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Transcript of Railway Strategies Issue 107 Final Edition
RAILWAYS T R A T E G I E Szzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Final Edition 107F o r S E N I o r r A I L M A N A G E M E N T
NEWS
Interview Alison Munro: the challenges & triumphs of HS2
FOCUS ON
HS2 report What the industry thinks
Being preparedProcurement strategy for HS2
Safety at 200mphAre automated systems the key?
Transport Committee calls for evidence
£300m for Underground stations
Three finalists for aesthetic overhead lines
The person steering this ambitious
High Speed Rail
Clear, succinct and brief:With case summaries, indexes and bullet points so you can easily pick out what’s relevant to you
Practical, informative and comprehensive:Health and safety news reported and analysed, with full references supplied for your ease of use
Unbiased, trusted and critical:Gives you the facts
Request the latestissue free of charge
Subscriptions: £195 for 12 issues Contact: Maxine Quintont: 01603 274280 e: [email protected]
www.healthandsafetymonitor.com
Health & Safety Monitor is the newsletter of choice for professionals across all industries because it is:
If you don’t Have tHe tIMe to read It all, read wHat you need
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 1
ChairmanAndrew Schofield
Managing DirectorMike Tulloch
Editor Gay Sutton
Managing EditorLibbie Hammond
Editorial Designer
Jon Mee
Advertisement Designer
Jenni Newman
Profile EditorLibbie Hammond
Advertisement SalesDave King
Head of Research
Philip Monument
Editorial ResearchersKeith Hope
Gavin WatsonVita LukauskieneTarj Kaur-D’Silva
Mark Cowles
AdministrationTracy Chynoweth
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, 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.
Published by
Schofield Publishing Cringleford Business Centre,
Intwood Road, Cringleford, Norwich NR4 6AU
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 01603 274 130Fax: 01603 274 131
I could not have asked for a better time to take over as editor of Railway
Strategies. The rail industry is undoubtedly a fast moving and exciting
place to be, and there will be a great deal to report.
An unprecedented amount of investment is going into rail, including the
electrification, upgrade and replacement of the existing infrastructure,
all based on a vision for UK rail that is evolving fast.
Crossrail and Thameslink are set to liberate train movements through the
bottleneck of central London and relieve congestion on the Underground,
while HS2 has the potential to speed journeys and create considerable
additional capacity between London and the north.
It has been interesting to speak with HS2 Ltd CEO Alison Munro about
the challenges of guiding this ground breaking project through the sensitive
areas of public debate and Parliamentary process (page 6), and to hear from
Richard Mould head of corporate procurement about the organisation’s new
procurement strategy (page 12) – both are must-reads for all prospective
suppliers to the project.
Meanwhile, Network Rail and its supply chain are in the process of
evolving their processes to keep pace with the speed of change and the
challenge of delivery.
It will be my pleasure to keep you up to date with developments in this
fast evolving environment. If you have any comments or suggestions to
make, or would like to add your voice to the debate, please contact me at:
From the Editorzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzHave your details changed? Are you reading someone else’s copy of Railway Strategies?Please email: [email protected] to amend your details or request a regular copy
Issue 107 ISSN 1467-0395
Railway Strategies by emailRailway Strategies is also now available by email as a digital magazine. This exciting development is intended to complement the printed magazine, which we will continue to publish and distribute to qualifying individuals, whilst also giving added value to our advertisers through a more widespread circulation. To secure your continued supply of Railway Strategies in either digital or hard copy format, please contact our subscriptions manager Iain Kidd ([email protected]).
Arriving at platform one
FeaturesInterview – Alison Munro 6 Gay Sutton
Keeping the Hallandsås tunnel project on track 30 Sweco
Making the most of early morning hours 32 Jeremy Long
A double edged sword 34 Liz Wilson-Lamb
Infrarail preview 36
SAFETY–on level crossings 19 Arnab Dutt
Is rapid response truly on the horizon? 20 Udi Segall
Harnessing aircraft technology 27 Harvey Alexander
NewsIndustry 4Contracts 28 Stations 29Appointments 41Conferences & Exhibitions 71
Focus on High Speed RailHS2 under the spotlight 10 Accent/Railway Strategies
The art of being prepared 12 Richard Mould
Staying on track at 200mph 14 Kevin Mappelbeck
Gaining by experience 16 Alistair Gordon
Property boom for Birmingham 17 Ray Withers
zzzzzzzzzzzzzContents
6
1444
72
Review
Profiles Konecranes UK 42 RPA Dublin – Luas tram 44 Henry Williams 47 Southeastern 50Silicone Engineering Ltd 52 Heathrow Express 55Southern Railway 58 InnoTrans 62 Arriva Trains Wales 64 Sitron Sensors 66 Irish Rail 68Metroselskabet 72 Mendip Rail 75 FCC Environment 78
Cover story
Page 22
Thameslink unearths more rare artefacts at London Bridge station
l Medieval floors, 16th century tobacco pipes and thousand-year-
old timbers are just a few of the hundreds of artefacts that have been
unearthed as the £6.5 billion Thameslink Programme continues with the
rebuild of London Bridge station.
During excavation of the station’s original brick arches, hundreds
of historic items were found, dating back to the first settlements in
the area. Timber piles from trees felled between AD59 to AD83 may
have been part of a substantial waterfront building on the edge of a
settlement south of the first London Bridge.
Fragments of medieval floors and walls have also been unearthed.
These could be part of the large houses along Tooley Street that are
known to have belonged to important medieval clerics such as the
Prior of Lewes. More recent discoveries, dating from the 16th to 18th
centuries, include evidence of industry in the area such as kilns for
making clay tobacco pipes.
Nicky Hughes, head of communications for Network Rail, London and
South East, said: “As London Bridge is one of London’s oldest stations
it’s not surprising that we are unearthing such a range of interesting finds
shedding light on London’s development through the ages.”
Earlier finds at the Borough provide evidence of early Roman military
occupation and the Boudican revolt. A previously unknown Roman
bathhouse was unearthed under Borough High Street, along with
substantial evidence for the Saxon and medieval defences.
4 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
www.railimages.co.uk
Transport committee calls for evidence l The Transport Committee is launching an inquiry to
scrutinise the impact and deliverability of Network Rail’s
£38 billion investment programme over the next five
years, and to identify investment priorities after 2019.
Louise Ellman MP, Chair of the House of Commons
Transport Committee, said: “Much debate has taken
place recently about HS2. We now want to focus on
investment in the existing classic line, including how serv-
ices can be improved and how efficiency in the railway
can be increased, improving passenger satisfaction.”
The Committee is calling for evidence on
the following topics:
l What are the main features of the rail investment plan
for CP5 and how will the railway be different in 2019
following delivery of the plan?
l What is expected to happen to passenger satisfaction
over this period? Is the rail industry measuring this in the
right way?
l Is Network Rail confident that it can deliver, and meet
its targets for efficiency and punctuality? How should
train operators assist in ensuring that Network Rail
delivers? How will the Office for Rail Regulation ensure
that planned investments represent value for money?
l Has Network Rail prioritised the right schemes for the
purpose of improving the railway’s resilience?
l How might reclassification of Network Rail as a
central government body in September 2014 affect rail
investment?
l Is the balance between passenger and freight
investment right? What additional demand for freight
movements might be released with a different balance of
investment?
l What will be the railway’s demand for new rolling stock
over the next decade and how will this demand be met?
l How will electrification affect the passenger experience
of the railway, rolling stock requirements and rail freight?
l What should be the priorities for investment after 2019
(CP6), particularly in relation to connecting the classic
railway with HS2?
Submissions by Friday 13 June, to: www.parliament.
uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/
commons-select/transport-committee/inquiries/
parliament-2010/railway-investment
Remains of a medieval brick floor
Arrow head
Remains of a pipe kiln
Beautifully preserved clay pipes
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz NEWS I Industry
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 5
6 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
Netw
ork
Rail
Aesthetic overhead lines come a step closerl Three designs have made it through to the finals in the international competition to design
aesthetically pleasing overhead lines for the UK’s rail network. Each will receive funding to undertake
detailed technical development of their design and consider their route to market.
Moxon Architects with Mott MacDonald from the UK and two Danish companies, Bystrup
Architecture Design and Engineering and COBE, were selected from a shortlist of 10.
Mark Howard, head of power and traction at HS2 Ltd said: “All those shortlisted have really
understood the technical practicalities whilst coming up with eye-catching structures. I look forward
to developing these ideas further and perhaps one day seeing them alongside the UK’s much
needed high speed rail
network.”
The competition was
launched by FutureRailway
in conjunction with HS2
Ltd and the Royal Institute
of British Architects (RIBA)
in December 2013, to
carry new technologies
through the critical stage of
development.
The HST design from
Bystrup reduces the
overhead rail line to two
elements; a triangular cable
network carrying the power,
and an aesthetic T-shaped
mast which supports twin
systems serving adjacent
tracks.
Tomahawk from COBE is
a family of overhead line
structures that minimises
the visual impact of the
entire line by reducing the
overall height, reducing
the number of structural
elements and using
contemporary materials and
manufacturing techniques.
Finally, the Integrated OLS from Moxon is simple slender and tapering. It is designed to reduce the
visual impact in the landscape by simplifying the components of the power line support
equipment, replacing insulating pots with built-in insulating properties through the use of a
densified laminated wood.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzNEWS I Industry
Abellio’s short term franchise for Greater Anglia extendedl The Greater Anglia rail
franchise which includes
most passenger train
services in East Anglia,
is to be extended by
more than two years,
the Government has
confirmed. Abellio Greater
Anglia will continue
providing services between
London Liverpool Street
and major towns and cities
across Cambridgeshire,
Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex
for the next 27 months.
Under the agreement
with Dutch-owned Abellio,
there will be an increase
in services on the Greater
Anglia network, including
twice as many weekday
off peak services between
Stansted airport and
Cambridge, a global centre
of technological expertise.
Intercity carriages on the
Great Eastern Main Line
route between Norwich,
Ipswich, Colchester and
London are to be improved
with new seat covers and
carpets, better lighting and
at-seat power sockets.
The new agreement
paves the way for the next
franchise competition on
the Greater Anglia network.
Transport Secretary Patrick
McLoughlin said: “This
agreement is further proof
that the government’s new
franchising schedule is on
track, is delivering value for
money for the tax payer,
and is supporting the
ongoing multi-billion pound
investment programme in
our railways.”
HST design from Bystrup Architecture Design & Engineering
The Tomahawk design from COBE
The integrated OLS design fromMoxon Architects with Mott MacDonald
No one could ever say HS2 has been a typical rail project. Its
current vision, size, and scope make it more ambitious and
challenging than anything that has been attempted in the UK
for generations. It is certainly the largest national infrastructure
programme since the construction of the M25 some 30 years ago. Its
scope is continuing to evolve, and is managed by HS2 Ltd which was
originally formed in 2009 to examine the case for building a new high
speed rail link between London and Birmingham.
CEO Alison Munro has been with the project since the beginning, and
6 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
admits there is considerable pressure on the organisation to deliver an
efficient and cost effective solution within a rather tight time frame. To
the outsider, though, the measured pace of the legislative process may
not give this impression. “We simply can’t afford to lose momentum,”
she explained, not only speaking on behalf of HS2 but also for the
nation. “The current line to the West Midlands will reach capacity by
the middle of the next decade, and this will have a significant impact
on the economy of the region. When you allow for the time needed for
the planning process and then construction, we have to move forward
quickly now if we are to deliver the necessary capacity improvements
before that date.”
There are currently two phases in hand. The initial link to Birmingham
is Phase 1, and extensions to Manchester and Leeds are Phase 2.
Meanwhile, a future spur to Heathrow is a possibility while a hub at
Crewe has been proposed by HS2 Ltd Chairman Sir David Higgins, and
there could be a possible third phase to Scotland in the future. Each
phase however is at a different stage of development. So let’s begin by
reviewing progress over the last couple of years.
INTERVIEW I Alison Munro, CEO, HS2 Ltd
High speed approach
Alison Munro CEO, HS2 Ltd
Artist’s impression of a cutting
The HS2 project has hardly been out of the news over the past few years. The person steering this ambitious rail project through the sensitive planning stages to construction is CEO AliSOn MunrO. She talks to Gay Sutton about the challenges and achievements so far
The legislative process
The route from London to Birmingham was agreed by the Secretary
of State for Transport in January 2012, following a consultation that
took place between February and July 2011. Once HS2 received the
go ahead it embarked on an intense period of detailed environmental
assessments and associated design work, and this formed the foundation
of the Hybrid Bill which was submitted to Parliament in November 2013.
The crucial second reading of the Bill took place on 28 April this year.
MPs hotly debated the need for a high speed rail link but it was voted
through by a significant majority. The next step in the legislative process
is to set up a Select Committee to examine the Bill, consider petitions
made against it and make any necessary amendments.
If passed, the Bill will effectively give the organisation planning
permission and powers to acquire the land en route, build and maintain
Phase 1 of the project.
Phase 2 is following the same legislative process. The consultation
on the proposed routes has been completed, and Government hopes
to announce a decision by the end of this year. Then it will progress
through the environmental stages and a Hybrid Bill for this phase will be
submitted to Parliament. Further decisions about extending the line to
Scotland are very much for the future.
Getting the groundwork right
Successfully bringing the Hybrid Bill for Phase 1 to Parliament has
been an administrative and technical marathon that has involved more
consultation than any infrastructure project that has gone before. The
environmental statement alone came to over 50,000 pages, while every
single land interest along the route - thousands in total – had to be
identified and examined with mitigating proposals produced.
“HS2 will clearly impact on people who live along the route, and this
has been a huge challenge for us,” Alison said. “Throughout this stage
we have been working to identify how the high speed line will affect the
local communities and surrounding areas, and then looking at how we
can best address those impacts and mitigate them as far as possible,”
she continued. “There is a lot we have been able to do by designing the
route so that it’s low in the landscape, and proposing noise barriers and
landscaping screens.”
Significant stretches of Phase 1 will be tunnelled, including the
routes in and out of London and Birmingham, and under Crewe.
Meanwhile, 11 miles of track through the Chilterns, a designated area
of outstanding natural beauty, will be in tunnel, green tunnel or cutting.
Achieving the best outcomes for the communities and the
environment, however, has been something of a balancing act. HS2
is going to be an expensive public investment. Phase 1 and 2 are
estimated to cost £42.6 billion at 2011 prices including a contingency
of around £14.4 billion while the rolling stock is likely to cost around
£7.5 billion. “We have to control costs and make sure we deliver the
capacity and service the country needs within a tight budget,”
Alison said.
Already this has proved to be something of a double edged sword.
“In some cases that means we just haven’t been able to justify the
mitigation people want,” she continued. “And looking to the future this
is going to be a continuing challenge for us as we continue through the
Select Committee stage and into construction.”
Public opinion and the art of communication
One of the hallmarks of this project has been the sheer intensity of the
public debate it has aroused. And this has ranged from claims that the
money would be better spent upgrading the existing network, through
the irreparable damage that would be done to local communities and
countryside, to claims that other parts of the country will see no benefit
and are likely to decline as a result.
Handling such sensitive issues has become increasingly pressing.
“Over the last year we have responded by devoting considerable
effort to articulating the argument that this is far more than just a new
railway,” Alison explained. “HS2 will be a catalyst for growth up and
down the country, and there are many benefits that will flow from it.”
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 7
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The environmental statement alone came to over 50,000 pages, while every single land interest along the route - thousands in total – had to be identified and examined with mitigating proposals produced ‘‘
Alison Munro CEO, HS2 Ltd
Artist’s impression of a cutting
Artist’s impression of a green tunnel portal
8 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
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A number of official reviews and reports have added to the discussion
including the David Higgins review published in March this year. The
Department of Transport’s Strategic Case for HS2 published in October
2013 set out detailed economic arguments and argued why the
alternatives are not likely to provide the long-term solution the country
needs, while the HS2 Growth Task Force led by Lord Deighton analysed
the growth prospects. Others have clearly contradicted them
The HS2 team has been communicating this message of growth
extensively to key cities along the route. “What has been rewarding
for us over the past few months is the growing realisation of the
opportunities high speed rail will bring them.” Birmingham for example
has developed an ambitious master plan for the redevelopment of the
whole Curzon Street area, which in turn will be another catalyst for
jobs. Meanwhile, eight key cities in the North - Sheffield, Leeds, York,
Newcastle, Nottingham, Liverpool, Derby and Manchester – have
formed a powerful coalition called Connected Cities, to promote and
support HS2. “So what we have now are other voices, not just our own,
making the case for HS2. And preparations are being made through the
Midlands and North to capitalise on the benefits it will deliver.”
The next stage of evolution With the construction of Phase 1 due to start in 2017, Alison Munro
is beginning to orchestrate the crucial transition from a planning
organisation to a construction one. There is a wealth of knowledge and
experience in the UK that HS2 can draw from, including HS1, Crossrail
and Thameslink, and parallel projects such as the Thames Tideway
Tunnel. However the supply chain will need to be strengthened if it is
to have the capacity to deliver this enormous project. Last year, HS2
began addressing this through workshops and meetings with interested
suppliers. The aim was to open communications, articulate and work on
a procurement strategy and engage suppliers in the debate.
INTERVIEW I Alison Munro
Another need that must be addressed is the weakness of the
engineering skills base within the UK. “Even without HS2 we have skills
gaps in science, technology, engineering and maths, and we’re working
with BIS to address that.” Bids are currently being sought from cities with
a strong rail link to host the proposed High Speed Rail College. “We
would like to see this develop in a hub and spoke arrangement,” Alison
said, “with the college as the main hub and links to further education
establishments and engineering academies around the country, so we
can grow a diverse and effective skills base for HS2, and for rail projects
in the future.”
Continuing the balancing act
What HS2 has achieved over the past two years is a solid foundation
from which it can move forward into construction. “The amount of
consultation on this project has been incredibly valuable for us, and
although we’ve not always been able to give people what they want,
it’s given us a much better understanding of public concerns. That puts
us in a much better position as we continue through the Parliamentary
process,” Alison concluded. “What we are clear on is that we only have
this one chance to get this right. And we are going to make absolutely
sure that we do and that this project will be as good as it can be.” zz
l February 2011- July 2011: Consultation on proposed route from London to Birminghaml January 2012: Phase 1 route agreed by the secretary of State for Transportl Period 2012-2013: Detailed environmental studies with the associated design workl November 2013: Hybrid Bill submitted to Parliament. (When finalised this will provide planning permission and powers to acquire the land en route, build and maintain Phase 1 of the project.) l 28 April 2014: Second reading of the Bill voted through overwhelmingly - 452 for and 41 against
Phase 1 next stepsl
Select committee to examine the bill, consider petitions against it and make any necessary amendmentsl Undertake detailed engineering and design work
Phase 1 milestones
Phase 2 milestones
HS2 facts at a glance
Artist’s impression of the new Curzon Street station in Birmingham
l 143 miles of track between London and Birmingham l Birmingham to Manchester is around 95 milesl Birmingham to Leeds is around 116 milesl More than half the Phase1 will be in cuttings or tunnelsl Around 56.5 miles of Phase 1 will be partially or totally hidden to reduce visual effects and noise l 10.9 miles of track in the Chilterns will be in tunnel, green tunnel or cutting. l Only 1.5 miles will be on the surfacel The new network – Phases 1 and 2 and possible Heathrow spur - around 330 miles
l January 2013: Initial proposed routes for HS2 extensions to Manchester and Leeds announcedl July 2013 - January 2014: Consultation on proposed routesPhase 2 next stepl Government to announce results of consultationl Will follow the same process as Phase 1
How the redesign of Euston station might look
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 9
10 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
In this, the first of a series of special reports from
Accent and Railway Strategies, our exclusive panel
of rail industry executives were asked to share their
views on the HS2 project. The majority, 82 per cent of
executives asked, were in favour of the HS2 project while
only nine per cent were against the project.
Changed views With recent controversy over the cost of this project we
asked our executives if their views had changed since the
start of the process. The majority, 91 per cent, said that
their opinions had not changed with only nine per cent
saying that their thoughts had altered. Mike Grimsey at
TRL said: “I believe that the need for providing additional
capacity within the national transport system cannot be
adequately or affordably met by any other alternative
project or solution. This has been more of an emerging
view based upon gaining an increased awareness of
the project.”
Benefits
Executives were then asked what they believe the
main benefits are. The table below highlights our
respondents’ answers.
Alternatives
With the investment for HS2 being significant, executives
gave their views on the possibility of alternatively spending
the money on existing rail lines rather than on HS2. Keith
Pullan at Mott Macdonald Ltd said: “Existing rail lines are at
or exceeding design capacity, there is a clear need for high
HS2 under the spotlight
speed rail and the transfer of passengers from existing
lines to HS2, this will increase capacity and allow greater
flexibility on classic lines. There has been a great deal of
money invested in the project to date and this money
should not be wasted on further deliberation, it is time
to build.”
In addition Colin Flack at Rail Alliance said: “I believe
that it is naive to think that the existing lines could cope
with the scale of change/shift that is required. If it was that
simple it would have been done or proposed. Most of
the arguments supporting such a view are flawed! In real
terms across the life of the project these are relatively small
amounts of government funding.”
Whilst Malcolm Robertson at Mirror Technology Ltd has
a conflicting view and added: “I think that upgrading and
increasing capacity on existing lines would be
more useful.”
Scotland Discussions then moved on to the possibility of extending
the line to Scotland for which we asked our executives for
their thoughts. 27 per cent thought it was essential and
36 per cent said it would be a good idea while only nine
per cent thought it wasn’t a good idea and 27 per cent
thought it was neither a good idea nor bad idea.
Benefits to Scotland
When asked what the main benefits of extending the line
would be, Mike Grimsey at TRL said: “Longer distance
connectivity to Scotland will naturally suit the dynamics
and provisions of high speed rail, I am just not so sure of
the economics or business case. And, with the Scottish
Independence Referendum approaching, that adds an
interesting dimension too.”
Mark Bott at Preserved Traction Technical Services Ltd
added: “Separating long distance high speed trains from
As planning for the HS2 route from London to the north progresses, rail industry executives share their opinions and questions about this ambitious project
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz High Speed Focus
‘‘I think that upgrading and increasing capacity on existing lines would be more useful
Accent/Railway Strategies RESEARCH REPORT
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 11
HS2 under the spotlight
other traffic is the only way forward. The French discovered
this back in the 1970s after spending a large amount of
money on the existing PLM route. Long distance freight
services are essential for the economic growth of the UK.”
Supply Chain
The conversation then moved onto the issue of the supply
chain for HS2 and our executives were asked if they felt the
UK has enough resources available to carry out the project
given other infrastructure commitments like Crossrail.
Over half, 64 per cent, said ‘Yes’ and the remaining
respondents, 36 per cent, said ‘No’.
Chris Hallam at Pinsent Masons LLP believes we are
going to need to import: “engineering skill, eg tunnelling
expertise. The experience gained by UK members of
JVs on Crossrail may help, but the UK market is not in
a position to compete with the continental tunnelling
contractors who have far more experience.
Whilst another executive added: “I would imagine
that although it may be reported that British companies
will be at the forefront of the building of the project,
sub-contractors who we heavily rely on will in fact look
elsewhere for cheap skilled labour.”
Value of investment
Finally, executives were asked if they felt that the long term
benefits will outweigh the initial investment. The majority,
82 per cent, said ‘Yes’ whilst the remaining executives
answered ‘Don’t know’.
We asked executives to state their reasons, Michael
Whelan said: “Any information given on long term benefits
are made on projected values. The government has failed
repeatedly in years gone by to give accurate projected
values - instead releasing information that gives a rosy
outlook for whatever result they wish to obtain.” Another
executive said: “Very few large scale infrastructure projects
fail to exceed all expectations of them over time. There are
vibrant regional economies like Birmingham, Manchester
etc who will ensure that the most is made of this
opportunity if they are given the chance.”
ConclusionIn conclusion the consensus of opinion on our panel of
rail executives is that HS2 is likely to boost rail capacity,
job creation and economic growth. The debate over
whether the money is best spent on this project or
upgrading the regional networks is still not settled. And,
while the majority of respondents believe extending the
line to Scotland is a good idea, the upcoming Scottish
referendum is casting doubts on the economic viability.
We would like to hear your opinion on HS2.
Email [email protected]
There are many unanswered questions which could in
turn lead to other interesting debates. For example, will the
capacity liberated by HS2 create an environment in which
the volume of freight carried on the UK rail network can be
significantly increased? Indeed should we consider using
extra capacity for freight, or would we just be jeopardising
the hard won easing of congestion for passenger traffic?
