TransPennine Express has introduced two services designed to make its 18 managed stations more accessible for passengers who are blind, visually impaired, autistic or anxious. My Station View is a pre-travel tool that allows people to take a virtual tour of the station they will be visiting and explore the interiors of TPE’s trains. The GoodMaps Explore app pinpoints a blind or visually impaired user’s location using their phone camera and provides accurate directions to help navigate the station safely.
Kirsty Williams has been appointed Chair of the Global Centre of Rail Excellence Community Committee, which will provide a forum to engage with local elected representatives and government officials. Williams represented Brecon & Radnorshire in the Senedd and was Welsh Education Minister in 2016-21.
Pandrol has installed a Thorworld tailored modular loading dock and ramp at its Worksop plant to replace one the same company supplied 15 years ago. ‘Our team thought highly of the previous ramp, but it was getting old and needed replacing’, said Jason Moody, Long Days Team Leader at Pandrol. ’We wanted to bring our loading system into the 21st century and Thorworld remained our first choice, even after checking alternative options.’
Under a corporate charity partnership agreement, SLC Rail and are to provide the Community Rail Network with a financial donation and a range of specialist advice on bringing disused station buildings into community use. This will include helping CRN to engage with station masterplans, and advice on interfaces with the local community, negotiating property leases, asset ownership and regulatory consents.
Rail Forum has launched a Rail Supply Chain Decarbonisation brochure showcasing examples of ways to help meet net zero targets. Contributors include: Altro, Anderton Concrete Products, Argenta, Aura Brand Solutions, Clayton Equipment, Composite Braiding, FJD Consulting, Ford & Stanley Group, Frazer-Nash Consultancy, GBR-Rail, Global Centre of Rail Excellence, KeTech Systems, Porterbrook, Tidyco and TVS Supply Chain Solutions.
Law firm Norton Rose Fulbright advised Knorr-Bremse on the acquisition of Westcode UK from Unipart Rail.
McCulloch Group’s Training & Assessment Manager Andrew Parker has been appointed to the new position of Workforce Development Manager, supporting staff in career progression from track operator assistant to supervisor and creating a system of mentors to support new staff in applying the skills learnt during initial training .
Xrail Group is to become a Patron member of Rail Forum for its 2023-24 membership year which commences in May. ’We are strong believers in the work the Rail Forum does on behalf of the rail supply chain, and we are keen to add our name to support this work, said Xrail CEO Munir Patel. ’Rail Forum deliver a number of excellent opportunities to engage with industry stakeholders and Xrail Group is excited to be part of this.’
