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Section Activities

APRIL 2019 VOL 137 PART 2

Permanent Way Institution The Institution for Rail Engineers

PWI Practical Trackwork Challenge GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY LEICESTERSHIRE round up of recent Richard Spoors, Malcolm Pearce and Andy Packham PAGE 12

CALIFORNIA: FROM DOUBLE AN EXPLORATIVE CASE STUDY INNOVATIVE APPLICATION OF RAIL activities in our Sections TO TRIPLE TRACK COLLABORATIVE WORKING AND FASTENINGS FOR HS2 INTEGRATED DATA MANAGEMENT IN TRACK RENEWAL PROJECTS

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AS PUBLISHED IN PWI Journal APR 2019.indd 1 25/04/2019 14:41 The Journal April 2019 Volume 137 Part 2 SECTION ACTIVITIES

point. All UAVs have a remote return to take off which investigates railway accidents and point mode, should contact with the controller helps victims in the aftermath of accidents A round up be lost. etc. They also investigate Air, Road, Marine and Pipeline accidents. The accuracy of the survey is such that the of recent photographic data collected allows the amount AMTRACK run the long-distance passenger of wear on crossing noses, and numbers on which largely run on the infrastructure track component equipment to be determined. owned by the Freight Companies, although activities in The amount of data recovered means the it has its own infrastructure in the New York survey company is becoming a data storage / Washington area. Some Infrastructure, company, so that rates of deterioration can be particularly on the Eastern seaboard around our Sections. determined by repeated, interval flights. New York and Chicago, is owned by commuter Stephen concluded his talk with a lively companies which is largely used for their Question and Answer session in which he commuter passenger trains. Reports may be abbreviated for agreed that it was not possible to undertake publication in the Journal. Full surveys in due to poor light conditions, Commuter railroads may have peak versions can be downloaded or during heavy rain; but they can be frequencies of 12 trains per hour, but can have undertaken in wind speeds of up to 25-30 mph. two-hour gaps off-peak. from our website: It is best to undertake surveys when trains are running; during possessions data collection AMTRACK operate some high-speed services www.thepwi.org/technical_hub/ can be obscured as tracks are often occupied at 150mph with others at 125mph, 100mph and with too many people who do not move fast the lowest at 79mph to fit in with Freight trains section_activities enough. which share their tracks. John showed pictures of some of the 10 January 2019 infrastructure repair challenges which face CROYDON & BRIGHTON USA Railways Today - Could Trump Be American Railroads. For example, the Right? (John Dolan, Riccardo Rail) concrete tunnels under New York harbor are 11 December 2018 now suffering a chloride attack following their Unmanned Aerial Vehicle: Survey Grade John is currently a Principal Consultant at flooding during Hurricane Sandy. This affects Accuracy (Stephen Wolski Plowman Riccardo Rail and has worked in several the proposed New York Gateway Project to Craven, ) capacities on matters relating to railways in enhance capacity into the centre of New York. the USA and travelled there for holidays on a He then posed four alternative options which Stephen commenced his talk by advising considerable route mileage. the US President could spend his $580 million that Network Rail had now certified the use per annum budget on: of data obtained from an Unmanned Aerial He described the governance of the railways Vehicle (UAV), or drone, for detailed design. in the USA to be rather different to that in the 1. continue to support This had followed trials on 17 January 2018 at UK. The railway infrastructure is largely owned Transcontinental trains, which are highly Grange sidings, where a survey undertaken by the Freight Companies that run trains on it. subsidised by rail mounted trolley was compared with one However, most companies have access rights 2. the Gateway Project to improve commuter undertaken by a UAV and showed a very close and “contracts” to run over the infrastructure of journeys into New York relationship been the two. This was followed on other companies. 3. speed improvements, the 17 September 2018 by a full UAV survey of including replacing opening bridges with Guildford Station. UAV surveys are undertaken The Government has departments which cover fixed bridges, facilitating improvements in from a height of around 25 metres; well above Standards and investigate accidents. the very profitable AMTRAK services Equipment (OLE). Accuracy They are: 4. something else! from this height is to less than 5mm, obtained by taking photos which overlap by 90%. A • Federal Railroad Administration, which survey triangulation grid is still required on the governs Technical and Operational EDINBURGH ground, but the control stations for this can be Safety Standards and Enforcement. For positioned clear of running lines. example, they carry out Track Recording 7 December 2018 runs to ensure standards are being met Tempest Brewery A UAV has a working time of 15 minutes to • Surface Transportation Board, which Section Visit ensure it does not run out of battery power. In governs Access and the amount charged this time, it is possible to carry out -of- for access This year’ technical visit saw the Edinburgh route survey up to 1 kilometre from the take-off • National Transportation Safety Board, section visit the Tempest brewery in the Scottish Borders town of Tweedbank, immediately south of Galashiels. The delegates learnt that one of the main drivers for the brewery moving from their original Kelso base in 2015, was the connectivity the relatively recent service provides. As well as being much larger, to enable the expansion of the range, the new self-designed premises even hosts a semi-automated bottling facility. The Tempest pride themselves on high

quality and indeed this is demonstrated in the job title of our host - “Director of good beer”! The group learned how the company had evolved over the years, recently introducing a range of gluten free products. Due to the positive influence of the Borders railway, they also aspire to gain future premises adjacent to Tweedbank station, hosting a beer hall / tap room.

