by rail engineers for rail engineers
SEPT-OCT 2021 – ISSUE 192
Williams-Shapps
EXPECTATIONS FOR COP26
The signal sighting assessment process embraces 3D video game software.
All eyes are on world leaders as they meet to review the Paris Climate Agreement. www.railengineer.co.uk
SUSTAINABILITY & ENVIRONMENT
SIGNAL SIGHTING
SIGNALLING & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Take a look at the mammoth project to burrow beneath the Chiltern hills.
STRUCTURES & INFRASTRUCTURE
HS2'S LONGEST TUNNELS
FOCUS FEATURES
AN ENGINEERING PERSPECTIVE
No matter the project you’re working on, we can get you up to speed with industry best practice. We’re an independent body that makes collective industry knowledge freely available to our members. Our tools, resources and engineering services allow the railway to be safer and more sustainable. We also offer consulting, training, research and events. So there’s no need to duplicate work that’s already been done. Here are three of the hundreds of resources we offer:
Shrink your carbon footprint
Optimise performance
Reduce risk on the network
Our Rail Carbon Tool helps you reduce carbon emissions through design and construction, for capital and operational cost and carbon savings.
Our Human Factors Hub provides a range of guidance, tools, products and services to help you support railway staff performance through systems thinking.
Our RED Programmes are safety briefing videos that will help you raise awareness of operational safety issues to your workforce.
Learn more at rssb.co.uk/up-to-speed
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Williams-Shapps: An engineering perspective David Shirres examines the Williams-Shapps report and considers its implications for rolling stock, infrastructure and the passenger experience.
Barmouth Viaduct upgrade
Explore Network Rail’s project to upgrade this iconic structure and protect it for future generations.
HS2’s longest tunnels head north
Bob Wright examines the Chiltern tunnels - the longest of all those built during HS2 phase one.
Heritage structures: Asset or liability?
Graeme Bickerdike asks what the future holds for heritage railway bridges and whether tunnels are still under threat.
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Dots and Boxes
James Collinson, Chair of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Railway Division, embarks on his annual speaking tour.
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Professional Engineering Institutions: IRSE
What are the benefits of professional registration with the Institution of Railway Signalling Engineers? Paul Darlington explains.
Improving trackside power distribution systems Investment in smart railway technologies can transform workforce safety through remote condition monitoring.
Signal sighting with the Unreal Engine
A video game engine tool designed to build virtual worlds can assist the signal sighting assessment process.
Listening to the network
Network Rail has announced the next stage in its development of Fibre Optic Acoustic Sensing (FOAS).
A revolution in railway asset management
Railway asset managers, engineers, and technology specialists are driving improvements in safety, performance and reliability.
Arentis offers wireless surveillance systems
Wireless monitoring systems have improved in recent years and now deliver a much-enhanced product.
Railway lineside telephones
Paul Darlington takes a look at the GSM-R radio system which has revolutionised communications for drivers and signallers.
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Major step forward
The Transpennine Upgrade West Alliance has carried out major bridge, track and signalling works between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge.
What to expect from COP26
Leaders are expected to consider greater action at the first conference to review the terms of the Paris Agreement.
Climate Change
Transport is the largest emitter of CO2 in the UK. David Fenner discusses the plans to tackle this industry-wide problem.
GPS freight train tracking
Rail freight can provide a faster, greener way of transporting goods, especially when it exploits GPS technology.
RailTex/Infrarail: An exhibition overview
Railtex and Infrarail have returned to the exhibitions circuit. Matt Atkins provides a brief overview of the event.
RailTex/Infrarail: Editor’s eye
David Shirres gives his own account of Railtex/Infrarail and discusses the stands that caught his eye.
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
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EDITORIAL EDITORIAL
Rail offers so much Sometimes it seems that the rail industry is constantly asking for huge sums of money to be invested in schemes such as HS2, Northern Powerhouse, and a rolling electrification programme. Yet when such projects are discussed, the emphasis is invariably on their high costs with little said about their far greater benefits. Railways have always been a source of economic growth, jobs, and investment. But it is difficult to quantify these
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
benefits. In this respect the Railway Industry Association has done the industry a great service by commissioning Oxford Economics to undertake an independent study: The Economic Contribution of UK Rail. This considered the impact of rail investment in 2019 and follows a previous 2016 study. This in-depth study shows that every £1 worth of work on the railway system in 2019, generated £2.50, compared with £2.20 in 2016. It showed a similar increase of all rail sector economic indicators over this period, except for exports which were down from £800 to £600 million. It also showed that, in 2019, the industry supported £43 billion in economic production and provided £14 billion in tax revenue, which is 80% of total rail public expenditure. The industry is also associated with 710,000 jobs (rail system – 123k, supply chain – 317k, station retail – 0.2k, induced impact – 247k). Induced impact is due to the spending power of rail and supply chain workers which averaged £41,227 per annum compared with £30,303 for the whole economy. Although the report uses prepandemic figures there is little evidence that, as with previous crises, passenger numbers will not return to previously high
levels. Furthermore, with the UK economy operating below full capacity as it recovers from the effects of the pandemic, there is a strong case for stepping up rail investment. The report considers that many of the extra jobs created in the rail supply industry as a result would genuinely be additional jobs, rather than merely displacing typically less well-paid work in other parts of the economy. Its modelling suggests that for every extra £100 million per annum invested in UK rail infrastructure it would support an additional 1,400 jobs in the rail supply sector, plus a further 700 jobs in the wider consumer-related economy. In addition to these impressive benefits, rail offers significant connectivity and environmental advantages which the Oxford Economics report does not quantify. The message is clear: although rail investment is not cheap, if offers excellent value for money. It was great to see the industry’s capabilities on show at the combined Railtex / Infrarail exhibition in Birmingham a few weeks ago. Our new Production Editor, Matt Atkins, provides an overview of the show whilst the ‘Editor’s Eye’ feature details some of the stands on display. The 3km tunnels for the Northern Line extension to Battersea were completed in 2017 and the new extension opened in September. Malcolm Dobell reports on this tube extension project and how the connectivity it provides has been the
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THE TEAM Editor David Shirres david.shirres@railengineer.co.uk
Production Editor Matt Atkins matt@rail-media.com
Production and design Adam O’Connor adam@rail-media.com
Engineering writers bob.wright@railengineer.co.uk clive.kessell@railengineer.co.uk collin.carr@railengineer.co.uk graeme.bickerdike@railengineer.co.uk lesley.brown@railengineer.co.uk malcolm.dobell@railengineer.co.uk mark.phillips@railengineer.co.uk paul.darlington@railengineer.co.uk peter.stanton@railengineer.co.uk stuart.marsh@railengineer.co.uk
Advertising catalyst for the creation of Dubai on Thames. A much bigger tunnelling project is HS2’s twin 16-km tunnels under the Chilterns. Bob Wright’s report shows just what is involved in this massive project. On the mainline network, Mark Phillips reports on the recent 16-day blockade to undertake major bridge, track and signalling works between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge as part of the Transpennine upgrade. Replacing the timberwork on the 113-span Barmouth viaduct requires a much longer blockade as we report. On disused railways, the 3,000 structures that offer opportunities for active travel and rail re-openings are threatened by Highways England’s asset management regime. Graeme Bickerdike reflects on the campaign to save these structures. In the first of two features on lineside assets Paul Darlington considers the potential for significant cost savings if the 30,000 or so fixed lineside telephones could be removed now that GSM-R radio provides alternative safe communications. His other feature considers the development of Fibre Optic Acoustic Sensing technology.
DAVID SHIRRES
RAIL ENGINEER EDITOR
Glasgow’s COP26 carries the hopes of the world for effective legally binding carbon reduction targets. We explain what this climate conference entails and what UK rail has on show. Decarbonising transport is one of the biggest carbon challenges for which rail offers the only zero-carbon solution for high-powered, high-speed transport. David Fenner has been considering this issue and finds that the UK Government’s Decarbonising Transport plan is disappointing as far as rail is concerned. Decarbonisation is also considered by the Williams-Shapps report on which much has been written. However, not so much has been said about the plan’s engineering implications which leaves some key questions unanswered. We consider the benefits of its whole system approach, the implications for engineering access, rolling stock procurement, innovation, and skills. This month we feature the Institution of Railway Signalling Engineers (IRSE) and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) to explain how these professional engineering institutions offer their members many benefits and support the industry. ‘Dots and boxes’ is the title of this year’s annual address by the Chair of the IMechE’s Railway Division who, this year, is James Collinson. This has useful lessons for the development of new rail engineers who are essential if the rail industry is to continue to support the UK economy.
Asif Ahmed
asif@rail-media.com
Chris Davies
chris@rail-media.com
Craig Smith craig@rail-media.com
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Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
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COMPANY FOCUS
Plowman Craven invests over £1 million to offer dual-capabilities to the rail industry As one of the UK’s largest surveying companies, with over 40 years’ experience in the rail industry, Plowman Craven has worked with partners including Transport for London, London Underground and Network Rail. The firm is well used to coming up with innovative solutions to complex problems and has recently invested over £1 million on innovative technology so it can offer the best approach to a rail survey either through ground based or track based or UAV capabilities.
be millimetre accurate. We just thought there’s got to be a better way of doing this. That’s when our UAV journey began.” Plowman Craven began investing in UAV technology, which was gaining popularity among surveying companies at the time. Subsequently, it launched the Vogel R3D, a system that enables comprehensive drone surveys of rail infrastructure to Band 1 accuracy. Since then, the firm has been able to advise its clients on the most suitable survey technique and approach to achieve the best outcome, equally gaining expertise in the traditional as well as drone technology.
Risk mitigation
The Amberg IMS5000 on Plowman Craven’s test track.
A better way Historically, the company was involved solely in traditional ‘boots on ballast’ surveying, sending out teams of up to 20 people to survey a portion of track under a night possession. The purchase of their first Amberg Track Trolley helped to conduct those surveys much more efficiently by increasing the speed of survey data capture by many-fold. While the use of this technology was a step forward, it still involved boots on the ground and track possessions, along with all the inherent risks. “It must have been a few years back when we had a moment where we thought ‘there’s got to be a better way’”, says Technical Director, David Norris. “I think it was a late-night survey on one of the Trans Pennine routes. It was hammering down with rain, freezing cold, and pitch black. You couldn’t see your hand in front of your face, and we were trying to undertake a significant survey of some critical infrastructure that had to
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
The advantages to clients of Plowman Craven’s dual approach are multi-fold, but a major benefit of its solutions is the mitigation of risk - be that programme risk, financial risk or the risk to staff working on-site. “A big problem we had with traditional survey is there’s a huge risk to the programme,” says David. “If a contractor is going to re-engineer a section of track and replace it, the possessions that we get are critical. We might only get a Saturday night possession for three or four hours, and if that doesn’t happen because, for example, a member of safety staff tests positive for Covid and can’t be there, the whole thing is off. This means you then lose that possession, your team of 20 people are stood down, and you then have to apply for another possession which can take another six weeks to get approval.” Any technology or technique which reduces the time on track, or the need for ‘boots on ballast’ at all, is more cost effective for the client and the programme as a whole. It also has enormous advantages for those staff expected to carry out the work. Using their UAV, which can hover above the track at 25m, data can be captured from a position of safety even during traffic hours, removing the need for possessions and line blocks and drastically reducing the exposure of workers to risk. And the firm is working hard to further refine the system, says David. “There are still, very sadly, fatalities on track and many near misses, across the rail industry. We’re continually trying to improve the way it collects data, reducing even further the amount of access to the track that we need, even to the point where we don’t need any track access at all in certain situations so we can survey the track completely remotely.”
COMPANY FOCUS
The right approach Drones can’t do everything, however, and the company can advise in one conversation on whether to use their ground-based approach or a UAV, depending on the circumstances. To complement their UAV system Plowman Craven have recently invested in the latest Amberg IMS5000 system which can simultaneously measure rail positions, 3D point cloud and gauging data of up to 4km of track per hour. “Our advantage is that we’ve got all sides covered,” says David. “We’ve got the best of both worlds because no one system can do everything. People get extremely excited about drones, and they are a fantastic technology if used in the right way. But it needs to be combined with a comprehensive knowledge of surveying in the rail environment.”
An advantage of working on the track is that you can take very precise, direct measurements of your immediate surroundings. However, during a track possession, time is a very valuable commodity. Plowman Craven make the best use of the technology available to them to gather data quickly and accurately. “An interesting project using the Amberg IMS system took place on the South Wales Metro Project,” says Tom Wren, Head of Client Solutions – Rail and Infrastructure. “That was one of the projects where we said, ‘It’s easier to use the Amberg system on this, and we can do kilometres of track per night because we have the access.’ We’ve done about 100km of track on the Valley Lines and into Cardiff. Using the trolley was the quickest way of completing that survey, where we had short periods of access overnight.” Where the complexity of the project demands it, the firm will use a combination of all its airborne and groundbased solutions to get the required data. An example is the work it carried out for Network Rail on the Aberdeen to Inverness improvement route, which included surveys of the track and the Don
Viaduct. “We needed to deploy everything on that,” says David, “Measuring track from above, measuring the underside of the structure from the ground, producing 3D models and track alignments and every product we could think of. We even did 360-degree photography from the sky that they used for stakeholder engagement with the public.”
Conclusion The dual technology that the company brings to the table is tried and tested. The innovation lies in the way the firm uses the technology, combining its capabilities to achieve the best result. Over 200 clients have already benefitted from these techniques and the firm’s methods are fully approved. Indeed, Network Rail has described its techniques as “An absolute gamechanger to surveying in the rail environment.” It’s not just having the equipment, it’s knowing how to employ it, and Plowman Craven are experts on both.
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
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NOTICES
UKRRIN launches Doncaster technology hub The UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN), the £92 million partnership between academia and industry, has launched a new Technology and Innovation Hub at Unipart Rail’s Headquarters in Doncaster. Led by Unipart Rail, the new Hub will support the sector in translating academic research and innovation to solve strategic industry challenges and to enable and develop the next generation of products and services. It will have a particular focus in supporting SMEs, both those established and new to the industry. The Hub features information and interactive displays on the UKRRIN Centres of Excellence, the Network Rail Research and Development Portfolio and a range of different innovations from across the industry. It has been supported by leading universities including Huddersfield, Southampton and Birmingham and organisations including Network Rail, Unipart Rail, RSSB and the Railway Industry Association (RIA). “Unipart Rail is extremely proud to be a founding member of UKRRIN and now the home of the UKRRIN technology hub,” said Neil McNicholas, Managing Director at Unipart Rail. “Our wealth of knowledge, expertise and industry experience positions us as the ideal collaborative partner for SMEs, enabling them to revolutionise the delivery of innovative technology, whilst overcoming barriers to entry.” The Hub is specifically aimed to bring academia, research and development, and industry much closer together to work in partnership to deliver innovation into the sector. It is hoped the Hub will play a key role in supporting new technology and digital solutions from inception through to market
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
deployment and make a major contribution in the transformation and modernisation of the rail network. “I am delighted that UKRRIN is continuing to grow its scope and physical presence with the addition of the new Technology and Innovation Hub, said Prof Clive Roberts, Professor of Railway Systems, Head of School of Engineering, Director of the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education and Lead for UKRRIN. “UKRRIN is a truly open network, which allows new industry and academic partners to add new capabilities. The new hub will both act as a location from which we can engage new participants, for example through our Sheffield City Region LEP funded SME-focussed DigiRail programme, and for outputs of UKRRIN to be demonstrated to stakeholders.” Speaking about the latest addition to the UKRRIN network, David Clarke, Technical Director of the Railway Industry Association (RIA), said: “The whole network provides access to the best brains and facilities in UK rail and the new Technology and Innovation Hub is particularly welcome with its focus on supporting SMEs by helping get their products to market, thereby solving real rail industry challenges. All too often innovators underestimate what is needed to move from prototype to approvals and then sales, so the hub will be vital in helping them on that journey.” The Hub was launched at an event on Wednesday 22 September covering the theme of ‘Where Great Ideas Converge’ with a number of UK rail leaders’ providing insights into innovation and digital transformation.
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NOTICES
Northern Line extension opens MALCOLM DOBELL
The three-kilometre Northern line extension from Kennington to Battersea Power Station via Nine Elms opened on 20 September 2021. At an event on 16 September, Transport for London (TfL)’s Project Director Martin Gosling and David Darcy, Project Director for the Ferrovial Construction Laing O’Rourke joint venture, led a tour of both new stations and anyone who had not visited this area of London would be amazed at its transformation. The extension was originally planned to open in 2019, but the original design of the station box at Battersea Power Station had to be altered after the developer decided to build a heavier building on top of the station box than originally agreed. This increased costs and delayed opening until autumn 2021.
In 2020 the conductor rails were energised and, at Christmas 2020, the first 1995 tube stock train was welcomed under signal control. The line runs in twin bored tunnels which are connected to the remainder of the Northern line in the loop tunnel that connects the southbound to the northbound tunnels, where, currently, most southbound Charing Cross branch trains turn around for their northbound journeys. There is a scissors crossover at the east end of the Battersea Power Station station box. Both stations were constructed as excavated boxes, and the spoil from the stations and tunnel excavations was transported by river to the Tilbury area to renovate the ground in that area. This involved over 700 barge loads carrying 850,000 tonnes of spoil, eliminating over 45,000 lorry movements.
Connection completed
Sadiq Khan and Grant Shapps tour the newly opened Northern line extension.
Wide open space
In April 2017, two tunnel boring machines were set to work, with break though achieved in November 2017. The connection proper was completed at Kennington. During 2018, four cross passages were constructed at Kennington to improve interchange between the Charing Cross and Bank Branches. In 2019, the track was installed on its concrete base and the first engineers train visited the extension in June 2019. PHOTO: TfL
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
Both stations are incredibly spacious. Nine Elms, the entrance of which is on Wandsworth Road, has a shaft with three escalators going directly from the gateline to the platforms, and there is a very wide space between the platforms, which are wider than is normal for tube stations. TfL owns the air rights above the station and Martin indicated a plan to build affordable dwellings above the station. At Battersea Power Station, opening onto Nine Elms Lane, there is a bank of three escalators down to a long gallery. In time there will be another bank of escalators which will emerge under a tall building that is still under construction. One notable feature at Battersea Power station is two artworks by artist Alexandre de Cunha. Photos do not do them justice. Stretching 100m and 60m in length, the artwork incorporates two friezes that face each other along the length of the ticket hall. Now it’s over to Northern Line area manager Carl Painter and his team to deliver an excellent service. Rail Engineer congratulates the construction team and wishes Carl and his team all the best for the future.
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FEATURE
DAVID SHIRRES
Williams-Shapps AN ENGINEERING PERSPECTIVE
M
ost readers will by now be aware of the Williams-Shapps report, published in May. This proposed a Great British Railways (GBR) organisation which will absorb Network Rail and many functions of the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) and Department for Transport (DfT). The report was to have proposed the ending of train operating franchises. However, the Covid crisis not only delayed the report, but resulted in franchises being replaced by Emergency Measures Agreements. GBR is to own the infrastructure, receive the fare revenue, run and plan the network and set most fares and timetables. Instead of operating trains directly, GBR will let contracts to private
Birmingham New Street station.
PHOTO: TRABANTOS
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
companies to operate trains to specified service levels. GBR will generally set fares and take the revenue risk. Thus, GBR has the responsibility for both cost and revenue.
FEATURE Williams-Shapps rightly stresses the importance of providing passengers and freight customers with the service they require. It explains how the unified GBR organisation will provide passengers with a service that offers value for money and will provide new opportunities for freight traffic. Much is said about making the railways more attractive to passengers including fare simplification, flexiseason tickets, a national extension of Pay as You Go and integrated ticketing. GBR will also have a growth target for rail freight which it will have a statutory duty to promote. Yet, few rail engineers have direct contact with the ultimate passenger or freight customer. For them, the question is how they can best support GBR and how will the Williams-Shapps proposals help them deliver a better railway. In this feature, Rail Engineer considers the engineering implications of the Williams-Shapps plan, some of which leave key questions unanswered, particularly in respect of rolling stock.
A guiding mind The Williams-Shapps report recognises that the current rail sector organisations have differing incentives that do not always serve the interests of the passengers and freight customers. Furthermore, within today’s structure, no organisation has the financial, technical and operational authority to oversee the design, investment and management of the whole railway system. It envisages that GBR will provide the required ‘guiding mind’ with Ministers taking key funding decisions and using strong levers to set direction and pursue government policy. The report recognises that these powers will need to be used flexibly to allow GBR to plan and make the required choices. The recent deferral of the May 2022 East Coast timetable to May 2023, due to inadequate power supplies and an over-ambitious service provision, illustrates the shortcomings of the present system which lacks a railway system plan that aligns fleet, infrastructure and timetable strategies. To address this issue, the report proposes a long-term strategy that sets out key strategic priorities for the whole rail network for the next 30 years. It advises that the first step is a ‘Whole Industry Strategic Plan’ that will be completed in 2022. The report advises that this will include the required major changes to track, infrastructure and on-train systems required for programmes such as digital signalling.
Current and Future industry structure as shown in Williams Shapps report. Pre-Covid and Future money flows as shown in Williams Shapps report.
Rolling stock A significant omission from this thirty-year plan is rolling stock procurement which can only be done in a cost-effective manner if it is aligned with the decarbonisation plan. Moreover, the need to replace rolling stock may determine the infrastructure strategy.
