Railway Strategies Issue 119 July 2015

Issue 119 July 2015

London Underground

The new look revealed

FEATURE

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Can HS2 speed up payments to subcontractors?

How Thales is protecting the IP of its latest innovation Underground freight delivery - the future or a red herring?

FOCUS ON

NEWS Better planning is required for rail improvement work

Crossrail’s iconic Canary Wharf roof wins construction award

Government transport subsidies perpetuate social inequality

Electrification Driving timely completion of the electrification programme

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Chairman Andrew Schofield Editor Gay Sutton editor@railwaystrategies.co.uk Managing Editor Libbie Hammond Art Editor Gerard Roadley-Battin Advertisement Designer David Howard Profile Editor Libbie Hammond Staff Writers Jo Cooper Ben Clark Andrew Dann 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

Change here for - - -

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ust as this issue went to press, Government announced its intention to cut back on plans for modernising the rail network. This will have significant implications for the industry, the public and the UK economy.

So here is a summary of the changes.

Electrification of the Midland Mainline and TransPennine Express will be

‘paused’ while electrification of the Great Western Mainline is to go ahead.

Governance at Network Rail is to be simplified. Richard Parry-Jones will step down as chairman and Sir Peter Hendy, currently Commissioner of Transport for London, is to take his place. He is tasked to review the Control Period 5 (2014-19) investment programme and submit proposals as to how it should be carried out.

Until these plans are firmed up the rail industry will once again be in a state of uncertainty. While we have been assured that the previously agreed £38 billion budget for this period remains in place, there is no mention of HS2 within this context.

Undoubtedly, Network Rail signed up to some highly ambitious targets and improvement plans. But trying to deliver these on time and to budget while attempting not to disrupt passenger services has been extremely difficult.

Given the complexity of delivering large rail projects, this will always be a learning game. The important thing is that industry, government and regulator should continue to learn, and not allow it to deteriorate into a blame game.

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Features 8 Can HS2 fast track payment?

Examining the issue of late payment to subcontractors _ Tom Collins, Weightmans 9 Patent of the month A revolutionary new axle counter from Thales _ Rosie Hardy

10Cover stor y

11 Britain’s silver bullet?

Underground maglev trains _ the future of city freight? _ Gemma James

News 4 6 10 15 25

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Industry Infrastructure Stations Rail Alliance Conferences & Exhibitions

Focus on Electrification 12 An electrifying conclusion Outsourcing may be the answer to electrification delays _ Konain A Khan

Profiles

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16 FirstGroup 22 Southeastern 27 PMA AG/PMA UK 30 BCL Power 32 Furrer + Frey

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IN BRIEF Trainline extends global reach Sabre Corporation and Trainline have signed a long-term agreement which will fully integrate APITrainline Connect into Sabre travel applications, delivering comprehensive UK rail content to over 425,000 Sabre-connected travel agents worldwide.

Smartphone ticketing comes to Arriva Arriva is to install the rail industry’s first smartphone-based ticket issuing system across Arriva Trains Wales, CrossCountry, Chiltern Railways and Grand Central routes. The Fujitsu STARmobile solution will be deployed on 648 Samsung Galaxy smartphones and used by staff on trains and at railway stations to quickly provide passengers with tickets and information.

Telent achieves 5 star status Telent has been awarded 5 star supplier status by the Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme (RISQS) as a result of receiving 4 stars _ the highest pass available _ for 2 years in a row. Suppliers must prove their capability to supply products and services, including safety critical products and services, through an in depth qualification assessment.

Rail rugby charity event raises over £75,000 Twelve teams from across the rail industry took part in a Rail Industry Rugby Tournament at Rugby School, the birthplace of the sport, to raise money for the Railway Children charity. The event raised over £75,000. VolkerRail won the title, beating Amey in the semi-finals and Staffordshire Alliance in the final.

London commuters owed £56m Richard Tracey, GLA Conservative spokesman for Transport, claims that over 25m commuter rail journeys are delayed each year and 85% of refunds remain uncollected. This amounts to in excess of £56m a year owed to London commuters. He is calling for the claims process to be automated and made easier for commuters.

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National Express’s Rhine Munster Express train

National Express strengthens its presence in Germany l The Rhine-Ruhr Transport Authority (VRR) has announced that National Express – which operates as c2c in the UK – will run two of the three Rhine-Ruhr Express (RRX) services in Germany’s most populous region, North Rhine-Westphalia. Abellio is to operate the third RRX service.

The first of the contracts starts in December 2018 and the second in December 2020. Both will run until December 2033 and provide services between cities such as Cologne, Dusseldorf and Dortmund. Together the contracts are expected to generate revenues of around €1bn over their lifetimes, carrying approximately 30m passengers a year.

The new contracts are in addition to the Rhine Munster Express service and the BonnCologne-Wuppertal stopping service which National Express is due to start operating in December 2015.

Dean Finch, National Express group chief executive, said: “National Express is delighted with this further success in German rail. It strengthens our presence in the North Rhine-Westphalia region, where we begin operating our first contracts later this year.”

The review into rail improvement work delays calls for better planning l An independent report on the planning and timing of engineering works on the GB rail network, commissioned by the Secretary of State for Transport, has been published by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG).

The review, led by Anton Valk CBE, was commissioned following significant disruption to services into and out of London on 27 and 28 December 2014, prompted primarily by overrunning works.

The review concludes that the scope for carrying out major improvement works in and around London other than at Christmas and Easter, is extremely limited; but that the industry could reduce the risk of overruns at these times by moving work which does not need major closures of the network to other points in the year and improve the efficiency of its planning and operational processes.

Michael Roberts, director-general of the RDG, said: “There will never be a good time to close parts of the railway, but with £38bn being spent on our network in the five years to 2019, the industry aims to ensure passenger disruption is kept to a minimum. We are now focused on developing a delivery plan to follow up the report’s recommendations.”

NEWS I Industry

Mumbai Metro Line 1 links the eastern and western suburbs

In FACT

1.65bn passenger record

Mumbai Metro clocks up 100m journeys in its first year l The Mumbai Metro Line 1, which went into service on 8 June 2014, has celebrated its first anniversary by crossing the 100 millionth passenger mark.

The line is run by RATP Dev Transdev Asia, a joint venture between RATP Dev and Transdev, who are contracted to operate and maintain the infrastructure over a five-year period.

Line 1 is the first metro line to be opened in Mumbai, which has a population of 22 million. Built on a viaduct and stretching for 12 km, it has 12 stations and connects the city’s eastern and western suburbs. During this first year it has radically changed the daily lives of people who previously depended on a bus network that suffered from traffic congestion. Some passengers have saved up to two hours a day.

Average line patronage is currently 260,000 passengers per day, and this is expected to continue rising at an estimated 4% per year.

India is likely to become one of the world’s leading markets for metro services. Some 500 km of lines are scheduled in the next five years, 90km of which will be in Mumbai.

The flexible mobile train ticket arrives in the north of England l A pioneering new flexible mobile ticket enabling passengers to switch between different train companies on their journey is due to be introduced into the north of England.

The so called m-Ticket is currently being piloted by CrossCountry, First TransPennine Express, Northern Rail, Virgin Trains East Coast and Virgin Trains in two areas of the north west, north east and Yorkshire. Some 86 stations are taking part.

During the pilot passengers will be able to download m-Tickets to their smartphones or tablets and use them for travel on any service run by any of the operators on journeys made wholly within the pilot area.

Mostafa Gulam of National Rail, representing the rail companies and retailers taking part in the pilot, said: “Rail journeys have doubled over the last 20 years and the industry is determined to see that continue. By working together and looking for new ideas like the flexible m-Ticket, we want to make buying train tickets simpler, easier and quicker for more people.”

Crime crackdown off to flying start in Manchester l A new unit, set up to reduce crime and antisocial behaviour on Greater Manchester’s tram and bus networks, has had a significant impact in its first two months.

Under the three-year pilot scheme, a 16 strong team comprising of police constables, police community support officers, special constables and security personnel provide regular patrols on the region’s travel networks.

Led by Transport for Greater Manchester and Greater Manchester Police, the scheme uses crime and antisocial behaviour data from contributing operators – Metrolink RATP Dev Ltd, First Bus and Stagecoach – to deploy patrols in specific areas at key times to respond to identified demand.

Between 1 April and 28 May, the Travel Safe Unit provided a presence on 1,652 vehicles.

During that time it made 23 arrests, issued 1,074 penalty notices, conducted 64 gateway check operations and identified more than 1000 invalid tickets.

Passenger numbers continue their inexorable climb, and have set a new all time record. Figures from the ORR reveal the number of passenger journeys in Great Britain reached 1.654bn in 201415, an increase of 4.2% (67.3 million) on the previous year. This is 69.5% more than 2002-3 when records began.

Response time  60% Since implementing NICE Situator last year, the Dutch rail infrastructure management company ProRail has reacted more quickly and efficiently to unfolding events, minimising or preventing disruptions while safeguarding passengers, staff and infrastructure. Incident response time has fallen by over 60%.

