52
ADVERTORIAL
A bold new company is poised to enter the railway signalling market
Leading the revolution: The start-up taking a universal approach to railway signalling
W
ith an innovative approach incorporating a unique digital system that utilises existing hardware with a reimagined architecture, the solution is set to pave the way for rapid deployment – enabled by the holy grail of signalling systems: a universal interlocking. Rather than outright competing for market share against incumbents, Universal Signalling aims to create an open ecosystem where thirdparty actors - including those not currently involved with signalling - can contribute to the development of compatible components, an ethos inspired by the conclusions of the recent ORR signalling market study.
A passion to improve the railway Universal Signalling is led by an enthusiastic and experienced executive team, headed up by Chief Executive Dr Sam Bemment. Sam is a multi-awardwinning engineer and innovator who has worked across numerous railway engineering disciplines, clocking up over 18 years of research, engineering, management, operations and consulting experience. He has spent the majority of this in rail. Sam is supported by COO Stephen Head MBA, CTO Dr Nick Wright, and CFO Sarah Ashworth.
Stephen is former head of fleet at both Heathrow Express and Caledonian Sleeper, and played a central role in the ETCS for Freight programme for three years. He is also known to many across the industry as a former chair of the Young Rail Professionals. Nick has a PhD in nuclear control systems, and has spent many years since as a railway signalling software development specialist. Sarah started her career in audit at the big four but has more recently earned a track record of helping grow startups and scaleups to success. The wider team is steadily growing through direct hires into a range of roles. Universal Signalling’s staff all have a passion to improve the railway. Their mission is to bring change to the worldwide railway signalling market through a unique blend of technology, operating model and open interface specification.
Next generation digital signalling ETCS (European Train Control System) is mandated in interoperability standards as the UK mainline successor to all existing signalling systems. In the UK, ETCS has been re-branded as ‘digital signalling’, mainly to create an easier soundbite for the media, but to make out this is the first time signalling has been ‘digital’ is not true: it has been since the very first mechanical interlocking computers in the 1830s. Digital, in this sense, refers to the radio link to train cabs transmitting data, not voice.
March 2024
I should start by saying there’s nothing wrong with ETCS: it does what it was specified to do. But every system has drawbacks