David Clarke and Robert Hay
Richard Jackson
Decarbonisation – a better way to run your railway
Electrification in the age of enterprise delivery
Rob Whyte and Ben Goodwin
The Greatest Gathering
Alison Thompson
Creating environments for people to thrive
August 2025
A point to prove
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elcome to the latest Rail Director, which this month is centred around electrification. Great progress has been made in recent years in bringing down the cost of electrification projects, with organisations thinking differently and innovatively to overcome issues.
The Intersection Bridge in Cardiff is just one example. In a world-first, a combination of electric resistant paint and voltage-controlled clearance allowed the electrical clearance gap to be reduced by 20mm from the overhead line equipment (OLE) to the bridge, and 70mm from the OLE to the trains roofs. The alternative would have been to demolish the bridge and to start from scratch, which would have cost tens of millions of pounds more, not to mention weeks of passenger disruption and train delays.
It feels that in recent years the industry has evolved its technical solutions and delivery methods to provide electrification at a better unit rate. Better solutions have been developed thanks to some great work in getting the right technologies in place with the supply chain and by incorporating the best practice from across Europe.
It is for those reasons that the recent decision to pause the Midland Main Line electrification project came as a shock to the industry, particularly in light of the amount of progress which has been made in bringing down the cost of projects. This month’s lead feature is an interview with Simon Skinner, Engineering Director at SPL Powerlines UK, who has been involved in the project. From page 6 he discusses his role on the electrification of the Midland Main Line and what the future holds after the project was paused. He said: “This project was on time, under budget and carried out safely, a real step change for electrification projects.”
Also in this edition are Richard Jackson and Paige Baker from Octavius who discuss how enterprise delivery, using Project 13 principles, is gaining traction, examining the delivery model’s influence on rail renewals electrification. Read the full article from page 22.
Railway Industry Association’s David Clarke and Robert Hay also talk about the organisation’s work on delivering a lower cost, higher performing net zero railway by 2050, but emphasise that progress is needed now. You can read more from page 10.
On more wide ranging topics, it has also been fascinating to speak with Amy Clouston, Principal Human Factors Specialist at AtkinsRéalis, who shares the challenges of fitting a steam locomotive with European Train Control System technology, read more from page 28; and Alison Thompson, Infrastructure Management Director at Amey, who received The Adeline Ginn Lifetime Achievement Award at the recent Women in Rail Awards. She shares her story from page 16.
Thanks as always to everyone who has been involved with this month’s magazine. Despite the uncertainties surrounding electrification projects in the UK, I hope those involved can take enormous pride in the huge progress made in recent years and I look forward to more projects and even greater innovation in the future.
Next month’s magazine will be themed around stations. Please get in touch if you’d like to feature.
All the best,
Danny Longhorn Editor
Simon Skinner, Engineering Director at SPL Powerlines UK, discusses his work on the electrification of the Midland Main Line and what the future holds after the project was paused
Railway Industry Association’s David Clarke and Robert Hay discuss the organisation’s work on delivering a lower cost, higher performing net zero railway by 2050, but emphasise that progress is needed now
A £100 million electrification of the railway between Wigan and Bolton is officially complete
Alison Thompson, Infrastructure Management Director at Amey, has received The Adeline Ginn Lifetime Achievement Award at the recent Women in Rail Awards. She shares her story with Rail Director 22 Electrification
28
Enterprise delivery, using Project 13 principles, is gaining traction. Richard Jackson, E&P Pre-Delivery Lead, Octavius, and Paige Baker, Development Manager, Octavius, examine the delivery model’s influence on rail renewals electrification
Amy Clouston, Principal Human Factors Specialist at AtkinsRéalis, shares the challenges of fitting a steam locomotive with European Train Control System technology
Another section of the long-running programme to electrify and improve the Midland Main Line is now complete, with electric trains running south of Leicester. Nigel Wordsworth reports
Almost 40,000 people visited Alstom’s UK train factory for The Greatest Gathering. The three-day event featured 140 rail vehicles. Rail Director speaks to some of the people behind it
John Buxton and Donald Heath have written a book looking at the comprehensive history of the electrification of Britain’s railway network over two centuries and the journey ahead
58
Cones and the Transpennine Route Upgrade book has recently been highly commended at the Spotlight Rail Awards. The author Chris Madeley discusses the series of books and how they are inspiring young people to pursue careers in the railways and construction industries
In his latest quarterly column, Railway Chaplain Mike Roberts writes about the amazing stories that are out there now, waiting to be told
64 Buyers’ Guide
68 ‘Maintaining focus and momentum when operational demands take over’
Mark Anderson has become permanent Customer and Commercial Director at CrossCountry having held the role on an interim basis since July 2024. He has worked across commercial, marketing and customer experience strategy for rail operators in both the UK and Norway, culminating in more 10 years’ experience in the industry.
A project has been launched to build the world’s biggest model railway to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the railways. Organiser Nick Corston, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at non-profit STEAM Co, explains how people all over the UK can get involved
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Simon Skinner, Engineering
at SPL Powerlines UK, discusses his work on the electrification of the Midland Main Line and what the future holds after the project was paused
Simon Skinner has led several major infrastructure projects across design, construction and engineering management throughout his 25 years in the rail industry, but none have left him prouder than his work on the Midland Main Line Electrification Programme.
Especially on the overhead line electrification (OLE) between Kettering and Wigston where the SPL Powerlines Engineering Director was responsible for not only installing the 75km of OLE, but also for overseeing the critical task of completing and verifying train testing using a bespoke 125mph test train that SPL Powerlines built to support the works.
Referencing the test train, project named Electra, Simon said: “I spent nearly two years on that, and I did go grey,” he laughs. “Building and running a test train was a new experience for us, but our client trusted us to do the work, and we were up for the challenge.
“On the test train I spent 18 months speccing something out from a blank piece of paper to successfully completing it. Electra then went on to be used on further national projects supporting industry, creating a positive industry legacy.
“The £3 million test train was the most complex thing I’ve ever had to deliver. We reached into every corner of the railway including aeronautical expertise through pantograph instrumentation, rolling stock change and integration to kinematic gauging clearances for different trains operating on our infrastructure.
“It was an incredibly complex but fascinating piece of work, and while small in capital expenditure, Electra was definitely one of my career highlights.”
SPL Powerlines has long been recognised for its expertise as a Tier 1 contractor and system provider offering an entire range of services for the electrification of railway infrastructure for main line and mass transit, but its awardwinning work on the
Midland Main Line has taken that to another level.
The organisation’s involvement started in 2017, when it was contracted by Network Rail to the electrification of the London to Corby section, a multidisciplinary £1 billion project involving collaborative working with a number of contractors and complex site access and operating arrangements.
Simon was Contractors Engineering Manager (CEM) for the £320 million contract that covered
the electrification of 192 single track km, including more than 2,300 foundations, 3,240 OLE structures, the installation of eight substations, approximately 900km of wire and 38km of steelwork for OLE structures, as well as 350 design submissions. It was a design and build contract, a target cost commercial model (not cost plus).
“It was my first job as a CEM and I had 80 different discipline engineers reporting to me so I did feel like the weight was on my shoulders, especially in proving that electrification schemes could be done effectively, efficiently and to cost,” Simon explained.
“I’ve always been delivery focused, and I came into this project with a mindset of delivery first, and programme is king.
“London to Corby was about going back to basics and not overcomplicating the obvious, looking at the right things and developing a lean, repeatable construction, build mindset, but using design to enable that outcome.
“It helped that SPL Powerlines has got an internal design organisation that feeds into its own construction organisation which can self-deliver allowing that close, efficient working.
“We released the design early to enable immediate construction and implemented a feedback loop if we experienced any issues. We were all determined to prove that electrification schemes could be done effectively and efficiently, something that we have since even improved with the Kettering to Wigston work.”
The latter refers to the next phase of the Midland Main Line Electrification Programme, which saw a 23-mile section between Kettering and Wigston certified and declared ready and safe for electric trains in April this year, a project completed on time and under budget.
“It was like a form of rolling programme as we migrated straight onto this from the London to Corby work,” said Simon. “Having this fluency led to the single-track km rates going down thanks to learning and the obsession of marginal gains, something we’re constantly working on to make things better.
“It enabled us to maintain a consistent team from one major project to another, so we embedded all of the lessons
learned and all the methodologies were used in the Kettering to Wigston section, and on top of that the client dispositioned more of their roles into our subcontract.”
Explaining that further, Simon describes that traditional contracts for Network Rail were hub and spoke. For London to Corby, SPL Powerlines was an individual spoke and Network Rail was the main hub, or the ‘integrator’. For the Kettering to Wigston scheme, Network Rail dispositioned all of the
integration of every other discipline to SPL Powerlines, so it became the main hub, a step change in thinking and how projects were delivered.
“We built a brand new team looking after the Building Information Modelling (BIM) works, including the integration of other direct award works such as the Central Rail System Alliance (CRSA) and South Rail Systems Alliance (SRSA),” he explained, adding that everything from route clearance to fencing sat under the organisation as a remit to
It was my first job as a CEM and I had 80 different discipline engineers reporting to me so I did feel like the weight was on my shoulders, especially in proving that electrification schemes could be done effectively, efficiently and to cost
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I’ve always been delivery focused, and I came into this project with a mindset of delivery first, and programme is king
integrate all of those specific spokes.
“We also did an element of self-assurance. We were the conduit to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), which issued the authorisation into passenger services, liaising directly with them rather than the client.
“Being trusted to take on more responsibility allowed us to be more empowered to make decisions, but also project manage those decisions. We had skin in the game from start to finish with 90 per cent of the project being under our control.
“We had the right behaviours, the right commercial agreement to manage and control that, without relying on the client to manage lots of different spokes.
“We looked at Entry into Service (EiS) two years before we actually knew when we were going to energise, compared to just six months on London to Corby,” he said.
“It meant we knew what to look for and where the tensions were going to be. There were some subtle and obvious activities that most projects fall down on. We focused on those, like system integration, early on in the programme, and didn’t just obsess in counting things like percentage of construction complete.
“We maintained lean techniques in construction such as single-type foundations, obsessed about every structure looking the same and being the same section size. This helped develop our high output mindset using conventional and adaptable site techniques like using defined sized stillages.
“There was a lot of work in design that assured what we wanted on site, so it was a case of construction-led design, not design-led construction. This integrated philosophy helped with one of the many key milestones in delivering 111 foundations in one weekend using conventional RRVs, which was a great achievement.”
There were also developments in the technology space, with SPL Powerlines investing £1 million into LiDAR data capture extraction equipment, allowing data capture from the back of an RRV within a track possession. This technique was instrumental for site hand back, where the LiDAR data was integrated into the BIM federated model to compare design versus install, and also used to feature extract contact wire
position prior to any 125mph test train runs.
“We assessed the contact wire profile at 100mm increments along the whole route, so about 70 kilometres,” said Simon. “We did a detailed assessment on whether we felt it was satisfactory before we ran a test train.
“The work we did around train testing and assurance is being used in a paper we’re working on to show the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) and the Department for Transport (DfT) that if you build the OLE correctly, you should not have to undertake train testing.
“It is an example of our passion to make electrification more efficient and cost effective in the future. Why do something if you don’t need to do it?”
Despite its success, with the project recently being shortlisted in the Major Project category in this year’s National Rail Awards following on from winning the same award in 2021 for London to Corby, the Government last month announced that future electrification of the Midland Main Line had been paused, saying it was keeping the potential for full electrification of the route under review.
“It feels like we don’t really reward success; this project was on time, under budget and carried out safely, a real step change for electrification projects,” Simon said.
“For the current design, now being finished, we strategically decided to use SMEs. We wanted to create a hub of innovation and continue to develop design to challenge the norms at the best cost. We wanted access to best engineering and SMEs provide that hunger and have a positive point to prove.
“The decision from the Government to pause the project will impact all our supply chain, particularly the number of SMEs we have that heavily rely on our consistent work bank and turnover.
“It will no doubt mean risk to their businesses and decisions to diversify to other sectors where workload and opportunities are greater. The industry is at risk of losing key design and build competence very quickly.
“With success comes responsibility and some of these organisations have been looking to us for leadership and we haven’t got the answers, but I can reassure them that we’re doing as much as we can do with our client, industry bodies and Government
bodies like the Department for Business and Trade. We’re trying to influence as much as we can, so if the plug is pulled it isn’t because we haven’t tried.”
Looking to the future, SPL Powerlines is about to start design and installation work for a scheme in Fife, Scotland, but Simon isn’t ruling out expanding into other sectors.
“While there is investment in rail transport, it feels very consultant heavy with project announcements nowhere near mature design stages and certainly not in a position to build anything anytime soon,” he said.
“The next phase of the Midland Main Line is shovel ready, we have got 400 foundations on the shelf that I could start piling tomorrow, so there’s an immediate economic outlay if the scheme was further approved.
“As it stands diversification is needed more than anything and that’s unlikely to be rail if the country doesn’t invest to achieve our 2050 decarbonisation obligations.
“If there isn’t consistent pipeline you don’t get the people, the skills fade, and many will leave the industry. When it comes to needing the skills to return it’s a false economy because the costs would increase and it’s back to boom and bust.”
The current situation is particularly hard for Simon to take having had such success on Midland Main Line, but also in the fact that the railway is an industry he is passionate about.
“I wouldn’t be working in this industry unless I enjoyed it,” he said. “The first stage of the Midland Main Line was a burden because there had been so much failure around electrification projects. There was pressure to make a difference but the stress and the politics can get to you, it was and continues to be tough.
“I’ve got young children, and I would love for them to be part of this railway, but would I encourage them to enter the railway market? Overall the railway is transient and a brilliant piece of system engineering that’s very unique.
“You can’t get those skills elsewhere; if shovel-ready pipeline continues to be paused then you can’t carry on investing in people and plant. It’s classic ‘bust’ in the UK’s approach to boom and bust delivering either electrification or any other railway discipline rolling programme.”
Railway Industry Association’s David Clarke and Robert Hay discuss the organisation’s work on delivering a lower cost, higher performing net zero railway by 2050, but emphasise that progress is needed now
It should have been a turning point for electrification projects in the UK. Only a few months ago the section of the Midland Main Line railway between Kettering in Northamptonshire and Wigston near Leicester was officially declared ready and safe for electric trains, with certification for the 23-mile section achieved on time and under budget.
Last month however, the Government announced it was to pause the next phase of the Midland Main Line electrification upgrade demobilising the team that had successfully energised to Wigston, a decision the Railway Industry Association (RIA) and Rail Forum said could cost taxpayers between £50 million and £70 million, and risk wider economic benefits of nearly £400 million as well as the creation of nearly 5,000 jobs.
“The decision is a massive setback and perhaps highlights the wider need to change the perception around electrification, highlighting not just the carbon benefits, but the fact it can deliver better performance and reduce the long-term cost of operating the railway due to the lower cost of
operating electric and battery trains,” explained David Clarke, Senior Technical Advisor at RIA.
“To some, electrification is seen as an expensive nice-to-have with bi-mode passenger trains that don’t need wires being the ‘get out of jail’ card. However, that doesn’t help freight trains and doesn’t get us decarbonised in the long-term because the bi-modes that don’t need wires are diesel bi-modes. Nor does it realise the full benefits of electrification, which is why we refer to a lower cost, higher performing railway. Most importantly, it has consistently been shown that lower cost, higher performing transport delivers economic growth.
“Potentially if we do nothing and don’t decarbonise the railway, trains will become perceived as the dirty mode of transport. It is vital that we act quickly because if we wait until the 2030s before increasing the amount of electrification, it will be unnecessarily expensive and inefficient. The immediate challenge, given the Government’s lack of funds, is to build on the progress of recent years and show that electrification costs can be reduced still further.”
David, alongside RIA’s Technical Advisor Robert Hay, has been working with members to set out a plausible, affordable and deliverable strategy resulting in a passenger and freight railway which will be lower in cost to operate, higher performing, and net zero by 2050.
Last year it resulted in the publication of a strategy titled ‘Delivering a lower cost, higher performing, net zero railway by 2050’, which highlighted what would need to be electrified to achieve net zero and what could be operated by battery trains. It identified that electrifying a further 30 per cent of the Great British network would mean 100 per cent of passenger and 95 per cent of freight operations would be decarbonised.
David and Robert found that you could split the net zero journey into a plan of thirds; decarbonising one third of the network with battery trains and increasing the one third that is already electrified to two-thirds. It is a finding that has been widely accepted and is being further tested and developed by Network Rail System Operator.
To help shape the work, Robert created the RIA
Traction Decarb Tool – an interactive resource modelling the whole network, the timetable and the rolling stock fleet. It was used to develop the RIA strategy and it is hoped it will be a valuable resource as the Government and senior industry stakeholders build the Long Term Rail Strategy.
“Whilst it might not be the perfect map, what we’ve created is a very clear indication of what the railway should look like in 2050 to achieve a decarbonised network,” explained Robert.
“It has highlighted the importance of a structured plan and a rolling programme of electrification. This will reduce the costs year on year as delivery teams get better, become more efficient, learn more, and as
we learn to challenge the standards better.
“It will never get cheaper and better if we stop and start like we are doing with the Midland Main Line. Quite simply, if we have a long-term plan, we can move from a project-by-project approach where we are constantly mobilising and demobilising, losing continuity and leaning to a programme approach that will significantly reduce the costs of decarbonising the railway.”