What is the future vision for freight on the network, and
how will this impact on the logistics industry and road
traffic? zz
If you would like to take part in this and future debates
you can also email: [email protected]
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‘‘The HS2 concept will solve specific problems that spending on alternate projects won’t achieve
‘‘HS2 creates a dedicated expensive service with limited passenger appeal
‘‘We need to invest in our future. It is difficult to choose one project over another - they all have merit
12 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
HS2 is big. Very big. Fifteen years of construction
time, a £42.6 billion budget, nine major new
railway stations and more than 350 miles of new
track, bridges, viaducts and tunnels to free up
much-needed space on our increasingly crowded railways,
and shorten travel times between Britain’s biggest cities.
To build a programme of this size will require the
mobilisation of a supply chain on an unprecedented scale.
Business opportunities will be available in a range of
sectors, from civils, construction and systems to catering,
cleaning and security.
In fact, across the UK we believe the whole supply
chain could easily create tens of thousands of individual
business opportunities.
At the heart of the HS2 project is a plan for a Y-shaped
rail network providing direct, large capacity high speed rail
links between London and Birmingham and Manchester
and Leeds. Services to cities further north would then
continue on the existing rail network to Liverpool, York,
Newcastle and Scotland.
As well as improving long distance travel, HS2 will
also provide much needed extra capacity on our existing
rail network, taking long distance trains off the West Coast
Mainline and making space for much-needed
local services.
Once complete, HS2 could support an estimated
400,000 jobs according to the Core Cities group’s analysis
and KPMG reported last year that it could bring an
economic benefit of up to £15 billion a year to the
UK economy.
All of this came one step closer on 28 April when the
High Speed Rail Bill (London to West Midlands) passed its
second reading in the Commons. At 11pm that evening
452 MPs voted in favour of the project, establishing the
principle of a high speed railway line running between
London and the West Midlands. The Bill will now pass
through the rest of the Parliamentary process and once
The art of being prepared
Royal Assent has been granted we expect to have spades
in the ground in early 2017.
So the formal construction phase is scheduled to
begin in 2017 but there is much work to be done in the
meantime. There are ground investigations to be carried
out, as well as the initial planning and preparatory work,
which all need to be completed alongside the on-going
procurement process.
How will it all work?Like other large infrastructure projects, we will be
directly buying and managing a relatively small number
of contracts with what are known as tier 1 contractors.
These contractors will in turn be buying a wide variety of
goods, works and services from a large number of smaller
suppliers and contractors. This forms the supply chain for
delivering HS2.
For example, HS2 Ltd will procure a tunnelling
contractor at tier 1 who will enter into contract with a
groundwork subcontractor at tier 2. This groundworks
subcontractor will hire plant from a plant hire specialist
at tier 3, who subcontracts catering services to another
supplier at tier 4 – and so on.
Of course, it will take some time for the major contracts
to be awarded and for opportunities to flow down to
the different tiers of the supply chain. However, with a
target cost for Phase One alone (London to the West
Midlands) of over £17 billion, this pyramid of suppliers
means that the number of opportunities to work on HS2
is quite unprecedented. For example, London’s Crossrail
project is estimated to have created over 75,000 separate
business opportunities. HS2 is a far larger project.
So where are we now?Preparation for procurement began last year. The phase
one outline procurement strategy was developed and
peer-reviewed through 2013. During the summer HS2 Ltd
Procuring for the massive HS2 project is going to be a challenge, not only for HS2 Ltd, but also for the UK supply chain. RICHARD MOULD, head of corporate
procurement, HS2 Ltd, explains the organisation’s strategy and how it is working with suppliers to prepare for the opportunity
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz High Speed Focus
Richard Mould is head of corporate procurement, HS2 Ltd
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 13
The art of being prepared undertook a desktop study on the supply base,
mapping the likely HS2 supplier landscape and potential
market constraints.
We also held a series of workshops with potential
suppliers focused on how best to foster collaboration up
and down the supply chain, how to incentivise companies
further down the chain, looking at where risk should be
owned and how to encourage innovation throughout
the chain.
In November last year we held a major supply chain
conference in Birmingham attended by over 600
organisations, the majority of which where SMEs and over
half specialists in the construction, civil engineering or
infrastructure, rail and transport sectors.
Following the Birmingham supply chain conference we
launched a market engagement exercise to engage with
and listen to the industry’s views. The focus is on how we
plan to package and how we plan to contract for
the requirements.
The engagement includes a survey of potential
suppliers, as well as work with umbrella bodies and
trade associations, and meetings with local enterprise
partnerships across the country.
These will be followed, later this year, by specially tailored
category industry days – with, for example, rolling stock
suppliers or tunnelling firms – designed to engage with
and inform the supply chain of upcoming
procurement opportunities.
As the project develops, working with the market will
remain a priority.
Getting involvedOn a programme such as HS2 where we are managing
multiple contracts across multiple projects with multiple
parties and interfaces, there is a compelling need for a
suite of contracts that enable collaboration, incentivise
success, allocate risk appropriately and facilitate integration
throughout the supply chain.
It may seem like 2017 is a long way off, but there’s
plenty to do before the serious construction gets
under way and we have already started some early
works procurements.
First being a £60 million framework for ground
investigation services PQQ; responses have been returned
and the ITT is targeted for issue in the middle of the year.
During procurement and delivery we will be testing
the supply chain’s ability to deliver against a number of
critical success factors. These critical success factors
will underpin HS2 strategic themes and form a balanced
scorecard which we will apply during procurement - to
pre-qualify suppliers, evaluate tenders, and measure
performance during delivery.
We will also be promoting the use of CompeteFor
throughout the supply chain and mandating it for all
tier 1 contracts where appropriate. CompeteFor is an
online brokerage tool which allows buyers to match
up with potential suppliers and find out about HS2
opportunities. The system was used by London 2012 as
well as other major infrastructure projects, like Crossrail
and the Thames Tideway Tunnel.
We are also working on developing a dedicated supplier
section within the website, which will go live later this
year. This will include information on what we are buying
and how we are buying, as well as our policies and
procedures. It will also include information on contracts
which HS2 Ltd will be procuring directly – including details
of tenderers and how to get in contact with these.
In addition, we are in the process of developing a
supplier guide which will be available on our website
later this year. This will be the supplier bible containing
all the information you need to identify and compete for
opportunities on HS2.
So as you can see there is much being done and much
still to do as we look to deliver a world-class 21st century
transport network that will further underline the railway’s
renaissance and show Britain at its very best. zz
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
HS2 London Euston station interior
14 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
T he safety of high speed train travel has been in the
news recently due to the unfortunate accidents in
France, Spain and Switzerland. Much has been
discussed about the systems used in trains and
how they work or do not work to protect passengers as
they travel at high speeds from one location to another.
Within the UK, high speed rail travel is developing a high
profile, with HS1 and HS2 routes under scrutiny not only
for their price tags, but also to ensure that they are safe
and efficient. The lessons of tragedies such as Potters Bar,
Hatfield, Bexley and Southall must be applied, combined
with the latest research and innovation, to ensure
complete safety.
There are three basic issues that form a bedrock of
safety: speed, avoiding other trains on the track and
ensuring that the train behaves as intended. To address
these complex mechanical factors, sophisticated software
systems in the train control centre and on-board the train
can control these functions.
Staying on track at 200mph
Automation comes into its ownAutomated safety systems have a strong track record
in the aerospace industry and work very well in the rail
industry if properly implemented. Train control systems
with sensors on the track and on the train, for example,
can govern the speed of the train and its ‘movement
authority’. Just like the autopilot on a plane, overspeed
protection will not allow the train operator to exceed the
designated speed for that portion of the track.
Of course, systems and software can only do so much.
The terrible accident at Angrois, Santiago de Compostela
in Spain occurred on a part of the track that did not have
automated systems for overspeed protection in place,
allowing human error to occur. The train’s data recorder
showed that it was travelling at about twice the posted
speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour (50mph) when it
entered a bend in the line.
To ensure complete passenger safety, full automation –
and therefore full compliance to safety protocols – is vital.
As the HS2 project moves towards into the early design stage, KEVIN
MAPPELBECK of Ansys looks at the factors that influence the
effectiveness of automated safety systems, which are key to safety at
such speeds
Kevin Mappelbeck is ESU market operation manager, UK, ANSYS
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz High Speed Focus
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 15
In the wake of the Angrois
incident, the Spanish rail
authority Adif installed three balises – track-
mounted programmable transponders which communicate
with the on-board computers and will initiate automatic
braking if speed restrictions are not obeyed.
Safety from the ground upHS2 is in a strong position to integrate this at an early
stage of design, which bodes well for the safety of the
project. However, designers need to look at the software
that governs the safety critical systems.
The effectiveness of that software – in terms of its
safety – is defined by how well it answers the specific
safety concerns of a given route. Some eighty per cent of
the software issues in rail safety systems are caused by a
misunderstanding of requirements and specifications in a
detailed fashion before the engineers start to code.
These complex systems need to be correct by
construction. By using model based techniques to remove
the ambiguity of requirements and specifications, to verify
the detailed design against those requirements and ensure
it is correctly implemented, safety begins to be implicit.
And finally, to remove the possibility of human error, the
tools that automate the coding must be compliant with
international safety specifications.
Of course there are areas for improvement. As high-
speed rail starts to become a reality in the UK, there are a
few things that will make riding the rails at 200 mph a bit
safer. A structured, overarching safety standard is one. At
present, the international rail industry does not have one
global standard that must be adhered to.
Despite France and Germany leading the world in high
speed rail travel, standards vary from country to country
in Europe. If one standard for development of rail systems
and software was available, requirements would be
less complex with no variants. Perhaps rail could take a
page from the aerospace industry where all commercial
planes and helicopters must be certified under the same,
demanding international standard. The ERTMS system is a
good sign of progress here, and the ERTMS level 2 system
is particularly well suited to high speed passenger rail.
However, in application as well as development,
automation is key. If an entire train is automated, safety
is vastly improved. By deploying the latest generation of
automated train control techniques, the ride is as safe
as possible. From a business perspective, this level of
automation also improves efficiency and
energy use.
HS1 and HS2 are set to become
defining elements of the UK rail
landscape. To ensure a safety record
that is as impressive as the engineering
that enabled these high speed links,
automation and comprehensively designed
safety systems that can account for, and in
some cases override human error, will
be vital. zz
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
16 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
T he UK may be a world leader in rail, but it is
now something of a laggard when it comes to
high speed services. While our model for rail
privatisation has become a benchmark for other
markets, we must look overseas for the nous required to
deliver a successful HS2.
In the Keolis Key Connections report, published last
year, I drew on examples of best practice from France to
see how we could integrate high speed networks into our
towns, cities and their infrastructure.
Always readyOne recurring theme in France is preparation; the existing
transport infrastructure and networks of our towns and
cities need to be invested in today if HS2 is to deliver the
significant economic benefits it is capable of.
Before the TGV arrived in major French cities such
as Lyon and Bordeaux, their networks were expanded,
upgraded and then fine-tuned to work in perfect synergy
with the new high speed services.
Get off a TGV service in Bordeaux today, for example,
and you can almost immediately step onto a light rail,
metro or bus service, while outside of the station car
share and cycle hire schemes provide even more
connectivity options.
Monitoring the systemKeolis in France constantly tracks and studies passenger
behaviour, so tweaks and adjustments can be made to
timetabling, to ensure local networks are operating as
efficiently and effectively as possible. In Lyon, one such
study led to a major re-timetabling exercise on its metro
and tram systems that helped to yield a nine per cent uplift
in passenger numbers.
In essence, operators need to think like a passenger.
Adopting this mind-set will be key as we introduce HS2
in the UK.
Apply this to HS1The UK does of course have one existing high speed
network. HS1 is operated by Govia – a partnership
between Keolis UK and Go Ahead – and by drawing on
similar lessons from France we have helped the network to
realise its full potential as an enabler of growth in the south
east of England.
St. Pancras, where the service connects in London,
operates like any TGV hub in France. As one of London’s
most integrated stations, passengers can board a bus,
bike, Underground, or main-line intercity route as soon as
Gaining by experience
they disembark from HS1.
The challenge with HS2 is that few UK cities are as
well integrated as the capital. Crossrail and the on-going
growth of the overground network will only further enhance
London’s position as the UK’s most integrated city.
The London lessonHS2 cannot deliver the majority of its benefits through
journey times alone, as early arguments for the scheme
demonstrated. It cannot exist in isolation, but will require
the development of networks in existing cities to ensure it
can achieve its potential.
Money has been a sticking point throughout the
legislative process, and it is perhaps an inconvenient
truth that further investment will be needed to support
and enhance existing infrastructures. That said, better
frameworks to ensure greater collaboration between the
operating companies of local transport franchises will be
needed so that timetables can be better aligned with HS2.
Though public finances appear to be an issue on
the surface, there are new powers available to local
governments – such as City Deals – that can give
them greater autonomy over ways in which they can
fund transport infrastructure investments. Manchester
has shown how closer working between neighbouring
authorities and innovative funding models can help
support major new projects.
ClaritySuch investment can only take place with a degree
of certainty that HS2 will definitely proceed. Our Key
Connections report demonstrates that our local leaders,
economists and politicians understand the blueprint for
best practice. Once a final commitment is set in stone,
they can help the UK prepare for HS2. zz
ALISTAIR GORDON, chief executive, Keolis UK, looks at some of the lessons HS2 can learn from high speed rail projects in the continent of Europe
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz High Speed Rail
Alistair Gordon is chief executive of Keolis UK
Download from: www.keolis.co.uk/news/key-connections
The report includes contributions from co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on High Speed Rail, Stuart Andrew MP and leader of Birmingham City Council, Sir Albert Bore.
Key Connections Report
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 17
I’ve taken a keen professional interest in Birmingham’s
real estate market over the years and particularly since
the idea of HS2 was first raised. Journey times of 48
minutes between Birmingham and London will make
it a realistic possibility for professionals to work in London
while living in Birmingham, with an inevitable effect on
prices. We’ve already seen this happen in a range of towns
and cities within London’s commuter belt. Prices in places
such as Brighton, which is 53 minutes by rail from London,
have been extensively inflated by proximity to the capital.
Birmingham’s development plans around HS2 are
ambitious. Infrastructure improvements over the coming
years include a £600 million update to Birmingham New
Street station, a £128 million Midland Metro extension
and linkage with the tram line at Snow Hill, plus some
£181 million of capital expenditure on various major
transportation schemes by the local council.
While the space-age design of the proposed new
station at Curzon Street is still under discussion, a similarly
dramatic redevelopment is being planned for New Street
Gateway, which has recently been granted £88 million in
government funding.
Of course, HS2 is permanently in the background
when any such schemes are considered and what is so
interesting is that it is already impacting on Birmingham’s
property prices. The ambitious regeneration and rail plans
are set to create tens of thousands of jobs in Birmingham,
attracting a host of new workers to the city. This is
reflected in the latest data from Nationwide which shows a
10 per cent year-on-year house price increase in the city.
Although price rises are consistently below the levels
we are seeing in London, rental yields in Birmingham
are higher than one can expect in London, creating
an extremely buoyant buy-to-let investment market in
Britain’s second city. What we’re seeing is a trend of savvy,
Property boom for Birmingham
forward-looking buy-to-let investors opting out of the
London market in favour of more exciting opportunities
in Birmingham.
The latest nationwide data from Move with Us
positioned Birmingham as the highest yielding rental area
in the UK when considering rental income as a percentage
of the property’s purchase price, which emphasises the
impact that the plans for HS2 have already had.
Market analysis shows that by 2031 a further 150,000
people will call Birmingham home, and some 80,000 new
homes will be required. Given Britain’s current difficulties
with building sufficient homes to keep up with demand –
on average we’re building 95,000 homes per year fewer
than required – it’s fair to assume that construction work in
Birmingham will fall behind the required level of demand.
With the addition of HS2 to Birmingham’s many
attractions, I believe that the impact on the city’s property
prices will be profound. We’re already seeing price rises
and increasing demand before a single sleeper has been
laid – once construction begins the property market can
be expected to respond swiftly and certainly. My advice?
If you plan to invest in property in Birmingham, do so now,
while it’s still affordable. zz
www.propertyfrontiers.com
Having grown up in the Birmingham area, RAY WITHERS of Property Frontiers examines the potential impact of the planned HS2 rail connection
on the city’s property sector and asks: can construction keep up with demand?
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzHigh Speed Rail
Ray Withers is chief executive of
Property Frontiers
MPs vote overwhelmingly in favour of HS2
l The crucial second reading of the HS2 Hybrid Bill took place in the Commons at the
end of April, and was passed by a majority of 452 in favour and just 41 against.
Go-HS2, a pro-high speed rail consortium from the West Midlands said that the
size of the majority in favour showed how the benefits of HS2 were widely recognised
and understood.
However, in view of the three line whip on the vote, the vocal anti HS2 lobby,
HS2 Action Alliance, suggested that the number of absences and abstentions was
proof that many MPs do not openly support HS2.
Cllr John McNicholas, chairman of transport authority Centro, said: “Last night’s vote
brings HS2 a significant step closer but we now need to press on as a region and put
in place the infrastructure we need locally to realise and maximise those benefits.”
Next step for Old Oak Common
l Transport for London has appointed WSP to develop options and make
recommendations for a London Overground station at the proposed
HS2 /Crossrail interchange at Old Oak Common.
WSP will be acting as lead consultant, providing railway engineering and
infrastructure services for a Grip 3 study of three options, having completed the
Grip 2 study for the four shortlisted options in late 2013. Architect planners
Farrells have been appointed by WSP to provide master planning and
architectural support.
Project director Dave Darnell said: “This is a hugely exciting scheme that has
the potential to create a major new regional transport hub, taking some of the
demand off existing overloaded routes by providing links to HS2 from the west
and south west without travelling into central London and offering better access
into the area of Old Oak Common for existing and future residents.”
18 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
www.railimages.co.uk
Rallying behind HS2
l Both private and public
organisations in the West
Midlands have rallied behind
the HS2 project, while
concurrently submitting
petitions to the HS2 Bill in an
attempt win an even better
deal for the region.
Research has established
that the West Midlands could
secure a £4 billion a year
economic boost and more
than 50,000 new jobs by
making sure the region’s two
high speed rail stations are
well connected to existing
transport links and good use
is made of the additional rail
capacity released by HS2.
Birmingham City Council,
Birmingham Airport, the
National Exhibition Centre
and Centro have asked for
amendments to be made to
the Bill including the inclusion
of a high quality interchange
facilities between the region’s
existing rail stations and the
two proposed HS2 stations,
Birmingham Curzon and the
HS2 Interchange close to the
airport and NEC.
The city council and Centro
are seeking a link between
HS2 and the existing HS1
high speed line to the Channel
Tunnel to be reinstated. This
would enable services to
operate directly between the
West Midlands and Europe.
Other requests include a
common concourse between
the Curzon and Moor Street
Stations, a tram extension
to Curzon and an improved
alignment of the proposed
people-mover linking the
HS2 Interchange with the
airport, NEC and Birmingham
International rail station.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz High Speed Rail
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 19
Every day, somebody tries to commit suicide on our
rail network, and tragically 200 people each year
succeed in ending their lives that way. As well as
the personal tragedies, these incidents result in
terrible trauma for the victims’ families and huge disruption
to services, which in turn presents a significant cost to
the taxpayer and businesses, not to mention significant
inconvenience for passengers. It’s also very traumatic
for rail staff.
Network Rail, with the help of the Samaritans, is trying
to do something about it. Working in partnership with the
Samaritans, Network Rail aims to reduce the number of rail
suicides by 20 per cent by 2015.
Four per cent of all UK suicides take place on our rail
network. More than four fifths are men aged 30 to 55.
In times of economic hardship, the figures go up, as
financial difficulties trigger stress or exacerbate mental
health conditions.
Working with the Samaritans and the train operating
companies, Network Rail has been working to raise
awareness and provide training to station staff – how to
identify tell-tale signs such as noticing the person waiting
on the side of the platform but not boarding a train. The
Samaritans teach station staff how to approach individuals
and start a supportive dialogue. This allows time for
professional help to be called and qualified counselling
to be given.
The number of suicides on our railways dwarfs the
number of accidental deaths, but here too Network Rail
is taking admirable action. Mark Carne, the new CEO of
Network Rail, like Sir David Higgins before him, has put
safety front and centre for our railways.
The tragedy at Elsenham where two young girls Olivia
Bazlinton and Charlotte Thompson, lost their lives on
a level crossing, and the subsequent court judgement,
created a huge amount of public exposure for the issue.
Without wanting to discount the significance of that
incident, I hope that it does not create an idea in the
minds of the public that our railways are unsafe. That is far
from the case. In 2012, 1765 people were killed
on Britain’s roads. By comparison, in 2012-13, nine people
were killed on level crossings.
The response from Network Rail to the Elsenham
incident has been to close 800 out of 6000 level crossings,
to invest in new technology, regular maintenance and
oversight, and to implement an education campaign that
raises public awareness of the potential danger of level
crossings. This campaign is spearheaded by a national
level crossings team, which includes Tina Hughes, the
mother of Olivia Bazlinton.
So how does the UK compare with its European peers
on rail safety? The Parliamentary Advisory Council for
Transport Safety (PACT) reported figures that show the UK
has half the injuries or deaths of the EU average. In terms
of total rail safety, the European Rail Agency reported that
the UK rail network has the lowest fatality rate at level
crossings, at a rate of 19 per billion rail kilometres. The
Office of Rail Regulation has also stated that Network Rail
is on target to reduce level crossing fatalities.
The UK rail network is not only one of the busiest in
the world – it’s just about the safest. Even so, the industry
does not believe that is good enough. It can do better,
and with a complete focus on safety for all stakeholders,
the UK rail industry is setting a standard of continuous
improvement that other countries could do well to emulate.
This is a cultural shift started by Sir David Higgins, believed
in and taken to heart by the rail industry, and now being led
by Mark Carne at Network Rail.
On a personal note, as a public member of Network
Rail overseeing corporate governance on behalf of all
stakeholders, it has given me great satisfaction and pride
to witness the evolution of a safety culture at Network Rail
and throughout the British rail industry.
I believe we are on the journey to making our
railways the safest they can be for everyone, and an
international exemplar.
Network Rail will spend £38 billion in CP5 with safety
at the heart of the investment programme. Meanwhile,
Sir David Higgins has taken this culture with him to HS2.
I doubt there are any other companies whose corporate
mission statement is “Everyone home safe every day”.
Something to be proud of, I believe. zz
With safety on level crossings again in the public spotlight, ArnAb Dutt, managing director at Texane, explains why he believes partnership and investment
are key to saving lives on our rail network
SAFETY – on level crossings
Arnab Dutt, managing director at Texane
Safetyzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzW
alte
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ter
20 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
Passengers have simple expectations. They want
their trains to arrive on time, to have a safe journey
and arrive at their destination when expected.
However, speak to anyone involved in running
railways around the world and they will explain how
complicated it is to consistently deliver high-levels of
reliability and availability across the network.
The biggest factors that affect whether trains run on
time are the incidents that occur across the network on a
daily basis. Because of the sheer scale of rail infrastructure
it means that there is a huge range of things that can and
do go wrong such as signal failure, bad weather causing
trees to fall and block sections of track, adverse weather,
suicides, mechanical failures, train collisions, derailments,
signal problems and acts of terrorism.
Probability versus impact Of course, there are some incidents that are prone to
happen on a relatively frequent basis and some that are
rare but when they do happen have a severe impact.
So, how do you improve the operational efficiency
of the railway, achieve performance targets, reduce
penalties from the regulators and compensation payments
to passengers as well as improve safety and security
across the network? The key is to find a way to reduce
the number of incidents that take place and improve the
management, ie reduce the handling time of incidents
that do occur.
The first step in this process is to understand that
every single incident can be divided in to a lifecycle of
Is rapid response truly on the horizon?
three distinct phases – preparation, management and
investigation. How successfully an incident is handled rests
on the quality of the preparation that has been put in place,
the speed at which the incident is detected, and the ability
of those responsible to carry out their duties as quickly and
effectively as possible to prevent unnecessary escalation.
Finally, you need to be able to review the incident and learn
from it, in order to mitigate the risk of it repeating, and
reduce its impact if it reoccurs.
The lifecycle of an incidentThis is of course a well-trodden path but with the aid of
new technology there are a growing number of railways
that have recently announced implementations of
situation management platforms, all geared towards
shortening and improving the quality of the entire incident
handling lifecycle.
For the vast majority of incidents that take place
the management of the situation is typically overseen
by an operator in the control room, with many other
stakeholders needing to be co-ordinated and kept
abreast of developments. At this time the speed at which
the operator responds and disseminates the relaxant
information to the relevant stakeholders and the decisions
he makes can mean the difference between minutes or
hours of delays and in some instances life and death.
