Railway Strategies Issue 144 August 2017

Issue 144 August 2017

August in London

Major rail projects to reach their peak over the bank holiday

NEWS

UK adopts the most stringent punctuality measures in Europe Government abandons raft of electrification plans CAF to build manufacturing plant in Wales

FEATURE

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Communications – inside DLR and Nottingham’s NET

Machine learning and AI – the next data revolution

Bringing corporates and SMEs into collaboration

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

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From the Editor

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Rail intelligence

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othing is more constant than change. And the older you get, the more that statement rings true. In this month’s issue of Railway Strategies, we are taking a look at innovation. And interestingly, the industry news has moved in that direction with us this month.

The breaking news is that yesterday Network Rail announced sweeping new reforms aimed at bringing new innovation and energy into the heart of the rail industry. Among these are a regular pipeline of third party project opportunities to bring creative new suppliers into the sector; more flexibility is to be introduced into the railway standards; and perhaps most interestingly, there is to be a rewards scheme where money saved from introducing a new idea is shared between Network Rail and the company or individual. All of this is supported by a raft of new processes to make it happen safely and effectively.

Over the past few years we have written about many aspects of digitisation of the railways, from the gradual introduction of ETCS through to using real time data to improve maintenance and rail operations. Our the article on page 14, Harnessing big data, looks beyond this. Big data is being used in extraordinary ways by some of the world’s best technology companies. Utilising technology such as cloud computing, open-source NoSQL databases and real-time stream processing technology, they are doing some amazing things with machine learning and artificial intelligence that go far beyond the applications currently being introduced into the rail sector.

If Network Rail can tap into these innovations through its new reforms, it might be possible avoid reinventing the wheel and take a truly quantum leap forward.

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Features Communications excellence 8 Innovative new ways of communicating have been adopted on the DLR and Nottingham’s NET. The result? A significant rise in customer satisfaction ALISTAIR GORDON

News Industry 4 Infrastructure 6 Rolling stock 11 Stations 13 Innovation 17 Conferences & exhibitions 36

From the cover 4 6 7 8 11 14 22

New punctuality measures Cover story Electrification plans abandoned Communications – DLR and Nottingham NET New CAF plant in Wales Next data revolution Corporates & SMEs collaboration

Focus on Innovation Harnessing big data 14 The rail industry is rich in data, and already exploiting it for delay recovery. But machine learning, artificial intelligence and modern technology promise so much more DANIEL CHICK TES takes centre stage 18 Network Rail sees through-life engineering services as the future. We examine the changes needed for a move from product-based to a service-based asset management PROF RAJ ROY

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Patent of the month 21 Protecting the IP of a revolutionary new weighing device from IVM that identifies bogie wheel issues ROSIE HARDY With eyes open... 22 Collaboration between SMEs and corporates is not always easy. How can this meeting of different cultures be achieved successfully to deliver fast track rail innovation?

DAVID REWCASTLE

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ory t s r e v 6Co

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25 Profiles 25 Metrolink RATP Dev 30 ADComms 32 Multipulse Electronics 34 Southeastern

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IN BRIEF Go ahead for 5 new stations l The DfT has given the go ahead for 5 new stations to be built across England and Wales. The new stations at Horden Peterlee in County Durham, Warrington West in Cheshire, Reading Green Park, Bow Street in Ceredigion, Wales and Portway Parkway near Bristol are expected to cost a total of £53.24m. Government will contribute £16m under the New Stations Fund.

UK Rail companies adopt the most stringent train punctuality measure in Europe

Railcards go digital l A new mobile app, developed by the RDG in conjunction with customers and rail staff, will bring railcards into the digital era.

Customers will be able to download the app, then buy and store railcars on their smartphones. The scheme is launching with the 16-25 railcard, and the full range of national railcards should be available by the end of the autumn.

Rail locking systems research l Pickersgill-Kaye is redeveloping its Leeds facility, with investment from parent company ASSA ABLOY, to create a dedicated R&D facility and rail locking systems centre of excellence. Changes include new office areas which will bring together procurement and sales, and labs equipped with the latest design and computer technology.

Higher technical skills training l The National College for High Speed Rail will be running the UK’s first Higher Technical Certificate in High Speed Rail and Infrastructure, when it opens its doors in September.

The level 4 qualification is available at Doncaster and Birmingham as either a 1 year of full-time course, or two years part-time. Students will be mentored by an employer and spend a third of their time on a work placement. Website: nchsr.ac.uk

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l Britain’s rail companies are putting into practice the most transparent measure for train punctuality in Europe, as part of an industry drive to improve services for the long-term.

The existing government-set punctuality measure considers short and long distance trains to be on time even if they arrive up to 10 minutes late. The new measure, launched last month and adopted by all TOCs, reports the proportion of trains arriving to the minute. It also includes measures for intermediate stations as well as the final destination, although at the

moment, technology limitations mean that train punctuality can be measured to the minute for around 80% of station calls.

The industry is looking at ways to improve this figure, including the use of on-board GPS data.

In the most recent four week period (28 May and 24 June), the new measure shows that 64.8% of trains arrived to the minute and 91.7% arrived within 5 minutes.

The new measure is expected to become a benchmark for Network Rail when its next funding period begins in April 2019.

Efforts to improve rail performance begin to bear fruit l The latest rail passenger satisfaction report from the independent watchdog, Transport Focus, shows that overall passenger satisfaction has risen to the highest level in over 4 years, increasing by 3% to 83% over the last year. This is the highest satisfaction score since autumn 2012 and the joint highest ever for the spring version of the survey.

The National Rail Passenger Survey, which measures satisfaction of more than 27,000 passengers, indicates that a period of more stable performance has led to improvements in passengers’ experience.

Anthony Smith, chief executive of Transport Focus, said: “Passengers using services in London and the South East have seen an improvement with an increase in overall satisfaction from 79% last year to 82% this year. The figures for Southern in particular show a significant recovery

in passengers’ experience with a number of factors including the helpfulness and availability of on board staff and also of staff at the station. Southeastern also saw their overall satisfaction scores increase by 10%. These green shoots are fragile and need nurturing. This recovery will be under pressure from upgrade works, industrial relationship problems and rising passenger numbers. So the industry needs to keep a relentless, ongoing focus on performance and reliability.”

The highest overall satisfaction scores were recorded by Hull Trains (97%), Heathrow Express (97%), Grand Central (94%), Merseyrail (94%), Chiltern (92%) and Virgin Trains (West Coast) (92%). The lowest satisfaction scores were seen on Southern (72%), Thameslink (75%), Great Northern (79%), Southeastern (81%) and Great Western Railway (81%).

NEWS I Industry

The National College for High Speed Rail runs event to attract more women engineers

l The National College for High Speed Rail, which will be opening in September, has organised an event to attract more girls into engineering, as part of fourth annual Women in Engineering Day celebrations.

School girls from across Sheffield and Birmingham took part in a series of challenges set by former Young engineer of the Year and BBC presenter, Steph McGovern. These included producing a new smart and high-tech, high-visual vest, designed to test their problemsolving and creative design abilities during interactive workshops, led by female engineering ambassadors.

The workshops were delivered by The National College for High Speed Rail in partnership with WorkWise, and the Sheffield engineering and manufacturing business, Tinsley Bridge. It was hosted at the Tinsley Bridge site.

The National College for High Speed Rail, is looking to encourage more young women into the rail sector, as females currently account for just 9% of the UK’s engineering workforce.

Clair Mowbray, chief executive of the National College for High Speed Rail, said: “One of the fundamental challenges we have, is encouraging more females to consider a career in the industry.

Our message is clear – we have a cuttingedge new training facility to create the future generation of rail workers. With Britain’s move into high speed rail and HS2 alone set to create 25,000 new jobs, careers in this industry are set to become more and more sought after.

The National College for High Speed Rail is the gateway for young people to learn the skills they need to take up a once-in-a-generation opportunity to work on Europe’s largest and most exciting infrastructure project.”

RSG and RDG form a new partnership to give the rail sector a more powerful voice l A new partnership between the Rail Supply Group (RSG) and the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) looks set to strengthen the voice of the rail industry, better coordinate the work of both groups, and give Government and stakeholders a one-stop-shop for relations with the industry.

The arrangement maintains the RSG’s independence, but it will become a new strategic board of the RDG, and its chair will become a full member of the RDG’s board. The partnership has also appointed programme director Anna Del Vecchio as an industry secondee, to ensure that the supply chain’s independence is maintained.

The partnership has many aims and benefits including streamlining activities and avoiding duplication, promoting closer collaboration between TOCs, Network Rail and their supply chains, and delivering a clearer view of RSG’s unique activities around exports, imports and inward investment.

RSG Chair Gordon Wakeford said: “This announcement builds on the success the RSG has had since the launch of the sector strategy, establishing clear work streams and bringing the supply chain together. By plugging into the resources, structures and expertise of the RDG, the Rail Supply Group can do more to drive growth in the supply chain. We now have the right structure in place to ensure we deliver on our priorities – driving growth, accelerating innovation, growing exports, and investing in our people.

These are shared priorities, and I look forward to working with the RDG in continuing to deliver them.”

RDG chief executive Paul Plummer said: “This partnership cements the good relationship between the RDG and the RSG, and will ensure that we are even more co-ordinated and joined-up. As one team working together we can give the railway and the rail supply chain a more powerful voice.”

IN BRIEF £30m for innovation l THE Institute of Railway Research at the Huddersfield University is to receive almost £30m from the new UK Railway Research and Innovation Network, to create the Rolling Stock Innovation Centre. The Institute already has state-of-the-art facilities, but will be expanding those with an extended range of full-scale advanced test rigs to accelerate the adoption of new rail technology.

The centre should open in 2019.

