Engineer by rail engineers for rail engineers www.railengineer.uk JULY 2016 - ISSUE 141 ASSET CONDITION MONITORING Do you run it until it breaks? Or throw it away early and replace it? ACM is a better solution. AN INTERESTING COLLECTION The first nominations for the 2016 Most Interesting Awards are published, and what an Interesting collection they are. MAKING A GRAND ENTRANCE Leeds station south entrance spans the River Aire, giving access to the southern half of the city. deadline looming! is The
Transcript
Engineerby rail engineers for rail engineers
www.railengineer.uk
JULY 2016 - ISSUE 141
ASSET CONDITION MONITORINGDo you run it until it breaks? Or throw it away early and replace it? ACM is a better solution.
AN INTERESTING COLLECTIONThe first nominations for the 2016 Most Interesting Awards are published, and what an Interesting collection they are.
MAKING A GRAND ENTRANCELeeds station south entrance spans the River Aire, giving access to the southern half of the city.
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News 6Repoint, Derby jobs, Birmingham trams, Land Rover, Underground signalling.
The deadline is looming 12Collin Carr investigates Costain’s progress on the Crossrail route in East Anglia.
Enhanced cycle storage and signage 23Coping with and directing the sharp increase in passengers cycling to stations.
Digitising Euston 28How Bridgeway surveyed a major London terminus prior to redevelopment.
BIM processes - impossible to ignore 30Whether building a railway station or an airport, contractors are using Bentley.
Asset condition monitoring 34Letting it break causes disruption, replacing it is expensive, so monitor it.
Future signalling systems 38Paul Darlington looks at current technology and asks what happens next?
London Underground train life extension 42Malcolm Dobell reveals how to use a 42-year-old train fleet for another 10 years.
Victoria line upgrade 48David Bickell reports on the Distance To Go - Radio signalling system (DTG-R).
Rail Automation: Reaching out across Europe 52Lesley Brown discovers how European networks are approaching ATO operation.
Lower-cost fleet upgrades 56Using MITRAC technology to make train fleets more economic and more reliable.
Innovation is crucial 60But it needs efficient planning, surveying, design, commissioning and delivery.
Stop the rot! 66British Steel’s Daniel Pyke explains why some uncoated rails fail so quickly.
International developments at Sochi 70The 1520 club of Russian gauge railways came together, and David Shirres was there.
An Interesting collection 78The first potential winners of the 2016 Most Interesting Awards are revealed.
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Contents
We’re looking to highlight the latest projects and innovations in
Signalling & Telecoms InnoTransin the September issue of Rail Engineer.
Got a fantastic innovation? Working on a great project? Call Nigel on 01530 816 445 NOW!
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Making a grand entranceGraeme Bickerdike reports on Carillion's new south entrance to Leeds station.
Developing ROCS for the UKPeter Stanton looks up at Furrer+Frey's rigid overhead catenary system.
Relaxing at Rail Live 2016
Stirling work
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Rail Engineer • July 2016 3
STORY Elgin Station Advert.indd 1 23/06/2016 10:06
We kick off our stations and surveying features this month with the spectacular new entrance to Leeds station. Graeme Bickerdike has punted up the River Aire following the progress of a project that will open up a whole new area of the city that has been isolated from the transport network. What of the river? Well, it both aided and challenged the contractors.
David Shirres has been to Stirling station to see how seemingly endless panes of glass have been replaced with modern polycarbonate sheeting. A few decades ago, this material - or something similar - was also referred to as ‘modern’, but it wasn’t always a star turn. Times and material science has moved on. Stirling station now has a bright, clear future.
In complete contrast, David went off to Russia to learn all about the prospects of the Russian gauge railways at the ‘Strategic Partnership 1520’ - where the 1520 refers to the Russian gauge. There are plans aplenty to expand the network despite the real uncertainties caused by the layers of sanctions being imposed. Politics are never far away.
Also on her travels, Lesley Brown went off to Brussels for a meeting hosted by Rail Forum Europe (RFE) that brought together the related technology, regulatory, and social implications of Automatic Train Operation (ATO) - that’s driverless trains. Behind the observations made by the delegates, there’s the acknowledgement that driverless transport of every type is either here or just round the corner. Railways will not have the monopoly.
To some of us, 1974 doesn’t seem very long ago. It was when a ‘new’ fleet of trains was made for the Bakerloo line. After over 40 years, they’re not quite as new as they were but, as Malcolm Dobell tells us, there are ways and means of extending the life of this rolling stock by at least another ten years. Acton Works is a place of nostalgia - honest!
In an intriguing piece by Ola Torstensson, Jon Vegas and Torbjorn Jonsson of Bombardier, we have a major manufacturer of rolling stock advocating the refurbishment of old trains rather than the purchase of new. It comes down to what is cost effective from all parties’ points of view.
We have a clutch of articles that concentrate on introducing formidable technological advances into basic asset stewardship. Bridgeway’s impressive survey techniques and database management involve laser scans, pointclouds and 3D wireframes, all brought together under the BIM umbrella. Bentley takes BIM to greater heights with an explanation of its use in the Midfield Terminal building at Abu Dhabi International Airport. And Balfour Beatty has concentrated on the benefits of refining condition monitoring so that, whatever is in an asset portfolio, proactive rather than reactive maintenance is the way to go.
It’s not just the rat’s nest of underground services or the challenges of messing about with Victorian infrastructure, or some rather tight timescales that exercise the minds of the Line of Route teams bent on delivering the Crossrail Anglia contract. There’s the delicate issue of dealing with
five London Boroughs in the process. Each of these has its own views to be taken into account. Collin Carr is keeping a watching brief.
Old Dalby test site (or whatever it’s called this week) once again plays a valuable role in a major project. This time it was the trial site for the UK’s first high speed rigid overhead conductor rail system, designed and supplied by Furrer+Frey. Apart from its general usefulness, ROCS will be used extensively on the Great Western Electrification scheme. Peter Stanton looks down the many tunnels on the route.
Talking of tunnels, David Bickell has been in the cab of a train whizzing long the Victoria line. Another acronym, DTG-R, makes its appearance here. Apparently, it’s a type of signalling.
Meanwhile, Paul Darlington has brushed off his crystal ball and come up with some predictions for the future of signalling. He had Ben Dunlop of Atkins along to help him.
Daniel Pyke from British Steel (no, not a misprint, this really is the ‘new’ name of Tata Steel!) introduces us to a corrosion-resistant rail steel. Normally, rail can be left to its own devices and just happily rust away, as it is rail wear that generally determines rail life. But where rail meets road at level crossings there’s often a problem with aggravated corrosion mechanisms - hence the development of Zinoco.
December may seem a long way off, but that’s when the Rail Engineer will be holding its Most Interesting awards at the Roundhouse in Derby. Nigel Wordsworth has been sifting through the list of nominees and gives an early hint of what might be on offer. Remember, just for a change, we nominate you - if you’re Interesting.
How can an outdoor equipment exhibition be a relaxed environment? Well, that’s how Rail Live 2016 felt - at least for the visitors. Good, but not scorching weather, appropriate PPE and plenty to see. Have a look at the images and our account and also visit our website for great footage of many of the demonstrations and Graeme Bickerdike’s impressive video report.
Leeds leads the way...
www.rail-media.com
GRAHAME TAYLOR
Rail Engineer • July 2016 5
NEWSRepoint aimed at London Underground
First reported in Rail Engineer last year (issue 131, September 2015), Repoint, the interesting new development of a new design of track switch, has taken the first step towards commercialisation.
Developed at Loughborough University by a team led by Professor Roger Dixon, senior project engineer Sam Bemment, Professor Roger Goodall and Dr Chris Ward, an invitation to tender has now been issued inviting the rail industry to help with the development and deployment of a full-scale prototype.
To be funded by RSSB to the tune of around £400,000, the prototype will be installed on London Underground infrastructure.
Repoint, the interesting new development of a new design of track switch.
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Network Rail is expanding two of its engineering teams based at Derby, a move which could result in 88 new jobs.
One is the team behind the Midland main line route upgrade. This aims to increase line speeds, reduce journey times and electrify the line between London St Pancras and Sheffield by 2023.
The other team will support the expansion of Plain Line Pattern Recognition, one of the technologies used on the New Measurement Train (NMT). It takes high-definition photographs of
the track, while traveling at over 100mph, to provide information on possible faults. A small number of jobs are based on the train itself, while the majority are office-based data analysis roles.
Vacancies are to be advertised in stages over the coming months and are split around 50/50 between the two teams. They vary in terms of expertise and experience required, and range between technical clerks and document controllers to commercial and construction managers.
More work in DerbyNetwork Rail is expanding in Derby.
The Repoint design is the result of research into improved switches which eradicate known issues with existing designs. It allows redundant, fail-safe actuation and locking of track switches for the first time. This means that a failure of a single actuator element will not cause the failure of the entire switch - allowing trains to continue until such a time as maintenance becomes feasible.
Professor Dixon, head of the Control Systems Research Group, said: “This invitation to tender is a golden opportunity to be involved with a project offering breakthrough technology that hasn’t been seen before. Once implemented, Repoint will improve reliability and increase capacity on our expanding rail network. We invite you to be a part of this journey.”
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SATURDAY 8TH OCTOBER 2016THE RICOH ARENA, COVENTRY
NOMINATIONS CLOSE: 02 SEPTEMBER 2016
PUBLIC VOTE CLOSES:11 SEPTEMBER 2016
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R E A C H F O R T H E S T A R S
NEWSRail Media at the summit
This year, 39 teams tackled Britain’s three tallest mountains in one weekend. Starting at Euston station and picking up more climbers at Crewe, the next stop was at Bangor where, after a short coach ride, the teams tackled Snowdon in the dark, rain and mist. Not pleasant, but there was still a sense of achievement once the first peak was reached.
The Rail Media team of Adam O’Connor, Karen Edwards, Jolene Price and Paul O’Connor were all snug in their waterproofs that had been supplied for the occasion by waterproof PPE specialists Gore, along with head torches from Tower.
Ravenglass was the next stop, where a change of trains onto the narrow-gauge Ravenglass and
Eskdale Railway brought hikers closer to Scafell Pike, although it was still a two-hour walk to the bottom of the mountain.
After another tough climb, it was off to Fort William to tackle Ben Nevis. This time the weather was perfect, so a good view greeted the 39 teams, all of which completed the course.
So a very happy, and tired, group made it back to the train for home. The whole weekend raised £160,000 for Railway Children and was a credit to all of the hard-working event volunteers and helpers without whose support the event couldn’t have taken place. A special mention must go to Direct Rail Services, which supplied the drivers and locos, Riviera provided the stock.
A team from Rail Media has completed the gruelling3 Peaks Challenge By Rail in support of the Railway Children Charity.
After two previous attempts, the renewal of the signalling system used on London Underground’s sub-surface railway (Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines) is finally underway.
New equipment is now being fitted between Edgware Road and Hammersmith. It will be installed in sections across the four lines by 2021. A new timetable in 2022 will increase the frequency of trains running during peak periods to 32 trains per hour in central London - a train every two minutes.
London Underground managing director Andrew Pollins said: “The signalling system on these lines is some of the oldest in use anywhere in the world, with parts of it dating back to the 1930s. The use of this newer, more sophisticated signalling system will
mean more frequent, more reliable and less crowded journeys and will help us meet rapidly growing customer demand.”
The new system is similar to those that Thales has already commissioned on the Jubilee and Northern lines, where performance and reliability have improved and journey times have been cut.
Sub-surface signallingRenewal is finally underway.
Rail Engineer • July 20168
Centro, the delivery arm of the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority (ITA), has opened its extension from Snow Hill to Stevenson Street, or from the Bullring to Grand Central in shopping terms.
The extension to New Street is part of a £128 million project that has also seen the purchase of a brand new 21-strong fleet of Urbos 3 trams, a refurbished depot at Wednesbury and a new stop at Snow Hill station.
The first tram, one of the new CAF-built units, had recently been named by West Midlands-legend Ozzy Osbourne, singer with the band Black Sabbath.
Work has already begun to extend the route from New Street station to Centenary Square by 2019 and funding has been allocated for the
further extension of the route along Broad Street, past Five Ways and on to Edgbaston by 2021.
But it doesn’t stop there. The route of the extension through Digbeth has also been chosen and
Trams at New StreetThe West Midlands tram system, Midland Metro, now stretches from Wolverhampton to Birmingham's New Street station.
NEWS
it could be open as early as 2023. It takes in the forthcoming HS2 high-speed rail station at Curzon Street and then proceeds to Digbeth coach station and the Custard Factory.
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From time to time, possessions are delayed because work trains either don’t arrive on time or drivers fall out-of-hours and can’t move them.
In future there will be no need to worry. Just hitch up your Land Rover Discovery Sport and off you go!
That’s exactly what Jaguar Land Rover did recently in Switzerland. A standard Discovery Sport model was coupled-up - using its standard ball hitch as normally used for towing caravans - to three luxury, heritage railway carriages
weighing 100 tonnes.The only modifications that had
been carried out was the fitting of flanged rail wheels to the front and back of the Land Rover by Aquarius Railroad Technologies, to give guidance and keep the whole vehicle on-track.
Then the driver just pulled off, towing the carriages for 10km along the Museumsbahn Stein am Rhein, including crossing the iconic Hemishofen bridge over the Rhine itself. He didn’t even use a low-range gearbox.
Impressive!
Just hitch up a Land RoverSaving delays to possessions.
Rail Engineer • July 201610
Play your part inrailway history
The National Railway Museum Development Team • Leeman Road • York • YO26 4XJ • 01904 686 285
Here at the National Railway Museum we are very proud to be recognised as the world’s leadingrailway museum and the most visited museum outside London with over 800,000 visitors each year.Our visitors come from all over the world because they are fascinated by our collections and thestory they represent.As a national charity, we rely on the support of people young and old to preserve and care for ourcollections now and for the generations to come.One way of supporting our work is to leave a gift to the National Railway Museum in your Will. A legacygift of any size really does make a huge difference to our work and the future of the Museum.As a Railway Magazine reader, we know that you care as much about our railway heritage as we do,so if and when the time is right for you to include a legacy in your Will, please remember us.
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12 Rail Engineer • July 2016
The £14.8 billion Crossrail project, probably one of the most prestigious railway engineering projects in Europe, possibly the world, is now reaching the point where key dates for opening the new route are emerging.
The now-established Crossrail route will be called the Elizabeth line when services start to operate through central London at the end of 2018. The new services will run 132km from Reading and Heathrow in the west, through new twin-bore 21km long tunnels under central London, to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.
With 24 trains per hour running through the core of the route, it will bring an additional 1.5 million people within 45 minutes commuting distance of London’s key business districts. When it opens from 2018, Crossrail will provide new transport links with the Tube, Thameslink, National Rail, DLR and London Overground.
Network Rail is a key partner in Crossrail and it is making a significant investment of £2.3 billion in upgrading the network around the capital to ensure the project is delivered on time in 2018. With 75 per cent of the route on the existing rail network, Network Rail is responsible for the design, development and delivery of the improvements required for the Crossrail programme. Its work will integrate the new services with the national rail network from central London to the east and west.
As part of this investment, Network Rail awarded the Crossrail Anglia contract to Costain in 2014. Then valued at £158 million, it covered the upgrade of 28km of the Great
Eastern main line (GEML) between the tunnel portal at Pudding Mill Lane and Shenfield in Essex. When the contract was let, Costain was required to renew 70km of track, modernise 13 stations along the route and renew and refurbish a specified number of station footbridges. Understandably, these requirements have grown significantly since the start of the work, increasing the challenge to all concerned.
Overlaying a modern systemTo add to the challenge, unlike the central
tunnelling work which is all new build, Network Rail and Costain are carrying out the work on a very busy, live operational railway with a requirement to deliver these upgrade works whilst ensuring that any disruption to the normal train services is kept to an absolute minimum.
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13Rail Engineer • July 2016
This is not an easy task, given that the aspiration is to overlay a modern urban railway system over an old, heavily used system which is working to capacity. Also, inevitably, the contractors involved will be confronted with many historical obstructions that will create technical challenges that were just not easy to identify or define at tender stage.
The contract is managed as a collaborative partnership complying with BS11000 principles. Initially, the Network Rail and Costain team was located in Stratford but, by the late summer of 2014, it moved to new offices next door to Romford station, which is now the HQ for the project. To provide support in the field, an additional 18 site offices were created, with a further five sites served by mobile welfare facilities.
DeadlineCostain must ensure that the route is fit to
test the new trains by November 2016, trains that are currently being built by Bombardier in Derby. Additionally, Costain must also ensure that the railway is also ready for the arrival of the new fleet in May 2017.
As the deadline is getting closer, Rail Engineer recently met with John Russell, Costain’s project manager for the Anglia contract, to see how things are progressing.
John has been working on the contract since June 2014, prior to moving to Romford. He explained that three overlapping and
interactive teams have been created - the Infrastructure team, the Line of Route team and the Station team - to respond to the challenge of providing the myriad of technical skills and knowhow required to deliver such a contract. Design consultant Atkins provides support to these teams.
The Infrastructure team is responsible for carrying out a whole variety of work including S&C and plain line trackwork renewal, drainage and formation work, replacing OLE and signal gantries, and piling and installing new gantries. Supporting Costain in this work is subcontractor Keltbray Aspire.
The first real challenge for the Infrastructure team occurred at Christmas 2014, when possessions had been planned to install a turnback consisting of a crossover and lead at Chadwell Heath. The method used was to construct the layout alongside the site then slowly carry the layout into position using radio controlled self-propelled trolleys (LEMs). It was a ‘baptism by fire’ for the project that was successfully completed, setting a positive tone for the work that still needed to be done.
Network Rail had identified a need for a new crossover at Brentwood to ensure that train movements and timetables could be maintained while work was being carried out at Shenfield station. This additional work was planned and successfully carried out by the team over Easter 2015.
Responding to the unexpectedThe Line of Route team is responsible for
creating new cable routes throughout the length of the project. Subcontractors VGC and Coffey are removing vegetation and installing the many thousands of metres of troughing. The underworld of buried cables, structures and other obsolete objects keeps the teams on their toes - they need to be constantly vigilant and to have a well-prepared action plan ready at all times. It is work that sounds easy and straightforward but isn’t.
Costain is using VVB to install the signal power cabling as well as to support the station team with electrical and telecoms work.
To spread the workload of the Stations team, Costain has appointed Lorclon and BCM to carry out the station refurbishments. There are thirteen stations in the project and the work varies significantly. For example, at Harold Wood station, the teams are planning to install new lifts to provide step-free access. Platform extensions are required to accommodate the new 205-metre trains as well as a new ticket office, plus a significant amount of telecoms work. The station also needed a new footbridge (which was installed in early 2016).
Shenfield, on the other hand, needs a new bay platform, new embankments and retaining walls, sidings and a remodelled S&C layout, which of course, will involve the help of the Infrastructure team.
