Railway Strategies Issue 132 August 2016

Issue 132 August 2016

Pieces of a

jigsaw Crossrail’s London Liverpool Street platform takes shape

NEWS

Repair for SettleCarlisle landslip explained David Higgins – the alternative HS2 route ORR warns against complacency over safety RDG summit to tackle fares and ticketing complexity

S FEATURE

Climate change – quick action needed to build resilience

Transport for the North rethinks barriers to rail travel

Big data – the new revolution in asset management?

Chairman Andrew Schofield Editor Gay Sutton editor@railwaystrategies.co.uk

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From the Editor

Managing Editor Libbie Hammond Art Editor Gerard Roadley-Battin Advertisement Designer David Howard Profile Editor Ben Clark Staff Writers Jo Cooper Andrew Dann Josh Younespour Advertisement Sales Mark Cawston Tim Eakins Andy Ellis Darren Jolliffe Dave King Rob Wagner Sales Director Joe Woolsgrove Operations Director Philip Monument Editorial Researchers Keith Hope Tarj Kaur-D’Silva Mark Cowles Administration Tracy Chynoweth

Issue 132 ISSN 1467-0395 Published by

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To be,or not to be...

W

hatever your view of nuclear power versus renewable energy, the fiasco surrounding the decision whether or not to build Hinckley C power station has done nothing to allay the national sense of insecurity. Against a background of economic gloom caused by the Brexit decision, security of power supply is again in question.

As a nation, and as a sector heavily reliant on electricity, we need a quick resolution and a workable long-term plan for power generation – one that can be delivered within the time constraints of the closing of old coal fired power stations, and the phasing out of support for renewable energy.

As an industry, there are many challenges ahead, not least among them ensuring that the rail network is resilient to the increasing incidence of severe weather, heatwaves, snow and flooding that will happen as a result of climate change. RSSB has just published a report, Tomorrow’s Railway and Climate Change Adaptation, which builds on its previous climate change report, and supports parallel work being done by Network Rail. On page 12, RSSB’s Michael Woods discusses the risks, findings and recommendations.

Efforts are being made to build resilience into the network when damage has been sustained. This month alone, our news pages include stories about the engineering solutions being put in place on the vulnerable Eden Brows section of the Settle-Carlisle and on the Folkestone to Dover line. These are piecemeal, though, and depend upon funding. An overarching strategy and plan will require significant funding and, as Woods suggests, this will require a strong economic case being made, not only based on the cost of the project, but the effect on the regional economy if it is not done.

Are we doing enough or is time running out? Let me know your thoughts: editor@railwaystrategies.co.uk

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Features

Focus on Infrastructure

Lifting the cloud of uncertainty 11 Thoughts on how industry can overcome the effects of Brexit SIR JOHN ARMITT

12 As storm clouds gather Climate change can only get worse.

Are we running out of time to protect the network?

MICHAEL WOODS

Patent of the month 17 European Patent 1659046: How Alstom is protecting its new rail safety system ROSIE HARDY

14 Doing digital – CASE STUDY How the information flow across Barcelona’s stations has been digitised to improve efficiency JORGE FDEZ-ARGÜELLES

Integrated ticketing 18 Transport for the North’s ticketing plans, and rethinking barriers to rail travel STEPHEN BOTTOM

Cover stories

Safety round the clock 24 How Crossrail is utilising antivibration solutions to improve reliability and safety ROD HOLROYD Predict, prevent and prosper 26 Big data – what does it mean for asset management on the railways?

KEVIN PRICE

10 4 4 6 7 12 18 26

Pieces of a jigsaw ORR and safety RDG summit Settle-Carlisle repair David Higgins HS2 Climate change Transport for the North Big data

News

Industry

Infrastructure

Worldwide

Stations

Appointments

Rolling stock Conferences & exhibitions

4 6 9 10 16 23 70

10Cover st or

y

12 18

Profiles 28 30 32 36 38 43 46 50 54 58 66

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Birchwood Price Tools Power Saving Solutions Nexus Foley and Miles Perpetuum Speedy Rail Morson International Telent GVB Crossrail ADComms

32 38 46

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IN BRIEF New Nigerian rail line opens l The first phase of Nigeria’s new high speed rail network, the 187 km section linking Kaduna and Abuja, went into operation on July 26. Nigerian Railway Corp had been trialling the line since June 15, carrying passengers free of charge.

Full fares now apply. The line has 10 intermediate stations. Trains run up to 100 km/h.

Railways - safest they’ve ever been l ORR has warned against complacency after publishing its annual health and safety report.

The past year has seen further improvements in the leadership of safety across the railway industry and for the first time ever there were no railway worker fatalities.

However, inspectors found that safety rules and procedures were not always implemented consistently.

Campaign group adds its views l Rail campaign group Railfuture is lobbying the new transport secretary Chris Grayling to continue investing in rail. The group, which includes former senior rail executives, frequent travellers and rail staff on its management team, has produced a ten point plan including proposals for freight, better links for airports and a more integrated railway.

TfL’s contactless ticketing system to go travelling l TfL has signed a deal worth up to £15m granting Cubic Transportation Systems a licence to tailor London’s contactless ticketing system for other world cities’ transport systems.

It is the first agreement selling TfL’s expertise abroad. The revenue will be used to help freeze fares across TfL services over the next four years.

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Patrick Verwer and Cllr Roger Lawrence signing the agreement

London Midland and the new Transport for West Midlands sign partnership deal l A new partnership deal has been signed between the London Midland train operator and the newly formed Transport for West Midlands. The contract contains a 45 point improvement plan that covers delivering enhanced services on the Chase Line following electrification, fully integrating Midland Metro at Birmingham’s New Street station, and maximising the opportunities brought by HS2.

Other projects include the proposed redevelopment of Wolverhampton station interchange and identifying suitable sites to expand the park and ride scheme at stations.

The agreement also pledges increasing the

Rail leaders call summit to plan improvements to fares and tickets l Preparations are being made to bring rail industry and government leaders together to tackle some of the complexity around rail fares and ticketing, and simplify the system for customers.

Subjects to be covered in the summit include: reform of the fares system; new rules for rail journey planners to include slower and cheaper options; a review of rules around routeing and pricing; and simplification of fares

availability of Wi-Fi on passenger services, improving ticket machines at stations and enhancing CCTV on board trains.

London Midland managing director Patrick Verwer said: “We have a strong history of working in partnership in the West Midlands.

The improvements we are planning to introduce over the next 15 months are based on what local people have said are important to them.”

London Midland holds the franchise to operate local rail services in the West Midlands until October 2017, when it may be extended for up to 12 months.

restrictions to improve choice and information for customers.

Under current regulations, train companies are obliged to offer a wide variety of different routes between any two stations, even when the vast majority of customers take just one or two routes.

RDG, which is organising the summit, has been discussing a range of proposals with the DfT that would reduce the number of different fares available and give customers simpler options.

The date for the summit will be announced soon, so watch this space.

NEWS I Industry IN BRIEF GTR asks Acas to help end strike

New punctuality tool is now in the hands of the customer l A new online tool which lets customers check how often any train was on time for up to a year has been launched by the rail industry. It was created under the scheme which provides software developers with access to data from the national rail database, to encourage the development of innovative

any period up to one year. This will enable users to compare the performance of different trains and routes and make informed travel decisions.

Chris Burchell, NTF chair and RDG lead on performance and punctuality, said: “We know that every minute counts for our

new customer focused apps and smart technology.

Commissioned by the rail industry’s National Task Force (NTF), and developed by the Rail Delivery Group and Glow New Media, MyTrainJourney can display the punctuality and reliability record of any train service in Britain, revealing how it has performed over

passengers and we want people to have the best information to help them plan their journeys. MyTrainJourney now means that customers can check the punctuality of their specific, chosen journey from what happened yesterday up to a year ago and make informed choices about which train to catch or route to take.

Siemens is awarded the Victoria 2, Sutton to Wimbledon signalling contract

l Govia Thameslink Railway has asked the advisory, conciliation and arbitration service, Acas, to facilitate talks with the RMT ahead of the five-day conductors strike timed to start on 8 August. Meanwhile, both sides in the Southern rail dispute are taking part in Acas talks on Wednesday 3 and Thursday 4 August.

Green energy for the Underground l The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, came closer to procuring clean electricity to power TfL’s underground stations and other facilities when Ofgem confirmed that he could formally advertise his application for the ‘licence lite’. If granted, City Hall will be able to buy energy from small, low and zero carbon energy generators, and sell it to the public sector.

LORAM completes acquisition of RVEL

and Mitcham Junction will be completely renewed, and signalling control moved from the Victoria Area Signalling Centre to the Three Bridges Rail Operating Centre (ROC). The project also includes the complete renewal of the CCTV level crossing at Mitcham Eastfields, and replacing all conventional train detection track circuits with axle counters.

Preliminary work on the programme is already underway, the project is scheduled for commissioning in Easter 2018.

l Derby-based specialist rolling stock engineering and operating company, RVEL, has been acquired by LORAM, Maintenance of the Way Inc of Hamel, Minnesota USA. LORAM specialises in rail-head treatment and rolling-stock engineering services and seeks to consolidate its presence in the UK and grow its customer base across Europe.

l ORR has launched a consultation on proposed new guidance that will replace the Appeals to ORR under the Railways Infrastructure (Access and Management) Regulations 2005 guidance published in 2006.

of railway infrastructure capacity and the levying of charges has been consolidated and partly changed.

ORR is inviting views on the new guidance which is aimed at clarifying the meaning and implications of the 2016 Regulation, the obligations of infrastructure managers and service providers, ORR’s role, and where to find further guidance on specific issues.

As a result of the recast of the first railway package, law concerning access to rail infrastructure and service facilities, allocation

Visit the ORR Consultation page for further information, and how to respond.

Closing date: 13 October 2016

l Network Rail and train operator Northern have formed an alliance which will see them work more closely together to resolve operational issues and improve rail services in the north of England.

The alliance will promote innovation and cost-effective ways of working, to deliver more efficient, safe and reliable services.

l Siemens Rail Automation has won the contract to resignal the rail track between Sutton and Wimbledon. The project, Victoria 2, includes decommissioning life-expired relay interlocking systems at Sutton, Mitcham Junction and Wimbledon, and replacing them with just two Siemens Trackguard Westlock computer-based interlockings, which will be located at Sutton and Wimbledon.

All signalling equipment between Sutton

Proposed new guidance from ORR requires industry input

Network Rail and Northern alliance

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IN BRIEF

Aerial view of Eden Brows where the ground subsided 1.5m below the railway

Facelift for Stephenson’s bridge l The historic Grade I-listed bridge, built by Stephenson in 1830, is being restored as part of the Ordsall Chord project which will connect Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria stations. Nearby Princes Bridge, which had obscured it for decades, has been removed enabling engineers access to the bridge for restoration.

Performance needs to improve l ORR’s annual report on Network Rail’s performance states that Network Rail has had a good year on safety and has made good progress in improving its infrastructure. However, the costs have been greater than expected and the investment has not yet delivered improvements in performance across the network as a whole.

Construction commissioner for HS2 l Gareth Epps, previously the senior community relations policy manager at Crossrail, has been appointed interim construction commissioner for HS2. His role will be to investigate issues that have not reached a satisfactory conclusion through HS2 Ltd’s complaints process, providing independent, impartial decisions as well as advice on how to make a complaint.

Flood alleviation work starts at Hinksey l Flood alleviation work is being carried out on the Western line that runs through Hinksey in Oxfordshire.

Tracks are being raised by more than half a metre and culverts installed beneath them to allow water to flow from one side to the other. Flooding around Hinksey has resulted in 11 closures in the last 14 years.

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The planned Eden Brows repair

The Eden Brows embankment on the Settle-Carlisle line is to be stabilised in a highly engineered repair l Work has begun on a £23m programme of repairs on the Settle to Carlisle railway, to make safe the 500,000-tonne landslip that occurred at Eden Brows embankment in February this year. Network Rail has confirmed that the Settle-Carlisle route should be fully reopened to trains by the end of March 2017.

Engineers are constructing a concrete and steel, tunnel-like structure that will sit beneath the railway, 70 metres above the River Eden, to provide a stable base across the damaged and unstable ground.

Two rows of high-strength piles will be driven into the sloping bedrock of the Eden gorge, north of Armathwaite, forming a corridor set into the hillside. A 1.5metre-thick, 100metre-long concrete slab will then be placed on top of this creating a solid base for the tracks.

This £23m engineering solution was selected

by Network Rail from among six options which included significantly moving the course of the Settle-Carlisle railway, building a bridge, and digging out the entire gorge embankment and

filling it with solid material.

This structure will stabilise the section of gorge bank above the River Eden which gave way in February, causing ground below the railway to slip 1.5 metres during the following weeks.

In addition, an extensive £5m earthworks project is being planned to protect the foot of the bank at river level, including new drainage systems and rock armour to help prevent erosion. Trees will also be replanted to stabilise the land.

Martin Frobisher, managing director for Network Rail’s London North Western route, said: “This is a complex repair job many months in the planning ... The structure we’re building will safeguard this section of railway for generations to come. If the land gives way again, the railway will not.”

This section of the Eden gorge slipped in the 1870s when the line was being built, and it took the then Midland Railway two years to stabilise the ground with Victorian resources and know-how.

TfL releases its initial response to Crossrail 2 consultation l Transport for London (TfL) and Network Rail have published an initial response to the public consultation launched last year on Crossrail 2.

The consultation received nearly 21,000 responses on 40 issues including: station locations, entrances and exits for the tunnelled section of the proposed route; locations of ventilation shafts for the tunnelled section; construction sites required to build the scheme; and service patterns and changes to existing National Rail services.

Changes announced in the initial response include saving a listed building at Dalston, protecting Britannia Leisure Centre at

Shoreditch Park by abandoning the location as a site for a vent shaft, and looking to provide a new pedestrian access to Angel from Torrens Street.

Other issues raised by the consultation, as well as recommendations from the National Infrastructure Commission and subsequent Government response, are still being worked on.

In March 2016 government committed £80m, along with match funding from TfL, to take Crossrail 2 to the next stage of development with the aim of depositing a Hybrid Bill in 2019.

NEWS I Infrastructure

Manchester’s St Peter’s Square goes green as work nears completion

IN BRIEF Acton dive-under competed l The new dive-under at Acton, part of the Crossrail construction programme, is now structurally complete. When opened early next year it will allow Paddington-bound passenger services to pass under the slower freight trains. Electric overhead wires and signals will now be installed and the first test trains will use the dive-under at the end of this year.

Dover repairs ahead of schedule

St Peter’s Square, Manchester l The final stages of a 14 month programme of construction are under way to expand Metrolink’s St Peter’s Square stop in Manchester, in preparation for the Second City Crossing, a new tram line that is due to open in 2017.

Tram services will resume through the square at the end of August.

A giant crane operating from the adjacent construction site has lifted the huge precast concrete sections of the platforms and passenger shelters into position. The final

stretches of tram line are now being laid through the square, and over the coming weeks fixtures and fittings, including overhead line equipment and on-stop furniture, will be installed.

As part of Manchester City Council’s redevelopment of St Peter’s Square, a total of 22 new semi mature trees are being planted around the stop. Each platform will also have two trees to offer shade and greenery to complement the specially designed green themed passenger shelters.

David Higgins recommends an alternative route for HS2 in South Yorkshire l David Higgins has come up with an alternative proposal for HS2’s route and stations in South Yorkshire, that could save around £1bn and carry services into the centre of Sheffield.

The new option proposes that services to Sheffield would take a spur off the new northsouth high speed line and travel directly to the existing Sheffield Midland station using the existing railway line. Trains could then potentially call at Chesterfield.

This also offers the option to extend HS2 services to the existing Meadowhall station, Rotherham, or Barnsley in the future.

There are significant benefits to the new proposal. A city centre station solution for Sheffield high speed services would allow the main HS2 line to be built east of the previously proposed route, through less

densely populated areas that would avoid the complexities of building a line via Meadowhall.

The new route would cut journey times on services to Leeds, York and Newcastle, and would also reduce the cost of the project by around £1bn.

HS2 Ltd chairman David Higgins said: “Projects of HS2’s size, scale and significance should seek to provide the maximum benefit for the people they serve. I have listened to the very constructive comments and discussions that have taken place on how HS2 should best serve South Yorkshire and recommend the option of HS2 services using the existing city centre station.”

