SPECIALIST SKILLS
Powered by SMEs With Network Rail’s Control Period 7 (CP7) starting in April, specialist skills and experience are vital to its success
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he rail industry is preparing for new activity, and reflecting on CP6, during which the industry faced significant challenges, from Covid-19 lockdowns to inflation and increased extreme weather events. Looking ahead, ensuring the longterm success, continuity of service, safety and sustainability of the network is a key priority for Network Rail and Office of Rail and Road (ORR). Continued work on electrification is expected, alongside a program of maintenance and renewals focused on ensuring climate resilience. At the same time, limited funding makes efficiency and cost-effectiveness a top priority. Everyone in the sector will be expected to work smarter in CP7 and make the most of every pound available. Collaboration and efficiency developed during the current period will be a key factor in future success. During CP6, there has been a growing trend for specialised, small-scale civil engineering consultancies to team up on projects to compete with large 80
industry players; equipped with specific expertise, these smaller firms working in collaboration offer creative, innovative, and cost-effective solutions to complex rail construction projects. To explore why this is so, Whitfield Consulting Services (WCS) gathered a couple of its regular partners for a round-table discussion. Our Associate Director Nick Lowe was joined by Lindsey McKerlie, Head of Design at Andromeda, and Craig Anger, E&P Portfolio Manager at J. Murphy & Sons.
The choice between specialists and generalists
As part of the UK government’s ambitious Decarbonising Transport plans, rail electrification is key to end the use of dieselpowered trains by 2040 and deliver a net zero network by 2050. As regular partners on a wide range of rail civil engineering projects, our teams have extensive experience collaborating on a variety projects, including on the substations needed to deliver these goals.
Reflecting on the value experience brings, Nick commented: ‘Substation structures and foundations can be designed by any civil engineer. But, do they have the specific experience to allow them to properly consider how equipment – such as the transformer – will be brought onto site? Planning around the most suitable approach road, and whether there is room to turn into the location, can easily be overlooked, for example, if the engineer hasn’t witnessed this first hand in the past.’ Concurs Craig: ‘I prefer to work with SMEs due to the specialist knowledge and experience they bring. In fact, every supplier I have as a regular partner currently is an SME. On a recent project for example, a bigger consultancy was interested in supporting us, but acknowledged that none of their team had specifically delivered the design required. Looking to smaller suppliers, I saw experience in similar projects again and again in their tenders. It just made sense to offer it to them. They will get it done quickly and well.’ Smaller organisations also have less managerial overhead to recover, and less red tape slowing communications. ‘We tend to be very accessible,” comments Lindsey, “and WCS is the same. I know I can pick up the phone and get Nick or Asa, and I know that if Nick is mentioned on the tender, he will actually be the engineer on the project. That’s not something you can assume with larger consultancies.’
The importance of a can-do attitude
This reduction in red tape can permit more flexibility when deciding how to complete a project, though compliance and safety, of course, remain paramount in all cases. ‘With the smaller partners, I have found myself saying that some required change or addition to the scope is urgent, and asking if we can just implement it so as not to impact programme and then agree the finer details of the commercial aspects as we go along’ says Craig. ‘That wouldn’t be possible with a larger firm.’ He does acknowledge that a relationship of trust is needed for this to be possible. ‘It’s always a two-way street. We look after our regular partners and ensure they are treated fairly on every project. We wouldn’t get their flexibility or commitment in return without that. That’s true partnership and commitment on both sides to getting a