2019 AGM and Technical Quiz

2 SECTION ACTIVITIES

10 January 2019 GLASGOW central , yet to be handed over for trains. 2019 AGM and Technical Quiz However, the trains have now arrived and are 24 October 2018 currently being used to work at both ends of Following the AGM, the evening moved Borders Railway the line, so require stabling facilities. onto the annual quiz, consisting of an ever- (Sam Smith, Borders Railway Blueprint) challenging set of questions and pictures, The Old Oak Common facility has a 9-road covering a variety of subjects and locations. Borders Railway Blueprint is a consortium covered maintenance depot for cleaning and The teams battled through five rounds of tough of Local Councils and Companies, Scottish maintenance work, and a total of 45 stabling questions to compete for the Syd Smith golden Enterprise and the Scottish Government. roads, with offices and stores. There are trophy. The eventual winning team 50-point ends within the complex and 4-access were presented the trophy by section chairman 46 years after the closure of the old Waverley lines to Network Rail Infrastructure. The Old Russell Kimber. Route, thousands of people in Midlothian Oak Common site was previously occupied and Scottish Borders now have easy access by a depot, which was cleared 6 December 2018 and 7 February 2019 to rail, and millions more to Midlothian and for creation of the new site. The depot has (York) Trackbed investigation: revealing the Scottish Borders. A pilot of a Steam been built with many piles for stability, as the hidden depths (Phil Sharp, Technical Experience, giving people a chance land is not particularly stable. Crossrail trains Director, Aecom) to experience rail travel from a bygone age are a fixed formation of 9 vehicles, although with on board meals, was funded as part of within the depot area they can be removed for Phil’s 40-year career started at the BR Railway the opening. It became so popular that it now maintenance by dropping the bogies for repair Technical Centre; optimising the design of runs on a commercial basis during summer and replacement. Within the depot, only a 10- railway tracks, including 125mph running on months. Work has also finished on the Central mph limit is allowed. old trackbed. Extensive research was carried Borders Business Park, dovetailing with the out during this period, but not always formally Great Tapestry of Scotland hub development at The PWay is a mixture of standard ballasted published. Quite early on in Phil’s career, it Tweedbank. track and slab track formation. Rail is mostly was clear there was often a common industry cascaded CWR, and sleepers were recovered misunderstanding of stress rather than strain Since the opening of the Borders Railway from other sites for use within the complex. concerns on the sub-grade. several developments are noted: All roads are equipped with OHL and friction • people from the Borders area can travel buffer stops. The complex cost £110 million. In 1979, early testing consisted of a half to employment or education in Edinburgh sleeper scale rig. This was able to demonstrate and the surrounding areas 19 December 2018 the significant advantage of geotextiles, which • numbers at Borders colleges have H2M Electrification Project (Keith Lyall, SPL assist greatly in locking ballast particles. A increased by 74% Powerlines) rolling load rig was also used, which was able • visitors from Edinburgh and the world at to provide a 36-tonne single axle load. large can visit the many tourist sites and The Shotts Electrification Project was originally Testing of sand blanket performance in areas that were previously only reached a joint venture with Carillion and SPL. After the cohesive soils proved that it was only about by road Carillion collapse, SPL completed the project the bottom 10mm of sand that did most of the • new business has transferred to the themselves. The job entailed the electrification work; therefore blanket depths were reduced Borders area, creating more employment of 75km of overhead lines, rebuilding two from the early 300mm, to the 100mm figure for local communities stations, and upgrading the rest to modern recognised today. This could not have been • a hop-on, hop-off takes in most of the standards from Holytown on the WCML, to reduced further, as construction techniques sites at Tweedbank Midcalder on the lines from Carstairs proved this level of accuracy was not to Edinburgh. consistently achievable. As testing progressed, Work is ongoing to deliver a few supporting extensive data enabled very useful guidance and complementary activities. The rebuilt stations use GRP platforms to to be shared, such as: the processes which keep costs down, a design which has been cause ballast fines and at what volume, the The Blueprint is also concentrating on future used in other areas. Whilst SPL installed the maximum percentage of fines before ballast expansion of the line, probably initially to OHL foundations and masts, SB Rail were becomes life expired, and the average traffic Hawick. An electrification project may take contracted to run the OHL with their train which tonnage capability of ballast. place in the future, relatively cheaply, as the has been used on the EGIP project, and lines new line was given clearances for this when to Dunblane and Alloa. Three new TSCs were In the late 1980s, the early function of HS1 built. The design also allowed for additional delivered and commissioned. A new feeder meant that new trains would need to be train services, which may be needed in the station will be added later. The first part of the temporarily accommodated at much reduced future. project was delivered in November 2018 and speeds on the old existing lines, until the new the remainder in December 2018. With staff high-speed line was built. This meant that For the official Opening Celebration weekend, training to be completed, it will possibly be extensive site investigation was required; there was an exciting programme of activities. April or May 2019 when the new electric trains however the techniques used were still The Borders Railway showcased what was on carry their first passengers. relatively basic still at this time. 1997 saw the offer in the Railway Corridor Area and Station production of the Railtrack track bed standard Hubs under various themes including trade LANCASTER, BARROW & 9039. and investment, food and drink, and textiles

manufacture. It is estimated that in excess of CARLISLE In the late 1990s Phil joined SWPE where new 200 new jobs have been created and the local 13 November 2018 techniques were developed. These included economy has increased by in excess of £100 Railvac Ballast Excavation System a rail-borne falling weight deflectometer, million. automatic ballast sampler (ABS) window (Lasse Rösvik, Railcare Ltd) sampling, and ground probing radar. The 1 November 2018 Lasse delivered a very informative presentation 2000s saw a push to use a much larger variety Old Oak Common - PWay Design and on the potential applications of the Railvac of new geotextiles, some of which proved to Construction (John Bell, SNC Lavalin) be ineffective and even had to be removed. ballast excavation system to maintenance in the UK, which included several Further developments in GPR allowed entire To set the scene of his presentation, John video clips of operations in Sweden and the route analysis to be developed, including a gave a brief preview of how SNC Lavalin UK. Railvac on track machines can carry out rolling SD value to pinpoint the extent of the came to be involved with a construction activities such as ballast excavation on sites issue, previously only identified down to an project in London: John was previously with involving both switch and crossing work and eighth of a mile accuracy. S Atkins in Glasgow as their PWay Design plain line, leaving the track in situ during the Phil closed the evening by sharing the new and Construction Manager and the two process. They can also be used to re-ballast techniques that continue to be developed, companies recently merged. SNC Lavalin track, including at level crossings or in station including non-destructive methods such as started its railway association as a train leasing platforms, and in the excavation process micro gravity. company. Old Oak Common is a train stabling for the installation of overhead line masts. and maintenance facility for the Crossrail A detailed description of the Railvac system project, linking East and West London by a

