railstaff newspaper may 2012

“We believe that improving our railway is a crucial way toboost growth and strengthen our competitiveness,” saysMinister of State for Transport, Theresa Villers. See page four for more encouraging news.

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RailStaff

PAGE 9

BridgeZone appointsSteve Cordwell

PAGE 13

Devolution part twowith Martin Frobisher

PAGE 16PAGE 4

A View to a Thrill

Entries are now open forphotographers around Britain.

East Midlands Trains ManagingDirector David Horne’s view.

Issue 174 / May 2012

Theresa Villiersbacks Rail Industry

The recently overhauled GO4 ballast

renewal machine and team carried out

trials for Network Rail in February

replacing over 25 metres of ballast

per hour.

This and a second machine are now

available for hire for ballast renewals and

track lowering projects nationwide.

Old ballast is removed from the site and

replaced with new without the need to

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Whilst the machine is removing the

ballast a team of road rail excavators

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If you would like to discuss hiring the

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www.railstaff.co.uk 3

Health & Safety In July’s RailStaffThe biggest asset of any company is its people. Their Health andSafety is therefore paramount. Find out what new Rail Health andSafety initiatives there are and keep in touch with Track Safety withour resident expert, Colin wheeler.Call Paul Curtis on 01530 56 00 26 or email [email protected].

White horse born to runRunners around the world are

mourning the death of longdistance runner, Micah True, akaCaballo Blanco, who died on a briefrun earlier this year in GilaNational Park, New Mexico.

Micah features in the bestseller,‘Born to Run’ by ChristopherMcDougall. Long distance runs inminimal shoes are becomingincreasingly popular. CaballoBlanco competed in 100 mile racesand regularly ran 20 miles. Hisdeath, at 58, from heart failureremains a mystery.

Armchair moralists will shaketheir head at the folly of sport.They should take a look at traindriver’s daughter, Colette Martin,17, who plans to compete in theGlasgow Commonwealth Gamesin 2014. Colette is training hard inher home town, Motherwell, in aracing wheelchair. Her father, ChrisMartin, and friends are helping.

Colette suffers from spina bifidabut is not letting a detail like thatstand in the way of her competingup the road in Glasgow in twoyears time. Colette is one of anumber of para-athletes refusingto allow disability to prevent themcompeting in major sports eventsaround the world.

Micah True was nicknamedCaballo Blanco or White Horse by

the Tarahumara – the runningpeople - of Mexico’s remoteCopper Canyons. The Tarahumararun 100s of miles and are thoughtto possess a running skill oncecommon to all mankind.

Humans can run further thanmammals – basically because wecan lose heat efficiently in a way adeer can’t. People of all ages canrun. The secret is to run on thefront of your feet and let the naturalarch of your foot take the shock.

Enchanted by the crime-freeculture of the Tarahumara MicahTrue organised a race in theCopper Canyons that pitted topAmerican distance runners againstlocal Tarahumara runners over a50 mile course. The race nowraises resources for theTarahumara and formed the basisfor the book, ‘Born to Run.’

If Micah True shows us what thebest runners can do Colette Martin

by example whirrs aside anyexcuses the rest of us might have.The real stars of theCommonwealth Games and theOlympics are people like Colette.

Colette Martin demonstrates thatwhatever fate throws at you it ispossible to rise above it. Sport is ofinestimable value not only to thecharities but to the eternal causeof friendship and peace. Athleteslike Colette inspire us all. We wishher every success.

Micah True died sitting by a pathtoo small for a wheeled vehicle. Inone of those odd coincides thatsuggest a divine seal of approvalon all this the local county sheriffhad to use a horse to bring himdown and he sent a white horse, acaballo blanco.

Andy Milne, [email protected]

Colette Martin demonstrates thatwhatever fate throws at you it ispossible to rise above it. Athleteslike Colette inspire us all…

PAGE 15 PAGE 18SPECIAL FOCUS

The Royal Train

Continuing a tradition whichdates back to 1842, the RoyalTrain remains one of thepreferred modes of transport forthe Royal Family.

Publisher: Paul O’Connor

Editor: Andy Milne

Production and design: Adam O’Connor

Senior Reporter: Jonathan Webb

Writer: Nigel Wordsworth

Track Safety: Colin Wheeler

Pictures: Colin Garratt

Advertising: Asif Ahmed

Craig Smith

Paul Curtis

Contact Email AddressesNews: [email protected]

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Stations Focus

Together with features on theenhancements at LoughboroughStation and the Changeover atChester-le-Street, there is a lotgoing on regarding stations.

RailStaffContact us:

COMMENT

4 www.railstaff.co.uk

Improving the railwayis crucial to growthDespite the continuing recession and theeuro-crisis abroad, the CoalitionGovernment is standing firm behind the railindustry, says Theresa Villiers.

‘The Government is pressing ahead despitethe deficit because we believe that improvingour railway is a crucial way to boost growthand strengthen our competitiveness.’ TheMinister of State for Transport was speaking atthe Infrarail exhibition at a conferenceorganised by the rail engineer. She started bywelcoming RailStaff’s editorial policy ofrunning good news stories about railways. ‘I do

agree it‘s a fairly novel concept - good newsabout the rail industry - but there certainly issome around.’

In her speech she stressed the need to givebetter value for money. ‘By 2019, we want theindustry to close the full £3.5 billion efficiency gapidentified in the McNulty report.’ Theresa Villierslisted projects including Crossrail, High SpeedTwo, Thameslink, Reading and Birmingham NewStreet developments, electrification, better freightroutes and plans for the IEP rolling stock asevidence of renewed confidence in railways andthe unique role the industry plays.

Pledging continuing support Villiers said,‘We’ve broken the typical pattern, where railhas often seemed to be among the firstcasualties when Government spending has tobe reined in to restore the public finances tohealth,’ she said. ‘Thanks to some verydifficult decisions on issues such as VAT andwelfare reform, we’ve been able to commit £18billion to rail in the current spending reviewperiod.’

She also said the government was adopting anew collaborative approach to change, as wellas adopting less prescriptive and longerfranchises. The minister re-iterated her call forgreater efficiency and value for money. ‘Ourblueprint for the future of rail is clear: sustainedinvestment in the rail infrastructure, and asustained attack on waste and inefficiency; and

Artist’s impression of BirminghamNew Street Station.

better services for passengers and a better dealfor both the farepayer and taxpayer.’

The railway industry looks set to continueplaying a leading role in the resurgent Britisheconomy.

Network Rail has launched anew business aimed at gettingbetter value for money oninfrastructure projects.

The new commercially focussed,regionally based, projects deliverybusiness - Network RailInfrastructure Projects - has fourregional directors and threeprogramme directors responsiblefor delivery of major renewal andenhancement infrastructure intheir area.

Regional directors include: RogerDickinson - Scotland and theNorth East; Neil Thompson –Central; Robbie Burns - Wales andWestern and Nick Elliott -Southern. Programme directors are

Graham Greener, FTN/GSM-R, theupgrading of driver-signallercomms; Jim Crawford, Thameslinkand Mark Southwell, Signalling.They will manage their own profitand loss and will be charged withwinning work under a newcompetitive structure proposed byNetwork Rail.

Says Simon Kirby, managingdirector, investment projects,‘Network Rail is transforming theway it works as a company andtaking the lead in driving changethrough the rail industry. Ourcommitment is to build not just abigger and better railway, but abetter value railway too.’ He wenton, ‘It is clear that capital

investment in infrastructure mustbe delivered as efficiently aspossible, with the best possiblevalue secured for every poundspent.’

To enable open competition forthis work, Network RailInfrastructure Projects will becomea separate legal entity next year. Itwill then be able to bid againstother market competitors forsome of Network Rail’s capitalprogramme for Control Period 5(2014-19), as well as for other off-network projects.


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NEWS

“Network Rail istransforming theway it works as a company…”SIMON KIRBY,MANAGING DIRECTOR,INVESTMENT PROJECTS, NETWORK RAIL


NEWS

Network Rail and its contractorssuccessfully completed a busyEaster period of engineeringworks across the whole country,including Olympic critical sites.

Engineers and rail staff workedon 260 projects around the clockprogressing £40m of plannedworks at over 1,000 worksites.Maintenance teams were out inforce working at an additional2,000 worksites. Highlights includethe Thameslink Phase 3Commissioning Works which sawthe completion of work at

Blackfriars with Platform 3 and 4now ready for use ahead of theMay timetable change.

Capacity enhancement workpushed ahead at Finsbury Parkwith bridge strengthening andtrack realignment designed toeliminate the bottleneck. On theNorth London Line, essential forthe Olympics, the Easterpossession saw 5 of the 6 SolidState Interlocks successfullyupdated at Upminster.

Work continued on Crossrailwith a 94 hour possession at West

Acton. In the Midlands signallingcontrol was successfullytransferred from Saltley PSB to theWest Midlands Signalling Centre(WMSC) over two commissioningpossessions. The first wassuccessfully completed inNovember 2011 covering the areaeast of Water Orton, followed bythe area west of Water Orton overEaster 2012.

Track remodelling proceeded atBletchley with the renewal of eightsets of points. New signals andstructures were installed and

enabling works successfullyundertaken for overhead line workplanned for later this year.

Two bridges were successfullyreconstructed on the Salisbury -Southampton line at Ashfield, nearRomsey, and New Road near EastGrimstead. These are now higherand will enable wider, taller,international ISO containers topass safely underneath en route toand from Southampton.

Keyline is pushing ahead withthe purchase of 60 new vehicles,predominantly DAF CF75 crane-operated trucks, as part of afleet replacement programmeaimed at better serving the railindustry.

The 26-tonne trucks will be fittedwith Atlas 120 radio-controlledcranes. Each vehicle will have awide range of safety featuresincluding white noise reversing

alarm, reversing camera,unbreakable mirrors, fresnellenses, close proximity mirrors,load security system and vehicletracking.

They will have an environmentalfriendly five-minute engine idlecut off. All the vehicles will meetexacting rail industry Health andSafety standards ensuring they aresuitable for work at rail sitesnationwide. Meanwhile Keyline

vehicles already based in Londonhave undergone an upgrade toachieve full Crossrail compliance.

Says Richard Wade, Rail SectorManager at Keyline, ‘We arecommitted to providing thehighest levels of supply chainmanagement to ensure we deliverthe right products, to the rightplace, at the right time. Thisinvestment in our fleet operationmeans we will be better placed tomeet the needs of specialistcontractors, large infrastructurecompanies and rail organisationsin terms of compliance, servicelevels and logistics support.’

Newfleet forKeyline

Legendary constructioncompany, J. Murphy and SonsLimited, has joined the RailwayIndustry Association.

Murphy, a leading contractor inthe rail industry, joins 160 membercompanies in RIA. Established in1951 by John Murphy, J. Murphy &Sons Limited has developed into amulti-disciplined civil engineeringand building contractor with aturnover of £420 million and ispositioned as one of the topcontractors in the UK.

The business was started by JohnJames Murphy who was born inLoughmark, County Kerry in 1913.As a young man he emigrated toLondon and built runways for theRAF as well as clearing bomb sitescreated by the Luftwaffe. After thewar he set up on his ownbranching out into roads andeventually railways. The companycontinues to be owned andmanaged by the Murphy family.

Murphyjoins RIA

SpringHolidayprogress

Artist’s impression of BlackfriarsBridge with solar panels.


Ruth Humphrey has beenappointed Project Director -Depots, for Siemens RailSystems.

The former TfL manager will bebased at Siemens’ Westminsteroffices. Ruth will have overallresponsibility for delivery of theThameslink depots at Hornsey andThree Bridges. A fluent Frenchspeaker Ruth Humphrey startedher career in hotel management inFrance before moving to BritishAerospace from whence she joinedBR in the South East.

Her career in the railwayindustry includes directing majorprojects at Stagecoach Rail andSouth West Trains. She has alsoworked for Balfour Beatty Rail andNetwork Rail. She studied Mathsand French at the University ofManchester - Institute of Scienceand Technology. In her new roleRuth will work in closecollaboration with stakeholders,suppliers and contractors and localgroups to deliver both depots

within tight timescales andbudgets.

She will also work closely withrecently-appointed ThameslinkRolling Stock Project ProgrammeDirector David Miller. Says Ruth,‘These two depots are critical to

the success of the ThameslinkRolling Stock Project and I ampleased to be joining Siemens atsuch a pivotal time in the projectdelivery.

‘Siemens already has extensivedepot project management and

build skills and I am lookingforward to working closely withmy new colleagues across thebusiness to capitalise on theseskills for project success.’

Steve Scrimshaw, ManagingDirector for Siemens Rail Systemsin the UK said, ‘I’m delighted to beable to welcome Ruth to Siemens.Her extensive expertise indelivering complex, high-value railconstruction projects, will beinvaluable as we forge ahead withthis important project.’

Thameslink role for Ruth Humphrey

The man who set a new recordfor track installation overweekend possessions on theLondon Underground has beenpromoted to head Bechtel’s railbusiness.

Amjad Bangash has beenappointed managing director, railat Bechtel. Amjad has beenworking for Bechtel for twentyyears and was recently project

director for Bechtel in the UnitedArab Emirates. In his new role hewill report to Mike Adams,President of Bechtel’s civilinfrastructure business.

