Laura Main

Said the following about Stephen Holloway:

“Stephen is a train running controller, whose proactiveness and dedication to improving train running performance and his contribution to autumn planning has had a significant and positive impact to keep trains running safely and smoothly.

Stephen went above and beyond in his role, as he saw several real problems affecting our customers and used his initiative and proactiveness to tackle them. Without Stephen's intervention, nothing would have changed and the route would have continued taking passenger performance measure failures and delay minutes.

Using his own initiative, Stephen developed and led on the following projects;

1) Revised GZAC/Train Plain: Up to recently daily, green zone access control (GZACs) on the running lines between Ilford and Stratford were having a massive impact to train services. Every day our passenger performance measure (PPM) was being affected and the delay attribution for hundreds of minutes were being created. Although many people were aware of the issue, Stephen was the only person to actively seek a solution. Working with the GZAC team at Stratford and Romford Delivery Unit, he was able to negotiate a revised method of working that was more suited to the train service. As a result, the new GZAC process that has been brought in has hardly any impact on PPM and delay minutes have been significantly reduced. This is a massive benefit to Train Operators on our route and Romford DU are still getting their maintenance undertaken.

2) Stephen has also taken on a project of devising what is now called the "Ilford Yard Plan". This an agreed plan that can be implemented when there are late running stock moves leaving Ilford Car Sheds. Historically stock would leave Ilford late and impact heavily on Greater Anglia and MTR Crossrail services. Stephen saw the flaw in this method of working so took on the project of getting GA, MTR and Network Rail colleagues together, which was not straight forward, and agreeing a method of working that stopped late trains from Ilford Car Sheds having an effect on trains already on the network.

Stephen even put his family life on hold whilst taking the lead responsibility in reducing delays during Autumn Working. With his continuous dedication, proactive thinking, and accurate plans meant he formulated timetables for the rail head treatment trains around the everyday timetable as well as possessions. Stephen's continuous hard work and adaptable approach ensured a reliable and accurate plan of action which breed confidence in his colleagues and the teams around him. Stephen implemented and took responsibility whilst managing the treatment trains daily. He monitored, adapted and formulated plans following daily reports without a fuss, knowing the work he did had a great impact on the performance of not only TOCs but the FOCs trains. His contribution was key in one of our most successful autumns ever, ultimately keeping our train running through a historically difficult season for the railway.“