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has appeared previously in the PWI Journal, 2017 and 28 January 2018, during which former platforms 7/8 were not considered PERMANENT WAY including two section meeting accounts in the diesel-operated services were also suspended to be required in the new layout, and hence January 2018 issue (Volume 136 Part 1 pages on the South Fylde line between Kirkham & abolished. 86 and 93); these sources should be consulted Wesham and Blackpool South. The second for further detail on the machines and their stage, which took place between 29 January Following the reopening of the complete INSTITUTION MEMBERS SAVE £5 applications. and 16 April (extended from the originally electrified route, Virgin Trains introduced a planned 25 March 2018), involved the continued service of through electric trains The presentation was followed by a period of closure of the line between Kirkham & Wesham between Blackpool North and London Euston in questions and discussion. It was observed that and Blackpool North, during which services May 2018 [Northern also introduced electric a Railvac machine had been employed locally between Preston and Blackpool South were, train services between Blackpool North and ON A SUBSCRIPTION TO some years previously (circa 2006) at the south however, reinstated and Kirkham & Wesham Manchester and Liverpool from this date]. end of platform 4 at Carlisle station [one of station reopened. Discussion and questions took place both three through platforms], when it re-ballasted during the presentation and at its conclusion. a length of 80yards of severe wet beds and Murphy was involved in four aspects of the The vote of thanks was given by PWI Vice created a clean, free-draining channel to project works, three of which were carried out President (North) Phil Kirkland, and the relieve trapped contamination. It had also been mainly before the period of the route blockade. audience showed its appreciation of the employed during the same period to re-ballast A programme of advance overbridge rebuilding presentation. the site of a ground frame at Southwaite, works, combined with track lowering as between Penrith and Carlisle, in order to required, was carried out in order to provide LONDON remove a temporary speed restriction of the enhanced electrification clearance of 4.78m 70mph and restore the line speed to 110mph. between rail and overhead structures, as 5 December 2018 and 10 January 2019 at specified for secondary lines in the Network Rail the Croydon and Brighton section 8 January 2019 Track Design Handbook (NR/l2/TRK/2049). USA railways today: The way forward? Preston to Blackpool Electrification Bridge rebuilding took place between 2013 and (John Dolan, Riccardo Rail) (Diarmuid Cronin, Joseph Relihan, Stuart 2016, while track lowering took place over a Witts, . Murphy & Sons Ltd) period of ten weekends between 21 January John’s interest in the railways of the USA and 26 March 2017. Improvements to track stems from being approached by a US The meeting was addressed by three members drainage between Poulton and Salwick were company to provide expert advice on the of the project team from J. Murphy & Sons. also undertaken over this ten-week period. Trial European market. He started by introducing Stuart Witts (Engineering Manager) introduced borehole excavations for the design of overhead the way US railways are regulated, including the presentation by putting the electrification mast foundations began in late 2016, which was how track infrastructure is classified by scheme in a historical and transport policy followed in March 2017 by the start of the maximum allowable speed for either freight context, following which Diarmuid Cronin installation of the piled cylindrical foundations or passenger services. He described the (Senior Contracts Manager) detailed Murphy’s themselves, of which 886 were of 610mm, and regulatory functions of the Federal Railroad involvement in the project, assisted by 181 of 1m, diameter. Administration, the Surface Transport Board contributions from Joseph Relihan (Engineer). and the National Transportation Safety Board. The fourth aspect of the works in which Murphy To help understand the US railway system, The main pressures at an international level was involved was reconstruction work at John gave a brief description of some of the towards today’s programme of electrification Kirkham & Wesham and Blackpool North railways companies in the US. This included have been the UK’s obligations to implement stations, which took place mainly during the the major operators many have heard of, actions required by the 1997 Kyoto Agreement route blockade. During the first stage of the such as Union Pacific, BNSF and Norfolk and and the 2009 World Summit on Climate blockade a new platform (platform 3) was Southern; and some less well known, such as Change. At a national level, the 2008 Climate constructed at Kirkham & Wesham on land Vermont Rail and Pan Am Railways. Some of Change Act requires a national reduction in formerly occupied by the avoiding lines, which the city-based commuter systems and new carbon emissions of between 26% and 32% to were removed as part of layout remodelling. commuter railways, such as the New Mexico be achieved by 2020 in order to reduce Platforms 1/2 were also extended, platform 1 Rail Runner, were also mentioned. the national carbon footprint. The provision becoming a dedicated platform for services John gave a brief overview of the variety of of electric traction thus helps to improve air between Preston and Blackpool South in infrastructure within the US, stretching from quality in cities, as an electric train typically the new layout. A pedestrian footbridge was the North East Corridor to minor railways. He Established for 50 years, Modern Railways has earned its reputation in the industry as a highly respected emits between 20% and 35% less carbon installed between the existing island platform also described the key points of the Gateway per passenger mile than a diesel train. Trains (platforms 1/2) and platform 3, together with monthly railway journal. Providing in-depth coverage of all aspects of the industry, from traction and rolling Programme, including the importance of the are also lighter with better acceleration and passenger lifts on both platforms, both types of renewal elements combined with some of the stock to signalling and infrastructure management, Modern Railways carries the latest news alongside cheaper to operate and maintain, albeit with a structure resting on piled foundations (which benefits it could bring. The meeting was then higher capital cost. were 12m long and of 450mm diameter in the given the opportunity to consider themselves detailed analysis, making it essential reading for industry professionals and railway enthusiasts alike. case of the lift shafts). Station Road overbridge President, and four options for spending In July 2009 the Minister of Transport, Andrew was reconstructed during this period by sliding $0.5bn of Federal funds a year: Adonis, announced the electrification of the the existing bridge deck out and new deck in; in Liverpool to Manchester and Wigan routes and addition track lowering was required at the site, 1. Support the Transcontinental network. . Approval for as elsewhere, to achieve the necessary This serves most States and provides electrification of the Manchester to Blackpool clearance for overhead line equipment. public transport connections for many North route followed in December 2009, the areas; however, it needs a high subsidy TO CLAIM YOUR Preston to Blackpool North section forming The reconstruction of the platforms at Blackpool 2. Fund the Gateway Programme. This Phase 3 of the North West Electrification North station took place over both stages of the would provide additional tracks from New Programme. Historically the Preston to blockade. Six of the platforms were remodelled Jersey to New York Penn station and DISCOUNTED SUBSCRIPTION Blackpool North route opened in two stages, on new alignments, which facilitated the renew aging infrastructure damaged by namely in 1840 between Preston and foundation location for the overhead line hurricane Sandy Simply enter code PWIMR in the Poulton (as the Preston and Wyre Railway to gantries (one foundation for the serving 3. Invest generally in the North East coupon code box at the checkout page Fleetwood) and in 1846 between Poulton and platform 1 was as deep as 12m, due to sandy Corridor projects, such as replacing Blackpool Talbot Road (now Blackpool North). ground conditions). The platforms were moving bridges and gauge enhancements when ordering online at: The completion of the scheme has removed the demolished and reconstructed, using pre-cast in Baltimore remaining unelectrified gap of eighteen miles in concrete riser walls sourced from Ireland in 4. Use the funds for something else, as www.keypublishing.com/shop the 228-mile journey between London Euston order to save time, as the programme was Federal railroads are irrelevant to most and Blackpool North. constrained by the need for track reinstallation. citizens. Most commuter services and Platforms 1/2 were reconstructed to a length of many others would continue, as they are The principal works for the electrification 277m, which is sufficient to accommodate an funded at State or city level. scheme took place during a two-stage blockade eleven coach Pendelino train, while platforms of the route. The first stage involved the closure 3/4 and 5/6 were reconstructed to lengths of of the entire line between Preston and 217m and 208m respectively. The Alternatively, call: 01780 480404 quoting code PWIMR to the operator Blackpool North between 11 November Lines open 9.00-5.30pm Monday-Friday. All details correct at time of going to press. Offer ends 28th February 2019. *Offer not valid on Direct Debit subscriptions. 1108/18