GTR rolls out free Wi-Fi l Having successfully gone live with free Wi-Fi on board the Gatwick Express 10 months ago and on the newly introduced Class 387 trains on the Great Northern line, GTR is to begin rolling free Wi-Fi out across other fleets in its network. These will include Southern’s metro and West London Line trains, Thameslink and other routes.

HS2 design build lots l CEK, a joint venture between of Carillion, Eiffage and Kier, has been awarded design and build contracts for 2 of the 3 central contracts for HS2 Phase 1. These are C2, the north portal Chiltern tunnels to Brackley which is worth £724m, and C3 the Brackley to Long Itchington Wood Green tunnel south portal which is worth £616m. HS2 is scheduled to open in 2026.

Class 800s pass baseline 3 ETCS tests l Hitachi’s new Class 800 intercity trains, due to enter passenger service on the Great Western main line from this autumn, have passed advanced Baseline 3 ETCS tests at Network Rail’s signalling facility ENIF in Hitchin. Testing included recreating real life scenarios experienced on the UK rail network and ensuring the new system met rigorous safety requirements.

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IN BRIEF Historic Lydgate viaduct is repaired l A £750k project to repair and strengthen the Grade II listed Lydgate viaduct in Calderdale should be completed by September. Work on the 13 arch viaduct, originally built by George Stephenson in 1908, began in May. One arch at the Burnley end of the viaduct is being strengthened, and brickwork along the whole of the viaduct is being repaired. Services between Todmorden and Burnley are not affected.

Deal signed for new Metrolink extension l MPT, a consortium of Laing O’Rourke, VolkerRail and Thales, has been contracted to design and construct Manchester’s new 3.4mile Metrolink extension to the intu Trafford Centre The £350m funding for the scheme comes from the Devolution Agreement’s Earn Back deal, with a £20m contribution from Trafford Council. MPT has already delivered several Metrolink extensions including the Second City Crossing.

Does rail devolution work? l A new report from the Urban Transport Group has revealed that there has been a dramatic increase in performance, reliability and passenger satisfaction where local rail services have been devolved from Whitehall. The report looked at Merseyside, London Overground, Scotland and Tyne & Wear, and concluded there has been more innovation and investment, and rail services planned with wider economic, social and environmental goals in mind.

South Gloucestershire flood alleviation scheme l Work has begun on a major 10 month flood alleviation scheme at Chipping Sodbury. The area between Badminton station and the Kingrove stream has been flooding regularly in bad weather. To increase the area’s resilience, an existing storage lagoon is being expanded and a new pumping system is being installed to carry excess rain water to it more quickly.

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Work on major rail programmes to reach a peak this August

Aerial photo of Waterloo station and the line into Charing Cross l More than £133m is to be invested in the biggest August bank holiday railway upgrade programme ever undertaken. During this quieter holiday period, many major projects that form part of Network Rail’s £50bn railway upgrade programme will be reaching their climax and moving into the final stages. Many other upgrades will also be taking place around the country.

Network Rail chief executive, Mark Carne, said: “This August, will see major milestones met on crucial London infrastructure projects including Crossrail, Thameslink and the Waterloo and South West Upgrade. These huge investment projects now need several uninterrupted days to complete critical work.”

At London Waterloo, work to extend platforms 1-4 at will take place throughout August, but platforms 1 through to 10 will also be closed from Sat 5 to Mon 28 Aug so that new track can be

laid on the approaches to platforms 1-8, and the far ends of platforms 5-8 can be realigned and rebuilt. Between Fri 25 and Mon 28 the closure will extend to platforms 1-14.

For the Thameslink Program, the rebuilding of London Bridge station and the surrounding railway will continue between Sat 26 Aug and Sat 2 Sept, and major work will also take place on the lines into Charing Cross between Sat 27 Aug and Sat 2 Sept.

A number of major upgrades are being carried out between London Liverpool Street and Shenfield / Ingatestone / Billericay / Barking over the Bank Holiday in preparation for Elizabeth line services in 2017.

Finally, HS2 enabling works will be getting underway at Euston, and the station will be shut down on Sat 26 and Sun 27 Aug while engineers install a new power supply.

Government agrees to an increase in renewals activity for CP6 l Transport secretary Chris Grayling has announced the publication of the 2017 High Level Output Specification (HLOS), and confirmed that it focuses on “issues that matter most to passengers” such as punctuality and reliability.

The HLOS, which covers Control Period 6 (2019 to 2024), therefore homes in on the operation, maintenance and renewal of the existing railway. After taking independent advice from the Office of Rail and Road, as well as from the rail industry, the government has agreed that an increased volume of renewals activity will be needed over the

course of CP 6, to maintain safety and improve on current levels of reliability and punctuality, which it says has in places fallen short of the levels that passengers expect.

The enhanced renewals programme will be supported by appropriate volumes of operations and maintenance activity required to maintain safety and improve the reliability and punctuality of train services.

Before committing to specific levels of funding, the government is to carry out further work to better understand the likely costs of the programme. Funding will be announced in a separate statement by 13 October 2017.

NEWS I Infrastructure

Bermondsey Dive Under wins recognition for its contribution to the environment

IN BRIEF Ordsall Chord - the final countdown l Work on the Ordsall Chord has entered its final phase. In the run up to completion in December 2017, further track realignment will take place and new junctions are to be installed at Water Street and Irwell Street. Other works to be completed include finishing major signalling work, ballast laying and the installation of the remaining overhead line equipment for electric trains.

Digital Railway needs the best Wild flowers growing on one of the Burmondsey Dive Under embankments l The Bermondsey Dive Under, the new railway junction to the east of London Bridge station that untangles the tracks approaching the busy Thameslink station, has been awarded the CEEQUAL ‘Excellent’ award of 96.6%, for increasing biodiversity in the Bermondsey area by 113%.

Before construction started in 2012, the site had limited botanical diversity and low conservation value. It was scattered with the previous tenant’s debris and the soil was heavily contaminated with asbestos, Japanese Knotweed and hydrocarbons.

Network Rail in partnership with Skanska

and Rambol removed over 21,900 tonnes of contaminated material and eradicated the Japanese Knotweed. To increase biodiversity and offset vegetation lost in the process of removing the contaminated soils, 765m 2 of green walls were installed under arches and access ramps, and wildflowers were planted on the railway embankments creating green corridors and stepping stones to the wider area. The project has increased biodiversity in the area by 113%.

CEEQUAL is an international evidencebased sustainability assessment, rating and awards scheme for civil engineering

DfT abandons plans to electrify key routes in Wales,the Midlands and the north l The Department for Transport has set out plans for new trains on the Midland Main Line, Great Western Main Line and in the Lake District, which it says will make disruptive electrification works between Cardiff and Swansea, Kettering, Nottingham and Sheffield, and between Windermere and Oxenholme, unnecessary.

Modern bi-mode Class 800 trains, capable of running under diesel power, and under a catenary, are to be introduced on these services on the Great Western and Midland Main Line, while Northern is beginning trials on alternative-fuelled trains for the Lake District.

Passengers, according to DfT, will benefit sooner and experience less disruption compared with putting up intrusive wires and masts along routes where they are no longer required.

Rail campaigners have criticised the decision. Bruce Williamson from the group Railfuture said: “We recognise that the costs of the schemes have spiralled, but the way forward is to address the cause of these cost problems rather than simply abandoning electrification schemes. Electric trains can deliver huge improvements on cost, reliability and performance, and these lines must be electrified in the longer term.”

l Digital Railway Programme has engaged with many household names to establish ways they can work together to harness the latest innovations, knowledge and expertise from beyond the rail sector. Issues around culture and leadership, data, communications and commercial strategies were common themes. Most prominent was the need to acquire and then build a common data set, and to more robustly challenge conventional thinking.

Dauntsey track lowering completed l The line between Chippenham and Swindon has re-opened following a £3.5m drainage upgrade and tracklowering project at Dauntsey. The track has been lowered under two listed bridges in preparation for the introduction of GWR’s new Intercity Express Trains, and a drainage culvert has been installed to reduce the chance of the line flooding in the future.

Liverpool and Chester to be linked l Work has begun on a project to reinstate the 1.5 mile Halton Curve for passenger services, linking the Chester/ Warrington and the Liverpool/Crewe lines.

Upgrades to track and signalling on the curve at Frodsham Junction will enable new hourly services in both directions between Liverpool and Chester. The £18.75m project is being funded through the Government’s Growth Deal and the Liverpool City Region.

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COMMUNICATIONS

Communications

excellence...

...is key to boosting passenger satisfaction. ALISTAIR GORDON explains how this has been achieved on DLR and Nottingham’s NET

P Above ALISTAIR GORDON is chief executive of international rail operator Keolis UK

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assenger numbers across both heavy and light rail networks in the UK have doubled over the past twenty years. The latter alone experienced a 5.8 per cent year-on-year rise between 2014/15 and 2015/16, according to the DfT. In response, many networks are being expanded and improved to bring more capacity and provide a better service for additional passengers. This provides added impetus for operators like Keolis to ensure that passengers are given a highquality customer experience. It’s imperative that this goes beyond merely passing on information. Communication should be a core focus for all rail operators to ensure that customers feel valued from the moment they decide to travel on a network to the moment they reach their destination.

Keolis UK operates two of the highest-performing light rail networks in the country, London’s Docklands Light Railway (DLR) in partnership with infrastructure specialist Amey, and Nottingham Express Transit (NET).

Together these networks handle 130 million passenger journeys per year and both networks are consistently amongst the highest rated in the country for passenger satisfaction according to Transport Focus’ bi-annual surveys. These results are driven by a commitment to communication, by placing the customer at the heart of all our operations. Each network has had specific challenges to address and by providing communication through new channels that had not been fully utilised before, Keolis was able to maintain high levels of customer satisfaction.

