Railway Strategies Issue 129 May 2016

Issue 129 May 2016

FEATURE

S

DAS - a game changer for security management?

Digging deep to eradicate station upgrade surprises Tackling human error in the high risk environment

Ticket

to ride?

Merseyside underground stations revamp enters final stage

NEWS

Rock wall protection completed at Parton in Cumbria

Halton Curve reinstatement gets the go ahead

Mystery: Forth Bridge reconstruction plans discovered

Chairman Andrew Schofield

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From the Editor

Editor Gay Sutton editor@railwaystrategies.co.uk Managing Editor Libbie Hammond Art Editor Gerard Roadley-Battin Advertisement Designer David Howard Profile Editor Ben Clark Staff Writers Jo Cooper Ben Clark Andrew Dann Advertisement Sales Mark Cawston Darren Jolliffe Dave King Rob Wagner Sales Director Joe Woolsgrove Operations Director Philip Monument Editorial Researchers Keith Hope Tarj Kaur-D’Silva Mark Cowles Administration Tracy Chynoweth

Issue 129 ISSN 1467-0395 Published by

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A new dawn?

D

o you sense a change in the air, one that’s nothing to do with the onset of spring with its insistent dawn chorus and longer days?

Having led evidence gathering for the National Needs Assessment (NNA) from over 1000 organisations and individuals across the rail sector and wider disciplines, Institution of Civil Engineers President Sir John Armitt believes the process is creating a real sense of excitement. “A group of very different organisations working together to ultimately benefit society, grow and economy and drive the shift to a low carbon future,” he explained. “The approach feels fresh, like we have broken down the silo mentality for the common good.”

Every element of infrastructure development would benefit from this ‘common good’ approach. While much of the current collaboration is achieved through individual motivation and intelligent IT systems, this sense of sharing and joint purpose needs to percolate through the work force to strengthen the way in which future projects will be delivered.

Of course, it takes time for such change to filter down through the layers of workforce, and indeed for people to recognise that things are different. But this is a really positive start.

In this month’s issue of the magazine we take a look at the tricky task of up upgrading or reconstructing stations, and see how working across a range of disciplines can help to remove the risk of unexpected surprises.

Further into the magazine we take a look at fibre optic cable, often seen as a security risk, and discover how DAS technology has the capacity to transform it into an effective vehicle for analysing and monitoring intrusion on the rail track.

If you have any opinions to share with us, email: editor@railwaystrategies.co.uk

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Features An ear to the ground 14 Most people class fibre optic cable as a security risk rather than a safeguard, but DAS technology could be about to change that PETER DERRY To err is human 20 In the aftermath of the Bavarian rail crash investigation, we examine what companies can to do reduce the risk of human error MARY CLARKE

News 4 6 7, 13, 23 19 25 60

Industry Worldwide Infrastructure Environment Appointments Conferences & exhibitions

Competency in the digital age – CASE STUDY 22 How software from 3Squared is revolutionising the industry’s approach to training and competency management

Focus on Infrastructure Derisking station upgrades 8 A plethora of hazards can lurk above and below ground during station upgrade work. But exactly what can you do to reduce such costly risks?

PHIL WEST Under pressure 10 Introducing some new ways of solving the age old problem of delivering clean compressed air cost effectively KELVIN AUSTIN

Focus on Environment

ry o t s r e 23Cov

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Intelligent hybrids – CASE STUDY 18 How hybrid power units from Firefly delivered sustainable energy noiselessly for Crossrail before the mains power was switched on

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Profiles 27 34 40 45 49 53 58

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34 40

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Qatar Rail Cubic Transportation Systems RTA Metrail Construction Datum Telent Birchwood Price Tools

IN BRIEF

Moving one of the original cast iron arches

IET seeks excellence l Entries are now open for the Institution of Engineering Technology’s Apprentice and Technician Awards 2016. The 2014 winner was Atkins’ James Winson for his work at South Kensington tube station. The awards are in 3 categories: an apprentice, a technician and an Armed Forces technician. See: conferences. theiet.org/achievement/awards/ apprentice/

GTR wins court injunction l Govia Thameslink Railway has been granted a court injunction against the drivers’ union ASLEF, stating it must not induce its drivers to refuse to operate the new 12 car trains. The injunction was sought after drivers were instructed to refuse to drive the first two services that had been due to operate in 12 car formation on the Gatwick Express.

Birmingham New Street falls foul of vandalism l Vandalism was the likely cause of serious disruption at Birmingham New Street station on 11 April, according to Network Rail.

Investigations reveal that there had been attempts to burn and cut cables powering signals at the Proof House junction south of the station, causing widespread signal failure. The cost to the industry will run into hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Greater autonomy for Network Rail Property l Network Rail has set up a property company with its own board of directors, to maximise value from its estates. Named Network Rail Property, it will manage revenue generation from network assets, and oversee the disposal of others to help generate the £1.8bn required to fund the Railway Upgrade Plan. This will free Network Rail to focus on its core business.

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Victorian rail history comes to light during demolition work for the Belfast Hub l Translink has uncovered historic remnants of Belfast’s first ever railway station complex during demolition work for the Belfast Hub Regeneration Project.

Original cast iron columns and arches like the ones used in the Great Victoria Street terminus, were discovered in warehouse sheds on the main project construction site in Belfast city centre. The sheds were originally used by freight trains from all over Ireland carrying produce such as cattle and stout.

Translink is donating the salvage to Downpatrick and Co Down Railway for a project to recreate a Victorian-style train shed at the heritage railway.

Translink Infrastructure Executive, Clive Bradberry, said: “These cast iron columns are one of the last remaining links to the old Great Northern Railway station that was demolished back in 1976 so we are surprised something so tangible from our railway’s past still remains in good condition today.”

ORR reveals priorities for road and rail for the coming year l The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has published its Business Strategy for 2016-17, setting out priorities for the coming 12 months in what it says will be a changing year for the railway. It will focus on: A safer railway: Holding industry to account to deliver safety improvements, focusing on level crossings, the train-to-platform gap, and through overseeing better design at the outset.

Better customer service: closely monitoring operators’ progress with compensation for delays, complaints handling, on provision for disabled passengers, and on information provided during disruptions.

Value for money from the railway: Ensuring the infrastructure owner, train operator and freight company working together to improve efficiency, and monitoring Network Rail’s performance.

Promoting a dynamic and commercially

sustainable rail sector: Setting out a vision for the future in a document outlining the next Periodic Review, PR18. Consultations will begin later in the Spring. Building on the recommendations of the Shaw review, PR18 will consider options for route-based regulation, underpinned by a strong system operator and for an effective charging and incentives regime for Network Rail as the network monopoly.

High performing regulation: Structural and funding changes for both the rail and road networks mean that a high performing regulator is more vital than ever. ORR will continue developing its professional expertise and work across road and rail to develop and apply proportionate, risk-based regulation.

See: orr.gov.uk/publications/ corporate-publications

NEWS I Industry

RSSB seeks entries for £4m innovation funding competition for TOCs l £4m is up for grabs in the latest innovation competition from the RSSB, which is aimed at TOCs. The new competition, TOC’16, is designed to help operators and suppliers work closely together to find new and innovative ways to overcome specific challenges on the railways.

These could include door-to-door journey of the customer, punctuality and reliability at stations, disruption management, as well as the industry-wide challenges of increasing capacity, safety and security.

Proposals must be submitted by consortia containing at least one train operator and at

up to £1m funding to progress the proposal.

The competition opens at a briefing event on 19 May 2016 and close on 16 September 2016. See TOC16 at: www.rssb.co.uk/ future-railway-programme/

Virgin Trains unveils tactile station maps for the visually impaired

Crime down by 70% l Crime on the West Midlands transport systems has fallen on by 70% in the last eight years.

New figures from the Safer Travel Partnership show that last year alone, offences on bus and rail services fell 6% over a 12 month period from 1 April 2015, while rail network crime fell by 6.2%. A 17% rise in crime on the Midland Metro has been blamed on an increase in trespass incidents and pedal cycle theft.

Stansted Express up 3.6% l Rail has overtaken bus and coach as the preferred method of travel to and from London Stansted during the last quarter of 2015. Data from the Civil Aviation Authority shows 28.59% of passengers arrived on Abellio Greater Anglia’s Stansted Express, up 3.6% on the previous quarter while 26.26% came by bus or coach.

least one supplier. Four to six consortia projects will be chosen and each will be provided with

EU funded research points out ways to proof rail against terror attack l New research from Huddersfield University has come up with a series of proposals to make European transport hubs safer from terrorist attack.

The aim of the EU-funded research project, Pre-EMPT, was to develop principles that could become uniform at complex transport hubs throughout the EU. “Procedures for security at airports is fairly universal, but there isn’t a consistent approach for land transport,” said Professor Hirschfield who led the research team from the Applied Criminology Centre at the University of Huddersfield.

The research focused on mixed-use interchanges that bring together different forms of transport such as surface rail, metro systems, bus stations and tram terminals, plus retail and leisure outlets.

While practical recommendations such as blastproof bins, shatterproof glass and improved sightlines for surveillance emerged from the research, a number of procedural improvements were also proposed. These included common standards for vetting staff to lessen the possibility of insider threats, staff training in how to identify and report suspicious behaviour, and regular consultation between the different bodies in charge of these sites.

IN FACT

1,474 early bird passengers

l Ten railway stations on the East Coast route from Berwick to Peterborough have been fitted with newly developed tactile maps that can be read by both the sighted and visually impaired.

Operator, Virgin Trains, has worked closely with the charity RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) to create these maps which combine raised large print with Braille and tactile symbols.

Located close to the station entrances, the maps provide key information such as the location of platforms, toilets, shops and cafes to help travellers with sight loss prepare for their journey more easily.

Kawal Gucukoglu, RNIB transcription executive, said: “I like the fact it’s a map for everyone – there’s not a separate one for people with and without sight loss.”

l In the 4 weeks since Metrolink began operating a new ‘early bird’ morning service for workers at Manchester Airport, it has carried 1,474 passengers. The service began operating from Cornbrook on 21 March 2016, and plans are in hand to extend it to Deansgate-Castlefield later in the year once improvements have been completed.

£50,000 prize for SMEs l A new competition, the Rail Grand Challenge, has been launched to generate and develop new innovations for the rail industry. Open to SMEs in the rail sector, it offers up to £50,000 in development capital. It is run by Alstom and Transport Systems Catapult (TSC), and entries close on the 30th of May. See: ts.catapult. org.uk/open-calls-space

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NEWS I Worldwide Eurotunnel regains its unique status and freedom from national control

Inside the Gotthard Base Tunnel

World’s longest train tunnel to go on veiw before services commence l Testing is currently in progress on the world’s longest train tunnel, the new Gotthard Base Tunnel in Swizerland.

The 57km tunnel creates a new fast flattrack route under the Alpine massif in the heart of Europe, and is a key feature of an ambitious new north-south link, improving connections between north and south Europe, easing congestion on existing rail routes and taking traffic off the roads.

The tunnel has taken 17 years to build and is the work of constructor Alp Transit Gotthard AG. Once testing is complete, it is due to be handed over to operator Swiss Federal Railways SBB on 1 June 2016, a year ahead of schedule.

Before regular operations commence on 11 December 2016, SBB is giving vistors a unique opportunity to examine the interior of the tunnel. From 2 Aug to 27 Nov, the special ‘Gottardino’ train will carry visitors to record depths beneath the rock of the Swiss Alps and give them the opportunity to view the gigantic tunnel system at a temporary stop 800 metres below the surface. Once high speed trains are travelling through the Gotthard Base Tunnel a stop will no longer be possible.

Trains will travel at a maximum speed of 250km/hr, and it will take 20 minutes to pass through the tunnel. At the deepest point in the mountain there will be 2300 metres rock overlay.

Botswana’s new passenger coaches

Transnet delivers customised passenger coaches to Botswana l Transnet Engineering has delivered the first 22 of a total order of 37 passenger coaches to Botswana Railways. The remaining 15 will be delivered by May. The order was placed last year as part of Botswana Railways’ plan to reintroduce passenger rail services, which had ceased in April 2009 after the Ministry of Works & Transport ended crosssubsidy from freight activities.

Engineered and manufactured at Transnet centres of excellence in Pretoria and Cape Town, the passenger coaches include features such as roof-mounted air conditioners, state-of-the-art firstclass sleeper designs, Wi-Fi technology and entertainment systems.

They were transported by rail to Gaborone from the company’s facility in Koedoespoort, east of Pretoria.

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l The Conseil d’Etat has upheld an appeal from Eurotunnel that the French side of the Channel Tunnel should not be considered part of the French Rail network. This ruling confirms its unique status in perpetuity.

On 4 August 2014 a French Ministry of Transport decree had defined Eurotunnel as part the national railway network, and therefore subject to French railway reform.

Eurotunnel, which will operate the Channel Tunnel until 2086, appealed against the ruling on the grounds that the decree, which could only apply to the French half of the Channel Tunnel, was contrary to the terms of the Treaty of Canterbury which set out the bi-national nature of the Channel Tunnel in 1986.

This decision to uphold the appeal is definitive and not susceptible to further appeal.

Eurotunnel’s unique status means regulations cannot be imposed on only one side of the Channel creating obstacles and inconsistencies, or limiting its success factors: freedom to set prices for its Shuttle services or charges for use of its network as set out in the RUC (Railway Usage Contract).