Amjad joined Bechtel in 1992 as asenior engineer at the SanFrancisco head office, and hasworked in the United States,Nigeria, Thailand, and Guyana. In1995, he went to work on theKowloon-Canton RC West RailProject in Hong Kong.

Later he held a seniormanagement role at Bechtel,working for Tube Lines, in chargeof the permanent way renewalsand station modernisationprogramme for the major upgradeof the Jubilee, Northern andPiccadilly lines. Here heestablished new records for trackinstallation during weekendengineering slots. In his new role,Amjad will be responsible forexpanding Bechtel’s global rail andtransit business.

‘This is an exciting time forBechtel’s rail business as thedemand for sustainable transportbecomes increasingly importantacross all continents. I amdelighted to have the opportunityto further develop Bechtel’s railbusiness and to deliver moreexciting and challenging projectsacross the world,’ said AmjadBangash. Amjad has a Bachelor ofScience and doctorate in civilengineering from WashingtonState University.

Tube record holder promoted

Steve Hails is taking on the jobof Health and Safety Director atCrossrail.

Steve Hails joins from Siemens,where he held the post of GlobalHead of Environment, Health andSafety at Siemens Energy WindPower. Prior to this he heldpositions in EEF Northern, Procterand Gamble, Nuclear Electric andthe Royal Navy. He holds a degreein Health and Safety from theUniversity of Sunderland.

Says Andy Mitchell, Crossrail’sProgramme Director, ‘The scaleand complexity of the Crossrailproject demands the highest levelsof attention to health and safety.Steve’s technical expertise andleadership credentials will ensurethe Target Zero (safety) philosophydrives every action undertaken byCrossrail staff and our deliverypartners.’

Steve joinsCrossrail

“I’m delighted to beable to welcomeRuth to Siemens.”STEVE SCRIMSHAW,MANAGING DIRECTOR,SIEMENS RAIL SYSTEMS

“This is an excitingtime for Bechtel’srail business…”AMJAD BANGASH,MANAGING DIRECTOR,BECHTEL RAIL


PEOPLE NEWS

Engineering Consultant,BridgeZone Limited, hasappointed Steve Cordwell asBusiness Development Director.

Steve joins from Amey where hewas Head of BusinessDevelopment. The appointmentboosts ambitious growth plansfor BridgeZone which specialisesin difficult access inspectionsoften involving rope access,underwater diving and workingin confined spaces.

Says managing director, PaulMarshall, ‘We are delighted towelcome Steve to BridgeZone. Heand I have worked well togethermany times previously to greateffect so I know he will be an assetto us in bringing an extraconsidered dimension to thesenior team.’

BridgeZone has operationalcentres in the South West andMidlands. Steve will beaccountable for developing

strategic direction for markets andservices and will lead all businessdevelopment activity in thecompany.

BridgeZone appointsSteve Cordwell

David Bill has joined theRailway Industry Association asits new InternationalDevelopment Director.

Mr Bill is a civil engineer and hashad a successful career withBalfour Beatty where he becameInternational BusinessDevelopment Director for the RailGroup. More recently he has beena director of Metrail Constructionand the Roughton Group.

David started his career in therailway electrification division ofBalfour Beatty, where he becamethe director responsible for aportfolio of international projectsand international businessdevelopment.

Following a period as DivisionalEngineering Director he transferredto Hong Kong as General Managerfor Rail and Power Transmission.Subsequent overseas postings haveincluded the Philippines, Dubaiand Sweden.

David replaces Tim Gray who,after six successful years at RIA, ismoving to a new role in theindustry.

David Bill joins RIA


Join the Rail Alliance nowRail Alliance membership starts

from just £500 per year

log on to www.railalliance.co.ukemail [email protected]

or call 01789 720026.

Railway Strategies 201221st JuneMotorcycle Museum,Birmingham

Macrorail 201212th-13th Sept Long Marston

Innotrans 2012 18th-21st SeptBerlin, Germany

Newmembers

Rail Alliance events

KeTech Systems Ltd(Specialists in Communication, Information and Detection Technologies. KeTech Systems work across a range of vertical markets including transport, security, public sector & detection) www.ketech.com

Railgrup(Railway Cluster, a leading partnership in the Spanish body, covering 80 companies, involving chemical companies, railway engineering, rolling stock manufacturers, operators, civil & system engineering, interior design, maintenance, tooling, universities, research centres etc) www.railgrup.net

Stadler Bussnang AG(The Stadler Rail Group focuses on the sectors of regional & suburban transport, interregional & intercity transport, trams & rack railways as well as small locomotives. Product portfolio includes FLIRT, the low-floor articulated railcar GTW as well as the Regio-Shuttle)www.stadlerrail.com

RuggedCom Inc. (UK)(Leading manufacturer of high-performance network equipment for use in harsh environments. With over 2200 existing customers worldwide, RuggedCom offers a complete range of wired and wireless network equipment to suit the demands of railway companies)www.ruggedcom.com

ITTD Consultancy Ltd(ITTD Consultancy Ltd, the UK division of International Transport Training & Development Ltd in Australia, have aided in the development of many existing & new build projects)www.ittd.com.au

The forthcoming Westermoseminar highlights the need for,and value of, CollaborativeWorking …

At Infrarail, we also noted thatthe quality of enquiries hadincreased as well as the quantity;so much so that we found itdifficult to find time to visit all ourmembers exhibiting in the hall.So, our profuse apologies to thefew members we didn’t get roundto see - not least founder membersWestermo.

We wanted to find out moreabout their forthcoming seminar

on Collaborative BusinessRelationships ‘Delivering ProjectsThrough Partnerships’ at theNational Railway Museum in Yorkon 23 May 2012.

This free-to-attend eventincludes presentations from NeilCarruthers of Network Rail (Headof Contracting Strategy,Investment Projects) and RichardGraham of Balfour Beatty (Head ofStrategic Development), as well asother presentations from thefollowing: telent Communications,Daventry Business & ConsultancyServices, Firstco and, of course,

Westermo themselves. The aim of this year’s Westermo

seminar, which builds on theirhugely successful seminar heldlast year at the London TransportMuseum, is to look at howpartnerships across the supplychain can assist in deliveringprojects and how this can supportmeeting the targets outlined in theMcNulty ‘Rail Value for Money’Report. These targets are at theheart of the industry’s strategy forreducing cost and increasinginvestment, maintaining andimproving safety whilst continuingto deliver improved service to thecustomer.

Places at this seminar are limited,please visit: westermo.co.uk/registration or ring 01489 580585to reserve your place at thisprestigious seminar.

‘Delivering Projectsthrough Partnerships’

We have just taken the time topause and take stock of Infrarailand how well it worked for us,reports Robert Hopkin of theRail Alliance.

Judging the worth of shows andexhibitions is both subjective andobjective as well as needing to bequalitative and quantitative.However, sometimes there is just a

gut feeling that it went well.At Infrarail the footfall on Days 2

and 3 looked similar to years goneby. However we noted that therewas a perceptible increase in footfallon the first day. This was confirmedby the organisers, Mack Brooks, whoreported an 8% increase on the firstday as well as a higher number ofreturnees on Day 2.

The upshot of all this for the RailAlliance is that we received ourlargest number of membershipenquiries ever from a single showand are in the process of chasingup the 80+ expressions of interestfor membership. Exciting timesindeed for the Rail Alliance!

Best everInfrarail

RAIL ALLIANCE NEWS

An intrepid team from the RailMedia Group is training hard forthis year’s Railway ChildrenThree Peaks Challenge.

Asif Ahmed, Paul O’Connor, CraigSmith and Paul Curtis plan tosummit all three peaks and raisemoney for the Railway Childrencharity. This year’s challenge marks

the tenth anniversary of the ThreePeaks by Rail. Over 50 teams willtravel on a special train betweenSnowdon, Scafell Pike and BenNevis scrambling up the threehighest mountains in Britain.

Says Asif, ‘We’re all trying to fittraining into an already busyschedule.’ The expedition

represents a real challenge for CraigSmith who had reconstructivesurgery on his left knee last yearand he’s battling the odds to get fitfor the June mountain outing.

Paul O’Connor plays football andgoes running. A young family helpskeep his reflexes sharp. Ever genialPaul Curtis is concentrating onbuilding up lung and heart capacitywith lots of running and walking.Team coach Adam O’Connorshepherded the group on a trial runup Snowdon recently. ‘It showed upthe amount of work we have to doto achieve a requisite level offitness,’ says Adam who has

climbed Mount Kilimanjaro as partof the Railway Children expedition.

Adam will be taking part in theThree Peaks Challenge as a RailwayChildren ambassador. ‘I keep fit byplaying hockey and hiking with thescouts,’ says Adam – who also runsin a pair of Vibram five fingersminimalist running shoes.

Says editor Andy Milne, ‘TheRailway Children charity has reallycaptured the imagination of the railindustry. We wish the team and allwho take part every success.’ Tosponsor please go to:http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/RailMediaTeam


NEWS

3 Peaks for Rail Media

Colleagues and friends of aScotRail driver have ralliedround to help raise money for anew racing wheelchair for hisdaughter.

Chris Martin works atMotherwell depot and hisdaughter, Colette, 17, who suffersfrom spina bifida, plans tocompete in the 2014Commonwealth Games. ScotRailstaff plan to help the young para-sportswoman reach her goal byraising funds for a new racingwheelchair costing £4,000.

The teenager launched herfundraising with a sponsored 10k‘push’ at Strathclyde Park inFebruary - and has received afurther boost following a £1,200donation from ScotRail’s parentcompany, FirstGroup.

Colette has a proven track recordwhen it comes to athletics. Shehas already completed the LondonMarathon, won the 2011 IgnisAsset Management Women’s 10kand been crowned Scottish

Athletics’ Disabled Athlete of theYear in 2010.

Says Colette, ‘I’m really gratefulfor all of the help from FirstGroup,my dad and his friends at ScotRail.I’m aiming for a place in theScottish team for Glasgow 2014, soit’s important that I keep trainingand competing in events. A newwheelchair means I can keepgoing and hopefully represent mycountry.’

Proud father Chris said, ‘Thesupport from the guys atMotherwell and from FirstGrouphas been overwhelming. Colette isdetermined and dedicated -needless to say we’re very proud ofher.’ Colette’s example hasinspired railway staff far and wide.

Says Avril Gill, FirstGroup’smarketing manager, ‘Colette’sdetermination and ambition isfantastic. We wish her all the best forher Commonwealth Games attempt.We are often on the look out foropportunities to assist in cases likethis one and are delighted to help.’

Motherwell backs Colette

A steam locomotive that wasstopped from running on to theIsle of Purbeck in Dorset 46 yearsago because it was judged to betoo heavy has finally made it.

The 150-ton Southern RailwayMerchant Navy class Bulleid PacificNo. 35028 ‘Clan Line’ ran throughto Swanage hauling a UK RailtoursSpecial, the Royal Wessex, fromLondon Victoria on 27th April 2012.Built at Eastleigh in Hampshire in1948 ‘Clan Line’ hauled a special toWareham in 1966 where it wasdecoupled.

Two small Ivatt class tank steamlocomotives, No. 41284 and No.41301, took over the train andhauled it down to Corfe Castle andSwanage. Now thanks to the hardwork of the Swanage Railway

Company the locomotive can runstraight through. Bridges on therebuilt Swanage Railway werestrengthened during the early 1990senabling them to bear ‘MerchantNavy’ class steam locomotives.

The driver for Clan Line’s historicvisit to Corfe Castle and Swanagewas Wayne Thompson of DBSchenker based at Eastleigh whilethe fireman was Rob Binstead.Withdrawn by British Railways inJuly, 1967, ‘Clan Line’ is a Pacificclass 4-6-2 locomotive, designedduring the Second World War byOliver Bulleid and now based atthe Stewart’s Lane railway depot inLondon. It has been owned andmaintained to main line standardsby the Merchant Navy LocomotivePreservation Society since 1967.

Clan Linereturns

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DEVOLUTION. It’s one of thelatest buzz-words in railways,but what does it mean?

Last month, RailStaff talked withNetwork Rail and the trainoperator organisation ATOC to findout what Devolution means tothem at headquarters level. Thismonth, the focus turns to what ishappening in the regions.

A typical route is the EastMidlands, which stretches alongthe midland main line to London.The obvious train operator is EastMidlands Trains, which runspassenger trains along the lengthof the route. But both CrossCountry and First Capital Connectuse the route as well, and in factthey move more passengers thanEast Midlands Trains do. On top ofthat all the freight operators runthrough the region, so it is a goodexample to consider.

Martin Frobisher is NetworkRail’s route managing director, andhe is based in the bomb-proofblockhouse that is the EastMidlands Control Centre in Derby.How have things changed for himunder Devolution?

“It’s a completely new way ofworking,” he commented. “In thepast, we were very functional. Therewas an operations Director and aMaintenance Director, and they onlycame together at Chief Executivelevel. Each managed within theirown individual function. Now,

everyone who delivers in the EastMidlands sits in the East Midlands -there is a different mind set. We arepart of one team to deliver to thecustomer.

“In the past there was a veryformal structure, with bodies suchas safety councils and so on. Nowwe interface with the customer allthe way down. On the controlroom floor there is a mixed teamfrom East Midlands Trains andNetwork Rail. They work so closelytogether that the only way you candistinguish them is by the colourof the shirt they are wearing!”