5 SECTION ACTIVITIES

Finally, John ran through some other aspects development of over ten thousand homes, of the railway in the US, such as stations and is to start shortly; the route includes a long level crossings, including street running where viaduct and much ballastless track. The Old 13 December 2018 road rules are set at State level so there are Oak Common “opportunity area” will provide RILA - Data Capture & Utilisation differences depending on which State you are new LO stations with interchange to the GW (Roy Hickman, Fugro) in. main line and HS2. A longer-term idea is to introduce a service on the ex-Midland Railway Roy gave an inciteful talk on Data Capture and The paper associated with this talk from Brent to Acton Wells freight branch; this could Utilisation using RILA, which provoked the John can be found in the April and July 2018 run onto the Hounslow Loop and there could start of a lively debate on potential applications Journals. be new interchange stations at Neasden and in the wider rail industry. Harlesden. Novel traction systems may allow 14 January 2019 the cost of electrification to be avoided. 10 January 2019 – Past, present and Confidential Reporting: An important part future (Dave Mansfield, Transport for 6 February 2019 of your safety management system London) Mechanised track construction on the (Katie Healy, CIRAS) Riyadh Metro (Andrea Ninni and Sergio, The upgrading of a series of suburban rail Sinusia Alstom) Katie stepped in at late notice to give a thought lines, and their rebranding by Transport for provoking talk on CIRAS. London (TfL) as London Overground (LO), Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia, is investing has been a remarkable success. Ridership heavily in public transport. In anticipation of 3 February 2019 since the exercise started in 2007 has grown a population of 8.3million by 2030 a six-line All Change at Crewe five-fold. The LO network started with the automated metro comprising 376 track-km is (David Gordon, Network Rail and Suzanne somewhat neglected and being built. This will be complemented by an Mathieson, HS2) now embraces West London, East London, extensive bus network. A ten-fold increase in Gospel Oak to Barking, as well as routes to public transport usage is envisaged. Metro The first North Wales PWI meeting at Crewe Chingford and Cheshunt; which together have construction, a mix of viaduct, at-grade and welcomed a lunchtime presentation with a enjoyed investment totalling £3bn in trains and tunnel, is almost complete and the first section fitting subject: ‘All change at Crewe’. infrastructure. is planned to open later this year. Design- and-build contracts were awarded to three 14 February 2019 LO is an operating contract rather than a international consortia. Those responsible Rail Milling - The next generation of normal franchise, and the client is TfL. The for Lines 3, 4, 5 and 6 includes Alstom, and management (Bob Hardwell, Infrastructure Manager is Network Rail except Andrea and Sergio described the Alstom Principal Engineer Network Rail) on sections previously owned by London Appitrack mechanised track-laying process Underground, such as part of the East London used on those lines. Bob gave a reflective and informative talk route. entitled ‘Rail Milling - The next generation of Appitrack is a means of laying a reinforced rail profile management’. Dave described the challenges of upgrading track slab, installing baseplates and then the North London Line, not least the rails, using three-dimensional guidance accommodation of substantial freight traffic as and robotics. The system was first used on SOUTH & WEST WALES well as an enhanced passenger service. As tramways in 1995 but has been developed 10 December 2018 an example, track in Hampstead Heath tunnel and refined for main-line and metro use. The The Journey Begins: The Transformation had to be reconfigured to provide improved key constraint on speed of laying is delivery of of the Wales and Borders Rail Franchise clearances, and the slab extended at the concrete to the slip-form paver. Delivery may (Richard Briggs, and east end to deal with poor ground conditions. be by ready-mix lorries direct to the paver, Lee Jones, Strategic Growth Director, Elsewhere on the route, new AC electrification mixing on site, or pumping it. The best output Amey Rail) required track lowering alongside a high has been about 400m per day, but 200m is retaining wall, under-track props which had to more typical. Richard gave a brief résumé of his previous be lowered by over a metre. There were also projects, including Midland Metro Centenary drains and sewers to contend with. Reinforcement is structural, comprising Square extension and preparations for battery- Introduction of a service between Clapham prefabricated cages (curved as appropriate powered . In 2016 he was seconded into Junction and Surrey Quays on the East London to suit the track alignment), placed to allow the Transport for Wales franchise procurement line entailed the reinstatement of track on the later positioning of baseplate screws. The team and is now the Technical Lead for an abandoned alignment. The East London paver then lays the concrete. A low-slump the transformation of the Core Valley Lines line itself was subject to total modernization, concrete is specified to ensure that the track around Cardiff. Lee joined Amey from British including extension north to Dalston and slab retains its profile, especially as cants can Rail having started his career in Newport. He Highbury and south to West Croydon. Gospel be up to 120mm. The polymeric baseplates is now Strategic Growth Director for Amey Oak to Barking is about to see electric trains (two types, offering different stiffnesses to Rail and Chair of KeolisAmey Wales Cymru and a more frequent service. suit noise and vibration requirements) with ODP. He was Operations Director for London their integrated dowels, are vibrated into the Underground JNP lines during the 2012 The transfer of the Liverpool Street services wet concrete during the next hour: this is Olympics, and then became involved with the has involved much station upgrading and, done robotically, and the three-dimensional ongoing joint venture partnerships with Keolis as on the other routes, new trains and power guidance system ensures the correct levels for Docklands Light Railway and Greater supply strengthening. and rail inclination. The slab with the installed franchises. baseplates is then left for five days to cure, The main challenge now is capacity before the baseplate screws are inserted and In a joint presentation, Richard concentrated enhancement. This has been met initially by the rails installed. on the developments to come in the Core extending Class 378 EMUs to 5-car and by Valley lines, and Lee the wider Wales and numerous platform extensions (with passive Significant heat is generated as the concrete Borders operations. This began with an provision for 6-car where feasible). Extra cures. Ice is used in the initial mixing, but explanation of the organisation of Transport for turnbacks will enable concentration of train tunnel temperatures still reach 35°, so Wales (TfW) as an arm of capacity on sections of route where it is most construction joints are used to mitigate with TfW Rail the franchise operator of rail needed. However, while considerable new cracking. services, being a Keolis/Amey joint venture. stabling was created for the present services, Amey have a specific interest in infrastructure necessary further expansion is constrained by which is to be a major consideration in the a lack of suitable sites. restructured franchise, and they already had a good working relationship with Keolis on other Finally, Dave described some forthcoming franchises. Scene setting was completed by projects and future possibilities. The showing a video produced by TfW outlining the extension to Barking Riverside, to serve a new aims and objectives of the new franchise.

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In a variation to the standard UK franchise, the • line of sight -free running in the relatively lightweight equipment with an equally Welsh franchise is to operate to an outcome- Cardiff Bay extensions, with rigid bar lightweight trolley, will be around for some time based approach with four trains per hour recharging at stations and termini to come. per route in the core Valleys. The franchise • with the restoration or doubling of tracks seeks to grow the passenger market with in the Valleys, the modified signalling THAMES VALLEY passenger facilities a focus, including new system would also move away from the trains and more seats when the full-service Network Rail WROC, to a new signalling 7 November 2018 plans are fully operational by 2023. Service centre at Taffs Well. Determination of Loading for Track Design Improvement Plans are part of the committed An Update – the Introduction of Swiss obligations of the franchise, with better trains Asset transfer from Network Rail to WG was Machine Technology to the UK and Slab to replace everything from the Pacers to the now in the discovery phase, with a Transfer Track Developments on UK Projects Mk2 carriages on the Gerald of Wales; but Framework Agreement the formal document (Barnaby Temple, Head of Engineering and older trains may be kept in reserve to share to transfer the assets and risk to WG. Future Carl Garrud, Managing Director, Rhomberg peak loads. Improved ticketing to link with bus funding would be under WG control and carried Sersa Rail Group (UK)) services is also proposed, allowing Heads out through the ODP [full term] part of the of Valleys transport links. Wi-fi at stations franchise. Barnaby began by discussing physical will be a spin-off from £200m of station loading and design in track engineering. He improvements. £40m in station facilities will be After concluding their presentation, the said that currently we are mostly dealing engineering intense, with £20m for catering speakers invited questions. These ranged with ballasted track, using generic designs, and retail led by commercial requirements. from BREXIT implications and interoperability and load calculations are rarely undertaken. Lee, with nods of agreement from Richard as requirements, the provision of toilets at Metro His contention is that to achieve definable sponsor, said that there were many aspirations stations and not on trains, elaboration improvements in durability and performance of in the franchise that would be tried, but if they of freight trains operating in the Valleys, formation and track forms, alternative solutions did not match expectations they could be co-ordination of signalling infrastructure and ballastless track system structural analysis modified or even dropped - in a similar way to improvements with Network Rail (NR) on the and calculations are necessary. the fax machine which has become a piece of Marches line and at other locations, and the outdated technology. interface between track and signalling between A new standard has been developed and NR and TfW. Being a small network with published for ballastless track, some parts of For the North Wales Metro to class unique local situations, the speakers foresaw which are relevant to ballasted track. This can 230 trains, Vivarail trains are proposed the need for bespoke differential standards to be used in design, but current practice in its and by a process of cascade, conversion and those of NR, and these standards would be use is highly inconsistent within the UK and new build, the average age of rolling stock on both quicker to implement and change than on Europe. The exception is Germany, where main line services will reduce from 25-years the national network. DB has developed design criteria eminently currently, to 7-years by 2023. suited to its own conditions, but which are not In a commentary on recent improvements in universally applicable. Reviewing the first 6-weeks of the franchise, travel, it was stated that a journey on the Ebbw Lee commented on the stormy ride through Valley train took 40minutes but the return So, much uncertainty - with no clear, Storm Callum and leaf fall challenges which journey by bus took two hours. Amplifying that unambiguous guidelines, no single standard, had caused the Canton Wheel Lathe to be journey opportunities were everything and and many contradictions. In the UK, RSSB is in use 24/7 in recent days. Richard then the first and last mile of any public transport consulting widely on the issues, particularly explained the transformations proposed for journey were not by public transport, the the need for clarification in the interpretation of the core Valleys which no longer exist to speakers postulated future possibilities of the Railway Traffic Loading section of the new transport coal, but now are a lifeline for taking autonomous bus travel or scooter hire. Standard, to establish design criteria which can passengers to Cardiff. A limited service of coal be consistently applied. trains still use the Valley lines and provision 14 January 2019 would remain for services to increase if the Recent developments in Rail Management – Barnaby outlined the risks of not carrying need arose. For Passenger traffic there was Eddy Currents to Induction Welding. out structural analysis at the design stage, an increasing need for heavy rail, bus, Bus RT (Brian Whitney, Engineering Expert (Track which includes the failure of formation, and , to encourage public transport and S&C), Network Rail) track components and structures. The work on existing and new routes in the region. being undertaken by RSSB will enable a UK This required increased train seats and new Brian started with an update about broken and Guidance Note to be published, and to this services. From Autumn 2019 the core Valley defective rail trends and then described how end, industry workshops/seminars for the lines would transfer to Welsh Government technological developments were assisting dissemination of information is ongoing. control under TfW and a series of new works in reducing these incidents even further. The eventual outcome is to influence the were proposed for completion by 2024. This Broken rail trend is thankfully downwards and revision of the published EN to facilitate its will involve re-modelling at Queen Street, Eddy current technology is helping to identify future consistent application. extensions at Cardiff Bay, and redoubling some developing crack length. This may be removed Valley lines. New Valley train stabling facilities by developments in high speed (4mph!) milling The Speakers then took us through the would be built at Taffs Well, enabling Canton to technology and thus reduce the RCF defects installation of the Vossloh DFF304 system, a be remodelled for main line stock. in rails, which has been the challenge over variation of the IVES ballastless track form, the last 20-years. Lowering of the RCF threat described to us in detail by Carl on a previous New Valley trains are on order. 36 tram train level has put a spotlight on long recognised occasion. sets (electric/battery) will be built to main line defects in rail foot cracking, particularly at track crash worthiness standards because main support discontinuities (.. bridge abutments), The variation, developed in the UK for the line freight still uses these lines. 26 tri-mode where developments in determining small project, is a new concept of (electric, battery, diesel) will work on both core rail dips in plain line by the measurement modules which enables a highly accurate and Valley and national rail. Richard explained train, may be identified by the Rail Defect swift bottom-up build. The precast rectangular how they proposed to overcome the classic Management System (RDMS). The RDMS also transverse units are built up into panels; the electrification cost escalators by utilising allows defects to be monitored in successive units have pockets provided to accept the innovative methods: runs. By analysis of trends using established baseplate dowels. The special baseplates, engineering judgement and the power of data incorporating lateral and vertical adjustment • permanently earthed sections of interpretation, business critical evaluation can facilities, are then positioned, rails installed Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) would determine when defects must be raised. and clipped, and accurate alignment achieved overcome bridge clearance interventions using rail adjustment devices. at 55 locations Brian also described how early progress in • battery power on sections of line where the Induction Welding technique was still in The final process is the grouting of the rail no wire could be accommodated would the development stage of adaption to use fastening elements, using high strength quick enable multi-mode stock to work through in track. It would seem that the days of the setting grout – the baseplates are hollow and Caerphilly Tunnel Thermit Welding team, with the ability to move provided with filling channels to facilitate the

