work is timed to take advantage of a relatively quieter time of the year when, on average, less than half the number of people will use the railway each day.

The major investment schemes this Christmas include: l London Bridge: Two new platforms will be opened and new track laid, as part of the £6.5bn Thameslink project station redevelopment l Reading: The newly-built viaduct to the west of the station will be opened, helping unblock the notorious train bottleneck around Reading station l Watford: New signalling system will be brought into use in the area l Stafford and Norton Bridge: Essential bridge and track work will be carried out at Norton Bridge l East Coast Main Line: A number of engineering projects at key points – Peterborough, Holloway, Harringay and Canal Tunnels just outside King’s Cross A further 300 projects across 2,000 worksites around the country will be carried out over the same period with a significant portion of this work to be completed before full services resume on Saturday 27 December.

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Network Rail looks to unmanned aerial vehicles for inspection work l Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Remote Aerial Survey (RAS) look set to play a key role in delivering regular maintenance inspections of Network Rail’s assets, after the company was awarded a place under the National Framework Agreement. The services will run for a period of 3 years and cover assets such as structures, embankments and overhead line equipment, as well as post incident inspections and surveys.

RAS is an aerial survey service offered by consulting engineers Richard Allitt Associates. Principal engineer Martin Allitt said: “This is an exciting development for the company and endorses our belief that UAVs have an immense contribution to make in the provision of more cost effective and safe delivery of sophisticated data and imagery.”

Earlier this year the company became one of the first specialist engineering organisations in Europe to receive Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approval to undertake UAV survey services.

Windermere branch line to get £16m for electrification l Transport Minister Baroness Kramer has confirmed the Government intends to spend £16 million to electrify Cumbria’s Windermere branch line.

Once completed, the 10 mile line which runs between the Oxenholme Lake District station on the West Coast Main Line and Windermere station in the National Park, will form part of a direct electrified route between destinations such as Kendal, Burneside and Staveley, and Manchester.

MTR to open Hong Kong extension

New Rotterdam to Milan service

New rail link for Antwerp docks

l MTR Corporation, which currently runs London

l Samskip Multimodal has launched a new direct

Overground in conjunction with Deutsche Bahn and has won the contract to operate Crossrail, is due to open the £1.5bn West Island Line route extension in Hong Kong on 28 December 2014. The West Island Line extension, which will serve over 230,000 people living and working along the route, has taken 5 years to complete.

intermodal rail service connecting Rotterdam’s Rail Service Centre facility and the Italian rail hub of Melzo east of Milan, running five train departures a week. The new service will enhance Samskip Multimodal’s panEuropean shortsea and multimodal network. The initial focus will be on pallet-wide high cube 45ft containers, curtain-siders, flatracks and reefers.

l Infrabel, which manages the Belgian railway network, has opened the new Liefkenshoek rail link.

After 6 years in construction, the link will improve the flow of traffic between the Waaslandhaven on the left bank which includes the rail installations at Deurganck Dock, and the Antwerp North marshalling yard, the second largest marshalling yard in Europe, on the right bank.

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A busy day at Liverpool Street station

Sound: an infrastructure blind spot?

The quality of ambient and public address sound at our rail stations can significantly alter the behaviour and experience of passengers and staff.

GRAEME HARRISON explains

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hen thinking of a train station or a railway terminal, what is the first idea that pops into your head? Chances are it’s an image rather than a sound. It’s unsurprising really. While many train stations are visually distinctive, most seem to boast exactly the same soundscape – an unappealing, noisy environment. Of course, the roar of a train’s engines hardly helps matters, bringing with it a seemingly uncontrollable din. I’d argue, however, that this merely means more consideration is required in keeping control of noise levels.

To some extent, this blindness (or deafness) to the impact that sound has on us has become even more serious in the modern day. Sound plays a significant, though perhaps unconscious, role when we come to form our perceptions of a place. It can induce stress, evoke feelings of excitement, and even encourage us to relax – and it seems odd that it is often nothing more than an afterthought in too many building designs.

To give a little context, research from the World Health Organisation has found that regular exposure to noise levels of just 50dB is enough to increase blood pressure; and at just 55dB leads to a higher risk of heart attacks.

The average noise level in a busy office can exceed 65dB so it’s a safe bet that most train stations, which can serve thousands of passengers on a daily basis, will be hitting those noise levels.

Sound infrastructure has three key functions within a railway station: primarily and most importantly, in ensuring the safety of passengers. Secondly, systems are there

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to help inform and guide rail-users. Finally, well-being and comfort; sound plays a crucial role in keeping travellers calm and providing a sense of safety in what can be a fairly stressful environment.

Staying safe in emergency situations The evacuation of any building brings its own set of complications and difficulties, but in the case of a railway terminal these issues can be magnified several fold. The process is made more problematic by factors such as the complexity of the site layout, the location of the site (potentially being underground), and the sheer volume of human traffic. Add to this a limited number of exits, which are often kept small for security reasons, issues of crowding, confusion due to unfamiliar settings, and it’s understandable why terminal evacuations are considered difficult at best and dangerous at worst.

The traditional ringing bell solution is completely unsuited Passengers calmly boarding the Cardiff Central train at Paddington station

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz to the setting and more likely to incite anxiety and panic than facilitate a safe or efficient exit. Understanding the role of sound and how it’s used for communication, we’d recommend a voice evacuation system (VES) that allows the station manager to communicate the hazards or concerns clearly, and unambiguously, providing succinct directions on how occupants need to react.

VES can offer step-by-step instructions – which avoid potential panic – ensuring that people have clear directions on how to exit the building or facility via safe and secure routes.

Previously, we commissioned research to explore the public’s attitude to emergency evacuations and the findings were significant. A substantial portion of respondents – 35 per cent – agreed that instructions delivered by an audio voiceover system (instead of alarms or bells) would make them feel calmer. The goal of anyone responsible for evacuations is being able to both calm people down and direct them away from danger.

Perhaps the main benefit of a more sophisticated audio system is that it can provide real-time information to a building’s occupants, guiding them along the safest exit routes. For example, in the case of a railway evacuation, passengers on one platform may need to use the west exits, whilst passengers on alternative platforms may need to be directed towards the east exits. In this instance it is vital to have a system that provides zone management capabilities. Such a system allows location-specific information to be accurately communicated to people in varying areas or zones throughout the train station.

Staying informed A full station evacuation is, thankfully, a rarity. A more commonplace requirement of a railway terminal’s sound infrastructure is to simply inform passengers of the latest travel information – whether that is platform changes, train delays, or even lost children.

However, this regular function can become a challenge for station operators as many fail to invest in a sound system that can communicate intelligibly with passengers.

Attempting to decipher the latest announcement is a phenomenon I think we’ve all experienced.

Admittedly it is not an issue confined to railway stations.

Other public facilities – from bus and airport terminals to supermarkets and shopping centres – seem to have their public address announcements accompanied by squeaks, buzzing, and a generous helping of static.

The only real solution comes from carefully measured investment in sound infrastructure – not simply in buying the lowest-priced equipment or turning the amps up to their maximum levels – and by ensuring the chosen technology works within your environment.

A scheme trialled by Glasgow Airport, in which a generative sound installation piped natural sounds into the departures lounge to enable passengers to relax ahead of their flights, recorded some additional, unexpected results.

As was expected, researchers found that travellers who had consciously heard the generative soundscape admitted to feeling more relaxed. Interestingly, passengers who hadn’t noticed the soundscape also claimed to have felt calmer in the airport environment. Most surprisingly, retailers noticed a rise in sales during the trial, with some periods seeing an increase in passenger spending of 10 per cent.

The Glasgow case study is far from the only example of how sound can have a powerful effect on the local populace. On the other side of the world, in the town of Lancaster, California, the local mayor installed a birdsongbased soundscape along a portion of the downtown area. Reported crime in this area dropped by 15 per cent.

Other organisations including the London Underground have followed this lead and experienced similar gains with several tube stations, including Brixton and Clapham North, noting decreased levels of violence following the introduction of classical music.

Everyday sounds So how far does the potential stretch? It’s clear that taking control of the sound infrastructure at train stations can have a positive effect, avoiding the aggravation of uncontrolled noise and offering tangible benefits such as avoiding panic, calming passengers, and even bumping up retail sales.

What is exciting is that even minor improvements to the sound design within a terminal building can bring about real value for railway operators. With this in mind we must begin to design soundscapes with the same care and attention that is afforded to the visual aesthetics. zz

Graeme Harrison is executive vice president of marketing at Biamp Systems

The new concourse at King’s Cross station

Keep calm and shop Finally, the innovative use of sound in transport facilities has been shown not only to improve passenger behaviour but has also been linked to an upsurge in retail sales.

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Infrastructure

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Mobility = greater resilience As winter brings the risk of disruption on the railways, CATHAL MCGLOIN, discusses the development of mobile apps to improve infrastructure resilience

Flooding in the Somerset Levels earlier this year

Cathal McGloin is CEO of FeedHenry

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ail network executives are already implementing plans to minimise weather-related disruption to train services. The usual emergency response teams are on standby to remove fallen trees and debris, aided by a fleet of ‘leaf-busting’ trains and pumps to drain flooded areas of track.

With millions of passengers travelling by train in the UK each day, rail infrastructure bosses must frequently review and refine their contingency plans. One strategy that they have recently implemented is the rapid development of bespoke, mission critical mobile applications to support field workers during severe weather periods.

Flood warning app A good example of this was an Incident Flood Warning app that was developed and deployed by a rail infrastructure company in a matter of days to help trackside engineers identify and respond to damage caused by severe flooding that affected large areas of the UK earlier this year.

While the existing emergency response teams are adept at dealing with localised flooding, the storms that battered the UK at the start of 2014 affected large sections of track around the country.

With thousands of miles of track to maintain, it was difficult for rail infrastructure management teams to pinpoint each and every section of track that was affected by flooding, subsidence, or debris blocking the route.

Field workers needed a way to quickly and accurately report incidents so that repairs could be prioritised and

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maintenance teams dispatched in an efficient and timely manner.

The decision was made to develop an app to enable information on the status of the network to be gathered from the field. The app had to be able to run on iPhones, iPads, and iPad Minis, and support business processes through integration with existing backend systems.

Using input from trackside engineers, two mobile apps were built, tested, and pushed out to all field workers within two days.

Fast track development In my work with several transportation organisations to provide a cloud-based mobile application development platform that integrates with existing backend systems, ‘lightweight’ mobile apps are the priority. Cloud-based mobile application development platforms enable rapid development of these nimble mobile apps that filter information so that only relevant data is accessed by the app.

In the VDC Research report Travel, Transportation, and Logistics Gear Up for Mobile App Enablement, commissioned by FeedHenry, analyst Eric Klein reports that: “An enterprise-grade mobile backend service enables devices in the field to connect seamlessly with corporate systems and employ the mobile-specific capabilities that enable new ways of working. For example, using mobile apps to inspect and verify transport equipment and infrastructure, information can be fed back to a central database, transforming maintenance processes and driving productivity improvements. Cloud technologies can dramatically simplify security, storage, and

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz data syncing and support the use of built-in features such as the camera and augmented reality.�

Using a cloud-based mobile application development platform can speed development, and better enables a two-way flow of information between field workers and back office teams, without compromising the security of corporate data stored in the backend systems. Because only a small data set is accessed by the app, this reduces the load on employees’ mobile devices which enables batteries to last longer.

Using the Incident Flood Warning app developed on a cloud-based mobile application development platform, trackside engineers supplied live information on the status of the network enabling the management team to allocate engineering resources where they were needed most. The app also enabled accurate network updates to be passed on to the government, the media, and travelling public affected by floods.

Supporting health and safety In addition to the Incident Flood Warning app, a Close Call Health and Safety app was developed, which enables trackside engineers to report on incidents and potential risks by providing GPS coordinates, capturing images and text descriptions, and then relaying these to central office.

Cloud-based mobile application platforms should enable information to be stored when users are working offline, or in areas of intermittent cellular coverage, such as tunnels.

