railstaff october 2012

As controversy rages over the future of train operations in Britain after the suspension of the Inter City WestCoast franchise transfer, Richard Brown CBE is now heading a systematic franchise programme review.Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin called in Richard Brown, chairman of Eurostar, within hours of the DfT’sbungled bid evaluation coming to light. Mr. Brown is now investigating the way franchise risk is assessed andhis comprehensive review will report by the end of the year…

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RailStaff

PAGE 8

Irish move forDavid Franks

PAGES 14-15

Westward Ho!

PAGE 37-49Continued on PAGE 4

Training Matters Focus

The latest news from NSARE, ARTPand Training providers.

Andy Milne talks to Vernon BarkerMD of FirstGroup’s Rail Division.

Issue 179 / October 2012

High noon on Marsham Street

© JONATHAN WEBB

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Inevitably calls will be heard forthe re-nationalisation of therailways in the wake of the westcoast franchise fiasco.

In fact less governmentblundering, not more is needed.Consider: since privatisation therailway community has deliveredover and above any MarshamStreet mathematical risk modelpredicted.

Rail now carries twice thenumber of passengers on half thetrack we had in 1948. This has notbeen achieved by political acumen,far from it. The last governmentcontrived to delay investment infleets and projects. Remember theobfuscation on Crossrail andManchester Metrolink?

Railways are a force for good,driving growth, creating wealthand promoting environmentalresponsibility. Yet we still sufferfrom second rate leadership. Toofew civil servants know how to runa business or understand the oiland grease of a traditionalindustry. Few enjoy the immediacyof customer contact that is integralto the railway’s working day.

Hitherto this government wasdoing well by railways.Commitments to HS2, Crossrail,electrification and the NorthernHub all testify to a new wonrespectability for the industry.Where government fails is in itsresponsibility for the centralstructure that sustains railways.

Minsters are responsible for their

briefs and the officials in theiremploy. The all but invisible DfTrail group needs to be replaced bya stand alone entity run byprofessional railway staff not civilservants. Like the old SRA itshould cherish an independenceof spirit. Such skill will achievebetter value for money, stability forstaff and encourage privateinvestors.

Track workers, apprentices andgraduates starting out this autumnmay not have run their careerthrough a matrix of riskidentifying software. Yet theircommitment forms the basis forthe continuing abacus of railsuccess. The private sector railwayhas harnessed their skills, thegovernment should seek to do noless.

www.railstaff.co.uk 3

RailStaff AwardsIn November’s RailStaffWe report on the annual RailStaff Awards 2012 from the ICC inBirmingham, where almost 850 party goers celebrate this year’s AwardsWinners in roaring twenties prohibition style. Will you be a winner?

Please Note: RailStaff’s annual focus on Rail Freight is in December issue.

“Railways are a force for good, driving growth,creating wealth and promoting environmentalresponsibility. Yet we still suffer from secondrate leadership.”

PAGE 20 PAGE 50-51SPECIAL FOCUS

Tunnel Aid forWallasea IslandOne of Europe’s largest wetlandwild life projects, Wallasea island,is emerging on the River Crouch,near the Thames Estuary, thanksto Crossrail.

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West Coast Franchise fiascoWhere government fails is in its responsibility for the centralstructure that sustains railways.

COMMENT

URS backsMcNulty’s StrategyThe strategy of growth throughgood value is at the heart of theURS Corporations’ ambitious plansfor British engineering design firmScott Wilson.

© JONATHAN WEBB

Few will have observed RichardBrown slipping through a grey andwindy Whitehall to begin hisenquiry into the shortcomings offranchise re-letting.

No triumphant gallop intoDodge City for Brown. However,no one should underestimate theimportance of Brown’s role or theconfidence placed in him by newtransport secretary, PatrickMcLoughlin or the DfT’spermanent secretary, PhilipRutnam - who moved to thedepartment last April.

The Cameron administrationhas been badly rattled by theWest Coast debacle and wantsthe system fixed. No blameattaches to the companiesinvolved.

The Secretary of State said, ‘Iwant to make it absolutely clearthat neither FirstGroup nor Virgindid anything wrong. The fault ofthis lies wholly and squarely withthe Department for Transport.Both of those two companies

acted properly on the advice thatthey were getting from theDepartment.’

Two reviewsMcLoughlin set in motion two

reviews immediately aftersuspending the transfer of theVirgin Trains operated West CoastInter City franchise to FirstGroup.The first review into the Inter CityWest Coast fiasco itself will berun by Centrica chief executive,Sam Laidlaw and formerPricewaterhouseCoopers strategychairman, Ed Smith. They willreport by the end of October.

More ominously, Brown ischarged with looking deeper andlonger at railway franchising. Hehas the unenviable task ofassessing whether changes areneeded in the way risk isassessed in the bidding and theevaluation process. He will reportback by the end of December.

Richard Brown CBE is a careerrailwayman who joined BritishRail as a graduate trainee afterreading Philosophy at Cambridge.After a spell with Freightliner heworked in InterCity Planning.

Later he was deeply involved in

BR’s brave Organising For Qualityreorganisation. OFQ, distressinglymispronounced by a generationof railway cynics, saw thecreation of a series ofcommercially successful, standalone, businesses.

Brown moved on to head up thenew Midland MainLine andIntercity Cross Countryorganisation. When these weresplit he stayed with MidlandMainLine - headquartered inDerby where he lives. After afailed MBO he ran the companyfor National Express, the luckyfranchise holder and laterbecame commercial director ofNEG itself.

As head of NEG’s Trains Divisionhe had oversight of a healthyportfolio of railway franchises. In2002 he joined Eurostar as chiefexecutive and held the post untilbecoming chairman in 2010. Hehas chaired ATOC and wascreated a CBE in 2007.

After ten years away fromfranchising - Eurostar operatesunder a different system - Brownis almost unique in havingworked through everypermutation of railways.

Colleagues predict he will prove aredoubtable George Smiley as heplumbs the mysteries ofMarsham Street.

Both railway staff, franchisebidders and the minister himselfwill breathe a sigh of relief athaving a railwayman of Brown’spedigree at the helm of a reviewthat could precipitate a seachange in how railways are run.

4 www.railstaff.co.uk

High noon on Marsham Street

“I want to make itabsolutely clear thatneither FirstGroup norVirgin did anythingwrong. The fault ofthis lies wholly andsquarely with theDepartment forTransport.”THE RT HON PATRICKMCLOUGHLIN MP,SECRETARY OF STATEFOR TRANSPORT

© JONATHAN WEBB


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NEWS

Ten Pound bonus for sleepers

Work is now underway building anew factory in Doncaster whichwill supply concrete railwaysleepers for Network Rail’sprogramme of track improvement.

Says Martin Elwood, director ofNetwork Rail’s National DeliveryService, ‘This factory is crucial ifwe are to deliver better value formoney whilst maintaining a safe,reliable railway. We need around

700,000 concrete sleepers eachyear and, once commissioned, thisfactory will produce around400,000 of those. It will alsodirectly create around 30 new jobs,with knock-on benefits to the localsupply chain.’

The new factory is located on theold Woodyard site near Ten PoundWalk in Doncaster. Owned byNetwork Rail the factory is being

put up and operated by a newconsortium, Trackwork Moll.

‘Doncaster is the ideal locationfor this factory as these sidings arealready used as a hub forengineering trains and its centrallocation will make distributionacross Britain’s rail network easierand more efficient,’ added Martin.Site works are underway and fullproduction should start in 2013.

“This factory is crucialif we are to deliverbetter value formoney whilstmaintaining a safe…”MARTIN ELWOOD,DIRECTOR OF NATIONALSERVICE, NETWORK RAIL

A railway cleaner on the LondonUnderground saved the life of aneight year old boy who hadclimbed onto the tracks.

The cleaner, not named,managed to get him back. Thedriver of a north bound Jubilee linetrain managed to brake in time.

The incident happened atStanmore.

Nigel Holness, LondonUnderground’s OperationsDirector, praised the promptactions of staff. ‘Jubilee lineservices were disrupted atStanmore after an eight-year-old

boy was spotted trespassing on therailway by a cleaner.

‘The cleaner lifted him back onto the platform without injury,where station and train staffstayed with him until policearrived. We are very grateful to thecleaning contractor and to ourstation and train staff forintervening and for their quickresponse.’


NEWS

Rail steel for the new Brittany-Loire Valley high speed line will besupplied by a Scunthorpe firm.

Tata Steel has struck a deal withEiffage Rail for the supply of high-quality rail for the new 113 milehigh-speed link. Scunthorpe steelmakers will supply about 50,000tonnes of steel for the newBrittany-Loire Valley line, whichwill connect Le Mans and Rennes.The steel will be manufactured inScunthorpe and rolled into rail atTata Steel’s mill in Hayange, north-east France. The order is likely tobe worth around €50 million.

The Le Mans-Rennes rail projectis one of the biggest in Europe.

The new line will be an extensionof an existing high-speed link andwill reduce travel times betweenParis and Rennes by 37 minutes.

The project is expected to create10,000 jobs during theconstruction phase and will becompleted in 2016.

In 2011 Tata Steel won a majororder to supply rail for the new 188mile long high-speed line betweenTours and Bordeaux.

Bonjour Tata

One of Britain’s smallest pubs hasopened its doors at Carnforthstation in Lancashire.

The Snug Micro Pub covers 300square feet but owners Gregg andJulie Beaman promise a bigwelcome. The simple-style pubfocuses on real ales. There is no TV,piped music, games machines,gassed lager or spirits.

Says Mr Beaman, ‘It is a place tocome to escape the hurly burly ofusual pubs. We felt people wanteda more traditional ale house, sowe’ve got four real ales on at anytime. They are constantly changedfor people to try new types. Assoon as one finishes we put a newone on.

On one particular evening we had35 people in the micro pub. There’sa bit more space at the front formore people when the weather isgood.’ The Snug Micro Pub opensfrom Tuesday to Saturday from12am to 2pm and 5pm to 9pm.Town and Country LadiesFashionwear which was previouslyon the site has moved on.

Micro pub Clean sweep saves child

Industry marks passing of Tom CliftAt the start of the ACoRP annual awards at theSwindon Steam Railway Museum ACoRP’s NeilBuxton called for a brief silence and then askedeveryone to raise their glasses to the late Tom Clift.

Career railway man Tom Clift, 58, died of a heartattack whilst visiting Edinburgh. The formermanaging director of Grand Central had been due totake up the reins at First Hull Trains.

‘We were looking forward to welcoming him intohis new role. Tom was a railwayman for fourdecades, becoming a respected personality in theindustry he cared about. Our thoughts are with Tom’sfamily and friends,’ said Vernon Barker, FirstGroup’sManaging Director UK Rail Division.

Tom Clift joined the railway immediately afterleaving Warwick School aged 18. He later gained adegree in Business Studies and Transport Economics.He worked for Regional Railways. Later Tom waslargely responsible for turning around railways inSouth Wales, joining the Cardiff Railway Co in 1994to prepare it for privatisation.

He was Managing Director of Valley Lines for sevenyears and also held senior positions at Arriva TrainsWales and the Pullman Rail Group. He was the proudowner of a BR class 26 diesel locomotive.

Friends described Tom as ‘A thoroughly decent,old-fashioned, professional railwayman.’ He will besadly missed.

© ALISTAIR GREGORY

Paul Kirkman is taking over asmanaging director of theNational Railway Museum inYork following the departure ofSteve Davies at the end ofOctober.

Mr Kirkman is on secondmentfrom the Department for Culture,Media and Sport which he joinedin 2005 from the Treasury.Formerly he worked for theNatural History Museum and theConfederation of British Industry.

Paul was educated at EdinburghUniversity where he readPhilosophy and at GoldsmithCollege, London where he gainedan MA in History of Art. He willbe seconded to the NRM for oneyear.

Says Ian Blatchford, Director ofthe Science Museum Group,‘Steve’s passion for trains and therailway industry has been evidentin everything that he has done at

the National Railway Museumover the past two years. Wethank him for his contributionand look forward to working withhis successor Paul, to ensure thatthe National Railway Museummaintains its position as theleading railway museum in theworld.’


International rescue

York call for Kirkman

International students from theUniversity of Birmingham’s muchadmired Department ofEngineering have been helping outat the Ecclesbourne Valley Railwayat weekends.

As part of their MSc course 14new full-time students includingthree from China and Turkey, anew student from Muscat and

Oman, a senior rail engineer fromKorea and six civil servants fromIndonesia helped relay part ofWirksworth Yard.

The site has hardly been touchedsince the EVR moved in over adecade ago. The team was led byrecent MSc graduates from Britain,Malaysia and America. Volunteerson the EVR instructed the students

in the correct use of tools andshowed classic railway skills.

Some of the students also foundtime to help in the restoration ofthe railway’s LMS brake van. Oncethe work had been completed thestudents caught the EVR serviceto Duffield where they were ableto connect with East MidlandsTrains.

David Franks will take over as chiefexecutive of Irish Rail when currentboss Dick Fearn steps down nextyear.

Iarnród Éireann has announcedthat David Franks will become thenew chief executive of the railcompany in February 2013 whenFearn retires at the end of hisseven-year contract.

Franks, 55, has railwaymanagement experience both inthe UK and elsewhere in Europe,having previously headed up theStockholm Metro in Sweden.

David will join Iarnród Éireannfrom Keolis UK Ltd - the UK divisionof the French National Railways,SNCF, where he is UK Rail Director.

David has also worked at chiefexecutive level with a number oforganisations including theNational Express Group.

He is a member of the BritishTransport Police Authority and chair

of the Institution of RailwayOperators.

An Irish Rail spokesman said:“The company looks forward towelcoming David to Iarnród Éireannand Ireland in the new year to leadthe delivery of service to ourcustomers and the management ofour network.”

Irish move for David Franks

Students gain rail experience, helping out at

the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway.

Ron Wells, from Balfour BeattyRail, has retired after many yearson the railway.

After a spell in the merchant navyRon worked in construction plantmaintenance. However the widerworld beckoned and in early 1977

Ron joined Balfour Beatty in Dubai. Later during a nine year stint at

Sellafield Ron obtained his HonoursDegree in Mechanical Engineering.This was followed shortly by himaccepting the role of National PlantHire Manager in Derby andbecoming a Chartered Engineerand Fellow of the Institute ofMechanical Engineers.

In the last 35 years he has notonly been committed to the BalfourBeatty Group and in particular theRail OPCO, but also the rail industryin general with his activeinvolvement in both the Rail PlantAssociation and the M & EENetworking Group. Ron lives inDerby and is married to Pat withfour children and tengrandchildren.


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Kiyoshi Yamamoto has beenappointed managing director ofHitachi Europe Ltd.

Mr Yamamoto, previously vice-president of Hitachi America,succeeds Mr Akira Shimizu, whobecomes General Manager ofInternational Strategy Division,Hitachi Ltd.

Mr Yamamoto graduated fromthe Faculty of Engineering, TokyoUniversity and joined Hitachi in1983. Since then he has served in

various senior roles. Following aperiod stationed in China, heoversaw the Hitachi Group’sinformation technology strategybefore taking up his current role inHitachi America, Ltd.Headquartered in Maidenhead,Berkshire, Hitachi Europe, isresponsible for the recentlyannounced Intercity ExpressProgramme.

New Headfor HitachiEurope

Ian Bleasdale, a chartered civilengineer with over 20 years ofengineering experience, hasjoined Parsons Brinckerhoff asHead of Rail Engineering (South).

Ian will be based in London withresponsibility for managing anddeveloping the company’ssouthern operations, whichinclude extensive engineering anddesign teams in London andGodalming.

Bleasdale was previously a

project director with URS, formerlyScott Wilson. His most recentresponsibilities included work onthe Crossrail projects on thewestern route between Heathrowand Maidenhead, and at thePudding Mill Lane Portal,Paddington Station and FarringdonStation. He was also senior projectmanager on the East London Linenorthern extension works atmobilisation stage.

Ian has worked on major projectsin Denmark, France and HongKong. He is a Chartered Engineerand a Member of the Institution ofCivil Engineers. He holds a Mastersin Civil Engineering (Hons), aMastère Spécialisé en Ouvragesd’Art (Structures) from the ÉcoleNational des Ponts et Chaussées inParis, and an MBA from WarwickBusiness School.

Ian Bleasdale joinsParsons Brinckerhoff

New Director for MerseyrailKaj Mook is the new customerservices director at Merseyrail.

Mr Mook joined Merseyrail a yearago on secondment fromNederlandse Spoorwegen (DutchRailways) in Holland. Leading a450-strong team Kaj will overseeMtogo, Merseyrail’s chain ofcombined ticket offices andconvenience stores, as well as thenew bike hire initiative.

Kaj Mook spent ten years atNederlandse Spoorwegen, startingin 2001. Most recently, he was thedirector of NS Fiets BV and NS OVFiets BV, responsible for allNederlandse Spoorwegen cyclefacilities. Before that, he worked onseveral large developmentprojects: Amsterdam South stationand several new railway stations.

