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Overhauling the Class 57 for the 21st Century

Malcolm Dobell BTech CEng FIMechE
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Overhauling the Class 57 for the 21st Century

Keeping older locomotives in passenger service comes down to one simple idea: age matters less than condition. If a fleet still suits the job, the route, and the operator, a heavy overhaul can turn what looks like yesterday’s traction into a reliable asset for today’s railway.

That is exactly what the Class 57 G exam programme is about. Rather than treating older locomotives as a short-term stopgap, it shows how they can be renewed, improved, and sent back out ready for another spell of useful service. At a time when replacement often seems like the only answer, this programme is a good reminder that overhaul can still make solid technical and operational sense, especially when dealing with a small fleet.

Keeping ageing fleets

Great Western Railway’s (GWR) Class 57 fleet has a very specific role: hauling the Night Riviera Sleeper between London Paddington and Penzance. That is not the sort of work that leaves much room for unreliability. Sleeper services need steady performance, dependable electric train supply, and the resilience to handle long overnight runs in all seasons.

Credit: Karl Atkinson

There are six locomotives in the fleet, with four Class 57/6s and two Class 57/3s, all leased from Porterbrook, and one of the 57/3s sub-leased through GBRf. When numbers are that tight, every locomotive matters, especially once operational changes increase the need for availability and rescue cover in the west, having withdrawn the HSTs which could carry out a rescue.

For the Class 57s, the G exam is comprehensive. Due at around 1,000,000 miles or every 10 years, it is far more than a routine inspection; it is the point at which the locomotive is restored to a state of good repair for continued front-line use. By 2024, the 57/6 fleet G exam was almost due. Although the work could theoretically have been carried out separately for bogies, engine, and the rest of the locomotive, GWR chose to tackle all three together. That meant a true heavy overhaul, giving the team the best chance to deal properly with wear, corrosion, ageing wiring, fatigue, and the sort of hidden defects that build up over time.

The programme did not start with the assumption that the heaviest possible intervention was needed. An early study looked at whether parts of the exam could be reduced. But previous G and F exams had already been descoped, and there was not much left to cut without leaving bigger problems for later.

Planning the overhaul

Procuring the overhaul was unexpectedly difficult. Few approved suppliers were out there and they were busy with other work, and none could offer the full turnkey package required. That meant the locomotives needed extension work just to stay in traffic while a workable plan was put together, all while failures elsewhere in the fleet pushed up mileage and made the overhaul more urgent.

The answer came from a useful overlap between operational need and engineering capability. At Laira depot in Plymouth, the earlier-than-planned withdrawal of the CrossCountry HST fleet left behind a skilled team and facilities that could have gone underused. Crucially, Laira already knew its way around heavy maintenance, with experience of F and G exams on HST power cars and major coach work. It also had the right kit for a job like this: jacks, lifting equipment, high-level access, and space that could be adapted for major strip-down and rebuild work. What started as a struggle to find a contractor ended up becoming a strong in-house opportunity.

Image credit: Karl Atkinson

That said, not everything could sensibly be done at one depot. Bogie overhauls needed specialist tooling, frame measurement facilities, and undercover space beyond what was realistically available. Electrical machine overhauls for traction motors, alternators, compressors, and blower motors also went to outside specialists, along with brake work and repainting. The depot handled inspection, cleaning, repair, wiring checks, and final assembly, while selected components were sent out to keep the programme moving. It was a practical and sensible split of responsibility, led by GWR.

Challenges emerge

The biggest engineering question centred on the engine. Class 57s are rebuilt from Class 47s (which date from the mid-1960s) but use reconditioned EMD 12-645 series engines and Class 56 alternators as part of the rebuild concept that originally improved reliability. At first, the original equipment manufacturer looked interested in taking on the overhaul work. In the end, timescales and supplier workload got in the way, and other options were not available when needed. So, GWR made a bold call to overhaul the engines in-house. That was a major step: this level of work means a full strip and rebuild to zero-hours standard, with the sort of cleanliness, measurement, tooling, and process control usually associated with specialist overhaul shops.

Making that possible took a lot of groundwork. Engine stands and bespoke tooling had to be designed and built, and a tented clean area was set up for precision reassembly. The paperwork was another challenge. Drawings, manuals, and technical references were often old, complex, and not always specific to the exact engine configuration in the fleet. That meant engineering judgement and careful cross-checking were just as important as hands-on work. It is a good reminder that in heavy overhaul, the prep matters every bit as much as the rebuild itself.

As work progressed, the locomotives confirmed why a full overhaul had been the right call. Corrosion varied from one locomotive machine to another and demanded a serious amount of welding and structural repair. Some engines also needed deeper intervention than expected, and one had already suffered a catastrophic failure before entering the programme.

Delays to bogie overhauls from external suppliers have affected progress too, underlining how even a well-planned hybrid model can be exposed to supply-chain bottlenecks. Then there was obsolescence: many parts were no longer easy to source, forcing the team to find workarounds and recover knowledge that in some cases had not been actively used for years.

Credit: Karl Atkinson

Once the locomotives had been stripped, assessed, and repaired, the job shifted from dismantling to renewal. Reassembly is where good planning starts to pay off: overhauled components come back in, wiring is re-established, repaired structures are integrated, and the locomotive starts to look like a railway asset again rather than a workshop project. But finishing the rebuild is only part of the story. Testing is what really turns engineering confidence into service confidence. On the Class 57 programme, that takes several weeks and includes load-bank testing to prove the rebuilt power unit and its associated systems before the locomotive returns to traffic.

Progress is being made. One locomotive has completed its G exam and returned to service with good reliability, while another is back in traffic with some restrictions pending final rectification and repainting. Others remain at different stages of completion, with engine repairs, corrosion work, bogie fitment, and reassembly still under way. That is fairly typical of a big overhaul programme on older locomotives – each one turns up with its own mix of wear, defects, and surprises. The important point is that the work is delivering locomotives back into service and building resilience for the fleet as a whole.

Lessons learned

The wider lessons go well beyond one fleet. Older locomotives nearly always reveal more complexity than the early plan suggests, so preparation time matters. Float material helps protect both budget and timescales. Skills in areas such as welding and specialist electrical work need to be kept alive because they are not easy to rebuild once lost. Documentation also needs to be gathered early and treated as a project. Above all, the Class 57 G exam programme shows that modern railway engineering is not just about bringing in new traction. It is also about knowing when existing assets are worth backing. In the right service, and with the right overhaul behind them, older locomotives can still more than earn their keep.

This article is based on a presentation to the IMechE Railway Division Rolling Stock Lifecycle Conference in May 2026 by Karl Atkinson, Class 57 Fleet Engineer GWR.

Image credit: James Gregory

The platform–train interface on Britain’s mixed-traffic railway

Malcolm Dobell BTech CEng FIMechE
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The platform–train interface on Britain’s mixed-traffic railway

Boarding or alighting from a train can still be difficult on much of the Great Britain (GB) mainline railway, even where accessibility has improved in other areas. The issue lies at the platform–train interface (PTI): the step and gap between the platform edge and the train door or footstep.

On Britain’s mixed-traffic railway, that interface is shaped by the historic network non-standard platform heights and offsets, freight train clearance needs, and high floor fleets that stay in service for decades. That means there is no single fix. Lower-floor trains can help, especially when paired with sliding steps or bridge plates, but they cannot solve every problem on their own. Platform geometry still matters, as do operations, stopping accuracy, and the needs of different passenger groups. Improvement will come from treating the PTI as a system, not as a problem for either trains or stations alone.

Problem in context

It is easy to talk about accessibility as if it were simply a matter of removing a step or reducing a gap. In reality, the PTI on the GB mainline is much more complicated. Britain’s railway grew over a long period and was built by many different companies, often to different local standards. As a result, platforms vary a great deal in height, distance from the track, curvature, and surrounding clearances. Some are straight and generous; others are curved, narrow, or constrained by bridges, buildings, or track layout. Indeed, track improvements over the years have sometimes made matters worse.

Those variations make it very hard to design one perfect solution. It also explains why improving the PTI across the network is such a large task. With around 2,500 stations and roughly 6,000 platforms on the mainline railway, even small improvements add up to a major long-term programme.

For new and renewed platforms, the GB target is a height of 915mm above rail level and an offset of 730mm from the nearest rail. They reflect a compromise between better boarding for passengers and the need to keep enough clearance for trains, especially on routes that also carry freight. If a platform is higher, the step up into the train is often smaller, but the horizontal gap would need to be larger. That trade-off is at the heart of the PTI problem.

A key difficulty is that much of the existing network does not match the target geometry. Only a relatively small number of platforms are close to the target in both height and offset. Moreover, train step heights and widths vary between fleets. So, while the standards are helpful, the trains running today still have to work with a large and inconsistent legacy estate, and low floor trains of the future are not the whole fix.

