Network May 2016

MAY 2016The MAgAzine for our people

Making a tough decision in the name of safety

brave in battersea

Also...Severn heaven – prepping a 130-year-old tunnel for electrification

Dynamic duo – big firsts for the high output teamTalking points – ideas from Talking Business

2network / MAY 2016

May 2016

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louise Bungay,asset management engineer

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Contributor’s welcome

What’s making news across the business

network knowledge

our railway heritage gives us much to be proud of – our trains are running in and on structures that are more than a century old and are still holding their own. But we must move forward and make these fit for the future. on pages four and five you can see how we’re doing just that by preparing the 130-year-old Severn tunnel for electrification.

Graham Hopkins, director of Safety, technical and engineering, gives his views on some of March’s talking Business responses on pages six and seven. the latest talking Business team brief is in the centre of this issue and focuses on the financial performance measure (FPM) we use on our scorecard.

on pages 12-14 Adam kotulecki tells us about a crucial decision he had to make to protect people, while on 16 and 17 we speak to Birmingham legend Andrew Smith, former new Street station announcer and signaller-in-training.

there’s loads more inside, including a visit to number 10 and three major firsts for high output. I hope you enjoy this issue.

On the cover: Adam Kotulecki, duty manager, Battersea, made a brave decision to keep the workforce safe over Easter. Read the full story on pages 12 to 14.

group DigiTAl rAilwAY DirecTor AppoinTeD David Waboso, capital programmes director at London Underground, will join the company as managing director, Group Digital Railway. He will become a member of the executive committee and report to Mark Carne, chief executive. He replaces Jerry England who retires later this year.

David is an internationally-renowned engineer and project manager with decades of experience in leading major infrastructure projects both in the UK and abroad. In his current role at London Underground he is responsible for leading the £1.5bn annual Tube Upgrade Programme to deliver better journeys for four million passengers each day. It is hoped that David will start at Network Rail in June.

closing ufTon crossing Network Rail’s drive to improve safety at Ufton Nervet, Berkshire, has been marked in an official ceremony as work begins to construct the bridge that will replace the level crossing.

The building of a bridge will completely separate road and rail traffic at the site, which has experienced several incidents of deliberate misuse following a collision between a train and a car on the crossing in 2004 in which seven people died and 71 were injured.

The ceremony was attended by members of the Ufton Nervet support group that was set up after the 2004 collision. They were joined by members of the construction team and Mark Langman (pictured above), managing director for the Western route.

3network / MAY 2016

in the spotlight

Read more from page 16

“My partner works abroad for months at a time so I am effectively a single parent for most of the year.

“The policy has helped me to manage my family life and work life. My manager worked with me to discuss my role and responsibilities and we agreed a flexible approach.

“I am able to work two hours from home each day and the remainder in the office in order for me to do the school run.

“There are more than 800 people around the network who, like myself, are using the policy for any reason, including carer responsibilities, looking after kids and volunteering efforts.

“Formal arrangements last for a year, although people can make flexible working requests for a shorter period too.”There’s more information detailing how to apply for and manage flexible working on HR Online.

“Network Rail’s flexible working policy can improve your work-life balance,” says Cally Gunstone, delivery assistant, Network Operations

soliD As A rock Network Rail has completed work to protect the railway on the Cumbrian Coast line at Parton with the installation of a 15,000 tonne ‘rock armour’ sea defence.

Working around the tidal patterns of the Irish Sea became the norm for a small team that’s been delivering emergency repairs to the sea wall since storms battered sea defences protecting the railway in December.

John Owen, works delivery manager, said: “The rock armour will help protect the railway for several decades to come. The result is a safer and more reliable railway for the people of Cumbria.”

Network Rail also took the opportunity to work with the local council to clean up the beach to help return it to its natural beauty.

TiMe To sADDle up Network Rail’s cycle to work (C2W) scheme is open once again, allowing people to lease a brand-new bike and safety equipment worth between £100 and £1,000, tax-free. Those who already own a bike can apply for accessory-only packages.

To take part, colleagues can find their nearest partner store from 2,000 across Britain and reserve the bike and equipment of their preference. The store will issue a quote number so the person can request a certificate from C2W. Once approved, the bike can be picked up or delivered.

Deductions to pay for bikes are made through salary sacrifice over 13 months. The scheme closes on Wednesday 15 June.Find out more at bit.ly/ConnectC2W

Railway Upgrade Plan

“One sub-aqueous tunnel is quite enough for a lifetime,” wrote chief contractor Thomas Walker,

summing up the challenge of constructing the Severn Tunnel in the late 19th century.