Says Maarten Spaargaren,managing director, ‘Kaj brings withhim a wealth of experience fromthe Netherlands, which will be

invaluable for the challenges thatlie ahead in his new role. It’s greatto have him on board.’ Mr Mookhas an MSc in Spatial Planningfrom Radboud UniversityNijmegen.

Ron Wellssteps down

Members Networking 17th OctoberYork EMC, Bath

Members Meeting (Aerospace)October TBALong Marston

RailStaff Awards (Colin Flack Host)20th OctoberICC Birmingham

We have had a most productiveand busy September with a reallypositive trip to Innotrans and, aweek later, back at one of ourfavourite networking locations theChiltern Railways Cube offPlatform 2 at Birmingham’s MoorSt Station, reports Robert Hopkinof the Rail Alliance.

We have been asked by ourmembership for some time now torevisit the opportunities that existfor the SME in supplying toCrossrail. So, in mid-July ourExecutive Director, Rob Hopkin,visited Scottish Enterprise in Julyas part of a fact finding mission toScotland and on his last day tookin the Crossrail Supplier Briefing inEdinburgh.

ImpressiveAt this event, Rob invited

Crossrail to present to ourmembership and, on 25 SeptemberSimon Pain, one of the CrossrailProgramme Supply Chainmanagers, presented to our

members at the aforementionedmeeting at Moor St Station.

The level of ambition ofthe Crossrail project is still jaw-droppingly impressive, even tothose of us who have kept up tospeed with the project since itsinception. Interestingly, we werebriefed on the progress of thetendering process and the valueand importance of companiesregistering with the CompeteForportal was discussed, with plentyof interaction from the floor aswell as sound, honest and helpfulfeedback from the presenters.

Vital information sourceFor those not registered with the

CompeteFor portal - it is worthdoing so - not least as it is free-of-charge and despite some concernsfrom some of our members aboutthe granularity of the sub-sectordivisions offered by the process, itoffers a vital information source interms of business intelligence.

Additionally, there were some

concerns that with 2016 (Crossrailgo live date) not being too faraway, there may be little chancefor the SME to become involved asmuch of the spend may well havetaken place. Again, there was goodnews for the SME base as whilstCrossrail has awarded contracts tothe Tier 1 contractors, they havenot allocated all their spend, oridentified their supply chains.

Serious opportunitiesWith up to approx £10bn of

spend remaining, there are someserious opportunities for supplyingto Crossrail. Also, every Tier 1contractor is mandated to hold anannual Meet the Buyer day and weat the Rail Alliance will be advisingour members of these dates.

We are indebted to Simon Pain ofCrossrail and Patrick Codd ofTransport for London for findingthe time to come and visit ourmembership and to stay until thelast sandwich had beenconsumed!

We are also grateful to R&D TaxClaims (rdtaxclaims.co.uk) for theirinformative presentation on howto claim back corporation tax fromR&D activity, which had severalmembers scratching their headsand adding up the various sums ofmoney expended in R&D!

Last, but not least, many thanksto Kevin Lane of Onyxrail whobriefed out the Rail VehicleEnhancement exhibitionswww.rve.onyxrail.co.uk inLondon and Derby earlier thismonth.

Fast forward...Our next networking event will

be hosted by Rail AllianceFounder Member York EMCServices www.yorkemc.co.uk attheir Bath Laboratories on 17October 2012. Contact RhonaClarke at our Long Marston officefor more information or toregister on:

01789 720026 [email protected]


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.

Crossrail tops the bill at Rail Alliance networking event

RAIL ALLIANCE NEWS

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A station in Scotland, closed since1960, is to reopen.

Conon Bridge station wasoriginally situated betweenDingwall and Muir of Ord.Announcing the new stationTransport Minister Keith Brownsaid the station will be reopened intime for the resurfacing worksbeing carried out on KessockBridge next year.

The station, costing £600,000, will

be built on the original site andwill open in February 2013. CononBridge will offer local people analternative to driving, both duringthe essential repairs to KessockBridge and beyond.

Says Mr Brown, ‘I am delightedthat we will be able to reopenConon Bridge railway station intime to help mitigate disruptionfrom the major re-surfacing workson the A9 Kessock Bridge. It is

essential that we encouragemotorists out of their cars and onto public transport during theseworks and a local station at CononBridge will help to do this.’

He praised the cross industry co-operation that has made theproject feasible. ‘The reopening ofConon Station is a good exampleof partnership working betweenTransport Scotland, the localauthority, the Highland Council,

the local regional transportpartnership - HITRANS, NetworkRail and ScotRail anddemonstrates just what could beachieved from the £30m ScottishStations Fund coming into effectin 2014,’ Mr Brown said.

Transport Scotland is investing£18m to upgrade Kessock Bridge,bringing it in line with moderntraffic standard requirements. AddsDavid Simpson, Network Rail routemanaging director for Scotland,‘The project at Conon Bridge isanother example of the innovative,new alliancing approach thatNetwork Rail and ScotRail haveadopted which is helping to drivedown costs and increaseinvestment in Scotland’s railway.

‘Through closer working we areable to deliver efficiencies andreduce timescales and today’sannouncement builds on otherprojects currently benefiting fromour alliancing approach such asthe electrification of the PaisleyCanal line which is being deliveredfor just £12m - half what it wouldhave cost before alliancing wasintroduced.’

Metropolitanfarewell

Mechan, the Sheffield-baseddepot equipment manufacturerhas fitted a bogie press at MTR’sPat Heung depot in Hong Kong,to complement the one installedin the Siu Ho Wan depot in 1999.

The new press will enablebogies serviced at Pat Heung,which serves the MTR West Railline, to undergo suspension

checks and height adjustmentsafter a rebuild.

Says Richard Carr, Mechan’smanaging director, ‘AssociatedEngineers is one of our newestdistributors and we are verypleased the firm has securedsuch a key order for us withMTR.

‘Whilst various upgrades have

improved the usability andperformance of our bogie pressesin the decade or so since the lastinstallation, the two pieces ofequipment are still recognisablythe same and offer equal buildquality and longevity.

It is heartening to see our olderpress still operating so reliablyon this busy rail network.’

Hong Kong coup for Mechan

The final Metropolitan line A stocktrains in regular passenger servicehave been withdrawn after a lifespanning half a century.

Bemused commuters mingledwith enthusiasts and staff as thetrain, which had taken on a bit of aparty atmosphere, made its finaljourney before being taken out ofservice. At least one vehicle will bepreserved, with the majority beingscrapped far from home in SouthYorkshire. The Metropolitan line isnow operated entirely by newBombardier built S stock trains.

Conon therailwayman

Conon station is shown here in August 1961.

© RAILPH

OTOLIBRA

RY.COM

© JONATHAN WEBB

Last call for Joe St Leger -Railway Photographer


NEWS

Vital Rail has been awardedNetwork Rail’s FrameworkAgreement to supply possessionmanagement operatives on theLNE route on a call-offarrangement.

Running for three years from10th November 2012, the awardwill deliver possessionmanagement for the LNE routebetween London King’s Cross andBerwick-upon-Tweed.

The contract will be run by the

newly-appointed head ofpossession management at VitalRail, Terry Jarvis, who will be basedat the company’s new office inDoncaster - a key junction on theroute.

Gary Hardaker (pictured), VitalRail’s Managing Director, said: “Weare delighted to be awarded such aprestigious agreement to supplypossession managementoperatives to Network Rail. To beselected signifies a massive vote ofconfidence by Network Rail in ourcapability to deliver contingentlabour. Not only does this awarddemonstrate our continuedcommitment to Network Rail, butit also strengthens our positionwithin the market and within the

LNE/GN route whilst supportingthe overall growth strategy of ourbusiness.

‘Our knowledge and expertisewithin the rail industry are secondto none, and having successfullydelivered on a range of projects forNetwork Rail over the years, we areconfident that this opportunitywill be a huge success.”

Said Terry Jarvis, ‘This awardopens up numerous possessionmanagement employmentopportunities.

‘Areas of required specialisationinclude SPICOP, PICOP, HandSignaller (AOD HS), Level CrossingAttendants (AOD LXA), PointsOperators (AOD PO) andPossession Assistants (PA).

Competitive rates will be offeredwith excellent training anddevelopment opportunities.Applications for these posts musthold COSS or IWA competencywith blockroad experience, orPossession Support.’

Hard working staff at Virgin Trainshave been praised by BusinessTraveller magazine.

Readers of the magazinedeclared Virgin Trains the bestdomestic retailer for the sixth yearin succession. Arthur Leathley,genial head of communications atVirgin Trains, picked up the award.

Arthur is part of a nationwideteam currently recordingpassenger satisfaction levels at91% - among the highest of anylong distance operator.

Virgin has seen its passengernumbers more than double overthe last six years from 14m to 30mannually.

Good News for Arthur

Bealtaine Suaimhneas síoraí dá anam / May he rest in Peace

On the 19th of September 2012,the well known Irish railwayphotographer Joe St Leger passedaway, Tim Casterton reports.

Joe had been takingphotographs of Irish railwayscenes for the last half-century.Every time a railway line wouldopen or close, you would be sureto see Joe there in his trademarkgrey mac, always wearing a tie,with his camera or cine cameraat the ready.

He could be found takingphotographs of the legendaryannual CIE ‘weed spray’ train asit traversed lines that no longersaw regular services. Joe would

appear like magic if there was aderailment or if any special trainwas due to run.

Photographs taken by Joe havebeen widely used in manypublications over the years.Railway staff in almost everylocation on the Irish networkknew him.

Everyone agrees he was athorough gentlemen, alwayspleasant and quiet-spoken andhe will be greatly missed by theIrish railway community.

His funeral service was held onSaturday 22nd September at StFinbarre’s Cathedral in Cork.

PossessionManagementdeal

© JONATHAN WEBB


FirstGroup’s Rail Division is runfrom Macmillan House onPaddington Station but also has aquiet set of offices across the roadon Eastbourne Terrace.

Between the two sits a hugebuilding site, one of theconstruction shafts of the Crossrailproject. Passers by can watch theexcavation and towering machinespoised above the hum of city traffic.

The station itself hums with theburgeoning growth of west countryservices, Heathrow Express and thepromise of the electrification of thewest. Services continue as normaldespite the growing uncertainlyover how the rail industry and itsrailway franchises are run.

Confidence and energyDespite the controversy

surrounding the halting of the westcoast franchise, re-letting thenumber of good news storiestelegraphing out of FirstGroup’strain companies testifies to theconfidence and energy of anindustry rising above theconstraints of the past.

Recently at the ACoRP awardsMark Hopwood, managing director,First Great Western, was on stagepresenting prizes. FirstGroup,corporately, is a long termsupporter of the RailStaff Awardsand sponsors the LifetimeAchievement Award.

ScotRail, First Capital Connect,Hull Trains, First TransPennineExpress and First Great Western,means the group accounts foralmost a quarter of all passengerrail revenue in Britain. VernonBarker heads an organisation rightat the heart of Britain’s surging railindustry.

For a man working seven days aweek Vernon Barker looks fit andrelaxed as he slips into his officeacross the road from Paddingtonstation past knots of bemusedtourists marvelling at London’scompendious road works. ‘I run,sometimes,’ he says, ‘and I want to

get back into running marathonsagain.’

Barker had a back operation twoyears ago and like all runnerssuffers a variety of wear and tear onjoints. His voice still carries a westcountry accent reflecting hisupbringing in Romsey, Hampshire.His father was a cop with theBritish Transport Police down onSouthampton docks.

However Barker had notconsidered a similar career as helevered himself out of his councilestate and progressed via localcomprehensive to StirlingUniversity and a degree inaccountancy. Vernon Barker is aquiet person, a charteredaccountant, the antithesis of themedia hullabaloo that continues todominate the now suspendedfranchise system.

The TUPE agreementAlthough it looks as if the West

Coast franchise will have to gothrough the whole rebiddingprocess again it is still worthanswering staff reservations on thepatch. Speaking of First’s initial bidBarker says quite clearly, ‘There willbe no redundancies,’ and urgesRailStaff to explain the TUPEagreement.

OK: The Transfer of Undertakingsand Protection of EmploymentRegulations were introduced in 1981as part of the Thatcheradministration’s privatisationmeasures. Later TUPE wasuniversally applied to British Rail

and its successor companies as therailway was broken up and sold off.

Staff - many had worked in rail forgenerations - were given security ofemployment. Thus TUPEsafeguarded BR staff transferring toVirgin Trains and will safeguardthose staff, plus new staff, shouldthey eventually transfer to FirstGroup.

Barker won’t be drawn on thelegal case between Virgin and theDfT. However, First was initially

confident it would eventually takeover the franchise. ‘I think it wasunfortunate the incumbent andrepresentative unions chose tosuggest there will be redundanciesand degradation in services.Couldn’t be further from the truth.Our bid is based on a growth story.’

Change is oftenuncomfortable

Barker acknowledges that changeis often uncomfortable. He has form

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Westward Ho!Andy Milne talks to Vernon Barker,managing director of FirstGroup’s Rail Division.


in this area as his father might haveput it. Barker trained as anaccountant in Manchester andworked for Arthur Andersen, aglobal accountancy firm out ofChicago.

The job took him abroad toToronto and Bermuda - he retainsan interest in scuba diving. Back inEngland he was living inMacclesfield and working on shortterm financial projects when thefirst job in railways came up.

‘I was working as an interimfinance manager and I enjoyedmoving from place to place facingdifficult challenges,’ says Barkerwho was self–employed at the time.‘Some places I worked in wereeither facing rapid growth or fataldecline and-or recovery situations.’

Rail was different. ‘There wasalways something new to be doingand the next thing was bidding forfranchises.’ At first cleaning themud off the mysteries of railwayfinances was a temporary project.

‘I came into railways for atemporary three month assignmentto help with First North Western. Iwas going to hand hold for threemonths while they looked for a fulltime finance director. This was in1999. I enjoyed the three monthsand when asked if I wanted tothrow my hat in the ring, I said yes.’

This is a classic tale repeated allover Britain’s railway industry atevery level. People join for a week ortwo - stay a month or longer andthen they’re caught up in thrall toone of the most exciting, expandingindustries in Europe.

Barker admits the prospect ofmassive growth in rail ridership wasnot immediately apparent in 1999. ‘Ididn’t know enough at the timewhen I was coming into railways tosee the potential for the future butcertainly after my experience atFNW that changed.’

ExcitingHe became managing director and

later headed up TransPennine

Express. Barker speaks at lengthabout TPE and enjoyed his timethere. It was a new operation andthe north identified with the newtrain company. In a way FirstTransPennine Express underscoresthe success of the wider railindustry. Get the investment inrolling stock, operations andtimetabling right and the customerswill arrive and stay.

‘If you look at the capital projectsthat are on the go as you walk outthe door,’ Vernon jerks a thumbover his shoulder at the EastbourneCrossrail yard outside, ‘You see thatthe economy is investing, with crossparty support, at least at a strategiclevel, in railways. I would use theword exciting. I think theinvestment in rail and what thatmeans for us makes it exciting.’

Vernon Barker took over the postof managing director of the raildivision last year following thedeparture of Mary Grant. How doeshe see the rail division? ‘It has toprovide leadership as to how welook to see things being done inFirst. But I see it more as an inversepyramid where we should beproviding support to the tocs andsupport for the front line.’

FirstGroup is now a globalenterprise but is still headquarteredin Aberdeen. ScotRail’s CaledonianSleeper service may be as near asFirst gets to running on the westcoast but its franchises areprospering. Despite the recessionFirst’s UK Rail division’s revenue isexpected to increase by 8.1%.

Management buyoutThe origins of FirstGroup lie in the

original management buy out puttogether by Moir Lockhead atGrampian Transport in 1989. Thebid was largely staged to avoidbeing taken over by anyone else.

Lockhead and his Aberdonianstook a company of 500 staff with200 buses onto become a multi-national publicly listed companyrunning trains as well as buses on

two continents. Several of thedirectors still retain PSV – PassengerService Vehicle licenses and candrive coaches.

It might not matter now, butspeaking before the DfT announcedits suspension and review of thefranchising re-letting process Barkerwas at pains to emphasise that theFirstGroup’s take over of West Coastrepresents an opportunity for staffrather than a threat.

‘Feel free to ask questions ofmyself and colleagues or otherFirstGroup employees,’ he said. ‘Thefacts around the bid are that we willbe putting on extra services. Wewant to attract repeat businessfrom customers and newcustomers. There’s a high level ofcustomer service styled into thebid.’

Much of west coast business isdiscretionary - these are notcommuters stuck with the servicebut people who elect to use it. ‘Sowe need highly motivated focusedfront line staff that are going to bethe face of the future railway thatencourages customers back.’