No ‘one size fits all’

Another important point is that there is no single ‘accessible passenger’. Different people experience the same step and gap in very different ways, even if ‘level access’ is provided. Users of wheelchairs with small front wheels may be especially affected by a horizontal gap that looks modest on paper. Someone with poor balance may find the vertical step more difficult. Some people can cope with steps but rely on suitable handrails. Older passengers, people using walking aids, parents with buggies, travellers with luggage, and passengers with sensory impairments may all face different barriers at the same doorway. The real question is not simply whether a PTI is accessible in theory: it is whether a particular platform and train pairing is workable, safe, and reasonably independent for the people who actually use it. This can be a complicated issue when a variety of different trains use the same platform.

Multiple ramps for different fleets.

That thinking sits behind the boarding-category approach being developed in RSSB research project T1398. Instead of asking only whether a platform or train is compliant, the work looks at what passengers can really do. Can most people board independently? Do some need help? Are some interfaces unsafe even with assistance?

This is a useful shift because it links physical geometry to practical outcomes such as independence, continuing need for staff support, dwell time, and service reliability. It also helps the industry decide where to act first. On a network as large and varied as Britain’s, not every platform can be rebuilt quickly, so the ability to prioritise the places where improvement will make the biggest difference is essential.

Rolling stock as part of the solution

From the early days of railways, passengers stepped up into trains which had the floor installed on an underframe above the wheels. As the railway developed, engineers used the space underneath for equipment, bogies, and associated systems. Newer lower-floor designs offer a better fit with a wider range of existing platforms but often have to make compromises to achieve this such as equipment in what would normally be passenger space and narrower floors. The narrower floors reduce standing area at doorways and can constrain foot space at window seats.  The logic is simple though: if the train floor is closer to platform height, boarding becomes easier, and devices such as sliding steps deal with the gap more effectively.

Greater Anglia (GA) and MerseyTravel were early pioneers showing what could be done, Greater Anglia’s Classes 745 and 755 trains use lower floors together with train-based sliding steps to reduce the gap to the platform. Merseyrail has gone further. As well as providing low floor Class 777 trains with sliding-step technology, it has modified many of the platforms on its defined network to the GB standard position to match the new trains more closely. Both cases show that better boarding is possible within GB conditions. At the same time, they also show the limits of relying on trains alone. Solutions work best where the infrastructure is consistent. On the wider GB mainline, where platform conditions vary so much, it is harder to guarantee the same result everywhere.

As mentioned, lower floors also come with technical trade-offs. If the floor is lower, there is less room underneath the train for equipment.  That is often manageable on electric multiple units, but it can be more difficult on self-powered vehicles.

If a flat floor is desired through the length of a train, then lower floors may also need smaller wheels. This can work well for typical suburban trains (with doors at one third and two thirds along the body) at many mainline speeds, and may be possible for Inter-City trains up to 200km/h. However, it becomes more challenging at higher speeds because of wheel rotation and bearing limits.

Self-powered trains might be challenging too, so low floors are not a universal answer. They are a design choice with real accessibility benefits, but those benefits must be balanced against route requirements, propulsion layout, maintenance, and long-term performance.

Implications for infrastructure

As stated above, some platforms are simply too low, too high, too curved, or too constrained to offer good boarding consistently, whatever train arrives. That means some physical change to platforms will still be needed. The problem is that such works are rarely straightforward. Under-track structures, bridges, overhead line equipment, drainage, station buildings, curves, switches and crossings, lifts, and other fixed features can all limit what can be changed and how much it will cost.

Stadler Class 755 Flirt trains. Credit: Malcolm Dobell
Mersey Travel Class 777 trains. Credit: Malcolm Dobell

That is why the most realistic approach is selective rather than universal. Raising very low platforms can bring immediate benefit for many trains and passengers by reducing the worst vertical steps. In some cases, overly high platforms may need to be lowered or re-profiled to support a more consistent long-term strategy, even if that creates short-term trade-offs. There may also be places where local raised sections are useful (such as are used on some Central London Thameslink stations), but those tend to work only where door positions are fixed, rolling stock is consistent, and freight is not a constraint.

The aim cannot be to make every platform identical overnight, but to focus effort where physical intervention will improve boarding for the widest range of passengers – and especially targeted if low floor trains are planned for the route.

Operations, risk, and limits

Operations also matter. At the majority of stations, the railway relies on staff-deployed ramps for assisted boarding/alighting. But this is not the same as independent boarding. Using ramps takes time, creates handling risks for staff, and may not be practical at narrower platforms or busy locations where dispatch is already difficult. Assistance has an essential role in today’s railway and is likely to be even more important in the future with an ageing population, but it should be seen as a mitigation within an imperfect system, not as the ideal end state.

For many people, the horizontal gap may present the greater risk, especially for wheelchairs, buggies, and passengers whose foot placement is uncertain. A step can often be seen and managed if it is within reason; a wide gap is less forgiving. This is one reason why sliding steps are so valuable. They cannot solve every problem because they do not remove all vertical mismatch, but they can reduce one of the most serious and least tolerable parts of the PTI. When combined with clear threshold marking, good lighting, and accurate stopping, they become part of a more effective approach to safer boarding.

A systems approach

Returning to RSSB research: two projects  treat the PTI as a whole system issue. T1398 is looking at how different platform and train combinations can be grouped into boarding categories based on geometry and passenger capability. T1399 is considering what kinds of intervention are available, including train-based, platform-based, and mixed solutions, and how these might fit into real investment opportunities such as fleet replacement and/or station upgrades. Together, these projects will hopefully shift the debate in the right direction. Instead of asking what the perfect PTI would be in theory, they ask which changes are most likely to improve real boarding outcomes in the actual railway.

A system view matters because decisions about trains, stations, and operations are often made separately, even though passengers experience them as one journey. If the industry wants more reliable and more independent boarding, the same evidence base needs to inform vehicle specifications, platform renewals, station enhancement programmes, and assisted travel planning. Network history and fragmented decisions are reasons why the network has ended up with so much inconsistency. Better co-ordination will be needed if that inconsistency is to be reduced in a practical and affordable way.

Conclusion

Accessibility at the platform–train interface is not one problem with one answer. It is the result of an older railway, mixed traffic, varied platforms, tight physical constraints, and a very diverse passenger base. Lower-floor trains, especially with sliding or retractable steps, can make a real difference and should be part of future fleet strategy, but they will not deliver independent boarding everywhere on their own.

Better platform geometry, targeted physical works, improved stopping accuracy, and evidence-led prioritisation are all part of the picture as well. Full independence for every passenger at every location may not be realistic on all parts of a legacy mixed-traffic railway. Even so, there is clear scope for meaningful improvement. The challenge for the industry is to keep making practical changes that improve real journeys, rather than waiting for a perfect solution that may never arrive.

This article is based on a presentation given at a recent IMechE Rolling Stock Lifecycle Conference by RSSB’s Bridget Eickhoff.

The Elizabeth line – a modern challenge

When the railway into Heathrow Airport was built, it was decided to provide level access between platform and train. The original Class 332 trains had a floor height that would be compatible with 1,100mm-high platforms. Two platforms were raised to suit at Paddington and dedicated to this service.

Quite early on, the circa 75mm gap between platform and train footstep proved to be an issue and rubber deformable gap fillers were added. When the Crossrail project had to consider what to do, it decided on level access in the new build sections.

Credit: iStockphoto.com/Claudiac8

It was recognised that low floor trains would not be acceptable (even if they had been available at the time) because: (a) stepping up onto higher platforms would be undesirable, especially at Heathrow (luggage issues); and (b) reconstructing Heathrow’s five platforms to a lower height would not be practicable.

Hence the new build area has 1,100mm-high platforms and there is a step up from platform to train at all the Network Rail platforms, not all of which are at the nominal 915mm height. Some are lower.

This issue has come up again in developing the PTI design for the new Old Oak Common station where there is a desire to have 1,100mm-high platforms on the local line platforms at least to provide level access to Elizabeth line trains. Engineers seeking this solution have found that providing an acceptable gap to the Class 345 trains is challenging if clearance must be maintained for other trains to use the lines when the fast lines are closed (e.g., for engineering works). Moreover, the situation is likely to get worse in future as it is expected that future Great Western trains will be designed with lower floors to provide level access at 915mm high platforms.

This will continue to be an issue for the Elizabeth line, although perhaps there is some cause for optimism. The Swiss have developed gauge changing bogies for the Montreux to Interlaken trains which have to change track gauge at Zweizimmen. This gauge change includes raising the ride height of the carriages to accommodate higher platforms on the standard gauge network compared with those on the metre gauge system.

Perhaps an adjustable height train could be designed for the Elizabeth line when replacements are required in circa 2058?

Image credit: iStockphoto.com / ewg3d

Future-proofing Britain’s railway stations

Paul Darlington CEng FIET FIRSE
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Future-proofing Britain’s railway stations

An important part of any railway station is the technology to help and support passengers with their journey. The technology involved is becoming increasingly complex, connected, and more reliable, but certain parts can also quickly become obsolete. It is also subject to new threats such as cyber security and the opportunity to improve using Artificial Intelligence (AI).

A business case to invest in the technology can be difficult, given the demands of other asset groups, but effective station and security information systems are an expectation of most train passengers. So, with the creation of Great British Railways (GBR) and railway investment facing a challenge, it is time to consider how this technology group can be better provided and supported.

What do passengers want?

