railway strategies issue 100 final edition

Another order for Hitachi

Network Rail publishes

30-year R&D priorities

Government responds to Brown

franchising review

Bombardier to supply

116 vehicles to Southern

Abbey Wood Crossrail station plans submitted

Consultation begins on HS2

Phase Two route

RAILWAYS T R A T E G I E Szzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Issue 100 – Final Edition

Nine-day West Coast blockade

Interview

Network Rail replaces four junctions and three miles of tracks

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

NEWS

In an industry focused on compliance, RaChel Kay & elaINe ClaRK talk about the other skill sets that

are vital to delivering rail’s vision

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Putting more wheels on the rails

News in recent weeks has been dominated by rolling stock

stories. Without doubt the biggest development has been

the Government’s decision to exercise an option in the

original Intercity Express Programme contract to purchase

a further 270 vehicles. These are in addition to the 600 vehicles

scheduled to replace the Intercity 125 HST fleet and will replace

the Intercity 225 fleet, currently running on the East Coast Main

Line, in about six years’ time. We also have the news that Southern

is procuring 116 new vehicles from Bombardier to facilitate the

planned Thameslink cascade. Elsewhere First Capital Connect is

to give its fleet of Class 365s a makeover, whilst Northern has just

completed the overhaul of its Class 323s and Virgin has completed

the third heavy overhaul of its Pendolino fleet. In the freight sector,

three Class 66 locomotives are to reverse the trend by departing

continental Europe and entering UK freight service after appropriate

conversion, with more to follow. And finally, there’s news of Network

Rail’s newest addition to their fleet: a former Class 313 unit has been

transformed into a laboratory train and will shortly enter service as

part of the European Traffic Management System programme on the

Hertford Loop test facility.

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 100 ISSN 1467-0399

Cove

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News

Features

4 Interview

Interview – Rachel Kay & Elaine Clark 4Kirsty Birkett-Stubbs

Looking deeper 10Daniel Jonas Crowning glory 62Mike Byrne

Conferences & Exhibitions 64

Profiles

zzzzzzzzzzzzzContents

Suttle Projects 16

London Tramlink 18

Kuala Lumpur MRT 20

Story Contracting 22

Systra Rail 28

PKP Intercity 31

Keyrail 34

TMD Friction 36

First Capital Connect 38

Saudi Railway Organization 41

Keyline 44

Etihad Rail 49

Greenbrier Europe 52

Steatite Limited 55

Alstom Transport 58

Industry News 8

Issue 100

West Coast Main Line’s nine-day blockade 3ERTMS laboratory launched 7

10

28

18

31

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4 www.railwaystrategies.co.uk

During one of the hottest weeks of

the year, a team of 720 men and

women were on site 24 hours a day

to deliver this significant investment.

Over 900 barrels of water were consumed

and 3000 bottles of sun cream used as track

temperatures rose as high as 46oC. Train

services resumed on Monday morning and

were running at a speed of 80mph across

one of the new junctions. This is the first time

Network Rail has been able to reopen lines at

this speed following major engineering work.

Martin Frobisher, area director for Network

Rail, said: “I was in the cab of the first test

train over the line this morning and I’m

pleased that under some tough weather

conditions we’ve been able to deliver on

time this vital improvement which will make

journeys on the West Coast Main Line more

reliable and punctual. I would like to thank

passengers for their support and co-operation

during the closure, as well as our industry

partners who we worked very closely with to

prepare for and deliver this critical project.”

Usually, Network Rail would have carried

out work of this kind over a number of bank

holiday weekends requiring train services

to be replaced repeatedly by alternative

transport. By carrying out the work in a nine-

day continuous spell this summer, engineers

were able to complete the replacement of

four junctions around 16 months earlier to

avoid disrupting rail travel plans for many

weekends and nine bank holidays over the

next two years.

Why was the work done?The blockade was part of a major process

along the length of the WCML to improve

reliability and cut the amount of the time the

railway needs to close. The layout of the

junctions between Warrington and Preston

was such that tamping them required a

weekend closure every year. This is because

the points were set ‘toe-to-toe’, requiring

special tamping. By stretching Network

Rail has also removed switch diamonds,

which are difficult to maintain. They are also,

appropriately enough, vulnerable to high

temperatures and need constant monitoring in

key locations in hot weather.

Speeds over the junctions were also

increased to match line speeds on diverging

routes. For example, diverging trains at

Golborne Junction used to approach at

90mph, slow to 50mph, before accelerating

to 75mph once across the junction. Now they

travel across the junction at 75mph. There was

an even greater jump at Balshaw Lane, where

trains approached at 110mph (125mph EPS)

and slowed to 50mph, before accelerating to

75mph on the down slow.

Phil Bearpark, production director for Virgin

Trains said: “I congratulate the engineering

team at Network Rail for completing this very

challenging piece of work on time. A key

section of the West Coast Main Line will now

immediately provide better reliability for our

customers and in the longer term is another

stepping stone in our quest for faster journey

times for Anglo-Scottish services” zz

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The project by numbersl Three miles of track renewed l Four main line junctions upgradedl 18 miles of West Coast Main Linel 6600 new railway sleepers laidl 21,500 tonnes of ballastl Materials delivered by 61 trains in 865 wagons

West Coast Main Line’s nine-day blockadeMajor improvements to the West Coast Main Line between Warrington and Preston were successfully

completed on the morning of Monday 22nd July after nine consecutive days of engineering. Four junctions – Golborne, Bamfurlong, Wigan Springs Branch and Balshaw Lane – were replaced and

three miles of track re-laid to help increase line speeds and make journeys more reliable


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As a recent study by Thales Training & Consultancy serves to

underline, skills and training are very much on the agenda for

today’s rail industry – and perhaps more importantly for its

future. Of those interviewed at this year’s Railtex exhibition,

77 per cent of professionals are concerned about a skills gap within

their organisation.

It’s a picture that is also being seen by the National Skills Academy

for Railway Engineering (NSARE), which was set up in 2011 to ensure

that as an industry, rail has sufficient volume of people with the right

skills to deliver the railway of the future. Owned by its members,

NSARE is not a training provider in the literal sense, acting as more of

a facilitator and enabler of this. As such its activities include industry

promotion, skills forecasting, consultancy, qualification development,

accreditation of training providers, and maintaining the national

competence database.

Industry compliance“As part of the Thales international group, Thales Training &

Consultancy is predominately an integrated training service supplier

within many industries, including rail,” notes Rachel Kay, managing

director. “Core areas that we specialise in are systems engineering,

project management, and leadership. We are trying to partner more

In an industry focused on compliance, Rachel Kay and elaIne claRK talk with Kirsty Birkett-Stubbs about the other skill sets that are

vital to delivering rail’s vision

The skills to succeed

INTERVIEW I Rachel Kay & Elaine Clark

in connection with NSARE to ensure that not only the technical skills

of the people working in the rail sector are met, but also some of

those softer development skills around leadership, collaboration and

communication.”

“There is a very heavy emphasis on compliance in the industry, due

to the safety implications, so this will always be a major focus,” agrees

Elaine Clark, head of business services at NSARE. “But sometimes this

focus is almost to the exclusion of other things, such as the broader

technical competencies people need, and personal competencies

in management, leadership, behaviour, and communication. This is

becoming more and more important and I think there is a growing

realisation of that in the industry.”

This perhaps skewed focus appears to be reflected in the research

results where 72 per cent of respondents identified the hard/technical

skills that enable an individual to fulfil their day-to-day role as suffering

the most. As such 46 per cent believe the industry should focus on

developing in these areas.

Identifying skill requirementsSome of this thinking is in line with the current upgrades taking place

on the network, along with the introduction of new technology, such as

ERTMS and in-cab signalling. “This is a long-term programme which is

being led by Network Rail on behalf of the industry,” describes Elaine.

“At NSARE we have been involved for the last 12 months or so looking

at the training issues and the requirements that would be needed to

introduce this new technology. What became rapidly apparent is that,

yes there’s a lot of technical requirement, but it’s much more about a

business change process. Unless we have people with the right skills

in leadership and management we will struggle to deliver the amount of

innovation being talked about and move the industry forward.”

“It’s not just about teaching someone the skills they need to operate

these new systems, but also a cultural change,” agrees Rachel. “It has

an impact on the type of personnel make-up from a resourcing point of

view, so what type of people do you recruit and how do you integrate

them into an organisation that is going through change. Likewise it’s

looking at what needs to be done in terms of interconnecting and

collaborating with other functions in the business, and capturing the

requirements for such technology in a structured way. As such, when

we’re developing training solutions, first we have to think of them all as

a change management process.

“There’s a lot of pockets of skills shortages that relate to change, and

they’re all things that we see coming through as being important, but

it has to be remembered that this is under a budget that is severely

pressurised because making sure that people are competent and


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This isn’t just a matter of thinking about training people. Companies need to look at this from a perspective of professional development of their workforce

Rachel Kay - managing director of Thales Training & Consultancy

Elaine Clark - head of business services at NSARE


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compliant from a technical point of view is vital. I think the challenge for

rail organisations is to find additional budget to support these types of

change management programmes.”

Delivering the changeEncouraging new people into the industry is also a major challenge.

This is more sharply felt in certain parts of the industry where there

are clear indications of an ageing workforce. “In addressing this it’s

important to realise that we will be competing for the same people

with other engineering-based industries that are also growing over

the coming years such as the utilities,” notes Elaine. “I think there’s a

lot that we can also learn from other industries as to how they tackle

some of these challenges – so how does oil and gas, or nuclear for

example do it? As a sector rail has been very inward looking rather than

outward, but I think that is now changing.”

Another change process within the industry is the move away from

a purely prescriptive and mandatory mindset. As a result of this though

different management and leadership styles, and different organisational

structures may be required. “If you look back at the root cause of those

issues a lot of it will be down to the leadership style of the significant

change makers within the organisations. That’s why I would encourage

the industry, when looking to fill more senior positions, to go outside

the sector and benchmark itself because a lot of industries have moved

now to bottom-up rather than top-down thinking,” elaborates Rachel.

Securing skills for futureIn January NSARE published a major report on skills forecasting in the

industry, which took skills as they stand today as a starting point. “It is

felt that we need to recruit about 10,000 new people over the next five

to six years, but this is not necessarily more of the same. New people

joining the industry today will need different skills in the coming years so

it’s also about identifying what skills will be needed in the next ten to

15 years. We are planning to refresh that report at the end of this year,

and at the same time undertake another piece of work alongside it that

is much more envisioning of what the skills requirement will be in the

longer term to deliver the Rail Technical Strategy. This was developed by

the industry and published in December 2012 to set a vision of the next

30 years for the railway,” highlights Elaine.

She continues: “Within that forecast we are fairly sure that there will

be a need for significantly higher percentages of people with higher

skill levels. At present only around 18 per cent of the workforce in rail

engineering is qualified to Level 4 and above, which is not very high

compared to other technical-based industries. This will be a driver for the

type of training that the industry pursues, both from the technical side

and softer skills.”

It seems the message is beginning to be heard though, as

28 per cent of respondents to the study said that soft skills, like

communication and management are not a concern. This conforms

with a belief within the sector that soft skills will remain a key focus over

the next ten years. “I think companies need to start by looking at where

they are currently, where they want to be with regards to the changes

in technology and culture, and then backtrack to find where those

shortages in skills are going to be, and how to address those with help of

learning interventions,” describes Rachel.

“This isn’t just a matter of thinking about training people. Companies

need to look at this from a perspective of professional development

of their workforce. We are shifting people’s mindsets, but we’re still very

much at the start of that journey rather than the end,”

she concludes. zz

Thales Training & ConsultancyTel: +44 (0) 800 084 1611Email: [email protected]: www.thales-trainingconsultancy.com

National Skills Academy For Railway EngineeringTel: +44 (0) 7890 791373Email: [email protected]: www.nsare.org

INTERVIEW I Rachel Kay & Elaine Clark



The newest addition to Network Rail’s

train fleet has left the depot for the first

time on a series of test runs. Former

passenger unit 313121 has been

adapted to become a laboratory train for the

European Rail Traffic Management System

(ERTMS) programme and will be used on the

ERTMS National Integration Facility (ENIF) when

it opens later this summer. Alstom refurbished

the unit at its Wembley depot and fitted its

own train-borne ERTMS kit, along with CCTV,

workstations for engineers, extra batteries to

power the equipment, a kitchen, and – in a

notable first for a class 313 – a toilet.

Due to start work this summer, the ENIF will

see trackside ERTMS kit from four suppliers

put through its paces on a five-mile section of

the Hertford loop, controlled from a facility at

Hitchin.

Gary Porter, Network Rail programme

director, traffic management and ETCS, said:

“ERTMS will play a vital role in changing the

way we operate our railway. Crucially, our

facility at Hertford and this Class 313 will give

us a greater depth of knowledge of the system

as we prepare to roll it out on the network”.

The test train will also be utilised to support

other Network Rail projects, including

Thameslink. An ERTMS driver machine

interface (DMI) and new control panel has been

fitted to both cabs, with a duplicate screen in

the secondman’s position. Passengers in the

train will also be able to see the images, plus

high-definition views front and back on 42-inch

plasma screens.

To allow for the operation of ENIF,

bi-directional signalling has been installed on

the northern section of the Hertford loop, to

allow the down line between Molewood Tunnel

and Langley South junction to be used as a

test facility. During peak hours the section will

be part of the normal railway, but when testing

is required the block will be ‘switched out’ –

switching control from King’s Cross power

signal box to the facility at Hitchin.

European Train Control System (ETCS) is the

train-control element of ERTMS and includes

Automatic Train Protection (ATP). ETCS works

on the principle of providing to the train a

maximum distance that it can travel, the speed

profile of the track ahead and other track

information about the route that has been set.

The train then permits the driver to drive the

train, but should the distance or speed limit be

exceeded, or be in danger of being exceeded,

then the ETCS onboard equipment intervenes

to control the train, bringing it to stand if

necessary. zz

Testing will begin later this summer.

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ERTMS laboratory launchedAbove: New driver’s console and ERTMS screen Left: ERTMS lab train at Bletchley on test


Government response to Brown Reviewl Publication of the Government’s

response to the Brown Review into rail

franchising provides further certainty

to the rail industry by confirming the

key principles that shape the DfT’s

franchising policy as it works towards

delivering the best possible franchises

for both passengers and taxpayers.

Transport Secretary Patrick

McLoughlin said: “The independent Brown review was clear

that franchising is the best way to secure services for passengers.

It provided a sensible approach to strengthen a process that has

contributed significantly to the success of our railways.

“Since the review was published, the department has worked

hard to implement its recommendations. Good progress has been

made and we are on course to deliver a franchising programme

that promotes a thriving rail industry and secures the best deal for

passengers and taxpayers.”

The review by Eurostar Chairman Richard Brown was one of two

independent reports commissioned by the Department following

the collapse of the InterCity West Coast franchise competition last

October.

The Government’s response sets out the significant work that

has been carried out to implement the recommendations since the

publication of the review in January. These include:

l Resuming the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern and

Essex Thameside franchise competitions

l Providing long-term certainty to the rail industry by publishing a

clear and deliverable new rail franchising schedule

l Successfully negotiating the first interim contract of that schedule

with train operator c2c for the Essex Thameside franchise. An

invitation to tender for the long-term franchise will be issued to

bidders in July

l Setting up the Franchising Advisory Panel – an independent body

of industry experts that will provide support and assurance to the

Department

l Organising a UK Rail Opportunities Day to promote interest

amongst existing and potential new entrants to the rail franchising

market

l Publishing a Franchise Procurement Process Map and Franchise

Competition Guide to provide the rail industry with detailed

guidance

l Strengthening the Department’s capability and internal

governance through the appointment of a new Director General for

Rail and Franchising Director and implementing a new rail group

structure.

While much work on implementing the Brown Review has now

been carried out, the Department will continue to implement its

recommendations through the successful roll out of its franchising

programme and publication of further guidance.

The Government’s response to the Brown Review can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-brown-review-of-the-

rail-franchising-programme.

Information on the Government’s franchising schedule can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rail-franchise-schedule.

