RailStaff July 2018

JULY 2018 | ISSUE 248

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PLUS NEWS PEOPLE EVENTS FEATURES SUMMITS HEALTH & SAFETY TRAINING CAREERS

BTP

MAKING A

DIFFERENCE

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CONTENTS JULY 2018 | ISSUE 248

MPs LOOK TO GIVE ELECTRIFICATION A JOLT | 18

Cancelled electrification projects should be revived and future schemes considered, according to MP Lillian Greenwood, chair of the Transport Select Committee.

BTP EXCELLENCE | 20

Feats of professionalism, compassion and bravery were honoured at the force's 'Make a Difference' awards.

A SAFER RAILWAY FOR CP6 | 24 18

The Rail Safety Summit will tackle pressing health and safety issues this November.

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WEARABLE WELLBEING | 30

How wearable technology is starting to influence rail’s health and safety landscape.

FAIR DEAL FOR SUPPLIERS | 36

Commercial director Stephen Blakey explains how Network Rail is changing the way it does business to support smaller suppliers.

MOBILISING THE ENGINEERS OF GENERATION Z | 46

Stewart Thorpe found out firsthand how Network Rail’s ‘Fast Trackers’ STEM event is encouraging careers in engineering.

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T H G I L T O P is

K | 12 ntaineers took on th A E P O PEAK Tn 160 railway mou Challenge. il a s by Ra More th e Peak re h T s r’ yea

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Off-duty PC Zohreh Hashemi, a BTP Awards runner-up, came to the aid of an injured driver after a person smashed through a train cab windscreen.

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RAILSTAFF JULY 2018

Paul O’Connor

Editor:

Marc Johnson

Production and design:

Adam O’Connor

Matthew Stokes

News Editor:

Stewart Thorpe

Track Safety:

Colin Wheeler

Event Sales:

Jolene Price

Advertising:

Asif Ahmed

Craig Smith

Keith Hopper

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There’s been little opportunity to bask in the perpetual sunshine for Network Rail’s extreme weather action teams, who have been deployed across the network to keep passengers moving during the heatwave.

Photos have been emerging of sections of distorted track where the steel rail has expanded in the high heat and buckled.

Network Rail Scotland tweeted an image from a thermal imaging camera in Mauchline on 28 June - the hottest day ever recorded in Scotland. The air temperature was 33.2 degrees Celsius and the rail was recorded at 54.2 degrees Celsius!

A public information campaign has sought to explain to passengers the steps that Network Rail takes to avoid disruption during hot weather. These include painting sections of the rail white to reflect some of the heat and installing sensors to provide real-time information about the temperature of the track.

Despite their best efforts, speed restrictions have had to be imposed in many areas where buckling has occurred. Cue the familiar ‘rail chaos’ reports and headlines.

The reality is that the industry takes all the necessary steps to mitigate this disruption, but extreme weather will always provide a stern test. Either way, coupled with the ongoing timetabling issues and the handover of Virgin East Coast to LNER at the end of June, there has been plenty of ammunition for critics to fire off.

But the railway should be inspired by the performance of the England football team (note this issue went to print before the Sweden quarter final). There has been so little positivity around the English national team for a decade or so because of a string of dejecting results at major tournaments. At best they were called disappointing, at worst a national embarrassment. But how quickly things can change. Suddenly fans are back singing in the streets and watching in their tens of millions.

Unfortunately the railway has to work much harder to impress passengers. No one is cheering on the platform because their train has finally arrived on time. Good performance is expected not a pleasant surprise.

While no one is holding an open top bus parade for the best performing train operators, it shouldn’t dissuade us from striving to be better. Certainly, from the nominations we see submitted for our RailStaff Awards, our colleagues aren’t motivated by thanks and plaudits, rather a desire to just do things properly.

This month we have some fantastic examples of the industry going above its basic duties. Fundraisers scaling the three highest peaks in Britain for charity, heroic BTP officers awarded for their bravery and volunteers taking the time to support members of staff where they can following traumatic incidents.

Whoever lifts the World Cup on 15 July will return home to a hero’s welcome, but celebrities and sports stars already receive their fair share of adulation. Here at RailStaff, we’ll continue honouring our everyday heroes. marc@rail-media.com FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.UK

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Bombardier and Kiepe Electric have been awarded a contract by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to supply 27 new trams for Metrolink.

Contract signed for new Metrolink trams

The £72 million deal, which is supported by the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund, will boost capacity on the network by 15 per cent.

The first M5000 tram, the same model as the existing 120car fleet, is expected to arrive in February 2020, with other units following on a monthly basis until June 2021.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said: “Greater Manchester is growing.

That means more jobs, more

people and more demand on our public transport networks and these new trams will be a very welcome – and much needed – addition to the Metrolink fleet.

“By significantly enhancing capacity we will enable more people to leave their cars at home and use Metrolink to commute to their jobs, access essential services and explore our amazing city-region.”

Bombardier and Hitachi form HS2 alliance Bombardier and Hitachi have joined forces in a bid to land the £2.75 billion rolling stock contract for the first phase of HS2.

In November last year, HS2 published a list of the manufacturers shortlisted to build at least 54 conventional compatible trains for the London to Birmingham line. The list included Alstom, Siemens, Bombardier, Hitachi and Talgo.

Alstom has since been acquired

by Siemens and CAF has been added following Hitachi and Bombardier’s joint venture announcement.

An invitation to tender is due to be issued later this year and the contract is expected to be awarded in 2019.

Hitachi Rail managing director Karen Boswell said the two aim to deliver a new British icon that will

be recognised around the world.

She added: “By joining together in partnership with Bombardier, we will draw on a huge wealth of UK experience and the best in modern technology – including our pioneering ‘bullet train’ experience.”

Bombardier and Hitachi both have a track record building highspeed trains. Bombardier has manufactured more than 3,000 high-speed train carriages for China and has been involved in several high-speed rail projects across Europe.

Hitachi is best known for building Japan’s Shinkansen bullet trains.

The two companies combined employ more than 5,000 people in the UK and will be able to draw upon the expertise from sites in Derby and Newton Aycliffe.

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Putting female engineers in the frame Transport for London (TfL) has been proudly promoting the female engineers within its ranks to inspire more women to join the profession.

Vinyl displays have been installed at Canning Town, Cannon Street and Loughton Tube stations telling the stories of some of TfL’s inspiring female engineers.

The displays coincide with the Department for Transport’s Year of Engineering campaign and the International Women in Engineering Day (INWED).

Both initiatives are hoping to encourage more young women to consider a career in engineering as the transport industry looks to make up for a predicted shortfall in engineering skills.

One of the women featured is Central line engineer Mesghana Habteab. She said: “I love being an engineer because I love tackling challenges.

“Many people think that they can’t become an engineer because they don’t have the right qualifications. However, there are many routes to becoming an engineer, such as applying for an apprenticeship. I joined the industry, despite taking A Levels in the arts and humanities, by completing a foundation course. Sometimes there may appear to be barriers to your aspirations, but you can find ways to overcome them.”

Helen Gregory, an assistant project manager on the modernisation of the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines, said: “Engineering is such as exciting industry to work in. More women should be considering it as a

potential path for them because as an engineer you can walk past a building or a bridge or a road and think ‘I was part of the team that delivered this’. You get to make a difference to people’s everyday lives.”

TfL, working with the London Transport Museum (LTM) and Siemens, also ran one of its Inspire Engineering sessions at LTM’s Acton depot for INWED. Students were given the chance to see behind the scenes at Acton, meet TfL STEM ambassadors and attempt practical engineering challenges.

More than 3,900 students have taken part in the events since 2011. In 2017/2018, 55 per cent of attendees were girls.

Inspire Engineering is part of TfL and LTM’s ‘Enjoyment to Employment’ programme.

The initiative is supported by a number of TfL’s biggest suppliers, including Siemens, Bombardier, Costain, Hitachi Rail Europe, Mastercard and telent Technology Services. © TfL

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Network Rail told to boost renewals budget

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has submitted its initial recommendations for Network Rail’s multi-billion investment plan for CP6.

Among the points raised by the ORR was that Network Rail should add around £1 billion to its renewals budget, funded by efficiencies and other savings.

Publishing its strategic business plan in February, Network Rail set out a £47 billion plan for CP6, including £18.5 billion for operations and maintenance, £18.5 billion on renewals and £10.1 billion on enhancements.

The ORR also feels that an additional £80 million should be invested in safety, including level crossings and worker safety initiatives; £10 million should be used to create an innovation fund; and £0.9 billion held centrally as contingency should be distributed to the routes.

ORR has also urged Network Rail to look at its funding profile for CP6 to ensure spending is more evenly distributed across the control period - a measure which will be welcomed by suppliers.

One of the most significant changes taking place in CP6, is the devolution of responsibilities to eight geographical routes.

Each route will have its own budgets and performance targets.

On the Wessex, South East and Anglia routes, the ORR has recommended Network Rail review its performance measures to “ensure they are robust and set consistently with other routes”.

Finally, the ORR would like Network Rail to strengthen the monitoring and financial controls of the new Rail System Operator the new Network Rail function in charge of timetabling.

Joanna Whittington, chief executive of ORR, said: “The entire rail industry, including passengers, freight customers and train operators, relies on Network Rail to deliver a high-quality service.

“ORR’s initial assessment of Network Rail’s five year plans shows that the transition from a centrally run company to one structured round eight geographic routes has improved the quality of the plans but we want to see £1 billion more spent on renewing the railway to improve reliability and boost safety.

“ORR will be monitoring and enforcing delivery by each of the routes, so that passengers and freight customers will be able to rely on the railway for the essential service it provides.”

The ORR’s draft determination also includes changes which would have a big impact on freight and open access operators.

Continues on page 8...

New name for Rail Forum Rail Forum East Midlands, the association representing rail businesses across the East Midlands, is changing its name to encompass the entire Midlands region.

The organisation, which has more than 160 members, will now be known as Rail Forum Midlands to better align with other Midlands-based initiatives, including Midlands Engine and Midlands Connect.

Originally called the Derby and Derbyshire Rail Forum (DDRF), Rail Forum Midlands has represented regional rail businesses since its creation in Derby.

Elaine Clark, Rail Forum general manager, said: “A growing number of our members and regional stakeholders have asked us to work with rail businesses in both the West and East Midlands so that our collective voice can be better heard in Whitehall and Westminster. “We already have members drawn from across the entire Midlands region and adjacent cities and today’s subtle rebrand will allow us to offer Rail Forum events and services in locations outside of our traditional East Midlands geography. More importantly it will allow us to partner with educational and industrial partners across the Midlands, which is one of the fastest growing parts of the UK economy.” Paul Francis, chair of the Rail Forum, said: “Over the last three years or so we have transformed the Rail Forum into a highly respected business focussed organisation with a set of clear priorities aimed at helping our members’ businesses to succeed. Our newly strengthened Board will ensure that we build on that work.”

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Continued from page 7...

Although the variable access charges increases for freight and charter operators are to be capped, operators carrying biomass for energy production will be subject to charges in CP6 and some new open access operators will have to pay charges related to network costs.

Mark Carne, Network Rail chief executive, said there were still “areas of concern” that would need to be discussed with the ORR before the final determination is published later this year.

He said: “We welcome the regulator’s general support for our plans for Britain’s railways, delivering a more reliable service that passengers can rely on.

“It has accepted the majority of our plans, strongly supporting the changes we have been making including our focus on bringing track and train closer together, supporting devolution, the creation of the System Operator and incorporating customer focused scorecards into its monitoring during CP6.

“We will consider the detail carefully over the coming months as there are still some areas of concern that we will need to work with ORR on before it publishes its final determination in October.”

GWR in Dambusters tribute One of Great Western Railway’s new intercity trains has been named in honour of two World War Two veterans to mark 100 years of the RAF and 75 years since the Dambusters raid.

Great Western Railway (GWR) has marked both anniversaries with a special naming of a new Intercity Express Train.

Johnny Johnson MBE, who is the last British survivor of the Dambusters raid, attended the naming ceremony at Bristol Temple Meads station last month.

Johnny was the bomb aimer in the second wave of Lancasters that attacked the Sorpe Dam with the famous bouncing bombs.

The train also bears the name of the late Joy Lofthouse, who flew for the Air Transport Auxilliary (ATA). She was one of 168 ’Spitfire Girls’ who flew planes to the frontline airfields of England.

Johnny Johnson said: “To know what we did all those years ago is still recognised in this way is a great tribute to my comrades.

We were a group of young men with a difficult job to do.”

Lyn Hartman, Joy’s daughter, said: “I think my mother would have been thrilled to know a train is being named after her. She loved her time flying and it’s great to see her work during the war is still recognised so widely today.”

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NCHSR pens partnership with Alstom's rail academy The National College for High-Speed Rail (NCHSR) has established a partnership with Alstom’s Academy for Rail in Widnes.

