RailStaff September 2013

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RailStaff

PaGe 14

engineers at war

Visitors go Forth

the public will eventually haveaccess to Scotland’s Forth bridge.

army rail engineers in Iraqresurrect its defunct railway.

Issue 190 / September 2013

PaGe 4

Continued on PaGe 4

the rail industry has generated work worth more than £3.2bn for businesses across britain over the last year asa result of continuing investment in capacity enhancement and expansion, says network Rail. Longer trains andmore capacity can’t happen quick enough. an entire orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, plus choirsand supporters, recently took the train to London to play at the Proms. the musicians wanted to be sure ofreaching the capital safely and on time. Staff at Virgin trains sped them on their way.

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Rail Concertooil man to headnetwork Rail

Boosts Economy

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the parliamentary vote againstbritish intervention in Syria marksthe departure of the UK from thecentre stage of world politics.

In future new economic giantslike Brazil, China and India willwrite the sad litany of mankind’sfailings in world affairs.

Put simply, the British public hasno further appetite for armedintervention overseas. The loss ofcivilian life in Afghanistan andIraq has dismayed the British.Seeing young men die or returnhome disfigured in wars, where wehave no real objective is likewisesickening.

Pragmatists argue that Britaincannot afford foreign adventures.The global economic recession hitcredit-addicted Britain particularlyhard. A bloated welfare state anddenuded armed forces underpinpublic misgivings.

The Coalition Government wasformed to deal with the recession,to restore confidence in theeconomy and reform the banks.The Cameron-Osborne team hasperformed credibly in this. In itsdecision to invest in railways andother infrastructure projects canbe found the genesis of a betterway forward.

Britain has long represented thefree world. A place where thepolice cannot throw you in jailwithout the sentence of a judge;where the government of the daycan be criticised, debated andindeed out-voted in parliament

and where property rights areprotected. We enjoy a pressfreedom unrivalled anywhere elseincluding the United States. `

Britain, if it is to continue toaffirm such freedoms, needs to beunited and economically strong.High speed railways, trams and

freight lines will achieve morethan bombs and bullets ever can.

Infrastructure may lack the gloryand bombast of war but it givespeople the economic freedom toflourish. Inevitable sometimes, waris never the right answer. The pathsof glory lead but to the grave.

www.railstaff.co.uk 3

“High speed railways, trams and freight lineswill achieve more than bombs and bullets…”

PaGe 42 PaGe 46SPecIaL FocUS

Publisher: Paul O’Connor

Editor: Andy Milne

Production and design: Adam O’Connor

Senior Reporter: Jonathan Webb

Writer: Nigel Wordsworth

Track Safety: Colin Wheeler

Pictures: Colin Garratt

Advertising: Asif Ahmed

Craig Smith

Paul Curtis

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comment

The Fall and Rise ofBritain’s RailwaysPart 5: Sectorisation (Passenger)continues this eight part seriesoutlining the turbulent eventswhich led up to the privatisation ofbritish Rail in 1993.

challenge forIronman andyandy competes in Dartmoor’shorseman Ironman, one of thetoughest races in the world, a 2.4mile swim, a 108 mile cycle, and amarathon across Dartmoor.

RailStaff awards 2013 ReviewIn november’s RailStaffthe RailStaff awards started in 2007 with an aim at recognising the greatwork that the people who work in the industry do. as publishers ofRailStaff, we saw great achievements, courage and bravery from rail staff inevery edition. yet nobody was saying ‘thanks’ or ‘well done’. 2012 saw over1,000 people in attendance, 1,200 nominations and 32,000 votes.

Economic freedom to flourishPragmatists argue that britaincannot afford foreign adventures

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concerto forrailwaysuccess

continues

oil man to head network Railmark carne of Royal Dutch Shellwill be exploring britain’s railwaysthis autumn as he prepares for hisnew job as chief executive ofnetwork Rail.

Carne replaces Sir David Higginsand takes up his new role on 6thJanuary 2014. Originally fromCornwall, Mark Carne wasformerly executive vice presidentin the Middle East and NorthAfrica for Royal Dutch Shell. Hetakes over formally on 1st April2014.

As executive vice president forShell in the Middle East and NorthAfrica, Mark was responsible forShell’s operations in some of theworld’s most notorious troublespots. Despite this he placedparticular emphasis on developinglocal staff and businesses.

Before his latest job at Shell,Mark Carne was executive vicepresident and managing directorfor BG Group in Europe andCentral Asia following a 21-yearperiod spent in a variety of roleswith Shell. These included

responsibility for Shell’s oil and gasplatforms in the North Sea. He wasalso managing director for BruneiShell Petroleum. Earlier in hiscareer Carne helped to lead thecompany’s response to the disasteron the Occidental-operated PiperAlpha platform in the North Sea.

Says Network Rail’s chairman,Richard Parry Jones, ‘Through hiswork with Shell and BG Group invery testing and difficultenvironments, Mark Carne hasshown that he has the necessaryskill and global experience to buildon, and develop further, whatNetwork Rail has already achievedin meeting these challenges underthe leadership of David Higgins.We thank Sir David for all he hasdone for the company.’

Mr Carne, 54, studied engineeringat Exeter University and is a Fellowof the Institute of MechanicalEngineers. Reflecting his strongCornish roots he is anIndependent Governor ofFalmouth University. He is marriedwith three children.

britain’s booming railway is provinggood business for the UK.

More than a third of the £3.2billion spent last year went to smalland medium enterprises - SMEs.Figures released in a report byNetwork Rail show continuinginvestment in the rail industry hassustained over 90,000 full-time jobsnationally over and above the 34,000people directly employed byNetwork Rail. This in turns booststaxes paid, reduces benefitspayments and stimulates localeconomies.

Says Chief Secretary to theTreasury, Danny Alexander,‘Investing in infrastructure has a

direct effect on the economy,creating jobs, and giving Britain theinfrastructure we need to build astronger economy and fairer society.

‘This report is excellent inhighlighting the opportunities forsmall and medium sized businessesthat come with infrastructureinvestment. That is why we have setout £100bn of investment ininfrastructure over the nextParliament, including supporting

the largest programme ofinvestment in rail since theVictorian era.

‘I’m very glad to see that NetworkRail are doing their bit to drivesustainable and balanced economicgrowth across the UK.’

In the last four years, Network Railhas generated £17.3bn of work forits supply chain. 6.2bn of this hasgone to small and medium-sizedbusinesses.

Says Simon Kirby, managingdirector of Network RailInfrastructure Projects, ‘The railindustry is increasingly recognisedas a key contributor to our national,economic and social well-being.

‘Across Britain, investment in abigger, better railway has provided amassive boost to hundreds ofbusinesses of all shapes and sizes,supporting sustainable economicgrowth and jobs.’



newS

the extensively modernised area around King’scross will be officially re-opened on 26thSeptember.

In August Mayor of London, Boris Johnson,laid one of the final paving stones on the newKing’s Cross Square. Sir David Higgins, NetworkRail’s chief executive, joined the mayor tocongratulate teams hard at work on the finaltouches to the project.

Contractors, J. Murphy & Sons, are currentlyworking on the last phase of civil engineeringworks to complete King’s Cross Square. TheSquare is the final part of the £550m King’sCross station redevelopment, which saw abrand new concourse open last year offeringrail passengers three-and-a-half times morespace than the 1970s concourse that it replaced.

Says Boris Johnson, ‘The incredibleregeneration of King’s Cross continues apace.Network Rail is renovating this historiclocation with ingenuity and flair and thiswonderful new square will be the perfectgateway to almost 70 acres of new publicspaces, businesses and homes for Londoners,setting a new standard that we should aspire

to for all future station redevelopment.’ David Higgins, Network Rail chief executive,

added, ‘The new square will be a stunningentrance to the King’s Cross area. It has led tomore than £2.2bn of private investmenttransforming the area into an exciting centrefor business, knowledge and the arts of whichthe capital can be proud. If ever proof wereneeded that investment in rail provides acatalyst for wider economic growth, this is it.’

King’s crossofficial opening

“Network Rail is renovatingthis historic location withingenuity and flair…”boRIS JohnSon,mayoR oF LonDon



newS

criticalbiomass

nine daywonder

Katherinenames highspeed train

hard working designers at Lloyd’sRegister Rail UK and w h Davishave developed a new biomasswagon, one of the largest of its kind.

Says Richard Gibney, ProfessionalHead of Traction and Rolling Stock,Lloyd’s Register Rail UK, ‘This isthe sort of project that designersrelish. An opportunity to return toan existing design and re-imaginethe entire concept, takingadvantage of what we have learntfrom the performance of thecurrent model, removing some ofthe inefficiencies and delivering atruly optimised design.’

The wagon will transportbiomass from the ports of Tyne,Hull and Immingham to DraxPower Station, near Selby, for usein generating low carbon,renewable electricity.

At 18.9m long with top doorsstretching 18.2m and bottom doorsof 3.7m, the supersize wagon has a

capacity of 116 cubic metresallowing a biomass load weighing71.6 tonnes. Its volume is almost30 per cent bigger than any freightwagon currently used in the UK.

Speaking at the unveilingceremony, at York’s NationalRailway Museum Peter Emery,Drax’s production director said, ‘Ourtransformation to become one ofEurope’s largest renewablegenerators through the use ofsustainable biomass means we neednew, bigger and better rail wagons.

‘We need to keep the biomassdry, move more of it and speed upthe process of delivery. Thefinished product is an industry-leading design and fulfils all thecriteria we set. We may belaunching it in a museum but thiswagon is no museum piece andwill not be surpassed for manyyears to come.’

Vehicle manufacturers WH Davismet the design specification byworking to a measurementtolerance of 5mm, the highest

possible and half that normallyassociated with wagonmanufacturing.

Ian Whelpton, sales andmarketing director of WH Davissaid, ‘This has been one of themost challenging fabrications wehave undertaken, but by workingwith the wagon designers from thebeginning, we have been able tomanufacture the requiredinnovations and achieve thesignificantly increased cubiccapacity.’

britain’s best-ever female rowerhas promised her mum a ride ona train named after her.

Katherine Grainger unveiledher train during a visit to StPancras International station.Says Southeastern’s engineeringdirector, Wayne Jenner,‘Southeastern’s high speedservice played an important partin the success of the London2012 Games, and to honour thiswe’ve named the fleet of trainsafter some of Britain’s greatest-ever Olympians. We took thetrain naming to an employeevote, and Katherine was a clearchoice.’

A delighted Dr Grainger said, ‘It’scrazy! I love it! It’s all so surreal. Ican’t wait to take my mum for atrip on my train. Thank you toSoutheastern, this is a hugehonour.’

network Rail is using a nine dayplanned blockade to replace tenmiles of track on the cross-borderwrexham-Shrewsbury railway.

The £10.5m project involves re-aligning the railway andstrengthening the 165-year oldCefn Viaduct. Improvements andwaterproofing works will preservethe grade II listed viaduct forfuture generations.

Says Mark Langman, routemanaging director, Network RailWales, ‘This latest investment inthe future of the railways acrossWales and the border counties ofEngland forms a key part of ourmodernisation plans to bring therailway across the region into the21st century.’




youth powerhelps withoverheadsa scheme to help address theskills issues facing the overheadLine sector is underway after thecarillion Rail/SPL Powerlinespartnership recruited its firstgroup of trainees.

Twenty-four trainees, split acrosstwo groups at the specialisttraining facilities in Doncaster,South Yorkshire and Coatbridge,east of Glasgow, will undergo ayear-long training programme toarm them with the skills andqualifications required to work onthe railway network.

Network Rail is planning a £2billion programme of investmentin electrification between 2014 and2019 as it seeks to expand capacityacross the rail network. CarillionRail, working in partnership withSPL Powerlines, is part of aframework panel of tier 1contractors bidding to help deliver.

Industry analysts estimate that,by 2016, the rail electrificationsector will need upwards of 2,000skilled linemen, which is 10 timesthe current capacity.

The partnership is committed tohelping overcome this challengeand has invested in trainingfacilities that will help increase thenumber of skilled linemenavailable to the industry.

The facilities in Doncaster andCoatbridge, in addition to thepartnership’s other operations inCrewe, Milton Keynes andBishopbriggs, are centres ofexcellence for the industry andfeature specialist training spans,which replicate OHL installationand maintenance operations.

The trainees, who were recruitedlocally, will undertake an initialthree-stage training programme,which will lead, ultimately, tothem being able to work onOverhead Line Equipment (OLE)without supervision.

Over the period of the trainingthe group will work towardsqualifications from industry bodyOverhead Line EquipmentCompetency (OLEC) at level 1, 2 and

3. Modules include Personal TrackSafety (PTS), manual handling andharness use through to working onOLE under supervision.

centres of excellenceOnce the main body of the

training programme is completeafter a year the trainees will beplaced on an OLEC3 course, which,once passed and after a period ofmentoring and assessment theywill be able to work unsupportedon OLE projects.

Mark Davies, Managing Directorfor Carillion Rail, said, ‘Addressingthe skills challenges facing thesector are vital if the industry is tomeet the scale of Network Rail’selectrification programme. Inaddition to supporting the growthof Carillion Rail and SPLPowerlines workforces, the skillsdevelopment we are offering, andthe investment the twoorganisations have made intraining resources, will offer widerbenefits to the electrificationsector.’

