Kelvin Holder

Said the following about S&C Northern Alliance:

“The UK’s railways are now busier than any time since the 1920s as commuters increasingly turn to the rail network to make their essential journeys. Network Rail has been working extensively with its supply chain to find new, innovative ways to make vital upgrades and improvements that enhance the network’s reliability but minimise the impact on those that rely on these services. Network Rail and its Supply Chain, under the 10 Point Plan for CP5, have worked extensively through the S&C procurement process. This has enabled all parties to ensure the core competency of Switch and Crossing (S&C) renewals is delivered to improve safety, reliability, capacity and provide increased value for customers and stakeholders.

As part of this procurement process Amey as the lead entity were successful in securing their place in the S&C North Alliance. This new collaborative partnership between Network Rail, Amey Rail Ltd. (Installer) and Amey OWR Ltd. (Designer) will use the AmeySersa joint venture as the Track delivery vehicle. This joint venture has brought key suppliers together including the leading UK Track Renewals provider, Amey, its established supply chain and Europe’s most comprehensive rail technology company Rhomberg Sersa. The S&C North Alliance geographically covers two-thirds of S&C renewals across the UK.

The alliance represents a step change in the industry by bringing the most efficient, sustainable and innovative track renewal methods from Continental Europe as well as the best safety practices in line with Network Rail’s Life Saving Rules. This new approach has already had significant benefits. It has seen S&C renewals delivered in as little as eight hours and with far fewer workers on-site, significantly reducing safety risks and the duration of network possessions.

A clear example of the benefits and success of the Alliance’s approach was seen in Craigintenny; a single turnout on the down line of the East Coast Mainline, located 3 miles east of Edinburgh Waverly. The original target for these works was £1.28m including refurb and drainage works as issued via work bank instruction. Following completion the actual cost was also reduced by 6.25% resulting in a Final Account value of £1.2m.

The Alliance Highspeed Renewals team reduced on-site safety and programme risks through careful collaborative planning, round-the-clock working using modular based installation and using the latest technology and methods. This enabled the handing back of this key section of the East Coast Mainline at its full line-speed of 90mph. This provided real benefits to Network Rail, commuters travelling between London and Scotland and other route stations, and the operating companies.

Previously, following a renewal, the section would be subject to speed restrictions whilst the supporting ballast around the track was naturally compacted down by the weight of the trains passing over it.

By adopting the new approach the Alliance team achieved an 80% increase over the usual return to service speed of 50mph. This line-speed hand-back had never been achieved in the UK before and was described by the director of the alliance as ‘setting a benchmark’ in UK track renewals.

“Well done and thanks to Team Scotland for the first UK 90 mph line-speed hand-back of S&C. We can capture the lessons learned to offer a similar service to other routes.”

Steve Featherstone, Programme Track Director, Network Rail

To achieve this UK first, the team worked with the Route to challenge and optimise the work schedule to:

• Mitigate safety risks through reduced machine movements, manual handling and manpower on site;

• Optimise the programme by adopting parallel working during track construction.

This assured safer working and ensured the installation programme allowed sufficient time for the initial, accurate placement of ballast and panels.

Additional efforts were focused on compacting the bottom ballast, for example by increasing the number of runs with the whacking plate from the customary two to five. Ballast was then graded using 3D Machine Control to test its weight restriction.

Using collaborative planning techniques and integrated data sharing across key stakeholders, and through the use of technology such as electrical measuring equipment, Total Station and the 3D Machine Control, replacement rail panels could also be placed within 10mm (previously 30-40mm). Therefore this only required a single tamp with the time saved being used for further compaction of the ballast.

The average track quality measure for the North was running at below 70% prior to the new Alliance being established – Craigintenny achieved a perfect 100% Track Quality Measure.

For train operators and commuters this meant that the vital link to other parts of Scotland, Yorkshire, the North East of England, London and the South wasn’t subject to the delays it would have faced if speed restrictions had been in place. Journeys were able to be made as timetabled and a knock-on delay to some 500 trains was avoided.

Issues such a poor quality ride for passengers were eliminated without the need for speed restrictions and further potential disruption as a result of follow-up works were removed providing future Schedule 4 Benefits.

By handing-back at the line operating speed of 90mph we removed over 1,000 potential delay minutes as a result of TSRs and the Schedule 8 Saving alone just for this renewal was £48,000.

Whole-life benefits were also achieved as a result of the increased time spent on compaction which has lessened the likelihood of slippage in patches of the ballast. The increased design tolerance will also reduce the number of maintenance and repair visits required and conversely reduce the cost of such maintenance.

By capturing these lessons learned the S&C North Alliance now offer the same or similar methods within other routes The S&C North Alliance have a detailed transformation plan to roll-out this approach employing these techniques to avoid delays on other essential commuter routes within the S&C North Alliance geographical footprint and across the wider UK Rail Network benefiting rail users, TOCs and FOCs.“