The agreement will see NCHSR take a lead on training at the facility, which opened in June last year.

Alstom and its affiliates will continue to own and manage the academy, providing a current and future supply of apprentices for training through the new partnership.

Initially it will continue to support the 18 Alstom apprentices who are currently working on site and prepare for a new programme to upskill up to 13 current Level 3 apprentices to Level 4 from the autumn.

Existing apprentices will continue to work for Alstom but the academy staff will be transferred to NCHSR and remain at Widnes.

Plans to train up to 500 apprentices at the Rail Academy

in the next five years remain unchanged.

The agreement gives NCHSR access to a supply of apprentices from Alstom and its supply chain, as well as dedicated training facilities and equipment in the North West of England.

NCHSR commercial director Martin Owen said that it also marks the first phase of the “hub and spoke” model that was outlined in the college’s original plans.

He added: “It means our unique training offer can now be brought to the North West of England, positioning our services as a training delivery partner across three regions that will be critical to the success of HS2.

“The partnership also broadens our offer across the North, ensuring the college is well placed to develop the skills that will be needed in the workforce for other major rail infrastructure projects in the North, such as plans to improve east-west connectivity through Northern Powerhouse Rail.”

Britain’s Largest Specialist Transport Union

S O A H C

“The chaos of recent weeks reinforces the need for adequate numbers of staff, including guards on the trains, to deal with the ‘pressure cooker’ conditions on our railways that are now becoming a matter of routine.”

Mick Cash, RMT General Secretary

d e s i t a v i r p s ’ n i a t i r . . . on B s y a w l i ra

NATIONALISE NOW! Protecting our members’ interests is our priority

Join us today www.rmt.org.uk

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Harrison to Aspin Scott Harrison has become the new group development director at Aspin Group.

Scott, who will be based in Hemel Hempstead, joins from SPX Flow where he held the position of commercial director, Hydraulic Technologies EMEA and Global Rail Systems.

Prior to his three-year stint with SPX Flow, Scott spent 12 years with Network Rail and six years at Torrent Trackside, which he joined from Amey Seco in 1998.

He holds a degree in business administration from Leicester University.

As the original developers of the micro-piling system, Aspin Group is known for providing innovative cross-industry solutions, and works closely with Network Rail to deliver a range of services, from ground investigation and track bed stabilisation, to design

The ORR has appointed a panel of industry experts to advise its inquiry into the industry’s issues in implementing the May timetable change.

and build of signal gantries.

“I am delighted to join a company that leads with safety, innovation and a superb maintenance record, and these ‘core principles’ were major factors in my decision to join this professional delivery team”, said Scott.

“As the original creators of specialist piling for railway operations, the innovation at Aspin hasn’t slowed and I look forward to ‘breaking new ground’ with the team.”

ScotRail appoints first female engineering director Syeda Ghufran has become ScotRail’s first female engineering director - just eight years after first joining the train company.

She joined the business as an engineering management trainee in 2013 and was most recently head of engineering depots, delivering many engineering projects, including: train reliability modifications, fleet refurbishments, wi-fi rollout, and the installation of driver advisory systems.

She replaced Angus Thom who became ScotRail chief operating officer earlier this year.

Her predecessor said: “Syeda has a strong history of delivering for ScotRail and its customers, and has some great ideas on how to make even more of a difference to our customers’ lives.

“I am delighted to welcome her to the executive team. I hope her appointment will encourage

Panel announced for timetabling inquiry

more young women and girls to consider a career in engineering with ScotRail.”

Syeda Ghufran said she wants to change perceptions and encourage more young women to consider engineering as a viable and rewarding career.

ScotRail added that it is committed to equality and encouraging more women to join the railway through graduate, apprenticeship, and internship programmes. Its recent intake of engineering apprentices was 50 per cent female.

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Dame Deirdre Hutton (pictured), Mike Brown MVO, Anne Heal and Michael Beswick will all take part in the inquiry, which will be led by ORR chair professor Stephen Glaister.

The inquiry will collect evidence from a variety of organisations and will also look into the ORR’s own role as regulator.

Professor Glaister said: “I am pleased that four people possessing such a wide range of experience and expertise have agreed to join the panel supporting this important Inquiry.

“The inquiry itself will proceed

quickly, but also thoroughly and impartially, to determine exactly what happened in relation to the May 2018 issues and will develop a set of recommendations to avoid a repetition of such disruption.”

Initial findings are expected to be published in September and the final report is due at the end of the year.

Crossrail on the board Crossrail has announced the appointment of three new members to its board to support the project’s transition to the Elizabeth line.

Non-executive directors Pam Alexander OBE, Michael Cassidy CBE and Terry Hill CBE have stepped down, although Michael Cassidy will continue to advise the board on issues relating to the City of London and the Crossrail art programme.

Crossrail technical director Chris Sexton (pictured), Andy Pitt - a Department for Transport nominated non-executive director - and Transport for London (TfL) board members Anne McMeel and Dr Nelson Ogunshakin OBE - both as TfL nominated nonexecutive directors - have been appointed to the board in their place.

Crossrail chair Sir Terry Morgan said: “These governance arrangements support the transition of the railway to Transport for London and the opening of the Elizabeth line. I would like to thank Pam

Alexander, Michael Cassidy and Terry Hill for their dedicated service and contribution to the Crossrail project over many years.

“Construction of the Elizabeth line is now in its final stages.

Testing of new trains and infrastructure is underway and continues alongside the remaining fit-out of the stations.

Later this year, the first completed infrastructure will be handed over to Transport for London, who will lead the trial operations phase.

The Crossrail Board will oversee the remaining programme through to 2019 when the project concludes.”

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GTR appoints New head of ASPRO replacement CEO Network Rail has appointed Mona Sihota to head its asset protection and optimisation (ASPRO) teams as it seeks to reform the way ASPRO works.

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has moved quickly to replace outgoing chief executive Charles Horton, who resigned last month amid ongoing challenges to introduce the May timetable change.

His replacement is former London Midland managing director Patrick Verwer, who was set to become GTR’s new chief operating officer in September, replacing Nick Brown.

The appointment of the new CEO was made by GTR’s parent company, the Go-Ahead Group, in June.

Go-Ahead CEO David Brown said: “I have full confidence in Patrick’s ability and determination to lead GTR and its team through the current difficulties and to deliver the long-term benefits of the new timetable.

“Patrick brings with him a long history of collaborating with industry partners such as Network Rail and the Department for Transport to deliver for customers.”

Patrick Verwer will take over as CEO in July. He added: “I look forward to working with my new colleagues to deliver on the transformation that is already underway at GTR. My focus will be on ensuring we meet the needs of our customers each and every day.”

Verwer was the managing director of now-defunct operator London Midland between January 2012 and December 2017.

Prior to that he held various positions in the European transport industry, including a spell as the managing director of Merseyrail from 2003-2007.

Hull trains goes digital Hull Trains has appointed a new head of digital to spearhead innovation and enhance its customer experience.

Khalid Amin, who has more than 15 years’ of experience in e-commerce and digital marketing with travel companies such as SuperBreak and British Airways, will lead on digital enhancements for the open access operator.

A growth in e-ticket usage has seen more customers using the Hull Trains app, and Khalid said the first change he is planning is to further improve the app.

He added: “Digital tools and apps are an important part of our customers’ experience. We’re looking at how customers use the website and the app and

utilising the feedback they give us to improve them.

“We continue to encourage anyone using Hull Trains to come forward with feedback on our digital services – we want to continue to be an innovative leader in the rail industry that provides the best levels of customer service – and the digital component is a vital part of that.”

Network Rail’s ASPRO teams make sure any work on or near the railway is done safely and to the right standards. However, these standards and practices can sometimes mean it is difficult for third parties to deliver railway projects.

A national ASPRO framework has been produced which will support a consistent approach for third parties working with Network Rail.

All ASPRO teams at Network Rail have been requested to be compliant with the newly created framework by September 2018.

Network Rail said a new national professional head of ASPRO had been appointed to raise the professional competency, assurance and drive consistency within its route ASPRO teams.

Mona brings nearly 30 years of railway experience spanning design, construction and asset management.

Additionally, Network Rail has created roles for a head of ASPRO in each of its eight geographic routes, who will work with project sponsors on thirdparty requirements.

Mona Sihota, Network Rail’s new national professional

head of ASPRO said: “The path to changing the culture and behaviours of a large organisation such as Network Rail will take time, however we are committed to becoming open for business and the journey has begun. We’ve published our high-level national framework and have begun drafting the processes and procedures to support the variety of external party projects we will engage with. In addition, we’ve produced our national policy around ASPRO so that we maintain line of sight to our national ASPRO objectives.

“Supporting these documents, we will revamp our ASPRO website and build in the systems and tools to monitor and measure our internal performance indicators. I look forward to the opportunities ahead and I will be open and transparent with our journey. Network Rail ASPRO will continue to listen to the industry via regular meetings so that we can share our progress and learn where we can improve.”

Sella Controls appoints rail engineering director Roger Watson has joined Sella Controls as engineering director of its rail systems business.

The appointment follows significant growth within the company’s rail business. Sella Controls is a key supplier of safety critical systems to the process, nuclear and rail industries.

Roger, who has worked within

the rail industry for more than 30 years, said: “Sella Controls has an enviable record for the supply of functional safety and control systems and our experience and services are helping our clients through all phases of projects.

“My new role will allow me to expand these services and ensure that functional safety and control systems continue to be a key driver for the rail business in the future.”

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PEAK TO PEAK MORE THAN 160 RAILWAY MOUNTAINEERS TOOK ON THIS YEAR’S THREE PEAKS BY RAIL CHALLENGE

A

team from Stadler Rail completed the Three Peaks Challenge by Rail in record time as the annual charity challenge raised £188,826 for Railway Children.

Now in its 15th year, the 2018 Three Peaks Challenge by Rail saw 163 industry colleagues scale the three highest peaks in England, Wales and Scotland in just over 36 hours.

Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis have a combined height of more than three kilometres.

The charter train carrying the climbers between the peaks, which was run by Riviera Trains and DRS, set off from Crewe on Thursday 14 June.

This year’s event was sponsored by Stadler Rail, which had six teams taking part. Its record-breaking team completed all three peaks in 10 hours, 56 minutes and 15 seconds - just 12 seconds quicker than the previous record.

As well as clocking the fastest ever time, Stadler also won the Team Spirit award and the Good Samaritan award for stopping to help a member of the public who was experiencing difficulty.

£3 MILLION Each team was set the target of raising £3,500 for Railway Children projects around the world. Since the event was launched in 2004, it has raised almost £3 million for the charity. The money has helped provide shelter, food, clothing, medical supplies and education to vulnerable children in the UK, India and Africa.

A team from the Department for Transport won the Stadler Three Peaks trophy for raising the most for a single team, contributing £6,700 to the overall total.

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Katie Mason, Railway Children’s events manager, said: “The Three Peaks by Rail is one of our biggest and most challenging events of the year, with participants pushed to the limits of their endurance, especially when they had to battle their way through snow to reach the summit of Ben Nevis. It is also the event where we see the rail industry at its best, all working together to raise funds for some of the most vulnerable children in society.

“We had a fantastic group of volunteers on the train, many of

whom help us out year after year and deserve much of the credit for its success. A special thanks goes to our headline sponsor Stadler Rail for their incredible support and also to Alex Hynes, managing director at ScotRail Alliance, who joined us at Ben Nevis to welcome in the teams and help present the medals.”

EXTREMELY WORTHY CAUSE Ralf Warwel, sales director for Stadler Rail, added: “Stadler was delighted to act as headline sponsor for this extremely worthwhile charitable initiative.

Money raised will genuinely improve the lot of children around the world who, through no fault of their own, are very disadvantaged in life.

“The experience itself of climbing three iconic mountains with industry colleagues from within and outside Stadler was challenging, exhilarating and moving in equal measure.

“We would like to thank everyone who helped us generate funds for this extremely worthy cause.”

To enter a team in next year’s Three Peaks Challenge, please call Katie on 01270 757 596 or email katie.mason@ railwaychildren.org.uk

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WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO? In India, where a child arrives alone on a railway platform every five minutes, Railway Children runs outreach projects and operates shelters. The charity gives these children somewhere safe to go and transforms the chaotic and dangerous stations into child friendly places. This amount could pay for the running of six of our shelters, offering a safe place to stay, food, clothes, healthcare, education and counselling for a whole year – giving safety and protection to 5,256 children with no-one else to care for them.

In East Africa, millions of children end up fighting for survival on the hostile streets due to poverty, abuse and neglect. Railway Children reaches these children and makes sure they are safe before working with their families and communities to get to the cause of the problem.

The charity supports people to start businesses so they can provide for their families, teaches them to grow their own food and educates and empowers whole communities to keep children safer. These funds could pay for the uniform, books and shoes necessary to allow 6,995 children to go to school and study for a better future.

