Rail Director November 2021

November 2021

EXCLUSIVELY FOR RAIL INDUSTRY LEADERS November 2021

Darren O’Brien Putting victims of domestic abuse on the track to safety Maggie Simpson Growing rail freight Karen Heppenstall Driving forward the Midlands Engine Rail programme Luisa Moisio Flying the flag for R&D

15

DYAN CROWTHER

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Walking the talk on the Green Gateway to Europe

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Introduction

Rail: The greener alternative to air travel W

elcome to the latest edition of Rail Director. The nights are drawing in and, although the same thing happens every year, it always takes some getting used to when the alarm clock goes off in a morning and it is cold and dark.

I write this after the Chancellor Rishi Sunak delivered his Budget. I was left with mixed feelings.

The investment of £46 billion in the railways and the £5.7 billion for London-style transport settlements is very much welcome.

But I very much hoped for clarity on HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail – much needed if we are to truly see levelling up in the country.

It was also with some disappointment to hear that flights between airports in England, Scotland and Wales will be subject to a new lower rate of Air Passenger Duty.

We really should be encouraging people to make these journeys by train – a greener alternative – particularly at a time when we are welcoming officials to Glasgow for the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26).

With COP26 in mind, it is heartening to read the focus of HS1 Ltd on sustainability. Its Chief Executive Officer, Dyan Crowther, features on this issue of Rail Director’s cover. Inside, she talks about everything from peat bogs to running entirely on renewable electricity.

There’s a lot that can be learned from what is going on at HS1 and it further cements the importance of the railways in building back greener.

It is also wonderful to feature Darren O’Brien, the man behind the lifesaving Rail to Refuge scheme.

It was a great pleasure to attend the recent Women in Rail Awards, where Darren received the Outstanding Contribution Award.

His efforts and the partnership with the whole of the rail industry really highlight the impact we can have on so many lives when we work together. It is sad to hear of anyone needing to escape to refuge, but some consolation that together we can help get victims to safety.

These are just two of several excellent features in the following pages. I would like to thank all the contributors in November’s edition and all the organisations and businesses that have put their trust in our platform to showcase their products and services.

I hope you enjoy the latest edition of the magazine and also like the new-look front cover – which you may have noticed in the last edition.

We are always striving to keep the organisation fresh and, particularly with Rail Director, make sure we tell the stories of the rail industry in the most attractive of formats. Please do not hesitate to talk to us about how we can help you to tell your story and help provide a platform for your business to succeed.

Best wishes,

Da vid

David McLoughlin Chief Executive Business Daily Group (incorporating: RBD Publications and railbusinessdaily.com)

We really should be encouraging people to make these journeys by train – a greener alternative When you have finished reading this issue of RailDirector, please pass it to colleagues to enjoy or put it in your reception area.

RailDirector magazine is part of the Business Daily Group of companies, which includes the hugely popular railbusinessdaily.com. We deliver more than 70 stories a week to +50,000 rail industry professionals who now subscribe to our 7am daily newsletter. Please subscribe and encourage your colleagues and team members to do the same. It’s free and it’s easy: www.railbusinessdaily.com. This is the very best way to keep abreast of what is happening on Britain’s railways. There is a digital copy of RailDirector on our website.

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November 2021 | 3

Contents

Walking the talk on the Green Gateway to Europe

5

News

8

From peat bogs to running entirely on renewable electricity, HS1 Ltd is focused on sustainability

Inspiring and developing the next generation of rail leaders

10

Young Rail Professionals: 12 years of promoting the industry and supporting its new workers

Alex Warner, Managing Director of Tracsis Transport Consultancy, urges caution before companies dive head-first into recruitment campaigns without talking to experts first

18

The DfT has recently launched the Freight Council.

Among its members is the Rail Freight Group’s Maggie Simpson, who writes about the Council’s role

20

Lucy Prior MBE has been appointed the Chair of the Railway Industry Association’s SME Group

Driving forward the Midlands Engine 22 Rail programme Midlands Connect’s Head of Rail Karen Heppenstall on delivering a more sustainable, connected and productive rail network

40

Director of Research and Development Luisa Moisio discusses the opportunities and challenges innovation faces

Good training is essential in developing an efficient and safe workforce. But poor training can not only be ineffective, it can also encourage dangerous working practices

44

Photographer Paul Bigland captured the challenge of climbing the three highest mountains in England, Scotland and Wales for the Railway Children charity.

Make the promise

46

Anthea Sully, Chief Executive of White Ribbon UK, says the rail industry is taking the lead in ending violence against women and girls

Full steam ahead for Welsh heritage 60 railway after National Lottery grant Paul Lewin, General Manager at the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways, says it secures a thriving future and opportunities for people in the area

Rail Aid Week 2021

62

Rail Aid 2021 has been a great success, culminating in the biggest event yet

Great British Railways: The plan ahead

26

25 years of Confidential Incident Reporting and Analysis Service

30

Rail Director’s Managing Editor Nigel Wordsworth examines the future of rail in the UK

Catherine Baker, Director of CIRAS, on the role confidential reporting has to play in keeping the railway and its people safe

Rail Director meets Darren O’Brien, the man behind the lifesaving Rail to Refuge scheme

Flying the flag for R&D

Taking on the Three Peaks by rail

Can government’s Freight Council help grow rail freight?

Putting victims of domestic abuse on the track to safety

38

Robert Doolan, a member of the Working Group of the Equality Diversity and Inclusion Charter, urges the industry to come together to attract people of all backgrounds into the workforce

How good is the training you provide? 42

Tracsis Transport Consultancy set to 14 support the transport industry ‘reset’

Pushing the SME agenda

Working to inspire a generation

34

A day trip to France

66

International News

72

Movers

74

RBD Community

77

Dartmoor Line services to resume for first time in half a century

78

A review of the French railway supply industry’s own national exhibition – SIFER

Great Western Railway Managing Director Mark Hopwood describes the reopening as a key aspiration for the community and rail industry

Tel: 0800 046 7320 Sales: 020 7062 6599 Editor Nigel Wordsworth nigel@rbdpublications.com Writers Danny Longhorn Dave Windass Designer/Production Editor Chris Cassidy Print Manager Dan Clark Distribution Manager Rachael Dean Advertising Team Christian Wiles – chris@rbdpublications.com Freddie Neal – freddie@rbdpublications.com Elliot Gates – elliot@rbdpublications.com Amy Hudson – amy@rbdpublications.com Published by RBD Publications Ltd., Suite 37, Philpot House, Station Road, Rayleigh, Essex, SS6 7HH. Printed by Stephens & George © 2021 All rights reserved. Reproduction of the contents of this magazine in any manner whatsoever is prohibited without prior consent from the publisher.

For subscription enquiries and to make sure you get your copy of RailDirector please ring 0800 046 7320 or email subscriptions@rbdpublications.com The views expressed in the articles reflect the author’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher and editor. The published material, adverts, editorials and all other content is published in good faith.

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Green Gateway to Europe

Walking the talk on the Green Gateway to Europe

From peat bogs to running entirely on renewable electricity, HS1 Ltd is focused on sustainability

M

any of those involved in the High Speed 1 (HS1) ‘system’ head to Investment COP 2021, part of the COP26 World Climate Summit, this month.

Representatives from HS1 Ltd as well as HS1 partners are hosting a landmark workshop to discuss solutions to attracting more passengers and businesses to use high-speed rail so it can run at its full potential. This includes Eurostar’s CEO Jacques Damas and Head of Public Affairs Renaud Thillaye, Network Rail’s Managing Director for Southern region John Halsall, along with UK Power Network Services, Southeastern High Speed and freight partners.

The Investment COP is a leading forum for business and investment-driven solutions to climate change. The forum is recognised as one of the most important official side events of COP26, bringing investors, policy makers and activists from across the public and private sectors together under one roof to drive solutions, investments and legislation to tackle the climate crisis.

An exciting opportunity Dyan Crowther views participation in Investment COP as both an exciting opportunity and part of HS1 Ltd’s ongoing journey that, last year, saw it become the first UK railway to run entirely on renewable electricity in line with pledges and environmental targets outlined in its sustainability strategy, which was unveiled last October.

Dyan Crowther

HS1 Ltd is working with Eurostar and Southeastern High Speed to reduce the carbon footprint of every passenger by 25 per cent and to cut energy per train journey by 10 per cent.

HS1 Ltd has also pledged to be fully carbon

neutral within a decade. It has already secured so-called Renewable Electricity Guarantee of Origin (REGO) certificates from its electricity supplier, npower Business Solutions, enabling it to report zero-carbon emissions for the electricity used to power its trains and stations.

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November 2021 | 5

FGeraeteunr eG a t e w a y t o E u r o p e

The Investment COP presents an opportunity for HS1 Ltd to build on its commitment to provide the greenest and most sustainable option for transport across the UK and into Europe, and present what it considers to be pioneering approaches to climate change.

But none of this ambition will become a reality, Dyan says, unless HS1 moves forward on climate change as an entire system.

She said: “You achieve shifts in sustainability by looking at it from a whole system perspective rather than just individual aspects and component parts. When we talk about HS1 we have to talk about it as a system, not just the people employed by HS1 Ltd, the 109km of track and four stations.

“HS1 is a system that can’t be sustainable if we don’t take the supply chain and the customers with us. That’s one of the unique things about going to COP26, we’re not going on our own, we’re going as a system. What we’re considering, as a system, is how we work together to achieve modal shift. If we achieve modal shift we can double the sustainable benefits we’ve got, whether they are economic, environmental, or social.

“How do we achieve another 4.9 million customers per annum onto high-speed rail by 2030, which will benefit our planet and economy? How do we reduce our carbon footprint? We do that as a system, by making ourselves more efficient, improving productivity so that our costs come down, and if our costs come down we can run more trains. If we run more trains, we’re more attractive to the consumer. If we can then develop our green credentials even further, we will achieve that modal shift by being even more attractive while also looking at the barriers that stop people travelling by train at the moment.”

Renewable challenge HS1 Ltd’s sustainability strategy was kickstarted by a challenge from Eurostar three years ago. Eurostar, which had clear aims to be a sustainable business, needed HS1 to be able to demonstrate that its energy came from a renewable source. This prompted a whole range of systems thinking, and an examination of the links and interactions that can make HS1 work at its optimum.

“Initially, we were, ok, what does that all mean?” said Dyan. “As a leader one of the things you always have to consider is looking at what’s coming down the pipeline and therefore, two to three years ago, we had to start to think as a management team about what our approach should be on sustainability.

6 | November 2021

You achieve shifts in sustainability by looking at it from a whole system perspective rather than just individual aspects “Naturally we had an environmental plan and environmental KPIs but they were just part of what we had to deliver within our contract.

We started to talk to external experts and look at what other organisations were doing and realised we were pretty ignorant about what our green credentials were. You need to know where you are and then work out where you want to get to and how you’re going to achieve it. It’s been a brilliant journey for HS1 Ltd, and our sustainability strategy was informed by a socioeconomic impact study, benchmarking in terms of our competitors and comparator industries so we could develop our plan to get us to 2030 and our objective to be carbon neutral.

“It’s quite an ambitious plan and there are some key milestones on the journey. I’m sure we’ll go down some paths that are the wrong paths, but you have to try different approaches and not be afraid of failure.”

As part of the ongoing journey, Dyan and HS1 Ltd’s Engineering and Sustainability Director Richard Thorp recently enrolled on a business and sustainability management course at the University of Cambridge. The by-product of this is regular contact with 450 fellow international students and a peer network covering a wide range of business specialisms, who the duo can share ideas and experiences with, which will continue to inform HS1 Ltd’s approaches.

Shifting perspectives The public perception of ‘green credentials’ and environmental issues has undoubtedly changed in recent years. Passengers are on the lookout for businesses that can back up their stated commitments to climate change with tangible options before they part with their hard-earned money. Innovations in this area come in all shapes and sizes and from unexpected areas.

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Green Gateway to Europe/News

Having created an environment where all ideas are listened to, Dyan was delighted when a graduate at HS1 Ltd suggested an idea that would contribute to the conservation of peat bogs – peatlands are able to lock-up vast amounts of carbon and keeping them healthy prevents them releasing this stored carbon, which would accelerate global warming.

This led to a recent campaign that sees every purchase made at St Pancras resulting in a peat bog conservation contribution.

Making a change Dyan added: “It is things like that where customers can see a tangible difference.

We’re always trying to step into the shoes of passengers and trying to knit what they want with what we do and create an overall system view, then working with everyone in the system to be able to create those opportunities.

“We are always in relentless pursuit of improvement and if a customer has a consistently good experience they will expect that every day and then expect more, and that leads to even further improvements, efficiencies and productivity.”

Independent research commissioned in 2019 by

We position ourselves as the Green Gateway to Europe and we’re proud when we see that being repeated and rolled out HS1 Ltd revealed that HS1 already removes 6,000 cars and lorries from UK roads, and 60,000 short-haul flights (equivalent to 750,000 tonnes of CO2) every year. By persuading more people to shift to high-speed rail, a potential further 450,000 tonnes of CO2 could be prevented from entering the atmosphere, which would build on the £66 million of environmental benefits already generated each year as a result of people choosing to take the train rather than fly.

“We have to reinvent ourselves, it’s not an option,” Dyan said.

“We have set some ambitious targets and we will be transparent in terms of how we’ll deliver on them. There’s an awful lot of scepticism around green agendas, a sense of ‘you’re just saying that’. So you have to be able to follow through and walk the talk. That’s what we’re aiming to do at The Investment COP. “ Looking to the future Dyan added: “We’re in the public eye so we need to be able to do that. One of the great things about HS1 Ltd is that we’re agile, we can make decisions, and we are in control of our own destiny to a certain extent. That’s a potential barrier within the wider industry, as it is so difficult to get any consensus to get people to move in the same direction. Putting that aside is fundamental to sustainability.

“We position ourselves as the Green Gateway to Europe and we’re proud when we see that being repeated and rolled out. We’ll continue talking to policy makers and decision makers about how we can help to achieve modal shift. We’re not saying we should get rid of other modes of transport, but how can we help people make more sustainable choices about how they travel?”

Southeastern trains enters new ownership T

he Managing Director of SE Trains has said the focus is on winning back customers to travel on the railway.

That’s the message from Steve White after rail services across the South East transferred successfully into the public sector, under the ownership of SE Trains, part of the Department for Transport’s Operator of Last Resort Ltd, (DOHL).

He said: “SE Trains is now operational and I’m delighted that the transfer has gone so smoothly.

For our passengers and colleagues, it’s very much business as usual.

“Our focus now is squarely on winning back our customers to travel on the railway.“You can expect to see more of the striking new trains on our network, investment in our fleet and stations, flexible

ticketing and new technology to ensure journeys are as comfortable and convenient as possible.”

SE Trains officially took control of services from the previous owner, London South Eastern Railway, at 2am on Sunday 17 October. SE Trains will work to rapidly complete the rollout of modern class 707 ‘City Beam’ trains, focusing on running clean, punctual services.

Robin Gisby, CEO of DOHL and Chair of SE Trains Ltd, said: “Our aim for SE Trains will be to maintain an unwavering focus on delivering an excellent service for passengers.

“We have a very experienced team to confidently take the business forward and there are many exciting improvements for passengers to look forward to, including the continued rollout of new trains.”

reight belongs on rail!’ is the message DB Cargo UK is taking to the heart of government as part of a major new campaign.

The UK’s largest rail freight company is teaming up with some of Britain’s biggest businesses to lobby the UK Government to set a legally binding target for future modal shift – the switching of transportation from road to rail – and encourage other businesses to follow their lead.

8 | November 2021

The campaign was launched to rail industry stakeholders at the official opening of DB Cargo UK’s new £7 million rail freight terminal in Cricklewood, North London, which is supporting some of the country’s biggest infrastructure projects like HS2 and the ongoing regeneration of Brent Cross.

DB Cargo UK Chief Executive Officer Andrea Rossi said: “Freight belongs on rail. The more goods and materials we can get off the

Photo: DB Cargo UK

Campaign to encourage shift from road to rail ‘F

road and onto rail will reduce congestion, significantly cut carbon emissions and improve air quality –

some of the UK Government’s key objectives in its drive to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.” railbusinessdaily.com

I n sFue raat nu cr e

Advice for Railway Companies – monthly feature by Jobson James Rail – The Rail Broker

What is private medical insurance, and should I consider it?

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rivate medical insurance (PMI) is designed to cover the cost of treatment in either a private hospital or private ward of an NHS hospital. It gives your employees choice on when, where and from which consultant they receive treatment.

Why is it important?

With the significant delays that can be experienced getting treated on the NHS, PMI is an increasingly sought-after employee benefit as it gives them the ability to choose how they wish to receive medical treatment.

PMI will often give your employees access to a GP 24 hours a day, enabling them to select a time convenient for the GP to phone or video call. The GP can issue prescriptions online, which can be taken to their local pharmacy, or they will arrange for a prescription to be delivered to their door.

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People

Inspiring and developing the next generation of rail leaders Young Rail Professionals: 12 years of promoting the industry and supporting its new workers

I

sabella Lawson was on her first day at the Railway Industry Association (RIA) when a colleague suggested that she joined the Young Rail Professionals (YRP). It was an opportunity to network with fellow new recruits that the then Executive Assistant and Operations Executive jumped at and one she has never looked back on.

Isabella is one of hundreds of rail recruits who have benefited from the network platform since YRP was founded in 2009.

“The aim is to promote the rail industry, inspire and develop the next generation of railway talent,” said Isabella, the group’s National IntoRail Manager – who fulfils the role voluntarily alongside the day job of RIA’s Policy Executive.

“There is no age limit to becoming a member, although generally our events are aimed at members with 10 years or less experience in their rail career. We work as a group to bring events to people, networking opportunities and personal and professional development.

“I came with no prior knowledge of rail and I didn’t know anyone in the industry – I’ve made some lifelong friends from YRP, you immediately get to know people and I’ve learned so much.”

A large skillset YRP brings together people from all aspects of the industry, whether they are involved in engineering, asset management, train operations, strategic planning, maintenance, franchising, regulation, marketing, human relations or otherwise.

“I got involved with YRP on my very first day at RIA, when people I worked with mentioned going to a meeting,” she said. “Everyone was very welcoming and I was immediately involved in helping with events – although there was no pressure to.

“I joined the London and South East committee for around a year and then I was elected Vice Chair for the region. I did that for a year, and now I’m IntoRail Manager on the national committee, so I’ve worked my way up and I’m very happy with this.

“I’ve made a lot of my rail connections through YRP. Everyone in the group is very interested in the industry and wants to get to know people and make those connections.

10 | November 2021

I joined the London and South East committee for around a year and then I was elected Vice Chair for the region “Many are already in more senior positions, but there are also apprentices and grads, so in a way you are hanging out with the future leaders of rail.”

For the past six months Isabella has been the National Manager of IntoRail, which showcases

fun and interactive opportunities to educate young people on the fantastic prospects that the rail industry can provide for them in their future careers.

“The programme aims to bring a positive and insightful outreach presence to schools, colleges, universities and the general public,” said Isabella.

Creative programmes Isabella added: “Our partners in the rail industry and network of regional volunteers have built an informed and creative programme of activities covering a wide range of railway systems and the spectrum of STEM subjects, which are accessible for groups and individuals, whether that be in classrooms, at career fairs, at regionally held events or even at home.” railbusinessdaily.com

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The IntoRail programme draws on the enthusiasm and creativity of YRP volunteers in the early stages of their careers. All the ambassadors bring with them unique experiences from a variety of rail sectors, including operations, commercial, engineering, rolling stock, signalling, and legal.

Improving connections Isabella added: “We have a really important part to play in getting young people interested in the rail industry. We are the young face of the industry and YRP is also very diverse.

There is a real cross-section when it comes to backgrounds and roles, and we are a good representative of the industry when it comes to encouraging young people to join.

“Because of COVID we haven’t really been able to do anything in person in schools, but I recently helped out with a virtual work experience event speaking to a group of 80 sixth-formers.

“It was terrifying, but really good, and I spoke about the green future of rail and how jobs have changed – looking at biodiversity, digital, and drones. The students knew their stuff and there were some great questions. They were really interested in the rail industry and afterwards one person said it was the best life advice they’d had.

“The early engagement with kids is really important in attracting more people into the industry and there are a lot of really good initiatives going on and a lot of people going out into local schools, such as Routes Into Rail. What is starting to change is that people leading all these initiatives are bringing them together and working together, which is much more effective.”

Being able to move our events online has meant we’ve had a lot more people attending them IntoRail is one of several initiatives being led

by YRP to change the industry for the better. As well as regular networking and development opportunities – including technical seminars, presentations, site visits and socials – the group has also recently held its Rail Week.

The brainchild of YRP, it is a week-long panindustry collaborative effort aimed at bridging the rail sector’s looming skills gap and inspiring the next generation of rail professionals.

Making connections The event in October gave young people, parents, teachers and career advisors the opportunity to hear first-hand the vast range of projects, facilities and range of jobs in the rail industry.

