Network April 2016

APRIL 2016The mAgAzIne foR ouR PeoPLe

Also...Altogether now – the power of diversity

Shaw thing – recommendations from the Shaw ReportPicture perfect – the technology making maintenance safer

ENEMIES OF THE WASTE

Lean Academy graduates get to work

ENEMIES OF THE WASTE

2network / APrIL 2016

April 2016

You can read Network in print or online at https://goo.gl/ 2eFsXK

Designed bybeetroot.co.uk

Get in tOUCHinternal.communications @networkrail.co.uk

Cloud Tembo,signalling and telecomms maintenance engineer

100% Network is a carbon neutral publication printed on Cocoon Silk (130gsm) 100% recycled stock. Do your bit and recycle Network.

Contributor’s welcome

What’s making news across the business

network knowledge

what a time to be involved in the rail industry. More people than ever are using the railway to get around and the number is expected to grow and grow. the challenge for us is helping the millions of people get around our congested network safely and on time.

A big part of that is making sure the network runs reliably. on pages four to six you can read how I’ve been working to do just that. on pages 16 and 17, you can find out more about the Digital railway Programme and how it will help with the capacity challenges we face.

elsewhere in the issue we hear from the chairs of the staff networks and learn how to get involved (eight to 10) and we find out what the Shaw report recommends for the industry (page seven).

we take a closer look at how plain line pattern recognition is improving safety and performance on pages 12 and 13.

In this month’s talking Business we find out more about Close Calls. remember to use the pull out for your team briefing discussions and send in your team’s response to question four.

RegisTeR now Spaces for the 2016 Business Briefings are filling up fast but there’s still time to book a spot.

‘Delivering for our customers’ is the theme for this year’s briefings, which take place throughout April and May. You can register to attend online at bit.ly/NRBBreg

On the cover: Tom McNamee, infrastructure maintenance delivery manager, Tottenham, has used lean principles to organise the yard. Read the full story on pages four to six.

making Radio waves Our Conversation, a new, monthly podcast for Network Rail employees, launches across the business on 7 April.

Our Conversation is a 15-minute broadcast with Mark Carne, chief executive, and guests. It’s hosted by Radio 2 presenter Tim Smith. Hear about Mark’s expectations for the forthcoming Business Briefings, along with a mix of news and stories from across the company as well as questions from staff. See Connect for more details.


In the spotlight

Read more from page 12

“It’s important for everyone’s safety that we’re all aware of security threats and how to respond.

“Recently, in just one week, our operational security team detected and intercepted 2,159 viruses on desktops and laptops, and inspected and blocked 6,535,659 emails that posed a threat.

“The new security training explains our approach to security across the organisation. It covers the company’s security policy and standards, potential online and offline risks and appropriate responses to security threats.

“By taking responsibility and behaving securely everyone can support a safe, reliable and efficient railway.

“We’re all required to complete the security training annually through the e-learning modules on Oracle. Just search for ‘information security’. There is also an offline briefing available.”For more information see the information security Connect page or email [email protected]

sTART RIghT A new train performance information page has been added to plasma screen displays in Network Rail buildings across the network and on the performance pages on Connect.

The ‘Right Time Starts From Origin’ page shows the success of trains starting their journey on time (within one minute). Lucy Baker, business systems support team, explained: “Right Time Start from Origin is an unofficial measure within the industry to monitor the success of getting trains to start their journey on time (right time within one minute). The successful departure of a train from its point

of origin has an impact on the overall Public Performance Measure of that service, so it is a very useful measure for us to see.

“Currently the page is only visible internally at Network Rail sites but it is expected to be visible to the wider industry later on this year.”

“Understanding risks will keep everyone safer at work and at home,” says Amy Williams, governance and compliance manager (information security)

shARe And sAve LIves Researchers from Middlesex University and the University of Westminster are calling on railway workers to help them understand why people take their lives on Britain’s railways.

The study, sponsored by Network Rail, asks people to share their experiences of suicides on the railway. Researchers hope the insights will make a contribution to preventing suicides in the future.

Ian Stevens, suicide prevention programme manager, said: “We

are all looking for new ways to prevent suicides.

“This research provides us with another opportunity to do that by drawing on the experience of people who feel they have some insight into the issue because of their personal experiences.”

People can access the online questionnaire at bit.ly/suicideresearch. The information provided will be anonymous and viewed only by experienced researchers.


WASTEBUSTERSthey’re here to ‘lean-up’ the network

Lessons from Lean Academies are our helping our people become lean, mean waste-killing machines

Richard Norman, Tom McNamee and Cloud Tembo are just three of Network Rail’s

lean superheroes, using their skills to remove safety risks and improve performance.

They are just some of the hundreds of people who have taken part in Lean Academy training, taking their new skills back into their part of the business.

Network caught up with them to hear their stories.

Better every day


fAsT fACTsLean methodology

Lean methods were born in the Japanese manufacturing industry and is are an important part of the company’s commitment to being better every day

In simple terms it is an approach to running a business which focuses on improving the effectiveness of work, thereby eliminating waste and steadily improving quality of performance

People across the business are attending Lean Academies, a two-week course to learn about lean.