In the UK, Railway Children works with British Transport Police who respond to thousands of reports of vulnerable children spotted on the transport network every month – children at risk of trafficking, exploitation, grooming, abuse or self-harm. The charity takes these referrals and follow up with the young people, helping them with one-to-one support to find out what has led to them putting themselves in danger. Then Railway Children keeps working with them, their families and their schools until it knows it is not going to happen again. This money could fund an hour’s intensive counselling support for 9,443 children.

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RAILSTAFF JULY 2018

Digital railway comes to Derby

Balfour Beatty has opened a Rail Innovation Centre at its site in Derby which will drive the development of its intelligent asset management technology.

Around 150 members of staff will be employed at the Derby centre and its supporting offices in York and Matlock.

The facility, which was only completed a month ago, provides Balfour Beatty with a dedicated research and testing facility for its innovative data capture and analysis tools.

Systems engineering and computer science experts will further develop a number of solutions which are already being used to aid design and monitor the condition of the railway so that failures can be predicted and addressed.

“I’m really proud to say that Balfour Beatty is at the forefront of developing some of that emerging technology,” said chief executive for rail and utilities at Balfour Beatty, Mark Bullock at the official opening.

Fundamentally, this technology aims to improve the reliability of the infrastructure and reduce the need for physical interventions on track, which will in turn improve safety and cut costs.

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“I think there’s a really neat fit between what we do here and some of the really key themes for the rail sector,” said Mark.

Emerging technology

Balfour Beatty held a formal opening ceremony on 28 June, during which it presented some of this emerging technology.

The company, which has been part of the rail supply chain since it was founded more than 100 years ago, has developed train-mounted lasers that are able to continuously monitor track geometry and overhead line position.

The equipment has already been installed on several trains for the Elizabeth line Aventra fleet and Hitachi-built Intercity Express Trains.

Balfour Beatty is also working with London Underground and the Tyne and Wear Metro to map their networks using lasers and highdefinition cameras fitted to the front cabs of passenger trains.

The centre also has a test rig with a robotic arm which can replicate the movement of the rail.

Two graduates presented the solutions that have been developed to monitor the condition of points machines and level

crossings. The level crossing sensors are currently being used on 25 crossings on the east coast. The data they collect can be used to predict and prevent serious failures and, if they are successful, they could reduce the requirement for regular manual inspections.

Is the creation of the Rail Innovation Centre a statement of intent to the industry about Balfour Beatty’s future?

“It is and it isn’t,” said Mark, who explained that the company has been investing in this technology for some time. “The statement of intent has kind of been there for a long time.“ The innovation centre will initially employ four graduates, five apprentices and three trainees. Balfour Beatty chief executive Leo Quinn is the founder of The 5% Club, whose members aim to employ 5 per cent of their workforce in ‘earn and learn’ roles. Mark said he saw the recruitment of graduates and apprentices as a moral obligation but one that has obvious commercial benefits.

Change in direction

As CP6 approaches, Mark said he has mixed views about the future. He welcomes the level of investment but has concerns about the lack of visibility of the enhancement pipeline.

As well as investing in high-tech data capture and application solutions, Mark believes the next control period could result in a change in direction for Balfour Beatty in the scale and type of work it delivers. It may be that Balfour Beatty delivers a larger number of small projects and fewer large, multi-disciplinary schemes.

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RAILSTAFF JULY 2018

Newcomers Ricardo Rail took first place at the IMechE’s 2018 Railway Challenge.

The winners beat competitors from the UK’s top universities – as well as an entry from FH Aachen and Reuschling University in Germany – Bombardier Transportation, Siemens and Transport for London.

Last year’s winners, SNCLavalin Rail and Transit, were driven into second place despite their five individual awards.

The annual competition was once more held at the Stapleford Miniature Railway, Leicestershire, by the IMechE from 28 June – 1 July 2018.

Teams of graduate students and apprentice engineers were required to hand-build, design and run a miniature 10 1/4” gauge railway locomotive.

These locomotives were then tested in a series of track-based and presentation challenges, including: a design report and business presentation, as well as track-based challenges on the locomotive’s traction, ride comfort, noise, maintainability and ability to store energy.

The judges said they were impressed by the wide range of solutions for traction and braking systems and suspension designs. The locomotives also featured fuel cells, internal combustion, batteries, supercapacitors, and mechanical energy storage.

Head judge Bill Reeve, who is also the rail director at Transport Scotland and a fellow of the IMechE, said: “This year’s Railway Challenge was the toughest competition yet.

“For Ricardo to win in the first year it has competed is an

Ricardo Rail the victors at IMechE's Railway Challenge

outstanding achievement.

“Good team work and project management, with sound system engineering and testing delivered impressive and reliable performance.”

Ricardo Rail graduate engineer and project manager Benjamin Morley added: “We had a team that worked really well together and benefited from cross-industry expertise by having railway and automotive team members.

“The general design wasn’t over complicated, though we did concentrate our efforts on the energy recovery.”

Overall results:

• • • • • • • • • •

1. Grand Champion – Ricardo Rail 2. SNC-Lavalin Rail and Transit 3. University of Birmingham 4. FH Aachen and Reuschling University, Germany 5. Transport for London 6. University of Sheffield 7. University of Warwick 8. University of Huddersfield 9. Bombardier Transportation and University of Derby 10. Siemens and University of Southampton.

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Maghull North on the map Merseyrail has opened a brand new station in Merseyside to serve the growing community in Maghull.

Maghull North station has been built off School Lane between Maghull and Town Green stations on the Ormskirk branch of Merseyrail’s Northern Line.

It is Merseyrail’s 68th station and the first new station to be built for 20 years - the last being Conway Park on the Wirral line and Brunswick on the Northern line, which were both built in 1998.

Maghull North is a staffed station with step-free access to both platforms. It has a 156-space car park, with passive provision for electric vehicle charging points.

The £13 million project is being funded through the Government’s Local Growth Fund (LGF), Merseytravel and the Homes and Communities Association, which owned the land. The new station has been built to serve the growing population in Maghull as a result of housing projects in the area.

Around £340 million is being invested in rail upgrades across the Liverpool City Region over the next three years. The next project due to be completed is the Newton-Le-Willows Interchange station upgrade.

Andy Heath, who is managing

director at Merseyrail, said: “Maghull North is a welcome new addition to the Merseyrail network, providing improved access to local rail services for the residents of Maghull.

“I am really pleased to see the station officially open today, following a successful week in operation since the first train arrived on Monday.”

Martin Frobisher, Network Rail’s London North Western route managing director, added: “The brand-new Maghull North station is the latest milestone in the Great North Rail Project, a rail industry team effort to transform train travel for customers across the North by 2020 through track and train upgrades.

“Improved rail links like this are creating new opportunities for people across the North by improving speed, reliability and frequency of rail access to major economic centres like Liverpool.”

Archaeologists have been able to determine the age of a footpath which was uncovered in Birmingham’s Victoria Square during works to extend the Midland Metro tram network.

Newspaper reports described the discovery of a cobbled Roman road beneath the streets of Britain’s second city but archeologists have now been able to confirm that it is actually somewhat newer than that.

Experts believe the footpath is likely to date back to the 18th or 19th century and could have been part of an extension of Pinfold Street.

Members of the public were able to go and view the footpath before it was excavated at the end of June.

Laurence Hayes, archaeologist for RSK, said: “This is a very interesting find in the heart of the city centre. The artefacts we have recovered from the surface of the path and beneath it include porcelain, clay pipe and building materials which date to the postmedieval period.

“The road is probably part of the city’s expansion in the mid18th century, and went out of use in the Victorian period. We will be carrying out further work in the coming months to examine historical maps and the artefacts we have removed from the site in order to build up the full picture.”

Natalie Cropp, sustainability manager for the Midland Metro Alliance, said: “Working with archaeologists, we’ve been able to capture complete records of this piece of Birmingham’s history that we have uncovered, including surveys, physical pieces, photographs and video.

“The Midland Metro Alliance works closely with the local

RAILSTAFF JULY 2018

NEWS

17

Midland Metro discovery

community and these pieces will make a great case study and educational piece for schoolchildren which highlights the hidden histories which are all around us beneath our city streets.”

The Midland Metro Alliance is currently delivering an extension of the tram network from New Street station to Centenary Square, which is due to open in 2019. The next phase will take the line to Edgbaston in time for the Commonwealth Games in 2022.

Five new tram stops are being built at Victoria Square, Centenary Square, Brindley Place, Five Ways and Hagley Road.

Steve Grimes, the Midland Metro Alliance’s project director for the Birmingham Westside Extension, said: “There is always potential for items of historical importance to be uncovered during construction, and the discovery of the footpath provides a fascinating look at Birmingham in days-gone-by.”

Big Rail Diversity Challenge Rail industry teams gathered at Peterborough Arena last month for the Big Rail Diversity Challenge to press the importance of diversity and inclusivity across the sector.

Fifty-six teams made up of 570 delegates took part in activities throughout the day which included blindfolded face painting, an inflatable obstacle course and archery.

It is the third time the event, which is organised by Nimble Media for Women in Rail, has been run.

Adeline Ginn, founder of Women in Rail, said: “The Big Rail Diversity Challenge is an important step in the rail industry agenda. It openly tackles rail’s outdated image, demonstrates that the industry engages

both men and women in equal measure and shows our sector’s commitment to improving gender balance, diversity and inclusion in order to create a more attractive, productive and successful workforce.”

New for this year was a tuck shop and raffle, which raised £720 for the Women in Rail charity.

Malcolm Brown, the chief executive of Angel Trains and trustee of the Women in Rail charity opened this year’s event.

Malcolm said: “What a truly inspirational event the Big Rail Diversity Challenge is, to see so many colleagues from the industry there, working together, enjoying themselves. I would encourage all organisations and individuals to get involved in this and other Women in Rail events.”

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RAILSTAFF JULY 2018

Cancelled electrification projects should be revived and future schemes considered, according to MP Lillian Greenwood, chair of the Transport Select Committee.

The committee has published a new report into rail infrastructure investment which calls on the Government to re-evaluate its electrification strategy and move to address a perceived imbalance in funding between the north and south of the country.

The report said the Government and Network Rail should recategorise the three cancelled electrification schemes - Midland Main Line, Great Western west of Cardiff and the Lakes Line - as pending and add them to the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP) - the new framework for governmentfunded enhancement schemes.

“Generally the idea of the Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline was welcomed but obviously there’s some work the department and Network Rail need to do to restore their damaged reputation.”

Rolling programme

Speaking to RailStaff, Greenwood said all the evidence suggests that electrification is still the best solution for some routes and that, while the committee supports the development of emerging traction technology, the case for bi-modes and alternative fuel trains had - at times - been overstated, with issues such as noise, environmental impact, reliability and maintenance costs not fully acknowledged.

“Certainly there’s a need to look at how electrification can be done more cost effectively,” said Lillian Greenwood, who became chair of the Transport Select Committee in 2017. She added: “We feel that there should be a rolling programme of electrification.”

The Rail Infrastructure Investment report covers a wide variety topics, including some of the looming challenges for CP6.

“We thought that the Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline needed to be more transparent… There needed to be greater clarity about what projects were available,” said Greenwood.

Plan B

The report reflects on the need to remove the peaks and troughs from railway control periods to allow the supply chain to better invest in skills and new technology. “Without confidence those things will be inhibited,” said Greenwood.

The document also questions whether there is a ‘Plan B’ should third-party investment not materialise.

Greenwood said: “They’re hoping that the private sector will fill the gap. I think they need to look at what funding is available and what funding can be made available.”

She added: “I think the jury is very much out on whether the market-led proposals will be successful.”

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MPs look to give electrification a jolt One of the main themes of the report was how the Department for Transport (DfT) can ensure it is even handed in rail spending across the regions. Greenwood pointed to the publication of a Rebalancing Toolkit in December last year. While the toolkit appears to acknowledge there’s an issue, the report suggests that it should be made mandatory and reviewed regularly if it is to make any substantial difference.

In the formal announcement for the report’s publication, Greenwood said: “The Secretary of State’s cancellation of three rail electrification schemes in the Midlands, south Wales and Lake District only to be followed four days later by the announcement in principle to fund Crossrail 2 in London unsurprisingly re-ignited the debate about disparities in rail infrastructure investment between London and other regions.

“The Treasury’s own data shows that spending per head in London in 2016/17 was more than 10 times that of the East Midlands.

Regional economies will never be able to catch up with London while such inequalities exist. While we accept that annual snapshots of comparative regional investment can be problematic, and that investment in one area can lead to benefits in another, some regions have faced decades of under-investment in

their parts of the rail network.

“They deserve to have a clear sense of what the Government is doing to help them attract transport investment and grow economically. The Northern Powerhouse and Midlands Engine will struggle to live up to their names without tangible change.”