14 Rail Engineer • July 2016
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Interactive teamsThe three teams need to be flexible and
interactive at all times, not only coordinating work between themselves but also consulting and liaising with five borough councils: Brentwood, Havering, Barking & Dagenham, Redbridge and Newham. Understandably, each borough has its own concerns, opportunities and priorities, so managing these interfaces whilst striving to achieve a consistent approach across the route is quite a challenge.
All of the boroughs have their own views with regard to station development and discussions are still ongoing at two stations, Ilford and Romford. However, the critical factor for the November deadline, when train testing starts, is the building of platform extensions and, fortunately, this is not a concern at these locations so there is some breathing space.
Alongside the interests of the borough councils, there are other initiatives that interface with this project. For example, there is the Great Eastern electrification upgrade, which must be integrated into the project design. At Shenfield, some of this work has been transferred into the Costain project.
TfL is upgrading stations at Maryland, Manor Park and Seven Kings. Alstom is carrying out signalling work for Network Rail while Hochtief is replacing an overbridge and service
bridge carrying the A127 at Gidea Park. Volker Fitzpatrick is working at Ilford Depot and there are a number of other schemes in progress - all of which help to paint a very complicated picture, one of the many reasons why Costain has appointed a dedicated interface manager for the project.
With regard to the Section 61 submissions associated with environmental matters, each borough has its own environmental health officer who has to be informed about any planned work, the plant to be used, anticipated noise levels and risks to ecology - there is a significant amount of wildlife to deal with even in urban Essex. However, John was pleased to state that relations with all the environmental officers are very good.
Two additional sections of work are currently underway which must be completed before the deadline. The first is a stepping and gauging survey, which is required for each station with subsequent platform edge adjustments. The second is a Driver Only Operation survey to determine camera locations and any associated infrastructure installations that will be necessary.
In engineering terms, this project couldn’t be described as ‘cutting edge’ but, in railway engineering terms, it would be hard to find a more complex environment to work in with potential challenges at every step. Costain has reached almost two million man-hours on the project, and the team is confident that all of the deadlines will be met and train testing will be underway after November 2016 as planned.
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No-one should underestimate the difficulties it presented, delivering a complex structure over the River Aire’s dynamic waters. That’s what engineers do, of course: make the improbable
possible. But this was not just another railway project; it would have broader social and economic impact.
Leeds keenly anticipated its completion, the local press informing us that “to construct the new station at the requisite level and give ample field for the wonderful reticulation of lines and points, a preliminary and greater work had to be accomplished, in the erection of an extensive series of arches.”
That’s right - we’re starting our journey in the nineteenth century, not the twenty-first.
Those arches were on a vast scale, occupying seven acres and comprising 18 million bricks. Above them was built Leeds New Station, opened jointly by the North Eastern and London & North Western railways on 1 April 1869. At a cost of around £350,000, the vision of engineers Thomas Harrison and Robert Hodgson was realised by George Thompson & Co, their plucky contractor. Included in that price was a mile or so of largely elevated railway, connecting to the NER’s (North Eastern Railway) terminus at Marsh Lane. Thus, today’s route into Leeds from the east was established.
Closure of the city’s Wellington and Central stations - in 1938 and 1967 respectively - both brought significant remodelling. The ‘Leeds 1st’ capacity improvements were introduced in 2002, providing five extra platforms and more in the way of light. In all likelihood, there will be more to come, but that’s evolution for you.
Wrong directionStations don’t get much busier than Leeds. Look through the data from
2014/15 and you’ll find it ranks 12th in the UK with 28.8 million entries and exits - the third highest figure outside the capital and a million up on the previous year. Until recently, though, access was far from ideal, all the entrances being on the railway’s north side. That was fine for those visiting the main civic and commercial districts, but less convenient if your destination was amongst the emerging residential and business areas south of the station, beyond the River Aire. Reaching them involved a walk down Neville Street, enduring 100 yards of gloom beneath platform-supporting ironwork.
It was clear to stakeholders that further redevelopment potential could be impeded without improved station access. This drove plans for a new entrance on the south side, promoted by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) and Network Rail, with additional funding from the Department for Transport and Leeds City Council.
In their collective sights was a landmark structure, complementing the contemporary feel of the urban village in which it would sit. But where to put it? The only practical location involved straddling the Aire, pushed out from the station’s existing brick arches. Aesthetically, this had much to commend it, benefiting from uncluttered sight lines and reflections in the river, with apartment blocks framing the entrance on either side. The logistical, safety and technical implications would, though, be significant.
Tasked with overcoming them was Carillion Rail, appointed by Network Rail as principal contractor in November 2014. Mott MacDonald fulfilled the engineering design work whilst AHR acted as architects. The project value was £20.3 million.
Elbow roomThe extent of the envelope within which the structure would have to be
contained was set through a public inquiry and subsequent Transport and Works Act order, stipulating minimum clearances from adjacent buildings. Once the architect had refined plans for the internal space - optimising the layout of escalators, lifts, steps and landings based on pedestrian flow analysis - a total of just 400mm was available on either side for both the primary structure and any secondary framing. That led to the design of a closely-spaced structural grid to minimise the loading on each frame, presenting the opportunity to control curvatures more tightly by means of braced, moment-resisting hoops, similar to a diagrid.
This solution was elegant but further complicated matters. So as not to impede the river flow, the foundations for the new entrance took the form of extensions to two of the piers supporting the station’s brick arches. However, the superstructure columns could not land on these foundations due to the aforementioned spacial constraints. This created the need for a transfer deck but the height at which it could sit - and hence the depth of its beams - had to take account of a once-in-200-years flood event and the impact of climate change. Minimising the load on these beams was therefore imperative which proved another advantage of the closely spaced grid.
Beyond all this, the nature of the site imposed additional limitations. Whilst a couple of the arches were adapted to host mess facilities and office space, there was no room for a compound. Materials and equipment would instead have to be brought in by barge - beneath two bridges - from a satellite area 500 metres downstream and craned into place using a 63-metre high tower crane located in a cramped service yard behind an apartment block.
Rail Engineer • July 2016 19STATIONS
The positive effects of this were to keep construction traffic off busy city-centre streets and greatly reduce the disruption felt by nearby residents. It did, though, mean that Mott MacDonald’s design team had to have a critical focus on ‘buildability’, driving the adoption of lightweight, modular or prefabricated components.
Go with the flowOption selection for the pier design had to
account for environmental forces - which could be considerable - as well as the permanent load. The decision was made to form two piers, comprising single rows of twelve 900mm diameter piles, each 10 metres deep. These were sunk by a rig, supplied by Martello, mounted on a jack-up barge which had been towed to site from the satellite area. Partly driving this approach was an Environment Agency stipulation that a clear freeboard zone must be maintained at all times, the barge - from Pontoonworks - having the ability to lift itself up as the water level rose.
With the piles in place and adjustable waling beams welded to their casings, specialists from DiveSafeUK fitted 36 precast concrete panels - sealed into the river bed - to effectively act as cofferdams. Designed by Carillion’s in-house group technical services, these were then filled with mass concrete to provide working platforms on which rebar cages for the permanent pile caps could be constructed.
Cantilevered from the river bed, the two piers are thus designed to act independently - tied simply together at the top by the deck - but able to deflect within predefined limits under hydraulic forces from the Aire, lateral forces due to wind loading and any eccentric vertical loads imposed by the structural columns.
Onwards and upwardsCompletion of the foundations lifted the
project out of the water and allowed the steelwork assembly phase to get underway. It had two distinct elements: the outboard part over the river - accommodating the lifts, steps and escalators - and the new concourse spanning three electrified lines. Whilst the former could be progressed during normal working hours, the latter required around 30 overnight track possessions and isolations of the OLE.
With the beams for the transfer deck craned into place, sacrificial steel formwork was inserted between them to create another working platform, avoiding the need for temporary works or propping in the river. In addition, two upstand trusses were installed to support the entrance lobby which extends back under one of the arches to connect with a road bridge passing through the piers. It’s from this bridge that passengers have step-free access.
With reinforcement laid on the working platform, the deck’s concrete slab could be cast, allowing a predetermined sequence of structural members, hoops and bracing to be brought to site and positioned, progressing upwards and outwards from the face of the old brickwork.
Question timeHaving safely and successfully overcome one
major risk - working in the river - Carillion’s construction team was then confronted by another, the project’s interface with the operational railway. This involved widening the station’s footbridge, first removing the glass façade and modifying the existing structure before installing the permanent steelwork and deck which, in its temporary state, was designed to act as a crash deck to protect the railway below.
Key to assembling the new steelwork were two trusses, both two metres deep and more than 20 metres in length. Due to cranage restrictions, the longer one had to be lifted in two parts and temporarily propped. The concourse floor was suspended from these trusses; installing them below floor level proved impossible as there was less than 600mm available to achieve the required headroom over the railway.
Establishing support for the trusses’ southern ends was relatively straightforward - by landing columns on the pier extensions. It was a different story, though, at their north end; here we find the only points where there is vertical loading on the 1869 arches. Two columns were needed - one of them new, the other pre-existing from the ‘Leeds 1st’ rebuild. Both land on Platform 15.
Understanding the effect of these columns would obviously be crucial. Prior to work starting, a point-cloud survey had been carried out in the area around the new entrance, from which a 3D Revit model was generated - one of several that were brought together under BIM principles to aid the design work. From this, a number of sections were taken through the quadripartite vault where the brick arch and road bridge intersected. Thrust-line analysis revealed that there was insufficient capacity to carry the extra loads from the trusses, a conclusion verified by Ramboll using finite element analysis as part of a Cat 3 check.
Overcoming this issue necessitated the design and installation of steelwork to provide additional strength. This had two elements to it: vertical support for the quadripartite vault - secured about a metre into the brick piers at springing level using 40mm-diameter Cintec anchors - and horizontal propping in the adjacent spans to spread the thrust across the piers.
Great divideWith the trusses in place, the supporting
beams for the concourse were suspended and sacrificial formwork again used to create a working platform from which the slab would be cast. A temporary screen was then erected which combined with the crash deck to completely separate and protect the three
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Contact us at www.carillionplc.com
Leeds Station Southern Entrance - accommodating growing passenger demand and so encouraging the use of sustainable transport.
electrified lines below from the construction activities. This meant that the roof supports and concrete deck pouring, as well as installation of the glazing and anodised aluminium cladding from Lakesmere, could all be dealt with during daylight hours. The safety benefits of that don’t need any explanation.
Work was brought to an end prior to Christmas 2015 with fitment of the lifts, escalators and station furniture, together with the side-span footbridges which offer stepped access from the riverbanks. Passengers were invited to use the new entrance from Sunday 3 January. Since then, the crane site and barge loading area have been reinstated; life for the local residents - which was never unduly disturbed - has returned to normality.
Social climbingWhat the collaborative efforts of Carillion, Mott MacDonald, Network Rail,
AHR and WYCA have delivered here is a distinctive piece of architecture. But it serves a very practical purpose too, relieving congestion around the original concourse by drawing an estimated 20,000 passengers a day in the direction they really want to go. That could save regular commuters 50 minutes per week through shorter walking distances. Surely that’s priceless. And heading that way are the running costs - much reduced through a clear design emphasis on material optimisation and making future maintenance needs easier to fulfil.
But we shouldn’t overlook the bigger picture. Leeds is now thriving - somewhat against the odds - having skilfully plotted an exit route from several decades of social and industrial decline. The city’s landscape is unrecognisable, but the only way is up. The station’s striking new southern entrance helps to maintain that trajectory, just as the efforts of Harrison and Hodgson did back in the 1860s.
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In recent years, the proportion of cyclists in the UK has increased dramatically, with the latest statistical data produced for British Cycling revealing that over two million people in the UK cycle regularly.
The spread of cycling’s popularity amongst commuters has seen bike ownership soar in recent years. Not just because it is a much cheaper, more environmentally friendly alternative, but also due to the number of health-related benefits. A recent survey in the UK concluded that people cycling to work are more energetic and productive in their daily tasks, making cycling a good thing for business.
The UK is following the example set by other leading European countries in this field by embarking on a programme to make improvements to the facilities and infrastructure needed for people to combine cycling with their rail travel. Concerns over the security of their bicycle is a factor that stops many people from cycling to work, and this concern is not unfounded; a report published in September 2015 revealed that nearly 400,000 bicycles are stolen each year.
In a bid to overcome these statistics, a focus on providing secure options for bicycle security at stations has led to funding from the Department of Transport for the development of well-equipped cycle storage on behalf of train operators. This is part of an on-going scheme to promote cycle commuting across the UK, and rail sign manufacturer Merson ASG is contributing its signage expertise to this important initiative.
Local schemes, national programme
Merson ASG has, for many years, provided small-scale cycle signage as part of larger railway station developments, so the company was delighted to be awarded the contract to design, manufacture and install the signage for the new Cyclepoint at Cambridge Station on behalf of Abellio Greater Anglia. This new facility, which spans three floors, has created space for 2,850 cycles each day and is secure with CCTV and a sophisticated key system for users. Following a thorough sign planning and approval process, this project was completed in only four weeks.
Following its success at Cambridge, Merson ASG was awarded a commission from Merseyrail for the manufacture and installation of new and existing cycle storage signage to all 55 stations on the network.
Merson ASG conducted a survey of each station and, after successfully completing two pilot stations, was contracted to deliver the large-scale roll out. In addition to the original scope of work, Merson ASG enhanced the project by designing a totem sign to display both local places of interest and cycle paths that users might like to visit on their hired bicycles, which was a well-received addition to the station’s wider wayfinding scheme.
Stuart Dodds, Merson ASG’s business development director and project lead, said: “There are many keen cyclists in our own team and we are proud to endorse two Cycle to Work schemes, which have been very well-received. Merson ASG has several other cycle signage projects in the pipeline and we are pleased to be involved in such a rapidly-evolving area of signage demand.”
There is no question that these practical improvements, happening at stations across the UK, are on course to deliver a much more successful Bike-Rail integration which will, in time, undoubtedly change the way that people commute to and from work.
and signageEnhanced cycle storage
Rail Engineer • July 2016 23STATIONS
James Miller certainly left his mark on Scotland. As an architect for the Caledonian Railway he designed a number of Scottish stations, including those on the West Highland line. After setting up his own practice in 1893, he designed various notable buildings in Glasgow including the
Royal Infirmary. Further afield, he devised the palatial interiors of the liner Lusitania, which was sunk by a German submarine, and, in 1910, won the competition for the design of the London headquarters of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
His output was prodigious and included commissions for station designs from his old employer, the Caledonian Railway. These included the elaborate glazed curved canopies of Wemyss Bay station and its walkway to the pier, when the station was rebuilt in 1903 to accommodate increasing numbers of paddle steamer passengers. He also designed the 1906 extension to Glasgow Central and its hotel.
Miller’s extravaganzaIt is therefore not surprising that Miller was
chosen to design the new station at Stirling that opened in 1915. While there had been a station
at Stirling since 1848, as more lines opened, operated by different companies, the station proved inadequate. In 1889, the Caledonian Railway and North British Railway agreed to enlarge the station and sought powers for additional land. Yet work on the new station, which is essentially the current station, did not start until 1914.
The new station was described as a “crow-stepped gabled and crenelated façade to the street that hides a low, spacious and beautiful concourse, a miniature repeat of Miller’s extravaganza at Wemyss Bay” when it opened on New Year’s day in 1915.
In recent times, the station had a profusion of flowers and
was judged to be the
best-presented station in Scotland in 1993. This tradition has now been reinstated by the Rotary Club of Scotland which recently adopted the station as part of ScotRail’s ‘adopt a station’ scheme to encourage community involvement. Since then, the Rotary’s plants have brightened up the station, although this was not helped by the dirty glass above.
Polycarbonate replaces glassA hundred years ago the only material
available to Miller to create his ‘extravaganza’ was glass. Today, six millimetre thick sheets of Makrolon® lightweight, self-cleaning polycarbonate provide a superior glazing material which, when used with the Twinfix Multi-Link Panel NF glazing system, is a non-fragile panel that can be quickly installed. The need for this was clear as an estimated one in six of the glass roof panels had been cracked as a result of vibration from freight trains and there were concerns that a damaged panel might fall onto one of the platforms below.
Stirlingwork DAVID SHIRRES
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Although the Makrolon sheets used were a Georgian-wired cast-effect polycarbonate which is virtually unbreakable, Stirling City Council’s planners were not convinced. Hence it took two years for Network Rail to obtain planning permission to re-glaze the Category A-listed Stirling station.
One concern was that polycarbonate would discolour over time and so would undermine the “architectural integrity” of the station. This was addressed by tests that demonstrated polycarbonate would not discolour in the short term and an agreement for ten-yearly inspections, following which any discoloured panes would be replaced.
The planners were also not prepared to accept the use of Twinfix standard 70mm glazing bars as the existing station bars were 50mm wide. To address this issue, Twinfix designed a new glazing bar and produced a ‘mock up’ using a 3D printer. This was shown to the planners, to convince them that this was acceptable, and was also used to confirm the dimensional tolerances of a glazing system incorporating the new 50mm bar.
Once planning permission had been received, Story Contracting was able to start the roof works
last August. These included, in addition to re-
glazing the 2,440 square metre roof, inspection, repairs and painting of the supporting structure as well as relining cast iron gutters and cleaning downpipes, all at a total cost of £2.5 million. The design and execution of this work was part of the station framework contract which Network Rail Scotland had awarded to Story in 2014.
Story’s designer was Arup, which was primarily concerned with the connection between the steelwork and the glazing system. As the polycarbonate sheets are much lighter than glass, particular consideration had to be given to wind uplift.
The glazing system, designed by Twinfix, was quick to install as each panel interlocks to the adjacent one.
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Roof accessA recent innovation is the roof access hatches
(pirctured above). These form an integral part of the glazing system and had been developed by Twinfix in response to a request from Network Rail that maintenance could be undertaken without the need to gain access above the glazing. At Stirling, 174 such hatches were installed at 4.2 metre centres from which gutter cleaning and other work can be carried out using six-foot-long omnipoles.
Story’s rail director for Scotland, John MacArthur, considers that Stirling’s historic station is not only a high profile project, but also one that presented some interesting challenges. It had originally been thought that the cast iron glazing in the round concourse area would be one of them. However, once the panel sizes were determined, it was found that they were all the same size as the circular glazing was geometrically perfect.
In contrast, there is a significant degree of non-uniformity of the supporting steelwork over the slightly curved platforms. This may have been deformed due to wind loading over the past hundred years but, whatever the reason, the result was that a significant number of glazing panels were of a non-standard size.
Hence Twinfix had a small installation team on site which cut individual panels to the required dimensions. John estimated that this was necessary for 10 per cent of the panels.
The original steelwork was generally in good condition and only required occasional localised repairs before painting. John felt it had been well maintained, perhaps as a result of Stirling being a relatively small and high-profile station. The paint used was a three-coat M24 epoxy protective system applied over the existing lead paint which had previously been prepared using power tools.