Transport Focus is the independent watchdog for transport users. Overwhelmingly, passengers want better journey information and a safe station environment. A recent survey included passenger satisfaction and focused on the accuracy and clarity of the information provided.

When at a railway station, 51% of passengers said they were most likely to look at departure displays to find out information about their journey. A total of 25% used an app while at the station and 23% listened to announcements. However, 26% cent said they do not look for any information about their journey. Could this be because they are regular train travellers or do they find the station technology systems unhelpful?

Credit: Paul Darlington

Fewer passengers (9%) sought information from staff, and only 4% used the ticket machines to obtain information. Interestingly, less than 1% spoke to someone using a ‘help point’ telephone.

Passengers aged 65 and over were more likely to look for information, generally. This was particularly the case for looking at departure displays (65% of this age group) and speaking to a member of staff (16%).

Overall, 89% of passengers were satisfied with the information they received at the station, Satisfaction with the information received on trains was slightly lower at 87%. In both cases, this was highest for Scotland (92% and 90%, respectively). Passengers travelling for leisure were slightly more likely to say they were satisfied with the information at the station (91%), than those commuting (87%). The pattern was similar on the trains (88% and 84%, respectively).

CCTV security

CCTV surveillance and the evidence obtained from the systems have become increasingly vital tools in the prevention, investigation, and detection of crime and terrorism. Unfortunately, crimes on the UK railway have generally increased by 5% with spikes around attacks on station staff (up 7%) and sexually motivated attacks (up by 6%). It is therefore imperative that suitable fit-for-purpose CCTV systems are properly defined and deployed to support improved station management and crime prevention.

When major incidents such as terrorist attacks occur, there can be huge demands for access to CCTV recordings as part of subsequent police and security services investigations. This can highlight not only problems in dealing with a multiplicity of different railway CCTV systems, but also in the general inadequacy of some systems to support evidential requirements in terms of the quantity, quality, and ease and speed of access to the recorded CCTV data.

Although much has been written around CCTV policies in and around the railway network, legacy issues around asset ownership and available funding between Network Rail and the station facility operator has resulted in some functional and operational inconsistencies with the systems used at different groups of stations.

Proactive effective monitoring of CCTV systems is also expensive and not easy, and staff cost reductions can make the systems become simply reactive. In some operating rooms the CCTV systems are skewed to reactive operations rather than predict and prevent. It is not unknown in some control facilities for two to three operators looking after very large CCTV camera estates (1,000s of cameras) and help points. AI technology can and will help with proactive and reactive CCTV monitoring, but only if it is competently specified and implemented as part of the overall system specification and requirements.

CCTV technology is improving all the time with better performance in areas such as digital equipment options, data storage, component miniaturisation, wireless communications, and video image analysis. A CCTV system for a railway may be part of a multi-layered security system. Undertaking a comprehensive needs assessment at the start of any project helps to ensure all required functionality is identified. Clear requirements, a comprehensive site survey, compliance with legislation, and proper equipment selection will all contribute to the design of a good CCTV system.

Credit: Gryphon

In order to properly implement a CCTV system and to highlight any engineering, operational, management, and monitoring issues, the site-specific characteristics need to be assessed by a knowledgeable multidisciplinary team with the right level of expertise. Functional requirements will include determining the area of surveillance, together with locations or assets that will benefit from CCTV surveillance. Operational requirements will define what information and detail the system will be expected to provide. Factors to consider may include the viewing scope of the area, the ability to recognise someone walking through a barrier or door, and to read vehicle registration numbers.

Inadequate power can be a problem with CCTV equipment and can often cause interference. Proper system performance requires a clean and reliable power source. Therefore, the design may need to specify power conditioning or backups to ensure the quality of the video across the entire system is unaffected by primary power source disruption.

IP CCTV solutions, while complicated, can be integrated seamlessly with other control systems to deliver integrated centralised control and monitoring. Data from other security devices and from business systems can be linked with IP CCTV images and recordings, while cameras can be easily controlled and monitored from web browsers.

CCTV systems need to be checked to meet changing operational requirements and equipment obsolescence, so the ability to easily incorporate hardware and software updates should be considered. Using existing CCTV infrastructure such as cameras may reduce costs, but CCTV equipment is improving all the time, as the capabilities of CCTV components advances.

Replacing old equipment and infrastructure may therefore improve system performance and be a more cost-effective solution. However, cable containment and cabling should, in general, last longer than the active camera and switching equipment.

The Equality Act requires all station operators to take reasonable steps to ensure they do not discriminate against people with reduced mobility and this also needs to be complied with when designing station and passenger technology systems.

PA Systems

Public Address (PA) systems have always been important for communicating with customers and staff, and the systems may also be used for emergency purposes when linked to fire detection systems. A badly designed sound system will quickly annoy customers and may result in negative comments and poor publicity and, if used for emergency evacuation purposes, may fail safety standards. So, all sound systems should be designed by competent engineers.

A typical railway station will need careful design of its speaker system to make the best of what can be a very challenging acoustic environment. Coverage in general should be provided in all areas where most customers stand when waiting for information.

A PA system can also be used to feed directly to hearing aid users using a specially designed induction loop amplifier and associated cable system. The engineering and design of induction loops is complex and environment dependent. For example, steel-constructed buildings can make this particularly difficult.

Train operators have a duty to ensure the safety of customers at all times. When an emergency such as a fire or a security threat arises or whenever there is the need to evacuate a station this can be best achieved by a speech announcement, rather than bells or sounders. The spoken word can be ‘live’ from a microphone, or pre-recorded. Stored announcements can be initiated by the station’s, or an adjacent building’s, fire alarm installation. When the alarm is activated the sound system automatically broadcasts the stored emergency message.

Public Address Voice Alarm (PAVA) sound systems designed to warn of danger normally require special fire-safe wiring and complete building coverage with approved loudspeakers sited to cover all public and staff areas.

Information displays

Visual PIS/CIS are now common on many railways. LED displays replaced LCD at larger ‘main board’ displays and TV type platform displays to improve both readability and reliability. It is easier to read upper- and lower-case text than all upper case, so displays should be able to display information in this manner, ideally in the train company font and with proper descenders, e.g. for ‘y’ and ‘g’.

Credit: ISCVE

PIS/CIS systems consist of either a central or local processor and controller for the displays, together with power supplies and communication links to and from the displays. These links have migrated from RS422/RS232 to Ethernet and Wi-Fi, with systems now controlled from real time signalling control systems (usually the train describer) and linked to comprehensive train timetable systems. Systems can also provide real time train information to third party mobile applications for both railway staff and public use.

When designing passenger technology at stations, the structure gauge for the railway needs to be complied with and must take into account signal sighting along with installation and maintenance access, cable containment, and power supply requirements. Listed building consent may also be required and, when replacing an existing system, feedback from users of the system should be obtained and analysed together with any customer complaints. The footfall where most people stand when waiting for a service in all weather conditions should be taken into account, together with requirements for persons with reduced mobility. Future train service changes should also be considered.

Involving human factors specialists and local operators will help to identify the location of displays to maximise their effectiveness. Double-sided displays should be used wherever possible to maximise the capability of the system. Some operators use scrolling displays, but these can be difficult for people with sight and comprehension issues to read and understand. Displays which change but hold messages fixed for a short time can be better.

Asset management

Great Britain’s station network has, for the last 30 years, been divided into around 22 train operators each with their own station-related asset management plans for station and passenger technology systems. At privatisation the station and passenger technologies were referred to as ‘retail telecoms’ before changing to the more logical Station Security and Information Systems (SISS).

Historically, the systems were owned by Network Rail and leased to the train operators, with a maintenance / repair / renewal responsibility that was inappropriate for the technology involved. The exception has been the Network Rail Major Stations, such as Manchester, Birmingham, and the large London stations, with renewal and maintenance responsibility for SISS all remaining with Network Rail. 

Ownership and asset management arrangements for the SISS assets at the leased stations have been complex and confusing leading to poor policies, dilapidated asset estates, questionable value for money, and, in many cases, a direct cause of poor customer experience. Within Network Rail the general approach has been a like-for-like renewal strategy of what has been there before with limited funding available.

There have been some success stories, but in many cases the industry landscape for SISS is a mixture of standards, solutions, varying quality, and no apparent national strategy to deliver a positive change.

Credit: Gryphon

In many cases the train operators and Network Rail have found it difficult to collaborate, resulting in poor, dilapidated systems, which in some cases are no longer not fit for purpose. To make matters worse there does not appear to be a comprehensive national asset list for SISS. With the creation of GBR there is now an opportunity to significantly improve the operational and technological asset management arrangements for SISS.

In terms of ‘maintenance’, current SISS technology does not need physical adjustment or tasks such as lubrication. The equipment is generally reliable and, when it does go wrong, it requires a skilled person to diagnose the problem remotely from a device which can be located anywhere. Cyber security is important, but again this is best done remotely by competent technicians and not by someone with a tool bag and steps, located locally. The only physical task is likely to be cleaning of the equipment, but this can be done as part of the station cleaning arrangements.

