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Colin Flack to host RailStaff Awards

Andy-Milne
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Presenting the prizes at this year’s RailStaff Awards is Colin Flack, chief executive of the Rail Alliance.

The one time army colonel now heads one of the fastest growing industrial organisations in Britain as well as running his own modest, but successful, rolling stock storage and maintenance business at Long Marston.

The Rail Alliance specialises in bringing together suppliers and customers wanting to work within and across the rail sector.

Colin is expected to arrive at the Awards evening ‘fresh’ from completing his major fundraising 1,000 mile triathlon ‘The Ultimate 3’ for the Railway Children charity.

Business generating dynamos

Says Tom O’Connor, managing director of the Rail Media Group, which is hosting the Awards, “It is great to welcome someone who has won over so many people and companies to the cause of railways. Colin Flack and the Rail Alliance are doing valuable work for the industry, giving it a loud voice and a longer reach.

“Business generating dynamos like the Rail Alliance work for the good of all. Colin remains firmly committed to railway staff and our charity of choice, The Railway Children.

“We wish him well on the ‘Ultimate 3’ and look forward – with some trepidation – to his safe arrival in Birmingham on the 29th October.”

Avid sportsman

Drawing on his experience as a marathon runner, Colin is cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats, canoeing down three of Britain’s longest lakes and climbing three of the highest peaks in the UK this October.

Colin joined the Army straight from school and rose through the ranks where he ended up working in Logistics.His military career has taken him to Germany, Hong Kong, Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Kosovo, Saudi Arabia and Iraq as well as other short term deployments and exercises overseas.

Colin has always been an avid sportsman and a particularly keen mountaineer; additionally, he has played cricket and rugby for Kent as well as representing the Army in both sports.

In 2007, as the Rail Alliance formed up, Colin saw the value of being linked to the academic world and, as a consequence, he was appointed a Research Fellow with the University of Birmingham and has been an active supporter of the Birmingham Centre for Rail Research and Education ever since.

Colin has completed the London Marathon three times raising money for Multiple Sclerosis, the NSPCC and the National Blind Children’s Society. This year, Colin has embarked on a charity tour de force in support of the Railway Children charity.

He will complete a unique triathlon challenge called ‘The Ultimate 3’ which is being pioneered by Colin and Ruth Flack and will see him cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats stopping off to scramble up and down the Three Peaks of: Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis as well as kayaking the length of Lake Bala, Lake Windermere and Loch Ness.

It should all take three weeks. To see more about this epic 3-country, 3-mountain, 3-lake challenge – or to sponsor Colin’s efforts – visit the website.

The Rail Alliance is the leading business-to-business networking organisation for the rail industry. Working throughout the industry, with companies large and small, the Rail Alliance represents organisations currently involved in railways, those entering the market for the first time and those considering a return to the sector.

The Rail Alliance supports and encourages all those working in what is now Europe’s fastest growing rail industry.

Vital Rail wins Underground staff supply contract

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Vital Rail has won a major contract with TfL-owned Tube Lines Limited for the provision of labour to support track maintenance and upgrade works.

The contract involves the provision of skilled track staff required to carry out the maintenance and upgrade of the permanent way track assets on the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines, and part of the Metropolitan Line of the London Underground.

The maintenance and upgrade of these assets is the responsibility of Tube Lines Ltd.

The works are split into two main streams, Maintenance Works and Capital Project Works, including track reconditioning, pit block replacement, track refurbishment in tunnels and open sections, conductor rail replacement, points and crossings, enhanced track renewals, life extension works, rolling vehicle access requirements and train arrestors.

The award of this contract extends the long-term successful working relationship between Vital Rail and Tube Lines Ltd.

Says Paul Crompton, Vital Rail’s Regional Director (South), “I am delighted with the contract award. It continues the relationship which we have built up with Tube Lines over the past five or six years, and we hope to continue to support them in the future.”

Vital Rail, part of the Manchester-based Vital Services Group, is a major support services provider, completing enhancement, renewal and maintenance projects for the Rail, Light Rail and Underground sectors.

Stobart Rail refurbishes Foxfield Viaduct

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Stobart Rail has gained valuable experience after completing a sensitive refurbishment of Foxfield Viaduct on the Carnforth – Whitehaven line.

The railway crosses the Duddon Estuary using the five-span viaduct. Detailed examinations found the present construction to be in a ‘fair condition’ overall.