Give customers whatthey want

Barker is quite clear aboutretaining all permanent staff andticket offices. ‘Our plans do notinclude any ticket offices closures.But what we will do is reflect oncustomers’ habits which havealready changed over the last 15years.’ This means more staff onplatforms and concourses.

‘The best way to make thisrailway successful and prosperousis for everyone to move with thecustomer expectation andexperience and give customerswhat they want.’ He talks of stafflooking after passengers, helpingthem use ticket vending machines,answering questions and givingdirections.

‘Helping customers find their wayaround stations means they musthave a good first time experience.’

He cites Birmingham New Streetand Crewe as examples of stationsthat can be bewildering foroccasional travellers. ‘Their firstexperience doesn’t have to besomeone behind a glass window.’

Contact with railway staff andpassengers is important. Barkermisses riding the footplate.Throughout his career on therailway he has made it a habit towalk through trains and talk topassengers.

Nowadays it doesn’t happen oftenenough. However he was recentlyon a Hull Trains service, made anannouncement over the PA, andmet people on the train. VernonBarker may be a number cruncherbut his quietness makes him a goodlistener and he is sympathetic tothe concerns of passengers andstaff alike.

Nowadays he lives in Wapping,London whilst retaining a house inMacclesfield. As well as running,Barker enjoys family holidays withhis three daughters - campingwith his brother’s family in theLake District or scuba diving overseas.

Outdoor activities figure heavily inhis recreation and he has justjoined a triathlon training club.People are important and hesupports the RailStaff Awards. ‘Ithink there is a real value inrecognising achievement in theindustry and the RailStaff Awardsdo a really good job of actuallypersonalising the individuals in theindustry. The RailStaff Awards takeit to a higher level and I value theseawards as they showcase goodbehaviours right across theindustry.’

Whatever the future offranchising holds, under VernonBarker’s steady and understatedleadership FirstGroup’s rail divisionwill continue to mirror the successof the wide rail industry. Like manyin the rail industry long distancerunner Barker is in this for the longhaul.

INTERVIEW

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In the recent bad weather, staff atthe Wensleydale Railway came tothe rescue of stranded motorists.

As flood waters cut off parts ofWensleydale the railway ran a freeemergency service between

Leyburn and Bedale. The roadconnecting the two towns, theA684, became impassable. Gratefulpassengers praised the rail heroesfor their help.

Says Martin Baggaley, a managerat Glebe House Surgery, Bedalewho lives in Leyburn and couldn’tget home, ‘The railway has been ahuge life-saver for me because Ijust wanted to get home. The staff

were so helpful and couldn’t doenough for us.’

Says Wensleydale Railwaygeneral manager Nigel Park, ‘Atfirst we thought we wouldn’t beable to run trains, but we took atrain up to have a look and foundthat it was okay once we hadremoved some gravel from someof the crossings. We decided thatrunning an emergency service was

a sensible thing to do - we had 50-year-old trains doing what modernvehicles couldn’t do.’

The railway used a two car DMUfor the service as it was lighter. ‘It’sbeen an absolute blessing for me,’says health assistant DebraThompson who was also strandedby the floods. ‘I was going to haveto spend the night on my friend’ssofa.’

The Wensleydale Railwayoriginally stretched 40 milesconnecting the East Coast MainLine at Northallerton with theSettle and Carlisle Line atGarsdale. Currently services runbetween Redmire and Leeming,near Northallerton. This stretch oftrack had survived as a freightoperation servicing Redmirequarry.

The private railway companycelebrated ten years in thebusiness on 4 July 2012. WR hasambitious plans to expand botheast to Garsdale and west intoNorthallerton. Funds are needed toconstruct a temporary passengerterminus at Northallerton. As faras local motorists are concernedexpansion can’t happen quickenough.


To mark the anniversary of theLNER Silver Jubilee Service whichran between London Kings Crossand Newcastle, the NationalRailway Museum has launched anew, free app for iPhone.

The East Coast Time Line, a free,geo-tagged app, explores the waysin which places and journeys weremarketed to rail travellers from the1870s to the 1970s. The app, fundedby the Arts and Humanities

Research Council, allows users toput themselves into vintage postersfrom the national collection.

It was developed in time for theanniversary of the LNER SilverJubilee Service which started on the30 September 1935 and ran betweenKings Cross and Newcastle. The apphas been designed for use whilsttravelling on the East Coast MainLine.

It is made up of four interactiveelements. First, an InteractiveJourney Map showing travel throughthree time periods along the EastCoast Main Line. Second a PosterMaker which allows users to maketheir own versions of vintagerailway posters using their cameraphone.

Third an Explore On-board facilitywhich allows users to become apassenger in the past and explore360 degree images of historiccarriage interiors. Then a 1936Lineside guide, the precursor to thisproject, looks at page by page scansof the railway guide, how it wasthen and how it is today. Downloadthe new app here: nrm.org.uk/timeline

Ray Towell, long time railwaymanand recently retired operationsmanager at the National RailMuseum had a lucky escape on aYork street recently.

Ray, 66, suffered a heart attack ashe waited for a bus on BlossomStreet. His heart arrested and hestopped breathing. A PoliceCommunity Support Officer, LeeJohnson, saw what had happenedand sprang into action giving firstaid.

A passing paramedic, CraigBarley, also assisted. Together thetwo got Ray’s heart going again. MrTowell was then rushed to LeedsGeneral Infirmary by ambulancewhere he made a full recovery.

Says Ray Towell, who went to thelocal police station to thank LeeJohnson, ‘It is just amazing to me Iam still here. How lucky can yoube? I am extremely lucky that theright people were there at the righttime. What they did, it means my

life to me.’ PCSO Johnson, 39, has been in

the police for five-and-a-half years.‘All those first aid sessions Iattended - they have proved theirworth. They work,’ Lee Johnsonsaid. All police officers take regularfirst aid training and refreshercourses.

Lucky escape for NRM Boss

Flood train rescues Wensleydale motorists

Time travelApp


NEWS

Community Rail rolefor Avocet LineThe railway between Exeter StDavid’s and Exmouth has beendesignated a community rail line.

The news came as theAssociation of Community Rail`Partnership celebrated its annualawards at the Swindon SteamRailway Museum. The newpartnership, known as the AvocetLine, will enable train companiesto work more closely with theAvocet Line Rail Users Group andthe Devon and Cornwall RailPartnership.

Says Community Rail Minister,Norman Baker, ‘I want toencourage communities to becomemore closely involved with theirrailways to help create the servicesand stations passengers deserve.That is why I am delighted toannounce this latest communityrail service designation and to beable to do so on the day of thenational Community Rail Awards.

‘Today’s designation is a majorstep towards helping the AvocetLine Rail Users Group and theDevon and Cornwall RailPartnership work closely with localgroups to provide innovative andmore cost effective rail services fortheir community.’

“I want to encouragecommunities tobecome more closelyinvolved with theirrailways to help createthe services andstations passengersdeserve…”NORMAN BAKER,RAIL MINISTER

Poignant WhistleThe late Don Haynes, a longterm supporter of the WestSomerset Railway, was honouredwhen a special train bore acommemorative plaque and awreath as a mark of respect onthe day of his funeral.

Mr Haynes died recently aged83 after a long association withWSR which spanned fivedecades. Don Haynes started hisworking life with British Rail andwas an engineer. On the WSR hewas a diesel engine driver.

Says Paul Conibeare of the WSR,‘He was one of those gentlemen

drivers and helped the railwaythrough some very difficulttimes. He was also a greatteacher - a lot of my own andothers’ knowledge comes fromDon showing us how to dothings. Lots of family, friends andcolleagues from the railway wereat the funeral.

The vicar stopped the servicefor a few moments so thecongregation could hear the trainwhistling in the distance, whichwas very poignant.’ The funeralwas held at St Andrew’s churchin Old Cleeve.

The Samaritans founder, theReverend Dr Chad Varah, has beenhonoured with three trains namedin his memory.

His daughter, Felicity VarahHarding, unveiled Virgin Pendolino390157, a London Midland 350Desiro and DRS 57302. SaysFelicity, ‘My father never drove acar, he believed in public transport,especially trains. In his lifetime he

would have travelled thousands ofmiles visiting Samaritans branchesup and down the country. Hewould say it is the best form oftransport and would have beendelighted that both he, andSamaritans, is being recognised inthis way.’ Chad Varah started theSamaritans in 1953 in London. It isfor all those struggling to cope orcontemplating suicide.

Felicity Varah watches on as the Virgin Pendolino 390157, named

after her father and founder of Samaritans, Chad Varah, is unveiled.

Trains namedafter Chad Varah

Using precious time, addinglittle value?

A lecture is to be given inWestminster next month titled“Safety and Simplicity” focussed onwhat the advanced publicitydescribes as “an increase in the useof behavioural based safetyprogrammes and approaches”.

Network Rail’s Gareth Llewellyn(Director Safety and SustainableDevelopment) is one of theadvertised speakers. The questionsit will try to answer are “Dobehavioural based programmeshave a positive impact or useprecious time with extra procedures,adding little value? Do they onlywork at Project level? And shouldthe focus be on behavioural safetyor behavioural leadership?”

I am in little doubt that we havetoo many rules and procedures andfar too much paperwork which hasbecome a distracting burden onthose trying to get work done. Muchof it is recorded but only referred toif things go wrong.

This diverts supervisors andmanagement away from spendingtime each and every week on sitewith those doing the work. Listeningto staff ideas and concerns anddealing with them inevitably leadsto an improvement in safety culture.

Conscious rule breakingA reader has told me a little more

about how the industry is planningto take forward Network Rail’s “LifeSaving Rules”. Network Rail isconfident that it can establish theroot causes of accidents. Genuinemistakes, errors of judgement etc.will not lead to disciplinary actionbut under the “culture of fairness”will be explored to identify areas forimprovement.

However it is believed thatconscious rule breaking (as distinctfrom making a mistake) is involved

in 10% of accidents and incidents.Such actions will haveconsequences for individuals infuture.

I understand detailed discussionswith the relevant trades unions arestill continuing, but agreement isnow in sight on the principle ofimplementing a system wheredeliberately breaking a Life SavingRule results in similar consequencesto breaking the well-establishedstandard on drugs and alcohol.

I welcome this, and merelysuggest that the time may now beright for the industry to accept thatthe capacious, all-embracing RuleBook should be seen as a referencevolume with some of itscomponents used to draft operatinginstructions for individuals!

Behavioural SafetyNetwork Rail’s “Safety Central”

website contains references tobehavioural based safety initiatives,but you have to find them. I lookedin the currently listed initiatives oftheir Infrastructure Safety LiaisonGroup.

They feature occupational healthtogether with proposals for industrywide core induction training, siteaccess training, Controller of SiteSafety suitability and contractorcompetency assurance and well asfatigue management. All very

laudable, but I question theinclusion of only contractorcompetence rather than thecompetence of all organisationsincluding Network Rail itself?

Contractors are still wary of raisingconcerns locally in case it affectstheir future order books and thereare still people working on trackwho believe that getting the jobdone is all that matters, andaccidents only happen to otherpeople.

Meanwhile I hear that resistanceto putting safety first and theconviction that safety rules are notstrictly applicable to Network Rail’ssupervisors and front line managerscontinues.

Human Factors people are doingtheir best, but authoritative action isnow needed! The Projects section ofthe website is better. It includes“developing a strong, continuouslydeveloping behaviour basedapproach throughout the companyand wider industry as part ofbuilding a positive safety culture”. Italso helpfully lists the contactdetails of four Network Railemployees offering “behaviouralchange team services”.

RAIB - remit and reportsEvery Rail Accident Investigation

Branch (RAIB) report includes thefollowing: “the purpose of an RAIB

investigation is to improve railwaysafety by preventing future railwayaccidents or by mitigating theirconsequences” and “RAIB does notestablish blame or liability or carryout prosecutions”.

Linking their reports to humanerrors of judgement or deliberateunsafe working deserving action byothers is important if safety is at lastto become our top priority. Arguablythere is still work to do here!

Clearly prosecutions are onlybrought where convictions arepossible, but I suggest the namingand shaming of individuals whosedeliberate actions have resulted inan accident or incident shouldbecome the rule for the future.

Track twists and lockedsuspensions

Recently published reports includethe derailment at Bordesley Junctionof four of 30 empty aggregatewagons whilst being hauled by adiesel-electric locomotive at 0044hours on August 26th last year. Ithappened between Banbury andBarrow-on-Stour.

The wagons ran on the rail headfor 3.6 metres having flange climbedjust before the junction. They thenre-railed but “extensive damage wascaused to track and signallingequipment”. The cause was acombination of faults with wagonsuspensions and track twist.

Track twists more severe than 1 in200 were long standing and weremeasured as 1 in 140 and 1 in 172.RAIB concluded that the first ofthese led to the locking up of thesuspension of the first wagon to de-rail. The suspensions of the wagonshad a number of well-worncomponents that had not beendetected nor checked duringmaintenance and this contributedto the derailment at the secondsevere twist site.

“No-one took ownership ofthe problems”

Network Rail maintenance staffwere aware of the recurring twist


Safety by leadership, delegationand motivation or training?And why site visits are so important

SAFETYColin [email protected]


faults but had only repaired otherfaults nearby. Work had beenplanned at the actual sites four daysearlier but due to time running outduring the overnight possession hadnot been done.

Maintenance staff had attendedtwist sites in the area no less than 6times during 2011, repeat faultswere not investigated and tampingplanned for August did not takeplace. But for me the critical factor isthe lack of responsible leadership.

The track was regularly patrolledand the faults had been identified.Wagon suspension problems andtheir solution was known about, butas the report says “no-one tookoverall ownership of the problem orits resolution”. The report includes alisting of similar earlier incidents.

200 metres of OLEprogressively collapsed

Midland Metro is not oftenfeatured in RAIB reports. But on 20thApril last year a partial collapse ofthe 750-volt DC overhead lineequipment (OLE) resulted in threeadults and three children needinghospital treatment.

It happened near the JewelleryQuarter Tram Stop at pole 18512between Wolverhampton StGeorge’s and Birmingham Snow Hill.Tram 13 is an AnsaldoBreda 2-cartram that was being driven from its“B” end when it struck a cantileverthat was partially detached from itssupport pole. This resulted in theprogressive collapse of about 200metres of the OLE which causedfurther damage to the train.

The tram was travelling at belowits permitted speed of 70 kph on anoff-street section just ten-foot awayfrom an adjacent Network Raildouble track railway. RAIB reportthat the reducing sleeve attaching

the cantilever to its pole hadfractures due to being mechanicallyoverloaded.

Brechnell Willis who designed andinstalled the OLE in the 1990’s werecontracted to provide technical andinspection support for modificationsto the OLE between October 2010and April 2011.

Modifications and materialchanges

Although the Centro system isowned by West Midlands PTEoperation and maintenance iscontracted to National ExpressMidland Metro. Damage to the tramincluded a broken windscreen, sidewindow and the driving cabpartition screen, resulting inpassengers being showered withbroken glass. The driver controlledhis train for a further 200 metresonto the tram stop.

RAIB report that “significantrepairs” were made to pole 18512 inAugust 2009 following a derailment,and “further modifications work”was done in October 2010. Regularinspections after that “did not detectany loss of mechanical clearance”.

The original reducing sleeves weremalleable iron but after 1997aluminium bronze was used untilthis too was superseded by analuminium alloy in 2007. Thedamaged sleeve was one of theseinstalled in August 2009 but neitherBrechnell Willis nor NationalExpress West Midlands were awareof the new materials used for thereplacement sleeves.

A lack of training for emergencysituations was uncovered by RAIBand Customer Servicerepresentatives now carry cabkeys. There is also now a 40 kphprecautionary speed restriction inplace from 260m metres before

pole 18512. Network Rail’s “Safety Central”

website seems to focus onoccupational health, contractorcompetence assurance, site accesstraining, fatigue management andsafety performance indicatorsalthough its project specific sectiondoes include references to building asafety culture and behaviouralbased approaches.

For me it’s too much jargonese.Just one commitment would do far

more. If every responsible managerand supervisor spent a minimum oftwo days each week listening tothose on track doing the work,hearing about their concerns andmaking sure he or she knew whatwas happening on their part of therailway both safety andperformance would improve.

The consequences are likely to befewer computerised records andmeetings - but I see that as anotheradvantage!

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NEWS

One of Europe’s largest wetlandwild life projects is emerging inEssex thanks to Crossrail.

Wallasea Island, on the RiverCrouch, near the Thames Estuary,will be transformed from levee-protected farmland into thrivingwetland using earth from thetunnels being bored under London.The new wetlands will be twicethe size of the City of London andwill teem with birds and marinelife.

Crossrail plans to deliver 4.5million tonnes of clean earth fromthe tunnels to help build thenature reserve at Wallasea. Theearth will be used to create higherand lower ground to restore thewetland landscape of mudflats,saltmarsh and lagoons last seen400 years ago.