Gerhard Ehringer, CEO SPLPowerlines Group, said,‘Welcoming this intake of traineesis a significant step forward for ourindustry’s skills requirements.Network Rail’s electrificationprogramme marks a significantnew chapter for this sector, but itis essential that contractors can

call upon a pool of skilled workers.‘Through the creation of our

centres of excellence we can armnew entrants to the industry withrelevant skills and qualificationsthat will allow them to play anessential role in the improvementof the UK rail network.’

Jack miller, a guard with c2c hasbeen praised for saving a man’slife at London’s Limehousestation.

Mr Miller, 24, formerly workedas a cardio ward assistant atSouthend Hospital. When the 48year old man collapsed JackMiller sprung in to action.

Says Jack, ‘I was doing someovertime and a passenger camedown and said someone hadcollapsed. We got up on theplatform and everyone wassurrounding the chap. I noticedhe had stopped breathing andwas going into arrest, so I quicklyrolled him over and showed apassenger how to do chestcompressions while I opened hisairway.’

Other railway staff kept thecrowds back and called for anambulance as Jack Miller and aparamedic managed to get the

man breathing again. Brett Cooper, c2c manager said,

‘Since Jack joined us in October2011, he’s always been willing togo that extra mile for ourcustomers. With his experienceworking in a hospital cardio wardand his calmness under pressure,he was the ideal person to be onthe scene. Everyone at c2c is veryproud of him, and I know hisfamily is, too.’

Life Saver Praised

Trainee Adam Robertson, Carillion Rail’s

Andy Hunter, SPL Powerlines’ Kenny Dobbie

and trainee Joe McGowan.

“Welcoming this intakeof trainees is asignificant step forwardfor our industry’s skillsrequirements…”



PeoPLe newS

a former Virgin trains driver has been creditedwith helping boost passenger numbers on theSwanage Railway.

Loadings soared by 6.6 per cent during RichardJones’ first four months as general manager of theSwanage Railway. Jones was previously generalmanager of the Bodmin & Wenford Railway inCornwall and is a life long railway supporter.

The Swanage job on the Isle of Purbeck marks areturn to Dorset for the 53-year-old father of twowho was a mathematics advisor with DorsetCounty Council for two years before he started anew career as a Virgin Trains driver and trainmanager.

Before his move to Dorset, and aftergraduating in 1982, Richard was a teacher atschools in Cheshire, Somerset and Devon. ‘I am

full of admiration for all those who haveworked tirelessly over the last 40 years or so todevelop the Swanage Railway and ensure it hasachieved the success it so richly deserves.

‘The challenge for the future is to continueachieving, improving and developing over thenext 40 plus years. My vision for the future,shared by many, is for the Swanage Railway tocontinue to consolidate and enhance itsposition as one of the country’s premier andmost respected heritage railways throughrecreating a typical 1950s Southern branch linefor the local community and visitors toPurbeck to benefit from and enjoy,’ saysRichard.

Connections with main line services atWareham are planned from 2015.

Purbeck success for Dorset driver

august teamGraduates

Legendary mainline steam driver,Don clarke, has stepped downfrom the footplate after a railwaycareer spanning five decades.

Don started on the railway inAugust 1964, working at Nine Elmsheds, and qualified as a driver in1971. For his final driving turn, Dondrove a former Nine Elms engine35028 Clan Line on the BritishPullman. He was rostered with hisfireman son, James, who hasfollowed his father onto therailway to become a diesel driver.

Speaking to RailStaff’s Jonathan

Webb, Don said, ‘I’ll miss drivingsteam on the mainline, but I’ll notmiss the shift work associatedwith diesels, 49 years of shift workis enough for anyone.’

Upon his return with Clan Line, alocomotive he fired many timeswhen at Nine Elms, to LondonVictoria on 3 August Don wasmobbed by passengers wanting hisautograph and their photographtaken with him next to thelocomotive. Everyone at Nine Elmswished Don every success in hisretirement.

the five decade Don

a team of new train conductorshas completed training withGreater anglia.

The team was presented withcertificates by Peter Lensink, GreaterAnglia’s Operations Director, at agraduation ceremony in Norwich.Trainee conductors undergo a 16-week training programme wherethey learn all the operational,commercial and customer servicerequirements of the job.

Says Peter Lensink, GreaterAnglia’s Operations Director, ‘I ampleased to welcome our newlygraduated conductors to theconductors’ team and I should liketo wish them every success intheir new careers.’

the Settle and carlisle Railwayhad a surprise visit recentlyfrom the Right ReverendGraham Dow, who was untilrecently the bishop of carlisle.

A life long rail supporter,Graham Dow has, since hisretirement, become a hardworking trustee of the Settle-Carlisle Railway Trust. Hispredecessor as Bishop ofCarlisle, Ian Harland, was also atrustee.

The bishop and his familytook the opportunity to see therestored water tower at thestation when they came toSettle to see and photographthe Cumbrian MountainExpress racing through Settlehauled by the steam locomotiveDuchess of Sutherland. GrahamDow was kind enough to blessthe water tower.

Railwaybishop atSettle

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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.

alan Dick communications(Key supplier to the UK Railsignalling and synergy upgradeprogram working with major TierOne suppliers. Having workedwith Network Rail for over 10years, they have an unrivalledunderstanding of the FTN andGSM-R network. The business hasdelivered major integration,upgrade, spares managementand first line maintenanceprograms for Network Rail aswell as for major operators suchas Vodaphone, Airwave and T-Mobile.) www.alandickcomms.com

ballast tools (UK) Ltd(Major supplier of tools andequipment for the maintenance ofrail track and permanent waysince 1990) www.btukltd.com

Purcell(Leading Architects and HistoricBuilding Consultants) www.purcelluk.com

Rail order Ltd(Rail Order Ltd specialises in thesupply of traction and rollingstock, spares, in house repair andassembly, train presentationmaterials and equipment to theUK rail industry. Clients includetrain operators, maintainers andinfrastructure companies. Recentlyacquired by Alan DickCommunications, they now benefitfrom 56,000 sq.ft. of advancedfacilities.) www.rail-order.co.uk

hydrapower Dynamics Ltd(Hydrapower lead the field in hose& tube manipulation/pipe assemblymanufacture up to 90mm diameter

covering a wide range of materials,supplied throughout the world tomany train builders, operators andsuppliers. Also supplying &maintaining a wide range ofFinnpower end crimping & hosecutting machinery) www.hydrapower-dynamics.com

aqua(Manufacturer of rail trackdrainage systems & signalingancillary products) www.aquafab.co.uk

Quality consultancy &Inspection Group Ltd(Providers of support to theAerospace, Automotive, Rail &Power generation sectors withwarehousing, inspection, productsequencing & distribution ofcustomer supplied product) www.qci-group.com

the-labelling-company.com(Specialist suppliers of industriallabeling and signage for heavyindustry sectors often in hostileworking environments includingOil & Gas, Rail, Steel and Nuclear.UK Agent for Rebo bv., establishedin the Netherlands in 1976 andrecognized as a leadingmanufacturer of heavy dutyindustrial labeling and signsystems) www.the-labelling-company.com

costain Ltd(One of the UK’s leadingengineering solutions providers,delivering integrated consulting,project delivery and operationsand maintenance services tomajor blue-chip customers in Railand other targeted marketsectors) www.costain.com

new members

where did the summer go? For usat the Rail alliance it has reallyflown by.

The Network Rail Plant Show inJuly was a great success. On theback of that we have launched twomajor programs for the autumnand beyond: HiTech Rail with theUniversity of Birmingham and theTesting Voucher Scheme in amajor collaboration with theEnabling Innovation Team.

In parallel with the latter we arealso busy conducting a majorstudy for the EIT in to the barriersfor entry in to the rail market, bothfor existing and new players. Weare keen to hear from you on thissubject so please contact us [email protected] with yourviews.

Busy program of eventsOver the coming months the Rail

Alliance has a busy program ofevents and shows. The highlightwithout doubt will be the RailStaff

Awards at the ICC on 5th Octoberwhere Colin Flack will once againbe looking after proceedings.

Later in the month, inpartnership with CoventryUniversity and supported by RailMedia Group we are delighted to berunning a two day conference onRail Interiors. This ground breakingnew event will take a good look atthe opportunities available tocompanies large and small.

We are also delighted to be one ofthe sponsors of RVE 2013 in Derbyon 3rd October. Our new memberspotlight competition this monthhas been won by Erico, a newFrench member who are lookingfor partners here in the UK.

Summer Success

eRIco is a worldwide company founded in 1903 manufacturing railconnections and accessories to provide the railway industry withreliable solutions for reduced maintenance.

Well-known as a rail specialist thanks to some flagship products suchas ERICONTACT (single and double contacts for rail web connection)and tools for rail-drilling machines, we also produce exothermicwelding CADWELD and CADDY clips for cable management.

The main purpose of our systems is to achieve the best permanentelectrical rail connection such as rail joint bonding, signal bonding orearthing connection continuity. Customers include SNCF, DeutscheBahn and Infrabel as well as major contractors.

Here is a resume of the rail products we provide :Rail contacts - ERICONTACTS - offering a very high quality connection

to the rail web with a very low contact resistance.Welded studs for manganese crossings with CADWELD: reliable anti-

corrosive electrical rail connection on track crossing.CADDY clips for cable management: cable fixation clips and reheating

elements to install along the rail, under the rail base, on the rail web oron the concrete sleepers.

Earthing bonds for bridges and tunnels: prefabricated connections toencase in concrete.For more information on eRIco products, please feel free to contactGuillaume Rey, Regional Sales manager, europe: [email protected] orphone: +33 (0)477361805.

eRIco: electrical RailwayImprovement company



RaIL aLLIance newS

another major venture for the Railalliance this autumn is the launchof the £2.3m european RegionalDevelopment Fund (eRDF) hitechRail project where we are strategicpartners to the University ofbirmingham.

This program will extend overthe next three years helping localcompanies develop anddemonstrate new concepts. HiTechRail will draw on theinternationally leading railwayexpertise of the University of

Birmingham Centre for RailResearch and Education and our indepth knowledge of the sector.

We are particularly interested inworking with companies who arebased in the West Midlands andwho have interests in:

• Condition Monitoring• Software and Data Processing• Energy Saving• Non-destructive Testing• Traffic Management• Geotechnics• New Components• New product or process

IntroductionFor those companies who are not

eligible under this program theymay be supported through theTesting Voucher Scheme or anumber of other funding programsthat the Rail Alliance are workingwith. As ever just call or email [email protected]

working in partnership with the enablingInnovation team (eIt) the Rail alliance hasbeen selected to host this exciting new scheme.

The Rail Alliance Testing Voucher Schemegives up to five days subsidised access to theRail Alliance proving ground facility at our LongMarston site near Stratford on Avon inWarwickshire, home of the Network Rail TrackPlant Exhibition.

Depending on individual requirements thismay include test loop and infrastructure,traction, rolling stock and trials staff time. Therolling stock and track is available for the fitmentof trial or new context products. Destructive aswell as non-destructive testing is permissible.

There are very few restrictions on this activitywhich can be conducted 24/7 although this mayattract an additional cost if out of normalworking hours. The site has a workshop facilityand competent staff are available for a variety oftasks such as fitting, fabricating etc. A rollingstock engineer is available for assisting with tests.

This scheme is open to Small and Mediumsized Enterprises (SMEs) as well as Universitiesand Colleges.

BenefitsEnable the practical development, trialling and

demonstration of innovative or new solutionsfor the rail market.

Open to qualifying SMEs andAcademic/Research bodies.

The site will be made available on a day ratetypically between £150 and £200 (depending onthe details of the requirement) for up to five dayssubsidised support. Further activity beyond this isavailable but will be outside of the scheme.

ProcessApplications should be made direct to

[email protected] with EIT Scheme inthe subject line. All that is required is a briefoutline of the proposal and a member of theteam will then contact you to discuss thedetails and to make a firm booking.

Applicants will be encouraged to either attendone of the monthly briefing days or if that is notpossible, to arrange a visit to the site to betterunderstand its capabilities.

Rail alliance testingVoucher Scheme

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RaIL aLLIance newS

are you an existing supplier to therailways or would you like to be?

The Rail Alliance and Rail MediaGroup, in collaboration withCoventry University, are proud tooffer you the opportunity to helpshape the rail sector of the future.

Rail Interiors: The Inside Story -will take place at CoventryUniversity on 24th and 25thOctober 2013. For the chance toexplore the latest thinking on railinteriors and showcase yourinnovation, read on…

Opportunities in railThere is currently a multi billion

pound pool of existing and futureopportunities in rail, supported bythe government and the railindustry. These opportunities willbe essential elements in thedelivery of the railway of the 21stcentury.

By setting in place a 30-yearvision for the rail sector, the RailTechnical Strategy, published in2012, demonstrates that railwayshave a bright and exciting future.

Design and technology have avital role to play in improving therailway’s performance anddelivering a better travellingexperience for passengers. We canonly do this if our approach isgrounded in the best research andinnovation available to us.

Step-change in railRail Interiors: The Inside Story

will help you get onboard with thisstep-change in rail. Register nowto:

Explore new materials andtechnologies that could improvethe design of next generationtrains

Gain exposure to 1st tier railcompanies

Showcase your research,capabilities and innovativeproducts and services

Network with other key playersin the rail sector includingcustomers and suppliers

Benefit from financial supportopportunities

Hear from leading industryexperts

Amongst other exciting areas,the event will cover thefollowing: Design; Ergonomics;Comfort; Materials;Manufacturing; Rail safety; Railcustomer experience.