Points victoryFollowing lean learning, Cloud Tembo set his sights on improving a troublesome set of points on the West Coast Main Line at Hanslope junction, just north of Wolverton.

The signalling and telecoms maintenance engineer worked with colleagues from P-Way to switches and crossings to reduce failures on the points.

The project has reduced failures by almost a quarter, improving performance for passenger and freight services and saving Network Rail more than £600,000.

Cloud said: “This was an exercise in systematic and practical problem solving – identifying the root causes of the failures and seeking new ways to tackle them. The team got together and studied the problems and broke them down piece by piece.

“The deterioration of the points has been resolved, which means fewer failures, fewer delayed trains and less of a financial hit. The biggest challenge now is making sure we don’t step off the gas. The guys have been trained and they’ve got the standards.

“What’s made the whole thing a success is the buy-in from other teams. It’s meant some have needed to change the way they do things. It’s meant some have had to develop new skills.

“But having a structured lean approach has helped different disciplines to get involved, secured management support and enabled us to achieve what we have.”

estimated

savings:

£600k


The benefITsRichard’s approach

Time: finding a potential time saving of seven months in the delivery of detailed examinations

Costs: a potential saving of £100,000 over 12 months

Quality: one report with detailed information for the asset engineer

Safety: saving time has led to more opportunities for early intervention.

evaluation process can be intrusive and costly as it may require tenants to close their businesses while the premises are stripped, examined and re-lined. This process strains the relationship between commercial estates, which need to cover some of the tenants’ costs and potential loss of rent.

“Using the lean technique of process mapping, we shortened the examination delivery time by up to seven months, helping to build better relationships with tenants and return efficiency savings over three periods of around £35,000. We’re estimating full-year savings of more than £100,000.

“The Lean Academy has changed the way I think. It’s not about finding a solution to a problem straight away. Now I ask myself what’s the problem, what process is being used and where or what are the areas of waste I can tackle.” n

exam timeRichard Norman, project manager, improved the process for conducting examinations on viaducts and arches occupied by tenants.

He said: “I work on the civil examination framework agreement. The

ToTTenhAm TALk“TIMWOOD”

Tom and Martin used the TIMWOOD acronym to classify types of waste – transport, inventory, motion, waiting, over processing, over production and defects.

transforming it into a model of safety and efficiency.

Their efforts have resulted in close to £70,000 in financial benefits.

Tom said: “The main ethos of lean is the relentless elimination of waste, and in the yard we had identified there was plenty of it.

“By tidying the yard, we’ve been saving time and improving our inventory. Equipment often gets damaged or lost when it’s not organised. If we don’t have strong controls on our inventory then it takes up valuable space if we have too much, or causes issues in production if we don’t have enough. There may also be scrap that can be sold but we haven’t identified it.”

Martin added: “Misplaced inventory means people have to shift materials around to find what they’re looking for. By removing this we’ve saved time and made the yard a safer place to work.

Broken tools go to quarantine, which prevents them from being used again, and not having materials lying around has meant fewer slips, trips and falls.”

Tottenham tidy-upTom McNamee, infrastructure maintenance delivery manager, and Martin Walters, storeman, weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty to tidy the yard at Tottenham maintenance delivery unit,

money saved:

£70k

Better every day(continued)

estimated

savings:

£100k


ShAW FooTEdnetwork looks at nicola shaw’s recommendations into the shape and financing of network Rail

In summARyRecommendations

Place the needs of passengers and freight shippers at the heart of rail infrastructure management

Focus on the customer through deeper route devolution, supported by independent regulation

Create a route for the North

Clarify the Government’s role in the railway and Network Rail

Plan the railway based on customer, passenger and freight needs

Explore new ways of paying for the growth of passengers and freight on the railway

Develop industry-wide plans to develop skills and improve diversity.

Following consultation up and down Britain the Shaw Report has been published

Nicola Shaw, chief executive of High Speed 1, was commissioned by government in summer 2015 to write a report on the future shape and financing of Network Rail from 2019 onwards.

The report took eight months to complete and was published Wednesday 16 March.

key perspectivesThe seven overall recommendations (right) are based around three key perspectives: meeting the needs of customers, alignment with devolution, and coping with the rapid growth of passenger numbers – while also protecting and enhancing the industry’s safety record.

Network Rail welcomed its recommendations. The recommendation on devolution represents, in Nicola’s words: “An evolution, extension and validation of a direction of travel already set in motion by the company’s leadership.”

Customer focused In a message to all employees Mark Carne, chief executive, said: “I welcome the Shaw Report as an important milestone in the transformation of Britain’s railways. Nicola has rejected the wholesale privatisation or break up of Network Rail. In fact she strongly endorses our journey towards a customer-driven, route-led business.

“There are a lot of actions arising out of [the] Shaw [Report] that we have to deliver. The good news is that the actions are aligned with our strategic direction, but they are nevertheless significant and we must develop a detailed plan to ensure that they are delivered. This will help us accelerate the journey that we are largely already on.

