RailStaff February 2013

RailStaff

Winner.

Rail Team of the Year.

stobartrail.com

Issue 183 / February 2013

THE MOST POPULAR PUBLICATION IN THE UK RAIL INDUSTRY

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Rail Team foils midnight raid

Miller Construction move for Nick Salt

PAGE 8

High Speed 2 picks up speed The HS2 line will be built through to Leeds and Manchester.

Two railway entrepreneurs and friends managed to foil a daring raid by metal thieves who had repeatedly targeted the Motorail UK site at Long Marston in Warwickshire.

Colin and Ruth Flack liaised with police and helped bring the gang to book. Colin Flack, chief executive of the Rail Alliance and genial host of the RailStaff Awards 2013 and Ruth Flack, CEO of Motorail UK Ltd, set up a surveillance operation with the full support of the police.

Metal and cable theft is a big problem on the railways but it looks like combined efforts of police and railway are paying off…

© SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

© MOD

PAGE 15

Training Matters Focus Being a better professional increases self confidence.

Continued on PAGE 4

working together... ...contact the experts IN rail sector support services on 0845 543 5953 or visit www.mcginley.co.uk

PAGE 30

360° interactive media system

Target zero, rules and equipment have improved safety but to go further we now need the hearts and minds of all railway people.

BUT HOW?

14th March 2013, Loughborough University The Rail Safety Summit has become THE conference for rail safety executives, infrastructure owners, train operators, rail stakeholders and training professionals, with all leading figures from the rail safety, security, risk assessment and training professions all in attendance.

Colin Wheeler, Chairman

With so many methods of communication available in the modern world, does face to face communication still have a role to play in safety?

Alistair Dormer, CEO, Hitachi Rail Allan Spence, Director of Safety Strategy, Network Rail (ORR) Colin Dennis, Director, RSSB Emma Head, Head of Workforce Safety, Network Rail > Workforce Safety – The 10 Point Plan Dr. Ian Gaskin, General Manager - SQE, Transport for London Darren Selman, Health & Safety Manager - Assurance, Crossrail > Target Zero – Raising Safety Standards Across Multiple Sites Richard Sharp, Chairman, Infrastructure Safety Leadership Group Paul Russell, Head of CIRAS > CIRAS – It’s Purpose Simon French, Deputy Chief Inspector, RAIB Steve Diksa, Assurance Services Director, Bridgeway Consulting

Which is the more important in safety management statistics and management to identify future actions or personal accountability, commitment and the ability to relate to people?

> Complacency – the Hidden Hazard Iain Boardman, Safety Leadership & Culture Change, Network Rail

Tickets now on sale at www.railsafetysummit.com

COMMENT

RailStaff Contact us:

Publisher:

Paul O’Connor

Editor:

Andy Milne

Production and design:

Adam O’Connor

Senior Reporter:

Jonathan Webb

Writer:

Nigel Wordsworth

Track Safety:

Colin Wheeler

Pictures:

Colin Garratt

Advertising:

Asif Ahmed Craig Smith Paul Curtis

Contact Email Addresses News: news@rail-media.com Pictures: pictures@rail-media.com Adverts: adverts@rail-media.com Subscriptions: pat@rail-media.com

Contact Details RailStaff Publications Ltd Ashby House, Bath Street, Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, LE65 2HF. Tel: 01530 56 00 26 Web: www.railstaff.co.uk Email: hello@rail-media.com Printed by Pensord.

RailStaff is published by RailStaff Publications Limited.

A Rail Media Publication.

The plan to build Crossrail 2 - a north-south railway bisecting London - have been broadly welcomed by the public.

London needs better transport.

Moreover railways performed creditably during the 2012 Olypmic Games. Londoners remember that the arguments for Crossrail 1 – now under construction - raged for years. Few claim it will never be needed.

The public reaction to Crossrail 2 proves people back railways; it’s a vote of confidence. Who seriously doubts that Britain needs fast efficient railways, connecting major cities and serving the cities themselves?

From Manchester Metrolink to high speed rail in central Scotland the industry has great challenges ahead of it. This is a very different prospect for the once-beleaguered railway of only a generation ago.

High Speed 2 might face concerted and well planned opposition from people understandably aggrieved at its proximity to where they live.

However, the economic argument that railways generate business, jobs and wealth is hard to refute.

Crossrail 2 and HS2 should not be viewed just in terms of playing catch up. As David Higgins at Network Rail has said, new railways offer a chance to steal a march on the challenges of the future. Increasing the strength of the railway network itself

Crossrail 2 plans welcomed Ther public reaction to Crossrail 2 proves people back railways

“Crossrail 2 and HS2 should not be viewed just in terms of playing catch up”

popular is a reflection on the high quality people rail attracts to its cause. Rail staff invest a life time in a career that serves others and has a far reaching effect often invisible from the ticket office and booking on point.

Public opinion has finally caught up with our own unshakable conviction that the rail industry delivers an essential ingredient in a prosperous, green and socially responsible economy.

encourages growth and commerce.

New railway projects, whether they are tram systems, tunnels, electrification schemes or high speed rail present a game changing opportunity for Britain.

That the railway continues to deliver major projects on time and to budget is greatly to the credit of railway staff, leaders and engineers.

Running services that have steadily grown more punctual and

© MATT BUCK

SPECIAL FOCUS

PAGE 5

PAGE 22

Rail Safety Summit supplement In March’s RailStaff

Mind the doors Quick

King’s Cross The final works

The annual Rail Safety Summit takes place again at Loughborough University on 14th March, with Colin Wheeler our Track Safety columnist as chairman. If you have a safety message or initiative you can participate with a promotion in this event supplement.

Please contact Danny, Paul or Tom on 01530 565701.

Passengers on the Victoria line are now benefitting from the most intensive service ever run on the line with 33 trains per hour running in the peak times.

The King’s Cross station revamp is almost complete and when finished will be a credit to this part of London. Clive Kessell reports.

www.railstaff.co.uk

3

Midnight raiders thwarted

by Flackforce

When thieves repeatedly targeted the Motorail UK site at Long Marston in Warwickshire it seemed like easy pickings.

However the criminals reckoned without chief executive, Ruth Flack, her husband Colin and an assorted posse of special forces friends from the military. In a daring midnight operation, the trap was sprung and police ambushed the gang, hunted them down with dogs and a helicopter and captured them. The thieves were after copper found in locomotives stabled on the site.

Says Ruth Flack, ‘The thieves targeted us over a period of weeks.

They managed to breach the security fencing using metal cutting equipment. During one particular evening a 200 metre section of our overhead line was cut down and stolen.’

Security was ramped up but the thieves continued to target Long Marston, probing our defences and looking for material to steal.

‘These attacks culminated in a theft on a Monday night which was the final straw. I knew that something had to be done to stop these people and to help the police force in their efforts to catch them,’ says Ruth.

Former Army officer Colin Flack, CEO Rail Alliance, is a former Army officer whose career saw him serve in a variety of operational theatres across the globe. Ruth herself is the former Head of Operations for a Ministry of Defence munitions disposal agency. ‘Given both of our 4

backgrounds we have many friends who are ex-military and highly skilled. I decided it was time to ask for help.’

The Flacks and their friends mounted a surveillance operation at Long Marston using their CCTV, thermal imaging equipment and what Colin calls “his Mk 1 Eyeballs”.

Ruth says, ‘We worked closely with the police to prepare for the next attack and in the early hours of Sunday morning they decided to attempt another serious theft.

Warwickshire police were alerted and they responded with a highly professional team consisting of a firearms unit, dog handler, mobile units and police helicopter. In quick time the gang of five was arrested, detained and charged.’

Ruth Flack thanked Warwickshire Police. ‘The police have been supporting us over the past four weeks and together we had an agreed plan of action should we need to call them.

‘It was great to watch this very professional team of officers in action. We have the highest regard for them. It is comforting to know that this level of response is there when you really need it.’

The couple live at Long Marston.

Says Colin, ‘It’s been a spectacular success and a great piece of work by my wife who pulled it all together - I reverted to type and became a foot soldier again. We have not really slept properly for weeks. However we can now sleep a little easier knowing that our rather unusual approach to metal theft is this effective.’

Ruth Flack at Long Marston.

Colin Flack hosting the RailStaff Awards 2012.

www.railstaff.co.uk

NEWS

© MATT BUCK

Mind the Doors - Quick Passengers on the Victoria line are now benefitting from the most intensive service ever run on the line.

In the peak - morning and evening - 33 trains are running per hour with less than two minutes between

www.railstaff.co.uk

trains. The move follows London Underground’s modernisation of the line and the introduction of new signalling and new trains.

The new trains are more accessible with wider doors and more spaces for wheelchair users.

Platform humps - platform sections raised for the full length of a carriage - have been installed at Victoria line stations to give level access between the platform and the train. These make it easier for wheelchair users, parents with

buggies and passengers with luggage to board and alight trains.

Says Mike Brown, Managing Director of London Underground, ‘The Victoria line has seen enormous growth in demand in recent years and passengers are now experiencing even more benefits with more frequent and more reliable services and a huge number of accessibility improvements.

‘During the busy morning and evening rush hours there is now less than two minutes between trains which will speed up journeys on the line. On top of this, our engineers have been working extremely hard making the line more reliable. This work is already paying off, but we are not complacent and will leave no stone unturned in our effort to further improve the service all day, every day.’

The Tube modernisation overall will deliver a 30 per cent increase in capacity. Work on upgrades to the Northern, Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines continues.

5

NEWS

Passenger satisfaction soars ‘The combination of increased income from fares, government investment and a clearer focus on performance and dealing with

© SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

‘Passengers are saying the quality of rail services is improving,’ says Passenger Focus chief executive, Anthony Smith.

disruption is beginning to pay off.’

Passengers across Great Britain have reported record levels of satisfaction with train service, 85 per cent overall, with no operator scoring less than 80 per cent. Many train companies and Network Rail areas have made noticeable

Hard working staff help improve passenger satisfaction ratings.

Staff at Virgin praised ‘Our staff are fantastic!’ That’s the message from Virgin Trains’ Chief Executive Officer, Tony Collins.

Commenting on improved passenger satisfaction ratings Tony praised staff for their continuing hard work. Virgin Trains recorded its highest ever score in the most recent national survey of rail passenger satisfaction conducted by rail watchdog, Passenger Focus.

‘Our customers have given a clear message to anyone who hasn’t travelled on the West Coast mainline for a while: our services are fast and our staff are fantastic. We’re grateful to our customers for recognising us in this way. If you’re not yet one of our customers, come and give us a try,’ says Tony.

6

improvements.

East Coast is now level pegging with Virgin at 92 per cent overall satisfaction. Greater Anglia, with still a long way to go, has improved markedly and is now much more firmly placed among its peers.

Chiltern, moving many commuters every day, reaches 91 per cent.

First Hull Trains has bounced back to a healthy 95 per cent and Grand Central leads the whole pack with 96 per cent overall satisfaction.

‘However, more work needs to be done. Satisfaction on individual routes still varies widely from 76 to 97 per cent,’ says Smith.

‘Satisfaction with value for money nudged up by one per cent (to 47 per cent), with individual operators varying between 29 and 75 per cent.’

“Passengers are saying the quality of rail services is improving…”

ANTHONY SMITH, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, PASSENGER FOCUS

Prince visits King’s Cross Royal party welcomed by Robin Gisby The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall have visited the redeveloped King’s Cross station, seeing at first hand the restored train shed and new western concourse.

Railways have always been popular with the Royal Family and the Prince was pleased to meet King’s Cross station manager Tom Caine and his team. ‘We had to make sure that we kept the station running during the visit,’ said Tom. ‘When the Royals arrived, it wasn’t too long before the public started gathering round and taking pictures with their phones.

‘But we kept a close eye to make sure the visit passed smoothly. It was great to see them both enjoying the Harry Potter trolley at platform 9 and three quarters.’

The royal party was welcomed by Robin Gisby of Network Rail and John McAslan, architect of the western concourse, which opened in March 2012. Together they visited the construction site of King’s Cross Square, along the station’s southern frontage, which opens next autumn.

Once complete, the new square will reveal the historic station’s original Lewis Cubitt façade for the first time in a century. Cubitt is the Duchess of Cornwall’s great, great,

great uncle.

The Prince arrived by tube from Farringdon Station where he met apprentices and Crossrail engineers (see training section).

Says Robin Gisby, ‘It was a real honour to have the Prince and Duchess visit King’s Cross and Farringdon stations, and to talk to them about why we’re carrying out these works. We’re in the middle of the biggest capacity improvement programme since Victorian times.’ www.railstaff.co.uk

David Brown to chair pteg David Brown, currently director general of the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, is the new chair of pteg, the national PTE group.

He takes over from Centro’s Geoff Inskip at a time when PTEs are being readied for a greater role in rail transport provision. Says David Brown, ‘With HS2 on the horizon, the PTE’s role is more important than ever in ensuring that national strategic transport links properly fuse with better local transport networks to maximise the benefits for city region economies.

‘We are of the right geographical scale, and have the capacity to make this happen in a locally accountable and cost effective way.

Indeed, in many ways this is an exciting time for PTEs, as a whole series of big schemes are being planned or delivered which will complement major national projects like HS2.

‘This includes Northern Hub, extensions of tram systems, new

Austin heads Overground The finance director of London Overground Rail Operations Limited, Peter Austin, has been moved up to head the organisation as managing director.

“Peter has a wealth of experience and the skills needed to develop the business and to ensure that we continue to deliver quality rail services for our custmers…”

STEVE MURPHY, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, ARRIVA UK TRAINS 8

Miller move for Nick Salt

rolling stock for Merseyrail, the renewal of the Tyne and Wear Metro, as well as innovations like Tram-Train in South Yorkshire and NGT in West Yorkshire.