However engineers decided to carry out refurbishment works which included waterproofing the existing deck which will increase the lifetime of the structure by some 20 years.

The job at Foxfield included removal of track, excavation of ballast and the installation of a loose laid waterproofing system over the viaduct structure.

New ballast was laid and compacted before replacing the old track with CEN56 rail and steel sleepers.

Foxfield is part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest, the dreaded SSSI.

The survey area was thoroughly searched for evidence of badgers, water voles, otters, great crested newts and bats. According to historic records the SSSI was once home to colonies of natter jack toads, adders, lizards and slow worms. A rigorous physical survey did not find any on site.

Mitigation measures included any vegetation works being carried out outside of bird nesting season.

All Stobart Rail staff were briefed on the potential presence of reptiles and how to identify them and how to carefully move to a place of refuge outside the work area. Environmental briefings were conducted on site.

Stobart Rail utilised its own fleet of specialist Road Rail Plant with trailers and spoil boxes to assist in the delivery of the works which included the Colmar T 10000 FS and various lifting attachments.

The project was completed on time, safely, without incident and achieved all desired targets.

Network Rail has also awarded Stobart Rail a further two viaduct refurbishment schemes on bridges spanning the M6 at Knutsford and Sandbach.

Atkins to design £160m project for Denmark’s Northwest Railway

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Atkins, with partners, Cowi, has been asked by Rail Net Denmark to help with detailed design of the £160 million project to double-track Denmark’s Northwest Railway.

The contract includes the renovation of four stations. This will give extra capacity as line speeds power up from 120kph to 160kph.

Says Atkins market director, Eva Rindom, “This is a project of huge economic significance for Denmark and will be a boost to passengers and businesses along the length of this important railway.

“While a combined nine months of complete service shutdown over the three year programme will allow us greater freedom to speed up the design and delivery, we will still need to factor in a construction schedule that will compete with timetable requirements most of the time.

“Atkins’ long history in the delivery of complex, multidisciplinary rail projects in Europe, the Middle East and North America means we are well-placed to meet this challenge.”

All stations between Roskilde and Holbæk will also have platforms lengthened to 250 metres, and crossings at these stations will be replaced by subways or footbridges as level crossings will not be allowed on the new high-speed lines.

Six new conductors start at NXEA

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National Express East Anglia Conductor Manager John Bellchamber has presented six new conductors with certificates marking the completion of their training at a graduation ceremony held in Norwich.

All six will be based at either Colchester, Ipswich or Norwich.

Trainee conductors participate in a 16-week training programme studying all operational, commercial and customer service requirements of the train conductor.

Says John Bellchamber, “I am pleased to welcome our new graduates to the conductors team and I should like to wish them every success in their new positions.”

 

 

 

 

Rail supporters help put whiskey on the rails

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Rail supporters in the north of Scotland are helping whisky distilleries put more of the water of life on the metals.

77 of Scotland’s 99 malt whisky distilleries are located in the highlands and much of the traffic is moved by road.

Whisky makes a major contribution of £2.7 billion to Scotland’s economy. 35,000 people work in the industry.

However whisky chefs are concerned that green restrictions on carbon use could impact their ability to produce more whisky jobs.

Hitrans’ Highland rail development officer, Frank Roach, is helping distilleries plan the switch to rail. The Scotch Whisky Association is supportive of the move.

Says Frank, “Although it’s been spoken about in the past, this is the first step towards making something happen.”

Jump start on a Manchester tram

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Using foreign made trams presents unique challenges to drivers and passengers in Manchester.

When the back door of a tram in Manchester stuck open, the driver urged all passengers to congregate on one side of the vehicle.

Moving weight away from the doors might help them slide shut and trams will not move whilst the doors are open.

Nothing happened and so the driver then asked passengers to jump up and down.

Undaunted intrepid Mancunians rose to the challenge with customary aplomb.

Tram chiefs praised the driver for using his initiative and getting the Altrincham service moving. The tram was built in Italy 20 years ago by Ansaldo.

 

GWR supporters rally round

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Supporters of the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Steam Railway, part of which was lost in a dramatic landslip earlier this year, have been rallying round to help raise funds.

Train excursion company, Pathfinder Tours, based in Woodchester Stroud, presented £2,500 to GWR Winchcombe station.

This sum had been raised through raffles held on train excursions run by Pathfinder Tours between February and June this year.