The current level of electrified railway is around 38 per cent, with ongoing projects taking the amount up to around 40 per cent. But that isn’t enough, particularly with passenger traffic expected to grow between 37 and 97 per cent by 2050, and the
Potentially if we do nothing and don’t decarbonise the railway, trains will become perceived as the dirty mode of transport
Government setting an ambitious target to grow rail freight by 75 per cent by the same period.
On rail freight, RIA’s study last year incorporated the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport’s report identifying 800km needing to be electrified to get 95 per cent of freight under the wires – the majority of which are trunk routes which would ideally also be electrified for passenger trains.
“A key finding of Robert’s work was the recognition there was an awful lot of the network that we don’t need to electrify where we can use battery electric passenger trains, so there is an opportunity for the Government to have a win-win,” said David. “The Government wouldn’t have to pay for those, they
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can be privately financed, especially taking into account that something is going to have to be done soon with a lot of diesel rolling stock coming to the end of its life.
“There could be a great political win by giving customers in those parts of the country smart new trains that are greener and more reliable. I can’t understand why that isn’t progressed; if we had Great British Railways here today, I’d like to think a guiding mind would see the big picture and get on with it. If given freedom, all the train operating companies know what they want to do, but are restricted, so there is a concern that before too long an awful lot of money is going to be spent refurbishing 40-year-old rolling stock or there will be a big reliability problem.”
Although the recent news about the Midland Main Line is a setback, it is worth reflecting on the progress with decarbonisation over the last few years. This includes the introduction of battery trains into passenger service, and the implementation of discontinuous electrification, for example on the Core Valley Lines in South Wales.
There has also been the inclusion of Voltage Control Clearances into standards, dramatically reducing the number of bridge reconstructions required for electrification, and the adoption of numerous innovations as ‘business as usual’, such that we now have an efficient and flexible overhead line system that can be rolled out. Decarbonisation projects are now being delivered efficiently and at a lower cost.
“There has been a lot of progress, but I think there is a perception problem with decision makers who might believe electrification is inefficient, disruptive and expensive,” said David. “I don’t think this is true, but we’ve not made the case well enough to change the views of decision makers. That is something we are trying to do.”
Following the publication in April 2024 of the strategy for a lower cost, higher performing, net zero railway by 2050, RIA is currently working on a follow-up report which will make recommendations about the most efficient way to deliver the strategy.
“At RIA we believe industry can meet the 2050 deadline, but not at the current pace. As an industry we have not yet convinced funders that we can reduce costs to make a programme affordable,” added
It is within our grasp to have an industry-agreed decarbonisation strategy which is aligned with other industry strategies for rolling stock and digital signalling
Robert. “Consequently, there is no Government endorsed strategy to realise the policy of delivering a net zero rail network by 2050.”
David added: “We understand that the Government is financially challenged, and industry is going through reorganisation, so might not be as focused on long-term strategy, so we wanted to do something about a rolling programme of electrification.
“This isn’t just about decarbonisation, it is about reducing the operating costs of the railway, and therefore increasing the opportunity that you might get a surplus from the railway. It has been proven in recent years that electrification projects can be delivered effectively, but they can be delivered even more efficiently and cheaply.
“We believe we can further reduce the cost by about a third by moving to a continuous programme of electrification. This would need an investment of a few hundreds of millions a year, over the next 25 years to electrify the parts of the railway that need to be electrified to reduce the costs of running the railway and to decarbonise the railway.
“That is a big sum of money, but we’re not asking for a forever commitment, we’re asking to let us get started and demonstrate what we can deliver, so give us five years with an option of 10 to show what we can deliver. The routes we’re proposing to electrify are not only the major passenger trunk routes, but they
are also the major freight trunk routes. Increasing electrification from one third to two thirds of the network, as we recommend, will get 100 per cent of passenger and 95 per cent of the freight trains under the wires.”
The new strategy, due to be released in the coming months, which RIA assesses could take a further third out of the cost of electrification, calls for:
An agreed strategy setting out what needs to be electrified and what doesn’t to provide clarity to industry.
A programme business case and delivery, moving to a production line rather than a project-byproject approach, backed by a funding envelope with teams specialising in design, power supply, route clearance, overhead line etc and moving from area to area.
Developing and sustaining a competent delivery capability, with continuous learning, creating good, high-value jobs with 25 years’ worth of work opportunity.
Appropriate commercial arrangements with framework suppliers expected to work nationwide. This would involve contracts spanning at least two control periods, which would build and sustain capability. RIA also suggests a minimum allocation of work for successful suppliers with potentially half of the work also up for grabs to create competition.
“We can achieve a lower cost higher performing net zero railway by 2050 if we start now, but the required annual volume of electrification is going up each year the longer we leave it,” said Robert. “Continuing to electrify as a stop-start process could risk adding cost to the railway rather than removing cost.
“We are also buying multi-mode trains where we possibly don’t need to, spending more money on more complex and therefore expensive trains, giving ourselves a 35-40 year cost burden that we possibly don’t need to if we plan longer-term on where they will be needed.”
David concluded: “It is within our grasp to have an industry-agreed decarbonisation strategy which is aligned with other industry strategies for rolling stock and digital signalling. This would support strategic discussions with the electricity generation industry on issues such as future demand, programming and collaboration on ‘smart grid’.
“The clarity on what will and will not be electrified would also inform private sector investors, for example creating the environment to invest in battery trains and related infrastructure.
“Although battery technology has roughly halved the amount of electrification that was previously assumed, there will still need to be a substantial amount of electrification which is why the report we are working on focuses on the conditions that are necessary to reduce the cost of electrification.”
RIA’s latest study is expected to be released in the coming months.
A £100 million electrifi cation of the railway between Wigan and Bolton is offi cially complete
Overhead power lines have been entered into service between Wigan and Bolton as part of a £100 million electrification.
Last month Network Rail teams unveiled new train driver signage and removed barriers at stations which were extended in the final stage of the multi-year investment. It followed successful test train running and regulatory sign-off in recent weeks to commission
It’s a very proud moment to see this newly electrified railway line enter into service after many years of hard work to modify bridges, level crossings and stations to make way for the overhead power lines
the newly installed infrastructure along the 6.5-mile route between the two towns.
Kathryn Berry, Network Rail Scheme Project Manager, said: “It’s a very proud moment to see this newly electrified railway line enter into service after many years of hard work to modify bridges, level crossings and stations to make way for the overhead power lines.
“I’d like to thank our supply chain, local partners, train operators and lineside neighbours for their patience during construction. Now complete train services will be able to run in electric mode, providing quieter and more reliable journeys, while improving air quality for communities along the 6.5-mile route.”
The £100 million investment from the Department for Transport has been delivered by Network Rail in partnership with its supply chain and train operating partners. It forms part of the wider Manchester and North West Transformation Programme (MNTP).
Other MNTP projects include the third platform at Salford Crescent (which is already on site), as well as plans for two additional turnback sidings in North Manchester and improvements at Manchester Airport and Manchester Oxford Road station.
Craig Harrop, Regional Director for Northern, said: “The electrification of the line between Wigan and Bolton is great news for our customers and the communities we serve.
“This investment will support faster, more reliable and more sustainable journeys in the future, helping us deliver a better, greener railway for the North. I’d like to thank customers for their patience while this upgrade work has been under way.”
Electrifying this section of railway gives greater operational flexibility for train operators and brings
this part of the rail network in line with upgrades to a train maintenance facility at Wigan Springs Branch. It also reduces the number of diesel trains running on the route, improving air quality for local people.
The platform extensions have future-proofed Westhoughton, Hindley and Ince stations for longer trains with more seats to serve those communities in the years to come.
Lee Farmer, SPL Powerlines Project Delivery Director, said: “We’re proud to have delivered the overhead line electrification between Wigan and Bolton, a vital step in creating a more sustainable and efficient rail network across the North West.
“This milestone marks the culmination of many years of hard work by our teams on the ground and close collaboration with our industry partners. By enabling greener, faster, and more reliable train services, this project brings long-term benefits to both passengers and local communities.”
Since 2022 the project has seen: 21 kilometres of power lines installed.
414 new overhead line equipment stanchions erected.
Six road bridges and one footbridge completely reconstructed.
Modifications to 17 bridges and two level crossings.
Signalling and track upgrades completed.
Platform extensions at Hindley, Westhoughton and Ince stations.
McNeill, Client Director
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Strategic contract support: With insight into both insurance and operational risk, we help clients navigate complex insurance-related contractual requirements, providing
advice around the indemnity, liability and insurance clauses in rail contracts as these can impact on an insurance programme.
Rail Site Risk Surveys: When conducting site surveys, the combination of NEBOSH and ACII qualifications provides a powerful advantage. NEBOSH equips me and the JJR team with the ability to identify and assess operational hazards on-site through a structured health and safety lens which helps to identify risks such as movement of plant/vehicles, ballast dust/ respirable dust and silica exposure, COSHH, HAVS etc. Meanwhile, the ACII ensures we can translate those observations into a detailed survey report, identifying where cover may need to be enhanced or insurance exclusions addressed.
Call John on 07867 459054
Alison Thompson, Infrastructure Management Director at Amey, has received The Adeline Ginn Lifetime Achievement Award at the recent Women in Rail Awards. She shares her story with Rail Director
Alison Thompson has dedicated over 35 years to the rail industry, having started her career as a graduate Civil Engineer for British Rail (BR). The roles and projects may have changed over the years, but her passion for diversity and inclusion hasn’t, with mentoring being particularly important to her.
“Mentoring is like a breath of fresh air and I get a lot out of it myself,” said Amey’s Infrastructure Management Director. “I also love doing the site inspections and visits with people who are new to the rail industry.
“When people ask me ‘why do you do it like that?’ and my initial thoughts are ‘because we’ve always done it like that’, I know I need to take a step back and ask them what they are seeing. It is very much a two-way process and something I’ve learned an awful lot from over the years.”
Alison’s dedication to the industry hasn’t gone unnoticed – she received the Adeline Ginn Lifetime Achievement Award at the Women in Rail Awards earlier this year. She was described as leading by example, empowering her mentees to lead in their own way, challenge the status quo, and not put themselves in a box.
“The award came as a surprise as I feel like I’ve just been doing what I need to do, but I am very honoured,” Alison added, jokingly asking her line manager if a lifetime achievement award means it is time to give up. “The award has made me reflect, although mentoring makes me reflect on my own career, thinking about the experiences I’ve had and how I could use these experiences to help other people.
“I’ve benefited from others mentoring me through my career so have always wanted to give something back.”
Attending an all girls’ comprehensive school as a youth, Alison was brought up to believe there were no gender-specific roles and that she, and her two sisters, should pursue careers that they enjoy. She was taught physics O Level by a geography teacher and continued with this subject at A Level in only the second year it was offered at school.
“My headmistress thought I was not cut out for engineering, but nevertheless I went to university and studied the subject,” Alison said. “I went to university not knowing what type of engineering I wanted to do, but I knew I was an applied mathematician, so I chose to study an engineering science degree.
“In my final two years at university I specialised in civil engineering, with the decision to choose a
career route in consulting or contracting arising once I completed my degree.
“The role within British Rail appealed to me, as it offered both consulting and contracting opportunities under one house. At the time the industry was desperate for graduate engineers and I liked the fact BR grilled me through several interviews, so when they offered me a role I thought it was me that they wanted and not just any graduate.
“Also, through the interview process I got to know the people who I would potentially be working with and felt comfortable within these surroundings, wanting to work with like-minded individuals, and learn from them within the exciting rail industry.
“The industry has stood the test of time for me in terms of the diverse opportunities that I’ve had, which has also helped develop me for my current role in giving me empathy with the system, not knowing everything, but knowing who to turn to.”
The career hasn’t come without its challenges. Alison has worked on some of the biggest projects and confronted some of the most demanding situations, including managing track and signalling maintenance teams who were first on the scene after the London terror attacks, having been working on the London Underground at the time. Her support didn’t end when the crisis subsided; in the weeks that followed she implemented an open-door policy, to ensure her team felt supported, with a safe space for them to voice concerns, anxieties and sadness at what they had experienced.
When people ask me ‘why do you do it like that?’ and my initial thoughts are ‘because we’ve always done it like that’, I know I need to take a step back and ask them what they are
I’m really excited and optimistic for the future – the work we’ve accomplished here in smart electrification and our innovative approaches can be applied in other locations
“I am and will forever be amazed by the resilience people showed in those extremely difficult circumstances,” she said. “It also highlighted the importance of looking after people because they are absolutely essential to the railway.
“The rail industry is a people industry, you can’t do anything single handedly and need to work with other people who are all focused on doing the same things, keeping safety at the forefront and enabling rail services to perform their very best for the passengers and users.”
Currently Alison is Amey’s Infrastructure Management Director for the Core Valley Lines in Wales, a project transforming an ageing network into a modern, electrified metro-style service. The project is unusual because the procurement brief was structured around output, rather than a technical specification – it was ‘better access to jobs and services, more frequent and faster services, better quality, and environmental improvements’.
Its smart electrification solution has reimagined traditional approaches with permanently earthed sections, catenary-free sections, and the introduction of hybrid trains.
Alison said: “This is a massive transformation programme for Transport for Wales and one that is incredibly exciting to be part of. The challenge for me is that we are a relatively small team, but we’re doing everything that Network Rail would be effectively, but
to a smaller scale.
“People have had to work much more flexibly because we don’t have everything that comes with being a big organisation, but it has enabled that flexibility and really good connectivity in the team and with our stakeholders.
“What we’re doing is great from an environmental and sustainability point of view as well, in terms of the improvements to the rail service in the Core Valleys area. I’m fortunate that the team I have are a great mix of people. During my career, I have gained extensive railway knowledge and skills that I can share with others. New people entering the industry bring innovation and positivity, sharing new ideas to continually improve how we work.
“I’m really excited and optimistic for the future – the work we’ve accomplished here in smart electrification and our innovative approaches can be applied in other locations.
“I believe there is a significant opportunity in the rail industry, particularly for individuals who are new to the industry or come from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
“We must remember that people are the backbone of the rail industry, and we need dedicated and committed individuals to maintain momentum and ensure the service operates as efficiently and effectively as possible. It is essential to make the rail industry diverse and inclusive.”
Andy Houghton, Managing Director of
WH
Davis,
reflects on a tough few years and how fortunes have changed and the organisation is investing in the next generation of wagon
The Swiss Army Knife of freight wagons is the goal for Andy Houghton, Managing Director of WH Davis, the UK’s last remaining independent wagon manufacturer.
“There is a lot of work being done around the optimal intermodal wagon, and for me it’s for WH Davis to develop products that knock down some of the barriers on weight, gauge and on speed,” he said.
“A lot of customers come to us wanting an intermodal wagon that fits within the gauge, that can carry heavy weights, and that travels at a faster speed.
“The challenge is that at the minute there isn’t that Swiss Army Knife wagon out there. There isn’t the rail bogie that can currently do that, so it’s up to us now to work on the next generation of intermodal wagon.”
It’s a challenge that WH Davis is up for. The company was formed in 1908 as an outfit for repairing and later manufacturing small, wooden-bodied mineral wagons on the railway. Since then, the company has grown, combining quality engineering with the latest technologies and processes.
“We are thinking about the products we can produce to solve the demands of the industry,” added Andy, who’s worked in the industry since leaving school. “That could be around high-speed freight or a wagon product that takes the challenges around intermodal, getting the right deck, and weight that fits in the right gauge.
“The challenge, one we’re excited about solving, is around those design engineering problems, and in offering a product to the market as opposed to sitting and waiting for that demand to come.
“We’re more innovative than we were and will be continuing in the future to improve efficiencies, investing in the facilities, investing in the people so that we can really become state-of-the-art when it comes to producing wagons.”
The fact that WH Davis is in the position to invest in the development of products that can solve the demands of the industry is remarkable. Only a few years ago the order book had dried up and the company was building 60 wagons without a buyer in mind, initially making the decision on the assumption there would be work moving materials around for the HS2 project when it was expected to be completed in its entirety.
The 60 box wagons have been sold with the first 25 to Direct Rail Services via VTG, and the remaining 35 to Freightliner via Porterbrook. But beyond that there has been more success.
“We are at the whim of the demand of the market,” said Andy. “Freightliner is making good moves and picking up work with a demand for box wagons,
and we’re also working on the conversion of 76 HHA coal hoppers that they own, scrapping the coal hopper and keeping the bogies, buffers and draw gears and overhauling them, putting a new box wagon on top.
“There’s got to be the demand, but you’ve also got to work closely with customers to make sure that
we are front and centre. Freightliner hadn’t done anything with WH Davis for a very, very long time, so we’ve been working hard to change that, ensuring we understand what their requirements are, getting the price right, and convincing them of the advantages of manufacturing in the UK rather than further afield.”
Life is busy at the company’s Nottinghamshire factory. As well as the Freightliner order, production is under way on 16 hot billet wagons for Celsa Steel UK, and a contract with Datum on Crossrail cabs for Alstom – the latter an example of the work it is doing outside of freight.
There is also the contract to supply 150 freight wagons to the operator of the national railway network of Ireland, Iarnród Éireann. The number of wagons could potentially rise to 400 over the next decade under plans to expand rail freight services, subject to funding and relevant approvals.