Class 365 makeover announcedl First Capital Connect’s fleet of Class 365 trains is to be

transformed with fresh interiors and enhanced accessibility features

as part of a £31 million investment which will also include heavy

maintenance to ensure their continued reliability. The trains carry

many of the 86,000 passengers travelling daily with First Capital

Connect (FCC) on the Great Northern route between London King’s

Cross and Peterborough, Cambridge and King’s Lynn. Eversholt

Rail Group leases the trains to FCC and is funding the work, which

will be carried out by Railcare at its Wolverton plant. The refresh will

coincide with the scheduled major overhaul of the trains which will

ensure their continued reliability. The first new-look train is expected

to enter service at the end of 2013 and the full programme will take

three-and-a-half years.

An existing Class 365 in service on the Great Northern route

Firs

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ital C

onne

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Night shiftl A through-the-night operation at the end of May ensured that the Balfour

Beatty Reading Viaduct team achieved their first project milestone for

their customer Network Rail. The now disused section of steel bridge at

Cow Lane, Reading was removed and recycled to make way for a new

£40 million concrete viaduct which will carry the main line from London to

Penzance. The work was carried out overnight on 31st May, starting at

20.00 and finishing during the afternoon of 1st June 2013.

Balfour Beatty’s Reading Viaduct project team work at night to remove the old steel bridge deck over Cow Lane in Reading

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Electrification on coursel Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has visited Eccles to mark the completion

of a vital first step in a £400 million electrification programme to transform rail travel

across the north west. The installation of new infrastructure between Newton le

Willows and Castlefield Junction by Network Rail paves the way for the introduction

of new state-of-the-art electric trains between Manchester Airport and Scotland

from December, boosting capacity and providing faster and more reliable services

to passengers. First TransPennine Express will start running new electric trains from

Manchester to Airport to Glasgow from December 2013 onwards following delivery

from Siemens. They will replace existing diesel trains. The full electric fleet is planned

for introduction by spring 2014.

New CEOl DB Schenker Rail (UK) has appointed Geoff

Spencer as its new CEO with effect from 1st

September. He was previously head of European

resource management in the European DB

Schenker Rail organization, based in Mainz.

Abbey Wood plans submittedl Crossrail has submitted proposals for a new station at Abbey Wood in southeast London

to the London Borough of Bexley and the Royal Borough of Greenwich for approval.

Crossrail represents a major step-change in public transport for the local area, and is the

single biggest addition to the local rail network since the North Kent line was built in 1849.

It will be a significant spur to regeneration in Abbey Wood, encouraging investment and

development as well as supporting jobs and businesses in the local area. The new two-level

station will open in 2017 and will be built above two new dedicated Crossrail tracks and

those used by North Kent services.

More new trainsl Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has

confirmed a £1.2 billion order for more state-of-

the-art trains to transform rail travel on one of

Britain’s busiest intercity routes. The 270 carriages

will be manufactured in Britain by Hitachi Rail

Europe at its new purpose-built factory in

Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, as part of the

Government’s overall £5.8 billion Intercity Express

Programme (IEP).

The latest order for the trains, called the class

800 series, will be operational on the East Coast

Main Line from 2019 and will deliver significant

benefits to passengers, including boosting

capacity by

18 per cent, improving train reliability by a factor

of five and cutting journey times between

London, Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh by up

to 18 minutes.

The first batch of class 800 series trains will

enter revenue-earning service on the Great

Western Main Line in 2017 and on the East Coast

Main Line in 2018.

Eccles Station, where a plaque was unveiled commemorating the electrification of the former Liverpool and Machester Railway

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An architect’s impression of Abbey Wood station

Hitachi Class 800 series train

Hita

chi

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that provides tools, processes, education

and innovation to enable the business to

deliver work efficiently and to support the

wider company strategy. Specifically I look

after innovation leadership and best practice,

whether it be collaborative, or internal R&D,

facilitating that and securing both internal and

external funding. This is not solely in rail but

also across the wider transport piece, and

increasingly other areas of Atkins as well,”

he says.

“The other area I am involved in is influencing

the industry innovation agenda. This includes

working with innovation groups, forums

and initiatives, and making sure we have an

Perhaps having once been thought of as

something associated with significant

change or landmark developments,

innovation in rail is increasingly being

viewed as part of the everyday running of

the industry. An innovative approach is being

taken to everything from processes and

business models to supply chain collaboration,

as well as the traditional technology-based

initiatives, in order to improve the efficiency and

effectiveness of the railway.

As head of innovation for rail at Atkins,

accelerating and guiding this process is

something Daniel Jonas is deeply involved

in: “I work in a team within the rail division


Looking deeper

Although beginning with rail tunnels,

the optical imaging capabilities of DIFCAM

are projected to have wider applications

in asset condition monitoring

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Looking deeper

open conversation with the market and our

customers. I am also advising the industry’s

Enabling Innovation Team (EIT) that was

set up as a result of the McNulty review to

help prioritise innovation investment. The

bottom line is about identifying, exploring

and communicating those opportunities at

a leadership level with an eye to the years to

come.”

Combining expertiseAtkins is one of the three core companies

researching and delivering a new collaborative

innovation project, known as Digital Imaging

For Condition Asset Management (DIFCAM).

Describing the background of this programme,

Daniel says: “DIFCAM came about as a

result of the “Accelerating Innovation in Rail”

competition set up by the national innovation

agency, the Technology Strategy Board and

the Rail Safety and Standards Board, to

overcome barriers to innovation in the industry.

“We were approached to participate by

software and systems engineering company

Omnicom, together with the National Physical

Laboratory (NPL) – a leading global scientific

facility in measurement standards. Together

we identified the need for a fast, efficient and

automated method for the visual inspection of

structures, which was intended to reduce or

eliminate the need for costly and dangerous

track access and other factors associated with

the current practice of human inspections.

Anything that can improve the ability of the

railway to monitor its structures and report and

identify changes that might be significant is

going to be very valuable,” he notes.

Drawing on the individual expertise of each

partner, the consortium pooled its resources

to develop the DIFCAM platform. Omnicom’s

vast experience in geo-positioning, surveying,

recording, inspecting, and mapping assets,

particularly in rail, enabled it to provide

the position platform and profiling system.

Meanwhile NPL contributed its decades of

experience in the research and application

of the digital image correlation technology

DIFCAM is based on, which is a type of optical

imaging for precision measurement. As for

Atkins, the Group was able to offer asset

management and domain expertise given

that its engineers know what it is truly like to

assess structures working in these types of

environment.

A platform for developmentHighlighting what has come out of the research

work, Daniel reveals the benefits that such

a system offers: “At present, DIFCAM is a

vehicle-mounted system which captures a

complete high-definition visual record of the

structure in question. It incorporates a high-

grade inertial guidance platform and creates

a number of data sets, which are combined

to produce a high quality 3D representation

of the asset. The data is indexed for later

analysis, which can then be presented to

an experienced end user remotely. The first

application for DIFCAM has been rail tunnels,

so in theory a tunnel inspector can use the

technology to conduct a full visual inspection

off site.

He continues: “The best thing of all is that

we’re encoding the knowledge, experience and

judgement of real life tunnel engineers around

the sorts of things that actually happen into the

system. The data that DIFCAM captures can

be compared to previous data sets to present a

picture of the change within the structure, such

as cracking, bulging or deterioration, to support

further inspection or any other application. It


which has enabled us to replicate defects and

then test that the system can pick those up,”

highlights Daniel.

The greatest demonstration of DIFCAM’s

capability, however, is clearly by its use in a real

tunnel. Therefore, the consortium is to hold a

demonstrator day in September that will give

industry representatives an idea of the system

in action. “There’s nothing so persuasive as the

real thing,” Daniel points out.

“So we will be taking live pictures,

processing them and seeing the change the

system has measured and we are confident

that this will deliver an interesting result. Then

it will be a case of following up on this and

starting to look at direct product development

for particular applications. As such, we are

keen to speak to any potential users of the

platform and to hear about the challenges they

have in difficult environments. It is our hope

that will be this the first truly cross-disciplinary

innovation platform,” he concludes. zz

also enables defects to be detected sooner

with the system able to highlight differences

down to 1mm which may not be detectable

by the human eye. That in turn enables

you to implement a more proactive tunnel

maintenance strategy.”

What Daniel is keen to stress though is the

flexibility of the system. DIFCAM was built using

a modular architecture, and therefore is not

about the particular application of kit on a road-

rail vehicle in a tunnel. “We have adopted an

innovative platform approach, so the platform

is what you build and the application is what

you use that capability for. It doesn’t have to be

vehicle-mounted, and it doesn’t have to be a

tunnel because the various modules within the

systems can be used in different ways where

the environment is hostile, confined or remote,”

he emphasises.

Demonstrating the benefitsHaving started the main work in July 2012, the

project is now reaching its completion date. A

number of test runs have taken place on the

Nene Valley Railway, and at the Old Dalby test

track. “Omnicom has an excellent relationship

with the National Railway Museum which

enabled us to do some testing and refinement

at the early stages. Likewise NPL have built

a replica tunnel at their facility in Teddington,

AtkinsTel: +44 (0) 1905 338 247Email: [email protected]: www.atkinsglobal.com

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Asset Management


Netw

ork

Rail


A railway much travelledl According to the latest data from the

ORR, passengers travelled

9.0 billion miles by rail in the fourth

quarter of 2012-13 (January to March

2013), a decrease of two per cent

when compared to the same quarter

in 2011-12. These figures are for

franchised operators only, so exclude

travel with non-franchised operators,

such as Grand Central, Heathrow

Express and Hull Trains. Over the last

ten years, other than a slight dip in

2009 during the recession, passenger

rail usage has increased significantly,

continuing the upward trend that has

been seen since the mid-1990s.

Boost for Birminghaml Roadways Container Logistics and its

Birmingham Intermodal Freight Terminal (BIFT),

has been selected by DB Schenker Rail UK as

its Midland rail hub of choice. Three intermodal

services – two trains from Southampton and

one from Felixstowe – now arrive daily into

the state-of-the-art terminal. DB Schenker

Rail UK’s decision has resulted in Roadways

Containers Logistics moving over 770

containers a week in and out of BIFT on behalf

of the rail freight provider.

A future driven by innovationl Network Rail has published its technical strategy, ‘A future driven by innovation’,

outlining the research and development priorities and opportunities for the next

30 years. The creation of the strategy, which follows the release of the overall Rail

Technical Strategy in December last year, has been driven by a need to focus R&D

investment on meeting its key outcomes: safety, performance, customer experience,

capacity, cost-efficiency and sustainability.

One of the keys to unlocking the potential for improvement in these areas lies with

closer collaboration. Network Rail chairman Richard Parry-Jones said: “Our ability

to be more ambitious relies on strengthening collaboration at all levels – across

disciplines within Network Rail, between Network Rail and the rail industry, with

European and world railways and beyond the rail industry to other technology sectors.

“There must also be a strong connection between long-term planning and long-

term technical capability.”

The railway industry has recognised that it has under-invested in R&D by any

benchmarked standard. The Network Rail Technical Strategy, as part of a wider

cross-industry and European drive to innovate, seeks to identify priorities for funding

which will bring Network Rail closer to global norms for R&D investment.

The business will continue to work with the Office of Rail Regulation to secure

funding for key projects, which will have their own business cases.

Areas for innovation identified within the Network Rail Technical Strategy include:

l Safety: We will embed a safety by design policy in everything we do, ranging from

intelligent level crossings and automated monitoring of infrastructure for safety critical

failures.

l Performance: We will work with our operating partners to ensure increasingly

resilient timetables are put in place and evolve our approach to asset management

with automated monitoring, and less emergency maintenance.

l Customer information: Better information will rely on common and optimised

information flow across industry to get reliable information to customers in real time.

l Capacity: Our network will utilise new control systems, enabling trains to run closer

together.

l Efficiency: We will improve the cost-effectiveness of our asset management

by developing our understanding of whole-life, whole system issues - including

developing capabilities for non-disruptive maintenance.

l Sustainability: We will work with industry partners to reduce carbon emissions,

and invest in energy efficient assets.

Further details can found within the strategy at: www.networkrail.co.uk/publications/

technical-strategy/

Network Rail

HS2 Phase 2l The Secretary of State for Transport,

Patrick McLoughlin has announced

the beginning of a period of public

consultation on the proposed route for

phase two. This is the route the new

high speed line will take from the West

Midlands to Manchester and Leeds,

with connections to the West and East

Coast Main Lines to serve the rest of

the North of England and Scotland.

The phase two consultation will run for

six months and will be accompanied

by a series of public information events

from mid-October 2013 to early

January 2014 where people will be

able to review local information and

speak directly with HS2 Ltd staff about

the proposals.


Northern Rail Class 323 overhaul completedl Alstom has completed work overhauling

Northern Rail’s 17-strong Class 323 regional fleet

to help produce a modern fleet for commuters

and the client, with more than 2000 components

exchanged. The project was undertaken at

Alstom’s Longsight depot in Manchester, with

two overhauls being taken on simultaneously.

The work undertaken on one project included

bogies being exchanged, inter-vehicle couplers

being overhauled, new gangways fitted and brake

equipment exchanged. The rest of the work saw

car floorboards and flooring replaced, seat shells

refurbished and re-covered, and car heaters and

train doors overhauled.

Safeguarding HS2l The Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin

has announced that the proposed HS2 route

between London and the West Midlands has been

protected from future development which might

conflict with the planned high speed line. The

move – an important step in taking the scheme

from the drawing board to construction – is known

as ‘safeguarding’. It will also enable people living

near the proposed HS2 route from London to the

West Midlands to approach the Government to buy

their property under Statutory Blight procedures.

Successful applicants will receive the unblighted

open market value of their property, plus ten

per cent up to £47,000 and moving costs.

Going Dutchl Three Class 66 Dutch locomotives, which have been converted for use in the UK

by GB Railfreight and Electro-Motive Diesel Limited, have been given authorisation

to be placed into service by the Office of Rail Regulation. This is the first time

Class 66 locos, which were manufactured to European railway specification,

have been successfully converted for UK use. GB Railfreight is in the process of

converting two more locos from Germany to go into service later in the year. The

conversion of these locomotives is a significant development, as it is the first time

locomotives have moved from the continent into the UK to support UK rail freight

growth. In the past, over 70 UK Class 66s have moved to mainland Europe.

Third heavy overhaul of Pendolino fleet completedl The end of a £60 million three-year process to upgrade and overhaul

Virgin Trains’ Pendolino fleet has been marked by a special event at

Alstom’s Longsight Traincare Centre in Manchester. The last of the

H3 Pendolinos – 390002 – is now back in service, having been turned

around by the team at Longsight in just over a fortnight. The Pendolino

fleet has been in service for more than ten years and has completed an

additional 2.5 million miles of reliable service since the H2 overhaul. In

addition to the overhaul work, the Longsight team extended

31 of the nine-car trains to 11 cars at the same time. Alstom is due to

start planning the H4 overhaul at the end of the year.

New carriages for Thameslink cascadel Following an extensive procurement process, Southern has announced

that it has selected train manufacturer Bombardier to supply 116 new

electric rolling stock vehicles at a cost of c. £180 million to facilitate the

planned Thameslink cascade.

This order has the provision of an extra 140 vehicles which can be called

in the event that further investment opportunities are identified, bringing

the potential total order value up to c. £385 million. When the contract

is placed, the new trains will be used initially on the Thameslink Route,

facilitating the release of existing trains to newly electrified routes. In the

longer term, these new trains will in turn also be cascaded.

John Smith and Duncan Scott with one of the Class 66 locos

GBRf

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz NEWS I Industry



Comply Serve expands down under!l UK-based collaborative

progressive assurance software

specialist, Comply Serve, has

opened an office in Australia.

James Frampton has relocated

from the UK to Australia to

head up their direct operations

servicing the Australian and

South East Asian markets.

Having joined the award-

winning software supplier in

2011, James was appointed

country manager for Australia

in October 2012, resulting in a permanent transfer

to Sydney to establish their Australian business and develop

opportunities within the territory. With ambitious expansion plans in

place, the company’s requirements-led, progressive assurance and

compliance software, ComplyPro, has already been deployed across

a number of high-level projects in the region. These include the

Adelaide Electrification Project, the Freemantle Wave Energy Project

and the Wynyard Walk Expansion Project.

