Intelligent Rail Expertise from: n Amey n BCRRE n Siemens n SYSTRA n 3Squared

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Intelligent Rail

PAUL BIGLAND/RAIL. Welcome CONTENTS he UK rail sector is change is now required. Track and train facing a number of One such change is the closer integration Why AMEY supports Tmajor challenges of train operations with infrastructure 14greater integration. after a tumultuous year: management, in order that a ‘whole systems’ falling performance; poor approach can be better adopted to some of customer satisfaction; a the challenges. Such integration has the Bridge strikes network at capacity; and potential to generate major operational Transreport’s Internet of ongoing difficulties in efficiencies and passenger benefits. 18 Things technology. delivering enhancements while maintaining We also support current moves to Intelligent infrastructure powers current operations. There are calls from devolution of management and operational Data into action some quarters for ‘nationalisation’ and responsibilities, and would further suggest Intelligent rail solutions the world around us. Yet intelligent the Secretary of State has commissioned that such devolution should also support from SIEMENS. Practical a comprehensive review of franchising in closer integration of regional social and 12 interventions are nothing if not particular and the industry in general. economic policies with transport sector goals. rooted in practical thinking. Amey has a unique perspective of the This supplement explores some of these Rail adhesion industry - as a consultant, as an engineering issues and, we hope, contributes to the 3SQUARED’s innovative contractor, and more recently as an operator current debate within the industry. 14 answer to ‘leaves on the line’. Consulting That’s why at Amey Consulting; of services. We believe a great deal has been achieved over the past 25 years (not least a NICOLA HINDLE we ask better questions. doubling in passenger numbers and record Managing Director, Platform for change levels of safety) but that further, significant Consulting and Rail, Amey Introducing the Arrakis smart Who are we? 16communication suite. A team of 3,000 data specialists, EDITORIAL Future focus agile consultants, engineers and designers BCRRE’s thought leadership and Managing Editor: Nigel Harris We’ve nearly 100 years of heritage Assistant Editor: Richard Clinnick 18technological prowess. Contributing Writers: Paul Stephen, Over 100 areas of technical expertise Andrew Roden Production Editor: Mike Wright Sleeping giant Art Editor: Charles Wrigley How SMEs hold the key to To find out more visit: Sub-Editor: Richard Hampson 20unlocking the Rail Sector Deal. amey.co.uk/ameyconsulting Managing Director: Tim Lucas Tomorrow’s world ADVERTISING Account Director: Julie Howard SYSTRA’s guide to enhancing 22the passenger experience.

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FP_RAIL_394135id3809312.pdf 05.02.2019 15:39 ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE SPECIAL REPORT Produced by BRINGING TRACK AND TRAIN CLOSER TOGETHER n October 14 2018, a KeolisAmey infrastructure manager for some time, ever joint venture took over the running Amey’s Consulting and Rail Development since being part of the Tube Lines consortium of the Wales & Borders franchise in Director MARK BROWN tells RAIL (with Bechtel) that maintained and upgraded Oa deal that will run until 2033. three of London Underground’s deep Tube In addition to bringing much-needed why greater devolution and the closer lines (from 2003-2010). investment, extra services and new rolling “With DLR, Metrolink and now Wales & stock to this part of the network, the integration of train and infrastructure Borders, all of our operational experience management and operational arrangements of has been as an integrated operator and asset the franchise herald a swift departure from the operations should form the basis of manager, while we are also a key supplier previous model. to Network Rail - which has given us extra That is because responsibility for the future franchising insight into running services over a network procurement and management of the current that is close to capacity.” franchise has now been passed from Whitehall taken on infrastructure management on some July 2017), and the Docklands Light Railway According to Brown, the key to the successful current wider structure, but it will not achieve Arriva Trains Wales 150283 pauses at Cardiff to the Welsh Government. 124 miles of track from NR on behalf of TfW. (December 2014). running of two of the UK’s largest light rail improvements of the order of magnitude we’ve Queen Street on September 7 2018 with a Valley Meanwhile, TfW is due to assume control of The joint venture also helped TfW to develop Meanwhile, Amey has the added advantage networks rests in having joint accountability seen in the last 25 years. Something different Lines service to Barry Island. A KeolisAmey joint heavy rail infrastructure on the Valleys Lines its Metro plans, and will be responsible for of being one of the UK’s largest suppliers of rail and joint responsibility for the concessions it is now required to optimise the system as a venture took over the franchise in October 2018 from Network Rail in support of its plans for delivering and then operating the new system infrastructure and asset management services operates with Keolis on behalf of Transport for whole. which, unlike the previous franchise, was awarded by Transport for Wales under its “It’s still early doors with Wales & Borders a £1 billion South Wales Metro, which will after its expected completion date in 2022. in its own right, giving it an almost unique Greater Manchester and Transport for London. devolved powers. PAUL BIGLAND/RAIL. include a fleet of new tram-trains and at least KeolisAmey is no stranger to holding perspective of the benefits and challenges of The same applies to the Wales & Borders so we cannot claim any success yet, but we five new stations in a network of routes, both the joint role of asset manager and service bringing infrastructure and operational service franchise, although Brown admits it is far too have worked closely with TfW to develop a on and off-street, and centring on Cardiff operator, with the same partnership also management together. early to draw firm conclusions until the bulk solution, and something radical to transform a Brown says that he plans to supply evidence Central. taking on the management and operation Amey Consulting’s Development Director of KeolisAmey’s franchise commitments have rundown bit of the network. before the deadline at the end of May, which Transport for Wales Rail Services has also of both Manchester’s Metrolink network (in Mark Brown explains: “Amey has been an been delivered. “As a whole, all three (KeolisAmey-run) is likely to put forward the Wales & Border He describes it as an ‘emerging opportunity’, franchises can make a really strong case for franchise as a blueprint for an overhauled however, to demonstrate how heavy rail across bringing asset management and operations UK-wide franchising system. the UK can be more responsive to local needs closer together and devolving control away He stresses that the status quo must change, by transferring franchise decision-making from central government. We (and devolved or else the industry risks generating more closer to the point of delivery. transport authorities) all have a lot at stake, negative headlines like we saw last May, when Wales & Borders will pioneer this fresh and there are lessons being learned on taking infrastructure and train operators jointly failed approach, with the new franchise model a common approach, of which we are all to properly implement timetable changes on promising to transform the passenger confident of achieving.” various parts of the network. experience throughout the region and, in The future of franchising in the UK has With Wales & Borders, decentralising particular, the Valleys Lines, which passenger been included in the remit of the industry- franchise control away from central satisfaction surveys confirm to be among the wide rail review that is currently being led by government is already prompting a poorest scoring lines in Wales. former British Airways Chief Executive Keith willingness for devolved authorities to work In addition to delivering South Wales Metro, Williams. more closely with operational partners such KeolisAmey’s commitments include working in Commissioned by Secretary of State for as KeolisAmey to deliver innovation and partnership with TfW to spend £800 million on Transport Chris Grayling in September 2018, transformative change in rail services. new trains to boost capacity by 65%, with the it has been described as the most significant “We would encourage the review to look current fleet in Wales to be replaced by 2023. assessment of Britain’s railways since closely at the benefits of devolution and the By the end of 2023, there will also be a 29% privatisation in the mid-1990s. potential for securing the significant benefits increase in services each weekday across Wales A call for evidence was made by Williams in of much closer integration. (285 extra), while Sundays will be boosted by December in order to inform his conclusions “Amey recognises there are risks, but we 61% with an extra 294 trains. on the review’s principles, including new believe it is the right thing to do and the right All 247 stations in the franchise area will commercial models and organisational way to run an integrated system. Inter-city and be modernised in a £194m scheme; smart structures for the provision of services. multi-regional franchises might need a slightly ticketing is to be introduced and an extra 600 The terms of reference of the review different strategy, but the case is definitely staff recruited. also make explicit reference to increasing there for a more integrated approach on the Brown adds: “Most of the low hanging integration between track and train and rest of the network with more influential input fruit has now been taken in terms of boosting exploring options for the devolution of rail from devolved authorities. efficiency and passenger satisfaction in the powers. “The arguments against change and the excuses have been well rehearsed, but without change we will continue to spiral downwards The case is definitely there for into declining performance and customer a more integrated approach… with satisfaction, which might lead to a lack of investment and a cycle of decline for that Strongly advocated by Amey, the closer reason. integration of track and train operations more influential input from devolved “We need new hope, and I think devolution is also currently being examined by the authorities. Williams Review. AMEY. and integration are two key ingredients to Mark Brown, Development Director, Amey Consulting achieving that.” ■