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
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FEATURE
Class 385 arrives at Glasgow Queen Street. For example, in Scotland, which already has such a long-term strategy, the urgent need to replace lifeexpired trains resulted in a transitional strategy of partial electrification and battery EMUs on some lines. At a recent press conference, Rail Engineer raised this issue with Network Rail’s CEO, Andrew Haines who answered
that “we are doing the work to address this question including a whole system (rolling stock and infrastructure) decarbonisation strategy and have a rolling stock replacement strategy.” Williams-Shapps does not say much about trains, though it mentions “ironing board” seats on four occasions. Many of the complaints about these
THURSO
ELECTRIFIED WICK
ELECTRIFICATION 2021-35 TRANSITIONAL TRACTION SOLUTION PERMANENT TRACTION SOLUTION
INVERNESS
KYLE OF LOCHALSH ABERDEEN
MALLAIG
FORT WILLIAM
PERTH OBAN
STIRLING GLASGOW
DUNDEE EDINBURGH BERWICKUPON-TWEED
KILMARNOCK
seats concern the InterCity Express Programme and Thameslink trains that were directly procured by the DfT rather than by train operator franchises. It commits GBR to bringing forward replacement cycles to eventually remove such seats, no doubt at significant cost. The report does “not assume any direct change to the current industry model for train procurement.” Yet this is not possible as this model requires the now-defunct franchises to procure trains. It seems likely that GBR will procure trains in future and, in doing so, will take a strategic view to take account of, for example, rolling stock cascades, electrification programmes and the need to avoid ‘boom and bust’ train procurement. This has to be an improvement. It also seems likely that GBR will consolidate leases for train fleets which are currently split between different train operators. Whilst the report envisages that leasing companies will continue to undertake heavy maintenance, it is not clear whether the train operator’s Passenger Service Contracts will include other maintenance or whether GBR will provide operators with maintained trains.
AYR
Infrastructure work
STRANRAER
CARLISLE
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
NEWCASTLE
The creation of GBR offers significant benefits in respect of engineering access. This is currently governed by
FEATURE Schedule 4 payments to train operators to compensate for the financial impact of planned service disruption. With GBR responsible for both train revenue and infrastructure costs, there is the opportunity to develop engineering access arrangements that balance the complex trade-off between train revenue and customer needs against the engineering cost of different access windows. Optimising access in this way requires consideration of many factors, often on a case-by-case basis, which cannot be done under the relatively crude Schedule 4 regime. Another key benefit from the creation of GBR is that it should provide a whole-system approach to ensure trains and infrastructure are optimised to deliver the timetable. This would include the optimisation of loops and turnout speeds, identification of key line speed improvements, and specification of minimum
passenger train acceleration and minimum power to weight ratios for freight trains. At various locations electrification is required to ensure the required train performance to optimise the timetable. It is therefore good to see that Williams-Shapps recognises the requirement for an electrification programme and, in particular, the need for short infill freight electrification
projects, for example between Felixstowe and Ipswich. It states that electrification is required to decarbonise the network and notes its ‘sparks effect’ that attracts new passengers and freight customers to rail. It does not, however, mention the significant capacity benefits that electrification provides. Another benefit of a systems approach is the national accessibility strategy promised
2nd class seats DfT-specified IEP trains have been the subject of much criticism.
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
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FEATURE Voith’s DIWARail transmission installed on a class 158.
by the report. This will provide a joined-up approach to accessibility, including getting to, from and around stations and on and off trains, including level boarding. It will introduce new, consistent standards to ensure passengers know the level of service to expect wherever and whenever they travel. Whilst Williams-Shapps offers significant benefits in respect of rail infrastructure, some of its impact is exaggerated. The report envisages that Great British Railways will have more purchasing power and provide a new focus on the escalations in cost, gold-plating and over-specification that have occurred since privatisation. It envisages that “contracts will be modernised, with complex approval processes and supplier frameworks overhauled, and new ways of working explored to improve pace and value for money.” Yet much of this could be done under present arrangements. Network Rail already spends about £8 billion per annum on infrastructure contracts and the company has already recognised the need to improve product approval and for more pragmatic standards. Nevertheless, there is clearly a requirement to develop and deliver infrastructure projects in a more cost-effective manner. As we describe in issue 189 (Mar-Apr 2021), Project SPEED has made a good start in this respect.
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
Williams-Shapps also notes how better visibility of investment pipelines will foster easier delivery of projects. However, publicising planned enhancement projects is already in the gift of the DfT and, as the Railway Industry Association (RIA)’s enhancements clock shows, it is now almost 700 days since the Department’s Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline was last updated.
Innovation Williams-Shapps has much to say about innovation. It considers that a lack of innovation and incentive to modernise is partly responsible for the lack of cost effectiveness. Yet it does not acknowledge the recent work to drive innovation and mentions developments that are already in place. For example, the use of data sandboxes and remotely piloted drones to monitor track conditions. Rail Engineer has featured many rail innovations and has reported on RIA’s annual innovation conference which this year was a virtual event as reported in issue 190 (MayJune 2021). Over the years we have described RIA’s Unlocking Innovation programme, the development of the UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN) which offers effective collaboration between industry and university research centres. We have also
reported on the development of Network Rail’s research portfolio which is supported by challenge statements to inform industry of the company’s research requirements. Our report on this year’s RIA innovation conference described how this R&D portfolio is worth £245 million for CP6 with £85 million already spent. Network Rail’s R&D investment to date has delivered benefits of around £300 million with a 20% rate of return. However, the feature also reported how Network Rail’s Andrew Haines had noted that fragmentation had produced perverse incentives which makes it difficult to innovate. This point is also made in the Williams-Shapps report. In this respect there is a particular issue with older rolling stock which the creation of GBR should resolve. In 2018, Rail Engineer reported how Voith had demonstrated that a pilot scheme to replace a class 158’s fluid flywheel transmission with the company’s hydro mechanical transmission offered significant fuel savings which offered a four-year payback. However, the company received no orders for its fuel-efficient transmissions as the companies concerned did not get the benefit of fuel savings over the vehicle’s remaining life. This will not be an issue when GBR assumes ultimate responsibility for lifetime rolling stock costs.
FEATURE
Passenger improvements The Williams-Shapps reports notes that half of all national rail journeys in Britain use paper tickets and promises a revolution in passenger fares and ticketing. This will require new ways to pay through contactless Pay As You Go for commuters with digital tickets for regional, long-distance and frequent journeys. Its commitment to modernise and improve the passenger experience will require GBR to work with its partners to adapt to changing passenger needs. The report envisages that the Great British Railways’ website and app benefit from the best-in-class providers today, including international partners. Open data compiled by GBR and its partners will be introduced for which a new Rail Data Service will provide a common framework and standards. This will provide new opportunities to integrate rail data into passenger-facing apps and connect data across systems. Such services will require GBR to support the government’s ambitions for 5G connectivity. GBR will be required to work with technology businesses to ensure that passengers are digitally connected to improve their on-board experience. The railways’ digital infrastructure is to be expanded through the
recently announced Project Reach initiative in which telecoms partners will build new communications networks along the railway in return for the right to commercially exploit it under a long-term concession agreement. As a first step, a public-private partnership between Network Rail, Govia Thameslink Railway and Cellnex will introduce full and fast mobile connectivity from Brighton to London. This will give passengers a completely connected journey by 2023 including in stations, tunnels and cuttings, and will also boost connections for local communities along the route.
Williams-Shapps envisages a sustained programme across the rail industry to invest in skills, training and leadership to foster greater collaboration, openness to innovation and so support long-term productivity improvements. The report commits to a new approach that supports people at every career stage to improve customer service and make rail more attractive to new and experienced talent from outside the sector, including apprenticeships. The intention is to build on the Connected Leaders Scheme, launched in 2020, which is beginning to
PHOTO: TOMMASO79
This example is particularly relevant to the rail decarbonisation programme which will require many existing vehicles to become more fuelefficient pending completion of the electrification programme.
Skills The report rightly points out that the current railway structure makes it difficult for staff to understand how their role relates to others in different parts of the industry. This impedes effective leadership at both organisational and individual levels as staff often can only consider their part of the sector. It also limits the opportunity for whole-system, efficient solutions to emerge.
equip future leaders with a deeper understanding of customer needs and a better cross-sector perspective. Another commitment is the establishment of a virtual leadership academy following the example of the Roads Academy, which supports leadership within the roads sector. This academy will bring together commercial, technology and passenger
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FEATURE PHOTO: HS2 LTD
Illustration of the interior of Curzon Street Station.
service experience and draw on best practice and external perspectives. It will be designed in close collaboration with leaders from across the railways. GBR will also develop a system-wide workforce plan to enable a strategic assessment of current and future needs. This will build on examples of good practice across the sector, such as the Train Drivers Academy, launched in 2019 by the Rail Delivery Group to increase the supply and diversity of qualified drivers.
A new future The Williams-Shapps report has much to commend it. The creation of GBR as a single organisation that both receives train income and is responsible for all railway expenditure incentivises a whole system approach. This should ensure that everyone across the sector is working to common goals. This whole system approach also offers clear engineering benefits which will ultimately benefit the passenger. These include a focus that should ensure infrastructure and
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
on how the railway can best benefit its customers and the nation. The report recognises that GBR needs to be allowed to plan and make the required choices whilst Government ministers take funding decisions and set government policy. It is essential that politicians respect the requirement for GBR to determine how best to deliver policy within the required funding. Having been delayed by Brexit, a general election and Covid, the Williams report (now Williams-Shapps) has been a long time coming. It has certainly been worth the wait. PHOTO: HS2 LTD
Interchange station internal concourse illustration.
rolling stock is fit for the required timetable, optimised engineering access, incentivised innovation, a long-term integrated infrastructure and rolling stock strategy, and better cross-sector skills training. The proposal for a thirtyyear strategic plan is to be welcomed. As shown by the ‘boom and bust’ approach to electrification and rolling stock procurement, short-term funding decisions inevitably result in additional costs in the long term. All this requires a strong competent ‘guiding mind’ with GBR allowed to take decisions
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STRUCTURES & INFRASTRUCTURE
Barmouth Viaduct
UPGRADE N
etwork Rail is upgrading the iconic Barmouth Viaduct/Pont Abermaw with the biggest restoration of its history: a £30 million upgrade that will protect the well-loved bridge for generations to come. This is creating huge interest among local communities and their very numerous 2021 staycation tourists.
Historic and unique Barmouth Viaduct is a singletrack, wooden railway viaduct across the estuary of the Afon Mawddach near Barmouth, Wales. It was constructed by the Aberystwyth and Welsh Coast Railway between 1864 and 1867. It is 820 metres long and carries the Cambrian Line between Morfa Mawddach and Barmouth stations. Its 113
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spans of 5.8 to 6.2 metres make up the longest timber viaduct in Wales and one of the oldest in regular use in Britain. When built, the bridge included a lift span to pass tall ships, this was later replaced by a steel swing span carried on cast iron cylinders, although this is no longer operational. As well as the railway, the spans also carry a Gwynedd County
Council owned path, used by pedestrians as well as cyclists as part of National Cycle Route 8. At the end of the Nineteenth century, the three fixed and two swing metallic spans and substructures at the north end were installed, and older readers may recall that in the 1980s its timberwork was found to be under attack by teredo marine worms resulting in a sixmonth closure for replacement of 48 piles and the encasement of pile bases in concrete shrouds. A weight restriction and ban on locomotive hauled trains continued from 1986 until 2005.
STRUCTURES & INFRASTRUCTURE
BOB WRIGHT
The planned restoration The viaduct is now 157 years old, and its mainly timber construction is again in need of replacement. A replacement bridge was considered, but refurbishment was selected. The three-year programme will restore it, whilst maintaining its appearance and its Grade II* listed status. Both the timberwork and the four steel spans at the north end will be replaced on a like-forlike basis. When the works are completed, the viaduct will retain the current speed restrictions of 20 mph for passenger trains and 10 mph for freight. Network Rail worked closely with Transport for Wales, Cadw – the Welsh Government’s historic environmental service, Gwynedd County Council and other stakeholders over several years to develop and agree the scope of this project. Network Rail took into account how important Barmouth Viaduct is to the local community and tourists. Barmouth is the third-fastest growing holiday destination in the UK and the viaduct is a local icon, much loved by the local communities and visitors who use it and who enjoy its majestic beauty, striding across the water or mudflats of the estuary. The refurbishment work has been scheduled to run outside of the summer peak, to limit disruption.
Network Rail held online public engagement in June 2020 and a public dropin event in July 2021, to share information, show the construction methodology animations, and to receive comments and feedback. The local community appreciated that noise and other disruption would be incurred, and that rail travel would be replaced by buses for long periods. However, they understood the necessity for the works, remembering the impact of its temporary closure in the past and very much appreciated the £30 million investment in their iconic bridge. Gareth Yates, Network Rail’s Project Manager, explained to Rail Engineer that to reduce the public impact of the work, this project will take place over three years, with three shorter full closures of the viaduct, rather than one longer full closure. (In 2020, OctoberNovember and in 2021 and 2022, September-December.) The project began in 2020 and will be completed in 2022. During the blockades a bus replacement service is being provided between Pwllheli and Machynlleth stations, with additional bus services for local school pupils. The contract for the project was awarded to Alun Griffiths (Contractors) Ltd, who are locally based and are proud to be delivering a project which
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STRUCTURES & INFRASTRUCTURE brings economic, social and transport benefits for the area. Half of their project workforce live in the Barmouth area and the social value benefits to the local economy were assessed using the Welsh Government Community Benefits Tool. This calculated that for every £1 of their contract, the local economy will see a return of £1.95. Network Rail’s design consultant for the timber elements was Cass Hayward, with Tony Gee and Partners acting as Alun Griffiths’ designer for the steel spans. Timber replacement in the substructure took place between September to December 2020, including a two-week blockade. Works have continued on this this year from June, with a SeptemberDecember blockade for replacement of the deck. During 2022, a similar blockade will be used to replace the four steel spans. The first six weeks of this year’s phase saw work through day and night to take advantage of better summer weather. Steve Richardson, Operations Manager at Alun Griffiths, explained that working out in the estuary leaves his team exposed to the elements and that “without a doubt, the wind is our biggest issue”.
Timber replacement in the substructure Fifty-three of the viaduct’s 565 piles are being replaced above riverbed level, together with 119 diagonal bracings and 102 low level walings. The concrete shrouds around the piles at low level are to be replaced/ installed on all piles. The replacement timber members are FSC-certified greenheart hardwood from Guyana which has proven the most durable timber for marine works such as this and is much more durable than the Douglas Fir and Pitch Pine of the original structure. Greenheart is resistant to sea worm attacks which proved so troublesome in the 1980s.
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Fortunately, the timber had been advance ordered by Alun Griffiths and was already held in stock in Scotland when flooding in Guyana led to a temporary suspension of exports. Materials for this part of the works have been delivered by road to the compound to the north of Barmouth and are being taken to site on rail trailers or on pontoons via the harbour. Much of the timber substructure work has been undertaken at low tide from the riverbed, works towards the main channel being carried out at spring tides with shallower locations being targeted at neap tides. Between four and six hours of work has been possible in each tidal window, calling for careful planning and organisation to maximise production. At each trestle, the extent of works varies according to the condition of the existing members. The low level walings are first removed and the diagonal bracing members replaced. Next, one bracing is removed and a trestle pile released from the other. The pile is cut off at low level after any concrete shroud has been removed and lifted out by chain hoist supported by a tracked excavator. The remaining stump is prepared to form a half-lap joint to match the previously prepared replacement. The new pile is then placed and bolted up to the stump, the crosshead and bracings. Where necessary, the low-level pile preparation work has been carried out by divers working from a service pontoon. Finally, the joint between old and new is encapsulated in a concrete shroud formed within a GRP former. The deck beams are supported by short corbel timbers atop crosshead beams on the trestle piles. 291 of the corbels and 81 crossheads are being replaced. Temporary access scaffolding for the high-level works to replace these has been punched up from the walings, which also provides some temporary
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STRUCTURES & INFRASTRUCTURE
propping and stiffening of the trestles as elements are removed and replaced. Where corbels require replacement, temporary brackets in the deck have been used to lift the beams clear before new members are hoisted and secured into place. In 2020, to replace the trestle crossheads the deck was raised by a travelling rail-mounted gantry that spanned the two affected decks. This year, deck beams have been removed to gain access to the crossheads. The beams are then lowered by chain hoists and the new crossheads lifted into place. The replacement brackets and bolts for all connections are of stainless steel.
Replacement of the timber deck The track is carried on longitudinal timbers that span between corbels. All 452 of these are to be replaced during this year’s blockade, together with the parapet edge beams. The replacement will also provide the opportunity to create a smoother vertical and horizontal rail alignment.
Work began near the middle of the viaduct, at span 57. The existing rails were removed by TXM’s Monster Cranes. These require no outriggers and so are ideal for use on the deck of this viaduct. The longitudinal timbers, decking and edge beams were also removed by the crane and loaded onto rail trailers. Temporary access decking supported from the trestles was lifted into place from a floating pontoon below. Next, spans 56 and 58 were also stripped out. Where required, this then allowed corbels on the two piers to be replaced before the new longitudinal beams were brought by rail trailer from the Marine Parade and Morfa compounds. These were placed by the cranes and secured using stainless steel bolts and brackets. This process will continue until December, heading shoreward in both directions. New operational access footway decking boards are of GRP and installed from the temporary deck below as works proceed.
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On the shore approach embankments, concrete ballast boards attached to steel posts will be placed between footpath and the track to allow a full ballast shoulder to be formed. Rails will be placed onto the new longitudinal timbers by the cranes, placing one pair at a time across the viaduct.
Replacing the steel spans Next year’s blockade will see the replacement of the five steel spans. These have been designed by Tony Gee and Partners to visually replicate the current bridges, although reflecting current design codes. The ‘swing span’ will not be constructed to be movable, but with the agreement of Cadw and Gwynedd County Council, it will retain the existing slew ring and other equipment to retain its historic appearance and the whole viaduct’s Grade II* listing. The new 40-metre-long steel girders for spans three/four and five will be delivered by rail to the south end. The shorter girders for spans one and two will be delivered by road to the north end.
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Ahead of the blockade, the steel cylinder substructures will be grit blasted, repaired and painted, ready to receive the new spans. The girders for spans three/ four and five will be loaded onto rail trolleys and taken to the bridge site. A temporary gantry structure will be in place on top of each permanent girder. These will be jacked down onto the existing substructures, forming a temporary bridge between the existing girders. This will be used to support the old structure as it is demolished and lowered from the gantry onto pontoons on the river. The new girders will then be jacked horizontally into their final locations and their cross girders and decking lifted from pontoons. Finally,
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the temporary gantry will be dismantled and removed. The two 12-metre land spans will be removed by a land-based crane, and the new girders and floors installed from land. The new rails will be fastened direct to the steel decks with Vipa baseplates. Barmouth Viaduct is loved by its communities and visitors who greatly appreciate its refurbishment and Network Rail’s commitment to this
structure. The Alun Griffiths team delivering these works have managed, and continue to manage, the vast logistical challenges of working on this very long and inaccessible site, along with the weather and tides of this exposed location. At the end of 2022 when the project is completed, the viaduct will have a much-extended life but will look just the same as it always has, which is exactly what the team are planning for.
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STRUCTURES & INFRASTRUCTURE
HS2’s longest tunnels HEAD NORTH BOB WRIGHT
Ring sections outside the precast factory at the Chilterns Tunnel South Portal.
I
n issue 190 we described HS2’s 3.37km Colne Valley Viaduct. Immediately to the north of this will be another of the project’s mammoth structures, the twin 16km long, 9.1 metre diameter Chiltern Tunnels, passing beneath Chalfont St Peter, Chalfont St Giles, Amersham and Little Missenden. These will be the longest of the 130km of tunnels to be built during HS2 Phase 1. These are currently being built by Align, a joint venture formed of three international infrastructure companies: Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick. The tunnel alignment was based on extensive ground investigation during the early preparatory works for HS2 and was designed to pass through the chalk strata, up to 90 metres deep, beneath the Chiltern Hills. Designed specifically for the ‘chalk with flints’ that they will encounter, the two identical Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM) will dig the tunnels for north and southbound trains.
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On site manufacture of tunnel lining segments Align’s Chalfont Lane site will be the biggest construction site on the HS2 project and includes pre-casting factories for both the Chiltern Tunnels and Colne Valley Viaduct. David Andrews, the Tunnel Precast Manager, explained that many projects set up fabrication facilities in sub-optimal existing buildings that do not usually have the space required for the scope
of works. For the huge scale of this project, Align, along with their shed supplier, Caunton Engineering, have designed and built a huge factory, bespoke to the needs of the production, storage and logistics activities of the production operations. The large-scale U-shaped segment factory is located alongside the viaduct precast factory but is operated independently. Concrete for the production facility is batched on site in a large-scale, purpose-built batching plant, positioned between the two factories. Tarmac are Align’s concrete supply partner for this project, selected on their track record of supporting complex infrastructure projects of this scale. Segments use highgrade stainless steel-fibre reinforcement which offers
STRUCTURES & INFRASTRUCTURE
greater ductility and cost savings for reinforcement work. Where cross passages and shafts will be cut through the rings, and in fault zones, segments also include steel rebar reinforcement. Each of the ring’s seven segments are slightly different to allow them to tightly lock together and their orientation can be adjusted during installation to allow slight curvature or corrections. The factory includes two semiautomated production lines, with each line containing 49 segment moulds (seven complete rings) cast in a predetermined order. Each factory is planned to cast 49 segments in each shift, or about one every 11 minutes. At two metres width per ring of seven segments, this equates to the needs of a day’s tunnelling. Robots are used to undertake the repetitive tasks of cleaning the segment moulds prior to the concrete being added and for the final finishing of the concrete surface, minimising human intervention, and improving the quality and consistency of the final product. Segments are then cured in an oven area for six to seven hours. On completion of curing, the segments are stored in adjacent pre-storage carousels in stacks of four and three, to
(Above) South Portal site tunnel wall segment yard. (Inset) Birds eye view of the Chilterns TBMs, Florence with her twin sister Cecilia.
continue the curing process. The next day, the stacks are transferred out to the external storage yard, beneath large travelling gantries, to await their journey into the tunnel. Production started three months ahead of the first TBM launch in May, in order to build up a stock of 1,900 rings, ensuring that the TBMs will never be short of segments to place.