Ontario partners with Thales Canada on $80m rail signalling solutions project l Ontario is to provide $12m of the estimated $80m cost of developing the next generation of rail signalling solutions for the Canadian railways. The development is being carried out by Thales Canada, a subsidiary of the French-based Thales Group.

The project will focus on research and advanced engineering to develop Canada’s Communication-based Train Control (CBTC) solutions for mass transit, including subways, light rail and commuter rail systems. It is expected to create 126 jobs in the province and retain another 963 over five years.

“Our support for Thales in Canada will help it ramp up its research and development work and leverage new and innovative technologies,” said Brad Duguid, Minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure.

NEWS I Infrastructure IN BRIEF

Rock armour shield being installed at Parton

HS2 and TUC make pact l HS2 Ltd and the TUC have agreed a framework to maximise the economic and labour benefits of the new rail line. It sets out how to discuss issues on employment, development and diversity through the supply chain, and provides a platform for making work package agreements between contractors and unions.

Forth Bridge mystery plans l Engineers working on designs for a new visitor facility have unearthed 71year-old plans for the reconstruction of the iconic Forth Bridge. The blueprints show a three-arch structure, similar to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. One theory is that they were a contingency measure, should the world-famous structure have fallen victim to attack during WWII. Network Rail is trying to track down anyone who knows who drew up the plans… and why.

UK’s first rail milling train l Crossrail has ordered a £12m rail milling train from Linsinger, for rail maintenance in the Crossrail tunnels. The vehicle, the first of its kind in the UK, reduces the long-term wear of rails and wheels by restoring rail head geometry.

Delivery is scheduled for spring 2018 and it will be located at the Plumstead infrastructure maintenance depot in southeast London.

December target for Dover line reopening l Extensive repairs to the battered Dover to Folkestone line include a new 235 metres viaduct supported by 134 concrete columns sunk into the beach and protected by rock armour. Engineers say they aim to reopen the line in December. Work to protect existing structure and cliffs has been ongoing since the start of the year.

Cumbrian Coast Line defences bolstered with 15,000 tonne‘rock armour’ l Work to repair and protect the railway on the Cumbrian Coast Line at Parton has been completed following the installation of a 15,000 tonne rock armour sea defence.

Working around the tidal patterns of the Irish Sea, Network Rail engineers have been delivering emergency repairs to the sea wall since storms battered sea defences protecting the railway over Christmas and the New Year.

The team began by repairing the breaches in the wall using cement as a temporary measure.

Then, only able to work at low tides when they could access the beach, they installed a permanent layer of rock armour comprising around15,000 tonnes of huge boulders at the base of the sea wall to absorb much of the wave energy.

John Owen, works delivery manager for Network Rail, said: “In total we’ve put around 15,000 tonnes of the rock armour into place which will help protect the railway for several decades to come. The main challenges have been the weather and access, and we had to carefully plan our work around low tides so we could safely and effectively install these defences.

“The logistics were also challenging as we had to move the rock in from quarries, into a compound and then, during low tide, onto the beach. The result is a safer and more reliable railway for the people of Cumbria.”

The work at Parton forms part of a multimillion pound scheme to protect high risk areas of the Cumbrian Coast line from erosion and protect the railway from future weatherrelated disruption.

Cable theft chaos

l Over 4 weeks in March thieves attempted to steal cable 7 times in the east Midlands causing significant disruption to East Midlands Trains services in Nottinghamshire, costing the railways £119,165.

While investigations continue, the authorities are asking for information that might lead to the arrest of those responsible.

Detective Inspector Gareth Davies from British Transport Police said: “Directed patrols are now being carried out across the area – including officers patrolling on foot, in vehicles and with police dogs – to catch and deter criminals.”

Reinstatement of Liverpool’s Halton Curve gets the green light l The Liverpool City Combined Authority has approved a project to bring the Halton Curve back into full use for passenger services.

Halton Curve is a 1.7 mile stretch of line between Frodsham Junction and Halton Junction that links the North Wales Coast Line to the Liverpool section of the West Coast Main Line in Cheshire.

The £18.75m project will initially enable hourly direct services to run between Liverpool and Chester, with the prospect of extending them into Wales in the future.

Work is due to start in June 2017 and be completed by May 2018.

The Authority has also agreed to develop proposals for the devolution of stations on the Merseyrail network.

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INFRASTRUCTURE

De-risking station upgrades Rail improvement projects can hide a plethora of hazards and extra costs for the under prepared.

PHIL WEST, consultancy manager at CET, explains how to de-risk the process

T

he rail industry is in the process of working with train operating companies to deliver its £150 million National Stations Improvement programme that is designed to upgrade over 150 stations across England and Wales. Unlike headline projects such as the recently unveiled Birmingham New Street station, this programme is designed to bring upgrades and extensions to medium-sized stations without necessarily carrying out major redevelopment work. The greatest challenge with projects such as this is to ensure that stations remain in operation, accessible to passengers and safe while work is in progress.

The first critical step On the face of it, these tend to be relatively simple projects but the key to their success can lie in the preparatory work carried out before any new plans are put in place. This preparatory work can involve a range of complex, but not necessarily high-cost, specialist investigations that can include geotechnical, environmental, drainage, structural fabric, utilities, paint and topographical surveys. This process underpins the actual upgrading project itself and is designed effectively to de-risk the project – in other words to ensure that once work proper has started, there are no nasty surprises lurking in the background that could seriously jeopardise the completion of the project on time and to budget.

Managing this diverse range of investigations requires

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a broad range of skill sets both in terms of technical capabilities and project management. Complexity is often increased by the age of the infrastructure to be upgraded – anything from Victorian era onwards – and the purpose of the investigations is to create a clear picture for the architects, engineers and designers of what they are working with.

Surprises below ground Drainage is a frequent area of concern on this type of project and often raises serious issues because of poorly maintained drains. Typically, drainage systems have been added to whenever there has been a need to increase capacity. In older premises it is rare to find original records and it’s more common to find a drainage system that has been cobbled together over a period of years, rather than purpose-designed. Historically with works of this type, drainage contractors would only find out what they were working with when they got into the system, by which time a budget and timescale would have been agreed. Any complications arising would inevitably add to time and cost. The more efficient way is to carry out a complete survey of drainage to assess what exists before planning any improvements or maintenance. A range of technologies is available for surveying surface and foul water drainage systems, ranging from detailed analysis using CCTV system surveys and sonar detection to produce accurate models on CAD drawings.

Above ground A similar situation applies above ground where structural investigations are needed before any consideration of alterations or additions to existing buildings. Refurbishment projects could involve a wide range of types of structure from concrete and brick to steel-framed. By gathering on-site data using a wide variety of techniques it is possible to create a clear picture of the layout and integrity of existing structures before new work is carried out. Again, this means that architects and structural engineers know exactly what the on-site contractors will be dealing with and can plan the project accordingly.

A dangerous cover up ?

Another area which benefits from pre-project investigation is paintwork to metal structures – bridges, canopies, gantries and the like. Rather like adding to an existing drainage system without knowing what is there already, simply renewing paintwork on metal can be counter-productive and have major implications for a maintenance budget. Paintwork on metal is there to form a protective barrier against corrosion. If the original paint has lost adhesion, the metal underneath will continue to corrode and the maintenance team be faced with the equivalent of painting the Forth Bridge – a rolling programme of ongoing re-painting each time the corrosion starts to break through.

Another consideration is lead in existing paint. On commercial projects, where existing paintwork is likely to be disturbed, it is a legal requirement to carry out a professional lead survey to gather data necessary to allow a risk-assessment of likely lead exposure risks.

Gaining long-term control The key benefit of a complete site investigation with structural, paint and drainage surveys accrues from the greater control it brings to the subsequent improvement and maintenance programmes. It enables the infrastructure operator to manage the risk of unforeseen conditions by giving a complete picture at the design stage of what is really there. It helps to identify where special precautions need to be taken – and situations that mean the project can be treated as routine – and also has the advantage of being independent of the future works and avoids any conflict of interest that may arise with contractors.

Any improvement programme in the rail sector faces a number of challenges. Access is a major issue and whatever work is being carried out has to cater for the fact that there will be an ongoing need to ensure that passengers and staff can gain access, particularly at peak times. Budgetary considerations also come high on the list, particularly when a finite budget is being

spread across a large estate and over-runs can have knock-on consequences for other projects. Skills shortages also need to be factored in, particularly looking to the future when projects like HS2 will require a huge labour resource.

This all argues in favour of ensuring that the tightest of management controls can be applied to every project undertaken. Pre-project site investigations and surveys bring together a package of information which enables sound decisions to be made on the way infrastructure improvement projects are designed and maintenance budgets prioritised. Removing risk in this way enables project efficiencies and savings to be achieved and avoids cost escalation during the construction stage due to unforeseen circumstances.

Phil West BSc MSc CEng MICE – consultancy manager A chartered civil engineer with over 30 years’ experience as a geotechnical specialist in both specialist and multi-disciplinary consultancies and site investigation businesses, Phil has particular expertise in earthworks, soils stabilisation, permeability testing and infiltration drainage design.

www.cet-uk.com 9

INFRASTRUCTURE

Under pressure KELVIN AUSTIN of IMI Precision Engineering explains how AMT is changing the way rail operators handle compressed air

A

reliable, continuous supply of clean, dry compressed air is crucial to the rail industry – without it, rail services simply could not function.

Compressed air is used in a wide range of key applications, including braking systems, pneumaticallyoperated doors, pantographs and the train’s horn.

Yet while the provision of compressed air may sound straightforward, in practice it brings several problems.

One of the most pressing challenges is the need to ensure that the compressed air used on rolling stock is always of a high quality. Air compressors are generally mounted underneath the body of the train and source the air for compression by taking in large volumes of air from the surrounding atmosphere. Such air, of course, contains high levels of contaminants and water vapour, which must be removed before the compressed air can be used. Failure to remove water vapour and contaminants can be catastrophic, leading to increased downtime and maintenance costs, and even vehicle breakdown.

Furthermore, it is not only atmospheric contaminants and water vapour that must be dealt with. When the air is compressed, the vapour and contaminants are heated and compacted before being cooled, at which point the water vapour condenses into liquid. In oil-lubricated compressors, the heat produced can degrade the

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lubricating oil, which then mixes with the condensing liquid. The result of this is a viscous acid condensate, which – if it gets into the system – can cause erosion, corrosion and component failure.

The solution to these issues is to use an air dryer to remove water vapour from the compressed air. In rail settings, two types of air dryers have predominated – desiccant dryers and membrane dryers. However, neither is ideal. Fortunately, a new solution – adsorbent media tube (AMT) technology – now looks set to change things.

The search for perfection With the provision of compressed air vital to so many rail functions, and with both revenue and safety at stake, the industry has long sought the perfect air dryer for rail applications. Both membrane and desiccant dryers have their advantages, but also their drawbacks.

The key components of membrane dryers are semipermeable polymeric fibres, each about the thickness of a human hair, that allow water vapour (as a fast gas) to pass directly through the membrane and into the atmosphere. This is a continuous action, so there is no cycling, pressure change or maintenance involved.

Further advantages of membrane dryers are that they do

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INFRASTRUCTURE

not produce dust, do not need an external power source and are lighter than desiccant dryers.

However, the membranes in such dryers are very fragile and prone to breakage and contamination. If a single fibre breaks within the membrane, others swiftly follow and the results can be catastrophic. Therefore challenging environments, such as rail where vibration, compressor stop starts, extremes of temperature and chemical contamination are all common hazards, often lead to early failure. Most membrane dryers in rail applications have a life span of between four and 24 months, and must be constantly monitored.

Desiccant dryers are more restrictive than membrane dryers in terms of installation; they should be installed vertically, since horizontal placement often leads to bypass. Desiccant dryers use columns, filled with adsorbent beads, to adsorb moisture. The beads are generally made of an adsorbent material mixed with a clay binder, which adsorb contaminants and moisture as the air is pushed through them.

However, these beads tend to degrade, particularly in environments – such as rail settings – where shock and vibration are commonplace. Despite being tightly packed in their columns, desiccant beads can rub together, causing dust that may contaminate the surrounding air and downstream equipment. Channelling, attrition, compromised performance and by-pass can also occur.

Desiccant air dyers have a life span of between six and 36 months. Replacement is often a two-person job and can cause considerable downtime.

A breath of fresh air The introduction (by IMI Precision Engineering and product brand IMI Norgren) of a patented air dryer based on AMT technology, specifically designed for rail settings and amenable to customisation, has given rail operators a revolutionary new way of tackling the problems inherent in compressed air drying. This new approach uses AMT tubes, typically 2mm in diameter with a 0.9mm bore, which comprise around 80 per cent adsorbent material, blended with a durable, non-adsorbent binder such as polyether sulphone (PES). There is no clay component, so unlike conventional desiccant air dryers, these dyers do not generate dust.

The AMT is extruded in a water bath and is completely resistant to bulk water. The practical advantage of this is that if the tube becomes saturated in use, there is no by-product or chemical reaction; the tubes are simply dried during purging and return to their original state. The structure of AMT maximises the permeability and surface area of the adsorbent crystals, which in turn maximises the number of active sites. It shows low mass transfer resistance, so compressed air can easily permeate the structure, and offers very low pressure losses.

An AMT air dryer reduces the dew point to below

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20 per cent relative humidity, preventing condensate from reaching downstream applications, whatever the operating conditions.