The roofing work was undertaken from a fully enclosed crash deck above the platforms. This was erected during a night station closure using rules of route possessions for work close to the platform edge. In this way, the 46,000 passengers who use the station each week were not affected and there were no platform closures.
however, present another problem as the crash deck scaffolding hoardings could potentially affect train despatch sightlines. In consultation with ScotRail, this problem was resolved by
closing off the area underneath the crash deck with heavy duty netting through which sight lines could be maintained. It was therefore possible to erect a larger area of crash deck than would otherwise have been possible, greatly improving productivity.
In this way, most of the work took place both during the dayshift and in a high street environment. However, possessions were required for the re-lining of the gutters using mobile elevating work platforms to work over the dagger boards.
Story completed its Stirling station roof work in June, two months ahead of schedule. John MacArthur considers that the key reason for this early finish was the use of a larger crash deck than was originally planned, the result of good collaboration between Story, Twinfix and ScotRail’s station management team.
Above the city is Stirling’s castle and its medieval town - one of Scotland’s great tourist attractions. While it offers much for those with an interest in architecture, they should also venture below the castle to see the architectural gem that is James Miller’s Stirling station. With its new roof, and flowers from the Rotary, it is certainly a sight worth seeing.
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Twinfi x Georgian WiredPolycarbonateNon-Fragile Roofl ights
Twinfi x is a family run business. As experienced innovators they offer a range of well-engineered glazing products, many of which are fi tted on the roofs of Rail Stations and Depots.The Multi-Link-Panel installed by Story Contracting at Stirling Station in Scotland is an aluminium-framed, modular roofl ight system, designed with a unique fi xing method that results in incredibly quick installation times.
In order to drive effi ciencies within their work in rail Twinfi x have utilised up-to-date 3D printing to aid product innovation and development, employing this new technology to view a 3D model of a revised Multi-Link bar design for use in future rail applications.
For ease of specifi cation the Multi-Link-Panel is available as a BIM object for download in IFC and Revit formats from the Twinfi x website.
The Twinfi x collaboration with Story Contracting on Stirling Station is a great example of Twinfi x Georgian wired effect polycarbonate in their Multi-Link Non-Fragile panel. The polycarbonate glazing looks the same as the traditional Georgian wired glass but will not break.
The benefi ts of this system are:
• Safe in use: All Multi-Link-Panels pass the ACR[M]001:2014 drop test, in accordance with HSE recommendations, with a ‘B’ designation.
• The Twinfi x Georgian wired grade solid polycarbonate is particularly popular as it mimics Georgian wired glass.
• Polycarbonate absorbs vibrations without cracking, crazing or breaking.
• The aluminium framework can be powder coated to a RAL colour to suit your project.
• The light weight of the fi nished product results in less stress to the fabric of original buildings.
• Sleek in-line access hatches (developed at the request of Network Rail) offer unobtrusive and safe access through the glazing for maintenance purposes.
• Factory manufactured roofl ight panels means no costly mistakes on site.
London Euston station is the sixth busiest railway station in the UK and acts as the southern terminus of the West Coast Main line, the busiest intercity passenger route in Britain and the main gateway to the capital from the North West and West Midlands. Located in a complex area, Euston
station is connected to the London Underground network and is within short walking distance of Kings Cross and St Pancras stations. Euston has also been named as the preferred southern terminus of the proposed HS2 line to Birmingham and the North of England.
The site for Euston station was chosen by George and Robert Stephenson in the early 1830s. Designed by Philip Hardwick and built by William Cubitt, the station first opened in July 1837. Originally the station consisted of two platforms accessed via the “Euston Arch”. As the population and surrounding infrastructure grew, the station was expanded in stages to include 15 platforms by the 1890s.
In 1962, the original building was demolished and the Euston station that we now know was developed and opened in 1968, following the electrification of the WCML and ushering in the “electric age”.
Planning aheadMoves are now afoot to again redevelop Euston
station and the surrounding rail infrastructure, with a view to providing much needed capacity and further enhancing the links between London and the North of England. As a precursor to the enabling works, Bridgeway Consulting was asked to act as principal contractor for all survey works on behalf of Network Rail, and also to undertake the majority of the surveys using its in-house engineering teams.
Such a busy and complex area required much thought and consideration in planning and executing survey works while maintaining a fully operational rail infrastructure. To successfully carry out the planned works, Bridgeway appointed a project team to work in conjunction with Network Rail at its Euston site which included access planning, operational and technical leadership and the utilisation of multiple data collection, processing and modelling teams.
For the Bridgeway Geomatics teams, the works were broken down into four key areas: » Survey strategy, data management and
technical support; » Euston Station pointcloud survey; » Track and lineside surveys; » BIM and 3D modelling strategy and production
of models.To assist in the management of survey data,
production of standards, development of scopes and to offer technical support as and where required, an experienced client survey manager was appointed to work alongside the Network Rail project team. In liaison with the Bridgeway project managers, all parties were able to establish delivery protocols very early on in the process and
ensure that the deliverables matched expectations through ongoing interaction and the development of open working practises.
One major part of the project was a full 3D laser scan of the entire station, including all platforms, Network Rail and London Underground concourses, car parks, parcel deck, back of house and basement areas, offices and the station perimeter. The sheer size of the site, coupled with issues surrounding interfacing with the public and working within a busy, thriving environment, led to a period of intense planning and development of new methodologies prior to the start of site works.
Key challenges to be faced included security issues surrounding accessing sensitive areas of the station, restricted access times front of house and operational areas, train timetabling, transfer and management of large datasets and, of course, the British weather when surveying the station facades and perimeter.
Key to the success of the project was engaging with the station management team and maintaining ongoing contact to ensure that every access opportunity was maximised. This, in turn, was supported by flexible working by the survey teams, using a combination of daytime, night time, midweek and weekend shifts to work around station operations, members of the public and other work groups. Additionally, new working methodologies were employed including improved on-site data capture techniques, nested
Digitising
The Euston Arch, demolished in 1962.
Aerial of Euston station.
Collection of laser scan data.
Euston
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registration of pointclouds and the introduction of additional QA procedures. Data was tracked, transferred and verified on a daily basis, using IT links from the onsite project office.
The scan data was captured over a period of four months, with approximately 1,900 medium-resolution colour scans captured and delivered in multiple formats and uploaded directly to the client Common Data Environment. Due to the overall size of the scheme, the pointcloud had to be broken down into manageable 5Gb datasets to allow efficient use for the design and asset teams. In key areas of the station, 3D wireframe and surface models were created, and the pointcloud was also used to extract infill data to update and expand legacy drawings already owned by Network Rail.
Lineside surveysPerhaps the largest element of the Euston works were the track and lineside
surveys, which involved the merging of multiple large and complex datasets collected using various equipment types and methodologies. The scoped works included track, topographical and gauging surveys to be undertaken between the buffers at Euston station and Primrose Hill tunnels, some 4km further north, with additional in-house GPR and drainage teams also employed at key stages.
Prior to any data collection it was vital to ensure that a robust survey grid was in place and, with that in mind, Bridgeway survey teams installed and coordinated a project grid at track level, including PGMs (permanent ground markers) and spigots throughout tunnels and bridges.
One key consideration for future works was that consistent and open access is severely restricted even within possessions, and therefore 360° mini prisms were installed in those challenging areas, ensuring that future survey teams would have sufficient accessible control to be able to work from. Additionally, a new secondary control baseline was required to close the network and enable the stations to be coordinated precisely and to a consistent grid.
Following on from the survey control acceptance, a full suite of tools was employed to accurately survey the position of the infrastructure along the route. Traditional high-precision total station measurements were carried out, alongside kinematic and static laser scans, with all of the datasets then merged to provide a full 3D environment which could then be used for modelling and data extraction. A 3D wireframe model was also extracted, providing a comprehensive yet manageable drawing.
As with all works on track, the primary consideration when undertaking the lineside surveys was how to best make use of the access available. Euston is a particular challenge due to the sheer number of crossovers, live lines and
sidings and the presence of DC conductor rails. Often it was only possible to achieve two hours working time in a shift but, by working with the planners, station staff and other contractors and by using the most appropriate methodologies, the survey teams were able to ensure that maximum productivity was achieved while maintaining the focus on quality and accuracy.
Future benefitsFollowing the joint production of a BIM modelling strategy, Bridgeway is
now working with Network Rail to model key areas of the station and to highlight the benefits that a full 3D parametric BIM model can bring to the project. Future benefits that are being explored are the incorporation of ground investigation AGS data into the model alongside the modelling of data derived from utilities surveys, which when combined would create an overall picture of any development and design proposal both above and below ground.
In order to deliver a project such as Euston, a joined up approach is essential from strategy and planning through to execution and delivery. This, combined with full integration into the Network Rail project team and a willingness to embrace new technology and ideas, has led to the successful delivery of a complex and challenging programme of works. In turn, the surveys undertaken to date should form the basis for the design, construction and asset management of Euston Station and it’s infrastructure for years to come.
The complex nature of infrastructure projects, and the requirement for collaboration across disciplines and project participants, has prompted many organisations to adopt BIM (Building Information Modelling) processes. With benefits ranging from asset sustainability to risk
reduction, it is fast becoming impossible for other infrastructure professionals to ignore BIM if they want to remain competitive.
The benefits that are offered through BIM advancements can be experienced on projects of all types and sizes. From a technology perspective, a BIM strategy enables the integration of data-rich models and project information databases to build a virtual representation of a project and all assets. All stakeholders can access reliable information, making collaboration easier, reducing risks and, most notably, improving return on investment (ROI). Business Review Weekly reported that
the use of BIM in construction has the potential to save firms between three and five per cent in costs.
These financial benefits are derived from the enhanced project collaboration and improved construction productivity enabled by BIM advancements, which absolutely contribute towards building a robust construction economy. Employing BIM methodologies leads to faster client approval cycles, which can have a dramatic impact on reducing overall project delivery costs.
This BIM ROI enables constructors to select with confidence the best team for the job, rather than accepting the lowest bidder.
Implementing BIM best practices for construction also enables the testing of constructability and sustainability models before work begins, to build the most durable and green asset possible. The benefits that these processes bring about are eliminating design errors and costly construction re-work, building high performance assets, and reducing environmental impacts such as energy performance.
BIMprocessesimpossible to ignore
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Enabling BIM advancementProviding software and services that
empower organisations to attain the full potential of BIM advancements, Bentley is well placed to deliver a truly BIM-enabled solution.
A connected environment for comprehensive project delivery ensures corporate governance and information integrity while providing the project agility to unify multi-discipline project teams for improved project performance. For example, ProjectWise CONNECT Edition provides a comprehensive work sharing solution. The result is the virtual connection of every project partner and remote team
member to project information and processes throughout the project lifecycle, including initial planning, design, and construction, and handover to operations.
The complete BIM solution includes 3Dvisualisation for modelling and design, optioneering for performance improvements and merging the physical with the virtual to achieve an immersive rich data model throughout the lifecycle of the assets. There is also increasing demand for applications that make it easier to conduct walkthroughs and constructability reviews in the field in order to reduce both risk and reworking when translating the design model to the survey. Recent R&D has focused on developing applications that use visualisation and clash resolution capabilities to identify constructability and compliance issues – using Bentley Navigator’s 3D model review and collaboration, for example.
With the ability to explore immersively and to investigate the models and their embedded property data, it is easy to perform construction simulation and virtual walkthroughs before construction begins. Supporting multiple device types - PCs, tablets and mobiles – users can take this technology into the field with Navigator Mobile to improve project coordination and gain insight into project planning and execution for faster issue resolution.
Enabling BIM best practiceTo maximise the value of these tools, of
course, it is essential to train the construction workforce. However, while increasing the use of information mobility among users in the construction industry creates a lasting legacy of best practice and innovation, facilitating the acceptance and implementation of BIM advancements is easier said than done.
Rail Engineer • July 2016 31SURVEYING AND BIM
In addressing this and promoting the use of BIM methodologies, Bentley established the BIM Advancement Academy programme in conjunction with industry experts. Supporting BIM initiatives through industry standards, such as Construction Operations Building Information Exchange (COBie), Infrastructure Asset Data Dictionary for UK (IADD4UK), and Unified Classification for the Construction Industry (Uniclass), the Academy works with organisations at all levels of the industry to educate staff and the entire supply chain about BIM workflows.
As well as providing users with the required skills and knowledge, the BIM Advancement Academy programme helps owners to bring construction projects into alignment by ensuring that contractors and the supply chain understand the processes and deliverables expected for each project.
Today, Bentley’s experts in BIM best practices are already providing leadership and training globally by utilising the company’s BIM Academy in London as well as on site and through virtual training. They can assess the maturity level of an organisation’s BIM methodology and benchmark it against best practices, and then work with that organisation to achieve BIM compliance.
The industry standards and processes that form the basis of the Academy curriculum (BS 1192, PAS 1192) were sponsored by the UK BIM Task Group. Creating a replica environment of an organisation’s systems and processes can demonstrate the best way to work and how to get the people in an organisation ready to execute their projects. This means all project participants are better informed and understand the importance of BIM processes for the project.
BIM in practiceThe value of effectively combining best
practice systems and expertise is proven in projects around the world. Indeed, projects are increasingly being specified to have a totally BIM-driven lifecycle, such as the Midfield Terminal Building at the Abu Dhabi International Airport, designed and constructed by Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC). Throughout this $3.2 billion project, CCC leveraged its 17 years of experience using Bentley’s BIM processes to integrate our products with its in-house platforms. The use
of a BIM methodology that included AECOsim Building Designer, MicroStation, ProjectWise, InRoads and Bentley Navigator facilitated project delivery and minimised risk. Moreover, the BIM methodology helped the construction team leverage information in ProjectWise to accurately forecast construction schedules, perform logistics studies, and validate resource requirements.
A BIM approach was also used by the Beijing Construction Research Institute to design the 500-metre Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope, in Karst, Guizhou, China. This telescope will
Construction of the new Midfield terminal at Abu Dhabi.
The Five-hundred metre Aperture Spherical Telescope(FAST) is currently under construction in China.
be the largest single-aperture telescope in the world when it is complete in 2016. This enormous project required highly accurate construction, fabrication, installation, and collaboration across multiple disciplines and locations. The project team used a standardised BIM methodology that saved the team 1,300 man-days of design modification and 400 man-days of review and field error handling. What is an interesting fact about this project is that by using ProjectWise, the design team reduced management risks by 85 per cent. Additionally, ProSteel’s parametric 3D modelling helped to design and optimise the 445 network cable nodes, which reduced costs by CNY 4 million.
Lastly, Crossrail, which will transform transportation across London, reduce congestion, and bring an extra 1.5 million people within a 45-minute train ride of the city, is using a BIM approach to build more than 21 kilometres of new twin-bored tunnels and nine new stations under London. The BIM methodology enabled the team to overcome the challenge of building in close proximity to existing infrastructure. Using Bentley’s BIM solution, Crossrail effectively coordinated and communicated with over 100 contractors and more than 10,000 people working across the project supply chain.
The future is BIMLooking ahead, the industry is clearly moving
towards new cutting edge technologies that leverage cloud services, mobile devices and drone technology. To be well positioned for the next decade and beyond, Bentley recently made some strategic acquisitions, including SITEOPS for breakthrough site design optimisation ‘software at your service’. This uses cloud-based computing techniques to empower site development professionals to move beyond engineering to optioneering, which enables the exploration of engineering alternatives and their associated costs. Optioneering also substantially improves the choices considered for any site development, including commercial, industrial, institutional, campus, and residential projects.
Bentley also entered the world of drone technology early last year with the acquisition of France-based Acute3D, provider of software for reality modelling. Renamed ContextCapture and launched at the end of 2015, the product automates the generation of high-resolution, fully 3D representations from digital photographs taken with any camera, even a smartphone.
Lastly, EADOC technology, acquired in March 2015, offers construction management cloud services. It helps construction managers at
engineering/construction management firms and infrastructure owner organisations reduce risk, improve information quality, and provide owners with real-time visibility into costs on their capital projects.
This continued evolution of BIM best practice will, without doubt, drive ever better control and risk management throughout the construction supply chain. Organisations simply cannot afford to ignore these benefits if they are to remain competitive.
Harry Vitelli is senior vice president of Bentley Systems (Construction and Field, Project Delivery).
Crossrail westbound crossover beneath Holborn at Fisher Street.
What is Asset Condition Monitoring (ACM)? A simple enough question, one would assume, with an equally simple answer. Perhaps not. A quick check online throws up a myriad of results.
Even refining the search to include ‘railway’ still presents a bewildering array of options.
This article will attempt to answer that question. However, with its finite limits, it will be able to touch on some, but will by no means cover all, potential aspects of ACM.
A definitionFor the purposes of this editorial, we
will go with the following definition: “A system that allows a user or maintainer of an asset to be made aware of that asset’s condition for one or more monitored parameters of that asset.”
One example could be the state, time to transfer between states and motor current required to move a passenger door. So there is an asset - the door including motor and command and control equipment - plus state and time taken to transition between its states of open and closed. The ACM is therefore the monitoring system that measures and reports on those aspects of the asset.
That seems all fairly simple, but now the fun begins.
Early ACMTraditionally, a maintainer of an
asset would have operated one or a combination of ACM processes that might be classified as ‘Find and Fix’ - wait for an asset to stop working, find the failed component and fix it. This may be cost effective in some industries but, given the severity of delay attribution penalties in the UK, probably isn’t a wise choice for widespread adoption.
An alternative is to adopt the OEM’s advice on periodic maintenance. This is probably presented as a conservative schedule. After all, the OEM doesn’t want its equipment tarred with the ‘fails in service’ brush and so it probably recommends asset maintenance or replacement whilst there is still remaining ‘useful’ life in the asset, which will be wasted.
Either way this is not really ACM at all. Waiting for an asset to fail and respond rather than monitoring its condition, or replacing items periodically because
that’s what the maintenance manual calls for, take no real consideration of the asset’s condition at or prior to the act of maintenance. These are purely reactive systems, acting in response to a fault occurring or the arrival of a periodic maintenance window, with no understanding or consideration of the actual condition of each asset. One option results in unpredictable disruption when faults arise or are wasteful of remaining asset life due to the periodic nature of some maintenance.
Crafting a solutionThe aim must be to use technology
to monitor the asset’s condition, or at least a specific number of key physical parameters relating to the condition of the asset - examples might include motor current, relay room temperature or track geometry, depending on the actual asset under consideration. Then take this acquired data and build a database of the true condition and operation of individual assets.
As the old saying goes, “knowledge is power”. So, to analyse and extract the information from large quantities of points monitoring data, Balfour Beatty has spent fifteen years creating and refining a software solution called AssetVIEW™. This system makes use of the scalable processing capabilities available in the rapidly evolving field of cloud technologies to identify and report alerts from the data in real-time, provide the ability to drill down into the detail of these alerts for the purpose of root cause analysis, and provide early indication of impending failures.
The efficacy of such systems is heavily reliant upon the quality of parameter selection, rules and thresholds, which Balfour Beatty has developed and evolved in conjunction with its domain specialists. As a real-time online solution, the AssetVIEW system is accessible 24/7 from wherever maintainers need it. With the
ubiquitous use of smartphones and tablets, it can exploit Push Technology: a subscription model whereby users register (or subscribe) to alerts for specific assets. Similar in concept to the alerts received from social media applications, these give real-time information about events of significant interest. It is as if your point machine has a Twitter™ account!
