Railway Strategies Issue 135 November 2016 by Finelight Media Group

Issue 135 November 2016

financing Anglia agrees

Greater Anglia raises £1.5bn to replace entire train fleet

NEWS

Ministers told to get a grip on rail franchises Metrolink gets green light for Trafford Park line New artwork showcases the ‘station of the future’

S FEATURE

A legal bird’s nest? Southern’s industrial action

Rail competitiveness and the battle for the customer

Relevance and effectiveness of on-train advertising

Chairman Andrew Schofield Editor Gay Sutton editor@railwaystrategies.co.uk

Have you details cha r nged? Are you re adin copy of Ra g someone else’s ilway Stra tegies? Ple info@railw ase email: ayst to amend rategies.co.uk you request a r details or regular co py

From the Editor

Managing Editor Libbie Hammond Art Editor Gerard Roadley-Battin Advertisement Designer David Howard Staff Writers Jo Cooper Andrew Dann Josh Younespour Advertisement Sales Mark Cawston Tim Eakins Darren Jolliffe Dave King Rob Wagner Sales Director Joe Woolsgrove Operations Director Philip Monument Editorial Researchers Tarj Kaur-D’Silva Mark Cowles Darren Foiret Jeff Goldenberg Administration Tracy Chynoweth

Issue 135 ISSN 1467-0395 Published by

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Shaping up - or down?

ctober has been something of a mixed bag for the wider transportation sector. Bombardier has announced that it is bringing forward the previously announced job cuts and is planning to make even deeper inroads into its workforce around the world – as yet it has given no indication of the countries and sites where the new axe will fall. The decision on the third runway at Heathrow has finally been announced, eliciting the inevitable raucous responses ranging from praise to out and out criticism. In the rail sector, meanwhile, the industrial action affecting Southern Railway seems to be reaching new heights. At the time of going to print, parent company GTR has told the RMT it will withdraw its ‘full and comprehensive offer’ if the strikes planned for 4th and 5th November go ahead. The RMT, meanwhile, says the offer was meaningless and accused Southern of using ‘threats and bullying’ tactics. In this month’s magazine lawyer Paul McFarlane analyses the legal realities behind the continuing wrangle between Southern and RMT (p10) and sheds some light on possible ways forward. As with all industrial action, though, a genuine conclusion can only be reached when the two parties engage in meaningful negotiation. Further into this issue, Amadeus’s Thomas Drexler looks at the changing national and international transportation landscape, and how the rail sector is competitively shaping up in the battle for the customer. New technologies, new processes and new perceptions all have a part to play. If you have any comments to make on the issues we are covering, or can suggest topics you would like us to cover, please get in touch. Email: editor@railwaystrategies.co.uk

Railway Strategies as you want it

Railway Strategies is available by email as a digital magazine, or by post in print format. This means you can read the magazine in the format that is most convenient to you. To secure your supply of Railway Strategies in the format you require, contact our subscriptions manage Iain Kidd: ikidd@schofieldpublishing.co.uk The new and refreshed Railway Strategies website can be found at: www.railwaystrategies.com. We are on Twitter: @Rail_Strats, and on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/groups/RailManagement-8480954/about. No part of this publication can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or other) without prior written permission being obtained from the publisher. While every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the editorial content at time of writing, the publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher.

Features Patent of the month 9 GB Patent 2480883 B: protecting a new innovation in LED signalling ROSIE HARDY The Southern wrangle – LEGAL 10 Increasingly fractious, the Southern rail dispute hides a complexity of issues PAUL MCFARLANE ADding – the personal touch 15 How the digital age is revolutionising the delivery and relevance of on-train advertising HARJIT BADESHA

ory t s r e v 8Co

Reinventing rail 16 The battle for the customer in an increasingly joined up travel industry THOMAS DREXLER

News Industry Infrastructure Rolling stock Stations Appointments Conferences & exhibitions

4 6 8 13 14 56

From the cover

COVER STORY Get a grip on franchises Trafford Park line Southern industrial action ‘Station of the future’ on show On-train advertising Battle for the customer

8 5 7 10 13 15 16

Profiles 18 26 28 30 33 35 38 42 44 46 48 51

Stadler Rail Selectron Systems MATISA MatĂŠriel Industriel S.A West Metro Jernbaneverket/The Follo Line Project Metrolink RATP Dev Ltd Touax Rail Faiveley Transport UK RTA - Dubai Roads and Transport Authority Acciona Wood Group Industrial Services Trackwork Moll

IN BRIEF ATOC and RDG become one l The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) and the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) have adopted the single name, Rail Delivery Group, to create greater clarity and a stronger identity. The name change doesn’t affect funding or activities carried out by the former ATOC, but will enable the organisation to provide more coherent support to rail operating companies and a stronger voice for its members.

To be a train driver? l More than 15,000 candidates have responded to Virgin Trains’ recruitment drive for train drivers for its new Azuma fleet. With just 78 jobs on offer this equates to nearly 200 applications per post. The new drivers will work from depots between London and Edinburgh and are due to start a year-long development programme in January 2017.

A first for Huddersfield l The University of Huddersfield, home of the Institute of Railway Research, has installed a multimillion pound test rig which is the only one of its type in Europe. The 150-ton test rig will enable in-depth investigation on a full sized bogie of many issues surrounding the contact area between wheel and rail.

ScotRail improvement plan l The ScotRail Alliance has published a detailed plan to improve service performance. This includes an £8m asset improvement programme, tailored upgrades for key parts of the network and for rolling stock, identification, monitoring and protection of the ‘Golden Trains’ that, if delayed, have the biggest impact on the rail network. It will also improve the way trains are staffed and operated.

Jamie Burles and Paul Maynard launch the franchise at Liverpool Street station

New Greater Anglia rail franchise is launched around East Anglia l Abellio subsidiary Greater Anglia has begun operating its new nine-year franchise and will be the first franchise renewal in which the train operator is to replace its entire fleet with brand new trains. The fleet renewal (see p 8) will be completed by 2020 and is part of a £2bn package of improvements to be delivered through the franchise. Other improvements include more services, faster journey times, 55% more seats into London in the morning peak period, initiatives to improve punctuality from 89% to almost 93%, £60m of station improvements, and new ticket options offering better value for money. Improvements to be delivered in the first three years of the franchise include 72 additional carriages to provide more seats from

summer 2017; free Wi-Fi; automatic delay repay compensation for season ticket holders and advance ticket holders from early in 2017; ticket vending machines at every station; new customer information screens and help points at every station; a refresh and deep clean for all stations; significant investment in reliability modifications and interior refreshes for existing trains, and more investment in customer service and the community rail partnerships. Jamie Burles, managing director for Greater Anglia said: “This is an exciting time for the railway in our region. This is the first franchise renewal to see a train operator replace its entire fleet with brand new trains. I’m looking forward to leading Greater Anglia as we transform the railway.”

Roy Hill is seconded to HS2 and takes up the reins as interim CEO l Following the announcement last month that Simon Kirby is to leave HS2 and join Rolls Royce, Roy Hill has agreed to step in as interim CEO from 1 November, on secondment from CH2M. He will guide the HS2 project through some significant milestones and the start of construction next year. He is well qualified for the task having previously held the position of HS2’s Phase One Development Director for approximately two years.

Meanwhile, Simon Kirby will continue in post until the end of the year. Recruitment is underway for a permanent CEO, who should be in place by next summer. HS2 Ltd chairman David Higgins said: “I’m pleased to welcome Roy Hill back to the team. His understanding of the project and the industry puts him in an excellent position to continue the significant progress made under Simon Kirby while we continue our search for a permanent CEO.”

NEWS I Industry

Transport Committee instructs Ministers to‘get a grip’on rail franchise agreements l The Transport Select Committee has published the findings of its inquiry into the passenger rail experience. The report The future of rail: Improving the Rail Passenger Experience, says lessons must be learned from what it terms the woeful experience of passengers on Southern Railway. Rail passengers, it concludes, have been badly let down by Government failure to structure, monitor and enforce franchise agreements and the planning and management of major rail infrastructure projects. Evidence was dominated by the problems on the Govia Thameslink Railway. The report says these can be attributed to poor management of the franchise from the beginning; inadequate staffing; rolling stock issues, mismanagement and prolonged industrial action, complicated by the Thameslink infrastructure programme. The report then considers whether GTR was in default of its contractual obligations. Scrutiny of GTR’s performance against its contractual obligations, however, has been made more difficult by lack of access to essential information, and the Committee is calling for this information to be made publicly available. The Committee concludes that the DfT’s

claim that no other operator could do a better job in the circumstances is no longer credible. Recommendations include: introducing an automatic compensation scheme immediately; replacing the public satisfaction rating system and public performance measure with more effective ones by summer 2017; DfT should refine information gathering mechanisms on overcrowding, and develop a more coherent strategy for tackling the issue; a strategy to provide network-wide smart ticketing by April 2017; ATOC/RDG to provide websites and apps to improve the passenger experience; improved information from National Rail Enquiries including delays and/or disruptions. Charles Horton, chief executive of GTR, said: “We recognise and fully accept that our service on parts of the GTR franchise has not been good enough ... but we’ve committed to making things better. “GTR has submitted claims for force majeure to the DfT caused by the unprecedented industrial action and we have co-operated fully with what’s been asked of us at all times. We have been in discussions with the DfT to agree what and how they wanted to allow them to assess and evaluate our claims. It’s an extremely detailed process which the report accepts is complex and painstaking.”

NTAR launches new apprenticeship standard The new intake of apprentices at NTAR

IN BRIEF New station navigation app l Virgin Trains has launched a global first in rail travel technology with its new Explorer app which helps customers navigate their way around stations. The app includes real-time positioning, navigation for the visually impaired, messaging capability and baggage tracking as well as real time automatic sign translation for international customers.

Offer received for GB Railfreight l EQT Infrastructure II has made a binding and irrevocable offer for GB Railfreight, bringing the sale of the UK’s third largest rail freight operator a step closer. The offer will now be considered by the Eurotunnel Group. The group acquired GBRf in 2010 for £25m and has more than doubled its activities, significantly improving its profitability.

Eurotunnel enjoys 4% growth l Group Eurotunnel has published figures for Q3 2016 that reveal a 4% growth over the same quarter last year. Shuttle revenues rose by 12% , truck shuttle traffic grew by 14% and passenger shuttle traffic rose by 2%. Eurostar traffic, however, declined by 10%. CEO Jacques Gounon said: “The Group is well placed for the sustained period of growth in the UK economy forecast by the IMF and the Bank of England.”

Ricardo to develop first Repoint l The National Training Academy for Rail (NTAR) has adopted the Rail Engineering Technician Trailblazer Apprenticeship Standard, which was developed over two years by industry employers including TfL, Network Rail, South west Trains, and Siemens. It has been part of the successful Siemens-SWT apprentice training programme, now in its third year, and aims to provide apprentices with technical, professional and occupational competence in

rail engineering. The three-stage training programme will teach apprentices the fundamentals of engineering while also covering advanced subjects, including project management and rail-specific units such as passenger comfort and traction conversion. The final stage will place apprentices in the workplace, where they will develop further business-specific skills and complete their end point assessment.

l A consortium led by Ricardo Rail is to develop and install the first Repoint, a new ultra-high reliability railway point system designed by Loughborough University, on the London Underground in early 2018. The design uses several actuators to operate the same points, so should a single actuator fail the remaining ones continue to function safely.

IN BRIEF Severn Tunnel opens again l The Severn Tunnel has been closed for 6 weeks to prepare for electrification of the Great Western Main Line. Before closure, 40 tonnes of soot and 4 miles of cable were removed from the tunnel. During closure, over 8 miles of conductor rail was installed in the 130 year of tunnel. At the same time, track was lowered in the Patchway Tunnels near Bristol and under the nearby Little Stoke Farm bridge to accommodate the electrification equipment.

Bromsgrove upgrade goes ahead l Major reconfiguration of the track, points and crossings in the area around Bromsgrove’s new station has begun as part of a £100m investment into the area. London Midland and CrossCountry services are suspended for 12 days while the work is done. New signalling will be made operational in preparation for electrification to Bromsgrove.

Network prepared for Ordsall Chord l Between now and Christmas the railway between Eccles and Deansgate, Eccles and Manchester Victoria, and Deansgate and Salford Crescent will be reconfigured to allow the 300 metre Ordsall Chord to connect with the network ahead of its completion in December 2017. At the same time 2 new bridges will be installed, another renovated, the Castlefield viaduct widened and a new track layout installed at Ordsall Lane.

Committed to HS2 l Speaking at the Transport Times HS2 Conference on 12 October, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling confirmed the government’s commitment to HS2, from London to Manchester and Leeds.

The Whalley Viaduct, a landmark in the Ribble Valley

Iconic Lancashire viaduct to be strengthened and drainage improved in the area l A £1.6m programme of work has begun on the Whalley Viaduct, an historic Victorian landmark in the Ribble Valley. Comprising of 49 arches, the viaduct connects Blackburn and Clitheroe by rail and was completed in 1850. Over the next six months engineers will strengthen the viaduct and improve the drainage around it. In total, 2,800 steel brackets and 16,800 anchors will be fixed to the sides of the viaduct to improve the longterm stability of the structure. Approximately 1.4km of handrails are to be fitted to improve safety for future work.

The new drainage system will include a 400m drainage channel, 16 catch pits and a flow control chamber. This will remove excess surface water from the track during heavy rainfall and prevent it from discharging into the River Calder, reducing the impact on the local area which was devastated by flood damage last winter. The collected water will then be slowly released into the river Calder when levels have dropped. Nigel Evans, MP for the Ribble Valley said: “This huge investment in the local rail infrastructure is extremely welcome news. Whalley Viaduct is a beautiful piece of construction which, for many people, serves as a lasting memory of the Ribble Valley.” Work will take place without disrupting rail or freight services, and continue until 31 March.