“Looking to the future I think it will be more of the same with the hybrid approach for YRP,” said Isabella. Being able to move our events online has meant we’ve had a lot more people attending them with some seeing 150 people dialling in, including lots of students. We’ll also look to use the lessons learned during lockdown to make sure we deliver events in the most successful way and use it to work out what people want to hear about moving forwards.

“I am very excited for the future of YRP and the fact we can now also start delivering events in person. Lockdown has led to a lot more engagement between the regions of YRP and I feel we are more joined up and doing more on a national scale. We have really good leadership in George and Fi, and I think YRP has an important role to play in the future for the railways.

“There is also a push on corporate membership, which is vital for our aim to promote, inspire and develop the next generation. This membership covers the work of YRP and as well as promoting the fact you care about YRP, it shows that you care about the young people and the future of the rail industry.”

Visit www.youngrailpro.com for more details.

12 | November 2021

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People

Tracsis Transport Consultancy set to support the transport industry ‘reset’ Alex Warner, Managing Director of Tracsis Transport Consultancy, urges caution before companies dive head-first into recruitment campaigns without talking to experts first

T

racsis Transport Consultancy has launched its executive search and selection business for the bus, coach and rail sector, building on the foundations and expertise of the recently acquired Flash Forward Consultancy.

It couldn’t have come at a better time as a surge of new skills and people will be needed to help the industry get back on its feet and encourage passengers back onto public transport.

“There’s never been a more important time to get the right people in the right roles,” said Alex Warner, an industry veteran who was the Chief Executive of Flash Forward Consulting when he decided that joining forces with Tracsis would create a real driving force in helping the industry recover.

“Back in March last year, COVID changed things overnight. Decades of growth and optimism were wiped out, and passenger numbers fell off a cliff. There were days when I really thought ‘is this the end?’ It felt disingenuous to continue recruiting against that backdrop and also a lack of self-awareness to even approach prospective clients asking if they had any recruitment needs, when it was all about cutting back to survive.

“With so much uncertainty, how can you put forward a great candidate for a role that could be wiped out a few months down the line?

There’s a very human side to what we do, and I think the approach we took showed not just integrity but a deeper understanding of what people were going through.”

Plannig ahead Holding back and watching things unfold made Alex realise the scale of change that would be needed once the world emerged from the pandemic, and joining forces with Tracsis seemed an obvious choice.

He said: “We’d previously worked together, had a lot of shared values, and shared the same clear ambition to create an exceptional offer to our customers that would help rebuild the transport industry after COVID.” The new executive search and selection 14 | November 2021

We have a key role to play in the recovery of the transport industry business offers a variety of tailored recruitment products and services for clients to meet their particular, unique needs. However, it also works hand-in-hand with Tracsis Transport Consultancy’s training, coaching, mentoring and consultancy propositions.

Alex added: “The decisions that have been made mean that we have a key role to play in the recovery of the transport industry. We’re a bigger force, full of energy, and it’s the right time to get things going again.

“Our candidate pool is bigger than ever and we’re now at a stage where we can add even more value across organisations by utilising our experience, market intelligence and contacts. Our connections with the transport industry and our team of experts and recruiters – many of whom have held senior positions in bus, coach and rail companies – give Tracsis unrivalled insight and the ability to offer something different.

“We have a unique ‘one stop solution’ that is so much more than just filling vacant roles. It can start with ‘mystery shopping’, which helps us identify exactly what a business needs, from training programmes to leadership qualities. railbusinessdaily.com

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People

That joined up thinking means we’re part of the ongoing journey, which means our reputation is built on getting the right people in the right roles first time round.

“As many of us have worked in the roles that we’re tasked with filling, we uniquely – more so than other recruiters – can empathise with the environment in which prospective candidates will be working and also understand the challenges faced by their line manager and what they will be specifically looking for from the successful person.

“It’s a really exciting development, and gives companies an extra layer of confidence at this critical time for the industry.”

Finding the right candidate The job market is currently thriving, but it is not always possible for individual companies to find the right candidate with the ideal skills.

“The Tracsis approach means that we understand the challenges and constraints faced by each individual client, which helps us tailor our search to find exactly what they’re looking for,” Alex said.

“There’s a lot of frustration out there right now, leadership teams simply can’t find the right calibre of senior managers while there’s so much market uncertainty.

With a jobs market in a state of disruption, there’s never been a better time to tempt new talent into the industry “This is why it’s really important to work with experts, as recruitment can be a costly process if you don’t get the right person.

I’ve seen a lot of naivety among recruiters, where decisions are rushed through to fill a

vacancy rather than focus on finding the ideal candidate, only for the position to become vacant again within a few months.

“Because we work with clients to identify the qualities they need, they can have total confidence in the candidates we provide.”

Bringing new blood into the industry also presents opportunities to tackle diversity, and Alex is a strong supporter for change.

The sector needs to reinvent itself,” he said. “We need to see the past 18 months as a ‘reset’.

“The traditional nine-to-five is unlikely to return, which means transport operators need to find new ways to attract new customers.

“And with a jobs market in a state of disruption, there’s never been a better time to tempt new talent into the industry.

“That’s why at Tracsis we continue to cast our net further to find the right people, whether that’s looking to other industries or simply seeking completely different skill sets.”

A bright future It may be a period of uncertainty in the transport sector, but industry reforms are presenting opportunities as well as challenges, which is good news for recruitment.

Alex, who is also Chairman of the West Midlands Grand Rail Collaboration and Network Rail Supervisory Board for the region, has seen first-hand how rail companies are starting to look to the future.

He said: “The Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail and nationalisation of our railways in all but name has created some uneasiness, particularly for those senior executives in the regions who worry that local decision-making may become more centralised.

“It is going to be a very different environment going forward and our bespoke, partnership approach is perfectly placed to help businesses in this new era.”

Conversely, the bus industry is seeing a surge of enthusiasm and optimism, with the Bus Back Better national strategy signalling the start of a new period of investment as part of plans to tackle congestion and achieve net zero carbon emissions.

“This is an exciting time for buses and we’re looking forward to ushering in a new wave of talent for both new and existing clients,” concluded Alex.

If you would like Tracsis Transport Consultancy to support your business, email info@tracsis.com

16 | November 2021

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People

Can government’s Freight Council help grow rail freight?

The Department for Transport has recently launched the Freight Council. Among its members is the Rail Freight Group’s Maggie Simpson, who writes about the Council’s role

F

or many years, professionals across the freight industry have complained of ‘freight blindness,’ which is a lack of awareness in both government and the general public to freight transport and why it matters.

Yet the circumstances of the past two years have definitely increased the profile of freight; indeed it is scarcely out of the headlines. From Brexit lorry queues, HGV driver shortages and port congestion, to recent petrol crises and empty shelves, the freight industry has been pummelled by events, and the challenges and dependencies of supply chains highlighted like never before.

Moving on Despite this negative press, it is worth remembering that the logistics sector is still working, for the most part, and though there are wobbles and bumps, freight continues to be delivered day in, day out. The petrol forecourts were often empty by lunchtime in the ‘crisis week’ but were always restocked overnight.

Empty shelves one day are refilled the next, and parcels and post getting through even if time slots are not always met.

But what is apparent is that the resilience built into distribution networks was not designed to cope with the avalanche of issues that COVID has brought on a global scale, let alone with the Brexit overlay that the UK has also inflicted.

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People

That, however, is thin comfort for government faced with the daily headlines and the pressure to ‘do something.’ Yet finding the right response is difficult because government has very few levers over the freight sector, not least because many of the underlying issues are global in nature.

Even where there is a domestic cause, the sector is almost entirely privately operated.

So while the occasional Army deployment or temporary visa waiver is helpful, there is a more structural question of whether government is supporting or facilitating the industry in the right way, and what more can be done to ensure the sector is delivering for the economy.

To help those considerations, the Department for Transport (DfT) has recently launched a new ministerially-chaired Freight Council, which brings together key stakeholders to drive collaboration between government and industry.

The Council was actually a recommendation from a study by the National Infrastructure Commission back in early 2019, but with the inevitable delays of COVID it only met for the first time in summer 2021. The Council has representatives from all freight modes – road, rail, air, maritime and sectors such as couriers and express consignments – so it is truly multimodal, and while to date it has been DfT-led there is an expectation that the Council can support cross-departmental action where needed.

Looking ahead The first activity for the group is to support the development of a long-term strategy for the sector, which DfT has committed to publishing next year. This does not aim to replace any of the other sector specific strategies but look at areas which are relevant across modes and where action is needed to increase resilience and boost trade.

Although the work is at an early stage, it is likely that this will cover areas such as the strategic transport networks, land use planning and skills.

Given the current tsunami of challenges, it may be easy to think that looking at long-term issues and preparing ‘yet another’ strategy is simply an indulgence and an excuse for a lack of action, both from industry and government.

And that is fair comment if it is the only thing being tackled. Equally though, some of the current issues will only be really improved by fixing the underlying constraints.

The first activity for the group is to support the development of a long-term strategy A good example of this from road freight is in the need for better roadside facilities for HGV drivers.

It is reasonable to expect the private sector to provide this, but to do so commercially demands economy of scale, and thus larger facilities at strategic locations. It is increasingly challenging to secure planning permission for such locations, and where they are provided, as happened recently in Kent, they frequently attract local opposition. So there is an impasse and drivers are forced to take breaks in often unsuitable locations.

As such there is an appropriate role for government in ensuring that the private sector can get the permission it needs, and encouraging providers, for example motorway services, to offer the right support for freight.

These topics are pertinent in rail freight too. The planning framework particularly for smaller rail terminals in urban centres is challenging, and there needs to be greater protection for rail-served land from alternative development such as housing.

Existing sites also need to be safeguarded against inappropriate adjacent development.

In London, the Mayor’s London Plan goes some way to provide this, but the framework needs to be mirrored elsewhere.

Getting the message across There are already signs that government has got the message on rail freight, with both the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail and the Transport Decarbonisation Plan giving strong support for our sector.

Both documents commit the Secretary of State to setting a target for rail freight growth for Great British Railways (GBR), which will be instrumental in driving change. The rail reform white paper also sets out plans for a statutory duty on GBR to promote rail freight, along with a central team to co-ordinate rail freight across the business.

Work is already starting to see how this will be enacted in the new legislation and regulatory framework.

It is perhaps a shame that it has taken a crisis to get government to act to overcome ‘freight blindness’ but there are positive signs that the right response is now starting to emerge, with each party cognisant of its role, and action to tackle the structural challenges happening in parallel with short-term measures as the bow waves of COVID and Brexit resolve.

The Freight Council is an important part of this, and along with the rail-specific measures outlined in the reform white paper, will help support growth in rail alongside a more resilient freight sector.

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November 2021 | 19

People

Pushing the SME agenda

Lucy Prior MBE has been appointed the Chair of the Railway Industry Association’s SME Group

T

here are more than 4.6 million small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK economy accounting for 60 per cent of UK employment and approximately 50 per cent of turnover in the private sector, according to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

They have a vital role to play in keeping the country moving, particularly when it comes to the rail sector – working across a range of disciplines providing rail expertise alongside other sectoral specialisms. That is why Lucy Prior MBE doesn’t take lightly stepping up into the role of Chair of the Railway Industry Association’s (RIA) SME group. In the role she will drive forward the SME agenda, supporting rail supply chain growth, productivity and innovation.

“I count myself very fortunate to be in this role; it’s not every day you get the chance to represent such a diverse and important group of companies from across the country and liaise with the industry’s leaders at such close quarters,” she said.

“This is not something I take lightly, and I intend to use this for the good of the wider rail supply chain across rail. My utter priority is communication. I am passionate about enabling individuals and companies to talk to one another constructively, whether that is as a conduit, or to create direct conversation.”

This gave us solid material to work on for John to take to the RIA Board

Railway growth RIA is the voice of the UK rail supply community. It aims to help grow a sustainable, high-performing railway supply industry, and to export UK rail expertise and products.

It has more than 300 companies in membership in a sector that contributes £43 billion in economic growth and £14 billion in tax revenue each year, as well as employing 710,000 people.

Lucy said: “Over 60 per cent of RIA’s members are SMEs, so we represent a massive business community that must be nurtured. SMEs provide an agility and capability that you simply cannot get in an unwieldy multi-national, or large enterprise.

“If SMEs are stifled – whether through a lack of communication and surety of pipeline, or worse still, through terms and conditions that pass down too much risk or unfair payment schedules – then the whole sector suffers, pricing becomes protective and the efficiencies that we all want become harder and harder to achieve.

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“Referring to my previous point about communication, to capitalise on what we have to offer, we need a certainty of upcoming work. By providing visibility in the short, medium, and long term the top tiers of the rail industry could effectively keep smaller companies in business, which in turn will continue to support the importance of their contribution to the economy as a whole.”

Lucy takes on the role having previously been Vice Chair of the group after the former Chair John Chappell stepped down due to work commitments. As part of the role, she will sit on the RIA Board, ensuring the views of SMEs across the rail industry are fed into RIA’s work.

“We have to recognise the sheer effort that this job entailed for John as Chair given that he was voted in just before the first lockdown,” said Lucy. “The shift to running what became effectively a massive, interactive online forum represented a learning curve for us all, never mind to curate and chair them.

“On that note though, I have to say how valuable my time as his support was: fielding the live Q&A from so many delegates in real time alongside John’s chairing of the online meetings was fast paced, but it was so interesting to see the themes and shared questions that came up at each session. This gave us solid material to work on for John to take to the RIA Board. I am really looking forward to continuing to build on that amassing of evidence to help share the SME members’ successes and frustrations.”

A safe pair of hands SMEs should be in safe hands with Lucy at the helm. In 2018 she was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to rail exports and cited for her work on career engagement and for supporting the Young Rail Professionals and Women in Rail.

Over the course of 17 years she has held domestic and international business development roles within manufacturing, infrastructure, rolling

Lucy Prior and Gary Elliott

stock and software related companies, as well as various roles at the Rail Alliance.

She said: “As well as communication, another priority across the entire industry – not just the SME group – is working on market visibility.

As we approach the end of the current control period and move towards the reform that Great British Railways (GBR) represents, we will need clear top-down information, and solid ways of communicating with the transition team.

“As an example, I hope the SME group will be able to learn and share how GBR intends to deliver the ‘significant efficiencies’ it seeks to achieve. But this is a whole-of-industry matter, as is the processing and responding to next year’s anticipated Whole Industry Strategic Plan (WISP).

“Whether we are awaiting the WISP, or before then the much-anticipated Integrated Rail Plan, the supply chain needs to be able to continue to operate in real time, while preparing for these seismic changes that the IRP, the WISP and GBR all represent.”

Lucy’s appointment at RIA comes as she has also taken on another new challenge – joining sustainable cable management supplier Trough-Tec Systems (TTS) as its Business Growth Director.

“I am so excited about my new role at TTS,” she said. “True to form I am working for an SME in rail, in the north, but TTS takes me back into the infrastructure world. On the face of it, we sell cable management systems, but our Green Trough product range is so much more than that.

We have developed a full product portfolio of sustainable cable management solutions that we have been supplying to Network Rail since 2013, and we have also been supplying products across the European rail industry for almost as long.

Recycled material Lucy added: “As well as the trackside cable management systems we also supply composite replacement lids for existing concrete troughs, elevated troughing and safe anti-slip walkways out of Doncaster, all from recycled sources.

“In the spirit of the SME Group, I was delighted to learn that Trough-Tec has a number of smaller, regional SMEs within its own supply chain. We embody so many values that I hold dear and this is why I am so excited about the opportunities ahead not just for me as the Chair of the SME group, but as Business Growth Director here at Trough-Tec.”

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November 2021 | 21

People

Driving forward the Midlands Engine Rail programme Midlands Connect’s Head of Rail Karen Heppenstall on delivering a more sustainable, connected and productive rail network

M

idlands Engine Rail is a huge £3.5 billion plan made up of seven projects spanning the East and West Midlands to transform the region’s rail network.

Up to 60 locations could benefit from improved east-west services by creating space for 736 more passenger trains on the network each day.

For the past six months, Karen Heppenstall – Head of Rail – has been overseeing the progression of Midlands Connect rail programme, working to secure funding for project development and integrating programmes within other key workstreams such as decarbonisation and future mobility.

“This is such an exciting time to be working in the industry and it has been really great being involved in such an ambitious and forwardthinking organisation as Midlands Connect,” she said.

“It is different from where I was previously but I made a conscious decision that I wanted to move back into the public sector, and working on the high-profile Midlands Connect rail programme was a great opportunity to play a part in delivering a more sustainable, connected and productive rail network for our region.

“At the minute we are patiently waiting for the Integrated Rail Plan, but we have been doing a lot of work over the summer getting ready for that and putting together our comprehensive spending review representation to persuade the government to invest in rail in the Midlands.”

Karen joined the sub-national transport body after six years at engineering consultancy WSP, which followed roles at the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Network Rail.

New ideas As well as developing a rail strategy for the Western Gateway Sub-national Transport Body, she has also spearheaded the production of business cases for reopening railway lines as part of the government’s Restoring Your Railways fund, and led the development of a number of new and relocated stations – including Teeside Airport Station.

22 | November 2021

I really enjoyed writing the rail strategy for the Western Gateway, it was one of the first times I felt like I was getting my ideas heard “I really enjoyed writing the rail strategy for the Western Gateway, it was one of the first times I felt like I was getting my ideas heard,” Karen said.

“It also gave me a much better insight into what sub-national transport bodies were really about, because previous to that I had only ever seen it from the outside.”

Despite such a wealth of experience in the development, appraisal and delivery of rail projects spanning over 17 years, the industry is one that Karen fell into.

She graduated from the University of Aberdeen with a geography degree before completing a masters in glacial hydrochemistry.

Field work in the Arctic, working in outdoor education and teaching geography all came before working in the rail industry.

“The work dries up over winter when you’re working in outdoor education, so I went to a recruitment agency looking for a job and they suggested one as a team organiser at Network Rail,” she said. “I very quickly realised that there were two aspects of my character that just worked really well with it – firstly the transferable skills with geography and looking at the interaction between people and their natural resources and how people move. railbusinessdaily.com

People

“The second was the project management skills and, dare I say it, I have always been that bossy person – or maybe I should say organised. People saw that strength in me really early and I went down the project management/project sponsorship route. By going down that route you learn rail by osmosis – you don’t have to be a specialist in any specific area but you have to understand the big picture and how it all fits together.”

A job to see her through the winter period became a career, and Karen will soon be marking 20 years in the rail industry.

She said: “One thing I particularly enjoyed about my role in consultancy and something that I’m looking at how we can do more of with Midlands Connect is introducing graduates and apprentices and that kind of base level career entry level for people into rail.

“I would say one of my big successes at WSP was that ability to get people excited in rail and that was because I was excited by it. I came across as being passionate about it, which sold it as something that was interesting and exciting. It is only recently I realised that I’ve inadvertently become a bit of a leader as someone who has worked their way up from the bottom of the industry to become Head of Rail at Midlands Connect.

“I haven’t specifically gone out there with the intention of changing the industry for women and I’ve always taken the approach of what you see is what you get. In all the years I’ve been in rail it has changed unrecognisably, with it initially being rare to see women right at the top. Sometimes we were treated like second-class citizens but that has now changed.”

Driving forward Midlands Engine Looking to the future, and as well as continuing to inspire the next generation of rail workers, Karen is keen to accelerate the Midlands Engine Rail programme.

“One of the things that I was specifically brought in to do was to keep driving the Midlands Engine Rail project forward with my project management skills and working closely with Network Rail,” she said.

24 | November 2021

To North East / Scotland

Midlands Engine Rail To North West/ Scotland

Key HS2 HS2 Conventional Compatible Services MC Conventional Compatible Services MC Wider Rail Programme Midlands Rail Hub Midland Main Line Electrification

York

Leeds Manchester

Doncaster

Liverpool Lincoln East Midlands Hub (Toton) Stoke on Trent Derby

Nottingham

Automated People Mover

Birmingham Airport

Interchange

Birmingham International

To Wales Shrewsbury Wolverhampton Birmingham

Leicester Birmingham

Coventry

University Moseley

Worcester

Kings Heath Hazelwell

Hereford

Kings Norton

Cardiff Bristol

“That’s kind of the bread and butter bit of my role – where I see the added value part of my role is some of the more outward facing stuff. I want to make rail part of an integrated transport system, part of a sustainable transport system that delivers real value to the communities it serves.”

Karen has recently started work on a new programme called Access to Rail, which looks at the outward facing aspects of rail and aims to make it an attractive form of transport and a fundamental core part of the transport system.

Reading

London

“This could be anything from trains running at the times people want/need to travel, access to stations, through to trains for discretionary travel linked to the visitor economy and integrated timetables between rail and bus,” she said.

Stepping stones Karen added: “I’m not convinced that the general public have ever been in love with rail but that it has just been functional and is being chosen by some because it is the least-worst option.