4 5 ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE SPECIAL REPORT Produced by

Southern 377609 and 377701 pass Norwood as much cultural as they are technical, by Junction on January 22 with the 1050 making individuals at all levels understand Caterham-London Bridge. Using its asset data how they can utilise the information provided and operational expertise, Amey Strategic to them to establish their own performance, Consulting worked with Network Rail on a contribute to the bigger picture and deliver two-year project to improve performance right THE APPLIANCE better outcomes for passengers. across the South East route. ALEX DASI-SUTTON. He says: “It’s one thing to make data accessible to people in an organisation, such how trains were actually performing against as regression models, which you can then turn those metrics, and in which areas time was into a dashboard, but it usually only goes to OF DATA SCIENCE frequently being lost. executive staff. By taking live train movement data and “In order to change something as IAN GORDON and JON JARRITT of presenting it in a meaningful way to staff at fundamental as the timetable you have to all levels, Amey Strategic Consulting was able provide that information to people who might Amey Strategic Consulting, part to provide the Network Rail Route team and not even have an internet-connected device, staff employed by its primary train operating so you can make them understand how they of the Amey Consulting business, customers (Thameslink Govia Railway contribute to the running of the wider system and Southeastern) with a more tangible and therefore make a difference.” explain how effective data sharing, understanding of their performance against Jarritt adds: “In the South East there were their individual responsibilities, and also three different operators which didn’t quite information and analytics can be help them identify where there was room fit together and, even with very skilled for improvement - for example, more closely data analysts, it took a long time to analyse used to optimise network resources matching staffing levels with demand at anything. different times of the day. “It’s not realistic to say that artificial Jarritt explains: “We worked with NR on intelligence and data will be the silver bullets a busy part of the network that has lots of to solving everything, but we have shown that performance issues, to try and unpick them. you can educate people in more effective ways NR already had the ability to monitor every to act, and that the network requires support single train, but as an industry we’d never from lots of different people.” tried to draw that into one place and then Following the commencement of the ask what it meant in terms of our strategic Wales & Borders franchise last October by planning assumptions. a KeolisAmey joint venture, Amey Strategic “With the number of people now using the Consulting now finds itself consulting railway and the sheer lack of capacity that internally with other parts of the Amey Group now hampers it, we are being asked to solve to help support the delivery of the contract. problems at a level of complexity that never Combining the asset and operational spaces used to exist. It’s a huge challenge which has particular relevance to this franchise, requires a new approach, but we believe in which requires KeolisAmey to not only using data science and analytics to turn that operate main line services throughout Wales, into action as one of the key vectors to meet but to maintain infrastructure on the Valleys this challenge. Lines that has recently been transferred from “We’ve found that once you have discovered NR to devolved transport authority Transport patterns then you can try and solve the for Wales. problem - we don’t see many other people in With services running close to capacity the industry thinking like that and talking and ageing infrastructure and rolling stock about both infrastructure and operations in urgent need of investment, KeolisAmey together, in a fragmented industry that has is charged with improving performance in lots of contractual boundaries and is a difficult the short term while plans are developed for space to change.” the construction of a £5 billion South Wales With that project now at an end, Amey Metro, due to open in 2023. Strategic Consulting has helped NR to employ But despite the scale of the challenge, Jarritt ver the past 20 years, significant more reliable services and best value for integrated journeys will become increasingly generated by NR could be used to improve its own data analysis staff while working is confident that the holistic, data-driven progress has been made in money at a time of constrained capacity and - relevant as connected autonomous vehicles performance. with senior management to develop this new approach honed on NR’s South East route can understanding how the physical for rail at least - a rise in demand for services of begin appearing on our roads. It found that timetables were being capability, and to further integrate it within be deployed throughout Wales to transform Oassets that make up our transport more than 100% in the last two decades. In rail, the company has spent almost two produced based on assumptions regarding the complex structure of the rail industry the passenger experience. infrastructure behave over their lifecycles, and “A huge amount has been done in building years adopting this end-to-end approach with the time taken for trains to load and unload in order to continue to drive for further “Wales is a different beast (to the South how infrastructure managers like Network up asset management knowledge, from a Network Rail’s South East route in order to passengers, and to move between stations. performance improvements. East) really and we’re still at an early stage, Rail can get the most from them. theoretical standpoint,” says Jonathan Jarritt, develop a deep and data-driven understanding However, staff responsible for implementing According to Amey Strategic Consulting but we and Transport for Wales are learning Clearly, having improved engineering a partner at Amey Strategic Consulting. “This of how conflicting and congested timetables those timetables - including drivers, station Project Director Ian Gordon, the changes and supporting an asset management piece in knowledge is useful from an asset is all crucial in setting strategic goals over the interact with one another. staff and signallers - rarely had visibility on made within NR and its TOC-customers are Cardiff and elsewhere in Wales. management and whole-life-cost point of long term, but over the last two years our work Connecting London with Kent, Surrey, “We’re deeply embedded in a big and view, but that hasn’t always translated into has taken us into the operational field where Sussex and the continent, the South East route difficult contract, but we’ve spent a long time tangible benefits for transport operators and we have not previously seen it being applied.” is NR’s busiest and most congested in the We’re deeply embedded in a big getting ready for it and we want to tackle the travelling public. This has been demonstrated in highways, country, with around 5,000 trains running the hardest problems as they are also the Amey Strategic Consulting aims to provide where Amey Strategic Consulting has worked each day over 2,000 miles of track. and difficult contract, but we want to opportunities for making the biggest change. a bridge between these two distinct worlds of with a number of tech start-ups and research By taking a fresh and holistic view of asset tackle the hardest problems as they “There’s a lot to do there and we are asset management and operations, by using bodies to look at how readily recorded data management, operational management, train confident that we can make a big difference, its expertise in physical assets, deep asset relating to traffic flows can be used to deliver and station operation, and organisational are also the opportunities for making which is good for Wales but also Amey as management capability, advanced data science shorter travel times and a safer system. processes and business cultures across the a whole, because we are willing to hold and analytics. Meanwhile, understanding how the assets route, Amey Strategic Consulting began to the biggest change. ourselves to account, as well as providing This, it argues, will help its clients to offer themselves deliver safe, reliable and modally piece together how data that was already being Jon Jarritt, Partner, Amey Strategic Consulting consultancy externally.” ■

6 7 Intelligent Rail

A lorry driver squeezes under a bridge in Adlington (Cheshire) on September 30 2016. Almost all of the 2,000 or so annual bridge strikes on the rail network are HEADROOM FOR caused by driving without due care and attention. ALAMY. IMPROVEMENT

PAUL STEPHEN looks at how Internet of Things (IoT) technology is being used to create a potential solution to the infuriating problem of bridge strikes by tall road vehicles