At more than 130 years old, the tunnel remains an admirable feat of engineering. The double-track, brick-lined tunnel links the rail network between England and south Wales under the estuary of the River Severn.

The 7,000 metre-long tunnel, which sees around 200 trains dash through every day, will be closed from 12 September to 21 October 2016 to

magnificent severn

past and present combine as a 130-year-old tunnel is prepped for electrification

modernise the Great Western Main Line (GWML). Once complete, journey times between London and south Wales will be reduced, alongside a 25 per cent increase in capacity.

spring cleaning Before the closure preparatory works are taking place each Saturday to minimise disruption to passengers.

Laraine Pearson, scheme project manager, said: “We’re currently cleaning the soot from the crown of the tunnel

at a rate of around 220 metres per night,

4network / MAY 2016

magnificent severn

watCHKeep an eye on Connect for a behind-the-scenes video of the Severn Tunnel work.

fAsT fAcTsSevern Tunnel

Completed in 1886, it remained the longest mainline British railway tunnel until 2007

14 pumps prevent up to 14.3m litres of water from flooding the tunnel every day

76,400,000 bricks and 36,794 tonnes of cement were used to build the tunnel

28,100,100 of those bricks came from a brickyard built specifically for the construction

Almost 7,000 anchors and cleats are being drilled and fixed to carry the auto-transformer feeder cable

A six-week blockade will allow installation of overhead line equipment

Electrification will reduce journey times between London and south Wales

Capacity will increase by 25 per cent on trains into and out of London.during Saturday-night possessions, to

reveal the brickwork underneath. We need to assess if it needs any repairs before we start the electrification work.”

Louise Bungay, asset maintenance engineer, said: “For us in asset management it’s vital to carry this work now

as once the electrification is complete it will be harder to access the crown of the tunnel because of the electrification equipment.”

Laraine added: “Collaboration between the project and the asset management teams has been paramount

to the progress of this work. By cleaning the soot before installing the overhead line equipment we’re making future maintenance easier, while making sure the brickwork is in good condition for the installation of anchors and cleats.”

Louise added: “We have meetings and communicate constantly to make sure that our priorities – the asset’s maintenance – and the project team’s priorities – the electrification of the line – are aligned and we’re working together to deliver the modernisation of the GWML and a better railway for Britain.” n

5network / MAY 2016

6network / MAY 2016

Safety and performance

“Safety starts with each and every one of us,” said Graham. “In March, teams all around the

network used Talking Business team briefs to speak about lost time injuries and what they could do to prevent them.

“The feedback has been very constructive and it has shown that by taking time out to focus on safety, we can really make a difference.

“The importance of this issue cannot be overestimated. Every month more than 50 of our colleagues suffer injury to the extent that they are unable to work the next day. These are lost time injuries and we can all work to ensure they don’t happen.

“We should be proud of our recent success in the area of safety: we have met our target for year two of the Control Period, and reduced lost time injuries by 10 per cent. Most importantly we are recording fewer severe injuries.

team talkpeople around the network have been using Talking Business to speak about lost time injuries. network put some of the ideas in front of graham hopkins, director of safety, Technical and engineering

“But I know we can still do better. Almost every injury is preventable and that means our ultimate goal must be zero incidents. We don’t want people getting injured. Full stop. We can achieve that by each one of us investing as much time and energy in our own safety and the safety of our colleagues and of our customers.

“So how do we do it? Well, measuring lost time injuries is just one part of that journey. Understanding the scale of the challenge helps us focus on why this is so important. Planning our work so we have the right tools, the right people with the right training and attitude, is a key start to preventing future accidents.

“I’d like to thank everyone who has helped us make the huge strides we have over the past year. Let’s keep working together until everyone gets home safe, every day.” n

are yOU talkinG bUsiness?Talking Business is the team briefing guide for everyone at Network Rail. The latest issue is available in this issue of Network magazine. To find out more go to bit.ly/NRTalkingBusiness

7network / MAY 2016

The infrastructure maintenance team in Leeds came up with a simple-yet-effective solution for raising awareness of hazards – spray paint.

Ian Puckrin, infrastructure maintenance engineer, led the team briefing at Mirfield depot: “We spoke about the kinds of lost time injuries we were experiencing locally and what we could do to reduce them. One of our track technicians came up with the idea of spraying hazards with white spray paint so that they stand out. Simple, but very effective, our Close Call bags issued to each van contain everything front line teams

Adrian Buesnel, Assistant Track Maintenance Engineer and Ashley Brown from his Technical Team at Nottingham, are working with the train operator to get access to light controls at stations after the team’s conversation.

