RailStaff June 2019

JUNE 2019 | ISSUE 258

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CONTENTS JUNE 2019 | ISSUE 258

HS2 – 9,000 JOBS AND COUNTING | 08 Enabling works for Britain's new high-speed line have continued to pick up pace with HS2 revealing it now supports 2,000 more jobs.

NETWORK HEALTH CLINICS | 18 Stewart Thorpe went to the doctors to learn about a bold new approach to occupational health.

RAILTEX RECAP | 26 08

A run through of the key themes from the three-day show's high-profile speakers.

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TRAINING IN THE VIRTUAL WORLD | 28 Railstaff tests out two of the latest virtual reality training tools.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME | 30 How the organisation developing the UK's new high-speed rail network is changing the industry’s diversity and inclusion practices.

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MORE THAN JUST AN AWARDS CEREMONY | 40 A look back at the RailStaff Awards' entertainment, which has become an attraction in its own right through the years.

Staff

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

NEWS

5

An unsung hero

Contact us: Publisher:

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Editor:

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Colin Wheeler

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Windrush generation workers also joined London Transport.

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Asquith Xavier is not a name I had heard of until recently, but it should be.

Originally from the West Indies, Asquith was one of thousands of people who migrated from the Caribbean to the United Kingdom after World War Two, to bolster the country’s workforce and help rebuild its weakened economy. Commonly referred to as the ‘Windrush generation’, many joined the NHS or the manufacturing sector while others, including Asquith, were recruited to run the public transport network.

Asquith joined British Railways (BR) as a porter at Marylebone station and progressed to become a train guard.

In 1966, after 10 years’ service, he applied to work as a train guard at Euston station but his request was rejected, not because he was unqualified for the job but because of the colour of his skin.

The station maintained an unwritten rule that it would not employ people from ethnic

minorities for customer-facing jobs. Menial tasks such as cleaning were fine, but they could not take up roles where they had contact with the public.

Asquith didn’t take no for an answer.

Despite BR denying that a ‘colour bar’ existed at stations such as Euston, he lobbied for it to be scrapped. Under pressure, months later the unofficial policy was overturned.

At a press conference on July 16, 1966, Leslie Leppington, divisional manager at BR, said: “There is no colour bar, now, of any description, at Euston.”

Asquith was given the promotion but it was not the end of the matter. After the breakthrough, he was forced to ask for police protection at Euston after receiving a number of death threats.

His fight marked the start of colour bars being removed at other stations in the following years. And in 1968, the introduction of a new Race Relations Act made it illegal to refuse someone employment on the grounds of colour, race, ethnic or national origins.

If you head to the concourse at Euston station, you’ll find a plaque that honours Asquith’s legacy on one of the station’s pillars.

It was unveiled in 2016 with Asquith’s family and Network Rail staff in attendance to mark the 50th anniversary of Asquith becoming the first black worker to be employed as a train guard at the station, a time that saw a flurry of media interest around his story.

Some refer to Asquith as Britain’s version of Rosa Parks yet, arguably, more people have heard of the United States civil rights activist, who refused to give up her bus seat to a white man.

Let’s spread his story and his name. Asquith Xavier was a fearless character and an important figure in shaping today’s railway. His name is one more people should know of. stewart@rail-media.com

© JackHarvey

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NEWS

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

LNER’s first Azuma entered service between London King’s Cross and Leeds on May 15.

This Azuma will be the first of 65 new trains to replace LNER’s existing 45-train fleet that runs along the 940 miles of track between Scotland, North East England, Yorkshire, the East Midlands and London.

Along the route a number of memories were made. At Grantham, duty team leader David Winfield dispatched the first Azuma to leave the station while his son, customer service assistant Kai Winfield (pictured alongside his father), announced it.

Built by Hitachi at its Newton Aycliffe facility, the trains embrace Japanese technology but are “very British” according to Hitachi Rail managing director Karen Boswell, who said more than 70 per cent of the trains' parts are sourced from the factory’s surrounding areas.

LNER managing director David Horne added: “The launch of the first Azuma trains

Azuma enters service

is a truly momentous event for LNER and the communities that we serve.

“Setting new benchmarks in rail travel is part of our DNA, and the new Azuma trains are the next big step for LNER in making the customer experience the best that it can be. They will transform travel with improved reliability, greater levels of comfort and an average of 100 more seats on every train compared to the current fleet.

Flower express

Thousands of passengers travelling on Heathrow Express services on May 21 and 22 found the walls of their train carriages lined with hydrangeas, wisterias and sea lavender.

In total more than 3,000 flowers were installed by an eightperson team over a four-hour period. The display took months to plan and was organised to celebrate the 2019 Chelsea Flower Show, which took place between May 21 - 25.

A spokesperson for Heathrow Express said: “The duration of our transfer service is just 15 minutes so we wanted to make an instant impression on customers departing from and arriving in the UK. “The Chelsea Flower Show is one of the biggest events of the year but not everyone gets the chance to experience it so we wanted to give travellers a little taster.

“And we’re delighted to say the reaction of customers has been blooming marvellous.”

Real and artificial flowers were attached to the train’s ceiling and walls using suction grips and hooks. Plants in the luggage racks were held in place by foam.

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“From extra leg room and improved wi-fi to being more environmentally friendly and accessible to more people, the Azuma experience is a real revolution in rail travel.” £780 million has also been invested across the East Coast

main line to modernise the hundreds of miles of infrastructure and improve platforms to support the rollout of the trains. Further upgrade works to tracks at London King’s Cross will enable the faster, more frequent journeys the Azumas can achieve.

30

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WEDNESDAY 14TH AUGUST 2019 For more details and an application form please contact: railsportgb@ntlworld.com or by post to: Cliff Robinson, 9 Knoll Close, Littleover, Derby, DE23 3SG. Telephone: 077 57 923902

8

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RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

HS2 - 9,000 jobs & counting

Flying high after 35 years Gatwick Express celebrated its 35th birthday on May 14.

On the day, customers were treated to limited edition tote bags, free cupcakes and entertainment from an onboard magician. Staff have also shared their favourite memories from working on the London Victoria to Gatwick Airport service to mark the occasion. Customer service host Simone Forzani has made a number of celebrity spots during her time at ‘GX’ – but none were as memorable as the time she helped actor Damian Lewis by grabbing a train ticket from his mouth.

She said: “So many famous people have passed through our gates: Richard Branson’s been here and I’ve seen David Cameron twice. But the one who made me swoon was Damian Lewis. He was carrying loads of bags and was struggling to get through the gate line. I offered to help but he couldn’t speak because he had his ticket in his mouth, poor man. So I took it from him, popped it through the gate and let him through. Everyone was staring at us.

He was so grateful for my help and then Damian Lewis turned around and smiled – at me!”

Onboard supervisor Michael Green added: “We’re very family-orientated, very friendly and we always put the customer at the heart of what we do.

“We want them to have the ultimate experience.”

Gatwick Express’ first dedicated service was launched on May 14, 1984, using Class 73 locomotives and specially adapted coaches to carry passenger luggage.

It now runs 141 services a day using a fleet of 27 Electrostars, employing 260 members of staff.

Gatwick station serves 19 million passengers a year – 7.5 million more than it did 20 years ago. As a result, Network Rail plans to upgrade the station and reduce crowding, improve passenger flow and provide better connections between the station, airport terminals and onward travel destinations.

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© Keltbray

Enabling works for Britain's new high speed line have continued to pick up pace with HS2 revealing it now supports 9,000 jobs.

The previous update, released in September, revealed that HS2 was supporting 7,000 jobs, a figure that is anticipated to rise to 15,000 by 2020 and double to 30,000 during peak construction in 2021/22.

Across 250 sites on the first phase of the route, works currently include land clearance, demolitions, tree planting, archaeology, utility diversions, and environmental mitigations. Much of this is centred around new station sites in Birmingham, Old Oak Common and Euston.

Transport secretary Chris Grayling said "this is just the beginning" on the day of the announcement on May 23.

He added: "Delivering HS2 is a manifesto commitment. Today’s announcement shows HS2 is happening and is yet another example of how this government is making sure Britain works for everyone, delivering jobs and growth across the country."

More than 2,000 firms now have contracts with HS2 - 70 per cent of them SMEs and 98 per cent of them British.

RIA chief executive Darren Caplan said: “For every pound currently spent on rail,

over £2.20 of income is generated in the wider economy. So when HS2 Phase 1 from London to Birmingham is completed, not only will we radically improve connectivity across the UK, but the whole economy will benefit too.”

Earlier in the month, Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester, called the opening of new HS2 offices in Manchester a “real statement of intent” for the high-speed line’s second phase.

HS2 does not yet have the legal powers to build Phases 2a and 2b between the West Midlands and Crewe, and Crewe to Manchester and West Midlands to Leeds, respectively. The new base for its core team in the north is a step in the right direction, however, as preparations for the project continue.

Mark Thurston, HS2 CEO, added: “By having a new base in Manchester we are able to work closer with our Northern partners. Together, HS2 and NPR [Northern Powerhouse Rail] will enable faster, more frequent and reliable services throughout the North.

“The spare capacity released on the northern sections of the HS2 network will enable future NPR services, so the two projects work seamlessly to maximise the benefits of the UK’s investment in future rail.”

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NEWS

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

Driver swaps Javelin for G40 High-speed train driver Toby Trice swapped rail track for the race track on May 18 as he made his motorsport debut in a Ginetta G40 sports car.

Toby, who joined Southeastern five years ago and is sponsored by the train company, competed at the Ginetta Racing Drivers Club (GRDC) in Snetterton Park, Norfolk, finishing fifth from a grid of 14.

The eight-race competition will see Toby transition from a novice racer to a qualified competitor vying for automatic qualification into next year’s G40 Cup Championship, achieved by winning the GRDC series.

Toby said: “I’ve always loved life in the fast lane, so to be racing in the Ginetta Championship is an absolute dream. Given I regularly reach speeds of 140mph from the train driver’s seat, 125mph behind the wheel should be a breeze.”

Toby’s introduction to motorsport began when he started go karting three years ago as a coping mechanism for the stress caused by a number of failed fertility treatments that he and his fiancé experienced.

As a result, Toby and his sponsors will be raising money and awareness for Fertility Network UK, a charity that provides support for couples that have been affected by infertility.

Southeastern managing director David Statham added: “Toby has already proven to be one of Britain’s fastest train drivers; we now look forward to seeing him achieve the same dizzying speeds on the race track.”

New life for old Pacer Rail minister Andrew Jones has revealed a competition to find a community use for an old Pacer train will be launched this summer.

Donated by Porterbrook, one of the “workhorses of the north’s rail network” could be transformed into a community space, a café or even a new village hall as its converted into a new public space.

Jones said: “What we need now are creative and exciting proposals from the public, alongside ideas from businesses keen to support this competition, as we say goodbye to Pacers on our railway.”

After more than 30 years’ service, Pacers are being phased out as entirely new and refurbished trains are introduced across the Northern network.

David Brown, managing director of Northern, said: “Northern is introducing 101 new trains worth £500 million, the first of these new trains will be carrying customers this summer, and at the same time we will start to retire the Pacer trains.

“Using a Pacer as a valued community space is a very fitting way to commemorate the service they have provided since they entered service a generation ago.”

© iStockphoto.com

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29/08/2018 16:42

Britain’s Largest Specialist Transport Union

Grayling’s Pay Cap

SMASHED! 20,000

Network Rail staff

showing determination and guts, have smashed their way through the Government pay cap outlined by Grayling.

For RMT this is just the start.