Therefore, ensuring the operator has situational awareness
and his actions and the actions of field personnel are
guided by organisational best practices, is key. So they
need situation management access to all of the information
that they require to make informed decisions. However,
the challenge is how to do this with so much data being
funnelled through the control room.
In recent years rail networks have undergone huge
investment, adding to the number of lines, opening new
stations and implementing technology such as advanced
Accidents and incidents may seem unavoidable during the daily route of railway management but Udi SegAll, director of business development at NiCe Systems, believes their frequency can be
reduced and the speed and efficiency of response improved considerably. Here’s how
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Safety
Udi Segall is director of business development at
NICE Systems
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 21
Train Management Systems (TMS), GIS, operational
databases that hold information with respect to the cargo
on each train wagon, and technical specifications of the
train. While CCTV is in many aspects regarded as a security
tool in incidents such a collision on a level crossing, getting
a live feed from the location can help the emergency
services and the operation team to better assess the
situation and respond more effectively.
Situational awareness Using a situation management platform enables all of
these data feeds that can easily overwhelm the operator,
to be collated and correlated into one holistic view. From
their desk the operator (see image below) can have the
confidence, awareness and capability to
manage any incident from beginning to end, with the
assistance of adaptive workflows that have been
pre-defined in accordance with the network’s standard
operating procedure.
Here is a typical example of how a situation
management system works.
A freight-train collides with a lorry at a level crossing.
The crossing is manned and the person in attendance calls
in the incident. The operator in the control room opens
a ‘case’ and is instantly presented on-screen with the
workflow relevant to such a collision. The operator follows
the instructions presented to him, ensuring every piece of
relevant information is captured. Based on the information
being inputted (much of which is auto-populated to save
the operator critical time) the system triggers a series of
actions, some of which are implemented automatically,
others instruct the operator regarding what information
he needs to share with field personnel and when. At the
three-screen desk the relevant GIS map is displayed on the
screen pinpointing the location of the crossing, on another
a live CCTV feed from the camera located at the crossing is
being projected (providing the operator with the capability
to pause and rewind the footage, whilst monitoring events
in real-time).
As leakage from a carriage has been detected, the
operator is presented with a cargo manifest and can see
that the lorry has collided with a refrigerated container unit.
He is able to send this insight along with the other relevant
tasks to the first responders from the emergency services
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzen route (along with still and/or video images) to ensure
they are prepared with the right hazmat equipment on
arrival at the scene.
The operator is able to co-ordinate and manage the
diversion of trains that are destined to pass through the
crossing, minimising further disruption. He is also able
to send generated reports of the salient points to other
departments in the organisation.
When the operator is satisfied that that incident has
been handled the incident is closed. Every piece of video
and radio communication between train driver and the
traffic operation centre, from initial alarm to final action, is
captured and stored in the system (imagine a black box
for capturing the data relating to the incident). So, whether
immediately after the event or days, weeks or even years
later, the entire incident can be reconstructed in multimedia,
synchronised and replayed in chronological order, whether
for training and de-briefing, as part of a continuous cycle of
improvement, or for evidence submission.
Continuous improvement Transforming the ever-expanding unstructured data into
meaningful information and then to operational knowledge
means it can in turn be used to know how best to respond
to an unfolding event, which delivers huge value to the
operational performance of the rail network. Moreover
strong debriefing and analysis tools can provide a holistic
perspective and insights that increase the organisation’s
wisdom. This wisdom can help in shortening the handling
time of elements in the incident lifecycle.
By taking this approach incidents are handled faster
and investigations can be carried out more quickly and
in far more detail. This can be fed back into the system
immediately and then becomes the new standard, so if
a similar incident occurs the operator will be hand-held
through a new improved workflow. In fact, it has been
proven that call intake can be reduced from 15 minutes
down to four minutes, which can not only save lives but
also deliver huge operational savings that can reach into
hundreds of millions each year!
Reducing the probability of an incident happening and
lessening the impact of those that will inevitably occur,
not only creates a safer and more secure environment for
all on the rail network, but also delivers huge operational
gains, the positive effects of which will be felt right across
the network, and these of course are then reflected in the
performance rating of passengers. zz
the industry’s crucial issues. “We live in an era
where foreign ownership of big business is the
norm. However, although our OEMs and tier
1 suppliers may have their roots around the
world, the real powerhouse of the UK economy
is the SME-base. That supply chain is very
much UK-based, and is in rude health,” he
said. “The conundrum is how we can compete
effectively and fairly for the billions of pounds
of UK tax payers’ money that the railways will
spend over the next ten to 20 years.”
Colin believes we need to be more
competitive. The lack of a clear route to
market, the propensity of buyers to fail to see
the value for money in terms of whole life costs,
the lack of scrutiny in the application of British
Standards which are required for contracts but
are too often conveniently forgotten in favour
of similar continental standards are all stacked
against us.
“However, our SME-base is nothing if not
resilient, ingenious and simply brilliant. SMEs
are networkers by nature; they collaborate
and hunt in packs. What they need is an
environment where they stand a chance and
can work the magic of financial recovery, where
it really makes a difference.”
Working as a packThe recently set up Rail Supply Group (RSG) is
still very much in the formative stages but has
the prospect of making a significant difference
to the rail supply chain. Its chairman Terence
Watson, who is also UK country president and
managing director of Alstom Transport UK &
Ireland, set out the thinking behind RSG and
the progress that has been made so far.
He began with some facts and figures. More
As a prelude to the event, Platinum
Sponsor TBM Consulting Group invited
a small group of rail executives to a
private dining meal at the
St Jame’s Hotel and Club, Kensington to
discuss current challenges facing business
leaders in the Railway industry and within
that intimate and relaxed environment, the
discussions ranged across many of the issues
that would surface during the conference the
following day. One theme surfaced above
all others: people management. From this
perspective the industry has changed over the
years beyond recognition. The real challenge
for management today is how to communicate
and engage with staff and colleagues to get the
very best from them. But more of this later in
the review.
IntroductionThe conference was chaired by Colin Flack,
head of the Rail Alliance, and he opened
proceedings by summing up the day’s themes
in what he called a Flack-centric view some of
Railway Strategies LIVE 2014 took
place at the Royal Geographical
Society in London on Thursday
15 May, in glorious sunshine. And
that was perhaps fitting. The venue, which has been
the launch pad for some of world’s
greatest journeys of exploration, played
host to a conference that focused on the needs, challenges,
changes and tremendous
opportunities in the UK rail supply chain
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Railway Strategies 2014Live
22 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
Colin Flack
long term public investment is being made
into the UK railways now than at any point
in history. That expansion is being mirrored
globally, making the rail sector a huge and
robust marketplace for products and services.
Yet we are exporting less than we were at
privatisation. Just seven per cent of UK rail
output is exported. In France the figure is 37
per cent, and in Germany it’s 47 per cent.
The SME supply base, however, is vibrant
and innovative. But to capitalise on these
huge opportunities, the supply chain needs
a coherent strategy and a single voice to
articulate its needs to industry and government.
“We can only do that together,” Terence
said. “Moreover, we can’t dominate just the
home market. We need to innovate with new
technology and capitalise on the growing
global marketplace and export our capabilities,
creating a future for the railway business.”
The RSG is being developed to fill this gap.
Co-chaired by the secretaries of state for DfT
and BIS and populated by representatives from
the supply chain, TOCs and major projects
such as HS2, its vision is to develop a coherent
strategy for the industry, to stimulate growth,
collaboration, innovation, inward investment,
exports, skills and change. “Clearly we are just
at the start, but what we hope to get out of
this is a single unified strategy for the whole
industry for the first time.”
The board’s council will be an excellent
environment for exchanging of information and
promoting collaboration. Aware of the need
for continuity, fresh thinking and greater input
from the SME community, the RSG will report
to a new industry board of 20 representatives
from the supply chain who will take part on a
rotational basis. These will become the RSG
council members of the future. “We need the
next generation to be involved in this now,”
Terence concluded.
In young handsMartyn Chymera, former chairman of the
Young Rail Professionals, gave an inspirational
update on the organisation’s activities, impacts,
thoughts and concerns. The Young Rail
Professionals have been busy during 2013 with
a programme of outreach designed to help
tackle the skills shortage and attract young
people into the industry, and will be expanding
this through 2014.
The organisation is very active on behalf
of its members, organising meetings, events,
networking opportunities and dinners with
top industry speakers. These offer excellent
opportunities for networking and skills
development. Meanwhile it is increasing
extending its reach overseas, and today some
30 per cent of members live outside the UK.
.
Lack of funds, however, has been an
issue, stifling many good ideas within the
organisation. To tackle this, they have launched
a corporate membership scheme which
enables large companies to effectively sponsor
future activities.
From the young professionals viewpoint,
one of the industry’s biggest issues is its poor
reputation. The UK railways are now Europe’s
safest, with the highest frequency of service,
quality and cleanliness. “Despite these good
results we still get negative headlines,” Martyn
said. It is something that must be addressed.
And he pointed to the one exception that
stands out as a triumph for the sector: media
reporting of the industry’s response to the line
washout at Dawlish.“That is something we can
all be proud of. And it was great PR.”
Speaking on behalf of the young members, he
expressed their eagerness for innovation and
for the investment in rail to be continued into
the longer term. However he also articulated
their concerns for the sustainability of sector,
with its current small debt levels, once interest
rates begin to rise.
The human touchRob Willis, chief executive of TRL (Transport
Research Laboratory), the non profit making
transport consultancy that provides advice to
industry and Government gave a presentation
on evidence based research to help drive
innovation in a growing railway. To do this,
he focused his attention on the human
perspective.
“Studying human interactions is a scientific
discipline,” he said. “We have, for example,
been working with RSSB on the train despatch
process, studying human behaviours at the
platform and train interface, and this is being
fed through to national strategy.”
Level crossings have been another major
research focus. Some 90 per cent of incidents
are caused by abuse of the way crossing
should be used, so TRL has been examining
the behaviour of different types of people as
they approach rail crossing, and looking at
ways of improving behaviour.
Another area of recent research has been
driver performance, including the levels of
information in the cab, driver stress, and the
challenges presented by increasing automation.
“What is the risk of the driver ‘tuning out’?”
he explained. “How can we make sure that
the ‘under load’ of drivers at less critical times
doesn’t create safety issues?”
He finished by summarising some elements
of future thinking. Passengers are looking
for more comfortable seating, more secure
luggage storage, toilets that work and don’t
smell, better catering options, wireless
network for those working on the train, journey
information updates. When innovating and
introducing new products and systems to
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www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 23
Rob Wallis
Terence Watson
Martyn Chymera
cost of electrification.
Last year, EIT undertook capability mapping
of the UK supply chain. “We’ve established
that we have a strong capability in rolling
stock, and in whole life system optimisation
on infrastructure and rolling stock,” David
said. “What we don’t have is much capability
in integrated customer solutions, big data,
transaction management and cyber security.
However, the rest of UK PLC is good at that,
so if we can draw this expertise into the
railway and prove it can deliver, then we will
have a platform to sell internationally.”
Based on the first year’s success, the
innovation funds from TSLG, Network Rail
and RSSB are being brought together under
EIT which is being renamed Future Railway.
This will generate a significant sum of
£125 million for CP5, which the organisation
hopes to double through match funding
with the innovators. It is also look at further
sources of funding including the Innovation
Franchising Fund which could bring in another
£100 million and the European Shift to
Rail fund - another possible £1 billion for
innovation.
Other methods by which Future Railway is
enabling innovations include a suggestions
box for ideas that don’t fit existing
competitions, and a subsidised testing and
trialling scheme to help companies test
their innovations live on the railways at a
reasonable cost.
Future Railway is now looking for the next
set of challenges. “For example we could
unlock a huge amount of capacity if we could
find ways of making trains run safely closer
together – possibly in a convoy. There are
huge opportunities here and our competitors
overseas are already looking at this,” David
explained. “So we need to ask: is enough
being done here to achieve that? If not, then
what do we need to do to fill the gap?”
Companies looking to improve their
success with innovation can go to the Future
Railway website where they will find many
useful tools, information, and details about the
lates open competitions.
www.futurerailway.org
High performance cultureRichard Holland, vice-president of TBM
Consulting Group Europe completed the
morning’s presentations with a talk on
creating a high performance culture in the rail
industry.
If companies are to take advantage of the
solve these issues, it is vital to understand
the behavioural aspects and to manage
expectations.
Seeing the wood for the treesChris Rolinson, founder of ComplyServe, spoke
about the value of progressive assurance for
large scale infrastructure projects, and how
it enables those who sponsor and manage
projects to them make truly informed decisions.
Simplistically, at the conceptual stage of a
new project a considerable amount of effort
goes into putting the specifications together.
From this, the high level specifications are
developed, then partitioned into work packages
and issued to contractors. Compliance is then
monitored during design and build stages. “But
it’s not that straight forward,” he said. “The
supply chain is an extremely complex beast.”
Progressive assurance joins the project from
top to bottom, linking the high level functional
requirements of the project through all the
stages of design and build. So if anything
changes in one part of the project, for example,
the impact on the rest of the programme can
be seen almost instantly rather than weeks or
months later.
From a supply chain perspective, the
advantages include a common repository of
information that can be accessed globally at
any time, and a common compliance process.
To succeed, such a system must know who
you are, what your role is and where you can
go in the system. It must capture the complex
assurance processes on the project, and make
them available to the entire community. It has
to be highly intuitive and extremely easy to
use, and accessible worldwide in a cloud-
based format.
All this information is aggregated into a
powerful programme-level dashboard enabling
management to manage by exception. “There
is no doubt in my mind this will become the
standard approach for all major projects in the
future. It will change contractual boundaries
and relationships and will give the Government
and stakeholder communities the governance
they demand.”
Bridging the innovation gapDavid Clarke, director of Future Railway began
his presentation on enabling innovation with
a quick description of how the Future Railway
grew out of the findings of the Rail Technical
Strategy.
Created at the end of 2012 to stimulate
innovation in the rail sector by helping fund the
costly processes of demonstrating prototyping
and commercialising innovative ideas, it
was initially called the Enabling Innovation
Team (EIT). Launched with just £30 million
Government funding, it has converted that sum
into £60 million of investment through match
funding from the innovators and commitments
from other funding organisations. “We’re now
supporting well over 150 companies, many
of them SMEs, to bring their ideas closer to
market.”
The strategy is to establish what problems
the industry has, and then run a competition
to find identify innovative ideas to solve them.
Among those that are currently being funded
are concepts for an electric/electric hybrid
capable of running on battery power over non
electrified stretches of track and under the
pantograph on electrified sections, and the
Avoidance Of Bridge Reconstruction scheme
which could help save 25 per cent of
24 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
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Dave Clarke
Chris Rolison
enormous growth opportunities over the next
few years they will need the entire organisation
to be invigorated, working with them and
pulling together in the direction of company
strategy.
“Many companies put processes in place
to do this but find they don’t work,” Richard
said. “And this is largely about how to engage
people. We need an environment where the
people in the organisation have the right
mindset and a way of thinking that’s aligned
with the strategy you are trying to implement.”
The method for achieving this is the same,
regardless of whether it is in a 14,000 people
company that is spread across the world or in
a 50 person SME. And it can be broken down
into the following steps.
Firstly, distil the essence of the company
strategy into a short message that is exciting,
very simple and can be communicated easily
across the business. Secondly define the short
and medium term steps by which this can be
achieved. “And this is where the execution
often falls down. This is about strategy and not
about hitting budgets or deadlines. You have to
have a separate management system for that.”
Communicate all of this effectively, and create
a strong visual presentation of it which every
individual can see on a daily basis.
The next step is to create KPIs for everyone
in the business. These should not only be
the usual measures of outcomes, but should
also measure the health of the processes
that deliver those outcomes. “This is very
informative and effective because it will
get everyone in the business engaged in
performance and change culture. The outcome
will then take care of itself.” Then set up a
management structure to review the KPIs and
performance at different levels of the business,
and to cascade the information to the top.
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 25
This culture change is not likely to succeed,
however, unless people are effectively coached
during the review process. “Leaders often tend
to tell their teams how they’re performing and
then try and solve their problems,” Richard
said. “What you need to do is empower the
team members to analyse their performance
and find their own solutions to improve it.
People need to be challenged. They will rise
to the challenge. Teach them how to respond,
and give them the tools to use.”
The final part of Richard’s message was that
you have to change the way you talk to your
people, and the way they communicate cross
functionally to solve the issues in the business,
a point that had been very well expressed
at TBM’s Railway Executive dinner the night
before.
Ushering in change at Network RailNetwork Rail went live with its new supply
chain configuration on 14 April. The National
Supply Chain (NSC) headed up by managing
director Nick Elliott replaces the previous NDS
functions. Now, just one month in, head of
procurement Jim Carter explained some of the
changes and what suppliers can now expect.
Firstly Network Rail recognises it has not
been easy to do business with. “So this has
been a profound reorganisation and not just
been a matter of tacking teams together,”
Jim said. From now onward there will be one
primary contact for suppliers and customers
dealing with Network Rail, and this is achieved
through six clearly defined outward facing
directorates.
The Delivery directorate has four regional
sections, and is responsible for infrastructure
haulage, seasonal delivery and tampers.
Mark Palmer is the primary contact for the
routes in the north, Rob Davis for the south,
Stephen Armstrong in the east and Emma
Osborn in the west.
The National Railway Services directorate
under Paul Gilbert brings together vertically
aligned teams to run services such as
stoneblowers, grinders, road fleet and
infrastructure monitoring with full responsibility
for the end to end service provision.
Mark Black heads up the Finance
directorate, with a remit for financial control and
performance reporting for all business activities
as well as responsibility for key NSC systems.
The Technical Services directorate is
responsible for all aspects of safety and
sustainable development, quality and
fleet technical services and business
activities including key systems such as
ISO9001, ISO14001 and enterprise content
management. This is headed up by
Brian Mayo.
Ian Sexton leads a 700-strong team at
Strategic Services with responsibility for
the development and delivery of category
management, procurement, supplier
relationship management, external business
development, marketing and communications.
And finally Katrina Law is in charge of
Materials and Logistics, which supplies and
delivers railway materials such as rail, sleepers,
ballast and components to customers. The
directorate has responsibility for the end to end
service provision.
From the customer service perspective there
is now a strong regional presence that offers
local knowledge, and clear points of contact.
According to Jim, the reorganisation creates
good visibility and data analytics and should
enable the organisation to make better use of
its resources. The charters for each department
have also been realigned to speak to the
entire organisation.
View at the topProf. Richard Parry-Jones, chairman of
Network Rail then took the stage and gave an
information packed speech that outlined some
of the opportunities for companies to innovate,
bring new technologies to the railways and
improve economic growth in the UK.
From Network Rail’s perspective, all
infrastructure investments are designed to
improve the customer experience, where the
term customer encompasses not only the train
and freight operating companies but extends to
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Jim Carter
Richard Holland
the end user – the consumer.
“Something I’ve brought from other
industries is that it’s easy to underestimate
how huge the effect of technology is at
changing the customer experience. In many
cases change is evolutionary but sometime it’s
transformational,” Richard said. “The speed
of adoption of technology in the rail sector is
slow compared with other industries. So there
are real opportunities to grasp technological
change more aggressively.”
Currently, some of the biggest opportunities
in innovation stem from the transition from
analogue to digital railway, and how data
collection across the network can be used
to improve performance. But it doesn’t stop
there. “We’re also moving into digital asset
management and automated traffic control.
And we’re about to embark on the biggest
signalling revolution since the railways
began,” he said.
Another trend he perceives is the move to
true collaboration. “I think we all recognise
that we have achieved all the gains we can by
trading with each other,” he explained. “The
next step in performance improvement will
come through collaboration and optimising
across all systems.”
From Network Rail’s perspective innovations
should apply to one of these key strategic
areas: safety of the public and the workforce;
quality, reliability and resilience; capacity; cost
efficiency; and sustainability.
He then talked freely about some of the
longer-term possibilities in innovation. Here
are just a few examples. “Digital processing
and transmission bandwidth are on a very
clear trajectory to becoming infinite and free.
If that happens, how would we reconfigure
our business?” he asked. “It will be no good
crunching more and more numbers if we can’t
extract useful insights from those numbers
efficiently. So having analytic capability is going
to be a huge competitive advantage and a core
competence for companies in the future.”
He sees a shift towards megatronics - where
digitally controlled actuation devices are used
on mechanical systems the systems can be
configured to behave in an extremely non-
linear way.
From the safety perspective there are many
possibilities. Remote asset surveillance could,
for example, take the form of acoustic sensors
in the embankments listening for soil particle
movements. Data from this could predict earth
movements well ahead of an event, and trigger
maintenance to prevent a dangerous land
slip. Remote condition monitoring could also
step up a notch and contribute to improved
designs.
He believes the industry should be looking
at exoskeletal robotics, a robotic suit that
track workers could ‘wear’. It would enable
them to perform skilled manual and intellectual
tasks and employ the mechanical power of
the suit to perform the physically challenging
elements of the work. The concept is already
being developed in other industries, and would
significantly improve the long term health of
track workers.
Transponders on trains and on the
maintenance team’s personal protection
equipment could give warning of an
approaching train. And for the sticky issue of
safety on level crossings: “Why don’t we work
with Apple or Google so when pedestrians
are listening to music on their iPhones, it will
use the GPS data and mute the music to
warn them when they are approaching a level
crossing. The technology is already there. This
could be done at very little cost.”
The railways already use geotechnical
developments such as micro piling and bound
ballast to reduce maintenance costs. But
Richard is really keen to look at coatings for the
rail industry, and sees huge opportunities in the
wheel track interface in for example the design
of bogeys and the points systems.
On the civil construction side, the trend is to
move towards off-site fabrication and systems
integration, and this has already been used by
Network Rail in bridge construction. Further
areas of interest include advanced reliability
engineering, and hybrid drives and automated
driver support.
All in all, it was a quick but fascinating romp
through all the technologies and developments
currently on the horizon, and it certainly
provided a lot of food for thought.
ConclusionThe range, vision and quality of this packed
speaker programme made this an essential
event for all rail supply chain companies
inhabiting or wanting to work in this fast
moving space. It is easier, now, to see
the shape of the industry to come, the
opportunities that are available and steps that
can be taken to establish the UK supply chain
in the global marketplace.
It was not all intensive listening, though.
The speaker programme was complemented
by lunch time and coffee breaks during which
delegates could wander through the exhibitor
areas making contact and asking questions.
Many also took the opportunity to catch up
on networking opportunities either inside this
beautiful historic building or outside in the sun
drenched garden. It was a day packed with
opportunity. zz
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26 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
Richard Parry-Jones
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 27
T he UK is not the only country debating the merits of
high speed rail: Investment in infrastructure for high
speed rail is increasing around the world, especially
across Asia and the Arab states.
One example is the Beijing-Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong
Kong high speed rail line which is due to open in 2015
and which will be the longest of its kind in the world at
1,390 miles.
It will halve the journey time between the Chinese capital
and Hong Kong, and clearly the ability to dramatically shrink
journey times is the main reason why high speed rail is
becoming so popular.
Passengers who enjoy such modern journey times also
expect modern standards of comfort on-board and would
baulk at old-fashioned toilet systems which simply deposit
waste on the track.
In many countries, the UK included, concern for the
cleanliness of the railway track has led to legislation requiring
new rolling stock to be fitted with controlled emission toilet
(CET) systems which end that practice.
However, high speed trains are expensive, and operators
who have made significant investments don’t want the
rolling stock to be lying idle: there has also been an increase
in trains running around the clock.
This leaves less time for maintenance – giving rise to a
need for fully automated CETs that can be emptied swiftly,
allowing the rolling stock to return to service within minutes
rather than half an hour.
Thankfully advances in the design have resulted in the
latest model being able to empty three times as many tanks
in the same time as a conventional system.
Automated CET systems have the capability of cleaning
out tanks on a 12-carriage high speed train in just three
minutes, which is a vast improvement on the half hour
which the task would previously have taken with a
conventional system.
This speed has been achieved by harnessing
technology used in aircraft toilets – yet another example
of how trains are a method of passenger transport that is
truly fit for the 21st century.
The same restrictions on time apply to the cleaning of
the rolling stock itself. With more high speed trains running
around the clock washing has to be efficient and effective
no matter the local conditions.
High speed trains provide a premium service and as
such have to present a highly professional image, with a
smart livery (that has often cost a small fortune to design)
clearly visible to advertise the service.
As weather conditions vary enormously around the
world – from the dry, hot, sandy environment in the
Arab states to the heat and humidity of Thailand to the
constantly changing British sunshine and showers – so too
do the details of automated train washing systems.