That’s not to say that there stillaren’t meetings. Network Railroute managing directors regularlymeet with their counterparts inthe train operating companies. Justwho is round the table depends onthe route and the train operator.East Midlands Trains tend to meetwith Martin, although they alsorun over three other routes. CrossCountry run through almost everyroute in Great Britain - they haveto meet with eight route managingdirectors to cover all eventualities.But most issues are tackled at locallevel between just a fewresponsible managers.

“The relationship is strongerthan it’s ever been,” commentedMartin. “We are working well as ateam, and things are looking goodfor us to beat our currentperformance targets. Devolution

has helped us to improve and it isthe next step on a journey we havebeen on for some time.”

In the same way that the Derbycontrol centre is staffed jointlywith East Midlands Trains,Network Rail operates the WestHampstead facility with FirstCapital Connect at the southernend of the route. The signallers areNetwork Rail, the controllers areFCC. Devolution has, in Martin’swords, “provided a lot of clarity” toboth grassroots relationships andformal meetings.

“Where we stand now is crystalclear,” he continued. “We can dothe right thing because all thebudgets are held in one place.”

What about freight?While most of the discussion has

revolved about the passenger trainoperating companies, freight isimportant to the route as well. “Forfreight, this route is reallygrowing,” Martin explained.“Freight will double by 2015 fromthe November 2011 level. Much ofthat will be on the gauge clearedline to Nuneaton, and the Derby toStoke gauge clearance will goahead. Then there will be theproposed new freight terminals atRadlett and Kegworth.”

Because of the diverse nature offreight, and freight operators,Martin and his team have regularmeetings with Network Rail’s


“The relationship isstronger than it’sever been… ”MARTIN FROBISHERROUTE MANAGING DIRECTORAND MAINTENANCE DIRECTOR,NETWORK RAIL

Freight Customer Relations Teamunder Tim Robinson. Routinely,the relationship is a little moredivorced than it is with the TOCs.

Freight features largely in EastMidlands planning. The £500million electrification scheme,which will have a payback of £60million per year, will hopefully bein the July statement of fundsavailable. If it happens, thenswitching to electric freight locoswill reduce leasing, fuel andmaintenance costs - as it will forthe train operators.

“Looking at local schemes is reallyexciting,” exclaimed Martin. “Forexample, there is the possibility ofa new station serving EastMidlands Airport as part of theKegworth scheme, and we arerelooking at reopening the Matlock

to Buxton line. The business casefor that wasn’t right last time, butthe situation has changed enoughfor it at least to be discussed again.”

There are other localimprovements too. Corby tunnelhad a 20mph permanent speedrestriction imposed by British Rail.Martin’s team fixed the track, andthe limit has been raised to60mph. Flashing yellow signals atRadlett junction have saved freightoperators a lot of time. And 15level crossings are being replacedby footbridges, improving safetyand increasing line speeds.

Train operatorMartin Frobisher is a robust

enthusiast for Devolution, as is hisopposite number, East MidlandsTrains managing director David

Horne. In his office across PridePark from Martin’s control centre,David gave an example of howmuch things have changed. Therewas a phone-in recently on RadioLeicester, which gave local people


FEATURE

Nigel Wordsworth reports

Devolutionin the regions

David Horne Martin Frobisher

>

the opportunity to ask questions,and complain, about their trainservices,” he recalled. “On thephone-in panel were EastMidlands Trains - and MartinFrobisher from Network Rail. Itshows how far things have comewhen Network Rail are thatprepared to speak directly topassengers.”

Another benefit of Devolution isthe thorny question ofcompensation, which NetworkRail pays out to the trainoperators when their services areinterrupted by both plannedmaintenance and byinfrastructure failures. Now it isregional there are less delays,and more discussion. One of theregularly-used diversionaryroutes is through Manton, butthis required East MidlandsTrains to hire-in freight driverswith the necessary routeknowledge. Now, all their owndrivers have been trained on theroute in a programme partly-funded by Network Rail, so

diversions are easier to organiseand also less costly in terms ofcompensation.

David also remembers theLeicester re-control problem overChristmas. “Because of ourrelationship, and knowing howimportant the project was, wewere able to accommodateMartin’s request. We arrangedsome replacement bus services,and everything went ahead to therevised schedule. Under the oldsystem, we would have run out oftime while we were still discussingthe problem!”

There was also a signallingrestriction on the Robin HoodLine between Nottingham andMansfield. “Double blocking”,when the safety margin foroverrunning a signal extendsbeyond the next signal, wasrestricting capacity at Basford,affecting train punctuality. Thesubject was brought up at ameeting with Martin’s team, amodest amount of money wasreleased to improve matters, and

six months later this is now thebest performing route in thearea.

As David says, the good thingabout Devolution is that not onlyis there a mechanism to discusssuch problems, there is also alocally-controlled budget to pay forit. So things happen far morequickly. This is the case in the EastMidlands, and David hasdeveloped an equally goodrelationship with the Network Railteam at York - they have recentlyhelped out with the upgrading ofthe Neville Hill depot at Leeds.

As with everyone that RailStaffspoke with, David Horne is pleasedwith the way things are going, andoptimistic that there is more tocome from an ever-closerrelationship between Network Railand its customers.

If you missed the first part of thisarticle, and can’t find a copy of theApril issue of RailStaff, read itonline at: www.railstaff.co.uk/print-archive/


FEATURE

“It shows how farthings have comewhen NetworkRail are preparedto speak directly topassengers…”

DAVID HORNE,MANAGING DIRECTOR,EAST MIDLANDS TRAINS


NEWS

The Royal Train

Continuing a tradition whichdates back to 1842, the RoyalTrain remains one of thepreferred modes of transport forthe Royal Family much loved byHer Majesty the Queen, theDuke of Edinburgh and thePrince of Wales.

The present Royal Train consistsof a fleet of nine coaches, seven ofwhich are BR Mark 3s. Two wereoriginally HST prototype coaches.Not all carriages are used at anygiven time as different ones havespecific purposes so the actualconsist will depend on theitinerary of the trip.

Since 1977, when the demands ofthe Silver Jubilee led to thecreation of a single Royal Train, thecarriages and locomotives of theRoyal Train have been paintedRoyal Claret. From the 1980s, twodiesel locomotives are designatedfor use by the train. The first ofthese being a pair of Class 47swhich were specially re-numberedand re-named as 47798, ‘PrinceWilliam’ and 47799, ‘Prince Harry’.In 2004, they were replaced by two

Class 67s, 67005 ‘Queen’sMessenger’ and 67006, ‘RoyalSovereign’. A third locomotive,‘Royal Diamond’, is kept in reserve.

Needs and preferencesThe facilities on board reflect the

needs and preferences of the RoyalFamily. These include the Queen’sSaloon, which incorporates alounge plus bedroom andbathroom for both the Queen andher dresser.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Saloonconsists of a combined lounge anddining room, a kitchen, a bedroomand shower for the Duke plus abedroom and bathroom for theDuke’s valet. There is a sleepingcar and a saloon for the use of thePrince of Wales and othercarriages in the fleet provide staff

sleeping and dining facilities and agenerator car.

The Royal Train enablesmembers of the Royal Family totravel overnight and is helpfulwhen the weather is too bad to fly.Journeys are always organised soas not to interfere with scheduledservices. Since the Royal Train wasrefurbished and upgraded in 1977it enjoys higher running speeds.These days the Royal Family alsouses scheduled train services forofficial journeys if appropriate.

When not in use, the carriagesfor the Royal Train are stabled atWolverton in the historic railwayworks. The locomotives are stabledat Toton MPD. The on-train staffare mostly employed full timeelsewhere in the railway industryand return to their normal dutiesat the end of each trip apart fromtwo part time staff who look afterthe day to day housekeeping onboard tending to vacuuming anddusting.

Royal Trains operate in Canada,South Africa and Australia. Thepopularity of royal trains is notrestricted to Britain’s monarchy.Norway and the Netherlands alsohave them. The Royal Traincontinues to make an impressivesight when glimpsed travellingregally along the main line.

The Queen alights from The RoyalTrain at Preston. Note the specialinward opening doors on TheQueen’s Saloon to enable HerMajesty to engage easily withwaiting dignitaries.

(Above) The Royal Family havemade several tours of the Africancontinent over the years. The tourof Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe andZambia) in 1953 was typical andhere The Royal Train is headed bya pair of Rhodesian RailwaysGarratts built by Beyer Peacock inManchester.

(Right) Restored No.6233, ‘Duchessof Sutherland’ became the firststeam locomotive in 35 years tohaul The Royal Train on 11/06/02.The train is seen at Bangor.

Colin Garrett reports

Entries are nowopen for the Take a View -Landscape Photographer of theYear Awards 2012.

Photographers around Britain arebeing encouraged to shine a lighton the best sights the country hasto offer. For the third year runningNetwork Rail is supporting thecompetition where amateurs andprofessional photographers canhighlight the best pictures ofBritain and win a top prize of£10,000. The competition, now inits sixth year, is the idea ofrenowned landscapephotographer, Charlie Waite.

The best images will be displayedat an exhibition at the NationalTheatre in London. An additionalprize will be given for the best

photography of Britain’s railnetwork – the Network Rail ‘Linesin the Landscape’ Special Award.Last year’s winner was ShahbazMajeed from Dundee, with abeautiful shot of a train passingover the Tay Bridge at dusk.

Says Tom Kelly, Network Rail’sdirector, corporatecommunications, ‘Thiscompetition celebrates somethingvery special: the way this countrylooks in all its different ways, somechanging, some not. I am delightedthat the railway, which forms suchan important backdrop for boththe urban and rural landscape inso many places, should be a partof it, and look forward withanticipation to seeing the entries.’

Charlie Waite is keen toencourage more people to enterthe railway award. ‘Judging thisaward is a great pleasure for me asBritain’s railways have always beenclose to my heart. Network Raillooks after an amazing 20,000miles of track and owns over 2500stations and so the photographicopportunities are endless.

‘I will be looking for an imagethat captures the spirit of today’srailways, be they in the busiestcities or most remote countryside.Details, urban views and sweepingtracks are all eligible and I amhoping to see many photographsthat inspire.’

This year’s winner of the Lines inthe Landscape award will win aweekend break and a flight onNetwork Rail’s inspectionhelicopter or a ride on the NewMeasurement Train.

For entry details visit:www.take-a-view.co.uk


A Viewto a

ThrillTay Rail Bridge at Dusk, Dundee, Scotland:

© Shahbaz Majeed, Dundee

Crossing trains, Rannoch Moor, Scotland:© Taliesin Coombes, Cardiff

Ulverston Viaduct,

Cumbria:

© Carl Hodge, Cu

mbria

Bescot, West Midlands:

© Robin Coombes, Cardiff

Blaenau Ffestiniog station© Rory Trappe, North Wales


NEWS

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East Coast has adopted theRailway Children as itscorporate charity of choice.

The news comes shortly after EastCoast took part in the internationalchildren’s charity’s ‘Go M.A.D.’(Make a Difference) fundraising dayin March, when directors and seniormanagers worked on board trainsand raised £13,320.22.

Says East Coast ManagingDirector Karen Boswell, ‘We’redelighted to have named theRailway Children as our chosencharity following the great fun we

had raising money by taking partin its Go Mad fundraising day. It istestament to the generosity of ourcustomers that we were able toraise such a fantastic sum in justone day. The money will be used tohelp homeless children in the UKand around the world.

‘East Coast is proud to beworking with the Railway Childrenand we look forward to helping itraise lots of money and awarenessof the fantastic things it is doing toimprove the lives of children in theUK and abroad.’

East Coast went M.A.D

FirstGroup’s popular graduatetrainee scheme attracted arecord number of applicationsthis year.

800 hopeful students applied. ‘Thenumber of candidates that haveapplied has been overwhelming,’says John Evans, HR director atFirstGroup. ‘10% more graduatesapplied this year and compared totwo years ago we’ve attractedaround 65% more candidates.’

FirstGroup graduates undertake a

comprehensive workplace trainingschedule over two years at variouslocations within the company’sBus and Rail divisions. ‘AtFirstGroup we are very consciousof the need to invest, train anddevelop our staff. The transportindustry plays a vital role inkeeping the economy moving. It isimperative therefore that weattract talented, enthusiasticpeople to our industry, and inparticular FirstGroup,’ says John.

Double first

This year marks the 50thanniversary of the opening ofthe Railway Works TrainingSchool in Swindon in 1962.

The school survived until 1993.Former apprentices headed byJohn Baker are organising areunion on 22nd September 2012.Everyone who worked there iswelcome. The reunion will be heldat the STEAM museum inSwindon.

Almost all Western Regiontraction and rolling stockapprentices spent their first year atthe Railway Works Training Schoolbefore going into the works properor out to the regional depots. First

year apprentices from otherSwindon engineering firmsincluding Plessey, Kembrey,Garrards, Square D and Old TownEngineering also trained there.

Organisers Colin Finch and JohnBaker are expecting a big turn out.Already 270 RWT men have saidthey’re coming along. Sadly theschool itself at the end of DeanStreet was demolished recently.However the spirit andcomradeship of the men wholooked after the railway in thewest lives on. For more details seewww.facebook.com/groups/swindonapprentice/ or [email protected]

Apprentices reunion

Karen Boswell presentscheque to Haydn Abbotand Terina Keene ofThe Railway Children.


