Railway Strategies Issue 104 Early Edition

RAILWAYS T R A T E G I E Szzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Early Issue 104

Network Rail meets level crossing closure target

F o r S E N I o r r A I L M A N A G E M E N T

Industry News

Infrarail 2014

Conferences & Exhibitions

IMechE Training Courses

NEWS

Interview : Network Rail’s director of

rail freight Paul McMahon discusses how

See Page 4

FOCUS ON

l Geotechnical Engineering

l Infrastructure

RS Live! 2014

Preview page 6

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I know we British love to talk about the weather but, as far as

the rail network is concerned, it has been a dominant theme

of late. Not for the usual reasons at this time of year, however

– no significant snow and ice (south of the border at least) to

cause problems, but wind and rain – and lots of it. Network Rail

has not only had a very busy period of planned maintenance and

renewals recently, but has had to devote significant resources

to dealing with the aftermath of the torrential rain and gale-force

winds. Embankments have had to be re-stabilised or completely

re-built; track ballast has had to be reinstated; flood water has

had to be pumped away; and services have had to be diverted or

cancelled – in some cases for a matter of weeks. Let’s hope there

is some respite soon and then the debate about the resilience of

our rail infrastructure to natural influences can take place.

Aside from the weather, we are pleased to announce that our

Railway Strategies Live! conference will once again take place

this year. As last year, the venue is the Royal Geographical Society

in London and a fascinating programme is being assembled –

further details appear within this issue.

So save the date: 15th May 2014

From the Editorzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzHave your details changed? Are you reading someone else’s copy of Railway Strategies?Please email: [email protected] to amend your details or request a regular copy

Issue 104 ISSN 1467-0399

Railway Strategies by emailRailway Strategies is also now available by email as a digital magazine. This exciting development is intended to complement the printed magazine, which we will continue to publish and distribute to qualifying individuals, whilst also giving added value to our advertisers through a more widespread circulation. To secure your continued supply of Railway Strategies in either digital or hard copy format, please contact our subscriptions manager Iain Kidd ([email protected]).

Elemental forces

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zzzzzzzzzzzzzContentsIssue 104

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40

FeaturesFour predictions for the UK supply chain 9Adrian ChamberlainTime to invest in transport 12Arnaud DuttKey Assets 14Rob Russell Profiles Venice Simplon-Orient-Express 20 BEA Sensori 24 ATG Access 28Oleo 31 Bachy Solletanche 34 Lowery 37 Neary Rail 40

NewsIndustry News 3Infrarail 2014 11Conferences & Exhibitions 43IMechE training Courses 43

Focus on Geotechnical EngineeringBallast control to save on maintenance & manpower 16Mike Horton Focus on InfrastructureKeeping on the right track 18John Langley-Davis

RS Live! 2014 Preview 6

At more than £100 million, the festive investment programme was the biggest ever

carried out by Network Rail and was planned in conjunction with train operators to

minimise the impact on passengers during what is traditionally one of the quietest

periods for rail travel. Hundreds of engineers from Network Rail and its suppliers

worked the equivalent of more than 600,000 hours at more than 100 locations across

Britain over the period, often in extremely difficult weather conditions.

Highlights of the work completed include:

l A new platform, track and signalling

equipment at Gatwick Airport station.

Around 1300m of track was laid, a 50m

footbridge was renewed and a new

250m platform, complete with a new lift,

escalators and high-level walkway to the

station was completed.

l Commissioning of new signalling

equipment at Peterborough, part of a

wider project to relieve a major bottleneck

on the East Coast Main Line which

includes a new track layout, longer

platforms, station bridges, extensions

and new lifts (completion March 2014).

l Electrification work at Manchester

Victoria, which saw 400m of track

lowered and 1300 tonnes of spoil

removed to create additional headroom

for overhead power lines so electric trains

can run from Manchester to Liverpool

starting in December.

l Installation of a new rail bridge in Ipswich, part of a 1.1km stretch of new railway

connecting the East Suffolk Line and Great Eastern Main Line to increase rail capacity to

the port of Felixstowe (completion March 2014).

l A major upgrade of Gravesend station, including a new platform allowing longer

12-car trains to call at the station for the first time, providing more seats and extra space

for passengers. There will also be improved facilities including a new footbridge and lifts to

all platforms (completion May 2014).

Record-breaking festive rail investment programme

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A record-breaking programme of

upgrades to Britain’s rail network was

successfully completed over the Christmas

and New Year period, providing new tracks,

new and longer platforms, new lifts and footbridges at stations, upgraded

signalling equipment and electrification

equipment to allow cleaner, faster electric

trains to run

Upgrading the Brighton main line

Peterborough station

Work at Manchester Victoria


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzNEWS I Industry

The majority of crossings closed are, like Cardells

crossing in St Neots, footpath or user-worked

crossings (on private land and largely used by

land-owners, farmers, delivery and utility vehicles

but run across main line railway).

Since 2010, Network Rail has invested £131 million in a

national level crossings improvement programme, which

by the end of March will have resulted in:

l 38 footbridges to replace crossings

l 57 new spoken warnings installed to announce

“another train is coming” when one train has already

passed through

l Obstacle detection radar technology installed at

13 sites

l New barrier technology installed at 33 sites which

previously had open crossings

l New warning lights installed at 16 crossings

l 250 power operated gate openers installed to prevent

vehicle owners crossing the tracks on foot unnecessarily

or gates being left open

l ‘Wavetrain’ sound vibration technology trialled at

Whitehouse Priory View crossing in Norfolk

l GPS technology installed on the Marks Tey – Sudbury

line allowing signallers to pinpoint a train’s location and

provide better safety information to those requesting

Network Rail reaches target of closing 750 level crossings

4 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk

The closure of a level crossing on the East Coast Main Line in Cambridgeshire means Network Rail has now reached its target, set in 2010, of closing ten per cent of Britain’s crossings – 750 in total – by April 2014, contributing to a reduction in the

overall risk level crossings pose to the network by 25 per cent

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz NEWS I Industry

New half-barrier system installed at Balnacra in Scotland – a previously open level crossing

on the line to Kyle of Lochalsh

Cardells level crossing on the East Coast Main Line in Cambridgeshire, which has now been closed.


permission to cross

l 21 crossings fitted with red light safety cameras to

dissuade motorists from jumping the lights

l 13 mobile safety camera enforcement vans operated by

British Transport Police

l 100 new Network Rail level crossing managers

l National TV and digital advertising campaign – ‘See

Track, Think Train’

l Rail Life schools awareness campaign www.rail-life.

co.uk

Network Rail has pledged to close a further 500

crossings in the next five years, investing more than

£100 million over this period as part of its ongoing

programme of work to improve safety and reduce risk to

passengers and the wider public.

Robin Gisby, managing director of network operations

for Network Rail, said: “Britain’s railway is safer than ever

before, but even so there will always be a certain level of

risk to motorists or pedestrians where a road, footpath or

cycleway crosses the tracks. Network Rail is committed to

reduce that risk as much as possible and if we are able to

close a level crossing, we will.

“Reaching our target to close 750 crossings in four

years is good news for Network Rail, train operators and

of course the public, but we cannot be complacent. There

is much more we can do to make the level crossings

that remain safer and we will continue to introduce new

technology, upgrade crossings to include lights or barriers

where appropriate and work with schools, communities

and other organisations to spread awareness of our

safety message.

“We’ve pledged to close a further 500 level crossings

in the next five years. Successfully closing a crossing isn’t

always a straightforward process, so we will need the

support from local authorities, landowners and the public

to help us achieve our new target and improve safety

further still.”

Ian Prosser, director of railway safety at the Office of

Rail Regulation (ORR) said: “We welcome Network Rail’s

closure of Cardells crossing in St Neots, Cambridgeshire.

To remove 750 level crossings or ten per cent of their total

in Britain, by April 2014 is a significant achievement for

the company. Though Britain’s level crossings are among

the safest in Europe, there is no room for complacency.

They still pose a significant risk to the public and ORR

has recently announced millions of pounds’ worth of

extra funding for Network Rail to close or upgrade level

crossings in the next five years.”

In 2013, there were ten accidental fatalities at level

crossings and ten collisions between trains and road

vehicles. zz

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Watch the ‘See Track: Think Train’ TV advert at http://bit.ly/1gQ8VLA

For more information on Network Rail’s programme of activity on level crossings visit: www.networkrail.co.uk/level-crossings/

Level crossing database

A South Wales-based company has secured a contract with Network Rail, to configure the database systems for its level crossings. There are some 6500 level crossings across Britain, many in rural areas on private land where users must operate the crossings themselves. As a key safety measure on these crossings, users must register with Network Rail and contact them before using crossings for the first time. Network Rail has a vital database of authorised users and must regularly communicate with them by SMS, phone and email in order to keep registered users informed of safety issues, maintenance work and much more. To manage this, Connect Assist has configured a sophisticated new customer relationship management

(CRM) system for Network Rail, allowing the company to keep track of all of its outbound communications. Network Rail chose to build the new database using Oracle RightNow as the CRM platform. It then selected Connect Assist to develop the system because it is one of the most experienced companies in the UK at configuring the Oracle RightNow CRM platform.

The new bridge at Mors Gorse, Cannock

Power Operated Gate Opener Technology (POGO) on a level crossing. Automation reduces the number of times a user has to cross the railway to close gates and ensures gates are not left open, posing a risk to others

Connect Assist chief executive, Patrick Nash, at a user-operated level crossing

l The Supply Chain of the Futurel Finding the Right Route to Market

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zzNetwork Rail to use Railway Strategies Live 2014 conference to launch its new Product Acceptance

process for the first time in an open forum

Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR

Thursday May 15th 2014

Network Rail

Hosted in association with

RAILWAYS T R A T E G I E Szzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

FOR SENIOR RAIL MANAGEMENT

2014Live

stop press

Gold Sponsor


http://www.railwaystrategies.co.uk/eventbooking.php?id=574

For the UK rail industry to truly develop an effective and world-class supply chain it needs

to grasp the opportunities afforded to it by the broader economy. Sectors such as

automotive, aerospace and defence are outperforming rail and offer many mutual benefits

in terms of products, goods and services, along with complementary technologies -

businesses in these sectors offer valuable best practices and examples from which the rail

sector can learn and profit.

Working in very close affiliation with the Rail Alliance and its members, Railway Strategies Live

2014 will deliver a conference that is going to cover the sort of topics that really matter to those

in the rail supply chain. Not only is it going to put the spotlight on the small to medium enterprise

(SME), but it is also going to see the launch of a very exciting new process from Network Rail.

Following the results of a recent Rail Alliance research report (The SME in the Railway Market -

an Entrepreneurial Leap of Faith), Railway Strategies Live is going to take a look at how the rail

sector can make better use of the innovative capabilities of the SME in the supply chain. It will

discuss why the Route to Market is so very difficult and complex, and try to identify what is being

done to put this right.

Another factor that makes Railway Strategies Live a must-attend event is the news that Network

Rail will be using the conference to launch its new Product Acceptance process for the first time

in an open forum.

Finally, the conference will deliver more exciting news about how the railway supply chain is

transforming the way it collaborates and co-ordinates itself, as well as highlighting new

opportunities, technology and innovation.