The Secretary of State for Transport will now consider David Higgins’ report in detail and make an announcement on the full HS2 Phase 2 route later this year.

l Network Rail has confirmed that the £39.8m project to rebuild the damaged line between Folkestone and Dover will be completed this autumn, ahead of schedule. Engineers are future proofing the vulnerable section of line, which ran along the top of the sea wall, by building a new 235 metre-long viaduct supported by 134 concrete columns to securely carry the track.

Crossrail’s green credentials l Highlights from Crossrail’s latest sustainability report include: 84% of construction machinery fitted with pollutant reducing emission controls; 98% of excavated material beneficially reused; 573 apprenticeships created on the project, almost 50% more than the original target; over 15,000 people trained at the Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy in Ilford.

£1bn rail vision for north west l A cross-border alliance of business, political and public sector leaders are campaigning to secure £1bn of rail improvements linking North Wales, Cheshire and the Wirral with the planned HS2 line between London and the North of England. These include electrification of the line from Crewe to North Wales, new rolling stock, new and more frequent services and station improvements.

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NEWS I Worldwide MoU brings the high speed rail link between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur a step closer

Using the eTix mobile app on the MTA

New York’s MTA begins to roll out mobile ticketing l A new mobile ticketing and fare collection system has gone live on the New York MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority), North America’s largest transportation network, and is being progressively rolled out across the system.

Masabi’s JustRide mobile ticketing platform in conjunction with the MTA eTix mobile ticketing app is now operating on the Metro North Railroad (MNR) and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR). Together, JustRide and eTix enable passengers to use their smartphones as an all-in-one ticket vending machine and ticket.

The technology is currently live on MNR’s

Hudson Line and LIRR’s Port Washington Lines, and will be made available on all other lines over the next few months, with the full rollout completed by the end of the summer.

Masabi’s JustRide Inspect validation application is also being introduced. This allows tickets to be scanned using a standard smartphone, at a fraction of the cost of traditional options.

Active deployments of this new technology can be found of major cities including Los Angeles, Boston, New Orleans, Athens and London.

Alstom consortium to supply ITCS signalling system for Qinghai-Tibet Railway in China l A consortium of Alstom and its Chinese joint venture CASCO Signalling Co Ltd, has been awarded a contract to supply and improve the incremental train control system (ITCS) signalling solution on the Qinghai-Tibet regional line.

The €15m contract applies to a 1,145 km-long section of the line between Gelmod and Lhasa, and is to be completed by the end of August 2018. The section includes 45 stations on which passenger regional and freight trains operate.

The signalling improvements are part of a wider upgrade aimed at boosting capacity on the line.

13 new stations will also be completed by the end of 2016, and 18 existing stations are to be revamped and/or relocated by the end of 2017.

“This contract is a breakthrough for Alstom after the successful integration of GE signalling.

With an enhanced signalling solution portfolio addressing urban, regional and mainline, and through our strategic local partner CASCO, we are China’s preferred partner to support its railway projects throughout the country,” said Ling Fang, managing director of China and East Asia for Alstom.

l The governments of Malaysia and Singapore have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) setting out how the Kuala Lumpur – Singapore High Speed Rail Project is to be developed.

The 350 km route will run between termini at Jurong East, Singapore, and at the Bandar Malaysia, 7 km from central Kuala Lumpur.

There are to be six intermediate stations in Putrajaya, Seremban, Ayer Keroh, Muar, Batu Pahat and at Iskandar Puteri on the Malaysia/Singapore border, with an aim to open the line by around 2026.

The MoU includes technical parameters, the commercial model, border procedures, the regulatory framework and project management, and also reinforces the governments’ commitment to open tendering designed to encourage participation from worldwide suppliers. The MoU follows extensive discussions between the transport authorities of the two countries. A legally-binding bilateral agreement is expected to be signed later this year.

Each government will be responsible for developing, constructing and maintaining the civil works and stations within its territory, through the Malaysian government’s project delivery company MyHSR Corp, and Singapore Land Transport Authority’s HSR Group.

An international tender will be called to appoint an asset management company, AssetsCo, which will supply and maintain the track, power, signalling and telecoms and trainsets, which will run at more than 300 km/h.

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NEWS I Stations

The completed façade at Nottingham station

New terracotta tiles in situ

Artisan crafted terracotta decorations complete the £60m redevelopment of Nottingham station l The final pieces of the £60m redevelopment at Nottingham station have been unveiled after work to restore ornate terracotta decorations to their former glory was completed.

A comprehensive makeover of the Grade II listed East Midlands Trains station in 2014 included major upgrades to the track and signals.

The station re-opened to passengers in October 2014 leaving one final job outstanding – restoration of the decorative terracotta pieces on the station façade.

Specialist artisan manufacturers were called in for this delicate operation. Selected old pieces were carefully removed by hand.

New pieces were cast using a process which has not changed

since the 19th century. In all 42 new pieces were manufactured and installed.

Jacquie Brown, Network Rail project manager, said: “The craftsmen have done a wonderful job. Each individual piece of terracotta had to be an exact fit because they shrink when they are fired... The result is amazing. It really is the icing on the cake in the restoration of this beautiful station.”

Network Rail worked with Historic England to ensure that the restoration was done sensitively, and the original intact terracotta pieces were safely preserved while the old damaged ones were removed and replaced.

Birmingham New Street station continues to delight passengers

One of the new platforms at Liverpool Street station

Liverpool Street station’s Elizabeth line platforms pieced together like a giant jigsaw l A major milestone in the construction of the new Elizabeth line station at Liverpool Street has been reached with the completion of two new platforms over 30m below ground.

The two 240m platforms were pre-fabricated in more than 500 pieces at a state-of-the-art factory over 130 miles away near Sheffield. They were then transported to London, lowered down the station’s main shaft and pieced together below ground over a period of around 4 months.

Rohan Perin, Crossrail project manager at Liverpool Street station said: “Assembling the two platforms piece by piece over the last few months has been a bit like putting together a giant jigsaw puzzle. Prefabricating and then assembling the sections together on site has meant that we can get on with the job quickly and safely.”

The Crossrail project is approaching 75% complete. Nearly 4km of platforms have been constructed at stations in central London. All platforms from Paddington to Woolwich are complete apart from Whitechapel.

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l New figures from National Rail Passenger Survey show that passenger satisfaction has continued to increase at Birmingham New Street station since it was reopened almost a year ago.

Between March and May 2016 88% of passengers using the station were satisfied with their station experience, a rise from 81% from between spring and autumn last year.

Birmingham New Street station underwent a £750m redevelopment, transforming it from a dated and dark station to one of the best and brightest in Britain. The redeveloped facility boasts a concourse five times the size of the original station and is flooded with natural light with an abundance of shops and facilities.

Patrick Power, Network Rail station manager, said: “It is really satisfying to see that passengers continue to enjoy their experience at the redeveloped Birmingham New Street and that we have been able to build on the previous rise we saw after the station reopened last year.”

ENGINEERING

careful consideration. Politicians and officials leading the exit negotiations must be equipped with the facts – on the likely impact on the sector’s skills supply, costs and capability, but also on the key issues surrounding infrastructure investment, and on what the UK will need to maintain its status as world leader in engineering research.

One industry voice

Lifting the cloud of uncertainty

From skills to regulations to investment, the effects of Brexit will be felt at all levels of our industry. Sir John Armitt looks at how we can overcome the challenges Above Sir John Armitt is a member of the National Infrastructure Commission and former chair of the Olympic Delivery Authority

T

he EU referendum outcome has left a cloud of uncertainty over the infrastructure and construction industry. Access to skills, foreign investment, use of codes, standards and regulations, and funding for research – the things which are core to delivering the infrastructure that forms the backbone of the UK economy, are hanging in the balance.

Brexit impact During recent weeks, I have been asked numerous questions around use of pan-European codes, standards and practices. We are a global industry with a global supply chain. It is clear to me that we should not walk away from practices which create a common framework for trade, and help us do business not only across the continent, but all over the world. The UK’s record on transparency and fair procurement processes also signifies the strength of the UK market and I see no reason why this would not continue.

The answer to the fundamental question around skills is less clear. The sector already faces a skills shortage.

Government predicts that the current infrastructure pipeline creates demand for over 400,000 engineering and construction workers by 2020 – with a need to recruit and train nearly 100,000 additional workers by the end of the decade.

UK infrastructure businesses employ many thousands of EU citizens and rely on the ability to bring in specialist skills. The construction sector also depends on a transitory EU workforce. We have some major projects in the future pipeline, but industry also needs to be confident that it can get hold of the skills needed for this work over the next few years. It needs this assurance now.

The issue of free movement in a Brexit world is extremely complex, politically charged, and requires

So our industry must look forwards; we must work together to ensure these negotiations are informed. ICE is well placed to bring the sector together and channel its collective expertise through a single voice, and I am pleased to have established a leadership group to drive this forward, including experts from Pinsent Masons, Atkins, RICS, Skanska, Aecom, KPMG, BSI and the Construction Leadership Council.

The group will gather expert knowledge, data and evidence on what it agrees are the fundamental issues facing the sector, and provide compelling evidence based briefings to negotiators. It will liaise with politicians and civil servants and appoint other industry experts to assist them. Ultimately our aim is to help this team negotiate the best possible deal for the country. The Royal Academy of Engineering is undertaking a programme of work in parallel looking across the engineering disciplines, and we will feed into this.

Identifying opportunities I have always felt that Britain is at its best in a crisis.

Our ability to pull together is central to that and in this unprecedented situation it will help us in identifying not only the risks we face, but the opportunities ahead. Our industry is uniting, but now more than ever it – and the country as a whole – needs political unity. We need a move towards cross party consensus on the negotiation outcomes that are in the best interest of UK plc and society.

Political hiatus will only exacerbate the uncertainty and send a negative message to investors. The National Infrastructure Development Plan (NIDP) is clear on its reliance on private investment to deliver much of the UK’s future infrastructure, and the new Government must continue to foster belief that the UK is a growing economy and a place which offers a good return on investments.

This means it must visibly step up and reassert its commitment to infrastructure. It must progress core projects and programmes, drive the NIDP forwards, and not duck out of taking bold, strategic decisions on issues that are vital to the UK’s competitiveness and show we remain open for business.

ICE has published a briefing on the importance of infrastructure to a strong UK economy following the EU referendum, Brexit: The Case for Infrastructure.

Originally published on the Institution of Civil Engineers Infrastructure Blog

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INFRASTRUCTURE

That’s the bad news. The good news is that the rail industry understands the risks and has made a good start in meeting the challenges presented by climate change.

Network Rail, for example, has developed and published climate change adaptation plans for all routes. It has also established a climate change resilience steering group to beef up governance and adaptive capacity, and has recruited a range of specialists in the field.

Planning for the future

As storm clouds gather Britain’s railway is under threat from climate change and must act quickly to avert the economic and physical impact of more severe weather, argues Michael Woods from the industry body RSSB

Above Flooding on the Somerset Levels, early in 2014 Below Fordgate flood, Somerset

T

here’s a dark cloud on the horizon that threatens to rain on the rail industry’s parade. And not just rain. Floods, snow, hail and heatwaves also feature in this unpromising long-range forecast, plus a whole lot more.

Climate change deniers cover your ears now. The evidence is overwhelming that global warming is changing the face of the planet and may have a profound and lasting impact on our societies, our economies and, without doubt our transport infrastructure.

However, the industry can’t act in isolation; greater investment and support is needed if we are to meet the threat of climate change and maintain an effective rail system. Our recent report, Tomorrow’s Railway and Climate Change Adaption, makes recommendations to build on the work that has been done so far. They include: • Developing a multi-agency cooperation model • Improved mapping of vulnerable assets • Accurate logging of the location of incidents and the weather • Revising industry standards so they fit with future climate predictions • Developing a journey availability metric to assess the long-term availability across the UK transport networks during extreme weather • Replacing vulnerable assets based on life-cycle costs analysis, and take a long-term view of climate change adaptation policy (for instance, consider planting vegetation to reduce temperatures at vulnerable sites and to ensure more stable earthworks) These short to medium-term measures would need to be regularly monitored and assessed by experts.

Climate change adaptation is a learning process, requiring ongoing refinement, and a recognition of the complexity and uncertainties that surround the subject.

The stumbling block By identifying the network’s most vulnerable points and by taking action now, the disruptive and damaging impact of climate change can be significantly reduced in the future. But funding is an issue. Some climate change adaptation and resilience projects have failed to gain the funding they need particularly because the wider economic and social impact of disruption to rail services is not taken into account.

The view for rail Recent research undertaken by RSSB in partnership with Network Rail highlights the threat posed to Britain’s rail network – part of the country’s essential infrastructure – by a combination of higher average temperatures, rising sea levels and more frequent extreme weather.

The outcome is likely to be more disruption to rail operations, damage to railway infrastructure and assets, and a negative impact on health and wellbeing. And if that isn’t bad enough, it will also come with a hefty price tag.

The current cost to the industry of severe weather – 1.6 million delay minutes, or about £50 million a year* – is expected to rise significantly.

* Source: Network Rail analysis report, September 2014

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Devon and Cornwall 2014 A series of devastating storms in February 2014 hit the West Country and brought parts of the sea wall down at Dawlish, completely severing the rail artery linking Cornwall and large parts of Devon with the rest of the UK for two months.

The closure had a serious impact on the local economy…but it could have been so much worse.

An early warning system meant that train services were suspended before the storms struck, ensuring that passengers and railway staff remained safe and the only damage was to infrastructure.

Above Erosion of the Dawlish line, February 2014 Left Repairs in progress at Dawlish In austere times, this is, perhaps, understandable. But it is also worryingly short-sighted. Major disruption to the rail network caused by extreme weather will almost certainly have an impact on the wider economy. When the rail link between Devon and Cornwall and the rest of the UK was severed for two months in 2014 (see box opposite), the cost was far higher than the bill for repairs and compensation payments. Take into account the impact on local businesses and communities – hotel bookings in the South West were reportedly down 20 per cent when the line was closed – and the case for taking action becomes more compelling.

Presenting all the facts Indeed, any assessment of the relative merits of climate change adaptation or resilience projects should factor in the wider socio-economic benefits and the knockon effects it has on other transport networks. One case study in our report shows that by applying a more complete set of costs and benefits to options for relieving flooding at Cowley Bridge Junction near Exeter a significant positive impact on the value of those schemes is achieved. Indeed, the benefits are estimated to be up to seven times higher when taking account of the wider socio-economic benefits.

Maintaining an effective rail network, which is prepared for the damaging impact of climate change and more frequent extreme weather will require investment and support. It will also require greater collaboration and strong, forward thinking leadership.

Climate change – the facts • G lobal temperatures have risen by nearly 0.8° C since the late 19th century and have been rising at about 0.2° C per decade over the past 25 years.

• The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have been losing mass over the last two decades, and glaciers worldwide have been shrinking • T he rate of sea level rise since 1850 has been larger than in the two previous millennia • Other climate change indicators include widespread changes in precipitation amounts, ocean salinity, wind patterns and more droughts, heatwaves and tropical cyclones • Combined emissions of greenhouse gases will cause further warming and changes in the global climate system in the 21st century

Climate change – the risks for rail High temperature: • • • •

Rail buckle Expansion of swing bridges Overheating of electrical equipment Overhead line sag

Flooding: • • • •

Earthworks failure Bridge scouring Risk to signalling systems Electronic equipment and track circuits failures

Drought: • Earthwork failure • M ovement of overhead lines caused by soil shrinkage around foundations

Heavy snow: Michael Woods is Professional Lead, Operations R&D at RSSB The project, Tomorrow’s Railway and Climate Change Adaptation is jointly funded by RSSB and Network Rail and supported by John Dora Consulting Ltd and a consortium led by ARUP comprising British Geological Society, CIRIA, JBA Consulting, the Met Office, Transport Research Laboratory, University of Birmingham and University College London.

• Traction motor failures through snow ingress • Trees falling on tracks and overhead lines

Storms and rising sea levels: • Coastal

erosion of earthworks, structures and tracks • Damage to sea walls

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INFRASTRUCTURE - case study

Going digital Jorge Fdez-Argüelles, director, Hitachi Consulting explains how the information flow at Barcelona- based Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya has been digitised to create a more efficient railway

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Below Jorge Fdez-Argüelles is director, Hitachi Consulting

igitisation is starting to impact all aspects of the rail industry. E-ticketing is now the norm, major networks are digitally GIS-mapping their land assets to ensure better management and soon advanced sensor technology will be used for rail-flaw detection to check causes of accidents.

With the pace of change speeding up, rail operators across the world are being forced to look at the potential for digital to improve their operations. Traditional ways of working simply cannot cope with the demands of business and customers who require access to information at ever increasing speed.