The SISS technology and solutions are growing and improving all the time, so the industry needs to invest wisely and consistently to make rail travel safe and attractive. Rail users will need reliable and accurate journey information, whether this is at the station or via a third-party website/app with true integration and better purchasing options. However, the problem, as ever, is likely to be funding and railway investment is more challenging than ever.

Data released by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) reveals that 1.83 billon passenger rail journeys were made between April 2025 and March 2026 in Great Britain. This is the highest recorded volume of passenger traffic since 1920 and represents 6% per year-on-year growth compared to the 1.73 billion recorded the previous year.

However, since the Covid-19 pandemic began travel patterns have changed with rail revenue at £12.4 billion between April 2025 and March 2026 – just over a billion pounds less than the £13.4 billion generated before the pandemic. The industry therefore needs to carry and look after more passengers than ever, but with a billion pounds less in revenue income.  

Stations as a service

Great British Railways may need to adopt a national policy relating to SISS aligned with the rapid improvements in technology, and which could include innovative funding techniques. This could include Station as a Service (StaaS) type models and adopt alternative funding methods using large industrial / tech companies / partners and move to a ‘managed service’ type model.

This can provide more certainty of expenditure, with proper Service Level Agreements (SLAs), dramatically less obsolescence risk, and a constant roadmap to new technology.  Many train operators have successfully adopted this model, can GBR now do the same?

For many years an often-used term in rail was “you can’t control what you don’t own”. But how many people now buy a new car outright, rather than lease one and change it every few years; often with a warranty and maintenance included? Similarly, with a smart phone the majority of users now lease one for a monthly payment and upgrade it every few years, rather than invest a large capital sum up front. Train operators also don’t own trains or stations but lease them.

StaaS will need a mindset change and it may need a finance strategy change. Historically some rail asset managers were encouraged to spend capital in order to reduce operational expenditure, but if the capital expenditure is not available what then? Putting robust StaaS agreements in place can be a challenge, but there are organisations that have the ability to do this, and there are also many technology companies which also have the capability to invest in the technology for the benefit of rail.

The author would like to thank Gryphon Project Services Limited for their assistance with this article.

Image credit: AdobeStock / Natalya

Belfast’s impressive interchange

David Shirres BSc CEng MIMechE DEM
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Belfast’s impressive interchange

Though the need for integrated public transport is widely accepted, the only town or city on the UK mainland with a rail-bus interchange under one roof is Hull. This was created when the station was redeveloped in 2007. However, with the opening of Belfast’s Grand Central in 2024, the number of such interchanges in the British Isles has now doubled. With 28 bus stands and eight rail platforms, Belfast Grand Central is the largest such interchange in Ireland.

Great Victoria Street station

Grand Central station is in Belfast’s Weavers Cross neighbourhood which is a 12-minute walk from the city hall. It replaces the Europa bus station and Belfast Great Victoria Street (GVS) railway station. There has been a station on this site since 1839. In 1962, the Ulster Transport Authority removed one platform and built a bus station under its canopy to create the city’s first rail-bus interchange.

With the reduction in rail traffic the original GVS station was closed in 1976 and all rail services, including those for Dublin, were transferred to the newly built Lanyon Place station which is some distance from Belfast’s commercial centre. The station site was then cleared and, in 1991, used to build the 18-stand Europa bus station.

However, with growing rail traffic and Lanyon Place’s poor location, it was decided that a new station was needed at Great Victoria Street which would also provide an easy interchange with the Europa bus station. The new GVS station opened in 1995 and had two 150-metre and two 75-metre platforms.

At the same time, the junction beyond GVS was made into a triangular junction by the provision of an eastern chord to enable trains from GVS to serve destinations north and west of Belfast via Lanyon Place. GVS then became the hub for all suburban services whilst trains from Dublin terminated at Lanyon Place.

Belfast’s Railways

When it opened in 1995, it was predicted that the GVS station would serve 800,000 passengers. When it closed on 11 May 2024, it was used by 4.9 million passengers a year.

A new interchange

As a result of strong growth in public transport and the constraints of GVS and Europa rail and bus stations, in 2012, there were preliminary discussions about a new Belfast hub that would provide transport led regeneration in the Weavers Cross area. Northern Ireland’s public transport operator, Translink then developed proposals for a new station. In 2016, Translink launched a public consultation regarding the proposed construction of an integrated transport hub to replace the Europa bus station and GVS railway station. This new station was designed by Arup and John McAslan and Partners to cater for 20 million journeys annually.

The new station has 28 bus stands and eight platforms. Platforms 1 to 4 are 153 -metres long to accommodate six-car trains whilst platforms 5 to 8 are 224-metre long and can accommodate the nine-car Dublin enterprise service which was transferred from Lanyon Place when Grand Central opened. With double the number of GVS platforms there is ample provision for a significant increase in service frequency.

Beyond the station

To allow for this increase in traffic, the transfer of Dublin services from Lanyon Place, and to connect it to the station throat, the triangular junction outside the station had to be remodelled to incorporate bi-directional working and reduce its southern chord from double to single track. Due to space constraints, trains from platforms 7 and 8 can only be routed south through this junction.

Prior to the Grand Central project, all signalling operations in Northern Ireland were controlled from three signalling centres at Belfast Central, Portadown, and Coleraine. Translink have a strategy to replace these signalling centres with a Northern Ireland Rail Operating Centre (NIROC) located at Lanyon Place station. The opportunity of installing new signals in and around Grand Central was taken to transfer their control from the southern area of Belfast Central signaller centre to become the first area controlled by the new NIROC.

Enabling works

The first significant works of the Grand Central project started in 2020 with the diversion of the Blackstaff river culvert. With rapid urbanisation, the Blackstaff and other rivers in the city became severely polluted with sewage and industrial waste and so these rivers were culverted to remove their smell and create urban space.

The Blackstaff river was a two-metre-deep by four-metre-wide wide culvert that passed under the station site at a level that conflicted with the station’s track design and bus stands. This culvert also had insufficient capacity for the increased run off from the large area of the new station’s hard surfaces. As a result, it was replaced by a 360-metre-long, two-metre-deep, by seven-metre-wide box culvert formed from 600mm-thick reinforced concrete box designed for a one-in-100-year flood. This new culvert runs approximately under the new platform ends and was completed in February 2021.

December 2021 saw initial site preparation which involved the demolition of old railway buildings, site clearance, remediation, and levelling. Around this time bridge 308A over the north-western chord of the triangular junction was widened by 3.5 metres with a new 22.5-metre span to accommodate reconfiguration of track at the junction.

Credit: Translink

The interchange has a busway bridge with a 51-metre span to separate heavy bus traffic from regular passenger vehicles and pedestrians on the surrounding city streets.

Piling work on this bridge started in September 2021 and required heavy piling up to 28 metres deep due to challenging ground conditions. The bridge’s two 150-tonne weathering steel girders, fabricated by Thompson Project Management, were lifted in place in October 2022. The bridge was opened in August 2023.

All these enabling works were undertaken by GRAHAM construction.

Station work

Construction of the station building by a Farrans Sacyr joint venture started in March 2022. Due to poor ground conditions this work required over 1,400 piles which were installed by September 2022. To give the station’s 7,500 square metre concourse a column-free space, the structure spanning the main concourse is formed from long-span steel trusses that support a series of beams spanning 22 metres to support the feature saw tooth roof.

The trusses vary in length from 32 metres long to 65 metres long, as the public area splays outwards on plan. The largest truss over the platform entrances is 65 metres long and 4.8 metres deep. The roof structure sits on 45 circular steel support columns covered in distinctive metal casings. The station has reinforced concrete spine walls which are designed to absorb vibrations from passing trains. Within the concourse, the steel frame also forms a two-level mezzanine.

After the main structural frame was completed in July 2023, the external glazing was installed by William Cox. During the fit out mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work was done by the Dowds Group. Once this was completed the station opened to the public on 8 September 2024 with the transfer of bus services from the Europa bus station.

Track and signalling

Babcock Rail undertook the design and installation of track and signalling though it contracted the design and build of the NIROC to Siemens Mobility. Complex staging arrangements were required to provide new track for the new station, remove the track for GVS, and reconfigure the triangular junction and the associated signalling alterations beyond, all while minimising impact on train services. A further constraint was limited space and other contractors working nearby which required complicated arrangements for the transport and storage of materials.

The initial civil works in the existing railway corridor was for 10km of new cable routes which included 11 new Under Track Crossings as well as bases for signals and equipment housings. The first track within the new station was laid in November 2023. By Christmas 2023, all platforms had plain line track installed, and switch and crossing work at five locations had been completed.

Before much further track work could be undertaken, a concrete slab had to be provided between the station throat and triangular junction. This was needed due to the Belfast Sleech below it, which is a thick, high-plasticity, organic clayey silt. This slab is 160 metres long, up to 20 metres wide, with varying thickness around 600mm, and required over 1,000 cubic metres of concrete.

Credit: David Shirres

The first part of this slab, an isolated finger section, was poured during the 2023 Christmas blockade. The remainder of the slab could not be cast until the tracks to GVS had been dismantled in May 2024.

Track work between the station throat and triangular junction was undertaken in Easter 2024. In addition, track and a new switch were laid on the north-western chord of the junction. Thereafter there were a series of blockades as shown below.