The initial contract, which has led to 20 new jobs, is valued at €44 million. The 150 wagons, manufactured at WH Davis’ Nottinghamshire plant, are expected to be delivered in summer 2026 and in service in 2027.
“These wagons have the scope to provide capacity to accommodate growing demand in the coming years, subject to further orders, and I very much look forward to seeing our latest wagon designs in traffic in Ireland,” added Andy. “This was a big tender process and the success is fabulous for the business and goes a long way to securing the long-term order book.
“We will be starting the main production on those towards the back end of next year, although in the meantime we are building the prototypes and will be sending them over to Ireland for testing.
“Looking at the wider picture, this financial year we will be profitable. Next year there is still a bit of work to do on the medium-term order book, but we’ve got some exciting ideas on that front.
“Beyond that we’ve got a good three or four years because of the Irish Rail contract. If the first 150 wagons go to plan, there is the potential very soon after for 80 of a different type, so that just keeps that factory fed. We’ve got to retain our talented staff and the only way is to look after them and keep them busy.”
One-stop freight wagon service provider
Important to the future success is the expertise offered not just through WH Davis, but the wider Buckland Rail group, which also includes Davis Wagon Services (DWS) and Yellow Rail.
“Between the three organisations we can design and build you a wagon, maintain that wagon, and then overhaul and support through the life cycle of the wagon,” explained Andy.
“DWS is really good at covering the maintenance the length and breadth of the country and Yellow Rail is an expert when it comes to bogie, component and wagon overhaul.
“Think of the manufacturers of passenger trains that ripped up the aftermarket in regards of them selling you a new train with a full overhaul and maintenance package. That is what we needed to be offering to the market, something we’re now able to do.”
It’s little over a year since the creation of Buckland Rail, leveraging the collective strengths of its subsidiaries by fostering closer collaboration to increase its capabilities and service offering to passenger and freight customers.
Andy says they are all aligned working towards overall Buckland Rail targets, and already reaping the benefits.
“The collective will breed more success than the individual parts,” he added. “If we can build wagons and push that maintenance towards DWS, if we can convert wagons and be pushing those bogie overhauls and component overhauls through Yellow Rail then actually working together becomes a lot more beneficial than it does to work in our own separate parts.
“It’s an exciting time. UK manufacturing seems to be getting more focus from Government and I think if those words turn into more action, than WH Davis as the only UK rail wagon, designer and manufacturer should get the support to further strengthen our position in growing the business and designing and building the wagons for the future.
“WH Davis on its own has got a really good future and being part of Buckland Rail enhances that.”
https://whdavis.co.uk/
There is a lot of work being done around the optimal intermodal wagon, and for me it’s for WH Davis to develop products that knock down some of the barriers on weight, gauge and on speed
Enterprise delivery, using Project 13 principles, is gaining traction. Richard Jackson, E&P Pre-Delivery Lead, Octavius, and Paige Baker, Development Manager, Octavius, examine the delivery model’s influence on rail renewals electrification
Enterprise delivery, embedding Project13 principles, is becoming an engine of change in the rail infrastructure sector.
Project 13 seeks to remove traditional segmented client, consultant, contractor relationships and reform those parties into a single collaborative enterprise to deliver the asset owner’s – or capable owner’s – outcomes. Project 13 has been championed by, among others, the Institution of Civil Engineers and National Infrastructure Commission.
The traditional model can be a barrier to efficient delivery, innovation and the sharing of best practice. Project 13’s enterprise model brings stakeholders together, establishing long-term relationships that encourage the sharing of knowledge, best practice, and experience. Collectively the enterprise’s constituent companies are better able to innovate, saving time, cost and waste. The aim is to create trusted business-to-business relationships focused on win:win outcomes.
UK rail enterprise delivery
The Southern Renewals Enterprise (SRE), responsible for renewals across Capable Owner Network Rail’s Southern Region, is the first UK use of the Project 13 model to undertake railway renewals.
Central to the SRE is Southern Integrated Delivery (SID) which is responsible for the planning, specification, assembly and hand back of the full renewals portfolio. The SID partners are coordinating and delivering five interlinked disciplines:
Electrification and plant – Octavius.
Building and civils – VolkerFitzpatrick.
Signalling – AtkinsRéalis.
Track – VolkerRail.
Minor works - Network Rail.
Because of the nature of the enterprise model, all partners have visibility of the entire CP7 renewals programme, meaning the electrification and plant (E&P) team were aware of all of the projects they would need to deliver during the control period; and could see that the switchgear and Negative Short Circuiting Devices (NSCD) programmes were due to be undertaken in separate years – with the former falling under the renewals funding stream, the latter under the Electrical Safety Delivery funding stream.
Knowing that there were synergies between the DC switchgear and NSCD programmes the team chose to unify the work into a single programme.
The original schedule required separate projects, at different times, on the same sites. Combining the two programmes removed the need to work on the same sites more than once. This created efficiency savings by avoiding duplication of activities. Further efficiencies were achieved by specifying a single, modular device which combined both switchgear renewal and NSCD installation functions.
Using a single piece of equipment able to perform both functions allowed a more standardised design, and reduced civils and mechanical and electrical
engineering costs. There were also operational advantages for the capable owner as only one piece of equipment needs to be maintained.
Having previously trialled the combined equipment, the E&P team had confidence in its performance and familiarity with its installation. The integrated equipment was specified for three sites of an eight-site renewals programme. The first project using the combined equipment was at Winklebury in Hampshire.
The E&P team’s approach maximised the benefits of enterprise delivery. Some of the tactics were not exclusive to an enterprise delivery environment, but many were more effective as a result of it.
A workshop structure was used for the optioneering sessions. Involving the Routes in optioneering - including maintenance and operations teams – meant end users participated in decision making from the outset. This allowed aspects of the design that presented delivery and operational challenges to be addressed early in the project.
Although renewals are in essence like-for-like replacements, they offer some scope for improving upon the asset being replaced. Thus, the E&P team’s approach to optioneering offered a way to stop re-introducing problems present in the previous design. Often these problems were site-specific.
Matterport is a subscription-based 3D data platform that generates 360° scans like those used on Google Street View. The tool enables users to create an accurate digital twin of the space they have scanned. Its application for the programme was proposed by Octavius’ technology team.
Matterport allowed the team to create digital models during their initial site visits. The models provided an extra data set and expanded the information available to stakeholders during optioneering. Although older photographic records were available, they tended to show the switchgear but not its surrounding environment.
The 3D scans allowed the extended group of disciplines involved in optioneering to see and comment on aspects of the existing assets and proposals to renew them. This allowed stakeholders to better understand the planned renewal work and provide more informed input.
Outline electrical design was undertaken by Octavius’ subsidiary, electrical engineering consultancy Navitas. Because the designers were supporting the entire switchgear/NSCD programme from the beginning they were able to rationalise the design, packaging design deliverables for multiple sites into a single submission, with eight site-specific appendices. This reduced design costs and negated the need to review the same design multiple times.
While this approach is not exclusive to enterprise delivery, its effectiveness in the SRE setting was notably enhanced by strong stakeholder engagement. For example, early feedback from site engineers led to refinements in the digital models that improved design accuracy. Compared to traditional contracting models, where stakeholder input can
Project 13 seeks to remove traditional segmented client, consultant, contractor relationships and reform those parties into a single collaborative enterprise to deliver the asset owner’s – or capable owner’s –outcomes
be limited or delayed, the SRE framework fostered a more collaborative environment - contributing to faster decision-making and reduced design rework.
Having visibility of all of the projects planned for the control period also enhanced optioneering. Having this information made design and planning more efficient because it was possible to bundle work in the most logistically productive way.
All of this was achieved during a formative period for the SRE. As one of the earlier CP7 projects, it was first developed while the SRE was still in its mobilisation phase - meaning that SRE processes, roles, and expectations were still being defined. This added a layer of complexity, but also created space for innovation and flexibility in how the programme was shaped and delivered, which went on to become an example of best practice in terms of how the wider SRE comes together to work collaboratively to develop efficient solutions.
Delivery focused design
Electrification and plant detailed design was also undertaken by Navitas. The aim was to maximise the benefits of using modular combined switchgear and NSCD equipment. Units were delivered to multiple
Left: With modular combined switchgear and NSCD equipment it was possible to deliver units to multiple locations during weekend possessions.
Images: Octavius
Project 13’s enterprise model brings stakeholders together, establishing longterm relationships that encourage the sharing of knowledge, best practice, and experience
locations during weekend possessions, making efficient use of the limited availability of Track Partner VolkerRail’s Kirow Crane.
For Winklebury Octavius’ team chose a ‘self delivery’ approach for the electrical installation. A labour supplier provided the workforce, which the E&P team managed directly. Using their own site managers and assurance supervisors meant the E&P team was better able to manage risk and achieve cost savings. Although this approach suited Winklebury it will not necessarily be applicable to other projects.
Unusually, the Design Manager was involved throughout the project. Doing this means the efficiencies and cost savings achieved during Winklebury’s design phase will be incorporated into the programme’s other projects; as will lessons learnt during Winklebury’s delivery. The potential to repeat mistakes is reduced with delivery and buildability incorporated into future designs.
Winklebury went into service in May 2025. The project was completed ahead of schedule, with stakeholders providing positive feedback about the quality of the physical asset created; enhancing their confidence in the way the project was delivered and the outcome of the remainder of the combined switchgear renewal and NSCD installation programme.
With the enterprise delivery/Project 13 approach likely to become more widely adopted for rail infrastructure delivery, the SRE E&P team’s learnings will prove a valuable resource for other disciplines within SRE and the wider Octavius rail business.
There’s a compelling case to be made for it. Bidvest Noonan was named the 2024 Global Light Rail Supplier of the Year and is a leading provider of FM services to the rail sector, setting new standards across the transport industry
More and more rail companies are choosing Bidvest Noonan, with the company supporting key networks across the UK. What makes Bidvest Noonan the right choice for every rail company?
operations
The smooth operation of rail networks depends on expert management of every detail. That’s where Bidvest Noonan comes in. The company provides first-class service solutions to the sector, delivering cleaning, security, washroom services, vegetation management and more. Every service is delivered by experienced teams with deep expertise in the transport sector. With the right combination of talent and technology on every contract, clients enjoy performance and efficiency improvements, and exceptional value for money.
Passenger experience that drives growth
Passengers are the lifeblood of any transport network, and delivering a safe, reliable, and comfortable
journey is key to success. Supporting over 1.5 billion passenger journeys every year, Bidvest Noonan are the experts in passenger experience. The company leaves no stone unturned in the pursuit of improvements for passengers. This relentless focus on continuous improvement has made them leaders in passenger experience and an invaluable partner to their clients.
by advanced technology
Great service requires both skilled people and the best technology. Bidvest Noonan’s operations are supported by a strong technology backbone. Their people use a powerful digital operations platform, driving performance, improving safety, and providing greater transparency. The company is always quick to embrace emerging technologies. It has recently won awards for its robotics, sensor-driven dynamic cleaning and innovative waste management solutions. Its latest offering TwinSpace, a stateof-the-art digital twin platform, is helping clients transform how spaces are managed and optimised.
Safety is at the core of everything Bidvest Noonan does. Through significant investment in technologies, rigorous training, and best-in-class processes, they provide the assurance that your people, passengers, and brand are always protected. Bidvest Noonan delivers peace of mind, allowing rail operators to focus on what they do best, running world-class transport networks.
Bidvest Noonan has a proven track record of helping clients achieve their sustainability goals. The business makes a transformative impact, reducing use of energy, water, chemicals, plastics and other packaging materials. And its not just working to improve the environment, the company is a force for good in all of its local communities, supporting good causes and creating opportunities for disadvanted groups.
Learn how Bidvest Noonan can help you: bidvestnoonan.com
Amy Clouston, Principal Human Factors Specialist at AtkinsRéalis, shares the challenges of fitting a steam locomotive with European Train Control System technology (ETCS)
There were moments during the project to fit a steam locomotive with ETCS that the team behind it thought it might not be achievable.
Touchscreen computers alongside the high temperatures of a locomotive, a high vibration environment, coal dust and water ingress, while being sympathetic to the aesthetics of a locomotive footplate don’t make the perfect combination.
But that was the challenge facing the team on Tornado – a modern steam locomotive built in 2008, which recently became the first locomotive in the charter and heritage pathfinder project for the East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP) blending steam engineering with digital signalling technology, the pioneering of the 19th century meeting the 21st century.
“If you’d asked some of my colleagues responsible
This was never designed as a solution just for Tornado as a bespoke one-off
for braking they might have had more concerns than perhaps I did in the human factors space, although we started the project not knowing whether you could use a touchscreen on the footplate of a steam locomotive, considering the dust, vibration and water,” reflected Amy Clouston, Principal Human Factors Specialist at AtkinsRéalis.
“There were technical challenges where you thought that it might be just too much to overcome and it is all going to go wrong by the time we switch it on.
“But having said that, there was a level of optimism from everyone. Even in the face of the challenges everyone had a can-do attitude and was optimistic it was going to work.”
Amy played a key role in the heritage pathfinder, which explored the potential for main line operations of steam and heritage diesel to be enjoyed and celebrated by future generations. The fitment involved a collaboration involving Hitachi Rail (onboard equipment), AtkinsRéalis (fitment design), A1 Steam Locomotive Trust (loco owners) and Network Rail (integration).
“The technical challenges included keeping electrical equipment cool in such a hot
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It reminded me how important it is to be loud and proud about the fantastic diversity and inclusivity that we have in the railway industry and of our achievements so the next generation can see it, hear it and be inspired
environment,” explained Amy. “We were basically fitting computers onto a steam train so sealed enclosures were needed to keep the coal dust out, but then our design team had to look into how to then keep those computers cool.
“In terms of human factors, there were the conflicting requirements of having the touchscreen displays out of harm’s way and not interfering with existing manual controls, as well as angled away from external and internal light sources, but visible and reachable to allow the driver to receive crucial safety information.”
The project involved organisations working closer than they normally would with traditional retrofit design projects. Roles couldn’t be carved up with each organisation working on its own element, particularly with the challenging design space and timescales. Meetings, kanban boards and online project spaces brought everyone together, giving everyone an opportunity to put in notes and documents, list out problems, and collectively come up with solutions.
“Nobody wanted to come along and change these beautiful things beyond recognition so it was important to hide or disguise things to ensure the footplate appeared in keeping and that the ETCS Driver Machine Interfaces (DMIs) or touchscreens could be removed when not required,” Amy said.
“That alongside making sure the equipment was protected particularly as the screens would be hurtling along with fire irons and shovels swinging about.
“There were all the technical and engineering challenges that were unique to Tornado in making sure new digital technology could slot into and work within that steam environment, which was really
tricky, but probably the more interesting challenge was around the involvement of so many different organisations and finding those new and innovative ways of working.
“It was key that everyone came to the project with an open mind, with lots of knowledge sharing, upskilling and brainstorming ways of working to come up with novel design solutions that would meet conflicting requirements.
“We had to take into account that a steam locomotive, ETCS, rail operations and the people doing all of this wouldn’t always be aligned. But we united behind that shared vision of working for the ECDP, combining our knowledge doing what was best for the overall project.”
Amy joined AtkinsRéalis in 2017 as a Senior Human Factors Consultant. Her role involves getting hands-on with end users, be they train drivers and other operational staff, maintainers or passengers. The majority of her work is around rolling stock, with projects spanning the driving cab, design for maintenance, and passenger experience.
“My role combines physical ergonomics, psychology and design, to make sure we’re taking the abilities of humans into account,” she said. “Most of my current work is focused on ETCS fitment to rail vehicles and over the years it has taken me all over Europe and the UK.
“The work on Tornado has been particularly special. Especially if we want to keep these heritage and charter locos running on our main lines – they’ll need to have ETCS fitted to remain compatible with our increasingly digital railway.”
The ETCS Level 2 testing for Tornado was a success in proving that the locomotive could be fitted and driven safely using the ETCS system in the harsh
environment of a steam locomotive footplate.
“It has been such a landmark,” Amy said. “We came into this project with nobody knowing whether it could be done. It really was a research and development project and the fact that we’ve proven that it can be done is amazing in itself and testament to the really hard work that lots of people have put in.
“Now we can say, ‘we’ve got a blueprint here.’ This was never designed as a solution just for Tornado as a bespoke one-off. We always had at the forefront of our minds that this would need to be scalable out to other locomotives, so we surveyed lots of other locos and designed things in a modular way so that they could work elsewhere.
“It has been really exciting particularly getting to ride on the footplate – the joy I experienced with steam is something millions of people have probably shared in – past and present.”
Inspiring the next generation
Although the footplate rides, shovelling coal and operating the whistle were exhilarating experiences, one of the most memorable experiences on the project was while Amy was carrying out observations on Severn Valley Railway on the Flying Pig locomotive, during October half term.
She caught the eye of two young girls when she jumped off the footplate and onto the platform.“They looked back at me, wide eyed and almost in shock, when they saw me in full boiler suit covered in coal dust,” she explained. “They came running up with their mum and were full of questions, asking if I was a steam train driver.
“That was really special and a standout moment because it’s easy to forget the impact that it has on children, to see somebody who looks like them doing a job that perhaps they thought wasn’t attainable. It reminded me how important it is to be loud and proud about the fantastic diversity and inclusivity that we have in the railway industry and of our achievements so the next generation can see it, hear it and be inspired.”
