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High Speed Rail for Scotland

The first high speed rail line between two British cities is expected to be completed in 2026, sixty two years after Japan gave the world its first high speed rail. This is about the same time from the first manned flight to putting a man on the moon. Aidan Grisewood, Transport Scotland’s Director Rail, made this point recently in a presentation on High Speed Rail in Scotland given to the IMechE’s Railway Division in Glasgow.

His comments are also reflected in figures published by the International Union of Railways on miles of high-speed lines in place or planned by 2025, with the UK being last of sixteen countries. Its 70 miles is miniscule compared with the four front runners – China, Spain, France and Japan which respectively plan to have 5678, 4415, 4135 and 3774 miles.

The good news is that, in 2026, the planned HS2 line from London to Birmingham should add 140 miles while last month’s announcement of the phase 2 extensions to Manchester and Leeds will add a further 221 miles by 2032.

Only half way

The announcement of plans to extend the high speed rail network north of Birmingham is welcome news. Overlaying the planned high-speed Y network over a satellite photo of the UK at night shows how it connects centres of population north of London.

However the current plan only takes high speed rail halfway from London to Scotland and doesn’t even reach the population centres of North East England. The plan reduces the London to Glasgow time by 50 minutes to 3 hrs 30mins whereas a complete high-speed route would bring this down to only 2 hrs 15 minutes. Moreover, it is possible that this reduction may not be fully realised unless tilting trains can run on the high-speed lines as otherwise there will be longer running times on the winding conventional lines north of Preston.

So, in Scotland the response to this announcement was – why not go all the way? Local authorities and business leaders demanded that the high speed network be extended north of the border and Scotland’s Transport Minister, Keith Brown, called on his Westminster counterpart to commit to a timetable to extend high-speed rail to Scotland.

That extra 200 miles of high speed rail will not come cheap. However, the European experience is that the greatest benefit from high speed rail is over long distances such as London to Edinburgh / Glasgow. For example, after TGVs were introduced on the comparable 412 mile route between Paris and Marseille, rail’s market share increased from 22% to 65%.

This is reinforced by the report “Fast forward – a high speed rail strategy for Britain” published by Greengauge in 2009 which estimated the regional economic benefits of high speed rail. For central Scotland, the estimated benefit was £19.8 billion (net present value, over a 60 year period) compared with £5.4 billion for the West Midlands. A comprehensive study undertaken by Network Rail in 2009 (New Lines Programme) concluded that the most cost effective option for a rail route between London and Scotland was a new high-speed route connecting London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Over a 60 year period it was considered that for a cost of £35 billion this would generate benefits worth £55 billion.

Scottish high-speed campaign

Not surprisingly, the Scottish Government is keen to encourage high speed rail. To do so in 2011 it formed the Scottish Partnership Group for High Speed Rail. This Group brought together Glasgow and Edinburgh city councils, Network Rail, Scottish Chambers of Commerce, Transport Scotland and others representing a cross-section of Scottish civic and business life. It reviewed the business case for high-speed rail to Scotland and asked 40 businesses for their views. Having done so, the group produced its “Fast Track Scotland” report which sets out Scotland’s case for high speed rail and demonstrated the considerable support for it.

Transport Scotland organised a high level summit in Glasgow in November 2012 to further promote the case to extend high-speed rail to Scotland and Northern England. At this summit, Under Secretary of State for Transport Norman Baker advised that the UK Government considered the benefits of high speed rail for Scotland were crucial to the economic wellbeing of the whole country. He gave an assurance that the UK government will continue to work closely with its partners in Scotland to achieve this.

This assurance is reflected in the Department for Transport’s command paper “High Speed Rail Investing in Britain’s Future Phase Two: The route to Leeds, Manchester and beyond”. This paper welcomes Scotland’s interest in high-speed rail and commits to a joint study with Transport Scotland to consider Scotland’s aspirations for high speed rail. However it refers to cutting journey times to less than 3 hours with options which could include new high speed lines and/or upgrades to the existing network. This perhaps indicates that the DfT has yet to commit to a complete high speed line to Scotland which would give a 2 hour 15 minute journey time.

Edinburgh to Glasgow at 140mph

Baker’s presentation to the high speed summit was overshadowed by Scotland’s deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon. She announced that Scotland is not waiting for Westminster to deliver high-speed rail north of the border but would instead be “firing ahead” with its own plans to build a high speed line which could see 140mph trains running between Edinburgh and Glasgow – cutting journey times to less than 30 minutes. She felt that this line could be complete by 2024, two years ahead of the HS2 London to Birmingham line.

This announcement wasn’t greeted with universal acclaim. As there are already four routes between Scotland’s two main cities, some critics couldn’t see the need for another. Concerns have also been expressed on the lack of information about funding, costs, routes and location of terminal stations. It was clear from Grisewood’s presentation that such criticism misses the point as a faster journey time between Edinburgh and Glasgow is only one benefit of a plan which will also relieve congestion on the existing rail network. At the Scottish high-speed summit, the importance of this point was emphasised by David Simpson, route managing director for Network Rail Scotland, who advised that 30% more train services were operating in Scotland than a decade ago.

The real rationale for a high speed rail line within Scotland is a recommendation of the Scottish Partnership Group for High Speed Rail that the Scottish end of the UK high speed network should be built as soon as possible to get the immediate benefit of a high speed line between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

This requires around 40 miles of new UIC Gauge high speed railway with no new stations (new city centre stations will not be required until there is a high-speed connection from the south). In addition, it is felt that the geography of southern central Scotland will not require tunnels. The estimated cost of the 140 miles of HS2 from London to Birmingham is £16 billion or £115 million per mile. With stations and tunnels accounting for almost half HS2 construction costs, the Scottish line should cost significantly less than this. Put it in context, its cost is likely to be of the same order as the new Forth road bridge currently under construction.

Scotland’s high speed timetable

The Scottish Government’s plan for a high speed rail line in 2024 requires construction to start in 2018. This needs a Parliamentary Bill to be introduced in 2016 based on an outline design which will require surveys, investigations and an Environmental Impact Assessment to be undertaken in 2015. Thus the selected route would need to be decided in 2014 on the basis of route options developed in 2013.

