Siemens and Alstom, two major
suppliers to the world’s railways, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 26
September 2017 to combine Siemens’ mobility business including its rail
traction drives business with Alstom.
Global headquarters. as well as
the management team for the rolling stock business. was to be located in Paris
area and the combined entity would remain listed in France. Headquarters for
the mobility solutions business was planned be located in Berlin, Germany. In
total, the new entity would have a turnover of €15.3 billion and 62,300
employees in over 60 countries.
Not surprisingly, competitors
saw the combined business as a threat, and governments, including the European
Union, asked questions about whether this merger would create a monopoly in
some areas. Clarifications and proposals were requested by various parties,
including the UK’s Office of Rail and Road.
In a representation to the
European Commission, the ORR analysed the two companies’ activity in both
signalling and rolling stock and expressing concern on the effect on
competition, As a result, its report recommended that significant structural
remedies were required, including the divestiture of intellectual property and
substantial assets as well as the significant transfer of the specialised workforce.
As a result, the deal, which
had been expected to be finalised by the end of 2018, is still not concluded.
On 28 January 2019, Siemens and Alstom announced that, in the
light of their continuing dialogue with the European Commission, they had decided
to further modify the remedies so as to answer the concerns raised by feedback
from market testing. According to the announcement, “this package preserves the
industrial and economic value of the deal – the order of magnitude of concerned
sales communicated previously (i.e., around four per cent of the sales of the
combined entity) remaining unchanged”.
However, the announcement continued: “There is, however, still no certainty
that the content of this package will be sufficient to alleviate the concerns
of the Commission.”
A decision by the Commission is expected by 18 February 2019.
London is set to become the
first in the UK to have an automatic braking system that will automatically
apply the brakes, and bring a moving tram to a controlled stop, if it exceeds
the speed limit at designated locations.
The unfortunate accident at Sandilands on the London tram network in November 2016, in which seven people died, has been well reported.
Aftermath of the tram accident at Sandilands in November 2016 (RAIB)
The Rail Accident Investigation
Branch (RAIB) published its investigation report in December 2017, together
with a further update in October 2018, which found that the tram had attempted
to take a tight bend at well over the speed limit.
Commenting on the
investigation, chief inspector of rail accidents Simon French said: “We are
recommending action in five main areas. The first is the use of modern
technology to intervene when trams approach hazardous features too fast, or
when drivers lose awareness of the driving task.”
Consideration of how to avoid similar accidents commenced soon after the accident, with various systems, using both existing and new technology,. Considered. As a result, a contract has now been awarded to Engineering Support Group Limited (ESG) to install a new safety system alongside the driver protection device that has been in operation since September 2017 to detect any signs of driver distraction and fatigue.
The new automatic braking system will initially be configured to priority
high-risk locations, as suggested by the RAIB, but will have the flexibility to
be introduced elsewhere on the tram network. It is expected to be operational
by the end of 2019.
Some of the RAIB’s other recommendations – a permanent speed reduction
across the tram network, speed monitoring and signage at significant bends, an
enhanced customer complaints process and the installation of the driver
protection device that alerts to driver distraction or fatigue mentioned above
– have already been implemented.
In addition, a new emergency lighting system, which will operate
independently of the tram’s battery in the event of an emergency, has also been
procured and will be installed over the summer, addressing another RAIB recommendation.
Extensive testing on strengthening doors and widows, to help retain
passengers inside the vehicle in the even of an accident, has also been progressed
and a new higher specification film that is 75 per cent thicker (from
100microns to 175microns) will be fitted to all doors and windows by spring.
TfL’s general manager of London Trams Mark Davis said: “Awarding the
contract for a new automatic braking system is a first for trams in the UK, and
not only will it improve safety for customers in London, but we hope it will
lead the way for other tram operators across the country. We will work to have
the new system, which will automatically apply the brakes if a tram is
exceeding the speed limit, in full operation by the end of the year.”
David Waboso CBE, managing director of Network Rail’s Digital Railway programme, has announced that he will retire in March, the same month in which he turns 63.
He joined Network Rail in 2016 from Transport for London, where he had been director of capital programmes, delivering a catalogue of major tube upgrades.
Announcing David’s upcoming departure, Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines paid tribute to his work, saying: “Through his skilful leadership and passionate advocacy, Digital Railway is now becoming a reality on ever growing sections of our railway system.
Network Rail chairman Sir Peter Hendy (right) has called David Waboso “one of the most talented project engineers in the world”.
“He leaves a fantastic legacy of a clear direction for delivery through CP6 and beyond, integrating track and train to deliver benefits for passengers and freight users.”
The former maths teacher originally obtained degrees in civil engineering from Coventry University and Imperial College London. After a spell of teaching in east London, he worked on water supply and transportation projects in Nigeria.
Joining the Nicholas Group, David project managed the Docklands Light Railway block resignalling upgrade. He was also instrumental in the integration and commissioning of the Jubilee line extension for its millennium opening.
Sir Peter Hendy, chairman of Network Rail, has described David Waboso as “one of the most talented project engineers in the world” and “a giant in his profession”.
A further announcement on the transitional arrangements and his replacement will be made in due course.
Porterbrook Class 769 bi-mode train in Northern colours. ROG is the test operator for this new class.
Specialist train operator the Rail Operations Group (ROG) has announced it is acquiring two of Porterbrook’s innovative Flex trains for light logistics traffic. Capable of operating on both electrified and non-electrified routes, the new trains will help meet shippers’ needs for the rapid movement of goods and just-in-time delivery.
With congestion on the road network increasing, a shortage of HGV drivers and the rapid growth in on-line shopping, many shipping firms are now exploring rail as a key part of their logistics chains. A lack of suitable trains has thus far delayed the move, but ROG has identified Porterbrook’s Flex as filling this gap in the market.
In essence, Porterbrook has taken redundant Class 319 electric trains, which can already operate on both third rail and overhead power, and added an MAN diesel powerpack to create the Class 769 Flex, which can run on electrified and non-electrified lines.
Porterbrook Class 769 bi-mode train in Northern colours. ROG is the test operator for this new class.
ROG knows the trains well as the company was appointed by Porterbrook to be the test operator for the new class. Realising that the operational flexibility of the bi-mode Flex train complemented the flexibility it was planning to offer to light logistics shippers, ROG has ordered two of them and intends to make the trains available to single users ( when one customer secures all of the space within the train) or to multi-users, depending on the shippers’ day-to-day requirements and their need to meet deadlines.