Our fight for decent pay and working conditions right across the transport sector goes on. We are proud of what we have achieved in the teeth of a full-frontal political assault but recognise that there are still groups

of workers in outsourced, casualised and under-valued pockets of the industry where the campaign for pay and workplace justice needs to be focussed.

Mick Cash, RMT General Secretary

Protecting our members’ interests is our priority

Join us today www.rmt.org.uk

FREEPHONE 0800 376 3706

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PEOPLE

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

CrossCountry's Cooper retires Andy Cooper, the managing director of CrossCountry, retired from his post on June 1.

Andy has enjoyed a long career in the rail industry. As well as running CrossCountry for the last 12 years, he was the managing director of Anglia Railways and also Central Trains.

Shortly before his retirement it was announced he would join British Transport Police Authority’s board.

Andy’s successor is Tom Joyner, who joined parent company Arriva in October 2017 and was the managing director of Arriva Trains Wales in its final year.

Chris Burchell, Arriva’s managing director for the UK trains business, said: “I am very pleased that Tom has agreed to take up the leadership role at CrossCountry. I am confident that Tom’s mix of operational and customer strategy leadership experience will bring fresh thinking to CrossCountry and help drive standards up even higher than those already achieved by Andy and the team.”

Tom Joyner has enjoyed a diverse career in the rail industry working in various operational and customer strategy leadership roles.

Before joining Arriva, Tom

Operations director Jeff Davies has been appointed the managing director of engineering firm Andromeda.

was passenger services director for London Midland, principal operations specialist at Network Rail and he has also held senior leadership roles in the rail divisions of First Group and National Express.

134th IMechE president

Professor Joe McGeough has assumed office as the 134th president of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Joe, who has been a member since 1979, is an honorary fellow at the University of Edinburgh's school of engineering.

He has been a long-time volunteer in the institution having served on both the trustee board and council.

Joe said there has "never been a better time to be an engineer" and that, as the new

Change at Andromeda

president, he'll concentrate on professional development.

He added: “During my year in office, I want to concentrate on developing professional engineers and ensuring that the broadest possible range of people have a chance to experience all the fantastic opportunities that my career in engineering has been able to offer me."

Jeff joined the electrification specialists in January and has been promoted after his predecessor, Andromeda-founder Barry Lumley, was elevated to the new role as managing director of Andromeda International.

Jeff said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead Andromeda. Since joining I have had the privilege of working with a dedicated team and alongside them I am looking forward to continuing to deliver high quality engineering solutions, through innovation, collaboration and efficiency.”

Prior to joining the company, Jeff was the director of route asset management and safety for the Wales and Borders route at Network Rail.

Engineer to director

Cunliffe to lead Beacon

Stephen Walton has been promoted from chief engineer to technical director at cable cleat manufacturer Ellis.

Beacon Rail Leasing has announced that Adam Cunliffe, Freightliner’s chief commercial officer, will become its new chief executive.

A chartered mechanical engineer, Stephen joined Ellis in 2015 and has since played a key role in the development of a large number of new and improved products - including two for Network Rail.

Managing director Richard Shaw said: “Over the last couple of years the cable cleat market has become increasingly competitive and Stephen has played a vital role in establishing a service that really does differentiate us from the rest of the market.

“We have long prided ourselves on being the cable cleat experts – a status that has never more been the case than it is today.”

Stephen added: “The business is forward thinking and innovative; the senior leadership team has always supported creative thinking – whether in looking to improve existing products, filling gaps in our offering, or delivering bespoke solutions; and I’m getting to do something I love for a job.”

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The appointment is effective as of July 1, when interim CEO and chair Keith Howard will cease his dual role and return to solely being the company’s chairman.

Adam joined Freightliner in 1999 and has held a number of senior leadership roles since being appointed to the rail freight provider’s board in 2002.

During this time at Freightliner, Adam was integral to the establishment of new markets in Australia and Poland.

Keith Howard said: “Beacon has grown substantially over the past two years and has exciting opportunities ahead in multiple sectors and geographies. I am confident Adam is the right person to take the company into the next stage of its evolution.”

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

Network Rail regional MDs announced John Halsall

Five new regional managing directors have been appointed at Network Rail as it continues its reorganisation under chief executive Andrew Haines.

John Halsall, Mark Langman and Rob McIntosh, MDs of the existing South East; Western; and London North Eastern and East Midlands routes, will lead the new Southern; Wales and Western; and Eastern regions, respectively, while ScotRail Alliance MD Alex Hynes will remain as MD of Scotland.

Stagecoach Rail MD Tim Shoveller completes the line-up for the new North West and Central region.

Tim said: “Coming from an operator background where a customer-focused approach was second nature, gives me a unique perspective for this new and exciting role. I will ensure that the passengers’ voice is heard and their needs, and those of freight users, are always considered first.”

Continuing the trend of bringing track and train closer together, more devolution is on the cards with the creation of more routes.

Network Rail will now operate with 13 – previously eight – routes, which will report to five new regions, to better align with rail franchises and help create a more customer-focused company that puts passengers first.

Andrew Haines said: “We’re making these changes as a major part of our plan to provide the best possible service for passengers and freight users, to deliver the promises we’ve made for the next five years and to improve the way we work together as an industry.”

The five new regions and their managing directors will start on June 24. The detail and make-up of their organisations is currently being designed and the new managing directors will be actively involved in that work.

Network Rail has also announced the appointment of Nick King as group director of network services and Martin Frobisher as group engineering director. Nick was most recently the executive general manager of Citytrain in Queensland, Australia, and Martin the MD of the London North Western route.

Mark Langman

Rob McIntosh

PEOPLE

13

Digital development Stephanie Klecha has been recruited by Porterbrook to head its digital services. She joins from MRX Technologies, a unit of Siemens.

At Porterbrook Stephanie will be responsible for helping customers and the wider industry use data analytics to drive improvements in train services and reliability.

Mary Grant, Porterbrook CEO, said: “I’m excited for Stephanie to join us in our mission to bring Britain’s rail network into the digital age.

“Porterbrook is committed to leading the way in creating a technologically advanced railway which can unlock the vast potential of currently under used or siloed rail data. We believe this could be a key contributor to improving train services for operators and ultimately, passengers.”

Stephanie will report to Jason Groombridge, engineering services director, and will work closely with Porterbrook’s commercial, engineering services and IT teams.

Before joining MRX Technologies, Stephanie held leading positions within component repair and industrial process improvement teams at Rolls-Royce.

Information officer joins route services Alex Hynes

Tim Shoveller

Network Rail has appointed a new chief information officer (CIO) to oversee IT infrastructure and support services.

Aidan Hancock was most recently the CIO and vicepresident of BP in the Middle East, the company’s largest region.

After 12 years at the oil and gas company, Aidan has now joined Network Rail’s route services senior management team where he will report directly to Susan Cooklin, managing director of route services.

As CIO, he will lead the delivery of route services’ back office IT operations to Network Rail’s devolved route businesses.

Susan, who was previously Network Rail’s CIO, said Aidan brings with him extensive experience of leading IT organisations and digital business

transformation. Aidan has worked across a number of industries, including broadcasting, consulting and energy, and Susan said she was delighted he was now working in rail.

He added: “IT is now in the spotlight as companies embrace the potential of digital transformation. I’m excited to be joining Network Rail to lead on this challenge, unlocking value and improvements for the future while also delivering our day-today services to the highest level of performance.”

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RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

Jobs boost at Vivarail Vivarail is set to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds accelerating the expansion of its site in County Durham.

The manufacturer’s workforce was originally expected to grow to 30 people over three years after launching in December 2017, but the local availability of experienced staff has enabled it to reach that milestone in half of the time.

Management said they were so impressed with the calibre of recruits in the North East that they have also made the plant at the Spectrum Business Park, Seaham, the business’ main research and development centre.

Vivarail has doubled the size

of the Seaham site by adding an additional unit to complement the original 11,000ft2 unit. The company has committed to investing up to £100,000 at Seaham and has also been supported by £640,000 of grant funding from Innovate UK. Chief executive Adrian Shooter said: “Moving to County Durham and having the flexibility to add another unit has allowed us to expand our business more quickly than planned. It gives us access to a pool of talented workers, including engineers, technicians and fitters, and the benefit of good transport links between our two locations.”

The company’s first passenger trains went into service in April on the Marston Vale line between Bedford and Bletchley, operated

by West Midlands Trains. All services on this line now operate using Vivarail’s Class 230s.

Hybrid Class 230s, using diesel units assembled in Seaham, are being tested at Stratford and should be ready to go into service with Transport for Wales later in the year.

30th National Angling Championship Organisers have announced the 30th RailSport National Angling Championship will take place on August 14.

Makins Fishery, Wolvey, Warwickshire, will once more host the tournament. The site, which is split into three zones, has 18 lakes and is one of the UK’s most popular commercial fisheries.

The teams' competition requires each of the four members to fish in a different section. They are then scored

based on their performance in that section, with the winner awarded one point, second two points, third three points and fourth four. The scores are then added together and the lowest combined total wins.

British Transport Police’s Simon Woods, a scenes of crime officer based in Leeds, was crowned the overall winner in 2018.

For more details, please email railsportgb@ntlworld.com.

HS2 train bidders show their cards Bidders for the HS2 train contract have revealed computergenerated images of their proposed designs.

Alstom, the BombardierHitachi JV, CAF, Siemens Mobility and Talgo have all released concept pictures after the deadline to submit bids was passed on June 5.

At least 54 ‘conventional compatible’ trains will be built as part of the estimated £2.75 billion contract, which also includes 12 years’ maintenance and the option for another 30 trains if required.

HS2 will now evaluate the bids received and announce the winner in the spring of 2020.

Siemens Mobility

Alstom

Bombardier-Hitachi JV

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Talgo

CAF

15

Supplier of the Year Buckingham Group stole the show at Network Rail’s Partnership Awards as it bagged three of 15 trophies - including the coveted Rail Supplier of the Year gong.

Fergal Kiernan, senior project manager at Buckingham Group, said the awards were a “pleasant surprise” and a reward for the huge amount of work it has carried out with key delivery partners over the past two years.

As well as the night’s biggest award, Buckingham Group came top in the Best Collaboration and Putting Passengers First

categories for its role in the Liverpool Lime Street station upgrade.

Organised by Rail Media, the Rail Partnership Awards was sponsored by Atkins, Colas Rail, RSSB, Total Rail Solutions and VolkerWessels and took place on June 5 at the Vox Conference Centre, NEC, Birmingham.

Andrew Haines, chief executive of Network Rail, was among the 570 guests on the night.

Talking about the ceremony, he said: “This is a brilliant, brilliant opportunity to recognise just how diverse the railway family is, a partnership that does brilliant things, day in, day out.

“It’s right that we take times like this, not to

slap ourselves on the back, but to recognise the real fantastic work that’s done by such a diverse group of people.”

During his opening address, Andrew touched on a number of key themes for Network Rail and its supply chain.

He said he makes “no apologies for being unremittingly relentless about putting passengers first”, a key message of the night, because that is where Network Rail’s future lies, and also backed the industry to transform its approach to reliability like it has safety.