Some praise

While some positives came from the drafting of the report - some praise was directed at Network Rail’s devolution strategy - it comes at a time when the railway is facing severe criticism for its handling of the May timetable change and the handover of the east coast route to LNER. “I think it’s welcome that there’s investment coming forward and it’s right that there’s a focus on renewals,” said Greenwood, who reflected on some of the industry’s recent issues. “I think whilst rail has never been more popular, there’s quite a lot of challenges still to be addressed.”

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FEATURE

RAILSTAFF JULY 2018

BTP EXCELLENC

FEATS OF PROFESSIONALISM, COMPASSION AND BRAVERY W HONOURED AT THE FORCE’S ‘MAKE A DIFFERENCE’ AWARDS

W

estminster, the Manchester Arena, Finsbury Park, London Bridge, Parsons Green and Grenfell Tower. 2017 was an exceptionally difficult year for the country. Nevertheless, following each incident there was an equal and opposite response from the emergency services. In London on 26 June, this and much more was reflected in the nominations for the British Transport Police’s (BTP) Make a Difference Awards.

Chief constable Paul Crowther said the awards celebrated BTP’s “very best”. He also touched on the “unprecedented” events of last year before handing out 12 top honours.

He added: “We’ve already held some specific events in recognition of our officers and staff over these atrocities. In December, we held a tri-service commendation ceremony at the Guild Hall in London with the Metropolitan and City of London police forces to recognise those that responded to the London Bridge attack. And in January, we held a commendation ceremony at Manchester Town Hall for those who responded to the attack on the Manchester Arena.

“I’ve personally met many of the officers and colleagues who were involved in them and was humbled to hear accounts of what they had done.”

Police officer of the year PC Redpath.

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© BTP

POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR

With its rigorous selection process, getting into the BTP’s firearms squad is no mean feat.

So when you discover that PC Ian Redpath is not only a part of the unit, patrolling stations on a day-to-day basis, but is also a disaster victim identification (DVI) officer, it will come as no surprise to hear he was one of four shortlisted candidates for the force’s top award.

Described as an inspiration by his sergeant, PC Redpath’s expert knowledge and experience was called upon in the aftermath of the Croydon tram crash, the Manchester Arena bombing as well as the Grenfell Tower Fire.

For putting his life on the line and attending the scenes of some of the country’s worst tragedies, PC Redpath was named Police Officer of the Year for having gone “far beyond what would reasonably be expected of him”.

PC Redpath, who celebrates 28 years with BTP later this year, said: “I’m quite fortunate in the fact I have a senior management team who know about the complexities of the work, and the team that I work with in the firearms department are all extremely supportive.

I think unless you’ve got that, it’s not possible to do it, when you’re released for these [DVI] duties, they’re taking up the slack that you leave behind.”

He added that the trophy will be stored in the safest place he knows of - on the boss’ desk at the police station.

© BTP

IN MEMORY OF PC WINTER From one of the force’s most experienced officers to one of its newest, PC Ryan Arnold was presented with the Keith Winter Cup for Police Probationer of the Year. The Keith Winter Cup was given to BTP in 1970

by Leonard and Mary Winter in memory of their son PC Keith Winter, who died whilst on duty following a propane gas explosion at Billingsgate Crossing, Hull.

There were numerous examples that made PC Arnold stand out. For instance, he showed outstanding professionalism and compassion taking a fatality statement from a young girl who was the last person to see her father alive. PC Arnold is also one of only a few officers who have successfully completed a response driving course while still in their two-year probationary period.

RAILSTAFF JULY 2018

FEATURE

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NCE

WERE

Chief Constable Paul Crowther, with Police Probationer of the Year PC Ryan Arnold.

MAKE THE DIFFERENCE AWARDS WINNERS © BTP

CHAPLAINS

It wasn’t just BTP staff who were recognised.

Chaplains from the Railway Mission were given the Community Volunteer award for the ongoing care and support they provide to staff and passengers, particularly in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks at Manchester Arena and London Bridge. In the hours after these atrocities, Railway Chaplains made their way to the scenes to provide support to the injured, members of the public and the emergency services.

Executive director Liam Johnston said: “Because of the nature of our work it is difficult to raise our profile without breaking the

confidential relationship we have with the ‘railway family’.

This award is a recognition of the team and the work we do across the UK.”

REALISATION There were many deserving winners across the categories and judges undoubtedly had an unenviable job deciding which acts of professionalism, courage, compassion, commitment and leadership were more deserving than others.

2017 will be remembered as a year of great tragedy but, as celebrity host Anneka Rice stated during the ceremony, it was also a year that brought into sharp focus just how much we rely on the police force.

• Working Together for a Safer Railway - Inspector Brian McAleese and the Dalmuir Team - Tackling antisocial behaviour in Helensburgh, Scotland.

• Investigation of the Year - DC Chris Bolton and Witness & Case Officer Gary Rose - Successful conviction following the sexual assault of a 17-year-old female.

• Police Probationer of the Year Keith Winter Cup - PC Ryan Arnold - Undoubted enthusiasm, dedication and professionalism.

• Community Volunteer - The Railway Chaplains - Continuous voluntary support and care to railway staff and passengers.

• PCSO of the Year - PCSO Laura Herson - Her actions during a number of serious incidents, including helping a distressed pregnant victim of domestic violence.

• Building a Better BTP - Pioneering the incident response stretcher - Developing equipment to improve the process of recovering bodies from the railway.

• Police Staff of the Year - Byron Chamberlain -Inspirational leadership to staff in the scientific support, DVI, major investigations and major and serious organised crime units.

• Special Constable of the Year - Special Police Sergeant Reiss Badham - 16 arrests and responses to five railway fatalities across 1,300 hours volunteering in 2017.

• Outstanding Teamwork - Career Development and Talent Management Team - Developing a promotions process that was recognised as best in class by the College of Policing.

• Police Officer of the Year - PC Ian Redpath - Work across BTP’s firearms and DVI units.

• Inspirational Leadership - Temporary Chief Inspector John Loveless - Organising Operation Engulf at Stratford station. This resulted in 39 arrests and more than a dozen offensive weapons being seized.

• Industry Recognition Award - Inspector Jayne Lewis - Repairing a fractious relationship between the force and Merseyrail following a high-profile court case brought against a member of the operator’s staff.

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FEATURE

RAILSTAFF JULY 2018

REPORT BY STEWART THORPE

REMEMBERING AS THE UK PREPARES FOR THE 13TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LONDON BOMBINGS, TWO FORMER POLICE OFFICERS RECALL WHAT IT WAS LIKE ON THAT HORRIFIC DAY

“A

re you all right dad?”.

British Transport Police (BTP) dog handler Steve Gould didn’t know it, but a phone call on 7 July, 2005, was about to set in motion a series of events that would lead him to the worst experience of his career.

A member of the force’s explosive search dog unit, Steve had finished a night shift searching Windsor & Eton Riverside railway station ahead of a visit from the Royal Train. After arriving home in Essex in the early hours of the morning, he headed for some much-needed rest but was interrupted when his son rang to ask if he was okay following reports of an explosion on the London Underground.

Although initially described as a power surge, the reality was far worse. At around 08:50 three bombs were detonated on the Tube, with a later explosion taking place onboard a bus. Steve rang the office and, with his dog Buddy, was called into the unfolding chaos.

BOMB SEARCH

“I went straight to King’s Cross with my blue lights and two-tones on,” said Steve, who retired in 2010. “I had to do a search of the outside area because they thought there might be a helicopter landing and they were looking for secondary devices.”

Steve was then directed to search one of the blast sites, a train situated in a tunnel between King’s Cross and Russell Square stations on the Piccadilly line. Although the explosive device had already been detonated, the train had to be checked for secondary devices - a bomb intended to target emergency responders and gathered bystanders to allow colleagues to proceed.

Putting on his bomb suit and heading into the Underground from King’s Cross, Steve and Buddy were joined by colleague Paul Deboick and his dog Leo. As luck would have it, Paul had been on a training day at the Heathrow Express maintenance depot, West London, when he was called to Euston Road. Before heading down to the train, Paul had already conducted a search of five London buses that were commandeered to get the shocked and those with minor injuries away from the scene.

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7/7 © iStockphoto.com

Walking along the Tube platforms, Steve described the “surreal” scene that greeted them as areas that were usually bursting with passengers were largely empty aside from the occasional walking wounded and paramedics working on the injured, some of which were using benches as makeshift hospital beds. With a small search team comprised of staff from the BTP, Metropolitan Police and the London Ambulance service walking a few metres behind, Steve, Paul and their dogs entered the tunnel.

“All of the power was turned off,” said Steve. “Everything was in pretty much darkness with only the emergency lighting at the sides of the tunnel. Me and Paul worked our way to about half way down to the train and said that I’d go to the front end and he’d go to the back end of the train.

“Climbing on board was difficult because, you know, there is no platform to use, so I had to wedge the door open, lift the dog onto the train and then clamber up after him wearing the bomb suit. Again, everything was in darkness. We had torches and started working our way towards the front of the train. It was at the front where the bomb went off. It was just devastation all the way through.”

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FEATURE

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7 PC Steve Gould pictured with PD Sheppie, his previous service dog.

A BAD DREAM

The memories of passing through that train have been etched into the back of Steve’s mind. Thirteen years on and he can still paint a vivid picture of the horrors he saw, details of which are too graphic for publication.

Although he had served in the military for almost five years and with the dog unit since 1992, Steve said it was the worst incident he has ever been called to.

“I can remember walking through shining my torch down into the darkness, it was something like, I don’t know, like out of a horror film.

“This one, because it was so confined and, like I said there was no power on the train so it was dark and you’re working through torch light, it just seemed unreal, like a bad dream.”

Fortunately on this occasion the dog handlers found no secondary devices but the work of the explosive search dog unit allowed supporting colleagues and a search team to safely proceed and begin their sensitive work.

Steve would later find out that the train had already been searched but due to disruptions to communications, the information was not relayed.

For Steve, who returned to King’s Cross for an evening shift on that same day, this wasn’t the first time he had to search the station following a major incident. He was also present in the aftermath of the King’s Cross fire.

Meanwhile Paul retired in 2014 and was later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder - as was Steve - mainly as a result of the incident. He added: “I remember being really calm. I think that it was because we - Leo, me and the rest of the explosive search dog unit - were constantly training and preparing for such an event. I knew exactly what we had to do and Leo just switched on and did everything that I asked of him.”

who were honoured for their efforts following the bombings on its website, this includes BTP’s current chief constable Paul Crowther, who was silver command on the day.

Much like the stories that have surfaced from the terror attacks of 2017, in the country’s darkest hours there are shining lights of courage and professionalism, beacons of inspiration that show humanity’s very best when it’s faced with its absolute worst.

Whether it’s the third, 13th or 30th anniversary of 7/7, let us never forget the 52 lives that were lost, the more than 770 who were left injured and those that went to extraordinary lengths to ensure the capital and the country recovered and work to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again.

COURAGE AMID CHAOS It goes without saying that Steve, Paul, Buddy and Leo did not act alone. Ian Johnston, who was chief constable of the BTP at the time of the bombings, described the incident as “probably the biggest challenge faced by the police service in post-war Britain” and there were many examples of courage amid the chaos. In total, the BTP lists almost 150 officers, members of staff, train operating company staff and members of the public FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.UK

24

SUMMITS

RAILSTAFF JULY 2018

A SAFER RAIL

FOR CP6

W

hile the statistics show that working on the railway in 2018 is a far safer vocation than it was decades ago, staff still face many of the same risks.

The very first Rail Safety Summit discussed the dangers of red zone working and the risks associated with the poor planning and management of work. These, of course, remain areas of concern, but other issues have also grown in prominence in the past few years.

Since that first conference in 2010, more attention has been paid to the wellbeing of staff out on the network. There is now more guidance and awareness about the risk of silica dust inhalation, fatigue and mental health - to name just a few.

“Back in 2010, the first Safety Summit attracted around 200 delegates and exhibitors. In an article in 2011, I quoted a speaker who said ‘rules, procedures and systems do not change safety cultures, in fact they sustain the existing culture’,” said RailStaff resident safety expert and civil engineer Colin Wheeler, who will be hosting the event again this year.

THE RAIL SAFETY SUMMIT WIL TACKLE MANY PRESSING HEAL AND SAFETY ISSUES THIS NOVE

© High Viz Media

“Years ago, I recall the time when around 30 workers would be hit by trains and killed on track each year. Her Majesty’s Railway Inspectorate’s report commented that the railways were safer than the mines and almost as good as the construction industry. Things have significantly improved since then.” © High Viz Media

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DEVOLUTION

The Rail Safety Summit 2018 will be held at Addleshaw Goddard in London on 1 November.

This year’s event will help preview the changing landscape for CP6. Network Rail’s responsibilities around safety are being devolved to eight route businesses with eight new route directors.