This work involved laying 4.8km of new track, 19 sets of points/turnouts, 25 signals, and 50km of cabling. Driver training started immediately after the last blockade. There then followed a period of testing and regulatory safety certification before the new lines into Grand Central Station were officially opened on 13 October 2024.

Unlike any other

In many ways Belfast Grand Central station is unlike any other railway station. Some have commented that its high, airy, modern look is more akin to an airport than a station.

As previously mentioned, it is a rare example of a combined rail and bus station under one roof. Hence it offers excellent transfers between bus and train helped by an integrated customer service point where all rail and bus tickets can be purchased. There are also no announcements as it would be particularly intrusive if all bus and train departures were announced. Hence there are sufficient clear display boards in the concourse and at departure points.

The station was designed inclusive of those with disabilities with input from organisations such as the Royal National Institute for the Blind and the Inclusive Mobility and Transport Advisory Committee. Key features include tactile paving routes, hearing loops, lowered information counters, and NaviLens codes throughout the station. On the UK mainland, NaviLens is used at Euston and some Docklands Light Railway stations.

These NaviLens codes are squares of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black on a black grid with a thick white frame and can be seen in the train and bus departure photographs. In public areas they are typically 200mm square. They can be detected by a phone with the NaviLens Go app. The user does not have to look out for the codes as it will detect them 30 metres from the code at an angle of 160°. Once detected, the app provides the user with visual and audible information about their location and train services.

Credit: Translink

In its first five months, Grand Central attracted three million rail passengers. This is equivalent to over six million a year and compares to the 4.9 million passengers a year using GVS when it closed it. Translink advises that the station welcomed over eight million rail and bus passengers in its first year when there were more than four million additional public transport journeys which is a significant modal shift. Looking to the future, it is good to note that the station was designed for 20 million passengers a year.

Belfast Grand Central is now the main terminus for all rail services in Northern Ireland including the Enterprise to Dublin which now has an hourly service due to the extra platforms at the station. Prior to its opening there were some services that ran through Belfast such as trains from Bangor to Portadown. Northern Ireland Rail services are now operated in a ‘hub and spoke’ model centred on Belfast Grand Centre which provides an easy interchange between different rail services.

The station is also the cornerstone for the 20-acre transport-led Weavers Cross urban development which will revitalise the area around Great Victoria Street. This consists of Saltwater Square which will provide 260,000 square feet of prime office space, the Flax Yards offering at least 400 residential units, and the Worx Innovation Campus which is a 635,000 square feet technology, innovation, and life sciences hub close to Queen’s University Belfast.

The development has outline planning permission and is expected to have a gross development value of £500 million and stimulate more than £1 billion of additional spending in the Northern Ireland economy.

Thus, the transport and development benefits offered by Belfast Grand Central station makes its £340 million cost a worthwhile investment.

Image credit: David Shirres

Cambridge South station opens its doors

David Fenner
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Cambridge South station opens its doors

Cambridge South station opened to the public on 28 June, the occasion having been delayed since the New Year, due to one of the suppliers for the project going into administration late last year. The station is the first to be completed in the new Great British Railways branding.

The station is located on the West Anglia Mainline about 1.5 miles south of Cambridge station and perhaps a little over half a mile north of Shepreth Branch Junction. The station is adjacent to the western edge of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus housing several research organisations as well as Addenbrookes and Papworth hospitals and other similar facilities. The station has four platforms all capable of accommodating 12-car trains. The station has been constructed with the ability to handle additional traffic from East West Rail when that comes to fruition.

A new hub

The station is managed by Greater Anglia and served by Greater Anglia trains between a range of destinations from London Liverpool Street to Norwich as well as Great Northern services between Kings Lynn and London Kings Cross, Thameslink services between Cambridge and Brighton, and Cross-Country trains between Stansted Airport and Birmingham. These provide up to 20 train services during the busiest hours of the day.

It is also intended to be used by East West Rail services once the route east of Bedford is agreed and built. Thus, it is expected to become a significant hub to access the biomedical facilities. Around 1.8 million people currently visit the campus per year, typically 40,000 per day. The location of the station at the edge of the campus and the range of journey opportunities suggests a significant potential market to justify the £250 million spent on construction and associated improvements to the railway in the local area.

Expanding and upgrading

Before construction the railway consisted of two tracks, up and down. This has been expanded to four lines which have some bi-directional signalling and, to limit extended journey times, particularly for Great Northern and Thameslink trains, included remodelling and lifting the speed restriction at Shepreth Branch Junction a short distance to the south.

The Cambridge signalbox area is in the process of being upgraded under the Cambridge Resignal, Relock and Recontrol (C3R) project. The second stage of this programme took place over the Christmas 2025 period and covered the area around Cambridge station and south from there. As the railway infrastructure works for Cambridge South had been completed by then, the signalling alterations associated with the new station and Shepreth Branch junction were commissioned as part of the signalling works, avoiding further disruption.

The station was originally mooted in the 1990s but no progress was made until 2017 when plans for a new station first received government backing and £5 million was allocated to develop the project. The Transport and Works Order was finally approved in December 2022 with construction beginning in early 2023. Construction had significant scale because of the need to widen the formation to handle four tracks and the platforms and the work necessary to improved Shepreth Branch Junction and lift the speed limit from 40mph to 50mph.

The station is fully accessible with six lifts which between them give access from roadside to all platforms. There are also ticket vending machines but no ticket office, as has been the trend with recent station openings. Other facilities include accessible toilets and baby changing areas.

Access to the station is available from both the Hobsons Park, west side, and the Biomedical Campus, east side, of the station. There is also space for retail and catering facilities to be provided with a mobile coffee facility already present. There is a 1,000-space cycle park but no public car park as most journeys are expected to start or finish locally by foot or cycling.

There is a car pick up and set down facility which includes 15 spaces, some of which can be used by blue badge holders, taxis, and so on. Bus services also operate through the campus area with stops near the main station entrance.

In addition, several other initiatives were implemented as part of construction to ensure the station had excellent green credentials. These included supporting an extension to Hobsons Park to generate a biodiversity net gain and careful control of construction emissions by Murphy the main contractor. The station also has a partial green roof and solar panels to generate some of its electricity need.

Sustainable growth

It is hoped the station will contribute to the Cambridge sustainable transport strategy by reducing car use by providing a frequent service between the city and the Biomedical Campus. The station is referred to as a “destination station” as many journeys using the station will be associated with the adjacent biomedical campus. Cambridge South welcomed over 110,000 passengers in its first operational month suggesting it will quickly achieve the anticipated annual rate in excess of 1.8 million.

The Cambridge Biomedical Campus is currently believed to contribute £4.7 billion to the national economy. The station is expected to boost this by offering easy access for both staff and visitors thus making further investment in the area an attractive proposition and thereby boosting the total economic value.

Cambridge South is now the third station serving the Cambridge city area with Cambridge station opening with the railway in 1845 and Cambridge North opening in 2017. There are tentative plans to build a further station near Cherry Hinton if the current proposals for East West Rail come to fruition.

Image credit: Network Rail

Rail Engineer of the Year: celebrate today’s pioneers

Matt Atkins
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Rail Engineer of the Year: celebrate today’s pioneers

Who is Britain’s greatest railway engineer? Ask that question and you’ll probably hear the same names. George Stephenson. Robert Stephenson. Isambard Kingdom Brunel. You’re also likely to hear mention of Sir Nigel Gresley, William Stanier, and Oliver Bulleid. The achievements of these individuals, and many more like them, have become part of railway folklore with their locomotives, bridges, and tunnels celebrated as monuments to British engineering.

However, history has a habit of simplifying greatness. It remembers the names, but often forgets the thousands of engineers whose ideas, calculations, and innovations have quietly transformed the railway alongside them. That remains true today.

Modern railway engineers are no longer driving tunnels through hillsides with pickaxes or designing ever larger steam locomotives. Instead, they are delivering something every bit as significant: a railway that is safer, greener, more connected, and increasingly digital. They are introducing ETCS signalling, preparing for FRMCS communications, designing intelligent infrastructure, improving cybersecurity, and helping the industry achieve net zero. The challenges have evolved significantly, but the ingenuity required has not.

It is this spirit of innovation that the Rail Engineer of the Year Award, one of the most prestigious accolades presented at the RailStaff Awards, seeks to recognise. The award celebrates the exceptional expertise, vision, and leadership of the individuals whose work underpins Britain’s railway and drives it confidently into the future.

George Stephenson. Credit: iStockphoto.com

Shaping the railway

Great Britain’s railways were built by engineers willing to challenge accepted thinking.

George Stephenson proved that railways could become the backbone of a modern transport system. His son Robert expanded that vision with his ‘Rocket’, which was the design template for future steam locomotives, while Brunel refused to accept that existing methods represented the limits of what was possible.

William Henry Barlow created the magnificent St Pancras train shed, one of Victorian Britain’s greatest engineering achievements. John Fowler and Benjamin Baker designed the Forth Bridge, still carrying trains almost 140 years after it opened and as much a symbol of engineering confidence today as it was in 1890.