Rail Interiors: The Inside Storyis already attracting interest fromdelegates, so register now to avoiddisappointment.

There are a number ofsponsorship/exhibitingopportunities available, which willenable forward-thinkingbusinesses to expose their servicesand skill sets to an audience ofdelegates who are ready to bringthe railway sector into the modernera.

To register interest [email protected]

We look forward to seeing you on24th October.

WANTED: Innovative rail interior solutions totransform the rail customer’s experience

RaIL InteRIoRS: the InSIDe StoRy





It’s 10 years since army railengineers went into Iraq toresurrect its defunct railway. Ianhammond, network Rail SeniorProject engineer and territorialarmy captain, recalls a tough job,reports andrew Robbins.

Captain Ian Hammond, of theRoyal Engineers’ 170 InfrastructureSupport Engineer Group, lookedaround him approvingly from theTerritorial Army (TA) recruitingstand at the National Track PlantShow.

“There’s a real buzz about the railindustry these days, and it’s beengreat walking around; seeing thelatest technology and meeting oldcolleagues,” said the armyreservist, whose day job withNetwork Rail involves developingsafer working systems as part ofthe National Electrification SafetyImprovement Programme.

Mission to IraqA decade earlier, Ian was one of

the specialist rail engineers sentinto the chaotic aftermath of the2003 invasion of Iraq. The team’stask was to get the long-defunctrail line between the southerncities of Basra and Umm Qasr –Iraq’s only deep water port – backup and running.

“I’ve been in the TA for 25 years.It was always my aspiration to jointhe army, but marriage, mortgageand career made the TA the nextbest option,” said Ian.

Along with the other TAengineers, Ian was called up tojoin the 64 Works Group of theRoyal Engineers, workingalongside United States railoperator personnel and, in time,Iraqi locals.

Umm Qasr to Basra“Our job was to reinstate 250km

of defunct line, enabling trains torun on it again. Basically, it wasthe southern end of the Iraqirailway, from Umm Qasr to Basra,”he said.

Although the line had escapedsignificant damage from the waritself, the area was littered withunexploded ordnance. In addition,decades of neglect and lack ofresources had left theinfrastructure in a state ofdilapidation.

Despite all this, the resourcefulIraqi railway employees had keptthe system going – and were keento help get it operational again.

Civilian hands“Once the war fighting settled

down, we found the Iraqi peoplewho’d worked on the railway andgainfully employed them,” said Ian.

“In these situations, we get inand try to repair the infrastructure.Then, very quickly, we transfer itback into civilian hands. That’s theway to stabilise a country.

“If you take it over and run ityourself, it doesn’t work. For us,that meant training the Iraqis sothey could run their own railwayafter we’d gone.”

Within two weeks ofdeployment, the engineers had anIraqi workforce back on the books,and were starting to take overrunning the railway.

“They were very happy with thisarrangement,” recalled Ian.“Railwaymen are railwaymenwherever you go, and the Iraqiswere no exception. They wereabsolutely passionate about theirrailway, and took a real pride in it.”

Pride and determinationThe Iraqi’s pride in their railway

extended to a fierce determinationto protect it and keep it running,En

gine

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at W

arIan Hammond,

Senior Project Engineer,

Network Rail, and

Territorial Army Captain.


added Ian.“After the war began, the train drivers, for

example, were so frightened that people wouldrob the engines of valuable parts that theycamped in the locomotives to make sure theywere secure.

“They brought us back to basics as well. Theseguys had no power tools. They cut rail by hand,using the equivalent of a massive hacksaw, withhandles at both ends. They drilled holes forfishplate bolts by hand as well.”

Desert engineering“On top of that, they had simple engineering

solutions to deal with the conditions theyoperated in, such as extreme rail temperatures.

“We tend to worry if rail temperatures get to40 degrees. Out there, it regularly exceeds 50 –and drops below freezing in the winter.

“The Iraqis didn’t have a breather rail system.Instead, they inserted ‘noggins’ of rail, ofvarious thicknesses, in the joints between therails. When the temperature reached a certainpoint, they took one noggin out and replaced itwith another – thinner or thicker, depending onthe expansion or contraction involved.”

Power tool legacyFortunately for Ian and his colleagues, manual

working was not necessary.“We travel with very simple power tools:

tampers, disc cutters, rail drills, sleeper drills,impact wrenches – plus the usual hand toolssuch as sleeper/rail tongs, ballast shovels/forks,spanners, crowbars, and so on.

“If needs be, we can build a railway with themfrom scratch, as plant may not be available tous.

“One of the last things we did for our Iraqi

colleagues was to negotiate some money for therailway. We secured them about £30,000, so theycould get their own motorised tool kit.”

Job doneIn May 2003, the first passenger service ran on

the rebuilt line.“People were going off to see relatives that

they hadn’t seen in years,” said Ian.“As for the railway people, they really didn’t

want us to go!”

Army rail capabilityToday, Ian serves as a part-time reservist with

the 507 Specialist Teams Royal Engineers (STRE)Railways unit; part of the wider 170Infrastructure Group.

The 507 is now the only unit of railwayengineers in the regular army or TA with aspecialised railway design and constructionsupervision capability, for all aspects of railinfrastructure and permanent way.

The unit also conducts railway trainingsupport for other units, and is able to carry outconstruction projects with its own resources,and support the Army in its operationsworldwide.

Recruiting rail skills“507 STRE recruits from Network Rail and

some rail infrastructure contractors,” explainedIan.

“We’re adept at building things, projectmanaging and so on. It’s a phenomenal range of

skills. “We can look at a bare bit of ground, and if

someone says: ‘I want a railway from A to B, wecan design that and cost it out, down to the lastwasher.

“Other volunteer STRE units have differentinfrastructure skills; such as people who can setup and run power systems, drill wells for water,or maintain port facilities.

“Their units recruit people from the widercivilian industries. We’re always looking forgood people with the right experience.”

Army lifeSo would Ian recommend a part-time army

life to his rail industry colleagues?“It’s definitely worth it,” he said. “For one

thing, you get so many management skills asyou go up in rank, and that’s helped me in myrole at Network Rail.

“At the National Track Plant Show at LongMarston, we had a lot of contractors coming toour stand. They were looking for top-endpeople, from sappers right up to officers. That’ssays a lot for the way military engineers areregarded.

“If you’re interested in putting your skills togood use in a very different role – anddeveloping your career at the same time –joining the TA’s rail engineers is definitelysomething worth thinking about.”

For more information about joining a RoyalEngineers STRE team, email: [email protected]


newS


Expanding Nottingham’s tramsystem is already benefitting thelocal economy creating jobs andopportunities for local businesses.

Using local firms and skilledpeople from across the EastMidlands is one of the scheme’score commitments.

Says Phil Hewitt, Chief Executiveof Tramlink Nottingham, ‘We madea strong commitment to work withlocal companies wherever possibleand I’m delighted our constructionpartner, the Taylor WoodrowAlstom Joint Venture (TWA), hasbeen able to deliver these positiveresults so far.

‘It reflects a real willingness towork with the local community onall levels. We’re creating a tramnetwork for the future ofNottingham and we want the localeconomy to benefit as far aspossible whilst we’re building it.

‘The project to expandNottingham’s tram network haspassed a major milestone withover £70 million worth of contracts

placed with businesses in the EastMidlands region. The three-yeardesign and build project, which isextending the network by 17.5kilometres to Chilwell and Clifton,is now well underway.

City councillor, Jane Urquhart,who runs transport planning atNottingham City Council, said,‘The news that local businessesare benefiting from millions of

pounds worth of contracts on thetram extension is not only atremendous boost for Nottinghambusinesses but for the widereconomic health of the wholeregion. It is particularly pleasingthat this news swiftly follows therecent announcement that theNET contractor is employingnearly 1,000 (staff) 35% of whomcome from the city.’

A Midland Metro tram has beenrepainted in the city’s original blueand cream livery.

Centro, which runs MidlandMetro, wanted to mark the returnof trams to the city centre,scheduled for 2015, sixty yearsafter they were withdrawn. Veterancouncillor, Theresa Stewart,Birmingham‘s first female leaderwho ran the city council between

1993 and 1999 and was Lord Mayorfrom 2000-2001, unveiled Tram No11 – repainted in BirminghamCorporation colours.

The last trams ran in 1953 butwill return to the city centre in2015 when an extension to theMidland Metro from Snow Hill toNew Street station is completed.No 11 is named after the formerLabour councillor Theresa Stewart.

As a prominent member of theWest Midlands PassengerTransport Authority TheresaStewart played a leading role inpersuading the John Majorgovernment of the early 1990s togive the go-ahead for the MidlandMetro line.

Now aged 83 Mrs Stewart said, ‘Iam delighted and very flattered tosee the Metro named after me inthe old corporation colours. Iremember very well the meetingsin parliament and the campaign toget permission to open the Metro.’

Says Centro chairman JohnMcNicholas, ‘I am delighted thatTheresa Stewart has been able tojoin us. People who remember thetrams in their old BirminghamCorporation colours do so withgreat affection and nostalgia. Thefact that trams are once againreturning to the streets of the cityis a major milestone for publictransport in Birmingham.’

Trams first started running in

Birmingham in 1872 when theBirmingham and DistrictTramways Co. Ltd opened a linefrom the Birmingham boundary atHockley Brook, throughHandsworth to West Bromwich.The new £40m Midland Metro fleetis made by CAF of Spain and willform part of the £128 millionMidland Metro extension, which isdue to open in 2015.


Original livery honours Birmingham leader

New drivers on the Edinburgh tramnetwork have started training.

The news comes at the sametime as an announcementregarding an integrated ticketingsystem with Lothian Buses.Passengers will be able to purchasea single ticket that can be used onboth trams and buses. A report bythe city council predicts a profit of£3.7 million over the first 15-years.

The 12 drivers for the soon toopen Edinburgh tram networkhave been undertaking trainingruns near Edinburgh Airport. Over350 people applied for the dozenpositions. Services for passengersshould start next summer. The 16stop 8.5 mile line will connectEdinburgh Airport with the citycentre at Princes Street and StAndrew’s Square.

The 27 trams serving the routewill move quietly and quickly witha top speed of 43 mph. Each tramcan carry 250 people.

Edinburghtram training

Tram boost for local economy

Theresa Stewart on board the tram with

John McNicholas, Centro chairman.

The expanding tram system is

directly benefitting Nottingham.



NEWS

Up up and away Light engine to LoughboroughA £450,000 project to renovate thestation canopy at Loughboroughstation on the Great CentralRailway, one of the largest stationroofs on a heritage railway, hasbeen completed.Renovating the grade II listed

canopy, which dates from around1898, involved replacing 860 panesof glass and over 1300 daggerboards which surround the edge ofthe canopy. The work was

coordinated by GCR volunteers,who were also able to refurbishsome of the original woodencomponents, with contractorsbuilding the new steelwork andinstalling the glass. Known as Loughborough’s

‘Crystal Palace’ the new stationroof allows much more naturallight onto the platforms andshould see the station fit foranother century.

Transport Minister Norman Bakerhas urged train companies topublish train crowding informationin a simple traffic light system.

The idea is to let passengersknow which services are the mostcrowded. Staff at London Midlandhave already been making thisinformation available to theircustomers via posters at stations.Inspired by their example Bakerwants to see the practice adoptedacross England and Wales. ‘Publication of train-by-train

crowding information is, in theshort term, an important tool for

allowing passengers to makeinformed choices about whichtrains to travel on, andconvincing those passengers whocan change their travel patternsto do so.’ Several train companies,

including Greater Anglia, arealready providing more detailedinformation for passengers but theapproach London Midland hastaken to keep their passengers

informed is being held up as anexample of best practice. For stations on routes into

Birmingham and London thecompany publishes details of eachof their services at the busiesttimes and colour codes them - red,amber or green - depending onhow crowded they are. This givespassengers the choice to alter theirtravel plans to catch a lesscrowded train.

Red lightspells‘crowded’

A group of pupils from BablakeSchool in Coventry won a NetworkRail helicopter trip over theMidlands after winning theEngineering Education Scheme.Aniruddha Bose, Andrew

Haughian, Joshua Rowe and JamesTumber won the trip fromNetwork Rail after topping acompetition at the EngineeringEducation Scheme. Said teacher, Sam Williams, who

accompanied the team, ‘This wasa memorable and inspiring start toa new term for the group as theypursue their A2 studies. The flyingroute, which was at 1000 feet toavoid the flight path of fixed wing

planes, took our pupils overBablake, out to Hinckley andNuneaton and then south toKenilworth.’ Sam Williams thanked

Programme Director for Track,Network Rail, Steve Featherstone,who organised the flight. The Engineering Education

Scheme is an EDT Programmewhich links teams of schoolstudents and their teacher with localcompanies to work on scientific,engineering and technologicalproblems. Network Rail takes a keeninterest in all schemes designed topromote interest in engineeringamong young people.

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18 www.railstaff.co.uk18 www.railstaff.co.uk

A pet food superstore will form part of anambitious retail development on the site ofthe former goods yard at Hexham station inNorthumberland.

Network Rail has been granted planningpermission for a major redevelopment of thesite. The investment will also deliver stationimprovements for passengers and staff. Thescheme will transform the 3.2 acre site andinclude a 20,000 sq ft Homebase and garden

centre as well as units for Majestic Winesand Pets at Home. Passengers will benefitfrom new pedestrian and step-free access tothe northern platform (platform 1).