Florence and Cecilia TBMs are always designed to cope with the geology and hydrology of the tunnel alignment. The TBMs here were specified by Align, working closely with manufacturer Herrenknecht to design the two identical 170-metre-long machines specifically for the Chiltern Tunnels. Proactive collaboration led to the inclusion of innovative features into the design, facilitated by Align’s
Underground Construction Director, Didier Jacques’s, long experience in tunnelling and work with Herrenknecht on previous projects. Built, assembled and tested at its factory in southwest Germany, these were transported to site in more than 300 shipments during 2020, before being reassembled, re-tested and commissioned at the tunnel’s south portal launch site. The six different gantries for each TBM were assembled on site and then transported to the south portal TBM Slab, where they run on rails until they enter the tunnel. Once inside the tunnel the TBMs run on rollers on the inner side of the tunnel. Herrenknecht’s engineers will remain on site for some time to ensure that all systems are working correctly and to learn from its performance in service.
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(Above) Segment Gantry crane placing concrete tunnel segment onto stacks. (Inset) Robotic concrete polishing.
Traditionally, TBMs are given women’s names in honour of Saint Barbara, the patron saint of miners. Here they are named Florence and Cecilia, suggested by students at the local Meadow High School and The Chalfonts Community College and chosen after a public vote. The names celebrate Florence Nightingale and the astronomer and astrophysicist, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin. Shannon O’Keeffe, Align’s TBM Manager, described the layout and functions of the underground factory that make up the TBM. Each is controlled by a crew of 17, led by the shift foreman, the TBM pilot and TBM engineer, supported by miners and the mechanical / electrical teams. An additional crew supports them, with another 30 people
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
involved in bringing segments down the tunnel, grouting and other support roles. These are a mix of Align employees and specialist tunnel labour supplied by TG Tunnelling. The TBM is made up of six back-up gantries, and the shield which consists of the cutterhead, ring building area and slurry circuit. The TBMs are a variable density type which constantly maintains pressure to the ground whilst excavating using slurry water. A manlock behind the cutter head in the shield allows for access into the pressurised head for maintenance and repair. The ground is excavated by the rotating cutterhead and the excavated material is transported through a screw conveyor, which then discharges into a slurry mixing box where
additional water can be added to assist in pumping the slurry and excavated material back to the portal, at up to 1250m3/ hr. The sound of excavated flint rattling in the discharge piping reminds the crew that the flow is working and the TBM is mining. As with traditional TBMs, each ring is excavated and then installed sequentially. The segment erector picks each of the seven segments that form a tunnel ring from the segment feeder, rotates them to the required orientation and installs them into position against the previous ring. Currently, this installation operation is manually controlled but testing on an innovative automatic system is underway. An additional part of this new technology is the ability to continuously excavate and install segments as TBMs advance forward. This is achieved by adjusting the thrust of the TBM, pushing more or less on different segments in each ring thereby allowing a segment to be installed as the TBMs continue to move forward without affecting the tunnel alignment. As the TBMs advance, the annulus behind the rings is sealed with cementitious grout batched on the TBM.
STRUCTURES & INFRASTRUCTURE Behind the control room on the TBM gantries are the hydraulic pumps, electrical switches, transformers, and the batching plant as well as welfare facilities for the tunnel teams. There are also two refuge chambers which can be operated in case of any emergency. These can independently provide breathable air for up to 24 hours if the crew cannot evacuate the TBM or tunnel. Each of the 8.5 tonne segments are brought into the tunnel by multi-service vehicles. These are double cabbed as they cannot be turned within the tunnel and allows for the operator to always face the direction of driving. The vehicles drive into the rear of the TBM and segments are unloaded by the quick unloader, then lifted by the segment crane onto the segment feeder to the installation area. The stacks of these include timber packings. To avoid the risk of human entry into the moving and lifting of segments, another robotic unit
removes these automatically, this being one of the most impressive innovations applied to these TBM. This same robotic arm then also inserts the jointing dowels into the segments before they are placed onto the feeder ready for installation. To provide a roadway for the multi-service vehicles, and as the base for future slab track, the curved bottom of the tunnels is filled with concrete to form a flat surface. A moveable steel bridge unit is used above the wet concrete enabling vehicles
to drive over to feed the TBM. The TBMs are powered by a 22kV power supply, fed from the National Grid and sourced from renewable energy only. As the TBM proceeds, every 300 metres a new section of power feeder cable is inserted, along with extensions to cooling water, slurry, ventilation, communication and other supporting utilities. Florence launched in May with Cecilia following in June. Despite starting second, Cecilia will run slightly faster, aided by
Aerial shot of the south portal site summer 2021.
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STRUCTURES & INFRASTRUCTURE geological data and experience fed back from Florence, meaning that both machines are due to break through at the north portal around the same time. Although relatively early into the programme, the teams have already achieved a production peak of 24 metres per day, achieved whilst passing under the M25 where the team were keen to get beyond the highway’s zone of influence as quickly as possible. This faster operation, whilst impressive, can result in greater wear and tear, so the teams are planning an average 15 metres per day for the remainder of the project.
Using tunnel slurry to form new chalk grassland
(Below) The Chiltern tunnel.
Much of the 3 million m3 of chalk excavated from the tunnels will be used for landscaping at the south portal site once
(Inset) Chalfont St Peter vent shaft excavation.
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construction is complete. The ‘Colne Valley Western Slopes’ project will see the construction site transformed into chalk grassland which is lime-rich, thin soil, low in nutrients. This new grassland will attract a huge variety of plants: up to 40 species per square metre including some of the UK’s rarest orchids and invertebrates. The new habitat of 127ha will provide a huge increase on the existing 700ha within the Chilterns AONB. Excavated chalk is being pumped from the tunnels as a slurry. First, this is passed through a trommel screen to collect granular material leaving suspended particles and water. This is then put through filter presses that squeeze out water, leaving chalk cake. The water is returned to the tunnel for further uses, and the solids stored in stockpiles.
Vent shafts Every 2-3km along the tunnel, a vent shaft will be constructed. These will provide for air movement in the tunnel, smoke extraction in the event of fire, as well as to provide maintenance and emergency service access. The first of these is under construction at Chalfont St Peter. It is of 17 metres diameter and 67 metres deep. The shaft’s concrete walls are formed of 16 diaphragm panels. When complete it will include a headhouse inspired by nearby agricultural architecture to help it fit into the surrounding landscape. The shaft is located centrally between the two tunnels and will contain the fans and emergency access stairs. The TBMs are expected to pass it during early 2022. It will be 2024 before these tunnels are complete, but already the massive scale of the project and the innovative aspects of its design and construction are clear, setting standards for future projects.
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STRUCTURES & INFRASTRUCTURE Graeme Bickerdike reflects on a year which saw National Highways’ work on the railway’s great infrastructure legacy debated in the House of Lords and make national headlines before the Government brought it to a temporary halt. So, what does the future hold for the bridges and tunnels still under threat?
ALL PHOTOGRAPHS: THE HRE GROUP
GRAEME BICKERDIKE
Heritage structures ASSET OR
A photo of concrete spewing from the arch of Great Musgrave bridge in Cumbria came to define National Highways' bridge infilling programme.
Neither the Eden Valley nor Stainmore railways were consulted about the infilling of Great Musgrave bridge which they need for a future connection.
LIABILIT Y?
W
e have a right to know. Back in 1997, New Labour planted seeds for the Freedom of Information Act, asserting that “Openness is fundamental to the political health of a modern state” and that “At last there is a government ready to trust the people with a legal right to information”. It’s well documented that Tony Blair soon recognised the “full enormity of the blunder”, one that was “so utterly undermining of sensible government”. But a 2011 survey carried out for the Information Commissioner’s Office revealed that most public bodies felt that the Act had increased the public’s trust in their organisation. And for those involved in campaigning - such as your writer - it’s proven to be an exceptionally powerful tool.
Hanging heads National Highways (NH), the new name for Highways England, manages more than 3,100 disused railway bridges, viaducts, culverts and tunnels on behalf of their owner, the Department for Transport. When, in October 2020, I asked the company for a list of the structures it intended
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
to infill or demolish as part of its asset management regime, neither it nor I could reasonably have foreseen how events would unfold, culminating in the Prime Minister supposedly putting all the works on hold after NH had enveloped a bridge at Great Musgrave, Cumbria, in several hundred tonnes of aggregate and concrete. There was nothing substantively
wrong with it. The only two invested stakeholders - the Eden Valley and Stainmore railways, whose longstanding ambition to unite involved relaying track below the handcrafted masonry arch - knew nothing about the scheme until the contractor turned up. A queue of civil engineers condemned the shame and embarrassment inflicted on their profession. They collectively asserted that infilling is never an appropriate choice for these heritage structures, the conservation obligations for which are set out in both National Highways’ own standards and Historic
STRUCTURES & INFRASTRUCTURE England’s mandatory Protocol for the Care of the Government Historic Estate. The opportunities presented by the green corridors spanned by these structures were being lost to a destructive policy. The ecological, environmental and community impacts received no consideration; neither did the excessive burden imposed on taxpayers. Infilling typically costs £145K, whereas a modest repair scheme might set us back £25K.
materially affects its external appearance; it therefore constitutes ‘development’ and should be subject to a planning application. But, as Queensbury Tunnel demonstrated, the loss of heritage assets - particularly those with a future role to play - can attract substantial opposition and most councils have adopted policies within their Local Plans which would sway the case for permission being denied.
Whys and wherefores
A right to refuse
The scale of the threat to these legacy structures was revealed in January by The HRE Group - an alliance of engineers, sustainable transport advocates and greenway developers. I became its default spokesman when the other nine members took a step backwards. Over the past ten months, £1.3 million has been spent putting nine bridges and pairs of abutments beyond use. This excludes the £7.8 million committed to the partial infilling of Queensbury Tunnel in West Yorkshire, covering 80% of the preparatory works for an abandonment scheme which has so far attracted 7,700+ objectors to its planning application. The original list of structures threatened with infilling or demolition numbered 134, of which about half also featured on a second list of bridges that had failed their BD21 assessments to carry 40-tonne vehicles and had no weight restriction imposed. The remainder appeared to have evaded any reasonable criteria for intervention. Crucially, around one-third of the 134 structures had potential value in terms of future rail or walking/cycling schemes. What Freedom of Information also exposed were the underhand tactics being used to drive through this programme. Infilling a bridge is an engineering activity that
Stoke Road in the South Downs National Park (SDNP) is carried over the former MidHants Railway near Winchester by a bridge dating from 1865. Today its brickwork is rather tired thanks to the ravages of unchecked ivy growth. In April 2020, National Highways told SDNP planners that the structure is in a “distressed condition due to arch ring separation and spalled and missing masonry” and “Infilling the structure is considered necessary to prevent further deterioration and remove the risk of future collapse.” No evidence was offered to demonstrate any
such threat: this hyperbole was designed to encourage the acceptance of Permitted Development rights. But SDNP was having none of it. In response, an official pointed out that the disused trackbed was earmarked for reuse as part of the Watercress Way - an active travel route - and safeguarded against adverse development. Planning permission would therefore be required.
(Above) National Highways have invoked Permitted Development powers to progress the infilling of Stoke Road bridge in the South Downs National Park.
(Below) More than 7,700 people have so far objected to the proposed infilling of Queensbury Tunnel which is the intended route of a Bradford-Halifax Greenway.
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Galebars No.1 bridge in Cumbria is threatened with infilling at a cost to the taxpayer of around £200K.
Nothing more was said for five months; then National Highways submitted a Permitted Development notification letter informing SDNP that the work would be carried under powers known as ‘Class Q’ which facilitate temporary works in emergency situations presenting a serious threat of death or injury. The invoking of these powers was clearly a ruse, not least because they require the structure to be returned to its previous state within six months of work starting. Infilling, obviously, is intended to be permanent. But SDNP felt unable to contest it. Democratic process had thus been circumvented, ensuring that the transport, heritage, ecological and environmental implications of infilling would receive no scrutiny. It’s worth noting that, more than a year later, no work has taken place on site, such is the severity of the impending disaster. And NH now claims that none is planned.
Backlash The House of Commons Transport Committee actively challenged the Government over National Highways’ infilling and demolition
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programme, writing letters to Baroness Vere, the Minister responsible. On 5 July, she responded to questions during a House of Lords debate. Lord Rosser accused NH of pursuing “a back-door process using permitted development powers, which stifles challenges and objections from local communities and organisations”, whilst Lord Faulkner of Worcester was more blunt, accusing the company of “cultural vandalism”. Coverage in the mainstream press and specialist publications was universally damning, one outcome of which was the programme being put on hold whilst a formal framework and engagement process was established to determine the structures’ future. The immediate threat to dozens of structures was lifted as the least developed and most costly schemes were kicked forward into a future phase. This left about 70 on the hit-list in the short term, but an evaluation by The HRE Group suggested that at least 228 structures faced an uncertain future, with the final figure conceivably reaching several hundred. National Highways added 15 new bridges to the list in July and August.
Smoke and mirrors An image of the infilled bridge in Cumbria - with concrete spewing from its arch - came to define the sorry saga, but its consequences for the Eden Valley and Stainmore railways did not end at Great Musgrave. Galebars No.1 bridge - built in stone and brick - carries a minor road across a cutting about three miles further south. It’s a grand lump of engineering - in need of some attention, but showing no signs of distress associated with overloading. In October 2019, a National Highways engineer met a local councillor and the Stainmore Railway’s project manager at the bridge to inform them that it was going to be filled in, although it’s not on the company’s published list. The cost was estimated at £200K; proportionate remedial works to provide additional strength could be delivered for £40K, but the railway was told that it would have to pay for that. NH’s 2016 Strategic Plan for management of their legacy structures made clear that “The optimal option always removes or mostly reduces all future liabilities and mitigates the risk of reputational or financial harm to [National Highways] in each
STRUCTURES & INFRASTRUCTURE case.” Thus infilling was their preference despite being five times more expensive. “They don’t seem to understand the value of money or that of the assets they look after”, according to Mike Thompson who attended the meeting. “Whilst everyone else is trying to build a better future, they’re making it worse by damaging sustainable transport plans and blighting the environment. It’s incomprehensible and certainly not in the public interest.”
Concrete innovation Court Pile bridge in deepest Powys is also under no threat if you believe National Highways’ list. However, contractors who’ve been on site carrying out investigations have informed locals that it’s likely to be replaced with an embankment. This structure helped to sharpen the cutting edge, being an early example of a modular precast concrete road bridge. Back in 1935, the Great Western Railway Magazine proclaimed a “novel engineering achievement wonderful modern methods in bridge construction”. Manufactured at the company’s concrete depot in Taunton, 155
tons of materials were brought to site and assembled by a 36-ton rail crane. Each trestle imposes a maximum load of 95 tons on its foundations which, due to poor ground conditions, comprise a cluster of eight timber piles. Andrew Hope, who lives nearby, regards the bridge as an elegant local landmark. “It carries very little traffic and the size of vehicles using it is restricted by the narrow lane and sharp bends at both ends. It remains in good condition, with only a few minor defects. The waterlogged cutting below the structure has become an ecologically sensitive habitat.
“What the GWR achieved here 86 years ago helped with the development of sectional concrete bridges, so it’s historically significant. Statutory bodies should be working to preserve the country’s outstanding engineering heritage, not wrecking it.”
Change of direction? Andrew alludes to perhaps the most inexplicable aspect of this tale - the blind pursuit of fractional liability reduction without a moment’s thought for the cultural loss, the environmental repercussions and the severing of a corridor that might find function again. The culture exhibited here is
An early modular precast concrete bridge in Powys could be replaced with an embankment.
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STRUCTURES & INFRASTRUCTURE A bridge at Little Smeaton in North Yorkshire is expected to be infilled as part of National Highways' ongoing programme.
rooted in the 1970s, not 2021, but this is - in part - a function of the backward-looking Protocol Agreement which defines the management obligations, established with the DfT in 2015. It’s known that there is some turmoil within National Highways as a result of the reputational damage inflicted on the company. An attempt to turn things around is underway, with a Stakeholder Review Panel formed to consider each proposed scheme before a decision is reached to progress. Only time will tell as to whether it has been bestowed with sufficient power, scope and insight to make a positive difference. Either way, infilling and demolition is expected to resume in November, with several structures earmarked for immediate attention to help consume a substantial budget underspend arising from the works hiatus.
Counterpoint
Herefordshire County Council rejected National Highways' planning application to infill this bridge at Kinnersley.
For the record, National Highways asserts that there have never been plans to infill Galebars No.1 bridge despite the minutes of their engineer’s meeting explicitly recording that intention. The company also points out that “The full extent of our plans for the next five years is published on our website” and Court Pile bridge
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is not on it, a truth that no-one denies. The point made by the campaigners is that a much bigger threat looms beyond the existing programme. “The Historical Railways Estate (HRE) is an important part of our industrial heritage”, insists Richard Marshall, the responsible director at National Highways. “We continue to work closely with stakeholders to keep the estate and public safe, safeguard its future, ensure value for money for the taxpayer and reuse the assets wherever possible. “This is why, where it is safe to, we have paused all infilling and demolition work, to give further time for local authorities and interest groups to fully consider HRE structures as part of their local plans to benefit walking, cycling and heritage railways.” But the volunteers in the Eden Valley will bemoan the pause coming too late for Great Musgrave bridge.
Many would assert that a roads company was never the right custodian for the nation’s rich railway heritage, from the perspective of either mindset or experience. Time has revealed its prevailing culture to be detrimental by default, facilitated by an inflated budget. When Great British Railways was unveiled in May, the Government promised to end the industry’s fragmentation and “bring together the whole system”. In the House of Lords debate, Lord Young of Cookham sought confirmation that this would include National Highways’ legacy structures, a suggestion noted “with great interest” by Baroness Vere. Those who see the value in these assets as we work towards a better normal postCovid will be crossing their fingers for such salvation.
FEATURE
DOTS AND BOXES WHAT RAILWAY ENGINEERS CAN LEARN FROM THIS STRATEGY GAME!
B A A A
MALCOLM DOBELL
J
ames Collinson is the 53rd Chair of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Railway Division and has embarked on a tour of the Division’s seven Centres around the country to give his traditional address.
This year, it is likely that most, if not all, of his presentations will be given in person. His first outing at the Institution’s Westminster HQ was delivered to an audience of around 100 people with a slight majority on-line. His presentation was in three parts: Introduction, How did I get here? and So what?
claimed to be a rail enthusiast, but it must have got to him as, upon graduation, he joined British Railways (BR) as a graduate engineering management trainee. He did the usual “Cook’s Tour” of the various departments including a project studying leaf fall and its impact on the wheel/ rail interface, coincidentally a topic that Sheffield University is still studying to this day. Since then, he has spent roughly one third of his career in the Traction and Rolling Stock (T&RS) world and the remainder dealing with infrastructure. This has taught him that the railway is a system – or, more basically, that T&RS is no good without the infrastructure and vice versa. The ‘railway is a system’ cliché often focuses on the assets, and the people who make it work are often forgotten. As James put it: “engineering is engineering, and the laws of physics don’t change regardless of your sector - but it’s the people that make it all work harmoniously. More importantly it’s about what people do to understand the system better to deliver more benefit”.
Introduction
Dots and boxes
James was born in Grimsby and brought up in South Africa before returning to the UK aged 13. He took A-levels in traditional subjects for prospective engineers and studied mechanical engineering at Sheffield University from 1989 to 1992. He recalled a summer placement at Heaton depot which came about because he was required to do an industrial placement as part of the degree course and the University had a close connection with the railway. He never
So how does the dots and boxes game come into this? Figuratively, he said that the aim of the game is to “join the dots and own as many boxes as possible. Joining the dots is about meeting people and learning things outside one’s usual ‘box’ of knowledge and filling in a box could happen when one really got a feel for the new knowledge; not just the theory.” An example is for an engineer to really ‘get’ the wheel rail interface from a T&RS perspective.
The next stage is to ‘get’ this from the track engineer’s point of view. He illustrated how a ‘box’ describing a very simple computational fluid dynamics model can be built up with more boxes into a complex combustion chamber model and further into an engine, where other specialisms’ boxes such as cooling, lubrication and fuel management have to be included. Each must be tuned to produce an efficient whole. It’s no good making the individual boxes the best they can be unless the whole system works together.
How did I get here? Back to James’ career. He worked in T&RS until 2000 having navigated the challenges of rail privatisation and finding himself in Maintrain at Leeds Neville Hill depot. He gradually built up a collection of ‘filled boxes’ learning about daily examination, cleaning, level 4 maintenance, level 5 overhaul and component replacement, which covered intercity and provincial, diesel and electric trains, as well as depot plant and equipment. It was not just technical boxes but learning how to work with people, manage logistics and stores, and to win work. After 10 years of joining dots and filling boxes in T&RS, James said that he was starting to feel comfortable that he knew the people he was working with and the parameters he was working within. Or so he thought. The opportunity arose to dip a toe into the track with an offer to manage an infrastructure unit covering the first 100 miles from London of the East Coast
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FEATURE Ariel view of Neville Hill Depot c. 1999.
Hatfield 17 October 2000.
