OCTOBER 2018 | ISSUE 251
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MARC JOHNSON FOUND OUT HOW DERBY'S 79-DAY PARTIAL BLOCKADE
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CONTENTSOCTOBER 2018 | ISSUE 251
This month's cover features Derby works project manager Kerry Arrowsmith.
ROOT AND BRANCH | 07 UK transport secretary Chris Grayling has announced a sweeping root and branch review of the country’s rail industry.
HUFTON TO BOMBARDIER | 11 Former Network Rail managing director Phil Hufton has left to lead Bombardier Transportation in the UK. 07 11
79 DAYS LATER | 18 Marc Johnson found out how Derby’s 79-day partial blockade was done.
DERBY DELIVERS | 22 East Midlands Trains (EMT) has presented the first of three renovated HST trainsets to the media.
EVERYONE MATTERS | 24 We look at how Network Rail is starting some difficult conversations to address workplace taboos.
18 24 SPOTLIGHT PPE OF YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW | 14 Stewart Thorpe takes a look at the early forms of PPE and what’s coming next.
THE UK AT INNOTRANS | 30 Transport secretary Chris Grayling led the charge as UK rail companies went in search of new international opportunities at 30 InnoTrans.
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163431_RC0817_Sievi_FP-Ad_RS-Oct18.indd 1 11/10/2018 16:52 RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018 NEWS 5 Staff Under the radar Contact us: Publisher: Paul O’Connor Editor: Marc Johnson Production and design: Adam O’Connor Matthew Stokes
News Editor: Stewart Thorpe Track Safety: Colin Wheeler Event Sales: Jolene Price Advertising: Asif Ahmed Craig Smith Keith Hopper
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Contact Details RailStaff Publications, Earlier this month, a full timetable of There was also some acknowledgment Rail Media House, passenger services operated through in a local TV news report for the earnest Samson Road, Coalville, Derby for the first time in two and a half engineering staff, who managed to only Leicestershire, LE67 3FP. months. The mammoth £200 million fully close the station once to traffic over the upgrade around Derby station had been course of the 79 days. Tel: 01530 816 444 completed, as project managers like to say, Why is it that successful projects, Fax: 01530 810 344 ‘on time, on budget’. especially those with no obvious new structure or monument, seem inherently Web: www.railstaff.uk The project was described as the biggest less newsworthy? Is it simply because Email: [email protected] remodelling of the station layout since good stories don’t make great news? Victorian times and even as one of the Because news is about the unexpected not Printed by PCP Ltd. biggest engineering projects ever undertaken the routine? Maybe because in a world of RailStaff is published by by Network Rail. It has been one of the great perishable online journalism it just takes too RailStaff Publications Limited engineering feats of recent railway history and long for reporters to get to grips with the A Rail Media Publication the headlines practically write themselves. technical nature of railways. In reality, the wider media response was The latter certainly seems true. In an predictably muted. The BBC wrote 202 attempt to cut through the jargon, press ® words online, leading with a Google image releases are sent out with simple analogies of Derby station’s city side entrance. ITV and phrasing. Somewhere in this process managed 123 words with a selection of the real magic of the work being undertaken © All rights reserved. No part of this magazine can be photos and videos. The local press was can be lost. reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of more encouraging, with a more substantial But there will be other projects to get the copyright owners. report on its website, although it didn’t stray journalists enthused about. Crossrail, when too far from the Network Rail press release. it does eventually open next year, will attract international coverage. Those involved don’t need reminding of how important it will be to get that day right. In the meantime, positive railway stories will continue to fly under the radar. Some will make the edit but reports about cancellations, nationalisation and industrial action will quickly shift the narrative back. However, colleagues shouldn’t feel disheartened. The popularity of TV shows like Paddington Station 24/7 demonstrate the public’s interest in those that work behind the scenes. Frustration in failures of the system don’t seem to diminish the appreciation they have for those who are left to manage the fallout. It shows that it is possible to reshape the natural skepticism that some passengers have about the railway. The staff they meet are often the people to do it.
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Bombardier is to begin testing its new fleet of Class 720 Aventra units for Greater Anglia after unveiling one of the first completed trains at its factory in Derby.
Bombardier is building 665 new carriages, in total 22 ten-car trains and 89 five-car trains, to replace Greater Anglia's commuter trains in Essex, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and parts of Suffolk. Greater Anglia said the trains' underfloor heating and air conditioning units will do away The main with the need for heating vents and create more legroom for Aventra passengers. The walkthrough carriages will also allow passengers to move new trains nearing completion. easily along the train. It’s now possible to see the While the new Aventras won't huge difference they’re going enter passenger service until to make to our commuters and next autumn, passengers will other customers travelling to and Caledonian Sleeper start seeing them on the network from London Liverpool Street when they begin dynamic testing and across much of the Greater delays introduction of in early 2019. Anglia network. Greater Anglia's Andrew "These new trains should new fleet Goodrum, who is leading the be much more comfortable introduction of the new trains, for customers, as well as more Brand new carriages will tickets on the Lowland said: “It’s great to see these reliable." no longer be coming to the services on or after 28 October Caledonian Sleeper’s Lowland have been offered a full refund or service between London, the opportunity to rebook. Glasgow and Edinburgh this Ryan Flaherty, Serco’s month as originally planned. managing director at Caledonian Sleeper, said: “Our new trains will The operator has confirmed mark a magical new chapter in that although production of rail travel in the UK. the new rolling stock is well “The new sleeper carriages Subscribe to our advanced, it was still completing are absolutely superb, and the “time-consuming and will transform the experience free publications at complex” process of testing of travelling by train between www.railsubs.com and commissioning the new Scotland and England. We are carriages. sorry that we will not be able to The new units are now launch the service this autumn, expected to be operating from all and understand that customers stations by the end of May next who wanted to travel on them in year. 2018 will be disappointed. In a statement on its website, “But with five different Serco, which operates the accommodation types, as well service, said 40 of the 75 sleeper as on board catering, dining and carriages being built by CAF shower facilities, this is the most were in the UK, with the rest complex introduction of new expected to be delivered in the rolling stock ever undertaken in coming weeks. the UK, and we are determined Guests who have booked to get it right.”
www.rail-media.com
RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018 NEWS 7 Root and branch
One from the archive
A records assistant at Network Rail’s archive in York has stumbled across a UK transport secretary Chris Grayling has of reliability, delivering better services and notebook with George Stephenson’s announced a sweeping root and branch value for money for passengers, commercial plans for the world’s first locomotive- review of the country's rail industry. sustainability and innovation. Keith Williams driven passenger railway. will be supported by an external panel and Described by the Department for Transport will report back in 2019. The government John Page (DfT) as the most significant since privatisation, will publish a white paper on the review’s discovered the the assessment will consider making ambitious recommendations, with the implementation of notebook by chance reforms to strengthen franchises and improve reforms planned to start from 2020. while looking for reliability. Announcing the review on 20 September, another document Although private investment is at record Chris Grayling said: “Privatisation has delivered in the archive’s levels and the network has one of the highest huge benefits to passengers on Britain’s deeds room in rates of safety in Europe, the industry has not railways — doubling passenger journeys and April this year. It kept pace with significant growth that has bringing in billions of private investment. includes Stephenson’s seen passenger journeys increase from 735 “But it is clear that the structure we inherited redesign and budget for the Stockton and million in 1994-5 to 1.73 billion in 2016-17. This is no longer fit to meet today’s challenges and Darlington Railway, which opened in 1825, was evidenced by the disruptions following the cope with increasing customer demand. and was signed by G Stephenson at introduction of the May timetable. “We’ve been clear that the railway needs Killingworth Colliery on 18 January 1822. The review will be led by former British reform to prioritise its passengers, and we have The notebook, which shows Airways chief executive Keith Williams and set out plans for closer partnerships between Stephenson’s survey of George will look at the structure of the whole industry, operators of track and train, including on Overton’s original plans for the line and increasing integration between track and train, the LNER and South Eastern networks. recommendations, has now gone on regional partnerships and improving value for “But as part of our vision for the future of display at the National Railway Museum money for passengers and taxpayers. mobility, we need to go further and more in York. It will analyse all aspects of the industry, quickly, to get the best from the public and John Page said: “Because it is a alongside the country’s changing travel and private sectors and deliver the railway we need historical document it would never have work patterns, and make recommendations to for the 21st century. It is vital that this review been loaned out or requested as it didn’t improve the current franchising model in terms leaves no stone unturned and makes bold impact the running of the railway, so since recommendations for the future.” the 1950s, it has sat on a shelf unnoticed amongst hundreds of other packets. Cross Country “I was looking for a deed for one of Following the launch of the major review the our internal colleagues and purely out new Cross Country franchise will no longer be of curiosity decided to look through the awarded in 2019 as planned. packets, and there it was, and what a thrill The DfT said it was concerned that awarding it was to find.” the franchise "could impact on the review’s Sir Peter Hendy CBE, chair of Network conclusions", citing the “unique geographic Rail, added: “George Stephenson’s nature” of the franchise as one of the factors original survey of the Stockton and behind the decision. Darlington Railway ushered in the railway Existing franchisee Arriva will continue to age, not only in Britain, but around the operate services on the route while future world. Network Rail is delighted and options are considered and all responses proud to have found this astonishing received as part of the Cross Country public artefact, and very pleased to have it consultation will be considered in future plans. displayed by our friends at the National A review into all ongoing franchise Railway Museum.” competitions and current rail projects will be The notebook will be on display until 28 launched, but these competitions will continue December in the museum’s Great Hall. as planned.
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HS2 has released artist impressions of two of its brand new stations: Curzon Street in Birmingham and Interchange in Solihull.
WSP UK and Grimshaw Architects are designing Curzon Street and Arup is designing HS2 reveals station Interchange station. Opening with seven high- designs for West Midlands speed platforms in 2026, Curzon Street will not only serve high- speed rail passengers, it will cycle, taxi, bus and conventional entrance designed by Philip “Preparatory work for the be a brand new public space rail connections to the rest of the Hardwick. stations is well under way, with in Birmingham city centre. It will city and the wider West Midlands. Interchange station will be a variety of enabling works be integrated into an extended The design also incorporates a new gateway station for the including the construction of tram network, as well as offering the surviving Grade 1 listed region and part of a new public access roads and archaeological transport interchange serving investigations.” Solihull, the West Midlands, Birmingham Airport and the National Exhibition Centre. HS2 CEO Mark Thurston said: “Both of these new stations Railtex will be transformational for the Midlands and will create returns opportunities for regeneration, growth and economic benefits for the city and region.
Aberdeen reveal for Scotland's HSTs
ScotRail’s first upgraded Although now more than Railtex is set to return to offer a platform for SMEs as HST has been launched by 40 years old, the HSTs have Birmingham’s National well as contain the Knowledge managing director Alex Hynes undergone a major overhaul to Exhibition Centre (NEC) Hub with its traditional updates, with an inaugural journey prolong their operational life and between 14-16 May 2019. briefings and keynote addresses between Aberdeen and bring their interiors to a standard present at Railtex since the show Edinburgh. which will satisfy modern It is the 14th edition of the first began in 1993. passenger requirements. show, held by organisers Mack Railtex brings together a mix Named Inter7City - a reference ScotRail Alliance managing Brooks Exhibitions, and will see of national and international to the fact that they will ultimately director Alex Hynes said: “This industry professionals come companies from across the link Scotland’s seven cities - the is another major milestone in together over a packed three- infrastructure and rolling stock revamped HSTs are part of our plan to build the best railway day programme of activity with sectors. Exhibitors will appear ScotRail’s grand plans to improve Scotland has ever had. a focus on shaping the future of alongside a topical CPD-certified services around the country. “Our Inter7City service will UK rail. educational support programme An Inter7City passenger provide more seats, better Railtex 2019 will introduce in the Rail Engineer-hosted service will operate between services, and more comfortable three new areas to its Seminar Theatre which will Aberdeen and Edinburgh journeys for our customers. programme, including a new explore the major issues facing from Monday, 15 October. “The investment we are High Speed Rail Hub, focusing on UK rail today and in the future. ScotRail is leasing a total of making in these iconic trains the aims of adding capacity and Organisers Mack Brooks 54 power cars and 121 coaches is a clear sign of the ScotRail connectivity to the UK’s network. Exhibitions have said exhibitor from Angel Trains which will Alliance’s commitment to building A Digital Rail Forum will also and visitor numbers have been form 17 five-car and nine four-car a bigger and better railway for be presented as part of a new at their highest in 20 years, trains. the whole of Scotland.” conference, enabling broad with more than 10,000 industry discussion on the future of this professionals attending the 2017 revolutionary programme. event. Demand is set to be high For the first time in the show’s again, and companies are urged history, the Railway Industry to book stand space early to Association (RIA) will bring its avoid disappointment. members together in a dedicated Visit www.railtex.co.uk for hub: an environment that will further details.