One such operator is Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) who operates two medium-distance lines with 78 stations, 88 trains and 1,385 employees around Barcelona. FGC has a culture of continuous service improvement with a consistent track record of operational excellence and high efficiency.

In order to continue this record, the company wanted to design a more efficient information management system to link all of its stations. The answer was a full digitisation of the company’s operations, allowing information to flow quickly, securely and accurately.

Business challenge As with many rail operators, FGC’s system was based on information being manually managed, with hard copies of key documents and reports being sent on a daily basis to each of the 78 stations. Once documents reached the local stations, employees had to fill in forms by hand and return back to the Railway Control Centre, where they were reviewed and registered on the system.

This manual process was time consuming for the operations teams at both the Railway Control Centre

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and the stations. With all data being collated by hand and captured in paper form, the data analysis and information dissemination was a slow and inefficient process. In addition to these paper-based systems, much of the communications between the headquarters in Barcelona and the local stations relied on the informal use of personal mobile phones, which made direct communications challenging.

On the ground, employees were starting to become disheartened with a system that clearly wasn’t fit for purpose. This experience is far from unique to FGC. In many organisations railway staff are seeing a clear disconnect between the digitally interconnected world around them and the disparate manual systems in their work.

Approach Hitachi Consulting was brought in to design a digital solution that would improve the information flows, increase operational efficiency at the railway stations and reinvigorate employees.

According to FGC’s head of controlling and administration, the first stage of the process was to create a joint FGC and Hitachi Team to co-develop solutions with a results-oriented approach. This involved reviewing all the current processes and accessing any internally available technologies in order to identify all options available when designing the new digital solution.

Having worked closely with FGC employees to identify the best course of action, the solution that was agreed involved a combination of the current corporate intranet and Microsoft SharePoint. The design of the solution was specific to individual stations and the functional requirements of the various operations teams (station agents, train drivers, inspectors, supervisors, etc).

The solution

Results and estimated savings

Key requirements: • Real-time access to station-critical data • Real-time incident reporting process • Real-time employee requests • Immediate access to any updated version of job instructions and employee manuals, and • Corporate e-mail as a standard corporate communication tool.

A Railway Portal Station was developed for each station to provide teams with relevant information on a daily basis. The portal was connected to digital devices and systems within the station for monitoring and data collection purposes. This made it easy for the employees to have direct access to critical data such as the accessibility and location of station components (ticketing machines, automatic stairs, fire extinguishers, etc), digital incidence status reports (now in real-time), cleansing service status (with the option to register and track incidences) and reports showing the follow-up of daily events.

Alongside this, an Operations Agents Portal was developed to ensure all job instructions and manuals were kept up-to-date. The Operations Agents Portal was designed to give train drivers and inspectors access to any information they may need during the course of their day.

Having access to information in a timely and efficient manner through these two portals made it easier for teams to manage data through a workflow process, access personal information and allow corporate personal email, all of which would remove the current paper-based systems.

In parallel, Hitachi Consulting incorporated the ability to access the system remotely through a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) strategy. Having access through their tablets or smartphones allowed staff the ability to use the solution everywhere and have continuous control over station equipment, services and passenger flow.

At the end of the process FGC’s expectation had been exceeded. Not only did the solution improve communication between the 78 local railway stations and the network control centre, it allowed supervisors and corporate offices to share, in real-time, any critical information and data regarding the operations, the installations or the employees.

The total cost of the solution was minimised by adapting existing technologies within FGC to create the functionality required. FGC’s director recognised this approach, praising the team for using a “pragmatic approach that helped design a business solution based on our own systems and technologies”. Doing this freed up budget for additional technology, allowing all railway stations to be equipped with tablets or smartphones so that every operator and manager could access all the information required to manage the stations efficiently.

In addition to the increased operational efficiency and productivity improvements at the stations, there were quantifiable benefits in the form of over 3,000 man hours per annum saved in administration and over 550,000 pages of printed paper in circulation saved per annum.

Once employees began to see these benefits they embraced the new system, quickly learning how to utilise it effectively for the benefit of FGC’s customers.

FGC’s experience can be replicated by other rail operators. The implementation of a digital system is fully scalable and has been proven to deliver tangible benefits.

Rail operators must embrace these available technologies or risk being left behind the competition. The track ahead is leading towards digital, it is now the responsibility of decision makers to make it a reality.

Discovermore@hitachiconsulting.com

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NEWS I Appointments East Midlands Trains recognises internal talent l Andrew Conroy has been promoted to the board of East Midlands Trains, where he will hold the post of customer experience director. Andrew has moved from the role of head of customer experience delivery, where he was responsible for delivering a high level of service to East Midlands Trains customers both at stations and on trains. He led a team of some 1000 front-line employees.

Andrew has 31 years’ experience in the rail industry, having joined British Rail as a trainee in 1985 in the north east, and worked in a variety of front line and supervisory customer service and operational roles. He held the position of customer service director and route director for Gatwick Express before moving to East Midlands Trains in 2012.

Lawrence Bowman becomes commercial director l Lawrence Bowman, who is currently head of business planning for East Midlands Trains, is to move to the position of commercial director in August this year.

Lawrence joined Stagecoach Rail in 2005 as part of the business development team. He has held various commercial and customer service roles within East Midlands Trains since the start of the franchise in 2007 before becoming head of business planning in 2007.

Andrew and Lawrence replace Neil Micklethwaite who has moved to the role of commercial director for Stagecoach Rail and will be responsible for helping to shape Stagecoach’s commercial strategy and plans.

East Midlands Trains managing director Jake Kelly said: “ I am particularly pleased that we have been able to replace Neil with two very strong internal candidates. It demonstrates our continued commitment to developing and recognising our internal talent.”

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Eversholt Rail appoints Andrea Wesson as chief financial officer l Eversholt Rail has appointed Andrea Wesson as chief financial officer, effective from 20 July 2016. In this role, she will be responsible for all aspects of commercial and corporate finance, tax, legal, risk and

Jason Wassermann to lead Network Rail Consulting’s Middle East operations

information technology.

During her eight years with Eversholt Rail, Andrea has held various roles in the finance function, the most recent being head of treasury and risk.

Andrea began her career at Forward Trust Group, the leasing arm of Midland Bank (HSBC), and was a member of the due diligence team when the bank acquired Eversholt Leasing in 1997.

Andrea is a Chartered Accountant and a Fellow of the Association of Corporate Treasurers.

Mary Kenny, chief executive officer of Eversholt Rail, said: “Andrea has thrived at Eversholt Rail, excelling in every role she has played at the company.”

l Network Rail Consulting has appointed Jason Wassermann as regional director for the Middle East.

A chartered civil engineer with over 26 years’ international commercial experience, he is an international business leader with a strong record of accomplishment within both the private and public sectors.

Jason began his career at British Rail in 1990 as a civil engineering management trainee and spent a number of years as a permanent way maintenance engineer before joining Carillion in 1995. Whilst at Carillion he was director of contracts and director of resource management before joining Siemens plc in 2004 where he progressed to managing director – rail control and information business.

Most recently, Jason has been the head of nuclear at Capula Limited since 2014, leading the systems integration team in delivering complex safety critical programmes across the nuclear industry.

Noel Travers moves from Bombardier to Unipart Rail

Key account manager to unlock Mechan potential

l Noel Travers has moved from Bombardier Transportation UK Ltd where he has been managing director and chairman UK (Interim), to join Unipart Rail. He took up the reins as Unipart Rail’s deputy managing director on 27 June, and now heads up the rail operation.

Noel reports directly to John Clayton, director Unipart Group. Meanwhile both George Tillier, managing director T&RS and Graham Jackson, managing director infrastructure and manufacturing, will report to Noel.

Both these businesses have clear strategies for growth and Noel will continue to pursue them, bringing additional contacts and opportunities to the business. The appointment will liberate John Clayton to spend time on additional group responsibilities.

l Sheffield-based rail depot equipment specialist, Mechan, is strengthening its customer support team with the appointment of a new key account manager, Lindsey Mills from Doncaster.

In her new role at Mechan, she will project manage ongoing orders, process enquiries and attend global trade fairs. She is a familiar face within the rail industry, having spent the last 13 months at Silent Bloc in Burton-upon-Trent, makers of parts used in bogie suspension.

Prior to that she spent four years at the South Yorkshire branch of Unipart Rail.

Richard Carr, Mechan’s chief executive, said: “Lindsey is a welcome addition to the team. Her familiarity with the industry will be vital in developing lasting relationships with key accounts and getting to grips with the technical aspects of our product portfolio.”

Innovation

European Patent 1659046

Patent of the month

Patent attorney ROSIE HARDY explains how Alstom has protected its innovative new rail safety system which includes on-board controls configured to both national and EU standards

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Rosie Hardy is a patent attorney at leading European intellectual property firm Withers & Rogers

he rail industry is being encouraged to develop innovation to improve the safety of the country’s railway network. The new strategy set out in the RSSB’s ‘Leading Health and Safety on Britain’s Railways’ highlights a number of priorities.

Any safety solutions that are being developed must comply with certified standards. With this in mind, rail transport company, Alstom, has developed a new on-board railway safety system that complies with both European and national standards.

Given the commercial opportunities of a system that is interoperable across Europe, Alstom has protected the new on board railway safety system using a family of patents. These include European Patent 1659046, which features EU-approved on-board controls configured to operate nationally-approved protection equipment for the railway vehicle.

How this works These EU on-board controls include a safety management computer that is able to receive signals from the European rail traffic management system (ERTMS) and a communication device that interfaces between the computer and the nationally-approved protection equipment.

This communication device interacts with the computer using the UNISIG subset 35 035, FFIS STM European communication standard. It then transforms the

commands into the appropriate national communication standard for the protection equipment.

By creating a safety system that integrates European standard controls with national standard protection equipment, this clever solution is able to utilise protection equipment that has already been established for use on a national rail network. By using this prior-approved protection equipment the certification process for the Alstom system is simplified.

What the patent does The European patent gives Alstom a valuable monopoly over its on-board railway safety system. If businesses protect their safety innovations in the same way, then patent protection will give them control over the manufacture, sale and licensing of their ideas.

For UK-based companies, patents will also allow the business to obtain Patent Box relief in order to reduce the amount of Corporation Tax payable on worldwide profits made from selling and licensing the invention.

Without patent protection, competitors would be able to freely copy the invention, which could erode the company’s market share. In addition, any profits earned as a result of using the innovative technology would be liable for the full rate of Corporation Tax. Rail sector innovators should follow Alstom’s example and take steps to protect their safety inventions in order to realise their commercial potential.

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TICKETING

Integrated STEPHEN BOTTOM discusses Transport for the North’s plans to introduce new integrated ticketing across the region, and how it has been rethinking traditional and contemporary barriers to rail travel

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ith Transport for the North (TfN) tasked to produce an overarching and region-specific transport strategy, and now well on its way to becoming a statutory body, it is unlikely that anyone in the rail industry has missed the Government’s Northern Powerhouse agenda. Where HS2 is intended to bring North and South closer together, the Northern Powerhouse aims to even out the UK’s economy, encouraging the major northern cities – Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and as far as Newcastle and the Humber – to pull together to form an economic dynamo with the clout to compete with London.

Transport connectivity London is of course a very different beast and it is nobody’s wish to replicate it. It is also on a far smaller

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geographic scale. Nonetheless what is similar is the way in which London, once a collection of small villages – and which still retain their unique character – slowly came together to become a larger entity through the power of transport connectivity. Similarly, transport has been, from the outset, at the heart of the Northern Powerhouse agenda, with faster or more frequent connections bringing the key centres if not physically then effectively closer together.

One impetus for this idea came from a comparison to certain European regions – the Randstad in the Netherlands and the Rhine-Ruhr in Germany – where the combined heft of regional centres appears to produce a level of success that individual cities cannot replicate.

Though a recent report by the Centre for Cities has questioned the role of transport in this, few would

Tube: residential areas tend not to be built up to railway stations, nor will trains ever run at minute intervals – so that increased use of rail in the North will go hand-inhand with car travel, and work alongside cities’ existing transport networks. Rail travel will always be a lifestyle choice, yet there are compelling reasons for commuters to prefer rail to car. It is often far faster, if only as an effect of its reliability: train operating companies (TOCs) operate on a 98 per cent reliability rate and, most of the time, achieve this. By contrast there is always a high likelihood of traffic congestion that can delay an important meeting.

Train travel also frees up working and preparation time.

However, there have been a number of barriers, both literal and psychological, to attracting some business users. The poor historic fabric of many stations has not kept pace with prices, leading to difficulties in perception of value. A second and obvious issue is parking, though TOCs acknowledge that historically they have had poor provision and many are in the process of addressing this.

The third key barrier has been the time delays inherent to ticket purchasing: long queues and time-consuming ticket machines have been off-putting to many. This is what smart, integrated ticketing aims to address.

Smart ticketing – present and future

doubt that the North’s transport systems require major upgrades (including the much-awaited electrification of the Transpennine route); that some of the connections between centres, such as Manchester and Sheffield, are needlessly slow, and that enabling closer proximity between the North’s centres can only be positive. And connectivity is not the only hoped for benefit.

While road improvements are crucial, TfN also hopes to alleviate pressure on the road network by encouraging a better balance between car and rail use. This presents major opportunities for the rail sector to attract new customers and increase revenue.

Removing the barriers to rail travel Certainly the rail network cannot be directly compared to metropolitan underground systems such as the

TfN’s plans for integrated ticketing are a central plank of the Northern Transport Strategy and the Northern Powerhouse as a whole. Alongside the Rail Delivery Group’s stated aim to move towards paperless ticketing, TfN’s smart ticketing programme, Smart North, is intended to speed up the process of both buying and using tickets and to attract a demographic of customers who feel they have little time to spare.

Based initially on the Oyster system (and similar systems across Europe), journeys across the regions and across modes of transport would be purchased on one integrated ticketing system, in advance, and online.

According to Alison Pilling, who is managing the Smart North programme, the ultimate goal is to introduce a paperless – and possibly cardless – system. Oyster use is already declining, with the rise of payments by debit or credit card tapped directly onto barriers and, most recently, by payment-enabled smartphones. Pilling also notes that many areas in the North already have individual smart systems that are compatible with a new cardless system but not with Oyster, so that it may make sense to jump ahead on both counts.

Having said this, there are likely to be many intermediary stages and there are also questions to consider: for example, there still remains a demographic who feel more comfortable with face-to-face purchases and this may remain the case for many years to come,

Pictures The new entrance to Leeds station

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TICKETING

so that for at least the foreseeable future we will see a reduction in, rather than elimination of, customer service positions. Indeed we are likely to see shifts comparable to retail: ‘click’ has not replaced ‘brick’, rather the two now work in tandem. So that while TOCs are moving towards a reduction in crew numbers, including customer service booths and conductors, it may be many years before we abandon face-to-face service altogether.

The current approach Currently we find a two-pronged approach – many midsize stations still have earlier generation ticket gates that are not barcode-enabled and the priority is to upgrade these. Yet at outlying and rural stations there is a different approach. Unlike the London Tube, where it is viable for all stations to have ticket machines, at little-used rail stations, low passenger numbers and the risk of vandalism means that TVMs may not be viable. Instead TOCs are prioritising the installation of PVals (Platforms Validators), a comparatively simple technology which nonetheless serves as a preventative measure for revenue collections purposes. In addition as PVals collect data on passenger numbers, TOCs will eventually be able to tailor the frequency of the service more accurately to evolving passenger needs.

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There are other hurdles: not least, a fully integrated rail system across the North would necessitate a coherent pricing system across the board, which will require extensive negotiations by TfN. Nonetheless TfN’s Northern Transport Strategy Spring Report aims to activate the £150 million budget that the Chancellor set aside for the smart ticketing project in last Autumn’s Spending Review, and Smart North intends to introduce changes in a staggered way so that we see at least some benefits sooner rather than later. While specific details and timescales can still seem a little vague, it is nonetheless important for TOCs and station owners to start thinking in advance about the implications – and opportunities – of smart, integrated ticketing, both in the mid and long-term.

Barriers as opportunities Whilst some aspects of the Smart North Programme, including a pan-Northern pricing strategy, may involve a staggered implementation process, TOCs and station owners can begin development plans ahead of the game, assessing the condition of assets, planning for future capacity and envisioning directions for growth and improvement. Similarly any current plans for station refurbishments must take into account the shifts in the

way that stations are likely to be used in the future and the different layout and flow patterns that ticketless (or semi-ticketless) stations and increased passenger numbers require.