“In particular I think it is important to note that, while our strategy and overall approach has been largely validated, the Shaw Report also highlights, in pretty stark terms, that our customers want us to move much faster and to focus more on their needs. I am hugely optimistic about our future. Our strategy to devolve power to routes is the right one.” n

Better every day

nicola shaw, chief executive of high speed 1

FINd OUT MOrERead the Shaw Report in full at bit.ly/Shaw-Report


Celebrating our people

PEOPLE POWEr

The publication of the shaw Report has thrown diversity and inclusion in the spotlight. why is diversity important?


“Passionate and committed” – that is how Nicola Shaw described Network Rail’s

people in last month’s report into the longer-term future shape and financing of Network Rail.

The Shaw Report makes seven recommendations to Government and highlights the need for improvements, raising concerns about a lack of skills in some parts of Network Rail, gaps in the pipeline of future skills, and a lack of diversity across the industry.

As a result, Nicola, the chief executive of High Speed 1, recommends the development of “industry-wide plans to develop skills and improve diversity”.

everyone strategyLoraine Martins, director of diversity and inclusion, said: “I’m really pleased this has been highlighted.

“It’s a journey we’ve been on for two years, described in our Everyone Strategy. The recommendation reinforces our approach and gives us permission to go even further.”

So why is diversity so important? “Diverse workforces are more innovative, productive and creative, offering different and new ideas,” explained Loraine.

“Of course it isn’t about hiring people because of their background – people will be appointed on merit. We need to do more to encourage people to consider the rail industry as a career choice.”

diversity on track Two years into its five-year Everyone Strategy, Network Rail has some success to celebrate.

Loraine said: “We’ve launched six staff networks from nothing and now have more than 1,000 people in them. We’ve also won awards for our gender and race equality work.

“More than 3,500 leaders have taken part in an inclusive leadership programme, which can be found on Oracle. We’re using inclusive design as a way of future proofing stations, workplaces and facilities making them more accessible and accommodating everyone - passengers, customers, visitors and employees.

fantastic exampleIn April, we’re launching a new learning programme for all colleagues that will encourage a consistent and common understanding of diversity and inclusion.

“We’re also doing more with diversity impact assessments, which we can use in everything from major rail projects to new policies to ensure we consider everyone in all that we do.

“The staff networks help us with these assessments. They have recently input to the flexible working and shared parental leave policies, as well as our approach to mental health. Staff networks are open to everyone and are a fantastic example of just how important diversity and inclusion is and the benefits we can gain from it.” n

Babak Erfani said: “I chair Archway, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) staff network. In our first meeting we had 22 people attend and today we have around 300 people in the group from across the company. Archway is open to all employees. We consult on internal policies, projects and procedures, help people with welfare needs and organise

Spotlight on: Staff networks

social and cultural events. Research from LGBT charity Stonewall shows that LGBT people who are ‘out’ in the workplace are 20 per cent more efficient, more engaged and happier. I got involved because LGBT are underrepresented in Network Rail and I wanted to help bring about change, and we have. We consulted on the Everyone Strategy and work

with the diversity and inclusion team on diversity impact assessments. We also attend LGBT events with universities across Britain and

demonstrate to future talent that Network Rail is an LGBT-inclusive employer, encouraging more people to consider us when choosing a career.”

fAsT fACTsDiversity and inclusion at Network Rail

15.3 per cent of employees are female

Industry wide that figure is 16 per cent

In 2015, 31 per cent of graduates joining Network Rail were from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups and 29 per cent were women – a 13 per cent and five per cent increase respectively from 2014

The company has recruited and trained more than 270 diversity champions and 50 union equality reps

More than 3,500 leaders have attended an inclusive leadership course.

FINd OUT MOrELearn more about staff networks and how you can get involved at bit.ly/NRDandI


Celebrating our people(continued)

Archway

Can Do

Cultural Fusion

Inspire

Myriad

The Multi-Faith Forum

GET INvOLvEd

Set up to help individuals and the company on LGBT issues. It gives people a chance to influence policy-making across the business and the opportunity to meet colleagues in a more social atmosphere through events and talks around the country.

Created in 2014, Can Do provides support and guidance to disabled colleagues, whether the impairment is physical or mental, visible or non-visible. Co-chair Caroline McGuigan said: “We focus on ability, share knowledge and learning. We seek solutions for our disabled staff and challenge stereotypes.”Lucy Cashin, co-chair, added: “Our members are encouraged to use Can Do as a platform to raise concerns, highlight best practice and promote the diversity of our colleagues in Network Rail.”

Established July 2013, Cultural Fusion recognises the benefits that a diverse workforce can bring and wants to have this reflected at all levels within organisation. Cindy Wedderburn, chair, said: “Our work covers three main themes – encouraging our members to aspire to be the best they can be, promoting and embracing the value of cultural differences and influencing change so we represent the diversity of customers we serve.”