Rail Operations Group CEO Karl Watts said: “The time is right for a modal shift from road to rail for logistics and express parcels services. ROG is leading the industry in delivering this shift and the Flex trains are the perfect rail-borne solution to make this happen. There is huge opportunity to re-establish a comprehensive network of express parcels trains and help reduce the number of commercial vehicles on UK roads which will, in turn, help to drive improvements in the UK economy.”
The new Flex parcels trains will be delivered to ROG in early 2020.
The design of a hydrogen-powered train for the UK market has been unveiled by manufacturer Alstom and rolling stock leasing company Eversholt Rail.
The new ‘Breeze’ will be a conversion of an existing Class 321 train, reengineered to create a clean train that produces only water vapour as its exhaust, with no harmful emissions at all. Hydrogen is used to generate electricity using a fuel cell, where the gas is combined with oxygen from the atmosphere to produce energy and water, and that energy then powers the train through conventional traction motors.
The ‘new’ trains could run across the UK as early as 2022.
Alstom and Eversholt Rail have announced the new ‘Breeze’ conversion of a Class 321 train to hydrogen fuel. (Alstom/Eversholt Rail)
Alstom has a wealth of experience with hydrogen-powered trains. The company’s Coradia iLint began operations in September 2018 in Germany, where they now operate in regular passenger service on a daily basis.
Although the iLint is a newly built train, the conversion of the Class 321 to hydrogen power will use similar technology. The innovative technical solution is the first to allow a hydrogen train to fit within the standard UK loading gauge, and it will also create more space for passengers than the trains they are intended to replace.
The Alstom facility in Widnes will manage the conversion of the Breeze trains, creating high quality engineering jobs in this new sector. The proven and reliable Class 321 is an excellent fit in terms of characteristics, fleet size and availability for conversion to a Hydrogen Multiple Unit (HMU).
Commenting on the announcement, Rail Minister Andrew Jones MP said: “Hydrogen train technology is an exciting innovation which has the potential to transform our railway, making journeys cleaner and greener by cutting CO2 emissions even further. We are working with industry to establish how hydrogen trains can play an important part in the future, delivering better services on rural and inter-urban routes.”
In addition to the existing fleet in Germany and this announcement for the UK, there is growing interest in Alstom’s hydrogen technology worldwide, including in France where the President of the Occitanie region, Carole Delga, recently announced a proposal to introduce the technology on trains there.
Kate Marjoribanks has been appointed as the new engineering director of Arriva Rail London (ARL), which operates the London Overground on behalf of Transport for London (TfL).
Having been in the rail industry for nearly 25 years, Kate brings a great deal of experience to her new role. Although she started her career working as a trainee on 5,000-ton warships at Yarrow Shipbuilders, she graduated from Edinburgh University with a Mechanical Engineering degree and switched to rail, joining British Rail to work in depots across the UK.
Kate Marjoribanks, the new engineering director at Arriva Rail London
Kate soon progressed into senior engineering roles including head of engineering at South Western Railway and engineering director at Abellio Greater Anglia. While engineering director at Chiltern, she launched new passenger services and increased the fleet size by 25 per cent.
In her new role at Arriva Rail London, Kate will focus on optimising the existing fleet, leading a team of engineers, overseeing the traincare team and working with maintenance partners, Bombardier and Greater Anglia. She will also be supporting the introduction of the Class 710 fleet to the London Overground network.
Commenting on her new responsibilities, Kate said: “It is an exciting time to be joining the fleet team at Arriva Rail London, who have demonstrated a passionate and relentless focus on delivering a world class railway for our customers since my arrival.
“My priority will be optimising the London Overground fleet and working closely with Transport for London, our engineers, traincare teams and maintenance partners to do so.”
A nasty little collision between a passenger train and a Network Rail barrier train, that was protecting workers at Waterloo station, was the subject of a report in issue 156 (October 2017). Although the accident could have led to serious injury and even death, thankfully, it didn’t.
As a matter of course, the collision was referred to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB), the independent railway accident investigation organisation for the UK that is concerned with the investigation of accidents and incidents on the national railway networks, to improve safety and prevent further accidents from occurring. Its investigations are entirely independent and are focused solely on safety improvements with no apportionment of blame or liability. RAIB does not enforce law, nor carry out prosecutions.
RAIB aims to identify the causes of accidents along with any other factors that contributed to the event or made the outcome worse, such as technical, operational factors or management system failings.
It can take many months for a full RAIB report to be published. This can be because of the depth and scale of the investigation, which may have to extend into further scope based on the initial findings. The time also has to allow for extensive stakeholder consultation. The RAIB, however, may issue safety bulletins and an interim report to share their findings. This happened with regards to a signalling issue at Waterloo in August 2017 and the full report has only now been published.
Waterloo
The initial report revealed that, on Tuesday 15 August 2017, the 05:40 to Guildford, a 10-car train made up of a combination of Class 455 and 456 units, pulled out of Platform 11 on time. Having reached a speed of 15mph, it veered to the left and struck a train of empty Network Rail wagons. Of the 23 passengers and two employees that were on the train, only three were treated at the scene by paramedics, and fortunately no one required hospital treatment.
Passenger and engineering train after the collision. (RAIB)
An early investigation by the RAIB revealed that the points were misaligned and had directed the passenger train away from its intended route. The misalignment was a consequence of a temporary modification to the points’ control system. It was identified that the points were around mid-position as the train left the platform.
The full report has now identified the reasons why the temporary modifications had been left in place, and it makes some uncomfortable reading for the industry.
The wagons were deliberately placed to protect the workforce behind them from the live railway (and not a train entering the worksite). It was therefore a step well taken – without them the diverted train could have ploughed into people working on the station improvements. Had the points been clipped, however, there would not have been a derailment, which was another of the questions to be answered by the full report which was issued on 19 November 2018.
RAIB final report
The final investigation report identifies that the train was diverted away from its intended route by a set of points which were positioned incorrectly as a result of uncontrolled wiring added to the signalling system. This wiring was added to overcome a problem that arose because the test equipment design process had not allowed for alterations being made to the signalling system after the test equipment was designed.
Schematic layout of tracks (platforms 1 to 19) at London Waterloo station
Soon after moving away from the platform, the driver noticed that 1524 points were not correctly set and applied the train’s brakes. The collision occurred about three seconds after the brake application which had reduced the train’s speed to 13 mph (21 km/h). Drivers are not required, and not expected, to check point positions in these circumstances, therefore the driver was commended by RAIB for noticing that they were lying incorrectly and for his prompt brake application.
Immediately after the accident, the train driver made a GSM-R railway emergency call that caused an emergency stop message to be broadcast to all trains in the Waterloo area.