Indeed, having been vibration tested to EN61373:2010 and able to operate at temperatures between minus 40°C and 80°C, the AMT air dryer is robust enough to cope with almost anything that life on the rails can throw at it.

The finer details The adsorption and desorption kinetics of AMT are faster than those of conventional materials, and in situ the dryer’s drains are electrically operated during every purge cycle, which gives super-fast regeneration. The dryers can also be customised to a high degree, depending on the environment and intended use. For example, twin AMT systems, in which two columns of AMT work simultaneously, are available for heavy duty use, and can be sited in a variety of ways, including with each column at a different location. Various elements within the dryer can also be customised, these include diffusers and filtration options.

Perhaps most impressively, the unit performance does not degrade over time, and has an impressive, maintenance-free, life span of up to six years, or 18,000 operating hours, in most applications. It has a lower cost of ownership than the traditional alternatives, and unlike those options it does not require regular servicing.

Combining the advantages of both membrane and desiccant dryers with levels of reliability and durability that were unattainable, AMT is an innovative technology operating efficiently to new levels.

IMI Norgren is one of a portfolio of flagship product brands under IMI Precision Engineering, which rebranded from Norgren in 2015.

www.imi-precision.com

NEWS I Infrastructure

Electrification of the railway enters next crucial stage in the Swindon area Piling machinery on the High Output Plant System (HOPS) train

l The next and rather noise phase in the preparations for electrification of the Great Western Main Line has begun between South Marston and Royal Wootton Bassett, and will continue through the summer. Network Rail is working closely with the local communities to minimise disruption.

The work involves installing the foundations for the overhead lines using a process known as piling which is inherently noisy. For safety reasons

the work cannot take place when trains are running and therefore tends to occur at night.

To minimise disruption as much as possible, the team will be carrying out on-site noise monitoring and installing equipment to reduce the sound made by the piling process. They are also engaging with the local community through letters to those who live close by, and follow-up visits from Network Rail representatives.

Alstom and Amey win £90m contracts for signalling and power supply on London to Reading line l Network Rail has awarded a contract for the final stage of the signalling system that will control trains between Reading and Paddington to Alstom, and a separate contract for resilient power supplies to Amey. The upgrades are crucial for Elizabeth line services and modernisation of the Great Western Main Line.

Both contracts have been awarded under existing Network Rail framework agreements which allow suppliers to invest in the skills and resources needed to deliver large projects efficiently.

The £79m contract with Alstom is for the final stage of the full re-signalling of the Great Western Main Line between Reading and Paddington in the west of London. The contract covers the design, manufacture,

supply, installation, testing and commissioning of a state-of-the-art train control system. The signalling work, which is already well underway, will enable Elizabeth line trains to operate on that section of the railway along with other services on the Great Western Main Line.

The £11m contract awarded to Amey for signalling power works between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington includes replacement of obsolete power supplies and crucially, fully resilient new supplies for the signalling equipment. This enables the system to be automatically supplied from separate supplies in the event of a power failure anywhere between two points, drastically reducing train delays while maximising reliability for trains to and from Paddington.

Measures in place at the Holt Town Metrolink stop

Signs and road studs to stop cars straying onto tram tracks l Manchester’s Metrolink has come up with a series of measures to stop drivers straying onto the tram tracks near the Holt Town stop.

Over the last 18 months, 15 motorists have driven onto the traditional tram tracks and become stuck, causing delays to services, and vehicle recovery and infrastructure repair costs.

Additional no entry signage has been fitted at both ends of the Holt Town tram stop, along with bespoke bollards, road edge studs and an instruction sign asking motorists to pull off the track to an adjacent bay or risk their vehicles becoming damaged and stuck. Ramps have also been added where the embedded track meets traditional track, to make recovery easier.

The £20,000 cost of implementing these measures is negligible compared to the cost associated with each incident.

TfGM is now reviewing other stops where cars have been driven onto tracks, to identify and prioritise modifications at these locations.

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SECURITY

An ear to the

ground

With security increasingly critical to safe and efficient rail operations, PETER DERRY considers the benefits of distributed acoustic sensing (DAS), the ease with which it could be implemented and the potential risks

Below Peter Derry, innovations director at Interserve

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he detection of sound isn’t a property you would immediately associate with fibre optic cables. Yet the same cables that are transmitting our emails and telephone calls around the world can also be used as an early warning system that listens for potential threats or disruptions.

It sounds futuristic, but the concept behind distributed acoustic sensing is actually quite simple.

Optical fibres carry pulses of light from one end to the other. If a disturbance occurs – say, for example, an object landing near the fibre optic cable – the vibrations

will cause disruptions within those pulses of light which, with the right monitoring device in place, can be analysed to determine the strength, nature and location of the disturbance.

The technique can be extremely accurate.

Configured correctly, it can pick up something as insignificant as a footprint, and with the proper monitoring can even differentiate between a human and an animal – a prospect of great significance when it comes to security. Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) could also be used to monitor for potential defects

Bright prospects

in vehicles and machinery; picking up tiny changes in engine noise levels that could signify a defect or imminent failure.

The technology is already being used to protect assets worldwide, most notably in the oil and gas industry where operators deploy DAS to protect long, deserted and difficult to police stretches of pipeline. The similarities with the rail sector, where operators are responsible for thousands of kilometres of track and vast amounts of rolling stock, are clear. So could this nascent technology be the next big thing for the industry?

Distributed acoustic sensing certainly has a great deal of potential as a rail solution, not least because a large portion of the infrastructure it requires is already in place.

Fibre optic cables are often laid alongside railway tracks, in depots and close to other assets. Transforming this existing infrastructure into a usable DAS system would simply involve setting up monitoring devices in optimum places along the line, and making sure they are configured correctly to capture any disturbances.

As for areas where the required infrastructure is not yet in place, laying dedicated cables could still prove a more cost-effective means of protecting rail assets than other, more expensive systems currently in use – most notably in terms of the distances that DAS systems can monitor effectively. The investment required to install DAS would be significant, but still viable relative to the value of the assets requiring protection.

Thanks to advances in digital technologies, DAS would complement rather than replace other monitoring techniques. We can now combine and analyse information from a variety of live stream sources.

By using DAS to monitor depots and lengthy stretches of track, patrolling security teams could be restructured to act as rapid response taskforces. Equipped with real time camera devices, these operatives would be deployed to investigate any disturbances detected by the system and transmit a live stream of visual information back to a centrally located hub. This central control centre would then assess the visual evidence alongside the data received from the DAS cables to determine the level of risk and, if deemed sufficiently serious, coordinate the deployment of additional resources.

DAS could prove a boon for the protection of line-side services. The number of metal thefts from railways has decreased rapidly during recent years, largely thanks to the 2013 Scrap Metal Dealers Act, but track side location cabinets and REBs (relocatable equipment buildings), which house vital signalling, telecommunications and power equipment, remain vulnerable to vandalism, sabotage and even terrorist attack.

Looking beyond the security sphere, DAS could be used to inform planned and reactive maintenance programmes – for example, by alerting teams to the change in vibration caused by wheel flats – as well as offering safety applications. DAS is already being employed as an early warning system for rock falls along the landslide prone Glasgow-Oban line. With Britain’s stormy weather reported to be on the rise, distributed acoustic sensing’s ability to detect fallen objects such as tree branches could become increasingly important.

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SECURITY

Setting the parameters As with many new technologies there are a number of caveats to keep in mind.

The technology is extremely sensitive and can pick up the lightest of vibrations and movements. Disturbance events are likely to be detected regularly. To avoid wasting resources and time, rigorous systems need to be put in place to ensure that the number of false alarms is kept to a minimum.

Partly this is about configuring the technology correctly. Warning alerts need to be calibrated so that, for example, a fox running along a track is not highlighted as a potential threat. Of course, it can be difficult to differentiate between wildlife and human activity. This is where using multiple information sources and training becomes important.

Monitoring teams need to be able to interpret patterns in the data and make an informed decision based on an assessment of all the information at their disposal; generally speaking, frequent events such as heavy traffic passing along a carriageway close to a rail line will have a recognisable vibration signature and can thus be discounted as a threat.

The technology is only as good as the response of the monitoring teams. With alerts being generated in real-

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time, employees need to be able to react quickly, night and day. It is no good using distributed acoustic sensing to detect vandalism if by the time security teams arrive on site the criminals are long gone. Likewise, different teams need to communicate with each other, with maintenance teams alerting monitors of any planned activity to avoid false alerts.

With great power...

Like most new digital technologies, DAS systems will generate huge amounts of sensitive information – all of which will need to be securely stored.

We are now much more alert to the issue of cybersecurity, and as our thinking on this subject evolves businesses will be in a much better position to protect their data. At Interserve, we are accredited to ISO27001 information security standard. This is a good first step but organisations will need specific protocols in place to safely hold the database of information created by DAS. With the potential to inform criminal prosecutions, it will be crucial to ensure that the data is stored in a standardised way and is of sufficient quality that it can be used and understood by a variety of different parties – whether legal teams or police officers. We are also looking at developing a dashboard system that would facilitate

access to the information on a section by section basis for approved users.

Perhaps most tantalising, is the potential to use the data not just to identify current disturbances but predict future ones. With advances in analytics, teams will be able to distinguish activity hotspots and address any gaps in the security provision at the most vulnerable locations.

A word of caution So why is the rail sector not rushing to embrace this seemingly miraculous technology?

Distributed acoustic sensing is in use by Deutsche Bahn and in the United States, and there have been some trials across the UK – but not to the extent one might expect.

Partly this is due to past limitations of the technology.

Until recently, it remained a challenge to achieve bandwidth capable of handling such large quantities of real-time data at the speeds required to be effective. The technology has now caught up and, with the costs of live streaming falling, has become much more competitive.

There is also an element of the fear of the unknown. DAS requires unfamiliar technologies and new ways of working. Understandably, operators and

their supply chain are not always willing to make an initial up-front investment on unproven technologies, even if the long-term benefits could and probably will be significant.

In the field of security, service providers face high employee turnover rates that present difficulties when it comes to investing in the training needed to make DAS effective. Providers need to be able to invest in their employees and know that they will retain that expertise within the business.

Looking forward Distributed acoustic sensing is not a ‘fire and forget’ solution. It will require the commitment and investment of transport operators and their support partners as well as a crucial willingness to try something new. There will of course be teething issues as the parameters for monitoring are fine-tuned and teams receive training to be able to interpret and correctly categorise the data.

The potential, however, is massive, and it is clear from other industries that this technology can be used effectively. As the capacity of Britain’s railways continues to expand to meet rising demand, distributed acoustic sensing could provide a cost-effective means of monitoring our growing railways.

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ENVIRONMENT - case study

turns back on and the HPG returns to recharging mode.

As a result, 24-hour power is efficiently provided, reducing costs as well as CO2 emissions.

Considering the neighbours

Intelligent hybrids Hybrid power units from Firefly help Crossrail meet sustainable energy targets and noise control requirements on the Anglia route

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Top A temporary office powered by Firefly HPG overnight Above Hybrid power generation in situ alongside the tracks

n March 2014 Costain won the £150 million contract for Crossrail works between Stratford in east London and Shenfield in Essex. Site Coordinator, Keith Kirwan, who was also the sustainability champion for the project, was responsible for ensuring that Costain’s sustainability targets were met.

The scope of this commitment included working with industry to ensure that plant and equipment used on site was energy efficient and not contributing to air quality problems, minimising the impact on the environment and the community throughout construction, and embedding energy saving and emissions reduction in the rolling stock and station designs.

Keith recognised that hybrid power generation would help meet these targets and therefore specified this technology for the project. The hiring company, Speedy, recommended Firefly products and the specification was updated to include a Firefly hybrid power generation (HPG) unit at almost every site along the route.

Using its intelligence The Firefly solution integrates with the diesel generators on site. The diesel generator provides high-load power when required, while concurrently charging the batteries of the HPG. The HPG then intelligently detects when the diesel generator is powering a low-load, overnight for example, and turns the diesel generator off, enabling the power to be provided by the HPG. When the load increases again, the diesel generator

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Noise pollution was also a consideration on this project.

A number of sites along the route were located close to residential buildings, so it was vital to provide power silently during the night. At the Gidea Park and two sites in Brentwood, for example, the temporary modular office buildings required temporary power until the sites were ready to use permanent power.

Diesel generators provided power during the day while construction work was being carried out, but Firefly’s Cygnus Three was initially employed to supply power between 7pm and 7am. This experiment provided Keith with a strong set of energy saving results.

Having taken advantage of Firefly’s GLOW RFM fleet management software and seeing the results of the Cygnus Three on the site next to Brentwood station’s car park, Keith wanted to optimise these savings. The site was therefore changed from a timer setting on the Cygnus Three to a load sensing set up, which increased savings from 50 per cent to 75 per cent.

On another site Keith opted for the latest unit in the Cygnus range, the Cygnus Four, which offered twice the power and storage capacity of a Cygnus Three. Its use continued until Costain was ready to switch to permanent power in Autumn 2015. This unit reduced the run time of the diesel generators by 77 per cent on this site.

Conclusion Commenting on his reasons for choosing Firefly and the hiring partner, Speedy, Keith said: “I had worked with Speedy before and they were explaining the benefits of the Fireflys. I was looking for a sustainable solution so I was keen to give the units in the Cygnus range a go when I heard about the impressive savings on fuel and carbon.

Our aim is to transition to permanent power quickly and efficiently, but whilst we work towards that, these hybrid power solutions support our sustainability requirements.”