Consulting the experts

mobile workers within the organisation. Augmented reality applications are being assessed to enable employees to gather more information about assets while they are out in the field. This can help workers to access data on when assets were last repaired, as well as specifications and schematics.

Along with leaf busting trains and emergency response crews, the use of mobile apps has improved the management team’s visibility of the entire rail network status, enabled them to respond quickly to weather events and rapidly pilot employee ideas that improve safety and productivity. Embracing the many aspects of mobile helps to minimise disruption to the network, keeps trains running and improves safety for passengers and employees.

In the VDC Research report, analyst, Eric Klein, stated that the three most important metrics used by the transportation sector to measure mobile app benefits include: reduced operational costs; improved productivity, and more accurate real time tracking. Klein concluded that by adopting a mobile-first strategy, underpinned by an open cloud platform, transport organisations can reduce the time and effort required to develop nimble mobile apps that run on a variety of devices and meet the immediate and evolving needs of their employees and customers.

Adopting a mobile application platform that can support the development of requested mobile apps within forty eight hours has enabled this rail infrastructure organisation to, quite literally, change with the weather. zz

www.feedhenry.com

These apps are only two examples of how a cloud-based mobile application development platform supports rapid development of apps in response to changing travel conditions. Field workers and operational staff were originally consulted to get their ideas on how mobile apps could transform their working day by redefining data capture and on-the-job tasks. This is an important stage in helping to develop a mobile strategy: consult and engage your users at every step of the way. The railway infrastructure organisation has 34,000 experts to call on and more than 600 app ideas were submitted by employees.

Once apps are rolled out, analysing and sharing user feedback is a priority.

Not every app has been a success. However, the rapid development process has enabled the organisation to take an iterative approach by piloting apps in the field with small groups of workers and actively tracking app usage and employee feedback. The right mobile application platform enables the organisation to gather detailed analytics information, which is critical for revising app design or withdrawing unsuccessful apps completely.

Trackside engineer working in the snow

Future developments Following the successful deployment of the mobile application platform, rail network bosses are continuing to expand and enhance the use of mobile apps to other

Track welding

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zz Infrastructure zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Seamless winter service Now that winter is upon us, de-icing expert Kilfrost discusses the latest methods for overcoming the issue of ice and snow on the railways, and how de-icing products are evolving to meet environmental concerns The industry’s attention is turning to how anti-icing procedures can be used to minimise the build-up of ice and therefore reduce the time needed for the de-icing of rolling stock. Traditional ways to remove ice and snow include using blowers, heaters and hot water to melt the ice, which are both time and energy consuming, as well as not providing any protection against further build-up.

Alternative methods exist that involve treating the underside of trains with an anti-icing fluid from a tank situated beside the track. Fluid is applied to the train bogies, protecting them from ice formation. This process, which can take just seven minutes, reduces the time needed for deicing by more than 50 per cent. Any surplus fluid that drips from the train is collected by a long stainless steel tray and can then be filtered and re-used in the next treatment.

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ail operators face a number of challenges during the winter. Ice and snow can impact on many aspects of their operations, from the safety and reliability of trains on the track to the excavation and renewing of ballast.

Challenge of track renewals Two main issues arise with track renewals during the winter season. Firstly, frozen ballast in the ground significantly slows down the excavation of old ballast, including the lifting of old rail sleepers. Secondly, the distribution of ballast can prove to be time consuming, as the new ballast arriving to sites in the auto hoppers can often be frozen. As a result, the ballast cannot escape down the funnel chute and this can make distribution almost impossible. Such issues can lead to possession overruns, disruption on the railways and delays for passengers, so considering the de-icing procedure is vital.

In the past improvised heat sources have been used to de-ice the vehicles carrying ballast and unblock the chute from which new ballast is distributed. The use of de/ anti-icing fluids is a safer, more cost effective and efficient method. Any anti-icing fluids used to prevent ice formation must also be resistant to precipitation, to ensure their effectiveness over substantial periods of time.

Ice formation on trains When ice and snow build up on the underside of trains there is a risk that it may dislodge and fall onto ballast, causing it to hit the train and potentially causing exterior damage and even breaking windows. The track and track fastenings can also be damaged. Meanwhile, the build-up of ice and snow on trains adds weight and can affect performance.

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Considering the environment The full life cycle of a fluid must be considered when assessing environmental performance. It is possible to take a bio-route when manufacturing fluids, for example, using corn sugar-derived glycol in place of a petrochemical source. Using a sustainable glycol in the manufacture of de/anti-icing fluid is set to have a dramatic impact on the carbon footprint of the transport industry.

It is important that any fluid used is non-hazardous, as well as fully biodegradable. Efforts have been made to develop fluids that meet these requirements, such as Kilfrost AGT fluid, designed to prevent ballast from freezing, allowing it to be transported and distributed onto the track and offering high performance down to temperatures as low as -25°C.

The future for de/anti-icing As companies come under increasing pressure to reduce their carbon footprint, manufacturers of de/anti-icing fluids are striving to make products greener and more sustainable.

Using more sustainable products and adopting new de/antiicing processes can reduce costs for rail operators.

New anti-icing processes are reducing de-icing times and keeping trains on track with minimal downtime. Anti-icing treatments can take place during the time already allocated for maintenance, causing no additional waiting time for passengers and keeping railways operational.

As we move into a new year the development of fluids that offer greater resistance to precipitation and more severe weather conditions continues. With the planned introduction of high speed rail networks, a fluid’s ability to cope with higher speeds is also a challenge to overcome. zz

www.kilfrost.com

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Infrastructure zz Wireless on the railways It’s not all about Wi-Fi, and it’s not all about passengers says MARK KEENAN

B Mark Keenan, director, Real Wireless

y now it’s a story we all know; some train operators have been offering on-board Wi-Fi for a number of years but it’s all been very basic and not reliable enough. To make matters worse, passengers cannot be ‘off loaded’ onto the mobile networks when Wi-Fi connectivity is disrupted – research published in October found that even the most popular commuter routes in and out of London are effectively mobile dead zones.

To combat this, during the summer of 2014, UK ministers announced the allocation of £90 million for upgrades to national rail infrastructure – specifically to help alleviate wireless signal disruption.

Currently wireless connectivity on trains has relied upon existing mobile and satellite infrastructure for service. The reasons for this are obvious. It’s already there, well tested, and a cheaper solution. But the reality is that it’s no longer fit for purpose if we wish to meet the demands of modern passengers. We need to look to the rollout of bespoke, dedicated, trackside infrastructure, a rollout that requires not only a considerable amount of capital investment, but also careful planning.

The wider picture The planning aspect is key: If you do not approach a wireless rollout in a holistic manner, there will be little chance of recouping the investment it requires.

This isn’t a claim made lightly. Real Wireless recently carried out a study and found that it was necessary to combine revenue from both passenger-facing services – ie on-board Wi-Fi – and operational benefits, if a rollout is to deliver a positive net value.

After all, while most press coverage of in-carriage wireless connectivity focuses on passenger Wi-Fi and mobile usage, a stable, reliable wireless connection opens up a world of possibilities for train manufacturers and operators alike. These range from improved staff communication, to station security and even removing the need for some cables in the trains themselves.

To give one example, train services are often perceived as highly unreliable by passengers.

Passengers are further frustrated by being unable to find out exactly what’s going on and how the delay might impact their onward journeys. A reliable wireless connection could provide both staff and passengers with the latest information, either via their own devices or at-seat screens, enabling them to comfortably and accurately monitor and plan their journeys

and avoid guesswork.

As well as improving customer satisfaction and increasing repeat journeys, these systems can also directly generate new revenue. With targeted advertising the same system can promote events and special offers at the destination, or send complimentary deals for on-board services or future journeys to regular travellers.

Operational benefits Engineers and drivers can also benefit from wireless, improving safety and boosting productivity. On highspeed services, for example, it becomes ever more essential that drivers and engineers have access to the latest statistics and figures on how the train is performing and operating. However, each additional sensor increases the overall weight and complexity of the vehicle, both in terms of weight and the cabling it requires. Currently we have to balance the provision of sufficient feedback for staff to do their jobs well, and keeping weight down.

But with the advent of the Internet of Things, low power wireless sensors can constantly send information back to a central point – and installing these to replace traditional cabling will make maintenance easier and reduce vehicle weight.

Finally, accurately collecting customer behaviour metrics has long been the objective of both marketing and planning teams. For the rail sector, wireless services can collect anonymous information about passengers as they flow through stations and on the trains.

As an example, encouraging people to arrive at stations earlier through offers for restaurants or takeaways can reduce the rush heading for trains at the last minute. This information could also be used to better plan future stations.

Wireless creates a world of possibilities for train manufacturers and operators. But to see a return on investment it’s important that they consider the approach carefully.

The business case for providing reliable passenger Wi-Fi can certainly be made, if the right technology is chosen, and it’s clear that there is a passenger appetite for the service. By taking into account the operational efficiencies and cost-saving benefits of a wireless infrastructure, the costs change from being an expensive overhead to a sound investment in new revenue streams. zz

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Health & Safety

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Giving safety the green light MARY CLARKE examines how research, training and best practice can help rail companies keep their employees and customers safe in the face of growing pressures on the network

B Mary Clarke, CEO, Cognisco

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ritain’s railways are among the safest in the world.

Indeed, last month it was reported that a British team will help China to develop a health and safety culture after a series of fatal accidents.

However, a series of impending challenges look likely to test our ability to maintain that enviable reputation.

The rise in passengers is putting huge pressure on the network. Overall numbers rose by 5.7 per cent to more than 1.5 billion passenger journeys in 2013-14.

Meanwhile, the Office of Rail Regulation’s (ORR) latest safety report highlighted the challenges of managing record passenger levels and called for better infrastructure management. While Britain’s railways continue to have one of the best safety records in Europe, the report showed that workforce safety remains a significant challenge.

The report outlined the growing trend in track workers being injured. It reached its highest level in seven years, with 79 workers suffering serious injuries and 1,641 reporting minor injuries. There were also three rail workers deaths in the past year. An increase in the number of signals passed at danger (SPADs) is another worry for the industry.

A recent report by the Rail Standards and Safety Board (RSSB) found that the number of SPADs rose by

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17 per cent during 2013-14, with 293 reported incidents, compared with 250 in 2012-13. At the end of the 2013-14 the estimated level of risk from SPADs was 73 per cent of the September 2006 baseline, compared with 60 per cent at the end of 2012-13.

The Office of Rail Regulation has approved more than £250 million in funding to improve protection and warning systems for track workers. But what can rail companies do to improve health and safety?

Improving standards as rail travel rises Look into the future and Britain’s railways will become busier and busier, with unprecedented growth expected in both passenger numbers and freight. Network Rail plans to spend £37.5 billion on running and expanding the railways over the five years to 2019. If approved, this investment in new infrastructure will make a real difference by boosting capacity at pinch points on the network and providing 170,000 extra commuter seats at peak times by 2019.

Statistically, the risk of having more accidents is likely to increase. Rail companies need to do more now to ensure they can maintain and improve their health and safety record to cope with this growth. One accident is one too many, and one signal passed at danger is another disaster waiting to happen. And incidents like this have the potential

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz their workers’ skills. Such systems identify currently qualified staff regardless of location and can rapidly build and deploy new teams with the right skills and experience.

These systems also flag up forthcoming assessments or licensing requirements. That is essential to ensure the organisation is compliant with industry regulations.

Developing a health and safety culture

Safe practice in action

to cause crashes and derailments that could lead to serious injuries and deaths. Human error is most often the cause.

Helping change behaviour One of the things rail companies can do is spend more on research into why human error occurs and adopt a safety culture that minimises these risks. They should also improve employee competency and ensure staff comply with regulations at all times. It’s not as simple as just holding a record of employee certificates and licences.

Managers need to be confident that their staff fully understand their role and the latest safety procedures and work within the expected safety guidelines.

Passing a red light is likely to be down to human error.

Rail companies need to understand why a driver made the wrong decision – what made the driver make this decision. It could be an error of judgement, a lack of knowledge or a lapse in concentration. There is also the chance that it was intentional – as can happen on the roads when a driver takes a risk when the traffic lights are changing. Maintaining a consistently competent workforce is crucial to reducing exposure to risk.