The Clapham Junction incident in 1988 occurred because a driver stopped to telephone and report a signalling equipment irregularity caused by uncontrolled wiring. The uncontrolled wiring resulted in signalling equipment not protecting the train. 35 people died when another train ran into the back of the stationary train. One recommendation from the Clapham Junction inquiry was for a nationwide driver radio system, which became GSM-R.
Summary of RAIB findings
The RAIB identified that, in the 2017 Waterloo incident, the train was signalled to run over a set of points which were not correctly positioned for the passage of the train. Uncontrolled wiring had been added to points-detection circuits, such that the position of 1524 points was incorrectly detected. This wiring was added during testing when the test desk was found to no longer simulate the detection of 1524 points correctly, a consequence of an incomplete design process.
Schematic layout of 1524 points, the accident location. (RAIB)
The actions taken to make the test desk simulate the operation of the points correctly were not in line with the signalling works testing standard, and the uncontrolled wiring was not removed before train services restarted.
Furthermore, the actions of the functional tester were inconsistent with the competence expected of testers. Electrical disconnection, scotches and padlocked clips had not been used to secure the point ends in a safe position as required by the test plan.
In addition, the competence management processes had not addressed the full requirements of the roles undertaken by the staff responsible for the design, commissioning and testing of the signalling works, the relay room maintenance drawings did not provide a definitive description of the equipment in the relay room and the absence of the spur wires on the interlocking detailed design documents would have adversely affected the integrity of the final wire count.
The incident is a classic example of the ‘Swiss Cheese’ effect of hazard control measure failure. All the defence layers of design, checking, testing (any one of which should have been prevented by another control measure) had errors or deficiencies. When all the ‘holes’ in the cheese lined up’ the train was wrongly diverted.
Points not secured
The points had not been secured in the correct position because of a breakdown in communications and because the responsibility for securing the points had not been allocated effectively.
View from the train’s forward facing CCTV showing 1524A points lying approximately midway between normal (wide gap at right-hand point end, no gap at left-hand point end) and reverse (gap only at left-hand point end). (RAIB)
The list of points included in the project documentation included, among others, 1524A, 1524B and 1524C points. Securing of these points would have avoided them moving to an unsafe position, either due to a route setting error or to a wiring problem in the complex circuits being modified.
The requirement to secure the points was included in a risk workshop. The associated action was initially allocated to the tester in charge (TIC), but the risk register published later showed the owner as ‘project team’ with the TIC to supply the padlocks. There was then no individual named in the risk register as responsible for implementing the securing of the points.
The TIC prepared the signalling test plan, which detailed the testing process for the blockade, and the final version of which including a list of points to be secured. Testers in charge are responsible for the implementation of test plans and should check that all testers involved in the work are briefed and fully conversant with their duties. However, in this case, the TIC assumed that possession management staff would secure the points, so he did not instruct anyone to secure any points nor did he check, or instruct anyone else to check, that any points were secured.
The possession management staff had only been asked to secure points required by the railway rulebook to protect the blockade. These requirements do not include points on the blockade flank, such as 1524 points. Separately, an email from a project manager requested that points which would be under the engineering train should be secured to protect against inadvertent movement while the track circuits, which would normally prevent them moving, were disconnected. This led to 1524C points being secured, but not 1524A and 1524B point ends as they were not under the train.
Competence
RAIB said that the actions of a functional tester were inconsistent with the competence expected. As a consequence, the uncontrolled wiring was added without the safeguards required by the signalling works testing standards, and remained in place when the line was returned to service.
An underlying factor was that competence management processes operated by Network Rail and some of the contractors had not addressed the full requirements of the roles undertaken by the staff responsible for the design, testing and commissioning of the signalling works.
One of the most alarming facts, as observed by RAIB, was that there were certain similarities between the factors that caused the Waterloo accident and those which led to the serious accident at Clapham Junction 30 years ago in December 1988. The RAIB has therefore expressed the concern that some of the lessons identified by the public inquiry, chaired by Anthony Hidden QC following the Clapham Junction incident, may be fading from the railway industry’s collective memory.
The RAIB has made recommendations, addressed to Network Rail, to seek improvements in the depth of knowledge and the attitudes needed for signal designers, installers and testers to deliver work safely. There are also recommendations addressed to the suppliers involved, to seek development and monitoring of non-technical skills among the staff working for them.
The RAIB has also identified four learning points. One highlights the positive aspects of a plan intended to mitigate an unusually high risk of points being moved unintentionally. The others reinforce the need to follow established procedures, prompt staff to clearly allocate duties associated with unusual activities, and to remind staff that up-to-date signalling documentation must be available and easily identified in relay rooms and similar locations.
Corporate memory loss
Events at Waterloo, and the RAIB’s investigation of the serious irregularity at Cardiff East Junction that occurred on 29 December 2016, suggest that some in the railway industry are forgetting the lessons learnt from the 1988 Clapham Junction accident in which 35 people died.
Simplified track layout showing the area and the location of 817 points, which were left unsecured, diverting train 2T08 towards Line E. (RAIB)
At Cardiff East Junction (RAIB Report 15/201722), a set of redundant points was left unsecured in the railway when it was returned to service after an engineering possession. They were not secured because the team that was responsible for this activity did not identify all of the redundant points that required securing.
The major changes to signalling design, installation and testing processes triggered by the Clapham accident remain today, but the RAIB is concerned that the need for rigorous application is being forgotten as people with personal knowledge retire or move away from front line jobs.
“This deep-seated, tacit knowledge is part of the corporate memory vital to achieve safety,” the report states on page 46. “Loss of this type of knowledge as previous generations leave the industry is a risk which must be addressed by organisations committed to achieving high levels of safety.”
Normalisation of Deviance
The incidents at Waterloo and at Cardiff East Junction resulted from people taking actions which were inconsistent with the processes in which they had been assessed as competent. Had these processes been followed, the events would have been prevented.
The RAIB found no evidence that the staff and organisations involved at Waterloo and Cardiff lacked a commitment to safety. In this respect, the RAIB’s findings at Waterloo and Cardiff have much in common with this extract from the Clapham Junction Hidden report chapter 17 ‘Where things went wrong – The Lessons to be learned’:
The vital importance of this concept of absolute safety was acknowledged time and again in the evidence which the Court heard. This was perfectly understandable because it is so self-evident. The problem with such expressions of concern for safety was that the remainder of the evidence demonstrated beyond dispute two things:
(i) there was total sincerity on the part of all who spoke of safety in this way; but nevertheless
(ii) there was failure to carry those beliefs through from thought into deed…
The concern for safety was permitted to co-exist with working practices which… were positively dangerous.