n January 15, Network Rail reported once the value of undelivered goods and lost that both it and Leicestershire productivity to rail and road users from train County Council had been forced delays and congestion are taken into account. Oto close Kettering Road in Market NR is able to claw back about half its annual Harborough after a bridge carrying the outlay in insurance claims from the guilty Midland Main Line was struck by a lorry. parties, but is powerless to seek redress if a With approximately 2,000 such ‘bridge strike goes unreported by the driver. strikes’ recorded across the network each year Perhaps more worryingly, the obvious and (at an average rate of more than five a day), immediate safety risk posed to members of this unfortunate incidence of driver negligence the public and both rail and road users from is an all-too-familiar tale of woe. bridge strikes cannot be combated unless But what made events in Market further preventative action is taken. Harborough all the more remarkable is that NR stresses that it is taking the issue of engineers had completed repairs to brickwork bridge strikes increasingly seriously, and in only minutes earlier, following a separate lorry October 2017 it launched a new campaign to collision the previous night. coincide with a statistical peak that occurs in Both incidents had occurred despite the the winter months as road deliveries increase presence of large fluorescent markings and in the run-up to Christmas, and the nights signs clearly indicating the height restriction draw in. ahead, and regardless of the HGV drivers’ A national advertising campaign was legal responsibility to know the heights of the launched in printed and social media, with vehicles involved. eye-catching straplines such as ‘Lorries can’t Each bridge strike delays freight and limbo’ and ‘What the truck’ to make drivers passenger trains by two hours while checks of HGVs and large vehicles more aware of the are carried out. The average cost to NR is size of their vehicles. estimated at around £13,000 (about £13 It followed extensive research that revealed million a year) to carry out repairs and to that 43% of lorry drivers do not know the exact compensate train operating companies. height of their vehicle, and that more than half The true annual cost to the economy of do not consider railway bridges at all when heavy engagement with some of the UK’s road traffic signs. We’re not quite Promoting bridge incredible 32 times in the 12-month period bridge strikes is much harder to quantify, planning their routes. largest hauliers (including Wincanton and sure why, but we’re working very preceding its closure to tall road vehicles. but has been estimated to be up to £23m Further stages of NR’s campaign involved Eddie Stobart), bus operators and trade bodies closely with police, the Home Office strike prevention can be NR has also pledged to encourage the such as the Road Haulage Association, to and Driver and Vehicle Standards development and trial of new and emerging ensure that relevant training and support to Agency and traffic commissioners to summed up very easily by technologies, such as in-cab low bridge TOP 10 BRIDGE STRIKE LOCATIONS drivers is made a higher priority. toughen up on enforcement. the ‘Four Es’ – Education, warning devices, and even active brake assist (APRIL 2009-DECEMBER 2017) The campaign was then re-launched last “There is no panacea for bridge systems that can automatically stop a vehicle August with drivers encouraged to ‘wise strike prevention, but it’s about Engineering, Enablement without any intervention from the driver. Bridge name Location Reported strikes Route up and size up’ and to use newly compiled achieving incremental changes in Route planning tools are also high on NR’s Stuntney Road Ely 113 Anglia information and resources, provided for free behaviour which will build up over and Enforcement. agenda in response to an illuminating report Kenworthy Road Homerton 99 Anglia on the NR website to support driver training, time. This campaign is not a one-hit Mark Wheel, Senior Engineer and Route Bridge published by standards body RSSB in 2012 into Thurlow Park Road Tulse Hill 92 South East and help spread the message. wonder, and it will now feature in Strike Champion, London North Western the causes of strikes. Speaking to RAIL in December 2017 (RAIL our national campaign schedule Entitled Reducing the number and impact of Barrowby Road Grantham 90 LNE 842), NR’s senior engineer and London alongside the regular work we do to tackle high-frequency sites where it can increase vehicle strikes on railway underline bridges, the Abbey Farm Thetford 87 Anglia North Western route bridge strike champion trespass during the school holidays and suicide headroom or install steel beams to limit report’s author Michael Woods found that part St John’s Street Lichfield 86 LNW Mark Wheel said the campaign would also prevention. damage to infrastructure. of the problem was drivers using cheap satnav New Smithy Chinley 85 LNE be accompanied by a call for much stricter “Promoting bridge strike prevention can Better still, bridges such as the notorious devices, instead of specialist systems designed St Mildreds Road Hither Green 85 South East enforcement of penalties for drivers when be summed up very easily by the ‘Four Es’ Stuntney Road underpass in Ely have now for lorries that can hold data on bridge heights strikes happen, in order to create a more - Education, Engineering, Enablement and been taken out of use completely following to automatically route HGV drivers away from Lower Downs Road Wimbledon 77 Wessex effective deterrent. Enforcement - and that is exactly what we’ll the opening of Cambridgeshire city’s new them. Harlaxton Road Grantham 76 LNE He said: “Historically, there has been a do.” Southern Bypass on October 21 2018. NR has even supplied detailed information Source: NETWORK RAIL reluctance to prosecute drivers for careless Also accompanying the campaign are The bridge was officially the most struck about its bridges to satnav manufacturers to driving and their failure to comply with NR’s more longstanding efforts to identify bridge in the country, having been hit an make these systems more accurate, and

8 9 Intelligent Rail

yet hauliers are still opting for cheaper Our solution would Blockchain technology with a focus on the them with real time navigation immediately sent to NR, drivers and versions or the free services now offered by transport sector’, which is backed by largely updates. insurers once a sensor detects conditions Google Maps. cost no more than Chinese investors. Shen says: “Allison and I used BRIDGE STRIKES: KEY NUMBERS that exceed a predetermined threshold. Another person to spot this trend was MTR With expertise in software programming, to work together at SWR and had £12.7m per annum paid to TOCs in compensation Crucially, the system also appears Crossrail Duty Head of Control Allison Dunn, £500,000 to put on data science, engineering, architecture and kept in touch. She told me about to be highly cost-effective, with Shen who turned to tech company founder Jay Shen finance, Shen and his team now believe they the big problem the rail industry Five strikes per day estimating that NR would need to find to ask if his company Transreport could develop every bridge, which is have created the perfect system to link NR’s was still having with bridge just £100,000 to fund its development a technological solution to fill this void. very cheap compared bridge data into Google mapping, while strikes, and that this could be a 1,800 strikes per year and an initial trial, followed by a further Dunn had worked with Transreport in providing a free app to hauliers to enable route really interesting project for us to £400,000 to roll it out across its entire 132 minutes average delay per strike her previous role as Senior Information & to the cost of disruption planning. work on. network. Customer Experience Manager at South The app provides access to information, “We did our research and read 162,348 minutes annual delay “We have software and hardware Western Railway, before she left for MTR in from bridge strikes. such as locations of low bridges across the the reports and found it strange working together, and the technology is May 2018. Jay Shen, Transreport UK, and an application for drivers to plan that nothing much had been 32% of drivers unaware of their vehicle measurements now very mature with a sensor costing SWR had been one of four operators to test risk-reduced routes by inputting vehicle done, despite strikes costing NR just £200, but very accurate and easy to the Transreport-developed Passenger Assist Hong Kong and (very soon) Australia. measurements. £13m a year. Allison and I both maintain, and with a battery life of up app (that helps disabled passengers to navigate Founded by Shen in September 2016, it The platform is also multi-lingual to cater for thought that with the technology we have, it the devices also acting as vibration sensors to 12 years,” he adds. “Previously it probably the railway) prior to its national roll-out in started life in his home garage in Coventry foreign drivers who may have trouble reading wouldn’t be hard to come up with a workable that could instantly alert NR if a bridge is didn’t make much sense, economically, to partnership with the Rail Delivery Group later while he completed his PhD in Engineering, signs and other information in English, or solution that we could demonstrate to NR.” struck, helping combat the problems of install technology on bridges, but our solution this year. IoT and Sensor Technology at the University of who struggle to understand imperial units of Transreport’s solution relies on small unreported or delayed reporting of strikes. would cost no more than £500,000 to put on Transreport is a small company of just 20 Warwick. measurement. matchbox-sized devices being attached The sensors can do this by utilising an IoT every bridge, which is very cheap compared to staff based in Hammersmith, but with an Shen describes Transreport as a ‘passenger- The app alerts the driver when the vehicle to bridges that provide GPS data on their gateway that connects them to the cloud so the cost of disruption from bridge strikes.” expanding global presence at offices in Beijing, centric tech company, specialising in IoT and is approaching a low bridge, and provides locations. But that’s not all they can do, with that data is securely logged and alerts are The next step is for NR to designate a test bridge, for which Dunn and Shen are still in 1. A lorry overturned after striking this 1 4 negotiations. Installation would be non- bridge in Summer Road, Erdington disruptive, with no need for possessions to (Birmingham) on January 31 2018. attach the small sensors. Services between Birmingham New “We would need to put four sensors on a Street and Lichfield were temporarily medium-sized bridge so that we can start to halted, although fortunately no gather vibration data and then set parameters structural damage was caused. WEST MIDLANDS FIRE SERVICE. to distinguish between trains passing overhead and actual bridge strikes. A one-month trial 2. Significant track damage is clearly would be more than enough for us.” apparent following a bridge strike at Looking ahead, Shen believes this is Castleton Moor (North Yorkshire) on not only a good opportunity to eradicate a March 12 2018, causing train services to seemingly persistent problem but to also send be suspended between Battersby and a strong signal of support to the UK’s fast- Whitby. NETWORK RAIL. growing community of fledgeling start-up tech firms. 3. Denby Dale Road in Wakefield was closed for several hours on November After all, NR’s procurement strategy for 14 2016 after a lorry became wedged Control Period 6 (April 2019-March 2024) beneath the Double Two bridge in contains bold commitments to provide more Thornes. NETWORK RAIL. support for UK-based SMEs, and to further develop the nation’s home-grown skills base. 4. Barrowby Road bridge in Grantham is “The industry doesn’t have a good officially one of the top ten most struck image in terms of delays so if you look at bridges on Britain’s rail network. ALAMY. this holistically, as a matter of customer satisfaction, then it makes total sense to do 5. Fire crews from Brixton, West Norwood, Peckham, Battersea and this. Also, how often can NR say they are Croydon attended a bridge strike on 5 supporting a new tech start-up which is Hinton Road, Brixton, in December looking at an innovative solution? 2018 in order to remove the driver, who “I hope this gives confidence to other suffered minor injuries. NETWORK RAIL. start-ups, because if NR is prepared to give us this chance, then we can give them a new 2 3 perspective. If you want to solve a problem this old then you probably want to talk to an outside company, and I hope we can be the inspiration to solve one or two of these problems.” Should Shen and Transreport make the mark they desire, then perhaps it won’t just be the people of Market Harborough who’ll want to thank him. ■