The loss of coastal habitat overthe past four centuries has beendramatic. Without projects likeWallasea Island, rising sea levelsare threatening to see another1,000 hectares lost in the nextdecade. Wallasea Island willprovide 670 hectares of securehabitat for wildlife to thrive wellinto the future.

The RSPB, a partner in theproject, predicts a significantincrease in the number of birdsonce the scheme has beencompleted. Environment SecretaryOwen Paterson helped launch theproject. ‘The excellent work thatCrossrail and the RSPB are doing tocreate the Jubilee Marshes atWallasea shows how majorinfrastructure schemes can help togenerate economic growth as wellas helping to improve localwildlife. This could be the goldstandard against which all futureprojects are measured,’ MrPatterson said.

Crossrail has built a new jetty onWallasea Island. An estimated2,000 ship loads of earth will betransported from Crossrail’swestern tunnels. The spoil willmove via freight train from westLondon to Northfleet in Kentwhere it will be loaded on to ships.

Excavated material will also beloaded onto ships directly from theeastern tunneling site at Limmonear Canning Town station in eastLondon, with further materialshipped from a storage site on theRiver Thames at Barking.

Tunnel aid forWallasea Island


The golden age of British tramsrepresents a glorious phase intransport history.

It was a time when towns andcities across Britain were providedwith rapid efficient transportsecond to none. The tragedy oftheir removal is made all the morepoignant when one considers thatthey have been replaced by millionsof motor cars which have settledon our society like a plague of flies.

Tramways proliferated acrossBritain from the late Victorianperiod and by World War One theywere universal throughout thecountry. Many of the systems wereenormous.

At its peak Glasgow had 1,200vehicles operating 133 miles oftrack whilst the maximum extentnationwide was 14,481 carsrunning over 2,554 route miles oftrack and 184 local authoritiesowned tram systems. The gracefulinfrastructure of the tramways was

an endless fascination. Ornamentaltrampoles, spider’s webs ofcomplex wiring and trackformations all laced by a vast arrayof ornate signage.

The principal tram builders wereDick Kerr of Preston and Brush ofLoughborough although somemunicipalities built their own. Theintegration of trams with thesociety they served is evidenced bythe fact that many systems carriedmail and parcels and Manchesterhad a special fleet of vehicles forthis purpose.

StructureThe tramways appealed to

people because their tracks formedthe stitches which bound thenation’s principal industrial,commercial and residentialconurbations together. Activity wasgrouped around these tentacles;the system was easy to relate toand disciplined in its structure.

Quite apart from the sheer goodsense of moving people effectively,trams were aesthetically pleasing

and friendly; a whole folk lore hassprung up around them capturedso magnificently in Ian Yearsley’sclassic book ‘The ManchesterTram’ (The Advertiser Press, 1962).

An opening passage reads:“Sometimes waking in bed andterrified by a nightmare, I wouldhear in the distance a familiarhum as a late tram sailed downhillpast the end of our road.Reassured, I repeated to myself …‘now it’s stopping at WilbrahamRoad, … now it’s going up to thestation, … now he’s spinninground the tap thing – RachaelRyan ‘A Biography of Manchester’(Methuen, London 1937)”.

Vivid memoriesMy father, who is 99 this year,

has vivid memories of Leicester’strams. He lived in the city andwhen courting my mother, wholived in Oadby, regularly wenthome on the last late night tramfrom nearby Stoneygate.

Invariably he would be the only

Coats and ‘Ats!Colin Garratt (Director of Milepost 92½) reflects on the fall and rise of Britain’s tramways

The late Victorian period saw electric tram

systems appearing in cities and towns across

Britain. Here is one of Colchester’s 16 open top

double deckers, which worked on a modest route

of some six miles. Opened in 1904, the system

was destined to be short lived and by 1927 it

was decreed that insufficient funding prevented

refurbishment; buses were substituted and by

1929 Colchester’s trams were no more. The

failure of municipalities to set by funds for

tramway system refurbishment was – not least

after the ravages of World War Two – to become

one of the principal reasons for the decline of

British trams.

Despite fears of chaos, Britain’s new trams co-

exist with pedestrians in busy areas of towns

and cities enabling the amenity of traffic free

thoroughfares devoid of clutter and pollution.

This scene depicts one of the Croydon trams

passing Allders, the famous departmental store

shortly after the trams had come back to

Croydon in the year 2000.


passenger. The roads would bedeserted and all the crew wereinterested in was getting home. Mydad describes how they wentdown the London Road throughStoneygate ‘like a bat out of hell’.

Vibrating and lurching over un-even sections of track, releasedlateral forces which threatened tooverturn the car. “Hold tight” wasan understatement. On certainoccasions Dad was terrified and hewas not a person to be easilyfrightened – he went on to becomea squadron leader in theforthcoming war.

My father also recalls the cheap,efficient transport which the tramprovided and in years of travellingover the system he never remembersone breaking down. He recalled whatcolourful characters the conductorswere and when a tram stoppedoutside Leicester’s departmentalstore, C&A Modes, one characterwould shout “Coats and ‘Ats!”.

‘Always a tram in sight’Trams flourished amid a world of

city centres, factories, cornershops, tenement housing,residential estates, horses andhand carts and unrestrictedcigarette advertising and the fewmotor cars which were seen wereusually painted black.

It was a world where peoplecould cross the road diagonally oreven pause for a chat. The adage‘always a tram in sight’ wasvigorously attempted - awatchword on the pulse of the city.

Many tramways joined upwith neighbouring ones tocreate widespread integrationin areas of high population. Anexcellent example of the joiningup of different municipalsystems occurred inManchester where thetramways of Salford, Oldham,Hyde, Bury, Rochdale, Ashtonunder Lyne, Stockport,Middleton, Stalybridge andAltrincham were all connected.

An increasing burdenAs the twenties developed,

maintenance of the tramwaysbecame an increasing burdenspecially when competition fromrival buses was taken into account.This competition saw closures asearly as the 1930s as track andequipment wore out. Trolley busesbecame the obvious successor.

Newcastle and Portsmouth wereamong the early closures and bythe mid 1950s most systems hadvanished. But error is seldomuniversal and the tragedy ofBritain’s lost tramway networks

Trams, in the guise of Rapid Light Transport, have made a welcome comeback in a number of British

towns and cities. The most recent being Edinburgh, whose previous tramway network closed in 1956.

This scene shows construction work at South Gyle on 12th June 2012. This exciting new project,

scheduled to open summer 2014, will operate initially between the centre of Edinburgh and the airport,

a distance of some 8½ miles. Other routes are intended including interfacings with heavy rail.

Hong Kong tram – one of the last double deckers

left in world service.

By 1914 London’s tramway system formed the largest tram network in Europe and yet this

magnificent system finally closed in 1952. There had been a vigorous campaign to keep the capital’s

trams running – in contrast to the Daily Mail, which waged a long term war to rid Britain’s streets of

trams. This picture on Route 72 (New Cross to Abbey Wood) was taken circa 1950. Many London

trams operated by conduit current collection from a channel sunk into the roadway as compared with

the usual overhead collection. The ‘Permanent Way’ of the tramway networks encompassed all large

residential districts, along with areas of shopping, commerce and manufacturing. They also interfaced

with main line railway stations, so providing a grid of rapid easy transit to all areas of significance.

Tramways also linked together to create ‘intercity’ networks of communication which provided instant,

effortless travel to which commuters readily related.

FEATURE


was not repeated by otherEuropean countries.

Neither was it in Hong Kongwhere the congestion bustingsystem covers nineteen miles onsix different routes. Hong Kong’strams carry almost a quarter of amillion people every day – this is‘people moving personified’. Theyare the last double decker tramsleft in world service andpredictably are British built.

A national tragedyThe dismantling of the nation’s

tramway network was a nationaltragedy. The disembodiment of theclose knit social, commercial andstructured fabric of British cities.

No sooner had the trams gone -the last system being Glasgow in1962 - the iniquitous Beeching eracommenced the decimation of therailway network which, despitesome historic competition withthe tram network, interfaced withthem; a smooth transition fromheavy to light rail. Only Blackpoolretained its trams and primarily asa visitor attraction.

In an ideal world one wouldmake a case for the return of thetrams as they once were but atangible rebirth is now in evidencefollowing the lead of Croydon,Birmingham, Wolverhampton,

Sheffield and Manchester.Nottingham and Edinburgh can beadded to the list.

The glory of Britain’s tramwayheritage continues unabated atthe National Tramway Museum inCrich, Derbyshire, with its periodstreet and working trams. Crich isa must to visit; it is one of Britain’sfinest visitor attractions, albeitthat the running speed of theworking trams is infinitely moresedate than was the late nighttram from Stoneygate back toLeicester.

Edinburgh’s Gogar tram depot will be home to

the system’s Spanish built fleet of 27 CAF trams.

This rail equipment manufacturer fought off

competition from Alstom, Bombardier and

Siemens. The new trams will run on a 750 volt

dc overhead line. Edinburgh’s trams, in common

with most in the ‘Golden Age’, are a municipal

operation

Always a tram in sight was the ambitious aim of the original municipal tramways and that remains

true today so providing an affordable and reliable alternative to the motor car for daily commutes and

shopping trips. This is Sheffield in July 2012 in a scene that has been commonplace around Europe for

many years but had completely vanished from British streets.

The relevance of trams also increased as

developments were made around the tramway

grid. This scene, taken in 2000, shows the new

Croydon tram arriving at East Croydon station,

so linking light and heavy rail.

Despite the fears raised by detractors, the tram has proved to be completely at home in the busy city

centre environment as here in Sheffield’s Castle Square in July 2012 where the bustling crowd

congregate at the tram stop.

FEATURE

See inside...

Finalists Announced!Finalists Announced!

PAGE 31

Govia backs Customer Service

PAGE 33

East Coast supports Train Driver of the Year

PAGE 35

Mechan shows supportfor Depot Staff

in association with

www.railstaffawards.com

RAILSTAFFAWARDSSAYING “THANK YOU” TO THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP THE INDUSTRY MOVING

The Mathematics of SuccessAll the finalists are displayedinside this special edition...

While controversy continues to range over the letting of railway franchises the surge ofsupport for the RailStaff Awards is not in doubt.

This year people nominated foran award – taken all together –attracted over 30,000 votes. This isdouble the number last year.Although this extraordinary rise ininterest can partly be explained bya growing industry widerecognition of the RailStaff Awardsthe real reason is thedetermination of the actual staff,the teams of railway people upand down the network, tocelebrate the high value we placeupon our colleagues.

Doubts remain about the role ofinvisible civil servants; certainlythe lamplighters of MarshamStreet are in for a tough winter,make no mistake about that.Possibly too much is made of theirfailings. What is not in doubt is thehard work and dedication of thevast majority of railway staff –from executive director level rightup to the cleaners and train crew,

trackworkers and customersupport staff – who turn up forwork come rain or shine.

Railway shifts often start and endin the small hours. Booking onpoints and depots can be manymiles away from convenientstations and bus routes. Yet ourpeople get there. Last year HeatherNeely, a Train Care Charge Hand atSouthern’s Brighton Depot, won theDepot Staff of the Year Award.Heather trekked into work on footthrough two feet of snow during thebig freeze of December 2010. She setoff at 0400 to start her shift at 0600.

The RailStaff Awards 2012 is fullof stories like this that inspire andreassure the industry. Numbercrunchers and analysts may argueover risk projections and theinvestment required to sustain therailways. What they can never putan adequate value on is theindomitable spirit, courage and

determination of the people thisindustry attracts to its ranks withsuch aplomb.

This year’s RailStaff Awards 2012will feature an even bigger party ina mock up New York speak-easythemed around the gangsters andmolls Prohibition Era of the 1930s.It’s a good chance to meet oldfriends, compare notes, dance andcelebrate the continuing goodfortune of the modern rail industry.

Whilst rail barons and politicalbosses fulminate at the failure ofrisk arithmetic at the departmentthey should take heart from thepeople in the industry itself. Letthem take a closer look at themathematics of success sopowerfully on display at theRailStaff Awards 2012.

Stop Press: The unprecedentedresponse to the RailStaff Awards2012 means capacity has had tobe increased. Over 820 peoplewill be attending at theInternational Convention Centre,Birmingham on Saturday night,20 October. If you already have aticket – well done – there are avery few left.

We would like to thank all thesponsors, companies andindividuals who have cometogether to make this the mostspectacular RailStaff Awards yet.For last minute bookings contactPat on 01530 56 00 21.

26 www.railstaffawards.com

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Proud sponsor of the Lifetime Achievement Award

at the RailStaff Awards

www.railstaffawards.com 27

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

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Govia backsCustomerService

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

Govia is sponsoring theOutstanding Customer ServiceAward at this year’s RailStaffAwards

The keenly contested awardrecognises the men and womendemonstrating the best examplesof customer service skills oftendelivered in challenging anddramatic situations. However italso highlights the poise andprofessionalism of the many staffacross the railways who helpmillions of passengers travel safelyday and night.

Alex Hynes, RailStaff AwardsJudge and Managing Director, RailDevelopment for Govia said: “Our10,000 rail staff do an excellent jobproviding high levels of customerservice ever day and thinking likea passenger to provide a good end

to end journey. We run 3700services every day and that justwouldn’t be possible without thecommitment and dedication ofour staff.”

Says Tom O’Connor, managingdirector Rail Media Group, which isstaging the RailStaff Awards, ‘Thisis an important award. Everyorganisation talks about the needfor customer focus and rightlyattaches great importance tocustomer service.

‘This award recognises theefforts of the people who live thisphilosophy every day often goingwell beyond the parameters of thejob. We salute them and are verygrateful to Govia for backing thispopular award.’

Govia is the partnership betweenUK transport operator The Go-Ahead Group plc and Keolis, aleading international publictransport provider. In existence forover 15 years, Govia operates the

London Midland, Southeasternand Southern rail franchises.Between them these railcompanies are responsible for over5,500 train services a day.

All three companies were in thelead at the London Olympicscarrying millions of passengers toand from the games. Staff workinground the clock demonstrated highlevels of customer care and helpedmake the London Olympics perhapsthe most remarkable in history.

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PROUD TO SPONSOR

Signal Engineer of the Year

Morson Group PLC operates through two main subsidiaries,

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technical personnel and Morson Projects Limited, which

provides outsourced engineering and project management

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CONSULTANCY

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We excel at inspecting the uninspectable.


RAILSTAFF AWARDS

East Coast is again sponsoring theTrain Driver of the Year award atthe RailStaff Awards 2012.

Train drivers are an essentialelement of the railway industry’sdaily operation. They are highlytrained and the expertise theyhave ensures a safe and reliablejourney for thousands of railpassengers each day.

Tom O’Connor, managing

director Rail Media Group, which isstaging the RailStaff Awards, said:“We are delighted that East Coastis once again sponsoring theRailStaff Awards: Train Driver ofthe Year.

‘The East Coast Main Line is thebackbone of the network,providing vital transport linksbetween towns and cities alongBritain’s East Coast. Drivers and

indeed all train crew who are partof East Coast’s operation areamong the most professional andcustomer focused in the business.We wish them well as theycontinue to deliver a busy, fast andreliable railway operation whichconnects London to Leeds, York,Newcastle, Edinburgh and beyond.”

Great responsibilityEast Coast Managing Director

Karen Boswell said: “In this specialOlympic year, we are delighted tosponsor the Train Driver of theYear award, which celebrates theimportant contribution driversmake to the safe, reliable andcomfortable operation of trainservices across the UK each day.

“Driving a train is a greatresponsibility and, in supportingthe RailStaff Awards, we canreward and recognise those driverswho have demonstrated anoutstanding commitment tocustomer service and the safety of

rail passengers.”East Coast is a subsidiary of

Directly Operated RailwaysLimited, which is owned by theDepartment for Transport. Thecompany began operating trainservices on the East Coast MainLine in November 2009.

Its long-distance, cross-bordertrain services run along routestotalling 936 miles, linking LondonKing’s Cross with Eastern England,Lincolnshire, Humberside,Yorkshire, the North East ofEngland and Scotland, carrying18.9 million passengers a year.

East Coast, which isheadquartered in York, employs2,800 staff in a wide range ofcustomer service, operational,retail and support roles across theroute. The company also operatesthree engineering andmaintenance depots at BoundsGreen in London, Craigentinny inEdinburgh and Clayhills inAberdeen.

East Coast supports Train Driver of the Year


In partnership with

A registered charity.*Please see our website for latest call charges.

Samaritans / Network Rail Partnership are proud to be sponsoring

the RailStaff Awards


RAILSTAFF AWARDS

Maintenance equipmentspecialist, Mechan, is proud to besponsoring this year’s Depot Staffof the Year award.

The Sheffield-basedmanufacturer is renowned for thequality, safety and reliability of itslifting products and workstirelessly to improve depotworking conditions and speed upthe railcar maintenance process.

Says Richard Carr, Mechan’smanaging director, ‘We are verypleased to be associated with theRailStaff Awards, as we work soclosely with the engineers andmaintenance crews who keep ourrail industry on the right tracks.