In the discussion following the presentation to the IMechE, it became apparent that perhaps the most difficult decision was the location of the terminal stations. Grisewood advised that the advice from HS2 was to determine station locations before choosing a high speed route. In the short term this is not an issue for a proposed Scottish high speed line which will initially use existing stations and their approach tracks. However, passive provision is required for new UIC gauge city-centre terminals which will be constructed as the high-speed line reaches Scotland.

Possible routes from England

The Scottish high-speed proposal is at the top end of a high-speed line from England, the route of which has yet to be decided. In his presentation, Grisewood showed how a Scottish high speed line running south of the central belt would fit into all UK high speed network options under consideration. He advised that Transport Scotland is working closely with HS2 to ensure connectivity with the new route from the south. Transport Scotland expect that the preferred high speed route to Scotland will be chosen by 2015.

Although Transport Scotland is wise to ensure its high-speed route can accommodate all feasible routes from the south, the DfT’s command paper on high-speed routes to Leeds, Manchester and beyond offers a strong indication of current thinking. In this paper, a diagram entitled “Vision for High Speed Britain” shows the West Coast Main Line connected to the Manchester arm of the high-speed network running to Glasgow and Edinburgh. It also shows the East Coast Main Line connected to the Leeds arm of the network and finishing at Newcastle. East and West coast lines are classified as “classic comparable services” whereas the line from Newcastle to Edinburgh is an “existing line with potential for future connection to HS2”. It therefore seems a fair bet that the eventual high-speed route to Scotland will be a west coast route.

Current thinking is that a high speed route from the south will open around 15 years after the Scottish high speed line. Until then a further option under consideration is a high speed line between the West Coast mainline and the Scottish high speed line. This would speed up journeys across the border by around 15 minutes and release capacity on lines to Edinburgh and Glasgow. This could become part of the high speed network if a west coast route option was selected.

The work of generations

HS2 technical director Andrew McNaughton has described the construction of the UK’s high speed rail network as the work of generations with it being many years before England and Scotland are connected by a high speed rail network. The Scottish Government’s plans, however, should give Scotland an internal high speed rail link in the foreseeable future, perhaps even before HS2’s London to Birmingham project. It’s also possible that the example of Scottish high speed rail might spur construction of the remainder of the network to make it the work of one less generation.

High Speed interest

HS2 is about to enter an interesting phase. “Interesting? It’s always in an interesting phase!”

Continue

(New) product acceptance

Product acceptance and technology introduction are terms that most people in the rail industry have heard, and on which they quite probably have a strong opinion.

Engineers and project managers, contractors and suppliers, they will all inevitably have come across the ‘stumbling block’ that is Product Acceptance.

There is no doubt that Network Rail’s product acceptance process has come under scrutiny throughout its history. It has been criticised for being slow, and cumbersome, and complicated.

So why is it there? A company has a new product which it has developed and is ready to supply, you are a competent engineer and believe that this product is going to help you complete your task more efficiently, so why can’t you just get on and use it?

Purpose

Primarily product acceptance is about assurance. It exists so that, as infrastructure manager, Network Rail can demonstrate that the building blocks which make up the railway and the equipment and plant used by staff and contractors are safe, fit for purpose, and do not export risk onto the operational network.

To manage the introduction of technology, it follows a process which is designed to ensure that the needs of each stakeholder are met.

First and foremost is the requirement that each product needs a Network Rail employee to act as sponsor. This sponsor is the most critical role in the process and is required to prove that there is a business need for the product – if there is no business need, then logically the product will not be eligible for acceptance. The sponsor also acts as project manager and is responsible for the safe and timely delivery of the acceptance.

The process

Once an application has been submitted, an early stage in the process will identify if the product presents a strong business case and is in line with product strategy – both technically and commercially. If the application passes the strategy check stage successfully, then focus turns to ensuring that the performance, functional, and safety aspects of introducing a product are addressed along with integration tasks such as training. A specification is drawn up by a competent and independent engineer and the supplier and sponsor, working together, are required to demonstrate within their submission that the product meets those requirements.

The submission is assessed and reviewed and, if successful, the product is issued a Certificate of Acceptance and added to iStore, Network Rail’s online procurement site, so that it is orderable across the entire business.

‘Glasnost and perestroika’

Network Rail recognises that, in the past, visibility of the process has been somewhat lacking. Over recent months an important part of the Technology Introduction team’s work has been increasing the transparency of product acceptance.

Foremost to this is recognising that all parties – infrastructure manager, project team, contractor, supplier – are integral to the successful introduction of new technology into the industry. To meet the needs of the continually evolving railway with higher passenger numbers, greater loads and focus on delivering value for money, if new technology is not being introduced, the company is not just standing still but actually going backwards.

Now based in Milton Keynes, the Technology Introduction department has strived to improve its performance over recent years, and time is a key indicator of

Difficult access not down under

There are over 30,000 small road bridges and many thousands more pedestrian bridges in Australia, many of which are coming to the end of their structural lives. The cost of replacing these bridges is colossal, and could impose a crushing burden on councils, which are responsible for the vast majority of these, mostly timber, bridges.

To complicate matters, the legal responsibilities for councils and road authorities have changed enormously with the decision by the High Court to abolish the concept of nonfeasance. While a number of Australian states have legislated to protect councils and other road authorities, the legal position has been dramatically altered and continues to evolve.

Bridges built decades ago now have to withstand far greater and heavier traffic, which is imposing greater risks and forcing councils and road authorities to search for cost effective solutions and to improve their management of their bridge assets.

Discussing opportunities

The Fifth Australian Small Bridges Conference, a recent two-day event in Surfers Paradise, focused on the problem of small to medium bridges (which account for around 85% of the national structures stock). A knowledgeable audience of state and federal bridge, highway and rail engineers, managers, contractors and suppliers heard about significant new developments in policy and methods for maintaining their assets. Fiscal and technical challenges facing all levels of government were discussed and explored with practical solutions debated. One of the most significant challenges facing the Australian market is extending/managing the condition of its assets and this issue was high on the agenda at the conference and stimulated off-line discussion.

BridgeZone, a well established and leading provider of structural engineering consultancy services involving rope access, underwater and confined access inspection services, was invited to address the audience on the techniques it employs. Paul Marshall and Kimble West gave a well-received presentation and, through networking and active participation at the conference, it became apparent that the Australian market as a whole is carrying out very little difficult access inspection and virtually no systematic underwater inspection of bridges. In truth, most inspections seemed to be reactive. However, as risks increase – when, for example, the age and, more importantly, condition of an asset is acknowledged as a serious problem or when infrastructure new- build is slacking – asset management as a concept is‘on-the-rise’.