All rail companies must have formal competency management systems in place to maintain and assess

Rail companies can also develop a health and safety culture that all employees follow and respect.

Organisational culture not only drives how people behave, but also their attitude towards taking risks. A driver who thinks they have just enough time to get through a red signal may reconsider if they understand the consequences.

Companies must first identify why drivers may be taking dangerous risks and then provide tailored training and targeted intervention to educate drivers, and discourage risky behaviour. Leaving things like this unchecked and not clearly understanding the human behaviour behind the statistics is unlikely to help reverse the trend of passing signals at danger.

A critical part of creating the right culture at work lies in being able to identify and document how people behave in their roles, and their engagement and understanding of the embedded processes. Managers need to understand employees’ likely behaviour, current knowledge and competence, understanding and confidence.

Every employee must be clear about what the company expects from them – how they should behave at work, how they should treat customers and the kind of actions that are acceptable. Companies need to measure this regularly to understand what employees are thinking and how they are acting at work. By measuring people’s level of understanding of their jobs, their likely behaviour in different work scenarios and how confident they are in making decisions, it will soon be clear if there are any gaps.

Using this knowledge, companies can offer more targeted interventions to close the skills gaps and help people to change for the better. It’s about offering encouragement, setting out the right way to do things at work and taking steps to ensure it happens.

New processes alone aren’t enough to improve safety, however. Rail companies also need to know how well employees understand the processes and if they will follow them. Companies must have tools that will measure and assess employee behaviour and risk. Without these tools, it’s difficult to make lasting health and safety improvements.

The only way rail companies can improve their safety record is to adopt a best practice approach to employee assessment, invest in tools which provide transparency and visibility around what individuals know and understand, therefore ensuring staff are competent and unlikely to take unnecessary health and safety risks. Taking these steps will help Britain to meet the safety challenges posed by the increasing popularity of its railways and pre-empt any arising safety issues. zz

Historic light on go.

Some of these lights are still operational on the network

Track workers 2013/14 l

3 rail fatalities

l 79 major injuries – a seven

year high l 1,641 minor injuries l 17 per cent increase in SPADs l Risk of SPADs 73 per cent

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NEWS I Appointments

New chairman for the RIA l Gordon Wakeford, managing director of Siemens Mobility UK, has taken over from David Tonkin, chief executive officer of Atkins UK and Europe, to become the new chairman of Railway Industry Association (RIA).

In this role he will lead the RIA Council, which is formed of senior representatives of the member companies and directs the activities of the Association which represents the UK railway supply industry.

Gordon Wakeford leads the Siemens Mobility Division in the UK which comprises Siemens’ Rail Systems, Traffic Solutions, Rail Automation and Rail Electrification businesses.

Prior to this, he was managing director of Siemens Standard Drives in Congleton. He is a member of the Siemens UK executive management board, a Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (FCIHT) and a Chartered Engineer (MIET).

Parsons Brinckerhoff appoints new technical director l Global engineering consultancy Parsons Brinckerhoff has appointed systems assurance expert Steve Denniss as technical director of its UK rail group, based in London.

Tasked with developing the company’s systems assurance capabilities, he will enhance the rail team’s industry expertise and provide technical direction and thought leadership.

Denniss has over 30 years experience of systems assurance, and specialised in the railway industry for the last 20, working on major projects worldwide such as Denmark’s Banedanmark signalling programme, Dubai Metro, Toronto transit upgrade, and London’s Thameslink programme.

Before joining Parsons Brinckerhoff Denniss was technical director of systems assurance with Parsons Group International. He also provided specialist expertise and project management for a series of research activities for the DfT, Network Rail and RSSB, looking at value for money, capacity and technical feasibility issues relating to signalling, train control and communications systems.

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Laing O’Rourke expert moves to Siemens Rail

Angel Trains Group welcomes new chairman

l Siemens Rail Automation has appointed Nick Dunne to the position of director technology for the UK. Nick joins the company from Laing O’Rourke where he was head of development and design for the UK infrastructure and construction business.

Bringing more than 30 years’ experience across a number of engineering and safety roles, Nick takes responsibility for a broad portfolio, including standards, platforms and portfolio, research and development, engineering governance and all aspects of safety. Nick has garnered significant rail projects delivery experience from senior positions at Balfour Beatty Rail Projects and Carillion.

Commenting on the appointment, Siemens managing director, Paul Copeland, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Nick to the company and to my executive team. I’m sure that his extensive rail engineering, safety and assurance skills and experience will be a considerable asset to the company in delivering excellence to our clients in these vital aspects of business delivery.”

l Tom Smith has been appointed chairman of Angel Trains Group Limited and will be taking up the post from 1 January 2015.

Tom’s experience in rail spans more than a decade. He has spent ten years at the Go-Ahead Group, latterly as managing director rail development, during which time he was asked to become independent chairman of ATOC. Tom, who graduated from Balliol College, University of Oxford with a degree in Chemistry, said: “I look forward to working closely with the talented team at Angel Trains, building on the strong foundations already in place. I have worked in rail for over ten years in roles which have given me valuable insight into the needs of train operating companies and passengers. I see my appointment as an opportunity to help ensure that the Group’s offer remains relevant to the industry and passengers.”

Thalys International CEO to head up Voyages-sncf l Franck Gervais, who has been serving as CEO of high-speed rail operator Thalys since May 2011, has now taken up the role of CEO at Voyages-sncf.com.

A graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris and an engineer in the French Bridge and Highway Corps, Gervais has held various posts in the French Ministry of Public Works, Transport, Territorial Development, Tourism and Maritime Affairs, before joining the SNCF Group and finally taking charge of the Transilien rail network. He moved to the Eiffage Group in January 2010 and then Thalys International in 2011 where he established new routes, diversified the range of services, offering them on digital platforms.

Gervais said: “Joining Voyages-sncf.com is both an honour and a challenge. It is an honour to steer the leading company in French e-commerce, and a challenge to set out the next steps in its development and to meet the high expectations of our 500,000 daily online visitors.”

RSSB’s Chris Fenton takes over at NSARE l Chris Fenton, chief executive of RSSB, has succeeded Crossrail’s Terry Morgan as Chairman of NSARE, the National Skills Academy for Railway Engineering. Terry stood down at the Annual General meeting on 2 December 2014, after five years at the helm.

The incoming Chris Fenton brings extensive experience of both infrastructure and the interface between the public and private sectors, through his work at RSSB, BSI and Amey, following an early career in chemicals. He is also a non-executive director at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

Chris said: “Passenger and freight growth is exceptional and the railway industry is being revitalised with an unprecedented level of investment. So I am delighted to be joining NSARE at this time, as it is the ‘go to’ organisation for addressing the need for new people and new skills to deliver this revitalisation.”

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Health & Safety

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Challenging traditional thinking JASON PEARCE, managing director of rail telecoms specialist Alan Dick Communications, believes contractors need to challenge their thinking as part of the key role they have in improving rail safety

S Jason Pearce

ince Mark Carne took over as Network Rail’s CEO in February 2014, he’s not pulled any punches where safety is concerned. Describing the level of health and safety incidents among staff and contractors over the last five years as ‘unacceptable’, he has sent a very clear message to everyone within the rail sector.

The Government’s commitment to funding £38 billion in rail over the next five years will bring inevitable health and safety risks. While this is one of the most exciting periods of growth in the UK’s rail infrastructure, the industry needs a properly educated and disciplined workforce to cope with the unprecedented demands and pressures to deliver projects on time and within budget.

Putting safety first The statistics do not make good reading: rail workforce fatalities have risen consistently since 2010/11. Mark Carne must be supported for his radical plans to ban staff who aren’t directly employed by Network Rail from holding safety managerial roles. It’s a strategy more of the industry needs to follow and one we are driving within our business.

Building strong relationships with our supply chain and avoiding transient subcontractors, minimises delivery and safety risk. Within our business model we seek to ensure teams work closely together and build a level of trust with one another. We have a very high proportion of directly employed staff who in my view are more engaged within the company culture and values.

That’s not to say there isn’t a significant challenge with a policy like this: the industry is increasingly people challenged, and typically has long gestation periods between orders when it may be carrying a heavier fixed employment cost.

Fundamental changes to the way the controller of site safety (COSS) role will operate, supported by massive training commitments from Network Rail must be actively supported by everyone. 30,000 days of delegate training completed this autumn by Network Rail and briefings for 200 contractors, are a major step in the right direction.

Network Rail has set a clear direction for safety on the railways. The challenge facing contractors is how to respond and act accordingly. Alongside Network Rail’s initiatives, I believe there are three other areas where rail contractors can focus efforts to actively support our industry to achieve world-class levels of safety.

The important trio Firstly, we need to recognise the impact that mental health can have on people’s performance. Secondly, we need to build more collaboration amongst contractors to ensure that best safety practice is always shared. Lastly, we need to embrace technology even more to keep our people safe, especially lone workers.

In June 2014 the ORR published a paper on stress in the rail industry, and this recognised that one in four people in the UK are now affected by mental health problems. The risks associated with unwell individuals working in a high safety risk environment are significant.

The ORR’s proposed management approach is to be applauded. The very fact that the problem has been openly recognised marks a watershed in the industry.

Mental health issues in the workplace are real. As all industries seek more businesses, we need to work smarter and introduce the environment, systems and methodologies that actively support individuals.

Culture within organisations usually cascades from the boardroom, and contractors of every size must ensure that occupational safety, including mental health safety, is part of their DNA. Sharing best practice is another big challenge for an industry that has tended to operate in silos. That mindset simply has to change. Sectors such as the airlines and defence have shown that collaboration delivers significant benefit, including driving improved safety.

Network Rail are leading on collaboration, but the rest of us must now adopt more open dialogue, sharing health and safety best practice.

Finally, technology has a huge role to play in making trackside working safer, dramatically cutting down on paperwork and manual errors that can lead to incidents.

IPS has adopted the use of iPads when working on London Underground projects, streamlining safety procedures and making arduous paper exercises far more efficient. The use of this popular technology means worker adoption has been high, which is especially useful for lone workers operating out of hours.

The ORR has taken a firm stance on recent health and safety failures among contractors. And this robust approach will quite rightly remain in place for some time to come. We all have an important job to do to bring the UK Rail industry to best in class, but putting safety anywhere else but the top of the agenda just won’t work. zz

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Service

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The Etihad Business Studio – with paired reclining seats and flexible privacy screens

Learning from the airlines

I Nigel Lawson, director, Acumen Design Associate

The railways have a way to go if they are truly to compete with the air travel.

NIGEL LAWSON reveals how the airlines have perfected the art of tempting the passenger with offerings in comfort and service they can’t refuse

n October 2014, staff of airline Flybe were questioned by police for leafleting at Exeter St David’s train station in the South West. The airline had recently launched a route to London City airport from Exeter and staff were promoting this at the railway station. This small scale spat exemplifies a wider issue. Where once air and train travel were seen as complementary, they are now also competitive. And shortly, with the development of Crossrail, HS2 and the announcement of HS3, alongside the growth in regional airports across the UK, this trend is likely to continue.

The Airlines’ strength: monetising passengers Airlines have traditionally been very strong at monetising the space in an aircraft. While the majority of the space is allocated to economy travellers, airlines have been very successful at upselling passengers, using the benefit of extra space and enhanced facilities to significantly increase the revenue that they can command from a customer.

Airlines have traditionally offered at least three classes of travel – effectively branding the same product (travel from A to B) with different values to attract different groups of people. More recently many airlines have also bridged the gap between economy class and business with Premium or upgraded economy, offering additional choice to customers and upselling the proposition.

This is something that the rail industry is poor at. Despite the fact that airlines and railways are competing head to head on an increasing number of journeys, railway

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operators have simply not embraced the concept of offering incremental benefits for additional services on the same journey.

First class: limited interest In the rail industry the choice for passengers is first class or standard class. Unsurprisingly, most passengers choose the standard option. In a survey conducted by The Daily Telegraph in 2013, only East Coast railways were prepared to disclose the proportion of first class seats sold: an average of 40 per cent.

