ROLLING STOCK MAINTENANCE & REFURBISHMENT · rolling stock supp lead fc_Layout 1 13/04/2012 09:58 Page 1. East Coast manages three depots directly. Our Bounds Green site in north

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ROLLING STOCKMAINTENANCE &REFURBISHMENT

East Coast – where‘Falcon’ meets ‘Eagle’

Ian Duncan, Engineering Director, East Coast

Combination forgrowth turns LNWR

into leading UKtrain maintenance

specialistMark Knowles, Managing Director, LNWR

TO READ MORE FROM OUR SPONSORS, CLICK ON THEIR LOGO

www.europeanrailwayreview.com Issue 2 2012

rolling stock supp lead fc_Layout 1 13/04/2012 09:58 Page 1

East Coast manages three depots directly. OurBounds Green site in north London is responsiblefor maintenance and repair for the 30-strongfleet of Class 91/MkIV electric trains, while ourCraigentinny depot in the eastern suburbs ofEdinburgh maintains our 14 diesel High-SpeedTrains (HSTs), along with contracted

maintenance work for Cross Country’s Voyagerand HST fleets. East Coast’s third depot, atClayhills in Aberdeen, plays a vital role in carryingout overnight repairs and exams on East Coast’sHST fleet. Trains are also stabled at the Neville Hill(Leeds), Heaton (Newcastle), Polmadie (Glasgow)and Inverness depots.

The story of train service reliability on theEast Coast Main Line is well documented: in the last 18 months we have faced operatingtemperatures as low as -18°C, producingconditions so severe that one of our HSTs literallyfroze to the rails at Clayhills depot in Aberdeen.More recently we’ve also had to contend withhurricane-force winds which led Network Rail toclose access to Scotland’s busiest station,Edinburgh Waverley, for several hours.

But extreme weather is only part of the story.

We also have the task of delivering a reliable service every day from our fleet of 30 Class 91/Mk IV electric trains and 14 HSTs,operating a timetable which saw 117 extraservices added every week to one of the busiestrailways in the country.

Of course, safety is and will remain our firstpriority. We are totally accountable for the trainin all its aspects, in line with our vision, topositively change the focus of engineeringwithin our business.

From 22 May 2011, and for the first time,daily direct return services were added between London and Lincoln, and London andHarrogate, opening up many new journeyopportunities for passengers. The extra services have also, of course, added to thechallenge of achieving right time starts every day– and delivering higher mileages from our existing fleet.

The punctuality challenge – ‘Falcon’ swoops to conquerIt is fair to say that East Coast train punctuality,

European Railway ReviewVolume 18, Issue 2, 2012

Ian DuncanEngineering Director, East Coast

Delivering high standards of performance on what many industry commentatorsrightly see as the flagship long-distance route is a fascinating challenge. It’s achallenge which requires the latest technology and a tenacious approach togetting the details right, day in, day out. Our pioneering approach means EastCoast is to be the first train operator to have all trains in its electric and diesel fleetsinstalled with remote monitoring and automated delay attribution equipment.

East Coast – where ‘Falcon’meets ‘Eagle’

ROLLING STOCK MAINTENANCE & REFURBISHMENT SUPPLEMENT02

An air-conditioning unit from an East Coast MkIV carriage undergoes routine maintenance at thecompany’s Bounds Green depot in London.

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whilst improving, is still not where we as abusiness want it to be. We are implementingseveral initiatives which together are driving ustowards a step change in performance.

A key part of this is the introduction of aRemote Monitoring system, which we havenamed ‘Project Falcon’. East Coast has investedapproximately £2 million in this project, whichhas started to deliver quicker and more accuratefault diagnosis, thus reducing the time alocomotive is out of action for repair.

‘Falcon’ is progressively being introducedacross East Coast’s entire fleet of electric anddiesel locomotives. Following a competitivetendering process, Interfleet Technology (usingNexala Software) was selected to deliver thisadvanced system.

Interfleet’s engineering team have workedclosely with East Coast throughout theinstallation programme. Their continuousimprovement team has worked with us to reviewthe data gained from the ‘first of class’ pilotfitment of ‘Falcon’ to an electric and a diesel trainin September 2011, utilising this experience to

refine the product as the roll-out continued tothe rest of our fleet.