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Larkinson takes over MacDonald appointed as ORR's interim CEO as rail ops director
John Larkinson has returned Lindsay MacDonald has left continue to to head up the Office of his role as Amey’s director of target growth Rail and Road (ORR) in an rail in Scotland to become rail in this thriving interim capacity following operations director at NRL. sector. the departure of Joanna “We know Whittington. NRL’s rail division provides the knowledge trackside support, maintenance and expertise Joanna has left the ORR on and servicing to the UK rail Lindsay 5 October to become director industry. brings with general for energy and security Lindsay, who was the major him will prove at the Department for Business, projects sponsor for the West instrumental Energy and Industrial Strategy Coast route modernisation in the in supporting Jim Taylor to build (BEIS). early 2000s, will work under the upon our existing reputation for John, who is currently leadership of Director Jim Taylor to quality and innovation in the rail director of railway markets “build on the business’ reputation industry.” and economics, will take over accomplished leadership over for innovation and high quality Lindsay added: “I’m delighted to as CEO while a permanant nearly three years and wish her service delivery”. be joining at such an exciting time. replacement is found. John has all the best success in the future. Chief financial officer Ben Over NRL’s 35-year history they been a member of ORR’s board “I am pleased to welcome Humpage said, “Recognising our have demonstrated a continuous since March 2017 and has held John as the interim chief ambition to further strengthen our drive to improve their operations a number of senior roles since executive. He has a wealth of rail client services, we are pleased to and a reputation for quality service, joining from the Strategic Rail knowledge and experience and welcome Lindsay on board. so I’m looking forward to sharing Authority. is well equipped to deliver the “This important appointment my extensive industry knowledge Stephen Glaister, ORR chair, role to the high standard we have reinforces our commitment to our to target sustainable growth in the said: “I thank Joanna for her all come to expect.” specialist rail operations, as we UK’s rail industry.”
From Manchester to Australia RBF's pop Transport for Greater Manchester chief executive “He was previously CEO of Tube Lines, a private- president Jon Lamonte has been appointed as the new public partnership company responsible for the chief of Sydney Metro – the biggest public upgrading of three London Tube lines. Record transport project in Australia. “As the chief executive of Sydney Metro, Jon will producer be responsible for delivering a world-class metro and rail Prior to his move into transport, Jon served in the railway service for customers. enthusiast Royal Air Force (RAF), attaining the rank of Vice-Air “Jon’s experience leading customer-focused Pete Marshal. organisations in infrastructure delivery, and the Waterman During his military service, Jon was in charge management of complex multimodal transport has become of the largest RAF base in the UK with his systems run by private operators, makes him ideally the new responsibilities including operations, aircraft fleet suited to lead Sydney Metro.” president of and training, in addition to developing a 10-year Jon will start his new role later this year. the Railway Benefit Fund (RBF). capital investment programme in equipment and infrastructure and leading strategic reviews of the Pete will help to raise the profile Royal Navy. of the charity, the only one in the Established in July 2018, Sydney Metro is an UK that’s dedicated to supporting operating agency owned by the NSW Government. current and former rail workers as Sydney Metro opens in the second quarter of well as their financial dependents next year in the city’s north west, then extending in times of need, in his new role. into the central business district and beyond to Chief executive Jason Tetley Bankstown. In 2024, Sydney will have 31 Sydney said: “We are thrilled that Pete Metro stations and 66km of new metro rail, with a Waterman is to become our new new metro train every four minutes in each direction president. His support will certainly during the peak. help raise the profile of the work New South Wales transport minister Andrew we do to support current and Constance said: “As chief executive of Transport former railway people during for Greater Manchester since 2013, Jon has been tough times.” responsible for delivering the largest transport Pete Waterman added: “The capital programme outside of London, including charity is a fantastic cause. It does expansion of the public transport network, smart its best to help everybody… all ticketing solutions and a range of new interchanges. railway people.”
RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018 PEOPLE 11
New rail graduates join FirstGroup Ex-HS2 FirstGroup has welcomed a CEO joins new cohort of graduates across its UK operations, including Nichols South Western Railway (SWR) and TransPennine Express Simon Kirby, the former chief (TPE). executive of HS2 and chief operating officer of Rolls- Eighteen graduates have been Royce, has joined the Nichols given roles within the business, Group as an associate senior with four joining SWR and three advisor. joining TPE. Following their induction at In his new role, Simon will be FirstGroup’s learning centre in responsible for strategic advice Huddersfield, the graduates will and will report to the board. join finance, engineering and of the operations side of the months in performance and CEO Kathryn Nichols said that operations management teams business. control at TransPennine Express, Simon's experience will "greatly around the country. “Initially, I’ll be based at as part of which I am particularly enhance [the company's] capability FirstGroup received 2,796 Clapham Junction and Waterloo looking forward to experiencing to meet clients' needs". applications for this year’s stations but will need to learn the real-time responses to incidents, Simon added: "Nichols are graduate programme, with the SWR route from top to bottom. and the interaction between the an industry leading strategic number of places increasing from I’m originally from Dudley in decisions made by control, the consultancy supporting clients 10 to 18. the West Midlands and studied actions of staff on the ground, on many iconic projects across Isobel Tully, one of SWR’s geology at the University of and the subsequent analysis the world. I am very proud to join new rail operations graduates, Plymouth so everything will be and recommendations of the Nichols at an said: “The FirstGroup very new for me. I can’t wait to performance team. exciting time programme appealed to me as get started.” “Indeed, it is the wide variety when they it is an organisation that really Philip Sears, rail operations of different experiences on are growing cares about its employees. graduate for TPE, said: “As offer, as well as the opportunity and building The graduate programme with someone with a deep interest to work towards making a real a stronger SWR is very hands-on which is in railways, I am very fortunate difference to customers in such reputation exactly what I was after. I’m able to have a place on FirstGroup’s an important industry, which for meeting to learn on the job every day and graduate scheme. make First’s graduate scheme so customer contribute to the development “I am spending my first few attractive.” demands."
Hufton to Bombardier Louise Mendham on Former Network Rail managing “We are delighted to welcome the board director Phil Hufton has left to Phil Hufton to our Bombardier lead Bombardier Transportation team. Long-serving Hull Trains in the UK. “He is a proven leader with employee Louise Mendham a deep knowledge of the has been appointed as its new Hufton, who will also become rail industry and extensive production director. head of projects, will split his time experience in delivering complex between London and his home railway operations, maintenance She joined the open access town of Derby from Bombardier’s and renewals. In his new operator 14 years ago as Litchurch Lane facilities. role, Phil Hufton will drive the operational support but has since Prior to joining Network Rail, performance of our UK business, risen through the ranks. Hufton held various senior focus on customer satisfaction After three years as an time here and this role was the executive positions with London and strengthen our leadership operational support colleague, right move for me - it feels like a Underground, including chief team.” Louise was promoted to logistics natural progression. operating officer and asset manager where she was involved "I’m ambitious and determined performance director. in the train company's planning to succeed and I feel I have the Bombardier’s former managing and timetable managements. experience and understanding director and chair, Richard Hunter, Two years later she became of the business to bring about became Bombardier’s worldwide planning and performance positive changes and move it president of rail control solutions manager, handling performance forward." and wayside in March. analysis, train planning, and overall Louise will be responsible Per Allmer, Bombardier performance improvement and for ensuring the safe and timely Transportation’s president of strategy for the business. arrival of services and preparing Western Europe, Middle East, She said: “I’ve always taken for the rollout of new Hitachi Africa and South East Asia, said: on challenges throughout my Class 802 trains due in 2019.
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A colony of bees looked after by Eurostar colleagues is expected to produce enough honey in 2018 to make the high-speed © iStockphoto.com operator "sustainable in honey".
In 2016, 10 bee hives were set up by Eurostar in collaboration with educational charity Global General and the Honey Club. Located at Mersham, near Ashford in Kent, the colony takes advantage of large areas of Buzz arable land that form part of the biodiversity corridor alongside HS1. around Eurostar Honey produced from the hives is used by Eurostar's catering team in its onboard business premier desserts. They're also used in its own brand of gin, Toujours 21, which is produced with Silent Pools distillery and © Love Productions/Channel 4 Raymond Blanc. A Eurostar spokesman said: "We have had Project Bake Off our own bees for a few years now, with the quantity of honey produced having grown If you know the difference between since we launched. a soggy bottom and a showstopper, "We have enough honey from the 2018 there’s a good chance you’ve been harvest to go into 25,000 business premier topping off your Tuesday with Channel desserts on board." 4’s the Great British Bake Off (GBBO). Eurostar's chief beekeeper is a train driver, who is supported by colleagues from its Series 9 began at the end of August contact centre and depot at Ashford. with 12 budding bakers putting their skills to the test and with most of the technical and superbake challenges out of the way, the amateurs have well and truly been separated from the serious contenders (Bear with, the rail link is coming). Among the remaining contestants is 29-year-old Ruby Bhogal, a fellow member of the railway family. The GBBO star and Network Rail project manager has impressed judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith with her baking skills. © Love Productions/Channel 4 Despite her showstopper cake toppling in episode seven - the last to be broadcast prior to RailStaff going to print - Ruby has become a fan favourite and with only a handful of episodes left, she has every chance of coming out on top. All of us at RailStaff wish you the best of luck Ruby - the rail industry is behind you!
Health, welfare and financial benefits for those working in the public transport industry... people like you! covers you, your partner Helping to make a difference and dependent children 0300 333 2000 www.tbf.org.uk Transport Benevolent Fund CIO, known as TBF, is a registered charity in England and Wales, 1160901, and Scotland, SC047016.
