Rail Director June 2022

June 2022

EXCLUSIVELY FOR RAIL INDUSTRY LEADERS June 2022

Steve Murphy Using rail to transform communities Hannah Kingsley From veterinary nurse to CFO at RSSB Fi Westcough Promoting, inspiring and developing the UK rail industry Darren Caplan Why we should be talking rail up

ANDY BYFORD 22

An engineering and technical triumph

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Introduction

Looking back, moving forward D

uring the recent Jubilee weekend, it was good to see people all over the country celebrating HM The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – a remarkable 70 years on the throne.

Railway stations are often at the heart of their local communities – the places people go to meet loved ones, travel to work or go on holiday. So, it was not surprising that many also became the place to celebrate the Jubilee as station and train operator staff organised parties and family activities. The happy, smiling faces in our photo-report say it all and I want to congratulate all involved.

Rail Business Daily also has an anniversary coming up – in fact, two. The very first Rail Business Daily newsletter was sent out on 4 July 2017 to just over 20,000 rail industry executives, which means we are now approaching our fifth birthday. Since then, our readership has grown to over 73,000, and we publish newsletters six days a week, every week.

When we started Rail Business Daily, we saw it as a service to the industry but had no idea how popular it was going to be. Up to 40,000 people a day read our news stories, our advertisers can receive 300 visits a day from the newsletter’s links and many people I meet at rail events around the country tell me how much they value the news we send them. The second anniversary is this magazine, Rail Director. When we published the first issue in September 2020, people said we were mad to start a new printed magazine. “The world has gone digital,” they told us.

Maybe it has, but the ability to read a magazine on a train, where the Wi-Fi can sometimes be uncertain, or at a worksite at 2am in the morning in the middle of nowhere, added to the ability to really appreciate fullsize colour images, has made it a success.

As we approach issue 24 in August, we are printing more copies than we ever have and advertisers are flocking to be seen in our pages.

In fact, both the Rail Business Daily newsletter and Rail Director magazine have been so successful that we have launched another one of each along the way. Our Rail Insider website looks at stories in more depth and publishes a newsletter once a week, and our Inside Track magazine, which concentrates on the business, governance and engineering of our railways, has just gone monthly.

This success has prompted us to take the RBD model and repeat it for another industry – facilities management (FM). The FM Business Daily newsletter and website are already launched, and FM Director magazine will follow in a couple of months.

This will be my last editorial in Rail Director as our new managing director, Chris Leech MBE, has just joined us from the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB). Chris is a very well-known and experienced rail professional and we are really pleased he has now agreed to join Rail Business Daily.

So, it just leaves me to say “welcome” to Chris and thank you to you, our readers. Please keep in touch with us and let us know if we can help you in growing your business.

Stop press As this edition of Rail Director went to press, the industry and the trade unions were locked in a dispute over pay and conditions in the biggest industrial action for several decades. While we would never offer an opinion either way – it’s not our place to do so – we do hope that the matter is resolved quickly for the benefit of all concerned.

Best wishes

Da vid

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

When you have finished reading this issue of Rail Director, please pass it to colleagues to enjoy or put it in your reception area.

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

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June 2022 | 3

Contents

Crossrail: ‘An engineering and technical triumph’

5

Transport for London commissioner Andy Byford on getting Crossrail over the line and the plans for the future

Using rail to transform communities

10

Steve Murphy, chief executive officer at MTR UK, discusses the business model that could change the industry’s fortunes

News

14

Driving forward a sustainable future

16

From veterinary surgeon to chief financial officer at RSSB, Hannah Kingsley shares her story and aspirations

Global leaders in innovation visit Birmingham for World Congress

20

With 700 delegates, more than 300 speakers, 340 unique sessions, and 600 paper submissions, the World Congress on Railway Research was a ‘resounding success’

Building a diverse, world-class supply chain with SMEs at its heart

24

Robin Lapish, HS2’s senior supply chain manager, on enhancing the visibility of supply chain opportunities

An innovation-friendly environment

26

Milda Manomaityte, Railway Industry Association’s innovation director, on ensuring innovation is at the heart of the future of the UK railway

Promoting, inspiring and developing the UK rail industry

46

Fi Westcough, chair of the Young Rail Professionals, on reconnecting the community post-pandemic and creating a longer-term strategy

Keeping family tradition of steam railways on track

48

Sarah Tagart has been named Lord Faulkner Volunteer of the Year at the Heritage Railway Association Awards.

She explains more about her passion for the industry

An amazing array of activities for Community Rail Week 2022

51

Jools Townsend, chief executive of Community Rail Network, looks back on this year’s Community Rail Week, which focused on encouraging people to give the train a try

‘If we can just save one life, it’s worth it’

52

Laura Campbell, GTR’s suicide prevention manager, explains how dedicated partnerships – and simply talking to people – can make a real impact on the mental health crisis

The industry leaders helping to drive forward National Railway Museum

58

Tim Dunn, Steve Oates, Jo Lewington, Anit Chandarana and Toufic Machnouk have joined the now 12-strong board to provide advice and support

Two-year anniversary for scheme helping people flee domestic abuse

66

New digital signalling on Northern City line tested with first train runs

Naomi and Zara share their stories on the importance of Rail to Refuge on the initiative’s second birthday

We must be positive and ambitious about the future of UK rail

International News

68

First of its kind innovation and technology for a metro system

70

Into the digital realm

31

32

Darren Caplan, chief executive of the Railway Industry Association (RIA), has this month joined forces with Rail Director for a new quarterly column.

A Platinum weekend

36

The nation let its collective hair down and celebrated The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The railway was no exception, with events taking place at stations all over the country

Women in Rail Awards 2022

42

Judges note high-calibre nominations as more than 300 entries received for 10 awards

Vital step forward in the creation of 30-year rail strategy

44

Leader of the GBR Transition Team Andrew Haines thanks everyone for their support in the call for evidence process

Dave Hooper, Siemens Mobility’s director of major programmes, talks about the progress of the new Piccadilly line fleet that will be built in East Yorkshire

‘It’s not what we say, but what our members have to say about us’

72

Eli Rees-King, head of RBD Community, discusses how they are supporting members to take advantage of the opportunities in rail

Movers

74

Work starts on Colne Valley Viaduct

76

Tel: 0800 046 7320 Sales: 020 7062 6599 Managing Editor Nigel Wordsworth nigel@rbdpublications.com Editor Danny Longhorn Designer/Production Manager Chris Cassidy Production Editor James Jackaman Director of Marketing Rachael Dean Subscriptions Danielle Burwood Advertising Team Christian Wiles – chris@rbdpublications.com Freddie Neal – freddie@rbdpublications.com Chris Barnham – chris.barnham@railbusinessdaily.com Amy Hudson – amy@rbdpublications.com Published by RailBusinessDaily.com Ltd. 15 Mariner Court, Calder Park, Wakefield WF4 3FL Printed by Stephens & George © 2022 All rights reserved. Reproduction of the contents of this magazine in any manner whatsoever is prohibited without prior consent from the publisher.

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

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Main c

Crossrail

Crossrail: ‘An engineering and technical triumph’

Transport for London commissioner Andy Byford on getting Crossrail over the line and the plans for the future

I

t has been some journey for Andy Byford in his three decades working in transport, but there have been few prouder moments than the opening of the Elizabeth line. Transport for London’s (TfL) commissioner was at last month’s opening of the line at Woolwich station – one of nine new stations opened as part of the £18 billion project (the tenth, Bond Street, set to open later this year) – as thousands flocked to the capital to travel on the Class 345 trains.

“I’m super proud of my team who have delivered this and just so happy to see the reaction of my customers who are absolutely amazed at the speed of the service, the beauty of the stations, and the smoothness and quietness of the ride,” he told Rail Director.

“This is a true game changer for London, an engineering and technical triumph; what we have is the best line in the world.”

Andy should know having held high-profile roles in Canada, Australia and America. Prior to becoming commissioner of TfL in 2020 he was president and chief executive officer of New York City Transit Authority, where he was responsible for 50,000 staff and devised a $40 billion fiveyear investment plan to renew the city’s transport.

Despite the success in America, the opportunity to return to London – where he held a number of roles at London Underground between 1989 and 2003, from a graduate trainee through to a general manager of customer service at the Bakerloo, Central and Victoria lines – proved too much of a draw.

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Crossrail

“Having started my career at London Transport back in 1989 the opportunity to return as transport commissioner for the city I love so much was too good to miss,” said Andy, who grew up in Devon.

“However, taking over in 2020 posed a number of challenges, not least starting in the middle of a global pandemic, but also in ensuring the Crossrail project was opened safely and reliably as soon as possible.”

The sheer scale of what has been achieved shouldn’t be underestimated. It has been one of the biggest railway infrastructure projects in Europe, beginning in 2009 and involving more than 15,000 people and more than 120 million working hours.

Connecting London and the south east The Elizabeth line stretches more than 100km from Reading and Heathrow in the west through central tunnels across to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east, and will serve 41 accessible stations. But a project of such magnitude hasn’t come without its problems, with the line opening several years later than originally planned and costing several billion pounds more than initially estimated.

Shortly after Andy joined as commissioner, the project was handed over from Crossrail Ltd to TfL, the operator and maintainer of the railway, as it entered its complex final stages.

“It was essential that TfL took over the project and this was no reflection on the outgoing Crossrail board, they did a good job picking it up in difficult circumstances in 2018, but the chief

This project has been an incredibly complex system with three signalling systems, new trains and all new technology executive Mark Wild was torn between having to report on the projects and trying to get the job done,” said Andy.

Views on the Elizabeth line Peter Hogg, Arcadis’ UK cities director: “It’s almost like they planned it this way; London’s long awaited signature rail project, 20 years in the planning and three-and-a-half years late, finally opened to passengers on the eve of the eponymous monarch’s unprecedented Platinum Jubilee.

“The recent challenges of the Crossrail programme are all too well documented; headlines have been made – and careers unmade – by the delays and the cost over-runs and there will, no doubt, be a story or two yet as the various inevitable reviews take place.

“For all that, I expect the Crossrail narrative is about to fundamentally change. There will be a flurry of breathless headlines about the size, speed and efficiency of the line – and the odd naysayer griping about something no doubt.

“I am certain though, that we’ll soon settle into a collective narrative that the line is ‘just what London needs’, turning to ‘why did we wait so long?’, turning to ‘how did we manage without it?’.

It was ever thus with these sorts of projects – name me one piece of transport infrastructure where people say ‘we didn’t need that’ – and this will be the critical point at which we pivot from ’Crossrail’ being a drag on London’s transport infrastructure ambitions to ‘the Elizabeth line’ being their greatest cheerleader.

“If London wants to remain an inclusive, vibrant, growing global city; one of the best places in the world to live, visit, relax and do business, it needs the world-class infrastructure to support it.

“For too long Crossrail’s problems have choked the conversation on the need for Crossrail 2, the Bakerloo line extension, the digital signalling upgrades to all London Underground lines and a whole host more. Now the Elizabeth line will be that investment’s most vocal champion and London will become a better global city for it.”

6 | June 2022

“I just knew that we could apply the wider expertise of TfL and I could buffer him by letting me deal with the politics and all the performance meetings and accountability meetings.

“I knew people who we could bring in to help get the job finished. We brought in a stations delivery specialist I worked with in Toronto – he helped power the stations across the finish line.

“Lessons that will be taken into future projects will be the importance of getting your scope absolutely locked down from the start, getting the budget secure to reflect that scope and keeping the design as simple as possible.

“But one thing I would emphasise is that this project has been an incredibly complex system with three signalling systems, new trains and all new technology. It has been a fantastic achievement.”

Post-pandemic recovery The new line is set to be crucial to London’s recovery from the pandemic, helping avoid a car-led recovery by providing new journey options, supporting regeneration across the capital, and adding an estimated £42 billion to the UK economy.

Twelve trains per hour are currently operating between Paddington and Abbey Wood from Monday to Saturday 6.30am to 11pm, with work continuing in engineering hours and on Sundays to allow a series of testing and software updates in preparation for more intensive services from the autumn.

Work is ongoing at the Bond Street Elizabeth line station, with it due to open later this year. railbusinessdaily.com

Crossrail

Andy said: “The Elizabeth line will help transform life and travel in London and the South East by dramatically improving transport links, cutting journey times, providing additional capacity, transforming accessibility with these spacious, uncluttered new stations and walk-through trains.

“The next steps will be to finish off Bond Street station in the autumn and get that open, and concurrently enabling journeys to go from the east from Shenfield through the tunnel to Paddington and from the west, Heathrow and Reading to Abbey Wood, all without having to change at Paddington.

“That will open up more customer journeys, which turns on the real revenue stream, and that is the penultimate phase before the last bit – joining up the whole thing in May 2023. That’s what will see passenger numbers really pick up.”

Views on the Elizabeth line Darren Caplan, chief executive of the Railway Industry Association (RIA): “The Elizabeth line really is an exceptional achievement for TfL, government and the UK railway industry. It is a bold project that will not only transform how passengers travel across London, but it will also boost economic growth for the capital and the country as a whole.

“Railway businesses from all over the UK have played a key role in making this landmark project happen, whether train manufacturing in Derby, station construction in the East Midlands, signalling expertise from Chippenham and Stockport, or telecoms in London. Furthermore, the scheme has supported thousands of skilled railway jobs and significant investment in other parts of the economy beyond rail. With passengers now returning there is a strong long-term future for rail, and the Elizabeth line will make that future even brighter.”

Looking ahead Andy added: “We have pared back the numbers that forecast ridership for 2026 from 250 million to maybe 200 million, but you never know. As London and the wider UK recovers from COVID and as offices begin to repopulate, we may have underestimated. I know this line will be a success.”

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June 2022 | 7

Crossrail

With Crossrail open, Andy’s attention now turns to a long-term funding settlement between TfL and the Department for Transport and the potential of Crossrail 2 – a proposed rail route in South East England, running from nine stations in Surrey to three in Hertfordshire, which was mentioned by Prime Minister Boris Johnson last month.

Views on the Elizabeth line John Dickie, chief executive of London First, said: “By connecting airports, offices, homes, shops and leisure activities more quickly, easily and accessibly, the Elizabeth line will be transformative for Londoners and visitors alike.

“This project is a clear demonstration of what can be achieved when business and all levels of government work together for the good of the national economy.

“With a quarter of carbon emissions coming from transport and the project’s supply chain contracts awarded up and down the country, it is an investment in both a net zero future and levelling up. The Elizabeth line is a project the whole country can be proud of.”

Crossrail 2 Andy added: “The work on Crossrail 2 is well advanced with the designs at an advanced stage, with the route safeguarded. The work that we’ve done to date is immaculately archived so basically it can be dusted off at a moment’s notice and certainly when the Prime Minister mentioned he was keen to push on with Crossrail 2 I added into the mix the Bakerloo line extension, so let’s see where we go.

“Next on the to do list for me is to get a long-term capital deal secured for TfL. We’re aiming for a minimum of three years.

Government has recognised the benefit of settling with TfL on a long-term capital basis, but there’s a lot of negotiating to be done before then. Now Crossrail is open that gets my full attention.”

Timeline of the Elizabeth line S ince World War II, many proposals for an east-west railway under London were made and developed, culminating in the first full Crossrail scheme being submitted to Parliament in 1991. That scheme did not pass the committee stage, but the safeguarded route was used for the central section of a revised scheme recommended by the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) London East West Study in 2000. joint venture between the Strategic Rail Authority and Transport for London (TfL) was set up in 2001 to promote the project. Outline design, A consultation and business case development led to a scheme ready to submit to Parliament. he Crossrail Bill was submitted in February 2005. Scrutiny in Parliament reinstated Woolwich station, which had been dropped during T development. The Crossrail Act received Royal Assent in July 2008. development agreement between TfL and the Department for Transport as joint sponsors established Crossrail Limited and the formal start of A construction for Crossrail was marked at Canary Wharf on 15 May 2009. he main construction phase was launched in 2011. Tunnelling for the new rail tunnels began in May 2012 and was completed in May 2015. Eight T tunnel boring machines (TBM) created the new tunnels under London with further works on stations, platform tunnels, shafts and portals continuing after TBM tunnelling finished.

I nstallation of railway systems such as track, power and signalling began once the tunnels were ready in 2015. Systems were also fitted into stations and other structures, then tested and commissioned as an overall system.

I n 2015, TfL Rail services were introduced from Liverpool Street to Shenfield, operated by MTR Elizabeth line. MTR is accountable for the provision of train drivers, station staff and control room operators and will continue to work alongside TfL colleagues to provide the service across the Elizabeth line.

In 2016, Her Majesty the Queen visited Bond Street station and the railway was renamed the Elizabeth line.

In 2017, the first of the new Elizabeth line trains was introduced between Liverpool Street and Shenfield.

2 018 saw the introduction of TfL Rail services between Paddington and Heathrow (taking over Heathrow Connect) and the introduction of the new Class 345 trains between Paddington and Hayes and Harlington. Then, in 2019, TfL Rail services commenced between Paddington and Reading with new Elizabeth line trains.

Extensive commissioning of the railway commenced in spring 2021 when trial running began, and trial operations began in November 2021.

The Elizabeth line opened on 24 May 2022 with full services across the entire route due to be introduced by May 2023.

8 | June 2022

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I n sFue raat nu cr e

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

Why do I need directors’ liability insurance?

T here are three heads of cover under directors’ liability insurance: cover for directors (and senior management), corporate entity and employment tribunals cover (called employment practices liability).

The policy is mainly a pot of money to fund legal defence against regulator actions arising from a suspected breach of statute committed either by the business leaders themselves or by the company.

Our rail clients buy this policy mainly because they fear regulators will prosecute the directors and their other senior staff personally for breach of the law arising from a serious accident on the railway, whether fatal or not.

In recent years, a serious accident suffered by a track worker on site had many contributing factors, including alleged failures

Clare Brecknell, Dip CII

by the safety-critical staff employed to prevent such an accident. The policy cover provided expert legal defence to the various business owners and operators involved, from the moment they began dealing with the police and the rail regulators investigating the accident.

Legal defence was provided right through the process, up to and including the point of court prosecution. The accident involved three labour agencies, an on-track

plant hire company, several Tier 2 contractors and a major Tier 1 principal contractor.

Directors’ liability policies also provide legal defence for investigations by other regulators, including the Environment Agency and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), which may, for example, launch an investigation into whether a director might have taken profits from a business.

These regulators have legal powers and can impose large fines and custodial sentences. If they feel that the blame cannot be pinned on one director, then they may choose to prosecute the company (the corporate entity) instead. In the past, our clients have been successfully defended against HMRC tax investigations; their insurance has paid for consultants who are former HMRC tax investigators to act in our clients’ defence.

The third section of cover picks up all of the costs of employment tribunal claims from staff who seek redress in the courts for constructive dismissal and/or discrimination.

If the rail business loses the case, then the policy pays for legal costs on both sides and also the cost of compensation.

Insurers give wide-ranging free legal advice as part of the cover and service and these policies are now an essential part of a comprehensive insurance risk transfer programme for railway companies.

Clare Brecknell, Dip CII, Client Director, Jobson James Rail.

Contact Clare on 07794 019669.

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People

Using rail to transform communities

Steve Murphy, chief executive officer at MTR UK, discusses the business model that could change the industry’s fortunes

T

he impact of the Crossrail programme goes far beyond the improvements to the transport links in London and the South East. It is adding an estimated £42 billion to the UK’s economy, and driving regeneration, having been cited as a factor in planning applications equating to around 5.3 million square feet of residential, commercial and retail space.

Steve Murphy, chief executive officer (CEO) of MTR UK, wants to tap into the opportunity rail infrastructure projects are creating. He is driving forward a vision that sees the rail industry capturing value in the transformations created, which could lead to projects happening sooner and more money being invested.

“We are developing ourselves as a different sort of company in the UK’s rail industry, one that brings together railway operations, rail infrastructure and transport-focused property development,” he said. “Operations will always be at the heart of what we do, but we are a company that provides a wide array of solutions capturing the value we create.

“This will start to create a positive cycle where you would see a railway company that is generating passenger demand, with wider value created being invested back into the railway itself.”

A new mindset The vision is based on the model by the Hong Kong-based parent company MTR Corporation, which doesn’t just operate trains but builds railways and stations alongside developing mixed-use commercial, residential and retail properties.