Each automated train washing system has to be
adapted to the local conditions, through the use of different
materials and special design consideration. Selecting a
manufacturer that can adopt a bespoke approach to each
individual order is the key to success. zz
As high speed trains spread across the world, they are accompanied by an increasing demand for thoroughly modern and operationally efficient passenger comforts.
HArvey AlexAnder, chairman of Smith Brothers & Webb, explains how these work
Aircraft technology for clean rails
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzMaintenance
Network Rail announces track delivery partners for 2014 -19 l Network Rail has announced
preferred bidders for the delivery of its
£800 million conventional track
renewals and enhancements programme
for 2014-19.
Over the funding period from April
2014 - March 2019, Network Rail will
be renewing more than 7,000km of
track – enough to stretch from London
to Mumbai – as part of a £25 billion
investment programme to improve the
railway infrastructure in the UK.
Following a competitive procurement
process, three bidders – Babcock,
Carillion and Colas – have won contracts across seven geographic lots to deliver
conventional plain line track works worth around £375 million. The renewal of switches and
crossings will be delivered by two alliances that combine designer, installer and Network
Rail. The contracts have gone to Amey Sersa and Colas URS, each winning work on one of
two larger alliance areas worth up to £400 million over the next ten years.
Meanwhile, delivery of the national high output track programme will not be outsourced
during the next funding period. Instead, when the existing contract with AmeyCOLAS
expires in March 2015, Network Rail will bring the existing high output team in house.
Steve Featherstone, Network Rail track programme director said: “Our full-time,
professional high output track renewals workforce is fundamental to delivering a safe,
reliable railway. By creating a single team within Network Rail we can make step changes in
training and development in order to further improve safety and productivity within this key
part of the industry.”
Alstom lands €220 million contract in Spain l An Alstom-led consortium
comprising Alstom, Bombardier
and Indra, has won a €410 million
contract to supply its ERTMS
Level 2 signalling system and
maintenance for a period of
20 years for Spain’s new north-
west high speed line.
The contract, from Spanish
railway infrastructure
management company ADIF,
applies to 310 km of new high
speed line from Valladolid to León
and from Venta de Baños to
Burgos.
Work will include project
design, procurement, installation,
commissioning and maintenance
of the signalling, the fixed
telecommunication and the
Automatic Train Protection
systems, the centralised
traffic control, the security
equipment, the mobile GSM-R
communications equipment and
infrastructure for trains and mobile
phone operators.
Masabi smartphone ticketing for New York’s trains
l The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has
awarded a contract to mobile ticketing and payments
specialist Masabi, to provide mobile ticketing for both the
Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road.
The technology will enable passengers to buy and use
electronic tickets for both railroads using their smartphones.
The system is already used by 18 global transit agencies
including: Thames Clippers, Virgin Trains, First Group,
Boston’s MBTA, NICE Bus, San Diego MTS and
CrossCountry Trains.
Based on Masabi’s JustRide platform, it is an end-to-end
mobile ticketing and fare collection system that includes
features such as ticket purchase, user display and easy
validation together with sophisticated back-end infrastructure for secure payments, ticket management, customer service,
reporting and real-time analytics.
“This is a step forward as we look to use the latest technologies available to make fare payment at all our agencies easier, faster,
and more convenient,” said Thomas F Prendergast, chairman and CEO of the MTA.
New York’s Grand Central Station
28 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz NEWS I Contracts
£330 million stations programme l Underground passengers across the network will see their
stations modernised with upgraded flooring, walls and ceilings,
CCTV systems and energy-efficient lighting in a £330 million
Station Stabilisation programme over the next seven years.
London Underground (LU) has selected more than 20 contractors
and three multi-discipline design firms to bring a new innovative
and collaborative approach to the work, which will see 70 stations
modernised and maintained to a common standard that will
mean no significant further work should be needed for ten
further years.
The new approach’s principle is ‘production leads, everything
else enables’, a shift in focus that has been assisted with LU’s
adoption of Stuttgart-based DS Consulting’s Collaborative
Planning methodology, a process to provide trade supervisors
with the tools to drive production at the work-face.
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 29
Food banks launched l National Express train operator c2c has launched a collection for
local food banks through its stations to help support local people in
need. Passengers are able to join staff by donating long-lasting food
items, such as tins, rice and pasta, cereals, and tea and coffee at
any c2c station. The food is then being donated to one of five local
food bank collections, spread across the c2c route.
c2c Group Station Manager Julie Davis, who is helping to co-
ordinate the appeal, said: “We started this as a community appeal
among our staff, but then realised our stations provide the perfect
opportunity for our customers to get involved too. Local food banks
play a vital role and always need more donations, so anyone who
wants to donate items can just drop them off at their local station.”
Sliding into place l On Easter Saturday, 19th April 2014, Freyssinet Limited successfully
completed the slide of an 800 tonne subway box structure across the
London to Sittingbourne Railway track, just west of the existing Rochester
Station. The subway will form an integral part of the brand new station
currently being built by the East Kent Resignalling Phase 2 Project (EKR2).
The slide was completed in approximately eight hours during which time
the reinforced concrete structure was moved 36 metres from its as-cast
position beside the rail embankment to its final position in the middle of
the embankment. C Spencer Ltd, a collaborative partner for EKR2, had
previously dug a channel through the embankment on Good Friday before
the slide, and they completed the backfilling around the new subway on
Easter Sunday, as part of the Easter blockade of the track.
Freyssinet used the Autoripage technique to move the structure. At
Rochester, the system used ten jacks to lift the 800 tonne box off the ground
by 100mm so it was clear of obstructions. Each jack was bolted to an Air
Pad, which ran along a steel skidway. By injecting pressurised nitrogen
gas into the Air Pads they acted like mini-hovercraft, riding on a cushion of
nitrogen along the skidways. This meant that the friction between the Air Pad
and the skidway was a very low one per cent requiring a pushing force of
only eight tonnes to move the subway across the line of the railway.
Station enhancements l Eurostar has unveiled the first phase of a brand new
ticket office in St Pancras International station, as part of an
extensive programme of station improvements to enhance
the passenger experience.
The stylish new ticket office has been relocated from St
Pancras station’s southern entrance to Eurostar’s existing
check-in area dramatically improving customer access. The
new ticket office features a striking contemporary design in
a bright, elegant and welcoming space with dedicated ticket
desks where passengers can speak to Eurostar’s customer
service staff about their bookings.
The second phase of the upgrade, a new Business Premier
ticket office and an area for self-service ticket machines will
open before the end of May. Once fully unveiled, the new
ticket office facilities will help streamline Eurostar travellers’
journeys through the station.
Mikaël Lemarchand, Director of Stations of Eurostar
commented: “Throughout our 20th year of operation we are
investing in every area of our business with our stations at
the forefront of this investment programme. Stations are a
central element of every journey our passengers take and
we are committed to making the experience as seamless as
possible. The new ticket office at St Pancras station is the first
stage of a series of enhancements and passengers will also
see exciting changes in Paris Gare du Nord, Brussels Midi
and Lille Europe over the next 12 months.”
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30 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
T he construction of a railway tunnel through
the Hallandsås ridge in southern Sweden has
a long history, but the end is in sight with the
start of traffic services scheduled for late 2015.
To help meet the demanding project schedule and the
challenges of performing tunnel excavation and detailed
engineering design in parallel, Trafikverket, the Swedish
Transport Administration, chose to advance its use of
Building Information Modeling (BIM) practices with the
help of Sweco Infrastructure AB. Sweco was given the
responsibility for all BIM related strategy and co-ordination
of the Hallandsås project including helping the project team
implement effective BIM processes to optimise production,
develop integrated 3D models through a collaborative
design process, and use that information throughout the
project lifecycle. The successful BIM implementation on
this project, using Bentley® ProjectWise®, MicroStation®,
InRoads®, Bentley Rail Track, and Bentley Navigator,
has resulted in innovative methods, reusable resources,
a reduction in costs, and productivity improvements that
help keep the project on schedule.
A challenging project creates opportunitiesWhen completed, the tunnel through the Hallandsås ridge
will increase the railway capacity from four to 24 trains
per hour, enabling more traffic to be moved from road
to rail. Building the tunnel however, has been a major
challenge caused by the geological nature of the ridge,
with partly cracked and disintegrated rock and large
amounts of water. Construction originally began in 1992,
but was discontinued five years later due to alarming
impacts on the environment. The project restarted in 2003,
after thorough investigations, legal trials, and political
discussions. New tunnelling techniques and equipment
enabled the creation of a fully lined water-tight tunnel
to minimise environmental impact. While minimising the
environmental impact is crucial, the project still had to be
completed in time for the start of traffic services in 2015.
As the project progressed, and Trafikverket realized
that planning and detailed engineering design of track and
related infrastructure would need to happen in parallel
Keeping the Hallandsås
tunnel project on track
with the tunnelling, it sought new and innovative ways of
working to keep the project on schedule. “Trafikverket
have been using BIM techniques and methods since 1994
for its rail projects but concluded that increasing its level
of BIM adoption would help improve productivity and
reduce rework on the Hallandsås project,” said Leif Malm,
technology strategist for major projects at Trafikverket.
Developing effective BIM processesWorking with BIM can often require a shift of focus, as
processes and the organization of information are just as,
if not more important than, the technology or products
used. For a successful BIM project, it is vital to create
distinct processes that enable all engineering disciplines
to access and deliver the right information, to the right
people, at the right time. Clear directives concerning
classification of all constructible objects including track,
catenary, substations, and buffers, were required, as well
as specifications for the metadata/information each object
must contain. Procedures for systematic risk management
and quality assurance of the digital model must also be
established. Well defined working methods, including
coordination meetings and communication between
the different stakeholders, provide the ability to detect,
analyze, and solve problems as early as possible.
Sweco worked with Trafikverket to create an integrated
3D-object library, as well as automated scripts for when
objects are inserted into the CAD models. Every object is
specified with detailed information such as type, codes,
part number, description, and web links. This standardised
library not only ensures project quality for the Hallandsås
project, but also means that every 3D object can be re-
used by Trafikverket on future projects. The 3D model not
only allows visualization of design and function, it enables
automatic generation of drawings and reports, facilitates
simulation and analysis, aids in the identification and
avoidance of clashes, and much more.
Reusability has been a leading star in the Hallandsås
project, both in terms of functionality and methodology.
Recurring items are modeled, attached with attributes, and
compiled into a 3D object library. These objects can be
‘Live BIM’ implementation enables the project team to meet the challenges of designing in parallel with production on Swedish rail tunnel
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Project SummaryOrganization:
Sweco Infrastructure AB
Solution: Rail and Transit
Location: Hallandsås, Sweden
Project Objectivesl Implement a systematic
and integrated work process for BIM to keep the project
on schedule,and increase the project quality throughout the
entire lifecyclel Develop reusable BIM
objects, methods, and techniques
l Use structured model information for asset
management when the tunnel is operational
Products UsedBentley Navigator, Bentley
Rail Track, InRoads, MicroStation, ProjectWise
Fast Factsl Sweco developed a
standardised co-ordination process, supported by
Bentley Navigator and MicroStation that allows the
reduction of design faults and increases quality.
l By combining ‘as-built’ tunnelling data and the
latest engineering design information, the team can
effectively manage the changing conditions as
tunnelling progresses.
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 31
linked to different processes, including time management,
logistics, and procurement planning.
Choosing the right technical platform for Live BIMA successful BIM project needs a software platform
capable of handling large amounts of data including
advanced objects with integrated information, as well
as managing the flow of information to multiple parties.
Bentley software has a long and proven pedigree on
railway engineering projects in Sweden. With Trafikverket
and Sweco both long-time users of products including
MicroStation, InRoads, and Bentley Rail Track, Bentley
software was the natural choice for the Hallandsås project.
Bentley Navigator is used to visualize and inspect the 3D
digital model, while ProjectWise is the hub for document
management and administration. “Bentley’s products can
manage large amounts of data with real-world coordinates,
which is of central importance in infrastructure projects,”
said Daniel Ahnsjö, BIM strategist and team manager
at Sweco.
As tunnelling proceeds, by continuously feeding the
as-built data from the tunneling production into the 3D
model, integrating it with the latest design and engineering
information, the team can effectively manage the changing
conditions. The shared information empowers the design
engineers to analyse the effect of, and react to, changes
immediately, avoiding the risk of costly surprises during
the construction as a result. “We call that Live BIM – to
use information from the ongoing production as basis for
impact assessments and adjustment of the engineering,”
explained Ahnsjö.
Co-ordination ensures production efficiency“The most important contribution is our co-ordination
process, which efficiently reduces design errors and
increases quality. We have monthly coordination meetings
with all involved engineering consultants. Before the
meeting, all current design files are loaded into a digital
model and pre-inspected using the Clash Detection
functionality in Bentley Navigator. Thanks to the pre-
inspection, which highlights design problems and obvious
errors, affected parties can discuss and solve issues in
advance. At the coordination meeting, the entire design
is reviewed using dynamic views and section cuts of the
digital model. The day after, results are published and
made easily available as 3D PDF files,” explained Ahnsjö.
Thanks to the co-ordination process, 200 non-
constructible conflicts and 3000 unique collisions have
been detected. By resolving these at the design stage,
the production cost for correctional and additional work
caused by design faults has been reduced by
50 per cent. For the Hallandsås project, with a contract
sum of SEK 700 million for the work embraced by BIM,
the cost saving is estimated to be up to SEK 50 million.
“The BIM methodology obviously constitutes a great
potential for improvements in project efficiency. BIM is all
about building and adapting information to its purpose.
Bentley’s products provide flexible conditions for coding
methodology and structure, in order to achieve more
project value,” concluded Ahnsjö.
Another BIM objective has been to enable, enhance
and reuse engineering design information in downstream
processes. In addition to providing the construction layout
and geometrical drawings, the 3D design model has
been prepared to supply data for machine control and
guidance, survey layout, quantities and specifications,
time management, cost control, analysis, as-built
models, and more. “Reinforced by the basic features
of Bentley software, and especially the Clash Detection
inside Bentley Navigator, we have shown a very positive
effect in terms of increased quality of the construction
documentation, reduced production cost for correctional
and additional work, and more efficient risk management,
which means we can secure the production schedule,”
said Ahnsjö. Long-term, the model will eventually be used
in operations and maintenance to provide up-to-date
asset management data. Hallandsås is the first and most
advanced of a group of official BIM pilot projects within
Trafikverket. As a result of the progress made, technology
used, and benefits achieved on the project, Hallandsås
will set the standard for all future projects, with
Trafikverket mandating the use of BIM in all investment
projects by 2015. zz
Web: www.bentley.com
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ROIl Resolving non-constructible conflicts during the design stage reduced construction rework by 50 per cent, reducing costs and ensuring the project stays on schedule.l Detecting conflicts and avoiding collisions in the design has saved an estimated SEK 50 million in rework.l Trafikverket’s central database of all 3D objects, templates, and scripts used on the Hallandsås project, will save time and ensure quality for future projects.
“To be successful with BIM, you need to change your mindset and way of working. Bentley software provides great freedom for creative users to challenge the conditions of the project.”
– Daniel Ahnsjö, BIM Strategist, Sweco Infrastructure AB
Controls and analysis with BIM
Effective BIM process to optimize the production
3D-object library of rail
32 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
Hong Kong’s MTR is one of the most intensively
used metros in the world. Maintenance work is
confined to just a few overnight hours, allowing
train services to run as normal during the day and
on weekends without affecting the passengers.
MTR’s night maintenance methods have recently
attracted the attention of Transport for London (TfL), which
has been considering a 24 hour weekend tube service.
TfL then sent some of its personnel to Hong Kong on a
fact-finding mission to observe MTR’s overnight works.
What they saw reassured the visiting delegation that they
could deliver the service in London from 2015 by adopting
intensive night maintenance on week nights.
In Hong Kong, continuous repairs to the network reduce
the chances of faults along the lines and help to avoid
delays. This is one of the reasons why the MTR in Hong
Kong has a punctuality rate of 99.9%. In this article, I will
highlight some of the methods MTR uses during the night
maintenance works for early detection and repair of any
irregularities in the railway network.
PlanningHong Kong’s MTR carries 5.2 million passengers a day
on its 218 km network, so the pressure on the trains and
the infrastructure is immense. Planning maintenance work
is therefore essential to ensuring the network is in a good
condition in order to prevent delays.
Each night the maintenance team only has a small
window of three to four hours in which to carry out the
works. MTR has therefore developed the Engineering
Work and Traffic Information Management System (ETMS),
which is an intelligent workflow system that maximises the
number of repair jobs done in this small space of time.
All related work must be put into the ETMS, which
Making the most of early morning hours
schedules the works, checks for any conflict between
tasks and assigns possession protection measures
according to Rail Safety Rules.
InspectionThere are around 800 workers that maintain the Hong
Kong MTR every night, inspecting tracks and overhead
lines. The teams use a combination of sophisticated
technology that can detect faults, and visual inspections.
Visual inspections by patrolmen are conducted every
72 hours. The inspection ensures the integrity of
infrastructure equipment including rail, track support,
cables, service pipes and tunnel lining. Faults could be
identified at an early stage and remedial actions can be
arranged in advance. Visual inspection is conducted on all
rail lines as part of normal inspection procedures.
Track inspection & maintenanceOne of MTR’s most sophisticated machines is an
ultrasonic testing vehicle (UTV), dubbed the ‘Rail
Detective’, and MTR has recently invested in a new and
improved UTV. It can be seen rolling along the tracks on
the open sections of the network during the early morning
hours, scanning for minute irregularities in the rails. With a
maximum design speed of 35 kph it is able to check the
entire Kwun Tong line in just three hours. The UTV can
‘see’ through solid steel via ultrasonic waves emitted by
external wheel probes that roll along the rails. These waves
are sent to computers onboard the UTV for the technician
to analyse.
The improved data analysis function means that the
state of individual sections of rail can be automatically
compared with data collected in the previous survey
in real-time. Prior to the adoption of the new vehicle,
A regime of intensive night maintenance on Hong Kong’s metro contributes considerably to its impressive record for punctuality. Jeremy Long, Ceo europe, mTr, explains the intricacies of this regime
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Jeremy Long is CEO Europe, MTR
Rail welding
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 33
technicians would have had to download this information
and compare it manually, which is more time consuming
and less efficient. The new UTV has therefore freed up more
manpower for other inspection and maintenance works.
In addition to using the UTV, MTR employs dye and
penetrant testing on its tracks. This method is one of
the most common, non-destructive testing methods for
detecting open surface defects. It is useful for testing rail
components that cannot be tested reliably using ultrasonic
methods. And this includes the half rail section of rail
expansion joints, switch rails and cast austenitic manganese
steel (AMS) crossings. It can also be deployed to test
locations where the validity of ultrasonic testing cannot be
assured such as at wheel burns.
Keeping overhead lines in checkAnother machine that MTR uses to assess the tracks also
checks the overhead lines on a monthly basis. The track
and overhead line geometry recording vehicle and track
recording car (TOV) is an on-track machine that looks at
the geometry of the system to check if anything is out of
alignment or has excessive wear, for example. The vehicle
contains several optical and electronic systems to provide
the function of measurement including track super-elevation,
twist, gauge, longitudinal alignment, overhead line (OHL)
stagger and wear, among others things. This vehicle also
measures the track’s condition under a dynamic loading
similar to that which occurs when the train travels on
the track.
In addition to the monthly TOV inspections,
maintenance personnel conduct visual inspections of the
overhead lines every two to three days. And once a year,
technicians conduct further close-up inspections and routine
maintenance of overhead line equipment on
elevated platforms.
TrainingTraining for frontline staff takes place when the MTR is
closed in the early hours of the morning, so that normal rail
operation and passengers are not affected. The training
equips staff with operations-related knowledge and
strengthens their understanding of various railway facilities.
MTR also works with government departments such as
the Police and Fire Services to perform major drills each
year during non-service hours. The drills test readiness and
emergency response capabilities for various scenarios.
Our integrated advantageIn Hong Kong, MTR operates a fully integrated railway.
This means, we have a comprehensive set of skills: from
planning and constructing railways to operating the
service, and maintaining the infrastructure and rolling
stock. And we can share those skills with others around
the world, which is something we have in fact done with
the London Overground and Stockholm Metro.
By understanding how all network equipment and
infrastructure should function, including condition
monitoring, we can help identify symptoms at early stages
of deterioration, thus enabling early intervention which can
save cost and improve reliability. A fault at a wheel, for
example, could have a knock-on effect on the whole track
and in turn affect other wheels and related equipment.
Early identification and tackling of the problem at source
could avoid the repair work otherwise necessary. Through
better optimisation of all assets, we also reduce long-term
operating costs.
ConclusionRunning a prompt and efficient metro system requires a
world class maintenance regime. Detecting faults early
and before they become a problem during service hours is
key. MTR spends around £400 million (HK$ 5 billion) each
year on maintaining Hong Kong’s metro, upgrading assets,
buying new equipment and investing in new technologies.
The metro is an essential part of everyone’s daily life in
densely populated cities such as Hong Kong and London.
Without a highly reliable metro such cities would simply
not be able to function. And Hong Kong and London
are not the only cities in the world that are facing this
imperative today. zz
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The Rail Detective
Night rail replacementWelding rail replacement
Rail welding
34 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
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It’s not every day that transport professionals are warned they
might soon struggle to cope because so many billions of
pounds are being invested into infrastructure improvements.
But that’s exactly what happened over the last few weeks.
Network Rail announced another £38 billion is being spent
over the next five years to further improve the railway and its
infrastructure, after Control Period 5 was rubber stamped.
Almost simultaneously, the DfT announced that a
£24 billion framework of improvements to strategic
highways and local authority roads, originally in the
spending review, had got the go-ahead.
But this bonanza of work also brings the potential
for additional risk. As almost all of these new
contracts will be awarded by public sector bodies
or regulated contracting entities, and will be subject
to a raft of new EU Procurement Directives – which
have just been agreed after the biggest overhaul in
a decade.
The changes are designed to bring more
simplicity, clarity and flexibility to the rules governing
above-threshold contracts, create a level playing
field for SMEs and fill in gaps in legislation where
historically, experts have had to find a solution using
only examples of case law.
But they are also something of a
double-edged sword, offering greater
opportunities to main contractors and
SMEs, while potentially exposing
buying organisations to a far greater
number of challenges. The most
appropriate starting point is to
gain an understanding of
the main changes.
Removal of the distinction between Part A and
Part B servicesPart A services are those opportunities
clearly covered by EU legislation, which
were likely to attract interest from providers
beyond the awarding member state. These
opportunities, if above threshold, have always
had to follow the full OJEU process.
Part B services – which were historically
deemed not to be of the same interest to other
member states – were not subject to the same
comprehensive process. Reports suggest that
historically, some awarding organisations were
assigning opportunities incorrectly as a Part B service
to shortcut the more lengthy process – but that
would now risk incurring a challenge.
In future, the full force of the regulations will apply
to the majority of services, which means more
opportunities must also be published in OJEU.
A double edged sword?LIZ WILSON-LAMB talks us through the ‘double-edged sword’ of the new EU procurement rules
Liz Wilson-Lamb is EU services manager at Achilles, one of the world’s largest service providers of global supply chain risk management solutions. www.achilles.com
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 35
Exemptions for sub-central bodiesNon-central government bodies, such as local authorities,
will now be able to use a process similar to that already
used in the utilities sector, which is EU regulated.
Procurement managers will be able to use a prior
information notice (PIN) as a call for competition in the
restricted or competitive procedure with negotiation without
the need to publish a notice in OJEU afterwards.
This enables public sector bodies to speed up the
procurement process, with shorter timescales for responses.
Shortlisting of suppliers for contracts Buyers will now only be able to specify that a potential
supplier’s minimum financial turnover is no more than two
times greater than the value of any contract. In addition,
buyers are also being encouraged to explain, in the call for
competition, why they decided not to divide large contracts
into lots; potentially creating a new avenue of challenge for
disgruntled losers.
These changes follow a series of complaints that
suppliers have been wrongly precluded from bidding for
contracts, due to demands for disproportionately high
turnover high figures.
There are also new rules around self-certification. In the
past, SMEs tendering for above threshold contracts were
required to provide evidence of compliance at the pre-
qualification stage. Now, they will only need to do so when
the contract is awarded.
Excluding suppliers from contractsBuyers have also been given additional clarity on what
are the permitted grounds for excluding bidders from a
tender process.
Suppliers can be shut out of a process where they
have shown “significant or persistent deficiencies in the
performance of a substantive requirement under a prior
public contract… which led to early termination, damages or
other comparable sanctions.”
Other new grounds for exclusion include involvement in
child labour, human trafficking, collusion with other bidders,
or attempts to influence or gain an advantage over a
tender process.
Buyers must, however, ensure they have a robust case
before they exclude any company which they feel may have
underperformed in the past.