For a full list of the night’s winners, head to www.railpartnershipawards.com/winners

RAIL PARTNERSHIP AWARDS All the winners in 2019: Best Collaboration: Buckingham Group Investing in People: Story Diversity and Inclusion: Babcock Safety: Colas Rail Community Engagement: Story Preserving the History of the Railway: Ferryhill Railway Heritage Trust SME of the Year: Senceive Driving Efficiencies: Great Western Railway & Network Rail Best use of Technology: Cambridge Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction Best Project over £50m: Siemens Best Project under £50m: BAM Nuttall Sustainable Excellence: Amey Sersa Best Standards Challenge: British Steel Putting Passengers First: Buckingham Group Supplier of the Year: Buckingham Group For more information go to www.railpartnershipawards.com FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.CO.UK

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RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

Mental health service trial European tour A group of Stadler employees are on a three-month tour of sites in Switzerland, England, Spain and Germany as they prepare to service and maintain Merseyrail’s new fleet of metro trains.

Ahead of the introduction of the new trains from 2020, the group of eight from the Birkenhead North depot spent two days at six Stadler factories in Switzerland, to introduce the team to the firm’s range of vehicles, facilities and ways of working.

They were educated in the manufacturing process, from the procurement of raw materials to the end product, including forging, milling, cleaning and painting. In the final leg of the trip, the group got a first glimpse of the new Merseyrail trains. They viewed the trains at different stages of assembly, learning about cabling, pipe work and other components, such as air conditioning and battery boxes.

They also visited Stadler’s headquarters in Bussnang, as well as sites in: Erlen, St Gallen, St Margrethen, Wil and Winterthur.

The group spent some time in East Anglia, where new Stadler trains will soon enter passenger service on the Greater Anglia network. At the end of May, they went to Stadler’s Valencia plant, Spain, where the bogies for the new Liverpool City Region trains are being built. Then, they will head to Wildenrath, Germany, to see them being tested. A second group will start a similar training programme in August.

Technician Keith Chapman said: “The couple of days spent at Stadler locations in Switzerland gave us a fantastic insight into what it’s going to be like to work with the new trains. I gained such a lot of knowledge and seeing them at various stages of development in Altenrhein really brought the project to life for me.”

Trials for a new service to support rail staff experiencing mental health difficulties have been launched by RSSB. On the eve of Mental Health Awareness Week, Colas Rail was confirmed as the first company to pilot the scheme, with another three expected to join before the trial ends in February.

Named ‘With You in Mind’, the programme aims to help

individuals who suffer from mental health issues, especially those caused by the industry’s unique working environment, get back into work.

It will deliver support directly to employees experiencing mental health difficulties as well as to rail companies, to improve their confidence in supporting staff with mental health difficulties. It will also enable employers and peer supporters to access mental health training

to improve understanding and confidence in managing mental health in the workplace.

Michelle O’Sullivan, mental wellbeing specialist at RSSB, previously said that it won’t be a therapy service but a psychological-informed employment service that will offer consultation to employees, link with their employer, bridge into peer support groups, selfmanagement resources and external support if needed.

Hunt for British Steel buyer progresses Government officials have said “good progress” is being made in identifying potential buyers for British Steel Limited, which was placed into compulsory liquidation on May 22.

In a statement, the Official Receiver said there are 80 potential buyers of the business. Further details will not be released due to commercial confidentiality.

British Steel, which supplies Network Rail with around 95 per cent of its rails, is continuing to trade and supply its customers.

Responding to British Steel’s liquidation, Network Rail released the following statement: “We have been working closely with British Steel and colleagues across government for many weeks. We have done what we can to help ease the company’s financial difficulties. We have improved our order book with the company – increasing rail production volumes, bringing orders forward and committing to a long term schedule – as well as offering immediate payment to ease the pressure on cash flow. However we have today been officially informed that British Steel has entered insolvency proceedings.

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“British Steel is a major supplier to Network Rail, providing around 100,000 tonnes of rail a year and playing a major part in our plans to maintain, renew and upgrade the railway.

“We are confident that we remain able to carry out critical work on the railway in the coming months and beyond. Longer term we have plans in place so that we can continue to deliver the reliable railway millions of people depend on every day.

“We understand this is a very worrying time for British Steel employees and we will work with the liquidator and continue to offer our support.”

British Steel Limited was founded in 2016 with assets acquired from Tata Steel Europe by Greybull Capital.

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18

HEALTH+SAFETY

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

NETWORK

HEALTH CLINICS

STEWART THORPE WENT TO THE DOCTORS TO LEARN ABOUT A BOLD NEW APPROACH TO OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH RAILSTAFF.CO.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

19

N

ew life has been breathed into a derelict building at London Victoria station.

Behind the station’s customer service desk next to Platform 1, Network Rail has opened a bespoke occupational health (OH) clinic for its 3,500 members of staff on the South East route.

The Victoria site opened earlier this year as a pilot for a planned network of around 20 centres that will open across the country in the next 18 months - a network that sits at the heart of the organisation’s new “Back to Basics” OH and wellbeing strategy.

“I GUESS WE’RE GOING BACK TO BRITISH RAIL DAYS BUT WITH A 21ST CENTURY ENHANCEMENT,” DR RICHARD PETERS.

‘ONE-STOP SHOPS’ Rather than staff attending multiple appointments on different days and sites, the clinics aim to operate as “one-stop shops” for managing their health needs, according to Dr Richard Peters, Network Rail’s chief medical officer.

“Our current service delivery model requires employees to attend for a trackside medical, this is done, but if you need to have a hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) health surveillance, because you use vibrating tools as part of your day-to-day job, you’d have to come back on another day to have that health surveillance.

“Then, if there was a problem with that, you’d again have to come back to see the doctor. That’s three separate clinical appointments, whereas here you’re having the whole thing done at once.”

Dr Peters explained that it marks a shift from having health checks completed on a perceived needs basis, as requested by line managers, to conducting them collectively in a systematic task-specific approach at newly established centres, minimising disruption.

In the British Rail era, there were on-site health clinics that Bupa later took over. But, as Dr Peters explained, these new centres offer more comprehensive cover, putting workers through a newly designed health, safety and wellbeing medical every three years as well as delivering annual medical requirements.

Part of this medical assessment covers mandatory health surveillances relevant to their job role - for example HAVS, noise, skin, and respiratory checks, to meet statutory

requirements. Another focus is the range of voluntary health assessments that look at fatigue, mental health, cardiovascular risk scores, carbon monoxide levels and body fat, to encourage the early identification and intervention of problems before they develop further. Network Rail’s band one employees have access to health assessments every two years, but operational frontline staff have never had this offered to them.

“I guess we’re going back to British Rail days but with a 21st century enhancement,” said Dr Peters. “I think this is a really new initiative, and I don’t think there’s any other organisations that are doing this. TfL has a very large on-site clinic, but no one I know is up at this level providing this level of medical service on one day as a one-stop shop. I don’t believe there is anyone across industries. Network Rail is therefore leading in this area.”

Tony Stalgis, rail director for Optima Health - Network Rail’s healthcare provider - works with such companies as ScotRail, Eurostar and HS2 in the rail industry, while colleagues also work in other sectors. He agreed that

there is nothing that comes close to Network Rail’s new approach.

He added: “We cover all industries as a supplier and this is a unique approach.

There are different initiatives in different organisations, but this is a very, very comprehensive approach. It’s innovative and a reflection of Network Rail’s commitment to ensure the management of occupational health evolves to reflect the needs of the business.”

Network Rail plans to open clinics in the following areas: • • • • • • • • • •

Ashford Basingstoke Bedford Birmingham Bristol Cardiff Derby Doncaster Glasgow Ipswich

• • • • • • • • • •

Manchester Milton Keynes Newcastle Perth Peterborough Plymouth Stratford Swindon Wrexham York

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20

HEALTH+SAFETY

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

AN APPOINTMENT AT VICTORIA Not all of the clinics will open at stations - plans for a centre in York involves the use of a purpose built clinic in the delivery unit - but their strategic placement will mean that 94 per cent of Network Rail staff will be within a 90 minute commute of them from their home address.

Signage was yet to be installed at the Victoria station clinic during the visit by RailStaff in April, but it appeared to be the only major teething problem at the scheme’s pilot site.

Inside, the facility looks very much like a typical doctor’s surgery with a reception, seating area and white walls everywhere.

Instead of working in isolation, an eight-person team of OH technicians, advisors and doctors work together in the Victoria site, which is equipped with all the kit they need to conduct tests, such as drug and alcohol test toilets (the water is diluted blue to prevent sample dilution), a sound booth and consultation rooms.

RESULTS By establishing a web of ‘onestop shop’ health clinics across

England, Scotland and Wales, Network Rail believes there will be a significant uplift in the number of health assessments it will be able to conduct - as evidenced by the Victoria pilot.

Looking at working at height assessments, in 2018 only ten were conducted network-wide.

In the South East route, the pilot has conducted 82 in the last six weeks alone.

Overall, 5,000 different assessments were conducted on the South East route in 2018.

That number is anticipated to rise to almost 13,000 a year following the clinic’s launch.

Dr Peters added: “The numbers that are doing night workers’ assessments, skin assessments and respiratory assessments has literally had about a 300 per cent growth in the South East because it’s not relying on line managers to refer.

We’re taking that away from them and doing it on a risk-based approach based on the role of the employee.

“We’re asking our employees specific questions like – do you work at heights, do you drive cars, do you use vibrating tools?

We’ve never been in a position

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in Network Rail to say we’ve got all of these different ‘fitness for task’ medicals because we’ve never worked in that way, it’s always been are you medically fit to work trackside? But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re fit to work at night, it doesn’t mean that you’re medically fit to work in confined spaces, it just means you’re medically fit to go on track.”

Not only does Dr Peters expect to see an improvement in the overall health of Network Rail’s workforce, he also expects an improvement in workforce safety, particularly surrounding driving and fatigue.

A NEW DATA BANK The thorough way in which these health assessments are being conducted is also creating a huge data bank too, allowing health and safety managers to make informed decisions on what health risks to prioritise tackling.

For example, of the 162 employees who have been for medicals so far, 55 per cent of them are on medication for high blood pressure or to lower their cholesterol, something Network Rail intends to tackle.

Dr Peters said: “The data allows us to prove the success of the pilot.

“Overall it has been very positive. We have had trauma cases that have come through the door and we’ve referred them for trauma management.

We’ve now got people even being referred to sleep consultants. We’re noticing people are coming here with

obstructive sleep apnoea which, potentially, could make them unfit for work, and we’re getting them through into sleep assessments.

“We also have 24-hour blood pressure monitors on site. So, if people have problems with their blood pressure, we can fit the monitor and have the results the next day, reducing anxiety in our staff and giving timely advice to managers and supporting GPs with the information needed to start treatment as needed.

“I was with the South East route safety director yesterday and he just said ‘It is fabulous, absolutely fantastic.’ The feedback has been amazing.

There’s not much more you can say to that because we’ve had so much grumbles about occupational health.

“Employees generally don’t want to go to the OH because they think they will be told whether they can or can’t work but now they know that if they can’t work, we will support them with a solution.

We want to ensure that the health of our employees is not adversely impacted by the work they undertake to support the optimal performance of our infrastructure thus allowing us to put our passengers first.”

Tony added: “The concept is proven, we’ve got some formal commercial evaluations to do but, in terms of what the medical has achieved already, it’s quite clear that it is a success and it’s about then building on that.

“The routes are chomping at the bit to have a piece of the action.”

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22

TRACK SAFETY

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

REPORT BY COLIN WHEELER

CHIEF INSPECTOR DESCRIBES

"HUGELY DISAPPOI Colin Wheeler

T

he Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) annual report for 2018 was published on April 30. Chief inspector Simon French expresses his satisfaction with the fact that during 13-years of their investigations the overall levels of risk have continued to drop.