Main Line. This was something that would stretch James’ knowledge, but he thought the engineering principles would be the same, just that the assets were different and did not move – usually. This turned out to be a brave move. James was the Infrastructure Controller for his patch. “What did I know about infrastructure?”, he said, adding that he was working for Railtrack which had a reputation for being “A bit bullish” and that all the work was carried out by contractors. Unlike a depot where a good image of the location could be taken from a lighting tower, James was delighted to have a more sophisticated tool available – a helicopter. But the main task
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was managing the contractor – there was not a great deal of engineering involved although James did have discipline engineers for each or the disciplines (track, civil, signalling, electrification etc.,) in his team. The basic routine of carrying out defined maintenance at prescribed intervals was just like trains, but there were still dots to be joined and boxes to be filled as he learned from the asset engineers how the infrastructure worked and really saw shared interfaces from the other side. This was illustrated starkly when, three weeks into his new job, the Hatfield crash happened. He had immediate thoughts that many of us in similar positions recognise: How did
this happen? How do I deal with this? And is it too late to go back to the old job? James just got on with recovering the railway service and had a very steep learning curve, inevitably meeting a lot of new people. Some dots were joined very quickly. Hatfield triggered fast learning about how rolling contact fatigue develops, how it can be measured and how it can be controlled. Later, when dealing with a rail wear issue, James recalled a conversation with the track engineer on his team. The track engineer asked: “When you maintain your wheels, do you work to the same ridiculous limits as we do?” Note the references to ‘your’ and ‘we’. The answer was, of course, yes; the tolerances are similar but in reverse. It was a shared experience between two professionals. Hatfield had triggered many such conversations all over the industry, sometimes for the first time in many years. James said he started to see T&RS problems from the track engineer’s perspective. “You’re out on a track walk, a long train passes, and one vehicle had loud flats,” he said. His track colleague observed that “Your trains are breaking the rails” – note ‘your’ again - and mused about the problems in identifying the right vehicle if reporting the
FEATURE issue. James realised that he had never thought about the impact on the track when assessing whether a flatted wheel could just do another run; he had not been thinking outside of his Neville Hill box. Of course, today there is equipment ranging from Wheel Impact Load Detection lineside equipment to axlebox accelerometers to detect wheel flats and quantify their effect on the track. In time, James became known as the goto guy for T&RS knowledge in his Zone as well as knowing who to talk to amongst the operators’ engineers. He became inquisitive and asked a senior Network Rail engineer “Who does this in other Zones?” This engineer replied “No one, but would you be interested?” This led to James setting up a Rail Vehicle Engineering team which was devolved and embedded into Network Rail’s Zones. This team carried out vehicles/ infrastructure technical investigations with an emphasis on technical, not commercial, conversations. In 2011, James was appointed Managing Director of the Network Certification Body (NCB), a wholly owned subsidiary of Network Rail but kept at arms-length to provide independent Notified Body, Designated Body and Safety Assessment Body certification for projects using the processes set up in the Interoperability Regulations 2011 and the EU Common Safety Method. His role was to set up the organisation and run it at a profit whilst competing for Network Rail’s and others’ work. NCB provided services in T&RS engineering and infrastructure engineering. NCB also had to build a customer service ethic in a team whose role sometimes involved delivering bad news to customers whose projects’ assurance for conformity with standards and regulations were not good enough. As James put it: “This was an opportunity I was looking for; the type where you don’t know what it looks like but when you see it you do a double take. You know the type – like a car or a house - you know what you’re looking for but haven’t seen one that has all you want. It’s also the type where you have
a choice; ‘that’s interesting, I’ve not seen one of those before, walk on’ or ‘that was interesting, where can I get one?’ Anyway, Network Rail needed to embrace the new Regulations, they decided to create NCB and I had the pleasure of making it a reality. So many dots to join!” The NCB role was the longest James had ever spent in one job, from 2011 to 2018. In 2018 he moved to his current job as Network Rail’s Head of Design for the South-East. Yet more knowledge boxes to fill and, after three years leading his infrastructure design team (track, civils, electrification, signalling) James still says that he is a T&RS engineer at heart.
So what? James reflected that his career spans from the end of BR to the start of Great British Railways (GBR) and he has seen several cycles of change. He discussed what he called “A generational cycle; the end of the nationalised railway, privatisation, evolution of the privatised network, cycles of centralised/regionalised organisations (and various in between organisations too), and a return to nationalisation.” He observed that nationalisation provides the opportunity to remove some of the barriers between private companies working to incompatible incentives; allowing engineers to bridge organisations, and allowing them to see and feel different sub-systems. He hoped that the benefits of privatisation - innovation and investment would remain, and that any complacency arising from nationalisation could be avoided. The organisation must learn from the drivers that encouraged privatisation: competition to create innovation, investment, and customer focus.
James reiterated some key points made in presentations by Network Rail’s CEO Andrew Haines focusing on the 3S model: Simple. A railway that is simpler and that means being more agile. A railway which is less bound by contractual obligations and long-standing, out of date customs and practices. One which is adapting to increasing shifts in demand from rail users and able to work together in true partnership between track and train, not driven by contract. Sustainable. An affordable service that people want to use. More user-friendly, and putting the railways’ green credentials centre stage, whilst embracing technology in delivering these goals. Separation. Being clear on roles and responsibilities, separating politics from the job of running a customer-focused railway which is relentlessly committed to delivering priorities established by ministers, and having sufficient separation to get on with the job we know we can do best. James put it another way: “How do we encourage our new and developing engineers to join the dots and fill the boxes quickly and effectively?” He said we need to encourage individuals to look to join the dots – literally ‘work outside the box’–- and for organisations to be ‘pushy’ in encouraging the individuals to do so. His message to everyone was: “Make the most of the changes that lie ahead as we create GBR. For individuals, make the opportunities to learn about engineering outside of your discipline. Be brave and don’t just stick with what you know. For organisations, inspire and release your people to learn and gain experiences outside of their day jobs and invest in their development. There will be great opportunities, some might be thrust upon you; accept them and work out how to make them work. Others might just ‘walk up to you’; don’t let them pass. And finally, look out for the opportunities you can’t see; they might be just round the corner!”
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Professional Engineering Institutions
PAUL DARLINGTON
T
here are many benefits of being a member of a professional engineering institution. These include support and guidance with professional development, seminars, conferences, monthly journals, and the award of post-nominals once registered as a professional engineer with the Engineering Council. Becoming professionally registered is a major achievement in an engineer’s career. There are over 30 professional engineering institutions licenced by the Engineering Council covering all sorts of engineering disciplines with some, such as the Institution of Railway Signalling Engineers (IRSE) and the Permanent Way Institution (PWI), dedicated to railway engineering. This month we look at the IRSE.
International membership The IRSE is the professional institution for all those engaged in, or associated with, railway signalling and telecoms, train control, traffic management and allied professions. The Institution was formed in 1912, and has its headquarters in London. The IRSE and its members are active worldwide, with 50% of its membership from outside the UK. The Institution aims to advance the science and practice of train control and communications engineering within the industry, and to maintain high standards of knowledge and competence within the profession.
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Some may assume wrongly that membership of the IRSE is only for signal engineers who design, install and maintain ‘signals’. This is certainly not the case. When the IRSE was formed in 1912 the Memorandum of Association (which remain largely unchanged to this day) says: “the objectives of the Institution are for the advancement for the public benefit of the science and practice of signalling (which shall mean the whole of the apparatus, electrical, mechanical or otherwise, methods, regulations and principles whereby the movement of railway or other traffic is controlled).” Consider that this was decades before software, so did “or otherwise” foresee the software now being used in all modern control systems? And the “railway or other traffic” neatly covers IP data packet transmission, which now dominates all telecoms transmission used in railway signalling. So it was, and is, a most comprehensive definition that allows the Institution to embrace all technical disciplines and all forms of technology. Despite many attempts over the years, the definition has not been improved. The Institution had its origins in Britain, but with membership now at an all-time high, and with members from 54 countries around the world, it is genuinely international. The IRSE is organised in geographic ‘local sections’ around the world plus the Minor Railways Section, focusing on heritage railways, and the Younger Members Section. The sections organise talks, technical visits, events and competitions throughout the year. Over the last 12 months, and during the Covid-19 pandemic, some sections have organised highly successful online talks and meetings, which have been available to both members and non-members of the IRSE. In general, attendance at these events has been far
SIGNALLING & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
greater than the previous faceto-face events, and the sections plans to hold both in person and online events when Covid restrictions allow. The IRSE’s International Technical Committee (ITC) provides a multi-national and independent perspective on Railway Control, Command and Signalling (CCS) topics. The ITC comprises industry experts from both suppliers and operators, drawn from more than a dozen countries around the world. It aims to inform and educate both IRSE members and the train control and communications community worldwide, principally by the production of reports on selected topics.
Conferences and conventions The IRSE also organises paper conferences, conventions and seminars throughout the year, and the output of the major events is published in IRSE News. Webcasts of the Presidential Programme papers and many section events are
also available to members and non-members at https://vimeo. com/irse. The institution also publishes a number of textbooks about railway signalling, control, and communications. The bi-annual IRSE International Convention is a weeklong programme of presentations, technical visits and networking opportunities for mainline and metro professionals, and work has already begun on planning the next Connection to be held in Glasgow in September 2022. ASPECT is the IRSE’s international technical conference, normally held every two years. It welcomes papers on the topics that make up its name: automation, signalling, performance, equipment, control, and telecoms. It last took place in Delft in the Netherlands and was hosted at the Delft University of Technology. With delegates and speakers from countries all over the world, papers covering all types of railway signalling were presented.
The IRSE is licensed by the Engineering Council to assess applicants for professional engineering registration for Chartered Engineer (CEng), Incorporated Engineer (IEng), and Engineering Technician (EngTech). A professional registration interview will be required for CEng and IEng, which will always be undertaken by two of the Institution’s trained volunteer members who will have experience of the work undertaken by the applicant. For applicants who do not have the required academic qualifications for professional registration, passing the IRSE Exam organised by the Institution is one way of demonstrating further learning.
Licensing The IRSE Licensing Scheme provides the industry with assurance about the competence of individuals to carry out safety-critical or safety-related technical work on signalling and railway telecoms equipment and systems. It provides an accepted cross-industry
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PHOTO: VIOLETA STOIMENOVA
benchmark of competence for personnel carrying out a range of activities from maintenance through design, installation, testing, project engineering and senior technical management. All licence holders must abide by the Obligations of Licence Holders, which sets out the professional standards expected, which are accredited to the international standard for personnel certification, ISO17024. IRSE Licensing develops and maintains competence standards for a wide range of signalling and telecoms activities, with assistance from scheme users and technical experts. The competence assessment checklists (CACs) list the specific skills and underpinning knowledge needed to carry out any particular category or type of work. For example, the licence categories for signalling maintenance personnel include assistant maintainer, maintainer, fault finder and maintenance manager. Individuals are assessed against the competence standards using a two-stage assessment process to ensure impartial collection and review of evidence. On successful completion of the process, a licence is issued. Logbooks are used to record details of training, qualifications
and work experience, and IRSE licence holders are required to maintain their logbook, which assessors will review as part of the assessment process. If things go wrong, a complaint about a licence holder can be made to the Licensing Team. All complaints are referred to the IRSE Licensing Complaints SubCommittee for technical review. Where a complaint is upheld, a licence holder may be given an endorsement on their licence or be required to undergo further training. In the most serious cases the licence may be revoked.
Grades of membership There are several grades of membership with the IRSE. Affiliate membership is open to those currently in full-time or part-time education relevant to the profession, or who are currently on a formal training programme relating to train control systems, telecoms, or railway systems engineering. It is also open to anyone who may not have a specific technical background, qualification or experience, but who are engaged in, connected with, or simply interested in the profession. Accredited Technician membership is for those actively engaged in the railway control
and communication engineering profession and working at a responsible experience level, and who are able to demonstrate their competency in signalling or telecommunications engineering through an apprenticeship or competence assessment scheme. Associate Member (AMIRSE) is for those working at responsible experience level, exercising their professional engineering judgment in the field of railway control and telecoms, and making decisions on specific areas of their work. Member (MIRSE) is for those working at senior responsibility, taking significant engineering decisions affecting technical and organisational output and providing guidance to others. Fellow (FIRSE) is for senior managers in railway control and communications businesses who dictate business and technical policy and for those recognised as experts in their field of railway control and telecoms. So, the IRSE is the professional engineering institution to assist anyone with their career in railway signalling and telecoms, but also for anyone interested in the science of railway signalling, telecoms, and train control, and located anywhere in the world.
If you like more information on the IRSE, please visit: www.irse.org | email: hq@irse.org | phone: +44 (0)20 7808 1186.
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PROVEN TRACK RECORD Over 20 years experience in the Rail industry More than 1000 systems installed Proven in use on UK rail networks
Solutions for: Signal power monitoring Rolling stock Points heating Maintenance
BENDER UK
Low Mill Business Park, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 9EE Tel: 44(0) 1229 480123 email: industrialsales@bender-uk.com
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SIGNALLING & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
PAUL DARLINGTON
Signal sighting
with the Unreal Engine
S
ignal sighting is a process which confirms that train drivers are able to reliably read, interpret and respond to signal aspects and other signs. The signal sighting assessment process has evolved and improved over the years and one of the latest processes uses a real-time 3D video game engine tool called ‘Unreal Engine’.
True North Rail Ltd has been established by Ian Fury and Jay Furlong to use Unreal Engine for railway signal sighting purposes. They recently presented the system to the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers, and it was very positively received.
Virtual worlds Unreal Engine is provided by Epic Games, an American video game and software developer and publisher with a $17 billion valuation. It is an open, state-of-the-art game engine, originally used to build video games. It has evolved from simply being a gaming engine to being used by a number of industries to deliver cost effective,
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immersive virtual worlds, to model designs before any construction takes place. It is also used extensively in the film and TV industry, which includes interactive modelling for garden and house renovation programmes. Signal sighting assessment is carried out by a Signal Sighting Committee (SSC). The SSC is made up of a number of bodies who must agree the suitability of every signal, indicator and sign. These include representatives of the signal asset engineer (who is normally the chair of the SSC), the maintainer, an operator, and the train operating companies who provide the drivers and operate the trains. The representatives must have the necessary competence and experience to make the assessment. Cost, safety and engineering compliance all have to be considered, along with an allowance, where possible, for the introduction of new rolling stock. Train drivers have to read signal aspects and indications, interpret their applicability, decide if they apply to the train being driven, interpret their meaning, decide the action to be taken and then carry it out. The time required for a simple signal is around seven seconds, considering conditions such as weather and time of day. The actual time needed is assessed for each signal as it will be different for each location. From this, a Required Readable Distance (RRD) is derived.
SIGNALLING & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Factors that can influence signal sighting include: the post or gantry position; structures such as electrification stanchions, bridges and station buildings; time of day and weather conditions; drivers’ cabs and viewing angles, including direct sun; risk of over reading (seeing an incorrect signal); intrusive local conditions, such as external lights; multiple signals; type of signal e.g., colour light, semaphore, ground signal, banner repeater or route indication; curvature of the track; and tunnels and light/dark contrasts in cuttings. The standard for sighting assessment says that a simulation tool provides the most effective, efficient and, in some cases, the only viable method. For example, if new infrastructure features are not yet built, or where access to the real environment is impracticable or unsafe.
Means of sighting At one time, an SSC would always go to site. The only assistance available was perhaps a ‘periscope’ so they could see from the same height as a driver’s cab, and possibly a mock-up of the signal, which was held in the proposed location so that its position could be agreed. Over the last decade, videos taken from train cabs and various 3D interactive design tools have been introduced to assist SSCs. An obvious solution may appear to take a video of the route to be resignalled from a train cab. This will only provide one angle of view and may not represent the image seen by a driver. There are cab videos available that appear to show a high level of sunlight entering
the cab making it difficult to see train signals. But drivers of such trains with the cameras on board frequently report no issues with seeing the signals. It is also difficult to model proposed signals onto the video. Ian and Jay worked closely together on the Liverpool Lime Street re-signalling and remodelling project. They identified that the signal sighting systems available had problems and that they had a shared desire to improve the use of 3D rail asset and design data for signal sighting. The systems available were bespoke specialised systems and the majority of people on a project could not access the output data. There were also licensing issues and a requirement for specialist hardware. As a result, they established True North Rail Ltd in 2018. Following research, the prototype development of a signal sighting tool based on Unreal Engine commenced in April 2019, with a demonstration and working Beta model completed in October 2019.
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Efficient algorithms The Unreal Engine has highly efficient algorithms for spontaneous illustration, allowing larger and complex models to be visualised while maintaining extremely high fidelity. It is claimed to be the world’s most advanced, real-time communication tool and it has moved on from its initial purpose of simply being a computer gaming engine. The Unreal Engine end user license agreement is 100% royalty-free for creators, with Epic Games charging a percentage of any products (such as video games) sold. So, it can be used to create internal or free projects,
Comparison of True North Unreal Engine with traditional bespoke CAD systems.
or to develop linear content or custom projects for clients, but not for publishing off-the-shelf products. This made it ideal for signal sighting purposes. Compared to bespoke signal sighting models, Unreal Engine also has huge worldwide development resources for coding, development, and modelling, due to the size of the computer gaming industry. It provides a fully programmable virtual world, with simulated ‘real world’ physics. Ian and Jay established that it was likely that any function required for signal sighting already existed in Unreal Engine. The product
was a leading player in the ‘digital twin’ revolution and has increasing support to interface directly with Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). True North Rail’s Unreal-based system can be easily loaded with other CAD inputs and enhanced with imagery from site photos and cab ride footage to provide a very flexible and smooth image of the signal design, which can be easily modified and modelled to assist the SSC with their sighting recommendation. True North were able to overcome the issues with the traditional bespoke systems as shown in table 1.
Traditional signal sighting bespoke CAD systems
True North Unreal Engine
Sun glare impact assessment
No
Yes
Automatic obscuration detection
No
Yes
Whole project accessibility
No
Yes
Change time of day and weather
No
Yes
Software licence fee
Expensive
Free
Quickly modify the image
No
Yes
Animation production for other users. e.g. stakeholder, management, PR.
Typically, one minute animation would take five to ten days
One minute animation would take one or two days
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
VIRTUAL REALITY SIGNAL SIGHTING MODELS True North Rail use the latest gaming engine technology incorporating project Survey/Design and GIS data to create high fidelity virtual reality models that ensure all Signals, Signs and Indicators are Sighted to project requirements. Initial modelling for clash detection and obscurations Guidance on standard structure gauge and Pantograph gauge clearance Support for the Signal Sighting committee - provision of Signal Sighting chair if required High resolution rendered images for Sighting Forms Driver route learning package
OPTIMISE info@truenorthrail.com
INNOVATE www.truenorthrail.com
DELIVER Call 07715 547 768
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SIGNALLING & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Tried and tested The first project to use True North Rail’s Unreal Engine sighting tool was the Rugeley to Colwich resignalling project. The project required the model for the sighting committee within a six-week window commencing June 2020. The Rugeley Colwich resignalling project was a complex project. It is well known as one of the most challenging routes for signal sighting, with 59 signals (16 signal posts and 43 gantry signals) over 42 miles of route. The route has a 125mph maximum line speed along with 44 Bridges, 600 overhead line structures, one tunnel, one station and numerous curves, all creating numerous sighting obscurations. There was a specific problem with a tree in a resident’s back garden which could have
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
affected signal sighting. True North were able to model the tree quickly and accurately using lidar helicopter data. This enabled the committee to assess its impact on signal sighting. The project was also able to descope multiple banner repeaters on huge signal gantries which were thought to be necessary in the initial video sighting exercise. This saved the project millions of pounds. Once the signal sighting was complete, Ian and Jay identified that the Unreal Engine animation output was so flexible and easily modified that it could be used for other project purposes, such as safety inductions, stakeholder management, and driver familiarisation and training. Previously, these applications would have required separate unique systems at additional cost.
Future proof As ETCS is gradually introduced, with in-cab movement authorities replacing lineside signals, it could be presumed that signal sighting will become a thing of the past. But ETCS will require marker boards to define the places where trains may be required to stop and these will still need sighting. Ground and shunt signals are also likely to remain in station areas and depots and, as we have seen, a flexible modelling design tool has many other possibilities for rail. True North Rail have also completed a signal sighting model of Handsacre Junction model pending overlay of the HS2 infrastructure. The tool has also been upgraded to incorporate asset information, such as track name and identification, speed, direction, track cant and curve. This will enhance the modelling capabilities of the tool. Ian and Jay are to be congratulated on what they have achieved with Unreal Engine for signal sighting and railway design modelling. It is an example of what the rail industry and signalling needs to do more of: to make the best use of open systems that have been developed for other industries, often with resources that the rail industry can only dream of.
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Listening to the network FIBRE OPTIC ACOUSTIC SENSING
PAUL DARLINGTON
R
ail Engineer first reported on Network Rail’s Fibre Optic Acoustic Sensing (FOAS) technology development in 2019. Now, two years later, Network Rail has announced the next stage in the concept’s development, with trial installations to be undertaken by a consortium led by Thales Ground Transportation Systems Ltd.
A fibre optic cable consists of one or more very fine strands of glass, each of similar thickness to a human hair and referred to as a fibre. The centre of each fibre is called the core, which provides the pathway for light to travel. The core is surrounded by a layer of glass called the cladding, which reflects light inward to avoid loss of signal and allow the light to efficiently passthrough bends in the cable. Single-mode optical fibre networks often use Wave Division Multiplexing (WDM) techniques to increase the amount of data that each fibre can carry. WDM allows light at multiple different wavelengths to be multiplexed and de-multiplexed at the receiving end, effectively transmitting multiple communication paths through a single light pulse.