236 rail opportunities The Middle East has invested over $176bn in railway projects while a further $93bn is planned for the next 24 months.

Qatar alone is planning $45bn of new rail-related projects over the next 16 years. Of a total 236 rail opportunities, 52% are in infrastructure covering construction and maintenance, and 42% will be in rail technology tenders.

51m passengers The South African Gautrain, which connects Johannesburg with Pretoria, has carried almost 51m passengers since entering service five years ago.

The average travel time between Pretoria and Johannesburg is 42 minutes by train but nearly two hours by car at rush hour.

Between 2013 and 2015, patronage rose by over 24%.

2,200 job applicants ScotRail has begun driver and conductor training on the new Borders Railway line. 64 drivers and 64 conductors will be trained on the route over a period 12 weeks. Of these, 36 drivers and conductors were recruited especially for the Borders Railway, selected from more than 2,200 applicants. Passenger services will commence on Sunday 6 September.

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Photo courtesy of Foster & Partners, architects

Arriva strengthens its presence in the Netherlands

The glulam roof at Canary Wharf Crossrail station

Crossrail’s iconic Canary Wharf roof wins London Building Excellence Award l Wiehag, the company that delivered the _ spectacular glulam grid shell roof that tops off the six-storey Canary Wharf Crossrail station, has been awarded the very first London Building Excellence Award for the work.

The award was made at the inaugural London Construction Awards which took place at a gala dinner at Indigo @ The O2. In total,12 awards were made, celebrating construction successes over the past 12 months.

The Canary Wharf roof is 300m long and cantilevers out 30m at each end over the dock. It is constructed from over 1,500 glulam

members with a maximum length of 9m _ some are double curved to achieve the desired form at the cantilever _ and 450 steel nodes each of which is different.

Wiehag was responsible for designing and manufacturing the roof at a high tech factory in Austria, then transporting it to London, where company engineers were on site for around 6 months overseeing its installation.

The structure now sits above a roof garden and 115,000 sq ft retail and leisure development including shops, restaurants, bars and a cinema.

Work begins on Old Oak Common interchange planning l WSP/Parsons Brinckerhoff has been appointed by Network Rail to deliver engineering consultancy and infrastructure planning services at Old Oak Common, for the key interchange station between the Great Western Main Line, Crossrail and HS2.

The contract includes an early phase study to investigate the realignment of the existing tracks at Old Oak Common to create space for construction of a new station as part of the plan to allow easy interchange between HS2, Crossrail and the Great Western Main line, as well as with Heathrow Express and other local public transport. The realignment works and new station would involve multiple construction stages to ensure that building

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work does not interfere with the smooth running of the existing transport links.

Old Oak Common is set to become a key hub connecting London to the rest of the UK. Positioned mid-way between Heathrow and the centre of London, the station will handle more than 250,000 passengers a day and will deliver huge regeneration potential to the area.

Since 2012 WSP/ Parsons Brinckerhoff has been working on designing the high speed and conventional railway systems for the whole of HS2 phase 1 from London to Birmingham, and developing the preferred solution for linking London Overground to the proposed HS2/Crossrail/GWML interchange at Old Oak Common.

l European passenger transport group Arriva has been awarded a £1.4bn rail and bus contract in the Netherlands.

Arriva will begin the 15 year contract in the Dutch province of Limburg on 11 December 2016, operating a fleet of 36 new trains including cross-border trains to Germany and Belgium, and 226 new buses servicing towns and cities including Maastricht, Heerlen and Roermond.

Arriva already has a significant presence in the Netherlands, with 5,000 employees operating 101 trains and 1,200 buses.

David Martin, chief executive of Arriva, said: “We submitted a pioneering bid for the Limburg concession which was based around innovation, new ticketing systems for customers and new connections across the region and into Germany and Belgium.”

As part of the contract Arriva will run a direct train service between Liege and Aachen via a hub in Eijsden, and will launch a simplified ticketing system for both bus and rail. The company also intends to open a new regional head office in Heerlen.

Government transport subsidies perpetuate social inequality l A new report from the Equality Trust reveals that the richest 10% of households benefit most from the transport subsidy, receiving three times as much as the poorest 10%.

It also shows how government subsidies perpetuate this inequality and calls for reform of the system.

The report is based on data from the National Travel Survey, the Effects of Taxes and Benefits on Household Incomes, the Living Costs and Food Survey and data from the Office for Rail Regulation. It shows that the richest ten per cent of the population receives £977.4m in transport subsidy while the poorest ten per cent receives just £296.7m.

Meanwhile, regions like Wales and the North East receive far lower rates of subsidy than London and the South East, with a household in London receiving almost four times as much from rail subsidy as a household in Wales.

NEWS I Infrastructure

Crossrail’s route across London

Crossrail tunnelling is successfully completed at Farringdon l Crossrail’s tunnelling marathon under London reached its conclusion on 26 May when tunnel boring machine Victoria finished the remaining section of tunnel at Farringdon station, successfully linking all the Crossrail tunnels.

Crossrail, Europe’s largest civil engineering project, is now 65 per cent complete. Work continues to upgrade the existing rail network

and build new stations in central London and Docklands. Services through central London are expected to commence in 2018.

In the three years since tunnelling began, eight 1,000 tonne tunnelling machines have bored 42km or 26 miles of new 6.2 diameter rail tunnels under London. The tunnels have been threaded with impressive precision between existing underground lines, sewers,

Amendments to HS2 Hybrid Bill go before Parliament

l Parliament has tabled a debate on more than 120 amendments to the HS2 Hybrid Bill, and has confirmed that construction of phase 1 should start in 2017.

Among the amendments put forward are changes to the HS2 route near Lichfield, so that the railway will pass under the A38, the West Coast Main Line and the South Staffordshire line rather than run over them on viaducts. This will avoid the need for two crossings over the Trent and Mersey Canal, which had previously been of concern to local stakeholders, including the Canal and Rivers Trust.

Meanwhile, the existing Heathrow Express depot at Old Oak Common will be relocated to Langley near Slough, instead of the North

Pole East depot site. Finally, sidings could be constructed to the west of the Old Oak Common station to facilitate a possible future connection between Crossrail and the West Coast Main Line.

These changes have been put forward following consultation with communities along the London to Birmingham route.

Transport Minister Robert Goodwill said: “This motion is a major step forward both in terms of getting HS2 through Parliament and getting this vital railway built. By working together, we can ensure this vital railway is designed in the right way, so we have spades in the ground in 2017 as planned.”

utility tunnels and building foundations progressively moving from station to station at depths of up to 42m.

Farringdon is one of 10 new Crossrail stations being constructed in central London, Docklands and southeast London. It is set to become one of the UK’s busiest rail hubs and will connect Crossrail with the London Underground and Thameslink.

Alstom to supply automatic pilot for Line A of the RER in Paris l Alstom has won a contract to develop and install an automatic pilot control system for Line A of the Paris suburban rail network, RER, on behalf of RATP (Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens) and STIF (Syndicat des Transports d’Île-de-France). The work is worth approximately €20m and includes detailed studies, the development of a prototype and equipment for the trains, testing and project assistance through to commissioning which is scheduled for 2018. The project aims to improve the performance and frequency of the RER A, which transports 1.2m passengers per day, making it the most heavily frequented regional line in Europe.

The automatic pilot will be put into service on the fleet of 173 trains (MI2N and MI09) currently circulating on Line A. The system, integrated into the SACEM system, will improve the regularity of the line, while offering time savings of approximately 2 minutes on the average journey between the stations of Vincennes and La Défense.

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Legal

Can HS2 fast track payment?

As SME subcontractors continue to suffer from late payment, TOM COLLINS reviews plans from the Government and HS2 to see whether relief is at hand

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ate payment of invoices was identified as a major problem in the Latham Review in the 1990s, which led to the creation of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act (Construction Act) in 1996. However, the issue continues to blight the construction industry with subcontractors particularly affected. With the new Conservative government having recently re-affirmed its commitment to HS2, how will subcontractors fare when the many contracts for HS2 works are let?

Tom Collins is an Associate at national law firm Weightmans

Progress so far Steps have been taken to address late payment issues for those contracting with public authorities. For some time the government has had in place best practice measures for public authorities to pay private businesses within 30 days. This has been enshrined in law following EU Directive 2011/7/EU with the government reaffirming its commitment through the Late Payments of Commercial Debts Regulations 2013 amending the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998.

For any late payment by a public authority interest can be claimed from 30 days of the date of the invoice such that effectively payment should be made within 30 days.

Since 2010 the government has also looked to achieve more stringent targets such as that Whitehall Government Departments pay 80 per cent of undisputed invoices within five days.

That is fine if you are contracting with a public authority _ but what about being subcontracted to a Tier One contractor? Subcontractors on HS2 projects won’t be able to directly benefit from the 30 day payment protections in place when contracting with public authorities. As the government’s intention is to protect and promote the growth of SMEs, shouldn’t subcontractors expect the same safeguards to apply to them?