Says Alan Bielby of GWR, “While we have made significant progress towards our target of £1m to repair the embankments at Gotherington (now complete) and more recently at Chicken Curve, we still have a long way to go and the amazing £2500 that Pathfinder’s customers have so generously given will take us a step closer to that goal.”

 

New PR chief for Crossrail

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Louise Brooker-Carey has been recruited as Head of External Affairs at Crossrail.

The one time comms supremo at Tube Lines rejoins the rail industry from the Chartered Management Institute where she was Director of Policy and Research (Interim).

Louise will lead the public affairs and external communications effort at Crossrail. She will report to newly appointed chief executive Andrew Wolstenholme, who takes over the top job in August.

Terry Hill CBE, former Arup Chairman also joins the Board – on 1 September 2011.

Brooker-Carey faces a challenging assignment at Crossrail. Although a popular project Londoners are understandably concerned at disruption to roads and railways caused by the tunnelling as it progresses.

Louise can be expected to draw upon her experience as an Internal Communications Manager at London Underground. She has a degree in Ancient History and Archaeology from Birmingham University.

Strachan to oversee major transport projects for DfT

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Peter Strachan has been appointed by the DfT to a new role overseeing major transport projects.

The one time head of Wales and Borders has been working in Australia and is currently CEO of Translink, the transport authority for Brisbane and South East Queensland.

Mr Strachan takes up his new job in October.

He will have responsibility for all major road and rail projects across the UK, and for public transport in London.

Prior to joining TransLink in March 2009, Strachan held senior management and leadership positions in Network Rail, Arriva, National Express and FirstGroup.

He was also a non-executive director on the Board of Transport Initiatives Edinburgh.

Strachan has over 23 years experience in the rail industry, having started his career as a graduate trainee with British Rail.

 

Garry Gilby becomes President of SOE

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A former London Transport apprentice is the new president of the SOE.

Garry Gilby became President of the Society of Operations Engineers (SOE) during the organisation’s AGM in July 2011.

Succeeding Fleet Engineer Chris Grime, Garry delivered an inspiring speech describing his aim of increasing community liaison, professional recognition and education, whilst improving member services.

During his Presidential Address, Londoner Gilby outlined his vision for the Society, which represents some 15,000 engineering professionals and organisations in the road transport, plant and engineer surveying industries and incorporates the Professional Sectors, IRTE, IPlantE and BES.

Says Gilby, “I want to ensure all our work contributes to the community, and that we are able to demonstrate and promote the work of members, both nationally and internationally.

“I want everyone to know who the SOE are, and what we do. Maintaining our independence and the promotion of our members and engineering competence is the key to shared success.”

Garry began his career in the transport industry in August 1979, as an apprentice with London Transport.

Following twelve years in the sector, he made a move to the Underground, where he worked for over twenty years.

Mr Gilby thanked Chris Grime for his dedicated service, and said, “We cannot help but be extremely proud of our members.

“By knowing our members, by working for them and celebrating them, SOE will build a reputation that is noticed by others, and one that others will want to be a part of.”

March unites industry in Derby

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Even the local football club has come down on the side of railway workers at Litchurch Lane in Derby – threatened with closure when the Thameslink train building contract was batted oversees to Siemens in Germany.

Derby County players sported ‘Save Our Rail Industry’ shirts and children of Bombardier workers were special guests at the match against Birmingham.

Says Derby County boss Nigel Clough, “We support the campaign to make the Government think again. The contract won’t be signed off until the end of the year, so there is still time to make a change. I hope common sense prevails.”

Over 6000 people gathered in Derby to march in support of the threatened railway works – the last train builders in Britain.

Managers, trade unionists, eurosceptics and railway staff joined together to march through the streets in a strong show of support. Bombardier’s UK chairman, Colin Walton, spoke at the event urging a rethink.

Local MP Margaret Beckett said, “Blame us for the tender process. Then (let the government) take the credit for changing its mind. I don’t care. Just do the right thing.”

Although David Cameron and the coalition government have said they cannot change the outcome of the tender process railway staff and supporters remain unconvinced.

Says RMT General Secretary Bob Crow, “The campaign to save Bombardier is gathering momentum by the day and if the Government thought we would go away quietly then they seriously underestimated our determination to get this bad decision over-turned.

“We welcome the fantastic support of Nigel Clough and Derby County which gives the campaign a massive boost. The fight to save Bombardier and train building in the UK is well and truly on.”