Greater opportunities to negotiateThe new rules include three measures to improve
negotiation and dialogue.
First, there is a new “competitive procedure with
negotiation,” aimed at allowing more discussion with
suppliers. The principle is welcome but it comes with a
warning for buyers – minimum requirements and award
criteria are non – negotiable, and there are stringent
requirements to be followed, in line with the
Treaty principles.
There have also been amendments to the competitive
dialogue, and finally, “innovation partnerships,” have been
introduced. These would be used where authorities tender
for goods or services which are not currently available in
the market.
Speeding up the tender process
Mandatory time limits for tenders to be submitted have
been reduced, from 52 days to 35 in the open procedure
(or 30 if the process is electronic). In the restricted process,
it’s dropped from 40 to 30 (or 25 when electronic). For
competitive dialogue, the minimum requirement for receipt
of requests to participate is 30 days.
Management of contracts The new directives define more closely what constitutes
a ‘substantial’ or ‘material’ change to a contract to
protect suppliers from being un-necessarily precluded
from bidding for contracts. The risk of course is that the
actual contract being delivered is significantly different
to the one advertised. This constitutes a new contract
awarded without a call for competition and is a risk of
‘ineffectiveness,’ and can be cancelled by a court.
If an agreement changes substantially, then potentially,
buyers can be challenged. To protect themselves,
buyers must post a notice in the OJEU explaining
proposed changes. zz
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l Read up on the new rules With a lucrative pipeline of work on the way and more opportunities for suppliers to challenge, buyers must protect themselves by knowing the new rules as soon as possible. With the risk of heavy penalties for a breach, it is worth investing in specialist training for teams involved in procurement and contract management. Although the directives are yet to be interpreted into UK law, it is likely that the courts may take a view that they should be moving in the direction of expected legislation.
l Go through your contracts with a fine tooth combBuying organisations need to be confident that their existing contracts and procedures are water tight and in line with expected legislative requirements.Organisations need to ensure there is no ambiguity over what is required from suppliers and they will have to check that the right processes are in place to prevent contracts from changing substantially over time. That can be challenging – particularly when those responsible for setting the contract, ensuring compliance and managing arrangements on an on-going basis are from different departments.
l Get ahead of the gameThe UK Government has 24 months to implement the new rules into its own legislation. However, the Cabinet Office has signalled its intent to complete this sooner, with a suggested deadline of six months.Smart buyers will update their processes now to ensure compliance by the due date. Even in the event of a challenge, it is helpful to show willing.
Top Tips for buyers
36 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
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Now in its tenth year, Infrarail always provides a
unique opportunity for companies serving the rail
infrastructure market to showcase their products
and services. At a time of continued investment
in the rail market, the exhibition positions itself as the place
for people from throughout the industry to meet face to
face, make connections and do business.
Infrarail exhibitions are held biennially and have
successfully served this market for nearly 20 years. At
Infrarail in 2012, over 210 exhibitors including Invensys
Rail, Rittal, Unipart Rail, Vital Rail and GGR Rail maximised
the business opportunities presented by over 4500
visitors. The 2014 event promised to offer another unique
opportunity for the rail infrastructure market to connect
against a backdrop of business generation, discussion
and innovation.
To add further interest for visitors, The Civil Infrastructure
and Technology Exhibition (CITE) was co-located with
Infrarail 2014 - making the largest infrastructure exhibition
held in the UK this year. CITE focused on infrastructure,
civil engineering, energy, geotechnical, tunnelling,
waste, water and utilities, while Infrarail focused on rail
infrastructure.
In addition to exhibitors’ stands, Infrarail 2014 included
dedicated display areas, as well as an extensive range of
supporting activities. These included programmes of free
technical seminars and keynote presentations that ran
throughout the show. On each day of Infrarail, a leading
influential figure delivered a keynote speech, starting
with an address by the Minister of State for Transport.
In addition, the rail engineer, published by Infrarail Media
Partner RailMedia, hosted a programme of seminars
by senior managers responsible for the implementation
of current UK rail projects and by representatives of
companies taking part in Infrarail highlighting developments
in technology.
Cleverly divided into sections - The Platform, The Track
and The Yard - Infrarail’s Hall offered a wide choice of
offerings for visitors. The Platform, hosted once again
by Rail Champions and this year in partnership with Rail
Technology Magazine, sought to engage, offer debate
and share insights into ‘gear changing’ principles that
business leaders should be adopting. It featured three new
expert panels, which were held over the three days of the
exhibition.
The Track displays were a key feature at Infrarail. Two
Infrarail 2014The UK’s definitive rail infrastructure event took place at Earls Court 2, London from 20th to 22nd May 2014
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 37
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzlengths of track were laid in the Hall where suppliers
displayed their products in situ. There is no better way to
experience a product than to see how it sits, works and
looks on track as it would in the field. The Track included
displays from Rosehill Rail, BCM and Tata Steel.
The Yard is where exhibitors had the opportunity to
display large machinery in a dedicated area. The Yard at
Infrarail brought the outdoors in, and gave companies
the opportunity to showcase equipment to thousands of
visitors.
Further additions to the Hall included the Rail Alliance
Hub, which was a dedicated area where members of
the Rail Alliance exhibited alongside one another and
promoted their products, services and innovations.
UK Trade & Investment, working in partnership with
the Railway Industry Association, also held a series of
Exports events at Infrarail for UK rail sector suppliers.
These events were open to all UK-based companies
and were free to attend, although prior registration was
essential.
Finally, The Recruitment Wall at Infrarail, powered by
RailwayPeople.com, offered visitors the opportunity to
search exhibitor vacancies live and find their next career
move. They were then able to visit the company’s stand
and discuss the vacancy directly.
A very popular part of this year’s event was the
Infrarail Awards dinner, which acknowledged exhibitors’
successes. Held on Wednesday 21 May, the Awards
were designed to recognise excellence within the
organisations that exhibit at Infrarail or CITE. The host
for the Infrarail & CITE Awards was football legend Kevin
Keegan, and demand for places was high - attendees
don’t have to be shortlisted to attend.
2014’s Infrarail promised to be a fascinating event
for anyone involved in the rail industry. As exhibition
manager Heidi Cotsworth notes: “With so much
investment in UK rail infrastructure, some of it looking
well ahead, business prospects for companies
supplying this market appear very promising. This tenth
Infrarail provides a great opportunity for firms seeking
a share of that business to present their capabilities
in an environment that the whole industry knows and
respects.” zz
Visit: www.infrarail.com for more details
The label guys Silver Fox, a leading UK manufacturer of labelling solutions, exhibited its solutions
for the rail industry at the 10th International Railway Infrastructure Exhibition (Infrarail
2014). On its exhibition stand, Silver Fox showcased its wide range of labelling
solutions but especially its Fox-Flo UV-stable, low smoke, zero halogen (LSZH) tie-on
cable labels. Independently verified as meeting tough, stringent standards with regard
to durability despite the most demanding of operating conditions, Fox-Flo labels
printed in conjunction with along with the Silver Fox Fox-in-a-Box Cable Label System
is approved for use by London Underground (LUL) – especially for labelling both low
and high voltage power cables.
According to Nick Michaelson, CEO of Silver Fox, the Silver Fox Tie-On cable marking
system is ideal for large cables and cable bundles - including use with nylon or
stainless steel cable ties – such as are used in the rail industry. For example, they are
used on LUL compliant cable labels for power, co-axial and fire alarm cables.
He added: “At a time of continued investment in rail, Infrarail 2014 provided
an excellent opportunity for companies, such as Silver Fox, that serve the rail
infrastructure market to showcase their products and services. We were delighted to
be heading to Earl’s Court for this event.”
Visit Silver Fox on stand H66
Pillar of strengthLucy Zodion Ltd is a leader in the design and manufacture of pre-wired, customised
feeder pillars and distribution panels to the UK rail industry. It additionally provides
exterior lighting control solutions. With a choice of finishes and base materials, the
Lucy Zodion range of pillars is able to withstand a variety of hostile climatic conditions
for extended periods of time, virtually maintenance free. If a particular application
requires a tailored product, the company engages its design and engineering services
to create a bespoke solution. Its product range now also includes the innovative
DistRX distribution panel and the Westminster retractable power pillars.
Visit Lucy Zodion on stand F51
Gain the advantageInstarmac Group is home to a portfolio of fast, contractor-friendly repair and
maintenance products for the rail, road and transport sectors. Its products for the
installation and maintenance of kerbs, sleepers, public facilities, platforms, paving and
pedestrian areas have all been developed and manufactured in the UK with fast set
times and contractor-friendly application.
At Infrarail Instarmac intended to portray how such repair materials can be used
to the contractor’s advantage - minimising possession times and ensuring first
time permanent repairs. Visitors could view products from this experienced British
manufacturer and see how rail industry specialists can benefit from fast project
turnarounds.
Visit Instarmac Group on stand B63
Tools of the trade
Jafco Tools is an established manufacturer of specialist insulated & non-insulated
railway track tools. Over the last 25 year it has developed a comprehensive range of
track tools in partnership with London Underground and Network Rail.
The Jafco stand at Infrarail featured new and existing products to include the
following: open jaw spanners, tee spanners, slewing bars, ballast & trackside tools,
keying hammers, jack handles, manipulating tools, punches/sets, line scraper, point
cleaner, spanapullers, hook switch poles, short circuit bar, trough lid tilter, torque
wrench, long handled grafters and vegetation tools.
Visit Jafco on stand D11
Exhibitor focus
Facilities investment l Investment in new and improved facilities at 23 different stations
on the East Midlands Trains network has delivered a wide range
of benefits for passengers including around 800 additional cycle
spaces, better waiting facilities, new seating and refurbished toilets.
Larger scale investment has seen the complete refurbishment of
ticket offices at Lincoln and Market Harborough and additional ticket
machines at Nottingham and Sheffield.
Andy Moore, head of stations for East Midlands Trains, said: “As
well as working on the larger station schemes, such as Nottingham,
our teams have been busy working on a range of improvements to
stations right across our network. We’ve invested over
£1.5 million over the past year to deliver better station facilities with
extra bike spaces, better toilets and improved waiting areas. We’ve
also completed a number of accessibility improvement schemes
providing accessible toilets, better station entrances and tactile
maps to help visually impaired passengers find their way around our
stations more easily.
“This has been a great start to the year, and we’re sure
passengers will welcome this significant investment in our stations.
There’s still plenty to come for the year ahead however, with the
major improvements at Nottingham, opening of three major new
cycle hubs, Kettering station’s First Class Lounge and further station
accessibility improvements to look forward to.”
38 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
Raising the roof l Morgan Sindall has installed the first of 15 curved steel ribs
for the ultra-modern new roof at Manchester Victoria Station.
The project is part of a £44 million investment by Network
Rail to create a modern station environment while retaining
the building’s Grade II listed features.
The team used a goliath sized 1200 tonne crane, of which
only one of its type is available in the UK at any one time, to
lift two of the 1.2 metre deep and 0.5 metre wide ribs over
a city tram route and onto 18 metre high columns and four
metre high buttresses.
Nick Fletcher, managing director of civil engineering at
Morgan Sindall, said: “We are delighted to be working with
Network Rail on this prestigious scheme to enhance the
historic station structure and improve passengers’ journeys.”
The new roof structure itself has been designed to allow
natural daylight to flood into the station through the use of
lightweight, transparent ETFE – the material used at Piccadilly
station in London, the Eden Project in Cornwall and the
swimming pool built for the Beijing Olympics, known as the
Water Cube.
Elegant façade l London and Rotterdam based architecture firm, Maccreanor
Lavington has completed a major new metro station in
Amsterdam, Netherlands. Work on the new 550m² station and
1880m² platform in the neighbourhood of Bijlmermeer started in
2010, and it sits on the site of the original station, built in 1970.
The metro station features a ground level entrance with new
escalators to take passengers up to the platforms, a major
improvement for citizens as the old station only had stairs. The
ground level entrance provides the main focal point of the station
with an elegant stainless steel façade with a floral design. The
laser cut design allows plenty of natural light to flow through the
entrance, helping the passenger journey to seamlessly flow from
the external surroundings into the station.
At night time the design allows the station to be a lantern for the
local neighbourhood, creating a sense of warmth on street level
and creating an instantly recognisable feature for the station. The
architects’ chose stainless steel for the external façade due to its
durability and low maintenance enabling the station not to need
constant upkeep.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz NEWS I Stations
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 39
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right
© E
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lzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzNEWS I Industry
Eurotunnel slashes rail freight charges
l In the year that Eurotunnel celebrated the 20th anniversary of its opening, the organisation
has committed to significantly reducing the charges for rail freight services through the tunnel.
The changes, which take effect from June 2014, will see tolls for the ‘off peak’ period,
when most freight traffic operates, cut by 25% compared to 2013 levels. There will be no
further increase until at least 2018.
Eurotunnel’s ETICA incentive scheme, launched in May last year to encourage the start
up of new intermodal freight services, is also being enhanced. New freight rail services will
receive an average overall discount of 35 to 40 per cent and the programme will be extended
to five new categories.
Maggie Simpson, executive director of Rail Freight Group commented: “This is good
news for rail freight and will help deliver a growth in services through the Channel Tunnel.
This offers significant benefits to businesses in the UK seeking efficient, affordable and
environmentally sound transport links.”
Rail freight through the tunnel rose by 10 per cent in 2013, and by 13 per cent in the first
quarter of 2014.
Pamplona acquires Beacon Rail Leasing
l London-based
investment group Pamplona
Capital Management has
acquired British rolling stock
leasing company Beacon
Rail Leasing from BTMU
Capital Corporation, a
subsidiary of Mitsubishi UFJ
Financial Group.
The deal, which includes
commitments to firm
future orders for
locomotives, is worth
around $US 450 million.
Headquartered in London
with additional offices in
Boston and Rotterdam,
Beacon’s current assets
include 77 locomotives,
632 freight wagons, and
20 passenger train units
on lease in the UK, France,
Belgium, Norway, Sweden
and Germany.
In addition, the company
has ordered 15 diesel-
electric and 10 dual
mode locomotives from
Vossloh for lease to Direct
Rail Services in the UK.
These locomotives will be
delivered from 2014 through
2016, increasing Beacon’s
locomotive portfolio to
102 units.
Beacon currently serves
three of the top freight
operators in the UK
as well as RheinCargo
from Germany, France’s
Europorte and VFLI, and
Norway’s CargoNet.
Ted Gaffney, President
of Beacon, will continue
to lead the company
supported by the existing
management team.
Rail freight delivers £1.5 billion to UK economy
l British businesses are saving £1 billion a year – or £2.7 million a day – by using rail to transport goods,
according to a new report published by the Rail Delivery Group.
Based on analysis carried out by accountants KPMG, the report reveals that a further £500 million a year
of economic, environmental and social benefits are derived directly from decreasing the number of lorries
on the roads, and over 7.6 million road journeys were saved last year alone.
Investment in freight rail since the mid 90s has, for example, resulted in more efficient, longer trains, each
carrying an average of 50 per cent more cargo than 10 years ago. This has played a part in growing rail
freight by 70 per cent over that period.
The sector is now recognised as vital to Britain’s economic competitiveness, transporting over £30 billion
worth of goods a year from supermarket groceries and premium whiskies to over half the fuel delivered to
power stations to generate electricity.
Peter Maybury, chairman of Freightliner and the RDG freight group, said: “Rail freight has been
transformed over the past two decades and is set to keep growing. By continuing to drive efficiency and
improve performance, operators could help more than double the size of the sector over the next three
decades and increase the economic benefits of rail freight to over £4 billion a year.”
Rail journeys continue to risel The total number of rail passenger journeys across England, Scotland and
Wales increased by 3.3 per cent over the past year to 1.27 billion, according to
figures from the Office for Rail Regulation (ORR), and now stand at more than
double the number of journeys in 1995-1995.
Other key findings from the Regional Usage Profiles are: journeys between
regions increased by 2.7 per cent, largely driven by journeys to and from London.
Journeys wholly within regions rose by 3.6 per cent, boosted by the huge
6.3 per cent increase in London, and 4.2 per cent rise in the east of England.
Industry eyes £32million savingsl The first in a range of new resources is now available through the
RSSB to help rail sector companies understand and tackle health and
wellbeing issues. The human and economic costs of compromised
health are well documented and recognised, and it is estimated that
by working collaboratively across the industry to address health and
wellbeing the sector could save £32 million a year.
This programme, managed by RSSB, is a collaborative effort on
behalf of Network Rail, train and freight operators, rolling stock leasing
companies, infrastructure companies and suppliers, and supported by
the Office of Rail Regulation.
The first publications in the programme are available from the RSSB
website, and include six booklets supporting the development of health
policies, and five pieces of supporting research.
At the launch, RSSB chief executive Chris Fenton said: “The
material we’re publishing today will help individual rail businesses
to manage health and wellbeing issues among their staff, including
having a pro-active health policy, surveillance and screening, managing
mental health and stress, getting people back to productive work and
employee wellness.”
A new cross-industry policy group will be set up to drive
improvements forward.
www.rssb.co.uk
Record order from South Africal Intelligent drives specialist, Voith, has received an order for 4,800
Scharfenberg couplers for 600 new passenger trains in South Africa.
This is the largest single order for Scharfenberg couplers in the
company’s history. The couplers will be fitted to new model series
X’Trapolis Mega passenger trains from Alstom, which are being built in
South Africa.
The couplers will be delivered over a period of ten years starting in
autumn 2014.
PRASA, the state owned Passenger Rail Agency of South
Africa, intends to exchange out-of-date suburban trains in Pretoria,
Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, and will procure more than
7,000 rail vehicles over the next 20 years.
Gatwick Express reaches 30l Gatwick Express, Britain’s first dedicated airport
service, began carrying airport passengers on 10 May
1984, and has carried around 70 million passengers
over the intervening years. That equates to around
46 million miles of journeys – or nearly 100 trips to the
moon and back.
New chair for IMechE railway divisionl The incoming chair of the Railway Division of IMechE,
Professor Simon Iwnicki, plans to focus his attention on
promoting engineering among the young during his year
in office.
Due to take up the post in June, Professor Iwnicki
heads the expanding Institute of Railway Research (IRR),
based at the University of Huddersfield. The Institute
will soon be the home for the £20 million Government
funded Centre for Innovation in Rail.
“My theme for the year (as chairman) will be
education of the next generation of engineers,” he said.
“This issue is becoming really important to engineering,
especially railway engineering. There is a tremendous
skills shortage and we at the IMechE need to try to
address that.”
Professor Simon Iwnicki
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz NEWS I Industry
40 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 41
David Dickson becomes route MD for Scotland
l Network Rail has
appointed David
Dickson to the post
of route managing
director for Scotland.
David has worked
for Network Rail for
12 years, and has
previously been
director for the
west of Scotland.
In this new post he will be responsible for the
day-to-day operation and maintenance of the
railway as well as delivering ambitious plans to
enhance the network.
Commenting on his appointment, David
said: “I’m exceptionally proud to have the
opportunity to take on the role of route
managing director as we enter what will be a
unique and exciting time for Scotland’s railway.”
With a degree in mechanical engineering from
the University of Glasgow, David spent
14 years with the Weir Group before entering
the rail industry.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzNEWS I Appointments
David Strahan to move to Translinkl The Northern Ireland Transport Holding
Company has appointed David Strahan as
group chief executive of Translink. Strahan is
currently chief executive of Dee Valley Group
plc which supplies drinking water to domestic
and business customers in north east Wales
and the north west of England. Prior to
that, he was managing director of Phoenix
Supply Ltd, the largest natural gas supplier in
Northern Ireland.
Making the announcement, NITHC
Chairman Mr. John Trethowan said: “We
are delighted with this appointment which
follows a competition that attracted significant
interest and a very high calibre field. In David
Strahan we are confident that we have found
a skilled and experienced individual and the
right person to lead Translink, one of Northern
Ireland’s most high profile businesses which
provides an essential service to so many.
The date at which he takes up the post is
yet to be announced. In the interim, Gordon
Milligan will continue to act as group
chief executive.
Arriva’s Steve Murphy to join MTR Corporation
l Steve
Murphy will be
joining MTR
Corporation as
chief operating
officer –
European
business,
reporting
to Jeremy
Long, CEO-
European
business.
He will be coming from Arriva where
he was COO UK Rail. Prior to that, he
led the successful London Overground
concession as managing director from
start-up in 2007 to 2012. He will be taking
up the post in August 2014.
Commenting on the appointment
Jeremy Long said: “We are very pleased
that Steve is joining us. Steve will bring
considerable operational experience and
knowledge to our current business in
London and Stockholm, and will play a
leading role in our development plans.”
Network Rail Consulting appoints new director
l Network Rail
Consulting has
appointed Andy
Harrison as director
of signalling and
control systems
to lead its delivery
of assignments in
asset management,
maintenance and
renewal programmes.
A chartered engineer, Andy has spent the last
thirty years working for international companies
such as Invensys Rail, Ansaldo STS and
Praxis Critical Systems, delivering large-scale
projects. His experience includes the technical
management and leadership of railway
signalling and control systems through the
design, development application and project
delivery of novel safety critical technology.
Nigel Ash, Network Rail Consulting’s
managing director, said: “Andy is passionate
about railway systems and a dynamic leader.
I am delighted to have him on board and have
no doubt that he will assist in adding further
success to Network Rail Consulting.”
BIM expert Paul Clark-Edwards joins Mott MacDonald
l Mott MacDonald
has appointed Paul
Clark-Edwards as
building information
modelling (BIM)
practice leader for
its transportation
business. Paul
will develop and
implement the
consultancy’s BIM strategy of using the
technology and process as the preferred
method for project delivery.
Paul has extensive experience of BIM at
Parsons Brinckerhoff where he worked on
Qatar Rail’s development programme and as
BIM manager and co-ordinator for London
Underground (LU).
Paul Norris, director of Mott MacDonald’s
metros and civil business, said: “Paul has a
proven track record of implementing large
programmes of work in the field of BIM. His
ability to balance the multiple aspects of BIM
and deliver advanced project support ensures
a, robust, trust based and collaborative
BIM process.”
New programme director for Crossrail
l Crossrail has
announced the
appointment of
Simon Wright
to the post of
programme
director. Simon is
currently project
development
director at
Network Rail, and brings considerable
experience with him. Prior to this, he was
director of infrastructure and utilities with the
Olympic Delivery Authority.
Andrew Wolstenholme, Crossrail chief
executive said: “Simon Wright is an
outstanding candidate who successfully
led the delivery and commissioning of the
infrastructure for the London Olympic and
Paralympic Games; Crossrail will benefit
enormously from his knowledge and
expertise.”
He will take up his new position with
Crossrail role this summer.
42 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzKONECRANES UK
Indeed for more than 80 years, Konecranes has been
dedicated to improving both efficiency and performance
by providing businesses with cranes, lifting products
and services that they can trust. As a truly global
organisation, Konecranes can provide access to a unique
source of experience and knowledge which, when combined
with local know-how, effectively enhances the lifting
solutions on offer, whilst reducing downtime and increasing
productivity in the process.
Here in the UK Konecranes provides a truly national
service to the rail and intermodal sector. Alongside its UK
Head Office and Parts operation based in Castle Donington,
Konecranes operates a crane manufacturing plant in East
Kilbride, Scotland, not to mention one of the country’s most
extensive crane service networks. What’s more, such is the
depth of Konecranes’ experience with the lifting and material
handling field that customers can also tap into increasingly
popular crane modernisation programmes, whilst also
benefitting from a centralised machine tool service operation.
All in all, and as can be seen below, it is the constituent
parts that serve to make the whole, and which enables
Konecranes to provide comprehensive and performance
driven solutions that can be seamlessly integrated into any
type of customer process.
IntermodalIt goes without saying that Konecranes recognises the
strategic importance intermodal freight transport will play
in the future of the global transportation industry, so much
so that last year Konecranes organised its first ever UK
Intermodal Seminar – ‘Tracks To Success’.
The seminar was hailed a huge success as it served to
reaffirm Konecranes’ capabilities as an already established
equipment and service provider across a number of global
intermodal terminals. And with cranes and lifting equipment
forming an integral part of all future intermodal locations,
Konecranes used the platform to stress the need for end-
users, project managers, designers and contractors to
engage lifting equipment specialists at every stage of the
design, build, commissioning and operational process.
Rail/Intermodal equipmentKonecranes’ offering for the rail intermodal container
handling sector includes Rail Mounted Gantry (RMG)
Konecranes - lifting business like never beforeAs a world-leading group of lifting businesses, it comes as little surprise that Konecranes serves a diverse range of industries,
including manufacturing and processing, automotive, shipyards, ports and terminals, nuclear, waste to energy and, of course, rail. And regardless of a customer’s lifting needs, Konecranes is committed to providing effective and cost-efficient
equipment solutions that serve to add real value to businesses.
