It’s not hard to see why the Rail Engineer of the Year Award is one of the RailStaff Awards’ most sought after prizes. After all, without engineers, there would be no railway.
Engineers provide the vision and the technical expertise on which the growth and maintenance of the network relies. Since the very first days of the railway, engineers have driven the projects and systems which keep passengers and freight moving. Their work is critical.
Paul Belle of AECOM lifted the trophy in 2019, with nominating colleagues describing him as ‘great ambassador’ for rail engineering. They praised his vast knowledge of railways, in particular multi-disciplinary integration and coordination, as well as his direct communication skills.
Talking about his passion for rail engineering, Paul says: “I always wanted to do something for the greater good, I wasn’t interested in getting a job and making money for the sake of making money, it was all about putting something back into society.
“When I was a third-year student at Exeter University, I remember being stood on the platform at Exeter St David and hearing people slating the railway. At the time, the Class 220 Voyagers were coming in and they were taking away the standard HST sets. It wasn’t really going to plan and people were really attacking the rail industry. That was when I thought that rail was an industry where I could make a difference.”
And make a difference, he certainly has. In fact, he’s truly made his mark.
Onwards and upwards
Paul’s nomination came about due to his work leading the development of the GRIP 1-3 feasibility studies for the South Rail Systems Alliance (SRSA).
Formed in 2019 by AECOM, Colas, and Network Rail, the SRSA is a 10-year framework that harnesses the benefits of collaboration to drive efficiency and tackle challenges head on. It was formed at a time when Network Rail needed to demonstrate that its funds, received from the taxpayer, were being well invested.
“Initially, I was working with the development team, and our role was to support Network Rail in defining the problem and helping to develop a plan. It involved working with multiple stakeholders, managing many different requirements, and deciding how to do the best job for the benefit of the taxpayer.
“Much of my role involved dealing with differing opinions and finding the best compromise. We had a brilliant team with staff from AECOM, Network Rail, and Colas, who all had a lot of ideas. It was about using all of our skills to meet a common objective.”
Since celebrating his RailStaff Awards triumph, Paul has gone on to be come AECOM’s professional head for engineering management – rail, structures and ground engineering. And while the work he’s done with SRSA has gone a long way to earning this achievement, the buzz around his RailStaff Award win certainly hasn’t hurt.
And although Paul was the winner on the night, he refuses to hog the limelight.
“Though it was in individual award, none of what was achieved would have been possible without a team of colleagues who have become friends,” he says.
“I’d like to thank Network Rail’s Mike Aldis and Dave Cowley; Wales Cheung, Sae Ah Yoon, Dave Stinton, Sujeet Chandra, and Jon Barry at AECOM; and Steve Miller, the project director for SRSA and my line manager. He has helped guide my career in AECOM over the last seven years and I am indebted to him.”
The words of a truly deserving RailStaff Award winner.