It is particularly important to Amy, who initially had no aspirations to work in the industry, joining Interfleet Technology in 2011 having completed a degree in psychology and philosophy at Leeds University.
“I didn’t really have any idea of what I wanted to do, so I took the job as a stopgap while I figured what I wanted to do with my life,” she said. “If you’d have asked me back then if I’d still be in the rail industry 14 years later I’d have probably laughed and said no.”
Coincidentally one of Amy’s first roles at Interfleet Technology was Project Coordinator, working on the fitment of GSM-R to heritage vehicles across the country. Prior to this she undertook a similar role on the Heathrow Express refurbishment project.
“I had a great boss at the time who I guess saw something in me and in light of my psychology background asked if I had heard of human factors. Bizarrely enough, I said no,” she said. “The practical problem solving element of human factors, coupled with that fascinating human behaviour side of things just really captured me.
“The rest is history. I went back to university part time while working full time to do my master’s degree
in human factors, which was challenging, but a real time of learning and purpose, and that ended up being the figuring out what I wanted to do with my life.
“I hear a lot that you fall into a career in rail, and you stay for the nice people and for the interesting projects. But I do wonder how we can make rail a goal and an aspiration rather than a happy accident.”
AtkinsRéalis is trying to do this through a programme with Governors for Schools, a national education charity that finds, places and supports governors on school and academy boards. The programme sees professionals work on a voluntary basis with primary and secondary schools across England to help promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects and raise the profile of engineering as a career path.
Amy said: “We need to highlight the different types of roles that are available in rail because it is a really welcoming, inclusive place. Whatever we can do to shout about that and make sure young people know about that, the better.
“In terms of being a woman in rail, my experiences have been overwhelmingly positive. The industry is still heavily male-dominated and there is work to do to foster more diversity, but whenever anyone asks me what the best thing about rail is, I always say the people.
“They are passionate and take the time to explain things in a way that’s not patronising, but is rooted in wanting to achieve a shared understanding and the best outcome for any given project, and the Tornado project was a mini-exemplar of that.”
It has been really exciting particularly getting to ride on the footplate – the joy I experienced with steam is something millions of people have probably shared in – past and present
Another section of the long-running programme to electrify and improve the Midland Main Line is now complete, with electric trains running south of Leicester. Nigel Wordsworth reports
Electrification of the Midland Main Line between Kettering in Northamptonshire and Wigston South junction near Leicester is now complete.
With the overhead line equipment (OLE) in place, the new section was energised in summer 2024. Following testing to ensure that trains can draw power from the overhead lines efficiently and safely, rail regulator the Office of Rail and Road issued the Authorisation to Place into Service (APiS) for the line, including a new substation at Braybrooke, near Market Harborough, on 26 February 2025.
The 23-mile section has therefore been delivered on time and under budget. It is now being used by East Midlands Railway’s Class 810 Aurora bi-mode trains as they have commenced testing on the line. Drivers are able to switch from diesel power to electric
traction when they transition under the new OLE south of Leicester station.
Network Rail, as infrastructure owner and manager, contracted various companies to carry out the work. The track lowers required for some of the route clearance interventions were undertaken by the Central Rail Systems Alliance. Civil engineering was divided up between Story Contracting and AmcoGiffen, while SPL Powerlines was responsible for the overhead wiring and the power and distribution substation.
The Midland main line was built in stages by the Midland Railway to connect Sheffield with London via Derby or Nottingham, Leicester, Market Harborough, Kettering, Wellingborough, Bedford, Luton and St Albans. The line to St Pancras opened on 1 October
1868, replacing an earlier arrangement with the Great Northern railway that allowed Midland trains to run into King’s Cross from Hitchin, dating from February 1858.
A new station was opened at Sheffield Pond Street, later renamed Sheffield Midland, in 1870. This was on the ‘New Line’ that ran to Chesterfield and then on to London St Pancras.
The route between London St Pancras and Bedford was electrified by British Rail, opening on 29 March 1983. Known colloquially as the ‘BedPan line’, there were plans to electrify the line further north towards Nottingham, but these were shelved.
After various government announcements, electrification finally reached Kettering and Corby
in May 2021. East Midlands Railway (EMR) now runs electric services between London and Corby, via Kettering, and diesel-only services to Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield, also via Kettering.
However, plans to electrify more of the line were not dropped, even if they were paused for a time, and EMR ordered a fleet of hybrid diesel/electric trains from Hitachi Rail on the strength of that decision. The new trains are being financed by Rock Rail.
Further north, Leicester station is built on a bridge over the main line, giving limited clearance for wires. However, recent advances in technology and the subsequent application of Voltage Controlled Clearance has made the electrification of Leicester possible with modest track lowers.
The line between Kettering and South Wigston is crossed by a number of bridges, both main roads and farm crossings. Most are of a standard Midland Railway design of three brick arches – a large arch that crosses the railway, supported by a smaller arch on each side.
All of these bridges, built in the days of steam, are too low to permit both the train and the overhead wire to pass underneath with the required clearances. With the contact wire energised to 25,000 volts, if the clearances are too small the electricity can ‘spark’ across to the nearest point, causing damage, shorting out circuits and even endangering lives.
But technology can, in some cases, come to the rescue. Voltage-controlled clearance (VCC) is a way of reducing the required electrical clearance between OLE and bridges using surge arresters and insulated coatings. This allows for electrification projects to proceed without expensive bridge reconstruction or lengthy road closures.
The clearance distance between the contact wire and a structure such as a bridge is governed in part by the need to accommodate over-voltages, or surges, caused by such events as lightning strikes and switching ‘spikes’ in the system. Using a surge arrestor to reduce these excess voltages means that the gap can be reduced.
Testing undertaken by Network Rail and the University of Southampton in 2021 evaluated various combinations of components from different suppliers. They were tested in varying conditions (dry and wet) and contaminated with a mix of ‘pollutants’ to make the testing as true-to-life as possible.
The results were better than had been expected. Clearance gaps could be reduced to as little as 20mm, even in wet and polluted conditions. The use of insulated coatings on all the surfaces only improved the results even further.
Adopting VCC technology saved seven bridges and four signal gantries between Kettering and South Wigston. Jorge Roque, Network Rail Senior Programme Integration Manager, explained: “The use of VCC on this Kettering to Wigston section has also saved time, money and avoided lengthy road closures.
“Where it can be used, it’s a much better solution for residents living nearby, and for this project it reduced more complex interventions such as bridge reconstructions.”
Demolition and reconstruction
But VCC couldn’t save them all. Contractors AmcoGiffen and Story Contracting both had to rebuild some bridges and totally demolish others –ones that were little used and would not be replaced.
Interestingly, both companies hired the same demolition contractor, S Evans & Sons of Widnes, Cheshire, chosen to ensure value and consistency across the programme of works.
Some of the bridges were completely demolished and re-built while others maintained the side arches, which were infilled with concrete and were adapted to include a safe walking route for future maintenance. New shallower profile bridge decks were installed, which allow the project to maintain or improve the highway profile while also improving
The 23-mile section has been delivered on time and under budget
route clearance within the railway corridor – the whole point of these significant civil engineering interventions.
Concrete bridge decks and parapets came in from Shay Murtagh in Ireland.
Simon Higgens, Business Development Director at Story Contracting, is full of praise for the way the team carried out its work. Engineering Manager Sam Bell gave credit to the company’s sub-contractors, who had worked hard and seamlessly on the project – RMF Group (civils), MHB Consultants Ltd (design), APB (civils and jacking), Ainscough (cranes) and Hattons (traffic management).
While working on the various bridges, Story Contracting also undertook some local work for lineside neighbours, reprofiling embankments, improving fencing and generally improving the area. This was carried out as part of the railway’s ‘being a good neighbour’ policy, compensating local residents for the weeks of inconvenience while roads were closed.
for future maintenance and taking away the need for an independent gas-pipe bridge that had previously been identified as clashing with the OLE.”
Operations Director Pete Laws explains that although the railway was only closed for a weekend at a time, in some cases roads were shut for nine months, so keeping locals informed was crucial to the success of the programme.
AmcoGiffen was able to utilise its internal design capability across a number of structures and interventions. Expanding on the unique complexities of the project, Project Manager James Fellows explained that, in in one location, it was impossible for the new deck to be installed using road cranes. Instead, the precast sections were loaded onto wagons at the VolkerRail yard in Scunthorpe and then brought to site by rail. On arrival, the bridge was installed using VolkerRail’s Kirow rail crane to lift and swing it into position.
The results were better than had been expected
AmcoGiffen, working on a second set of bridges, had its own challenges, although few of them concerned buried services.
“We were actually very lucky with services and there were no temporary diversions on our sites,” Project Manager James Fellows explained.
“The gas and water at one structure were permanently capped, thus reducing the requirement
Meanwhile, SPL Powerlines had been installing the masts, cantilevers and wiring. Tim Ellis, Senior Project Manager for the programme north of Kettering, says that piling had been simplified, and the cost reduced, by standardising on one design of steel driven piles. This was in line with Network Rail’s philosophy of Minimum Viable Product.
With one or two exceptions, all the piles were
Handling was reduced, as were installation times, speeding up the whole process and keeping costs down
the same design, although of different lengths to accommodate local ground conditions. Piles were delivered in stillages, pre-sorted into the lengths required for the next stretch of line. Handling was reduced, as were installation times, speeding up the whole process and keeping costs down.
Once the piles were installed, the masts could be fitted, again supplied in stillages in the correct order for simple installation. Most masts were outside the tracks and used cantilevers supplied by Bonomi. In stations, the masts were between the tracks, to keep them away from platforms, and were fitted with a different design of cantilever from Furrer+Frey.
Wires were then slung between the masts using a specially designed road-rail lorry that carried the wires in drums, paying the out as it went along.
In addition to the masts and wires, SPL Powerlines also installed a new supply feed at Braybrooke. Tom Walker, Power & Distribution Project Manager, explained that National Grid built a substation that takes the 400kV grid supply and transforms it to 25kV for use on the railway. This is then distributed along the line using four new substations and 10 autotransformers (ATx).
At the same time, electrical control for the line moved from York to the control centre at Derby, placing it firmly on the Midland Main Line.
Although work was already being planned to take electrification through Leicester station and further
north, the Department for Transport announced on 8 July that the next phase of electrification of the Midland Main Line has been paused.
“Due to rising costs and the substantial electrification that has already been delivered, we are prioritising our funding on other schemes over the Spending Review period,” the announcement stated. “We will continue to keep the potential for full electrification of the route under review as part of our plans to decarbonise our railways and as funding becomes available in future.”
Regional and business leaders protested that decision. Sir Peter Soulsby, Chair of Transport for the East Midlands and Mayor of Leicester, said: “We are deeply disappointed that the Government has yet again paused work on electrifying the Midland main line.
“Electrification is not just a technical upgrade, it is a critical investment in the capacity, reliability and sustainability of our railway. It reduces carbon emissions, lowers operating costs, and provides the infrastructure that could transform local as well as inter-city rail services across the East Midlands.
“The Midland Main Line is now the only main line route that remains largely non-electrified. This puts our region at a disadvantage compared to others and undermines the national ambition to deliver a cost effective, reliable, low-carbon railway.”
But it all comes down to money, and that is something that is in short supply right now…
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Almost 40,000 people visited Alstom’s UK train factory for The Greatest Gathering. The three-day event featured 140 rail vehicles. Rail Director speaks to some of the people behind it
There is an enormous sense of pride and a hint of relief on Rob Whyte’s face standing with Locomotion No 1 to his right, and the Greater Anglia’s Aventra to his left. They were just two of 140 rail vehicles on show at Alstom’s 90-acre Litchurch Lane Works in Derby as part of The Greatest Gathering.
“The Greatest Gathering has been a moment to reflect on all that we have achieved together, and to look ahead with confidence,” he said. “We are standing on the same ground where thousands have contributed to the evolution of rail transport and where we are now shaping the next chapter of that story.”
Alstom’s three-day sold-out charity event formed
part of the wider festivities for Railway 200, a yearlong celebration marking the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) on 27 September 1825 – and a journey that gave birth to the modern railway.
“It is a phenomenal thing for us to celebrate and feels right that we are marking the occasion particularly with Alstom’s roots in the UK going right back to 1825, when Locomotion No. 1 made its historic journey on the Stockton and Darlington Railway,” added Rob. “Through successive mergers the locomotive’s builder – Robert Stephenson and Company – became part of Alstom in 1989 and we are beyond proud to carry that legacy of ingenuity forward.”
Rob, who started with Alstom over 30 years ago as an apprentice in the company’s Transmission and Distribution (T&D) division and became MD in January, added: “The Litchurch Lane site is 149 years old and I happen to be the custodian of the company this time, but seeing all the rail vehicles on show I do feel the weight of history on my shoulders.
“It is my duty to hand over a better company than I picked up, something that can be achieved with such a fantastic team.”
Britain’s biggest and oldest remaining train factory became home to more than 140 rolling stock exhibits from the past, present and future of the railways, with the site itself opening to the public for the first time in almost 50 years.
Covering 90 acres, Derby Litchurch Lane Works is one of the world’s largest rolling stock factories, and the only UK facility that designs, engineers, builds and tests trains for domestic and export markets. The factory was opened by the Midland Railway in 1876 and the city of Derby has been building trains continually since 1839.
When asked if it took some persuasion to host the event, Rob said: “Yes and no, and that was when it was suggested it was to be 51 rail vehicles. I love the ambition of the team and when I asked if we were going to be able to pull it off they were confident.
“It has been a huge effort from a lot of people but something which hasn’t just been great for the community and Derby, but also for Alstom and the wider rail industry.
“We’ve had the opportunity to stamp our position on the railways here in the UK, but also in the world reminding people of the importance, the value and the interest in the railways. I hope people in positions of authority will have taken note of this and it highlights the importance of more engagement, while at the same time having created a sense of pride of what the industry has, and continues to, achieve.”
The achievement of hosting the event shouldn’t be underestimated. Over the weekend more than 40,000 rail fans from around the globe attended the sold-out charity extravaganza.
There were a cavalcade of steam locomotives on show, including the 200-year-old Locomotion No. 1, the UK’s oldest operating standard gauge engine, Furness Railway No. 20, Derby-built Midland Railway 1000 Class No. 1000 and the world-famous Flying Scotsman.
The line-up also included high-speed trains including Alstom-built Class 390 Pendolino Progress – the UK’s first fully wrapped Pride train – which appeared alongside Eurostar power car 3999 and Derby-designed Class 43 High Speed Trains (HSTs)
“There have been hundreds of people on site working on this event, volunteering alongside their day job, alongside hundreds more people across the rail industry,” explained Ben Goodwin, Communications Director UK and Ireland at Alstom, and one of the event organisers. “It has been really hard and there were quite a lot of nerves ahead of the event, but a large amount of people have made it happen and overall it has been fantastic to be involved in with the industry coming together.”
The Greatest Gathering has been a moment to reflect on all that we have achieved together, and to look ahead with confidence
Ben, who was involved with Railfest at the National Railway Museum in York in 2012 where there were 50 locomotives on show, added: “Railfest was described as Britain’s biggest rail celebration, so initially the plan for The Greatest Gathering was to have 51 rail vehicles but that very quickly increased.
“My background is in comms so I’ve helped put on events before, but the logistical side of things has been a real eye opener for me, especially getting all the trains here, but we’ve found a way to make it happen, it has been like a giant game of Tetris. I’ve been in awe of the movements team on site who have pulled out the stops, but also the people they brought in to help them.
“The easiest part has been people saying ‘yes’. We even had one person who brought a train to our gates saying I want my train on display at The Greatest Gathering. It has been tough, a lot of late nights and fraught phone calls, but so many people have pulled out all of the stops and that
It has been really hard and a lot of nerves, but it has been a fantastic event to be involved in and has happened thanks to the industry coming together
will keep my heart warm for many years.”
During the three days there were a host of trains debuting new names and liveries, including two Class 50 locomotives that showcased striking wraps designed especially for The Greatest Gathering in partnership with Aura Brand Solutions.
Visitors also got the opportunity to ride on steam, diesel and electric-hauled trains, including a Class 345 Derby-built Alstom Aventra train along Litchurch Lane’s 1.4 km-long test track. Meanwhile, Prince, the world’s oldest operating narrow-gauge locomotive from 1863, carried passengers throughout the jamboree.
Throughout the weekend there was a packed timetable of talks and performances from famous faces and industry insiders in the speciallyconstructed Mobility Theatre. The space also hosted the UK premiere of feature-length documentary An Unlikely Fandom: The Impact of Thomas the Tank Engine, which was followed by a Q&A with its US-based filmmakers.
At the heart of The Greatest Gathering, inside one of Litchurch Lane’s vast workshops, was a vibrant and future-focused family-friendly zone: the STEM Hub. Designed to ignite curiosity and ambition among visitors, this interactive space showcased the power of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in shaping the future of rail and sustainable mobility.
Another workshop on site hosted the Model Railway Village in partnership with Key Model World.
Ben added: “This has been about celebrating the past, but also looking to the future, inspiring the next generations. This has also been an opportunity to work on the preconceptions of people who think the site is dirty and oily. Actually it is really clean, modern and a great industry.