The observation that people were committed to safety but were not working safely has also occurred in other industries and has been developed as a concept by the American sociologist Diane Vaughan and called “Normalisation of Deviance”.
She developed the theory when looking at where conflicts, mistakes, and disasters find their roots. She summarises her theory of normalisation of deviance as: “Social normalisation of deviance means that people within the organisation become so much accustomed to a deviant behaviour that they don’t consider it as deviant, despite the fact that they far exceed their own rules for the elementary safety.”
Wakeup call
It is fortunate that the incident caused by the wiring error at Waterloo only resulted in a low-speed collision. The consequences could have been far worse and could have easily been a bigger disaster than Clapham Junction was in 1988.
Working practises and the safety record of the signalling industry have improved tremendously over the last 30 years, with complex projects being delivered safely and competently. It is to be hoped that the Waterloo incident does not create even more process and complexity, nor stifle the innovation and creativity the industry strives for.
All the required safe working practises are in place and the industry just needs to use the incidents at Cardiff and Waterloo as a ‘wake-up call’ and make sure everyone learns the lessons from the past, while at the same time delivering tomorrow’s railway safely.
At the end of August, ScotRail announced that trains between Ayr and Glasgow would be short-formed and that, to ensure sufficient capacity on the route, some full-length trains would start from Prestwick with a connecting bus service from Ayr. At the same time train services between Stranraer and Ayr were suspended. This service resumed on 2 November, although restrictions on train length at Ayr station remain in place for the foreseeable future.
The cause of these restrictions is the dangerous condition of the B-listed station hotel that, ten years ago, was sold to a Malaysian businessman who abandoned it after it closed in 2013. In the same year, South Ayrshire Council issued a Dangerous Building Notice which was withdrawn after Network Rail erected crash decks to protect platforms and the station entrance.
Exclusion zone declared
After five years’ lack of action and further deterioration, the Council issued a further Dangerous Building Notice.
Before the council took action, Ayr Station Hotel in September 2017. Note how close it is to the platforms (Ian Robertson)
Having had no response from the overseas owner, the Council occupied the hotel in July to undertake a survey. This resulted in the closure of the station’s travel centre and concourse, requiring a temporary ticket office and entrance to be established at the north end of the station.
On 28 August, the Council declared an exclusion zone around the hotel, which led to unfounded press reports that Ayr station might have to be temporarily closed.
However, it was possible to operate four-car EMUs from the north end of the platforms, although the through-platforms had to be blocked. Ayr station has two bay platforms, 1 and 2, which can normally accommodate seven-car Class 380 EMUs, and two through platforms, 3 and 4. Blocking these platforms resulted in the Stranraer service having to be replaced by buses and ScotRail being unable to use the ten-road Townhead EMU sidings and its washing plant, located immediately south of the station.
Stranraer services restored
View from Platform 4 showing closed travel centre, Platform 3 buffer stop and overhead lines earthed by station footbridge.
A taskforce, led by Transport Scotland and which included Network Rail, ScotRail Alliance, South Ayrshire Council and Historic Environment Scotland, considered how services to Stranraer could be resumed. This took over two months and required some alterations to the station that included isolation of the overhead line south of the station footbridge, by cutting insulators into the catenary, and temporary steps from the footbridge onto Platform 3 to replace those leading to the closed station concourse.
Temporary buffer stops have been provided on Platforms 1 and 2 to keep trains away from the hotel. A walkway was also erected between these platforms providing a walking route away from the hotel.
Encapsulated hotel above Platform 3 seen from the road bridge south of the station
Trains resumed to Stranraer following a risk assessment by Network Rail after work had been done on the hotel including its encapsulation. This allowed Platform 4 to be reopened as a through platform, although Platform 3 remains blocked and the Townhead sidings are still out of use.
While it is not clear how long the current restrictions will remain in place, the council has issued a statement that, although they had initially expected their work to make the building safe would be completed in December, this will now be delayed because ScotRail and Network Rail have decided to run trains to Stranraer!
View of Platforms 1, 2 and 3 from top of temporary footbridge steps showing temporary walkway between Platforms 1 and 2.
Greet Station - Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway
Rail Engineer normally contains articles that feature new technology and the commissioning of the latest projects and provides an opportunity for suppliers to promote the development of innovative engineering products. Just occasionally, however, articles will appear that feature the heritage railway sector, that tell of the challenges to obtain and maintain historic equipment with very limited funds.
The Institution of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE) set up a Minor Railways Section some while ago, to feature and promote the work of these railways. While the engineering challenges are just as great as on ‘big’ railways, they have to come up with solutions that demand creative thinking and bargain basement procurement, often obtaining results that are quite remarkable.
The GWR
To the uninitiated, GWR = Great Western Railway. However, in this instance, it stands for the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, which just happens to be in the old GWR territory, so it’s a lucky acronym. In fact, the official name is the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway, so, partly to avoid confusion with the modern-day GWR franchise, the older heritage railway is now often termed the GWSR.
The origin of the line was a Great Western route from Birmingham to Cheltenham, intended to avoid paying running rights to the Midland Railway for use of their line between these two cities. Some of the route is still open – from Birmingham to Stratford upon Avon – forming part of Birmingham’s suburban network. The rest of the line closed in 1976, although the local stations had closed in 1960, none of the villages serving any significant population. A serious derailment, and its associated track damage, at Winchcombe was judged too expensive to repair.
By 1978, all the track had been lifted except for the short section from Honeybourne to Long Marston, serving an MoD storage site. Most buildings survived but became increasingly decrepit. Honeybourne is where the line crossed the main Oxford to Worcester route, still open today and increasingly busy.
Enthusiasts and railway preservationists in the area believed that the route could become a major tourist attraction and, with a Light Railway Order granted, tracklaying commenced at Toddington in 1983, the first steam services running the following year. By 1986, Winchcombe had been reached, in 2003 the line had extended to Cheltenham Racecourse and in 2018, the extension northwards to Broadway was opened.
Landslips at, firstly, Gotherington, and then at Winchcombe, have been major setbacks, but such is the determination of the company that huge funds were raised for these to be repaired in a manner that hopefully will prevent any future problems.
Signalling the Line
Toddington junction signal
Whilst the glamour of a heritage railway perhaps goes to the locomotives, coaches and stations, the line has to be operated safely and reliably, and for this the signalling is crucial. Initially, control was by train staff and ticket for the short section from Toddington to Winchcombe but, as the line extended and more trains were operating, proper signalling arrangements were required.