He refers to the death of a trackworker at Stoats Nest Junction on November 6 last year, which was almost five years on from the last accident when a trackworker was hit by a train and killed. He adds that there are too many near misses in which workers have had to jump for their lives at the last moment.

The narrowly avoided multiple fatalities at Edmonton (October 2017) are mentioned and he describes the number and type of near misses that occurred in 2018 as “hugely disappointing”.

RAIB SAYS "TOO MANY NEAR MISSES IN WHICH WORKERS HAVE HAD TO JUMP FOR THEIR LIVES AT THE LAST MOMENT"

Office of Rail and Road (ORR) he comments that “a clear improvement strategy has still to emerge”. Following the Croydon tram crash in November 2016 he welcomes the establishment of a Light Rail Safety and Standards Board which is now fully funded.

Under a heading of “corporate knowledge and organisational structure” he expresses concern that the lessons learnt about signalling modification work from the December 1988 Clapham

The lessons learnt from Clapham?

During the last two years RAIB has published three reports and four safety digests about “narrowly avoided collisions between track workers and trains”. On a meeting with the RAILSTAFF.CO.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF

Junction crash were not being implemented when the collision at Waterloo happened in 2017.

He describes this as a deepseated problem, and stresses the need for greater understanding by signalling designers, installers and testers.

Inappropriate or insufficient?

In 2018 RAIB was notified of 376 incidents and accidents; 61 warranted preliminary

examinations, no further action was needed in 11 of these; 19 full investigations were undertaken and 14 safety digests were produced.

Additionally, there were 11 industry investigations and letters were issued; four to coroners and two to parties involved. The year’s published reports made 55 recommendations.

RAIB remains concerned by historic recommendations where it considers actions to date to be © RAIB

23

S 2018 AS

" INTING “inappropriate or insufficient”. The report lists five specific reports dating back to 2011 and adds that the same comments apply to the nine recommendations made in the class investigation report into accidents and near misses involving trackworkers (07/2017).

Dog, trapped, dragged and killed

© RAIB

The annual report stresses the importance of four issues: the design and operation of user worked level crossings, managing the risk at the platform-train interface (including trap and drag), safe management of abnormal train operating events and the protection of trackworkers from moving trains.

On May 1, report 03/2019 into the train despatch accident that occurred at Elstree and Borehamwood station on September 7 last year was published. It happened around 14:03 and involved a passenger and © RAIB her dog.

The dog’s lead became trapped in the closed doors of a departing train, Organisations to which RAIB dragging the dog off the platform which led to recommendations published its death. Although not injured, the passenger in 2018 were directed. was understandably very distressed.

Just over one second for the safety check The eight-coach Class 700 EMU (electrical multiple unit) was relatively new and had only covered 19,000 miles. It had an “on train” CCTV system. The system allows the driver to monitor the side of the train and the platform edge during the despatch process but the door obstacle detection system cannot detect thin objects.

The report details time taken to carry out the final train safety checks. The train came to a stand at 14:02:59 and the passenger reached the leading door of the fifth coach just 13 seconds later (she deliberately headed for that door knowing that it would align with the raised section of platform at London St Pancras, making her disembarkation easier).

The train driver pressed the “door close” button just 20 seconds after the train had stopped moving and traction interlock FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.CO.UK

24

TRACK SAFETY

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

occurred 4.9 seconds later. The power/brake control was moved to the “driving” setting six seconds after the “door close” button was pressed. Consequently, the time available for the driver’s final train safety check was a mere 1.1 seconds! The train was running two minutes late.

RAIB’s conclusion from their investigation is both clear and unequivocal. “The accident happened because the train driver did not observe the passenger in close proximity to the train, both before he decided to close the train door and before he decided it was safe to depart from the station.”

Two or three seconds for a train safety check Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) research project T535 recommends 13.5 seconds for an eight-coach train to allow for a train safety check. RAIB found that the driver’s average safety check time over 64 previous station stops was 2.6 seconds.

Six other drivers on similar routes recorded average safety check times of 3.3 seconds.

Commenting on other investigation findings, the report says that these are typical and refers specifically to incidents at Brentwood and West Whickham.

Sundon Bedfordshire near-miss safety messages In May’s edition of RailStaff I described the confusion of two isolation staff who were involved in a near miss after accessing the tracks. RAIB published an independent report on that incident on May 13. It lists the following safety messages: • The importance of providing signage so that staff can reliably identify access points.

• The need for people responsible for the safety of others to have appropriate local knowledge of the area.

• The need for staff to have mapping which helps them reach the correct access points.

• The potential for staff to become disorientated particularly when travelling in the dark to work locations remote from safety briefing locations.

• The importance of reaching a clear understanding during face to face safety critical communication.

• The importance of sounding the warning horn which on this occasion probably averted a fatal accident.

Ynys Hir near miss Following their preliminary examination, RAIB will shortly publish a safety digest about the Ynys Hir near miss that occurred at 11:58 on April 2. A track worker, who was one of a group walking along the track to an access point, was nearly hit by a passenger train travelling at 59mph. Ynys Hir lies between Dovey Junction and Borth stations.

The train driver applied the emergency brakes and slowed the train as the worker moved clear.

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© RAIB

A Class 700 of the type involved in the accident at Elstree and Borehamwood station.

Beddgelert station locomotive runaway RAIB has begun its investigation following a runaway at around 09:15 on April 16 on the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway at Beddgelert station. The locomotive was descending the one in 40 gradient at 10mph, but was unable to reduce its speed.

Consequently, it passed over level crossings, on through Beddgelert station, passed a signal at danger and onto the single line before stopping when the gradient flattened out 1km beyond the station. In total it ran for twice that distance.

Balham “operational irregularity”!

An RAIB news story published on May 8 announces its investigation of an “operational irregularity” at Balham (south west London).

Soon after 19:00 on April 20 a London Victoria to East Grinstead passenger train passed over a junction less than two minutes before an engineering train (actually a tamping machine) made an un-signalled move that had not been correctly authorised when it left a possession (in which a section of line had been closed to traffic to allow engineering work to take place).

There were no injuries or adverse consequences. However, RAIB comments that had circumstances been slightly different there was potential for the two trains to have collided!

Safety Central safety alerts, AHBs Network Rail’s Safety Central website issued an alert on May 7 drawing attention to increased risks associated with working near level crossings. It refers to the incident at Mucking automatic half barrier (AHB) crossing (see RailStaff May) but also an incident back in February at Richborough AHB in Kent where a site staff parked their vehicle near the crossing and restricted the partially closed road resulting in the risk of other road vehicles blocking back onto the crossing.

Another incident occurred on May 2 during road resurfacing work at West Bank AHB when “a tarmac lorry reversed onto the crossing and removed the downside barrier

after the sequence started when a train approached”. The freight train was able to stop just before it reached the crossing.

Nine tonne dumper overturns On May 14, Network Rail issued a safety bulletin describing an accident that happened on April 25. The dumper was working in the Wigan Springs Branch depot transporting spoil when it overturned. It was driven up an embankment ramp but when it reached the top the wheel nearest the bund edge slipped and the machine overturned.

Fortunately, the driver was contained in the cab by the seat belt and only suffered minor injuries. Network Rail’s investigation is underway.

Why near misses must be reduced I keep telling myself that the greater the number of reports, incidents and near misses the better, because it indicates we are being more open in sharing safety lessons.

But the mounting list of trackworkers' near misses brings back my own memories of dedicated railway workers who I knew and worked with, who were injured or lost their lives through a combination of doing their best to get the job done and briefly losing concentration on their own safety. Now we are hearing about incidents that could so easily have resulted in multiple fatalities. Are the industry’s efforts really adequate?

I still have memories of attending the funerals of rail staff whose lives were lost through their dedication to the job. I urge those working in the industry today to do all that is humanly possible to stay safe and ensure their workmates do the same.

Finally, the timings of station stops to meet tight timetables (whilst also providing transport for the less able as well as impatient passengers) should be a concern for us all. Naturally train drivers are under pressure to stay on time, but has this already gone too far?

Given the risk and occurrences of trapped and dragged incidents, is it time to slow down just a little, at least until we have systems in place to reduce the effects of human error?

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26

RAILTEX

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

RAILTEX RECAP…

I

nnovations were showcased, knowledge shared and friendships renewed at Railtex 2019 - the 14th such show. Organised by Mack Brooks Exhibitions, the biennial show is the industry's biggest for rail suppliers and this year took place between May 14-16 at the NEC, Birmingham.

There were more than 400 exhibitors at the 2019 show, and they enjoyed a steady footfall and made some quality connections.

And the show certainly attracted a number of high-profile guests. From the political sphere there were keynote speeches from rail minister Andrew Jones and shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald. Export and trade minister Baroness Rona Fairhead was expected to open the show but those plans were cancelled at the last minute after she resigned from the government.

OPENING PANEL To a packed Seminar Theatre on the first day, Mack Brooks managing director Nicola Hamann began proceedings.

“Many of the exhibiting companies will be presenting cutting-edge innovations and

technology as part of a huge showcase of rail infrastructure, rolling stock and supply chain solutions,” she said. “We are here at a time when the industry is looking forward to the undoubted opportunities that Network Rail’s CP6 offers, aided by the largest financial investment in the railways since the Victorian era.”

Nicola was joined by: Darren Caplan, chief executive of the Railway Industry Association (RIA); Anna Delvecchio, commercial account director at Amey; and Gordon Wakeford, chief executive of Siemens Mobility, on the opening panel.

Andrew Jones

UK PLC Darren reminded the audience of rail’s importance to the national economy and how the sector is much bigger than previously thought.

Instead of the reported 240,000 people that rail employs, that number is closer to 600,000, and rather than having a gross value added (GVA) of £10.4 billion, the annual GVA supported by rail-related demand is actually around £36.4 billion.

But it wasn’t all positive from Darren, who reminded colleagues about the uncertain

Darren Caplan, Anna Delvecchio, Nicola Hamann and Gordon Wakeford.

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times we live in. He said the four factors contributing to this uncertainty are: the start of a new control period, the impact of Network Rail’s 100-day plan, the Williams Review, and Brexit.

Whether a deal is agreed upon for Britain’s exit from the EU or not, Darren said it will create a challenge around standards, trying to establish frictionless trade and access to a skilled workforce - 46 per cent of the rail workforce south of Derby comes from the EU. The chance to strike up new trade deals and export more goods and services is one opportunity, however.

Darren added: “Linked with the uncertainty is the possibility of a general election this year. We could be having elections this year, next year, 2022. Whatever happens, that will bring back debate about nationalisation versus privatisation and, again, uncertainty.

That’s the world that we live in, the world we have to plan for and try and grow in.”

Gordon told delegates that the show is “always a highlight” when it comes around.

Anna, who worked with Gordon on the Rail Sector Deal, was equally as upbeat.

She added: “I stand proud to open Railtex today. Why? It’s a show that I’ve come to for 10 years. I started rail at the age of 19 and to be standing here today, to be opening one of the best exhibitions, for me, as a woman in rail, I stand so, so proud.”

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

AZUMA LAUNCH While Nicola, Darren, Anna and Gordon were finishing their speeches, 100 miles south rail minister Andrew Jones was busy launching the first Azuma train from King’s Cross station.

The following day, however, Andrew made the trip to Birmingham to provide the keynote speech at RIA’s ‘Future Focus Conference’. During his presentation, the rail minister re-capped the industry’s challenges and gave a confidence boost to the rail supply chain by reaffirming that the government will support and invest in it.

During the session’s Q&A segment, RIA chairman David Tonkin asked whether Department for Transport officials and politicians have come to understand the damaging impact of ‘boom and bust’ funding.