In Australia there are‘abseilers’and a number of commercial diving companies that provide a ‘service’, but none with an engineering inspection background. Feedback from the Australian visit revealed that many of the country’s contractors, consultants and client organisations believe BridgeZone has the expertise they badly need.

Sonar sounds interesting

Particular interest was shown in BridgeZone’s application of sonar technology for sub-surface scanning of underwater structures in conditions where normal visual inspections are not possible. Underwater environments are dynamic and complex and the sub-surface visual assessment of structures has long been a challenge for inspection engineers the world over. Introducing a sonar scanning capability was a natural progression for BridgeZone; the company has invested heavily in the technology and is already seeing a return through successful trials and contracts on a number of inspection projects in the UK, Ireland and Africa.

Surface operated, thus negating the need for diving, BridgeZone’s sonar scanning equipment is both light and versatile. The resulting high quality images provide clear definition to reveal critical structural defects such as scour pockets in exceptional detail even in very low visibility water. The images can then be interrogated to calculate approximate depths and areas of defects and scours, thus helping to quantify any necessary detailed dive examination and associated remedial works.

Australian progress

Encouraged by the overall experience at the conference, Bridgezone is now actively progressing collaboration with like-minded organisations in the Australian market. Based on its experience as a specialist provider of difficult access inspection of infrastructure assets in highways and rail in the UK, Europe and Africa, it aims to promote its effective and efficient methods for gathering crucial asset condition information using specialist access techniques.

As managing director Paul Marshall puts it: “Australia is most certainly a land of great opportunity. Following the intense schedule during our visit our overall perception was that this market is calling out for asset management support and our expertise was of real interest to many of our potential clients in both public and private sector organisations.”

Issue 100 – February 2013

Perfect platforms

Recent harsh winters have resulted in station platforms taking a beating from the effects of rain, snow and ice.

Some of the worst damage has occurred where the platforms have suffered from the effects of frost heave. This is caused when rain water penetrates into the compacted fill inside the platform and subsequently freezes, expanding as it does so and pushing outwards on the structure of the platform. This can impose stress on the platform surface and the riser wall, and the resulting damage can cause dangerously uneven surfaces and weakened structures.

Problems at Perth

A recent project at Perth station arose for this very reason. As well as repairing the damage, Story Contracting was asked to design and build a solution to frost heave. Several measures were taken to help ensure the platform’s long term resistance to future problems, including careful selection of frost resistant aggregates and construction details.

One example is that, over time, the joints around the edges of tactile pavers can offer a potential route for water ingress. To overcome this, the design at Perth station completely eliminated the need for tactile pavers and instead included tarmac surfacing laid all the way up to the back of the coper where a good seal was created. Then, to provide tactile feedback behind the coper, an array of studs was resin anchored permanently into the surfacing. These were positioned using a bespoke rig that drilled multiple holes at once, all correctly laid out into the standard offset pattern.

These measures have helped ensure that Perth’s platforms are well equipped for whatever the upcoming winters have to offer.

Bridging Birkenhead

Birkenhead Central station has recently had both of its platforms refurbished, also by Story Contracting. This proved to be a particularly challenging project, largely owing to its location as the station is situated in a cutting with tunnels at both ends and no direct road access. However, with a large fleet of road-rail plant, Story Contracting was well placed to get materials in and out of the station – although even this wasn’t as simple as it might have been.

The nearest road rail-access point was more than a mile away at the Arthur Street depot. Taking account of travel time along the track, this meant that there was little more than two hours of working time that could be achieved each night in the short maintenance possessions that were available.

This would clearly lead to significant cost and risk to the programme. To combat this, arrangements were made to take permanent possession of a redundant siding within the station. This enabled Story to leave the RRV and its trailers on track permanently, removing the need to on-track the plant every night and eliminating the journey time from Arthur Street. To supplement this, as much new material as possible was lowered directly into the site by crane from the adjacent gas works over a seven metre high wall.

On the platforms, Section D notices were used to reduce the operational lengths so that work could progress alongside normal use of the station. The initial phase of works shortened the platforms furthest away from the station building and caused the least disruption to passengers and staff. The second phase, however, closed the platform at the station building end and also took the existing footbridge out of use so that it could be refurbished.

For this closure, a new access to the station had to be created. This used a link bridge leading to road level that spanned off a temporary Birkenhead temporary footbridge in process of construction [online]footbridge which was built to join platforms 1 and 2. This segregated the work site from passengers, safeguarding the continued operation of the station.

However, even this solution imposed numerous design considerations. Signal sighting was factored in to ensure that train drivers sight lines were not obscured and the minimum platform lengths that had to be maintained for trains dictated the location of the footbridge. The orientation of the staircases was designed so that passengers arrived directly onto a platform and not a worksite.

In addition, the footbridge then had to meet Network Rail standards for safe clearance for trains, and the staircases needed to be DDA compliant. The footbridge also had to be fully boarded out to prevent items falling onto the track. This then meant that lighting and security systems were required so that the footbridge could be monitored.

The loadings that this temporary structure would then impose on the platform meant that a foundation design was needed to ensure that its mass was sufficiently spread.

With the temporary footbridge opened, the existing footbridge was refurbished with steelwork repairs and the replacement of missing rivets. It was also partly re- roofed and given a full redecoration inside and out, along with DDA compliant staircase treads and nosings. A new anti- skid surface was installed throughout to complete the works.

Story Contracting’s site teams struck up excellent working relationships with the station staff which was essential due to the potentially disruptive nature of the works. This allowed the teams to maintain communication allowing plans to be agreed and put in place in good time.

Long ramp at Long Eaton

The Access for All Programme is part of the Railways for All strategy that was launched by Network Rail in 2006. Its purpose was to address the issues faced by passengers who were using the railway stations in Great Britain be it the disabled, elderly, mothers with pushchairs or simply people with heavy luggage!

Long Eaton station is built at high level on top of an embankment that was originally accessed using some steeply sloping ramps. Story Contracting completed an Access for All project to design and build two lifts from ground to platform level. The new lifts were at the foot of the embankment slope and used link bridges to cross to the platforms.