FURTHER READING Bridge strikes: NR strikes back – RAIL 842 Five bridge strikes every day – RAIL 865 Bridges: it’s time for action – RAIL 867 Open Access: RAIL readers have their say - pages 64-67.

10 11 ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE SPECIAL REPORT Produced by

Siemens uses data from the fully digital- platform allows us to look at lots of different enabled Class 700 fleet to improve passenger systems and contextual data at the same time. experience. Govia Thameslink Railway 700005 For example, in the event of an operational approaches Blackfriars on November 30 2016. incident occurring when passengers are JACK BOSKETT/RAIL. boarding, we can look in real-time at CCTV TURNING DATA footage and door motor currents rates in one “We already have lots of data and more place. and more of it is being generated with every “That would have previously been done evolution of the train, so the crucial point is in by looking at CCTV footage, GPS and brake our ability to bring that disparate information data in isolation, so incident investigation together into a single environment so that now becomes far simpler and quicker. It all INTO ACTION more informed decisions can be made and reinforces how the interconnectivity of all appropriate action taken. things is beginning to happen with a much “If we think about the last 20 to 30 years, wider overall benefit.” components and systems on trains have Looking ahead, Clark believes that the become more intelligent but have largely been operational and passenger benefits on limited to talking to neighbouring equipment. offer from intelligent rail solutions will be We can now bring that all together in order to of particular importance to flagship and help clients make the right decisions, and to technically demanding projects such as HS2. get whole-life value from their assets.” Five bidders, including Siemens, have been According to Clark, the benefits to operators shortlisted by HS2 Ltd to supply at least 54 of procuring ‘smart’ trains like the Class train sets for Phase 1 of the line between 700 are manifold in terms of increasing fleet London and Birmingham, which is scheduled reliability and availability, while also reducing to open in 2026. the cost of ownership. A design, maintenance and manufacturing For example, diagnostic data recorded and contract is to be awarded in spring 2020, with transmitted by GTR’s fleet of Class 700s has an estimated value of £2.75 billion. enabled Siemens technicians to increasingly The technical specification issued by HS2 operate in a paperless environment at the Ltd requires the successful bidder to deliver depots, where they are equipped with handheld some of the world’s most advanced rolling devices rather than the toolkits of old. stock, which can travel at speeds of up to This facility allows them to view relevant 360kph (250mph). performance data, technical information, and Clark says that not only will passenger view 3D task instructions to quickly identify expectations of the new rolling stock be high, and remedy any reported faults. but journeys will be required by HS2 Ltd to be With more than 20 million miles of service seamless, accessible, fast and reliable. accrued since the first train entered service in He concludes: “One of the key benefits of June 2016, the Class 700 fleet is progressing intelligent rail is that we as an industry can through its reliability growth phase. already focus not only on service and operational delivering improved reliability over its reliability, but also on how passenger-facing predecessor with ambitions to take this much systems are working. We can configure reports further. on cabin temperatures on Class 700s, for In order to achieve this, faults and items example, and compare that with performance for improvement are logged and then stored data on the air conditioning system to see Siemens’ HS2 Bid Manager in a database if they have occurred before. if that linkage triggers a set maintenance They then enter a ‘performance pipeline’ in intervention, such as a fan replacement. KEVIN CLARK tells RAIL which remedial action is taken either through “Intelligent rail also enables dwell time hardware or software modification. analysis using CCTV-gathered information. what benefits intelligent rail Clark adds: “This means that the train is The hardware of the train is only designed in service more because we know when to once, so we can design it to achieve targets solutions are yielding for perform maintenance by getting the right in the first instance and then use the data information at the right time. The success of available to refine that and then do what is passengers and the wider industry trains like the ‘700’ is underpinned by having needed to optimise passenger flows. lots of systems working together, so we have “The Phase 2 indicative train service more information on which to base our specification is for up to 17 trains per hour to hroughout the last 200 years embrace modern digital technology and the a total of 1,140 vehicles have been built at the Meanwhile, the train’s intelligent software decisions. leave Euston. They will travel at 360kph, which locomotive propulsion technology improved connectivity it can offer. company’s Krefeld manufacturing plant in design provides fully automatic climate “The whole-life cost is a major output from is pushing the boundaries of what we’ve has proved to be a hotbed of Siemens has been at the forefront of this Germany since 2013. control and a passenger information system intelligent rail, so the better the performance delivered before as an industry to date. Tinnovation. Ever since the creation transition, as exemplified by its National Rail The ‘700s’ are fully digitally enabled, that displays real-time main line and London and reliability the more the cost of ownership “You can design for that level of frequency of the world’s first full-scale railway steam Award-winning fleet of Class 700s, currently becoming the first main line trains in the Underground travel information, plus is reduced.” but you also need to monitor how that is locomotive by British mining engineer operated by Govia Thameslink Railway as part world to operate using both Automatic Train individual carriage loadings. To help manage and understand big data, working and must be able to respond to Richard Trevithick in 1804, main line trains of the government-sponsored Thameslink Operation (ATO) and ETCS (level 2) in-cab Diagnostic data is also constantly gathered Siemens also offers clients access to its that if high levels of performance are to be have become increasingly faster, energy- Programme. signalling throughout the central Thameslink and then transmitted from the train to Railigent cloud-based mobile application suite. delivered.” ■ efficient and more powerful as the steam age As part of Siemens’ Desiro City platform, network. Siemens’ service centre, enabling preventative Powered by Siemens’ cloud-based eventually gave way to dieselisation, followed action to be taken if required – and a new Internet of Things operating system by the spread of today’s global network of Our Railigent platform allows us to regime of predictive maintenance to operate MindSphere, Railigent can integrate FURTHER READING modern electrified high-speed lines. at Thameslink’s two depots at Three Bridges with various applications and automated Velaro Novo focuses on efficiency – RAIL 858 More recently, the most significant look at lots of different systems and and Hornsey. measurements which are then analysed Data mining for tomorrow’s railway – RAIL 840 advances in rolling stock have come in the “To me, intelligent rail is really all about and interpreted through a simplified Dawn of the smart train – RAIL 863 implementation of intelligent software-based contextual data at the same time. turning data into action,” explains Kevin dashboard. A vision of the railway of tomorrow – RAIL 848 innovations, as the rail industry continues to Kevin Clark, HS2 Service Bid Manager, Siemens Clark, HS2 Service Bid Manager. Clark explains: “Our Railigent