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
Noise detection FOAS uses another characteristic of fibre. This is when light is reflected or ‘backscattered’ as it propagates through the fibre in response to a change in temperature, a bending or pulling force to the cable, or by mechanical waves in the fibre’s proximity. The backscattering is sensitive enough to detect noise, which is detected at the source, allowing the location and cause of the backscatter event to be determined. In very simple terms, FOAS can be considered as a series of virtual microphones and sensors located every few metres along the track along the extensive network of fibre cable on most rail routes (there are around 20,000km of fibre cable running alongside Britain’s railways). Under the Thales-led trial, the FOAS technology will incorporate data fusion to boost the ‘listening’ capabilities of optical fibres, which has the potential to enhance remote condition monitoring of assets and provide valuable data to enhance safety, improve train performance, and reduce disruption. The trial will also look at enhancing monitoring by incorporating smart CCTV technology where appropriate. A design contest was launched by Network Rail in June 2020, in collaboration with Dutch rail infrastructure operator ProRail. This challenged over 40 suppliers to come up with proposals for a funded, 12-month, outcome-focused trial of FOAS, IoT sensors and smart CCTV cameras, amalgamated through intelligent data fusion and processing. The design contest also formed part of an existing agreement between Network Rail and ProRail to collaborate on research and development opportunities. The two companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in March 2019 with a commitment to work together and share expertise to solve challenges faced by the rail industry. The MOU will support
SIGNALLING & TELECOMMUNICATIONS the delivery of Network Rail’s £245 million R&D portfolio up to 2024, providing opportunities to jointly develop and transfer technologies into new operating environments over five years. Network Rail says it also plans to reduce barriers to innovation by making itself easier for partners to work with.
Experienced consortium For the winning bid, Thales pulled together an impressive consortium with experienced companies familiar with state-of-the-art technology, and engineers who know the operational requirements of the rail industry and working on a live railway. The consortium includes: The Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), Austria’s largest research and technology organisation, which develops acoustic solutions for transport; Southamptonbased Focus Sensors Ltd, experts in fibre optic sensors, having experience in the rail industry with their Indus™ Cloud platform; Dahua Technology, a world-leading video-centric smart CCTV and IoT solution and service provider, with 50 per cent of its 16,000 employees engaged in R&D; and Incremental Solutions, based in York. Incremental has a lot of experience with user intuitive, scalable systems in the rail industry, with products such as software systems employing Global Positioning System (GPS), geo-spatial analysis, and providing insights into vehicle performance that have historically been unachievable. Thales will use its own technology experts located in Reading and Cheadle Heath, Stockport, and throughout the country. EEMC Monitors Ltd, Comms365 Ltd and MPEC Technology Ltd are not formally part of the consortium but are providing hardware and data services to the project. EEMC Monitors Ltd are the sole specialist UK and Ireland distributor for the Swarm Vibration Monitor and Honeycomb Cloud Monitoring Platform developed and manufactured by Dutch Innovators Omnidots BV. Comms365 are specialists in internet connectivity solutions and will be providing a multi-site wireless network for sensor driven data collection. MPEC are already involved in the rail industry and provide hardware and software solutions for reactive, condition based and predictive maintenance of signalling assets.
Operational challenges The consortium will address four operationally challenging user case areas for FOAS: train movement and position reporting; rail and wheel defects; level crossing safety management; and detecting trespass and people on the trackside. Network Rail say that the FOAS development and trial is an excellent example of collaboration, co-operation and teamwork, with all the members of the consortium enthusiastically working together and supporting one another to achieve the project’s outcome-focused objectives.
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The trial work will be conducted at Network Rail’s Rail Innovation & Development Centre (RIDC) Melton test track, also known as the Old Dalby Innovation Centre, and on the mainline railway from Melton Mowbray to Leicester. This allows the trials to be undertaken both on and off the operational railway, with a number of level crossings available on the main line. Work has already started and will continue through to Autumn 2022. This will enable the trials to be undertaken throughout the year, in a wide range of temperatures, with seasonal variation of light and rail use. Thales’ winning bid represents an efficient approach to innovation by using existing infrastructure to deliver new capabilities while avoiding installation costs, as no new fibre cables will be installed. There will be no interference or risk to the operational data carried by the fibre cables, as FOAS will use spare ‘dark’ fibres. Most fibre cables on the network consist of 24 individual fibres, although Network Rail are installing 432 fibre cables as part of its Trackside
To Edwalton
Widmerpool Compound
Old Dalby Innovation Centre
A9 Grimstone Tunnel South
Asfordby Depot
Melton Mowbray Washstones
To Oakham
Frisby
To Loughborough
Broome Lane Syston Station
Thurmaston Wheel Impact Load Detector
Leicester REB To Leicester Station
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
Connect Services programme. This allows interested parties, such as private telecoms operators, internet service providers and other organisations, to lease dark fibre for their own commercial purposes. Usually, a pair of fibres are required for a telecoms link: one to transmit and one to receive. But the data-carrying capability of fibres are enormous. Each fibre is capable of transmitting light at 186,000 miles per second, with one fibre carrying a light signal powerful enough to stream 1.5 million YouTube videos at once. For example, 10 WDM channels on a single fibre, each streaming 1.5 million videos, multiplied by 432 fibres means the cable could carry more than 6 billion videos at once. Therefore, dedicating one fibre for FOAS per cable on any part of the railway should not be a problem, and the potential operational benefits of FOAS to the rail industry are enormous.
Objectives The key objective of the trial is to allow Network Rail to evaluate how the technology can benefit rail customers. In addition to the initial four main use cases, it could, in future, be used in many other ways, for example: to detect earthwork failures, train integrity, point machine defects, and in weather detection. The FOAS data could also be a valuable feed into the Rail Data Marketplace (RDM). The £5 million funding package to improve rail travel for passengers was announced by the Government in June. It will provide a platform to share rail data across the industry, enabling a step towards a future data-driven railway. The platform is expected to create new opportunities for developers and technology companies to use the rail data and create passengerfacing applications and help in developing new services. RDM will provide passenger information to include seat availability, detail on disruptions and availability of facilities such as lifts and escalators, which will be integrated at one place. Sharing rail data opens up new and exciting possibilities for apps and websites that can make taking a train a smoother, quicker and better experience. But RDM will need accurate data from across the network which is where FOAS could also help, by gathering data using the existing fibre optic network.
Level Crossing Event Logging Enabling remote monitoring and investigation to create a safer rail network
Developed by rail signalling experts, MPEC provide UK wide and global coverage Level Crossings are one of the most high risk points on any rail network. This comes back to the interactions between rail assets and the public, on both highways and footways. Monitoring these critical infrastructure points for judicial purposes ensures that, in the event of an incident or allegation, the network operator can easily investigate. It is vital this process is efficient and effective, with confidence in the data being used. Real-time transmission of data from SA380 loggers to MPEC’s cloud hosted Centrix platform ensures compliance with NR/L1/XNG/100. Centrix’s alarm functionality also allows for early warning of issues enabling signal engineers to investigate before they escalate.
Talk to our team today Visit www.mpec.co.uk or email enquiries@mpec.co.uk
Metrics that can be measured include: • Barrier movement times • Strike-in/strike-out times • Barrier angle • Barrier motor currents • Local track circuit occupancy • Signal behaviour • Other associated digital data
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SIGNALLING & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
A revolution in railway ASSET MANAGEMENT
A
re you ready to join a revolution in railway asset management? Railway Asset Managers, Engineers, Maintainers and Technology Specialists have been coming together to drive a step-change in safety, performance, efficiency, and reliability in lineside signalling power assets using CableGuardian from Viper Innovations.
To date the company has saved tens of thousands of delay minutes, reduced maintenance costs, and increased lineside signalling availability on critical routes, at the same time as improving safety for maintenance staff and the public by predicting and preventing lineside signalling power failures. This exciting start to life in the rail sector is set to continue as more and more people take
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
the decision to transform their asset management, maintenance performance and electrical safety management by taking advantage of Viper Innovations’ technology and proactive service. CableGuardian enables the application of ‘Total Asset Management’ by providing the ability to predict a wide range of electrical characteristics in lineside cables, switchgear and transformers
CableGuardian - is the only Network Rail approved cable monitoring system that offers adherence to Tier 3, Tier 2 & Tier 1 of the Network Rail standard NR/L2/ SIGELP/27725 - Insulation Monitoring and Fault Location Systems for use on Signalling Power Systems.
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REVOLUTION to improve signalling resilience Proven Trackside Technology Since 2018: This advanced system has been proven in operation since August 2018, with multiple UK regions already benefiting from the technology and further installations scheduled across the network this year.
Tier 3 Approved
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Tier 2 Approved
• Fewer boots on ballast fault finding and cable testing. • Quickly and accurately locate cable faults and cable theft. • User friendly web portal for fault diagnosis and location. • Allows trending of insulation resistance and insulation capacitance at a cable section level. • Technological alternative to the 5 yearly manual cable testing requirements. CableGuardian helping passengers to arrive on time.
Tier 1 Approved
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SIGNALLING & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
far earlier in the cycle. The functionality of the system allows changes in insulation resistance from GOhms down to Ohms to be continuously measured. It allows cable capacitance to be measured to support target earth measurements. It will allow the user to identify a broken earth rod connection to prevent a ‘hot loc’ scenario and will measure voltage, current and volt- drop and will pinpoint a failure in the case of cable damage. The ability to trace and map multiple parameters allows us to effect machine learning by recognising and characterising system parameters as they change, with new failure modes being learned over time.
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
Along with its web-based portal and connection to RADAR, CableGuardian is the only product approved Tier 3, 2 and 1 system on the market. Viper Innovations’ ongoing service model enables users to identify changes in system and individual asset characteristics as soon as they happen, allowing investigation to be planned safely and efficiently well before they become failures. Its collaborative working with asset managers, maintenance staff and engineers is finding new, important failure modes in lineside assets, meaning that the return on investment in its product increases over time. This continuous monitoring enables the company to identify
and characterise multiple measured phenomena to direct experienced railway staff to the point of a failure just by recognising a small change in system parameters. Viper Innovations’ service model and innovative technology means that the minimum possible intervention can be planned, providing you with the ability to plan renewals years in advance, smoothing out expenditure. It provides the ability to deliver safer trackside working by avoiding highpressure disruptive possessions, red zone working and scrambled recovery works. It delivers unparalleled availability and reliability in signalling power, avoiding the huge disruption of implementing degraded mode working and it provides a step change in Electrical Safety Management by preventing electric shock risk from earthing issues on the network. So, if you are interested in investing in Total Asset Management for your lineside power assets now, into CP7 and beyond, CableGuardian could offer the solution for you.
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SIGNALLING & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
ARENTIS OFFERS
wireless surveillance system
W
ireless monitoring systems have been improving safety and cutting service disruptions for some time and although the technology is now established, it has matured considerably in recent years. CCTV systems are delivering a muchenhanced product with each advance in digital technology.
A range of specialist suppliers now offer wireless monitoring infrastructure to the rail industry, including Arentis Limited which boasts 20 years’ experience in the rail sector. Arentis provides CCTV solutions for use at crossings, onboard, and for depot and station security, most notably manufacturing the Network Rail approved XNET-TE system in use at Level Crossings throughout the UK. The company’s latest product VA-CONNECT is a wireless camera transmission and recording system which allows clients to view live and recorded video footage from remote locations, or settings where wired infrastructure is cost prohibitive. It can be deployed on Manually Controlled Barriers with Obstacle Detections (MCB-ODs), Automatic Half Barrier Crossings (AHBCs), and Barrow Crossings, delivering live video images on demand or triggered by events on the track, and can also provide continuous recording. VA-CONNECT allows up to 16 CCTV video images to be recorded locally and streamed wirelessly, either on demand or when triggered by alarm. It provides workers with access to images allowing them to review maintenance faults, crossing misuse and detect trespass via in built analytics. The system comprises a remotely located video recording and streaming unit for connection to local cameras and wireless communications. A cloud/WAN based management server provides the hub for administrator management of field units and users. Users access the system through client applications (including Windows and iOS) to view, control, and review and download recorded footage. This can be done from the user’s mobile phone, once they have the correct software installed.
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
Attractive features A key feature of the system is that users can choose their own peripherals. Camera choice is at the discretion of the customer who can pick an expensive high-end solution or choose to keep costs down. Additionally, the choice of data SIM card(s) is again up to the customer, although Arentis can supply a managed Data SIM if required. Wi-Fi is included for local access using a PC for recording download and general administration tasks negating the need to physically access the field unit. Ease of use is another factor that draws customers. Users can quickly deploy CCTV cameras at locations where infrastructure is limited and the system requires very little setup, saving time and disruption to customer sites. Equally, it can be redeployed with ease if and when required. The system does not rely on network cabling and requires only a power source to operate. This can be a fixed power point, though the system’s solar and battery options improve its flexibility.
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SIGNALLING & TELECOMMUNICATIONS PHOTO: WCJOHNSTON
Not only does this aid with installation, but it also makes the system resilient to cable theft, a problem which costs the rail industry millions of pounds each year and which VA-CONNECT can help protect against.
Proven capabilities VA-CONNECT has already been deployed at over 50 locations on the UK’s rail network and the system has assisted in the unfortunate case of accidents and has helped secure successful prosecutions of misuse at crossings. It has helped British Transport Police secure convictions against drivers for various offences, from red light offences to unsafe loads damaging the crossing itself. The system’s rapid deployment has helped in instances where fixed monitoring systems have been knocked out of service due to occurrences on the track. “In 2019 we had a fatal accident at one of our crossings,” said a representative from Network Rail’s Combined Engineering Depot (CED) in Brighton [Sussex Route]. “The investigation took months as the data logger was destroyed in the accident. We needed to find a CCTV system that was affordable and quick to deploy to help with any future incidents. “Since then, we have installed around 20 VACONNECTS to date with another seven sites planned this year. The system has also helped with failure investigation of auto half barriers, they have reduced our fault time drastically and helped with diagnoses of wrong side failures reducing the amount of testing and time required to bring them back into full operation.”
The system has many more uses than surveillance at level crossings and can be employed at remote stations, depots and work sites where assets, workers or passengers may be at risk. All these uses, and more, make the system excellent value for money, according to Network Rail’s representative. “We have deployed one site with a people counting camera so we can see number of users per day, which has been of great benefit in risk analysis. As there are an ocean of cameras with a variety of ‘edge’ functions, this versatility along with the support of the supplier allows maximum leverage of value from expenditure.”
Confidence assured Arentis’ system has been developed solely for use in the rail sector and holds PADSnet part numbers and EMC certification so users can be confident when deploying the system in challenging environments. With trespass on the tracks becoming a growing problem (incidents of trespass increased by 40% as lockdown restrictions were lifted), tools that can act as a deterrent and gather evidence for prosecution of offenders are very attractive. After all, the rail industry is keen to take advantage of technologies to increase safety and avoid the fines that result from delays caused by accidents and trackside crime. For more information on Arentis products and services please visit www.arentis.co.uk or call 0114 218 04 70.
PHOTO: GARY PETTIT
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
PHOTO: FOUR BY THREE
SIGNALLING & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
RAILWAY LINESIDE TELEPHONES
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PAUL DARLINGTON
SPT in use.
T
elecommunications have always been an important part of operating a safe and efficient railway. Telegraph and telephones developed at the same time as railways in the 18th century and today the GSM-R radio system provides efficient and safe communications for train drivers and signallers, both for routine and emergency communications. GSM-R has been a big success, with train drivers now able to communicate within the safety of their cab to signallers and operational staff at any point in their journey. Network Rail says the GSM-R system has a reliability of 99.99%. However, there are still in the order of 30,000 fixed lineside telephones still in use, costing the country many millions of pounds to maintain and renew. Why is this and what could the future look like?
Loud and clear In the early days of rail, Rule 55 required that if a train was held by a signal at danger the signaller must be informed within three minutes, or immediately in fog or falling snow, with the fireman walking to the signal box. This was introduced following a number of accidents caused by signallers forgetting that trains were standing on the line, sometimes within sight of their signal boxes. These requirements were not a problem if the area controlled by each signal box was small, but as control areas became larger and signals were located further away from their controlling signal box, it became necessary to provide telephones at signals. This became known as the Signal Post Telephone (SPT).
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
The basic principles of Rule 55 are still present in today’s Rule Book. Module S4 of the Rail Safety & Standards Board Rule Book, GE/RT8000, is devoted to the duties of drivers detained at signals. It says: “When your train is detained on a running line at a signal at danger, or without a movement authority (MA), you must contact the signaller as soon as possible. However, you may wait for up to two minutes before contacting the signaller if you can see an obvious reason for the signal being at danger...” It continues: “You must contact the signaller by using the train radio. If it is not possible to use the train radio and a signal post telephone is provided, you must use it to contact the signaller...” The three safety requirements for an SPT are: » the signaller must only be able to talk to one driver at any one time » the signaller must always be aware of the caller’s location and identity, and » there must be no chance of one driver overhearing instructions intended for another. The voice communication must be sufficiently loud and clear so that the safety instructions between a driver and signaller can be passed without any misunderstanding. This is because,
SIGNALLING & TELECOMMUNICATIONS in the event of a failed signal showing danger, the signaller may instruct the driver to pass the signal and proceed at caution. Therefore, it is essential that the signaller is talking to the correct driver. The simplest implementation of an SPT was a point-topoint direct telephone line. This could be achieved with a telephone powered by a local battery at each end of the line. Each telephone line would be separate from one another and the telephones at the signal box labelled clearly with the signal number. This arrangement was only suitable for small signal boxes with very few signals. The localbattery telephones also needed frequent battery changes, especially if the SPT was left ‘off-hook’.
Signal box concentrator
PHOTO: FOUR BY THREE
At larger signal boxes, a small switchboard was provided to answer calls; this became known as the concentrator as it ‘concentrated’ the calls from many SPTs onto one telephone for the signaller. There have been many different designs of concentrator over the years.
Concentrators were originally constructed similarly to office switchboards, using Post Office-type switch keys and switchboard lamps; however various changes were needed to achieve the railway safety requirements. On a normal switchboard, if the operator activated two speak keys at once they could speak to both telephones served by those keys. In an SPT system, this could result in
the wrong instruction going to a driver. To prevent this happening on a concentrator, the principle of ‘chain-locking’ was used. When a speak key was operated, break contacts disconnected the speech circuit from adjacent circuits, or in some designs a sounder was operated if two keys were thrown at the same time to alert the signaller of the error. The second requirement of caller identification was met by providing a lamp and label alongside each key to show when that circuit connected to the signaller’s handset. The third requirement of no overhearing was met by careful design and construction of the concentrator, so that ‘crosstalk’ between circuits was minimised. Concentrators evolved from ‘key and lamp’ technology through to modern processor and software controlled ‘touch screens’, based on commercially available systems used in other control office situations and financial dealer markets. These are known as ‘dealer board’ systems. However, the functionality of requiring only one train driver to talk securely to one signaller, with no conference facility to prevent overhearing and miscommunication, has always required a ‘railway only’ design
A 'twist key' SPT in an area of limited clearance.
Such phones still exist but are not in regular use.
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The industry now has much-improved protocols in place, requiring use of the phonetic alphabet for all safety-critical communications.
and unique software in processor-controlled systems. This continues to this day with the IP systems now in use. With a very small market for SPT systems, this creates additional costs, support problems and, in some cases, unreliability.
Selective SPTs The selective SPT system was produced by Standard Telephones and Cables STC, based on a design by Western Electric. It allowed up to 20 telephones to be connected over a single pair of copper wires to the controlling signal box. There were also some regional variations based on the same principle. There was no cradle switch at the SPT so the system could not fail due to a telephone being left ‘off-hook’. The requirement for no overhearing, with only one driver speaking to the signaller at any one time, was achieved by reversing the battery polarity on the line once a call has been established. The SPT sensed the line polarity and, when the call key was operated and the line free, a mechanically latched relay, ‘JCL’, was operated to connect
Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
the speech path and initiate a call. However, if the line polarity was reversed with another call already in place, a second, high-resistance relay, ‘JCR’, operated which disconnected the SPT from the line. This latched itself electrically until the normal polarity was restored. A ‘busy’ indicator light would illuminate and remain so until the line became free. The operation of a twist key or a motorised notched wheel sent a series of pulses from the SPT to the concentrator to light a lamp to indicate which SPT was calling. The pulses were sent in two parts to operate two electromechanical ‘uniselectors’. These were arranged so that any lost or corrupt pulse would display no indication, rather than a wrong indication. The call was also announced to the signaller by a bell or buzzer. The system was involved in a major incident in Cheshire. On the evening of 26 December 1962, points had become frozen with snow in and around Crewe, causing trains to be detained at signals. Midway between Winsford and Crewe, the 13:30 Glasgow Central to London Euston, with 13 coaches and 500 passengers, was stopped at a signal but the driver found the SPT to the signal box out of order. This was due to a faulty JCL/JCR latching relay in the SPT. The SPTs on both the Up Slow and Fast lines were faulty, as they were all on the same circuit. The SPTs on the Down lines were connected to another signal box. Seeing the next signal ahead, the driver proceeded towards it to use its SPT, but drove too fast. The driver saw the next signal change from red to yellow, assumed it had become clear for his train and accelerated. But it had not; in the darkness the driver had failed to notice the 16:45 express from Liverpool Lime Street to Birmingham New Street, standing on the line ahead with eight coaches and 300 passengers on board. The trains collided at about 20mph, killing 18 passengers with 33 others and one railway worker seriously injured. The inquiry report concluded “This accident would not have occurred if the signal telephones on the Up lines had not gone out of order, but even then it should not have occurred if the driver of the Mid-day Scot had obeyed the Rules”. Even so the incident demonstrates why reliable driver-to-signaller communication is essential for a safe railway. Another problem with the selective systems was that the signaller could not call an SPT; only a driver could initiate a call. The systems were railway-specific designs and the SPTs custom-
SIGNALLING & TELECOMMUNICATIONS made. Therefore, selective systems have now been replaced with systems having one line per telephone and using standard commercially available telephones. This has required more copper cabling - which is at risk from cable theft - and fibre optic transmission, as some large signalling centres can have several hundred SPTs.