MPs welcome the digital railway,if the process is approached collaboratively and with caution l Summarising the deliberations of the inquiry into the digital railway, the Transport Select Committee has published a report, Rail technology: signalling and traffic management. This concludes that improvements to signalling and traffic management technology are needed to deliver a world-class rail network in the UK. In principle the committee supports the deployment of the European Train Control System, saying Traffic Management software and Driver Advisory systems should be accelerated, but with careful consideration of the digital railway business case, with clarity about funding, and a clear understanding of how this programme would affect existing plans for work on enhancements and renewals. The report recommends that DfT takes steps to ensure work on cab fitment and trackside infrastructure remain broadly aligned, and that Network Rail addresses concerns expressed by suppliers that they and the rail technology industry have not been sufficiently involved.

Work on the digital railway, it says, should be co-ordinated and underpinned by a whole sector approach. Network Rail should be very cautious about using the 40% improvement in capacity claim. The committee expects the DfT to make a more sophisticated assessment of the likely capacity gains, looking at various investment scenarios and their associated costs, benefits and risks. Network Rail, meanwhile, should be realistic and measured in the time frame it sets in the business case for digital rail. Louise Ellman, chair of the Transport Select Committee, said: “There is an urgent need to increase capacity and the Digital Railway is an exciting programme which could have real impact. Network Rail’s past performance in planning major enhancements has been poor but this is an exciting opportunity to restore confidence by co-ordinating a whole sector approach which delivers real improvements for the passenger and industry.”

NEWS I Infrastructure IN BRIEF Bermondsey Dive Under reaches a new milestone

Metrolink gets a green light for new line to Trafford Park l Greater Manchester’s Metrolink network, already the largest light rail network in the UK, is set to expand further after plans for a tram

The majority of the new route is not on roads to ensure faster, more reliable journey times.

line through Trafford Park were given the go ahead. Transport for Greater Manchester has been granted legal powers to build a new £350m 3.4mile (5.5km) tram line under a Transport and Works Act order. Work could start as early as this winter – and the line could become operational by 2020/2021. The proposed new Trafford Park line will join the existing Metrolink network at the Pomona stop, and call at 6 new tram stops: Wharfside near Old Trafford football stadium, Imperial War Museum, Village, Parkway, EventCity and Trafford Centre.

The £350m funding has been secured from the earn back funding arrangement as part of the Greater Manchester devolution deal. TfGM will shortly appoint a contractor. The Trafford Park line will pass under the Trafford Road Bridge and run alongside the existing promenade next to Manchester Ship Canal before joining Trafford Wharf Road. The route will turn left onto Warren Bruce Road and then bear to the right onto Village Way up to Parkway. It then crosses over the Bridgewater Ship Canal before turning right onto Barton Dock Road, terminating outside the intu Trafford Centre.

Cambrian Coast line between Barmouth and Tywyn reopens following viaduct fire

l The first track has been laid on the new Bermondsey Dive Under on the approach to London Bridge station, and the first line will come into passenger use on 27 December. Further work will take place during Christmas and the New Year, and over Bank Holiday periods in 2017. When complete in 2018, the new junction will allow Southeastern trains from Kent to pass under the Sussex lines used by Southern and Thameslink trains, uncorking the current bottleneck.

Signalling upgrades for the Spanish railways l ADIF, Administrator of Railway Infrastructures for the Spanish railways, is investing €39.3m in upgrading the signalling installations, train protection systems and centralised traffic control on the HumanesMonfragüe section of the MadridValencia de Alcántara line. A consortium of Thales and Siemens will be renewing the traffic control and signalling installations, migrating to automatic mode and eliminating the current telephone blocks.

New system saves Network Rail £9.5m

The Barmouth Viaduct l The line between Barmouth and Tywyn in North Wales reopened on 10 October, six days after a fire caused localised damage to one of

listed monument, it also carries a pedestrian walkway which was not affected by the fire. Small amounts of overnight remedial work

the spans on the historic Barmouth Viaduct. The viaduct is a single-track largely wooden rail structure dating back to 1867, that carries the Cambrian Coast Railway across the River Mawddach estuary in Wales. A grade II

have continued through the month, and an investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing. The bridge originally opened in 1867 and included a drawbridge section at its north end for tall ships to pass through.

l Using an access platform secured to the walls of the Victorian tunnel leading to Liverpool Central station, engineers are applying watersealing cement to the curved ceiling while MerseyRail trains continue to run 15m below. The concrete is applied by using a robotic arm. Some 160 linear metres of tunnel is being repaired and a steelwork arch installed with 300mm of concrete. The job would normally cost £14m but is costing just £4.5m using the new technology, saving £9.5m.

NEWS I Rolling stock IN BRIEF c2c receives first new carriage in 13 years

The Bombardier Aventra

Abellio confirms financing deals to replace entire fleet with Bombardier and Stadler rolling stock l In the largest ever privatelyprocured order for trains in the UK, Abellio UK has finalised contracts worth nearly £1.5bn to replace every train on the East Anglia rail franchise, increasing the fleet’s size by approximately 10%. Two new fleets of 1,043 carriages will be introduced between Spring 2019 and Autumn 2020, 665 carriages are to be built by Bombardier in Derby and 378 carriages by Stadler in Switzerland.

Angel Trains is partnering with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia to finance the procurement of 665 Bombardier Aventra vehicles in a deal worth £900m. The air conditioned Bombardier Aventra trains are to be built in Derby and will run mainly suburban routes into London. Meanwhile, over £600m is to be spent on a fleet of 58 FLIRT trains from Stadler, comprising 378 vehicles with a combination of Intercity Electric Multiple Units

Thameslink’s Class 387/1s begin the migration north

The Northern Class 387/1 at King’s Cross station l The first of the four-carriage Class 387/1 trains to be transferred to Great Northern from Thameslink is now running between King’s Cross and Cambridge/Letchworth Garden City, providing six services a day. In total, 29 4-car Class 387/1s will be transferred onto the Great Northern route as the new Thameslink’s Class 700 trains come into service. The Class 387/1s are around two years old and have been in service on the Bedford – Brighton Thameslink route.

and Regional Bi-mode Multiple Units which can run under electric or diesel power. These are destined for InterCity services between London and Norwich, Stansted Express airport services from London to Stansted Airport, and key regional services in East Anglia. Funding for the Stadler trains was led by Rock Rail and SL Capital Partners with additional co-investment from the Greater Manchester and London Pension Fund authorities.

Nomad extends Wi-Fi & CCTV contract in Australia l Passenger and fleet connectivity solutions provider, Nomad Digital, is extending its strategic partnership with Australia’s Queensland Rail for a further three years. The contract extension involves providing full passenger Wi-Fi and CCTV service management for 192 of Queensland Rail’s metro trains, including round-the-clock maintenance of the on-board equipment. The extension builds on an existing partnership which dates back to 2011. Queensland Rail’s objective is to improve both passenger and staff security. Nomad’s solution has the ability to stream live video in the event of an incident, and Queensland Rail identified the potential to embrace a connectivity solution that improved passenger experience with reliable high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity. Nomad was the first company to provide continuous high-speed internet connectivity in tunnels and the first to stream high-quality live video to and from moving trains.

l The first of 24 new carriages has been delivered to c2c’s East Ham depot, where they will undergo a programme of live testing and driver training before entering passenger service in November. Constructed in Derby by Bombardier, these are first new trains added to the c2c fleet since 2003, and are scheduled to arrive in 4 phases.

Metrolink celebrates 120th new tram l Metrolink has taken receipt of the final tram from the current order of 120 M5000s from Bombardier, which will be based at the Queens Road Depot. The fleet is now ready for the opening of new Second City Crossing early next year. The M5000 have also also replaced the original T68 models.

Hitachi and Bombardier join forces l Hitachi Rail Europe and Bombardier Trains have submitted a joint bid to build new tubes for London (NTFL) as part of joint venture. The project encompasses up to 3,300 new tube cars to be rolled out from the mid-2020s on the Piccadilly, Waterloo & City, Bakerloo and Central Lines.

Hoppecke to power Thameslink’s services l Hoppecke Industrial Batteries has won an order to provide energy management solutions for Thameslink’s Desiro City trains. At the heart of the system is the innovative Hoppecke rail.power VR lead acid battery with built in chargers, switches and an electrical distribution system. After-sales support, spare parts and warranty support are part of the contract.

Innovation

GB Patent 2480883 B

Patent of the month

Patent attorney Rosie Hardy looks at the patent protecting a new innovation in LED signalling

I Rosie Hardy is a patent attorney at leading European intellectual property firm Withers & Rogers

nnovators across industry sectors often refer to their ‘light-bulb moments’ of inspiration and LED railway signals can aptly be described as one such moment for the rail industry. Due to their long-life and reliability, LED signals are proving to be a more efficient and cost-effective alternative to traditional filament signals. Unipart Dorman was the first company to introduce LED signals to the rail market in the UK and it remains the market leader. As might be expected, Unipart has obtained patents to protect its extensive range of LED signalling products. These patents provide a valuable monopoly which effectively blocks competitors from copying the patented innovation. The patents also enable Unipart to obtain Patent Box tax relief on worldwide profits earned from selling and licensing the patented innovation. One such patent is GB 2480883 B which protects a new LED signal with a steady light output. Prior to the patent, it was conventional wisdom for LED signals to be powered by a constant current source to prevent large currents from damaging them. To prevent the light output from falling as the temperature increased, these LED signals also required additional complex controls. After discovering that LEDs can be powered reliably by a constant voltage rather than a constant current, Unipart developed and protected a solution for stabilising LED light output as the temperature of the LED changes. GB Patent 2480883 describes how this innovative solution uses control circuitry that selects a constant voltage and resistance to control the current through an LED. As shown in the Figure on the right, the patented LED signal includes a resistance R coupled in series with an LED 110. A constant voltage VCONST is provided across the resistance R and LED.

Advantageously, this control circuitry allows the constant voltage VCONST and resistance R to be selected so that the current can be varied to maintain a desired light output as the temperature fluctuates. In an example, a resistance R of 20 Ohms and constant voltage VCONST of 2.46 Volts are selected to provide a current of 14.3mA through the LED at -25°C and at current of 25.4mA at +60°C. The light output provided by the LED at 14.3mA and -25°C and at 25.4mA and +60°C is approximately the same as the nominal light output when the LED is operated at 20mA and +20°C. As a result, the protected LED signal is able to provide approximately constant light across a wide temperature range using a constant voltage, without the need for complicated controls. Such patented innovation will further help to transform signalling technology and improve safety across the rail network.

R = 20 = 2.46v 110

LEGAL

The Southern wrangle

T Below Paul McFarlane is partner at law firm Weightmans and chair of the Employment Lawyers Association’s Legislative & Policy Committee

As the Southern rail dispute becomes ever more fractious, lawyer PAUL MCFARLANE analyses the complexity of the legal situation

he Southern rail dispute escalated further in recent weeks when a three day walk-out (between 11-13 October) went ahead with a reported loss of almost 40 per cent of services. Talks with the RMT broke down on 12 October and the RMT has given notice of further strikes to take place this later this year, in November and December. In a bid to try and bring this six month dispute to an end, on 6 October Southern issued an ‘ultimatum’ to the affected staff – sign off new contracts or face being dismissed. RMT advised its members to sign off the new contract (but added that they would seek to overturn the new contract). The RMT also reported, on the afternoon of 10 October 2016 – less than a day before the first day of the strike – that it had received a legal challenge from Southern which it was considering. However, there were no reports of court proceedings taking place between Southern and the RMT on 10 October. These events raise a number of legal and tactical issues for both sides. For example, can Southern rely on an ultimatum to fairly dismiss employees who have not signed the new contract? Why would Southern threaten the RMT with a legal challenge but not pursue this in the courts? Will the new rules on strikes in the Trade Union Act 2016 change things?

The Ultimatum – is this legal? Potentially yes, but Southern must demonstrate to an employment tribunal (ET) that it has jumped through a number of legal hoops before it could fairly dismiss an employee who refused to sign the new contract. Those are: 1. was the dismissal for a potentially fair reason in law; and 2. has Southern acted reasonably in relying on that reason as the reason for dismissal? (When answering this second question, an ET must have regard to the size and resources available to Southern.) Here, ‘some other substantial reason’ (SOSR), which covers a refusal to accept changes to terms and conditions of employment, is the only potentially fair reason in law that could apply. Southern would need to satisfy an ET that its changes were for sound business reasons. Southern would not be required to prove that this change was crucial for its survival. No doubt Southern would, if required, put forward evidence to an ET to say that its plans for the removal of guards from its trains were in line with industry practice. If the reason for dismissal falls into the SOSR category, the ET would go on to consider whether Southern had acted reasonably in dismissing those employees who had not signed the new contracts. An ET would look at a range of factors when considering this issue, including:

to sign the new contracts under protest they would argue that there remains a trade dispute – which in law includes a dispute over terms and conditions of employment. As for the stale ballot argument, a court would need to decide if there had been a substantial interruption in the dispute. If so, would an average reasonable trade union member consider the dispute had come to an end. This, in my view, cannot be said to be the position here. Since April, Southern has been subjected to a series of strikes. The RMT would, I suggest, argue that there has not been a significant interruption between these strikes.

Trade Union Act 2016 – would this have made a difference?

whether a reasonable and genuine consultation process with the affected employees has taken place; the respective motives of both sides in both putting forward the proposed changes and rejecting them; and whether the employees have been given sufficient warning of the changes, et cetera. I consider it likely that Southern would be able to show that a dismissal of an employee who has not signed the new contract would be fair. This might explain why the RMT has advised its members to sign the new contract. I suspect the RMT has advised its members to sign the new contract under protest so that it can say that they are still in dispute with Southern. To do otherwise would bring into question the legality of the strikes it has called its members to take part in (see more below).