The speaker programme will be drawn from Network Rail and other leading UK rail companies

and government as well as some international organisations.

Railway Strategies Live 2014 will deliver a conference that is designed to be a useful and

memorable learning experience for all delegates, and valuable resource for sponsors and

exhibitors. With extensive prospects for networking it will be a unique opportunity to meet the

people you need to in order to drive your business forward. The conference is already attracting

interest from former delegates, sponsors and exhibitors keen to secure repeat attendance.

There are a number of sponsorship/exhibiting opportunities available, which will enable forward-

thinking businesses to expose their services and skill sets to an audience of delegates who are

ready to embrace innovation and bring state-of-the art technologies and approaches to the UK

railway sector.

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The Eighth Annual Conference from Railway Strategies (in association with the Rail Alliance) is being held at the Royal Geographical Society (www.rgs.org) London, Thursday May 15th 2014

For further details of the event, email Mark Cawston: [email protected] for delegate enquiries, email Maxine Quinton: [email protected] or telephone: 01603 274130 and ask for Mark or Maxine, or visit:




The event incorporates: MetroRail – network management, operations

and global projects

Light Rail – planning, design and

implementation

RailTel – signalling, telecommunications and

automation

Rail Power – energy efficiency, storage and

recovery

Air Rail – integrating airports with urban

transport networks

Key speakers include: Terry Morgan, Chairman, Crossrail

Mike Brown, Managing Director, Transport

for London

Pierre Mongin, Chairman & CEO, RATP

Andy Byford, CEO, TTC (Toronto)

Peter Dijk, CEO, Amsterdam Metro

MetroRail co-located with Light Rail, RailTel, Rail Power and Air Rail

It’s all about urban transit

l As cities and passenger

numbers grow, urban

transport is becoming

increasingly connected.

Building on ten years of

MetroRail, the urban rail show

is designed to help you cover

every aspect of urban rail

in just two days. No matter

where your interest lies – light

rail, heavy rail or infrastructure

– we have content, networking

and new partners for you.

1-2nd April 2014 Business Design Centre, London

Ibrahim K. Kutubkhanah, CEO, Jeddah Metro

Andrew Bata, CSO, New York City Transit

Dan Grabauskas, CEO, HART (Honolulu)

Ramon Canas, CEO, Metro De Santiago

Didier Bense, Board Member, Société du Grand

Paris

Anne-Grethe Foss, Deputy Chief Executive,

Metroselskabet (Copenhagen)

Aurelio Rojo Garrido, Secretary General, Alamys

Duncan Cross, Deputy Director Operations,

London Overground & Crossrail

Peter Cushing, Metrolink Director, Transport for

Greater Manchester

Geoff Inskip, CEO, Centro (Birmingham)

David Potter, Chief Engineer, Eko Rail (Lagos)

For more details, please download the event

brochure here:

http://www.terrapinn.com/RS-brochure

Bookings Team 020 7500 6900 www.expressmedicals.co.uk

rail medicalsDRUG & ALCOHOLwellbeing OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

counselling PHYSIOTHERAPYblood testing & vaccinationsTRAINING SERVICES

Looking after the health of your business

Follow us on twitter@ExpressMedicals


http://www.expressmedicals.co.uk

http://www.thermitwelding.co.uk

l 2013 was the year supply chain disruptions hit the

headlines – from the Bangladesh factory disaster, to

the horse meat scandal and ethics issues at several

mobile phone companies. All the incidents showed

how suppliers in lower level tiers of the supply chain

can have a devastating impact on the financial

performance and reputations of global businesses.

Mapping the supply chain We believe that in 2014 consumers, governments

and industry watchdogs will put pressure on big

businesses, across a whole range of sectors, to

scrutinise their operations in terms of health and safety,

ethics and compliance. Most of the high-profile issues

of 2013 involved suppliers beyond tier one.

In 2014, we expect to see an increase in supply

chain mapping – where companies from a wide range

of business sectors work to identify exactly which

companies are in their supply chains.

Once businesses know who is in their supply chain,

they can scrutinise each supplier’s operations and

evaluate whether companies are aligned to their own

values in terms of people, planet and profit.

Monitoring and benchmarking sustainability

With increasing scrutiny on the origin of materials

and the treatment of workers through all tiers of the

supply chain, 2014 will mark the beginning of the end

to companies paying ‘lip service’ to sustainability. This

is due in part to a raft of new legislation and direction

from Governments around the world.

Conflict minerals

From May 31 2014, companies will be required to

file reports on their use of ‘conflict minerals’ – metals

sourced from mines that are usually owned by,

and support the activities of, terrorist groups and

armed gangs.

The EU recently completed a consultation, calling

for views on the potential implementation of a similar

initiative to tackle conflict minerals within supply chains.

With that in mind, we would urge European companies

to take proactive action now, as it’s inevitable – and

right – that these requirements are extended beyond

the US and into other countries.

Welfare of workers

Meanwhile, businesses should also prepare to disclose

further information about the welfare of workers in their

supply chain. The Home Secretary Theresa May has

asked Labour MP Frank Field to review the evidence

base for a new Modern Slavery Bill. The Home Office

has published a draft version of the law and expects to

publish a final version and an action plan in the spring.

Both examples show that more than ever, CSR,

health and safety, ethics, bribery, corruption,

compliance and financial well-being are now critical

aspects of business activity which need to be

monitored and reported on very closely. We predict

that increasingly, buyers will be looking for systems

to accurately record and benchmark suppliers’

performance in terms of sustainability.

The impact of new Procurement Directives

Early in 2014, the European Commission is expected

to unveil the biggest raft of change in almost a decade

to Utilities and Public Sector Procurement Directives.

This could be a ‘double-edged sword’; providing

real opportunities for suppliers including SMEs, but

significant potential risk for buyers who are unprepared

and could be challenged on procurement decisions.

The changes are expected to include:

l Buyers will no longer be able to impose a minimum

financial turnover requirement on suppliers greater than

two times the value of the contract.

l SMEs tendering for ‘above threshold’ contracts

will now only be required to provide evidence of

compliance when the contract is awarded.

l Clearer definition on what constitutes a ‘substantial’

or ‘material’ change to contract.

The Cabinet Office is expected to enter the changes

into legislation swiftly, within 12 – 18 months. As such,

we would recommend buyers and suppliers get ahead

of the game and act early before the changes become

law. This includes checking procedures and contracts

are ‘watertight’ and in line with expected legislative

requirements.

Creating a single global view of supplier data

The World Trade Organisation predicts world trade

growth of 4.5 per cent in 2014. We anticipate big

businesses will have a renewed focus on expanding

into emerging markets. It will become a priority

for global businesses to implement the same high

standards in terms of health and safety, ethics and

compliance in all countries in which they operate.

In 2014 we expect to see a growing number of

companies consolidating their supplier information

into a centrally managed database which allows

businesses to source either globally or on a

country-by-country basis depending on political

and economic factors.

We expect that this functionality will be used much

more widely, by a whole range of sectors.

Knowledge is power and we expect that the

companies who get to grips with potential issues in

their supply chain will have a real USP in 2014. zz

Four predictions for UK supply chains in 2014


ADRIAN CHAMBERLAIN

predicts four supply chain trends likely

to affect other industries in 2014,

and shares tips on how to get

ahead

Supply Chain zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

‘ International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC) is an

insurance association established in 1925, which insures

2000 different businesses throughout the world and is

recognised as the leading mutual provider of professional

indemnity insurance in its field. ITIC works closely with transport

professionals and their insurance brokers to provide specialist

guidance and advice on their risks in their working environment,

both in the United Kingdom and overseas.

ITIC has concluded that many insurers do not understand the

work that professionals in the rail industry undertake. Often, these

insurers do not analyse the work of the professional working

on a project and, as a result, your premiums are increased

unnecessarily.

ITIC’s insurance includes worldwide cover for bodily injury and

property damage as standard; this is of paramount importance

to those working in the rail industry and differentiates ITIC’s

insurance from many traditional underwriters who either exclude,

or expect you to pay an additional premium for this important

element of cover.

ITIC makes four recommendations to professionals working in

the rail industry:

1. Ask your current insurers or brokers if they understand

exactly what it is that you do. For example, if you are a signalling

systems design engineer, your direct involvement in the day to

day operational environment is limited. You design a signalling

system on a railway network, but you are not necessarily the party

who operates and maintains it. Your liability is substantially less

than the operator and, therefore, you require an insurance that is

adapted specifically to cover your liabilities if you make an error in

Rail professional opportunity

Are you a rail professional open to offers for new business? ITIC, a rail and transport sector specialist insurer, needs a network of rail specialists in the UK and overseas, to advise and consult on claims

the design of the system. However, the liabilities resulting from an error in

the use of the system you have designed fall under the

operator’s liability insurance programme.

2. Enquire about a longer term, non-contract specific, business-wide,

professional indemnity policy. It is more expensive to buy insurance for

each individual contract or tender than buying an annual policy that covers

all your work.

3. Ask your insurance broker or underwriter whether bodily injury or

property damage cover is included in your policy at no additional cost.

4. Ascertain whether your policy of insurance provides you with

worldwide cover. zz

To express an obligation-free interest please contact Roger Lewis, ITIC’s underwriting director: ITICTel: 020 7338 0150Email: [email protected]: www.itic-insure.com

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Insurance


‘‘The service that we provide and the width of our professional indemnity insurance has resulted in a significant growth in the number of companies involved in the rail industry insuring with ITIC over recent years,” says Roger Lewis, ITIC’s underwriting director. “To help us support this growing rail portfolio we need a bigger network of consultants we can call upon to help with specific claims on a call by call basis.

http://www.itic-insure.com

Focusing specifically on products and services

covering every aspect of railway infrastructure,

this tenth Infrarail offers something for

everyone. The list of exhibitors already totals

around 140 companies, covering civils, track,

signalling and communications, stations and depots,

and much more.

The exhibition

Alongside company stands, two display areas in

the hall will showcase larger exhibits. The Track,

sponsored by Tata Steel, will take the form of sections

of track for the display of smaller items of equipment

and machinery, while The Yard will feature products

such as road-rail vehicles. The Yard is supported by

the Rail Plant Association. In addition, an area of the

exhibition will be dedicated to stands by member

companies of the Rail Alliance networking association.

Also supporting Infrarail are Network Rail, the

Railway Industry Association, the Institution of Railway

Signal Engineers, the Permanent Way Institution and

the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, among many

other key industry bodies.

Visitors will also be welcome at the Civil

Infrastructure & Technology Exhibition (CITE), which

takes place for the first time alongside Infrarail at Earls

Court. This will cover the closely related theme of

equipment, products and services for constructing

and maintaining vital infrastructure such as roads,

ports, airports, utilities and communications networks.

Seminars, reception & awards dinner

Accompanying this year’s Infrarail will be a busy

programme of supporting activities. Mostly free and

open to all attending the event, these include technical

seminars providing insights into the latest product

innovations, keynote speeches from Minister of State

for Transport Baroness Kramer and other industry

leaders, Project Updates covering Network Rail

programmes and HS2, and The Platform, an open

discussion forum addressing topical industry themes.

Opportunities to make new business contacts

and renew existing ones will be provided by the now

familiar Networking Reception on Infrarail’s opening

day and by the following evening’s Infrarail Awards

dinner, which will recognise significant achievements

by companies taking part in the show. Exhibitors’ job

vacancies and skills needs will also be highlighted by

the Recruitment Wall.

