Dawlish is in the news ..again. Expect this every time there is a storm along that part of the coastline.
It may result in an alternative......or not, as the case may be.
ORR takes Network Rail to task for underperformance...
RAIB reports on an incident...with recommendations for "competent management practices and briefings....
Network Rail increases student places......
And news from Europe and the USA....
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Headlines
UK
Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) urge the Chancellor to close the imbalance between the £389 per head spent on infrastructure in the Midlands, as compared with the £5,426 spent in London, given that Birmingham stands at the heart of the UK's road and rail systems....
Torquay Station
On track for a bright future – Network Rail increases graduate places by 45% as investment in better railway continues
Network Rail is increasing its investment in the talent of the future by raising the number of places available on its graduate and work placement schemes by over 40%
With a plan to spend £38bn on running, maintaining and improving Britain’s railways over the next five years, the company is looking to recruit 145 graduates – up from 100 last year – to join its 2015 graduate scheme and help build a bigger, better railway for Britain. Around a third of the places will be open to those with engineering degrees, with the company keen to attract people from a wide mix of academic backgrounds for the remainder.
A further 40 places are available on the company’s one-year work placement scheme. Open to second-year undergraduates, the scheme gives students the chance to obtain invaluable exposure to the workplace which will stand them in good stead as they apply for jobs on completion of their degrees.
Opportunities will be available in our offices all over Britain, including in the North East and East Midlands. Applications for next year’s schemes must be submitted by midday on Monday, 29 December 2014.
As well as opportunities in engineering (civil, mechanical and electrical or electronic), graduates can apply for jobs in general management, finance, property, strategic planning, supply chain, business technology and project management, with positions available all over Britain.
Fiona Tabraham, senior resourcing partner at Network Rail, said: “Network Rail has £38bn to invest over the next five years so there’s never been a better time to get on board as we build the railway network of the future. Our graduates are given responsibility from day one, building up the core skills that they need to become future leaders of the business. Anyone interested in a career that makes a difference to people’s lives should join us on this journey.”
Details of Network Rail’s graduate and work placement schemes can be found at: http://www.networkrail.co.uk/careers/schemes/
A further 40 places are available on the company’s one-year work placement scheme. Open to second-year undergraduates, the scheme gives students the chance to obtain invaluable exposure to the workplace which will stand them in good stead as they apply for jobs on completion of their degrees.
Opportunities will be available in our offices all over Britain, including in the North East and East Midlands. Applications for next year’s schemes must be submitted by midday on Monday, 29 December 2014.
Peter Pick the joined the Engineering Graduate Scheme in York in 2013 after completing a Masters of Engineering degree in Electrical Engineering at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.
Peter explained: “I really wanted to put to practice the high-voltage engineering I had studied in a multi-discipline environment rather than with the traditional electrical power companies. I jumped at the opportunity to join Network Rail – you can’t get much more exciting than the engineering that happens every day on the railway!
“During my first placement, with Maintenance, I worked on the Selby Swing Bridge project, helping to ensure that as we bring a 120 year old bridge in to the twenty-first century, its maintainability, operability and reliability is improved.
“In my current placement with Route Asset Management, I am looking at ways we can change how we renew our overhead line and also working on the introduction of new camera technology to improve the detection of high-voltage faults from our fleet of helicopters.
“During my time at Network Rail, not only have I used what I learned at university every day, I have also learnt something new every day. The opportunities are endless!”
Peter Pick (Network Rail Picture)
Fiona Tabraham, senior resourcing partner at Network Rail, said: “Network Rail has £38bn to invest over the next five years so there’s never been a better time to get on board as we build the railway network of the future. Our graduates are given responsibility from day one, building up the core skills that they need to become future leaders of the business. Anyone interested in a career that makes a difference to people’s lives should join us on this journey.”
To further support the company’s work with undergraduates, Network Rail has launched a prize draw offering five lucky final year university students the chance to win a suite of opportunities – including one-to-one mentoring sessions with our future leaders and CV guidance sessions – all designed to help give them the best chance of securing a job when they go into the job market. We’re also offering some once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to go behind the scenes on Britain’s railway – details can be found at www.accessunlimitedquiz.co.uk/
Details of Network Rail’s graduate and work placement schemes can be found at: http://www.networkrail.co.uk/careers/schemes/
Update on plans for level crossings around Blythe Bridge on the Stoke to Derby line
A public briefing will be held this week, at which Network Rail will updating people about planned improvements to level crossings on the Stoke to Derby line.
The signalling which provides the “traffic lights” for all trains which run on this line is being renewed. By September 2016, all of the signals on the route will be controlled from Derby. Because level crossings are a crucial part of the signalling system, a full risk assessment has been completed of each crossing on the route. On 26 November experts from Network Rail’s level crossings team will be available to explain the results of the assessments and any proposed changes to level crossings.