Southern’s threat of legal action This is one of the more curious aspects of this dispute. Why threaten legal action but not follow this up? The grounds for Southern’s purported threat have not been reported. However, it is likely to be one or both of the following: there is no longer a trade dispute – as employees have accepted the new contract; and/or the ballot giving the RMT the mandate to call its members out on strike is stale [old]. At this stage, it is my view, that both of these arguments are weak. This probably explains why Southern did not go to court last week. Taking them in turn: if the RMT has advised its members

This act, when it comes into force, makes two very significant changes to the law. As well as still being required to get a majority of those who have voted, to vote in favour of strike action, a union must: 1. in all cases get at least 50 per cent of those entitled to vote in a ballot to do so; and 2. w here those involved in the dispute work in an important public service there will be a requirement that 40 per cent of those entitled to vote in a ballot concerning employees normally engaged in important public services have voted ‘Yes’. The government will publish regulations setting out precisely what important public services means but they will specify activities including transport services – which includes rail services. Once the act comes into force, the RMT will have to comply with these additional provisions before it can call for strike action. Failure to do so would mean that Southern (and other rail companies) could challenge their proposed strike(s) in the courts.

Conclusion As with all industrial disputes, eventually the parties will have to negotiate a settlement. With the most recent talks breaking down, Southern will need to consider its next steps. Southern may seek to implement the terms of the new contract, bringing to a head whether staff have actually agreed to those terms. For those who did not abide by the new terms, dismissal for gross misconduct might be an option that is considered. Obviously this would further inflame an already fractious dispute. However, with this dispute showing no signs of ending soon, Southern may consider it has no option but to adopt this position. Paul McFarlane is a partner in the London office of Weightmans LLP Employment, Pensions & Immigration team. He is also chair of the Employment Lawyers Association’s Legislative & Policy Committee, that commented on the consultation papers on Trade Union Bill as it progressed through Parliament. paul.mcfarlane@weightmans.com

NEWS I Stations

The station as a transport interchange and community area

Rail industry provides a glimpse of the station of the future l Rail Delivery Group has followed up on last year’s Vision for Stations by publishing a series of images that reflect the industry’s vision of how railway stations of the future might look, if they are to achieve their full potential as transport interchanges, public spaces and centres of the community. The concept images, created by bpr architects show how new stations could be designed with a striking modern design or a structure sensitive to a historic place, or older stations revitalised while protecting their heritage. Features of the illustrations include: • removing the divide between the railway and the community, with spaces for people to spend time, from picking up their online shopping to providing a pleasant environment in which to eat and drink • small pockets of station land used for the community children’s play areas and a family-friendly waiting environment

• b uildings designed to provide clear lines of sight, a sense of security, and space for staff to provide assistance • station platforms built to modular design, making the best possible use of the space, and providing information, services and facilities • easy accessibility throughout the station with everything on the same level and step-free access. Paul Plummer chief executive at the Rail Delivery Group said: “Britain’s stations have great potential not only as transport hubs but as places for local economies to flourish. Our Vision – aided by the Station Place concept – shows how stations can be more customer focused, use technology more intelligently and encourage an entrepreneurial spirit in the communities that they serve.”

Plans for major transformation of Ilford station are unveiled l Network Rail has submitted proposals for a new station building in Ilford as part of the improvements being delivered for Crossrail. Proposals submitted to the London Borough of Redbridge include: a new spacious building with a striking glass façade that will let natural light flood into the station, Artist’s impression of the proposed Ilford station a larger ticket hall with a wide entrance and significantly longer gateline, and new lifts providing step-free access from street level to all platforms. The building has been designed to stand out as a recognisable landmark on Cranbrook Road and to be prominent and visible from the surrounding area. Further improvements to be delivered for the new Elizabeth line services including longer platforms, improved lighting, signage, customer information points, CCTV and overhead information screens.

Metrolink’s Exchange Square stop earns top award l The new Exchange Square Metrolink stop has scooped top spot in the Project of the Year under 50m Euros category at this year’s Light Rail Awards, beating off fierce competition from the UK and abroad. The stop, which opened in December last year, was designed by Ian Simpson Architects and is the centrepiece of the new line extension that has doubled the service frequency on the OldhamRochdale Line between Shaw and Crompton and the city centre. Its construction was made possible thanks to a European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) grant.

NEWS I Appointments GTR brings Nick Brown in as COO

Jon Prichard to become CEO of IChemE

Steve Dalton to head up telent Rail

l Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has appointed Nick Brown as its chief operating officer. He will take up the post in November, replacing Dyan Crowther who is moving on to become CEO of HS1 Ltd. Nick will take his place on GTR’s board of directors, and as a member of the Executive Team, will report to CEO Charles Horton. Until recently Nick was managing director, London Underground and Rail for Transport for London, and he brings with him more than 35 years’ experience in the transport industry. He has a strong operational and commercial background in the public and private sectors and has led businesses in rail and bus, both in the UK and internationally. CEO Charles Horton said: “Nick’s broad experience and intimate knowledge of the sector makes him ideally placed to help us achieve our business goals and deliver a better railway and excellent service for our customers going forward.”

l The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) has appointed Jon Prichard as its chief executive officer. Jon, who currently leads the Engineering Council – the regulatory body for the engineering professions in the UK – succeeds Dr David Brown who stepped down in July. Jon is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of both the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Royal Engineers. In 2001, after 20 years in the British Army, he joined the staff of the Institution of Civil Engineers, initially as membership director and then as technical director. In 2007, he joined the construction consultancy High-Point Rendel as resources director. In August 2010, he took over as CEO of the Engineering Council. Over the last six years, he has successfully overseen the advancement of professional standards in the UK and the development of individual guidance in risk, security, and whistle blowing; whilst also ensuring that the reputation of registered engineers and technicians has been enhanced and maintained.

l Leading technology company, telent, has appointed Steve Dalton as managing director of its Rail business. Bringing with him a wide variety of experience during his time as managing director of telent’s Network Services Division, Steve was responsible for the day-to-day running of the division. Having started his career as an engineering apprentice for GEC in 1985, over the following 22 years, he was promoted internally to a number of senior positions, including director and general manager for the telent Metro business. There he was responsible for the delivery of major maintenance and infrastructure upgrade projects. Steve Dalton will take over from Steve Pears who is retiring after many years in the company. CEO Mark Plato said: “We are pleased to announce Steve Dalton as telent Rail’s new managing director and we are confident in his experience and proven ability to deliver results.”

Carol Stitchman moves to WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff l Architect Carol Stitchman has moved from Network Rail, where she was based in Birmingham, and joined WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff as rail technical director and a member of the UK rail stations management team. As part of her new role, Carol will strengthen the consultancy’s expertise in delivering major stations work including high speed rail. A chartered architect by background with more than 32 years’ experience, Carol successfully led the design delivery of the £780m redevelopment of Birmingham New Street Station, as Network Rail’s head of design. When construction began back in 2010, it was considered to be the biggest refurbishment project in Europe. In May 2016, Carol won both the Best Woman Architect and the Most Distinguished Winner of 2016 at the European Women in Construction & Engineering (WICE) Awards.

New chief executive appointed by RIA l The Railway Industry Association (RIA), which represents UK-based suppliers to the world’s railways, has appointed Darren Caplan as its chief executive. Caplan comes to RIA from the Airport Operators Association where he has been chief executive for the last six years. He will commence his new role in mid-January, taking over from interim chief executive David Tonkin, who has led RIA since the summer when the former director general Jeremy Candfield announced his retirement. RIA chairman Gordon Wakeford, said: “Darren comes with an excellent track record of successfully running a transport trade association, campaigning for sectoral growth, enhancing its performance, and delivering improved member satisfaction scores every year. The RIA team and members look forward to having Darren on board as we embark on the next stage of the association’s development.”

Network Rail looks outside rail for its new CIO l Jeremy Vincent has joined Network Rail as chief information officer (CIO). He has extensive experience working across the FMCG, technology, entertainment and automotive industries. Before joining Network Rail, Jeremy held key senior roles at Allied Domecq Plc and EMI Music Plc before spending eight years at Jaguar Land Rover as CIO, leading major programme delivery and business transformation. Jeremy was recently voted by his peers into Tech & IT Business Opinion’s Top 10 CIO List and holds an MBA from the University of Warwick. He succeeds Susan Cooklin who earlier in the year moved to the role of route services director. Jeremy has joined the Route Services senior management team and will lead the delivery of route services’ customer-focused enabling technology as well as the back office IT operations to deliver a more efficient national service to Network Rail’s devolved route businesses. He reports directly to Susan.

Communications

disruptions have encouraged a number of companies and industries to shake up their business models and on-train media is no different. KBH Digital was borne out of the increase in digital ad revenue, the unique, hyperconnected nature of the audience and the increased investment in Wi-Fi.

Trialling the new digital platform

ADding - the personal touch Above Eurostar is running the first iteration of the on-board media portal

HARJIT BADESHA, CEO of KBH Digital, discusses the power of on-train advertising and how the digital age is revolutionising its delivery, relevance and effectiveness

et’s start with a brief definition. What is OOH advertising (or out-of-home media)? Put simply, it is advertising that reaches consumers while they are outside their homes, and it can be found in a whole range environments – from the street path to the motorway, to train station or in this instance, the train carriage. The opportunities are endless for brands or train operators looking to engage with OOH media. Before, OOH was largely restricted to a static billboard on the side of a road. But the digital proliferation and a broader sense of formats has changed all of that.

So why should TOCs care about OOH?

Harjit Badesha is CEO of KBH Digital

The answer to this is clear. A staggering 94 per cent of passengers notice on-train adverts. Combine that figure with an average train journey of 40 minutes and it’s clear to see that the rail passenger audience has the dwell time to read, absorb and then act on on-train messaging. In our fast-paced, constantly switched-on age, the train carriage delivers a large and captive OOH audience that is hard to find elsewhere. The format of on-train adverts has remained remarkably unchanged, but regardless of this, it continues to evolve and grow, thanks to more astute targeting and changing consumer behaviour. A combination of factors are responsible for this including: the ubiquity of the smartphone which is creating ever increasing levels of connectivity for the on-train audience; the increasing amount of time people spent online; and consumers’ willingness to research and make purchases on their devices while out of home. All of this is supported and encouraged by the ever-improving efficiency of on-board Wi-Fi. Wider technological and digital advances and

Union Street, KBH’s digital ad platform, utilises display, video and sponsorship options via on-train and onplatform Wi-Fi and media and entertainment portals. It also helps to build a picture of consumers by mapping out their digital footprint. This data can then be segmented by audience, route and content, creating bespoke targeted advertising or data-only solutions for brands. The KBH Digital trial phase earlier this year proved successful, with brands including Microsoft, Sky and CoOperative Food signing up. We have since launched with Eurostar, helping brands to promote themselves through the on-board media portal. This delivers a customer experience similar to inflight media but the key difference is that connectivity allows every display or video ad impression to be addressable. As well as the on-board portal, passengers can connect to free Wi-Fi, where we can deliver brand messages through our programmatic technologies.

Eurostar With more than 10 million people travelling on Eurostar each year, this yields a sizeable opportunity for the rail industry. It also presents some really valuable first-party customer data, which helps us to build up a clear idea of how customers behave online while they’re travelling. As well as offering advertisers access to international travellers on-board Eurostar, we are in discussions with other key train operating companies in the UK to provide advertising opportunities, helping them to monetise their assets. The benefits are also there for passengers, as advertising and messaging will be much more targeted and relevant. For example, an ad for Mother’s Day gifts viewed on a train’s Wi-Fi system the morning before that date might prove very effective for those who need the reminder. Or perhaps commuters travelling home on a Friday evening might be particularly receptive to VOD ad showcasing the latest series added to a streaming service. As we move further towards a world of constant connectivity, there is a need for advertising to follow suit, as has been seen with OOH. The potential opportunities digital advertising affords all parties is something that will ensure it’s an important component for the railway of the future. KBH On-Train Media was launched in 1998. Since then, the company has grown to become the UK’s largest on-train media company, delivering one of the fastest-growing out-of-home (OOH) media audiences in the UK. Reaching 7.1 million mobile-connected train travellers every month, KBH’s rail network includes all major commuter routes and reaches a diverse audience.

STRATEGY

Reinventing rail THOMAS DREXLER, director of rail and ground travel, Amadeus, reviews the changing competitive landscape in the rail industry, the battle for the customer and the shape of the future

T Below Thomas Drexler, director of rail and ground travel, Amadeus

he European rail industry is currently undergoing a transformation. Competition is fierce and technology is seen as an enabler for operators to stand out in a crowded market place. As new contenders are increasingly looking to compete with the veterans, rail operators are transforming their business models to ensure a stronger focus on the customer in this rapidly changing marketplace.

From competition to collaboration In Europe, the rail industry has traditionally been constrained by national borders. However increased EU-driven market liberalisation is attracting new operators into the arena. In parallel, even though the very nature of rail limits direct competition between operators, competition between different modes of transport is growing increasingly. As a result, these market forces could be a very real threat to rail operators which are slow to adapt to a changing environment. However those rail companies which are quick to respond could encounter the greatest opportunities, towards stronger customer satisfaction and loyalty. It will

be important to recognise the benefits of working alongside other transport providers with a common purpose: to provide the traveller with the best possible door-to-door travel experience.

