Network Rail recognised the achievements of its contractors and supply chain last night at the 2014 Partnership Awards, held on London’s south bank. Writes Nigel Wordsworth
The sixth annual Partnership Awards were introduced by chief executive Mark Carne, who said: “Everyone here tonight has made a difference to Network Rail and I’d like to take this opportunity to express my thanks and gratitude for everything you have done to help deliver a better railway for a better Britain.”
Awards were divided amongst 11 categories covering everything from Heritage to Sustainable Excellence and Best Small/Medium/Large Project. Companies were able to make submissions for as many or as few categories as they wished. These were then whittled down to a published shortlist by the judges and a winner – and usually one or two highly commended entries – chosen from those.
Network Rail chief executive Mark Carne.Comedian Ed Byrne entertained the guests, mainly with anecdotes about rail’s mortal enemy – the aviation industry. He then also presided over the awards themselves.
Some big names did well. Balfour Beatty Rail won two awards, for Safety and for Heritage, Carillion won Driving Efficiencies, which was nothing to do with train driving, andSpencer Rail won two – Best Large Project and Best Collaboration along with Balfour Beatty, Atkins and Medway Council.
However, smaller concerns also had their time in the limelight. Capgemini UK won Best Use of Technology & Innovation for Linear Asset decision Support (LADS) with Dual Inventive highly commended, while Mission Room were Highly Commended for Safety.
At the end of the category awards came two more. A Special Award was presented by the MP for Newton Abbot, Anne Marie Morris, to the team that rebuilt the Dawlish Sea Wall and the Great Western main line to Cornwall. Tom Kikham, Andy Crowley, Rob Burr and Rob Allen were named individually, but the 300-strong ‘Orange Army’ received the award. Quite a number went on stage to receive it.
Then it was time for the final award, the Supplier of the Year. Mark Carne presented that one himself, and it went to the recipient of the Best Small Project award – Story Contracting. A cheer went up, not only from the Story team present but from the room at large, showing that it was a popular choice.
As a large group of smiling Story faces walked to the stage for the presentation and photographs, the remaining guests were left to ponder that, for the second year running, Network Rail had chosen one of the middle-ground, companies which are sometimes principle contractors and sometimes sub-contractors, proving that the contributions from suppliers of all sizes are truly valued for the contribution that they make to the railway.
Winners
Category
Company
Project
Best Collaboration
Atkins, Balfour Beatty, Spencer Rail and Medway Council
(highly commended East Midlands Trains and also Signalling Solutions)
East Kent resignalling phase 2
Best Project – Large
Spencer Rail
(h/c Costain and Hochtief JV)
Network Rail Ipswich Chord
Best Project – Medium
Buckingham Group Contracting Ltd
(h/c Capgemini UK)
Salford Crescent Railway Station
Best Project – Small
Story Contracting
(h/c Crosscountry Trains)
Story Contracting and Network Rail: Merseyrail Slab Track Renewal
Best Use of Technology
Capgemini UK plc
(h/c Dual Inventive)
LINEAR ASSET DECISION SUPPORT (LADS)
Community Engagement
Morgan Sindall
(h/c Colas Rail/Morgan Sindall JV and also Spencer Rail)
Haymarket station Capacity Improvement project
Driving Efficiencies
Carillion Rail
(h/c AMCO Rail and also Siemens Rail Automation)
Southampton to Basingstoke W10 Gauge Clearance
Heritage
Balfour Beatty Rail
(h/c Buckingham Group Contracting)
Masonry arch bridge strengthening using XiSPAN
Investing in People
ScotRail
(h/c Carillion Rail and also Emergency planning College)
ScotRail – Investing in talent and skills
Safety
Balfour Beatty Rail
(h/c Mission Room and ScotRail)
Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace Capacity Improvement Project
Sustainable Excellence
ScotRail
(h/c Buckingham Group Contracting and also Signalling Solutions)
One of the challenges faced by track engineers, both in the UK and around the world, is keeping the rail profile in good condition. Writes Maurice Verheijen
Many studies have been undertaken to determine the interaction between rails and wheels, and all have determined that even small variations in rail profile can have an adverse effect on ride quality, noise and wear rates which will exacerbate the problem.
The traditional method of treating rails to maintain the correct profile is by rail grinding. A special work train is fitted with a series of grinding wheels which restore the profile as the train passes along the track. These trains do a good job, but they don’t remove much material in one pass, so they often have to make several runs along the same section of track, and the grinding process produces dust and sparks. The former is sucked up using in-built ‘vacuum cleaner’ heads, while the latter can cause problems in tunnels where there is dry refuse alongside the track.
Rail milling has been the topic of a few articles in The Rail Engineer. This alternative method uses special milling cutters fitted with interchangeable tungsten-carbide tips. It is a quicker process as more material can be removed in one pass and, although swarf is generated, that often causes fewer problems than the dust and sparks.
The fact that a deeper cut can be taken can also be useful in removing surface defects and in re-profiling badly worn rail. However, the milling process can leave ‘facets’ in the surface – small flats left by each individual cutting tip – and most rail millers are also fitted with grinding systems just to restore a smooth surface finish.
One of the pioneers of the use of rail milling is Schweerbau. In its fleet, it even has a rail milling train built to London Underground tube clearances that has been used throughout the London Underground network.
Now, however, Schweerbau is working on two new processes. It has developed a way to speed up the milling process even further and, even more interestingly, it has developed a method which combines planing and milling.
Rotational planing
The first rail rotational planing train, the D-HOB 2500, went into service with the German network operator DB Netz last year and a second-generation machine, D-HOB 2500 II, is under construction and will be operational in 2015.
Rotational planing combines the characteristics of milling (accurate transverse profile) and planing (accurate longitudinal profile) into one single technique. Moreover, this new technology allows for a change of profile during the actual planing process. This way each rail can be machined independently with different transverse profiles, useful for anti-head-check profiles on high rails, and stock and switch rails in turnouts.
The rotational planing process uses a 1,400 mm diameter cutting wheel carrying 32 cartridges. The cartridges hold straight and curved planing blades and are arranged in such way that it follows the target contour of the rail head transverse profile, extending from 14mm below the gauge face of the rail all the way round to the field side of the rail.
The innovation is that each of the cutting tools performs a rotating movement combined with a short longitudinal movement (parallel to the running surface of the rail) at the moment when the cutting tools contact the rail. This longitudinal motion leaves a smooth finish, unlike the facets on a milled rail, removing the need for remedial grinding.
As the cutting depth can be varied from 0.2mm to 2.0mm, the new technology can be used both for regular maintenance of a good profile (preventative treatment) and for re-cutting the profile on damaged and/or worn track (corrective treatment). Furthermore, the ability to cut a different profile onto each rail allows the system to be used on almost every component of a set of switches or crossings. Set-up time from travel mode to working mode only takes a few minutes, and the accuracy to the set profile is within 0.1mm.
This low set-up time, together with the ability to remove so much material in one pass, really speeds up the time for the D-HOB 2500 to treat a section of track including S&C.
Deutsche Bahn has now approved the D-HOB 2500 for use on high speed lines where trains pass at up to 300kph.
The machine now under construction, the D-HOB 2500 II, uses the same rotational planing technology but has an added oscillating grinding system. This uses grinding stones that oscillate longitudinally, along the rail and as the train moves forward.
Due to the nature of the grinding system (it does not produce dust, smoke or fire) the new D-HOB 2500 II can be used for treatment of rails in tracks and S&C without the need for fire control and additional cleaning services. This offers major advantages, especially when working in tunnels.
Although the rotational planing leaves a good surface finish on the rail head, there are applications, such as in particularly-sensitive built-up areas, where the surface needs to be as smooth as possible to reduce noise. This the oscillating grinding technique does.
There are some areas of the German railway network where rail treatment is undertaken for acoustic reasons. In these areas, the oscillating grinding method is the only one approved for use since it can achieve the requirements of ISO 3095 and technical specifications for interoperability (TSIs) immediately after treatment.
The new train has a rotational planing section in one vehicle and the grinding in a second along with swarf and dust collection hoppers. The train will be propelled by power units (locomotives) suitable for the network it will be working on, and it can even be powered by battery locomotives. It meets the W6A and LU deep tunnel loading gauge requirements.