‘At the same time, we are also working hard to make meaningful devolution of decision making from Whitehall work for the city regions including on local rail services.’

David Brown joined South Yorkshire PTE in September 2000 and was promoted to the position of Passenger Services Director on 1st April 2002. He became director General of SYPTE on 1 April 2008.

David was educated at Carres Grammar School, Sleaford, Lincolnshire and read Geography at Staffordshire University. David paid tribute to the hard work of Geoff Inskip.

Miller Construction has made two key national appointments.

Jeremy Bowley and Nick Salt have joined the leading construction firm as Procurement Director and Director of Rail, respectively.

Nick Salt was previously responsible for Morgan Sindall’s rail sector where he helped establish a valuable portfolio of work, including partnerships and frameworks with different regions of Network Rail. Nick has 20 years rail industry experience.

Says Nick, ‘Miller was recommended to me by the leadership and project teams at Network Rail. There is a real sense of determination and commitment to grow Miller’s already established position in the rail market and I am looking forward to working closely with the regional teams to grow their delivery capability in support of Network Rail and other rail customers.’

Jeremy Bowley joins Miller from Procure4 Ltd where he was Client Solutions Director. Chris Webster, CEO, Miller Construction, said, ‘We

are delighted to welcome Jeremy and Nick to the team. They both bring with them vast knowledge and a wealth of experience in procurement and the rail market.

Jeremy will be responsible for driving our procurement plan and Nick will utilise his experience to expand our presence in the rail market.’

An experienced rail strategist, Peter Austin started his career with KPMG as a trainee accountant in 1989 after reading a BSc in Geography and Economics at Reading University. Peter moved on to work for Reuters and was seconded to Geneva in Switzerland for three years.

In June 2001 he joined the Strategic Rail Authority working on short term franchise negotiations.

In 2004 he went to work for Laing Rail and three years later became finance director of London Overground. LOROL - London Overground Rail Operations Limited - is a joint venture between MTR and Arriva.

In his new role Peter will be reporting to Jeremy Long who chairs LOROL and is also chief executive of MTR. LOROL’s former managing director, Steve Murphy, was appointed Chief Operating Officer of Arriva UK Trains in January 2013.

Says Steve, ‘Peter has

demonstrated strong financial stewardship and leadership across all areas of the business, and has made an outstanding contribution to the success of LOROL. He has a

wealth of experience and the skills needed to develop the business and to ensure that we continue to deliver quality rail services for our customers.’ www.railstaff.co.uk

PEOPLE NEWS

Atkins strengthens design team Atkins’ rail design business has recently appointed five senior engineers.

Jez Baldock has been promoted to technical director while Bob Ducksbury joins the business as a project director. Geoff Kennedy, professional head of permanent way, Steve Miller, projects director west and Roger Squance, technical director west, also join

Jez Baldock.

the business.

Says Mark Cowlard, managing director of Atkins’ rail solutions business, ‘Jez, Bob, Geoff, Steve and Roger have a wealth of knowledge which will allow us to complete projects more effectively. Their expertise includes track design and delivery, civil engineering, electrification and working with train operating companies and depot operators.

‘This is an exciting time for the rail industry. There is a clear requirement for us all to work smarter and more efficiently to reduce the cost of running the railway so it’s great to have these key people on board as we strive to meet this challenge.’

Bob Ducksbury.

New focus for Salveson Paul Salveson has joined the board of Passenger Focus.

Dr Salveson, a lifelong supporter of railways, worked as a guard based at Blackburn working freights over the Settle and Carlisle line. After working as a signalman at Bolton he became a Senior Technical Officer with the BR Property Board. Later he helped develop the community rail concept and was involved in the establishment of a large number of community rail partnerships.

Jez Baldock joined Atkins in 1997 and has been involved in a range of rail projects including secondments with Network Rail and Carillion. Before his appointment to technical director, he was the operations manager in the Midlands and South West.

Bob Ducksbury returns to Atkins from Hyder Consulting where he was the director of rail systems and management services. Before that he was at Transport Scotland leading the development of Scotland’s electrification strategy.

Prior to that he worked at Parsons Brinckerhoff and Atkins.

Geoff Kennedy was previously at FirstGroup as a national infrastructure engineer. During the

Geoff Kennedy.

Steve Miller.

past five years he has worked with train and freight operating companies on infrastructure maintenance issues.

Steve Miller comes to Atkins from Jacobs where he held the post of engineering director south. His previous experience includes working in consultancy for London Underground Limited and Network Rail.

Roger Squance was a senior consultant at Jacobs before joining Atkins. He is a railway civil engineer and has worked on a number of projects in West England including Stockley Airport Junction, Paddington Integrated Project and Swindon Platform four.

Roger Squance.

Ian Bullock to lead Arriva Trains Wales Ian Bullock is the new managing director of Trenau Arriva Cymru.

Ian, Customer Service Director at ATW since December 2003 replaces Tim Bell. The ATW managing director is currently on secondment to the Arriva UK Trains division’s franchise bidding team. Ian reports to Steve Murphy, Chief Operating Officer of Arriva UK Trains.

Says Steve, ‘Ian has been a member of the Arriva Trains Wales executive team since the franchise began in 2003. He has made a valuable contribution to the success of the Arriva businesses in a range of roles, and has a wealth of experience and skills that will ensure the business continues to deliver the level of service our customers expect and deserve.’

Arriva Trains Wales operates the Wales and Borders rail franchise on behalf of the Welsh Government.

ATA is a specialist provider of white collar technical,engineering and commercial recruitment solutions to firms throughout the rail industry.

Ganymede Solutions has a long heritage of providing contingent labour to safety critical aspects of the rail industry.

Tel: 0845 880 8115 www.ata-recruitment.co.uk

Tel: 0845 880 8104 www.ganymedesolutions.co.uk

www.railstaff.co.uk

9

RAIL ALLIANCE NEWS

Join the Rail Alliance now Rail Alliance membership starts from just £500 per year

log on to www.railalliance.co.uk email info@railalliance.co.uk or call 01789 720026.

Busy year ahead 2013 is going to be a busy year for the rail industry and is shaping up to be an important 12 months at the Rail Alliance.

Networking event with Scottish Enterprise 12th February 3-5pm in Glasgow Failr Freight Group Scottish Conference 13th February in Renfrew Introduction to BS11000 Collaborative Business Relationships 20th February 10am start at Long Marston Members Meeting & Networking Event hosted by ITIC 26th February in London Rail Business Awards 27th February in London IMechE Railway Division Annual Lunch 1st March in London Eurasia Rail 2013 7th-9th March in Istanbul, Turkey Members Meeting & Networking Event hosted by Network Rail 13th March (TBC) in Milton Keynes Rail Safety Summit 14th March in Loughborough, Leicestershire Introduction to BS11000 Collaborative Business Relationships 20th March 10am start at Long Marston SIFER 2013 26th-28th March in Lille, France Metrorail 2013 9th-11th April in Madrid, Spain Unlocking Innovation Workshop 10th April Location to be confirmed

new members PSV Wypers Ltd

(Manufacturer & supplier of OEM & aftermarket windscreen wiper systems, parts & ancillary products for all rail, commercial, automotive & military applications) www.psvwypers.com Friedrich Hippe GmbH (Offers solutions including points, point machines & the necessary

6th Annual Scottish Rail Conference 16th April in Scotland

signalling systems for an efficient

Members Meeting & Networking Event hosted by Coventry Uni 17th April at Techno Centre, Coventry

rail infrastructure as well as rolling

Multimodal 2013 23rd-24th April at the NEC, Birmingham Railtex 2013 30th April - 2nd May at Earl’s Court, London Rail Alliance Reception at Railtex - details to be confirmed 1st May at Earl’s Court, London Members Meeting & Networking Event - details to be confirmed 15th May in York Members Meeting & Networking Event hosted by Ebeni Ltd - details to be confirmed 22nd May South West Members Meeting & Networking Event - details to be confirmed 5th June in Edinburgh Members Meeting & Networking Event hosted by Mitsubishi Electric- details (TBC) 11th June in Hatfield Members Meeting & Networking Event - details to be confirmed 19th June in Wales Railway Strategies Live 2013 27th June in London Members Meeting & Networking Event hosted by Midlands Aerospace Alliance 3rd July at BHM airport Members Meeting & Networking Event hosted by Network Rail 10th July (TBC) at Euston, London Railway Engineering 2013 10th-11th July at the Imperial College, London

stock components & carrier systems for safe rail vehicles.

Family business since 1954) www.friedrich-hippe.de Yellow Rail Ltd (Provider of consultancy & operational services including modification & refurbishment for ROSCO, Train Operator, OEM & Technology companies) www.yellow-group.com Dearson Tools Ltd

Introduction to BS11000 Collaborative Business Relationships 17th July 10am start at Long Marston

(An established engineering

Macrorail 2013 - Exhibition of Rail Alliance Members and dinner 4th Sept (TBC) in Doncaster (TBC)

company based in Birmingham

Members Meeting & Networking Event hosted by NewRail 18th September (TBC) North East TRAKO 2013 24th-27th September in Poland RailStaff Awards 2013 5th October at the ICC, Birmingham Members Meeting & Networking Event on Innovation or TOC Procurement 16th October (TBC) Railway Interiors Expo 2013 12th-14th November in Cologne Members Meeting & Networking Event on Infrastructure 13th November (TBC) Ausrail 2013 26th-28th November in Sydney, Australia Members Meeting & Networking Event on Rolling Stock - details to be confirmed December (TBC) Rail Freight Group Christmas Lunch 11th December in London If you are interested in attending one of our events or would like to find out more about becoming a member of the Rail Alliance, contact Rhona Clarke on rhona.clarke@railalliance.co.uk or call 01789 720 026 10

Rail Alliance

offering a wide range of products & services including tool & cutter grinding, CNC profile grinding, surface & cylindrical grinding, CNC milling & turning, wire EDM & a variety of bench & assembly work.

Current customer base throughout the UK operating within Automotive, Nuclear & Aerospace industries & now looking to further services & products within the Rail industry) www.dearsontools.co.uk www.railstaff.co.uk

NEWS

Top backing for Crossrail 2 The rail industry has swung firmly behind plans for Crossrail 2 as outlined by former transport secretary, Lord Adonis.

The new north-south crossLondon railway will relieve congestion and provide muchneeded extra capacity. The line will see a new central tunnel built between Wimbledon and Tottenham.

The recommendation comes in the final report of London First’s Crossrail taskforce, chaired by Andrew Adonis. Welcoming the report, David Higgins, Network Rail chief executive, said, ‘If the capital’s economy is to continue to thrive then we must plan now, together, for the transport infrastructure requirements of London’s future.

‘Our projections show that by 2031 we will need to accommodate 36% more commuters into London each day. Network Rail is already delivering the biggest capacity improvement programme since the

Victorian era, but even that will not be enough on some routes.’

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson is backing the plan. ‘The case for the construction of Crossrail 2 is incontestable and is made forcibly in this report,’ says Johnson. ‘Over the next 20 years London’s population is forecast to expand to levels that will clog the Tube and rail arteries of our great city if we do not provide more capacity.

‘There is no time to lose and my team will work closely with London First and others on developing plans for this vital railway.’

“If the capital’s economy is to continue to thrive, then we must plan now…”

SIR DAVID HIGGINS, CEO, NETWORK RAIL

WE LISTEN CIRAS will listen to you when all else fails.

We provide a confidential, reporting system that allows you to discuss any health and safety concern in the work place.

www.ciras.org.uk Freephone 0800 4 101 101 Freepost CIRAS Text 07507 285887

www.railstaff.co.uk

11

New MD for Serco Docklands DLR’s operator, Serco Docklands has promoted Kevin Thomas to managing director.

Mr Thomas was previously Engineering and Projects Director for Serco Docklands which he joined in September 2011. Kevin was also engineering director at Merseyrail. A signalling and telecommunications engineer by training he has spent a total of ten years with Serco and has worked at Midland Mainline Infrastructure Maintenance, Manchester Metrolink and Merseyrail before joining the Docklands team in 2011.

Olympic railways for Sochi Sochi’s 2014 Winter Olympic Games are the first to be held in Russia since the Soviet Union’s controversial 1980 Moscow Olympics.

Russia is keen to impress and its railways have an important part to play. Vladimir Putin was keen to demonstrate Sochi’s new rail infrastructure by hosting a meeting with Olympic officials on a train running along the almost complete 48km new rail line from the coast into the mountains. Mr Putin reported that the line was 85% complete.

It still requires signalling and electrification work. After this and commissioning tests are completed, the line is expected to open to traffic in mid 2013.

Running on the line will be a fleet of new Siemens built Lastochka trains which will be serviced in a new £120 million depot at Alder which also opened last month.

The depot opening coincided

with Russian Railways Annual General Meeting at which its President, Vladimir Yakunin, announced that the Lastochkas now have their certificate of compliance. They are shortly expected to enter passenger service from Sochi along the Black Sea coast.

when the event opens.

RailStaff readers can easily keep track of which firms will have stands via the regularly updated exhibitor list on the show website.

Visitors to the event will also have free access to a comprehensive programme of briefings and discussions on technological developments and policy trends in the industry.

Providing highlights will be a seminar programme running throughout the show, hosted by RailStaff’s sister magazine and Railtex media partner, the rail

engineer. With keynote speeches by industry leaders already announced, the full programme will soon be available on the event website.

Also likely to prove popular will be a series of presentations in the Project Update Theatre showcasing the latest developments in major rail schemes. The programme already includes seminars by senior Network Rail managers on the Birmingham Gateway Project, the Edinburgh-Glasgow Improvement Programme and plans to electrify large sections of

This line is part of a new £4.4 billion road/rail route which includes six rail tunnels totalling 10.4km and three road tunnels totalling 7.7 km with road and tunnels sharing common service tunnels. Its 23 rail bridges and 23 road bridges respectively total 11.5km and 9 km and are built to withstand the region’s earthquakes. It survived one of 5.5 magnitude experienced by Sochi in December.