Andrew said they had, and reassured the audience that publishing the ‘Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline’ - the new approach to enhancements - will help to create a rolling programme of investment.

LABOUR’S PLAN FOR RAIL On the afternoon of the final day, shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald brought a close to proceedings in the Seminar Theatre – one of three dedicated

conference spaces at the show.

He said that urgent reform was needed and took the opportunity to outline Labour’s proposals for the country’s railways. This includes: plans for a rolling programme of electrification; extending control periods to seven years and turning them into rolling periods, so they reset two or three years before they expire; and the creation of a 30 to 40-year vision to provide “longer term certainty” for the industry.

There was also one more major change Labour would make.

“You’ll be pleased to know that Labour will create a unified rail company which will provide a guiding mind to the entire railway, bringing train and track together,” said Andy. “This will be more at arm’s length from government than the present system and will draw strongly on devolution, since we believe that local expertise can best develop our rail service, while securing national and strategic oversight to secure the best connectivity possible. The unified rail company will include high-speed rail, which is so important for the whole country.

“The steps I intend to take will redefine the role of the Department for Transport so that it is only concerned with strategic oversight, working in partnership with a

RAILTEX

27

unified publicly-owned railway that has the professional freedoms to deliver the rail services travellers need and deserve.”

Andy concluded his speech by saying that Railtex highlights “the fantastic potential of UK rail” – a statement I’m sure even his political counterparts would agree with.

High street attractions In a way, Railtex’s aisles are comparable to a town’s high street and its stands to shops. Here, a high footfall means nothing if it’s not converted into visitors and then visitors into customers.

In an effort to drum up stand interest exhibitors tried all manner of tactics.

Cable manufacturer Tratos returned with its all-day offering of Italian food, industrial battery firm Hoppecke gave away teddy bears and Hitachi Rail gave out hundreds of branded shopping bags.

One company whose efforts stood out for trying something quite unique was Harting, a company which develops electrical products, for filming an MTV Cribs-styled walkthrough video of its stand for social media.

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28

RAILTEX

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

TRAINING IN THE

VIRTUAL WORLD

STEWART THORPE TESTS OUT TWO OF THE LATEST VIRTUAL REALITY TRAINING TOOLS

W

ith a whistle pressed against my lips, I take one final look along the platform to check for any late running passengers. On this occasion, there aren't any, so I signal with my baton and blast the whistle to safely dispatch the train.

It's not a particularly busy station, so far I've only had to deal with passengers asking for service information, but I need to remain vigilant. Potentially dangerous situations could unfold if I become distracted and fail to spot an intoxicated passenger or someone standing too close to the platform edge. Even worse, there might be someone looking to take their own life.

Yet, in reality, I'm not in a station - and I don't even have a whistle.

I'm actually stood inside a three-sided "CAVE" (cave automatic virtual environment) holding a games controller at Railtex.

After working with operators Northern, Transport for Wales and Great Western Railway, Virtual Reality Simulation Systems (VRSS) is about to launch the second generation of its virtual reality (VR) training tool for train operators - which works just like a role playing video game.

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Š Motion Rail

29

© Motion Rail

SIMULATION Using either the CAVE system or an Oculus VR headset, users step into this immersive world and into the shoes of either a conductor, member of station staff, driver or dispatcher.

Left to freely roam around stations and in trains that have been modelled on real world environments, they’re able to familiarise themselves with the exact sights and sounds they’ll experience on the job, all while testing out their skills and knowledge.

Pre-selected inputs and the user’s actions will determine what happens in the virtual world, but they’ll also come across randomly occurring events. Changing weather conditions, the rush hour surge and on-board fires are an example of some the environment changes.

BENEFITS By playing out these job-based scenarios, users can be tested on what they have to do, what they have to keep an eye out for and what they have to think about to, for example, dispatch a train.

At the end of each session, users are scored on how well they performed their duties, and this data is stored in VRSS’ content management system to track progress.

VRSS’ system has obvious time and cost savings by bringing the training environment to the user, and significantly reduces safety risks by taking the member of staff out of the station environment.

The tech firm also claims that those who use the simulator are able to more effectively carry out the ‘live task’ than those who go through more traditional methods of training.

LOOKOUT PLANNING VRSS wasn’t the only company promoting the use of VR for enhanced workforce training.

Motion Rail, which featured in the March issue for its VR level-crossing scenario, demonstrated its ‘engineer scenario’ to RailStaff at Railtex. This tool assists in the training of on-site workers who are responsible for placing lookouts.

Again, using a VR headset, the user is transported to the Severn Tunnel where they have to place five lookouts in locations so

that, together, they have an unobstructed view of the up and down lines on a work site, all while being in a place of safety.

With the recent rise in near misses on track, Motion Rail aims to increase workforce awareness of the appropriate amount of time needed to move out of the way when a train is approaching and, therefore, reduce the number of incidents.

PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES The application of VR technology for training purpose has come far as innovators push the boundaries of what is possible.

Rather than systems that only allow the user to explore virtual environments, companies such as VRSS and Motion Rail are creating immersive worlds that can also be interacted with.

With more and more companies turning to VR to train their staff, it’ll be interesting to see how far the technology advances in the years ahead.

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30

RAILTEX

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

THE SHAPE OF

THINGS TO COME HOW THE ORGANISATION DEVELOPING THE UK'S NEW HIGH-SPEED RAIL NETWORK IS CHANGING THE INDUSTRY'S DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION PRACTICES

M

ark Lomas joined HS2 as its head of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in January 2016.

After starting out as a musician he became an EDI specialist, overseeing the development of major programmes at the Shaw Trust, the Law Society of England and Wales and the BBC. However, when he was first approached to join the £56 billion HS2 programme, Mark turned it down.

“When HS2 approached me I didn’t want to work in this sector at all,” said Mark, speaking to an audience at Railtex. “In fact, I remember being expressly disinterested the first time an executive recruiter talked to me.

“It was only when I was clear on the scale of opportunity that HS2 presented and how we could afford to do things a little bit differently because of the scale of the programme and the longevity that they talked me into it.”

He added: “It seemed a very backward industry. If I looked up diversity and construction or infrastructure, I’d see nothing.

I looked at organisations’ websites – they

were inaccessible. I looked at their leadership – they weren’t diverse. Most of their ground floor staff or their most junior staff had a bit of diversity but that disappeared completely as you went up the chain. I didn’t really see any ambassadors for construction or infrastructure that were leading this sort of work.

“And it seemed, to me, like a sector that was marching towards a rather slow death - not willing to change the way it did things in order to attract new people. I think the investment in infrastructure that has come has meant the industry has a wonderful opportunity over the next 20 years, and let’s not waste it.”

SCALE OF OPPORTUNITY By 2028, 25 per cent of the industry’s workforce is set to retire. When you combine this with the uncertainty surrounding Brexit and the impact it will also have on the rail workforce - 20 per cent are from non-UK EU countries - it leaves rail with a big problem.

Mark continued: “We have to attract new groups into the industry in order to make the industry sustainable. This is where the issue of doing the same thing for the last 20 years gets us into the problems we are in.” © HS2

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Mark went on to describe some of the ways HS2 is doing things differently.

“HS2 is going to build a railway that can be seen from space, and it’s got to be accurate within millimetres. It seems a little silly to say that the best engineers in the UK can’t figure out flexible working. It doesn’t seem like that’s too difficult. Construction sites work on shifts yet we we can’t change the industry to accommodate better flexible practices.

“It is industry standard for contracts to have things like you cannot get paid unless you’re working at the nominated office - regardless of the agile technology we have.”

He explained that HS2 has changed the way it procures consultancy services and the hourly requirements embedded into contracts to enable flexible working.

JOB DESCRIPTIONS Another key area that HS2’s EDI team has targeted is the language used in job descriptions - a seemingly small area that can have a big impact on the applicants it attracts. Mark had the perfect example to highlight this issue.

“On my first day at HS2, I looked at why we were having trouble recruiting community engagement people so I said ‘let’s have a look at what we’re asking for’.

“Number one criteria: must be educated to degree level. In what? Home baking, micro biology, what? It’s so broad it’s meaningless. I thought we wanted people who could talk to the community.

“The second: must have experience of the transport or infrastructure sectors. Well, if you know anything about the sector, there are only between 13-17 per cent women in the sector, so there went one diverse group. Only six to nine per cent from BAME groups so there went that diverse group. Only two per cent disabled people, so there went that diverse group.

And yet, we wanted people to talk to the community and nowhere were we assessing them on the knowledge on that community.

“Failing at the first hurdle is something that organisations around the sector are very good at.”

31 Mark Lomas at Railtex.

© HS2

This is exemplified in HS2’s pool of apprentices, 35 per cent are BAME and 40 per cent women.

“There’s no point inviting diverse groups into the industry to screen them out,” Mark concluded.

JUST THE BEGINNING

He also touched on more obvious obstacles.

“Does anybody know if they have tested their recruitment website for accessibility?”

Mark asked the audience. “If it hasn’t been tested for accessibility, it’s not accessible, and therefore you’re cutting out a whole swathe of people who can’t even get to the starting line.”

BLIND AUDITIONS One of the most significant changes to typical recruitment processes has seen CVs removed from applications.

“No research in the world shows that CV based selection is an objective method of selection,” Mark added. “[The Department for Work and Pensions] sent out 3,000 applications for 1,000 jobs in 2009, and,

to cut a long story short, if your name was a little different, you have a much lower chance of success. If you had an English name it was one in nine, African or Asian it was one in 16.

“So we have been piloting a type of recruitment called blind auditions. That removes CVs and application forms entirely, and replaces them with an anonymous test, which is what you do in your day job. The line manager has a hand in designing that test, and it is hosted on a platform by a specialist company.

“When we introduced this form of recruitment, success rates for women in shortlisting jumped 20 per cent, minimum.

BAME groups by 20 per cent, minimum.

Disabled groups by 15 per cent, minimum.

Why? Because it is competency and skillbased selection.”

The work to build Britain’s new high-speed network has only just begun and Mark believes HS2 can achieve so much more on the EDI front in the years ahead.

He said: “Less than two and a half years into the programme, a majority of our tier one contractors have achieved their EDI accreditations. And I firmly believe HS2 will be the first infrastructure programme in the world to have a tier one construction supply chain which is fully EDI accredited.

“We’re winning awards for the way we’re inventing new methods of practice but this is only the beginning. As the programme expands we will get more innovation through SMEs, more innovation through understanding and monitoring the supply chain performance.

“At the moment, all HS2 contracts are outperforming industry averages in terms of diversity and inclusion. But this is just the start for us. We have another 17 years in which to help the industry fundamentally change the way it practices diversity and inclusion.”

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32

RAILTEX

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

RAILSTAFF ASKED VISITORS ABOUT THEIR HIGHLIGHTS OF RAILTEX 2019

Claire McKee , business development manager, Race Furniture When I used to come here years and year s ago, there used to be lots of small stands but no w there are a lot from blue-colla r companies, which has been good to see.

The last time I came here it used to be m ore about components to o, so it’s good to see the likes of Siemens and telent – th e big boys in the arena.

y, managing Donna Bickle Out Group director, Inside g that’s been The main thin to spend time ng tti ge good is s a three-day with people. It’ st a quick 20 ju t show, it’s no ah, spending minutes. So ye time with od some real go boration on lla co e people. Th st ly ands out our stand real met a lot of e too – and I’v Not necessarily . re he ts contac at would buy from people th . er th from us ei

y, rail business Lewis Westbur anager, m t developmen S iLECSY light is always For us, the high and catching the networking ds and new. up with old frien here trying to We’re not just we are much t; sell a produc cused. The more project fo essive too stands are impr emens’ and Si rly la – particu CRRC’s.