12 13 ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE SPECIAL REPORT Produced by IMPROVING RAIL ADHESION 3Squared has taken an innovative approach to mitigating the perennial problem of ‘leaves on the line’

ach and every autumn the rail NR employing a comprehensive year-round industry resumes its annual battle vegetation management programme. with leaves on the line. Meanwhile, from early October to early E According to Network Rail, December, a fleet of over 50 specialist railhead approximately 500,000 leaves fall onto its treatment trains are deployed on affected metals each year, where they can then be routes to blast away the fallen vegetation with compressed by passing trains into a smooth, water jets, and then apply a sand-based gel to slippery layer. further improve wheel grip. The low adhesion that results from this Although it is the effects of leaf fall that problem means that trains need more time to gains the most attention from both the media stop and start in order to avoid wheelspin and and wider travelling public, it isn’t just in the overshooting platforms or signals – in much autumn that low adhesion can occur, and it is the same way that a car can be affected by often forgotten that railhead contamination black ice. can occur at any time of year from rust and GB Railfreight 73109 and 73119 What’s more, by interrupting the connection grease. Snow and ice can also decrease top-and-tail the Tonbridge West Yard between track and train wheel, fallen leaves adhesion levels in periods of low temperature, circular railhead treatment train (RHTT) cause the electrical track circuits needed for as can light drizzle after a long, dry period, or as it nears Redhill on October 1 2018. signalling systems to become less accurate. even morning dew. The ADS project, led by 3Squared, is Aside from the obvious safety risk to In response to this adhesion challenge, expected to complement existing ways of tackling low rail-adhesion, including passengers, leaf fall results in more than a award-winning technology consultancy Network Rail’s vegetation clearance million minutes of delay per annum. Reduced 3Squared has stepped forward to develop an and RHTT programmes. JOHN RUDD. timetables are often required and trains are innovative digital solution, in conjunction with sometimes taken out of service at short notice the Met Office and Colas. if they incur wheel flats - all significant extra The consortium’s ADS (Adhesion Digital Data from the Met Office’s existing low- This collaborative project takes a 3Squared a Queen’s Award for Innovation costs to operators. Solution) works by managing, coordinating adhesion forecasting model is combined by (RAIL 864). There are a number of ways to partially and then disseminating real-time adhesion ADS with crowdsourced driver-reported data dramatically different and innovative, Meanwhile, in addition to ADS, 3Squared mitigate the impact of leaf fall, however, with information. on actual railhead conditions to give operators is also working closely with RSSB on an detailed, up-to-the-minute, route-based data-driven approach. innovative software solution that helps adhesion forecasts. James Fox, Commercial Director, 3Squared improve disabled access to the railway, as part ADS provides this high resolution and of RSSB’s Rail Accessibility Challenge. route-specific risk data to drivers via an app standards body RSSB’s TOC17 competition to 3Squared was in the process of compiling Fox concludes: “ADS has huge potential and uploaded to a tablet device mounted in the cab identify projects that will improve operational statistical information for RSSB on the exact we have people currently looking at sanders so that informed decisions can then be made performance. operational benefits achieved by the trial as [train-mounted sandboxes that drop sand on train regulation that helps reduce safety 3Squared has led the consortium developing this issue of RAIL went to press, but Fox’s in front of the driving wheels to increase risk and the likelihood of accidents. ADS by providing project management, attention has already moved to several other traction in wet and slippery conditions] Drivers are then able to report wheel software development and systems integration promising future applications of ADS. where we could potentially link our software slippage through the app, providing a warning expertise, while the Met Office has supplied He also points to the strong collaborative to operators’ hardware in order to link to others in real time. its specialist data and Colas has tested the nature of the ADS programme, upon which automatically with these trains. 3Squared’s Commercial Director James Fox product on some of its services. 3Squared has prided itself since its formation “There is also the potential to integrate the explains: “This collaborative project takes a Fox adds: “We found that Colas was already in 2002. software with train-mounted cameras so that dramatically different and innovative, data- being provided with a basic adhesion forecast It has been the formation of similarly close the Met Office can corroborate the data they driven approach to solving a problem that by Network Rail, but it was vague and not partnerships with other clients that has currently provide, and subsequently increase continues to cause significant disruption on particularly up-to-date or route-specific, so we underpinned the company’s rapid growth the accuracy of its forecasting. the UK network. thought we’d collaborate with the Met Office from a small two-man digital and creative “ADS is still at an early stage of “We found that Colas was experiencing and the operator to provide a more accurate agency based in Sheffield, to one of the rail commercialisation, but the product’s future some big problems with wheel slip on tool. sector’s leading software solutions providers. looks very bright, and it is yet another heavy freight trains on some routes, the “The TOC17 competition was there and was For example, 3Squared’s collaboration with example of the 3Squared mantra that we have Met Office was keen to provide a more a good fit, and it has really helped accelerate Stagecoach-owned train operating companies ‘collaboration in our DNA’.” ■ accurate forecasting tool, while we had the the development of the project. The trial with East Midlands Trains and South West Trains, technological expertise - it was the perfect Colas over the autumn went really well - we’ve plus freight operating company GB Railfreight, time to come up with a solution.” learned some valuable lessons and made yielded the first of its flagship RailSmart suite FURTHER READING Announced on November 19 2018, the ADS project was one of four projects to win funding through The funding to develop ADS from concept further improvements, and now some other of products in 2014 called RailSmart EDS Collaboration Period One – RAIL 864 the RSSB’s TOC17 innovation competition. 3SQUARED. to delivery has come through the rail operators are keen to roll it out this autumn.” (employee development system), that earned

14 15 Intelligent Rail

assistance - an area which the Office of Rail and Road is eager for the rail industry to improve. When a passenger makes a request for travel assistance, Arrakis can allow staff to input the A PLATFORM passenger’s details and their specific needs, and then disseminate it to station staff. The details are received via an alert, to which staff can respond to accept the assistance request. This is relayed to the passenger, who can be reassured FOR CHANGE not only that assistance will be available, but that a specific member of staff will be helping them. It can also even be used on multi-leg journeys, so that at every point the passenger knows who will be assisting where. This is made possible by the targeted nature of Arrakis information, meaning that assistance requests at (for example) East Croydon would only go to staff there, with requests for the end of the journey at London Victoria only being sent to staff at that station. If providing better information and assisted travel were the limits of Arrakis’ capability, it would mark a major step forward, but the potential is greater still. It would be perfectly possible for onboard staff to report incidents on their journey in real-time, with photographs if required, to enable Control Room staff to make more informed decisions. In the case of a broken window, that ability to report and send images would mean a decision could be taken about whether to take the train out of service at the first opportunity, or to continue to its final destination. An example of the Arrakis app for CrossCountry, Admittedly, staff can do this already and send which features an instant snapshot of what is a message to control, but using Arrakis would happening with neighbouring operators so that mean that subscribers to such information XC staff can avoid sending passengers to would also automatically be informed. another operator which is also experiencing Arrakis can also provide analysis of train severe disruption. NEXUS ALPHA. CrossCountry is using a new running and trends. Again, while some of smart communications suite the data is already in the railway systems, and other transport modes, with integration bringing it together makes it possible to from Traveline and data from bus real-time developed by Nexus Alpha identify issues and resolve them much more providers. Its potential is only limited by the quickly. (Arrakis holds data associated with data fed into the system. It is this modular that promises to transform the 100,000 route incidents already). approach and flexibility which makes it so provision of information to staff Consistently late departures from a station powerful. where catering supplies are loaded could Naturally, Nexus Alpha believes it has a and passengers. ANDREW RODEN be due to the time being taken on that task. winner on its hands, but so does CrossCountry. But what if, on certain trains, it is simply “I think it’ll be a game changer,” says Reeves. explores the potential of Arrakis greater numbers of passengers boarding and “Providing more information to passengers can alighting? Or what if time is consistently only be a good thing.” lost on a specific section of track due to train At a time when the rail industry is under hese days, virtually any technological times, they can’t see the wood for the trees.” more time to serve passengers. CrossCountry 170397 pauses at Ashchurch for regulation? sustained fire for its provision of passenger innovation - particularly when it This is what Arrakis aims to solve. It Reeves explains: “It isn’t just about our own Tewkesbury with the 1145 Cardiff-Nottingham By pulling together multiple data sources, information, it is hard to argue with his comes to software - is heralded as a draws information from across the railway trains - it can alert about other operators’ on February 20 2018. The Arrakis system is Arrakis can highlight potential issues and sentiment. Arrakis may just be the tool game-changer. (including Tyrell IO and the Darwin customer services. That means we can give passengers being deployed by the operator to significantly enable train operators to find a solution. And that the railway, staff and passengers have T improve its provision of passenger But a new system developed by Nexus Alpha information system) and then, crucially, tailors better information about their journey - if as more train running and operational data been wanting for decades. For hard-pressed information. JOHN STRETTON. and being deployed by CrossCountry just may that information to staff’s specific needs. staff have better information, then so do is added to the system, its machine learning passengers wondering what is going on at justify the term. Called Arrakis, its bold aim So, while currently a CrossCountry train passengers.” algorithms mean it can provide ever more times of disruption, the wider rollout of such a is to transform the way that information is manager may receive information affecting Arrakis has long been in development by colour-coded view of how different routes are precise insight into operational issues. tool cannot come soon enough. ■ collected and disseminated to railway staff and the operator’s entire network, Arrakis Nexus Alpha, whose pedigree in the railway performing, and multi-TOC cancellation and Fares data could be added to the system to customers alike. enables much greater personalisation of that information business dates back to the 1990s. significant lateness disruption. It began rolling provide cues about expected heavy loadings at ABOUT THE AUTHOR Nexus Alpha’s Tyrell IO control room information. And following CrossCountry’s Direct Award out last summer. stations, feeding back into timetable planning Andrew Roden, Contributing Writer system is widely used in the railway, and Using a mobile application, staff can enter extension in 2017, the operator’s requirement However, while providing better information - or even, potentially, the likes of advance its data on incidents and train running is details of the trains they are working on a to provide better customer information to railway staff and passengers is a laudable fares to be changed to manage demand. It Andrew Roden is a railway journalist, author already used to keep staff informed. However, given day, and select what sort of information synchronised neatly with the system’s aim, the potential of Arrakis is much, much can even monitor social media feeds such as and campaigner based in west Cornwall. as CrossCountry Duty Control Manager they wish to be alerted about. This could development. bigger. Because it has been designed ‘from the Twitter to identify customer sentiment and A RAIL News and Features writer Matt Reeves tells RAIL: “We have a number include information about other operators In its initial form it will provide onboard staff ground up’ to be a modular system, additional spot trends. from 2000 to 2004, he is the author of four major railway books, and of products that provide information. The on the train’s route, details of punctuality of with: control room information; enhanced elements can be added easily and then tailored In the future, it is entirely possible that is a regular commentator on problem is that there’s often multiple incidents connecting trains, problems at stations, and staff live departure boards; cancellation, to the specific needs of staff. passengers could effectively use a version television and radio on rail and, as a result, too much information so on. The aim is to provide staff with relevant part-cancellation and significant lateness One exciting possibility highlighted of the Arrakis interface tailored to their matters in the South West. provided to staff - particularly train crews. At information and avoid overload, giving them status; and ‘rainbow boards’ which provide a by Nexus Alpha is the provision of travel journeys with alerts about connecting trains