“The railway industry is a family, we all look out for each other, it is a great place to work and a sustainable industry. There are so many great things about it, and the people working in the industry, so I
hope the weekend has given a flavour of that.”
There wasn’t much time to rest and reflect for the Alstom team. The day after The Greatest Gathering there wasn’t just the small task of moving 140 rail vehicles, but the site needed to be cleaned up and ready for work to start on the new Elizabeth line trains the next day.
Ben added: “Derby has been building trains since 1839, we’ve been on this site since 1876, but we’ve not opened it to the public in nearly 50 years. When times have been tough the city has been there for us, so now in the bicentennial year of the modern railway it is very right that we opened our doors and say come and celebrate.
“We’ve got a good news story to tell you. We’re starting the new Elizabeth line trains, HS2 is on the way and hopefully we’re going to get some great orders for the upcoming rolling stock tenders. It’s an exciting time to be involved in the rail industry and I hope The Greatest Gathering helped to create even more excitement.”
Emma Roberts, Programme Manager at Railway 200, said: “The Greatest Gathering was an event for the history books, which really showcased what’s possible when the whole railway family comes together.
“There was a real buzz about Alstom’s historic site and it was wonderful to see so many enthusiasts, families and industry partners enjoying the experience.
“One of our goals during Railway 200 has been to lift the curtain on the industry and inspire more young people to consider a career in rail – and this event delivered that and more. No doubt it will be talked about for years to come.
“On behalf of the Railway 200 team, I’d like to extend heartfelt congratulations to Alstom for delivering an event that not only showcased the best of our industry, but also highlighted why the bicentenary celebrations are important to the sector, the country and the world.”
Dr David McGorman, Unipart’s Rail & Technology Managing Director, explains the evolution of the organisation and how it is helping shape the rail industry’s transformation
Unipart has a clear vision of the journey ahead – wanting to be seen as the supply chain partner of choice. It has a proven track record in delivering improved performance through new technology and supply chain solutions for the rail industry, which is evolving to something even greater under an exciting brand repositioning.
Explaining the aspiration in more detail using trains as an example, Dr David McGorman, Unipart Managing Director of Rail & Technology, says there is no reason for original equipment manufacturers to send parts abroad to where they originated – a process which can be both expensive and time consuming.
“Instead, why don’t organisations look to a local partner who can manage that entire supply chain and do some of the maintenance, repair, operations and servicing in the territory the trains are being operated,” he said. “The company I’d like people to turn to is Unipart. That is the aspiration, and I’m confident we can get there.”
There is good reason for the optimism. Buoyed
by the 50th celebrations of the Unipart brand last year, and more recently being named number one in the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport’s prestigious annual Top 30 Logistics Providers list, the organisation has launched its new ethos ‘Performance in Motion’ to better position its expertise and the impact it can have.
It expands on its successful ‘The Unipart Way’, an initiative that highlights the way it does business every day, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, employee engagement, and a welcoming approach to change to improve not just the business, but the sectors it supports.
“Performance in Motion embodies our evolution from a traditional service provider to a proactive supply chain performance improvement partner,” explained David. “Unipart has a wealth of experience through several fantastic acquisitions, and this is about bringing it all together to better address the market and ensure we are the performance partner of choice.
“Although we have a rich heritage in rail, there is even more that we can do by drawing on other areas of the business. As an example, the largest part of the business is supply chain management in logistics, with our clients including the likes of Sky, Vodafone and the NHS.
“By bringing that logistics experience together with our manufacturing, technology and rail capabilities, there is a fantastic opportunity to serve our customers
more comprehensively.
“We have simplified what we offer across our breadth of services to show that we can design, make, move and improve supply chains in any of the sectors in which we operate.
“For rail in both the UK and around the world, we offer an extensive range of services today across Unipart that will save our customers time, cost and carbon. It’s incredibly exciting for us as a business but also for the sectors that we work in.”
Internally, what the change means is that instead of the previous divisions, the organisation will now address the world and its challenges through territories, sectors, and capabilities, drawing on the best capabilities across Unipart to support the tasks ahead.
“Basically we’re not just looking across our local divisions, but across the whole of Unipart to identify how we can offer the best solutions for clients,” David said. “We and our customers are already reaping the benefits, addressing the markets more effectively, but there is still so much more potential.
“We do a lot of service centre and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) work for Network Rail, but what we don’t currently do for Network Rail is supply chain management. Bringing in our logistics services while overlaying our MRO gives us a differentiated offer to what is already out there and an opportunity to make a huge difference for customers.”
This new way of working is bringing various Unipart organisations together. Just one example is Westcode and Instrumentel, which has seen the latter’s condition monitoring technology overlaying Westcode’s HVAC overhaul, creating an HVAC temperature control unit which has remoteconditioned monitoring. It’s being used by two major East Coast transit agencies in the US.
“It’s a multi-capability, multi-layered solution that didn’t exist before and is just one example of the exciting things we are working on and the potential of working closer as a business,” David explained.
“On top of that, we’re leveraging the benefits of being part of the UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN), as well as our collaboration with Coventry University through The Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering.
“These partnerships are really accelerating our innovation and technology capabilities, giving us a
major boost in developing cutting-edge solutions.”
There is a lot of excitement across Unipart in presenting its offer to the market in a simpler, easierto-understand way, and particularly the impact it can have in the rail industry in offering an even wider variety of products, services and solutions from across the business. This was launched to the market earlier this year, and customers are responding well – many hadn’t previously been aware of the full breadth of what Unipart offers.
“The UK rail market is a fantastic market and with the changes of Great British Railways, there will be challenges, however there will be big opportunities too,” David added.
“What we offer the rail sector will help make the rail supply chain more efficient, resilient and sustainable. Unipart is a 50-year-old business that has never been more ambitious or focused on helping our customers grow, and on us growing. Our growth plans are focused on overlaying our technology capabilities into rail products to create improved, modern solutions.
“We continue to evolve our offering to the rail sector. In the past the majority of our work was around providing parts to legacy British Rail fleets but now that only accounts for around one-third of our business.
“Our fastest growth area in the sector is adding valuable engineering services, such as engineering assurance, supply chain audits for customers, engineering installations, signalling, and technology solutions.”
Unipart’s technology strategy defines the four fundamental technologies transforming supply chains: automation, data science and artificial intelligence, internet of things and sensors, and digital twins, underpinning its approach to supply chain management, ensuring resilience and efficiency. The company continues to partner with universities, catapult centres, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and industry experts to develop customised technological solutions for customers.
One major area of focus is Condition Based Maintenance (CBM). Unipart, through its subsidiary Instrumentel, has worked with Porterbrook to integrate CBM technology into rolling stock. This has led to increased vehicle reliability, reduced maintenance time, and improved real-time asset tracking. Unipart’s Energy Insight product uses
condition monitoring to help businesses optimise and reduce energy use and carbon output.
“Sustainability and safety are a top priority for Unipart, which led to adapting the condition monitoring product to help customers reduce their emissions,” said David. “That shows The Unipart Way in action, constantly looking to improve processes and better serve market needs.”
It has also had success in developing digital solutions for the rail industry, including Vision Insight, a thermal and optical camera system with AI algorithms that detects faults on moving trains, and is designing a digital Design Work Station for Network Rail, enhancing efficiency and safety in rail operations. In addition, Unipart’s level crossing solution in collaboration with AtkinsRéalis and Newgate, LX PLUS, reduces installation time by more than 20 per cent, improving operational efficiency.
“The rail industry is an exciting one to work in, and one that I am proud to support. I am confident we can make a positive difference within the rail industry,” David said. “It’s a sector we have chosen to support and one that will continue to grow for us.
“Among the opportunities is an antenna in the UK called Track Circuit Assistor, which sits in the bottom of a train and ensures a track circuit, even if you get wheel lift. This is a product we’ve designed and we produce, and that has an export potential worth tens of millions.
“Technology is fundamental to our operations, driving exceptional value for customers and enabling efficient, resilient, and sustainable supply chains. Our solutions include the development and deployment of in-house technologies such as autonomous mobile robots, SmartBench, Manufactured Reinforced System for the construction sector, Paradigm Insight and Energy Insight.
“It’s all part of the Performance in Motion journey, one that emphasises our commitment to operational excellence, driving performance improvement, and delivering expertise across multiple areas, including rail, logistics and engineering. We aim to show, not tell, the breadth of our capabilities and the value The Unipart Way delivers, supporting solutions for pressing global supply chain challenges such as resilience, sustainability, and technology innovation.”
www.unipart.com/
John Buxton and Donald Heath have written a book looking at the comprehensive history of the electrification of Britain’s railway network over two centuries and the journey ahead
national electrification rolling programme must be directed and controlled from the centre to avoid a repeat of the failure of Network Rail’s High Output Track Renewals Train when it was prematurely regionalised.”
That’s the message from John Buxton and Donald Heath, who have released the book Lines of Power: The Electrification of British Railways.
To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the first commercial passenger railway and also the 70th anniversary of the British Rail Modernisation Plan, the book tells the comprehensive history of the electrification of Britain’s railway network over two centuries.
The authors expose the stop-start journey from the successful development prior to the First World War, the shortcomings of the 1921 ‘grouping’, and delves deep behind the scenes of the industry politics following nationalisation.
It also looks to the future, with the pair writing: “It is hoped that Great British Railways (GBR) will set
up an Electrification Directorate to manage and control the rolling programme of electrification. This organisation would be charged with integrating the Infrastructure Enhancements and Renewals and Maintenance teams to best effect.
“This body should also interface with the National Grid to ensure that the necessary power supply upgrades are delivered to meet the required programme timescales. In addition, it should review and set appropriate electrification standards, including agreeing safety standards within and without the industry.
“Headed up by a senior, experienced engineer with project management experience, the Electrification Directorate should implement a delivery methodology that will furnish the nation with an enhanced, costeffective main line electric railway system.”
In writing the book, giving a concise history of UK electrification, John and Donald’s hopes are that going forward, the industry, stakeholders and political decision-makers will take cognisance of the lessons that should be learned from the past.
“While there have been many successful schemes, there is much to learn from the history as there have also been many flawed decisions made both within the industry and at various political levels,” they write.
“The foregoing is the only way that a prudent GBR, a risk-averse Department for Transport and a sceptical Government can be persuaded to authorise a rolling programme of electrification, with the confidence that each scheme will be delivered to time at an acceptable price.
“At the time of writing, even with the watering down of the initial ambitious rail proposals since 2008, the industry stands on the cusp of a transformation – a fervent hope is that the opportunity for a rolling programme of electrification does not slip from view once again.
“In our opinion, the Railway Industry Association’s April 2024 strategy would form a good plan to take forward. Note especially that electrifying only 50 miles of short section track infills on otherwise completely electrified end-to-end freight routes would be an easy win, economically, operationally
and environmentally.”
As for the authors, both are experienced rail professionals. At 35 years old, John became the youngest British Railways Divisional Civil Engineer in the 1980s, later becoming the Managing Director of Cardiff Railway Company in the 1990s. More recently he set up Cambrian Transport Ltd, specialising in rail infrastructure, traction and electrification projects.
Donald has held various positions in British Railways Research Department, the London Midland Region and Transmark. He worked on the design of a new line in Iran in 1976 before becoming a founder member of the Major Projects Department in 1982, subsequently being appointed as a Director in 1988, piloting the 400-mile East Coast Main Line between London and Edinburgh. In 1991 he took charge of the British Rail input into the joint LUL/BR CrossRail project team, before becoming an independent consultant at privatisation, retiring in 2017.
John said: “The book is a subjective review of the progress of electric power and its direct application, by means of conductive infrastructure, to UK rail traction over two centuries. The primary objective of this discourse is to give an insight into the history, politics and economics of railway electrification and raise awareness of the consequences that past dictates have had on UK electrification progress.
“Most importantly of all, our intent is that the lessons from the past will better inform industry leaders, politicians and stakeholders, enabling more informed decisions to be made going forward.”
Donald added: “The views expressed in the book are purely our own, based on our research together with our knowledge and extensive experience gained from long careers in the industry. We have not sought, nor been given, any sponsorship from any rail company or organisation.
“Our intent is simply to proffer advice to assist the industry in developing a robust electrification and decarbonisation strategy together with improved and more cost-effective means of implementation.”
The book was published in June and is available from all good book stores.
The book is a subjective review of the progress of electric power and its direct application, by means of conductive infrastructure, to UK rail traction over two centuries
Chiltern Railways has secured modern trains to transform customer journeys in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire
Train operator Chiltern Railways is going to replace its oldest Mark 3 carriages with 13 modern trains (Mark 5As) which will carry customers along one of its three main routes, between London and the West Midlands, from spring 2026.
New features for customers will include plug sockets and USB ports at every seat, and enhanced Wi-Fi and digital customer information screens. Customers will also benefit from onboard air conditioning, improved luggage and bike storage, and dedicated accessible areas including fully accessible toilets.
Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, said: “This Government is putting passengers back at the heart of the 21st century railway by investing to make journeys easier, greener, and more comfortable.
“We are continuing to support Chiltern as they develop a plan to introduce additional services into
their timetable, giving people more opportunities to work, live, and socialise.
“Great British Railways will unite our railway with one mission – delivering excellent services for passengers wherever they travel, and improving connectivity, driving growth, jobs, and homes as part of the Government’s plan for change.”
First Class carriages will also be introduced on the route in 2026, offering more spacious seats and improved connectivity for business and leisure travellers.
Chiltern has also decided to fuel these newer trains with recycled vegetable oil (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil), a renewable fuel that reduces carbon emissions and cuts pollutants such as nitrous oxide compared to conventional diesel. The operator has also contracted the owner of the trains to fit the latest stop-start engine technology software, helping to further reduce
emissions for lineside neighbours.
Richard Allan, Managing Director of Chiltern Railways, said: “We are thrilled for our customers that we will be able to replace our oldest trains, which are nearly 50 years old, and replace them with their modern equivalent that are just six years old and provide significant improvement to their on-board experience.
“Chiltern will be renting more trains than it has today which means we can operate additional services from the end of 2026 to help meet rising demand. The trains will be formed of modern carriages hauled by locomotives fuelled by recycled vegetable oil and fitted with the latest stop-start engine technology.
“Our 2030 vision includes a three-phase plan to modernise and decarbonise our trains. Phase one is underway with interior improvements to our existing diesel trains; phase two is to replace our oldest trains – today’s announcement; we remain ambitious and determined to achieve phase three of our vision, which is to replace our 35-year-old diesel trains with battery-electric trains.”
Following a positive decision from the Department for Transport, these newer trains will enter service on a phased basis from early next year as a crucial step in delivering Chiltern’s 2030 Vision of easier, greener, and better journeys. The operator is also working with partners to confirm details of additional timetabled services which would start in December 2026.
Adam Cunliffe, CEO of Beacon Rail, said: “Beacon is delighted to support Chiltern with the lease of the Mark 5A fleet, providing additional capacity with new trains that will enhance the passenger experience.
“Working closely with the Department for Transport and Chiltern, the introduction of the Mark 5As reflects the strong collaboration that Beacon provides to its customers. Beacon is engaging with Chiltern to commence services by spring 2026.”
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Find
Gareth Brunton refl
ects
on nearing 10 years as Managing Director (MD) at Bender UK and the innovation the organisation is working on in the future
early 80 years ago, Walther Bender invented the ISOMETER®, revolutionising electrical safety in mining. The insulation monitor was later adapted for use in earth fault detection and insulation monitoring applications of single and three-phase systems, including those in the rail industry.
Fast-forward to the present, and Bender is a market leader in electrical safety, with the UK arm alone having a proven track record in the railways with more than 1,500 rail signal protection systems installed across the network over the last two decades.
The origins aren’t lost on Gareth; in fact, he is reminded every time he walks through the reception of Bender UK’s head office, where an example of one of the earliest insulation monitors is on display.
“Considering it was 1953 when it was manufactured, it fundamentally works like our latest insulation monitors,” he commented. “It is also a reminder of the roots of Bender, which came into existence because a mining engineer looked to invent something that solved a problem. The ISOMETER® is now used widely all over the world, providing protection for many critical applications.”
Bender understands the critical importance of maintaining uninterrupted railway operations. Its advanced electrical safety solutions minimise downtime and enhance operational safety and efficiency by ensuring continuous power.
Gareth takes an enormous sense of pride in leading the UK arm of the organisation, having joined more than 21 years ago, and spending most of the last 10 years as its MD. In that time, it has gone from a £9 million turnover to last year achieving nearly £39 million.
“It has been an incredible growth in terms of revenue, but also in terms of people, with the workforce increasing from 40 to about 140,” he explained, adding that there is a good mix of new employees alongside those who have been working there for more than a decade.
“We’ve built on great foundations and relationships with clients, and now offer a solutionsbased approach, having brought third-party products into our portfolio to expand our offering. Looking at the railways, we’ve evolved from supplying an insulation monitor to creating a signalling power protection system, to incorporating cloudbased monitoring. It is helped by the backing of our headquarters in Germany, with a great research and development team.”
Although Bender operates in several sectors, its importance to the rail industry shouldn’t be underestimated. By detecting faults early, the
organisation is helping the sector prevent system outages, which reduces boots on ballast and avoids costly delays and penalties.
Its advanced intelligent insulation monitoring and earth fault location technology continuously monitors electrical systems, instantly informing engineers of any changes that could cause risks to safety or issues to train services.
