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The PWI NEWSLETTER September 2020
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September 2020 newsletter
Welcome to your September newsletter which I hope finds you, your families, friends and colleagues well in these particularly fast-changing times? Sadly we must note the recent tragic rail accident near Stonehaven in Scotland, with our thoughts and prayers reaching out to the families, friends, colleagues and immediate rail community in what are difficult times indeed. A reminder to us all that safety and well-being must always be our top priority, and that in a climate-changing world it appears railway infrastructure will now require an even sharper focus.
We’re still here! The PWI continues to function on a daily basis, and like many others we have made a rapid transition to a digital business, generally working from home. Have you engaged in our virtual meetings yet?
GoToMeeting To facilitate online meetings the PWI has subscribed to the “GoToMeeting” app. This can be accessed through PC’s, laptops, tablets, and phones, and provides the ability to host meetings remotely, enabling the speaker and members to login and present, see, and hear the presentation from home or other remote location. The application also facilitates Q&A. Please do join in these important Institution on-line activities, especially if you wish to add to your CPD. For example, this week I joined the Notts and Derby section meeting on line for an hour, to see and hear a presentation from and about the role of the ORR (Office of Rail and Road). Very good presentation and very informative indeed. You can find all event details on the PWI website at https://www.thepwi.org/calendar/events, with all the necessary password codes and details on how to set yourself up and log in on line through the ‘Go To Meeting’ portal. (A tip, during these meetings keep your camera and microphone switched off. This gives you more PC bandwidth and a better sound quality. Very soon I believe the portal will change to an alternative provider to further improve the end quality). Some on line meetings are at lunch time, some late afternoon and some in the evening.
Community campaigns The exciting programme of Community campaigns and participation continues – have you joined in yet, have you seen them on the PWI Facebook site? Located at https://www.facebook.com/PermanentWayInstitution, take a look and please share with your friends and colleagues. To date we have delivered:
• #Mental Health awareness Week • #World Environment Day • #Rail Safety Week • #PWI Engineering Kids day • #PWI International week • #PWI Careers Week • #PWI Family week(imminent)
The PWI is with me for my entire career journey within the Rail industry PermanentWayInstitution
@PermWayInstit
Permanent Way Institution NORTH EAST SECTION
The PWI NEWSLETTER January 2020
@the_pwi
Covid 19 You will by now be well aware of the national guidelines and additional restrictions directed by Government, and also the additional local measures applicable to us here in the North East at the request of our seven local authorities. These requirements continue to affect PWI plans such as, we are not yet able to stage our face to face section meetings and a number of national events have had to be cancelled or postponed. These are also updated on the PWI web site at https://www.thepwi.org/technical_hub/pwi_seminars_conferences . A brief forward summary for your calendar/diary is shown below, these key events are not to be missed if you are truly serious about your profession and career choice:
AUTOMATED RAILWAYS Live seminar, 17 SEPTEMBER & 8 OCTOBER 2020 The seminar will include recorded online content for delegates to view ahead of each of two live seminar sessions (each of duration: 90 minutes inc Q&A).
PLANT AND MACHINERY: Plant and Machinery to support Rail Infrastructure renewals and maintenance for the 2020s and beyond Now postponed to 26 May 2021 at SWINDON - please ask your employers to get this in the diary now.
SAFETY: On Track for a Safer Railway, 1 December 2020 *ONLINE* - not to be missed! Key on line event for all trackside practitioners - not to be missed
ELECTRIFICATION: Electrification: Delivering the business case. 27 April 2021 Glasgow Key seminar underpinning global decarbonisation strategies and incorporation of the profession by the PWI
Membership matters We extend a warm welcome to the following new NE section members: Mark Forster, Paul Watson, Joe Medcalf and John Malloy. We also extend an additional warm welcome to our latest PWI Corporate member, The Aln Valley Railway, and look forward to the day when we can arrange a technical visit to the project up at Alnwick.
Final warning If your 2020 (and possibly 2019) subscriptions have still not been paid, you now risk being removed from membership of the PWI. Please address the matter swiftly and professionally, ensuring no impact upon your membership and Continuing Professional Development. If you need any assistance, of course please contact me.