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 43
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzand safety standard
advances, but at a
fraction of the cost.
Such schemes
broadly fall into one of
two categories:
pre-engineered upgrades
and engineered crane modernisations. Within
the former process, Konecranes offers upgrades and
smaller improvements that can be applied to equipment
conveniently at a customer’s site or sites. These upgrade
services improve the functionality of the cranes, therefore
cutting down on the incidence of repeated failures that
often result in inconvenient downtime and associated
increase in cost.
Engineered modernisations are projects for overhead
cranes and port cranes. Here experts in crane electrics,
mechanics, and automation combine to deliver a complete
and often turnkey solution.
Centralised machine tool service
Serving to optimise all important customer response times,
Konecranes has also recently centralised its North and
South Machine Tool Service operations within its main
crane-manufacturing site in East Kilbride and at its Head
Office location in Castle Donington.
With a support team of over 20 skilled technicians, the
division is responsible for providing a diverse range of
customised maintenance and improvement solutions for
customers covering all types and brands of machine tools.
Parts first
Based at Konecranes’ Head Office in Castle Donington, the
UK parts operation accommodates some 5,000 individual
and immediately available items that translates into a parts
stock inventory of more than £1million. The Konecranes UK
parts operation is co-ordinated by a 23-strong team that
helps support a 24-hour emergency call out service.
Investment in training
Recognising the importance of training across all aspects
of its business, Konecranes operates a state-of-the-art
training centre located at its UK headquarters in Castle
Donington. Serving to set benchmark industry standards,
this latest facility is one of the most advanced across
Konecranes’ 48 worldwide locations.
As Pat Campbell, Konecranes’ Director of Market
Area – West Europe, states: “Across all aspects of the
Konecranes’ business here in the UK and Europe, the
future looks extremely healthy. The overall picture is one of
continued investment in the depth of product and service
provision that we are constantly and dynamically adapting
to meet the ever-changing needs of customers. At the
same time, we are working equally as hard in the fields of
education and training and health and safety, which will
contribute to ensuring Konecranes retains its competitive
edge in a world of fast moving change.” zz
cranes, man-driven or automated for accurate, smooth
and efficient container handling in intermodal locations with
high throughput.
Also available are Rubber Tired Gantry (RTG) cranes
with patented Active Load Control technology that
eliminates container sway. Such cranes are an excellent
fit for intermodal operations that are too big for reach
stackers, but too small for RMGs.
Konecranes also provides reach stackers and container
lift trucks for both laden and unladen container handling.
Konecranes lift trucks have a wide range of appreciated
standard features including an ergonomic cabin, load-
sensing hydraulics and a strongbox chassis. They also
include a wide range of optional features such as hybrid
power and engine start/stop.
Finally, Konecranes straddle carriers can prove an
excellent choice for intermodal handling thanks to their
proven manoeuvrability and low power consumption.
Industrial cranes
When it comes to industrial cranes, Konecranes sets
the industry benchmark for safety, reliability, cost saving
and productivity-enhancing innovation. Designed and
manufactured at Konecranes’ UK plant in East Kilbride
comes an almost infinite range of overhead cranes. Add in
standard heavy-duty cranes that include electric overhead
cranes up to 1,000+ tons and explosion-proof cranes and
components, and a true picture capability wise begins
to emerge. But that’s not all, as customers can tap into
workstation lifting systems by specifying ceiling-mounted
monorails and free standing cranes systems, jib cranes
and manual lifting products, not to mention electric chain
hoists that operate up to 7500 kg.
Crane service
In addition to the supply of lifting equipment, Konecranes
is revered for the magnitude of its in-the-field service
operation that centres on a 250-strong team of highly
experienced technicians that operate from a network
of 12 crane service locations. It is through this process
that customers can gain access to an extensive range of
services and unique capabilities dedicated to improving
safety, whilst helping decrease the cost of downtime and
increase the productivity of uptime.
Most recently, Konecranes’ customers have benefited
from the introduction of such innovative services as remote
monitoring and reporting tools, such as TRUCONNECT®.
Also on offer is a range of safety and maintenance surveys,
such RailQ Runway Surveys, Crane Geometric Survey and
Wire Rope Non-Destructive Testing.
Modernisations on the increase Konecranes is also reporting a marked rise in the
popularity of crane modernisation programmes, as
more and more customers begin realising the benefits of
tapping into a process that can prove to be an effective
tool in providing the latest crane productivity, technology
To find out more information on any of the products or services mentioned in this article please contact Konecranes via your preferred channel:
Website: www.konecranes.co.uk Email: [email protected]: 0844 324 6599 Twitter: @KonecranesUK
44 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzRPA Dublin – luAs TRAm
T he RPA was established in Dublin on
28 December 2001 and is today responsible for
the city’s light railway and metro lines. Dublin’s light
railway system is known as Luas (the Gaelic for
speed), which today operates two main lines with several
extensions planned and underway. The roots of the project
to deliver an effective light railway system to the city
date back to April 1994, when the Dublin Transportation
Initiative (DTI) issued a report detailing clearly defined
transportation, land use and environmental objectives
for the greater Dublin area. Initially,Córas Iompair Éireann
( CIÉ) the Irish transport semi-state company was
commissioned to begin the preliminary development
process of a light railway system before the project was
handed to RPA, which subsumed the role and held its first
board meeting in January 2002.
In accordance with its remit that came into effect with
the passing of the Railway Infrastructure Act, 2001, RPA
has worked to secure the provision of light railway and
metro infrastructure as determined by the Minster for
Transport. Following several studies including feasibility
studies in operating the Dublin Metro as a Public-Private
Partnership (PPP), RPA has developed several key
networks throughout Dublin. “We have achieved a lot since
we were first set up,” comments director of design and
construction, Pat O’Donoghue. “We have delivered five
lines since we were set up. We opened the Luas Green
Line in June 2004 and the next line in was the Red Line,
which was opened in September 2004.”
Although some concerns were raised concerning the
impact of the construction of the line on local businesses,
Luas has been very well received by the general public and
the local business community for greatly easing access
to the city. In the wake of this success RPA has since
continued to develop the line with significant backing, as
Pat explains: “This has been done in line with the political
support that we have received in light of the early success
of the project. We opened an extension to the Red Line
Rapid access Since it was opened during 2004, Dublin’s Luas tram has been a great success. Today the line’s developers, Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) Dublin is dedicated to providing the city with an extended service
Taney Bridge
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 29
information systems, stops equipment such as CCTV
and audio, vehicle location systems for communication
between the city’s traffic lights and our trams so that our
trams are given priority to ensure a reliable service. We are
currently out to tender for the main infrastructure contract,
which represents all of the more physical type work such
as tracks, stops that the public will see on the streets. The
tender is due back for that later this year.”
The Luas system has been a huge success for Dublin
and is set to be even more so during the coming years.
Once the current extensions are finalised RPA will consider
further developments subject to the decisions made by the
Department of Transport in the future. Regardless of how
the line develops, RPA is confident that Luas will continue
to be a success and a source of pride for Dublin as Pat
concludes: “We broke the 30 million barrier of passengers
in 2013 and we had a little celebration with that and we
have continued to grow. Overall the support has been very
positive for the Luas system, I think that initially there was
an issue with people being able to identify what the system
was before it was delivered but today I think we can be very
proud of the way the system has performed.” zz
www.rpa.iein December 2009 and then we extended the Green
Lne southward in October 2010. We also opened another
extension on the Red Line in on July 2nd 2011. It was a
great time to be involved in light rail in Dublin and all of
those things progressed very well.”
The most recent development to the Luas System is
the ongoing construction of a 5.6 kilometre extension to
join the Green and Red Lines that will allow for a greater
flexibility in journeys and even greater access to Dublin’s
shopping districts and city centre. “The big advantage
from the customer point of view will be the network effect,”
Pat elaborates. “Once we begin to join up more of the
system it will begin to create a wide range of routes for
passengers to follow. This will make it much easier to
make a trip from the south to the west of the city. The way
the lines were originally built meant if passengers come in
on the Green Line they would end up in Saint Stephen’s
Green. The walk to the Red Line takes commuters to
another part of the city, which can take as much as
15 minutes to walk. The other key benefit of the new
connection will be to connect the north and the south side
of Dublin, which is something that business interests in the
area have been very keen to see.”
Work to prepare the proposed route for the new
connecting lines commenced in 2013 and later during
January 2014 it was announced that five companies
have been shortlisted to undertake the project’s main
infrastructure works. Once a final decision has been
made, work is expected to go ahead during 2015 and is
scheduled to be completed in 2017. Furthermore RPA
has selected a contractor to provide the extension’s
information systems, as Pat explains: “We have exercised
an option to a company called Efacec to do all our
information systems, including items such as passenger
Testing and Commissioning Luas Cherrywood
46 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzRPA Dublin – luAs TRAm
Substation Construction
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Henry Williams
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 47
bar is a full assembly and is a really impressive piece of kit.
We are manufacturing the brackets for those and there
will be 40,000 new stretcher bars in total with four forged
components in each of them.”
Henry William’s electronics fabrication department
produces a wide range of products from signalman’s
desks, through to disconnection boxes and signalling
Locations and Switchgear. An important aspect of the
company’s fabrication process is the application of a
recently developed electrically insulating coating (EIC)
to overcome a range of challenges encountered during
the installation, maintenance and protection of power
distribution equipment.
The company’s electronics division provides products
including programmable logic controller systems (PLC) for
level crossings and control systems including the Henry
Williams Domino system. “I think that power is really the
big thing that we have moved into,” Steve says. “We are
currently producing over 400 functional supply points (FSP
03) and because of the EIC we have gone into Network
Rail’s ClassII signalling power distribution system in a big
Controlled solutionsFor over 130 years Henry Williams has operated as a leading provider of control
and signalling equipment for the railway industry and beyond
The company was founded in 1883 to meet the
needs of the rapidly growing railways network.
Originally the company was established with five
patents relating to the railway industry and today the
firm has grown to incorporate a host of products that are
applied within the railways, forgings, highways and control
systems. The company is based in Darlington where it has
been based since 1911, its current premises occupies
almost 10,000 square metres on a site covering four
hectares in total.
Although railway remains at the heart of the business,
Henry Williams currently delivers solutions to a host of
industries through its three main business areas that are
comprised of its forging, electrical and fabrication divisions.
Commenting on the scope of the company’s forge
operations sales director, Steve Cotton says: “We forge for
the oil and gas industry through to railways, we produce
such diverse things are door handles for submarines
and piston rods for mining. Of course we continue to
produce fishplates for rails and we are also forging parts
for Network Rail’s new stretcher bar. The new stretcher
48 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
way. We have developed SafeBox as a ClassII switch box
to be used on the 650V power system.”
The SafeBox is a robust metal enclosure for signalling
power distribution units that combines electrical insulation
and impact protection from outside threats such a
vandalism and cable theft. SafeBox was developed with
input from engineers, installers and maintainers and is
Class 378 train at Norwood Junction on the East London Line, South stations
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 49
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Henry Williams zz
designed to be insulated, impact proof and durable with
a long-serving lifespan of 40 years. “SafeBox is sturdy
enough that you could hit it with a sledgehammer and it
would withstand the blow. The coating that we use on
the casing is an anti-vandal coating meaning that if it is
attacked with a hammer and chisel it will blunt the chisel
before the box is damaged, it is a pretty robust piece of
kit. Unfortunately cable theft does still occur but another
advantage of SafeBox is that it allows Network Rail to
move from three core to two core power distribution,
which is what the move to class two is all about. So that is
a reduction of a third of the cost of purchasing cable and
installation to begin with.”
Today SafeBox is a Network Rail approved technology,
which indicates that it meets the company’s rigorous
standards in safety, suitability and compatibility with
existing rail infrastructure. The system is also designed to
incorporate cable segregation, which means that cable can
be changed while the system is still live and the railway is
running. Furthermore if there is a theft of a section of cable,
the network is still able to run, meaning that that network
will not grind to a halt while the problem is addressed.
Presently Henry Williams is engaged in contracts
for London North West (LNW) and London North East
(LNE), where it is installing FSP units for Network Rail.
Additionally during 2014 Henry Williams was awarded a
large contract for the Scottish rail region to provide 650
volt power supplies, which is also on behalf of Network
Rail. Commenting on Henry William’s close collaboration
with Network Rail, Steve says: “The move within Network
Rail is from copper to aluminium cable, which is more like
a solid bar that feeds into the box. Our next generation of
SafeBox is plug and play, to be used with solid aluminium
cable looks and that will plug by using flexible ‘Tails’ into
the box. This will result in less time on site when installing
FSP systems. We have worked closely with Network Rail
to make sure that as they evolve, we have the tools that
they need to achieve the required change.”
In undertaking repeat contracts for the likes of
Network Rail, Henry Williams has earned a highly
regarded reputation that allows long-lasting relationships
with clients. Furthermore the company works with some
of the UK’s principle contractors including VolkerRail
and Amey. “We have a good relationship with VolkerRail
and Amey, who were crucial in providing feedback that
helped us to develop the company’s products,” says
Steve. “For Henry Williams the approach will be to
continue to evolve and improve on our power supply
systems, we want to make these quicker and easier to
install. In the longer term we will be looking to develop
products that help to drive trains, so with in the next four
to five years we will have products on board trains. That
is really the next evolution,” he concludes. zz
www.hwilliams.co.uk
50 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzSoutheaStern
Southeastern runs train services into London from
Kent and East Sussex and its network includes the
high-speed Javelin service from London St Pancras
to Ashford International. The company operates
2000 trains, carrying more than 570,000 passengers every
day, serving 179 stations. Its joint venture owner, Govia, is
the UK’s busiest rail operator, responsible for 28.7 per cent
of UK passenger rail journeys. It successfully delivered
transportation for millions of passengers during the
London 2012 Olympic Games, as well as introducing and
extending the UK’s first domestic high speed service.
In the 2014 National Rail Passenger Survey,
Southeastern was awarded 84 per cent for overall
satisfaction, with its high-speed service scoring 95 per
cent satisfaction. However, the company has faced a
series of challenges on its network over the past six
months. Exceptional weather conditions presented a real
issue for transport with flooding and landslips caused by
the heaviest rainfall for 250 years. “Southeastern worked
hard to keep passengers on the move and communicating
effectively, offering record levels of compensation to
customers and working with Network Rail to resolve
Mark Johnson
infrastructure issues,” says Mark Johnson, engineering
director. Despite the bad weather, performance remains
strong and passenger numbers continue to grow.
“As an operator, efficiency and reduction in the overall
cost of maintenance are key considerations. Overhaul
programmes of major heavy components such as the
bogie and drive chain systems are one of the biggest
maintenance projects we undertake. In respect to
maintenance extensions careful consideration needs to
be taken on the effects these extensions have on the
sub components of a system, for example bearing within
the bogie and drive chain system. Failure of this type of
component are largely not visible until the bearing has
started to fail resulting in significant levels of disruption
during the occurrence and the recovery back to depot,”
explains Mark. Monitoring bearing degradation became a
topic of study for Southeastern.
In conjunction with Bombardier, Southeastern engaged
with Perpetuum, a provider of technology in the form
of vibration energy harvesters (VEH) and organised a
trial using the specially modified VEH on the Electrostar
units. Positive trial results result led to fitment across
the full fleet giving real time data on the status of every
bearing on the fleet, as Mark says: “The onboard nodes
are a ‘fit and forget’ wireless system, self-powered with
no specific upkeep. The innovative power harvesters
convert vibration energy into electrical energy to power
the sensors and communications from the bogie mounted
units bringing installation time down to 15 minutes per
wireless sensor node.”
The vibration harvesting system, deployed to measure
bearing degradation on the trains is already bringing
improvements to Southeastern’s maintenance planning,
reducing costs and preventing operational incidents. This
technology has allowed Southeastern engineers to take
a more proactive approach, predicting potential bearing
issues up to three months before they occur. As a result
it has changed from a periodic maintenance schedule
for the fleet to condition-based maintenance, resulting
in better planning and less disruption to passengers.
Due South As it looks to extend its franchise to 2018,
Southeastern has, over the last few years, achieved the best-ever punctuality and reliability performance on the London and South East network and invested
in improving stations and rolling stock
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 51
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzby rail over the past eight years. We expect this trend to
continue and we are working to ensure the demand can
be met.
“The immediate focus for Southeastern over the
coming months is securing the new franchise period
and enhancing our customer service. Driving forward
innovation and finding new ways to resolve the challenges
that we face to ensure customer satisfaction remains
at the centre of everything that we do,” explains Mark.
Further ahead the business recognises that one of its
key challenges is the Thameslink Programme, rebuilding
London Bridge station. The £6.5 billion improvements
taking place at the station will cause major disruption
to train services running through it and Southeastern is
planning timetable changes and an extensive programme
to communicate the impact to its customers as a result,
as Mark forecasts: “The first changes will take effect
in January 2015, when Charing Cross services will be
diverted for 18 months. Further changes to Cannon Street
services will then come into effect and remain in place until
completion of work in early 2018.” zz
www.southeasternrailway.co.uk
Unipart Rail Unipart Rail is an important partner with Southeastern and Angel trains - working together to overcome some of the issues caused by obsolescent parts and components. A working party was established in 2013 to identify obsolete products and put processes in place to minimise the risk to the operation of the fleet. This type of collaboration is key to the Obsolescence Management service that is provided by Unipart Rail for TOCs and ROSCOs to ensure that potential problems are resolved efficiently.
Reduction in costThe system will remain an ongoing venture having
identified further benefits in refining the technology. At
present, train wheels are examined every 15,000 miles
and all wheels are checked for faults. The system is
being developed to identify faults and further wheel tread
condition using the live data with a view of enacting a
more effective wheel profiling regieme or according to
the actual condition.
Working closely with Network Rail, Southeastern
continues to meet the challenges of operating on the
complex network of services, delivering a smoother
service and quicker service recovery that puts
passengers first. The business also has a team of
well-trained personnel, attributed to its investment of
more than £14 million in training and development.
“We are the only train operator to be recognised with
Champion Investors in People (IiP) status, putting us
among the top one per cent of companies within the
UK for best practice in strategic leadership and people
management,” highlights Mark.
Confronted with several challenges including
increasing capacity, improving efficiency, removing
cost, managing through periods of major infrastructure
improvements and modernisation, the business strives
to meet the demands as well as developing creative
solutions from other industries. “There has been
significant growth in the number of passengers travelling
Mark Johnson
52 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzSilicone engineering ltd
T he company was founded in 1959 as a
manufacturer dedicated solely to the production
of silicone rubber products and today Silicone
Engineering maintains its original vision, producing
silicone rubber products in sheet, extrusion and moulded
form. Since it was founded the company has grown to
represent a global force with a central manufacturing
plant and head office based in Blackburn, UK and sales
offices located in France and North America. From
these locations the company serves a broad market
demographic comprised of applications within the
automotive, aerospace, construction, energy, food and
drink, mass transit and agriculture and dairy industries.
Five decades of industry experience has allowed the
company to develop industry leading silicone rubber
products to meet the exacting standards of its clients
and to satisfy the toughest specifications and standards.
One example of this includes the LCH (low combustion
hazard) product range. “The range has low smoke and
low toxicity properties,” explains Antony Peel, marketing
director. “It was developed in 1990 in response to the
King’s Cross underground disaster in 1987. Silicone
Engineering has designed a range of silicone rubber
products in the LCH material in collaboration with some of
the biggest names in the rail rolling stock arena.”
The company is dedicated to releasing new products
that meet the changing requirements of its clients. As
such its LCH line of products commonly used within
the rail industry includes suraSil™LCH, a solid extrusion
material for use in profiles, expanSil™LCH a sponge
extrusion material for sections and cords, kSil™LCH a
solid silicone sheeting for gaskets and kSil™LCHx, which
is a sponge silicone sheeting for gaskets. An important
development in the company’s product line was the
introduction of calendered sheeting in 1996 allowing for
the production of smooth sheet silicone. Today Silicone
Engineering employs six calendering lines, which allow it
to maintain high levels of output.
“Being one of the largest consumers of HCR silicone
in Europe, processing in excess of 2000 tonnes per
annum, through 50 years of processing and material
expertise Silicone Engineering has gained a reputation
of providing cost effective and high quality solutions in
silicone,” Antony says. “Having almost all ingredients in
stock combined with the industry leading mixing facilities
and state-of-the-art laboratory means customers benefit
from high quality and fully traceable materials that can be
processed and delivered within a very short lead-time.”
When it comes to ensuring that its products are at the
very heart of the company’s various markets, Silicone
Engineering works to guarantee that its research and
development operations are focused on the specific
Flexible solutions Drawing on over 50 years of experience in several industries, Silicone Engineering
has developed a reputation as an industry leader in delivering silicone products to the mass transit and railway sectors
Sponge Extrusion
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 53
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
perfectly demonstrates the consistent growth that the
business has experienced as an effect of being innovative
and market focused.”
The company’s market focus and growth strategy can
be expressed in several ways. For example, to ensure
that the business has a reliable and sufficient workforce
for the future it has invested in its current and up-coming
team as Antony elaborates: “There has been a major
focus over the past few years on training and personal
development. This has involved considerable investment
in training programmes and we have successfully brought
two employees onboard through an apprenticeship
programme with a third due to start at the time of writing.”
In addition to ensuring that the company contains the
requests of industry for particular solutions, as Antony
explains: “We have one of the best-equipped and
resourced laboratories in the industry. These facilities
allow us to formulate, test and certify all material
developments to the relevant international standards
before going to market. We have some exciting new
developments underway that will be announced shortly.”
Although the financial crisis that began in 2008 had
a knock-on effect in the markets serviced by Silicone
Engineering resulting in a slight dip in sales for that year,
the company has still achieved growth year–on-year. “A
robust business strategy and effective marketing have
facilitated this growth,” Antony observes. “We have more
than doubled the company’s turnover since 2008, which
Sheeting line
Laboratory
54 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
zz zzzzzzzzzzzSilicone engineering ltd
necessary skills and knowledge base to carry it forward,
Silicone Engineering is keen to continue to deliver the
very latest solutions in its chosen markets to enable the
business to stand out as the premier provider of silicone
products throughout Europe and North America, as
Antony concludes: “As a solution provider in silicone
technologies we are always looking for new and exciting
ways to introduce new scientific advances in the polymer
to provide enhanced solutions to our customers.
Expansion is primarily focused in the company’s key
international markets and to optimise business in
these chosen countries to become the leading silicone
provider in major markets.
“As we expand our marketing capabilities we are
reaching out to a much larger audience on a global
scale. By servicing these markets with strategic focus
and new capital investment we expect to continue
growing well into the future.” zz
www.silicone.co.uk
Laboratory
Factory
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz HeatHrow express
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 55
the Heathrow Express webpage. Furthermore the latest
information regarding fares and schedules is displayed
on board trains via back-seat leaflets and Express TV.
One way that Heathrow Express is working to ensure
that journeys are as efficient as possible for passengers is
through the introduction of combined airline train ticketing.
This is an area where managing director Keith Greenfield
is passionately focused on enhancing the service on offer
to the company’s customers. At present Singapore Airlines
and Aer Lingus already offer this facility online at the
booking stage and it is intended for more carriers to follow.
Making the booking process as smooth as the journey
itself has been a common goal for Heathrow Express and
the application of modern communication technology
has traditionally been at the very heart of this initiative.
The company was the first to launch e-ticketing enabling
customers to buy tickets online and receive a barcode via
either email or to a mobile phone directly, which can then
be scanned on the train. Furthermore Heathrow Express
was the first UK company to launch a fully functional train
ticket app, allowing customers to purchase and receive
tickets direct to their iPhone, Android, Blackberry or Java-
enabled phones. Use of mobile app tickets grew
40 per cent in 2013 proving that customers appreciate
Express serviceSince 1998 Heathrow Express has provided the fastest rail link from London to
Heathrow, enabling passengers to reach their destination in as little as 15 minutes
Heathrow Express is a non-franchised, non-
subsidised privately owned company that owns
all of its own trains, the stations at Heathrow as
well as the entire below ground section of the line
between London Paddington and the airport. The service
carries an average of 16,000 passengers a day between
London and Heathrow and the journey time to terminals
One and Three is as little as 15 minutes and only marginally
longer for Terminals Four and Five. These are not the only
impressive figures that Heathrow Express is able to boast.
For example when it comes to passenger satisfaction, the
numbers speak for themselves with Heathrow Express
scoring an impressive 96 per cent satisfaction from
passengers in the National Rail Survey. This score is the
top score throughout the entire UK rail industry.