The present position is that under the Late Payment Regulations invoices between commercial businesses should be paid within 60 days before interest starts to run unless a longer period is agreed so long as that longer period is not ‘grossly unfair’. In practice longer periods may be agreed but there is little guidance on what is a grossly unfair payment term.

Are changes afoot for SMEs? The government looked to address this in February this year by launching its Late Payment: Challenging Grossly

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Unfair Terms and Practices consultation (which closed on 9 March). It sought views on how better to define terms and practices which could be considered to be grossly unfair and what could be done about it.

One potential option was for representative trade bodies to challenge grossly unfair terms on behalf of its members to address subcontractor concerns about speaking out. Whilst potentially encouraging, any resolution is likely to be some way off if it can be achieved at all. This is particularly so with the government acknowledging that terms which may be considered grossly unfair in the retail industry may not be so in the construction industry. The government has also looked to ensure that all Whitehall Departments include provisions in contracts with prime contractors that they pay their suppliers within 30 days, or by the use of project bank accounts, but this may not go far enough.

How HS2 is responding HS2 Limited now appears to be prepared to go a step further. At the HS2 Supply Chain Conferences, HS2 Limited’s commercial director Beth West made the point that it wanted to implement fair payment principles in all its contracts, noting that more than 90 per cent of specialist contractors still had to wait more than 30 days to get paid on public sector contracts. She therefore sought to reassure subcontractors that every effort will be made to pay them within a designated time frame.

To achieve this HS2 Limited has said that it is considering the possibility of making direct payment to subcontractors should Tier One contractors fail to do so in the timescales HS2 Limited requires. It remains, of course, to be seen if this will be implemented. But it is a bold and encouraging move which should be of some relief to subcontractors.

If the proposal is not implemented then subcontractors will have to await the outcome of the recent government consultation or continue to rely on the Late Payment Act; but the unfortunate reality is that many cannot afford to incur further costs by challenging late or non payment through litigation. A recent survey by the National Specialists Contractors Council has revealed that £200 million of late payments were written off by subcontractors as bad debts over the past year. However it will be hoped that there is light at the end of the tunnel with HS2 Limited saying that it is exploring ways to ensure ‘prompt payment requirements filtered through the supply chain’.

Innovation

Patent of the Month

In this first in a new series of articles by patent attorneys Withers & Rogers LLP, ROSIE HARDY discusses the merits and significance of a recent patent application in the name of Thales Deutschland GMBH

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Rosie Hardy is a patent attorney at leading UK patent and trade mark attorney firm, Withers & Rogers LLP

hales Group has an enviable reputation in the field of axle counters. The AzLM Thales system is the axle counter system of choice along many rail networks and the company relies on a portfolio of patents to protect this technology. Yet, the AzLM Thales system is only able to work for vehicles with ferromagnetic wheels.

With this limitation in mind, the company has developed a new type of axle counter system that is not dependent on the material of the wheels. This system can be used with a variety of different vehicles, including monorails. This will undoubtedly open up new market opportunities and income streams for Thales.

As might be expected, Thales is also taking strategic steps to try and obtain patent protection for the new axle counter system. We know this because international patent application WO2014/EP69826 was published in March 2015.

An axle counter is able to determine whether a track section is occupied by a vehicle or not. It is essential for maintaining safety and helps to avoid collisions. From the international patent application document we find that the new type of axle counter includes a first transponder tag (1) mounted at the front of the vehicle (3) and a second transponder tag (2) mounted at the rear of the vehicle (4).

A first tag counter unit (8) and second tag counter unit (9) are mounted at either ends of the track section. The axle counter system also includes an axle counter evaluator (ACE) for evaluating whether the track section is free or occupied according to the counter values of the counter units. To reduce development time and costs, the axle

counter evaluator can be the same axle counter evaluator from the existing AzLM Thales system.

It will be some time before we know the outcome of the international patent application but its progress can be monitored on patent databases.

If Thales successfully obtains a UK patent from the International Patent Application, then it will have control over the new axle counter system in the UK for up to 20 years. Thales could use this patent monopoly to build dominance in the market and restrict its competitors.

However, if Thales is unsuccessful and doesn’t get UK patent protection then (providing no other intellectual property rights apply) any competitor will have the freedom to copy the new axle counter system in the UK. As the drive for innovation in the rail industry gathers pace, commercially-minded innovators are increasingly using patent protection as both a weapon and a shield.

In this case, Thales is seeking patent protection to boost its profits and prevent rivals from counting axles in the same way.

Searching and monitoring new patent applications and patents is a useful way of keeping an eye on the business activities of competitors. However, it is often overlooked.

With a few clicks of a mouse, patent searching can identify relevant patent applications and patents. These documents can provide significant information about an invention and avoid duplication of effort. They can also help avoid infringement traps and highlight any patent applications or patents that could be challenged.

www.withersrogers.com IM

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NEWS I Stations

Artist’s impression of the new Southall station

Crossrail gets the go ahead for new larger station at Southall

Pavement to Platform exhibition - the ideal platform

London Underground showcases the station design of the future l London Underground has previewed its vision for the future of underground station design at an exhibition entitled Pavement to Platform, held at design agency Studio Egret West between 8 and 16 June.

The full design strategy, London Underground Station Design Idiom, is due to be published later this year, and covers every aspect of station architecture and ambience from pavement to platform.

It comprises a set of design principles that will be applied to every style of station and every project, from small-scale repairs to major refurbishments and new stations.

The aim is to ensure stations are built and developed to: provide simple, clean and uncluttered spaces for the benefit of customers; represent London’s rich heritage and contemporary culture; act as a focal point of the local community; and showcase London’s distinctive architecture.

Gareth Powell, London Underground’s director of strategy & service development, said: “This work builds on the iconic design heritage of London Underground to help inspire great design in all our new projects, which are required to meet rising demand and changing customer expectations.”

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l Proposals for a major overhaul of Southall station in readiness for Crossrail have been approved by Ealing Council.

The proposals, designed by Bennetts Associates, are for an elegant glass and steel structure that will create a bright, airy and welcoming environment. A new forecourt will relieve congestion, making it easier for passengers to enter and exit the station.

Network Rail is due to begin work on the project this summer.

David Laing, studio director at Bennetts Associates, said: “The design of the new station will provide light and spacious facilities for passengers _ from its canopied street frontage, through the doubleheight ticket hall to the route to the platforms _ its transparency and lighting enabling clear views through the building during the day and at night. It will be recognisable as one of a family of new Crossrail stations designed by Bennetts Associates about to emerge through west London.”

Meanwhile, plans for another Bennetts Associates Crossrail design at West Ealing station have been submitted to Ealing Council. If accepted, a new glass and steel ticket hall will be constructed on Manor Road, to the northwest of the existing station building.

Other improvements for both stations include a new footbridge with lifts to every platform, platform extensions to accommodate the new 200m long Crossrail trains, and new lighting, customer information screens, station signage, help points and CCTV.

Upgraded park and ride opens at Hazel Grove station l Hazel Grove rail station’s park and ride is now open following work by Transport for Greater Manchester to expand and upgrade the facility.

An extra parking deck now provides over 100 additional car parking spaces, boosting capacity to over 400 vehicles.

Further improvements include new lighting, CCTV and additional pedestrian routes between car park and station. Trees have also been planted along the village green side of the site to complement the existing landscaping.

Lawrence Cheung, scheme project manager at Network Rail said: “This scheme demonstrates the ongoing partnership work between Network Rail, TfGM and Northern Rail to deliver schemes for the benefit of passengers. This work was finished ahead of schedule and under budget, with minimal disruption to passengers.”

Freight

Britain’s silver Bullet?

What is the likelihood of rail freight

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Gemma James is a Partner at Mundays LLP www.mundays.co.uk

moving underground in the future, asks GEMMA JAMES

he Government has given approval for Cambridge company Mole Solutions to perform a nine month feasibility study, based in the logistics hub of Northampton, to assess the viability of using driverless steel carts powered by maglev technology to transport freight through underground tubes from the edge of town to inner town nodal points.

The idea doesn’t seem all that unfamiliar. Services such as oil, gas, water and electricity are already delivered by underground media, and the Post Office has a history of employing underground delivery methods in London.

The technology could revolutionise the logistics industry, and is appealing given its promised reduction in traffic congestion and air pollution. Not having to worry about potential delays on the lines or traffic jams on the roads, goods could be transported at high speeds and to accurate timetables 24 hours a day. Another added benefit is the likelihood of this new system boosting employment in both the construction and engineering sectors, ultimately creating work for the operators and facilitators of the service.

Network rail already claims that one train can take as many as 60 HGVs off the road, demonstrating that rail freight is helping the fight against climate change as it produces less carbon emissions. So underground freight could arguably be the next development in the rail industry. These steel carts could transport goods quickly under city centres and minimise the amount of noise pollution for those living near existing over ground train lines.