It is something that first came to Steve’s attention while working in marketing at Chiltern Railways during the first Evergreen project.

Towards the completion of the project, estate agents would ring his phone regularly.

“Initially I thought it was because they were rail enthusiasts, but then it dawned on me the reason they were ringing was because this had a significant impact on house prices and they wanted to get ahead of it,” he said.

“During my time working as a general manager for Irish Rail I also experienced how much mobility can transform an area both socially and economically, particularly during the improvements to the Dublin to Cork railway route.”

10 | June 2022

As managing director of London Overground Rail Operations Limited (LOROL), during a joint venture between MTR and Deutsche Bahn, he and the team helped deliver Transport for London’s (TfL) vision to rebuild the Croydon to Dalston section of railway, which was no longer active.

The economic benefits from improving railways is significant, but in the UK the rail industry isn’t getting a share of those benefits “It was just amazing, and within weeks of opening the line, the area started to change and you could see it prosper, new businesses arrive and the area flourish incredibly quickly,” said Steve.

“I’ve constantly been getting this lesson throughout my career and what it tells me is that the economic benefits from improving railways is significant, but in the UK the rail industry isn’t getting a share of those benefits.

“The industry is almost completely dependent on passenger revenue and for a more sustainable

future we need to capture some of that value, after all we are the creators of it. The funding model for the industry can be changed and maybe it will also enable more projects to happen quicker.”

World-class passenger experience A practical example of the MTR vision is the potential redevelopment and revitalisation work proposed at one of London’s major railway stations to expand the concourse considerably and deliver a world-class passenger experience and transport hub. This will be done in partnership with a leading property developer, with a commercial element that will fund the project.

Steve said: “It is breaking this model of recognising we have a clear transport need and having to go to the government to request money to fund this. Our model demonstrates there are other ways of doing this in which we are capturing the value we will create by having a much bigger and better station upfront.

“This links back to the fantastic Rail plus Property model that was developed by MTR in Hong Kong in the 1970s and ’80s. This sees railway development generating land value creation, but that very value creation is captured, at least in part, by the railway and reinvested in the railway. Using this model, our colleagues in Hong Kong have built more than 100 million square feet of developments to date and we’re excited to introduce this to the UK. railbusinessdaily.com

People

“TfL and Network Rail understand the opportunity, but the challenge in the UK context is finding the examples to make it real.

Liverpool Street station is not a completely common opportunity, but one that has required much analysis. I believe there are many other opportunities and following the proof of concept we’ll see more. This will help us move towards a more sustainable funding model for the industry going forward.”

Funding solutions Steve has been involved in the railways for three decades, becoming CEO of MTR UK in October 2020, a then newly created entity that replaced MTR Europe, a subsidiary of MTR Corporation. His remit includes responsibility for all rail, infrastructure, property, and business development activities in the UK. “The future for railways in the UK is incredibly bright but an important part in ensuring that is finding ways of funding projects in a different way,” he said.

“The industry needs to find some of its own solutions to assist government because it is not realistic to expect the whole industry to be entirely publicly funded forever.

Steve’s career has seen him travel the world seeing first-hand how rail systems work in different countries. His previous roles in the UK include chief operating officer at Arriva Group, managing director of LOROL, and managing director at Chiltern Railways.

The Elizabeth line is definitely the biggest challenge I’ve ever been involved in “I absolutely love my current role at MTR UK,” he said. “It has enabled me to bring together my previous experience of initially working in the commercial side of things and then in operations.

“I have been given a remit to build the business commercially in the UK, but the base of it all is about strong operational capability – that is the seam that runs through all the other areas.

“In property development we bring credibility and expertise because we understand operations and how to complete projects with minimal disruption to passengers, while keeping the railways operating safely and reliably.

“We also benefit from close collaboration with our other international MTR hubs, working with incredibly talented teams. We find that wherever we go around the world some of the challenges for the railway are very common and there’s much to be learned about resolving issues that can be shared.”

An exciting moment In a career of so many highlights, the opening of the Elizabeth line last month has been an unforgettable experience for Steve. Prior to taking on the CEO role he was managing director of MTR Elizabeth line and led the company since it was awarded the concession to operate the line’s services across London on behalf of TfL. “The opening of the Elizabeth line was incredibly exciting. The closest thing I’ve ever experienced to opening day were the 2012 Olympics,” he said.

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June 2022 | 11

People

“The Elizabeth line is definitely the biggest challenge I’ve ever been involved in, with the technical complexity on another level.

“In many respects it is a fully digital railway; this is the future and we’ve been pioneers of turning it into an operational railway, alongside our partners.

“So many things in the Crossrail project went into unchartered territory. It has been an exceptional team effort with a massive amount of public warmth and support.

“It is early days and we’ve got a long way to go, but it has been a great start and I can’t praise all my colleagues enough for their efforts.”

Leading from the front One aspect of Steve’s management that has followed him throughout his career has been an importance of spending time helping out on the frontline and meeting colleagues face to face. He was there at the opening of the Elizabeth line, keen to speak with everyone from drivers and station colleagues to controllers and cleaners.

“I love being on the frontline, it is by a distance the best part of my job,” he said. “The opening of the Elizabeth line was a brilliant opportunity to talk to people and as was said to me early on in my career, ‘management by walking about’ is as true a concept today as it ever has been.

“People who deliver the frontline railway

12 | June 2022

Wherever we go around the world some of the challenges for the railway are very common always receive a great deal of respect from me because the railways are a joy to be associated

with when they are going well, but when they don’t go so well those frontline roles become even more demanding in a way that unless you’ve done it, it’s hard to appreciate.

“For me personally reflecting on my career so far, I’m really proud of what I’ve achieved and do feel I’ve been extremely lucky with the opportunities and support I’ve been given along the way.

“The railway has a great tradition of looking after and nurturing their talent, which gets passed on from generation to generation. I hope I can do the same and play my part in helping the industry and its people to thrive.”

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News

ORR data: Reston sees first passenger train Britain’s service in more than 50 years railway one of the safest A in Europe

T

he Office of Rail and Ro a d (O R R) has published new data showing that Britain continues to have one of the safest railways in Europe.

ORR’s analysis found Britain ranks first for ‘whole society’ safety risk, which combines the overall average number of fatalities and serious injuries across five risk categories for passenger, employee, level crossing user, trespasser, and other risks.

For passenger safety risk, ORR reports that Britain ranks eighth overall but performs favourably compared to other European countries against similarly large railway networks.

Fo r e m p l o y e e s a f e t y risk, Britain is third when compared to other European countries.

The only countries with a lower average number were Ireland and Finland, which have considerably smaller rail networks.

Britain was also third for level crossing user safety risk; the only countries with a lower average number were Ireland and Switzerland.

For trespasser safety risk, Britain is fourth compared with other European countries behind Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Slovenia.

The rail regulator’s report assessed the safety performance of Britain’s mainline railway and the achievement of safety targets and concluded there was acceptable safety performance in 2020.

14 | June 2022

fter a break of more than half a century, people living in the East Berwickshire region were reconnected by rail once again following the start of services to the newly constructed Reston station.

To mark the historic occasion, the first train to call at the new station, a TPE Nova 1 (train number 802212), was named ‘St Abb’s Head’ after the picturesque Scottish National Trust reserve located just a few miles away.

Matthew Golton, managing director of TransPennine Express (TPE), who was among TPE customers on the first rail journey to Reston, said: “This is a landmark day for Reston – and for TPE – and we’re delighted we’ve been able to work with our partners to help connect communities in the Scottish Borders.

“We’re excited to welcome the hundreds of future travellers who have already purchased advanced

tickets and look forward to the part TPE will play in providing new leisure and commuting opportunities for the local community.”

Eileen Anderson, 84, a local resident who worked in the ticket office of Reston Station in 1962, was invited to the opening by TPE, who made her an honouree member of the team for the day, and she was there to witness the first services arriving at the station.

Transport Minister Jenny

Gilruth MSP, who travelled on one of the first TransPennine Express services from Edinburgh, said: “Thanks to the Scottish Government’s investment of £20 million, rail services are returning to Reston station. I am delighted to be celebrating the re-opening of Reston, connecting another part of the Scottish Borders to Scotland’s rail network.

“For the first time since 1964 the people of Reston and Berwickshire will have rail connectivity.”

Green milestone for HS2 with first diesel-free construction site H

S2 Ltd has announced its first completely dieselfree site is the Canterbury Road Vent Shaft site in South Kilburn, where HS2’s civils contractor Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture (SCS JV) have introduced a range of dieselfree technologies and greener equipment.

The project aims to be net zero carbon from 2035, with the target of achieving its first diesel-free construction site in 2022, and all of its construction sites being dieselfree by 2029.

HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson said: “HS2 is boosting

transport across the UK, creating thousands of jobs and levelling up communities throughout the North and Midlands, all while leaving the environment better off than how we found it.

“This, the first of many dieselfree sites, is another example of how the country’s biggest infrastructure project not only delivers on its commitment to be net zero from 2035, but is a pioneer in leading the whole industry to cleaner, greener construction.”

Innovations on this site include one of the UK’s first 160-tonne emissions-free fully electric crawler cranes; the use of biofuels (hydrogenated vegetable oil) to power plant and machinery on site; an electric compressor; and access to mains power on a 100 per cent renewable energy tariff. railbusinessdaily.com

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People

Driving forward a sustainable future

From veterinary surgeon to chief financial officer at RSSB, Hannah Kingsley shares her story and aspirations for the future

H

aving held a wealth of high-profile financial roles in the rail industry at the likes of Network Rail and Rail Delivery Group, Hannah Kingsley will no doubt be a safe pair of hands as chief financial officer (CFO) at the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB).

She is professionally trained to care, although two decades ago her skills were more applicable to dogs, cats, hamsters and snakes, when she was working as a small animal veterinary surgeon.

“When I started out working as a vet, I absolutely believed I would be doing it forever, but I took a break from that job and never went back,” she said. “It wasn’t a decision I made lightly, but sometimes you have to be brave and take opportunities, which in the end has been the right thing for me.

“Working in the rail industry I’ve found a career that I find satisfying, enjoyable and a challenge, with a lot of opportunities, particularly now when I can have an influence at such a pivotal time for the rail industry.

“I genuinely believe that the industry is being given a unique opportunity to deliver a more joined up and efficient approach, to modernise and drive forward a sustainable future. I’m enjoying getting stuck into the challenges ahead.”

Changing directions So how do you go from veterinary surgeon to CFO at RSSB? For Hannah it all started with a grand plan to sign up to an accountancy scheme training course, to gain business experience, with a view to later buying into a veterinary practice.

“I thought it would help me understand the finances and how business works, but my initial intention was to join for probably just the first year,” she said. “I absolutely loved it, flew through the exams with a great group of people and decided to stay for a second and then a third year.

“Before I knew it, I was a qualified chartered accountant. I stayed for an extra year and then combined veterinary and finance working for a group of veterinary practices in north London.

After 18 months I had fulfilled the role they needed me to do and it was time to find my next step.”

It was during a discussion with a recruiter about where Hannah would like to work that she mentioned Network Rail, having spent some time there while working as part of Deloitte’s audit team.

16 | June 2022

The industry is being given a unique opportunity to deliver a more joined up and efficient approach “I’d done some accountancy work for Network Rail. I thought it would be interesting working to deliver something like a national railway that has such a real impact on people’s lives.

“An interview for a general group finance role

turned into a role within a small team supporting the Wessex Route, where I spent six months helping to establish the Wessex/South West Trains Alliance, a response to Sir Roy McNulty’s Rail Value for Money Study of 2010.

“That’s how I ended up in rail and from that simple comment of ‘Network Rail looks quite interesting’ my career has grown and I’ve been involved in the railway ever since.”

That was more than a decade ago and since then Hannah has held several roles at the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), including director of commercial service and assurance and head of commercial finance, and at Network Rail as financial controller for several of its business units. railbusinessdaily.com

People

“Small animal medicine was enjoyable but emotionally quite tough, and although it wasn’t my intention to stop, it was just that I found something else I enjoyed more.

“The draw of the railway for me is about the tangible nature of what we’re delivering as an industry, for passengers, for freight, for the economy and communities it supports. I get on a train for work so am delivering a service that I use, my family uses and everyone I know uses, with a real impact on day-to-day lives – which can be a double-edged sword when things aren’t going well.

“What has kept me in the railway is the interest and variability of the work I do.

Finance is a big part of the conversation and I’ve been involved and understand what is going on throughout the businesses that I’ve worked for.

“It is certainly a lot more interesting than sitting in a back corner of an office somewhere crunching numbers.”

Driving improvement Hannah joined RSSB in January this year.

Through research, standards, analysis and insight, the organisation drives improvements in health and wellbeing, and in delivering a safer, more efficient and sustainable rail system.

“The fact that RSSB was identified separately as an organisation in the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail reinforces that our position is vital in the new structure as an independent body,” said Hannah, who has taken over from Paul Marchant.

“I’ve joined at a very interesting time for the business as a whole. During CP6 we have worked hard to broaden the scope of organisations that have access to the products and services we offer through our affiliate member option and we have built strongly on our other commercial workstreams.

The draw of the railway for me is about the tangible nature of what we’re delivering as an industry “We have our core membership and the work we deliver is really focused on providing value to those members, but we also have the large portfolio of research and development work which is grant funded that I find fascinating and is contributing so much to the industry as well.

“My new role is a step up for me as I’ve not been a CFO before so there is a lot to learn, but I’ve joined at a really critical time and I’m excited about being part of the leadership team that takes RSSB into CP7.

“I see the change happening in the rail industry as strongly positive and my biggest hope is that the opportunity is maximised, that we are challenging with ourselves for an output that is significantly different, significantly better.”

An opportunity too good to miss Hannah joined RSSB from Network Rail, where she was finance director for the Anglia Route.

Although she wasn’t looking to move away from Network Rail, she says the opportunity of the CFO role was too good to miss.

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People

“It was one of those opportunities that I thought I should jump on and that I’d really enjoy working in this environment and enjoy the step up into a CFO role and the impact I could have,” she said.

“It hasn’t disappointed and I’m really enjoying the people I’m working with, enjoying the culture and the challenges that I’m facing. There’s lots of new things from a technical point of view and I’m still understanding all the different elements of what RSSB delivers, but I am happy I took on the role.”

The dawn of RSSB RSSB was set up to fulfil a recommendation by Lord Cullen in his Ladbroke Grove Rail Inquiry report following an accident in 1999. Since its foundation, its remit has grown so that it also supports the industry in achieving lower costs, reducing the carbon footprint, and increasing its capacity and customer satisfaction levels.

Hannah said: “We’ve got to make sure we deliver what we said we would in CP6 and alongside that it is about making sure we are properly set up for CP7.

“I thoroughly support that RSSB should stay as an independent advocate, working across the industry as a whole, focused on delivering improvements in health and wellbeing, safety, a more efficient and sustainable rail system.

“There’s a huge amount of value we can continue to add to the industry so the priority is making sure that the elements I can influence, such as the funding model, are robust in allowing us to deliver the maximum benefit and maximum value.

“My biggest deliverable over the next couple of years is going to be ensuring there is a financially sustainable CP7 plan that works for members, the industry and for us as a business.”

Hannah also hopes her achievements and progression in the rail industry will encourage others to pursue a career in the sector.

18 | June 2022

I thoroughly support that RSSB should stay as an independent advocate, working across the industry as a whole As part of this passion, she is also a Women in Rail mentor, offering help and support.

“I’m glad I’ve taken those brave decisions throughout my career and pushed myself out of my comfort zone as it has brought me to a satisfying position where I can have genuine influence,” she said.

“There are a lot of exciting roles in the rail industry and I would definitely encourage everyone, but especially women and finance graduates, to consider a career in the industry.

I didn’t start out thinking I wanted a career in rail, but I took the opportunities and I’ve found a career that is offering me more than I could have imagined.

“I’ve received a lot of support, experienced a lot of people happy to lift me up and who have given me opportunities to show what I can do, to learn and to grow.

“I’m very proud to be in this role at RSSB because I wholeheartedly believe that we deliver a significant and valuable input to the industry. I am confident in the fact that RSSB will have a significant part to play in the future of the rail industry and this role gives me a great opportunity to be part of that.”

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

New era at BTTC as management buy-out completed BTTC, the pioneering infrastructure project consultancy committed to transforming the infrastructure industry, has announced the completion of its management buy-out

From left: Rob Offord, Rhiannon Price and Sam Havill

T

he fast growing consultancy, founded in 2016, has been acquired by its senior team members, who now head up the new management structure.

BTTC’s new board of directors comprises Managing Director Rob Offord, Vice President of BTTC (Canada) Sam Havill, Operations Director Rhiannon Price, Procurement and Supply Chain Services Director Duncan Golding and Commercial Services Director Joshua Smales.

The change in corporate ownership saw BTTC co-founders Kevin McGeever and Nick Spall transfer their equity to the new board.

A strong vision Rob Offord said: “When we founded the company in 2016, it was always contemplated that Nick and Kevin would take a step-back towards the end of the fifth year and facilitate a new management team to take the business forward.

“Over the last six months, the new management team have been working closely with Nick and Kevin to seamlessly transition management responsibilities to the new management team, and those efforts have now completed. railbusinessdaily.com

“Nick and Kevin’s input into the business during our first five years cannot be understated, and without them we would not have the business that we have today.”

Rhiannon Price said: “The strong standing of BTTC in its position at the forefront of collaborative infrastructure delivery is testament to the dedication and commitment of the whole team over the last five years.”

“The new management team are looking forward to steering BTTC into the future” The team will continue to combine its innovative and pragmatic approach to management consultancy, collaboration services and project delivery with extensive experience and expertise.

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In addition to consistent growth in the UK, a number of long-term contract wins across Canada has led to the establishment of a permanent office in Toronto. Headed up by Sam Havill, BTTC (Canada) will grow its team, capability, and capacity to transform infrastructure delivery across North America.

Continued growth Rhiannon Price added: “With an incredibly talented team and a client portfolio we are proud of, the new management team are looking forward to steering BTTC into the future. The strategy for the next five years will see continued growth on an international stage, as we look to transform infrastructure delivery worldwide.”

While the impact of COVID-19 has seen a reduction in the number of management buyouts taking place, BTTC’s transition takes place at a perfect time for the company to move into the next phase of its development and growth.

Building on its co-founders’ successful legacy to drive the business forward, BTTC is now in a strong position to play a widening role internationally as a leading rail infrastructure consultancy.

June 2022 | 19

Wo r l d C o n g r e s s o n R a i l w a y R e s e a r c h

Global leaders in innovation visit Birmingham for World Congress With 700 delegates, more than 300 speakers, 340 unique sessions, and 600 paper submissions, the World Congress on Railway Research was a ‘resounding success’

From left: Professor Clive Roberts (head of the School of Engineering, University of Birmingham), Wendy Morton MP (rail minister), Luisa Moisio (director of research and development, RSSB), University of Birmingham vice-chancellor Professor Adam Tickell and Mark Phillips (chief executive officer, RSSB)

“U

ndeniably, it’s your ideas, your expertise and your innovation that finds the answers to the big questions. That is what takes our railways not only here in the UK, but across the world.”

That was the message from the Rail Minister Wendy Morton, who delivered the ministerial address at the 13th World Congress on Railway Research (WCRR) that took place in Birmingham earlier this month – the first time it’s been held in the UK in nearly 20 years.

Hundreds of delegates joined us from around the world, bringing together their different perspectives and experiences

Inspiring the next generation She said: “It was great to see delegates from across the globe championing innovation and inspiring the next generation of rail professionals.

“It was also wonderful to see the industry, academia and government all coming together to share ideas to reach our common goal of developing, decarbonising and driving forward the railway industry.”

The WCRR, hosted by RSSB and the University of Birmingham, saw delegates from across the global community championing technical development, advocating collaborations and inspiring the next generation of rail professionals to work together on the common challenges faced by railways. Among the topics discussed included zero carbon trains, passenger experience and enhancing rail freight.

20 | June 2022

As part of her visit to Birmingham, Wendy also toured the university’s railway research facilities based in its new UKRRIN (UK Rail Research and Innovation Network) building. The facilities were established to support powerful research and industrial partnerships in digital railway engineering.

“Research and development are accelerating at fast speeds, with hi-tech facilities and a strong focus on education, resulting in some remarkable collaborations,” she said. “So, it was wonderful to see the facilities available in Birmingham which are directly supporting the railway industry, not only in the UK but overseas too.”