“Platform-gauging work is regularly carried out at stations around the routes. In many cases the platform lights are automatically turned off after the last scheduled trains. This often happens around the start of possessions, just when we could do with the lighting.

“When it came to our Talking Business team brief we agreed to work

Getting people where they need to be is simple stuff, but the devil is in the detail. One slip of the finger could send people to the wrong location, as Davie Denholm, service delivery manager for National Supply Chain in Scotland, explained.

“As part of our planning we set site access information for engineering trains and on-track machines to ensure that supplier and haulier staff are directed to the correct location to enter possessions. From time to time this information can be inaccurate – once we had a map grid reference with a digit wrong that was saying our site access point was in the North Sea.

sprAY AwAY

leT There Be lighT

know where To go

need to identify the majority of hazards on site.”

On Talking Business, Ian said: “It can be tough to get going, but the ideas soon start flowing. It’s a good conversation tool.”

graham’s view:“This is great. It’s so simple but can be extremely effective. Marking up hazards is a brilliant first step. I think the next step is about how we can work to remove the hazard, especially if it’s quick, easy and safe to do. This initiative is something I can see other teams adopting quickly and easily.”

with our customers at stations to get access to lighting on platforms. There’s a clear benefit of good lighting in reducing accident risk, as we are otherwise confined to using head torches and hand lamps for this type of work.”

graham’s view:“Well done. A well-lit worksite is clearly going to be safer so taking steps to improve lighting during possessions is a fantastic move. It shows that the best ideas come from the front line. We don’t have all the answers. If you have an idea – speak up.”

“After speaking about this in Talking Business we agreed that getting this right first time would reduce stress of our colleagues and ensure they weren’t rushing to access points. Now we’ve added an additional check on all of this data to ensure it’s spot on.”

graham’s view:“Excellent – this is all about quality and that is so important. It’s central to the job we do. Good planning and accurate data leads to a safe environment. We should be as careful with the planning phase of any work as we are in the delivery phase.”

FinD OUt mOreRead more about Network Rail’s performance in all areas at bit.ly/NRPerformance

super seVenHere are seven things everyone can do to keep out of harm’s way:

1 Take extra care when stepping out of vehicles

2 Stay focused first thing: many accidents happen within the first 60 minutes of a shift

3 Take extra care when it’s slippery and wet

4 Always step ballast to ballast on the track

5 Always use the handrail on stairs

6 Don’t walk and talk: a large percentage of slips, trips and falls happen because someone was distracted

7 Before starting work, tidy up work sites clearing away any potential hazards.

8network / MAY 2016

Railway Upgrade Plan

while passengers and neighbours were sleeping in wessex, high output teams scored three big firsts that could benefit the whole network

With more than 15 miles of track replaced, 38,000 new railway sleepers put into position and

more than 64,000 tonnes of ballast replaced, the railway upgrade between Basingstoke and Eastleigh is complete.

Not only has a successful project been delivered but the high output team has fully tested duo deployment – a new way of using the ballast cleaning system (BCS) and track relaying system (TRS).

Doug Swinney, high output depot manager, explained: “For the first time we’ve used the machines together on

OverniGHt sUCCess

the same stretch of track in the same possession. We’ve also used TRS on third rail infrastructure during mid-week possession, and achieved 100mph line speed opening with BCS – both firsts also.

“We attempted duo deployment in Western route in 2008, although with limited success as we were just testing the art of the possible at the time. When we developed our plans for Wessex this time round we knew we had a great opportunity to try again, given TRS availability and the access given by the route.”

9network / MAY 2016

Three big firsts – duo deployment, Trs used on third rail infrastructure and 100mph line speed hand back with Bcs

“One of the biggest benefits is for lineside neighbours. Our work normally takes place at night which does result in some noise disturbance. But with duo deployment we do the work in one hit and we’re gone. Once the track and ballast are in position it won’t be revisited for renewal for another 40 years.”

Bursting with pride“This is a massive achievement and one that couldn’t have been delivered without the commitment, hard work and determination of our people working in high output, the wider NSC, Infrastructure Projects track and Wessex route teams and our suppliers. We were bursting with

cutting our teeth “Using the machines on third rail, where the electrical current to power the trains is via the conductor rail mounted on the sleeper ends, was a real learning experience. We had never done this before and it felt like cutting our first teeth.