Factors to consider Logistics companies will need to think carefully about whether or not to ‘get on board’ the underground route immediately – should the study be successful – as early investment could lead to a dominating position in the market. The rail industry also needs to be thoroughly aware of any developments from the study, to ensure it can plan for any potential losses.

Should enough funding be pulled together to cover the development and operation of such a system, it will still be difficult to predict its reliability and safety. It could potentially be harder to control and maintain than

rail freight and other overground transport methods.

Moreover, a great number of legal contracts would be necessary for the initial purchasing/leasing of land, for the grant of rights to create and use tunnels, and for the general construction work. Contracts will also be required for using the tube, and between carriers and their clients for the transmission of goods from and to the drop off and pick up points at either end of the tunnels. In the event of having to use additional forms of transport and carriers, the likelihood of goods getting damaged goes up and therefore so does the risk of litigation. Where the tubes surface, depots and storage premises will be needed, and this could result in more construction and property transactions as the industry’s focus turns more to transport methods and the prime locations for business.

Understanding the risks Whilst there are reports that companies such as DHL, who already use rail freight, are getting involved at this early stage, many operators may be less willing to take the financial risk. Developing technology of this nature can be a slow and expensive process, and there is no guarantee that it will ever be put into practice. Neighbours are likely to protest when proposals are made for the tunnels and also when the digging starts, even if scientists have been able to identify routes that minimise disruption and safeguard existing infrastructure. This happened with the London Underground, where residents were concerned about vibrations and noise from the tubes below. A prime example of how a community’s strength of feeling can disrupt proposed developments can be seen in the recent fracking-related protests in the UK. Should the tunnelling companies not be able to buy all the land they need, will the landowners be prepared to grant them tunnelling rights under their properties or will the Government have to pass legislation to give them rights, bearing in mind some form of compensation may need to be given to the landowners? These potential implications could hamper the widespread development of underground freight trains.

Logistics companies will no doubt be keeping a close eye on the developments, and the ultimate effect on the rail freight industry could be significant.

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Electrification

An electrifying conclusion

With concerns over delays, spiralling costs and skills shortages, KONAIN A KHAN considers the steps that could drive progress in rail electrification

Konain A Khan is senior consultant, Rolling Stock & Rail Transportation, Cyient

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espite beginning in the late 19th century, the electrification of Britain’s railway is still not complete. Progress over the last 130 years has been slowed down by numerous obstacles _ including two world wars, various electrification systems becoming obsolete, and a long hiatus following the Government’s decision to shift the focus to running diesel trains on biodiesel.

Things are now getting back on track. Back in 2009, the Government made railway electrification a cornerstone of its rail strategy with a renewed focus on improving energy efficiency, making operations cheaper to maintain and minimising the environmental impact.

As part of this, the Network Rail Control Period 5 (CP5) Delivery Plan, announced in April 2014, committed

is extremely cost effective – electric-powered trains (commonly referred to as EMUs or Electric Multiple Units) are over a third cheaper to operate than their diesel counterparts (DMUs). Not only are fuel costs cut but so too are maintenance issues, as EMUs are lighter and so cause less wear and tear to the track.

Additionally, energy efficiency is also a factor: emitting up to a third less carbon per passenger than DMUs, EMUs fit closely with the Government’s green agenda to halve carbon emissions by 2025. Add to this the fact that EMUs are able to carry more seats – and therefore more passengers – than DMUs as diesel engines are often incorporated into more than one carriage. Or that EMUs offer faster and more reliable services, quieter trains (boosting the value of nearby homes) and will create new engineering jobs. It quickly becomes clear that electrification of our railway network is an obvious decision.

Staying on track

a £4 billion investment to completing the proposed electrification – significantly up from the CP4 plans of £200 million. The plan now is to have over three quarters of all passenger miles electrified by 2020.

History has already taught us, though, that when it comes to rail electrification, plans so rarely run smoothly.

Concerns over delays, spiralling costs and skill shortages, among many other factors, have been well reported in the press. Stakeholders are now asking a number of pertinent questions – specifically, what is needed to finally complete the electrification process?

An essential journey Firstly, it is worth reminding ourselves why the electrification process is taking place. For a start, it

With electrification plans now firmly in place, Network Rail is working to very tight timelines – with the majority of work set to be complete within five years. Unsurprisingly, fitting new technology to existing lines with minimal impact on current services is proving to be something of a challenge. Network Rail has been trapped between a rock and a hard place: receiving criticism for the disruptions caused by line upgrades while at the same time coming under attack for falling behind against its targets.

There are also worries over the project’s timeline, with further investment often being dependent on hitting several difficult deadlines.

Clearly delays are a major issue: so what can be to be done to prevent further interruption? Firstly, solving the skills shortage is crucial. In the long-term the UK rail network’s investment in the Network Rail Electrification Training Academy will help ensure that future generations have the expertise and resources required to successfully maintain the electric rail network. Unfortunately however, this doesn’t solve the short-term need to actually build it!

Outsourcing is the most obvious solution – bringing in a trusted partner who can provide trained and experienced professionals to ensure that the job is completed on time, to the highest quality.

Outsourcing should also help improve timeline planning: providing a fresh perspective on where efficiencies can be made, and where further resources need to be invested.

Any potential partner must be able to on-board new workers quickly, while guaranteeing their skill.

Any measures to avoid disruption must also extend beyond outsourcing. Setting firm but realistic deadlines should be a priority for Network Rail. As is often said, planning is all about hoping for the best and preparing for the worst, so any timelines must be carefully considered and allow some wiggle room for potential delays.

All specifications and tender requirements should

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Electrification

be kept constant from an early stage. This will enable Network Rail to avoid making small changes that could have serious ramifications in terms of cost, resource demand or time factor.

Full steam ahead for innovation Network Rail is also investing in advanced technologies, pioneered in markets outside the UK, as a way to speed up the building process. Germany’s ‘factory train’ allows much of the required work to be completed on weekday nights, with little to no impact on commuters – while also avoiding disruption to weekend services. Overall the factory train is expected to help halve the time taken to complete the work.

The innovation does not end there, with a number of new techniques and processes being used in the electrification programme. One such example is the use of digital terrain mapping using point cloud data, 3D alignment and 3D OLE design. Using this technology in an intelligent and strategic way can help provide a visual audit of the design plans before anything is physically committed at the work site. This means that any design issues can be sorted quickly – and cheaply – so that there are no unwelcome surprises during the execution phase.

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This is especially useful in critical locations, the typically difficult areas of any brownfield rail electrification project.

Digital terrain mapping and 3D design can also help with generating and optimising the Bill of Quantities (BOQ), ensuring that procurement costs are kept low.

The system can also provide a complete appreciation of lifecycle costs – taking into account any future changes in track alignment or geometry. Overall, we are not only looking at a reduction in the possibility of disruptions but we can also expect lower implementation times and a further drop in material costs.

With the CP6 Delivery Plan set to launch in just two years, it is imperative that those responsible for the electrification project make good use of the current levels of investment. If they don’t, the project will be put at risk of, once again, being pushed to the back of the shelf. Over the next few years, Network Rail has the chance to finally complete a project over one hundred years in the making – supplying a modern railway system that will be in place for generations to come.

This is a chance to improve the speed, reliability and cost effectiveness of the UK’s transport infrastructure, a project that will have a tangible effect on the lives and wellbeing of millions of citizens.

Rail Alliance

Recent new members of the Rail Alliance ATL Transformers Ltd

JFC Plastics Ltd

TRE

Leading UK manufacturer of specialist wound products for the aerospace, military, marine, mining and rail sectors.

Tel: 01616 530 902 Email: sales@atltransformers.co.uk Web: www.atltransformers.co.uk

Plastic drainage manufacturer and roto moulder.

Tel: 01928 583 391 Email: sales@jfcplastics.com Web: www.jfcplastics.com

Leading innovator in the supply of dedicated products and services designed to improve the supervision and control of railways worldwide.

Tel: 01225 860 140 Email: contact.tre@trerail.co.uk Web: www.trerail.co.uk

B-Hepworth & Co Designer and manufacturer of industry leading, bespoke windscreen wiper systems for the global rail and marine industries.

Tel: 01527 61 243 Email: rail@b-hepworth.com Web: www.b-hepworth.com

Common Time Ltd Mobile App development for business.

Tel: 0845 009 0028 Email: sales@commontime.com Web: www.commontime.com

DW Windsor Lighting International award winning designer and UK manufacturer of exterior lighting and urban furniture.

Tel: 01992 474 600 Email: Info@dwwindsor.co.uk Web: www.dwwindsor.com

Francis Brown Ltd Welding engineer and fabricator, offering value engineering solutions in the manufacture of high integrity, highly compliant, safely manufactured components and structures.