Walkways and posts Following the fatality of a driver using an SPT located between running lines in the 1990s, such SPTs were labelled as limited clearance and, for the majority of the network, drivers were required to ‘dial’ the signaller using their cab radio - mostly the National Radio Network (NRN) which did not provide the three SPT safety requirements. At the same time SPTs were placed ‘in rear’ of the signal so a user could see the signal aspect when using the telephone. Walkways were now required for resignalling schemes or when SPT systems were renewed. This significantly increased costs as an SPT costing a few hundred pounds may require a walkway costing over £10,000 at some locations, not to mention increased maintenance. The concentrators evolved through different suppliers and technology improvements. Today, for large signalling centres with several signaller workstations, concentrators can cost millions to renew; although based on commercial off-the-shelf IP-based systems, they require unique railway functionality, software and hardware in some cases. GSM-R radio delivers the three safety requirements for driver-to-signaller communications with a reliability of 99.99%. A driver does not even have to speak to a signaller as they can send a ‘standing at signal’ message which can be acknowledged by the signaller with a ‘wait’
message if required. SPTs are now hardly used and there is no Standards requirement to retain SPTs. Some schemes have reduced the number of SPTs. For example, the Norwich, Yarmouth & Lowestoft resignalling project only provided 22 SPTs at 64 signals which was determined using the Fixed Lineside Assessment Tool (FLAT). This assessed the risk associated with each signal, the operational likelihood of a train being held and the driver having to phone the signaller. However, the FLAT tool has been withdrawn and it is proving difficult to make a case to remove the vast number of the 30,000 SPTs.
Providing insight RSSB Guidance Note GO/ GN3677 - first issued in 2010 and updated in 2019 - was based on RSSB Research Report T629 (2007). RSSB T629 ‘Replacement of Fixed Lineside Telecommunications Infrastructure with Radio Solutions’ set out the results of a quantitative risk assessment which concluded that the removal of lineside
telephony is justifiable from a purely safety perspective on the basis that the costs of retaining SPTs are grossly disproportionate to the increased risk. GO/GN3677 provides guidance on where the provision or retention of lineside telephones may and may not be justified, by carrying out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment and applying the Common Safety Method for Risk Evaluation and Assessment (CSM-RA) in relation to changes in the provision of lineside telephones. GO/GN3677 also says the requirement for maintenance following the removal of lineside telephones decreases the exposure of staff to trackside hazards. This would also apply to installation and testing staff sent out to renew SPT systems. However, it does say that the provision of telephones at certain critical locations may
GSM-R has been a big success, with drivers now able to speak with signallers from the safety of their cabs.
PHOTOS: FOUR BY THREE
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Level crossing phones are particularly important in the event of a failed road vehicle blocking the railway.
provide safety and performance benefits. These are near signals and European Train Control System (ETCS) stop markers that only: » protect junctions » protect critical assets such as tunnels, viaducts, swing bridges and sea walls » are regularly used as engineering possession blocking points or boundary locations for temporary block working, single line working, emergency special working or working by pilotman (although it does not define ‘regularly’) » are in the vicinity of Stop boards - including entry to or exit from Network Rail or other IM areas (private sidings, yards etc) - and No Signaller Token (NST) or Radio Electronic Token Block (RETB) areas.
electrical control operators. The systems were obsolete and expensive to redesign, so simple and cheaper ‘dial’ telephones were provided, with a special short code number to call the ECO. These considerably cut costs and have been in use successfully for many years. The industry also now has a much-improved safety-critical protocol in place. This requires the phonetic alphabet to be used for all operational communication and, at the start of any safetycritical communication, it requires the caller to clearly identify who they are and where they are located. The driver must repeat back the actions required without the signaller having to ask them to do so, and to repeat the entire set of actions required at the end of the communication. This mitigates the need for the very costly SPT systems and could enable the costs for SPT renewals to be used for more useful facilities. For example, instead of an SPT at a signal, could it be replaced with a Wi-Fi point? In the very rare occurrence of a GSM-R failure, this could be used by a Wi-Fi calling app on a driver’s personal mobile to call the signaller and could be used for other trackside communications such as the remote condition monitoring of assets.
Level crossing telephones
The Guidance Note did not say that telephones provided for such purposes need to be the traditional SPT. Therefore they could be more cost-effective and simple ‘dial’ telephones, with the signal box number displayed alongside. There is a precedent for this principle as, 30 years ago, there were separate bespoke ‘electrification telephone’ systems located lineside and on platforms to communicate with
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Telephones at level crossings to communicate with a signaller are required at certain locations for use by authorised railway staff either during normal operations or following an equipment failure. They are also required for user-worked and bridleway crossings where the warning time is less than that needed to cross safely and no active visible warning is provided. The functional requirements for user-worked level crossings are the same as for an SPT. The signaller must only be able to talk to one crossing at any one time, must always be aware of the crossing’s location, and there must be no chance of someone at one crossing hearing instructions intended for another person. The problem is that there are 1,641 crossings with telephones and the signaller may not have an accurate knowledge of where trains are in respect to each crossing. This increases the workload and risk to the signaller; also, the crossing user may not bother to use the telephone or might misunderstand the message being given, perceive a false level of safety and cross with a train approaching. With signal control areas getting larger and potentially more user-worked crossings per signaller, telephone crossings are far from ideal. Therefore, a better way forward would be to use the cost savings from fewer lineside telephones - including SPTs - to provide better active visible warnings at user-worked crossings. There are currently 536 Automatic Half Barrier (AHB) crossings in use. Telephones at AHBs are particularly important. The system
SIGNALLING & TELECOMMUNICATIONS is known as Public Emergency Telephone System (PETS) and is another railway bespoke design. PETS provides selftesting and alarm generation facilities to confirm their availability and to enable trains being cautioned in the event of a telephone failure. This is because, if a road vehicle fails on the AHB level crossing, the only way to stop an approaching train is for the vehicle occupant - or an observer - to phone the signaller. This relies on someone making the call and, having broken down on the crossing, they may not realise they have to inform the signaller. There might also not be time to stop the train or appropriately locate signals. A variant called AHB+, using obstacle-detection technology, has been developed, but could another option be an obstacle detector to initiate an emergency GSM-R call to alert drivers of approaching trains
that the crossing is occupied? Or, with the successor to GSM-R likely to be based on 5G which may also control autonomous vehicles, could a failed autonomous vehicle on a crossing automatically inform trains of the need to stop? These ideas would require development, but are examples where train radio communication could be used to improve safety and reduce the need for lineside telephones.
Thinking differently Any such reduction would be a concern to many in the industry. However, concerns were also raised over the removal of public phone boxes and, at one time, there were 90,000 of them. The provision or retention of other railway lineside telephone systems may be required by local circumstances, such as in areas with poor mobile phone reception to facilitate communication between
trackworkers and signallers, or telephones associated with airport trip wire systems, but these should be small in number. Removing or not providing lineside telephones will not be easy, but the cost savings are substantial which could be used to fund many other safety benefits.
Do lineside phones still have their place alongside modern communications equipment?
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MARK PHILLIPS
Major step forward TRANSPENNINE UPGRADE
A
major step forward in improving train services between Manchester and York, as well as local services from Manchester Victoria, was achieved in August. The Transpennine Upgrade West Alliance (TRU-W) used a 16-day closure, from 31 July to 15 August, to carry out major bridge, track and signalling works between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge.
The TRU-W Alliance is a partnership of Network Rail, Amey, Bam Nuttall, Siemens and Arup, formed to upgrade the transpennine route between Manchester Victoria and Leeds via Huddersfield. A partnership of Amey Consulting, and Arup carried out the design work for the scheme. There is another alliance, TRU-E, which is upgrading the route between Leeds and York.
Transpennine proposals There has been a long history of various proposals for the transpennine route(s), including much debate in Parliament and stop/start approvals by the Secretary of State for Transport, over a period of several years. However, in 2017 a final design remit was agreed. The objectives of the upgrade were to achieve line speed increases, electrify the route in stages and achieve performance improvements, including signalling. The first section of the upgrade, specifically between Manchester Victoria and Miles Platting, was scheduled to commence in 2020, but was postponed, although some enabling works, such as utility and cable diversions were started in March 2020.
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August Blockade The two most significant works items scheduled for the August blockade were the reconstruction of part of the superstructure of the Dantzic Street underbridge, 400 metres east of Manchester Victoria and the reconstruction of one deck of the underbridge at Queens Road at Miles Platting on a new alignment. A primary reason for choosing the first two weeks of
FEATURE August to hold the blockade was the assumption that there was less chance of high wind speeds at that time. This choice of timing would reduce the risk of disruption to the operation of the large cranes deployed at Dantzic Street and Queens Road - a 600 tonne Liebherr crawler from Weldex and a 1000 tonne Liebherr mobile from Baldwins, respectively. It was the work required at Dantzic Street that led to the decision to go for a 16-day blockade, explained Gerry O’Connor, programme delivery lead manager for TRU-W. Attempting the work in conventional weekend possessions would have required more than one weekend closure and the two lines concerned would have been unavailable in between. The section of the bridge needing renewal was the deck carrying the Rochdale Slow lines. This part of the superstructure lies at the centre of the six-track railway - bounded on the north side by the Rochdale Fast lines and on the south side by the Ashton lines (which are used by Metrolink at this location) - and is therefore relatively difficult to access. By arranging the 16-day closure, it was possible to take advantage of this period to efficiently carry out all the other civil engineering, track and signalling works throughout the section. A total of 3,280 metres of track renewal was included in the work. The majority of the work varied between Network Rail’s Category 9 (reballasting) and Category 11 (like-for-like
renewal with a 250mm dig). It also included 880 metres of renewal with enhanced depth dig and geotextile installation. Seventeen new signals were installed in readiness for new signalling to be commissioned in June 2022, with further enhancement in 2023. The other works, apart from the two major bridge reconstructions, were the replacement of bridge decks for a pedestrian underpass at Bromley Street and the underbridge at Oldham Road; refurbishment of four switch and crossing sites; and the installation of points heaters along with several other minor works. In total, 26 engineering trains were used throughout the blockade for removal and delivery of materials. The 16-day closure was not a simple blockade of all lines between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge. In fact, there were many changes to the lines under possession at various times,
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to enable use of the routes by train operators as and where possible. For example, during the week, the Down Rochdale Fast line was reopened to traffic during morning and evening peak times, being used bidirectionally. This line was also opened during weekday nights and used in the Down direction only. These changes to the blockade limits were shown in detail on stage-by-stage slides, which were also used in advance for staff briefing and visualisation. There was good cooperation between TRU-W and Northern, GB Freight and Transpennine Express to achieve the optimum plan.
An interesting innovation was to use a Trackstack 8042T Conveyor, familiar in quarrying and mining businesses, to transfer bottom ballast delivered by road up to track level. There was sufficient clearance between the Ashton Lines deck and the Rochdale lines deck to use this elevator. Track and signalling reinstatement were complete by the early hours of 13 August. Another advantage of the long blockade had been that it was possible to use the large crane to lift four 360° excavators up to track level. On this mostly elevated section of railway, there was no convenient level access by road for these machines.
Dantzic Street redecking The central deck of the underbridge at Dantzic Street, carrying the Up and Down Rochdale lines, required renewal. It is a heavily skewed structure. The renewal work involved removal of the old structure in a series of lift outs, followed by preparation of the brick abutments and then placement of concrete cill units in several sections. The new superstructure consists of two main beams, two trimmer beams and eleven deck units, all in weathering steel. Construction of the new deck was complete by midnight on 8 August and track reinstatement could commence.
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Realignment work at Miles Platting The other major piece of work completed during the blockade was the realignment of the Ashton lines on the sharp curve at Miles Platting Junction, which enables a line speed increase from 30 to 50 mph in this location. This work had commenced some time prior to the August blockade with the construction of a widened embankment to provide a new formation to suit the new eased track alignment. The crucial element of this scheme taking place during the blockade was the demolition of the Queens Road underbridge carrying the Ashton lines, provision of a new superstructure and track renewal on the new realignment. Prior to the blockade, the Queens Road underbridge abutments had been extended to cater for the new span, the wing walls constructed, and a few of the new beams installed where they were clear of the old superstructure. The remainder of the new beams were in place by 6 August, the shear keys and deck completion following and then the replacement track all completed by 12 August. The new superstructure is a composite deck formed of reinforced concrete encased steel beams.
FEATURE 4D modelling Advance planning of all these works to be carried out during the 16-day closure was refined using the Primavera P6 programming software. Five critical paths were identified. A striking and sophisticated enhancement of the planning process was the use of 4D modelling. This was enabled by linking the Primavera data to the Synchro system, which displays 3D views of each work site against an actual date/time stamp, hence the 4D terminology. With all the information displayed on a Vimeo output, the actual planned situation in terms of construction progress, could be seen against any chosen date/time during the blockade. Once the project team had made adjustments to the programme and were satisfied with all its detail, the 4D models were used in advance of the blockade for staff briefing purposes. Also, and significantly, the 4D models were displayed on a wall of large screens available in the Control Room used during the blockade. The Control Room has six Nureva CleverTouch screens running off two computers. The data was cloudhosted and shared via Microsoft Teams. This
impressive facility enabled the project team to monitor actual progress on site, which was being fed in continuously to update the models. This arrangement made it far easier to modify the programme, if necessary, than it would otherwise have been.
Resourcing The TRU-W’s compound at Gorton Road is a splendidly well-appointed complex, with high quality site offices, canteen, messrooms, showers and other staff welfare facilities. The Covid-19 precautions are exemplary. Visitors must complete permissive access forms prior to their visit and then receive a temperature check on arrival. The pandemic meant that there was a delay in using the site compound to the full. In fact, home working was the norm up until November 2020 when it became possible to re-enter the workspace. The office capacity is for 200 staff. Initially, though, because of social distancing measures, only 50 could be accommodated. The capacity has since been gradually increased. During the main blockade, there were between 400 and 500 staff on site at any time. Another effect of Covid-19 was the surge of notifications when the ‘pingdemic’ hit during July 2021. This did have an effect on planned resourcing, when some staff had to self-isolate, but was well managed by the team so as not to impact the programme.
Conclusion Work to install foundations for electrification masts is now proceeding between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge, and the new embankment at Queens Road is having its finishing touches of topsoil and seeding. These early works to upgrade the whole 76-mile route between Manchester and York, via Huddersfield and Leeds, are a great foretaste of what remains to be done. Rail Engineer will return to follow progress at many locations on this much heralded and long-awaited project.
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SUSTAINABILITY & ENVIRONMENT
DAVID SHIRRES
What to expect from I
COP26
n 1994, 196 countries and the European Union signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) treaty. Since then, an annual Conference of the Parties (COP) has been held to discuss the implementation of this treaty. Perhaps the most notable of these was COP21 which resulted in the legally binding 2015 Paris agreement which commits parties to take action to avoid global average temperatures increasing by 2°C. It was not possible to hold COP26 in Glasgow last year as originally scheduled, and so the city is to host the conference between 31 October and 12 November this year. At this is the first climate conference to review the terms of the Paris Agreement, the expectation and hope is that world leaders will then agree more demanding measures to limit global temperature rises to 1.5°C. The COP26 website warns that a 2°C temperature increase would result in widespread and severe impacts on people and nature. A third of the world’s population would be regularly exposed to severe heat AND all warm water coral reefs would be destroyed. Arctic sea ice would melt entirely at least one summer per decade and irreversible loss of ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctic cannot
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be ruled out, leading to several metres of sea level rise over centuries to come. At 1.5°C, the impacts would 09A-COP26-01.docx be serious but less severe. 89 words There would be lower risks of food and water shortages,
lower risks to economic growth, and fewer species at risk of extinction. Threats to human health would also be lower. The COP climate change conferences are among the largest international meetings, globally. They involve complex negotiations between governments and involve officials from every country in the world. Activity at a COP takes place in two different zones - the Blue Zone and the Green Zone. In the Blue Zone, delegates from countries meet for both formal
COP 26 - Blue Zone programme Sun, 31 Oct Mon, 1 Nov Tue, 2 Nov
Opening of negotiations World leader’s summit
Wed, 3 Nov
Finance – mobilising public and private finance at scale
Thur, 4 Nov
Energy, accelerating transition to clean energy
Fri, 5 Nov
Youth and public empowerment
Sat, 6 Nov
Nature
Sun, 7 Nov
Rest Day
Mon, 8 Nov
Adaptation, Loss and Damage
Tue, 9 Nov
Gender, Science and Innovation
Wed, 10 Nov
Transport
Thur, 11 Nov
Cities, Regions and Built Environment
Fri, 12 Nov
Closure of Negotiations
SUSTAINABILITY & ENVIRONMENT
Blue Zone
Green Zone
negotiations and informal consultations. The Green Zone is for the general public, for whom there will be a wide range of events including exhibitions and demonstrations of technology.
Fortress SECC COP26 is likely to be the largest ever gathering of world leaders in the UK. Security is therefore paramount especially as it is expected that 25,000 people will attend COP26 with up to 12,000 there at any one time participating in the programme of events shown in the table (left).
Most of these individuals will be involved in the negotiations at the conference which will take place at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC), built on the site of Glasgow’s docklands. This occupies an area stretching about a mile along the River Clyde. At its widest, the COP26 site is 300 yards wide. From a security standpoint, it helps that the site is bounded on its southern and eastern sides by the Clyde and Kelvin rivers and to the north by the Clyde Expressway which, for security reasons, is to be closed during COP26 and for
Aerial view of Glasow's docklands showing COP26 Blue Zone (Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre), COP26 Green Zone (Glasgow Science Centre) and the closed roads highlighted in red.
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Proclaiming the green credentials of Scotland’s railway.
a week beforehand. It is one of many roads in the area to be shut during the conference. Green Zone events will take place in a much smaller area around the Glasgow Science Centre on the south side of the Clyde. Glasgow City Council has found it difficult to accommodate requests for public events during COP26, due, in part, to the limited capacity of this Green Zone. As of mid-September it was difficult to find information about Green Zone activities. The main public event would seem to be the sustainable Innovation Forum organised by Climate Action, a group set up in 2007 to build partnerships between business, government and public bodies.
Rail’s participation The class 230 units that Vivarail have provided to Transport for Wales are the UK’s first diesel/ battery hybrid units.
COP26 is an opportunity for organisations to highlight their green credentials. Jaguar Land Rover are doing this by providing a fleet of their electric I-PACE sport utility vehicles
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(SUVs), priced from £65,245, for world leaders and delegates to travel to and from COP26. With the embodied carbon in such large battery-powered SUVs, a far more carbon friendly form of transport for COP26 delegates would be Scotland’s expanding electrified rail network especially as the Exhibition Centre station serves the COP26 site. Yet it is doubtful that delegates will be travelling by train as this station is outside the security cordon formed by the blocked-off Clyde Expressway. There are however new advertising hoardings by the Glasgow city-centre Clyde bridges proclaiming the sustainable future of Scotland’s Railway. ScotRail’s trains also carry a logo advising passengers that they have bought a ticket for zero-carbon travel. Scotland can proclaim the green credentials of its railways with some justification as the Scottish Government has approved a plan to decarbonise
its railway by 2035 as described in issue 190 (May-June 2021). In contrast, the UK Government has yet to authorise any significant rail electrification. On show in Scotland during the summit will be Vivarail’s class 230 battery train and two hydrogen trains. As described in issue 186 (Sept-Oct 2020), Vivarail’s class 230 battery unit has an innovative fastcharge system and is the only such train authorised for main line operation. In April, a two-car Class 230 unit was shipped to Baltimore to trial a ‘pop-up Metro’ concept on little-used freight lines. With the support of the DfT, Network Rail and Transport Scotland, a Class 230 will operate a demonstration service between Glasgow and Kilmarnock during COP26.
Hydrogen trains Also coming north for COP26 is Hydroflex, the first hydrogen train to run on the UK mainline network. This is a converted
SUSTAINABILITY & ENVIRONMENT
Class 319 inside which hydrogen tanks, fuel cells, traction batteries and control equipment have been installed to produce a demonstration train approved for main line running at up to 50 mph. It is a collaboration between the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE) and rolling stock solutions provider Porterbrook. Innovation funding has been obtained to develop a production version of Hydroflex capable of 90 mph running with the hydrogen traction equipment mounted underfloor to maximise passenger space. Hydroflex retains the original unit’s DC chopper traction control system and so its developers had the problem of matching the 200kW output of the fuel cell and traction battery to a 1.2MW rated train. This approach however does enable operation as a bi-mode hydrogen / electric unit. For COP26, Hydroflex will be converted to include an onboard boardroom for invited guests. One possibility is that Hydroflex may be used to transport guests to see the progress with Scotland’s first hydrogen train. As described in issue 188 (JanFeb 2021), a consortium led by Arcola Energy are currently converting Class 314 EMU at the workshop of the heritage Bo’ness and Kinneil railway. In May, Angel trains
announced it would provide both technical support to this project and green hydrogen refuelling infrastructure costing more than £500,000. The aims of this project include supporting the development of Scotland’s hydrogen economy, developing hydrogen rail traction capabilities, and informing rail policy. Arcola are also supplying Glasgow City Council with a 23-tonne refuse collection vehicle which will be on display at COP26. The Hydroflex and Scottish hydrogen demonstrator train conversions are quite different. The Hydroflex team separately procured fuel cells, batteries, and hydrogen tanks to operate with the Class 319’s control and traction system. The required system integration, together with approval for main line demonstration running, was no mean feat.