The GWSR has five signalboxes, all of the traditional type but very different as to how they have been acquired and built. They are: Toddington, Winchcombe, Gotherington, Cheltenham Racecourse and Broadway. Linking all the locations is a buried cable of 0.9 mm conductors, jelly filled and armoured. 20 pair is the norm but 10 pair is installed between Far Stanley (part-way between Winchcombe and Gotherington) and Gotherington. The cable suffices for both signalling and telecommunication requirements.
Each box is considered in turn.
Toddington SB
This was the only box to survive the demolition process, although without its original lever frame which had been sold to another railway prior to the GWSR acquiring the site. The box never had running water in BR days and even electricity was a late addition.
Toddington signal box
After repairing the box structure, a 35-lever frame from Earlswood Lakes on the North Warwickshire line was acquired after that route was re-signalled. The frame dates from 1906 and has a three-bar horizontal-tappet locking arrangement.
A Tyers token machine controls the single line section to Winchcombe and, for the present, a train staff is issued when a service runs to the newly opened Broadway section. Release of the Broadway train staff allows a single pull on the section signal to prevent any unauthorised movement towards Broadway.
All signals are typical GW lower quadrant and enable signalled movements into either platform and to the sidings in the yard, where the main locomotive depot is sited. Points and facing point locks are operated by conventional rodding except for those at the far end of the loop towards Broadway. These are worked by HW point machines as the ‘pull distance’ is too great for manual operation.
Winchcombe SB
The original signalbox was demolished, so a redundant structure from Hall Green on the North Warwickshire line was acquired when that route was modernised. It is built on the foundations of the original box with the brickwork being carried out by GWSR volunteers.
The 35-lever frame came from Honeybourne West Loop and is a five-bar vertical-tappet design originally manufactured in 1960. As such it is relatively new! The SB diagram is illuminated to show track circuit occupations.
Winchcombe signal box
The Tyers token instruments enable both short and long section operation. Going south, one token machine is for the section to Gotherington (the next box) but this is not always open. The other machine works the section to Cheltenham Race Course and is the one mostly in use. The two sections have different coloured tokens, red for Winchcombe to Gotherington, green for Winchcombe to Cheltenham. Another token machine with blue tokens covers the section Winchcombe to Toddington.
Although Winchcombe is, in many ways, the core of the signalling operation, the box can switch out by means of the Toddington – Cheltenham staff mounted in an Annett’s Lock on the block shelf. When the line is closed, the staff is brought to Toddington. It is normally taken back to Winchcombe by road in order to open up the line for token operation. It is also possible to open Winchcombe as a ground frame by a train movement from Toddington, providing it has the Toddington Cheltenham staff in its possession.
Signals are traditional lower quadrant, but one unusual feature is the provision of two mechanical banner repeaters. The sighting for the southbound starter signals towards Greet tunnel is poor when leaving the platform. As the signals are pulled off, a signal wire taken from the opposite side of the main signal balance weight arm, operates the banner. This operates identically to a normal signal and contains its own balance weight, down rod and pivot casting. It thus proves to the driver as near as is practical that the main signal arm is off.
Gotherington SB
The next station is lightly used and cannot accommodate full length trains in its short platforms. Gotherington did, at one time, have a passing loop in the platform area, but this was removed long ago. The need for a passing loop only becomes necessary when a three-train service is in operation or when special events are being held. It was impractical to re-instate the loop in the platform area, so a new loop was provided just to the south of the station. Since the line had always been double track prior to closure, space was available for this.
The addition of this loop necessitated the building of a new box, constructed of Bradstone blocks and a steel frame, similar to the one at Cheltenham (see below). The frame came from Claydon Crossing on the line from Banbury to Leamington Spa. It was originally stud locked but has been modified to a three-bar vertical-tappet layout. Signals are lower quadrant and the box is normally closed with signals being cleared in both directions for operation through the down side of the loop.
Cheltenham Race Course SB
When the line was extended in 2003, the Race course station became the south terminus, with engine run-round and the stabling of trains having to be provided. A new signalbox was constructed at the north end in stone-coloured Bradstone blocks with a steel frame and an internal staircase.
Cheltenham Racecourse signal box
The racecourse did have a station before line closure, but it was only open on race days. Nothing except the wooden ticket office at road level remained after the line demolition, so everything here is brand new. There are two platforms, although these are not connected by a footbridge. The line extends southbound into a shunt neck, there splitting into two sidings that terminate at the southern end of Hunting Butts tunnel.
The box was built in 2001 with the 20-lever frame coming from Whiteball Sidings between Taunton and Wellington, near to the spot where City of Truro made its 100mph dash in 1904. It is again a vertical-tappet three-bar arrangement. Track circuits are illuminated on the box diagram.
Two token machines are provided, covering short or long section working to Gotherington and Winchcombe respectively. On busy days, two race specials can be accommodated at Cheltenham. The first to arrive gives up its token and proceeds from the platform to the headshunt. A second train can then be accepted and, after arrival, the locomotive is detached and proceeds to the rear of the first train. With the first train locomotive uncoupled, the second locomotive takes the first train carriages back through the loop as empty stock and northwards to a stabling point, usually at Toddington. The first locomotive then rounds run the second train for a return service.
Cheltenham box can work as a ground frame during light traffic periods. If long staff working is in operation, the box will be closed, with a signalman travelling on the train and inserting the staff into the Annett’s key lock on the block shelf that permits ground frame operation for locomotive run-round purposes.
Broadway SB
The much-heralded opening to Broadway in March 2018 was achieved with only one platform being available, the footbridge still to be completed and without any of the signalling being operational. Hence the use of ‘One Train Working’ as a temporary measure.
The new signal box at Broadway
There was virtually nothing left of the station and the old signalbox had been demolished, so a brand new box has been built in traditional GW style . It is sited on the still-to-be-completed northbound platform and is equipped with a 46-lever frame from Aller Junction near Newton Abbott, made redundant when Exeter Power Box was commissioned in the 1980s. It had originally been acquired by the Gorse Blossom miniature railway, which never got around to using it. The locking is a three-bar vertical-tappet arrangement and is already configured for station operation and any future extension onwards to Honeybourne.
Most lower quadrant signals are in place, the only electrically operated signal will be the northbound distant, and the line will be fully track circuited from Toddington. Commissioning of the new box is expected in March 2020.
The Future
What the GWSR has achieved in its 35-year existence is remarkable. The recent extension to Broadway has opened up a new market, as the town is itself a tourist attraction. The infrastructure, stations, rolling stock and signalling are all things the railway can be proud of.
The one missing element is a main line connection. Whilst much of the track bed at the southern end through Cheltenham is accessible, parts have been built on so, extending here is potentially very difficult. For all its prestige, Cheltenham experiences unsocial behaviour, which could lead to vandalism problems in any future town centre section.