The smoother we make the ticketing process and the more people that choose to use rail, especially at peak times, the more ticket barriers we may need to introduce.

And this will also necessitate widened entrances, or more of them, which may require sensitive interventions, especially where stations are heritage assets. At the same time, as people purchase tickets online or as-they-go, the required number of customer service booths and TVMs declines, which also eliminates the need to accommodate long queues. The total area needed may not increase but it is clear that integrated ticketing will radically alter the layouts and requirements of stations as we currently know them – even more so as larger stations increasingly move towards more reliance on retail revenue.

Installing new barrier technologies then becomes an overall opportunity to rethink stations as a whole and to enhance their appeal, eliminating two historical barriers to rail use in one fell swoop: slow ticketing and station quality. At Coventry, for example, what began as a relatively straightforward process of installing ticket gates to move towards a more automated process,

and increasing the number of TVMs, revealed that the station layout itself would benefit greatly from overall improvement. In the end West Coast Railways took the opportunity for a complete re-ordering of the facilities, bringing multiple benefits to staff and passengers, including better customer interaction and much improved passenger flow. Similarly, at Stoke-on-Trent, initial ticketing work uncovered a hidden heritage asset which then became a far broader opportunity to enhance the station’s appeal. On a larger scale, while one impetus of the new entrance to Leeds Station was revenue collection, it was also part of a much more ambitious strategic vision which looks far into the future – and, in this instance – specifically towards the potential growth and benefits of the Northern Powerhouse.

Conclusion Considering future ticketing systems and future station needs in tandem not only makes practical sense but also presents opportunities to address, in one programme, two of the major historical barriers to increasing passenger numbers. As such, putting new barriers in place may well be the key to eliminating old ones.

Stephen Bottom is director (Rail) at AHR Building Consultancy

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NEWS I Rolling stock

Class 387 in production at Bombardier, Derby

First glimpse of the new Class 387 EMUs being manufactured for Porterbrook and destined for c2c l National Express train operator c2c has released the first pictures of its new carriages which are being built in Derby by Bombardier, and form part of a larger rolling stock order for Porterbrook Leasing.

Key features include: 225 seats in each 4-carriage train, delivering a total of 13,500 extra seats at peak times every week. Each 4-car unit is inter-connected, and there will be two toilets and two dedicated

wheelchair areas on board, doubling the current provision.

Seats are around 10% wider than those on current trains, and come equipped with arm rests and personal reading lights. Each carriage is fully air-conditioned and has a number of plug sockets.

All 24 new Class 387 Electrostar carriages are scheduled to be in service on c2c by the end of the year.

Alstom to further maintain Class 180 trains in the UK l Alstom has won a contract to provide maintenance for Grand Central Railway Company’s fleet of Class 180 trains. The €100m tenyear contract spans the period January 2017 to December 2026.

Alstom will provide specialised materials, parts, technical and engineering services, initially from Alstom’s Chester Traincare Centre.

The team will then co-locate with the Grand Central fleet operations team at its East Coast mainline maintenance depot later in 2018.

The Class 180 fleet was first built by Alstom at Washwood Heath in Birmingham between 2000 and 2001. Part of the Coradia range, the Class 180 is one of the few diesel multiple-unit trains that can reach speeds of up to 200 km per hour.

An Alstom engineer in action

First all-electric train runs on Great Western l A new electric train has been successfully tested on the Great Western Railway for the first time, in a major milestone for the electrification project.

A new Class 800 Intercity Express Train, built by Hitachi Rail, has been driven from Reading to Didcot in a series of exercises designed to test the overhead electric power system. The train, travelling at speeds of up to 125mph, made two test runs between the stations, having arrived from its London depot. The test was managed by Network Rail, which is currently electrifying the entire line between London Paddington and Bristol, Cardiff, Oxford and Newbury, while

the train was supplied by Agility Trains and Hitachi Rail Europe. The electrification between Reading and Didcot has been completed first to enable it to serve as a testing ground for the power systems and the trains themselves.

Mark Langman, route managing director for Network Rail Western, said: “This is a great step forward, and I’d like to pay tribute to the team who have worked very hard to make this happen.”

Testing will now continue as construction proceeds on the Greater West programme, with public services scheduled to begin from 2019.

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ROLLING STOCK

Safety round the clock

Rod Holroyd discusses the role of antivibration and suspension solutions in maintaining reliable and safe rail services, and how Crossrail is striving to achieve that

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ith passenger numbers and rail fares continuing to rise in the UK, the demand on operators to provide improved efficiency and reliability around the clock has never been higher. To help avoid unnecessary operational delays and improve the customer experience, operators are now turning to train manufacturers and OEMs to guarantee that components are not only long-lasting but will satisfy the demand for 24/7 rail transportation.

The New York Subway has long operated a 24 hour service thanks to rigorous train and track maintenance, with many urban and surburban rail operators across the world following suit – either introducing new, longer running services or announcing plans to increase demand. Operators in Seoul, Korea, have already outlined plans for an overnight service, with Transport for London recently announcing overnight services will begin this summer.

Questions about 24/7 operation While the introduction of the overnight tube service has largely been met with positive feedback from passengers and stakeholders, there are queries from operators about the impact longer-running services may have on maintenance patterns and whether those responsible for repair and overhaul will be able to undertake the work in smaller time frames. This comes at a time when the industry is looking to increase maintenance intervals and utilise other methods and strategies to identify component failure.

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Typically, passenger trains operate up to 20 hours a day but the extended service will see an extra four hours added to their running period, increasing the amount of miles each train travels every day. While daily maintenance and routine inspections are a necessity, the additional pressure on maintenance operators could be removed if longer-lasting, reliable components are installed and specified during the design and build stage. This in turn could help lengthen time frames for regular preventative maintenance, and ensure parts are only replaced during the heavy overhaul stage.

When it comes to integral compenents, such as antivibration and suspension solutions, a number of environmental factors can influence the longevity of their performance, including heat, light, chemicals, track conditions and load bearing. Commuter trains operating in the morning and the evening will inevitably have higher loads during these periods as more people travel by train, and by comparison early morning or late evening services will transport fewer passengers. Nonetheless, the longer running period will have an impact on the service life of rolling stock, so the key focus is to ensure the trains are safe and reliable whenever they are in operation.

Not just a matter of comfort and safety Suspension and antivibration components are recognised for the role they play in ensuring customer safety and comfort, but they are also vital in decreasing the overall maintenance costs by reducing the force of the vibrations on surrounding components and improving

their longevity. Passenger trains are exposed to a range of forces and vibrations during service as a result of track conditions, which can cause noise and discomfort for those on board. Antivibration products are an essential consideration in maintaining passenger comfort at varying loads and speeds, and to counteract track irregularities while optimising vehicle movement, allowing vertical and lateral forces to be transmitted safely.

With safety the number one concern for the industry, antivibration products play an important role in protecting those on board. Although many components are currently fit for purpose for the present operating conditions, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) need to ensure their products are robust enough to meet the demands of future performance requirements, such as longer operating times and increased passenger levels.

Applying this to Crossrail

element analysis and rigorous lab testing prior to final delivery to ensure they can provide longer periods

This challenge was recognised by Bombardier Transportation who awarded Trelleborg a contract to supply a suite of suspension and antivibration components for their Class 345 Aventra EMU fleet currently being constructed to supply Crossrail in London.

The new service will run up to 24 trains per hour and once fully operational in 2019, it will increase London’s rail transport use by 10 per cent, reinforcing the need for durable and reliable rolling stock, which requires little or no heavy maintenance.

The components which have been supplied to Bombardier include primary suspension, anti-roll bar bushing and lateral buffers. The springs are produced from a rubber formulation which provides low creep performance and a high damping factor, ensuring longevity and minimum maintenance. The lateral buffers have a strong compression stiffness characteristic, combined with low-friction padding to prevent shearing movement damage, with the anti-roll bushings benefiting from optimised high radial and low torsional stiffness.

These solutions deliver long service life, reduced maintenance, increased passenger comfort and reliability.

In addition, the primary conical springs fully comply with the updated EN45545 fire safety standard, thanks to the application of a unique fire protective coating, DragonCoat. The flexible coating is flame and fire retardant, helping to delay the effects of fire on rubber products while ensuring the spring component retains all performance characteristics. It also adheres to Bombardier’s specification of selecting partners who follow safety standards and develop products which protect passenger safety.

between maintenance windows, and help reduce unplanned downtime. As a result of this approach, the suspension products can last up to 15 years, which is considerably longer than was possible in the past.

In the future, while sourcing and installing parts that avoid unnecessary downtime and maintenance is a key priority for train manufacturers, condition-based monitoring is a concept which will help to improve the performance of fleets. This strategy helps to utilise the maximum lifespan of each component on the basis that its remaining working life can be predicted. Using accurate and up to date information about rolling stock fleets, maintenance operators can recognise and monitor faults before they occur based on external factors such as vibration, noise or heat. The process helps ensure rolling stock is only taken out of service for maintenance when it is actually necessary.

Reducing downtime

Rod Holroyd is global rail market manager of Trelleborg’s Industrial Antivibration Solutions operation

The products supplied to Bombardier have been designed and developed to accommodate longer and more frequent service periods, undergoing extensive

Conclusion With train service life increasing and passengers travelling via rail on the rise, it has never been more important for OEMs to harness ongoing innovation and development to ensure the products they supply meet the safety requirements of the industry. At a time when services are being extended and rolling stock will be required to operate for longer periods of time, operators are looking to decrease maintenance intervals and strategies such as condition-based monitoring are providing a popular way to achieve this.

Ultimately, whatever methods are used, the onus will be placed on OEMs to ensure their components are reliable, long-lasting and above all, fit for purpose to guarantee reliability and user safety.

www.trelleborg.com 25

MAINTENANCE

Predict,prevent and prosper Kevin Price from Infor looks at the role of big data and analytics in boosting asset management in the rail industry

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Kevin Price Infor

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ith recent figures from the Office of Rail and Road showing a record 1.69 billion passenger rail journeys in Great Britain in the 2015–2016 period, up two per cent on 2015 and a staggering 129.8 per cent since 1994-1995, it’s not surprising that according to some, we’re at the start of a new Golden Age of rail travel. This new Golden Age inevitably puts added pressure on those rail companies who are responsible for facilitating this increase in passenger journeys. Rail subsidies may have risen, but spend per journey has decreased, with rail businesses the world over faced with the seemingly ever-present conundrum of how to do more with less. Nowhere is this more evident than when it comes to the efficient and effective management of the rail infrastructure.

Rail businesses are well aware of the fact that continuous investment in the rail infrastructure is key, as are Governments across the globe. The UK’s Network Rail is currently undertaking a £38 billion programme of upgrades to its network, and in the US, under MAP-21 legislation, the US Government have made funding grants totaling $10 billion available over the next ten years for transit agencies to maintain bus and rail systems in a ‘State of Good Repair’. These investments surrounding repairing infrastructure assets and prolonging the infrastructure, as well as keeping them safe to operate

on and around are monumental. However, the only way to resolve the gap between funding and growth is to become more efficient and make better decisions about how to invest limited resources. This is where preventative maintenance comes into play.

Why preventative maintenance?

With the right systems in place, rail companies can stop the break-fix cycle, improving the ratio of corrective maintenance to preventative maintenance. By identifying looming faults and forecasting the optimal time for maintenance, the right predictive maintenance solution ultimately allows rail companies to proactively manage their many and varied assets before service is unduly affected.

For those rail businesses with responsibility for infrastructure management, the sheer complexity of the assets involved, including a mixture of linear, point, networked, vertical and componentised assets, means that any solution which provides a better understanding of the state and operating conditions of these key rail assets is key. The more proactively and cohesively these often disparate assets are managed, then the more likely the rail company is to achieve its core objectives of safety, service and efficiency throughout the infrastructure, as well as increasing the potential to maximise every asset’s ability to produce revenue.

infrastructure and its condition over time. This can involve managing track geometry measurements and exception data, as well as longitudinal rail profile measurements and rail defects. The technology is out there to analyse multiple measurements of linear assets such as tracks or overhead lines, determining deterioration rates and creating the ability to predict future conditions or dates for potential asset failure.

With preventative maintenance analytics in place, rail businesses are in a good position to exploit this Big Data, identifying patterns that can help to more accurately predict future performance of assets. Data from on-signal sensors, for example, can be integrated with data from visual inspections, manual measurements, videos and operational data, which is then fed into a central system where it’s presented to end users in a format tailored to their individual needs. What results are faster, more accurate insights which inform and enable a move away from interval-based maintenance towards the more efficient condition-based maintenance.

A bright future

As part of a distinct move away from a one-sizefits-all culture of compliance, an effective predictive maintenance system goes a long way to helping rail companies to evaluate where an infrastructure’s greatest vulnerabilities lie. By building up an accurate picture of resources and their reliability, monitoring exactly how assets do and should behave, rail businesses can adjust their maintenance strategies accordingly and implement smarter maintenance planning, boosting reliability, mitigating against risk and optimising costs.

Data is king Predictive maintenance is only now really coming into its own. This is due, in part, to the new breed of applications out there which have the ability to support every type of asset used in the rail industry, as well as empower a mobile workforce to report faults and anomalies in real-time. As is the case with pretty much all industries, assets are increasingly generating more data. And, with technology in the rail sector evolving to facilitate the shift from analogue to digital monitoring equipment, improving the speed and reliability of data capture, this amount of data will only increase.

For example, there are systems available to manage rail conditions, collecting, viewing, analysing and managing every dimension of a rail company’s

Without a solid, robust, well-maintained infrastructure, there can be no new Golden Age of rail travel. Effective predictive maintenance, combined with analytics and the right processes in place means that rail companies can manage planned and corrective infrastructure maintenance more efficiently, boosting productivity, lessening risk and increasing customer satisfaction, while adhering to strict safety, legislative and ISO5500 and ISO 14224 requirements.

As more and more rail companies embrace the benefits that a modern preventative maintenance programme can bring, unplanned service interruptions, outages due to equipment failures and the resulting customer dissatisfaction will occur much less frequently. As the need for large scale efficiencies throughout the global rail industry shows no sign of abating, businesses could do much worse than invest in predictive maintenance with a view to achieving those all-important efficiency savings while improving service levels and making a healthy profit.

The value of Big Data • D etermine equipment maintenance schedule using real data • A scertain appropriate depth of analytics in order to expedite value • P inpoint unreliable assets / suppliers / processes • Predict reliability issues before they happen • Ensure uptime • Achieve compliance with Government and industry regulations • Prolong asset lifespan

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Birchwood Price Tools

A leading light

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Birchwood Price Tools is leading the way when it comes to innovative solutions and powerful brands for the world’s tradesmen

irst established in 1974 and becoming a flagship trade brand branch of Travis Perkins plc in 2011, Birchwood Price Tools (BPT) is a pioneer in the design and development of innovative and high quality brands for tradespeople. Under its umbrella sit eight exclusive brands including, Scruffs, for safety workwear and footwear; Defender, a site power and lighting brand; Van Vault, for secure storage solutions; Bullet, a professional fixings brand and Punk, a range of power tool accessories. The company also acts as a distribution partner for well-known brands such as Bosch, Makita and Stanley.

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“We design, develop, market and sell brands that are ‘built to inspire’,” begins COO of BPT, Fiona Hornsby. “A focus on quality and innovation is at the heart of everything we do and our product development process is focused on adhering to ever changing health and safety regulations.

We are passionate about delivering long-term sales and profit-growth for UK and international customers by providing outstanding performance and value.”

Based in Nottingham and served by around 150 dedicated employees, BPT currently distributes throughout 27 countries worldwide. Strong branding and striking marketing campaigns support the development of innovative products, and it this very market-led and unique approach that has awarded the company with the ability to compete in a challenging global market.

Serving through both the retail and hire sectors with leading merchants, hire companies and wholesalers, as well as over 8000 national and independent electrical, plumbers and builders merchants with a growing international base, as well, BPT’s performance in the market is unrivalled. Fiona highlights that in 2015, despite challenging marketing conditions, the business was able to outperform many of the more established brands in the market. “We have ambitious growth plans and are confident that we can continue to outperform the market over the coming years as well,” she adds.

Also setting it apart in the market as a supplier is its portfolio of owned and exclusive trade brands. To do so, it has in-house expertise in product design, development, engineering and manufacturing across all its brands. “We have a set of strong values which drive everything we do,” Fiona continues. “We challenge ourselves to stand out by developing innovative, award-winning products, creating powerful brands and delivering impactful communication both on and offline. As such, our design and marketing

are both recognised as being the best in the industry.”