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process. Once grouted, the rail fastening HSR corridors to 6 in 1999. Barack Obama the mostly heavily used in the world. Neither elements and the base units form a strong, proposed in 2009, under the American can cope with the anticipated growth so - integral system to a high and consistent Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the without HSR - longer journey times, reduced accuracy. HSR Strategic Plan. This plan envisaged the 6 reliability, reduced mobility and more pollution corridors being in operation by 2030 (see slide will ensue. The California HSR Act 1996 set up Carl then continued with an insight into his 1); currently one project in California is under the HSR Authority to plan, design, construct company’s development of an integrated construction, which commenced in 2015 (see and operate a state-wide high speed train reballasting system incorporating removal slide 2). system. In 2008 Proposition 1A was passed, and reinstatement, or renewal, of track. The making funding available to establish the development is in response to a remit from California, the HSR Authority, Proposition 1A: proposals. Proposition 1A lays down clear clients for a system capable of working in California is the most populous US State, parameters: difficult single line sections, including single projected to grow by 50% by 2040. It is the bore tunnels. 3rd largest US state by area, some 770 miles • electric trains, 200mph maximum revenue long and 250 miles wide. Significantly it is operating speeds Carl described the concept of the OTP to be the 5th largest economy in the world, with the • maximum non-stop service travel times deployed, together with the incorporation Central Valley area producing huge amounts between key locations, eg San Francisco of existing material handling vehicles. The of food products. It is this area that has the to Los Angeles - 2h.40m methodology which has been developed (Carl least population density in the State, but which • 5 min (or less) operating headways illustrated the process with clear diagrams and has considerable political influence. The state • 24 stations to be served by high speed flow-charts) indicate significant production highways are the most congested in the US; trains. rate increases over currently used methods for the San Francisco/Los Angeles air corridor is similar worksites. Trials are underway with the various elements of the system with positive results, but much development work remains and the acceptance process has to be gone through.

9 January 2019 The California High-Speed Rail Project - From Planning to Construction (Matthew Savastano, WSP Group UK) With the aid of many highly descriptive slides, Matthew took us through the history of transport in general, and railways in particular, in the USA and the vision for High Speed Railways (HSR).

USA Transport:

In terms of passengers, rail has fared badly since the 1960s against bus, car and air travel. There has been little or no Federal investment in rail in that time; for example, of the Federal investment available in 2008, highways took 76%, air corridors 22% and intercity passenger railways just 2%. In terms of freight, the US moves the highest volume per year in the world – the freight routes are self-funded by the owning companies and are maintained for speeds commensurate with the predominant traffic. Routes with Amtrak Slide 1: US IC Passenger rail network operated passenger trains can run at higher speed – for example on track type Class 3 sections at 60mph instead of 40mph maximum for freight trains - but there are few of them. There are some higher speed passenger routes, notably on the East Coast, with track type Class 5, 6 and 7 permitting speeds at 90mph, 110mph and 125mph respectively. On a short section of the North East Corridor, express trains are able to run at a maximum 150mph.

HSR Vision and Timeline:

Successive US Presidents have pushed some level of HSR agenda, starting with Lyndon Johnson in 1965 with the High Speed Ground Transportation Act. Amtrak was formed in 1970, and the Passenger Railroad Rebuilding Act came into force in 1984. George . W. Bush introduced the National initiative (dropped later due to costs and risks), together with a proposal for 5 HSR corridors in 1991; followed in 1992 with a project to provide a California corridor linking San Diego and Los Angeles with the San Francisco Bay area, Sacramento and the San Joaquin Valley. Bill Clinton increased the proposal for 5 Slide 2: Proposition 1A HSR route

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Constraints and routes proposed: Costs and Funding: Construction and Maintenance:

• San Francisco to San Jose and Palmdale Matthew described the Procurement Contracts Matthew described various works in progress to Anaheim – existing 79mph railway (see slide 11), and how the Cap and Trade (see slides 13 and 14) and the methodology • Pacheco Pass and Tehachapi Tunnels Funding works (see slide 12). The Cap and used. Structural concrete is mostly cast in-situ; • Calaveras, Ortigalita, San Andreas and Trade programme caps greenhouse gas pre-cast not normally considered the best San Gabriel Faults emissions at a specific amount each year, and option. • Central Valley Farms. the cap decreases about 2-3% annually until it reaches 1990 emission levels. The State See slides 13, 14 – Construction of Fresno See slide 5 - Northern Tunnels and Faults and Air Resources Board determines the number Trench slide 6 - Southern Tunnels and Faults. of emission allowances to provide for free, to There are also major constraints in the San auction, or to sell to industrial businesses that Finally Matthew touched on the maintenance Francisco and Los Angeles urban areas, emit 25000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each facilities to be provided for the infrastructure together with the remarkable “sinking” Central annual quarter. Each allowance permits the and trainsets (see slide 15). Valley area – see slide 7. emission of one tonne of carbon dioxide, with 25% of cap and trade proceeds going towards Design Standards and Interfaces: HSR funding. Design is based on a combination of CFR/ AREMA/THSRC/TSI/EN/JNR Standards for See slide 11 – Procurement Contracts minimum horizontal radii, maximum gradients, minimum segment lengths, design, turnout geometry, dynamic envelope limits, typical earthworks cross-section, aerial structure cross-sections, trench cross-section and tunnel cross-sections - based on train speeds and performances. Matthew showed detail sheets of each Standard and elaborated where necessary. The design represents proven practice in the US and elsewhere in the world.