The theme of this year’s event was ‘Reshaping our railways post-pandemic: Research with an impact’.

Professor Clive Roberts, head of the school of engineering at the University of Birmingham, said: “It’s safe to say that the 13th World Congress on Railway Research has successfully taken place here in our City of Birmingham. railbusinessdaily.com

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Wo r l d C o n g r e s s o n R a i l w a y R e s e a r c h

“The five-day congress had an excellent turnout of more than 700 delegates from across the globe. We were honoured to host Rail Minister Wendy Morton and the EU ambassador João Vale de Almeida as part of their visits to the congress along with Councillor Ian Ward and many other industrial leaders.

“With more than 300 speakers, 340 unique sessions delivered and over 600 paper submissions, tailored panel sessions and opportunities to network, it was wonderful to see a truly invested interest in rail under one roof.

The conversations and discussions that took place across the week all led to the common goal of improving our railway system, making rail greener, the chosen and most attractive mode of public transport, improving passenger experience and enhancing rail freight tying in nicely with the congress theme of Reshaping our railways post-pandemic: Research with an impact.

“Working with our long-standing partner RSSB to co-host this congress was a great experience and really cements the work we have done together for the railway industry. A great example of what can be achieved through collaboration, something we at the University of Birmingham champion and at our Railway Centre we deliver, therefore a very big thank you to those who attended the congress and made it happen. It was brilliant to see our partners, friends, guests, and future collaborators.”

A truly global event WCRR, the world’s largest international congress on railway research, was founded by SNCF (France), Deutsche Bahn AG (Germany), Trenitalia (Italy), Railway Technical Research Institute (Japan), RSSB (UK), Association of American Railroads (USA), and International Union of Railways.

22 | June 2022

Since the first event in France in 1994 it has continued to provide a platform for railway technical development and for discussion into the future direction from the management perspective of the world’s railway research, addressing everyone from railway companies to industry and research institutions.

Luisa Moisio, director of research and development at RSSB, said: “The 13th WCRR was a resounding success and I’m incredibly proud to see everybody’s hard work pay off.

It was a fantastic week, with a varied mix of exhibitions, presentations, plenary discussions and technical visits on new railway research, development, and technical innovation.

“Hundreds of delegates joined us from around the world, bringing together their different perspectives and experiences and informing in-depth discussions on the challenges facing the railways in a postCOVID world.

“Through our research and development, building on the success of WCRR, RSSB is committed to helping the industry in Great Britain to make vital improvements that will increase the reliability, efficiency, and sustainability of the railway, delivering more value to its passengers and freight customers while maintaining its good safety performance.”

Achievements Carlo Borghini, executive director, Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking, said: “It has been a great pleasure to support the WCRR 2022 here in Birmingham and share our vision. WCRR is the opportunity to really show to the global rail research community what we have achieved in Europe in the past five years under the Shift2Rail programme, but also to learn from one another and offer the possibility to work together in the future under Europe’s Rail, its five major priorities and the future flagship projects.

“Being in the presence of railway and transport professionals from around the globe really underpins the importance of working together, learning from each other, sharing knowledge. Maximising performance, sustaining our resources, and investing in our next generations of engineers will make our railway the most attractive mode of transport for both passengers and freight, contributing to the competitiveness of the European rail industry.”

The next World Congress is due to be hosted in 2025 by MxV Rail in the United States.

Kari Gonzales, chief executive officer and president at MxV Rail, said: “MxV Rail is honoured to host the 2025 WCRR conference in colourful Colorado, USA. We look forward to welcoming delegates to the next WCRR event focused on advancing our industry toward a safer and more resilient global rail network.” railbusinessdaily.com

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People

Building a diverse, world-class supply chain with SMEs at its heart Robin Lapish, HS2’s senior supply chain manager, on enhancing the visibility of supply chain opportunities

Robin Lapish: senior supply chain manager for HS2

T

here are more than 2,700 suppliers currently working on HS2, of which 96 per cent are UK-based businesses and more than 70 per cent are SMEs. Reading out the figures bring a smile to the face of Robin Lapish, the project’s senior supply chain manager, who from the outset has been vocal that organisations big and small benefit from Britain’s new high-speed railway and 400,000 contract opportunities.

SMEs at the forefront “It’s really the SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) that are at the forefront of delivering this major project for the UK,” he said.

“We’re about 20 months into construction and we’ve got about 22,000 people working on the project at present with many more thousands of jobs and companies working in the supply chain beyond that.

“In total we’ve awarded contracts worth around £23 billion on HS2, there’s an initial additional £5.6 billion being procured and £3.3 billion in our future pipeline and that will continue to flow out to the wider supply chain.”

24 | June 2022

Robin is responsible for delivering market engagement and supply chain insights across the HS2 covering everything from main works and civils, through to stations and railway systems.

It’s really the SMEs that are at the forefront of delivering this major project for the UK He has been speaking with a wide range of industry stakeholders to communicate the project’s requirements, build relationships and ensure suppliers remain informed, engaged and visible.

“There are many exciting milestones to hit over the coming months and years with the construction of our London tunnels set to

commence imminently followed by tunnelling in part of Birmingham,” said Robin.

“From the end of this year we will award core rail system packages such as track, mechanical and electrical services and telecommunications.

These will be exciting moments for the rail industry when we award these contracts from December onwards.

Significant structures “Next year we’ll start building a landmark station at Curzon Street, in the heart of Birmingham, and then in 2024 some of our most significant structures on phase one will be nearing completion and we’ll be starting main construction on phase two of the project as well.”

Over the next few years, phase one, 2a to Crewe and phase 2b western leg to Manchester are set to support more than 34,000 jobs at peak construction, with phase one alone set to create 400,000 supply chain opportunities.

Robin is passionate in using the best of British skills and innovation in what will be one of the UK’s most environmentally responsible infrastructure projects. railbusinessdaily.com

People

“The move acts on feedback to provide UK businesses with a heads up on the opportunities that will soon filter down and this enhanced transparency puts smaller businesses in a strong position, allowing them to engage directly with our main contractors and subcontractors and gear up for the vast programme of work that’s on the horizon.”

Go further and faster Robin continued: “There is a huge amount of work on the way and we’re really trying to lay structure around how we decarbonise, and an important part in achieving that is with the help of the supply chain and its innovations, to make sure we go further and faster.”

Earlier this year HS2 introduced new measures to enhance the visibility of supply chain opportunities across the programme.

The move was designed to enable businesses of all sizes to plan and deliver with confidence as they strive to recover from the effects of the pandemic.

Construction of Curzon Street station in Birmingham is due to start next year.

Image: Shutterstock

Among the work includes the building of 64 miles of tunnels between London and the West Midlands, more than 50 viaducts and 150 bridges.

“We continue to evolve the programme and are taking an active interest in understanding and maintaining visibility of what’s going on at different levels of the supply chain,” he said.

“All subcontract opportunities are advertised by contractors and we’d urge anyone interested in getting involved in the project to look into the opportunities that are regularly being updated.”

“We signed up to the Rail Supply Group’s Work Pipeline Visibility Charter, published a list and contact details for awarded subcontractors and also made the technical specifications for our rolling stock and scope information for our rail systems packages publicly available,” said Robin.

Collaborative supply chain management The efforts of Robin and the team haven’t gone unnoticed. As well as the stats on the organisations and particularly SMEs involved in the project, HS2 has been shortlisted in the World Procurement Awards shortlist in the Supply Chain Initiative category, with the winner revealed later this month.

Robin, who before joining HS2 worked in various supply chain, procurement and commercial roles at Transport for London and Crossrail, said: “I’m delighted that our brilliant team has been shortlisted for this award. Cutting edge, collaborative supply chain management is the only way to achieve collective success on a project of this scale and our whole team and supply chain partners should be truly proud of this achievement.”

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June 2022 | 25

People

An innovation-friendly environment Milda Manomaityte, Railway Industry Association’s innovation director, on ensuring innovation is at the heart of the future of the UK railway

A

s the originators of the first railway, evidence of Britain’s engineering expertise can be seen all over the world.

But this isn’t ‘a sit back and revel in past glories’ industry. For the sector to thrive practices need to evolve, with the use of data, digitisation and decarbonisation at the heart of current priorities to meet the changing needs of passengers and freight users.

Passionate to put the industry on the right track is Milda Manomaityte, innovation director at the Railway Industry Association (RIA). The organisation leads several initiatives including an Unlocking Innovation programme, which aims to help supply chain companies in the UK overcome the obstacles to innovation in the rail sector.

“I’m very excited about the innovation happening in the UK railway and think now is a good opportunity to get your ideas developed,” said Milda, who was originally a transport journalist in Lithuania and has been at RIA for four years.

“The ideas that suppliers are coming up with are great. We have drones that are able to inspect difficult to access structures or avoid staff needing to go on track and and new battery as well as hydrogen technologies. We see the use of new materials, digital twin spaces, and the robotics and automation areas are really fascinating.

“I’m really keen to play my part in helping companies come into the market and to help them succeed and prosper. I’m a commuter, using the railways myself, and I want them to be part of a vibrant and modern transport system.”

Showcasing fresh ideas For more than a decade, Unlocking Innovation has showcased new ideas and thinking from across the industry, with typically five events a year bringing together those with ideas and ambition to drive change. This year’s theme is all about getting ready for Great British Railways (GBR) – understanding the changes and ensuring the supply chain has the opportunity to feedback into this new organisation.

“Unlocking Innovation is designed to promote innovation and to change the perception that the railway is an old Victorian infrastructure system, and everything is a legacy,” said Milda, a railways and airports professional, specialising in customer experience, multimodal travel and air-rail integration.

26 | June 2022

“We want to change the conversation focusing on the future. We do this in partnership with UKRRIN (UK Rail Research and Innovation Network) and we are also working very closely with Network Rail’s R&D team, who are supporting the programme.

“We are promoting innovation within the

I’m a commuter, using the railways myself, and I want them to be bringing the benefits of modern technology industry to the people who make the decisions both in client organisations and in government, but also to the wider audience, especially people who are considering a career in the railways.

“It is also helping innovators to understand how can they go through that journey, how can

they roll out their innovation, who do they need to talk to and what kind of funding might be available to them.”

A more radical approach RIA recently published its rail innovation strategy calling for the sector to be more radical and to work together to overcome barriers to innovation ahead of the transition to GBR. The paper, A Railway Innovation Strategy, examines the state of innovation and research and development (R&D) in the industry and the obstacles to getting new products and services into the sector.

“It establishes RIA’s position around what needs to be done to enable advances for a better railway industry,” said Milda.

“There is a perception issue in regards to innovation in the rail industry, but in the 15 years I’ve lived in the UK I’ve seen the industry change a lot for the better, and lately working with RIA and being involved more closely with suppliers has opened my eyes even further to how much is going on, the ideas, creativity and the potential. air-rail integration. railbusinessdaily.com

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“Some parts of the railway infrastructure are very old and need upgrading and people seem to focus on that, when I think we need to talk more about the great things happening and all the cutting-edge technology being introduced in the sector.

“This could also help in attracting the innovators who in the past haven’t worked in the rail industry.”

Big thinking Milda said: “There is sometimes hesitancy in bringing in new ideas because it is a safetyfocused industry so our innovation strategy is about creating places and an environment where you can do trials, more radical innovations, without compromising safety.

“There are things we are doing here in the UK that are world-first, from developing very light rail solutions and all the technologies around that to using carbon fibres for rail bogies and using composite braiding to create shells of trains that are lighter and cheaper to make.

“Now that we’ve published the strategy, the aim is to make sure that those messages are heard and to ensure the supply chain has a voice in the creation of GBR. It’s also important that we look at the barriers of the commercial phase of innovations.”

Part of the challenge is highlighting the importance of investing in innovation. In the strategy, RIA highlights that Network Rail’s £245 million of R&D funding from 2019 to 2024 is expected to create a gross value add of £1.6 billion over 20 years.

Milda said: “The first challenge is overcoming the prototype testing, but there are testing environments with test tracks being built, universities and labs. We need to look at how we can roll out the successful innovations at scale so we can see the benefits and create a modern and efficient railway for passengers and freight customers.

“Among the areas we’re looking at are data and digital. A particular priority for me is looking to understand what the pain

points are, what the gaps are and what is the capability in a whole system view of products, skills, opportunities and challenges. We need to look at what has to be done to overcome any obstacles and draw up best practice.

“It is looking at how we can make the infrastructure smart, using new methods of construction, innovative materials as well as digital technologies and data, so we have a clear picture of what is going on and how it can be improved.”

Milda, whose initial passion for transport came when she was working for her mum on a transport magazine centred on maritime and intermodal freight corridors, is committed to ensuring good innovations aren’t falling at the last hurdle.

At the heart of that has to be funding, and although the government has supported Network Rail with its R&D fund and held several innovation competitions, Milda would like to see this go further with businesses investing in new products and workforces.

“What we’re hearing from the Treasury, Network Rail, Department for Transport and GBR is the importance of efficiency, value for money and whole life costs,” she said.

The RIA’s strategy sets out six asks for industry and government decision makers to maximise the benefits from R&D and innovation: Increase government investment in rail research, development, and innovation.

Strengthen support during the innovation rollout phase.

Lead a concerted cross-industry effort to identify and overcome barriers to successful adoption.

Provide a pathway and funding for radical innovation.

The railway must adopt a whole-system and long-term view to enable the right innovation.

Support skills development and the creation of an innovation culture.

28 | June 2022

“Data and digital needs to go beyond frontend dashboards, we need to see the whole infrastructure, know what condition the asset is in and what is needed to ensure it has a long life.

“Data in itself is not innovation, it is information that we can use to bring in innovation.”

The right tools for the right job To ensure it is easier for individuals and organisations to innovate, RIA has launched a new self-assessment tool to help rail supply businesses assess their innovation readiness levels. The first part of Innovation Navigator provides users with the ability to evaluate their innovation readiness.

Part two and three will be launched later this year which will include The Innovation Landscape and How to Build an Innovation Strategy.

“The self-assessment tool helps individuals and organisations assess how ready they are to innovate, and what areas they need to work on to support getting their product or service into the rail industry,” she said.

“Getting new ideas from conception to deployment in rail is not easy, with challenges along the way, but it has certainly got easier in recent years.

“I hope this new tool provides a valuable resource to the rail supply community, allowing users to identify and prepare for any obstacles and ultimately enabling them to overcome them.

“Enabling this means rail businesses can support a better service for passengers, thereby boosting the economy and helping achieve the goals of evolving uses of data, digitalising and decarbonising the UK’s railway network in the months and years ahead.” railbusinessdaily.com

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

KMT SmartLine jigs support Hitachi Rail in renewing network Group engineering director Adrian Degg explains more about supporting the production of high-speed trains

O

ne of the challenges for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) of rolling stock is sourcing the highly specialised equipment needed to set up production lines.

For something as complex as a modern train, custom machinery is needed at nearly every stage of the process to maximise production efficiency. KMT, a manufacturer of bespoke machinery, has supported the production of high-speed trains at Hitachi Rail’s Newton Aycliffe assembly plant by providing custombuilt SmartLine jigs.

Hitachi Rail’s Newton Aycliffe assembly plant manufactures modern trains designed to help renew the UK rail network. The site has already delivered 122 pioneering trains for the Department for Transport’s InterCity Express Programme (IEP) for the East Coast and Great Western main line as well as 70 all-electric commuter trains for ScotRail.

Furthermore, it is also actively supporting the UK Government’s ‘levelling up’ strategy.

Quality of work As Hitachi Rail was setting up production for new West Coast main line trains at Newton Aycliffe, it approached Staffordshire-based KMT to provide a large quantity of custom jigs to support the fabrication, welding, finishing and inspection of rolling stock. Hitachi Rail selected KMT due to the quality of its work and proven track record of delivering machines to leading UK rail, industrial and automotive OEMs.

KMT provides dedicated installation, technical and maintenance support

30 | June 2022

The SmartLine jigs produced by KMT for this project are entirely bespoke, designed to accommodate specific train models manufactured by Hitachi Rail

“We’re a provider of bespoke engineering services, with a specialism in custom production machinery,” explained Adrian Degg, group engineering director at KMT. “Working closely with leading rail OEMs is a cornerstone of our business. Our ability to provide a turnkey service from design to installation means that we can deliver machinery to almost any specification.

“A large in-house capacity ensures we can produce the quantities of equipment needed to build large, modern production lines. We always aim to provide solutions that maximise manufacturing efficiency.”

Project support KMT offers a complete engineering service that encompasses each stage of a project, managing the design, fabrication, prototyping, testing, production and instrumentation processes in-house. On-site, the business provides dedicated installation, technical and maintenance support.

KMT also offers a standalone fabrication service, underpinned by an ongoing programme of investment in new equipment such as stateof-the-art fibre laser-cutting machines and press brakes. In fact, each service is modular, allowing customers to pick and choose based on requirement. In this case, Hitachi Rail engineers provided detailed specifications for the jigs, relying on KMT’s engineering expertise to carry out the project from start to finish.

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The SmartLine jigs produced by KMT for this project are entirely bespoke, designed to accommodate specific train models manufactured by Hitachi Rail. Highly automated and operated via custom hydraulics, the jigs allow fabrication, welding, finishing and inspection processes to be condensed within one area of the production line. The jigs hold key subassemblies, such as the floor, sides and roof, in position for this work. Consequently, efficiency is improved and available space on the line maximised, helping to boost productivity.

“We delivered the SmartLine Jigs to the facility ready to support production operations,” said Adrian. “Furthermore, we provide on-site technical and maintenance support to Hitachi Rail around the clock, ensuring that the equipment is always running at optimum efficiency and maximising productivity.”

A trusted partner Mark Snowdon, quality engineer at Hitachi Rail, said: “KMT has been absolutely fantastic from the beginning. The company has been completely professional all the way through, and its engineering capabilities are second to none. We look forward to working with KMT again and are already planning future ventures with them.”

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Te c h n o l o g y

Into the digital realm New digital signalling on Northern City line tested with first train runs

T

he testing of the new digital signalling on the Northern City line has commenced with the running of the first Great Northern train between Finsbury Park and Moorgate under the new system.

The testing is carried out with a Great Northern Class 717 train and marks an important milestone in the government-funded East Coast Digital Programme, which will ultimately see traditional signals removed from the tracks along this route. Digital signalling reduces delays and enables a more reliable service for passengers.

An important moment Toufic Machnouk, Network Rail’s director, industry partnership for digital railway, said: “The running of the first Northern City line train in digital signalling as part of the test campaign is a big moment for the East Coast Digital Programme. This is the first step to migration following the successful upgrade of the system earlier in May that will change the way the railway works to deliver a more reliable service.

“We are working in close partnership with Great Northern and Siemens to deliver the extensive testing required to ensure we can proceed to the next stage of transforming this route into the capital.”

The first test train ran in the early hours on Sunday 29 May. An ongoing intensive period of testing will ensure that the train fleet, already

railbusinessdaily.com

fitted with the necessary technology, works well with the new digital signalling infrastructure that will communicate directly with the train’s cab.

Oly Turner, head of European Rail Traffic Management System at Govia Thameslink Railway, which operates Great Northern, said: “We’re thrilled with this landmark use of digital signalling along our route to Moorgate.

“Working with Network Rail and Siemens, we prepared carefully for this day and it was rewarding to see the train perform well. I’m looking forward to proving the system in time for driver training to begin next year.”

Safety and reliability Testing is taking place overnight and weekends to minimise disruption to passengers as much as possible. The process continues throughout 2022 to ensure complete assurance of its safety and reliability, with driver training and migration to digital signalling operations due to begin in early 2023. The Northern City line is expected to operate solely using digital signalling in 2024.

Mark Ferrer, operations director, technology, rail infrastructure at Siemens Mobility UK, said: “This project is a prime example of how sustainable investment in digital technology can unlock benefits and support growth in the UK economy and we’re proud to be a part of it, bringing technology, people, skills and our UK supply chain to transform the everyday journeys of passenger and freight, and the communities along the line. Working collaboratively with Network Rail and GTR we were able to achieve this milestone, bringing us one step closer to delivering a next generation railway.”