The decision by the Japaneseand British Olympic nationalteams to train at LoughboroughUniversity – renowned for itsworld class sports facilities -meant good news for therailway station.

The A60 trunk road toNottingham crosses the railway ata point about half way alongplatforms 1 and 2. For well over100 years this presented noproblem to passengers, who safelynegotiated the fairly narrowarchway to make their way to thesouthern end of the platforms.

But then “elf and safety” tookcommand and suddenly one day,without prior warning, passengerswere stopped from going under thebridge by the presence of amember of staff and theappearance of a sign stating“passengers must not pass thispoint”. Thereafter, trains had tolock-off the doors of some carriagesso that passengers could alight andboard from one end only.

In 1993, the never-completedIvanhoe Line - a project designedto link Nottingham, Loughborough,Leicester, Coalville, Ashby de laZouch and Burton upon Trent -resulted in a new and very shortplatform (No 3) being constructedon the Up and Down Slow line.

OlympicsNow fast forward to June 2009.

Loughborough University and theJapanese Olympic Committeesigned an agreement that Japan’sOlympic teams would use theuniversity’s world class facilities fortraining and final preparations forthe 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Nine months later, in April 2010,the British Olympic Associationannounced that LoughboroughUniversity had been chosen as the

training base for the British teamahead of the 2012 Olympics withover 500 athletes being hosted inthe town.

Clearly the existing transportinfrastructure would not havebeen able to cope with such aninflux, and it is to the credit ofNetwork Rail, East Midlands Trainsand the local authority that in June2010 a series of projects designedto improve passenger facilities atLoughborough Station wereannounced, all of which wereplanned to be completed in timefor Team GB’s pre-2012 Olympictraining at the University.

A complete revamp of the stationcosting £7 million was plannedincluding a new footbridge andlifts, refurbished platform canopiesand resurfacing of platforms.Importantly Platforms 1 and 2would be extended northwards to235 metres, capable ofaccommodating 10-car Meridiantrains and removing the currentboarding restrictions related to theA60 road bridge.

With all work scheduled to becompleted by Spring 2012 inplenty of time for the Olympics,there was a lot of work to do.

Straightforward workThe station works were

reasonably straightforward. A newfootbridge with integral lifts wasinstalled to the north of theexisting Midland Railwayfootbridge. This latter item, whichis a listed structure, was moved tothe Midland Railway Trust atButterley station.

After being extended andresurfaced, platforms 1 and 2 willaccommodate 10-car Meridian setsand Platform 3 will be able to take7 car formations. The purpose ofthe extension to platform 3 is to

use the up/down Slow line whenthe Fast lines are closed forengineering work or otheroperational reasons. It is a smallstep forward in delivering the 7day railway which is seen byNetwork Rail as a key output for aworld class railway.

Concurrent with the stationupgrade is the completion of theEastern Gateway project - a £20million local scheme that hasmassively improved the appearanceand the approach to the station bymeans of a new road, appropriatelynamed Station Boulevard. Alsoincluded in the project is thebuilding of 91 affordable newhomes, an office/hotel developmentand improved access to a localindustrial estate.

Two residential streets have beenclosed to through traffic,considerably improving the qualityof life for the residents whopreviously suffered from traffic atall hours and illegal parking.

OpeningOn Friday 4 May, the new

facilities were opened by NickyMorgan, MP for Loughborough, as

well as senior representativesfrom East Midlands Trains,Network Rail and CharnwoodBorough Council.

Reflecting on the complexity ofthe planning arrangements, DavidSlater, Leader of CharnwoodBorough Council, said, ‘What I loveabout this project is that itdemonstrates brilliantly what canbe achieved when many agencies,

Japanese coup forLoughboroughStuart Rackley and Nigel Wordsworth report


STATIONS

each with their own priorities andpressures, come together toachieve a common goal.’

That collaboration alsoimpressed Martin Frobisher,Route Managing Director forNetwork Rail. ‘The Olympics willbe an important time forLoughborough so it was essentialthese works finished on time. Thepartnership between the

organisations involved has been agreat success. The additionalworks we have completed makethat journey easier, throughprovision of cycle parking, newinformation screens and betteraccess around the station. It isalso a much more worthygateway to the town withimproved facilities and canopies,’says Martin.

Loughborough station has aparticular claim to famedating back to 1841.

A man namedThomas Cook hitupon the idea ofusing the MidlandCounties Railway totransport a group ofabout 500temperancecampaigners fromLeicester toLoughborough, 11miles away, for theirnext quarterlymeeting.

So, on the evening of 5 July1841, the first ever railexcursion took place. Cookarranged for the railway tocharge one shilling (5p) forthe return journey that alsoincluded food.

Cook was paid a share of thefare charged, as the tickets,being a legal contractbetween railway company

and passenger, couldnot have been issuedunder his own name.

Following the successof this venture, Cooksoon saw howprofitable the ideacould be on a muchlarger scale. Heorganised a trip toLiverpool in August

1845 and realised that if therewas something of interest forpeople to see, they wouldtravel to see it. The rest, asthey say, is history.

A plaque to commemoratethe event is displayed on thefront wall of Loughboroughstation.

Nicky Morgan MP unveils theplaque at Loughborough station.

Plans for a £1 billion poundredevelopment of TottenhamCourt Road by Crossrail will helpregenerate Soho creating a newcultural and retail focus forLondon.

The plans have been given the goahead by Westminster City Council.This means the area around SohoSquare will be improved. Rentalfrom shops, office and residentialaccommodation above the stationswill contribute to Crossrail’sfunding. In addition to the newupgrade of the existing stationCrossrail is building a new tickethall at Dean Street which willprovide access to the western endof the Crossrail platforms, almost25 metres below Soho.

A new theatre to replace theformer Astoria Theatre has alsobeen approved. LondonUnderground and Crossrail havegained approval for plans to renewand upgrade the public spacesaround the eastern ticket hall and

St Giles area. A new openpedestrian space linking SohoSquare and Charing Cross Road willcreate new views of the Square andof St. Patrick’s Church.

Says Ian Lindsay, Crossrail Landand Property Director, ‘The £1bnredevelopment of TottenhamCourt Road station provides a oncein a generation opportunity torevitalise the eastern end ofOxford Street. The plans includinghigh-quality offices and shops willenhance the Oxford Street andCharing Cross Road area as athriving cultural and retaildestination.’

A new public piazza aroundCentrepoint will also be createdproviding a distinctive newlandmark for the West End. Thearrival of Crossrail will makeTottenham Court Road a majorWest End transport hub. 150,000passengers use Tottenham CourtRoad station every day. Thatnumber is expected to rise to more

than 200,000 when Crossrailservices commence in 2018.

Crossrail will link the West Endto Canary Wharf in 12 minutes,Stratford in 13 minutes and

Heathrow in less than 30 minutes.In total, £1bn is being spent tobuild the new Crossrail stationand upgrade the capacity of theTube station.


Soho coup for Crossrail

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New£11mStation

Contractors are now hard at work building the new £11m stationat Dalmarnock in Glasgow’s East End.

The new station will replace the existing facility on Swanston Street.Dalmarnock is being redeveloped in time for the Glasgow 2014Commonwealth Games. The station will also help boost long-termregeneration of the East End. The Scottish government, local authoritiesand EU funding are paying for the scheme.

Transport Scotland assumed responsibility for project oversight, onbehalf of the partners, in summer 2010 and has awarded an £8.6mcontract to Network Rail to deliver the facility. Network Rail is alsocontributing up to £2.4m to the project.


STATIONS

Vital Technology has completedthe installation of a new energysaving lighting system at SloaneSquare station on the LondonUnderground.

The job was completed on timeand on budget. Infra red detectorscheck levels of natural light andboost artificial lighting whenneeded. The technology savesmoney and energy. Passengers andstaff at Sloane Square will be ableto check energy usage on a largemonitor in the 144-year-oldstation’s ticket hall.

Says Arthur O’Donnell,Operations Manager for VitalTechnology, ‘London Undergroundwanted to look at ways ofimproving energy efficiency, andSloane Square was chosen as thestation for this test project. Vitalwon the contract to design andinstall a new lighting systemwhich was both energy efficientand economically viable. This wasan opportunity to achieve both ofthose things as the station’slighting also needed to beupgraded.’

A PIR (Passive Infra Red) systemmeasures the amount of naturallight coming into the station’s twosub-surface platforms. Thatinformation is then used to controlplatform lighting, meaning both abrighter station and reducedenergy bills. Staff can override thesystem through regular switchingas required. Specialists expectenergy savings of around 50% aswell as reduced maintenancecosts.

Says David Williamson of LondonUnderground, ‘This is part of LU’scarbon-reduction initiative tolower energy use. We’ve neverundertaken a project like this onany other station before.We hopethat the success of this project canbe replicated at other LondonUnderground stations.

‘Vital were chosen as thepreferred contractor because oftheir unique approach and theirenthusiasm for change. It wasgood to work with the Vital team,and they continue to have a strongtrack record with us.’ VitalTechnology is part of the UK-wideVital Services Group. The contractwas awarded by LondonUnderground APD (AssetPerformance Directorate).

Sloane Square station wasoriginally opened in 1868. 60% ofSloane Square station is open tonatural light on both eastbound andwestbound platforms. This stationis unusual among LU stations inthat a river flows over theplatforms. The River Westbourne iscarried over the station just belowstreet level in a suspended ironpipe. The river was originallycrossed locally by the Knight’sBridge, after which the fashionableLondon district is named.

Vital lights up Sloane Square

“Vital won thecontract to designand install a newlighting systemwhich was bothenergy efficientand economicallyviable…”ARTHUR O’DONNELL,OPERATIONS MANAGER,VITAL TECHNOLOGY

FOSD 2012 has announcedspeakers for its Future ofSustainable Design ‘Smart CityHubs’ conference.

Norman Baker, ParliamentaryUnder-Secretary of State forTransport; Stewart Wingate, CEOof Gatwick Airport and DavidBiggs, Director of Property forNetwork Rail will be speaking atthe ExCel London on Friday 25thMay 2012.

Now in its third year, FOSD is aone day event focussing ontransport hubs. The conferencewill explore how hubs can workcloser together creating sharedinformation systems and betterfacilities. Now in its third yearFOSD offers networkingopportunities for companiesinvolved in hub design.

The conference features SmartCity Hubs workshops including:

• Way-Finding and PassengerFlow - ‘A question of congestion’

• Maintaining a Safe Environ-ment - ‘Green, lean, clean andmuch less mean’

• Planning and Design - ‘Build-ing opinions’

• Retail Development - ‘Atten-tion to retail and Hub food’

• Integration and the Multi-modal Journey - ‘On Air, OnSea, On Land and Online.’


STATIONS

Line speeds will be raisedthrough Stalybridge when amajor revamp of tracks andsignalling is complete.

Control of train movements inthe area will transfer toManchester East signalling centrein Edgeley, Stockport. Says Jo Kaye,Network Rail’s route managingdirector, ‘The current track layout,particularly the junctions at eitherend of the station, has remained

largely unchanged since the end ofthe First World War. The newlayout will give us greateroperational flexibility and will bemore reliable. So far as passengersare concerned, that means bettertrain services now, with theprospect of faster and morefrequent services in the future.’

The work means that the stationwill have five platforms in futureinstead of three, so the existing

numbering will be completelychanged. The £20m project willenable electrification work to goahead when the line fromManchester is electrified in 2016.

The new signalling system willbe commissioned and brought intouse in early November.

Stalybridge speeds up

Railway staff and volunteershave been sprucing up historicEarlestown station in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside.

The clean-up is part of acommunity project aimed atimproving Northern Rail stationsbetween Edge Hill and Glossop.Known as Route 28, the schemejoins rail industry people and thelocal community. Staff fromMerseytravel, Transport for GreaterManchester, Network Rail andNorthern Rail were helped byMalcolm Wood from the RailwayHeritage Trust and volunteers tofreshen-up Earlestown stationwith a litter pick.

Says Alan Stilwell, Merseytravel’sDirector of Integrated Transport,‘This is a great example of peopleactively helping to maintain andimprove a local railway station.The station is often the first thingvisitors see when they come to anarea and a tidy stationdemonstrates ownership andrespect by the community.’

Mark Barker of Northern Railagrees. ‘By getting hands on hereat Earlestown, we’re encouraginglocal communities to takeownership of their station,bringing back a real sense of pridewhich we feel is key instrengthening the transportnetwork in the area. This stationhas suffered in the past from fly-tipping and we hope our work heretoday helps station users see it atits best,’ says Mark.

Localenergy forEarlestown

Alison Carlile, Martyn Davies andDebbie Molloy from Merseytravel.

Future of Sustainable Design

“the current tracklayout… largelyunchanged sincethe end of the First World War…”


Alex Nelson’s eureka momentcame to him when he was onthe Durham to Newcastle train,stopping at the then defunctChester-le-Street station.

He recalls that moment inNovember 1998. ‘The station wasall boarded up and derelict andunloved and had this ‘To Let’ signup.’ He and his partner SteveRobson were running a grouptravel business, with London beingthe biggest destination, but manycustomers wanted to travel bytrain. He could not meet thisdemand, as the rail companieswould not sell him tickets at lessthan retail rates.