At the northern end, the route to Honeybourne would be relatively easy to reinstate, which would allow a connection to the Cotswold line. North from there to Stratford, beyond Long Marston, is much more difficult as encroachment of the track bed has happened in several places.
Nothing is impossible these days, as the Borders Railway and the Welsh Highland have demonstrated, but, whatever transpires, the signalling fraternity will be there to play its part.
Thanks to Neil Carr, operations manager, and Malcolm Walker from the GWSR signalling department for explaining the signalling and operation of the line.
Every two years, the railway industry gathers in Berlin for the InnoTrans exhibition. Held between 18 and 21 September, the 2018 show was the biggest so far, with 3,062 exhibitors from 61 countries showing off their expertise, products and services to 153,421 trade visitors from 149 countries.
In amongst the wide variety of displays were 400 innovations, 155 world premieres and no fewer than 155 complete vehicles. Contracts were publicly signed, even though they had actually been agreed days or even weeks before behind closed doors.
First impressions
For those who had never been to InnoTrans before, the lasting impression will no doubt be the huge scale of the whole event. There were 41 halls packed with railway technology and 3,500 metres of tracks outside on which sat trains, trams, locomotives and on-track plant.
InnoTrans 2018 – North Entrance
Visitors had to choose which entrance to use – South (Messe Süd S-Bahn station for lines S3 and S9) or North (Messe Nord station – S-Bahn S41, S42, S46 and U-Bahn U20).
Then it was a question of actually finding what they wanted to see. It is impossible to walk the whole show, so some advance planning is essential and the internal bus services (there are four routes) are a godsend for tired feet.
So where to start?
Just how does one review over 3,000 stands? Alphabetically? By product? By country of origin?
Whichever way, it’s impossible. So here are some impressions of what visitors to InnoTrans 2018 saw over four days in Berlin, arranged alphabetically.
Alstom – Cummins
Alstom POP for Trenitalia
Alstom: A mixture of trains and technology was the theme for Alstom’s display this year. Inside, there was the Iconis security control centre, and Mastria, a multimodal supervision solution that demonstrates the way advanced data analytics will be central to the future of urban mobility. Outside was the world’s first hydrogen train, the Coradia iLint, as well as the Prima H4 bi-mode locomotive, the Aptis electric bus and the first POP train for Italian state operator Trenitalia.
Altpro: This Croatian manufacturer of safety and signalling equipment for rolling stock and infrastructure was founded in 1994 and now operates in 47 countries worldwide. Tin Viduka explained that Altpro axle counters and level-crossing protection systems were increasingly being chosen in Eastern Europe, with the most recent installation being in Montenegro.
Arcadis: Martin Standaart from Arcadis Nederland seemed to be the sole inhabitant of the company’s stand in hall 5.2, though it was technically an Arcadis Germany stand. Still, Martin was happy to discuss Arcadis’ latest successes which, as the company is active in 72 countries, was quite a list.
Bombardier’s stand was popular
Bombardier: Emma Brett was the guide round a crowded Bombardier stand. It was quite open, and for many visitors the hospitality seemed more important than the business talk!
However, there were trains, and signalling, and innovations to discuss as well as digital technology to take visitors on a virtual journey around the world of transportation.
Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling witnessed Network Rail signing a new contract with British Steel
British Steel: During the show, British Steel announced two major contract wins. As well as an award for rails from Belgium’s rail infrastructure manager Infrabel, British Steel has also been given a £200 million two-year extension to supply rail to Network Rail. With UK transport secretary Chris Grayling looking on, both contracts were rubber-stamped at the show with representatives from all parties putting pen to paper on the deals. The contract win from Network Rail will see British Steel supply Network Rail with more than 200,000 tonnes (or 4,000km) of rail. Among the rails British Steel will be supplying are two long-life rail innovations – HP335 and Zinoco, both of which were displayed on the InnoTrans stand.
Cobham: The Buckinghamshire-based company had some very interesting solutions to the problem of maintaining mobile phone connections for passengers while their train is in a tunnel. A single box of kit outside the tunnel feeds a leaky-coax cable run through the tunnel. There is even a repeater system for longer runs. However, after the show, Rail Engineer was sent a non-disclosure agreement to sign (we didn’t), so whether the equipment should have been on display at all is a good question. Maybe it shouldn’t feature in this review either. Sssshh!
Colas: Russell Suart, from the company’s projects in Asia, explained that Lundy Projects, manufacturer of signal gantries and electrification portals, is now part of the Colas group, although its individual identity will be retained, at least for the time being. He also showed a fascinating video of a construction project in the far east, showing how elevated railway construction was carried out elsewhere.
Cummins
Cummins: A large red diesel engine, which was sectioned to show the internal workings, formed the centrepiece of the Cummins display. Marcomms specialist Angela Papgeorgiou informed that it was actually built at Daventry in the UK. It was an impressive lump of technology.
Ellis Patents – Hitachi
Ellis Patents: A small stand in the Railway Industry Association pavilion allowed Ellis Patents to show off its range of cable cleats and fixing solutions. Export sales executive Kelly Brown informed that the company already has a number of distributors worldwide and was using InnoTrans to meet up with them and also handle enquiries from new contacts.
ERTMS Solutions had a great line in socks!
ERTMS Solutions: The developer of signalling and commissioning software was demonstrating its Balise Life Check and Track Circuit Life Check programs. Business development officer Maurizio Palumbo described how Network Rail uses the company’s CamCorder software, and discussions are taking place with TfL over Crossrail. There was also an interesting discussion with marketing manager Caroline Ernoult on Ontology – the philosophical nature of being. How does that relate to ERTMS signalling? It’s all to do with the seamless pairing of business needs and IT in a way that is both cost-effective and agile – apparently. Oh, and there were some great ERTMS socks to take away!
Ferrabyrne: A range of black natural rubber bushes was on show, along with some green ones which are fireproof to the latest EuoNorm. Max Bradley also showed off the rolling stock suspension components and anti-roll bars that the Sussex-based manufacturer had on display.
Frequentis’ ducks made a return appearance.
Frequentis: Patrick Wirth, project manager with this Austrian safety-critical communications expert, talked about telecommunications and IT (information technology) coming together with moves to LTE and 5G. He also highlighted how Frequentis’ Railway Emergency Management (REM) product supports the operator during incident and crisis situations by maximising cooperation and resolution speed.
Also, back by popular demand, the Frequentis ducks were a feature of the stand.