At present flights from 120 countries fly into Heathrow
making the Heathrow Express a vital link in shuttling
passengers from the busy airport to London and visa
versa. It is a key aim for Heathrow Express to deliver
passengers to their destinations safely and on time,
and in comfort. To ensure that journeys are as smooth
as possible for passengers the company ensures that
timetable changes are published via a wide range of
media including advertisements, posters, Express TV and
56 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
with wide aisles that allow business travellers to keep their
luggage at their side by their feet, varied express-class
configuration of seating to allow for bay and airline seating
layouts, LED lighting providing a brighter environment
and more reliable lighting, customer information screens
providing live flight and onward travel information,
a passenger information system to deliver station
announcements and other information, improvements
throughout the vehicle to comply with TSI-PRM (European-
wide accessibility regulations) and enhanced safety
features including non-slip flooring, emergency lighting,
audible warning systems and increased surround lighting.
Heathrow Express currently runs 150 services a day,
carrying over 60 million passengers since it was launched
in June 1998 and the demand for these services is set to
increase with the opening of the new Heathrow Terminal
Two in June 2014. To help ease the journey for passengers
using the service, Heathrow Express is focusing on the
migration of staff to front-line roles to interface directly with
passengers. With the customer profile of the business
made up of 69 per cent business and 31 per cent leisure
travellers, it is vital for London’s economy that the service
runs smoothly and it is innovations such as the brand re-
launch and a strong focus on customer interface that has
given Heathrow Express has reliability of 98 per cent and a
97 per cent repeat travel rating.
The company’s commitment extends beyond offering
an excellent service to its passengers, Heathrow Express
maintains close links to the local community including
proud sponsorship of the England sevens rugby team.
Further to this the Heathrow Express webpage offers links
to corporate news and travel information as well as articles
Class 378 train at Norwood Junction on the East London Line, South stations
these more convenient ticketing options.
During 2012 Heathrow Express undertook a £15 million
investment directed at the upgrading of the company’s
fleet of rolling stock. The re-launch of the Heathrow
Express brand was directed by the themes of providing
exemplary service along with the objective to ‘premiumise’
the brand itself. The enhancements introduced to the
Heathrow Express brand and fleet were designed to mirror
an airline experience, while complying with forthcoming
safety standards due to come into effect during 2019.
Heathrow Express currently owns 14 four-car Class 332
trains engineered and built by Siemens Transportation
Systems in Germany, in partnership with CAF of Spain. The
refurbishment of the fleet lasted 18 months from drawing
board to delivery and involved close collaboration with
teams from Siemens, Railcare and Interfleet.
The impressive overhaul encompassed a host of
improvements including one plus one first-class seating
Pod-Trak Ltd Pod-Trak Ltd is a skilled, multidiscipline contractor to the rail industry, with offices in London,
Manchester & Doncaster. Founded in 2007, Pod-Trak puts emphasis on the delivery of a
safe, quality service. Continued success through referrals and repeat business with clients
such as Heathrow Express is testament to the dedication of this youthful and innovative
company, resulting in the successful completion of several projects on HEx infrastructure,
ranging from drainage to signage, building long-lasting relationships in the process.
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 57
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz HeatHrow express zzhighlighting London life including the ‘sites and sounds’
of London, food and drink, fashion and interviews with
well-known personalities including Sir Richard Branson
and James Caan.
With the recent completion of the Heathrow
Express brand re-launch and the expected increase in
passengers over the coming months, the future looks to
be both busy and exciting for the company. Network Rail
is planning the new Western Access line to London due
for completion in 2021 and Heathrow Express has made
it clear that it is ready and determined to take the role of
appointed train operator, which represents a potentially
very exciting next chapter in the company’s history. zz
www.heathrowexpress.com
58 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzSouthern railway
Southern Railway provides train services for
commuters, airport users, and business and leisure
travellers in south London, between central London
and the South coast, through East and West
Sussex, Surrey and parts of Kent and Hampshire.
The company operates one of the largest and
most diverse fleets in the UK, with around 300 new or
refurbished trains running over 2,400 services a day. Over
the course of two franchises, it has made substantial
improvements to its rolling stock fleet and its stations. Most
recently, in collaboration with Network Rail, it has delivered
six brand new station buildings, as well as having further
major station improvement schemes underway, which
will bring the overall investment in new stations and major
improvement work to over £16.5 million.
As Gerry McFadden, Fleet Director at Southern Railway
explained, a large part of Southern’s responsibility in this
Fleet of strength Southern Rail’s £19 million train refurbishment programme is designed
to deliver significant improvements for passengers
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 59
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzcurrent franchise has involved working with Network
Rail in developing the expansion of the metro services
from eight car to ten car as well as expanding the
capacity of the West London lines from four cars to five
and eight cars.
“From a fleet perspective there has been no let up in
development. We are currently refurbishing our whole
fleet of 700 Class 377 Electrostar carriages, and by
Spring 2014, all carriages will be fully refurbished. We’re
also overhauling our fleet of Class 455 trains – those you
see on our Metro routes. Furthermore, we have recently
completed the overhaul of our Class 171 Turbostar diesel
fleet – engines rafts and bogies - as well as a full interior
refresh – new carpets, seat covers, and grab rails.”
The Electrostar overhaul programme was an enormously
challenging undertaking for Southern, and as Gerry
explained, it required a radical approach: “The rolling stock
of the Electrostar fleet is now over ten years old and the
units were beginning to look quite tired inside, and at the
same time, they were due an overhaul on the bogies, doors
and couplers.
“The level of availability that could be achieved with
that fleet meant there wasn’t any spare rolling stock to
60 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
substitute for units that were taken out of service for three
different examination programmes. To solve this problem,
the team at the repair shop in Selhurst planned a
programme of work and created a process that allowed
a unit’s interior to be renewed, for its doors, bogies
and coupling gears to come off and be overhauled (in
three separate processes) all within a week’s downtime.
There are even videos of the process on the Southern
website, http://www.southernrailway.com/film – it’s
very impressive and has brought major benefits to the
company.”
Alongside the rolling stock upgrade programme,
Southern has also expanded the capacity of its metro
services. Said Gerry: “Effectively this has covered three
different programmes of work. First of all there has been
a project led by Network Rail to extend platforms from
eight cars to ten cars, secondly, there has been a scheme
to introduce 170 new vehicles, and finally, there has been
an extension of depot facilities and introduction of new
sidings.
“In order to be able to create this new ten car fleet, the
amount of work required in the background has been
quite phenomenal. We have put in place 108 new vehicle
berths at six different locations and we have extended the
Selhurst depot to ten cars long, as part of a £multi million
programme of works.
“We are now getting towards the end of the new fleet
introduction - we have a new 5car single voltage (DC)
fleet in operation, and in addition we commissioned
a new dual voltage fleet, which is due to come into
operation in the early summer,” Gerry highlighted.
Bombardier won the order for this new train build and
Southern set it a challenge to deliver the first train into
passenger service in record time. “Bombardier and the
staff at Litchurch Lane are working hard to make sure
these trains are reliable,” Gerry added. “When we receive
the sixth unit of our dual voltage fleet it will represent
1000 vehicles that Litchurch Lane has built for Southern,
zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzSouthern railway
Techpol Ltd Techpol Ltd is the preferred paint supply partner for franchises throughout the UK. Techpol started working with Southern Rail back in July 2011. It has developed bespoke processes by working hand in hand with Southern and is proud to say the quality of finish achieved is excellent and the project has run to schedule throughout the duration. With over 75 years’ experience added to its ISO 9001 & ISO 14001 working ethos it has experienced great success in this sector.
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 61
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzwhich is not only a significant milestone in itself, but also
coincides with 175 years of the rail industry in Derby and
which is very important in its own right.”
With Southern’s current franchise running until
July 2015, and various bids for the new Thameslink,
Southern and Great Northern (‘TSGN’) franchise already
with the Department of Transport, Gerry remains positive
about the future. He believes that the programme of
improvements that he and his team have implemented
will continue to bring benefits for the next decade. Going
forward, Southern has no intention of slowing down
its programme of improvements. “The next ten years
are a continuation of what we have already done. It’s
also not all about new trains, although we do have two
new guaranteed fleets coming into service. We are also
highly dedicated to technology, and our new smart card
ticketing option, which represents five years of research
and development for the company. It has only recently
been launched, will continue to see new additions and
developments,” he concluded. zz
www.southernrailway.com
62 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
Imag
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zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzINNOTRANS
W ith a large number of reference projects and
over 220 transport technology firms, Berlin
is the main location for Germany’s transport
engineering industry and this makes it an
ideal venue for InnoTrans, the International Trade Fair for
Transport Technology - Innovative Components, Vehicles,
Systems. Being held from 23 - 26 September 2014 (Trade
Fair) and 27 - 28 September 2014 (Public Days - tracks
and outdoor displays), the event will present a full range
of rail vehicles as well as key areas featuring railway
infrastructure, interiors (incl. travel catering and comfort
services), public transport and tunnel construction.
The InnoTrans Convention taking place in conjunction
with the trade show includes a special Dialog Forum
organised by Deutsches Verkehrsforum (German Transport
Forum), Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen
(VDV, Association of German Transport Companies), the
European Rail Transport Industry Association (UNIFE) and
Verband der Bahnindustrie in Deutschland (VDB, German
Rail Industry Association).
Initiated and organised by Deutsche Bahn AG, the
Rail Leaders’ Summit (RLS) offers excellent dialogue
opportunities for transport ministries and general
managers of international rail transport companies.
The Tunnel Construction segment will be accompanied
by an International Tunnel Forum featuring a series
of discussions with international guest speakers and
supported by STUVA (Incorporated Association for
Underground Transport Systems). The Public Transport
Forum organised by Planungsbüro für Verkehr (PBV)
and ETC Consultants focuses on current and future
developments in public transport systems.
With the Public Transport & Interiors Hall Forum (PTI
Hall Forum) two segments received their own programme
area where the Speakers’ Corner, the International Design
Forum and the DB Suppliers’ Forum takes place. At the
DB Suppliers’ Forum the Deutsche Bahn goes into direct
conversation with its suppliers.
The InnoTrans Majlis (‘majlis’ signifies a customary
gathering in the Middle East where important topics are
discussed and personal meetings taken place) offers
the opportunity to exchange views for numerous senior
industry executives and policy makers with high-ranking
members of the rail industry and rail transport ministries of
the Gulf Arab states.
Indeed at the 2014 event, participation by international
exhibitors is high. For example, the US Railway
Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA)
Technology showcase InnoTrans has become established as an international industry
showplace that focuses on railway technology
Inauguration of CityCube Berlin: Klaus Wowereit, Governing Mayor of Berlin (left) and Dr. Christian
Göke, CEO of Messe Berlin (right).
Lütze Transportation
CSR Corporation
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 63
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is organising a combined stand for the second time and will occupy
double the display space at the last event. The Japan Overseas
Rolling Stock Association (JORSA) will also be represented on a
combined stand. Once again, Japan will be taking up an entire hall.
Kazakhstan will be taking part in InnoTrans for the first time, where
the Tengiz Trans Group will represent it. According to information
supplied by the exhibitor the enterprise is Kazakhstan’s largest
independent leasing company for rolling stock. DCD, a rolling stock
manufacturer from South Africa, is also among the newcomers at
InnoTrans 2014.
China has its own Pavilion, and there are more than 20 Chinese
organisations exhibiting there. These leading manufacturers from
the Chinese transport industry represent such important areas as
rolling stock, signalling and control systems and vehicle interiors.
There is a major emphasis on aspects such as energy efficiency
and environmental protection. The China Railway Pavilion is being
organised by the China Academy of Railway Sciences (CARS).
Another exciting feature of InnoTrans 2014 is the extra space it
is using in The CityCube Berlin, a new multi-purpose hall for trade
fairs, conferences and events. This move by Messe Berlin comes in
response to the continuing high demand by the world’s rail industry
for stands at InnoTrans 2014.
There are four combined stands in the CityCube Berlin, featuring
suppliers from Korea, Switzerland, Sweden and the Berlin-
Brandenburg region. “The entire value-added chain in the region
around the German capital is represented here,“ explains Melanie
Bähr, general manager of the Berlin Economic Promotion Agency.
“Some 60 companies are occupying a 1000 square metre combined
stand at the CityCube in order to present their capabilities to visitors
to InnoTrans.”
InnoTrans is also the place where many in the industry reveal their
latest innovations. Last year the rail industry showcased a total of
104 products that made their first appearance on the world stage
at the event. In 2014 BGM GmbH Badische Gleisbaumaschinen, a
start-up from Germany, was the first exhibitor to announce products
that will be shown at InnoTrans 2014 for the first time in the world.
“At InnoTrans in Berlin we will be exhibiting prototypes of our
newly developed and patented MT 100 goods wagon to an expert
audience,“ said Andreas Vonhoff, managing director of BGM GmbH.
Exciting releases like this are just part of why visitors choose to
visit this important event. In its tenth anniversary year, InnoTrans
2014 looks set to maintain its position as the world’s leading
business meeting place for transport technology. zz
More details are available online at www.innotrans.com.
Lütze Transportation
CSR Corporation
64 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzArrivA TrAins WAles
carriages and was implemented to continue the trend of
passenger number growth. The train upgrade included 24
class 158 trains on the Aberystwyth to Birmingham, Pwllheli,
Holyhead and Chester; Cardiff to Cheltenham routes, 27
class 175 trains on the Cardiff to Manchester, Swansea to
Carmarthen, Cardiff to Llandudno and Holyhead routes as
well as eight single carriage class 153 trains travelling on the
Swansea to Shrewbsury, Swanline local, Conwy Valley line
and Swansea to Pembroke Dock route.
With the aim of delivering a positive improvement on
quality that would benefit millions of passengers every
day, the new improvements include power sockets next to
some seats on longer routes, extended luggage space and
improved wheelchair access on its services.
Committed to investing in developments that further
cement its reputation for high quality, reliable services, Arriva
Trains Wales implemented an industry first with its pilot
European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) in the
UK. Introduced on the Cambrian Line between Shrewsbury
and Aberystwyth, moving onto Pwllheli, in 2011, the in-cab
European Train Control System (ECTS) for signalling has
proven highly successful over the last three years. Indeed,
this major milestone opens further opportunities for Arriva
Trains Wales, as it looks to expand the ERTMS onto other
routes around the UK and offer its expertise to assist any
upcoming projects.
Like all train operators within the UK, Arriva Trains Wales
operates to the punctuality and performance standards that
are put into effect by the Department for Transport (DfT).
The group’s punctuality and reliability figures are displayed
at its major stations and updated every four weeks; for
example Wales successfully earned 98.7 per cent punctuality
statistics from 2nd to 29th March 2014. To ensure ongoing
reliability in its operations, Arriva Trains Wales is involved with
Passenger Focus, an organisation set up by Parliament to
protect the interest of passengers. Meeting regularly with
key stakeholders such as Network Rail, the Welsh Assembly
Government and the British Transport Police, Passenger
Focus highlights issues such as punctuality and reliability,
fares and ticket types, capacity and overcrowding, safety
and security.
On top of its work with Passenger Focus, Arriva Trains
Wales works closely with the four regional transport consortia
in Wales – SWWITCH (South West Wales Integrated
Transport Consortium), TAITH (North Wales), Mid Wales
Partnership (TRACC), SEWTA (South East Wales Transport
Alliance) – to discuss proposals and apply local rail network
improvements. In addition, the company has also developed
close working relationships with a number of partner rail
user groups such as Cambrian Rail User Group (CRUG) and
Pembrokeshire Rail Travellers Association (PRTA).
Viewed as an attractive option for passengers travelling
both in and outside of Wales, the company’s success has led
to overcapacity issues that it has worked hard to minimise.
Following an investigation into its services, Arriva Trains
Wales introduced a major timetable overhaul, which enabled
it to provide 340,000 additional seats each year from existing
First class serviceArriva Trains
Wales has completed
major refurbishment
programmes and
resignalling investments
to ensure continued passenger
satisfaction
Responsible for almost all passenger services in
Wales, Arriva Trains Wales operates out of every
railway station in the country as well as nearby
areas of England, in total taking responsibility
for 244 stations across a route of 1009 miles. As the
operator of the Wales and Border railway franchise, the
company focuses on continuous improvement in all
areas of operation to ensure the high demands of its
stakeholders, customers, employees, investors, suppliers
and communities are met. The franchise was acquired by
Arriva Group, the Deutsche Bahn owned leading major
European public transport operator, in 2003 following the
devolution of this responsibility to the Welsh Assembly
Government. Since this transitional period, Arriva Trains
Wales has continued to work closely with the government
to help develop the Welsh railway network. Meanwhile, as
part of the Arriva Group, Arriva Trains Wales follows the
vision of its parent firm to be recognised as the leading
transport services group in Europe. To achieve this goal
it strives to provide customers with reliable train services,
clean, attractive stations, local, effective and customer
orientated management, an abundance of available
information as well as helpful and approachable personnel.
To meet the challenges of running a highly successful
transportation service, Arriva Trains Wales’ fleet of 125
trains cover a route of more than 1009 miles and operate
955 services per day. Supported by 2050 dedicated
employees, the company’s trains travel 13.7 million miles
annually and handle approximately 65,000 passenger
journeys every day. Capable of carrying 12,000 customers
at any one time, Arriva Trains Wales’ fleet ranges from
one carriage ‘153s’, which operate its services on shorter
distance routes, to high speed trains ‘175S’, which travel
the longer distances on mainline routes.
Known for having one of the UK’s most presentable
rail fleets in the UK, Arriva Trains Wales has recently
completed a major refurbishment programme on the
interior and exterior of its Class 158 and 150 fleet. Indeed,
the £7.5 million upgrade on trains operating on mainline
routes from Wales included new seating, luggage areas
and toilets to provide ‘as new’ interiors to its out-of-date
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 65
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzfleets. Furthermore, the company used yield management software
to encourage growth at times when there is capacity to travel through
offering discounted fares in these quieter times. Through using its
own initiative Arriva Trains Wales has tackled future capacity concerns
by utilising its resources efficiently and deploying stock where it is
needed,
Planning ahead has proven a strategically beneficial move for Arriva
Trains Wales following a £220 million rail project between Network Rail
and the Welsh Government to improve reliability and capacity on the
Cardiff and Valleys rail network. The project includes a new platform at
Cardiff Central, a new south-side entrance at Cardiff Central, complete
with lifts to the new platform; new platforms and entrance at Cardiff
Queen Street station and improved infrastructure at Rhymney Valley
line at Caerphilly and Tir-Phil. Jointly funded by Network Rail and the
Welsh Government, the project is scheduled for completion in 2015
and will future proof the railway by boosting capacity and providing a
robust and flexible infrastructure.
Despite the huge changes surrounding the network, Arriva Trains
Wales hasn’t lost sight of its day-to-day service commitments and
has enhanced its focus on providing passenger satisfaction through
time and cost efficiency as well as safety and reliability. Recognising
the role it plays in the communities it serves, Arriva Train Wales has
prepared for the future while also surpassing present passenger
demands. zz
www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk
now. Electronic and software performance of the light
curtain system were in the focus of the tests carried out
by ‘TÜV-Nord’ at the SEELAB laboratories. Acting in the
background, these components are a decisive asset for
the reliability of the whole system.
With a combination of up to 194 parallel and crossed
infrared light beams, the SITRANS alpha S1-Rail system
detects even the smallest objects to avoid passenger
injuries. The light curtain is available in several versions,
with horizontal sensing ranges up to 2500 mm and
vertical detection ranges between 690 mm and 1794
mm. In order to meet the highest safety requirements,
the interruption of just a single light beam will trigger
activation of the PNP output. The light curtain also meets
the requirements of the EN 50155, EN 50121-3-2 and
DIN 5510-2 standards. Thanks to its extraordinarily high
quality, the SITRANS alpha S1-Rail system is perfectly
suited for a large number of sensitive door control and
monitoring applications.
Vandalism and soiling are familiar occurrences for
all public transport services. The light curtain system
counters such factors with its dimensionally very stable
Sitron’s range of non-contact door control and
monitoring systems includes fully automatic
SITRANS alpha light curtains. These products have
been installed on more than 30,000 doors of rail
vehicles and buses all over the world, and thanks to their
extraordinarily high quality, the curtains are the best choice
for a large number of sensitive door control and monitoring
applications.
Boarding and exit are particularly critical phases in
passenger rail and bus transport. Here, the highest degree
of reliability is crucial and any door malfunction must be
precluded.
The new SITRANS alpha S1-Rail series was especially
developed for rolling stock applications and certified by
‘TÜV Nord’ [Engineering Control Association (MOT) for
Northern Germany]. Independent tests proved that it
meets all current requirements established by the German
Federal Railway Agency (EBA) for EN 50126, EN 50129
and EN 50128 standards at SIL 1 level. Therefore, the
new SITRANS alpha S1-Rail light curtain series is not only
a comfortable non-contact door control and monitoring
device, but also an officially approved safety installation
66 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
AMS100 mobile welding machine
Safety first When considering safety light curtains in the door area of rolling stock and buses, Sitron is at the forefront of the market
Sitron SenSor
Above: The Talent2 by BOMBARDIER.There are two
installation options.This option is a SITRANS alpha light curtain in the
A-profile design. The profiles were the carriage
curvature, adjusted parallel to the cover. The
profiles were bent and partly provided behind the
cover with a hole
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 67
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
transmitter and receiver profiles, which are available in
different cross sections. Thanks to its fully integrated,
partly moulded electronic components, the light curtain
will resist even the hardest shocks and vibrations.
External light irradiation is also no problem for the clocked
infrared light. A factor that makes the light curtain the
ideal choice for applications in areas with constantly
changing light conditions.
In order to avoid misalignments and contamination,
Sitron’s sensor experts integrated an AST function
automatically reacting to any external influence into the
S1-Rail system. No subsequent set-up or readjustment
will be necessary. The light curtain will automatically
adjust the signal levels of the individual light channels.
In static as well as in dynamic operation, this will ensure
optimum sensor performance all across the monitored
area. Standard models as well as customised models
offer economic advantages in particular when it comes
to retrofitting. With the complete SITRANS alpha series,
Sitron is, according to its own statements, the market
leader in the field of safety light curtains in the door area
of rolling stock and buses. zz
For further information visit: www.sitron.de. Light Curtain Systems, Sitron Sensor GmbH D-30916 Isernhagen +49 511-72850-0Please contact us by email: [email protected]
Light curtain SITRANS alpha® S1-Rail
BOMBARDIER-ALSTOM door with SITRANS alpha light curtain
S-Bahn ÜSTRA in Hanover with light curtains SITRANS alpha
68 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
zz zzzzzzzzzzIrIsh raIl (Iarnród ÉIreann)
Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) is the national railway system
operator of Ireland. Established in 1987, it operates all
internal intercity, commuter and freight railway services
in the Republic of Ireland, and jointly with Northern
Ireland Railways, the Enterprise service between Dublin
and Belfast.
With Irish Rail continually competing with other modes
of transport for customers, it is essential that the operator
maintain a modern and reliable fleet. In order to continue
to encourage travellers to use the rail option, Irish Rail
is continually planning for the medium to long-term
development of the railway, and investing in its rail network
and services. Investment in recent years has delivered
major benefits, including:
l Renewed infrastructure, including track, signalling, and
other infrastructure
l New Intercity, Commuter and DART fleet
l New stations, and upgraded existing stations, including
improved accessibility
l New rail lines, including Cork-Midleton, Ennis-Athenry,
Clonsilla-M3 Parkway
One of the most significant schemes that Irish Rail
has undertaken is the City Centre Resignalling Project.
This Project is provided for under the capital investment
programme for transport, funded by the National
Transport Authority and will meet future demand for rail
transport by increasing the capacity and frequency of
trains through Dublin City Centre.
The project will provide Irish Rail with the ability to
operate 20 trains in both directions through the Howth
Junction to Grand Canal Dock line, which caters for
Howth DARTs, Malahide DARTs, Northern Commuter
trains, Belfast Enterprise services, Sligo Intercity and
Maynooth commuter services, as well as other services
in the Connolly to Grand Canal Dock area. Signalling
on train lines regulate the safe movement of trains, and
currently the system’s capacity stands at 12 trains per
hour each way.
The Project has also taken in to consideration the need
to modernise signalling equipment. Computer based
interlocking will be used to replace the existing Relay
based signalling systems in Howth/Howth Junction/
Take the train Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) is committed to
encouraging the expansion of rail as a mode of transport for passengers and freight
Faiveley TransportFor more than 90 years, Faiveley Transport has been designing, manufacturing and marketing high-added value train borne systems. The organisation is represented in 24 countries across the globe, with an established and strong base of operations in Europe. In Ireland, Faiveley has an extensive installed base of systems on the Irish fleet, covering bogie brake, brake control systems, doors and HVAC. The company has with David Rees Ltd (DRL) in place a partnership that has being providing for over 20 years, a high-class level of service, to the Irish market. Together the two companies support and develop rail maintenance activities, bringing product enhancements where necessary. As the OEM, Faiveley Transport also provides technical support for the installed base to Irish Rail.