Variation in air and rail temperature can be extreme and wide ranging over the length of the route. Matthew showed details of the design Standard being developed; see slides 8 and 9 - Design Standards and Analysis for Stressing.

Matthew then discussed the proposals to interface high speed trains and existing services in the San Francisco Bay and Los Angeles areas, both of which present considerable problems due to physical alignment, clearances, platform heights, ground conditions and proximity of surrounding infrastructure. In particular, the electrification of in San Francisco will require innovative solutions in design and infrastructure alterations to provide both passing and electrical clearance. Slide 3: Project description

Trainsets:

Matthew next showed details of the HSR Authority’s Tier lll Trainset Performance Specification. This lays down clear performance criteria for manufacturers, including crash energy management, a derailment protection device, and reaction to a notification of an operating basis earthquake. Comparisons of candidate trainsets, both standard width and wide-bodied configurations, from world-wide manufacturers were then displayed by Matthew – the Authority places high importance in the sourcing of trainsets with proven service records. The Caltrain trainsets, incorporating two sets of doors to accommodate different platform heights, provided an interesting diversion!

Programme:

See Slide 10 - Programme and Phased Implementation.

Slide 4: Travel times

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WESSEX

4 December 2018 Rose Tinted Spectacles and Track Maintenance Standards - BR Handbook 5 (HB5) or NR/L2/TRK/001 (001)? (Andy Jones, Senior Programme Manager, Wessex Routes, Network Rail)

This was in fact the second part of a presentation by the same title that Andy gave a year previously, and was billed as being an interactive evening challenging us to compare the requirements of the two Standards.

Andy began by contrasting the lengths of the two documents – HB5 having but 46 pages against 001’s 401 – and rising. Recommendations arising from the investigations into the Ladbroke Grove and Hatfield accidents had focused on the reactive culture of referring problems upwards, the need to introduce risk assessment into the process, and changing the culture to become proactive. This, as with all the ideas put forward, sparked a lively debate, especially about the sort of decisions that front-line staff ought to be able to take. The requirements of the two Standards on dealing with broken rails were very different. HB5 expected the Section Supervisor to take responsibility for safety of line and only delegate decisions upwards if necessary, and to this end gave only simple parameters for deciding when the break required the line to be blocked. On the other hand, 001 features a matrix of the conditions likely to be found, enabling the person attending to decide what immediate action is required. Andy then presented a case study of a rail break that had recently occurred at Surbiton, inviting interpretations from the audience of what actions the two Standards should have prompted.

Andy intended the presentation to be interactive and it certainly was. Ideas abounded, including that all Asset Managers should be engineers – but not necessarily chartered engineers, and that asset management should not be split from engineering. The discussions also endorsed Slide 6: Southern tunnels and faults Brian Counter’s Technical Director, PWI view that commitment needs to go hand-in-glove with competence. Had the Chairman not called time the debate could have gone on all night, so the way has been paved for Part III!

One message emerged though upon which all agreed – when it comes to prescriptive Standards, one size does not fit all!

8 January 2019 Elizabeth Line Infrastructure Maintenance - Getting our hands on the Railway (Jon Jarrett, Head of Infrastructure, Crossrail (Elizabeth Line))

Jon spoke about the management and maintenance of the Crossrail assets currently and soon-to-be operational. Construction has been undertaken by Crossrail and they are now commissioning the new railway. The management / maintenance of the new assets, as the Elizabeth Line, once commissioned will be Jon’s responsibility. The start of operational train running is split into phased stages; this helps to tackle teething problems for each stage, and to learn lessons for later stages. Slide 7: California ‘sinkinns’

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Stage 1 was implemented in May 2017 with trains between Shenfield and Liverpool Street transferring to TfL. Operational experience has been gained with the new Class 345 EMUS utilising DOO. They have proved popular with passengers; they are also without yellow train ends – a first for mainline trains in the UK. Stage 2 was reached in May 2018 with trains between Heathrow & Paddington transferring to TfL (using NR existing infrastructure) running on TPWS.

Stage 3 was scheduled for August 2019 with trains to/from Abbey Wood using the new tunnels to/from Paddington (Crossrail), but this is now proposed for Autumn 2019. The signalling system within the tunnels will be based on moving block - different to those beyond the East and West ends. The tunnel ventilation system is interlocked with the trains. Stage 4 will be planned for around six months after Stage 3, when the Shenfield trains will transfer through the tunnel at Pudding Mill Lane to / from Paddington (Crossrail). The date for Stage 5 is yet to be confirmed. When in operation, trains to / from Heathrow & Reading will transfer through the tunnel at Royal Oak.

The Infrastructure Maintenance Management Centre is at Plumstead. The maintenance organisation is made up of three teams: (1) Compliance - maintenance inspection & checking completed work; (2) Delivery - undertaking maintenance; and (3) Planning - planning maintenance.

Sponsor requirements allow the closure of track for maintenance work, in tunnel sections, with only two 56-hour possessions per year. Much of the infrastructure is built with redundancy, so that operations can continue when simple failures occur.

The UIC 60 E2 rails have a planned 15-year life, carrying 90 equated million gross tonnes per annum. A Linsiger MG31-UK rail milling machine is about to be delivered, the first in the UK, for use to control RCF. Milling avoids sparks and heat generated from traditional grinding. It can achieve 3.5mm with a single Slides 8, 9: Design standards and analysis for stressing. pass at 800metres per hour, and has low diesel emissions.

Two Plasser UK/Robel Engineering trains have been procured, each with two end power cars totalling 2,000hp and intermodel wagons in between for multi tasks. Renewal of S&C uses multiple gantries. Spare S&C is stored within the tunnels with the benefit of being at ambient tunnel temperature. Replacing 60ft rails uses the incorporated Palfinger PKR 540E crane. Flash butt welders are currently not on wagons, but there are plans to incorporate them in the future. An infrastructure inspection vehicle has been developed to undertake functions like that of NR’s new measurement train.

At every station there are Maintenance PODs with strategic spares, where suppliers have responsibility for maintaining and replacing stock items.

Possessions are controlled using the CBTC signalling system and are inputted by the signaller as if a train. The PICOP has a hand- held terminal which allows the identification of his location to the signaller. Slide 10: Programme and phased implementation

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Systems have been designed to minimise safety risks. There will be no specific patrolmen; the inspection vehicle will pick up track conditions. Three of the Class 345 trains will be equipped with monitoring equipment to ensure 100% coverage each day. Data is transmitted automatically to Plumstead for analysis. There will be three monthly Supervisor Inspections to ensure compliance.

Apprentices are trained in multiple disciplines and work will be allocated on a competency- based skill set.