As an approved supplier to Network Rail, Bender UK works closely with industry leaders to develop and manufacture advanced, innovative continuous monitoring solutions for use on railway infrastructure.
Bender’s rail capability extends beyond signal power protection. Solutions include continuous monitoring of points, heating units and motors, control voltage monitoring of railway crossings, monitoring systems onboard trains and underground networks, and predictive maintenance solutions and software used in rail systems worldwide.
Gareth added: “We have some fantastic innovation projects ongoing, with the industry asking what else we can do, such as developing smart primary supply points. We are improving what is out there currently and incorporating the latest technologies. We want our customers to continue to approach us with problems that we can look to solve.
“We are currently working on trials in Newcastle and London, where we are taking the outputs from multiple third-party devices, such as weather stations or generators, and comparing them alongside our own results in the cloud. This provides an overall assessment of the infrastructure and creates a detailed, holistic report for rail engineers, giving them
much more clarity of the actual situation. The results from these trials have been really positive so far.
“The UK rail network faces harsh conditions, including cable theft, so we are looking at a new solution to monitor trackside earth cables. There are safety implications if the earth cable is stolen from a metal cabinet by the side of the track, but by using our technology, we can ensure protection from touch voltages when engineers are carrying out maintenance and checks.”
Looking to the future, Gareth is excited about the opportunities ahead, building on the success of almost a decade as MD. With the rail transformation, he believes there will be an emphasis on where things can be done smarter to save money, something Bender is confident it can help with.
“Rather than just being known for delivering solutions installed in primary and functional supply points, we want to be involved in other areas,” he explained. “We’ve had discussions around monitoring the electrical infrastructure within train stations, such as lifts and escalators.
“We have to ensure that trains run reliably and smoothly and that the customer always has a good experience. We can help further by implementing continuous monitoring solutions throughout other areas of the railway infrastructure. I want to continue developing that in the years ahead, but we need to raise awareness about our capabilities so more people know who we are and what we do. There are many more doors to be opened, and we can bring more benefits to the industry as a whole.”
www.bender-uk.com
Bianca Molloy BSc(H) MA MCIPD MHFA has been named Joint Managing Director of TES 2000 Ltd, a leading infrastructure services contractor in the UK rail sector. In her interview, she discusses her journey from HR to executive leadership and her people-first approach, which influences the culture, resilience, and strategy of TES. She emphasises the importance of safety and wellbeing in operations and envisions a business focused on putting people at the core of its services
Bianca, congratulations on your new role. How does it feel to be appointed Joint Managing Director?
Thank you. It’s a huge honour. TES has been my home since 2017, and to now help lead the business as Joint MD alongside Tony Evans is something I am incredibly proud of. For me, leadership has always been about people. This role gives me the opportunity to continue creating a culture where everyone feels valued and part of something bigger.
You began your career in HR. How has that shaped your leadership style today? HR gave me the foundation of everything I do now. It taught me to listen, to be patient, and to see the individual behind every role. I have been involved in very complex employee relations cases, often in difficult and high-pressure situations, and those experiences taught me the importance of staying calm, being fair, and showing respect even when conversations are tough. Those lessons are now part of how I lead every day.
You were recently recognised as Health and Wellbeing Person of the Year at the 2024 RailStaff Awards. What did that mean to you?
It was an incredibly proud moment. Wellbeing isn’t something you do on the side of your job. It has to be at the heart of how you run a business. The award
Every voice matters, and every role contributes to the bigger picture
Bianca Molloy, Joint Managing Director of TES 2000 Ltd
wasn’t really about me. It was a reflection of the culture we’ve built at TES, where people genuinely feel supported and cared for. That means more to me than anything.
What are your priorities now that you’ve stepped into the role of Joint MD?
I have four clear priorities. The first is giving people a voice. I want to make sure we have the right ways of communicating so everyone feels heard. Second is diversifying the services TES offers, so we can create stability and new opportunities at a time when the rail industry is facing a lot of change. Third is championing sustainability and making sure we give back to the communities where we work. And fourth is building resilience for the future, so TES can continue to grow while keeping our people at the centre of everything we do.
Why are sustainability and community so important to you personally?
Because rail doesn’t operate in isolation. Everything we do has an impact on the environment and the communities we’re part of. I want TES to be known not only for delivering excellent services but also for being a company that makes a positive difference in the wider world. That’s something I feel very strongly about.
Finally, what excites you most about the journey ahead?
The chance to build on what we’ve already achieved and take it even further. I want to lead a business where people feel proud to work, where they are supported, and where they see a future for themselves. If we can grow while staying true to those values, and while making a positive impact on our industry, our planet and our communities, then I’ll know we’ve achieved something really meaningful.
www.tes2000.co.uk
info@tes2000.co.uk
DirectTrains’ successful test paves the way for sustainable parcel delivery by rail. Dr Leah Mandler, VP Marketing; Moti Topf, the CTO and Alberto Mandler, the CEO from the organisation explain more
When DirectTrains (DTS) first suggested the concept of coupling and decoupling high-mass trains in motion on a railway line it was met with scepticism, with some even describing it as science-fiction.
However, the rail technology startup developing aerospace-inspired solutions for the transportation industry has proved the doubters wrong, successfully completing the first field test of the Dynamic Coupling (DC) system.
“Many claimed it wouldn’t be possible, but we knew air refuelling can be done, so although we knew it wouldn’t be a simple task, we were confident,” explained Alberto (Tito) Mandler, the CEO of DTS. “It has been difficult to convince the industry, but this successful test demonstrates that our vision for transforming rail transport is becoming a reality.”
DirectTrains technology allows parcel trains to piggyback onto scheduled passenger or freight trains, coupling and decoupling at speed without occupying track time. Its potential is not only in increasing rail capacity and adding significant operating flexibility, but it also offers reduced energy consumption providing a much better service, without building a single metre of new track.
The recent tests, conducted in collaboration with French engineering partner company CERTIA, demonstrated the DC system’s ability to couple and
decouple high-mass trains in motion on a real railway line. Using full-scale, 22.5-tonne carts for real-life coupling scenarios, the tests validated the precision and smoothness of the operation, even passing the water cup test, with no spillage from a cardboard cup placed on the fixture during the coupling.
Moti Topf, Chief Technology Officer, said: “Three days of testing ended successfully and demonstrated the smoothness of the system connecting the trains. The ‘cup test’ showed what would be felt by the passengers when the trains connected, highlighting the flexibility, possibilities and advantages.”
The technology comprises a DC wagon – attached to the front or rear of a train – and a software platform that maps and manages coupling points. Both physical and software components have been designed for seamless installation on existing rolling stock with no modifications required to infrastructure, signalling systems, or regulations, making it compatible with any existing railway operation.
The company’s CEO is confident this breakthrough opens new possibilities for middle-mile parcel delivery using existing rail networks. “Railway companies initially thought what we wanted to do would be impossible, but now that we’ve been successful with the testing people are starting to take notice,” he said.
“Over the last few years we’ve been working hard in reducing the friction of adoption. The initial concept
was around doing the installation on the train, but that would require trains to be in the depot for modification and certification. Therefore, we decided to provide a full coupling wagon, based on the most common existing car today, so that customers can easily connect dynamic coupling wagons to any train in the standard way trains and wagons are connected.”
Dr Leah Mandler, Co-Founder and VP Marketing, added: “What we are bringing is a concept of reusing and retrofitting what is already there. We’re challenging the way people think by offering them something different – the ability to connect, disconnect, combine trains like Lego.”
Following the successful testing, the company founded by aerospace industry veterans, will now proceed to pilot testing in collaboration with parcel delivery companies and railway operators on operational lines with various signalling systems.
Tito added: “The vision is to improve the world, bringing a new idea that aims to make rail transport sustainable without costly infrastructure changes. The next step is to run a test on a fully-integrated line with signalling. We’re now looking for visionary partners, with a view to taking our solution to Europe, UK and the US later on this year.
“This is a product that will work on passenger and freight trains, although freight is our first target.”
https://directrains.com/
Stephen Given, Managing Director (MD) of Pod-Trak’s UK Rail Systems & Civil Engineering Business, explains how the organisation has invested to enable it to offer a truly end
to
end service in the electrification market
Stephen Given, MD of Pod-Trak’s UK Rail Systems & Civil Engineering Business, has set his sights on the organisation being the supplier of choice within the railway industry, building on the strong reputation built over the last 18 years.
Speaking shortly after his first anniversary at the helm, he said that although the industry feels more challenging that it has ever been, he has taken an immense amount of pride in the progress the company and its people have made.
“We’re here to stay and working hard to strengthen that position and move forward,” he said. “Pod-Trak is a safe pair of hands which can deliver multidiscipline schemes across rail systems and civil engineering. We’ve got an excellent track record of delivery and when it comes to people, we’ve got some of the best in the industry.
“We’ve also got a good footprint for where we can go, with an excellent understanding of client requirements, particularly around budget issues, something that we can help with being a selfdelivery company, although the importance of early engagement to fully capitalise on our expertise cannot be underestimated.”
A key to the success is the company’s ability to build strong, long-lasting partnerships with its clients,
producing an efficient, safe and quality product throughout the project cycle. The highly skilled teams have the knowledge to support the broad spectrum of transport networks keeping passengers and freight on the move.
In addition to that is an ambition to improve its service offering to better serve clients, evidenced in recent months by new investments to enable the organisation to offer a full electrification end-to-end service with piling at the beginning and wiring at the end.
“Whilst there has been a downturn in work across the industry, particularly in electrification, there is still good long-term opportunity across the UK and Ireland in the coming years and we plan to utilise the investments on both overhead line equipment (OLE) packages and specialist plant supply,” he explained. “That ambition was met last month with our Tesmec Wiring Unit starting work on the infrastructure.
“At Pod-Trak, the ethos has always been to be that self-delivery business. This machine increases our capability in the electrification market to a truly endto-end service. It has taken a lot of commitment to people, bringing them in, investing in them, training them; but also a lot of investment in plant – both of which we’re committed to continue doing.
“We’ve always had a strong foothold in the
electrification part of rail systems, but not as strong in the ability to self-deliver piling at the start of the electrification journey and the ability to run overhead line wires right at the other end. We could buy those services in, but we wanted to offer the full service and already the piling equipment is busy in use for everything from traditional piling to sheet piling; and the wiring unit has been out on multiple shifts on the Transpennine Route Upgrade East.”
Despite the tough market, the team at Pod-Trak have been busy delivery schemes across the country on major railway projects. This includes work for Murphy on Beaulieu Park Station in Essex which was recently completed. Pod-Trak was the rail systems partner delivering the overhead line and track work over the last two-and-a-half years, a contract worth £20 million.
It was also tasked with removing all of the overhead line to facilitate the demolition of the Agar Grove bridge in London, and also to reinstall the line underneath the new bridge once it had been installed. During the days while the bridge was replaced, it carried out head span renewals at Kentish Town.
There is also the ongoing OLE work for Manchester Metrolink and renewals and maintenance on the tram system in Dublin.
“One of our unique selling points is that we can
self-deliver multidiscipline projects,” Stephen added. “We can give the multidiscipline offer to clients and take on packages where we might do OLE alongside a civils package and a Permanent Way package.
“Sometimes we are doing three or four disciplines which gives the client a saving and a more efficient offering for them, but also taking away the element that is difficult to put a value on, which is the integration of the disciplines, which can be a painful process for a lot of projects, especially where you have multiple contractors delivering those packages.”
It’s been a rollercoaster of a ride for Stephen, who joined Pod-Trak in 2010 as a Contracts Manager to head up the operations in the North when the organisation opened up a depot in Manchester.
“It’s been brilliant and exciting and although 15 years might not seem a long time, both the industry and Pod-Trak have changed significantly,” he said. “It’s been great to be involved in a business that has wanted to grow, and has done, with a turnover of around £2 million in 2010 to this year being closer to £90 million across the group.
“Although becoming MD has been a natural progression, having previously been Operations Manager and Director, I have worked hard for it, but from day one I’ve always been surrounded by really good people and a very strong team. The ongoing support from Paul O’Donnell who has now taken on the Group MD role is always there and particularly around investment back into the business to support our growth. There are the ups and downs, but I’ve really enjoyed it and take a lot of pride from the fact we continue to grow and we are recognised as a good business, having built some very strong relationships.”
Stephen, like the rest of the team, also takes a lot of pride from the projects they’ve been involved in and the impact they have on so many people, giving the recent work on Beaulieu Park Station, the first new railway station to be built on the Great Eastern Main Line in over 100 years, as just one example.
“The world was a very different place 100 years ago and now it’s Pod-Trak playing its part in building something new in the same way some of the great engineers of the past had built new infrastructure,” he said. “We’ve been lucky enough to work on some hugely interesting projects and we are keen to stress to the team about the amount of pride they should take in the work being done, and the impact it will have.
“We’re also building three stations at the minute in the Birmingham area for VolkerFitzpatrick for the West Midlands Combined Authority. They’re in the latter stages and really taking shape and there’s huge excitement around that area about the impact that they will have. It is infrastructure that is going to be there for a long time.”
Pod-Trak’s presence in Ireland is growing, with Stephen explaining how the offering to the market now mirrors the capability in the UK.
“The level of infrastructure investment in Ireland is unprecedented and particularly in rail, with projects like DART+ and Metrolink gaining traction and the recent publication of the All-Island Strategic Rail
Review setting out the vision for rail over the next 25 years,” he said. “We have invested in dual gauge plant that is already working on projects in Cork and Dublin and our full electrification and piling offering will meet both UK and Irish standards.”
A sense of pride and the important role that everyone in the organisation has to play in its success is something Stephen is keen to emphasise. Every summer Pod-Trak organises a week-long PALS Roadshow, which this year involved a dozen sessions across the country on site and in depots. The 45-minute sessions are led by the HSQE team, with a set theme followed by a business update from a director.
“It is a great opportunity to put across a serious message but delivered in a fun way, along with a business update,” explained Stephen. “The message this year was thanks for sticking with us, recognising that it had been a hard 12 months, and emphasising our appreciation in everyone knuckling down and getting on with the job.
“It was also highlighting that we are starting to
Pod-Trak is a safe pair of hands which can deliver multidiscipline schemes across rail systems and civil engineering
turn a corner, we can see things for the whole industry slowly getting better, and how this is the time to prove ourselves and the industry. The roadshow was brilliant and probably captured around 90 per cent of the people working for Pod-Trak. We have a fantastic team and with that expertise, passion and togetherness, I’m confident for what the future holds.”
https://pod-trak.com/
Automated Intelligent Video Review (AIVR) is delivering major safety improvements for everyday inspections and maintenance delivery. Its creators One Big Circle explain more
Rail Safety Week, organised by Rail Forum, celebrated its 10th anniversary this June, marking a decade of bringing safety to the forefront of the rail industry. Supported by more than 240 organisations, this industry-wide, industry-led initiative was established to promote a safety-first mindset among staff, passengers, and the wider community.
For many across the rail industry, safety is a daily priority, as colleagues continually work to embed safe practices, methods, and mindsets into every aspect of their roles, all while driving innovation. Setting a safer course for the future, they strive to improve and iterate on the tools, technology and processes that keep everyone safe every day.
One such example of this evolution is the rapid take up of the AIVR system within the UK rail industry.
AIVR empowers teams to spot issues early and respond quickly, reducing the need for frequent trackside visits
Developed by the award-winning technology company One Big Circle, AIVR was first designed to help get cab-view imagery of the rail environment from trains, transmitting the data securely online and direct to engineer’s screens and laptops, reducing the need to be on site.
Whilst the rapid provision of forward-facing online was a ground-breaking innovation in itself, particularly during the restrictions of lockdown and subsequent social distancing, the technology has since evolved at rapid pace over the subsequent years. This growth has helped meet the industry’s demands on improving safe working practices.
Since its very first data capture in 2019, the AIVR product suite has expanded to encompass a wider range of imagery, advanced digital tools and cutting edge AI to provide extra intelligence. With more
than 240 different capture systems now deployed, transmitting 2PB of data, and more than 11,000 users and counting, AIVR is empowering multiple teams across infrastructure and operations to work more intelligently, collaboratively, and safely than ever before.
Driven by industry demand, AIVR now provides a diverse and comprehensive set of data - including multi-angle, multi-directional visible, thermal, overhead, and track imagery, as well as integrated data from track geometry and sensors such as ultrasonics and switch monitoring. This growth of types and formats of data transmitted automatically from a growing range of trains provides an unprecedented spectrum of insight into many components of the rail environment, and crucially it gives people what they need to see to help them make safer, smarter decisions.
Safer track access and asset inspections from Forward Facing Video (FFV)
AIVR delivers major safety improvements for everyday inspections and maintenance delivery. Remote access to data means fewer people exposed to live tracks, moving trains, or hazardous environments. It reduces site visits and lowers physical risks across all disciplines.
One such example of the benefits of remote data access is for signal sighting, where much of the surveying and sighting can be performed virtually using forward facing video and a suite of digital measurement tools. Engineers can assess visibility, compliance, and positioning without accessing the track itself. Equally, maintenance teams can visualise access points, safe cess boundaries, and potential obstructions ahead of time - making planning and briefing far safer and more efficient.