“That might be a controversial thing to say, but it is my mission in life to make rail the mode of choice for a much wider range of people than it currently is. I believe rail can perform that function if we get it right.

“It’s not going to be a one-year answer or five-year answer. It is the end vision and we need to identify a number of little stepping stones to get there. We have to collect the evidence and understand what it is that will make people change their attitudes towards rail. There is so much that rail can offer.” railbusinessdaily.com

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Great British Railways

Great British Railways: The plan ahead Rail Director’s Managing Editor Nigel Wordsworth examines the future of rail in the UK

B

ritain’s railway network is set for its biggest shake-up in a generation, with a new public body that will own the infrastructure, receive the fare revenue, run and plan the network and set most fares and timetables.

Great British Railways (GBR) will be the future of railway operations in Great Britain, or at least in England – the devolved governments in Scotland and Wales may or may not be part of the process.

Part of the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail, GBR will absorb Network Rail and take on many of the functions currently undertaken by the Rail Delivery Group and Department for Transport.

GBR was a major recommendation in the Williams Review, now the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail, published in May 2021.

Throughout his inquiry, chairman Keith Williams spoke regularly of his progress and thought process. One major speech was delivered at a Northern Powerhouse event in Bradford on 16 July 2019. He said that, as well as improving customer service, major ticketing and fares reform, and a new commercial model, “what’s absolutely clear is that the current franchising model has had its day”. He was considering a new industry structure, reducing fragmentation, aligning track and train better, creating clear accountability and establishing greater distance between government and day-to-day running.

He had found consensus around a “more rational and effective way of organising the industry”, saying that Network Rail, the Rail Delivery Group, Department for Transport, the Rail Safety and Standards Board and the Office of Rail and Road were open to change.

“A wide range of organisations have argued in favour of a new arm’s length body or bodies to act as a ‘guiding mind’,” he added.

Radical change This concept of a guiding mind was carried through into the final report and the white paper. In their foreword, Keith Williams and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps MP wrote: “To truly secure rail’s future, there must be radical change. The railways lack a guiding focus on customers, coherent leadership and strategic direction.

They are too fragmented, too complicated, and too expensive to run. Innovation is difficult.

Incentives are often perverse.

26 | November 2021

“Some working practices have not changed in decades. There must be single-minded efforts to get passengers back. In short, we need somebody in charge.”

Under single national leadership, our railways will be more agile: able to react quicker and spot opportunities That ‘somebody’ will be Great British Railways. It will ‘fix’ all four of the challenges that Keith Williams outlined in Bradford – customer service, ticketing and fares, the commercial model and the need for somebody in charge.

The paper’s two authors said GBR will be incentivised to improve customer service, maintain a safe network and attract new passengers.

It will have a new role, with specific responsibilities to its passenger and freight customers and a clear remit to reform the can’t-do culture and inflated costs that exist across the sector.

The new body will recruit more broadly than before – including people with experience in customer-focused sectors.

GBR will be accountable to ministers in a similar way that Transport for London is to the Mayor of London.

“Under single national leadership, our railways will be more agile: able to react quicker, spot opportunities, make common-sense choices, and use the kind of operational flexibilities normal in most organisations, but difficult or impossible in the current contractual spider’s web,” they said.

GBR would cut duplication, increase spending power and economies of scale and ensure easier, cheaper maintenance, renewals and planning. With keen eye on needless cost, and an adaptability to customer needs, in five years they expect GBR to save £1.5 billion a year.

Setting up GBR needs a lot of planning. It also needs expertise from across the entire rail sector and from outside. Despite Keith Williams having said that “you don’t create a customer-focused railway by putting engineers in charge”.

The logical step was to form the transition team as a subset of Network Rail. Andrew Haines, Network Rail’s Chief Executive, heads the team of experienced transport consultants and operators.

Proposals have now been made to the Secretary of State. It is expected that some form of Great British Railways will be set up in the autumn of 2021, then a full transition team will be established in late spring 2022 with legal powers to work towards government approval in two or three years’ time.

Growth and innovation GBR will not be a nationalised railway like British Rail. Keith Williams and Grant Shapps both want to see growth and innovation delivered by the private sector over the past 25 years continue, and attract more – particularly in IT, data and modern payments. railbusinessdaily.com

Great British Railways

Mostly, it is anticipated that GBR will contract with private companies to operate trains to the timetable and fares it specifies. Operators will compete for contracts, and competition could be greater than for the old franchises, with simpler procurement, lower costs and no one-size-fits-all approach.

Franchising will be replaced by new Passenger Service Contracts, which will include strong incentives for operators to run safe, high-quality, punctual services that manage costs, attract more passengers and innovate. Successful operators will get more commercial freedom.

The transition from franchising to Passenger Service Contracts has already begun. COVID-19 saw operators sign Emergency Measures Agreements so the government could keep the country moving. These changed to Emergency Measures Recovery Agreements, with tougher performance targets and lower management fees. National Rail Contracts are the stepping stone to Passenger Service Contracts. Planned for two years, they will incentivise revenue growth.

Then, operators will sign the new Passenger Service Contracts. GBR will specify the timetables, branding, most fares and other aspects of the service and agree a fee with the passenger service operator to provide the service to this specification. In most contracts, fare revenue will go to GBR, with operators delivering to the specification and managing their costs in doing so. Operators will take cost risk but will need to balance that with service quality to be efficient while also meeting the needs of passengers.

Contracts will require operators to meet priorities such as punctuality, reliability, passenger satisfaction, capacity, staff availability and helpfulness, customer information, vandalism repair, passenger satisfaction, revenue protection and cleanliness. A toolkit of measures will underpin Passenger Service Contracts so that, in future, passenger service operators will benefit when trains are clean and comfortable and passenger satisfaction increases.

Although freight is mentioned quite frequently in the Plan for Rail, not many changes are foreseen as it is considered a very agile service.

Not-so-Great Britain?

How the GBR proposals will affect Scotland and Wales, both of which have devolved governments, is not clear.

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “We were not consulted on the final proposals within the white paper on rail and we are currently seeking further clarification from the UK Government in a range of areas. Therefore, it is not yet clear what the full impact of the creation of GBR will be.

28 | November 2021

GBR transition team Andrew Haines Chief Executive of Network Rail Former Chief Executive of the Civil Aviation Authority

Elaine Seagriff Programme Director, Strategic Planning & Whole Industry Strategic Plan Director of Transport Planning at Jacobs Former head of transport policy and strategy at transport for London Michael Clark Programme Director, policy and transformation Former Interim Director of Rail Reform and Head of Secretariat, Williams Rail Review at the Department for Transport Suzanne Donnelly Programme Director, Rail Revenue Recovery Group Commercial Director at London North Eastern Railway Former Manager of Revenue Management and pricing at British Midland Rufus Boyd Programme Director, Passenger and Freight Services Industry expert: support services – transport at Corbett Keeling, Corporate Finance Former Global Product Director, Transport Advisory at Atkins Former Director of Transformation at Interfleet Former Deputy CEO at Sydney Metro The team is supported by two Network Rail executives: Anit Chandarana Chief of Staff

“What the white paper will not deliver is what the Scottish Government has sought repeatedly, which is the further devolution of rail powers to Scotland. On the contrary, there is concern that what is proposed within the white paper may have a detrimental effect on the progress that has been made in achieving greater alignment and integration in the delivery of rail services in Scotland.

We would not accept a position where future arrangements placed Scotland at a disadvantage.”

Meanwhile, a Welsh Government spokesperson explained they felt they had no notable engagement on the white paper and were not clear on its implications: “However, we are clear that any proposals must at the very least respect the current devolution settlement regarding responsibility for passenger services in Wales and will need to work alongside our ambitions for Metros and integrated transport.

“Our long-term objective continues to be the full devolution of the rail network and a fair funding settlement for rail infrastructure in Wales.

However, irrespective of where responsibility rests in the short term, we support the need for close

Jeremy Westlake Chief Financial Officer

strategic collaboration to ensure infrastructure is delivered to meet passenger needs and our ambitions to encourage a shift towards public transport to support our decarbonisation commitments. We have welcomed the Welsh Affairs Committee’s recommendation for a Wales Rail Board and consider that this should be established now ahead of the transition to GBR.” One of the complications is that train services from different countries in Great Britain cross borders – Wales’, Scotland’s and England’s services as they stand all overlap to one extent or another.

In contrast to a lack of clarity among the devolved governments, the authors of the report and the white paper believe that this is an exciting moment for the future of the railways – replacing franchising, achieving a modern passenger experience while integrating the sector through the creation of a guiding mind and greater local and national accountability.

“This is a fresh start for the railways. It is time to grasp the opportunities, overcome the challenges of recent years and rebuild public trust in rail,” they said. railbusinessdaily.com

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Safety

25 years of Confidential Incident Reporting and Analysis Service Catherine Baker, Director of CIRAS, on the role confidential reporting has to play in keeping the railway and its people safe

M

any voices may have remained unheard and unheeded without the Confidential Incident Reporting and Analysis Service (CIRAS), which marks its 25th anniversary this year. The insights from concerns raised confidentially with CIRAS over the years have created opportunities to reduce risk to the workforce and the public they serve.

“You can’t count the accidents that didn’t happen,” said Director of CIRAS Catherine Baker, who adds that the organisation was born out of recognition that intelligence known by the workforce was not always making it through to decision makers.

“That intelligence could have prevented accidents and incidents. We exist to help workers share what they know with decision makers, as confidential reporting is one way to get that information flowing.”

Health, wellbeing and safety CIRAS is a mission-centred, member-funded organisation providing a route for staff across the transport and infrastructure sectors to share their health, wellbeing and safety concerns in confidence.

It also generates intelligence on emerging issues based on the reports received, and enables shared learning across the member community.

“My role is to lead this independent organisation to deliver for its members,” said Catherine, who joined CIRAS in January 2018 from the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), where she was Head of Future Fit – leading a team to create a step change within the organisation in response to member feedback and business needs.

“A question that I asked myself when I took on the leadership at CIRAS was, if safety cultures keep improving, will there be a point when we don’t need confidential reporting anymore?

“The more I learn, the more I realise that this is the wrong question. It is a bit like asking, ‘If we can reduce the number of accidents on the road, will we stop needing to wear seatbelts?’

“In the same way that seatbelts are an intrinsic part of the safety system, the option to raise concerns or listen confidentially works alongside other controls in work environments that are complex and sometimes unpredictable.”

30 | November 2021

My role is to lead this independent organisation to deliver for its members CIRAS was developed in response to concerns about the role of human error in rail accidents in the UK, with the University of Strathclyde – awarded a grant by ScotRail following the Greenock accident in 1994 – developing a prototype CIRAS system designed to classify reports received from train drivers, guards, signalling staff, maintenance staff and railway management.

From its academic beginnings, the organisation – a not-for-profit subsidiary of the RSSB group – began as a charity working with a train operator to bring the safety concerns of frontline staff to light. Since then, it has partnered with the UK mainline railway through more than two decades of significant improvement in safety management.

“Over those 25 years the culture across the rail sector has changed a lot, with all sorts of initiatives by individual companies and the sector as a whole. There has also been a shift to thinking about safety more broadly to include health and wellbeing,” said Catherine.

“However, although there are positive shifts in that culture in terms of people speaking out, there are still people who come to us because they don’t feel listened to, or they are afraid to speak out openly because of what might happen next. railbusinessdaily.com

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Safety

“Despite genuine improvements, that reality is still there so, just as when the organisation first started, we remain committed to our mission of improving health, wellbeing and safety by connecting the ideas and concerns of those who see, hear and feel what is going on in all corners of a business with those who have the power to act.

“We are here to listen whenever someone feels they are more likely to be heard by speaking up confidentially.”

Mission statement Explaining the organisation’s approach, Catherine says CIRAS takes the time to step back and really listen to what is being said, digging into the issues raised, giving people space to explore what is concerning them, the impact it is having on them and their colleagues, and any thoughts about what can be changed.

CIRAS then packages up the details in a report and sends it confidentially to the relevant decision maker in the right organisation – or potentially multiple organisations – so that it can inform their decisions and actions.

“The important bit is that we always close the loop with the person raising the concern so they know what the company has done in response,” said Catherine.

“It means a lot to them, as it shows them the difference made through their speaking up and could encourage people to speak up again.

“Throughout this it is absolutely critical that we protect the identity of the reporter – that is our raison d’être – so people can have the confidence to raise even controversial things knowing that they will be given thought without being pointed back to them.

“We do get feedback from reporters that they are grateful and relieved when something that they are concerned about has been dealt with.

“That reminds us why we are here, along with seeing companies making tangible changes which make the railway safer.”

It’s really been great to work with the team to rise to the challenge of building stronger relationships with our members One thing that has been new to CIRAS in the past year has been dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Catherine said they have been contacted by employees with a lot of health and wellbeing related concerns, primarily concerns about infection, as well as social distancing and hygiene.

“By comparison, last year we didn’t hear so much about some of the other safety issues that we would normally hear about, such as fatigue, rostering, shift patterns, but also rules and procedures,” she added.

“We find that sometimes the reality on the ground doesn’t always match the expectation of those who put together the rules and procedures and carry out the risk assessment, or it can simply be that they are not being consistently applied.

“When the reality might be different from the expectation – that is when feedback from the frontline can be especially useful to help organisations know how things really are.”

Vital role One thing that hasn’t changed over a quarter of a century is the integral part that CIRAS has to play in system safety management. Its confidential reporting service is now widely used across transport and infrastructure, with CIRAS welcoming members from sectors spanning construction, transport operators – including bus, light rail, tram, urban metros and mainline rail – the transport supply chain, highways and ports.

“CIRAS has got a fantastic team of people and it’s really been great to work with the team to rise to the challenge of building stronger relationships with our members,” Catherine said.

“We make a tangible difference every time someone raises a concern and a change is made to make the industry a safer place, or good practice is shared between our members, or leaders take note of our data analysis in their decisions. But CIRAS still has more to give.

“That will be realised by encouraging more groups of staff that wouldn’t have traditionally used CIRAS as a reporting channel to call us, offering the service to staff in more organisations, and partnering with our members to further our mission of encouraging speaking out and listening.

“We’ve got further to go when it comes to tackling those barriers to speaking up and getting intelligence from the frontline to those who really need to know it, particularly when it is related to inclusion.

“That’s a challenge because communication can be a real enabler of inclusion, but equally a lack of inclusion can be a barrier to speaking up.

“It has been quite a journey for CIRAS over the past 25 years.

“The relationship with members and the scope of membership has changed dramatically, but the core mission has been constant, and that’s what we very much intend to continue,” she said.

“We still have a place. The nature of the concerns may well shift, the context of other ways that people can report is shifting, but that very human sense that there are different reasons why people might choose to speak confidentially hasn’t gone away.”

Visit ciras.org.uk for more details or telephone 0203 142 5369

32 | November 2021

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People

Putting victims of domestic abuse on the track to safety Rail Director meets Darren O’Brien, the man behind the lifesaving Rail to Refuge scheme

I

t was Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall who said “we need more Darrens”. It came about on hearing of the Rail to Refuge scheme – the idea of Southeastern’s Retail Systems and Contracts Manager Darren O’Brien.

First introduced by the train operating company in 2019 but then adopted by all train companies a year later, it has meant people fleeing domestic abuse anywhere in Britain have been able to apply for free train travel to refuge accommodation, through a partnership with Women’s Aid. “If you stand up for what you believe in then amazing things are going to happen. What started off as a conversation between a couple of people has led to those being abused having a way to get out of living a horrible existence,” said Darren. “Working in the rail industry, it is all about the people and the communities we serve, and this just emphasises that. Everyone has got behind it and there has been a real want and desire to come onboard, saving lives and giving victims an escape route.”

Helping to save lives The impact shouldn’t be underestimated. To date it has helped more than 1,348 people – including 362 children over five years old – to safety. What’s more, almost two-thirds of people who have used Rail to Refuge said they wouldn’t have travelled if the journey had not been paid for.

“Never in a million years did I think it would be expanded across the whole of the rail industry,” said Darren. “So many people unfortunately have had to use the service and to think we could be either helping to save lives, but definitely helping to change lives, it’s incredible. You can’t really express in words what that means to any individual.”

The idea of Rail to Refuge came to Darren after he watched the Dispatches documentary ‘Safe at Last’, about Reigate and Banstead Women’s Aid. He was so moved by what he saw, he had to do something to help.

He said: “I thought it was incredibly brave of Reigate and Banstead Women’s Aid to allow the filming and those recovering to share their stories, especially with the stigma surrounding domestic abuse.

34 | November 2021

Darren O’Brien at the Women in Rail Awards

If you stand up for what you believe in then amazing things are going to happen “You were getting an insight into these people’s lives and there was a stage in which you could see several different people calling around trying to get the money for a train ticket for a victim – who had been offered a place with her three kids – to escape to refuge. If they couldn’t get her a train ticket to the hostel she would have lost out on the opportunity.

“It was her way out, but there were so many obstacles because she didn’t have access to money as she was being controlled by her husband. It was one example with other examples of people having passports and driver’s licences taken away – they try to take

away your passport, your driver’s licence – they try to take away their identity.

“For her, she had nothing and she couldn’t get out, and I was thinking it’s so wrong that she’s had to put up with years of abuse and suffering and then she’s got kids, so she’s worried about herself and her kids. How is that possible – that shouldn’t happen in today’s society, why is that allowed to happen?

“I said to my wife, I work for a train company and I’m going to ask and see if there’s anything that we can do to help in anyway. She said go for it.”

Financial support Rail Delivery Group (RDG) gained the agreement of its members to support the scheme financially and put in place a system in which refuges were able to get in touch to request tickets for survivors once they’d secured a place at the refuge.

Seb Gordon, Director of External Communications at RDG, said: “Taking the train is more than a journey. For the people who use Rail to Refuge, it can be a vital lifeline to a new beginning. railbusinessdaily.com

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People

“We immediately recognised what a fantastic idea Rail to Refuge was and what a life-changing scheme it could be if we were able to scale it up nationally.

“With news reports of domestic abuse spiking during lockdown, there was universal support among our members – the train operators – to roll out the scheme.

“Since then, support for Rail to Refuge has only grown further, and it has proven to be so valuable to the people who need it that we’ve been only too pleased to continue it.”

“We need more Darrens” Such has been its success that earlier this year Darren; Charlotte Kneer, Chief Executive Officer of Reigate and Banstead Women’s Aid; Farah Nazeer, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid; and Seb Gordon, Director of External Communications at the Rail Delivery Group, met with Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall to discuss Rail to Refuge.

During the conversation with Darren, The Duchess of Cornwall said: “This is a brilliant initiative. And you should feel very proud of yourself. It’s amazing during this lockdown how many wonderful ideas have been thought up… we need more Darrens.”

Darren said: “It was a real honour to meet Her Royal Highness and I’m incredibly proud to have played a part, alongside so many other people.

“What we do is one small step in helping. I can’t commend enough the organisations that have to deal with issues and help once they escape to refuge – including police officers, doctors, nurses, counsellors, and social services.”

More recently, Darren received an Outstanding Contribution Award at last month’s Women in Rail Awards.

We immediately recognised what a fantastic idea Rail to Refuge was and what a life-changing scheme it could be The judges commented that ‘it was truly inspirational to read about the amazing steps people from our industry have taken to reach out to others in time of need and, during the pandemic, continue to work hard to create a fairer and more inclusive sector’.

“It was a bit surreal and a complete shock when I received the award,” Darren said.

“I didn’t even know I’d been nominated until a few weeks before the ceremony..

“I don’t think I’ve cried in front of so many people before in my life as when I was called up on stage. It was so emotional and overwhelming – I was just awestruck, especially being there with Jo Bridger from Women’s Aid, who I met in person for the first time.”

Darren isn’t resting on his laurels and is keen that Rail to Refuge continues and even expands further afield. The scheme is currently carrying on indefinitely with the hope that it will continue with Great British Railways.

“For me, the scheme has to go on for as long as people need support while this injustice within society continues,” he said. “We must support them in any way that we can. Those working in the refuges are the unsung heroes who work tirelessly to help rehabilitate victims and rebuild their lives, and we need to play our part in getting survivors there.

“With people still committing violence and intimidation against men, women and children, we need to do what we can to help. We should also look at what can be done to expand it to other countries as domestic abuse affects people across the world.”

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People

Working to inspire a generation Robert Doolan, a member of the Working Group of the Equality Diversity and Inclusion Charter, urges the industry to come together to attract people of all backgrounds into the workforce

N

etwork Rail Project Manager Robert Doolan is passionate about working in an industry in which its workforce represents the people it serves.

But in a population which is 51 per cent female and 13 per cent Black, Asian, Mixed or other Ethnic group (BAME) – the number of females working in the rail industry is little over 13 per cent.

The number of ethnically diverse people working on the railways is estimated to be even lower.

Making a difference The industry is working hard to do something about that, with the Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Charter among several initiatives driving positive change at a time when the railways need it most.