5 February 2019 How Dr Beeching saved the Railways…. and set the scene for the current Railway Renaissance (Tim Kendell previously Infrastructure Technical Manager (Railways) at Department for Transport)

The incredible increase in railway mileage Slide 11: Procurement contracts from 27 miles in 1825 to 10,433 in 1860 and on to 17,900 miles by 1961, serving most towns and many villages, demonstrates that demand for rail borne public transport over those years was significant; although many newer lines became unsustainable. The original multiple companies were grouped into major four companies in the 1920s, but severe deterioration of the infrastructure, motive power and rolling stock during the war- time years led to nationalisation in 1948, and the establishment of the Railway Executive in 1952. This prompted the development of the modernisation plan of 1955. This £500m proposal, which subsequently rose to £1.2bn, included both renewals and enhancements to the railway infrastructure and motive power. However, traffic levels began to decline in the late 1950s with the emergence of car and road freight haulage. At that time the Government appointed Ernest Marples as the Transport minister, who had a considerable interest in road construction. On 15 March 1961 Dr Beeching was appointed to head up the BTC and became the first Chairman of the British Railways Board in 1963. His challenge was to ‘balance the books’ in 5-years.

Beeching set about this task with a very swift analysis of the traffic levels, revenue streams Slide 12: Cap and trade funding and costs of the railway as it stood. This analysis was based on a “one-week” traffic survey. From this he formulated his report “The Reshaping of British Railways” which was published on 27 March 1963. His data suggested that 92% of all traffic was carried on 50% of the network and that 94% of passenger receipts came from just 33% of the stations. Conversely, 41% of stations produced only 1% of the receipts! From this conclusion, his report proposed significant route and station closures, as well as the elimination of steam traction, changing the focus of freight away from wagon-load traffic to ‘liner’ (container) trains, and the heavy train-load business.

Most of the closures proposed were authorised by the Government and reduced the deficit whilst retaining the traffic levels on the core remaining network, and the management and business changes put the railways onto a sound basis for the future.

In 1976, Sir Peter Parker was appointed to head up the British Railway Board. He introduced the principle of the ‘social railway’ and set up the ‘business sectors’. This was in Slide 13: Construction of Fresno Trench

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parallel with the introduction of the Inter City WEST OF ENGLAND The secondary process then hones the 125 diesel train, which has proved to be the final composition of the steel, which varies ‘train of choice’ to this present day. 7 November 2018 according to the rail type required. Daniel Making Tracks (Daniel Pyke, Marketing discussed the de-gassing process, which is The business sector development continued Manager, British Steel) vital for production of rail steel (particularly the and turned around the decline in passenger removal of hydrogen – which could otherwise traffic, leading to the significant growth that British Steel launched in June 2016 and create flaws in the rail leading to Tache Ovale followed privatisation in 1994. produces around 3million tonnes of steel per defects, for example). Interestingly, de- year. Manufacturing in the UK takes place at gassing is not compulsory for any other steel Tim concluded that, with a few notable Scunthorpe and Skinningrove, where over 100 production. The continuous casting process exceptions, the closures in 1963 - 1970 rail profiles for railways all over the world are is time critical as the temperature must be produced a network from which the traffic produced. maintained. 6-7 tonnes of unrolled steel are growth experienced in the last 20 years, has generally produced in a typical continual cast. been built. The number of station openings to Daniel walked through the process of rail support new centres of population have been production, starting the journey by describing During the rail rolling process, the steel is considerable. The development of Community the basics of making steel with some early rolled from a continuous square section to the Railways has protected many branch lines from points of note regarding sustainability: rail profile via several rolling processes. Rails closure and several closed lines are now very are branded at this point with manufacturer, successful as Heritage Railways, serving both • scrap steel is mixed with molten metal factory, grade, year and size. The rail is tourism and educational purposes. • gases, including carbon monoxide then cooled and straightened before being produced from mixing process, are used rigorously inspected. as fuel for other processes. 100% of rails are inspected to assure dimensions, surface quality, flatness and internal quality. Continuous measurement takes place immediately after rolling and again after cooling:

• the profile of rails is recorded every 20mm by cameras and lasers • the surface quality is inspected at different wavelengths. Any more than 3.5mm depth of scratch is rejected • Eddy Current is used to detect defects • flatness is checked using lasers and cameras in both horizontal and vertical planes. Internal inspection is undertaken using 18 ultrasonic probes.

Daniel went on to discuss the next generation rails, including HP335 Rail which provides increased wear and RCF resistance. Example sites were discussed, including Hett Mill - a HP rail trial site which was previously subjected to grinding every 3 months. Since the introduction of HP rail no grinding was required for 18 months. Grinding has now been scheduled on a 6 monthly cycle and the rail life extended from approx. 5 years to 30 years. The total Slide 14: Construction of Fresno Trench saving over a 5-year life cycle is estimated at £248k (HP rail costs an additional £9k).

Another example in a light rail environment was Sheffield’s Meadowhall tram where wear resistance on a tight radius curve was improved threefold, with a reduction in corrugation growth by two thirds.

To conclude the presentation, Daniel discussed Zinoco - a corrosion protection for rails. In lab testing, Zinoco remained reliable even when not intact (i.e. when subject to surface scratching).

5 December 2018 Filton Four Tracking (Matt Hargreaves and Molly Evans, Network Rail)

Matt explained how this recently completed project - to reinstate the third and fourth track between Bristol Temple Meads and Filton Abbey Wood, commonly referred to as Filton Bank due to the route’s gradient - was undertaken as part of the wider Great Western Route Modernisation programme. The route was originally widened from two to four tracks in 1891. Stations such as Stapleton Road were once quite grand stopping points, but with declining usage through the 1960s and 1970s, Slide 15