Launched in July 2013, Inspire supports women in all business areas of Network Rail to fulfil their potential. Anthea Hague, chair, said: “I am passionate about improving the opportunities and working conditions for women and establishing environments that encourage a sense of safety and wellbeing. “I’m proud to be a Network Rail employee and I want to support the organisation to become an employer of choice for both women and men alike.”

Set up in 2014, Myriad is the network for staff who have caring responsibilities. Graham Thomson, chair, said: “We want to help make Network Rail a great place to work; a business that really assists carers, values their work and promotes an understanding culture that supports everyone. “We want out members to meet up both professionally and socially to share experiences, information and provide mutual support.”

Set up in July 2014. The multi-faith network is one where everyone’s spiritual, religious and philosophical diversity is valued. Chair Lisa Jackson said: “We recognise the variety of faith practices within the organisation and across Britain.“We want you to have the support you need to bring your whole self to work and we want to make sure that the company values this.”

Chair: Babak Erfani, project managerExecutive sponsor: Suzanne Wise, Group general counsel and company secretaryContact: [email protected]

Co-Chair: Caroline McGuigan, business change manager, and Lucy Cashin, lead forensic technology investigatorExecutive sponsor: Phil Hufton, managing director, England and WalesContact: [email protected]

Chair: Cindy Wedderburn, systems integration managerExecutive sponsor: Francis Paonessa, managing director, Infrastructure ProjectsContact: [email protected]

Chair: Anthea Hague, consents managerExecutive sponsor: Mark Carne, chief executiveContact: [email protected]

Chair: Jackie Robb, business support administrator, and Ruth Thomas, analyst.Executive sponsor: Graham Hopkins, Group Safety, Technical and Engineering directorContact: [email protected]

Chair: Lisa Jackson, project development managerExecutive sponsor: New sponsor to be confirmedContact: [email protected]

There are six staff networks with more than 1,000 members at network Rail. each has a specific purpose but are open to all colleagues.

Talking Business PULL OUTUse this Talking Business supplement in your monthly team briefing

Let’s talk business

cloSE cAllS01

Welcome to TalkingBusiness – a new teambriefing guide for

everyone in the organisation.It’s included with every issue of

Network magazine and available on Connect and Connect Mobile.

Each month the Talking Businessteam brief will focus on one of Network Rail’s 17 corporate scorecard measures and ask ‘what does it mean to you?’

Our corporate scorecard shows us how we are doing against our targets for the year. Using it to discuss how we can be better every day can really make a difference to our performance.

Simply pull this supplement out of your Network magazine, stick it on the wall in your team brief area and use the questions to guide you through the discussion.

There is additional information and briefing materials for line managers at connect/talkingbusiness.

Mark Carne, chief executive, said: “Talking Business is about having a quality conversation, as

a team, to understand how you can focus on the most important improvements you can make together to be safer at work and to improve performance.”

four steps to using Talking business:1. The centre-spread is the focus

point for each session. A copy of the Talking Business pull-out or a printed version can be displayed for the team

2. At the start of the meeting, line managers should nominate a team member to keep a note of the discussion and send in the team’s response to question four at the end of the session

3. The featured topic should be introduced and the team then discuss and work through questions one to four in the centre-fold

4. The nominated team member should submit the team’s feedback to question four by the date requested. The best examples will be highlighted on Connect.

Close CallsA Close Call is an event or hazard which has the potential to cause harm to someone or damage to property. You could think of a Close Call as an accident waiting to happen, or one that nearly happened.

No matter where you work, reporting Close Calls is vital to improving our safety. If you see something with the potential to cause harm, make it safe – if it is safe to do so. If it is not safe to continue work then stop. Everyone has the right to stop work on grounds of health and safety. Once the hazard has been removed or made safe then report it in. The more data we receive about Close Calls the smarter we can be in preventing accidents nationally.

We all have a personal responsibility to recognise, respond to, and report Close Calls. Use this month’s Talking Business to talk about this in your team.

Survey results of NR favourability amongst Lineside Neighbours who experience work (YTD)

52.0%53.0%

55.0%

Lineside Neighbours

5.0%

81.0%83.3%

86.0%

PassengerSurvey Results

5.0%

3.15

3.32

3.49

CustomerSurvey Results

5.0%

90%

100%

110%

Renewals (7 Key Volumes) Volumes (Period & YTD Actual not MAA) 7.5%

7.5%

8.4%

9.3%

CRI (Composite Reliability Index)Total

7.5%

All Delivery Plan Enhancement Milestones (%)Interim and completion milestones of all enhancement projects

60%

80%

100%

5.0%

Top 10 IP Renewals & Enhancement MilestonesKey milestones of top 10 renewals & enhancement projects

5.0%

6

8

10

Financial Performance MeasureEnhancements (£m) 5.0%

- £100m

0

+ £100m

Financial Performance Measure Total Efficiency Generated (£m) excluding Enhancement 15.0%

- £200m

0

+ £200m

92.5%94.5%

95.0%

FreightFreight Delivery Metric (FDM) 2.0%

CaSL

E & W6.0%

2.9%

2.8%

2.4%

PPM

National12.0%

89.7%90.0%

91%

Level Crossing Risk Reduction Level Crossing Risk Indicator Model1 Period in Arrears 5.0%