“BCS One needed to be modified slightly but the TRS isn’t designed for third rail so we needed to remove the conductor rail before relaying track.

“Both TRS machines have been modified to process the longer sleepers but we didn’t know how much time would be added by removing the conductor rail then reinstalling it afterwards. This was a major consideration when right-time hand back is so critical for the routes and passengers.

“The team planned the work meticulously, and as we got in to our stride the work became smoother and more efficient.”

half time“Using the machines makes a big difference to overall industry cost as we’re deploying them in a single access, with half the possession and isolation staff needed too.

“We only need one team prepping one site – on one occasion – and there’s one set of follow up work. This helps create consistency in the work and doesn’t feel like we’re stopping and starting all the time.

fAsT fAcTsWessex upgrade

More than 15 miles of track replaced

64,000 tonnes of ballast replaced

38,000 new railway sleepers laid.

“ One of the biggest benefits is for lineside neighbours. Our work normally takes place at night which does result in some noise disturbance. But with duo deployment we do the work in one hit and we’re gone.

”

10network / MAY 2016

pride at the way we all worked together to deliver such a fantastic piece of work with no significant incidents or accidents.

“The upgrade work in Wessex has proven that both machines can be used together on third rail infrastructure successfully, with minimal impact on the operational railway and with significant safety, cost and lineside neighbour benefits.

“There’s lots of potential for other parts of the network to do the same but it won’t happen right away. At present there’s no duo deployment availability planned for the rest of Control Period 5 (CP5) and each route will need to evaluate the costs of running the machines together in CP6 against their budgets.

“What we have done is cast the die. Duo deployment is a real option for every route.” n

Network Rail’s high output team has six factory trains, two track renewal systems and four ballast cleaning systems, which sieve and replace ballast.Using BCS machines, the team is able to process around 1,000 tonnes of both new and life-expired

night riders

ballast each night, reducing potential track problems and improving ride quality for passengers. Operating five nights a week in all weathers, the BCS machines deliver around 300 to 600 yards of clean ballast per shift.

normally a Trs and Bcs would each require a separate temporary speed restriction, which would have impacted wessex route performance. The team used a 09-3X tamper with dynamic track stabilisation on third rail for the first time to allow 100mph line speed hand back immediately after the Bcs work

Railway Upgrade Plan(continued)

John Halsall, route managing director“We’re delighted to deliver this fantastic upgrade, not only in record time but with minimal disruption to passengers. The machinery used represents superb value, both in the cost of completing the works and the speed at which we can work, particularly the fact that we can operate overnight rather than closing the line at weekends.”

PUll OUtUse this Talking Business supplement in your monthly team briefing

let’s talk business

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Welcome to TalkingBusiness – the teambriefing guide for

everyone in the organisation.It’s included with every issue of

Network magazine and available on Connect and Connect Mobile.

Each month the Talking Businessteam brief will focus on one of Network Rail’s corporate scorecard measures and ask ‘what does it mean to you?’

Our corporate scorecard shows us how we are doing against our targets for the year. Using it to discuss how we can be better every day can really make a difference to our performance.

Simply pull this supplement out of your Network magazine, stick it on the wall in your team brief area and use the questions to guide you through the discussion.

There is additional information and briefing materials for line managers at connect/talkingbusiness.

Mark Carne, chief executive, said: “Talking Business is about having a quality conversation, as

a team, to understand how you can focus on the most important improvements you can make together to be safer at work and to improve performance.”

four steps to using Talking Business:1. The centre-spread is the focus

point for each session. A copy of the Talking Business pull-out or a printed version can be displayed for the team

2. At the start of the meeting, line managers should nominate a team member to keep a note of the discussion and send in the team’s response to question four at the end of the session

3. The featured topic should be introduced and the team then discuss and work through questions one to four in the centre-fold

4. The nominated team member should submit the team’s feedback to question four by the date requested. The best examples will be highlighted on Connect.

financial performanceWe’re making the largest investment in the railway since Victorian times. On the scorecard Financial Performance Measure (FPM) shows us how much Network Rail is spending to deliver that work versus what we planned for it to cost.

As a public body spending public money, taking care of every penny spent is a top priority for us: we all have a role to play as we strive to deliver the right level of work at the right price.

The money we have is a fixed amount set for each five-year Control Period in agreement with the government. With that comes a set of efficiency targets, which get harder every year, so while demand for capacity improvements on the railway increases, our challenge is to be better every day in how we achieve this and deliver great value in what we do for Britain.