This capability is especially valuable for on-track plant operators and contractors who need to assess conditions and route suitability before beginning work. With detailed video footage and interactive tools, hazards can be identified early, route suitability confirmed, and safety briefings conducted remotely for pre-site planning.
Digital steps in rail inspection and asset management
Line scanning video and analysis of track also enables early identification of safety issues. Utilising Machine Learning, AIVR automatically identifies key components such as joints, switches, crossings, adjustment switches, welds, and railhead defects, ensuring thorough and efficient track analysis. The corresponding FFV provides context and insight into interconnecting features. These insights are central to asset longevity and performance.
With data captured from both the NR Measurement Fleet, such as the innovative driveronly Class 153 Visual Inspection Units covering an increasing amount of the network, and in-service trains adapted to capture more imagery, the wealth of real-world relevant data is increasing, and improving. Track imagery can now be viewed in rapid time from the safety of the desk rather than wholly relying on
manual inspections, often made at night, in poor weather or within tight possession windows.
As is well understood, these manual inspections are not only resource-intensive and disruptive to train operations, but they also expose staff to significant hazards; slips, trips, live rails, and passing trains. Reducing this time on site, taking boots off ballast, and increasing the outputs and range of what this data can monitor is a clear example again of the digital journey that the industry is on to increase safety and improve performance.
Inspections of tunnels, bridges, overhead line equipment, and signals also involve working in confined or difficult-to-access areas, further complicating the process and increasing the danger to those on site. These challenges have similarly led to a wider data capture requirement and smarter ways to manage and review this imagery.
In the industry’s response to climate change AIVR is also a vital tool. From flash flooding to heat distortion, low adhesion to vegetation overgrowth, seasonal and extreme weather events are putting more pressure on rail assets and operations. Proactively managing climate-related risks requires consistent, network-wide visibility, which is where this imagery adds huge value.
Continuous, remote monitoring helps teams observe the impact of weather, seasonal vegetation growth, and asset deterioration over time, so risks can be managed before they escalate. Low adhesion, for example, continues to be one of the network’s most persistent and hazardous seasonal issues.
AIVR enables automated detection of contaminated railheads using line-scanning imagery, helping teams to identify trouble spots early and deploy treatments with greater precision, strengthening both incident prevention and significantly reducing the amount of hours mobile operator managers have to drive around and access sites for visual inspection.
maintenance through early detection
AIVR’s combination of video capture and automated machine learning makes it easier to identify faults before they escalate, supporting both proactive and predictive maintenance strategies.
Thermal hotspots, often caused by electrical faults in conductor rails, connectors or cables, are also a strong example. Using thermal cameras mounted on in-service vehicles, AIVR Thermal scans for abnormal heat temperatures and alerts engineers to issues long before they become visible to the naked eye. These temperature anomalies are automatically analysed, classified, and reported back to engineers, enabling proactive response and avoiding emergency failures leading to huge delays in service.
Enhanced collaboration and knowledge sharing
The AIVR Platform is collaborative, and enhances how teams communicate, coordinate, and report safety findings. Features such as image annotation,
additional travel, enhanced understanding of issues, enabled accurate identification of actual status of outside infrastructure
notes and flagging of hazards, as well as exporting video, imagery and reports, enable a common understanding of risks and tasks across roles and locations.
Whether preparing documents for Control of Site Safety briefings, internal works planning, incident review or more, the secure online platform simplifies information access and enhances transparency. Safety-critical findings can be distributed instantly across teams clearly, and be addressed more efficiently.
From an asset manager planning long-term renewals to an operative preparing for a possession shift, this digital approach to communication also supports stronger, data-led safety conversations across site operators, clients and delivery partners, helping to instill a robust safety culture across projects right from the planning stage.
The safety benefits of AIVR are being delivered across the railway industry. Remote inspection allows engineers to assess track conditions, structural assets, and signal visibility from a safe location - minimising exposure to live rails and dangerous environments. This approach not only reduces risk but also increases the pace and scope of inspections; more of the network can be monitored in less time, resulting in faster decision-making and early fault detection.
With continuous monitoring, the AIVR Platform supports a shift away from reactive interventions, and the advances of AI are enabling predictive maintenance that helps rail operators mitigate failures before they occur and model for the future network more efficiently.
By reducing the need for manual site visits, enabling early detection of hazards, enhancing collaboration, and supporting data-driven maintenance, AIVR is one of the cutting edge tools helping the industry build a safer, more resilient railway for staff and passengers alike.
https://onebigcircle.co.uk/
DB Cargo UK has started work this month to fit the new European Train Control System (ETCS) to nine of its Class 66 freight locomotives.
The work, which is being undertaken at DB Cargo’s Toton Traction Maintenance Depot in the East Midlands, is part of the National Freight ETCS Programme, a critical component of the £1.4 billion East Coast Digital Programme.
The initial roll-out of ETCS fitment is being delivered by the East Coast Digital Programme, which will see traditional lineside signals replaced by the new digital in-cab technology.
Siemens Mobility is the East Coast Digital Programme’s chosen partner, responsible for designing, integrating and installing its Trainguard 200 Onboard unit onto freight locomotives, enabling in cab digital signalling on the East Coast Main Line.
DB Cargo UK’s Chief Operating Officer and ERTMS Project Sponsor, Neil Ethell said: “Mobilisation work had been underway at Toton for several months to facilitate the delivery of the new contract. This has seen the installation of a new load bank, wash plant and overhead cranes, as well as
new accommodation to co-locate staff from Siemens Mobility on the site.
“Having recently played a significant part in the ‘first-in-class’ fitment of ETCS on one of our own Class 66 locomotives (66039), which has recently undergone dynamic testing at Network Rail’s Rail Innovation and Development Centre, we are looking forward to continuing our collaboration with Siemens Mobility to install the new technology in further locomotives,” added Neil.
“DB Cargo UK is very proud of the industry-leading role we continue to play in the delivery of ERTMS here in the UK which will deliver a more dynamic, reliable and safer railway for all those who use it.
“It will provide much needed capacity for freight on the East Coast Main Line and other routes and this significant investment in the Class 66 locomotive is a further advancement towards securing the long-term growth of our sector.”
Adrian Stubbs, Director of Rail Infrastructure Portfolio - onboard, Siemens Mobility UK&I, said: “This is a pivotal step in the journey towards digital signalling, and a key part of our mission to transform rail travel and transport on the East Coast Main Line. The integration of ETCS into legacy freight
locomotives is a complex task and I’m incredibly proud to see the collaboration between Siemens Mobility, DB Cargo UK, Network Rail, and our industry stakeholders.
“This collaborative progress is propelling us towards a wider rollout, which will eventually unlock significant benefits such as increased capacity, reduced maintenance costs, and improved reliability for freight operations.”
Emily Woodward, Network Rail’s Senior Sponsor (Freight) for ECDP, said: “We’re pleased to get another set of fitment work underway for Britain’s principal fleet, the Class 66. There has been excellent collaboration across the sector to progress the design and it’s important we move forward the vital work of getting locos fitted. Fitting ETCS to freight locos is challenging due to the age and complexity of the vehicles, but with another depot getting work underway we’re building our capability.”
The first of DB’s locomotives to be fitted will be 66070.
For further information, contact DB Cargo UK’s Head of Communications Richard Sears at richard. sears@deutschebahn.com or on 07716 691193.
HS2 has completed a 749-metre realignment of the River Cole in Warwickshire – the most signifi cant scheme of its kind on the project
HS2 has completed a major river enhancement in Warwickshire, which at 749 metres is the most significant realignment of a natural river on the project.
The re-naturalisation of the River Cole near Coleshill in Warwickshire aims to improve the existing river environment by creating more meander bends and enhancing habitats in the river and along its banks to maximise biodiversity.
To build the Birmingham Spur of the Delta Junction, one of the most complex construction areas on the entire HS2 route, a section of the river needed to be permanently realigned to support the construction of two new viaducts and a series of railway embankments.
Simon Casey, HS2 Ltd’s Head of Environment for Main Works Civils said: “As climate change continues to pose challenges, HS2 aims to create solutions that successfully integrate climate resilient infrastructure, environmental preservation and positive community benefit.
“The holistic approach to this River Cole realignment is a shining example of this and it’s incredibly exciting to see what the team has achieved. It is part of our wider Green Corridor programme and will create a valuable learning legacy for the civil engineering profession, providing a replicable model for future projects.”
The realignment project was designed by HS2’s Mott MacDonald SYSTRA Design Joint Venture and delivered by ecologists and engineers working for HS2’s construction partner Balfour Beatty VINCI. In consultation with external stakeholders, including the Environment Agency, the team has created a holistic nature-based design.
Excavation works were completed in 2024 and temporary dams were then removed, allowing the water to flow into the new river section. Since then, the team has been monitoring how the new watercourse is establishing itself in flow, river shape and habitat characteristics.
In addition to environmental improvements, the design integrates recreational spaces and pathways alongside the river, drawing inspiration from the area’s historical use as a boating lake by the Edwardians.
When the area is reopened to the public, communities will be able to enjoy new public spaces such as grassed embankments, footpaths, observation areas and Japanese style stepping stones over water features, which will enrich their experience
of the natural environment around the river. This forms part of HS2’s Green Corridor along the route, creating a network of bigger, better-connected, climate resilient habitats and new green spaces for people and wildlife to enjoy in the future.
Ian Johnson, Project Director at Mott MacDonald SYSTRA Design Joint Venture said: “The River Cole realignment incorporates nature-based solutions, ecological enhancements, infrastructure resilience and environmental conservation which ensures the long-term sustainability of the local ecosystem.
“The multi-stage channel design with varied
asymmetric cross-sections and increased meander bends creates a more natural river environment and more diverse habitat features, which enhances ecological resilience and promotes biodiversity in the area.
“The design not only improves flood resilience and natural river processes, it also contributes to the overall health of the river ecosystem, reduces carbon during construction, and creates public spaces for people to enjoy.”
The two River Cole viaducts, which span the river, are due to be completed later this year.
Cones and the Transpennine Route Upgrade book has recently been highly commended at the Spotlight Rail Awards. The author Chris Madeley discusses the series of books and how they are inspiring young people to pursue careers in the railways and construction industries
Chris Madeley.
Image: Roth Read Photography.
They say you can find inspiration in the most unusual of places and that was certainly the case for Chris Madeley.
Surrounded by traffic cones put in place while a junction was being built just south of Leicester Forest services, she turned to her husband Keith and said: “I wonder what would happen when we’re not looking if the cones went away and had an adventure”.
Chris explained: “While working as an independent financial adviser we spent many a long hour on the M1 motorway travelling from the main office in Bradford to the company’s branch office in Hertfordshire, sitting in road works surrounded by miles and miles of cones. Thus the concept of cones coming alive and having adventures was born.”
She says that by bringing cones to life she has created a means of communicating with children free from the constraints of culture, colour, race, and religion. Within each book she has created, all cones are equal, are everywhere, and have a life of their own.
“The young cones are fascinated by human behaviour and are anxious to learn,” Chris added. “Each story is designed around an adventure that involves being in a situation whereby they need to learn to deal with the fun, but navigate the dangers they encounter while also being aware of the
environment to see what they can do to help minimise or eliminate damage and the potential threat to fauna and flora.”
Since the first book, called Meet the Cones, Chris has gone on to release a further 23, including three specifically related to the railway industry.
Grand Central Railway helped in the research of the award-winning Cones On The Rails, featuring Conecourse Conetroller who teaches how to have fun on the railways but to always keep safe and obey the rules. This book won the Passenger Safety award at the UK Rail Industry Awards in 2017.
Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and BAM Nuttall Joint Venture supported Chris in the creation of Cones and High Speed Rail. In this adventure Conestance, Conerad, Cone-Vera and Conen, with the help of Conector, discover some of the things involved in building a high-speed rail system, looking at tunnelling, environmental protection, road building, site safety and wildlife protection.
More recently Cones and the Transpennine Route Upgrade was released with the support of BAM Nuttall, Amey, Arup, Siemens, Network Rail, Volker Rail, Murphys and Systra. This adventure sees Conestance, Conerad, Cone-Vera and Conen discover amazing things that are involved in the
upgrade of a railway line and rolling stock. The book was recently recognised at the Spotlight Rail Awards 2025, highly commended in the Corporate Social Responsibility category.
Chris said: “It’s been a fantastic experience working with organisations to raise awareness of the dangers of the railways, while at the same time showcasing the wide range of opportunities of working in the rail industry, and particularly highlighting these careers to people of all genders and backgrounds.
“It has also been inspiring speaking to people working in the industry, hearing their stories and the impact they are having. One person who springs to mind is a young woman who was a project manager for the Ashton-under-Lyne work, which involved electrification and heightened bridges. She had already worked in Australia and New Zealand and is a real inspiration for girls to work in the railways.”
Tens of thousands of the books have been distributed to schools throughout the UK, particularly targeted at years three to six. Chris has more ideas for future books about getting more freight onto rail and the recent opening of the Northumberland line, and is looking for organisations to team up with.
For more information, visit https://theconesbooks.co.uk/
Corrosion is often invisible until it’s too late. Sanya Chaudry explains how Tecforce Ltd is tackling one of the most persistent challenges faced by the rail industry head on
While rust on the surface might appear cosmetic, unchecked corrosion can compromise critical components like load-bearing structures.
It affects structural integrity, safety and lifestyle costs, and doesn’t discriminate by age or type of rolling stock.
“Corrosion is often underestimated,” explained Sanya Chaudry, Customer Experience Manager at specialist engineering services supplier Tecforce Ltd. “But in rail, it’s not just about the aesthetics, it’s about operational safety and asset longevity. Small levels of unseen deterioration can cause major service disruptions or, even worse, huge failures.”
The team at Tecforce bring a legacy of innovation and advanced capabilities to the rail industry, built on decades of experience in materials and engineering.
From its evolution out of the materials department of what is now Alstom, Derby, through an MBO led by T Forster in 1994 to an independent leader in rail component repair and overhaul, the journey reflects the organisation’s commitment to quality and excellence.
“Tecforce’s approach to corrosion is proactive and precision-based, involving a combination of diagnostics, repair procedures and protective coatings tailored to rail environments,” Sanya explained.
“We’re constantly innovating in how we detect and treat corrosion. From using non-destructive testing methods to understand the full extent of damage, to engineering repairs that meet both industry standards and real-world expectations, we’re focused on delivering long-term solutions.”
One standout example of Tecforce Ltd’s expertise is a recent project involving the refurbishment of Great Western Railway’s (GWR) Class 57 locomotive 57604. Significant corrosion had affected various areas of the vehicle, particularly the side support panels. GWR had initiated a broader refurbishment programme across multiple CL57 units, uncovering extensive corrosion.
Tecforce was brought in to address the issue, tasked with removing the corroded sections and
replacing them with new material. To enhance the durability of the repairs, the team opted for Corten A, a corrosion-resistant steel, instead of the original low carbon steel used in the vehicle’s manufacture.
“We began by conducting a thorough assessment using Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) methods to determine the full extent of the corrosion,” said Sanya. “Once the affected areas were mapped, we carried out the necessary repairs using our in-house engineering procedures.”
Post-repair, additional NDT inspections were performed to verify the integrity of the work. To complete the process, a high-performance epoxy coating – designed for the harsh weather conditions of the rail industry – was applied to protect the repaired areas.
Tecforce provided a full documentation package for the project, including both pre-repair and postrepair NDT reports, along with a comprehensive repair record.
Putting the foundations in place to reduce corrosion
Sanya adds that corrosion prevention is as much about planning as it is about treatment. Here are key strategies Tecforce recommends to rail operators and manufacturers:
Regular inspection and NDT Scans: Catching early-stage corrosion is critical.
Material selection: Use corrosion-resistant materials in high-risk areas.
Protective coatings: Invest in high-quality paints and coatings with proven resistance to moisture.
Environmental management: Improve drainage and ventilation in vulnerable zones.
Strategic maintenance: Create a data-driven maintenance schedule to reduce long-term exposure.
Sanya said: “In many cases, corrosion is not a materials failure, it’s a maintenance failure. With the right knowledge and preventative strategies much of it is avoidable.
“As rolling stock continues to age and environmental pressures increase, tackling corrosion head-on will be crucial for cost-effective and sustainable rail operations. With engineering leaders like Tecforce providing data-driven, hands-on solutions, the industry is in strong hands.”
Tecforce employs more than 60 people today with sales of over £6 million, occupying 20,000sq ft in Litchurch Lane in Derby.
https://tecforce.co.uk/
In his latest quarterly column, Railway Chaplain Mike Roberts writes about the amazing stories that are out there now, waiting to be told
Iwant you to imagine it’s bedtime for an over excitable three-year-old. After the coercion to get them into bed, and after a very long day, they look you straight in the eye, reach out for your hand and say those magical world-changing words…
“Show me a formatted spreadsheet of tabulated data sortable by multiple fields, with benchmarked data and then represented in multiple types of graphs and charts.”
No? It’s never happened to me either. The line wasn’t ever going to be a call for data, but a call for a story, or probably several stories. Stories matter, and to thrive and understand the world and industry around us we need to embrace master storytellers and the art of the story.
Don’t get me wrong, data is crucial and essential,
Your starting place is always yourself. Your story will shape the story of everyone you meet and come into contact with
but it is also like asking a chronically short-sighted man to enjoy a glorious vista from the top of a mountain. The story is the corrective lens that brings out data into a relevant focus.