“The EDI Charter is at the heart of giving voices to the wider community who use our services but don’t necessarily get the representation, which means that we make the decisions that hinder their use of our services,” said Robert, who is a Project Manager at Network Rail and National Secretary of the Young Rail Professionals.

“If we are looking to go to a greener economy we need to make sure we’re building a network that’s integrated and works with everyone, so we don’t leave large parts of society dependent on a car because of how we build houses, where we build stations, public transport timings and so on.”

The Women in Rail (WR) and Railway Industry Association (RIA) EDI Charter was launched last November. Since then more than 170 organisations have signed up, with Robert driving forward change as a member of the Working Group – comprising industry professionals representing a spectrum of backgrounds and identities.

“Both the EDI Charter and the Young Rail Professionals goals are very much aligned in trying to address the skills shortage,

particularly within an ageing workforce,” he said, explaining his reasons for joining the Working Group.

“A career in rail presents workers with great career prospects, and widening the backgrounds of our recruits is one of the ways we can contribute towards levelling up. I come from a single parent low-income family, and I’ve seen first-hand the positive impact stimulating and well-paid careers can have on a person’s prospects.”

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People

“My experience at present is of a lack of diversity. Within the rail industry we need to represent everyone who uses our trains, and those who could in the future, so we make decisions that represent their needs and hear the voices that we don’t hear right now.

“As senior railway colleagues near the end of their careers, we have the opportunity to find replacements that bring greater diversity of thought. It is important to draw on the knowledge and experience of those with long service and transfer that knowledge to the next generation, who will become the future engineers, planners, project managers and finance managers to deliver the vast amount of work that we need to do.”

Sharing ideas The Working Group, which has started holding face-to-face events as lockdown restrictions have lifted, has been spending several months collaborating on ideas and discussing areas of change and the boundaries that need to be overcome.

Robert said: “This can’t be seen as a bit of paper to make organisations look good, we need to see some real change and work together to come up with actions.

“A lot of businesses are increasing diversity, but often diversity is limited to office-based or more junior roles. True diversity needs to be across all roles and levels in the industry.”

True diversity needs to be across all roles and levels in the industry The 2020 report into Network Rail’s gender pay gap highlighted that only 3.5 per cent of operations and maintenance colleagues are female, lagging behind the 18.4 per cent across the wider business.

“I’d really like the signatories to move from statements of support to real action within the workplace. Network Rail actively encourages its employees to use several days of volunteer leave to go out into schools and reach out to young people to share the wide range of opportunities there are to work within rail.”

Robert uses his to volunteer with the Young Rail Professionals, who work with schools to promote STEM careers.

“If we can get businesses to put the structure in place and actively all work together to promote the industry to younger age groups, especially those from lower income backgrounds, we can really inspire the next generation of workers.”

For Robert, an important factor is sharing the success stories of the industry’s workers to school children.

“The not-for-profit organisation Success in Schools was recently saying that a young person’s perception of jobs is built at an early age and to tackle that you need to get into the primary schools with role models,” he said.

“An example of someone inspiring the next generation is Bonnie Price – a Scheme Project Manager for Network Rail and National Treasurer for the Young Rail Professionals – who has been named Inspirational Woman of the Year at the recent Women in Rail Awards.

“Bonnie came from a working-class background in Wembley and now she is working at Network Rail and on HS2, one of the biggest projects in Europe.

“My nieces play with Barbie dolls, but they also like train sets. It isn’t just the kids themselves, it is the environment they grow up in.

“As an industry we must share the vast array of opportunities and inspirational stories out there.”

The EDI Working Group presented to the signatories of the charter at the RIA Annual Conference earlier this month, with plans to launch a newsletter to share ideas in driving forward the EDI agenda.

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November 2021 | 39

People

Flying the flag for R&D Director of Research and Development Luisa Moisio discusses the opportunities and challenges innovation faces

T

he UK’s railway must increase the speed of research and innovation and put findings into action to improve performance and reduce costs.

Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) is at the centre of doing just that. The organisation’s research, analysis and insight are helping the industry to tackle the issues of today to enable the railway of the future to be better, safer and more sustainable.

“The need to invest in forward-looking technical solutions from development to successful deployment is more prominent now than ever before,” said Luisa Moisio, RSSB’s Director of Research and Development. “Every single railway is changing and rethinking and of course here in the UK with the reform on top of a pandemic it is a huge multiplier – it is a quite incredible moment of change, planning and reshaping. But when it comes to the reform agenda, changes have to be very timely and happen with a sense of urgency.”

Rail industry solutions Luisa is responsible for a cross-industry programme funded by the Department for Transport providing answers and developing solutions for the rail industry, spanning a broad range of engineering, operations and sustainability topics.

She said: “RSSB has a very important role to play. Our research programme develops new knowledge and solutions to make the railway better and safer. For the rail industry to thrive many of the projects need the rail industry to work together, and they do benefit greatly from the steer and review of an independent body.

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“As an organisation, we are striving to be more agile and better connected not just with the UK industry but the rest of the world. This is really important since we do share challenges with rail in other countries and there is value in comparing notes and working together on these.”

Great progress does continue to be made in research and innovation thanks to the R&D programme. In the most recent Research and Innovation quarterly update released by RSSB, the successful pilot of 5G connectivity and Internet of Things sensors to monitor the temperature and humidity of carriages are among the solutions drawing on the latest technologies.

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People

Luisa said: “Incremental innovation is also important and doing more and better by adapting industry assets and processes plays a big role in improving the safety, customers’ experience, and value for money that rail offers.”

Luisa has a background in analysis and consulting, with an MSc in decision science and operation research, and a degree in international sciences and economics.

She first joined the rail industry after seeing an advert in the newspaper – she hasn’t looked back since.

“The job advert I saw many moons ago was very much linked with my operational research interest and the thought of working in something as fascinating as public transport really attracted me.”

That was in 2005 when she was appointed Decision Support Manager. Continuing to progress at the organisation, Luisa was appointed Head of Programme Strategy and Analysis for Research and Development in 2013, ahead of her current role.

“One of the priorities for me is working closer with freight and there is some important freightdriven R&D that we are working on to re-think freight traffic and how it might be managed on the network,” she added. “Research-wise there are lots of really exciting projects, including some great collaboration with UK Innovation and Research Network (UKRRIN) partners.”

A stronger relationship Luisa is closely involved in UKRRIN, which has brought closer together academic and applied research in a strong partnership between four Centres of Excellence in rail research and supply chain.

“When we’re looking at more radical changes, thanks to UKRRIN we can initiate and support feasibility studies working closely with academia and lining up supply chain with early interest to take it forward,” she said.

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This is exactly what is needed to speed up the journey from research to commercialisation and benefit delivery, and to leverage third party funding and capabilities.

We have the ability of looking at the challenging issues the industry is facing with that independence Since 2014 Luisa has also been a member of the organising committee of the World Congress of Rail Research and is currently its Chair, preparing the event next year in Birmingham.

“It is very exciting and a huge event for the rail research community both in the UK and internationally, and it is going to keep me and my team busy,” she said.

“As the flagship international congress on railway research it will bring together the global community to explore technical development,

advocate collaboration and inspire the next generation of rail professionals.”

New insights and solutions Luisa added: “Increasing research quality and the speed at which findings are put into action and fostering international co-operation to work together on the common challenges faced by the railways are key to our ability to attract customers back, deliver great value for money and lead on transport sustainability.

“It all comes back to the role of being there to help people develop and deploy new insights and solutions. We have a fantastic team that is passionate about helping to change the rail industry for the better.”

Visit www.rssb.co.uk/ for more details about RSSB. The World Congress of Railway Research takes place in Birmingham from 6-10 June 2022.

Visit www.wcrr2022.co.uk

November 2021 | 41

Tr a i n i n g

How good is the training you provide?

Good training is essential in developing an efficient and safe workforce. But poor training can not only be ineffective, it can also encourage dangerous working practices

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veryone in the railway industry is aware of the importance of providing high-quality training to their workforce. But how do companies assess the quality of that training?

One way is by checking that the training provider is quality assured to a high standard

by NSAR (National Skills Academy for Rail).

All training providers that deliver training and assessment of Sentinel competencies must be NSAR assured, ensuring that they are fully compliant with the RTAS (Rail Training Assurance Scheme) and Sentinel rules. NSAR operates a very robust assurance process, which grades training providers as bronze, silver and gold. From 2021, this assurance is awarded across three elements – quality assurance, delivery and premises – with a separate grade being awarded for each.

A mark of quality Using the services of a training provider that is gold-rated for each element allows the customer to trust in the level and quality of training being provided and to know that its learners will be receiving the best possible training experience.

Many learners, who are more used to being out working on the railway infrastructure, can feel very uncomfortable when attending classroom training events and this unease frequently impacts on their attainment levels.

Making sure that the training facilities are of a good standard, offer clean, comfortable classrooms, welfare facilities and breakout areas, is an important step towards ensuring that learners fully benefit from the training course.

Welcoming and friendly staff, as well as excellent trainers who are experienced in adapting to different learners needs, will ensure that learners improve their knowledge and understanding and successfully achieve the competence required.

42 | November 2021

The ability to identify and support those with additional needs is also key to assisting with learner attainment. In the rail industry workforce, many people may still require support with literacy and numeracy, so a good training provider should have the experience and resources required to assist these learners and ensure they are not disadvantaged.

Being awarded our gold standard by NSAR is fantastic recognition and has made all our hard work and effort even more worthwhile There are many excellent railway training providers throughout the United Kingdom. They are all listed in NSAR’s online directory, where the grades they have achieved for each element can be viewed and their assurance reports downloaded.

A good training provider will also welcome any potential customer or candidate to drop in and visit its training centre at any time, letting them see first-hand the facilities and trainers at work.

QTS Training Ltd, a subsidiary of the QTS Group, is one training provider that has recently completed its NSAR annual assurance process and has been awarded the gold standard across all three elements.

Making a difference Lorna Gibson, Managing Director, said: “The whole team at QTS Training is passionate about providing our learners with the best experience possible.

“We get tremendous satisfaction from reviewing our learner feedback and hearing what impact we have been able to make on those individuals, whether that is a first step into a career in the rail industry or helping them on their way to an advanced role such as an on-track plant operator, planner or supervisor.

“Being awarded our gold standard by NSAR is fantastic recognition and has made all our hard work and effort even more worthwhile.”

The railway training landscape has changed considerably, particularly over the past few years, with the increased recognition that to keep the railway workforce safe, they must receive continuous and robust training and development.

Training providers have a duty to meet and exceed the targets set for them and continually improve the quality of their delivery, ensuring that they play their crucial role in making sure everyone goes home safe every day. railbusinessdaily.com

OUR 3 PROMISES TO YOU 01

Tailored specialist training to meet the needs of both companies and individuals.

We strive to put our customers’ needs first

With state-of-the-art facilities situated throughout the UK, QTS Training is renowned for its expert, specialist trainers, excellent customer service and unrivalled training facilities.

We focus on customer satisfaction

We pride ourselves in delivering quality training providing an enjoyable and worthwhile learning experience for all.

Candidate Satisfaction

Our Training Services

Average feedback evaluation score

• Railway Safety Critical • On-Track Plant • IRATA Rope Access • Confined Space

Rench Farm, Drumclog, Strathaven, ML10 6QJ

• Health & Safety • Small Plant & Tools • Mental Health First Aid • First Aid

Leeds, Yorkshire

Unit 5, Springwell Court, Leeds, LS12 1AL

We will provide excellent training facilities

03

4.8 / 5

COVID Secure On-Site COVID measures are in place for Scotland & England.

Open courses are available for booking by both individuals and companies on our website or by calling our expert training team on 01357 440222 QTS Training HQ

02

Accredited by:

Linby, Nottingham

Baxter House, Robey Close, Linby, NG15 8AA

Malmsbury, Wiltshire

The Gables, Crudwell Road, Malmsbury, SN16 9JL

t. 01357 440222 e. qtstraining@qtsgroup.com

Three Peaks Rail

Taking on the Three Peaks by rail

Images: Paul Bigland

Photographer Paul Bigland captured the challenge of climbing the three highest mountains in England, Scotland and Wales for the Railway Children charity. Here, he shares the journey

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OVID-19 forced the cancellation of many rail industry charity events in 2020 but this year one of the most ambitious events ever put together made a comeback. Between 9 to 11 September, the Railway Children’s ‘Three Peaks by Rail’ fundraising event returned to England, Scotland and Wales.

The event’s a logistical feat that takes a train from Crewe to North Wales, the Cumbrian coast and then the Scottish Highlands and back, carrying teams and volunteers from the rail industry and elsewhere to climb the three highest peaks in the UK. It’s been running since 2004 and in that time has raised more than £3.5 million for the charity.

A difficult time This year was challenging for several reasons – including COVID. A new operator, Locomotive Services Ltd (LSL), provided the engines and stock, while a new event company, Global Adventure Challenges, provided the guides and back-up for the teams. The challenges didn’t end there. LSL provided a rake of first class Mk3 coaches with cleverly fitted screens between seating bays to minimise COVID risks but were unable to provide a spare kitchen car so the on-board catering was done from two buffet cars with microwaves and an induction hob.

44 | November 2021

Many old hands returned. Avanti West Coast chef Ian Joesbury, the head of the catering team, has been on every single train, as have some of the walkers. Two people have completed 14 events – the tie is between Brian Freemantle from the Department of Transport and David Taylor from Thales.

Snowdon’s not the hardest of the three peaks but it’s a difficult start to the event Other gluttons for punishment include Phil Whittingham from Avanti West Coast, who’s returned for four events in a row. Other companies entering teams included Alstom, East Midlands Railway, Porterbrook, HS1 and the British Transport Police.

The trip began at Crewe on Thursday evening.

Teams converged from all over the country to register, get their instructions and join the train. The lead loco was adorned with special headboards, one of which would be auctioned off.

Before the 19:08 departure, the platform’s always a hive of activity as teams prepare and the train crew load the vast amount of supplies we need for the trip – most of which is donated.

While the climbers settled in, the on-board crew were busy preparing the evening hot meal.

Hundreds of fresh steak (and veggie) pies had been donated by Chatwins bakers of Nantwich, and Ian and the team served them with coleslaw and potatoes. Preparing and serving food for 160 people in the time available is quite a logistical feat, especially on a packed train!

Arrival at Snowdon Our next stop was Bangor at 21:38 where the masked walkers boarded road coaches to take them to the foot of Snowdon. We wouldn’t see them again until the early hours.

Meanwhile, the train continued to Holyhead where it stabled for several hours. This gave the onboard crew time to clean the train and get something to eat before getting their heads down for a few hours.

At 03:52 we were heading back to Bangor and the first potential problem. We had 17 minutes at Bangor but poor weather and logistics problems meant that the walkers would be arriving later than normal, leaving little time to get them back on board. railbusinessdaily.com

Three Peaks Rail

We couldn’t afford to delay as a service train was close behind us. It gave us an anxious few moments, waiting for the coaches to return, but in the end we managed to get everyone aboard in the nick of time.

Snowdon’s not the hardest of the three peaks but it’s a difficult start to the event as it has to be done in the dark. Add in poor weather and there’s normally one or two people who pick up twists and sprains. To help the teams, the train carried two volunteer physiotherapists who offer massages to ease sore limbs – this year we had another old hand, Charlotte Thompson, accompanied by Andrea Hughes, another RC volunteer,.

Night train While the tired walkers bedded down on the floors of the coaches, the on-train team spent the night on a sandwich production and packing line in one of the buffets in order to provide everyone with a lunch bag to take up Scarfell Pike later that day. That wasn’t all, as just a few hours later they were serving hot bacon (or veggie) rolls for breakfast, along with hot drinks.

Sadly, the poor weather we’d experienced in North Wales was replicated as we journeyed along the Cumbrian Coast to our next stop, Ravenglass, at 08:46. Mercifully, the rain stopped, although the clouds remained stubbornly low, blocking off the views we’d hoped for and enjoyed in the past.

I joined the teams transferring to the narrowgauge Ravenglass and Eskdale railway for the trip up to Dalegarth where the walking began in earnest. It’s another five-mile climb and descent from here to the base of Scafell, which adds to the challenge.

Fortunately, the teams suffered no problems, despite the low cloud and poor weather. As people came down they were ferried to a point a few miles away as coaches can’t get all the way up the narrow road.

The coaches returned everyone to Ravenglass where the ‘Ratty’ had laid on a welcome hot meal of jacket potatoes and chilli. Normally, people would have been served a three-course meal on the train, but without a kitchen car we had to make alternative arrangements.

Suitably fed and watered by a supply of local beers from the R&ER and the ‘Ratty Arms’ bar on the mainline station, people relaxed and enjoyed the feeling of completing two out of the three peaks. Then things went rather awry…

The atmosphere on the train back is always excellent.

It’s an amazing mix of achievement, adrenaline and exhaustion The operations team had a phone call from the train to say that one of the engines had failed at Barrow with a defective starter motor. This meant leaving it behind.

The delays this incurred meant that our 19:30 departure became 20:40. As the walkers were all in the two pubs the first delay announcement was received with cheers! However, we knew this could affect how long people would have to climb Ben Nevis. We’d incur a further delay at Carlisle as the train would have to reverse to allow the more powerful engine to lead in Scotland, so plans were hatched. At 04:15 the next day the weary walkers were wakened and served porridge, plus croissants and tea or coffee, which the crew served quickly in order to allow teams to get prepared for their final challenge.

Now 72 minutes late, the decision was made to have a cut-off point for climbing Ben Nevis. If teams hadn’t made it to the summit by a certain time they’d be turned back in order to ensure everyone made it off the mountain to catch the train.

Plan B was a coach would be on stand-by to take stragglers from Ben Nevis by road to Crianlarich. Local roads are faster than the train so they could rejoin us there. Rolling in to Fort William at 05:23 we quickly offloaded the teams who boarded coaches for the short trip to the base of Ben Nevis, where Global Adventure Challenges ran a very slick operation to get them up the mountain, making up some time. In the end, 90 people made it to the summit before time ran out and teams had to be asked to leave the mountain.

It was a disappointment to some as they’d been determined to make all three peaks but the fates conspired this year. As soon as walkers returned they were guided to coaches and ferried to the train. We managed to get all but six people off the mountain in time, these ‘walking wounded’ were then taken straight to Crianlarich.

The way back The atmosphere on the train back is always excellent. It’s an amazing mix of achievement, adrenaline and exhaustion, all helped by the bar having opened! A mixture of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are donated and the money raised from sales goes to the charity.

En-route we were joined by Mary Grant, CEO of Porterbrook Leasing, who’ve been the event’s headline sponsors for the past two years. Mary very kindly comes along to congratulate all the teams and help give out medals on the train (she’s not averse to mucking in with mundane jobs like litter collecting either). Porterbrook also had two teams totalling nine people aboard who’d completed the challenge.

Our return south was blessed with good weather, showing this scenic line off at its best, which elicited quite a few ‘wow’ moments from folks who’d never travelled the line before as they enjoyed their three-course evening meal against a backdrop of some superb Scottish scenery.

It wasn’t just the teams who were elated. The events, ops and catering teams had all managed to pull off another event despite all the challenges that had faced them, including different COVID regulations in England, Scotland and Wales.

So far, the event has raised over £170,000 for the Railway Children, with money still coming in. The challenge will be back in 2022, but in our normal month of June. Why not enter a team?

Details are on the Railway Children’s website – www.railwaychildren.org.uk

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November 2021 | 45

White Ribbon

Make the promise

Anthea Sully, Chief Executive of White Ribbon UK, says the rail industry is taking the lead in ending violence against women and girls

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t is estimated that one in three women will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime and two women a week lose their life at the hands of a current or former partner in England and Wales alone (ONS 2019).

Add to that sexism both in and out of the workplace, extra risk assessments and a fear of walking the streets alone, with some women even carrying their keys in their hands as a form of weapon in case of being attacked.

Tragically that is the current reality in the UK, with the recent murder of Sarah Everard – kidnapped, raped and killed by a police officer under a guise of an arrest – further highlighting the importance that something is done to end violence against women and girls.

Doing just that is the rail industry, with many organisations becoming White Ribbon UK-accredited, demonstrating a commitment to encouraging collective action to change the behaviour and culture that leads to abuse or violence against women.

Impressive impact Even more have created a Safe Spaces widget on their websites – part of the UK SAYS NO MORE, providing support without leaving a digital footprint – and the incredible Rail to Refuge scheme that has helped 1,348 survivors escape to refuge.

The efforts of the rail industry haven’t gone unnoticed, with Chief Executive of White Ribbon UK Anthea Sully praising the impact the collaboration is having on the ultimate aim of ending domestic violence.

“It’s been impressive with people in the rail industry taking responsibility and giving this the attention it deserves – in many ways the rail industry is taking a lead and I’m hoping lots of other industries will take a note of what is being done and see how valuable it is,” she said.

“It has been significant and what is noteworthy is that there have been consultations with groups that represent women, and groups that work directly with women who have experienced violence and abuse. They have been listened to and it has shaped the rail industry’s actions.”