The technology behind ‘Falcon’ is also triedand tested. Experience gained with the systemon the Anglia franchise provided a usefulbenchmark for the East Coast and Interfleetengineering teams.

Of course, our fleet assets are ageing, eventhough many millions of pounds have beeninvested over the years in refurbishments. Theseincluded replacing the original Paxman Valenta

VP150 engines fitted to the HSTs with MTU16V4000R41 power units in a three and a halfyear upgrade completed in 2009.

East Coast will receive the new InterCityExpress Programme (IEP) trains which will bebuilt at a new manufacturing plant at NewtonAycliffe, close to the East Coast Main Line inCounty Durham. The first new IEP trains will go tothe Great Western franchise from 2016, with thetrains expected to start entering service on the East Coast route from 2018.

Until their replacement via IEP, our challengeremains to keep our diesel trains performing to a

high standard. Fast and accurate fault reportingand diagnosis is key to realising this aspiration: itwas this realisation that prompted East Coast toroll out ‘Falcon’ across its fleet in the autumn andwinter of 2011/12.

‘Falcon’ in detail – advanced monitoring,real-time benefits‘Falcon’ is a web-based real-time monitoringsystem, transmitting live data from a RemoteMonitoring Device (RMD) fitted to the train. The

data is sent back to base using the wirelessinternet system on every East Coast train.

On the train itself, the system transmitsoutputs from the On-Train Monitoring Recorder(OTMR) plus the performance of several keycomponents. In addition, Electric Current forTraction meters are being fitted separately,which will for the first time allow us to look atpotential for ‘eco driving’ to enhanceperformance and economy.

Data from the OTMR is proving invaluable ingenerating several ‘quick wins’ in fault diagnosisand repair. The ability to wirelessly stream OTMR

European Railway Reviewwww.europeanrailwayreview.com Volume 18, Issue 2, 2012

ROLLING STOCK MAINTENANCE & REFURBISHMENT SUPPLEMENT 03

Two East Coast Class 91 electric sets at Bounds Green depot in London


data immediately following an incident using thedirect playback facility is providing revealinginsights into the way train components behavein specific situations.

Better information leads to more accurateand automated delay attribution, opening up the potential for significant industry costreductions. Further savings are also expected as the system enables a more thorough review of driver techniques and their impact on performance.

Several East Coast teams are already makingthe most of data received from trains fitted with ‘Falcon’ monitoring equipment.

These include operational control, mainten-ance control, performance, production andengineering teams.

Besides rapid fault identification anddiagnosis, the system is supporting accuratedelay attribution, including sub-threshold, andmore powerful data analysis capability. It is alsoproviding improved condition monitoring of ourfleet – very important given the challenges ofdelivering continuous improvement inperformance from an ageing fleet.

In summary, ‘Falcon’ was based on proventechnology, with benefits already delivered onthe Great Eastern Main Line between Londonand Norwich. East Coast has taken this system animportant step further, providing greaterfunctionality and crucially, making us the firsttrain operator to have all trains in its electric anddiesel fleet installed with remote monitoring andautomated delay attribution.

Subject to establishment of a clear businesscase, the potential exists to expand the system’scapabilities to monitoring of previouslytroublesome air conditioning and door controlunits on the Mark IV carriages which form thebackbone of East Coast’s electric fleet.

In the meantime, ‘Falcon’ is alreadydelivering specific benefits to East Coast. Forexample, using the new technology, checks to atrain which consistently failed to reach its topspeed – running at a maximum of 122mph –revealed that its automatic speed limiter hadbeen set too low. This was easily recalibratedand, when the train was returned to service, it

covered London-Newcastle diagrams threeminutes faster.

In a further example, a high incidence ofdelays at Wakefield Westgate station in WestYorkshire was examined by our engineers.Examination of RMD recordings showed dwelltimes were consistently one minute, butpreceding timing points made it difficult toachieve the station stop time accurately. Thetimetable was adjusted slightly and the problemwas solved.