Laura Hargrea ves, account manager, Rail Parts Supply We’ve never do ne the show before but the footfall and the opportuni ties gained he re have been the best part. The icing on the ca ke has been the free pick ‘n ’ mix on the Rail Diary stan d!

dersen, Inge-Sarah An er, ne graduate engi il Ra Network ing about My favourite th ar was learning Railtex this ye plications ap l about nove d the an gy lo no of tech nies behind pa m innovative co one of the them. It’s also of the year so biggest events ed to bump te an you’re guar g people from into interestin stry, as well as across the indu hrtunity to catc have the oppo s. ce fa r ilia fam up with some

David Shirres , editor, Rail Engineer ell, David Redgew d transport an r ne ig pa m ca nsultant co ng ni and plan ing to the I’ve been talk out the Hitachi staff ab l r trains as wel ei th designs of ith w e m e sa as access. Th ales and their Transport for W d programme an access for all r ei th t ou ab es other compani – vel crossings vehicles and le ss ce ac r ai elch particularly whe e good thing Th . em th er ov access to the has been the be able to talk engineers, to the need for an t to them abou . nsport system accessible tra

Adam O’Conno r, production director, Rail Media One stand that stood out to me was RJW Engineering - a sole entrepe neur with a unique safety net system.

Not only that, the company's flood early war ning system is affordable an d could save hundreds of th ousands of pounds too. It's the mixture of big and small businesses th at makes the sh ow so great.

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managing David Taylor, Composites director, Datum with friends Reconnecting king part in a Ta w. old and ne tive stand on new collabora d Midlands stan the Rail Forum ty ni rtu eat oppo has been a gr orld what we w e th ow to sh ith the added w can do too – beating bonus of Derby y.

Leeds yesterda

There is alway s a buzz about Railtex. It’s a great opportunity to learn about ne w developments both on the stands and at va rious events.

For me, what w as different this year was sp eaking at one such even t as a panel member on th e Railway Industry Associa tion’s rail decarbonisatio n discussion.

It was good to be part of a forum about th is increasingly important topic which presents challenges that the rail industry is well placed to meet.

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34

RAILTEX

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

Garrandale Rail's train cab front cleaning robot.

Stratasys engineer Gülay Bozoklu.

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A model of Stadler's new trains for Merseyrail.

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

RAILTEX

35

TOMORROW'S TRAINS

THE FRUITS OF A BOOMING UK ROLLING STOCK MARKET WERE ON SHOW AT RAILTEX AS SUPPLIERS AND MAJOR MANUFACTURERS PROMOTED INNOVATIVE NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

A

lthough Bombardier and CAF were missing from the line-up, Alstom, Hitachi, Siemens and Stadler all featured. New entrants CRRC, a shortlisted party in the race to build the Tyne & Wear Metro’s new trains, and Talgo, which intends to build a new factory in Fife, also exhibited alongside suppliers of seats, carpets, passenger information systems and practically everything you need to fit out a train.

WIRELESS CHARGING

When it comes to train door-open buttons, Swiss firm EAO dominates the market. The majority of the UK’s train fleet is fitted with EAO train door buttons, including the new Aventra and Intercity Express Trains.

However, there was a different focus for its stand at Railtex.

Following a soft launch at Innotrans 2018, the EAO team officially launched its new ‘Passenger Interface’ in May.

The system allows passengers to wirelessly charge their mobile phone (most models released after 2017 are compatible) using a conductive charger embedded in either a table top or setback holster. This reduces a passenger’s “battery anxiety” and gives them greater confidence when using e-ticketing.

But it’s not the wireless charging that’s the innovative part - South Western Railway debuted the world’s first fully rail compliant phone wireless charging system in its refurbished Class 444 trains in November.

Using EAO’s ‘iBeacon’ technology, the Passenger Interface builds on the wireless charging capability to connect the mobile phone to the cloud and signal that the seat is occupied. It then searches the device for the train operator’s app and, if it’s downloaded, prompts the user to open it.

Ticket inspectors can then be informed if the passenger has a ticket while passengers would be able to order food and drink to their seat if there’s an onboard catering service. There are also options to provide tailored passenger information.

EAO is currently working with Eversholt Rail to retrofit the Passenger Interface to its Class 395 ‘Javelin’ trains, which are on lease to Southeastern.

3D PRINTING Germany’s Deutsche Bahn, the Netherlands’ Nederlandse Spoorwegen and the United States’ Union Pacific all use 3D printing - also known as additive manufacturing - to produce spare parts.

Following the announcement of a partnership between Angel Trains, ESG Rail and Stratasys in the UK last year, approved, 3D-printed components will be trialled in service this year.

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36

RAILTEX

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

The wooden model of Siemens' Velaro Novo train.

Gülay Bozoklu, senior engineer at 3D printing specialist Stratasys, explained to RailStaff that the process results in significant cost reductions, because parts can be produced on a needs basis rather than on mass, as well as significant lead time reductions when compared to traditional manufacturing methods.

While 3D printing is still in its infancy, more and more companies are realising its potential. Stratasys already works in France and Germany but the project with Angel Trains and ESG Rail is its first in the UK. Gülay said: “It’s all about changing the ‘We have done it this way, we’ve always bought our armrest from a supplier, we have never took responsibility to print it ourselves’ mindset.

“It will come slowly, they will change their minds but now it’s for really rare cases when its really too expensive, when the supply chain is too complicated, and when there is a short time limit.

“I heard from a customer that they were supposed to deliver a train and forgot one part and they had one week.

If they passed this deadline, everyday they would have to pay a penalty. With 3D printing, you’d just print it and ship the train.”

3D printing is as easy as “putting [a CAD file] into the machine and pressing the print button” according to Gülay, who believes that one day we will see 3D-printed trains on our tracks.

“Why not?” she said. “We have 3D printed houses already, it can happen.”

TRAIN CLEANING ROBOT On the first stop of his tour of the show, rail minister Andrew Jones was given a demonstration of Garrandale Rail’s train cab front cleaning robot.

Train exteriors are mostly cleaned using mechanised washing systems, except for train cab fronts, which are manually cleaned because they are made up of complicated shapes.

This manual labour requires safe systems to address the risks of working in the depot environment.

Garrandale Rail, supported by Innovate UK, is developing a robot that “feels its way” around the front of a train. A full prototype could be ready for testing in 2020.

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HIGH-SPEED TRAINS Come the second quarter of 2020, HS2 should be in a position to award the £2.75 billion contract for 54 high-speed trains as well as 12 years of maintenance and the option for another 30 trains if required.

With the bids for that contract yet to be submitted at the time of Railtex, potential suppliers took the opportunity to speak to HS2 staff including supply chain manager Robin Lappish, who told RailStaff what HS2 is looking for.

He said: “For the rolling stock specifically, we’re buying a fleet of high-speed trains that can run both on our high-speed network and also the conventional network in the UK. That in itself is a challenge because, of course, we have a more restricted structural gauge in the UK relative to what they have in Europe or the Far East.

“We’re looking to operate at 360km/h, so that is raising the bar slightly on what high-speed rail has done in the world to date. So we’ll be world leading in that regard.

“Once Phase 2 is complete and the whole Y-shaped railway is up and running from London to Manchester and Leeds, we’re going to be running up to 18 trains per hour. That is really pushing the envelope in terms of the intensity of the operation as well, it’s achievable but it will call for an evolution in the technology that we’ve seen in high-speed rail so far.

“We’re looking to learn from all of the best practice that we’ve seen from around the world, and import that into the UK in developing and delivering HS2, to raise the bar another level in

terms of what high-speed can achieve.”

All of the four high-speed train contract bidders at the show (Alstom, Hitachi, Siemens, Talgo) promoted their high-speed expertise.

None, however, matched the efforts of Siemens, which displayed a wooden, almost life-sized model of its Velaro Novo train - its next generation of high-speed train. It’s the second time a model of the Velaro Novo has been shown in public. The train was initially unveiled on the concourse of Birmingham New Street station in September.

Rob, who previously worked in Crossrail’s procurement team, said HS2 staff spoke to hundreds of suppliers at Railtex, largely about the train and systems contracts.

On the subject of supply chain engagement, he said: “We started at an earlier point than I think any project before us has. All the way back to 2014.

“With HS2, we’re doing something on a scale that’s never been done before in the UK, certainly not in modern British history, so we need to mobilise the supply chain on a huge scale.

37

It's probably about as efficient – maybe a little bit more efficient – than a diesel-powered train, but it's not as efficient as electrification.

Mike Muldoon talking to delegates at Railtex about the Breeze train.

“It’s more than a railway, it’s not just about delivering the railway, it’s about how we do it, not what we do, that will define our success.

It’s actually about how we leave a legacy of a highly skilled workforce, how do we make sure there is improved diversity in the industry, making sure that we are delivering sustainable solutions and really raising the bar in regard to, for example, carbon and carbon content in what we’re doing.”

HYDROGEN TRAINS On the topic of next generation trains, Alstom’s stand featured a 1:50 scale model of its ‘Breeze’ concept.

Alstom is currently working with Eversholt Rail to convert its Class 321 EMUs into the UK variant of its hydrogen-powered iLint train, which is in service in Germany.

First conceived by Alstom’s German engineering team in 2017, the UK version could enter passenger service as early as 2022, although

Mike Muldoon, Alstom’s head of business development and marketing, admits this is a “fairly optimistic programme”.

Mike explained that Breeze is an alternative to diesel trains of which the UK has one of the biggest fleets in Europe.

He said: “2,500 vehicles, typically with a diesel engine underneath, are chugging their way around the country, criss-crossing across the country every single day providing essential services, but not in a very environmentally friendly way.

“That didn’t strictly matter until [former rail minister] Jo Johnson got up in February of last year and announced the decarbonisation challenge for the railways with his specific objective of removing diesel-only trains from the UK's railway [by 2040].”

Mike emphasised that Breeze is only suitable for rural routes, for which discussions are being held with various interested parties.

He added: “It’s probably about as efficient - maybe a little bit more efficient - than a diesel-powered train, but it’s not as efficient as electrification. It’s not the silver bullet that solves every problem for how we decarbonise the railway but it’s a key element in our armoury of solutions as to how we do it.”

2021 Railtex 2017 brought us adaptable train carriages, innovative passenger seat designs and a new platform of regional EMUs - and Railtex 2019 has not failed to live up to those heights, with its own showcase of the rolling stock supply chain’s latest innovations.

With thousands of carriages yet to be delivered and major contracts with HS2, East Midlands Railway and the Tyne & Wear Metro yet to be let, the train building boom looks set to continue - meaning Railtex 2021 looks set to deliver once more.

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38

RAIL FORUM MIDLANDS

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

RAILTEX SUCCESS FOR RAIL FORUM MIDLANDS MEMBERS

F

or some SMEs, the time and financial commitment required to exhibit at a show such as Railtex is simply beyond their reach. Which is why in 2017, the not-for-profit organisation Rail Forum Midlands (RFM) joined forces with three members to create a shared space on a scale they would not have been able to achieve on their own.

This collaboration was so successful that RFM decided to offer members the opportunity to once again team up in 2019.

This time nine companies joined the RFM team on what was our largest and busiest stand to date. All the companies were SMEs and a number were new to rail or exhibiting at Railtex for the first time.

RFM was on hand throughout the threeday show to support the exhibitors and make introductions. However, the members also learned about each other’s capabilities and worked together to ensure visitors were introduced to other RFM members whom may be of interest.