Technology innovation and personalisation Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more, technology is providing the traveller with more choice than ever, creating innovations which are improving customer experience and reshaping rail travel. For example, the planned High Speed 2 (HS2) line will significantly reduce journey times and increase capacity on popular routes linking London and the North. This will not only give customers an enhanced travel experience, but make rail a much more attractive choice versus airlines and other providers operating the same routes. Rail operators can further extend their reach to customers by offering a more personalised travel experience, whether thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s through high speed Wi-Fi for all passengers or using data to understand the customer better to anticipate traveller needs prior to the trip itself. Technology will enable rail operators to re-direct every aspect of the journey towards the customer and offer an experience which is fully tailored to their needs.

The battle for the customer intensifies This increase in competition has resulted in a greater focus on the customer. While other industries have already achieved maturity when it comes to customer centricity, rail operators are following in their footsteps and quickly catching up. The complex nature of competition in rail is forcing operators to re-think their business models and pivot towards more customer-focused goals. Operators are turning their attention to technology as an enabler of increased customer focus. For example, operators can leverage data to better understand the needs and desires of the traveller, and then be able to create and adapt offers right from the point of booking through to arriving at the end destination.

The future - door-to-door travel? This level of customer-centricity requires a level of collaboration between different travel providers. Rail operators could collaborate with airlines for instance to share data about each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s routes and fares. Imagine you are travelling on business to Toulouse, an airline could offer a flight to Paris whilst at the same time suggesting

Left The vision of door to door travel provision a train connection to Toulouse, and even a taxi from the station to your final destination. This is a simple example that illustrates the convenience of booking an entire journey in one place before the trip takes place. Rail can look to other industries as examples of great customer-centricity. Amazon and Netflix have responded to changing customer expectations about what good service means. If rail can adapt in a similar way, we will see it competing effectively against new competitors and even turning this competition into an opportunity. As competition is now a given in the rail industry, there will be an increased focus on how different operators can adapt their own models to better suit the changing needs of the traveller, driving service innovation and personalisation across the industry. Collaboration will be key for turning door-to-door travel into reality and ushering in the next generation of rail travel â&#x20AC;&#x201C; where the needs of the customer take precedence.

Stadler Rail

Full speed

ahead Despite challenging European market conditions putting pressure on Stadler, an unprecedented flexibility sees the company take significant steps towards new markets and future success

eginning with the foundation of Stadler’s engineering office in Zurich by Ernst Stadler in 1942, the company has grown significantly over the years to become the number one in the railway vehicle market. With an unusual history, the company’s success story continued in 1945 when it moved to Wadenswill and changed its named to ElektroFahrzeuge Stadler; at this point the company began producing battery and diesel powered locomotives. Almost two decades later, Ernst Stadler moved to Bussnang and built the first assembly hall for Stadler in 1962; this development was followed by Stadler becoming a public limited company in 1976, under the new name: Stadler Fahrzeuge AG. A milestone was hit in 1984 when the company produced its first passenger vehicles; around this time the company’s core business was custom manufacturing for Swiss private railway companies. This development was followed by another major milestone five years later,

when Peter Spuhler borrowed CHF five million from the Thurguauer Kantonalbank to acquired Stadler; laying the foundation for the business’ success with the first modular rail vehicle, Spuhler led the company to develop and officially present the GTW 2/6 in 1995, with the first trial runs held in 1996. Expansion followed in 1997 when Stadler took over Schindler Waggon’s plant in Altenrhein, which led to the foundation of Stadler Altenrhein; one year later, Stadler took over the rack and pinion segment from Sulzer AG’s former Swiss Locomotive Machine Works (SLM). Not a company to rest on its laurels, Stadler founded Stadler Pankow GmbH following a joint venture with Adtranz; this lay the groundwork for international expansion. One year later, the company acquired 100 per cent interest in Stadler Pankow GmbH; during this period the company also made the strategic decision to develop a new assembly hall and office space at its headquarters. Hitting its 60-year anniversary in 2002, Stadler opened

— Let’s write the future with field-proven, highperforming traction systems. Reliability, availability, and maintainability are strong arguments for choosing ABB technology. Vehicle manufacturers and rail operators worldwide trust in ABB’s state-of-the-art traction solutions. With our highly flexible and field-proven product platform, we develop tailor-made traction solutions for all kinds of rail vehicles. More than 1500 Stadler regional trains are equipped with powerful and reliable ABB traction systems. As a traction chain partner, we are driven to optimize your fleet’s overall performance. www.abb.com/railway

Anz_Railway_Strategies_210x297_Stadler_UC_e.indd 1

20.10.16 15:26

KNORR-BREMSE IFE ENTRANCE SYSTEMS ARE OPENING AND CLOSING WORLDWIDE MORE THAN 50,000,000 TIMES EACH DAY Punctuality, efficiency, reliability and economy in rail transportation are determined by a decisive moment: boarding and alighting of passengers. Therefore, investing in modern and high-class entrance systems with an excellent global reputation pays dividends for manufacturers and operators. IFE is setting new standards for sliding and sliding plug doors ranging from trams, light rail and metros via commuter and regional trains up to high-speed trains and passenger coaches. Its tailor-made solutions for exterior and interior doors, door controls and access devices ensure short boarding and alighting times and guarantee a smooth flow even with a high number of passengers. IFE, based in Kematen/Ybbs, Austria, develops, manufactures and sells entrance systems for railway vehicles. Together with vehicle manufacturers and operators, IFE consistently pursues the objective of improving entrance systems for rail vehicles and to revive the market with innovative impulses. IFE is a division of the Knorr-Bremse GmbH, Mödling, Austria, and a member of the Knorr-Bremse Group. Knorr-Bremse is the world’s leading manufacturer of braking systems for rail and commercial vehicles, with sales totalling almost six billion euros in 2015. In 30 countries, some 25,000 employees develop, manufacture and service braking, entrance, control, and energy supply systems, HVAC and driver assistance systems, as well as powertrain and transmission control solutions. As a technology leader, for more than 110 years now, through its products the company has been making a decisive contribution to greater safety by road and rail. Every day, more than one billion people around the world put their trust in systems made by Knorr-Bremse.

6 ELKT ELKT and Baku Metro are connected, and have a long-term history of collaboration, based on mutual trust and respect. From the very beginning Metro has established itself as a reliable and stable business partner. Usually, the objectives of the ELKT was to manufacture and supply in the shortest possible time a wide range of electrical contacts. Thanks to extensive experience of the ELKT specialists and the highest technical level of Metro specialists we’ve always been able to solve all the issues. ELKT are happy to express gratitude to Metro for our business co-operation and we are confident in our joint success.

APPROVED

7 PALLADIUM ASSOCIATES PLC Palladium Associates Plc are delighted to work with Metrolink and the light rail industry. Palladium provide security, special event support, revenue protection, safety and customer service solutions. We use highly trained operatives who often come from a Police or Military background. Our people have excellent customer service skills and are often conflict management trained. We pride ourselves on our flexibility and quick response. We specialise in the light rail sector and are proud to have received great feedback from our clients and from the public. We flexibly help optimise revenue and safety whilst at the same time improving the customer experience.

APPROVED

Stadler Rail

the doors of its service centre, Velten; two years after this time of celebration, the company celebrated the grand opening of assembly hall three in Bussnang. Continuing its strategy for growth and expansion, the company acquired Winpro AG and founded Stadler Winterthur in 2005; Stadler Trains Magyarorszag Kft was also founded the same year. Seeking to expand further, Stadler founded Stadler Polska in Siedlce in 2006; two years on Stadler founded its first subsidiary outside of Europe in Algeria before expanding into Eastern Europe with the foundation of Stadler Praha. In 2010 the production of the first KISS double-decker multiple unit train started in Altenrhein; in the same year the Erlen commissioning centre was inaugurated. Further expansion took place in 2011, when locations in Reinickendorf and Hohenschonhausen were opened in Germany; progressing forward, Belarus was added to the list of countries that Stadler had developed a foothold in 2012 and Voith Rail, in the Netherlands, was acquired in 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a development that led to the foundation of Stadler Netherlands. In 2015 the company acquired Vosslohâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s locomotive business in Valencia, Spain, while also founding Stadler Australia; Vossloh boasts an annual turnover in excess of 200 million euros and is a specialist in diesel-electric locomotives. This acquisition will provide Stadler with an opportunity to break into the dieselelectric locomotives market segment and gain a strong foothold in new, Spanish-speaking markets. Today Stadler employs around 6000 people at its global sites, with 3000 based in Switzerland. Boasting an enviable reputation in the rail sector, the company

maintains this through a formulated strategy that focuses on the regional, suburban and intercity service market segments, the light regional express railway service, and streetcars. In order to further cement a solid foundation Stadler Rail has positioned itself as a supplier that complements global rail vehicle builders such as Alstom, Bombardier, and Siemens, and its status as an independent company is an important basic strategic value that clients appreciate. This business approach will also assist Stadler to operate in a railway vehicle industry that is in a dynamic, highly complex restructuring phase. Companies active in this industry are being acquired, merged or strategically repositioned, or even disappearing from the marketplace. In such an economic environment, it is crucial for a medium-sized group of companies to ensure that its strategy matches its human and financial resources. Over the past few years, Stadler has met this goal, even achieving exceptional development despite the negative trend prevailing in the industry. By focusing on market needs, Stadler was able to foresee what investments in facilities would enable it to offer an expanded range of services. Over the past few years, the company has closed the last existing production gaps by selectively expanding into the areas of electrical engineering and bogie (truck) construction. This means the business is now able to offer complete vehicle concepts, and it can offer customised solutions to railway companies on the basis of modular concepts, which are tailored to their specific needs. The best-known vehicle series from Stadler Rail Group

Stadler Rail

are the articulated multiple-unit train GTW, the RegioShuttle RS1, the FLIRT and the double-decker multipleunit train KISS in the railway segment, and the Variobahn and the Tango in the tram segment. The Metro is another addition for the commuter rail market. Furthermore, Stadler Rail manufactures metre-gauge trains, passenger carriages and locomotives and is the world’s leading manufacturer of rack-and-pinion rail vehicles. In May 2015, the company reached another milestone in its FLIRT programme with the first order for its bi-modal train. The 43 million euro order for five diesel-electric trains will be delivered to Italian, Region Valle d’Aosta in 2018. Stadler will also be delivering a further 21 FLIRT EMU (electric multiple unit) trains to MÁV-START Zrt in Hungary over the next year, which will bring that customer’s FLIRT fleet up to 133. Eastern Europe has been a strong emerging market for Stadler over the last few years with 54 trains currently operating in Poland alongside a 700-employee strong assembly plant, and other trains operating throughout the region. In Hungary, the company has set up a maintenance facility, staffed by 455 people to maintain not only its own, but also thirdparty supplier trains. In addition to the FLIRT model, Stadler has also had a successful year with its innovative, double-decker KISS

(comfortable, innovative, speedy, suburban in German) train. In November 2015, the company reached a historic moment with the delivery of the 50th KISS unit to Swiss Federal Railways (SBB). The contract for the first 50 150-metre multiple-unit trains was signed at the end of August 2008 at a value of around CHF one billion. In an unprecedented time frame Stadler was able to fully develop, manufacture and commission the trains in less than two years with the first train going into operation in June 2010. A total of 5.5 million parts go into the production of the KISS, including 8250km of cable and 125 tonnes of paint. The project for SBB has been hugely significant in Stadler forging a position in a new market segment and in the time since that first order the company has sold over 200 trains to customers in Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Russia and Azerbaijan. Stadler Rail has also been awarded a major opportunity with SBB for 29 highspeed EC250 electric trains; a project that will enable Stadler to break into the high-speed field. From 2019, Stadler trains will link three countries, travelling through one of the world’s longest tunnels and there is significant potential in a range of European countries for trains capable of reaching speeds of up to 250 km/h. Another market has also been opened up in the United States, where a $100 million order for eight FLIRT units from Fort Worth Transportation Authority in Texas will be the first FLIRT entry in the US and may require Stadler to open up a new factory in the country in accordance with the ‘Buy America Act’. Having recently presented a five-car version of the new EC250/Giruno at Innotrans 2016, there is no sign of Stadler slowing down over the coming years. Indeed, by focusing on providing customers and their passengers with trains that offer reliable operation and comfortable travel as well as continuous improvement, Stadler is on track when it comes to maintaining its leading reputation in a challenging and competitive market.

ABB ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility, industry, and transport and infrastructure customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. ABB has a long history of providing reliable, innovative and energy-efficient technologies to the rail sector, manufacturing and servicing all the systems, subsystems and components used in modern urban, intercity and highspeed rail networks for rail infrastructure and rolling stock. By providing leading-edge technologies, turnkey systems and superior services to train builders, refurbisher and network operators, ABB can help deliver energy-efficient and cost-effective railway innovations for a sustainable mobility.

www.stadlerrail.com 23

from engineering to assembly

moving towards the future with intelligent system solutions

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From engineering to assembly with intelligent system solutions As a system supplier, we provide customers with a complete service from consulting through development to finding a customised solution for delivery and integration of systems, sub-systems and system components. Our core competences comprise project management, engineering, production, customised logistics solutions, testing and certification for exterior structures as well as interior comfort systems.

Whether your rail vehicle travels through bitter cold or scorching heat, the temperature in the car has to be comfortable. Using our innovative computer simulation program, we quickly and efficiently plan the perfect flow behaviour by simulating and optimising different variants. With over 180 man-years of experience behind us, we offer our customer unique expertise and pioneering solutions.

Are you already thinking about tomorrow’s train? One on which clever passenger comfort and interior systems makes every journey a study in comfort? Let us be your inspiration – talk to us about the future of travelling. As an innovative system partner, we combine industry expertise with unique full service – from engineering to installation. For trains which the journey is about a sense of well-being.

At our new location – Bacher Berlin - we can respond even faster with direct customer contact, have a more flexible production and logistics location. We have greatly expanded competences with skills such as composite for example and increased capacity and a production site in the EU.

Bacher is where you are – with reference projects in operation around the world, wide network of partner companies and strong holding with own company network.