This suggests that not only is the railway industry going about the way in which it offers different seats ineffectively, but that resources are being wasted at exactly the same time as overcrowding is blighting standard class carriages.

To resolve this, railway operators need to rethink the experiences that they are offering passengers.

A pathway to upgrade One thing that the airline industry has done effectively is to offer passengers simple ways to spend more. Very broadly a premium economy flight costs around double an economy flight. This, combined with loyalty points that can be used for upgrades, enables airlines to make upgrading to the next class affordable and a treat. Whilst train travel takes a similar approach to the differential in cost, the difference in experience is nothing like as marked as within an airline.

If the railway industry is serious about improving its ability to offer different experiences within the same journey it

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz would do well to consider how the airline industry has achieved this.

First, by providing multiple classes, the airline industry is able to encourage almost any passenger to look at the next most expensive experience. Additionally, the airlines make these experiences desirable. The airlines have taken on board new developments in air travel experience. For example, Acumen worked with BA in the mid-1990s on the development of fully flat beds. Since then these have been rolled out to more and more classes over time.

Thus an experience that used to be exclusive to first class passengers is now commonly incorporated into business class, driving achievable aspiration for passengers.

The challenge for rail operators is to achieve a similar environment: one where there is a genuine reason to upgrade and one that encourages people to take the next step.

The next development for rail operators is to provide modular carriage layouts for different classes of travel.

For example, there may be a first class layout for high net worth individuals, a business class layout for those that wish to get work done. Because, particularly in school holidays, so many families travel, it makes sense to develop family friendly carriages.

The key to this approach is flexibility. Airlines can add additional business class rows in certain aircraft and the rail industry needs to think along the same lines – having the flexibility to change the configuration of a train quickly and easily to suit different times of day and different audiences.

Smart use of space Airlines are incredibly savvy at using space in the most efficient and effective way. They recognise that providing people with more personal space and privacy on a journey has value that can be monetised. Rail operators need to become much more focused on this area. Simple changes, such as clustering two reclining chairs together enable passengers travelling together to enjoy a more private and personal journey.

Flexible privacy screens enable passengers to control their intimacy with others when the suites are shared by strangers. By using techniques common in the airline industry it is possible to generate more paying spaces on a train yet also provide more personal space to each passenger.

Creating an experience Airlines recognise that, while their job is to safely transport their passengers from one place to another, a large number of small but important non essentials make up the customer experience – from the quality of the coffee to the ease of booking. Airlines work incredibly hard on these experiences to build brand loyalty.

Despite an increasing number of long journeys taken on railways, facilities are still generally quite limited in advance of the journey and on-board. Staples of the airline experience (such as reclining seating, at seat refreshments,

Below: Delta’s Cirrus on the 747 – illustrating how angled layout can provide both inherent privacy for outboard passengers and a social-yet-flexible arrangement across centre seats

dedicated lounges, luggage storage and dining options) are all limited, and more recent developments in air travel such as dedicated check in and complimentary travel to and from departure are non-existent. Rail operators are missing opportunities to engage with their customers and deliver an experience rather than a mundane journey.

Even supermarkets are embracing complimentary hot drinks for loyalty programme customers – recognising that anything that makes the experience of shopping more pleasant will drive loyalty and engagement. Rail operators need to be thinking in the same way – is there less value in selling someone a £1.95 cup of coffee rather than giving it away as part of the experience.

Conclusion Rail operators could monetise their space far more effectively by learning the lessons from the airline industry’s cut throat competitive space. Rail operators need to give passengers more choice – from family friendly carriages to luxurious first class suites, through business lounges and beyond. Designing carriages so that they can quickly transform from one need to another is critical here. Details matter: from the complimentary newspaper or coffee to fully reclining seats, the airline industry knows the importance of the experiential journey. Finally never forget the critical non essentials: whilst an airline knows that success constitutes everyone arriving in one piece, it never forgets the importance of the experience in the sky. zz

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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.

27-29 January Transport Ticketing Global 2015 Lancaster House, London Organiser: Clarion Events Tel: 0207 384 7919 Email: hazel.miller@clarionevents.com Web: www.transport-ticketing.com 3-5 February Three Day Rail Conferences Frankfurt, Germany Organiser: Europoint Rail Technology Conferences & Exhibitions Tel: +31 (0)30 6981800 Email: iputman@europoint.eu Web: railconferences.eu/Conference/page/10585/ 9 February UK Air-Rail Update 2015 DLA Piper, London Organiser: Waterfront Conference Company Tel: 0207 067 1597 Email: conference@thewaterfront.co.uk Web: www.waterfrontconferencecompany.com 9-11 March Metrorail Europe 2015 Olympia, London Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: 0207 092 1125 Email: philip.kwok@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/conference/metrorail

17-18 March Middle East Rail Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: +971 4440 2500 Email: enquiry.me@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/ middle-east-rail 18 March The Future of Rail Signalling: Transition to ERTMS Stephenson Harwood, London Organiser: Waterfront Conference Company Tel: 0207 067 1597 Email: conference@thewaterfront.co.uk Web: www.waterfrontconferencecompany.com/ conferences/rail/events/rail-signalling-ertms 17-19 March Rail-Tech 2015 Utrecht Organiser: Europoint Conferences & Exhibitions Tel: +31 (0)30 698 1800 Email: info@rail-tech.com Web: www.rail-tech.com 24-26 March Intermodal Asia 2015 Shanghai World Expo Centre Organiser: Informa Exhibitions Tel: 02075 519 309 Web: www.intermodal-asia.com/

31 March to 1 April AsiaPacificRail 2015 Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: (65) 6322 2720 Email: sophia.ku@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/ asia-pacific-rail 14-16 April World Travel Catering & Onboard Services EXPO Hamburg Messe, Germany Organiser: Reed Exhibitions Tel: 0208 910 7132 Email: daniel.kazimierczak@reedexpo.co.uk Web: www.worldtravelcateringexpo.co 12-14 May Railtex 2015 NEC, Birmingham Organiser: Mack Brooks Exhibitions Tel: 01727 814 400 Email: railtex@mackbrooks.co.uk Web: www.railtex.co.uk 15-17 July RailNewcastle Conference Newcastle upon Tyne Organiser: NewRail Tel: 01912 083 976 Email: www.newrail.org/education Web: conferences.ncl.ac.uk/ railnewcastleconference

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) 15 April Fleet maintenance - Advanced Understand the issues affecting rail vehicle performance and cost of maintenance

Date: 14 May Vehicle dynamics and vehicle track interaction Understand the dynamics of railway vehicles to improve safety, comfort and asset life

25 March Traction and braking Principles of traction and braking for railway engineers

16 April Train structural integrity Structural integrity, fire and crashworthiness systems found on today’s rail fleets

Date: 18-22 May Introduction to railway signalling technologies An overview of railway control systems, subsystems and technologies used on UK main line and metro railways

26 March Train communication and auxiliary systems New and existing systems in use on today’s rolling stock fleet

12 May Train control and safety systems Learn of the systems used on UK fleets that provide safety and train operational control

Downloadable brochure is available at: www.imeche.org/learning-and-development/ courses/railway

14 April Fleet maintenance - Introduction Improve your processes and fleet maintenance processes

13 May Vehicle acceptance and approvals Introduction to acceptance procedures which apply across the rail network

24 March Introduction to rolling stock Provides a basic understanding of the role of traction and rolling stock within the context of railway systems as a whole

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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

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Instrumentation

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Planning for tomorrow... ...won’t leave you stuck on the tracks. YANN RAGEUL explains how growth in the rail industry could be spurred on by investment in condition monitoring systems

A Yann Rageul, is head of sales Europe & strategic consulting, Romax

s 2014 draws to a close, the rail industry can look back on what has been an extremely positive year. In the six months to September, 713 million passenger journeys were made, a 3.67 per cent increase on the same period last year – or more than 140,000 journeys a day. Putting this into context, the growth in rail travel has now outpaced the strengthening economy and rising employment levels.

Between now and 2019, Network Rail is going to be spending an average of £27 million a day on improving all parts of its rail infrastructure network and services, ultimately creating more capacity to carry extra passengers. While this represents an exciting time for the future of the industry in terms of investment and infrastructure, it will also bring with it certain pressures for the industry to deliver more, and be more sustainable.

As rail travel increases, so will the need for minimal disruptions caused by activities such as inspection and track renewal and engineering. The impact of this puts more emphasis on the need to conduct more effective inspection and maintenance in less time.

To address this we can expect the industry to place greater emphasis on implementing effective condition monitoring systems across rolling stock fleets.

On-line condition monitoring aims to determine the condition of machinery while in operation. As a practice it is gaining increasing adoption by sectors such as the aerospace, mining, power generation and renewable energy industries as a way to collect information analyse potential component failures and gain insights into the reliability and expected remaining life of assets. Importantly it enables preventive measures to be put in place that help machinery and technology to operate more effectively, providing increased customer satisfaction and increased return on investment.

Drawbacks of the current system Traditionally, the rail industry has adopted a timebased and reactive approach to maintenance.

Maintenance checks carried out across rolling stocks vary between manufacturers, but can be carried out as frequently as once every 1.4 to 2 million kilometres, depending on components and application. During these checks, the rolling stock is taken off the track while engineers review and provide recommendations

on all facets of the maintenance programme from when grease needs to be changed to when the bearings need to be taken apart and checked for damage.

The process is very reactive – find the fault and fix accordingly. The drawback though is it does not give a precise reasoning for why a fault occurs and more importantly, how to go about putting preventive measures in place that stop them reoccurring.

Faults could occur as a result of a design issue or the way the system has been fitted via the manufacturer. The possibilities for failure are incredibly vast and that is why we are starting to see a greater take up of condition monitoring systems. With the aid of computer-based systems engineers and manufacturers are now able to account for failures before they even occur.

Where condition monitoring triumphs Currently there are examples of this being seen with the introduction of sensors mounted on rolling stock, which can be used to identify irregularities across the track, train speed or performance. Sensors can be applied to different parts of the driveline from gearbox to axle. They then transfer data via Wi-Fi or radio transmitter to a central location, allowing the data to be reviewed.

The information can then be used to determine critical points at which maintenance needs to be carried out. As a result, huge efficiencies can be made in terms of cost savings, as firms will be able to plan in advance which materials and parts need to be replaced before a fault sets in. Moreover the maintenance team can be trained and ready for action, thereby reducing the downtime.

As the industry continues to grow we expect to see a greater emphasis placed on the importance of condition monitoring. Coinciding with increased penalties for delayed trains, condition monitoring systems present an opportunity for rail firms to take a much more forward thinking approach to maintenance moving from the reactive to the proactive and predictive. Potential problems are identified before they turn into potentially costly, catastrophic ones, leaving the rail industry to focus on what it does best, helping people to get from point A to point B as quickly, efficiently, reliably and as safely as possible. zz

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Security

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Protecting the rail network An ad-hoc, reactive approach to crime prevention may reduce crime in the short term but won’t necessarily yield the best results. A considered and co-ordinated strategy for a sustainable improvement is needed, says Neil CarteR, director of special operations at SmartWater

to ensure any crime reduction measures are effectively targeted, minimising wastage, making the security budget work harder and all the while improving safety.

Perhaps the greatest challenge with this approach is the shift in mindset that is required: so being prepared to not solely rely on traditional measures, but to take a more methodical approach. It is no longer about reactive security spending on expensive or traditional security measures such as burying cables, fixed CCTV, fencing and man-guards, but is instead about looking at the local threat level, which can yield far greater results.

This entails considering the most vulnerable locations to ensure the right hotspots are protected, considering the assets most at risk and then looking beyond to the access and exit route which might potentially be used by thieves or trespassers. By doing so, it is also possible to identify damage to perimeter infrastructure which may require repairing or bolstering.

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mproving safety and security go hand in hand in the rail industry. Reducing risk to the general public has become ever more prominent as the threat from vandalism, theft and general trespassing puts lives at risk. So, it is good news to hear that crime on the railway has fallen for the tenth successive year, especially given that it has widespread repercussion for the communities surrounding the lines as well as the safety of passengers and staff.