Says Stuart Kirkwood, head ofdevelopment at Network Rail, ‘This schemeis our first direct development, making it asignificant one for Network Rail. This newapproach enables us to stay in thedevelopment cycle for longer and retain

ownership of the property. By developing thesite in this way we will earn financialreturns which can be fed back to support ourrailway investment.

‘Schemes such as Hexham will help toreduce public subsidy of the railway, by usingcommercial proceeds to upgrade stations atno cost to the taxpayer.’ All profits generatedfrom Network Rail’s commercial activity arereinvested in the railway.

A platform for a Smart TicketingAlliance has been created by VDVKA of Germany, ITSO from the UK,Afimb from France, the EU’sCalypso Networks and UITP.

Objectives of the alliance includeco-operation between national andregional smart ticketing schemesin order that the foundations maybe set to establish interoperabilityacross Europe and elsewhere, co-operation with internationalbodies to promote interoperabilityand to agree, develop and publishtechnical and functionalrequirements to enable smartticketing interoperability.

An invitation to join the alliancehas been extended to otherregional and national ticketingschemes, with full membershipoffered to national ticketing andregional authorities and operators.

Billet-DouxIf Grand Central receives approvalto operate services beyond 2016 itplans to replace its HSTs withClass 180 Adelantes.

As an open-access train operator,Grand Central operates under aTrack Access Contract approved bythe Office of Rail Regulation. Thecurrent 28 day consultation periodwill seek views on the extension ofGrand Central’s current contractuntil 2026.

Says Richard McClean, ManagingDirector of Grand Central, ‘Overthe next few years, we plan tomake very significant investmentsin our train fleet and supportingstations and infrastructure. Weare applying to extend our currentTrack Access Contract for tenyears as we want the opportunityto grow and improve our servicefor Grand Central’s passengers

and communities.’ Other plans include bringing a

further platform at Hartlepool back

into use. Grand Central becamepart of the Arriva group which isowned by Deutsche Bahn in 2011.

Animal magic for Hexham station

Adelantes for Grand Central

© JO

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NEWS


The public will eventually have access toScotland’s Forth Bridge, says NetworkRail.

Plans have been put forward for a visitorcentre and viewing platform linked by alift in North Queensferry, and a smallerbase to coordinate guided walks to the topof the south tower in South Queensferry.

Says David Simpson, route managingdirector, Network Rail Scotland, ‘After 10years spent restoring the bridge to its fullglory, and in advance of the applicationfor world heritage listing, these plans willoffer the public the chance to visit thebridge and see it ‘close-up’ for the firsttime. We are hugely excited by theseproposals and believe that they have thepotential to be developed into animportant new visitor attraction forScotland.’

Visitors go Forth

Transport Secretary, PatrickMcLoughlin has announced plansto electrify the Oxenholme –Windermere branch line inCumbria.

Once the proposed £16m schemeis agreed, more reliable electrictrains could link Kendal, Burnesideand Staveley directly toManchester by 2016.

Says Transport Secretary PatrickMcLoughlin, ‘This is a key line toone of the most important touristareas in the UK and I believe therail industry has a role in makingsure more people can travelcomfortably to enjoy the beautifullakes.

‘I recognise that strong rail linksacross the country are importantdrivers in our economic recoveryat a national and regional level.That is why we are pushing ahead

with the biggest programmes ofrail electrification ever.’

Current schemes for railwayelectrification include electrifyingManchester - Liverpool andManchester - Bolton routes by2016. If the business case is agreedNetwork Rail will take forward theproject in conjunction with otherelectrification projects in thenorth-west.

Electric lakeland

The company behind the DaventryInternational Rail Freight Terminalplans to significantly expand the site.

Prologis has applied forpermission to build DIRFT IIIwhich will expand over the nearbyformer radio mast site nearHilmorton creating over 9,000 jobs.The rail connected development

will include over 70 hectares ofwarehousing, covering over 163hectares of land in addition to a3.5 hectare HGV parking site.

Daventry opened in 1997. Thefirst intermodal freight train intothe site, hauled by an RfD class 47,formed the front page of the firstedition of RailStaff.

Third Edition forExpanding Daventry

“I recognise thatstrong rail links acrossthe country areimportant drivers inour economic recoveryat a national andregional level…”

© JO

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The Venice-Simplon Orient Express (VSOE)holds a special affection in the mind of bothrailway insiders and outsiders. To travel inthis iconic train represents an essential tickon life’s to-do list and the opportunitypresented to RailStaff to experience ajourney on its sister train, British Pullman,was irresistible.

The luxury service presents a rail travelexperience of a different vintage. Trainsregularly leave London destined for some ofEurope’s major cities, including, amongothers, Paris, Budapest and, of course,Venice.

In the UK, the British Pullman andNorthern Belle trains embark on classic

tours of the British countryside and for thisjourney we followed a circular tour throughsuburban London and the Surrey hills.

Passengers sat waiting for the train’sarrival at London Victoria are welcomed byonboard staff and a brass band in thestation’s authentic 1920’s reception, beforebeing shown to their reserved seats orprivate carriage.

A big attraction of the journey is thesteam haulage in the shape of Clan Line.Its immaculate presentation and runningwas a testament to the members of theMerchant Navy Locomotive PreservationSociety who get to travel in the locos ownsupport coach.

Each Pullman car interior has its owndistinct marquetry providing the backdropto the five-course meal, with the main

course timed to coincide with a layover atShalford when the loco makes a stop forwater.

The present day VSOE was launched in theearly 1980s, several years after the operatorof the original Orient Express, CompagnieInternationale des Wagons-Lits, withdrewthe service, blaming the rise of high-speedtrains and air travel for its decline.

American businessman James Sherwoodpurchased two of the vintage cars at anauction in Monte Carlo and set aboutreviving the iconic service.

Sherwood eventually tracked down 35Pullman carriages and began an intenseperiod of refurbishment to try and realisehis vision to create a train service the equalof any five-star hotel.

VSOE operations and maintenance is

MagicBritish Pullmanon the

Asif Ahmed reports

The British Pullman, sister train to the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, departs throughout theyear from London Victoria, offering a host of journeys to some of Britain’s most famous historiccities, castles, country houses and sporting events. Prices start from £205 per person. For moreinformation and reservations on any of these trips, please call 0845 077 2222 or visit:www.orient-express.com/uktrains



FEATURE

carried out at Stewarts Lane depot and likemany railway operations, the presentationof the train requires many hours ofdedicated maintenance by a highly-skilledteam of engineers and craftsmen.

Currently the train is operating 10Pullman carriages with a support car ateither end. Interestingly the externaldimensions of each car differs according tothe service that it originally worked in BRand pre-BR times. The 11th operationalcarriage “Ione” is in the process of anextensive restoration – the start of what isexpected to be a rolling programme to keepall of the carriages in top condition.

Externally, the Pullman cars aremaintained to a very high standard althoughany attack by lineside vegetation is keenlyfelt by the more experienced VSOE staff.

In an increasingly bland world, it isn’tsurprising that this truly unique and beautifultrain attracts envious looks from the regularrail passengers at all the stations en route.Modern technology and real-time informationnow means that the train is wellphotographed and filmed by enthusiasts aswould never have been possible in the past.

The five-hour journey is over all tooquickly and the usual rush for the exit isreplaced by passengers who are reluctant toleave.

Victoria provides the traveller a finalopportunity to take one last photo of theirpersonal carriage and loco and their proof ofa “to-do” having been well and truly ticked.

With thanks to Venice-Simplon OrientExpress (VSOE)


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HS2: the wider network, the wider bene�ts

industry leaders group

Think Tank, Birmingham Science Museum, Curzon Street, birmingham, b4 7xg.

Thursday 19 September 2013

On September 19th, at Curzon Street Birmingham, Greengauge 21 is holding the one must-attend conference on HS2 for 2013. At this crucial stage, we are taking the opportunity to answer the key questions that still surround HS2.

Our aim for the day is simple: to transform any lingering perception that HS2 is of limited, narrow bene&t. It isn’t: its bene&cial effects extend right across the national rail network. Its impact on the economies of all of the cities and regions it serves will be highly bene&cial – both locally, and ultimately, to the national economy and exchequer.

On the day, we will be showcasing Network Rail’s new research into HS2’s impacts on the wider network, presenting &ndings for the &rst time in a public arena.

We will learn from HS2 Ltd about the new results from its leading edge work examining how the project will impact on city and regional economies, moving beyond the con&nes of traditional transport bene&t cost appraisal. Again, this will be the &rst opportunity to discuss and debate this work in a public arena.

We will hear from a leading independent economist why the north of Britain should be better linked to London and the south east.

The conference is being sponsored by the HSR Industry Leaders Group – a group of private sector businesses that want to see HS2 develop and (ourish.

The day will be attended by key decision makers from both the private and public sectors.

Make sure you are there!

Conference sponsored by:

Conference supported by:


The railway in Britain exerts aforce for good way beyond itsimmediate stations, depots andlines.

After years of apologising forsoaking up public subsidy, railchiefs are rolling out figuresdemonstrating the positiveeconomic impact made byrailways and the people who workon them both at home andabroad. This exuberance willunderscore this year’s RailStaffAwards on 5th October at theInternational Convention Centrein Birmingham.

Substantial investmentThe growth of the railway

directly benefits the places itserves. Figures from Nottinghamattest to substantial investment inlocal firms and new jobs as thetram network is expanded. Thephenomena is equally apparent inScotland as new projects andupgrades gather pace.

Network Rail points out thatlocal firms around the networkincreasingly benefit. Even moreimportant is the effect railwayworkers have on theirsurroundings.

Staff generate businessspending money, buying houses,bringing up children and engagingin the myriad economic activitiesthat make up modern life. Betterpay and more investment willonly increase the phenomena.The railway is an economicdynamo with its people providingthe energy.

It is not only in Britain thatrailway staff have this effect.Railway engineers serve in theterritorial army and have rebuiltrailways in Iraq as AndrewRobbins describes in his highlyreadable article.

Rail tutors from Britain are evennow in Moscow helping RussianRailways senior staff beef up skillsas the huge rail network seeks tobecome more cohesive andprovide better value for money.

Many will raise a wry smile thatwhile our lords and masters inMoscow, London and Washingtonwrangle over foreign affairs fellowrailway men and women arequietly getting on with sharingknowledge and building a betterand safer railway. This overseasinvolvement is nothing new.

Network Rail Consulting waslaunched earlier this year to tradeour skills abroad. In its hey dayBritish Rail had an internationalconsulting arm, Transmark, partof the British Rail ResearchDivision. Railway engineers fromthese shores built railways acrossIndia, Argentina, Canada and theUnited States. Network RailConsulting is already helpingAmtrak’s bid to improve highdensity passenger railways inNew England.

The railway in any country is alabour intensive organisation.Consumers deal directly withsuppliers. Boarding a train you getto see the driver in the cab, theguard in the carriage and railwaystaff on the platforms and in the

ticket office. Survey after surveysays the public values thispersonal touch. This is in markedcontrast to other vastorganisations like telecoms orenergy suppliers where gettingthrough to a real human being issomething of a triumph.

Energise local economiesIf the rail industry is to continue

to energise local economies,improve international relationsand increase usage of railwayshere and abroad its number oneproduct, the staff, needsencouragement and support.

This is traditionally a low wageindustry and although much haschanged now it still suffers fromits people being undervalued. TheRailStaff Awards is an industrywide attempt to put that right.

Successive leaders of NetworkRail and major train companieslike Virgin and FirstGroup havebacked the RailStaff Awards andspelt out the value of celebratingthe excellence of the people onthe shop floor – the driver, trackworkers, signallers, cleaners,ticket clerks, planners andpossession managers.

It is always a long list but thereis place for everyone at theRailStaff Awards. Put bluntly it is achance for the industry to saythanks to the 1000s of peoplewho, modest and self effacing,make it the success it is. Makesure you can be there by bookinga table now – there are still a fewplaces left.

WWW.RAILSTAFFAWARDS.COMAWARDS PARTY: 5th OCTOBER, BIRMINGHAM

Recognising the people who keep the UK rail industry moving.

Award WinningRail Staff stageInternational Rescue

RailStaffAwards

Bodyguard Workwearbacks Customer Service

Navartis backs ProjectManager of the Year

Green Light for Westermo

PAGE 25

PAGE 27

PAGE 29


24 www.railstaffawards.com

PROUD TO SPONSOR

THE DAVID MAIDMENT AWARD

FOR CHARITY AT THIS YEAR’S

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Top quality Manufacturer &Supplier of PPE and SafetyClothing to the rail industry,Bodyguard Workwear Ltd, issponsoring the OutstandingCustomer Service Award at thisyear’s RailStaff Awards.

Says Tom O’Connor of the RailMedia Group, ‘Railways have oneof the closest consumer–supplierrelationships of any industry.Passengers see staff on trains andstations and many realise there’san army of unsung heroes outthere ensuring their trains runsafely and on time.

‘The railway is a labour-intensive,high-skill operation and is safetycritical. Safety is the responsibilityof us all. The industry attachesgreat importance to the quality ofPersonal Protective Equipment. Topquality safety clothing is a staffsafety imperative on the railway.

We are therefore thrilled that

Bodyguard Workwear is backingthe award that recognises thepeople at the heart of our industryand the suppliers who work in allweathers round the clock toensure our customers speed by incomfort and safety.’

Rail staff up and down thenetwork and on major projects likeCrossrail use safety clothing andequipment supplied by BodyguardWorkwear.