June 2022 | 31

Darren Caplan

We must be positive and ambitious about the future of UK rail Darren Caplan, chief executive of the Railway Industry Association (RIA), has this month joined forces with Rail Director for a new quarterly column. He talks about his optimism and why we should be talking rail up

A

ccording to the DfT, by September last year main line rail passenger numbers were at 60 per cent of pre-COVID levels.

People said, we’re 40 per cent down and the so-called ‘new normal’ – with people travelling less, especially for work – means passengers won’t come back in large numbers. In November, the figure had increased to 70 per cent – however, we were still 30 per cent down.

Then came Omicron, followed by the relaxing of COVID measures from late February this year. Yet by April, passenger numbers hit over 80 per cent; and then in May, levels reached 92 per cent, with more than 85 per cent being achieved regularly throughout the month. These latest figures included every day of the week, with Mondays and Fridays too hitting the same levels of the rest of the working week and weekends.

Notwithstanding the current industrial disputes and the cost of living crisis, concern now seems less prevalent about passenger numbers – after all, if you had said to most rail people in late 2020 that within three months of restrictions ending we’d be back to 90 per cent passenger levels and 100 per cent freight they’d have bitten your hand off. Now, I am told, the problem is the ‘type’ of passenger rather than the numbers.

The new normal While leisure travel has picked up more robustly, this produces less fare yield than business travel and commuting. So, the argument goes, we need to plan for that ‘new normal’ longer-term with less funding because if the revenue situation is difficult now, then that’s inevitably going to be the situation in the future too – however, no allowance is made for the possibility that this could pick up too in the future. Yet May’s passenger figures clearly show that all types of rail travel – on every day of the week – is coming back. One assumes that, despite the pandemic, people remain fundamentally social, and want to get out and about to work and to meet friends and family around the country.

As we approach summer 2022, just a few months since the end of COVID restrictions, it does feel that we in rail are seeking a cloud to go with the silver lining.

32 | June 2022

Let’s acknowledge good progress made so far and the potential of the coming years After all, did anyone really expect passenger numbers and revenue to bounce straight back to pre COVID levels? Are we really sure that the ‘new normal’ will be like this forever, our travel habits changed as we now supposedly need to plan for a smaller rail network?

Hybrid working may be a reality, but not for everyone One example of a cloud as far as rail passenger numbers and revenues are concerned, which we constantly hear and read about, is hybrid working. We are told this widespread phenomenon will fundamentally alter all of our travel habits – and, of course, significantly affect passenger numbers. Yet up to the end

of 2022 quarter one, the Office of National Statistics’ Opinions and Lifestyle survey paints a rather different picture.

It reported at the start of the Omicron variant in December, when Plan B measures were put in place, that there were one in six people working hybrid, but by March – with the restrictions lifting – the figure had reduced significantly to one in nine. The survey also showed that 60 per cent of the workforce travelled to their workplace every working day; and the rest – including freelancers, sole traders, and those working in small/micro businesses – worked at home and never travelled to a workplace even before COVID. The end of hybrid working?

It remains unremarked that hybrid working has been reducing since December and could reduce further in future, that 60 per cent of the workforce never work this way, and that the rest haven’t changed their work modus operandi throughout the pandemic. Yet the assumption that virtually everybody is remote working goes unchallenged – what about all the millions of people who work in environments where working from home is not an option? railbusinessdaily.com

Darren Caplan

Could this skewed echo chamber have developed because the debate on hybrid working and its impact on rail is conducted almost exclusively by people who themselves regularly work remotely?

transport sectors, like aviation, and ask them when they expect their passengers and revenue to get back to pre COVID levels, they talk about the year it will happen (2024 or 2025, maybe) – no one considers the possibility of a permanent downsizing.

Don’t set rail policy based on two atypical years There is probably more chance that in the next couple of years passenger numbers will return to 100 per cent of pre COVID levels than there is of them staying at the current levels, or reducing. So let’s concentrate on the yield point.

Rather than contemplating a smaller network based on lower yields, we should be discussing how we – with a ‘can-do’ approach – can increase passenger revenues in the coming years, just as any other business or industrial sector would.

We should not be planning for a lower ‘new normal’ based on the last two atypical years, a point which the Railway Industry Association (RIA) always seeks to make to the Great British Rail Transition Team as it progresses its 30-year Whole Industry Strategic Plan.

Interestingly, when I speak to colleagues in other

The future for rail really could and should actually be much brighter than people think When I ask the same question to rail policy makers and influencers, I’m usually told, “the future will be fundamentally difficult, and don’t expect growth”. If ever I point out encouraging passenger figures, the very first word I get in reply is, “But…” The return to rail – a positive approach Why should we be this way? The history of transport passenger numbers is one of always returning to medium-term trend growth following economic crises, wars, and, yes, pandemics.

The return to rail in a few relatively short months has been far stronger than any of us thought after the pandemic hit in 2020, regardless of who is travelling and why. So let’s spend our time thinking of imaginative ways to drive up both volume and revenue, not plan for managed decline and a smaller ‘new normal’.

Planning ahead The future for rail really could and should actually be much brighter. Yet for some reason a negative group-think has emerged during the pandemic, that refuses to acknowledge good progress made so far and the potential of the coming years. The return to rail is clearly more buoyant than people were thinking in 2020 and 2021 – so why not amend that thinking now in light of mounting evidence?

Let’s have a positive spirit. We can start with ourselves in rail, which includes well over 700,000 people. The livelihoods of those who work in rail depends on a successful and buoyant network, yet many rail colleagues seem to travel in to work by train less than they used to. I’ve even heard the argument that we don’t want to get back to 100 per cent of pre COVID customer levels because we can run the railway better with less people on it.

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June 2022 | 33

Darren Caplan

If ever there was a case against aspiration for our sector, these two examples must be it. We should be now seeking to lead rather than ‘manage stagnation’, getting back to train travel ourselves and seeking to grow rail in the years ahead.

Encouragingly as far as RIA is concerned, many of the most positive and optimistic proponents of a bright future for rail are in our membership and the wider supply chain. Last November rail suppliers in an independent ComRes survey overwhelmingly forecast a growing railway sector for the year ahead. Unife, the European rail trade association, predict rail to grow globally between 1-2.3 per cent every year to 2025. In most other European countries, significant rail growth is predicted in the coming years; it’s interesting that here in the UK we’re less bullish.

For optimism, just look at the major rail projects in the UK. Shortly before its official opening, RIA was invited to join a tour of the new central section of the Elizabeth line, connecting London Paddington to Whitechapel, and you cannot fail to be impressed. The scheme has supported 55,000 jobs and will generate £42 billion in economic growth, with the supply chain for the project spanning the lengths and breadth of the UK – whether that is train manufacturing in Derby, station construction in the East Midlands, signalling expertise from Chippenham and Stockport, or telecoms in London, to name just a few. The Elizabeth line shows a level of boldness and ambition seemingly out of kilter with the general discussion currently dominating so much rail discourse in the UK. Elsewhere, HS2 continues to hit strong milestones as construction of Phase 1A from London to Birmingham progresses, although we of course look forward to the Eastern Leg being reinstated one day, to ensure the full benefits of the scheme are realised. Over 20,000 people are employed on this megaproject, and we’ve recently seen major announcements on its London Euston station and Colne Valley Viaduct as well as impressive figures on the apprenticeships supported and environmental achievements. The same can be said for projects such as the Transpennine Route Upgrade, South Wales Metro, East West Rail and the East Coast Digital Programme, which is installing digital signalling on the main line from London to Edinburgh, again to name just a few.

We still have problems with work visibility and a lack of certainty of investment, particularly on rail enhancements There is the current threat of industrial action across the network. There are the service cuts in Scotland.

We still have problems with work visibility and a lack of certainty of investment, particularly on rail enhancements, where we are now almost 1,000 days on since the DfT last announced an updated projects list, despite a commitment to do this annually. Many of the projects in the

Integrated Rail Plan will need to pass through the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline to be approved and for construction to start – until this happens, rail suppliers will remain in the dark about when and exactly where these investments will be spent.

And, of course, the immediate issues around inflation and the cost of living could affect both passenger numbers and the ability of rail projects to be delivered to budget and time.

But there will always be issues, and this does not diminish the prospects of the longer-term outlook for rail. Fundamentally, UK rail is a strong industry; there are growing numbers of passengers and freight customers using the network across the country; and there is every chance growth will continue in the years ahead.

While it is understandable that people want to focus on the immediate situation, we should be looking much further ahead given the timeframes involved on the railways. And we should be open to the possibility that whilst the existing ‘new normal’ may be embedded for some, it is not – and is unlikely to be – a reality for the many millions of people who have not changed their working patterns and who go to the workplace every working day.

A brighter future We must avoid at all costs talking our sector down – not least to ensure continued Treasury funding for UK rail – when the long-term future is so bright. As with other industrial sectors, talk should be about when and how we get back to higher levels of customers and revenues. Since the easing of COVID restrictions progress has been impressive. With a positive longer-term approach from all of us in rail, that progress will accelerate and enable rail to shine even more brightly in the months and years to come.

There will always be uncertainty, but let’s talk rail up Of course there is uncertainty – has it ever been different? There is the transition to Great British Railways, which will take over much of Network Rail and train operators’ responsibilities for managing the railways.

34 | June 2022

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Jubilee Review

A Platinum weekend

The Queen visits the team that rebuilt Reading Station, July 2014

T

he United Kingdom marked 70 years of the reign of HM Queen Elizabeth II over a four-day period – Thursday 2 June to Sunday 5 June 2022. It was an excuse for a massive party, with everything from huge parades, star-studded concerts, military pomp, flypasts by modern and historic aircraft and street parties and gatherings all over the country. Beacons were lit, cake was eaten and everyone had a Jolly Good Time.

The railway wasn’t left out. In fact, it acted as a focus for many local celebrations. The railways have seen significant, positive change over the past 70 years. In 1952, during the coronation, steam trains were still in operation, and, throughout that time, there have been significant advancements in this country that have made Britain’s railways as great as they are today.

That is reflected through the harmonious links between the railways, their stations, and the community. Over the past few years, community rail partnerships have grown significantly and, 36 | June 2022

whereas before railway stations were simply a transport hub – they are now becoming centres of support, friendship, and positivity.

These events symbolise what is great about the industry and this country as a whole Encapsulating this is the Station to Station initiative, which, over the Jubilee weekend, co-ordinated more than 70 events across dozens of stations in the UK. These events linked up with local communities to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee, while demonstrating the great partnerships between railway station teams and community groups such as the Scouts.

Images: Network Rail

In typical British fashion, the nation let its collective hair down and celebrated The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The railway was no exception, with events taking place at stations all over the country

Rail Business Daily’s new managing director Chris Leech, co-ordinator of Station to Station, said: “Railway stations are the hubs of the communities we serve, so it’s great they will be at the heart of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

“These events symbolise what is great about the industry and this country as a whole – in that we are all working together for the benefit of the communities we serve. This weekend is a celebration of Her Majesty’s reign, but it is also an opportunity to say ‘Thank You’ to one another, and enjoy some time being part of a national celebration. This is what the Great British railway is about – making a difference to the people it serves, in more ways than one.”

Alongside these events is the Our Railway, Your Community Jubilee Commemorative Brochure, which is donating money to five charities – Railway Benefit Fund, Railway Children, Save the Children, Railway Mission and Women in Rail. railbusinessdaily.com

Brought together by nearly 50 companies, the brochure celebrates the diversity and scale of the industry and the people and passion behind some of the largest and most ambitious infrastructure projects in the world, while reflecting on 70 years of the railways.

Chris Leech said: “This brochure is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of railway people to make this sector what it is today. We have a unique position in this country where our industry not only provides a service, is an integral cog in supporting the people it serves too. After all, the success of UK railways and the communities they serve are intrinsically linked – one cannot succeed without the other!

“We’d like to thank those businesses that have supported this brochure throughout – this whole venture just symbolises how fantastic the rail community really is.”

Peter Wilkinson, managing director of passenger services at the Department for Transport, wrote in his foreword: “Over the last few years, the industry can be very proud of the work it is doing to support people in need, support local communities and many of the country’s immensely important charities.

“The footprint of the railway’s social outreach continues to grow and, in this Platinum Jubilee year, we now support over 90 community rail programmes across the country.

“I hope you enjoy reading this commemorative brochure. It demonstrates our innovation, pride, passion and our amazing people.

“After all, it’s Your Railway, our Community.”

Sir Peter Hendy, chairman of Network Rail, tweeted to his 8,000 followers that they should buy the brochure to support railway charities, and music empresario and renowned railway enthusiast Pete Waterman produced a video encouraging people to do the same.

On the railway, the usual bank holiday closures and works were kept to a minimum, so travellers could get around the network to see family and friends. Station concourses were given over to flags, bunting and activities for all the family. And, of course, more cake was eaten and everyone had a Jolly Good Time! On a serious note, many of the activities also involved fundraising for national and local charities.

Avanti West Coast Typical of celebrations at many stations were those organised by Avanti West Coast, which operates the route from London Euston to Scotland via Birmingham, Manchester and stops in between. Stations across the West Coast route were decorated with bunting, colourful artwork by local schoolchildren, Union Flags, and well-wishes for Her Majesty. railbusinessdaily.com

Images: Avanti West Coast

Jubilee Review

Events at Runcorn station

Live entertainment from local bands and dance groups brought a party atmosphere to stations for customers travelling over the Jubilee weekend.

We’re excited to bring communities together to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee by championing British pastimes To mark the special occasion, the train operator welcomed people to take part in British pastimes by inviting them to bring their own picnics and afternoon tea to enjoy at its stations.

Championing the best of British, customers were treated to a slice of Victoria sponge (cake!) and giveaways, including chocolates wrapped in Union Jack colours.

Working with local communities, Avanti West Coast’s community champions coordinated activity to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and raise funds for charity – inviting local business to have pop-up shops and organising raffles and competitions to fundraise for local causes.

Activity pack The intercity operator also created a Jubileethemed activity pack to keep children royally entertained with puzzles and a dot-to-dot challenge, as well as a dedicated spot at stations where little ones could get creative and make their own colourful card crown.

Avanti West Coast community manager Joanna Buckley commented: “We congratulate Her Majesty the Queen as she celebrates the 70th anniversary of her reign and are proud to be playing our part to mark this special occasion. We’re excited to bring communities together to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee by championing British pastimes, as well as showcasing regional talent and businesses, while helping local causes.

June 2022 | 37

Jubilee Review

Events at Reading station and Euston station

We’re so proud to see our spaces bringing our community together in such a fun way and on such a special anniversary Scotland’s Railway managing director Alex Hynes said “On behalf of Scotland’s Railway, I’d like to offer my warmest congratulations to her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, on her Platinum Jubilee – a really remarkable 70-years of service to people across the country.

Image: Network Rail

Network Rail While Network Rail owns the vast majority of Britain’s stations, it operates 20 of the most important ones itself. Network Rail staff were busy at these and other stations ensuring the festivities went well.

Network Rail Southern region stations director Lucy McAuliffe said: “We’re absolutely thrilled with how many people have been joining us at our Jubilee street parties.

“Our stations are places where people come to spend time, meet friends, eat, drink and of course catch trains, and we’re so proud to see our spaces bringing our community together in such a fun way and on such a special anniversary.”

In Scotland, celebrations started with Network Rail construction manager Ian Simms playing the bagpipes from the cathedral of Scotland’s Railway – the Forth Rail Bridge. He played a rendition of ‘Highland Cathedral’ from the top of the iconic structure, not that there were many there to hear him!

However, in Glasgow Central station, guests at a tea-party on the station concourse included representatives from the armed forces charity SSAFA (the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association), which provides lifelong support to serving men and women and veterans from the British Armed Forces and their families. Veterans were piped into to the station before enjoying afternoon tea served by the Grand Central Hotel, with background music from the Coronation era providing a sense of place and time.

Images: Network Rail

“At Avanti West Coast, we wanted to connect people and places – whether they were travelling to Jubilee celebrations on our route or joining us for a picnic and slice of cake, we took pleasure in welcoming everyone and the festivities made it a memorable weekend.”

Collage at Reading station 38 | June 2022

“Her Majesty’s unwavering commitment to service and duty is exemplary, and similar core values exist at the heart of the railway family as we serve our passengers and freight customers.”

Station manager Drew Burns added: “One lady who was 102 took centre stage and what a pleasure it was for all at Glasgow Central to welcome and thank those veterans at our Platinum Jubilee tea party, where we worked in partnership with VOCO Grand Central Hotel to provide what turned out to be a great day.”

His opposite number at London Euston, Gareth Parry, was equally content: “There was a wonderful vibe at Euston over the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. So many people queuing up to take selfies with the Queen at our Euston selfie wall. People are still queuing up for selfies, so I’m going to leave the artwork up for the rest of the month. We had some fantastic buskers playing around the station singing songs from the 30s up to modern day. People are loving having a ride on our Union Jack mobility buggies.”

Carriages Fit for a Queen Calum Mackay, Network Rail’s stations transformation programme manager, spent the weekend at Reading. He said: “Reading station was really Jubilee-ready, including some community led initiatives. We displayed images of ‘Carriages Fit for a Queen’, which had been created by local community members, as well as a lovely piece of artwork that was transformed into a floor vinyl. This artwork was a refreshed panel from a community project originally created for the Diamond Jubilee. railbusinessdaily.com

Jubilee Review

South Western Railway Senior leaders in the SWR executive team, including managing director Claire Mann, met with colleagues, local community representatives and MP Adam Afriyie over a Jubilee celebration lunch at Windsor & Eton Riverside station, which was decorated with Union Flag bunting, posters, and red, white, and blue flowers to mark the special occasion. The lunch was provided by Ability Catering, the employability arm of the local station adopter group Optalis, which supports adults with learning difficulties.

The local community, businesses and customers were also invited to the Jubilee Waterloo Street Party at London Waterloo station, which SWR organised in collaboration with Network Rail. Catering at Waterloo was provided by Beyond Food, a local homelessness charity. Passengers were delighted by the tea party, the throne photo wall was very popular, and these, along with the banners and decorations, helped to create a great atmosphere in the station.

Tristan Appleby, who coordinates events at the station and who planned and supervised the film shoot for the Bourne Ultimatum at Waterloo, was in his element.

Claire Mann, managing director of South Western Railway, said: “I was delighted to celebrate the historic Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen, honouring seven decades of dedicated service to the nation, with our wider SWR family. It was wonderful to meet colleagues and members of the local community over the Jubilee lunch at Windsor & Eton Riverside, and to see all the special Jubilee decorations in Windsor and at London Waterloo.”

Elsewhere Around the network, it was the same story.

Northern stations were draped in bunting, Southeastern staff poised with cardboard cut-out or knitted versions of The Queen, and local celebrities dropped in at various stations.

Hull Trains took a different approach. To celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year, the open-access operator wanted to give back to the community and reward a local hero with a platinum experience. Members of the public were asked to nominate individuals in Hull or East Yorkshire who they believed were deserving of recognition for the role they play in making a difference in their local community. railbusinessdaily.com

Images: Network Rail

“The Platinum Jubilee also made its mark on the Grand Staircase at the station. The Salvation Army joined us in the celebrations with some live music. Station staff were handing out flags and hats as our passengers enjoyed the atmosphere while travelling through Reading station.”

Events at London Waterloo station

It was wonderful to meet colleagues and members of the local community over the Jubilee lunch A large number of nominations were received, but Jonathon Cliff, deputy station officer for HM Coastguard Hornsea, was declared to be the winner. Jonathon was nominated by Ben Colombari for his dedication to the Coastguard Rescue Services over the past four decades and the work he continues to do to ensure the safety of the local community across the East Yorkshire and Humber areas.

Jonathon said: “I am shocked, stunned, and speechless. I am genuinely humbled that someone would nominate me for such an award.

“What a fantastic start to my day and the extended Platinum Jubilee celebrations. I’ll have to tell Ben off for this! He’s recently qualified himself as a train driver and he works alongside me at HM Coastguard Hornsea. Thank you all so much for this.”

David Gibson, managing director of Hull Trains, added: “We received several great nominations, and it was amazing to see all the work our local heroes carry out within the community.

It was incredibly hard to pick just one winner, but we can’t wait to welcome Jonathon on board. Jonathon’s work with the Coastguard Rescue Service over the years is truly outstanding.”

June 2022 | 39

Jubilee Review

“All of us at Hull Trains hope he enjoys his prize of a well-deserved break with a getaway to London and some first-class hospitality. We cannot thank Jonathon and all of the nominees enough for the work they do every day.”