Unite general secretary, Len McCluskey is also right behind the protests.

“The people of Derby have good reason to be proud of their football club and of their city for the huge support they have shown for the workers at Bombardier. Their stadium deserves its name Pride Park. This is a great football club supporting a vital local employer.

“There is an overwhelming sense of outrage at the government’s decision to turn its back on Britain’s last train maker.

“David Cameron is doing a disservice to a world class workforce, to Derby and to the future of train making in this country. It’s time the Government stopped scoring own goals and backed UK workers.”

In June, the government announced that the consortium led by Siemens had beaten Bombardier Transportation’s consortium to be the preferred bidder to build the 1,200 new carriage contract on the Thameslink route.

Bombardier remains the reserve bidder for the contract. As a result 1,400 workers face redundancy and the future of Bombardier, the UK’s last train maker is at risk along with a total of 3000 jobs and many more in the supply chain.

David Franks joins Keolis

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David Franks has joined Keolis as managing director for New Franchises.

Mr Franks will be based in Keolis UK’s London office and will report directly to Alistair Gordon, Keolis UK chief executive.

Keolis UK, majority owned by SNCF, has prequalified for the InterCity West Coast Franchise, for which bidding is set to commence in early 2012.

David was recently CEO of the Stockholm Metro in Sweden and served as managing director of the Trains Division at National Express.

He started as a junior railman, aged 16, at Salisbury station and worked his way up gaining valuable experience around the London Travel Centres. Later he passed the Rules and Regulations classes and was student of the year.

After a spell in line traffic management and a three year stint as Area Operations Manager at Gloucester he was promoted to a divisional directorship at Network South East.

After privatisation and a failed MBO at London Tilbury and Southend (now c2c) he became divisional operations manager for Thames Trains. He has worked as managing director of First North Western and then Southern.

At the National Express Group he was initially divisional director north looking after ScotRail, Central Trains, MML and Maintrain.

Then came the NEG Trains Division managing directorship. A coarse fishing enthusiast, David Franks is a big supporter of RailSport Games and regularly attends the RailStaff Awards.

Says Alistair Gordon, chief executive of Keolis UK, “David’s appointment underlines our commitment to the future of the UK rail industry. His proven track record of success adds real weight to our industry expertise and opens up exciting new opportunities for us in franchise operations.”

As the current chair of the Institution of Rail Operators (IRO) and ex-chair of the industry’s National Performance Task Force, David brings with him extensive industry operations and management experience.

Says David, “Keolis has considerable ambition for UK rail, making this a very exciting move for me. I enjoy the challenges of railway operations and relish the opportunity of building excellence in teams. I look forward to the new opportunities that this role will bring.”

Acts of Kindness on the Underground

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As part of the Art on the Underground project TfL is running an exhibition of stories which tell of the innumerable acts of kindness that play out on the London Underground.

Passengers and staff are invited to send stories in. These will be written up and displayed on the Central Line. Artist Michael Landy will be doing the poster art work. Stories will be put up at stations and on the actual trains themselves.

Landy is interested in small, fleeting exchanges of kindness as much as heroic acts.

“Sometimes we tend to assume that you have to be superhuman to be kind, rather than just an ordinary person,” says Michael.

Says Tamsin Dillon, Head of Art on the Underground;

“I’m sure Michael Landy’s Acts of Kindness will provoke a range of very interesting responses and I’m looking forward to seeing new stories of kindness appearing on the Central line.

“This project is Michael’s response to our invitation to make a new artwork for the Underground and his intelligent approach has led to a project with exciting potential in this challenging context.”

The first Central line stations to receive the Acts of Kindness stories include Holland Park, Holborn and Liverpool Street.

New chairman for Severn Valley Railway

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The Severn Valley Railway has appointed Nick Paul as chairman of its operating company, Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) plc.

Mr Paul has previously headed the regional development agency Advantage West Midlands. The former chairman of MG-Rover Taskforce succeeds Mick York, who has been chairman for the past nine years.

An SVR life member since 1997 and Holdings board member since 2003, Mr Paul was nominated by his predecessor and won the unanimous vote of fellow directors.

The SVR has a new ambitious three year business plan.

“I’m not a railway enthusiast in the traditional sense. I tend to look at the railway from a business perspective, but this is evolution, not revolution,” says Mr Paul who started visiting the railway many years ago with his wife and children.