So they approached traincompany, Northern Spirit, whichwas then responsible for thestation, with a proposal that theywould lease and run Chester-le-Street as an independent station,allowing them to earn commissionon the sale of tickets. NorthernSpirit agreed, as passengers could

still board at Chester-le-Street buttheir conductors struggled to makeall the necessary on-board ticketsales during the nine-minutejourney to Newcastle. It alsoprovided the company with a goodnews story on the reopening of astation. As a result, the companyChester-le-Track was formed torun the station and make a profitfrom selling tickets to about 250daily commuters.

An inspired moveChester-le-Track, in those early

internet years of the late 1990s,also registered the domain namenationalrail.com. This was a coupthat displeased some people. AsNelson says with a chuckle, onesenior train operating companyexecutive described him as apirate for having snapped up thedomain name.

It was an inspired move andbecame the basis for a thrivinginternet booking business. These

two income streams areinterdependent. ‘If we didn’t havethe internet side then we wouldn’tearn so much money basically.Also, a lot of the business that weget through the phone comesthrough people being on theinternet site and ringing up foradvice,’ says Nelson, who is adirector of Chester-le-Track andalso has given himself the ratherold-fashioned title of stationmaster.

‘The fact we are a real bricks andmortar station that actually existsgives legitimacy to the website.People are much happier bookingwith us on the website than if wewere run out of a council house inBarnsley.’

A better dealThe business now makes more

ticket sales over the internet,which has about 15,000 visitors aday, but, under an industry-wideagreement, makes less

commission on those sales.Nelson believes Chester-le-Track’sdetailed knowledge of farestructures and pricing and themanageable scale of its operation,means it can often get customersa better deal.

‘Other internet sites will guideyou towards travelling on specifictrains at specific times but onmany trains for a day return youdon’t need to specify a particulartrain. If you buy a cheap dayreturn from here to York, forexample, you can come back onany train.

Sometimes we break journeysinto bits, so for a journey toBirmingham we might sell you aticket to Derby and then anotherfrom Derby to Birmingham wherethat comes out cheaper. Or wemight actually book you to furtherthan you want to go, so again ifyou want to go to Birmingham wemight sell you a ticket to Banburybecause that’s cheaper.’

Changeover atChester-le-StreetChester-le-Street and Eaglescliffe stations,once derelict, are now a thriving independentbusiness, Peter Jackson reports.

Chester-le-Street Station.

Eaglescliffe Station.


Eaglescliffe StationThe company struggled at first

in the wake of the Hatfieldaccident and flooding, but Nelsonand his team gradually built it upto a point where it had an annualturnover of £1.5m and fiveemployees. In fact, Chester-le-Track became so successful that ittook over a second abandonedstation at Eaglescliffe, a busierstation, at the junction betweenthe Darlington to Middlesbroughservice and the Sunderland toYork service.

Nelson describes the station asbeing in the same state asChester-le-Street 12 years ago -derelict and unloved. It was theonly stop on Grand Central’s EastCoast route which was unstaffed.Grand Central was keen that itshould be manned and a longthree-way conversation betweenthe operator, Nelson and StocktonBorough Council was soonunderway.

It opened only a few weeks ago,after three long and frustratingyears of preparation. Therenovation costs of £170,000 weremet by Stockton Borough Council,with Chester-le-Track assumingthe commercial risk of leasingand running the station.

‘I took a lot of persuading to doEaglescliffe, I really did. I knew itmight be a good thing to do and itcertainly helped matters alongwhen Stockton Borough Councilsaid they would fund theconversion of the building, whichmade the decision easier.Fundamentally when I wasdeciding whether I wanted toexpand, I had to consider that if Ididn’t say yes to Eaglescliffe thenit would probably still happen andStockton and Grand Centralwould probably have foundsomebody else to do it. Theymight not have done it as well asmy team have done it, but theproblem was, I’d be inviting

competition and anotherindependent station operator intomy home patch.’

A tripartite leaseEaglescliffe serves 69 trains a

day, compared to 22 at Chester-le-Street. At both stations thebuildings are owned by NetworkRail and there is a tripartite leasebetween Northern Rail as stationfacilities operator, Network Rail asthe infrastructure owner andChester-le-Track.

Nelson reckons there areprobably about 15 independentlyrun stations in the country,mainly in the Welsh Borders andLancashire. Eaglescliffe is doingwell and Nelson estimates thatturnover for the year to March2013 will be £2.5m. Chester-le-Street has become such asuccessful operation it attractseven over-the-counter customersfrom Durham and Tyneside.

He is passionate about the

simple ingredients that go intomaking a good station and rattlesoff the customer research. ‘Thefirst thing people want is otherpeople. Not only from aninformation point of view butfrom a perceived security point ofview. They, particularly womentravelling on their own, want tosee somebody on the station.Second is toilets and three iswaiting rooms.’

Nelson prides himself thatChester-le-Track not only providessuch time-honoured facilities butis also innovative. It was, forexample, one of the firstbusinesses outside London to sellOyster cards and it has alreadysold several at Eaglescliffe, fromwhere there are four direct trainsa day into King’s Cross.

‘I know a lot about the railwaysand I enjoy working on therailway and I’m sometimesknown as the maverick of the EastCoast Mainline,’ says Nelson.

“I took a lot ofpersuading to doEaglescliffe, I reallydid. I knew itmight be a goodthing to do…”ALEX NELSONPHOTOGRAPHED ABOVE

STATIONS


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2012 marks a year of achievementfor Britain celebrating the twinblessings of stable governanceand athletic excellence.

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee willbe celebrated on the first weekend inJune. The London Olympics start on17 July and last through August. TheParalympics will take place between29 August and 9 September.

However many medals Britishathletes win the long term winneris Britain and the railway systemthat will serve the Games and HerMajesty with equally dedication.

This October the RailStaff Awards2012 will celebrate the hard workand excellence of Britain’s railwaystaff. The men and women whodeliver the railways round the clockremain the unsung heroes of anindustry quietly contributing to theregeneration of an economy badlyskewed by politicalmismanagement and easy credit.

In her speech at Infrarail transportminister, Theresa Villiers said, ‘Webelieve that improving our railwayis a crucial way to boost growth andstrengthen our competitiveness.’

In a crucial about turn thepolitical class - this all started withAndrew Adonis - has come to viewrailways as a positive contributorto the economy, an engine ofrecovery. As well as their day jobrailway people can see themselvesas the firemen, engineers andsignallers of the wealth creatingtrains that thread our nationalrecovery. Pay scales, bonuses andsubsidy remain as controversial inthis industry as any other.However, railway staff need to feelvalued and respected.

As the solid foundations of a neweconomic future are tunnelled awaydeep beneath London and markedout with theodolite and laser alongthe route of High Speed Two, theRailStaff Awards 2012 will becelebrating the achievements andprofessional excellence of all those

involved in the rail industry. TheRailStaff Awards 2012 take place on20th October at the InternationalConference Centre in Birminghamtowards the high point of what willbe a busy and challenging year onthe railway.

The RailStaff Awards give staff thechance to nominate that specialcolleague whose contribution hasgone almost unnoticed throughoutthe years. As the Queen celebratesher Diamond Jubilee the railindustry will be quietly makingsure her kingdom is better andmore efficiently united than forsome years.

As RailStaff goes to press withthis issue, we are pleased toannounce that RIFAA has justagreed to sponsor the Rail Trainerof the Year at this year’s RailStaffAwards.

Celebrating excellencein the Jubilee Year

The Rail Alliance is delighted tobe associated once again withthe RailStaff Awards and will beco-sponsoring the 2012 Event.

Its Chief Executive, Colin Flackwill be hosting the evening. TheRail Alliance joins Network Railand London Underground as thehigh profile supporter of theRailStaff Awards 2012.

Says Colin, ‘We at the RailAlliance are particularly delightedto have been asked to get involvedwith and compère theproceedings. The whole exerciseunderlines our aim to: network,collaborate, innovate, thrive.’

The RailStaff Awards bringstogether all sub-sectors of theindustry in the spirit ofcollaboration and provides anopportunity to identify and rewardindividuals and teams for theirexcellent efforts.

Says Tom O’Connor, managingdirector of the Rail Media Group,which is staging the RailStaff

Awards 2012, ‘We are delighted tohave the Rail Alliance supportingthe RailStaff Awards. Thebusinesses which the Rail Alliancerepresents are an integral andimportant part of the rapidlygrowing new rail industry and welook forward to seeing many ofthem at the RailStaff Awards –both participating and winning.’

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Network Rail is proud to sponsor the RailSta4 Awards 2011It’s your hard work – the individuals and teams within our industry – that’s helping us build a better railway for Britain.

From pioneering investment and development projects, to innovations that make everyday services faster, smarter and safer, we believe in recognising the excellence that’s enabling the transformation of our network.

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It’s the hard work of individuals and teams within our industry that’s helping us build a better railway for Britain. From pioneering investment and development projects, to innovations that make everyday services faster, smarter and safer, we believe in recognising the excellence that’s enabling the transformation of our network.

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Network Rail supports RailStaff Awards 2012Network Rail is supporting thisyear’s RailStaff Awards at theInternational Convention Centrein Birmingham.

The RailStaff Awards bringstogether men and women workingin all areas of the industryhighlighting a spirit of co-operation, openness andtransparency that reflects the corevalues of Network Rail.

This year’s event is especiallyrelevant as the rail industry plays aleading role in the London 2012Olympic Games. Most spectatorsare expected to get to and fromthe main events by rail.Engineering works will be largelysuspended for the duration of thegames. More than 600 NetworkRail volunteers will join railwaystaff at stations to help guidemillions of passengers to and fromthe London Olympics thissummer.

Network Rail continues todevolve power to front line

managers, increasing efficiencyand driving down coasts. RecentlyNetwork Rail has been formingline of route alliances with trainoperating companies.

Says David Higgins, chiefexecutive, Network Rail, ‘This

marks a new phase in theevolution of Network Rail as wecontinue to push decision makingaway from the centre, empoweringour front-line managers to run therailway more effectively, andforging closer working

relationships with our customers,the train operators. Network Railwill continue to focus ondelivering our obligations to allparties, protecting the interests ofall customers whilst maintainingthe seamless operation of thewhole network.’

The RailStaff Awards is a cross-industry initiative designed tobridge old divisions and rivalries.Train drivers, route directors,station dispatchers and networkoperations staff join together tocelebrate the courage andprofessionalism of ordinary staffacross the railway.

Says Tom O’Connor, managingdirector of the Rail Media Group,which is staging the RailStaffAwards, ‘We welcome Network Railto the RailStaff Awards and thankall staff for their support andencouragement. Network Rail andthe hard work of its staff is anintegral part of the success story ofthe modern railway.’

RAILSTAFF AWARDS


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London Underground joinsNetwork Rail and the RailAlliance as overall sponsor ofthe RailStaff Awards 2012.

This year sees LondonUnderground playing a major rolein the London Olympic andParalympic Games - over 80 percent of spectators are beingencouraged to use trains andpublic transport to get to andfrom the games.

London’s Underground is one ofthe busiest urban rail networks inthe world. The Tube carries morethan one billion passengers ayear, as many as the entireNational Rail network. Witharound three and a half millionjourneys made each day, on 11lines serving 270 stations, LondonUnderground is now runningmore services than ever before onthe 148-year-old network.

Says Tom O’Connor, managingdirector of the Rail Media Group,which is staging the awards, ‘We

are delighted that LondonUnderground is supporting theRailStaff Awards 2012. A risingnumber of staff on theUnderground - and throughoutTfL - have been represented at theRailStaff Awards. Their hard workand dedication in what will be abusy year in London provides ournewspaper, RailStaff, with asteady stream of good newsstories. The Tube has a major roleto play in the 2012 Olympic andParalympic Games and we lookforward to encouraging andsupporting all staff this summer.’

London Underground aims tocombine a reliable train servicewith the highest standards ofcustomer care. At the same time,its ageing infrastructure is beingrenewed and replaced. Toovercome the legacy of under-investment, London Undergroundhas embarked on a massiveupgrade programme which willdeliver extra capacity and keep

pace with rising demand. Thelevel of renewal andrefurbishment work is on a scaleunseen for more than 60years. Rail staff on LondonUnderground therefore face a

unique challenge as they seek todeliver the service safely andreliably whilst the biggestrebuilding programmethe Underground has ever seencontinues day and night.

London Underground backs RailStaff Awards

RAILSTAFF AWARDS


SAFETYCOLIN [email protected]

One hundred and sixtyattended the Rail SafetySummit on April 19th atLoughborough University.

Ninety separate companies andorganisations attended. Whilst theindustry is vibrant, healthy andgrowing, work is uneven andGovernment imposed austerityinitiatives are being felt. As host Isuggested a hiccough will becaused by work deferment toaccommodate the London OlympicGames. This is affecting us now,and will do afterwards as theindustry makes up for lost time.

Thameslink, Crossrail,electrification schemes for moremain lines, station works and ofcourse High Speed 2, etc. are allmajor opportunities in heavy rail.The extensions of the Nottinghamtram system and ManchesterMetrolink are underway, andrecent political decisions meanthat similar schemes elsewherewill no longer need centralgovernmental approval.

Eight questions were asked of thenine speakers. A majorityresponded that reducing thenumber of rules and standardswould improve safety culture.There was an equally strongrejection of financially rewardingindividuals for safetyperformances, but an even splitover separating near misses andclose calls.