Section meetings: Having suspended our programme of section meetings until further notice, I am now working hard to see how we may be able to start up some virtual on-line local section meetings which may require some assistance from Committee members. Until further Government guidance is received, along with authorisation from the Rail Academy at Gateshead, we cannot convene or mingle face to face as a group.
More important than ever, please do join us on line and support your staff and students in the early years of their professional career development.
Like many organisations, it is likely that we will have to postpone our section AGM this year, as we cannot assemble group attendees.
It is vitally important that we complete two issues at the AGM:
Nominate and appoint a replacement Section Secretary, and co-opt two student members on to the committee. (See following notes from VPs meeting). Please give these matters some very active consideration, forwarding any nominees and/or proposals to me please. The PWI is with me for my entire career journey within the Rail industry PermanentWayInstitution
@PermWayInstit
Permanent Way Institution NORTH EAST SECTION
The PWI NEWSLETTER January 2020
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Report on the VP(Vice Presidents) meeting 15 Sept. 2020 with the PWI Executive and Presidential officers.
Thee virtual meeting was undertaken on line to discuss current activity impacts due to Covid and a number of other items in the agenda below. I thought it might be useful to share the event and deliberations with you.
1. Role of the VP – current and future 2. Section management and support 3. Allocation of Sections 4. Section Development Plans 5. 6 monthly meetings 6. What does the future look like for Section Meetings? – Virtual / Face-to-face / Hybrid 7. Current section programmes 8. Managing section expenses 9. Carrying on 2019/20 former outgoing President Joan Heery’s plan: • Young Person’s Plan • 8 point action plan 10. Corporate Members – interaction at local levels 11. President John Edgley’s objective for 2020/21 12. President elect Nick Millington’s objective for 2021/2 13. President elect Peter Dearman’s objective for 2022/23 14. VP nominee to sit on Audit Committee
As you can see it was quite a busy agenda to address some particularly important challenges and legacy issues. A short, personal summary is given below:
1. The role of the VP was discussed at length, emphasising the need for the VPs to represent their allocated sections at a national level, be the ‘guiding hand’ for local sections in their areas, and also being the ‘go to’ PWI single point of contact for local senior rail industry and educational establishment partners. (ie Network Rail, Nexus, Port of Tyne, Heritage Railways, Newcastle College and Universities, other local Professional Institutions etc.).
Importantly this is why the NE section needs to quickly find a section secretary in order that I can sustain the extending VP role here in the North, bearing in my current portfolio also presently covers the Lancaster, Barrow and Carlisle (as and when needed) , York, West and East Yorkshire areas. I have until recently also been supporting the South West and West of England sections too.
2. Section management and support was then considered. Particularly this is how local sections are configured, how they interact and function and how best they can be supported by using their VPs as the established point of escalated contact. The VPs are best positioned to act as the ‘guiding hand’ and provide that local dialogue, input and support.
3. Allocation of sections. This legacy issue was discussed at length, particularly locations, catchment areas, levels of support and cost effectiveness in these challenging times etc. My intention as VP(N) in future discussions with local sections and their committees, is to prepare a draft consultation document to best consider our wider northern region, then initiate some positive changes to encourage greater local support from our Corporate sponsors and employees. At the same time, building upon our existing support from section members and such as light rail administrations, manufacturers and suppliers, heritage and industrial sectors. More anon.
The PWI is with me for my entire career journey within the Rail industry PermanentWayInstitution
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Permanent Way Institution NORTH EAST SECTION
The PWI NEWSLETTER January 2020
@the_pwi
4. Section Development plans. These were discussed and agreed at the national section secretaries meeting in Birmingham on 24 January previous, and revisited at the virtual meeting on 19 June last. It is my intention to further discuss these with section secretaries in the coming weeks, as no doubt Covid will have impacted on any progress.
5. 6 monthly meetings. To reduce costs it was agreed that the section secretaries meetings will be reduced to one face to face event (Covid permitting) and one virtual on line meeting to reduce travel/accommodation/refreshment etc costs.
6. Future section meetings. These have been touched upon earlier in this newsletter and for the moment it looks like a virtual on-line approach is all that can be accommodated.
7. Current section programmes. These have been disrupted by Covid and look particularly weak here in the north. I shall be discussing with local sections how best to recover the situation and perhaps move to on-line meetings.