Registration

Online registration to visit the show free of charge is

now open. A link on the event website

www.infrarail.com takes you quickly through the

simple registration process. Pre-registering to visit the

exhibition speeds up entry and avoids a £20 charge

payable for non-registered visitors. The website also

features the very latest list of exhibitors and regularly

updated details of the many activities taking part

during Infrarail. zz

Infrarail 2014


The UK’s biggest rail event this

year will be Infrarail 2014,

which takes place at Earls Court in

London from 20 to 22 May

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from sceptics, who can’t believe Britain can

do anything on this scale, or NIMBYs, who

it seems would prefer everyone to travel by

horse and cart.

When Network Rail announced a £37 billion

upgrade of 28,000 signal boxes, what it got

instead of praise for tackling this major project,

was criticism for doing away with quaint

Victoriana.

The will-they-won’t-they saga around HS2

is played out in a similar story of politics and

infrastructure when it comes to air travel.

Britain is losing business to Germany, France,

and Holland, who have a joined up transport

network, and have invested in airports. This is

having a detrimental long-term effect on the

UK economy.

As a nation, we do not offer enough flights

to emerging economies – a situation that was

foreseen 20 years ago. However, because of

political sensitivities, no governments have

made the decision to tackle this – a huge

failure for the UK economy.

The current debate about where to site an

extra runway is typical. Why is the Government

waiting 18 months to make a decision on

how to expand? With marginal constituencies

around Heathrow, the government would

rather pander to the NIMBYs than invest in a

joined up transport strategy that encompasses

all modes of travel, including rail.

Lack of investment has another, darker

consequence. The public and private sectors

have been under immense pressure to cut

costs ever since the banking crisis plunged us

into recession, and the fallout in lost jobs and

failed firms has been well reported.

There is a less well-documented effect, one

that even as the recovery arrives has yet to be

felt, and when it does come, the results could

be literally catastrophic.

I am talking about decisions that have been

made to cut corners to save money. In many

organisations, public and private, purchasing

departments have been given unprecedented

buying power, even the ability to overrule

engineers and specify inferior components.

Under pressure to make savings, managers

have delayed vital upgrades. These decisions

store up costly refits and put systems at risk, in

some cases with disastrous consequences.

We all know what can happen when money

talks and priorities get skewed.

l A decade after the Potters Bar crash when

seven people died after their train was derailed

by faulty points, unions were still lambasting

the Government about cuts and their potential

for fatal consequences.

l Just this summer, the cargo ship Swanland

sank off Wales with the loss of six crew. Money

saving played a major part with insufficient

maintenance and a lack of repairs resulting in a

vessel severely weakened by corrosion to the

point of structural failure.

l Similarly, a report into the Gulf of Mexico oil

spill that killed 11 men concluded that cost

cutting greatly contributed to the accident with

managers making “decisions that reduced

costs and increased risk”.

So while there are no indicators about

corner cutting to appear on the nightly news

alongside the latest unemployment figures,

we know it is happening, and when the results

come to light in the worst-case scenarios, it is

all over the newscasts.

Like other businesses, we at Texane have

had to cope with these incredibly tough

past few years, and I do not for a minute

underestimate the pressure on businesses

large and small, or the public sector, to cut

As a public member of Network Rail,

I am perhaps more up to speed than

the average rail traveller, but it still

surprises me how little people know

about ongoing investment in the rail network.

People know about HS2, of course, but they

don’t realise that investment in existing lines

and stations is going on at just as large a scale.

Look at stations. Investment is having a

hugely positive effect on commuter experience.

You only have to spend time at two of the

busiest stations in the country, namely King’s

Cross and Birmingham New Street, to see how

such physical transformations influence daily

commutes. Investment in stations, including

lengthening platforms, means fewer delays,

increasing capacity throughout the timetable,

and of course providing a more pleasant

journey. It is done with passengers in mind.

This is all great, but we need much more,

and not just in the rail sector but in airports

and the whole joined up business of transport

infrastructure.

There are massive benefits for the economy.

Major projects that increase capacity lead

to demand for more materials and support

services, and create jobs because improved

efficiency benefits businesses.

So what’s holding us back?Ignorance, selfishness and fear. Look at

HS2. Instead of admiration and excitement,

that project mainly attracts negativity either


Time to invest in transport

Strategy zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

If you ask anyone on a train today what they think of Britain’s

railway network, you should expect to hear some ill-informed nonsense, asserts ArnAB Dutt

costs. I should also point out that as a supplier

of durable components to the rail sector and

other mass transit operators, we have a vested

interest in encouraging purchasing managers

and engineers to specify high end product.

It is, however, a fundamental truth of

business and life in general that if you don’t

pay your dues now, you will have to pay later.

When the time of reckoning comes for corner

cutting in this recession, let’s hope the price is

paid in money and not lives.

What would it be like if we weren’t so

piecemeal and short term about transport?

The long-term view creates solutions to

problems that currently seem intractable. For

example, with HS2 in place, Birmingham could

be considered as the next airport for expansion

rather than focusing on the southeast. London

may be the preferred destination for most UK

travellers, but with HS2, Birmingham would be

only an hour away.

The notion that Britain’s rail network is falling

apart and starved of investment is hard wired

into the nation’s psyche, but it is far from the

truth. Nevertheless, we need much more focus

on improving our rail capacity and all aspects

of our transport infrastructure. Right now, we

need to change our mindset, and invest in

a long term joined up transport strategy for

Britain. zz


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Arnab Dutt is managing director of Texane

www.texane.com

Call to action – join our research panel today!

l Railway Strategies and market research consultants Accent have joined forces to create an exclusive research panel for members of the rail industry to voice their opinions on the latest hot topics. Together the team will tackle the most pressing and urgent issues affecting rail, and we’d like you to get involved. We feel it’s imperative to listen to the voice of the industry when it comes to notable events and changes and we would like to hear from you. Every two months, we will issue a questionnaire on a hot topic, which will take no longer than five minutes to complete, and then feedback your views and opinions. Speaking about the panel, Rob Sheldon, MD at Accent said: “The research panel is a great way for industry professionals to express their opinions on the items topping the news agenda. What’s also really interesting is to have these viewpoints from across the industry and see the effects upon the sector as a whole.” Martin Collier, editor at Railway Strategies added: “We receive a lot of research-

based news stories, but what’s great about the panel is the research findings come from our readers. We can set the agenda and look in more depth at some of the topics affecting the rail industry, both now and in the future.” Topics will vary depending on what’s making headlines and will cover any ongoing subjects such as HS2 and where best to spend budgets? What passengers are saying and how to improve customer service are just the tip of the iceberg. In addition, if you feel there is an important issue which needs the attention of the panel, simply let us know. Joining the panel couldn’t be simpler, all you need to do is email [email protected] with your details. Once you have signed up you will automatically be sent the bi-monthly questionnaire. All responses will be kept anonymous unless you express your consent to be quoted within Railway Strategies.

http://www.railwaystrategies.co.uk/article-page.php?contentid=18919&issueid=530&se=1&searchphrase=ca

Infrastructure is key to a successful rail sector,

accounting for approximately one-third of the

railway’s operating costs. In 2009/10 in the UK alone,

£1bn was spent on renewals of infrastructure, £2bn

on maintenance and £1bn on enhancements. As a result,

there is a growing industry-wide focus on the

development and introduction of advanced asset

management and condition monitoring technology in

order to achieve a resilient, seven-day railway with

optimum levels of reliability, capacity and service levels.

This will chiefly be achieved through the introduction of

intelligent condition monitoring systems on board rolling

stock in order to provide accurate, timely information that

allows operators to implement condition-based

intervention and reduce unplanned maintenance and

delays. The introduction of such technology has already

commenced across the UK rail network, particularly as

operators recognise the operational benefits, at minimal

cost, that increased automation, the data to predict

intervention, and the use of intelligent software and

equipment bring.

Network Rail in particular has been a leading

implementer of advanced asset management and

condition monitoring systems, recognising that with such

a large and complex asset base it is vital for an operator

to manage maintenance and refurbishment efficiently

and provide early warning of any rapid deterioration or

component failure. The business has been lowering

costs since 2007 and aims to cut a further £2bn through

the development of methods of reliable, real-time

measuring structures, systems and components and

innovative remote measurement technology.

To discover more, Railway Strategies recently spoke to

Rob Russell, CTO (Data) at Critical Software

Technologies, who explained that: “Condition monitoring

systems and the critical management of assets is

essential where there is a high value, complex

infrastructure that can have a significant impact on

business systems if there is a failure. To implement this in

the rail sector, the main course of action needs to be an

exploitation of the current capabilities that are available

on the rolling stock and the infrastructure, in parallel with

a considerable enhancement of these capabilities. So,

initially, this might mean taking the existing data feeds

that are already available from the trains and the

operational environments and looking at the datafication

of maintenance records, logistics systems and so on.

Much of this valuable information exists only on paper,

requiring a shift to it being captured by electronic

maintenance management and logistics systems.

“That step will of course serve its initial purpose, in that

it will enable operators to capture the relevant data for

the safety and legislative status of tracking condition and

configuration management of the trains. Beyond that it

will be possible to reuse the data over time, enabling

things like ‘equipment performance analysis’, whereby

you can identify the specific areas on the trains that drive

unserviceability and maintenance burdens. This is where

real condition monitoring systems start to be successful,

allowing operators to dedicate any budgets that are

available for product improvements or technological

developments to the most significant areas for reliability

and serviceability.”

Of course, this represents an initial step, using the

available technology to begin the process of managing

and monitoring rolling stock and assets in order to

identify the most problematic areas. “In parallel with that,

operators should take a forward-thinking approach to

see how best they can capitalise on new technologies

that become available, so they improve the connectivity

of train systems and the ability to store, manage and

move larger data sets,” Rob highlighted. “From here

there are other developments that will go hand in hand,

such as the introduction of additional sensors, both to

rolling stock and the tracks/infrastructure. So, where

traditional sensors would monitor vibration levels,

Key assets


Rob Russell of Critical Software Technologies discusses asset management and condition monitoring in the rail sector

Asset Management zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Rob Russell


transmissions, oil systems and such like, adding things like

CCTV and camera imaging, allows measurements of the

infrastructure as the train is passing, for example.

As with any industry, the introduction of new technology

and the updating of existing assets and infrastructure will

be challenging, but Rob believes the benefits far outweigh

the potential problems. “The key is really about a change in

mindset,” he said. “From my experience in the aviation

sector, there is a lot of discussion and activity around

condition-based monitoring and prognostics, but I actually

believe that there is a lot more credibility and that far more

success would be achieved within a market like the rail

sector. For example, the problem in aviation is that

systems tend to be over maintained so that if there are any

failures identified, even at their earliest stages, the

components are removed so that operators never fully

understand the full cycle of the failure mode.

“Within the rail sector, because the safety regulations are

different, components and assets tend to run for longer so

that you can get a far better understanding of the failure

mode, and that is exactly the type of data that you need to

be feeding into prognostic models to allow you to

successfully implement condition-based maintenance.