Demonstrating the strength of BPT’s position in the industry particularly well is its long-established Defender brand, which has been developing and delivering cuttingedge power distribution and lighting solutions to the industry for over 20 years and is now represented in over 20 markets around the world. “Whether it is illuminating a site to support maintenance and engineering works underground or a railway track, it all comes down to performance and safety for Defender,” outlines Fiona.

“We continue to work hard to create exceptional products that users can trust to deliver the light and power needed to get a range of jobs done. A prime example of the brand’s success is the award winning Defender Uplight product range, which has revolutionised lighting, delivering shadow-free illumination perfect for plastering and decorating. The Uplight is celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2016, demonstrating its success and continued demand in the market.”

Defender is also a pioneer in LED site lighting, having been the first into the UK market in 2009 and BPT continues to develop sustainable solutions that challenge the norm and meet more user requirements.

For instance, the LED Light Cannon Rechargeable Floodlight is a lightweight, portable solution that is essential kit for use when access to power is limited.

In 2016, the company has also launched the LED Luminator Floodlight Tower, a portable solution delivering 30,000 lumens of super bright light. The product is wind resistant up to 65mph and made from solid materials designed to be safe and durable on site. “Key benefits of the tower include its four-metre extendable mast and its ability to alternate light spread from 360 degrees to

180 degrees, helping to save energy and manage light pollution,” Fiona notes.

Another well-known brand within the BPT portfolio is Van Vault, the UK’s first purpose-built range of mobile site security containers when it was launched in 1997. Van Vault has maintained this leading position in the market as a frontline defence system to defeat the rising tide of tool theft and protect livelihoods. “Indicating the level of

brand success Van Vault has achieved, it has over 80 per cent brand awareness amongst tradesmen,” points out Fiona. “The range includes security solutions for both commercial vehicles and onsite uses. The original Van Vault-2 is a high security steel storage box for commercial vehicles and continues to remain a best-selling line.

Equally, the onsite range features purpose built solutions suitable for storing flammable liquids and hazardous

chemicals, offering safety and security on a worksite.”

Brand development and product innovation continue to be the driving forces behind BPT’s success. Moving forward the company has an ongoing pipeline of products and patented technologies that will be brought to market over the coming years in line with the ever-changing demands and regulations within the marketplace.

“Making sure we are agile and able to respond quickly to these evolving needs is a big challenge, as is protecting our intellectual property from competitors,” says Fiona.

“However, we also see some major opportunities, particularly in our digital presence and how we can serve, support and communicate with our customers through these new channels. We also see some big opportunities to strengthen the presence of our key brands in international markets.”

The plan for the next 12 months very much falls in line with these challenges and opportunities. Continuing to invest in innovation and developing a product pipeline for the next five years, building its digital capability, continuing to internationalise and maintaining investment into its people and process to ensure it can continue to deliver the best quality and service to its customers, will all be central to 2016. Following a year in which BPT gained ISO 9000 and Investors in People accreditation, further reinforcing its drive to ensure it has the best approach to quality management and the best people in place to serve its customers, the future for BPT looks bright. “We have ambitious plans over the next five years,” Fiona concludes. “Our vision is to continue being an innovator and supplier of exciting brands, to grow internationally and to double our turnover.”

For more information on BPT

www.birchwoodpricetools.com 29

Power Saving Solutions

Remote energy

management With close to three decades of industry experience, Power Saving Solutions provides portable power systems to meet the needs of clients throughout the railway industry and beyond

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ased in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire with its main production facility located within the Crown Works industrial estate in Sheffield, Power Saving Solutions was founded as an electrical contractor and off grid power specialist. The business was incorporated during February 1989 and has since grown into a leading supplier of advanced energy solutions and hybrid power generators. Today the company’s flagship product is its unique range of stateof-the-art Hussh Pods, which are designed for both rail and industry applications.

The Hussh Pod range is a generation of hybrid generator units that provide off grid power solutions to clients operating in remote locations within the rail, construction, utilities, telecoms and storage industries.

The hybrid generator design offers a number of desirable benefits by turning off power generation using diesel when the required load is low and drawing energy from an internal storage battery instead. This in turn offers significant savings in fuel consumption and reduced CO2 emissions. At present the hybrid generator series provided by Power Saving Solutions is comprised of its Hussh Pod units that range in capacity from 2kwh to 90kwh. Its Hussh Pod 1/2 for example, has a stored

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battery power of 2kwh with around 3000 battery cycles, while the 30/45 variant offers a stored battery power of 45kwh in both 1500 and 800 battery cycle configurations.

In recent years the advantages of hybrid power generation and the effectiveness of the Hussh Pod range has been increasingly recognised by the railway industry.

Indeed, since an initial deployment at Lincolnshire’s Stamford railway station the Hussh hybrid power generation system has been deployed across the UK, as well as within Ghana, Nigeria, South Sudan, Pakistan and India. “We have worked on a number of projects within the railway industry, which are predominantly related to works at stations rather than at the trackside. We were first deployed within the rail industry at Stamford railway station where we provided power the site for J. Murphy & Sons Limited. This became a huge sea change for us in terms of the direction of the business,” explains the CoOwner of Power Saving Solutions, Andrew Richardson.

“This was because people working at Network Rail saw the Hussh Pod at Stamford station and really approved of the product and Network Rail have since used it on any number of stations.”

During the subsequent years Power Saving Solutions has expanded its presence within the railway industry

with further deployments throughout the UK. A significant project for the company was again while working with J. Murphy & Sons, when Power Saving Solutions delivered Hussh Pod generators to Runcorn station, where they achieved impressive fuel, cost and CO2 reductions.

“When we first arrived on site the Hussh Pod was only providing power for eight hours a day, but we quickly changed a lot of the working practices in terms of the way that we set up because we had realised that education was the way forward while working with site managers.

As a result this became the first site where we carried out an induction to show site managers how to get the most energy out of the Hussh Pod by managing the site’s energy consumption effectively,” Andy elaborates. “We were able to increase the effectiveness of the Hussh Pod by increasing from eight to 14 hours of power provision a day. This had huge knock-on benefits in terms of fuel consumption and in CO2 reduction, while the site effectively was silent for six hours a day longer.”

To date Hussh Pod hybrid power generators have provided J. Murphy & Sons in excess of 50,040 hours on battery, translating to savings of 881 tonnes of CO2 and 300,240 litres of fuel. During the coming months and

years the rail industry will continue to be an important market for Power Saving Solutions with the company aiming to increase its presence with clients both old and new. “Rail work has become a key part of our strategy moving forward. Often works are located in difficult terrain and remote locations and we are able to offer reliable solutions and remote monitoring solutions 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We have had interest from clients all over the world particularly with our Hussh Pod products because regardless of a client’s location, power is always a critical issue,” Andy concludes. “We presently see massive opportunities all over the world including within Africa, Asia and Australasia.”

www.powersavingsolutions.co.uk

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Nexus

On the right

track

Below Tobyn Hughes, Managing Director for Transport Operations at Nexus

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Midway through phase two of the £350 million Metro reinvigoration programme, Nexus continues to significantly enhance public transportation for passengers in the North East

exus is the trading name of the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive (PTE), a public body that plans and provides local public transport in and around the cities of Newcastle and Sunderland, along with the districts of Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside. Unusually among the six PTEs in England, Nexus directly owns and manages the local light rail network, the Tyne and Wear Metro.

Opened in stages from 1980, Metro is the busiest light rail system in the UK outside London, thanks to a network of 78km, which has 60 stations and is served by more than 450 train services a day.

Previously featured in Railway Strategies in June

2015, Nexus has continued with its £350 million Metro regeneration programme and is now halfway through phase two, as Tobyn Hughes, Managing Director for Transport Operations at Nexus, comments: “Our current arrangement with the Government has seen over £250 million invested since 2010, out of a total £350 million programme that is to be delivered through to 2021. We are preparing a business case to obtain funding for a further 15-year period, which will continue to be based on asset condition, as it has been throughout the renewal programme so far.”

The company has also enjoyed record passenger numbers over the last 12 months, with 40 million journeys

Discussing other developments that have taken place for the busy integrated public transport provider, Tobyn continues: “Alongside this growth, the new Northern and TransPennine rail franchises began in April 2016, heralding a new era of growth in, and devolution of, our local rail services.

“Regional devolution has the potential to deliver a great deal for northern city regions, with new powers and a greater say in transport spending on the table. The importance of investing in a new fleet of trains for the Tyne

reached for the first time in five years; a record number buoyed by the fact Newcastle was a host city for the 2015 Rugby World Cup and the delivery of the North East Smart Ticketing Initiative (NESTI). “The numbers of passengers using Pop for Pay As You Go journeys is growing rapidly and we are now looking ahead to the next generation of smart ticketing, which is being developed through our participation in Transport for the North.

There is no question that passengers have an enormous appetite for smart ticketing and the benefits it brings them, such as ease of paying for travel and the access of public transport. It is really flexible and saves people huge amounts of time.”

and Wear Metro has been underlined by the devolution deal, which highlights this project as a key priority for the North East England.”

Constructed in the late 1970s, the 90-car strong fleet used by the Tyne and Wear Metro is close to life expiration, with many components already life-expired, an issue that is resulting in a highly unstable operating environment as train failures lead to delays and trains being withdrawn from service. Because of this, Nexus has prepared an outline business case for investment into a new train fleet that will be presented to the Government in 2016, with a target date for the introduction of a new fleet set for the early 2020s.

“The cost of a fleet capable of replicating the current timetable is estimated to be in the region of £300 million,” says Tobyn. “An associated upgrade to the signalling system may cost an additional £100 million, while updated depot facilities could cost around £50 million and upgrades to the electrification equipment could add an further £100 million. Therefore, the total cost of a new fleet could be around £550 million. The rolling

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Nexus gets its message heard with telent’s MICA Station Management System Nexus is the largest Metro in the UK outside London, and as part of a major upgrade of its infrastructure, is replacing the Public Address systems at all stations, and telent is providing the control system to ensure the public are kept informed.

Already involved with Nexus, having been the designer of their large MPLS network, telent were invited in 2015 to tender for the supply of their MICA system, to provide network wide control for the new public address system, and more challenging, to control the existing legacy system to allow a seamless migration.

Launched in 2006, MICA has been managing communications, SCADA and building management subsystems, integrating CCTV, public address systems, passenger information displays, help points, fire and intrusion detection systems and much more, ever since. It is now operational at over 130 stations, including all major London Underground stations, and the most recent installation, the newly refurbished London Bridge station, Britain’s fourth largest mainline train station.

Its proven track record makes MICA an obvious choice where reliability is critical, and with MICA able to make use of the existing highly available virtual environment Nexus possess, it provides the perfect platform to control their audio announcement system, keeping passengers up to date on the status of the network.

Already proven as a ‘line control system’ with Docklands Light Railway, for Nexus, the MICA user interface was enhanced to allow easy control of their 60 stations, and in particular selection of any of the public address zones at any combination of those stations, to allow live or digital voice announcements to be broadcast. However, the main development was to support the legacy system even though is to be replaced. This enables MICA to control both the old and new systems in parallel, allowing a managed, station-by-station, migration. A concept telent is very adept at undertaking and is already proven elsewhere with MICA allowing the migration of operational stations to IP CCTV. The MICA system operation and user interface has been developed in collaboration with operators over the last ten years to make use as intuitive and effective as possible to support station operation and monitoring of all station assets. The Public Address module provides a combination of announcement creation options; live operator recording, use of a pre-recorded segment library, or text to speech, and even has ‘message creation wizard’ functionality to help operators quickly generate meaningful messages during times of disruption.

Anyone using public transport will appreciate how important it is to be kept informed of the latest status of the service. The telent MICA system is a key tool in ensuring this, and will soon be operational on the Nexus network.

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Nexus

stock specification will focus on providing a new fleet of Metro cars that will provide a step change in customer experience and be future-proofed to provide reliable and affordable Metro services for the next 30 years. In order to achieve our policy objectives we must achieve high levels of reliability and comfort in order to build passenger satisfaction with the system; we will also aim to reduce Metro’s carbon footprint.”

The company will also future-proof the fleet for future developments, including specifying dual voltage to allow for running on lines electrified to Network Rail’s UK standard, non-electric variants to allow for running on non-electrified lines and the ability to procure additional vehicles to support route extensions. “However, given the Metro system’s reliance on public subsidy and, because of the important role Metro plays in underpinning the local economy our desire to maintain fares at affordable levels, we also need to keep on-going operating costs to a minimum and deliver value for money,” says Tobyn.

With the Metro operating a concession agreement that was signed with DB Regio in 2010 coming to an end in 2017, Nexus will soon be directly managing Metro operations for the following two years. In line with this

development, Nexus is designing a new, different Metro operations contract that will be designed around the procurement and maintenance of new rolling stock, which is to begin in 2019. Looking to the future goals for Nexus and transportation in the North East, Tobyn concludes: “We believe that existing and disused local rail corridors can be combined with the Metro network to create a single Metro and local rail network, at a lower cost than new-build railways. However, the immediate focus is to secure funding for new trains, which means we need to make a strong case for Government money.”

www.nexus.org.uk

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Foley and Miles

Delivering

excellence

Foley and Miles has a reputation for providing an efficient and reliable service with outstanding customer care.Whether you ask for one load; engage it in multi vehicle long-term supply contracts, or use any of its other services

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he company has been active for over two decades, and transport manager Matthew Hill provides a background of the business: “Founded

by Kevin Miles, Foley and Miles was established in 1993, very quickly building its reputation within the brick and block haulage sector but has since developed its fleet to provide all aspects of specialist haulage solutions.

With our head office based in Purfleet Essex, we are perfectly situated to service London and the Home Counties.” Having been operating for so many years in

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the industry, Foley and Miles offers an assurance that it will provide everything needed for haulage and rail needs.

The company even ensures that it provides a fleet of vehicles that are compliant for working on Crossrail.

Foley and Miles’ business primarily comes from its extensive fleet of haulage vehicles, although it also offers several other services that include hydraulic repairs and servicing, welding and auto electrics, driver training and warehouse solutions. All of which are offered at the head office workshop, or at the customer’s site depending

on preference. The company provides further services that include general haulage, and it offers a fleet of flat trailers to carry palletised loads, small plant and rail related products, as well as a traction only service. There is also the brick and block haulage provision, which is where the business started, delivering these supplies to manufacturers, merchants and end users. It also offers bulk materials services, which there is a huge demand for, in order to meet this it uses a fleet of bulk tippers that can haul any granular material from ash to aggregate, from sand to shale. Another service Foley and Miles provides is the workshop, which can service a customer in need of hydraulic repairs, welding, or auto electrics. The company also can provide driver training, and offers CPC and ALLMI training and courses at head office.

The company has a record as being a top provider of these services, and that enables the provision of other parts of the company, which Matthew elaborated on: “We offer consultancy, to help get the best out of our load delivery, making it the most cost effective and time efficient it can be - our experience is put to use when there are access problems, difficult or awkward loads.”

Foley and Miles uses its knowledge of the business to offer specialist services, as Matthew explained: “A massive part of our fleet are fitted specialist cranes, whether you require artics, rigids or drawbars we have the vehicles and the operatives to unload safely and efficiently. As well as standard palletised loads, we offer a specialist offload service. We can lift rockery, boulders, silos and even ventilation equipment as part of a specialists offload service.”

The fleet at Foley and Miles is already large, and the company continues to grow it, adding newer and more modern additions. Matthew gives examples of some: “Recent investment include four Scania units, fully equipped with remote Atlas crane trailers. We are adding four Scania drawbar outfits all fitted and equipped with the latest electronic safety equipment including side and rear mounted cameras, side scan and fall prevention equipment, strobe lighting and in cab communications systems. These offer a payload of 28 tonnes, which makes them ideal for where the economy of large loads can be maximised, therefore reducing the unit cost to the customer.”

The company provides all the services a client could need in the industry and has the experience to ensure the best outcomes are achieved. It can also boast being one of the only Achilles accredited haulage service providers used by the principal rail contractors, and this accolade was something Matthew wanted to highlight: “All accreditations are important to us – but as an Achilles link up approved haulier we have a further responsibility to maintain our fleet to the very highest standard. This presents further challenges such as investment in the very latest vehicle safety equipment, strobe lighting and in cab

communication systems. As well as being part of Achilles, we are awaiting our silver accreditation as a member of the Freight Operators Recognition Scheme (FORS) and we have recently gained our ISO 9001.”