Works on the Crossrail contract began in 2014 and will continue until 2018. Costain is working to upgrade tracks and overhead electrification equipment, increase train stabling capacity and improve turnback facilities. The aim is to provide passengers with quicker journeys, longer and higher capacity trains and new lifts for step free access. Firefly units have also been utilised on thirteen station sites along the route.

www.fireflycleanenergy.co.uk

NEWS I Environment

Midland Main Line electrification programme pioneers innovative species management l A new approach to protected species management is being tested out on the Midland Main Line electrification programme and has the potential to deliver significant efficiency and cost savings over the next eight years.

Until now, protected species mitigation licences have only been granted for discrete zones or in areas where a protected species has been recorded through survey work. If protected species are found in areas where they have not been recorded, work comes to a halt while a licence is applied for.

On 150km Midland Main Line electrification scheme, ecologists from Atkins have identified that there is a high likelihood of encountering protected species where they have not previously been recorded, resulting in delays that could cost to £10,000 to £20,000 per night.

Working with Natural England they have secured the first ever project-wide mitigation licence. This provides consent to deal with protected species as they are encountered. These first licences cover crested newts and badgers.

The great crested newt licence allows individuals to be captured along the length of the railway as they are encountered during works. The badger licence allows setts to be disturbed or closed, minimising the impact of finding these species unexpectedly during construction works.

Richard John, Network Rail environment manager, commented: “This new system has considerably sped up the process of removing and relocating protected species which are found along the route, and has allowed investment work in the railway to be carried out more quickly.”

Removing a great crested newt

Rare butterfly gets a new railway home

Go-Ahead identified as top performer for sustainability

Network Rail volunteers helping create a new habitat for the Duke of Burgundy butterfly l A team of volunteers from Network Rail are taking part in a scheme to create a new habitat for one of the UK’s rarest butterflies alongside the rail track near Princes Risborough.

The volunteers joined the Upper Thames Branch of wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation (BC) to create a new habitat for the Duke of Burgundy colony at a new site on land adjacent to the London to Birmingham line.

The butterfly colony – one of just three found in the county – currently sits on private land near Princes Risborough, just north of High Wycombe, but the site has recently gone up for sale. BC hopes that creating new habitat nearby will encourage the butterflies to expand their range, so whatever happens to their current site, they face a more secure future.

Upper Thames Branch chairman, Nick Bowles, said: “We are thrilled that Network Rail not only allowed us to work on this site, a former breeding ground for the butterfly, but also that so many of their staff volunteered to help. This is all part of our efforts to strengthen the Duke’s population and increase the number of colonies in Buckinghamshire.”

l Go-Ahead has achieved an impressive 95% score in Business in the Community’s 2016 sustainability index, making it a top performing passenger transport operator.

The company has received praise for developing a methodology calculating the financial value sustainability activities bring to the business, and for taking social and environmental issues into account in strategic decision making.

The CR Index is a benchmarking tool that helps hundreds of companies measure and manage their progress integrating responsible business practices.

Sarah Boundy, corporate communications director at Go-Ahead, said: “Our devolved management structure allows us to develop strong collaborative stakeholder partnerships with local organisations and to make a positive and more relevant contribution to the communities we serve.”

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HR

To err is human

Human error is often blamed for accidents and fatalities on the railways. Following the catastrophic rail crash in Bavaria recently, MARY CLARKE explains what companies can do to reduce the risk of human error

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Below Mary Clarke, CEO, Cognisco

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he latest annual figures from the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) show that despite record breaking passenger numbers in 2015 there were no passenger or workforce fatalities on trains in the UK last year. This is the eighth consecutive year without any passenger or workforce fatalities and the UK continues to be one of the safest countries for train travel in Europe.

However, with passenger numbers doubling in the last decade, and increased regulation, rail companies still face significant operational challenges and compliance risks.

One challenge shared by all rail companies is how to mitigate the risks of human error. And while modern technologies and processes have improved rail safety records, human error is often cited as the root cause of major accidents.

We’ve been working with several leading rail industry companies including Network Rail and Eurostar for a number of years to help them mitigate the risks of human error. We do this by providing people-centred data to evidence compliance and identify any workforce skills, knowledge or confidence gaps that might impact

performance or pose a potential risk to the company.

As human behaviour is a critical component of health and safety, having a better understanding of how front line employees behave when performing their job can help companies minimise risk, improve safety standards and ensure regulatory compliance.

Human error to blame As we now know, human error was thought to be the cause of the train crash in Bavaria in February in which 11 people died and at least 80 were injured. Likewise with the Santiago de Compostela crash in which 79 people died in 2013, investigators said driver error was to blame.

The term human error is commonly used when companies are unable to blame systems, technology or process when things go wrong. It occurs when people have failed to act in the right way – they may have taken a short cut to save time, forgotten to follow a step of a process or even entirely misunderstood the defined process. In each case, the actions can have disastrous consequences.

There is no easy way to protect a company from errors

made by people – we are all human after all. Take the Bavarian crash; it is puzzling why a seemingly qualified area controller decided to open the track to two trains on a collision course only to notify both drivers afterwards?

The chief prosecutor Wolfgang Giese said: “If he had complied with the rules…there would have been no collision.” Whilst this seems slightly obvious it does raise the question why he didn’t follow the rules on that particular day when surely he must have known them?

When audits and investigations take place, it may transpire that the controller took (and passed) all the right training, understood the correct processes to follow and was an experienced and good employee. So why did things go wrong?

Most large companies, particularly those in highly regulated industries like rail, invest millions if not billions of pounds embedding systems, technology and process to mitigate risk, uphold and improve safety standards and efficiency. Yet, mistakes still happen and the root cause is often complex.

Identifying people risk James Reason, professor of psychology at Manchester University, an expert on the role of human error in accident causation, explains it using his Swiss Cheese Model theory.

Reason says that 99.9 per cent of the time a company’s systems, processes and people will align and work together with no issues, despite small gaps in some places. However, when holes and gaps in different layers shift and align, everything can change in an instant.

Whilst most people want to do their best for their company, some have always navigated around standard procedures, processes, and best practice. In some instances they may have been told to side step a process by their manager or a more experienced colleague because it’s quicker, or ‘the way we’ve always done it’.

Such process tweaks can be effective, but when they aren’t embedded effectively, they can and do expose companies on a mammoth scale. Cognisco calls this exposing your company to people risk.

One problem that is common in all different industry sectors is that when major accidents happen companies resolve to do things differently. They pledge to review their processes and invest in more training. However, if the process or the training wasn’t the cause of the accident, such initiatives are bound to be fruitless.

Why would a new process work if the old one wasn’t followed? How would more training benefit people who didn’t understand or apply previous training? How will things be different?

A new approach is surely required. While human behaviour is often seen as unpredictable; research that appeared in Science magazine found that 93 per cent of human behaviour is predictable.

Gaining insight into their behaviour In our experience of working with global companies across many industries, if companies have insight into what people actually understand about their roles, the training they have received and their confidence levels when applying their knowledge at work, they can better predict how they will behave in different scenarios. This insight enables them to mitigate their people risk.

Perhaps if this approach had been used by the Bavarian rail organisation this accident could have been avoided. With greater insight into the area controller’s specific development needs, his company could have given him tailored support and interventions to improve his performance – actions which may have pre-empted the catastrophe.

Every organisation that relies heavily on its people would benefit from insight into gaps in understanding across their workforce. Such intelligence enables a company to provide tailored learning, training and support for every individual. This would not only avoid sheep dipping everyone with the same solutions but also enable workforce optimisation – where people are excelling in their roles and contributing to company success.

We are supporting our rail clients by providing them with real time data about their people’s capability and their confidence delivering against required competencies.

With people-centred data and a global view of the understanding, capability and confidence of relevant teams and individuals, these companies are well positioned to identify potential areas of risk and take action to mitigate the risks before problems or accidents occur.

They can also make strategic people-based decisions with confidence, ensure their talent is used in the best way, and also use the data to evidence regulatory compliance and reduce the cost of audit and litigation.

Whilst we may never know exactly why the accident in Bavaria happened, we do know that having access to people-centred analytics provides companies with a lens on the their workforce – insight that enables strategic decisions to be made to uphold safety standards, ensure regulatory compliance and reduce the exposure to people risk.

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TRAINING - case study

Competency in the digital age Software from 3 Squared is revolutionising the industry’s approach to training and competency management. JAMES FOX explains how

Above The RailSmart suite

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he UK rail industry employs more people than ever before, with around 190,000 employees including train drivers, station staff and those responsible for managing and maintaining the network’s 20,000 miles of track.

With the digital revolution that has taken place in the last 15 years, train operators are recognising how they can take advantage of mobile apps to make their systems for managing driver training and employee competency much more efficient.

The railways and other guided transport systems (Safety Regulations) 2006 (ROGS) updated in 2011 and 2013 require that all duty holders working on a transport system must establish an effective safety management system which outlines how safety critical work is managed. These tasks must be carried out by a competent person, which includes driving and dispatching trains, signalling, installation of components and maintenance, ensuring safety of persons working on the track. It also required that any worker carrying out duties as part of training

must be supervised by a competent safety-critical worker at all times.

The ROGS require railway operators to maintain a safety management system (SMS) and hold a safety certificate or authorisation indicating the SMS has been accepted. Any person or organisation that operates a vehicle in relation to any infrastructure must comply with ROGS. It also applies to any person or organisation responsible for developing and maintaining infrastructure or for managing and operating a station and any person or organisation that is responsible for the safe maintenance of a vehicle.

Since the legislation was introduced, it spelt out the need for effective competency management systems for all employees. As a software specialist for the rail sector, we were approached by a number of train operating companies to develop web-based mobile app technology to enable them to better manage employee competency.

Previously the rail companies had used paper-based systems or legacy Lotus Notes to record and monitor vital safety assessment processes.

NEWS I Infrastructure IN BRIEF Public back historic Market Harborough station l Following clear feedback from the public, Network Rail has confirmed that its plans to remodel Market Harborough station and make adjustments to the track layout will include retaining the much loved station building, currently in use as the ticket office. The track and station redesign will reduce journey times and enable longer trains to call at the station.

Preston station to get a facelift l Virgin Trains is to invest a further £1.5m in Preston station, in enhancements that will transform access from Platform 7. A new entrance and concourse will include ticket vending machines, customer information screens, car park payment machines and a new retail unit. Work started on Monday 25th April.

Birmingham New Street recognition l The newly reconstruction Birmingham New Street station is one of three projects shortlisted for the Legacy Award for Sustainability at the Celebrating Construction Awards, and one of eight projects shortlisted for the Project of the Year award.

Birmingham New Street station, which opened on 20 September 2015 after a five-year £750m transformation, is famed for its iconic new atrium over a huge passenger concourse.

Bombardier class 387 units, similar to those destined for the c2c route

New trains for c2c three years ahead of schedule

l Extra trains are to be delivered to the Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness line in East London and South Essex, to ease congestion three years ahead of a major fleet update.

The news came as c2c and the Department for Transport reached an agreement for 24 new class 387 carriages from Bombardier in Derby to be leased to c2c until 2019. They will enter passenger service between October and December this year, increasing the number of seats at peak times by 1,400 and providing room for 3,000 more passengers.

At the end of the lease period in 2019

Phase three of £12m Moorfields station refurbishment begins

Escalator refurbishment at Euston Tube station l Work has now begun on the refurbishment of 4 heavily used escalators at Euston Underground station, with completion set for July 2017. The escalators will be taken out of operation one at a time. During the refurbishment, which includes renewing key components, there will be reduced access to the Northern and Victoria lines.

the company will be introducing 68 new carriages to the route. The formal procurement process for the first tranche of these started in April and a manufacturer is expected to be appointed in the summer. c2c managing director Julian Drury said: “This agreement is hugely important, as we will now get new carriages on c2c within six months when they normally take years to be delivered. Combined with the other changes we are making in both the short- and longterm, this is the most significant increase in capacity for c2c passengers for over a decade.

Moorfields station platform 1, recently reopened l Work to transform Moorfields underground station in Liverpool has entered its third phase. The work is part of a £12m investment programme to upgrade the station’s platforms and escalators, and improve facilities for Liverpool’s main business district.

The station, which is operated by Merseyrail, is the latest on Merseyside to be redeveloped as part of a £40m investment by Network Rail, working in partnership with Merseytravel

and Merseyrail. In addition to work on the platforms, improvements will be made to walkways and the upper and lower concourse areas. There will be new flooring, fresh enamel cladding on the walls and brighter lighting, which will give a cleaner, airy, less cluttered environment. Nine of the station’s escalators will also be refurbished to improve their reliability and lifespan.

The first platform to be refurbished, platform 3 on the Wirral line, re-opened in August 2015. Platform 1 serving the Northern line reopened on 2 April this year after a three-month closure. Work has now begun on platform 2, northbound on the Northern line, and will be completed in the summer.

Terry Strickland, area director for Network Rail, said: “The upgrade of the first two platforms has made a huge difference to the look and feel of the station. The modern look on platforms 1 and 3 will be replicated on platform 2, completing the upgrade of the underground stations in the Merseyside area.”

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TRAINING - case study

This was inefficient, both in terms of the amount of time it took and the fact that systems could not easily alert the operator when an assessment was due, therefore running the risk of an employee not being assessed when required.