Transport has changed significantly during her reign and Her Majesty has always been a welcome and willing passenger on that journey A one-of-a-kind artwork to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee was completed by local voluntary group, the Friends of Buxton Station (FoBS). Sited at the end of Buxton Station’s railway tracks, the art installation features a red Royal Mail post box from the reign of Her Majesty The Queen, along with a cascade of 70 metal “letters” made from recycled scrap.

Each letter bears a real stamp with the Queen’s profile from one year of her reign, along with names of many local volunteers and others who have helped FoBS in their various station projects.

Try the train The Friends of Lytham Railway Station and volunteers from iHope raised over £70 for Lytham RNLI during their Jubilee celebrations at Lytham Station, and the Poacher Line ran a special Try the Train trip from Radcliffe to Skegness – the group played bingo, ate biscuits, got quizzical and had a jolly good time. The weather in Skegness was lovely and passengers enjoyed fish and chips too.

On Friday 3 June, the iconic steam locomotive 70000 Britannia hauled the luxury Saphos carriages on a railtour organised by the Railway Benefit Fund charity from Crewe to Windsor to mark the occasion. Passengers enjoyed the excellent catering on board and also had plenty of time to explore Her Majesty’s ‘home town’.

Images: Network Rail, East Midlands Railway, Community Rail

Bringing people together Community Rail Partnerships were out in force, determined to have a good time. The Yorkshire Coast CRP held an afternoon tea on Bridlington station concourse. Southeast CRP held a Jubilee cake sale at Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Hastings stations, raising over £1,300 for Macmillan Cancer Research, British Red Cross Ukraine Disaster Appeal and RNLI. The Battle Yarn Bombers created a lifesized knitted Queen, and her majesty was taken on a royal tour of the 1066 Community Line.

North Llanwst ‘Optimists’ station adoption volunteers hosted a Platinum Jubilee tea party with around 50 local residents generously donating £200 for the local hospice.

The Wherry Lines CRP hosted an event in the Parcels Office at Lowestoft Railway Station, where they welcomed former Lowestoft wartime evacuees and their families to a summer reunion.

East Hampshire CRP worked in partnership with staff at Liphook Railway Station and residents at local care home Bramshott Grove took on a collaborative project to create a celebratory Jubilee crown.

Secretary of State for Transport, Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP “Today, we’re celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee,” he said. “Transport has changed significantly during her reign and Her Majesty has always been a welcome and willing passenger on that journey.

“Congratulations to Her Majesty The Queen on the longest reign in our history – 70 years of unwavering service.”

Other Jubilee-themed events across the country 40 | June 2022

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Wo m e n i n R a i l A w a r d s

Women in Rail Awards 2022 Judges note high-calibre nominations as more than 300 entries received for 10 awards

T

he fifth Women in Rail Awards has taken place, delivered by Nimble Media and attended by more than 700 individuals from the rail industry.

They all gathered at the iconic Roundhouse, in London, to celebrate colleagues, teams and companies who work hard to support others and to help create a more gender-balanced, diverse and inclusive work culture in the industry.

The ceremony was opened by Christine Fernandes, chair of Women in Rail, who was followed on stage by Conrad Bailey, director general for Rail Strategy and Services Group, Department of Transport, and by Gemma Cairney, broadcaster, youth rights activist and author, who was the evening’s host.

A wealth of talent The calibre of this year’s nominations was truly remarkable. Women in Rail received more than 300 entries from – and in respect of – a wide range of individuals, teams and companies in the railway sector, many of them from male allies nominating their female co-workers.

Christine Fernandes, chair of Women in Rail and business development at CAF Rail UK, said: “It was a fabulous evening and so well supported by the industry. Yet again we saw a tremendous diversity of entries.

“Congratulations to all the winners and nominees, it really just goes to demonstrate what an amazing and talented industry we have.”

The judges admitted having a very difficult task selecting who should be shortlisted and ultimately win the 10 awards up for grabs.

Launched in line with the Women in Rail and Railway Industry Association EDI Charter, The

42 | June 2022

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award was introduced to showcase those organisations, teams or individuals who have developed a strong and successful approach to EDI. A Special Recognition was awarded to eight exceptional shortlisted nominees.

The Adeline Ginn Women in Rail Award was presented to Jacqueline Harrington, legal secretary, ODL and insurance manager for Angel Trains and Sigourney Doyne, team secretary at CS2 Limited, for being an integral part of the Women in Rail journey. They have been, in the words of the team, the backbone of Women in Rail alongside Adeline for many years.

The judges specifically requested that all the nominees be commended for their hard work, selfless dedication and commitment, and that

a huge thank you be directed to all those, and especially male allies, who nominated for this year’s Women in Rail Awards.

David McLoughlin, CEO of the Business Daily Group, was one of the judges for the awards. He said: “The Women in Rail Awards is a shining example of the best in rail – and the bar was, as always, set incredibly high.

“I would like to say a huge ‘well done’ to everyone who was in the running this year. Every entry highlighted outstanding achievements from women working in rail at all levels and within many disciplines.

“A diverse workforce is a stronger workforce.

The Women in Rail Awards stands as an important example of why rail businesses need to ensure they open their doors to welcome diverse, forward-thinking teams.”

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Wo m e n i n R a i l A w a r d s

Female Apprentice of the Year Award sponsored by BAM Nuttall Ltd

Rising Star of the Year Award sponsored by Beacon Rail Leasing Limited

Inspirational Man of the Year Award

Winner: Elaine Yip, apprentice civil engineer for Mott MacDonald.

Special Recognition: Nadia Davidson, station sales clerk for Southern.

Winner: Jasmine Waller, mod technician, TXM Group and Hitachi Rail.

Special Recognition: Ellie Revill, welding assistant for Renown Railway.

Winner: Huw Jones, divisional director rail for BAMNuttall.

Special Recognition: Matthew Foote, route operations manager York and Sheffield for Network Rail.

Inspirational Woman of the Year Award sponsored by Morson Group

Best Training or Development Programme Award

The Equality Diversity and Inclusion Award sponsored by Deloitte UK

Winner: Celia Morris, divisional training and development manager for Mott MacDonald.

Special Recognition: Dr Nike Folayan MBE, technical director for WSP.

Winner: Skills 4 Limited.

Special Recognition: Network Rail, East Midlands frontline maintenance team.

Winner: Karen Wallace, equality, diversity and inclusion manager for ScotRail.

Special Recognition: Anita Gray, head of diversity and inclusion for MTS UK, Worldline, Northern.

Top Employer of the Year Award (Under 250 Employees) sponsored by KeolisAmey Docklands

Top Employer of the Year Award (Over 250 Employees)

Social Inclusion Award sponsored by AmcoGiffen

Winner: ETS – Egis Transport Solutions.

Winner: Southeastern.

Winner: TransPennine Express.

Special Recognition: Siemens Mobility.

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June 2022 | 43

G r e a t B r i t i s h R a i l w a y s Tr a n s i t i o n Te a m

Vital step forward in the creation of 30-year rail strategy Leader of the GBR Transition Team Andrew Haines thanks everyone for their support in the call for evidence process

H

undreds of organisations and rail users across the nation have shared their insights and evidence as part of the creation of a long-term strategy, known as the Whole Industry Strategy Plan.

The call for evidence report, published

by Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT), has been described as an important step towards the creation of a 30-year strategy for the rail industry.

The strategy was commissioned by the Transport Secretary as part of the WilliamsShapps Plan for Rail in May 2021.

It will draw on the expertise and insights of the rail sector and beyond, with the call for evidence, with 307 responses, a key part of the collaborative process.

A simpler, better railway Andrew Haines, leader of GBRTT, said: “It has been a valuable experience to engage with key stakeholders and rail industry partners as part of this call for evidence process.

“We met with hundreds of organisations, asking questions and unpicking how we can all create a simpler and better railway for everyone.”

Decarbonisation, accessibility, the need for a strong customer service ethos and financial sustainability, along with the importance of integrating with other transport, were among the areas of focus identified by respondents.

www.rmf.co.uk

Analysis of the responses finds that: Almost three-quarters (72 per cent) of those commenting on customer needs highlighted a need for customer expectations, both passenger and freight, to be better understood; S eventy-one per cent commenting on environmental sustainability suggested the railway could play a greater role in decarbonising the entire transport network; ver two-thirds (69 per cent) of those O commenting on the railway’s role in levelling up and connectivity shared their views on the role rail can play in facilitating better access to employment, education, and social opportunities.

The evidence respondents provided is being used to help develop the strategy, informing decisions on how the railway can improve and contribute to the country during the next three decades. Ultimately, the strategy will be used by government ministers to ensure the railway responds to public priorities.

Andrew added: “Mapping our stakeholders’ views and collecting evidence from them is a central part of creating a meaningful 30-year rail strategy.

“This has been an ambitious process but made possible thanks to the willingness of those who contributed, I would like to thank everyone for their support.”

The first version of the strategy is expected to be ready towards the end of the year.

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44 | June 2022

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People

Promoting, inspiring and developing the UK rail industry Fi Westcough, chair of the Young Rail Professionals, on reconnecting the community post-pandemic and creating a longer-term strategy

F

i Westcough isn’t someone to shy away from a challenge. Relatively new to the industry, she has already played a pivotal role on several high-profile projects, from supporting the delivery of the Class 701 European Train Control System while at Bombardier, through to working as a rolling stock engineer on the S8 Programme Lift for Transport for London.

But as well progressing her own career – currently a consultant (strategic rail), transportation at Atkins, and working towards Chartership with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers – Fi is passionate about inspiring the next generation of workers as the rail industry faces a critical skills shortage.

She recently won the Future Leader category at the Railway Industry Supplier Excellence Awards, 46 | June 2022

I’ll keep striving for more opportunities for young people so others can follow in my footsteps where she was described by the judges as an inspirational young rail professional doing all she can to create the next generation of engineers – something she is already achieving with her work for the Young Rail Professionals (YRP).

“I was humbled to be recognised as Future Leader.

“It has given me an inner confidence to know that I should keep doing what I’m doing because it’s creating positive change. I’ll keep striving for more opportunities for young people so others can follow in my footsteps as well,” she said.

“Anyone new to the industry might sometimes feel like they can’t make a difference, but the award shows that you can. Hopefully others can take inspiration: if I can do it, you can too.

It just takes hard work, dedication and a lot of resilience to get there.”

Fi became national chair of YRP, a voluntary role, in April. The organisation was founded in 2009 to promote the rail industry as a great place to work, to inspire the next generation of railway talent and help new entrants in the industry to reach their potential. railbusinessdaily.com

People

She said: “When I joined YRP, I was a graduate having just come out of university and into the big world of work. It can feel quite daunting so it was reassuring to have a support network of people both at Atkins and YRP. I recognised that I wasn’t alone – there were many others going through the same experience.

“YRP is a fantastic way to meet other professionals new to the industry. Learning about what they do has given me a breadth of understanding that I might not otherwise have had at this stage of my career. YRP also has members who are five to 10 years on in their career, they have been where I have, so I can ask all those silly questions I was too scared to ask other, more senior colleagues.

“YRP has a vital role to play in the future. We have a skills shortage that is only growing due to vast amounts of people retiring within the next five to 10 years. The industry has a tendency to recruit from within, but that doesn’t solve the problem. We need to recruit from outside, which not only includes school/university leavers but also those from other industries, or those looking for a change of career such as ex-Armed Forces.”

A future in rail Fi added: “YRP provides two key roles to our industry. We provide a support network for new entrants to our industry, and we also showcase the range of opportunities to those outside the industry, encouraging them to consider a career in rail.

“I’ve been involved for a few years and it has given me so many development opportunities and a high level of responsibility that I just otherwise wouldn’t have had at such an early stage of my career,” Fi said. “For someone like me who is a bit of a go-getter, I like responsibility and I thrive under pressure, so the work with YRP has really helped me in that aspect.

“For my year as national chair I have two main priorities. One is to reconnect our network and community after the pandemic, which means getting back to in person events and meeting people. Many YRP members would not have known the industry pre-pandemic.

“The second aim for me is looking to the longer-term strategic vision. YRP has grown so much in the past 13 years and we now have such a powerful voice in the industry.

With the formation of Great British Railways, YRP wants to be the voice of the future of our industry, ensuring we have strong development schemes and ensuring the industry becomes more attractive to prospective new entrants.

Essentially, we are the generation that will be delivering the GBR’s 30-year Whole Industry Strategic Plan, so it is important we know about it, and are involved in it right from the start.” railbusinessdaily.com

Fi hopes to draw on her own experiences in attracting new people to the industry. Like many working in engineering and specifically the rail industry, it wasn’t an aspiration for her from a young age, but it all stems from being strong at maths and physics at school.

“I fell into the rail industry and it wasn’t until my older brother joined the industry as an engineer at Atkins, predominantly working on rolling stock-based projects, that I even considered it,” she said. “I studied engineering at university but I was initially looking more towards medical or sports engineering until I saw what my brother was doing.

We need to recruit from outside, which not only includes school/ university leavers but also those from other industries “Through a summer placement I was able to learn about all the various opportunities that the rail industry offers. And I have not looked back since. It is a very male-dominated industry, particularly in the engineering space, but this is changing. I have felt very well supported by a variety of mentors. Many people have gone out of their way to provide advice and have given me opportunities to be involved in initiatives that I never thought I could be involved in.

“Looking towards the future, I see myself leading or being a director of a team.

“Using a sports analogy, I’m an all-rounder – my specialism is being a generalist. I have a broad skill set, I like to adapt and I like to have an appreciation for everything that’s going on in a project or programme.”

A better view Fi added: “I’m good at seeing the bigger picture.

This allows me to build a strategic overview of what is going on, and ensure everything connects together. Being the director of YRP this year is allowing me to develop these skills.

We have so many strands of events and initiatives at YRP, as well as all of the behind-the -scenes activities such as sponsorship and marketing. I’m supporting each of them in a way, but also making sure YRP is delivering on its wider purpose and vision to ‘Promote, Inspire, Develop’.

“I hope that I’m becoming a role model for those entering the industry, just as I have role models who I currently look up to and aspire to become. It brings me great happiness in knowing that by supporting and inspiring others, I’m giving something back to our industry and community.”

There is no age limit to becoming a member of YRP, generally events are aimed at members with 10 years or less experience in the rail industry.

Membership is free and it does not generally charge for any of its professional development events or ambassador activities thanks to its corporate members who cover the operating costs, and subsidise many networking activities.

Visit youngrailpro.com for more information

June 2022 | 47

Heritage

Keeping family tradition of steam railways on track Sarah Tagart has been named Lord Faulkner Volunteer of the Year at the Heritage Railway Association Awards. She explains more about her passion for the industry

S

arah Tagart has the railways in her blood. She is the third generation to work in the industry following in the footsteps of her grandfather who worked for British Rail and her parents who first met while volunteering on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.

The 25-year-old wouldn’t want it any other way. She works full time as a conductor for Southeastern (working out of the Ashford depot), while also dedicating a large amount of her free time volunteering at the Kent and East Sussex Railway (KESR).

Volunteer of the year Her efforts to the latter have recently been recognised at the Heritage Railway Association (HRA) Awards. Sarah, volunteer fireman and guard, was named the Lord Faulkner Young Volunteer of the Year for her operational duties and role in the recruitment of a record-breaking number of volunteers at the Tenterden-based line.

“I was over the moon to win the award, especially with so many fantastic candidates shortlisted,” she said.

48 | June 2022

“Heritage railways are massive in my life and growing up around the Isle of Wight Steam Railway I was doing bits and pieces as young as I possibly could.

My friends think I’m absolutely bananas, but they love what I do and think it is amazing “There was a lot of me being an elf as a baby in the corner of Santa’s workshop around Christmas and as soon as I was old enough, I started helping out in operational roles on the railway.

“I then moved to Kent University nine years ago where I was introduced to the KESR and stuck with it.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way – I absolutely love heritage railways, particularly the massive family it gives me. We are one big family at KESR and everybody is there for everyone.”

Sarah’s grandfather Ken West was a British Rail driver on the Isle of Wight up until the end of steam in the mid-1960s, and then he transferred to the electrified Ryde-Shanklin line. Her grandmother worked in the buffet at Havenstreet Station.

Family connections Her parents also worked at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway – they met while her mum was an events office and her dad volunteered as a guard, signalman, duty manager and fireman.

“My friends think I’m absolutely bananas, but they love what I do and think it is amazing,” she said. “Now I work for Southeastern, trains aren’t such a taboo subject, but in my previous jobs when I’d go in on a Monday morning with black marks up my arms from firing a steam engine or gangway grease on me, trying to explain that was always fun.” railbusinessdaily.com

Heritage

Sarah has an enormous sense of pride in carrying on the family tradition of working in the railways, particularly inspired by her grandfather.

Ken passed away in 2012, but he continues to be an inspiration to Sarah, who occasionally dons his treasured railway overalls and grease top cap.

“My grandfather’s grease top is sacred to me,” she said. “He always used to wear it folded over to one side so it flopped over. When he passed away for years it was put on the top of my nan’s fridge.

“I asked if I could wear it for my firing test and she said ‘as you’re following in his footsteps you might as well keep it’, so it now lives on my shelf and comes out on the big occasions such as if I’m on the engine on his birthday or anything like that. I feel like he’s always with me on the footplate. The number of mornings where I’m in the yard really early and I can hear him saying ‘what are you doing that for’, or ‘come on girl you can do it’ provide some comfort.”

First steps Although Sarah has always had an interest in the railway, it was when she started volunteering on the KESR – a 10.5 mile line from Tenterden and Bodiam – that she discovered her real passion for it.

“I fell in love with the railways even more when I started volunteering at KESR and I also feel like I’m doing this for grandfather,” she said. “My roles have also changed since starting at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway dressing up as an elf, although I do sometimes get roped into wearing a festive costume if we’re short.

“I’ve recently started learning to drive steam and one thing I don’t think will ever get old is pulling into a platform and as a female leaning out of the side and hearing people saying ‘Oh,

there’s a lady driver’. Hopefully seeing me will inspire more females to become drivers.

“My aim as well is to continue doing what I’m doing while developing and moving forward, hopefully making a positive impact at KESR and heritage railways.

“I’ve settled into my career and want to ensure the industry thrives and that the next generation has still got something to do with the railway.

Hopefully I can introduce my own children to it one day.”

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June 2022 | 49

Heritage

Sarah is doing just that with the HRA award recognising her efforts in tackling one of the biggest challenges facing the heritage railway industry – the recruitment of volunteers, which is so vital in keeping the organisations running. She led a campaign that has seen an incredible 175 new volunteers sign up in the past year alone.

“There wasn’t really a system in place for recruiting volunteers or processing volunteers so in early 2021 when our recruitment manager stood down, we looked at introducing a new process,” she said.

“The new approach was a linear one ensuring that the minute someone spikes an interest we find a potential role. It also included making sure that the system for applying was much more accessible.”

Into the digital realm Prior to the new system everything was on written forms that needed to be handed into the office. Now, KESR has introduced a simple online form on its website.

“It just blew up from that with people applying to become volunteers thick and fast, particularly whenever we advertised the form,” she said.

“We could see where advertising was working, and it has allowed us to focus a lot more on diversity as a railway on a whole. A lot of heritage railways are predominantly white British male orientated and you don’t often see other ethnic minorities.

“It is important heritage railways are seen as a great industry for volunteering, especially when so many volunteers are needed to keep the railways running.”

Volunteering gives something back to your community, something for your CV and a chance to do something different Sarah says they are already having success with more females coming through and people from minority groups who previously wouldn’t have volunteered.

“As soon as you get one person from another community it opens a doorway to a previously untouched pool of potential volunteers,” she said.

“We’ve got to ensure that the railway is inclusive to all as the growing communities in the country are the future of our railways.

“I am optimistic when it comes to the challenges of bringing in new volunteers, but we also need to ensure that we retrain them, something I think we are achieving and will mean the railway will continue to flourish.”

KESR has also been working with schools to promote the heritage railway industry and the opportunities available in the future.

Looking ahead Sarah added: “We’ve done young engineers days and even in that we’re mentioning volunteering opportunities to give children something to look forward to – you might be seven or eight now, but when you’re 16 you can be training to be a fireman,” said Sarah.