He has also chaired the West Midlands Confederation of British Industry and for two years was chairman of Midland Expressway Ltd which paid for and runs the 27-mile M6 toll road.

Nick Paul was awarded the CBE for services to industry in the 2009 New Year Honours. Interests include rugby and he is a director of Worcester Warriors rugby club.

Top team success for Unipart Rail

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Unipart Rail has appointed George Tillier as General Manager (T&RS) in Doncaster.

He will report directly into John Clayton, Unipart Group Director.

George has been with Unipart Rail for over ten years as Sales and Customer Service Director and has developed strong relations with train operators and other rail customers.

Mr Tillier has provided strategic direction in improving customer service through understanding their businesses as well as the complexities and challenges faced in the rail supply chain.

The top team reorganisation sees Richard Jackson appointed Commercial Director. Richard was previously Head of Commercial Services.

Isabelle Lloyd has now stepped into George’s previous role as Sales and Customer Service Director. Isabelle was previously Head of Business Development (UK).

The new executive team reporting to George also includes, Mike Roe, Engineering Director, Phil Chilton, Procurement Director and Neil Tinworth Business Development Director, German speaking region (DACH).

This new structure will enable the Unipart Rail Traction and Rolling Stock business to further improve service levels to customers and to grow the business both in the UK and internationally.

Unipart Rail Traction and Rolling Stock (T&RS) in Doncaster is an operational subsidiary of Unipart Rail.

 

Litchurch flyer for Chiltern

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Another show-stopping train built at Litchurch Lane, Derby, England, has arrived at Chiltern Railways.

The latest train to roll off Bombardier’s production line in Derby has entered passenger service as part of a new British-built fleet boosting service and comfort on the route.

The four Class 172 two-car trains have been well received by passengers and staff alike. More 172s are scheduled to enter service later this summer on London Midland.

This will enable older diesel units to be replaced in the West Midlands. Currently the new trains, which are the cleanest diesel trains in the country, run three trips a day, but this will increase once Chiltern’s new timetable comes into force during September.

This coincide with the opening of a new through line at Princes Risborough, allowing fast trains to overtake stopping services.

Introduction of the Class 172s allows Chiltern to free up capacity and strengthen busy core services.

 

Minister for Employment visits Southend Airport

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Chris Grayling MP, Minister for Employment, joined local MPs James Duddridge and Mark Francois at London Southend airport to meet new recruits at the airport.

Airport owners, Stobart Group, have substantially redeveloped the airport and added a brand new railway station.

The new control tower is now operational, a new terminal building is under construction and the new train station is ready, with up to eight services an hour into Stratford.

The 2012 London Olympics venue is approximately 40 minutes away. Liverpool Street is 50 minutes for the airport.

Chris Grayling MP said: “This is a fantastic and progressive project serving the South East and Greater London with what is essentially a brand new airport that will bring many exciting opportunities to the region.

“Significant new job opportunities and broader potential across business, tourism and international prospects will result from this redevelopment, and it was a pleasure to meet some of the enthusiastic first beneficiaries of the project today.”

The Stobart Group, which owns the airport, aims to have two million passengers a year passing through its terminal by 2020.

Network Rail plans signal consolidation

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Signal boxes, so long an essential part of the rail network, will be a thing of the past in 20 years time. Network Rail plans to consolidate all signal operation in 14 Control Centres.

The aim is to apply universal operating procedures across the network, boosting service reliability and saving money and manpower.

Network Rail currently has over 800 signal boxes, down from 10,000 a century ago. Many have aging and variable equipment.

The new system will create a high performance railway, reducing delays and increasing capacity as the railway becomes ever busier. Existing Operating Centres include Derby, Gillingham, Cardiff, Saltley, Edinburgh and Ashford with Didcot and Glasgow requiring further upgrade work.

New centres are proposed for Romford, Three Bridges, York, Manchester, Rugby and Basingstoke.

Staff involved in this work will be slowly reduced from today’s complement of 5,500 to around 1,700 over the next 15 years.

However Network Rail believes this can be achieved without compulsory redundancies bearing in mind the rising age profile of those affected.

NR points out that the average age of those involved is 46.

“Over the next 15 years, 2,061 or 41% of operations staff will reach retirement age (65).

“The number over the next 30 years is 4426, 88% of current signalling population. Add in a continuation of our annual turnover rate of 2%, this takes the number of staff potentially leaving the business voluntarily to around 3000 over the next 15 years.