We have been trusted to wisely invest huge sums of money in the railway. You can see a breakdown of this for 2014/15 at connect/talkingbusiness.

Talking Business

corporate scorecard

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Why does this matter to Network Rail and our team?

Q2:why is it important?

mOre

inFOrmatiOn

Log on to connect/

talkingbusiness to

download useful guides

and tools for your

briefings

scorecard metric: Financial Performance

Do we know what it is? Do we know how Network Rail spends its money?

Q1:what is financial performance?

lOOk aFter tHe Pennies The money we have is a fixed amount set for each five-year Control Period in agreement with the government. With that comes efficiency targets, which get harder every year, so while demand for improvements to the railway increases, our challenge is to be better every day in how we achieve this and deliver great value in what we do for Britain.

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scorecard metric: Financial Performance

What one practical step can our team take to spend smarter and be more efficient?---------------------------------------Write your answer here.

---------------------------------------Manager name and contact number.

---------------------------------------send your response...Nominate one team member to share your answers by 6 June, using one of the following:

[email protected] or call: 07734 649138 Talking Business, Quadrant:Mk, caldecotte 2-f, elder gate, Milton keynes, Mk9 1en

The best of these will be highlighted as best practice.

What is our performance like in this area at the moment?

Q3:How are we doing?

Q4: what can we do to make a difference and be better every day?

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Talking Business

challenges in cp5Network Rail’s enhancement and investment programme in CP5 is larger than any previous programme. In 2015, at the government’s request, Sir Peter Hendy, Network Rail’s chair, was asked to review this because the cost and timescales on a small number of significant enhancement projects had increased beyond expectation – especially the Great Western Electrification Programme.

The Hendy report created a new baseline, putting railway upgrades to 2019 on a more realistic and affordable footing. No projects have been cancelled. The majority of programmes and projects will go ahead for delivery by 2019 and those remaining will be delivered after 2019.

The government was able to increase the limit on Network Rail’s borrowing by £700m. To help further Network Rail is also planning to release £1.8bn of investment through the sale of non-core and lower-value assets, including the sale of some property assets.

focus on: every penny countsAs a public body spending public money, taking care of every penny spent is a top priority for us: we all have a role to play as we strive to deliver the right level of work at the right price.

For your Talking Business session this month, focus on what your team can do to be more efficient, making every penny count.

smart spending

what is fpM? Financial Performance Measure shows us how much Network Rail is spending to deliver its work versus what we planned for it to cost at the start of the Control Period (CP) and against our latest annual business plan. On the scorecard we display this in two ways: our spend on enhancements, and performance on everything else (opex, renewals and income).

Our results are made public and reported up to our regulator, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).

providing assurance Network Rail is a complex organisation and creating an accurate way of monitoring financial performance involves a lot of work. Infrastructure Projects and route finance directors have accountability for accurately reporting the FPM in line with the corporate rules. The figures we produce in the scorecard are subject to scrutiny from ORR, supported by an external reporter (Arup) to make sure we are reporting properly.

A spending limitAll our new borrowing comes from government and is a fixed amount for this Control Period. Along with that comes a set of efficiency targets, which get harder every year, so while demand for capacity improvements on the railway increases, our challenge is to be better every day in how we achieve this and deliver great value in what we do for Britain at the same time.


Celebrating our people

FinD OUt mOreFor information on Inspire, Network Rail’s staff network supporting women in all areas of the business, go to bit.ly/NRInspire

Railway as the two organisations work closely together. Mark and I spoke about how to encourage more women into engineering and into Network Rail. He is clearly very passionate about this and it was good to hear his ideas.”

The world of engineering “Last year the Department for Transport held a Women in Engineering event hosted by Lord Ahmad, Under Secretary of State for Transport, and I attended this alongside 24 other women from engineering backgrounds.

“We all gave our views on why we thought women might not be joining engineering departments and what could be done to encourage them.

“I was keen to push the advantages of a career in engineering and that there are many roles within the industry – it’s not just about being a fully-qualified engineer, there’s a whole world of engineering.

“When I talk to friends from other businesses I can see that the focus on getting more women into engineering and into their respective industry, and on diversity and inclusion as a whole, isn’t as strong as at Network Rail. It’s a great feeling to know that we are serious about this and that there is support out there for people.” n

yes, Prime minister

The door of number 10 opened to lucy grogan

“It’s not every day you receivean invitation from the PrimeMinister,” said Lucy, who was

recently asked to join a celebration at Number 10.

