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Signaller training school opened in just four weeks

Network Rail recently appealed for retired signallers, or those who have moved to other careers in the railway industry, to volunteer to provide cover at signal boxes and control centres if some current signallers fall ill or need to self-isolate during the Covid-19 outbreak.

More than 200 signallers across Wales and the west responded to this call to arms. To retrain those volunteers, Network Rail has taken just four weeks to transform an old depot in Newport, South Wales, into a state-of-the-art training centre.

A little over a month ago the rooms at the Crindau depot in Newport were mothballed former testing workshops and meeting rooms, but they have now been converted into a temporary training facility that enables former signallers to refresh their training and get back to work on Britain’s railways.

Newport signalling centre.

Mark Langman, Network Rail’s managing director for Wales and Western, said: “It is a remarkable achievement that this fully functioning training suite for signallers has been completed in less than a month.

“Under normal circumstances we have enough signallers to keep trains running whatever happens, but these are not normal circumstances and without fully trained signallers it is possible that parts of the network would have to shut.

“I am delighted with the response from former signallers who are willing to return to the railway. Putting the right training and facilities in place means that we can get them back up to speed to help us keep moving essential freight goods, and passengers whose journeys are essential.

New technology helmets improve safety and aid social distancing

Ground Control – one of the leading suppliers of vegetation control services to Network Rail, has deployed ‘game changing’ high-tech safety helmets for its operatives.

The company has purchased an initial batch of 40 of the £500 Protos Integral helmets for workers doing essential maintenance work near rail lines. Fitted with a Bluetooth wireless system, the helmets allow workers to communicate while using everyday noisy tools such as chainsaws, brushcutters and woodchippers.

“As a national vegetation management contractor, we deliver a range of essential frontline services in dangerous environments such as working next to rail lines,” said Peter Allen, arboriculture and rail services director at Ground Control. “Both the range and the quality of communication delivered by the Protos Integral helmet was excellent – it’s a genuine game changer. Operators using the system could hear the instructions from their supervisor instantly and acknowledge the test call of “train on” every time.”

“And as Bluetooth technology works on a closed system, there was no interference from external sources. Operatives are able to easily maintain safety distances with spoken words clear delivered in the built-in earmuff on the helmet, without having to shout above the noise of the equipment.”

The purchase of the Protos Integral helmets is the latest example of Ground Control’s industry- leading commitment to health and safety. Earlier this month it won the highly prestigious RoSPA ‘President’s Award’ for its decade-long achievements in worker safety.

“We’re planning to expand our use of the helmets and introduce them in other noisy or busy environments such as highways or construction sites, where a team need a dedicated mechanism of communications,” said Peter Allen. “In addition, they’ll also help our workers maintain the correct social distancing while on site. The Coronavirus pandemic continues to reinforce the importance of developing a safe working environment and establishing best practices.”

£46 million upgrade of line to Southend Victoria completed

Network Rail has completed the installation of a new overhead wiring system on the Southend Victoria branch line in a £46 million upgrade to improve reliability for key workers currently using the line and in the long term when passengers return to work.

Southend works May 2019.

This is the first time the wiring system has been upgraded since it was installed in the 1950s, bringing this busy line up to 21st century standards.

More than 100km of new overhead wire has been installed between Southend Victoria and Shenfield, where the branch line joins with the new overhead line system on the main line, which means a new wiring system is in place from Southend to London. The new system adapts to temperature changes which is particularly important in hot weather, meaning fewer delays and cancellations and overall reliability improvements all year round.

Network Rail’s engineers sped up the extensive work programme by carrying out a nine-day closure and working on some weeknights. This meant that the work was completed two months earlier, with 11 fewer weeks of mid-week closures and six fewer weekend closures.

Structure installation at Billericay.

Ellie Burrows, Network Rail route director, Anglia, said: “This work was vital to bring the equipment up to 21st century standards which hugely improves reliability and brings the line up to the modern standards seen on other parts of the network.

“I’d like to thank our Southend passengers for their patience and support while we carried out this extensive work programme. I understand that this has been a difficult time for passengers, especially at the weekends, but I’m confident that these crucial improvements will support the growing number of people using the line for years to come.”

Translink releases two large Trainbows onto the Northern Ireland network

Northern Ireland’s Translink has given two trains very special makeovers in support of the #ChaseTheRainbow movement sweeping the nation.

Translink unveils ‘Trainbow’ symbols of hope. Photo by Aaron McCracken.

The two ‘Trainbows’ will be moving symbols of hope and solidarity for people as they see them travelling across the network. The launch forms part of Translink’s #ChaseTheRainbow campaign which uses its vehicles, bus shelters, billboards and social media to display uplifting ‘rainbows of hope’ while also promoting important safety advice to stay home and save lives during the COVID-19 crisis. 

As a result of the campaign, the public has already shared hundreds of ‘rainbows of hope’ drawings on social media and many of the images will soon appear on buses and billboards in coming weeks.