‘We understand that depots areunder increasing pressure toservice longer trains in evershortening timeframes. We aremaking rapid technologicaladvancements to enhance thecapacity of our equipment sodepot staff can meet quick

turnaround times withoutcompromising safety standards.’

Technological developmentremains the key to Mechan’ssuccess and ensures its wide rangeof equipment can be adapted tothe needs of any rail vehicle.

Says Tom O’Connor of the RailMedia Group, ‘We are very pleasedto welcome Mechan to theRailStaff Awards 2012. Depot staffwork at the very heart of theindustry and this is an importantand popular award.’

Impressive range ofhandling equipment

Mechan’s innovative Microlinkcontroller has revolutionised theway multiple carriages are lifted,making servicing easier andquicker. The patented systemallows a network of jacks to beraised simultaneously by just oneoperator from anywhere in thechain.

Recent updates to the Microlinksystem have enabled the firm toinstall the largest set of jacks inthe UK at the Alstom TransportTraincare Centre in Longsight nearManchester.

By combining bespoke softwarewith off the shelf hardware,Mechan has increased thesystem’s capacity to 44 jacks andhas added a colour touch screenpanel to provide constant feedbackon the lift. It also stores data onusage and faults to indicate whenmaintenance is required and whataction needs to be taken.

With more than 40 yearsexperience in the heavy lifting andrail industries, the firm’simpressive range of handlingequipment now enjoys success athome and overseas.

In this highly specialised field,export business is becomingincreasingly important and isforecast to account for 25% of

turnover in 2012, compared to just2% in 2005. Mechan has continuedits global expansion, opening upnew markets in Taiwan, NewZealand and Belgium this year.

Mechan is a familiar face at thebi-annual InnoTrans exhibition inBerlin held last month. As part ofthe delegation led by RailwayIndustry Association and UK Tradeand Investment, the firmshowcased its new Microlinksystem, alongside its wide range ofdepot maintenance products. Formore information telephone (0114)257 0563 or visit www.mechan.co.uk

Mechan shows support for Depot Staff

Proud sponsors of

Depot Staff of the Year Award 2012

[email protected]

www.mechan.co.uk

+44 (0)114 257 0563

RAIL DEPOT AND WORKSHOP EQUIPMENT

• Railcar Lifting Jacks • Bogie Changing Systems • Bogie Test Machines • Under Car Handling • Maintenance Machines • Workshop Equipment


RAILSTAFF AWARDS

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.

That’s why we’re very proud to once again sponsor this year’s RailStaA Awards.

Helping Britain run better networkrail.co.uk

Network Rail is proud to sponsor the RailSta4 awards 2012

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.

That’s why we’re very proud to once againsponsor this year’s RailStaA Awards.

Helping Britain run better

networkrail.co.uk

% % % %%% %%%

HR, RECRUITMENT& SKILLSAWARDS

RailwayPeople

Nominate online at www.railhrawards.com

We’ve teamed up withLondon Undergroundand Network Railto find the best in

Rail HRRail RecruitmentRail Training

The National Skills Academy forRailway Engineering’s TrainingMatters conference had to bemoved to a bigger venue at PridePark Stadium, Derby toaccommodate demand.

Gil Howarth, Chief Executive ofNSARE opened the 2012 TrainingMatters national conference andreviewed the first 18 months of theAcademy’s existence. Howarthemphasised the growth of theAcademy; now boasting 214members.

Progress has been encouraged bythe government looking for newways of dealing with training andapprenticeships. Elaine Clark,NSARE Head of ProcessDevelopment spoke about NSARE’sIT Platform, “Skills Backbone”course. She focused on the SkillsPassport National CompetencyDatabase, which Network Rail sayswill be integrated with the newSentinel Safety ManagementInformation System.

Bill Alexander reviewed RTAS, theRail Training and AssessmentScheme, while Janet Tomlinsonand David Collard from TribalEducation Ltd. described theInspector’s view.

Appropriately Gary Wilmshurst-Smith then proceeded to giveNetwork Rail’s response and thiswas followed by the first ofseveral very useful and freeflowing question and answersessions held as the conferenceprogressed.

Themes included continuousprofessional development and theneed to Train the Trainer. PeterRevill from the University of Derby

described teaching in the work-based learning sector.

Delegates were briefed on theneeds of ETCS, European TrainControl System and its effect on theindustry workforce. Jim Hubbardfrom Newcastle College andGraham Clark from Siemensdiscussed the training needs of theindustry and the requirements ofnew-build in the context of growthin electrification, the infrastructureand rolling stock.

On the second day Simon Tarr,the Chief Operating Officer ofPeople 1st, the sector skills councilfor hospitality, explained thehistory of People 1st and thehistorical connection with GoSkills.

Following on was Bill Twigg,Apprenticeship Director for SEMTA,the Sector Skills Council forScience, Engineering andManufacturing Technologies. Thesession was introduced with thethought provoking comment thatsafety competencies are importantbut they are a component of aportfolio of necessarycompetencies.

Anne Watson, Managing Directorof EAL, the specialist, employer-recognised awarding organisationfor the engineering andmanufacturing industry discussedthe role of the awarding body,defined as an organisation thatdevelops and awards qualificationsto meet the needs of leavers,employers and others.

Elaine Clark, the Head of ProcessDevelopment at NSARE, looked atthe challenge of forecasting theskills gap. Paul Tabern BusinessDevelopment Director of theInstitution of Mechanical Engineersspoke on Engineering Technicians -

Meeting the Challenge. Ruth Cooper, the Stakeholder

Manager for NSARE, regaleddelegates with an item on YoungRailway Professionals. Thisenergetic body has built itself upvery quickly since 2009 and nowhad over 1300 members. The coreaims of YRP are to promote, inspireand bring together youngprofessionals in the sector.

That session finished with AnneFranke the Chief Executive of theChartered Management Institutedelivering a strong message on‘Great management makes adifference.’

The importance of qualityapprenticeships was examined byMartin Ward of the NationalApprenticeship Service. Phil East,partnership manager of theCareers Development Group, thenspoke about its involvement,through a group of primecontractors, with the “WorkProgramme.” The Programmeprovides tailored support forclaimants who need more help toundertake active and effectivejobseeking.

The Outward Bound Trust,represented by Paul Marchalseaand David Ritchie, gave a usefulpresentation on how the Trustcould facilitate character buildingand behavioural change. Theevents worked withinpsychologically safe yetchallenging and adventurousenvironments.

Peter Donovan, apprenticeprogramme manager for NetworkRail ran through the currentapprenticeship programme andintroduced three ‘year three’apprentices.


TRAINING sponsored by Vital Skills Training

Autumn sees a migration ofyoung people to universitiesand colleges and, less widelywitnessed, to apprenticeshipsand training schemesthroughout the railwayindustry.

At the centre of any successfulcommunity or industry is a coreof people who have made aninvestment in their educationand training. They are to beencouraged and supported.Future prosperity depends upontheir excellence.

Walking through the portalsof a college or businessdemands a certain courage, astrength of character too oftenderided. It is no small step tocommit to a degree course oran apprenticeship.

University is very differentfrom home life. The work placepresents new challenges,people and demands, hithertounfamiliar.

However, the best investmentthe individual and society as awhole can make is in trainingand developing the skills ofthose who elect to work and toinvest their potential in thefuture. Education means aleading out of talent, adeveloping of potential.

Studying the intricacies ofrailway operations will markthe start of a rewarding life timecareer. Going on to universitysimilarly proves the precursorto a life of enquiry andfulfilment.

We wish everyone starting outas an apprentice, anundergraduate or similarlybeefing up their skills, everysuccess this autumn and in theyears ahead.

AutumnInvestment Training Matters!

Peter Stanton reports



Bridgeway Top of NSARE/RTAS Published Inspection ResultsBridgeway ConsultingConfirmed as Number 1 TrackSafety Training Provider in theUK by NSARE

‘It is all about hard work and a commitment toquality, that’s the underlying reason forachieving an Outstanding National SkillsAcademy for Railway Engineering (NSARE) / RailTraining Assessment Services (RTAS) inspectiongrade,’ says Bridgeway Consulting ManagingDirector, Pino De Rosa.

Bridgeway were named as the UK’s Number 1Track Safety Training Provider after scoring 150out of 150. ‘This is a fantastic accolade andtestament to all the hard work Bridgeway’slearning and development team puts in everyday to ensure that we deliver a quality service toboth our internal and external clients across theUK and abroad.

‘We are all very proud that we have beenrecognised as an outstanding rail trainingprovider and are making a meaningfulcontribution to the rail industry,’ says Pino DeRosa.

Classified as a large training provider byNSARE, Bridgeway Consulting underwent thenew NSARE/RTAS Training & Assessmentprovider Inspection this summer. Thisinspection was aligned with OFSTED standards,as NSARE sets a new benchmark for the railindustry suppliers to reach.

So, to put it mildly, it was no walk in the parkand after 4 days of inspections, their final overallgrade was OUTSTANDING. They are the onlyCompany within its classification in the UK toachieve this inspection grade. The inspectiongrade result comes from achieving the followinggrades for each category inspected:1. Overall effectiveness - OUTSTANDING2. Capacity to improve - OUTSTANDING3. Leadership and Management - OUTSTANDING4. Learner Outcomes - OUTSTANDING5. Quality of Provision - OUTSTANDING6. Equality and Diversity - OUTSTANDING

Assurance Services Director, Steve Diksa says,‘This was a great opportunity for us todemonstrate that our learning and developmentteam uses a dynamic and innovative approachto training delivery, which adds value to the railindustry.

‘I am delighted that we have been ranked asthe number one track safety training provider inthe UK. That alone is something to be veryproud of and shows that we are committed toproviding the very best skills training in the UK. Iam very pleased with the result of theinspection, but I will be looking for the team tobuild on this success.’

West Horndon facilitiesThe NSARE/RTAS inspection results have

reinforced Bridgeway’s decision to invest in anew Learning and Development centre in WestHorndon, Essex and develop facilities at theNottingham headquarters.

Says Learning and Development Manager,Steve Baker-Mason, ‘These are exciting times forBridgeway’s rail training and assessmentservices. We have all been working hard toensure that our learners have a first classexperience from the moment they walk throughthe door to the moment they complete thecourse. This is very important to us as it sets thebenchmark for us all to continuously achieve.’

Bridgeway Consulting is able to deliver itsservices across the UK and abroad within thefollowing areas of rail training, mentoring andassessments: • NCCA Sentinel Track Safety• Permanent Way Engineering • Small Tools and Plant Equipment • Machine Crane / Controller / Operator• TOC Operations Training• Health and Safety.

The commitment to delivering excellence isreinforced by rail industry expertise within theTraining and Assessment Services Department.This knowledge base permits BridgewayConsulting to provide a dynamic and innovativestyle of training that equips individuals to carryout duties efficiently, professionally and moreimportantly safely.

Further features of the Bridgeway training andassessment service include:• A National Online Track Safety Training Open

Programme • 24/7 Service – Midweek Days, Nights and Week-

ends• Pre/Post Training Advice and Support• Trainers and Assessors that carry out opera-

tional roles on a regular basis - theory backedwith first hand experience that is CURRENTTODAY

• Electronic Archiving and 24/7 Availability of allTraining / Competence Documentation.

OCTASBridgeway Consulting has also been working

with its clients to develop unique solutions, indeveloping robust competence managementsolutions in-conjunction with its OCTAS system.

Sales and Marketing Manager, Satnam Thiarasays “With an innovative approach to problemsolving, we have developed an onlinecompetence & training administration system(OCTAS). This has allowed us to manage ourclient’s competence training requirements in anefficient and timely manner.

‘This process is proving to be also adding valueto training provision and saving on costs”. Morerecently, Signalling Solutions and Costain haveboth signed up to Bridgeway’s OCTAS ManagedService offering.

Key features of OCTAS are:• Easily accessible and simple to use • Instant visibility of training events and

availability • Instant joining instructions• No phone calls required• No booking forms required.

Following the achievement of the NSARE/RTASInspection Grade Result, It can be now said thatBridgeway has become synonymous with theterm “excellent” or “Outstanding” as put byNSARE, when we talk about rail training,mentoring and assessment providers.

For further information about BridgewayConsulting’s services please contact: 0115 9191111 or [email protected]

From Left: Pino De Rosa, Steve Diksa,

Gil Howarth and Steve Baker-Mason.


In these times of change it isimperative that railway trainingproviders have a collective focuson raising the profile of all trainingcompanies across all disciplines,says the ARTP.

Founded in 1997 the Associationof Railway Training Providers(ARTP) continues to provide thisservice for members by workingwith major stakeholders withinthe rail industry. The organisationis managed by a board whichincludes representatives fromacross the industry includingNetwork Rail, RSSB and a variety ofcontractors.

The ARTP has regular dialoguewith major stakeholders includingORR, NSARE and Network Rail. Theorganisation has formed SpecialInterest Groups for Track Safety,Electrification, Signalling, Rail Plantand Permanent Way to facilitatediscussion with members whohave similar technical interests.

These groups also providerepresentation on working partiesparticipating in consultation anddiscussion regarding thedevelopment of standards andtraining material. Members workclosely with Network Rail to reviewTrack Safety training material andin recognition of this ARTPmembers enjoy a discount whenpurchasing the training material.

They influence and collaboratewith key authorities and decisionmakers from other interestedparties. The groups will always

welcome new members so pleasecontact ARTP if you wish tobecome involved.

Workforce DevelopmentApart from the Special Interest

Groups, ARTP has also providedrepresentation with RSSB onWorkforce Development and othermajor stakeholders whenconsulting on future changes tothe industry.

The recent appointment of SylviaFranklin, as Policy Support Officer,will allow ARTP to offer furtherbenefits including provision of CPDevents to members to assist in theimprovement of the services theyoffer to clients.

At the recent Training MattersConference in Derby, NSAREconfirmed that CPD forms anintegral part of each trainer andassessor’s accreditation andsuggested that ARTP are in anideal position to provide thisservice to its members.

Work is also being undertakenon developing the website somembers can access currentinformation to enhance theirtraining delivery. This includes thelatest safety information andcurrent initiatives on learning anddevelopment issues.

The organisation also exists toprovide a voice for the trainingproviders. Throughout the previousyear, ARTP has liaised with theNational Skills Academy forRailway Engineering to ensure

members views are representedespecially with the introduction ofthe new inspection framework fortraining providers to be accreditedwith Network Rail.

WorkshopsThis framework encouraged

training providers to review theirorganisation and the way theydelivered training and assessment.ARTP provided workshops on howto manage this new approach andprovided guidance and support toshare members’ experiences.

ARTP has also recognised thatthere is a need for providinginformation to members to ensurethey maintain the currency andaccuracy of the training materialcontent and to enhance thecontent so they provide a highquality service to their clients.

This can be demonstrated by therecent workshop held at theBirmingham Motorcycle Museumwith the Office of Rail Regulation.ORR was represented by twospeakers who providedinformation on current researchprojects which they wereundertaking relating to TrackSafety and Welfare.

Attendees of such workshops areincluding this information in theirsessions to ensure the message isgetting through to the mostimportant people – those workingon the track.

ARTP websiteInformation is also being

provided within the members onlysection of the ARTP website. Theaim is that this will be the firstpoint of call should any memberwish to access current safetyinformation to support theirtraining delivery.

This includes links to SafetyCentral, latest standards issuefrom both Network Rail and RSSBand any safety bulletins whichtrainers may find relevant totheir training subject.Discussions are also taking placeon the value of hosting adiscussion page on the websitewhere trainers can ask questionsof their colleagues or share bestpractice.

ARTP continues to encourage theprofessional development oftrainers and assessors and torepresent the interests of itsmembers in the field of training,assessment and competencemanagement.

Further information is availableby contacting ARTP via [email protected] or via our websiteat www.artp.co.uk

ARTP provides overall focus



Interfleet’s Training andCompetence Solutions team is oneof the most recognised andrespected training providerswithin the rail industry.

With the largest assembled teamof trainers and assessors, Interfleetsupports the industry withtraining and competenceassurance in many disciplines. The

methodology adopted by InterfleetTechnology focuses on improvingbusiness performance through thedevelopment of individuals, notsimply training for training’s sake.

Improved performance Says Rob Gordon, head of

Interfleet’s Training & CompetenceSolutions team, ‘Interfleet’s

significant technical andoperations expertise - comprisingover 300 UK based engineers andoperators - combined with ourtraining team’s experience enablesus to develop training consultancysolutions that provide a focus onimproved performance.

‘This resource, coupled with stateof the art I.T. infrastructureenables Interfleet to offer a serviceof the highest quality in terms ofconsultancy, materials, technicalcontent, technical support andclient service excellence. Alltraining and assessment relatedmaterials and reports are reviewedby discipline experts who ensurethe content is current, valid andtechnically correct.’