RAILSTAFF.UKTBF_Banner_Adverts_18X3_190x50.indd | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF 2 29/08/2018 16:41 RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018 GEAR+TECH 13
EYE ON SAFETY
ye protection worn by Network THE CONSEQUENCES Rail staff must conform to the Network Rail highlighted just how EN 166 standard. It is the basic devastating eye injuries can be in a video requirement all safety glasses interview with Jerzy Jamroz, who lost the must meet and the first thing you sight in his left eye after being struck by a should check before carrying large piece of metal while attempting to use a out any work. chisel to dislodge a Pandrol clip. The risks of not wearing Jerzy, who was a system manager on a Some sight issues, however, can develop eye protection when out on track renewal train (TRT), openly admits that over time and often they are preventable. site are obvious and, like the it was a job he shouldn’t have been doing, National Eye Health Week, which was held requirement for high-vis orange and steel-toe- using tools he shouldn’t have been using. between 24-30 September, promoted the cap boots, the use of them is strictly enforced. He believes he could well have lost his eye significance of having regular sight tests - at EDespite this, eye injuries still occur - from completely were it not for the protective least once every two years - to good eye minor irritations to life-changing incidents. eyewear he was wearing at the time. health. Network Rail reported 187 eye injuries in In the video, Jerzy explains how the injury Eye health advice from the NHS indicates 2015/16. The tendency would be to think that has affected both his professional and family that smokers are more likely to develop age- eye injuries only happen when someone fails life. He is no longer allowed to work night related macular degeneration, which is the to wear any eye protection at all. There is also shifts and he said he was unable to support most common cause of sight loss in the UK, the misconception that all products provide his family as he could before the incident. and cataracts. Heavy alcohol consumption the same protection, when in fact the level of can also accelerate the onset of age-related protection needed can vary from job to job. WHAT CAN YOU DO? macular degeneration and those who don’t Network Rail hosts regular PPE awareness In Jerzy’s case, the damage was dealt by regularly exercise can be more at risk. days to ensure staff are aware of what PPE is a flying object but eye injuries can also be For good eye health, it’s important to eat required as well as how to properly use and caused by chemical exposure or abrasions a balanced diet, wear sunglasses to protect look after it. from small foreign bodies, such as rust or from UV damage, exercise regularly and With safety eyewear, all the information you glass. ensure you are getting enough sleep. need is right there. Look closely at any pair of safety glasses and you’ll see what would look to the uninitiated like a random combination of letters and numbers. There are actually two sequences - one on the frame and another on the lens - which explain whether the product is designed to withstand high or low impacts, whether it can provide protection from large or fine dust particles as well as the level of UV protection they offer and their overall optical quality. Different standards also apply to different uses, for example the EN 169 standard is used for welding filters. Glasses may also include the letters K and N where K refers to anti- scratch qualities and N to anti-mist.
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YESTERDAY, TODAY ANDOF TOMORROW PPESTEWART THORPE TAKES A LOOK AT THE EARLY FORMS OF PPE AND WHAT'S COMING NEXT
ecords have shown that rail workers “There’s an interesting idea of responsibility,” he have equipped themselves with personal added. “An idea that if the worker is provided with protective equipment (PPE) since the 19th stuff, it’s their own fault and carelessness if they’re century. As industry safety practices have hurt if they don’t use it because they gave them the been developed, so has the look and opportunity.” quality of protective clothing. In its handbook, GWR was clear who had ultimate In a booklet titled ‘The Safety responsibility for the safety of its workers: “We’re trying Movement’, which was produced by to make you realise the need for thinking of your Great Western Railway (GWR) in 1914, the own safety. We want you to look after yourself.” company advised its 80,000 employees to wear veil respirators while working at grindstones and A grindstone worker scrubbing water tanks and to wear goggles when using wearing a veil respirator. Rworkshop machinery. The PPE, sometimes provided by Image taken from GWR's the employer but other times improvised by the worker, 1914 booklet The Safety was basic, as history lecturer Mike Esbester, of the Movement. University of Portsmouth, explained. “You get things such as goggles, which, in their early incarnations - variants were around in the 1880s and 1890s, possibly earlier - were uncomfortable, they tend to fog up and restrict the view because, as well as the glass plate front, they tend to have a gauze around the side.
© Mike Esbester/Railway Work, Life and Death project CHANGE Over time the industry’s perspective on PPE and who is responsible for worker safety has shifted. In the 1960s, high-visibility clothing was introduced to the country’s railways, supported by a now controversial poster campaign featuring a bikini-clad woman to encourage reluctant men to wear them (PPE, not bikinis). “I’ve seen some of British Rail’s minutes from that © Railway Museum period when they were trying to introduce it and they “Towards the end of the 19th century, in the rail say it’s a problem getting men to wear these things. workshops where grinding is going on, they are using They see them as unmanly,” says Mike. “By the early wet rags over their mouths and noses to try and reduce ‘70s, I’m not saying there is widespread love of it or the particles breathed in. You can imagine they’re not acceptance but - from the minutes of the meetings I’ve tremendously effective.” read - it says people are more willing to wear it.” Mike, who has studied the cultural history of safety Regulation in the form of the Personal Protective and accident prevention, said machine operators would Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 and the also use guards to reduce the risk of accidents but Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002 for workers on a piece rate it would almost certainly have since changed this, putting a legal duty on British Rail mesh goggles decrease the amount of money they would earn. employers to provide suitable PPE. from the late 1960s.
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A British Rail safety poster from 1967.
PROGRESSION As the industry’s approach to safety and its resultant practices have developed, so has PPE, which continues to evolve. To get a better insight, RailStaff spoke to some of the leading workwear manufacturers to find out what has changed, what is being developed, and why. Stuart Jukes, managing director of Pulsar, has worked in the industry for almost 20 © Science Museum Group years. Originally the workwear manufacturer was known as Praybourne but reinvented itself in 2007 to target a higher end of the market producing protective clothing with more features and benefits for the wearer. “I would say that when we first got into the industry 10 or 11 years ago there was a huge push towards price,” said Stuart. “You found that a lot of people were using heavier non-breathable fabrics, which then became lighter, non-breathable fabrics, which reduced the performance of the garment. Now there is a move to lighter weight, highly breathable fabrics.” The company’s experience in producing a product that is lighter and more comfortable is the same as that of ProGARM, a specialist firm that exclusively manufactures arc flash and flame resistant clothing. ProGARM’s product and quality manager Adrian Jaoudat said there have been huge advances in the technology used to make the fabrics by learning lessons from the sports industry, specifically ski and hiking wear. He added: “It is really more about agility and making the wearer more comfortable while exercising. In terms of design you have side panels that assist with movement and different shapes for the knee area to match bends to the joints as well as articulated sections of the garments or seams in different places. In the past it would be a straight garment with no thought process beyond the actual patterns of it. “The end user has realised they don’t just need a garment to meet the specific standards, they also want it to be comfortable and look nice. It needs to have features and certain aspects that you wouldn’t have seen 10 years ago.”
WOMENSWEAR In recent years, the industry has sought to tackle its previously unisex approach to PPE, as women increasingly take up traditionally male-dominated roles. Assumptions that women can use the same PPE as men have been cast aside because of risks to safety, the barrier it creates to more women entering the workforce and equality law, which requires employers to treat women no less
© Ballyclare favourably than men.
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TfL's range of female PPE (Left) modelled next to the unisex issue equipment (Right).
Speaking in 2015, Melanie Ogden, a Driven by the fast pace of technological project manager on the Northern Line progress, the development of PPE and the Extension, welcomed her employer Transport processes involved in producing it show no for London’s (TfL) launch of its first range of signs of slowing down. Before they went women’s PPE. into liquidation, Carillion was working with “Finding PPE that fits has always been a one of Carrington's customers on futuristic challenge for women in engineering, whether protective clothing that would be able it’s rolling up sleeves, holding up trousers or to monitor the wearer’s temperature by having to wear multiple pairs of socks just to integrating technology into the garments. keep our shoes on,” she said. “A ‘one size There are multiple transformative applications fits all’ approach for men and women hasn’t and possibilities as the techniques for doing worked, which is why it’s great to see TfL so become better developed and costs taking a lead in this area. Taking part in the decrease but there’s one big hurdle to get trial to source new women’s PPE has been over before it becomes commonplace. enjoyable and has resulted in comfortable “The problem with all this wearable tech clothing that allows us to move more freely is that it doesn’t wash,” said Charles. “It looks and work more effectively.” great on a fashion walk, and it looks great on a Safety equipment provider Arco is prototype but in the real world, we’re nowhere currently working on a product that will © TfL near there yet. It will come, and we’re talking support the increasing diversification of the decades, but it’s not possible to do that yet.” workforce for both the rail and construction industries. Richard Sansom, product and how much plastic there is in their clothing - procurement manager, said it hopes to particularly in high-visibility clothing - and from launch the high-visibility ‘modesty tunic’ in 12 talking to manufacturers, there is an appetite to months’ time. change. He added: “Simply providing female Pulsar’s Stuart Jukes added: "Environmental workers with PPE designed for men isn’t a impact is becoming increasingly important, as solution. For people of certain faiths and also we continue to look towards sustainable and from a maternity perspective, women’s hi-vis renewable materials and fibres. As the climate garments are too fitted. So one of the things continues to change in the UK, we need to we’re in the development stage of is offering make sure we are manufacturing products modesty clothing, which is a looser fit and will that are more adaptable to that climate still be certified to the hi-vis standards but not change." cause snagging issues. Charles Wilson, the UK sales manager for “There’s no reason why a pregnant woman international fabric supplier Carrington, said shouldn’t continue to do their job if she’s his company has had a “big push” to have as fit to work or someone with a particular little amount of impact on the environment religion made to feel uncomfortable and not as possible. He added: “People want to supported by the industry for the PPE they are be able to recycle their garments and they being provided.” also want recycled fabric used. So we do recycled polyester from plastic bottles, we WHAT NEXT? use organic cotton, but also we are getting During September’s London Fashion Week, into garment recycling. campaign group Friends of the Earth called “The accountability to the environment is on clothing firms to do more to tackle plastic going to be the next big thing, the trail of how © TfL pollution, with many people unaware just where and when the fabric was made.”
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FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.UK RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAIL_STAFF |FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF 18 FEATURE 79 DAYS LATER RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018 Rail A6 Advert - Trusted to Deliver (Oct 18).indd 1 Rail A6 Advert - Trusted to Deliver (Oct BLOCKADE WAS DONE HOW DERBY'S 79-DAY PARTIAL MARC JOHNSON FOUND OUT www.stobartrail.com [email protected] Lauren Douglas, Business Development Officer CONTACT • • • ofdelivery drainage projects ranging from; the for reputation class afirst established has &Civils Rail Stobart CAPABILITIES system. drainage rail role network’s in the positive to repair. opposed plays that a approach A proactive as prevention on are focussed &Civils Rail Stobart DELIVER. TO TRUSTED
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ou can achieve a lot in 79 days. Last year, British cyclist Mark Beaumont, inspired by the Jules Verne novel, cycled around the world in less than 80 days, covering more than 18,000 miles and claiming a new world record. In July, Network Rail embarked on a £200 million remodelling of Derby station and the railway that surrounds it. The project team had 79 days to complete the work and it would have to do so, for the most part, without closing the station. On 8 October, the station fully reopened to passengers for the first time in two and a half months and, like Mark, it did so with time to Yspare. “To do the scale of what it is, as well as then running passenger trains, has been quite a challenge,” said Network Rail’s Kevin Newman (pictured right), the project’s senior sponsor, during a site visit on day 67. “Quite a challenge” may be something of an understatement. But the challenges of this way of working appear to have been While closing the station completely may have been a simpler option, managed with composure. Over the course of the 79 days, there was Kevin revealed that diverting all services away from Derby would only only one day where no trains ran at all and the programme was never have shaved a week off the delivery time and severely disrupted more than a few hours behind schedule. As well as running passenger passengers travelling through the East Midlands. The decision was trains and maintaining access to East Midlands Trains’ Etches Park taken instead to partially close the station and keep as many trains depot, the project team was able to allow Bombardier to move newly running as possible. built trains out of its Litchurch Lane factory and, in the early phase, accommodated a delivery of aviation fuel via the Sinfin branch to Rolls MANAGED WITH COMPOSURE Royce. Work began with a possession on the Birmingham line, retaining As always, there were some testing moments. A lack of accurate North-South services. This was then extended to include the South records and drawings have caused issues, with buried utilities and lines towards Trent and the second phase saw Derby effectively other surprises appearing where they shouldn’t. Kevin explained how become a terminus station for trains from the south and west, with no at one stage they had to excavate concrete blocks the size of vans that services running north of the station towards Sheffield. weren’t on any documentation for the site.