The need for speed
Although conventional rail milling offers many advantages over rail grinding, there are also some disadvantages. One is a minimum metal removal requirement while another one is the speeds at which milling can be undertaken. This is why, up to now, rail grinding has always been the preferred option for the preventative treatment of track and for maintaining the shape of rails. This so-called ‘little and often’ approach requires low metal removal combined with high output rates which is mainly achieved by an increase of the train speed during the grinding process.
For this reason, Scheerbau is building a second train – a high speed milling train (HSM). Most rail milling trains operate at speeds between 600 and 900 metres an hour and have limitations in running for longer periods due to the fact that the milling cutters need to be replaced regularly, a process which is typically undertaken during maintenance shifts.
The new Schweerbau HSM, which will also run for the first time at the end of this year, will be able to work at around 2,500 metres per hour. It uses two 1,400mm diameter cutting heads on each rail and these heads can be changed quickly, making it practical to exchange them during a working shift.
The HSM is a three-car unit and can run on-track at 100km/hr. It is built to both W6A and LU subsurface loading gauges so, sometime next year, there is no reason why they shouldn’t be seen out and about on the UK network.
Whenever passenger satisfaction surveys are conducted, the results always highlight the importance of timely, reliable and accurate information. A recent two-day London conference looked at the technology and management of several initiatives in the UK and overseas, and asked the question: “Are public expectations being met and do the current offerings meet these expectations?” Writes Clive Kessell
Just obtaining a better understanding of what is possible is itself quite difficult but it is also clear that not all technological advancements pull in the same direction. For many, passenger information is still screens and announcements at stations, but much more is now happening as the advent of the internet and smart phones has made information available to a much wider audience. How many people are aware of this or even capable of understanding it?
It’s a big question. This month, The Rail Engineer will look at what is happening in the UK. Overseas experiences will be examined next month.
The London experience
Like it or not, London dominates UK thinking and is the natural hub for overseas visitors. Vernon Everitt, the managing director for customer experience in Transport for London (TfL), set the scene. Transport is there to keep cities and countries moving, a role made ever more challenging by growing populations and ridership. The 2012 Olympics were critical for London and the actions taken plus lessons learned will hold good for many years. However innovation must continue to happen in line with both technology and lifestyle changes.
The internet and websites were a big step change but the introduction of smartphones has revolutionised communication. The statistics are mind blowing: 1.5 billion worldwide, 87% of UK users have downloaded apps and 63% use these every day, 77% of Londoners use the TfL website of which 44% access it via a mobile and 55% use the mobile internet each day.
One outcome of all this is that passengers are often being better informed than staff, which can be embarrassing. Much better integration is required and achieving this needs an update to the website plus better data repositioning of operational real time systems, meaning the equipping of employees with the right digital tools.
It is recognised that a diminishing sector of the population – the ‘grey haired’ brigade – will not use smartphones and traditional measures for communicating service provision must continue. Full tunnel coverage of mobile networks is needed otherwise the full impact of smartphone usage will not be achieved. Crossrail is leading the way on this.
The Tube is getting better but more needs to be done at times of disruption, particularly integrating alternative means of transport. The decision- making process and subsequent advice will revolve around modelling routes for dependencies of traffic, nature of disruption, weather and timetable. Advice to passengers will be progressive: stay put » continue as planned » modify route » change mode.
Kuldeep Gharatya is the head of railway systems in LU but also engineering director for the government ‘Catapult’ initiative for transport systems, a project launched in 2013 with a £150 million budget up to 2019. In his opinion, some of the emerging challenges are:
» Different technical standards between transport modes; » Differentiating between ‘must have’ and ‘nice to have’;
» Getting data owners to be more open with information; » Reluctance to appreciate wider commercial interests.
The ultimate objective is a ‘vision by video’ from getting out of bed, receiving a travel update, considering alternative travel modes (including hired bicycle!) through to the eventual arrival at work or meeting. One might be cynical and ask what would be left for the human brain to do?
The right sort of information
Determining the ongoing appetite for personalised information must be treated with caution; nanny knows best might be wrong. Mark Evers, the director of customer strategy in TfL explained how this is being researched.
Balancing ease of use with cost of implementation has to be a factor. Only producing relevant information and not bombarding people with irrelevant data is important. Misinformation is a big source of criticism; having “there is a good service” information on the concourse but delay announcements on the platform is not good publicity.
The use of apps to drill down into journey details is starting to happen but prime information needs are:
» Making real-time information available so passengers can re-plan journeys during disruption;
» Meeting the needs of unfamiliar users;
» Easing the process of Oyster Card top up. Far too many people run Oysters too low and then can’t travel, causing delay and queues at barriers. Apps to alert people to a low Oyster will shortly occur.
Using social media for important information is going to grow and Twitter appears the best means of achieving this. Cost comparisons are interesting: £1 for a Twitter message, £7 for a phone call, £15 to write a letter. A third of Londoners used the Olympics travel information service to change travel plans, and that is a continuing trend.
The TfL website is used by 37% of visitors for journey planning but 45% of overseas visitors do not get beyond the first page. It is only available in English but with pop up guidance in other languages. Why do we always assume the whole world speaks English?
The wider UK scene
Considerable improvements have been made to the dissemination of passenger information across all forms of public transport in the UK. The generalised use of computers has made this possible but some of the initiatives pull in opposite directions. The main thrust has come from the National Rail Enquiries team and Jason Durk, head of passenger information, explained some of the challenges.
In the recent past, there were 66 disparate systems across the rail network – 17 stand-alone systems on Virgin WCML alone. CIS (customer information system) displays showed meaningless information such as trains expected at a time long past or simple but uninformative comments that a skeletal service is in operation due to bad weather but without giving details.
A questionnaire produced jointly with Passenger Focus revealed that train times and platforming had an 80% success rate, information during the journey yielded 70% but, during delay conditions, it dropped to 40%.
The strategy to resolve this is a better flow from Planned Timetable » Operational Timetable » Customer Timetable. These are represented by the Integrated Train Planning Systems (ITPS) » the future Traffic Management Systems (TMS) » Project Darwin.
To achieve all this, a CIS Delivery Board is established supported by an Information Development Group. Darwin was described in issue 83 of The Rail Engineer (September 2011) and is key to getting a consistent set of information across all systems. It is uploaded with timetable details every 24 hours and also takes in live train movement data from signalling centres. Real time information is then sent out to all other systems including stations, on-train, internet services and the future TMS (traffic management systems).
To date, 17 Virgin stations were connected in July 2011, 32 stations on Chiltern Railways in Sep 2012 and 23 stations on Northern Rail in April 2014, the latter to test the train operating company (TOC) deployment plan. A national roll out is progressing with 1508 stations due on in late 2014 and the rest by March 2015.
Darwin will need to develop train-centric data for on-train systems and the development of this will take until mid 2016. Better train location awareness is also needed and GPS will be the means of achieving this. Network Rail, TOCs and ROSCOs are working together to get fleet fitment, many trains already having GPS for other purposes such as selective door opening. Interaction with TMS data will be vital including train maintenance scheduling, with the data development tasks likely to take until mid 2017.
Smartphones and announcements
The information experience is nowadays much more than train operations. Peter Williams from East Coast Trains looked at associated cultural changes. A recent questionnaire as to what passengers require revealed that WiFi provision, catering options and dealing with intolerant behaviour were top of the list. Training of staff has the aim of ‘getting inside the customers’ heads’. This leads to some selectivity on the recruitment of on-train staff so as to get people with the right mind-set. Using agency staff to cover shortages often has a negative effect.
Equipping staff with the right information tools is equally important and Matthew Bromley from Chiltern Railways revealed that, in 2011, customers with iPhones were better informed than their own people. Since then, trials to establish the best smartphone for staff led initially to Android devices being adopted but, more recently, a change to the Samsung S3 has been made, this being capable of doing ticket validation and providing moving maps.
Experience at the ‘coal face’ was described by Emma Toms, head of marketing and customer experience at Southern and Gatwick Express. Surveys have shown that on-train information is as important as pre journey planning. Passengers prefer live to pre-recorded announcements and with many Southern trains being DOO (driver-only operation), a cultural change exists to get drivers making announcements. Too many repetitive train announcements is an irritant to regular travellers and Southern knows that an acceptable balance is needed, perhaps by providing more visual and less audio info.