These modern techniques are exactly what Balfour Beatty has provided for SMRT (Singapore Mass Rapid Transit) where the company’s Points Condition Monitoring system (PCMALERT) has been chosen and installed to monitor 150 point ends over 32 locations. It is responsible for acquiring real-time condition and event data, providing SMRT with the decision support required to optimise the work of maintaining a network of point assets, review asset performance and create improved maintenance schedules. This is particularly important as the points were all installed within a very short timeframe and require maintenance at much the same time, a significantly risk-laden and highly challenging undertaking.
Asset Condition Monitoring
Rail Portal Survey and Clearance Information.
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Now this approach is all well and good for discrete assets that are, in effect, static or only occupy a limited area, but for something more linear, such as rail, a slightly different approach has proven to be more effective. Rather than just deploying trackside monitoring of particularly problematic locations, track maintainers can team up with train operators to have unattended monitoring devices fitted to passenger service vehicles that automatically record the characteristics of the track over which the vehicle is travelling.
Then, in the case of TrueTrak™, these devices utilise either 3G or Wi-Fi hotspots to download the acquired data to a central repository for analysis and presentation in DataMap™.
Once again, this system was developed in conjunction with domain specialists, not only from within Balfour Beatty, but also customer and development partner London Underground, which is currently in the process of rolling out the solution across its entire network, following an extended and successful evaluation programme.
A crucial aspect of DataMap is its ability to locate data accurately from many disparate recording systems, collected at different times, to produce a single ‘run on run’ view of the whole network which can aid maintainers in assessing developing issues or faults within their area of responsibility.
A better solutionAssetVIEW and DataMap
have evolved, from their original functionality of collecting data and providing visualisations of what was and is happening to an asset, into providing the prediction or foresight of what may happen in the future. Balfour Beatty has pioneered the ability to take historic data and apply prediction algorithms to the data which provide an insight into when an asset would otherwise begin to report issues or fail.
This simple but powerful change in approach allows the maintainer to plan where and when to schedule maintenance. A well-planned resource is far more cost effective, and safer, than having one on standby that can be applied in a reactive manner.
Possession planning can become far more effective when specific types of maintenance are required, even combining disciplines in a single possession to minimise disruption.
Network Rail is also currently embracing predictive maintenance systems with the National Gauging Database. Gauging data, clearances and stepping distances for every rail vehicle in the UK are stored in the cloud, accessible via Balfour Beatty’s rail portal (www.bbrailportal.com) on any desktop or mobile device. Data is constantly updated and prediction algorithms indicate when clearances are likely to become problematic, providing engineers with powerful tools to actively manage clearances and reduce inspection frequencies.
Embracing riskUp until now, the primary objective
of ACM has been to mitigate or eliminate the risk of an unplanned failure, the consequential disruption to service and the cost of any reactive measures. A worthy aim but, realistically, risk will never be completely eliminated, not without seriously and adversely impacting operations and cost effectiveness. So consideration should be given on how to embrace risk and treat it, not as something to be exterminated, but as a factor to be understood.
Many industries use stochastic methods to provide simulations of likely outcomes - not just banks and high street retailers selling ice creams in summer but real engineering industries such as nuclear power and aerospace. If they can develop models to predict failure or, to put it another way, provide levels of confidence of successful operation to defined limits, then perhaps the rail industry should consider evaluating it too.
If the level of confidence of an asset performing to specification until a given point in the future was available, and there was consideration
AssetVIEW Data Presentation.
DataMap Virtual Track Walk.
AssetVIEW Data Presentation.
Rail Engineer • July 2016 35SURVEYING AND BIM
of the impact to the business if that prediction were wrong, then an informed decision as to whether to continue to operate the asset or take it out of service to effect maintenance could be made. That decision having been taken in a manner that was risk focussed not risk averse, with the potential added benefit of increased asset life and improved safety.
These models are constantly evolving and, to that end, Balfour Beatty and its key strategic partners are embracing that challenge in the field of gauging and overhead line electrification.
Gauging is the practice of modelling vehicle dynamic movements against measured infrastructure to determine the ‘absolute’ value of physical and electrical clearance between the two. Until recently, this practice, as implemented in the UK’s preeminent clearance software ClearRoute™, has adopted just such absolute techniques in an attempt to eliminate the risk of contact between vehicle and infrastructure. However, it is now possible to utilise sophisticated Monte-Carlo based techniques to provide not only a calculation of the clearance value, but also a measure of the level of confidence the modelling has in that clearance value, a first step to embracing the risk.
At present, this stochastic technique is available as a consultancy service to customers but the plan is to ultimately have it available via Balfour Beatty’s rail portal alongside the other aspects of the National Gauging Database project being delivered to Network Rail.
Asset Condition Monitoring is an evolving, growing and ever changing landscape that has firmly entered the digital age with the advent of cloud technologies, the Internet of Things and advanced software forecasting. It shows great potential to improve safety, extend asset life and reduce costs for the entire rail industry.
ClearRoute stochastic vehicle movement.
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An expert approach to asset maintenance
For more information, contact us: [email protected] www.balfourbeatty.com/rail
Balfour Beatty offers a range of asset management and condition monitoring solutions. Designed by our rail experts, our leading technology allows customers to predict and prevent costly delays and unplanned maintenance. Our services and software monitor, measure and analyse assets for a safe, efficient railway.
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Signalling systems have to be safe, reliable, maintainable, sustainable, and cost effective. While electronic solid-state interlockings have been used for over 30 years, there are still many relay and mechanical-based
systems in place. To deliver the additional capacity required for tomorrow’s railway, new ways of controlling train movements using the best technology available are needed, from signalling control systems to signal equipment, train detection and interlockings.
With over 1.6 billion passenger journeys a year recorded by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), the highest recorded figure since the series began, and with continued growth of 4 per cent per annum anticipated, there is an urgent need for solutions that will deliver future demand, help improve reliability and capacity, and reduce delays to benefit passengers.
Atkins, with its extensive team of railway professionals and links to other industries and the UK supply chain, is ideally placed to develop and introduce future signalling systems. As an independent integrator, they can search and use/adapt the best products in the world, building signalling systems today that enable the digital railway of tomorrow. Atkins prides itself on being able to provide
a signalling system service using the best technology available, rather than supplying a pre-determined catalogue of parts.
The Atkins signalling and telecoms (S&T) design teams have the capacity to undertake all control and communications work from outline feasibility studies to scheme and detailed design.
They provide installation, testing and commissioning on full-scale remodelling programmes, as well as for smaller projects together with technical investigation work. Over 200 Institution of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE) licensed signalling design engineers deliver a range of services from feasibility to detailed design for major and minor mainline, together with metro, railway projects.
Supplementing the signalling design capability, there are qualified and experienced installers, testers and technical specialists who can work on all major equipment and technologies for projects of any scale. This wealth of knowledge and experience is available to advise on the next generation of control systems and to ensure that the lessons learned from the past are used to engineer the future.
Independent clean sheetAtkins is employing new digital
technology and delivery methods to re-engineer the whole signalling system so that future rail services can be delivered and maintained with greater whole asset life efficiencies.
It is clear that Network Rail’s future signalling strategy will centre on ERTMS, with its benefits of increased capacity and lower running costs. However, the whole network and the fleet of rolling stock cannot be upgraded overnight. Asset managers may have assets that have reached the end of their life and which need to be replaced based upon their condition. It’s also important that the industry feeds the supply chain with a steady supply of work.
What is required are methods of replacing redundant assets with conventional, lower-cost fixed-block signalling which is ERTMS-ready and can be easily upgraded to gain the full benefits when the rolling stock becomes available. While continuing
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Rail’s future needs
PAUL DARLINGTON
Future signalling systems
Atkins is combining the expertise of its people with the latest technology and ways of working to create signalling improvements today, which enable and deliver digital railway services of tomorrow.
Rail Engineer • July 201638
to deploy new technology, using proven products from other industries, which can be applied and used on the railway now.
In 2012, Atkins looked at the signalling requirements of the future with a clean sheet of paper. By adopting modern software techniques with progressive assurance ‘in-built’ and standards aligned to the right technologies, Atkins believes that it is possible to implement signalling systems on complex railways with a greater level of confidence than has previously been experienced. High levels of automated testing can save time to commission projects, while reducing the amount of scarce resource required and the associated risks.
In consultation with its main customer, Network Rail, Atkins determined that the future signalling asset base should be based on electronic PLCs (Programmable Logic Controller) using ladder logic, reliable, self-diagnostic, maintenance-free, self-assuring in design, capable of using open system TCP/IP communications, scalable, flexible, future proof and cost-effective. It must also limit the need for workers to go out on track - both for installation and maintenance.
By building on experience in other sectors such as nuclear and defence, which deploy similar technologies and delivery methods, Atkins is combining the expertise of its signalling engineers with the latest technology and new ways of working. This is aimed at creating integrated future signalling systems to deliver the digital railway services for tomorrow, with the best products available in the world. These systems are now being trialled and approved for industry roll out.
Interlockings and standardsThe heart of any signalling system is the interlocking of
signalling assets with one another, preventing conflicting or unsafe train movement. Interlockings were introduced in the UK following the Regulation of Railways Act of 1889 and range from the earliest mechanical variants, through a variety of electro-mechanical and electrical relay interlocking, up to modern automated electronic systems. Interlockings are the ‘brain’ for communication between the signaller and the infrastructure, translating the signaller’s commands into the safe control of signal and point-operating equipment.
At the start of CP5, electronic-based interlockings only accounted for approximately 40 per cent of the British network by size, with the remaining 60 per cent either relay or mechanical. Within the last few years, relay interlockings were still being specified for schemes, as the industry capacity for electronic systems could not
keep up with the demand. On the telecoms side of S&T, relay-based switching systems were phased out 25 years ago and there have been impressive reliability and maintenance cost-savings as a result. Electronic control systems and IP-based communications systems are now found in all industries, and with the digital rail programme to provide more capacity at less cost, there is now the opportunity to provide signalling, interlocking and systems using such technology.
Signalling principles and standards have evolved around hard-wired relay logic, so the obvious way of programming a PLC is to convert the relay logic into PLC code. This, however, causes problems as relay circuits have evolved to compensate for relay behavioural characteristics, and therefore principles and standards have evolved around relay circuit characteristics. In order to programme a PLC correctly and efficiently, a system requirement specification has to be created using a formal method (in accordance with EN 50128, the standard for software-based signalling) before coding the PLC and proving it is safe.
The standards that apply to future signalling systems by Atkins are the European EN5012x family, including EN50126, EN50128 and EN50129. EN 50126 covers the specification and demonstration of reliability, availability, maintainability and safety (RAMS). EN 50128, addresses requirements capture, software design, implementation and testing while EN 50129 describes in detail what action and documentation has to be provided for the purpose of preparing a safety case.
Hardware and softwareWithin its future signalling systems offer, Atkins
evaluated a number of interlocking products against the required criteria before deciding to adopt Alstom’s ElectroLogIXS technology. This is used extensively around the world and has a good reputation for reliability. It can be configured in a number of ways, so it could control a level crossing, an object controller for a signal or set of points, or a very complex layout.
The other advantage of selecting ElectroLogIXS was that it provided Atkins with a blank canvas for the bespoke software which has been created in-house. This resulted in Atkins being able to ensure its solution complies with signalling principles, rather than having to adapt other software systems. This also means that, in the event of future modifications or enhancements being required, the expertise and coding is with Atkins, so they will be able to support the system throughout its lifetime.
(Left) Current level crossing infrastructure.(Right) Future signalling systems by Atkins will deliver numerous key benefits including: reduction of groundworks, increased reliability, seamless integration with new technology and greater technical assurance.
Rail Engineer • July 2016 39
Some electronic interlocking systems in the past have used serial processing, which has resulted in signallers taking longer to set routes compared to a relay interlocking. Atkins has made sure this is not the case with ElectroLogIXS.
Critical electrical signalling control equipment must be housed in a secure, weatherproof environment, with the housings provided at regular intervals along the trackside. Historically, these have been provided in various forms, ranging from small apparatus housings containing minimal equipment through to large expensive buildings in the form of relay rooms and relocatable equipment buildings (REB).
Relay rooms and REBs were required because the geographical or relay interlockings were large. When the first, smaller electronic interlockings were introduced, REBs continued to be implemented to provide security and the correct environmental conditions. Maintainers preferred REBs as they provide a safe, warm and dry environment to fault and maintain equipment. All this comes at a cost, not only to install, but also to maintain and repair the building throughout the life of the asset.
Modern electronic systems and interlockings are now very reliable, small and require no maintenance. They can be networked to a central control and be self-diagnosing, so a maintainer can be told exactly which component to replace in the (rare) event of a failure, or even a non-service-effecting failure. This is the approach Atkins has taken and it has established that the ElectroLogIXS technology can be housed in standard inexpensive location cases, with no expensive environmental equipment. The tail
cables to the equipment allow the location cases to be sited near access points in positions of safety. What, only a few years ago, would have required a room full of relays can now be provided by a single electronic card.
Care needs to be taken so that commercial-off-the-shelf equipment, such as power supplies, can operate in location cases, but the telecoms industry has proved electronic equipment doesn’t always need a building. Just observe all the green street cabinets that are used by BT to deliver high speed broadband into most homes. What would a town / village look like with an REB on every other street? Not to think of the costs involved.
Safety integrity level and electromagnetic compatibility
An appropriate safety integrity level (SIL) is required for any item of equipment with a safety role and it is this that differentiates a normal industrial PLC from one used in a signalling interlocking system.
Unfortunately, SIL is often misunderstood. SILs relate to specific safety functions and not overall reliability. Some procurement specifications specify that a system or piece of equipment meets a particular SIL, without assessing if it is needed at all, when maybe only one or two functions within the overall system actually need a SIL. A system with high reliability may well be safe, but a system with a high SIL may have low reliability.
It has been known for some specifiers to require a SIL level for quality or reliability, rather than safety, reasons. This fails to recognise that
SIL relates only to safety-related systems and their safety functions. If not assessed correctly, it can result in systems being delivered that do not meet the true performance requirements and have higher than expected whole-life costs.
For its new portfolio of future signalling systems technologies, Atkins has used its expertise to make sure only the right components have been assessed for the correct SIL, but not overlooking the EN 50126 reliability requirements.
The ElectroLogIXS interlocking has been assessed as compliant to SIL4 and has undergone rigorous testing for both AC and DC immunisation, in some of the worst locations on the network for such interference. ElectroLogIXS has been successfully used in countries with far higher lightening damage risk and ranges of temperature and humidity.
with trusted partners, from technology suppliers to small and medium-sized enterprises. This enables Atkins’ solutions the flexibility to deliver bespoke and best practice technologies from across the supply chain. Atkins has looked at all the components of the signalling system to see what can be improved upon, and one example is the level crossing barrier.
Historically, railway level crossing barriers have been of railway propriety designs, operated from low voltages. Atkins has worked with Newgate (Newark) Limited to develop a new railway level crossing barrier machine, based on Newgate’s experience in the traffic barrier and gate industry.
This has resulted in a design which is rated at 110V and therefore requires smaller diameter cables and power supplies. The first installation and trial of the new barrier machine controlled from a small ElectroLogIXS interlocking will be at Chilworth level crossing on the Wessex route later in 2016. This is a manually controlled barrier crossing with train signalling protection. The Atkins installation will trial a number of new products, including a new 110V AC power system from GE.
Rail Engineer looks forward to inspecting and reviewing the installation and to hear more about future signalling systems by Atkins.
The Signalling Development, Manufacture and Test Facility at Crewe.
Rail Engineer • July 201640
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As is often seen on heritage railways, it is possible to keep old rail vehicles in service virtually indefinitely, although to do so often involves extensive repair and restoration work. Sometimes,
circumstances are such that it is necessary for trains in front line operation to undergo similar extensive work.
It was with this thought in mind that Rail Engineer recently visited London Underground’s project team to view some of the work taking place on the forty-year-old Bakerloo line trains to keep them in service for at least another 10 years.
BackgroundThe Bakerloo line (Baker Street
to Waterloo Railway) opened just over 110 years ago in 1906. Since then, it has been extended, had a branch opened, been truncated and eventually settled on its current route from Elephant and Castle in south east London to Harrow and Wealdstone in north east London. From Queen’s Park to Harrow and Wealdstone, it runs over Network Rail’s tracks, shared with London Overground’s Class 378 trains.
Stabling sidings are provided at London Road, Lambeth, and at Queen’s Park. The main depot at Stonebridge Park is unique in that it is connected to Network Rail’s track and not to London Underground’s.
The Bakerloo line is operated by a fleet of 36, seven-car, 1972 tube stock trains originally delivered in 1973/74. These trains are made up of a four-car unit and a three-car unit coupled together. They were designed for a nominal life of 36 years.
At 42 years, the Bakerloo trains are the oldest on the Underground, and amongst the oldest operating anywhere in the UK (other than heritage railways). Their design was based on the original Victoria line fleet, and has an aluminium-framed body with aluminium cladding mounted on a steel underframe.
They have four motor cars, each with four DC motors controlled by a camshaft-operated resistance controller and fitted with rheostatic braking. In addition, the entire train has electro-pneumatic brakes with a Westinghouse emergency brake, and there are electro-pneumatic sliding doors, and train protection is provided by tripcocks.
The fleet of 36 trains is made up of 33 Mk II and three Mk I units. The differences are superficial, and have mostly been eradicated over the years, but there are still some left to catch out anyone thinking they are all the same. They last had major work in the mid-1990s when they were refurbished - an extensive visual modernisation whilst eliminating materials that were a fire hazard. For this work they were hauled over the National Rail network to the dockyard at Rosyth, which included travelling over the historic Forth Bridge.
The trains were originally planned for replacement by 2019 as part of the former PPP contracts, and then as the first use of the New Tube for London project. However, in 2013, London Underground decided to extend the life of the Bakerloo line trains to at least 2026.
Current projectsIt was to understand more about
what it takes to extend the life of a Tube train that Rail Engineer visited London Underground to talk to the project team and see the works over two days in May 2016.
MALCOLM DOBELL
1972 stock Bakerloo line train at Waterloo.
London Underground Train Life Extension
Rail Engineer • July 201642
The life extension project is just one of many projects that LU is carrying out on its older trains. LU has set up a Rolling Stock Renewals programme team to manage them all. The team’s head, David Caulfield, outlined the various projects being carried out by his team. These include significant modifications to the Central line trains, upgrading 1960s and 1970s battery locomotives, and creating a Rail Adhesion Train (RAT) from some old District line cars to apply Sandite during the autumn leaf fall season.
The aim with all these projects is to keep older trains going to help Keep London Moving (from the Mayor’s Transport Strategy). David explained how LU is approaching these works.
LU has always carried out modifications to trains and has generally determined the sourcing strategy for each project on a one-off basis. For the future, LU has carried out a strategic review and has decided that it will invest in facilities to manage and execute work in house, bringing in specialist design and implementation resources or using in-house labour as appropriate.