Russia is keen to impress and its railways have an important part to play.

Railtex visitor registration now open The countdown to Railtex 2013 is well underway, with just weeks to go before the show opens its doors at London’s Earls Court exhibition centre on 30 April.

Visitor registration is now open via www.railtex.co.uk, providing free entry to all who sign up in advance to attend. Registering by this method also avoids a £20 entry fee payable on the day and speeds up access to the show.

Railtex promises to be a busy exhibition presenting the very latest in railway technology across all sectors of the market. The number of companies taking part continues to grow, with up to 400 exhibitors likely to be present 12

the system.

There will also be an update on delivering a high-speed rail network for the UK by a senior figure from HS2 Ltd, including an outline of the associated procurement strategy and the business opportunities for British companies who wish to get involved with the project.

For much more information on these and the many other activities taking place during Railtex 2013, including show opening times and travel advice, visit www.railtex.co.uk www.railstaff.co.uk

NEWS

© JONATHAN WEBB

McLoughlin restarts franchise programme The DfT is to push ahead with a new franchising programme after digesting Richard Brown’s review – conducted in the wake of the West Coast franchise fiasco.

Bidders will not be reimbursed for cost incurred so far. Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin says the DfT will negotiate extensions with First Great Western, First Capital Connect and c2c.

Meanwhile the government-

owned Directly Operated Railways is making necessary preparations to take over services if terms cannot be agreed.

Says Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, ‘These plans mark an important step on the way to restarting the franchising programme, and while I am determined this should happen as quickly as possible we do need time to get this right. We have had

to take some tough decisions regarding franchising, and while they may provide a challenge in the short term, I believe the lessons we have learnt will help deliver a more robust system in the future benefitting fare payers and taxpayers alike.’

The competition for the Essex Thameside franchise will be resumed with a revised invitation to tender for a 15-year franchise

issued to existing short-listed bidders. The DfT hopes to extend the c2c contract by two years.

The Great Western franchise competition has been stopped. The current franchise will now run until October – the DfT exercising its contractual right to extend the current contract with First Great Western by 28 weeks. Negotiations for an additional two-year contract will commence shortly. Long term proposals will be revealed in the spring.

The new combined Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise competition will be resumed. This will be a 7-year contract. The current Thameslink/Great Northern franchise operated by First Capital Connect ends in September but allows for a 28-week extension, which the department intends to exercise. Again the DfT says it will negotiate a two year extension if possible.

Virgin continues to run West Coast through to 2014 and is campaigning hard to retain the franchise.

WE RESPOND CIRAS will respond promptly to your concerns and help to facilitate a resolution.

www.ciras.org.uk Freephone 0800 4 101 101 Freepost CIRAS Text 07507 285887

www.railstaff.co.uk

13

Test train at Wembley

Wake up call

told by Transport Scotland that the service must be like Scotland on wheels, an invitation to the country and more than just a train service. The 15-year franchise and £100m of investment will boost the service which at one time was threatened with closure.

Potential bidders will need to lodge their interest in running the service by April. These are expected to include Abellio, Virgin and Serco.

Vital lessons have already been learned during our trials on the Cambrian Lines and now we are refining our knowledge… signalling on Great Western and East Coast main lines.’

To allow for the operation of HNIF, bidirectional signalling has been installed on the northern section of the Hertford Loop, to allow the down line between Molewood Tunnel and Langley South junction to become a test facility.

During peak hours the section will be part of the normal railway, but when ETCS testing is required the block will be ‘switched out’ – switching control from King’s Cross signal box to a laboratory facility being built at Hitchin.

ERTMS is a signalling and train control system ensuring trains operate within safe limits and speeds at all times, and includes in-cab signalling.

Astronaut takes the train Heavy snow may have grounded most of Britain’s domestic air flights but former astronaut Buzz Aldrin still managed to take off thanks to East Coast trains.

Aldrin, who with fellow astronaut Neil Armstrong walked upon the surface of the moon on 20th July 1969, was travelling from London to Edinburgh. Bad weather closed down airlines. However, railways kept running in the main allowing Buzz Aldrin to get to Edinburgh, perform a straightforward docking manoeuvre at the refurbished Waverley Station before taking several less noticed steps along Princes Street.

Says East Coast spokesman John Gelson, ‘We’re pleased Buzz Aldrin,

possibly one of the most famous pilots in history, switched from the ‘plane to our train. From his picture it’s clear he enjoyed his journey with us.’

Originally from New Jersey, Buzz Aldrin, served in the US Air Force flying F86 Sabre Jets during the Korean War before switching to the Space Programme in 1963.

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Luxury-class cabins, showers, televisions and gourmet dining are just some of the add-ons expected to be considered by bidders hoping to operate the Anglo-Scottish Caledonian sleeper service from 2015.

Potential operators have been

A former Silverlink 313 is being converted into a laboratory train to test European Train Control System technology prior to its roll-out on the mainline network.

Painted in Network Rail yellow, 313121 will be refurbished and equipped with the latest ETCS equipment, including a technician’s workstation, before taking to the metals again.

Unit 313121 is leased from Beacon Rail and is being refurbished by Alstom at its Wembley depot.

The train forms part of the European Rail Traffic Management System implementation project. Starting this summer the Hertford National Integration Facility (HNIF) will see European Train Control System (ETCS) kit from four suppliers put through its paces on a fivemile section of the Hertford loop.

Says Rob McIntosh, Network Rail’s project director for ETCS, ‘Our facility at Hertford, and the train that will run on it, are further steps towards improving the railway across the country. Vital lessons have already been learned during our trials on the Cambrian Lines and now we are refining our knowledge in preparation for the future installation cab

s

News addict?

14

www.railstaff.co.uk

ROLLING STOCK

Mores trams A public inquiry has been launched into plans to construct a new tram line through Manchester city centre.

Transport chiefs in the city want to build a line from Victoria station up Cross Street and Princes Street before turning into St Peter’s Square, which is being redeveloped. According to Transport for Greater Manchester more than seven out of ten people gave a positive response to the proposals during a 14 week consultation in 2011.

New tram stops would be built at Exchange Square and St Peter’s Square in addition to probable traffic changes on Princes Street.

Once all the new lines have been completed Manchester Metrolink will be the biggest light rail network in the country.

London Calling

Bombardier workers in Derby look set to receive a late Christmas present if the order for additional class 378 vehicles goes ahead.

Transport for London has been in discussions with the train builder regarding adding an extra vehicle to all of its 57 sets of class 378s and the possibility of ordering another five complete trains. The news comes in the wake of a huge surge in passengers using the London Overground network.

A decision on the contract, which would be worth around £120 million to Bombardier, is expected soon.

Musical run for Hamburg Koln Express The Hamburg Koln Express has celebrated its first six months of operations with an on-board concert.

On January 23 the ‘Fastest Musical Festival in Germany’ took place during the train trip from Cologne to Hamburg. Various bands and solo artists, including Bryan Kessler, Timid Tiger and Hufschlag and Braun played. The Hamburg Koln Express provides further good news for open access campaigners in Europe. HKX has carried almost 150,000 passengers in its first six months.

Success is down to appealing to the youth market says Chief

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Fastest Music Festival in Germany…

Executive, Eva Kreienkamp. ‘We have a particularly high percentage of young people between the ages of 18 to 29, who are increasingly doing without their own car and demonstrating a different, more selective mobility behaviour, which means they are very open to the railway service’, said Kreienkamp.

‘We’re very happy about that.

And also about the approximately 50% of women on board, showing us that we have been able to expand the market for train travel.’

Hamburg-Köln-Express GmbH (HKX) is the first private rail transport operator in Germany that exclusively operates long-distance passenger service on the tracks.

The majority shareholder of HKX GmbH is Railroad Development Corporation (RDC) Deutschland.

Keep up to date at:

www.railstaff.co.uk

15

High Speed Two picks up speed

Any doubts that the Coalition Government had wavered in its support for HS2 were dispelled at the end of January.

Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin, announced the line would be built through to Leeds and Manchester from Birmingham. After the necessary public consultation the final route will be decided on by the end of 2014. Andy Milne reports.

Although public opposition to HS2 remains high, local leaders, the business community and the rail industry back the scheme.

Why are economists, academics and politicians behind high speed rail? For the rail industry it is an easy answer - RailStaff readers will build the track and signalling and drive and crew the trains.

Our advertisers will supply the expertise and equipment needed to do the job. However the real argument for High Speed Two goes much deeper, right to the heart of how Britain sees itself prospering in the 21st century.

Anyone looking briefly at Britain last year saw a stable democracy governed by a popular monarch, a country capable of coming third in the Olympic Games medal tally.

Keeping well clear of the Euro seems to have spared Britain the agonies of mainland Europe’s deepening monetary crisis.

Zipping along to the London Olympics on a re-engineered London Underground system, High Speed One and Southeastern’s excellent Javelin trains was to experience Britain at its cheerful best.

16

A deeply uncertain future However the reality is Britain and the British face a deeply uncertain future. The last half of the 20th century saw Britain surrender a 200 year tenure of global maritime dominance. Not by losing colonial wars but largely because the British concluded empire was wrong, expensive and a political embarrassment.

This is the point of view taught in schools throughout the UK. Joining the European Union, the rise of Scots and Welsh nationalism and the troubles in Northern Ireland made the British weary of their very identity. Loss of confidence is best illustrated by the widespread use of the adjectival term ‘UK’ - as in ‘the UK government’ or ‘a UK firm.’

Difficult wars in Afghanistan and Iraq compounded the situation.

The railways, once the arteries of Britain’s industrial triumph, were wound down and over half the network closed. Traditional industries fared little better.

Detractors claim the UK is a small island tacked on to the north European coast. The weather is appalling, health provision unrealistic and crime and riot never far from public paranoia.

A sense of confidence Such pessimistic perceptions are fast changing now. Last year marked a turning point. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics not only boosted morale but helped restore a sense of confidence and purpose among Her Majesty’s subjects.

Underscoring this new confidence, railways have expanded carrying double the amount of passengers as they did 50 years ago on half the track. No wonder trains are crowded.

Rail freight has boxed clever piling up container traffic and opening up new markets. Tram systems thread many major cities and are themselves poised for expansion. Railways of every description are an essential element of the new success equation and urgently need to expand. The visionaries of Britain’s future are backing a winner.

Unified Britain The Coalition Government and local leaders realise a unified Britain needs to be tight and cohesive to compete with emerging economies like China and Brazil.

Unifying a country does not only depend on staging superb international sports shows. The future for a new Britain will depend on it being confident and cohesive with a transport system that matches economic aspiration.

A new high speed railway linking London, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester and eventually Edinburgh and Glasgow will best achieve this. High speed rail will help spread the powerhouse effect of London and the south east. Moreover it will unite the north with the south. A link with Scotland is an essential part of this, as David Shirres explains.

HS2 will diminish the social disconnect between London and the north in a way that state social spending programmes never can…

Good for Britain High Speed Two will diminish the social disconnect between London and the north in a way that state social spending programmes never can. The idea behind high speed rail is to spread the dynamics of London’s commercial success to the north and the midlands and eventually Scotland. Make no mistake, High Speed Two is good for commerce and good for Britain.

Building new railways is never easy and involves disrupting countryside and people’s homes.

However the government is pressing ahead with conviction.

As Mr McLoughlin said, ‘I’m afraid we will upset some people, but I appreciate that and we’ve got to try and do as much as we can to alleviate the damage wherever we can. You can’t build a brand new line and not have problems. There will be some areas where you are going to have to negotiate.’

What is not in doubt is the role railways are already playing in Britain’s Olympian comeback.

Developing high speed rail makes political as well as economic sense.

The message from the scheme’s supporters is clear: If you want to do something positive for your country’s future - back HS2.

High Speed vacancies on p52. www.railstaff.co.uk

PROJECT NEWS

Steve Agg, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport best sums up widespread reaction to the news that High Speed Two is going ahead to Manchester and Leeds.

‘Committing to building the line on to Manchester and Leeds will ensure HS2 delivers a generous economic and social return for Britain as a whole. It will help rebalance the economy, bring investment and jobs to the growing and dynamic city-regions around Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds and increase connectivity for people and businesses across the UK.’ HS2 will boost capacity for extra freight trains on the existing network enabling them to take advantage of the slots freed by inter-city passenger trains moving to the new high speed line. Agg goes on to point out, ‘While the project is still many years from fruition, the firm prospect of the line will encourage investment and business growth.’

Ease overcrowding Capacity increase is a view shared by Dr Colin Brown, Director of Engineering at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. ‘This investment will help ease

overcrowding on trains and help promote jobs and investment in Manchester, the East Midlands and Yorkshire.’ Faster trains will encourage more motorists to ditch the car and take the train, he argues.

HS2 will directly benefit cities in the north. Says Geoff Inskip of the Passenger Transport Executive Group, pteg, ‘We believe that high speed rail will have a truly transformational effect on our cities and on the economies of our city regions.’

Driving enhanced prosperity is the game changer for supporters of HS2 at Network Rail. Says Sir David Higgins, Network Rail chief executive, ‘A new high speed network is valuable not only for the railway but also for Britain’s prosperity. The railways don’t just move people and freight; they create jobs, connect economic centres and open up new markets.

‘Unprecedented growth in the last ten years has seen passenger journeys grow by 50 per cent to almost 1.5bn a year and that number is set to continue to grow.

More people use the railways today than at any time since the Second World War, on a network half the size it was then.’