In contrast, the Scottish train is to be powered by an Arcola A-Drive hydrogen fuel cell power train (fuel cell, battery, hydrogen storage, power electronics, thermal management, and motor) on which there has already been 10 years’ development and testing work to integrate and optimise the performance of the fuel cell powertrain systems. These power trains are also currently being installed on buses and bin lorries, including the one on show at COP26. As the Class 314 is receiving a complete power train, including new motors, the system integration is relatively straightforward. One challenge is replacing the class 314’s DC motors with the A-Drive’s much smaller permanent magnet AC motor which required modification of the Class 314 bogie.
Hydroflex unit crosses the River Avon at Evesham on its main line run in September 2020.
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(Above left) Working on Scottish hydrogen train inside workshop at Bo’ness. (Above right) On this bogie is a small permanent magnet AC motor which is to be fitted inside the large space left by the original DC motor. (Right) Pendolino seats fitted to a class 314 – This is an example of the support from Angel trains who are providing the train with surplus seats from the Pendolino refurbishment programme.
(Below) Alstom’s Breeze has hydrogen stored inside the train behind the driver’s cab.
When the class 314 was moved to Bo’ness in December it was envisaged that it would be possible to complete the hydrogen conversion in time for COP26 and demonstrate the train by running it on the Bo’ness heritage railway. However, this has not been possible largely due to Covid issues and, in particular, its impact on the supply chain. The plan now is for an exhibition is to be staged at Bo’ness to demonstrate the train’s component parts and show the work done to date. The train is expected to be ready for demonstration runs on the Bo’ness and Kinneil railway next spring. One hydrogen train that will not be on display at COP26 is the class 600, Alstom’s hydrogen Breeze. This ‘Breeze’ design was unveiled in January 2019 and is a joint development
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between Eversholt and Alstom to install the iLint hydrogen traction technology in a converted class 321 EMU. Since the iLint entered service in Germany in 2018, Alstom has received a number of orders for these trains. The company has worked with Eversholt and Northern trains on a detailed programme to produce a fleet of hydrogen trains at its Widness plant and operate them from the proposed Tees Hydrogen Hub. As the iLint has proved itself in service, this oven-ready programme does not require the production of a hydrogen demonstrator train and could provide a fleet of hydrogen trains within four years of an order being authorised. Some commentators predict that such an order might be announced at COP26.
The big picture Worldwide CO2 equivalent emissions are currently 50 billion tonnes per annum. This is 60% more than in 1960. The UK currently accounts
for around 1% of the world’s CO2e emissions, in 1990 it was responsible for 2.6% of all emissions. This reduction reflects the increase in worldwide economic activity since 1990 and that, with de-industrialisation and increased use of renewables for power generation, the UK has reduced its total CO2e emissions by 49% since 1990. In 2019, Britain is estimated to have produced 455 million tonnes CO2e of which rail transport accounted for less than 1%. These figures show the scale of the problem faced by COP26. They also show Britain is a tiny part of the problem
SUSTAINABILITY & ENVIRONMENT PHOTO: STURTI
and that delegates are unlikely to be unduly concerned by the emissions from UK rail. Yet it remains important to reduce UK CO2 emissions, including those from its railways. As the host nation, it is important that Britain can both display its commitment to reducing CO2 and show how this can be achieved. Britain’s railways may be a small part of the problem but can offer carbon savings both by reducing their own emissions and saving carbon from modal shift for other less carbon friendly transport. Furthermore, due to its intensive use of diesel traction, UK rail has a poor carbon record compared with other railways. In 2015, its CO2e emissions were 46 grams per passenger-km, compared
with a worldwide average of 18 grams per passenger-km. For freight, Britain’s railways produced 27 grams per tonne-km compared with the worldwide average of 14 grams per tonne-km. Without doubt, the main focus at COP26 has to be agreeing legally binding commitments to further reduce worldwide CO2 emissions. Those promoting zero-carbon traction and rail electrification at the climate conference may be a side show but are doing the rail industry a valuable service. It is to be hoped that they will be rewarded by the UK Government announcing a firm commitment to rail decarbonisation as COP26’s host country, Scotland, has done.
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SUSTAINABILITY & ENVIRONMENT
DAVID FENNER
Climate change DECARBONISING TRANSPORT
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limate change is a major topic in many parts of the world and in November the UK will be hosting COP 26, the 26th UN conference on the subject of climate change. The conference lasts two weeks and will be held in Glasgow. It will be attended by all countries that signed up to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1994. The overriding objective is to discuss and agree ways of preventing the global climate exceeding a O 2 C rise in average global temperatures, based on pre-industrial levels.
Fundamentally, this is believed to be achieved by eliminating or compensating (offsetting) manmade CO2 emissions together with other associated gasses (e.g., methane CH4). In essence this means abandoning fossil fuels and finding alternative ways of providing power to our machines and systems. To date the global effort has been, at best, mediocre but recent events including extreme temperatures in the northwest of the American continent, and flooding in central Europe, China and other locations has emphasised the need for swifter action. As part of the UK plan to reduce carbon emissions the UK government recently published its plans to decarbonise transport. The details were published in a 220-page paper by the Department for Transport entitled ‘Decarbonising Transport, A Better, Greener Britain’. In the UK, the primary reduction in carbon emissions has been achieved by the electricity supply industry. Whereas coal dominated up to and beyond 1970, it now produces a tiny
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percentage of the UK’s electricity. This has had a major impact on the railway because coal, especially for electricity generation, was a staple source of income for the rail freight industry and is now almost non-existent. But does that mean rail freight is doomed? The answer is almost certainly no, but that’s not to say there are no pitfalls ahead. Transport is now the largest emitter of CO2 in the UK at around 97 Metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) compared with Energy at 79 and Residential at 68, estimated over the 2020 year, according to the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) ‘Provisional UK greenhouse gas emissions national statistics 2020’. Domestic transport is responsible for 27% of all UK carbon emissions. This excludes international aviation and shipping. Rail gives the lowest energy consumption per movement of all land-based transport and thus, given the right framework, should have a bright future. But to what extent does this inform the plan to decarbonise transport?
SUSTAINABILITY & ENVIRONMENT PHOTO: NUMBER 10
The paper is a mixed read for people involved with rail. In the introduction the Minister for Transport, Grant Shapps (right) emphasises the ambitious road programme before outlining how the Government has introduced, or is consulting on, target dates for the elimination of new fossil fuelled vehicles, from two wheels to HGVs. He continues by advocating personal transport such as walking and cycling, before mentioning railways. For railways he highlights the creation of Great British Railways (GBR), the proposed overarching organisation planned to coordinate mainline railway activities in the UK. The almost use of the past tense in which this is presented is interesting as the plans for the structure and staffing of GBR are just developing; this theme continues in the body of the document. Shapps goes on to comment that motoring costs have fallen 15% over the past 20 years while rail fares have increased by 20% and bus fares by 40%. He then declares this must change despite the fact this is due to historic Government policy. Finally, he acknowledges the link between transport and planning which often results in new housing; commercial or social development being challenging to access without a car or other road vehicle. The rest of the document gives more detail about all transport modes from walking to flying and shipping. A flavour of it is given in the following sections. The document is divided into a number of topic areas. The first group deals in turn with personal mobility, bus and coach travel, rail, road transport, aviation and finally shipping. The second group covers what is necessary as we move to a multi-modal transport hierarchy. My plan is to focus on the rail issue but clearly it will be necessary to reference elements of the other modes in this article.
Introduction In the introduction, the report comments that transport’s Green House Gas (GHG) emissions have been broadly flat over the last 30 years. Any improvements in engine efficiency have been compensated for by greater mileage or bigger vehicles. The document uses a figure (rounded) of 122MtCO2e as the total GHG output for transport in the UK of which road transport accounts for 107, bus and coach for a further 3.1 and rail 1.7, incidentally similar to domestic air. (Note: these numbers are greater than those taken from the ONS, quoted earlier). This sets a framework. The introduction then explains a focus on the actual movement of people and goods, so stations, airports and similar facilities are not part of the metrics used. Similarly, embedded carbon, that is the carbon dioxide emitted during construction and maintenance of the facilities, PHOTO: TBRADFORD
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is not part of this discussion but is covered by other Government departmental plans. Finally, the introduction includes a commentary on the impact of Covid 19. Here it is noticeable that, as of September, all road modes are back to pre-Covid traffic levels. Road freight traffic is 110%, whereas bus and rail are respectively 74% and 60%. The strap line for the rest of the document is “Clean transport is better transport” and is emphasised in terms of pollution and noise, both of which are claimed to be improved by a switch from fossil fuel. Interestingly there is discussion on the reduction of moving parts in a “clean” vehicle which is anticipated to reduce maintenance cost and be “transformative” for commercial fleets, buses and taxis. No mention of rail. There is a recognition that simply introducing “clean” vehicles will not completely solve the problem: modal change will also be necessary. Toward the end of the introduction there is discussion of international aviation and shipping, and comment that carbon budgets will be set for these areas but not until 2033. Interestingly, in this part there is comment that positive emissions will need to be offset by negative emissions elsewhere in the economy, however there is no discussion of carbon capture, reforestation, and other similar “negative” carbon options. Six themes are proposed to facilitate delivery of zero carbon transport: 1. Accelerating modal shift to public and active (i.e., walking and cycling) transport. 2. Decarbonise road transport including HGVs (subject to consultation confirming practicability). 3. Decarbonise freight delivery (road and air will be encouraged to more sustainable modes). 4. UK will be a hub for green transport innovation. 5. Place based planning and action to reduce carbon emissions. 6. Reduce the global transport emissions by action on international flight and shipping.
Of these, option three mentions rail as part of the freight delivery model where a shift to rail and domestic maritime is anticipated, with last mile deliveries apparently more likely in green modes. Disappointingly, the same section says “short sections of electrification” will result in more electric freight trains and then says all rail freight will be green by 2050. Is that a hidden message suggesting substantial electrification will wait?
Cycling and walking The aim here is to have 50% of all in-town journeys completed by foot or cycle by 2030 and a desire to have a “world class” network suited to those forms of movement by 2040. It is noted that it may not be appropriate for the whole journey to be completed by these modes so cycle and walking routes should include access to stations and bus routes. Apparently 58% of all car journeys are less than 5 miles and 43% of all urban journeys are less than 2 miles; clearly, rail is not competing in these markets. The short-term targets for these modes are to double the number of trips taken wholly or partially by bike by 2025; to encourage every person to execute 300 journeys per year by walking, some or a significant part of the way; and, finally, to increase the number of children walking to school from 49% to 55%. These aspirations are supported by a £2 billion package of new funding over five years.
Zero-emission buses and coaches This gives a summary of the National Bus Strategy issued in March 2021 with the aim of making bus travel more frequent, reliable, convenient, affordable and better integrated with other modes. There is also reference to £120 million of investment to deliver 4,000 zero-emission buses in the current fiscal year (i.e., 2021/2022). In addition, there is a pilot project in Coventry to replace all local buses with electric vehicles and to make provision of the necessary charging infrastructure. For long-distance coaches, the commitment is to consult on a phase out date.
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SUSTAINABILITY & ENVIRONMENT Rail
options to reduce fares on quiet services. For more local services, contactless ticketing will be increasingly common. My concern would be that none of this addresses the previously stated disparity of fare increases compared to falling motoring costs, so is there really going to be modal shift? The final section about rail deals with freight. There is a commitment to have a rail freight growth target, but the only funding discussed is a continuation of the existing provisions for strategic rail freight interchanges and the modal shift grants. There is further mention of “quick infill” electrification schemes to increase the volume of freight hauled by electric traction, but no detail. Overall, some good words and appropriate aspirations but no sign of any meaningful funding to get the plan started.
Road Cars and light delivery vehicles (vans) contribute almost 20% of emissions in the UK. There is already a requirement that petrol and diesel-powered vehicles cannot be sold in the UK after 2030 and, by 2035, only vehicles with zero emissions at the tailpipe can be sold. Following on from existing government commitments, a further £2.8 billion package of measures is planned to support the development of battery factories, the roll out of charging points, and other measures to support the industry in transition. In the shortterm, action is planned to increase the ethanol content of petrol.
PHOTO: AM ART PHOTOGRAPHY
My initial reading is disappointing as far as rail is concerned. The opening presentation says “Great British Railways will deliver a programme of further electrification, together with the use of battery and hydrogen trains to enable a zero carbon railway.” The concept of Great British Railways was only announced a few months ago. As a functional organisation, it does not yet exist, so it is going to be some time before an electrification programme can get underway if this mantra is adhered to. A little later, the document states further electrification schemes will be announced “shortly”, but we all know that in government circles “shortly” can be a substantial interval. Elsewhere it endorses the need for high-speed rail and additional capacity on the conventional network to make space for modal shift. However, the additional capacity is largely obtained by HS2 removing traffic from the existing trunk routes, although there is mention of upgrading the Southampton to Midlands route as an example. Later, the Network Rail Traction Decarbonisation Network Strategy (TDNS) is referenced as a guide to the future programme of electrification. There is brief mention of some “Innovation” projects such as the Hydroflex train, a project to trial a hydrogen-powered train on the UK mainline by modifying an existing multiple unit train and the government funding this has attracted (£750,000). Toward the end of the section on rail there is a pledge to encourage a shift to rail by offering flexible fares to improve choice and give simple
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A box in this section discusses the need to upgrade the electricity supply to facilitate charging of electric vehicles by about 20%. Interestingly, the current consultation anticipates all electricity users paying for this upgrade and the associated re-enforcement of the distribution network, rather than focusing the costs on electric vehicle users. In addition to cars and vans, the intention is to have zeroemission, two-wheel vehicles (motor cycles etc.,) by 2035, with a similar date for heavy goods vehicles (HGV) up to 26 tonnes and a target of 2040 for all HGVs subject to consultation. There is also passing comment on an increase on gross vehicle weight to compensate for the increased weight of batteries or hydrogen storage on such vehicles. The section on roads, then, mentions the significance of good traffic management and its positive effect on reducing emissions. In this context it proposes a current year investment of £15 million to catch up on a backlog of traffic light maintenance and enhancement to support better traffic flow. In closing the section on roads there is a segment on the national networks. After various justifiable reasons for continued investment in
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the roads network, a small statement could end up being one of the most significant in the entire document: “we will need to ensure the tax system encourages the take up of EVs and that revenue from motoring taxes keeps up with this change.” A hint of a new means being required to raise motoring revenue, but no more detail.
Maritime and air The sections on maritime and air transport focus on different fuel options with ships being focussed on ammonia or hydrogen and possibly battery power. There is a £20 million fund competitively available to support research and development ideas: the “Clean Maritime Demonstrator Competition.” There is also consultation on requiring vessels in port to be linked to a shore supply rather than on-board generation using fossil fuel. The UK Climate Change Committee anticipates that, by 2050, air transport will be the second largest CO2 emitter in the UK unless significant action is taken. This is accepted as a major challenge since no other fuels have the energy density of oil (kerosene). The primary shortterm solution is the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF). SAF is essentially a kerosene equivalent created
from biofuels and waste. There is a plan to consult on domestic air travel reaching net zero by 2040.
Conclusions Overall, this is a brave attempt at establishing some plans to reduce or even eliminate GHG emissions from transport. It is particularly gratifying in its recognition of the need to provoke a significant element of modal shift especially to active travel (walking and cycling) and the use of public transport. It is also good that it recognises the importance of town and country planning in fostering the ability to use such modes of transport. It is also helpful in suggesting the need for modal shift in freight transport especially from road and air to rail and waterway. However, it fails to address two fundamental challenges: firstly, the challenge of modal shift unless the relative costs and benefits can be brought to better balance; second, in the planning sense, the challenge of dealing with past planning decisions which will remain for many decades to come. The lack of detail in the section on Rail is of concern as is the lack of significant commitments to deliver projects that would either decarbonise the mode or provide the necessary capacity uplift should modal transfer be achieved.
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PAUL DARLINGTON
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ail freight is one of Rail’s successes and is vital to Britain’s economy, carrying more than £30 billion of goods each year with each freight train taking about 76 lorries off the roads. This translates to 1.66 billion fewer lorry kilometres a year, reducing road congestion and carbon emissions. The UK government has set the world’s most ambitious climate change target into law to reduce carbon emissions by 78% by 2035, compared to 1990 levels, and rail freight has a key role to significantly decrease carbon emissions as rail generates far fewer carbon dioxide emissions than the equivalent road journey.
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Enhancing the network With the right supporting technology, rail freight can provide a faster, greener, safer and more efficient way of transporting goods than roads. Network Rail plans to enhance the network to carry more freight traffic and make rail freight more competitive with other modes by increasing efficiency. By reducing uncertainty in the timings of freight movements, and demonstrating enhanced predictability of modal transitions, capacity, growth and that diversity of goods can be enhanced, a much-needed modal shift towards rail freight can be realised. Intermodal transitions must be improved with better information of estimated arrival times at freight terminals and flexible intermodal transitions such as lift-on / lift-off between PHOTO: BEYOND IMAGES
A north-bound “Tesco Express” from Daventry to Mossend is speeding through picturesque countryside in the north of England. Rail Engineer | Issue 192 | Sept-Oct 2021
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FEATURE
road, rail and port. More granular information on freight movements will be required and be more widely available for cross-modal supply chains. Logistic management in supply chains is increasingly important with many industry sectors now operating ‘just-in-time’ production. Good logistics management helps companies reduce expenses and enhance customer service but, to achieve this, planners need to know where everything is and when it will arrive. Incremental Solutions, based in York, is a technology company providing smart transportation solutions through the exploitation of GPS and other data sources. They have developed a movement analytics engine and vehicle-sensor data processing technology, which utilises machine learning techniques to provide road and rail with deep analytical insights into logistical management.
Partnership Nomad Digital have recently partnered with Incremental to help deliver its freight train location tracking solution, ‘TRACO’ (TRAnsition COnnectivity for trains and trucks). Due to the practice of freight trains spending idle time in depots and sidings, they can be situated in ‘blind spots’ on
the network. TRACO will enable everyone in the logistical supply chain to be aware of a freight containers progress, respond to any delays or disruptions and predict the train’s arrival at its end destination. Additionally, by further tracking freight across onward modal transitions such as road haulage, end-to-end freight journeys can be tracked and efficiencies optimised. Nomad have many years’ experience of providing robust and high-performance road and rail approved connectivity solutions to support data transmission from vehicles. For the TRACO solution they will also provide a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) GPS feed. Nomad will also supply a tracking solution that can be used on wagons and freight containers to help deliver some of the project objectives. A wholly owned Alstom company, Nomad will also be supporting Incremental with some of the engineering and deployment activities. TRACO is designed to provide a very accurate location information and intermodal freight tracking capability. It will provide real-time location monitoring of intermodal freight pathways down to a container level. TRACO will provide the integration of previously disparate data sets through accurate location information and real-time delay
prediction algorithms, which will reduce transition times and create efficiencies and benefits for all. Adding a GPS vehicle sensor receiver to a container is relatively straightforward, but it must be securely located and protected, and will require a power stable supply. The GPS receiver will identify where the container is, but some sort of radio link with good coverage is required to transmit the information back to a central location, in real time, for analytical processing and reporting.
Freight train moves through the Trafford station from the port.
Intelligent devices Part of the Nomad plan is to use an LTE-M solution to provide the tracking connectivity. LTE-M is a GSM/4G low power wide area data technology, which uses mobile network operators’ existing base stations. The data bandwidth to report physical location and diagnostics will be small, therefore the power requirement to transmit the information will also be very low, allowing an extended battery life of typically six to 10 years. Physical size is also small, so we are probably looking at something the size of a smartphone attached securely to each container or wagon. As it is an intelligent device it
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East Midlands Gateway Rail Freight Depot, Leicestershire.
will also be able to report its health, so it should be reliable, manageable and require no regular inspection. Supported by all major mobile equipment, chipset and module manufacturers, LTE-M co-exists with 2G, 3G and 4G mobile networks. It benefits from all the security and privacy features of mobile networks, such as support for user identity confidentiality, authentication, data integrity and mobile equipment identification. Some may question the adequacy of GSM/4G coverage for reliable TRACO reporting, but GSM/4G coverage along rail routes is surprisingly good and, if in a radio blackspot, the unit can hold its reporting location and time until radio coverage is sufficient for it to transmit the information. LTW-M is also within the scope of the 3GPP standard for 5G New Radio, so it won’t be obsolete any time soon, unlike GSM-R. Additionally, Nomad will deploy its Communications Control Units (CCU), which use Nomad Connect Aggregation technology, onto some freight locos and lorries. This will utilise the existing Mobile Network Operator’s (MNO) LTE networks to provide reliable communications. The CCUs are specially designed for road and rail environments and provide a high performing and robust connectivity solution.
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Demonstration phase
Transformative technology
A nine-month demonstration phase commenced in July and will create an interactive and innovative demonstrator in a live railway environment by March 2022. The project must involve an owner of railway assets, an experienced railway organisation and a potential integration partner. Three supporting freight operating companies are involved - GB Railfreight, DB Cargo and Freightliner - along with Network Rail. The objective will be to investigate the current communication capabilities of trains, wagons and trucks from the three freight operators; to identify and capture the Rail Operations Centre (ROC) user interface requirements; and to explore a rail-to-road interface and the development of a depot ETA prediction model. Vehicle surveys will be undertaken to enable designs for train and wagon fitment, which must ensure the devices are secure and will not interfere with any other assets, on both train and lineside. The requirements of the freight operators will be identified along with how the system interface needs to operate. Version one of the system interface will be produced, together with R&D activities to develop an ETA prediction model using current GPS and historical timings from TRUST and train describer data.