Having this knowledge and information means that you are

able to run rolling stock and infrastructure for longer

periods at any one time. Once you have identified and

modelled a failure mode, you can run the components for

longer as you understand how far you are away from that

failure becoming critical.”

Future developments

Critical Software Technologies is currently involved in a

number of important projects in the rail sector in relation to

condition monitoring, giving Rob an insight into some of

the key areas in terms of future developments. “There is

already a reasonable level of embedded systems within

existing rolling stock that are monitoring many variables,

which is why expansion is the first aspect of the

development process. So, enhancing the capabilities of

sensors measuring transmissions, using existing CCTV

systems for other activities like passenger monitoring, and

monitoring the direct usage of the trains over an extended

period will be important.”

A key challenge in enhancing these existing systems is

the current capability of the rolling stock and infrastructure

– with numerous questions being raised including whether

the current CCTV systems are capable of measuring track

and train conditions at operational speeds, whether the

current Wi-Fi coverage is adequate across the network to

support both the needs of passengers and operators and,

if so, what issues may arise when trying to integrate the

data from across the whole network?

“The capabilities are there, it just requires a change in

approach as to how we implement condition monitoring,”

Rob explains. “Take CCTV for example. There are already

dedicated systems in place that take accurate

measurements from images at lower speeds. But I think it

is more effective to treat this as a ‘big data’ issue,

gathering higher volumes of images. This will likely mean

that, you will have a lot more ‘noise’ in the data, but there

are widespread techniques to remove this easily.

“Regarding Wi-Fi connectivity, unfortunately I do think

that it is often a challenge to find a good Wi-Fi connection

on a train across the UK rail network. Importantly, I believe

improvements will come though – they have to if we want

to progress and remain competitive in the global rail

sector. The advantage of Wi-Fi has always been that it

helps to meet passenger expectations for living a more

‘connected’ lifestyle but, in terms of condition monitoring,

you have the ability to piggy back on that Wi-Fi system to

carry all of the data recorded back to central data hubs.

The aspiration has to be for the highest degree of

connectivity possible throughout the network if you want

to easily achieve this.

“Moving forwards, the biggest challenge in implementing

a real step change in terms of condition monitoring and

asset management is that, in the UK, we have an

enormous retrofitting challenge in terms of fitting these

systems to a legacy infrastructure. When it comes to

installing new infrastructure, I think that it would be foolish

to not be putting the latest communication and

monitoring equipment in place; it would be extremely

short sighted on the part of UK industry to take that

approach.

“With regards to existing rolling stock, an important

challenge is the problem of the interoperability of data.

Because of the UK industry’s reliance on importing rolling

stock and infrastructure, you are seeing data being

collected across a network from different train types,

manufacturers and operators, which definitely creates a

challenge for the central operators in terms of bringing all

of the data together, calibrating it and translating it into

something meaningful and definitive. Ultimately, the most

important point long term will be for the UK to be involved

in the development process of this technology as early as

possible, and to be in the position where we can actually

try and define and drive these standards forward.”

Looking ahead, Rob concludes by explaining that, while

it is naturally important to consider the UK’s strategy for

implementing further condition monitoring throughout the

network, the global nature of the rail industry, coupled

with our reliance on imported rolling stock and

infrastructure, necessitates a broader approach. “It’s

important to have a global vision. We can look at our UK

network but it is vital to be able to put that into a

worldwide context. The home market is receiving so

many systems that are designed to European

specifications, or further abroad, so the key success

factor is to be as influential in the design and development

of new systems and solutions as possible. The UK is still

a highly innovative nation and I think there is still the

opportunity to really be at the forefront of the industry so

that we can develop an efficient, effective and world-class

rail network over the coming years.” zz

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•

Rail Engineers are acutely aware of

the impact that ground conditions

and resultant track movement can

have on construction schedules.

Excessively soft or unstable soil conditions

tend to require greater excavation depths

and the use of larger volumes of aggregate,

increasing site traffic, carbon emissions and

ballast costs.

Whilst support can be achieved through

other means, such as chemical stabilisation or

deep excavation followed by a thick granular

sub-layer, these methods can be both time-

consuming and expensive. What’s more,

many of these processes can be avoided by

specifying an appropriate geogrid solution in

ballast and sub-ballast applications.

The stabilisation of rail ballast layers using

geogrids is backed up by more than

30 years of research detailing its ability to

delay track settlement. Various research


The use of geogrid technology in track ballast stabilisation and rail track support is increasingly being implemented across Britain’s rail network. MIKE HORTON explains how

and why this technology is proving so effective

Ballast control to save on maintenance & manpower

shown TriAx systems to provide even

greater performance of granular layers under

trafficking.

Geogrids rely on particle confinement

to develop a mechanically stabilised layer.

Here at Tensar, our research into geogrids in

ballast applications identified that determining

an optimum aperture size to fit with the

ballast particle size was vital. Doing so

creates the mechanical interlock necessary

to reduce ballast movement and sleeper

settlement, providing opportunities to increase

maintenance cycles and a number of cost

savings in the process.

It was identified and proven that a larger

aperture is required to cater for the coarse

nature of rail ballast, and so the TriAx® TX190L

larger aperture geogrid was developed. When

used in ballast applications, the aggregate

particles interlock within the triangular

apertures and the efficient rib profile of the

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Geotechnical Engineering

articles published in both the UK and

internationally have found the use of

mechanically stabilised layers comprised of

geogrid technology to increase the bearing

capacity of sub-ballast layers two-fold,

compared with the same non-stabilised

thickness.

Much of the early research into the

performance of geosynthetics in ballast and

sub-ballast applications relates to traditional

biaxial geogrid designs, which distribute

forces applied in two directions whilst

confining aggregate layers to reduce the need

for regular tamping.

In 2007, this efficiency was taken a step

further, with the introduction of geogrids

with a hexagonal structure and triangular

apertures capable of distributing force

across 360° of the geogrid system specified.

Comparative independent tests of Tensar

biaxial and TriAx triangular geogrids have

A traditional biaxial geogrid in use

Mike Horton is product and technology manager for stabilisation systems, at Tensar International

•

geogrid helps to confine

aggregate, which combined with the

isotropic stiffness, creates a mechanically

stabilised layer.

TriAx® TX190L has been accepted into

the Network Rail PADS catalogue based on

parameters identified as being relevant to the

expected performance of the product when

installed within the ballast layer itself. This

approach matches that for the stabilisation

function which is identified as being distinct

from reinforcement function where tensile

strength is seen as important.

When looking to save costs on manpower,

materials and maintenance, it makes sense

to think from the ground up to select an

appropriate system. Be sure to speak to an

expert and carefully consider which products

best suit your needs. zz


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzA traditional biaxial geogrid in use The world’s first TriAx TX190L application in Slovakia

Web: www.tensar.co.uk

Crossrail project pushes on with Tensar’s TriAx®l Tensar International was selected to provide a ground stabilisation solution as part of the Crossrail project. The company’s TriAx® geogrids have been utilised in the construction of a key part of the 2.6km North Woolwich Thames Tunnel Contract. Chosen as the designer of stabilised temporary working

platforms for heavy tracked rigs by the project’s joint venture contractors, Hochtief Murphy, Tensar supplied its TriAx® ground stabilising solution after the site investigation showed that soft alluvial ground conditions would make the use of alternative methods much slower and more expensive. Working alongside Hochtief Murphy from an early stage, Tensar’s team of specialists designed a mechanically stabilised layer (MSL) utilising a TriAx® geogrid solution. Based around a triangular structure, TriAx® has excellent, multi-directional tensile stiffness and has extensively well-researched performance. This allows heavy loads to be widely distributed through the stabilised granular platform, reducing pressure on the weak formation while using the minimum fill thickness. By combining TriAx® with a recycled granular capping material, Tensar’s engineers were able to remove the need for extensive excavation or the use of a reinforced concrete slab with box-outs whilst offering a high level of stability to the site, reducing costs and delays to other aspects of the project in the process.

TriAx geogrid

Tensar’s TriAx geogrids were specified to stabilise the North Woolwich Thames Tunnel as part of Crossrail.

As the UK rail industry continues to grow, there is

increasing pressure on rail operators to ensure

the busy network is free of interruptions. A large

number of delays on the rail network can be

attributed to a loss of signalling power, usually caused by

cable or equipment faults, cable theft or vandalism.

PADS approved and developed in conjunction with

Network Rail’s Signalling Innovations Group, Schneider

Electric’s Automatic Supply Restoration (ASR) system is

the first non-protection based system available for the

rail market which automatically restores power for the

rail network’s critical signalling functions. The alternative

protection-based systems attempt to identify and isolate

the fault in real time. This requires careful configuration of

the protection settings during commissioning, maintenance

and upgrades. The Schneider Electric post-fault ASR

system is novel because it uses differential measurement

techniques to locate faults, thus removing the need

for calculated settings and making it resistant to load

changes. Having identified the location of a fault, it

operates contactors to isolate the faulty section and then it

restores supply by closing the normally open point and the

tripped breaker.

Already adopted by – and demonstrating its benefits

in – industries and infrastructure projects where

supply availability is critical, an ASR system works by

automatically restoring power to signalling equipment

following Functional Supply Point (FSP) or cable faults and

reduces supply interruptions to less than fifteen seconds.

The ASR system comes with an easy-to-use touch

screen interface complete with a graphical network

representation of the signalling power network. The

display can be viewed and remotely controlled via Internet

Explorer and presents real-time and historical reporting,

as well as status and alarm information, ensuring

maintenance engineers have full visibility of network


Keeping on the right track

Infrastructure zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

With demand on the UK rail network at its highest since the 1920s, reducing delays caused by signalling failures is essential in keeping passenger and freight customers moving, as well as keeping costs down for rail operators. JOHN LANGLEY-DAVIS explains the importance of embracing new innovations like

Automatic Supply Restoration (ASR) systems

A screen grab from the ASR system display

loading and fault data information

The Schneider Electric ASR system benefits from the

ability to integrate into new and existing power supply

distribution systems, without affecting the current network.

When it comes to installation, unlike protection-based

systems, this ASR system is ‘plug and play’ so does not

require any measurements of the electrical characteristics

of the feeder at each FSP and therefore does not require

specialist engineers to install or maintain it. Similarly, only

cabling skills are required to repair a faulty ASR unit as the

entire unit can be easily exchanged with no configuring

required of the replacement unit.

The system is scalable, meaning that three variants of the

equipment – local fault detection, remote fault detection and

automatic supply restoration – can be offered to individuals

based on their project requirements and budgets.

Local fault detection allows the location and type of fault

to be identified following loss of power on the signalling

network, thus reducing engineering time and resource to find

and isolate signalling power faults. On detection of a fault,

a display at each FSP provides a rail engineer with alarm

indications and the currents on each conductor at the time

of the fault.

Remote fault detection further enhances the

technology used within local fault detection by providing

communications, analysis and display facilities; enabling

the rail engineering team to remotely monitor the status of

the network. When a fault occurs, the system automatically

analyses the fault data and identifies the location of the

fault, displaying it on a HMI. This allows the faulty feeder

section to be identified prior to a local inspection.

The full ASR system uses the technology of the Remote

Fault Detection system but adds the control of contactors

at the FSP, enabling the network to be automatically

reconfigured.