EXHIBITORS AND VISITORS A wide range of products and services were on display on the stand. Exhibitors included: J-Flex, SET, Birley Manufacturing, Datum Composites, Design and Analysis, Replin by Hainsworth, CHH Conex, Inside Out Group and RFM patron member Elastacloud.

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has been an unexpected benefit of visitors for other member companies, whom have stumbled across us by accident.”

• Richard Lewthwaite, regional sales Manager at J-Flex, added: “It has been great. The networking has proved to be fantastic; producing some very positive leads. We couldn’t be happier at this stage.”

• Liz Scott, manager at CHH CoNeX, commented: “Joining forces with the Rail Forum Midlands has been a great help to us throughout this process. We have been able to draw on their knowledge and experience, which has enabled us to have a successful and profitable show.”

The exhibitors also had the unique opportunity to speak with rail minister Andrew Jones and shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald when they visited the stand. RFM was also delighted with the interest in the stand shown by rolling stock OEMs and tier one suppliers.

BREAKFAST CLUB In addition, RFM hosted two breakfast meetings with new chair Paul Robinson on the stand.

The first was open to all 40 RFM members exhibiting at Railtex and provided an opportunity for them to meet Paul, share their views on the challenges they’re facing and how RFM can best support them moving forward.

FEEDBACK Through our combined stand, Railtex 2019 provided RFM members with invaluable exposure, networking and trade opportunities.

The shared space and resources enabled the exhibitors to have an unprecedented presence at the show and demonstrate how businesses can work together for mutual benefit.

Exhibitors were full of praise for the collaboration: • Stuart Allen, business development executive at Replin by Hainsworth, said: “This was our first Railtex and it’s the first time we have exhibited at a rail exhibition as Replin

by Hainsworth. Firstly, there was a huge cost benefit to sharing the space, secondly there

COLLABORATION Continuing the theme of collaboration, RFM is leading the work on SME growth through collaboration within the recently launched Rail Sector Deal. The deal includes two Midlands based pilots: one is focussed on SMEs and the other on shared apprenticeship schemes and schools engagement.

Elaine Clark, CEO of RFM, said: “SMEs make up a vital part of the rail supply chain yet they still struggle to access opportunities with clients and tier one contractors for a variety of reasons – this is the case on infrastructure projects, in rolling stock and across railway systems. Our sector deal pilots will bring SMEs together with clients to address real life opportunities leading to import substitution, new or improved products and services, improved customer offerings or simply to solve specific stubborn issues on the railway.

“There are numerous SME support services available through various organisations; all too often these are prescriptive and driven by a funding agency process that the SME has to buy into. Our approach is different we will facilitate bringing SMEs who want to collaborate together; enabling them to address real opportunities and we will signpost them to the help and support they really need – so the SMEs are in the driving seat with the end client.”

For more information about Rail Forum Midlands contact sophia@midlandsrail.co.uk

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

EVENTS

39

RAIL PARTNERSHIP AWARDS 5 JUNE, VOX, BIRMINGHAM

EVENTS

JUNE 2019

SEPTEMBER 2019

OCTOBER 2019 (CONT)

RAIL SAFETY WEEK

RIN DERBY

ASPECT 2019

24th-30th June Industry-wide

5th September Pride Park, Derby

22nd-24th October Delft, Netherlands

www.railsafetyweek.info

www.rinevents.co.uk

www.irse.org/aspect/default.aspx

IMECHE RAILWAY CHALLENGE

RAILFUTURE ANNUAL CONFERENCE

SmartTransit

29th - 30th June Stapleford Miniature Railway

21st September St Michael's Church Centre, Bristol

www.imeche.org

JULY 2019

RAILWAY ELECTRIFICATION INFRASTRUCTURE AND SYSTEMS (REIS 2019) 1st July London events2.theiet.org/reis

28th-30th October Addleshaw Goddard, London www.smartrailworld.com/events/ smart-transit

www.railfuture.org.uk

TRAKO 24th-25th September Gdansk, Poland www.trakofair.com

NOVEMBER 2019 ANNUAL UKRRIN CONFERENCE 21st November Birmingham

OCTOBER 2019

www.ukrrin.org.uk

RAIL SAFETY SUMMIT

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

ROLLING STOCK NETWORKING

3rd October Addleshaw Goddard, London

28th November NEC, Birmingham

11th July Derby Arena

www.railsummits.com

www.railstaffawards.com

www.rsnevents.co.uk

RAIL BIM / ASSET MANAGEMENT SUMMIT

FUTURE OF INFRASTRUCTURE CONFERENCE 18th July QEII Centre, London

10th October Addleshaw Goddard, London www.railsummits.com

www.infrastructure.co.uk

A GUIDE TO UPCOMING EVENTS IN THE RAIL INDUSTRY THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, AT A GLANCE FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.CO.UK

40

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

MORE THAN JUST AN

AWARDS CEREMONY

I

f you’ve been to the RailStaff Awards, you’ll understand it’s an event like no other.

Not only does it bring frontline and corporate staff together in one big celebration of people, but it does so in the form of the most extraordinary spectacle.

Ever since the awards began in 2007, organisers have pulled out all the stops to ensure guests go home with a lasting memory of the night’s entertainment. Although recognition of the industry’s everyday heroes has remained at the core of the RailStaff Awards, its entertainment has become an attraction in its own right.

2008.

MEMORY LANE

Twelve years ago, when the inaugural ceremony was held at Birmingham’s ICC, railway champion Pete Waterman was the evening’s host.

Compared to the awards in its current form - which attracts close to 1,000 guests to the NEC, the UK’s premier event space - the first event was a modest size but hundreds turned out to recognise their colleagues in an industry first.

Between that year and 2011, comedy was the prime entertainment with some of the country’s biggest names performing in front of packed crowds.

Do you work with an extraordinary recruiter, signaller or cleaner?

NOMINATE THEM IN ONE OF 20 CATEGORIES TODAY:

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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Apprentice of the Year Award for Charity Customer Service Award Depot Staff Award Digital Railway Person or Team Award Graduate or Newcomer Award HR, Diversity & Inclusion Person or Team Award Learning & Development Award Lifetime Achievement Award Marketing & Communications Team Award Rail Civils / Infrastructure Team Award Rail Engineer of the Year Rail Manager of the Year Rail Person of the Year Rail Project Manager Award Rail Team of the Year Recruitment Person or Team Safety Person or Team Award Samaritans Lifesaver Award Station Staff Award

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

41

RailStaff Awards themes 2011 - Halloween 2012 - Prohibition in the United States 2013 - Back to School 2014 - The Circus 2015 - Out of Africa 2016 - Bollywood meets Hollywood 2017 - The 1980s 2018 - Enchanted Forest 2019 - To be announced

2007.

Dominic Holland (2007), Milton Jones (2008) - a last minute replacement for an injured Michael McIntyre - ventriloquist Paul Zerdin (2009) - who would later go on to win America’s Got Talent - as well as Alun Cochrane (2010) have all left audiences reeling with laughter at the RailStaff Awards.

In those early days, none of the events had special themes. It was only in 2011, when the awards coincidentally landed on the same day as Halloween, that organisers decided to try it out.

And when the majority of guests dressed as werewolves, witches or as, er, Elmo, the decision was taken to introduce themes to

future events.

Subsequent years have seen guests transported to destinations all over the world, back in time, back to school and even to the circus.

If you want to take a trip down memory lane, photos from every single RailStaff Awards ceremony are available on our website - there’s even video footage from most of the ceremonies too.

2009.

2019 Since these themes were introduced, the entertainment has grown and grown, with live acts, live performance actors, themed decor and, since 2014, a fun fair.

Every year has provided a new experience for guests and 2019 promises to be no different. While we can’t yet reveal the theme for the evening on November 28, we’re

excited to build on the success of the enchanted forest last year and will shortly let you know where guests will be transported to in 2019.

Tickets for the RailStaff Awards are now on sale. To secure your ticket or table, go to www.railstaffawards.com

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42

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

THREE IS A MAGIC NUMBER

I

t’s been a busy few years for on-track plant hire specialists Total Rail Solutions (TRS).

After investing millions of pounds in reliable, new equipment as part of its aggressive growth strategy, the company announced the successful completion of a management buy-out in November, with new owners taking over from founders Martin Mould and Julie Caldwell.

Former chief operating officer Paul Bateman was promoted to chief executive officer in the change of hands, and now leads TRS with the rest of the senior management team.

obviously we want to grow the business, to streamline processes and put systems in place to enable us to transfer information from site to office and office to site, to boost efficiency across the business,” said Paul, who has been with TRS since December 2016.

“We’ve gone through a round of investment back in November and we’ve completed the management buy-out now. So the focus for the next six to 12 months is to be looking at the business and professionalise things - that means introducing new systems to enable us to scale, a big push on recruitment

THREE KEY FOCUSES TRS’ three key operational enablers are its plant, processes and people.

Over the course of five years, more than £15 million has been invested in the first element - it now has a fleet of more than 80 machines.

Now, at the beginning of a new control period, TRS is focused on the other two as part of its “new journey of growth and investment,” as Paul explained.

A lengthy process to recruit half a dozen new members of staff in operations, business development as well as in accounts and finance is almost complete. The new recruits will address specific weaknesses in the team to strengthen the company’s 300-strong workforce.

Behind the scenes, digitising back systems to improve efficiency and drive cost savings is now a key activity.

“Currently, a lot of what we do is based on Excel, which has been fine up until now but

too, but all while trying not to lose the company ethos that has got us to where we are today.

“We’ve got to where we are by being reactive. We also work very closely with our clients and that relationship is key. So, there is always a balance between trying to grow the business but remain ahead of our competitors by doing what we do well - provide a quality service, react quickly and all with an attention to detail.”

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THIRD YEAR RUNNING Three is also the number of years that TRS has consecutively sponsored the Rail Team of the Year category at the RailStaff Awards.

Last year’s ceremony, with its enchanted theme at Birmingham’s NEC, was Paul’s first show, and what he saw was enough to dazzle him and make TRS one of the first few companies to commit its support

for 2019.

He said: “We see the benefit in working with the RailStaff Awards.

It was my first year last year and it was a very good event.

“We had two tables of 10 and took a mixture of clients and office staff. It was a good venue and the entertainment was fantastic as well, it was quite a good mix of awards and post show celebrations.

“I think it’s a good forum to

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The Project SWIFT Team on stage with host Richard Salkeld (far right) at the 2018 RailStaff Awards.

get everyone together at the end of the year and recognise what the industry does and the good people we’ve got in it. And from our point of view – and I know it’s a bit cliché to say - we get to where we are by being a good team, which is why we sponsor the Rail Team of the Year.”

SWIFT Last year’s Rail Team of the Year Award was won by the project SWIFT (superfast wi-fi in-carriage for future travel) team - a crossindustry team made of Network Rail, Cisco, telent and ScotRail.

After years of talking about

using trackside equipment to improve digital connectivity onboard trains, the team proved it can be done on an operational railway. As a result, ScotRail customers between Edinburgh and Glasgow have been the first in the UK to experience on train wi-fi at broadband speeds.

The category attracts entries from different types of teams working on different types of projects and is one that highlights the variety of activity that goes on in the industry. It does, however, make it a tricky category to pick a winner from.

Paul added: “It’s difficult to say what makes a good nomination because you get such a broad selection of teams. It could be anyone from the British Transport Police to someone who has implemented an IT system. No two nominations are the same.”