Furrer+Frey: The new lightweight electrification cantilever that Furrer+Frey developed for Nexus’ Tyne and Wear Metro, the FL200-Light, was on display in Berlin. So too were examples of the work the company is undertaking with Delhi Metro to create a digital twin of the infrastructure and to supply quick-charging stations for e-mobility buses.
Getzner: Vibration and how to reduce it was the key message on the Getzner stand. Indeed, the whole stand vibrated from time to time, simulating the noise and movement from a train in a tunnel. Product manager Stefan Vonbun pointed out that, although the whole stand shook, the floor-mounted lights didn’t – all down to Getzner technology. The Austrian chocolates were good too.
Hackathon final presentations
Hacktrain: The first ever Hackathon took place over four days with support from Siemens, SBB, Fujitsu, ORM joining Deutsche Bahn, SilverRail, SNCF and Network Rail. 80 young people, and 20 mentors, worked throughout the show and presented their outcomes on the Friday afternoon. A roomful of people in ill-fitting t-shirts and baseball caps worn backwards, listened and participated, cheering each other’s brief presentations. There didn’t seem to be much outside interest apart from the sponsors, and whether the results will have any impact on the real-life railway or not remains to be seen. Still, the participants obviously enjoyed themselves.
HIMA: Derived from the family name, Hildebrandt, and home town Mannheim, HIMA has been control and monitoring equipment for industry since 1936. Global PR manager Daniel Plaga explained that, today, the company operates in 50 countries and manages over 1,000 installations. Producing safety PLCs for use by system integrators, these can now be used for SIL 4 installations and can operate up to +70ºC. Used for level crossings, signalling, train doors and tunnel ventilation, a recent application was replacing relays with PLCs to control trams in Luxembourg.
Hitachi Caravaggio ‘Rock’
Hitachi: One of the largest stands at the show, Hitachi was showing off models of its trains alongside real-time signalling displays, supported by experts from Japan, the UK and Italy. Immersive digital displays were much in evidence as the company emphasised its digital offering.
Outside, a Caravaggio train for Italy (pictured right), named Rock by its Trenitalia purchaser and due to go into service next year, attracted a lot of attention.
IRZ – Nomad
Izhevskiy Radiozavod (IRZ): The Russian leader in safety and communications systems for rail for 25 years has successfully implemented solutions on rolling stock in more than 15 countries, including Russia/CIS, China, South Korea and in Europe. Matthew Davison and Barbara Grimm explained that, because the company’s signalling products were not developed to ETCS and ERTMS standards, but to alternative, Russian ones, the main thrust was towards markets in Africa and South America that had not adopted the European ‘Norms’ of ETCS and ERTMS.
Legios displayed a pink bogie in a clear plastic box!
Legios: Based in Prague, Czech Republic, Legios manufactures freight wagons and also maintains and repairs them.
An example of the company’s latest freight wagon bogie was proudly displayed at InnoTrans, in the outdoor display area.
But why was it pink?
…and Coney savoury waffle cones!
Linsinger rail milling machine…
Linsinger: A call at the stand of the Austrian-based rail grinding specialist was interesting for two reasons. The latest machine was on show, and international sales manager Elvis Kozica, who spoke in the Rail Engineer Seminar Theatre at Infrarail earlier in the year, was justifiably proud of it. In addition, marketing and public relations manager Georgine Schöm offered what looked like an ice cream cone but it was actually hot – and savoury! There were curries, meat and potatoes, and even fish, all in unsweetened waffle cones. It’s a start-up Austrian company – Coney – and made a welcome hange from the coffee and nuts offered on other stands.
Mirage Rail: First seen earlier this year at Rail Live, the new Mirage mobile induction welder for joining track in-situ was on display at InnoTrans. Managing director Nick Mountford explained the concept and also that Network Rail had assisted in the machine’s development. Indeed, programme engineering manager Nick Matthews was on hand from Network Rail to lend a hand.
Mott MacDonald: The international engineering consultant was promoting its capabilities in complex and progressive assurance – its ability to check the checker. Directors Michael Barron and Chris Dulake were on hand to explain the concept of blockchain analysis. Developed for Bitcoin, blockchain has been described by the Harvard Business School as “an open, distributed ledger that can record transactions between two parties efficiently and in a verifiable and permanent way”.
MTU hybrid power pack
MTU: Rolls-Royce Power Systems and Porterbrook agreed the delivery of MTU Hybrid PowerPacks (pictured) that can convert Class 168 and Class 170 ‘Turbostar’ DMUs from diesel-only to hybrid-electric operation with the signing of a letter of intent on the stand at InnoTrans.
The agreement covers the delivery of hybrid systems for installation on two test trains for a series of trials, following which Porterbrook aims to offer hybrid conversion to a range of customers operating existing Turbostar fleets.
Nomad Digital: As well as discussing new technologies in the field of on-board communications and mobile phones, Nomad’s Vicki Sloan handed over a red stress-relieving rugby ball, which has proudly joined the editorial collection. Nice one!
Perpetuum – Rosehill
Perpetuum: The world leader in vibration harvester-powered wireless sensing systems – that’s what it says on sales manager Andy Stephens’ card. Who can argue with that?
Pilz: Major railway infrastructure owners, such as Network Rail and Deutsche Bahn, are naturally conservative. This has resulted in a slow uptake of PLCs (programmable logic controllers) for applications such as level crossing control. Pilz is now working with EULYNX, the European initiative by 12 infrastructure managers to standardise interfaces and elements of signalling systems with the aim of decreasing cost. One aspect of this is that Pilz PLCs need to talk to those of other manufacturers, and Peter Kaiser described how Pilz PLCs controlling point motors now interfaced with those from HIMA which are integral parts of interlocking controls.
Pintsch Bamag and Pintsch Tiefenbach were on the Schaltbau group stand
Pintsch Bamag and Pintsch Tiefenbach: A large stand showed off several products from the Pintsch group, itself now part of Schaltbau.
Export manager for signalling Olaf Lachmann was keen to point out a major item on the Pintsch Bamag display – a pedestrian level crossing for the Danish rail network, designed to work with the ETCS signalling that is being delivered throughout the country.
Plasser & Theurer’s EM100VT
Plasser & Theurer: Track maintenance machine manufacturer Plasser & Theurer had its usual large stand, which was busy throughout the show. Models, simulations and displays took the place of actual machines, as these are too large for an indoor stand, but there were several on show outdoors, including the new EM100VT, which is used a a testbed for the development of infrastructure test equipment.
After-sales service, and the rapid availability of spares, was the topic of many discussions on the stand.
Porr: Two different types of slab track were on show, both made by Porr Austria but for different markets. One was a conventional heavy-rail high-speed slab, the other was designed for metros running in tunnel. Narrower than the main line version, it also included cast-in rail guides, like a concrete check rail, to hold the train in place in case of a derailment and prevent damage to the tunnel lining.
