UK: Network Rail’s East Coast Operations Business Change team recently met specialists from track machine engineering and operating company Loram in Derby to launch a track machine ETCS working group. Discussions covered sharing best practice, joint training and how future signalling instructions and changes to the Rule Book could maximise output during possessions.
Loram said its newly-built RGC Rail Grinder is the UK’s first on-track machine to be fitted with ETCS, paving the way for hundreds of others.
Loram UK Managing Director Debbie Francis said bringing together operating, signalling and track machine specialists ‘helped both teams understand the massive prize that ETCS offers our passenger and freight customers’.
Francis said ‘as a specialist rolling stock supplier, we are acutely conscious that the ETCS programme is in receipt of public funds to deliver. Loram has made a point of aggressively removing any unnecessary costs as we prepare our equipment to go “signal-free” and we look forward to sharing our knowledge and experience with colleagues across the industry, so together we can deliver value to both fare and taxpayers.’
John Earley, Senior Programme Manager, Operations, at Network Rail, said ‘this was a great opportunity for Network Rail to get closer to its customer and understand the challenges and opportunities that an OTM operator has in delivering ETCS-enabled machines. Days like this will help us refine the way this sector can use ETCS methods of operation whilst delivering work in possessions.’