ARE WE

46 | November 2021

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White Ribbon

Anthea spoke to Rail Director ahead of this year’s White Ribbon Day on Thursday 25 November, which will mark the start of 16 days of action to end violence against women. #AllMenCan This year’s campaign comes as reports of domestic abuse have increased dramatically. In its latest annual report, Refuge’s National Domestic Abuse Helpline has experienced a 64 per cent increase in calls and contacts. It is a common theme among other organisations supporting victims.

Anthea said: “This year we are wanting to focus the attention to things like cat calling, people staring inappropriately at women, inappropriate comments, to slightly more extreme cases of people being groped. It all creates a climate of fear and it normalises attitudes that on a scale can lead to violence.

“The work of rail has and will continue to be important in making a difference. In terms of public spaces its workers deal with millions of members of the public on a day-to-day basis.

The rail industry is also male dominated so the work on the industry getting these messages out to men themselves is vital in moving towards actually changing society on the whole.”

A key message to this year’s White Ribbon Day is that all men can make a difference. #AllMenCan was developed in March when

Wear a White Ribbon and make the promise White Ribbon UK is encouraging all men to wear a White Ribbon and make the Promise to never commit, excuse or remain silent about violence against women.

Anthea Sully, Chief Executive of White Ribbon UK, said: “This is a serious declaration and one made so far by more than 38,000 people. It requires thought and consideration before it is made.

“We are specifically asking men to make the Promise, however anyone over the age of 14 can take it.”

Visit www.whiteribbon.org.uk/promise to sign the promise. the murder of Sarah Everard brought women’s experience of men’s violence to the forefront of everyone’s minds. It also opened up many conversations about men taking action and making a stand.

“We want as many men as possible to think carefully and make the White Ribbon Promise to never commit, excuse or remain silent about male violence against women,” said Anthea.

Gaining White Ribbon Accreditation helps organisations to: Make a difference in communities to end violence against women.

Improve organisational culture, safety and morale.

Increase the knowledge and skills of staff to address violence against women.

Improve reputation.

Improve the experience of customers and stakeholders.

Become an employer of choice.

All organisation, large or small, are able to become White Ribbon UK Accredited.

Visit www.whiteribbon.org.uk for more information.

“The onus has to be on men to think about their behaviour and to stop, and I think the rail industry is an example of an industry showing a lead in that shift of culture.

“Women are spending their lives doing risk assessments about whether they’re going to be safe or not and that has to end. Cases of domestic abuse have been increasing during the pandemic and there is more awareness about that, but this needs to be acted on.

“More and more men are wanting to get involved and I would urge the rail industry to continue to lead the way to end violence against girls and women. The first thing can be wearing a white ribbon to raise awareness, sign the promise, and to not use violence or any harassment, but also call it out if you see anyone else doing it – even a sexist joke.

“We can’t be silent anymore and need to work together, listening to women and making sure we live in an environment which feels safe for everyone.”

Mike SURVEY CONSULTANCY LTD Chartered Land and Engineering Surveyors

railbusinessdaily.com

November 2021 | 47

IPnedoupsl ter y S p o t l i g h t

Secure and future-proof railway solutions

Phoenix Contact on supporting customers in the rail industry for almost 100 years

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safe and highly available railway operation requires components that feature high quality, a long service life, and reliability. Phoenix Contact’s products provide new technologies for rail infrastructures whether supplying signalling systems with energy, protecting them against surge voltages and lightning strikes or establishing a reliable connection to the signal to ensure that data is transported safely and without interference.

From the train control system, the passenger information and infotainment systems to “internet on board”, the components in the various systems must communicate with each other without any malfunctions. To meet the needs of this essential data exchange, Phoenix Contact offers products which ensure a reliable communication connection and meet the high environmental and material requirements of the rail industry.

The digital transformation is also changing signal technology. You need intelligent solutions that enable remote monitoring and diagnostics, as well as cloud services. Products from Phoenix Contact meet these requirements and are used at rail crossings, on railway tracks, in signal boxes, and in stations.

Power supplies for signalling solutions and trackside applications The migration from relay signal boxes to electronic or digital signal boxes has resulted in new demands for power supply solutions.

48 | November 2021

For example, Lineside Electronic Units (LEUs) are needed, or conventional control command and signalling technology must be retained as a fallback strategy.

Redundant feed-in from various sources such as the power grid and the overhead wire must sometimes be integrated, or solutions that are suitable for both outdoor and indoor systems must be found.

Phoenix Contact has developed power supply solutions that combine a compact design with reliability, are harmonised to the stringent requirements of signal technology, satisfy the relevant railway standards, and feature immunity and robustness.

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With their robust design, Phoenix Contact’s QUINT POWER power supplies provide up to 200 per cent of the output power for five seconds and now offer advanced preventative function monitoring for safe energy supply in signal stations and signal towers. These power supplies meet the various increased electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements of the rail industry with regard to noise emissions and noise immunity.

Equipping signal technology systems with surge protection As more and more electronic and digital signal boxes are being used in railway infrastructure, an increasing number of sensitive electronic devices are being used in control command and signalling technology.

To protect these against surge and transient over voltages, surge protective devices are installed. Because surge protection is looped directly into the signal circuit, it is imperative that several safety aspects are taken into consideration.

The surge protective devices must remain impact-free, meaning they must operate impedance-neutrally in a parallel path to all signal lines. The power necessary for this may not be drawn from the signal path, and the status indicator must function independently of the signal status. railbusinessdaily.com

I n d u s t r y S p oPteloi gphl et

Residual currents that endanger operations in any way are not permitted. Installing and removing the surge protective devices must never lead to an interruption of the signal circuit; in simple terms, ongoing operations may not be adversely affected.

With CLIXTRAB – which combines surge protection and terminal blocks – Phoenix Contact has developed a solution that addresses these aspects as well as satisfying the railway directive DB RIL 819.0808. To protect systems, this product family offers advantages from two different worlds: a low overall width, Push-in connection technology, and overload protection for the necessary level of safety and high system availability.

To perform insulation and current loop measurements, you simply separate the signal circuits with knife-disconnect terminal blocks.

For integration into your digital infrastructure, CLIXTRAB offers an optional remote signalling set that communicates the status of the protective devices directly to the control room.

Protecting data communication against unauthorised access As digitalisation progresses, more and more communication and data networks are being set up for railway infrastructure. Although they are used for remote diagnostics or monitoring energy and systems, and not in the vital area of control command and signalling technology, the networks must still be protected against unauthorised access. After all, these systems are also essential for smooth railway operation and could be used to access vital systems through secondary systems.

The increasing decentralisation of system architecture makes it even more difficult to protect them reliably. Data networks are extensively branched – even up to outdoor systems – and not every system component that is integrated into the network can be secured against unauthorised access on site. Security routers from Phoenix Contact are the security backbone of your infrastructure and provide the necessary protection against unauthorised access.

With our MGuard technology, we offer a

Connection technology based on spring technology is being used increasingly in railway infrastructure. The Push-in direct-connection technology combines all the advantages of spring-cage technology and provides enormous cost-savings potential with considerably faster wiring. Our terminal blocks satisfy the high requirements of the EN 50125-3 standard for shock and vibration, and also ensure reliable connections in your rail system with long lifetimes.

security solution that you can easily integrate into your systems. Our MGuard security routers provide special firewall functions and, in addition, the MGuard Secure Cloud provides you with a system for easy, secure remote maintenance.

Solutions for tunnelling and infrastructure surveillance Phoenix Contact provides the Smart Camera Box as a reliable video surveillance solution for video surveillance in tunnels. The all-in-one Smart Camera Box device features a newly developed housing made of special plastic. It is resistant to dirt, gases (such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide), and, with spray water protection in accordance with IP65, it is also resistant to regular tunnel tube cleaning. The innovative mounting adapter ensures rapid installation, significantly reducing the costs necessary for hub devices and scaffolding.

In terms of camera technology, monitors are also now available with 4K resolution (3,840 × 2,160 pixels) for video walls and image surveillance workstations. This also enables several streams, for example four-way splits, to be displayed on one monitor with full resolution.

The increasing performance of this technology is opening new fields of application in image processing in video technology.

Terminal blocks for signal technology The terminal blocks of the CLIPLINE complete range cover the widest variety of both indoor and outdoor signal technology applications.

Marshalling patch boards for signal marshalling PTMC marshalling patch boards allow high packing density for signal marshalling in railway infrastructure. The modular design accommodates a variable design with an exact number of positions. In conjunction with different installation options, they are ideally suited for integration into new and existing signal boxes. Matrix elements in colour facilitate intuitive, clearly arranged installation.

Knife-disconnect terminal blocks for railway infrastructure Knife-disconnect terminal blocks are used for a variety of tasks. They offer the convenient separation of circuits using a lever-type disconnect knife, isolating plug, or rotary contact.

Our knife-disconnect terminal blocks feature high-quality disconnect points and a compact design that reliably complies with all air clearances and creepage distances. They are easy to handle – a standard screwdriver operates the disconnect knife, and the S-MT switching lock protects the disconnect point against accidentally closing. It is possible to test on both sides of the disconnect point, and testing is 100 per cent safe because touch protection for the non-current carrying PT push button is ensured up to 1,000 V. Distribution blocks for railway infrastructure Signal wires that are not needed must be placed on terminal points, marked, and integrated into the equipotential bonding concept. The PTFIX terminal block is ideal for gathering and combining such signal wires. In a minimal amount of installation space, a number of cores can be professionally connected to a potential, which is then connected to a surge protection element as a group.

For more information about Phoenix Contact’s solutions for the rail industry, call 01952 681700 or visit www.phoenixcontact.co.uk/rail

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November 2021 | 49

IFnedaut us tr rey S p o t l i g h t

A better Journey 4 Northern Northern’s Nick Donovan and Graham Shorter and Journey4’s Jonathan Booth discuss their innovative strategy to drive change for the train operating company

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t has been some journey for train operator Northern since coming under public ownership. Brand new trains have entered service, more than 250 of its other trains have been refurbished, its Pacers retired and millions of pounds invested into station improvements.

The impact has been positively felt by customers and its own 6,000-strong workforce – evident by the fact the train operator has had four periods of no negative press coverage and, for the first time, last period saw a positive net promoter score.

“Our customers and staff are at the heart of everything we do and our goal back in March 2020 was to get the basics right and build from there,” said Northern Managing Director Nick Donovan.

“When I joined the organisation, I was surprised how bruising the performance challenges had been to the people in the business, but then also the strength and resilience of the workers and their commitment to the railway.”

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“This is an ongoing journey with problems to solve and lessons to learn, but most of all it’s about creating customer experiences” It has been no easy task to achieve. During a period dramatically affected by the COVID-19 epidemic, an initial 100-day plan was created that focused upon re-establishing a full and reliable train service, growing capacity and delivering numerous important improvements for passengers.

“The 100-day plan created a springboard from which we could deliver a bottom-up review of what we needed to do to make the business Advertorial

work better and to make sure the customers that we serve were at the centre of the business,” Nick added.

“But we wanted to go beyond just that and look at a destination for the organisation in the future – building a plan that would outlast any particular ownership structure.”

While franchise agreements can encourage train operating companies to concentrate on short-term commitments, Northern saw an opportunity to use the period of public ownership, and the production of its 2021-22 business plan, to think more broadly and to consider its medium and long-term business objectives.

Northern capitalised on this opportunity by engaging strategic development experts Journey4. Having already assisted in the successful development and submission of the 100-day plan and the detailed 2021-22 business plan, leading rail industry experts at Journey4 were ideally placed to help shape and deliver the longer-term goals of the business. railbusinessdaily.com

I n d u s t r y S pFoetal ti g uh r et

“Journey4 had already been doing work with our programme team and they understood the business well already – they were also able to mobilise a team to support us at short notice and helped to develop a quality business plan to a very tight timescale,” said Graham Shorter, Director of Strategic Planning at Northern.

“They quickly integrated with our teams and worked alongside us to provide the additional capacity and capability we needed and have subsequently helped us to bring the plan to life for our colleagues – ensuring clarity and strong structure to our work plan and some strategic writing capability to help our senior team to get their high-quality thinking onto paper.”

Customer-driven business model “There were a number of basic transactions that were brought together into a coherent programme of activities that became shortterm priorities for the team. These were developed in parallel with, and complemented by, important medium to longer-term strategies,” said Graham.

“Another incredibly impactful approach that the Journey4 team introduced was its distinctive customer driven model –­ a way of helping us to organise our strategy development and really put the customer at the heart of our planning.

“This is an ongoing journey with problems to solve and lessons to learn, but most of all its about creating enjoyable customer experiences.”

By applying the customer driven business

Northern’s Nick Donovan

model Journey4 and Northern worked collaboratively to ensure that eight high-level strategies combined to deliver a powerful and cohesive set of long-term goals for the business, that would provide real benefits to their customers.

“We had been supporting the development of Northern’s 100-day plan when we were approached about the business plan last year,” said Journey4 Director Jonathan Booth.

Northern’s Customer Driven Business Model CUSTOMERS SERVICE OFFER The “What?”

User Needs

Customer Strategy

FUNDERS User Needs Value Strategy Outcomes

User Needs

Sustainable Development Strategy Impact Requirements

Specifications

Business Strategy

Safety (SHEC) Strategy

Partner Strategy

Functional Requirements

SERVICE OFFER The “How?”

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Operational Excellence Strategy

Service Delivery

People Strategy

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“Despite the tight timescales to get the business plan complete, I was very impressed by the attitude of Northern’s leadership team in wanting to also look at the longer term and really take a detailed look at the impact on the people and communities it serves.

“It was encouraging to work on a medium and long-term focus as well as just short term and it wasn’t just all about the numbers – there was a clear commitment to create a plan that optimised the contribution Northern could make to the region by empowering the team to build on their capabilities.

“We like to work with clients where we can deliver change with them, not to them, and that is what the relationship has been like with Northern.”

Transforming the business Jonathan puts the success of this assignment down to the train operating company’s commitment to adopting the parallel planning principle and giving employees the opportunity to be part of the change process.

He said: “A lot of businesses tend to work sequentially – focusing on the short term, getting their heads down in the detail of the operation and talking about what they will do when they’ve done that later.

“Businesses that operate in that way will only ever achieve incremental change. It was clear from talking to the team at Northern that there was a desire to think about longer-term change and a commitment to delivering its vision for the region.

November 2021 | 51

IFnedaut us tr rey S p o t l i g h t

“We have encouraged the business to think about short, medium and long-term activities in parallel. On average senior leadership teams should be spending 70 per cent of their time on short-term priorities, 20 per cent on the medium term and 10 per cent on the long term. The more you do that, the more you will achieve transformational change.”

Planning ahead As part of its transformation Northern has created a steering group of senior leaders who meet on a weekly basis to work through the business plan and strategies. Journey4 facilitates these sessions, encouraging members to develop their own thoughts and solutions to the strategies they own.

This approach has successfully strengthened the capability of the steering group and its individual members while delivering a sense of ownership and accountability.

As the organisation prepares to submit its business plan for 2022-23, the business is now able to roll the 2021-22 submission forward and update the short-term plans in line with the longterm vision and strategies to ensure that the activities required to achieve these are built into the plan.

Nick added: “For me it has been critical to look at the long-term outputs and looking to unpack some of the processes that need changing to make our operation more customer focused and more efficient.

52 | November 2021

“We need the customers and non-travellers to be talking positively about rail. If they are not, it is inevitable that the revenue line will be suppressed and the only place a depleted revenue line hits is in the taxpayer’s pocket.

“We’ve seen a shift in people’s confidence in using rail at Northern.

“Our customers and staff are at the heart of everything we do” “There has been a lot of great work taking place for several years in getting to this position which is leading to a desire for people to come back on board.

“Our customer numbers are running ahead of the industry trend now at around 80 per cent of pre-COVID levels overall and weekend numbers are back to pre-COVID levels.”

Influencing the future agenda Jonathan added: “There is a confidence within people at Northern as well as they are being asked to think about the long term – planning long term and influencing the future agenda.

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“We’ve been welcomed into the team and have been fully involved, spending a lot of time talking with Nick and Graham about how you do it, not just what you do, and how to ensure the whole team feels involved and the processes becomes fully embedded in the business.

“That is what makes the difference – how you take the team with you. People are excited by it and seem to be enjoying what they are doing.”

Looking to the future, Graham concludes that the work continues with Journey4 around the development of the medium to long-term strategies with an emphasis on evolving and developing the use of the customer driven business model.

He said: “The process is helping Northern set out its strategic plan to build in a way which we think is congruent and helpful to the direction of travel of Great British Railways and the industry.

“I think we can get to a place where the quality of Northern’s strategic planning is continuing to be acknowledged, recognised, and held up as best practice, and I think in doing that we can add some real value to the industry and the evolution of the industry in the months and years ahead.”

For more information about this project, please speak with Stuart Pearce, Director stuart.pearce@journey4.co.uk

railbusinessdaily.com

I n d u s t r y S pFoetal ti g uh r et

Experts in railway engineering consultancy and design

Paul McSharry, Managing Director of Kilborn Consulting Limited, on 40 years of service to the railways

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t was 40 years ago in September that Paul McSharry arrived at the London Underground Training School at Earls Court for the first day of his railway engineering career. Four decades later, and he continues to work to transform the railway for the better with his passion and expertise.

For the past 21 years he has been Managing Director at Kilborn Consulting, which was formed in June 2000 and is an independent railway engineering consultancy and design business.

“I clocked in at Earls Court Training School for a four-year apprenticeship and I thought I’ll see what happens after that,” he said. “Well, where on earth has that time gone since then. It’s certainly flown by, and most of the time it’s been a wonderful flight!”

Since Kilborn Consulting Limited was established more than two decades ago, it has grown to its current size, with 15 full-time and part-time staff providing technical and administrative support to Paul.

He said: “The organisation continues to go from strength to strength, specialising in the design of new and altered railway signalling and telecoms systems for the UK railway infrastructure. We are also supported by a number of trusted specialist consulting engineers as projects dictate.”

Significantly, the company’s staff level and turnover have doubled over the past two to three years.

As a result, its position in the UK railway industry supply chain has become more established and recognised and the team have become involved in more high-profile projects, such as the Northumberland Line – developed by AECOM for Northumberland County Council, this is one of the UK’s most significant current railway projects.

Paul said: “Proof of our expertise and credibility comes from the robust working relationships we have development with several high-profile clients, including Network Rail, AECOM, AMCO, Buckingham Group, Keltbray, Balfour Beatty, Tony Gee & Partners, PBH Rail, to name but a few.”

There are seven defined areas for which Kilborn Consulting, suppliers to the rail industry through Achilles RISQS Audit, supplies its services: S ignalling and telecoms consultancy, including technical advice and support; Asset condition assessments, correlation and surveys; Signalling and level crossing risk assessments; Feasibility, optioneering studies, concept and outline signalling design; Telecoms option selection reports (including AiP), reference system design and detailed design; Detailed signalling design; Competency management and assessments.

“Alongside our growing reputation as a professional signalling and telecoms engineering organisation, we have developed excellent long-standing relationships with other organisations and individuals engaged in railway engineering, consulting and design,” said Paul, a member of the IRSE Council and a number of IRSE Committees, as well as Vice Chair of the Railway Industry Association SME Group.

“As a result, where assignments dictate, we are able to call on the support of competent resources in disciplines closely related to our own to the benefit of our clients.”

Visit www.kilbornconsulting.co.uk for more details.

ENGINEERING • CONSULTANCY • DESIGN Kilborn Consulting Limited is an independent railway engineering consultancy and design business. We specialise in the design of railway signalling, control systems, level crossings and telecommunication systems for the UK and Ireland railway infrastructure.

Our core services cover technical advice, consultancy services, feasibility studies and concept, outline (AiP) and detailed design (AfC) of both signalling and telecommunication systems.

We can provide all Signal Sighting activities and signalling risk assessments, including SORA and Suitable and Sufficient Risk Assessments for Level Crossings. We also provide EMC and E&B studies to complement our core services.

We very much look forward to working with you.

Tel: +44 (0)1933 279909 Email: pmcsharry@kilbornconsulting.co.uk Visit: www.kilbornconsulting.co.uk

railbusinessdaily.com

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November 2021 | 53

IFnedaut us tr rey S p o t l i g h t

Hydram shows its mettle with £1 million investment

Business Development Manager Joanne Farms discusses the metalwork company’s new machinery and optimism for the future

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ydram Engineering, one of the UK’s leading subcontract metalwork companies, has just completed an investment worth more than £1 million in new plant and machinery, thanks to its success and confidence in the railway sector.

During the past four months, the business has replaced aging punching and bending equipment and has significantly increased its CNC milling capacity .

Sheet and tube specialists Hydram Engineering specialises in small to medium-sized fabrications predominantly made from sheet metal and tube – much of it powder coated – and often coming together as assembled components ready for lineside delivery.