8. Managing section expenses. Covid is having a direct impact on income and therefore all sections are required to minimise expenditure, particularly in relation to the provision of such as refreshments at meetings. VPs will monitor closely.
9. 2019/2020 plans. As in item 4 above, VPs to discuss with local section secretaries and monitor progress.
10. Corporate Members – interaction at local levels. Particularly input and support from our Corporate members such as Network Rail whom for example locally we see and hear very little from. I am indebted to incoming President John Edgeley who has already put me in direct personal contact with very senior management on Eastern Region to establish a personal communications and media route, and who also may encourage greater support from local NWR employees in line with the Corporate aspirations and expectations.
11-13. Incoming and future President’s outlined their own personal objectives for future years including, Competency management (John Edgeley), Track safety (Nick Millington) and Electrification/decarbonisation (Peter Dearman) strategies. The latter is particularly important with the PWI now embracing the Overhead Line discipline and future training/technical/professional activities, much as is done for Permanent Way.
14. Auditor vacancy. VP (South Wales and West) Andy Franklin has offered to take up this role.
Other news Congratulations to Stevie Shiel on his appointment, succeeding Phil Kirkland in the role of Head of Maintenance Delivery with Nexus.
Congratulations also to James Edge who succeeded Stevie in the role of Head of Curriculum at the Newcastle College Rail Academy in Gateshead, with further congratulations as James who has recently now taken up the role of Director of Curriculum at Newcastle College.
Both are very supportive contacts for the PWI NE Section and we look forward to continued support from and close working with both in the future.
The PWI is with me for my entire career journey within the Rail industry PermanentWayInstitution
@PermWayInstit
Permanent Way Institution NORTH EAST SECTION
The PWI NEWSLETTER January 2020
@the_pwi
Welcome to our latest Corporate Member – Aln Valley Railway
We're delighted to welcome AVR onboard as our latest Corporate Member. Reopening the branch line from Alnmouth to Alnwick, the old county town of Northumberland and the ancestral home of the Duke of Northumberland.
Set in the heart of England's undiscovered county, Alnwick hosts a number of world famous attractions, including Alnwick Castle - a setting for many movies including Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films, the Alnwick Gardens - featuring its Poison Garden and Cherry Orchard.
Barter Books - one of the largest second hand bookshops Alnwick station, former terminus of the Alnwick to Alnmouth located in the former and substantial Alnwick NER (North and Cornhill branch lines. Eastern Railway) terminus station.
Due to commercial developments, trains can no longer access the original NER terminus station, so a brand new railway station (Lionheart station) and visitor centre has been constructed by volunteers on the outskirts of Alnwick from where the railway follows the original track bed towards Alnmouth Station on the East Coast Main Line.
Work is now in hand to more than double the length of the line to Edenhill Bridge where there will be a new halt, with the aspiration of eventually reaching and reconnecting with main line services at Alnmouth. Recent track relaying on the former Alnwick to Alnmouth branch line Let's grow our community
Please share this newsletter to colleagues to showcase what we've been up to recently; we want to grow our community as far and wide as possible.
The PWI is with me for my entire career journey within the Rail industry PermanentWayInstitution
@PermWayInstit
Permanent Way Institution NORTH EAST SECTION
The PWI NEWSLETTER January 2020
@the_pwi
SAFETY MOMENTS - Some of the occurrences between June and September 2020 – Read, question, ask, understand, and learn.. RAIB Chalfont & latimer station Near miss at Chalfont & Latimer, Bucks, 21 June 2020.