This approach delivers a number of benefits including not having to send trains off site, which can add a week to each train’s time out of service. LU train fleets achieve high utilisation and few trains are available to be taken out of service for modifications. An extra week in transit could add a year or more to a programme for fleets the size of LU’s.
Bakerloo line Back to the 42-year old Bakerloo
line trains. One of the reasons that life extension was considered was, perversely, because extensive work was already under way to repair cracks and corrosion on the underframe and body. One might imagine these problems would hasten their demise, but the work was essential simply to keep the trains in service until the earliest date that new trains could be delivered.
In designing repairs, it is usually easiest to restore the original strength of the structure. It would be harder, and almost certainly no cheaper, to try and design repairs that would last just, say, five years. Thus the repair works deliver bodies that are structurally as good as new. As such, the work will easily last for the additional time required. Anything else necessary in sub-systems and components can and will be dealt with during routine maintenance, following proper engineering assessment of those components not normally replaced but being required to last beyond their normal lifespan.
The main consequence of extending the life beyond 2020 is the need to carry out modifications to comply with the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations (2010). This contains similar requirements to those in the Technical Specification for Interoperability for People of Reduced Mobility - TSIs do not apply to LU.
The RVAR work was explained by Paul Summers, project sponsor from the Asset Strategy and Investment team, and Zoe Dobell, RVAR project engineer (yes, my daughter!). The RVAR requires a number of features that make it easier to use such as handholds, passenger information displays, priority seats and provision for wheelchairs. Compliance is mandatory by 2020.
However, the Regulations recognise that strict compliance may not be possible for older trains. LU has therefore carried out extensive feasibility studies on the RVAR elements. These studies were then discussed with the Department for Transport with the aim of maximising the degree of compliance whilst not incurring excessive cost for minimal benefit; DfT has been really supportive.
The main elements that will be installed are the wheelchair spaces (which will be in the trailer car of the three car unit), and an audio/visual passenger information system. The biggest challenge of all is the gap between the train and the platform.
LU’s practice on other lines is to use a mixture of platform humps and manual boarding ramps depending on the curvature and other factors. For the Bakerloo, LU has agreed with the DfT that no boarding aids will be provided where there is no interchange and no foreseeable prospect of providing street to platform step free access.
A typical gap between the train and a curved platform. This one is at Waterloo.
Rail Engineer • July 2016 43
With agreement on all these features, the scope of the works is now frozen and work will start in mid-2018 for completion early in 2020, based on having two trains out of service at a time. To provide the wheelchair positions involves removing the seats on one side of the middle seat bay of the designated trailer cars. In common with all LU tube gauge cars, there is equipment under the seats - this will have to be relocated and new flooring fitted to match the new floors being fitted as part of the body repairs (see below). Installing the passenger information system will involve work on all cars, and, although mandated by RVAR, will be of benefit to all passengers.
Acton WorksIt was with considerable nostalgia
that I set off from Acton Town station towards the large Acton Works complex, having first made that journey nearly 47 years ago. The purpose was to see some of the repair works under way, a programme that will cost LU some £60 million or just over £200,000 per car. I was met by the underframe and body repairs project engineer Rob Bonarski, who is charged, inter alia, with making sure there is an approved repair system for every structural fault found.
Rob took me to shop AC15, which old timers like me will recall as the Heavy Repair shop. On the way, we visited some of the other workshops in which we saw Central line bogies being overhauled, Bakerloo line bogies being repaired, some battery locomotives being refurbished, D stock cars being converted for the new RAT and some 1938 tube stock cars being overhauled for the London Transport Museum.
Since I was last at Acton, AC15 shop has had extensive work carried out to prepare it for the Bakerloo line repairs. In former times, cars would have been lifted in Acton’s lifting shop and moved by traverser to the relevant workshop. This is no longer possible because the lifting shop was demolished many years ago to make way for LU’s Railway Equipment overhaul Workshop (REW). The old wood block floor has been replaced with reinforced concrete to support the Mechan jacks that LU bought to lift the cars (four sets of 4 x 10 tonne jacks for passenger vehicles and one set of 4 x 20 tonne jacks that can also lift battery locomotives). There are nine roads, most of which can accommodate two cars. There has also been extensive work to improve lighting, and provide services for electric and pneumatic power tools.
Incompatible Train MovementsBakerloo line trains start their journey
for repairs at Stonebridge Park Depot in northwest London. From here, they make an overnight journey to Acton via Baker Street, Elephant and Castle, back to Baker Street, onto the Jubilee line to Wembley Park, onto the Metropolitan line to Rayners Lane, where they reverse and then travel via the Piccadilly line to Acton Town (see map right).
They travel overnight because there is no signalling nor train protection on the Jubilee line for Bakerloo line trains (Jubilee line trains use in-cab signalling with ATO and ATP). They travel over the Jubilee line section under special rules called an Incompatible Train Movement Plan.
On arrival at Acton Works, the cars are uncoupled on the reception road next to AC15 and moved via a traverser into AC15 where they are lifted. Here the real work starts.
Swan necks, floor traps and fasteners
Rob explained the “voyage of discovery” on the first few trains as they discovered the true extent of repairs required and the differences between apparently identical cars. Even he had been surprised by the extent of the work required, despite being involved since the beginning of the job. It soon became clear that what had to be done could only be confirmed, individually on each car, once they were stripped. During my
Car body shop at Acton Works.
AC15 shop.
Rail Engineer • July 201644
visit, they were working on train five, and Rob was confident that most of the problems had been discovered.
Underframe swan neck repairs: Sole bars are straight, but the underframe also has two steel girders, approximately 300mm deep and 12mm thick, running the length of the car. In the main, as one would expect, the girders are under the floor but, over the bogies, this structure is above floor level and forms the seat risers for the longitudinal seats. The joint that connects the underfloor frame to the above floor frame is known as the swan neck. They are all cracked along the welds. The metal forming the joint is being cut out and replaced by a steel bracket of exactly the right shape machined from solid by WECS Precision of Epsom.
This allows welding to be carried out in locations where stresses are somewhat lower than they were in the original weld locations. The photo of the cut out section shows the cracks; anyone used to welding will not be surprised that they cracked.
Body pillars: Despite coatings applied during manufacture to protect against electrolytic corrosion
between aluminium panels and the steel frame and underframes, the accumulation of moisture and cleaning fluids over 40 years has led to corrosion and cracks. These are being cut out and repaired. One of the challenges has been finding fittings that can be used in place of the hot rivets used on the original construction, especially where access is only available on one side. Fortunately, Alcoa Huck BOM fittings (rather like giant pop rivets) came to the rescue.
Body ends: Some of the body end brackets connecting the body end to the underframe have cracked. Investigations showed that many of the underframes were slightly distorted as a result of welding during manufacture and the
brackets were ’adjusted’ to fit. They have cracked at the point of the adjustment. Rob explained that the replacements are being refitted with a metal putty being used to level the headstock plate.
A cracked original welded bracket compared to the machined-from-solid replacement.
A new body pillar bracket showing the Alcoa Huck BOM fasteners - advertised as “The highest strength blind oversize fasteners in the world”.
Rail Engineer • July 2016 45
Floors: The floor fitted during the 1990s refurbishment is a composite of polymer cladding and fire retardant ply on top of stainless steel in doorways and mild steel in seating bays. When the vehicles were stripped, it was found that the cladding was hiding a ’multitude of sins’. The covering and ply is all stripped and the mild steel floor plates in the end seat bays are being replaced. From here, the entire floor is rebuilt with new fire retardant ply and a covering of Tiflex Treadmaster TM7 (see below). A feature of this era of tube train is trapdoors in the floor to access equipment on the underframe. One of the improvements made has been to rationalise the different designs of trapdoors used from 21 to seven.
Roofs: Over 40 years, some of the roof fasteners have become loose and these are being replaced by heavy duty blind fixings and fire retardant Terostat sealant (formerly Sikaflex).
Asbestos: Most of the materials containing asbestos are being replaced. Heat-barrier material is being replaced by Promat DURASTEEL, and the saloon heaters are being replaced by AmTecs low voltage heaters connected in series across the 600V traction supply.
Compressors: The three Mk I trains use a different, less reliable compressor than the remainder of the fleet, and the opportunity is being taken to replace them with compressors recovered from D stock trains (which are being replaced by S stock). This involves welding new mounts onto the underframe.
Drawings: As-built drawings lacked most of the detail necessary to source new parts and, as a result, over 600 new drawings have been produced.
The next challenge is to replace all
the removed equipment, including the doors. The doors are a particular issue. Despite putting each door back in the same position from which it was removed, the scale of works on the vehicle has introduced small distortions that necessitate adjustments to each door so that it runs freely without binding.
From here it’s a case of testing each car, reassembling the vehicles into trains (in the right order!), testing as a train, and returning the train to Stonebridge Park, from which it can enter service more or less immediately.
Rob told me that the plan is to increase the number of trains in work from one to two. This will have a great benefit in terms of both getting the work done more quickly and in terms of utilisation of the specialist teams who work on the trains. The repair work is due to be completed in 2018.
It was evident that the very high quality work being carried out will, in all probability, provide a structure that is stronger than new. The Bakerloo line structural repairs team are to be congratulated on what they have achieved.
Interior refreshIn parallel with the repair works,
the interiors of the Bakerloo trains are being refreshed at Stonebridge Park Depot. Even things as apparently simple as new seat and floor coverings needed significant engineering input from the engineering team based in the LU operations department.
The seats, supplied by Pro Style, Coventry, had both to comply with modern fire standards and be
comfortable. The floor had to be cleanable and slip resistant, and there is also a requirement to have a colour contrast between doorways and seating areas, to comply with the RVAR. Conventional wisdom was that the doorways had a higher footfall, would be more prone to dirt and so should be darker than seating areas.
In practice, cleaning around nooks and crannies in seating areas meant that the seated areas were not as clean as they ought to be, so following a trial, the lighter floor was specified for the doorway areas. In addition, to improve slip resistance, a new groove pattern was specified which also contributes to draining water from the floor to the outside.
On a final point, the observant reader might be wondering why the RVAR works were not merged with the weld repairs. It is simply a matter of urgency and timing. The structural repairs were urgent, couldn’t be delayed and were under way before the decision was made to extend the life. In contrast, the RVAR works only became necessary as a result of the life-extension decision and a lot of feasibility work had to be completed
before the scope could be decided and the works authorised. The teams are making every effort to make these two works streams as integrated as possible.
Thanks to LU’s David Caulfield and his team, especially Guy Harris and Rob Bonarski, to Paul Summers from the Asset Strategy and Investment team, and to Sean Long from Operations LU - Engineering for their assistance in preparing this article.
A car body end stripped for repair.
The new interior and contrasting floor covering - note the grooves in the floor adjacent to the doors.
Rail Engineer • July 201646
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47Rail Engineer • July 2016
The successful completion of the £1 billion Victoria Line Upgrade (VLU) programme was recently marked by David Waboso CBE, London Underground capital programmes director, who said that the project had been an interesting journey and key to success was the co-located ‘one team’ philosophy for the multi-functional, multi-
company project.
The complex project commissioned the new signalling system as an overlay to the legacy system, thereby facilitating mixed operation of old and new stock during the changeover.
Capacity increase In 2002, the line carried 450,000 passengers every
weekday on average, equating to 165 million a year. It is now carrying 700,000 passengers every weekday, or 185 million a year, which is forecast to grow to 206 million by 2025. It is the busiest line of the London Underground network.
The original scheme was designed for a throughput of 28 trains per hour (tph) and the VLU increased this to 34tph from June 2014. Various further improvements, including the recently completed Walthamstow crossover renewal, will facilitate a peak service of 36tph from Spring 2017. David Waboso said this is a remarkable achievement. Very few world metro systems operate on more than 33-34tph. Higher throughput is achieved in Moscow (40tph) but they cheat on dwell time - doors routinely open before the trains have come to a stand, an approach that is unlikely to be tolerated in the UK!
Legacy signallingThe then-new Victoria line, opened in stages between
1968 and 1971, was the first new deep-level tube line to be built since the early 1900s. It serves 16 stations and has an overall length of 21km. A fleet of 43 new eight-car ‘1967’ tube trains was provided.
It was a bold decision by London Underground in the 1960s to deploy the world’s first signalling with Automatic Train Operation (ATO) and Automatic Train Protection (ATP). The train operator closes the train doors and presses a pair of ‘start’ buttons and, if the way ahead is clear, the ATO drives the train at a safe speed to the next station.
Conventional double block joint track circuits (TC) fed code via pick-up coils on the train to the train-borne systems. The signalling system supplied the TCs with a continuous 125 kHz supply interrupted by one of four codes (120, 180, 270 or 420 pulses per minute) according to the movement authority. Also fed into the rails were automatic driving command spots in the range 1 kHz to 20 kHz. A combination of the pulsed track codes and spot commands were interpreted by the train to determine how it should be driven.
Victoria Line Upgrade34 trains per hour with DTG-R
DAVID BICKELL
Rail Engineer • July 201648
For example, a 420 code would indicate maximum line speed whilst a brake spot command would be turned on if the train was required to stop at a signal or headway post (a ‘block marker’ in today’s parlance). However, if the brake spot command was ignored or missing, and the train reached the next track circuit at full speed, this code would already be set to 180 thereby providing the ATP function by immediately enforcing the braking to ensure the train was brought to a stand at the end of the movement authority. Other command spots were located on the approach to and in platforms to ensure accurate stopping at stations.
The new orderA fleet of 47 new Bombardier eight-car ‘09’ Tube Stock
trains are now in service. David Waboso said that buying 47 trains was a good decision, essential to achieving the throughput of a train every 100 seconds.
The Westinghouse Rail Systems (subsequently Invensys, now Siemens Rail Automation) Distance To Go - Radio signalling system (DTG-R), and ‘Trackguard Westrace’ interlockings were chosen for the VLU. Train detection utilises FS2550 track circuits and signals, mainly consisting of platform starters, are ‘Westled’. Point machines installed as part of the Walthamstow crossover renewal project are the new Siemens ‘Switchguard Surelock’ mechanisms. This machine was developed for LUL as a quick-to-maintain modular package.
Incidentally, in a separate exercise, Style M63 point machines, a Westinghouse 1960s-design still in widespread use, will be replaced by Surelock on the Central line, Sub-Surface Railway, Jubilee, Northern, and Piccadilly lines by 30 April 2018.
Train positions are reported to the Westrace interlockings and control centre screens by occupation of the track circuits. Routes are set in the usual way according to the timetable. Westrace then passes Block Proceed (BP), Block Not Occupied (BNO) and Overlap Clear (OLC) to the fixed block processor (FBP), the purpose of which is to package the information in order to transmit it safely to the train via the radio system.
The radio transmission system consists of fixed communications units, trackside antenna subsystem (TASS), mobile antenna subsystem and mobile communications units (MCU). Generally TASS uses radiating cable in the tunnels although at the depot, the only part of the line which is above ground, a free space antenna is used to cover the extensive layout.
ATP receives BP, BNO and OLC from the MCUs and determines, from geographic data, the limit of movement authority (LMA). Algorithms continuously monitor the progress of the train and ATP will apply the emergency brakes in the event of a digression. ATP determines absolute train location from Absolute Position Reference (APR) transponders in the track, each of which has a unique identifier code read by APR readers as they pass over them. Between APRs, speed and distance travelled are determined diversely from speed probes and doppler radar units.
The LMA is passed to the ATO, which calculates the braking curve and drives the train as closely to the ATP limits as possible without provoking an intervention.
ATO on ATO upgrade Changing the entire train fleet and the entire signalling
system presented an interesting challenge. Essentially, the line was to remain operational during the day throughout the project. There is insufficient space at the Northumberland Park depot to store two complete train fleets, thereby ruling out changing over the stock in one hit and thus requiring incremental introduction of the new trains.
Fitting the 1960s train control to the new fleet was ruled out given the difficulty of replicating obsolete electronic kit. Installing DTG-R on the old trains was deemed an unnecessary expenditure. The option chosen was to overlay the new DTG-R trackside equipment on the original signalling system and transmit simultaneously the new radio messages to the new trains, and legacy track codes to the existing stock, during the upgrade works and changeover of the rolling stock, a process which took nearly two years.
Train detection, point control and detection, and interlocking functions continued to be delivered by the legacy signalling system with the track circuit codes and command
Driver pressing the twin 'start' buttons.
Rail Engineer • July 2016 49
spots continuing to control the 1967 stock. Concurrently, the legacy system interlocking status, routes set, track circuit occupancy and point detection were fed into surrogate Westrace interlockings to facilitate the issue of movement authorities over the radio to any new trains in service.
Full implementation of DTG-RThe first new train entered service on 21 July 2009, and
the last old one was retired on 30 June 2011. Once only the new trains were in service, and the new control centre proven, the legacy systems were decommissioned over nine weekend possessions, including the electro-mechanical interlockings and the original control centre at Coburg Street, Euston. The new FS2550 track circuits and Westled signals were brought into service, with the Westrace interlockings finally functioning in their own right as interlocking processors.
Replacement of the electro-pneumatic interlockings with Westrace was achieved on an ‘over and back’ basis during engineering hours (of typically four hours per night). Reliability growth has been very fast and the system meets or exceeds performance requirements. The line performed exceptionally well during the Olympic / Paralympic period of 2012.
The new service control centre went live in October 2009. It is located within the Northumberland Park depot complex and has seven service managers plus signalling technical support staff. The building which houses the control centre is named Osborne House, after Queen Victoria’s country residence, though the environs of the depot are a far cry from the sandy beaches and idyllic coastline near Cowes on the Isle of Wight.
Although the line normally operates automatically, controllers have to be ready to react instantly in the event of disruption. There are typically 39 trains in service, but only 33 platforms, potentially leaving six trains trapped in tunnel!
Signals are provided at the departure end of platforms and are held at red until the train is in the platform to prevent trains skipping stations, as the station skip functionality is activated by the platform exit block being Proceed and Not Occupied. Once the train has been proved at a stand (timer on berth track circuit), the signal will clear to allow onward progress once station dwell has been completed.
Lessons learnedDavid Waboso highlighted the valuable lessons learned
on the project, which fell into three key areas - migration, minimising the service aspect, and collaboration.
A clear migration strategy was created, identifying the entry and exit criteria and adopting a common language and objectives for the configuration stages. As the complex legacy systems were only understood by LU, it acted as ‘prime contractor’ and successfully took on the delivery risk. The programme team took configuration control of the whole Victoria line, managing any unexpected emergent behaviours from the overlay swiftly. Early and continuous operator and maintenance involvement was critical, and the signalling overlay allowed extensive live operations and debugging of new systems, resulting in increased reliability.
A ‘soft start’ migration strategy to exercise systems, people and processes was important in minimising the service impact. Extensive ‘over and backing’ of operations between the legacy and new control centres allowed controllers to operate the new systems with a live fall-back capability. When capturing service-affecting failures, a ‘single source of truth’ was implemented, along with a continual focus on key reliability issues.
Developing systems on the test track had been critical for integration testing, but many nights of line testing were needed. Mature and comprehensive test rigs were utilised
Service control centre.