16 17 ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE SPECIAL REPORT Produced by

RAIL INDUSTRY DATA PLATFORM AND DIGITAL TWIN As part of BCRRE’s contribution to the says Easton, a lecturer in Computer has long been involved in world-leading Government’s Rail Sector Deal, it is Systems from the School of Engineering. simulation research, which in natural FOCUSED ON THE extending existing plans for a Rail Industry “The data platform will mean that rather partnership with a Digital Twin will help Data Platform (initially intended to provide than having access to just one or two deliver the next generation of railway data crucial to R&D activity within the UK datasets in isolation, we will have a range traffic management and control systems. Rail Research and Innovation Network) to of data available that will allow us to look Dr Gemma Nicholson, the Research include the wider rail industry. at the problem from several different Fellow who is leading this project alongside FUTURE OF RAIL BCRRE’s Professor Clive Roberts, Dr angles.” Professor Roberts, adds: “There is John Easton and Dr Lei Chen will combine Alongside the data platform, BCRRE will tremendous scope for railway Digital t’s been almost a year since the official their extensive expertise to ensure that the lead in the design of a cutting-edge Digital Twin technology. The Digital Twin will launch of the UK Railway Research and Birmingham Centre of Railway Research first full-release version is available from Twin, a fully functional digital replica of the be the means to translate raw data into Innovation Network (UKRRIN) at the and Education (BCRRE) is now clearly at spring 2020. railway that is intended to drive innovation meaningful insight with real business IHouses of Parliament on February 20 2018. “Currently it is difficult to understand by allowing high-level analysis and the value. It will allow us to take the real-time Designed to create a powerful collaboration the forefront of thought-leadership and the wider systems context of industry ability to see opportunities or problems datasets, and exploit them to make sound between academia and industry, UKRRIN problems with any degree of confidence,” before they occur in the real world. BCRRE decisions in the most appropriate way.” brings together eight universities with 15 technological prowess in the railway domain industry partners in order to drive innovation An artist’s impression of the new 3,000m2 and initiate a systems-wide approach to Rail Innovation & Development Centres building due to open at the University of enhancing the railway. (RIDC) at Melton Mowbray (Leicestershire) Birmingham in spring 2020 to house UKRRIN’s These universities have joined forces and and Tuxford (Nottinghamshire), and those of Centre of Excellence in Digital Systems. UKRRIN. combined their resources to form three other key partners Transport for London and Centres of Excellence - in Digital Systems the Quinton Rail Technology Centre. electric multiple unit into a hydrogen-powered (University of Birmingham), Rolling Stock The four Centres of Excellence are currently train, called ‘HydroFlex’. (University of Huddersfield, Newcastle benefiting from more than £90 million of Delegates at UKRRIN’s inaugural annual University and Loughborough University) investment in developing their research conference, held in central London on and Infrastructure (University of Nottingham, facilities, comprising £28.1m awarded by November 13, heard from Professor Roberts University of Southampton, Loughborough the Higher Education Funding Council for about CEDS’ scheduled opening in mid-2020, University, University of Sheffield and Heriot- England and £64m from industry. All sites are and on how procurement has already started Watt University). due to be completed by 2020. for equipment, including train cab simulators, Meanwhile, a fourth Centre of Excellence These world-leading facilities will be open to data platforms, 3D visualisation technology, has been created with a focus on Testing, UKRRIN industry members from the railway and signalling and communication equipment. which incorporates facilities at Network Rail’s supply chain so that research and development He said: “These will be facilities for all, not just BCRRE. They will help us face a number of grand challenges as an industry in the next few CYBER SECURITY years, including ensuring system-wide cyber BCRRE is investigating fundamental train to trackside communication security and achieving zero on-site testing for questions about the use of electronic protocols, and the development of TRAKS, railway equipment.” information in the transport domain. a post-quantum secure key management As part of its UKRRIN membership, a Working alongside the security and scheme for ERTMS. number of new initiatives are also currently privacy group from the School of The team is also part of the Research under way at BCRRE, including the hosting of Computer Science, an NCSC Centre Institute in Trustworthy Interconnected a University Innovation Day by Siemens and of Academic Excellence in the field, Cyberphysical Systems (RITICS), led by two Network Rail engineering conferences and BCRRE’s security work is focused on the Imperial College, and in this context has two Digital Railway Delivering Differently events. Operational Technology (OT) elements recently started work on an assessment of It is also leading the DIGI-RAIL business of the railway. Recent project work has the implications of the EU NIS directive on support and demonstrator programme (see included formal analysis of the ERTMS the GB rail supply chain. concepts and new technologies can be brought themes including: aerodynamics; weather post-doctoral researchers, around 90 research panel) to assist more than 100 small and more quickly from the early design stage to and climate effects; geotechnical engineering students, international visiting researchers and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to exploit full commercialisation. and asset management; infrastructure and honorary academics, plus 20 non-academic the opportunities created by NR’s Digital In turn, university researchers and students structural engineering; computational design; professional staff. Railway programme. ■ WORK WITH US will have improved access to industry experts mechatronic and control systems; power There are also 340 postgraduate students BCRRE recently signed a Memorandum of Development Fund) will help develop and real-life projects, helping to expand their electronics and drives; energy and power undertaking courses at the centre, and Understanding with Rail Alliance, which a unique Digital Railway demonstrator skill sets and augment their employability. systems; and international benchmarking. undergraduates enrolled in railway-specific FIND OUT MORE brings its extensive experience of working programme that brings together national It is hoped that this link-up will not only As the largest university-based centre for degrees. Professor Clive Roberts will be with SMEs in the rail supply chain to and international rail industry buyers with boost innovation, productivity and the export railway research and education in Europe, Its reputation was further enhanced in delivering a talk about BCRRE’s role BCRRE. West Midlands businesses. strength of the UK rail sector, but also make its pioneering research activities and November 2017 when BCRRE was awarded in the UKRRIN Centre of Excellence In addition, BCRRE’s existing It will provide research expertise to the industry a more attractive place for the multidisciplinary expertise have earned it an a prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize for in Digital Systems at the University relationships with top-tier companies solve industry challenges and to develop next generation of talent to base their skills. enviable reputation across the world for thought Higher Education (2016-18) in recognition of of Birmingham on April 9. Visit www. means it will be able to offer the supply digital products and services for the rail At the heart of UKRRIN is its lead partner leadership and advanced problem solving. its contribution to making railways around the birmingham.ac.uk/railway for more chain full service solutions across all industry. The UK expects an efficient, Birmingham Centre of Railway Research and Formed in the 1970s, BCRRE has now world safer and more efficient. details and to register. technology readiness levels. As a rail reliable rail system, and DIGI-RAIL Education (BCRRE), which is also home to grown to cater for more than 140 people with a It has also gained widespread media Alternatively, contact BCRRE by technology combined capability, this will have a key role in developing new the network’s Centre of Excellence in Digital major research interest in railway science and attention in recent months for its pioneering emailing [email protected] is unmatched. The specialist facilities technology for the UK network’s transition Systems (CEDS). technology, including 21 academic staff, 22 development of hydrogen train technology or by following @bcrre. and departmental skills available within to a Digital Railway. Based at the University of Birmingham and in the UK as a low-emission alternative to BCRRE will nurture and accelerate The Rail Alliance will provide a strong led by Professor Clive Roberts, the CEDS These will be diesel traction on non-electrified parts of the innovation, limiting the so-called ‘valley of and respected industry-facing element at BCRRE specialises in four focus areas: network. death’ phase of product development by - in tune with the market, in touch Future Railway Operations and Control; facilities for all, not Students from BCRRE have already built a FURTHER READING de-risking new technology. with opportunities, and (importantly) Data Integration and Cyber Security; Remote 10¼in-gauge prototype locomotive (named University Challenge – RAIL 837 Furthermore, the DIGI-RAIL project understanding the language of real Monitoring and Autonomous Systems; and just BCRRE. Hydrogen Hero) and a team from BCRRE is Innovation Central – RAIL 855 (part-funded by the European Regional businesses. It’s an exciting combination. Introducing Innovation. Professor Clive Roberts, currently working with rolling stock owning The Innovation Game – RAIL 867 Other BCRRE research extends across Head of BCRRE company Porterbrook to convert a Class 319