Service areasWe deliver a wide range of

services that can be both ‘off theshelf’ or tailored to meet client’sindividual needs. These include:• Traction & Rolling Stock;• Rail Operations and Rail Safety;• People and Performance Manage-

ment; and• New technology introduction i.e.

ERTMS/ GSMR/ Energy Metering/Remote Monitoring/ Fleets.

Recent projects include:• GSMR Maintenance Training;• ERTMS Train-borne Equipment

training;• Outsourced Technical Training

provider for a UK Train Operator;• Development program for new

train maintainers;• Fleet asset management soft-

ware training and post go-livesupport; and

• Restructuring of in-house train-ing function and supportingCompetence function.

We would be delighted to meetwith you to discuss your trainingneeds and other relatedrequirements and see how we maybe of assistance to your business.

Team Brochure: Please follow thehyperlink below to access the on-line Training team brochure formore information about us andspecific contact details.www.interfleet-media.com/trainingandcompetence

Interfleet fieldsTop Training Team


Smart personnel are the mostimportant element of anycompany.

In the rail industry, in particular,they represent their firm at everylevel and are often the face, imageand brand of the business. So ifemployers go to all the trouble ofputting time and money intoselecting the most desirablecandidates, it makes sense toretain them.

Investing in long term trainingprogrammes keeps staff motivatedand loyal. Better still it creates athriving working environment thatfosters the highly skilled, marketleading, professionals which willtake the company right to the top.

Yet in some sectors 43% ofemployees complain of lackingopportunity for growth. Theirpotential remains unrealised.Increasing your staff’s skill baseand job satisfaction throughtraining makes economic as wellas a professional sense. Poorcustomer service can damagereputation but can be put rightthrough consistent and accessibletraining.

Says Andy Ridout, ManagingDirector of advance-Training andRecruitment (Services) Ltd, ‘Atadvance-TRS our training expertshave developed talent retentionstrategies that maximise employeeproductivity through boosting

morale and decreasing staffturnover. This is an investmentwhich no business can afford to bewithout.’

Blue chip clientsTraining specialist Monique

Choudhuri (Pictured), head of staffdevelopment at advance-TRS hasbuilt up a 25 year portfolio of bluechip clients including BritishAirways, BSkyB and FircroftEngineering through training witha touch of humour.

‘The secret to successful trainingis to capture attention,’ saysMonique. ‘I could tell my audiencethe meaning of life, but if no one islistening it won’t go in. Delivery isthe key. Teaching with a touch ofwit ensures that my message isheard loud and clear.’

Monique bases her techniqueson the idea that the humanattention span is often quite short.Training sessions must thereforebe broken up into bite sizedsegments that reflect this.

‘I captivate my students withshort group participation exercises,activities and games. Thisstimulates them and gets theirthoughts flowing. The informationwill then be absorbed by their longterm memory,’ says Monique. ‘Iwork on the ‘remember and apply’

model. Everything I teach will beremembered and appliedpractically in the workplace,’ sheadds.

advance-Training and RecruitmentServices offers staff training at alllevels, to clients throughout therailway industry, with the aim offinding you the right personnel andmaking sure you keep them.

To book a free consultation withMonique or for further informationon how we can help develop yourbusiness please contact advance-TRS on 01483 361 061 or [email protected]

The Severn Valley Railway ishosting the new railway academyrun by Vital Skills Training.

32 apprentices will be based atKidderminster station and on therailway learning skills that willsafeguard the railway for manyyears to come.

Says Nick Ralls, manager, SVR,‘These young people get thechance to work on the railways ina very controlled environment. Ourtrains run at 25mph, not 125mphas they do on the mainlines.’ MrRalls also said the extra labour theacademy would provide meansthey will be able to bring theirrepair projects forward andcomplete them in a much shortertime. The new academy opens forbusiness this month.

The 16-mile SVR runs fromBridgnorth in Shropshire toKidderminster in Worcestershireand carries about 250,000passengers a year. It celebrated its150th anniversary in May.

Vital Special for SVR

Taking you to the Top



Training is a fundamentalrequirement in every job and yetso often it’s one of the first budgetsto be cut in response to acompany’s need to reduce costs.

This is a short-term solution thatis likely to develop into a long-termproblem, especially at a time whenthere are so many infrastructureprojects on the horizon.

The government has pledged£9billion of investment in the railindustry, a proportion of whichwill translate into jobs. Majorprojects like the £500 million raillink between the Great WesternMain Line and Heathrow Airport,GWML electrification and othersuch schemes around Britaintogether with numerous track andstation upgrades will require agrowing and multi-skilledworkforce.

Companies need to plan for thefuture and not neglect the need fortraining. The rail industry hasidentified the track maintenance

workforce as a prime target forwider training. Gil Howarth, chiefexecutive of NSARE commented ina recent interview: “We want to up-skill the transient workforce. Thereis an urgent need for railwayworkers to have training beyondbasic track induction and therequirement to hold a PTS.

‘Everybody who works on therailway should be trained to aminimum competence of level two.This certificate will be the firstnationally recognised qualificationin track engineering and will have amassive impact on the industryand will significantly reduce costsin the longer term.’

Encouraging new blood into theindustry is just as essential ascontinuing training in new skills toensure staff are kept up-to-date.This applies not just to those out inthe field, but behind the scenes aswell, where key decisions thatimpact on the success of a businessare made.

Several major capital projects areset to start between 2014 and 2019.Announcements regarding the finedetail of how the funding will beapportioned will be made inJanuary 2013. Even then it will stillbe too early to estimate thenumber of new jobs required, howmuch training is needed and whatskills gaps there might be.

However one way in which theindustry can address these issues,remaining economically viable atthe same time as providingpractical training solutions, is byembracing some of the techniquesemployed by other sectors.

For example, the automotiveindustry has become adept atensuring its workforce is multi-skilled, resulting in a flexibleworkforce that is able to work inany area of the business. It’s aproven approach and one that isadaptable for the rail industry.

Furthermore, the benefits are not

just confined to the business.Employees are more motivated andthe workforce as a whole is morereceptive to change within theindustry rather than just thecompany, assisting in unionrelations.

Many businesses have alreadyrecognised the advantages ofdeveloping a pool of multi-skilledprofessionals for the rail industrywho, will be equipped for whatevercomes their way. Let’s hope that thewhole sector follows this lead andembraces training as a way tocapitalise on the opportunities thatlie ahead.

Vital Services Group is a specialistengineering company. Founded in1983 by CEO John Smith, thecompany has expanded over thelast three decades and nowincludes: Vital Consulting; VitalPower; Vital Rail; Vital Resources;Vital Skills Training; Vital Solutionsand Vital Technology.

Helping our clients get from...Track OLE &

IsolationsSignalling & Telecoms

Building and Civils

Recruitment

BA

Web. www.vital-rail.com Email. [email protected] Tel. 0845 894 9020 Fax. 0845 894 9699

Vital Skills Training has beenclassed as outstanding followingan inspection by the National SkillsAcademy for Railway Engineering.

It was the first time Vital had beeninspected and the training providerachieved the highest grade. Only sixof the 88 providers inspected weregraded outstanding. Vital puts it alldown to hard work and effort onthe part of staff and trainers.

Says Lawrence Dobie, Education &Training Director at Vital SkillsTraining, ‘We are absolutely thrilledto have achieved an outstandinggrade from our first inspection. It is

a true reflection of the hard work,commitment and passion of all thestaff, trainers, managers and ofcourse, the learners themselves.’

The NSARE report highlightedexcellent success rates for coursesand assessments, withApprenticeships and Sentinel tracksafety courses achieving successrates of 100 per cent and 98 percent respectively. Vital was praisedfor its support of equality anddiversity in engineering,particularly its work with ex-offenders, minority groups andencouraging females to pursue

careers in traditionally male-dominated industries.

In a bid to expose learners to real-world work situations, Vital workscollaboratively with industrypartners to develop its resourcesand provision. Trainers were alsocommended for their wide range ofexperience and continuedcommitment to professionaldevelopment, always ensuringlearners have access to the most

up-to-date and sector-specificknowledge.

Vital Skills Training, which is thetraining arm of Vital ServicesGroup, currently trains more than250 learners and has plans to growthe training division and increasethis number to 800 by December2012. To find out more about thetraining and employmentopportunities available from Vitalvisit www.vital-skills.com

Lawrence Dobie, Education & Training

Director of Vital Skills Training.

Academy award for Vital

Multi-Skilling is Vital

Northern Rail is stepping up itsdriver recruitment and trainingprogramme by attracting morewomen to the job.

Over the past year the number offemale applicants has risen by300%. Speaking at Infrarail earlierthis year Theresa Villiers, erstwhiletransport minister, urged theindustry to step up therecruitment of women.

Northern Rail’s initiative isproving successful. Trainee drivers

can expect to earn £17K to startwith rising to £40K when fullytrained. Says Tracie Wing (pictured),a driver based at Blackpool North, ‘Ilove this job for many reasons. I getto see plenty of daylight duringwinter, when most of my friendsare stuck behind a desk. At times itcan feel like I am my own boss as Iam working my shift, driving mytrain and in complete control.

‘The pay is excellent and I get towork varied hours allowing me to

see more of my family than Iwould in a traditional 9 to 5 role.The banter with the team issomething I really enjoy andwould encourage any woman toconsider doing this.’ Tracieemphasised, ‘We are just ascapable as the guys.’

For train driver roles, Northernhas traditionally had an averagefemale applicant figure of 5%. Inthe last twelve months this figurehas increased to 17%. Says Adrian

Thompson, HR Director, ‘We aredelighted to see more womenapplying to become train drivers.The role is certainly a challengingone, requiring great concentrationto learn all the routes andmechanical aspects of thedifferent types of train we use, andis as well suited to women as it isto men.’

Mick Whelan, ASLEF’s GeneralSecretary, agrees, ‘Northern hasshown a commitment to changingthe traditional perception of therail industry as an employer. Thecompany has made it a priority torecruit more women and ethnicminorities to roles within thecompany. Whilst there is still someway to go until we have railwaydepots that reflect thecommunities in which they arebased, ASLEF applauds the effortsthat Northern has made.’


A group of ten Greater Angliaemployees has completed theHealth for Life Level 1 Certificatein Exercise Studies.

Kathryn Cole, Graham Chaplin,Felicity Keeble, Gill Charlton, MajaKalinska, Lee Clifton along withAmy Baker, John Stanford, MikeMoy, and Janet Clark, allsuccessfully completed thecourse. The course helped theteam to identify and improvefitness levels and supported themin making exercise part of theireveryday life.

The team studied thefundamental principles of exerciseand fitness and learned how toplan a personal trainingprogramme. Says Michelle Smart,Greater Anglia’s HR director, ‘I wasdelighted to present the Health forLife certificates to my colleagueson successfully completing thecourse. I hope their achievementinspires others to undertake thecourse.’

FitnessTraining

ScotRail’s first group of ModernApprentices in Customer Servicehas graduated.

The 11 apprentices met AngelaConstance, Minister for YouthEmployment, at Glasgow’s GrandCentral Hotel for the graduationceremony. The 18-month-longscheme saw 11 apprentices agedbetween 18 and 22, trained, paidand given placements in hands-on roles at ScotRail.

Placements included working instation booking offices, on thetrains as hospitality hosts and

spells as a ticket examiner. Eachachieved a Level 2 ScottishVocational Qualification inCustomer Service as well as theDuke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award.

Says Angela Constance, ‘AModern Apprenticeship involvestaking up employment, and at thesame time learning new skills andenjoying new experiences. Thevalue to a company of taking onan enthusiastic apprentice cannotbe understated.

‘Customer service means beingthe public face of any company, a

position that carries greatresponsibility. Today’s graduateshave clearly demonstrated thatthey are up to the task and Iwould like to wish them the verybest of success for the future.’

Four of the apprentices alreadyhave full-time positions atScotRail stations, a fifth hasstarted work on a graduatetrainee programme withFirstGroup, the train operator’sparent company, and the othersare applying for full-time roleswith ScotRail.

Girls Allowed

Apprentices Graduate



Managing the skills gap in the railindustry has never been moreimportant.

With the ever increasing need todevelop skills in existingemployees, whilst recruiting newearly talent, investment in trainingis high on the agenda of many ofthe industry’s top players.

According to Sir Roy McNulty’s‘Value for Money’ 2011 report, oneof the ten principal barriers togrowth within rail is ‘therelationships and culture withinthe industry.’

With an industry structure in aconstant state of change,development and growth,employee training needs to bringtogether TOCs and infrastructuremanagement, whilst bridging thecross-generational cultural gapbetween existing employees andnew entrants to the business.

Bridging those gaps is as muchabout building alliancing skills as itis improving effective

communication across sectors andacross all levels of age andexperience in the business. It alsocomes down to equipping newtalent with the leadership andinfluencing skills to lead culturalchange from the bottom up.

Experiential learning has beenproven to make a significantimpact in cultivating thebehaviours to close these industrygaps. At the Outward Bound Trust,the focus is on enabling delegatesto understand their own behaviourand its impact on others.

Replicating high risk engineeringenvironments with challengingand adventurous wildernesslocations, the Trust works withorganisations to develop vitalcommunication skills to transferback to the workplace.

Equipping your talent withauthentic leadership skills and theability to both problem solve andknowledge share is also key tobreaking down those barriers to

growth. Building trust andstimulating open discussion areessential components of this. Thisis where experiential learningreally comes into its own.

Experiential learning offers anaccelerated and cost effectivesolution to developing thesebehaviours within the workforce.And the benefits go across thepiece – employers benefit fromhigh retention rates and highlymotivated staff and workersreceiving a strong message aboutthe investment being made inthem and their importance withinthe industry.

Says David Ritchie, Head ofCorporate Business Developmentat the Trust, ‘The key to oursuccesses as an external trainingprogramme provider stems fromthe partnerships we develop withthe head of training or HR directorwithin the company sending itsstaff for training.

‘Our delivery teams experiencethe real rail working environmentsin which course participantsoperate. This gives us a clearunderstanding of the values, core

beliefs and cultural language andprocesses of their environment,which is then incorporated intothe course content.’

Having recently presented at theNSARE annual conference andworked alongside East CoastMainline, Network Rail andLondon Underground, The Trust isat the forefront of developingtalent within the rail industry.

The UK-based employabilityskills charity works with a range oftalent across the industry, fromoverhead line, track andfoundation degree apprentices, tograduates, to workers moving intoleadership roles.

And as a key partner in aground-breaking campaign to feedthe industry’s talent pipeline, TheTrust is working to double thenumber of female apprenticeswithin Network Rail within justtwo years.

To ensure your workforce canactively respond to the shiftingcultural, leadership andrelationship demands of yourindustry please contact PaulMarshalsea on 07794 336 003.

We’ll put your people into our challenging environments to prepare them for the challenges of your environment.

Develop behavioural safety, leadership and communication within your early talent, teams and leaders:

Get your teams communicating effectively before they hit the track

outwardbound.org.uk01931 740000 [email protected]

))) ))) )

High impact Training


RT Training Solutions Ltd hasreceived an ‘Outstanding’ awardfrom the National Skills Academyfor Railway Engineering.

Gary Brackley, the ManagingDirector of RT Training SolutionsLtd, collected the award at thenational ‘Training Matters’conference. The prestigious awardwas handed out to the top sixtraining providers in the UK whohad excelled during an inspectionaligned with Ofsted standards.

Gary thanked his staff saying theaward highlighted his excellenttraining and administration team.The team aims to provide the bestquality training and service in theUK. RT Training Solutions will nowstrive to maintain this positionand assist their partners andcompetitors to continuallyimprove the quality of trainingwithin the railway industry.

Based in Ipswich ( Suffolk ), RTTraining Solutions Ltd is one ofthe UK’s leading training providersfor a variety of disciplines whichinclude: Rail Signalling, Rail SafetyCritical, Rail telecommunications(TMTH etc.), 17th Edition Wiringregulations (City&Guilds),Counterbalance Forklift, First Aid,Plant, Security (SIA), andManagement training.

RT Training Solutions Ltd enjoyshealthy partnerships with local

colleges and schools, and is knownfor assisting the industry byproviding training to futuregenerations of young engineers.They are also experts in assistinglearners from other industriesincluding the MOD, by providing atransfer of skills through rigoroustraining programmes to help fill theskills gaps within the rail industry.

Their training services have beenfundamentally recognised as beingpro-active, effective and above all

competent. Their vision is to bethe UK’s leading, most versatiletraining provider by encouragingand inspiring corporate clients andindividuals to operate in a cultureof competency and safety for thebenefit of all. Their focus is tocontinually enhance theexperience, learning andachievements of all delegates.

For more information please visitour website: rttrainingsolutions.co.ukor email [email protected]

While the world’s focus has beenon the Olympics based in EastLondon, a major training exercisehas been conducted in WestLondon.