Tel: 01642 806 000 Email: e. sales@francisbrown.co.uk Web: www.francisbrown.co.uk

Horizon Utility Supplies Ltd Supplier of tools and equipment to the electricity supply industry covering all disciplines for overhead linesmen, underground jointers, substation fitters, technicians and engineers, as well as specialist products for the rail industry.

Tel: 01275 342 700 Email: enquiries@hor-i-zon.com Web: www.horizonutilitysupplies.com

on-systems limited Design, manufacture, repair and lifecycle management of power supplies and power systems.

Tel: 08448 094 608 Email: enquiries@on-systems.co.uk Web: www.on-systems.co.uk

Scott Bader Co Ltd Manufacturer of composites products and structural adhesives for the rail, marine, construction and automotive industries.

Tel: 01933 663 100 Email: enquiries@scottbader.com Web: www.scottbader.com

Servotech Ltd Provider of electronic repair support across UK & Ireland to many of today’s train and tram manufacturers and operators.

Tel: 01538 753 918 Email: sales@servotech-ltd.com Web: www.servotech-ltd.com

Taylor Construction Plant Ltd Specialist supplier to the construction and rail industries for compaction and lighting products.

Tel: 01621 850 777 Web: www.tcp.eu.com

Thermit Welding (GB) Ltd Manufacturer and supplier of aluminothermic welding portions, moulds and equipment covering the largest range of rail profiles for the UK. Tel: 01708 522 626 Email: info@thermitwelding.co.uk Web: www.thermit-welding.com

Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre UK-based research and promotion centre of the Malaysian Rubber Board, providing R&D and consultancy services worldwide.

Tel: 01992 584 966 Email: general@tarrc.co.uk Web: www.tarrc.co.uk

United Springs Ltd Manufacturer of both large scale mass production and small volume hand-coiled pieces for a variety of rail fixtures from circuit breakers and switchgear to bogeys and braking.

Tel: +39 02 467 501 Email: sogefispa@sogefigroup.com Web: www.sogefigroup.com

University of Southampton Rail research and consultancy carried out under the banner of Southampton Railway Systems Research (SR2).

Tel: 02380 595 000 Email: feesec@soton.ac.uk Web: www.southampton.ac.uk/engineering

York EMC Services Trusted provider of consultancy, product testing, certification, training and instrumentation for some of the leading brands and companies in the UK, Europe and worldwide. YES are an established market leader for the provision of EMC services to the railway industry offering a range of consultancy, testing and training services. With years of expertise, experience and a solid track record of solving EMC problems and demonstrating compliance for major projects.

Tel: 01904 324 440 Web: www.yorkemc.co.uk

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

15

FirstGroup

Industry first

As FirstGroup’s rail division focuses on delivering ambitious improvements for passengers, it looks to technology innovations to provide a better service to its customers

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ith 18 years history in the UK rail industry, FirstGroup plc is one of the UK’s largest and most experienced operators, carrying more than 280m passengers last year. Currently operators of the First Great Western and First TransPenine Express franchises, as well as successful open access operator First Hull Trains the company has its sights set on expanding its network even further, recently being shortlisted for the East Anglia franchise, due to start in October 2016 and with an application to the ORR for rights to offer a low fares, open access operation on the East Coast Mainline. “The rail franchising market is very competitive and the industry is going through a period

of change as expiring franchises come up for tender,” explains Head of Rail Information Systems at FirstGroup, Duncan Waugh. “Our aim within FirstGroup’s rail division is to deliver ambitious improvements for passengers on the franchises we operate, and in our bids for new franchises as well. To do this we need to not only do the basics very well but also be innovative to reduce costs and drive more value from our investment in technology.

We need to adapt to ensure we meet our staff and customer expectations that are continually evolving with the introduction of new technology.”

Technology plays a major role in FirstGroup’s continued drive to improve its customer experience through

innovation. This means managing the data collected from the railways in the most efficient way possible in order to provide the most up-to-date information to staff and customers, and developing effective response systems to provide an improved service. “The rail industry has a wealth of data available,” notes Duncan. “Traditionally this is held in different systems and is used for a specific purpose defined when that system was introduced, often limiting the usefulness of the data to the relevant process. With the advent of new data sources such as train location systems, technology deployed on new trains and digital channels such as the web for customers to connect with us, the amount of data available to the

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FirstGroup

MTU MTU is a core brand of Rolls Royce Power Systems and is a world-leading provider of high-speed diesel engines to the rail industry. MTU has a 90-year history in rail, and has been providing diesel traction solutions into UK rail for over 60 years.

First Great Western (FGW) operates 120 MTU powered Class 43 HST Power Cars maintained by MTU under a maintenance contract, which achieves engine availability in excess of 99.5 per cent. MTU has now commenced delivery of 130 700kW PowerPacks to Hitachi to power IEP bi-mode super express trains that will be put into service by FGW in 2018, with further PowerPacks to be delivered for the East Coast Mainline where service commences in 2019.

industry is growing exponentially.”

By collecting and merging this data together, analysts are able to develop a more detailed understanding of the market. “We have access to a rich resource of information, enabling navigation from summarised information down to transactional details, providing insight into exceptions and trends within the industry,” expresses Duncan. “Some examples of this are using detailed GPS train movement data gathered from our Driver Advisory Systems

alongside timetable data to analyse train headways at key junctions and using on-train passenger counts to assist with capacity planning. All aspects of data allow the relevant analysts and managers to make decisions that have a direct impact on improving either our customers experience or train performance.” To accompany this is a concerted effort to develop a more real-time data integration capability to provide front-line staff and customers with more meaningful and relevant information.

To ensure this innovation is developed in the best way possible, FirstGroup has partnered with systems integrators and information specialists IPL, with a five-year framework. “The rail industry generates a huge amount of

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FirstGroup

data and this is growing all the time,” highlights Duncan. “Therefore, the design and deployment of a platform that is robust and scalable is key if we are to adapt quickly. The aim of our collaboration with IPL is to develop our technology so we have a more consistent and accurate set of data and information available to us.

Our work to date has demonstrated how this platform helps us to understand our customers and their travel requirements better and to provide information that is more personalised to them via the channel that they want to receive it. For instance, it can provide information to staff and customers that relate to any disruption that may be taking place or assisting them when they are about to change their journey at an interchange.”

Commenting on the partnership, Andy Cox, Innovation and Solutions Director at IPL says: “We’re very excited to be working with FirstGroup on this opportunity to improve customer experience, before, during and after their rail journeys. In the partnership we’ll be looking to use technology in innovative ways that make best use of the wealth of information FirstGroup holds about its customers and operations. We’ll also be combining it with other sources, to provide insights that improve operational efficiency

and customer engagement.

Moreover, we’ll be drawing on our experience in other sectors where customer care is as important as it is in rail, to bring best practice from areas such as aviation and financial services to benefit FirstGroup, its staff and its customers.”

This focus on providing more accurate information to its staff and customers very much defines the near future for FirstGroup’s rail division, as it looks to develop staff mobile apps and free Wi-Fi in trains and stations for customers. Aside from this Duncan explains: “We will be concentrating on our commitments under the First Great Western extension that includes preparing for the arrival of the new Super Express Train (SET). For the SET arrival we are working with Hitachi to identify and improve the data sharing between the train and back office systems to enable more accurate information on the train be made available in real-time to engineers.

“Our vision is to continually improve the customer experience and we will exploit technology to achieve this.

We will develop the platforms we have already built to take data, in real-time and from a multitude of sources, that includes from our staff and customers, and then turn this into useful information that can be made relevant to the end user. Ultimately, our strategy is to continually improve the quality of data we have and turn ourselves into a more information rich organisation.”

Below Andy Cox, Innovation and Solutions Director at IPL

www.firstgroupplc.com 21

Southeastern

Back on I track Despite a number of big challenges facing Southeastern, the company knows what it needs to do to manage a successful network

David Statham, Managing Director of Southeastern

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Southeastern operates one of the busiest networks in the country and also runs the UK’s first domestic high speed service

n September 2014 Southeastern was awarded the contract to continue running one of the most challenging commuter rail networks in the UK for the franchise period to June 2018. The franchise begins at a time when major works to London Bridge station and Thameslink pose incredible challenges for the company. However, despite challenges, managing director David Statham remains positive in reporting the company’s best performance ever over the past two years and lays out the company’s plan to effectively manage a challenging rail network while improving the public’s perception of its service.

“When the London Bridge works started in January this year, two of the busiest platforms in Europe and three of the seven approach lines to the station were closed,” he begins. “The impact changed the journey pattern of nearly 95,000 people who use London Bridge everyday on Southeastern. So there were some massive challenges to face as a business at that time. Through a combination of good, strong timetabling, investment in the rolling stock and working with Network Rail to make the infrastructure as reliable as possible, we have managed to both support the redevelopment of London

Bridge and improve our performance.” The timetable changes have involved a number of initiatives including eliminating carriage splitting and joining at Ashford and Faversham and making sure there are enough drivers in place to cope with unexpected events.