R2P: Despite interruptions from well-meaning colleagues, project manager Somtapa Bhattacharya finally managed to list all of R2P’s offerings in the fields of CCTV, automatic passenger counting, passenger information systems, tracking and fleet management.
Robel: On a stand which had moved a little from previous years, but was still in hall 26, Robel showed off its range of hand-held tools for working on track. The new Rogrind HF two-part electric rail grinding tool was particularly popular and attracted quite a crowd.
Rosehill Rail: Well known for their level-crossing panels, Rosehill had plenty on display, along with the anti-trespass panels which look like an upside-down egg carton. Impossible to walk on, which is the whole point, there was a new arrangement of cones to improve the product still further. Rosehill Security’s Kirstie Emptage was also present, showing off new anti-vehicle and crowd control barriers that can either be installed temporarily or semi-permanently – ideal for special occasions and for controlling passenger and vehicle flows during temporary works.
Siemens – WSP
Siemens Mobility had an impressive stand
Siemens: Although all under the Siemens Mobility banner, with so many activities involved the stand was crowded most of the time. Rolling stock mingled with electrification and signalling, as well as other peripheral activities. Digital railway and high-speed trains (the new Velaro Novo) were the topics being discussed indoors, while the outdoor display was packed with the new tram for Ulm, new trains for the Rhine-Ruhr Express, Berlin S-Bahn (built in conjunction with Stadler), and Sofia Metro, a UK Thameslink train – this one for the Moorgate branch and Vectron and Smartron freight locomotives.
Stadler’s new train for the Glasgow Subway was a popular exhibit
Stadler: The train manufacturer that seems to be growing fastest right now, at least in Europe, had a big stand and also an outside display. Of most interest to British visitors was the first of the new trains for Glasgow Subway – the Clockwork Orange – which looked huge parked in the outside display. But that was an illusion, not only were visitors looking up from ground level rather than platform level, but the trains’ novel four-foot gauge meant they were on accommodation bogies too, further adding to the height. Still, the interior gave a better impression as everyone but the shortest visitors had to crouch down.
Looking more conventional, the new bi-mode Flirt train for Greater Anglia was on display as well.
TE Connectivity showed a new roof-mounted circuit breaker
TE Connectivity: Product manager Rob Smeets was clearly proud of the new circuit breaker designed to be roof mounted on trains, alongside the pantograph. No longer air-insulated, nor using relays, the sealed unit is the lowest on the market and comes with a fully insulated surge arrester, to keep workers safe if they have to access the roof for any reason.
Other products on display included the range of Jaquet sensors, a recent acquisition.
Thales – Decisive Technology for Decisive Moments
Thales: Decisive technology for decisive moments – that was the slogan written on the top of the Thales stand. Below, the French manufacturer was using an interactive Digital Wall to show how it supports customers’ big ambitions to optimise network performance and create a unique passenger experience.
There was also a new immersive Experience Room where visitors could find out how Thales’ solutions help overcome obstacles at decisive moments, from network disruption to rail digitalisation.
Thermo King: The refrigerants used in air-conditioning systems are now known to be bad for the environment. As a result, the old chlorofluorocarbons and products such as R-134a (1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane) are being phased out and replaced by new products like R513a, a non-ozone depleting refrigerant based on hydrofluoro-olefin (HFO). Alexander Zankl explained how Thermo King HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) units are now ready for these new refrigerants. Combined with the well-documented reliability of the equipment – only one compressor failure on 1,300 units in Melbourne, Australia, in 12 years, and that without any leaks – and there really is little chance of environmental damage from these systems which now have an operating temperature range of +/- 50ºC.
Unipart: Virtual and augmented reality featured on the Unipart stand this year, and visitors were shown how both technologies could enhance their understanding of how depot maintenance activities can transform performance. Head of marketing communications Dave Tilmouth was also keen to explain Unipart’s concept of the condition-based supply chain, with deliveries automated to be in the right place at the right time.
University of Birmingham: Located in the careers hall, the University of Birmingham was promoting both its courses and UKRRIN, the UK Rail Research and Innovation Network. Alex Burrows, Rob Hopkin and the team were on hand to explain both offerings and also meet with several other exhibitors with which they work closely.
Cable Guardian from Viper
Viper: Developed for use on oil rigs, Aberdeen-based Viper has a neat solution to the problem of insulation breaking down on telecommunications cables at the microscopic level. Passing an electric current through the cable causes electrolysis to occur at the site and ‘welds’ the insulation back together. Of less use on railways, where the fresh water doesn’t contain enough electrolytes, the company still uses its technology to pinpoint exactly where a fault is located, allowing repairs to be focussed within a small area. Cable Guardian units are installed at various points on the network, and any failure can be pinpointed as a distance from those various points.
Welsh Government: The Welsh pavilion was displaying plans for the new £100 million Global Centre of Rail Excellence, a 7.3km 100mph (160km/h) test track to be built near Swansea. Combined with a smaller, 3.1km track for light rail and metros, supply chain development managers Mike Gillard and Alan Jones pointed out that the new facility will give manufacturers a third European test facility, alongside Siemen’s site at Wildenrath and Velim in the Czech Republic, both of which are booked up a year in advance.
The smallest – and slowest – locomotive on display, Windhoff built this shunter for the Warsteiner Brewery
Windhoff: Perhaps the slowest vehicle on display was Windhoff’s Tele Trac RW60AEM battery-operated shunter for the Warsteiner brewery. Weighing in at 35 tonnes, including 2.5 tonnes of batteries, it can tow a load of up to 1,000 tonnes. That’s a lot of beer! Other specialist vehicles were on display, including a multi-function rail vehicle which was handed over to Jernbaneverket, the Norwegian rail infrastructure manager.
WSP: Although there were a number of model railways around the show, Lego ones as well as Ho, OO and other scales, one of the best was on the WSP stand. Carsten Scharf was keeping a close eye on his model, but also discussing WSP’s engineering capabilities with visitors who called by.
So when’s the next?
The dates for InnoTrans 2020 have already been set – 22 to 25 September 2020. For the first time in a long while, it manages to miss the author’s birthday!
Some things will be the same though – aching feet, crowded restaurants, packed hotels (book yours now!), but also friendships renewed, innovations to study and new equipment and trains to look at and climb into.
The new S-Bahn stock may also be in service, which will be interesting.
Whatever happens, it will be THE place to be in 2020. Everyone who is anyone in the rail industry will be in Berlin, either exhibiting, visiting or doing a bit of both.