“Hydram’s capacity is centred on hi-tech processes such as laser cutting, CNC punching and bending, with extensive welding facilities, including robotic cells, a power press section, three paint plants and a large area devoted to the assembly of components and cabinets,” said Joanne Farms, the company’s Business Development Manager. “We have core competencies in sheet and tube, but as the business has evolved, we’ve seen the requirement for machined parts increasing, prompting the development of on-site CNC milling and turning.”

This increase in demand was particularly acute in the milling area, where a number of components from the new Alstom packages were finished by CNC milling. Capacity was available from Hydram’s existing HAAS milling machines, but their limited table sizes affected both the range of suitable parts they could process and the production efficiency of those parts that were within range. The requirement for a larger milling machine was established.

The rail advantage Hydram’s association with the rail industry began in 2012 when a delegation from Hitachi visited its factory just as work was progressing on its new vehicle manufacturing facility in Newton Aycliffe. Hitachi had secured work from the £5.7 billion Intercity Express Programme, supplying 866 carriages for the Great Western and East Coast main lines, and 54 | November 2021

Hydram was chosen as a key supplier of sheet metal assemblies. While the sales pipeline from enquiry through to purchase order was protracted compared to the other sectors Hydram already traded with, the rail sector offered a longer-term planning horizon and a more predictable income.

With this benefit in mind, Hydram sought and achieved the required accreditations (Welding of Railway Vehicles and Components BS EN 15085-2 Class 1 and Adhesive Bonding in the Manufacture of Rail Vehicles DIN 6701) and began approaching other companies in the sector, proudly stating its successful experience as a key Hitachi supplier. The business can now count CAF, Siemens and Alstom as customers in addition to Hitachi, and is well positioned to continue supplying metalwork as the industry continues to replace and renew its rolling stock over the coming decade.

Investments back on track “By September 2020, our Alstom work was keeping us very busy and all our employees were back full time,” said Joanne. “With more work and enquiries coming in from all our rail customers, we started to get a bit more longterm confidence – enough to start thinking about new machines again.”

The requirement for a larger milling machine had recently been established, but ageing equipment in other areas of the factory had been on the wish-list prior to the pandemic.

Joanne added: “Our 15-year-old Trumpf punching machine had been worked hard .”

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A brand new TruPunch 5000 complete with TruStore storage tower and SheetMaster loading system arrived in March after a convoluted period of preparation.

Joanne explained: “The old machine didn’t have a tower and we wanted one since we’d invested in tower storage on other machines, but the factory was too low to fit it in, and we literally had to raise the roof.”

A further complication involved renewing the floor as the concrete was not to the specified thickness – the newer 5000 punch having faster rapids and acceleration – so the necessary building and civil engineering work increased the amount of time the company would be working at reduced capacity.

“The solution was to relocate the old punching machine to a different area of the factory so we could keep using it while the prep work and install carried on,” Joanne said.

In addition to the new punching machine, two new TruBend 5085 pressbrakes were purchased to replace the company’s oldest two machines, meaning that seven of Hydram’s 12 pressbrakes are now from Trumpf. To address the capacity requirement in CNC milling, HAAS delivered a new VF11 vertical milling machine.

Joanne concluded: “Hydram is already looking at the next investments of over £2 million to increase our laser capacity and a further powder coating line to maximise our output at our County Durham site.”

For more details, please visit: www.hydram.co.uk for more details. railbusinessdaily.com

I n d u s t r y S pFoetal ti g uh r et

Sustainable, rapidly deployable and solarpowered CCTV products for the rail industry Upshot Directors and owners James and Mark Pickance explain more about the company’s range of surveillance products

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ith sustainability at the forefront of people’s minds, here’s an opportunity to monitor the health and safety of your staff and the security of your infrastructure/assets much more cost effectively, conscientiously, and efficiently.

Upshot UK is a well-established supplier of products, services and solutions to numerous industries including the rail sector. Many people will be familiar with its aerial imaging work, doing asset surveys of the network infrastructure, but the company also specialises in specialist rapid deployment CCTV equipment for purchase.

“The use of solar power provides a 24/7 robust solution that is self-sustainable, easily deployable and effectively maintenance free,” said James Pickance, Upshot Director and Co-owner.

Effective solutions The British-made equipment comes in numerous versions and offers unique advantages to suit terrain, power and security challenges and provide cost-effective solutions for all eventualities.

The largest unit is the MARC 3000 – a trailer-based unit that can not only offer easily deployable CCTV but can be adapted to provide floodlighting or speakers too.

Director and Co-owner Mark Pickance added: “Perhaps you have areas that have become vulnerable to theft and/or vandalism and a standalone temporary solution can both offer security surveillance and a strong deterrent, without the cost of permanent infrastructure.”

The SENTRY 500SP has a height of 4.2 metres, is bespoke-made and vinyl wrapped to suit each customer’s needs. Again, easily transportable by ideally two people, it offers flexible rotational deterrent and hotspot surveillance solutions at a fraction of the traditional pricing for permanent solutions and human interventions.

Known as REX, the REX 1000 is described by James and Mark as a ‘police dog in a box’ and can be easily transported by one person and a small van.

Mark said: “Most importantly it can be supplied with Videofied or Reconeyez cameras or you can fit your own kit. Our tough little units may be the smallest of the family, but they have teeth.” railbusinessdaily.com

A Sentry 500SP

A REX 1000 (left) and MARC 3000 (right)

Branded to suit, they provide great value 24/7 connected surveillance to suit any situation. They are an especially useful option for unexpected urgent onsite eyeballs or say for large event management.

A timely opportunity Nobody wants to celebrate COVID-19 of course but it is true to say that mass escalations in event footfall is returning, and these CCTV products are perhaps a timely opportunity to do a cost benefit analysis of resources. Those that have of course, know that managed CCTV is the way forward.

Its CCTV offering is just one of several examples of the important role the company has to play for the rail industry. Upshot is also the UK’s largest aerial imaging business serving international clients across government, military, blue chip, Advertorial

institutional, corporate and private clients. It also manufactures a proprietary modular mast system to the telecoms, defence, and other industries (www.modularmastsystems.com).

James concluded: “Because the company has worked for decades within the rail sector in numerous guises, we totally understand the nuances of the industry. Bespoke requirements do not phase us, and the chances are that we’ve already manufactured something similar.

Certainly, we understand the landscape having already surveyed a huge proportion of it.

We’re also passionate about the sustainability benefits we offer.”

For more details, visit www.upshot-uk. com, call 01590 670845 or email james. pickance@upshot-uk.com November 2021 | 55

IEnXdIuAsD try Spotlight

Portakabin on schedule for MTR Elizabeth line during lockdown Creating the right environment to keep the workforce happy

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aving a comfortable environment where train drivers can take their breaks, rest and relax is an important consideration for any modern rail network.

On its new site at Gidea Park, the awardwinning train operator MTR Elizabeth line – part of the Crossrail project – required high-quality training and welfare facilities for its train drivers.

The building needed to be strategically placed in a constrained site close to the sidings to enable the drivers to get to and from the facilities between their shifts. With extremely tight deadlines to meet and a national lockdown to contend with at the same time, MTR chose Portakabin as the partner to provide an end-to-end solution.

Partnership As in all time-dependent build programmes, communication and proactive service were keys to its success. A Portakabin site engineer remained on-site for the duration of the programme to ensure that issues were addressed and everything ran smoothly.

It was a project that benefited from close collaboration between Portakabin, the MTR Programme Manager, the consultants TTPP, and the most important people of all – the end users.

To offset the specified narrow design of the building, large windows were fitted along the external wall of the corridor. This allowed the building to be as naturally light and airy as possible.

Most of the internal fit-out had been done in qualitycontrolled factory conditions before the buildings even arrived on site, which had a huge impact on shortening the installation time.

The finished building included toilets and showers, offices, briefing room, training room, a map room, a quiet room and a large kitchen and mess area.

56 | November 2021

“Portakabin has been a shining star in this project. It’s been hasslefree and it’s not often I say things like that!”

MTR Project Manager James Cook said: “I was incredibly surprised at how much was done when the building arrived on site.

I assumed it would be a shell and everything would be done here. Once the building arrived and I saw how far through they were already with the factory build then I had some real confidence that they would deliver on time, as they did.”

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Ross Everix, Programme Manager for MTR Elizabeth line, added: “Portakabin has been a shining star in this project.

“It’s been hassle-free and it’s not often I say things like that! One of the areas where Portakabin shone was customer service, and making sure that everything was how we needed it.”

The building has been well received by the drivers and the quality of the build has been widely appreciated.

Based on the success of this project, Portakabin has now gone on to provide an identical building for MTR in Maidenhead.

For more details visit us at: www.portakabin.com

railbusinessdaily.com

IFnedaut us tr rey S p o t l i g h t

A business ready to power-up rail DMS technologies is aiming to build on its ability to provide power solutions as the Plan for Rail is implemented

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MEs in the rail supply chain are gearing up to rise to the challenge of improving efficiency, accelerating innovation and driving towards a net zero carbon future following the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail.

Among them is Hampshire-based DMS technologies, which, with its Network Rail approved systems, is ideally placed to develop and supply batteries and systems for both rail infrastructure and on-board applications.

DMS, founded in 1986, has supplied the rail industry with batteries for more than 20 years and, using a modular approach, has Network Rail approval for point end switching, level crossing and general signalling batteries and battery/charger systems. It is also the only UK company approved to supply Enersys Cyclon Battery Packs to the rail market, and has longstanding, strong relationships with all of the leading OEMs. DMS technologies’ Duvine arm also provides the business with the capabilities to provide protecting infrastructure, cathodic protection and DC power systems.

DMS Managing Director David Burrows told Rail Director that the Plan for Rail allows the business to move forward with confidence.

“It is great to have this focus on the UK’s railways,” he said. “That focus allows a degree of confidence for SMEs and others in the industry that the government is seeing rail as a priority and understands the need to bring the railways into the 21st century and beyond. There’s a government-backed appetite for change and, with that focus, SMEs like us are happy to invest the money and time into something that brings long-term benefits to the railways.”

Together, DMS technologies and Duvine Ltd directly employ around 50 people and have a combined turnover of almost £6 million.

Dual production lines DMS’s purpose-built 18,000sq f t manufacturing and assembly facility in Romsey features both long run and small batch production lines. The business has enjoyed 35 years of experience covering 13 different industrial sectors and designs, develops, manufactures and tests specialist sophisticated DC power systems for industrial and military applications.

58 | November 2021

MD David Burrows in front of the Romsey Office

“Enthusiasm is a huge part of what we do, we want the business to be a success and for us to be the best” DMS technologies’ dedicated test and development section and extensive warehousing can meet the varying demands encountered when dealing with standard and custom-built products utilising a wide range of battery technologies. DMS has ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified accreditation and, in addition to working with Network Rail’s direct suppliers, boasts a large customer base that includes Motorola and Rolls Royce.

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Although the work it does supplying to rail dominates the business, experience of other industries covering everything from Formula 1 and aviation to oil and gas, telecoms and defence, clearly has benefits for the UK’s railways.

“Cross-sector experience is obviously very useful,” said David. “We are heavily involved in military and automotive systems, and experience gained in those two markets alone can and does feed into our work with UK rail.”

Knowledge and experience When the business was founded, its directors came from the battery industry and brought together many years of experience. David is no different, his enthusiasm for rail stemming from a childhood in the railway city of York, which led to his background in electrical engineering.

As a young boy, living just 200 yards from the London to Edinburgh main line, he got caught up in the wonders of the railway and considering how railway engines were powered.

All of David’s enthusiasm for rail remains, and that enthusiasm runs through everyone involved with DMS. railbusinessdaily.com

I n d u s t r y S pFoetal ti g uh r et

“Enthusiasm is a huge part of what we do,” he said. “We want the business to be a success and for us to be the best of the best.

“When the business started, DMS took the time to get to know engineers at the grass roots, to find out what real world problems and issues they faced.

That traditional way of working continues today.

We find out where the pain is and then go on to come up with solutions to that battery and power pain. Network Rail’s direct suppliers are power hungry these days, so we work with them on the provision of DC power and standby power into their new systems, coming up with joint solutions.

“We have a fruitful and positive relationship with Network Rail suppliers. We’re part of the supply chain and, as such, feel a part of the railway family.

“We have the experience in rail, we are a UK company, and we’re small and agile enough to be reactive and big enough to be proactive.

We’re always on the end of the phone and available as people look to find solutions. We have the knowledge, the equipment to test and an understanding of the application of our products, which is paramount when it comes to anything to do with the rail network.

Regional variations David added: “Going forward, in line with the Plan for Rail, our work will be about joining the dots because, while each region has different nuances and ways of dealing with their need for power solutions, there are so many degrees of commonality.

“The green agenda will be the key issue for the next few decades. DMS will always push the envelope when it comes to technological developments and the development of batteries onto trains is really interesting. We have vast experience of lead-acid batteries but increasingly it will be about the advantages of lithium batteries. There are exciting developments in terms of the exotic chemistry of batteries. We have a great depth of knowledge and associations with all the major OEMs and we’re not reliant on any particular OEM or distributor.

End point switching battery in application

“So in the next five years, the lithium side of the business will grow. Large-scale batteries will still be dominated by major OEMs while we can develop small discreet battery packs and bespoke solutions for hand-held equipment ourselves.

“We have a fruitful and positive relationship with Network Rail suppliers” “Those that use the railways are interested in reliable and predictable services on the railways.

“What we offer allows for cost effectiveness and efficiency, and also allows predictability so that maintenance can be planned, reducing the need for emergency maintenance.

Meeting industry demand David added: “With Duvine, we are in early talks to supply the battery chargers that the industry will demand. The future for UK rail looks great, as do the technological advances that can be made that will bring long-term benefits. We’re a long-term company.

“Why choose DMS rather than our competitors? We are on the end of the phone, always happy to meet and talk and we have the technical resource and knowledge. We have been working to supply batteries and systems for both rail infrastructure and on-board applications for decades. We’re able to access all of the leading battery manufacturers to provide the best solutions. We have the flexibility to respond to both small and large requirements while always maintaining the high level of quality expected from a market leader.”

For more details find us at: https://dmstech.co.uk

End point switching battery

railbusinessdaily.com

“Value for money for all rail users and the businesses involved in rail is very important.

There will be much more emphasis on remote monitoring and the prediction of failures, which is where power system technology is going, and we can provide battery monitoring systems.

All of the information these systems generate will be available to Network Rail to allow it to interrogate the system, pinpoint issues and take action.

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November 2021 | 59

Heritage

Full steam ahead for Welsh heritage railway after National Lottery grant

Paul Lewin, General Manager at the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways, says it secures a thriving future and opportunities for people in the area

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t is hard to keep a lid on the news that you have been awarded £3.1 million of essential funding, but that is what the team at Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways managed to do, before last month’s formal announcement.

But the wait was worth it: on the day the banners were put up, the figurative red carpet rolled out and visitors from the National Lottery arrived, there was a tangibility to the occasion that no letter of confirmation could deliver.

“When representatives from the National Lottery Heritage Fund were finally standing there, officially announcing we had been awarded the money, it tugged at the heart strings,” said Paul Lewin, General Manager of Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways.

“And, importantly, it meant that our staff and volunteers could hear first-hand, direct from the National Lottery, all the details of what this funding would do for our future.”

The money will, he explained, help create a high-quality experience as well as work, training and volunteering opportunities for the community of Porthmadog. As part of this, the money will go towards the restoration of the Boston Lodge Works – which, according to the Guinness Book of Records, is the oldest railway workshop in continuous operation.

Supporters will be providing an additional £900,000 of matched funding – with the hope it will bring up to 250,000 visitors to the railway annually.

UNESCO recognition The Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways play an important part in the heritage of North Wales and the UK. Earlier this year it was recognised by UNESCO as part of the region’s slate heritage site. Meanwhile the Ffestiniog railway is the world’s oldest narrow-gauge railway and the Welsh Highland Railway is the UK’s longest heritage railway.

Despite this, applying for a National Lottery Heritage grant was hard work.

60 | November 2021

NLHF Committee Member for Wales; David Robinson (left) with Paul Lewin (right)

Additionally, whereas once getting money such as this would have been a welcome boon to a heritage site, now it would feel much more essential.

The slate industry of North Wales has just been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site “The funding was always going to be very important to us,” Paul said. “But, having just come out of the far side of the COVID crisis, we really need the boost to get us back on track.

“I think it would be reasonable to say we have managed our route through coronavirus to fairly good effect. However, it left us in a place where there was limited hope and possibility for new projects.

This funding fills that gap. Not only has

the railway survived in the same shape it was before, but we also now have the chance to move forward. What more could you possibly want?”

Paul said the money will also promote North Wales’ heritage, as well as create visitors and opportunities for the local community.

“The slate industry of North Wales has just been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site,” he said. “But when visitors come to the region, someone needs to tell them about it. The railway transports 200,000 people a year and so we are well placed to tell that story.”

He says the expanded and improved facilities will attract more people to the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highlands Railways. It will create an experience he hopes will persuade interested visitors to seamlessly move into training and employment opportunities.

Making connections With the help of funding, potential staff and volunteers will get more chances to develop their relationship with the railway through in-depth behind-the-scenes tours and hands-on experiences of the trains. railbusinessdaily.com

Heritage

Three engines at Boston Lodge during the NLHF announcement ceremony; (L-R) Blanche, Welsh Pony and Merddin Emrys.

The intention is that, by further modernising the experience, it will bring people from different backgrounds to the railway. “If we can be more diverse and attract more people our chances of being sustainable are much, much stronger,” Paul said.

Key to this is telling the story of the railway in a compelling way, against a backdrop that holds its own alongside the best attractions in the UK. Consequently, historic buildings will be restored to their former glory, and new facilities will be created for staff and volunteers – giving them

the base from which to, as Paul says, look after the railway for the next 100 years. Essentially, as people are brought on board, they will constantly, through the implementation of new communication technology, feel a part of the railway and its efforts to promote North Wales.

However, the heritage railway’s drive for sustainability also has wider implications for the rest of UK tourism. Technology will also be used to re-think how visitors would use a heritage railway to better conserve vehicles, watch costs, and protect the environment.

“It’s my view that the hop-on-hop-off system that people have used means you run with a really large degree of overcapacity, on the basis of being able to carry anybody who turns up,” Paul said.

“That business model is one that cannot be sustained. We have to move to a model where the bulk of the business is pre-booked – by doing so you can limit the number of trains running around empty, which saves an immense amount on costs.”

Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways is already in the process of preparing for the next steps in its Lottery-funded journey. New jobs are the first thing it is advertising, accompanied by about five months of close collaboration with industry consultants to get the upcoming improvements right.

Contractors will begin work on the railway by about February 2022.

This momentum has left staff feeling good about the future. “It’s a very happy scene,” Paul said. “The sun’s shining, the team is smiling and there’s a buzz and a sense of purpose around the place.

“And we wouldn’t be celebrating such an exciting future if it was not for the help of our supporters and the wider rail community. They have stood by us through everything, and that has meant a lot to us all.”

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November 2021 | 61

R a i l A i d We e k

Rail Aid Week 2021

Getaway breaks throughout the UK and abroad

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ail Aid 2021 (Sunday 21 November to Saturday 27 November) including a whole host of events supporting Railway Children: T he Gala and Live Auctions, sponsored

by Colas Rail, with more than 100 lots to tempt participants, including:

Image: Visit Peak District & Derbyshire

Rail Aid 2021 has been a great success, culminating in the biggest event yet

The Great Rail Aid Raffle, sponsored by KPMG & Thales, features some incredible prizes including a Peloton bike and a Highland adventure! The grand draw will be Saturday 27 November at 9am and with tickets costing just £2 all you have to decide now is how many you want to get your hands on.

Sir Peter Hendy CBE Quiz, sponsored

by Worldline and led by Sir Peter Hendy CBE, will test your knowledge of all things rail. The virtual quiz will take place on Tuesday 23 November at 6.45pm and while you compete you can donate to Rail Aid 2021.

An exclusive ride on Crossrail with COO, Howard Smith.

Dinner with the Rail Aid Ambassadors.

Advertising on the UK rail network, London Underground and Trainline.

Spa days, tea at the Savoy, and gifts from Hotel Chocolat, Rituals, Fat Face, Oliver Bonas, and Harry Potter.

Mini breaks in the Peak District, Pitlochry, and London, and on the Belmond Pullman and Caledonian Sleeper.

And for rail buffs, lots include behindthe-scenes tours, cab rides, simulator experiences and an ultra-cool Philippe Starck Eurostar Chair.

Love Train Challenge, sponsored by HS1, Systra and WSP, has led to teams across the country getting their groove on and submitting their dance videos for the Love Train challenge and now it’s time to crown the dance-off champions of the railway! Vote for your favourite before Friday 26 November and donate to Rail Aid 2021 with details of how to vote on the Rail Aid website.

Bid on these lots and many more at http://www.givergy.uk/railaid

Get on Track Challenge, sponsored by Angel Trains, challenges the rail industry family to collectively run, walk, wheel,

62 | November 2021

An exclusive ride on Crossrail

Get on track challenge

or cycle the distance between flagship projects in each of the three countries the Railway Children charity works in (26,201km). All they ask is for you to donate or fundraise the same amount as the distance you cover. The challenge is running until Thursday 24 November, so sign up today!