Simon Ancona, COO for the Anglia route, will be giving a presentation in the afternoon about what exactly this will mean in practice. Simon joined Network Rail Anglia around a year ago.

He has a background in defence and security, having spent the early years of his career in warships and helicopters - later commanding destroyers, a frigate and an aircraft carrier-based task group.

There will be presentations from the ORR’s director of railway safety, Ian Prosser, and the RAIB’s chief inspector, Simon French, which will focus on the impact from the Croydon tram crash.

RAILSTAFF JULY 2018

SUMMITS

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LWAY

LL LTH EMBER

© High Viz Media

There will also be sessions from the safety, quality and environment director at MTR Crossrail, Mark Starkey, and ASLEF general secretary Mick Whelan.

The 2018 Rail Safety Summit agenda also has a particular focus on wellbeing and mental health. Network Rail’s chief medical officer, Richard Peters, and mental health champion, Sharon Stevens, will discuss the methods employed by Network Rail to identify and address mental ill health within the organisation. A joint presentation from the RSSB and RDG will also provide the overall industry strategy around safety and wellbeing which will be followed by an introduction to the contractor’s perspective by Costain’s SHE director, Nicola Uijen.

Discussing the line up of confirmed speakers for this year’s summit, Colin said: “The summit starting point this year is safety leadership and the motivation of people. Speakers from the ORR, RAIB and the ASLEF trade union will speak about the lessons for us to learn from the Croydon Tram crash. Later route devolution, mental health and pointedly the safe delivery

EXPERT VOICES

Ian Prosser, ORR's director of railway safety.

of work during limited engineering hours will all be addressed.

“Despite the growth in use of our railways, worker fatalities have become rare events. I am increasingly concerned by the number of near misses that I find myself writing about.

I urge everyone to put 1 November in their diaries now and help make rail working safer for everyone.”

The event is made possible thanks to support from this year’s sponsors: Panasonic Business, Traka and Kelvin Top-Set. As well as having the opportunity to learn and share best practice with leaders in the field of railway health and safety, delegates will also be able to claim CPD hours from the presentations they attend.

Tom O’Connor, managing director of Rail Media, said: “The Rail Safety Summit has become one of those events that helps to set the agenda within our industry and we’re thrilled to welcome back so many expert voices in the field of railway health and safety.

“The long-term safety trend appears positive, but we are still hearing about incidents on a regular basis and reading reports about serious near misses. It’s clear looking back at all of the speakers, companies and delegates that have attended and supported the event in the past that the railway is committed to safety, but there is always more that we can do.”

Visit www.railsummits.com/event/ safety-2018 to find up-to-date speaker lists and information about attending this year’s Rail Safety Summit

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FATAL ACCIDE RUNAWAYS & BURNING BITU REPORT BY COLIN WHEELER

THE ORR COMMITS TO SPENDING £80 MILLION ON LEVEL CROSSINGS AND SAFETY INITIATIVES!

T

ragically I must begin this month by offering my prayers and condolences to the family, work mates and friends of the young man who fell and was fatally injured at Bearsdon station, Glasgow, on 5 June at around 9:30 am.

Network Rail’s Safety Bulletin was commendably posted just three days later on 8 June. The 20 year old was a member of a telecommunications installation team which was working for a principle contractor. He fell from a stepladder during cable pulling whilst working to renew a public address system.

A cable drum had been deployed using a length of metal conduit that had then been left in the middle of the cable drum which was laid on its side. He fell onto it and died from his injuries. With the number of near misses that have come to my notice in recent months, I was concerned that serious injury or even a fatality on track might result, so this dreadful incident is all the more shocking.

MEWP runs away in Bradford Network Rail’s Safety Central website continues to include both safety bulletins and safety advice notices. An advice posted on 22 June describes an incident that took place at 2 am on the morning of 8 June at Bradford Interchange station.

A Genie Z60 Mobile Elevated Work Platform (MEWP) was being “on tracked” when it ran away. It travelled for about 340 metres before rolling to a halt in Platform 1. The incident is now subject to a Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) investigation which involves the plant owner.

Meanwhile all type 9b machines are now to have their parking brakes checked every three months. The Network Rail safety advice reminds readers of the testing procedure and states that “re-briefing of correct on/off tracking procedures should take place”.

Burnt by burning bitumen

Less timely was the posting of a safety advice following an incident that happened on a wet and stormy night last October. Hot

bitumen was being used to seal joints between longitudinal support beams on a bridge site at Hopetown near Darlington.

Whilst decanting hot bitumen from a tar boiler, a worker’s gauntlet became trapped in the bucket handle and the liquid bitumen caught fire! Bitumen splashed onto both his face and neck and he was later admitted to hospital.

The advice adds that he was not wearing a face visor and that “a thermostatically controlled boiler was not being used although it was specified in the task risk control sheet”. It goes on to state that “workers and supervisors should be trained in specific first aid procedures for bitumen burns”.

£80 million for “level crossings and safety initiatives”

According to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) a total of £34 billion, including £4 billion for Scotland, will be made available for Control Period 6 (CP6) to improve the reliability and safety of our railways between 2019 and 2024.

This will include “£80 million for level crossings and safety initiatives”. The managerial organisation is to devolve into eight selfaccountable routes each led by a route director.

I recommend that one of their individual initiatives should be to take the lead on safety.

Monthly safety and other advice and information from each director is a must, and visiting, talking with and listening to staff in their workplaces will be all important.

I hope this will become a topic included in the discussions that take place at this year’s Rail Safety Summit on 1 November in central London.

Leadership and motivation

Safety leadership and motivation, even the dedication of those who work on our railways needs to be refocussed for safety’s sake. The following I have copied from an article RailStaff

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ENT, UMEN

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TRACK SAFETY

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Colin Wheeler.

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published around a decade ago about how regional and divisional management in British Rail went about things. I still agree with the views expressed all those years ago!

“Even with a couple of thousand and more staff, the managers made it a priority to get to know their people and listen to them. Staff felt able to approach us even with domestic problems. Valuing them as individuals, we tried to help whenever we could. We found the time to do so, because we were not up to our eyes in paper, which may only ever be used by lawyers when things go wrong. So let us not start from there and save lots of trees!

Earning staff respect in this way generates a team spirit, a climate where you want to do the job right so as not to let the side down, and indeed a climate where you will volunteer to share a bad experience in the hope of preventing the same thing happening to your colleagues!”

An aspiration for each of the new route directors I suggest, although perhaps for this day and age the reference to paper should be replaced by “ever increasing emails and text messages!”

On and off tracking procedures

Returning to the Bradford Interchange runaway, the safety advice refers to parking brake checks and a “re-briefing of the correct on/off tracking procedures”. Are those procedures accepted by those who do the work as the best practical and safe way to on and off track those machines?

If they were, why were they not being followed in Bradford that day? Do those who draft the procedures have personal hands-on experience of carrying out the tasks? What input have the track people who work with those machines had? If plant subcontractors are involved have they been given the chance to submit alternatives which may make the working quicker, safer and easier? If not, why not?

Sadly the advice gives the impression that its writer believes that he or she knows best and has written down an assertion of their views to ensure they cannot be blamed in any way! I

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recall that my early career included a number of months as a new graduate spent with a track shovel, ballast fork and even a pneumatic Kango hammer in my hand.

A red zone working change?

I have been looking back a decade and thinking about High Speed 2 (HS2) and the Crossrail 2 proposal. I recall when passenger trains began to travel at speeds up to 125 mph. The French TGV system was built and maintained with no-train maintenance periods built into timetables. High Speed 1 is repaired and maintained in a similar way. This reflects an acceptance that working on track whilst trains are still running should not be accepted on high-speed railways.

I remain of the opinion that some of the £80 million for “level crossings and worker safety” should be spent on moving to a comprehensive speed-graded track access system. Maybe lookouts at up to 60 mph or 70 mph, and automatic warning systems built into the signalling at speeds up to 100 mph as well as for lower speeds in complex track layout areas and places with difficult access to places of safety.

Back in 2008 my April article in RailStaff asked the question “Is red zone working on switches and crossings safe?” Maybe that is another area where we ought to think again?

Currently red zone working (even with the use of lookouts including distant lookouts) is permitted at speeds up to 125 mph. I suggest

that most if not all work on track with line speeds exceeding 100 mph should be carried out when the track is under possession.

Another matter for discussion on 1 November maybe?

ORR Annual Report for 2017/18 – A safer railway

The ORR issued their annual report for 2017/18 in June. Their strategic objective is simple; a safer railway. The report says that they have started work on the 15 recommendations from the RAIB which were made following completion of the investigation into the Sandilands Croydon Tram crash.

The ORR annual report states that they focus on key risk areas on mainlines, namely track, civils, level crossings as well as train drivers, train driver management, contractor management, rolling stock maintenance and depot safety. Occupational health and the “platform/train interface” are also listed.

Predictably both our RAIB and ORR speakers at the Safety Summit on 1 November will speak about the Sandilands investigation recommendations.

Network Rail’s licence to change?

The ORR Annual Report also comments on their increasing engagement with Crossrail and includes an admission that their target is to respond to 100 per cent of RAIB’s investigation recommendations within a year of the report’s publication. This objective was only realised for 65 per cent of them during 2017/18. However, it also advises that their inspectors exceeded their specified objective of spending 50 per cent of their time “in the field” by 4 per cent.

A single sentence in the report is likely to have the most significant effect of all. It states that “ORR has launched a project to consider whether to review Network Rail’s licence obligations to better reflect the separation of its functions between its routes, the system operator and its other functions”.

The implications of their decisions are likely to be far reaching for the rail industry and, together with recent political concerns about our franchising operations, could well lead to major changes to how our railways are managed in future. Another topic for future Rail Media conferences I suggest!

1 NOVEMBER 2018 – ADDLESHAW GODDARD, LONDON

CALL

01530 816 444

We’re used to hearing phrases like “work smart, work safe”.

They’re a reminder that safety is never off the agenda.

Book your tickets now at www.railsummits.com

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WRITTEN BY OLIVIER MARTEAUX, PRINCIPAL, HORIZON SCANNING, RSSB

WEARABLE WEL © iStockphoto.com

HOW WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY IS STARTING TO INFLUENCE RAIL’S

R

SSB, as part of the R&D crossindustry programme that it runs on the industry’s behalf, looks into emerging technologies and disruptive trends that are likely to have a profound and durable impact on tomorrow’s railway.

The current ‘horizon scanning’ series is looking at the “wearables disruption”, and at the opportunity it may represent for rail staff health and safety.

Smart wearables are already transforming healthcare, safety at work, and productivity in other sectors, and they have the potential to bring wider changes to the way businesses operate in general.

This disruptive technology is not just fad and hype.

Its adoption is picking up pace, and we believe it is here to stay, especially when we look at current sales volumes and at the huge investments that corporate giants like Alphabet (Google), Amazon and Apple are making into the healthcare digital applications of wearables (digital therapeutics).

Right now, the wearables that people are trying out mainly consist of smart watches and fitness wristbands that count steps, track physical activity, measure heart rate, assess stress levels, and provide a host of personal health analytics, but we also see

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a rising interest in specialised devices, including for monitoring and preventing risk from medical conditions.

In general, wearables bring benefits in terms of cheaper and richer access to health and safety data, and in terms of proactive caring. For industries like ours with safety critical operations, wearables can be a true asset. We know that the aviation industry has been using wearables for helping pilots plan sleep and manage jetlag; the oil and gas industry pioneered the measuring of exposure to hazardous substances and the monitoring of physiological reaction to working conditions; and fatigue and location monitoring with wearables are becoming important in civil engineering and in the construction industry.

LONE WORKERS AND RISK ENVIRONMENTS So, what are the prospects for deployment of the technology in the rail sector? There are at least three main categories of wearable applications for rail staff health and safety: the monitoring of lone workers and risky working environments, fatigue monitoring, and the management of medical conditions/impairments for accessibility to safety critical roles.

Many railway staff often work alone or operate in remote areas, next to fast speed lines, by risky

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LLBEING

S HEALTH AND SAFETY LANDSCAPE

MySOS personal alarms from SkyGuard.

Š iStockphoto.com

Wearables that people are trying out mainly consist of smart watches and fitness wristbands.

embankments, or at dangerous heights. Furthermore, such activities often take place outside normal working hours, with the additional risks associated with late shifting. This does not only concern maintenance staff and engineers who are working trackside, ticket office workers, platform staff, train managers and drivers also face the risks of lone working.

Wearables can ensure we always keep an eye on our staff’s location and movement while they are in the field and offer direct communications and emergency alarms in case of trouble. Different technology solutions are available, and there are already standards (BS8484 and BS5979) defining the requirements for the devices and for the Alarm Receiving Centres.