The Network Rail team will be available at Blythe Bridge and Forsbrook Village Hall, Uttoxeter Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST11 9NT on 26 November from 5pm to 7pm.
- Dobsleigh Lane, Leigh– retention of existing Automatic Half-Barrier with the addition of extended visors to the Road Traffic Light Signals at each corner of the crossing
- Hen Lane, Leigh - retention of existing Automatic Half-Barrier with the addition of extended visors to the Road Traffic Light Signals at each corner of the crossing
- Cresswell Lane, Draycott-in-the-Moors - retention of existing Automatic Half-Barrier with the addition of extended visors to the Road Traffic Light Signals at each corner of the crossing
- Stallington Lane, Fulford Conversion to Manually Controlled Barriers with Obstacle Detection
- Uttoxeter Road, Blythe Bridge- renewal of Manually Controlled Barriers with CCTV
- Caverswall Lane, Caverswall - conversion to Manually Controlled Barriers with Obstacle Detection
The new protection which is proposed at Stallington, Blythe Bridge and Caverswall level crossings will remain in place at each site until the equipment requires renewal (in about 30 years).
A separate meeting will be held in the new year regarding Foley level crossing on Sidings Place in Longton.
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Summary:
At around 23:58 hrs on Thursday 16 January 2014, a passenger train travelling between Crewe and Shrewsbury struck a welder’s trolley that had been placed on the line at Bridgeway user worked crossing. The train was travelling at about 85 mph (137 km/h) at the point of collision and stopped in just under 0.5 miles (0.8 km). A track worker, who was on the trolley loading it with tools, jumped clear when he became aware of the approaching train a few seconds before impact. He suffered minor injuries. The train sustained significant damage to its front and to underframe equipment, including the fuel tank, and the trolley was destroyed. Neither the train driver, conductor, nor the one passenger on board the train were injured. The group of three staff involved (Controller of Site Safety (COSS), welder and track worker) were taken back to Shrewsbury depot some four hours after the accident.
The accident occurred because the trolley was placed on a line that had not been blocked to normal train operations. The Controller of Site Safety (COSS) had blocked the opposite line on the advice of the welder, who had been misled by the presentation of information in the paperwork describing the safety arrangements for the job. However, the welder later realised that the work was actually on the line that had not been blocked, but he still placed his trolley on that line believing that no train would approach because of engineering work taking place elsewhere in the area. The COSS was not directly supervising the workers when the trolley was placed on the line. Prior decisions made in work planning and resourcing, and the absence of relevant information in the paperwork about the location of the work, contributed to poor decision-making by the track workers on the night of the accident. In investigating this accident, the RAIB also observed that there were a number of deficiencies in competence management at Shrewsbury Maintenance Delivery Unit, and that welfare arrangements for the track workers in the immediate aftermath of the accident were poor.
The RAIB has identified three learning points and made three recommendations, all to Network Rail. The learning points relate to competence management practices and briefings at Shrewsbury Maintenance Delivery Unit, and the importance of staff relying on their own safe systems of work rather than making assumptions about work taking place elsewhere. The recommendations focus on the presentation of information in the paperwork describing the safety arrangements for the job, factors affecting planning decisions at Shrewsbury Maintenance Delivery Unit, and Network Rail’s competence management processes for staff on secondments or returning to work from a period of absence.
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At around 23:58 hrs on Thursday 16 January 2014, a passenger train travelling between Crewe and Shrewsbury struck a welder’s trolley that had been placed on the line at Bridgeway user worked crossing. The train was travelling at about 85 mph (137 km/h) at the point of collision and stopped in just under 0.5 miles (0.8 km). A track worker, who was on the trolley loading it with tools, jumped clear when he became aware of the approaching train a few seconds before impact. He suffered minor injuries. The train sustained significant damage to its front and to underframe equipment, including the fuel tank, and the trolley was destroyed. Neither the train driver, conductor, nor the one passenger on board the train were injured. The group of three staff involved (Controller of Site Safety (COSS), welder and track worker) were taken back to Shrewsbury depot some four hours after the accident.
The accident occurred because the trolley was placed on a line that had not been blocked to normal train operations. The Controller of Site Safety (COSS) had blocked the opposite line on the advice of the welder, who had been misled by the presentation of information in the paperwork describing the safety arrangements for the job. However, the welder later realised that the work was actually on the line that had not been blocked, but he still placed his trolley on that line believing that no train would approach because of engineering work taking place elsewhere in the area. The COSS was not directly supervising the workers when the trolley was placed on the line. Prior decisions made in work planning and resourcing, and the absence of relevant information in the paperwork about the location of the work, contributed to poor decision-making by the track workers on the night of the accident. In investigating this accident, the RAIB also observed that there were a number of deficiencies in competence management at Shrewsbury Maintenance Delivery Unit, and that welfare arrangements for the track workers in the immediate aftermath of the accident were poor.