Image Courtesey of Mike Garnett

Communication both on and off the network In an increasingly digital age, customers expect an accessible, responsive service via a range of channels.

Rail travel is no exception, but in serving a huge demographic there is no ‘one size fits all’ strategy. Efforts must then be made to ensure communication is available in a variety of forms to make it accessible to everyone, particularly during periods of transformation, when customers are likely to need more assistance.

For example, NET has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, completing a forwardthinking £650 million Phase Two expansion in August 2015. This increased the size of the network to 32km and opened up tram travel to more customers, doubling

passenger journeys to 12.2 million per year as of March 2016. The works represented both an opportunity and a challenge for Keolis, to manage this transition and communicate changes to passengers to ensure their experience remained positive. The project involved not only adding additional routes to the network, but also upgrading the service to become more efficient, taking advantage of digital technologies to provide support across more channels.

In order to embrace digital ticketing – including smart cards and mobile payments – the NET consortium took the decision to move to off-tram ticketing, removing on-board ticket conductors. This shift represented a communications challenge for the customer service team, to help passengers make a smooth transition without relying on a visible on-board presence. To tackle this we invested in the customer service team’s presence on social media and over the phone, and created a dedicated travel centre in the middle of Nottingham to provide face-to-face interaction to passengers that prefer it.

To ensure that passengers had access to the most up-to-date information possible, the back-office customer service team was physically relocated to be based in the network’s control centre. This was both a symbolic shift (placing customer communication at the centre of NET’s operations) and a practical one, as any disruptions could be relayed in real time to passengers and detailed contingency plans could be communicated in the most efficient way possible. By focusing so heavily on communication, the network received praise from the Institute of Customer Service for not only cutting the number of complaints but also resolving them with higher

Main picture Docklands Light Railway Above Tram on Nottingham’s NET

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COMMUNICATIONS

travel screen updates and gave customers a more personalised and interactive service.

Providing the skills

Above Tram on Nottingham’s NET

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satisfaction levels – resulting in a complaints index score of 79.3, compared with a national average of 67 for the UK transport sector. This progress was further evidenced

by Transport Focus’ bi-annual satisfaction survey following the opening of the new lines, which scored the NET an impressive 98 per cent – making it the UK’s highest performing tram network.

While our strategy for NET was to bring more digitalisation to the network, our approach to the DLR was driven by different priorities.

When our joint venture with Amey (KeolisAmey Docklands – KAD) took over operation of the DLR in December 2014, we made it an early priority to bring a stronger physical staff presence to the network. The DLR has operated as a driverless network since opening in 1987, and working in close partnership with Transport for London we wanted to encourage a more visibly personable, customer-centric culture on this famously automated system.

In a network first, KAD introduced a new team of dedicated customer service advisors at stations to help welcome passengers onto the network and provide information and support, particularly during peak travel times and periods of disruption. This opened up instant communication outside of tannoy announcements or

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from Keolis’ global experience running urban transport networks, it’s that it is impossible to expect customers to receive a quality service if staff have not been trained to provide it. Across all of our networks, both in the UK and abroad, Keolis places a great importance on instilling a culture of good customer service. We call this ‘thinking like a customer’ and it’s an ethos that is behind every initiative we have introduced on the DLR and NET. In practical terms, this means all team members, regardless of their role, have been given training to understand how their actions can impact a customer’s experience.

At NET, we demonstrated this commitment by becoming accredited by the Institute of Customer Service. We invested in training all customer-facing staff in the Institute’s approved qualifications, part of which included employees identifying potential areas for improvement across the network. This resulted in the origination of 72 new customer-focused initiatives, designed to drive a more customer-centric culture throughout all areas of the business.

Customer training can also be used to target specific areas for improvement, particularly revenue protection and reducing anti-social behaviour on a network. On the DLR, special revenue teams were trained extensively on how to create positive customer interactions while increasing the number of ticket checks from two per cent to over 18 per cent of passengers per day.

Looking to the future In July 2017, the successful partnership demonstrated on the DLR between Keolis and Amey is set to expand, with the joint venture KeolisAmey appointed to operate the UK’s largest light rail network, Manchester Metrolink. The expertise and insights we have gained from managing both the NET expansion works and the high volume of services on the DLR will be invaluable, as the Metrolink network is scheduled to build the new 5.5km Trafford Park Line to open by 2021.

These works will need effective communication to passengers while keeping performance and satisfaction levels high. KeolisAmey will again draw upon its prior experience to increase customer communication on the network by increasing staff presence and running engagement sessions. And, significant investments in staff will be made to not only increase the workforce, but ensure they have the skills to deliver the ambitious expansion planned for the network and maintain Metrolink’s high performance.

NEWS I Rolling stock

CAF to build new manufacturing plant in South Wales CAF tram in service in Birmingham l Spanish train manufacturer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) has announced it will be building trains and trams for the UK rail network from a new factory near Newport, South Wales, from autumn 2018.

CAF is ploughing £30m into a new manufacturing facility on Celtic Business Park, a 100-acre industrial development on the site of the Llanwern steelworks. The location was chosen because of its links to roads, rail and ports, as well as the availability of local people with engineering skills.

The new 46,000m2 facility will initially employ 200 people when it opens in autumn 2018, rising to 300 by 2019. It is being designed for flexibility, and will be capable of building anything from diesel multiple units (DMUs) and electric multiple units (EMUs), to trams and high speed trains.

The new factory is an integral part of CAF’s strategy to win more contracts to supply rolling stock to UK operators. The company is targeting projects with Transport for London, including London Underground and the Docklands Light Railway, as well as High Speed 2 and the Wales and Borders, West Midlands and South Eastern franchises.

CAF has already supplied Spanish manufactured trams for Edinburgh’s tram system and the Midland Metro, and currently has contracts to build some 300 trains and coaches for the UK market. These include 98 DMUs and EMUs for the next Northern franchise; 12 EMUs and 66 coaches for TransPennine Express; and 75 coaches for the Caledonian Sleeper service.

Richard Garner, CAF’s UK director said: “The factory will have the flexibility to allow us to respond to the exacting demands of both existing and new customers by providing the most complete offering of any rolling stock provider operating in the UK.” The company has received significant grant support from the Welsh Government’s Inward Investment Programme.

Rolling stock in jeopardy as Coventry railway museum forced to close l The Electric Railway Museum, which is located close to Coventry Airport and the Warwickshire village of Baginton, is to close to the public. The site it stands on has been earmarked for commercial development, so landowner Coventry City Council has not renewed the museum’s lease. Despite concerted efforts behind the scenes, an alternative location for the attraction has not been found.

The trustees have said that unless an urgent solution is found over the coming weeks, the museum will close on Sunday 8 October.

The museum celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, and houses the largest private collection of electric trains in the UK, representing over a century of technological

progress. The collection includes examples of commuter trains, battery-electric locomotives, underground carriages, high speed express units and specialist line side equipment such as signalling and current collection apparatus.

The museum also undertakes traction and rolling stock restoration and operation, and collects and displays historically relevant technical and photographic material.

Museum chairman, Ian Brown CBE, FCILT, said: “We are already actively working with the railway heritage sector and external partners to ensure that locomotives and vehicles currently on the site are not endangered, with a view in the longer term to establish a new location for our core collection and privately-owned items.”

IN BRIEF Grand Central receives first Baseline 3 ETCS train l The first Class 180 train fitted with Alstom’s Baseline 3 Atlas 200 European Train Control System (ETCS) has been delivered to Grand Central for the East Coast Mainline. Initially the system will be rolled out to 10 Class 180 trains which will be put through a programme of phased development and testing that is expected to result in full Baseline 3 R2 authorisation in 2019.

Refurbished grab rails for Southern l Crewe-based TBM Rail has begun a complete refurbishment of passenger grab poles, rails and handles for the Southern fleet of Class 377 vehicles. The upgrade work involves sand-blasting the old polyester layers, before applying a new coating of Nylon R-AG from Omnikote. Nearly 700 carriages are to be overhauled over 3 years, with vehicles only out of service for a week.

Eurostar donates power cars to college l Alstom and Eurostar are donating 2 Eurostar power cars to the National College for High Speed Rail. Two classic original e300/ Class 373s are being fully refurbished by Alstom before being sent to college’s two campuses, Doncaster and Birmingham, where they will provide students with the valuable opportunity to study, in-depth, existing high-speed technology.

Rolling stock boost for Wales l The Welsh Government has announced that 5 extra 4-carriage class 319 flex bi-mode trains are to be bought for the Welsh railways, with £1.9m of Welsh Government funding and £1m from Arriva Trains Wales.

Built in the 1980s the trains have been in service on Thameslink, but are to be fitted with diesel engines for service in Wales, and will be added to existing rolling stock in 2018.

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Aspire

Rail Keltbray Aspire and Keltbray Rail are leading providers of overhead line electrification design and build; from consultancy to delivery across the UK. Our expertise enables us to maximise rail availability while minimising disruption, and we have a track record in delivering some of the most complex projects in overhead line construction, piling and foundations, and high voltage power supplies for our clients.

INNOVATION IN ENGINEERING

Keltbray Group St Andrew’s House Portsmouth Road Esher Surrey KT10 9TA T 020 7643 1000 T enquiries@keltbray.com www.keltbray.com

NEWS I Stations

New research reveals stations pose extremely low risk to passengers Fatality risk in different transport modes Per traveller kilometre

l New research published by RSSB has confirmed that there is no difference in the risk to the passenger between a guard-operated or driver only operated train. Moreover, train travel is by far the safest form or travel.

A forensic investigation into six years of recent safety data (2010-2015) looked at all the relevant recorded incidents at the platform edge on the national rail network. It concluded that the risk to passengers associated with train dispatch – the processes used by staff to ensure trains leave stations safely – to be extremely low.