Collaborative requirements-led, progressive assurance is at the

early adoption stage in Australia, alongside allied processes such

as bid management, hazard management, interface management,

issues management and assumption management and is generating

much interest and discussion. The successful installation of Comply

Pro across prestigious European and Middle East projects including

Crossrail, Banedanmark, Etihad Rail and Oman Airports, allows

Comply Serve to already demonstrate a proven, value-for-money

case for collaborative progressive assurance.

Building on the company’s credible track record is critical to the

success of this venture and where possible Comply Serve works

with Australian companies to deliver solutions to clients; including

consultancies such as Nova Systems and Frazer Nash, and major

contractors such as Laing O’Rourke.

In addition to expanding the existing core rail and infrastructure

business, Comply Serve aims to maximise substantial growth

opportunities across sectors such as civil aviation, renewable

energy and defence. The company is also working towards the

establishment of an Australian hosting centre to complement the

existing UK hosting centres and comply with rigorous security

requirements, creating a long term facility for sustainable business

development in the region.

Already, the company participates in various Australian INCOSE

events, including the Transport Working Group in New South Wales,

and has recently agreed to sponsor the University of New South

Wales with their entry for the World Solar Car Challenge. ComplyPro

will be deployed across this exciting project to capture the full

engineering life cycle of a renewable energy vehicle.

James is based in Sydney and can be contacted on

+61 467173803 or email [email protected]

Link-up Engage set to save industry £5.5 million per yearl Achilles, the global supply chain management

company, expects to save the UK rail industry more

than £5.5 million per year through the launch of

Link-up Engage – the advanced portal used to

register and pre-qualify suppliers.

The company has worked in partnership with the

Link-up Steering Group, now called RISQS Board,

comprising rail buyers and suppliers from across

industry, to launch the next generation of Achilles

Link-up. It offers a streamlined pre-qualification

process, a shorter questionnaire, intuitive user

interface and advanced procurement features.

Achilles Link-up Engage is estimated to generate

£5.5 million-worth of savings per year, in terms of

resourcing. Trials show suppliers will complete the

questionnaire in half the time, because an auto-

complete function replicates the same information

across different parts of the questionnaire document.

Buyers are expected to take one third less time to

complete searches for supplier information and are

provided with an online RFI-type tool to support the

dialog with suppliers.

Achilles Link-up Engage enables pre-qualification

for tenders via a single source of verified information.

It also offers 3500 registered suppliers access to

contract opportunities from all the key buyers within

the rail sector and ensures compliance with

EU Procurement Legislation.

Achilles Link-up Engage will offer a wide range of

additional benefits, including:

l Streamlined and simplified processes with direct

data checking feedback

l A four-tiered pricing system, bringing direct savings

to 80 per cent of existing suppliers

l Revised product coding structure

l Improved user interface and greater opportunities

to personalise company profiles

l Extended focus on new sustainability requirements

l Easier to export data and produce reports

l Collaboration with Achilles’ communities in other

sectors and other regions

National train performancel Punctuality on the railways reached 91.1 per cent

during period 4, according to monthly performance

data released at the end of July by Network Rail. The

data covers the period from 23rd June to 20th July and

compares to 92.7 per cent for the same period last year.

The moving annual average is now at 90.9 per cent.

James Frampton

the construction of a temporary bridge to allow

ease of access and sheet piling. Regarding the

project, managing director of Suttle Projects

Joe Paine commented: “We've worked with

Potential Energy before on other hydro electric

power generation schemes, including one at a

listed mill on the Weld Estate at Lulworth Castle.

Due to the landscape and stream, access

can prove quite tricky on these jobs, although

we love coming up with solutions to potential

challenges!"

Suttle Projects bases its compatibilities on

two core strengths: technically strong people

and an interest in owning and operating its

plant and specialist equipment. The company

management includes a chartered civil engineer

and three degree qualified supervisory staff. The

company also has a core team who hold CPCS

qualifications, the highest recognised standard

of plant operator and lift planning and execution.

The company’s dedication to technically strong

people has led to it being presented with a

Suttle Projects was founded in 2008

by the long established Suttles group

to provide solutions to very technical

projects. The company undertakes a

range of civil engineering and piling projects

including sheet piling, driven piling, CFA piling,

and some more general construction work

around rivers and railways. It is able to draw on

a wealth of experience, with the Suttle family

operating in quarrying and other contracting

since the 1940s the group is able to offer highly

specialised expertise to civil engineering and

piling projects.

In 2011 Suttle Projects installed a hydro

electrical power scheme at Iford Manor in

Bradford-on-Avon on behalf of Potential

Energy. After winning the contract to allow

the running of the Iford Manor Estate using

sustainable power, the company was able to

complete the project over a ten-week period.

The project required a cofferdam to keep the

site dry while the work was carried out and


zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzSuttle ProjectS ltd

AMS100 mobile welding machine

Specialised Engineering

Specialising in highly technical s

ite-based projects, Suttle Projects Ltd,

provides an engineering-first approach to its civil

engineering and piling projects

Engineer working in an REB


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzin cofferdams, protection of native species

and the propensity of Knotweed on many of

these sites.

Currently the company is looking to increase

the work it does on Network Rail infrastructure

where it feels its approach to specialist

engineering would be most appreciated.

Offering innovation to provide safe, cost effective

construction solutions in difficult circumstances,

Suttle Projects is ready to take on the most

challenging of civil engineering works. To

supports its ambition the company retains

Achilles Link Up accreditation, which it obtained

in 2010 and a 100 per cent PTS trained work

force. To gain the accreditation the company

had its processes and systems closely audited

to ensure it could work on the rail network as

contractors. LinkUp accreditation also allows

Suttle Projects to sponsor its own card holders,

which is vital in allowing the company to be

flexible in responding to emergency work

and call outs. zz

Web: www.suttles.co.uk

platinum award as part of the construction

skills certification scheme. The scheme

assesses and certifies competency for a range

of construction skills as well as health and

safety concerns and companies with over

75 per cent of staff who are CPCS certified are

awarded the platinum prize. In Suttle project’s

case over 90 per cent of the team hold the

qualification.

The company is also able to offer a total

solution to civil engineering projects as it owns

an operates its own equipment. This includes

Movax side grip sheet piling hammers, with

which the company is able to offer flexible

and economic installation or removal of sheet

piles, tubes, H sections and timber piles. The

company also owns Klemm auger drilling

equipment so that when necessary it is able to

produce contiguous walls and bearing piles, as

well as being able to pre-auger for sheet pile

installation. This offers an economic solution

for smaller diameter piles or confined or difficult

access sites. Where larger drilling equipment

is required the company is able to supply and

operate the necessary with the assistance of

hire supply partners. The Klemm 708 piling

rig was recently added to Suttle project’s

equipment portfolio to enable the company to

work on in-situ specialist projects for Network

Rail. Joe elaborates: 'We believe we're the only

company in the local area to offer this service.

It's the ideal piece of machinery for us as many

of the projects we work on have restricted

access, are within confined areas or have other

complexities. We're specialists in providing

solutions to difficult projects!'

Suttle Projects believes that safety is about a

good positive company culture. When working

with Network Rail and the Environment Agency

on projects that require work on watercourses,

the company is able to implement a wealth

of working experience as well as practical

measures to minimise risk to safety,

environment and quality. The company runs

its plant with bio-degradable hydraulic circuits,

spill kits and booms in all company vehicles

and works though varied issues like fish rescue

Piling HammersTube Drivers

Pile DriversSoil Drills

Movax Oy Ltd – Hämeenlinna, Finland

[email protected]

MOVAXTM

Bindon Mill

http://www.movax.com

It has been 12 months since Railway

Strategies last spoke to London Tramlink

Croydon, and as Sharon Thompson,

London Tramlink director, explained,

the past year has been a challenging one.

Nevertheless, customer satisfaction remained

the highest of all of Transport for London’s (TfL)

mass transport modes, with an average of

89 over the calendar year and a peak of 90 in

quarters one and four of 2012/13.

Sharon continued with some of the more

significant developments from the year:

“On 25th June 2012, London Tramlink

commenced operation of the new ‘line 4’

service between Elmers End and Therapia

Lane. This new service was the visible

manifestation of a number of complementary

projects that delivered a 25 per cent increase

in capacity on this section of the network.


westbound track and relaying of

worn out track eastbound over approximately

950 metres between Mitcham and Mitcham

Junction. The work was undertaken over a

series of extended weekend closures and has

resulted in an increase in track capacity and

resilience over the busiest part of the network.”

Given that Boris Johnson has confirmed a

£23 million regeneration fund for Croydon, this

addition to capacity has come at the right time

for London Tramlink. “We have been working

with the London Borough of Croydon over the

past nine months to ensure that the urban realm

aspirations for the town centre and the transport

With a newly opened line, billions of funding proposed for its area, and an expansion plan of its own on the table, London Tramlink Croydon is entering an exciting period

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz London tramLink

A vital linkIn addition to procurement of the new

trams, infrastructure was modified

and enhanced, and new track installed

between Arena and Elmers End. This

project is a testament to the close and

productive partnership between London

Tramlink, Tram Operations Limited,

Stadler Pankow GmbH and Bombardier

Transportation who all played an important

and critical part in the delivery of the first

major passenger facing enhancement

since the network opened in 2000.”

She continued with another

development from 2012: “The first of the

Variobahn Croydon Trams entered passenger

service on 30 March, and the new trams

were liked by the customers. However the

unprecedented speed of delivery from initial

order caused a few teething problems and we

initially struggled to maintain a full timetabled

service, but I am glad to say this situation has

now changed and we are meeting the timetable

requirements and the passengers have seen

some real benefits of the additional capacity.”

London Tramlink Croydon also undertook

a major investment in infrastructure, with the

Wimbledon Track Capacity Enhancements

(WTCE)-Phase 1 project. Said Sharon:

“The project involved providing a dedicated

CR4000 at Ryefield Crossing

Single line between

Mitcham Junction and

Mitcham prior to the

twin tracking being

implemented

Mitcham Junction towards Mitcham the new twin tracking arrangement


requirements are not developed in isolation,”

said Sharon.

Furthermore, there is a £1 billion

redevelopment of the Westfield shopping

centre and surrounding area on the table

for Croydon, and as Sharon noted, this will

be welcomed to the area, but will present

London Tramlink with some further challenges:

“The developers and the London Borough

of Croydon understand the importance of

Tramlink to Croydon and we are working with

both organisations to mitigate negative affects

whilst also serving the new development.

Whilst nothing has yet been agreed it is

likely to involve solutions such as moving or

increasing tram stop size; additional turnback

facilities; extra track and extra trams.”

In addition to these urban regeneration

programmes, there is £30m in the Business

Plan awaiting approval that will directly develop

London Tramlink’s system. “This will allow

us to undertake further upgrades on the

Wimbledon branch to allow a 12 tram per hour

service to operate on the line,” said Sharon.

“TfL’s governance process requires us to obtain

project authority and the programme that we

are working to has this being granted in July

2013. The work involves a second platform at

Wimbledon station, a further section of twin

tracking (Beddington Lane to Micham Junction

Intersection), an additional four trams and the

infrastructure (power and stabling) to support

these trams.”

Going forward, London Tramlink wants to

build on the successful service enhancements

it has delivered from 2008. To this end,

the company has recently developed a

Performance Enhancement Plan, which is

focusing its efforts over the next year. Sharon

highlighted the areas under scrutiny: “We

want to improve the operational reliability

of the service, and provide appropriate and

timely information when we do not,” she said.

“We anticipate introducing ‘wave and pay’ on

Tramlink services during late 2013, which will

enable passengers to directly charge Tramlink

journeys to a contactless credit card. We

are also working on reducing the impact of

technical failures and maintenance activity on

passenger services and improving customer

perception of security on the network.”

In this final area, London Tramlink continues

to work very closely with the British Transport

Police (BTP) at East Croydon, informing their

day-to-day tasking and wider objectives.

Sharon added: “Reported crime on the

Tramlink system was reduced by 9.92 per cent

in 2012/13, with the BTP reporting the highest

‘clear-up-rate’ of all forces in London South, at

72 per cent.

“In addition, tram neighbourhood officers

(TNO) continue to patrol the network working

closely with the BTP. These TNOs are targeted

to raise the profile of staff presence, offer

help and guidance and deliver a ‘reassuring’

presence on the network. They have been very

well received by passengers.” zz

Web: www.tfl.gov.uk

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

http://www.mottmac.com

in Klang Valley will bring more customers to city

centre business districts and help them to be

more integrated with commercial activities. The

underground stations will also have good links

to shopping centres.

Phase One of the MRT Sungai Buloh-

Kajang Line from Sungai Buloh to Semantan

will become operational by the end of 2016

while Phase Two from Semantan to Kajang

will become operational by July 2017, allowing

trains to serve the entire line. The MRT Sungai

Buloh-Kajang Line totals 51km, with 31

stations in total, including seven underground.

In fact, when it traverses the city centre

of Kuala Lumpur, an entire 9.5km stretch of

the MRT Sungai Buloh-Kajang Line will be

underground. Tunnelling was chosen as the

best approach for this, because the city centre

of Kuala Lumpur is already well developed,

and the tunnels will not obstruct the further

development of surface transportation and will

not have any visual impact on the existing city

skyline. Tunnelling is also the least restrictive

method for future land use.

State-of-the-art tunnelling methods will be

The Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit

(KVMRT) is a proposed three-line Mass

Rapid Transit system located in Klang

Valley, Kuala Lumpur. The project

was announced in December 2010 by the

Government of Malaysia, and was launched by

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on

8 July 2011.

The MRT will be integrated with the LRT,

Monorail, KTM Komuter and intra/inter-city

buses and will help alleviate traffic congestion

by increasing the number of people using

public transport in the city centre. When

operational, the system aims to carry 400,000

commuters daily. Each train serving the line will

have four coaches and a total capacity of 1200

passengers, and the trains are expected to run

at 3.5-minute intervals.

The background behind the project is the

population growth in Klang Valley, which by

2020 is estimated to grow from the current six

million to ten million. This means that if every

single trip is on private transport, the roads

in Klang Valley will be in gridlock. An effective

public transport system is the only solution to

this challenge, as it can move large amounts of

people with an optimal use of space.

At the moment Klang Valley has a shortage

of rail-based public transport coverage

compared with more public transport-oriented

cities, and the new MRT will boost this

significantly. Furthermore, the MRT project

will create more than 130,000 jobs during its

construction period and will generate billions

of Malaysian ringgit per annum of Gross

National Income (GNI) from 2011 to 2020.

More revenue should also be generated

from better mobility, and increased property

values. The MRT will also spur developments

in other areas of the city, as well as boosting

commercial activity. The improved connectivity


zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzKuala lumpur mrT


Malaysian megaproject

The KL MRT is Malaysia’s first Mass Rapid Transit

(MRT) project and the estimated total cost of the

three MRT lines is at least $12 billion



zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzSuruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat as

supervising agency.

One of MRT’s foremost responsibilities is

to ensure that the project is completed at the

highest quality. To this end, it is making sure

that construction methodologies, requirements

and materials for the development of the MRT

will conform to internationally-recognised best

quality practices, standards and codes.

The company is also keen to keep both

the local community and a wider audience

advised of its activities and progress, and

through regular website updates and its MRT

Newsletter it is proud to highlight the exciting

developments as they unfold. In the April 2013

issue company CEO Dato’ Azhar Abdul Hamid

announced some key milestones for the MRT

project – progress is good, and it certainly

does look set to transform Kuala Lumpur for

residents and visitors alike. zz

Kuala Lumpur Mass Rapid Transit Web: www.mymrt.com.my

deployed during the construction of the MRT, in

the form of tunnel-boring machines (TBM) while

stations will be built by excavating the station

box from the surface. Furthermore, the use of

modern slurry and EPB tunnel boring machines

(TBMs) will make tunnelling in Kuala Lumpur

a safer process, as these pressurised face

machines prevent tunnel face collapse where

geology is soft, in waterlogged sandy or silty

soils, in soft clays and in mixed face conditions

where soft soils meet rocks in the same tunnel

profile.