Rail Engineer • July 201650
to reduce costly and inefficient line testing and the ‘Bust It’ scenario rig testing was essential to establish both robust products and their operational envelope.
London Underground and Siemens worked and were located together in a one-team philosophy. Siemens Rail Automation UK’s managing director Paul Copeland said: “This close collaboration encouraged open, honest and frequent communication and informal working by all parties with contracts put to the side. It also created a shared understanding of LU operations, maintenance and programme objectives. Lessons were learnt after each major delivery as part of the team’s continuous improvement ethos leading to a sense of trust developing throughout the delivery team, enabling a very quick turn-around of critical fixes.”
In addition to this signalling control work, the Siemens CIS unit, based in Ashby de la Zouch, was responsible for delivery of a separate £8 million contract direct with London Underground (LU) for a new centralised line management communications system. This would provide a new integrated solution for the control room operational team, integrating all the line-wide communication and control system assets into the signalling operator workstations.
It was based heavily on the Siemens RailCom Manager system which provides a fully integrated solution for control room operations covering CCTV, PA (public address systems), audio recording, CIS (customer information systems), tunnel telephones, TED (traction earth detection), line-wide alarms, and integration with the Siemens HiPath telephony systems. Full integration with London Underground’s ‘Connect’ data highway was provided for the entire Victoria line.
What of the future?The high capacity signalling system on the Victoria line is
testament that a track circuit block system can achieve a throughput as good as moving block. After the integration of Invensys into Siemens Rail Automation, the combined company had two very different products in its metro-signalling portfolio that essentially delivered a similar operational outcome.
DTG-R, formerly an Invensys product, is an optimised track circuit block signalling system with movement authorities based on track circuit occupancy rather than the continuous variable of train position as with a moving block system.
Siemens indicated that, whilst the DTG-R system would continue to be supported, Trainguard Mass Transit (MT), with Westrace interlockings is its metro solution being rolled out on a global basis, including for the central operating section of the Elizabeth line (Crossrail), as described in issue 135 (January 2016).
However, on the main line, the situation is rather more challenging. Metro systems have the advantage of single fleets of trains all with similar acceleration and braking characteristics whereas, on the national network, locomotives and rolling stock may be in service for fifty years or more, not to mention various steam locomotives hauling charter special trains.
Network Rail is committed to the widespread introduction of ERTMS and the overlay option adopted on the Thameslink core must be an attractive proposition for use elsewhere, given the difficulties encountered in retro-fitting the 1990s Class 158 fleet on the Cambrian early deployment scheme. The Thameslink core is equipped with standard multiple-aspect signalling with AWS/TPWS, enabling non-ETCS fitted trains to run as is currently the situation. The core is also overlaid with ETCS, which provides cab signalling and ATP as well as a platform for ATO. This also has a performance benefit in that ETCS-fitted trains receive a continuous update on movement authority rather than the driver running under restrictive aspects having to await sight of the next signal before deciding whether to accelerate.
As with the Victoria line, the block sections of Thameslink are optimised by the provision of additional track circuits, of variable length, with block markers that allow ETCS-fitted trains to close up, thereby increasing line capacity. No doubt, the national network will be seeing more of this approach as the complexities and cost of retrofitting older stock may push back the ETCS Level 2 ‘signals away’ and Level 3 programmes.
Network Rail will continue to use the Siemens SSI-derivative Trackguard Westlock interlockings until obsolescence drives it to a different platform, possibly to ERTMS Level 2 with no signals.
Thanks to TfL and Siemens for giving the presentation upon which this article is based, and to Ian Jones and his colleagues from Siemens for their assistance with its technical content.
Rail Engineer • July 2016 51
From Glasgow to Dubai, Algiers to São Paolo, Automatic Train Operation (ATO) is in commercial service on 52 metro lines in 32 cities across the globe. Boosting capacity, punctuality and safety, eliminating routine
operations, providing computerised support for decision making, and reducing maintenance costs, the technology promises a host of significant benefits.
Little wonder main line rail is looking at driverless operation with a favourable eye. Essentially, operators want the automatic functions for the following reasons: to help them deliver improved performance for varied service patterns on mixed-traffic networks, to optimise speed curves to save energy and to reduce wear on both trains and the tracks.
Yet taking ATO out of the city and into a wider network context is no easy task. To address the issues, Rail Forum Europe (RFE) recently hosted a meeting in Brussels to bring the related technology, regulatory, and social implications to the table.
‘Local’ or ‘network’ approachDriverless main line rail is
problematic due to its diversity of trains, network complexity, and the presence of multiple operators. “The railways are fragmented and they function as networks,” said Josef Doppelbauer, executive director of the European Railway Agency (ERA). “So when innovating, when introducing a new technology such as ATO, two approaches are possible - ‘local’, involving elements of a network such
as trains and carriages, or migrating an entire network to a new status.”
Clearly, converting an entire network and its rolling stock to ATO will require time and patience before reaping any benefits. And the question here is: can the railways afford the wait?
Another factor to bear in mind is the 20 to 30-year lifetime of rail infrastructure and its average renewal rate of two to three per cent annually. This raises the question of duration of migration versus the lifetime of the technology.
ATO over ETCSOne of the three functionalities of
an automatic traffic management system, ATO concerns the non-safety part of train operation related to station stops and starts. In parallel, Automatic Train Supervision (ATS) is responsible for monitoring and controlling the rail system, and Automatic Train Protection (ATP) ensures trains remain at safe intervals and receive sufficient warning to allow them to halt without colliding.
At the Brussels meeting, participants debated the pros and cons of using ETCS (the European Train Control System installed on many main lines in Europe and beyond) as the ATP platform for main line rail ATO.
Reaching Out Across Europe
LESLEY BROWN
Rail Automation
Rail Engineer • July 201652
Originally designed with ‘trains plus drivers’ in mind, the standard version of ETCS, with its system requirements, architecture and interfaces, would have to be reviewed to specify the level of changes needed for ‘trains minus drivers’. Such a long regulatory process will obviously result in delays in bringing driverless rail into commercial service and obtaining any returns.
Remember, the reason for rail automation is, after all, to improve the competitiveness of the sector. “Ideally, we need a European system with a European system architecture so that locomotives can run seamlessly across borders, yet are uncoupled as far as possible from ETCS to avoid making migration more difficult than it already is,” pointed out Mr Doppelbauer.
Vladimir Kampik, director of European affairs for Czech operator AŽD Praha, described the use of ATO over ETCS as “the ideal partnership for safe, effective, precise, and comfortable train operations”.
AŽD Praha has two ATO systems in place, GTN (graphical and technological overlay) and AVV (Automatické Vedeni Vladu -
automatic train control), covering 2,450km/25 per cent of the country’s rail network and carrying just over 70 per cent of rail traffic nationwide. 75 per cent of the company’s new and refurbished trains, 10 per cent of the entire fleet, are ATO equipped.
Mr Kampik insisted that ATO is a mature technology “as proven in its everyday operation on the Czech railway network for more than 25 years”. Future improvements, he suggested, should include providing dynamic train information along lines, to enable automatic corrective action, and introducing new functions according to Shift2Rail such as ‘virtually coupled trains’ and ‘ETCS Level 4’.
On the matter of ATO with ETCS, one downside in AŽD Praha’s experience is that the ETCS braking curves are not fully optimised for energy consumption savings. Yet, overall, the company views ATO/ETCS interconnection as the foundation for further development and deployment of ETCS, especially beyond Level 3. “ERA, together with the rail supply industry, operators and infrastructure managers, should
ensure the interoperable use of ATO with freedom of choice of technology and implementation,” recommended Mr Kampik.
Integration & working together French Railways (SNCF) runs
automatic metro systems in France (Lyon, Lille and Rennes), through subsidiary Keolis, and is currently involved in projects in Shanghai and Hyderabad (India). In the field of driverless main line rail, it is gaining experience in the UK as part of the Thameslink franchise (35% Keolis, 65% Go-Ahead), and in France with the planned introduction of NExTEO
AZD Praha’s AVV (Automatické Vedeni Vladu) type ATO, designed for main line rail and metro (Prague metro Line A) applications, has SIL 0/SIL 1 safety levels. For rail, it delivers target braking with accuracy of ± 0.5 metres and just-in-time arrival accuracy of five seconds. For metros, these figures are ± 10cm and two seconds respectively.
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Pierre Izard, chief technical officer of SNCF, identified four key implementation issues and criteria for automatic main line rail, namely: » Conditions for traffic recovery after
an incident and crisis management; » Reliability for both trains and
infrastructure; » Legal and societal aspects; » Cyber security.Yet, despite the above, SNCF is in
favour of action to extend automation further afield. “ATO is not a dream but a major project. Train automation should be integrated into the European railway roadmap,” said Mr Izard. “In order to succeed, we need collaboration between all the European stakeholders and the strong involvement of ERA.”
Human, social and environmental factors
One of the expected advantages of driverless operations is, of course, reduced staff cost. Yet automation is only relevant when it proves more effective than the human factor. In this case, the economics of such operation must be evaluated, scope-by-scope. Likewise when adapting driver staff volumes to traffic.
On this point, Laurent Dauby, rail director of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP),
recommended entering into dialogue with unions and workers as early as possible in the process to discuss and explain ‘what’s in it for them’. Mr Izard added: “The goal of introducing ATO should not be to remove the human presence from the railways, although this may occur over time.” In any case, the human element will still be required for monitoring and exercising overall control.
On the environmental side, ATO is good news thanks to the optimisation of energy consumption, such as recovering braking energy that can subsequently be used for accelerating other trains. In this respect, AŽD Praha has some positive data on its fleet of automatic EMUs. “Our fleet of 83 Class 471 units runs 13 million kilometres and saves 14,000 tonnes of CO2 annually,” reported Mr Kampik.
Automation - the bigger and future picture
Mr Doppelbauer warned that automation in other sectors poses a real threat to the railways, particularly given the significant amount of R&D effort being poured into autonomous cars/trucks. Indeed, because of the current cost of the technology - a laser sensor for a Google car costs as much as US$75,000 (£52,000) - autonomous trucks rather than cars could hit the market first. Savings with autonomous
trucks and truck convoying are expected to be greater than those to be achieved by rail with ATO.
In addition, Mr Izard warned that the balance of workforce savings and driverless operations is forecast to swing in favour of the roads (see box).
On a more positive note, since the train is already a guided mode of transport, there is no reason in theory preventing rail automation from developing as quickly as it is doing for the roads. “The railway system needs to be open to evolution, and automation is part of it,” summed up Michael Cramer, chairman of the RFE.
“The major benefits of ATO, such as capacity gains and energy savings, would definitely contribute to fulfilling the objectives set by the [European Commission’s] Transport White Paper.”
Workforce savings and driverless operationsRail: 1 driver - 1,268 passengersCoach: 1 driver - up to 74 passengersCar sharing: 1 driver - 4 passengersRail freight: 1 driver - payload up to 3,000 tonnesRoad haulage: 1 driver - payload of 25 tonnes(Source: SNCF initial position paper, March 2016)
Czech Railways Class 471 train in Prague-Smichov station.
Rolling stock has always been a long-term capital investment. Despite almost continuous operation, often under tough conditions, the service life of a railway vehicle is typically several decades. During that time, a train will be rebuilt and refurbished a number of times.
A series of heavy maintenance programmes will see bogies, traction motors and HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) systems rebuilt, and the interior will be refreshed when worn out or when the train passes from one operator to another.
But what about the control electronics and the traction system?
Reliability and dependabilityWe are living in a time of rapid change, when
operating conditions and the demands that vehicles have to meet are becoming, more and more, topics for public debate. Everything including slow Internet access, delays, and the unavailability of trains becomes a source both for passenger irritation and a loss in revenue.
Passenger demands on rail vehicles have increased so that, in addition to being available, comfortable and safe, trains are now expected to be more environmentally friendly (more efficient, lower noise, lower emissions) and to be fitted with the latest information technology (safe Internet access, passenger information systems). How does this affect your vehicle and its future?
The harder a vehicle is pushed to meet timetable demands and tighter schedules, not to mention increased passenger comfort expectations, the less likely it is that it will last for its full planned life.
One alternative is to use current production technology, as used on new trains being built today, and upgrade either part or the whole of the train’s control and traction system. Bombardier has recently carried out several such upgrades, in Taipei, Toronto, São Paulo and the UK, using MITRAC (Modular Integrated TRACtion system), as used on the latest electric multiple units worldwide.
Evaluation of fleet needsThe first stage in the process is to analyse
the condition and configuration of the existing vehicles through discussion with the owner and/or operator. Statistics taken from maintenance records, and even passenger feedback, are captured and analysed to give an overview of current reliability, identify weak spots, and consider any future obsolescence questions.
On the basis of this information, and an assessment of future operational needs, a specification/proposal can be developed. Systems integration as well as electrical, mechanical and control aspects are assessed and the scope for re-certification established. Using currently available products, such as Bombardier’s MITRAC converters, traction motors and electronics, can ensure a quick and reliable introduction with manageable re-certification.
From the supplier’s perspective, there is a range of possibilities - from the simple supply of products, through partial integration with the current configuration, up to full integration with train control and re-certification.
Introducing new, state-of-the-art technology automatically improves reliability as components will both be at the beginning of their life cycle and have inherently improved durability from the latest designs. For example, in the area of electronics, functionality can now be achieved using fewer components, which also improves system reliability and train availability.
Maintenance Not only will the need for maintenance decrease
significantly, but the maintenance that is needed will also be more efficient. When re-engineering a railway vehicle, engineers have the opportunity to introduce maintenance-friendly products and concepts. In recent years, there has been a great deal of focus on developing easily replaceable modules and improved component layout for quick access and hence shorter downtimes.
There are significant environmental advantages to using the latest technology. For example, today’s traction converters use forced air, water-cooling or car-motion cooling whereas older systems used different fluids or even oils. The materials used in the unit’s construction can also now be largely recycled (up to 95 per cent), so modern converters are both less hazardous for the environment during operation and more easily disposed of when the vehicle is ultimately decommissioned, compared with older technology.
New functionsOne of the advantages of using equipment that
is both up-to-date and which has been used in new and refurbished trains all over the world is that there is a wealth of experience to draw from. So whatever an operator might need from his new system, that functionality is likely to have already been developed for another project.
Alerts and alarms, for example, have been made as driver-friendly as possible, and complete new man-machine interfaces (control desks) can be fitted to make the driver’s job as easy as possible.
Traction upgrades present a good opportunity to introduce energy optimisation algorithms. These manage the consumption of energy while accelerating and coasting, and also control its loss during braking, so minimising energy consumption.
OLA TORSTENSSON, JON VEGAS & TORBJORN JONSSON
Lower-costfleet upgrades
56 Rail Engineer • July 2016
Modern diagnostic systems, which seamlessly transfer data over communication links during operation, are essential for the efficient planning of overhauls and for setting maintenance priorities, hence optimising fleet availability.
Passenger expectationsUntil quite recently, passengers were
concerned with factors such as reliability, punctuality, comfort and safety. Now, connectivity can be added to that list as Wi-Fi access and mobile telephone use become increasingly important. Upgrading train control systems, and the communications backbone that they rely on, can also result in improved communication for passengers.
A well-planned and performed upgrade can extend a train’s service life by10-20 years, giving nearly-new vehicle performance at a fraction of the cost of a new train. Taking a modular approach, and integrating well-proven equipment into the existing train, can result in a high return on investment.
It is important to use equipment that has all of the latest functionality, but which is flexible enough to make integration with an older train simple and relatively painless. Bombardier Transportation’s MITRAC solutions for train control management systems (TCMS) have all been specially developed for railway applications with just this sort of flexibility in mind. They are robust and reliable systems that can perform all of the control, supervision and communication functions required for normal train operation, and are built up from a number of distributed units that can be mounted at practically any location in the vehicle.
Class 317 The MITRAC 1000 propulsion system
includes a number of products for medium power applications (metros to very-high-speed trains) and supports all line voltages, including multi-systems. It includes stand-alone products as well as integrated system solutions and the modular architecture allows customised
applications, based on standard and proven building blocks, to ensure the flexibility required for modernisation projects.
As an example, Class 317 electrical multiple units are used by several UK train operators and owned by Angel Trains. They are four car units, with one powered and three unpowered cars, and were built at York between 1981 and 1987.
One (number 317722) was chosen as a test-bed to assess the viability of replacing the traction equipment. The primary objectives were to improve train reliability and availability, reduce life cycle cost (LCC), improve mission profile and, importantly, prolong the fleet's life by 15-20 years.
The scope of the traction upgrade included line and motor converters while retaining the original high voltage equipment and transformer. DC motors were replaced with AC models, which would be more reliable and require less maintenance. Thyristors and traction electronics were removed and new three-phase converters fitted. So, too, was regenerative braking, making the revised unit still more energy efficient.
Compared with the original fitment, the new equipment package gave a reduction on motor overhauls, more efficient fault-finding and even longer brake pad life due to the regenerative braking. The train was lighter as well, further reducing energy consumption and having a positive impact on track access charges.
Testing on the Greater Anglia route showed that total energy efficiency was over 85 per cent when operating at full power, from overhead line
MITRAC TCMS family.
57Rail Engineer • July 2016
to wheels. The regenerative braking returned well over the specified requirements of 30kWh at full load. Performance was similar to the unmodified train up to 65km/h, but was better at higher speeds while also drawing less current.
São Paulo MetrôAnother application for refitting a train using
MITRAC came in Brazil, as the Metropolitano de São Paulo decided to modernise 156 cars for Line 1. These trains are six-car units and the rebuild included a new traction system with AC motors, new TCMS modular units and software, a new cab front with HMI and overhaul of the systems that were to be reused. Together with
integration, manufacturing and type testing, the contract was delivered over 54 months.
At the same time, the train received new interior fittings, including a new floor, which allowed engineers to install a new cable route for the TCMS.
The decision to modernise was taken as both the car bodies and bogies were in good condition. The time schedule was a factor, modernising trains is quicker than ordering new ones and the costs are lower. The savings derived from reworking the trains instead of buying new ones was sufficient to buy an additional 100 cars, so the fleet could be extended.
The work schedule was set so that, although trains were out of service, the timetable was not affected and passengers were not unduly inconvenienced.
Viable optionThese examples show that it can be both
cheaper and quicker to update an old train than to buy a new one. Using tried-and-tested modern equipment such as Bombardier’s MITRAC systems can give operators a train with many of the ‘modern’ benefits of AC traction, regenerative braking, train control management systems, driver interfaces and even lighter weight.
As a result, energy consumption can be cut, maintenance costs reduced and efficiency increased - savings which can more than pay for the updates.
There are, of course, many reasons to update a train fleet, some of which can only be addressed by replacing it with new stock. However, in many cases, modernisation is an attractive option which can be carried out quickly and can extend a fleet’s life at low cost.
Ola Torstensson is platform manager, Jon Vegas bid manager and Torbjorn Jonsson project manager at Bombardier Transportation.
New (left) and original São Paulo cab fronts side by side.
MITRAC traction
motor.