According to RSSB, the high levels of safety evident implies individual rail companies are adept at managing the specific risks local to their operations and will continue to enjoy a good safety record so long as attention is focused on managing their risks appropriately – regardless of what operation techniques they use.

With over 1.73bn passenger journeys made, using over 2,500 stations in the 2016-17 financial year, the overall harm to passengers has actually fallen, with fewer major injuries due to slips, trips and falls being recorded.

And while 2016-17 saw 4 fatalities to passengers in accidents at the platform edge, this is roughly comparable to the risk of being killed from a lightning strike (about 2 or 3 a year in the UK), and compares to 500 deaths a year in the UK due to food poisoning, and about 1,800 deaths on the roads.

Past investigations also show that deaths at the platform edge are often linked with intoxication and individual passenger behaviour, and can occur in a range of circumstances, most often when no train is present at the time.

The latest figures also continue to confirm train travel as one of the safest forms of transport, the car being 21 times as risky, the bicycle nearly 400 times and motorcycle nearly 1,400 times.

White Hart Lane station to get a facelift Artist’s impression of the new station

l Transport for London (TfL) has awarded a £17.8m contract to Taylor Woodrow, part of VINCI Construction UK, to design and rebuild White Hart Lane station.

The station, which handles 1.3m customers a year, is to be completely transformed with a new ticket hall located at the centre of the platforms on Love Lane, a new additional entrance on Penshurst Road and two new lifts to provide step-free access from the street to platform.

Direct access from the ticket hall to platforms will reduce bottlenecks and increase movement efficiency. A new forecourt will also be built on Love Lane.

The redevelopment is part of the regeneration of the area, which includes a new stadium for Tottenham Hotspur, a museum, hotel and 585 new homes. Some 5,000 more homes are also being built in the High Road West and wider north Tottenham areas.

Work starts in the autumn, and will be completed by spring 2019. The station will continue to operate throughout the majority of that time.

Coffee recycling scheme gains national recognition l The coffee recycling partnership between Network Rail and bio-bean, has received national recognition at the BusinessGreen Leaders Awards, earning a Highly-Commended award for the Circular Economy Project of the Year.

Network Rail’s coffee recycling scheme has been under trial at six stations in London since April 2015, and is now being extended to Reading and Bristol Temple Meads. The plan is to roll it out to all of Network Rail’s 17 managed stations across Britain by the end of the year.

Working in close collaboration with Network Rail and station retailers such as Pret a Manger, Caffe Nero, and Starbucks, bio-bean has been reprocessing the waste at its factory in Alconbury, Cambridgeshire, transforming it from coffee grounds into Coffee Logs, a fuel for the home. So far, the trial has converted 790 tonnes of coffee from 38 million cups into enough fuel to heat 11,000 average sized houses for a year. This has prevented an estimated 5,000 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere since April 2015.

13

INNOVATION

Harnessing big data DANIEL CHICK explains the enormous power of Big Data to improve anything from intelligent decision making to customer services. But, he says, to reap the benefits the railways must harness outside technology

Below Daniel Chick is technical director, Zipabout

14

D

ata – or so-called ‘big data’ – is critical to the successful implementation of any sort of intelligent transport system. According to the International Transport Forum, global thinktank for transport policy, big data has “a vital role to play in informing decisions around sustainable infrastructure planning by providing better estimates of future trends in transport demand through enhanced data linkage and modelling.”

From operations and planning, through to safety and enhanced customer experience, the potential applications of big data, when done properly, are as numerous as they are exciting. In 2012, the Department for Transport set up the Transport Sector Transparency Board to oversee the opening up of transport data, hoping to encourage the

transport industry to embrace the ‘Open Data’ revolution.

Five years later, there are currently 777 data sets on data. gov.uk, both published and unpublished, of which nearly half (364) relate to transport. But while this proliferation in open data, combined with increasingly advanced algorithms, availability of real-time processing capability, and advances in data storage, is revolutionising sectors such as online advertising and e-commerce, is the transport industry really keeping up?

Why reinvent the wheel?

Operational transport data (eg real-time train/bus arrival times, route planning etc) is becoming increasingly commoditised, with a relatively mature eco-system of suppliers and developers creating a huge range of useful

of big data. I have a background in online advertising technology, an industry with a reputation for wringing every last drop of value from their data assets, with organisations such as Facebook and Amazon.com leading the way. The transport industry is heavily focused on identifying ways to extract this value from their existing operational big data, through the ubiquitous ‘hackathons’ and ‘innovation competitions’ that are announced on a seemingly daily basis, but many of these challenges have already been solved in other industries!

Marching with the times

apps and solutions to improve the customer experience.

The data may not be always be easily accessible, and can often be incomplete, inaccurate and unreliable, thanks to a fragmented industry approach to the sharing of data across multiple operators and service providers.

Additionally, it is clear that there remains huge potential in the sharing of additional datasets around detailed historical and predicted performance, more accurate live positioning, vehicle loading and ticket barrier data, especially if this data can be made available in real-time.

Despite this relative maturity in terms of the availability of data, the transport industry has valuable lessons to learn from other sectors around maximising the value of both the data itself, and the arguably even more valuable ‘meta data’ generated through the deployment, and use

Transport data provides its own set of unique challenges (and opportunities), however the incumbent technology providers in the transport sector, the ones behind the aforementioned hackathons and competitions, do not have the right skills to exploit many of these opportunities.

We have had conversations with large global engineering firms about how often we have to delete our data, or with legacy technology providers about how we structure our data in a way that allows systems to scale.

The idea of deleting data or using traditional relational database technology (such as SQL Server or Oracle) would be laughable in other sectors working with big data. With a lack of experience and understanding of cloud computing, open-source NoSQL databases and real-time stream processing technology, these large, slow moving suppliers are simply incapable of creating the technology platforms required to deliver a modern big data processing capability.

There is currently an enormous amount of excitement around the use of Machine Learning (ML) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) both within the transport sector and across industry as a whole. Leading edge technology companies, such as Google DeepMind, are creating some incredibly exciting technologies in this space, however even some of the most sophisticated tools utilising ML and AI are becoming increasingly commoditised. For example Amazon Web Services (AWS) provide advanced machine learning and AI toolsets ‘offthe-shelf’, facilitating predictive capability and automated ‘chatbot’ technology for just a few dollars a day.

Making it personal For the transport sector, ML and AI is already being used to identify patterns in existing operational data sets – predicting when trains will be delayed, the impact of disruption, or even to predict infrastructure failure.

However the real impact of these technologies is being felt in other sectors through its application to human interactions and behavioural data. Personalisation, customer sentiment analysis and targeted messaging are

15

INNOVATION

From operations and planning, through to safety and enhanced customer experience, the potential applications of big data, when done properly, are as numerous as they are exciting just some of the areas in which giants such as Amazon. com and Facebook are leading the way.

In order to deliver these sorts of services and products, companies such as Amazon.com do one thing extremely well – they understand the value of human behavioural big-data. The transport sector has historically been relatively unsophisticated in their (digital) interactions with their customers – with the communication of operational data such as delays, cancellations and other disruption being seen as an obligation rather than an opportunity. The data generated through how customers interact with information, when they interact, and even how long they take to make a decision based on the information presented to them, is incredibly valuable, if somewhat unstructured, data.

This sort of data has been used in online advertising technology for many years (we are all familiar with those adverts that follow us around the Internet!), and underpins the ability to both understand and engage more meaningfully with your customer.

Applying this to rail For the transport sector, this human behavioural bigdata has incredible value. For example, data on when individuals plan a journey, or check a train/bus time prior

16

to travelling, can be used to predict aggregated demand on services over the next few hours. How customers interact with your mobile app can provide a unique insight into how they use your network – do they check for parking availability or accessibility information before they make their journey? At an individual level, these sorts of interactions can help to build a unique profile for each and every customer, and ultimately deliver an enhanced, personalised customer experience. More importantly, aggregating this data at a network level, with potentially 100s of millions of interactions every day, provides a unique opportunity for the transport sector to optimise capacity and to influence behaviour across the network as a whole.

So, if this human behavioural big data is the key to optimising capacity, how can the industry take advantage of the opportunity? As previously discussed, much of the technology and underlying infrastructure required to collect and process this sort of data has been available for some time now. However, the transport industry urgently needs to embrace these outside technologies, and the innovative companies working in this space, to provide the support and investment required to deliver a truly 21st century customer experience, and an intelligent transport network optimised to the needs of the passenger!

NEWS I Innovation

Pioneering new technology is being rolled out to improve GWR punctuality

Luminate technology operating in the Thames Valley signalling centre, Didcot l The world’s first deployment of an innovative new traffic management system is taking place on the Great Western Railway, as part of a 2 year contract with signalling & train control specialist, Resonate. It also ushers in a new era of supplier relationships for the Digital Railway.

The roll out of the Luminate traffic management system is expected to be completed by June 2018, and will then be trialled for a year on the London Paddington and Bristol Parkway service. It is hoped the system could reduce reactionary delays by up to 15%.

The system manages and monitors the flow of trains, taking into account the different types of trains and services operating across the network, forecasting their forward journeys and highlighting any potential conflicts or delay.

When disruption occurs, the system will enable

real-time re-planning to take place quickly so that train services can return to normal as fast as possible, minimising delays.

David Waboso, group managing director for Digital Railway, said: “We have revolutionised the way we work with suppliers in the last year so that together, we can deliver real improvements to the railway and show measurable passenger benefits. Early contractor involvement and true partnership working is at the heart of all Digital Railway proposals. The pace at which we have designed and will deliver this trial is a testament to that approach.”

The project is being financed jointly by Network Rail and Resonate, and the money saved through reduced delay compensation claims will be shared between them.

Universities unite with the rail industry in £92m research partnership l The rail supply industry, in partnership with a consortium of seven universities, is to invest £92m in research aimed at establishing the UK as a world-leading centre of railway excellence.