18 19 Intelligent Rail

If the Government gets it right, it could unleash SMEs will be the key to fulfilling the ambitions of the Rail Sector Deal, including driving innovation and upskilling the industry the potential of the SME sector to address policy workforce in Control Period 6, says Joseph Infante. NETWORK RAIL. challenges that our bigger, more centralised and less agile competitors can’t meet alone.

digital rail, provided the necessary data is things stand, we don’t really have much of an made available and that we have the right idea what percentage of the Government’s rail level of investment in the right places. But we investment actually goes to the SME sector. must not let the moment pass and slip back Anyone who knows the sector well will into the habits of mind and working practices tell you that it is often less than it seems. Too that have stood in the way of innovation in often the SME involvement, in a major tender the past. managed by a Tier 1 contractor, ends when the As anyone with experience of working as a bid is submitted. In some cases, what looks small business in rail will tell you, we have too like collaboration on paper may not translate often competed with the odds stacked against into work where it really matters. us because of opaque and poorly thought- The Rail Sector Deal makes a lot of the right out procurement procedures. The resources noises about these issues. We hope that the required to respond to a two-week deadline Keith Williams root-and-branch review of UK to tender for a major project, followed by what rail that reports at the end of 2019 will add often seems like an indefinite wait for the some muscle. verdict, are not easily available to many SMEs. If the Government gets it right, it could It is encouraging that the Rail Sector Deal unleash the potential of the SME sector to promises improvements in procurement address policy challenges that our bigger, practice, but it is essential that this is more more centralised and less agile competitors than lip service. We need to see huge can’t meet alone. SMEs are regional, improvements in transparency and in spread widely across the country. We have planning - more notice, more clarity and more local knowledge and relationships, and collaboration. are flexible and quick to respond. We can A proper strategic approach to project create employment in the regions, and find planning that gets away from the boom and develop skills in places that the big and bust of previous investment rounds organisations can’t easily reach. This is good would allow earlier engagement with for the country and good for the rail sector, industry, and give the SME supply chain a bringing skills and ideas to work that would chance to influence what is procured. Better otherwise be wasted. specifications mean better bids that are more The new year is in its infancy, and the innovative, up-skilling through structured post-Brexit world is looming ever larger - with encouraging to see a positive commitment training, local employment and productivity. all its terrors or opportunities, depending on to free access data. Free the data and the In the Rail Sector Deal, the Government your point of view. Uncertainty, it seems, is apps will follow. The promised open data is committed to a minimum 33% spend all around. But one thing is sure: whatever sharing platform is given as a priority, and we on SMEs across all departments. That will happens the future will be digital. We don’t must make sure that it stays one. Data is the become a reality in rail when the processes yet know what the tech will look like, we don’t WAKING THE lifeblood of any digital system, and if we are make it practical for SMEs to compete, but know how it will be used, but we are going to going to find new ways to create a sustainable we will only know it has been achieved when have to build it. and environmentally responsible rail system we finally start to measure it in a fair and As the next wave of rail investment we are going to need more and better data all transparent way. approaches with the arrival of the five-year the time. Amazingly, there are still no firm plans to spending round of Control Period 6, we can SLEEPING GIANT We have the talent to lead the world in create such a measure. And the truth is that as expect a sudden rush of excitement and project procurement. Let’s hope that this round, he Rail Sector Deal launched on in keeping with the ambition and vision of December 6 2018 announced a ‘new JOSEPH INFANTE, CPC Partner, Transport & the Rail Sector Deal, is different… that the approach’ to collaborative working Infrastructure and Acting Chairman of the investment spreads beyond the usual suspects Tbetween the Government and the and finally unleashes the power of the SMEs. rail industry. It’s the only way that the digital future our rail About time, you might think - especially Rail Supply Group’s SME Group, says small deserves can be made to happen. ■ if, like CPC, you work in an SME (a small or and medium-sized enterprises can be a medium-sized enterprise). For a long time now, we have suffered the frustration of huge asset for the rail industry ABOUT THE AUTHOR seeing talent in the UK underused, simply Joseph Infante, Contributing Writer because it is not located in one of the big Tier 1 more spending through SMEs is the surest platforms (apps) that bring them much closer contract organisations. way to make certain that it does. to the rail operation, and which will change Joseph Infante is a Chartered Engineer with more than 40 years’ experience in Transport The SME community in UK rail is, by just Smaller organisations can’t compete with the way they use services and what they & Infrastructure projects worldwide as Project about any measure, the most effective and the industry leaders on sheer power, resources expect from them in ways that are almost Director, Commercial Director and advisor. diverse in the world. But the rail network and financial muscle, but we can offer speed, impossible to predict with any great accuracy. Joseph is Board Member and Partner of CPC has not been getting the full benefit of that agility, openness and innovation. When you are working in an environment Project Services, which provides project and diversity, because of outmoded procurement Everywhere you look - across many with that degree of uncertainty and with the commercial management services to the transport and property sectors. practices and an operational culture that has industries - digital innovation is being led potential for such rapid change, flexibility and He has recently been appointed looked too much to the past. The emphasis in by small, highly responsive, entrepreneurial responsiveness become all important - and as Acting Chairman of the RSG’s the Rail Sector Deal on digital rail and new organisations and networks. The same is SMEs are where those qualities thrive. SME Group. joseph.infante@ ways of working is a positive sign that this is inevitably going to be true for rail. It is exciting to see some recognition of these cpcprojectservices.com

about to change, and the stated aim to direct Future rail customers will rely on digital facts in the Rail Sector Deal, and even more 868. RAIL