The event was to thank members of the transport industry for ‘all the hard work they do, day in day out’, to keep Britain moving.

“I was surprised to receive the invitation and at first I thought it was a hoax, just because there are so many people involved in Women in Engineering and in the wider transport industry itself,” said the project manager, Safety, Technical and Engineering (STE).

“It was a great honour to be representing Network Rail in this way.”

Joining Mark Carne, chief executive, and Sir Peter Hendy, Network Rail chair, at Number 10, the reception included people from road, rail, airlines and coastguard services.

Lucy said: “Being surrounded by people from different parts of the transport industry was a real eye-opener.

“It was also a great opportunity to chat to Sir Peter about STE and Digital

Mark Carne, chief executive“It is fantastic that Lucy has been recognised by the Prime Minister for her hard work in encouraging women into engineering. She is one of many at Network Rail who work tirelessly to show young women just how rewarding a career in engineering can be.”

pictured above, lucy was joined by network rail chair sir peter hendy

Safety and performance

eye of The stOrmwhen storm katie hit over easter she brought

high winds that threatened the safety of colleagues. step forward Adam kotulecki, whose

quick thinking may well have saved lives Stand on any platform at Battersea Park station and you’ll soon see how busy it is.

During peak times a train passes through or stops at the station every few minutes.

If Network Rail engineering works were to overrun here, it would lead to disruption and unhappy passengers.

During the Easter bank holiday weekend possession, that was the threat hanging over the team working at the station. Hours behind schedule and working to a new plan, the team started to make progress when Storm Katie closed in to wreak havoc.

Adam, duty manager on site, explained: “It was a junction renewal job. We were working to renew two three-line crossovers here at the London end of Battersea Park station. It was over a four-day possession starting in the early hours of Good Friday through to early Tuesday morning.

“Everything that could have set us back over Easter did. By the Sunday

morning we were six hours behind schedule and had started working to a contingency plan to win back some time.”

Danger from above “The storm hit on Sunday night and things went from bad to worse as the strength of the winds intensified.

“I was at one of our site access points and heard over the radio that there was debris blowing around the worksite. At first I anticipated this to be ours, but it wasn’t. I got to the heart of the worksite and couldn’t believe my eyes. There were metre-squared panels of plasterboard flying down from an adjacent 15-storey housing development.

“It was blowing around like paper the force of the wind was so strong.”

Adam was faced with a difficult decision. Close the worksite down and the team could be facing an overrun at a crucial section of railway for the capital. Just a day away from




hand back, there would be little time to recover anymore lost time.

“It was really never a question for me,” said Adam. “I made the call to stand down work, close off one of our access points close to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home as it wasn’t safe and to call all

A 350-tonne crane mounted on the road was used to lift new panels into place

Safety and performance(continued)

the site managers together at the safe access point to rebrief them.

“It knocked us back at least another four hours, but people were safe. It was actually one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever made.”

recovery“The adjacent worksite was causing a lot of issues, but I’d started to work with their people to get it secure. Meanwhile, our focus turned to recovering the time we’d lost.

“Being behind schedule on a programme of work like this, especially one with the logistical challenges we had (see box), is not uncommon. That is why there is a contingency built in to each possession.

“We had a world-class team in place, with a great set of plans and contingencies. This was crucial in clawing time back.

“When the storm hit we were lucky that we still had 24 hours to go, that’s three shifts. We spoke with our suppliers and colleagues in the route and tried to get as many people as we could onsite. Before we knew it there was a sea of orange out there and those people on the ground helped to get us over the line.”

The team managed to hand the railway back an hour early having completed all scheduled work. And, most importantly, everyone got home safe. n

Battersea Park station is on a viaduct, with a number of building sites surrounding it. Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, and the iconic power station are among and many lineside neighbours. Getting the equipment needed on

logical logistics

site for the work over Easter provided some complex challenges. Adam said: “Getting articulated lorries around this part of London is tough. Also, because the work was on a viaduct we weren’t able to bring everything in on trains and use

rail-mounted cranes to offload. Instead we used a 350-tonne crane mounted on the road and it lifted 47 panels in advance of the works, placed them trackside and used a piece of plant called PAMLAM to move them into place (pictured above).