BACHER AG Kägenstrasse 14 CH-4153 Reinach phone +41 61 715 35 35 info@bacherag.ch www.bacherag.ch

Selectron

The automation

specialist

With more than 50 years of experience in electronics and programming for industry, Selectron is today a renowned specialist in the range of automation solutions for rail vehicles

M Below Emmanuel Hannart

odern rail vehicle systems are created by a varied range of different pieces of equipment that need to talk to each other and work together in perfect harmony. These systems are linked by a train control management systems (TCMS) into a single, well-functioning platform which contributes to the safety and availability of trains. Meeting these needs, Selectron Systems AG offers safe and freely programmable controllers, centralised and decentralised I/O systems, driver’s cab displays, and communication components at vehicle or train bus level, and the company handles projects from subsystems all the way through to engineering turnkey solutions. One of the most crucial developments in the history of Selectron was announced in January 2015 when it was acquired by Knorr-Bremse. Following the acquisition, Selectron Systems continued to offer its established, successful range of systems, products, and services in the marketplace as well as gaining the ability to continually strengthen and expand this range through further innovations. Through its integration into the Knorr-Bremse Group Selectron will be able to extend the available portfolio of services, thereby facilitating supplier management for vehicle manufacturers and operators. It will also bring significant savings to manufacturers when

it comes to integrating various sub-systems in a train. The UCS (Unified Control System) offer will bring ‘plug & play’ possibilities for gathering doors, HVAC, brakes, convertors etc… within a train. In addition, this deal gave Selectron Systems AG the ability to utilise the worldwide Knorr-Bremse sales and service network and access to new customers. Customers of both Knorr-Bremse and Selectron stand to benefit in the original equipment, operators, and aftermarket sectors alike. Focusing on what Selectron offers to the market, the company can provide solutions, products and services. In the solutions arena, its modern, forward-looking train control and management systems are enormously important in rail vehicles. The continuously rising volumes of data exchanged between the individual systems mean that greater bandwidths need to be provided in order to transfer data. In addition, safety is playing an ever more important role, where Selectron has been innovating in the last years. Other significant aspects in this regard are long-lasting serviceability and cost. In this area Selectron offers with Knorr-Bremse efficient solutions for preventive maintenance targeting a lower ‘down-time’ of the trains for the network operators. Selectron responds to these requirements with its versatile and flexible solutions. On the product side the company manufactures

software, hardware and relays. By using tools optimally aimed at the rail vehicle market customers can ensure that the ideal use of hardware components is possible. On the services side, Selectron concentrates its knowledge, ability and activities on clients’ requirements, thereby helping them to concentrate on their own business. The organisation can also draw on the experience it has gained since focusing on the railway vehicle market in 2001, and it has learned that customers not only need products but also solutions with true benefits. As a result it has integrated this requirement into an innovative performance system. The wide variety of the services on offer from Selectron enable the business to create an individual performance package for customers and to create advantages for them going forward. Its various customer-oriented services mean it can offer optimum support in each project phase. These can be divided into six main categories: • Specification • Engineering • Commissioning • Technical support • Customer training courses • Maintenance & after-sales services

vehicle features touchscreen displays for the viewing of motion and diagnostic data. It is clear from this contract that Selectron’s systems offer the most modern technology, and the creation of these state-of-the-art solutions is largely thanks to its dedication to investing in research and development – 20 per cent of sales are invested into this area, which amounts to ten million euros annually. The company also employs a high proportion of engineers and technicians on its staff – out of more than 130 employees; about 80 per cent are in these roles. It also prides itself on having an international workforce, as this enables easier communication with its clients on a global scale. It is thanks to the combination of these approaches that Selectron is able to create solutions in line with the latest international standards and provide efficient support for its customers. It has created long-term partnerships with clients that are based on trust, reliability and expertise, and now as part of Knorr-Bremse the company aims to maintain the agility and efficiency of a small company while gaining also all the benefits of being part of a larger organisation.

www.selectron.ch

Considering the breadth of its expertise in solutions, products and services, it is no surprise that Selectron has a client list of respected names in the rail market, and that this is constantly growing with new additions. A prime example is the important contract it recently won in Moscow, where the ‘Strela’ Monorail System as well as the Moscow metro will feature Selectron TCMS. Currently, MORTON is building the first section of the planned Strela transport system in Moscow’s Krasnogorsk district. The overhead Strela system is providing the latest in modern technology in overhead monorail systems – by using a motor bogie with rubbertyred wheels placed the inside the tracks. This technical solution allows the system to operate with minimal noise generation, low sensitivity to weather conditions, and keeping well away from the traffic on the ground. In the first Strela vehicle, the TCMS is based on Selectron’s module families MAS 83x and MAS 73x, as well as Smartio. These modules communicate with all subsystems via Ethernet and CANopen. Furthermore, the

MATISA

A passion for

rail

Representing a trusted and respected name within the railway industry, MATISA Matériel Industriel S.A. offers a complete range of machines and services across the world

reviously appearing in Railway Strategies during December 2015, the Swiss company MATISA continues to innovate as a dedicated services business that strives to deliver pioneering solutions throughout the rail industry. The company was established in 1945 through the construction of its first mechanical tamper for railway maintenance and has subsequently grown into a world leader for machinery for track maintenance, construction and renewal. Its current portfolio of products includes tampers, ballast regulators and cleaners, track renewal trains, track laying machines, track measuring vehicles and more recently WTM switch transport wagons. All machines are manufactured on-site in Switzerland, but the company is represented in seven countries around the world through subsidiaries in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the UK, Brazil and Japan. As the needs of the rail industry continue to change, MATISA Matériel remains on hand to provide a comprehensive range of machines to take on even the most demanding jobs. “Since last appearing in Railway Strategies the machines that we manufacture have evolved technologically, which is a continuing process at MATISA. The automation of our machines has been upgraded, while the measuring bays and ergonomic design have also been enhanced,” reveals MATISA Sales & Marketing Director, Roger Grossniklaus. “Apart from these features the equipment does not change as

quickly and evolves more through a series of gradual improvements, which means that every few years the industry will see a big development or something new in the machines themselves.” The MATISA range of track renewal trains builds on 40 years of experience, where the development and commissioning of each new train is intended to improve the operational concept in close cooperation with customers in order to consider the evolution of future requirements. Through their enhanced design, MATISA

track renewal trains ensure that the track geometry is automatically reproduced identically. The working tools are characterised by simple and fast movements guaranteeing very high reliability and output, while the dynamic plough prepares the ballast bed without creating any noise or dust. Across its range MATISA Matériel has also delivered more than 200 track inspection and recording vehicles and/or on-board systems worldwide that allow for inspection speeds of up to 120 km/h. Furthermore the know-how and experience built up by MATISA is epitomised in particular by the company’s current range of vehicles that is available across three families, comprised of the M10 for simple and effective track auscultation; M 100 for comfortable track auscultation on a sturdy base; and M1000 for total track auscultation at high speed. Along with the continually evolving design of the company’s machines, quality and innovation are at the core of the MATISA Matériel service offering. “As our machines are Swiss products and therefore maybe a little more expensive due to various different economic factors we have a reputation for the quality of our products that we continue to develop. This puts MATISA in a unique selling position (USP) because through the quality of our products we are not only thinking about the performance of the machines, but we are also considering the longevity

two machines in Australia we just sold two machines to Indonesia for example, and that is a good step forward for us. We have already some second hand machines in that area, which were sold by different channels but these are the first new machines that we delivered there,” Roger concludes.

www.matisa.ch

of the assets,” Roger says. “Our machines have a very good reputation and they last a very long time, which means the initial investment at the beginning may be a little higher than some other products, but cost is actually recovered over the following years of service. We are very proud to build machines that are easy to maintain at very reasonable costs. Overall what we call the life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) of the machines represents a very attractive option for this industry.” With over seven decades of industry experience, MATISA Matériel has built a proven reputation for delivering high-quality and robust railway construction and maintenance machines. This combined with the continuing development and upgrading of Europe’s rail networks means that the company has remained highly active, with several upcoming projects to be undertaken over the coming years. Roger further states: “The UK market for example is organised in a way that Network Rail is basically setting up contracts with its contractors and these contracts cover all of the machines that we provide. This is an interesting opportunity for us because those contractors will often need additional machines that we can deliver. We have already two track renewal trains and two ballast transfer machines alongside a relevant range of tampers and ballast regulators in this specific market and expect more to follow soon. “From an economical point of view we are at full capacity for 2017 so we are very proud to be able to look to the future so confidently. We are already working on 2018, which looks promising as well and there are a lot of markets that are very promising too where we haven’t necessarily worked before. After a recent delivery of

West Metro

Tunnelling to

success

In June 2007, the cities of Espoo and Helsinki in Finland jointly founded a company called Länsimetro Oy (West Metro Ltd) to undertake the construction of the west metro line and stations project

T Above West metro line and stations Below Aalto University station has approximately 12,000 users per day

he building of the metro is the largest infrastructure undertaking in Finland, and alongside West Metro it also includes project consultant Sweco PM, and Helsinki City Transport (in charge of operating the metro) alongside several Finnish and international contractors that were selected on the basis of a public competitive bidding process in accordance with the Act on Public Contracts. The entire project has been meticulously approached to ensure it has a safe and efficient construction, with the end goal of providing 170,000 daily passengers with a metro service that includes eight new stations, with five more included in the second phase. The metro will operate on a rail line of 21 kilometres underground in two parallel tunnels, and what really makes the project stand out is that the entire metro line runs underground, through a rock tunnel. The metro will be constructed simultaneously in several places along the new metro line, and at the time of writing the first phase is now in its testing phase and the second phase of drilling and blasting is underway. Since construction began in 2009, at every stage there has been a commitment to achieving the best for its design, construction, and how the metro will run, and this works in conjunction with an understanding of the needs and safety of those that will be using the metro, as well as those building it. Indeed, due to the extensive scope of this project, and the challenges that are presented when tunnelling through dense rock, the whole process has maintained a focus on safety and correct procedures throughout. The mechanisms to ensure that the project is as safe

as possible were highlighted by CEO of West Metro Matti Kokkinen: “Safety is of particular concern during construction, and contractors are required to comply with strict safety regulations. Rescue services are also involved in the planning, and we organise regular exercises in demanding conditions with both of these groups so that everyone is prepared just in case.” He continued: “Construction safety is supervised by the occupational safety and health administration of the Regional State Administrative Agency of Southern Finland. Also, in order to develop worksite safety and good safety practices, we have launched a Safest Metro Worksite competition for the metro worksites that encourages contractors to construct safely.” In addition, the focus on safety extends out much further than the construction process, as there is also an extensive plan for the future safety measures that will be in place when the metro is operating – to such a degree that West Metro expects to have the safest metro lines in the world. For passenger safety there are already plans in place in case of emergency, with exits from the tunnel that will enter the neighbouring tunnel through smoke traps in the connection areas. The distance between connecting galleries is 160 metres and exit shafts will be located every 600 metres. There will also be a pedestrian walkway in the tunnel, and it will be equipped with signal and safety lights, which also have signposts every 25 metres. Further to this Matti added: “The tunnel network will be equipped with a fire detection system, and the metro will have a video surveillance system, plus trains will have a public address system for emergencies. This means that passage of a train

requires undisturbed functioning of the system; otherwise, the train will be stopped and the situation cleared.” Due to the scale of project it will bring a number of additional benefits alongside the modern metro system at its heart, such as its positive impact on employment in the area. On this topic Matti commented: “During the whole process West Metro will employ hundreds of planners, thousands of construction workers, and indirectly thousands of subcontractors, as well as an estimated 6000 person-years that will be used over the total project.” Given the attention to detail that Matti has highlighted as integral to the success of this massive construction project, it is no surprise that West Metro’s plan also takes into account how it will integrate with the local areas and landscapes, and that each metro station will have a unique design to help passengers immediately recognise where they are. Said Matti: “Every station will have the same platform design and similar signage and access routes, and we are focusing on areas such as obstaclefree access, efficient feeder traffic and integration with the surrounding cityscape through lighting, materials, acoustics, art and so forth.” The diligent approach that West Metro and its

contractors have taken demonstrates the thought and passion that has gone into this project. Throughout every stage of the metro’s building there has been a thorough and professional methodology, which has been absolutely essential to the project getting closer to completion. The level of achievement that it has already displayed is a good indication that when the full West Metro system is up and running it will no doubt be a major success. Once this happens West Metro will be providing a modern public transport system that is designed for the needs of its passengers in the 21st century, and will likely set the standard that others in Europe are compared to.

Left Each new station has a 90-metre long platform area in the middle

www.lansimetro.fi

Follo Line project. EPC Ski contract. Norway.

More than 100 years committed to growth and development

Source: Norwegian National Rail Administration.