“The timetable itself has really helped us cope with the works, and offer a more reliable service,” says David.

In addition to this, there is a more efficient maintenance programme, which means that there are currently more trains in use than ever before. An £800,000 investment into fault-finding and identification equipment to improve reliability and reduce the effect on passengers has also been put in place. As well as this the company has been working collaboratively with Network Rail to reduce the number of speed-restricted sections of the network.

“This gives us a much better chance of delivering the timetable promise,” David highlights.

Looking at the next franchise period, Southeastern places the customer at the centre of its focus. David continues: “It is a challenging network and our customers rightly have high expectations of us, but this gives us a big opportunity to make a difference for passengers.”

With the £6.5 billion Thameslink programme in place Southeastern is responsible for supporting transport from the southeast around the continuing works.

“It’s hugely important to us that we keep the network moving and that we communicate with passengers throughout these immense works,” he adds.

To do this since the start of the works Southeastern had issued around a million leaflets, employed an extra 170 temporary staff and sent more than 100,000 emails and letters to make sure passengers were aware of the changes to timetables and how to get around them.

“The other big challenge for us is around capacity and our ability to cope within an increasingly successful industry that is seeing passenger numbers grow year on year,” expresses David.

The Southeastern network has seen 30 per cent growth since 2009, which has led to the company running more than 200 additional services a day.

“We are putting more trains in use than ever before and we are trying to make sure that our timetable is as responsive as possible to passengers,” he says.

“We have been carefully monitoring passenger loadings, feedback and Twitter, and we have been moving around our existing stock to make sure it’s where customers need it most.”

With rail user numbers only expected to grow further, the company is currently in talks to expand its rolling stock fleet to provide the best service for the future network.

Above and below One third of Southeastern’s entire train fleet is undergoing a major midlife refresh to make its carriages lighter, brighter and more comfortable for passengers.

Trains will receive a new exterior livery of deep blue and light blue doors, replacing the usual white cab and yellow doors

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Southeastern

Southeastern has created 142 more spaces at Orpington car park and an extra 172 spaces at Tonbridge Discussing what Southeastern is specifically doing to realise its commitment to passengers, David emphasises: “We know we have more work to do to ensure all our passengers are more satisfied with the service we provide. That’s why it’s really important that we focus the business and our efforts on what customers tell us is important to them. The new franchise brings an investment package of £70 million, directly focused on what’s important to passengers. Over and above that, we have invested several million pounds extra to cover the top four to five things customers have pointed out.”

With passengers placing importance on value for money, the company has put a freeze on its super-off-peak fares, and is currently investing over £5 million into a deep-clean and subsequent cosmetic upgrades of its rolling stock and stations. To help give passengers correct, real-time information and the best advice it has also started to distribute 1600 iPads to its staff, install 20 operational information screens

Southeastern has given all its 339 trains a heavy-duty spring clean in a project involving more than 2,000 man hours to set new standards for cleanliness

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in key locations and make upgrades to customer information screens at stations.

“We have also made a huge change to our Twitter service, which is followed by about 80,000 passengers,” explains David. “That now operates 24/7, we’ve brought it in-house, and it’s in our integrated control centre so it can work in conjunction with station management.”

In an effort to improve the network in the longer term, Southeastern is currently working with Network Rail on an innovative and revolutionary concept called Perpetuum.

“It’s a really innovative and clever piece of kit that monitors the health of the bearings on a train’s wheel set through the vibrations created,” David indicates. “By monitoring the health of the bearings it allows us to identify and repair or replace faults a lot quicker without causing disruption and delay to the rail service.” In addition to monitoring bearings, the technology can also monitor track condition for Network Rail meaning less inspection on track and better track maintenance, providing safety and reliability benefits for the network.

It is clear that Southeastern is heavily committed to listening to its customers and making sure that their demands are met, while managing the network throughout very challenging times. Its investment programme includes a number of initiatives to ensure the network delivers on customer satisfaction and is well prepared to run an enhanced network once Thameslink is completed. David sums up the future strategy for the company very simply: “It’s about the customers. Looking after our passengers, improving passenger satisfaction and increasing the use of our trains during off-peak times.”

Despite some very challenging times for the company, Southeastern knows what it needs to do to improve its service and effectively cope with the growing demand for its network. As such, the future looks to be positive as the company moves forward.

www.southeasternrailway.co.uk

NEWS I Conferences & Exhibitions

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.

15-17 July RailNewcastle Conference Where: Newcastle upon Tyne Organiser: NewRail Tel: 01912 083 976 Email: www.newrail.org/education Web: conferences.ncl.ac.uk/ railnewcastleconference

22-23 September Control Command and Railway Communication Conference 2015 Where: Lille Grand Palais, France Organiser: European Railway Agency Email: CCRCC@era.europa.eu Web: www.era.europa.eu/conferences/ CCRCC-2015

3 September National High Speed Rail Conference Where: Glasgow Organiser: Greengauge21 Tel: 07984 647 367 Email: co-ordinator@greengauge21.net Web: www.greengauge21.net

28-30 September European Transport Conference 2015 Where: Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany Organiser: Association for European Transport Email: sally.scarlett@aetransport.org Web: etcproceedings.org

15-16 September Aspect 2015 Railway signalling, control and communication Where: Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London, Organiser: Institution of Railway Signal Engineers Tel: 02078 081 180 Web: www.irse.org/aspect 17 September UK Rail Industry Forum 2015 Where: Stephenson Harwood, London Organiser: Waterfront Tel: 0207 067 159 Email: conference@thewaterfront.co.uk Web: www.waterfrontconferencecompany.com/ conferences/rail/events

12-13 November Rail Review, Rail Ticketing, Rail Customer and Rail IT Where: Sheraton Brussels Airport Hotel - Brussels Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: 0207 092 1210 Email: tayyab.abbasi@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com 23-25 November Capturing Reality Forum: Laser scanning, LiDAR and 3D data capture and modelling technologies Where: Salzburg Congress, Austria Organiser: Diversified Communications Tel: 01453 836 363 Email: vcarter@divcom.co.uk Web: www.capturingrealityforum.com

1-3 March 2016 IT-TRANS: IT Solutions for Public Transport Where: Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre Organiser: UITP and KMK Email: jochen.georg@messe-karlsruhe.de Web: www.it-trans.org/ 8-9 March 2016 Middle East Rail Where: Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: +971 4440 2501 Email: jamie.hosie@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/merail 22-23 March 2016 Asia Pacific Rail Where: Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: +65 6322 2702 Email: kym.chua@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/ asia-pacific-rail 19-20 April 2016 MetroRail Where: Business Design Centre, London Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: 0207 092 1257 Email: issa.mauthoor@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/conference/metrorail

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) 6 October 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

14 October Fleet maintenance - Advanced Understand the issues affecting rail vehicle performance and cost of maintenance

22 October Vehicle dynamics and vehicle track interaction Understand the dynamics of railway vehicles to improve safety, comfort and asset life

7 October Traction and braking Principles of traction and braking for railway engineers

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

23-27 November Introduction to railway signalling technologies An overview of railway control systems, subsystems and technologies used on UK main line and metro railways

8 October Train communication and auxiliary systems New and existing systems in use on today’s rolling stock flee

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

Brochure is available at: www.imeche.org/docs/ default-source/learning-and-professionaldevelopment-documents/l-d-railway-trainingbrochure-2015_web

13 October Fleet Maintenance - Introduction Improve your processes and fleet maintenance processes

21 October Vehicle acceptance and approvals Introduction to acceptance procedures which apply across the rail network

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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PMA AG / PMA UK

Data

protection

As a global leader in cable protection systems, PMA AG products are used by clients around the world operating within the rail industry and beyond

S

ince the company was founded four decades ago during 1975, PMA AG has developed a strong reputation as a market leader in the provision of reliable cable protection systems that are tailored to meet the particular needs of its clients. These products are predominantly produced at its headquarters in Zurich, from where it delivers Swiss workmanship that is globally recognised for its outstanding quality. Its Zurich facility also encompasses intensive research and development activities, which allow PMA to ensure that it remains at the forefront in developing cable protection systems to safeguard critical assets. Additionally the company maintains a strong global presence with distribution centres and sales offices within Germany, the UK, France, Spain, Austria, Italy and the US, that employ some 170 people across the business. As such, PMA is always on-hand and ready to respond rapidly to the requirements of its clients.

The global footprint of PMA is bolstered by its membership within the ABB Group, as part of the organisation’s low-voltage division. PMA joined the ABB family during May 2012, allowing it to move forward as part of one of the world’s largest power and automation technology companies. Presently ABB employs around

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140,000 people across approximately 100 countries, with shares traded on the Zurich, Stockholm and New York stock exchanges. ABB has a long history of providing reliable, innovative and energy-efficient technologies to the rail sector; manufacturing and servicing all the systems, subsystems and components used in modern urban, conventional and high-speed rail networks. This includes rail infrastructure and components for rolling stock, as well as signalling and telecommunication systems. The co-operation between PMA and ABB has resulted in a shared focus on sustainability and continues to create enormous opportunities for the continued growth and development of PMA and its parent.