As part of the newly-created UK Railway Research and Innovation Network, the partnership has secured £28.1m from the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund. Its 17 industrial partners have also committed a further £64m in funding for the project.

The intention is to create three linked worldclass centres of excellence focusing on: •Digital Systems. Located at the University of Birmingham, this will focus on railway control and simulation, data integration and cybersecurity, condition monitoring and sensing, and improved methods for technology introduction.

• Rolling Stock. Led by the University

of Huddersfield in collaboration with the University of Newcastle and Loughborough University, this will focus on high value rolling stock systems, whole life asset optimisation and through-life management, and energy management.

• Infrastructure. This will be led by the University of Southampton in collaboration with the University of Sheffield, Loughborough University, the University of Nottingham and Heriot-Watt University.

The initiative is supported by Network Rail, HS2 Ltd, TfL, Rail North and the DfT. The 17 industry partners who will be backing the project for a 10-year period include Alstom, Siemens, Bombardier Transportation, IBM, Unipart Rail, SMRT, British Steel, RSSB, Thales, Hitachi, AECOM, Aggregate Industries, Atkins, Pandrol and Progress Rail.

WORLD BRIEF Promoting UK rail overseas l The Rail Supply Group has launched a new body, the Exports Leadership Group (ELG), to increase UK rail exports and inward investment, and double rail exports by 2025. Comprising rail supply companies, rail trade bodies and Government departments, ELG’s work will include scoping priority markets, developing market strategies and delivery plans, enhancing export support and funding mechanisms and helping improve UK market share.

Arriva bags Netherlands franchise l Arriva was won a €1.6bn contract to continue operating the Northern Lines in the Netherlands for another 15 years. The company has been operating the lines, providing provincial services around Groningen and Leeuwarden, and a connection to Leer in Lower Saxony, since 2005. The new contract will run from 2020 to 2035 during which time Arriva will introduce 18 new trains, refurbish the existing fleet and focus on sustainability.

Global rail freight stutters l A steep decline in rail freight in the United States has resulted in the global rail freight market growing by a marginal 0.5% in 2016, reaching $188.7bn, according to research firm MarketLine. This however, is a return to positive performance following a 0.4% decline in 2015. The report states that the market’s fortunes differ from region to region, with China providing much of the growth impetus.

Perpetuum wins key Australian contract l New South Wales Trainlink has awarded Perpetuum a 5 year contract to collect and monitor train and track information across its fleet of XPT Power Cars on the high speed intercity service.

The system will be immediately deployed to improve track maintenance, punctuality and ride quality on existing services.

It will also monitor track condition in preparation for introduction of a new fleet from 2019.

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INNOVATION

TES

takes centre stage Professor RAJ ROY of Cranfield University believes that through-life engineering (TES) is the future, not only for the railways but for much of manufacturing. But it is going to require better understanding and a change in thinking

T

he value of through-life engineering services (TES) is rooted in a basic principle: assets that work generate value, those that don’t just generate a cost. For the railway sector the rewards from a system focused on state-of-the-art, automated self-help maintenance services, will be vast.

Of the £850 million spent each year on maintenance of the UK system, it’s inevitable that a proportion is being wasted. At the same time, unplanned maintenance due to failures that haven’t been anticipated are in themselves estimated to cost £120 million a year.

A vision for the future Professor Raj Roy is the director of manufacturing and director of the EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Through-life Engineering Services at Cranfield University

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Network Rail sees TES as part of its 30 year vision for the railways, and has identified TES as a strategic area for R&D. In its view, the approach and related research into material science, predictive maintenance, robotics and mechatronics will be important to ensuring the assets across the network have a longer functional life, leading to improved levels of maintenance, greater reliability and reduced costs.

More particularly the value of TES will be in extending the life and reliability of long-life assets, such as switches and crossing – the areas that are currently estimated to consume 50 per cent of maintenance budgets. But there are going to be benefits and savings from systems being used with any surfaces that wear down.

In practice, TES involves the design, creation and in-service sustainability of complex engineering over its whole life cycle. High-quality data is used to maximise availability, predictability and reliability at the lowest possible cost: a combination of technologies capable of precision monitoring and predictive analysis of the state of assets on an ongoing basis, able to make informed and intelligent decisions about the necessity and cost of repairs; and consequently, use this information to selfrepair or repair in-situ with the least possible disruption to services. The approach means maintenance can be carried out in areas and spaces that are dangerous for people, such as within tunnels and station throat junctions.

expanding the use of fast and lightweight rail riders to move inspection and maintenance devices to where they are needed with minimal service disruption.

The shift to TES is dependent on a much wider acceptance of its value among the manufacturers of the many complex engineered products used by the railways.

In principle, few manufacturers involved in engineeringrelated sectors generally need to be convinced of the value of ‘servitising’ their offerings. Figures show the global market is expected to grow to £710 billion by 2025 – and it’s estimated that £31 billion is directly addressable for performance improvement through the application of through-life engineering services. And looking at the bigger picture, around 16.8 per cent or £275.2 billion of the UK economy could be developed – and improved – by engineering services*.

What will it take?

The current challenges While many of these technologies are already available, in use or being tested, systems are still under development to address specific challenges. For example, the need to check on potential wear and cracking inside of boxed in or tight spaces. Traditionally this would mean breaking up or having to replace whole components. Our partner on TES research, the University of Nottingham is developing small ‘snake robots’ to access small spaces and provide observations and measurement of any issues, with the potential in future to also provide repairs in-situ.

The challenge for using robots in a context like the railways is the variety and complexity of environments involved. In a factory robots can rely on working within a controlled cell, but we need to be able to further develop robots that can be flexible enough to cope with the unexpected and still be able to identify maintenance issues. Similarly the use of drones to work in remote and hard-to-reach locations is currently limited – being too lightweight to handle heavy equipment. The near future is more likely to feature work with the existing rails,

But the shift to services is stalling because of the challenges involved with setting up a long-term service delivery model: the difficulty of adding engineering services to conventional manufacture; a lack of collaboration across industry sectors over providing complex engineering assets; and limitations in terms of available technology.

In a TES transaction, the customer pays for a service or functionality rather than an asset, and does not think of products and services as separate. It is the focus on desired functionality which enables the switch of emphasis from ownership of a product or system to delivery of a service. Maximising the service value throughout the expected operational life of the product or system, while minimising cost, become the central drivers. ‘Value-in-use’ becomes the touchstone by which a product or system is judged. This kind of cultural shift requires considerable change in the business environment.

Although there are areas of excellence unique to the UK, the opportunity for TES-based business models is presently underestimated. Whilst practised (though not in name), TES are not well understood across the national economy and the market is immature. Information sharing is constrained by a number of factors, not least IP concerns, but also commercial trust issues which limit ability to exploit the opportunities presented.

A new way of thinking Notwithstanding that world-leading examples of TES exist in the rail, aerospace, defence, and – as isolated examples – in a number of other sectors, overall in the UK short-term, profit-and-loss-based financial drivers dominate. Investment decisions are made on the basis *A National Strategy for Engineering Services, June 2016, EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing

19

INNOVATION

of cost rather than value, which leads to a disconnect between capital and through-life considerations. A commitment to service is seen as high risk, leading to aversion to investment and innovation in the field.

Under the present prevailing ownership model, the risks are already high, particularly when it comes to obsolescence and technology lag. The underlying economics of TES models are not well understood.

Suppliers and procurers think in terms of products, not their function throughout life: through-life support is not a primary driver for OEM designs to tailored requirements where cost, schedule and performance are the focus. In general, service is seen as an add-on to equipment sales and often a significant source of income, even though high service costs present a potential source of customer dissatisfaction. A national shift to business based on TES would strengthen the UK economy in multiple ways. A world in which TES principles prevail would be one which favours UK flexibility and adaptability and strong R&D base. In particular, it would: • build international competitive advantage and exports • improve productivity whilst also creating more skilled jobs • drive the transformation of supply chains necessary for the circular economy and sustainable manufacturing of the future • enable emerging industries to grow and establish world-leading positions • equip innovative and early adopting small and medium-sized businesses (SME) and original equipment manufacturers (OEM) for new market opportunities.

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Innovation ahead

world-leading team and new generations of approaches that will help more high-value UK manufacturers access the services market. The focus will be on getting more high-value manufacturers to make use of TES. The five-year project is being led by Cranfield and Nottingham working with expertise from industry partners such as Network Rail, Rolls-Royce and Bombardier.

In particular the research will take on the challenge of creating service technologies able to monitor and anticipate more than one failure mechanism: corrosion, fatigue and the role of temperatures. That means developing our understanding of degradation science and finding ways to make in-situ assessments of what’s happening to all types of mechanical components via very small service access holes.

A bigger challenge will be to get businesses across different sectors to share the new technologies and models. For the moment there is still a great deal of re-invention of the same ideas. The pioneers, in the defence sector in particular, are looking to strengthen their supply networks based on TES; other sectors, like healthcare, energy and biotech, can see the value of TES and are trying to catch up, but are each using their own terminology and approaches.

The new TES research initiative can help improve and widen access to technologies that will underpin the shift to service models. Demonstrations of success will inevitably attract more manufacturers to TES. But ultimately, when it comes to realising the 20/20 vision of the national strategy on engineering services (to meet the goal of a 20 per cent reduction in whole life costs and a 20 per cent increase in availability), there’s going to need to be a collaborative and concerted approach.

New £1 million funding from the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council aims to create a

www.cranfield.ac.uk

Innovation

European Patent EP 2942608

Patent of the month

Patent attorney, Rosie Hardy, reviews POWERVE from IVM - a revolutionary weighing device that identifies bogie wheel issues

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

I

t is known that the wearing and imbalance of bogie wheels can lead to the derailment of rail vehicles, with catastrophic consequences.