Speakers agreed that theInspectorate being part of theOffice of Rail Regulation is a goodthing, and “Devolution” by NetworkRail down to routes will bebeneficial; but the industry ingeneral needs to change its policieson contracting. There wasagreement that the industryneither values nor trusts the skillsof its trained staff enough and

although travelling large distancesto work is far from ideal, it isinevitable given the trackpossession patterns of our railsystems.

Emergency planningFirst speaker Willie Baker

describes himself as an“Emergency Incident Consultant”.He worked for 33 years as a SeniorBritish Transport Police Officer. Hereminded the Conference of arecommendation from the 1989report into the Clapham JunctionRailway Accident, namely “carryingout regular exercises simulatingemergency incidents”.

He suggested that planning,preparation and training are nothappening as recommended. Hehas worked in China and theMiddle East providing services tothe new Dubai Metro and theSaudi Arabian Metro. He expressedhis concerns that with over 70% ofthose in the industry having lessthan ten years’ experience, there isno independent accreditation ofemergency planning skills.

Injury PreventionHe was followed by Seamus

Scallon, Safety Director UK Rail,FirstGroup. He has thirty years’senior operational and safety

experience in the industry. Heexplained the origins of their“Injury Prevention” policy born outof the Chief Executive’s passionatebelief that all injuries arepreventable and safe behavioursare essential.

This strong lead evolved into theculture where no injury isacceptable and an understandingthat every employee “shares theresponsibility for preventing harmto colleagues and customers”. Thecompany have an “InjuryPrevention Handbook” and use thepower of conversation to changebehaviours. The number of nearmiss reports is consistently rising,consequently there is a recorded18% reduction in injuries and a43% fall in both one and three dayabsence accidents.

An Olympic ApproachAfter coffee when delegates

visited the trade stands in themain hall, Steve Diksa, AssuranceServices Director BridgewayConsulting asked, “Where are weon the Safety Awards Rostrum”?He compared our industry toOlympic Medal Winners, someworthy of bronze silver or evengold, but not all.

He expressed the view that COSS(Controller of Site Safety) briefings

were still not good and the words“just sign the form or you won’tget paid” are still prevalent. Hesuggested that there are lots ofcommunications initiativesaround but a lack of industry co-ordination.

He referred to the “War andPeace” weight of most site safetydocumentation, despite initiativesused to reduce it. Herecommended a focus on what isreally needed; is it relevant andcorrect and is it generic/cut andpaste? He commented that cultureon track is still, “we must get thework done at all costs” resulting inthe under reporting ofaccidents/incidents and a blameculture in middle management.

Network Rail Handbooks aregood, but he recommended areduction in the number ofarmbands worn and a review ofthe need for separate Controllers ofSite Safety on site. As a principlecontractor he wants both Transportfor London and Network Rail towork closely together andharmonise their requirements.

He spoke with incredulityhighlighting that track safetytraining has not been updatedsince it was introduced in 1991! Herecommended situational andpractical examples be used to testcompetence rather than setquestions.

Annual spend £4.3 BillionCatherine Behan joined London

Underground in 1998, and is theirHead of Health Safety and theEnvironment Capital Programmes.She chose the title “The Road toWorld Class” and remindeddelegates that their programmespending is £4.3 billion each year for30 years.

Work will include stationupgrades, Thameslink and Crossrail,resulting in an unprecedented levelof asset changes. “World ClassDelivery with Zero Harm” is theaim. Her concerns are the pressures

...Record attendance at this year’s Rail Safety Summit:a policeman, a pilot and an ex-seaman give their views

Rail Safety Summit 2012

exerted on track closures, the needto keep London moving, unit costefficiencies, reliability andmanaging inconsistences thatalready exist.

She explained Transport forLondon (TfL) acts as either PrincipleContractor or Client under the CDM(Construction Design andManagement Regulations) andsome Project Managers need to bereminded when TfL is the client. TfLuses an Annual Health and SafetyImprovement Plan and a ProjectManagement Framework to controlits programme works.

A “Just Culture” forNetwork Rail

Gareth Llewellyn Director Safetyand Sustainable DevelopmentNetwork Rail spoke as a relativenewcomer to the industryreminding everyone that NetworkRail itself was born out of abackground of poor safetyperformance ten years ago. He saidthe industry has more regulationthan any other, and told us that hehas already spoken with 250 safetyrepresentatives about his draft“Vision for Safety”. This is to berolled out in late May.

The underlying principles remainas published in RailStaff and arebased on the whole supply chainendorsing the principle that“Everyone goes home safe at theend of every day”. He emphasisedconcern that 20 near misses occureach period on the five and a halfthousand level crossings that areuser operated. A Safety Campaignbegins in May targeting schoolsnear crossings, and by the end ofthe year risk assessments will bepublished for all user crossings. Headded that, excluding suicides thereare 10 fatalities per period due totrespass.

He plans to abolish 100 standardsand introduce a small number ofLife Saving Rules, and is currentlyworking with trades unions on a“Just Culture” for the future.Referring to the 80,000 Safe Systemof Work packs produced each week,he asked why we need them at all,adding that 11-13 years is theaverage reading age of NetworkRail’s employees.

An American Pilotfrom Georgia

The post lunch speaker was Jeff(Odie) Espenship, a loud fasttalking American from Georgia. His

background is as an American AirForce pilot and later InstructorPilot. He told of his enthusiasm forflying beginning with movingpictures of accidents, amusing,incredible and serious. He callshimself the President of TargetLeadership.

Then he described thecircumstances under which histaking a short cut to avoidapproaching bad weather whenflying with his brother led toanother pilot taking the same shortcut. The outcome a double fatalitycrash in which his brother lost hislife. Memorable slogans included,“the road to perfection begins withinward reflection, processes areonly as good as the operators”, andperhaps most of all “tolerance, overconfidence and poorapproachability lead to disaster”.

Then a Seaman fromLiverpool, Belfast

Steve Enright easily met thechallenge of following Jeff. His fulljob title is Head of Safety andOperational Standards Southern,having spent twelve years in theMerchant Navy before working insafety in the ports of Liverpool andBelfast. Commenting on readingages of staff he suggested thateven those with a reading age ofjust seven were often excellent atfilling in timesheets!

He extolled the virtues of usingcartoons and photographs to get asafety message across andstressed the need for leaving roomfor local items in safetycommunications.Communications should aim towork like spiders webs he said.Speaking of the rail industry heurged the industry to work moreclosely as safety could beimproved if everyone involvedworked together.

RRVs suck in Orangeclad staff

Dr Liesel von Metz is an Office ofRail Regulation Inspector leadingon track worker and railwayconstruction. Her special interestis Road Rail Vehicles (RRVs). Shehas been working with NetworkRail on their RRV SafetyImprovement Programme. Shedescribed RRVs as the Swiss Armyknives of railway contractors.

Type 9B high-ride RRVs haveevolved from constructionmachines and rely on rail

wheel/tyre contact for theirbraking. Agreement had recentlybeen reached for all suchmachines to be fitted with directrail wheel braking. During the lastthree years there have been 12reported incidents involvingbraking problems with 23enforcement notices imposed.

She spoke of plans to separatethe planning of crane lifts fromthe duties of Crane Controllersand Site Manager’s ignorance ofmachine hazards. Someexasperation showed throughwhen she spoke of the ways inwhich rail mounted machines actas magnets, attracting site staffto go near them and of theplanning culture for rail siteswhich all too often comes upwith the solution of “chucking inanother man”.

Depot SafetyChristian Fletcher, Director

Zonegreen focusses on providingsafer working in train maintenancedepots. He is responsible fordeveloping equipment to protecttheir workforce from train

movements. He listed the hazardsas train movements, and tractionpower supplies, both overhead andthird rail.

He also highlighted theimportance of protecting depotcleaning staff whose first languagemay not be English, and the risk ofinjury from the use of manuallyoperated points. Simple devicesare now available to operatepoints remotely and he ispassionate about the need formanual derailers to be replaced bypowered ones. They then becomea safe system used by theappointed Delegated Person.

He surprised many by telling usthat manual derailers weigh 25kilogrammes each and depot trainmovements during the hours ofdarkness typically vary between30 and 40 per night.

Tom O’Connor of Rail Mediaclosed the 2012 Rail SafetySummit at just after 4pm asscheduled, by thanking all thespeakers and those who hadattended and inviting everyone toattend the 2013 event on the 14thMarch 2013.


TRACK SAFETY


Network Rail has retained thecontract to maintain andoperate High Speed 1 until 2025.

HS1 Ltd, the owners of Britain’sfirst and only high speed railwaysigned the new deal with NetworkRail following the successful firstfive years of operation. HS1 and StPancras International formallyopened in 2007. Says Nicola Shaw,chief executive, HS1 Ltd, ‘Weconducted an extensive marketreview and knew that we hadalternatives. However, the quality ofdelivery from Network Rail (CTRL)has been good over the last few

years and this deal offered realbenefits to us and to our customers.We’ve now got a decade of certaintyon which to work together toimprove the line even further andto welcome more growth.’

HS1 remains among the world’smost reliable railways with anaverage train delay of between sixand eight seconds. Passengernumbers continue to grow year onyear. Network Rail operates,maintains and renews the HighSpeed 1 railway through a wholly-owned subsidiary, Network Rail(CTRL).

High Speed won

Cosalt’s Workwear Division ismoving to new improvedpremises in Stockport, Cheshire.

The move to the new officesenables Cosalt to consolidate itsworkwear business departmentsand improve its services todiscerning customers in the railindustry.

Says Andy Hart, MarketingManager, ‘There was a clear needfor a more efficient office toimprove our services to ourcustomers as well as to improvethe working conditions of our staff.We look forward to welcoming ourcustomers and supply partners tothe new home of Cosalt Workwear.The new location is strategicallywell positioned and allows for easyaccess from the motorwaynetwork, Manchester airport andStockport railway station.’

The National Distribution Centrein Barnsley, South Yorkshire isunaffected by the move.

Improved premises

Regional transport authority,Centro, has named BalfourBeatty, as the preferred bidder tobuild the Midland Metroextension throughBirmingham’s city centre.

Says Centro chief executive GeoffInskip, ‘This is a prestigious projectin the heart of Birmingham and itdemands a construction partner ofexactly the pedigree and calibre of

Balfour Beatty. We worked withBalfour Beatty last year when theybuilt the Metro bridge for us overGreat Charles Street. That was aclear demonstration of theirproven track record in deliveringprojects on budget and on time.’

The extension will provide a fastlink between Birmingham’s twomajor railway stations and delivermore than 3.5 million passengers a

year right into the heart of thecity’s shopping district. The newtrack is part of a wider £127million project that includes a fleetof 20 new trams for the MidlandMetro system, which runs betweenBirmingham and Wolverhampton.

Says Bill Gifford, regionalmanaging director for BalfourBeatty Civil Engineering, ‘We aredelighted to be working with

Centro to help deliver thisimportant scheme for the city. Wehave built an excellentrelationship with Centro whichwill continue and help ensure thesuccessful delivery of thisprestigious scheme.’

The extension will follow a routefrom the existing stop at St Paul’svia a new Snow Hill stop and thenalong a £9 million viaduct alreadybuilt by developer Ballymore. Thelight railway will then continuedown Upper Bull Street,Corporation Street and on toStephenson Street, stoppingoutside a new entrance at therebuilt New Street Station. Theextension is scheduled forcompletion in 2015 with majorwork starting on the streets inearly 2013. The new fleet of trams,which are to be built by Spanishmanufacturer CAF, will startrunning in 2014.

Centro win for Balfour BeattyAn impression of how the MidlandMetro will look in Birmingham’sCorporation Street.


NEWS

Passengers heading intoBlackfriars were treated to a tasteof Shakespeare and modern dayrap on the day Blackfriars SouthStation opened.

Tonderai Munyevu and DentonChikura acted scenes from ‘TwoGentleman of Verona’ on FirstCapital Connect services to thedelight of commuters. The pairperformed in English and Shona.The show was a result of acollaboration between Network

Rail, First Capital Connect andShakespeare’s Globe to mark theopening of the first new station tospan the River Thames.

Says Laurence Whitbourn,Network Rail project director,Blackfriars, ‘The opening of theSouth Station has made Blackfriarsa cultural gateway bringing peoplefrom Brighton and Bedford withineasy reach of some of the very bestculture that London has to offer.We wanted to make the daily grind

of the commute a bit more funand demonstrate the kind ofentertainment that is availablealong the length of South Bank.’

Passengers clearly agreed.Commuters alighting at BlackfriarsSouth platform were serenaded byhip hop comedy duo, Abandoman,dressed as First Capital Connectstaff. The award winning comedianswere performing at the UdderbellyFestival, a short distance from thestation. They greeted unsuspectingpassengers with impromptuShakespeare-inspired rap.

Says Brighton resident andtheatre lover, Charlotte Frost, 24, ‘Istopped to check my train timewhen station staff approached measking me if I needed help. I didn’trealise it was Abandoman - theyimprovised a brilliant song for meon the spot. A great commute in towork this morning.’

Blackfriars has been completelyrebuilt by Network Rail to makeway for longer trains and morefrequent services on theThameslink route from Bedford toBrighton, through central London.Over 150,000 passengers areexpected to use Blackfriars SouthStation during summer 2012.

Artists and schoolchildrenacross Merseyside will be ableto showcase their work onMerseytravel’s transportnetwork thanks to the Art onthe Network Competition2012.