The future – the ‘Eagle’ is landing!East Coast, like many other operators, is moving away from the now-antiquatedmainframe RAVERS and IMACS computersystems inherited from British Rail to a much faster and better replacement, which inour case will dovetail with the ‘Falcon’ remotemonitoring system.

At the core of this new technology, whichwe’ve named ‘Eagle’, will be a new EngineeringMaintenance Management system. This willreduce the frequency of train failures, whilecutting train maintenance costs.

The future system will automatically ordernew parts when stocks are low; helping us to better understand repeat component failures; and allow us to track all aspects ofmaintenance and fault rectification. It will en -compass production control, work records andjob cards; match competencies with tasks; and provide accurate information in formats wecan use quickly to save paperwork and monitorwarranties and the lifespan of components.

We’re also keen to develop further advances,including a barcoding inventory and remote access to information using mobile devices.

It’s envisaged that ‘Eagle’ will link directlywith ‘Falcon’ to produce a fully integratedapproach to cover all engineering coremaintenance and management systems.

We’re currently evaluating bids to providethe ‘Eagle’ technology in response to aninvitation to tender issued in November 2011,with a view to announcing the chosen supplier inspring 2012.

Ultimately, with this exciting newtechnology in place, it’ll be clear if a traincontinues to run with outstanding defects daysafter they were first reported. Our approach will drive up performance – while provid-ing valuable reassurance that there aresafeguards in the system to help us deliver thehighest standards.

As one existing user has put it – when ‘Eagle’ has landed at East Coast, there’ll be noplace to hide.



An engineer at East Coast’s Bounds Green depot checks the wheelset on a Class 91 electric locomotive

Ian Duncan is the Engineering Director of East Coast. He was previously Head ofAsset Management and Head of Fleet GNfor First Capital Connect, where he wasresponsible for introducing 321 fleets,and through good performance of staffat Hornsey, improved reliability of 313,

317 and 365 fleets on the GN Route. Ian also bought back inhouse the maintenance of the 365 fleet back into Hornsey staffresponsibilities, rather than the previous contract withBombardier. Prior to this, Ian was Head of Production at FirstGreat Western, Business Manager with Thames Trains and theContract Delivery Manager at ALSTOM and was involved indelivering the new London Underground Northern Line Metrotrains. Ian has 36 years rail experience where he started hisRailway Apprenticeship at Shields Electric Traction.

BIOGRAPHY



Established as a leading passenger transportprovider in the UK and mainland Europe with railand bus businesses in 12 countries, Arriva was areputable player when it came to delivering frontline services – but not as a maintenance suppliersupporting the UK’s rail industry.

In reality the decision to move into trainmaintenance was a strategic and logical move byArriva. The group, which is now owned byDeutsche Bahn, identified an opportunity toprovide the assurance of being part of a largegroup and develop LNWR so it could competewith some of the country’s internationalmaintenance companies for major contracts.

Some three years later and the ambitions ofLNWR – and Arriva – are being realised. LNWRhas strengthened its position as a trainmaintenance company and services one of themost diverse fleets of trains in the UK.

From small acorns…Located in Crewe in the North West of England,LNWR’s 35 acre site is situated adjacent to one of

the UK’s busiest sections of track – the WestCoast Main Line.

Signalling from Crewe station allowsplatform access from all 12 platform roads andthe maintenance depot has three through routeswhich make LNWR’s facilities an attractive

location for train operators and a logisticallysound site for stock movements, servicing andstabling of up to 150 single car units.

Formerly one of the largest independenttrain maintainers in the UK, and borne out ofprivatisation, the LNWR was opened under theownership of music producer, entrepreneur andrail enthusiast Pete Waterman in 1996. Itremained under Waterman’s stewardship untilArriva’s acquisition.

The depot was an attractive prospect forArriva. Some £3 million had been spent onturning it from a former Victorian carriage shedinto a comprehensive servicing facility formodern electric and diesel trains.

As one of the largest depots and stablingfacilities on the West Coast Mainline, andequipped with a versatile and professionalworkforce, LNWR has flourished as part of Arriva’sUK Trains division.