However, Translink is as pains to remind people that they should only travel by bus or train if they are making essential journeys. Passengers should also wash hands before they travel, follow social distancing rules on board services and use cashless payment options or have the correct change as change cannot be given on board.

Photo by Aaron McCracken.

Skip lorry caused £200,000 damage to railway bridge on key freight route

A skip lorry caused £200,000 of damage to a bridge at Warwick Road in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, on 20 March 2020. The vehicle caused significant damage to the bridge’s central arch, forcing the temporary closure of the railway above and a much longer closure of the road below.

To get freight and passenger trains moving again temporary supports had to be installed to shore up the structure and speed restrictions for trains had to be put in place while the repairs were carried out.

Network Rail has once again warned lorry drivers to always know the height of their vehicles after research showed that Research shows 43 per cent of lorry drivers admit to not measuring their vehicle before heading out on the road. Fifty-two per cent admit to not taking low bridges into account. As a result, five entirely avoidable railway bridge strikes take place every day across Britain, costing the taxpayer £23 million a year.

Marc Vipham, route asset manager at Network Rail, said: “Freight is critical to the nation’s response to the coronavirus crisis. Closing a key line for freight traffic has serious impacts delivering critical supplies to many key workers and institutions. For this very reason, our engineers worked rapidly to find a safe way to secure the bridge and keep the railway open.

“However, all of this hard work should have been unnecessary. Bridge strikes like this are entirely avoidable, cost taxpayers millions of pounds and cause delays to tens of thousands of rail passengers and freight every year. Lorries can’t limbo. I can’t stress enough how important it is for drivers to know the height of their vehicle.”

Severn Valley Railway appeal raises £416,000

With tourist attractions shut down due to the coronavirus epidemic, heritage railways have been struggling to find the finances to keep going.

But now the short-term future of one of the most famous, the Severn Valley Railway, has been secured thanks to the astounding response to an Emergency Appeal launched a few weeks ago by the Worcestershire and Shropshire-based railway. Generous donors have given over £416,000 to keep the much-loved heritage attraction going on a ‘care and maintenance’ basis whilst it remains closed because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

However, the railway has pledged to continue fundraising so that it will be able to invest in essential projects in the coming year despite a ‘devastating’ drop in its income.

SVR chairman Nick Paul CBE is pleased with the Emergency Appeal’s success, commenting: “We are deeply grateful to every single person who has come to our aid to take away the immediate threat to the Railway’s future. We have received thousands of donations from across the region, the country and the world. The wonderful messages of support that came with them tell us we’re doing the right thing in working so hard to keep the SVR dream alive.”

The success of the appeal doesn’t solve all of the railway’s problems, however. It must now remain closed throughout May and June, because of continuing Government restrictions, and has also had to cancel its important revenue-generating 1940s weekends at the end of June and beginning of July.

As the coronavirus impact hit, the SVR was already suffering from a 75% drop in passenger numbers because of the February floods.

Nick Paul continued: “In truth, we are facing a longer term and more serious threat than we could have envisaged. The devastating loss of income during our peak running season means we will not be able to make this year’s crucial annual investment into the railway.  This would have been in the region of £4.5million, to fund essential restorations to our infrastructure and rolling stock, along with apprentice training and a desperately needed overhaul of our IT infrastructure which is creaking at the seams.

“Even when we are eventually able to re-open, it’s likely that we will have fewer passengers, with people reluctant to take part in social activities and an anticipated ban on mass gatherings. It may be that we won’t see a return to sustainable levels of passenger revenue until well into next year.”

In light of the ongoing challenge, the SVR is appealing for donations to their Fight Back Fund. This will support the railway’s recovery both during the current crisis and in the tough months that will follow the lifting of restrictions.

Royal Albert Bridge turns blue in support of NHS

To show support for the NHS, Brunel’s Royal Albert Bridge, which spans the River Tamar between Plymouth, Devon, and Saltash, Cornwall, has been lit up in blue from both the Devon and Cornish side of the bridge.

Network Rail worked with Ashtorre Rock, a community centre located almost immediately under the Cornish Tower, and Plymouth City Council to light up the bridge, .which first opened in 1859. Plymouth City Council lit up the Devon side of the bridge from the shore while the Cornish side of the bridge was lit from Ashtorre Rock community Centre, who allowed the lights to be set up from their building.

The Royal Albert Bridge and the Tamar bridge.

The neighbouring Tamar bridge, which carries road traffic between Devon and Cornwall, was also lit up by the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee.

Mike Gallop, Network Rail’s Western director, said: “We are really proud of everyone from the NHS and the huge effort they are putting in daily to save lives. It has been great to come together and shine a light on one of the railway’s most famous landmarks in recognition of the NHS.

“We hope to light up the Royal Albert Bridge again in the future when the wider community will be able to leave their homes and see it for themselves.”

Rail Engineer April 2020 – The virus that stopped the world, From top gear to thameslink, Zero carbon? Not here!, NYL resignalling completed.