Merseytravel has been installingpublic art on the transportsystem since 2005 as part of theArt on the Network programme.This year’s competition invitesartists to design a travel wallet,with the winning designs beingreproduced and sold acrossMerseyside.

Says Jim Barclay, Merseytravelinterim chief executive, ‘Interest inour Public Art programme seemsto grow stronger each year. It hascaught the public’s imaginationand we’ve had a tremendousresponse over the past three years,so I am looking forward to seeingthe ideas that come forward thistime.’

Entrants to the competition mustlive or be professionally based inMerseyside.

Art attack

Staff and public were able to viewthe historic foundations for theNorth Eastern Railwayroundhouses in York last month.

The old roundhouses date from1864 and were used to servicesteam trains. The site wasuncovered by engineers carryingout inspections ahead of building anew operating and training centreon the site.

Says Phil Verster, Network Rail’sroute managing director, LondonNorth Eastern, ‘This site is a greatexample of respecting our railheritage whilst at the same timemaking exciting plans for our future.We are working closely with expertsto make sure the roundhouses arerecorded and looked after.

‘Meanwhile, the plans foroperating and training facilities are

being developed to help us todeliver a modern, efficient railway.They will allow us to maintainYork’s position as a proud rail cityby retaining jobs here as well asbringing future employmentbenefits which are vital foreconomic growth and prosperity.

‘The operating centre is the largestof just 14 proposed centres acrossBritain and will bring all the

expertise and technology we need tooperate the LNE route from a singlelocation. The investment in moderntraining facilities will help make sureour rail employees continue to beamong the best in the world.

We also hope that the location ofthe facilities, on the edge of theYork Central development site,could act as a catalyst for furtherinvestment in the area.’

Around 500 jobs will be spreadover the two facilities when fullyoperational. The land identified fordevelopment is known as theengineer’s triangle and lies betweenYork station and Holgate bridge.

In theRound

Verona double actlaunches Blackfriars


FEATURE

New framework signallingcontracts governing the next tenyears will introduce industrystability, improve efficiency andreduce costs.Three framework contracts havenow been decided, for Renewalsand Enhancements, ERTMS, andTraffic Management. Betweenthem they cover most of NetworkRail’s planned signalling projectsfor the next decade.

Renewals andEnhancements Framework

The first framework contractawarded, and probably the largest,with an estimated total value of£1.5 billion over seven years, wasplaced in January and splitbetween Signalling SolutionsLimited (SSL), Atkins and Invensysrespectively. Starting in April andworking under a nationalframework the contractors willdeliver signalling replacement andrenewal work throughout thenetwork.

The framework will allow thecontractors to make long-termefficiency savings and these will bepassed on to Network Rail. Inessence the new frameworkagreements form the backbone ofNetwork Rail’s programme tomodernise and maintain safety-critical railway signalling systems.Framework agreements aredesigned to deliver the efficiencysavings required across thecompany’s signalling work over thenext seven years through furtherreductions in unit costs.

Contracts for specific work willbe awarded under the threeframework agreements. Says MarkSouthwell, Network Rail’s ProjectDirector (Signalling), ‘We intend towork in partnership with oursuppliers. This will smooth out thepeaks and troughs that normallyoccur in the business, allowing usto plan a more constant workloadfor our suppliers.’

The framework is split downinto eight geographical areas, with

each area having a primary andsecondary supplier. Normally, theprimary will do all the work inthat region, but if it is unable to doa job for any reason, such as lackof capacity, then the secondarycontractor will be asked to step in.

The stability created byframework agreements anticipatedthe recent McNulty report ondelivering a better value railway.Says Southwell, ‘Network Railknew it had to drive throughefficiencies long before McNulty’sreport came out, as the regulatorhad set us a target of delivering a24% efficiency improvement in thecurrent five-year control period.The McNulty report highlightedthe challenges we face, andfocussed thinking on the need toreduce costs, but this programmewas already underway, as areother similar projects.’

Signalling Solutions Limited(SSL), Atkins and Invensys willshare the work on a geographicalbasis as shown in the table.

Signallingin the Frame

Nigel Wordsworth reports

>

Invensys Rail’s ERTMS solution is proven around the world. Successfully installed in Turkey, Australia and Spain, it complies with each country’s rules and regulations. Closer to home we have over 15 years’ experience on a variety of complex projects in Norway, such as project remodelling of Holmenkollen metro station. This diverse expertise makes Invensys rail a safe, reliable and efficient choice. On that we give you our word.

Our reputation is assured thanks to the well known rail signalling companies Westinghouse, Dimetronic & Safetran, that together make up Invensys Rail.

Find out how we can help you succeed, visit www.invensysrail.com or call 01249 441441

Invensys Rail puts you ahead of the game


FEATURE

Signalling SolutionsThe joint venture company of

Signalling Solutions (SSL) wasformed in 2007. Alstom had been asupplier of signalling technology tothe railway industry for years, butin a first attempt at rationalisationNetwork Rail had suggested thatAlstom signalling in the UK shouldhave turnkey capabilities,including installation and testing.

Looking around the market, abest match was found in BalfourBeatty Rail, which at the time waslooking for a technology partner inorder to maximise the potential ofits project management anddelivery skills. A joint venture -Signalling Solutions Ltd - wasformed and is based at Alstom’sBorehamwood plant and BalfourBeatty’s Derby offices.

Says Steve McLaren, ManagingDirector of SSL, ‘Network Rail was

very supportive. Having pushedAlstom to make the change, wethen very quickly received a coupleof contracts so we could put thecombined team into action. Theextensive knowledge, experienceand capability of both organisations,in terms of technology, design,engineering, project management,installation and testing, form thebasis of SSL today.’

With a current annual turnoverof £80-90 million, what will thenew framework mean to SSL?‘Security,’ says Steve. ‘The ability toplan a long-term workload and toretain good people. We havereinstated our graduate trainingprogramme, and are also taking onapprentices. We are trying to makeSSL an attractive business to join -and the safest. Did you know wehaven’t had a RIDDOR accident forthree years?

We also plan to invest in newtechnologies and tools to do thingssmarter and even safer. Generictechnology R&D will continue tobe done by Alstom. Wherenecessary SSL shall adapt that tothe UK market. It is essential tokeep introducing new technologyinto the UK and maintain ahealthy portfolio, for our businessand most importantly for thebenefit of our customers.’

AtkinsJohn Martin is Regional

Programme Director for Atkins,and the bid director for the newsignalling framework. ‘We don’thave any product of our own,’ hesays. ‘That means we are not tiedto a product line so we can choosethe best. We can drive innovationforward and come up with thebest engineering solution to suitthe client - it gives us moreflexibility.’

Atkins has been delivering majorsignalling contracts since the1990s. ‘The three companiesinvolved are the three mostsuccessful in the market. Invensys

is probably the biggest, and SSLhas been successful recently dueto its Smartlock product. So interms of market share thereprobably is no big change,’ saysMartin. ‘However, this contractwill make us all more efficient. Wewill be able to cut down ontendering costs, and there will beeconomies of scale in variousareas. Above all there will bestability which will give us theincentive to develop newtechnologies.’

“We can driveinnovationforward and comeup with the bestengineeringsolution…”JOHN MARTIN,PROGRAMME DIRECTOR,ATKINS

ScotlandCentral (west)Central (east)Wales & West

Great Western (inner)Great Western (outer)

Anglia & KentSussex & Wessex

InvensysInvensysSSL

InvensysSSLSSLAtkinsAtkins

SSLSSL

InvensysSSL

InvensysInvensysSSL

Invensys

Framework area Primary contractor Secondary contractor

>


FEATURE

InvensysPerhaps the largest of the three

suppliers in terms of the UKmarket, is Invensys. Says WilliamWilson, Commercial Director,‘Looking at the split of regions, andthe work we know is coming up, wethink we have approximately half ofthe market - that’s our best guess.’

Invensys is a technologycompany, although it has its ownproject managers and deputies.Installation is conducted usingagency staff under Invensys directmanagement. Testing is carried outby a mix of in-house and agencyteams.

The new framework agreementwill give the company theconfidence to invest more in R&D.‘The real benefit to us is stability. Itwill allow us to enter into longer-term partnership agreements, andpass that stability down the line.And as most of our products aremade in the UK, it will give moresecurity to our Britishmanufacturing workforce.’

McLaren, Martin and Wilson allagree the new framework willstabilise the rail supply industryand secure good efficacy and costsavings. The scene is set for themost dramatic change in railwaysignalling since the originalintroduction of semaphore signalson the original metals.

ERTMS FrameworkThe European Rail Traffic

Management System is a pan-European initiative which willeventually replace all linesidesignals. Drivers will work from ascreen in the cab, whichcommunicates with the controlcentre by radio. ERTMS has beeninstalled on the Cambrian Line in

Wales and will eventually be rolledout nationally under a second newframework agreement.

The ERTMS framework has beenawarded to four concerns;Invensys Rail, Signalling Solutions,Infrasig (a Carillion / Bombardierjoint venture) and Ansaldo STS. Allhave experience in ERTMSinstallations elsewhere. AnsaldoSTS was responsible for convertingthe Cambrian Line.

Network Rail’s medium-termgoal is to install ERTMS on threemajor routes, the Great Western,the East Coast Main Line and theMidland Mainline. The newframework contract is for a oneyear period to help define thespecification of the ETCS(European Train Control System)component of the system.

At the end of the first phase,likely to be in around 9-12 monthstime, Network Rail will assess thetechnical and commercialproposals that each company hasput forward and ask a number ofthem, probably three, todemonstrate their proposals usinga test installation on the HertfordLoop. This is a double-track, 24mile loop off the East Coast MainLine between Stevenage andAlexandra Palace.

Commuter trains will berestricted to a single line over a 5.5mile stretch, freeing up the otherline for use as an ERTMS test track.Starting in 2013, the chosen firmswill be asked to demonstrate theirETCS solutions, one after the other,over a twelve month period.

Main line implementationFollowing these trials, the best

solutions will be chosen to beinstalled on the Great Western andEast Coast Main Line. Says GuyStratford, Head of Contracts and

Commercial at Network Rail, ‘Wewill have as much flexibility aspossible at this stage. It is possiblethat one company will be head-and-shoulders above the others,but we will have to bear in mindthe logistical difficulties of oneorganisation working on twomajor projects at once.’

Work is likely to start in 2014,with the Great Western coming onstream first (commencing 2016)followed by the East Coast MainLine (2018) and the MidlandMainline (2020).

Traffic ManagementFramework

The third, and most recent, piecein the jigsaw is the TrafficManagement framework. Based atcontrol centres the new systemswill control all aspects of therailway’s operations.

When Network Rail first outlinedits requirements in 2010, over sixtysuppliers from around the worldexpressed an interest. For ninemonths, discussions took placewith these companies whichallowed Network Rail tounderstand what systems in othercountries were able to offer, and tolearn best practice.

As a result, the list of potentialsuppliers has been whittled downto only three. Contracts will beformally awarded next month, butRailStaff understands that theselected suppliers will be Thales,Hitachi and Signalling Solutions.These companies will be asked toproduce a new system workingwith the Traffic ManagementUsers Group.

ERTMS has beeninstalled on theCambrian Line inWales and willeventually berolled outnationally…

© FO

UR BY

THREE


CAREERS

www.sw-gr.comUK WIDE SERVICE CENTRES

Opportunities for Railway andEngineering StaffUK, AUSTRALIA AND ASIA based, Competitive Salaries

UK Based (Rail) UK & Global (Engineering) Australia & Asia Based (Rail)

Structures Engineers

PTS Trackstaff

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All Safety Critical Disciplines

Chartered Water & Environmental Engineers

M & E Project Managers

Mechanical Engineers / Supervisors / Inspectors

Civil Engineers / Supervisors / Technicians

Electrical Supervisors

Civil & Utilities Operatives

Mechanical & Civil Tradesmen

Groundworkers & Labourers

Senior Planners

Engineering Manager

Senior Construction Manager

Project Controls Engineer

Senior Contracts Engineer

Rail Estimators

HSE Professionals

Commercial Managers

Project Manager / Engineers

SWGR is a fast growing Global company that has built a strong reputation on delivering effective manpower services and solutions to the rail industry

within the UK, Asia and Australia. Due to our further expansion and continual drive to assist key clients and international partners to deliver a range of new

rail infrastructure, renewal and maintenance projects, we are keen to hear from professional individuals who meet the high standards of competency,

professionalism and service that our clients require and expect.

To apply for UK and Engineering positions please send your CV in Word format to

For all Australian and Asia based posts please send your CV in Word format to

[email protected]

[email protected]

Rail RecruitmentManpower


Due to the growing demand from major clients within the

, are looking for skilled

personnel for and opportunities.

railway

infrastructure CarmichaelUK Rail Division

Permanent Contract

We would like to hear from the following for prestigious projects

starting in London, South East and South West of England:

Engineers Engineering Managers

Agents

Sub Agents Safety Critical personnel Project Managers

General Foreman Works Managers Site Managers

Surveyors

Planners Commercial personnel

Register your CV today online or

via email in word format to:

call one of our consultants onor :

+44 (0) 208 522 8888

[email protected]

Job Opportunities for Rail Staff with CarmichaelUK Rail Division

ENGINEERING PERSONNEL RAIL DIVISION

Job vacancies posted daily on our site

www.carmichaeluk.com

RailwayPeople.comFast track your career

thousands

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rail jobs...