The reason for progress has been as a result of significant investment by Network Rail in safety and security measures as well as recognising the benefit of working with external specialists to address the challenges.

Assessing the treats Taking a considered, strategic approach to security, can make a significant difference. A threat assessment can be hugely beneficial, both practically and financially.

By identifying the risk and vulnerabilities, it is possible

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In fact, this approach has been implemented by Network Rail in partnership with British Transport Police (BTP) and SmartWater over the last four years. Undertaking a threat assessment helped to identify the most vulnerable locations along the London North-West (LNW) mainline and ensure any security measures were effectively deployed. With more than 7,200 km of line to protect, it was vital to take a holistic approach to tackling crime by considering all methods such as CCTV, fencing, manned guarding as well as SmartWater traceable liquid.

By identifying the hotpots, it was possible to implement safety and security measures accordingly to safeguard the entire line.

The first step in this strategy was to help Network Rail fully understand the security risks to their infrastructure.

Analysis of Network Rail’s crime data by SmartWater analysts meant that potential risk areas, hotspots and crime trends could be identified. This would ultimately allow the deployment of security measures to be strategically managed and concentrated in areas responsible for the majority of Network Rail’s crime incidents – maximising cost efficiency.

Recommendations were then made for how to improve security at these vulnerable locations, such as the use of covert cameras at access routes to identify would-be thieves and trespassers. SmartWater traceable liquids were also deployed at high-risk locations in order to protect cable. This allowed for the ownership of Network Rail assets to be conclusively proven if stolen, as every kilometre of Network Rail cable received a different SmartWater forensic code – allowing stolen cable to be traced back to the nearest kilometre.

Additional innovative tactics were also deployed to further influence criminal behaviour. This included targeted covert operations at hotspots or persistently targeted locations; engagement with scrap metal dealers to educate them about the use of traceable liquids on cables and the

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consequences for being caught with stolen cabling; equipping police stations with SmartWater detection equipment; and providing expert testimony in court in support of prosecutions.

As a result...

The positive outcome of such a strategic approach has been evidential in the results. Overall live cable theft was reduced by 54.7 per cent, which increased to 63.4 per cent following the introduction of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act (2013). In addition, delayed minutes were cut by 54.9 per cent, dramatically reducing the amount of compensation Network Rail had to pay to train operators and improving commuter confidence in the network.

Furthermore, over 50 arrests were made as a result of the SmartWater project, most notably due to the data intelligence gathered in the threat assessment.

In fact, the collaboration between Network Rail, British Transport Police and SmartWater is an example of how a strategic threat assessment can extend beyond the initial remit to deliver results in safety as well as crime reduction. Though SmartWater was initially contracted to tackle cable theft on the LNW mainline, the company was

also able to provide data and insight into other problems impacting on Network Rail’s infrastructure, including trespassing. Indeed, not all arrests aided by SmartWater were cable theft related.

Due to BTP receiving SmartWater covert camera data, BTP were frequently able to respond and catch trespassers on the line, including identifying local school children playing on the railway. This allowed BTP officers to visit the school and put a stop to the problem by educating the children about the dangers they faced, which incidentally supported the organisation’s community engagement activity. Ultimately the project has helped make the LNW line significantly safer.

Railway crime is one of the biggest problems facing network providers and while cable theft in itself is a major cause of delays and expense, there is also the added problems caused by trespassing and vandalism. While there is no one single solution that will solve all problems, having an informed understanding of the risk of crime can help an organisation make informed choices about short, medium and long term security. This ensures appropriate measures that can go beyond just dealing with one type of crime are put in place to counter a range of threats. zz

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Supply Chain

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Installation of primary steelwork at Birmingham New Street station

Richard Selby is co-founder of Pro Steel Engineering

Saving money Construction expert RICHARD SELBY believes Network Rail could learn from Transport for London and engage with sub-contractors early to save money

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ondon Underground (LU) has this year selected more than 20 small to medium enterprise (SME) contractors, and three multi-discipline design firms, to bring a new collaborative approach to its £330 million modernisation programme. The work will see 70 stations refurbished and maintained to a common standard that it hopes will result in no further work being required for at least ten years.

By selecting and working with over 20 SMEs to complete the work, LU has reduced the chances of stifled

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communications affecting its supply chains. This is a problem that has become increasingly typical within large construction contracts of late – where it is not uncommon to have up to 70 sub-contractors working together in four or five tier structures for one client.

By choosing to work with smaller firms, LU has put great craftsmanship at the top of its agenda, stating that it believes it is ‘the key to the success of any infrastructure project’. It is my belief that Network Rail can learn from this results-driven approach by directly engaging with its sub-

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contractors on all of its construction work.

This is especially important as, back in 2007, Network Rail reduced the number of track renewal contractors it works with, from six to four companies. Responsible for the maintenance of 20,000 miles of track and over 40,000 bridges and tunnels across England, Scotland and Wales, these firms will need support on major redevelopment projects – and that is where subcontractors enter the equation.

I’m not suggesting that Network Rail should stop

working with its preferred larger main contractors – far from it. But engaging with sub-contractors in the early stages of a project, in addition to its main contractor firms, can definitely improve the efficiency of projects.

When communicating through a main contractor, there is a risk – and often a reality – that messages can be misinterpreted, leading to misunderstandings, differing expectations and even disputes.

Direct communication with sub-contractors reduces that risk, as talking to those on the ground helps the client to gain a better understanding of the challenges associated with the project. By communicating with the sub-contractors at an early stage, clients will become more aware of the task ahead, helping them keep up to date on progress, and fully aware of any hitches that could delay the process.

Without this direct communication channel, both the client and the sub-contractor are at risk of increased costs. Alongside the penalty fees incurred by construction firms for lateness, Network Rail could be forced into hiring a new contractor to complete work at an increased cost.

Direct negotiation with sub-contractors would also encourage more SMEs to bid to work on Network Rail contracts as suppliers to larger firms. This increased competition could stimulate a culture of more innovative practices – saving Network Rail money and fostering growth throughout the supply chain.

The firm should also be careful to choose main contractors with a good reputation for paying subcontractors on time. We are fortunate enough to work with firms who have a fantastic track record on payment, but not all sub-contractors are as lucky and we are clearly the exception to a worrying rule. Just last year, nearly three quarters of all sub-contractors were paid over 30 days after the completion of the project. These results have led to the Construction Leadership Council launching a charter that commits the Government and wider public sector, major contractors and clients to pay all suppliers within 30 days from 2018.

More immediately, as of this year, the agreement forces clients and main contractors who sign up to the charter to pay all suppliers within 60 days immediately. This will then be reduced to 45 days from June 2015 and to 30 days in January 2018.

Payment, of course, is the end result of a specific project. For Network Rail, there is significant value to be gained from engaging with sub-contractors as early as possible in the work process.

By connecting with suppliers early, the firm can take greater control of its projects. More communication and less hierarchy in the supply chain mitigates risks and helps build closer relationships between sub-contractors and main contractors. Ultimately this means saving time and money, while delivering work of the highest quality; or in other words, first class results for standard class prices. zz

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FP McCann

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Concrete evidence FP McCann precast concrete shafts

The combined commitment of developing through acquisitions and organic growth has firmly positioned FP McCann as a key solutions provider, capable of serving the rail industry at home and abroad

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P McCann has a long history of meeting its clients’ needs, having secured and completed a portfolio of award winning projects in the UK and Ireland. Unlike a standard manufacturer, the business manages projects from conception to completion and handover by providing facilities and general management throughout the build programme. Recognised as the UK’s market leader in the manufacture, supply and delivery of precast concrete

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solutions its range is the largest available to the rail sector.

The quality and reliability of FP McCann products and services are the foundation of its success, and by constantly developing and improving its solutions it continuously builds on that position. “Over the last 12 months we have made a number of strategic acquisitions that have enabled us to increase our market share substantially, as well as growing our manufacturing capacity,” begins Stuart Carson, national sales manager for tunnelling, rail and power. In a series of four acquisitions ranging from manufacturing plants of modular platforms to leaders of pre-cast concrete products, the business has successfully increased sales and stock profile, as well as bringing new products to the market.

“These developments have led to us receiving some of our biggest orders to date, such as the refurbishment of London Bridge Station with Costain,” he highlights.

Through a geographical presence that incorporates nine manufacturing sites across the UK, the entire rail industry is able to benefit from the innovative and intelligent approach of the business and its products.

“We maintain a continuous dialogue with the market and

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FP McCann precast concrete solutions railway oversail block

landmark scheme to be involved with, and delivering this on time and to programme whilst co-ordinating the design team, contractors and engineers is a huge feat. Taking the leading role through using new technology, the weight of such a demanding project has been significantly lifted.

Through the use of building information modelling (BIM), in-situ concrete foundations and platform finishes can be designed on a series of standard unit types, which can be adapted across the entire station, minimising the number of different moulds required. “This is the first time we have been involved in BIM in terms of the design,” says Andy.

Incorporating the latest technology is an ever-growing aspect of the business and has helped in eliminating the complications once seen in projects where a spectrum of services seek to use similar passages. Shedding some light on the finer aspects Andy says: “BIM has helped no end in detecting clashes within other services that are tying in with the pre-cast, and the model will very much be something that we will move forward with. This gives the client the potential to incorporate all elements of the project into one model highlighting any issues that could arise, and also ensures we can pinpoint exactly where to manufacture holes and service ducts. We are embracing

this keeps us tuned in to the industry’s needs. From this we are able to develop products that really make a difference, such as the dual platform coper,” points out Stuart. The one piece unit, which consists of a standard coper unit combined with contrasting colour tactile section, saves installation time and avoids the problems associated with joining coping and tactile units; such as trip hazards and freeze/thaw exposure, and ultimately reduced life costs. “Our range extends far beyond the mainstream too, developing products such as the ‘lid lock’, enhancing the cable protection range to eliminate cable theft,” adds Andy Cooper, general manager.

Whilst the majority of FP McCann’s work is within the envelope of the UK, its ambition to provide the finest products to the market has been recognised further afield, securing contracts to supply platform components and copings in a prestigious supply deal to the Middle East on a light railway system in Qatar. The business is supplying Network Rail approved platform copers to two sub-contract construction companies working on different sections of the rail system.

The London Bridge refurbishment project was another

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FP McCann precast concrete rail troughs platform coping - London Bridge

new technology, and the shift towards this improved method of working as a solutions provider.”

The business has adopted a system that is so well engineered at the early stages, that on site installation has been simplified. Not only does this save time and cost on installation, but more importantly, facilitates the opportunity for clients and contractors to see the product in ‘working’ condition at an early stage, as Andy discusses: “The client can actually come and look at the product even before it leaves the factory, which is a huge advantage, particularly in prestigious works such as London Bridge. From the contractors point of view it promotes a quick and safe installation, checking that it fits together even before it arrives on site.”

A surge in project demand has inevitably led to the development, not just in technology, but of its workforce too, as Stuarts highlights: “We regularly take on apprentices and provide training for new employees.

We see the importance in developing and supporting the local community and talk with the colleges and universities, offering internships in some regions, and this is something we are looking to draught out nationwide.” Functioning as a self-contained business, the design, manufacture and final product are all key aspects of its overall vision, but so too is supply.

Taking note from the joint venture agreements in place between clients and contractors alike, FP McCann has explored the potential of its own joint venture agreement with a distributor, which will promote the capabilities of both companies coming together to serve the rail industry. “We expect to make a formal

Dual Platform coping

Platform coping

announcement before the end of 2014,” indicates Andy.