Fifty years ago, computers and telecom links, primitive by today’s standards, transformed freight rail logistic management with the introduction of Total Operations Processing System (TOPS) for managing locomotives and rolling stock as a replacement for paperbased systems. TRACO, with Nomad connectivity, also has the capability to transform rail freight logistics using modern analytic, vehicle-sensor data processing technology, machine learning and state of the art radio data links. TRACO will provide an innovative solution to the challenge of maximising the growth opportunities currently being presented to the rail freight industry, by presenting better and more accurate location information and predicted terminal arrivals to the logistical supply chain. By accurately tracking and predicting arrivals for all vehicles, wagons and containers, freight operations can be better planned and managed to improve the delivery of goods for customers. With better and more accurate data, future rail freight growth opportunities such as high-speed deliveries and perishable goods can be delivered while generating less carbon for the benefit of all.
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RAILTEX / INFRARAIL
RAILTEX/INFRARAIL
an exhibition overview MATT ATKINS
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n a bright and sunny Tuesday 7 September, Railtex and Infrarail returned to the exhibitions circuit, both events coming together under the roof of Birmingham’s NEC. Featuring exhibits of all shapes and sizes, attendees could get their fill of the latest offerings from the railway industry supply chain. From cabling to CCTV, transformers to tracks, products and services of every kind were on display. And, despite the lingering climate of uncertainty and hesitation, 5,000 attendees came to network, explore collaboration opportunities, and discuss the current state and future of the UK’s railway. It would be impossible to give a full account of the exhibition, which was packed with displays, demonstrations, seminars and speeches, but hopefully the next few pages will give a respectable overview of the three-day event.
A warm welcome Opening the exhibition, Nicola Hamann, Managing Director of Mack Brooks, welcomed visitors, expressing her gratitude to everyone who had made the exhibition possible, and those who had made the journey. She struck a defiant tone in the face of the pandemic which had blighted the past 18 months. “While the impact of Covid-19 has been strongly felt across the entire railway supply chain, the sector is still thriving. Significant improvements to the network are being made and around £50 billion will be spent over the next five years. It is more important than ever for organisations in the industry to position themselves in front of their target markets.” The opening ceremony continued with a message from Darren Caplan, Chief Executive of the Railway Industry Association (RIA), who continued in a similar tone, using his speech to highlight how the railways have kept essential goods and services moving and how, going forward, the railway will be at the heart of the
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governments ‘levelling up’ agenda. “What other sector levels up the way that rail does?” he said. “Whether it’s getting people around the country, getting people around the region, getting people around the community, rail is right at the heart of that and benefits all people.” Despite the resilience of the industry, Mr Caplan recognised the imminent challenges – decarbonisation, digitalisation, and regaining passenger confidence, among others – but emphasised his belief that these could be overcome: “I am very positive about the future of rail. There are plenty of people who don’t have a positive view, but it’s a 30, 40, 50-year game.” However, he also stressed that investment is desperately required and, before handing over to Andrew Stephenson, Minister of State at the Department of Transport, had this to say: “No one is going to say in 30 years’ time, ‘I’m pleased they cut back investment in rail’… Now is not the time for short-sighted policy decisions.”
RAILTEX / INFRARAIL
Committed to Rail Mr Stephenson used his speech to outline how HS2 expects to support 34,000 jobs in construction and, combined with other projects, will form a key part of the Government’s plans to build a green transport system in the UK. “This Government is dedicated to providing a new Railway era this country can be proud of,” he began. “One that secures the future of the railways and helps to deliver our national goals of levelling up and a green-led economic recovery. Our flagship project, HS2 is a perfect example of that new era.” But he was keen to emphasise that HS2 is just one example of the Government’s commitment to rail and that the Treasury had named high-quality infrastructure as one of its three key pillars of investment to support the country’s economic recovery and “level up” the regions. “To date over £100 million has already been spent on the development of Northern Powerhouse rail and a further £75 million has been committed to developing the programme over the next year. This is on top of ongoing improvement to rail connectivity between Manchester and York through the Transpennine Route upgrade. The Transpennine Route upgrade is the biggest single investment in upgrading the countries existing rail network over the next five years.” He went on to comment on the Government’s Integrated Rail Plan, outlining how major rail projects will work together to deliver the services that benefit passengers across the North and the Midlands. “The plan is not just about building railways,” he said, “It is about taking a holistic view as to how we can capitalise on our investment to help boost regional economies. It’s about considering the role that rail projects
plan in regeneration and creating new employment opportunities.” He also addressed the demographics of the industry’s workforce and the need to build in greater diversity. “We know that over quarter of the rail supply chain workforce is aged over 50. Many will retire over the next decade. We need to attract a new cohort of engineers with rail-specific skills in civils, signalling and electrification. Rail also needs more women and people from ethnic minority backgrounds – not just to apply for jobs but to progress and succeed at the most senior level.”
latest designs, as well as a whole host of SMEs and start-ups eager to showcase their innovative designs and services. Rail Engineer’s Editor, David Shirres, gives a much more extensive account of the goods and service on display in his Editor’s Eye review on pages 92-97.
On the floor
and Unlocking Innovation Zone, recurring features organised by the exhibition’s main show partner, the RIA. The programme of the Future Focus Conference offered insights and discussions on four main themes: (i) Growth – how the rail industry can support investment, jobs and economic growth; (ii) Geography – how to ensure that rail reaches and benefits all corners of the UK; (iii) Green – how clients and the supply chain can work together to decarbonise the network; and (iv) Global – the opportunities that exist for the UK as part of a global network of infrastructure investment. Sessions included panel discussions and Q&As on subjects under the umbrella of all four focus areas, covering hot topics including issues such
With the exhibition formally opened, attendees were free to wander the wide range of stands where representatives of companies small and large waited, anxious to make contact with customers after 18 months of uncertainty. British Steel sponsored Hall 11’s display area, ‘The Track’ which was used by exhibitors to display and demonstrate tools and equipment in an authentic rail setting. Companies participating included British Steel, Barkers Fencing, JMS Transformers Ltd, and Transmag (UK) LTD. Also in attendance were Hitachi, which unveiled its new Trackside Guardian product, Alstom and Stadler, replete with information and models of their
Future Focus Beyond the main exhibition, was a rich supporting programme packed with keynote speakers, technical seminars, project updates and Q&A sessions. The programme included two conferences streams: The Future Focus Conference
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RAILTEX / INFRARAIL as devolution and levelling up, free trade agreements and export strategies, and equality, diversity and inclusion. One highlight was a seminar by Sir Keith Williams, author of the Williams Rail Review. Giving an overview of the reforms set out in the Williams-Shapps plan, he repeated Andrew Stephenson’s message about the importance of the regions in the future development of the railway’s development. “One question that really stood out to me was how you get to be listened to in the corridors of power? If you look at commitments 11 to 15 of the review, you will see an intent to involve local communities and mayors of the regions much more in decision making, to take the decision making out to the people who know rather than leave it up to the Department for Transport. I hope we’ll see progress in that area.” Commenting about the green agenda, he stressed that “Decarbonisation is not only about the railway, it’s about the infrastructure that we operate and the stations. I think we’ll see a commitment to that in that section of the review.” He also emphasised that progress on fares is crucial in demonstrating to passengers that the government is starting to make the changes heralded in the plan for rail white paper, commenting that: “One of the things that has struck me is just how far behind Rail is in terms of its fare structures.” Closing the second day of the Future Focus Conference, Shadow Rail Minister Tan Dhesi MP gave a keynote address which emphasised how rail can be a great connector in society with the power to transform for communities, jobs, leisure and boost economic growth. He began by praising the rail industry for its resilience and continued commitment throughout the pandemic. “The diligent work of station staff, drivers, conductors and the many more who supported the
Unlocking Innovation
continued operation of our trains cannot be understated. I’m really proud of what you have collectively delivered for our country under some of the most challenging circumstances we’ve experienced in our lifetime.” However, he shortly turned his attention to the Government’s plan for the railway and what he thought were the shortcomings of the William-Shapps plan. “With the franchise system crumbling and the fallout from a pandemic, this whitepaper should have been the Government’s turning point for making our rail industry fit for the future. But instead of ambition for investing in our railways we see cuts to funding and cuts to jobs. We cannot achieve a better rail network by cutting costs that damage our own network.” So, what should a 21st century railway look like in the UK, he asked? “We need to improve connectivity between our rural communities, towns and cities and offer better integration of the entire transport system, linking buses, trains and trams. Our rail fares are way too complex. They need to be simpler, affordable and flexible. We need to make the most of our private sector utilising SMEs, startups and innovative digital technologies to revolutionise the network, assist with construction and maintenance and enhance the experience of passengers.”
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The Unlocking Innovation Zone focussed on new ideas and thinking that could benefit the railway, its passengers and the economy. It covered high-level challenges and opportunities for rail clients; near-term challenges and opportunities for Tier ones and Tier twos; help with attracting funding and partners for projects; and elevator pitches from a range of contributors including SMEs and Start-ups. Opening the seminar session, David Shipman, Innovation Engineering Manager at Network Rail, gave a presentation on Automation in Survey, Design and Testing of Command, Control and Signalling Schemes (CCS). He spoke about the challenges that are seen in signalling automation and how they can be tackled in the next few years. “If we carry on doing what we do today to deliver signalling schemes we have constraints with cost and with access. The amount of work we have to deliver just to keep the railway running from a signalling perspective exceeds those constraints quite considerably.” Technology alone does not solve those challenges, he said, and we can’t continue to deliver the same signalling technologies using the same systems and process if we’re going to get a sustainable solution. “Target 190 plus is one of the examples of how we’re dealing with that. It is a major five-year research and development programme for future CCS. It includes the technical developments to support delivering ETCS, automatic train operation, and future communications. It also looks at the ways of working that we have, the technical processes, how we develop the capabilities, how we get these into business chains that the routes can then deliver to this business as usual for them.” On day two, Costain’s Group Climate Change Director, Lara Young, led a session titled ‘Bringing net-zero to life’.
RAILTEX / INFRARAIL The presentation aimed to demonstrate how anyone, regardless of where they sat with the value chain for rail, can go about driving the reduction of carbon emissions in their firm. The session raised a number of interesting points about how companies approach reducing emissions and how their approaches can often be flawed. “Climate change is bigger than just addressing carbon issues,” she said. “However, trying to solve all of the climate change challenges of our industry in one go isn’t really feasible. We’ve chosen to prioritise addressing carbon emissions as a first step and we’ve established a plan for how we’re going to do that. As we get this rolling and things are in progression, we will weave in the approaches we’re going to take with biodiversity and natural capital.” She also questioned the practice of paying for others to reduce emissions or absorb CO2 to compensate for your
companies’ own emissions. “We haven’t resorted to off-setting. Our logic behind that was that if we were going to choose to invest in reducing emissions, we were looking to do that at the source.”
Summing up The uncertainty around Covid-19 certainly had an impact on the numbers coming through the doors of this year’s exhibition, but those who did attend expressed their enthusiasm at being back onsite after eighteen long months without such an event. The exhibiting companies showcased
a wide variety of new products and innovative solutions, with a clear focus on sustainability, decarbonisation, digitalisation, and equality, and these were the major topics under discussion at the event’s many seminars and workshops. The message to take home from Railtex/Infrarail 2021 is that the whole sector is eager to get back to work in the wake of the pandemic, and that the events of recent times can act as a catalyst for change. Rail may have faced some dark days over the past 18 months, but if the sentiment of this exhibition is anything to go by, it will build back stronger.
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Editor’s eye RAILTEX/INFRARAIL 2021
T
he National Exhibition Centre at Birmingham welcomed back the rail industry at a combined Railtex/Infrarail exhibition between 7 and 9 September. For many, it was the first opportunity to meet contacts, friends and colleagues since the first Covid lockdown 18 months ago. Yet Covid is still with us, as was apparent by the need for vaccine checks or Covid tests on entry. The show was also noticeably quieter than previous years. Nevertheless, there was still much to see. Five thousand visitors came to the 232 stands which included 31 from Europe, though none from further abroad. The exhibition took place in the 15,000 square metres of the NEC’s halls 11 and 12 and showcased the huge variety of products and services needed to run a railway. Visitors also had the opportunity to attend the comprehensive programme of 50 events organised by the Railway Industry Association (RIA) at their Future Focus and Unlocking Innovation conferences as well as other technical seminars. As this was the first rail industry trade show since 2019, Mack-Brooks Exhibitions took the decision to combine the Railtex and Infrarail events and defer the exhibition until September. The two shows are also to be combined next year when they will be held in Olympia from 10 to 12 May. With so many stands, the opportunity to chat with friends and colleagues and attend various presentations, a day at the exhibition soon passes. The result is a full bag of promotional material and freebies, much learnt and sore feet. What
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Meeting the buyers on the RIA stand. follows is a description of the stands that caught your editor’s eye. It’s an unashamedly arbitrary selection of exhibitors, to illustrate what I learnt and give a flavour of the show. The Railway Industry Association supports the industry in so many ways, so its seminar theatres and stand were not to be missed. On its stand, RIA held a ‘Meet the Buyer’ programme which provided businesses with the opportunity to meet rail buyers, Commercial Officers based overseas and Network Rail’s R&D team to learn about different markets and how they can get their products and services onto the rail network, both at home and abroad.
RIA’s David Clarke leads a seminar at which Network Rail’s Helen McAllister, Furrer + Frey’s Noel Dolphin and Alstom’s Mike Muldoon discuss rail decarbonisation.
RAILTEX / INFRARAIL
Train manufacturer stands.
Train-related stands Alstom and Stadler were the only rolling stock manufacturers with large stands at the show. Whilst they were not likely to sell any trains at the show, their representatives on the stand advised that the show provided a useful opportunity to meet potential suppliers as well as showcasing their products generally. Another train manufacturer at the show was Vivarail which produces the UK’s only battery and battery hybrid trains. One of these trains was shipped to the US in April and started operating in Baltimore in July. Another is to operate a daily service out of Glasgow for delegates to November’s COP26 climate change conference. Other train-related stands visited included Axminster Carpets whose woollen carpets have a Wilton weave that provides more yarn on the back of the carpet. They also reduce noise due to their acoustic absorption properties. Their customers include Northern,
TransPennine Express and South West Trains. Ogab is a new company specialising in aerodynamics, thermodynamics and sustainable technology R&D. The patented Active Flow Control technology claims to offer a 10% fuel saving by reducing a train’s drag coefficient. It does this by ejecting high temperature air forward into the oncoming airflow. TrainFX specialises in on-train passenger information solutions. One of its particularly helpful products is a seat occupation system that advises the seat reservation system that a seat is taken once someone sits in it, so that it cannot then be reserved enroute. Its sensor is sufficiently sensitive to distinguish between bag and bum. Although various companies have developed hydrogen trains, to date only one has developed a hydrogenpowered rail re-profiling train. Featured on the Linsinger stand was the company’s MG11 rail milling train for use on light
rail systems which can be customised for gauges between 1,000 and 1,668 mm. This 150kW hydrogen fuel-cell powered machine can mill a millimetre off the rail surface at up to 600 metres per hour.
Providing protection Zonegreen has provided its depot protection systems to about 60 depots in the UK and had their Depot Personnel
TrainFX’s seat that reserves itself as passengers sit on it.
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opportunities for people with disabilities and injured exservice personnel who make up 70% of its workforce.
Video analytics
Protection System (DPPS) on display. This is designed to provide the safest and most efficient method of controlling depot train movements. A recent innovation is the use of RFID cards which provide a fast and reliable method of logging onto the system before starting work. Used with the DPPS system is the company’s Depot Manager software which ensures safety
Video asset analysis shown on CIBEST stand.
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systems are used as required and offers traceability of depot operations. Zöllner UK and Schweizer Electronic had their track safety systems on display. Both companies have also developed level crossing systems. Schweizer’s Flex Miniature Stop Light system was recently granted a Certificate of Acceptance for use on Network Rail’s infrastructure. Signs at level crossings and on Network Rail’s infrastructure are produced by Royal British Legion Industries. This Kent-based social enterprise produces around 150,000 signs per year and is Network Rail’s only approved supplier of trackside signage. It also provides great employment
The French company CIBEST provides image processing solutions which include video surveillance, passenger counting and video analytics. Its stand was displaying OLE anomaly detection and rail infrastructure video analytical software which recognises assets and can detect those that are missing. SMART Railway Training Simulators are produced by the Lithuanian Neokon Baltija Group in the EU and by PCMS and InterRealityLabs in the UK. These three companies shared a stand which displayed a class 390 Pendolino driving simulator. Also on display was their mixed reality hardware which offers augmented reality that can significantly improve the productivity and/ or information provided by a single individual. It was explained that this equipment has proved particularly useful during the Covid emergency when individuals have not been allowed to work in close proximity.
RAILTEX / INFRARAIL
Steel and structures The orange sleepered track next to the British Steel stand couldn’t fail to catch the eye. The rails produced by the company include HP335 for use in curved track prone to rolling contact fatigue and Zinoco® coated rail which offers corrosion protection in aggressive environments such as coastal areas. The company also offers weathering steel that defends itself from corrosion by forming a protective oxide patina which eliminates the need for protective coatings. It offers a lifespan of up to 120 years. The Kloeckner Metals stand showed how the company can supply, process and fabricate a wide range of metals for both rolling stock and rail infrastructure projects. For rolling stock, its trade marked products include Alucore, composite panels with an aluminium honeycomb, and RailClad which are explosion welded transition joints between steel and aluminium. Asset International Structures also provides steel as part of its infrastructure solutions which include retained earth systems and Fibre Reinforced Polymer
(FRP). This is 80% lighter than reinforced concrete, highly corrosion resistant and resistant to mildew, mold and other conditions that timber can’t resist. It was explained that FRP can be moulded or produced as extrusions to build structures that are almost maintenance free. The company offer rail platforms and light bridges produced from FRP. Corrosion prevention is also offered by Blocksil which was showcasing its highperformance corrosion resistant coating which it has applied to trackside buildings with a 25year warranty. The Graphene Enhanced Top Coat MT, with
a typical dry film coating thickness of 200 microns, will give 10,000 hours of QUV testing. A typical uPVC as a comparison may achieve 500 hours and epoxy paint some 250 to 300 hours. A dented fence and part of a small truck that was driven into it demonstrated the effectiveness of the StronGuard RCS fencing produced by Barkers Fencing. This standalone palisade fence does not require large foundations and is the only such fence accredited by PAS68 to stop a 7.5 tonne vehicle at 30 mph. PAS 68 is the specification for impact testing of hostile vehicles.
Dented fence and vehicle stopped by it during a crash test.
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Popular food service at the Tratos stand.
Cables and earthworks Tratos is an Anglo-Italian electrical cable manufacturer. Regular visitors to Infrarail will be familiar with the Italian food and wine on offer at its stand which is always a strong contender for the exhibition’s best cuisine. At previous exhibitions this food has been prepared by chefs from Naples. As this was not a practical option this year, the food was prepared by
Bottle balancing and ice cream at the Tensar stand.
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an Italian restaurant close to the company’s UK plant in Liverpool. Having been fed and watered, I learnt that Network Rail had awarded the company with a five-year cable supply framework contract and of the importance of using DC feeder cables that are both insulated and sheafed to avoid the current frequent renewal in damp environments. The bottle-balancing competition on the Tensar stand was perhaps the exhibition’s most imaginative product demonstration. This required the entrant to make a sandcastle incorporating Tensar’s TriAx geogrid. A tower comprising layers of boards and water bottles was then made on top of the sandcastle. The winning entrant managed to create a tower of 30 bottles before it fell over. Not only was this an impressive feat but
it showed how the geogrid reinforced the sand to take such weight. Moreover, in addition to this novel competition the company was also offering traditional ice cream. On its stand, Findlay Irvine had information about its condition monitoring systems for power, track and earthworks assets as well as weather monitoring systems. The company has been supplying Network Rail for 20 years. Its earthworks monitoring system is an array of wireless tilt sensors with a day/night camera to capture site images once an alarm has been triggered. First-time exhibitor Senceive, whose remote condition monitoring systems are used in 35 countries, was also offering earthworks tilt sensor arrays, one of which gave advance warning of an earthworks failure at Barnehurst in 2019. Although tilt sensor arrays are highly effective, they are not cheap. An alternative solution was on offer from the Irish company, Aldolex. This comprises of a metal grid pinned into the ground that measures stresses induced by any earthworks movement to an accuracy of 1mm per 10 metres. The company also offer weather monitoring stations with rainfall intensity measured by radar that detects rain drop size, intensity and velocity. The company’s systems are widely used on Irish railways.
RAILTEX / INFRARAIL Showcasing the industry During the show, I naturally saw much of the Rail Media stand to rest my feet, have a coffee and chat to my colleagues who giving out Rail Engineer magazines. We like to think that this supports the industry by highlighting the good work done, informing rail engineers of developments in other disciplines and providing features about current developments. The combined Railtex/Infrarail exhibition also provided a valuable service by showcasing products and services, and providing an opportunity for people from throughout the industry to meet face to face, make connections and do business. This year’s show was, not surprisingly, a slightly muted affair, as Covid is still with us. Credit is due to Mack-Brooks Exhibitions and those who exhibited, especially those from outside the UK, for making the show happen in such uncertain times.
Of necessity, this perspective of the show is only a small part of it and omits many other worthwhile products and services. If you feel your company’s stand should have been included, or have a story about an innovative product
that we missed at the show, please do get in touch. The next combined Railtex/ Infrarail event will take place at the Olympia Exhibition Centre from 10 to 12 May 2022. Rail Engineer looks forward to seeing you there.
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