However, weighing rail vehicles can help to flag safety issues with the bogie wheelset and prevent these accidents.

With this in mind the rail company, IVM, has developed POWERVE – an innovative portable weighing system for rail vehicles.

As might be expected, IVM has taken strategic steps to protect its innovation and a European patent application – EP 2942608 – has recently been published.

Based on the patent application document, it is clear that POWERVE (1) is a lightweight and portable weighing system that can be manually located on a rail track to measure the static weight force distribution of each bogie wheel. As a result, the rail vehicle can be weighed without having to be moved off the rail track and on any section of the rail track. POWERVE includes a set of wheel detection supports (2) so that the weight of each bogie wheel can be accurately detected, along with the weight of the entire rail vehicle. Weighing can be carried out simply and quickly by rolling each bogie wheel (7) from the rail, up a respective ramp (6) and into a detection seat (4) within the support. When the bogie wheel sits in the detection seat, a load cell (5) can measure the weight force. The measured values are displayed on a control unit (10) that can be viewed by the operator onsite or remotely.

Clamping support blocks (31) are used to keep the

supports stationary and prevent them from slipping along the rail. A position detector (12) and end stop abutment (25) help to ensure the bogie wheel is in the correct position in the detection seat during weighing.

It will be some time before we know the outcome of the European patent application. Assuming it meets the appropriate criteria, a patent will be granted; giving IVM exclusivity over POWERVE in Europe and the wider region for a period of up to 20 years.

What happens next Once a patent is secured, this protection will provide a valuable ringfence, preventing competitors from copying the innovation and allowing time for IVM to make the most of any commercial opportunities.

Depending on when the patent is granted, IVM may elect for the traditional European Patent and/or the new Unitary Patent. When it is launched, the unitary patent system will offer a single patent providing protection in the UK and a number of EU member states. Unitary Patent owners will also be able to litigate to defend their patent rights through one of three Unified Patent Courts and if any infringement is found, these courts will have the power to impose a pan-European injunction.

The introduction of the unitary patent system is not yet finalised, although the ratification process in the UK is underway. Ratification in Germany is also required before the unitary patent system can come into force.

Rail innovators should follow IVM’s example and seek patent protection in their geographic markets. In this way, innovators will be able to leverage any commercial advantage to the full.

21

INNOVATION

With eyes open...

When done well, collaboration between SMEs and corporates is delivering fast track rail innovation. DAVID REWCASTLE of law firm Bond Dickinson considers how this meeting of different cultures can be achieved successfully

Below David Rewcastle, head of transport and infrastructure at law firm, Bond Dickinson

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A

s a sector, rail is challenged by tough regulations and demands by customers for flexible and cost-effective services. Moreover, it has to deliver this in an increasingly challenging and uncertain political environment.

Given the crucial role rail plays in our lives, how can these demands be met effectively in such circumstances, while maintaining reliability, positive passenger experience and of course safety?

Recognising that for industry giants, a fast way to provide new and improved services can be to team-up with other organisations, often highly specialised SMEs, we conducted an economic study, Close Encounters: The power of collaborative innovation. The study explores how collaboration can be used as a key strategy for growth and innovation. It observed mergers and acquisitions, minority stake purchases and joint ventures from April 2013 to April 2017.

Rail sector activities The study found that the transport sector, while the least collaborative in terms of volume (95 deals) and value (worth a total of ÂŁ1.8 billion) compared to other sectors, is still an active and highly acquisitive industry, with ten times more M&As than minority stake purchases.

The majority of these deals (60 per cent) involved two companies that both operate in the transport industry, rather than with a company engaged in a different sector. Most of the deals (89 per cent) were a merger or acquisition rather than a minority stake – possibly fuelled by the conservative nature of some of the major rail corporates.

Traditionally a sector that does not cross-pollinate, the rail sector is, however, showing some highly successful signs of collaboration. Leading the way is London Midland, a train operating company owned by Govia (a joint venture between the Go Ahead Group and Keolis).

in this way breaks down barriers and provides product validation to get new ideas off the ground that may not otherwise see the light of day.

Similarly, Transport for London has established an Innovation Portal where any organisation can submit innovative technological ideas that meet TfL’s key challenges. In particular the proposed ideas must be ‘relevant’, ‘novel’ and ‘sound’ – ie feasible. Some of the projects that have been submitted and completed include drones that facilitate easier access to safety checks and a permissioning app that provides access to track workers ensuring safe and timely maintenance work.

A union of chalk and cheese!

As these examples highlight, it can be a powerful combination to bring together the structure and experience of a major corporate with the ideas and agility of a SME. However, both parties should go into any deal with their eyes open – and to succeed there are a number

The organisation has identified the need to become more innovative and find new ways to improve its customer experience.

Rail innovation accelerators London Midland has created the LM Labs Accelerator, the first of its kind in the rail sector. The accelerator works with a number of tech start-ups in the mobility space over a 12-week period to identify and act on issues within journey experiences. Following the initial 12 weeks a further three months of incubation and operational environmental support is given, to progress their business and achieve the joint aim of ‘Simply Better Journeys’.

Such collaborations offer London Midland a direct route to fast-acting SMEs. For the SMEs involved, London Midland can provide the infrastructure, expertise and direct access to key stakeholders in the rail industry.

This is groundbreaking for the rail industry. Opening doors

of factors that should be considered. One of the most frequent issues that can cause problems in collaborations is the merging of cultures created by the union. Will it be a meeting of minds or a culture shock? To remain innovative and agile, the SME may need to retain some sort of autonomy and elements of its former culture.

Motivation for the deal needs to be agreed from the start too: is this a long-term brand-building exercise or something to generate a quick turnaround? If it is a quick turnaround the two parties should think carefully about the end point. Is this an earn-out situation or should the SME management team be incentivised to remain in the organisation? Such considerations and questions need to be addressed from the very beginning.

Ultimately, a successful union will make the most of the individual strengths of both parties and create value within both organisations – with the end result being improved outcomes for customers.

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Metrolink RATP Dev

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T

he phrase ‘a lot can happen in a day’ is one that the vast majority of people who work within the rail sector can agree with. In the case of Metrolink RATP Dev. a great deal more has happened in the last six months. “In December 2016, we were named Public Transport Operator of the Year at the North of England Excellence Awards,” begins Chris Coleman, Managing Director of Metrolink RATP Dev. “This is a hugely prestigious award that we are very proud to have won. A lot of people have worked incredibly hard over the

last six years to achieve all that we have with the network and this is recognition of their efforts.

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Solaris Technologies Ltd Solaris Technologies Ltd is a multidisciplinary engineering partner with a wealth of expertise in the delivery of high profile, safety critical, integrated light and heavy rail systems.

The Solaris engineering team has for many years supported the Manchester Metrolink main contractors with a specialist tram system engineering capability for control and indication (points and signals), tram stop communications, IP and fibre optic networks, traction power, traction bonding, rail to earth protection and NICEIC certified electrical distribution installations.

The Solaris tram system integration testing includes initial traction energisation, traction short circuit testing, traction load, rail to earth monitoring and running of the first tram, which allows the dynamic interface between rolling stock and the fixed infrastructure systems to be safely proved. This process supports the main contractor’s hand over to the system operator for driver training and entry into operational passenger service.

Solaris are actively investing time into the specialist research and development of new emerging digital technologies, light weight materials and cost efficient manufacturing processes, which are key to the future innovation and evolution of the light rail system service offering to the growing demands of tram and metro system stakeholders. Development projects include the integration of emerging communication and sensing technologies into the digital railway environment, the redesign of life expired systems with modern equivalent form electronic solutions and the use of specialist insulating materials.

of the great job we have done, and marked a wonderful end to 2016.”

The champagne cork would have barely popped before the company was back to its day job of improving the infrastructure and efficiency of the network for the people, and visitors, of Greater Manchester. In January 2017, its Expansion Team commenced work supporting TfGM and MTP on the new, six-stop Trafford Park line and the following month marked the opening of the Second City Crossing, an exciting development for the area.

“Prior to the opening of the Second City Crossing, all of the train lines into the city centre congregated into one very busy corridor, which played host to more than 90 trams and 1300 services a day,” Chris continues. “What the new crossing provides our customers with is direct

access to new parts of the city centre. It has also resulted in greater operational flexibility and contingency, thus alleviating the congestion along Mosely Street, while at the same time improving our flexibility, timetable resilience and performance.”

Statistics show that for Metrolink, customer satisfaction levels have improved year-on-year for the last four years of its contract with RATP Dev. In that time, its National Tram Survey (NTS) scores have gradually risen from 83 per cent to 90 per cent, the latter of which was recorded in 2016. This is all the more impressive when taking into consideration that public use of the network has grown exponentially, with Metrolink running 867,402 miles per annum in 2011, which increased to 7.648 million miles in 2016.

“We have never lost sight of the customer being the most important aspect of what we do,” Chris says. “We are all about the customer experience, with a specific focus on delivering a reliable service and up-to-date information. This extends from having an on-time service and clean stations, to having Customer Ambassadors stationed in the city centre whose job it is to welcome customers to the system and provide information about the network. We have also introduced a new Customer Network Manager, whose role it is to ensure that customer needs are part of the decision-making process when it comes to the Control Centre and operational decisions affecting the network.”

In October 2016, plans were approved for the addition of a new tram line through the Trafford Park

MECX MECX has worked with Metrolink since 2015, when it provided a team to manage trams through a section of single line for ten months during the Second City Crossing project. The transport infrastructure specialist delivers a number of Metrolink specific safety competencies, including PICOP, PIC and points operators.

MECX has the expertise and capabilities to help shape project delivery strategies, providing a start-to-finish solution from scope through to delivery and handover, including maintenance for OLE, Civils, Signalling and P-Way.