“We’re always looking for volunteers, as are all heritage railway organisations, and if you’ve got any time, I’d recommend having a look at what you can offer.

“It’s not just people operating trains, all railways have different roles and even if you think your particular skill isn’t needed, it probably is somewhere behind the scenes.

“Volunteering gives something back to your community, something for your CV and a chance to do something different. It is also playing a vital role in keeping the history of the railways alive and working on something that brings joy to so many people.”

50 | June 2022

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C o m m u n i t y R a i l We e k

An amazing array of activities for Community Rail Week 2022

Jools Townsend, chief executive of Community Rail Network, looks back on this year’s Community Rail Week, which focused on encouraging people to give the train a try

A

fter the inaugural Community Rail Week last year, the Community Rail Network was determined that the event returned even bigger and better in 2022, promoting the difference that the community rail movement makes to so many communities across the country.

There are now 76 community rail partnerships across Britain, plus around 1,200 station groups, working to engage communities with their local railways and stations. Many partnerships and groups used the national week of action at the end of May this year to promote the message of ‘give the train a try’, urging people to take advantage of the numerous opportunities engaging with rail can offer.

Get involved More than 80 events took place across the week, which was sponsored by Rail Delivery Group, including ‘try the train’ trips, youth engagement activities, community rail showcases and exhibitions, and events to promote active and sustainable travel. Social media was also awash with activity and fascinating stories, with 16 million users reached through #CommunityRailWeek posts from partners and supporters.

Jools said: “We got off to a flying start with the Rail Minister, Wendy Morton MP, at Bradford Forster Square. The Minister took the train with the East Meets West Women’s group to Bingley, where she then met Action Stations Group volunteers and the team from the Bentham Line.

The Minister was clearly impressed at the range of work carried out in community rail.”

A Wellbeing Walk from Chirk Station

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Rail Minister, Wendy Morton MP, helps to launch Community Rail Week at Bingley Station

Across Britain, community rail partnerships and groups helped to increase confidence to travel by organising train trips with local schools, colleges, and diverse groups from the community, and events to gather young people’s views on sustainable travel.

Other Community Rail Network members encouraged people to ‘give the train a try’ to explore the great outdoors with organised guided walks and cycle rides from stations.

Community rail also went on tour throughout the week as partnerships and groups showcased their work and promoted leisure and tourism trips by train at larger railway stations across Britain including London, Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Stoke, and Peterborough.

Other groups ventured further afield to reach non-railway audiences, promoting community rail projects and activities at shopping centres, markets, major local workplaces, and other community

venues. Community rail officers and volunteers were on hand to provide advice on travelling by train and promote some of the beautiful destinations and attractions reachable by rail.

Other popular events included the chance for people to have a look around (and sit in the driver’s seat of) a new Greater Anglia accessible bi-mode train, stress relief exercises for passengers at Manchester Piccadilly Station, and a host of photography and railway history exhibitions.

Standout events Commenting on some of the activities she visited during the week, Jools said: “The youthfocused day did not disappoint, and a standout event was led by the team at Kent Community Rail Partnership in conjunction with Ashford College, where I heard first-hand the young people’s views on sustainable travel.

“Other events engaging young people took place including a lovely collaboration between Community Rail Lancashire and the SettleCarlisle Community Rail Partnership bringing Year 6 pupils from Keighley to Settle for a morning of STEM activities.

“Overall, the week really captured the passion and commitment which makes the community rail movement so relevant and important, especially at the present time. Our members certainly went the extra mile, and we applaud them for their amazing efforts. We are already looking forward to Community Rail Week 2023.”

June 2022 | 51

People

‘If we can just save one life, it’s worth it’ Laura Campbell, GTR’s suicide prevention manager, explains how dedicated partnerships – and simply talking to people – can make a real impact on the mental health crisis

“I

f we can just save one life, it’s worth it.” That’s the message from Laura Campbell, Govia Thameslink Railway’s (GTR) suicide prevention manager, who has already made three interventions herself.

“It’s so scary, the adrenaline is going and it’s not something that’s easy to do, but the more you do it and the more you hear about other people who have done it, the more confidence you have to do it,” she said. “You can’t say the wrong thing, you just have to go for it.”

The impact shouldn’t be underestimated.

Laura was recently at 11 Downing Street when somebody came up to her asking if she was responsible for training staff for vulnerable passengers using the railway.

She said: “He told me that he had experienced moments of feeling depressed and he’d gone to the station during a low period, but a member of staff intervened and said, ‘good morning, how are you?’ and it was as simple as that, it 52 | June 2022

The more we talk about mental health, the better things are going to be completely changed his train of thought, he walked away from the station, and was now talking to me.”

A vital part of the work of Laura and the team has been in ensuring mental health is at the forefront of the conversation and partnerships are created to reach as wide an audience as possible.

GTR has recently strengthened its partnership with Stevenage FC to support

young people in the community, helping to combat the mental health crisis following the pandemic.

The ‘Don’t Tackle It Alone’ campaign aims to encourage young people to attend Friday Kicks sporting events in their areas. The scheme is designed to offer the younger generation a support network and a safe place to meet.

Don’t tackle it alone Research suggests that younger people have struggled the most with mental health during the pandemic and so Thameslink, part of GTR, is working with this age group to support those feeling vulnerable.

To launch the initiative, players from the Academy and first teams wore specially designed kits with the message: ‘Don’t tackle it alone. We are all in this together. Always.’ The Kicks programme is funded by Premier League Kicks and Sport England. railbusinessdaily.com

People

“The camaraderie, and being outside or inside playing football, this idea of taking your thoughts away from whatever it is you’re dealing with, is just so good,” said Laura.

“There’s so many statistics around sport and mental health and how good it is for you, and how being part of a team and having people who are looking out for you and noticing changes because they know you, is beneficial.

“The Kicks programme offers young people a safe place to meet. It’s somewhere to direct people to, so that was attractive to us.

“Messages are all well and good, but we don’t want to do something just for the sake of doing it. We need to do it because it is something tangible for young people. It is allowing them to be with a team and get support from volunteers from Stevenage FC Foundation.”

The first of many Laura was appointed in 2020, becoming the first person employed by a passenger operator in such a role.

Today there are several staff across the industry undertaking similar work and initiatives such as Samaritans’ campaign ‘It’s ok not to be ok’ are helping to ensure that mental health is a priority.

“I think there is still an element of too much talk and not enough action, which is where the Kicks programme comes into it,” she said.

“I don’t think we can ever do enough but the more we talk about mental health, the better things are going to be.

Mental health is something that can affect all of us, it’s not selective on age or demographic “It’s not necessarily about leading to something more serious – a lot of people struggle with their mental health and we need to address this upstream before people get to crisis point.

So, I think early exposure to mental health and getting people used to seeking help and talking early on is what we need to focus on.”

Recent statistics published by Network Rail show there is a small shift in the demographic in people using the railway to end their lives.

Laura said that the industry needs to be aware of this but should not focus on it.

“If we suddenly change tack and say, right, we’ve got to look out for women and younger people, it’s not the right way to train people to be able to help more widely,” she added.

“Our philosophy at GTR is zero harm and we need to be looking out for everybody. We train our teams with that in mind. Mental health is something that can affect all of us, it’s not selective on age or demographic, which is why training is so important as we need to have an eye on everyone.”

One of the first things Laura did in her new role was to reach out to every single member of the GTR team – more than 7,500 people.

“They’re our eyes and ears,” she said. “I’ve made an intervention outside of work and so it gives people the awareness to constantly have their eyes open, even if you’ve had the smallest amount of training. It gives you the confidence to be able to speak to somebody when something doesn’t look quite right.”

Laura highlights how it isn’t just frontline staff who should undergo the training. Her husband did a 30-minute e-learning course, which he put into use.

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Tiny steps Overall, the message from Laura is to reach out if you’re struggling and to ensure the industry works together.

From left: Jorden Gibson, Stevenage FC Academy Manager, with GTR’s Laura Campbell and Shaun Smith and Joe Goude, CEO of Stevenage FC Foundation

Just take tiny steps, because you know you can’t be everything to everyone, every day “We all have bad days. When it gets to the point where you feel like you can’t get out of bed,

From left: Harry Giroud, Jake Watkiss, Freddie Stanley, Jaden Ogwuazor, Scott Cuthbert, Elliott List, Christy Pym, Michael Bostwick, Luther James-Wildin, Owen Cochrane, Theo Alexandrou

54 | June 2022

even the act of just making your bed can improve your outlook. If you can’t have a shower, wash your face. Do all the things that you feel able to do. Just take tiny steps, because you know you can’t be everything to everyone, every day. So just by breaking things down you may well be able to take that step and put one foot in front of the other each time,” she said.

“And if you can’t reach out to friends, know that there is someone who’s always willing to speak to you, things like the Hub of Hope, the Samaritans, all these amazing people who just want to talk to you.”

Image: Govia Thameslink Railway

“There was somebody crying on a station, so he approached him and said, ‘are you okay?’

That’s all he had to say. And the man said ‘I’m feeling a bit down’, and my husband asked if he’d like to go for a coffee and a chat. It was lovely that he was able to have the confidence to do that. And as I said, you don’t need special training to do it. But it’s just that extra kind of confidence.”

As for the industry itself, a lot of work is taking place involving several organisations, including a monthly session with other train operating companies and Network Rail to discuss, share and collaborate on best practice.

“There is a lot going on behind the scenes and it’s about holding each other’s hand and working together because this is quite a lonely job in a way, and just having that support network and being able to work with other people and bounce ideas off each other and find the best way forward is great,” she said.

“In March, Network Rail held a conference at the NEC in Birmingham which brought together all our industry partners including the British Transport Police and care workers.

We had different people from different countries talking about their findings with suicide prevention. It was very intensive but really good.”

Image: Govia Thameslink Railway

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

Why data visualisation is the capstone of digitalisation Toby Hawkins, sales director of mpro5, explains why visualisation can only be done right if you’ve broken down your silos

I

t might seem like a gimmick, but effective data visualisation is the final step to having total visibility and control of your operations. In his latest article for Rail Director, sales director of ‘Software as a Service’ provider mpro5 Toby Hawkins has considered the returns that having one source of the truth can offer, and why it matters that it’s easy to make sense of it.

“In the past we’ve discussed many distinct aspects of digitising compliance, managing data and how this relates to rail reform,” said Toby.

“There are many outdated methodologies and sub-optimal processes that we have been stuck with in rail for a long time, whether it’s lugging WONS (weekly operating notices) and PONS (periodic operating notices) around or the challenges of train presentation.

“Digitalisation can provide oversight, control and automation in these areas, but what I want to do today is talk about it more holistically.”

Structured data Toby continued: “At its core, digitisation is about structuring data, putting it in a format that makes it understandable, allows you to see what is going on and compare apples with apples. It means that everything has a relationship: a station to a region, or a team to a location. Connecting these data points to each other is what gives you this truly holistic view of your TOC (train operating company), and the more data you bring in, the better your insights will be.

“Of course, most TOCs have reporting capabilities and use dashboards to visualise certain aspects of their operations, even if that means using a pivot table in Excel.

“But the real value of tools like dashboards depends on how much of your data is unified and structured, and there are a few different approaches to this problem that can have radically different outcomes.”

Flying silo Toby explained: “The first approach, which is the worst option of the three, is unfortunately where a lot of TOCs are now.

56 | June 2022

“Over time, most train operators have accumulated point solutions, adding more systems as needed to aggregate and interpret data in many parts of their operations.”

‘Digitalisation can provide oversight, control and automation’ In practice this means that most data is siloed, stored separately from other crucial operational information and often in a unique structure. The best many TOCs can do with this is having all their separate dashboards running at once in the control room and occasionally pulling this data into a spreadsheet in an attempt to make sense of it for audits.

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“This is both laborious and limited in its effectiveness,” he added. “You’d need a specialist to finish even a cursory report, and you’re in the ridiculous situation of having to look at 25 separate pieces of software just to check that everything is OK.” Apples and oranges The second option is for a TOC to try to pull this data together themselves, often in a new BI platform that is itself a silo. But matching all this data up in a sensible way is not as easy as it might seem.

Toby said: “For a start, unifying the naming conventions will no doubt cause issues – it’s no good if your solution for train presentation has a different underlying data structure to your solution for monitoring crowding.

“But even after you’ve sorted this, many of your systems collect or refresh your data over different periods. This means that you must compromise on the granularity of the data, and still do some calculations yourself just to get them to match up.” railbusinessdaily.com

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

The third way “The third option is to find an application that can do two things,” Toby said. “The first one is that it can gradually take over at least 80 per cent of your processes, whether that is aggregating data on toilet cleans or late trains.

The second is that the application takes this data and structures it, becoming the backbone of your operations.

“With an application like this, it’s possible to both manage and aggregate data for different departments, while still structuring it and making sense of it in the context of your whole TOC. “It’s not realistic to bring every single process under one roof – it might be a legacy system that’s too embedded to practically replace, or it might be specifically mandated by the DfT (Department for Transport), but this data is still valuable so integrating this with your new solution is the best option.

“This will be manageable if it’s the exception and not the rule.

“The result of this unifying approach is to give you consistent data that paints the full picture.”

Digital twins Creating a ‘digital twin’ of your TOC isn’t about creating a fancy three-dimensional graphic of a train station that spins around on a dashboard, it’s about anchoring your data to real-world points and structuring it to make sense in that context.

Toby said: “It allows you to investigate and interrogate the data without being a specialist.

I can look at close calls for the whole region, or compare them station by station, or over contrasting times of day. And this is all accessible from a bespoke dashboard that gives you a realtime overview.

“Or you could look at Service Quality (SQ): how many unresolved SQ faults do we have open? What are the most common faults, and what is taking the longest to fix? The key is that you’re being given high-level information and the ability to drill down to more granular detail, without switching to a different spreadsheet or dashboard.”

On the same page “It’s hard to understate the significance of having a solution that unifies data in this way.

Once everyone has the same version of the truth, you will start to see people coming to the same conclusions, being less adversarial and more cooperative,” Toby explained.

“I’ve often seen disagreements between stakeholders emerge out of a lack of information or two different takes on the same situation. railbusinessdaily.com

“In one instance it was because one person had a daily report and the other a monthly, which meant that they had completely different information on the same situation.

“It means you’ll have more constructive discussions that focus on deploying existing resources as effectively as possible or bringing in new resource as the case may be.”

‘I’ve seen how this can change companies and change people’s working lives’

Reform your data “Visualisation might seem like a minor point, but it’s the capstone of your data hierarchy and it can only be done right if you’ve broken down your silos and structured your data properly for comparison,” Toby concluded.

“We are still adjusting to the new model for train operators, wherein the DfT awards profit based on your performance, and I think it’s fair to say that there are still teething problems. But the mandate for a digital solution to manage SQ scoring and reporting is an opportunity for TOCs to radically change the way they handle their data.

“Unifying your data, bringing it into one warehouse, and using data visualisation to manage it both in real-time and the longerterm will transform your operations. It will drive improvements to productivity and change the way you work, turning it into a collaborative effort driven by a shared common understanding that gives you real insight.

“I’m excited because I’ve seen how this can change companies and change people’s working lives, reducing stress and conflict, and creating a sense of purpose, teamwork and interdepartmental cooperation.”

“With effective data unification and visualisation, you get both the real-time updates and the long view, and this one source of the truth clears up many misunderstandings.”

Evidence and accountability “Being armed with this insight and evidence, departments can start to drive improvements and, crucially, demonstrate their efforts to higher management and make the case for more resources if needed,” said Toby.

“It’s not a case of fumbling in the dark while everyone is angry at you for failing an SQ requirement.

“Instead, you can show stakeholders and other departments exactly where you failed, why it happened, and what can be done to ensure success in the future.

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The National Railway Museum

The industry leaders helping to drive forward National Railway Museum Tim Dunn, Steve Oates, Jo Lewington, Anit Chandarana and Toufic Machnouk have joined the now 12-strong board to provide advice and support

T

he National Railway Museum (NRM) has appointed five new industry leaders to its Advisory Board at a key time for the popular attraction, as its Vision 2025 plans start to take shape.

Tim Dunn, Steve Oates, Jo Lewington, Anit Chandarana and Toufic Machnouk have

joined the now 12-strong board to provide advice and support to the museum’s senior management team on their plans for the future.

York’s NRM boasts the largest collection of railway objects in the world – including more than 260 locomotives and rolling stock,

thousands of railway objects, and more than 1.75 million documents and photographs in its archives.

Following their appointments, Tim, Steve, Jo, Anit and Toufic have explained to Rail Director their reasons for getting involved and their vision for the museum’s future.

Tim Dunn is a broadcaster and railway historian who is best known for the television programmes The Architecture the Railways Built and Secrets of the London Underground, which he presents.

He said: “I’ve been a regular visitor to the National Railway Museum since I was small, its collection of objects has been a constant source of wonder and inspiration. But it’s since having had the privilege of collaborating on projects with NRM and Science Museum Group staff in recent years – hearing their vision for the future and seeing their passions – that I’ve wanted to assist these brilliant professionals in any way that I can.

“The role of museums in society is changing.

The old ways of collecting old iron and steel objects and displaying them with a placard is

really not sufficient, it’s not what most people want or need from museums, especially not a railway museum. Railways, whether die-hard enthusiasts (and I count myself as an enthusiast) like it or not, are not really about trains, for most.

Sure, the history of railways to date has broadly been about the trains and maybe the places; but railways are about people.

“Britain is a nation built upon its railways – our network of twin parallel strips of steel has enabled, empowered, entwined, or even infuriated us all for nearly 200 years. Through its incredibly rich collection of objects the museum tells remarkable stories about how railways have done all those things. And there are so many more stories to be told too, with new perspectives, new voices, new spotlights.

“The NRM holds a unique position as being

not just a repository of old railway ‘stuff’ and archives, it has the power to become a central base for new inspirational ideas in engineering and informing contemporary rail discourse.

“We must place the railway centre stage for learning about the past and providing for the future. To thrive we must be relevant and we must be brilliant. My priorities therefore lie in assisting the team in delivering Vision 2025, and all of the activities that surround and bounce from it. We have many great stories to tell, and I have never been more excited to join a journey that has already begun to get up to speed.”

58 | June 2022

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The National Railway Museum

Anit Chandarana is lead director of the Great British Railways Transition Team and has worked in the railway industry for more than 18 years, formerly as chief of staff at Network Rail.

He said: “The railway in this country has a rich history associated with it, and the National Railway Museum embodies the symbolism of railway history. However, it’s not all about nostalgia and looking back, the NRM is passionate about showcasing the present and future innovations that will define railway travel for years to come. These innovations are exciting

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“The railway has been at the heart of Britain’s culture since its very beginnings, and the museum is one of the only resources that documents and allows everyone to share in that journey.

“Three of the museum’s values are to Reveal Wonder, Ignite Curiosity, and Share Authentic Stories, so preserving and maintaining railway vehicles, documents, artefacts and more to be seen and experienced first-hand is vital.

“While it is never possible to keep every artefact, the museum’s role in taking difficult decisions on what to preserve is hugely important

in documenting the rich history of the railway.

“I hope that I can help the museum stay relevant to audiences today and in the future. I want to help promote the museum as a true national asset while looking at how and where it fits in the context of Great British Railways. With my background as an accountant, I want to help the museum achieve a sustainable financial underpinning.”

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The National Railway Museum

Toufic Machnouk is Network Rail director, industry partnership and digital railway, who is leading on a pioneering cross-industry partnership to create and deliver the next generation railway through digital train control technology.

He said: “I believe the NRM has a special place in both industry and society. It sits uniquely at the crossroads between the past and the future.

It might appear obvious that it is a place for the preservation of the railways past, however by doing that and welcoming tens of thousands of

children each year, the NRM is a place of vast inspiration for what people like us have created in the past and what that means we can do today for the future.

“All children are natural innovators and possess deep curiosity and the railway is an accessible form of learning and inspiration.

The NRM and I share this vision, and this is something I want to amplify and support.”

“Given the railway as we know it today was invented and developed in Britain, the NRM has a special and important place in preserving that history

and keeping the journey it is on and the stories we can learn from it alive.

“My priorities are to help the museum deliver its Vision 2025 project, which is a major transformation of how the museum will engage communities and industry in preserving our history and inspiring the future. We have the opportunity to rediscover and inspire an identity of pioneering innovators for the railway.”