To ensure safety, security, reliability and efficiency on

the UK’s ever-expanding rail network, rail operators must

adopt new innovative and intelligent solutions which help

to monitor, control and optimise the electrical assets on the

rail network. An ASR system improves supply availability

for new installations, while also extending the useful

operational life of existing networks. It can significantly

reduce delays and outages, minimise impact on rail

customers, as well as save time in installation, save time

in maintenance and improve the safety of those inspecting

the network. zz

Web: www.schneider-electric.com/uk


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Ross JacksonTom Zunder

John Langley-Davis is Schneider Electric’s advanced services marketing manager

http://www.railwaystrategies.co.uk

http://www.railimages.co.uk

When it comes to rail travel, these

trains deliver a service where

travel is about relishing the

experience and taking part in a

more sophisticated age and a gentler pace of

life. From the first greeting from a distinctively

uniformed and friendly steward to the gleaming

carriages, the trains installs a sense of wonder

that brings together fascinating, like-minded

people united in their shared love of adventure

and travel.

The lovingly restored carriages of the Venice

Simplon-Orient-Express date back to the

1820s and 1830s and embody the spirit of

the pioneering age of luxury travel. Guests

can choose between single, double and

cabin suites that each offer unique yet equally

sumptuous surroundings. Double cabins are

configured as a relaxing lounge that includes

a banquette sofa, footstool, small table and

washbasin cabinet with hot and hold water and

at night the cabin becomes a cozy bedroom

with an upper and lower bed. Cabin suites

consist of two interconnecting cabins, where

guests can choose between single beds or to

keep one cabin as a lounge with upper and

lower bed in the other. A beautiful, mosaic-tiled

lavatory is also located in each carriage.

The carriages themselves are expertly

maintained to guarantee excellent reliability


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Harking back to the roaring twenties and the golden age of travel, the Venice

Simplon-Orient-Express and sister trains, The British

Pullman, Northern Belle, The Royal Scotsman and

The Eastern & Oriental Express provides one of the

world’s most iconic travel experiences

Venice Simplon-orient-expreSS

iconic serviceAn

boasting Lalique glass panels, Etoile du Nord

with its beautiful marquetry, and L’ Oriental,

decorated in black lacquer. At the heart of

the train is the stylish bar car, which offers a

welcoming environment where guests can

relax over cocktails or coffee, chat with fellow

passengers and enjoy music from a resident

pianist.

The Côte d’Azur is decorated by René

Lalique and was first built during 1929 as

a first-class Pullman. It features faintly blue

opaque glass showing classical figures with a

matching frieze of smaller panels. The stylish

carriage began life in the Côte d’Azur Pullman

Express before switching to the Deauville

Express. Later, it was returned to the Côte

d’Azur for winter journeys and ran from Paris

to Calais for many years, meeting passengers

from the Golden Arrow boat train service. By

1961 it had been placed in a reserve pool used

for special services and was eventually stored

at the Wagons-Lit works at Villeneuve. It was

later rescued from a dreary rail siding in 1991

by VSOE and fully restored at Breman.

The Etoile du Nord was built in England

during 1926 and showcases some of the most

beautiful marquetry in the continental rake.

The carriage originally ran with the Etoile du

Nord train from Paris and then switched to the

Edelweiss based in Amsterdam. Later, it was

used as part of the Lustitania Express from

Lisbon to Madrid before it ended its service

travelling between Cadiz and Seville during

the 1970s. The final resonant car in the fleet is

and a smooth, relaxing service. To ensure the

highest standards in quality, only the very best

providers of rail equipment and facilities are

relied upon to assist in the upkeep of the ironic

train. This allows guests to savor the beautiful

surroundings including, opulent interiors,

sparkling crystal, plush fabrics and polished

woods while anticipating a delicious breakfast

served against a backdrop of exciting new

panoramas.

The sumptuous interiors and comfort

of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is

complimented by exquisite gourmet haute

cuisine, prepared by highly skilled chefs and

a famous wine selection. Fresh ingredients

are taken on board at stops along the route

including lobsters from Brittany, tomatoes

from Provence or saltmarsh lamb from

Mont St Michel. The restaurant and bar cars

exemplify the same rich history and premier

travel experience that has made the Venice-

Simplon-Orient-Express an iconic name and

the train features a total of three beautifully

restored 1920s restaurant cars; Côte d’Azur,


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

A 1930 themed carriage on board the Northern Belle

The steam pulled British Pullman

A cabin suite on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, in night time configuration

http://www.jpadesign.com

the L’Oriental, which was originally a Pullman

kitchen car. It was built in Birmingham in 1927

in the Etoile du Nord style and ran a luxurious

service between Paris and Amsterdam. It too

later joined the Lustitania Express. When it

was purchased for the Venice Simplon-Orient-

Express, the car was updated and refitted with

black lacquer panels and today all three cars

continue to impress.

The bar car also features stunning design

and exclusive comfort. It was built slightly later

than the restaurant cars, starting life in 1931

but it none-the-less perfectly captures the

imagery and spirit of the golden age of travel.

The carriage was originally based at the Gare

Saint-Lazare in Paris and after the war it ran as

part of the Sud Express from Paris to Irún on

the Spanish border and from Paris to Toulouse

in Le Capitole. Today it features an exquisite,

Art Nouveau-style interior by Gérard Gallet.

In 2014, the Venice-Simplon-Orient-Express

will operate a number of scheduled departures

out of Brussels for the first time and in 2015,

the train returns for Scandinavia for journeys

to Stockholm and Copenhagen from Venice.

The UK Luxury day trains, The British Pullman

and the Northern Belle offer a wide variety

of exceptional journeys across the British

countryside from day trips to weekends away

and exquisite dinners hosted by celebrity

zzzzzzzz zz

chefs such as Raymond Blanc OBE. The

Royal Scotsman will journey to London for the

first time in 2014 and the Eastern & Oriental

Express in Asia will host a special fundraising

gala journey in October 2014 in aid of Save

Wild Tigers. zz

Venice Simplon-orient-expreSS


The Eastern and Oriental Express

The Royal Scotsman

JPA DesignJames Park Associates (JPA) was

founded by architect James Park

and has become recognised as

a world leading transport design

company, notching up numerous

award winning projects within

the aviation and rail industries.

Working closely with Orient

Express, the relationship has

been pivotal in the production

of rail projects such as Venice

Simplon Orient Express, Eastern

& Orient Express, The Andean

Explorer in Peru, The Northern

Belle and the GNER Mallard

project. In addition, JPA was

the designer for The Royal

Scotsman, which continues to be

a successful part of the Orient

Express portfolio.

JPA’s ability to combine interior

design solutions with extensive

technical ability has proved to be

perfectly matched to the creation

of high quality luxury travel

projects.


zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzBEA SEnSorio

Sensing successBEA Sensorio specialises in the design of sensors integrated on

automated systems for train doors, gates and similar public

transport equipment



BEA, founded in Belgium in 1965, has over 400

employees around the globe. A pioneer in

the sensor industry, BEA was one of the first

companies to launch a Doppler microwave radar

specially adapted for automatic doors opening.

The Sensorio division of BEA was set up to broaden

the fields of application of its technologies through market

diversification, and to make its expertise available to

other parties involved in various new markets. At BEA

Sensorio, the employees and management team combine

experience and know-how in a way that ensures clients

get the right solution to meet all their sensor needs.

BEA Sensorio offers a complete range of infrared

optical, radar and time of flight LZR® based sensors, and

these are divided across several market sectors, one of

which is Railways and Public Transport in general. In this

area, BEA Sensorio products are available for interior

doors, exterior doors, platform screen doors and other

similar applications in Public Transport.

When it comes to interior doors, over the past few years

automation has become increasingly important in the

public transport market, mainly focusing on the comfort

and safety of passengers. The same is valid for automated

doors, especially on train platforms.

On automated interior train doors, the aim of using

sensors is threefold:

1) To open the door when passengers approach the door

(detection of motion), and avoid inappropriate openings in

all other situations

2) To keep the door open as long as a passenger is next

to the door or within its threshold (detection of presence)

3) To avoid the door staying open indefinitely, if objects,

such as baggage are placed in the sensor’s detection field

The BEA Sensorio sensors of the RS range are

dedicated to this kind of application. So for example, the

RS-1 is a one-spot active infrared sensor designed to

open the doors when needed or to keep them open in

case of presence at proximity of or in the door’s threshold,

and the RS-15 is an active infrared sensor featuring a

detection area (matrix) of 3 x 5 configurable spots, to

open the door when needed and keep it open in case of

presence in the threshold.

These solutions offer multiple customer benefits,

including decreased maintenance and logistics cost. They

are convenient alternative to push buttons, light barriers or

similar infrared sensors.

Sensing success


For exterior doors, generally the most important

aspects for operators to consider are safety and access

conditions for persons with disabilities. As a result, on

automated exterior doors, the aim of using sensors is to

safeguard the passengers while keeping an acceptable

level of operability. Therefore, the door should be kept

open when somebody tries to enter or to leave the railway

vehicle, alone or accompanied (e.g. with a children or an

animal). The ‘critical’ passengers should be detected

without being hit by the door. Consequently, additional

sensor solutions to contact edges used nowadays are

requested.

Time-of-flight technologyBEA Sensorio’s products in this area are based on the

LZR® platform, which the company describes as ‘time-

of-flight technology’. The LZR®-RS300 solution has been

designed to safeguard exterior railway doors in either

two or (optionally) three dimensions - one single sensor

(emitter and receiver are integrated in one housing) can

be enough to safeguard a complete door, either single or

double leaf, flat or curved.

The LZR® RS-300 offers a variety of customer

EternalSun Precision Components (Beijing) Co.,Ltd (Beijing Dinglun Plastic Co.,Ltd) was established in 2013. As a leading plastic mold manufacturer, EternalSun cooperate with domestic and international electronics manufacturing companies to manufacture household appliances and electronic equipment. We offer advanced technology, forward-looking processes, and excellent after-sales service to satisfy our customers. EternalSun are an approved molds and parts suppliers of the Legrand, BEA, Perlos(Lite-On), CITIC auto, Lepu Medical, Boston Power, INC.,Pride Power and other well-known companies.

Contact us to find out moreGeneral Manager Jason Zhang

Tel +86-13311517289 E-mail [email protected]

East 394#, MaFang Industrial Park, PingGu District, Beijing China 101204

www.eternalsun.com.cn

Material

We use high quality materials to manufacture the mold, the main Steels are from ASSAB, DAIDO.

Technology

Dinglun has many years mold manufacturing experience, providing customers with high efficiency and stable moulds.

Management

Our mold has the advantage of high productivity and ease of maintenance, realize your product and production completely.

Innovation

All the moulds are manufactured according to customer requirements and our innovations, we value each step of the manufacturing process.

EternalSunPrecision Components (Beijing) Co.,Ltd(Beijing Dinglun Plastic Co.,Ltd)

zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzBEA SEnSorio

benefits. It is a convenient alternative to light grids,

and as the emitter and receiver are integrated in one

housing, minimum effort is required for integration offering

time and cost reduction to integrator and end user. It

offers complete coverage of the door surface, and in

combination with contact edges, the LZR-RS300 provides

high degree of safeguarding on exterior train doors.