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Metrolink RATP Dev Thermit In offering Manchester Metro its various products, Thermit has kept its philosophy of ‘Think Track – Think Thermit’ at the forefront of its approach.

From providing equipment, moulds and portions for welding the rails, to providing rail grinding and measurement services, Thermit helps to ensure that Manchester’s award winning Metro system continues to deliver the service that the good people of Manchester have come to expect.

Now, as we move through 2017, Thermit aims to continue to develop its cuttingedge innovations, providing equipment that will enable welds to be produced with increased accuracy and speed, and rails to be kept smooth, ensuring low running noise emissions and that the track is in good condition.

area of the city. Representing a £350 million investment from Transport for Greater Manchester, the line will comprise six new stops and will measure 3.4 miles upon completion. Construction of the line is being led by MPact-Thales and it is due to be operational in 2020.

April 2017 marked a special date for Metrolink itself, as it celebrated its 25th Anniversary. “We have achieved so much as a business over the last quarter of a century, so to be able to celebrate this was a wonderful occasion for all concerned,” Chris enthuses. “What made it that little bit extra special was the fact that we also have 35 members of staff who have also reached 25 years of service, so it was very pleasing to be able to thank them personally and mark their achievements.

“What has been marvellous about our people is the level of passion, belief and motivation that they display on a daily basis. The level of commitment, loyalty and flexibility in delivering what we promise is nothing short of incredible, and is something that I am very proud of.

Since 2010, we have increased our employee numbers from 386 to 750 in 2016, so a lot of people have joined us on our journey. Our attrition is very low and that is because people come here, like what they experience and want to be a part of something special.”

The contract for RATP Dev to run Greater

Manchester’s tram network comes to an end in July 2017, and the operator is currently working on the smooth and successful demobilising of the franchise.

The timing of this news has given Chris and his team a chance to reflect on the last six years and what they will leave behind in Greater Manchester. “RATP Dev will undoubtedly leave behind a legacy of excellence in project delivery, quality processes, standards and systems and most importantly a highly motivated and passionate workforce that will ensure the future is strong for Manchester’s iconic Metrolink.

“We are very proud of the significant contribution that RATP Dev has played in transforming the light rail system in Manchester. Our ambition when we came in was to use our expert industry ‘know how’ and expertise and add value to the network – so we are absolutely delighted with our many achievements. We have gained a lot of rich experience from managing Metrolink through an intense period of expansion and change. The future looks bright for Metrolink, which is the legacy we are proud to leave behind. RATP Dev fully intends to remain a key player in the transport system of Greater Manchester through its other subsidiaries in the region.”

www.metrolink.co.uk 29

ADComms

Secure

connections

Since joining forces with Panasonic in June 2016, Alan Dick Communications (ADComms) has benefited from access to world-class R&D facilities and significant financial strength, which has enabled it to continue building on its position as a technology integrator for infrastructure owners, operators, and users

F

Below Jason Pearce

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ocused specifically on the transportation and telecoms sectors, ADComms specialises in the provision of end-to-end telecoms-based services across a broad range of infrastructure and applications. Boasting significant experience with both RF and fixed line telecoms, the company has a long history of delivering solutions for some of the largest companies and owners of telecommunications infrastructure in the world. Services and solutions offered include modular engineering & design, sourcing supply & logistics, integration & commissioning, site services; operational support, decommissioning & disposal, RF testing & optimisation and rapid deployment site.

In the rail sector, the company has a successful track record of providing high quality, mission critical communications solutions for Network Rail, which also includes the FTN/GSM-R and FTNx projects. The company has also expanded its capability to link trackside infrastructure to third party networks, which enables rural broadband delivery and the provision of managed infrastructure, technology and network services.

Having demonstrated an ability to provide innovative, engineering solutions, the company is currently wellprepared for the ongoing digital revolution taking place within the UK. This engagement in addressing marked

challenges for new technology implementations and the company’s strong collaborative approach to addressing customer challenges across the rail sector attracted Panasonic, which acquired ADComms in June 2016.

This partnership has enabled ADComms to retain its independence on both equipment and technology, while also gaining access to Panasonic’s huge R&D capabilities.

It also means ADComms can take on larger projects and advance in all areas of operation over the coming years, which will further strengthen its foothold in the evolving rail sector.

Jason Pearce discusses the developments between Panasonic and ADComms since the company was previously featured in Railway Strategies magazine in August 2016: “When both companies joined forces a year ago, it was, and still is, based on a mutual focus on providing more innovative solutions to support digitalisation within the transportation industry. The Panasonic acquisition has allowed ADComms to evolve and transform from a leading technology integration specialist into an end-to-end system house. By acting together, we can stay with the customer throughout their entire buying process and provide a collaborative approach that addresses our customers’ technology challenges.”

He continues: “No single organisation can develop all of the right answers, but combined, Panasonic and ADComms are beginning to help the market to understand how technology can bring about transformational change to the rail industry.”

Becoming part of Panasonic has also enabled ADComms to use the best practices from its rail delivery capability and apply this to other areas across Public National Critical Infrastructure, as Jason notes: “Over the last 12 months we have expanded our 24/7 Security Maintenance operations across a UK national footprint, providing support to rail, underground and public heritage locations to support secure CCTV and access control.

“This is a growing area of focus for the business, and we plan to harness the support from Panasonic’s Network Operation Centre to build a dedicated point of contact for our UK infrastructure partners.”

While ADComms has strengthened its capabilities, and made itself a more attractive option to those in the rail industry, it continues to battle against a dated railway system in the UK and the slow response of rail operators to the demands for on-board connectivity across the network. “The UK rail industry continues to grow and faces unparalleled demand from increasing passenger journeys; for example, HS2 gets closer to its first spade in the ground and we have a raft of new rolling stock planned for delivery. However, our industry remains slow to introduce new technologies to support a connected journey, and is challenged by other modes of transport such as autonomous vehicles and low cost airlines. The rail industry needs to engage with trusted technology partners who understand the rail environment and have a capability to deliver innovative technologies at pace and scale across the UK infrastructure,” highlights Jason.

Moving forward, the company remains in demand

despite challenges and is currently in the process of completing camera upgrades for Crossrail. “Over the Christmas period we had more than 150 engineers working to deliver new DOO camera systems, and RF connectivity to the Crossrail project. The initial phase of the project is near completion and we will shift to an ongoing support function as we look forward to the next tranche of work on this project,” says Jason. The company is also applying lessons learnt from the delivery of ECTS in the Heathrow Express Tunnel Network in other challenging tunnel environments such as the Severn Rail Tunnels to increase the MNO service options for ESN, the Emergency Services Network.

Looking further ahead, the company has a three-year innovation and product development roadmap to bring true innovation to the UK transport sector and aims to become a true technology partner its customers. “We will also be leveraging the trusted Panasonic brand and its commitment to R&D as well as our strong UK management team to challenge, transform and deliver truly innovative mobility solutions for the UK,” Jason concludes.

www.alandickcomms.com

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Multipulse Electronics

Finger on the

pulse

Since deciding to refocus its efforts on the rail and transportation industries, Multipulse Electronics has become an invaluable partner when it comes to establishing and modernising communications systems

W

hen British Telecom became the first nationalised company in the UK to undergo privatisation in the 1980s it kick started a boom period for the telecommunications sector. This coincided with the establishing of Multipulse Electronics, which quickly became a key infrastructure contractor to the mobile telecoms industry, working with some of the biggest players at the time, including Motorola, Nokia, Nortel and Ericsson.

Two decades later, the company would refocus its technical skills towards the rail and transportation industries, and today the company provides a range of contract electronics products and services to those two areas, plus the public telecoms, aerospace, defence and infrastructure markets. Multipulse’s offering is wide and various, but includes Energy Management Systems, Project Management, Programmable Logic Controllers, On Site Services, Trainborne Systems, Rail Spares, DAS Systems, Stock Management, Cable and Harness Solutions, Kitting and Logistics, Test Services, Repair and Refurbishment and Acoustic Handsets.

The Rail sector is one where Multipulse has really focused its energies and it has secured, and successfully delivered, a wide range of key programmes for large public transport organisations, including energy metering for HVAC PLC, Southern Rail and Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), and the Radio Electronic Token Block (RETB) contract on behalf of telent for Scotland’s Far North and West Highland Lines.

For this last contract, Multipulse is telent’s main contractor to Network Rail - to manage the design, installation and commissioning of the trainborne system, together with recovering the legacy equipment after the migration period ends. telent also requires ergonomics support to include the development of the

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new equipment, which forms part of a wider stakeholder management programme.

Multipulse is delivering a turnkey programme service for RETB, which covers the following: • Project management • Stakeholder management • Human factors • Installation design • Development of maintenance training • Recommendations and documentation for driver training • Approvals • Trainborne installation and test In another major contract, Multipulse is also the exclusive nationwide supplier of GSM-R train installation kits to Network Rail for this critical communications programme. GSM-R enables secure, reliable communications between drivers and signallers across the network, improving safety, punctuality and real-time passenger information. The company has been involved throughout the programme, and will continue to work with Network Rail on the system after completion.

The works feature: • Installation kits including cabling, connectors, fascias and housings, relays and circuit breakers and terminal rail assemblies • System elements including Uninterruptible Power Supply, multiple configuration antenna, loudspeakers and driver control • Test equipment including antenna, signal and radio test, GSM-R tooling and calibration services • GSM-R handsets, with UK sales and support for SED operational purpose handsets

It is Multipulse’s work across these most complex programmes that has proven its ability to deliver a complete project management package from initial design to implementation and test. Furthermore, its team of skilled staff has earned enviable experience in delivering projects at the cutting edge of rail refurb technology, and this knowledge is invaluable when it comes to multifaceted processes and installations. Multipulse highly values these skilled employees and they are both trained and nurtured at its Woking facility, supported by team leaders based around the country, as well as senior project managers, and specialist single-line partners, including software companies and design houses.