Through a combination of contractual arrangements and the organic development of its interests, the expectations of a 25 per cent expansion rate appear well calculated. “We are only just scratching the surface in terms promoting the method of working as a solutions provider. We have achieved record sales

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FP McCann

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz this year, and predict the same as more contractors switch over to this process, driven by health and safety, speed of installation and quality of product. Pre-cast concrete interests make up the majority of the turnover and though acquisition, organic growth and investment we will continue to cement our position in the rail sector,� concludes Andy. zz

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Kier Group

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Selby Swing Bridge

A successful connection With roots reaching back as far as 1928, Kier Group has established a reputation as a leading property, residential, construction, and services group

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oday Kier is a multi-billion pound business that continues its track record of delivering prestigious projects for high-profile clients across a spectrum of industries and markets. The company was last featured in Railway Strategies magazine during March 2014 when business development director, Richard Turner discussed Kier’s takeover of May Gurney, which was completed during July 2013 as well as several other aspects of the business. Within the past 12 months May Gurney has been fully integrated into the Kier Group and the addition of May Gurney has grown the Kier Group turnover to around £3 billion, which is a comparable size to Balfour Beatty in the UK. Richard comments: “From a market perspective, where previously May Gurney would bid on jobs valued between £5 million to £10 million, Kier now look at jobs from £5 million to £500 million. Furthermore, with the advent of HS2 we will see packages valued a £1 billion and that is the kind of opportunity we are now targeting as a business.”

Kier is already preparing itself for these significant projects and taking steps to be ready to adhere to the requirements

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anticipated in the future. For example, working on HS2 will require Level 2 Building Information Modelling (BIM) and this will be a Government requirement by 2016. BIM is a tool for generating and managing both visual and physical building data, and Kier is already further advanced than the requirements, standing at BIM Level 3: “This will deliver Mark Carne, the CEO of Network Rail’s vision of a ‘digital railway,” said Richard. “BIM allows for modular off-site construction, reduced delivery time, right first time, as possibly most important, increased safety.”

Indeed, health and safety is a core concern for Kier and the business constantly works to improve workplaces for employees, clients, partners and the public. Part of this is its Safety, Innovation and ‘National Level Crossings Risk Reduction Framework’. “This is now fully on stream, reducing risk every week on our railways, and delivering innovative delivery methods to further reduce cost, and delivery,” highlighted Richard.

Presently Kier is busying itself laying a strong foundation for Network Rail’s Control Period Five (CP5).

The company has won several tenders for high profile and challenging projects that underline Kier’s reputation as a highly trusted construction and services supplier. These include the £8.5 million station improvement scheme at Port Talbot, Wales. Kier was able to win the contract in the face of stiff competition and although its bid was

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not the lowest cost submission, it was considered to be the best technical and most innovative solution by a significant margin. In the wake of this success Kier has gone on to win several other contracts for CP5 that embody the company’s ability to tackle even the most technically challenging projects. “We will be delivering a number of jobs in the West of Wales within the Great Western Route Modernisation Programme,” Richard explains. “There are a lot of structures in this area requiring gauge adjustment, some of which will need to be demolished or heightened, and in most cases have parapets added to allow for electrification and Splott Road Bridge in Cardiff will be one of them. Potentially it will be a challenging project – Network Rail has described it as one of the more difficult, but we are ready for it.”

One of Kier’s strengths in this area is its ability to utilise its previous experience on difficult projects – for example, it recently completed the £13m Selby Swing Bridge Strengthening, Painting and Track Replacement development for Network Rail.

The bridge itself is 130 years old and comprises five spans, one of which spans the River Ouse in Selby, North Yorkshire. The project included the reconstruction of three of the spans, steelwork repairs to the other two spans, replacement of the hydraulic system which drives the swing span, replacement of the permanent

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Kier Group

Chesterfield Canal bridge being lifted into position - Part of the GNGE bridges contract

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at the industry over the coming years. Although the way running across the bridge and complete painting of industry’s leading contractors are used to dealing with the bridge using an innovative protective coating called technically demanding projects, the sheer scale of termarust. There were many challenges throughout projects like HS2 and CP5 will place greater demand the entirety of the project most notably, working over on resources and likely drive a spirit of co-operation water, boat movements, timescale, age of the structure, within the rail industry, as Richard elaborates: “This is management of numerous trades and close proximately something that we are increasingly beginning to see to residents. around the country. There is beginning to be more This last point included managing noise, which was demand than supply of certain scarce resources and particularly challenging. Kier mitigated this as much as this requires contractors to work in collaboration. We are possible by using acoustic barriers all around the site. already starting to see this in Wales where framework In the end the refurbishment has meant a reduction in holders are already collaborating to indentify resources noise every time a train passes over the bridge. The new in design and making sure that we don’t overcook some track has created a smoother ride for the trains meaning of the design houses as well as sharing knowledge on a quieter time for not only residents, but passengers on best practice.” board. It has also provided a more reliable service on Part of the Kier strategy is to work in partnership the route. with leading specialist companies like Keltbray. Both Furthermore as part of its aim to get involved with businesses are now in a strong position to play a vital the community, Kier also worked closely with a local role in the UK’s rail network for years to come. zz Primary school. Along with Network Rail it ran a poster design competition and asked the pupils to find the most creative way of getting site safety messages across to residents and visitors in Selby. The lucky pupil at a Barlby Bridge Community Primary School had their artwork publicly displayed on the hoardings around the site. It also held environmental days with pupils and built a new outdoor learning area. This was a complex project, but thanks to Kier’s innovative approach, the bridge was successfully handed back on time after a tight six-week blockade, and within budget.

With the likes of HS2, Crossrail and CP5 on the agenda, the rail industry could be described s e Jane Burges as in a major period of transition, with massive Kier Apprentic ke of York on day Du meeting the investment and technical innovation targeted llege 2014 release at co

www.kier.co.uk

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IDOM

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global

discipline With offices all over the globe, IDOM represents a significant multidisciplinary provider of engineering, architecture and consulting services

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ounded in 1957, IDOM operates as a leading multidisciplinary group that provides engineering, architecture and consulting services. Today the company boasts more than 2500 professionals at work across 34 offices spread over 16 countries across five continents. Furthermore the business is employee owned and as such values and strongly encourages the personal development of its employees. Indeed IDOM nurtures strong relationships with its team, which it considers to be its principle asset in the service of its clients. It is the philosophy of IDOM that its customers are its absolute priority and “raison d’être” and it is for

this reason the continued technological development, introduction of new quality systems and diversification of activities are the tools that the company relies on to deliver the best solution to it clients’ needs.

In over 50 years of operation, IDOM has grown to serve a broad base of clients and industries. Its infrastructure division has developed a particular focus on urban transportation systems and is today present in over 120 countries. Within the UK, IDOM currently manages six offices that provide a local base of operations and intermediary between national and international projects, Javier Quintana as Director of IDOM’s Architectural

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IDOM

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Division in the UK: “IDOM first opened an office in the UK in 2001, with the primary focus on expanding our Architectural Division. Having established ourselves in the UK, we were focused on providing a link to our network of Spanish clients who were expanding themselves also into the UK market. These included clients such as the Embassy of Spain, Spanish Tourist Board, Celsa and Silken Hotels. We also worked in collaborations with some of the prominent UK architects who were developing projects in Spain. Years later IDOM had the chance to build lager and more complex projects such as the T2A and T3IB in Heathrow Airport and other British clients. From the UK IDOM is also operating with Anglo-Saxon markets.

“IDOM has been involved in the railway sector since the 90’s and the railway division in the UK works with a UKbased team scattered throughout the different offices in the country, with professionals with specific expertise and knowledge of the UK rail industry and with the continued support of railway staff from the different offices that IDOM has worldwide.”

IDOM has a wide expertise in the Railway Sector worldwide, delivering multi-disciplinary projects covering the whole lifecycle of them, from feasibility and detailed

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design until test and commissioning. At this point IDOM is involved in the design and construction of railway lines in Chile, Mexico, Spain, Colombia, among others. During 2013 the company also began work on a new metro network for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in collaboration with its client the ArRiyadh Development Authority (ADA). The metro system will comprise six lines covering 180 km with 75 stations and is projected to take five years to complete.

IDOM is in the consortium led by Salini-Impregilo as designers, which were awarded with the Line 3.

“We cover all the different disciplines such as civil works, track and railway systems and architecture. Our figures are over 1000 km of high speed lines designed, 37 km of high speed tunnels, 25 km of high speed viaducts, seven high speed intermodal stations and on site supervision contracts of over 300 km,” says electrical engineer IDOM railway and electrification systems, Carlos Azuaga. “In regards to electrification systems our expertise extends from DC systems for metro, tramways and conventional rail to AC systems in 25kV AC with or without ATF for high speed railway lines.”

Within the UK, IDOM is also part of a £3 million partnership funded by the government to research a more effective design and application of overhead power lines. “This is a competition that is being funded as part of a Future Railway competition managed by RSSB, and in partnership with Network Rail and the Department for Transport,” Carlos explains. “The scope of it is to develop innovative solutions regarding the OLE or Civils to accommodate the new OLE equipment necessary for the National Electrification Programme and avoid the bridge reconstruction on dozens of them. The current issue facing the network is that the British railway lines were the first ones in the world to be built, and due to this the majority of the structures and bridges on the line are historical and listed bridges that were not conceived

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SUGREMIN

to accommodate the new electrical equipment. This is even more the case with the 25kV AC electrification system, which requires big electrical clearances. IDOM is one of the nine companies awarded in this competition, and we are designing and developing an OLE innovative solution which will gain clearance avoiding the bridge reconstruction and keeping intact the historical and listed bridges along the British railway line.”

Furthermore IDOM was a finalist and highly commended in the RIBA international design ideas competition for Aesthetic Overhead Line Structures related to HS2. “IDOM led a consortium with British heritage consultant Alan Baxter Associates and Spanish

manufacturer SEMI,” Carlos reveals. “IDOM’s proposal called the ‘Needle System’ is designed to minimise visual intrusion in environmentally sensitive areas and to complement contemporary cutting-edge design of new HS2 stations. Needle System combines an elegant, slender asymmetric profile with practical, economical and robust detailing. Conceived as a ‘kit of parts’ it uses a generic mast design in 20mm & 30mm steel gauge variants that can be configured respectively for twintrack configurations as a simple cantilever but also for use with multi-track gantry configurations.” zz

www.idom.com

SUGREMIN is a state-ofthe-art railway catenary structures manufacturer.

SUGREMIN has supplied its products to development projects across the globe.

SUGREMIN goes beyond high quality and competitive pricing; SUGREMIN has a special focus on research and design enhancement to maximise client satisfaction and ensure projects are delivered on time and on quality. Over the years, IDOM and SUGREMIN have partnered to provide the best and most competitive designs.

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Touax Rail LTD

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A logistics showcase As one of Europe’s largest lessors of intermodal railcars, Touax Rail’s growing reputation is second to none

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Louis Pastré business development and marketing director, Touax Rail

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ounded in 1855, Touax has a rich history that can be traced back to when the company began life as Compagnie de Touage de la Basse Seine et de l’Oise, operating as a river transport service on the Seine and Oise rivers. Today the company has grown into a truly global enterprise with a diversified portfolio trading in four areas comprised of shipping containers (600,000 TEUs), modular buildings (three assembly plants), river barges and rail cars. The business ordered its first hopper cars in France during 1954 and over the years Touax Rail has grown its fleet to over 9000 owned and managed rail freight vehicles, serving 70 main clients across five continents. Within Europe Touax Rail works in co-operation with workshops and mobile teams and represents clients in the US through its partnership with Chicago Freight Car Leasing. Furthermore the company is keen to expand its fleet to as many as 10,000 rail cars and to maintain its momentum through a programme of continued diversification of its wagon types.

The company manages its wagons under Vereinigung der Privatgüterwagen-Interessenten (VPI), the German association of parties interested in private freight wagons, which allows it to deliver maintenance such as reprofiling

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and revisions closer to its clients’ operational areas. This greatly reduces transportation costs and downtime.

Furthermore Touax Rail gained ISO 9001 accreditation in 2010 and became one of the first companies to achieve Entity in Charge of Maintenance (ECM) certification during December 2011. As such the company’s technical know-how in the field of technical management and maintenance of railcars has seen it contracted to manage the ECM services of a large intermodal fleet of over 1100 wagons over the course of three years. Additionally it has undertaken further projects to supply a large number of coal wagons for traffic between the Benelux and Germany, and gained new clients in existing and new countries, including Poland and Turkey. It has also recently opened a central warehouse to deliver the main spare parts to its clients, in addition to secondary stocks spread over Europe, based on main clients’ routes.