The station remained open throughout and a fully DDA-compliant temporary disabled access ramp was installed. This was constructed from scaffolding and, in order to create a gentle slope from platform level down to the car park, was more than 30 metres long. In addition to a non-slip surface it was fully lit, had 24hr CCTV surveillance and all necessary landings and handrails to comply with statutory requirements.

The new lift shafts used piled foundations that were complex to build because of the limited site access that was available. This restricted the size of the piling rig that could be used, not to mention that the site was on an embankment adjacent to a live railway line accompanied by poor and variable ground conditions including boulders, cobbles and running sand all encountered within the small building footprint.

To overcome these challenges, Story Contracting’s design achieved a watertight structure using a combination of contiguous piled retaining walls internally lined with reinforced concrete that was tanked to create a dry pit and shaft ready for the installation of the new lift.

The task of constructing two new lift shafts and associated link bridges in a busy operational station was always going to be a test but all went smoothly due to detailed planning. Train operators, Network Rail and local stakeholders such as Erewash Council and Derbyshire County Council were all fully consulted.

Key lifting activities were undertaken during night shifts utilising possessions and local road closures. Structural steelwork elements for the shaft and walkways were designed to be prefabricated and painted off site and delivered pre-assembled and ready for installation. This meant that all lifts could be successfully completed in short five hour possessions.

The works were all completed on programme and budget and the result is that Long Eaton station now benefits from step free access to each of its platforms.

Long Eaton is one of a number of stations that have been refurbished by Story Contrac- ting, other recent projects being at Glossop, Whaley Bridge, and Roman Bridge in Wales.

Station works are a core part of keeping our rail networks running smoothly and efficiently. Whilst the great British weather remains ever unpredictable, the need for quality service across our infrastructure will remain. Keeping up with this demand will continue to be an important role for companies such as Story Contracting.

New lines of enquiry

Mention geophysics and one could be excused for thinking of Time Team enthusiasts tracing Neolithic dwellings, or perhaps seismic images of petroleum reserves deep below the seabed. For a growing number of rail engineers, however, geophysics is increasingly becoming a tool of the trade, particularly in the area of track maintenance.

A whole suite of geophysical methods are being used throughout the railway infrastructure lifecycle to provide information on condition and construction at depths ranging from a few centimetres to hundreds of metres.

For the near-surface, ground penetrating radar (GPR) is the most widely recognised geophysical technique for trackbed assessment, with surveys undertaken at both network and project level. Variants of the same technique are used to map buried services and other shallow features.

For an understanding of subsurface structure and condition at greater depth, there are many more non-destructive techniques for deriving Irish Rail_100_5254 [online]physical data based around measurement of electrical, magnetic, acoustic and gravitational energy. With powerful ground profiling capabilities, they can be integrated with more traditional intrusive investigations (coring, drilling) to reduce uncertainty relating to ground structure and material properties.

Engineering geophysics specialists at Fugro have been applying their capabilities in subsurface investigation to the specific challenges of the railway sector for well over a decade, both in the UK and further afield.

Asset management

A short hop across the Irish Sea provides a topical example of the benefits of GPR for enhancing the knowledge base crucial to efficient railway asset management.

In a major project for Irish Rail, Fugro surveyed more than 1,000 km of railway trackbed using a train- mounted ground penetrating radar system integrated with the client’s survey vehicle to simplify logistics.

With antennae mounted at the front and rear of the Irish Rail Track Recording Vehicle, the team collected six continuous data-streams at a normal operational speed of 65 km/hr. Coverage included the mainline passenger routes between Cork, Galway, Sligo and Westport.

Fugro’s transport team resolved challenges of equipment set-up and the simultaneous collection of multiple data- streams to complete the survey in just seven days without disruption to scheduled services.

Irish Rail plans to use the data to help determine the condition and thickness of track ballast, as well as ballast formation, sub-formation and presence of water. This will assist engineers in assessing, prioritising and designing track rehabilitation work and associated drainage improvements.

Irish Rail project engineer, Sarah Ross, said: “The GPR data will be used to assess trackbed conditions on the network including indications of ballast fouling, poor formation and underlying issues affecting track geometry. It will help us formulate more effective maintenance solutions and a better understanding of the underlying problems in areas prone to poor track geometry with a view to improving overall track quality and ride comfort for passengers.”

The resulting data is supplied in a range of formats compatible with the client’s GIS system and for analysis using track management software.

Investigative expertise

The success of the project has drawn on Fugro’s comprehensive expertise in trackbed investigation. Project manager, Charles Baker, said: “A key objective was to establish a rigorous system of radar collection/interpretation for ranking and comparing trackbed condition across the whole rail network. The data will allow the client to identify locations requiring further investigation and intervention, as well as develop a long term maintenance plan.”

Irish Rail is among a number of progressive rail operators using Fugro’s radar as a long term asset management tool. Investment in this type of rail network survey can help operators target and plan maintenance more effectively, delivering considerable long-term cost savings.

GPR delivers not only accurate, reliable and continuous data, it is also non-intrusive and has a relatively light footprint in terms of the people and plant needed on-track. Add to this the speed of coverage, then radar is extremely cost- and time-efficient for comprehensive data-gathering, city to city or network wide.

GPR and other geophysical surveys provide a more robust body of knowledge than reliance on desk studies and record searches alone. They are also far more cost- effective to mobilise compared with the heavyweight plant required for ‘conventional’ intrusive ground investigations.

Complex structures

Irish Rail_100_5198 [online]The subsurface of the UK is a complex place. Hidden relics of past industrial activity are intertwined with naturally occurring geohazards, posing a threat to the safe and efficient operation, maintenance and upgrade of the rail network.

These have often been the target of interest in the many rail surveys undertaken by Fugro. Investigations of man-made cavities and structures have included tin mines in Cornwall, ‘lost’ culverts in Somerset and hidden tunnel construction shafts throughout the UK. The company has even been asked to map the extent of an underground fire in a rail embankment in north-east England. The list of natural geohazards tackled is similarly varied, ranging from swallow holes and other karst features to coastal tracks being undercut by the sea and inland embankments being undermined by badgers.

As well as determining ground stratification and finding faulting, cavities and objects that present an engineering risk, geophysical methods can provide the engineer with the data required to construct a reliable ground model.

Much can be gained from analysis of the strength and velocity of seismic (acoustic) energy transmitted through the ground. This can be
achieved using an impressive combination of surface and downhole acoustic sources, ranging from a hearty blow to the ground with a 10 kg hammer to sophisticated vibroseis trucks that generate highly controlled ground vibrations.