SUNNY HILL DERBY 2017 LAYOUT LOOPS PEARTREE LNW JNC 1 WEST 2 3 NORTH
5 4 6 BOMBARDIER DERBY ROLLS ROYCE JNC
MCB CCTV UP & DOWN SPONDON RTC LONDON MAIN WEST ROAD JNC UP & DOWN SOUTH CHADDESDEN GOODS MANUALLY-CONTROLLED MCB BARRIER WITH CCTV CCTV
SUNNY HILL DERBY NEW LAYOUT FROM OCT 2018 LOOPS PEARTREE 1 UTF WEST DTF 2 3 UTS NORTH DTS 4 5 BOMBARDIER ROLLS ROYCE 6
NEW TRACK MCB OD SPONDON UP TAMWORTH FAST UTF RTC DOWN TAMWORTH FAST DTF SOUTH ETCHES PARK CHADDESDEN UP TAMWORTH SLOW UTS
DOWN TAMWORTH SLOW DTS
MANUALLY-CONTROLLED MCB BARRIER WITH OD OBSTACLE DETECTION
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RENEWAL AND ENHANCEMENTS Passengers looking out at the intertwining track beneath the London Road bowstring-arch bridge which sits atop the railway to the south of the station may have wondered what all the fuss was about, but the project has involved a staggering amount of work. As well as the station’s new Platform 6, Network Rail and its principal contractors Galliford Try, Siemens and the S&C North Alliance (Network Rail and AmeySersa) - plus their numerous subcontractors - have laid more than 15 kilometres of new track; installed brand new signalling equipment, which will enable control to migrate completely to the East Midlands Control Centre (EMCC); and upgraded Spondon level crossing. At its peak, around 900 people were on site every Network Rail also had to work with and spare the railway from anymore day, spread across three eight- Severn Trent Water and Derby City adverse publicity. hour shifts on a sprawling site Council to repair damage to a listed “Unfortunately there’s one which stretched out from the road bridge which crosses over the diversionary route round Derby, and if station for around four miles in railway on Alfreton Road after a water that fell over for any reason we’d lose a each direction. At its peak, main burst in August. The fact that the lot of services. So we made sure we had Kevin described the around 900 entire length of the railway north of strategic teams at certain places, we remodelling around Derby as people were on Derby sits within the Derwent Valley had spares at strategic places, we built one of the biggest engineering site every day. Mills Unesco World Heritage Site hasn’t maintenance into the timetable, so we schemes ever undertaken by made things any easier. had white periods where we could get Network Rail. Although relatively That’s why measures were taken on and do certain bits of maintenance modest in terms of cost, the throughout to keep the project work on the different points etc.” project required 240 engineering on target. Project manager Kerry She added: “Obviously the timetable trains, consumed 150,000 tonnes Arrowsmith explained how £7 million team did a fantastic job in timetabling all of new ballast and installed 21,177 was spent upgrading the diversion route the trains because literally everything sleepers. via the Erewash Valley line ahead of the that comes into Derby was going round The project marks the end of 79-day partial closure. Additional plant it, so we had all the freight, all the the Midland main line resignalling and equipment was also on standby in CrossCountry trains and a lot of the East programme and the start of the case of any failures, to minimise delays Midlands trains went all the way round.” next major upgrade programme,
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which aims to transform service quality on the LNE and East Midlands route during CP6. The work itself involved a combination of renewals and enhancements. As well as replacing life-expired signalling equipment, the project’s track engineers had the job of untangling the track layout around the station. The existing layout hadn’t changed much since Victorian times and was designed to accommodate high volumes of coal traffic that no longer exist. The new layout is a “massive simplification”, said Kevin, and will mean fewer trains will have to be held at red lights outside the station waiting for a platform. Passengers will immediately notice improved journey times from the faster line speeds through the station (from 15 mph to 30/40 mph) and better facilities at the station.
PLATFORM 7 The installation of a new bay platform at Derby station has actually created two new platforms, although only Platform 6 has been commissioned for passenger services. Platform 7 will be available during emergencies, but it will mainly be used by East Midlands Trains as a service platform to collect train crew, removing the need for trains leaving Etches Park to perform a shunting move into the Chaddesden loop. Sections of the Chaddesden loop have also been doubled to provide more flexibility for empty coach movements.
TOUGH CONDITIONS For the staff on track, the project involved a prolonged period working alongside an at different times. This information was then The extremely hot weather in July operational railway - a changing one at that. reemphasised in engineering supervisor and exacerbated another common hazard. The Everyone who worked on site was required COSS briefs, but they also tried to create ballast being delivered to site was extremely to have completed a ‘line open to traffic’ physical barriers between worksites and dry and, as a result, was generating more dust brief that explained which lines were open running lines wherever possible. than normal, posing an even greater risk to staff. Dust suppression units had to be used around the station and staff working within the 30-metre exclusion zone were required to wear full breathing apparatus.
RIGHT UP THERE Kevin has been connected with resignalling work around the East Midlands for the past 10 to 15 years. He was involved in the Nottingham resignalling upgrade in 2013, the Midland main line speed upgrade and the refurbishment of Nottingham station, something he is particularly proud of. That hard work was almost undone earlier this year when part of the station was devastated following a fire. “I couldn’t believe it,” said Kevin, recalling his shock at hearing what had happened. “I saw the pictures on the news and it was awful, absolutely awful.” While Kevin admits the restoration of Nottingham station’s iconic porte cochère was probably his favourite, the sheer immense scale of the work at Derby has become a defining scheme for him. “It’s right up there.”
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DELIVERSt’s 1:30pm at Etches Park going on at the depot. Ironically, decrease and others to increase, train depot in Derby and in that very moment with workers making it necessary to acquire the canteen is filling up. glued to the TV, the answer is extra trainsets to continue to Technicians down tools very little. Since the start of the meet delivery expectations. and join the excited year, however, contractors and EMT has leased the units from chatter of colleagues depot staff have been busy Angel Trains via an agreement standing side by side undertaking £3 million worth of with the Department for Transport. managers and a number rolling stock refurbishment. Each trainset is comprises six of executive site visitors, coaches and two powercars, with who are all glued to the GUARDIAN ANGEL three buffet cars being cascaded canteen TV. From the buzz around the from Great Western Railway and Months after the project first depot, it’s obvious the project is the remaining coaches and the Etches Park depot to ensure Ibegan, East Midlands Trains a source of great pride. A rare powercars from Grand Central. they are comparable with the (EMT) has presented the first of positive in the midst of a barrage These join the existing nine HST rest of the fleet. Phase 1 of three renovated HST trainsets of recent negative press on the trainsets of eight carriages and the work involved stripping to the media. In one of the rail industry. two power cars leased from the trains back, treating them refreshed first class carriages, One event that drew some of Porterbrook. for corrosion and giving them a regional broadcaster is about the most high-profile criticism a lick of paint while phase 2 to go live to talk about extra was the May timetable change, LOCAL TRAINS, concerned the internal refit. capacity and an improved which is where this HST project LOCAL WORK During a visit to Etches customer experience. Cutting originated. Introducing the After being delivered in Park depot in September, from the studio to a roving Thameslink timetable caused January, the three HSTs have RailStaff spoke to some of the reporter, a presenter asks what’s some EMT journey times to been carefully refurbished at companies involved. Designer Andy Sykes and a small group of 3D modellers and visualisation colleagues from DGDESIGN were contracted to assist with the train’s interior design, including new first class saloons, rebranding standard class, and updating the EMT exterior livery and the powercar graphics. The five-man team worked alongside SNC-Lavalin, which oversaw the engineering design to ensure the interiors function as required. Andy said his team had to coordinate the new colour scheme to correspond with EMT’s developed branding that it now uses in stations and in publications. They also had to source and decide on fabrics on racks, curtains, dado panels, seat leathers and wood finishes. With the team
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restricted to re-using certain design, SNC-Lavalin also OLD TRAINS, NEW JOBS maintenance programme, 13 interior finishes, the project procured the materials and One of the HSTs was sent jobs have been created at the has been about getting “the oversaw the work, which was out for a naming ceremony depot and two elsewhere. These best bang for buck”. The need completed by Loram with in February, to thank the new positions have been a for a quick turnaround also the support of EMT depot efforts of the emergency combination of technicians and posed many problems that the staff. Up to 25 employees services following the fire at shunters, which brings the total average passenger wouldn’t from SNC-Lavalin have been EMT-managed Nottingham number of staff at the Etches Park think about. working on the project at any station in January. Since then, depot up to 110. Andy said: “Selecting colours one time and around 20 from maintenance work on the for a new carpet can take time Loram. Altogether there have trains has “really ramped up”, NEW TRAINS because the yarn has to come been around 30 key suppliers according to Etches Park depot Work on EMT's new HSTs is from the sheep to the process used throughout the project, manager James Wale. now winding down. Two of the to get coloured and then woven including local consultants He added: “I think [the first trainsets have entered service into the carpet. Yellow Rail, fabric firm Botany refurbished train is] better and the third will follow, with “If the available project time Weaving carpets and leather than what I expected. You see refurbishment work due to finish is condensed, we work with the manufacturer Muirhead, and all renderings and the plans that the in October. Already suppliers will carpet suppliers to find creative of the refurbishment work has design guys produce and when no doubt have their eye on a big ways to use yarns from ongoing been undertaken by companies you actually see it, it looks a lot upcoming opportunity. projects, reusing colours but in Derby. better than it did on paper. When the next operator for altering the construction so EMT fleet director Chris “For the age of the train, they’re the East Midlands franchise is it captures the East Midlands Wright said: “It’s particularly 40 years old now, and if you look chosen, Derby’s rail industry will Trains brand. pleasing we have been able to at what we’ve delivered inside, it’s be hoping the attention once “So what may appear as a provide these improvements like a modern new train.” more falls on them to deliver. straightforward project actually by working locally with Not only has the HST This time it won’t be for injecting has lots of little things like neighbouring suppliers, refurbishments provided work new life into workhorse trains but that which aren’t immediately creating jobs and delivering for around 50 people, it has also helping to manufacture state-of- obvious - there’s a lot going on.” investment into the local Derby created permanent positions. To the-art next generation rolling As well as the engineering rail industry.” tend to the new trains’ ongoing stock.
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reating more diverse, inclusive workplaces will require GAP IN AWARENESS the business to 20 per cent by everyone to have some difficult conversations. Karen and her colleague Janet 2020. This, coupled with the Discussions to address gender equality, the industry’s Trowse, who is head of HR for fact that more and more women ageing workforce and mental health have all found their System Operator, have both are working later into life, means voice but there are many hidden issues that are trying been managing menopausal the issues associated with to make themselves heard. symptoms for a number of years menopause are likely to become At the beginning of October, Network Rail organised and established the menopause more pronounced. a series of sessions for Everyone Week - an awareness programme in 2017 to address a Janet and Karen believe it’s event devised to explain the relevance of diversity and gap in awareness and create a important for women, and men, inclusion to the more than 30,000 people Network Rail support network for women within to understand the effect the employs. the business. menopause can have on women The Everyone Week programme is based around the nine protected Karen said: “It’s about those so that reasonable adjustments Ccharacteristics defined by the Equality Act 2010: age, disability, gender difficult conversations and this can be made to help manage the reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, is probably one of many difficult symptoms. Examples may include race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. conversations but the more flexible working hours or even just Working with Network Rail’s six employee networks, the diversity and we start to tackle those difficult providing a desktop fan. inclusion team arranged sessions on a number of topics which often conversations the more it’s going to “There is a certain amount aren’t discussed openly in the workplace, such as epilepsy, domestic be easier for people to go to their of stigma attached with going abuse and deaf awareness. line manager for support and help.” through menopause,” said Janet. “The problem is, if we don’t talk about it we won’t ever overcome Earlier this year, Network Rail “For women it can have quite an some of those issues,” said diversity and inclusion project manager launched its 20by20 project, impact on your self-esteem and Karen Venn, speaking after a session about menopause at Network which seeks to increase the you can get very confident women Rail’s Quadrant headquarters in Milton Keynes. percentage of women within who start to suffer anxiety issues, loss of confidence.”