1.2621.893

2.524

Passenger Safety Train Accident (PIM) - 1 Period in Arrears 5.0%

1.9861.942

1.899

Ŧ Currently close out only calculated for Non-IP Close Calls

Workforce Safety YTD Close calls closed within 28 days (%) - 1 Period in ArrearsŦ 2.0%

40%

50%

60%

70,00080,000

90,000

Workforce Safety Workforce Close Calls (*Actual, **YTD) 3.0%0.511

0.483

Workforce Safety Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) 5.0%

0.540

3.05 3.00

83.0% 80.0%

0.554 0.538

10,167* 101,641**

1.285

88.4% 89.3%

93.7%

-43 -141

100.9% 97.6%

1.289

25.0% 97.0%

1 7

14.9% 15.2%

Satisfaction

Bonus Position

Safety

Train Performance

Financial Performance

Investment

Asset Management

FULL YEAR FORECAST

AREA PERFORMANCE MEASURE

CURRENT PERIOD MAA

CURRENT PERIOD YTD

CURRENT PERIOD YTD

CURRENT PERIOD PRIOR PERIOD

PRIOR PERIOD MAA

CURRENT PREVIOUS

CURRENT PERIOD MAA

AIP % WEIGHTING

AIP % WEIGHTING

AIP % WEIGHTING

AIP % WEIGHTING

AIP % WEIGHTING

AIP % WEIGHTING

1.664 1.667

59.0% 56.5%

TARGET

WORSE THAN TARGET

BETTER THAN TARGET

TARGET

WORSE THAN TARGET

BETTER THAN TARGET

TARGET

WORSE THAN TARGET

BETTER THAN TARGET

TARGET

WORSE THAN TARGET

BETTER THAN TARGET

TARGET

WORSE THAN TARGET

BETTER THAN TARGET

TARGET

WORSE THAN TARGET

BETTER THAN TARGET

3.0% 3.0%

-20 -137

51.0% 52.0%

CORPORATE SCORECARD PERIOD 11

94.2%

Home

Train Performance Finance & Efficiencies Enhancements

Satisfaction & Reputation

Asset Management Renewals

Safety

Other

50.0% 43.0%

35.0% 35.4%

35.6% 34.6%

35.5% 34.7%

35.0% 32.3%

31.7%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

P1P2

P3P4

P5P6

P7P8

P9P10

P11P12

P13

56.8%

0.3%

0.541

-0.019

120,121

3,018

1.780

0.000

1.551

0.000

89.1%

0.0%

3.1%

0.0%

94.1%

-0.2%

-139

-18

-163

-19

9

0

77.0%

0.0%

13.8%

-0.7%100%

4.4%

3.05

0.0%

51.5%

0.0%

81.5%

0.0%

Page 8

Corporate scorecard

cloSE cAllS02

Why does this matter to Network Rail and our team?

Q2: Why is it important?

Scorecard metric: Close Calls

Do we know what they are? What kinds of Close Calls have we reported in our team?

Q1: What are Close Calls?

remove the risk We all share responsibility for getting everyone home safe, every day. No matter where you work, reporting Close Calls is vital to improving our safety. If you see something with the potential to cause harm, make it safe – if it is safe to do so. If it is not safe to continue work then stop. Once the hazard has been removed or made safe then report it in. The more data we receive about Close Calls the smarter we can be in preventing accidents nationally.

cloSE cAllS03

What is our performance like in this area at the moment?

Q3: How are we doing? MOrE INFOrMATIONlog on to connect/

talkingbusiness to

download useful guides and tools for your

briefings

Scorecard metric: Close Calls

What one practical step can our team take to improve the quality of reporting Close Calls and help them to be closed out quickly?

Q4: What can we do to improve Close Calls?

---------------------------------------Write your answer here.

---------------------------------------Manager name and contact number.

---------------------------------------Send your response...Nominate one team member to share your answers by 6 May, using one of the following:

[email protected] or call: 07734 649138 Talking business, Quadrant:mk, Caldecotte 2-f, elder gate, milton keynes, mk9 1en

The best of these will be highlighted as best practice.

Talking Business

What is a Close Call?A Close Call is an event or hazard which has the potential to cause harm or damage to someone or asset. There are three types:• Close Call: Everything else that has

the potential to cause harm or damage but that does not pose an immediate threat to the safe operation of the railway. This should be reported to the Close Call system.

• Operational Close Call: An unsafe behaviour or condition that poses an immediate threat to the safe operation of the railway. In such cases immediate action must be taken to protect the line, workforce and passengers. Sometimes the term ‘near miss’ is used to describe a close call incident that occurs when people are nearly hit by a train. These are logged in the Safety Management Information System (SMIS), not the Close Call system.

• Fault and Close Call: A fault on railway infrastructure that needs to be fixed, but could also cause harm or damage. This should be reported to Route Fault Control and then also reported as a Close Call to the Close Call system.