An all-round winner Better capacity and a chance to get ahead of the game instead of playing catch up makes the scheme an all round winner says Higgins. ‘HS2 could be that rarest of things - a genuine gamechanger for the railway. It can transform long distance travel, improve daily commutes on existing lines and create space on the network for passengers and freight to transfer from congested roads to an expanded railway.’

He added, ‘This is not a bolt-on piece of infrastructure. HS2 will be at the heart of a reshaped rail network in Britain. To spread the benefits of HS2 to as many people as possible, we will need seamless integration.

‘We are already planning how HS2 will integrate with the existing railway, supporting development of plans that will keep as many trains running during construction as possible and planning future train services that make best use of the capacity on both high speed and existing lines.’

Phase 1 of HS2 between London and Birmingham will solve the looming capacity crisis on the West Coast Main Line. What detractors fail to appreciate is that freeing up of space on the main line will allow for many more freight and passenger services. The same effect will directly benefit cities in the north as well as plugging them in to trade opportunities abroad.

Enhance our competitiveness Says Neil McLean, chair of Leeds City Region LEP, ‘HS2 will bring real benefits to all our cities by freeing capacity on the existing local rail network and improving connections to the capital and European markets, which in turn will shape business investment decisions and enhance our competitiveness on the world stage.’

In short Andrew Fender, Chair of Transport for Greater Manchester and city councillor speaks for many when he says, ‘High speed rail is good news for the economy – not just for Greater Manchester but also the wider North.’

Supporting the need for speed www.railstaff.co.uk

17

PROJECT NEWS

Scotland plans for High Speed Rail The further away you get from London the greater the support for HS2.

The Scottish Government is particularly keen to encourage high-speed rail. Stopping short in Leeds and Manchester won’t do for Scotland. Already Scottish leaders are making plans to build a highspeed line connecting Edinburgh and Glasgow. Campaigns to link Scotland to HS2 are being stepped up.

With no plans to extend HS2 to Scotland, high-speed rail will not reach the border until well beyond 2032. And yet studies show highspeed rail’s greatest benefit is over long distances.

Greengauge estimates that, over 60 years, it would provide a £20 billion economic benefit to Scotland, compared with £5.4 billion for the West Midlands. In Europe the high-speed trains from Paris to Marseille (a similar distance as London to Edinburgh) increased rail’s market share from 22% to 65%.

Fast Track Scotland Scotland is not prepared to wait decades for high-speed rail and in November last year announced 18

plans to build the top end of a highspeed rail route to Scotland by 2024 to provide a 140 mph train service between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

This idea comes from the Scottish Partnership Group for High Speed Rail which was formed by the Scottish Government in 2011. It includes local councils, Scottish business organisations, Network Rail and Transport Scotland.

After wide ranging talks with over 40 businesses it produced the Fast Track Scotland report, making Scotland’s case for high speed rail and demonstrating the high level of support for it.

Nevertheless this plan had its critics who felt reducing journey time between Glasgow and Edinburgh did not justify its high cost. Such criticism misses the point. As with all high-speed schemes, a key benefit is additional capacity.

Central Scotland has some of the most heavily used sections of the UK rail network outside London with a 30% increase in trains operating in Scotland over the past ten years. Some also criticised the lack of detail as the route has yet to be defined. However route

evaluation is not a trivial task and it would be wrong to publish a route before it had been thoroughly evaluated.

Use existing stations To keep costs down it is proposed to use existing stations and approach tracks. City centre terminals for 400 metre long UIC gauge trains are not needed until there is a high speed line from the south.

Also the geography of central Scotland is not likely to require tunnels which, together with stations, account for almost half HS2’s construction cost. This indicates that the cost of a Scottish high-speed line is likely to be of the same order as the new Forth road bridge, currently under construction.

A further option under consideration is a high speed link from the West Coast mainline to the Scottish high speed line. This would reduce journey times by around 15 minutes and provide extra capacity on the southern approaches to Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The Scottish Government plans to

decide the route by 2014, get the Parliamentary Bill passed and start construction in 2018 and complete the high-speed line in 2024, two years before HS2 opens to Birmingham.

Although this is an ambitious programme, it should be achievable given the support in Scotland and the lack of complex construction challenges from stations and tunnels.

Thus, whilst the national news shows no high-speed rail proposals north of the border, in reality it is quite possible that the first highspeed railway connecting British cities will be in Scotland.

With no plans to extend HS2 to Scotland, high-speed rail will not reach the border until well beyond 2032. And yet studies show highspeed rail’s greatest benefit is over long distances… www.railstaff.co.uk

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NEWS

Bristol city council’s cabinet has agreed to approve £1.8 million pounds of funding towards revitalising the city’s rail network.

Work on Phase One is expected to start in 2015. This will enable a half-hourly service to and from Severn Beach and the reopening of the Portishead line. This is expected to be completed by 2018.

Phase Two will include reopening the Henbury line with additional stations at Horfield and Ashley Down.

The money is being set aside from the council’s revenue and capital budgets. The rest of the money is coming from the Government. Completion of Phase Two is expected in 2023.

Man on Clapham Omnibus takes the train London Overground’s new Clapham JunctionSurrey Quays link carried its one millionth passenger after being open for only a month.

The link completes London Overground’s orbital network. Says Transport for London’s Chief Operating Officer for Rail, Howard Smith, ‘The popularity of the new service across South London is as we expected, given that it connects the major interchange of Clapham Junction in the west with the developing area of East London. Demand has been growing steadily since it opened as the new service offers a faster and more comfortable journey option to increasing numbers of Londoners.’

The milestone in passenger numbers comes just as new Network Rail punctuality tables make London Overground the most punctual rail operator during 2012. Almost 120 million people use the London Overground network annually and based on the first month’s figure the new Clapham Junction to Surrey Quays link is expected to add around 13 to 14m passengers per annum.

© JONATHAN WEBB

Better Rail for Bristol

Tributes to Dorset rail campaigner

20

Tributes are being paid to Monavyn Moss, a determined woman who formed a pressure group which prevented a by-pass from being built on a disused railway at Corfe Castle in Dorset.

Monavyn Moss, who has died aged 94, ensured that the Swanage Railway could be rebuilt through the village during the 1990s to connect with the national railway at Motala near Furzebrook in 2007.

Mrs Moss formed the Corfe Castle Eastern Preservation Group and was its chairman from 1982 to 1995 when the Swanage Railway opened its three mile extension from Harman’s Cross through Corfe Castle.

Says Swanage Railway Trust chairman Liz Sellen, ‘Without Monni’s determined campaigning work, there would not be the Swanage Railway that so many people enjoy today because the line would only have been relaid the three miles from Swanage to Harman’s Cross.’

From a Purbeck family which farmed the land next to the Swanage branch line from 1939, Monni Moss lived for many years at Challow Farm, within sight and sound of Corfe Castle’s railway station. Trains on the line will remain her enduring legacy. www.railstaff.co.uk

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Who gets the job done so millions can get on with their lives?

Think Murphy.

For deeper thinking visit www.murphygroup.co.uk

Clive Kessell reports

22

After the opening of the Western Concourse at King’s Cross in March 2012, the next stages of the work to restore King’s Cross to its deserved grandeur was temporarily halted so as not to disrupt the passenger flows during the Olympics.

Once these were concluded, work recommenced last autumn to remove the 1970s southern concourse and restore the splendour of Lewis Cubitt’s 1852 original station frontage.

The uninitiated might think that tidying up the station frontage involved just a bit of quick demolition and the laying of a few paving slabs. In fact the single storey concourse, which has attracted much criticism in recent times, had in fact been opened in a blaze of glory back in 1973.

It had replaced a 1960s traditional narrow window ticket office and had brought all the usual travel facilities into a single integrated

area. However, even in those days, there were plans afoot for the redevelopment of the King’s CrossSt Pancras locality.

Grandiose schemes The concourse was always considered a temporary solution.

Nothing came of these grandiose schemes and the concourse soldiered on for over 35 years. With hindsight, this may well have been fortuitous as architectural concepts and respect for the environment has improved immensely in the meantime.

The old concourse suffered mainly from lack of space, around 2500 square metres, which when coupled with arriving and departing passengers, now estimated at 47 million every year, proved to be wholly inadequate for the upsurge in traffic.

Cleverly concealed within the concourse were two large ventilation shafts and one smaller

one serving the deep level underground lines below the main station. With demolition, these would once again become prominent and so present a challenge on how to tastefully disguise in the future.

The concourse also gave access to London Underground via a stairway and escalator, neither of which could remain. The LU ticket hall is only just beneath the surface of King’s Cross frontage, making the demolition work even more sensitive.

Intricate lattice pattern With the Olympics over, the first tasks were to remove the remaining retail outlets, the left luggage facilities and the ticket office IT server, the latter not having been transferred at the time of the Western Concourse opening.

Removal of the roof had to be carefully planned. The 1970s www.railstaff.co.uk

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King’s Cross The final works Spacedeck construction formed an intricate lattice pattern that was self-supporting but with each component being a part of the integral strength.

To begin removing struts piecemeal could result in a catastrophic collapse, not only causing risk to anyone working in the vicinity but also potential damage to the LU ticket hall underneath.

As far as could be ascertained, the method of construction had been to assemble the complete roof at ground level, then slowly jack it up to the required height once the supporting walls were in place. One option was to reverse this process but even this was not without risk.

Murphy, as the main contractor, eventually engaged a specialist firm, AR Demolition of Leicester, who had previous experience of these kind of roofs and their expertise has proved successful in www.railstaff.co.uk

getting the roof dismantled. At the time of writing (early February), only the last elements had still to be removed.

Once complete, the lower half of the Cubitt frontage, which has not been directly viewable for very many years, will have its brickwork repaired and cleaned in readiness for glass screens with automatic glass doors to be provided, thus filling in the now exposed ground level arches.

To protect travellers leaving by the station front and for those traversing from an easterly direction towards the new concourse, a glass canopy will be built above the arches. This will be a cantilevered design but conservation rules will not allow this to be directly attached to the brickwork. Upright columns will support the cantilevers, designed in such a way as to be unobtrusive and not spoil the appearance of the station.

King’s Cross Square The whole area in front of the station is to be re-named and made into something special as part of the rejuvenation of this one time rather seedy locale. Parallel with the Euston Road will be a row of japonica trees in sunken planters, this being possible as it is clear of the Metropolitan Line tunnels.

Down the side of Pancras Road between the two stations, will be more trees but this time in raised planters so as not to interfere with the underground ticket hall.

Benches will be positioned in line with the trees so as to allow travellers to rest awhile and take in the surroundings.

The LU ventilation shafts will be encased in black Portuguese granite flutes with white granite slabs used to band the shafts near to ground level. Stainless steel lighting masts will make a feature of the Cubitt façade and a

23

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The external focus of the station remains as ever, the clock tower.

This is three-sided no need for the fourth side as this only overlooks the roof…

combination of uplighters and downlighters will illuminate the square in the hours of darkness.

Enclosed entrances to London Underground ticket halls are being revamped - the one leading off platform 8 is currently closed - to blend in with the created ambience.

The whole plaza - to be known as King’s Cross Square - will be covered by York paving and protected by security bollards to stop any uninvited vehicular access.

The Station Roof and Clock Tower A year ago, the twin barrel roofs of the main station were in the process of being reglazed. This work is now complete and the result is a much more airy atmosphere inside the station.

When viewed from above, the result is even more spectacular and only then can one get the magnitude of the work that has been undertaken.

24

In addition to the glass sections, the extent of the solar panels is revealed, these significantly helping the power demands of the station. A meter constantly monitors the power being generated and the percentage that this is contributing. Access walkways and platforms will allow the roof to be kept in tip top condition, something that the Victorian forbears never enjoyed.

The external focus of the station remains as ever, the clock tower.

This is three sided - no need for the fourth side as this only overlooks the roof - and whilst no major work has been undertaken on this element of the station, the mechanism for driving the hands and keeping good time has been renewed.

Those of us in the past, who were familiar with ‘waiting train’ clock movements, knew how difficult it was to keep these maintained so as to ensure good

timekeeping. The tiny replacement electronic box, supplied by Smiths of Alfreton Road, Derby, barely does justice to the importance of its role but it does the job of powering the three way geared drive mechanisms to the hands very well.

The station revamp is almost complete and when finished will be a credit to this part of London.

The £12M spent on this final stage of the project is a considerable sum but will be judged well worth it in the longer term. Completion will be achieved by autumn 2013.

Network Rail and Murphys have worked in harmony to ensure a successful project but mention must also be made of Stanton Williams who were retained as the architect and Arup who did all the engineering design and electrical work.

Thanks to Matt Tolan of Network Rail and Patrick Shaw of Murphy for their help and advice. www.railstaff.co.uk

1852 - King’s Cross opened as the London terminus for the Great Northern Railway 2006 - Planning consent secured for redevelopment of King’s Cross station 2012 - Western Concourse completed and opened to public 2012-13 - The 1973 concourse will be removed, exposing the station’s Victorian facade and creating a major new public space for London

King’s Cross: a great Victorian station revitalised for the 21st century More space – concourse area tripled in size to reduce congestion More light – new steel, glass and aluminium roof creates light airy atmosphere Better connections – rapid access to Tube and bus services with increased step-free access One of our biggest challenges is to deliver a 21st century railway service based on a 19th century network. King’s Cross Station was built over 160 years ago, but today it’s serving the travelling public even better than ever. Our expert team modernised the entire passenger experience whilst protecting and restoring the station’s unique historic fabric. We increased the number and quality of train services, smartened up the passenger facilities within the station and created efficient connections to other transport modes. King’s Cross is not a one-off. In the past ten years, we have been enhancing all aspects of Britain’s aging rail network, increasing capacity, punctuality, safety and passenger facilities.

Evolve your railway with Network Rail Consulting For further information scan the QR code opposite or visit

www.networkrailconsulting.com

Steer to lead CILT Jim Steer FCILT is the new President-Elect of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.