With the launch of the enhanced Sentinel card system, Network Rail has implemented two lone worker services, Heartbeat and Push4Help. Virgin Trains East Coast has provided its frontline staff with MySOS personal alarms from SkyGuard.

HAVS AND DUST Workers on the rail network can also work in harsh conditions which bring specific risks, for example exposure to dust, high noise and vibration levels and air pollution. This is another instance where wearables can show their usefulness. Crossrail construction workers in the Whitechapel and Liverpool Street tunnels have been trialling wearable technology, supplied by Reactec, capable of measuring hand-arm vibration (HAV).

Fatigue monitoring is another key application of wearables.

The consequences of fatigue during work are not to be underestimated, especially where

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© iStockphoto.com

workers often have irregular shift patterns or are required to focus for long periods of time. The Incident Factor Classification System developed

by RSSB as part of the Safety Management Information System (SMIS) identified fatigue as a key factor in 21 per cent of high-risk incidents between 2011-2013. Furthermore, fatigue can be costly to employers beyond the risk of accidents, incidents and ill-health, in that it makes expensive mistakes more likely, reduces productivity and morale, and increases absenteeism. It has been estimated that the cost of insufficient sleep to the UK economy is £40 billion per year.

Wearables can provide a wealth of real-time data and new indicators and insights to inform the decisions of workers, managers and safety, health and wellbeing specialists. Some wearables that monitor activity and sleep can be worn both on and off shift, while other devices monitor subtle cues (heart rate, eye movement, temperature, blood pressure) and compare them to machine learning algorithms to identify a drop in alertness, or drowsiness, encouraging workers to take a break from their task prior to experiencing a microsleep during work. For example, Optalert provides lightweight drowsiness detection glasses, which work by using an LED built into the frame to measure the operator’s eyelid movement. SmartCap is a piece of headwear fitted with a removable sensor to monitor truck driver electrical brain activity (EEG). A Fujitsu collar with an ear clip that identifies episodes of drowsiness by measuring vital signs such as pulse rate was piloted for eight weeks by Amey for its staff working on Highway England’s North East Regional Maintenance Contract. These devices should be regarded as what they are - a very useful source of additional indicators to inform safe decisions, and good complements to existing fatigue performance indicators and risk controls.

ACCESSIBLE WORKPLACE Wearable technology also has the potential to make rail a more accessible workplace for people with specific medical conditions, such as diabetes, or with sensory impairments, notably for hearing. RSSBfunded research has already demonstrated that safety critical staff using digital hearing aids do not bring additional risk when working in a safe environment. In the field of diabetes management, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices already provide less intrusive, troublesome or time-consuming methods. Research is being carried into wearables patches for monitoring blood sugar levels and for injecting insulin, which will make the difference between diabetic and non-diabetic workers even thinner in the future.

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LIMITATIONS

These examples show that wearables have a fantastic potential for rail applications. This said, it is tempting to forget about their current limitations or their possible shortcomings.

First of all, as wearables are basically a set of on-body sensors using wireless communications, they may be prone to technical failures or show lack of reliability in some circumstances. Each device will need a robust validation system in place before they can be deployed in a safety critical environment. Second, some © iStockphoto.com

devices may be in need of some further scientific validation: for instance, wearables currently do not provide a direct measurement of “fatigue”, but instead make assumptions and calculations to infer drowsiness, alertness or other related states, which is quite different. How do we know for sure that someone who is not showing any sign of eyelid movement is not experiencing microsleep?

Third, wearables may lead to changes in behaviour, which will have their own safety consequences. If the industry becomes over-reliant on them, especially in safety critical contexts, situations may arise where workers go to work when they shouldn’t, for example when they are extremely tired but trusting the system to stop or alert them in time.

The technical and scientific validation of specialised wearables is therefore key for their successful deployment.

Furthermore, sound regulatory frameworks which can guarantee adequate data privacy, data protection, and the ethical use of wearable data are essential for social acceptance. To overcome these challenges and reap the benefits of these technologies, collaboration is key.

What is needed is the joint expertise of those developing and supplying wearables working together with stakeholders from across rail and other sectors that have similar challenges.

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THE RIPPLE EFFECT

DEALING WITH TRAU

WRITTEN BY DAVID MASTERS, SAMARITANS' RAIL PROGRAMME COMMUNICATIONS LEAD

W

hen a person loses their life on the rail network, the emotional impact on those involved can be huge.

Family and friends, the train driver and those that witness the incident are the people most often thought about. But the impact can be far wider.

Each incident creates a ripple effect that spreads to a much larger group of people.

Driver managers, station teams, mobile operations managers, train crew, British Transport Police, paramedics, maintenance teams, GPs, schools, retail workers and many others can all be affected, and it is vital that steps are taken to respond.

540 TIMES IN SEVEN YEARS The rail industry has been calling upon Samaritans’ extensive network of volunteers across Great Britain to provide a post-incident support service to rail locations since 2011.

This service has been utilised more than 540 times in a little over seven years and has seen Samaritans volunteers dropping everything to support rail staff and passengers after traumatic rail incidents, often on the same day or the following days and weeks.

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TO MARK VOLUNTEERS WEEK, RAILSTAFF IS HIGHLIGHTING THE GREAT WORK SAMARITANS VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN DOING SINCE 2010 TO SUPPORT RAIL STAFF AFTER TRAUMATIC RAIL INCIDENTS. When Samaritans post-incident support teams are contacted after a traumatic rail incident, a text is sent out to listening volunteers trained to provide emotional support outside of branch (ESOB) in the region of the affected station.

Jacqueline is a volunteer for Bexley and Dartford Samaritans. Volunteers often use an alias when taking calls to protect their own anonymity. She responded to a request for support after a tragic death at a local station in 2017: “I was at home when I got a text requesting support. There had been a suspected suicide at the station that day and volunteers were needed for the staff who had been affected.

“My first thought when I read the text was ‘Oh how awful - that must have been a really difficult situation for them’.”

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of the volunteers, a minimum of two are needed to provide post-incident support. Often this support is informal, however in this instance Jacqueline and a fellow Samaritan, Marion, were asked to provide formal face-to-face support to staff.

“Everyone we met was incredibly welcoming and I was immediately struck by how concerned and caring the station managers were about the wellbeing of their staff.

“I guess we spoke with the first person for about 45 minutes. As a witness to the

incident, they had been through an incredibly traumatic experience and my initial reaction was, how can I support them? But that’s when all my Samaritans and ESOB training kicked in: ‘So how are you feeling today?’ I asked.

“We must have talked with the three staff members, and station managers, for about 2-3 hours. Afterwards, Marion treated me to coffee at the station, which we both really needed.

“Leaving the station on my train, I felt incredibly tired, but it was a great privilege to be able to put all my Samaritans training and skills to use supporting people who had suffered something so distressing. Later that evening, after having something to eat and a cup of tea, I had a long conversation with my branch director to debrief.”

VERY UPSETTING Simon Ring, station manager for Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), has sadly had to call upon Samaritans volunteers several times, including on this occasion where Jacqueline and Marion responded: “When we have an incident here the first two calls that I make are to Samaritans post-incident response team and to the Railway Chaplain. When we have an incident of that nature, this is the process we follow and obviously Samaritans volunteers are part of that process.

Simon has recognised the benefit of the assistance Samaritans can provide in

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UMA © iStockphoto.com

supporting his team members.

“If they witness a traumatic incident, it is quite often the first that they’ve ever witnessed.

It’s obviously very upsetting for them. In fact, one of the reasons that I like Samaritans coming to the station is that you don’t actually have to have been a witness, even to hear about it can still have a traumatic effect on an individual, even if they are not on duty at the time.

“I can certainly say that staff have given 100 per cent positive feedback for Samaritans support.

One individual, who had some time with two volunteers, said it was so helpful because he didn’t know the volunteers and could just say whatever he wanted and it was OK.” Alongside supporting his staff, Simon has also set up Samaritans support for a concession worker and sees the benefit on passengers too.

“That’s the whole point that volunteers are there, they are well marked, but unobtrusive and they are there for everybody.”

The suicide prevention charity Samaritans has been

delivering an award-winning suicide prevention programme alongside Network Rail, British Transport Police and the wider rail industry since 2010. Whilst preventing suicides is a focus for this programme through training, communications and outreach, raising awareness of the impact of trauma and improving the support for staff is also a key part and is included in the industry’s guidance for creating a suicide prevention plan.

If there is a traumatic rail incident and Samaritans support is needed for staff and/ or passengers, you can call Samaritans 24-hour response line on 07548 720511. Please note Samaritans volunteers do not attend lineside locations such as level crossings, foot crossings or bridges.

For more information on Samaritans partnership with the rail industry visit www. samaritans.org/railindustry, or email railcompanies@ samaritans.org.

Samaritans is sponsoring the Lifesaver Award at the 2018 RailStaff Awards.

SAMARITANS IS PROUD TO SPONSOR THE LIFESAVER AWARD If it wasn’t for his kind considerate nature and his ability to see the need in others, I may not have been here today.

Words of thanks for Matt Lenton, former winner of Samaritans Lifesaver Award

For more information or to nominate a colleague for this year’s RailStaff Awards visit railstaffawards.com

Find out more about the Small Talk Saves Lives campaign at samaritans.org/smalltalksaveslives

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FEATURE

RAILSTAFF JULY 2018

FAIR DEAL

FOR SUPPLIE I

n 2012, Network Rail introduced its Fair Payment Charter - a voluntary scheme which encouraged the industry’s biggest contractors to pay their suppliers faster. It wasn’t a contractual obligation to adopt the charter but what it did was make fair payment a moral issue for contractors.

Thirty of Network Rail’s main suppliers initially signed up to the charter, collectively agreeing to reduce payment terms from 56 to 28 days. Six years on, Network Rail believes the charter has been a success.

“We had a sense that support for the fair payment charter was sitting somewhere between 55 to 75 per cent,” said Stephen, who helped to draft the charter seven years ago. “The target was always to make it business as usual and we left open what that meant.”

Stephen believes Network Rail’s Fair Payment Charter has been one of the most successful charters of its kind in the UK and, from the next control period, the organisation will take what it describes as the natural next step by making the shorter payment terms contractually binding.

“They’re already in the right place morally.

They have experience and practices put in place to support it,” said Stephen, who sat down with RailStaff after Network Rail’s National Supplier Conference in June to explain what it will mean in practice.

RETENTION PAYMENTS Changes to contract terms in CP6 will require suppliers to pay their subcontractors within 28 days and end the practice of withholding a percentage of the payment until after the completion of a project - what are known as retention payments.

Retentions, which can be anything between 3-5 per cent of the total cost of the works, are used across the UK construction sector and are employed by companies to try and shield themselves from shoddy workmanship.

While half is often released upon completion of the project, the rest can be retained for around a year.

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For smaller suppliers retentions represent a huge cash flow issue and can often be difficult to recover. Stephen said he has never been convinced that retentions actually provide the protection that companies believe they do and that the focus should be on procuring high quality goods and services from the start.

“We as the client and they as the tier ones have always bought right-first-time quality delivery - that’s what we pay for,” said Stephen.

Network Rail believes the rail industry will become the first sector in the UK construction industry to enforce these payment terms - the significance of which was highlighted with Carillion’s liquidation earlier this year.

The company’s commitment to 28-day payment terms helped reduce the number of suppliers that were left chasing payment following its collapse in January. But Stephen wanted to stress that these changes aren’t a response to Carillion.

In a statement formally announcing the introduction of the new contract terms, Stephen said: “The Fair Payment Charter was about recognising that cash flow is the ‘life blood’ for every supplier by committing to pay for goods and services in a fair, predictable and timely way.

Harnessing the support we have already received from our major suppliers, we have simply taken the next natural step and formalised that approach for CP6. Culturally, it sends a huge signal as to the value we place on a sustainable supply chain and the way we want to do business.

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ERS to work closely with them to help manage this effectively. For instance, we have created best practice T&Cs to adopt with their own supply chain.”

PROJECT BANK ACCOUNTS

“We recognise the challenges faced by smaller suppliers and are in a position to influence the way work on our railway is delivered and paid for. It is in our interest to have a sustainable supply chain at all levels – they are vital to the successful delivery of our projects and the safe operation of Britain’s railway.”

He added: “The changes will make a significant difference to smaller suppliers in particular, who rely on regular cash flow to operate successfully. We want to foster an environment that is fair, sustainable and encourages growth; but this is not at the expense of our larger suppliers.

The changes are something our major contractors are very supportive of and we continue

In addition to overhauling payment terms, Network Rail is introducing project bank accounts on a number of its major schemes. In future the payments made by Network Rail to tier ones and by tier ones to their subcontractors will be far more transparent.

Stephen believes steps like these help to make rail a leader in fair payment and more attractive to suppliers across the construction sector. “For SMEs, this makes rail very favourable when compared to other UK construction sectors and helps ensure that we remain a client of choice in an increasingly competitive market.”