Says Kamal Basra, ManagingDirector, Bodyguard Workwear, ‘Somany of the winners of thosenominated for the RailStaff Awardswill be wearing our clothes andusing our PPE, that’s why wedecided to get involved. We aresupplying the very people whomaintain the railway, drive thetrains, renew track and signalling –these are the staff the RailStaffAwards salutes.

‘Looking after the customer –

quite literally making him and hersafe – is at the core of what we doat Bodyguard Workwear. I wisheveryone who has been nominatedevery success at the RailStaffAwards and in their career in thenew rail industry.’

Bodyguard Workwear was beenestablished in 1975 and is now oneof the leading distributors ofSafety Clothing and PPE. Over theyears Bodyguard Workwear hasworked with some of the largestConstruction, Petrochemicals,Utilities and Transport companiesin Britain.

Bodyguard Workwear pridesitself on looking after allcustomers individually from thelargest contractors to the soletrader. Each customer is important.Says Kamal Basra, ‘We prideourselves on excellent customerservice; we are also holders of ISO:9001 certificate for quality

assurance. Having been established for over

35 years, we have gained athorough understanding of safetyclothing. From the exact fabric andmaterials which are required forconstruction of garments, to thedemands which need to be met forthe ultimate wearer. The companyhas been at the forefront oftechnical and Innovative designdevelopment in the safety clothingindustry.’

All Bodyguard Workwear RailSpecification Clothing meets thestringent testing required forGO/RT3279 and this allows ourcustomers to get on with theirbusinesses with complete peace ofmind and reassurance from a firstclass quality supply partner.

Bodyguard Workwear tailors RailStaff’sOutstanding Customer Service Award



» A professional network» Area events» Academic qualifications» Professional Development» CPD schemes

Our membership includes anyone involved in railway operations in the UK.

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27

Leading project focusedrecruitment company, Navartis, isbacking the Project Manager of theYear at the RailStaff Awards 2013.

As the scramble continues toattract new people to the railindustry Navartis is taking the leadin supplying quality professionalsto Europe’s fastest growing railwaynetwork.

Says Tom O’Connor of the RailMedia Group, ‘Every edition ofRailStaff and the rail engineercarries extensive reporting ofmajor projects being progressed inalmost every area of the railways.The Project Manager of the Year isa hugely important award as weseek to shine a light on theimmense skill and hard work thatgoes into leading major projects.

In the rail industry majorprojects are regularly delivered ontime and on budget. This point

needs to be emphasised again andagain as we argue the case forHigh Speed 2 and more railways tocope with growing demand.Navartis brings great expertise tothe rail industry and it is hugelyencouraging to see them backingthis important award.’

The rail industry is increasinglyturning to proven professionalrecruitment specialists likeNavartis to close the skills gap.Railways need more engineers,technicians and managementprofessionals.

Says Jim Sloan, Director, Navartis,‘The rail industry in the UKpresents a real opportunity forbusinesses and motivatedprofessionals. Projects likeCrossrail, Great WesternElectrification, the Northern Hubare proof of an industry on aconfident, upward, curve. Our job

is to aid progress throughthe supply of the peopleneeded to design, build,maintain and upgradethe railwaysthroughout Britain.

Projectmanagement is atough anddemanding skill. Wethink it right to honourthe men and womentaking the decisions thatdeliver the new railway onthe ground. All of us atNavartis are looking forward to theRailStaff Awards and to meetingboth winners and staff as togetherwe celebrate the success story thatis the new rail industry.’

Navartis is a specialist projectfocussed technical recruitmentcompany which works closely withclients, consultancies andcontractors to meet high demandin securing highly skilled technicaland management professionalswithin the International RailwayIndustry, Global Transportation,Civil Engineering and Utility

Industries. Highly trained and industry

focussed recruitment teams atNavartis provide a flexible tailoredrecruitment service in order toidentify and recruit high calibreprofessionals. Capitalisingpartnerships with internationalcandidate and client networks,Navartis recruitment experts arewell positioned to proactively fulfilthe rail industry’s growingdemand for skilled professionalsacross all disciplines.

www.railstaffawards.com

Navartis focuses on ProjectManager of the Year



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Morson Group operates through two main subsidiaries, MorsonInternational and Morson Projects. Morson International is the UK’s No1 Technical Recruiter and provides specialist engineering and technical personnel. Morson Projects provides outsourced engineering and project management design services. To date,Morson Group has presence is 57 office locations across the globe.

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29www.railstaffawards.com

FT Transformers is sponsoringthe Train Driver of the Year awardat the RailStaff Awards 2013. Themove caps a busy and successfulyear for FT Transformers whichgained Network Rail approval forits new Class 2 transformer thissummer.

FT Transformers manufacturessignalling transformers which canreduce voltages from 650v to 110vac. The challenge with railwaysignalling was to produce a Class2 hybrid transformer whichincorporated zero inrush and washoused in a protective casing thatgives total safety. Inrush meansthe huge upsurge in current whena transformer is first switched on.The development challenge FThad was to make a transformerwith zero inrush. The team at FTTransformers involved skilled in-house designers headed byManaging Director, Richard Bradleywho oversaw the whole project

from start to finish. High inrushhas been a major problem onsignalling transformers, especiallythe old legacy models. Drawingswere produced and manufacturingthe new range of transformersbegan. Transformers weredespatched for testing to ERATechnology and passed with flyingcolours. Network Rail quicklyrealised the potential of the newrange and sent in auditors to FTwhich was found to be fullycompliant.

Says Bob Wright, Chief ExecutiveFT Transformers, ‘Initially NetworkRail was a little sceptical of ourachievements and required furtherrigorous testing. FT satisfied alltests and zero inrush is now awelcome reality for Network Rail.The next major task was to getPADS approval which we have nowachieved. Our work for the railindustry will help make it saferand more reliable for passengers

and staff alike. That’s why we’rebacking Train Driver of the Year.This category goes right to theheart of the industry and we aredelighted to be taking a major roleat the RailStaff Awards. The driversymbolises the many men andwomen, who together make upthis dynamic and successfulindustry.’

Says Tom O’Connor, of the RailMedia Group, ‘Drivers will alwaysspeak of the importance of railwaysafety with a conviction thatcomes from being responsible forthe train loads of people undertheir care. Companies like FTTransformers help them in theirjobs. We are very pleased towelcome FT Transformers to theRailStaff Awards.’

FT Transformers was founded in1937 by a former radio engineer,Harry Forrest. FT Transformerssupplied transformers to theLondon Underground ahead of the

2012 Olympics. Long experiencehas seen the company developinga transformer for the firstcardiograph machine, helping withFrank Whittle’s pioneeringdevelopment of the jet engine andsupplying electronic equipmentfor the Barcelona Olympics.

Says Bob, ‘We have long beeninvolved in new electronictechnologies that keep peoplehealthy and mobile. Being involvedwith railways is an essential partof this.’

FT Transformers Backs Train Driver of the Year





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 2013

From pioneering investment and development projects, to innovations that make everyday services faster, smarter and safer – we believe in recognising and celebrating the individuals and teams that are enabling the transformation of our network.

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

A better railway for a better Britain

networkrail.co.uk



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NEWS

The August Bank Holidayweekend saw five signal boxesclosed between Bescot andRugeley with control passing tothe West Midlands SignallingCentre.This will enable passengers and

freight operators to enjoy a morereliable service, especially over theCannock line - hitherto a haven formanual signalling and absoluteblock working.Of the five signal boxes Bescot

Down Tower and Walsall werepower boxes, with entrance-exitpanels, from the 1960s in starkcontrast with Hednesford on theCannock line which dated from1877 and still contained its original38 lever frame right up to the end.Other boxes closed during theblockade were Bloxwich andBrereton.The use of absolute block north

of Bloxwich had long been a pointof frustration with operators alongthe line as slow moving coal trainscould often mean passengerservices being held at the Bloxwichintermediate home signal waitingfor the freight to clear Hednesford.Passive provision for 75 mph

running has been provided interms of signal spacing, but this isnot scheduled to commence untilthe line is electrified in around

2017 when further infrastructureworks, such as closing Bloxwichlevel crossing, are carried out.Abolishing the manual signal

boxes on the Cannock route seesthe end of main line manualsignalling in the West Midlands,although there is still Tyseleycarriage sidings, which dates from1949, with its 30 lever frame. Thenearest section of AB worked routeis now in Worcestershire.

Signaltransfer


Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems (UK)Limited has acquired the railvehicle component and overhaulbusiness of Railcare.Knorr-Bremse will be taking

over the Railcare operational sitesat both Springburn in Glasgowand at Wolverton near MiltonKeynes. Railcare will become partof Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems(UK) Limited. Says Paul Goodhand, Managing

Director of Knorr-Bremse in theUK, ‘Railcare currently has manyskilled and experiencedindividuals working at both itssites, in vehicle overhaul andrepair but also in specialistincident repair and logistics. ‘We believe that with the

support of Knorr-Bremse, both interms of solid financialinvestment and in process andmanagement experience andsupport, we will, together withthe existing team, be able tocreate a strong, new company.

Railcare rescue

© JONATHAN WEBB

A London Midland service passes Hednesford

signal box just days before it closed.



NEWS

WaterlooSunshine

Colas Rail’s jointly deliveredTrack Renewals business hasachieved BS 11000 certificationfor Collaborative BusinessRelationships.

Says Richard Watts, OperationsManager, Colas Rail, ‘TrackRenewals joins Colas RailProjects in securing BS 11000,which is fast becoming aprerequisite for rail sectorcontracts. It provides theindustry with a strategicframework for developingcontractual relationships whichdeliver improved levels ofperformance and costefficiencies throughout thesupply chain.’

BS 11000 certification is seen asofficial recognition of the wayTrack Renewals has always donebusiness. ‘In addition tocementing the way we alreadyoperate in terms of buildingsuccessful collaborative businessrelations, this accreditation

provides a springboard to thefuture for Colas Rail and the UKrail industry as a whole,’continues Watts.

With core competencies in thedesign, build and management oftrack renewal projects, ColasRail’s jointly delivered TrackRenewals business is now amongthe top performing contractors inthis demanding sector of theUK’s rail infrastructure. Thisexpertise is reflected in a proventrack record in delivering projectssafely, on time, on budget and tooutstanding standards of qualityand value.

Colas team wins BS11000

NewRail, based at the NewcastleUniversity, ran a successfulintensive summer school on railand logistics which drew aninternational audience.

For 20 days NewRail scholarsworked with 68 students and 20professors from three continents,19 institutions and 14 nationalities.13 research groups were formed todevelop 13 different rail relatedresearch short term projects. Thesewere then presented back to theentire summer school.

Topics such as Railway Capacity,Sustainability, Reliability, TypicalRail Vehicles, Unconventional RailSystems, Safety and Security,Intermodal Transport and ITS,Crashworthiness and ICTs werediscussed and scrutinised in detail.

Group working and presentationskills were a key component to thesuccess of the Summer School. Acombination of learning methods,

including lectures, project-basedlearning, technical visits andthematic seminars were usedgiving students an array of skillsenabling them to pursue a careerin railways and logistics.

NewRail is a dedicated railwayresearch centre at NewcastleUniversity.

RailNewcastle:summer school success

Longer platforms, longer trains, bettersignalling and increased power supplies atWaterloo are among proposals put forward bythe South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance.

More improvements at London Waterloo willsee the remaining four platforms (21-24) of theWaterloo International Terminal back into use.Work is already underway to bring Platform 20of the former International Terminal back intoservice from spring 2014.

In addition the alliance wants to progressprocurement of more than 135 additionalcarriages which will run in 10-car formation onthe suburban routes of the network. Thisprocurement process has now started anddepending on the proposal selected, the firstadditional trains could be delivered as early as2016.

Says Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin,‘Britain needs a strong economy if it wants tocompete globally and effective transport linksare absolutely key to that. This is why theGovernment has embarked on one of thebiggest programmes of rail modernisation ever.

‘It’s also vital to cost-effectively createadditional capacity at Waterloo - the capital’sbusiest railway station - making the proposalsfrom South West Trains and Network Raildoubly important.’

Plans are already in place to deliver capacityfor an additional 23,000 extra peak-timepassengers per day through the roll-out of anadditional 108 carriages by the end of 2014.These carriages, secured through the

Government’s High Level Output Specificationprogramme, will provide longer trains on keypeak-time services.

Work has already taken place on thelengthening of platforms at over 60 stations toenable 10-car trains to operate on key routes.The new trains could be based at WimbledonDepot, where capacity is being freed up byupgrading Class 455s which will reduce thetime they stay in depot for maintenance.


Engineering a NationalHigh Speed Rail NetworkREF Technical Seminar

Monday 21 October 2013Registration 8.30 am, Seminar Opens 9.15 am and Closing Speech 4.30 pmOne Great George Street, Westminster, SW1P 3AA

How to book: www.theref.org.ukEmail: [email protected]: 01732 363399

Prices: Corporate: £250 per personMember: £150 per personStudent/Graduate: £75 per personAttendance at the seminar will qualify as CPD training certified by RCEA

Outline Agenda:1. The National Case for a High Speed Rail Network2. A New Rail Network: Delivering Better Passenger Services and Connectivity3. HS2: An Overture to a High Speed Network; Developing and Delivering the Next Stages for HS24. Defining the Engineering Challenges of Operating High Speed Trains on the Existing Network 5. Case Studies focusing on topics such as best practice, challenges, power

requirements, rolling stock and delivering a national High Speed Rail programme through a sustainable budget

A seminar organised by:

Supported by:

For Sponsor/Exhibition opportunities please contact [email protected] or telephone 01530 565701


UK Power Networks Services hasrecently completed the installationof 60 Electric Vehicle charge postsat 12 London Underground carparks across the capital.