By analysing different elements of the energy reflected from material boundaries, geophysicists can hand the engineer a report including a suite of data relating to the elastic properties of soil and rock including stiffness, rippability, and specific measures such as shear, bulk and Young’s Modulii.

Flexible techniques

Whether profiling long tranches of trackbed, assessing embankments, or evaluating ground strength for new construction, modern geophysical techniques are flexible, fast and cost-effective to apply in the challenging and often sensitive railway environment.

With more pressure on the rail system to increase output at lower cost and risk, a geophysical perspective could be key to the leaner, better-informed decision-making that will be required in railway engineering in the decade ahead.

Looking forward 30 years

On the 13 December at the British Library Conference Centre, Steve Yianni, Network Rail’s director of engineering, presented the Railway Technical Strategy (RTS) 2012 for the British railway for the next 30 years. It builds on the RTS that was published by The Department for Transport in 2007.

The RTS 2012 has been produced by the Technical Strategy Leadership Group (TSLG). This is an RSSB-facilitated, cross-industry expert body, made up of senior executive staff, charged with developing and championing the implementation of the RTS. They are also responsible for the supporting communication, managing the strategic research and identifying opportunities, barriers and actions. Working closely with the Rail Delivery Group that was created following publication of the McNulty report, the TSLG also has strong links with many other railway industry groups and its remit and terms of reference are agreed by the Board of RSSB. Therefore, it is safe to say that this strategy document has the support and endorsement from all of the key railway leadership groups; a critical requirement if the RTS 2012 is going to be taken seriously.

Industry reclaiming technical strategy

Tim O’Toole, Chair of the Rail Delivery Group, opened the event by giving his endorsement to the RTS 2012. He said that the railway industry is all about engineering and it was right and proper for the industry to reclaim ownership and leadership of its technical strategy. He added that this was essential to ensure that the government did not lose faith in the industry and spend money elsewhere.

In his remarks, Tim O’Toole also emphasised the importance of a strategy that bridges different financial periods, recognising that if the industry is going to effectively manage the fantastic growth that it is experiencing, then significant step changes need to be made which will require engineers to come to the fore. This is interesting because it touches on the knotty subject familiar to many: how can we justify spending significant amounts of money making improvements today that do not bring about real financial benefits until 15 or 25 years time by which time contracts, franchises have expired and governments changed.

Unlock potential savingsTim_OToole_RTS [online]

One example of a long term project that could offer significant savings is changing from DC to AC power supply on electrified lines. It is well known that this would offer significant improvements to journey times. Track renewal costs would reduce as would the carbon footprint. However, it would be an extremely challenging undertaking and to date it has sat in the “too difficult pile”. Yet, as Steve Yianni kept emphasising throughout the event, it is an opportunity to unlock savings and that is what this strategy is all about.

During the presentation there was a very interesting short animated video of the railway world in 30 years time. The video described how technology can introduce the step changes necessary for a railway fit for its time. It focussed on improving capacity by the design of lighter and longer trains.

A question was asked about how coaches could be designed to be lighter when, to date, we have never managed to design a coach as light as the Mark 3 which was designed in the1970’s. It was an interesting question that was not easily answered, although it was suggested that a possible solution could be found by looking at potential improvements to the whole system. So, if the industry was successful in transferring the control of trains from signals to onboard controls using ERTMS-style technology that is already well advanced, then this could unlock the opportunity to design lighter rolling stock. Once this ERTMS technology can be relied upon, and the likelihood of a collision reduced, it would then be feasible to remove aspects of the design associated with collision impact thereby offering the opportunity to reduce the weight of the rolling stock. The key underlying message is that it is only when one looks at the whole system is one able to see the potential benefits and opportunities.

None of this is new but it is refreshing to hear a strategy that focuses on the opportunities to do something and the benefits for a sustainable, long term railway system instead of focussing on possible future problems that could arise.

Essential requirements for the passenger

The video also highlighted the passenger who, it was suggested, will expect to have information at their finger tips. Ticket offices will become redundant, tickets will be virtual and information about parking spaces, train times, taxi on arrival, facilities for bikes, instantly available.

portable scanner on blackberry [online]To protect and grow the freight business on rail, the strategy suggests that trains will have to run at night. This will require dedicated paths which are regulated and balanced so that the trains can cover long distances at constant speeds. This will mean that braking will be kept to a minimum, thus reducing both impact on the track and fuel consumption. It may be imagined that many freight train drivers would have a very cynical reaction to this vision. Certainly track maintenance and renewal will have to deliver all the initiatives planned to offer a 24-hour railway.

The RTS is aimed at identifying and eliminating many of the causes of cost, including: lineside signalling which costs £100m/year, oil based traction fuel £600m/year, service interruptions caused by asset failure, frequent unplanned maintenance, customer experiences of unreliability in the system, compensation for failure.

Key themes

The RTS 2012 document itself focuses on six themes each with their vision, objectives, strategy and enablers. The themes and their visions are:

  • Control,command and communication- intelligent traffic management and control systems that dynamically optimise network capacity and facilitate highly efficient movement of passengers and freight;
  • Energy – a low carbon, energy efficient railway;
  • Infrastructure – a simple, reliable and cost- effective rail infrastructure which meets customer requirements and is fit for the twenty-second century;
  • Rolling stock – mass and energy efficient, low whole-life cost rolling stock which meets the evolving needs of its customers;
  • Information – rail is customers’ preferred form of transport for reliability, ease-of-use and perceived value;
  • Customer experience – a whole-system approach that enables the rail industry to implement change easily and improve reliability, availability, maintainability, and safety.

There are seven common design concepts. They are: whole system reliability, resilience, security and risk mitigation, automation, simplicity, flexibility and sustainability. These common design concepts are supported by three common foundations:

  • A whole system approach which enables the rail industry to implement change easily and improve reliability, availability, maintainability and safety;
  • Innovation in a dynamic industry that innovates toevolve, grow and attract the best entrepreneurial talent;
  • Skilled and committed people who are adaptable and able to deliver an efficient and customer- focused railway.

Steve Yianni explained that each chapter of the strategy document has a road map to successful implementation. He closed the event by saying that there are two key messages that he would like everyone to retain and share. The first is that the initiative is industry led and the second is that the strategy is about the whole system.