Since it was last featured in Railway Strategies during July 2013, Touax Rail has continued to grow its fleet and won contracts that have enabled it to pursue its ambition of an expanded service portfolio. In October 2013 the company announced that it had won a prestigious contract from Volkswagen Logistics to deliver a fleet

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Touax Rail LTD

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ELH As a very experienced manufacturer, ELH has the capabilities and technology needed for the development and production of special and track friendly bogies for freight and passenger wagons.

The company creates a wide range of products in a variety of options, such as the RC25NT family, which includes the RC25NT-D (with brake discs), the RC25NT-C (with compact brake) and the RC25NT-K (composite brake blocks).

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of 300 high-capacity sliding-wall wagons. The twin-axle wagons were required to have minimum internal height of 3000 mm to enable the transport of mesh box pallets (CKD) and were constructed by Greenbrier Europe at its Świdnica plant in Poland. The manufacturer was able to prove its experience in sliding wall wagons and ensured a close and successful co-operation thanks to a strong commitment

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from the top management, sales and R&D departments.

The first prototype was received in March 2014 with a second following shortly thereafter. During InnoTrans 2014 Greenbrier symbolically presented a prototype Wagon to Touax Rail, where the company triumphantly showcased the prototypes.

Following successful trials of the prototypes, EBA certification and others, Touax has begun the process of delivering the new fleet to Volkswagen, with the first new cars set to arrive in November 2014. “The partnership with Volkswagen coincides with our marketing strategy to lease more wagons to industrial clients, who are interested in profitable and long term agreements,” said Louis Pastré, business development & marketing director.

“Touax is proud to be a partner for inbound logistics, as for many years we have been actively involved in the outbound logistics, transporting new cars on laaers wagons.” Touax Rail was already renting four axle Ha wagons on the market, but was looking for additional optimised sliding wall wagons. The company plans to continue to invest in his segment, offering new wagons for light or heavy cargo.

During July 2013 Louis commented that rail would continue to grow as a vital link in Europe’s supply chain: “Rail market share versus road will increase regularly in Europe. In addition, the European fleet is getting older and needs a strong replacement programme over the coming years. Whilst the market needs 10,000 to 20,000 new wagons per year, the last five has seen only 5000 to 7000 produced. Compared to a European fleet that numbers around 700,000 wagons this represents around only one per cent. This is a structural under-investment trend that should end soon. So far the market remains under full production capacity but is improving, helped by regular replacement of tank wagons as well.”

Indeed the continued success of the company in winning tenders for such significant contracts such as its recent success with Volkswagen would seem to suggest that the future could present a significant opportunity for Touax Rail. Certainly the conditions are right for freight lessors to supply significant added value to clients,

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as Louis elaborates: “These combined parameters will position leasing companies as key partners to accompany this development. Leasing ensures flexibility and low capital expenditure for our clients who need to optimise their organisation, traffic management, and costs. This enables them to focus on their core business of customer service and transportation. In addition, industrial companies are also leasing wagons in order to stay independent from the RUs (railway undertaking) – in the case of lower quality service they keep control of the wagons and simply have to find another solution for the traction.”

Presently Touax Rail is enjoying regular growth throughout Europe despite a challenging market, the US, and is starting in India. “We believe in a continuous recovery of rail business,” said Louis. The group’s wagons are leased on long-term contracts to railways, logistics and industrial clients in intermodal transport and the transport of palletised general cargo. Additionally Touax is the owner of a fleet of wagons transporting mining coal, steel coils and finished vehicles.

Over the next 12 months, Touax intends to offer pocket wagons for the transport of mega trailers and other additional open or covered wagons. Louis added: “Touax Rail offers other solutions like sale & leaseback where clients can prioritise cash allocation while they continue to use the wagons, protecting their market shares/positions.”

Looking further ahead, Louis concluded with Touax’s longer term strategic vision: “Touax Rail expects to

increase its development further in Europe and develop on other continents with internal or external growth, and continue to improve its service level. As such it maintains a wide service base that will support the company for many years to come.” zz

www.touax.com www.touaxrail.com

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Craig & Derricott

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C&D Uncouplers

Switched on

Component supplier to both rolling stock and infrastructure sectors within the rail industry Craig & Derricott continues with its drive to introduce its innovative LED tubes into the refurbishment market

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ith a history of operating in the UK rail industry dating back over 60 years, Craig & Derricott has developed a strong reputation as a manufacturer and supplier of switch gear.

Predominantly involved within the rolling stock sector, the company has worked with blue chip organisations such as Bombardier, Hitachi and Alstom on new build and refurbishment projects as well as the design of new components.

Previously featured in Railway Strategies in March

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2014, business development manager Jon Beaumont discussed the company’s activities. “We offer a wide range of very bespoke equipment from the overhaul and new construction of drum switch un-couplers to master controls, power break controllers, cab isolation switches and driver key switches. We provide switchgear equipment rated from milliamps right up to 4000 amps.�

Focused on providing high quality bespoke products, the company believes working closely with clients is key to designing and developing components and solutions

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz for issues such as obsolescence which has become increasingly more problematic in the industry. Indeed, although the lifetimes associated with components used in the rail industry can reach up to three decades, the expected level of performance over this time period can only be achieved if products are supported by maintenance programmes and the availability of replacement parts. Furthermore, the rail industry faces the specific challenge of having both old and ultra modern rolling stock and infrastructure in operation.

Because these can’t be dealt with in the same way companies must identify all parts potentially affected by obsolescence and evaluate the various means of replacement.

“Throughout 2014 we have been increasingly overhauling and upgrading equipment,” confirms Jon. “We regularly work with Unipart Rail who supply the whole rail industry. We are undertaking a significant programme with them to support the management of obsolete products and equipment upgrading.

Furthermore, we provide overhaul services on equipment we have previously manufactured such as drum switch un-couplers, master controllers and power break controllers. We bid on contracts too but really anything

LED Downlighters

that comes up in a C6 and a C4 is of interest to us. We are also in the process of overhauling door opening pushbuttons - another project to overcome obsolescence and to meet PRM TSI.” Having engaged in a programme of investment and growth over recent years, Craig & Derricott has further enhanced its services and boosted its reputation for

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Craig & Derricott

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Four Tubes in a row

engineering expertise, customer service and proven product quality. As part of its on-going growth program Craig & Derricott has signed a contract in July 2014 with Milan based Studio Professionale di Ingegneria Industriale (SPII), a leading component supplier and system integrator for the railway industry and increased its focus on significantly upgrading its product base.

To make this aim a reality, the company has continued to build its R&D department complete with engineers using CAD and 3D modelling specifically for rail projects.

Complementing these strengths is the company’s full understanding of market requirements gained through open communication with manufacturers of trains and refurbishment organisations such as Rail Services, Bombardier and Alstom. Additionally, the innovative firm has developed close relationships with ROSCOs and operators as a way to further generate business.

A prime example of Craig & Derricott’s ability to respond to market demand is its solution for the

Hitachi back wall panel

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refurbishment sector following the government’s decision to make T12 fluorescent lighting obsolete. With T8 tubes due to follow suit the company came up with LED tubes - a new product that can replace existing fluorescent tubes using existing fittings with minimal wiring changes. The product is not only on the market having successfuliy completed extensive complex trials and met all specifications but is also in the process of being fitted for the first time in a major contract with Bombardier.

Since it was awarded the £30 million twoyear contract to undertake the enhancement and maintenance of Eversholt Rail’s fleet of Class 365 trains in November 2013, Eversholt Rail Group has chosen Craig & Derricott to replace the fluorescent lighting on the entire fleet with its state-of-the-art LED tube lights.

“The first vehicle should be completed this week and we will also be supplying the door pushbuttons on this project,” says Jon. On top of this game changing project, the company is also working with Bombardier on the £1 billion Crossrail contract and Hitachi with their on-going IEP project which involves Hitachi Rail Europe providing new electric and bi-mode trains on both the Great Western Main Line and the East Coast Main Line.

Moving forward the future looks positive for Craig & Derricott as it continues providing high quality solutions to some of the major railway projects in the UK and as Jon concludes: “Although we do a lot of refurbishment there is a lot of new build activity at the moment; you have Bombardier working on Crossrail and Hitachi working on IEP with whom we are doing a great deal of work currently. The test vehicle is nearly ready on the East Coast Main Line and more vehicles will be following in 2015 and we are working on designs for the Great Western Main Line. We also see potential for growth into Europe following Hitachi’s recent expansion into this area.” zz

www.craigandderricott.co.uk

C&D Uncouplers

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semmco

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Side access platform

The train at platform one…

Semmco is the UK manufacturer of access platforms, building innovative concepts that tackle head on the challenges of reaching new heights in the construction and maintenance of a modern sector

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he company began operations in 1993, based in Woking, itself a hub attracting engineering expertise. Employing a workforce of 25, across sales, design and production, the business specialises in the manufacture of access and ground support equipment for the railway and aviation sectors.

Semmco’s position in the access market, utilising a lightweight aluminium construction, was affirmed with the introduction of working at height regulations, which opened up numerous opportunities within the railway sector. “Most of our products have and continue to be evolved through

customer requirements. Although we produce a standard range of equipment, each bespoke solution complements the differing profiles of trains, and also the restrictions within a depot,” says Stuart McOnie, managing director.

The rail sector continues to promote an exciting environment for business, with investment from all channels. Through hard work, Semmco has grown its position, educating its audience to the benefits of its offering, as Stuart points out: “It has taken a long time for people to accept our product, which as a customised option comes at a premium, but the quality, reliability and

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Above: Portable roof access platform Above left: Side access/ Driver access platform Left: Fixed steel gantry Below: Front access Platform Facing page: Pit Board

safe access it provides for working on and around trains is becoming more recognised. Across the sector in the last 18 months we have experienced growth of nearly 40 per cent.” This is a statistic reiterated by business development manager Andrew Walling: “Our offering and the benefits compared to competitors products are well understood, and we have brought in new customers as well as grown with our existing customer base.”

From operators such as First Group, East Midlands Trains, C2C and Hitachi, through to depot construction

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companies and large businesses such as Bombardier and Arriva Trains, the range of its clients reflects the bespoke nature of its service capabilities. “R&D is a big driver within our company and we spend well into a six figure sum each year on developing that aspect. We are well respected within the industry for delivering innovative and smart solutions, driven to design products with consideration to multi-function and manoeuvrability, whilst remaining safe, strong, reliable and importantly aesthetically smart,” says Stuart.

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Product choice ranges from standard side access platforms, through to bespoke nose docking replacement duct, front access platforms and bespoke roof access platforms. The aluminium profile of each design, unique to Semmco, is a bolted and plated slotted system that allows for high strength mechanical joints without the requirement of welding. “This eliminates the problems that customers have been experiencing with weld fractures and high maintenance required on competitors equipment. “Our R&D capability allows us to stress and load test throughout the design stage. Each of our platforms has its own CE certificate, and the completely aluminium product boasts long life qualities. Whilst our platforms may have side access capability, they may also be used for front access on a vehicle,” highlights Andrew as the business introduces more solutions to the market such as variable height platforms, which reduce the number of platforms required by the customer. “Although the initial outlay for the client may be greater, the long term advantages are clear,” he adds.

Not only has Semmco brought to the market the variable height, front access platform, which allows for doing all the front end access work on the vehicle, but has also introduced the portable roof access model, providing increased safety for the operator. A third product, offered in the UK is the Peco, a manual access platform, which is both height adjustable and manoeuvrable. The one-man operation, removes the requirement for special training as a result of it not being a powered unit. First ScotRail Ltd, a long-standing customer has benefitted from simple access platforms to large boxing ring roof access platforms. “We have also been working on construction projects with VolkerFitzpatrick, where we have been highlighted as one of the potential suppliers of access platforms for the new Hitachi depots. We are winning quite a bit of work with our portable access platforms, roof access and bespoke design capabilities,” says Andrew. As new rolling stock is brought in over the coming years in line with new franchise

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agreements, it opens up opportunities for Semmco to supply new equipment to existing and potentially new customers.