The position of PMA as a market leader is built on the company’s extensive range of more than 6500 products, which give its customers reliable cable protection in railway, mechanical engineering and shipbuilding applications worldwide. Furthermore, PMA products take pride of place as the solution of choice in automation, building installation and other projects where power and data cables require reliable and robust protection. Within the rail industry PMA offers protection solutions for both rolling stock and rail infrastructure, allowing it to serve the rail sector across several applications. When it comes to rolling stock the company supplies efficient, custommade cable protection systems that have been developed to provide practical, cost-effective solutions that adhere to the most stringent requirements throughout their long service life. Similarly PMA also provides products that offer enhanced security for track-related installations and its products help to ensure safe, reliable function of signal installations; power supplies to high-voltage rails; train protection and control systems and monitoring/ information systems.

A common challenge for operators within the rail industry is the threat posed to cable infrastructure by vermin. During 2010 for example, millions of pounds had to be spent on

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the repair and replacement of as much as 20,000 miles of rail track, across the UK solely due to rats gnawing and damaging cables. The damage to this cabling brings with it serious implications to trains and commuters, including severe delays, break-downs and in the most tragic instances even crashes. It is therefore critical that rail cabling is protected, as it holds within it vital data that is responsible for controlling the signalling infrastructure of the network. Should these cables be damaged or removed it is simply not possible for trains to run safely on their tracks as electrical short circuits, incorrect signals, miscommunications and fires can easily occur.

In understanding the threat posed by rats and other vermin to rail infrastructure and establishing how to best counter the problem, PMA understands why it is that rats gnaw through and damage cabling in the first place.

Rats have open-rooted incisors and molars meaning that their teeth never stop growing. As a result they need to incessantly gnaw hard materials to keep their teeth ground down. Rats are also natural foragers that use anything they can find – including electrical cabling – as nesting material. However the most common reason for rats to damage cabling is that they are fiercely territorial.

Wild rats use their urine as a means to mark their territory and if and when they smell the urine of another rat on their marked territory, they gnaw the affected material away and thus remove the offending rat’s scent.

To combat these issues PMA has developed a line of products using polyamide, which is polymer based around an amide linkage. More commonly known as ‘nylon’, the term refers to a range of materials, which share similar properties in that they are incredibly tough with great thermal and chemical resistance. As such, polyamide materials are physically resistant to the strength of rats’ teeth and are also resistant to the scent of their urine – removing the need for territorial gnawing to remove competing scents. With polyamide, the risk of

PMA AG / PMA UK

rodent damage is significantly reduced because the rat’s urine and other marking substances do not adhere to its smooth, shiny surface. Furthermore polyamide helps to prevent rats from using cabling as a nesting material.

This is due to the fact that polyamide is considered an unattractive building material for rats, due to the amount of effort required to bite into it. With the material’s hard and elastic properties rat’s teeth are inclined to slip from the surface of polyamide and therefore, they quickly lose interest in trying to remove and use it in their nests.

This also means that the larger the conduit, the more difficult it is for animals to bite into its surface. PMA’s testing process ensures that polyamide materials help in the prevention of rodent damage to rail cabling, with all of the company’s products being tested beyond industry standards to destruction. With so many tracks, deep underground in locations such as the London Underground and Glasgow Subway for example and also near vast expanses of water, rats will always be a regular pest on railway networks. However with polyamide cable protection, the threat of damage from any type of rodent can be greatly reduced.

Included in the polyamide range for the protection of cabling from rats and other vermin PMA offers a retrofit divisible system. A one-piece divisible system, it is an ideal solution for repairs, retrofit and pre-loomed applications. This means work can be carried out to existing installations without disconnecting cables.

Additional products for applications within the rail industry include Ty-Rap cable ties and its innovative range of fire barrier solutions. Ty-Rap represents the UVresistant and flame retardant cable tie solution that meets the increasing requirements of modern rail vehicles. Tight installation requirements, demanding environmental conditions and increasing safety standards all require the highest performance. Through Ty-Rap rail, ABB and PMA offers specially developed cable ties that meet the

challenges of operation within the rail industry. The new Ty-Rap for rail is available in lengths of 92 mm to 360 mm and in widths of 2.4 mm to 7.0 mm for cable diameters up to 100mm. Both types of cable ties can resist temperatures from -40 °C up to +85 °C and are made of polyamide 6.6. The material is silicone and halogen free.

A special tool has been designed to enable ergonomic and efficient processing of cable ties.

Additionally PMA offers a number of different solutions that allow cables and wires within a cable protection system to be fed through a firewall without a loss of integrity. Available as either single sided or doublesided solutions, PMA fire barrier adapters employ an intumescent material fixed within the adapter to block the transport of fire, heat and fumes through the expansion of material to fill the cavities between the cables and the adapter. Double-sided solutions that include cable protection fitted on both sides of the fire barrier were developed in co-operation with Roxtec, the Swedish manufacturer of sealing systems. As such, PMA conduits, fittings and specially designed wall transit adapters are combined with a Roxtec sealing module to provide a system offering protection against the spread of fire from one compartment or room to the next.

The products provided by PMA offer a persuasive solution to cable protection when compared to competing alternatives. Plastic does not corrode, is quick and easy to install and has no sharp edges that can damage the very cables it is installed to protect. Furthermore, it is light and flexible, meaning that it can be bent around corners with ease. With so many advantages over existing metal alternatives, PMA is keen to continue to take advantage of the opportunity to deliver its highly innovative and effective cable protection systems to clients old and new across the globe.

www.pma.ch / www.pma-uk.com 29

BCL Power

A reliable

backup

As the rail industry looks to integrate its data management systems to improve reliability, standby battery solutions provider BCL Power thinks it can help

B

rett Communications Ltd (BCL Power) was established in 1994 as a telecoms battery service company. Today the company offers complete end-to-end solutions for UPS (uninterruptable power supply) batteries and critical standby power equipment, including battery testing and maintenance services. The core of BCL’s customer base comes from telecoms divisions of a number of sectors including banking, education, government authorities and NHS trusts. However, with significant success as a supplier of Midtronics Stationary Power battery management solutions, BCL is now looking towards the rail industry as a potential opportunity for future growth.

James Abbey, Director at BCL, explains that there is a lack of awareness towards the importance of ensuring regular testing and maintenance of batteries. “We have seen a real problem where people have had services on their UPS’s but not an actual service or test on the batteries,” he says. “The importance of regular battery maintenance is really simple because it is the key component within a battery back-up system. If you don’t have them tested regularly, then you don’t know the condition of them. And if you don’t know the condition of

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them, you don’t know if they’re going to work when they are needed. Therefore, it is important that the client can get accurate and efficient information about the systems, so they can be preventative rather than reactive, and that’s where we come in.”

In delivering these solutions, BCL Power excels within the industry with its supplier relationships. “We are a UK distributor for Midtronics Stationary Power equipment,” explains James. “This really gives us an edge over our competitors because we not only provide the battery management service, but also the tools themselves.” One of the problems across all sectors is that there is currently a lack of integration between the way companies test with one device and monitor with another, resulting in multiple streams of data, which then have to be analysed separately. “All Midtronics Stationary Power equipment reports into one system. This means that it is possible to get the data back to the clients quickly and efficiently,” adds James. Often replacing a battery system can set a company back between £500 and £10,000: “With this management system in place it allows company’s to predict failure and therefore budget effectively for new battery systems.”

It is with this solution that BCL Power proposes its services to the rail industry. “Currently, the rail industry will have a monitoring system from one company that focuses on remote batteries at switching sites and telephone exchanges. In addition to this the guys who

stations and signalling applications are relying on standby battery power in case of a power cut, how do they know they will work every time.”

As far as BCL’s own future is concerned, the company is very much focused on expanding its product offering as its target markets become increasingly aware of the importance of battery management. “Over the next 12 months, we are looking at having a hosted service. So if clients haven’t got the employees to manage the data, we can provide a secure management service where we collect the information remotely and can highlight problems for them. We can then inform them of the best way to proceed. Beyond that we are looking to expand into providing cyber power security as well – this will make us even more unique within the market,” James concludes. With a unique position in the market and a strong product and service offering, BCL Power is well placed in an economy where future power sources are uncertain. With power such a critical part of maintaining reliability within the rail industry and across all sectors, the company proposes a sensible solution to making sure this reliability is maintained.

www.bclpower.co.uk

go out to the field will likely be testing batteries with a different system. Then all this data is extracted and analysed by someone else who can then make a decision on whether the batteries need changing or if they are okay. With the Midtronics Stationary Power equipment, there is a central server, which can collate all information from all sites, whether it be from engineer tests or from monitoring remote sites, which can cut down on service visits. This will then allow management teams in the rail industry to predict when the batteries will need changing more accurately, rather than waiting for a test to say that they’ve already failed. So again in the rail industry it allows them to be proactive rather than reactive.”