Elsewhere, John Saxby’s development of mechanical interlocking fundamentally changed railway safety, demonstrating that engineering excellence is not always measured by size or spectacle. Sometimes, the greatest achievements are those that quietly prevent accidents before they happen.

The same can be said of Britain’s legendary locomotive engineers. George Jackson Churchward introduced standardisation and engineering discipline that influenced locomotive design around the world. Gresley’s A4 Pacifics pushed the boundaries of steam performance. Stanier and Bulleid each developed locomotives that balanced power, efficiency, and reliability in different ways. Every one of these engineers solved the defining challenges of their generation.

Today’s pioneers

The railway of 2026 looks very different.

Today’s engineers are integrating complex software with century-old infrastructure. They are designing signalling systems that allow trains to run closer together without compromising safety. They are developing battery and hydrogen traction, delivering electrification programmes, and making better use of data than ever before.

Artificial intelligence is beginning to support asset inspection. Digital twins are allowing infrastructure to be modelled before engineers ever set foot on site. Remote condition monitoring is predicting failures before passengers notice a problem, and cloud computing has become just as important as concrete, steel, and signalling cables.

Much of this work goes unnoticed by passengers. When everything works, trains simply arrive.

That is perhaps the greatest compliment an engineer can receive.

The Rail Engineer of the Year Award perfectly illustrates how engineering excellence continues to evolve. In 2025, the award was presented to Mark Walsh of Hitachi Rail in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the modernisation of the UK’s digital rail infrastructure.

As lead engineer on the National Rail Enquiries Management project, Mark has played a pivotal role in transforming complex legacy systems into robust, scalable, cloud-native platforms capable of processing more than 2.5 million customer requests every day. It is the type of project that passengers barely notice but would quickly miss if it failed.

Replacing ageing operational systems while maintaining uninterrupted service demands technical excellence, meticulous planning, and exceptional leadership. Mark’s work has significantly improved reliability and reduced operational costs, while establishing a new benchmark for digital engineering across the rail industry.

Just as importantly, the project demonstrates how engineering is increasingly about integrating disciplines. Software development, cloud architecture, systems engineering, cybersecurity, and operational resilience now sit alongside more traditional engineering skills to deliver the railway passengers expect.

The tools may have changed since Stephenson’s day, but the objective remains remarkably familiar: solving difficult problems in ways that make the railway better.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Credit: Robert Howlett

Engineering without boundaries

Perhaps the biggest difference between the railway pioneers of the nineteenth century and today’s engineers is that modern engineering rarely happens in isolation. The railway has become an integrated system.

Civil engineers now work alongside signalling specialists. Rolling stock engineers collaborate with software developers. Telecoms experts, cyber specialists, data scientists, and systems engineers combine their expertise to solve increasingly complex challenges.

No single discipline can deliver tomorrow’s railway on its own. Success depends upon collaboration as much as technical ability.

The best engineers not only solve problems themselves – they enable others to do the same. They mentor graduates, challenge established thinking, share knowledge across organisations, and inspire the next generation to push engineering even further. Those qualities are every bit as important as technical excellence.

Nominate today!

Every day, thousands of engineers across Britain’s railway make decisions that improve safety, reliability, sustainability, and performance. Their work may never become as instantly recognisable as the Forth Bridge or the Flying Scotsman, but its impact is no less significant.

Indeed, the future of Britain’s railway depends upon engineers prepared to embrace new technology while maintaining the uncompromising safety culture that has always defined the industry. That is why recognising engineering excellence matters.

The Rail Engineer of the Year Award is not simply about celebrating one outstanding individual. It is about recognising the profession itself and the people whose expertise continues to shape the railway’s future.

So, who deserves to stand alongside our previous winners? Perhaps it is the engineer delivering a transformational signalling renewal. It could be someone pioneering AI-driven asset management or leading an innovative decarbonisation project. Maybe it’s a colleague whose quiet determination has solved a problem that others thought impossible. Whoever they are, now is the time to recognise them.

Britain’s railway has always been built by engineers who looked beyond today’s challenges to create tomorrow’s solutions. The next great railway engineer may never become a household name but their work could define the railway for decades to come.

If you know someone whose expertise, innovation, and leadership are making a lasting difference, nominate them for the RailStaff Awards’ Rail Engineer of the Year Award and help ensure their contribution receives the recognition it deserves.

Follow the QR code to nominate today.

Moving what matters

RailEngineer
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Moving what matters

Earlier this year, Heavy Haul Rail launched as a new, independent business in the UK rail freight market following the sale of Freightliner UK’s Intermodal Logistics division. As a standalone company, Heavy Haul Rail is now focused entirely on bulk freight, supporting the industries and infrastructure projects that keep Britain moving.

As the UK enters a decisive decade of infrastructure renewal and decarbonisation, the role of bulk rail freight has never been more important. Heavy Haul Rail moves around 17 million tonnes of freight every year, travelling three million miles across the network to support construction, energy, and industrial supply chains.

Dave Penney, CEO, Heavy Haul Rail

Led by Chief Executive Officer Dave Penney, the company operates 95 locomotives and more than 1,000 wagons, supported by a team of 950 colleagues. Around 250 trains run each week, serving more than 100 locations nationwide.

From aggregates used in housebuilding and major infrastructure schemes, to cement, steel, biomass, and recycled materials, Heavy Haul Rail’s services form an important link in supply chains across the UK.

Customer-focused

To strengthen customer focus and improve agility, Heavy Haul Rail has reorganised into three dedicated business units: North, South, and Rail Industry Services (RIS).

The North and South business units, based in Doncaster and Swindon respectively, are aligned to customers and services operating within those regions. The RIS business unit, based in Crewe and Leeds, specialises in Network Rail infrastructure support, possession work, and heavy engineering maintenance activities.

The new structure is designed to bring decision-making closer to customers, improve responsiveness, and create greater accountability across the business.

“Realigning the business into three business units allows us to build stronger partnerships with our customers, bring decisions closer to the frontline, and create a more agile organisation,” says Penney. “By empowering our people and reducing complexity, we can respond faster to customer needs and improve our competitiveness in the freight sector.”

The changes extend beyond management structures. Train drivers, ground staff, and engineering fitters have been aligned within the business units, while train control and rostering activities are also being regionalised to offer closer, customer-focused assistance.

The move has generated new opportunities throughout the organisation, particularly in Swindon, which has become the base for the South business unit.

Investing in people

Although Heavy Haul Rail has decades of experience delivering heavy haul services, becoming an independent company has created opportunities to rethink how the business operates and develops its workforce.

That ambition is reflected in an active recruitment programme designed to strengthen operational capability while supporting future growth.

“We want our people to feel proud of the work they do,” says Penney. “Moving what matters to Britain by rail gives us a strong sense of purpose. Every train carrying building materials, steel, biomass or recycled materials helps support communities, businesses, and major infrastructure projects across the country.”

The company is currently recruiting for several roles, including a Health, Safety & Environment Manager, Roster Clerks, Train Controllers, Train Planners and a Planning Manager at its Swindon facility. Opportunities are also available for 10 Trainee Train Drivers at Mendip in Somerset, alongside Qualified Train Driver vacancies at Tunstead, Peterborough and Hope.

Within the Rail Industry Services business unit, Heavy Haul Rail is continuing to invest in its Leeds Vehicle Maintenance Facility, where vacancies include a Wheel Lathe Operator and Materials Controllers to support a team of around 100 engineers and fitters.

In July 2026, the company also signed the Armed Forces Covenant, reinforcing its commitment to supporting members of the Armed Forces community through employment and career development opportunities.

Positioned for growth

The long-term outlook for rail freight remains positive, driven by government growth targets, decarbonisation policies, and investment in national infrastructure.

Rail freight can reduce carbon emissions by up to 76% compared with road transport, while a single heavy haul train can remove up to 129 HGVs from the road network. As more businesses seek to reduce emissions and congestion, rail is increasingly viewed as a key part of the logistics solution.

For Heavy Haul Rail, this creates significant opportunities. Major projects such as Sizewell C, Hinkley Point C, the Transpennine Route Upgrade, and East West Rail are expected to require substantial volumes of aggregates and construction materials over the coming years. The Government’s wider infrastructure programme and housing ambitions are also expected to generate further demand for bulk freight movements.

The energy sector presents additional opportunities with emerging industries such as hydrogen production and carbon capture creating new rail freight requirements.

In January 2026, hydrogen was transported by rail in the UK for the first time to support a net zero test facility. The subsequent introduction of the HydroShunter also demonstrated the growing interest in low-carbon traction solutions for industrial and rail environments.

Heavy Haul Rail is actively exploring opportunities to support customers involved in low-carbon technologies, including rail logistics solutions linked to carbon capture and storage projects.

However, the market is not without challenges. Demand for some traditional commodities remains subdued, particularly within the steel sector, while parts of the construction materials market continue to experience economic headwinds. Capacity constraints on the rail network, uncertainty around future charging arrangements under Great British Railways and the cost of freight decarbonisation all present challenges for operators.

Despite these factors, Heavy Haul Rail believes the long-term direction of travel is clear.

“The opportunity for rail freight has never been greater,” Penney concludes.