WHAT IS THE MENOPAUSE? The menopause is defined quite literally as the day after a woman has gone 12 months without a period. The post- menopause stage can see women experiencing symptoms such as hot and cold flushes, mood alterations and memory issues caused by an imbalance in the levels of oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone. The symptoms can last for several years and the severity can vary from woman to woman. While most women will experience menopausal symptoms between the ages of 45 and 55, it’s not uncommon for symptoms to occur much younger. Around one in a hundred women will experience menopause before the age of 40 and one in 10,000 women will experience it as a teenager.
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L-R Deborah Garlick, Richard Peters, Janet Trowse, Karen Venn and Rachel Shaw.
Karen and Janet have so far established a strong friendship hosted focus groups in Wales, through a shared experience. Swindon, York, Leeds and Milton “I know that I can send a little Keynes to promote menopause emoticon on a WhatsApp to Karen awareness. They have also and Karen will know instantly launched a video on the Safety that I’m having a rubbish day Central web portal which explains and vice versa,” said Janet. “It’s more about the menopause and extraordinarily important. We may managing symptoms. have to be swans in the workplace The pair have presented to a with what we do, but we’re World Menopause Awareness Day is being held on 18 October to raise working group in Milton Keynes peddling hard underneath.” awareness of the associated health risks that accompany the menopause. which gives women a forum to For more information visit Women naturally lose bone density following the menopause and are at discuss any concerns and talk www.safety.networkrail.co.uk higher risk of developing heart disease. openly about their experiences. and click on the menopause The session at Quadrant MK included a presentation from Rachel They hope that more of these section within the Health and Shaw, who was representing Network Rail’s employee assistance support networks can be set Wellbeing tab. Network Rail programme (EAP) provider Validium, and a talk by Deborah Garlick, up around the business to help employees also have access founder of Henpicked.net - a lifestyle website aimed at women over 40 - women in the same way the to free 24/7 guidance and and Menopause in the Workplace. programme has helped them. counselling support through When it comes down to managing the menopause a lot of women wait Karen and Janet didn’t know each the Validium EAP programme. until it becomes too much, said Deborah. other before working together Contact 0800 358 4858 for “There’s so much help, so many things, very practical things that could on the programme but have more information. be done to tackle menopause symptoms.”
TABOO AND STIGMA Nearly 40 per cent of all female employees that leave Network Rail are aged between 40 and 60. Network Rail’s chief medical officer and the programme’s sponsor, Richard Peters, believes a lack of support and understanding about the menopause could be a factor. “What I do know is the amount of people that are reporting gynaecological and pregnancy related conditions is very low. I mean together it probably doesn’t even hit one per cent of the reason for sickness absence. But what you need to consider is the secondary conditions that result from the menopause.” While there is more to do, he believes Network Rail is doing a lot of things right. “I think a lot of organisations aren’t that far ahead and haven’t produced the basic documents but what we’re trying to do is take it a step further by ensuring the education is there, the awareness is there and that people feel comfortable to talk about a normal physiological response which has so much taboo and stigma associated with it.”
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REPORT BY COLIN WHEELER TRAPPED IN THE TRAIN OR TRAM DOORS! CHANGES AT THE TOP AND MAYBE MORE TO COME? BUT SAFETY MUST BE THE TOP PRIORITY
t is almost three years since Joanna This month, following the Rail Accident Whittington joined the Office of Investigation Branch’s (RAIB) release of Rail and Road (ORR) as their chief several reports and digests, incidents of executive. Now she is to move back people, a pushchair and a dog being trapped to the Department for Business, in closing doors predominate. Energy and Industrial Strategy and will Colin Wheeler. initially be replaced by an interim chief Trapped by the doors at Bushey executive. In September, RAIB issued its report on an Back in August, Network Rail’s incident that happened at 9:24 pm on 26 March Forearm not detected new chief executive Andrew Haines this year at Bushey station. The door design requires the female edge began work and their route directors have Having got her forearm trapped in the door sensitivity to switch off before it meets the male delegated powers which will include safety of a departing train, a passenger was forced to edge which stays active until the door is closed Iresponsibilities. If it does little else, the walk and then run alongside the train before and locked. timetabling muddle has ensured our railways it was brought to a halt having travelled 27 RAIB’s report notes that they previously were on the agendas for this year’s round of metres and reached a speed of 9 mph. The found that the door system involved can be political party conferences and may well lead conductor initiated the emergency brake detected as closed and locked with an object to further organisational changes. application. the size of a forearm or wrist trapped in its The increasing use of rail-based systems of The train was the 8:59 pm Tring to Euston doors! In particular they quote the incident that transport is to be welcomed, but we remain West service consisting of two four-car Class happened at Newcastle Central station (Report lacking in ensuring safe and consistent 350 EMUs. The driver used the emergency 19/2014). standards are applied. brake plunger when he heard passengers Air systems like those involved at Newcastle Last month near misses dominated. shouting “stop”. and Bushey have now been superseded by electrically operated ones which either omit or are less dependent on sensitive edges. The passenger was rushing for the train and put her forearm between the closing doors expecting them to reopen as lift doors do.
Trapped by the doors on the Central line RAIB’s report 14/2018 refers to a dreadful incident that happened around 4 pm on 31 January this year at Nottinghill Gate station on the westbound side of the Central line Underground station. The elderly passenger was trapped by the closing door as she attempted to board the train when the doors were closing. She was dragged 75 metres along the platform and into the tunnel. She suffered Adult male wrist, approximately 45mm by 70mm, trapped in a Class 185 door (of similar serious injuries and was hospitalised for around design to B Class 350 door) detected as closed and locked. a month as a result. Her bag had been trapped
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IN THE TRAIN OR TRAM DOORS!
Image from station security camera (left) and RAIB reconstruction (right) showing the bag trapped in the doors.
saw a group of people close to the rearmost set of doors who he believed did not intend to board his tram. The passenger who became trapped was part of that group! The door design system ensures automatic re-opening if objects at least 30 mm thick are detected. In response to RAIB, on 9 February Metrolink issued a safety brief to all its drivers. Each inside the doors whilst her wrist initiated. The lady expected Trapped by the doors one was “verbally briefed face- was in its handle. the doors to stay open longer. Manchester Metrolink to-face and given a copy of the The report says that the in-cab When they started to close as RAIB has published its report briefing document”. TV monitor view did not assist the she approached, she swung her 08/2018 on the passenger who The report lists similar incidents train operator in detecting that bag ahead of her and it became was trapped in tram doors in Bury at Wellesley Road Croydon in a passenger was trapped in the trapped just below its handles. Greater Manchester at 1:33 pm on June 2007; and Radford Road doors, adding “he relied on other She fell as the train moved off 30 May this year. Nottingham December 2017 (see cues to depart rather than making and was dragged along; after ten His hand became trapped in a below). a thorough check of the in-cab seconds the train had moved 56 pair of closed and locked doors CCTV monitor”. metres and another passenger and the tram travelled about 15 Pushchair trapped by the had activated the emergency metres before being stopped by door Doors open for nine alarm. The emergency brake its driver reaching a speed of just RAIB’s report on this one seconds! was used by the operator and 6 mph. He remained on his feet (15/2018) was also published last The 78-year-old lady, resident of the train detected a partial door throughout. As the doors were month but the incident occurred Shepherds Bush who was trapped opening in its fifth carriage. The closing, he put his hand between on 15 December last year. Around and injured was a regular traveller. passenger was separated from them and it became trapped when 1:29 pm an empty pushchair She was carrying a canvas tote- her bag as she entered the they closed. became trapped outside a set style bag containing books and tunnel. The tram driver had checked of closed and locked tram doors her personal belongings. She came to rest about 15 that the green “doors closed” at Radford Road tram stop in The train doors were open metres inside the tunnel and it in-cab light was showing. Before Nottingham. for just nine seconds before took the emergency services he set off he made a visual check The pushchair’s plastic rain the closing sequence was about an hour to rescue her. of his in-cab CCTV monitor and cover was trapped in the closing
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doors. The tram driver was unaware, despite the trapped pushchair showing on a monitor in his cab, and drove on to the next tram stop, Hyson Green, some 400 metres away. No one was injured but the pushchair was destroyed by being crushed between the tram and a high kerb as the tram travelled on. A family group were travelling with the mother carrying an infant. The mother pushed the pushchair through the closing doors because one of the travel officers checking tickets did not ensure that the whole family were able to get off the tram together. Objects thicker than 10 mm are detected by the door system but the rain cover was only 6 mm thick (pictured right). When an object is detected the system re-opens the doors and will do so up to three times, and they will then remain open. The report says that the CCTV coverage on the Citadis trams had been modified in a way which reduced the likelihood of the driver seeing the pushchair. There were three Tram over-speeding in Sheffield markers. Now a “step down” 20 mph restriction trained travel officers on the tram none of RAIB Safety Digest 10/2018 published on 100 metres before the curve has been put in whom used their handheld radios to make an 28 September refers to a 3:58 pm incident place. emergency call. on Sheffield Supertram that happened on 19 The tram doors are swing/plug type, four on July this year. A tram entered the tight curve each side. Their leaves are activated by vertical Lady’s dog “Jonty” dragged and approaching Middlewood Terminus at 23 mph; rotating shafts, top connected by a ball joint. killed at Boreham Wood the permitted speed is 10 mph. When the passenger was thrown against them Press reports describe the sad event that Having realised he was going too fast, the ball joint/shaft connection failed leaving the happened at 2:05 pm on 11 September. A the driver applied the emergency brake door leaf free to open. Following this incident disabled retired nurse aged 75 years lost her and stopped. Due to “excessive lateral Stagecoach Supertram started to check the 8-year old Shih Tzu pet dog “Jonty” when his accelerations” a passenger was thrown over condition of all ball joint door fittings. lead got caught in a train’s closing doors. The and fell into the tram’s external doors. Then dog was dragged along and into the tunnel and impact resulted in a door system component Standards and door gap detection died as a result. It happened at Boreham Wood failure and the door partially opened. The There are clearly differences in the station. The dog’s owner had been struggling passenger was injured. specifications if not the standards applied to the to join the train with her walker, luggage and the The advice says that under different growing number of train and tram systems we dog. The RAIB has opened an investigation into circumstances the passenger could have been have across Britain. RAIB’s reports and digests the incident. ejected through an open door. At least one are thorough and detailed in a way we have A week later a blind woman became other passenger suffered a minor injury. come to expect. separated from her guide dog on the Northern The incidents summarised this month confirm line London Underground at King’s Cross when Supertram door fittings being that the general belief held by the travelling the Tube train doors closed on her guide dog’s checked public is that the automatic doors on trains and lead. The dog was on the train, but his mistress Trams and road vehicles in Sheffield share trams will spring open just as lift doors in public was still on the platform holding its lead. Middlewood Road where both are restricted areas do when a hand, arm or bag gets in the Thankfully another passenger snatched the to 30 mph. On the approach to Middlewood way of their closing. lead from her so she was not dragged. Then Terminus trams go through a reverse curve and Not only is this not true, but the detection station staff were alerted and her guide dog into a holding area. (pictured below) gap minimum widths quoted in these few was taken off at the next station and reunited The tram driver “lost awareness” of where examples vary widely! Clearly there is work for with her after just half an hour. the tram was. There is a reminder sign at the the incoming new chief executive of the ORR to start of the curve but there were no advance do. Improving safety and bringing a degree of consistency to our growing network needs to be high on the safety agenda, alongside raising the general travelling public’s awareness of the working of automatic door systems! My own memories of organisational change within the railway are of the breaking up of established networking groups and the subsequent delays and frustrations as new contacts were established within the organisation and management. It then takes time for effective working relationships to be established. Whatever befalls, safety still needs to be improved as will be discussed at this year’s Safety Summit on 1 November. Photos and diagrams courtesy of RAIB / Crown Copyright
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30 EVENTS RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018 THE UK AT
WORLD PREMIERES InnoTransransport secretary Chris Grayling led the charge as UK rail companies went in search of new international For others, the show was less opportunities at InnoTrans. The Railway Industry Association about announcing new deals (RIA) struck up strategic partnerships with booming markets and more about presenting abroad and businesses big and small secured new leads. world premieres. Swiss train On a tour of some of the UK businesses that were maker Stadler was one of the looking to export their products and services, Chris busiest, showcasing no less than
Grayling was present to witness both Network Rail and seven new trains. This includes © Paul Bigland Belgium’s infrastructure manager, Infrabel, putting pen to new FLIRT trains for Greater paper on rail supply contracts with British Steel. Anglia and one of Stadler and “British Steel is seen worldwide as the best to put on railway lines, delivery partner Ansaldo STS’s the highest quality, the most innovative and it’s been great to see the underground trains (right) for the Tcurrent management really taking the business forward,” said Grayling, Glasgow Subway. who added it was a pleasure to support one of the best – “if not the Operating within the confines best” – and most consistent suppliers to the UK’s railways. of original Victorian tunnels that have a 3.4m diameter has MESSE BERLIN represented a challenge (For Around 120 UK companies were showcased at the Messe Berlin reference, Crossrail tunnels have exhibition grounds, with many more joining the 160,000 visitors to a diameter of 6.2m), but so has the world’s largest rail industry trade show. From CRRC, Alstom, the unique 1.22mm track gauge, Bombardier, Siemens and Hitachi to Knorr-Bremse, Wabtec and which means it is only possible Progress Rail, the biggest global rail equipment suppliers were all to test the train on the Glasgow present. The biennial show, which was in its 12th year and ran from 18 Subway system. to 21 September, also welcomed a record 3,062 exhibitors, who came The 17 four-car sets - described from 61 different countries. by one German visitor as the Opportunities were seized by RIA, which announced a memorandum of most beautiful metro train understandings with the Malaysian Rail Industry Consortium as well as the he’s ever seen - are being OPPORTUNITIES AND Australasian Railway Association. Both countries are experiencing booms manufactured in Altenrhein, CHALLENGES in their respective rail markets and it is hoped the pacts will promote a Switzerland, and are set to enter Strathclyde Partnership for close working relationship between the suppliers of each country. service in 2019. Transport operations manager David Christie was on hand to © Paul Bigland talk about the impact that moving from partially automatic trains to unattended train operations will have on staff. While on the one hand it is exploring the option of sending maintenance engineers to Switzerland for two years to acquire the knowledge to be able to maintain the trains, it is also looking at how best to manage a decreasing need for drivers. He said: “The plan is that we won’t have drivers on trains in the future, but we will not be making people redundant. We will be looking at people who have reached the end of their worklife and want to retire.” Spread across 41 halls and 3,500m of railway tracks were countless innovations that promise to improve costs,
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© Paul Bigland
performance and safety. One to look out for is Porterbrook and the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education’s ‘HydroFlex’ train. Following on from the recent commencement of development work, the two have agreed to work together to create the UK’s first hydrogen-powered train. Although they face stiff competition from Alstom and Eversholt Rail to the achievement, the plan is to convert one of Porterbrook’s Class 319s and undertake test runs in summer 2019.