If you have a safety concern, stop work immediately, ensuring that doing so does not endanger others, move to a position of safety and contact the person in charge, explaining why you have stopped the work. The Worksafe procedure empowers everyone to stop work if they feel safety has been compromised.

Recognise, respond, report No matter where you work, reporting Close Calls is vital to help us improve cloSE cAllS

04

our safety. We all have a personal responsibility to recognise, respond to, and report Close Calls.

Close Calls raised are passed to a responsible manager for action and are resolved, ‘closed out’, when action has been taken to eliminate or reduce the risk reported.

When it comes to reporting Close Calls we’re doing really well. In 2015/16 the scorecard measured how many we reported, and how many were closed out within 28 days, and we exceeded target on both fronts.

The call centre is handling around 200 calls every day. So it’s now important to raise awareness of what makes a good Close Call report, capturing the information that can help us to resolve calls quickly and efficiently.

To raise a Close Call use either the Close Call App, or telephone 01908 723500, or email: [email protected]

focus on: making a good Close CallWhether you can fix the problem at source or not, it’s really important to have detailed and concise information ready when you report a Close Call. Getting the details right first time helps others to take action quickly.

keep these pointers in mind:fault first: If it’s a fault, report to Root Fault Control and then to the Close Call system.Location: Where is it? Be as specific as possible.Problem: What is it and what is the potential impact?solution: What action have you taken or what action is needed?


Paul used sign language to give his

talk at the school in essex

“A teacher at St Clere’s School in Essex approached me to speak at an event to for deaf

pupils to show examples of the sort of things they can achieve in life,” explained Paul, community relations executive, Anglia route.

“I wanted to use my own career as an example. Being deaf I know there are certain barriers the deaf community faces but much of this relates to misunderstanding from the public in what we can do. The only thing we can’t do is hear.

“I also took the opportunity to deliver a safety talk in which I focused a lot on level crossings. We’ve got great information out there for the public but

it was good to translate some of this into sign language to make sure the kids could fully understand everything to keep them safer on the railway.”

work hard“My point for the children was don’t give up and if they work hard they can achieve anything. Being deaf won’t prevent this. I’ve been a head chef, worked for a deaf charity and also studied law at university, receiving my degree last year.

“Now I’ve gone back into mainstream employment at Network Rail having joined in February 2015 on a temporary contract as a technical clerk on Close Calls and customer relations. After completing this project ahead of schedule I joined the contact and communities team in October on a full-time basis.

“It was quite nerve racking at the beginning because I wasn’t sure about the perception of a deaf person within the organisation but I’ve been delighted.

“The attitude towards me has been great. I believe I’ve fitted in well and achieved a lot so far. I have an interpreter with me but some members of my team have also started learning sign language to talk with me.” n

Celebrating our people

Paul Lennon on how he explained to school children that being deaf

isn’t a barrier to success

‘‘ THE ONLy THING WE CAN’T dO IS HEAr’’

Aa Bb Cc Dd FfEe

Ii Jj Kk LlHhGg

Qq RrNnMm PpOo

Ss Tt VvUu XxWw

Yy Zz

The British ngerspelling alphabet

Get spelling, get sponsored. Join the NDCS Fingerspellathon www.ndcs.org.uk/ ngerspell

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Safety and performance

There are five trains, managed by National Supply Chain,

carrying the PLPR technology, as part of the infrastructure monitoring fleet based in Derby.

Between July and November 2015, 447,915

possible candidates were identified, with 103,937 defects reported from 21,521 miles of track reviewed.

Six years ago, Network Operations Programmes introduced plain line

pattern recognition (PLPR) technology onto Network Rail’s New Measurement Train.

It’s used to take high-quality images of plain line track, allowing maintenance colleagues to focus on fixing faults, rather than trying to find them.

Today it is used across a number of routes and helping to provide maintenance crews with reliable data to help them work more safely and efficiently.

Network shines a light on the technology to see how it’s helping deliver a better railway for a better Britain. n

IN THE PICTUrE how technology is delivering a safer and more efficient way to inspect track


Image: © Danesmoor

20152

fIve TRAIns1

The PLPR technology covers around 2,000 miles of track

every week. To give an idea of how impressive that is, it takes six teams of a minimum of two colleagues around a week to survey 210 miles of track. That’s 10 times more efficient, providing a safer method of track inspection by reducing unnecessary track visits.

3

Train-mounted cameras capture millions of images at 70,000

frames per second for inspection – that’s an image every 0.8mm of track – identifying issues like missing fasteners, excess ballast and ineffective rail clamps.


Asset Information Services’ on-train technicians monitor

the live data system, while the examination inspectors are responsible for processing the data. Confirmed defects are sent, in a report, to the local track section manager within 48 hours, allowing them to proactively target their maintenance.