Alongside building the abilities of existing staff, Multipulse is also proactive when it comes to adding new skills and fresh talent to the company, and reflecting its sterling reputation, over 50 applicants got in touch recently for an apprenticeship role. Samuel Gater was the lucky candidate to win the job, and he will spend the next two years working his way through all departments to gain a thorough understanding of the business. In his first few days at Multipulse he was learning to test Energy Meter transducers and to configure access

points, switches and routers for train-borne wi-fi systems.

Samuel’s IT apprenticeship will be mentored at Multipulse

by Production Manager, Peter Faulkner and Quality Manager, Tony Baxter. The academic modules will be overseen by Brooklands College, at nearby Weybridge.

It is clear that Multipulse is determined to continue to expand going forward, adding new staff and helping to build on the skills of the existing team as well. It has many exciting contracts in the pipeline, including manufacturing and supplying LED lights for Crossrail platforms, but never content to rest on its laurels, the company recently exhibited at Railtex in May, where its on-board monitoring systems and the training simulator both received an enthusiastic response. Networking at such events is of great importance for any company of Multipulse Electronics’ ambition, and they have long been the source of business growth. By reaching both existing companies and new clients in this established forum, Multipulse built on its reputation as well as highlighted its capabilities. It looks set to keep clients moving well into the future.

www.multipulse.com

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Southeastern

Preparing for the future Run by Go-Ahead Group, the Southeastern franchise is investing more than £70 million in enhancing operations for the future while also delivering tremendous continual improvement with regards punctuality, performance and customer service

A Below David Statham, Managing Director of Southeastern

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s one of the busiest and biggest National Rail operators in the country, Southeastern is responsible for the running of more than 2000 passenger trains on weekdays, 1755 in Saturdays and 967 on Sunday and the management of 166 stations and serving of 174 stations. With 170 million passengers to transport safely and efficiently across its network per year, the franchise is wholly focused on passenger satisfaction and is the second most improved company in the UK for customer service across all industry sectors. This commitment can be seen in the tremendous improvements with regards to meeting punctuality targets, with Southeastern going from 84 per cent punctuality in November 2016 to 94.2 per cent in April 2017.

Looking at the developments that have taken place since the franchise was previously featured in Railway Strategies magazine in June 2016 is David Statham, Managing Director of Southeastern: “We’ve been working hard over the last year to improve performance, make information more accessible to our passengers and generally improve the services those who travel with us receive. The latest National Rail Passenger Survey (NRPS) result is a useful measure showing how we are performing in the eyes of our passengers and we have seen a significant uplift in passenger contact related NRPPS scores. Our overall customer satisfaction result is now at a three-year high, which shows the steady stream of improvements that we are bringing in are having a positive effect.”

Indeed, the National Rail Passenger Survey shows that thanks to ongoing enhancements to the parts of the network that matter most to passengers, Southeastern’s customer satisfaction score has risen to 77 per cent, up from 69 per cent in the most recent survey in 2016.

Thinking back to notable developments that have taken place, David continues: “We launched our smart card - The Key - in December 2016 at Sevenoaks station, which gives passengers an easier way to purchase tickets online and at stations; this makes it quicker for people to get through the barriers, and also reduces the number of duplicate tickets requested. And we’ve also introduced new customer service ambassadors at two of our London Terminals, Charing Cross and Cannon Street, and are looking to roll out more ambassadors out at other stations.”

He clearly states that the £70 million Southeastern committed to investing in services when it was awarded the Direct Award will continue. “And we have seen it in place in areas such as Snodland where the ticket office was recently opened after a 30-year closure and the operator is investing in a brand-new station at Strood which will open later this year. There is also ongoing work at local stations, including renovation work at Herne Hill station, and more (better) real-time information available to staff and passengers through mobile devices and more customer information screens at stations.”

David says: “We’re motivated by the improvements we’ve seen, however, there is more to do including work on the nationwide £50 billion-plus Railway Upgrade Plan

– the biggest programme of improvement in rail in more than 150 years. As such, work has continued at London Bridge, which will ease congestion and therefore reduce delays into and out of the station.” This is taking place on the eastern approaches to London Bridge, where there will be a new railway junction, the Bermondsey Dive Under (BDM), which will untangle the tracks and relieve the bottleneck of trains. Developed as part of the Thameslink Programme, the BDM will allow trains travelling from Kent to dive under the Sussex lines used

by Southern and Thameslink trains, which will increase resilience and reduce delays to improve the travel experience for millions of passengers travelling to and through London Bridge.”

As part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan, the Thameslink Programme will see journeys on some of the busiest routes in the country improved with new spacious trains every two-to-three minutes through Central London at peak times, which will help Network Rail and operators to meet the huge increase in demand for train travel. Once complete, the Thameslink Programme will provide relief for busy underground routes, particularly the Northern Line, and provide more reliable journeys to passengers.

Alongside these developments, there is investment in the future of the network, the TOC has refurbished a third of its trains, placed £2 million investment in 32 new ticket machines and will introduce Wi-Fi to its commuter saturated network by 2018.

Having introduced 500 extra services, as well as Britain’s first domestic high speed service, since starting the franchise in 2006 there have been successes and with Go-Ahead recently shortlisted to bid for the Southeastern franchise by the Department of Transport, the opportunity to deliver further improvements to rail services in the south east could soon become reality.

www.southeasternrailway.co.uk

FM Conway FM Conway are a leading infrastructure services company with over 50 years of construction and civil engineering experience in the transport sector. We provide a range of civil engineering services and support projects of all sizes, including platform renew schemes, station upgrade projects and maintenance shed construction works.

Our heritage and self-delivery approach enables us to deliver a high-quality, cost effective and reliable service for clients.

We are looking forward to supporting Southeastern on future projects.

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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.

20 September UK Rail Industry Forum Where: Addleshaw Goddard, London Organiser: Waterfront Conference Company Tel: 0207 067 1597 Email: conference@thewaterfront.co.uk Web: www.waterfrontconferencecompany.com/ conferences/uk-rail-industry-forum

10-12 October Elmia Nordic Rail Alongside Elmia Future Transport and Elmia Nordic Road Where: Elmia, Jönköping, Sweden Organiser: Elmia Tel: +46 36 15 20 00 Email: jorgen.nystrom@elmia.se Web: www.elmia.se/en/nordicrail

6-7 December Caspian and Central Asia Rail 2017 Where: JW Marriot Absheron, Baku, Azerbaijan Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: +971 4440 2501 Email: jamie.hosie@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/conference/central-asia-iranrail

3-5 October Expo Ferroviaria Where: Rho Fiera, Milan Organiser: Mack Brooks Exhibitions Tel: 01727 814 400 Email: expoferroviaria@mackbrooks.com Web: www.expoferroviaria.com/eng

14-15 November Railway Revenue World Congress 2017 Including: World Rail Festival, Rail Customer, Rail Ticketing and Rail IT Where: Movenpic Hotel, Amsterdam Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: 02070 921 237 Email: daniel.boyle@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/conference/rail-revenue

6-7 December 2017 Polis Conference Innovation in Transport for Sustainable Cities and Regions Where: The Egg, Brussels, Belgium Organiser: Polis Web: www.polisnetwork.eu/events2/polisconference

4 October CyberSecurity4Rail Conference Helping European Railways to Build Digital Security through Cooperation Where: Hotel Thon EU, Brussels Organiser: Hitrail Email: info@hitrail.com Web: www.hitrail.com/events/cyber-security-forrailways-conference-2017 4-6 October 2017 European Transport Conference Where: Casa Convalescència, Barcelona, Spain Organiser: Association for European Transport Tel: 01564 793 552 Email: info@aetransport.org Web: aetransport.org/page/open/title/ European+Transport+Conference

21-22 November East AfricaRail Where: Radisson Blu Hotel, Nairobi Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: Tarryn Theunissen +27 11 516 4044 Email: tarryn.theunissen@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/east-africa-rail 21-23 November AusRail Plus Where: Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Australia Organiser: Australasian Railway Association Tel: +61 2 9080 4307 Email: info@informa.com.au Web: www.ausrail.com/

12-13 March 2018 Middle East Rail Where: Dubai International Conference & Exhibition Centre, Dubai Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: Prima Castelino +971 4 440 2535 Email: prima.castelino@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/middle-east-rail/ 20-21 March 2018 Asia Pacific Rail 2018 Where: Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong Organiser: Terrapinn Tel: Sophia Ku +65 6322 2720 Email: sophia.ku@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/asia-pacific-rail/

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) 13 November Signalling overview Common railway signalling subsystems on the UK rail network

28 November Train structural integrity Structural integrity, fire and crashworthiness systems found on today’s rail fleets

8 November Traction and braking Principles of traction and braking for railway engineers

14 November Train communication and auxiliary systems New and existing systems in use on today’s rolling stock fleet

29 November Fleet maintenance - Introduction Improve your processes and fleet maintenance processes

9 November Vehicle dynamics and vehicle track interaction Understand the dynamics of railway vehicles to improve safety, comfort and asset life

15 November Train control and safety systems Learn of the systems used on UK fleets that provide safety and train operational control

30 November Fleet maintenance - Advanced Understand the issues affecting rail vehicle performance and cost of maintenance

7 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

16 November Vehicle authorisation, acceptance and approvals Introduction to acceptance procedures which apply across the rail network For more information Tel: 0207 304 6920 Email: training@imeche.org Web: www.imeche.org/learning-and-development/courses/railway

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Editor Gay Sutton

editor@railwaystrategies.co.uk Managing Director Joe Woolsgrove

jwoolsgrove@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

www.railway-strategies.com

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