Operations have grown significantly. LNWRis now a forward-thinking and proactive supplierof traction and rolling stock maintenance andrefurbishment services to some 22 UK trainoperating companies/freight operatingcompanies or vehicle/maintenance suppliersand two rolling stock leasing companies

When Arriva acquired train maintenance company London and North WesternRailway Company Ltd (LNWR) back in November 2008, the UK rail industry couldhave been forgiven for being somewhat surprised by the move.

Combination forgrowth turns LNWRinto leading UKtrain maintenancespecialist

ROLLING STOCK MAINTENANCE & REFURBISHMENT SUPPLEMENT 05Mark Knowles

Managing Director, LNWR

Ultrasonic Axle Testing at Crewe Lathe

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+ MECHAN RAIL DEPOT EQUIPMENTWe design, manufacture, supply and maintain a comprehensive range of equipment for use in Rail Depots and Workshops. Standard and bespoke designs are available to suit customer requirements, backed up by our ISO9001 accreditation. Installations throughout the UK, Europe and the rest of the world.

Range Includes:Railcar Lifting Jacks // Bogie Changing Systems // Wheelset Changing Systems // Bogie Press Bogie Rotators // Turntables for Loco and Bogies Traversers // Fixed and Moving Work Platforms Equipment Handling & Storage solutions // Cranes

(ROSCOs). It has a proven track record of highquality maintenance on all forms of locomotives,rolling stock and on track plant.

Combination for growthWhen Deutsche Bahn acquired Arriva in August2010, the door opened to further newopportunities for LNWR.

As part of DB and Arriva’s combination forgrowth strategy, LNWR underwent significantexpansion. In May 2011, four Axiom rail depots

transferred from DB Schenker (UK) Ltd to LNWR’srail maintenance operations.

The transfer of passenger train servicing and

rolling stock maintenance depots at Bristol,Eastleigh, Cambridge and Tyne Yard (Gateshead)to LNWR gave the business a 210-strongworkforce and combined turnover of £30 millionwhich is targeted to rise by approximately 30% in 2012.

Perhaps more importantly the combined

business increased LNWR’s strength andgeographic presence on the UK rail networkmaking it one of the leading providers of railvehicle maintenance services and creating thepotential to tap into new contracts and markets.

LNWR believes that the confidence gainedby being part of Arriva and its parent companyDB, is helping attract more work from ROSCOs and other large customers in the UK andfurther afield.

Delivering in the rail industryOperating from five locations, 24-hours a day,365 days a year, LNWR’s core activities are basedaround the overnight servicing of a variety ofpassenger rolling stock. This includes ControlledEmission Tank (CET) servicing, tanking, fuelling,cleaning, fault finding and repair.

Train presentation standards are key tosuccessful relationships with operators andLNWR is proud of its reputation in this area. This isachieved through the careful use of a directlyemployed skilled workforce complemented byaccess to reputable contractors which offersextra operational flexibility and capacity.

LNWR’s four other depots provide a range ofcapabilities. Predominantly they supportCrossCountry’s fleet of class 220/221 Voyagers


Bristol Servicing Shed


on behalf of Bombardier and the Class 170Turbostars in partnership with London Midland,along with maintenance and servicing of freightstock and locos for Freightliner and DB Schenker(UK) Ltd.

The locations are fully equipped to supportmany types of rolling stock and provide flexibilityin delivering additional overhaul projects.Eastleigh carries out Riviera rolling stockrefurbishments and Bristol Barton Hill providescomprehensive damage repair services to UK railoperators.

Each of the four depots offer a contractcleaning service, have maintenance and repairworkshops and offer water, CET and fuellingservices. Bristol, Tyne Yard and Eastleigh alsohave wash plants.

At the Crewe depot, LNWR has a tandem‘Sculfort’ ground wheel lathe which operates

around the clock, providing convenient slots forcustomers with challenging rolling stockoperational plans who need wheels re-profiledquickly and efficiently.

The depot, which is one of the last of its typein the UK to employ skilled carpenters who candeliver specialist refurbishment work, is currentlyundertaking a significant refurb ishment of Class158 trains for Angel Trains.