Currently held by Graham Inglis FCILT, Jim Steer will assume the oneyear role from May 2013. ‘I’m delighted that Jim has accepted our invitation to become the Institute’s President-Elect,’ says Inglis.

‘His appointment comes at a critical time in the expansion of Britain’s transport network; the development of the North-South High Speed Rail link, the £37 billion planned expansion by Network Rail and the on-going debate around London’s airport capacity make it an ideal time for him to take the helm.’

A leading proponent of high speed railways in Britain, Jim Steer is one of the co-founders of the transport planning company, Steer Davies Gleave which began operations in 1978. He took a three-year secondment to the Strategic Rail Authority and is currently the Director of Greengauge 21 which campaigns for a high speed line in Britain.

He has also served as Vice President of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport. Jim is a compelling and wellknown speaker on transport. Says Jim, ‘The CILT plays a vital role in developing personal and professional excellence in the transport and logistics sectors by encouraging the development of leadingedge thinking and best practice. I am honoured to be its President for the coming year.’

advance-TRS launches advancerailwayjobs.com advance-TRS launches its new and advanced website advancerailwayjobs.com After much anticipation, expert Railway Recruitment Company advance-TRS has launched its state-of-the-art new website this month - advancerailwayjobs.com.

At advancerailwayjobs.com you can receive live, individually tailored email updates as well as keeping in the loop with all the latest industry news. advancerailwayjobs.com gives our clients an exceptional insight into the outstanding, professional training and recruitment services available.

“The site’s easy navigation and attractive layout is sure to be a hit” commented Mark Irving, Contract Engineer Manager - (Victoria Interlocking Renewals for Invensys Rail). He went on to say, “I will definitely be using

advancerailwayjobs.com to search for future opportunities” advance-TRS is offering you the chance to win £100 worth of gift vouchers in our prize draw! To enter just answer this question; how many marathons has Managing Director, Andy Ridout taken part in?

You can find the answer at advancerailwayjobs.com Good luck! advancerailwayjobs.com“Together, we can all advance.”

To enter the advance-TRS competition send your answer along with your full name, job title, telephone number and email address to marketing@advancetrs.com.

The winner will be selected randomly from a prize draw on 01.03.2013 when the competition will be closed for entry.

Hidden talent Four people with hidden impairments have completed a 12-week job placement at Transport for Greater Manchester.

The exercise is aimed at helping them build confidence in the world of work. Abigayle Murray, 20, of Altrincham, Sharik Riaz, 21, of Cheetham Hill, David Fogg, 51, of Hyde, and Mikey Rice, 21, of Stockport, took part in the Employment Placement Programme.

A hidden impairment is a communication or learning disability, such as dyslexia, meaning the individual may need extra help and development in certain tasks. The quartet worked across several TfGM departments including policy, research, information technology and administration for one day perweek over the three months. They were also paired with a TfGM employee or buddy to help mentor 26

them. Since the start of the scheme, two of the four have secured employment .

Says Mikey Rice, ‘Working in the Information Systems department at TfGM as part of the EPP scheme was very enjoyable and a great opportunity for me. I was specifically involved in assisting my ‘buddy’ with the maintenance and updating of computer

technology. It helped build my confidence as well as giving me some very valuable experience in a large organisation.’

His ‘buddy’, Chris Leigh, from TfGM’s Information Systems department, said, ‘Mikey was a pleasure to work with during the placement. I am extremely pleased that he felt he learnt from it and I hope his future is a bright one.’

“It helped build my confidence as well as giving me some very valuable experience…”

MIKEY RICE, EMPLOYMENT PLACEMENT PROGRAMME

www.railstaff.co.uk

NEWS

The North Norfolk Railway will be showcasing three locos designed

by Robin Riddles, the one time chief engineer to the British Railways Board.

On display at a special gala will be Oliver Cromwell, Britannia and their giant freight counterpart, the 140-ton Black Prince, which Riddles built to handle heavy iron ore trains from the ports to the steelworks. The British Railways Standards Gala is expected to be popular with former railway staff and enthusiasts alike.

Next Stop Conon Bridge

© RAILPHOTOLIBRARY.COM

Riddles for Poppy Line

Conon Bridge station in the Scottish Highland is back in business after 53 years.

The station, which closed in 1960, has been rebuilt using funds from Transport Scotland with contributions from the Highland Council, HITRANS and ScotRail.

Says Frank Roach, Partnership Manager for HITRANS, ‘We are delighted to see this project come

to fruition, improving access to employment, education and leisure in Inverness and further demonstrating the key role that the railway plays in the Highlands.’

25 services a day connect Conon Bridge to Inverness and the Highlands. The new, modern station at Conon Bridge is lit by environmentally-friendly LEDs

and the shelter lighting is provided by solar panels on the roof. There is also a car park, cycle rack and cycle lockers.

Conon Bridge station is proving popular with local people working in Inverness. Trains take around 25 minutes to travel to Inverness. Dingwall is approximately seven minutes to the north.

Innovative Track Maintenance Solutions from Aquarius The Aquarius Rail Rovers’ capabilities have just got better with the Load Tray Extension (LTE) • Transfer maintenance crews and additional equipment on track with ease • Transport 2 tonnes on track - that’s 500kg per LTE, (2 per vehicle) and up to one tonne in the Aquarius Rail Rover • LTE 50kg tare - means easy manual handling to deploy onto the track

Save time and money with the Aquarius Rail Rover and LTE: • Less paperwork and hassle - no tachograph required • Quick, easy track access due the Rail Rovers’ high ground clearance and electro-hydraulic rail gear that is activated at the push of a button • Additional tools and equipment are quickly loaded on the lightweight LTE and delivered to the track worksite

Multi-purpose:

• 2 tonne payload for 2 men and equipment or 10 men in Rail Rover and 1 tonne of tools on 2 LTE’s

• The LTE can be used with Aquarius Weld Rovers to carry stressing kit • Can be easily certiÞed for use with other Road Rail Vehicles

Aquarius Railroad Technologies Ltd Providing quality 4x4 RRV’s, efÞcient and cost effective solutions - Available for hire or sale nationwide

Call the Aquarius team on 01765 635021 for your FREE TRIAL of the LTE with Rail Rover or visit us at www.railrover.com www.railstaff.co.uk

27

railway’s operational side of the station is hidden from public view.

Grand Central demonstrates what can be achieved when it comes to developing the inherent value of the site.

Network Rail is increasingly mindful of pioneering work at Grand Central as it seeks to make similar developments at its major stations.

Driving force Railroad and shipping tycoon, Cornelius Vanderbilt was the driving force behind the

construction of Manhattan’s original Grand Central Depot, which opened in 1871. Vanderbilt sunk the tracks below what would become Park Avenue.

However, the 100 year old Grand Central Station owes its unique success to the foresight of New York Central Railroad chief engineer William J. Wilgus who developed the idea of constructing revenue-producing buildings over the rail yards.

Wilgus described his strategy as ‘taking wealth from the air.’

Originally from Buffalo, New York,

he was a civil engineer and a career railway man, well versed in the capital-intensive imperatives of building railways.

Wilgus had worked on railroads in Minnesota and Michigan as well as New York. His strategy with the huge new terminal on 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Manhattan, right from the start, was to help offset the project’s enormous cost by building upwards over the railway lines themselves. It paid off.

Completed in 1913 the Grand Central project cost $80 million

Grand Central Terminal Celebrates Centenary

28

www.railstaff.co.uk

© SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

One of America’s iconic railway stations, New York’s Grand Central Terminal - colloquially known as Grand Central Station - celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.

Now the home of the MetroNorth Railroad, the station boasts top class restaurants, cocktail lounges, a gourmet market, and numerous speciality shops. The huge railway station has 44 platforms accommodating 67 tracks on two levels - below ground.

Total number of tracks and sidings exceeds 100. Much of the

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and was greeted as the biggest railway terminal in the world.

Back then the terminal covered a total area of 70 acres and took ten years to complete. Office blocks and hotels nearby were linked to the station by underground passages- many lined with shops.

The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel even had its own platform and lift platform 61. Most famous of all is the Oyster Bar which opened in 1913. Every day 30 different types of oysters are served up to gourmet diners.

www.railstaff.co.uk

Largest commuter railroad The Metro-North Railroad was created in 1983. Over 30 years it has grown to be the largest commuter railroad service in the United States.

Although long-distance trains stopped serving Grand Central in 1991, by that time Metro-North’s reputation for unprecedented ontime commuter service had secured the future of Grand Central.

In the 1990s a $196 million restoration project saw the main concourse ceiling cleared of smoke and nicotine, a new staircase put in and the main waiting room

converted into an exhibition hall,.

In Wilgus tradition the development was paid for by the creation of another 65,000 square feet of retail space.

Must-see location Grand Central holds a unique place in the affections of New Yorkers and travellers from around the world. It remains a must-see location beloved of film directors, tourists and novelists alike.

Plans to knock it down in the 1960s were fiercely resisted - Jackie Kennedy backed the campaign. The

United States Supreme Court ruled against demolition setting a refreshing precedent for preservation groups. Plans to further develop the station continue to be developed.

The Municipal Art Society of New York wants to see more green areas and sensible redevelopment.

Ideas include creation of a giant glass walk way in the sky, new gardens and piazzas. One thing is certain, Grand Central Station is here to stay and the Wilgus theory of trade and commerce will continue to help pay for it.

29

The Paris St-Germain Plan

30

player, to better serve those around you.

Unique importance It is, in a way, the day to day focused equivalent of giving to charity. Giving out rather than taking in rewards the true professional. In this Training Matters section we encourage all who contemplate change, improvement and training to push ahead.

Move forward in a career that in this industry will have an effect far beyond the immediate pay cheque and professional accreditation. All railway students and apprentices will make contributions far above their perceived worth.

Whether training for COSS accreditation or reading for a degree in engineering what you are doing is of unique importance.

The rail industry will benefit for years to come. We wish you, and Paris Saint-Germain, every success.

© SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

News that David Beckham is donating his fees from Paris StGermain to charity has disarmed hardened cynics.

Giving to charity is one way of paying back a world and a sport that has in turn given the individual a career and a sense of purpose. Irrespective of payment Beckham will continue training hard, both on his own and with his team mates.

Training is the necessary precondition for success and achievement. At first glance many view training and study as vehicles of self improvement. However, it is not just the individual that benefits but the team mates, organisation and industry served.

Being a better professional increases self confidence and should boost self esteem. However the real satisfaction comes with the knowledge of doing a good job better. Moving up in your profession enables you, the team

www.railstaff.co.uk

TRAINING... sponsored by Vital Skills Training

A new strategic alliance with Hampton Knight means amtrain now offers on site PTS, medical assessments and A&D screening.

PTS is being revised. Following extensive research by Network Rail and stakeholders a new system is to be put in place. This will enable potential PTS holders to undertake basic knowledge assessment under the guidance of the sponsor. Then they can be examined by a new computer based on line process.

The rail industry understands the importance of properly qualified staff whilst we at amtrain understand the issues which will arise as a result of this new process. We will continue to offer the formal one day PTS qualification, with its greatly enhanced lineside element at our well equipped railway practical training site.

Better communications at amtrain mean calls and enquiries are handled efficiently and quickly.

We now have three dedicated members of staff, Nathan, Josh and Jenny to respond at once.

We are expanding amtrain to develop learners’ potential in other working areas. Do you need security qualifications? Then why not call amtrain.

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Amtrain (Midlands) Ltd A38 Southbound Fradley, Lichfield Staffs, WS13 8RD

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www.amtrain.co.uk www.railstaff.co.uk

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Network Rail woos next generation Young people are being urged to consider becoming an apprentice with Network Rail as the company launches its 2013 advanced apprenticeship scheme.

The scheme provides young people with an opportunity to work in an industry which transports millions of people and is paving the way for future prosperity. Many apprentices go on to rise through the ranks at Network Rail.

HMS Sultan

Apprenticeship programme

The company provides opportunities to achieve further qualifications including Higher National Certificates and university degrees.

Network Rail apprentices spend a year training alongside the Royal Navy at Europe’s largest engineering training facility at HMS Sultan in Hampshire.

There they learn both the technical skills required to work on the railway and develop leadership and teamwork skills to make them more effective in their roles. For the next two years they learn their trade, working within an experienced team, continuing to return to HMS Sultan regularly for additional courses and training. Apprentices are enthusiastic about the scheme and their careers in the railway industry.

Natalie Burton from Portsmouth is an apprentice based at Eastleigh and is specialising in telecoms. ‘I felt I needed a new challenge in life and to do something that would start me off on a career path that I could stay on for a long time,’ says Natalie.

‘When I saw this apprenticeship, it seemed to fit with what I wanted and I could see myself progressing from here. Working and living away from home gives you a great chance to meet new people and make friends for life.

‘Whilst this is not my first job, working for the Network Rail and South West Trains Alliance has showed me what it is like working for a large organisation and I would recommend anyone who is considering applying for the scheme to do so as quickly as possible.’

A railway apprenticeship provides self confidence and a secure future. It can also lead to studying at university. Third year apprentice, Luke Boggis, 21, works at Ipswich and specialises in track work.

‘The experience I have gained from the teams at Ipswich has been immense and you can sense the effort and determination that goes into an everyday safety-critical environment,’ says Luke.

‘The past 18 months have seen me develop confidence, professionalism and respect for the people who pass on their knowledge, some of which is invaluable.

‘I am now striving towards earning a role where I can improve my learning at a higher level undertaking a university course provided by Network Rail.’

Route directors like Dyan Crowther, who runs London North Western, want parents, educators and young people alike to realise the future career opportunities that an apprenticeship can bring, including a university education at work.