At around 21:45 hrs on 21 June 2020, a Chiltern Railways passenger train travelling southbound on the Metropolitan line of the London Underground network, passed a signal at danger (red) without authority. The signal was protecting a junction through which a route was already set for a northbound train, waiting in Chalfont & Latimer station, to cross in front of the southbound train. Passing the signal at red resulted in an automatic brake application which stopped the southbound train around 310 metres beyond the signal. Shortly afterwards, the train driver reset the automatic brake equipment and the train continued towards Chalfont & Latimer station, around 620 metres away. As a result of the position of the points at the junction, its route towards the station took it onto the northbound line. The northbound London Underground train on this line was stationary because the signal in front of it had changed to red as a result of the southbound train passing the red signal. The two trains stopped about 23 metres apart. ------RAIB Carmont Passenger train derailment, Carmont, Aberdeenshire, 12 August 2020. At around 09:40 hrs on Wednesday 12 August 2020, all six vehicles of a passenger train derailed after striking a landslip around 1.4 miles (2.25 km) north-east of Carmont, Aberdeenshire. There were nine people on the train at the time of the accident; three train crew (the driver, conductor and a second conductor travelling as a passenger on this train) and six passengers. Tragically, the driver of the train, the train’s conductor and one passenger suffered fatal injuries in the accident. The remaining passengers and member of train crew were taken to hospital. ------RAIB Llangennech Derailment and fire involving a tanker train at Llangennech, Carmarthenshire, 26 August 2020 At about 23:15 hrs on 26 August 2020, train 6A11, the 21:52 hrs freight service from Robeston (Milford Haven) to Theale, conveying 25 tank wagons, each containing up to 75.5 tonnes of diesel or gas oil, derailed on the ‘Up District’ line near Llangennech, in Carmarthenshire. The derailment and the subsequent damage to the wagons resulted in a significant spillage of fuel and a major fire. The driver, who was unhurt, reported the accident to the signaller. Subsequent examination of the site revealed that a total of 10 wagons (positioned 3rd to 12th in the train) had derailed, and that around 330,000 litres of fuel had been spilt.
These are a selection of arising issues, issues that sadly have also cost lives in this period. Can I urge that you consider these issues with your Tutors, Supervisors and Managers and Health and safety teams, in order that you can fully understand the issues and failings that appear to have lead up to the event. Without asking, you won’t learn, without learning you will not progress, which is the purpose of summarising the items. Further details of all recent occurrences can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/rail-accident-investigation-branch
The PWI is with me for my entire career journey within the Rail industry PermanentWayInstitution
@PermWayInstit
Permanent Way Institution NORTH EAST SECTION
The PWI NEWSLETTER January 2020
@the_pwi
Broaden your horizons, widen your interest, enhance your knowledge and self learning – look at what’s happening today on other railway administrations around the world?
New Matisa B66UE tamping machines delivered to Brazil Speno SRR-16 Rail Grinder at work in Brussels (This is the very machine which also works on the Tyne and Wear Metro)
First revenue freight train runs between Parkes to Almost total shutdown of the Auckland Rail network in Narromine in NSW, Australia on the initial section of New Zealand for six months due to emerging ‘Inland Rail’, the brand new 1727Km rail route catastrophic levels of RCF (Rolling Contact Fatigue). between Brisbane and Melbourne by-passing Sydney Major CWR re-railing project now underway
Quote: ‘To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe’ Marilyn vos Savant
The PWI is with me for my entire career journey within the Rail industry PermanentWayInstitution
@PermWayInstit
Permanent Way Institution NORTH EAST SECTION
The PWI NEWSLETTER January 2020
@the_pwi
I sincerely hope you have found this newsletter of interest?
I also hope, that you really will be encouraged to join our virtual meetings and that it is not too long before we can all meet up again soon.
Please do keep a very close watch on the PWI website, Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter for information. Do not hesitate to drop me an email or give me a call if you need assistance.
In the meantime, stay alert, stay safe and stay busy of course!
Look forward to seeing / hearing you on the webinars, and getting back together soon.
Meanwhile, your deliberately reduced in size, but nevertheless absorbing October Journal will shortly be with you.
Image courtesy of Nexus New Stadler trains and new livery announced for the Tyne and Wear Metro
Take real care, stay safe at home and at work, best regards,
Phil Kirkland Vice President for England (North)
Tel: 07899 733276 [email protected]
The Permanent Way Institution (PWI) is registered in England as a Company Limited by Guarantee, Registration Number: 0009838. Registered Office: 5 Mount Crescent, Warley, Brentwood, CM14 5DB. Under GDPR you have opted to receive this notification, should you not wish to continue, please contact me by return. The correspondence and its attachments may be confidential and are intended solely for the use of the individuals to whom it is addressed. Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the PWI, or the wider rail industry. If you are not the intended recipient of this email and its attachments, you must take no action based upon them, nor must you copy or show them to anyone. Please contact the sender if you believe you have received this email in error. The PWI is with me for my entire career journey within the Rail industry