“As Britain invests in new homes, clean energy and national infrastructure, moving large volumes of materials safely and sustainably will be essential. Our strategy is built around helping customers make the shift from road to rail, investing in efficient and lower-carbon operations, and delivering the reliability they need to keep supply chains moving. We have the people, the assets and the expertise to play a leading role in that future, moving what matters for Britain and creating lasting value for customers, communities and the environment.”

Bulk rail freight will remain fundamental to Britain’s economy for decades to come. With a dedicated focus on heavy haul operations and a clear growth strategy, Heavy Haul Rail is positioning itself to play an increasingly important role in supporting the nation’s infrastructure, industry, and net-zero ambitions.

Current vacancies can be viewed at: www.heavyhaulrail.co.uk/careers

Image credit: Heavy Haul Rail

Rail Live 2026: Innovation takes centre stage

Matt Atkins
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Rail Live 2026: Innovation takes centre stage

Rail Live returned to Porterbrook’s Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre (LMIRC) on 17-18 June, once again bringing together the UK rail industry for two days of innovation, networking, and debate.

Although the exhibition felt slightly smaller than in previous years, there was no shortage of technology on display. Grey skies and occasional showers replaced the blazing sunshine that has become something of a Rail Live tradition, but the weather did little to dampen spirits as visitors explored hundreds of stands showcasing the latest products and services from across the sector.

More than simply an exhibition, Rail Live remains one of the industry’s most valuable meeting places. Established suppliers stood alongside ambitious SMEs, major items of rolling stock shared space with ingenious safety devices and plant, while the three conference theatres provided a forum for debate on the challenges and opportunities facing Britain’s railways.

Innovation in focus

The LMIRC itself continues to evolve. One of the biggest developments since last year’s exhibition has been the launch of Porterbrook’s continuous test loop, with visitors given the opportunity to experience the UK’s only continuous rail testing facility first-hand.

Throughout the event, trains carried passengers around the circuit, accompanied by an audio commentary explaining the site’s role in developing and testing the next generation of rolling stock. The attraction proved one of Rail Live’s highlights, underlining Long Marston’s growing importance as a centre for railway innovation.

Across the exhibition, suppliers demonstrated practical solutions to many of the railway’s familiar challenges – improving productivity, enhancing safety and supporting decarbonisation.

Rail Ability’s award-winning RA-BUC480 Ballast Undercutter & Trencher attracted considerable attention. Having been named Innovation of the Year at the 2025 National Rail Awards, the machine is now becoming established as a strategic on-track plant asset in parts of Network Rail’s network, demonstrating the increasing role of mechanisation in improving the efficiency of renewals work.

Permaquip showcased an updated Portable Sleeper Squarer that can now be lifted by a pickup-mounted crane and transported in the vehicle itself, making deployment quicker and more practical for engineers working in remote locations.

AP Webb and Rail Ability also unveiled plans for an upgraded ballast distributor based on the JCB 714 articulated dump truck. Increasing hopper capacity from 10 to 15 tonnes, the revised design aims to improve productivity while retaining the manoeuvrability of the existing machine.

Accessibility remained another important theme. Miller Fabrications demonstrated its modular ‘plug and play’ lift shaft, designed to reduce both installation time and construction costs. By assembling the lift and associated equipment before delivery, the company estimates projects could spend up to 10 fewer weeks on site – a significant benefit for station accessibility schemes.

Safety innovations included Horizon Utilities’ COMPASS Pro, a helmet-mounted device that warns staff when working close to live electrical cables. Already used within the electricity sector, the technology has clear potential for future railway applications once approved for Network Rail infrastructure.

Elsewhere, the Network Rail Sustainability Zone highlighted biodiversity initiatives and environmental management, while the Hitachi SME Digital & Tech Hub showcased digital innovations from smaller suppliers. Together they reflected the contribution SMEs are making to solving some of the industry’s biggest engineering challenges.

Rolling stock takes centre stage

Rolling stock once again proved one of Rail Live’s biggest attractions, with visitors able to inspect everything from heritage vehicles to the latest freight and alternative traction technology.

Among the show’s headline exhibits was GB Railfreight’s new Class 99 bi-mode electro-diesel locomotive. Due to enter service later this year, the Stadler-built locomotive combines electric traction beneath the wires with diesel power on non-electrified routes, reducing the need for locomotive changes during freight operations while helping lower carbon emissions. Developed in partnership with Beacon Rail, the fleet attracted considerable interest throughout the exhibition.

Porterbrook’s HydroFLEX hydrogen-powered train also returned to Long Marston, where much of its development has taken place, giving visitors another opportunity to see one of the UK’s best-known alternative traction demonstrators.

Another eye-catching exhibit came from Heavy Haul Rail, which displayed its newly rebranded Class 66 locomotive, No. 66537. Established earlier this year following its separation from Freightliner Intermodal, the company now operates around 250 freight services each week across the industrial, construction and infrastructure sectors. Representatives also joined conference discussions examining the future of freight traction and the role alternative fuels could play in reducing the industry’s carbon footprint.

Positive Traction demonstrated how existing rolling stock can be given a new lease of life with its 08e battery-electric shunting locomotive. Developed by converting the iconic Class 08, the zero-emission locomotive replaces the original diesel engine with battery technology while improving driver visibility, comfort and diagnostics. Rather than replacing proven assets outright, the project illustrates how remanufacturing can contribute towards the railway’s wider decarbonisation ambitions.

A very different attraction was the Railway 200 Inspiration exhibition train, which made one of the final stops on its nationwide tour at Long Marston. The travelling exhibition celebrates the past, present and future of Britain’s railways through interactive displays, historic artefacts and personal stories. Co-curated with the National Railway Museum, it had already welcomed around 90,000 visitors before arriving at Rail Live, providing many attendees with one last opportunity to step aboard before the tour’s conclusion.

More than an exhibition

While the exhibits inevitably attract most attention, Rail Live’s greatest value lies in bringing the industry together.

Across the Policy & Leadership, Engineering and Safety theatres, delegates explored topics including digital signalling, decarbonisation, freight growth, workforce development and improving railway safety. Meanwhile, countless conversations continued across the exhibition itself as suppliers, contractors, infrastructure managers and operators exchanged ideas, discussed new projects and strengthened existing relationships.

In an industry facing organisational reform, financial pressures, and rapid technological change, opportunities to share knowledge and collaborate remain just as important as the products on display.

Looking ahead

Although Rail Live 2026 felt slightly more compact than some previous editions, its quality remained undiminished. If anything, the smaller footprint made it easier to navigate, allowing visitors to spend more time engaging with exhibitors rather than simply moving between stands.

The cooler, overcast weather was a marked contrast to the sunshine that has characterised recent Rail Live events, yet the atmosphere remained positive throughout the two days. From the debut of GB Railfreight’s Class 99 and the launch of Porterbrook’s continuous test loop to practical engineering innovations and thought-provoking conference sessions, the exhibition once again demonstrated the breadth of expertise across the UK rail sector.

Rail Live continues to justify its reputation as the UK’s premier outdoor rail exhibition. It is more than a showcase for new products; it is a place where ideas are shared, partnerships are formed, and the industry’s future begins to take shape.

Whether visitors came to inspect the latest equipment and rolling stock, discover innovative engineering solutions, or simply reconnect with colleagues, this year’s event once again proved why Rail Live remains an important fixture in the railway calendar.

NICS: Non-Intrusive Crossover System

Paul Darlington CEng FIET FIRSE
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NICS: Non-Intrusive Crossover System

The Railways Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 5 November 2025 to create Great British Railways (GBR). GBR is planned to create a new, agile and commercial industry structure, and will be charged with delivering the Transport Secretary’s six objectives for a reformed railway. One that is reliable, affordable, efficient, high quality, accessible and safe.

An example of one new way of working to address these core objectives for the industry is the Non-Intrusive Crossover System (NICS) to help deliver more efficient engineering possessions.

The aim of an engineering possession is to provide a safe, traffic-free worksite for activities such as remedial works and planned renewals to be efficiently carried out. Possessions for engineering trains must allow them to complete work which may require multiple passes and interface with other engineering trains. However, with increasing traffic and reduced availability of possessions, being effective and efficient in accessing, setting up, and giving back access is vital. This is not only to reduce cost, but also to ensure work is completed safely and that rail traffic is not delayed.

Engineering possessions can result in unplanned disruption, with possession ‘over run’ one of the biggest causes of delay minutes. Getting staff and the right equipment to and from the worksite on time and efficiently giving back the worksite into service are critical requirements for efficient engineering access.

So, better cost-effective engineering access is a strategic imperative and a significant business opportunity, and NICS is a welcome initiative to ensure that the machinery involved in any engineering possession is used to its maximum potential. NICS is simply a safe, temporary, portable crossover system to make best use of the engineering time and lines available.

Transforming access

NICS is designed to provide access to and egress from extremely challenging worksites, and for use on projects with limited possession access.

The system is also designed to be used to create a virtual siding from a few 60ft track lengths for the stabling of Road Rail Vehicles (RRVs), plant, equipment, and materials. Stabling the plant and equipment on the virtual siding also allows the trailers to be loaded prior to the possession.