‘There are many paths to achieving a successful career,’ says Crowther. ‘Whether you join straight from school or after college or work, the apprenticeship programme can be the first step to a challenging career.

‘An apprenticeship can also open doors to a university education. Whilst many apprentices go on to be team leaders and rise through the ranks, Network Rail also gives those who want to achieve further qualifications the chance to study part-time for a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in engineering, with the opportunity to then progress onto a foundation degree and a bachelors at Sheffield Hallam University.’

32

Challenging One of those who has already completed all three stages of the apprenticeship is 24 year-old Camilla Banner, a team leader at Rugby Maintenance Depot. ‘I am thrilled to have completed my HNC and although it was challenging, it has really helped to prepare me for the rest of my degree,’ says Camilla.

‘By the end of the summer, I hope to have completed my foundation degree in engineering, moving onto the full bachelors qualification. My depot and Network Rail as a whole have been incredibly supportive throughout my studies and I look forward to successfully completing my degree in 2015.’

Long-term career The scheme includes five engineering programmes: track, signals, electrification and plant, signal design and locking and telecoms.

Each one involves working in a critical area of the business, where professional development continues beyond the three years of the scheme.

In the first year, apprentices will be paid £8,400 + £1,150 when they successfully finish the year.

The salary will rise to £11,750 in the second; and £14,000 in the third. In the first year, Network Rail will also feed, pay for accommodation and provide the clothing and personal protective equipment apprentices need, including safety

boots, cargo trousers and a fleece.

There are plenty of holidays: 28 days plus bank holidays in total. Network Rail will pay for apprentices to travel home for long weekends and Christmas, Easter and summer holidays.

After three years apprentices will have the qualifications and skills to develop a long-term career with Network Rail. These include NVQ, BTec and ILM - Institute of Leadership and Management.

Many apprentices complete their first year and soon start to think about their career options.

Many set their sights on becoming technical officers, team leaders or managers. There are even further opportunities to study a foundation degree for those who demonstrate the commitment and ability.

One apprentice who will be taking a Bachelor of Engineering degree is Michael Groves, 25, a senior technical officer based in Gloucester.

Michael has just been promoted to become efficiencies and innovation programme manager.

He left sixth form in May 2005 after completing his A-Levels. ‘I scanned the internet and newspapers on a regular basis looking for ways to get into engineering without going straight to university. The Network Rail apprenticeship scheme was advertised in a national newspaper and the opportunity was too great to miss.

‘After a number of selection days and interviews over the summer, I began the scheme in September. After a year of training at HMS Sultan I was deployed into the delivery unit at Gloucester where for the next two years I learnt on the job with the track maintenance teams and in the technical office,’ says Michael.

‘In May 2008 I completed the apprenticeship scheme and was appointed as a technical officer.

A year in this role then led to a promotion to senior technical officer and at the same time I was accepted onto the Foundation Degree (Railway Engineering) course at Sheffield Hallam University.

‘I successfully completed the course with a distinction, and have now been invited back to top up this qualification to a Bachelor of Engineering degree.’

A railway apprenticeship is fast becoming a popular route to a worthwhile and rewarding career in a rejuvenated rail industry poised for huge expansion. www.railstaff.co.uk

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Apprentices greet Prince Two apprentices and a graduate engineer working on the Crossrail project met the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall during a visit to the new Crossrail station under construction at Farringdon.

Apprentices Jack Burke, 20, from Bermondsey and Bob Gridley, 34, from Walthamstow, together with graduate engineer Akif Mahboob, 23, from Gants Hill in Ilford were part of a group of workers at the station chosen to meet their Royal Highnesses on a special tour to mark the 150th anniversary of London Underground.

Jack Burke and Bob Gridley are among 130 apprentices working across 40 construction sites on the Crossrail route. Jack and Bob are both undertaking an 18 month Spray Concrete Lining apprenticeship with Crossrail contractor BAM Nuttall. They are among the first apprentices to train at the Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy (TUCA) set

up by Crossrail in east London.

Passionate Says Bob Gridley, ‘It’s great to be working on something I can feel passionate about and that actually means something. The Tube is 150 years old so the idea that I’m now building something like Crossrail that’s still going to be around and in use in another 150 years is quite incredible.’

It’s a view shared by Akif Mahboob who joined the Crossrail project in October 2012 after completing a Masters in Civil Engineering at University College London. Akif’s talents were spotted by contractor Laing O’Rourke who signed him up as a Graduate Engineer.

which fired his curiosity about engineering.

‘I grew up near Gants Hill station where the Tube passes beneath my home so I always had an interest in trains and stations when I was younger. I was lucky enough to get onto a graduate scheme where my first job was on the Crossrail project, naturally sparking my interest.

Graduate scheme

Great satisfaction

He is part of the engineering team creating a 25 metre deep shaft that will house the western ticket hall for the new station at Farringdon.

Akif grew up close to a tube station

‘It was amazing to meet the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall today and tell them more about what I’m doing on the Crossrail project. It gives me great

satisfaction to know that what is being delivered now will still be here in a hundred years time.’

There are currently 350 people working at the two Crossrail Farringdon sites, building two new ticket halls, passenger tunnels and platforms and preparation for the first tunnelling machine to complete the first section of Crossrail’s tunnel route in late 2013.

When Crossrail opens in 2018, Farringdon will be one of the busiest rail stations in Britain and will be the very heart of London’s rail network linking transport services north, south, east and west.

Burns turns tables Rail Minister, Simon Burns, emphasised the importance of railway training when he visited York recently.

Mr Burns arrived by rail to check out progress on the new Rail Operating Centre (ROC) and Workforce Development Centre (WDC) which are being built on the site of the old engineers triangle next to York station. The Minister officially opened the turntable which has replaced the engineer’s triangle, ably assisted by star loco ‘Olton Hall’ – also known to Harry Potter fans as ‘Hogwarts Castle’.

‘The city of York has always had a proud railway heritage and I am pleased to see this latest success story taking shape,’ said Simon. ‘These facilities will not only help drive efficiencies and improve performance for passengers and freight on this vital route for many years to come – they will also provide valuable jobs and guarantee a skilled workforce is in place to meet the challenges of running a 21st century railway system.’

He went on to stress that the Coalition Government is committed to modernising the railways. Phil Verster, Route Managing Director for Network Rail, underscored the importance of the development. ‘The operating centre is the largest of just 14 proposed centres across Britain and will bring the expertise and technology we need to operate the route into a single location.

‘Meanwhile the investment in modern training facilities will make sure our employees remain among the best in the world.’

The turntable began life in service at Cleethorpes before being relocated to Ferme Park in the 1970s. It has been brought to York to provide turning facilities for charter services, rail plant and the National Rail Museum. www.railstaff.co.uk

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33

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Forecasting the Railway Engineering Skills Challenges circa 44,000 employees, which represents ~44% of the workforce, and some data for a significant proportion of the remainder.

• We have an aggregated programme of 200+ projects of which 140 have yet to start implementation.

In March of 2012, the Office of Rail Regulation commissioned NSARE to undertake a skills forecasting exercise to cover the requirements of Network Rail, Transport for London, Crossrail, HS2, Light Rail, the Train and Freight Operating companies and all their railway engineering supply chains.

The objectives of the project were to: • Provide a medium term view of skills requirements – number of people, skill levels and disciplines - to enable the industry to plan for the future.

• Provide a basis for collective action to address the challenges

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34

Member

to ensure that the industry can deliver on its investment commitments such as the CP5 Electrification Programme and ERTMS amongst other projects.

• To inform discussion with Universities and FE Colleges about the industry’s future education and training needs and with Government on its skills funding priorities.

• To identify specific challenges where more in-depth analysis is required.

The project activities included: • Creation of a database of the current workforce by sub-sector (Track, Signalling & Telecommunications, Electrification & Plant, Traction & Rolling Stock), gender, age, skill level (semi-skilled to Professional Engineer) and geography.

• Development of an aggregated programme of all the infrastructure and T&RS renewal and investment projects.

• Development of algorithms to predict the resources required to continue to maintain the assets and to implement the projects; numbers and skill levels.

• Development of the skills forecasting model, which was originally created in 2009 and was used to support the preparation of the original NSARE Business Plan.

• Generation of a gap analysis of the resources required.

The response from the industry has been excellent: • We have a detailed database of

The model has been developed and is working; skills forecasts can be generated against a range of scenarios by adjusting the input assumptions. The model and the outputs have been ‘common-sensed’ with key industry stakeholders and the response has been very favourable.

There is general agreement that the work provides a firm basis for updating the Skills Strategy that NSARE published in February 2012.

The key outputs can be summarised in the following two figures which have been presented to a number of audiences including: • The Rail Roundtable on 6th November, jointly chaired by Vince Cable and Patrick McLoughlin.

• The NSARE AGM on 3rd December.

NSARE is working closely with Network Rail and the Railway Industry Association on the specific Electrification & Plant skills challenges.

NSARE has submitted a bid to BIS, in conjunction with Siemens Plc, for a National Training Academy for Traction & Rolling Stock.

SkillsID NSARE will launch SkillsID on Thursday 7th March in London.

SkillsID will provide an online record of an individual’s skills, competencies and qualifications and will give employers a Competency Management System at their fingertips, ensuring compliance with national requirements.

Training Providers, individuals and the industry in general will benefit from a single data input National Competency Database which will promote the ownership of self development.

Training vacancy p55. www.railstaff.co.uk

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Transport for London – in Transport for London (TfL) is demonstrating its commitment to future skills for the Transport and Rail industries by becoming a cosponsor of the new Royal Greenwich University Technical College which will specialise in Engineering and Construction.

University Technical Colleges educate 14-19 year olds and rely on their partnerships with industry and university sponsors to create and teach their curriculum. For TfL, this is about providing young people the employability skills needed to succeed in the engineering workplace of the future.

Individuals attending the Royal Greenwich UTC will be encouraged to pursue a career within the transport and rail engineering industry.

Transport for London will be providing sponsorship in terms of time, expertise, career guidance, and providing relevant equipment

such as a redundant C Stock tube rolling stock.

George McInulty Programme Director, London Underground Infrastructure said: “Providing

We’ve made it easier for you to get an IRO qualification

touch with tomorrow

hands on engineering experience and exposure to live projects is an excellent opportunity for young people to understand the realities of engineering and equip themselves with the skills they will need in their future careers.

“This year, London Underground celebrates 150 years and as well as celebrating its heritage. The sponsorship of the Royal Greenwich UTC shows TfL’s commitment to the future skills of young Londoners who could one day be working on the Underground.”

Tricia Riley, HR Director at Transport for London added, “We have already done a lot of work engaging with schools and colleges and have seen the positive impact that this has on young people providing them with practical

skills for their future careers.

“Not only will working with the Royal Greenwich UTC ensure there are future generations of engineers for the rail industry, it will also provide further development opportunities for our staff in terms of leadership, coaching and mentoring skills.”

In addition to the Royal Greenwich UTC, Transport for London is supporting Network Rail and Crossrail who are leading on a proposal for a new UTC in Westminster.

Through this work, the three companies are advocating efforts to create a unique collaboration of rail employers and educators in Greater London to ensure that young people of today have the skills needed for tomorrow’s transport industry.

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Left to right: Penny St Martin, Mike Sharp, Tricia Riley, Lord Baker, Pauline Daniyan, James Lloyd, Patricia Holgate at the TfL UTC Internal launch event.

36

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There is no cost to any employer or individual for the training received as it is fully funded by us. Intertrain are also able to discuss various other opportunities for further grants to employers which can assist in additional training costs and supplement contributions made to the individual throughout the training programme.

Intertrain Venues: First established in York, Intertrain have now expanded to Doncaster, Gateshead, Warrington, Chesterfield, Burton-On-Trent, Birmingham and Enfield. All training centres have fully equipped classrooms, many with air conditioning providing an effective and comfortable learning experience.

Apprenticeships: Intertrain offer in partnership or on behalf of employers the delivery of an apprenticeship scheme in Railway Engineering. We currently offer these schemes in Doncaster, Chesterfield, Colchester, Chelmsford, Burton-Upon-Trent, Birmingham, Peterborough, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Warrington and Enfield.

Individuals who join the scheme are trained in general permanent way maintenance and renewal tasks both in the classroom and in the practical environment aiming to qualify for a Level 2 certificate in Railway Underpinning Knowledge and Level 2 Diploma in Railway Engineering (Track Maintenance).

If you would be interested in employing any apprentices or if you have any questions regarding the apprenticeship programme, please call 01302 815550

The apprentices are work ready by week 12 of their apprenticeship programme and will be certificated in PTS, DCCR, Track Induction, a range of Small Plant including Rail Saw, Rail Drill, Kango and Emergency First Aid at Work.

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Getting tomorrow’s workforce on track Recent announcements regarding HS2 and Network Rail’s £37.5billion investment are undoubtedly welcome developments for the industry and could herald a renaissance in engineering in this country.

The news that HS2 is set to create an estimated 100,000 jobs along with the 200 major rail projects that have received investment, including Thameslink, Crossrail and London Overground, is all good news serving as a positive outlook for the industry.

Yet a recent report by the National Skills Academy for Railway Engineering (NSARE) for the Office of Railway Regulation details concerns over whether the suitably qualified and experience staff will be available to resource the rail sector in the years to come.

Some of the country’s leading universities, such as the University

of Birmingham and Sheffield Hallam University, have offered some excellent industry-relevant degrees for many years and now, in response to growing interest in the field, Bath and Liverpool universities are following suit by setting up new degree courses in Rail Systems Engineering.

This has to be good news for the industry, as the Higher Education (HE) sector promotes rail as a viable career route linked to their degree offering.

But as more HE providers become increasingly involved in the rail sector, does more need to be done to forge a link between employers and education so that academic qualifications are complemented with practical skills and hands-on experience?