Says Michael Clark of UK PowerNetwork Services, ‘These newpublic charge points are amonghundreds we are monitoring inLondon to help us design smarterways to support electric vehicleexpansion, without overloadingthe electricity network.

‘By monitoring the habits of EVusers at these new charge pointswe will strengthen ourunderstanding of the peaks likelyto occur on our electricity network.We are exploring ‘smart’ solutionsto manage those peaks, withoutincurring the cost and disruptionof digging up the road to lay newcables, supporting take-up of low

carbon technologies which candeliver cleaner air for the capital.’

The charge posts can power uptwo vehicles simultaneously ateither fast (7kw) or rapid (22kw)rates. The new charge points will

help make car travel in Londongreener and will enable London’spower distributor to plan for thefuture impact which large clustersof rapid charging points will haveon the capital’s electricity network.


NEWS

ElectricAvenue

The untimely death of Tom Birch at age 58 hassaddened many within the rail operationscommunity.

From a humble start as a box boy at Heaton Norris,Tom progressed his career to a very senior level andwas a much respected figure in operating circles.After a period as Assistant Controller at Manchesterin 1973, he was selected for the Traffic ManagementTraining Scheme and had a number of juniormanagement roles following that.

He became Area Operations Manager first atOrpington and then at St Pancras. A spell in theRegional Operations group at Swindon was followed byposts in the freight sector, first as Area Manager WelshFreight and then Operations Director Transrail Freight.

After privatisation, Tom became Operations SafetyManager for EWS and then Chief Controller for theGTRM/Carillion company. For a short period heworked at both Network Rail HQ and LNE Zone butwas appointed Operations Director (Projects) forChiltern Railways.

He became heavily involved with the Evergreen 3project to create a much improved service fromMarylebone to Birmingham. Latterly he was workingwith the Arriva Franchise Bid team.

An inspirationTom was involved at the outset in setting up the

Institution of Railway Operators and had been aBoard Member and a Member of the Midlands AreaCouncil. When the time came for the IRO to chair theRailway Engineers Forum, Tom was the logical choice.

He was responsible for a number of innovationsbefore having to step down in early 2012. As oneyounger member of the REF said, ‘He was aninspiration to younger members and encouragedthem to implement and achieve ideas.’

Tom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer inJanuary 2012 and put up a tremendous fight to beatthe disease. After initial hope that he was winning,he deteriorated rapidly in late July and died on the8th August. His funeral was held at MuggintonChurch near Derby.

Tom Birch – Innovator and Inspiration

Railway tutors from Anglia RuskinUniversity will soon be teachingRussian Railways personnel inMoscow.

Anglia Ruskin University andKnowledge Associates CambridgeLtd have signed a deal to providetraining for managers at therailway’s Corporate University inShcherbinka, near Moscow.

Russian Railways has over onemillion staff and nearly 150associated companies in areas asdiverse as freight transport,passenger traffic, logistics,production and engineering.

The partnership will seeacademics from Anglia Ruskin’s LordAshcroft International BusinessSchool work together with expertsfrom Russian Railways’ CorporateUniversity to develop a joint learningprogramme for senior executives,covering project management, costand revenue control, riskmanagement and innovation skills.

Moscowmission forrail tutors

First bulk installation of rapid electric vehicle

charge points in London: Michael Clark, Low

Carbon London programme director, and Steve

Lewis, business development manager for

London Underground.




Firstly I must thank theConstruction Manager workingwith Network Rail who took thetime and trouble to contact me bye-mail and thank me for writingabout the near fatal accident atPoole last month.

I know of many rail workers inthe past who have been involvedin near misses at some timeduring their working lives butthose who are struck by a trainand survive are very few.

I welcome the overdue additionto Network Rail’s Safety Centralwebsite of a series of “LessonsLearnt” PDF bulletins and a videoof the Near Miss at Newtown(titled as a Close Call but thedifference is perhaps best arguedover by safety professionals).

There are ten items so far withthe most recent one relating to aJanuary 2013 incident. I now hopethat their next step will be addingfactual descriptions of incidentsand accidents whilst investigationsare still progressing. I recommendreading them.

Sentinel 2 for allThe major event for September is

the roll out of Sentinel 2 whichbegan internally for Network Railin July. I remember the old originalorange cardboard PTS (PersonalTrack Safety) cards that were doneaway with after a few misguidedfools began selling forged ones inpubs!

The successful efforts of theNCCA (National Competency

Control Agency run by Capita hasserved the industry well for 14years) needs to be acknowledgedas having solved the problems offorged cards and out of datecompetences. They will all bephased out by the end of this year.

The time had come to start usingsmartcard and smartphonetechnology. Sentinel 2 has beenlive using this technology for acouple of months, based onNetwork Rail’s Saltley DeliveryUnit near Birmingham. The newsmart cards have competencesprinted on them but can beupdated without a new card beingissued.

The currency of competencescan be checked by most hand helddevices and via the web. Theintroduction of Sentinel 2 isaccompanied by changes in thesponsorship arrangements with a“sharing of costs cross the supplychain.”

Basically the old days when anindividual could work for an

unlimited number of employers atany one time have ended and nowa lead sponsor plus up to twoothers are the sensible limit. Drugsand alcohol testing results will befed directly to Saltley by testingcompanies and only Network Railwill be able to suspend acardholder. Individuals will be ableto access information aboutthemselves using “My Sentinel”.

Safety Leadership - “it’s whatyou do that counts”

Non-Executive Network RailBoard Member Malcolm Brindedwho is from the oil and gasindustry, has posted an interestingvideo on Safety Central.

After commenting that safetyhas a positive effect on business,he adds that in the real worldpeople feel there is a trade-offbetween safety and performance.He stresses the importance ofselecting safe working contractorsbefore saying that the need is forcommitment founded on know-

how and that in leadership it isnot what you say, it is what you dothat counts.

I agree. As an example of whatcan go wrong he cites the practiceof rewarding people for completingwork in reduced time duringpossessions since this often hasthe unintended consequence ofconvincing staff that safety ismerely a second priority. Heconcludes by admitting thatlooking back on his working life heremembers every fatality andserious accident.

Delegation and empowermentto those on site?

Face to face briefings of LevelCrossing Assistants (LXA),Engineering Supervisors (ES) andPersons in Charge of Possessions(PICOP) are to be completed andrecorded with Sentinel by the endof September. Two sets of slidesare available on the website.

One set relates to a collisionoccurred between a Stoneblowerand a Ballast Regulator within aworksite at Arley on August 10thlast year. The message it gave mewas that there was confusion overthe speed at which thesemachines are allowed to travelwithin worksites. Nowadaysworksites are very much longerthan was the practice years ago.

The rules suggest a maximumspeed of 5 mph unless specifiedotherwise by the ES or PICOP whenup to a maximum of 40 mph maybe allowed. However, some havealready commented that NetworkRail’s Handbook 9 suggests thatmovements within a possessioncan be authorised at up to line-speed. Four people were injured in

SAFETYColin [email protected]

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FETYS FIRST

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SAFETY CENTRAL IS IMPROVING!Sentinel 2, September briefings and the need to listen


the collision but thankfully onlyone needed hospital treatment.

I suggest rule interpretation isnot significant. More important tomy mind is whether the staff onsite including supervisors/managers felt they were followingrules and consequently did notthemselves assume responsibilityfor planning and controlling thework on the night?

Ufton Level Crossing The second briefing relates to a

near miss between a car and atrain at Ufton Automatic HalfBarrier Level Crossing on 4thSeptember 2011. An error by thesignalman meant that theappointed LXA had not been told tostop all road traffic and lower thebarriers manually to allow a trainto pass safely over the crossing.

The message from the briefing isa reinforcement of the fact thatflags and lamps should not beremoved when possession is givenup whilst crossings are still underlocal control. Both briefings areclearly worth doing but why has ittaken so long, in the case of Uftonalmost two years?

Embankment washed outThe Rail Accident Investigation

Branch (RAIB) has published itsreport into an incident thatoccurred in Northern Ireland atKnockmore on 28th June last year.Additional passenger trains wererunning to the Irish Open GolfTournament at Portrush.

At 07-06 am a Belfast to Portrushtrain ran onto a ten metre longsection of unsupported track dueto an embankment washout as aresult of very heavy rain andflooding. The driver applied theemergency brake but was unableto stop his train before the leadingbogie reached the unsupportedrails at the washout.

He contacted the Controller forpermission to reverse his train but

they were unable to grantpermission. Being aware that theembankment was still failing hetook the decision to reverse backwhich he accomplished withoutfurther incident. The RAIB reportcondones his actions.

The nearby Coca Cola BottlingPlant was flooded by 7-45 pm theprevious evening and videofootage confirmed that theembankment was breached by9.50 pm. It is estimated that 150tonnes of embankment waswashed away.

The report is critical of the lackof engagement between NorthernIreland Railways and the RiversAgency especially in relation toBrokerstone Stream, a designatedwatercourse arising in the WhiteMountain area and running for 4.4km through eleven separateculverts totalling 3.2 km in lengthbut varying between 2 and 880metres individually. They alsocriticised the lack of any weatherpreparedness procedure and thedelay in reporting the incident tothe RAIB.

The need for listeningA lot of positives this month

from Network Rail although myconcerns that track staff (all thosewho work daily on track) are notlistened to often or fully enough

remains. It is all too easy forcustom and practice to bring inpoor practices which result inaccidents. Acceptance of the normcan easily result in a tragedy.

The Class 730 high speed trainaccident in Spain at Santiago deCompostela in which 79 peoplelost their lives and many morewere injured is a case in point.Recent reports suggest that “drivererror and the lack of working ETCSequipment were primary causes”.

I also understand that the ruleson the use of mobile telephones bydrivers may well be tightened forthe future and there is a proposalthat “conventional fixed signallingbe installed giving maximumpermitted speeds with Asfa Balisesto limit speeds on the approach tosharp curves”.

Was anyone listening to thedrivers of Class 730s before theaccident? I find it difficult tobelieve that they had no concerns.


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(a) Cab view of the washed out embankment and

(b) the leading vehicle stopped over the washout.

Images courtesy of NIR


Andy Ridout, managing director ofadvance-TRS, competes inDartmoor’s Horseman Ironman on14th September.

One of the toughest races in theworld, the Horseman will see Andyplough through a 2.4 mile swim, a108 mile cycle followed by amarathon across Dartmoor’s highcountry. Andy will raise around£10,000 for Railway Children, thecharity that helps street childrenacross the UK, India and Africa.

‘It has been an emotional twelvemonths. The training has definitelybeen tough with many obstaclesalong the way,’ says Andy, who willcelebrate his 41st birthday twodays after completing the race.

‘I entered the race for tworeasons; to raise money for a veryworthwhile charity and for thephysical challenge. I met withDave Ellis of Railway Children whoreally impressed me. I wanted todo something beyond the norm tohelp him raise awareness as wellas a decent amount of money.

‘I have to say the fundraising hasbeen the biggest challenge. I knowthe economy is tight but £10 goes along way for a homeless child. Ipersonally don’t like asking fordonations so have waited fouryears since my last Ironman eventto approach people again. I am verygrateful to everyone who hasdonated and would like to thankeveryone from the bottom of myheart.

Competing in a race of thismagnitude requires a hugeamount of motivation, focus and

commitment. Ridout exudesdetermination and a cleardetermination to keep going nomatter what, a quality reflectedthroughout his 16 yearrecruitment career.

Excitement and apprehension‘I am really looking forward to

the race. It has been a long hardroad getting to this point and I’mfilled with a mix of excitement andapprehension. A lot of mydedication to training is led by fearof pain during the race. The eventis won and lost in the year leadingup to it, not on the day. If you don’ttrain hard enough it’s over beforeyou’ve begun.’

Ridout has spent the best part ofa year spinning off for 100 milebike rides, running marathon-length routes and ploughing upand down cold lakes with avigorous routine of early morningswims.

‘I swing from panic that I haven’tdone enough training, to assuredconfidence when I complete agood session,’ he says.

Eight weeks ago Andy sufferedan injury that he feared could putan end to his chances ofcompeting. ‘On the 50th mile of abike ride I suddenly felt as thougha spike had been pressed into myleft knee. Needless to say I wasforced to stop.

Unfortunately I was diagnosedwith a strained Vastus Medialisoblique muscle, an issue that isoften caused by having your bikeseat too high, as well as worn bike

cleats. With a few weeks to gountil the race, at what should havebeen the optimum period of mytraining I was forced to slow down.After investing highly inphysiotherapy as well asacupuncture I am very relieved tosay that the problem has gone.’

The day of the Ironman will be along one. For Andy it will begin at5am with a wholesome breakfastof porridge and bananas, followedby a race briefing at 5.30am, bikecheck in and back pack checks.Every participant must carry fuel, afoil blanket, a first aid kit, a whistleand a torch. Once checks arecomplete it’s into the water for a7am start.

‘My hope for the day is simply tocomplete the race without injuryor mechanical issues,’ says Andy.‘That will be a great achievement.If I can finish the marathon at theend without having to walk a greatdeal I will be delighted. I hatewalking during a marathon butwith this being cross country andhilly I am sure it will be required atsome points.’