© Paul Bigland
THE B WORD partnerships with each other, and that I think is After four days of walking, talking and our vision for British companies post Brexit. exchanging business cards, InnoTrans came “We’ll be back here in two years’ time as to a close. a UK team supporting UK companies, you By the time of the next show in 2020, or will carry on going from strength to strength even the next major UK rail exhibition Railtex, throughout the world. Britain will have left the European Union. For “This is a moment of opportunity for the those that are worried about the impact Brexit rail industry. All around the world people will have on the rail industry Grayling had this are investing in public transport systems, message. both light rail and heavy rail because of the He said: “This show has businesses from pressure on their cities. This is not a market every corner of the globe working with that is going to shrink for you and you’ve got each other, selling to each other, forming some great products to make the best of it.”
FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.UK JANUARY 2019 JANUARY 2019 MARCH DECEMBER 2018 DECEMBER www.imeche.org/events RAIL 2019 ACCELERATE: 19th March London Bridge, Hilton Tower new.marketforce.eu.com/accelerate/ events/rail-conference/ YOUNG ENGINEERS YOUNG SEMINAR - IMECHE RAILWAY December TBC www.imeche.org/events - THE NEW P2 LOCOMOTIVE PRINCE OF WALES December 5th stafford www.imeche.org/events TICKETING TRANSPORT GLOBAL 29th January London www.imeche.org/events DIVISION ANNUAL RAILWAY LUNCH 1st March Grosvenor House Hotel, London NOVEMBER 2018 NOVEMBER RAILSTAFF AWARDS AWARDS RAILSTAFF 29th November The NEC, Birmingham www.railstaffawards.com RAIL SAFETY SUMMIT SUMMIT RAIL SAFETY 1st November Addleshaw Goddard, London www.railsummits.com THE BUILDING A RAILWAY HARD WAY 14th November Gloucester www.imeche.org/events RAIL ACCIDENT BRANCH INVESTIGATION 21st November Aldershot www.imeche.org/events PROCUREMENT SUMMIT & DRINKS RECEPTION 22nd November Bird & Bird, London www.railsummits.com CONFERENCE CBTC ANNUAL 29th-30th November Toronto www.irse.org/events/ OCTOBER 2018 OCTOBER 30th October London www.imeche.org/events ENGINEERS AND YOUNG APPRENTICES RAILWAY SEMINAR 31st October - 1st November Northampton www.imeche.org/events INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON VEHICLE 2018AERODYNAMICS - 17th October 16th Birmingham www.rcea.org.uk CONFERENCE RFEM ANNUAL 18th October Derby Stadium, Pride Park www.midlandsrail.co.uk/events/ TRAIN IMECHE PLATFORM 2018 INTERFACES DELIVERYING THE ELIZABETHDELIVERYING FOR LINE AND THE OUTLOOK CROSSRAIL 2 11th October London www.www.westminsterforumprojects. co.uk/conference/completing-crossrail-18 RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018 OCTOBER RAILSTAFF EVENTS
RAILSTAFF AWARDS RAILSTAFF NEC, BIRMINGHAM 29TH NOVEMBER,
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eople can be frustratingly modest,” said Great Western Railway’s media Humbleand communications manager Richard Salkeld (pictured right). As someone whose job it is to show rail’s best side to “When I was asked if I’d be interested in hosting the awards it’s the outside world, prising out good news Heroessomething I was really keen to do,” said Richard. “I think the impact that stories from self-effacing staff can be a it can have is absolutely wonderful.” challenge, but it’s not for a lack of material. As well as the role it plays in recognising staff across the industry, Earlier this year, GWR was approached Richard believes the event will also be an opportunity for him to by the charity Make A Wish UK with a discover more stories of dedication and outstanding service within the “request to help a boy with a rare form of eye cancer fulfil industry. “As an enthusiastic champion of the railway, I enjoy meeting his dream of becoming a train driver. Staff at Paddington new people and helping celebrate achievements of those who are Pstation were more than happy to help and just a few delivering unbeatable service; ultimately helping to revalue rail in the months later he was on board one of the operator’s new hearts and minds of the public.” Class 800 units meeting passengers and checking tickets. The day wasn’t about creating positive publicity - OUR BIGGEST STRENGTH though our embattled train operators could use some. No Nominations have now closed for the RailStaff Awards 2018 and journalists were invited and there was no press release. individuals have the opportunity to vote for their favourite entries. But, overwhelmed at the lengths GWR’s staff had gone When the votes have been counted, an announcement will be made to, the family asked for the story to be shared across confirming this year’s finalists. the industry as a thank-you to those who helped make it Tom O’Connor, managing director of Rail Media, feels the awards is happen. playing a particularly important role for the industry in 2018. It was a powerful moment, said Richard, who will “The railways have plenty of positive things to talk about. Passenger be hosting this year’s RailStaff Awards evening on 29 numbers continue to increase overall and the major improvements that November. have been talked about for the past few years are starting to show, but that’s not how passengers will remember 2018. WONDERFUL IMPACT “The timetabling issues in May have cast a shadow over the many Richard has seen numerous similar examples of good things that have happened this year and it can make us as an kindness, and modesty, since joining the industry five industry uneasy about dealing out praise where it’s due for fear it will years ago as a media and public relations manager on the be misinterpreted by passengers. East Coast route. Before taking up that role, he worked as “But while we shouldn’t ignore shortfalls in the system, we must a broadcast journalist for the BBC and ITV in North East continue to recognise its biggest strength - its people.” England. Transport stories came across his desk most days and when the opportunity came up it seemed like a To find details about how you could attend the 2018 RailStaff Awards, natural move to make. visit www.railstaffawards.com/event/2018/tickets
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- AWARD SPONSORS -
LIMITED NUMBER OF TABLES LEFT Staff Awards
THURSDAY THE NEC 29 NOVEMBER BIRMINGHAM 2018
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GUARDIANS 0F THE RAILWAY GREATER ANGLIA Over the course of the last year, the company has experienced a surge in the demand for its services. In September, Greater Anglia announced the introduction of extra Land Sheriffs to improve safety and security for passengers on trains. The train company’s head of customer service Neil Grabham said the Land Sheriffs, issues an Employee of the Month of which 30 now patrol East Anglia, “do a great job of award. In addition, for the last two deterring crime”. years, LeMay and the management The latest deployment of security personnel on team have handed out Life Saver intercity trains, predominantly from Norwich into Awards every time a member of London, is the first such dedicated on-board force, staff undertakes a potentially life- rather than on an ad-hoc basis. Crucially these are not saving intervention. Recipients of employed to fulfil the role of conductors or train guards both awards have their photo taken but to carry out safeguarding duties. which is posted online to celebrate Life-saving interventions are another big part of their achievements. f you listen to speeches from industry Land Sheriffs’ work. So far this year, specially trained Last year, security officers Tek figureheads, we are often reminded that personnel have made 34 potentially life-saving Malla and Purna Gurung achieved passenger journeys on the railways have interventions across the company. what LeMay described as “the more than doubled in the past 20 years, LeMay said: “We’ve been more actively involved in next level of recognition” when and for good reason. Higher demands on a safeguarding role around wellbeing and the safety of they took home the Samaritans a railway that was largely built during the our customers’ frontline staff. Workplace violence and Lifesaver Award at the RailStaff Victorian era has led to the need for big problems with antisocial behaviour seem to be on the Awards. The duo dedicated the win capacity-enhancing projects to alleviate some increase. to the whole Land Sheriffs team of the network’s stresses and strains. “There seems to be a general trend across all crime and have since proudly put their However, capacity isn’t the only issue for statistics at the moment. We’ve been much more awards on display at home. the crowded network, as Land Sheriffs managing focused and relied upon to deal with helping with the “It was great for the whole team, director Tyler LeMay explains. safeguarding of passengers, commuters and frontline from management who deliver I“A general increase in people using the railway staff, gateline staff, station staff and obviously staff on the training right through the unfortunately brings with it more trouble. More trains as well.” organisation to the teams that Tek efforts are needed so that it is policed not only and Purna work with. I think it was by the BTP but via companies like us that bring RECOGNITION nice for them to feel recognised,” an element of safeguarding for employees and The type of work Land Sheriffs are tasked with said LeMay. customers.” means that it can often be a stressful job, and the “Across the industry there are The professional security firm works with the rail company has systems in place to ensure staff are lots and lots of people each day industry in the south east to provide a reassuring monitored and have access to support should they saving lives, so to be recognised presence on-board trains and on station platforms, need it. by industry and by the judging to deal with anti-social behaviour and enforce Part of the wider support includes recognising hard panel as the two that they see as railway bylaws. work and when staff do something extraordinary. Every the best of the best was really big month, Land Sheriffs, which is a living wage employer, for them.”