Platform screen doorsPlatform Screen Doors (PSD) is a part of a safety system

used mainly in the subway to separate subway platforms

from the railway track. Sliding doors installed on the

subway platform interact with train doors, while opening

and closing simultaneously. One of the main tasks of such

systems is to prevent passengers from falling on the track

and guarantee constant and safe passenger flow between

platform and train. Consequently, the safeguarding of the

threshold area between the PSD and the train is a very

important factor.

The LZR® platform is also used in the PSD area, with

the LZR®-RS310. The LZR®-RS310 has been designed to

safeguard the threshold area between the PSD and train

doors in three dimensions. For correct train positioning

http://www.eternalsun.com.cn


and other raw data measurement linked to PSD

systems, BEA Sensorio also offers LZR®-U9xx series

another part of the LZR®-range.

Clients find that BEA Sensorio’s LZR Laser Scanner

series provide a refined alternative to light barriers,

cameras or similar technologies sensors. LZR® Laser

Scanner integration on the Platform Door Screen enables

the integrator to set-up a safe (up to SIL3 safety level)

and reliable system with reduced maintenance costs

and increased availability of the overall Automated Metro

system.

Alongside safeguarding exterior and PSD doors or

comfort on interior doors, other applications can also be

addressed using radar and time of flight LZR® sensors.

Generally, if motion has to be detected, radar sensors

are the most appropriate solution, whereas if distance

has to be measured, time of flight LZR® is generally more

suitable. Some examples of other possible applications

in the railway market are passengers counting and gap

filler deployment – both could be addressed using BEA

Sensorio’s Laser scanner platform LZR®-U9xx.

Major area of focus It is clear from the solutions discussed above that

passenger’s safety and comfort are major area of focus

for BEA Sensorio, and it is working closely with train

manufacturers such as Siemens and Alstom as well as

the integrators such as Bombardier to create adapted

sensor solutions bearing in mind cost adapted solution

for end-user and more safety & comfort for passengers.

As an example, one of its most recent announcements

was in September 2013, when the company released

an updated version of RS-15, the only opening sensor

for train inner doors that is compliant with fire safety

standards in Europe.

It is thanks to innovative solutions such as this that

BEA Sensorio remains one of the world leading

companies in its sector. As it enters the New Year, the

organisation is looking forward to further developing its

equipment for new applications in the industry, which

by the way will be exhibited during the forthcoming

INNOTRANS Exhibition. zz

www.sensorio.be


critical national infrastructure.”

The business provides products that restrict vehicle-

borne threats ranging from vandalism to sophisticated or

aggressive attacks by determined criminals or terrorists.

The HVM solutions prevent vehicles permeating the

boundary, on critical national infrastructure and locations

that require high levels of security to guard the safety of

the public that passes through them on a daily basis.

As the security trend on an international basis begins to

grow, the international markets are beginning to follow

the same standard as that in the UK.

ATG Access is carrying out work with numerous

franchised and Network Rail stations, working on

designs and operating very closely with Crossrail, as

well as various designers to implement schemes for

projects that are headed for 2015/2016. Contracts cover

all the new stations that are being built for Crossrail,

and additional station upgrades. All the projects have

elements that require HVM security.

Depending on the actual product selection, certain

W ith a history dating back 25 years, ATG

Access designs, manufactures and

installs security systems that protect city

infrastructure and citizens. The core of the

business is within the UK, with relationships established

among major companies such as Network Rail, Crossrail,

WSP and Mott MacDonald.

As demand for its solutions continues to grow,

Railway Strategies contacted high security manager Iain

Moran: “We have completed a large scheme of work

with Network Rail covering Hostile Vehicle Mitigation

(HVM) measures throughout the UK. Having designed

and supplied products to over 35 stations, demand

for our services has grown to the international arena.

The recent bombings at Volgograd Railway Station in

Russia demonstrate the very realistic day-to-day threat

of international terrorism. It is important that station

designers globally factor in the needed Counter Terrorism

measures at the redesign/regeneration planning stages to

protect tourists and visitors travelling through this type of


zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

AMS100 mobile welding machine

ATG Access, the leading manufacturer of security bollards and vehicle barrier systems, is growing its international presence as it takes its experience from the UK to the global market

ATG Access

Access granted



installations only require an installation depth of 112mm

that will prevent access from hostile vehicles up to

7500kg travelling at 50mph. With very little excavation

required, the products can be installed quickly, a factor

that is of great importance in retrospective protection

installations at stations, with the process creating

minimal disruption.

“Our range of products also includes manually

retractable solutions for situations when irregular access

by vehicles may be required and for situations when no

power supply is available to install automatic products.

We specialise in developing products specific to the

needs of the customers,”says Iain.

The R&D process begins with Market Requirement

Document (MRD), determining what products are

required through contact with customers and the

market. The products are then developed and

launched to the market. But complementing this

standard process, ATG Access additionally develops

products through blue sky ideas, as Iain highlights: “Our

developers are constantly thinking up ideas, which we’ll

offer to the market to see what they think, so for us;

R&D is a two-fold perspective. All products go through

a rigorous testing process having to pass 68 individual

requirements, and rigorous impact testing criteria. Each

product is certified to a rating that can stop a certain

vehicle travelling at a certain speed.

“Although it is the hostile vehicle mitigation market

that is growing quickly, our products are still used in

other applications in access control systems such

as dedicated taxi lanes leading up to stations and

pedestrian demarcation with static bollards.

“We are looking to push our products internationally

in 2014. At present we are working on rail projects in

the Middle East, and our aim is to introduce the same

standards from the proven and very good formula

established in the UK by replicating the process of

working very closely with security and construction

teams.”

Aimed at producing the best solutions, ATG

Access seeks project involvement from early stages.

Birmingham Gateway is an example of the company’s

involvement from an early point, having been active

Gibfield Works, Colliery Lane, Atherton, Manchester M46 0RD

Tel 01942 883 046 Fax 01942 896 025 Email [email protected] Web www.stephensoneng.co.uk

CoatingsEngineering/DesignForging

Flame CuttingFabricationMachining

Added Value Engineering

http://www.stephensoneng.co.uk



throughout the architectural design. Bespoke solutions

were also incorporated at Paddington Station to fit in

with the surrounding environment. Involvement from

the engineering team is generally required as early

as possible to keep within the design of the project,

the architect and the environment, but also cover the

fundamental security requirements.

“We have installed bollard systems at York Station,

where we have integrated products with bus shelters,

benches, litterbins, cycle stands, and various other

elements. It results in a more pleasing aesthetic view,

whilst providing impenetrable security,” highlights Iain.

Regarded as a specialist and market leader, the

business offers a service that can take an idea from

a concept through to design, manufacture and

implementation and offers a full service and maintenance

contract.

“It is not just a case of putting a bollard here and there,

we can integrate the whole security system and solution

within the existing building infrastructure and we can

design bespoke solutions for new environments and new

infrastructure that is being developed.

“We are focused on our goals for the future, and our

interests lay in business security and impact testing

F&M Powder Coating Specialists LtdF&M Powder Coating

Specialists Ltd have

worked closely with

ATG Access Ltd for

many years applying

protective coatings

to a wide range of

their products and in

this time have built

up a good working

relationship making

them proud to be

given the opportunity

to show their support

for ATG Access Ltd.

zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzATG Access

standards. Export currently makes up in the region of

60 per cent of the business and it is an aspect we are

looking to grow over the next five years to trading with a

turnover of £50 million,” Iain concludes. zz

www.atgaccess.com

PROFESSIONAL APPLICATORS OF PROTECTIVE COATINGS

F&M Powder Coating Specialists Ltd12 Roman Way Ind Est, Longridge RoadPreston PR2 5BB

We’ve got it coveredCONTACT

Tel: +44(0)1772 [email protected]

www.fandmpowdercoating.co.uk St Pancras Bollards

http://www.fandmpowdercoating.co.uk

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz OleO InternatIOnal


“Oleo’s product portfolio has expanded

since then to include elevator buffers,

industrial buffers, end stop solutions as

well as testing and simulation software,”

added Sul. “Testing is done at our factory

in Coventry using specialist test rigs

developed by Oleo alongside mathematical

algorithms that can simulate the linear

and non-linear dynamic energy absorption

characteristics of our products. This

combination of physical testing matched

by mathematical analysis has enabled Oleo

to maintain leading edge products and

simulation software.”

As Sul pointed out, Oleo prides itself

on being innovative in response to both

A s Sul Sahota, managing director,

explained, the company’s roots go

back a long way: “In 1934, Peter

Thornhill (the founder of Oleo)

devised a design of undercarriage strut for

aircraft using a free floating piston, which

allowed the whole strut to be inverted,

this enabled the strut to work at an angle

eliminating the problem of an oil and air

mixture.”

Sul continued: “Using this principle

and after many years of research and

development for a hydraulic railway buffer

a patent was lodged, pioneering the

first practical design for a self-contained

hydraulic buffer for railway rolling stock.

For over 60 years Oleo has been involved in the design and

manufacture of energy absorption

technology for a variety of industries,

including rail

RailJet

An absorbing story


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

customer demands and technological

opportunities. “Continuous investment

in research and development (R&D),

state-of-the-art technology and modern

manufacturing processes has made Oleo

leading experts in energy absorption,”

he elaborated. “By utilising our in-house

simulation software and testing equipment

it has been possible to develop new

technologies. R&D is ongoing at Oleo

with new services being introduced and

products patented, and we have ISO17025

accreditation for our testing facilities.

As a result we are routinely undertaking

type testing for customers as well as new

product development activities.”

These customers include major train

operators such as SNCF and RATP, train

manufacturers such as Alstom, Bombardier,

Siemens, CSR and CNR as well as their

suppliers of couplers and buffers such as

Dellner, Voith, Faively SRI and Axtone.

Serving these customers is a

knowledgeable and well-trained staff, and

ensuring it has the best people within the

business is one of Oleo’s priorities: “Oleo

has an active programme of recruiting and

developing apprentices and graduates,

recruiting seven apprentices and 12

graduates in the last two years, as well as

one staff member doing an engineering

degree on day release. We encourage and

support all our engineers to work towards

Chartered Engineer status and we also

have two engineers undertaking Ph.D

programmes. We are planning on recruiting

for apprentices and graduates again this

year,” noted Sul.

This combination of in-house expertise

and sophisticated systems means

that Oleo can continuously release

innovative products that are developed

using proprietary technology and at

the same time achieve cost leadership

by investments in manufacturing. “We

introduced Oleo 1D Rail simulation

software and a range of gas hydraulic and

deformation products during 2013, and

these have had good market response,”

highlighted Sul. “We have more innovative

new products and services to launch in

2014, including an updated version of 1D

rail which simulates rail collisions.”

Since Oleo was founded it has has

Class 378 train at Norwood Junction on the East London Line, South stations

Temple Mills Depot with Oleo end stops

Oleo’s in house test rig

Lee SpringSprings and fasteners are often vital

components in the manufacture or construction

of a component for transport systems and with

Lee Spring’s stock range of over 19,000 springs

and fasteners, customers value a faster route

to precise and accurate specification. The Lee

Spring custom design service also provides

precise application matched solutions.

Lee Spring supplies springs and fasteners to

various industry sectors for a wide range of

applications. The ISO 9001 Registered Company

ensures that the highest quality materials are

used to manufacture all the springs Lee Spring

supplies and that the springs themselves meet

exacting transport, medical, military, aerospace

and/or equivalent British and DIN Standards.