The owner behind the project is an

organisation called MASS Rapid Transit

Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp). MRT

Corp is fully owned by the Ministry of Finance

Incorporated and was set up to be the

developer and asset owner of the Mass Rapid

Transit project.

The company was established in September

2011 and took over the ownership of the

project in October 2011 from Syarikat

Prasarana Negara Bhd. MRT Corp’s

responsibilities include monitoring and tracking

of construction of all elevated structures,

stations and depots of the MRT project. It also

monitors underground works, including the

tunnelling and construction of underground

stations mentioned previously.

MRT Corp is also responsible for the

contracts involved, the procurement process

and dispute resolution, apart from ensuring the

quality of delivery in terms of cost, scheduling

and health, safety, security and environment

requirements.

To ensure the project delivery runs smoothly,

MRT Corp works hand-in-hand with two other

parties - MMC-Gamuda KVMRT (PDP) Sdn

Bhd as its project delivery partner, and the

MEIDEN has been contributing positively to the development of Malaysia for more than a quarter of a century since 1973. Meiden continue to provide turnkey engineering services based on Meidensha's Corporation, Japan's more than 100 years of proven and reliable engineering technology. Our rich experience in Malaysia, from planning to maintenance will ensure that we provide total quality-engineering services to our customers.

E-mail: [email protected]

www.meiden.com.myTel: +603 2287 8188Fax: +603 2287 9188

http://www.meiden.com.my

A multi-disciplinary company specialising

in building and civil engineering,

construction and rail infrastructure

services, Story Contracting Ltd

operates throughout the north of England

and southern Scotland. The company has

the capability to manage all sizes of projects

ranging from small maintenance projects, to

multi-million pound contracts, and has a wealth

of construction project experience in industrial,

commercial, renewable energy, utilities, local

authorities, highways, maintenance and

education projects.

When it comes to the rail sector, Story

Contracting has grown into a highly respected

and well-known provider of rail solutions,

and, stretching further afield than the building

side, the company’s rail division operates at a

national level.

The Rail division of Story Contracting has

grown progressively in stature and experience

since being established in 2000 and the

company’s other specialist Construction and

Plant divisions have added dimensions to

its capabilities that few other rail contractors


zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzStory ContraCting

RainhillTop of the league

Story Contracting prides itself on very high standards and total client satisfaction

An established building, civil engineering and groundworks contractor

Staff are PTS, CSCS and CPCS carded

Services include drainage, groundworks, block paving, flagging, kerbing, concreting including floors, bases and foundations

Tel: 01228 576778Mob: 07970 935554

KIRKALDY AND ROE LTDOrchard Farm | Moorhouse | Carlisle | CA5 6EY

[email protected] | www.kirkaldyandroe.co.uk

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I SIndustrial

Coating Services

Industrial Coating Services are a Midland Based Company, operating throughout the UK, specialising in Abrasive Blast Cleaning and application of protective coatings, works also including: Intumescent Coatings, Decorative Painting, Ultra High Water Jetting (UHP), Stone and Brick Cleaning, Graffiti Removal, Graffiti Coatings.

AccreditationsIS0 9001 | ISO 14001 | NHSS 19A BS OHSAS 18001 | UVDB | Link-up

Call 01543 450167 or 0845 474 0007 Email enquiries@industrialcoatingservices.co.ukwww.industrialcoatingservices.co.uk

Rail » Highways » Utilities » Local Council

Industrial Coating Services Limited

Work to stringent HSQE guidelines and act as a sub-contractor for companies throughout the Highways, Local Council, Utilities and Rail sectors.

http://www.industrialcoatingservices.co.uk


zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzStory ContraCting

Before grit blasting and painting

can match. With access to these additional

resources Story Contracting is able to

undertake a vast array of track renewal and

rail related civil engineering projects of an

impressive scope.

Over the past 13 years Story’s rail

department has built an impressive portfolio of

work, which includes numerous plain line and

S&C track renewals, bridge reconstructions

and refurbishments, viaduct strengthening,

structural repairs, embankment stabilisation

projects, station refurbishments, scour

protection to waterways and coastal defences,

drainage schemes, S&T route works, mast and

equipment bases, site infrastructure projects

and rail related civils schemes.

These projects are delivered by Story

Contracting’s experienced and professional

team, which consists of project managers,

engineers, surveyors and site teams, all holding

the appropriate safety critical competencies

and including specialist capabilities such as

engineering supervisors, hand back engineers After grit blasting and painting

http://www.emeg.co.uk

clients.

The combination of this extensive fleet of

in-house plant and 300 strong PTS qualified

workforce gives Story Contracting a formidable

capability to deliver complex schemes safely,

within challenging timescales and to budget.

In addition, the company holds a Network

Rail Principal Contractor Licence and a Plant

Operator Licence which enable it to operate

on-track plant on Network Rail infrastructure -

the company is increasingly being regarded as

a first tier supplier to Network Rail.

A perfect example of how the company

works with Network Rail is its role in the

delivery of an £11 million portfolio of bridge

refurbishment works for London North Eastern.

This is being undertaken as part of the

Government’s enhanced spend programme.

Mike Halliday, rail director, elaborates:

“The work scope includes grit blasting of

existing steel structures, carrying out repairs

as required, and repainting. This is an area

of business we want to continue in. With

our naturally inquisitive style we have been

successful in finding more cost effective

solutions working with the supply chain,

and within Network Rail’s maintenance

requirements. As a result of this we have been

able to deliver savings to the programme of

£1.1 million through continuous improvement.

This has been fed back in, with a further four

and possession planners.

This expert team is supported by the latest

machinery, and the company maintains a

large fleet of both operated and non-operated

plant and heavy transport vehicles in which

it continually invests. In this way, Story

Contracting can ensure that it has the most

reliable and efficient machinery, as well as

environmentally friendly plant available for



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VolkerLaserVolkerLaser operate actively within the UK rail sector, upgrading and refurbishing both track and infrastructure. Our team of experts adopt a flexible approach and work closely with clients to accommodate their changing requirements and demanding programme constraints. Working closely with Story Rail at Milverton and Ribble Viaduct, VolkerLaser’s team of authorised installers placed over 3,300m² of the Network Rail and PADS approved Hytec loose laid sheet system on weekend possessions and Boxing Day.

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structures being added to the original 26 within

the £11 million allowance”.

Continually evolving and growing stronger,

the relationship between Network Rail and

Story Contracting was recognised in February

2013 when the company reached the

number one spot on Network Rail's PRISM

Performance League Table. PRISM is the tool

Network Rail uses to assess the performance

of suppliers and its own performance in

enabling them to carry out a contract. The

tool was developed in conjunction with the

supply chain and various functions across

Network Rail to drive a culture of continuous

performance improvement.

Story Contracting is dedicated to providing

the best possible service to clients by delivering

quality projects on-time, within budget and

safely, but it appreciates holding the number

one spot in this particular league is a great

accolade and it looks forward to continuing to

operate at this level.

Further awards were also forthcoming

in 2013 for Story Contracting - at the end

PyeroyPyeroy protects the nation’s rail infrastructure. Pyeroy’s skilled team of engineers, technicians and craftsmen ensure the painting requirements of demanding rail projects, however large or technically complex, are delivered on time. The company’s expertise in pre-survey work, coating specification, grit blasting or UHP water jetting, surface preparation and the application of high quality coating systems provides clients with benefits in project planning, control and cost effectiveness, while quality and contract monitoring systems ensure projects are completed on time.

http://www.pyeroy.co.uk



THE ONLYMERCHANTYOU NEED

SUPPLIERS OFBuilding Materials, Timber & Joinery,

Plumbing & Heating, Kitchens & Bathrooms

BRANCHES THROUGHOUT CUMBRIA AT: Carlisle Currock, Carlisle Kingstown, Brampton, Wigton, Workington, Cleator Moor, Cockermouth,

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Plus branches nationally, details can be found on

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of April, it attended the ICE West Midlands

awards ceremony at the ICC in Birmingham.

In partnership with Network Rail it was entered

into both the 'Construction' and 'Partnership'

categories for its work on Milverton Viaduct

over Christmas 2012. The evening turned

into a winning night for Story Contracting as it

picked up the award for 'Construction' - this

category focused on projects that demonstrate

excellent construction techniques.

These sorts of awards are a fantastic

achievement and a testament to the hard work

put in by the team. Story Contracting prides

itself on continuously maintaining its status as

a forward thinking, visionary company with

high values, and the implementation of sound

practices and preservation of an exemplary

safety record are always at the top of the

agenda. Going forward,

the company is determined to maintain its

leading position, as well as continuing to grow

its order book and further build on its already

strong relationship with Network Rail. zz

Web: www.storycontracting.com

http://www.travisperkins.co.uk

http://www.liontrackhire.co.uk

electrification team, with the expertise to take

a project from the feasibility stages, through

design and detailed design on to supervision

of construction and finally commissioning and

start-up.

Engineers who have been out there ‘in

the thick of it’ are vital to the success of his

design team, insists Peter, who has 40 years’

experience in the industry to draw on: “If you

don’t have people who have been out on site,

who have seen the wire being strung up, who

can tell you what works and what doesn’t,

you can never close the loop to feedback to

designers from the construction teams,” he

says. “Having that total range of competence is

so important.”

Network Rail’s £3bn-plus

electrification programme will be the

biggest that the UK has ever seen.

Between now and 2019, some

20 per cent, or around 2,400 km, of the

UK’s rail network will see the installation of

overhead catenary lines, together with all the

necessary power supplies and alterations to

bridges and tunnels.

“At no point in history has the UK railway

tackled so much in one go,” says SYSTRA’s

UK director of engineering Peter Dearman.

And all this will be carried out while the lines

remain in full operation, with work on the

track taking place during a maximum of five

engineering hours in the night, at weekends

and for more complex areas over bank

holidays. This means that efficient installation

will require meticulous planning, with designs

that fit exactly with the construction methods

and sequencing.

“It’s all about constructability,” explains

Peter. “There is a very short time window in

which to build, which the design needs to

accommodate. That means, for instance, that

you have to think about each unit of build in

distinct stages. If the design doesn’t allow that

to happen, you cannot build it within the time

constraints.”

Peter joined SYSTRA in July this year from

Network Rail where he was Head of Energy.

At SYSTRA he is busy creating a new UK


zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzSYSTRA


Network Rail’s ambitious electrification programme requires designers who understand the ins and outs of construction and operation. That means a hands-on approach and detailed knowledge of railway engineering in the UK

Insider knowledge


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzznow. Diesel trains are already very expensive to

buy and increasingly expensive to run.”

Electric trains boast many benefits over

their heavier diesel counterparts: they use less

energy and result in between 20 and 30 per

cent less carbon emissions; they can carry

more passengers per train; they are faster,

quieter and more reliable; and they cause less

wear and tear to the rails and the infrastructure.

This will make it possible for Network Rail to

increase capacity and efficiency on the newly

electrified lines and connections into them.

However reliability, and therefore achieving

improved speed and capacity, depends on

getting the design right, warns Peter. Whole

life costs, as well as initial capital outlay, must

be taken into consideration. He predicts that

contractors who want to win successive

packages of work will need to demonstrate to

Network Rail how their proposed solutions will

help ensure reliability and longevity.

“It’s important at the design stage to

understand the client’s need for higher reliability,

and build that into the design,” says Peter. “On

a route with as few as four trains an hour, if the

line is blocked for 20 minutes, you have trains

backing up and recovering the timetable is a

real challenge. With routes such as Crossrail

and Thameslink operating with 24 trains per

hour, excellent reliability is paramount.”

Though some early packages of work related

to the electrification programme are already

underway, the bulk of it will be delivered through

a national framework. Network Rail is currently

out to tender to find 15 construction firms or

consortia to fill places on the framework.

The winning organisations will carry

out detailed design, supply, manufacture,

construction and commissioning services for

all aspects of electrification and associated

infrastructure. This will include overhead

line work, power supply, distribution, civil

engineering work, on track plant, signalling

works, telecoms and track works.

Contractors who win a place on the

framework and subsequently the electrification

contracts face two major challenges. First,

the sheer speed of delivery and second the

ability to marshal the skilled supervisors and

workers needed to run an efficient installation

programme.

“Having experienced engineering teams

to support the implementation programme is

really important,” says Adrien Bobillot, director

of SYSTRA’s electrical energy and catenary

department, who works on electrification design

projects around the world. “Planning is king.”

3D animations were used to help explain catenary installation to less experienced

workers on site during the construction of the Rhine-Rhone high-speed line in France.

SYSTRA worked on both the design and construction phases on elements including

the catenary and power supply

Etihad Rail locomotive

Ambitious plansThough around 40 per cent of the UK’s rail

network is already electrified, it has been a

long time since any electrification projects took

place. Since privatisation in the early 1990s,

new electrification has been extremely limited.

The programme of electrification in the UK must

address the challenges of the privatised railway,

the massively increased demand for capacity,

and the development of technology fit for the

21st century.

Network Rail’s initial programme of works

involves four main areas: the route between

Edinburgh and Glasgow via Falkirk High,

part of the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement

Programme (EGIP); the Great Western line

between London Paddington, West of England

and Wales, plus the Cardiff valley commuter

lines; the North West and trans-Pennine

schemes in the North of England which will

connect York and Selby in the East to Liverpool

and Blackpool in the West via Manchester;

and the ‘Electric Spine’ which runs from

Southampton through Oxford branching to

Nuneaton on one side and up to Sheffield on

the other.

This is an enormous package of work to be

undertaken in a relatively short period, but it’s

necessary to help secure the future of the UK,

according to Peter. “Because of the changes in

energy economics and the demise of oil as this

century progresses, it is essential that we act

Insider knowledge


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


UK experience, because of the long gap since

the last electrification projects.

Peter will be looking to call on colleagues

in SYSTRA’s international offices to carry

out certain packages of work, with his UK

engineers providing the local knowledge. “I

will be looking to use some of our international

resource where appropriate,” says Dearman.

This is a model which works well for

SYSTRA in its offices around the world. For

example, in India at the moment, SYSTRA is

working with a Japanese contractor to bid

for the power supply and catenary package

relating to a new dedicated freight corridor.

SYSTRA India is providing the necessary

knowledge about local standards and client

requirements, while engineers in other offices

are helping to develop a brand new catenary

design in under three months. “For this project

we are developing a new type of catenary

because the line is for trains with double stack

containers,” says Adrien. “The catenary will be

7.54 m high which has not been done before

anywhere in the world.”

Being able to draw on a vast range of

international experience can bring benefits,

explains Adrien. For example, Network Rail

has been talking to his team about design

standards, looking for possible changes which

could reduce cost while maintaining safety and

reliability.

But any international knowledge must be

filtered through UK engineers, insists Peter,

which is why he has high ambitions for his new

UK team: “We are going to be a serious player

in this programme.” zz

www.systra.co.uk

Adrien has just mobilised a team of ten

engineers to advise the Danish national

electrification programme in Copenhagen. The

team will be responsible for developing the

design and tender specifications, modelling

power requirements and managing the

construction. SYSTRA’s engineers are also

working on the electrification of the Plodiv to

Svilengrad railway in Poland, and form part of

the PPP team on the Sud Europe Atlantique

high-speed line in France.

The way you communicate with and train

your workforce will impact on how quickly

they get up to speed, says Adrien, who joined

SYSTRA from SNCF earlier this year. He

suggests providing instructions in the form of

animations on a laptop or tablet as one way

to help workers who may be less experienced

in the sector, a technique which has been

used on the Rhine-Rhone high-speed Line in

France.

Training will be an important element of

the UK electrification programme, predicts

Peter, for both young engineers and installers.

“One of SYSTRA’s aims is to train up young

engineers to help create a whole new

generation of electrification experts in the UK.”

Currently SYSTRA has training programmes

underway to do just that.

Though the installation of power supply

systems does not face the same challenges

as catenary construction, since it generally

takes place at the trackside rather than directly

on the track, procuring equipment can be a

major cause of programme risk, says Adrien.