58 Rail Engineer • July 2016
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59Rail Engineer • July 2016
It is a well-publicised fact that one of the Government’s recent priorities has been a push to improve the UK’s rail infrastructure. Among the problems is widespread overcrowding in trains. Several schemes have already been
implemented in an attempt to solve this problem, introducing longer trains and making a range of improvements to rolling stock. However, equally vital improvements to other parts of the rail infrastructure, such as adding and extending station platforms, are often made at a much slower pace.
When these improvements are made high priority by Network Rail, not only must they be commissioned quickly and efficiently, measures must be taken at the same time to ensure older infrastructure is not incompatible with improved trains. Ultimately, all works are undertaken for the benefit of the end user - the passenger - which means keeping disruption to normal service to an absolute minimum.
The key to success is efficiency - in planning, surveying, designing, commissioning and delivering works. That’s why the Global Infrastructure Group - which offers turnkey solutions delivered by an in-house team of specialists - is in high demand.
The worldwide infrastructure group of companies consists of UK Principal Contractor Global Rail Construction Ltd, Irish-based Global Rail Services Ltd and Australian-based Global Rail Australia Pty Ltd (plus GRA Networks, a subsidiary, operating in both Ireland and Australia).
With Network Rail setting out extensive plans to lengthen both trains and platforms on its Wessex route, stations where platform lengthening is unviable, automatic
selective door opening (ASDO) provides an effective alternative solution.
UK-based Global Rail Construction has a proven track record in providing a fully managed service in a live railway environment. Its point of difference over many of its competitors lies in its deep-rooted understanding of the UK network’s requirements, the need for meticulous planning and collaborative co-ordination.
On the Wessex route, Global Rail Construction fully managed and delivered a project to plan, survey,
install and commission Hima-Sella’s Tracklink III System. This is a radio frequency identification (RFID)-based technology, which uses the UHF radio frequency band. The component parts of the system are a train-mounted receiver and antenna or antennae, along with infrastructure mounted tags or beacons.
This project saw Global Rail Construction installing beacons, as well as recovering existing beacons for refurbishment and reuse, all under SMT conditions. The technology employed by the team includes the use of ASDO, which has improved the Wessex route by comparing the length of the train with the length of the platform; a signal is then sent to the driver so that only the correct numbers of doors on the platform side are opened.
Systems like these are fundamental to the safety and efficiency of the UK’s fast-developing railway, and
InnovationInnovation
Working safely on the Wessex Route.
Signalling engineers at work.
is crucial
Rail Engineer • July 201660
Global Infrastructure Group’s highly experienced engineers and project managers ensure that these emerging technologies can be utilised quickly in order to keep the UK’s railways operational.
South West Trains, operating on Network Rail’s Wessex route, has begun a £65 million programme to roll-out a total of 250 new carriages by 2018 to lengthen their trains, providing 30 per cent more space for passengers.
The UK and beyondGlobal Infrastructure Group is an international collective
of trading companies whose design and build services fall under the banner of ‘infrastructure contracting’. Its broad specialism comprises civil engineering and building, signalling, telecoms and mechanical, electrical and power solutions within a number of core industries.
Too often the group was classed as a rail specialist. However, with overseas operations in Australia and Ireland engaging in other industrial, commercial and domestic sectors in addition to rail including multi-utilities, telecoms, energy and general construction, it was felt the business brand needed more breadth. The launch of the Global Infrastructure Group’s new brand and website are a sign of its intention to leverage on its considerable 500+ years of combined infrastructure experience, with recent successes such as on the Wessex route showing how it employs innovation to add real value for its clients.
The UK arm of the group is now in its fifteenth year and is going from strength to strength. Having been awarded a Principal Contractors Licence in 2014, it operates not only on Network Rail’s infrastructure, but also with TfL on London Underground’s infrastructure, where it has enjoyed great success in the last year.
For joint owners Marco Lombardelli and Ivan Holloway, the message following the rebranding of the company is business as usual - using the collective strength of the group of companies under the ‘Global’ banner to the advantage of the worldwide rail industry.
Innovation in safety As the rail industry is one of the most safety-critical
in the world, Global Rail Construction has developed its Safety Coaches initiative to ensure all staff are engaged with its safety culture, and are acutely aware of the company’s safety objectives and performance criteria.
Safety Coaches are front line employees that act as the ‘voice’ and ‘face’ of the organisation. They are engaged and empowered to promote a culture of safety across all projects and provide the continued growth of their safety leadership team, being the pinnacle of everything that is at the heart of the business.
The initiative includes the following actions: » Monthly global safety engagement meetings - in which
operatives come together to discuss all issues and concerns that affect their project in particular and the business as a whole;
» ‘Safety Chats’ - informal safety discussions between the site supervisor and the project team directly working on their project;
» Top five risks - to help identify potential risks and controls during the construction phase of projects;
» Valued opportunities - at project commencement, staff are motivated to work with PMs and the
QSE department to identify innovations and good practices that would help improve health, safety and environmental performances of the project and also share across other projects within the business and the wider Group.
As a consequence of the Safety Coaches initiative, Global Rail Construction has seen a reduction in the number of incidents and accidents, while the reporting of close calls has increased through operational teams proactively taking ownership and responsibility.
Safety Coaches is one example of how the Global Infrastructure Group takes care of its employees, ensuring both safety and proactivity are part of their working culture. Perhaps this is why so many of its 400 employees have worked for the company for a large number of years.
Innovation employed on the track, underpinned by an all-encompassing approach to safety, is now ensuring Network Rail’s huge investment in the improvement of the UK’s railways is starting to see real results. Rail services providers which show they can add value through innovative and safe working will continue to prosper as the rail industry looks forward to a new golden age.
Specialist telecoms division - GRA Networks.
Rail Engineer • July 2016 61
In issue 140 (June 2016) of Rail Engineer, Colin Carr wrote about the work being undertaken on the Great Western route in the Severn Tunnel to allow for electrification. Mention was made in that article of the preparation for
conductor beam installation in the tunnel by Furrer+Frey, working alongside the Alstom, Babcock and Costain joint venture ABC Electrification.
Conductor beams have been used in tunnels in the UK before but, to find out more about this latest system, Rail Engineer visited the London office of Furrer+Frey to meet Ankur Saxena, project engineering manager for the company.
Although the London office has been open since 2013, Furrer+Frey is still a Swiss company so the discussion used pan-European terminology rather than British. This included the phrase ‘Overhead Contact System’ (OCS) and, as a part of that system, what has traditionally been known as the catenary wire is now the ‘Messenger Wire’.
Nevertheless, the company has also ensured it has familiarity with UK standards and practices where these are part of National Technical Rules. Experience with the recent Great Eastern electrification upgrade, where the catenary (sorry - OCS) is being upgraded to Great Eastern Furrer+Frey (GEFF), reinforced this.
HistoryFurrer+Frey has been creating
overhead line solutions for decades. Formed in 1923 by two friends, Emil Furrer and Arnold Frey, the company has always been conscious that there is more to customer service than just technical expertise - successful design also involves listening to those customers and working closely with them.
This philosophy drove the company, at the beginning of the 1980s, to develop an alternative to the conventional overhead contact line.
Design investigation was underway for the electrification of some very restricted gauge Swiss rail tunnels and a new approach was needed. The outcome was the Furrer+Frey Rigid Overhead Conductor-rail System (ROCS). The first prototype installation was in Munich in 1984 and, following this early experience, the system became more-or-less standard for existing tunnels in mainland Europe.
Since then, more recent installations have included sites in markets as far away as China.
Compared with other, more traditional, contact systems, the philosophy is reasonably new, but an analysis of the advantages put forward make interesting reading. Ankur offered a list of plus points for the system such as: » Allowing smaller tunnel cross-
sections for new construction; » Allowing electrification of tunnels
and terminals originally built for steam or diesel traction;
» Significantly larger conductor cross section; allowing additional feeders to be avoided;
» Greater fire resistance than a traditional wired Overhead Contact System;
» High operational reliability requiring little maintenance regardless of the operating voltage;
» Faster installation.History tends to suggest that these
types of conductor might not be suitable for high-speed railways, but operational experience has proved that the system performs reliably at up to 250 km/h, at which speed it is also TSI compliant.
for the UK
PETER STANTON
Developing ROCS
Rail Engineer • July 201662
In the UKThe Severn tunnel will be subject
to 160km/h train speeds, as will Patchway, while Box Tunnel will be set at 225km/h design speeds.
As higher linespeed installations multiply in the United Kingdom, F+F is assisting Network Rail in developing standards for the conductor rail on its own infrastructure. Although maintenance should avoid dewirements, there is no doubt that, if problems occur, it is the pantograph on the train that will be dislodged, not the ROCS.
Higher wear tolerances may also be accepted as the contact wire is not in tension. In addition, Ankur pointed out that the ‘Overhead Drop Zone’ could be regarded as much more restricted as the risk of conductors dropping across the route is almost nil, and very restricted laterally.
Reviewing the rigid conductor system in the United Kingdom, one is reminded that it has been around for quite a long time but in relatively low-key, low-speed installations. The system has proved ideal for lifting, swinging and other moving bridges and was, in fact, installed in the very
early 1980s as a solution to providing an overhead conductor across Trowse swing bridge in Norwich, East Anglia. Rigid conductors have also found favour for moving bridges in the USA and Canada.
A development of the rigid contact system is the retractable conductor rail used in depots where safe roof access to rolling stock is needed - a UK installation of some significance was the Temple Mills Eurostar depot.
As the system has become more familiar and experience has been gained, the design of the conductor-rail profile has developed. Special design characteristics have been
incorporated and contact wire of between 100 and 161mm2 may be accommodated.
Finally, a range of assembly aids has been developed including drilling and lifting equipment and devices for inserting contact wire. There are section insulators and neutral sections, and a bespoke transition arrangement allows for a robust interface with conventional wired OCS.
The system is also flexible in application for different voltages, rated at up to 50kV AC and performing admirably up to 3kV DC.
120mm2 copper/silver contact wire has been chosen for Great Western.
Stanton Tunnel on Old Dalby Test Track has been upgraded with Furrer+Frey Rigid Overhead Conductor Rail System (ROCS) – a first for UK high speed lines. It will form a crucial part of the testing of the new IEP trains for Great Western Mainline and East Coast Mainline.
Furrer+Frey has supplied its ground-breaking ROCS system for more than 1900km of track across the globe and it is currently tested up to 302kph line speeds.
ROCS in Stanton Tunnel designed for 140mph with 7.5m to 8m drop tube spacing.
Electrification
Rail Engineer • July 2016 63
Testing in LeicestershireThat last fact brought the
discussion around to Great Western electrification, within which the system is receiving its main exposure to UK main line high-speed use, although it has also been used in the Mound and Haymarket tunnels at Edinburgh.
For the Great Western project, significant research and testing was required and advantage was taken of the railway test site at Old Dalby, near Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire.
Much of the original Advanced Passenger Train high-speed feasibility research, with its associated electrification equipment, took place there and the site has the advantage of being insulated from the operating railway. So the Old Dalby site has a long history of involvement in system testing and includes the 1.2km Stanton tunnel, just the place to allow designers to judge the suitability of the system for the Great Western tunnels, particularly Severn, Box and Patchway.
What emerged was the UK’s first high speed Rigid Overhead Conductor Rail System, designed and supplied by Furrer+Frey for line speeds up to 225km/h and which will be used, at Old Dalby, for testing the IEP trains for Great Western and East Coast main lines.
Particular features of the ROCS, as fitted to Stanton tunnel, include: » Drilling using the F+F drilling rig
to the precise measurements important for high speed systems;
» F+F generation-4 conductor rail; » Transition bar for smooth interface
between conventional OCS and ROCS;
» State of the art expansion joints to accommodate movements due to temperature variations;
» Stainless steel components for good performance in corrosive environments;
» Special protection cover for areas with water ingress.
The installation is now providing valuable lessons for design in the active railway environment as well as effective feedback on the rolling stock/infrastructure interface during vehicle testing. Of particular note is that most previous high-speed installations have been on slab track whereas, for Great Western, the novelty lies in the application to ballasted track.
So far, the indications are that the application is successful and effective. The installation has enabled the modelling of the interaction between train and conductor that facilitates design in a production situation. That modelling is being supported by infrastructure data from Network Rail and train data from Hitachi. Based on that, modelling the requirement for track to match conductor geometry still remains a maintenance need
but, by the nature of the system, much less access is required - a tremendous advantage on today’s busy railway with restricted access such as in tunnels.
The system has been rewarded with the presentation of a certificate from the Institution of Engineering and Technology for their innovation award; Ankur himself receiving an award from the Network Certification Body as project manager of the year. Rail Media was also pleased to make an award to him - project manager of the year at last year’s RailStaff Awards.
Moving on to the GWFollowing the experience at Old
Dalby, F+F now finds itself working in full production with ABC on Great Western electrification, with particular responsibility for the conductor in the tunnels on the route.
Compared with Stanton tunnel, the Great Western route presents even greater challenges, and not just because the tunnels are longer.
The Severn tunnel bore is actually smaller than the Stanton test site tunnel while Patchway and Box tunnels are even tighter. The Severn tunnel is also exceedingly wet and the conductor bar design has been modified with drainage arrangements to allow for that wetness and the avoidance of bimetallic electrolytic action between the support bar and the copper contact wire. A form of plastic screening has also been developed to protect the insulator while, as previously mentioned, the stainless steel construction resists the corrosive effects of the site.
Further applications of the ROCS system have been made. On other railways, it is quite common for the rigid conductor to be used under bridges, although this has not been the case in the United Kingdom so far.
At Patchway, however, there are two tunnels with a short length of open track between them and, to avoid transition from ROCS to wire to ROCS in a very short distance, a length of F+F conductor will be installed on relatively conventional outdoor OCS structures.
The rigid system still gives performance similar to a traditional one and thus stagger is introduced. However, rather than the straight sections between supports seen
in wired OCS, the stagger may be in the form of a gentle sinusoidal wave. Similarly, the system may be effectively set up for compliant vertical curves with fine adjustment in the style of conductor support. Ankur summed up the system as very flexible horizontally, very rigid vertically!
Overall it seems that the ROCS system will become more familiar in the UK, with installations already being designed and considered for further works in Scotland such as the Queen Street tunnels in Glasgow and sites at Falkirk High and Winchburgh. As further electrification takes place, in tunnels and under bridges with limited clearance, rigid overhead systems will become even more commonplace.
RailBaarAs the rail industry explores the
use of battery-powered trains, F+F has looked to exploit this innovation and radically change the way power is provided to trains. The RailBaar is an ultra-high power overhead automatic electric charging station for battery-powered electric trains.
This facility eradicates the need for Overhead Contacts System equipment (OCS) and economically expands the scope and range of battery powered trains. This innovation seeks to be a game changer, reducing the costs of electrification, and thus increasing the feasibility of new electrification projects. The system relies on a low-cost low-weight platform side gantry which contains, effectively, an inverted pantograph that makes contact with terminals on the train roof yet becomes de-energised when not undertaking charging. The philosophy of this device is ultrafast charging allowing the use of smaller, lighter, less expensive batteries.
The RailBaar is based on proven technology, being used on buses since 2010. The technology is currently being installed on tram routes and a TruckBaar is currently being developed.
With the development of battery-powered multiple units, and the need for last mile traction power in electrification areas, F+F is optimistic that this product should generate interest.
Rail Engineer • July 201664
Britain’s steel industry has experienced a turbulent time of late. With weekly, and indeed even daily, media reports of doom and gloom in UK steel, it is easy to miss the good news stories that so often get buried by the bad. In the midst of all the turmoil and upheaval,
and justifiable concern for the giant works at Port Talbot and its workers, the future of UK steel production is secure up at Scunthorpe.
That’s because 1 July saw the launch of a new (old) name in steel - British Steel. Formed from the sale of Tata Steel’s Long Products Europe business, British Steel rises Phoenix-like from the ashes of the UK steel industry sporting a completely new brand but building on its long heritage supplying rail, wire rod, special profiles and steel sections worldwide.
While British Steel will be a familiar name to many, the company has certainly changed since the last time rails bore the British Steel marque. Leaner, fitter and more agile, the core company values are ‘Pride, Passion and Performance’ - values the newly launched company intends to live by.
Dual defenceWhilst the company’s marketing department
has been going into meltdown, launching and rebranding the new name in steel, its technical boffins have also been busy. Just one week after the launch of the new company identity, the rail team has officially unveiled its Zinoco® corrosion resistant rails to the world. Building on the performance of its previous protected products, Zinoco has already received product approval from Network Rail, London Underground and RATP with contracts secured across the UK, Ireland and France.
Zinoco is a premium coated rail that can withstand the harsh environments where corrosion determines rail life, in areas such as
coastal routes, wet tunnels, level crossings, mineral lines and salt pans. Zinoco, which derives from the words ‘zinc for no corrosion’, offers superior corrosion protection compared to all current rail coating technologies. It offers a dual line of defence against corrosion employing both barrier and cathodic protection methods to enhance rail life. This dual defence means that it is suitable for use in areas subject to stray currents such as third and fourth-rail areas, amongst other problematic locations.
Extensive testing shows Zinoco will typically outlast traditional uncoated rail by around five times in a broad range of aggressive environments. It was developed in direct response to Network Rail’s request for more durable corrosion protection, calling for a coating that would withstand the rigours of real-life installation and use.
So the design brief was for an impact-resistant product that would withstand minor mechanical damage and Zinoco fulfils this, offering long-term durable protection. To produce it, a new Zinoco plant has been built at British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant with the automated facility coating rails more efficiently and consistently than previous products. With the steel industry in such a state of flux, investing in building a new production plant underlines the confidence in the performance improvement Zinoco® offers.
Corrosive cocktailOne of the questions often asked is, does the
industry really need rust-resistant rails? In the majority of cases, no, it doesn’t. If a rail’s life is determined by wear, then it doesn’t need extra corrosion protection.
However, as rail networks improve the rails they use to extend their track life, rail corrosion and foot fatigue failure, often initiated by corrosion pits, make up an increasing proportion of rail replacements. There are specific locations which are prone to corrosion, and the rate of corrosion here can be far higher than many people might expect.
Common ‘rot spots’ are level crossings. Here the crossing panels trap moisture, road salt and other detritus making a potent, corrosive cocktail. In some locations, rail life is counted in months rather than decades, so in such locations the need for corrosion-protected rails is very clear.
The road/rail/pedestrian interface at crossings also makes rail inspection and replacement far trickier than plain-line environments. To inspect the rails, road, rail and pedestrian traffic must be stopped, and then the crossing panels removed to reveal the rails beneath - no small task. The busier the crossing is, the bigger the problem becomes.
Likewise, rail replacement at such locations is not popular with either crossing traffic or indeed people living close by. Imagine closing both the railway and major road every six months to replace rusty rail! Does that really make sense when it can be avoided? I’d even go so far as to ask, if rail crossings are installed without corrosion protected rails, have the designers considered the future maintenance requirements of the site at all?
StopDANIEL PYKEthe rot!