Foley and Miles combines experience and knowledge with technology and investment, which sets it up for a prosperous future supplying the rail industry. Matthew provides a summary of the company’s attitude: “We always enjoy the challenge of being able to solve your problems quickly and efficiently. We pride ourselves on reacting fast to solving logistical problems for our customers whether it be long-term contracts or smaller day-to-day loads.” The final statement and ringing endorsement will go to Keyline sector manager rail Richard Wade: “Rail is a high risk 24/7 operation, therefore, whenever we require a haulier we always use a company we can trust. Foley and Miles have always delivered in full and on time.”

www.foleyandmiles.co.uk

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Perpetuum

Tracking

changes

Having revolutionised the way large amounts of information can be gathered perpetually, Perpetuum has become the world leader in vibration harvester powered wireless sensing systems

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stablished in 2004 as a spinoff from Southampton University, Southampton based Perpetuum revolutionised the way vast amounts of information could be gathered from maintenance free wireless sensor nodes and was originally focused on providing industries such as industrial and oil and gas with

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its award-winning, quick-to-install and maintenance-free technology. However, upon researching potential target markets, the company realised the immense opportunities available within the rail industry and made the strategic decision to enter the market in 2010.

An expert in vibration engineering, the company

is able to supply a total solution to the rail industry, comprising of hardware components, operating software and an information service. In more detail, the hardware comprised of an energy harvester, sensor, RF transmitter and microprocessor; the software, meanwhile, gathers vibration data from the trains via

the sensor systems that are transmitted wirelessly to the company’s database. This information service adds real value for customers as the company’s algorithms translate the raw vibration data into simple actionable information in the form of for example a Bearing Health Index and a Wheel Health Index. Data is reduced from 1.8 million sets of temperature and vibration data that is collected each day into a colour coded and numerical number to signify the level of condition. Automatic email alerts are then sent to the train operator when vibration levels move above set parameters.

“Our expertise is vibration engineering, which we use in two ways; firstly, we get ‘power from vibration’ so the sensor systems are powered by our proprietary vibration energy harvesters. The benefits of this is that as there are no batteries or wires involved, the system is easy to fit and maintenance free. The second area is the use of our vibration expertise to gain ‘information from vibration’ in a mechanical system; this is essentially condition monitoring and is of interest to the rail industry as this is not traditionally how companies operate maintenance

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regimes,” says Steve Turley, Chief Executive Officer at Perpetuum.

With the rail sector becoming the prime candidate for the company’s servitisation model due to the major benefits and potential savings that condition monitoring could deliver, Perpetuum began working with Southeastern and Bombardier to demonstrate the benefits of its technology to the rail industry. “The first deployment we did with Southeastern was actually with Bombardier Electrostar trains operated by Southeastern, so the first project was really a close co-operation between Bombardier, Southeastern and ourselves. We worked as a team to roll that out and demonstrated how quickly the equipment could be fitted; the company also had some issues with bearings at the time so we were able to demonstrate and pick out which were good bearings and which were bad. This trial resulted in Southeastern realising it could completely relook at the way trains in its fleet are maintained,” explains Steve.

Commercial Director of Perpetuum, Justin Southcombe adds: “The trial took around 12 months and Southeastern were so impressed with the capability that they decided to deploy it on the full Electrostar fleet.”

Looking back on this key moment in the company’s history, Justin continues: “We often win awards

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Perpetuum

for innovation and are well known as an innovative company, however, the most innovative thing to happen in our history is the recruitment of the British Airways Maintenance Director as Southeastern’s Engineering Director. This HR move led to a major disruption in the organisation and allowed the business to relook at how it approached availability and performance. Perpetuum are helping with the maintenance side with an attitude of predict and prevent by giving information months in advance so planning can be done and fleets can be optimised, exactly like how the aviation sector operates.”

Since successfully trialing and improving its technology on wheels and bearings, Perpetuum is keen to diversify into other segments of a train’s operations as Steve comments: “We began with wheels and bearings but are now monitoring gearboxes and traction motors as well as tracks. To monitor track condition we measure the shock and vibration around the wheel, which is a combination of vibration from the track and from the vehicle. If we correlate this with the motion of the rolling stock and the rotation of the wheel we can get rolling stock condition information, but if we correlate it with its geographical position, we get a real time map of shock and vibration in the network; this will offer real-time visibility on defects that originate on the track, which is highly valuable information as it can identify problems as they develop.”

Looking ahead, the company is keen to take advantage of its strong position in a market that could greatly benefit from its innovations through strategic expansion into target areas, as Justin states: “The last two years have been about building on our success through expansion; so far we have gained contracts in the UK, Australia, the USA, Holland, Ireland and Sweden.

We are also looking to progress into the next tier, which involves more traditional players in the industry, and are making progress.

“Over the next ten years I believe the railway market will achieve what the aviation market achieved in 25, with information technology becoming embedded in the railway industry, providing analytical capability and treating data with the respect it deserves. With the dawning of the

Internet of Things in the rail sector the traditional barriers have been removed and the kinds of rich information Perpetuum is uncovering will be readily accessible to optimise trains, fleets and networks around the world,” Justin concludes.

www.perpetuum.com

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Speedy RAIL

A hire

power As the dedicated Rail division of Speedy Services, Speedy Rail provides the newest and widest range of hire equipment in the UK rail sector

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peedy Rail has a specialist Rail portfolio to support all aspects of network renewal, maintenance and enhancement; for mainline, underground, overground, light rail, tram, train operating companies (TOCs) and freight operating customers (FOCs). As a result, Speedy provides a one-stop rail solution its depots, and products available include sawing, drilling, and stressing equipment, wrenches, clippers, trolleys, lighting, jacks and overhead line equipment (among others).

New products include items such as the Robel Short Clamp, Robel Long Clamp and Dual Clipper Cd400Sp. This latter product is a walk-behind machine when clipping and declipping clips of the following types: PANDROL FASTCLIP, PANDROL e-CLIPs, PANDROL PR-clips (PR400 series) and Heyback (clipping), depending on the choice of tool. The power pack can be removed when the CD400 is to be used as a conventional machine with a carrier. CD400SP is selfpropelled with a high-performance diesel engine, and easy for a single operator to operate via a control panel.

From the handheld control panel the operator controls the functions of the Clip Driver CD400 Power Pack e.g. speed, clipping and declipping. The clipping capacity is approximately 25 sleepers per minute. Should a client be looking for such a machine, if they want more details the Speedy website lists the important specifics, and in some cases, offers comparison products, in order to give a fuller picture of what is available.

It is clear why clients in the Rail sector find a number of benefits of working with Speedy, as it prides itself as operating as a reliable one-stop-shop for all the plant requirements of rail and transport infrastructure contractors. Its clients specialise in time critical projects

in the rail industry, often in a high-risk environment so it is crucial that they can rely on their supplier for both equipment and support.

Earlier in 2016 Speedy Rail further strengthened its rail sector offering, when it acquired the OHP Group. The OHP Group employs 25 staff and primarily comprises Rail Hire (UK) Limited, a company specialising in the hire of overhead line equipment (OLE) to the rail sector. The OHP Group also includes Crewe Plant Hire Limited, a tools and equipment hire business operating from premises in Crewe. The OHP Group’s founder and Managing Director, Martin Davies, will remain with the business postacquisition. Russell Down, Chief Executive of Speedy, commented: “I am delighted to announce this acquisition which will help expand our business in this specialist sector of a growing UK rail market and further enhance our market position. Martin and his team are renowned in the rail hire industry for their in-depth specialist knowledge, and this strategic acquisition will enable Speedy to provide a broader set of services and specialist expertise to our customers in the rail sector.”

As well as the experience and wide offering of products available, Speedy Rail can also benefit from the support of Speedy Services, the UK’s largest hire provider, with the widest range of tools, plant and specialist equipment more than 2800 products are included in its hire range.

It also offers thousands of products for purchase, including tools, equipment, PPE and site consumables, and further services include inspection, fuel management, site communications and event support – all designed to help clients work more efficiently and safely.

Clients can also benefit from Speedy’s training services offering, as the organisation provides one of the most comprehensive ranges of safety and skills courses in the

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Speedy RAIL

industry. All courses are certified, and it is a proud holder of the prestigious Customer Service Excellence hallmark for its training service. It has over 100 training locations across the UK, plus specialist facilities for confined spaces simulation, street and road works, plant yards and lifting gantries. It can also train a workforce on site, or create a bespoke course to meet specific needs.

Speedy also continually invests in new ways to meet customers’ needs so for example, in recent months, it has added more than 70 new lines to the hire range.

It has also created a Speedy catalogue app (www. speedyservices.com/app) that gives customers who have downloaded it instant access to products info wherever they are. It’s simple to use, quick, and constantly updated. So whether a user is on site or on the move, they will always have access to the most accurate information about Speedy’s products and services. To make sure of full compatibility, the App is available for iPhone, Android and Windows devices.

Furthermore, the company’s website is a comprehensive resource, not only for products and special offers, but also for informative blog posts that advise on important areas such as working at height,

Vortok International Vortok International has earned an enviable reputation as an innovator within the rail industry. Thinking about a problem in a different way has enabled it to find original solutions to some of the most challenging problems. Its expertise in track mounting, rail stressing, remote monitoring and safety has resulted in the development of its award-winning products that offer ‘real-world’ benefits. Vortok International has been successfully working with Speedy Rail to deliver a wide range of products for the rail industry that predominantly focus on safety and improved efficiency. sites and traffic and concreting, to name a few. But for clients who prefer to interact with a friendly face, Speedy’s nationwide network of over 200 depots means trained and expert staff are always close at hand, and they are always happy to offer guidance and help.

By developing innovative yet simple solutions to traditional challenges, and establishing firm relationships with the supply chain, Speedy has expanded its brand and won the trust of a widening range of customers. Whatever their needs, Speedy provides the ideal solution, quickly and effectively and always with the reassurance of safety and sustainability that comes with the industry leaders.

Specialised Tools and Equipment Ltd Specialised Tools and Equipment Ltd (STEL) is a rapidly growing company on the strength of its impeccable product supply and service. It offers small plant spares, track tools, consumables and permanent way equipment. It also has a range of hand tools, repair parts, maintenance products and consumables. It is a Link Up, ISO, and BSI accredited company.

It prides itself on its customer service and its daily motto is that it is ‘Serious about Service’.

www.speedyservices.com/rail-hire

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Morson International

Quality

above all else

Morson Group is a unique blend of engineering recruitment and design consultancy. It provides leading engineering and design solutions to major capital projects using the latest technology and systems

S Below Gary Smithson, rail director

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ince 1969 Morson International has helped engineers worldwide to find the perfect job, and helped companies to find the right people for the business. It operates a full end-to-end recruitment service for its clients, providing a range of services to facilitate differing contract requirements. Its proven recruitment models deliver efficient and effective solutions for all clients, enhanced by its in-house technology. It has a reputation within the recruitment world as being among the most reliable across a core range of technical sectors.

The history of the Morson Group is embedded in the UK, and rail director Gary Smithson outlined the evolution of the business: “The company was established in 1969

by Gerry Mason and was founded in Eccles, Greater Manchester where its head office is still based today.

Now, we operate through three entities: Morson Projects provides design engineering and project management, and Morson International provides recruitment services across all blue and white collar skills. These services

were enhanced through the acquisition of our third entity Vital (2013) which focuses on blue collar skills in the rail industry. Although we employ over 1000 people across 52 offices, we have maintained a family-owned ethos and are committed to establishing strong relationships within our local communities.”

As a result the company has been named as the number one rail industry recruiter for the 30th year running and now supplies personnel equivalent to almost 4.5 million manhours over the past 12 months. This achievement was something Gary expanded on: “We work direct with 248 agencies across the UK, Europe, USA and Canada and are continuing to build on our best practice approach to recruitment to benefit both clients and candidates.”

Morson has grown into a global organisation with a £772 million turnover in 2015. Having made this achievement over the course of four decades suggests that the company has found a sustainable approach to business that works.

One of Morson’s success stories is its long-term relationship with TFL, where it has been successfully selected for all four categories on the white collar framework in addition to several blue collar contracts. Gary was keen to highlight this strategic relationship: “The fact that we continue to win these is a testament to our abilities.

We have consistently demonstrated over the years that we can deliver. By being good at what we do, we have continued to win contracts and maintain an association with TFL that has lasted for more than 20 years.”

Gary also shared insight on the other major rail projects that he has been involved with at Morson: “We have been heavily involved on Crossrail. In a very specialist section of the project, around 20 per cent of the staff had to be sourced from outside of the UK - we will go overseas to get the right talent. Our overseas candidate sourcing is supported by our international offices which include locations in North America, Europe and the Middle East.”

The HS2 project will likely prove to be one of the

biggest railway investments in a generation. While Morson will no doubt be very active in this Gary was keen to impress the agility of the company, and that it did not rely on any one project: “We support a range of rail and infrastructure projects both in the UK and overseas - we are currently working to stay at the forefront of people’s minds, whether they are looking to fill a role or find a job themselves. It is important for us to be visible and to remind clients that we are the market leaders.” This strategy has clearly been successful, with Morson securing contracts on major projects such as Crossrail, HS2, Manchester Metrolink, 4LM and GWEP amongst others.

At the heart of the company is a belief in the ethics of running a business, and that it should be done with social responsibility. Morson has a set of values that are central to its every day business operations: safety, knowledge, integrity, delivery, innovation, and charitable, all are equally crucial and all are taken as seriously as making a profit.

Safety is something that the company considers absolutely essential and continuous improvement in this area is key. Morson’s group training manager Matt Leavis went in to greater detail: “Everything we do is based around track safety and best practice, it’s about trying to drive behavioural change from the ground up. From the day you enter our training centre we are trying to embed behavioural safety: close calling, reporting lines, and ensuring everybody going into the industry is taking it seriously, for their own safety and that of the general public.” This topic was something Gary added to: “Over the past 30 years we’ve invested significantly across our health and safety processes to ensure our workers are as safe as possible – this is epitomised by our ‘work safe home safe’ initiative.”

The fact that Morson has been able to retain a place at the top of its industry demonstrates that it must be doing something that sets it above the rest, and yet never getting complacent in the top position. It has managed to do this by being adaptable and flexible to the customers’ needs, always endeavoring to find a solution that will maximise customer service. Gary expanded on the innovative approach the company takes: “We are fully engaged with our customer base and with the needs of the market; this helps us to anticipate how the business needs to change and develop to meet customer and candidate demand, whether this is through new processes, new departments or innovative contract management models. Consequently, we have grown and improved through significant investment into our technology infrastructure. This has enabled us to provide our clients with bespoke, easy to manage technology

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Morson International

Above Manchester Metrolink – one of Morson’s key projects Below Morson apprentices who took part in its National Apprenticeship Week awards event

around time recording, accounting, cost management, applicant tracking and performance monitoring.

Essentially, we are able to provide the customer with a solution that makes their life easier.”

The quality of delivery relates not only to the immediate supply of skills, but also the supply of a future skills pipeline. Morson places a great focus on the quality of training provided for people from all demographics helping to develop or transfer skills and in turn provides the rail sector with a new generation of highly talented and motivated engineers. Matt further explained Morson’s dynamic and adaptable approach: “We are looking at designing an apprenticeship programme that is more fit for purpose. It is not about one defined route, instead it finds out what employers need in each sector and tailors the training to fill those skill gaps – which is why I think trailblazer apprenticeships are really key. They meet the needs of the modern industry and are flexible to employer’s different needs.”

Morson’s commitment to quality has earned the company a place at the top of recruitment in the rail sector. It is one of the most trusted and respected agencies in the industry. This standard is something that the company is crystal clear about, and Matt emphasised how Morson’s training initiatives tied in with this company-wide agenda: “All the training we do is controlled, and there is a clear line of command.

We are now known as being one of the best in the business, so we want to use the knowledge we have accrued and our hunger to build something that really stands out as a place for both trainees and clients.

We want them both to know when we have trained someone they will be of the highest quality and nothing else.”