A support team is critical Without re-fuelling and water

intervals, participants cannotcomplete the event. The Horsemanis officially an unsupported race. Asa result each athlete is allowed oneprivate supporter who will berequired to drive across Dartmoor’shilly landscape ensuringrefreshments are available whenrequired. Andy has enlisted thesupport of his loyal brother.

The race can take between 12and 16 hours depending on fitnessand luck on the day. Afterwardsthere will be a recovery periodfollowed by a celebratory BBQ forathletes to share stories and a fewbeers to ease the sore legs.

Supportive familyAndy admits that his journey to

the Ironman has been a long road,evoking many dilemmas along theway; ‘I have had to invest heavilyin planning my life in order tobalance family, work and trainingcommitments. I haven’t alwaysgot it right but have learnt a greatdeal along the way. I am luckyenough to have an incrediblysupportive family and havelearned that balance is the key toa full life.’

‘I have to say I feel fantastic inmy health and body. Exercise givesyou a clear mind and energy toapproach each day and itschallenges. I truly believe that withfocus and dedication everyone canachieve their goals if they trulyaspire to meet them.’

‘The whole experience has beenlife changing for me; I just hopethe same can be said for thechildren who are struggling tosurvive beside the railways.’

Andy is looking forward to thebirth of his and Vicky’s baby, dueon 14th November. ‘My partner,Vicky, has been a rock for twelvemonths and she is long overduesome attention. I guess the otherexciting thought is a lie in! I havebooked the Monday after theHorseman off work as it’s mybirthday and will be having a verywell-earned rest…’

Andy will be announcing hisfundraising grand total on 10thOctober at the annual dinner atthe Roundhouse event where hewill be presenting a cheque toRailway Children!

Adds RailStaff editor, Andy Milne,‘All of us here wish Andy everysuccess on Dartmoor and will berooting for him. People like AndyRidout are an inspiration to us all.Do please follow the link belowand spare a thought for him onSaturday 14th September.’

There is still time to supportAndy and help him reach his£10,000 target. To do so you canvisit: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AndyRidoutor TEXT Rail99 followed by £2, £5or £10 to 70070.

See www.advancerailwayjobs.com


September challenge for Ironman Andy



NEWS

The Reverend Richard Cook led aspecial service of remembrance forthe victims of the Great TrainRobbery on 8th August 2013, 50years after the event - at CreweStation.

Former Crewe-based driver JackMills, who was coshed during therobbery, was remembered, alongwith his fireman David Whitby.The memorial service was held intheir former booking on point atCrewe.

Railway chaplain, Richard Cook,spoke of the train crew’s bravery inattempting to defend their trainand how he, Cook, as a formerguard, worked mail train 1M44 onnumerous occasions during hisrailway career. He also asked thatthose present forgive the robbersby saying that forgiveness, butnever forgetting what they did,‘sets us free and stops themhaving a hold over us.’

The Reverend Cook illustrated

his point by quoting fromMatthew’s Gospel chapter 5. ‘Youhave heard that it was said, Loveyour neighbour and hate yourenemy. But I tell you, love yourenemies and pray for those whopersecute you.’ The service wasattended by relatives of Jack Millsand David Whitby and currentstation staff.

Driver Mills joined the railway in1919, becoming a driver in 1942. Hewas driving the Glasgow toLondon Euston Royal Mail when itwas stopped by the robbers whohad tampered with LeightonBuzzard’s intermediate up homeand distant signals, at SearsCrossing on 8th August, 1963.

Despite sustaining five headwounds he was forced to drivelocomotive D326 (later to become40126) a short distance to BridegoBridge after the retired train driverbrought along by the robbers wasunable to blow off the vacuum

brakes, following the uncouplingof the first two carriages from therest of the train.

Jack Mills, who lived at the nowdemolished 35 Newdigate Street inCrewe with his wife Florence, wasoff work for several months. Whenhe went back to work he was puton shunting duties. He died ofleukaemia on 4th February 1970.Mills never returned to main lineworking - a point often overlookedby those seeking to romanticisethe robbery.

David Whitby, also from Crewe,

was badly traumatised by theassault and subsequent roughtreatment. Whitby never fullyrecovered. He returned to work asa secondman but died aged 34from a heart attack.

Jack’s son John Mills, speakingabout his father some years afterthe robbery, said, ‘He got shingles,what the doctor said was delayedshock coming out. His right handshook, it never stopped until theday he died and he started to sway.From that day he went downhill,he was not my dad of old.’

Robbery Staff Remembered

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Businesses in Scotland are benefiting fromrailway investment.

According to new figures released by NetworkRail around 40 percent, £63m, of the moneyspent on enhancing and expanding the Scottishrail network in 2012/13 went to Scottish smalland medium-sized enterprises, while £91m wasspent with larger companies and corporations.

Investment in Scottish rail projects sustainedover 4,300 jobs across the country, in addition toover 2,100 staff directly employed by NetworkRail Scotland. Says Scotland’s Deputy FirstMinister, Nicola Sturgeon, ‘Investment inScotland’s railways is a key priority for theScottish Government and we are committed toimproving and extending the network, buildingnew stations, and doing everything possible tokeep fares down.

‘As a result of our investment, passengernumbers are increasing to record levels andtoday figures from Network Rail show thattargeted investment can also support highlyskilled jobs and growth right across Scotland.’

Major rail projects include the Edinburgh-Glasgow Improvement Programme, the BordersRailway, Aberdeen-Inverness rail improvements

and further enhancements to the HighlandMainline.

David Simpson, Network Rail route managingdirector for Scotland, echoed Sturgeon’s pro-railstance saying, ‘The rail industry is increasinglyrecognised as a key contributor to our national,economic and social well-being. In Scotland, railis enjoying a level of popularity and patronageunmatched at any other time in the post-waryears.

‘The network is also benefitting fromsignificant and sustained levels of investmenttoo, with the new Airdrie-Bathgate linecompleted in 2010, the Paisley Canal lineelectrified last year and work on the Borders

and EGIP projects currently underway. ‘However, railways don’t just move people and

freight, they also connect homes andworkplaces, businesses with markets, createjobs, stimulate trade and support the growth ofa balanced economy.’

In the last four years, Network Rail hasgenerated £17.3bn of work for its supply chainin Britain, of which £6.2bn has been with smalland medium-sized businesses, a 22% increaseon the previous four years. Plannedenhancements and renewals expenditurebetween 2014 and 2019 is approximately £25bn,with 99% of this work to be undertaken by UK-based companies.

Rail boost forScottish business

GB Railfreight is buying a furthereight Class 66 locomotives fromElectro-Motive Diesel Inc in the US.

The new locomotives will bedelivered by Chicago-basedElectro-Motive in August 2014. Theagreement was signed by PaulDenton, senior vice president ofinternational sales at ProgressRail/EMD, and John Smith, MD ofGB Railfreight, at Rannoch Stationon the West Highland Railwaywhilst they took a break from GBRailfreight’s service to Fort William

RannochMoor dealsealed

Nottingham station has reopenedafter a 37 day blockade which sawa new platform created, the areare-signalled with 143 new signalsand junctions at Nottingham East,Nottingham West and Mansfieldremodelled.

In addition level crossings atSneinton and Trent have beenreplaced by footbridges. Allsignalling is now controlled fromtwo work stations in the EastMidlands Control Centre at Derbyand this has resulted in theabolition of signal boxes at Trent,Netherfield and Sneinton.

The new platform number 4, has

been created by building out partof the existing platform four -which now becomes platform five.Five becomes six and six becomesseven.

One of the most unusual aspectsof this project is the retention oftrack circuits within the stationarea, with axle counters beinginstalled elsewhere. There are tworeasons for this. First ‘wheel rock’where during coupling or splittingstock an axle may come to restover an axle counter head andthen move slightly during theshunting operation, causing a rightside failure. This could lock up a

large section of the station. Thesecond reason is to mitigate thepresence of DC powered tramlines.

There is still much work to becarried out at Nottinghamstation , which dates from 1904and was formally known asNottingham Midland. The nextbig change comes early next yearwhen the station’s mainbuildings reopen.

After Nottingham the next bigproject in the East Midlands is there-signalling and remodelling ofDerby station. There are currentlya number of proposals on thetable, with the preferred optiondue to be chosen around October.The migration of signalling fromDerby PSB to the EMCC isscheduled to commence in 2015and be complete by 2017.

NewNottinghamOpens

NEWS

© JONATHAN WEBB



This year sees the fiftiethanniversary of Richard Beeching’s‘The Re-Shaping of BritishRailways’.

2013 also sees the thirtiethanniversary of the Serpell Report.These two events mirrored thetempestuous undertones of railwaypolicy in the years following WorldWar Two.

In this eight part series, ColinGarratt of Milepost 92½ outlines theturbulent events which led up tothe privatisation of British Rail in1993, concluding with an analysisof the current situation and whereit might be heading.

Serpell in ContextBritish Rail entered the 1970s

under the personablechairmanship of Richard Marsh, apassionate advocate of the ChannelTunnel. The Tory administration,under Edward Heath, generallyaccepted that there was nofinancially viable network size forBR. Line and station closuresvirtually came to an end.

But there was still a battle tofight.The railway was seen as lossmaking. The residential,commercial and industrial belts of

the country were being developedaround the rapidly expanding roadnetwork, a situation which fuelledLord Donald Stokes, chairman ofBritish Leyland, to constantlyargue for ever heavier lorries.

Everyone who was pro-railneeded to speak up in favour ofthe industry; there were manyvested interests determined todestroy it, or at least to cripple itfrom ever again becoming thenation’s principal form oftransport.

In 1974, Harold Wilson’s LabourParty was returned to power andthe compelling case for railwayscontinued to be recognised. Thiswas borne out by the introductiontwo years later, of the worldbeating High Speed Train whichbecame known as the InterCity125. It had been designed byBritish Rail engineers at Derby anda total of 100 trains were built byBritish Rail Engineering Limited(BREL) at Crewe Works between1976 and 1982.

Fastest diesel trains inthe world

These trains had a high revvingdiesel locomotive at each end. On

test a speed of 143 mph wasreached and they were heraldedas the fastest diesel trains in theworld and put British railtechnology into world classagain.

These trains also introduced thesuperb Mk 3 coaches, renownedfor their quiet spaciousness andhighest degree of comfort – factorswhich enabled these thousandmiles a day trains to capture boththe business and leisure markets.They had all the modernity whichBR sought.

The HSTs upgraded both EastCoast Main Line and the GreatWestern Main Line, over whichthey put Bristol within seventyminutes of Paddington. They laterrevolutionised services on theMidland Main Line, linking thecapital with the shire counties andcontinue to do so.

The introduction of the HSTs andthe electrification of the WestCoast Main Line brought a massive


THE FALL AND RISE OFBRITAIN’S RAILWAYSPart 5: Sectorisation (Passenger)

Colin Garratt reports

Photographs supplied by Milepost 921⁄2


increase in rail travel. These newtrains provided the basis for theInterCity marque, which was tobecome the sixth best knownbrand in Britain.

A sophisticated advertisingcampaign for peak time televisionwas accepted on face value andpeople flocked to the railway – andfor peak hour business travellers,the Great British Breakfast too. Itwas a success story whichreverberated around the world andInterCity became one of Europe’smost profitable railways.

Another triumph, this one underthe chairmanship of Peter Parker,was the electrification of thesouthern reaches of the MidlandMain Line from Bedford to StPancras and Farringdon. Under thebrand name of Thameslink(Capital Connect today) thisrailway ran through the heart ofLondon connecting the Midlandswith Brighton.

The 100 mph 319 Class EMUs for

this service were built in York andhad dual voltage capacity forrunning over the 25 kV acoverhead on the Midland MainLine and the 750v dc third rail ofthe Southern network.

Margaret ThatcherIn 1979 the Conservative

government under MargaretThatcher came to power with alarge majority. Their manifestoincluded widespread privatisationsof state owned utilities such astelecom, water, gas, electricity andideally railways and the PostOffice. These last two would havebeen included but there was noclear proposal how this might bedone and there were many MPswho regarded these asprivatisations too far.

However, BR was directed todispose of its non-rail interests.Sealink UK was formed out of theformer BR shipping andinternational services division. The

hotels were disposed of piecemealand BR’s manufacturing capacityhad already been reorganised tocreate British Rail EngineeringLimited.

Also the selling off of hugeamounts of railway land created amassive boost for BR’s coffers untilthe property market collapsed inthe 1980s.

Ever keen for good relations withthe government, Peter Parkerasked David Howell, the TransportSecretary, to outline exactly whatthe government wanted from therailway and this gave rise to theSerpell Report commissioned in1982. Parker had seen this as anopportunity to promote aprogramme of extensivemodernisation but 1982 - the yearof the report’s production - wasbedevilled by strikes on therailway.

Serpell’s report proved to be farfrom the development programmethe railway board had hoped for.

Instead it was an outline of whatrailway could be sustained for anygiven amount of tax payers’money.

The report consisted of a numberof optional plans featuringmassive fare increases and areduction of the national routemileage from 10,500 miles to anincredible 1,630 miles. Further


FEATURE



reductions in costs were proposedby relaxing safety standards andleaving vast areas of the countrywith no railway at all.

As an example of the severity ofthis Somerset, Devon andCornwall, Worcestershire andNorthumberland would have norailways at all. Only 22 miles ofrailway would survive in Walesand little more in Scotland.Leicester and Derby would not berail connected.