Rail Aid Raffle

Rail Aid Gala Auction

Head to the Rail Aid website https://railaid.co.uk to learn more and join in!

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R a i l A i d We e k

The competition was followed by a threecourse networking dinner, with keynote speeches from Mark Thurston, CEO of HS2 and Rail Aid Ambassador, and England footballing legend Paul Merson. The night also featured a silent auction draw in support of Rail Aid 2021.

Mark Thurston, CEO of HS2 and Rail Aid Ambassador, said: “It was great to see so many colleagues from across the rail industry come together and use their love of golf to raise thousands of pounds for Rail Aid. It really was a fantastic event that I’m sure will go from strength to strength next year.”

Advance TRS Managing Director Andy Ridout has been an avid supporter of Railway Children for many years, visiting the charity’s projects in Tanzania and India. He said: “Firstly I would like to thank all our sponsors who joined to help us make this event a success, and all the businesses and individuals who attended the day and gave generously. We are delighted to have raised over £24,000 for Rail Aid this year and look forward to finding ways to raise even more next year.”

The Rail Aid team is very pleased with the success of this event and is planning to bring it back every year – so look out for its return in 2022.

Inaugural Advance TRS Golf Day for Rail Aid This year, Rail Aid teamed up with Advance TRS for the first annual Charity Golf Day in support of Railway Children. The event, organised by long-term Railway Children supporter Advance TRS, took place on 20 October at the legendry Belfry Golf Course and was partner sponsored by Mace Dragados and Turner and Townsend.

Overall, the day was a smashing success, bringing together industry leaders for some healthy competition, networking, and most importantly to raise funds for a fantastic cause.

The day raised an astonishing £24,300 and all proceeds went straight to the Railway Children charity, supporting its vital work with helping vulnerable children in the UK, East Africa, and India.

Attendees played the iconic Ryder Cup Brabazon Course at the Belfry Hotel. There were 18 teams on the day from companies including BAM Nuttall, VolkerRail, Robert Bird and Aecom. The changeable weather made for a few interesting rounds but in the end the team from Network Rail was crowned the winners! railbusinessdaily.com

Rail Aid Sponsors – we couldn’t happen without them!

Rail Aid in 2021 could have been a real challenge, but once again the rail family has come together to support in raising vital funds for industry charity Railway Children, so a big thank you toi the sponsors.

To date, there’s been the great success of Walk the Line and the Golf Day, which saw over £24,000 raised for Rail Aid 2021, and there are many more exciting events and challenges scheduled to take place over the coming weeks.

It is because of these fantastic sponsors that the events and challenges have been made possible, so the Rail Aid team want to extend a huge thank you to all Rail Aid 2021 sponsors.

Angel Trains, Porterbrook, Siemens Mobility and Worldline Group Managing Director of Advance TRS Andy Ridout (left), footballer Paul Merson (centre), and CEO of HS2 Mark Thurston (right)

Other companies including Coombes, Telent, Thales, Loxwood Moore, Lowery, and Global Rail also contributed to the event, and by sponsoring holes or donating prizes and merchandise, significantly contributed to the fundraising total.

Colas Rail and VINCI Construction Granger Reis, HS1, KPMG, SYSTRA, Thales and WSP

November 2021 | 63

IFnedaut us tr rey S p o t l i g h t

Electric vehicle charging set to transform rail sector

Meet the space-saving, cost-effective EV charging point of the future, coming to the rail industry

C

ardiff-based infrastructure business Centregreat has introduced a piece of technology set to transform the way businesses charge their electrical vehicle (EV) fleets.

Power Port has been described as ‘the most flexible all-in-one Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) systems on the market’ and is now available to businesses working in the rail sector, at a time when the importance of making the switch to clean energy has never been greater.

In line with the UK’s pledge to become net zero carbon emissions by 2050, businesses have been told they must demonstrate their carbon reduction plans before they can bid for major public sector contracts, under new rules set by the government in June.

Last year, Network Rail became the first railway company to set an approved sciencebased target aligned to 1.5C global warming.

These targets span the whole of its value chain and will require collaboration to reduce carbon emissions from its operations and those of its suppliers and customers.

Though many companies have already begun the transition to EV fleets, uncertainty around costs, planning and the challenges associated with installing new charging infrastructure has led to many fleet managers contemplating where to begin their EV journey.

However, engineering firm Centregreat has developed a solution that not only takes the hassle out of planning and modelling an EV charging installation but also provides a selfgenerating energy supply.

“With the deadline for the ban of new petrol and diesel car sales fast approaching, more businesses are seeking EV solutions, particularly for their commercial fleets,” Centregreat Chairman, Jerome Mathias, explained.

“With our Power Port, businesses can combine solar power with built-in battery storage to charge their EVs in an efficient, cost-saving manner. The technology supports a low-carbon approach and helps businesses monitor their usage, so they maximise their ROI. “Importantly, the installation is fully modular and scalable, so businesses can choose to have as many Power Ports as they need, with different charging speeds available. The need for additional battery storage space, typically housed

in large container units, is also eliminated, as our batteries are built into the port’s columns.”

Companies that choose Power Port for their EV charging will benefit from an augmented free solar supply onsite. Excess energy can then be used to power building facilities and/or be sold back to the National Grid.

Modular and scalable installations Following a comprehensive survey and Photovoltaic (PV) solution report, Centregreat’s engineering team will present a proposed design that provides the optimal scale and layout to fit your business/fleet’s needs, ensuring both maximum solar energy yield from the PV modules, with minimum disruption during the install.

The most versatile EV charging solution on the market The Power Port is a revolutionary piece of EVSE technology, powered by solar energy combined with integrated battery storage built into the port’s column. This means less land take for separate battery storage onsite, which in turn means less construction and disruption to your facility. The solar panels reduce energy bills while making a significant contribution towards eliminating your business’s carbon footprint.

64 | November 2021

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I n d u s t r y S pFoetal ti g uh r et

The team’s in-house fabrication division will design and manufacture the car port frames to suit architectural needs, incorporating company branding, lighting and CCTV/Help Points as required.

Keeping the wheels of industry moving A recent example of how Centregreat is transforming EV needs is the installation of Power Port to a global car manufacturer’s distribution hub in Yorkshire.

To service the increasing number of EVs into its depot, the manufacturer required a 64-bay EV Charging facility. Following consultation with Centregreat, a scaled Power Port solution has been developed, with the resulting Solar PV installation providing over 200,000 kWh/year (or circa £30,000 of electricity savings). With the current increase of EVs generally, the depot electricity bill is set to increase significantly, as cars need to be charged before being delivered to dealerships. The green solar power will offset the forecast increase in their overall energy bill by c. 12 per cent, or the equivalent of c. 46.6 tonnes of CO2 emissions per annum. The equivalent emissions in tonnes of carbon dioxide is subsequently removed from the atmosphere What does Power Port provide?

Energy independence – Power Port’s inverter allows businesses to increase their energy independence from the grid. It can easily be installed with solar battery storage, meaning users can tap into stored energy to charge their EVs day and night.

Power payback – The port’s multi-flow technology means users can generate solar energy via PV while also charging their vehicle, with any surplus power fed back into the grid or used to supplement their general electricity needs e.g. railway station or maintenance depot.

Access backup power – Its reliable emergency power supply provides users with a full backup solution, enabling them to access stored power during a power failure or blackout.

A scalable solution to fit all business sizes Power Port solutions are designed with the customer’s input, so that all requirements are understood and met. Charging speeds can be specified to fit your fleet needs, whether it’s slow, fast or rapid chargers required.

Centregreat uses the latest PV Solar power modelling tools to produce a 3D model of the site and its orientation to the sun. The team then models the customer’s EV power needs and can advise on free, green energy opportunities. This modelling helps the team scale and configure the EV installation, solar power and power storage needs, to reap the maximum benefits for the business at the lowest cost.

Once installed, users can monitor Power Port and verify its performance to ensure they get the most from their investment.

– is a crucial benefit to the business’s net zero ambitions towards 2030. The distribution hub has many more car park bays and the Power Port solution can be scaled up as the increase in EV necessitates.

Bringing the EV revolution to the rail industry For businesses operating in the rail industry, there are many benefits from the adoption of an EVSE solution. At stations, customers can plug into Power Port to charge their vehicles during the day, while the port’s storage is used overnight, thus minimising Grid usage.

Contractors and infrastructure managers working on projects at stations and depots can charge their fleets overnight, using the built-in battery function, so that vans can resume their operations the following morning, fully charged.

“The rail industry will steadily be adapting to the UK’s decarbonisation plans, but businesses need to act now if they want to hit the targets. Indeed there is a positive business case for out-performing the targets. Solar Powered EV transition is one of the most obvious steps they can take, and at Centregreat, we can make that process clear, simple and hassle-free. We’ll work with businesses

to build an EV charging strategy that fits their size and needs,” explained Shaun Thompson, Group Business Development Director.

“Generally, if you consider there are more than four million light commercial vehicles in the UK, which clock up an average of 14,000 miles a year. Converting the UK fleet to EVs would reduce CO2 emissions by around 26.4 million tonnes overnight. This is fantastic, but look at the broader cost savings. This average light commercial vehicle – or van – costs about £3,700 annually in diesel compared to about £650 for electricity for the same mileage.

“Add to these benefits the ability to generate energy that can be also used to help power your premises or sold back to the National Grid, it makes choosing a solar-powered EV charging solution a much easier investment proposition.”

He added: “With the addition of Power Port to sites, businesses will make a demonstrable step change in achieving their net zero targets in anticipation of the government’s 2030 deadline as well as mitigating energy price inflation.”

To discuss your Power Port requirements with Centregreat today, email: rail@centregreat.net

Smart monitoring – Businesses can monitor their usage at the tip of a finger, analysing and optimising your PV system quickly and conveniently via a smartphone, tablet or laptop.

A robust and long-lasting solution – Power Port is built to last, using superior glass/glass PV modules, built for longevity, increased protection and performance, all with a 30-year warranty.

Depending on the customer’s requirements for the Port, the asset life and coating system design can last up to 120 and 25 years respectively.

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November 2021 | 65

SIFER

A day trip to France The French railway supply industry has its own national exhibition – SIFER – which takes place every two years in Lille. Rail Director took a trip to France to check out the 2021 event

W

ith the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, the railway businessto-business events sector is emerging from hibernation, anxious to make up for lost time. Rescheduled exhibitions are coming along thick and fast as organisers try to get back on schedule.

In the UK Rail Live, the outdoor exhibition organised by Bauer Consumer Media and held at Porterbrook’s Long Marston site, started the trend in June but that was a bit different as, held in the open air, restrictions were not so demanding. Still, it gave the industry its first chance to meet up and network in almost 18 months and many grabbed the opportunity.

There were conference sessions – face coverings were required inside the marquee whereas everywhere else it was just an orange top and decent footwear – and loads of bright yellow plant and equipment to see. New products were on show – Hilti had a neat exoskeleton that can be adjusted to any wearer and takes some of the load off heavy manual work.

66 | November 2021

And there was company news too. Permaquip took the opportunity to announce its takeover of Aquarius Railroad Technologies, for example.

Always dependent on the weather – remember Railworx a couple of years ago when it rained

To call SIFER ‘the French Railtex’ would be to do both exhibitions a disservice solidly for three days? – Rail Live once again got away with it and was judged a great success.

Indoor shows had to wait for a few months before they could really get going.

Railtex/Infrarail took place early in October in two halls of Birmingham’s NEC. Aisles were wider than normal to encourage social distancing and the numbers of both exhibitors and visitors were down on previous years. But it was the first major indoor show for two years and everyone was glad to be back.

Rail Director was involved in one of the three conferences that took place – the Railway Industry Association organised the other two.

Both the Rail Minister and his shadow opposite number made an appearance, and it was obvious that the rail supply industry was back in business. The next Railtex/Infrarail is scheduled for May 2022 in London’s Olympia and should be closer to its old self.

Rolling Stock Networking (RSN2021) followed at Derby Arena a couple of weeks later. A completely different show from Railtex – exhibitors get a table and space for a couple of pop-up banners – it aims to give suppliers to rolling stock manufacturers, maintainers and operators an inexpensive way of promoting themselves. railbusinessdaily.com

SIFER

The show was a sell-out, stands were busy with visitors and Rail Director presented the conference, opened by the local MP. It was just like old times!

The Rail Industry Networking series of regional events has also returned after the pandemic, with the York Racecourse meeting (18 November) to be followed next year by London (10 March 2022), Wigan (12 May), Derby (8 September) and a return to York (17 November).

It’s not just the UK either. Restrictions in France are lifting too, so the 12th SIFER International Exhibition of Railway Technology (in French ‘Salon international de l’industrie ferroviare’ – hence SIFER) took place in Lille on 26-28 October 2021. Delayed only by six months from its regular date in March, the show is organised by Mack-Brooks Exhibitions, part of RX and the same company that organises Railtex/Infrarail in the UK. However, to call SIFER ‘the French Railtex’ would be to do both exhibitions a disservice.

SIFER has its own character, and so Rail Director welcomed the opportunity to take a day trip to France and experience the French show once again.

Outward bound With COVID-19 still very much around, preparations had to be made in advance.

Getting into France was relatively easy – the NHS ‘double jab’ certificate and a handcompleted declaration of no recent COVID contact was all it took.

However, getting back again, even after only eight hours out of the country, was another matter. A multi-page online government form to complete, a COVID test to be prebooked and prepaid and to be taken within two days of return, a certificate to be printed out so a copy could be taken – in all, about three hours of preparation time and £25 for the privilege of being allowed to return home!

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However, Eurostar made the process as painless as possible. An early arrival at St Pancras International, courtesy of East Midlands Railway, and just a short queue through security (and examination of all those COVID forms) and it was into the Business Premier lounge for a quick cup of coffee before boarding the train to Brussels, via Lille.

Once on board and having been shown to a better seat than the one Eurostar had reserved, courtesy of the train only being half full, there was time for both some work using the free onboard Wi-Fi and an excellent cooked breakfast before disembarking, bang on time, at Lille Europe station. From there, it was just a 10-minute walk to Lille Grand Palais, home to SIFER since 2003, and a warm welcome from organiser Mack-Brooks Exhibitions.

On the face of it, SIFER does look like many other exhibitions. Some of the larger exhibitors had taken space-only stands at the front of the hall, where they had built impressive constructions displaying well-known names.

SNCF Réseau, the state-owned organisation that manages, maintains and develops the French rail network (similar to the role Network Rail has in the UK) was directly opposite the entrance, ABB and Acksys in the next row back.

One noticeable difference to Railtex was that everyone wore a face mask – exhibitors and visitors alike. Yet this was the country that required little paperwork to enter. Different strokes for different folks.

Brits on tour A look at the list of exhibitors did show one change this year – the exhibitors were mainly French. In previous years, perhaps one quarter of the exhibitors were overseas companies – Strukton from the Netherlands, EKE-Electronics from Finland and Amberg from Switzerland.

This year, just 51 of the 308 exhibitors (16 per cent) were not French. Even more disappointingly, just five were listed as British – Cubis Systems, Forbo Flooring, Pandrol, Portaramp and Railway Gazette International.

Rail Director and Railway Gazette are both media partners of Railtex and, being an international magazine, it was no surprise to see them there. But, although an English-language magazine and based in the UK, they are owned by the German DVV group.

November 2021 | 67

SIFER

Cubis is British though, based in Lurgan, Co Armagh, Northern Ireland. The stand was staffed by the company’s French office from where an Italian, specification manager Dario Zagnelli, explained that France was an important market for under-track crossings, buried cable route systems, drainage catch pits and fixed telecommunications network solutions.

However, Cubis is part of the CRH Group based in Dublin, so its ultimate owner is Irish, not British, though the product and the engineering comes from the UK. Access ramps Portaramp is both British-based and owned.

Its offices are in Thetford, Norfolk, where it designs and manufactures lightweight, portable access ramps and safety covers for inspection pits. You will have seen their folding, bright yellow ramps at stations, handily located to help passengers in wheelchairs – as well as catering trolleys – get on and off trains.

General manager Mandy Lancaster said that French visitors had told her that wheelchair-users didn’t use trains in France. Her response was that was perhaps because there were no ramps at stations!

However, the company’s covers for depot inspection pits, keeping staff safe when moving around the workshop, were proving more popular.

Forbo Flooring, based in Ripley, Derbyshire, was the next stand visited. It was busy all day, the salesman in charge constantly in deep discussions with current and potential customers. However, he did find time to explain that, while the rail division is based in the UK, the company itself is Dutch…

Pandrol was also on the list as British, and the large stand attracted a great amount of attention. But the company is part of the familyowned Delachaux group from Colombes in France, which incidentally also owns Frauscher.

Readers shouldn’t misunderstand. Britishlocated companies employ British people and bring wealth to the UK by their exports, so perhaps what is more important is where the products are manufactured, rather than who owns the factory.

The Rail Supply Group is pushing hard to increase exports, and those are UK-made

products rather than products of UK-owned companies, but it is still good to see ‘GB’ on the list of exhibitors.

There was a surprise, though. Stand 2-430 was occupied by the French company Welding Alloys France SAS. The English-sounding name is explained by the fact that Welding Alloys Group is headquartered in Hertfordshire. Add one to the GB list!

Welding Alloys repairs costly and safetycritical track components used in crossings and turnouts, offering a wide range of products, services and equipment to fulfil the maintenance requirements of the rail industry. Its strategically located Integra™ Service Centres provide economical solutions to wear problems resulting from abrasion, impact and corrosion.

Other interlopers Of the other exhibitors, a number are well known to Rail Director readers.

Linsinger, manufacturer of rail milling machines, had a stand and details of its new hydrogen-powered unit, useful both to reduce overall emissions and to remove completely diesel exhaust gases that can affect workers when operating in tunnels and confined spaces.

Westermo had a mix of Swedish and French representation on its stand. They readily acknowledged that their aim wasn’t really to sell their onboard data equipment to new customers, although they doubtless would if the opportunity arose, but to re-establish relationships with existing ones and answer questions.

68 | November 2021

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SIFER

Dutch rail manufacturer edilon)(sedra Group had a stand displaying different track forms that can be supplied, including embedded rail for tramways. Right next door was Italy’s SRT with by far the biggest video screen in the show.

Images of its rail vehicles for track maintenance, hopper wagons and the like, dwarfed the people on the stand underneath it.

Schweizer (Switzerland) displayed its track worker protection systems, which provide automatic warnings of approaching trains.

Robel (Germany) was showing its batteryoperated hand-held tools for track maintenance and both Vossloh and Voestalpine presented their abilities in track construction and maintenance.

TE Connectivity (USA) manufactures insulators and resistors normally used on pantograph connections on electric trains and locomotives, while Voith and ZF (both Germany) were at SIFER to talk about transmissions and drive systems.

Nord-Lock (Sweden) was demonstrating its well-known locking washers while Stahlwille and Knippex (Germany) had hand tools on display.

Harting (Germany), another exhibitor familiar from Railtex and RSN, had a stand with both connectors and a bar while Liebherr was there to talk about vehicle air-conditioners – there wasn’t room for one of its large excavators (though there was a photograph of one).

The French connection French rolling-stock and signalling manufacturer Alstom had a stand, but it was a shell-scheme one towards the back of the hall. Staffed by people from the Crespin plant formerly owned by Bombardier Transportation, there were several detailed models of recent trains in plastic cases.

70 | November 2021

The show is full, the crowds have returned and the future for the rail industry looks good There were models of excavators on the Attirail stand. Many others attracted visitors by offering coffee and other refreshments.

Cable manufacturer Nexans had a large stand but admitted most of its market was in continental Europe and not the UK. The European Union Agency for Railways (formerly the European Railway Association) discussed approving trains and other machines for use on the railway, and the complications with those approvals now that the UK is no longer in the European Union.

Shift2Rail also had a stand – with a Network

Rail logo on it as the UK participant – and there were the usual large number of clusters and associations present. The UK may have the Rail Alliance, and the RBD Community ran the Eagle Lab at Railtex, but SIFER has the Hautsde-France, the Association Technopôle du Valenciennes, Cluster Totem, Dev’Up Centre – Val de Loire, Région Occitanie and several more clusters. Even the Germans got in on the act, with the Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie.

To sum up, it was well worth a visit. MackBrooks Exhibitions Director Olaf Freier commented: “I am very satisfied. The show is full, the crowds have returned and the future for the rail industry looks good. Not only in France, but also in the UK and in Italy, as we could see at Railtex/Infrarail and EXPO Ferroviaria.”

With the French government, like every other European administration, spending billions on its railways, it wasn’t difficult to feel the confidence the sector is displaying. Perhaps just a few more UK companies need to get on the train before it leaves them behind…

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rainline Partner Solutions (TPS), Trainline’s B2B arm and a leading distributor of global rail content, has renewed its partnership with Egencia and opened up access to Norwegian rail via its distribution solutions offering.