A collaboration between LondonUnderground and Balfour BeattyRail, Track Partnership isresponsible for the renewal of trackand drainage assets on the LondonUnderground Network. Inpreparation for doubling thevolume of track and drainage beingrenewed in coming years, the Track

Partnership team has been runningone of the biggest training eventsever seen in London Underground’sTrack Renewals history at RuislipDepot.

The four week training event,which was planned to coincidewith the stand down in normalworks during the Olympics, wasoperated alongside a Track Renewaland focused on site management,supervision and core engineeringskills. The exercise allowed on-siteworks to be completed in a non-

operational depot with scenariosand additional challenges beingtested during the sessions.

Training took place in threeclassrooms, six worksites andutilised 40 trains. Fourteen Trainersdelivered engineering and softskills training throughout the eventusing a common theme – stick tothe plan, escalate any changes andalways communicate clearly.

Keith Atkinson of the Office ofRail Regulation said, ‘To see peoplehaving the chance to take time out

over the renewal in this non-pressurised environment to learn isa real credit to the TrackPartnership.’

Steve Naybour of the TrackPartnership said, ‘The Olympicsstand down provided an idealopportunity to deliver this essentialtraining. During the four weekswe’ve had visitors from TDU, TubeLines and Balfour Beatty who haveall been impressed to see such aninitiative take place. It really hasbeen an event to be proud of.’

‘Outstanding’Award

Track Partnership inTraining Exercise

Amtrain is an excellent customerled training company.

Our most importantconsideration is customersatisfaction and student outcomes.Amtrain is a long establishedtraining company. Its portfolioincludes a wide range of tracksafety training and assessmentservices. These range frompersonal track safety throughmachine controllers to safe systemof work planners.

Located north of Lichfield it has

its own purpose-built premisesincluding an outside track facilityand parking for 45 vehicles. It alsohas access to live track facilities atLichfield Trent Valley andChasewater Railway and willshortly be opening in Leicester.

The Fradley training facility hasfive well-equipped, air-conditionedtraining rooms with interactivewhiteboards. We have a welcomingreception area where friendly staffgreet you at the door.

Since January 2012, Amtrain has

delivered in excess of 2000 trainingand assessments to a wide rangeof candidates, without anyregistered complaints or appeals.Indeed the great majority of thecandidates cannot praise highlyenough the quality of training.

There are five registered trainers,male and female, three of whomare directors of the company. Allhave a wide range of railwayexperience and three havequalified teacher/lecturer status.There are also three support staffwho deal with the administrationand reception duties.

The company is registered withVCTC and City and Guilds for arange of specialist trainingprovision within the railway andassociated industries and moregenerally for customer careservices.

As qualified teachers andlecturers we understand how tomake the candidates relaxed andconfident to get the most of theirlearning experience. We havepartnership arrangements withC Company and Selectatraining togive a wide range of opportunities

to all members of the community.Our recent licensing body audit,

said: ‘Amtrain has a good pass raterecord for its learners, which hasbeen maintained over a number ofyears. The good quality ofindividual training is underpinnedby each trainer’s secure railwayknowledge and good generictraining skill.

Learners and customers arecomplimentary about what theprovider offers and say that theyuse the provider because they feelit provides good value for moneyfor them.’

Our customers reflect the widerange of trades in the rail industryand include: Torrent Trackside,Forkers, Amey, Balfour Beatty,Carillion, Network Rail, Bam-Nuttall, McGinley and Mitre.

This is what our client, MitreRail’s, Karl Clack, said: ‘We’ve usedAmtrain for 10 years now becausethey always provide an honest,reliable and personable service.’

Candidates who attendedrecently praised the method ofteaching and class participationdescribing it as excellent.



The Midlands Leading Training Provider

What do we offer?

What do we charge?

The full range of sentinel track safety competencies:

Machine and crane controller and operator

RMMM OTM and RRV

A wide range of machine attachments and

specialist machines

Track induction training

First aid Fire safety and manual handling skills

Powered plant proficiency assessment

MC CC COSS IWA and ES assessments inc (P)

Courses range from as little as £60 per delegate,

discounts for quantity.

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Where do we do it?

What else do we do?

Who delivers the training?

In our bespoke training centre at Fradley on the

a38 near Lichfield, or at your premises if suitable.

Competence management for a variety of

disciplines A1 A2 and V1 awards

Operational competencies, Orange card PTS DP

T&RS competencies.

Male and female fully qualified and experienced

teaching staff with a friendly sympathetic approach and

a high degree of relevant occupational competence.

ContactFor Initial Bookings, please

contact Nathan or Jenny

Tel 01283 792633

Fax 01283 792622

Email [email protected]

Amtrain Midlands

A38 Southbound

Fradley, Lichfield

Staffs, WS13 8RD

Please see our website for further

details of our rates and

forthcoming courses.

A one stop shop...

www.amtain.co.uk

Customer Led Training


Enthusiasm among new peoplejoining Network Rail’sapprenticeship scheme is helpingattract more people to theindustry.

It’s hard work but railway banterand humour keep the new recruitsgoing. One apprentice even madeit to an assessment the day after acar accident so determined was he

not to miss out. Says Jamie Mills, a 22 year-old

track maintenance apprenticebased in Brighton, ‘I saw thescheme advertised and decided toapply. I like working with thingsand wanted to find out more.There are so many opportunitieswithin Network Rail and I want todo well. I came to the assessmentday on crutches after being hit bya car and was determined to pass.

‘You can work towards greatqualifications and I wouldrecommend the apprenticeshipscheme to anyone who wasthinking of applying.’

Happily the scheme is attractingwomen who take any criticism of

their choice of career in theirstride. Kelsey Everton is a 19 year-old 2nd year apprentice based atSandwell and Dudley depot in theWest Midlands. She is nowlearning electrification and plant.

Says Kelsey, ‘I’d like toeventually teach on theapprenticeship scheme, it’s been agreat experience. There has beena lot of hard work but I have madesome good friends and there hasbeen some good banter. There areonly six girls on the course in myyear but it’s been a goodexperience. My friends think it’s alittle weird that I am doing thisbut I would urge them - andanyone else - to do it.’

Two apprentices from InvensysRail have been recognised by theInstitution of Engineering andTechnology.

Jamie-Leigh Clayton joinedInvensys on a three yearapprenticeship scheme in 2007.She became the first Invensysengineer to be awarded EngTech, aprofessional EngineeringTechnician qualification, and wenton to win a prize at the IET YoungWoman Engineer of the YearAwards in 2011.

Jamie-Leigh’s programme atInvensys is now being heralded bythe IET as a shining example of asuccessful professionaldevelopment scheme.

The IET also recently visitedInvensys Rail’s regional office inGlasgow, where apprentice GerryClarke is currently workingtowards professional engineerstatus. Aimed at developingChartered Incorporated andEngineering Technician levelengineers, the company’sengineering developmentprogramme ensures that Gerryand other apprentices in thescheme meet the high standards

demanded by the institute. In its assessment of the

programme, the IET panelhighlighted the impressive levelsof support which mentors andsenior managers give toapprentices, as well as noting thatemployees’ academic programmesare firmly embedded in thecompany’s culture, attractingexcellent financial support.

Says Invensys Rail’s chiefexecutive, Nick Crossfield, ‘We’redelighted to have received IETendorsement of our programme,which not only demonstrates ourcommitment to developingengineers to the highest standards,but also to the continuingprofessional development of allour apprentices.

‘Our success in deliveringcomplex rail infrastructureprojects across the UK andoverseas is due in no small part tothe skills, commitment andexpertise of our staff. Throughcontinued investment inprogrammes such as these, we aredetermined that they should havethe opportunity to continue theirprofessional development.’

Top recognition forInvensys Apprentices

Network Rail has recruited 190promising apprentices to its award-winning three-year programme.

The new recruits will train tobecome skilled maintenanceengineering technicians. Thecompany received more than 6,500applications. With the recent greenlight by government for additionalinvestment in Britain’s railways,including electrification of the GreatWestern route and the NorthernHub, today’s apprentices couldeventually be working on the biggestinfrastructure projects in thecountry.

New apprentices will spend a yeartraining alongside the Royal Navy atEurope’s largest engineering trainingfacility at HMS Sultan in Hampshire.Here they will learn both thetechnical disciplines required towork on the railway and developleadership and teamwork skills to

make them more effective in theirroles. They will continue theirtraining for two further years on-the-job at depots across the country,returning to HMS Sultan foradditional courses and learning.

The apprentices specialise in track,signalling and telecoms andelectrification and plant. This year,Network Rail is also trainingapprentices for its contractorsBalfour Beatty, Costain and Nexus.

Says Robin Gisby, Network Rail’smanaging director for networkoperations, ‘We’ve recruited smartand enthusiastic young men andwomen with a variety of workexperience, education andbackgrounds, who we will train tobecome skilled engineeringtechnicians. With the big projects wehave ahead of us, we need moreexceptional people to deliver abetter value and efficient railway.

‘Today’s apprentices will, oncetrained, be part of a 35,000-strongteam who every day help millions toget where they need to be safelyand on time. We now have thebuilding blocks in place so thatbeyond their apprenticeships, ourbest people can undertake a highernational certificate, a foundationdegree and then a full degree inengineering. They can earn whilethey learn and go as far as theiraptitude, attitude and ambition cantake them.’

What they’re saying aboutApprenticeships

Recruited!

TQ Catalis has been rated as anOutstanding Training provider byNational Skills Academy of RailwayEngineering following an inspectionin July 2012. TQ Catalis delivershigh quality training andassessment solutions, focussingparticularly on industries wheresafety is paramount, such as theRail and Power sectors.

Our range of products for the railindustry is ever evolving and we

offer high quality, dynamic trainingin all areas of railway engineeringand safety, health andenvironmental subjects.

We don’t believe in a one size fitsall approach and as such spendtime with our clients designing themost cost effective and beneficialtraining intervention based on theirbusiness needs.

As a one stop provider we cancater for all of your learning and

development needs from apprenticeto chartered professional using amix of learning styles and deliverypatterns.

Our practically focused trainingevents are delivered throughout theworld and can be at one of our threecentres, Derby, London and new for2012, Corby. Alternatively we candeliver at your site as appropriate.

A selection of training areas wecover includes:• Signal Engineering, (Design, Instal-

lation Skills, Testing and Mainte-nance)

• Railway Communications Systems• Track Engineering Training (Perma-

nent Way Skills from Apprentice toSenior Engineer)

• Electrical Engineering (LV, HVSwitching & Transmission, RailElectrification, Solar)

• Rail Operations and Rail VehicleEngineering Training

• Engineering Apprenticeships(Track, Signalling, Rolling Stock,

OLE)• Safety, Health & Environmental

Training (Approved by IOSH &NEBOSH)

• Control Systems Training (PLC andSCADA)

• Small Plant and ToolsTraining/Assessment

• Sentinel Safety and Rail PlantCompetencies

• Leadership and Management (ILMand CMI).

Overhead Line TrainingWe have recently opened our Rail

and Utilities Vocational Academy inCorby Northants.

Delivering our specialist range ofrail training, in addition we nowhave a full scale National Gridstyle electrical power transmissionand distribution system, completewith OLE and substations, allowingus to deliver highly specialisttraining solutions for the HighVoltage areas including RailElectrification.

Please see our website: catalis.comfor further details or call our salesteam on 0845 880 8108

TQ CatalisThe Derby Conference Centre,

London Road, Derby DE24 8UX

T: 0845 880 8108

E: [email protected]

www.catalis.co.uk

Solutions for safety critical environments

TQ Catalis deliver a high quality professional training and assessment service in severalmarket sectors, specialising in safety critical rail engineering and track safetycompetencies.We are proud of our long established rail training business centrallylocated in Derby with additional sites in Corby, Clapham,York, Manchester and Crewe.

We offer a wide selection of open programme events and dedicated solutions. Current products include:

RATED AS AN OUTSTANDING TRAINING PROVIDER BY THE NATIONAL SKILLS ACADEMY for RAILWAY ENGINEERING

Contact us on or send an email to

to discuss your requirements.

0845 880 8108 [email protected]

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Track Safety Competencies

Signalling &Telecommunication Engineering -Design, Installation,Testing & Maintenance

Health and Safety, IOSH,NEBOSH,Working atHeight, Confined Space Training, Manual Handling

Behavioural Based Safety

Electrical Engineering - 17th Edition WiringRegulations, PATTesting, Inspection &Testing,Electrical Skills Training

Automation Systems - Programmable LogicControllers

Rail Engineering Apprenticeships

IRSE Licensing

Track Engineering, Permanent Way skills training

PlantTraining - all types of small plant and tools

Rail Operations

Traction & Rolling Stock

Overhead LineTraining

Leadership & Management

BespokeTraining Solutions



TQ Catalis rated Outstanding


‘The railindustry has the

opportunity for substantial furthergrowth, building on the successesof the past fifteen years,’ said SirRoy McNulty at the launch of theRail Value for Money Study lastyear. However, he continued, ‘Thelicence to grow has to be earnedby greater efficiency.’

The strategy of growth throughgood value is at the heart of theURS Corporation’s ambitiousexpansion plans for Britishengineering design firm, ScottWilson, which it acquired inSeptember 2010.

“Becoming part of URS hasincreased our growth potentialgiving us a huge advantage in themarket,’ says Ian Hay, Director,

Railways,URS. ‘Although the

name may have changed,the expertise and high-qualityservices that were synonymouswith the Scott Wilson brand arestronger than ever under the URSbanner.’

URS, headquartered in SanFrancisco, California has unrivalledexpertise in railway design anddelivery from project feasibilitythrough to site supervision andproject management. URS – itoriginally stood for UnitedResearch Services - has worked onmany of the most ambitious globalrailway projects ever undertaken,including light, metro, high speedand heavy railways.

URS clients range frominfrastructure owners, governmentagencies and contractors tooperators, developers andfinanciers. URS is fundamentally apeople business. Its skills reflect

the poise and professionalism ofengineers, designers and railsystem developers in nearly 50countries. URS people are at workon San Francisco’s Bay AreaRegional Transit’s AirportExtension and the California HighSpeed Rail Project as well as theLondon Underground upgrade.

Recruitment modeURS is currently in full

recruitment mode across its UKbusiness providing opportunitiesto work on some of the mosticonic projects in Britain. Currentlyone of the largest designconsultants on Crossrail, URS hasplayed a major role in designingboth Paddington and Farringdonstations, as well as helpingNetwork Rail to develop proposalsfor the surface line works. Previousprojects have included West CoastRoute Modernisation - Trent ValleyFour Tracking and Resignallingscheme and Rugby remodelling.

“We are fully aware of therecommendations outlined in theMcNulty Report, especially increating an environment thatachieves cost reduction, deliversnew efficiencies and createsmechanisms to drive efficiency.With extensive experience ofdesigning railways around theworld, URS understands thechallenges Britain’s growing railindustry faces.’

“We work closely andcollaboratively with clients fromthe beginning in order to helpthem deliver a valued service totheir customers, as well aspresenting tangible benefits forstakeholders,” says Ian.

Over the last 18 months URS hasbeen assisting Network Rail on itsTier 1 framework programme. Theresult of which has seen scope,programme and budgetary plansagreed upfront, with theestablishment of a “no surprises”and trusting culture that caters for

URS backs McNulty’sValue for Money Strategy


the constraints on individualprojects and secures themaximum amount of stakeholderbuy-in at the earliest possiblestage, providing opportunities fordownstream cost and efficiencysavings.

“By consistently developinginnovative solutions to some ofthe world’s most complexengineering, construction andtechnical challenges, URS hasbecome a global driver forreliability, greater efficiency andvalue for money. High standardsand consummate professionalismmean we consistently provideoutstanding quality service. Ourlicence to grow will certainly beused to its full potential,” says Ian.

West Coast Main LineURS acted as the multifunctional consultant for the West Coast Route Modernisation (WCRM) upgrade and

was responsible for developing and delivering three distinct elements of this major programme.The highest profile of these was the Trent Valley Four Tracking and Resignalling (TV4) project, which involved

upgrading the existing two track railway to four tracks over a length of 20km between Armitage, Lichfield andTamworth in the West Midlands. URS was involved from the earliest stages of optioneering through detaileddesign and assisting the site supervisory team.

The second key element was the remodelling of Rugby station and junction with a similar cradle to graveinput as with TV4, whilst the third aspect involved moving over the border into Scotland, where severalmultidisciplinary route enhancements were delivered in a wide-ranging package of works.

Over an 11-year period, URS was able to showcase its full range of multidisciplinary skills to deliver robustand innovative design solutions to this £10bn project. This involved providing outline and detailed designservices along the route, including over 50 bridges and culvert reconstructions, as well as earthworks involvingin excess of one million cubic metres of cut and fill, together more than 50km of new track and associatedsignalling.

Current projectsCrossrail

Since the early 1990s, URS has brought to Crossrail design expertise gained while building some of theworld’s most modern metros – in Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Dubai, Athens and Kuala Lumpur. URS hasbeen involved in the Crossrail project – the largest construction project in Europe – at various stages, includingroute selection, support for the parliamentary Hybrid Bill, which received Royal Assent in July 2008,preliminary design and detailed design. Since 2008, URS has been one of the largest design consultants onCrossrail, working on both the surface routes and the Central Section.