“Adam had a very tough call. There would be huge implications if we overran. But with large pieces of plasterboard and other debris flying around from the non-railway building site he made the right call. Often the perception is that Network Rail is only worried about right-time handbacks. Adam has had a lot of recognition from directors following his decision, which gives a clear signal to our site teams that safety leadership and safe delivery will always be paramount.”Nick Millington, project director, Infrastructure Projects


Caring for passengers and communities

FinD OUt mOreRead more about wildlife and biodiversity on or near the railway at bit.ly/NRWildlife

Making a difference“These practices have already made a difference for wildlife close to projects across our network. For instance clearing vegetation to prepare for electrification of the Great Western Main Line could have impacted on a community of dormice.

“Volunteers from Network Rail were able to create a new habitat for them further along the line by planting woodland on grassland owned by the National Trust. We believe it’s also important to enhance habitats on our land where it’s safe to do so.” n

‘AppY DAYsNeil said: “We’ve recently developed a new app that will make identifying wildlife even easier, allowing track workers to include photos or a description, and attaching GPS co-ordinates of where the sighting was. This is due to be launched this month.”

“Network Rail is one of a select few land owners that manage what is known as a ‘green

transport corridor’,” said Neil. “This land is often home to a richly diverse variety of species as it’s relatively undisturbed thanks to a lack of public access.

“There are 220 Sites of Special Scientific Interest within land owned by Network Rail, with many there to protect interesting geology discovered by Victorian railway engineers. But we also have butterflies in Somerset, common lizards and grass snakes in a variety of areas, and slow worms – a limbless lizard – have been spotted in the south-west of England.”

Before we begin“Prior to starting a project, ecological surveys are carried out on our land to help us identify the animals and plants in the area that will be affected. This means we can plan the best time of the year for work by avoiding sensitive times like nesting or hibernation. We can also acquire the licences to work where protected species are present, making the provisions to minimise any impact.

“At the local level, we equip our trackside workers with the knowledge to help identify wildlife they might come across.”

on tHe wilD siDe

network spoke with Dr neil strong, environmental manager, to see

how network rail protects its less obvious lineside neighbours

Celebrating our people


After 25 years of announcing arrivals, departures, misplaced objects and more,

Andrew hung up his microphone at Birmingham New Street station. The good news is he is staying at Network Rail but changing track.

Network caught up with Andrew, current signaller-in-the-making, to learn about a story that started just four days after he was born.

start ’em young“From a young age I knew I was going to be working on the railway. I got a train set when I was four days old. I was born just before Christmas and dad being a keen railway enthusiast was determined to get me involved

with trains. They became a part of my life from such a young age that it was destiny to end up in the railway.

“This year will be my 29th year on the railway officially, although I’ve been involved with it since September ’86 in the youth training scheme (YTS). In 1987 I joined the railway full time in the telephone enquiry bureau. In 1990 the manager for the announcing team approached me and asked if I’d like to have a go at doing announcements in Birmingham New Street, and I said yes. I made a couple of live test announcements and they decided I was good at it – and that was that. In November 1990 I was transferred from the telephone enquiry bureau to announcing and I never looked back.”

for decades Andrew smith was the most famous yet unknown man in Birmingham. network meets this announcer-turned-signaller as he begins a new chapter


see mOre OnlineKeep an eye on Connect for more on Andrew’s story

funnY TAlkAndrew’s unusual announcements

“I’ve had a few strange ones. Once it was for an unattended canoe that was by the ticket barrier. Then a chap walked along smoking a cigar by the canoe, so I had to ask for the owner of the canoe to retrieve it and for the person smoking the cigar to put it out and move along.”

Moving onNow Andrew has left Birmingham New Street to be trained at the York Rail Operating Centre to become a signaller.

“I started interviewing for signalling jobs in 2015. It took a few attempts to pass the tests to be accepted in the training programme, but staying in New Street for longer gave me the chance to meet the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, which was an immensely proud moment for me.

“I love Birmingham New Street station. I’ve seen it change from dark and dreary to the station it is now, and the transformation is amazing. It has a wow factor now – I think everyone walks around the station with a smile on their face.

“I’m still very passionate about the announcing job, but I’ve been in it for a long time and I need a new challenge. Signalling has always tempted me. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to adapt to the strict rules and regulations for signallers but I’ve taken to them like a duck to water although the training is vigorous.

“The training scheme at York is fantastic; the people on the course and the other trainees are all great.