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 59
70 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
Killester /Connolly and Pearse.
The project is to be executed in three phases. The
first phase of the project covers the section between
Malahide/Howth and Killester, the second phase of the
project covers the busy Connolly station area, and the
third phase will cover the section between Connolly and
Sandymount.
The new signalling system will bring major benefits
to Irish Rail’s customers. These include an increased
number of trains during peak hours, improved
performance of level crossings giving longer road
opening times, improved punctuality due to the
modernisation of signalling and uninterruptible power
supplies to ensure higher reliability. The new signalling
system will also facilitate the track layout modifications
for the DART, as well as the Underground and Maynooth
and Northern Line electrification projects. The resignalling
project will run between Malahide/Howth station and
Sandymount, at a length of 21.6 Kms. The project will
cost in the region of 120 million euros.
Alongside infrastructure investments such as this, Irish
Rail has also spent considerable sums on its InterCity
Railcar Fleet. Since entering service in December 2007,
its 400 million euro 183-carriage InterCity Railcar fleet has
transformed quality, comfort and frequency levels right
across the national rail network. The fleet was ordered
from Mitsui of Japan, in partnership with Rotem of the
Republic of Korea and Tokyo Car Corporation of Japan.
In March 2009, Irish Rail placed an order for an
additional 51 InterCity Railcars, which brought the fleet
up to a total of 234. This fleet expansion, worth
140 million euros benefitted Intercity and longer-distance
commuter services.
In May 2011, Irish Rail took delivery of the first 12
new InterCity carriages at Dublin Port of this order, and
the new carriages entered service from late 2011 into
the first half of 2012. The replacement of the outdated
fleet across the network brought a host of benefits to
passengers including improved frequency and capacity
on all InterCity routes, modern on-board comfort
standards and improved accessibility for mobility-
impaired customers.
For Irish Rail, the benefits of the investment included
the fact that this is now the greenest diesel train fleet in
Europe, meeting Stage 3B EU emission limits for nitrous
oxides (2.0g/kWh) and Stage 3A limit for soot particles
(0.2g/kWh). In fact, protection of the environment is
a topic that Irish Rail keeps at the top of the agenda.
The organisation is committed to operating in an
environmentally sound manner, and to encouraging the
expansion of rail as a mode of transport for passengers
and freight in order to reduce the greenhouse effect
and other forms of pollution. It believes that rail
transport offers great potential for solving the ‘mobility
or environment’ dilemma in view of its recognised
environmental advantages over other modes of
transport.
While investment increased significantly in the first
decade of this century, the economic crisis in Ireland has
seen a dramatic reduction in capital funding, and Public
Service Obligation payments reduce by 38 per cent.
Costs have been reduced by €73 million since 2008,
and staff numbers by 25 per cent, while services have
largely been maintained. Further cost reductions are
targeted, and passenger numbers resumed growth in
the second half of 2013 following decline since 2007.
While some major projects have been deferred, Irish
Rail remains ambitious for the future of the network. The
DART Expansion Programme, which includes a new
7.6km DART underground tunnel through the heart of
the city centre is key to maximising the potential of the
rail network in the Greater Dublin area. It includes a rail
link to Dublin Airport, currently one of the only capital
cities in the EU without a rail connection.
The company is also seeking investment to improve
speeds on the Intercity network, with journey times of
two hours or less targeted to Cork and all other major
cities. This will meet customer demand, and generate
economic and environmental benefits for the community
as a whole. zz
www.irishrail.ie
zz zzzzzzzzzzIrIsh raIl (Iarnród ÉIreann)
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 71
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.
21st OctoberIntroduction to rolling stockKey design principles affecting the performance of railway systems
22nd OctoberTraction and brakingPrinciples of traction and braking for railway engineers
23rd OctoberOptimising fleet maintenance efficiencyUnderstand the issues affecting rail vehicle performance and cost of maintenance 28th OctoberTrain communication and auxiliary systemsNew and existing systems in use on today’s rolling stock fleet
A listing of courses currently available from the IMechE (Unless stated otherwise, all courses are in London)
Institute of Mechanical Engineers Training Courses Technical training for the railway industry
zzzzzzzzzzz zzNEWS I Conferences & Exhibitions
11-12 June – Train Communications SystemsLondonOrganisers: BWCSTel: 01531 634 326Email: [email protected]: www.traincomms2014.com/
12-13 June – Planning for a Liveable City – Sustainable Urban MobilitySopot, PolandOrganisers: EltisWeb: eltis.orgRegistration: http://www.polisnetwork.eu/1st-european-conference-on-sustainable-urban-mobility-plansLanguage: English
12-13 June – Next Generation Rail – From seed to successMOSI, ManchesterRail Research UK AssociationWeb: rruka.org.ukEmail: [email protected]: rruka.org.uk/next-generation-rail-2014-registration
23-26 June 4th UIC Global Rail Freight ConferenceHilton Vienna, AustriaOrganiser: International Union of RailwaysEmail: [email protected]: grfc2014.comRegistration: www.grfc2014.org/Registration/page/10116
1-2 July – Africa RailJohannesburgOrganisers: TerrapinnTel: +27 (0) 11 516 4015 Email: [email protected]: www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/africarail/ 10-11 SeptemberLow Carbon Vehicle Event LCV2014Millbrook Proving Ground, BedfordOrganiser: CenexTel: 01509 635 750Web: www.cenex-lcv.co.uk
11 September The British Rail ConferenceDentons, LondonOrganiser: Waterfront Conference CompanyTel: 0207 067 1597Web: www.waterfrontconferencecompany.com/conferences/rail/events/british-rail 21-25 September – 10th International Conference on GeosyntheticsBerlinOrganisers: International Geosynthetics SocietyWeb: www.10icg-berlin.com
23-26 September – InnoTrans 2014BerlinOrganisers: Messe Berlin GmbHTel: +49 (0)30 30 38 - 2376Email: [email protected]: www.innotrans.com
29 September – 1 October – European Transport ConferenceFrankfurtOrganisers: Association for European TransportEmail: http://aetransport.org/contactWeb: http://etcproceedings.org/
9 October Interoperability in PracticeA workshop for the European railway industryBrusselsOrganiser: Hit RailEmail: [email protected]: www.hitrail.com 17-19 March 2015 – Rail-Tech 2015UtrechtOrganisers: Europoint Conferences & ExhibitionsTel: +31 (0)30 698 1800Email: [email protected]: www.rail-tech.com
A downloadable brochure is available at: www.imeche.org/docs/default-source/learning-and-professional-development-documents/l_ d_railway_training_web.pdf?sfvrsn=2 For more information, please contact Lucy O’Sullivan, learning and development co-ordinator: Tel: +44 (0)20 7304 6907 Email: [email protected]: www.imeche.org/learning/courses/railway
29th OctoberTrain control and safety systemsLearn of the systems used on UK fleets that provide safety and train operational control
30th OctoberVehicle dynamics and vehicle track interactionUnderstand the dynamics of railway vehicles to improve safety, comfort and asset life
4th NovemberTrain structural integrityStructural integrity, fire and crashworthiness systems found on today’s rail fleets 5th NovemberFleet maintenanceImprove your processes and fleet maintenance processes
6th NovemberVehicle acceptance and approvalsIntroduction to acceptance procedures which apply across the rail network
72 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzMetroselskabet
T he Copenhagen Metro operates 24 hours a day,
seven days a week with two current lines that
run from Copenhagen Airport and Vestamager to
the centre of the City and continue to suburban
Vanløse. The first Metro in Copenhagen opened the gates
in 2002. Since then several extensions to the system
have been built and the Metro has experienced an
increasing number of passengers every year. Cityringen
is a completely new Metro line constructed on the same
principles as the existing Copenhagen Metro net. The
Cityringen circle line will be a 15 kilometre underground
railway under downtown Copenhagen, the ‘bridge
quarters’ and Frederiksberg with 17 underground stations.
In an interview with Railway Strategies, Rebekka
Nymark, customer and business director provides an
Many of the new underground stations are
built in the heart of the old historic Copenhagen
like here at Kongens Nytorv
update on the business and the construction of the new
line: “Besides running the existing Metro system in the
City, Metroselskabet is currently in the early stages of
the construction of the new city circle line, with several
underground stations in the heart of Copenhagen, plus a
branch with two new metro stations in a new fast developing
area near the north harbour, Nordhavn,” she says.
The business is also developing a light rail system just
outside Copenhagen, which will be 27 kilometres long and
include 27 new light rail platforms. Today Copenhagen has
just two metro lines with 22 stations. In contrast, by 2020
the city will have four metro lines with 39 stations and a
new light rail system. The Metro system in Copenhagen
is still relatively young with perhaps the most significant
milestone being the opening of the Metro itself in 2002. The
Coping with the rushIn collaboration with the municipal authorities of Copenhagen and Frederiksberg, the Danish government has recently concluded a contract to expand the existing Metro with a new city circle line, the Cityringen
When the new City Circle Line in Copenhagen opens up the gates 85 per cent of the city’s residents will have less than 600 metres to a Metro or S-train station
The Metro in Copenhagen started operating in 2002 and is one of the youngest Metro systems in Europe. Today the City has 22 Metro stations but there is huge building activity and in 2020 Copenhagen will have 39 Metro stations and a 27 kilometre long new light rail system just outside the city
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 73
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzMetroselskabet has been running Cool Construction,
an initiative which turns construction site hoardings into
temporary urban labs for the benefit of neighbours and
passers-by. The project was launched with the aims to
make construction site perimeters a positive feature in
urban life through temporary projects designed for the
local environment.
“On the existing Metro in Copenhagen we are currently
building platform gates on all above ground stations. Once
the gate installation has been completed we will be able
to increase the capacity of trains and the passengers will
benefit from this as we can provide a better service with
a higher frequency of trains, running every 100 seconds.”
The existing network operates with short trains that extension to the Metro system in 2007 with a connection
to the airport signified the next step to its expansion. In
2008, in co-operation with the operator, Metroselskabet
successfully began operating the 24/7 service, which has
benefitted many passengers over the years.
In 1904 the Danish parliament, Folketinget, discussed
plans of an underground system, inspired by the London
Underground, but decided to drop the idea. It was not
until a century later when the first Metro in Denmark
opened and popularity and interest in the system quickly
grew. The success of the first Metro led to the public and
political call for more Metro lines, which has resulted in
the development of the Cityringen and other projects. In
2011, the contract to design and build the new Cityringen
line was signed with a project value of approximately
£2.5 billion. The contract negotiation for the underground
works for the Nordhavn branch, which includes two
stations and two tunnels, is currently ongoing.
The new system will be a fully automatic, driverless
system, providing a massive lift to the infrastructure and
mobility in Copenhagen. Eighty-five per cent of the city’s
residents live within 600 metres of a train or metro station,
and the new line is expected to open in December 2018.
Addressing the challenges felt by the business, Rebekka
says: “Building the new stations and 16 kilometres of twin
bored tunnels under an old city with many old buildings
and landmarks is a huge challenge. Approximately
30,000 people live within a radius of 100 metres from
one of our 21 worksites in the city. The construction
phase has primarily been challenged by the constrained
worksites, which have a limited area. To meet our goals
we have therefore asked to be allowed to extend the
working hours on the worksites so we have the possibility
of working evenings and nights when necessary.”
As construction works are undertaken in close
proximately to private and commercial dwellings,
Metroselskabet contacts all neighbours surrounding a
future building site well in advance to inform them about
what they can expect. Everyone in the neighbourhood
around the building site is invited to meetings, at which
the construction plans and their consequences are
explained. This gives local residents an opportunity to
get answers to their questions about the project. In line
with community involvement, for the past two years
COWI ARUP SYTRA JV COWI ARUP SYTRA JV have been the Metroselskabet Civil Work Consultants on Cityringen and
have fast tracked, with close interactive dialog with Metroselskabet, the tender design. It is a
multi-disciplinary design with optimal and sustainable solutions for the cities of Copenhagen
and Frederiksberg. COWI ARUP SYSTRA JV has contributed from within their key disciplines
at a top international level. The design is supplemented with a detailed interior design to best,
international visual and comfort standards.
74 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
carry approximately 300 passengers. The trains on the
Cityringen line will be very similar to the ones on the
existing Metro, but will include minor updates on the
design.
Copenhagen is growing by approximately 10,000
inhabitants every year, which equates to around two
per cent. As urbanisation is expected to continue over
the next 15 to 20 years it raises numerous and major
challenges for the city. Rebekka explains: “The Metro is
a key solution when it comes to mobility, and we are in
constant dialogue with our customers to ensure that we
meet their demands. In our latest customer satisfaction
survey 95 per cent of the passengers declared that they
were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with our product. We
are basically working on making life easier for people,
both those who live in Copenhagen and the city’s guests.
In that respect we are proud to be offering our customers
a 24/7service, which is quite unique in the world.
Furthermore, 98.5 per cent of all arrivals and departures
are on time.”
Looking further ahead, Rebekka summarises the
forecast for the business: “The next five years for
Metroselskabet are really busy. We have the responsibility
for building the new Cityringen, the Nordhavn branch to
connect a development in the north harbour area to the
city and a new light rail system just outside Copenhagen
with 27 new stations. At the same time it is our aim to
continue increasing the number of passengers in the
existing metro system and make sure our customers are
satisfied with our service. So we expect a very busy and
exciting five years to come.” zz
www.m.dk
zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzMetroselskabet
Four Tunnel Boring Machines will create 31 kilometre new Metro Tunnel under Copenhagen. Here the head to the first Tunnel Boring Machine is arriving to the shaft in Nørrebroparken
Comply Serve Provides Compliance for Copenhagen Cityringen
Delivering a project wide
hazard record system for the
Cityringen project, Comply
Serve is proud to be partner
with the Copenhagen Metro
Team. ComplyPro® is a
single progressive assurance
and compliance solution that
manages all the elements of
risk in one place. The project
delivery team, as well as the
end client and stakeholders,
all have the same version
of the truth throughout the
programme, delivering an
accelerated decision-making
process and progressive
assurance through all project
stages
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz MENDIP RAIL
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 75
over its 263 strong fleet of aggregate wagons, a contract
that brought the number of wagons supplied by VTG to
the freight operator to almost 320. The innovative and
mutually beneficial agreement provides Mendip Rail with
the rail capacity it needs and thus ensures it delivers the
optimum level of reliability through fleet availability; VTG
and Nacco, meanwhile, will work with sub-contractor
Axiom Rail to fulfil its duties as entity in charge of
maintenance (ECM).
As the regular supplier of large, time-sensitive tonnage,
Mendip Rail is proud of the vast capacity it has to offer
through the utilisation of its own wagon and locomotive
resources. Indeed, this strength enables the firm to adapt
to demand, as does its strong working relationship with
Network Rail and DBS. Being able to plan and switch
operations in an efficient and flexible manner through these
positive relationships offers clear benefits to Hanson and
Aggregate Industries and their downstream supply chain.
Mendip Rail’s core market is the Mendip Hills but it also
transports limestone from quarries in South Wales, and
Leicestershire. “As one of the only privately owned firms
On trackCelebrating its 20th anniversary in October 2013, independent freight operator
Mendip Rail’s versatility in a changing market has ensured it continues to deliver a flexible and efficient rail freight solution
Formed as a joint venture between Foster Yeoman
(now Aggregate Industries) and ARC (now Hanson
Aggregates), the two firms pooled their resources
into Mendip Rail in 1993 to deliver aggregates
via rail from their neighbouring production facilities in
Somerset. Today operating as a recognised leader in the
rail freight market, Mendip Rail runs trains from Hanson’s
Whatley quarry and Aggregate Industries’ Torr Works in the
Mendip Hills to a series of depots in the south and south-
east of England. “We move approximately five and a half
million tonnes of limestone annually,” begins Dean Pitman,
General Manager of Mendip Rail. “We have 23 employees,
the majority of whom are engineers who maintain and
manage our fleet of eight mainline locos on a 24 hours a
day, seven day a week basis. The majority of our business
comes from Hanson and Aggregate Industries; we don’t
enter the market place to tender for additional work.”
In addition to the fleet of eight Class 59 locomotives,
the company also has more than 400 wagons under lease
from VTG and NACCO. During the last quarter of 2012
VTG signed a long-term contract with Mendip Rail to take
Village of Mells on the 1330 Whatley-Dagenham Docks on
Friday 13th July 2012 at Westbury
Phot
os b
y Ad
am S
now,
a w
ork
expe
rienc
e st
uden
t at M
endi
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i in
2012
76 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Class 378 train at Norwood Junction on the East London Line, South stations
Kenneth J. Painter on the 0945 Theale-Merehead Monday 9th July 2012 at Merehead
Ford Fuel Oils Ford Fuel Oils is a family run fuel and lubricant distributor based in the southwest.
Its fleet of 43 fuel tankers and 12 lubricant delivery vehicles offer a next day delivery service
to a wide range of loyal customers in the transport, automotive, agricultural and domestic
market sectors.
Ford Fuel Oils look forward to continuing and developing our working partnership with
Mendip Rail Limited and wishes them good fortune in their future growth and development.
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 77
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz MENDIP RAIL zz
to own and operate our locos, we run our traffic under
a major long-term contract with DB Schenker. All of our
drivers are with DB Schenker, our haulage contract is with
DB Schenker, so they provide the drivers and the access to
their network while we provide the wagons and the locos,”
explains Dean. “This contract has been long-standing since
our inception; back then we used Mainline Freight, which
was then acquired by EWS, which was later brought out
by DB Schenker. We have in effect had the same haulage
partner more or less for 20 years.”
With long-term expertise in the rail freight market,
the company further expanded its capabilities during
the economic crisis by becoming the first employer
organisation to be awarded the status of ‘Accredited
Training Provider’ by the National Skills Academy for
Material, Production and Supply in October 2010. Able
to deliver the Rail Safety Awareness (RSA) training course
for personnel within the company, its parent companies
and their customers that operate in the rail freight network,
Mendip Rail’s was developed by Dean and Colin Ellis,
rail manager for the Midland Rail sector of Aggregate
Industries. “As a training provider we carry out safety
awareness training to the people that discharge and load
the aggregate we deliver. This helps ensure high safety
standards,” says Dean.
Following a challenging number of years, Mendip
Rail is preparing itself for further changes in an evolving
market as the European Rail Traffic Management System
(ERTMS) initiative comes into effect over the next decade
and growth within the construction industry requires new
staff to join the company, as Dean highlights: “The railway
industry is moving towards a more improved facility, which
means everyone operating in the market needs to up
their game to ensure freight can be maintained on the
new infrastructure. With ERTMS coming up over the next
ten years we need to adapt to this new system; this will
be a major challenge for the whole sector, but we are
preparing now because many locomotives need to be
converted by 2018.
“We also see growth within our two parent companies
so we will be bringing in some fresh blood to sustain this
development through apprenticeships; these apprentices
will spend the next three to five years being trained to the
level that both Mendip Rail and Network Rail requires,”
he concludes. zz
78 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzFCC EnvironmEnt
A s part of the FCC group, one of the world’s
largest environmental services companies, the
business holds an enviable position in all the
markets that it operates. The business views
every waste collection an opportunity to reclaim valuable
resources and improve the environment. In its operations,
the latest recycling and green energy technology is used
to ensure that as much resource as possible is recovered,
minimising the use of landfill.
The profile of the UK’s waste management industry has
never been higher, the pressures on local authorities and
the economy to reduce waste and maximise re-use and
recovery have never been greater. Through innovation,
service and expertise, the cornerstones of the group’s
approach, it is committed to working with local authority
partners and industry customers to respond to often
complex and far-reaching waste management strategies,
to react to increased regulation from the UK and Europe,
and to meet demanding waste management targets.
Driven to be the UK’s leading waste management and
energy recovery group, the business works in partnership
to deliver best value and sustainable waste solutions to
meet the country’s needs. Each year the business collects,
recycles and disposes of millions of tonnes of household,
commercial and industrial waste. It also generates energy
from waste, thereby contributing significantly to the
Government’s efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
One area the company specialises in and is developing
further is removal of construction materials by rail.
Currently the company receives material from three
Clearing upFCC Environment is one of the UK’s leading waste and resource management companies, helping thousands of businesses and communities waste less and recycle more
www.railwaystrategies.co.uk 79
Clearing up All of our equipment is custom-built and uniquely designed to give maximum benefit to the customer in efficiency whilst ensuring the highest levels of safety in operation for all project needs, enabling them to cater for all bulk handling requirements regardless of budgets, time constraints or location.
Rail Wagon UnloadingRFS are able to discharge all types of bulk commodities from various types of rail wagon used on
the network today, typically aggregates, coal, waste, scrap and finished products e.g. blocks and
bricks within the required timetable.
Train & Lorry LoadingIn addition to the grab equipment which is suitable for train and lorry loading, RFS also run a fleet of
front-end loading shovels fitted with weigh-loaders and ticket printers guaranteed to +- 2%.
Intermodal Bulk HandlingSome products need to be isolated for various reasons, and are maybe best suited to travel in a
container. RFS own and operate equipment suitable for loading 20T, 30T and 40T containers to and
from lorries and trains.
Ship Loading & UnloadingRFS operate long-reach equipment with power-turn clamshell grabs and high rise cabs, ideal for
loading or unloading bulk commodity products from ships or barges of up to 4,000 tonnes capacity
from a quayside. In addition RFS own and operate 5 grain elevators which have a combined loading
rate of 1,500 tph.
Ancillary ServicesRFS own and operate a range of forklifts, lorries, screening equipment and mobile weighbridges
which are available as part of your logistics solution if required.
Rail Freight Services are pleased to work closely with FCC undertaking bulk materials
handling for many of their UK Operations
Rail Freight Services is the premier company
for the loading and unloading of railway
wagons and water-bourne vessels, being able to service a huge
variety of contracts operating within time
constraints, rail and tide timetables
80 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk
locations in the London area. The well-known soil
receiving sites of Calvert, Stewartby, Sutton Courtenay
and Didcot are strategically located to significantly
reduce cost and enhance the environment. The
company has received materials from Crossrail, LUL
and many well known prestigious contracts working
with principal freight operators such as DBS, Freightliner,
GBRF and Devon and Cornwall.
One of the main benefits from operating trains in the
process of waste removal is that it significantly reduces
the amount of vehicles on the road, saving unnecessary
expenditure for its clients as well as environmental
savings. Capable of transporting a large quantity of
material in one go, it would take five road vehicles to
remove the load that one rail vehicle is able to transport
and 75 road vehicles for one train. The business currently
processes 15 trains each week that collectively transport
17,500 tonnes of soil and waste. In 2012 the amount
of waste moved by rail was minimal, and it was the
innovative thinking from the business that has really
helped drive this market forward.
With a number of large-scale construction and
development projects planned and coming to fruition
in and around the boroughs of London and the South
East, there is a growing demand for the removal of
construction waste, particularly massive amounts of soil
that will be excavated during the development process.
With the right fleet of vehicles under contract the forward
thinking business is well prepared for the activity that this
future workload will bring. As such it has made plans to
increase the frequency of the trains to more than 30 each
week, thereby doubling the load to its various sites, with
three new rail linked transfer stations planned.
Its values and behaviours are a fundamental part of the
culture of the group, providing clear guidance on priorities
and working practices. At FCC Environment the vision is
to be the environmental company of choice, delivering
change for a sustainable future, achieved through
commitment to the environment and remaining socially
responsible in the services it provides. With a strong
focus on its people, the company demonstrates the value
it attributes to its workforce by ensuring rewards and
praise for a job well done, motivating others to achieve
the same. Essentially this contributes towards building a
secure future by being customer focused and delivering
quality services.
Despite working hard to reduce the amount of waste
going to landfill, there will always be a small amount
that cannot be recycled. For this purpose the company
operates a number of landfill sites throughout the UK,
and where possible, materials are sent to one of its
energy for waste plants. FCC landfill sites are much
more than finish and forget sites. In order to reduce the
environmental impact, its team ensure that gas is safely
removed and recycled into energy as well as monitoring
local water quality 24 hours a day.
Throughout the industry, and particularly recognised
by the communities in which it operates, FCC holds
a favourable position, seen as an economical and
environmentally responsible alternative. Through modern
and innovative ways, the business is using landfills to
reduce the amount of waste it receives and increase
recycling efficiency. Material recycling facilities are
being built on some landfills along with wind turbines,
composting facilities and refuse derived fuel plants. All
these new facilities are working together to ensure less
and less waste is added to landfill. zz
www.fccenvironment.co.uk
zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzFCC EnvironmEnt