Morson has a diverse business, which has been a significant factor in its global success. By working on a range of projects and having expertise across multiple sectors the company is competitive and knowledgeable. It is involved in some of the largest rail projects that 21st century Britain has ever seen, and it continues to further increase its involvement across the globe. Gary’s enthusiasm and understanding of his sector and his clients shone through throughout our conversation: “We want to stand for excellence, we want to stand for quality, we want to give an assurance that when you use our services you will get nothing less than the highest standard.” Morson is brilliant at what it does - the clients and awards are a testament to that, and in an industry where reputation is crucial, it means Morson has everything in place for another four decades of success.

www.morson.com 49

telent

Making

connections Leading the way in communications technology across multiple UK industries, telent is playing a key role in the development of a digital railway

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n 1897 Guglielmo Marconi founded The Wireless Telegraph and Signal Company, a business that pioneered wireless long distance communication and mass media broadcasting throughout its long history. Numerous acquisitions, mergers and sales took place throughout the twentieth century and today a number of leading names across the world can attribute part of their history to the company. One such company is telent, a now privately owned business with a long history of industry experience often found at the cutting edge of communication technology’s rapid progress.

At telent’s heart sits an unrivalled reputation for service delivery and a total commitment to innovative communication technologies. From this core the business’s market presence is multifaceted, serving key infrastructure sectors such as telecoms, traffic, rail,

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emergency and commercial markets. telent currently holds over 30 years of experience delivering systems and services to the rail industry, providing projects to TfL, Network Rail and numerous TOCs across the network.

“One of the great strengths that we have is the company’s level of capability in complex technical communication,” explains Stephen Pears, Managing Director of telent’s Rail division. “We are able to forge ahead with the latest communication technologies whilst being able to deal with old and obsolete systems.

Crucially, as we are very much a service organisation, this is underpinned by our people and we possess some very talented and motivated individuals who work really well with clients, have a strong commitment to innovation and to solid service delivery.” telent’s business in the rail industry is supported by a

foundation of maintenance and management services presently being delivered to over 1000 stations on the national rail infrastructure, plus all London Underground stations. Such a widespread workforce not only gives the company an excellent relationship with its clients, but also forms a solid platform upon which innovative technologies and solutions can be built.

Such a strong service and dedication to innovation results in a company that is highly flexible and able to develop its capabilities and expertise in response to market trends. The digital railway undoubtedly dominates the industry’s current focus, and Stephen notes that even over the last 18 months, since Railway Strategies last featured telent, the transition to such a network has made significant progress.

“What’s changing for us as a business is the impact of

technology and our investment into technology to move forward in support of this transition,” he says. “One of our biggest moves to facilitate this was the acquisition of Telindus UK, which has brought with it Gold Partner status with Cisco and Elite Partner status with Juniper.

This really helps take the business into the world of the digital railway and makes sure that we have the future capability and expertise to fully support it.”

One key area where a digital railway is already beginning to be realised is in the current electrification programme being rolled out across the UK. Presently telent is delivering a five-year contract to develop the national electrification supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system. By utilising a variety of communications systems to provide control to remote equipment, the SCADA control systems allow for a single national control infrastructure, which integrates legacy equipment with new systems, thus allowing much greater flexibility of control.

Back in 2014 when we last spoke with telent, Stephen discussed the roll out of SCADA to Network Rail infrastructure. Today, he happily reports that TfL and the London Underground are keen to bring the technology into their own network. “They have now come to market with their requirement for a traction power SCADA system,” he explains. “The approach is similar to the Network Rail project where we’re seeing the need for a centrally managed system that can be operated from multiple locations.”

Demonstrating the company’s consistent occupation right at the leading edge of technological innovation, telent’s roll out of SCADA has become very closely aligned with a growing need for cyber security development. Over the last 18 months the company has taken part ownership of a cyber security company in anticipation of this rising demand. “The design of a network, the implementation of a security solution that provides defence in depth, the ability to carry out penetration testing and so on are all becoming key requirements of these new systems,” Stephen continues.

“Having the capability to understand cyber security and to deliver these requirements to our customers is incredibly important. At the same time this is new ground for a lot of our customers so it is critical that we can not only respond to these requirements but also support them in the transition.”

In addition to the SCADA programme, telent has also been busy continuously developing and implementing its station management system, known as MICA (Management Integration and Control of Assets), which has been in the market since 2006. By enhancing the communication between multiple systems such as CCTV, public address systems, passenger information displays and help points, as well as fire and intrusion detection

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telent

systems and lift and escalator monitoring MICA provides a fully integrated management system.

CCTV management forms a very important part of MICA and, acting as a management service provider as well as the project delivery partner, telent currently looks after 30,000 cameras across the UK’s station network.

“Since we last spoke there has been a marked beginning to the transfer from analogue to IP CCTV systems,” outlines Stephen. “We currently have 1000 IP cameras in seven TfL stations, and by working with a lot of the leading camera and video encoder suppliers in the market, like Samsung, Axis and Bosch we are integrating their systems into ours and helping to develop this for the rail environment. Part of this development provides mobile CCTV monitoring to a local monitor or handheld device.” Whilst MICA was initially rolled out into the TfL network, over the last year Network Rail stations such as Reading and London Bridge have begun to implement the same technology.

As with SCADA, cyber security plays an important role in the current development focus of MICA. Stephen points out that with the raised threat of attack to critical infrastructure following events in Paris, the need to

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increase station security has followed. He highlights that recent development for MICA has been centred on how secure it is and following tests, telent is confident about its credentials. “It is very important to be able to provide high quality services and to make sure these systems are functioning very well,” he adds.

Another area of recent focus for telent is in improving its complete service offering, having agreed a managed service contract for CCTV systems to provide 10-15 year periods of renewals and support for a known cost. “For an operator this means that they don’t need to worry about going out to market every time they need renewals,

instead they get a service that supports them for the duration of their franchise,” Stephen explains. “It is not just technological innovation that we are developing but also the way in which we contract and support our clients from a service point of view. It also means we’re operating in the provision of capital, which is made possible by our own financial strength.”

With demand for a digital network growing across the UK’s rail industry, telent and its expanding capability are perfectly placed to continue its leading role in the communications sector. A look at the current market conditions goes some way to bolstering this positivity as Stephen references the ongoing Crossrail and upcoming HS2 projects, plus the possible Crossrail 2 and HS3. “This suggests that the rail network has a great future in terms of investment,” he says. “However, at the same time we are seeing Network Rail and TfL becoming more aligned with the government and therefore having tight budget pressures, so it’s a bit of a mixed picture.

“Ultimately, the industry has set the strategic vision for a digital railway and the requirements which that entails, but it’s very much in its infancy. At the heart of this vision is a secure communications network and this has to be highly reliable and able to reach all segments of the industry, it has to have the capacity and the availability, and it has to have the cyber security pedigree. We will be central to supporting this vision and by working closely with our customers and partners we can make sure that these things are delivered along side the best applications to interface with them.”

www.telent.com 53

GVB

All

aboard

As Amsterdam continues to grow, GVB is playing a critical role in helping the city remain mobile and connected

Below Alexandra van Huffelen, CEO of GVB

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H

aving been operating Amsterdam’s public transport network – including tram, metro, bus and ferry services – for over a century, GVB has some idea of how to support its many residents and tourists to move in and around the city. However, as the city grows, along with population, tourism, and peoples’ demands for efficient travel, the challenges facing the company today are as pressing as ever. GVB’s 2015 report demonstrated strong financial growth and improvements in customer satisfaction as it helped 800,000 daily customers across Amsterdam, yet

speaking with CEO, Alexandra van Huffelen, it is clear that there is still a lot to do.

“The city is growing rapidly at the moment, and it is fantastic that more and more people want to use public transport,” Alexandra begins. “We have one of the most beautiful historic tramlines in the world going right through the city centre, and an increasing number of people are recognising that our growing network of services is one of the most efficient ways of travelling through Amsterdam.

However, it is our responsibility to ensure that we can keep up with this growth in terms of our services, the

mobility,” she elaborates. “We are seeing a massive change in the way people are moving around the city. They are using their cars less and turning to their bicycles or public transport, but also to shared forms of transport like car sharing services such as Car2Go, which has a number of electric Smart vehicles available for short term hire within the city. It is our job to work collaboratively with the city and other organisations to ensure that we can connect public transport services with these new modes so that we can provide an even broader, door-to-door service.”

experience we provide for our customers and making sure new developments are connected.”

Joining GVB around two years ago from a mixed background of business and politics, Alexandra is leading the company through a number of transformations that will allow Amsterdam’s public transport system keep up with passenger numbers, meet demands for customer satisfaction and integrate effectively with a changing mobility landscape.

“One of our biggest focal points is not just on the services that we provide every day, but on the future of

However, the ability of GVB to deliver such an extensive coverage alongside improved service levels is constantly being squeezed by a parallel need to manage a cost effective operation. Under its current concession to 2024, Alexandra highlights that in order to achieve renewal GVB has to work according to a set of valuation criteria, which not only includes service parameters, such as passenger satisfaction and punctuality, but also in how it is able to provide these improvements with fewer subsidies. For the operator this has manifested itself in number of initiatives.

“These include strong collaboration with the private sector to ensure we can continue the operation of services that are less frequently used, making sure we maintain our facilities as well as upgrading our fleets to refresh and serve more areas,” Alexandra outlines. “As part of our current investment programme we are renewing our bus fleet from diesel to electric, which not only helps our fuel efficiency, but also contributes to the improving air quality

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Perpetuum monitors Amsterdam Combino trams for GVB Justin Southcombe, Commercial Director of Perpetuum, explains that bearing information produced by Perpetuum’s innovative wireless condition monitoring technology will allow GVB to monitor its Combino units keeping them in service for longer and increasing safety Perpetuum, the global leader in vibration energy harvesting and its application in asset management across the rail industry, has expanded into Holland by securing a contract for a pilot project on the Amsterdam tram system with owners GVB Holding NV (GVB). The project covers wheel bearing condition monitoring on three of GVB’s Siemens Combino trams and is an ideal application for Perpetuum’s self-powered wireless condition monitoring solution, especially due to the difficult to access nature of the 100 per cent low-floor trams.

The bearing information produced by Perpetuum technology will allow GVB to monitor its most critical Combino units, so that they are not removed from service early, thus limiting disruptions for passengers travelling in Amsterdam. The deployment will also allow GVB to investigate opportunities to reduce its maintenance costs significantly by only replacing the units that have deteriorated, and not the entire fleet, which will allow it to provide a better service at a reduced cost to the city of Amsterdam.

Powered by its innovative wireless energy harvesting micro-generators, Perpetuum’s on-board Sensor Systems produce powerful vibration and temperature data, enabling its clients to accurately view the real time health and predict the failure of rotating components on trains, such as wheel bearings, motors and gearboxes. The self-powered sensors can be fitted in less than 20 minutes, having no wires for power or communication, and without the need for special tools or the lifting of the vehicle, and its powerful algorithms can process the data in a matter of minutes.

Early models of the Combino trams, with a 100 per cent low floor design, were introduced over a decade ago. However, this innovation in the tram’s build specification inadvertently had a negative impact on the life and maintenance of the vehicle. Indeed, while great engineering advances were made in the new low-floor components, including new bogie frames, stub axles, compact wheel motors and integrated gearbox designs, not all faults were engineered out when early models of the tram were launched.

The SKF wheel bearings on the Combino’s powered bogies were ingenious but complicated designs, undertaking large resultant forces, which appeared to be significantly impacting the component’s life, as non-powered bogies do not appear to have the same level of fatigue. There have been two overhauls of bearings in the past 12 years, compared to an expected 30 to 35 year life span, and bearing replacement costs across the fleet are very significant. With 155 trams, this represents an almost continuous workload and loss of fleet availability for GVB, in addition to the financial impacts.

As well as the safety benefits real time condition monitoring can bring, Perpetuum’s information will also help GVB to understand more about the tram and how it performs and operates in service so that GVB can develop long-term solutions based on knowledge and fact. Amsterdam’s very old infrastructure has been notorious for poor ride quality and noise and GVB is also very interested in investigating the live track monitoring capabilities of Perpetuum’s system.

This is Perpetuum’s first contract in Holland and the company will look to expand its services to other cities with tram systems using the Combino trams, which include Melbourne, Erfurt, Augsburg and many other cities throughout the world.

For more details on Perpetuum visit www.perpetuum.com

GVB

in Amsterdam. We have also installed solar panels on the roofs of our aboveground metro stations.

“In addition, we are working closely with the city to try and better understand our customers and deliver a more appropriate service. For example, we are running a lot of big data research to see how people are moving around the city in order to optimise and tailor our services along the lines of when and where people are actually moving.”

Indeed, in order to consistently deliver such a service, GVB has a number of innovative technology partners and is continuously seeking to work with new players in the market to gain improvements in rail safety and reductions in both operating and maintenance costs.

The company has, for example, recently undertaken

reflect the diversity of Amsterdam in its employment.

“We run an intensive programme with the city to help bring employment opportunities to disabled and unemployed people in particular, and are currently looking at employing refugees, especially those who have strong technical backgrounds to complement our maintenance teams,” Alexandra highlights. “In fact, we have very recently hired our first person who has come to Amsterdam as a refugee from Syria, and hope to continue this as we move forward.”

Running such a large and rapidly growing transport network through a period of evolution in the way people move around and between cities is no easy task, but GVB’s journey towards becoming a key mobility partner with Amsterdam and surrounding metropolitan areas is as exemplary as it is extensively diverse. “Looking for new solutions from broadening our coverage to partnering with other transport modes, whilst also running an effective every day service for our residents and visitors will all be big parts of our future, and we look forward to achieving this with the city as we move forward,” Alexandra concludes.

www.gvb.nl

a pilot project with Perpetuum, the global leader in vibration energy harvesting to monitor wheel bearing condition, which will help the business to plan maintenance on its most critical Combino units.

Furthermore, it is not just on the operation and improvement of its network that GVB’s focus is trained, but also on the socially responsible way it does so.

Environmentally, users of GVB will travel carbon neutrally by 2030 and socially it is currently on a big push to

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CROSSRAIL

All systems go

As Crossrail’s progress approaches 75 per cent completion we explore the innovations and challenges of the complex railway systems phase

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hen it enters operation in December 2018, Crossrail’s tunnelled section, which passes through Central London and Docklands, will mark the beginning of the end of one of the UK’s biggest construction projects in a generation.

Making its way from Royal Oak in the West all the way through to Pudding Mill Lane and Plumstead in the East, over 50km of track –- which will be known as the Elizabeth Line when the railway opens – will make its way

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through newly formed tunnels beneath London, passing through ten new stations and onto mainline track to Reading and Shenfield. As the extensive tunnelling work drew to completion in 2015, the installation of the railway systems is now in full swing. Taking on the main works of this phase is ATC – a Joint Venture between Alstom, Transports Sud Ouest (TSO) and Costain.

Speaking at the start of June 2016, Crossrail’s Construction Manager for the railway systems phase, Gregg Purcell, gives us an overview of the programme’s progress so far.

In the Eastern section, which begins at the Plumstead railhead, track has been installed all the way up the South Eastern branch to Stepney Green where it meets the North Eastern branch coming from Pudding Mill Lane. The 465-metre long concreting train is following this closely and is currently in operation five nights a

week. Out in the west, track has been installed from the Royal Oak portal through Paddington Station to Bond Street, with concreting here taking place three days a week.

Throughout Crossrail’s tunnelled section, five different types of track are being used. Eighty per cent of this will be made up of standard track slab, with direct fixed track being installed in the Victorian-engineered Connaught Tunnel and a few small areas benefitting from high attenuation sleepers, which further reduces noise and vibration. However, in two sections underneath Central London, Crossrail is making use of innovative floating track slabs (FTS), which significantly reduce noise and vibration in sensitive areas, with a light version being used under Soho and a heavier one underneath the Barbican.

Using the Fisher Street shaft as the main construction hub for FTS, 1.97km of the light system is currently

being installed under Soho, with around 85 per cent of reinforcement cages already put in place to receive the specialist concrete system. “We are looking to start concreting here from the middle of June, and hope to complete a fairly rapid plan of about three months,”

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CROSSRAIL

SBC Rail Ltd SBC Rail Ltd are currently supplying innovative concrete track solutions to Crossrail.

Around 63,000 Twin Block Booted Sleepers and 4500 High Attenuation Sleepers (HAS) have been designed in close collaboration with Consolis Group sister companies Stanton Bonna and Sateba.

The sleepers are primarily designed to attenuate noise and vibration whilst generating savings on both the track construction costs and programme.

The HAS is the result of a ten year investment programme between Sateba and Alstom to develop a cost effective alternative to traditional floating slab track.

Both SBC Rail and sister company Stanton Bonna are UK members of Consolis, Europe’s leading manufacturer of concrete railway sleepers and bearers with an annual production capacity of 3.5 million sleepers per year and over 40 years’ experience in the production of concrete railway sleepers for high speed lines.