The strength of a large international concessions and construction group www.ohl.es

Jernbaneverket/The Follo Line Project

Innovation in Comprised of four tracks to Oslo Central Station, Norway’s largest public transport hub, the Follo Line Project will significantly improve the daily life of commuters once completed in 2021

tretching from Norway’s capital, Oslo, to the city of Ski, the Follo Line Project is currently Norway’s largest transport project and will comprise of approximately 64 kilometres of new railway tracks. Forming the core part of the InterCity development southwards from Oslo, the project is split into four subprojects and involves the delivery of 22 kilometres of new double track line and will comprise of a 20 kilometre long tunnel – the longest railway tunnel to date in the Nordic countries, as well as the first railway tunnel of this length in Norway to have separate tubes. This milestone in the history of the country’s rail projects has led to the use of tunnel boring machines (TBM) as well as drill and blast and drill and split for the excavation process. Additionally, tracks will be realigned for the existing Ostfold Line on the approach to Oslo Central station and between the tunnel and new Ski Station. In line with these developments, extensive works at Oslo Central Station and the construction of a new station at Ski will also take place. In tandem with an existing line with traffic to local stations, the direct trains trafficking the new Follo Line (upon its completion) will significantly improve the daily life of commuters. The line will be constructed with connections to several platforms. The existing Ostfold Line has reaching its capacity limit due to increased population growth. By linking residential and working areas together effectively, the Follo Line will positively

contribute to the development and growth of the region located south east of the capital. Managing this major project is Jernbaneverket (the Norwegian National Rail Administration), which will use its experience in owning, maintaining, operating and developing the Norwegian railway network to ensure the project is not only completed in 2021 but will also provide passengers with a number of benefits. These include a 50 per cent reduction in journey time from Oslo to Ski thanks to efforts including a possible speed of up to 250 kilometres per hour. “Jernbaneverket was established in 1996 when it was made a separate company, having earlier been part of state-owned passenger company Norges Statsbaner (NSB). The budget has increased significantly over the last five to six years and the investment portfolio is now NOK 10 billion; this maintenance budget has also increased. The investment in railway structure is expected to stay high in the years to come, particularly as part of the InterCity development in the southern part of the country. Improvements and the construction of new double track high speed rail infrastructure, between a triangle of cities, is expected to have a budget frame of NOK 160 billion until 2025,” states Mikael Bors, Market Director of the Rail Administration. Using the expertise of its employees in a range of specialist fields such as electrical engineering, construction, telecommunications, social planning, scheduling and traffic management, Jernbaneverket is in the process of ensuring the core part of the InterCity development project, the Follo Line project, progresses in a timely manner. Erik discusses the project and the developments so far: “The new double track railway line forms an important part of the InterCity rail development southwards from the capital and includes the longest railway tunnel to date in the Nordic countries. With its novel methods and solutions, this project offers a model for future railway project developments in the region. This new railway line is under construction with a 20 kilometre long hard rock tunnel; it is a major project with high demands regarding quality, cost and schedule. In addition, restrictions concerning locations close to sensitive urban infrastructure require execution with the highest level of precision and expertise. “Around 30 per cent of the work in this large scale project has now been performed and the project is overall on schedule. Two out of four tunnel boring machines have started the excavation of the main part of the tunnel, and the TBMs that have been baptised and started will excavate in the northward direction towards Oslo Central Station. Another two will start operating in November and December of 2016 and will work in the southerly direction towards the city of Ski to be connected to a cut-and-cover section. The two TBMs heading north will cross close above a new sewage tunnel and the two TBMs heading south will cross close above a new tunnel for a relocated stream. To avoid potential challenges with the construction of the railway tunnels, both the sewage

Jernbaneverket/The Follo Line Project

tunnel and the river tunnels are constructed with highly reinforced concrete lining as part of their structure. All four TBMs are double shield machines, designed for extreme hard rock conditions; the diameter of each machine is 9.860 metres,” says Erik Smith, Project Director of the Follo Line Project. A pilot project for new contract models as well as new tunnel excavation methods, the Follo Line Project is using EPC contracts, conventional drill and blast combined with drill and split methodology and tunnel boring machines to pave the way for further innovation, shared knowledge and modernisation. It will also aid in the building of alliances between Norwegian and foreign engineering construction companies. “Norway is currently modernising its infrastructure, which means many upcoming projects in the coming years; the introduction of TBM tunnelling will help the development of the Norwegian tunnelling industry and innovation for the Norwegian market,” confirms Erik Smith. As the project moves forward, Jernbaneverket and the EPC contractors involved will continue to operate in a safe and efficient manner during the production of the 20 kilometre tunnels while also solving challenges

such as the construction of new infrastructure in densely populated and historical urban areas close to Oslo Central Station. With the latter issue, close co-operation with road authorities and other parties, as well as respect to restrictions surrounding the medieval park will ensure the project is completed safely, on time and to budget. “Over the next months we will cultivate our role as developer; it is important to follow up contracts regarding performance, milestones, working conditions and more to obtain and secure the performance that will enable the contractors to deliver the new infrastructure with the right quality, in due time within budget,” concludes Erik Smith.

www.jernbaneverket.no/en

OHL OHL OHL is recognised as a major company within infrastructure construction and concessions with worldwide activity based on a broad range of projects. The company tracks its history back to 1911, and is now running projects in 30 countries across five continents, although most of its activity is concentrated in eight home markets. OHL is a world reference in hospital and railway construction. The EPC Ski contract The EPC Ski contract involves reconstruction of the Ski railway station, redevelopment of the station’s surroundings and all railway facilities related to reconstruction of the existing Østfold line and the new Follo line. It covers a total section of 3.5 km, and the worksite starts at the south end of the tunnel for the Follo Line, and ends south of the town of Ski. It will include a six-rail section between Langhus and Ski, as well as construction of access roads, emergency exits, sound barriers and tunnel portals. The new Ski station Works in the Ski station area will reconstruct the existing station entirely. The new station will include six rails, three central roofed platforms and an underpass. A bridge over the new rails is under construction, and a new bus terminal, bicycle parking facilities, an extension of the existing parking lot, roads with sidewalks and technical buildings will be built. Benefits to the community The Follo Line Project will provide the whole region of Follo with an improved transportation service, as well as reducing road traffic and air pollution. It will also shorten traveling time between Oslo and Ski from 22 to 11 minutes, and help modernise Norway’s railway infrastructures. The Follo Line Project is developed by the Norwegian National Rail Administration under commission from the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Metrolink RATP Dev

Leading the way

Since previously appearing in Railway Strategies during February 2016, Metrolink RATP Dev Ltd. has continued to focus on the delivery of an unrivalled level of service to millions of passengers

Below Chris Coleman, Managing Director, Metrolink RATP Dev

perating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of RATP Dev, Metrolink RATP Dev Ltd. is tasked with operating and maintaining the Greater Manchester tram network between 2011 until 2017 under the terms of its contract with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), the city’s transport authority. RATP Dev is a global urban transport company that employs more than 4500 staff in the UK and further to operating Greater Manchester’s busy Metrolink; the group also maintains significant coach operations across the UK, operating a significant proportion (approx. 1000) of London’s buses as part of this. RATP Dev is also the market leader in open top sightseeing buses in London, Bath, Windsor and Cardiff through its The Original Tour business. “Our parent company, RATP Group is the fifth largest transport company in the world with operations in 15 countries across five continents. RATP Dev is keen to increase its UK market share, but it is a worldwide organisation and is constantly seeking out new opportunities. As of 2016 the Group has opened a new tramline in Rio de Janeiro, in time for the Olympic Games,” says Metrolink RATP Dev Managing Director, Chris Coleman. “The group has also partnered with businesses in the United Arab Emirates to explore opportunities in Abu Dhabi. Whatever ventures RATP Dev undertakes, we know it’s crucial to work in partnership with organisations in local markets – coupling their local expertise with our transport sector expertise.” Within the UK, Greater Manchester’s Metrolink represents the country’s largest tram system, overseeing 35 million passenger journeys a year, or approximately 95,000 a day. As of 2016 the system covers 93 stops across 100km of network with a total of 120 vehicles

and while managing a complicated network that sees continual changes, Metrolink RATP Dev is very focused on delivering constant improvements in customer satisfaction, and the latest results from the Passenger Focus survey for light rail found an overall satisfaction rating of 89 per cent (up from 85 per cent in 2014 and 83 per cent in 2013). While delivering a network that can cope with rising passenger numbers, Metrolink RATP Dev is also working on the development of new initiatives including a planned Second City Crossing (2CC). “The Second City Crossing leaves Victoria Station and travels along Corporation Street to a new stop at Exchange Square. Services will continue along Cross Street and Princess Street to run through the major new stop recently completed in St

Metrolink RATP Dev

Peter’s Square. For customers, it will also improve access by tram into the heart of the city, connecting both the new lines and people across Greater Manchester,” Chris explains. “For us as the operator of Metrolink, it will play a vital role in providing the necessary capacity, flexibility and reliability to operate the network. For example, there are 798 departures from St Peter’s Square per day (weekday), which represents 50 departures per hour equating to a tram every 80 seconds through St Peter’s Square. Because there is only one route through the city, if we were to experience disruption or during special events, our options are limited in terms of what service we provide. The second crossing will allow the flexibility to divert services through this additional route and hopefully reduce the impact of the disruption on our customers’ journeys. This is a natural next step for the network as the introduction of 2CC is required to facilitate the future growth of the system as Metrolink continues to expand into new areas of Greater Manchester. TfGM also recently announced that all construction work on 2CC will be completed by the end of this year and we’ll launch the new route in 2017.” While it supports TfGM in its ambition to increase capacity by delivering operational changes, Metrolink RATP Dev also works to ensure the highest levels of safety and is proud of its record in this area. “In the past 12-18 months we’ve demonstrated our commitment to safety at the company with the appointment of a new Director of Safety and Quality, Janet Ault, who joined the board of directors last August. She brings with her a wealth of experience from working in the UK bus industry and this has helped to bolster our safety reputation even further,” Chris says. “Janet has been instrumental in helping us achieve BS OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety; ISO 9001 Quality Management System certifications; and ISO 14001 Environmental Management certifications. It’s also worth noting that in 2015, we also achieved a four-star rating for business excellence as part of our EFQM accreditation.” With the change in government in the wake of EU Referendum result and the continued development of

the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ project, Metrolink RATP Dev will continue to expand its services in what is potentially a highly dynamic market. “RATP Dev is excited about its future in the UK. The EU referendum will mean major change in the UK and further afield but we are confident that we have a strong offer of partnership for anyone who wants to work with us. We work hard to foster good relationships with all levels of government. Currently much of RATP’s business in the UK is bus subsidiaries. So the passage of the Bus Services Bill is really important to our business. RATP Dev welcomes the move to devolve more powers to local authorities to direct local bus services. However, we have real concerns that attempts to alter the Bill before it is enacted will undermine the intention to drive a better service for passengers and to provide local authorities with greater control over the strategic direction of urban transport in their area,” Chris details. “The north of England is a market we are very interested in and devolution of power to Metro Mayors will, we hope, give us the opportunity to contribute to the development of economies across the north of England, at local and regional levels. In terms of the day-to-day operation, our people will continue to deliver on our vision of ‘Leading the way by providing an excellent customer experience in transport’ for the 95,000 customers that travel on Metrolink each day. The future expansion of the network through 2CC is planned for 2017 along with the conversion of the signalling system on the Bury line to TMS and we are also working with TfGM on the future Trafford Park line, which has just been given approval by the Government to proceed,” he concludes. “I feel really passionately that what we’ve delivered under RATP Dev - we were named Operator of the Year at the Light Rail Awards 2016 and also shortlisted at the North of England Transport Awards in December. I believe our success over the past 12 months can only be attributed to the fantastic people we have working for us, who give everything to Metrolink. Their loyalty and commitment to what we do never cease to impress me.”

Palladium Associates Plc Palladium Associates Plc are delighted to work with Metrolink and the light rail industry. Palladium provide security, special event support, revenue protection, safety and customer service solutions. We use highly trained operatives who often come from a Police or Military background. Our people have excellent customer service skills and are often conflict management trained. We pride ourselves on our flexibility and quick response. We specialise in the light rail sector and are proud to have received great feedback from our clients and from the public. We flexibly help optimise revenue and safety whilst at the same time improving the customer experience.

www.metrolink.co.uk 37

Touax Rail

Below Louis Pastré, Business Development and Marketing Director at Touax Rail

lines On the right

Touax Group leases out tangible assets – shipping-containers, modular buildings, freight railcars and river barges – on a daily basis to more than 5000 customers throughout the world, for its own account and on behalf of third party investors 38

ith more than €1.8 billion assets under management, Touax Group is one of the European leaders in the operational leasing of this type of equipment - Business Development and Marketing Director Louis Pastré gave some more details: “It is a well-established company that specialises in leasing wagons mainly in Europe and the US. Touax Rail manages around 11,000 wagons or platforms and is the second largest lessor for intermodal cars in Europe. Our clients are major players in the rail industry, though we also supply for smaller groups as well. We rent to national railways, plus a long list of private railway undertakings, logistics operators and industrial companies.” Touax Rail supplies countless countries across the world, and this demonstrates the satisfaction it must provide for its customers, and Louis stated: “We are able to be reactive to our customers needs, and this is done in a range of ways - from relatively simple solutions to more complicated ones. It essentially means being flexible with the process to increase the speed of the process and match clients’ expectations.” As Touax understands that the service it is providing is a fundamental part of its clients’ businesses, and therefore at times speed is a necessity, and it will facilitate that in safe and professional ways, as Louis continued: “We still offer advice based

Touax Rail

on our experience in the industry and this provides the client with all the information they need to make informed decisions. It is about combining flexibility while also maintaining the products integrity and quality (safety oriented). Within every relationship we have with clients we are very transparent with them throughout the entire process. Another key selling point of the business is that it works to get everything right for the client from the start: Preparation is key for our agreements and operations.” There was a significant development in December 2015, with Touax Rail’s purchase of GE Rail Services, and this was discussed by managing partner Fabrice Walewski: “This transaction increased the wagon fleet under Touax management by 23 per cent, establishing its position in the UK and strengthening it in continental Europe. The addition of this fleet enables Touax to offer a large and diverse set of wagons to better serve transport and logistics operators, as well as industrial customers. Our clients will benefit from the operational and technical expertise of an enlarged team comprising Touax and former GE Rail Services staff.” This move by the company means that it will be able to take advantage of the increasing opportunities that are developing in the UK. It also means that Touax can offer potential clients in the region far more assorted options and extensive service, and this demonstrates the intent of the company for the future. With the addition of GE’s fleet, the transaction will strengthen the position of Touax Rail in Europe with a fleet size of approximately 11,000 wagons/platforms. The additional assets will consist of freight wagons that are complementary to wagons already managed by the company, including hopper cars for the transportation of aggregate, flat cars for the transportation of steel coils, intermodal wagons for containers, open box cars and sliding wall wagons for the transport of palletised and white goods.