Using social media is recognised as increasingly valuable and message gathering at control centres for onward transmission is happening. Twitter restricts message length to 140 characters so information has to be consistent and devoid of railway jargon. Take up is accelerating with 70,000 followers already. Humour in the right style is welcome, an example being ‘please mind the gap between timetable and reality’!
Getting live information to trains is the big challenge, but many Southern Trains are already equipped with GPS.
Rural lines represent a challenge for information updates and Adam Cousins from Northern Rail explained their Train Running Information Project (TRIP) on the Esk Valley line in North Yorkshire. A sparse train service and remote stations are a problem when things go wrong. GPS is fine to determine the position of trains but it needs a transmission medium to relay this to a control centre. Public cellular networks are used to feed such data into Google maps and the York control office, in part using the experience of Nomad Digital in WiFi provision. A feed is sent to a smart phone app used by both public and the train conductors. 14 Class 156 DMUs are fitted including CIS screens.
One downside is the patchy coverage of the cellular networks whereby trains are timed through ‘dead’ sections so as to pick up missed info in due course. The forthcoming provision of GSM-R may overcome this.
Dealing with disruption
Disruption takes many forms: a failed train, problems with signalling, track defects, power supply problems, severe adverse weather or even major civil engineering failures causing long-term line closures. Most result in delays of an hour or so, but this can mean missed connections and the risk of not getting home. Journey Planner websites are already capable of showing alternative train services and some can give options for different modes of transport.
Whilst potentially useful, this approach needs to be matched to ticketing such that the traveller does not have to purchase a new fare. With the privatised railway that exists in the UK and many other countries, this creates a dilemma and only during the most severe disruption will existing tickets be accepted for use on other services.
Getting accurate and timely info when train services are disrupted remains a challenge. Nick Wood from East Coast and Richard Shilton from Virgin Trains gave their versions on how this is managed. Keeping messages consistent and simple is essential. The amount of data to be absorbed and distributed is considerable and often there is insufficient time to deliver this to individuals. Therefore broadcast messages become the norm and people are pointed to TOC websites and particularly National Rail Enquiries. These need to be integrated across all communication channels. Using hashtags e.g. #UK Storm is useful.
Equipping trains with WiFi is an ongoing commitment, with the service becoming free if trains are stranded. Displaying photos of any major infrastructure problem – flooding, overhead wires down – can convince passengers that the situation is real. Decisions are needed when to derestrict ticket types or class of travel. Requests for information jump from around 300 per normal day to well over 2,000 during disruption.
Technical faults have a potentially big impact on train services and the infrastructure provider needs to provide reliable data on how recovery will be managed. Peter Collins from Network Rail explained the process whereby controllers from both the train operator and Network Rail (ideally located in the same building) have responsibility for devising a plan and communicating this to stations sites and trains.
Deploying the required resources is part of this, including the estimate of time to site, setting up the communications links, analysing the fault, devising the fix and restoration of normal working. Regular reviews between Network Rail and the TOCs take place to reflect on past incidents and learn lessons.
Even planned disruption for engineering work is not exempt from needing meticulous information handling. Copenhagen Metro offers a 24-hour service so maintenance work will always have some impact. Broadcasts on local TV and radio give advance information on what will be affected. The website shows graphic displays on alternative modes at stations. Roving stewards are employed to look for passengers who seem confused and proactively enquire and help.
So how is all this regarded by passengers? Guy Dangerfield from Passenger Focus told of the feedback they receive. Five key messages emerged:
» Treat me with respect;
» Recognise my plight;
» Help me avoid the problem in the first place; » You got me into this, help get me out
» Act joined-up.
Please avoid obscure and misleading messages; comments such as “leaves on the line” or “poor rail conditions” are meaningless to most travellers. If a problem is going to last all day, don’t say until further notice.
Displays showing expected time of arrival 17.12 when it is already 17.15 give an impression of incompetence. Trust drops off quickly and the need for honesty is paramount although the impact of suicides does need to be handled sensitively.
Information dissemination preferences showed text 24%, information at stations 22%, website 8%, Twitter only 2% with the rest as don’t know. The need to improve estimates of delay and incident duration is important.
Co-ordinating ticket sales with cancellations and amendments needs to happen to warn a traveller who is booked on a train that is cancelled. Giving TOC control offices the ability to speak directly to passengers on a train, a facility that is technically available on GSM-R, should be enabled.
The way forward
Opportunities for improving and widening the current offerings are clearly there to be exploited but with this comes a massive increase in data handling and the risk that yet more embarrassing deficiencies will emerge. Empathy extends to those who deal daily with the challenge of giving out timely and accurate information, as anyone who travels regularly will see at first hand the problems being faced.
The proposers of innovation and new technology tend to start from an academic or research background and probably do not understand the realities of running an everyday railway. Getting it wrong and ‘fail safe’ are not scenarios that apply to information systems.
Aligning information with disruption is inherently difficult; often too many unknowns are there for accurate data to be processed. Building ‘cleverness’ into facilities such as journey planning is an admirable goal but will get nowhere unless ticket availability matches the options for changed routes and modes.
Overall, the two days provided a fascinating insight into what might become possible, but it remains to be seen how it all pans out in the fullness of time.
When booking a car in for a service, a driver usually tells the receptionist about any other faults that need attention at the same time. “The brakes pull to the left”, “the air conditioning isn’t working”, or “there’s a funny noise from the back”. Writes Nigel Wordsworth
This allows the garage to plan the time that may be needed, whether a specialist mechanic is required, or particular equipment, and perhaps even whether any spare parts have to be ordered in ahead of time.
Why should a train be any different?
Diagnosing the fault
Of course, some faults may be obvious to the driver or train manager. Wheel flats, non- functioning lighting or ventilation, blocked toilets – all of those can be reported manually.
But a modern train, such as one of Virgin’s Pendolinos, is a very complicated and sophisticated piece of kit. It has a ‘brain’ – the train management system (TMS) – which knows how every part of the train is functioning. It can even tell when a component or system is starting to run outside of its normal operating parameters.
Trains tend to be serviced every night. However, sometimes that is just a ‘wash and brush up’. On any one night, the trains in a fleet will be booked in – some for service, some for maintenance, and some for a clean. If a train that is scheduled for cleaning only actually arrives with a major fault, it can completely mess up the depot’s plans for the night.
So what is needed is for that information to get back to the depot before the train arrives for its nightly service. Plans can then be made to attend to urgent faults immediately, rescheduling other less-critical work to another night, so that everything runs smoothly once trains start arriving.
To do this, manufacturer Alstom has fitted Virgin’s Pendolino fleet with three major diagnostic systems. The TMS has a call-ahead function which shows any fault online – in real time – back at the depot. It also has a download facility, which gives full details of the train’s performance throughout its working day.
The on-train monitoring recorder (OTMR) records all of the inputs from the cab control desk – it’s a bit like a driver’s ‘black box’. And the tilt and speed supervisor (TASS) monitors tilt performance and limits top speed if any defect is found, recording that information.
The main server at Alstom’s headquarters in Rugby polls each train in the fleet on a rotational basis. This ensures that every train is interrogated at least once every two hours. Those faults are reported to the depot which is the base for that train.
A major part of the Pendolino fleet is based at Oxley in Wolverhampton. There, principle engineer Chris Collins checks the data which comes up on his screen. A really urgent flag would result in thetrain immediately being taken out of service – a problem for the operator and fleet availability team. However, most are notifications that need to go into the planning process for that night’s work.
Back to the drawing board
It is at this stage that the high-tech wizardry gives way to an old-fashioned whiteboard and coloured pens. There is no better way of displaying information to a large group of people, which is flexible and can be updated instantly, than a large wall-mounted board.
Traincare centre manager Dave Jones and his operations technical manager Neil Stainke talked The Rail Engineer through the process.
On any one night, there is usually one set in for a two-day D examination. That takes the train out of service, but that is why there are a couple of spares so that fleet performance is not affected.
However, if another train comes in with a major fault which cannot be fixed overnight, then there is a risk that they will be one set short come the morning, and train cancellations may ensue. This is why it is so important to know in advance and get the train concerned into the workshop as soon as it arrives to give the maximum time to work on it. It also gives the planners the opportunity to reallocate trains to services in the morning, so the one with the problem can be ‘last out’.