These are complex installations with design

that is unique to the railway traction system;

for example grid supply substations need a

number of years lead-in time because all the

components must be sourced from different

suppliers and delivered to site at the right time.

Procuring power supply systems that are

partially assembled, rather than the traditional

practice which sees all the components

delivered to site and put together there,

will speed delivery. “This is a trend we see

developing, similar to the automotive industry,”

reveals Adrien. “One supplier assembles the

system, sub-contracting out to other suppliers,

and delivers it by train. This reduces installation

and testing time on site.”

Designers in demandBefore we even reach the construction phase,

there is the important issue of design to

consider. As on the delivery side, there will be

a shortage of skilled people with the necessary

Catenary installation is one of the most challenging aspects of an electrification programme. SYSTRA has designers with on-site experience that understand the importance of “constructability”

SYSTRA


. zz

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz PKP IntercIty

Pole positionPKP Intercity is adding a new premium level to its passenger offering with the purchase of 20 new high-speed Pendolino trains

service. Undoubtedly one of the biggest

advantages of the company is our people,

many of which have a wealth of experience

and management skills. Currently the business

is undergoing a period of change, which will

mean that we are soon able to offer a new level

of quality to our passengers.

“From the beginning, PKP Intercity has

proved that it is more than just a rail carrier – it

is a trustworthy, responsible and has a strong

focus on its client’s needs. Intercity has also

been investing in new technologies. Tickets

are available by mobile phone, where the

passenger does not have to print the ticket but

only to download the QR code. The customer

can also pay by card on all trains. Additionally,

PKP Intercity is to launch a systems of dynamic

ticket sales similar to those used by the

airlines,” he continues.

In its strategy for 2008 to 2018, the board

of PKP Intercity outlined its objective to create

three strong train brands that would cover each

PKP Intercity is the part of the PKP

Group responsible for long-distance

passenger railway transport in Poland.

Its trains connect several major

cities and popular holiday resorts, as well as

providing comfortable international connections

into Europe. The company was formed in

2011 under the reform of railway companies,

and quickly gained the reputation of being the

fastest and most reputable rail carrier in the

country.

Altogether PKP Intercity runs about 300

trains daily equating to 2.7 million passenger

journeys every month. These fleets are made

up of around 1625 railroad cars, 1300 of which

are in daily use, 353 locomotives, 69 diesel

engines, and 14 electric multiple units.

“PKP Intercity is the largest nationwide

railway carrier in Poland,” begins Marcin

Celejewski, member of the board and

commercial director. “It has the best fleet and

applies the highest standards of customer

area of the market from premium to economy

travel. The company began the process of

arranging this offering in November 2009,

by combining two existing brands – Express

and InterCity - into one category. Known as

Express InterCity (EIC), these are fast domestic

trains with a high level of comfort and facilities

that include a restaurant car.

The other main type of existing train is Twoje

Linie Kolejowe (TLK), which was first launched

back in 2005 as a more economic level of rail

travel. Today TLK is an extensive network of

low-cost, long-distance connections, linking

dozens of locations across Poland.

The final premium element of this strategy is

one of the outcomes being delivered through

PKP Intercity’s large-scale modernisation and

investment programme of four billion Polish

zloty (zł). This is in the form of 20 new high-

speed Pendolino trains, which will operate

under the name EIC Premium. These have

been purchased from Alstom, following a

Visualisation of new EIC Premium train

http://www.alstom.com

Alstom KonstalPart of the Alstom Transport group, Alstom

Konstal S.A. is a Poland-based producer of

metro trains, as well as cars for many other

types of rolling stock such as regional trains

and tramways. In May 2011, together with

Alstom Savigliano in Italy, the company signed

a new €665 million contract with PKP Intercity

for the supply of 20 high-speed trains.

Based on the Pendolino platform, the new

trains are to be delivered from Alstom

Savigliano, whilst Alstom Konstal will be

responsible for the design and construction

of a maintenance depot to house the fleet.

The company will also deliver the ongoing

maintenance on behalf of PKP Intercity over

the next 15 years, which is the first time

that Alstom Konstal has performed such a

role in Poland. As such this presents a major

opportunity for Alstom Konstal to develop its

service activity within the country.

“We are very proud to be participating in the

introduction of high-speed trains in Poland,”

describes Nicolas Halamek from Alstom

Konstal. “I believe this to be a very important

project for the railway of Poland, and we are

very happy to be supporting PKP Intercity in

this challenge.”


Poland from December 2014,” notes Marcin.

“From August, the first train will arrive into

Poland for dynamic testing as part of the

whole certification process. Concurrently

to this project, PKP PLK – the company

which manages the railway infrastructure in

Poland – is implementing one of the largest

modernisation schemes ever, which will include

installation of ETCS.

“Elsewhere in the business, further plans

include the purchase of 20 electric multiple

units for the route Kraków - Łódź - Gdynia

or Warszawa – Bydgoszcz, and new diesel

locomotives able to drive on the non-electrified

tracks in a sparsely populated mountain area.

Furthermore, right now we are modernising

218 carriages for the route between Przemysl

and Szczecin, which will gradually replace the

older existing stock. The first 68 of these are

soon to make their track debut,” he continues.

During the UEFA European Football

Championship in 2012, PKP Intercity proved

that it could cope with a large influx of

passengers, including many international

visitors. “Opinions we collected saw more

than 84 per cent of satisfied customers, which

motivates us to be active and bring into effect

these further changes,” highlights Marcin.

“However although we believe the market is

full of potential, the general economic situation

in Poland has seen a decline in social mobility

in most sectors. Cheaper flight tickets and

developments in the highway segment do not

improve the situation either, placing even higher

demands on the business.”

Indeed investments into road seem to have

been prioritised, which has accounted for the

tender process which culminated in the signing

of contracts in May 2011.

“The first of these trains is now undergoing

a test period in Italy, with the intention that the

whole fleet will be running regularly throughout

delays in the rail infrastructure modernisation

programmes. “We are aware of the fact that

modernisation works will soon be over and we

have to be prepared for an increase in traffic

on the tracks, and hopefully more passengers.

According to our estimation, introduction of

the EIC Premium fleet will increase passenger

numbers significantly on the lines it will serve.

We hope this will be a similar case with the rest

of the investments,” describes Marcin.

“2013 is undoubtedly a difficult time for

the transport industry, but we believe that

consistency in the implementation of our plans

and objectives will allow us to keep improving

and retain passengers. Right now we are

focusing on two elements. One of our goals is

to simplify the portfolio of special offers, whilst

increasing the range of services provided such

as the new ticket purchasing system. The

second crucial element is the new standard of

rolling stock and the gradual introduction of the

new EIC Premium trains. We believe that the

new standard and wide range of services will

be the impetus for passengers to choose rail

over other modes,” he concludes. zz

Web: www.intercity.pl www.eicpremium.intercity.pl

zzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzPKP IntercIty

to ensure safe and punctual operation,

and maintenance of the signalling and

infrastructure. In addition the company

has taken on some additional roles

that either add benefit to its clients or

strengthen the freight offering.

“This includes supply chain

management,” explains Max. “There are

several parties involved in the running of

a freight train such as operators, carriers,

terminals, and logistic service providers,

which all need to co-operate to ensure

the success of that process. As a neutral

party, we can monitor the complete

supply chain and work with these

stakeholders to improve the efficiency

of freight transport, and increase

punctuality. This results in a more

attractive product from a commercial

perspective, which will hopefully translate

into more customers.”

Keyrail is also actively working to

attract new business to the railway. This

is part of a larger modal shift strategy,

which aims to move transport volumes

from the road to other means such as rail

or inland barge shipping. “This is quite

different to the traditional role of the

E stablished in 2007, Keyrail is a

relatively young rail infrastructure

manager. But then so is the

railway that it operates – a 174-

kilometres dedicated double-track freight

line between the port of Rotterdam

and the German border known as

Betuweroute. At an investment of €5

billion, this thoroughfare opened in 2007

offering a non-stop connection to the rail

corridors of the European hinterland.

“In all countries in Europe there

is a debate about priority between

passenger and freight trains on rail

corridors,” explains Max Philips, business

development and communications

manager of Keyrail. “In most priority

is given to the passenger train, which

means that a freight train will have to

stand by to let them past. Stopping a

heavy load like this and then starting

it again takes a lot of energy, and of

course cost. As a small country with a

very dense rail network, the decision was

taken to build a new line exclusively for

the use of freight.”

This has not only benefited the freight

operators, but also had a knock-on

positive impact on the capacity of the

existing network. This is because as

more freight trains gradually move over

to the Betuweroute, additional train paths

and capacity become available to the

passenger sector.

Having started from scratch, today 450

trains a week run on the Betuweroute.

With a maximum capacity of 350 trains

per day, clearly there is capacity still

available, which as Max outlines was

a key strategic measure: “As this is a

new piece of railway it has been built for

the future with enough capacity left for

growth over the coming decades. We

have been very pleased also by news

of a €1.5 billion investment in Germany

to build additional rail capacity on the

connecting line from the Dutch/German

border. We want to grow on our network,

but we need the connecting line to also

have capacity to accommodate this, so

this is a very positive development from

our perspective.”

As an infrastructure manager Keyrail

has a number of core responsibilities.

This includes capacity allocation of train

paths to operators, traffic management


zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


Key to success

Max Philips - business development and communications manager

Going beyond the traditional role of

infrastructure manager, Keyrail is encouraging a freight modal shift to rail

KEYRAIL


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

extended.

“Whilst the final decision is yet to be

made as to the future of the business,

we believe that our experience in setting

up the supply chain management service

and attracting new freight flows to the

business, as well as our track record

over the last five years presents a good

business case for extension,”

concludes Max. zz

Web: www.keyrail.nl

infrastructure manager, but we believe

it is important to speak with the logistic

service providers and shippers, to try

to find out their needs and how rail can

support these,” enthuses Max. “As an

independent organisation many find it

easier to speak with us when first trying

to orientate themselves in rail, and to

understand how it functions and what the

possibilities are.”

The benefits of using rail for freight

travel are already well publicised from

an environmental and cost saving

perspective. However Keyrail is also keen

to highlight the supportive nature of this

type of transport, which complements

other modes to open up a much wider

scope. “Whilst many of our customers

are present in the port or industrial areas

of the Netherlands, they have a much

more international orientation. We know

that in order to run a profitable freight

train into Europe, you have to have a

balance of outgoing and incoming flows.

We are well connected with the Port of

Rotterdam and Port of Amsterdam, which

are actively involved in attracting freight

flows, and work in co-operation with them

to fulfil the rail element,” explains Max.

Developments within ports such as

these are also contributing to the modal

shift. For example in building a new

port area, the Port of Rotterdam had to

extend into the sea creating new land.

“This makes it a very expensive area

and therefore in order to make efficient

use of it, the port authority requested

that those companies interested in the

location use rail and barges to take care

of the largest part of their transport flows.

This of course benefits us as a local

freight connection, but also encourages

movement away from road haulage,”

describes Max.

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of the line since its formation, Keyrail is

now approaching the end of its initial

five-year contract. A potential extension

of this by a further ten years is now under

discussion in Parliament. This follows an

investigation by the Transport Minister,

which having found that the market was

satisfied with Keyrail’s activities and that

management of the infrastructure on a

commercial basis is unviable, led to the

recommendation that the contract be

http://www.on-rail.com

cusp of following. One of which is the constant

elimination of noise in the car environment,”

adds Roman.

One factor of the company’s success is

its continuous investment into research and

development. Together with vehicle and brake

manufacturers TMD Friction engineers develop

and test brake friction products that meet the

highest requirements in comfort, performance,

and safety. The objective is to develop the

perfect technical solution for each respective

application. This is delivered through R&D

centres in Germany, Brazil and the US, as well

as expanding activities in China.

A key focus for rail applications is

improving lifecycle costs. TMD Friction has

worked to address this by going back to the

manufacturing process itself. This is because

friction material is in general supported by

a backing plate, with the two components

bonded together to form a complete system.

TMD Friction’s racing department developed

a proven pinned retention system to ensure

optimal stability of this bond. This solution has

since been introduced to some rail applications

and is gaining interest in the market.

As well as its in-house work, TMD Friction

is also contributing to the progression of wider

industry issues. This has seen the company

play a role in a project known as LäGiV, which

is partially funded by the Federal Ministry

of Economics and Technology in Germany.

Across the globe more than 200 million

drivers depend on TMD Friction to

ensure a safe journey every day.

This is because the company is

recognised as the world’s largest manufacturer

of original equipment brake friction materials

for passenger cars and commercial vehicles in

the automotive industry. TMD Friction is also

considered a valued supplier of replacement

braking products for original equipment

services and the aftermarket through the

brands Textar, Pagid, Mintex, Don, Cobreq,

Cosid and Dynotherm.

Going beyond this, the company puts its

knowledge and experience to the ultimate

test by developing high performance brake

friction products for racing and motorsport

applications, as well as components for

rail transport, power generation and other

industrial applications. In terms of rail, the

majority of TMD Friction’s range is marketed

under the Cosid brand and includes disc brake

pads for long-distance and regional passenger

trains and light rail, brake blocks for freight, and

organic friction material for metro applications.

Having had a background in friction

materials since 1879, today TMD Friction

combines a strong internationally focused

management team with a powerful shareholder

in the form of Nisshinbo Holdings. The

resulting strategy is delivered through a

widespread network that includes offices and

manufacturing sites across four continents.

This includes many key locations such as the

US, UK, Germany, Brazil, South Africa, China,

and Japan.

Although still thought of predominately in

the automotive industry, speaking previously

to Railway Strategies, president of strategic

business unit Rail & Industry Roman Milczarek

alluded to the opportunities in the industrial

and rail sectors: “We see the pattern in the rail

friction industry as being very interesting. With

TMD Friction being a solid and reliable safety-

orientated partner in the automotive friction

industry, it made strategic sense to become

a serious player in the rail and industrial

market as well.”

In the beginning of 2013 TMD Friction

introduced strategic business units, one

of which is focusing exclusively on the rail

and industry sector. This structure supports

the company’s rail activities, which can

now develop in line with their own strategic

requirements and pace whilst at the same

time making use of the immense braking

tradition and know-how incorporated in

TMD Friction Group.

“There are many elements from our

background that can be carried forward into

rail applications, not least the learning curve

and innovative steps forward that have been

taken in the automotive industry in the last 15

years, which the rail friction market is on the


zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzTMD FricTion

Dr. Roman Milczarek – president of strategic business unit Rail & Industry

Driving development


As an expert in friction materials, TMD Friction is transferring its experience into applications for the rail market


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

“Noise is becoming one of the biggest issues

within the context of the European rail freight

market, and a lot of work is ongoing across

the continent to investigate ways of reducing

the noise level and impact on the population

along these rail corridors,” explained Roman.

“In response to this, the German

government and Deutsche Bahn AG have

brought together members not only from

TMD Friction, but also from four other

renowned friction manufacturers, who focus

on the development of low noise friction

materials. It is intended that these will be

used directly as a substitute to the current

cast iron brake blocks, which cause noise

pollution due to the creation of unevenness

on the wheels’ surface of the train.”

Expected to run into next year, to date

the project appears to be progressing

well towards a K-composite brake block

for this application. There is also ongoing

development into an LL-material brake block,

which would be an identical substitute.

Looking longer-term, success in creating

an organic friction material that can replace

cast iron blocks could open up a new

marketplace within Europe for rail friction, and

as a long-time leader in such development

TMD Friction is keen to be a part of this

change process. zz

Web: www.tmdfriction.com

Driving development

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the business (“I remember picking up the keys

for the head office!” he says), and Thameslink

Programme director. “As managing director I

have now signed a new contract for 1140 new

vehicles, so for me this is a brilliant opportunity

to take the business forward to its next stage,”

he adds.

“These trains are uniquely designed for

our route and its specific challenges. Initially

we were running eight trains per hour across

central London between Blackfriars and St

Pancras, and this has now moved up to

15 per hour in the peak. By the time we have

finished the Thameslink Programme we will

have tripled service frequency in the core of the

network to 24 trains per hour. This means that

the trains have to be designed to deliver what

is a reasonably unparalleled level of service

frequency through measures such as automatic

train operation.”