66 Rail Engineer • July 2016
Rusty rail?Zinoco® delivers next generation corrosion protection
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Other areas prone to corrosion include coastal routes, where sea-spray soaks the tracks with salt laden water; wet tunnels where the constantly damp environment can reek havoc; mineral and ore routes where spillage and dust contamination can corrode rails; and, further afield, salt pans where salinity combined with moisture condensing on cold rails can accelerate corrosion to excessive levels. While the last example isn’t really a UK, or perhaps even an EU problem, we certainly have our fair share of the rest.
Corrosion ate away the foot of this unprotected rail in less than 6 months.
It has always seemed slightly odd to me as a materials engineer that we go to great lengths to provide corrosion protection for lineside structures such as signals, OLE and bridges, yet the rail itself remains naked in a sea of salt-soaked sludge.
The most troubling thing about rail corrosion is that it is often unseen. Disguised in dark damp tunnels, concealed by crossing panels, festering under the foot of the rail, corrosion eats away at our precious asset and can be invisible to standard inspection techniques.
In the picture right, all appears normal when inspected from above. The view from below is a different matter. Sadly, the bottom of a rail can’t effectively be seen when it is clipped in place.(RIGHT) This six year old aluminium-coated rail is in a sorry state despite its original corrosion protection.
Much focus is understandably given to maintaining the head of the rail in a good and safe condition through grinding and various
inspection techniques, but the foundations of the rail, its foot, must not be neglected. This area provides much of the rail’s strength and stability and neglecting it is akin to building a house on poor foundations.
Fatigue in the footOne of the increasing forms
of rail failure seen in service is that of foot fatigue failure. As other forms of failure are being prevented, by improved maintenance and the use of better rail types, this failure mechanism is becoming increasingly important.
The rail foot is under great tensile stress in service and damage or, as in the case below, corrosion pits in the rail foot can initiate a fatigue crack. These grow with time and are virtually invisible to current NDT techniques, ultimately causing unpredicted failure.
Although the number of rail failures in the UK is commendably decreasing to its lowest level yet, 55% of current rail failures are attributed to this failure mechanism in the UK. Aside from
wholesale rail replacement (which as a rail manufacturer I of course endorse wholeheartedly!), it is a challenge to control this somewhat unpredictable failure mode, and corrosion protection will have its place to tackle this tricky task.
Someone recently tried to convince me that they could see such foot fatigue defects with ultrasonic inspection until I asked how they intended to spot them when the defect wasn’t located directly under the web of the rail? I’m not sure I ever got an answer to that question; indeed I’m not sure they’ve spoken to me since...
As we seek ever-increasing life out of our rail assets and ask them to cope with more and more traffic, factors other than wear and rolling contact fatigue become important determining the life of rail. Corrosion can be one of these life-determining factors. Zinoco provides a simple yet elegant solution to this that works in the real world, providing robust rust protection for rails.
Minor surface damage from installation, track maintenance, even flying ballast may halt the protection other coatings offer in their tracks, but thanks to the Zinoco dual line of protection, offering both barrier and cathodic protection to the rail, it continues to protect in real world railways.
Daniel Pyke is product marketing manager at British Steel which has a new website at www.britishsteel.co.uk
The thumbnail-shaped fatigue crack (arrowed) propagated from a corrosion pit on the underside of the rail foot. When it reached its current size, the rail failed, cracking vertically upwards from the fatigue crack.
68 Rail Engineer • July 2016
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The ‘Strategic Partnership 1520’ international business forum takes place in Sochi on Russia’s Black Sea coast each year. It brings together all businesses and stakeholders associated with Russian gauge
(1520mm) railways to promote Euroasian railway developments. This year’s forum, held at the start of June, was the eleventh such event and combined politics, business, engineering and railway developments.
It was also the first for Russian Railways (RZD) president Oleg Belozerov, who took over the leadership of RZD from Vladimir Yakunin last year. In a session entitled “How to identify new possibilities in current realities”, Belozerov acknowledged that, with sanctions reducing imports by 37 per cent, Russia was looking towards the Asia/Pacific region where traffic is expected to grow threefold by 2025.
Russia and EuropeHe did, however, stress the
importance of European traffic and reaffirmed Russian Railways’ commitment to the construction of a Russian-gauge line covering the 400 kilometres from Košice in Slovakia to Bratislava and Vienna. Progress with the development of this project was described by Robert Kredig, who is also CEO of Breitspur Planungsgesellshaft mbH, a company which is equally owned by the railways of Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine and Russia.
Despite tensions between its owning countries, this company is actively developing the feasibility study for this project which has been costed at €6.7 billion and has been shown to have a sound economic case. However, whether politics will prevent the 2026 completion date shown in Kredig’s presentation remains to be seen.
Till Klinner of the German Federal Foreign office felt there was potential for improved relations between Russia and Europe. He emphasised that the direct intention of the sanctions was not to punish Russia but to ensure implementation of the Minsk agreement, so the sanctions regime could be reduced as progress was made. Despite current difficulties, he felt there was widespread agreement about the need for a common economic space from Lisbon to Vladivostok.
The German Ambassador to Russia, Rüdiger von Fritsch, also reinforced this point by emphasising that a good relationship between Germany and Russia was essential. The forum had government level representation from both Germany and France.
Other areas of co-operation between Russian and European railways include technical standards, cyber-security
and the development of a common consignment note between European and 1520 gauge railways. Belozerov discussed these issues at a summit of the heads of European railways in Lugano immediately prior to the opening ceremony of the Gotthard Base Tunnel.
Routes through IranUntil recently, sanctions had also
been imposed against Iran. Now that they have been lifted, the president of Iran Railways, Mohsen Poursayed Aghaei, was able to tell the forum of Iran’s rail expansion plans. This included increasing Iran’s rail network from 10,500 to 19,500km, with work already underway on 5,000km of new lines. By 2025, Iran expects domestic freight traffic to increase from 34 to 92 million tonnes and passenger traffic to increase from 27 to 40 million.
Iran is currently developing north-south transport corridors on either side of the Caspian Sea from India to the Baltic ports, both of which enter Iran by sea at the port of Bandar Abbas at the entrance to the Persian Gulf. The corridor on the eastern side of the sea uses existing rail links through Iran,
at SochiInternational developments
DAVID SHIRRES
Oleg Belozerov signs an agreement to develop the North South transport corridor with the heads of Azerbaijani and Iranian railways.
Rail Engineer • July 201670
Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Russia and there are plans to increase the capacity of this route from three million to 10 million tonnes per year. As Iranian railways are standard gauge, there is a facility at Incheh Bron that can change 600 bogies per day.
The transport corridor on the western side of the Caspian Sea, through Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia, has a missing rail link of 326km between Qazvin in Iran and Astara in Azerbaijan - goods currently have to be shipped by sea or road around it. Of this, it was reported that the 164km Qazvin to Rasht line is 80 per cent complete and will be completed in 2017. Work has started on a 10km 1520mm gauge line between Astara (Iran) and Astara (Azerbaijan) in April. Although work has yet to start on the 152km Rasht to Astara (Iran) line, press releases issued at the forum indicated that Russia may fund and build this line.
A completed north-south rail route through Azerbaijan would offer significantly reduced freight transit times to make this corridor competitive with sea-freight for time-sensitive cargos. For example, Delhi to Helsinki by rail would take 20 days instead of 32 days by sea. Another possibility is a corridor from India to the port of Murmansk in Northwest Russia, providing a faster route to the eastern ports of North America.
High-speed rail by 2021Although high-speed rail was
discussed in respect of its economic benefits, there was no discussion about the construction of Russia’s first high-speed line, despite a decree by the Russian Federation that this 770km line from Moscow to Kazan must be operational by 2021. Building a line that is four times the length of HS2 phase one in half the time is a demanding target. As this will require the mobilisation of a huge construction resource, it was a surprising omission from this rail business forum.
With design work by a Russian-Chinese consortium to be completed this year, the award of construction contracts must be imminent if the 2021 completion is to be met. Press materials issued at the forum stated that Russian Railways are actively engaged with French and German companies to seek technical consulting services for the construction of the Moscow to Kazan line. With no
mention of European companies being considered as contractors to build the new line, it would seem that Russia is looking to the east for this work.
Happy birthday SochiThis year the Sochi forum had 1,200
participants from 415 companies and 31 countries. For those directly involved, it provided an excellent networking opportunity. For someone from the UK, it gave an interesting insight into Russian Railway’s involvement in international trade in which European (but not UK) companies still have a significant involvement.
Closing the forum on its tenth birthday, Belozerov reflected on the success of the previous 10 years, commenting that many things which were only dreams ten years ago were now a reality. As examples,
he highlighted local production of European-designed rolling stock and infrastructure enhancements such as the new lines for the Sochi Winter Olympics. He felt that the forum had created the environment for these successes and that the resultant additional connectivity was “the locomotive of economic growth”. Whatever the politics, it is hard to disagree with him.
Thameslink class 700 unit as showcased by Siemens at Sochi.
Rail Engineer • July 2016 71
Relaxing at72 Rail Engineer • July 2016
Can a massive outdoor rail plant and equipment show be a relaxed affair? Maybe not for the exhibitors. They had all the joys of setting up and making sure that all their kit arrived in time - and
that it worked. But this year at Rail Live, for the visiting punters at least, yes it could be relaxing.
Maybe it was something to do with the weather. Mercifully, most of the first day was overcast, relatively cool and dry. There were no searing temperatures, and the eminently sensible decision to limit PPE to just upper body high-viz and stout footwear really paid off. For a welcome change, it was possible to walk from one end of the site to the other without losing the will to live. And repeated traverses were quite possible and necessary as there was plenty to see and plenty to visit and revisit.
Rail Live is headlined as the UK’s largest outdoor railway industry show. Hosted by the Quinton Rail Technology Centre at Long Marston, it occupies a site that is around half a mile long and has the added benefit of numerous sidings available for on-track demonstrations. It also has a connection to the mainline network. This year, it was evident that many of the nearby storage sidings were housing London Underground D78 stock (the old District line carriages which many of us will have travelled on), which had come to ‘rest’ for a while.
For many exhibitors, the show presented possibilities for holes to be dug, piles to be driven, rails to be cut, drilled, milled and everything - track, formation, soil - generally reworked. Road-rail machines went from road to rail and back again. Cranes lifted, excavators excavated. Truly rail ‘live’.
With over 250 exhibitors, it is a challenge to decide on which ones to mention. Here is but a small selection, based mainly on what caught the eye. And what caught it immediately on arrival was the aerial display of access equipment. Indeed, this marked out the location of the site long before arrival. Access platforms extending to entrail-twisting heights were provided by VP plc who were also showing TPA’s portable roadways systems.
Road-railAs might be expected, there was a vast array of road-rail machinery.
Aquarius, which specialises in the modification of 4x4 vehicles, was offering driver-experience on a 100yd section of siding (and, as a result, made an old man very happy). Their motto, “Quick to site, rapid to work”, sums up the fundamental ethos of building these types of machine.
360° machines come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and, using the wonders of hydraulics, their size and scope is only limited by a designer’s vision. AP Webb had a machine clasping a concrete sleeper bail - a seemingly impossible load. QTS had, along with many road-rail machines, a tree-devouring unit with a 24” chipper - the largest of its type in the UK.
One of the larger road-rail machines was the Strabag milling machine, manufactured by Linsinger. Ingeniously metamorphosing from a rail machine to an HGV, this has been used on the Docklands Light Railway and has a prodigious output.
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73Rail Engineer • July 2016
Now that we almost take road-rail for granted, it’s worth looking under many of the machines out there in the industry. Several of them carry the badge of SRS Rail System International which has been providing the rail wheel support systems for almost 30 years - the direct result of a brain wave by the Chief Civil Engineer of Swedish railways.
ElectrificationElectrification was a sub-theme at the show.
In contrast to previous years, it was very evident that the expansion of the electrification programme has been matched by imaginative technological solutions. It really emphasises that Rail Live is primarily a showcase for innovation.
Keltbray Aspire, which is part of Keltbray Group and provides electrification services on the rail infrastructure, has invested nearly £6 million in new rail electrification plant over the last two years. Within this investment is a new and unique, multi-million pound overhead line electrification wiring unit that will provide increased safety, efficiencies and productivity to the UK’s national electrification programme. We’ll be looking in more detail at this unit next month and interviewing Les Blake, the unit’s developer.
TMX plant had a road-railer manipulating a complete OLE mast along with a 10-metre depth soil drill.
With its wealth of experience, Balfour Beatty was there with its rail-mounted concrete batching plant that is used for the high-output installation of concrete bases.
Astra Site Services, specialists in hydraulic attachments, were exhibiting a very effective and impressive rail cropper, an implement engineered on a ‘sturdy’ scale.
Equally sturdy were the demolition attachments on show at EP Industries’ stand. All of a sudden, rail industry components look relatively lightweight in the face of some of the kit that has migrated from other, heavier industries.
But not everything is huge. There is a place for modest or even tiny machines in a cramped railway environment. McMurtry’s equipment was eminently practical as was its radio-controlled slope mowing machine.
SleepersAnother product to be featured next
month will be the new plastic sleeper being manufactured by SICUT. New? Not really, it’s
been in use in the USA and elsewhere for over 20 years. But in the UK it’s new. And, by using discarded plastic, it is a valuable way of reducing landfill.
Stanton Bonna, Europe’s largest precast concrete supplier, brought along some examples of its vibration mitigation sleepers that are being used for Crossrail. There was also a very practical solution to rail replacement access in street-running light rail systems.
Rail Live has changed over the years from just a showcase for plant to include now the whole infrastructure supply chain. This does, of course, include the more high-tech products, many of which were on show in the signalling area and in the smaller stands elsewhere. Schweizer, covered recently in Rail Engineer, was there with its low cost level crossing solution - an eminently practical product.
74 Rail Engineer • July 2016
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Datum Monitoring has developed a wide range of devices that can take and record track measurements. These can be downloaded to smart phones if needed. Often used in locations which are notoriously devoid of power, Datum monitoring has taken care to evolve equipment that has very low power demands.
Not only but also…The Rail Alliance was present in force with its
own marquee filled with members’ stands. Out in the open, the Alliance logo was also well in evidence.
Network Rail was there under three guises - product acceptance, signalling, and technical services which was displaying a poster encouraging farmers to acquire redundant concrete sleepers.
Rail Media was there, of course. The Rail Live Conference, organised by Rail Engineer, gave a chance for suppliers to hear direct from the
major players about what is being procured and how. Split into four 90-minute sessions, the speakers covered HS2, Network Rail CP5/CP6, Transport for London and Network Rail Major Programmes.
The Rail Media stand,which covered all of the group’s brands, including RailStaff, Railway People, Rail Summits and Rail Exec Club, was
busy throughout the show. Smartly dressed in matching high-viz jackets supplied by Arco, the team answered questions from readers and advertisers alike..
We were also out there taking photos and videoing the plant demonstrations. Have a look on our website to see Graeme Bickerdike’s video of the show.
The bewitching hour on the first day was 16:00 - the time when attendees were meant to leave. But such was the interest in the show it was only the reminder that the last bus to the remote car park went at 16:30 that galvanised any meaningful exodus.
For an industry that is essentially outdoors, Rail Live is a logical way to showcase ideas and equipment. It gives an opportunity to see machines in context, to bring to life ideas and equipment that normally only perform under possession conditions and away from open sight. So, Rail Live was indeed relaxed, with a buzz of positive networking and banter. And, in the background, there was the impressive Wi-Fi provided by Cisco which kept everyone in touch. Here’s to the next one.
76 Rail Engineer • July 2016
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Interesting As the 2016 Most Interesting Awards night draws closer, attention is starting to focus on the potential shortlist from
which the winners will be chosen.
These unique and prestigious awards will be presented at the Rail Exec Club Gala Dinner, to be held at Derby’s Roundhouse on Thursday 1 December. Trophies and accolades will be handed out in 11 categories which cover the range of activities going on in the rail industry today.
The awards that nobody can enter, nominations are derived from those articles in Rail Engineer, RailStaff and Global Rail News that the respective editors have deemed to be Interesting throughout the year. With the time period being 1 October 2015 to 30 September 2016, the initial list of suggestions is filling up. This ‘longlist’ will get abbreviated to a shortlist of six nominations in each category during October, and then a panel of independent industry judges will make their choices as to which of these are the Most Interesting for the year.
So, to get the ball rolling for the 2016 Most Interesting Awards, here is the latest longlist:
Ancollection
78 Rail Engineer • July 2016
Most Interesting initiative in safety and sustainability » New door seals for London Underground sliding doors
Tara Parendeh of Transport for London Underground » Tea trolley for track workers stranded far from an access point
Track Safety Alliance/AJC/Amey » Bespoke fall-protection system for workers at Reading station
Eurosafe/Latchways » Road Rail Performance System (RRVPS) to improve plant reliability
» Using Reinforced Soil in bridge replacements BAM Nuttall/Tony Gee & Partners/Maccaferri
» Improving wheelsets and the wheel/rail interface Kluber Lubrication/Perpetuum/Mechan/Eversholt Rail/IMechE/Lucchini Unipart Rail/LASE/MRX Technologies/Alstom/University of Huddersfield/Bombardier
Most Interesting thing we saw » Resignalling the Bluebell Railway
Bluebell Railway » Using helicopters to deliver equipment to remote areas
Fenix/Telent » Testing ATO for London Underground in Leicestershire
Bombardier/London Underground/Thales » Return of Flying Scotsman
National Railway Museum/ National Heritage Memorial Fund/Riley & Son
Most Interesting community engagement activity » 20 years of improvement at Handforth station
Friends of Handforth station/Northern Rail/Network Rail » Rail Staff Christmas Carol Service
Transport Benevolent Fund/London Transport Choir » Travelling classroom
ScotRail Alliance » Remembrance Christmas tree at Ebbsfleet station
ellenor/Network Rail High Speed » Tyne Tees Tracker raises £20,000 for Railway Children
First Transpennine Express/Branch Line Society » First Thameslink Station Partnership at Crofton Park
Thameslink/Crofton Park Railway Group » GBRf raises £62,000 for Bloodwise
GBRf/Bloodwise » We Listen campaign
Network Rail/Samaritans
THE JUDGESTwelve of the rail industry’s most respected people make up this year’s
Most Interesting Awards judging panel.Andrew Boagey - Chair, Railway Engineer’s Forum (REF)David Clarke - Technical Director, Railway Industry Association (RIA)Richard East - Chairman, Railway Division, Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)Chris Fenton – Chairman, National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR)Jon Hemsley - Chairman, Railway Technology/Professional Network (TPN), Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)Francis How - Chief Executive, Institution of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE)Sabrina Ihaddaden - National Chair, Young Rail Professionals (YRP)Simon Iwnicki - Director, Institute of Railway Research, University of Huddersfield Richard Parry-Jones - former Chairman, Network RailIan Prosser - Chief Inspector of Railways, Office of Rail and Road (ORR)Bill Reeve - former Railway Division Chairman, Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)Farha Sheikh - Head of Rail Digital Services, Department for Transport (DfT)
80 Rail Engineer • July 2016
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