20 21 ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE Intelligent Rail

replica of the railway assets using Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) techniques, and using this data to plan maintenance. THE INTELLIGENT, SYSTRA is currently assisting SNCF Réseau, France’s national railway infrastructure manager, in asset management using BIM data to deliver the EOLE project in the Paris region. Although BIM is becoming a ‘must-have’ on PEOPLE-CENTRIC greenfield railway projects, this modelling solution is not the only method of digitizing the SANJEEV RATHI, DOMINIC TAYLOR assets. GIS, combined with a data lake (system or repository of data stored in its natural format) and JULIE CARRIER of SYSTRA can be a relevant alternative, particularly for RAILWAY existing networks. describe how the technology of today In 2017, Chile’s national railway company rbanisation, population growth infrastructure design. has reached a critical mass, enabling appointed SYSTRA to prepare a digital replica and the continuously changing The passenger the creation of the railway of tomorrow of their existing assets in a common data

socio-economic landscape have led experience starts with SHUTTERSTOCK. environment register. Utransport planners around the world planning a trip and invariably involves various a better service. “The use of Smart infrastructure with to work towards integrated transport systems, modes of transport, considering journey Sanjeev Rathi, SYSTRA’s UK Systems intelligent asset condition monitoring can in which the railway plays a key part. times and buying the ticket, or tickets. This Engineering Manager says: “For most predict failures before they occur,” says Commuting is linked to economic growth is very different from 20 years ago, as these passengers, end-to-end journeys remain a Dominic Taylor, Technical Head of Systems and has an impact on both work and social activities can be carried out from any Internet- conglomerate of small journeys by rail plus and Signalling. “As far as the passenger is life. Despite investment in new railway connected device supported by sophisticated multiple other transport modes, rather than concerned, this means a more dependable infrastructure, the challenge remains of trying search tools. Smart ticketing has the potential the seamless experience they might experience of how passengers interact with the station presented with more accurate information railway service that is open for business when it to beat extended rush hours and making to further revolutionise this crucial part of when travelling by car. Smart ticketing and environment, makes for a more pleasant about their journey and to plan accordingly. is needed.” trains efficient “mobile offices”. The end user’s the journey. It will also enable the dynamic integrated journey planning apps will make passenger experience. Smart ticketing gate lines can be dynamically By predicting when maintenance is needed, relationship with railway infrastructure is not regulation of ticket prices, which in turn will it possible to have one seamless transaction To facilitate this, SYSTRA pioneered the reconfigured using passenger flow data to trains and other critical assets do not have to a good one, with delayed and cancelled trains help regulate customer demand to better align for the whole journey. Imagine buying just SMART Station concept to make the station enable speedier passenger flow. SYSTRA has be taken out of service and the need for repairs often blamed on overrunning engineering with the available supply of train seats. This one ticket that covers taxi transfer to your an interactive living space and a more been working with Translink in Northern should be significantly reduced. In addition, works, failure of asset(s), etc. will provide better value for money for the local railway station, all the train journeys and pleasant part of the passenger journey. The Ireland to develop this technology. with real-time data, maintenance teams will When things go wrong, the passenger passenger and enable an improved journey onward travel via bus/metro, and to have it SMART Station concept is an interactive tool For the train journey itself, progress constantly be updated on the state of the assets relies on the quality of information received, experience by incentivizing travel on less busy all planned and managed on your behalf with that allows station operators to control the has been made in terms of more frequent and the asset management system can provide whether that’s on the train or while waiting services. regular updates on changes, plus automatic station environment in real time to improve train services and shorter journey times. early warning of faults. SYSTRA is developing at the station. It is the responsibility of Smart ticketing and electronic tracking of compensation if you’re delayed.” passenger experience and reduce operation Infrastructure and technology have played an the Smart rail infrastructure concept using transport planners, engineers, infrastructure individual passenger journeys will enable During journeys, stations are a key and maintenance costs. unseen role in enabling these improvements, advanced data-analytic tools and the innovative owners and operators to provide a seamless passengers to be kept more up-to-date about interaction point for the passenger. Indoor and outdoor sensors collect data including bridge strengthening, track Internet of Things (IoT), along with sensor experience for the end user by designing and changes to their journeys. The technology Moving through a busy station can be a on the colour and intensity of the light, alignment improvement, longer trains and technology, to help in reducing lifecycle costs building infrastructure that offers a reliable allows passengers to be compensated stressful experience, but technology and plus temperature, noise levels, ventilation platforms, and signalling upgrades to improve and increasing asset reliability during operation. journey, guaranteed to satisfy modern-day automatically in the event of any disruption. thoughtful design can mitigate this. Good performance and the number and location capacity and reduce journey time. Combining During the actual journey, establishing what expectations. This article considers the whole- Furthermore, it will provide valuable data to visual continuity, open spaces, ambient of people in the station. The controller can modern digital technology (such as ETCS, is most important to passengers is crucial to journey experience of a passenger and what enable operators to analyse people’s travel light, ventilation and accessible passenger choose different pre-defined settings to adjust TMS) with infrastructure alterations enables ensuring they receive the most appropriate is being done to improve it by harnessing behaviours, identify customer preferences, information systems, in unison with well- the lighting, air-conditioning, public address trains to run closer together (creating paths for on-train service package. Considerations the power of modern technology, data and understand daily needs and ultimately provide planned retail and ergonomic consideration systems and information panels according to more services) and faster (to improve journey include comfort of seats/legroom, on-board the needs of the passengers. times). To the passenger this means more catering, power sockets/WiFi, luggage space The connected station brings technological flexibility over when they can travel, less time and so on, the relative importance of which innovations like smart screen doors, smart waiting for a train and less time spent getting vary according to the type of journey and the lighting and digital and dynamic signs to their destination. individual. Customer feedback and data will to improve daily operations and reduce The passenger experience is determined help to make sure the right service packages are energy consumption, making the journey not only by the speed and frequency of the provided. more intuitive for passengers and reducing planned service but also how reliably that Passengers remember when things go maintenance costs, as sensors can also be used service can be delivered. Providing reliable wrong, and these are also the occasions when to assess the station’s critical equipment. and dependable transport means not only the railway hits the headlines. Investment in This concept has been developed designing and building assets to the required infrastructure and predictive asset management collaboratively with end users, architects and standards but also keeping them in a will help to avoid this. Modern digital traffic engineers, and data collected can be used to maintainable condition. management systems can optimise services and inform the infrastructure design of the station. While the assets are getting older and facilitate faster recovery of normal operation, This method has been successfully used for mobility needs are increasing, there is an minimizing the adverse impact on passengers underground stations on Line 11 - the Paris accelerating effect on asset degradation. when lines are blocked or operating at reduced Metro extension. As operational constraints and limited speed/capacity. Director Julie Carrier adds: “The next maintenance access remain a challenge for Sharing data from digital systems and using evolution of the concept is to link the SMART asset management, use of digital technologies modern communication technology will enable Station with passenger health data, collected and data is being used to monitor assets’ passengers to be kept better informed during through wearable technology, to measure actual condition in real time. disruptions and allow them to efficiently JACK BOSKETT/ RAIL . stress levels. This will allow the controller The concept of smart rail infrastructure is plan alternatives. Smart ticketing will enable to intervene remotely to make the journey developing quickly, boosted by innovation quick, automated identification of passengers experience as pleasant as possible without the from the Internet of Things (IoT) and sensor inconvenienced by disruption so that they can passenger being aware of it.” technology. Obtaining data from physical be appropriately compensated. Exploiting today’s digital signalling assets presents a major opportunity to SYSTRA is working with customers around technology to monitor, predict and manage enhance the knowledge of mass transit and the world to provide people-centric, intelligent train running can enable passengers to be rail assets. For example, creating a digital rail solutions at every stage of their journeys. ■

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We deliver innovative and versatile asset management, engineering design and operational solutions to Network Rail, Transport for London, train operating companies, passenger transport executives and other rail providers. Through standalone provision and selected joint ventures and alliances we’re helping to enhance performance and efficiency for our customers to improve service levels for the public.

FP_RAIL_1520CONRaiid3808525.pdf 02.05.2019 11:47