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RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018 RAILSTAFF AWARDS 37
0F THE RAILWAY
LESS THAN TWO MONTHS TO GO For this year’s RailStaff Awards, Land Sheriffs will not only be taking members of its 150-strong workforce to the ceremony on 29 November, but it is also sponsoring the Charitable Person or Team of the Year category. LeMay said: “It’s not about the size of the project or the amount of money they have raised, it’s what effort the individual person has put in in order to achieve whatever they’ve set out to do. We’re quite big on charitable giving and community engagement, so it was nice to be able to choose an award that we believe is very important and to help give something back to the community.” He added: “The great thing about these awards, hence the name, is it brings the staff to the fore. There are lots of big business and corporate ones, and it’s great for businesses to be recognised, but every big business is built on good people and it’s important they are recognised. “The RailStaff Awards does a fantastic job of bringing people from all over the country together for a celebration right across the industry.”
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PEOPLE
AREP5 has been a challenging controlOUR Recognising the company’s fantasticFUTURE talent, and period for the whole rail industry; as part of its engagement and retention drive, telent however, through collaboration, has an internal ‘Thanks Awards’ scheme, where developing relationships with employees can nominate colleagues they feel new customers, and investing in have gone above and beyond, whether within R&D, technology and people, telent design, project management or out in the field - be it has been involved in a number of project performance or safety based. “At what could be regarded exciting projects delivering and The nomination is reviewed by senior as a challenging time for the maintaining railway communications management and is then communicated throughout rail industry in terms of criticism systems nationally. the organisation via regular newsletters, intranet and of its performance, this year’s Working on high-profile projects, such as exec roadshows, recognising the individual and/or RailStaff Awards is really a great Crossrail, Wessex SISS renewals, BASRE, National team whilst sharing knowledge. opportunity to recognise those CPower SCADA, RETB in Scotland and TfL’s ‘Hello Steve added: “The levels of dedication and individuals and teams who have London’, telent has utilised these opportunities commitment of those working not only within telent gone above and beyond to to develop its workforce, creating delivery teams but the whole rail industry is incredible. When you keep our railway running safely, made up of a blend of our experienced employees, speak to people about what they do, they genuinely which is why telent is particularly graduates and apprentices to encourage do not realise the extraordinary efforts they put in for proud to be one of this year’s knowledge sharing and to bridge the skills gap telent, the railway and our customers. sponsors.” needed for the start of CP6 and beyond.
RECORD NUMBER OF GRADUATES Understanding the importance of talent and the skills needed to deliver the expected work bank for CP6, we have invested heavily in our workforce over the last two years, taking on record numbers of graduates and apprentices, and we are the first in the industry to offer a rail- specific cyber security apprenticeship scheme. “We have a diverse workforce at telent, and we are committed to developing each and every person, whether it be via formal training or through working alongside colleagues to gain knowledge and experience, said Steve Dalton, telent’s managing director for transport. “We are a people business and understand that we are only as good as our workforce which is why it is important to not only provide training but to recognise and share the contribution each person makes to encourage continual development.”
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RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018 RAILSTAFF AWARDS 39
PEOPLE ARE OUR FUTURE
Innovate Collaborate PERFECT SENSE Integrate With so many people at telent starting their careers in the railway and working their way up through the ranks as did their CEO Mark Plato, combined with telent’s commitment to mentoring and training the next generation, meant that for Steve sponsoring the RailStaff Awards’ ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ “made perfect sense”. “It is so important to celebrate and recognise those who have dedicated their working life to a career in rail,” said Steve. Looking ahead to CP6, telent is very positive about Network Rail’s plans and the government’s financial support for the UK rail industry, in particular the aspirations and commitment for the Digital Railway programme roll-out and for the ‘Connected Corridor’ (5G & Wi-Fi) now becoming a reality. By deploying its proven technical capability, consistently developing t 0800 783 7761 e [email protected] our talent to meet the evolving industry requirements and through
collaborative relationships with innovative partners, telent is already www.telent.com @telent_UK linkedin.com/company/telent well-positioned for CP6, and ready to support these exciting, high- profile and game-changing plans.
FACEBOOK.COM/THERAILSTAFFAWARDS | @RAILSTAFFAWARDS | RAILSTAFFAWARDS.COM 40 COMPANY FOCUS RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018 HEALTH AND WELLBEING A Better, Safer A HOLISTIC APPROACH Railway REPORT BY NIAMH MCMAHON, HEALTH AND WELLBEING SPECIALIST, RSSB
t RSSB the topic health, lessons unlearned” mechanism that influences of employee based on scientific evidence both our physical health and health and of the bidirectional relationship mental health”. People who are wellbeing in the of mental illnesses, in particular exposed to persistent stressors rail industry is anxiety and depression, and and adversity tend to have the not a new one physical health outcomes. thermostat permanently set a bit but it has gained In 2010, another study was higher. It is thought that persistent increasing published from the Institute of inflammation in turn increases the attention in the Psychiatry on the relationship risk of various mental and physical past few years. between mental and physical illnesses. Employers in all industries can health which concluded that As well as triggering an immune no longer afford to ignore the many chronic illnesses cause response, psychological distress Abenefits of investing in the health higher depression rates but also triggers our fight and flight and wellbeing of their staff. that depression often precedes response. Distress activates a part Across our members, we have the onset of chronic illness. of our brain, called the amygdala, a huge variety of employee roles which prepares our inner caveman and positions to consider from THE PHYSIOLOGY OF to either fight the threat or run desk-based office workers to the DISTRESS away from the danger. site staff working on the tracks Our immune system is like a Physical responses include across a variety of shifts, day and thermostat. Most of the time it is the release of hormones such as night. No matter what the role, turned down, but the gauge rises adrenaline and cortisol, which is we know employee wellbeing when we have an infection or why our heart beats more quickly needs to be considered and experience psychological distress. and our body may become tense, addressed. Our bodies can respond in similar ready for action. In the short-term, Evidence suggests that taking ways to both mental and physical these changes help us cope, a holistic behavioural change stressors. Inflammation is a normal however the problem comes approach to individual health and and healthy part of the immune when the stressor is persistent. wellbeing is key to long-term and response. It plays an important No one needs a sustained stream sabretooth tigers but less sense if sustainable changes. In 2013, role in healing wounds and of cortisol and adrenaline to their you are deskbound in an office. the World Health Organisation defending against foreign bodies. hearts. When we feel particularly published an article entitled “No According to Prof Peter Jones, Of course, if you suffer from low, whatever the reason, we physical health without mental “inflammation may be a common physical ill health, chronic may find ourselves wanting inflammation (arthritis, psoriasis, to withdraw from the world. Irritable Bowel Disease, etc.) the Withdrawing would help make body’s stress response is likely sure cavemen avoided further to make it more challenging to harm, but in the modern world maintain good mental health. For it can mean losing touch the many people who struggle with the things that give you with both poor mental and pleasure or natural pain relief, physical health, it can feel a bit such as exercise. The action of chicken and egg. withdrawing is thus causing more harm than good. THE BEHAVIOURAL Distress can lead us to RESPONSE TO unhealthy lifestyle behaviours, DISTRESS while in turn, the unhealthy behaviours can increase our We all respond to distress risk of poor physical health. differently. Cortisol, our stress This means people can often hormone, can increase appetite feel trapped in a vicious cycle. which instructs your body to The good news is that because absorb high energy foods. there’s so many factors involved, This makes sense if you are we have lots of potential points a caveman regularly battling for intervention.
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RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018 COMPANY FOCUS 41 HEALTH AND WELLBEING
WORKING WITH OUR BODIES IN CONTEXT In order to take a holistic approach to health and wellbeing in rail, we must therefore consider all aspects of an individual’s health and wellbeing. Our bodies are complex machines and the brain and body interact with the environment. For example, if you decided you wanted to lose weight and started to exercise every day but your diet was very poor and full of junk food with little nutrient value then you are highly unlikely to get the long-term results you want. Likewise if someone suffers from anxiety they might start meditating but if they have a poor diet and are physically inactive again long-term results are less likely. An overall healthy balanced lifestyle is key, avoiding extremes and understanding what we need. WHAT ARE WE DOING AT RSSB? There has been a lot of great information available in the rail It is an exciting time for health and wellbeing in rail. The health and industry about nutrition, mental health, fatigue and the benefits of wellbeing team at RSSB has recently expanded to cover employee exercise for quite some time now and a lot of our members are doing wellbeing, mental health and occupational health. As a team we have great work in this field, but health and wellbeing is both a cultural a passion for making positive change, and our aim is to work closely and an individual issue and therefore needs to be addressed from together with our members and stakeholders to achieve significant various angles. We know that forcing information has little to no long- and consistent results in all aspects of physical and mental health and term affect and can often create resentment and disengagement. wellbeing in the rail industry. Everyone has their own story, their own level of knowledge, their own We have newly established a cross-industry Healthy Behaviours health experiences and values. All these factors contribute to what Subgroup and Mental Wellbeing Subgroup which is committed to will work for them. One shoe does not fit all. improving holistic health and wellbeing in the industry. These groups Understanding the synergistic relationship between our mental feed into the Industry Health and Wellbeing Policy Group. Together we and physical health and that everyone has different needs is key to all want to drive positive change. moving forward and hopefully achieving positive outcomes in this To find out more about the work RSSB is doing in this area, go to field. www.rssb.co.uk/Pages/health-and-wellbeing.aspx
FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.UK 42 COMPANY FOCUS RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018 VITAL INTERVENTION
elays and cancellations on the line due to unauthorised access especially from those contemplating suicide are all too common. Fatalities are another troubling reality for staff on the front line, with 273 suicides or suspected suicides on the railway throughout D2016-17. This figure could well have been much higher were it not for the EYES AND EARS vigilance of railway staff and police The primary role of the patrollers officers across the network. is to identify unauthorised access, Around 18 months ago, Vital was especially to prevent suicide, approached by Network Rail to help that could affect the operational identify and address the costly root running of the railway. Travelling in causes of disruption on the LNE and teams of two, they ensure access East Midlands route. As the primary gates and the boundary line are supplier of contingent labour, Vital took secure, carrying out minor repairs on the responsibility, hiring 12 new if needs be. But they are also there trespass and vandalism patrollers as to act as a visual deterrent ready to part of a trial scheme to support the intervene and feed back important efforts of Network Rail, train operators intelligence to Network Rail and and the British Transport Police (BTP). the BTP. The trial has proven successful. In Patrollers log in with Network 2017/18, the Thameslink area reported Rail control at the beginning of a 53 per cent reduction in suicides each shift and are despatched to off the back of Operation Regatta - a reported unauthorised access. joint Network Rail/BTP/TOC operation They also spend time on station of which Vital formed the backbone. platforms, handing out cards Over the course of a year, Vital with contact details for BTP patrollers spent 157,680 hours out and Samaritans to encourage on the network and contributed to a passengers to report anything of significant number of the more than 50 concern. lifesaving interventions reported. The patrollers also take an Network Rail recently extended the active role with the travelling scheme for the next five years, with public. Vital has said that since 40 patrollers now deployed along the the start of the trial programme route. its patrollers have been involved “For me, over and above everything in a large number of potentially else, it all comes down to making life-saving interventions. Every everything safe,” said Sonia Andrews, patroller receives Samaritans the business operations manager for training, explains Sonia, to make Vital’s rail division. “The public need to sure they have the skills to be safe but those who are working on sensitively approach members the rail or travelling on trains need to of the public who may be be safe equally.” considering ending their own lives.