The refurbishment is a complex andcomprehensive refresh of the 24 two-car units inservice at the group’s Arriva Trains Wales (ATW)business. The project follows the successfulcompletion of a similar programme on ATW’s Class 153s and the refurbishment of aMark 3 Restaurant First Modular (RFM) with a first class saloon, kitchen and buffet facilities forATW’s Premier Service which links North and South Wales.

LNWR, which had to bid for the workalongside other UK train maintenancecompanies, is delivering a complete interiorrefurbishment and installing new fully compliantpassenger information systems which meet theTechnical Specification for Interoperability forPersons with Reduced Mobility (PRM TSI).

It is also installing low energy lighting, cab airconditioning, door system modifications, a newseating layout with new ‘Grammer’ seating (withtip ups), a C6 overhaul and a full exterior repaint(in two-pack paint, carried out at the on-site fullyEnvironmental Protection Act (EPA) compliantspray booth).

Each two-car unit is delivered back to the customer in 15 working days to reduce theimpact of front-line service with the contractscheduled for completion in September 2012.

The project is being managed by the in-house heavy maintenance team using the LNWR Project Management Model. This toolenables the Crewe team to deliver high qualityoutput on time and high quality customerinformation to ensure its customer is part of theteam approach.

Alongside the Class 158 project, LNWR’sheavy maintenance team is also undertaking aC4 overhaul programme on 18 HST Mark 3coaches operated by Grand Central Railway.

LNWR won the contract in 2011, prior to the Arriva group acquiring the open-accessoperator which provides services betweenSunderland and London Kings Cross andBradford/Halifax and London Kings Cross. All work will be completed by May 2012.

LNWR also delivers a full fleet managementservice for the Freightliner AC (electric) loco fleet,providing servicing and maintenance for 24 Class86 and Class 90 locomotives which operate dailyon the UK rail network.

Working in partnership with Freightliner,LNWR is delivering maintenance solutions whichenhance performance and increase operational

reliability and it provides support with Class 66sand Class 70s at both its Crewe and Eastleighdepots.

The business is currently in the process ofdeveloping its Crewe site to include a bogieoverhaul facility to support the Freightliner fleetwith on-site lifting, testing and refurbishmentequipment designed specifically to provide anoperationally efficient service to a valuedcustomer. This represents an investment of some£125,000.

The Crewe depot is a hive of activity as aresult of LNWR securing some more unusualcontracts. Rolling stock from private owners orfor use outside the UK can be found at the site. Over the years the depot has worked on arange of projects including the trialling andtesting of mothballed Class 87s electric locos sothey could re-enter service in Bulgaria after sevenyears in storage.

LNWR is focused on growing the business,and with the backing of Arriva UK Trains, it has


ROLLING STOCK MAINTENANCE & REFURBISHMENT SUPPLEMENT 07

! 1996 – LNWR commenced tradingproviding maintenance services to the charter market

! 1999 – Commenced work for First NorthWestern maintaining stock for timetabledpassenger services

! 2004 – Won contract to maintainFreightliner’s Class 66 locomotive fleet, built a new depot at Leeds to accommodatethe work

! 2004 – Installed a tandem ‘Sculfort’ groundwheel lathe in dedicated building at Crewe

! 2005 – Commenced servicing and main -tenance work for Bombardier on VirginVoyager DEMU trains

! 2005 – Won contract to provide overnightservicing for Siemens Class 350 Desiro trains

! 2007 – Won contract for full maintenanceresponsibility for the Freightliner AClocomotive fleet

! 2007 – Invested in new £3 million trainservicing facility with capacity for servicingof 20 vehicles simultaneously

! 2008 – Arriva acquired LNWR! 2008 – Completed latest in long line of loco-

hauled coach refurbishments (including MkIII RFM for Arriva Trains Wales includingClass 4 overhaul)

! 2009 – Won first major overhaul contractfrom Angel Trains (Class 153 C6)

! 2010 – Won major overhaul andrefurbishment contract from Angel Trains(Class 158 Class 6 and refurbishment)

! 2011 – Expanded business with transfer offour Axiom Rail depots to LNWR

! 2011 – Won first major accident damagerepair contract for Arriva Trains Wales (Class 153320)

! 2011 – Secured Grand Central Railway HSTMk.3 Class 4 overhaul contract

LNWR HISTORY AT A GLANCE

ATW’s Class 158s refurbished by LNWR for Angel Trains


developed plans to invest in new equipment toassist in future bids for more heavy maintenanceand refurbishment work to complement itsestablished train servicing activities.