To keep up with the growing demand, the workforce also must inevitably grow and the company is actively addressing this in manufacturing and design, as well as expansion of aftersales, service and total care packages, as Stuart expands: “Internal training ingrains the basic principles of engineering, assembly and welding, opening a deeper understanding of the theoretical knowledge as well as developing the practical experience.” Looking forward, Stuart provides an insight into the strategy that has proved its success and will continue to do so: “We run a one, three and a five-year plan, and we have achieved most of the objectives that we set ourselves for this year. We are now in the process of reviewing our objectives for next year, targeting close working relationships with the operators and depot designers.

Through offering an expertise in access solutions in and around the depot we have the capabilities to save everybody money, designing and delivering solutions that are right first time.” zz

www.semmco.com

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ZONEGREEN

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Points Converter

Promoting a safer environment With over 15 years of experience, Zonegreen has developed a market-leading reputation in the field of rail depot protection

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onegreen delivers intelligent technologies that offer protection from the dangerous environments in rail depots and workshops, in a safe and efficient manner. The company operates from its headquarters located in Sheffield, from where it has served some of the rail industry’s most recognised brands within the UK and abroad, including Siemens; Alstom; CAF, New Zealand; Eurostar; Dubai Metro; Kiwi Rail, New Zealand; First Group and Hitachi. “Our customers choose to use Zonegreen systems for many reasons,” says Zonegreen’s technical director, Christian Fletcher. “We are commonly thought of as the industry leaders and as a result are often specified by consultants during the design phase of most modern depots. Our reputation of quality, safety and reliability, combined with our team of expert engineers and transparent pricing maintains our position as market leaders. By developing long-term working relationships with our clients, we ensure our products consistently meet the demands of a rapidly changing industry.”

Zonegreen specialises in the provision of rail depot personnel protection. The company’s Depot Personnel

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Train in depot Protection System (DPPS), offers fundamental advantages to conventional control systems, in particular, reliability, flexibility, expandability and resilience to single point of failure. The DPPS is an off the shelf, proven product, that is based on distributed intelligence control architecture, as aposed to conventional, bespoke programmable control logic (PLC) based control systems.

“Zonegreen provides maintenance depot operators with the tools that they need to protect their most valuable asset; their people,” Christian explains. “The combination of products that Zonegreen offer, mitigate the risks that employees face whilst at work. With recent RSSB statistics demonstrating that maintenance depot workers reported a RIDDOR injury rate of 20 per 1000 workers per annum compared to ten per 1000 track workers per annum, the risks that are present in maintenance depots are very real and often overlooked.”

Indeed the DPPS is currently in operation within the UK and around the world. As a safety critical system that demands the highest level of operational integrity, DPPS has proven its reliability and capability with clients in Europe, Dubai, Australia and New Zealand. Furthermore the DPPS was awarded system integrity level (SIL) one prior to its installation at the prestigious Eurostar Temple Mills Engineering Depot in East London in 2007.

This impressive installation once again highlighted the system’s capability and was the first to demonstrate that it is fully complaint with SIL as defined by IEC61508 and EN50128/50129.

While the DPPS is used to protect depot personnel from the unauthorised movement of trains, Zonegreen’s latest technology, the Points Converter, further safeguards operators through the automated and remote

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Operating REP at depot door Road end control pannels

manipulation of manual hand points, switches and railroad crossings. Powered manual points offer a number of significant advantages including enhanced safety through the mitigation of manual handling injuries and the reduced potential for slips, trips and falls; increased depot efficiency and speeding up of operations by eliminating many stops and starts. The Zonegreen Points Converter is a low cost, expandable system in which routes can be pre-set, re-configured and upgraded at any time, meaning that multiple hand points can be set at the push of a button. In addition the Converter system provides traceability through an event logging system that allows the depot manager to keep a record of the points operation.

“Shunters are very much ‘on the ground’ and working in the thick of the action, the RSSB’s report showed that the rates of shunter fatalities and RIDDORreportable injuries are at a significantly higher level than other workforce groups,” Christian explains. “This demonstrated to us that there was a clear need for safety technology to be put in place to protect these employees and improve their working conditions.

According to figures compiled by the Rail Safety and Standards Board, injuries to drivers and shunters account for almost one third of all accidents in rail yards and depots, with 68 per cent of these resulting in major injuries.”

Zonegreen’s Point Converter attaches directly to the hand point mechanism and moves the switch blade with a hydraulic actuator. Multiple units can be linked and operated from a distance, using a remote handset that enables predefined routes to be programmed in advance. Switch position can then be moved

automatically, allowing a train to reach its desired location without physical intervention and exertion. Furthermore, the radio controller is flexible enough to be hand portable, cab mounted or mounted within the depot, all of which can be managed through a centralised control system via windows PC interface. This offers advanced route planning and on-screen visualisation, which can be used in route select mode to operate several points and crossing simultaneously.

Christian concludes: “With the growing pressures faced by the government to reduce pollution and increase the ease at which people can travel between the power hubs within the UK, rail travel will continue become an ever more popular mode of transport. This will result in an escalation of traffic through rail maintenance depots, intensifying the pressure on the personnel who work there and adding to the risks that they face.

“We believe that the increase in demand will be met with an increase in automation advances in condition based maintenance equipment and further technological advances. In order to keep abreast of the changing risks it is important that we continue to evolve the protection solutions that we offer.”

Improving safety rightly continues to be of paramount importance to the rail industry. Zonegreen’s innovative safety solutions play their role by providing 21st century technology to railways both in the UK and abroad. zz For more information about Point Converter and Zonegreen’s wide range of rail depot safety solutions, please telephone +44 (0)114 230 0822 or visit:

www.zonegreen.co.uk.

Rail Depot

Derailers

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V.S. Rail

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Benfleet station

Platform for growth With an extensive track record of delivering £10m infrastructure projects behind them, the duo who bought V.S. Rail a year ago brought a main contractor’s perspective to running a sub-contracting company

T

hey knew the best sub-contractors they had worked with delivered on time and on budget and were not harbouring ambitions to become main contractors themselves. Their ambition was to run V.S. Rail as a sub-contracting business that would be a valued partner rather than a potential rival for main contractors. Twelve months down the line, Daniel Jane and Operations Director Jonathan Pounsett, believe this philosophy has been a key driver of the company’s success. Client numbers have increased significantly and turnover has doubled in the 12 months since they bought the business. Daniel Jane is the company’s managing director. “To date, we have undertaken close to 100 platform extensions and rebuilds, along with drainage, fencing, vegetation clearance and the provision of safety critical resources,” he began. “We have established a first class, experienced management team to meet our customer’s requirements and continuously strive to achieve the delivery of an unrivalled service.”

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V.S. Rail’s management team’s aim is to ensure main contractors see a job well done, without surprises, by staff who understand the bigger picture when working on infrastructure projects. The company’s strategic vision is to become a construction and support service sub-contractor of choice, a firm that can be relied upon to meet any challenges that arise during the lifecycle of a project, while always looking for ways to exceed the expectations of their customers.

Founded in 2000, V.S. Rail has developed an impressive blue chip client list. Daniel highlights the reasons: “Our clients include Balfour Beatty Rail, Osborne, B&M McHugh, BAM Nuttall and Raymond Brown. We believe that these contractors value our capabilities and quality of work. We will not compromise on delivery by cutting our prices, which ensures that clients receive projects safely, delivered on time, to budget and to specification.”

V.S. Rail is also keen to back initiatives taken by the

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Ashtead

companies it works for, helping them to achieve their aims and objectives, while also embedding best practice in the company’s own training regime. An example of this is Osborne’s STOPTHink! Program, which is a safety initiative to encourage everyone on site to think about their personal safety and the welfare of their colleagues by working to curb bad habits or complacency. Two of V.S. Rail’s senior management team have enrolled on a two-day STOPTHink! training course to ensure this message is reinforced at V.S. Rail. Company management and workers have also undertaken several courses on service detection and avoidance techniques.

V.S. Rail is Link-Up approved and the board recently signed up to the Utility Strike Avoidance Group.

The company’s new management has been keen to reinvest for the future. It has bought welfare vans for its staff and a new fleet of vehicles. V.S. Rail is also investing in human capital. “We are currently actively recruiting operatives, engineers and site managers to

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V.S. Rail

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Liphook station

help us deliver our increasing workload,” Daniel explained.

“We believe that we need a good core of highly trained individuals to help us develop the next generation.”

The skills that V.S. Rail has accumulated since it was founded have been implemented in a range of projects, as Daniel noted. “V.S. Rail continues to support BAM Nuttall on a variety of projects across the Western Region, and is currently working on several bridge deck replacements around Didcot,” he said.

“We have recently finished the installation of 17 access points for Cleshar on the Network Rail Wessex Region, and supported Raymond Brown on quite an intense programme of upgrading and resurfacing Ashtead Station, undertaking coper renewals in possessions using gantry systems.”

V.S. Rail has also been working with B&M McHugh on several projects and Balfour Beatty Rail on the Crossrail Western Outer Track Infrastructure project. It has also

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secured a place on the Osborne Supply Chain for the Wessex Region. “This is due to our local knowledge and specialist capability of platform works and minor civils. We are also currently working on station improvement works at Upwey and Moreton,” noted Daniel.

From Paddington to Penzance, from Waterloo to Weymouth and from Southampton to Swindon, V.S. Rail has all points of the compass covered in southern and central England. Daniel explained that it is the company’s policy to continue to target its efforts in this area: “The Board believes that there will be a significant level of work in southern England over the coming decade and is looking to further establish V.S. Rail in this area.

We have just moved to a new Head Office just outside Southampton, which will provide a significantly improved operating base on the south coast. This office will be supported by facilities in Exeter and Gloucester to enable us to deliver works in the Network Rail Wessex and Western areas.”

These activities are also supported by V.S. Rail’s recent membership of the Civil Engineering Contractors Association: “This ensures that we help support the civil engineering community and understand what our clients’ employers are looking for,” explained Daniel. “Having these processes and system, audited by Achilles, enables us to work in the rail environment and gives our clients a certain level of confidence in our ability.”

As it enters 2015, V.S. Rail has more development plans in place to continue to evolve its offering to the market. “Over the next five years, V.S. Rail is looking to grow its turnover while remaining operational in a similar

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz area, delivering services to our chosen clients,” Daniel confirmed.

“We also plan to further expand our service while remaining as a sub contractor of choice to our clients. So we are looking to work with a local highways contractor to review challenges of working on remote sites during short outages of the network. We believe that there are lessons to be learnt in both the skill profile of the individuals, but also the methods and techniques of working.”

He concluded with some more predictions for the future: “Network Rail has talked about this Control Period being more about collaboration and maintenance. We have seen the award of various frameworks recently and V.S. Rail has positioned itself to be able to deliver a multitude of maintenance tasks in the civils sector.

We hope that we will be able to continue to develop relationships with our clients and bring about further improvements and efficiencies.

“With increasing passenger numbers using the network, we believe there are further improvements required to stations and platforms in the near future.

We have seen some of these in recent years but there are many more projects left to deliver. Introduction

of composite materials and modular sections further improves efficiencies and reduces costs, enabling more sites to be improved for the same money.

“Projects such as Crossrail 2 and Southern Overhead Electrification bring a further level of security for the market sector in which we operate. This enables us to confidently invest and recruit staff for the future.” zz

www.vsrail.co.uk

Hudsons VS Rail initially sought advice from Hudsons for the hire of cable location equipment, this was quickly converted to purchasing their own equipment. VS Rail chose Cable Detections equipment primarily for their ease of use and the high quality of the data management. Hudsons continue to support VS Rail with a high level of after sales service and training on the effective use of cable locators as well as other services such as construction lasers. Hudsons are proud to support VS Rail.

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RAILWAY FOR SENIOR RAIL MANAGEMENT

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz S T R A T E G I E S Editor Gay Sutton

editor@railwaystrategies.co.uk Sales Manager Joe Woolsgrove

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