Creating the app Working with East Midlands Trains, we developed the RailSmart Employee Development System to address all these issues. It is an innovative suite of tools for the continuous management and improvement of employee competency, which is designed to improve safety, awareness and consistency. It is benchmarked against best practice guidance, which provides rail companies with the tools to proactively manage and improve the capabilities of their staff.

RailSmart works via an iPad app, which allows for complete assessments to be carried out on the move, whilst monitoring train crews at work. At the same time, the web component gives verifiers the ability to check the quality of the assessments being conducted to comply with ORR standards.

The software has already been licensed to several train and freight operating companies and has received a great deal of interest from across the rail industry, including being recognised at the UKRIA Awards within the Innovation category.

The web-based software was built from the ground up using a detailed design specification, with regular end-

Since East Midlands Trains has incorporated RailSmart EDS for its competency management, it has delivered significant returns. The train operator has reported that the time savings gained per driver per year have far exceeded their expectations.

The formal grading process and consistent feedback all go towards raising the bar of competence. The more competent a driver, the less likely there will be to have an operating incident. It also results in better train performance, which then turns into a financial gain through increased PPM (Public Performance Measure) and a proportional rise in income.

Continued rollout Following the success of the system with East Midlands Trains, it was gradually rolled out to its sister company South West Trains. This has resulted in the removal of a significant burden of administration from the paper-based competency management system, which has had a major impact on the business. It has enabled time to be freed up to be used to better effect in the support, development and management of safety critical employees.

In an industry where safety is paramount, the introduction of technology into the process of training and competency management offers many user benefits.

Smartphones and tablets with high-resolution cameras, GPS and internet connectivity, together with affordable 4G data plans from mobile phone operators are becoming

Left James Fox, commercial director at 3Squared user input and feedback, which has contributed greatly to its impact. It is far from being just a powerful electronic CMS; it has completely evolved how East Midlands Trains undertakes assessments, verifies files, develops and supports its employees and shares learning resources.

East Midlands Trains describes RailSmart EDS as a step change in the way driver competency is managed and assessed. Trevor Parkin from East Midlands Trains said: “Assessments can be planned more robustly and are carried out with all information for the driver immediately to hand. Feedback is delivered instantaneously and signed for in real time.�

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increasingly commonplace with today’s modern rail operators. Therefore, apps like RailSmart are becoming the dominant form of digital interaction. Inconsistency in paper-based systems can often lead to frustration and errors in reporting causing uncertainty, misunderstanding, loss of trust and an increase in risk.

The RailSmart Programme is set for further growth as TOCs, FOCs, Metro and professional bodies come forward to join the effort to digitise competency management, staff training and incident reporting.

www.3squared.com

NEWS I Appointments Malcolm Dobell takes up strategic role

Engineering appointment at Abellio Greater Anglia

Tube upgrade chief to spearhead digital railway

l CPC Systems has appointed Malcolm Dobell as non executive director.

Malcolm brings more than 45 years of rail industry expertise to a team that is already successful at improving the performance of operational rail systems both nationally and internationally.

Formerly head of train systems for London Underground, Malcolm has worked on the engineering of every train fleet on the LU network, and has project managed works on many of them.

In this new role, Malcolm will provide strategic support as CPC Systems moves towards becoming the ‘go-to’ technical consultancy provider for capacity and performance solutions.

He is a Chartered Engineer, and a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Malcolm said: “I am delighted to be joining CPC Systems, which has demonstrated the power of data analysis by knowledgeable engineers in driving reliability improvement. This is the future for train and signalling systems maintenance especially as trains and signalling become more integrated.”

l Chartered Aeronautical Engineer, Colin Dobson, has been appointed engineering director at Abellio Greater Anglia to oversee the maintenance and professional engineering activities of the teams responsible for the safe and efficient operation of the company’s fleet of trains.

Colin will head up a team of 500 staff and continue to develop their working relationship with other departments and organisations, including Network Rail, to identify smarter ways of conducting the business and delivering continuous improvements to the train service.

Colin spent 15 years in various senior positions at British Airways, including corporate and airline operations, aircrew management, engineering and design, and commercial and strategic business development.

He has held positions across many industry sectors and more recently was head of programme at Virgin Atlantic Airways, accountable for the delivery of their first Boeing 787-9 aircraft.

l David Waboso, capital programmes director at London Underground, is to join Network Rail as managing director, Digital Railway, with a probable start date of June. He replaces Jerry England who is retiring.

David has decades of experience in leading major infrastructure projects both in the UK and abroad. In his current role at London Underground, he has been responsible for leading the £1.5bn annual tube upgrade programme.

In his new role he will lead Network Rail’s Digital Railway Programme – a cross-industry programme to boost network capacity using digital signalling and train control technologies.

David’s experience at London Underground, where he has led the upgrade of both trains and infrastructure to digital technology, will be hugely valuable as Network Rail rolls out similar technologies across Britain’s rail network.

Prior to joining LU in 2005, David was executive director at the Strategic Rail Authority. Before that, he played a key role in the Thameslink Programme, Jubilee Line extension and Docklands Light Railway while working at Bechtel and Nichols.

New head of drivers for South West Trains l South West Trains has appointed Tara Deller-Hoy as its new head of drivers to look after almost 2000 drivers across 13 depots.

Tara joins from London Overground (LOROL) where she was head of drivers covering 500 drivers over five depots. She has a long career in driver management, starting out as a train driver with Heathrow Express in 1997. She also helped design the new fleet of trains on Crossrail in 2015.

Tara said: “This is a really exciting time to be joining South West Trains. With the new fleet of Class 707 trains coming in during 2017 it’s important that our team of drivers are ready and prepared. I started out as a driver in 1997 and have also got experience of developing the designs for a new fleet of trains at Crossrail, which I think will be a great help as we prepare for the future.”

Mike Grimsey moves to GHD l Mike Grimsey, who previously led the rail team at the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), has taken up the position of technical leader for rail transportation at GHD, an independent research and consulting company specialising in engineering, architecture, environmental and construction services.

Mike has worked in the industry for more than 30 years in technical and management leadership roles spanning evidence-based research, planning, design and construction.

“This is a really exciting time to be in the rail industry,” says Mike, “with new technologies and increased customer expectations driving change across the sector. GHD is well positioned to help clients adapt with services ranging from transport planning and strategy to design, assurance, infrastructure and systems engineering.”

Mike’s focus will be to maintain high standards for technical delivery, and to drive technologyfocused collaborations with the company’s partners in industry and research organisations.

New MD named for London Underground l The former leader of the public transport network in the Australian state of Victoria, Mark Wild, has been named as the new managing director of London Underground, and will be taking over from interim MD, Nick Brown.

Mark will join Transport for London (TfL) in June, leaving his current role as special advisor to the Minister and Secretary of The State Government of Victoria. Until recently he was the chief executive of Public Transport Victoria, the integrated transport authority based in Melbourne serving a population of some 6m people.

His career includes running the world’s biggest tram network and large suburban railway and bus services. He has also successfully managed large capital and maintenance programmes, vastly improved customer satisfaction and implemented a complex new ticketing system. In the past he has worked on a number of major projects in London, including the introduction of modern signalling on the Jubilee and Victoria lines.

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Qatar Rail

A vast

undertaking Qatar Rail is making significant progress into developing the country’s rail network that will be critical to Qatar’s future vision of economic growth

I

Above Al Waab underground station of the Gold Line

n 2008, under the light of continuous and rapid economic and social development in Qatar, the country’s Emir launched the Qatar National Vision 2030, a scheme to manage and implement this development in the most productive way possible. One significant part of this development framework is the Qatar Rail Development Programme (QRDP), a vast project managed by the newly formed Qatar Rail to deliver a complete rail network to support the growing population and economic activity in and around the country’s capital, Doha.

“Our vision is to create the favourite mode of transport for everybody and to provide an integrated railway together with a public network of bus systems,” begins Senior Programme Director at Qatar Rail, Dr-Ing Markus Demmler. “We want to make it attractive and sustainable, both in terms of economic and ecological impacts, and to make sure it is of the highest quality whilst remaining economically viable. Ultimately, it will run parallel to achieving Qatar’s overall vision to reduce emissions, as most of the country is run on cars at present, to ease congestion and improve travel times both into and within the city.”

An overview of the planned network for the development project serves to display the sheer scale of Qatar Rail’s undertaking. The programme is split into

three separate projects, the Doha Metro, a Long Distance network and a light rail network in the up-and-coming city of Lusail. The long distance network is designed for both high-tech passenger and freight services across five lines and 502 km of railway connecting population centres with major industrial hubs and forming critical connections with neighbouring countries. The lines include: a mixed passenger and freight line from Doha to Saudi Arabia; a high-speed passenger line from Doha to Bahrain, capable of speeds up to 270km/h; a freight line from Mesaieed Port to Ras Laffan; plus two mixed lines from Doha to Dukhan, and Doha to Al Shamal. By 2021, 8000 passenger trips are expected to travel on the network every day, with this rising to 24,000 by 2031.

To facilitate the developing city of Lusail, a light rail, tram-based network is being developed across four lines and 37 stations, two of which will link to the Doha Metro network. In a city that is predicted to house up to 450,000 residents in the near future, the Lusail network has been designed for a capacity of 50,000 passenger trips a day by 2021 and 120,000 a decade later. With an average speed of 29km/h, the lines will take an average of one to two minutes between adjacent stations.

The Doha Metro project, a strategically planned underground network to serve the expanding city of Doha, is undeniably the most complex of the three.

As part of phase one, planned to be completed and operational by the end of 2019, 37 stations will connect nearly 86km of track spread across three separate lines.

The Red Line, which will also be known as the Coast Line, is planned to run for 41 kilometres from Al Wakra in the south to Lusail in the north and will stop at 18 stations along the way. The Red Line will connect Hamad International Airport to the city centre and it is estimated that a trip from the airport to Lusail will be 36 minutes

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Qatar Rail

compared to current peak times of an hour and half.

Other notable stops will include West Bay, Katara and Qatar University. At its deepest, the Red Line’s tunnels will operate as far as approximately 46 metres beneath Doha’s surface.

Connecting Al Riffa in the East to Al Mansoura in the West and passing through Education City, the Green Line will stop at 11 stations along its length of 22 kilometres.

Significant stops for the Green Line, or the Education Line as it is also known, will be the Hamad Hospital, Al Shaqab and the currently in development, Qatar National Library. Extending 14km from Ras Bu Aboud in the west and Al Aziziya in the west will be the Gold Line, or Historic Line. Stopping at 11 separate locations, the Gold Line will be a crucial link for the Qatar National Museum, Souq Waqif, Al Waab and Sports City – a key hub for the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Due to be completed by 2020, ahead of the 22nd FIFA World Cup, the Doha Metro Phase One network is being achieved through eight separate projects. Three of these projects relate to 17km of elevated and at grade (EAG)

routes, plus six stations, all of which will be above ground and highly visible. These are the Red Line North (RLN) – six kilometres of track and two stations, to be completed

by December 2018; Red Line South (RLS) – six kilometres and three stations, to be completed by autumn 2016; and Green Line (GRN) – another six kilometres and just one station to be completed by December 2018.

Phase two will see the metro expanding with additional line extensions and a brand new line according to the city’s growth, the total number of stations will be increased by over 64 across more than 200 kilometres of track. Upon completion by 2021, the entire metro system aims to take 17,000 cars off the road, having a significant impact on the city’s carbon footprint.

“In terms of timescales, we released the first civil design and build contracts for the Metro scheme in 2013,” explains Markus. “Work, including MEP and architectural fit out, will be completed by 2018. The railway systems contract, which is separate, is due to finish in 2019 with the aim to be fully operational by 2020, if not the end of 2019. So far, we are 36 per cent towards overall completion (as of March 2016) and have already achieved 85 per cent of the tunnelling work, for which we have employed a record-breaking 21 simultaneously operating TBMs. Significantly, we have only dropped behind schedule by 2.3 per cent.”

As a young and burgeoning company taking on a project of such scale, Qatar Rail has faced a number of challenges, particularly in the development of the Doha Metro network, but has been able to overcome many through significant strategic decisions and management processes. “When it came to our contractor strategy we decided it would be more beneficial to allocate many of the risks to contractors because they have the knowledge and experience,” highlights Markus. “This is what we have done through the awarding of design and build

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Qatar Rail

contracts, eight of which are civil with one overarching systems contract.” However, here arises the challenge of successfully managing a number of contracts in parallel to each other. As such, Qatar Rail has set up both a delivery division, to oversee the project management of all contracts with support from consultants, and a technical

division, which ensures that significant design decisions regarding certain aspects that needed to be implemented across all lines are made in harmony with one another.

Due to time pressures put upon the scheme the QRDP and Qatar Rail have achieved a number of unique milestones in the way it operates in Qatar. First of all is its contract strategy, as Markus explains: “The usual way in the Middle East is to take a design-bid-build approach.

However, because of the time constraints a design and build contract was decided upon to be more viable.

Because of its irregularity in the region there was a certain amount of concern about this approach initially, but it has saved us a lot of time and because of its proven success in the QRDP other authorities are now taking this approach as well.”

Another significant aspect of the programme, which highlights both the scale and success of Qatar Rail’s management, is its health and safety record. Markus points out that the project has a target of a 0.1 per cent AFR (accident frequency rate), but is currently operating at 0.06 per cent. “Overall, we have over 112 million man-hours worked on the project so far, so this is outstanding,” he says. “To achieve this we are constantly running extensive training centres with our contracting partners, so that every person who comes through a contractor is fully trained in line with our zero harm policy before going onto site. This focus on wellbeing is continued in the general facilities, such as accommodation, as a lot of the labour is coming from abroad.”