Likewise, stations such as Blackfriars

and Farringdon have had to be redeveloped

W ith trains from London to Bedford,

Brighton, Wimbledon and Sutton,

and Peterborough, Cambridge,

and King’s Lynn, First Capital

Connect (FCC) carries around 180,000 people

every weekday. Whilst recent programmes of

work might suggest that this is predominately

on the Thameslink route, the actual split is

closer to half with 85,000 travelling on the

company’s Great Northern route.

These are routes that have traditionally

struggled with their own success, as at the

start of the franchise FCC was faced with

seven of the 20 most crowded trains in the

UK. As such the company has worked hard to

address these constraints in a series of major

upgrades, which have helped it leave this list

completely.

The upgrade that attracts most attention is

the £6 billion Thameslink Programme. FCC has

already had a hand in successfully delivering

the first phase on time in December 2011.

Recently appointed managing director David

Statham says: “We have introduced 26 new

Class 377s and increased the size of our Class

319 fleet, which has delivered 29 per cent

more seats at the busiest times of the day.

We also introduced the first ever 12-car trains

on the route, which required us to work very

closely with Network Rail rebuilding stations

and upgrading infrastructure.”

Whilst this role is a new one for David, he

has in fact been heavily involved in the history

of the franchise going back to the original bid

team in 2005. He was mobilisation director for


zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzFirst Capital ConneCt


The heart of the matter As pledged by its new

managing director, First Capital Connect is

focused on putting the passenger at the heart

of all it does

David Statham - managing director of First Capital Connect


zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzFirst Capital ConneCt

drive an uplift in the passenger experience,”

highlights David. The new Thameslink trains

will ultimately run on routes from Peterborough

and Cambridge to, offering direct services to

London Bridge, Gatwick and beyond.

Putting passengers at the heart of the businessThe passenger is the absolute focus of David’s

strategy for the business. “My background

The heart of the matter

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to accommodate this service – a process

that continues with London Bridge. “This is

a once in a generation opportunity for the

industry to make some changes,” enthuses

David. “London Bridge is all about reducing

the constraints on the eastern and western

approaches, and therefore congestion; as

well as creating a clear run through, with a

dedicated set of platforms, for Thameslink.”

The drive to improve is not just about

one part of the franchise though. FCC is

determined that its customers on the Great

Northern route see changes as well. This

has already seen the introduction of 61 new

carriages, creating over 20 per cent more

capacity with longer trains and additional

services including some 12-car trains. “We

have also been delighted to announce a

refresh of the Class 365 fleet. This £31 million

investment by leaseholder Eversholt includes

heavy maintenance to ensure continued

reliability, and a complete refresh of the interior

environment and passenger information to

365 train - First Capital Connect

http://www.initial.co.uk

http://www.apcoa.co.uk



launching a deep clean programme of all the

rolling stock in FCC to bring it up to a good

standard,” he continues. “Our 24/7 Twitter

information service is another success story.

We have 35,000 followers, which is between

20 and 25 per cent of our regular customer

base, and this enables us to engage with

people on a personal basis and deliver real-

time information, as well as get feedback about

what is happening out on the network.”

A brand new passenger forum, Interchange,

is also opening up the channels of

communication. Formed of a selected group

of passengers who have contacted FCC in the

past, the recent launch was hailed a success

by all. “We spent some time telling them about

what our plans are, but a lot of the session was

talking about what they wanted to see and their

ideas on what we could do better. That’s led

us to getting some really good ideas we want

to take forward, particularly around the way we

engage with communities,” elaborates David.

So, FCC is firmly in the driving seat to bring

real improvements for its passengers now –

and in the future. “With the very real changes

we are bringing in to improve punctuality,

cleanliness and service information we aim to

significantly improve the passenger experience

right now,” concludes David. “And looking to

the future I know we can build on what we have

already delivered through major upgrades to

transform the network through the Thameslink

Programme. This is a great time to be running

the franchise.” zz

Web: www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk

is in customer service, and like all railway

companies we are a customer service

business,” he explains. “It’s therefore hugely

important to me that we put the customer

– our passengers – at the heart of what we

do, and focus our resources, investment and

people into what they tell us matters.”

At present, this is three key areas –

punctuality, a cleaner travelling environment,

and better passenger service information.

To address this, FCC has announced the

first batch of a wide range of improvements,

including an initiative to help Network Rail

improve network reliability. “This involves

giving Network Rail additional access at the

least busy times of day to allow them to do

more maintenance and upgrades for a more

reliable service,” explains David. “We’ve also

seen the launch of several mobile engineers

and technicians by Network Rail, which will

massively reduce their response time to

incidents.

“In terms of cleanliness, we have

undertaken a huge investment into people

and equipment over the last year and are now

zz zzzzzzzzzzzFirst Capital ConneCt

Dispatcher in front of Class 365 unit

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and eastern regions, the

northern and central parts

of the country, and to link

Saudi Arabia with the GCC

countries. Another aspect of

this strategy includes moving

towards the privatisation of

SRO and opening the door

for national and foreign

investments to bolster its

ability to support ongoing

development.

Currently SRO’s fleet

consists of 68 diesel locomotives with 3500

horsepower and 75 passenger cars, which

are split between the three different classes of

passenger service. In addition, the cargo fleet

numbers 2277 cars of different sizes and types,

including 838 for double stacking of containers,

784 regular container cars, 47 flatbeds for

transporting vehicles, 250 cement cars, 100

rocks cars and 135 grain hauling cars.

In addition to the provision of 33 2000-

horsepower locomotives for the cargo fleet,

SRO plans to expand its passenger and goods

transportation activity by about 60 per cent of

its current level. This began at the end of 2012

when SRO put eight new sets of luxurious

and fast trains in service, each consisting of

two locomotives and five cars, which will add

a further 2000 seats to the current capacity

Saudi Railways Organization

(SRO) operates a railway

network of approximately

1800 kilometres which extends

from Dammam on the east coast, to

the capital Riyadh passing many key

areas. Together the Eastern Province

and Riyadh Province account for 40 per

cent of the country’s population, as well

as 50 per cent of the economic activity.

The company’s trains carry more than 1.3

million passengers and 450,000 containers

each year, which equates to more than 80

per cent of the containers directed to the

Riyadh Province through Dammam Port.

Specific lines include the 449-kilometre

railway for passengers connecting Riyadh to

Dammam through Al-Ahsa and Abqaiq. This

line is being doubled and expected to be in

service by the end of the year. A second line

of 556-kilometres runs from the King Abdul

Aziz Port in Dammam to Riydah, passing

by Al-Ahsa, Abqaiq, Al-Kharj, Haradh, and

Al-Tawdhihiyah. A tender study to double

the fright line is ongoing and the project is

expected to start by the end of the year.

Furthermore the network consists of 400

kilometres of auxiliary lines that branch from

these main routes to connect industrial and

agricultural areas, and military sites with export

ports and residential areas. SRO’s ambition is

to ensure that together these

lines create a network of world-class rail

transport to support national development,

including international connections.

Likewise the company is focused on

delivering high quality services and continually

developing its performance. Its success in

these areas enhances SRO’s value as a whole,

demonstrates the advantages of rail to the

national economy, and facilitates the further

expansion of the network across the country.

In particular, the Saudi Government, realising

the value rail transport offers to the national

development, has launched a number of

initiatives to bring this vital service in line with

the needs of the country. This includes major

expansion projects to connect the western


All changeAs current operator of the Saudi Arabia rail network,

Saudi Railways Organization is supporting the wealth of expansion projects taking place

throughout the country

SRO New Trainsets

zzzzzzzzzzzz SAUDI RAILWAY ORGANIZATION

First class

http://www.vossloh-middleeast.com

approximately 9900

kilometres. These

are to be delivered

in three stages of

development, the

first of which is goes

through to 2025. One

such project is the

double line upgrade of

the existing two lines between Dammam and

Riyadh. This will help reduce trip times for

passengers. Work is also underway on the

Haramain High Speed Railway ( 350 km/h)

project, which is intended to link the holy cities

of Makkah and Madinah via Jeddah.

Approval has been granted for the planned

Saudi Railway Landbridge between Riyadh

and Jeddah, and Dammam and Jubail,

therefore essentially linking the Red Sea to the

Arabian Gulf. This will provide the capability

to move large quantities of cargo over long

distances, as well as comfortable overland

passenger transport. It is forecast that by

2015 the number of traded containers

transported by the Landbridge will be

over 700,000, which is around eight

million tonnes of cargo in total.

It is one of the largest projects

to be executed in the region by the

Saudi Government and will have a

significant impact on the routes for

transport in the region. The Landbridge

is also considered to be one of the most

important elements in the expansion

programme due to the nature of the

areas linked.

Another key project is the North-South

Railway (NSR) or Saudi Railways Company

(SAR), which is one of the largest railway

projects currently under construction worldwide

by Public Investment Fund (PIF).

SRO as the leader with more than 50 years

experience in the region, is playing a big role in

those expansion projects through participation

in almost all the technical issues from the

tendering stage till the final execution. Moreover

SRO management is offering its expertise in

setting up the operation and maintenance

regimes and training programmes for those

railways that have already begun operating

until they can undertake this themselves. The

challenge for SRO is the training that is required

to transfer this knowledge of operations and

maintenance within the extreme sand/dust, hot,

and humid climate of the region.

The plans for the rail network are not only

limited to Saudi Arabia itself though. There

is also significant activity within the country

surrounding the GCC rail project, which is

scheduled to start from Kuwait linking into

Dammam in Saudi Arabia, and onto Bahrain

through a new proposed causeway. It will

also join Dammam to Qatar through Salwa,

and Qatar with Bahrain via the Qatar-Bahrain

Causeway, as well as Saudi Arabia to the UAE

through Al Batha terminating in Oman across

Sohar to Muscat. The total project covers a

distance of approximately 2116 kilometres,

663 kilometres of which will be in Saudi

Arabia. The GCC project is expected to have

a direct positive impact on the economies,

enhance mobility of goods between the

involved countries, and freedom of movement

of citizens, which will help advance regional

investment to the benefit of all. zz

Web: www.saudirailways.org

with four

more sets now under

construction. This reflects the expectation

that the number of passengers and cargo will

grow after the implementation of the current

expansion projects and those now being

planned.

At the end of 2010 SRO signed a six-month

contract with the German International Co-

operation (GIZ) to conduct the Saudi Railway

Master Plan (SMRP) for the period 2010 to

2040. The main objective for this was to put

in place a conceptual framework for the long-

term development of a future passenger and

freight transport network for Saudi Arabia.

The development strategy incorporates the

key findings of SANTRAPLAN3, the National

Transportation Strategy (NTS) and other

strategic planning documents.

Contained with the SMRP is a railway

network model with a forecast of passenger

and freight transport volumes as of 2040.

As such the main recommendations include

gradual expansion of the core railway network,

and integration of rail into multimodal transport

chains to improve overall efficiency and

reliability of the transport network.

The implementation of this includes the

construction of 19 lines, at a total length of


zzzzzzzzzzzz SAUDI RAILWAY ORGANIZATION

SRO in early stage of

operation around 1950s

Double Stacks Containers Wagons

SRO These days

and dispatched. Furthermore, the team ensure

that the correct compliant vehicle is dispatched

depending on whether the order is for a

Network Rail, Crossrail or London Underground

site. This has been of great benefit to our

customers as this gives them peace of mind.

The investment in rail is certainly welcome

and confirm that Keyline’s continued long-

term investment in our sector approach is the

correct strategy.”

Another cornerstone of that strategy is

innovation. In supporting the rail industry

Keyline is always looking to bring in new and

innovative products to its portfolio in order

to reduce costs, minimise disruption and

boost operational performance. As such the

company has become the first provider of

civil engineering products in the UK rail sector

to offer a new tactile anti-slip system from

Tactile Antislip Systems & Services Ltd (TASS

Ltd). This hinges around Bumpeez, a ground

breaking solution that is designed to enhance

platform safety, simplify installation and

minimise environmental impact.

With more branches across the UK

than any other civils merchant,

Keyline is an essential link in

many a supply chain within the

construction industry. The company has

thousands of product lines on its books, with

a core range that never goes out of stock and

the ability to source specialist materials.

Since 1999 Keyline has operated as a

subsidiary of Travis Perkins plc, but still

maintains its own network of 88 sites. The

company aims to be a first choice supplier

to all its customers, which means a focus on

convenience, product quality and availability,

competitive prices, service and delivery.

The rail market is catered for through

Keyline’s dedicated National Rail Division,

which specialises in the supply of construction

materials related to platform, tunnelling, track,

and station works. The company has unrivalled

rail expertise and fully complaint resources

ensuring that it meets the precise needs of the

rail sector. This includes supporting possession

work by ensuring contractors avoid costly

penalties as a result of delays or missed

deadlines. Furthermore the company is a Link-

Up approved supplier.

“Market conditions have been tough,

however, the Keyline Rail division’s expansion

due to high service levels has allowed us to

outperform the market. In fact we’ve seen 35

per cent growth in the rail sector compared

to 2012. We’ve also continued to further

penetrate this market working with track work

contractors, MAFA contractors, Network Rail

civils and building contractors, and Network

Rail main and sub-contractors,” describes

Richard Wade, UK Rail Sector manager.

This work is facilitated through the

company’s National Rail Office in Northfleet,

which acts as a central point irrespective of

where the client may be operating in the UK.

“The one-point-of-contact concept of the

Keyline National Rail Office reduces customer

risk in several ways,” explains Richard.

“Using the experience of the rail team,

supported by PADSNET, only Network Rail

specified/PADS approved products are quoted


zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzKEYLINE

Built to last

A new emergency response service means that Keyline can serve the UK rail sector more strongly, whether work is planned or unplanned


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

As well as an expanding product range,

Keyline has been investing in its vehicle

fleet to meet the most stringent standards

in the sector. This includes fitting them with

advanced safety devices such as a white noise

Keyline is also a key supplier of Concrete

Canvas products, which is a flexible cement

impregnated fabric solution that hardens

when hydrated. As such the produce forms

a hardened, waterproof concrete lining,

and as a low mass, low carbon technology

uses up to 95 per cent less material than

traditional options. A further addition to the

range is Tensar International’s new TriAx

geogrid solution, making Keyline one of the

Tensar InternationalTensar International is part of Tensar Corporation, a leading global developer and manufacturer of proprietary, highly engineered, non-traditional site-development solutions for infrastructure end-markets, including transportation, commercial and industrial construction.Tensar provides its customers with an integrated suite of innovative products, technologies and application expertise for a wide variety of end uses, including high performance roadways, earth retention structures, building foundations and erosion and sediment control.

first companies in the rail sector to offer

this product. The Tensar TX190L geogrid is

designed to maintain the geometry of ballasted

track and substantially increase the period

between maintenance.

Concrete Canvas product

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http://www.fpmccann.co.uk

Recently Keyline has launched a new

Emergency Response Service that provides

immediate access to civil engineering and

specialist products for unplanned work and

repairs. “We have always supplied the rail

market on a 24/7 basis, however this was

for scheduled work,” explains Richard. “The

difference with our new initiative is that in the

event of an emergency our key customers can

contact us at any time and we can open a

Keyline depot enabling the contractor to collect

materials.”

This service is managed out of the

company’s National Rail Office, and is available

to all MAFA, track work, civil engineering

and building contractors, as well as the rail

organisations themselves such as Network

reversing alarm, reversing camera and side

sensors. The vehicles meet the Rail Industry

Health & Safety standards making it suitable

for deliveries to rail sites nationwide, and

incorporates additional requirements to meet

new health and safety regulations that came

into force last year for vehicles working on the

Crossrail route.