In my view it is absolutely critical that the rail industry effectively engages with the HE sector to

ensure that universities are producing well-rounded, workready graduates who have the right combination of work experience and academic qualifications to meet employers’ needs.

One solution could be an increase in the number of sandwich degrees. These are effective in not only providing people with an academic qualification, but also giving young people a real insight into what working in the sector is really like and, crucially, equipping them with work-based experience.

The rail sector faces great opportunities ahead. If we are to maximise these opportunities it’s imperative that the industry collaborates with a whole range of training and education providers to equip our young people with the skills, experience and qualifications to make the future happen.

“It is absolutely critical that the rail industry effectively engages with the HE sector to ensure that universities are producing work-ready graduates …”

LAWRENCE DOBIE, EDUCATION & TRAINING DIRECTOR, VITAL SKILLS TRAINING

Helping our clients get from...

Track

A Web.

38

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OLE & Isolations

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Also, having received a special award as an outstanding provider from NSARE, TQ Catalis delivers high quality training and assessment solutions, focussing particularly on industries where safety is paramount, such as the Rail and Power sectors.

Our range of products for the rail industry is ever evolving and we offer high quality, dynamic training in all areas of railway engineering and safety, health and environmental subjects.

We don’t believe in a ‘one size fits all’ approach and as such spend time with our clients designing the most cost effective and beneficial training intervention based on their business needs.

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Throughout the world Our focused training events are delivered throughout the world and can be at one of our three centres, Derby, London and Corby.

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A selection of training areas we cover includes:

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New Rail and Utilities Academy, Corby, Northants We have opened our Rail and Utilities Vocational Academy in Corby Northants.

Delivering our specialist range of rail training, in addition we now have a full scale National Grid style electrical power transmission and distribution system, complete with OLE and substations, allowing us to deliver highly specialist training solutions for the High Voltage areas including Rail Electrification.

TQ Catalis deliver a high quality professional training and assessment service in several market sectors, specialising in safety critical rail engineering and track safety competencies. We are proud of our long established rail training business centrally located in Derby with additional sites in Clapham and Corby - new for 2013.

We offer a wide selection of open programme events and dedicated solutions.

Current products include: • Track Safety Competencies

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39

PEOPLE FIRST EVERY TIME Listen and support the wearers of track boots Equipment & process can only help but are less important SAFETY Colin Wheeler colin@rail-media.com

RAIB recommendations outstanding for two years I am always pleased when you write or e-mail in your views following the publication of RailStaff.

After reading my January article a reader let me know how he disagreed with the idea that the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) and Rail Accident investigation Branch (RAIB) might be merged to improve safety. He emphasised the facts that whilst the ORR (HMRI) approves new infrastructure, and is responsible for regulation the RAIB can criticise if it contributes to an accident or incident.

He comments that the RAIB was set up following the Ladbroke Grove Accident in response to one of the Inquiry’s recommendations.

Its role is separated deliberately from that of the ORR which has the authority to interview under caution and prosecutes when appropriate but evidence given by witnesses to the RAIB cannot be used directly in any prosecution.

I was not trying to imply a merger of these two organisations.

I appreciate the value of the publication of RAIB reports but am concerned about the delays that continue in implementing its recommendations. Surely having 66 recommendations still

outstanding two years after they were made is wrong? If bringing the two together is not the answer, is this something that the Department for Transport should now tackle? If not, who?

NESIP and NTS training The RAIB have had to reduce costs and maybe could continue to so do if there were fewer accidents.

But according to Network Rail’s Safety central website there are on average no fewer than 1.2 incidents every year on AC electrified lines that could have resulted in either a fatality or “life changing injuries”.

This was the conclusion reached after reviewing every major electrical incident that has

occurred over the last 12 years.

Consequently over the next three years they are introducing their “National Electrical Safety Improvement Programme”. This has already started with briefings taking place at the end of January at Rugby and Crewe.

Yet more training costs have also been added by the COSS (Controller of Site Safety) NonTechnical Skills (NTS) programme announced on January 24th. An investigation has been carried out into track-worker fatalities and accidents during the last ten years.

The conclusion reached is that track-workers “do not behave unsafely because they do not know what to do, but because there has been a failure in their

Non-Technical Skills”. It goes on to say that “rash decisions, miscommunication, failure to challenge something unsafe, and not thinking through the consequences” are the problem.

If that means that those doing the work are not motivated to work safely, then I agree. A recognition that some people are naturally risk takers who will react when the culture and or peer pressures around them are not right is also worth considering.

Maybe the words used are well understood amongst those in the higher echelons of management but might it not be better to use plain intelligible English? The website says that this NTS programme is in reaction to

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recommendations made by RAIB and endorsed by ORR and refers specifically to the RAIB reports of Stoats Nest, Trafford Park and Ruscome.

Three derailments in as many days!

The Safety Central website also has two new Group Safety Bulletins (numbers 274 and 275) both of which were issued last month. One refers to an incident when a 60 foot serviceable rail slid off a flatbed lorry when its load shifted; and the other to a number of train derailments where track faults were a contributory factor.

At Castle Donnington on January 21st on straight track on a freight route, cyclic top was the problem; another at Liverpool Street Station on 23rd January due to gauge widening through switch diamonds on a 125 metre curved track section.

A third (on that same day) at Windsor Bridge South between Deansgate and Salford in Manchester was on a section of 30 mph track, jointed on timber where the radius locally was 160 metres.

The causes were a combination of newly turned wheels on the Class 47 locomotive and ineffective rail lubricators. In both cases I feel sure that the problems had been identified by someone, probably an habitual wearer of steel toe-capped and in-soled boots. Why had no-one listened?

PSLG Forum The most recent Project Safety Suppliers Forum took place at Westwood on December 14th.

Close Call reporting was high on the agenda but I still have reservations about the system where designers are required to report their Close Calls through their Network Rail project managers and subcontractors via their principle contractor.

In both cases my concern is in the mixing of commercial and safety. Surely it is only natural for design houses chasing further work to “take care” in what they report to their client’s project manager and how many principle contractors working in the environment where you are only as good as your last job in the eyes of the client, are keen to www.railstaff.co.uk

report details of close calls? What is the motivation for the wearer of track boots?

Seven loaded stone wagons rolled over The RAIB reports that at 0455 on of December 27th at Barrow on Soar (Midland Main Line) a stone train derailed (pictured left). The Class 66 locomotive was hauling 20 loaded hopper wagons. The loco and ten wagons stayed on track. The next two derailed leading bogies only and another 13 stayed on track but the remaining seven detached from the train and rolled over.

The train was only the second train over that track since Christmas Eve, the first being an unladen freight train some two hours earlier. As may be seen from the picture the cause was a sizeable slip.

According to the RAIB this had been progressing for some time.

Recovery of the train and repair works took a week and a half. One is left wondering about track inspections following Christmas.

Again I find it hard to believe that a patroller had not reported the slip.

Balcombe Tunnel At 0524 on the morning of 23rd September 2011 a structure designed and installed in 1998/9 to catch water seeping through the tunnel lining had sagged to the extent that the crew of an engineering train passing through reported it.

Unusually the RAIB inquiry is still incomplete but they have just released an interim report so as to “disseminate the RAIB findings to date and the associated safety learning”.

The structure was 72 metres long overall consisting of a deck on longitudinal beams supported on transverse beams each six metres long sited at four metre intervals. These were supported by studs grouted into holes drilled in the tunnel lining that was seven brick rings thick; the inner two of hard engineering brick.

Three adjacent transverse beams had become detached from the wall due to 12 studs having fallen out. Later inspections following that night revealed that 6 more studs were

missing with another five loose.

Altogether at least 29 other studs were loose or missing.

So far the Inquiry has established that the grout used was incompatible with engineering bricks and “grouting was poorly bonded”. The interim report also comments that some tunnel examinations were “curtailed, omitted or delayed”.

The November 2008 examination found studs missing in the area concerned and these were recorded in the March 2009 report, although this was not available to subsequent examiners due to software problems! Almost all the missing studs were found by track staff but this had not been made known to the engineer responsible for the tunnel.

In March 2011 a Train Conductor reported an unusual noise resulting in a track inspection when two studs were found on track but they were not shown to the examiner who inspected the tunnel the following night. Yet another opportunity missed.

The Track Booted Army needs to work together Three derailments, Barrow on Soar slip and Balcombe Tunnel, they all I suspect have something in common. People need to come first and face to face communication is always best. Email is no good for that purpose.

My decades as an engineer responsible for “the safety of the line” proved to me the importance of spending time with people to really understand their concerns.

Inspections need to be repeated by people who notice when changes occur.

Networking amongst all who work in track boots together with their supervisors and engineers is the best and probably only way to ensure that responsible engineers know what is happening. These relationships must be built and maintained. Manuals, standards and training will never alone be enough.

These are some of the issues I hope we will explore at the Rail Safety Summit at Loughborough University on March 14th.

See you there I hope?

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FEATURE

Two years on KiwiRail and the Christchurch earthquake “The sense of relief that had occurred after the September event was erased forever from the minds of Cantabrians and the nation.

“The city and surrounding suburbs had been struck a deadly blow over the busy lunch hour, resulting in a death toll of 181.”

Those were the words of KiwiRail managers Peter Steel and Phillip O’Connell, reflecting on the railway’s response to the massive earthquake which reduced parts of New Zealand’s third largest city to rubble two years ago this month.

At 12.51pm on February 22, 2011, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Christchurch. The destruction that followed left more than 180 people dead - making it the seconddeadliest natural disaster in the country’s history.

Images of the rescue effort that followed were broadcast around

“The repeated implementation of earthquake response and inspection procedures during the series of earthquakes has given us significant confidence…”

PETER STEEL, KIWIRAIL 42

the world, but many watching would have been unaware that the February 22 earthquake was one of four major quakes and 7,000 aftershocks to hit the Canterbury region between September 2010 and June 2011.

Rail rescue New Zealand’s railway played its part in the relief effort, transporting emergency food and supplies in and out of the city.

In the moments after the quake, Phillip O’Connell, KiwiRail’s HSQE manager, and his lead rail accident investigator watched events unfold on TV in a bar opposite the freight headquarters on Auckland’s North Shore - more than a thousand kilometres from the earthquake’s epicentre.

The two men studied news coverage of the disaster to try and work out a plan of action.

Confusing phone calls and conflicting reports had made it difficult to say exactly how seriously the city and its rail infrastructure had been affected.

A decision was eventually made to deploy a team of expert engineers into Christchurch to help return services to normal.

For KiwiRail’s staff, the job of trying to keep the railway operational was made even more difficult with not knowing whether friends and family were safe or not.

Rebuilding Asking ‘how do you prepare for an earthquake’ is something New Zealand’s railway has a lot of experience of. The country has a history of seismic events. One picture from the Edgecumbe earthquake in 1987 shows a derailed locomotive lying on its side in front of a buckled section of track.

Although there are now better measures in place to deal with earthquakes, the unusual frequency of the seismic activity in 2010/2011 had a heavy impact on passenger and freight rail services.

“We have had a number of earthquakes in the past but this was probably of greater effect than the earlier events in that it affected a major population centre and was located near the centre of our rail network in the South Island, so it affected a substantial proportion of our South Island services,” said Peter Steel.

With 60 per cent of the city’s hotel rooms destroyed in the disaster, KiwiRail’s popular scenic services into Christchurch have been hit badly since 2011.

On top of the lost revenue, KiwiRail was also landed with a $10 million infrastructure repair bill. The operator has had to fix bridges, straighten buckled track and replace a locomotive maintenance depot which had

sunk into the concrete it was standing on due to severe liquefaction.

An account from one train driver described the moment he slammed on the brakes after feeling a jolt to discover he was just a few metres away from hitting a buckled section of track.

Vision for Christchurch Now the city is planning its future. Rail bosses are working with city planners to fit new systems around the redeveloped Christchurch. This includes looking at solving problems with limited freight capacity and exploring the mayor’s vision for a light rail network.

KiwiRail is also continuing to look at what it can do better when the ground begins to shake.

Peter said: “The repeated implementation of earthquake response and inspection procedures during the series of earthquakes has given us significant confidence.

“We have had minor earthquakes elsewhere in the country since 2011, which have exceeded the stop trains seismic intensity, and we have been able to quickly and effectively run through the track and structures inspection procedures following these events.

“We are definitely much better prepared for the future.” www.railstaff.co.uk

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NEWS

Pearl in the Oyster Hard working staff and generous passengers in London have boosted the fortunes of the Railway Children charity with a cheque for almost £52,000.

Staff at London Underground helped calculate money left on soon-to-expire Oyster cards

Aberdeen looks at reopening local line Local leaders in Aberdeenshire are putting their weight behind plans to reopen the Formartine and Buchan line linking Aberdeen with Ellon, Fraserburgh and Peterhead, which was closed in 1979.

The 53 mile route is now a long distance path and a haven for wildlife. Aberdeenshire Council plans to push forward with the scheme and has contacted the North-East Scotland Transport Partnership about the proposal.

Stephen Smith, a local SNP councillor, is right behind the plan.

‘The fact of the matter is that the railway should never have been closed in the first place and there have been calls for many years to restore it,’ says Smith.

44

donated by the public to the Railway Children. Cards are collected in special boxes at four London stations: King’s Cross, Liverpool Street, Heathrow Airport and Heathrow Terminal 4.

The Oyster card donation scheme has been running since

2007. Last year the tourist boom for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and Olympics helped swell the proceeds of the scheme.

A better designed collection box was introduced in December 2011 and since then the number of cards donated at participating

Manx Thanx SigAssure UK is working with the Isle of Man railways and recently demonstrated products on a visit to the island kindly hosted by Jeremy Reece.