Successful progress defines the Qatar Rail project so far in terms of operation, management and safety, and this is set to continue throughout its course. “By the beginning of 2017 all TBM work will be completed, with the Red Line North and Green Line tunnelling work just finished at the end of March 2016,” explains Markus, looking ahead at the coming 12 months. “Before the second half of the year all MEP and architectural contracts will have been awarded, and we have just had approval from his Highness the Emir for all mockup architectural finishes, so we will be ready to begin fit-out works this year. The ultimate goal is to finish all civil structures, and this means that underground stations will be around 85 per cent complete and ready for the systems contractors to begin work on track installation and technical systems.

“Of course, with more subcontractors moving in manpower will be increasing to around 35,000 across the metro project, which brings its own challenges, so as the project changes in nature, so too do its challenges.

Looking further ahead we are already preparing for phase two of the programme. Although this hasn’t been confirmed as yet, we think it would be wise to continue directly on from phase one as we have all the machinery, equipment and labour on site.”

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Qatar Rail

Focus on: Major Stations Phase one of the Doha Metro programme, which is due to be completed and operational by the end of 2019, will feature 37 stations connected by nearly 86km of track across the Red, Green and Gold Lines. The 41km Red Line, or Coast Line as it will also be known, will stop at 18 stations on its way from Al Wakra to Lusail, and connect Hamad International Airport to the city centre. Notable stops will include West Bay, Katara and Qatar University.

In 2013, the contract for the Red Line North section of the programme, which includes the build of seven stations, was awarded to a consortium led by Italian construction firm Impregilo and comprises of South Korea’s SK Engineering and Construction and Qatar’s Galfar alMisnad Engineering and Contracting.

The Green, or Education, Line will run 22km between Al Riffa and Al Mansoura, stopping at 11 stations including ones at the Hamad Hospital, Al Shaqab and the Qatar National Library. Finally, the Gold Line will comprise of 11 stations as it links Ras Bu Aboud to Al Aziziya over 14km of track. The Historic Line, as it will otherwise be known, will add the Qatar National Museum, Souq Waqif and Al Waab to the Doha network, as well as providing a critical link to Sports City –a major hub for the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Due to be expanding with additional line extensions and brand new lines in phase two according to the city’s growth, the total number of stations will eventually increase by around a further 64 as more than 200km of track is brought into operation. When completed, all lines will intersect at the central Msheireb station, the largest in the city, which will also serve as an iconic landmark designed to help locals and tourists orientate around the area. A strong visual connection between the entrance and concourse will also enable a smooth passenger experience and clear direction throughout the station. In 2013, a consortium of Spanish firm Obrascon Huarte Lain (OHL), Samsung C&T and the Qatar Building Company,

was awarded a 1.1 billion euro contract to build Msheireb, as well as the Education City station – both major interchange hubs.

Station design is a key factor for the entire Doha network and an architectural branding scheme has been established to ensure continuity of local flavours and personality throughout the metro system. All stations, which will eventually exceed 100 in number, will adhere to a contemporary ‘vaulted space’ concept, reflecting the heritage of the region’s traditional Bedouin tents.

Functionality has also been designed into the aesthetic value of ornamental panels, which will form the backbone of a dynamic lighting and ventilation system. Through the use of traditional elements of Islamic and local art, each station will be a unique tribute to Qatari heritage with dhow-inspired exteriors and a ‘pearl-effect’ aesthetic on the inside.

Above Al Bidda underground station of the Red Line Below Aerial view of the Msheireb underground station

www.qr.co.qa

33

Cubic Transportation Systems

A rail

revolution With roots reaching back as far as 1951, Cubic Transportation Systems has a proud heritage that recognises that efficient mobility remains a key driver for economic growth Below Roger Crow, Managing Director for Europe

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C

ubic has maintained a presence within the UK rail industry that extends back over more than four decades. During this time the company has established a proven track record as a trusted integrator of payment and information technology and services for intelligent travel solutions. Indeed, today many of the world’s overground rail systems use Cubic technology, while the company’s systems can be found on underground rail networks across four continents. The business was last profiled by Railway Strategies during March 2015, when the company’s Managing Director

for Europe, John Hill discussed how the service offering presented by Cubic has continued to change to meet the evolving needs of the digital age.

Over the past five to six years the rail industry has seen growing demand for intelligent revenue collection with technologies like contactless payment becoming increasingly integrated into the world’s rail networks.

Cubic represents a market-leading integrator for these technology intensive services and as clients increasingly adopt IT-based revenue collection systems they require a full service solution including support. As a result more

here at Cubic. It continues to be a time of change for Cubic too, as we grow our business across the whole mobility sector – including traffic management, tolling, multi-modal transport links and data analysis. During December last year we officially opened our worldwide Innovation Centre in Farringdon, London, while in Germany we are at an early but very promising stage of trialling a Bluetooth enabled ‘Check In – Be Out’ mobile solution. This was initially on buses and now with the upcoming trial in Duisburg will be included on light rail as well. We’re also pushing ahead with our NextAgent virtual ticket office and information point in both Germany and the UK. Again in London, we are developing a new ticket vending machine for CrossRail in conjunction with Transport for London (TfL), which will incorporate sleek modern design and a wide range of new functionality for both able bodied and disabled users. These are all part of our continual drive to make using public transport as simple and attractive as possible,” reveals Executive Vice President and Managing Director for Europe, Roger Crow.

“Another major highlight must be the enormous success of contactless payment across the network in London – well over 390 million journeys have now been made using contactless payment cards since it launched, and it has won 13 industry awards, as readers will have seen. The extension of contactless to Gatwick in January has also meant that the convenience of the

of the company’s products are evolving into back office systems, which are designed to handle the vast amounts of data generated by modern technologies. During the past 12 months, Cubic has enjoyed a highly successful year and in doing so has continued to demonstrate its place as an industry leader with the introduction of new technology solutions.

“This is a very exciting time for the transport sector in general and the rail industry in particular. We’re seeing record investment in new infrastructure, including Crossrail and HS2 and that bold optimism is reflected

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Cubic Transportation Systems

system is now available to many people outside London as well and we are seeing interest for this technology from transport operators and transport agencies around the world,” he adds. “In April this year Transport for New South Wales announced plans for a pilot of Contactless in Sydney in 2017.”

In a demanding year for the company Cubic has also

continued in its work leading a team comprising Sqills, CRM Culture and Rail Solutions to begin delivery of Irish Rail’s new fully integrated ticketing management and distribution system, which began in late 2014. “This chimes with Irish Rail’s ‘Customer First’ programme and I am pleased to say that is progressing well,” Roger elaborates.

“Away from the rail sector, we have also had significant US contract awards such as the New Hampshire DOT road tolling contract – a major re-entry success for Cubic back into road tolling. It’s been a busy year!”

The market appears to be extremely active for Cubic at present, with clients increasingly looking for IT solutions that link various modes of transport and types of payment. Therefore, market players are looking for partners that can guarantee delivery, future proof investments and who can think differently in response to the rapid development of technology and social media platforms. “This is a great time for innovative thinkers,” Roger exclaims. “I think the market is buoyant

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Cubic Transportation Systems

at present, because everyone is looking for more value from their assets and that is driving continuous advances in technology performance. Customers are looking to expand and future proof their systems, and when related to payment, are looking to maximise revenue certainty at the same time as improving operational efficiency.

“We are seeing a number of trends around account based ticketing and in joining up multiple modes of transport. But it is equally clear that this has a long way

to go. It’s still always surprising how many customers with similar needs look for different solutions. Coming back to account based solutions, we have seen this rapidly evolve from account based ticketing to account based solutions. Why would customers limit their solution to one form of transport, or to one payment need? Through ideas presented in our NextCity vision, we are helping customers to look beyond the near term, to implement infrastructure and solutions that are expandable across all modes of transport and potentially

extending into retail and commercialisation opportunities.

Take London, for example. London is looking to join up its infrastructure, ITS and transport modes through a range of projects. Cubic touches so many of these that we see some very exciting opportunities to help them realise their vision,” he continues.

“In the same way, through Transport for the North and the Northern Powerhouse in the UK we are seeing major drivers from several key cities, including Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Liverpool. Along with the devolution agenda this represents a major opportunity for the industry – provided we can efficiently join up our thinking and avoid over-complicated solutions. This is going to be hugely interesting and challenging over the coming years, but through our work with Manchester, London and the train operating companies we hope to play a significant role in this.”

It is difficult to overstate the level of activity that Cubic is enjoying at present, as the continued integration of new technology in transport networks around the world increasingly opens the way for further opportunity. As the market continues to evolve, Cubic will remain on hand with new and innovative solutions. “I believe we have only just seen the start of the revolution as far as contactless payment on public transport is concerned. This will be driven by the compelling customer proposition, the cost benefits to the operator, the rich seam of data which can be made anonymous and which can bring previously unimagined insight for operators and authorities, enabling them to tailor their services and offered increasingly personalised customer experience,” Roger concludes.

“Our core business remains as buoyant as ever, and we will continue to provide revenue collection solutions and services to the rail industry and beyond.”

www.cubic.com 39

RTA – Dubai Roads and Transport Authority

Integral to

success In a city of extraordinary growth, Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority is at the forefront of ensuring its expanding population is able to move around the international hub in a safe, smooth and healthy fashion

“

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T

he first ideas about the metro go back to the last decade of the twentieth century, when Dubai emerged as a regional economic hub and started to encounter a tremendous boom of development,” begins Abdul Mohsin Ibrahim Younes, CEO of RTA Rail.

“Consequently, the population increased sharply, and the transportation need has grown rapidly, with the annual rate of car traffic increasing as high as 20 per cent. In such development conditions, the increase in traffic congestion reached unprecedented levels and started to negatively affect the daily life of Dubai’s inhabitants.”

So began the city’s plan to build and expand an integrated public transport network, including a metro and tram system that served the key population, commercial and industrial areas of Dubai. Phase one to build the Red Line began in 2005 and was completed in 2009.

Stretching 52.1km from Rashidiya to Jebel Ali, the Red Line connects major business areas and iconic landmarks such as the Dubai International Airport and the Burj Khalifa. Phase two to build the Green Line started in 2006 and met its completion in 2011. Forming a semicircular route from Al Qusais to Al Jadaff, the 22.5km line passes

through 20 stations, two of which interchange with the Red Line. Along both lines a total of 47 stations connect across the current network.

In November 2014, the Metro system was joined by the Dubai Tram system, one of the most modern of its type in the world. With further extension programmes planned the current route extends 10.6km from the Dubai Marina to the depot in Al Sufouh and is served by 11 stations, four of which are on elevated sections of track.

“The Dubai Tram network lays claim to several world firsts,” highlights Abdul Mohsin. “It is the world’s first with full-line third-rail ground based power supply, the first with air conditioned passenger stations and the first in the world to be equipped with full platform screen doors.

These fully align with the tram doors’ opening and closing mechanism to provide maximum convenience, safety and security for passengers.”

In 2015 178.6 million passenger journeys were made on the Metro compared to 137.8 million in 2013. In fact, average daily ridership increased four and a half times in the five years to 2015 to almost 490,000. In its first full year of operation the tram system saw daily passenger

numbers increase 20 per cent. With the two networks currently accounting for over half the market share for public transport in Dubai, which currently stands at a total of 15 per cent, the RTA confidently predicts that this is only set to rise over the coming years – particularly in the run up to, and during, EXPO 2020 which is set to attract 25 million visitors to the city over six months. With population booming and economic growth continuing at pace in Dubai, the need for such a network is critical to the city’s safe and smooth operation.

RTA Rail’s Director of Rail Operations, Mohammed Yousef Al Mudharreb explains: “The provision of a good quality mass transit system generally helps cities to become more sustainable and resilient. Dubai’s Metro and tram systems are the backbone of the city’s transportation network, using less fossil fuel per passenger compared to cars and thus supporting the Dubai and UAE Government’s vision of a green economy.

Since its inauguration in September 2009, the Dubai Metro has reduced over 1.2 million tonnes of CO2, whilst the tram system has displaced over 3200 tonnes since November 2014. By 2021, this will have contributed to

a 16 per cent reduction in carbon emissions as per the Dubai Carbon Abatement Strategy (CAS).”

The growth of the rail based network significantly helps to support RTA’s vision of creating a fully integrated transport hub stretching across Dubai, in a bid to help its people move safely and smoothly around the city and maintaining a healthier and happier society. “Crucially, this improves connectivity of the city and helps the booming economy through the increase of employment, investment and business attraction,” Mohammed Yousef continues. “It also encourages people to socialise more by travelling in groups and also by visiting each other more frequently.”

Illustrating the success of such a vision, at the beginning of 2015 Dubai was ranked the best in the world in terms of its public transport connectivity to the airport with 20 journeys per hour linking the city centre with such a major international travel hub. This was according to a study conducted and published by Simon-Kucher & Partners, which compared transportation systems in 15 of the biggest international cities in the world. The report also found that on top of a well-integrated and connected system, Dubai also offered the cheapest ticket price for a family of four.

In line with creating a modern, well-connected and welcoming network, RTA’s development of the metro and tram systems has closely adhered to a strong architectural branding scheme. All Metro stations have adopted an internal colour scheme that reflects the four natural elements – green for air, blue for water, brown for earth and red for fire. The tram stations and forthcoming Route 2020 stations also follow this design template.