Jo Lewington is chief environmental and sustainability officer at Network Rail and is responsible for leading on its commitment to provide the cleanest, greenest form of mass transport in the UK. She said: “The work that the National Railway Museum does is vital in connecting people with rail and engaging all generations in the importance of rail both in the past and looking forward to a sustainable future for the rail industry. I am proud that we have such an

amazing public facility, and I am keen to support with promoting the important work of the NRM through my participation on the Advisory Board.

“It is vital to keep the history of the railway alive. Without it, the rich heritage of the industry would not exist. The sheer scale of the exhibits and interactive nature of the museum is inspirational and is something we should cherish and feel incredibly proud of!

“My priorities are to keep a focus on being truly sustainable and engaging with all

generations to inspire everyone to support the museum and the rail industry now and in the future. The museum is unique but needs to maintain a ‘wow factor’ to keep visitors coming. The Vision 2025 project will do just that – it will be exciting and engaging and will transform the experience to be even more hands-on for visitors.”

Steve Oates is chief executive officer at the Heritage Railway Association. He is actively involved in promoting and protecting the interests of heritage railways to government and other bodies.

He said: “The National Railway Museum is one of the most important institutions in the country. Railways are arguably the greatest gift that Great Britain has ever given to the world, and the NRM is the only place that can possibly tell such an enormous story. It’s a huge honour to be playing even a small part in that.

“Our railway heritage is vital to the very nature of our national identity – it stirs emotions and tells stories that few other subjects can. It’s almost impossible to overstate how important the National Railway Museum is in that.

“Icons like Flying Scotsman are known the world over and are essential ambassadors

for our cultural heritage and visitor economy.

Railway engineering still inspires young people now, just as it has done since the dawn of railway technology, whether that is in the shape of Rocket or a High Speed Train power car.

“And of course, there’s the social history – railways made it possible to see the world, they quite literally changed time, and they transformed economies. There’s probably nowhere else on the planet that could get that across as well as the National Railway Museum and its astonishing depth of collections.

“The National Railway Museum is quite rightly loved by so many people, and I think it must go on being a genuinely treasured institution. But it also has a unique opportunity to be a driver of regeneration and engagement with our railway culture in new and exciting ways – just as our railway heritage can be.

“York is a massive railway city and has been for

more than 150 years.

The National Railway Museum is at the heart of that heritage and the city’s visitor economy. I can really see how it can grow those credentials and help to deliver even more for York.

“I’d like to see the National Railway Museum engage with new audiences, particularly younger people, who probably take railways for granted and might not have a full understanding of just how much the world we live in even today was made possible by railways. Electronic communication, speedy parcel delivery, days out to the seaside – railways made it all possible and it’s essential that future generations can learn how.”

60 | June 2022

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

Working collaboratively to drive innovative materials in the railways Transpennine Route Upgrade East’s Mark Simpson and Scott Parnell’s Sharon Meek discuss the partnerships transforming the biggest rail project in the north of England

Sharon Meek and Mark Simpson

T

he multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is set to transform rail travel in the North, improving connectivity and supporting economic growth between York, Leeds, Huddersfield and Manchester.

Its impact will go far beyond the users of the 23 stations along the 76-mile Transpennine railway; the project is also proving to be the platform to trial new ways of working and equipment that are greener and more efficient.

“You won’t find anyone in the country driving innovative materials more than us and the progress we are making is really exciting,” said Mark Simpson, Contractors’ Responsible Engineer (CRE) at J Murphy and Sons on the TRU East Alliance (TRUe).

“The impact we are having is being noticed by the most senior of people and now it is about educating the rest to ensure ways of working change for the better.”

J Murphy & Sons Ltd is the principal contractor and civil engineering partner on the Alliance, working alongside Network Rail, VolkerRail, Siemens and Systra, leading the East of Leeds part of the project between York and Leeds.

62 | June 2022

Mark, who started his working life as a joiner before working his way up becoming a site agent, project manager and CRE, said: “This is the largest infrastructure project in the North of England and one that is on my doorstep, so I’m incredibly proud to be involved.

‘You won’t find anyone in the country driving innovative materials more than us and the progress we are making is really exciting’ “I’ve been lucky to have been involved with almost everything in construction over the past 38 years but over the last decade one of my passions has been to try to bring in new products and methods to improve the way we construct projects.”

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That is exactly what he has been driving as part of the TRU project, striking a strong partnership with the one-stop shop for groundworks and civil engineering requirements Scott Parnell.

Its rail director north, Sharon Meek, said: “We reached out to Mark and the TRU team with some products we offer after hearing about the Alliance’s commitment to construct the railway in a more sustainable way. We are a builders’ merchants, but our rail division actually works with product manufacturers, typically start-ups and SMEs, to be their route to market for their fantastic innovations.”

Time and cost benefits Among the products being supplied to the TRU project is Complete Composite Systems’ Arcosystem – elevated GRP troughing, Network Rail approved to span 6m between fixings. It is already dramatically reducing the installation cost and time.

“Arcosystem was the first innovation that we brought into the UK across from Europe,” said Sharon, who explained the installation efficiencies it brings. railbusinessdaily.com

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

“Traditional elevated troughs install at 1.5, two or three metre centres, compared to our six, so the efficiencies are obvious, as are the savings on raw materials and site transportation. It also futureproofs the route because you can come along at any point and attach additional troughing routes to the one-post structure that is already installed.”

Techno-Crete™ Scott Parnell also introduced a new alternative to cementitious post-mix foundations – TechnoCrete™ – to the TRU team, which is used for securing fence posts, gates, elevated troughing, signposts, handrails and ballast boards.

It is a two-part, high density hydrophobic polyurethane foam alternative to cementitious post foundations, derived from sustainably grown and recycled vegetable oils, formulated so it can be mixed without the need for mechanical plant and equipment.

Sharon said: “This is so different to traditional post mix, which is heavy, dirty, dusty and requires water. One pack of Techno-Crete, which weighs 1.8kg, commonly replaces 80kg of traditional materials.

“That’s a massive efficiency in the installation again, and vast reduction in the risk of injury to the workforce. It’s made from recycled vegetable oil too, so it is a sustainable product which doesn’t need water.”

Mark said: “In all these years that I’ve been bringing innovation in I’ve never been able to do as much as I have recently and that’s because of the involvement of Scott Parnell and the changing attitude of our client Network Rail. It is also aided by the TRU innovations panel who actively seek out new and innovative practices and materials before they are then discussed and taken forward.

“In the case of Techno-Crete™ we carried out a trial, installed by the manufacturer – Complete Composite Systems – which was attended by our designer Systra.

“Network Rail gave us the requirements and we carried out a test which exceeded normal foundation requirements by three times, making Network Rail acceptance on TRU a formality.

Thanks to Systra it is now specified within our drawings to be used for all lineside foundations such as handrail and Arcosystem elevated trough.

“Its impact goes beyond the TRU East project. It’s been passed on to J Murphy nationally who are now looking to use it and also to Amey, the principal contractor of the West part of the TRU project.”

‘We need to build to improve our infrastructure, but if we can do it in a way that isn’t so damaging to the environment, ultimately we all win’ Simon James, TRU environment and sustainability manager, said: “On TRU, we have the opportunity to do things differently.

Too often on projects we are in and out, with a ‘business as usual approach’, resulting in similar replacements and upgrades.

“To meet both project and government targets relating to carbon and biodiversity net gain we need to change this mindset, we need to innovate and move away from traditional designs, materials and delivery methods.

“Scott Parnell offers alternative products that we can challenge designers and engineers to adopt as we strive to build more resilient infrastructure while reducing carbon and improving biodiversity.”

Mark continued: “Three years ago I’d never heard of Scott Parnell, but now its products

FlexMSE vegetated culvert headwall

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Techno-Crete foundation for trackside handrail

aren’t just transforming the TRU project but are changing the industry nationally, which is backed up by various experts who think what we’re doing is special and needs to be communicated wider.

It really is a pleasure to work together as a team.”

Integral partner Jason Chadwick, TRU Alliance procurement lead echoes these thoughts, and said: “Over the past two years Scott Parnell has become an integral part of the TRUe Alliance supply chain and an integral part of that innovative delivery.

“Its forward-thinking approach to innovation and sustainability, and the proactive interaction with leading UK and European manufacturers is a breath of fresh air. The Alliance will continue to collaborate with Scott Parnell supporting trials of new products as they enter the marketplace.”

Mark, who in the past 18 years has successfully delivered numerous rail projects across the country, ranging from station and signal box refurbishment, to embankment stabilisation and bridge reconstructions, said it is becoming easier to get new materials approved. He hopes other organisations can take inspiration from this and what has been achieved by Scott Parnell.

“In another example we’ve been looking for alternatives to traditional back-of-wall drainage where standard practice utilises tonnes of aggregates and geotextiles,” he said.

June 2022 | 63

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

“Once again Scott Parnell had an innovative solution that supports our sustainability goals.

TDS400 modular drainage panels can be used as a back-of-wall drainage system, as well as an aide to track drainage across the rail landscape.

Made from recycled, UK-sourced plastics it not only replaces virgin aggregates but also removes harmful plastics from the environment and turns them into a benign product with added value.

“This is a solution I have proposed and is now with the Systra design team, who are fully embracing my proposals. Having a network of people across our Alliance who are open to new ideas is making such a difference and it is so refreshing and really improving how we are working.”

Sharon added: “Everything that we look to introduce into the sector over and above what are considered standard materials, we aim to be sustainable, cost effective and efficient, or ideally all three.

“More than 14 years in rail has taught me this industry, as fantastic as it is, can be a little old fashioned in how it operates and relies on practices that are decades old. We want to challenge those thought processes, methods and those materials, but we have to do so with products that are sustainable and offer other advantages.”

Net zero targets The efforts come as the industry looks to achieve net zero carbon by 2050 (and 2045 in Scotland).

Around 97 per cent of Network Rail’s emissions come from third parties, including suppliers.

Last month Network Rail praised the progress made in reaching the target with 67 per cent of suppliers now signed up to the sciencebased targets initiatives to reduce their carbon footprint.

Sharon, whose organisation is on target to achieve net zero by 2023, said: “A vital part in hitting the industry targets is to have the supply chain fully endorse it and to back that up by bringing in these new concepts.

“Another product TRU has trialled and is set to use going forward is FlexMSE, which is the vegetated retaining wall system, manufactured by Gravitas International. They trialled it on one small culvert at Brumber Hill and it was very successful.

‘I’ve been told by some of the most senior people in the country that we really are making a difference’ “The IDB (Internal Drainage Board), EA (Environment Agency), landowner, Alliance and client are happy with it, and now the product is being designed into some major culverts and gravity wall systems. This is leading to tonnes of concrete and steel being removed from the construction phase and being swapped out for a system that is EDP certified, so it’s fully sustainable, a true green alternative.

“Not only does the product offer a means to remove concrete and steel, but can be planted with any vegetation that is wanted and that can recover all of the carbon consumed in the manufacturing and build of the culvert and gives back to wildlife that otherwise might have been moved on.”

Over the past few months, the Alliance has also restarted an innovation panel looking at potential new products that are then reviewed at the highest possible level.

Mark said: “It’s unbelievable what is going on at the moment. It’s like a snowball going down a mountain, it is picking up more and more momentum with more people being brought in.

“The potential is massive and I’m particularly excited because I’ve been told by some of the most senior people in the country that we really are making a difference.”

Driving innovation Sharon added: “We need to build to improve our infrastructure, but if we can do it in a way that isn’t so damaging to the environment, ultimately we all win.

“If these products bring efficiencies through construction, it becomes cheaper and therefore it is in the taxpayers’ interest as well. There are so many innovative products out there and we’re excited about what we’ll be offering to industry in the future.”

Andy Stocks, East of Leeds Alliance director, has celebrated the collaboration. He said: “The railway industry has to innovate to ensure it has a future. At TRU this is a core requirement to ensure we achieve the efficiencies set by government.

“This includes trialling and testing new products that give a cost benefit in material price or ease of installation. The partners on the East of Leeds Alliance want to work with suppliers who adopt this ethos too.

“There’s an opportunity on TRU to change the way the railway industry operates, and all parties involved with its delivery have this challenge.

“I’m pleased that Scott Parnell is one of those suppliers that have stepped up to address the challenge.”

Visit scottparnell.com/ for more details.

Techno-Crete foundation for trackside handrail

64 | June 2022

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It’s available online via our user-friendly testing platform that allows results to be downloaded immediately.

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Rail to Refuge

Two-year anniversary for scheme helping people flee domestic abuse Naomi and Zara share their stories on the importance of Rail to Refuge on the initiative’s second birthday

N

aomi was fearing for her life experiencing physical, verbal, financial and psychological abuse as well as controlling and isolating behaviour from her own family members. One day when she arrived home later than expected she was assaulted with an object. That was the final straw – she needed to escape to a safe refuge immediately.

Deemed by police as a high-risk victim of abuse and honour-based abuse, staying in the area was an unsafe option, and despite a refuge vacancy available that same day in a different county, she didn’t have the financial means to travel. Failure to arrive that day would mean the placement was lost and she’d continue to be at high risk.

Travelling to safety Thankfully the railway came to the rescue, offering Naomi free travel as part of Rail to Refuge, a joint initiative between rail companies and Women’s Aid in which train operators cover the cost of train tickets for women, men and children as they travel to safety at refuges.

Sadly, Naomi isn’t alone in needing this lifeline. The initiative has just marked its second anniversary in which free tickets have been provided to 3,118 people, including 874 children.

And 65 per cent of people who used Rail to Refuge to date said they would not or could not have travelled if the journey hadn’t been paid for.

Farah Nazeer, chief executive of Women’s Aid, said: “For survivors, the barriers to leaving an abusive relationship and accessing support are innumerable. Abuse, by definition, isolates.

Economic abuse can make leaving very difficult.

With no access to money, escape feels unlikely, particularly when survivors are in need of refuge far away from perpetrators.

“With little to no access to a job, bank account or extra cash, raising the money for a train tickets can be near impossible. Coercive control can further these barriers, with survivors unable to arrange their own travel and support for fear of a perpetrator finding or accessing plans.

“Rail to Refuge lifts many of these barriers. It is a lifeline for survivors, free train tickets across the country give direct access to safety.

66 | June 2022

“With travel booked through the refuge supporting the survivor, each ticket is a ticket to a safer, better future.”

Rail to Refuge was introduced by all train operators during the first lockdown, having been pioneered by Southeastern in 2019 and joined

by Great Western Railway in March 2020. It has received much acclaim, including from HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, who met representatives of the rail industry and Women’s Aid at Victoria Station last year.

Free train tickets across the country give direct access to safety But it is when you hear the first-hand accounts of those who use the service that its importance really hits home. An example is the story of Zara who was experiencing physical, sexual, verbal and financial abuse as well as controlling and isolating behaviour from her spouse.

To secure the refuge vacancy for herself and her three children, she had to arrive at the accommodation the next day by 11am. Despite being subjected to financial abuse and also her spouse monitoring her credit card accounts, she was able to get there thanks to the Rail to Refuge initiative.

Help where it is needed Andy Bagnall, director general of the Rail Delivery Group, said: “Rail to Refuge has seen train operators providing lifesaving travel every day for two years now – something that we’re proud to be able to provide and to be able to continue offering to those who sadly need it. Rail staff will continue to work hard to assist those in need, just as they support all of our passengers and help to make sure there is no unsafe space on the railway.”

In April the initiative was renewed to continue to help survivors of domestic abuse escape danger and reach safety. Survivors are supported by Women’s Aid members services and when they are offered a refuge place, the service can book the ticket(s) they need, with train companies covering the cost. Tickets are also provided for their children, if required.

They can be used as e-tickets on a phone or can be picked up from stations with a debit or credit card. The scheme allows survivors to board a train and travel without having to explain their situation to anyone. railbusinessdaily.com

International News

Serena Hotel, The UK Prime Minister’s G7 Sherpa Jonathan Black said: “Great cities like Nairobi will need to become more climate-resilient, but also more climate-friendly – less carbon

Image: Atkins

s part of the UK-Kenya Strategic Partnership, the UK and Kenyan governments have launched the final design of Nairobi’s new Central Railway Station and public realm.

The new design, which was completed by Atkins UK and handed over to Kenya Railways and the Ministry of Transport, is part of the wider Nairobi Railway City redevelopment programme, championed by President Kenyatta and supported by the UK Government.

Speaking during the launch and handover event at the Nairobi

Image: Atkins

Nairobi’s new Central Railway Station unveiled A

intensive to build, to travel around, and to live in. The new central station and public realm will sit at the heart of Nairobi Railway City.”

UK deputy high commissioner and development director Julius Court said: “Nairobi Railway City is a flagship project in the UK-Kenya Strategic Partnership which was agreed by UK Prime Minister and President Uhuru Kenyatta during the Africa Investment Summit in 2020.

“The launch event is a true

sign of our growing strength and integration of the UK’s infrastructure offer to Kenya and the UK’s commitment to the Build Back Better World and Clean Green Initiative delivering investment into clean and green infrastructure.”

Chris Crombie, design director for Atkins, said: “Nairobi Railway City is a hugely important, flagship project in the heart of the city and the gateway to East Africa. The design and vision we have created, working alongside Howard Humphreys, is a real case study example of how to create transit-orientated development with climate adaptation built in. The railway city project will support the Kenyan government in its commitment to deliver jobs, as well as green and sustainable infrastructure that drives regeneration.”

Fugro set for sustainable light rail project in Texas F ugro has completed a year-long geotechnical investigation for infrastructure solutions firm HNTB to support the safe design of a new light rail transit tunnel in downtown Austin, Texas.

The tunnel is a key part of HNTB’s work for the Capital Metropolitan Transportation

Authority (CapMetro), Austin Transit Partnership (ATP) and the City of Austin on the larger Blue Line Corridor project, which aims to ease traffic congestion and support sustainable population and economic growth in the city.

To understand and mitigate potential ground risk in the tunnel design, Fugro characterised the

site’s soil structure using a variety of geotechnical and geophysical methods. These included acquiring, sampling, imaging and testing geotechnical borings; installing groundwater monitoring wells; and performing specialised laboratory testing on selected rock samples.

All work was managed through

Fugro’s cloud-hosted, web-based geo-data engagement platform, Gaia.Hub. With the ability to provide near real-time deliverables to HNTB, Gaia.Hub increased collaboration and facilitated earlier decision-making, enabling the team to overcome challenges associated with conducting fieldwork in a busy metropolitan area.

Mike SURVEY CONSULTANCY LTD Chartered Land and Engineering Surveyors

68 | June 2022

railbusinessdaily.com

International News

Alstom wins contract for Tel Aviv’s light rail A

lstom, a member of the TMT Consortium (TLV Metropolitan Tramway Ltd) and its partners Electra Ltd and Dan Transportation have been awarded a contract to design, build, maintain, and finance the Tel Aviv Metropolitan LRT Green Line by Metropolitan Mass Transit System Ltd (NTA).

The project is valued at €2.6 billion and Alstom’s share is valued at €858 million.

A l s t o m’s responsibility includes the design, engineering, supply, integration, testing and commissioning of the railway system including tracks, electrification, power supply (Hesop, energy saving system), signalling, communication system and the supply of 98 Citadis XO5 trams. Electra will manage the

design and construction of the civil works. System maintenance will be performed by a joint venture composed of Dan Transportation, Electra and Alstom.

Eran Cohen, managing director Alstom Israel, said: “We are excited and grateful for the opportunity to support NTA in the development of the city’s urban network and serve hundreds of

thousands of residents every day.

“We believe access to transport is an essential factor to promote and enhance social and economic progress. Everyone benefits from better access to public transport, reduced commute times, less congestion and lower carbon emissions.

“Alstom and our partners Dan Transportation and Electra Ltd

believe this project will contribute to the growth of the rail ecosystem in the country and support the creation of hundreds of new jobs.”

This project is part of a greater transport investment plan by Israel to address the country’s growing mobility demand. To reduce congestion in Tel Aviv and support its four million inhabitants, two additional tramways will be introduced (Green and Purple).

The Green Line is the longer of the two extending for over 39km and 62 stations, of which four will be underground.

The line will run from north to south of the city, connecting Holon and Rishon Lezion with the centre of Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv University, the industrial and business area in western Herzliya and the business area in Kiryat Atidim.