HS2 issues Notices to Proceed

HS2 Ltd, the company charged with constructing Britain’s new high-speed rail network, has today issued Notices to Proceed (NtP) to the four main works civils contractors (MWCC) working on the project – SCS Railways, Align JV, EKFB JV, and BBV JV – to commence full detailed design and construction of Phase One of the HS2 railway, the route from London – West Midlands.

This move follows the publication of the Oakervee Review and the government’s decision in February to continue with the HS2 project.

HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson said: “While the government’s top priority is rightly to combat the spread of coronavirus, protect the NHS and save lives, we cannot delay work on our long-term plan to level up the country.

“HS2 will be the spine of the country’s transport network, boosting capacity and connectivity while also rebalancing opportunity fairly across our towns and cities.

“Following the decision earlier this year to proceed with the project, this next step provides thousands of construction workers and businesses across the country with certainty at a time when they need it, and means that work can truly begin on delivering this transformational project.”

The four work packages are for full detailed design and construction of Phase One of the HS2 railway. Through these contracts, small and medium businesses have the guarantee of a pipeline of activity for the future, helping to protect jobs and boost certainty for them in the current climate.

An estimated 400,000 supply chain contract opportunities for UK businesses will be created during Phase One of HS2, supporting thousands of jobs on site and many more around the country. It is estimated that around 95% of those contract opportunities will be won by UK based businesses and around two thirds of those will be small and medium sized businesses.

Mark Thurston, CEO of HS2 Ltd, commented: “In these difficult times, today’s announcement represents both an immediate boost to the construction industry – and the many millions of UK jobs that the industry supports – and an important investment in Britain’s future: levelling up the country, improving our transport network and changing the way we travel to help bring down carbon emissions and improve air quality for the next generation.

“HS2 has been over ten years in development and design. While the country’s focus is rightly on defeating COVID-19, the issuing of Notice to Proceed today ensures that our contractors and their supply chains have the confidence that they can commit to building HS2, generating thousands of skilled jobs across the country as we recover from the pandemic.” 

The four notices to proceed have been issued to:

SCS Railways (Skanska Construction UK Ltd, Costain Ltd, STRABAG AG) – £3.3bn
          – Euston Tunnels and Approaches
          – Northolt Tunnels

Align JV (Bouygues Travaux Publics SAS, a subsidiary of Bouygues Construction, Sir Robert McAlpine and VolkerFitzpatrick, a subsidiary of VolkerWessels UK) – £1.6bn
          – Chiltern Tunnels and Colne Valley Viaduct

EKFB JV (Eiffage Genie Civil SA, Kier Infrastructure and Overseas Ltd, BAM Nuttall, Ferrovial Agroman) – £2.3bn
          – North Portal Chiltern Tunnels to Brackley
          – Brackley to South Portal of Long Itchington Wood Green Tunnel

BBV JV (Balfour Beatty Group Ltd, VINCI Construction Grands Projets, VINCI Construction UK Ltd, VINCI Construction Terrassement) – £4.8bn
          – Long Itchington Wood Green Tunnel to Delta Junction and Birmingham Spur
          – Delta Junction to West Coast Main Line Tie-In (Handsacre Junction)

 Total contracts value (point estimates excluding risk) – £12bn

Stations, rolling stock, systems and other non-civils contracts are not included as part of the MWCC awards.

Siemens forms worldwide coronavirus aid fund

The managing board of Siemens AG has announced that it has set up a COVID-19 aid fund. Under the auspices of the community-serving non-profit organization Siemens Caring Hands, it will provide support, without red tape, to relief organizations and medical facilities as well as to individuals impacted by the COVID-19 crisis worldwide.

All Siemens AG employees worldwide can now make monetary donations to Caring Hands by specifying “COVID-19” as the purpose of the gift. Siemens AG will match every euro donated, meaning the company will donate the same amount to Caring Hands. In accordance with its articles of association, the charity itself will then channel the funds to those who need them most.

Joe Kaeser, president and CEO of Siemens AG, said: “Both medically and socially, COVID-19 is a challenge of a kind that the world as a whole has never seen before in peacetime. Now, acting responsibly is more important than ever – for our company’s future, for the health and economic security of our workforce and business partners, but also for the cohesion of societies around the world.

“Many people have helped make us the strong, successful company we are today. And now we want to help those who are doing excellent work, day in and day out, in serving the sick and needy during this time of crisis. That’s why I’m calling on our management and employees worldwide to donate generously. Every euro counts.

“I want to start things off by personally contributing €1 million.”

In addition, as either an alternative or as a supplement to a conventional donation, the managing board and senior management will have the option of voluntarily waiving vacation time. Siemens will then donate a corresponding amount to Caring Hands by reversing accruals for this purpose. No matching by the company is planned for this form of donation.

As a non-profit organization, Caring Hands will use the donations to support coordinated projects and aid programs and to buy urgently needed products. The goal is to deliver aid rapidly and unbureaucratically to people affected by the coronavirus pandemic worldwide.