Gregg explains. “At the end of May we also took possession of the Barbican section from the Farringdon team, which means we can now commence work on the 1.34km FTS (heavy) installation.”

In terms of M&E systems, equally significant progress is being made in the Eastern phase. “From Plumstead we are quite far advanced into the Thames Tunnels with installing physical infrastructure, such as Overhead Line Equipment (OHLE) systems and bracketry for all the permanent cable systems,” Gregg outlines. “In the North East branch our drilling rig is making good progress to prepare those tunnels as well. Temporary services

such as tunnel ventilation, which will be completed by September 2016, and safety systems like the fire mains, are also making good progress – as are the permanent ventilation installations at Canary Wharf, Whitechapel and Tottenham Court Road.”

Unsurprisingly, a project of such scale and complexity is not without its challenges. Chief amongst these is to maintain a consistent output of work to meet the tight deadlines posed by the Crossrail programme. “Whilst the timeline is highly achievable, it does require us to keep to a very tight and efficient programme,” Gregg explains.

“This include being able to overcome any unplanned challenges – mechanical, plant or even human issues – quickly and effectively. Our 23-wagon concrete batching plant, for instance, is nearly half a kilometre long and has around 2500 individual components and systems. Law of averages will suggest some things will go wrong, so we have to be prepared for this.”

Access through stations and shafts, which are increasingly lively development sites, too, also poses significant complexity, with Gregg noting that interface management between the station and rail systems teams is essential to overcoming these. “I was told quite early on that this project would get built because of the people and the relationships, and this has turned out to be absolutely correct,” he says. “I spent a lot of time at the beginning developing relationships with various station teams, explaining what we need and understanding their needs, so that we can all remain professional and do the best to accommodate each other. This is by far the most logistically complex and interface-heavy project I have ever worked on so this approach is absolutely vital.”

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Despite the extraordinary complexity of Crossrail, the development programme has proven to be an exemplary showcase of innovation. Four Multi Purpose Gantries (MPG), for instance, have been developed especially for the Crossrail tunnels, allowing the team to handle a range of materials and activities, including the accurate positioning of 70,000 sleepers and 57km of rail, and achieve incredibly high outputs within a single bore tunnel environment. “The MPG solves a whole host of issues,” highlights Gregg. “In terms of pure innovation it’s one of the cleverest pieces of plant I have seen in a long time.

Working through the tunnels is a very linear activity, which means we can take a slightly more production line mentality when approaching it, which the MPG supports, but it also provides the ability to magnify operations over 42km and develop some unique solutions in a slightly bigger context.”

One such solution is the use of a multi-access manipulator – technology borrowed from the tree felling industry. Used to help install fire mains systems, the highly flexible robotic arm has been attached to a Unimog and is able to manipulate long lengths of pipe into position whilst eliminating much of the human interface and therefore

in achieving high output and an effective workflow. In the North Eastern branch, for example, the drilling rig is completing its work before the tracks have been laid, whilst in the South Eastern the opposite occurred.

Logistically, this enables the team to make significant progress on each section concurrently.

“With many of these innovations we have been able to maintain the human element as the intelligent component organising, planning and programming the heavy duty labour, which can be carried out by a machine,” Gregg outlines. “Of course, final connections, fixings and fittings still have to be carried out by people, but we have significantly reduced the risks.” This ties into Crossrail’s overarching health and safety programme, which focuses on behavioural safety just as much as it does on mechanising processes. “We run numerous behaviouralsafety and front-line leadership initiatives to ensure that

Davlav Welfare Facilities A full range of welfare units from Davlav have provided the Crossrail workforce with clean and comfortable rest areas.

From the totally flexible drive anywhere seven person vans, to the range of towable units. Sizes range from 3.6m x 2.3m up to 6.0m x 2.3m and can be set up ready to use in minutes. All units are HSE compliant and fully equipped with seating, kitchen, separate toilet area and drying room.

All drivers and service staff are also Crossrail compliant as well as national rail approved.

Davlav are proud to be providing welfare support for this incredible project.

creating a much safer working environment. “It also allows us to maintain a very high standard of output with a very high quality level in a much safer manner,” adds Gregg.

Removing the human element from much of the physical process has been a key feature in the development of Crossrail’s one-of-a-kind drilling rig, as well. Using cloud surveying to digitally map the tunnels to a very high degree of accuracy, positions for the 250,000plus holes – to support the installation of bracketry and walkways – are programmed into the drilling rig, which then uses a series of robotic drilling arms to carry out the work. Capable of running on both track and concrete, the drilling rig has been designed to be highly flexible

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the right decisions are being made,” Gregg continues.

“This is supported by some very sophisticated root-cause analytics, which enable us to interrogate an incident right back to its origin and take appropriate preventative action accordingly.”

The Crossrail project is undeniably vast, but the way it has approached such unprecedented complexity by applying intelligent innovation alongside close cooperation is extraordinary. Gregg’s enthusiasm for taking on such a key project typifies the level of expertise and passionate professionalism across that thrives off of delivering such a critical piece of infrastructure to the people of London right across the programme. This is

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set to continue over the coming months, when numerous short-term milestones are set to be achieved, each marking even greater progress for Gregg and his team.

“In June we’ll start concreting our FTS systems, in July we will turn our concreting train around 180 degrees and in September we’ll be commissioning our temporary ventilation system,” he outlines. “There are lots of challenges ahead, but we have good momentum and all of these phases take us one step closer to November 2017, when we can start handing the tunnels over to rail operators for the beginning of dynamic testing.”

www.crossrail.co.uk

ADComms

Smart technology

for critical national

infrastructure

ADComms specialises in providing end-to-end technology based systems integration services across a range of sectors with a focus on transportation and critical national infrastructure utilising fixed and mobile network systems.With extensive experience across these markets, it has demonstrated an ability to provide innovative engineering solutions backed by commitment, quality and value to deliver world-class solutions

T

here is a perpetual move towards the digitalisation of many traditional systems within the industry, utilising IP networks to transport and deliver the data. This enables a wider use of the data to achieve more efficiency, capacity, reliability and potentially improving safety. Big Data, IoT, M2M brings potential advantages to the industry utilising a network of sensors and data analytics to deliver valuable information to improve reliability and operations.

This digital revolution is at the core of ADComms capabilities, integrating legacy systems and enabling new applications to be delivered using a mix of fixed and mobile communications infrastructure across the rail sector.

ADComms has a successful track record of delivering mission critical communications solutions for Network Rail, including the FTN/GSM-R and FTNx projects. Its committed, experienced team of field and project engineers carry out significant trackside installation and maintenance works on a daily basis, and takes pride in its excellent operational and safety record as a principle contractor.

As of June 2016 ADComms was acquired by Panasonic.

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Both companies have been engaged on addressing marked challenges for new technology implementations for some time, and have a strong collaborative approach to addressing the customer challenges across the rail sector. This new partnership will enable ADComms to take its business to the next level, something that Managing Director, Jason Pearce, discussed in more detail: “We will continue to trade as a separate business, wholly owned by Panasonic. This means we will retain our independence on both equipment and technology, but will gain access to the huge research and development capabilities at Panasonic – they have been in the top ten global companies for R&D spending over last 15 years, which is a real benefit as there is so much innovation needed in the transportation and rail sectors. On another key aspect it better enables us to scale, meaning we can take on bigger projects.� With such a positive and valuable relationship between ADComms and Panasonic, it will help ADComms advance even further in the future; the company will no doubt be positioned at the centre of the evolving rail sector.

ADComms and Panasonic have already started

combining skills and expertise on a recent project for Network Rail, jointly developing a hybrid off grid power solution using the Panasonic range of LithiumIon batteries and solar panels. The hybrid power solution integrates renewable energy sources in the way of Solar panels, combined with energy storage and traditional generator back up, delivering a high availability site solution for a safety critical system, while reducing the need to visit the site on a regular basis for expensive refuelling activity. This innovative solution has been deployed on a trial basis in the North East of England. To support the critical nature of the site ADComms ensures all elements of the solution are monitored and remotely managed back to a network operations centre. The site has been designed for a single yearly maintenance and refuelling visit while still providing 99.999 per cent availability.

The railways are a core part of the UK critical national infrastructure delivering people and products that enable UK PLC to operate. The rail infrastructure is heavily relied upon to deliver this on time all the time and any

delay or cancellation can cause great inconvenience and problems if not properly communicated. The solution to this will no doubt be related to the development of systems to monitor all aspects of trains, as was expanded on by Mark Weller, Business Development Director for ADComms: “An area which we are focused on with Panasonic is developing intelligent asset management which incorporates remote condition monitoring systems along with data analytics to provide real time insights to the status of critical systems and components. These assets effectively generate terabits of data and information on the rolling stock asset, which can be used for the asset owner or the consumer. Data analytics offers the ability to predict failure events, which can be actioned prior to failure improving the operation of the network, while passenger flow, and counting can improve the passenger experience through the station on board directing you to available seats during periods of congestion.”

Another issue that ADComms is addressing on the railways, is that of trespassing, something that is a constant nuisance and danger and risk to life.

The company has been utilising leading edge CCTV analytics solutions to identify unauthorised access to core infrastructure. Steve Harris, Director for ADComms, elaborated on the solution: “We have been working closely with Panasonic on smart CCTV at Durham station taking an advanced CCTV analytics solution and marking areas where any unauthorised access needs to be alarmed and notified through an automated system.

“We are working to create a reliable system to automate the identification of events which have the potential to affect the safety and reliability of the rail network through trespass while minimising false alarm triggers to the satisfaction of Network Rail. This enables more cameras to be utilised across a wider section of the network to improve detection. ADComms is developing a system that can perform an intelligent analysis so that if there is a problem it can signal an alert to the human operator to look at the specific event. The system is intelligently processing images from many cameras and identifying whether those images should be looked at more closely by the human operator. We are creating a smart way of identifying issues.” This will have clear benefits for many sectors across the world, where a discrepancy can be detected by the system and brought to the attention of the operator, potentially removing the chance of something being missed.

ADComms has built a reputation working on the

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ADComms

Cymarc Engineering Ltd Cymarc has been established for three decades, but it is only in the last four years that a trading relationship has been built up between both Cymarc and ADComms. The company is now privileged enough to be considered as an ‘A’ rated supplier by ADComms. Tempered by a professional service, it has built up an excellent trusting relationship built on sincerity and a genuine philosophy of wanting to do its best for ADComms and indeed all of its customers.

ADComms has responded positively to Cymarc’s approach resulting in a valued relationship and the accolade of being its strategic partner of choice of turnkey product solutions.

London Underground, and the systems it provides can help to increase capacity, improve reliability, and protect safety. Jason highlighted one aspect that the company has already worked on: “Our London Underground business is heavily focused on designing and installing CCTV systems at stations which allow the driver to see if the doors have closed correctly, that there aren’t people or objects trapped in closed doors, or still trying to get on the train. A key focus for Panasonic is taking the analytics solutions to improve the reliability and safety related to issues of this type, making the system smart.”

ADComms is developing this technology that will no doubt shape the future of rail industry improving safety and reliability, as well as many other sectors. It will enable useful information to be separated from the vast amounts of captured data providing the right information to the right place at the right time, the benefits of which could be extensive.

Within the ADComms Group, Rail Order, has expanded from its traditional supply & logistics offering, to building on core technology strengths of the group to bring innovative products for the rolling stock businesses.

Rob Illsley, Managing Director for Rail Order, states that: “Rail Order’s Darwin fed Real-Time on train Passenger Information Systems have now been successfully deployed with a number of Train Operating Companies.

With a vision of the intelligent train combining – high speed data offload, onboard reliable WiFi systems, onboard infotainment, and improved travel experience, and data analytics on train performance have been well received by passengers and train operating companies.

Other enhancements including improved carriage air

quality, and USB Seat charging points have been well received. As a Panasonic Company, we benefit from the latest CCTV security technologies which lend themselves well to safety systems, forward facing and internal style camera solutions.”

The future for ADComms seems stronger than ever, not only is it a successful business providing technology solutions to long held problems in the rail industry, it now has the resources and investment by one of the world’s leading and most trusted brands to bring improvements to the industry. Its future will be that of continuing innovative advancements as well as offering maintenance and upgrades to existing systems. The positivity and ambition at ADComms is palpable, all of which points to a growing business with an expanding client list.

www.alandickcomms.com

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NEWS I Conferences & Exhibitions Forthcoming Conferences and Exhibitions This listing represents a selection of the events about which we have been notified. It is strongly recommended that direct contact should be made with the individual organiser responsible for each event before booking places or making travel and accommodation reservations. Cancellations and other last-minute alterations are liable to occur. The editor and publishers of RAILWAY STRATEGIES are not responsible for any loss or inconvenience suffered by readers in connection with this guide to events.

14 September UK Rail Industry Forum Where: Denton’s, London Organiser: Waterfront Tel: 02070 671 597 Email: conference@thewaterfront.co.uk Web: www.waterfrontconferencecompany.com/ conference-calendar 14-16 September hEART 2016 An interdisciplinary Transport research conference Where: Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands Organiser: Delft University of Technology Tel: +31 (0)15 278 4915 Email: info@heart2016.org Web: www.heart2016.org/ 20-23 September InnoTrans 2016 Where: Messe, Berlin Organiser: Messe Berlin Tel: +49 30 3038 2376 Email: innotrans@messe-berlin.de Web: www.innotrans.de/en 5-7 October European Transport Conference Connecting the worlds of research, consultancy, policy and practice Where: Barcelona, Spain Organiser: Association for European Transport Web: etcproceedings.org

18 – 20 October Civils Expo (Part of Construction Week) Where: NEC, Birmingham Organiser: Media 10 Ltd Tel: 02032 255 200 Email: sema.tezel@media-ten.com Web: www.civilexpo.co.uk

22-23 November East Africa Rail Where: Radisson Blu Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: Tarryn Theunissen +27 11 516 4044 Email: tarryn.theunissen@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/east-africa-rail/

7-10 November 18th International Wheelset Congress Where: InterContinental Century City, Chengdu, China Organiser: IWC Email: info@iwc2016.com Web: www.iwc2016.com

22-24 November Intelligent Rail Summit Where: Railway Museum, Naples, Italy Organiser: Railtech Tel: +31 627 841 198 Email: mbrouwers@europoint.eu Web: www.railtech.com/intelligent-rail-summit-2016

10-11 November ITA Tunnelling Conference & Awards 2016 Where: Singapore Organiser: International Tunnelling Association Tel: +41 21 693 23 10 Email: awards@ita-aites.org Web: awards.ita-aites.org 14-15 November Rail Revenue, Rail Customer, Rail Ticketing, Rail IT Where: Sofitel Legend The Grand, Amsterdam Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: 02070 921 237 Email: daniel.boyle@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/conference/rail-revenue

7-8 March 2017 Middle East Rail Where: Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, UAE Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: +97 144 402 501 Email: Jamie.hosie@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/middle-east-rail/ 28-30 March 2017 RailTech 2017 Where: Utrecht, the Netherlands Organiser: RailTech Tel: +31 306 981 802 Email: sales@railtech.com Web: www.railtech.com/railtech-2017

Institute of Mechanical Engineers Training Courses Technical training for the railway industry A listing of courses currently available from the IMechE (Unless stated otherwise, all courses are in London) 1 November Introduction to rolling stock Provides a basic understanding of the role of traction and rolling stock within the context of railway systems as a whole.

2 November Traction and braking Principles of traction and braking for railway engineers 3 November Vehicle acceptance and approvals Introduction to acceptance procedures which apply across the rail network 7-11 November Introduction to railway signalling technologies An overview of railway control systems, subsystems and technologies used on UK main line and metro railways

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8 November Fleet Maintenance - Introduction Improve your processes and fleet maintenance processes 9 November Fleet maintenance - Advanced Understand the issues affecting rail vehicle performance and cost of maintenance

23 November Vehicle dynamics and vehicle track interaction Understand the dynamics of railway vehicles to improve safety, comfort and asset life 24 November Structural integrity Structural integrity, fire and crashworthiness systems found on today’s rail fleets

10 November Train communication and auxiliary systems New and existing systems in use on today’s rolling stock fleet 22 November Train control and safety systems Learn of the systems used on UK fleets that provide safety and train operational control

For more information Tel: 0207 304 6907 Email: training@imeche.org Web: www.imeche.org/learning-and-development/ courses/railway

Editor Gay Sutton

editor@railwaystrategies.co.uk Sales Director Joe Woolsgrove

jwoolsgrove@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

www.railway-strategies.com

Schofield Publishing 10 Cringleford Business Centre Intwood Road Cringleford Norwich NR4 6AU

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