Faults are prioritised. ‘Mandatory’ is naturally the highest priority as operating procedures, not to mention insurers, won’t allow such a train to be used. ‘Performance Affecting’ comes next – a train can run but with restrictions. For example, if one traction motor is out, the train is still safe to use but may not reach its top speed resulting in longer journey times.
The lowest priority is ‘Customer Related’. This can be something such as a non-functioning toilet door. The train is quite capable of being operated, but the problem needs to be sorted as soon as is practicable.
Incidentally, two non-functioning toilet doors, particularly if they are disabled toilets, will bump the priority up to ‘Performance Affecting’.
All of this is laid out on the display board. Each train is allocated to a bay in the workshop or in the yard, and the team of engineers allocated. Every process is marked down, and labelled complete as the night progresses. It is a very practiced operation, with regular comments and all of the train numbers being on magnetic panels and other, more individual comments being added by hand.
It is thus immediately apparent when any train has missed a milestone and additional resources can be directed to help mitigate the problem.
And there’s more
A couple of other processes are carried out as well. A team of three or four people are on ‘hotel standards’ – they walk the trains looking for torn seat covers, worn carpet, frayed decals, poor lighting and untidy or dirty areas, so that most can be addressed before the train returns to service and those that will take longer are programmed in for another night. They take pride in every train looking as good as it possibly can.
Another team, auditors from Lloyd’s Register, make periodic inspections to ensure that standards, both in presentation and in engineering, are maintained.
At the end of the night, trains start to return to service, The depot team is still talking with the planners – a train that needed more work than expected is running late, can it go out unwashed? It seems like a minor question, but it still needs the concession to be approved by both Alstom and Virgin.
So, by booking faults in advance, the workshop process is made much less fraught and more efficient. In addition, all of the reporting means that incipient faults are caught earlier. The time between failures on the fleet has increased from one every 16,000 miles to one every 35,000.
The Alstom team is not content with this though. Chris Collins has a simulator, a bank of racked servers and equipment that replicate everything on a train. Software is tested and retested and, once approved by both Virgin and Angel Trains (the Pedolinos’ owners), it is released around the fleet once or twice a year.
There is also a laser-operated brake pad monitoring system under trial as part of a ‘health hub’. This includes the remote inspection of everything on the train from pantographs to aerodynamic skirts.
The Asfordby (or Melton) test track has had an interesting history. It originally formed a part of an important rail route between the East Midlands and London. Writes Chris Parker
For a time in the 1970s, it was the route that the Nottingham Pullman services used to get to the capital after the closure of the Great Central Railway. Then the Nottingham/Melton Mowbray section of line was closed to traffic itself, and Nottingham services to London had no alternative but the Midland route via Trent Junction.
Testing times
This was in many ways the start of the interesting times for the newly closed line, however. Having been taken into use as one of British Rail’s test tracks, it was used by BR Research for many things, including trials of the ill-fated Advanced Passenger Train (APT).
Ironically, this project, which really failed through loss of nerve on the part of the politicians, established many details of science and engineering about tilting train technology. That, in turn, led to the Italian Pendolino trains that now run on the West Coast main line in the UK, with counterparts in many other countries. The real irony lies in the fact that those very Pendolinos were themselves tested on this same track before entering UK service.
The test track has been used most recently by Serco, which leased it a few years ago so that they could fulfil their contract with LUL for the testing of new rolling stock for the London Underground. When The Rail Engineer visited recently, there were still trains in LUL livery on site, a strange sight in the middle of the East Midlands countryside.
Parts of the track were electrified on the 25kV overhead system for the Pendolino tests, and similarly parts now have third-rail DC electrification for the LUL tests.
Ballasted vs ballastless
One recent development in the Asfordby tunnel on the test track might have far reaching consequences, greater than either the Pendolino or the LUL trains.
Ballastless track has been a holy grail for forward-looking rail infrastructure engineers and managers for a long time. In the UK, the snag has always been the cost of converting existing lines from ballasted to ballastless.
There seems to be no reasonable debate about the case that the whole-life costs of ballastless track should be significantly lower than equivalent, conventional, ballasted track. The initial costs are higher, though not necessarily as much as one might think, but the costs during the lifetime once installed are so much less that the higher first costs are more than recovered over the next 60 years in service.
The problem, even in BR days when there were no track access charges and the like to be paid by the infrastructure operator to the train operator, no-one was able to show how the costs and disruption involved in removing ballasted track and replacing it with ballastless could be made to appear economically reasonable.
Today, with all the other work that Network Rail has to carry out within its budget, converting the existing railway wholesale looks a hopeless proposition. Yet it is a viable possibility for relatively short lengths of track where there are particular challenges to manage – tight tunnel clearances for example – but not large-scale conversion of line of route railway. Even the great Japanese railways have not managed
to justify conversion of the first, ballasted Shinkansen line to ballastless track.
Trialling three systems
The trials that Network Rail has undertaken in Asfordby Tunnel may offer some hope for a change in this view. A recent site visit was hosted by Network Rail’s project manager Manraj Bhandal along with several colleagues from Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group, the company that provided and installed the trial track systems. Carl Garrud, Managing Director and Chris Kearns, Project Manager were very proud of what their company had to offer, and certainly the quality of the installation in the tunnel by the Austrian project team from Rhomberg Bahntechnik looked very impressive.
The 470 metre long trial consists of three separate installations, a trial length of each of two ballastless track forms and a transition structure designed to ensure a smooth shift between ballasted and ballastless track.
IVES
The first section in the tunnel has been re-laid with IVES track. A Rhomberg Rail development, IVES simply stands for Intelligent, Versatile, Effective and Solid. It is not strictly slab track, since it consists of individual prestressed concrete units with rail support assemblies for each rail, separated by a small gap.
The system is ballastless though, the units being laid on asphalt paving, and it does behave like a slab since the 250mm deep concrete units are heavy (one tonne each) and a stainless steel dowel pin is used to restrain the units from moving relative to the tarmac. Not every unit needs to be dowelled and on this site, where the curves are relatively flat, one dowel every fifth unit was the requirement. Where sharper curves, faster speeds or heavier loads dictate, dowels would be installed more often by design.
The installation involved removing the old track then excavating down through the ballast and formation to the required depth. This was done by Babcock Rail using laser- guided machines to give a correctly-canted formation ready for the asphalt. Onto this went 100mm of Type 1 fill, following which a paving machine laid the 250mm of asphalt in two passes.
The IVES modules were then installed on the asphalt and roughly aligned. Rail alignment, horizontal and vertical, was fine tuned during the final positioning of the rail support assemblies using a system of alignment called RhoTAS. This holds the rails and support assemblies in the correct position whilst the latter are grouted into position.
The support assemblies used in the trial were Vossloh DFF units, and the screws fastening them down needed to be tightened to the correct torque after the grout had set. On this site, the grout used needed 10 hours to reach adequate strength, though faster-setting grouts are available.
The IVES system needs no significant wet concrete work as the asphalt is laid to a sufficiently accurate standard (vertically, +0 to -35mm, horizontally to +/-15mm) that the concrete modules sit directly upon it. They are aligned in this way sufficiently well that the final fine-tuning of the rail height and line is easily within the adjustment capabilities of the rail support assemblies.
A company-designed track measuring trolley is used to make these fine adjustments. Two people go through with the trolley adjusting the rails in a two-stage process. On the first run they work to a 2mm tolerance, then to the final design tolerance on the second.
The entire IVES installation is undertaken by a team of eight, including their supervisor. They lay and align the modules, install the rails and align those, and finally grout up and tighten down the rail support assemblies. On completion, the measuring trolley is used to record the final geometry of the track for an as-built record for the client.
The IVES system is very flexible, coping easily with curves, gradients and transitions in much the same way as traditional sleepers. Variants are available for use in S&C, and it is possible to supply units for use as longitudinal rail bearers where that is required. The gaps between the units allow drainage to flow down onto the asphalt and thence away into the subgrade or the track drainage as applicable. Where it is desired, the gaps between modules may be infilled with foam inserts which keep out debris whilst still allowing water to drain. The modules may also be driven upon by road vehicles, a distinct benefit in tunnels where it may provide a way for emergency access or maintenance vehicles.
PORR
The second track system under trial is the PORR system, jointly developed by Austrian Railways (ÖBB) and Allgemeine Baugesellschaft A. Porr AG. Like the IVES units, this system relies on an accurately machine laid asphalt base on a 100mm Type 1 sub-base. However, the concrete modules of this system are significantly different. Each slab is five metres in length and weighs about five tonnes. They are only 150mm thick, however, and so they are slightly flexible.