2,000 mILes

48 houRs

70,000 fRAmes

5

4

Stuart Evans, track section manager based at Nuneaton, said that PLPR improves his maintenance scheduling, as well as making life safer and more comfortable for teams on the ground.“You can’t beat a skilled crew working in daylight, but routine inspections happen on a Sunday night, working under artificial light, perhaps in driving rain, which means they could miss something the camera can pick up.It saves costs in terms of overtime payments and vehicles, the system also helps the team make better use of their time. As well as a picture, the technology gives us an accurate GPS location for each suspected fault so a crew can easily find the site and we avoid problems of double-reporting. It’s the 21st century, and it’s right that we should be making use of all the technology that’s available for the benefit of our business, customers and passengers.”

Stuart says

Railway Upgrade Plan

The great western route modernisation team is seeing the benefits of the

high output piling train

PILIng HIGH



Richard Turner, community relations manager, Western route“Improving the Great Western route is a vital piece of work as Network Rail upgrades Britain’s railway. Piling can disrupt lineside neighbours because if teams are working on tougher ground and need to use the Fambo hammer, this can make a loud noise at night when piling tends to take place.“We’re notifying people about works in their area by writing to them and updating our website so they know when the work will be taking place. We also do our best to make sure we don’t work in the same area on consecutive nights.”

FINd OUT MOrERead more about the modernisation programme at bit.ly/GWRMProject or watch the piling team in action on Frontline Focus at bit.ly/FLFep71

The piling machine forms part of the HOPS train, made up of 23 different carriages or ‘consists’ which can be split and formed up to do different jobs on the line. It carries all supplies and equipment so there is no need for road transportation to bring materials and

High output plant system (HOPS)

equipment to site. As well as the piling unit, the HOPS train is made up of:• An excavation and concrete batching unit with a Hitachi excavator plus a Kniele concrete unit to mix concrete from on-board aggregate, cement and water tanks• A structures unit which erects the

masts, portal booms and twin track cantilevers• An ancillary conductor to install the earthing wires, return wires and small parts such as registration arms and other equipment• A contact and catenary unit to string up the remaining wires under tension.

As work progresses on modernising the 235-mile Great Western Main Line, Network

spoke to the team using the high output plant system (HOPS) to lay foundation piling which will support the overhead line equipment (OLE).

Steve Yates, project manager, HOPS, said: “The Great Western route is being modernised to increase

passenger and freight capacity and environmental benefits with cleaner, faster and more reliable services and improved station facilities.

“HOPS is a factory on wheels, consisting of five units typically. When piling this is comprised of the driving cab which has a Movax unit to vibrate the piling heads, a pile-carrying wagon, a Fambo hydraulic hammer, and an additional Movax unit and Fambo hammer.”

slick operation “Using HOPS allows us to work with the adjacent line open (ALO) so services can still run on the line. It’s also better for

the environment as the train holds all the equipment required so there’s no need to transport materials and equipment out to worksites and because we don’t have to extract earth before driving piles, the operation is much faster and produces no spoil to remove from site either.

“We can make greater use of possessions, commencing the work earlier and working longer. It’s also safer for the workforce as they are transported to site aboard the train so they don’t have to walk along the track to the worksites. It’s a very slick operation and because we’ve been doing this since September 2014 we’re now regularly installing piles in less than 15 minutes.

“We often talk about ‘feeding the beast’ when planning piling. We need as much detail as possible and a complete design for the locations otherwise we can’t maximise the use of the train. It’s very capable but obstacles do get in the way such as a difficult location or last-minute amends to plans.”

Clean, quick and effective Michael Lovell, supervising piling foundations, added: “Using the Movax we vibrate the first part of the pile in and

if the ground starts getting harder we come along with the Fambo machine which sits on top of the pile and hammers the last part of it in so it’s nice and sturdy to hold the beam and wires up securely.

“Compared to other piling systems ours is clean, quick and effective. We can install 30 in a night, one after the other with two trains and two percussion hammers following it.” n

Digital Railway

how the digital Railway can help solve the railway’s capacity challenges

HISTOry IN THE MAKING



Whisper it quietly, but Network Rail is on the edge of a rail revolution.

Digital Railway is an industry-wide programme that will ease congestion and improve services for millions of passengers and freight customers.

And the need has never been greater. In the past 12 months there were 1.68 billion rail passenger journeys – the highest number ever recorded in Britain. Estimates suggest that number will continue to grow, adding to an already congested network.

Charlie Usher is Digital Railway’s head of transformation. He outlined what it would mean for the

industry. “The railway capacity challenge is well documented.

“Some parts of the network are already operating beyond designed capacity – in some cases services are crowded by up to 200 per cent.

“This problem needs solving because the railway keeps Britain’s economy moving. The Digital Railway programme will help bring our Victorian infrastructure into the digital age, improving capacity, connectivity, and reliability. It will enable up to one billion more rail journeys a year by 2032.”

Robert Buchanan, freight train driver “With a Digital Railway, flexible timetabling and new technology will allow more efficient speed regulation, which will increase the speed of the slowest train, and therefore the performance of the network. This doesn’t only mean gains in time and fuel, but ultimately gains to the economy.”

FINd OUT MOrERead more about the Digital Railway on Connect at bit.ly/DigitalRailway

big benefits “So how will it work? By bringing proven technologies together we’ll release capacity from our existing network.