A number of suppliers and stakeholders, including the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) have welcomed the decision to formalise the charter’s payment terms.

Alastair Reisner, managing director of CECA, said: “Real change in industry requires real leadership. Since its Fair Payment Charter, Network Rail has provided this leadership. It has worked with its suppliers in a managed process to roll out prompt payment and is proving that, where there is a will, clients and industry can work together to axe unwanted and costly retentions.”

John Cox, managing director (Rail), VolkerFitzpatrick, said: “VolkerFitzpatrick, in support of the leadership shown by Network Rail, consider the financial health of our supply chain to be of critical importance to meet our delivery commitments and as such we are fully supportive of formalising our commitment to

fixed payment terms of no more than 28 days and the avoidance of holding retentions on our supply chain.”

Andries Liebenberg, managing director, AMCO, added: “Network Rail’s introduction of sub contract payment terms and abolition of retentions is wholeheartedly endorsed by AMCO. Through this, Network Rail are recognising the value and contribution of the whole supply chain, and extending the collaborative principles already established through the Fair Payment Charter.

“This is an industry leading example of how to embrace the supply chain and demonstrates how we can all work together to bring efficiency, value, and a great service to our collective stakeholders and customers.”

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FEATURE

RAILSTAFF JULY 2018

LONDON UNDERGROUND'S

WRITTEN BY STAYNTON BROWN, TFL DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

WINDRUSH GENERA HOW LONDON TRANSPORT LOOKED TO THE COMMONWEALTH TO HELP RUN THE CAPITAL'S TRANSPORT NETWORK AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR

W

e often talk about London being a global city, which is an accurate description. We are proud to welcome visitors from across the world to our capital, whether they are here on business, visiting friends or family, or as tourists. London wouldn’t be able to flourish without the people that live and work here too.

The capital’s population is diverse, with around 40 per cent of Londoners coming from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, and it is this diversity that makes the city so successful.

When you have a range of people with different experiences and backgrounds, there is always going to be innovation and creativity.

They may say that New York is the city that never sleeps, but London is the city that is always on the move, looking for the next best idea.

I work as the director of diversity and inclusion at Transport for London (TfL) and I think it’s vital that as a city and an organisation we continue to welcome people regardless of their ethnicity. We need to reflect the customers that we serve in order to provide them with the best experience. This year, the UK celebrates the 70th anniversary of Windrush and the contribution that those who came over from the West Indies have made to Britain. The history of London Transport, TfL’s predecessor, is intertwined with this event and generation in a number of ways.

TEMPORARY HOUSING Back in June 1948, when the SS Empire Windrush ship arrived in the UK, there was a lack of housing because of the destruction wreaked by the Second World War, which meant that accommodation for those coming over from the Caribbean was in short supply.

When the authorities became aware that more than 200 migrants, who had come over to help rebuild Britain after the war, had nowhere to stay, Clapham South Tube station was used as a short-term residential base for them until they could find their own homes.

While all those from the SS Empire Windrush being housed there had moved out within four weeks, the time they spent there would have been quite unique. © TopFoto

There were no windows to look out and it would have been noisy with the Tube trains rattling overhead, while the residents were trying to sleep.

London Transport Museum, which is offering visitors the opportunity to explore Clapham South and its underground passages as part of its Hidden London Tours, recently visited the subterranean shelter with 92-year-old John Richards (pictured right), one of the 236 people from the Caribbean who lived there. It was the first time that he had been there since moving out to a hostel and finding work with British Rail.

He discussed what it had been like. “The trains that ran overhead in the morning woke me up.

There were beds all around with crisp white sheets. They had a tea cart at the station… pie in the evening.”

CARIBBEAN RECRUITMENT DRIVE

© TopFoto

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However, London Transport didn’t just house people who had come looking for work from the Caribbean, it also recruited them. There were a huge number of vacancies in the aftermath of the Second World War so, at the invitation of the Barbados Government, London Transport began a recruitment drive in the Caribbean in 1956, opening a recruitment office in Barbados. Records show that in the February of that year the organisation recruited 50 male conductors, 20 female conductors and 70 station men.

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ATION © TopFoto

© TopFoto

New recruits were loaned the fare for the trip to the UK and a designated Barbados Migrants’ Liaison service was established to help them to secure housing in London. However, they were warned that they might find the

move unsettling at first, or even regret their decision, but also that they would change their minds after a few months in England.

The recruitment drive was soon expanded, with recruitment offices established in Jamaica © London Transport Museum

and Trinidad in 1966. This all built on the work that London Transport was already doing to recruit employees from overseas, including Ireland and Poland. From the launch of the recruitment drive in 1956 to the day it was formally closed in 1970, more than 4,000 staff had been recruited from the Caribbean to work on London’s transport network.

It would be wrong to imply that the integration of the employees from the Caribbean was plain-sailing. There were challenges and early resistance

with some of the employees finding that there were barriers to promotion too.

However, many of those who joined London Transport stayed for a long period of time and have inspired their own family members to work at TfL today.

They had a huge impact on how TfL has been shaped as an organisation and also how it continues to develop.

As we celebrate the anniversary of Windrush, it’s important to reflect on the value of welcoming diversity and how this generation helped to keep London moving.

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EVENTS

RAILSTAFF JULY 2018

RAILSTAFF AWARDS 29TH NOVEMBER, NEC, BIRMINGHAM

EVENTS

JULY 2018

SEPTEMBER 2018

OCTOBER 2018

RFEM ANNUAL SUMMER BBQ

RAILSPORT

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON VEHICLE AERODYNAMICS 2018

13th July Pitcher & Piano, Derby

www.midlandsrail.co.uk/events

ECHILLS WOOD MODEL RAILWAY 25th July Sutton Coldfield www.theiet.org

RAIL TRAIL 2018 27th July London

www.imeche.org/events

AUGUST 2018

YRP LONDON AND SOUTH EAST: MONTHLY SOCIAL 1st August London

www.youngrailwayprofessionals.org

RAILSPORT ANGLING 15th August Makins Fishery, Wolvey

7th-9th September Loughborough www.railsport.uk

INNOTRANS

18th-21st September Berlin, Germany www.innotrans.de/en

ALARP 2018: RISK MANAGEMENT FOR ENGINEERING 18th September Birmingham

www.imeche.org/events

CROSSRAIL 2

27th September Westminster www.rcea.org.uk

OCTOBER 2018 UNIPART, IMECHE TBC October TBC

www.imeche.org/events

www.railsport.uk

GUIDE TO UPCOMING EVENTS IN THE RAIL INDUSTRY THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, AT A GLANCE

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16th - 17th October Birmingham www.rcea.org.uk

RFEM ANNUAL CONFERENCE 18th September Pride Park Stadium, Derby www.railsport.uk

NOVEMBER 2018 RAIL SAFETY SUMMIT

1st November Addleshaw Goddard, London www.railsummits.com

PROCUREMENT SUMMIT & DRINKS RECEPTION 22nd November Bird & Bird, London www.railsummits.com

RAILSTAFF AWARDS 29th November The NEC, Birmingham www.railstaffawards.com

YOUNG ENGINEERS RAILWAY SEMINAR - IMECHE November TBC

www.imeche.org/events

2018 New addition to expert panel

W

e’re pleased to announce that Alison Rumsey, group HR director for Network Rail, will be part of the independent industry panel judging this year’s RailStaff Awards.

Responsible for creating the overall people strategy for CP6, Alison was appointed to Network Rail’s executive committee at the start of this year. She joined Network Rail Infrastructure Projects in 2015 as HR director, having held senior roles in various government departments

since 2009.

“It’s a really important event to showcase the industry,” said Alison.

“Obviously the recognition for the individual is fantastic and a really good way to showcase some of the really talented people we have in the railway.”

There is a particularly eclectic mix of talents within the rail industry; this is reflected in the 20 different awards that will be presented at this year’s event.

Although the achievements detailed in the nominations are likely to vary, Alison believes there will undoubtedly be some common themes: delivering for customers, health and wellbeing, and diversity and inclusion.

Alison said: “In addition to the wide spectrum of awards is the diverse range of people in the industry. Showing that it’s an inclusive industry that everyone can really achieve something is really a great things that the awards do.”

By celebrating newcomers to the industry, the awards ceremony also helps to drive the apprentice agenda, said Alison, and gives apprentices and graduates across the industry something to aspire to.

Alison is one of several new expert judges who will help to pick this year’s winners. The panel is independent and will offer an impartial view of all of this year’s nominations. In May, we confirmed the first member of the judging team: Rail Delivery Group (RDG) director Gary Cooper.

While the recognition side of the awards is often the focus, Alison said the opportunity to meet industry colleagues you’d never ordinarily meet and learn from other areas of the industry was another benefit that shouldn’t be overlooked.

“Absolutely. My own HR team will confirm that’s one thing that’s really important about awards,” said Alison. “It’s a real opportunity to learn. It’s a chance to hear what’s going on in other parts of the industry you might not know.”

Jolene Price, Rail Media events director, said: “We’re really excited to welcome Alison to our RailStaff Awards judging panel.

It was really important for us to be able to assemble a respected group of rail professionals to decide who takes home the top awards this year and, as someone who is responsible for almost 40,000 people across the country, there is no one better placed to recognise the outstanding achievements of rail industry staff.”

To submit a nomination for the 2018 RailStaff Awards, visit www. railstaffawards.com/event/2018/nominate

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF JULY 2018

GETTING READY FOR THE

DIGITAL RAILWA

T

he modernisation of the signalling and control systems that manage Britain’s railway will represent a sizeable chunk of the planned investment for CP6 and beyond.

Over the course of the next decade, conventional systems will be phased out and replaced with new digital, in-cab technology which will ultimately make lineside signals redundant.

From this year, we are changing the name of the Signalling Engineer of the Year category to the Control and Communications Engineer of the Year to reflect these changes in the sector.

Industrial communications specialist Westermo - a long-standing supporter of the awards evening - is sponsoring the new Control and Communications Engineer of the Year category.

Westermo’s sales manager, Phil Mounter, said the evolution of signalling and telecommunications technology presented a massive opportunity for the sector but that it would also demand a lot from the sector’s engineering workforce.

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“The field of signalling and train control is changing dramatically within the rail industry and our engineers are changing with it.

“The RailStaff Awards has always highlighted industry best practice and this category in particular will reward the hard work that is going on all around the country to adapt to emerging technologies so the railway can realise the benefits for passengers.”

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT Last year, Westermo announced it would be supporting Southampton Solent University by providing the university’s computer networking department with specialist communications equipment and helping shape the university’s curriculum.

By introducing students to the technology that underpins the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Westermo believes it will be able to make a positive contribution to bridging the widening digital skills gap which is challenging numerous industries, including rail.

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AY Phil said: “This award is so important because we all know the industry needs to do more to inspire and encourage young people to pursue a career in engineering. Initiatives such as the Digital Railway and the Internet of Things (IoT) make telecommunications and train control an exciting field to enter.

“It is so important to show young men and women what the industry can offer while they’re still in education that’s why we’ve formed partnerships with Solent University in Southampton and the National College of High Speed Rail in Doncaster and Birmingham.”

PROUD SPONSOR Although well established in the UK, Westermo is a global company. From its headquarters in Sweden, the business has developed its offering of On Train networks in recent years and employs more than 200 people around the world.

At the end of 2017, Westermo appointed Jenny Sjödahl as the company’s new CEO. She said

Robust Industrial Data Communications –Made Easy

she was looking forward to leading the company through its next phase of development.

Last year, the category was won by the IP Signalling Northern LNE Construction Team. The nomination was in recognition of the successful delivery of several resignalling schemes, including North Lincs, Ferriby, Brigg, South Kirkby and Huddersfield to Bradford.

Phil said: “Westermo is proud to support the RailStaff Awards because rewarding those in our industry who work hard and deliver consistently is absolutely vital. It is so important to stop and say thank you. If we do this we can inspire others to go that extra mile and help improve things for our customers.”

Information about this year’s RailStaff Awards evening and how you can nominate someone for an award can be found on the website: www.railstaffawards.com

Reliable and Versatile Train Networks Proud sponsor of the RailStaff Awards 2018

… www.westermo.co.uk … Phone: 01489 580585 … sales@westermo.co.uk

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RAILSTAFF AWARDS

RAILSTAFF JULY 2018

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO

RAIL SPORT201 START LACING UP YOUR BOOTS AND PUMPING UP YOUR TYRES BECAUSE THE 2018 RAILSPORT GAMES ARE FAST APPROACHING. There are only a couple of months left to book your place at the ultimate sporting contest for rail industry employees.

Remember, it’s the taking part that counts, but nothing beats winning.

HOW TO ENTER Competitors can enter an event through the RailSport website. Click ‘Enter Now’ and then choose which of the nine sports on offer you want to take part in. Depending on the event, you will then have the option to make single, double or team bookings. In some cases it may be possible to compete in more than one event. Just let us know and we’ll see what we can do.