Five jacking screws are incorporated into each unit, one in the centre and one towards each of the four corners. These are used to level the units approximately 80mm above the asphalt base. The flexibility of the modules allows them to twist and bend to accommodate some of the variation in rail alignment that may be required in track transitions, for example. Greater variations in alignment are dealt with by designing and casting modules with the necessary curvature and cross level variation built into them.
In each module there are two large windows, one towards each end. Once the module has been aligned and levelled correctly, self-levelling concrete is poured in through these windows to fill the void between the unit and the supporting asphalt. At Asfordby, the rails are supported and fastened in Vossloh assemblies, as with the IVES modules. However, plans are in hand for production of units using Pandrol Vipa housings as an alternative.
V-TRAS
In all, the trial at Asfordby consists of 374 IVES modules and 24 PORR slabs. These make up a total of 470 metres of track, with the PORR section roughly in the middle of two lengths of IVES modules.
The final trial consists of an eight metre long V-TRAS transition module (Vertical Transition Sytem) at the south tunnel portal. This is designed to avoid problems caused by a sudden change in track stiffness where ballasted and ballastless track meet. However, there may also be applications elsewhere, as for example where track problems have arisen at the transition between an embankment and an underbridge.
The module is essentially a steel ladder structure consisting of two steel beams with transverse support plates between them at intervals corresponding to the sleeper spacing. These carry resilient pads for the sleepers to sit upon. The plates have upturned ends to restrain the sleepers from lateral movement.
The installation at Asfordby has a cast in-situ concrete support block under the track at the start of the slab track. The one end of the V-TRAS module is supported on the outer end of this block whilst the remainder sits on the bottom ballast, under the sleepers it is to support. The track is packed or tamped through the V-TRAS unit in the normal way, but the stiffness of the ladder of steel ensures a gradual increase in the overall track stiffness through the length of the transition assembly.
Work is in hand to develop a pre-cast support block for the V-TRAS. This would still need to be placed on a smaller in-situ foundation slab, but the quantity of wet concrete work required would be reduced significantly with this option.
Common advantages
The hope now is that the speed and ease of installation of these track forms may considerably reduce not just the cost of the physical works, but also that of the necessary track access. The use of laser-guided machines to excavate the formation and to lay the sub-base and asphalt base has the potential to make this part of the work a rapid and efficient process. The minimal use of wet trades, particularly with the IVES system, also potentially contributes to speed and efficiency. Finally, the ability to drive rubber tyred vehicles over the completed slabs may have a further advantage, especially where site access is restricted.
Network Rail and its suppliers will now set out determinedly to see how they can make best use of the potential demonstrated here. The fact that the company has recently authorised a methodology for whole life costing and is in the process of integrating this into the company project management process gives grounds for real optimism that ballastless track may be something that we begin to see much more of in the future.
If that occurs, this project at Asfordby will not only have succeeded in its aims but have gone well beyond them. Its original remit was about sourcing innovative means of relaying track where there are gauge clearance issues. It should certainly meet that target as there is significant opportunity to lower the rail levels by using either the IVES or the PORR system. Should it also turn out to offer a route to cost effective track conversion, that would be a fantastic bonus for UK rail.
If there is one word that sums up the aims and aspirations of everyone working on the railway, it is reliability. Reliable timetables are adhered to, reliable trains don’t break down or get delayed, reliable infrastructure allows trains to pass as planned and reliable working practices are safe ones. Writes Nigel Wordsworth
So teams of engineers and designers are working throughout the industry to improve reliability. They are upgrading systems, checking processes and developing new technology – all largely out-of-sight.
One good example of this process in practice is the Class 91 locomotive. Owned by Eversholt Rail Group, a fleet of these locomotives has operated express passenger services on the East Coast main line (ECML) since 1991. Each one is operated in push-pull mode with nine Mk4 coaches and a driving van trailer (DVT) to form an IC225 train.
Intensive services
The ECML is an intensively-used route with high average operating speeds and short headways. Much is only double tracked, so any failed locomotive quickly causes severe disruption as it blocks one of the lines. Even if recovered quickly, the operator can still incur high penalty charges as delays, diversions and service cancellations impact upon a number of train operators, both passenger and freight.
The Class 91 locomotive was designed and built with only one pantograph. Whenever the pantograph/overhead line system is damaged, a visual examination is required, causing an initial delay. If the damage to the pantograph is serious and it can no longer be used, trains will be stranded, often without the ability to maintain essential on-board passenger amenities such as heating, ventilation and lighting.
To improve reliability, the trains’ operator, East Coast, undertook an exercise to quantify the costs of pantograph/overhead line system failures. This was compared with the cost of retrofitting the locomotive with a duplex pantograph which has two arms mounted on a single base plate. Pantograph manufacturer Brecknell-Willis had already developed such a system to provide built-in redundancy.
As a result of this analysis, Eversholt Rail agreed to fund the system design and a trial fit of one locomotive. After considering a number of proposals for management of this exercise, ESG was selected to be the installation designer and project manager. The actual fit would take place at Wabtec Rail in Doncaster during a planned overhaul.
Why ESG?
Today’s ESG takes its initials from the Engineering Support Group, British Rail’s engineering team for its freight operations. Being freight orientated, ownership on privatisation passed to EWS and thence to DB Schenker.
However, as ESG and its subsidiary Railway Approvals Ltd work for a number of freight and passenger operators, it has kept its own identity and is managed at arms length by DB.
ESG managing director Martin Horsman was at pains to stress this. Sitting around his office table, which had once graced the offices of the Gloucester Carriage and Wagon Company, he explained the relationship with the parent company.
“People do ask about that,” he told The Rail Engineer. “They wonder how becoming part of Deutsche Bahn has affected the business, and whether our customers now see us as a potential competitor.
“The truth is that we are in no way connected with DB Schenker except at the highest level. ESG and Railway Approvals are part of DB Systemtechnik, the engineering and testing side of DB. Managing director Hans Peter Lang is also Deutsche Bahn’s chief technical officer.
“DB Systemtechnik carries out testing on railway vehicles and components at several sites in Germany, and also looks after customers’ fleets of rolling stock operation and maintenance. What they don’t do is project management and railway approvals – that’s what we do here at ESG. So while we are part of DB Systemtechnik, we do things that the German operations don’t.”
It’s a job that is becoming increasingly international. Of course, the UK is still the major market, with traditional engineering projects taking up a lot of the time, such as integrating new cab air-conditioning into existing trains. In addition, over the last 18 months, a significant amount of work has been undertaken advising on refranchising. ESG has evaluated options such as the cascading of fleets, general fleet strategy, depot improvements, environmental impact and the passenger experience.
But overseas markets are growing. In Australia, where there was no traditional DB presence, ESG and Railway Approvals are leading the push.
The competence of the 100-strong ESG team, which Martin Horsman calls “lean and mean”, was a major factor in the company’s selection to lead the duplex-pantograph project.
Demanding timescales
The analysis of Class 91-related delays considered when a duplex pantograph system would have reduced or eliminated these over the previous four and a half years. It was found that East Coast had accrued £970,000 of penalty payments over the period, while Network Rail had racked up £2.8 million.
Calculating the cost of developing and fitting a trial design to one locomotive (£719,000) and then retrofitting the fleet (£750,000) gave an overall payback period of 3.44 years, allowing for a 50% mitigation factor in case the duplex pantograph would not be effective in all cases.
To achieve the goals set by Eversholt Rail and East Coast, ESG was asked to deliver the project for a budget of £719,000 and within 54 weeks – from project award to dynamic testing.
Mechanical alterations
Brecknell-Willis’ design paired two pantographs in an opposing configuration mounted on a single base frame. Each individual pantograph incorporated the improvements that had been made over the years of service on Class 91 locomotives. These included a Fast Acting Dropping Device (FADD), bonded carbons to increase the service life, and a chain guard which had been introduced to extend the chain’s serviceable life.
Although both pantographs were to be mounted on a single frame, the additional arm meant that significant alterations had to be made to the locomotive. ESG undertook the design for these and for modifications to the control and monitoring equipment.