Through this renewed partnership, TPS is providing access to all four rail operators in Norway for the first time, so that Egencia can provide Norwegian rail content to its clients.

Access is provided through Trainline’s Global API, which enables Egencia’s tech team to integrate new rail content at speed, through a single connection.

Champa Magesh, President, Trainline Partner Solutions, said: “It’s been very rewarding to work with Egencia and open up rail access to a new market for them.

“We want to empower more travel sellers to offer rail by making the integration – and access to content from over 45 countries – as seamless as possible.

“This way, together, we can encourage more people to choose train travel over other less sustainable modes of transport.”

Heather Lisagor, Senior Director Product Management, Egencia, said: “Working with TPS has meant we’ve been able to respond more quickly to our customers’ needs.

“As more people and businesses return to travel, we need to be adaptable to their changing habits and priorities including the growing demand to travel by train.

“Through opening up access to rail in Norway, we’re able to support our customers in their goals to reduce the impact of their travel choices on the environment.”

72 | November 2021

B

entley Systems, Incorporated and SMRT Trains, the pioneer Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) operator in Singapore, have successfully completed the implementation of a Predictive Decision Support System (PDSS) for Singapore’s North-South and East-West lines – the oldest MRT lines in the country.

SMRT Trains’ PDSS, which is based on Bentley’s AssetWise Linear Analytics, contributes to improving the reliability of the two lines across 282km of track and has helped SMRT Trains achieve more than one million kilometres between failure (MKBF). MKBF is a measure of reliability used by train operators around the world, where a failure is defined as a service delay of more than five minutes.

Based on the success of the PDSS implementation on the North-South and East-West lines, SMRT Trains has started the implementation of the PDSS solution on the Circle Line (CCL) in Singapore.

Photo: Bentley Systems

T

Bentley Systems and SMRT collaborate on Metro Rail Services in Singapore

Kaushik Chakraborty, Vice President, Bentley Asia South, and Gan Boon Jin, President of Strides Engineering, at the MOU signing ceremony

The MOU establishes a partnership between the two companies that combines strong technology expertise and rail operational capabilities to help urban rail and metro operators.

Under the terms of the MOU, both organisations will market a rail predictive maintenance solution that visualizes all rail asset information and manages, monitors, and analyses rail conditions. Bentley Systems will continue to sell, implement, and support its AssetWise solution while Strides Engineering will market

and deliver its domain experience and add-on applications for track maintenance.

Lam Sheau Kai, president of SMRT Trains, said: “Leveraging technology and taking pre-emptive actions are two very important components in the plan to help us improve and maintain rail reliability for the train lines SMRT Trains operates. PDSS represents both components, and its successful implementation for the NorthSouth and East-West lines has given us much confidence to scale it for the rest of our lines.”

Go-Ahead appoints new CEO for German rail

F

abian Amini will take over as Chief Executive of the Go-Ahead Group’s rail operations in Germany from January next year.

He began his transport career at Deutsche Bahn, where he held a series of senior roles in corporate strategy, management and oversight of rolling stock over the course of 11 years. Since 2015, he has been at Transdev, most recently as Chief Executive of the company’s rail transport services in Bavaria, BRB. He said: “After more than six years at BRB, I am looking forward to the new challenges ahead and the opportunity to drive forward and shape the future of public transport in Germany.”

Photo: Go-Ahead

Egencia and TPS set for Norwegian rail partnership

Go-Ahead began operating local rail in Baden-Wurttemberg in 2019, running more than 10 million train kilometres annually.

The group is due to expand by taking on two additional rail networks in Bavaria in 2021 and 2022, with initial passenger services to start in December. Go-Ahead employs more than 550 people in Germany.

David Brown, Chief Executive of the Go-Ahead Group, said: “I’m very pleased that we have secured the services of such an experienced, proven leader as Fabian. This appointment underlines our commitment to the German market, where we see positive opportunities for the future.

“We are well under way in mobilisation for our additional network in Bavaria and we look forward to beginning passenger services there shortly.” railbusinessdaily.com

I n t e r n a t i o nFael aNt u ew r es

Stargate to deliver hydrogen locomotives to international rail company Operail

ydrogen solutions company OÜ Stargate Hydrogen has signed a letter of intent with AS Operail, the international rail company, to convert diesel-electric locomotives to zero-emission fuel cell electric locomotives.

As part of the retrofit, the diesel gensets that power the locomotives will be replaced by a zero-emission powertrain consisting of polymerelectrolyte-membrane fuel cells and lithium-ion batteries. After the conversion, the locomotives will operate as shunting locomotives.

The partnership with Operail is planned in two phases. Initially, a prototype of a fuel cell electric locomotive will be constructed by the end of 2022.

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Photo: OÜ Stargate Hydrogen

H

In the second phase of the project, the parties intend to convert an additional 40 locomotives to fuel cell power. Each converted locomotive will save 370 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, equivalent to the annual emissions of 80 average passenger cars.

Rainer Küngas, Chief Technology Officer at Stargate Hydrogen, said: “Retrofitting

ageing diesel locomotives to zerocarbon alternatives is already an economically sustainable solution and will be even more so in the future.

“Retrofitting also allows the reuse of existing diesel-electric locomotives that would otherwise end up as stranded assets once they no longer meet future emission standards.”

Raul Toomsalu, Chairman of the Management Board at Operail, said: “Operail has focused its activities on environmental sustainability. In Estonia, this is achieved via electrification of the main railway lines, but this does not resolve the issue of emissions in shunting operations. The team at Stargate Hydrogen has outstanding international experience and worldclass technological capabilities, while our professionals at the Tapa depot have the skills and knowledge for building modern locomotives.

We can offer innovative and environmentally sustainable solutions in all our target markets.”

The completion of the first hydrogen locomotive prototype is planned for the end of 2022.

November 2021 | 73

Movers and Shakers

mey has announced that James Holmes will be joining the business to take responsibility for its rail infrastructure operations.

As the new Rail Sector Director, James will be an integral part of the Transport Infrastructure Executive Team.

With a clear strategic focus for the future development of the rail business, James will focus on working with clients and supply chain to safely deliver investment in the UK’s rail infrastructure and transform services aligned to the outcomes of the WilliamsShapps Plan for Rail.

He will also be responsible for embedding the progressive people culture throughout the rail team to enable people and teams to excel.

For the past six years, James was Operations Director at Skanska, leading a portfolio of contracts across the rail and water sectors.

James said: “Leading teams to excel in everything they do is critical for a business to operate safely and reach its maximum potential.

“I’m also keen to meet our clients, understand their needs and ensure the work we undertake leaves a positive legacy on the communities we operate in, the customers whose journeys we improve and the vital role we play in helping the economy to grow.”

W

omen in Rail has announced the appointment of its new Chair, Christine Fernandes, and Vice Chair, Shona Clive.

Christine is B usiness Development Lead at CAF and has been involved in the work of the charity since 2018 both as part of the Women in Rail London Regional Group and the Women in Rail Wales Regional Group, which she has been leading since February 2021.

Shona Clive is project lead of the rail cluster project at Scottish

Christine Fernandes

Photo: Women in Rail

A

Women in Rail appoints new Chair and Vice Chair

Engineering and is the current Chair of the Women in Rail Scotland Regional Group, which she has been leading since May 2018.

Both Christine and Shona officially took on the roles last month when Adeline Ginn MBE, Founder of the charity, officially stepped down.

Christine Fernandes said: “Adeline has left a great legacy for me to build on. The responsibility to guide and lead Women in Rail into the next chapter of its development is certainly a great privilege. I look forward to the challenge and opportunity to shape and influence the future, even more so in the times of change within the industry and world post-COVID.”

New Hull Trains Managing Director outlines journey for recovery D avid Gibson has been appointed as the new Managing Director for Hull Trains. David joined the business last month to lead the train operating company on its continued journey to recovery after the challenges of the global pandemic.

After leaving the Royal Air Force in 2003, David joined Hull City Council as Assistant Chief Executive where he helped lead the council’s transformation to most improved council of the year.

He later moved to Capita’s Consulting and Transformation division, as a Director in the

Photo: Hull Trains

Amey welcomes new Rail Sector Director

Programme and Project Management Practice, delivering solutions for several clients in the UK and Ireland.

David’s most recent roles include Managing Director for DB

Regio Tyne & Wear and Service Delivery Director for Caledonian MacBrayne Ferries.

He said: “I am incredibly proud to have joined Hull Trains as its Managing Director at this pivotal time in its history. First and foremost, we need to return Hull Trains to profitability. We are aiming to recover and then grow revenue so that Hull Trains is sustainable in the future.

“We have a recovery plan, and we are seeing passengers return to rail travel. However, the market is changing so we need to change in line with it, which we can do as an open access operator.”

SWGR appoints new manager as it gears up for electrification offering

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WGR has appointed a new Resource Manager for its Electrification South team as it continues to strengthen its position across the UK. Steven Butters has decades of experience working for some of the rail industry’s most respected names, including Network Rail, 74 | November 2021

where he spearheaded training and implementation of safety critical competencies on the railway.

His new role will oversee SWGR’s teams as they continue to deliver numerous electrification projects in key Network Rail areas across England.

Raj Sinha, Group Managing

Director for SWGR, said: “We are pleased to have Steven join us at a very exciting time. We have a strong, capable and peopledriven business that serves every Network Rail region, helping to deliver their most crucial projects through unwavering dedication to proficiency, time and safety.

“Steven is the perfect fit for a team that is working on some of the most vital projects SWGR has had the privilege to be a part of. It was important for us to appoint a Resource Manager who builds on our strong foundations focused on safety, work ethic and, essentially, always doing the right thing.” railbusinessdaily.com

Movers and Shakers

Munir Patel appointed Chair of RIA Exports Leadership Group

Photo: RIA

T

he Railway Industry Association (RIA) has launched a new RIA Exports Leadership Group (RELG), with Xrail Group LTD Chief Executive Officer Munir Patel appointed as its Chair. Arup’s UKIMEA and Global High Speed Rail Leader, Andrew Went, is Vice-Chair.

The new group brings together senior figures within the RIA membership from UK-based rail suppliers who export goods and services around the world.

The RELG group will share their experiences and work with the RIA Exports and Trade Policy teams, offering export best practice, direction, advice and support.

Neil Walker, Exports Director at the RIA, said: “We are delighted to launch our RIA Exports Leadership

Group, working closely with our members, and congratulate Xrail’s Munir Patel on his appointment as Chair and Arup’s Andrew Went as Vice-Chair. It is particularly important at this time that we bring rail suppliers together to promote exports, with

the UK negotiating free trade deals around the world, and as we look to build up our rail exports worldwide.

“We look forward to working with the RELG, RIA Members and our partners in government, industry and overseas, to help UK companies make the most of future trade opportunities.”

Munir Patel, CEO of Xrail, said: “It is fantastic to be appointed Chair of the RIA Exports Leadership Group.

“RIA plays a leading role on rail exports, and I am excited to work with colleagues from across the industry to help showcase the worldclass goods and services the UK has to offer. With overseas markets opening back up post-pandemic, it is an exciting time to be working in and promoting UK rail exports.”

Trainline hires Liz Emmott to Global distribution role

T

rainline Partner Solutions (TPS) – Trainline’s B2B arm and a leading distributor of global rail content – has appointed Liz Emmott as Director of Global Distribution and Business Solutions.

In this newly created role, Liz will be responsible for leading the growth of distribution and business solutions.

She started her career at American Express where she progressed through commercial roles in B2B payments and business travel (now Amex GBT), leading local, multinational and global teams. In 2016 she joined Amadeus as UK Sales Director before becoming UK General Manager and Commercial Director for Business Travel Accounts (UK, Ireland & Italy).

Designer of the portal and tunnel approach structures and portal jacking temporary works for the UK’s first curved box jack at Werrington Grade Separation

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tonygee.com/rail

November 2021 | 75

Directory

Manufacture, Supply And Stock An Extensive & Comprehensive Range Of High Performance Chemicals For Use In The Construction & Civil Engineering Industries. www.adomast.co.uk/contact/ re-bound.co.uk + 44 (0)1226 707 863 (Fax) + 44 (0)1226 718 051

Advanced Radiators Ltd is one of the largest independent engine cooling and heat transfer specialists in the UK and has a reputation for quality and service second to none. info@adrad.co.uk www.adrad.co.uk www.advancedheattransfer.co.uk 0191 267 3312

Recruitment specialist Coyle Rail is one of the largest suppliers in the UK. The company offers everything from weekend supply to a fully managed service. info@coyles.co.uk www.coyles.co.uk 020 8861 3000

ITAL works with businesses looking for productivity improvements, in both the management of people and systems. We bring technology improvements to generate efficiencies that positively impact the bottom line, employees and customers. ryan.leather@ital-uk.com www.ital-uk.com 08445 447 327

Jobson James Rail is a national specialist railway insurance broker, the market leader in the UK by a huge margin with over 325 rail clients across the UK, Middle East and Australasia. keven.parker@jjrail.co.uk jjrail.co.uk 07816 283949

Kelly Rail is a principal contractor to all major UK industry service providers, specialising in multi-disciplinary solutions including, telecommunications, SISS, signalling, M&E, lineside civils and electrification HV & LV. info@kellyrail.co.uk www.kelly.co.uk 0208 424 0909

MTMS is the UK’s leading provider of rail depot maintenance services.

Providing design, engineering, chemical, paint and coatings programmes for the rail and transport industry. hello@mtms.co.uk www.mtms.co.uk 0800 644 7200

Naturally Wild Consultants’ expert team of experienced ecologists offer ecological services at any stage of a project, from feasibility and advice through to planning, consultation and implementation. hello@naturallywild.co.uk naturallywild.co.uk 0800 999 6636

OnTrac is an award-winning software specialist, supporting and enabling the rail industry’s transition to digital for the past decade. Trusted by 45,000 users, OnTrac products are widely used to improve safety, efficiency and productivity. enquiries@on-trac.co.uk on-trac.co.uk 0191 477 4951

Park Signalling delivers engineered solutions, a pioneering approach to problem solving, an innovative design and development capability, coupled with an extensive range of products and services. sales@park-signalling.co.uk www.park-signalling.co.uk +44 161 219 0161

Perfect Clean is an expert team of commercial cleaners specialised in providing a range of rail industry services, from trains and railway facilities to bio-hazard cleaning. info@perfectcleanltd.co.uk www.perfectcleanltd.co.uk 07403 451 742

Pre Metro Operations works with UK transport companies and investors to provide low-cost light rail solutions that connect communities across the West Midlands.

Future-proofed. Green. Reliable. Award-winning. info@premetro.org www.premetro.co.uk 01384 441325

Radius is a service orientated plant installation, contract lift and tower crane hire solutions provider. Our service is not about what we do; it is all about what you need. info@radiusgroup.co.uk www.radiusgroup.co.uk 01604 62 28 65

RMF is a leading provider of reservation based international settlement and clearing services providing solutions for sophisticated revenue and cost allocations including analytical tools. david.hiscock@rmf.co.uk www.rmf.co.uk 020 7042 9961

TP Telecoms is a rail SISS (station information and surveillance services) telecoms company, specialising in Consultancy, Design, Installation, Test and Commissioning services, dedicated to delivering projects of all sizes, from minor works to major station upgrades. jmillen@tptelecoms.com www.tptelecoms.com

76 | November 2021

railbusinessdaily.com

RBD Community

RBD Community – bringing the rail industry together

Eli Rees King, Head of Product and Marketing at RBD Community, writes about how she is helping organisations to rise in rail

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ince launching the RBD Community in June of this year, interest in the concept from rail companies looking for new ways in which they can raise their business profile, make high quality connections and discover new business opportunities has been overwhelmingly positive.

With a community membership spanning the breadth and depth of the supply chain, we are thrilled to have passed the 200 members mark and continue to welcome new members on a daily basis.

Rail Business Daily has grown significantly over the past two years into the most powerful press, profile enhancement and partnering businesses in UK rail.

Today, its services are unique in the market, providing organisations with a simple but effective mechanism in which to share news stories with a captive rail audience. In the last year alone, the team has created a number of new online and offline titles and now has two flagship publications under its belt – Rail Director and Inside Track – in addition to digital news platforms Rail Insider and railbusinessdaily.com, and the daily 7am news bulletin that reaches more than 50,000 subscribers six days a week.

Reliable news source Rail Business Daily has become a household name and a firm favourite among the UK rail fraternity with more than 10 million people visiting the company’s website each year.

With so many interactions and conversations occurring daily with people in the rail industry, it was a natural progression for Rail Business Daily to look to harness this powerful opportunity for collaboration and networking and provide organisations looking to grow their business in rail with a dedicated resource that would support them in achieving their objectives and goals. That is how the concept of the RBD Community was born!

Put simply, the RBD Community exists to support any business working in rail, whether established already or a new entrant to the sector. It does not seek to replicate the great work of the trade associations; rather, it sets out to complement the activities and align with the objectives of supporting UK rail to do more business together. railbusinessdaily.com

It is ultimately about supporting those individuals tasked with either marketing or new business development responsibilities, providing them with effective tools and resources that will enable them to achieve their organisation’s corporate goals.

Created by rail business people for rail business people As the UK’s leading rail media and profileraising business, the vehicle is there to get your message across and not only that, you can engage directly with marketing experts who can help with everything from strategic positioning and branding to website development and campaign planning and execution!

There is also a team of rail business specialists with a wealth of experience and proven capability in helping organisations to firmly commercialise their businesses and win more work.

Building relationships and getting to know our members is really important to us so that we understand how we can help. Working alongside our RBD Advisory colleagues, our ‘Discovery Meetings’ are all part of the service to support our members so that we can join the dots and ensure that opportunities can be quickly matched to the right people in the right organisations.

Our first event Being a member of the RBD Community offers our members the helping hand they need to support their teams. We are really looking forward to holding our first RBD Community networking event on 7 December 2021 in Manchester, themed on the subject of ‘Accessibility and Stations’ and we are delighted to have had such a positive response.

We will be covering this event in our January edition of Rail Director. Helping companies and the individuals within our member organisations to thrive and be successful is at the heart of what we do.

For more information on the RBD Community, please contact eli@railbusinessdaily. com or call 07496 608012.

November 2021 | 77

Infrastructure

Dartmoor Line services to resume for first time in half a century Great Western Railway Managing Director Mark Hopwood describes the reopening as a key aspiration for the community and rail industry

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egular passenger services will run on the Dartmoor Line – connecting Okehampton to Exeter – for the first time in nearly 50 years later this month.

Services will launch on Saturday 20 November, marking the first reopening under the Government’s Restoring Your Railway programme, which is exploring ways to return old lines and stations to service across the country.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “The project, funded by more than £40 million from the Department for Transport (DfT), is part of the wider campaign to reverse catastrophic cuts to the rail network primarily led by the Beeching axe.

“The work has been a successful collaboration between the DfT, Network Rail, GWR, Devon County Council, Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership, and local campaigners and MPs.” The route will connect Exeter St David’s, Crediton and Okehampton, providing a launchpad for visitors to explore Dartmoor and regional links for local commuters.

Around half of services, including at peak times, will also carry on to Exeter Central. The reopening of the route is expected to boost local businesses, the tourism sector, and provide greater access to education and work for thousands of people who live locally.

Increased speed The DfT and its partners have accelerated the reopening of the railway, delivering passenger services in nine months from the original funding being approved to entry into service, and saving money at the same time.

As the government continues its overhaul of the railways following the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail, more lines and stations will be reopened.

Mark Hopwood, GWR Managing Director, said: “This has been a key aspiration for the community and the rail industry for some time.

“Their support (community and rail industry) and advocacy over the years has helped deliver a fantastic new service for customers, which we hope will grow from strength to strength.”

78 | November 2021

To make this possible, Network Rail’s team of engineers has worked tirelessly to deliver a huge programme of work to physically reopen the line, including laying 11 miles of new track and installing 24,000 concrete sleepers and 29,000 tonnes of ballast in record time.

We can’t wait to welcome passengers back to the Dartmoor Line after an absence of nearly 50 years Repairs have also been made to 21 structures along the route, including four bridges, and a range of works such as vegetation clearance, earth and drainage works and fencing are ongoing in preparation for the return of regular services.

Mike Gallop, Network Rail’s Western Route and Strategic Operations Director, said: “We’re delighted that we’ve reopened this muchneeded railway line for passenger services in just nine months and ahead of schedule.

“Our team has worked incredibly hard alongside our project partners GWR, Devon County Council, Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership and the local community to ensure this railway is ready to open.

“We can’t wait to welcome passengers back to the Dartmoor Line after an absence of nearly 50 years, linking passengers to Exeter and services to the rest of the country.”

Return of the train Regular passenger services will run on the route for the first time since 1972 following years of campaigning by local supporters. Since 1997, the line has only been open during the summer.

More work will be carried out over the winter including further work on the station buildings to enable the restoration of the café and other facilities. railbusinessdaily.com

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