To fully understand the vision and scope of the RTS 2012, it is necessary to read the whole document which is available from the website below. A 30 year strategy is quite a challenge. The fact that the industry, under the facilitation of RSSB, has managed to focus collectively on the difficult railway issues is commendable. The fact that they have facilitated a process that has enabled industry to consider opportunities, costs and savings that are outside their timeframe within the industry is even more commendable. It could also mean that the industry might start to address the real issues that need to be resolved to ensure that the railway system is fit for purpose in 30 or 40 years time. That would be a legacy to be proud of but only time will tell!

How old will you be in 30 years?

Bridging Dawlish

Dawlish, a seaside town on the south coast of Devon about 12 miles fromExeter, was originally a fishing port which grew into a well-known resort in the eighteenth century. In 1830, Isambard Kingdom Brunel designed a pneumatic railway which ran along the seafront of the town. The wide-gauge ‘atmospheric railway’ opened on 30 May 1846 and ran between Exeter St. Davids and Newton Abbot. The first passenger train ran in September 1847 but after technical problems, the Directors abandoned the project in favour of conventional trains and the last atmospheric train ran in September 1848.

Today, while the line is a particularly memorable and scenic route, it is one of the most exposed in the country and the continual battle with sea erosion and corrosion makes it expensive to maintain. Furthermore, the railway station at Dawlish is in the town centre immediately adjacent to the beach and, although most of the station is not the original Brunel buildings, it is all Grade II listed – including the footbridge which links the station platforms. However, the station is so close to the sea that in storm conditions this bridge is drenched by the spray from breaking waves and blasted by wind-born debris (sand) from the beach.

Structural form

The station was originally only a single platform (on the inland side), but a second platform was added in 1858. The existing station buildings were opened in 1875 after the previous wooden buildings burned down in 1873. However, the footbridge was reconstructed in 1937 using serviceable girders that were taken from Park Royal & Twyford Abbey tube Station (a disused station on what is now the Piccadilly Line) after that station had closed in 1931. The bridge had a single square span of 17.5 metres, being supported on padstones built into the masonry of the station buildings (the staircases to access the deck being partly stone masonry within the buildings,

IMG_4718_W[online]partly timber suspended from the deck). The walkway was approximately 1.8 metres wide. The bridge had a roof with wide overhanging eaves, though the nature of the exposure (sea spray coming in horizontally) is that these had not significantly protected the structure. Additionally, one half of the span had timber cladding to somewhat protect bridge users from spray and sand.

The girders were riveted built-up sections of early steel. The webs had a clearly visible X-brace detail, the visibility of which was exaggerated by the corrosion patterning. This detail, together with the riveted construction, was identified as being a key part of the ‘character’ of the structure and early discussion with the planning and listed building authorities identified that, if replacement was to be adopted, then these features would need to be carried forward into the replacement structure.

Maintain, repair or replace?

The steel bridge was in very poor condition with extensive, well-established and very visible corrosion. Detailed inspection in 2004 had categorised the condition as ‘fair’, though this conclusion was somewhat questionable since, even then, many holes and significant corrosion points were identified. The next detailed inspection in 2010 identified that the defects reported in 2004 had deteriorated significantly and made a less positive assessment of the condition.

A like-for-like repair option was developed, but it required replacement of a large proportion of the structure – eight out of 20 web panels, nine out of 22 web stiffeners and the full length of both flanges on both girders were to be replaced. All the repairs would be carried out with HSFG bolts replacing the existing rivets. Thus, although the structure would look superficially unchanged, most of it would be new.

A further study was carried out by Tony Gee and Partners in 2011. In addition to the known defects, severe corrosion to the girder / cross girder connections was also identified. The condition of the structure had deteriorated to such an extent that some holes in the web had been patched temporarily with hardboard just to remove the risk of public injury on a sharp corroded edge. Detailed analysis identified that not only could the structure not carry the specified imposed load due to corrosion of the members, but even in an ‘as new’ condition the bridge had been under- strength due to a lack of strength and stiffness in the U-frames providing lateral stability to the top flange of the plate girders.

Thus, although like-for-like repairs were estimated to cost approximately £600,000, Network Rail’s preferred option was a replacement structure. A new steel footbridge was considered, but while this could be detailed to reduce the susceptibility to corrosion, the location was such that it could only restart the continued (and probably unwinnable) fight. The station was listed and a simple ‘off-the-shelf’solution would probably not be acceptable.

Accordingly, a wholly fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) structure was considered, both to simplify installation (by reduced weight) but also, more critically, to reduce ongoing maintenance costs and requirements in the extremely hostile environment. Although this was identified as being initially more expensive than steel, the whole life costs for the structure should be much reduced.

Imposed loading

The bridge was required to withstand ‘normal’ Eurocode footbridge loading and criteria were agreed between the designers and Network Rail. In recognition that the bridge deck may fill with pedestrians (when a train disgorges a large number of passengers at once) the full ‘load model 4’ loading of 5 kN/m2 distributed live load was applied.

Parapet loading in Eurocodes was not well resolved at the time of the design, so this was taken from older standards such as Highways Agency document TD19/06 ‘Requirements for Road Restraint Systems’.

Wind loading is also a conceptually simple code- compliant situation, although the location is exposed and the wind loads are accordingly relatively high.

Aerodynamic stability had to be considered, though this is a variation from the standard as that document does not strictly apply to bridges which have a roof, and the material is not in the list the standard covers.

Lightweight bridges are potentially prone to dynamic response from the aerodynamic loads from passing trains. It was agreed that this effect would be analysed during detail design based on criteria developed during the design of the Bradkirk footbridge (issue 57, July 2009).

Analysisno pipex IMG_4879_W[online]

Initial concept studies considered various truss arrangements. However, due to concerns regarding listed building consent, it was decided to revert to a plain girder design which closely followed the geometry and aesthetic of the original bridge.

To assist with design development and also to obtain planning approval and listed building consent, several computer models and rendered visualisations were generated. A full-scale sample section of girder was also produced to assist the

planners and conservation officer to visualise the FRP structure. The conservation officer insisted that the bridge replicated the aesthetic of the original riveted structure, so imitation rivet heads were bonded to the structure. In some locations, structural bolts are included to provide a backup to the bonded joints and prevent peel stresses in the bonds. These bolts were stainless steel with dome heads to blend in the rivet heads and fastened with tamper-proof shear nuts.