As the new duplex pantograph was much longer when in the ‘down’ position than the original, the roof mouldings had to be reworked with a larger recess to accommodate this. ESG’s new design was optimised to reduce the build- up of foreign debris and snow and to disperse rain. It also included additional features such as an internal wire mesh screen and external strike plate to reduce the effects of electric and magnetic fields in the number two cab underneath.
The redesign of the roof necessitated alterations to the underlying structure. The main structural arch, an inverted C-channel, was replaced with a low profile beam assembly between the cantrails. This had to be carefully located as minimum clearances between the live pantograph and the access doorway into the number two end cab had to be respected.
All of these changes, which brought about a lowering of the cab roof, meant that ESG had to undertake an ergonomic assessment of the end cab internal area. The reduced roof height also resulted in a complete redesign of the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) system’s inlet and outlet configuration and the need to relocate and upgrade the cab lighting to a new LED system.
Is it up?
Of course, the new duplex pantograph raised its own challenges as it had to be integrated into the locomotive’s electrical control system. ESG developed a new complex logic control system, both for the locomotive and for the DVT. This introduced a new ‘pantograph status’ mimic panel to all three cabs which displays the status of each of the two pantographs to the driver displaying ‘Pan Up,’ ‘Pan Housed’ and ‘ADD.’
The new logic control uses opto-isolated circuits to pick up vehicle inputs, determine the status of each pantograph and output the correct logic sequence to illuminate the LED mimic panels with the current system status. New circuits convert the digital status signals to an Ethernet signal, communicate the data from the Class 91 to the DVT using the train’s existing Ethernet backbone, and then convert them back to a digital signal to drive the mimic panel.
The final element of the system integration was the Brecknell-Willis pneumatic control panel. Electrical inputs are used to activate solenoid valves to raise and lower the pantograph, and outputs from pressure switches are used as inputs to the logic control system to provide system status information and ADD functionality.
To test the new installation, a strategy was developed which would allow East Coast to demonstrate compatibility between the modified locomotive and the infrastructure. Significant elements of this included high- voltage testing of the new installation and in-service tests monitoring pantograph performance and uplift.
The basis of the compatibility argument is that the duplex pantograph is essentially two conventional pantographs mounted on the same base and that each behaves in a way that is equivalent to (if not slightly better than) the existing, well-proven design.
ESG did well to deliver this complex project, combining new technology with a 25-year- old locomotive, in the allotted time and to budget.
The duplex-pan Class 91 remains in passenger service, although retro-fitting of the entire fleet was put on hold pending new franchise agreements and a finalisation of the Department for Transport’s plans for the new Hitachi IET fleet. Meanwhile, valuable in-service data is being gathered and this is pointing to the new installation making a good contribution to overall train reliability.
The Great Western Electrification Programme (GWEp) will provide more reliable, greener and quieter journeys for thousands of passengers. Around 1,000 kilometres of railway will be electrified between London and Cardiff for the introduction of Intercity Express trains by 2018.
This huge project will see 22,000 piles, masts and associated wiring installed and hundreds of thousands of decisions made to bring GWEp into service in just four years time.
In early 2013, Atkins and Parsons Brinckerhoff working in partnership were awarded the Lead Design Organisation (LDO) and Systems Integrator contract for the scheme – one of the first projects to be delivered under Network Rail’s UK-wide electrification plan. During the past 12 months, the joint team has been designing, developing and integrating the scheme in parallel which presents complex and exciting challenges.
Russell Jackson, Atkins’ director leading the LDO contract, said: “On a smaller project, achieving requirements and managing interfaces can be handled very easily without specialist techniques and skills. But this isn’t possible with GWEp so we’re using systems such as Enterprise Architect, 3D layout systems, and online design logs that augment traditional tools to ensure our design hits the sweet spot of right first time delivery.”
Keeping heritage in mind
Originally designed by Brunel as a broad gauge (7’ 1⁄4” – 2,140mm) railway, the Great Western main line was completed between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads in 1840. By 1875, the track had been converted to a three-rail system so that standard gauge trains could also use it, and by 1892 broad gauge operation had ceased entirely.
However, much of Brunel’s original railway remains. It has many Grade I and II listed buildings on its route and passes through a World Heritage site at Bath. This heritage is an important part of GWEp, and that is being taken into account in the overall electrification design. The joint team, led by Network Rail, is working closely with English Heritage and other stakeholders to make sure sensitive structures are safeguarded.
“We have to ensure that, as much as possible, the design meets our safety and engineering requirements in a way that is sensitive to Brunel’s railway,” Russell explained. “In the Bath World Heritage site, we are developing a holistic approach which reflects Brunel’s design while maintaining the highest safety standards for the railway. In these areas we’re working with heritage specialists Alan Baxter & Associates and will support Network Rail’s extensive public stakeholder consultation.”
Modern design
Despite keeping one eye on the railway’s heritage, the GWEp team is using the latest technology and is currently developing a new Overhead Line Electrification (OLE) system called Series 1. Using fewer parts, the system is more reliable than current OLE and is safer to operate and maintain.
To see how the system design will work in the real world, a testing site at Old Dalby was constructed in late 2013 to compare computer modelling with actual performance. Testing began in December 2013 using a Southeastern Class 395 Javelin high-speed train fitted with an improved design of pantograph. This evaluation is due to be complete around June 2014.
To date, the test results look good and show that the system is performing in line with how the modelling predicted it would. “The Old Dalby site is the first of its kind in the UK,” Russell commented. “Previously, UK electrification has used tried and tested technology but, with the new technology we are using this time around, we need to make sure performance is improved as we expect.
“The LDO is taking the GWEp system designs and developing the route-wide detailed designs. Amey is already installing foundations for early key milestones. We have seven design teams working on allocation of Series 1 on Great Western, drawing from a pool of 60 per cent of the UK’s OLE resource. As part of our continuous improvement process, the teams will develop detailed design, refined at each stage with ongoing build feedback, to ensure that the programme delivers an electrified railway that is as reliable, affordable and as safe as possible.”
Delivering a technically challenging programme of work in a short time frame requires working in a joint team. Daniel Mayhew, operations director from Parsons Brinckerhoff, continued: “On GWEp, the traditional way of working doesn’t apply. We must be collaborative and share responsibility to successfully deliver this scheme. The programme is different in how it recognises the importance of design and systems integration such that the LDO is a key delivery partner to Network Rail, alongside the construction partners.”
Developing new trains
To save time and money, the project team is also developing new high output construction trains to make installing the piles, masts and OLE much easier than traditional methods. This fleet of trains was developed specifically for use on GWEp and they work like a production line to install piles, masts and wiring. These new trains will be in service by the summer once testing is complete.
One of the first tasks will be to facilitate the start of Intercity Express (IEP) train testing. These will be manufactured by Hitachi at a new factory in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham. Currently, a 20 kilometre test site is being built between Didcot and Reading to allow Hitachi to test its new trains on a live railway to see how they will work with the Great Western infrastructure. The GWEp project team is building this site which will involve the installation of around 1000 structures and all of the associated equipment for electrification. Work is due to be complete during 2015.
GWEp is giving the project team an interesting challenge. Never before in the UK has a project of this scale been developed, designed and built concurrently but the lessons learnt here should help the rail industry become more effective.
From implementing next-generation engineering management systems to building bespoke equipment such as piling trains to achieve significant time and cost savings, it is clear that delivery in the rail industry is entering a new phase fit for a twenty-first century railway.
Atkins and Parsons Brinckerhoff have a range of exciting career opportunities available in electrification. Turn to pages 80 and 81 to find out more.
Over the last few years I have been very fortunate to have written quite a number of articles about this most fascinating and complex railway project known as the Thameslink project. The latest article I wrote about this £6 billion project appeared in the May issue of The Rail Engineer (issue 115) and was based on the Canal Tunnels.
So, when I was preparing for my latest meeting with Chris Binns, Network Rail’s head of engineering for the Thameslink project in late spring, I considered the progress that Network Rail has made with regard to the overall scheme, asking myself, although the completion date is 2018, would it be reasonable for me to suggest that the project was now moving into the final stages, albeit that they will be substantial, of this long running project? After all, it started back in 1991 and it was dubbed ‘Thameslink 2000’. Do you remember?
I’m not sure whether the original Thameslink 2000 project included the two six-metre diameter Canal Tunnels I have referred to, which were constructed about 10 years ago. The tunnels offer a new 900 metre long, two track link between the East Coast main line at Belle Isle Junction just outside Kings Cross station and the Midland main line just north of St Pancras station.