Says Richard Merrills, Managing Director of SigAssure UK, ‘The visit was so successful, two of our sigMALP products have been purchased by the railway, with a further demonstration arranged for March 2013. We plan to build an important relationship between our two companies. I am certainly very pleased to have visited the Isle of Man and experienced the kindness and open mindedness of all of Jeremy’s team.’

The new SIGMALP is a mobile area logistics platform, modular and lightweight. It’s a transportation device, that allows complete operation by one person. The Mobile Area Logistics Platform (MALP) is currently on trial with Network Rail.

The lightweight platform allows equipment to be transported quickly and

stations has increased.

Alan Mundy, who has worked hard to keep the scheme on track, headed the delegation for London Underground that handed over the cheque at King’s Cross. The cheque for £51,857.48 represented the proceeds of Oyster cards donated by customers over a 33 month period from March 2010 to December 2012.

The Railway Children’s Corporate Programmes Manager, Dave Ellis, praised the generosity of London Underground’s customers and the efforts of railway staff who operate the scheme. Dave expressed his thanks to all the staff that had contributed to the success of the scheme by ensuring the boxes were positioned and emptied regularly.

LU staff also have to record and process the refunds on the donated cards. Says Dave, ‘Every single person involved is helping us to fight for children who live alone and at risk on the streets.’

The Railway Children works with street children and young runaways both in Britain and overseas. It remains the charity of choice for many in the industry.

safely along the railway line, helping reduce the risk of improper manual handling, accident and injury.

MALP helps promote a safe working environment.

‘Now that the heavy duty MALP is ready for the market, we felt it appropriate to show engineers that are now using the MALP the new improvements and alternative applications it can perform, namely up to 250kg in single mode,’ says Richard Merrills. ‘The challenges of the railways on the Isle of man have tested the MALP to its limits. Two gauges are in use on the island. Hence the benefit of the gauge adjustment the MALP has to offer.’

www.railstaff.co.uk

NEWS

B-HOT defies Cold Snap

A track renewals team has broken another rail record over Christmas.

The Bletchley High Output Team received congratulations all round.

Network Rail’s track renewal train enjoyed a rare period of unbroken work on the West Coast main line.

Known as Track Renewal System 4 (TRS4), the track renewal train is regularly used on overnight possessions.

On Christmas Day and Boxing

Day TRS4 was unleashed in a 22hour burst at Hillmorton, near Rugby, relaying 4,192 yards of track and sleepers. This effort, by the London North Western route’s Bletchley High Output Team, BHOT, is a UK record.

Says Steve Featherstone, Network Rail’s programme director for track, ‘TRS4 is one of the most advanced pieces of track renewal equipment in the world and this just shows what it can do.

Volunteer snow patrol

Kemble line to double

Often unremarked by the public, station staff clear snow voluntarily at many stations.

Pictured here are team members hard at work on Southeastern.

Staff volunteer to help clear snow and ice, applying de-icers and getting stuck in with shovels and wheelbarrows.

46

When we use it overnight we are able to get 400-500 yards of track replaced, which helps us keep passengers on trains. But when we get the chance to run it for a longer period we can do great things.’

The remainder of the 54-hour possession was used to stress and prepare the line for handback at full line speed. TRS4 was built by Matisa and is operated by AmeyColas staff.

The Swindon to Kemble railway line is to be doubled and new signalling equipment installed.

Network Rail’s £45m project to upgrade the line between Swindon and Gloucester via Kemble and Stroud will increase capacity allowing for the operation of four trains per hour in each direction.

Planned work will include upgrading earthworks along the route to accommodate new track and signalling equipment.

The extra capacity will be essential during the planned electrification of the Great Western main line when Bristol Parkway and Severn Tunnel are closed and south Wales trains are diverted along this route.

Says Patrick Hallgate, Network Rail’s Western route managing director, ‘Initial work has already started and during these operations where possible the railway will remain open. The line of route between Swindon and Kemble was double track up until the late 1960s, when a decline in passenger demand led to the singling of the line. Over the intervening years passenger demand has grown significantly and this scheme will meet the demand forecast over the next 30 years.’

The project should be complete by Easter 2014.

Control of signalling on the line will transfer to the new control centre at Didcot. Local leaders have welcomed the scheme. Says Justin Tomlinson, MP for

“TRS4 is one of the most advanced pieces of track renewal equipment in the world…”

STEVE FEATHERSTONE, PROGRAMME DIRECTOR, NETWORK RAIL

Robert Buckland, MP for South Swindon (left) with Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP for The Cotswolds.

Swindon North, ‘This is major infrastructure investment will provide a big boost to Swindon’s economy. I am delighted that the work is now getting underway.’ www.railstaff.co.uk

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All change please The Royal Mint has issued a special £2 coin in recognition of the London Underground’s 150th anniversary.

Designed

by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, who were responsible for the 2012 Olympic torch, one coin shows a train emerging from a tunnel with edging reminiscent of tube map interchanges.

The other is a roundel with ‘MIND THE GAP’ on the side.

A limited number of the £2 coins will be issued from selected London Underground ticket machines at stations including Kings Cross, Angel, Tooting Broadway, Northfields and Brent Cross. Larger quantities of the

coins will be issued into general circulation later this year.

Says Mike Brown, Managing Director for London Rail and London Underground, ‘Tube passengers should look out for the coins when they topup their Oyster cards at machines. The London Underground has always played a vital role in the economic growth of the capital and the UK and these attractive coins are a celebration of its success over the last 150 years.’

components are expected to arrive at Crossrail’s sites within the next month where they will be reassembled. There are no manufacturers of tunnel boring machines in the UK. Says Andy Mitchell, Crossrail Programme Director, ‘Over 4km of tunnel has now been constructed

on Crossrail. With tunnelling now well underway we are looking forward to welcoming our sixth and seventh tunnel boring machines to the project. Once we’ve unpacked and reassembled them, they’ll begin drilling yet more tunnels underneath the streets of the capital.’

Crossrail celebrates sixes and sevens Crossrail’s sixth and seventh tunnel boring machines (TBMs) have rolled off the production line and are set to start their journey to London.

Both machines have recently completed factory testing at the Herrenknecht factory in Germany and will be shipped through Rotterdam and transferred by ship to Tilbury in Essex.

TBM 6, Mary, will drill a tunnel under the Thames from Plumstead to North Woolwich alongside her sister machine, Sophia, who commenced tunnelling at the start of January. Known as a ‘slurry’ machine, Mary is specially equipped to deal with the chalk, flint and wet ground conditions 48

that she will encounter in southeast London.

TBM 7 will be used on the drive from Pudding Mill Lane to Stepney Green, which will start in the summer. This is an Earth Pressure Balanced machine designed for the London clay found north of the River. All the machines’

www.railstaff.co.uk

SIR WILLIAM MCALPINE INVITES ENTRIES FOR THE FIRST (AND PROBABLY ONLY)

FAWLEY HILL STEAM AND VINTAGE WEEKEND Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th May 2013 The event will celebrate the Centenary of Fawley’s resident Hudswell Clarke 060 Saddle Tank Engine No 31.

This will be a celebration of all forms of transport: from BICYCLES to PLANES and MACHINERY: from HORSE-DRAWN PLOUGHS to PLOUGHING ENGINES to JCB’S

She has worked for Sir William’s family all her life and for the past 48 years has been happily pulling wagon loads of visitors up the steepest standard gauge gradient in the world at Fawley Hill.

and, being Fawley Hill, (animal sanctuary) there will be ANIMALS too.

CHARITIES

ATTEND

At the simplest level: we envisage charities hosting hospitality areas - to which they will sell tickets: to include entry of course. Obviously they can do more than this if they wish. This works well and gives everyone a slice of the cake.

If you are interested in attending, please email estate@fawleyhill.co.uk ANY COMPANY WISHING TO SPONSOR ANY PART OF THE EVENT IS URGED TO CONTACT FAWLEY HILL.

FAWLEY HILL

Fawley Hill, Fawley, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 6JA | 01491 571373 | estate@fawleyhill.com

NEWS

Blast resilient trains developed

New strategies designed to mitigate the effect of a bombing on a train are being pioneered by a team of engineers at Newcastle University.

The aim is to develop blast-resilient rolling stock, drawing on lessons learned from the 7 July 2005 suicide bombings in London. Led by

Conor O’Neill at the NewRail research centre at the university, the project focused on two key areas - containing the impact of the blast, and reducing debris.

Says Mr O’Neill, based in the School of Mechanical and Systems Engineering at Newcastle University, ‘The Madrid bombings in 2004 and the 7/7 attack in London the year after highlighted how vulnerable our trains are to attack, particularly busy metro and commuter trains. At the same time we have to be realistic, completely replacing existing vehicles just isn’t an option.

‘Instead we have developed and incorporated new technology and materials into existing carriages to improve performance. What we’ve shown is that companies could make some relatively cost-effective and simple modifications that would significantly improve the outcome of an attack.’

Tethering down heavy equipment such as ceiling panels, using retention wire, putting plastic coatings on windows and replacing heavier structures with lighter-weight and energy-absorbing materials were some of the

key modifications made to a prototype carriage.

‘Preventing flying objects is the key,’ says O’Neill whose team filmed a controlled explosion on a decommissioned carriage as part of the research. ‘Tethering ceiling panels reduced the risk of fatalities and injury from flying shrapnel and also meant the gangways were kept relatively clear of debris, allowing emergency staff quick access to the injured.

‘The window coating we developed was also incredibly effective. Without it the windows are blown outwards, putting anyone outside, such as those standing on a platform, at risk from flying glass. With the plastic coating you see a clear rippling effect as the blast moves through the train but every window remains intact apart from the safety windows which are designed to be easily knocked out.’

“The aim is to develop blastresilient rolling stock, drawing on lessons learned from 7 July 2005 suicide bombings…”

Every picture tells a storey Southeastern is naming one of Britain’s high speed Javelin trains in honour of Dame Sarah Storey, 22 time Paralympic medallist.

The Javelin fleet carried over 2.4 million spectators to and from the Olympic Park over the period and was integral to the success of the Games. Dame Storey took home four gold medals for cycling at the Games, which takes her tally for both swimming and cycling to 22 medals.

She was recently appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2013 New Year Honours list. 11 Javelin trains are already named after some of Britain’s greatest sporting

50

champions and this year Southeastern will be adding another 12 Olympians and Paralympians to the fleet.

Funding for Taekwondo Thanks to ScotRail driver instructor, Alan Marshall, Vision Taekwondo, based at Wishaw Sports Centre, has received a grant from his employers.

Alan’s daughter, Kirsty, 15, attends the club. Twenty youngsters, aged five to 15, receive expert martial arts tuition at the club twice a week. Last year, Vision Taekwondo won five medals at the Glasgow Open and eight medals at the Scottish Open, a prestigious international competition.

Says Ross Eden, who runs the club alongside his brother Craig, ‘We are very proud of all of the kids’ achievements so far. With the help given to us by FirstGroup we will be able to buy more equipment to aid our students’ development.’

The club received an award of £500.00 from FirstGroup. Says Alan, ‘The new equipment will be a big boost for the club, which provides a valuable service for our area by improving local kids’ confidence and fitness.’

www.railstaff.co.uk

Play your part in railway history Here at the National Railway Museum we are very proud to be recognised as the world’s leading railway museum and the most visited museum outside London with over 800,000 visitors each year.

Our visitors come from all over the world because they are fascinated by our collections and the story they represent.

As a national charity, we rely on the support of people young and old to preserve and care for our collections now and for the generations to come.

One way of supporting our work is to leave a gift to the National Railway Museum in your Will. A legacy gift of any size really does make a huge difference to our work and the future of the Museum.

As a Railway Magazine reader, we know that you care as much about our railway heritage as we do, so if and when the time is right for you to include a legacy in your Will, please remember us.

The National Railway Museum Development Team • Leeman Road • York • YO26 4XJ • 01904 686 285

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52

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Design / Engineering Manager required Our client is preferred bidder for the Replacement of timber rail / road Viaduct over Tidal River Dwyryd.

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Rail, Infrastructure & Construction 54

www.railstaff.co.uk

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We are looking for Engineering Excellence - is that you?

The UK’s No.1 Technical Recruiter, Morson International require various disciplines of engineering staff in London and the home counties, Manchester and York.

We are actively recruiting Design Engineers, Project / Site Engineers and Track Management / Supervision within the following disciplines: DC Traction Power Electrification & Plant Civils & Construction OLE Signalling Permanent Way

Contact Jack or Ian today in confidence: jack.roberts@morson.com 0207 633 4787 ian.williams@morson.com 0161 707 1516 www.morson.com

LNWR is a leading rail servicing and maintenance provider based in the North West of England, also with depots near Newcastle, Cambridge, Southampton and Bristol.

Responsible for the servicing and maintenance of client's rolling stock and equipment, we provide services for many of the major freight, passenger and rolling stock operators in the UK.

LNWR are seeking to recruit 3 positions within the business:

Training and Competence Manager £ Competitive / dependent on experience On a full time basis to deliver an effective competency management system in a busy, multi site rail maintenance environment, based in the North West of England.

(See full job description on RailwayPeople.com)

Shift Fitter £ Competitive / dependent on experience On a full time basis to service and maintain rolling stock, carry out fault finding and diagnostics, and have the ability to drive vehicles around the depot when competent. Previous experience of railway vehicle maintenance preferred. A recognised apprenticeship is preferred.

Service Delivery Manager £ Competitive / dependent on experience On a full time basis to deliver daily production plans, lead initiative and projects as directed by the production manager, provide support and provision of KPI'S and reports to the senior management team, and to assist in the day to day running of the depot at Crewe.

www.railstaff.co.uk

For further information or application for the above vacancies please contact Debbie Hopley, HR Administrator on 01270 508 000 or email d.hopley@lnwr.com

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