Once the worksite is granted the NICS is deployed by hydraulic motors and secured in place by bolts. The deployment time is around 15 minutes plus the RRV’s drive out of the virtual sidings onto the main line and to the worksite.

Significant increases in actual working times are gained and the more RRVs the greater the gain compared to traditional methods of on-tracking plant. Any number of RRVs can be deployed in less time than it takes to on-track a single one.

The manufacturer of NICS says the time savings transfer into cost savings of 10-15% as the programme duration is reduced. In addition to providing efficiencies there are other benefits:

  • Increased Safety Performance: No more multiple lifts at night under constant time pressures to deploy equipment. The people/plant interface is reduced, and this can be done during daylight hours. Reduced risk of an overrun due to an RRV breakdown. If a stricken RRV is towed back to the access point it still has to get off the track, but with an NICS it can be towed into the virtual sidings.
  • Noise Reduction: Noise at sensitive access points is reduced to the bare minimum, as there is only one RRV movement at the start and end of the possession. There is no need for the multiple ‘horn beeps’ prior to every RRV movement and no reversing sirens.
  • Increased Access: There are multiple locations where the normal possession times are so low it is not economical to on-track RRVs and load the trailers. Once installed, NICS only takes around 15 minutes to deploy, opening up access to previously restricted locations.

The temporary crossover can be installed without impacting existing trackwork. Once the work is completed, NICS is designed to be easily removed and moved to another worksite. The system consists of four main component parts:

  • Ramps to lift the rail vehicle approximately 50mm so that the wheel flanges are clear of the permanent track railhead, and to lower the rail vehicle after completing the movement.
  • Switch plates to support and turn out the rail vehicle.
  • Crossing plates to carry the rail vehicle over the existing six foot.
  • Gut rails to form connections between the switch and crossing plates.

The plates were originally designed so that they could be manually lifted and turned depending on the turnout direction or moved to allow normal train working to resume.

Base Line 4

Over a number of years, NICS has been extensively developed and improved, based on the feedback received from Safety Review Panels and industry consultations. This has resulted in the current Base Line 4 product which features hydraulic operation of the plates to reduce manual handling risks, mechanical interlocking of the plates, and a robust key process linked to the signalling system. This uses a number of Castell ‘trapped’ interlocking keys to ensure that the NICS plates must be in the correct position at the end of a possession, before the signal protecting the line can ‘come off’ and allow normal working to resume.

NICS enables rail vehicle and plant repositioning around a worksite to avoid ‘locked in’ scenarios of expensive equipment. It also allows engineering possessions to be shorter, as without NICS rail vehicles may have to travel some distance to reach a crossover. Temporary engineering sidings can also easily be established to enable maximum use of rail vehicles and plant.

Approval

Network Rail trial product approval certificate PA05/07031 has been issued for the initial use of the latest mechanical interlocked NICS, as part of the Kirton Lime Tunnel works on the Eastern Region of Network rail, with installation at Kirton Lime Sidings.

A three-week trial has been planned for September 2026. Anyone wishing to view the demonstration on the operational railway should contact Donald McCallum at [email protected] quoting their name, company, and position.

With NICS offering better productivity, efficiency, safety, as well as less noise, it is just the sort of creative engineering initiative which the industry needs more of. All involved in the development of the system are to be congratulated.

Scottish supply chain turns out for RIN Glasgow

RailEngineer
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Scottish supply chain turns out for RIN Glasgow

Nigel Wordsworth

Rail Infrastructure Networking – RIN Events – is a series of trade shows that take place around the UK, showcasing the best that the rail industry supply chain has to offer.

Organised by rail insurance broker Jobson James Rail, the events are short in duration – typically four hours on one day. Their unique features have made them very popular with a wide range of industry personnel – sales, business development, procurement, recruitment, and engineering professionals all flock to their local RIN, and even ones further afield.

But what makes RIN Events so special? For a start, every exhibitor gets a table, a couple of chairs, space for two pop-up banners, and that’s it! One-man-band SMEs and major national contractors all get the same space, so no one exhibitor can ‘buy’ a larger presence.

Then, the fact that the show is only open for four hours means that almost everyone can visit it in one day, though some may stay over locally the night before. This keeps the cost of both exhibiting and visiting down. Entrance for visitors is free and the cost to exhibit is currently just £485 + VAT, inexpensive compared with other rail industry exhibitions.

In addition, exhibitors get the chance to ‘Meet the Buyer’ in prearranged meetings with one or more of the industry buyers that are only too keen to meet both current and potential suppliers.

On top of that, everyone gets a free bacon roll for breakfast, so it’s little wonder that RIN is so popular.

Having run three exhibitions annually – in the South, Midlands, and North of England – for a number of years, RIN went to Scotland for the first time in 2025, organising an exhibition at Glasgow’s Hilton Hotel. It sold out, attracted hundreds of visitors and many of those involved said that it was the best RIN that year.

More space for 2026

For 2026, plans were made to expand the show. It was moved to Glasgow’s Scottish Event Campus, Hall 2, with over 2,000 square meters of floorspace. One hundred and forty-five exhibitors along with Network Rail were listed to take part, as well as the Scottish Framework Tier 1 contractors participating in the Meet the Buyer sessions.

As the doors opened, over 800 pre-registered visitors, and many more who weren’t pre-registered, entered the halls to see what the exhibitors had to offer. Many of the exhibitors were serial RINers, taking stands at one or all of the English shows every year.

On the other hand, some were Scottish companies, exhibiting for the first or second time. JML Contracts, based in Perthshire, is a good example. The company specialises in the supply of gabions – wire mesh baskets of around one metre cube that are filled with stone, creating blocks that are then built up into retaining walls. Often, these are delivered as empty baskets which are then filled on site. However, JML has developed an efficient and cost-effective business, supplying them pre-filled.

Filling gabions takes a lot of labour, as well as needing equipment to handle the stone. It also has to be carried out safely, which can cause difficulties in crowded worksites on unstable terrain.

All this negates the savings in transport costs from shipping empty gabions. “Handling a filled gabion, which can be lifted into place using an excavator or RRV, is up to six times quicker than filling it on site,” explained JML’s John Langley.

Highland Rail Services was another Scottish exhibitor. Gary Craig commented: “We are a signalling support team in Scotland, currently supporting Network Rail, Babcock, Story Contracting, QTS, and a number of other contractors.

“If they are doing any work on the infrastructure, we do the signalling installation – the SMTH (Signal Maintenance Testing Handbook) testing. We also support the permanent way with S&C renewals and other remedial and installation work.

“We are here at RIN to get our name out there and promote the business so that we can support more clients. We’re Scotland based, so if people need signalling support in Scotland for any of their projects, then we’re here.

“Preparing for the job, clearing cables out of the way, testing afterwards, putting it back together afterward and engineering management. We supply competent, IRSE-licenced senior engineers to Network Rail, Babcock, and we can do the engineering element as well as the delivery aspect of it.”

From south of the border

Of course, English firms were out in force too.  Neil Cross of cable-trough manufacturer Anderton Concrete, an Ibstock company, was clear why he was exhibiting at RIN. “We are here because it is a really, really good opportunity to catch up with existing contacts in the industry,” he exclaimed.

“But it’s also a really good opportunity to catch up with who’s new in the industry and also find out what’s going to be new in the industry, because we all want to know what’s happening in the future.

“We’re here as well to promote our new products. So, we have our Generation 3 trough that we have launched and we’re continually promoting our carbon reduction efforts. Since 2023, we have reduced the carbon content of all the products we make for the rail industry.”

Ray Perkins of LB Foster is often seen at RIN events but hasn’t been on an exhibition stand for a while. “It’s the first time we’ve been here,” he confirmed. “We’ve done a lot of walking around these shows and we thought that it’s about time to put our name and face out to the public. We’re obviously looking for leads this week – we are promoting friction-management systems, both trackside systems, and onboard systems.

“The show looks busy at the moment and hopefully it’ll be even busier later.”

Steve Whitmore of enGauged is another fan of RIN. “We’re here to demonstrate our capabilities as enGauged Limited in civil and structural design in the rail industry,” he said.

“RIN is a great opportunity to come together as a supply chain. It’s good business-to-business.

“It’s a half-day format, which means we can turn up without much luggage and we don’t need a big stand. It’s nice and easy to get set up and gives us a lot of value for money.”Network Rail was also at RIN, both with a stand and as part of Meet the Buyer. “We’re here to support the event, and we’re here with eight of our Tier 1 suppliers,” Mark Lawson explained.

“It’s a tremendous event. We came up to Scotland last year – it was fairly successful, and it’s even better this time round.

“I’ve supported RIN through Network Rail down in Derby, London, York, and Harrogate over the past few years. It’s the kind of rail supplier event we need in Scotland.

“It’s our number one event in Scotland, definitely. I think the other regions are now catching on to the fact that they should be getting more involved.”

RIN Glasgow 2027 will take place on Thursday 27 May 2027 in Hall 3 of the SEC. Before then, RIN Derby is on 17 September, RIN Harrogate on 12 November, and RIN London on 18 March 2027. If you haven’t yet had the RIN experience, register for your free visitor ticket at www.rinevents.co.uk.

Image credit: RIN Events

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