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz OleO InternatIOnal zz

grown from small

beginnings to become a leading

world expert in crash energy management

and energy absorption technology with

manufacturing facilities in the UK and China

and a sales and service facility in Germany

as well as subsidiaries in the USA and

India. “Products are sold and distributed

from our warehouse in Atlanta to support

our growing business in the US and Oleo

products are sold worldwide through a

host of distributors,” noted Sul. “Over 95

per cent of Oleo sales are exported from

the UK with Europe and China being the

largest markets.”

It is clear that the rail industry is growing

strongly worldwide and this is both a

challenge and an opportunity to Oleo as

Sul concluded: “Oleo is an engineering

company and that’s our core activity.

Therefore our mission is to continue to

grow and develop our engineering team,

development, testing and manufacturing

facilities and apply these expert capabilities

to strategic markets such as the rail sector.

We aim to maintain world leadership of

our products and services by continuous

commitment to engineering excellence.” zz

China

Bombardier AGC

Baker Street

http://www.leespring.com

Network Rail approved Bachy Soletanche

offers techniques such as LDA piling (large

diameter bored), restricted access mini-

piling, CFA piling (continuous flight auger),

diaphragm walls, grouting, tunneling and

engineering to safeguard the environment.

These are used to form a range of

structures including foundations, tunnels,

station boxes, deep basements, shafts,

bored pile retaining walls and underground

car parks. With an objective to supply

services safely, on time and within budget,

the quality focused company’s in-house

design service means Bachy Soletanche is

also equally capable of taking on projects

as a specialist contractor to principle/

management contractors as well as

working as the main contractor for clients


zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzBachy Soletanche

As one of the UK’s leading geotechnical

specialists, civil engineering contractor

Bachy Soletanche has an excellent

reputation for working in the most challenging

environments

of opportunity

T he UK subsidiary of the French-

founded, globally operating

Soletanche Bachy Group, Bachy

Soletanche Limited has offered

the personalised service approach

of a Northern European firm since its

inception in 1963. Taking advantage of

the experience of its parent company,

the innovative and quality conscious firm

continuously pushes boundaries to find

solutions to any engineering challenges;

a commitment that enables clients to

reap the rewards of Bachy Soletanche’s

exceptional design procedures, enhanced

geotechnical processes and tradition for

excellence.

A leader in all aspects of modern

geotechnics and foundation engineering,

Bachy Soletanche defines piles in

excess of 600mm diameter to be large

diameter

Piles



zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

stations, Link-up approved Bachy

Soletanche’s current projects within the

rail industry include the almost-completed

multi-million pound piling contract for

Costain as part of the engineering solution

provider’s five-year £400 million project to

carry out the design and redevelopment

of London Bridge station. The project is a

key part of the Thameslink programme and

will result in nine through terminals and six

terminating platforms being linked together

by an open concourse that will offer

escalator and lift access to every platform.

On top of this, the company is working

for Costain and Laing O’Rourke on

the London Underground upgrade at

Bond Street. The project will involve the

completion of 900 millimetre diameter, 54

metre maximum length bored piles that will

support the new over site development;

once completed in 2017, the station will

benefit from increased capacity from a new

ticket hall and step-free access to both

the jubilee and central lines, a new low-

level passenger interchange between both

underground lines, which will thus reduce

congestion and enhance journey times,

and additional escalators to the jubilee line.

With an excellent reputation for

operating in challenging environments,

Bachy Soletanche installs piles at Scarborough Marine Drive Yorkshire Water treatment facility

on projects that involve a substantial

geotechnical element.

Having worked on major transport and

infrastructure projects such as Terminal

Five at Heathrow, the Channel Tunnel

rail link and Kings Cross and St Pancras

AWS Plant HireAWS offer the most up to date welding machines available and all of our equipment is constantly being upgraded and maintained. Being a specialist welding company we are always available to provide expert advice to ensure that you, the customer, receive the best products for all your requirements.

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Contact us to find out more

For all your welding needs

FALKIRK, Scotland01324 636376

BILLINGHAM, Teesside01642 563366

SCUNTHORPE, Lincs01724 847383

CHORLEY, Lancs01257 279364

PEMBROKE, Wales01646 622837

LUTON, Beds01582 598250

[email protected]

ONLINEwww.adweld.co.uk


http://www.adweld.co.uk

the in-demand company is busy working

on ground works for the final phase of the

£3 million Crossrail C340 Royal Victoria

Dock Portal project under main contractor

Taylor Woodrow and UK construction

firm VINCI. Commissioned by Crossrail,

the works are focused on a narrow site

between the Docklands Light Railway

(DLR) and a residential road. So far more

than 380 CFA and LDA piles are installed

at the site, including 1180 millimetre

diameter 19.8 depth rotary primary piles

and 1200 diameter by 19.8 depth CFA

primary piles. Due to the limited site area,

Bachy Soletanche carefully planned the

design phase of the works, which involved

contracting its specialist equipment to

the site to ensure precise and efficient

operations in a uniquely restricted

environment.

Four rigs were introduced to the

confined site: one CFA rig for primary

piles, two heavy-duty LDA rotary rigs

for secondary piles and one rotary rig;

all support cranes were telescopic and

assisted in the installation of full depth

reinforcement cages, aiding later slab

connection with two layers of void formers.

The new Victoria Dock Portal will enable

the new Crossrail trains on the existing

railway that are travelling from the east to

move underground and into the tunnelled

underground section of central London.

Looking ahead, Bachy Soletanche’s

order book includes ongoing works at

Nottingham Rail Station; this challenging

project has involved the installation of 26

11.4 metre deep, 1200 millimetre diameter

CFA piles into sandstone bedrock in line

with plans to add a new bridge that will

carry two new tramlines into the station.

The company is undertaking works

at the Nottingham Express Transit for

client Taylor Woodrow Alstrom, as part

of its joint venture with engineers Mott

Macdonald on phase two of the existing

Nottingham Tram System. The two new

lines will extend the service to south west

of the city and will serve the university

and Clifton area of Nottingham; work is

anticipated for completion in late 2014.

As the dynamic specialist geotechnical

engineering company continues its

work on a broad range of ambitious and

elaborate projects, Bachy Soletanche is

keen to keep its high level of expertise

moving forward with its apprenticeship

scheme. Aware of a shortage in young,

skilled labour in the ground engineering

industry, the firm is running the

programme for its third consecutive year

to encourage new talent to gain an NVQ

Piling Apprenticeship qualification and

potentially continue working with the

Bachy Soletanche Group. By focusing on

delivering quality services to its present

customers while also preparing for future

demand, Bachy Soletanche is prepared for

any challenges in the years to come. zz

Web: www.bacsol.co.uk

Bachy Soletanche finishes the third phase of Reading Station piling

Fresh thinking – Bachy Soletanche makes headway at Heswall Waste Water Treatment Works

zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzBachy Soletanche


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Lowery Ltd


With a list of clients that includes National

Grid, NTL, Thales and Seeboard by 2000,

Lowery Ltd took the strategic decision

to expand its railside activities in 2003

when it acquired its Principal Contractor’s

License (PCL) from Network Rail.

Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2010,

the Addlestone headquartered company’s

core geographic area of activity is based

in the south and south east of England,

where it has additional offices to support

its ongoing major projects.

Focused on developing long-term

relationships with its customers since

its inception, Lowery Ltd has gained

repeat business from major firms with

its proven capabilities and performance.

With fully accredited, superior systems

in place, Lowery Ltd continually meets

T he principal operating firm within

the Lowery Group, Lowery Ltd

was established in August 1950

to initially work for British Rail,

the General Post Office (GPO) and its

major customer during this period, Pirelli

Cables. Through installing underground

supertension cables for the Central

Electricity Generating Board (CEGB)

during the 1950s and working in Belfast in

the 1960s, Lowery Ltd further developed

its relationship with Pirelli while also

extending its activities with British Rail,

CEGB and the GPO.

Securing major contracts with British

Telecom, Cable & Wireless and Network

Rail throughout the 1980s and 1990s,

Lowery Ltd had proven its capabilities as

a quality focused and highly efficient firm.

Following more than 60 years of civil

engineering, Lowery Ltd has gained an

excellent reputation for quality and service

A superior service


Aspin GroupThe Aspin Group’s expert and experienced team

works collaboratively with its clients, providing a

wide array of services to the railway environment

and across industry.

Aspin Group provides site investigation, civil,

structural and geotechnical design consultancy,

management, installation and plant services

to deliver all aspects of substructure and

superstructure installation across the UK and

beyond.

Aspin Consulting has specific skills and

knowledge to develop big-picture innovative

designs and solutions together with the detail and

minutiae necessary to deliver. Aspin can provide

the complete solution from design through to

delivery. Innovation, technology and providing

solutions are at the heart of its service.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzits customer’s expectations by operating

in full compliance with all health, safety

and environmental legislation, while also

delivering the highest quality services.

By giving a high priority to compliance

and continual improvement in all areas of

activity, the company minimises downtime

and significantly lowers the likelihood of

incidents or accidents. All projects are

manned by a highly trained, efficient and

competent workforce and managed by a

capable and experienced management

team.

Boasting the civil engineering and

electrical skills required for the design,

build and commission of heavy voltage (HV)

and direct current (DC) cabling projects,

Lowery Ltd has been actively involved in

the Crossrail project, providing a reliable

service to long-term client Network Rail.

Acting as principal contractor for works

including installation of UTX, buried duct

and surface troughing, fibre and copper

cable terminations and jointing, cable

pulling and lift and shift of existing cables,

CSR board installation and cable laying in

confined spaces, Lowery Ltd has been an

active participant in the development of

Crossrail, which reached the halfway point

of its construction in January 2014.

On top of its involvement in the Crossrail

project, Lowery Ltd has been working as a

principal contractor for major projects and

investments in south east territory (E&P)

HV feeder renewals. This is centred around

the supply, management, site works,

possession management, installation,

testing and commissioning of new high

voltage feeder and pilot cables that replace

life expired and oil insulated cables at

locations based in the south east territory

of Network Rail’s infrastructure. On top of

this, the works include the draining down

of redundant oil and recovery and disposal

of old cables following the commissioning

of each new HV feeder and cable.

Link-up approved, Lowery Ltd

incorporates a wide range of product

codes to support its scope of operations,

while the company’s rail division

is accredited by BSI to BS EN ISO

Class 378 train at Norwood Junction on the East London Line, South stations

http://www.aspingroup.com

Anderton Concrete Anderton Concrete is the market leader in the

supply of cable troughing to the UK rail industry.

Anderton is the sole supplier to Network Rail

for standard cable troughing (Certificate No.

PA05/00318) and the new revolutionary

Anderlite Lightweight Troughing System

(Certificate No. PA05/05810).

The Anderlite system has an identical product

profile to the traditional product therefore, a

transition from ‘system to system’ is effortless.

Anderlite reduces the risk of manual handling

with a weight reduction of 30 per cent in

relation to standard concrete. Additionally, this

reduction in weight affords significant transport

cost savings of up to 20 per cent, reducing the

carbon footprint for all its industry partners.

Anderlite is up to 50 per cent cheaper than

alternative light-weight systems.