The RAIB has identified three learning points and made three recommendations, all to Network Rail. The learning points relate to competence management practices and briefings at Shrewsbury Maintenance Delivery Unit, and the importance of staff relying on their own safe systems of work rather than making assumptions about work taking place elsewhere. The recommendations focus on the presentation of information in the paperwork describing the safety arrangements for the job, factors affecting planning decisions at Shrewsbury Maintenance Delivery Unit, and Network Rail’s competence management processes for staff on secondments or returning to work from a period of absence.
Download report:
141120_R252014_Bridgeway.pdf (3,605.08 kb)
141120_R252014_Bridgeway.pdf (3,605.08 kb)
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ORR publishes latest data on Network Rail’s performance for April-October 2014
20 November 2014The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) today published the latest Network Rail performance data and analysis covering April-October 2014.
The report highlights that train service performance is generally below expectations. The regulator's evidence also suggests that the quality of data that Network Rail relies upon to plan and manage works on Britain's railways is currently in places unreliable, and that this may be hindering its efforts to meet its funded targets.
The Network Rail Monitor covers its performance in the first seven months of the new funding period that began in April 2014 in areas such as punctuality, asset management, enhancement projects delivery, and finance and efficiency. The report shows:
The report highlights that train service performance is generally below expectations. The regulator's evidence also suggests that the quality of data that Network Rail relies upon to plan and manage works on Britain's railways is currently in places unreliable, and that this may be hindering its efforts to meet its funded targets.
The Network Rail Monitor covers its performance in the first seven months of the new funding period that began in April 2014 in areas such as punctuality, asset management, enhancement projects delivery, and finance and efficiency. The report shows:
- Network Rail has made good progress in reducing safety risk at level crossings, mainly through a programme of closures but also through more effective risk assessment and the implementation of new technology and better systems.
- National train punctuality is currently 89.1%, 0.7 percentage points short of the level expected at this point. Network Rail is making progress against its own two-year performance recovery plan but this is not having the desired effect on punctuality. ORR has asked for the plan to be adjusted appropriately in light of this underperformance.
- The company has reported delivering less work than it planned to do, in both maintaining and renewing the network. There is a lack of reliable data on bridges, structures and earthworks as well as volumes of work being delivered. This is having an adverse impact on Network Rail's ability to work effectively.
- Network Rail has not made the expected progress in the early stages of certain enhancement projects – such as the strategic freight network at Ipswich Yard; and phase 2 of Barry to Cardiff Queen Street corridor – raising questions regarding its ability to deliver the ambitious enhancements programme. ORR has asked Network Rail to produce an improvement plan to demonstrate how it will make up for the delays.
- Network Rail has spent £40m more (year to date) than its own budget assumptions and forecasts an overspend of £112m for 2014-15. This is largely due to spend on two significant new initiatives, the Tidy Railway and Business Critical Rules Programme, which were not included in its 2014-15 budget.
At ORR we have changed our approach to regulating train punctuality and the performance of the network – focusing on the indicators that will tell us more about Network Rail's likely performance trajectory. This enables us to predict whether Network Rail's work in the coming months will put matters right for passengers. This is vital as too many people are facing too many delays. It is the biggest source of dissatisfaction with the railways, and the industry needs to tackle the problem.==============================================================
ORR is also concerned about the reliability of some of the information Network Rail depends upon to take decisions about how to achieve and sustain the high levels of punctuality and financial performance. Network Rail has made progress in some of these areas, but not in all of them. Without up-to-date knowledge, Network Rail will not have sufficient understanding of how and why its assets fail and its maintenance approach will remain reactive – leading to inefficiencies and hindering its efforts to improve punctuality. The new management at the company has made it clear that it shares our concerns and has committed to address these issues."
Docklands Light Railway (DLR) (Every Journey Matters) (TfL on YouTube)
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SmartRail World
| The Future of Asian Rail II - exclusive e-book. | |
By Luke Upton, 20 Nov 2014
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Following the overwhelming popularity of The Future of Asian Rail, SmartRail World is proud to publish even more insight from the continent - The Future of Asian Rail II. By downloading this free e-book you will receive exclusive new editorial articles and enjoy the following:
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Read more »
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Safety in EU rail transport has steadily enhanced over the years: in 2013, the decline in number of accidents compared with 2012 could be established at 1.9 %, and the number of victims (killed or injured persons) has also decreased over the same period (-1.9 %), according to Eurostat recent annual statistics on rail transport accidents. More
Istanbul to invest EUR 725 million in developing its railway network in 2015
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Hungary: HUF 1,300 billion for railway infrastructure development projects
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EBRD offers loans to bidders for Polish TK Telekom
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Market focus: RomaniaEight more CAF metro units for Bucharest underground
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