The RailStaff Awards will once more take place at Birmingham’s NEC, this year on Thursday, November 28.

To find out more or nominate a colleague in one of 20 categories, head to: www.railstaffawards.com

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

FROM ONE FAMILY

TO ANOTHER

I

n its 130-year history, Bollé has grown from a small cottage-based business in the French Alps to one of the world’s leading manufacturers of premium eyewear products.

Some of the country’s biggest infrastructure projects: Crossrail, Thames Tideway and Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, all trust the company to protect their workforces through its range of stylish Bollé Safety-branded glasses, goggles and accessories.

Bollé brought its expertise to the UK market in the 1970s and, off the back of securing major supply contracts and a growing reputation, has experienced “significant growth” over the last few years.

“Customers are becoming increasingly aware of eye protection and, not just through the large projects but generally across the UK and Ireland, we’ve seen sales grow,” said Ian Walbeoff, Bollé Safety’s general manager.

“Whatever industry, sector or market we go into, if you give our product to anyone who works in them, the first thing they’ll do is pick them up, put them on and think ‘yeah, I look good in these’. Of course the objective is that they wear their eye protection and that it eliminates eye injuries or worse.”

INNOVATION With a background in optometry, and having worked at Bollé Safety since 1990, Ian has a lot of experience in the field of safety eyewear.

He said the company has a long history of innovation, which runs through its core.

Back in 1888 when Bollé was established it manufactured plastic products in the French region of Oyonnax - known as the ‘Silcon Valley’ of the plastics industry.

“Originally they started manufacturing plastic hair products,” said Ian. “The technology of manufacturing and the different types of materials were changing with the introduction of nylons, which Bollé started building into plastics.

Then it went from frames into safety frames and concentrating on the safety aspect.”

Bollé started producing sunglasses and

optical frames in the 1930s, safety spectacles in the 1940s and then into manufacturing ski glasses in the 1960s.

Ian said that Bollé has a lot in the pipeline, particularly surrounding the development of reactive lenses and new coatings to stop oil and paint sticking to lenses, all without comprising on style and comfort.

He added: “What makes our products stand out is the combination of style and comfort. If someone’s going to wear the product all day every day for eight hours a day then they want to be comfortable in them.”

FAMILY CONNECTION Bollé was established by the same-name family in 1888 and those roots and spirit remain to this day.

Last year the family firm backed the RailStaff Awards to give something back to the wider rail industry family.

This year it once more returns to sponsor the Rail Safety Person or Team of the Year category.

Ian added: “We supported the awards

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last year and we are sponsoring the safety award again.

“We as a company, being a safety eyewear manufacturer, wanted to recognise the importance of safety and individuals who promote safety within the workplace. It is sometimes difficult to get the uptake in PPE and get people to understand the reasons behind why they need to wear safety products. So we want to support them as much as possible in their day to day work.”

Last year’s safety award was given to the Milton Keynes Escalation Team (pictured) by Bollé Safety’s European managing director Damien Guillobez.

Between July and November, 2017, a series of suspected suicides on the rail network in the Milton Keynes area raised cause for concern.

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conseil

The incidents, which were having a huge impact on the local communities and on the rail industry, led to representatives from the area’s train operators, emergency services and mental health services forming a multi-agency taskforce to tackle the problem head on.

Working together, the group – which included representatives from Network Rail, Samaritans, BTP, West Midlands Trains, Virgin Trains, Thames Valley Police and other stakeholders – pursued a range of different work streams that focused on information sharing and community engagement to increase the chances of human intervention and to promote help-seeking.

As a result, there were no further suspected suicides on the lines in this area, with seven recorded lifesaving interventions recorded by the time of the nomination.

Ian added: “Last year was a really, really good night. We’ve been to the NEC for many years for exhibitions so to then turn up into one of those great halls and see how they transformed it was amazing. It was a really strange sensation going from an exhibition to wow!”

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

HELP IN

HARD TIMES

W

hat can you buy for £1? You could pick up a couple of pints of milk. A chocolate bar, or two, if you’re lucky. Or, for £1 a week, you could become a member of the Transport Benevolent Fund CIO (TBF), a registered charity in England, Wales and Scotland with 63,000 members.

Such is the size of the charity’s backing that in 2020 it will pay out almost £3 million in benefits to its members.

This ranges from convalescence to complementary and alternative therapies for its members, their partner and any dependants.

“When someone picks up the phone and calls us, you never know what they’re going to ask for,” said John Sheehy, a former Northern line train operator who now leads the charity as its chief executive. “Is it because they’re off sick and their sick pay is less than what they normally receive, which causes them financial hardship? We can normally help to keep their head above water if so.

“Or is it because they need some sort of osteopathy or chiro or that they’re in a long waiting list on the NHS for a scan - because, although we can’t take the place of the NHS, we can step in and put up some funds to help them go private, to help them get back into work.”

DEMAND In 1994, TBF increased its weekly membership rate to £1, a rate that has been frozen ever since. That doesn’t mean that the charity hasn’t been in demand - it’s quite the opposite, as John explained.

“Unfortunately, in today’s world there is a real growing need for organisations like us, more than ever,” he said. “You’d think that in the 21st century with the state welfare system that everyone would be fine, but it’s just getting harder and harder out there.

“If we weren’t around you do wonder what our beneficiaries would do when they fall on hard times.”

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STATION STAFF For the ninth successive year, TBF is once more returning to sponsor the Station Staff of the Year Award at the RailStaff Awards.

It’s a category that covers a wide range of frontline job roles, from ticket office staff to those working in retail, customer service, revenue protection and as station supervisors, a group that TBF often finds itself in contact with.

John added: “We generally help more frontline staff than anyone else. They’re likely to be

47

on a lower rate of pay than other people in the industry, and they’re probably the people who’ll come to us for help because of their lifestyles, their shift work and lower income. So it’s quite poignant to sponsor this category.”

John has been unable to attend the RailStaff Awards for the last few years due to family reasons, but when the RailStaff Awards returns on November 28 this year, he’ll be among the crowd.

John said: “The RailStaff Awards is great advertisement for us and let’s everyone in the industry know that we are here and ready to help if, unfortunately, you fall on hardship or distress. This is why employers giving us access to their staff is essential.”

“It’s exposure but also helps us to carry out our duty as a charity to try and help as many people employed in the public transport

industries, because that’s why we are here. If we’re not doing that, we’re not meeting the aims of the charity.”

The awards will once more take place at Birmingham’s NEC with jaw-dropping entertainment, fine dining and the awards ceremony. John’s highlight will be something far more simple, however.

He added: “Whatever job you do - and most people do a good job - it’s always nice to get some recognition. To see, in whatever category, the faces of people winning an award is what it’s all about really. It’s as simple as that.

“A lot of people work week in, week out, year in, year out and retire and no one’s ever said to them ‘well done, you’ve done a great job there’.

“So it’s always nice as an industry as a whole to recognise it’s people.”

To nominate one of your colleagues in one of 20 awards categories or to find out more information, head to www.railstaffawards.com.

Proud sponsors of the Station Staff Award, 2019 With the help of the TOCs, Network Rail and other employers throughout the industry, we now have nearly 63,500 members.

For just £1 a week, a wide range of health, welfare and financial benefits are available to you, your partner and dependent children if you work in the transport industry...

people like you!

Just £1 a week covers you, your partner and dependent children

0300 333 2000 www.tbf.org.uk Transport Benevolent Fund CIO, known as TBF, is a registered charity in England and Wales, 1160901, and Scotland, SC047016.

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YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS

RAILSTAFF JUNE 2019

S L A N IO S S E F O R P YMOUUNNICGHRTAEICLHNICAL TOUR NEWLY APPOINTED CHAIR DAVID WESTCOUGH REFLECTS ON A MEMORABLE OVERSEAS TRIP

P

rior to their outbound flight, attendees were split into two groups, the first was treated to a tour of Gatwick Airport’s on-site fire and rescue service and the second took the opportunity to hear from Heathrow Express’ commercial team.

Following their arrival in Munich, the group made their way to the hotel, where time allowed for everybody to get to know each other a little better over a drink before retiring for the night.

STAMMSTRECKE 2 In the morning, delegates made use of the city’s tram and train services to travel to their first activity - a visit to the Stammstreke 2 information centre. Similar to Crossrail, Stammstreke 2 is a major rail project to construct a second tunnel through the centre of Munich, to enable more trains to travel through the city as its population grows. Trains travelling through this new tunnel will only serve the major stations within the city centre, reducing journey times.

After lunch, attendees took part in a walking tour of Munich’s city centre in order to

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gain a cultural appreciation of Germany’s third largest city. The tour included visits to significant historical buildings within the city centre and a walk through the famous Englischer Garten before returning back to the New Town Hall in Marienplatz.

Following the walking tour, the group travelled to the Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft Museum, which showcases both historical and modern methods of public transport in Munich. On arrival, delegates were given a private tour of the exhibits, which included a U-Bahn driver simulator practice, where participants had to successfully stop an underground train at the next station.

The first day concluded with a social evening at the Paulaner Brauhaus beer hall and the opportunity to network with their peers and discuss the activities of the day. The Young Members of the German Association of Railway Engineers was also invited to the social evening, enabling delegates to make links with their German peers and YRP to strengthen its international ties. The group was treated to a three course meal of traditional Bavarian dishes, as well as a tour of the brewery which included tasters of the beers produced on site.

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YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS

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SIEMENS’ ALLACH FACILITY The second day began at Siemens’ Allach Facility, which undertakes construction, diagnostics and all types of maintenance and repair services for numerous state-owned and private operators’ trains from across Germany and Europe. The site covers 24,500m2 and brings together a range of specialist rail skills and services. Here, the group were given a tour of various aspects of the facility and learnt about the numerous services that Siemens provides. Siemens then treated delegates to lunch and a Q&A session on the rail service centre.

Following lunch, the group travelled back to the city to visit DB Netz’s operations centre for Munich, the equivalent to a UK regional operation centre, where all rail traffic across Bavaria is coordinated.

Delegates were given a tour and taught about the processes, systems and equipment used by DB Netz, including those used in case of an emergency. The visit brought a close the Munich Technical Tour. Some delegates decided to travel home whereas others chose to spend an extra day in the city.

Those that stayed enjoyed an evening at Frühlingsfest, the less famous, spring-equivalent to Munich’s Oktoberfest. The event features the same German beers, food and festive atmosphere as Oktoberfest but takes place across April and May, as opposed to September and October.

NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE AND BMW WORLD On Saturday, delegates had the opportunity to visit Neuschwanstein Castle, a 19th century palace, located above the village of Hohenschwangau near Füssen in southwest Bavaria. Nicknamed the “fairytale castle”, it famously inspired Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom and is the most visited castle in Germany. Delegates also explored other places of interest in Munich, including BMW World, a museum that showcases a range of the manufacturer’s models from over the years.

Sunday saw the end of all tour activity and was the day for the remainder of the tour participants to travel home. Of those that gave feedback, all delegates agreed that the tour delivered value for money and 97 per cent said they would recommend future tours. One

delegate said the following: “The tour was fantastic. I have found the experience very valuable, making new connections and friends in the industry and feeling welcomed into the YRP & IMechE community.”

From the feedback, organisers agreed the tour was a huge success. As a result, they are working to expand their tour programme by seeking collaboration with the Institution of Engineering and Technology and the Institution of Railway Signalling Engineers, in order to deliver a greater number of tours - some outside of Europe. Plans for a domestic tour to Scotland in September and an international tour to Japan in April 2020 are currently underway. Keep an eye on the upcoming events page of the YRP website for more details.

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50

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