“We chose this classic and natural theme because it is an eternal concept that is referred to and recognised in many religions and ancient philosophies,” explains Rail Planning and Projects Development Director, Muna Al Osaimi. “This very much reflects the international nature of Dubai where more than 220 nationalities with different languages, religions and cultural backgrounds live in harmony.”

One significant part of RTA’s ongoing plans to develop and grow its rail systems around Dubai is its unique approach to commercial partnership. The Dubai Metro Naming Rights project, for instance, is a world first revenue model for public transport infrastructure that has been running since 2008. “This offers national and international companies the possibility to become partners of stations around the Metro network,” Abdul Mohsin outlines. “The Metro has incredible value as a communication and promotional platform from a commercial standpoint and the Naming Rights project goes beyond traditional sponsorship and branding to a deeper level of holistic brand integration and partnership.

Ultimately, it gives corporations excusive rights to an innovative marketing platform, whilst generating additional revenues for RTA to continue developing, improving and maintaining facilities and lines around the city.”

This relationship with private enterprise goes even

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RTA – Dubai Roads and Transport Authority

further with Abdul Mohsin highlighting the Trans-Oriented Development (TOD) station project currently being rolled out in the city centre. “Union Oasis, which was formerly a public park, will offer 15,000 square metres of mixed development opportunities next to Union Metro Station and will include recreational facilities and green areas, residential apartments, commercial spaces and retail outlets,” he says. “The success of this project is intended to trigger a wave of similar developments under the PPP (Public Private Partnership) model, with RTA offering the land on lease to potential developers or investors for a period of 30 years.”

What is clear is that whilst the city of Dubai continues to grow at a pace unprecedented in modern history, RTA is playing a critical role in ensuring that capacity to move in a safe, smooth and happy environment continues to serve demand. With a current intermodal share of public transport across the city standing at 15 per cent, there is an overarching strategic plan for this to reach 30 per cent by 2030, and RTA’s development of a fully integrated rail system will be central to this.

“We are currently in the process of tendering the Route 2020 Metro Line, which will connect the Red Line

from Sheikh Zayed road to the EXPO 2020 site near Al Maktoum airport,” says Muna Al Osaimi, Director, Rail Planning and Projects Development, as she discusses the city’s future. “The new line will serve existing and future developments beside the EXPO 2020 site along the proposed route and is planned to be in service by the end of 2019. Other planned public transport projects include the Green Line Extension, which is going to extend current services to new developing suburbs, such as the Lagoons, International City, Silicon Oasis and Academic City. The total length of this extension is 20 km with a further 11 stations. We will also be looking at growing the Red Line into the Mirdiff district in the future.”

www.rta.ae

43

Metrail Construction

On the right track Metrail Construction continues to expand its offering to the market, and with strong market conditions and a full order book, the company is on track for even more success

M

etrail Construction started life in 2007 and quickly became a framework partner for the highways, Network Rail and London Underground markets, delivering high quality infrastructure repair services to the road and rail sectors.

This year the company is set to turn over close to £2 million and is seeing strong growth opportunities in a busy and fruitful market. At present the company holds within its service portfolio everything from concrete and tunnel lining repair to water ingression control and

brickwork services. Upheld by a leading reputation for quality and a strong safety record, Metrail is also a qualified contractor for the Heli-bar structural system, and Stirling Lloyd Hytec and Eliminator waterproofing systems.

Within the rail industry alone, over 200 packages of work have so far been delivered on Network Rail infrastructure, including reactive maintenance and refurbishment work and 24/7 emergency call-out.

Martyn Sherwood, MD of Metrail explains that much of the company’s success and ability to grow comes from its approach to covering these three separate sectors. “We don’t look at the individual markets any differently, in that we’re repairing infrastructure assets and find that there is a lot of continuity between the three,” he explains. “By covering them all we’re able to keep the workforce busy and use this to build the business progressively.”

It’s an approach that has resulted in annual sales growth of 15 per cent - a positive level in sectors that are prone to fluctuation. “We owe a lot of this success to the strength of our people,” Martyn continues. “We hold a lot of specialist knowledge internally and provide continual training with products and suppliers to ensure all members of the team are competent. However, we are also incredibly flexible and our multidisciplined teams are able to cross from highways work into Network Rail or London Underground work fluidly without any issues.

We have also established some excellent ongoing

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Metrail Construction

relationships with all our clients and understand their different needs to ensure we can consistently meet these in an honest and reliable way.”

When Martyn last spoke with Railway Strategies back in June 2015, he noted that Metrail has always succeeded in expanding its capabilities and developing its offering to the market, and a look over the company’s activities over the time since seems to confirm this.

“We’ve recently opened up a brand new specialist coatings divisions to bring that expertise in-house, as we used to contract it out,” he highlights. “This means that we have been able to expand our offering even further with services that complement the existing portfolio. It also improves our ability to self-deliver.”

The year also saw Metrail acquire a controlling share of Nighthawk Services, a staffing agency for London Underground and Network Rail contractors. “Again this allows us to enhance our total offering to the industry as it means we can source our own people and become even

more flexible to demands in the market,” Martyn says.

Today’s activity levels for the business are extremely positive. Whilst large projects occasionally arise, the vast majority of its work has been on relatively small but vital projects across all three sectors. As such, for the foreseeable future Martyn and his team are facing a full order book. It’s a favourable position upon which Metrail is keen to develop its offering even further.

“We’re always looking for technical improvements and cost saving methods within the industry,” Martyn continues. “It’s about finding new ways of doing what we do best, better, so that we stay focused on our core strengths and complement these with added services.

By working closely with our current suppliers and other consultancies this will be a path we continue moving down in the future.”

However, whilst part of its focus is trained steadily on future developments, Metrail’s commitment to its current offering remains steadfast and continuing to push Stirling Lloyd’s Eliminator and Hitech systems is just as key for the company’s ongoing growth. Recent years have seen significant levels of success, and Martyn hopes that within the next three to five years the business will be turning over annual sales of £5 million. With high levels of investment and activity increasing across the UK’s infrastructure over the coming years, the market for Metrail certainly looks positive. As long as it can retain its leading reputation for quality and safety, as well as growing its portfolio, the company looks set to capitalise for years to come.

www.metrail.co.uk 46

Datum

strength Composite

Datum’s reputation as a leading provider of composite solutions to the rail industry places it in high regard with the leading OEMs and puts it in good stead as the industry moves forward

F

irst appearing in the market 1997, Datum will soon be celebrating two decades supplying into the UK rail industry. As experts in pattern making and foundry work, the company has taken advantage of its transferable skills and grown a strong composites division, which first launched in 2002. Over this period, the company’s reputation for supplying fire resistant GRP/composite products and turnkey solutions has firmly rooted itself in the market and Datum now counts leading OEMs such as Bombardier, Alstom, Siemens and Hitachi amongst its client base.

“It’s this long standing experience of supplying phenolics into the rail industry that gives us a solid grounding for success,” says current Managing Director, David Taylor. “I believe this has made us one of the key go-to suppliers for this commodity.” With its facilities

based in the East Midlands, the company has also built itself a complete design and manufacturing capability – making Datum’s competence one of the most far reaching offerings in the marketplace.

“We manufacture all of our own tooling in-house, so we can take a basic sketch, CAD design or historic part and run the entire process right through to the actual series production of a part,” David adds. “Throughout 2016 we will be installing a painting facility into the plant which completes this offering. Before we were spending a significant portion of our budget in sub-contracted paint services, but by pulling this in-house and adding another string to our bow it not only means we can provide fullyfinished, ready-to-go parts straight from the factory, but it also gives us more control over the entire process and makes us more profitable.”

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Datum

When Railway Strategies last spoke with David back in 2014, he talked about the development of a brand new PRM compliant toilet module in collaboration with Birley Manufacturing and APA Design Ltd. The two-piece module has been designed to provide quicker installation times and therefore quicker rolling stock maintenance times, and thanks to the single joint reduces the risk or water ingress and subsequent corrosion issues. Over the two years since, he notes that the company is still heavily pushing the project, but that it has been a bit slower to forge significant inroads to the market.

“We have undertaken further development and testing and we have our first unit in operation on a new Class 144 E running around the country, so its great to have some public testing,” he says. “We’re positive that its performance will prove successful and that this success can convert into more orders throughout 2016 and into 2017. I think there is still a lot of work that needs to be done by the TOCs relating to PRM compliance and we feel that we are in a good place in the market with a good product and a good price point to support this in the best way possible.”

Another significant success in this time is the recent awarding of a contract to supply the new Crossrail cab fronts for Bombardier, in collaboration with Garrandale Group. Running from 2016 to 2018, the contract is hugely significant for Datum, providing the company with long-term stability to its order book and with it the confidence to invest in people, skills, machinery and processes. “On top of this it helps to strengthen our relationship with Bombardier and we are excited about where it may take us in the future,” David notes.

Running alongside this, the company is keen to continue building its relationships with its other key OEM customers.

An ongoing relationship to provide work and depot support for Hitachi is positive, as is additional work with Alstom and Siemens. Its depot spares business is also providing strong levels of business with a recent contract with Rail Order to provide Class 321 replacement bonnets.

“The market for rolling stock at the moment is very

buoyant, which provides great opportunities for the major OEMs and in turn for companies like us in the supply chain,” outlines David. “However, one of the biggest challenges facing the UK industry at present is the global purchasing power and international networking of these OEMs, and we are facing growing pressure from cheap imports from overseas.”

Keen to try and alleviate some of this pressure, Datum has turned its attention to its production facilities over recent years. In February 2016, the company opened a new factory adjacent to its existing site, centralising all production operations into one location, doubling its footprint and capacity, and improving its manufacturing efficiencies. Investments into a new oven and the new painting plant will also help to drive down costs and improve productivity within the plant, ultimately impacting on the company’s profitability.

Further investment over the coming 12 to 18 months will be into pushing for full IRIS accreditation by 2017 to support the continuous improvement of its quality and management procedures. Other areas of focus for 2016 will be maintaining its order book with Bombardier, increasing its work with Hitachi and developing its production competencies. In the longer term, David hints that Datum may be looking into what value it can add to other transportation segments, as well as other advanced materials and composites. He will also be continuing his role as an Executive Director of the Rail Forum – East Midlands (RFEM) – a role that recently saw Datum host Lilian Greenwood, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport along with other industry SMEs for a key lunch meeting.

All in all, it has been a successful couple of years since we last spoke with Datum. Driven by both the continued development of products as well as its own service capacity, the future for the Midland business looks bright as it maintains the growth of its reputation with some of the biggest names in the industry.

www.datum-patterns.co.uk 51

telent

Making

connections Leading the way in communications technology across multiple UK industries, telent is playing a key role in the development of a digital railway

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n 1897 Guglielmo Marconi founded The Wireless Telegraph and Signal Company, a business that pioneered wireless long distance communication and mass media broadcasting throughout its long history. Numerous acquisitions, mergers and sales took place throughout the twentieth century and today a number of leading names across the world can attribute part of their history to the company. One such company is telent, a now privately owned business with a long history of industry experience often found at the cutting edge of communication technology’s rapid progress.

At telent’s heart sits an unrivalled reputation for service delivery and a total commitment to innovative communication technologies. From this core the business’s market presence is multifaceted, serving key infrastructure sectors such as telecoms, traffic, rail,

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emergency and commercial markets. telent currently holds over 30 years of experience delivering systems and services to the rail industry, providing projects to TfL, Network Rail and numerous TOCs across the network.

“One of the great strengths that we have is the company’s level of capability in complex technical communication,” explains Stephen Pears, Managing Director of telent’s Rail division. “We are able to forge ahead with the latest communication technologies whilst being able to deal with old and obsolete systems.

Crucially, as we are very much a service organisation, this is underpinned by our people and we possess some very talented and motivated individuals who work really well with clients, have a strong commitment to innovation and to solid service delivery.” telent’s business in the rail industry is supported by a

foundation of maintenance and management services presently being delivered to over 1000 stations on the national rail infrastructure, plus all London Underground stations. Such a widespread workforce not only gives the company an excellent relationship with its clients, but also forms a solid platform upon which innovative technologies and solutions can be built.

Such a strong service and dedication to innovation results in a company that is highly flexible and able to develop its capabilities and expertise in response to market trends. The digital railway undoubtedly dominates the industry’s current focus, and Stephen notes that even over the last 18 months, since Railway Strategies last featured telent, the transition to such a network has made significant progress.

“What’s changing for us as a business is the impact of

technology and our investment into technology to move forward in support of this transition,” he says. “One of our biggest moves to facilitate this was the acquisition of Telindus UK, which has brought with it Gold Partner status with Cisco and Elite Partner status with Juniper.

This really helps take the business into the world of the digital railway and makes sure that we have the future capability and expertise to fully support it.”

One key area where a digital railway is already beginning to be realised is in the current electrification programme being rolled out across the UK. Presently telent is delivering a five-year contract to develop the national electrification supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system. By utilising a variety of communications systems to provide control to remote equipment, the SCADA control systems allow for a single national control infrastructure, which integrates legacy equipment with new systems, thus allowing much greater flexibility of control.