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CAREERS

MATERIALS CONSULTANTDHL Infrastructure (Rail) require a person with extensive knowledge

of rail infrastructure parts to assist with the identification of 'aged' /

bespoke and extracted parts and repairable equipment within the

rail supply chain.

The supply chain is responsible for the return from the field and

subsequent storing and utilisation of materials. While we have

within the Supply Chain the ability to identify the majority of parts

there is always difficulty in identifying some of the older or rarer

material, such as PO Relays or rare telecommunications cards.

The person also needs to have a working knowledge of other items

within the maintenance supply chain and be able to assist in their

identification and suitability for returning back into the supply chain

for assistance with extraction of overstocks from the field. DHL

require assistance with this on a part-time, ad hoc consultative basis.

For more information, please contact Ben Garner

07827 281229 | [email protected]

Station Managers& Station Stafffor the 2012 GamesWant to make a difference?

Do you want to play your part in the world's biggest event?

Train dispatchers / Ticket Office Staff / PTS cleaners / Gateline staff

jobs.railcareer.co.uk

Docklands Light Railway is assembling a team of station managers

who will be responsible for the safety of the crowd passing through

the busiest areas in London during the 2012 games.

As a Station Crowd Control Manager (SCCM) you will hold the

ultimate responsibility for the safety of thousands of people,

managing a large team, liaising with major transport authorities,

police and senior management.

There will be five weeks of intensive training to prepare you for

this challenge. Excellent pay (starting salary package of £15/hour, going

up to £20/hour).

We are now also recruiting:

Starting date: 28th May 2012

To apply to this position and to others please visit

and apply for the SCCM position.


CAREERS

With a reputation for quality service and

expert delivery Pendersons Ltd already has

an enviable client list, and after an exciting

start in 2011 we are experiencing

continuing growth in 2012. This success

has resulted in our need to recruit

additional Trainer & Assessors.

Our immediate requirement is for a Trainer

who is already accredited to deliver the

Track Induction training; however any

additional track safety, permanent way,

health and safety or plant training

capabilities would be desirable.

Your prime responsibilities will be the

design and delivery of training and

assessments within your area of expertise,

however, as part of a dedicated team of

professionals the role is likely to be varied

and provides a great opportunity for a

dynamic self-starter that wants to join a

progressive and exciting team.

Ideally based in the South West, however

you will be required to work throughout the

UK on a regular basis to meet the needs of

our customers.

For this role you will need to be self-

motivated and have experience of

working in the railway environment.

The ideal candidate will be an

experienced Trainer and Assessor who

is already approved to deliver Sentinel

courses including track induction.

In return we offer a very attractive

remuneration package to the right

candidate which will be supported by a

strong commitment to staff development.

We would also be interested to hear from

people that may be considering a career

move that are approved to deliver On Track

Plant training and assessments.

Anyone who wants more information or

wishes to apply for this role should contact

Steve Bebbington in the HR department.

Steve Bebbington

501 Crewe Road

Wheelock

Cheshire

Cw11 3RX

Tel: 01270 761 399


The Role

Applications and Appointment

Track Induction Trainer & AssessorsSouth West, with UK Travel

www.pendersons.com

Researcher

European Rail Project

Full time exciting research role for an

enthusiastic person with knowledge and

experience of the Rail industry preferably at

European and UK level.

This person should be passionate about the

subject and possess excellent communication

skills, excellent copy writing skills, top notch

research skills and be happy to be located in our

London office either full time or part of the time.

Competitive salary on offer, contact

[email protected] or call

+44 (0)207 828 3804 for more information.

www.trsstaffing.com

Rail and Infrastructure VacanciesTRS Staffing Solutions are international engineering recruitment specialists. We recruit for major National and International projects for leading National Rail organisations, main contractors and consultancies. Currently we have vacancies for the following:

+44 (0)20 7419 5800 or email [email protected]

Please send your CV or if you’d prefer to discuss a role in more detail and in confidence, please contact one of our specialist consultants on

Rail, Infrastructure & Construction

Signal Designers, Engineers and Managers UK & Australia - £350/day or £40-60K IRSE license or significant relevant experience

Senior Structural Engineers Warrington & York - £35-50K Rail experience including station, bridge and structural designs

Rail Project Renewal Managers UK, UAE, Australia, Far East & Africa - £50-80K Experience on rail & station enhancement project

Senior P-Way Design Engineers London & Warrington - £350/day or £60-80K Working on major new rail projects & station upgrades

HV/LV Electrical Managers London - £45-70K Traction Power, AC/DC or construction experience

Senior Planning Engineer London, York & Birmingham - £320-400/day or £40-55K Rail, LUL or construction experience. P3e/P6 essential

babcock.co.uk

LOOKING TO PROGRESS YOUR CAREER?

| Airports | Communications | Defence | Education | Emergency Services | Energy | International | Nuclear | Property | Rail | Training |

RAIL OPPORTUNITIES – UK WIDE

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THESE POSITIONS, PLEASE VISIT WWW.BABCOCK.CO.UK AND FOLLOWTHE CAREERS LINK. CVS SHOULD BE SENT TO [email protected]

Following a significant growth in multi-disciplinary rail designwork, Babcock’s Rail business is looking to fill a number of keypositions within our Consultancy organisation. Playing a key role in the further development of our growing and rewardingbusiness, highly motivated and qualified engineers and techniciansare required to strengthen our multi-disciplinary team.

Babcock’s Rail business is a leading engineering company withinthe rail infrastructure market supporting Network Rail and otherrail industry customers to provide a safe, reliable and efficient railnetwork across the UK. By working together with our customers,supply chain and other strategic partners, our focus is ondelivering quality engineering projects, championing innovationand introducing new technologies into the rail industry.

Being part of Babcock International Group PLC, the UK’s leadingengineering support services organisation with circa £3bnrevenues and 27,000 worldwide employees, make us a businessthat is trusted to deliver.

We are excited by the opportunities that the recent rail industrychanges and devolution may bring and are ready to support our customers to achieve the future efficiencies required.

Operating from regional offices in Hamilton, York, Crewe andBirmingham, we are offering competitive rates of pay,comprehensive benefits and excellent development opportunities.

Current vacancies include:

Civils

Design Engineers (Birmingham and Hamilton)

E&P

Principal Electrical Design Engineers (York and Crewe)

Senior Electrical Design Engineers (York and Crewe)

Electrical Design Engineers (York)

Signalling

Signalling Design Manager (Crewe)

Schemes Development Manager (Birmingham)

Signalling Design Verifiers (Crewe and Birmingham)

Signalling Designers (Crewe and Birmingham)

Assistant Signalling Designers (Crewe and Birmingham)

Track

Pway Design Engineers (Hamilton and Crewe)

Project Surveyors – Topographical (Hamilton)

From Hitachi Rail Europe’s Head Office in Holborn, London, we are building on a proud history in the rail industry and a global reputation for quality, reliability, innovation, design and technological leadership. As a business we are committed to the long-term development of a strong rail and infrastructure industry in the UK and continental Europe.

Hitachi Rail Europe’s UK rail contract for the Class 395 High Speed trains is now in commercial operation and came into service on the high-speed lines between Kent and London, in December 2009. The Class 465 traction replacement programmes have been successfully delivered and exceeded the contractual service level. In addition, HRE is approaching contract award for the UK’s replacement Intercity Express Programme (IEP) for supply and maintaining of rolling stock.

So, if you’re a dynamic, ambitious rail professional ready for a bigger challenge, working on a variety of high-profile and prestigious projects in various locations in the UK and Europe, delivering the future of rail technology, then join us now.

Project & EngineeringApprovals (Homologation) EngineerWith experience in producing engineering safety case work (or assessment of such work) and engineering safety management experience (Yellow Book/CENELEC), you’ll work within the Approvals and Safety team in the UK responsible for supporting the Approvals for rolling stock projects in both the UK and European rail market. That means supporting the delivery and approvals in terms of value for money, life cycle cost, environmental performance, energy efficiency.

Project EngineersElectrical/Mechanical/Signalling InterfacesWe need experienced Project Engineers to lead customer, stakeholder and supplier interfacing engineering activities. Expertise gained from a rolling stock design/operations environment, in one of electrical, mechanical or signalling is essential. Knowledge and understanding of the European and Railway Group Standards and other railway specific engineering standards is a must. Whilst Chartered Engineer status would be desirable.

Project Engineering ManagerYou will lead and manage the Project Engineering team’s interfaces with all relevant, internal and external, design, manufacturing, operational and maintenance stakeholders. You’ll also manage involvement in all rolling stock design activities, to ensure the requirements of external stakeholders, legislation, maintenance and assembly are captured in the final design of the product. Experience in all phases of a project, from bid through design, manufacture, test, acceptance, delivery and operational development is essential.

Test ManagerReporting to the HRE Test Manager, and working with the Project Manager, you’ll manage the testing programme of the new rolling stock to support introduction into service in accordance with the contract programme. Ideally a degree qualified IMechE engineer, you’ll have extensive project management and testing experience in railway industry engineering.

Senior PlannerYou will develop, maintain and update integrated project delivery programmes for train manufacture, depot construction and maintenance. Experience of, and skilled in the use of Primavera P6 and Microsoft planning products using Critical Path Analysis and Earned Value in a technical environment, is essential.

RAMS EngineerWith experience of UK train approvals process and knowledge of TSI Common Safety Methods, you’ll manage and facilitate the RAMS process on IEP. Working within the systems integration team you’ll be responsible for analyzing and evaluating the RAMS contractual performance requirements and ensuring these performance criteria are achieved for the new train design.

Interior design/Mock-up ManagerLeading a customer and stakeholder facing team of co-coordinators responsible for gaining interiors’ approval for a new design of passenger rail vehicles, you’ll effectively manage the Interiors team’s interfaces with

Put your career on the fast track

Over the next few months we will be looking to recruit more Engineers and other professionals including Project Quality Engineer, PMO Manager, QA Engineer, Bid Administrator,

Document Controller, Technical Librarian, Buyer and Translator.

Our business is built on partnership working with customers, suppliers and Hitachi businesses worldwide. So, whichever role you join us in you must have the confidence and interpersonal skills to liaise effectively at every level, often across international boundaries and different cultures.

For each role we need professionals with the passion and drive to deliver and contribute to the continued success of a high-profile, world-leading brand, so remuneration packages will reflect the skills of high performers and reward success.

The roles will be based at our Head Office and various locations in the UK and Europe, however there will be some international travel and flexible/remote working required.

For more information on all the roles and to apply please visit our website at www.hitachirail-eu.com/careers and click-on the vacancy to proceed with your application.

Closing date: Friday 1st June 2012 NO AGENCIES

all relevant, internal and external, design, manufacturing, operational and maintenance stakeholders to capture, prioritise and demonstrate compliance with elicited requirements.

Diesel Generator Unit Systems EngineerYou’ll lead propulsion system design areas specifically related to the Diesel Generator Unit mechanical, electrical and control interface design and implementation, including verification and acceptance of the supplier led Diesel Generator Unit design. With experience of working with SAE J1939 automotive software protocol, you’ll management the SAE J1939 control interface requirements to Hitachi Traction and ATI equipment.

Training ManagerYou’ll manage the delivery of training courses, materials, facilities and equipment to Train Operators on a “train the trainer” basis, as well as lead training activities of internal and third party staff. Training provision to include train drivers, guards, other on-board staff, control room personnel and catering logistic supplier. So, significant experience of core training processes including Training Needs Analysis, Solution design, evaluation and proficiency in technical writing and training design is essential.

CommercialCustomer Relationship ManagerReporting to the Head of Commercial and Business Planning, you’ll be a key part of the team developing strong relationships with UK railway industry stakeholders, identifying and developing new business opportunities across Hitachi Rail Europe’s portfolio of products and services. As the primary point of contact and advocate for the customer within HRE, you’ll develop and implement Account Development Plans for nominated accounts, managing and building the overall relationship, protecting existing business and delivering new business opportunities.Senior Commercial ManagerWith knowledge of the Railway Industry in the UK and mainland Europe, you’ll be responsible for the provision of commercial support for bids and participate in major contract negotiations, as well as participating in other commercial activities, as part of the team bidding and negotiating major rolling stock contracts across the European railway market.

Bid ManagerReporting to the Head of Commercial and Business Planning you will plan, develop, implement and manage all activities relating to proposal preparation and submission as part of the team bidding for major railway industry

contracts. With previous experience in a similar role, you’ll also co-ordinate internal members and external partners and advisors in order to ensure the successful delivery of bids and to facilitate the subsequent negotiation process.

Lead Commercial Engineer – EuropeReporting to the Head of Commercial and Business Planning, you will be a key part of the team bidding and negotiating major rolling stock contracts along with participating in other commercial activities, supporting opportunities for Hitachi Rail Europe’s entire portfolio of products and services. A qualified engineer, fluent in German, you’ll be the first point of contact for engineering and technical matters relating to bids and business development activity.

MaintenanceFleet Materials ManagerExperienced in working in dealing with Railway Traction and Rolling Stock Materials, you’ll lead and direct all materials management activities, ensuring that materials of the required standard are available at the production facility to meet the requirements of the maintenance operation. With experience in managing a Stores environment, you’ll assist in the strategic development and management of the spares supply system and materials planning and scheduling for the respective fleet.

railstaff newspaper may 2012

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