Please note that accommodation will need to be booked separately but the website does include a list of nearby hotels and guest houses.

You don’t have to be taking part in a sport to attend. Spectators can book their place online free of charge to support friends and colleagues.

Detailed information about rules and requirements for each sport are available on the website, including routes for the cycling and running events.

Remember to take regular water breaks, particularly if we experience the same hot conditions that competitors had to contend with in 2017, and don’t push yourself beyond your limits. For example, if you’ve only just taken up road cycling the 160km EPIC route may be a little ambitious.

RailSport is a competitive event but it is also an inclusive competition which should be played in a friendly spirit.

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RAILSTAFF JULY 2018

SATURDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER 2018

RAILSTAFF AWARDS

45

SUNDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER 2018

08:00 TRIATHLON 11:00 CHESS 11:30 TENNIS (SINGLES & DOUBLES) 12:00 FOOTBALL (5 A SIDE & OVER 35S 6 A SIDE) 13:00 RUNNING (5KM & 10KM) 14:00 ROUNDERS (MIXED) 19:00 DARTS (SINGLES & DOUBLES)

08:00 CYCLE SPORTIVE (65KM, 100KM & 160KM) 09:00 BADMINTON (SINGLES & DOUBLES) 09:15 CHESS CONTINUES 09:30 FOOTBALL FINALS 16:00 EVENT CLOSE

ABOUT THE VENUE This year’s competition will be held at Loughborough Endowed Schools (LES), which is located off the A6 when approaching Loughborough from the south. The site is also only a 10-minute drive from Loughborough station.

The history of LES dates back to 1495 and comprises four different schools. All of the LES venues are located within a short walk of one another.

The car park is located off the school’s entrance on Leicester Road where competitors will also find the registration area.

SUPPORTING CHARITY By supporting RailSport, you’re supporting the rail industry as RailSport is a community interest company (CIC) and any profit the organisation makes is reinvested back into the industry.

This could be through the industry’s various charitable organisations or through other worthwhile social/community projects.

PROMOTE RAILSPORT We’re actively encouraging everybody who works in the rail industry to think about their health and get into sport. Contact your company’s health and wellbeing manager to find out about any existing sport initiatives within your business and please get in touch to find out how RailSport can help promote the benefits of sport within your organisation.

WHAT TO BRING Anyone wishing to take part in the RailSport Games should be sufficiently trained and fit to compete. An activity waiver will be provided in your pack and needs to be filled out and handed in on the day before you’re allowed to take part. Additional forms will be available on the day.

Although water will be available on site, it would be a good idea to bring water and snacks to consume throughout the day. No alcohol is allowed on site and anyone found under the influence won’t be allowed to take part.

Competitors should wear appropriate sportswear for their event and there is more information available in the sport manuals about what footwear is required for specific sports.

For example, football and rounders matches will be played on grass pitches while the tennis tournament will be held on outdoor hard courts.

Many of the events will take place outdoors and are therefore exposed to the weather so it would be a good idea to bring a change of clothes.

Bags and other items can be left at the registration area, which will be supervised by a member of the RailSport team throughout the day.

Information about exactly what equipment competitors will need to bring with them is included in the individual manuals for each sport, which can be found on the RailSport website.

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TRAINING

RAILSTAFF JULY 2018

MOBILISING THE ENGINEERS OF GENERATION Z

“G

rey factories on grey streets on grey industrial estates.” Year of Engineering envoy MP Stephen Metcalfe knows engineering has an image problem.

Since taking on the role in November, he has been helping industry to showcase the “Aladdin’s cave” of activity that goes on behind engineering firms’ grey doors, to inspire the next generation and tackle the skills shortage.

Stephen was part of a line-up of speakers at the finale of one of Network Rail and Mott MacDonald’s ‘Fast Trackers’ events, held at University College London on 27 June. Organised in collaboration with Industrial Cadets, Greater Manchester Higher and Higher Horizons+, Fast Trackers saw 16-19 year-old students from the north taken to the capital for three days of STEM activities. Another event focused on students from London was held a few days later.

TACKLING GLOBAL CHALLENGES “We face challenges both nationally and internationally,” said Stephen, addressing a lecture theatre filled with 150 students from areas with the lowest uptake of further education.

“Whatever you do from here on in, whether you do end up working in the rail industry or take your passion for engineering and do something else with it, carry on because you have the potential to solve some of the most serious problems the world faces.”

According to Stephen, only one in three people know what an engineer does, something he hopes to change by achieving the Year of Engineering’s three campaign aims. The first is to change perspectives, to expand the understanding that engineering is all hi-vis jackets, hard hats and tool belts. Another is to create one million interactions between engineers and youngsters, and the final one is to fill the talent pipeline.

FAST TRACKERS Other speakers included Digital Railway managing director David Waboso and National College for High-Speed Rail CEO Clair Mowbray. Over the course of the event, students were treated to visits to the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and from the Permanent Way Institution. They were also given guided tours around St Pancras and London Bridge stations to prepare them for the main event: designing a HS2inspired high-speed line between Birmingham and London as well as a new Euston station.

As project managers, students were challenged to embrace the enormity of the task with environmental, commercial, social and practical implications to each decision. Some of the biggest saw them decide the alignment of the line, what adjustments need to be made to Euston station and the design of the railway’s rolling stock. Each needed to be reinforced by a strategic business case.

They also brought their own fresh ideas to the table. One group wanted to introduce more bombproof bins, another suggested using Pave Gen technology to convert kinetic into electric energy but they all showed an acute awareness of some of the industry’s most pressing issues and solutions to them.

The core project team consisted of Network Rail graduate engineers and Mott MacDonald employees. L-R: Jason Hyde, Jenny Wai, Chris Thompson, Ruth Shevelan, Sam Fox, James Featherstone, Amy Cox, Miraan Jothinath, Inge-Sarah Andersen, James Richards.

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TERMINOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY The results were impressive.

After spending two days researching, discussing and deliberating, students not only presented in front of a crowd of almost 200 people but confidentially spoke about ideas they would have had little or no understanding of beforehand. This included slab track, moving block signalling, leaning trains and ISO 14001 (the international standard that specifies requirements for an effective environmental management system). One of the most impressive displays was a faultless explanation of ERTMS – even with the extra pressure of the head of Network Rail’s digital signalling programme watching on.

SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING At the end of the three days, VIP guests judged the best

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She said: “I’ve come to appreciate and learn how important railways are because they provide such a valuable service to the general public - and I don’t think young people really see that. Sometimes you might just think ‘I’m just working on a railway line’ but it’s like, no, you are providing a mechanism of freedom for people to make a choice to get from one place to another.”

WATCH THIS SPACE

project and gave out awards for exceptional contributions. James O’Brien, a 16-year-old student from West Lancashire College, was given an Outstanding Student Award for his impressive knowledge of rail systems.

He said he was unsure which specialist engineering field to pursue but that the day helped him to decide. He said it was the idea of “creating something out of nothing” that most attracts him to rail engineering and added: “[The event] has definitely broadened my vision of rail and engineering.

“I enjoyed the designing and thinking about the moral

reflections that we had on this project. For example, we didn’t want to demolish houses or current infrastructure, to make sure it didn’t impact people’s dayto-day lives and cost more time and money, and in that way [the project] would get a better image.

That to me was really interesting.”

The event’s true success can only be measured in many years’ time when students have decided which career to pursue, but the initial response was promising.

These students didn’t let where they have come from hold them back. If they can understand and explain technologies such as slab track and ERTMS after two days, you wonder where some of them will end up in two years’ time.

EYE-OPENER Another of the rail industry leaders in attendance was AECOM engineering director Joan Heery, who had the opportunity to chat to students and share what she believes makes rail engineering so important.

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YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS

RAILSTAFF JULY 2018

S L A N IO S S E F O R P YMOEEUTNTGHRE AEXILECUTIVE TAE, AM R A L E G N A IA R A M IA SOF

D N A S N IO T A L E R PUBLIC GER A N A M S N IO T A IC N U CO M M

I

am originally from Volos in Greece. I studied Greek literature in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, before coming to the UK and completing a master’s degree in English literature at the University of York.

I’ve been working in the railway industry for the past five years in a number of roles for a variety of rail companies in the UK, including Amey, Parsons Brinckerhoff-WSP and Colas Rail.

I have enjoyed working on some complex multidisciplinary projects such as HS2, North West Electrification Project - Ordsall Chord and Crossrail – Ashford Lines and Ditton Sidings. It has been a fascinating journey and I consider myself extremely lucky that, even without having studied engineering, I am now involved in railway’s infrastructure future development with my everyday job.

Currently I work for Atkins – SNC-Lavalin based in Manchester as a systems and safety engineer, where I manage how the rail systems interface with each other and how this affects the project’s scope. I also manage the project’s hazards’ mitigation for all the disciplines affected during design, installation, operation and maintenance phases. With systems modelling and requirements capture, I can identify key areas where I believe there is a potential risk of delay of the delivery of the project, over-budgeting or missing delivering the expected scope of work.

I have been involved with the Young Rail Professionals (YRP) since 2015 when I was a finalist for the YRP’s Young Rail Professional of the Year Award, which set the scene for my future involvement within the group. I initially participated in the North-West committee and eventually gained a role as networking and development manager.

In 2016, I was appointed as the new chairperson for the YRP North West, which was something that gave me the chance to learn more about the executive committee and eventually helped me to become the national vicechair. I currently hold the role of the national PR and comms manager with responsibilities for promoting YRP via social media and ensuring this article gets written on time every month!

In my personal life, I enjoy cycling.

YRP Leadership Conference 2018

On 29 June 2018, YRP held its annual Leadership Conference at the Aston University Conference Centre in Birmingham.

The event brought together more than 25 YRP members, a combination of the executive committee, regional committees and general members to network and to discuss the past, present and future of the organisation.

An introductory speech from our chair, Michael Charteris, covered the history of YRP and led perfectly into the first exercise, facilitated by Catalyst Consulting. With the room split into four, two teams

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were tasked with looking at the current process for handing over committee positions and two with the ambassadors system that we currently have in place.

Once the teams had mapped things as they stand today they were asked to identify areas of wastage in the system (using LEAN techniques), along with general areas for improvement.

The outcome of this exercise was two potential action plans to improve the effectiveness of each process.

The afternoon then included a series of presentations from members of the executive committee, giving an insight into the day jobs of the chair’s office and their journey with YRP. Mohanad Ismail, vice-chair and organiser of the conference, covered the structure of YRP and its regional committees. This was followed by Paul Ruane, the secretary, who gave us a memorable talk on “Becoming a YRP Professional”, and then Michael Charteris, the chair, who provided an insight into the inner workings of the YRP website.

George Chilcott, the treasurer, rounded off the speeches by explaining how to claim expenses and ensure we comply

with GDPR regulations.

Finally, attendees were asked “How can YRP be better?”.

Suggestions ranged from greater engagement with corporate members to purchasing YRP livery; all have been noted down and will be discussed at the next executive meeting in early July.

YRP conquer the Three Peaks Challenge by Rail!

Between 14-16 June 2018, a team of eight brave YRP members conquered the “Three Peaks Challenge” by climbing the tallest peaks in England, Wales and Scotland. Unusually, the team’s travel between the mountains was all done by rail, via a special charter train service.

This quirky take on the Three Peaks Challenge happens every year in honour of the Railway Children Charity (www. railwaychildren.org.uk). The charity helps thousands of children each year in the UK, India and East Africa who are forced to leave homes that have become unbearable through poverty, abuse, violence and

neglect.

The YRP team, knowing that their efforts were raising money for such a worthy cause, set off on their first hike at 10pm, scaling Snowdon in the dead of night and scrambling to the top and bottom in just 3.5 hours. It was barely 5 am when the team were off to brave their second peak, this time Scafell Pike in the English Lake District.

With just a few hours sleep behind them this one was certainly no walk in the woods! Nevertheless, the team completed two of three and hopped on the train again to reach Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK. A 5 am start and difficult weather conditions saw many teams drop out of the challenge from fatigue and muscle pain, but not our team! The YRP reached the 1,345m summit freezing cold, soaking wet and grinning from ear to ear. In total the team were walking for almost 16 hours!

This year a total of 42 teams participated and raised a whopping £188,000 on the day.

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49

JOIN

US

YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS

MEMBERSHIP Young Rail Professionals promote, inspire and develop the careers of young people in the rail industry. Membership is free and entitles you to attend our annual black tie dinner, seminars and be part of the fastest growing online rail community. www.YoungRailPro.com

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PROFESSIONALS

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SPORTS FOR THIS YEAR: BADMINTON / CHESS / CRICKET / CYCLING / DARTS / FOOTBALL / ROUNDERS / RUNNING / TRIATHLON / TENNIS