Dura Composites announces newest Middle East distribution partner ura Composites, the global composites manufacturer and supplier, has announced The Invicta Group is its newest distribution partner for its Glass Reinforced Polymer (GRP) walkway range within the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

The new partnership is the latest step towards bolstering the company’s distribution network and facilitating global customers to unlock the power

Image: Dura Composites

D

of composites for their projects.

The arrangement will focus particularly on the company’s d2

GRP product range, which delivers the best performance-to-weight ratio, best anti-slip durability and

best fire ratings in the industry, for maximum safety and efficiency.

Jonathan Howard, head of growth at Dura Composites, said: “Despite the various global challenges over the past couple of years, we have continued to see growth in the Middle East and have been keen to find the right distributor partner who recognises the superior and unique qualities of our d2 product range and can help us deliver on our ambitions for the region.”

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June 2022 | 69

Innovation

First of its kind innovation and technology for a metro system Dave Hooper, Siemens Mobility’s director of major programmes, talks about the progress of the new Piccadilly line fleet that will be built in East Yorkshire

D

ave Hooper is a man full of admiration for the Victorian ancestors who created London’s Underground, but admits the space constraints of the network make any upgrades a challenge.

But it’s a task Siemens Mobility’s director of major programmes relishes. A decade ago he was programme director at Transport for London (TfL) when the first new air-conditioned S Stock trains went into service on the Metropolitan line.

Having directed the team delivering the £1 billion programme of investment in rolling stock, depots and infrastructure in 2010, he’s now leading the production of 94 new trains to replace the 1970s-built Piccadilly line fleet.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to be involved with some wonderful programmes in my career including the likes of introducing the Eurostar service via the Channel Tunnel, but this work on the Piccadilly line trains is a journey back for me having done the Metropolitan line prior to the 2012 London Olympics,” he said.

“I’m incredibly proud of the work we are doing on this project in particular as this is the first of its kind in terms of the innovation and the technology that we’re bringing into a metro system.”

Dave’s comments come as he proudly shows Rail Director around Siemens Mobility’s new train manufacturing plant and supply chain rail village in East Yorkshire, where half of the Piccadilly line trains are going to be built.

The first step Construction of the first phase of the site is expected to be complete in the coming months, in a project with an investment potential of up to £200 million and the creation of as many as 700 skilled jobs in engineering and manufacturing.

“Construction of the site is more or less coming to an end now so we will be finished here this year. The next phase of the project is to fit out the factory and to recruit people to work here,” he said.

“There will be a few hundred people working here plus up to 1,700 new jobs created in the supply chain to feed the factory, so it is getting those people in and trained up.

70 | June 2022

Dave Hooper pictured at the site of Siemen Mobility’s new train manufacturing plant and supply chain rail village in East Yorkshire.

“As part of the training they will be working with colleagues in Vienna, which will see the transfer of technology of skills and competence from the factory in Vienna into Goole, and then we’ll start production.”

This is the first of its kind in terms of the innovation and the technology that we’re bringing into a metro system The state-of-the-art ‘Inspiro London’ trains, due to come into service from 2025, will significantly improve the experience of millions of customers, with wider doors and longer, walkthrough, air-conditioned carriages for more comfortable journeys.

The new trains optimise space to boast 10 per cent more capacity, as well as being significantly lighter than existing designs, meaning energy efficiency is increased and damage to tracks is reduced.

This is achieved by using an innovative articulated design that means fewer bogies are required per full-length train.

Bigger on the inside Dave added: “The big challenge has been the space constraints and bringing all the modern features that are expected as standard now on a digital platform train, but make them smaller to be able to fit in at the same time as maximising the space within the passenger saloons to carry more people,” said Dave, who described each change made to the design as a huge jigsaw puzzle to put together.

“It’s been a really incredible journey for our engineering teams to come up with the concepts.

The key has been taking out equipment that on other train designs might have been seen as essential, but not in the case of these. railbusinessdaily.com

Innovation

“One of the key moves has been removing some of the bogies, which haven’t only given us a weight saving to make the train more efficient but has also created some additional space under the frame to store other equipment like HVAC.” The new trains have been designed with sustainability in mind. They are 95 per cent recoverable and also offer regenerative braking capability, cutting-edge traction systems, LED lighting throughout and advanced energy management. This will mean energy consumption is reduced by 20 per cent compared with the existing fleet.

The longer, air-conditioned trains will also be fully walk-through, boosting accessibility and allowing customers to move easily to quieter areas of the train.

“The doors are a lot wider than a normal Tube train. People will also notice a difference with the height of the saloon ceiling inside the trains and they’ll be able to look right the way down the nine cars of the train just like you do on a Thameslink train,” said Dave. “It will feel a lot more open and roomy – that feeling of space will hit passengers as soon as they walk onto the train.

“There will also be digital display screens for advertising that brings it in the modern age.”

Innovation in the UK The manufacturing site in East Yorkshire is part of the Goole Rail Village, a series of complementary projects that aims to create a compelling proposition for further investment from the UK rail sector and related supply chains.

Last month, the Rail Accelerator and Innovation Solutions hub for Enterprise (RaisE) was officially opened, a partnership between leading rail industry specialists, academics and local government creating a space for collaboration.

Phase two of this project will be led by the University of Birmingham and is focused on research and development and innovation in digitalisation, AI, and decarbonisation technologies for rail such as hydrogen and battery with the next-door Siemens factory being a ‘living lab’ for testing.

Dave, who studied chemistry before joining the railways working for the likes of British Rail, Network Rail, FirstGroup, Serco, TfL, Osborne, and Siemens, said: “For Siemens Mobility at Goole, this is not just about one train build, it is a sustainable plan to create a centre of excellence for the rail industry to thrive which will include manufacturing, service, warehousing, a supplier park and R&D.” railbusinessdaily.com

The new trains to replace the 1970s-built Piccadilly line fleet

“We will be introducing a new platform into the UK for commuter rail which the first contract is to be bid into Scotland and to me that is the future, to build commuter rail and metro trains at the site in Goole for the UK and hopefully into the global market as well.

“From a TfL point of view, it is clear they need a long-term funding agreement with the government to fund further new trains and the contract has options that enables the building of

trains for the Bakerloo line, Central line and also the Waterloo and City line, with additional trains to facilitate capacity growth generated by new signalling systems.

“In terms of capacity in Goole, we have space here for the global market. In some other factories we are constrained because they are old city sites that cannot be further extended.

Once we prove our output and ability to do things, that’s where the growth will come.”

June 2022 | 71

RBD Community

‘It’s not what we say, but what our members have to say about us’

Eli Rees-King, head of RBD Community, discusses how they are supporting members to take advantage of the opportunities in rail

W

e have had a very busy few weeks and plenty of opportunities for some faceto-face meetings with members of the RBD Community.

Railtex proved to be a great opportunity for us to speak with not only people we know to have a well overdue catch-up, but for us to make many new connections too, and we are delighted to have new members on board who have joined as a result. We were also proud to support organisations who took stands on the RBD Eagle Lab; for some, this was their first foray into the world of rail trade exhibitions.

This was the case for Re-flow Field Management – a member of the RBD Community who joined to ‘test the waters’ and look at opportunities in the rail sector after growing the business in the construction and highway industries.

Challenges Re-flow Field Management co-founder and managing director Michael Saunders said: “Much like highways, construction and other industries Re-flow serves, rail faces many of the same problems: businesses struggling to remain efficient and profitable amid increasing supply chain and wage inflation, lack of reliable systems to protect lone workers, and siloed systems causing bottlenecks between operational processes.

“With the rapid growth we’ve experienced over the past year, it became clear that the business was in the ideal position to bring the

72 | June 2022

same benefits we’ve been providing our clients in construction, highways, civil engineering and landscaping to the rail sector. Thanks to industry contacts, including RBD Community, the team has been able to do just that, and we couldn’t be happier with the response we’ve received.”

Recently, the RBD Community team also assisted the VolkerFitzpatrick/VolkerRail joint venture (JV) with their ‘meet the buyer’ event.

As one of the three successful bidders invited to tender for HS2’s Washwood Heath Depot and Network Control Centre contract (worth an estimated £275 million), the VolkerFitzpatrick/ VolkerRail JV wanted to meet new suppliers as well as re-engaging with existing contacts.

The event provided a valuable opportunity for UK sub-contractors and social enterprises to meet with the VolkerFitzpatrick/VolkerRail

JV Procurement team to understand the supply chain opportunities available to support them in delivering a successful project.

Meet ther buyer Martin Raf ferty, senior buyer at VolkerFitzpatrick, said: “As members of the RBD Community along with our sister company, VolkerRail, the support of the RBD Community team to deliver a ‘meet the buyer’ event has been invaluable. Despite the short timescales to organise this event, RBD Community pulled out all the stops and we were able to meet with almost 100 supply chain companies on the day.

“The quality of the conversations with companies attending the appointments was excellent and we couldn’t have been more delighted with the outcome.”

If you would like to find out more about the RBD Community and how we can help support your business, please contact eli@railbusinessdaily. com or alternatively come and meet us at RSN22 on 7 July. We will be running appointments all day alongside our colleagues in the RBD i-Zone.

Delivered by the Rail Business Daily team of rail business advisors, marketing, and recruitment specialists, individual appointments can be booked for one-to-one meetings with key members of the team from RBD Advisory Team, RBD Marketing Services, RBD Community – b2b matchmaking and RBD Stride/Recruitment. Go to www.rsnevents.co.uk for full details under the visitor section. railbusinessdaily.com

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June 2022 | 73

Movers and Shakers

Five new trustees appointed to Women in Rail governing board W

omen in Rail (WR) has appointed five new trustees to its governing board.

Sarah Reid, Gary Smithson, Ruth Busby, Mat Baine and Philippa Hinton all hold key positions in the sector. They are ardent supporters of WR, which was founded in 2012 to improve diversity in the UK rail industry by providing networking opportunities and support, encouraging diversity as a business strategy and developing initiatives to promote rail as an attractive career choice.

The organisation’s chair Christine Fernandes said: “I am delighted to announce these new trustee appointments in the charity’s 10th anniversary year.

“Sarah, Gary, Ruth, Mat and Philippa are exceptional people in senior roles and bring with them considerable influence and experience which will greatly benefit WR. Having them as trustees will definitely strengthen our team as the charity continues its efforts to achieve a more gender-balanced and diverse UK rail industry.”

Sarah Reid, Gary Smithson, Ruth Busby, Mat Baine, Philippa Hinton

Sarah Reid is route director East Coast at Network Rail and, in her role as WR regional chair in the East Midlands, launched Never Mind the Gap – a crossindustry work placement scheme to encourage more women into rail. Sarah has more than 14 years’ experience in the sector having worked in companies including Bombardier Transportation, Invensys Rail and Westinghouse Rail.

Gary Smithson is rail director at Morson Talent. Morson has been a long-standing advocate for WR. It has supported WR flagship events and during the pandemic,

supported lockdown events to help children and parents home schooling.

Ruth Busby is WR regional co-chair in the South and has been HR director for Great Western Railway (GWR) since 2018. Ruth is passionate about inclusion and diversity, a key driver throughout her career.

Before joining GWR she worked in several sectors including defence, higher education, and the civil service.

Mat Baine has spent 10 years as managing director at Egis Transport Solutions (formerly CPMS). Another solid supporter

of WR through sponsorship of the awards, Big Rail Diversity Challenge and home-schooling lockdown events.

Philippa Hinton is a senior associate at leading global law firm, Ashurst. She specialises in transport and infrastructure projects and has significant experience of commercial contracts in the rail sector.

Philippa’s extensive experience spans projects for West Coast Trains Ltd, Keolis Amey, Transport for London and Cory Riverside Energy among others. She is also company secretary of The Railway Children charity.

Will Godfrey starts director role at ORR ill Godfrey starts this month as the Office of Rail and Road’s (ORR) director of economics, finance and markets.

He was previously a director on the Price Review at water regulator Ofwat. ORR says he has a strong analytical background working in regulation, competition policy and consumer protection.

Will returns to ORR after an interval of 17 years since leaving as head of competition economics.

ORR’s chief executive John 74 | June 2022

Image: Office of Rail and Road

W

Larkinson said: “Will brings a wealth of experience to this key role

where he is leading our periodic review of Network Rail, overseeing

financial monitoring and steering our competition work.

“With so much going on in the rail industry including reform and recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, his skills will be invaluable in ensuring ORR remains well equipped to support the industry during this critical time to change”.

Will said: “I am delighted to be starting with ORR and working with John and colleagues to deliver on ORR’s growing agenda. Having previously worked at ORR, it will be great to return.” railbusinessdaily.com

Movers and Shakers

xperienced light rail customer services professional Jo Bentley has been announced as a non-executive director at UKTram.

Jo recently returned to Nottingham Trams Limited as head of customer experience.

After being a customer service manager, Jo went on to work for Keolis in Doha. There, she set up a new customer experience department to prepare for the opening of the Metro ahead of 2022’s World Cup.

Image: UKTram

UKTram appoints new non-executive director E

When she returned to the UK Jo stayed in the transport sector,

working for National Express, before re-joining Nottingham Trams earlier this year.

George Lowder, chairman of UKTram, said: “Jo brings with her a wealth of experience, and this appointment will further strengthen the UKTram board.

“Her perspective on the customer experience will be particularly valuable as we strive to deliver a bold vision for light rail that promotes tramways and similar transit systems as an effective way to boost urban connectivity,

attract investment and improve the environment.”

Jo said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to support UKTram in presenting a ‘single voice’ for the light rail sector.

“It is exciting to be involved in the development of a coordinated and structured approach in several key areas, and I am confident that my experience will contribute to the presentation of powerful arguments for the future development of light rail across the UK.”

WMRE executive director set for Coventry and Warwickshire community role

M

alcolm Holmes, the executive director for West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE), has been appointed to chair the Heart of England Community Rail Partnership (CRP).

This partnership brings together volunteer groups who adopt, improve and use 36 local railway stations in Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire. They also deliver projects that tie in with four pillars of community rail, these being: providing a voice for the community; promoting sustainable and healthy travel;

bringing communities together and supporting diversity and inclusion; and supporting social and economic development.

The partnership’s online annual meeting saw volunteers join with train operating company representatives, local authorities, project partners and others. It saw the launch of the Heart of England CRP’s 2021 Annual Report as well as the election of the chair.

Projects undertaken during the past year include creating a video as part of a schools’ rail safety programme, organising a ‘Go Green by Rail’ Pledge Day

for Community Rail Week, and working with Coventry Transport Museum to deliver Sustainable Stations workshops.

Malcolm has 30 years’

experience in the railway sector in senior posts at Chiltern Railways and London Overground Rail Operations, and as executive director at WMRE for the past five years.

Malcolm said: “Community rail plays a vital role in the continued development of our railways.

WMRE is one of Heart of England CRP’s partners and I’ve seen firsthand the positive impact they’re having on our local railways.

“I look forward to having greater involvement in the CRP, strengthening our engagement with local communities.”

Technical team appoinment for Trough-Tec Systems

X

avier Guilhen has joined the team at Trough-Tec Systems (TTS), the country’s leading supplier of environmentally sustainable cable management systems, as its technical client services manager.

Xavier is already well known to TTS’s long-standing clients having worked for the company previously as engineering manager, as a graduate in energy management and systems technology and in electronics and electrical engineering.

Since then he has enjoyed a successful career as a field service

76 | June 2022

engineer for an international electrical and electronics manufacturing firm, specialising in energy-saving lighting and heating

solutions for the commercial and domestic markets.

Xavier will act as the technical representative for TTS clients internally, and likewise act as the technical expert to the client, supporting Doncaster-based TTS’s increasing reach in the rail industry.

He said: “I am thrilled to have come back to Trough-Tec Systems as it is such a great team to be part of. TTS is a fast-growing company that I am excited to be working for, and I am looking forward to helping the company grow further.”

Gary Elliott, managing director

of TTS, said: “We are delighted to welcome Xavier back; his technical expertise will complement the team’s combined skill set, and his wider experience in the field of electronics and electrical applications will be a distinct benefit for us. As well as hiring Xavier, our production team is also growing, and we are looking forward to welcoming another three new starters in the factory to help us keep up with demand from our clients for all of our products, and especially to help us satisfy our growing order book for the walkway system.” railbusinessdaily.com

Movers and Shakers

RIA Scotland expands senior team IA Scotland has chosen a new chair, Meirion Thomas of Arcadis, and vice chair, Campbell Braid of Siemens. Between them they will set the strategic direction of the group.

RIA Scotland is the devolved national division of the Railway Industry Association (RIA), suppor ting rail suppliers across Scotland. RIA Scotland will support the industr y through a range of activities, including networking events, and representing the sector to decision makers, and is part of RIA’s Nations and Regions Network, which aims to bring its work closer to where members live and work.

Meirion said: “I’m delighted to be appointed chair. RIA

Image: Railway Industry Association

R

Scotland has already made great inroads, holding events across the country, publishing our manifesto last year ahead

of the Holyrood elections and meeting with key decision makers, including Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth.

“I’m really excited to build on this positive work, offering more events and networking sessions for RIA members, and advocating the views of rail suppliers to Scottish policy makers and stakeholders. I’m looking forward to the months and years ahead as we do even more to support the Scottish rail supply community.”

Campbell said: “It’s great to be part of RIA Scotland, supporting RIA’s Nations and Regions Network rollout. Meirion and I look forward to meeting with RIA members across the country over the coming weeks and months, finding out more about how they are supporting the Scottish rail network, its passengers and freight users, and the wider economy.”

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June 2022 | 77

A n d f i n a l l y. . .

Work starts on Colne Valley Viaduct An enormous 700-tonne bridge-building machine has been launched as part of the HS2 project to construct the UK’s longest railway bridge

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ork has started to assemble giant deck segments that will form HS2’s Colne Valley Viaduct, which will be the longest railway bridge in the UK. A 700-tonne bridge-building machine has been launched to mark the start of work on the highspeed railway’s first and longest viaduct, stretching for more than two miles across a series of lakes and waterways between Hillingdon and the M25.

Speaking at the launch event, HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson said: “Today, HS2 began construction on what’s set to be Britain’s longest railway viaduct, a landmark moment for HS2 and a feat of British engineering, taking the HS2 line from London and into Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Infrastructure is the backbone of HS2 and this viaduct will be integral to delivering faster journeys and an increased capacity rail network.”

One-of-a-kind Known as a ‘launching girder’, the 160-metrelong bridge-building machine is the only one of its kind in the UK and will be used to lift the giant concrete deck segments into position that form the viaduct’s arches. Once each section is complete, the machine will inch itself forward into position to build the next stage.

This viaduct will be integral to delivering faster journeys and an increased capacity rail network Originally built in 2004, the launching girder was first used during the construction of the Hong Kong East Tsing Yi Viaduct. Specially designed to handle complex viaduct construction, the machine is named ‘Dominique’ in memory of Bouygues engineer Dominique Droniou, who played a leading role in its design and development.

A total of 1,000 deck segments will be needed, with each one weighing up to 140 tonnes. To allow for the gentle curves of the viaduct as it crosses the valley, all the segments are slightly different shapes and made on site at a purpose-built temporary factory close to the north abutment.

HS2 Ltd chief executive Mark Thurston said: “I’m absolutely delighted that we have started work to assemble the giant deck segments that will form the Colne Valley Viaduct.

“It is yet another big milestone for HS2 Ltd,

as we work to deliver the UK’s new high-speed railway. Once complete, this record-breaking structure will form a key part of the HS2 railway – helping to deliver better connections across the UK, free up rail capacity on the train network, and offer passengers a zero carbon travel option.

“I’d like to thank all those involved in getting us to this exciting stage and look forward to seeing the whole viaduct come together over the coming years.”

An important milestone The viaduct project is being led by HS2’s main works contractor Align JV – a team made up of Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine and VolkerFitzpatrick.

Align project director Daniel Altier said: “The start of the erection of the deck segments marks the latest important milestone for Align, relating to the construction of the Colne Valley Viaduct.

“There has been a lot of hard work involved to get us to this point, and the achievements so far are a great example of what collaboration and excellent teamwork can deliver. I would specifically like to acknowledge the contribution from our supply chain partners – VSL, Kilnbridge, KVJV, VolkerStevin, Tarmac, Sendin and Vaughan Plant Haulage.”

Dominique, the 700-tonne bridge-building machine

78 | June 2022

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