The complete structure excluding the stair units was predicted to have a mass of only five tonnes, which is probably around one third of the mass of an equivalent steel structure.

The structure of the bridge was analysed using computer models and finite element analysis (FEA). Analyses carried out included static, buckling, eigen-value and dynamic response. The roof panels were found to be beneficial in increasing torsional stiffness and vibration frequency.

Simple aerodynamic stability checks indicated that the critical wind speeds for vertical or torsional vortex shedding induced vibration were above 1.25 x design mean wind speed and therefore did not require more detailed investigation.

Design and manufacture

Both the primary structure and the parapet were made up from 1.66 metre deep side girders, each formed from foam cored shear webs, moulded by film infusion using fire retardant epoxy resin and biaxial glass fibre reinforcement, capped top and bottom with pultruded angles and plates to form the girder flanges. Web stiffeners made from pultruded plate provide additional lateral support to the girders, connected to transverse angles below the deck. The girder includes a camber of 120mm along the length of the bridge, which improves the aesthetics and provides drainage to the deck.

The deck was formed from ‘Composolite’ pultruded panels, spanning transversely between the girders. These panels are very lightweight with a skin thickness of only 3mm. To ensure adequate robustness and resistance to local concentrated loads, an additional 3mm thick pultruded plate with a gritted non- slip finish was bonded to the top surface of the deck.

6 - Dawlish Footbridge after replacement [online]The deck was bonded to the girders and also forms a shear panel to resist horizontal wind loading, removing the need for diagonal bracing below the deck. Unfortunately, the deck has to terminate 2.7 metres from the ends of the bridge to leave room for the stairs. This creates a long length of girder acting as a cantilever and unable to resist the large wind side load. To strengthen these cantilevered areas, additional lateral support plates were fitted to the flanges external to the girder.

The roof transverse frames were fabricated from back-to- back pultruded angles to form T- sections with bonded and bolted joints. The roof frames support longitudinal purlins made from pultruded box section to support the roof panels. These frames also provide lateral restraint to the top of the girder.

To further increase the lateral and torsional stiffness, a much stiffer transverse frame is provided at each end of the bridge. Roof panels are made from standard corrugated fibre-cement panels, and the stair units at either end of the bridge are made from a single FRP moulding, including the stair treads, risers and side panels, hanging from the bottom flange of the bridge girder.

The entire bridge structure was manufactured from FRP materials. The majority of parts are pultruded with glass fibre reinforcements and fire retardant polyester resins to achieve the required structural properties. The pultruded parts used to fabricate the main girder flanges were pultruded in 17.5 metre lengths for the span of the bridge to avoid the need for joints.

Parapet panels have PET foam cores and were moulded from fire retardant epoxy resin reinforced with biaxial glass fabrics using film infusion. Each parapet is in three sections with simple, bonded, butt-strap joints. The final structure was painted to achieve the aesthetic requirements and to provide environmental protection to the composite structure.

Approvals

Since the materials are still considered ‘novel’ by Network Rail, a rigorous design and checking process was implemented. Tony Gee and Partners was appointed to prepare the Form A (Approval in Principle document), complete the design and the Form B (Design / Checking certificate).

Design work undertaken by subconsultant Optima Projects was validated by Tony Gee. In addition, the structure received a full ‘Category 3’ independent check by Parsons Brinckerhoff.

Network Rail managed the process of obtaining listed building consent. This required the production of reports and options studies justifying replacement rather than repair, and was driven through by Network Rail’s own planning and listed building specialists with support from the designers and the initial repair study. Consent was eventually obtained, although the requirements of the process resulted in various detail changes to the configuration from what would be structurally necessary.

The final design mimics the form of the existing structure in order to minimise the visible changes to the various views that take in the station. The new bridge remains part of the listing, and therefore has become probably the first listed FRP bridge in the UK.

Many thanks to David Kendall, Optima Projects Ltd; Ian Smith, Tony Gee & Partners; and Wendy Gough, Network Rail for help with this article.

A new lease of life

The sheer cost of buying a new fleet of trains is enormous, and in these times of financial hardship there is a strong case for looking for other solutions. Recently, Eversholt Rail announced plans for two projects which will refurbish existing trains to a high standard and allow them to continue operating for the next 15 years. One scheme covers East Coast’s mainline trains and the other the class 321 units currently operated by Greater Anglia.

The current East Coast mainline service mainly uses Inter-City 225 sets, built in the late 1980s, which consist of a class 91 locomotive, a rake of nine Mark IV coaches, and a driving van trailer (DVT) at the other end. They were last refurbished between 2001 and 2006 by HSBC Rail, the then owners, so the interiors are around ten years old.

HSBC Rail was firstly renamed Eversholt Rail and then sold off by the bank to the Eversholt Investment Group, a consortium funded by 3i Infrastructure, Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners and STAR Capital Partners, in December 2010. It is looking long-term at refurbishing the sets so that East Coast, or whoever replaces them with the franchise, can continue to use the same trains for the foreseeable future.First Class [online]

Although the Intercity Express Programme (IEP) trains from Hitachi will be coming along commencing 2017, these are not expected to replace the 225 stock in the short term. The operator will therefore be needing a more efficient and passenger-friendly train in the short to medium term.

With that in mind, a mock-up of a Mark IV coach has been built to show off the new thinking, and Eversholt Rail invited the rail engineer to sit in it.

Innovative interior

Noted interior designer Atlantic Design Projects was asked for a concept which would be attractive to passengers, easy to maintain, and have a common theme across three or four classes of travel. These designs were incorporated into a full-scale mock-up, built by Solve 3D of Bedford, for stakeholders to view.

Stephen Timothy, head of relationship development at Eversholt Rail, explained that the brief had been to come up with a style which will give passengers new levels of comfort and convenience while being easy to adapt between classes so that, as traffic patterns change over the course of a franchise, or even over a year, the mix of classes can be readily changed.

Atlantic Design’s directors, Charles Greenway and Graham Love, were pleased to show the results of their ideas. The mock- up looked exactly like the inside of a Mark IV coach. Those items which didn’t need replacing had been retained as there was no need to incur additional cost. So the luggage racks, the walls and side ceilings were merely repainted. The colour chosen was a pale lavender, but all the colours in the mock-up were deliberately chosen to be neutral and therefore to fit in with any franchise’s corporate colours which can be accented with headrest covers and lighting.