There has been an increasing trend towards using wagon leasing companies within the industry, and this looks set to continue, which Louis explained: “Leasing ensures increased flexibility and low capex for companies who need to fully optimise their traffic management while also reducing costs. As an independent lessor on the market, Touax Rail is looking to best position itself to meet customer demand and continually build strong, lasting relationships within the sector. By offering tailor-made solutions (including Entity in Charge of Maintenance) and flexibility to its clients, as well as skilled personal and quality management (ISO 9001 and ECM), Touax Rail is able to adapt its services to different environments thanks to the internal synergies of the global Touax Group.” Touax Rail is already a major figure within the UK and European rail industries, and has forged a reputation as a reliable supplier of high quality services to it clients. The business built upon this with investments, such as the GE purchase, and there are plans to continue this in the coming years and further grow the company. Touax Rail has also sought out promising new areas to grow the business in, and the company is extremely excited about these emerging opportunities across the globe. Touax Rail has a depth of experience and expertise, all of which it is committed to expanding on and improving. This can be seen from its large clientele, expanding fleet size and diversity, as well as the addition of GE Rail Services. All of which means that Touax Rail always ensures that its clients are receiving a market leading level of service. This will no doubt ensure many more decades of success within Europe and across the rest of the world.

SŽ – Vleka in tehnika SŽ – Vleka in tehnika (SŽ – VIT) provide comprehensive services in the field of rail vehicle maintenance and train traction together with a diverse range of technical wagon services. Quality servicing and specialised know-how coupled with flexibility and the skill to tackle any challenge have persuaded many national operators to become our partner. By using a comprehensive approach coupled with flexibility, technical creativity, modern equipment and specialisation, we provide our customers with integrated solutions, which allow us to establish long-term partnerships.

www.touaxrail.com 41

Faiveley Transport UK

Door to the

future

Faiveley Transport UK is opening a new facility to provide high added-value train-borne systems for clients based in London and the South East, whilst continuing to offer design, build, install, and maintenance provision for its customers across the country

Below Brian Harvey, Business Development Manager

fter 90 years in the rail industry Faiveley Transport UK has built upon its successful history with a variety of new projects in London and the South East, and these have been aided by new facilities that the company has opened in Edmonton, London. This strategy was employed in order to meet the requirements that large-scale projects within London would need, as sales and marketing director of new equipment Nigel Bowers explained: “Two of the programmes I would highlight are the rolling stock for the London Underground sub-surface lines – for which we supply the complete door control system - and the Thameslink programme which has the same scope of supply. So with that, plus the Class 395 Javelin legacy equipment we have on HS1, the decision was that we needed a base that was geographically close to our customers and end users. This provides a facility to both maintain that equipment and for our field service engineers to work out of.” Faiveley clearly has an extensive record in the industry, and can boast over 500,000 individual door systems in the world currently. There are many developments Faiveley is working on - in heating and ventilation, braking systems, and within safety, as Nigel explained: “Anti-drag technology is something we are particularly focused on – effectively it’s a way of asymmetrically detecting

obstructions between doors – especially very thin obstructions like a rucksack handle or bag strap which historically has been a problem. This is just one example, as we are always working on many different technologies, such as our innovative range of fully electric door operators, which incorporate a low parts count, thereby improving reliability.” The strong sales Faiveley achieves was something that service sales director John Summers gave more details on: “We have a great team of key account managers and we have grown organically by 25 per cent over the last five years. We are on incremental business year-onyear. We have signed up six out of eight key accounts on long-term supply agreements so we have locked them in for periods of between three to ten years. This has made it somewhat captive – 80 per cent of our external after sales comes from our top six customers.” John also provided an insight into the company’s expectations for the future: “This year is the first year of our three year strategic plan - we have got a growth target of six per cent per annum. We achieve this by

working across all levels of the company, and have a key account manager allocated to each client. We pursue growth through teamwork and long-term agreements with customers. And a part of this success is due to the strength of our technology and innovations – we are constantly looking at project improvements.” The company is also looking at increasing energy efficiency, and to do this Faiveley is developing more

technical expertise from the Global Faiveley Centers of Competence and offer new solutions to meet the ever increasing demands of our future customers.” Another key area that the company is looking at for the future is around training, and was something Brian considered significant: “The industry is seeing a real drive towards training and succession management for experienced people like myself. We are actively ensuring that our apprenticeship programmes at each of our UK sites will encourage the younger generation – and I think this clearly shows how we are investing in the future. The whole business is very long-term, we are proud of that and this helps us to provide genuine added value for all of our customers.” Faiveley is a company that has firmly established itself as one of the very best in the industry. It is now in a position to work on even larger projects, and plan years or decades into the future, with a solid base of operations. The business is now in the perfect position to take advantage of the opportunities in London and nationally. Faiveley will no doubt be a fundamental part in shaping the train sector throughout this century.

www.faiveleytransport.com

ways to make trains lighter weight – which will result in lower energy usage and faster trains, which then works at reducing dwell time at stations. The company is in an established position and seeing a high demand for its services, which has enabled business development manager Brian Harvey to look even longer-term: “I am now having the freedom to look further ahead. Whereas previously we were a business focused on the next one or two years we are now able to look many years beyond that. One way we have been able to do this is by working with ROSCO’s to help them evaluate and make their prospective costs for franchising and leasing bids more affordable. Especially for major sub-systems such as Doors, HVAC and Brakes where overhauls account for 2/3 of the total LCC, we have offered product improvements with optimized scope of supply. This approach has been pivotal in us achieving 50 per cent increase in our overhaul order intake in the last five years and our forecasts show to be even more productive in the next five years. Another development in the UK is our latest expansion to our Electronics Repair facility in Tamworth as shown in the photograph. This has now enabled us to increase our electronics repair capacity by up to 50 per cent; again showing our commitment for the future in the UK.” Brian discussed some of the other opportunities this has enabled: “We are working on the major UK Rail projects for the next ten years and beyond, such as HS2 and New Tube for London, where innovation and affordability are not only expected, but paramount for the success of these projects. To achieve this we combine our UK Customer Service experience with our

RTA – Dubai Roads and Transport Authority

2020 vision

As the contract for the extension to the Dubai Metro Red Line project is awarded to the Expolink Consortium, the RTA enters another exciting period of development

he Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) was formed in Dubai in 2005, in order to help facilitate the government’s ambition of providing an advanced transport network for the city. With the establishment of the RTA, Dubai began to construct and develop its integrated public transport network, including a metro and tram system that serves the key population, commercial and industrial areas of Dubai. Phase one to build the Red Line began in 2005 and was completed in 2009; Phase two to build the Green Line started in 2006 and met its completion in 2011. 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 the two networks currently accounting for over half the market share for public transport in Dubai, the RTA predicts that this is only set to rise over the coming years – particularly in the run up to, and during, EXPO 2020. Occurring between October 2020 and April 2021, EXPO 2020 is the next World Expo, an event that brings

together more than 180 nations and is designed to be one of the greatest exhibitions on Earth. EXPO 2020 is set to attract over 25 million visitors to Dubai over a six-month period, and in order to accommodate the travel needs of these new passengers, RTA created the Route 2020 programme, which will eventually connect the Red Line from Sheikh Zayed road to the upcoming EXPO 2020 site, and will provide the foundations to connect other existing and future developments. At the end of June 2016 a significant milestone was achieved on the Route 2020 project, when HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, approved awarding the contract of the Route 2020 project to the Expolink Consortium (comprising French, Spanish and Turkish firms) at a cost of AED10.6 billion. HE Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA announced

the news following the signing of the contract with the Expolink Consortium, and he highlighted that competition for the contract was fierce: “The consortium entrusted to undertake the Route 2020 project was selected through an international tendering process involving the participation of ten consortiums of major firms specialised in the construction of metro systems from all parts of the globe,” he said. “Five of them submitted technical and financial proposals, and negotiations were made with two of them in the final stage; which concluded with the awarding of the project contract to Expolink Consortium led by the French Alstom Conglomerate, Spanish Acciona, and the Turkish Gulermack. According to the contract, Alstom will supply 50 trains: 15 of them for serving Expo, and 35 for upgrading the level of service of the Dubai Metro. The company will also cater to electromechanical works. The French Thales Group will provide the technological systems whereas Acciona and Gulermack will attend to civil works,” he added.

Al Tayer also gave more details about the plans for linking Route 2020 with the Red Line of the Dubai Metro. He said: “The RTA co-ordinated with all the developers and government service providers that are involved with the planned metro route in order to ensure that Route 2020 will support vital areas served by the project over the short and long term. Route 2020 starts off at Nakheel Harbour and Tower Station on the Red Line and extends 15 km; it includes an 11.8 km a viaduct, and 3.2 km underground track. The project encompasses seven stations including a transfer station with the Red Line, EXPO Station, three elevated stations, and two underground stations,” he continued. “The capacity of Route 2020 is estimated as 46,000 riders per hour in both directions and according to RTA studies, the ridership of Route 2020 is expected to reach 125,000 riders per day in 2020; and the number is set to rise to 275,000 riders per day by 2030.” Given the scale of the project and the importance of completing it on time, the RTA felt it essential to set specific governance and assessment principles to ensure transparency and achieve the best results. Clear-cut objectives and standards have been set for the technical and financial assessment process during the tendering phase. These standards are based on several parameters including: the project construction programme, integration with the existing Dubai Metro systems, design of stations and the use of modern construction techniques in the project, as well as the rail technologies and systems supplied under the project. “The assessment process was carried out by specialist committees, teams and international consultants involving the participation of 100 specialists from the RTA and the project consultant,” Al Tayer highlighted. “Construction works in the project will start in the final quarter of this year, and the trial run is expected to start in the last quarter of 2019. The official operation of the service is set to start in the second half of 2020 namely on 20/05/2020 i.e. five months ahead of the opening of Expo 2020.” Going forward the RTA has ambitious goals to achieve, including creating a more integrated transport infrastructure, ensuring this works in harmony with customers, and of course prioritising safety and environmental concerns. These all work alongside its overall vision of providing ‘Safe and Smooth Transport for All’. As the organisation continues to show a willingness to work in collaboration with expert partners, an eagerness to invest in the latest innovations and the ability to look to the future for inspiration, Dubai looks set to benefit from a world-class transport network, providing a global example of what can be achieved.

www.rta.ae 45

ACCIONA INFRASTRUCTURE

Making tracks

Operating within ACCIONA Group, ACCIONA Construction merges the experience and knowledge of its specialised business units to successfully complete technically challenging major infrastructure projects across the globe

ith more than 33,000 professionals operating in over 30 countries, ACCIONA is a leader in the development and management of infrastructure, renewable energy, water and services. Included in the select Ibex-35 stock market index, the group has a track record that stretches back more than a century and is known as a pioneer in areas such as development and sustainability. Wholly capable when it comes to responding to the challenges of achieving sustainable development, ACCIONA’s activities avoid the emission of millions of tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere every year; the group also aims to gradually reduce its carbon footprint and lead the transition to a low-carbon economy. “ACCIONA is comprised of two businesses with one purpose: to fulfil some of society’s most pressing needs for clean energy and modern, low-carbon and sustainable infrastructure,” begins Jesús Sancho, Director at ACCIONA in the Middle East. “ACCIONA

Construction, the civil works arm of ACCIONA, traces its origins back to the 1860s, when it built some of the first railways in Spain. Today, we are one of the world’s leading private infrastructure developers, with a 11 billion euro backlog. ACCIONA Construction has been present in the Middle East for over eight years and is an integral part of the Expolink Consortium that was recently awarded the Design & Construction of the Route 2020 Metro Project in Dubai (UAE).” Thinking over the reasons for ACCIONA’s incredible global success, Mr Sancho continues: “One of our key strengths is the specialisation of the company; for example, ACCIONA Construction is specialised in three major areas: bridges, roads and special structures; railways and tunnels and ports and hydraulic works. In each of these areas, we have the capacity to take on all of the aspects of the value chain, from design and engineering, to their subsequent implementation and maintenance. Additionally, ACCIONA Construction may participate as a developer of infrastructure of the above specialised areas when the civil works projects are tendered under a PPP scheme.” When it comes to the rail industry, ACCIONA’s origins can be found in a railway concession company that was created in the 1860s to develop, build and operate two main railway lines more than 240 kilometres in length in aggregate. “Today ACCIONA’s activity in the rail industry is channelised through its railways and tunnels specialised business unit (SBU), a global unit that retains, develops and applies ACCIONA’s critical know-how on

these two fields that often come together and offer good synergies,” says Mr Sancho. The SBU, in collaboration with other ACCIONA Construction departments and regions, is able to design and build turnkey railway infrastructure solutions such as high speed lines, underground and elevated metros and light rail systems all over the world. So far the company has provided such services to more than ten countries, including America, Europe, the Middle East and Australasia. Mr Sancho says the key to the success of this synergistic approach to business is the company’s locations in 30 countries across five continents: “The geographical specialisation approach of ACCIONA makes it possible to focus efforts on high-potential areas where the company can maximise leverage of its specialised technical capabilities while ensuring appropriate resource assignment to all activities. Each region is supported by hub countries, which co-ordinate resource management in their areas of influence, ensuring availability and optimal utilisation.” Complementing the group’s strong geographical presence are its three centres for technological innovation, with ACCIONA Construction benefiting from the Madrid technology centre striving to improve efficiency during the construction process and reduce the environmental impact of building projects. “Over the last ten years ACCIONA Construction has boosted its technological centre to create its own solutions for the worksites; these solutions allow ACCIONA to be more sustainable and cost efficient than its competitors. For

example, one of the most breakthrough technological solutions developed is the use of composite materials for infrastructure projects,” says Mr Sancho. “Composites stand out for their lightweight, mechanical strength, and high corrosion resistance. This let ACCIONA be the first worldwide company to design, manufacture and implement bridges and footbridges made with these materials. The latest milestone reached has been the construction of the first lighthouse in the world made of composite materials, in Valencia Port, Spain.” Other notable projects for ACCIONA Construction include the construction of the Metro of Quito in Ecaudor and the Sydney Light Rail in Australia. Having worked on all metro lines in the major cities of Spain as well as on international projects in Columbia, Puerto Rico and Kowloon, Hong Kong, the company has gained experience in the construction of over 150 kilometres of metro lines. “The Metro of Quito in Ecaudor and Sydney Light Rail in Australia projects are gathering a lot of attention due to their size,” notes Mr Sancho. “Both are over the $1 billion contract amount and iconic for their respective cities. In Quito for instance, we are building the full 22 kilometres and 15 stations for the first line of Metro of the City, which is most of the underground; once completed, we hope this Line 1 will significantly improve the mobility of Quito citizens.” Looking ahead, the company will continue to expand its global presence as it seeks key business opportunities across the globe that focus on sustainability and the environment. “We have recently been awarded the Route 2020 Dubai Metro expansion project, which will link the existing Red Line in Dubai with the Expo 2020 site and some prominent residential and commercial areas in Dubai. The civil works of this project consist of tunneling works, 2.5 kilometres TMB, five elevated stations, two undergrounds and one iconic station at the Expo site; depot facilities and a viaduct,” highlights Mr Sancho. “Over the coming years, the specialisation of the company and our knowledge management will give us the competitive edge required to thrive in the international market. We shall continue to expand our areas of specialisation and create new ones to adapt to the everchanging markets,” he concludes.