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two of the tracks were removed, retaining the ground. A particular benefit of this is that is reduced which saves costs. In addition, best components and allowing some alignment the polystyrene can be easily removed analysis of the data is enabling the engineers optimisation. Recent developments, including and recycled if the arch is brought back to predict when the motor may fail, thus 41% growth forecast for the Bristol area, into use enabling preventative maintenance and timely prompted reconsideration of this part of the • large blocks that can be carried by exchange; again saving the potential cost of railway. Options included a 3-track design, but two or more workers are laid at the point failures and disruption to traffic. this failed to meet operational and capacity base of embankments and locked requirements. together. These are then covered with The servers, sensors and dataloggers traditional materials. The result is a communicate with each other using mass A reinstatement of the four tracks with lighter embankment, the polystyrene produced items, such as SIM cards found associated S&C was selected as the final being protected by the coating and the in millions of mobile phones. Despite this, option, involving 15km of new plain line track traditional materials. perhaps predictably given the application, and 12 units of S&C. Besides accommodating • the ‘mobile bridge’, which was impressive! the equipment is not cheap. The ‘kit’ required passenger growth, nine additional freight paths An existing bridge needed to be replaced, to monitor four points can cost £1,500. As a were also delivered with improved diversionary but disruption to road and rail traffic had comparison, this is several times the cost of routes. to be kept to a minimum. Therefore, the equipment required to provide detailed data a new polystyrene bridge, complete about domestic Photovoltaic (PV) panels that Molly explained some of the construction with buttresses and deck, was built on produce and the Solar panels that challenges faced by the team, not least the adjacent land. Large road trailers were heat water! integration of track and civils works including assembled from modules, and a girder a new viaduct and geotechnical stabilisations. placed on top; the whole thing being The sensors and dataloggers join a plethora of This was all in a confined urban environment assembled under the bridge. At this point, other new and improved technologies such as: of around 9,000 lineside neighbours, with the existing bridge was demolished and a axle counters, lasers, closed circuit television, various consents needed through the two hole was excavated in the embankments the new measurement train, helicopters, affected local authorities. Material handling on either side of the bridge. Then, a drones if fitted with surveying equipment, plus made extensive use of engineering trains to mechanism on the road trailer assembly, modern Hot Axle Box detectors and gadgets to control the environmental impact. Being a lifted the new bridge enabling it to be measure stress in and Overhead brownfield site, there was a lot of testing for driven to and lowered into position. As the Line Equipment. hazardous materials, with asbestos being one plant rapidly back filled the embankments, of the contaminants found and subsequently the road trailer was driven from under All this new equipment has brought new requiring careful management. Areas for the bridge, dismantled and taken challenges. Assisted by colleagues in the construction innovation included formation away. Within a short space of time, the audience, our speakers detailed the way in treatments. Stiffness measurements using embankments were consolidated, track which training is being developed and delivered a falling weight deflectometer were used reinstated across the new bridge, and rail to staff. A new facility means that staff can be to validate avoidance of sub ballast layers. and road traffic recommenced. trained in their locality. This avoids the many Elsewhere, geowebs were used and a costs and consequences of taking staff away combined geogrid/geotextile achieved further Arrangements are being made for this from their families. The training programmes construction savings. Drainage has always impressive feat to be repeated where have been designed to enable staff to learn been a feature of this route with some difficult necessary on the railway system. Perhaps how to maintain and operate all this new sites and surrounding geography. For this most impressive is the fact that this technology, in addition to that which has been reason, the works included 3.6km of new ‘construction grade’ of polystyrene can be used for years. drainage. During construction, water was a made from ‘waste’ materials. continual feature and lessons had to be learnt YORK about water management during excavation. Perhaps most impressive is the fact that this ‘construction grade’ of polystyrene can be 4 October 2018 WEST YORKSHIRE made from ‘waste’ materials. Polystyrene is TransPennine Route Upgrade (James easily recycled using steam, which also cleans Hodge, West of Leeds Alliance) 20 November 2018 it. Jablite has the facility to recycle many types Lightweight Fill Materials for Rail of polystyrene. The scheme covers the route from Manchester Applications Victoria to York, plus Micklefield to Selby. The (Dave Woods, Principal Programme 11 December 2018 original electrification scheme was paused in Engineer (Track), Network Rail) Signalling for the 21st Century (Ian Puckrin 2014 and restarted in November 2015 with the and Madeline Coyle, Network Rail) additional specified objectives of increasing: David’s presentation included an interactive challenge to see who could break the sample Their presentation detailed how the Signal Capacity (trains/hour) of material on offer. This particular block of & Telegraph (S&T) engineers are making • 4 x fast Manchester Victoria to York (clock polystyrene defeated all attempts! You are extensive use of new and emerging face) presumably familiar with the ‘squiggles’ and technologies to monitor the performance of • 2 x semi-fast Manchester Piccadilly to chunks of polystyrene used as packing for their equipment. By fitting sensors to switches Hull fragile items or domestic appliances. The and crossings, point motors and signals, • 2 x stopping trains variety used in civil engineering is basically the the S&T can obtain data about the routine same stuff, only much denser and stronger. operation of these items. When combined with Journey time equipment to interpret this data, the engineers • improvement of up to 15 minutes between Various plants located in the UK can produce can remotely monitor how well that equipment Manchester Victoria and York, equating to large blocks to the customer’s requirements. To is working. a target of 62 minutes overcome the threats from petrochemicals, the blocks are treated with hydrocarbon coatings. Some of the sensors measure the amount Passenger performance metric (PPM) Blocks used by Network Rail are wrapped in of current being used by the various pieces • target of 92.5% for arrival 0- 5 minutes such coatings before leaving the factory, others of equipment. To use point motors as an are sprayed at the factory or when insitu. example - the engineers have discovered how The programme is currently at GRIP3 Dave’s slides showed various applications for much electricity a given point motor uses to with recommendations for single option the use of this material including: change the relevant set of points (switches). development to be made shortly. The sensors record how much electricity • filling the redundant voids under arches. is used each time the motor operates. The Electrification is considered an enabler After most of the void is filled with blocks, system alerts engineers to fluctuations in the rather than a required output; the case for grout/concrete is injected into the small power used. The engineers and the system electrification is more challenging as the Class area directly under the arch under are learning the reasons for these changes, 185 units currently in use have an equivalent pressure. Thus, the forces exerted on the and thus whether any action is needed. As performance to a Class 802 electric. There arch are transferred via the blocks to the the system develops, the number of site visits are only limited journey time benefits to be

14 SECTION ACTIVITIES

achieved solely from electrification. The project 6 December 2018 In 2003 it was accepted that trackbed is considering options for full and discrete Trackbed investigation - revealing hidden investigation saves money in the long term, electrification solutions; one challenge is to depths (Dr Phil Sharpe, Aecom) and the fully revised second version of the reduce the unit cost of electrification from that Standard was issued. seen on recent schemes. Phil started by describing his early experiences at British Rail Research in Derby, working on a Phil then described various case studies, Some general challenges fall under the European funded project to optimise the design including: headings of: of trackbed for new high speed lines. • The Willesden Hump - a burst water main • Communication - multiple stakeholders - He then spent the next 10 years applying caused hydrofracture of clay followed by including 2 clients, DfT and Transport for the knowledge gained to optimise trackbed swelling of the clay and deterioration of the North management on existing lines in the UK, the vertical alignment • Geography - narrow valleys, significant most of which were constructed 150+ years • Pilbara Western Australia - freight line gradients and difficult access ago. He focused on control of strain in ballast delivering iron ore and subject to 200-300 • Climate - higher rainfall and colder (i.e. settlement) rather than stress, and noted million tonnes per annum, axle weights weather the following characteristics of trackbed of 37.5 tonnes, and seasonal heavy rain • Protected species - reptiles, flora and settlement: storms fauna • FWD testing to assess the impact of • Heritage - listed structures, Huddersfield • settlement is inversely proportional to increasing tonnages at Lac la Biche Station Grade 1, and some recently listed construction depth - a freight line in Alberta running over over-bridges. • ballast settlement is greatest on soft Muskeg, serving the oil industry in sub-grade Northern Canada. TransPennine Express has ordered Class • geogrids can reduce settlement 68 locomotive, hauled mk5A coaches and • trackbed stiffness was not well The talk concluded by briefly referring to class 802 bi-modal units for the route. For understood until falling weight various other techniques currently used for journey time reduction, the biggest contribution deflectometer measurements finally specialist investigations: comes from tackling sections with low speed demonstrated its significance. limits. There is potentially big opportunity for • detailed analysis of speed and capacity improvements between He then turned to other areas of trackbed measurements to identify localised track Huddersfield and Dewsbury. deterioration, such as ballast degradation and and earthwork problems sub-grade erosion, noting: • microgravity technique to detect voids, in James concluded by describing some particular, mine workings innovative practices being developed in the • geotextile is not effective on its own at • targeted seismic refraction, ground radar, project: preventing sub-grade erosion, as the and electrical resistance techniques to pore size is 40-50 microns whereas clay detect various underground features. • getting the design speed right so particles are 1-2 microns that when kph speeds are adopted in • weld condition has a large influence on European Train Control System (ETCS), ballast degradation speeds are at increments of 5kph. For • one sleeper bay can hold 200kg of fines example, 90mph is 144.8kph which would before wet spots appear, typically after c. be rounded down to 140kph, whereas 1bn tonnes of traffic designing to 90.1mph delivers 145 kph • stone blowing produces little fines, • in-station areas using speed limits that compared with conventional tamping. apply to the front of the train rather than the rear, allowing faster acceleration The first UK trackbed Standard, incorporating • switch diamonds! Investigating the poor all the above, was produced post privatisation reliability of switch diamonds, rather in 1997. This was followed by a period of than avoiding their use and missing their increasing awareness of trackbed issues, associated line speed increase outputs. the introduction of total route evaluation, and • deficiency of 150mm on isolated rapid growth in trackbed investigation. New curves where it removes/reduces techniques such as ground penetrating radar localized dips in the line speed profile. (GPR) and automatic ballast sampler (ABS) were introduced, together with a new logging key specifically designed to characterise trackbed layers.

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