Not surprisingly many of themost bizarre aspects of Serpellwere leaked to the press, creatingwidespread damnation before itwas published. It created a furoreacross the nation and became anembarrassment to the governmentas the contents of the report werearguably treasonable.

The Serpell Report containedelements which were infamouslyworse than anything Beeching hadproduced. However, Beeching’s

humbug was implementedwhereas Serpell’s was not. Hisreport was consigned to thedustbin where it belonged andgreat credit goes to David Howelland Norman Fowler in ensuringthat it did.

It is against this frighteninglyunstable background that SirAlfred Sherman said, in a memo toMargaret Thatcher, ‘Rail is ananachronism and has been sincethe pneumatic tyre let alone the

internal combustion engine.’ 1980saw the deregulation of longdistance coaches.

In spite of Sherman, who wasobsessive about turning railwaysinto roads, all rail closures hadstopped. A milestone occurred in1991 when British Rail announcedthat Ribblehead Viaduct on theSettle and Carlisle line wasdangerous and the route wouldhave to close.

This followed years of runningthe line down including closingstations and diverting traffic. Itwas built as part of the MidlandRailway’s route from London toScotland and the 72 mile sectionfrom Settle to Carlisle wasbrilliantly engineered throughsome of England’s wildest andmost majestic terrain.

Its epic grandeur providedpicturesque views. It had been atortuous line to construct andresulted in many deaths but theline was a national heirloomwhich attracted visitors both fromhome and overseas.

With Beeching and Serpell inmind, preservation groups gottogether and ran a massivecampaign to save the line. TheSettle and Carlisle Railway Trustwas formed by local authorities,along with the English TouristBoard. Support came from all over


Britain and in 1989 the government agreed thatthe line should stay.

Stations were re-opened, engineering workwas carried out with great success and todaythe route is a huge tourist attraction, animportant freight artery and a permanentdiversionary route for the West Coast Main Line.

Peter Parker stood down as BR chairman in1983 to be replaced by career railwayman SirRobert Reid who, within two years had securedauthority to electrify the East Coast Main Linelinking London with Edinburgh and Glasgow.This was to be a further triumph with theintroduction of 140 mph InterCity 225 trains.

The miners strike of 1985 lost BR anenormous amount of revenue and it markedthe decimation of the coal industry and with ita reduction in the railway’s core business. Witha newly elected Tory government in office, stillunder Mrs Thatcher, the question of railwayprivatisation was inevitably raised.

In 1983 Reid had already broken up theregional structure of British Rail and developedthe dramatic concept of Sectorisation. A new,colourful, way of operating the railways wasrevealed and he prepared a framework for theincredible industry we have today.

Part 6: Sectorisation (Freight)


FEATURE



Do you want to design a newrailway for Scotland? Or do youfancy planning Britain’s next highspeed line, modernising the UK’srail infrastructure or even gettinginvolved in revitalising the railwaynetwork of an entire Europeancountry?

Staff at leading engineering,construction and technicalservices company URS have theopportunity to do all that andmore. And they need newcolleagues to join them. URS isintensifying its search for newstaff by hosting a recruitmentevent in Swindon on 18 Septemberand another in Bristol on 25September so that potentialapplicants interested in learningmore about the business can meetmembers of the rail team.

‘We have a very strong pipeline ofwork,” says URS Director of Rail, IanHay. ‘As a result, we aim to recruitabout 100 additional permanentstaff over the next 12 months inour rail business. We need to fill 40of these positions by January tobring our rail team to 300 becausethere is just so much to do.’

Workload for the business wasboosted in August when thecompany was appointed by

contractor Dragados SA as leaddesign consultant for the £563mBank tube station capacityupgrade project. The job includescreation of a new Northern linesouthbound running tunnel tocreate more platform space,interchange tunnels and anotherstation entrance.

The URS integrated design team,which includes Wilkinson EyreArchitects and Dr Sauer & Partners,will deliver a wide range ofmultidisciplinary services includingdesign management and assurance;civil, structural, geotechnical,mechanical and electricalengineering; tunnelling; architecture;pedestrian flow modelling; andplanning and environmentalservices. Staff from URS andDragados will share an office withclient London Underground for theduration of the project.

Job openings across alldisciplines

The broad range of services URSwill deliver at Bank station is just asnapshot of the company’sexpertise in rail. The companycurrently has job openings acrossall disciplines and particularly inproject management, permanentway, signalling, telecoms, bridgeengineering, mechanical, electrical

and overhead line electrification.URS in the UK is part of the giantglobal URS Corporation. InScotland, URS is working withcontractor BAM Nuttall on BordersRail. ‘We have been involved withthe project from its earliest stagesfor over a decade,’ says Hay. ‘Weprovided outline design servicesand now we are providing detaileddesign for BAM Nuttall.’

URS now routinely works forcontractors under design and buildarrangements like Borders, Haysays, and is one of a limitednumber of consultants that doessuch a volume of work in this field.‘Half our rail business is directwith contractors, which means ourpeople can get involved in projectsthat are physically being built. Thatis hugely satisfying for them to seeas well as great for their CVs. OnBorders, for instance, our team ofengineers can be out on site in 45minutes, seeing their workconverted into reality.’

‘One of our strengths is ourapproach to designing forconstructability to help contractorswin work in the first instance andsubsequently deliver efficientdesign solutions. Once on site weare then able to quickly react tochange and respond to the needsof contractors in meeting

demanding schedules. Of coursethis brings its own challenges butit is very rewarding.’

Project managersHay says that while he needs

designers who can work well withcontractors he is also keen torecruit project managers who canexcel in a design and buildenvironment, working directlywith contractors and developinggood relationships.

‘We are very careful to make sureour employees are doing the jobsthey want to do and are best suitedfor,’ Hay says. With main rail officesin Swindon, Birmingham, York,Nottingham, London and Glasgow,URS has a good variety of bases tochoose from.

Major schemes on the booksinclude Crossrail in London, wherethe company is one of the largestdesign consultants on the project,having worked on both thepreliminary and detailed designphases of the surface routes aswell as the underground centralsection. It gained the necessaryexpertise working on some of theworld’s most modern metrosincluding Athens, Dubai, HongKong and Singapore.

The same level of insight hasbeen brought to the HighSpeed Two project, where URSholds four contracts with twoother designers, Mott MacDonaldto provide engineering servicesand Arup to provideenvironmental services, bothunder the framework agreementsfor Phases One and Two of theproject.

URS is also heavily involved inthe modernisation of the UK’sexisting network. It is a majorprovider for Network Rail’sswitches and crossings renewals

URS intensifiessearch for staff

“Half our rail business is direct with contractors,which means our people can get involved inprojects that are physically being built. That ishugely satisfying for them to see as well asgreat for their CVs. On Borders, for instance,our team of engineers can be out on site in 45minutes, seeing their work converted intoreality…”IAN HAY, DIRECTOR OF RAIL, URS

Ian Hay.



CAREERS

programme and is one of threedesign firms currently providingdetailed integrated permanentway, signalling andmultidisciplinary solutions for thenational programme. Thisrenewal programme is just oneexample of the kind of cradle-to-grave service that URS hasprovided to Network Rail formany years.

The company’s success extendsto Europe where it is playing amajor role in modernisingCroatia’s entire rail network. TheCroatia Railways programmecomprises upgrades andextensions to help the nation’s railnetwork meet EU requirements.Through its multidisciplinarydesign services role URS willdouble the track on existing lineswithin Croatia as well as improveits links with other Europeancountries.

‘Working for a leading globalbrand that is winning a steadystream of major rail projects isproving a big draw for candidates,”Hay says. “The opportunity to takeon a meaningful role on a projectfrom day one is another key factorattracting new employees to thecompany.’

Having a long-term career pathwith a tailored training anddevelopment programme isequally important. ‘URS iscommitted to developing its staff,’Hay adds.

For more info seewww.ursglobal.com/careers orcontact

[email protected]

URS director of rail, Ian Hay,speaks about his career and his in-tray.

When did you join the rail industry?

I originally joined the industry asa British Rail trainee in 1977 beforesecuring a place on its graduatedevelopment programme. Afterbecoming a chartered engineer Imoved into roads and generalinfrastructure before going back tothe rail industry post privatisationin 1997. I joined Scott Wilson(acquired by URS in 2010) in 1998.

What are you most proud of in your career so far?

I’m especially proud of the TrentValley Four Tracking project thatwas a key part of the West CoastRoute Modernisation Programme.

This major project increased a20km section of the West CoastMain Line from two tracks to fourtracks between Tamworth,Litchfield and Armitage in theMidlands.

We developed this project fromcradle-to-grave – from outlinedesign to detailed design and on tosite completion – over a 10-yearperiod and I was proud to beinvolved throughout in my role asthe project director. It was great tosee this scheme develop from ablank sheet of paper to on-sitecompletion.

What is URS like as an employer?It is rewarding being part of a

global business that has the desireand ambition to be a major playerin the rail market. While myteam’s focus is very much on theUK at present, we’re excited by theprospect of growing and extendingour rail expertise on a more globalbasis. The opportunities ahead arealmost limitless!

What are your biggest challengesat the moment?

My biggest challenge is to recruitthe staff we need to help us deliverour vision and meet the

opportunities ahead. Winninghigh-profile projects such as theBank station capacity upgrade willhelp us greatly in this.

What do you like best about your job?

I enjoy the challenge of leadingthe URS rail team in terms ofgrowing the business to meet withthe demands of today andopportunities that lie ahead of usin rail. I am pleased with theprogress the team has made in thelast 12 to 18 months.

Most rewarding of all is seeingthe tangible evidence of our workthrough the positive relationshipswe have developed with ourclients and partners.

“We are very careful tomake sure ouremployees are doingthe jobs they want todo and are best suitedfor…”IAN HAY,DIRECTOR OF RAIL, URS

See URS Open Days advert on page 55.





Sussex & CroydonA lot of pride and passion goes into keeping the UK’s rail network moving across 20,000 miles of track. As our frontline maintenance teams will tell you, it’s more than a job. It’s an ongoing mission. Join them and see what hard work, expert training and fast-evolving technology can achieve. It’ll make you feel proud.There are opportunities from entry level to senior management. Some roles need no experience or specifi c qualifi cations. Others need a track record of team leadership and extensive engineering expertise. But for every role, you need to be a hard worker and enjoy being part of a team.You’ll enjoy an excellent salary, and great benefi ts, including subsidised rail travel, 28 days’ holiday, a bonus scheme and a pension.Find out more www.prideofnetworkrail.co.uk

Maintenance Operatives, Technicians, Team Leaders and Managers

“All walks of life. All focused on getting the job done.”

Based in London

Based in London

£60,000 - £68,000 per annum + car allowance and packageOur client is a leading contractor within rail projects who, due to arecent and significant expansion is now recruiting heavily to cope withmajor growth. An exciting opportunity has arisen for an establishedcommercial candidate with a developed Rail and Civils background.This is the perfect opportunity for someone looking to progress theirccareer to the next stage.

£350 - £450 per day / Up to £55,000 per annum A rail main contractor is looking to recruit an electrically biased Project Manager to oversee a package of Rail sites in the Kent,Wessex and Sussex areas. In this role you will be expectedto deliver all electrical work being carried out in the regionincluding various electrical upgrades and rewiring.

Electrical Project Manager – Rail Industry

Commercial Manager/ Managing Quantity Surveyor

CAREERS


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 con!dence, please contact one of our specialist consultants on

Rail, Infrastructure & Construction

Signal Design Project Engineer (Signalling & Telecoms)London - £350 - 500/dayMainline Project Experience, IRSE Licence or relevant signalling experience

Cost EngineersLondon- £35 - 60K or £300 - 400/day Utilities, Airport or Rail experience with a Civils background

Principal & Senior Civil/Structural Design Engineers - CRELondon, Manchester, Warrington & York - £40 - 60K or £350 - 450/day Rail experience including station, platform & bridge designs

P3e PlannersLondon, Swindon & Midlands - £40-50K or £300 – 400/dayExperience of Network Rail projects, Primavera experience essential

E&P/OLE EngineersLondon/Manchester/Birmingham - £35 - 60K or £350 - 500/dayWorking on major new projects

Rail Project Managers, Site Agent & Sub-AgentsRegional- £35 - 55K or £250 - 400/dayExperience on rail Civils works – Bridge refurbishments, embankments and Earthworks

CAREERS


Career development that’s on the right track

Opportunities in Rail Electrification Nationwide

Morgan Sindall is recruiting within our Utility Services business. We have contracts nationwide both in progress and due to commence. With permanent and temporary opportunities available, we would like to hear from you if you are experienced within the following roles:

• Authorised Persons • COSS• Construction Engineers • Crane Controllers• Engineering Supervisors• Isolation Planners• Linesmen (OLEC 2)• Machine Controllers MEWP Unimog,

TD18 (Dumper)

• Machine Operators MEWP Unimog, TD18 (Dumper)

• Nominated Persons• OHL Trainers• PTS• Rail Plant Fitters • Senior Linesmen (OLEC 3)• SSOW Planners

If you hold the correct qualifications with experience in any of the disciplines listed, and want to join our growing team then please send your CV and covering letter to [email protected] quoting US13VW.

Alternatively, visit https://constructingtalent.morgansindall.com/Vacancy.aspx and search US13VW to apply directly online

We are an equal opportunities employer. No agencies please.

Constructing talent morgansindall.com




RailStaff September 2013

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