www.acciona-infrastructure.com www.acciona-construction.com 47

Wood Group Industrial Services (WGIS)

The best

support

After securing some of the most prestigious and demanding painting contracts in the UK, Wood Group Industrial Services Limited has committed itself to playing a part in the global move towards a more sustainable and lower carbon economy

ood Group Industrial Services (WGIS) is a leading provider of a range of specialist industrial support and fabric maintenance services to support the construction, maintenance, de-commissioning and replacement of major industrial assets. Its services include protective coatings, fabric maintenance, insulation installment, construction and heat treatment. WGIS operates across the following strategic sectors: Marine, Oil and Gas, Process and Energy, Infrastructure – Rail and Highways, Civil Engineering, Chemical and Industrial and Utilities. Operating in more than 50 countries, Wood Group is an international energy services company with over $7bn sales. The Group has three businesses – Wood Group PSN, Wood Group Kenny and Wood Group Mustang – providing a range of engineering, production support and maintenance management services worldwide. Wood Group Industrial Services Limited is a division of Wood Group PSN. The company was founded in 1973 and in over 40 years of operation WGIS has become one of the United Kingdom’s foremost suppliers of

multi-discipline industrial services. Today the company employs in excess of 2000 people with annual revenues of over £135m in 2015 and a secured order book in excess of £200m. Engineering, project management, construction, hook-up and commissioning, industrial services and integrity management are included in WGIS’ core service offerings. The company has specific expertise in the provision of protective coating application services. It is this expertise, combined with the ability to provide a number of complementary services that has made Wood Group Industrial Services Ltd a UK market leader in complex protective coating projects. This has enabled the company to secure many prestigious and demanding painting contracts including some of the largest and most iconic bridges in the country, alongside industrial sites and petrochemical complexes. Also, WGIS has been the leading marine painting contractor for the Royal Navy for the past 20 years. The company was awarded the contract in 2009 through Ship Support Services to provide all of the painting services on the new build

project, constructing the Royal Navy’s latest warships, the two Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. At the end of 2015 Wood Group Industrial Services was also contracted by BAE Systems working at Portsmouth Dockyard to provide a range of painting services on HMS Victory, the famous flagship of the First Sea Lord, as part of her major refurbishment. Wood Group has recently secured a new three-year contract with Shell, to deliver industrial services to the St Fergus gas processing plant in Aberdeenshire and the Mossmorran gas processing plant and Braefoot Bay marine terminal in Fife, Scotland. WGIS will provide fabric integrity maintenance and site support under the contract. Also, Wood Group has been awarded a new five year framework contract with a five year extension option, valued at approximately £85 million, by Babcock International to deliver industrial services to a number of its sites across the Group. The contract will also be delivered by WGIS. Wood Group Industrial Services has extensive experience in the delivery of specialist infrastructure

support services and has been associated with some of the most challenging transport infrastructure refurbishment projects in the country. Its expertise in providing specialist access and protective coatings solutions for the iconic Forth Rail Bridge and Tower Bridge are representative of an innovative approach involving single source technical support services. This includes comprehensive engineering assessments to determine appropriate surface cleaning, preparation and coating systems. The seven core values at the heart of Wood Group include: safety and assurance with a focus on assuring the safety of everything it designs, constructs, operates and maintains; having strong relationships with customers, business partners and suppliers; social responsibility which involves hiring local people and working with local supply chains where possible; treating people with honesty, compassion and respect; innovation through the encouragement of challenging current practices and sharing new ideas; financial responsibility and integrity. “Core Values are the DNA of our business – they’re a global gold standard that guides our thinking, determines

Wood Group Industrial Services (WGIS)

our behaviour, and allows us to adapt to local needs,” commented Robin Watson, Wood Group chief executive. Achieving health and safety excellence is also at the core of Wood Group Industrial Services’ business strategy. The company believes that effective safety, health and environmental management significantly contribute to its business performance in addition to the well being of all its employees. Despite Wood Group’s excellent safety record, it still aims to do more to further improve HSE standards. The Zero Harm campaign has been introduced as part of a zero tolerance stance on health, safety and environmental incidents and accidents. This includes the provision of targets and training supported by management audits to ensure that lessons learnt are being successfully applied across all of the company’s activities. Wood Group’s ‘Safety Cocoon’ is the foundation of its approach to protecting people. The Safety Cocoon features four layers that focus on hazard awareness, safety training and behavioural standards and lifesaving rules. All Wood Group personnel are required to uphold high ethical, legal and business standards wherever in the world their business activities take them. WGIS also requires those with whom it does business to embrace similar standards and values. It is the stated policy of Wood Group Industrial Services Limited to treat all personnel (and potential personnel) in a fair and consistent manner and not to discriminate unlawfully on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, disability, age, pregnancy or any other status or basis protected by law (“the grounds of discrimination”). The Company shall always appoint, train, develop, and promote on the basis of merit, ability and suitability for work only. Together with its customers, business partners and suppliers Wood Group is committed to playing its part in the global move towards a more sustainable and lower carbon economy. Wood Group will minimise the adverse environmental impact of its activities and work with its customers to minimise theirs. To achieve this the company has integrated its core values into its decision-making process so that economic, social and environmental issues are considered. Risks and

opportunities associated with climate change are reviewed and managed with adaptation measures implemented in line with Wood Group’s business strategy. It will continue to integrate initiatives of resources efficiency, waste minimisation, GHG emissions reductions and prevention of environmental pollution whilst improving the business practices and engineering solutions.

www.woodgroup-isl.com

Trackwork Moll

Slick

operation

Set up in response to quality and cost needs demanded by Network Rail, Trackwork Moll has spent a considerable amount of time and money in getting its production facilities up to full capacity and is now producing over 300,000 sleepers per year

ounded in 2011 as a joint venture between Trackwork of Doncaster and Leonhard Moll Betonwerke of Munich, Trackwork Moll is a key strategic concrete sleeper supply partner for Network Rail. The joint venture was originally set up in response to quality and cost needs demanded by the network, and a ten-year contract was agreed with Network Rail to ensure sleeper supply met the demand of the network’s infrastructure improvement plans. With a total production capacity of 400,000 concrete sleepers per annum, the company has enough capacity to satisfy these volumes and in doing so is well on its way to

becoming the UK’s foremost expert in concrete sleeper manufacture, turning out both G44 and EG47 units. Benefiting from being a relatively young company, Doncaster-based Trackwork Moll’s technology is stateof-the-art. The sleeper manufacturing facilities consist of two production systems, a long casting line and a carousel system. Together, they are capable of quick and cost-effective order delivery, and are capable of boosting efficiency without sacrificing quality. Furthermore, because it operates from a purpose built, brand new factory, many of the processes are automated, and this eliminates a degree of human error and further ensures quality is maintained.

Trackwork Moll

Previously featured in Railway Strategies in March 2016, when the company was progressing with the stabilisation of production and migrating from a construction and engineering site to a fully operational factory, Trackwork Moll has continued with a ‘business as usual’ mentality as it remains focused on further improving efficiency and ensuring all necessary skills and capabilities are up to speed. “Not much has changed since we last spoke, we have really been working flat out to almost full capacity 24 hours a day, five days a week; this has made operations more efficient through the utilisation and the sweating of our assets, so to speak, to ensure we can keep up with demand,” begins Chris Dale, General Manager of Trackwork Moll.

“However, to further boost efficiency we are now up and running with an investment in EG47 moulds, which has increased our capacity for these products. This development was in line with an increase in demand for EG47s; this could be due to Network Rail moving from one supplier to another, or could possibly be the cycle of track renewals, which has resulted in a short-term increase in demand for EG47s instead of G44s. “Alongside this development, Network Rail have recently swapped around the TRS machines, and we now service TRS4 based out of Tyne on the east coast. We are pleased that we can continually offer support for both methods of track renewals,” he adds.

“The TRS4 enables us to recharge the pods on a pallet system, which then feeds into the TRS machine like a cassette; when doing track renewals it continuously loads sleepers in while taking the old sleepers out, and then reballasts them. It is a massive undertaking,” says Chris. “Our efficiency in loading is very slick, with Network Rail coining it ‘Load and Go’, which means we can turn around trains much more quickly than our competitors and meet any short notice requirements.” Although these developments have enhanced operations, over the next 12 months Trackwork Moll will continue to drive improvement initiatives when it comes to safety, quality, machine availability and performance in the factory. “We have a continuing focus on improvement and are using modern manufacturing techniques such as OEE, 5S and so on to facilitate and drive through an outstanding performance,” says Chris. “Looking further ahead, we hope to consolidate our position in the market and drive volumes forward to capture more of the market; however, because the market is fairly split as Network Rail has one company servicing the east coast and another on the west coast, it really depends on the government’s spending plan and Network Rail’s spending plan for asset renewals over the next three years. In addition to our work with Network Rail, we also are exploring third party contracts in the coming years in sectors such as power generation and urban transport systems. Nothing is guaranteed but the market looks steady and the future looks positive for us,” Chris concludes.

www.trackwork-moll.co.uk 53

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.

24-25 January 2017 Transport Ticketing Global Where: Old Billingsgate, London Organiser: Clarion Events Tel: 02073 8470 893 Email: jessica.williams@clarionevents.com Web: www.transport-ticketing.com 7-8 March 2017 Middle East Rail Where: Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, UAE Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: +97 144 402 501 Email: Jamie.hosie@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/middle-east-rail/ 21-22 March 2017 Asia Pacific Rail Where: HKCECK, Hong Kong Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: +65 6322 2720 Email: sophia.ku@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/asia-pacific-rail 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

25-26 April 2017 World Metrorail Congress Co-located with Lightrail, Railpower and Railtel Where: Business Design Centre, London Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: 02070 921 166 Email: adam.hayward@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/conference/metrorail 25-27 April 2017 The Stephenson Conference: Research for Railways Where: Institution of Mechanical Engineers, London Organiser: IMechE Tel: 0207 973 1251 Email: eventenquiries@imeche.org Web: events.imeche.org/ViewEvent?code=C6344 26 April 2017 Rail Freight Group Conference Where: London Organiser: Waterfront Tel: 0207 067 1597 Email: conference@thewaterfront.co.uk Web: www.waterfrontconferencecompany.com/ conferences/rail/events/25th-annual-rail-freight-groupconference 9-11 May 2017 Railtex 2017 Where: NEC, Birmingham Organiser: Mack Brooks Exhibitions Tel: 01727 814 400 Email: emma.preston@mackbrooks.co.uk Web: railtex.co.uk/

15-17 May 2017 Global Public Transport Summit Where: Montréal, Canada Organiser: International Association of Public Transport Tel: +32 2 661 3186 Email: hicham.badran@uitp.org Web: uitpsummit.org/home 13-14 June 2017 Africa Rail Where: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: + 27 115 164 000 Email: Tarryn.Theunissen@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/africa-rail 21-22 June 2017 Railway Engineering International Conference & Exhibition Where: Radisson Blu Hotel, Royal Mile, Edinburgh Organiser: Railway Engineering Tel: 0131 447 0447 Email: exhibition@railwayengineering.com Web: www.railwayengineering.com 27-28 June 2017 World Metrorail Congress Americas Where: The Inn at Penn, Philadelphia, PA Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: +1 646 619 1787 Email: michael.ryan@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/conference/metrorail-americas

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) 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. 2 November 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 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

8 November Fleet Maintenance - Introduction Improve your processes and fleet maintenance processes 9 November Fleet maintenance - Advanced Understand the issues affecting rail vehicle performance and cost of maintenance

23 November Vehicle dynamics and vehicle track interaction Understand the dynamics of railway vehicles to improve safety, comfort and asset life 24 November Structural integrity Structural integrity, fire and crashworthiness systems found on today’s rail fleets

10 November Train communication and auxiliary systems New and existing systems in use on today’s rolling stock fleet 22 November Train control and safety systems Learn of the systems used on UK fleets that provide safety and train operational control

For more information Tel: 0207 304 6907 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

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