When I was a chair of school governors, there was always a focus on the data that could and would be interrogated. It was marked against targets and trends, but the data needed to be read against the stories of the school, and the story of the school was made up of dozens of individual stories of children, staff and the community.
The data says 82 per cent, but the story talks about late booster sessions that pushed three children over the line to the target level, and the story talks about a disruptive situation at home that held a child back from reaching their expected grade. These stories were crucial when Ofsted came knocking and our
stories are crucial for turning detached data into narrative that helps us understand our victories and our defeats.
The data – back to our original metaphor – gives the data of a family of four, a bear, a swamp and some long wavy grass. The data collates the raw facts. The story gets us clapping on our knees that we are, indeed, going on a bear hunt.
Great leaders know the stories of the people in their sphere and great leaders can help shape that story to get more out. Adequate leaders want to see a better size bar in period five than in period four, and the story is secondary. Now, my pet peeve is articles in magazines like this that spend a thousand words describing a problem and never ever offer a solution, leaving me in a confused pit of doomed-ness.
So, how do we use stories to achieve great potential in a world of confusing, conflicting and contextrooted people? I want to suggest we each commit to become storytellers and to do that in three stages.
Your starting place is always yourself. Your story will shape the story of everyone you meet and come into contact with. You have a contagious story and whether that is positive or negative in its energy, it will influence the community around you. If you’re a team leader that might impact four or five people in your team, but if you’re a managing director then – sound the big alarm – your story will affect the stories of an entire organisation.
To understand your own story, you need to be self-aware. It’s an underrated trait that requires us to examine our strengths and our weaknesses and a radical awareness of our own character and emotions.
It is easy to recruit leaders who can demonstrate competence or knowledge, but how much consideration is made during recruitment or continuing professional development processes to help people increase in self-awareness, including crucially recognising what our best contributions to our role involve and recognising our own biases (conscious and unconscious) and prejudices.
There is a huge danger when people think that they don’t bring their own story with them to any processes, decisions or role. In my last column I spoke about speaking up for those whose voices are silenced or ignored, and in the context of today’s piece, we must recognise that before we write anyone else’s story on our page we write it with the paper and ink of our own life and experience.
This whole conversation about self-awareness was hugely formed by a conversation with Lisa, one of my Train Managers in Manchester, around the concept of the Johari Window, considering what about ‘me’ is known to me and known to others.
It produces an image describing the parts of our person that are open to all, our own blind spots, the things we keep hidden from others, and the unknown that is invisible to both ourselves and others. If you’re interested, there’s a number of good sites on the web that explore this.
Taking time to understand ourselves isn’t selfindulgent or a sign of arrogance. It’s a sign of growing to be a better person.
Listen to the stories of others
Your story is great. It’s crucial to own your own story and be able to tell it to explain who you are to others. But it’s never the whole story, and we will only hear the whole story of someone else when we stop and listen. I have to stop myself from pre-narrating someone else’s story with my values, experience and expectations and be ready to hear their story. Listening to the stories of others helps you understand them. It means plaiting together the three strands of the person’s past story, present situation and future aspirations.
I remember growing up with the hard-hitting Christmas TV campaigns that preached the ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ message. As I looked back at some of those videos recently for a seminar I was working on I noted afresh that the campaigns didn’t stick in the memory for data or statistics, but for the hard hitting, life-changing stories.
At a recent conference on trespass and suicide prevention in York, we heard how the stories told by social media influencers have a huge impact, demonstrated by data, on reducing trespass, including testimony like Harrison’s Story. We must teach the facts that a train can take a mile to stop, but we must educate by translating those facts into lifetransforming stories.
People are changed when we listen to others. The world is put most at risk by people who think that either only their story matters, or that they already know all the other stories they need to.
Those people are dangerous and put everyone else at risk. Stories reveal the things about others that we never knew and reveal vulnerabilities we might need to address.
Listen to a police officer talking to a person at risk: the really great PCs I know aren’t just about gathering facts, they’re all about releasing the person to tell them their story.
Amazing things happen when what we learn from the stories of others and when we bring our own stories come together to create a better story. Flour, sugar and eggs are all great but only when they come together in balance do they create an amazing cake.
Our stories combine to create things that are richer for growing through others’ experiences. I grew up in a part of the West Midlands that was over 95 per cent white with little ethnic diversity.
Before I joined the railway my life had given me little meaningful contact with those in the LGBTQ+ community, and now, looking at the stories I’ve shared with people different to me, I can look at how I am a better person and a better member of the railway family for it.
When our stories collide, and are told openly and in a safe and protected way, we find a result with an outcome greater than the sum of its parts. A great TV series is more than a selection of individual characters; a great musical composition brings out more than the instruments within.
Stories are the runway for a life without a ceiling. Stories liberate and stories inspire.
Keep your story living. Never ever conclude a story and write ‘THE END’. Your story will outlast you. Your
Allow the stories of others to make yours a better one and be freed to allow your authentic story to help others
legacy can live on somewhere far after you leave for the final time. As an example, how many of your school teachers can you remember who shaped you by who they were, and not just what they taught you?
Allow the stories of others to make yours a better one and be freed to allow your authentic story to help others. In a world where we are looking for hope, let us birth new hope through the amazing stories that are out there now, waiting to be told.
Here’s to a railway filled with storytellers. www.x.com/birdsnestsblog www.railwaymission.org
A specialist in rail depots and compressed air systems, Airquick Newark Limited delivers a range of products and services to rail organisations across the UK. sales@airquick.co.uk www.airquick.co.uk 01636 640480
Founded in 1994, Angel Trains UK Ltd is one of the country’s leading train leasing companies.. enquiry@angeltrains.co.uk www.angeltrains.co.uk 02075 920500
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A multi-disciplinary consultancy with over 20 years of rail experience, Frankham Consultancy Group specialises in depot, station, and infrastructure design. marketing@frankham.com www.frankham.com 02083 097777
High Speed Rail Solutions Limited has a simple mission – to safely integrate rail projects and mitigate the risks associated with engineering changes to operational infrastructure. Damon.High@HSRsolutions.co.uk www.hsrsolutions.com 07496 822967
Jobson James Rail is a national specialist railway insurance broker, the market leader in the UK by a huge margin with over 1,000+ rail clients across the UK, Middle East and Australasia. keven.parker@jjrail.co.uk www.jjrail.co.uk 07816 283949
Fabrikat is an innovative engineering solutions manufacturer and services provider. sales@fabrikat.co.uk www.fabrikat.co.uk 01623 442200
Heatrod Elements is the UK’s leading manufacturer of heating elements and associated process heating equipment for industrial heating applications. info@heatrod.com www.heatrod.com 01617 273713
Hitachi Rail Limited is the UK operation for global transport specialist Hitachi Rail. rail.enquiries@hitachirail.com www.hitachirail.com 02039 044000
Specialising in the provision of overhead electrification and rail services, we are a trusted supplier offering clients a flexible and valued working relationship. info@krauseandhall.co.uk www.krauseandhall.com 07854 440574
At Lontis, we build realistic multi-user hands-on virtual training spaces for professionals built to run on common mobile devices. contact@lontis.com www.lontis.com 01143 089379
Its expert teams deliver a range of rail engineering consultancy and advisory services, working across 35 global offices. www.mottmac.com 02087 742000
Netcall enables businesses to lower costs and improve the customer experience with collaborative CX. David.oliver@netcall.com www.netcall.com 03303 336100
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PACE Networks Limited works to connect major European manufacturers and the UK and Ireland’s railway electrification and power distribution and transmission markets. info@pace-networks.com www.pace-networks.com 01285 323525
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Mark Anderson has become permanent Customer and Commercial Director at CrossCountry having held the role on an interim basis since July 2024. He has worked across commercial, marketing and customer experience strategy for rail operators in both the UK and Norway, culminating in more 10 years’ experience in the industry
‘Maintaining
How does it feel to be appointed permanent Customer and Commercial Director?
I’m thrilled to be in the post on a permanent basis. During the past year I’ve learned a lot about our operations and about the challenges we need to overcome to deliver continuous improvement for our customers.
We have a lot of work to do and I’m determined to make a difference as the ultimate customer champion at CrossCountry. I’m excited about the journey ahead of me and I feel a huge responsibility to deliver on what our customers and colleagues deserve. That won’t be easy by any measure but I have a strong and committed team around me, which is why I am so happy to be in the role permanently.
What have you learned in the past year as interim and how has that shaped your vision for the future?
What I’ve learned over the past year is that building trust and meeting customer expectations is exceptionally hard to do but this is exactly what motivates me.
CrossCountry is a complex operation with multiple industry partners and stakeholders, which requires agile thinking and innovation. Some of our routes are amongst the longest in the UK and are vital for regional connectivity across the three nations which
I’m committed to playing my part in supporting that modal shift by retaining our existing customers and attracting new passengers with great value fares, comfort, control and seamless multi-modal
connectivity
means our customer base is diverse.
What I’ve learned is that we need to offer a train service that meets the needs of all our customer group, whether that is business travellers commuting between Edinburgh and Newcastle; friends travelling together to events in Birmingham and Bristol; students heading back to study in Oxford and Manchester, or families on holiday in Bournemouth and Penzance.
The CrossCountry network is vast and our customers deserve a great experience every journey.
What is the key in building a more customer-focused and commercially sustainable future?
For me the way forward is clear but the challenge is maintaining focus and momentum when operational demands take over. What I’ve learned from over a decade in rail are two things: firstly, paying forensic attention to the customer journey which highlights all the pain points that need to be fixed.
I’m obsessed with customer data and putting myself into our customers’ shoes so I can gain a deep understanding and empathy with the lived experience of our passengers. This means I can be the voice of the customer wherever I go and ensure that the customer is at the heart of the decisions we take.
Secondly, I’ve discovered my fundamental belief in the potential of the railway to connect people to opportunities. When we travel together by bus and
rail, rather than individually in cars, there’s a huge payback in terms of societal benefits. I’m committed to playing my part in supporting that modal shift by retaining our existing customers and attracting new passengers with great value fares, comfort, control and seamless multi-modal connectivity. This is what sustainable growth means to me.
What do you see as the biggest challenges and how will you overcome them?
One of the biggest points of differentiation at CrossCountry is that we don’t manage any stations and have very few colleagues based at stations. This is quite unique in our industry and does mean that looking after our passengers on the full customer journey is a challenge; that’s why I’m keen to find new ways to collaborate with our station partners and with Network Rail on continuous improvement. Another challenge is our overall customer satisfaction scores, which we need to improve. Customer satisfaction is driven down by crowding, which is a challenge we face on certain flows across
Global engineering consultancy Egis Group has appointed Charlie Hodgson as CEO for Europe and Africa as part of the business’s commitment to driving growth through technical excellence.
At Egis, Charlie will look to expand the firm’s breadth of services by increasing its efforts to disseminate skills, talent and knowledge between the regions and sectors. Charlie brings more than two decades of international experience in transportation, infrastructure, operations and maintenance (O&M), and consulting. He transitions into the role having spent almost five years as the Executive Managing Director for a Tier 1 infrastructure consultancy’s transport and infrastructure business.
He said: “We are on a mission to be recognised as the market leader for technical excellence and employability across the two regions. To achieve this, establishing a network that spans the global business will be key. This will help us to foster the next generation of sector specialists who have a crucial role to play in delivering exciting projects that support the sustainable futures of the communities we live in.”
our network. The complexity here is that we are delivering truly long-distance routes – such as the 256-mile Bournemouth to Manchester journey. This also includes busy short hops such as Coventry to Birmingham.
We need to manage seat reservations and walk-ups carefully to ensure we get the balance right for passengers who need both the comfort of a reserved seat and the convenience of a turn-upand-go railway. Our commercial strategy seeks to deliver both at the same time as analysing passenger demand trends to support our aims to increase train capacity in the medium term.
How will your previous experience, particularly your time working in Norway, help in the current role?
Having worked on commuter and high-speed rail in the UK and on long-distance services in Norway I have lots of experience to call on.
During my time at Southeastern I was part of the team who successfully oversaw huge leisure growth
Vernon Everitt has been announced as Transport for Wales’ new Chair.
Vernon is currently Transport Commissioner and Chair of Transport for Greater Manchester and is also an existing Non-Executive Director on the Transport for Wales board.
He brings to the role a wealth of experience having previously worked as a Senior Executive at Transport for London, where he was responsible for improving customer service and driving up journeys and revenue on the public transport network. More recently he was involved in work to franchise the bus network in Manchester.
Vernon said: “I look forward to working with the Cabinet Secretary, the TfW team and our stakeholders to make sure that further improvements to transport are felt across Wales.
“There is a huge programme of delivery ahead of us, including bus franchising, Network North Wales, completion of the South Wales Metro and continuing to deliver better rail services. These and other improvements will help support economic growth and access to homes, jobs and opportunity across the country.”
on HS1, building on what is a brilliant customer experience. Likewise, Norway was the place I first worked across sleeper trains, catering and first class, as well as competing with fast and direct coach services.
That said, it’s CrossCountry customers who I’m 100 per cent focused on now and I can’t wait for our customers to experience some of the improvements we have in the pipeline.
Are you excited for the future?
Absolutely! I am excited, but I also feel accountable and want to make sure that I do the very best job that I can.
In May this year we introduced our new timetable, which included improved connectivity and 28,000 additional seats every week. We’ve also seen the delivery of the first of our refurbished Class 170 Turbostar trains, with the Voyager fleet refurbishment due to start in autumn. So yes, I am excited about what the future holds and I hope to bring more exciting updates in the coming months.
Network Rail has appointed Jeremy Westlake as its next Chief Executive, replacing Sir Andrew Haines who will be retiring.
Jeremy, who is currently Chief Financial Officer, will formally take up the role in October following a transition period alongside Sir Andrew. In this role, he will oversee the amalgamation of Network Rail with Great British Railways.
Jeremy said: “I’m honoured to be appointed Chief Executive at such a pivotal time for Britain’s railway. I look forward to working with colleagues across the industry to continue building a railway that is safe, efficient, and fit for the future – serving passengers, freight, and communities across the country.”
Network Rail has also appointed Paul Marshall as Chief Financial Officer. Paul, who is currently Group Finance Director, brings a deep understanding of the organisation’s financial operations and strategic goals.
Jeremy added: “Paul’s expertise in financial management and commitment to driving efficiency will be invaluable as we move towards GBR.”
A project has been launched to build the world’s biggest model railway to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the railways. Organiser Nick Corston, CEO at non-profi t STEAM Co, explains how people all over the UK can get involved
Aproject has been launched to build the world’s biggest model railway, with the organisers looking for schools, organisations, clubs and businesses to get involved.
To beat the record STEAM Co says it will need it to be longer than the 208 feet achieved by Pete Waterman’s Making Tracks layout in 2024.
But whether it beats that or not, Nick Corston, CEO of STEAM Co, hopes it will inspire the next generation of rail workers, engineer and inventors, as well as being a fitting way to celebrate 200 years since the birth of the railway.
“In the school assemblies that I run I show a Super 8 film of me when I was one-year-old with my dad and a loop of track, my first ever train set,” he said.
“My dad gave me the greatest gift that day, not just the 10 minutes he spent playing with me and a story to share, but more importantly he helped me find my art and my passion. I became an engineer as well as a model railway fan.”
It is that experience which has driven Nick to engage more people with the world of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM), inspiring the innovators of tomorrow to inject creativity via the arts, from drawing and music to dance and thinking.
In his latest initiative, he is using the industry’s past to inspire the future, while at the same time celebrating 200 years since the birth of the railways. The project is encouraging young people to make, invent and become engineers; create cardboard locos; and build the world’s biggest model railway.
On the last point, Nick said: “We want people to help co-create the world’s biggest model railway by bringing some life, adding stories, colour, models to a length of railway track that we’ll send them in a box file. We’ll plug them all together and show them at a big event in September and maybe even tour the UK with them.”
It’s a fascinating idea and was launched on Easter Sunday, during World Creativity Week, when Nick visited Land’s End with the World’s Smallest Model Railway Exhibition on a table top.
It featured a model of Penydarren Beauty (a real steam loco he used to run in his garden at home), Duck (a push along wooden loco), Hornby No 6 (1950s clockwork loco), D2 (steam engine powered by a candle and water), Intelino (a robot train), and GWR Goods (an N gauge loco and trucks that children can drive themselves).
A week later on Trevithick Day, when a parade
of steam traction engines took to the roads in Camborne town centre and model railways ran in community halls, Nick launched the World’s Biggest Model Railway. He added a box to the front of the loop of an N gauge track and put a call out to schools, communities, clubs, businesses and families to all make a model railway in a box file.
“The inspiration for the project came from Kevin Stadon of Moor Boxes, who I met at the Great Cornwall Model Show last year and who makes complete model railways in box files,” he explained.
“I hope people of all ages get involved. Once you have contacted us we’ll get back to you and send you a box with the track fitted in it for you to create your model around.
“We don’t mind how complex or simple it is and we hope to have a mix of some top end modellers as well as children. What is important to us is that they tell a story, maybe about you or your community, your local station or a journey you have been on, so include photos and writing on the inside of the lid.”
To find out how you can make a box file layout for this project or to support the project in other ways, such as sponsorship, visit www.steamco.org.uk/ourrailway200
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