In August 2012, Network Rail announced that Carillion was to be the contractor responsible for connections into the main lines, fitting out the tunnels installing slab track, associated emergency walkways, signalling and telecoms equipment and fire services and pumps and other associated safety equipment throughout the tunnels, as well as overall site management as the principal contractor. In addition, Balfour Beatty was appointed the contractor responsible for the 25kV overhead line electrification (OLE) installation work.
A new route available
In the lead up to Easter this year, the new Canal Tunnels junction at the St Pancras end was completed and is now ready for use. Also completed was complex preparatory work to the existing junction at Belle Isle ready for the installation of a new double junction. This work, coupled with the fitting out of the tunnels, is well advanced and will be completed this year. However, the tunnels will not be brought into service until commissioning of the overall project in 2018 but the intention is to use the tunnels from 2015, to enable the new Class 700 Siemens trains that are currently being built in Germany to travel up to the new Hornsey Depot, ready for final commissioning.
At London Bridge station, now without its old train shed roof, a significant milestone was achieved when the new terminating platforms 14 and 15 were brought in to service at the end of March, replacing the old platforms 14, 15 and 16. It is the first part of a plan to take possession of two platforms at a time, working from the south of the station. The old platforms have been removed along with the tracks and ballast. Supporting brick archways have been demolished and piles driven to support bridge deck piers that in turn will support the new platforms.
The space below the platforms will eventually provide the station with a new expansive concourse area that will extend across the width of the station with lifts and escalators serving all 15 platforms. Costain is the principal contractor for this work and Chris explained that the completion of platforms 14 and 15 was significant because it assured the team that the approach adopted was achievable and appropriate and that, by Christmas 2014, all six terminating platforms should be completed and the new concourse below extended accordingly.
This work also gives the travelling public a first glimpse of what the station will look like on the surface. The new concourse however, will have to remain behind hoardings for some time as it is used for access to the worksites during construction.
Teams working together
Costain has had to work in tandem with Balfour Beatty, the principal contractor for the trackwork, and Siemens which had to renew and relocate many miles of signaling cable and associated equipment. This, coupled with the operating issues associated with a station that receives more than 52 million passengers each year, demands total cooperation and team spirit from all involved.
As you would expect, the project team has painstakingly produced detailed staging diagrams that cover all the work up to 2018. These diagrams show each integrated station and track remodelling stage underpinned by further detailed charts showing sequences and diagrams. Each event is detailed down to the hour. Chris explained that a minimum 14-day buffer has been built into each critical stage of the programme. This is one of the many lessons learnt through experience and there can’t be many teams around with the experience that Thameslink offers.
As with many successful projects today, there is no longer any ‘man-marking’ within the London Bridge station project. Instead, the most suitable person for the job is appointed, irrespective of their employer. So, where appropriate, Network Rail personnel will take instruction from Costain personnel and vice versa. It is this approach that has ensured that platforms 14 and 15 were delivered on time.
Attention to detail essential
For Chris, it is this partnering approach that will ensure that the project will be delivered on time and to budget. Also, absolutely everything that is planned has a knock-on effect that has to be understood, communicated, recorded and managed. As Chris kept reminding me, there is no other project quite like it and attention to every detail is absolutely essential. It is the complexity of the project and the need to provide the level of detail necessary throughout the project that he and the team find so fascinating.
At the west end of the station, an approach viaduct cast in-situ with a precast beam decking is slowly emerging, designed to link the existing network with the new and so far unused, 350 metre pathway which includes Borough Market viaduct, designed to carry an additional two dedicated Charing Cross tracks. At the moment, the approach roads to the new bus station are in the way, so plans are being developed with the local community to take possession of the site and complete the work.
Whilst these details are being finalised, Skanska carried out strengthening work on three bridges between Waterloo East and London Bridge over Easter, closing Charing Cross station. The work included the removal of a bridge girder to accommodate new S&C and realigned track yet to be installed. On an adjacent bridge, longitudinal timber beams were removed and the deck reconstructed and waterproofed. This essential work is required to help comply with Route Availability level 8 standards and to create a proposed track alignment that is required to meet a target of 24 trains per hour through the core of the route – between Blackfriars and St Pancras station.
Dive Under taking shape
Moving to the east of London Bridge station, work over Easter extended to the New Cross Gate area, incorporating a new structure known as the Bermondsey Dive Under. Working together, a 500 tonne and a 250 tonne crane lifted three large steel span sections onto four previously-constructed reinforced concrete piers. Then, 28 precast concrete L-shaped units were fixed onto the steel structures secured by 1000 shear studs that were welded on site. This work took place alongside the brick arched viaducts carrying six main lines.
The new structure forms the start of a transitional structure that will eventually span from the existing brick viaduct to the Bermondsey Dive Under. The plan requires Skanska to complete this work in 2016.
Whilst this work was underway, and in order to maximise the benefits of the possession time between London Bridge Station and the Bermondsey Dive Under, Balfour Beatty was carrying out major track works including the recovery of an existing crossover and the installation of two new crossovers in the same area.
It is a very congested area, site access is difficult and the track is supported on ageing brick arches that can only support limited loading. Therefore, to minimise point loading, two ‘baby’ Kirow 250 cranes were used to lift the track panels that were transported to site by twenty of the now-familiar tilting wagons to install the new layout.
There were eight engineering trains used for this work alone. A total of 71 welds were installed and the track stressed. One new crossover was brought into service straight away and the associated signalling panel alterations at London Bridge incorporated into the plan.
More major blockades
That’s not a bad parcel of work for an Easter break! Now, back to the question which I asked Chris – do you think that you are moving into the final straight for this project? Chris thought about this for a while then said that there isn’t any more major work that hasn’t been started. However, passengers have only just seen a glimpse of what the London Bridge station will look like when it is finished.
He then explained that Network Rail will be closing the whole of the route at London Bridge Station for a nine day blockade in August and then 16 days at Christmas. This is to address the need to totally renew and remodel the throat to the station. He added that, at Christmas, they will be using 43 engineering trains to carry out the work that will see all the final six new terminating platforms brought into use.
Chris then confirmed that new sidings and carriage cleaning facilities at Peterborough, Brighton, Cricklewood and Hornsey are either complete or well underway. Also, eight-car and twelve-car sets of the new Class 700 trains are undergoing preliminary tests on third-rail test track in Germany. He added that, to enable work on the new through platforms to happen, Thameslink trains will be diverted away from London Bridge station from December 2014 until January 2018, and that they will have to educate the travelling public accordingly.
It is this last comment that reminds me that, although we are certainly past the end of the beginning, and we might be seeing the beginning of the end, there is still a fair way to go and much to be done by teams working effectively together. There will also be more articles to write about this intriguing project!
The United Kingdom rail network is being used by unprecedented numbers of trains and the demand for more passenger and freight services continues to rise, particularly on arterial routes such as the East Coast main line. Writes Peter Stanton
That growth has led to considerations about how to better use the existing infrastructure and, to that end, historical routes parallel to that main line have been considered for modified use.
The Great Northern Railway and its rival the Great Eastern Railway established the Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint Railway in 1879. The joint company built a line between Spalding and Lincoln to complete a new, primarily freight, route between Cambridge and Doncaster, a distance of about 123 miles. The main purpose was to move Yorkshire coal into East Anglia, a highly profitable enterprise.
The route survives except for the Lincoln by-pass line and the section between March in Cambridgeshire and Spalding in Lincolnshire, both of which were closed in the 1980s. The section between Peterborough and Spalding is now regarded as part of the joint line although this is not strictly (historically) accurate.
Plans for the future
The Network Rail East Coast Route Utilisation Study, published in 2008, identified the potential severe restrictions to traffic growth on the route. The East Coast main line 2016 capacity review was then released as a draft for consultation in August 2010. That confirmed that the GNGE scheme could provide a significantly upgraded line between Peterborough and Doncaster via Spalding and Lincoln.
The decision was then made to go ahead with the project which, when completed, will generate additional passenger train paths on the East Coast Mainline between Peterborough and Doncaster through the provision of W9 and W10 gauge cleared paths on the GNGE Joint Line (Peterborough to Doncaster via Spalding and Lincoln), and the upgrade of structures and track to accommodate the predicted increase in annual gross tonnage.