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Lowery Ltd zz

9001:2008 Quality and BS EN ISO

14001:2004 Environmental standards.

Furthermore, the firm holds a PCL for

line-side civil engineering works, cable

supply & laying and cable route works

from Network Rail and is a member of the

British Safety Council. Working directly for

Network Rail and London Underground, as

well as a specialist supplier with major rail

contractors, Lowery Ltd has an assurance

team in place to ensure complete

compliance with all London Underground

and Network Rail’s health and safety

requirements.

As an established Principal Contractor

for London Underground’s electrical

enhancement projects, Lowery Ltd

has gained experience from delivering

successful solutions while working on ETE,

SUP and ATC contracts. These projects

include the design and installation of a new

11kV feeder circuit to the Old Dalby Test

Track’s new switching station, the design

and installation of DC Cable, upgraded for

‘S’ type rolling stock in Wimbledon and DC

ETE works at Wembley Park Sidings.

With a long history of delivering civil

engineering solutions and an excellent

track record for delivering projects safely,

on time, on budget, Lowery Ltd guarantees

customer satisfaction with its commitment

to health, safety, quality and environment.

Furthermore, with a focus on continual

improvement and strong relationships

with major firms such as Network Rail

and London Underground, the company’s

reputation as one of the UK’s principle

contractors for rail power suppliers is sure

to continue growing in the future. zz

http://www.andertonconcrete.co.uk

Established in 1994, Link-up approved rail

contractor Neary Rail has built a solid and

reputable business that focuses on offering

safe and high quality lineside civils services.

With offices in Manchester and Glasgow, the company

has worked on a diverse range of projects throughout

England, Wales and Scotland. Services include level

crossing maintenance, refurbishment and installation,

foundations for REBs, signals, stanchions and modular

buildings, access points and depot works, all types of

lineside cabling, troughing and containment.

“Neary Construction was set up in 1992 purely as a

civils company, however Neary Rail was set up in 1994

as an autonomous division within the Neary Group when

we acquired a small rail firm operating in Scotland. This

strategic move introduced us to rail infrastructure as the

company was working on the British Rail framework at

the time and we have worked in this industry ever since,”

explains Martin Neary, Managing Director of Neary

Construction. “We organically built the business up until

2010 when we started to find it more difficult to secure

work. Throughout 2010 and 2011 we realised that our

work load in the rail division was dwindling to the point

it was no longer self supporting or sustainable. Looking

at our options for the future, we didn’t know whether to

close Neary Rail down or to refresh the division with the

introduction of new management.”

Deciding on the latter option, Neary brought back

previous employee Chris Bird as Rail Contracts Manager

in 2013, re-grouped the business and began to expand

its multi-skilled capabilities to utilise the experience

of its team and sister companies. “We successfully

passed the Link-up audit in 2013 and are now approved

for more than 100 different work categories and are


zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


Following an expansion of its capabilities, Neary Rail has the multiple skills and flexibility

to continue strengthening its presence in the railway industry

Neary rail

Linked to success

Constructing a new signal base, Rochdale Resignalling Scheme

Completed sealing end compound with earthworks, retaining wall

and fencing, all by Neary



seeing a positive amount of interest in all work areas,”

says Chris. New services include the removal and

reinstatement of all surface finishes and paving for

embedded rail networks, building refurbishment and

minor building services, project management and

site support and a complete installation service for

station PA, CIS, PID’s schemes; this includes all cable

containment such as duct, troughing, traywork, trunking

and racking. On top of this, the company offers cable

and equipment installation and low voltage termination.

Neary Rail is also looking to target building works such

as station refurbishments and depot upgrades as well

as drainage works.

“We mainly work on heavy rail projects, undertaking

minor civils projects, installing foundations, cable routes

and improving level crossings. However with our new

service offerings we have also begun to target the light

rail market,” says Chris. “Intended for tram and light

Morson InternationalMorson International are a global recruitment specialist,

recently named the UK’s No.1 Technical Recruiter.

Established in 1969, Morson are a recognised leader

in the field of rail protection, providing safety critical

solutions across the UK’s railway industry for over 25

years. Our close partnership with Neary Rail primarily

focuses toward the delivery of contingent labour which

include protection staff and skilled tradesmen in support

of civil engineering, heavy and light rail projects.

rail systems, this will involve providing contractors with

civils support to remove and reinstate surfacing in street

running and slab track areas to facilitate rail changing

and cable installations.

“In line with these developments our parent company

recently acquired AD Antrobus, a Southport based

electrical contractor. This will provide us with different

skill sets that will benefit both the rail and civil divisions at

certain points in projects when we may need specialist

electrical work carried out. It will be a huge benefit to

call upon and will enable us to maintain our own quality

Installing platform duct at Hinckley Station

Newly installed CIS and Induction Loop posts at Narborough Station

New 132kV Transformer Switchgear, at Earlstown, all

constructed by Neary

http://www.morson.com



standards, not only in terms of delivery but also in terms

of staff training, rather than relying on sub-contracting to

other firms,” says Martin.

Currently working with Network Rail and Metrolink, the

dynamic and flexible company frequently goes the extra

mile to ensure a project runs smoothly. “We require fairly

low management from our client, as they trust us to work

to the highest levels of compliance with regards to safety,

environment and quality,” says Chris. “A particularly

challenging project was the renewal of Ardmoor level

Howarth TimberWith over 170 years’ trading experience, the Howarth

Timber Group has grown to provide not only the widest

range of products, but expertise, service and knowledge

you can rely on.

Customers are at the heart of everything it does. With a

nationwide network of branches supplying timber and

building materials, dedicated manufacturing divisions

supplying specialist windows and doors and timber

engineering services, the Howarth Timber Group is

focused on providing market leading choice, quality,

service and value.

zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzNeary rail

crossing, which was contracted over a weekend shift.

When we arrived on site the works were significantly

behind, which meant we were unable to get onto track

until much later. Nevertheless, we kept our resources,

including sub-contractors, on site for an additional 12

hours, modified the method of working and were able to

hand the railway line and road back on Monday morning

with minimal delay. This shift was considered a great

success, and demonstrates our flexibility and problem

solving attitude.”

Boasting strong relationships with clients due to

flexibility, expertise and high quality services, the division

was recently awarded a Metrolink contract. Starting

in October, this contract supports the completion of

a new tram management system on the Phase 1 and

2 Metrolink Lines, as Chris discusses: “The contract

was awarded by Metrolink RATP Dev Ltd to carry out

maintenance and refurbishment works on the cabling

route between Bury and Altrincham so that when the

TMS contractor comes along they will have a suitable

route to install the cables in. With a duration of six months

we are about a third of the way through and anticipate the

contract will be completed in April.”

Having set up the foundations for a stronger and more

diverse rail division, the future looks positive for Neary

Rail as it focuses on strengthening its relationships with

existing clients such as Network Rail LNW and Metrolink,

while also forging new relationships in the light rail

transport sector and other Network Rail zones. “We are

aiming for steady growth alongside controlled delivery of

projects to maintain our reputation for safety and quality.

Looking further ahead, we would like more companies to

see us as a first choice contractor for the work we do,”

concludes Chris. zz

www.neary.co.uk/rail

New timber RRAP under construction at Farrington, near Preston

New access road at Farrington, near Preston

http://www.howarth-timber.co.uk


13 February 2014 – Gen Y RailNewcastle Upon TyneOrganisers: The National Skills AcademyTel: 0161 833 6320Web: www.nsare.org

1-2 April – MetroRail co-located with Light Rail, RailTel, Rail Power and Air RailLondonOrganisers: TerrapinnTel: +44 (0)20 7092 1000Email: [email protected]: www.terrapinn.com/RS-brochure

1-3 April – Intermodal Asia 2014ShanghaiOrganisers: Informa ExhibitionsTel: +44 (0)207 017 5112Email: [email protected]: www.intermodal-asia.com

15 May – Railway Strategies Live! 2014LondonOrganisers: Railway StrategiesTel: 01603 274 181Email: [email protected]: www.railwaystrategies.com

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.

zzzzzzzzzzz zzNEWS I Conferences & Exhibitions

20-22 May – Infrarail 2014LondonOrganisers: Mack BrooksTel: 01727 814 400Web: www.infrarail.com

20-22 May – Civil Infrastructure & Technology Exhibition (CITE) 2014LondonOrganisers: Mack BrooksTel: 01727 814 400Web: www.cite-uk.com

28-29 May – GEO Business 2014LondonOrganisers: Diversified Business Communications UKTel: +44 (0)1453 836 363Web: www.geobusinessshow.com

21-25 September – 10th International Conference on GeosyntheticsBerlinOrganisers: International Geosynthetics SocietyWeb: www.10icg-berlin.com

23-26 September – InnoTrans 2014BerlinOrganisers: Messe Berlin GmbHTel: +49 (0)30 30 38 - 2376Email: [email protected]: www.innotrans.com

29 September – 1 October – European Transport ConferenceFrankfurtOrganisers: Association for European transportEmail: http://aetransport.org/contactWeb: http://etcproceedings.org/

17-19 March 2015 – Rail-Tech 2015UtrechtOrganisers: Europoint Conferences & ExhibitionsTel: +31 (0)30 698 1800Email: [email protected]: www.rail-tech.com

4th March 2014

Introduction to rolling stock

Key design principles affecting the

performance of railway systems

5th March

Traction & braking

Principles of traction and braking for railway

engineers

6th March

Vehicle dynamics and vehicle track

interaction

Understand the dynamics of railway vehicles

to improve safety, comfort and asset life

18th March

Train control and safety systems

Learn of the systems used on UK fleets that

provide safety and train operational contro

19th March

Train communication and auxiliary

systems

New and existing systems in use on

today’s rolling stock fleet

20th March

Fleet maintenance

Improve your processes and fleet

maintenance processes

1st April

Vehicle Acceptance and Approvals

Introduction to acceptance procedures which

apply across the rail network

2nd April

Optimising fleet maintenance efficiency

Understand the issues affecting rail vehicle

performance and cost of maintenance

3rd April

Train structural integrity

Structural integrity, fire and crashworthiness

systems found on today’s rail fleets

12 -16th May

Introduction to railway signalling

technology

An overview of railway control systems,

subsystems and technologies used on UK

main line and metro railways

A downloadable brochure is available at: www.imeche.org/docs/default-source/learning-and-professional-development-documents/ l_d_railway_training_web.pdf?sfvrsn=2 For more information, please contact Lucy O’Sullivan, learning and development co-ordinator:Tel: +44 (0)20 7304 6907Email: [email protected]: www.imeche.org/learning/courses/railway

A listing of courses currently available from the IMechE (Unless stated otherwise, all courses are in London)

Institute of Mechanical Engineers Training Courses Technical training for the railway industry

http://www.zonegreen.co.uk

EditorMartin Collier

[email protected]

Sales ManagerRob Wagner

[email protected]

www.railwaystrategies.co.uk

Schofield Publishing10 Cringleford Business Centre

Intwood Road Cringleford Norwich NR4 6AU

T: +44 (0) 1603 274130F: +44 (0) 1603 274131

RAILWAYS T R A T E G I E Szzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

FOR SENIOR RAIL MANAGEMENT

Documents

Railway Strategies Issue 104 Early Edition