Some of URS’ work has included feasibility studies, outline anddetailed design of certain stations, portals and structures, alsopassenger service and pedestrian flow modelling, as well astransport planning services.

URS has played a role in the design of many Crossrail stations,including designing the Paddington and Farringdon stations. TheCompany worked with Network Rail on the surface routes to theWest and North East of London and with Crossrail Ltd for theCentral (underground) Section. URS has also supported a numberof other consultants on the Central Section.

North Doncaster ChordThis is a new diversionary route to take freight over the East

Coast Main Line north of Doncaster. Morgan Sindall is designingand constructing the works and URS is carrying out the detaileddesign of all rail disciplines on Morgan Sindall’s behalf. Thedesign work is ongoing and work will be underway on site in thenear future.

Network RailURS is also playing a key role in the ‘switches and crossings’ renewal programme for Network Rail, and is

one of three designers providing detailed integrated permanent way and signalling solutions for the nationalprogramme.

The Company has been involved in this work for a number of years, providing a ‘cradle to grave’ service forNetwork Rail, including the undertaking of topographical surveys.

URS has developed a highly experienced team with real expertise in this work and has provided NetworkRail with a valued and reliable service over the years.

High Speed 2 LimitedURS has teamed up with Mott MacDonald to provide multidisciplinary design and development services to

the Metropolitan section of HS2 between Euston and Old Oak Common and is currently working on outlinedesigns for this section.

It is also working with Arup on the provision of environmental services, including the production of anEnvironmental Statement and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the West Midlands Metropolitanarea covering Birmingham and Solihull.

Previous experience on major projects such as the Trent Valley Four Tracking project (part of the West CoastRoute Modernisation programme) is helping to produce ‘constructable’ and sustainable solutions for thecomplex scheme.

URS FOCUS

Check out our recruitment opportunities on page 52.

If rail moves you, we’re hiring. URS is a leading provider of engineering, construction and technical services. Due to recent major project wins in the UK’s railway industry we are recruiting at all levels of qualification and experience. URS has a strong heritage in rail through our acquisition of Scott Wilson Group and extensive experience of rail design around the world. In the UK we have delivered major multidisciplinary projects, such as West Coast Route Modernisation, Airdrie Bathgate Reopening and Crossrail ONW. Our current portfolio includes High Speed 2, Borders Railway, new programmes of work for Crossrail, North Doncaster Chord, CASR and the national S&C Renewals programme.

As a provider of design services spanning the entire project lifecycle, we are hiring across a broad range of disciplines, including civil and structural, permanent way, signalling, telecoms, OLE, electrical, geotechnical engineers, ops managers, project and engineering managers. These opportunities are available across the UK in our Birmingham, Glasgow, London, Swindon and York offices.

URS is a major global business with exciting growth plans in rail that can provide great opportunities for career development.

Please email your CV and covering letter to

[email protected]

URSGLOBAL.COM/CAREERS

Contact details can be found at: www.permanentwayinstitution.com

The PWI’s Technical Director, John Elliott, will be standing down at next year’s AGM after many years of outstanding

service to the PWI. The Board is seeking applications now for this vital and exciting role, prior to appointment at the

PWI’s 2013 AGM.

The PWI is well-positioned as a professional engineering institution for infrastructure engineers in the rail industry. It has a

vast range of technical knowledge at its members’ and the industry’s disposal. The Technical Director is responsible for:

• Ensuring that the PWI’s technical reputation is maintained and developed.

Mobilising the involvement of members in technical review and development.

Managing the PWI’s relationships with the Engineering Council.

Broadening the PWI’s technical sphere of influence to encompass all rail infrastructure.

Developing the PWI’s global reach from its existing strong base.

The PWI expects the Technical Director to spend an average of one day per week on PWI matters. An appropriate

remuneration package will be agreed with the appointee.

Candidates are requested to submit their CV with a letter of application outlining their approach to the role to the PWI’s

Secretary, John Linkin not later than close of business on Friday 16th November 2012. Candidates who wish to have an

informal discussion regarding the role prior to submitting their application are invited to contact the CEO, David Packer.

The selection process will take place in November and the successful candidate will take up their position in January 2013.

The Role

The Time Investment

The Application Process

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Technical Director, PWI

The PWI is rejuvenating its quarterly Journal in 2013. We are looking for a Managing Editor to join our motivated team

to take a strong role in putting the changes in place and developing the Journal from that point.

The executive team is determined to attract the best candidates and will flex the duties so that the role can be successfully taken

on by either an employed or retired person.An appropriate remuneration package will be agreed with the successful candidate.

Ensure that the Journal’s content is current and relevant. Use industry and PWI contacts to generate the Journal’s

content well ahead of publication deadlines.

Work closely with the Technical Director to ensure that published content is always accurate and of the correct

technical standard.

Work closely with the Communications Director to ensure that the Journal projects the correct image for the PWI

Manage the PWI’s relationships with its publishing and printing suppliers.

Candidates are requested to submit their CV with a letter of application outlining their approach to the role to the PWI’s

Secretary, John Linkin not later than close of business on Friday 16th November 2012. Candidates who wish to have an

informal discussion regarding the role prior to submitting their application are invited to contact the CEO, David Packer.

The selection process will take place in November.

The Managing Editor’s responsibilities are:

The Application Process

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Managing Editor, PWI Journal

The Permanent Way Institution is the institution for rail

infrastructure engineers.

We have over 3000 members globally who benefit from our

technical advice and support in their professional development.


Follow us on

Orion Rail Services (ORS) are part of the

UK’s largest engineering recruitment

specialists Orion Group.

ORS are a Network Rail approved company

and are Link-Up accredited to supply a

number of rail related positions.

The Group work with some of the largest

industry players across rail providing

manpower throughout the UK and overseas.

People are our business worldwide

Job Title Location Ref

Senior Project Engineer Euston 90692

Package Manager York 90693

Commercial Manager Euston ORSGA22

Management Accountant Chippenham ORSGA23

Project Engineer Manager Croydon ORSGA24

Planner Hamilton GA01

Visit our website for a complete list of Rail positions across the UK

and apply online today quoting the ref above.

Glasgow 0141 892 6666

London 0207 405 6300

Manchester 0161 662 4900

or email - [email protected]

Upload your CV today orionrail.com


CAREERS

www.gov.im/jobs

Isle of Man GovernmentDepartment of Community, Culture and Leisure

Rheynn Co-phobble, Cultoor as Soccar

The Department of Community, Culture & Leisure is part of theGovernment of the Isle of Man. The Department operates the Isle of Man Steam Railway, the Manx Electric Railway and theSnaefell Mountain Railway which together cater for over 300,000passengers per year making them the Island’s most popular leisure and tourism attraction. The railways together have a total of 60 miles of track.

We are looking to appoint an experienced professional to the post of Rolling Stock Manager. The individual will manage and control the steam and diesel locomotives, trams and allassociated rail vehicles of the three heritage railways to allowsafe and effective railway operation. They will develop andimplement maintenance strategies and work planning systemsfor in-house resources and contract works.

We offer not only a competitive salary but also an opportunity toenjoy a real quality of life. The Isle of Man is a low tax environment(with a maximum rate of income tax of 20%) and enjoys one of thehighest resident satisfaction ratings in the British Isles.

To find out more about the Isle of Man visit our website atwww.gov.im

The closing date for formal applications is 5pm, 1 November 2012.

Further information can be obtained from: PeterMaddocks, Chief Engineer on 01624 697417.

Full application pack and job description can be obtainedfrom: www.gov.im/jobs or alternatively at the Office ofHuman Resources, telephone (01624) 686300 [email protected]. Please quote the above reference no.

Public Transport Division

Rolling Stock ManagerHeritage Railways

Ref: DCCL-011-1213

ww

w.a

dva

nce

-trs

.co

m“together, we can all advance”

International specialist railway recruiters Call 01483 361061

Experts in> Signalling/Systems > Permanent Way> Telecommunications > Civils/Construction> Project Services> Rolling Stock> Electrification & Power

At advance-TRS we recognise the challenges faced by both employers and jobseekers when it comes to identifying and attracting that perfect candidate or career.

Our rail industry recruitment experts deliver a bespoke service; guaranteeing that the counterpart you desire is sourced.

We believe that recruitment can be a positive experience, advance’s whole ethos is around saving our clients and candidates time and money, getting it right the first time!


Due to the growing demand from major clients within the ,

are looking for skilled personnel with current competencies for

and opportunities.

We would like to hear from the following for prestigious projects starting in London,

South East and South West England:

railway infrastructure

CarmichaelUK NWR

ContractPermanent

General Foreman / Supervisors Works Manager Site Managers

Sub Agents / Agents Site / Senior Engineers H&S Personnel

Quality Personnel Technical Officers Project Managers

Register your CV today online or via email in Word format to: [email protected]

Call one of our consultants on: +44 (0) 208 522 8888

Job opportunities on prestigious projects in London, South East and South West

Job vacancies posted daily on our website

www.carmichaeluk.com

The Swanage Railway invites potential applicants to

express interest for the post of

Persons interested in this exciting leadership

opportunity at a top level heritage railway should

contact Peter Milford, Company Secretary, to request

an information pack.

GENERAL MANAGER

Closing date for applications: Thursday 29th November 2012

Swanage Railway, Station House, Swanage BH19 1HB

[email protected]

Unit 8, Fleetway Business Park,

14-16 Wadsworth Road, Perivale, UB6 7LD

Tel: 020 8998 0010

Fax: 020 8998 6901


Specialist contractor with far-reaching and extensive

experience in the rail and tram industry throughout the UK

Due to an expanding workload and extended client base, we are

currently recruiting for the following positions within our young

and exciting company:

Manchester, London & South East | competitive rates

London & South East | competitive rates

All grades of OLE staff

P-Way Engineer | P-Way Supervisor


www.gov.im/jobs

Isle of Man GovernmentDepartment of Community, Culture and Leisure

Rheynn Co-phobble, Cultoor as Soccar

The Department of Community, Culture and Leisure is part of theGovernment of the Isle of Man. The Department operates the Isle of Man Steam Railway, the Manx Electric Railway and theSnaefell Mountain Railway which together cater for over 300,000passengers per year making them the Island’s most popular leisure and tourism attraction. The railways together have a total of 60 miles of track.

We are looking to appoint an experienced railway fitter to the post of Rolling Stock Electrical/Mechanical Fitter. The individual will work on the trams and all associated rail vehicles of theManx Electric Railway and Snaefell Mountain Railway.

We offer not only a competitive salary but also an opportunityto enjoy a real quality of life. The Isle of Man is a low taxenvironment (with a maximum rate of income tax of 20%)

and enjoys one of the highest resident satisfaction ratings in theBritish Isles.

To find out more about the Isle of Man visit our website atwww.gov.im

The closing date for formal applications is 5pm, 1 November 2012.

Further information can be obtained from: Peter Maddocks, Chief Engineer on 01624 697417.

Full application pack and job description can be obtainedfrom: www.gov.im/jobs or alternatively at the Office ofHuman Resources, telephone (01624) 686300 [email protected].

Please quote the above reference no.

Public Transport Division

Rolling Stock Electrical/Mechanical FitterHeritage Railways

Ref: DCCL-012-1213

CAREERS

We deliver market leading, turnkey network engineering solutions to the world’s leading

businesses. We have an enviable reputation spanning over 30 years, gained working on

some of the world’s most technologically advanced communication networks.

Our services include development and design, installation testing and commissioning

supported by asset maintenance and management services. Our services are deployed both

nationally and globally, 24/7. Our expertise is deployed across fixed networks and wireless

applications in all industry sectors including, utilities, oil and gas, highways, rail, MoD and

local government authorities.

We have the following vacancies in locations ranging from Sheffield, Birmingham, London

and many other parts of the U.K.

• External Resource Manager – Sheffield

• Fibre Cable Jointer / Tester Nationwide

• Possession Planner / Assistant Project Engineer Birmingham & South East

• Copper Cable Jointer-Tester Nationwide

• Engineering Manager Sheffield

HV Electrical Engineers Sheffield

LV Electrical Engineers Sheffield

For information please visit:

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–

–

–

• –

• –

www.linbrooke.co.uk/careers

Linbrooke Services Ltd

Sheffield 35a Business Park

Churchill Way

Chapeltown

S35 2PY

t: +44 (0) 844 800 0983

f: +44 (0) 844 800 0984

e: [email protected]


CAREERS

Train driver recruitment open day 7th November

Are you a flexible, enthusiastic and self-motivated QUALIFIED Train Driver?Would you like to work for the UK’s best performing rail freight operator?

Due to continual expansion and on going growth Freightliner Heavy Haul is holding a QUALIFIED Train Driver Recruitment Open Day in Greenwich London.

Freightliner Heavy Haul is interested in applications from flexible, enthusiastic and self-motivated Train Drivers to be based in Hither Green, SE London, who will embrace the challenge of working for a company who places its continuing success on the importance of customer service and product delivery. All applicants must hold a UK driving licence as there is a requirement to drive company road vehicles. The job roles will also involve shift work including weekend and night turns of duty which may in turn require you to lodge away from home.

We are also seeking QUALIFIED train drivers to be based at Bristol, Peterborough and Rugby

If you cannot make it to Freightliner Heavy Haul’s open day but would still like to apply/find out more information please contact us via email [email protected] or phone 01270 452412.

Competitive salary, an opportunity to join a final salary pension scheme.

**We are an Equal Opportunities Employer and welcome applications from all sections of the community**

Open day Greenwich, London

At: Novotel London Greenwich173 - 185 Greenwich High Road

London, SE10 8JA Open from 10.00-20.00

Wednesday 7th November

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

Senior P-Way Design Engineers London/Warrington/Birmingham - £350/day or £40 - 70K Working on major new rail projects & station upgrades

Senior Civil Engineers (CRE)London/Birmingham/Warrington & York - £35 - 60K Rail experience including station & bridge designs

Senior Signal DesignersLondon/UK wide - £400/day or £40 - 60K IRSE license, RRI & SSI Design

Risk & Vale specialist London/Birmingham/York/Manchester - £40 - 60K or £300 - £450/day Experience on rail & infrastructure projects

Commissioning Engineers London + UK wide - £45 - 70K or £350 - £450/dayHV, Traction Power, AC/DC or construction experience

Senior Planning Engineer London, York & Birmingham - £320 - 450/day or £55K Rail & construction experience

www.bcmgrc.com

BCMGRC Limited

Technical Sales Representative

Rail SectorAs the leading manufacturer of Glassfibre Reinforced Concrete (GRC)

products to the rail industry, BCM GRC Ltd are looking to recruit an

experienced Technical Sales Representative to join our existing team.

The role will include dealing with all aspects of the procurement chain

from specification to end user. The successful candidate will be able

to demonstrate knowledge of the Signalling & Telecommunications

market and E and P sector of the Rail Industry.

The position will require an individual with the necessary skills and

abilities to succeed in today's harsh commercial environment.

Candidates should note that the role will require extensive travel

throughout the UK, but regular appointments in London and the

South East may be expected.

The salary and package will be commensurate with experience.

If you are interested in applying for the position please send a full CV,

including any relevant experience to [email protected]

We’re looking for

nominations in

HR, Recruitment &

Training excellence

in association with

... the launch of the HR, Recruitment

& Skills Awards!

The awards celebrate the outstanding

achievements and recognise the excellent

work consistently carried out by the best

talent in Rail Human Resources,

Recruitment and Training.

It is also a celebration of the considerable

HR and Human Capital contribution to the

success of the Rail industry.

The awards are open to individuals, teams

and organisations deemed to have made

a significant, positive and lasting impact

in the areas of HR, Recruitment and

Training management in the Rail industry

– deserving the accolade of 'the best in

the business'.

The awards reflect the fact that HR and

Human Capital has become integral to

strategic thinking at the highest level in

the Rail industry.

It's fair to say that the past year has been

one of the most challenging to date for Rail

professionals. Substantial change,

supporting the delivery of some of the

largest Rail project portfolios in Europe –

resulting in unprecedented scarcity of skills,

the Olympic and Paralympic games and a

need to balance effective delivery with

sustainable efficiency… there has never

been a more important time to celebrate the

best in Rail HR, Recruitment and Skills!

In its maiden year, the Rail HR,

Recruitment and Skills awards, provides

rail professionals with the recognition

they so richly deserve.

The finalists party is on the 8th December,

at the ICC and is Christmas Party for

Rail Recruitment, HR and Training!

the

Such a great idea!

Tricia Riley,

Director, Human Resources

Transport for London

We jumped at the chance

to get involved with this event.

www.RailHRAwards.com

HR, RECRUITMENT& SKILLSAWARDS

RailwayPeople

railstaff october 2012

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