“For example, the European Train Control System keeps trains safely separated, but allows them to safely run closer together. The Traffic Management System optimises the flow of train traffic to maximise capacity and minimise the time that one train has to wait for another. And Global System for Mobile Communications allows communication links so that costly and complex lineside assets can be removed.

“When things go wrong on the network today it can be difficult to recover quickly. Delays lead to more delays and it is very frustrating for passengers. The digital railway programme will boost reliability on the railway, even as train frequency increases. This is because the Traffic Management System identifies and tests options for new train paths in real time, so we’ll be able to recover faster.

“The Digital Railway will reduce costs because we’ll have fewer lineside assets, and it’s faster and cheaper to deploy them than conventional alternatives. And because our people won’t need to maintain as many lineside assets, they will be safer.” n


rE-FIT FOr A QUEENnetwork looks ahead to upgrades at glasgow Queen street station

fAsT fACTsQueen Street Tunnel renewal

140 days of round-the-clock working

Removal of 10,000 tonnes of degrading concrete slab

Installation of 1,800 metres of modern specification slab

Installation of 4,000 metres of new rail

Introduction of new fleet of 180 Hitachi class 385 EMUs from December 2017.

Ahead of the electrification of the main line between Edinburgh and Glasgow and

the redevelopment of Scotland’s third busiest station, Network Rail is renewing the slab track in the 918-metre Glasgow Queen Street approach tunnel.

With, faster, longer and greener electric trains scheduled to run on the line from December 2016 the 20-week tunnel renewal also provides a window to deliver longer platforms and overhead wires in the station and through the tunnel as part of the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP).

Tunnel vision Although not part of EGIP, the 20-week closure of the tunnel is allowing access to the station to begin extending platforms and installing the overhead electrification system that will power the trains.

Paul Reilly, programme manager, said: “The existing slab has been there for 40 years and is degrading. We can’t run faster electric trains on life-expired concrete slab track, which is why we are renewing the tunnel before we start


upgrading the infrastructure.“We’re removing all 10,000 tonnes of

existing concrete slab and installing 1,800 metres of new slab track throughout the tunnel. The new slab with modern specifications will be able to go for 60 years without further major intervention.

“At the same as renewing the slab track we’ll be working on extending platforms three, four and seven – which will eventually accommodate eight-car trains – renewing all seven switches and crossings units, and installing new drainage, 4,000 metres of new rail and a conductor bar for electrification.”

station revampPaul added: “In 2017 the remodelling of Glasgow Queen Street station will get under way. It will create longer platforms, a glass-fronted building allowing more light into a new concourse and improved access, retail and passenger facilities.

“While the station is to be completed by 2019, the upgrades to the railway will be much earlier than that with the electrification of the line being scheduled for December this year.” n

Behind the hoardings

Paul Reilly, programme manager

how the remodelled glasgow Queen street

station will look


Network news

ufton nervet: network Rail has reached the next milestone to improve safety at ufton nervet by beginning construction of a bridge to replace the level crossing. building a bridge will completely separate road and rail traffic at the site.

Port Talbot: school children from Central Primary school buried a time capsule at the newly transformed Port Talbot Parkway station to mark its £11m transformation.

Have your say: yamJam

yamJam in numbers:• 708 people joined

the Ask mark yammer group

• 288 messages received during the session

• 94 people asked questions.

Chief executive Mark Carne was joined by Graham Hopkins, Group Safety, Technical and

Engineering director, and Susan Cooklin, Route Services director, for an online question and answer session this past month. The ‘YamJam’ took place on Network Rail’s internal social network Yammer following the release of the Shaw Report, which makes recommendations about the shape and financing of Network Rail from 2019 onwards. Here is just one of the questions Mark answered on the day. Head to Yammer to see discussion in full.

“Mark, what plans do you have to attract new and younger talent into Network Operations in general, and signalling in particular?”william godfrey, manchester

“I believe our Digital Railway strategy is a hugely exciting transformation in our railway. It is exactly this sort of exciting future that young people want to come and be part of. Come and join Network Rail and be part of the winning team that has the ambition and determination to transform the economic arteries of our country. I just wish I was 30 years younger.” mark Carne

rEAd MOrERegister using your Network Rail email address at yammer.com to view the discussion in full

Liverpool: Liverpool City Region (LCR) train passengers are to benefit from £340m of rail improvements over the next three years. The investment, by network Rail and the Liverpool City Region will provide passengers with faster, more frequent and more reliable train services by 2019. Read all about it on Connect and Connect mobile.

bristol: The company is transforming the 130-year-old severn and Patchway tunnels this autumn in preparation for the arrival of a new fleet of longer, faster, quieter and greener electric trains. Communication with passengers about the disruption to their journeys is already taking place with emails sent to more than one million season ticket holders and an intensive programme of leafleting, in-station advertising and announcements planned. Read more on Connect and Connect mobile.

rEGISTEr NOW

you can register to attend your nearest briefing through Connect.

business briefings are taking place across the network throughout April and may.

dELIvErING FOr OUr CUSTOMErS

2016

Documents

Network April 2016