Additional infrastructure upgrades are being introduced to provide a journey time that allows rail freight to compete with road haulage. Werrington Junction is to be upgraded to allow rail traffic to / from the east/south to cross the East Coast main line without conflict. Level crossings are being upgraded as required, driven by increased traffic and line speeds.
The scheme will allow the GNGE Joint Line to become the primary route for daytime freight traffic and permit parallel growth in passenger services on the core ECML route. It is important to note that the decision to reinvigorate this line was chosen ahead of other options (such as four-tracking the ECML) as secondary benefits to the local communities and economies are anticipated through better opening hours, improved journey times and the opportunity to tap into the blossoming rail- freight market.
The route also has passenger services and details can be found in table 18 of the Great British Timetable. Services are run by East Midlands Trains between Peterborough and Doncaster, though not all services run the whole length of the route. There is a roughly hourly service between Peterborough and Lincoln calling at Spalding, Sleaford, Ruskington and Metheringham. There are also a few services that link Sleaford to Doncaster (calling all stations), again operated by East Midlands Trains.
Northern Rail operates the all-stations service between Lincoln and Sheffield which calls at Saxilby and Gainsborough Lea Road before diverging from the line to Doncaster just after it crosses the River Trent. There are no services between Sleaford and Spalding after around 17:00 Monday to Saturday as the signal boxes are closed. The revisedinfrastructure will allow new opportunities for passenger services to further enhance the gains from the route improvements.
Challenges ahead
Network Rail’s project director is Ian Quick, based in York. Ian has been with Railtrack and Network Rail for some eleven years. His earlier career was in the building services area of the electrification and plant function. He then moved on through the estates team and dealt with projects such as Potters Bar station and Derby station renewals. He gained further experience with the Edinburgh Waverley roof renewal and Nottingham Hub projects. He took up the GNGE project in 2012.
Ian described his view of the project. Essentially, the section north of Lincoln was in an optimum condition for freight with reasonable infrastructure condition including concrete sleepered track. South of Lincoln he found to be a significant contrast with wooden sleepers and many conventional manual signalboxes. He viewed his core aim to be to improve journey times to equal the East Coast main line timings for freight while improving clearances to W10 gauge. The strategic aim looks to be able to generate a 15-year maintenance-free period, a welcome move to the users of the route.
A major project
The first thing that strikes is the surprising scale of the scheme – some £330 million pounds is being spent on a stretch of railway which does not come across as particularly high profile. The changing pattern of freight has seen the route drop below the horizon and it is the resurgence in the last few years that has brought awareness of its potential to support, and help capacity, on the main East Coast route south of Doncaster. That scale can be summed up as 86 miles of route between Werrington and Doncaster and the renewal of 27% of the track and 53% of the point ends.
On top of the trackwork itself there are 49 underbridges, 19 overbridges and 82 culverts to be dealt with. There is even a tunnel where there is a 66 metre track-lowering job.
The route has a history of heritage signalling and, to that end, the route is to be recontrolled with modular signalling from Lincoln control centre. 13 signalboxes and 11 manned gates are to be replaced while 92 level crossings will be tackled. Station works are included as well, with five platform gauging sites and the footbridges at Saxilby and Ruskington to be given attention. Control at the north end is based on Doncaster and the system will run on the fixed telecommunications network (FTN).
Off track is no less testing with lineside fencing, 68 kilometres of route works, 151 kilometres of vegetation clearance and nine kilometres of earthworks including cess support and restraints.
Phasing
In view of the size of the scheme, and its geographic and operational coverage, the programme has been split into five phases. Peculiarly, Phase 2 was built first as that gave the best solution for keeping the railway open during the works.
The sections involved are:
Phase 2 – Decoy North Junction to Gainsborough Trent Junction
Phase 1 – Beckingham Junction to Pyewipe Junction
Phase 3 – Branston & Washingborough to Sleaford South Junction
Phase 4 – Sleaford North Junction to Gosberton
Phase 5 – Spalding to Werrington Junction.
Network Rail is managing the project but the works are being dealt with through the GNGE Alliance with the strapline ‘Four as One’. The Alliance with Network Rail consists of Babcock, Siemens Rail Automation and Carillion, although there are other players from major companies such as Balfour Beatty, Kier and QTS. Ian emphasised the excellent relations within the Alliance and was full of praise for how that relationship had enabled the project to move forward so effectively.
The main construction base is at Peterborough with sub-bases at Lincoln and Spalding.
Progress has been smooth with the planned completion date of this third of a billion pound project originally set for March 2014. However, the recent landslip at Hatfield Colliery (issue 105, July 2013) had quite an impact on the programme as the diversion of traffic due to that event changed the traffic levels on the joint line. This forced some of the GNGE works to be rescheduled, putting the completion date back to November 2014.
Major signalling work
Four of the five phases use Siemens’ modular signalling solution – a conventionally-signalled system would have required extensive copper cabling and trackside infrastructure which would simply have been too costly. By its very nature, modular signalling uses less trackside infrastructure than a conventional application of computer-based interlocking technology.
As a further example of the scale of the project, Siemens delivered Phase 1, the re-signalling of the GNGE route between Gainsborough Trent Junction signal box to the north and Lincoln West solid state interlocking to the south, in January 2014. The work included the commissioning of 27 signal bases and structures, 48 object controller installations and four modular equipment housings (MEHs), as well as some 22 kilometres of power cable and 25 kilometres of signalling fibre.
The project team also commissioned a new modular signalling solution for a number of level crossings, including Sykes Lane, Saxilby and Kesteven – all of which have now been converted to manually controlled barrier with object detection (MCB-OD) operation – as well as Stow Park, which has been converted to MCB- CCTV controlled operation.
Phase 3, covering a further 32 miles of railway and five manually-controlled barrier (MCB) level crossings, followed and was commissioned in April. This phase included the commissioning of 38 VMS LED signals, 70 object controller installations, five modular equipment housings (MEHs), 93 power boxes, 104 axle counter sections and 36 automatic warning systems fitments.
Siemens still have more work to do. Senior project manager Paul Carlile said: “The adoption of modular signalling has been fundamental to the delivery of the whole scheme, representing a major element in four of the programme’s five phases. We now move on to Phase 4, which is scheduled to be commissioned in August 2014”.
Good neighbours
Another point to emphasise is that the project team has made great efforts to get on with neighbours and stakeholders and is able to point to a good consultative relationship with local and parish councils – this neighbour interface has been a real success story. There has doubtless been some disruption and impact on those local communities but excellent public relations has ensured that those communities look forward to the benefits accruing from a better rail service. Work to replace Saxilby level crossing between
20 December 2013 and 5 January 2014 closed the only access to and from West Bank, Saxilby. Following consultation with the local community and elected representatives, Network Rail provided a 24-hour minibus service for West Bank residents, enabling them to access local facilities and their cars which were held in a secure car park nearby. Phil Verster, route managing director for Network Rail, publicly stated he was grateful to the people of Saxilby, especially residents of West Bank, for their patience and understanding during the works.
Thus this apparent backwater railway is poised to take its place as a really relevant part of the UK railway network in the twenty-first century – returning to the important role undertaken by the line at its build date. Ironically, it will be a robust freight route again – albeit one allowing improved passenger working as well.
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Determining the ongoing appetite for personalised information must be treated with caution; nanny knows best might be wrong. Mark Evers, the director of customer strategy in TfL explained how this is being researched.![2BHeathrow [online]](http://railengineer.uk/wp-content/uploads/2BHeathrow-online.jpg)
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V-TRAS
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The new logic control uses opto-isolated circuits to pick up vehicle inputs, determine the status of each pantograph and output the correct logic sequence to illuminate the LED mimic panels with the current system status. New circuits convert the digital status signals to an Ethernet signal, communicate the data from the Class 91 to the DVT using the train’s existing Ethernet backbone, and then convert them back to a digital signal to drive the mimic panel.
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Modern design
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At London Bridge station, now without its old train shed roof, a significant milestone was achieved when the new terminating platforms 14 and 15 were brought in to service at the end of March, replacing the old platforms 14, 15 and 16. It is the first part of a plan to take possession of two platforms at a time, working from the south of the station. The old platforms have been removed along with the tracks and ballast. Supporting brick archways have been demolished and piles driven to support bridge deck piers that in turn will support the new platforms.
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