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz KEYLINE

Chong Qing Chaotianmen Bridge, China

FP McCann FP McCann is a nominated approved supplier to Network Rail and London Underground (LUL) of precast concrete cable protection troughs and platform copings. On stock is a full range of ‘C’ series troughs and lids designed to allow ease of access for maintenance teams whilst providing complete protection to cabling and other services. Specials such as transitions, ‘Tees’ and transformer location bases are also supplied on request.Type A (930x760x100mm) and Type B (1219x914x100mm) platform copings to BS EN 8110 conforming to slip resistance requirements -Pendulum test BS 1134 - 2010, are manufactured in an acid etched or exposed surface finish.Offset tactile edge warning paving and oversail blocks, form the remaining products in McCann’s platform components range. Available in buff, offset tactiles to BS EN 1339, are approved for use in both surface and LUL platforms. The oversail block, keys in with the platform edge and provides a stable base for copings. Other complementary products include precast concrete security fencing, rail ballast boards and posts, bollards and screed rails.FP McCann is an Achilles Link-Up Engage Supplier ID: 061598 and a member of the Rail Alliance.

nonwoven

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zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzRail and London Underground. It puts Keyline

in the best position possible to supply civil

engineering and specialist products for

all works, whether planned or unplanned,

recognising that a fast response to issues can

help minimise delays and even avoid costly line

closures.

In light of the success of the sector, Keyline

has relocated its National Rail Division to

Northfleet in Kent, with a view to the future

of the company. “To aid our expansion we

recently moved into new offices with an

upgraded telephone platform which gave us

much more capacity to deal with the high level

of customer contact. This will enable us to

meet current and future demand,” confirms

Richard. The move means that Keyline can

expand its sales and technical support team

over the coming months, and provides a

platform to support the ongoing expansion of

the business. zz

Web: www.keyline.co.uk

Tel: +44 (0) 844 892 2677

KEYLINE

Bumpeez product

Polypipe CivilsWhether you’re looking for effective cable protection, trackside drainage or water management around station

buildings, Polypipe has a proven solution. The lightweight, durable nature of Polypipe’s high quality plastic

systems makes them quicker and easier to install than heavier traditional materials. They can be delivered

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agreement with the network in October 2011

for the transportation of granulated sulphur from

Shah and Habshan to the port of Ruwais in the

Western Region. Etihad Rail also has signed

Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with a

multitude of other companies such as Al Dahra,

Centre of Waste Management – Abu Dhabi,

Global Shipping and Logistics (GSL), Emirates

Steel, DP World, Sharaf Logistics, Sharjah

Cement Factory and Hellmann Global Logistics.

Three guiding principlesDevelopment of the Etihad Rail network is in

line with both the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision

2030 and UAE Vision 2021. It will adhere

to three guiding principles; Safety which is

at the forefront of all it does; Connectivity

Etihad Rail was established in June

2009 under Federal Law no. 2, with a

mandate to manage the development,

construction, and operation of the

United Arab Emirates (UAEs) national freight

and passenger railway network. The total

investment cost is estimated at around

40 billion UAE Dirham (AED).

This state-of-the-art network is to be

built in stages to link the principal centres of

population and industry within the UAE, as well

as form a vital part of the planned GCC railway

network linking the Kingdom of Bahrain, State

of Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi

Arabia, and UAE.

Built to international standards, the railway

will act as a catalyst for economic growth and

ongoing social development through both

passenger and freight services. Once complete

it will redefine transport and logistic services in

the region, opening up new trade corridors and

journey opportunities.

The 1200 kilometre network will extend

across the UAE and will link the Saudi Arabia

border with the border of Oman. As well as

connecting major cities such as Abu Dhabi

and Dubai, Etihad Rail will also establish freight

terminals, distribution centres and depots

close to key transport hubs, warehouses, and

storage facilities such as the Jebal Ali Free

Zone and Port of Fujairah.

This will bring Etihad Rail into the reach

of a wide variety of different customers. The

first of these is ADNOC, which has signed an


As completion of the first stage approaches, the shape of the Etihad Rail network can already be seen in the UAE landscape


Catalyst for growth

Etihad Rail tracks

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzEtihad Rail


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzand Economic Growth; and Efficiency and

Sustainability, by offering cutting-edge

benefits as a fast, safe, reliable and more

environmentally friendly transport alternative.

More specifically direct economic benefits

will include freight cost savings and business

travel time savings, amongst others. The

railway will also contribute to the further

development of tourism and the wider UAE

economy. By offering lower cost transportation

and faster journey times compared to other

transport modes, Etihad Rail is expected to

contribute to reduced levels of highway traffic.

This will have a positive environmental impact

as one fully loaded train is the equivalent

of approximately 300 lorries on the road,

and produces 70 to 80 per cent less CO2

emissions in the process.

Having been divided into three main

stages for implementation, the first stage of

the network is currently under construction.

This 264 kilometre route from Shah and

Habshan to Ruwais is primarily intended for the

transportation of granulated sulphur. The first

stretch between Habshan and Ruwais will be

completed in the latter part of 2013, followed

by the Shah to Habshan link during 2014.

The full fleet of 240 wagons from CSR

Corporation and seven locomotives from

Electro-Motive Diesel, have arrived for the

first stage of operations on-site. To this end,

Etihad Rail has also awarded a contract for the

provision of railway sleepers to PCM Strescon

Ventures Limited, which has seen a purpose-

built manufacturing facility established at Mirfa.

This is already fully functional and producing up

to 2400 sleepers a day.

Etihad Rail is also working with a number

of other service providers and stakeholders in

the delivery of the project. This includes Atkins,

which has been assigned as the preliminary

engineering (PE) services consultant for the

entire network. For stage one specifically a

consortium of Saipem, Tecnimont, and Dodsal

Engineering and Construction is carrying out

the main civil and track works, whilst

JV Parsons-Aecom has been assigned as

project management consultant.

Tendering for stage two, which is a

628 kilometre stretch from Ruwais to Ghweifat

connecting to the Saudi border, from Tarif to

Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and from Abu Dhabi

to Al Ain at the Oman border, is already in

progress. This network and connections

to Mussafah, Khalifa and Jebel Ali Ports is

safeguarded, and preliminary engineering has

taken place. The final phase of the Etihad Rail

Etihad Rail wagons

Etihad Rail locomotive

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zz


project is the completion of the network in the

Northern Emirates, and work is underway to

safeguard and define the route, as well as to

complete preliminary engineering.

With the objective of creating a network that

serves the entire UAE, Etihad Rail appears to

have made a strong start. The benefits of the

railway are expected to spread even further

through the planned GCC network, thereby

transforming transport and logistics in the

whole region. zz

Web: www.etihadrail.ae

Etihad Rail


Etihad Rail sleepers

Comply Serve Comply Serve has deployed it’s collaborative

progressive assurance solution ComplyPro, to

manage Requirements (including Validation &

Verification), Hazards and Risks on the Etihad

Rail project, one of the largest rail

developments in the world.

Comply Serve is the world leader in collaborative

progressive assurance for major infrastructure

projects including Crossrail, Banedanmark

Signalling Programme, Copenhagen Metro

Cityringen Project, Adelaide Electrification

Programme and many more.

In addition to delivering significant cost savings,

project teams benefit from a secure database,

enabling cross-project collaboration using a fully

scalable and traceable solution that acts as one

version of the truth across the entire life cycle of

the programme and enables true management

by exception. The solution is delivered using a

Software as a Service model meaning only a

browser is required to utilise the system from

just about anywhere in the world, so enabling

global collaboration.

http://www.complyserve.com


King’s Cross

This is delivered through three manufacturing

facilities in the US and Mexico, and a network

of 38 sites across the country.

It’s a model the Group hopes to replicate

in the European market where it has had

a presence since 1998 when it acquired

the Polish freight car manufacturing facility

WagonySwidnica SA. The intervening years

have seen Greenbrier Europe design, build,

and back a portfolio of proven railcars that

are as diverse as its customers, and become

recognised as one of the leading wagon

As a Group, Greenbrier is one of the

leading designers, manufacturers

and marketers of railroad freight car

equipment in North America and

Europe. In the US, the railcar business revolves

around a proven system of tightly integrated

services including manufacturing, leading,

asset management and repair, and parts.

Greenbrier Europe is moving towards a more

balanced distribution of its business across design and

manufacture, and repair and maintenance

Green shoots

Tank wagon Production facility panorama

Aggregate wagon for the transport of sand, stone and aggregate materials

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz GREENBRIER EUROPE


builders on the continent.

In the last couple of years the company

has worked to establish itself as a major force

in repair, maintenance, and even conversion,

an aspiration which has been accelerated by

the recent opening of a second repair shop in

Poland.

“Our mother company in the US has a lot of

repair shops, and step-by-step we are looking

to adopt the same system here in Europe,”

reveals Thomas Müller, vice president of sales

Europe. “It is however more difficult to secure

such premises over here but the benefit to

our customers is that we can now offer these

services as part of our overall offering. It also

means that we have a more balanced business

portfolio which puts us in a stronger position in

the case of changes in the market.”

However, this is not just a shrewd business

move. As Dionizy Studzinski, vice president

and director of technology and development,

explains, Greenbrier Europe also believes

it can bring a different level of competence

to such activities: “Through our discussions

we believe that generally maintenance and

repair services are not always at the level they

should be. Many of the employees within these

workshops do not have enough knowledge

about the basic specifications which were used

during the development of a specific railcar,

and therefore are merely doing what they think

is best. By transferring our experience as a

producer into the maintenance sector we hope

to increase the quality and operational safety of

these older units.”

This expertise incorporates the majority of

general purpose wagon types including hopper

wagons, high and low pressure and specialist

tank wagons, open and closed car carriers,

bogies, intermodal products, and flat wagons.

However, what Greenbrier Europe really prides

itself upon is its role as a developer of new, and

often more complex, wagon types. Each of

these individual railcar concepts can require a

Production facility panorama

Car carrier

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz GREENBRIER EUROPE

http://www.kovis-group.com


completely different level of work from

600 man-hours up to 2500 for one unit.

“We may not be the biggest producer of

freight cars in Europe in terms of volumes, but

we are the market leader from a development

point of view. In the last 15 years we have

developed more than 140 different types of

railcar, and each year we continue to add to

this figure with a few completely new designs

put into production. Often this is in line with

requirements from the market to increase

transportation efficiency, but sometimes it

can also be to reduce the cost of the unit,”

describes Dionizy.

Being a development company does

mean that Greenbrier Europe faces certain

challenges, such as ensuring its wagons

complete all of the necessary approval

processes. As a well established producer

working in many different countries

throughout Europe the company has a long

experience in these types of requirements,

including the new Technical Specification for

Interoperability (TSI) regulation.

“We received the first TSI certificate in

Europe for freight cars just a few days after

the regulation was introduced,” notes Dionizy.

“However we have found that since the first

introduction of TSI some six years ago the

rules are still not yet clearly uniform. Different

countries still have different procedures for

the approving railcars, which we have to

fulfil. Previously when we worked with the

International Union Of Railways (UIC) the

development time for a completely new railcar

including design, prototype construction,

testing and approval was generally between

eight and 13 months. At present it is between

12 and 18 months, which as a producer

means that our end customers are having to

wait longer for their units.”

Whilst this is a situation that Greenbrier

Europe clearly hopes will change as the TSI

regulations continue to be modified, at present

it doesn’t seem to be impacting much on

business. Certainly the market for the company

was good throughout 2012/2013, although

there is some expectation for this to contract

during 2013/2014. “We do see that there is

perhaps a drop in demand for this next period,”

confirms Thomas. “Given the nature of our

business we need to place orders in advance

as it takes a minimum of six months to deliver

on our ready-approved designs, and at least

12 months if it is a brand-new concept.

“At the moment car carriers

and tank wagons are two of

the main business lines for

us, as well as shimmns with

new modern arms for securing

payload from ground level

for increased safety. Whilst

the market for 2013/2014

doesn’t look as strong, we do

expect it to pick up going into

2015/2016. This is because

some changes to the rules

regarding tank wagons for

chemicals and the like are likely

to be introduced, which will

mean a lot of the older units

could be out of service and

fleets renewed. Some of our

clients are already looking into

this and preparing for such an

eventuality so we could see

an influx of work as a result of

that,” he concludes. zz

Web: www.gbrx.com

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz GREENBRIER EUROPE

Open car-carrier for the transport of automobiles and vans


. zz

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Steatite Limited

Built to lastAs a specialist in proving computing solutions for use in challenging environments, Steatite Limited is increasing its offering to the rail market and bridging the technology gap

For those operating in mission critical and harsh

environments, high performance and reliability are

primary concerns. Steatite Limited, part of Solid State

PLC, provides Industrial and Rugged Mobile Computing

Platforms and Integrated Battery Solutions that can be depended

upon whatever the application.

These range from commercial off-the-shelf products through

to custom-engineered application-ready computer systems,

which keep quality at the forefront. “Having developed a proven

track record in supporting clients and applications across a

variety of markets, combined with a strong and successful Andy Weekes


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzhistory of acquiring complementary businesses,

Steatite provides a high level of service for all

of our clients,” begins business development

manager Andrew Weekes.

“Such markets include military,

transportation, security, oil and gas, and

industrial automation. Our goal is to enhance

and develop our products, capabilities, services

and support by working with existing and

new clients to supply solutions that exceed

expectations.”

One of the ways that Steatite achieves this

is through its engineering capability, which

is used to design, develop and deliver full

solutions across a wide range of computing

and battery technologies. The company is also

a Gold Level Microsoft Embedded Partner, and

has a dedicated in-house team able to assist

in developing embedded operating system

images.

As for the rail market, Steatite chiefly

supplies solutions for use in station security,

on-train internet, fleet and track maintenance,

and passenger information and ticketing

applications. This includes fanless high

performance computers, rack-mounted

servers, rugged mobile computers, hardened

ethernet switches, CCTV monitors and ticketing

machines.

Describing the benefits of securing such

solutions from Steatite, Andrew says: “We have

28 years of experience in producing mission

critical systems for the military, together with the

commercial demands of markets such as retail

and security, which translates well into rail. Our

products boast long life cycles incorporating the

latest generation Intel high performance CPUs.

Furthermore they are designed and tested to

EN50121-4 and EN50155 at our in-house

facilities, which also enable us to test for EMC,

temperature, shock, and vibration performance

for specific project needs.”

Adding even further to this scope, Steatite

launched a new cellular router for the provision

of on-train WiFi services at the Railtex exhibition

earlier in the year. This offers two main

features, acting as both a WiFi access point for

passengers and a data concentrator with GPS

tracking.

“As a WiFi access point, passengers can

maintain internet connectivity for their journey,”

elaborates Andrew. “By having roof-mounted

antenna and diversity support for 3G the

coverage offered will be far better than their

own mobile network devices. By supporting

multi-carrier SIMs, 3G network coverage can

be maintained whilst travelling at high speed

and changing between different cells. There

is to be a major deployment of this router

system within the German rail network where

its robustness and conformance to EN50155

is required.

“As a data concentrator, the router can be

used to connect devices such as passenger

information systems to remote servers.

Ruggedised 3G and 4G routers

Built in WiFi (client or access point) and GPS options for AVL and local mapping

GRE tunneling, local IP, IPSEC, VPN Client and WAN gateways

Managed M2M solutions through integrated horizontal platforms

Email: [email protected]: +44 (0) 208 605 0088

http://www.calamp.com

HandheldHandheld is a leading supplier of high quality,

full-featured rugged mobile computers from

PDAs to tablets and notebooks. Our versatile

product range ensures the most durable

and cost effective solution for practically any

mobile computing challenge, designed and

manufactured to MIL-STD-810F and IP65

standards; ensuring maximum availability to

your mobile field force.

Handheld deliver complete mobile computer

solutions to industries such as logistics,

forestry, geodesy, public transport,

construction, service and maintenance,

military and security.


The serial connection can be automatically

packeted and directed to a remote IP address

with no application development needed. GPS

tracking is also inherent within the device,” he

continues.

It’s not the only new development that

Steatite has been pursuing for use in the sector

though, as a second new router product is

also to be launched later in the year. This will

offer two LTE and 3G connections, and as

such through the use of these two independent

modems will increase the level of coverage

available to the mobile user. Furthermore

the company has also worked alongside

feedback from the sector to develop rail

approved servers that meet the ever changing

requirements of the marketplace.

As a result of the company’s focus and

approach to its markets in recent years,

Steatite has found its business double in size

over the last five years and remaining well

positioned for the future. “Having spent time

understanding the requirements of the rail

industry, we bring to market a range of rail-

approved platforms which will offer users a

number of benefits against products currently

in the marketplace,” confirms Andrew.