Focusing on the rail industry is a smart and reactive move by the BCL Power team considering a current push within the industry to integrate data management with operations in order to improve reliability and therefore customer satisfaction. Having recently sold Midtronics testers to Network Rail through a third party, BCL sees the potential for its management systems to also be put in place to help drive maintenance efficiencies throughout the rail network.

“As a nation we are putting more pressure on the power grid and this brings its challenges. So people are becoming more reliant on back-up battery solutions,” comments James who sees big opportunity in the future.

“Going forward it is worth companies investing in a good battery management programme. For instance, if

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Furrer+Frey

New dawn for Great Western

electrification

To celebrate the end of Series 1 OLE system design phase of the Great Western electrification, we talked to the engineers involved at electrification specialist Furrer+Frey, plus the project management team at Network Rail about the scheme’s strategies, objectives, and outcomes

T

he background

The completion of the design phase of Series 1 electrification is an important milestone in Network Rail’s multi-billion pound modernisation of the Great Western Main Line and its South Wales branch.

The modernisation includes resignalling, new rolling stock, station upgrades and electrification. When the modernisation was announced in 2009, the only electrified portion of the Great Western was between London Paddington and Airport Junction west of Hayes and Harlington.

During a series of reviews between 2009 and 2012 it was announced that the whole GW network from London in the east to Cardiff and Swansea in the west would be electrified. In March 2012 Amey plc was awarded the contract to undertake the electrification works using Network Rail’s High Output Plant (HOPS). For the electrification part of the upgrade, new Series 1 overhead

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line equipment, designed by Furrer+Frey has been specified by Network Rail. It was devised to 125mph operation with a possible 140mph future capability and will be installed using HOPS. The HOPS has five sections, each of which handles a different aspect of the installation - these can be coupled together to work as one unit, or separated to work independently. The train will be maintained at the High Output Operations Base (HOOB) in Swindon, on the site of former sidings.

Unlike the Series 2 used on North West Electrification, which has been described as ‘Mark 3D with sunglasses’, Series 1 was a complete redesign and replacement operation to take the GW network strides forward in terms of speed and reliability. Revolution not evolution.

“Previously we tended to choose lower initial capital cost options over whole life costs so, with the massive increase in trains on the network, reliability can suffer”, says Network Rail’s Glenn Wiles, Principal Design Engineer (Contact Systems).

The electrification brief “The brief for Series 1 was very clear,” says Glenn Wiles. “The system had to be reliable, even with less maintenance, it had to be fully compatible with existing legacy rolling stock and, crucially, be fully TSI compliant at line speed up to 140mph.” Network Rail looked at existing electrification systems with the potential to be used on Great Western but the European systems would not plug into the UK network (with its narrower gauge, higher platforms and features such as bridges and level crossings) and no UK-ready system was TSI compliant. In addition, because of the geography of the GW system with its limited access points, the system had to work with Network Rail’s High Output Plant System (HOPS). Where using HOPS was not practical – at stations for example - the electrification system needed to work with more traditional output methods. This need for reliability, versatility and TSI compliance meant that a completely new approach was needed and the design was put out to tender.

The remit was a tough one. “Even with very limited access points we needed to electrify more quickly than had ever been achieved before in the UK”, continues Glenn Wiles. “We needed the system to be versatile and to address some of the reliability issues of the existing system.” In fact, Network Rail raised 97 reliability issues of the old system, which had arisen largely as a result of too much concentration on initial capital costs without consideration of whole life costs including installation, maintenance and repair.

Network Rail and Furrer+Frey were already working together on Great Eastern, were co-housing at Paddington, and had established a good working relationship. “Furrer+Frey had a good understanding of UK systems and were prepared to undertake a full root and branch redesign without a ‘take it or leave it’ attitude.” Out of a shortlist of five, Furrer+Frey won the contract in 2011 leading to the establishment of a fully operational Furrer+Frey UK operation.

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Photo - Crossrail West Outer - Paul Roszkowski

Furrer+Frey

“As an engineering challenge, this was as tough as it gets,” says Furrer+Frey’s Noel Dolphin. “The inputs are getting harder – the operators want to run trains with more pantographs, it is no longer just one now it is two or three and they want to run these at higher speeds. But the infrastructure remains the same: the tunnels are still too small, there are still level crossings - there are even still level crossings next to low bridges!” These challenges are all in the context of shorter possessions, increasingly tough standards and the need for TSI compliance.

“Network Rail also gave us four additional technical restraints,” says Noel Dolphin. “No tail wires routed across adjacent tracks to anchor, Mechanically Independent Registration, Constructability and independent tensioned conductors.”

The Solution Furrer+Frey’s Telescopic Single Insulator Cantilever was the answer for typical two track areas. With its single insulator telescopic cantilever, the SIC has been designed for the shortest possible installation time. This is achieved by an unprecedented level of off-site factory pre-assembly. The mast brackets are pre-installed at the depot and the SIC is then assembled and adjusted before delivery trackside and simply mounted on two pins on site.

Fewer components mean easier procurement, less maintenance, greater reliability and easier adjustment on site.

In a dewirement scenario there is a controlled dispersion of forces through the rotation of the SIC. Win win.

“The system has been designed for what we call a ‘land and leave’ process,” says Furrer+Frey’s Principal Engineer Rob Daffern. “The idea is that you can build it in the depot in controlled conditions, set it to the right dimensions, rack it up on the HOPS train and just drop it onto place with the minimum amount of fixings. In fact, in test conditions at our yard, we have installed Twin Track Cantilevers in less than three minutes – a process that has traditionally taken 40 minutes to an hour.” With limited access times, these time savings on installation make a massive contribution to the Series 1 system’s reduced

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life time costs. Even in the early days of installation roll out, HOPS teams are achieving more than twice as many mast installations per night than using traditional systems.

Historic Challenge Certain parts of the GW network offered a particular challenge to Furrer+Frey team. For instance the Sydney Gardens section of the GW network running through historic Bath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and needs the very highest levels of aesthetic attention. Furrer+Frey is a subcontractor to the Lead Design Organisation for Great Western, Atkins/Parsons Brinkerhoff on this section and the two companies have collaborated closely on this complex and sensitive project. Anesh Ramkhelawon the senior designer for Furrer+Frey on the Bath section takes up the story. “There are a number of aesthetic considerations here,” he says. “We need to avoid large beams and tuck them out of public view, placing the overlaps where the public can’t see them. We have been urged to invoke the ‘spirit of Brunel’ in our design work by various interested parties but whether that means rigidly sticking to his original bold design vision and flair or embrace a more sympathetic solution is unclear! What is obvious is that many people are passionate about Bath and its architecture.”

The legacy infrastructure here also offers a particular challenge. “Many of the bridges here are very low so getting the wire at a safe height for the public whilst keeping the line open has been a test,” continues Anesh.

“There will be a whole programme of track lowering and bridge raising to accommodate this. All of this against the backdrop of the tight timescales we are faced with across the network and it certainly adds up to a really interesting engineering challenge.”

Innovation The scheme is not all Bath stone and heritage sites however. Series 1 has offered up the opportunity for innovative collaboration between Furrer+Frey and Network Rail. Nowhere is this more apparent than at Old Dalby test track. “The test track hadn’t been used at high

speeds since the late 1990s,” says Network Rail’s Charles Lateu Smith. “That meant a lot of work to get the track ready and fit for purpose and this required an excellent level of collaboration from everyone involved. Amey began construction on the piling in October 2013 and we were ready to start testing in March 2014 – and that included realigning the track for high speed testing, hiring a train and adapting its pantograph configuration and restoring the power. The testing was so successful we chose Old Dalby as the test facility for the Furrer+Frey Rigid Overhead Catenary System (ROCS) in Stanton Tunnel in early 2015.”

The refurbishment of the 1.2km long Stanton Tunnel part of the line with Furrer+Frey’s is the first time that the ROCS system has been used at high speeds in the UK - although it has been installed on more than 1900 track km worldwide and tested up to 302kmph line speeds. It is based on a rigid bar design, not the traditional tensioned overhead line, so there is a significantly reduced likelihood of a de-wirement or snapping of overhead contact line.

This absence of mechanical tension also means space provision for bulky tensioning devices is not required within the tunnel and much reduced loads on the

support structures, making it particularly suited to tunnel installation.

The End of the Beginning The end of the system design phase marks an important landmark in the whole electrification programme. Work is already well underway on installation and collaboration between Furrer+Frey and Network Rail continues apace. “We have been working together very closely for 18 months and it’s been a very collaborative working arrangement,” says Charles Lateu Smith. “The contract has really been left in the drawer while we get on with working towards our common goals.”

www.furrerfrey.ch

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Editor Gay Sutton

editor@railwaystrategies.co.uk Sales Manager Joe Woolsgrove

jwoolsgrove@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

www.railwaystrategies.co.uk

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