In 2011, some £750,000 was invested in anextensive renewal programme at Crewe. Thisincluded the upgrading of all fuelling points,wash plant enhancements and the developmentof a waste streaming and recycling station – anapproach which the business hopes to roll-out toits other locations.

LNWR is ISO 9001 (quality systems)accredited and is currently working toward ISO14001 (environment), and ISO 18001 (safety)accreditation as well as being fully engaged withthe British Quality Foundation (BQF) ‘Recognisedfor Excellence’ (R4E) process designed todemonstrate competent and credible businessesmanagement systems.

While investment in facilities, managementsystems and winning new business remains a priority, LNWR realises its real strength lies with its 210-strong workforce and trainingand development is vital to the industry and the business.

LNWR has created a professional workforcewhich is adept at multi-tasking. This is absolutelyessential when you have a business whichhandles a wide range of roles on diverse train fleets.

Attracting and retaining skilled and versatile engineers and craftspeople is key to LNWR’scurrent and future success so the business iscommitted to nurturing new talent.

Over the years LNWR has taken on a numberof apprentices providing them with first classtraining which contributes to both LNWR’s skillbase and the wider UK rail industry.

This commitment to training newapprentices remains strong at a time when manybusinesses are thinking twice about investmentof this type. The business has already startedexploring opportunities for a further intake in2012, visiting recruitment fairs and buildingrelationships with learning providers.

Looking aheadLNWR’s combined operation under Arriva UKTrains stewardship has created a strong businesswhich is passionate about offering anddelivering the complete package of main -tenance and refurbishment.

Together, the five depots combined with astrong team of skilled professionals offer newprospects for LNWR, Arriva and the wider UK rail industry.

The door to new opportunities is open and LNWR and Arriva are ready, willing, able and out there bidding for new business, which is certainly no surprise to the wider railindustry now.



Mark Knowles has wide experienceacross the engineering sector. Afterqualifying as an engineer in 1980, Markstarted his career on Rolls-Royce’sgraduate programme and worked onRB-211 aircraft engine developmentbefore spending more than 10 years in

advanced composite structures predominantly for motorsport.He then went on to specialise in rescue recovery projects inailing engineering businesses covering aviation, medicalequipment, aircraft maintenance and rail related companies. In 2006, he joined LNWR and, as Managing Director, hasoverseen the transformation of the company quadrupling both turnover and employment. LNWR is part of Arriva’s UK Trains division which operates six rail businesses – ArrivaTrains Wales, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, Grand CentralRailway, Tyne and Wear Metro and London Overground, a part of a joint venture. The division also owns Alliance RailHoldings which explores open access passenger rail serviceopportunities in the UK. The Arriva group is Deutsche Bahn’sentrepreneurial division responsible for all passenger transportoutside of Germany.

BIOGRAPHY

! Five locations across the UK! 24/7 365 days a year operation ! 210 employees! Fuelling and overnight servicing facilities at

all five depots! Extensive servicing sheds! Workshop space for more than 70 vehicles! Capacity for diesel, AC and third rail forms

of traction! Heavy lifting facilities for locomotives and

rolling stock! Overhead lifting and roof access facilities! Tandem wheel lathe at Crewe! Ultrasonic Axle Testing and all Non

Destructive Testing supplied ! Fully compliant spray booth at Crewe! Facility for vehicle refurbishment at three

locations! Extensive stabling and storage space

available for hire! Maintenance facilities available for hire! Exceptional supply chain management! Field engineers and breakdown recovery

LNWR KEY FACTS:

Crewe ‘Sculfort’ Tandem Wheel Lathe


ROLLING STOCK MAINTENANCE & REFURBISHMENT · rolling stock supp lead fc_Layout 1 13/04/2012 09:58 Page 1. East Coast manages three depots directly. Our Bounds Green site in north

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