“Steatite’s strategy is to continue developing

and supporting core markets while developing

a sales and distribution channel outside of

our shores,” he concludes. “Staying at the

forefront of technology and capability will keep

Steatite as one of the most successful system

integrators in the field of industrial and rugged

computing in the UK.” zz

Web: www.steatite.co.uk.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Steatite Limited zz

calamp router

R-SYS-EMB-QM77

Drop It, Drench It,

Pound It!

Rugged Computersfor ToughEnvironments

handheldwww.handhelduk.com

[email protected] +44 (0) 1926 333 266

thhp://www.handhelduk.com

As one of the four main sectors of the

Alstom Group, Alstom Transport in the

UK provides equipment and services

for the rail industry. The other sectors

are Thermal Power, Renewable Power and

Grid. The UK is the only country where all four

of these pillars are in active operation and is

therefore a key market for the Group.

Within the UK, Alstom is well known

for having built the Pendolinos that run on


UK rail network today, together with around

half of the trains operating on the London

Underground. “All of that means that in the

UK around a third of daily passenger rail

journeys use an Alstom train,” remarks Sean.

“In addition, a number of other trains have an

Alstom product fitted, whether it is a complete

traction system or a component like traction

motors or switchgear.

“The modernisation business is relatively

new, and although still establishing a presence,

has already installed Remote Communication

Monitoring solutions to the Angel Trains-owned

Networker Class 465 and 466 fleets, and

the Class 422 operated by Southern Railway,”

he continues.

This technology is one of the developments

A challenging new contract once again demonstrates

Alstom’s ability to deliver a complete turnkey solution

for the rail market

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Alstom trAnsport

One-stop shopthe West Coast Mainline – trains that are

also maintained from five Traincare Centres

between Wembley and Glasgow. Alstom also

maintains the Northern Line trains for London

Underground, the Dublin Luas and Nottingham

tram system.

“Probably less well known is our parts

and modernisation business which is split

between Preston and Wolverhampton,”

highlights operations director Sean Graham.

“The business provides specialist traction

solutions and support to a fleet of trainsets in

the UK, offering fleet management, full material

management, maintenance regimes, and

design authority or technical support.”

Over the years Alstom has provided around

20 per cent of the carriages operating on the

A Class 460 vehicle in work as part of the

458-5 conversion


to come out of the substantial R&D

investment of the Alstom Group every

year. “Remote monitoring ‘watches’ the

condition of the selected components

in real time, which means we are able

to provide an integrated predictive

maintenance approach to the different

subsystems of the train in the daily

maintenance tasks. Alstom developments

also provide technologies and systems to

deliver an evaluation of the status of the train

mechanical systems to produce trends for

wearing parts such as wheelsets and brake

pads,” describes Sean.

Having traditionally been seen as a provider

of rolling stock and maintenance, Alstom is

in the process of expanding to a company

that can also offer a full range of infrastructure

services to help bring the UK’s railways into the

21st century. This includes working in

joint ventures, and consortia with household

names such as Costain, Babcock, VINCI and

Balfour Beatty.

“In conjunction with our joint venture with

Balfour Beatty, Signalling Solutions, we have

just installed the prototype ERTMS systems

on a Class 313 unit for Network Rail at our

Wembley Traincare Centre,” notes Sean by way

of example. “Our ABC partnership is designed

to help electrify lines that rely on diesel trains

and upgrading those that already enjoy the

low carbon benefits of a fully electrified route.

Through ATC, we are making Crossrail into a

reality by making a railway out of holes in the

ground, which will transport millions of people,

and working with Taylor Woodrow (VINCI) we

are building Nottingham’s tram extension.”

At present Alstom is delivering a new

£50 million contract from Porterbrook to

increase capacity of London commuter fleets.

This is focused upon South West Trains

routes from Hounslow, Reading, Weybridge

and Windsor. As opposed to building

new trains from scratch though, the new

fleet will come from the conversion of two

existing Alstom-built fleets. “We will convert

four-car Class 458 trains into 36 five-car sets,

which will also incorporate 60 vehicles from the

Class 460 (Gatwick Express trains) to form the

Class 458/5,” clarifies Sean.

“This is a very complex project compared

to a new rolling stock build. The engineering

team has had to work within the constraints

of an existing product, including the redesign

of vehicles which were built at the end of the

1990s. As part of the engineering activity there

have been more than 116 FMIs (modification

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Alstom staff installing equipment

for the Class 465 RCM programme

http://www.faiveleytransport.com


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

instructions), 5625 wiring changes, over

8000 items on the Bill of Material, and 664

new drawings, together with numerous

complex technical calculations. Projects

such as this mean that Alstom views

modernisation as key to the rolling stock

market in the UK over the next five years,”

he continues.

At the same time the Alstom Transport

division is undergoing its own changes to

prepare itself for the growth in its infrastructure

and signalling areas. This includes the hiring of

new staff with more than 600 jobs mobilised

to address the new infrastructure contracts

established – many of which will be focused

on Crossrail. Furthermore, Alstom Transport

is taking on ten new apprentices, and

establishing a new training facility

for signalling.

“The parts and modernisation business,

particularly Preston, has been restructured

over the last three years to improve the

services we provide. By combining the skills

of our maintenance teams for overhauls and

new product development, whether a traction

upgrade, fitment of remote communication,

driver advisory, energy or ERTMS system, we

believe we can offer value added services to

our customers,” adds Sean.

Within all of this though, Alstom remains

the only manufacturer in the world to offer a

complete turnkey rail solution from rolling stock

to infrastructure, and technology systems to

maintenance. “The turnkey solution offers the

benefit of being able to design and construct

the rail network with the trains and trams that

operate on this system. This provides a fully

integrated system and approach, and enables

Alstom to offer the most up-to-date solutions

for customers’ needs,” concludes Sean. zz

Web: www.alstom.com/transport

Alstom trAnsport

VoithAcross their complete product range, including high speed final drives, transmissions, couplers, cardan shafts and driveline couplings, Voith are proud to be supporting Alstom with their train fleets.Voith offer total customer support starting at the new build stage and following through to overhaul, repairs, upgrades, spare parts and service, for the total life of the vehicle.Voith products are renowned for quality and reliability and are backed up by a quality aftersales service both in the UK and Germany. This includes a network of fully trained service engineers who cover the UK and Ireland.By using genuine OEM parts fitted with OEM trained personnel working in in fully equipped, modern, dedicated facilities, Voith customers can always be confident that they will receive the best service for their equipment.

Alstom’s Appitrack laying new tracks in Nottingham for the new tram extension

http://www.uk.voithturbo.com


London Underground has completed

civil engineering work for almost

300 metres of new passageways,

a new entrance, and the vast new

Tottenham Court Road ticket hall, six times the

size of the existing ticket hall.

Fitting out has begun at the station and

Phase 1, including two new entrances and

expanded Northern line access, is due to

open in 2015. Meanwhile, Crossrail works

at the new ticket hall at Dean Street are

advancing, with workers building passenger

tunnels that will connect the two ticket halls

later this year.

Tottenham Court Road London Underground

station upgrade will, when complete in 2016:

l Provide a new ticket hall six times the size

of the existing

l Introduce step-free access from street to

platform

l Provide three new entrances

l Deliver new escalators and improved

interchanges between platforms

l Be ready to connect to the Crossrail

platforms when they open in 2018, via a

shared ticket hall and five-storey underground

interchange. The Crossrail station will also

have a dedicated ticket hall at Dean Street.

Tottenham Court Road taking shape

Tottenham Court Road station – east ticket hall (corner of Oxford Street and Charing Cross Road)Completed works include:

l Excavation and concrete lining of passenger

access tunnels to the Northern line platforms

l Two bridges over the Central line train

tunnels for new access to the platforms

l Excavation and construction of external

walls for the new ticket hall and Oxford Street

entrance

l Progress on new stairways and lift shafts

l Excavation, walls and floors for four out of

five levels for the new Goslett Yard box (the

largest of this type ever built in the UK)

To be completed in 2013:

l Northern line escalator decline

l Falconberg emergency access shaft

l Crossrail interchange structure to be handed

over to Crossrail contractors

l Two-storey basement that will house a new

electricity substation

Tottenham Court Road station – Dean Street, ticket hall (corner of Oxford Street)l Excavation of the southern section of the

ticket hall box completed

l First tunnelling boring machine has now

passed Tottenham Court Road

l About 1.1km passenger, service and

platform tunnels under construction

l Later this year the passenger tunnels will

connect the two ticket halls at Dean Street and

Charing Cross Road

l Preparations for the arrival of the second

tunnel boring machine which will shortly pass

through the ticket hall box. zz

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzCrossrail

Goslett Yard

South Plaza entrance escalator decline

Central line interchange tunnel

Cros

srai

l

Cros

srai

lCr

ossr

ail


zz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzStations

Planning for successAs Arup’s project director for the renovation,

Mike Byrne outlines the initial aspirations for

the programme: “The original scope of the

project was to upgrade the station to handle

today’s passenger volumes. King’s Cross

has remained relatively unchanged since it

was built in 1852 and as such doesn’t have

the capacity to support these numbers, so

increasing that was the main driver from the

station side. That then aligned with various

other aspirations for the whole King’s Cross

area – High Speed 1, St Pancras International,

the new London Underground station, and the

ongoing regeneration of the surrounding area

– to create a case for spending this substantial

amount of money.”

Having waxed and waned in its planning

over the years, the £400 million restoration

and redevelopment programme was finally

announced in 2005. Commenting on the

evolving nature of the project, Mike says: “If

you consider the historic timeline for King’s

Cross our original client was Railtrack, who

was then subsumed into Network Rail, which

presented some big differences. Likewise the

introduction of the CTRL Act was instrumental

to the whole programme as it enabled the

integration of all the London Underground

works as part of that planning permission.

“What had the greatest impact though was the

announcement of the 2012 Olympic Games.

It was never planned or envisaged that would

be the opening date, but once London had

won the Olympics it became very important

that the concourse was fully operational. That

brought a real focus on getting the job done by

a particular date,” he continues.

Addressing challengesIn fact the new concourse was opened four

months ahead of the Games bringing the

project in not only on time, but also budget

as well. Although the long planning timeline

helped to reduce the number of surprises, the

challenges were still far from few. These started

with bringing together the requirements of a

modern mainline station into the historic

Grade 1 listed structure.

“Not only did we have to work closely with

English Heritage in respecting that, but the

station had also been bomb damaged in the

As of March 2012 visiting King’s

Cross station has been something

of a different experience. Crowned

by a stunning diagrid roof, the

redevelopment of the station concourse has

dramatically altered both the look and feel to

create a dynamic transport hub that fuses the

modern and the traditional.

At the heart of this process was Arup,

who together with architects John McAslan

& Partners, helped drive the design process

for this ambitious project. This work included

transport planning, multi-disciplinary

engineering services, security, IT, lighting

design, acoustics, visualisation, consultancy,

and pedestrian modelling. As lead designer for

King’s Cross St Pancras Underground station,

Arup had already helped to deliver a project to

relieve congestion, improve safety and increase

capacity.

Crowning glory

Having played an integral role in the redevelopment of King’s Cross station, Arup’s MiKe Byrne reflects on the success of the project

King’s Cross station


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzwar. Whilst we were aware of this, it’s not

until you start exposing things that you realise

exactly what impacts that had. There was a lot

of discovery in terms of repairs that had to be

made and interventions to secure the integrity,

which from an engineering perspective was

one of the biggest challenges,” highlights Mike.

“Another key briefing requirement was

that the station has to be kept operational

at all times, and I think Network Rail are very

proud of the fact that there was no unplanned

disruption or cancellations during the delivery

of the project,” he continues. “Projects of this

nature are always incredibly complex, and so it

was vital to have an understanding of how the

station works, and the various requirements of

the client and its different stakeholders, in order

to be able to try and align that.”

Applying innovationArup’s work on the King’s Cross St Pancras

Underground station had already proved its

ability to use innovation to deliver benefits. As

such, it is of no surprise that fresh thinking

was also applied where possible for the main

station redevelopment.

“A lot of time was spent in creating

visualisations of what the station would look

like, because as with any major railway project

there are multiple stakeholders involved and

so being able to present that in an easily

understood way is very valuable. What was

also quite innovative at the time was the use of

4D modelling. This allowed us to superimpose

what the station would look like in various

stages of construction over the main model,

which means you can see how that evolves

over the timeline of the project. It also assists in

the planning of temporary public access routes

and other critical measures,” describes Mike.

Although not technical in its nature, perhaps

the most innovative aspect of the King’s Cross

redevelopment was the level of collaboration

between all parties. “I think this is becoming

the norm now for large infrastructure projects

as its recognised that these are difficult pieces

of work and that things happen that are not

always anticipated. Being able to deal with

those in a truly collaborative way and focusing

on achieving the successful outcome of the

project has a lot of benefit. To give credit to

Network Rail they are trying to introduce this

across their projects, and I think King’s Cross

is a particularly good example of collaboration

which ultimately will save time and a significant

amount of money,” notes Mike.

The beauty of the King’s Cross design

is that it reflects the station’s position as a

gateway to London. As well as national and

Underground services, King’s Cross is also

a link for many international passengers

arriving into the neighbouring St Pancras

International. “We’re very proud of the fact that

the station is something of a showcase for

British engineering, and is not only nationally

recognised but also internationally. I think this is

telling from the design approach taken, which

is quite different to any other rail station in the

country.

“The most interesting element from that

side though is that being a Grade 1 listed

building the challenge was coming up with

something that had minimal intervention on

the existing structure of the station and still

seemed very much a part of it, and I think we

were successful in that. It almost harks back

to the destination stations of the railway age,

and King’s Cross absolutely recreates that in a

modern way,” concludes Mike. zz

Crowning glory

ArupTel: +44 (0) 121 213 3000Email: [email protected]: www.arup.com



Anti-Vibration Methods (Rubber) Co LtdUnit 5, Woodcock Industrial Estate, Warminster, BA12 9DX, UK

Tel: +44 (0) 1985 219 032 Fax: +44 (0) 1985 219 849Email: [email protected]

AVMR, Specialists in Vibration Isolation for both standard, custom designed, and refurbished anti-vibration products. Suppliers to the Rail, Construction, Military, Marine and many other industries. We offer Standard Products in a wide range of materials and rubber stiffnesses. We also offer a comprehensive selection of Shock Mounts, Spring Mounts and Shear Cap Mounts. There are products in use today for which spare components are no longer available. We can design develop and test to your requirements. New Design, prototyping through to production. visit our website at www.antivibrationmethods.com

isolation solutions

30 September – 2 October – European Transport Conference 2013FrankfurtOrganisers: Association of European TransportTel: 020 7348 1970Email: [email protected]: www.aetransport.org

18-20 September – Many Parts One Railway: integrated delivery across the rail industryHertfordshireOrganisers: IMechE Railway DivisionTel: 020 7973 1291Email: [email protected]: www.imeche.org/events/S1755

8-10 October – Intermodal Europe 2013HamburgOrganisers: Informa ExhibitionsTel: +44 (0)207 017 5112Email: [email protected]: www.intermodal-events.com

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.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz NEWS I Conferences & Exhibitions


9 October – Rail in the city: the capacity challengeBirminghamOrganisers: IMechETel: +44 (0)20 7973 1245Email: [email protected]: www.imeche.org/events/S1750

12 November – Life Cycle ManagementFrankfurtOrganisers: Europoint Conferences & ExhibitionsTel: +31 (0)30 698 1800Email: [email protected]: www.lifecycleconference.eu

13 November – Track Access Charges 2013FrankfurtOrganisers: Europoint Conferences & ExhibitionsTel: +31 (0)30 698 1800Email: [email protected]: www.trackaccesscharges.eu

14 November – Wayside Train Monitoring SystemsFrankfurtOrganisers: Europoint Conferences & ExhibitionsTel: +31 (0)30 698 1800Email: [email protected]: www.waysidemonitoring.eu

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

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

http://www.railimages.co.uk

http://www.antivibrationmethods.com

http://www.knorr-bremse.co.uk

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

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