Back in 2014 when we last spoke with telent, Stephen discussed the roll out of SCADA to Network Rail infrastructure. Today, he happily reports that TfL and the London Underground are keen to bring the technology into their own network. “They have now come to market with their requirement for a traction power SCADA system,” he explains. “The approach is similar to the Network Rail project where we’re seeing the need for a centrally managed system that can be operated from multiple locations.”

Demonstrating the company’s consistent occupation right at the leading edge of technological innovation, telent’s roll out of SCADA has become very closely aligned with a growing need for cyber security development. Over the last 18 months the company has taken part ownership of a cyber security company in anticipation of this rising demand. “The design of a network, the implementation of a security solution that provides defence in depth, the ability to carry out penetration testing and so on are all becoming key requirements of these new systems,” Stephen continues.

“Having the capability to understand cyber security and to deliver these requirements to our customers is incredibly important. At the same time this is new ground for a lot of our customers so it is critical that we can not only respond to these requirements but also support them in the transition.”

In addition to the SCADA programme, telent has also been busy continuously developing and implementing its station management system, known as MICA (Management Integration and Control of Assets), which has been in the market since 2006. By enhancing the communication between multiple systems such as CCTV, public address systems, passenger information displays

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telent

Samsung The award-winning SRN-4000 minimises the total cost of owning a video surveillance system by offering an extremely robust, outof-the box Linux based video recording solution.

An ability to record in real-time images from 64 x 2 Megapixel is impressive, but the SRN-4000 also stands out from the crowd because of a feature set which ensures it can be relied upon to deliver a highly resilient, low maintenance recording solution. These features include a built-in hard drive ‘Hot Swap’ facility which ensures that recording is not interrupted if a fault occurs, whilst power reliability is enhanced by way of a dual power supply.

and help points, as well as fire and intrusion detection systems and lift and escalator monitoring MICA provides a fully integrated management system.

CCTV management forms a very important part of MICA and, acting as a management service provider as well as the project delivery partner, telent currently looks after 30,000 cameras across the UK’s station network.

“Since we last spoke there has been a marked beginning to the transfer from analogue to IP CCTV systems,” outlines Stephen. “We currently have 1000 IP cameras in seven TfL stations, and by working with a lot of the leading camera and video encoder suppliers in the market, like Samsung, Axis and Bosch we are integrating their systems into ours and helping to develop this for the rail environment. Part of this development provides mobile CCTV monitoring to a local monitor or handheld device.” Whilst MICA was initially rolled out into the TfL network, over the last year Network Rail stations such as Reading and London Bridge have begun to implement the same technology.

As with SCADA, cyber security plays an important role in the current development focus of MICA. Stephen points out that with the raised threat of attack to critical infrastructure following events in Paris, the need to increase station security has followed. He highlights that recent development for MICA has been centred on how secure it is and following tests, telent is confident about its credentials. “It is very important to be able to provide

high quality services and to make sure these systems are functioning very well,” he adds.

Another area of recent focus for telent is in improving its complete service offering, having agreed a managed service contract for CCTV systems to provide 10-15 year periods of renewals and support for a known cost. “For an operator this means that they don’t need to worry about going out to market every time they need renewals, instead they get a service that supports them for the duration of their franchise,” Stephen explains. “It is not just technological innovation that we are developing but also the way in which we contract and support our clients from a service point of view. It also means we’re operating in the provision of capital, which is made possible by our own financial strength.”

With demand for a digital network growing across the UK’s rail industry, telent and its expanding

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telent

PB Design & Developments PB Design’s battery chargers are supporting the telent SCADA system that will manage the major new traction power control network in the South. PB Design was selected because of its reputation in this technology sector, and long experience of producing PADS approved chargers.

Although there will be up to 250 separate RTU locations, PB Design worked closely with telent to reduce the number of charger variants to just three - minimising costs and simplifying production.

capability are perfectly placed to continue its leading role in the communications sector. A look at the current market conditions goes some way to bolstering this positivity as Stephen references the ongoing Crossrail and upcoming HS2 projects, plus the possible Crossrail 2 and HS3. “This suggests that the rail network has a great future in terms of investment,” he says. “However, at the same time we are seeing Network Rail and TfL becoming more aligned with the government and therefore having tight budget pressures, so it’s a bit of a mixed picture.

“Ultimately, the industry has set the strategic vision for

a digital railway and the requirements which that entails, but it’s very much in its infancy. At the heart of this vision is a secure communications network and this has to be highly reliable and able to reach all segments of the industry, it has to have the capacity and the availability, and it has to have the cyber security pedigree. We will be central to supporting this vision and by working closely with our customers and partners we can make sure that these things are delivered along side the best applications to interface with them.”

www.telent.com 57

Birchwood Price Tools

A leading light

F

Birchwood Price Tools is leading the way when it comes to innovative solutions and powerful brands for the world’s tradesmen

irst established in 1974 and becoming a flagship trade brand branch of Travis Perkins plc in 2011, Birchwood Price Tools (BPT) is a pioneer in the design and development of innovative and high quality brands for tradespeople. Under its umbrella sit eight exclusive brands including, Scruffs, for safety workwear and footwear; Defender, a site power and lighting brand; Van Vault, for secure storage solutions; Bullet, a professional fixings brand and Punk, a range of power tool accessories. The company also acts as a distribution partner for well-known brands such as Bosch, Makita and Stanley.

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“We design, develop, market and sell brands that are ‘built to inspire’,” begins COO of BPT, Fiona Hornsby. “A focus on quality and innovation is at the heart of everything we do and our product development process is focused on adhering to ever changing health and safety regulations.

We are passionate about delivering long-term sales and profit-growth for UK and international customers by providing outstanding performance and value.”

Based in Nottingham and served by around 150 dedicated employees, BPT currently distributes throughout 27 countries worldwide. Strong branding and striking marketing campaigns support the development of innovative products, and it this very market-led and unique approach that has awarded the company with the ability to compete in a challenging global market.

Serving through both the retail and hire sectors with leading merchants, hire companies and wholesalers, as well as over 8000 national and independent electrical, plumbers and builders merchants with a growing international base, as well, BPT’s performance in the market is unrivalled. Fiona highlights that in 2015, despite challenging marketing conditions, the business was able to outperform many of the more established brands in the market. “We have ambitious growth plans and are confident that we can continue to outperform the market over the coming years as well,” she adds.

Also setting it apart in the market as a supplier is its portfolio of owned and exclusive trade brands. To do so, it has in-house expertise in product design, development, engineering and manufacturing across all its brands “We have a set of strong values which drive everything we do,” Fiona continues. “We challenge ourselves to stand out by developing innovative, award-winning products, creating powerful brands and delivering impactful communication both on and offline. As such, our design and marketing

are both recognised as being the best in the industry.”

Demonstrating the strength of BPT’s position in the industry particularly well is its long-established Defender brand, which has been developing and delivering cuttingedge power distribution and lighting solutions to the industry for over 20 years and is now represented in over 20 markets around the world. “Whether it is illuminating a site to support maintenance and engineering works underground or a railway track, it all comes down to performance and safety for Defender,” outlines Fiona.

“We continue to work hard to create exceptional products that users can trust to deliver the light and power needed to get a range of jobs done. A prime example of the brand’s success is the award winning Defender Uplight product range, which has revolutionised lighting, delivering shadow-free illumination perfect for plastering and decorating. The Uplight is celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2016, demonstrating its success and continued demand in the market.”

Defender is also a pioneer in LED site lighting, having been the first into the UK market in 2009 and BPT continues to develop sustainable solutions that challenge the norm and meet more user requirements.

For instance, the LED Light Cannon Rechargeable Floodlight is a lightweight, portable solution that is essential kit for use when access to power is limited.

In 2016, the company has also launched the LED Luminator Floodlight Tower, a portable solution delivering 30,000 lumens of super bright light. The product is wind resistant up to 65mph and made from solid materials designed to be safe and durable on site. “Key benefits of the tower include its four-metre extendable mast and its ability to alternate light spread from 360 degrees to

180 degrees, helping to save energy and manage light pollution,” Fiona notes.

Another well-known brand within the BPT portfolio is Van Vault, the UK’s first purpose-built range of mobile site security containers when it was launched in 1997. Van Vault has maintained this leading position in the market as a frontline defence system to defeat the rising tide of tool theft and protect livelihoods. “Indicating the level of

brand success Van Vault has achieved, it has over 80 per cent brand awareness amongst tradesmen,” points out Fiona. “The range includes security solutions for both commercial vehicles and onsite uses. The original Van Vault-2 is a high security steel storage box for commercial vehicles and continues to remain a best-selling line.

Equally, the onsite range features purpose built solutions suitable for storing flammable liquids and hazardous

chemicals, offering safety and security on a worksite.”

Brand development and product innovation continue to be the driving forces behind BPT’s success. Moving forward the company has an ongoing pipeline of products and patented technologies that will be brought to market over the coming years in line with the ever-changing demands and regulations within the marketplace.

“Making sure we are agile and able to respond quickly to these evolving needs is a big challenge, as is protecting our intellectual property from competitors,” says Fiona.

“However, we also see some major opportunities, particularly in our digital presence and how we can serve, support and communicate with our customers through these new channels. We also see some big opportunities to strengthen the presence of our key brands in international markets.”

The plan for the next 12 months very much falls in line with these challenges and opportunities. Continuing to invest in innovation and developing a product pipeline for the next five years, building its digital capability, continuing to internationalise and maintaining investment into its people and process to ensure it can continue to deliver the best quality and service to its customers, will all be central to 2016. Following a year in which BPT gained ISO 9000 and Investors in People accreditation, further reinforcing its drive to ensure it has the best approach to quality management and the best people in place to serve its customers, the future for BPT looks bright. “We have ambitious plans over the next five years,” Fiona concludes. “Our vision is to continue being an innovator and supplier of exciting brands, to grow internationally and to double our turnover.”

For more information on BPT

www.birchwoodpricetools.com 59

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.

22-24 June Global Rail Freight Conference Where: Van Nelle Factory, Rotterdam Organiser: UIC Tel: +31 6 8104 3666 Email: jrodenhuis@europoint.eu Web: www.grfc2016.com 28-29 June AfricaRail 2016 Where: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: +2711 516 4044 Email: tarryn.theunissen@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/africa-rail 29 June -1 July Next Generation Rail Where knowledge creates solutions Where: National Training Academy for Rail, Northampton Organiser: RRUKA Email: secretariat@rruka.org.uk Web: www.rruka.org.uk/events/ngr2016 13 July UK Rail Station Regeneration and Development Conference Where: Pinsent Masons, London Organiser: Waterfront Tel: 02070 671 597 Email: nigelbranson@thewaterfront.co.uk Web: www.waterfrontconferencecompany.com/ conferences/rail/events

14-16 September hEART 2016 An interdisciplinary research conference, covering all areas of transportation research, with a focus on quantitative methods and analysis of transport systems.

Where: Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands Organiser: Delft University of Technology Tel: +31 (0)15 278 4915 Email: info@heart2016.org Web: www.heart2016.org/ 20-23 September InnoTrans 2016 Where: Messe, Berlin Organiser: Messe Berlin Tel: +49 30 3038 2376 Email: innotrans@messe-berlin.de Web: www.innotrans.de/en 5-7 October European Transport Conference Connecting the worlds of research, consultancy, policy and practice Where: Barcelona, Spain Organiser: Association for European Transport Web: etcproceedings.org 7-10 November 18th International Wheelset Congress Where: InterContinental Century City, Chengdu, China Organiser: IWC Email: info@iwc2016.com Web: www.iwc2016.com

10-11 November ITA Tunnelling Conference & Awards 2016 Where: Singapore Organiser: International Tunnelling Association Tel: +41 21 693 23 10 Email: awards@ita-aites.org Web: awards.ita-aites.org 14-15 November Rail Revenue, Rail Customer, Rail Ticketing, Rail IT Where: Sofitel Legend The Grand, Amsterdam Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: 02070 921 237 Email: daniel.boyle@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/conference/rail-revenue 22-24 November Intelligent Rail Summit Where: Railway Museum, Naples, Italy Organiser: Railtech Tel: +31 627 841 198 Email: mbrouwers@europoint.eu Web: www.railtech.com/intelligent-rail-summit-2016 28-30 March 2017 RailTech 2017 Where: Utrecht, the Netherlands Organiser: RailTech Tel: +31 306 981 802 Email: sales@railtech.com Web: www.railtech.com/railtech-2017

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) 2 November Traction and braking Principles of traction and braking for railway engineers

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

6 July Traction and braking Principles of traction and braking for railway engineers

3 November Vehicle acceptance and approvals Introduction to acceptance procedures which apply across the rail network

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

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

7-11 November Introduction to railway signalling technologies An overview of railway control systems, subsystems and technologies used on UK main line and metro railways

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

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

8 November Fleet Maintenance - Introduction Improve your processes and fleet maintenance processes

24 November Structural integrity Structural integrity, fire and crashworthiness systems found on today’s rail fleets

5 July 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.

1 November Introduction to rolling stock Provides a basic understanding of the role of traction and rolling stock within the context of railway systems as a whole.

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9 November Fleet maintenance - Advanced Understand the issues affecting rail vehicle performance and cost of maintenance

For more information Tel: 02037 331 214 Email: training@imeche.org Web: www.imeche.org/learning-and-development/ courses/railway

Editor Gay Sutton

editor@railwaystrategies.co.uk Sales Director Joe Woolsgrove

jwoolsgrove@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

www.railway-strategies.com

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

T: +44 (0) 1603 274130 F: +44 (0) 1603 274131