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RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018 COMPANY FOCUS 43
INTERVENTION
“Though they are there to intervene it’s more of a sensitive verbal exchange,” said Sonia. “If anything does start to move in an unsatisfactory way they will be straight on the phone to BTP control to advise them. If they ever feel threatened, if they can see that the situation has the potential to escalate, the BTP are only a phone call away.” There’s also additional responsibility on senior managers and supervisors to support their staff, particularly following traumatic incidents. Training is provided by Vital to its management so they are able to offer appropriate support and counselling if required. Sonia added: “Who knows what’s ahead of us. I don’t know the situations the patrollers are going to encounter and my patrollers need to know that I’m able to support them and that Vital as a business are there to support. We do have that mechanism in place.“
MAKE THAT CHANGE Vital was selected based on extensive experience of providing safety critical roles to the rail industry with patrollers that are all COSS competent and knowledgable about the risks railways pose. They also know the routes they are patrolling. Some have been working in the Last year, one of Vital’s patrollers, Iman Masoud, was involved in industry for almost 30 years, but experience isn’t the only quality that an intervention at New Southgate station. Iman spoke to a member Vital looks for in its patrollers. of the public who appeared to be in distress while a colleague “I need something else. I need to see that spark,” said Sonia. “I need contacted the BTP and had all passing trains stopped. He was to see that eagerness to make that change to really give something rewarded for his actions by attending a suicide prevention event at back, ultimately to society, which is exactly what this is doing.” the Houses of Parliament for this and two other lives he saved. She added: “I need them to be empathetic, caring, understanding, Sonia said: “That’s how high-profile this whole contract can be very self motivated because, at times, potentially they may be because the realism is all of the interventions, no matter how small travelling around and performing quite mundane tasks but equally they may appear, when others may not notice the most vulnerable of important such as checking access gates time and time again, but society, our patrollers are there reaching out trying to engage, trying to in a different space I need them to have strong relationship building communicate, that really does make a difference and, as a result, it is capabilities because for this to be able to work, it’s all about working very much acknowledged at a very high level.” in partnership. “They’re not isolated, they’re not just working with the British SUPPORT MECHANISM Transport Police, they’re representing Vital, Network Rail and the wider While patrollers are encouraged to actively approach and provide rail collaboration, so they have to build those relationships with the support, encountering people who may have accessed the railway to station managers, with the mobile operations managers, with all of the do themselves harm can be a potentially dangerous activity. BTP officers, with the public as well.”
FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.UK 44 COMPANY FOCUS RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018 HAS HEALTH & SAFETY HAD ITS DAY? REPORT BY PETE SCHOFIELD, FORD & STANLEY CHAIRMAN
hen we’re running Whether we like it or not, health and safety our leadership (H&S) appears to be more interesting to development people who have it in their job title than workshops, we like to people who have responsibility for ensuring generate passionate that it is a way of life. discussion within Unfortunately for too many people H&S still the group so pose has connotations of either red tape or extra questions that energise work and hassle. Even to people who should people and divide innately understand its importance. opinion. There’s one Is it time to give H&S a makeover? How do question almost guaranteed to work: “Does we actually get people excited about H&S? health and safety take a back seat when it Wcomes to maximising the performance of your BOTTOM LINE company?” As with any attempt to communicate, we Usually some individuals argue that ‘safety need to talk in a way that appeals to those we first’ is paramount in all situations. On the are trying to influence - and there are some With the minimum cost of a derailment to other hand other people, especially those very compelling arguments for those charged the business being reported to us as £1 million, responsible for hitting targets, often state a with the performance of your organisation, to how many paying passengers would have to different, more cynical view. take as much notice of the opportunities as be carried to generate the profit to put that Other people argue that individuals who those involved in health and safety. £1 million back on the bottom line? carry performance targets have a tendency Take the recent example of the train driver If we could offer the person in charge of to cut corners and do whatever needs to be who went through a red light and derailed organisational performance at that company done, regardless sometimes of the inherent due to being distracted by using their mobile an initiative guaranteed to create a safer risks this represents. phone – despite attending a H&S briefing on environment and generate an additional The fact that we hear this argument play that very subject not 30 minutes prior to the £1 million in profit, do you believe there’s a out so often it shouldn’t come as a surprise. crash! fair chance they might sit up and take a keen interest? © iStockphoto.com Part of what we do at Genius Performance is deal with the personal challenges that are getting in the way of our employees performing at their best and/or distracting them from carrying out their work in a safe manner. We call this part of our business ‘Performance Transformation’ and it’s all about maximising the wellbeing of employees, helping individuals feel better about what they do by feeling better about themselves, so they can be ‘in the moment’ whilst at work and not distracted by other things. We developed Performance Transformation because we recognised that, given the pressure of life today, anyone at some point in their career could encounter overwhelming or challenging circumstances. Many actually do and this is estimated to be costing UK industry 90 million workdays per year. (See if the performance analysts in your business can quantify the upside of a remedy to this kind of KPI!)
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RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018 COMPANY FOCUS 45 HEALTH & SAFETY
© iStockphoto.com
Whatever the cause, the procedures intended to prevent benefit of investing in the sort of accident or injury in workplaces employee support that is valued or public environments.’ by the workforce (as opposed Is it that surprising that people to simply ticking a box for the aren’t getting too excited about it? employer) and seeking to quickly What about if we said goodbye to remedy whatever issue is getting H&S and said hello ‘HSP’? in the way for the individual can be substantial. The payback to AND WHAT IS HSP? the employer can be quantified in ‘Healthy, Safe Performance’. many ways, as described by the With the inclusion of the company where we first piloted word performance, H&S Performance Transformation appeals directly to those with almost a decade ago. performance targets and bottom “We’re getting about a line responsibility, which in 10-times payback. Our people today’s world is a rapidly growing are here more, they are happier, and highly influential audience. healthier and contributing more. Unlike H&S, HSP promotes We’ve improved our retention, the mutually beneficial link improved our employer brand, between H&S and performance. improved our health and It makes the point that they’re safety performance and we’re complementary, not conflicting collectively more productive as goals. a result.” We live in an image driven Sometimes the cause is colleagues, loss of confidence, What can this teach us about world where perception matters. something at work. Other times focus or motivation. the way H&S presents itself? Is If you want people on board with it may be something outside of Personal issues could it time to present H&S in a new you, you have to speak their work. The truth is it doesn’t really be derived from any event way that resonates with people language. It’s no good trying to matter as either way it affects or experience, including who don’t have health and safety sell people what they ‘need’, our work performance and trauma, family relationships, in their job title? you have to sell them what they poses potential safety risks if not bereavement, depression, Have you gone online and ‘want’. addressed. anxiety, phobias, pain control, searched for a definition of H&S To find out more about how Work issues include areas obsessive compulsive disorders, recently because it’s a revealing Genius Performance is promoting like stress, managing workload, loss of life/career purpose or experience. Here’s a typical healthy, safe performance visit: relationships with customers or debilitating habits and beliefs. definition: ‘Regulations and www.geniusperformance.com
FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF | @RAIL_STAFF | RAILSTAFF.UK 46 YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018
PROFESSIONALS YOUNGMEET THE RAIL EXECUTIVE TEAM JACK THOMPSON, NATIONAL EXTERNAL RELATIONS MANAGER
or a long time, I’ve known that rail was the industry for me. The signs were always there - even as a kid my trainsets were overly elaborate (a clear tell-tale sign). I went to the University of Surrey in 2011 to study civil engineering where I took every optional transport module offered. My dissertation was even on rail demand forecasting and from that I realised that transport planning would be my way into the industry. I joined Transport for London’s graduate scheme after graduating, completing placements in buses, interchanges and finally Crossrail 2 where I stayed for over two and a half years. I was highly impressed by the energy within the industry, Fso many professionals each working to improve a world they were so passionate about. The scale of projects within UK rail was also so immense and beyond anything I could have imagined before joining. © iStockphoto.com Since April 2018, I’ve moved across into consultancy firm GHD, where I’ve gained exposure to a broad range of incredible projects all across Ashraf Nsubuga PASSIONATE the country. West Midlands Chairman VOLUNTEERS I work as a systems engineer It’s a bit of a cliché but no day INCREDIBLE EVENTS for Siemens based in Ashby de is the same. As we are in the test I’ve been keeping busy in my spare time, completing an MSc in la Zouch and my department - phase, my day-to-day activities transport and city planning in 2017, and afterwards commencing work Systems Delivery - are responsible may include meeting with the towards a PhD in transport from ITS. My research is attempting to for delivering communication and team to discuss progress and identify how the rail industry has become more successful at making control systems for numerous current priorities; answering client the case for investment over the last two decades - something I hope national and international clients queries and ensuring compliance to apply to my day-to-day work. including Network Rail. My job with requirements; assisting the I attended my first YRP event in October 2014 titled “Leadership in involves activities across the full test team in the lab and resolving Major Projects”. I was amazed that young professionals starting out spectrum of the project lifecycle issues that arise during testing. their careers were able to put together including requirements, design, I’m also involved in various other such incredible events. build, testing and commissioning. ad-hoc jobs for projects including That in itself significantly I joined Siemens in 2014, from Old Oak Common depot and motivated me in my the banking industry where I Cathcart ECR Upgrade. I’ve really day-to-day work. I joined was a software engineer since enjoyed opportunities to go out YRP’s London & South graduation two years prior to to site at substations and control East committee in 2017 that. I am currently working on rooms to install and test our before moving over to the Riyadh Metro project. The kit and work with our interface the National Committee deliverables in our work package partners when integrating our as external relations include: Passenger Information kit into a wider communications manager earlier System (PIS) and Public Address system. in 2018. It’s been System (PAS) for providing I first heard about the YRP excellent contributing customer announcements visually when my manager invited me to the success of and orally to customers around the to attend the Annual Black Tie this organisation station; and RailCom Manager – Dinner in 2015. What I saw was which, ultimately, is our integrated supervisory control an organisation that was run by entirely dependent and data acquisition (SCADA) passionate volunteers working on the help of its system for monitoring and in different capacities in the volunteers and controlling various subsystems industry, putting on networking support provided by around the station environment and professional development its corporate such as CCTV cameras and activities for their members. It members. displays. was great to hear the speeches
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RAILSTAFF OCTOBER 2018 YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS 47
JOIN US
from experienced guests within entered work. The exposure and the industry and see young responsibility that I have been people being rewarded for their afforded working voluntarily work and going the extra mile. for YRP has greatly impacted Following this, I joined initially my career. I have met senior YOUNG RAIL PROFESSIONALS as an Ambassador doing school people from across the industry engagements on behalf of YRP, at conferences and seminars MEMBERSHIP I followed this up by becoming as well as worked with people network and development outside of my organisation who manager to put on social share the same experiences and Young Rail Professionals promote, inspire and develop the activities and learning events for ambitions as me. YRP gives me careers of young people in the rail industry. Membership our members, and this year I was the opportunity to gain insights is free and entitles you to attend our annual black tie elected as regional chair in the into what is happening in the dinner, seminars and be part of the fastest growing online rail community. West Midlands. wider industry and what we can www.YoungRailPro.com look forward to as we develop What do you enjoy our careers. I have a really about YRP? good team both in the region YOUNG RAIL I have always been keen and nationally without whom PROFESSIONALS on volunteering since I started we wouldn’t be able to do the doing mentoring at university good work we’ve done for our which I continued to do when I membership.
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RAILSTAFF.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF LOOKING FOR A CAREER IN THE TECHNOLOGICAL AGE
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SHAPING A BETTER FUTURE, TOGETHER. It’s never been a more exciting time to work in SNC-Lavalin’s Atkins business. If you have experience working on track plant projects, find out how we can enhance your career.
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Train Crew Resource Planner
Freightliner Heavy Haul Location: Crewe/Ferrybridge
A vacancy has arisen for a Train Crew Resource Planner role within the Train Planning Unit. This key role is a part of a small team responsible for all aspects of Train Crew diagramming for UK Rail.
Essential experience and expertise: • Ability to quickly understand and interpret Freightliner Train Crew Conditions of service • Train planning systems – Voyager Plan • Knowledge of train planning timescales and deadlines • Ability to produce a plan that is both robust and economic • Knowledge of the timetable planning process including Part D of the Network Code Freightliner is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Please note that the company operates a strict drugs and alcohol policy.
If you’re interested in joining the Freightliner team, please send your application to: [email protected]
@RailFreight Freightliner Group Ltd Freightliner Group Ltd
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