“I’ve really enjoyed the learning experience. We have three exams in weeks two, four and eight and we’re also learning on a signal panel simulator where we run through scenarios, and it’s all becoming second nature now.” n

ThAnk You, AnDrewColleagues, friends and the public took to Twitter to bid Andrew farewell

@louiisorr The voice of my childhood, saddest day ever – good luck Andy x

@staceyitv A famous voice from Birmingham hanging [up] his mic today... Good luck Andy!

@bodudley82 No way! I know that voice. I always thought he sounded like someone I know!

@networkrail Thanks for your 25 years, Andy! Good luck (and congratulations) in your new role!


zerOimPaCt

network gets the lowdown on the Doncaster station area enhancements project

Ahead of a new timetable coming into play in 2020, work to decongest traffic at

Doncaster station is gaining pace. As the installation of a new platform and bridge takes shape, Darren Higgs, scheme project manager, shed some light on the project.

He said: “It’s a very crowded station and this work will help to reduce this by adding a new platform – platform zero. Once completed the work will improve efficiency within the station area and enable additional train paths to be added to the timetable.

“The foundations have been constructed, along with part of the platform and steelworks for the canopy. Track has been laid in a temporary position and drainage is being installed.”

Building connections “A bridge connecting the new platform with platform one is also being installed and we have the first five sections in place.

“Both this and the lift structure that’s been installed meet the access requirements needed, right down to the gradients on the bridge. This first phase of the work will be complete in early September.

“After that we will be installing bi-directional signalling, to allow freight and passenger services from Lincoln to come north via the up slow and into platforms one, two and three. The freight will have a path via platform one on to the Thorne lines without affecting the East Coast Main Line.”

new materials“When planning for the bridge we assessed different materials and selected an aluminium structure rather


than steel, which is unusual at Network Rail. We chose it because it is a lightweight material and doesn’t corrode.

“We also opted for stainless steel cladding as this doesn’t require painting every 20 years as steel does, and has a life expectancy of 80 years. There’s very little difference in cost compared to steel bridges and by doing this we will save money on maintenance costs.

“The work is challenging because of the size of the station. There’s minimal room for these necessary enhancements – we had to take a siding out so we could put platform zero in its place. But we’re using the space we have well and have kept all platforms open consistently to minimise disruption to passengers.”

The work will be complete in time for the summer timetable in 2017. n

Behind the hoardings

Building bridges: work at Doncaster will improve efficiency

FinD OUt mOreRead more on the Railway Upgrade Plan on Connect


network news

York: network rail is working with York council, among others, to develop railway stations and surrounding land to deliver thousands of new homes and jobs and significantly boost local growth. read more on connect

Have your say: Picture perfect

plpr in numbers: 2,000 - the PLPR fleet covers around 2,000 miles of track every week. 70,000 - train-mounted cameras capture millions of images at 70,000 frames per second for inspection – that’s an image every 0.8mm of track – identifying issues like missing fasteners, excess ballast and ineffective rail clamps.

Connect and Network have recently shone a light on Network Operations’ plain line

pattern recognition (PLPR) technology, which uses train-mounted cameras to capture high-quality images of plain line track, allowing maintenance colleagues to focus on fixing faults, rather than trying to find them.

Here is one of the discussions around the story.

“Could the train-mounted cameras be fitted to commercial passenger and freight trains and reviewed once in a while?”Joe McMullen, York

“This is something that has been considered, but at this time there are a number of constraints that mean it isn’t yet a viable solution for the whole network. There is a considerable amount of equipment located under the vehicle and within the coach that is required to capture the data. These all require space and power, which are not readily available on most passenger and freight vehicles. The equipment is also very Over time the technology we are using today will almost certainly reduce in size and cost, so it is something that will always be under review.”steve Quinby, Derby

scotland: park farm and old philpstoun road-over-rail bridges in west lothian have reopened after a five-month rebuild to allow power cables to be fitted below as part of the edinburgh glasgow improvement programme (egip). elsewhere the Borders railway has been named the royal institution of chartered surveyors’ scottish infrastructure project of the year.

swindon: piling work ahead of electrification of the great western Main line has reached swindon. Teams have been notifying local people of the work, which takes place at night. paul fountaine, project director, said: “piling is an essential part of our work to electrify the railway, but it is also noisy. That’s why we want to give our neighbours as much notice as possible.”

JOin tHe COnversatiOn On COnneCt

Birmingham: Birmingham new street station has been shortlisted in two categories in the celebrating construction Awards – the legacy award for sustainability and project of the year. carol stitchman, head of design for Birmingham new street station project, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for the whole team. The station has been transformed over the past five years with an iconic architectural design.”

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Network May 2016