The lighting itself, supplied by McGeoch Technology, is LED, ceiling mounted and dimmable. It gives a good general light throughout, so there is no need for over-seat reading lights.

Standard class

Starting in standard class, both table and airline-style seating were shown. The most noticeable feature was that the seating is settee-style and is leather covered. Atlantic Design commented that there is no need to reduce seat quality just because more people are accommodated in each carriage. The settee arrangement, with a centre armrest which completely folds away, means that one person can spread out, or a couple can ‘cuddle up’, or a family can sit with a small child, much more easily than in the more usual individual seats.

To aid both comfort and cleaning, the seat is curved and the join between seat and back cushions is actually partway up the back. This means that the awkward-to-clean split in the back of traditional seats, which fills up with fluff and crisp crumbs, doesn’t exist.

Each seat is made by Rica in Finland from a 15mm thick honeycomb aluminium plate covered with hand-cut silicone foam. This reduces costs, as no expensive moulding tools are required, while also reducing seat thickness. Thus the regular seat pitch can give more legroom, up to 35mm on a table seat or 22mm airline style, or if the current legroom is maintained the thinner seats can actually increase capacity.

Seats are mounted on standard runners which stretch the length of the carriage. One runner passes exactly midway across the width of each seat, so the seat supports and the legs of the tables are between passengers, not encroaching on their legroom. The tables themselves are also curved to maintain the same style, and are covered in wood veneer to give an up- market appearance.

Mounted above the window in line with each seat is the display for the reservation system. Clearly legible, the full colour TFT displays are manufactured in Belgium by Televic Rail and incorporate a simple red/green light – red the seat is reserved or green it is available. That should make finding a seat easier!

Business and First

Business class is a new concept. Individual fully-contoured seats come from Grammer Seating in Germany and are pitched as first class, with one set of seats and a table across a window bay, but four across as in standard class. The tables are similar to the ones in standard class but the window is fitted with a blind.

First class reverts to the settee-style of seat, although with thicker and softer Rogers Corporation silicone foam, and of course the seats are only three abreast. With the thinner seat backs, and a full-bay pitch, tables can be wider leaving plenty of room for two laptops facing each other. Pleated ‘curtains’ can be drawn to cover the windows.

Above First there is Premier class. Individual reclining seats with footrests and padded covers will allow businessmen travelling long distances to sleep on the way and arrive refreshed at the end of their journey. There will only be a few of these seats on each train, at a premium price, but there will no doubt be a demand.

The combination of all these features makes for a good looking and comfortable train. Axminster carpet and Andrew Muirhead leather seating throughout gives everything a luxurious feel. As Stephen Timothy said, “Even standard class passengers have spent quite a lot of money on their tickets, so we should make them feel as though they are getting value for money.” And capacity is up as well, to 579 passengers per train – 44 more than at present.

Locomotive upgrade

Eversholt Rail is planning to invest £20 million in the Class 91 locomotive to ensure its continued operation and increased reliability performance on the new ftraxx_en [online]ranchise. Not only would this deliver a step change in reliability, but the locomotive would also have extra functionality such as a duplex pantograph (which is currently being trialled on one locomotive on the East Coast), would be ERTMS fitted by 2018 and would have modern compressors and a wheel slide protection system.

In addition, Eversholt has chosen Bombardier as its partner for the development of a full service maintenance product for the IC225 fleet. This enables Eversholt, in conjunction with Bombardier, to offer the successful TOC/franchisee a maintenance package that suits its needs.

An alternative traction option will also be offered in the form of the Bombardier TRAXX UK. This will give the choice of the extra economies and efficiency to be gained from a new locomotive, but at a higher price.

Part of the successful TRAXX family of locomotives, the TRAXX P200 AC UK, to give the locomotive its full name, is an 81 tonne 25kV electric locomotive designed to run within the British loading gauge. Four traction motors supply the drive with a maximum locomotive power of 5.6MW and full regenerative braking is fitted so that, except in emergencies, the mechanical brakes on the coaches will rarely be used. This not only saves all the wear and tear on their brakes, but also reduces energy consumption by returning 10-15% of the power used back to the overhead line.

The new locomotives are, of course, designed to work with all types of signalling systems and it is envisaged that, for East Coast Main Line operations, they will be fitted with AWS, TPWS and ETCS.

Each loco will have two pantographs, giving redundancy in case of failure, and also a ‘last mile’ diesel engine. This is designed to enable the locomotive to remove itself, and its train, from the main line in case of total power failure either on the loco or on the OLE infrastructure. The 400 litre fuel tank will be sufficient for much more than one last mile, and with a speed limit of 30mph it will allow the train to reach a convenient station rather than being stranded out in the countryside.

Design for this tentatively-named class 93 locomotive is well advanced and Bombardier are just waiting for a launch order before putting it into production at its Kassel factory in Germany.

Suburban improvements

While this Inter-City 225 upgrade / replacement is a design concept at present, another Eversholt Rail initiative is already underway. Greater Anglia runs 94 four-car class 321 trains which were built back in 1988 and, like the class 225s, are now getting tired. One of these units is being rebuilt in two formats, which will give an interesting comparison.

Two cars will be fitted with a completely new suburban-style interior. This will include air conditioning, new energy-efficient LED lighting, redesigned seats and two wheelchair spaces plus an accessible toilet. The original plan was to leave the windows as they were, but in fact they are now being replaced by sealed, double-glazed units.

The other two cars of the same train will also have the benefit of the air conditioning, new lights and windows, but the seating arrangement will be metro-style – designed for the commuter with slimline 2+2 seating, easy access and increased standing space.

Currently undergoing refurbishment by Wabtec in Doncaster, the refreshed train should run in service towards the middle of 2013. It will be interesting to hear passengers’ reactions to the two alternative interiors as their comments will influence what is done to the rest of the fleet.

It is estimated that the 94 trains will cost £70 million to refurbish to this standard, or £130 million if new traction equipment is included. This is a considerable saving over the £600 million which would be the approximate cost of a replacement fleet.

These projects, coupled with the refurbishment to a class 317 that is being undertaken by Bombardier at Ilford (reported last month), show that the rolling stock companies (ROSCOs) are committed to improving the standard of the trains they own without subjecting their operator customers to the cost of completely new trains. It is an intriguing initiative, and it will be interesting to see these ‘new’ trains when they break cover over the coming months.

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