“Because it’s such a long term plan, we’re looking to avoid redundancies wherever possible, instead using retirements, natural turnover and voluntary severance to manage changes in staff numbers,” a spokesman said.

Over time the roles of signallers and controllers are likely to be more closely aligned.

Rail policeman slams riot ‘failure’

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A special constable with the British Transport Police – who is also MP for Monmouth – has slammed the politically correct culture which has stopped effective policing in recent years and recently saw police losing control of the streets in major city riots.

MP David Davies (not to be confused with ex-cabinet minister David Davis), said:

“We are where we are because as a society we lack the will to allow the police to match the levels of violence being used by the mob.

“The burnt-out houses and shops are the price we, as a nation, pay for placing so much importance on the human rights of violent mobs.”

London Underground suspended services in riot areas and Croydon Tramlink closed when fires in Croydon became so intense they melted tracks and electrical equipment.

Mr Davies went on, “The police are under strict instructions that at all times they must consider the human rights of law breakers to be their absolute priority. This is something which is constantly hammered home in training and in briefing sessions.

“Officers are even being advised in some areas that they should simply put up with people swearing at them, which completely undermines the authority the police once had.

“Carrying out an arrest is a long process which will often remove two officers for much of their shift because of the need to complete paperwork quickly, making it even harder to deal with mass outbreaks of disorder.”

Mr Davies voiced fears widespread among police that they will be prosecuted by rioters and human rights activists for any overt display of force.

“Any officer using any level of force to defend themselves from attack knows they can expect to be investigated and possibly face disciplinary action.

“When instead of confronting rioters the police moved to a policy of containment, referred to in the press as ‘kettling’, they were again accused by MPs of breaching the human rights of rioters.

“Virtually any action the police take is likely to be jumped on by politicians and human rights campaigners….

“Trying to police a riot therefore means a thin line of police officers confronted by a violent mob have to try and identify individuals breaking specific laws, then arrest them without causing injury to the lawbreaker or anyone else supporting them. It’s an impossible task.”

London Underground backs RailStaff Awards

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London Underground joins Network Rail this year as overall sponsor of the RailStaff Awards 2011.

London’s Underground is one of the busiest urban rail networks in the world.

The Tube carries more than one billion passengers a year, as many as the entire National Rail network.

With around three and a half million journeys made each day, on 11 lines serving 270 stations, London Underground is now running more services than ever before on the 148-year-old network.

Tom O’Connor, Managing Director of the Rail Media Group said:

“We extend a warm welcome to London Underground. Staff on the Underground – and throughout TfL – are well represented at the RailStaff Awards.

“Their professionalism and courage provide our newspaper, RailStaff, with a steady stream of good news stories.

“The Tube has a major role to play in the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and we look forward to encouraging and supporting all staff.”

London Underground aims to combine a reliable train service with the highest standards of customer care.

At the same time, its ageing infrastructure is being renewed and replaced.

To overcome the legacy of under-investment, London Underground has embarked on a massive upgrade programme which will deliver extra capacity and keep pace with rising demand.

The level of renewal and refurbishment work is on a scale unseen for more than 60 years.

Rail staff on London Underground therefore face a unique challenge as they seek to deliver the service safely and reliably whilst the biggest rebuilding programme the Underground has ever seen continues day and night.

Laing O’Rourke’s Graduate of the Year named

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Martin Staehr has been named Laing O’Rourke’s Graduate of the Year. Martin heads a strong field as part of the 2008 intake.

“The win was genuinely unexpected; I was up against some top class competition. I’ll make the most of the opportunities that this exposure may bring.

“My focus is still on learning. I don’t believe there are any other contractors that invest as much in their people,” says Martin whose father, rail legend, Per Staehr, was chief executive of Bombardier Transportation and chairman of the Rail Media Group.

Martin, a Select Site Solutions engineer, battled it out with 11 other finalists from the 2008 Graduate Development Programme (GDP), tasked with developing an implementation strategy to ‘challenge and change’ the construction industry.

Contestants had to present their thoughts to a panel of senior business leaders.

Martin’s proposal was to create a suite of client support materials for readily designed buildings, in line with current changes in the education, health and data security markets.

Laing O’Rourke graduates work through a flexible development programme lasting between two and four years, depending on the speed of progress.

This flexibility ensures the professionals of the future are challenged, stretched and supported as they become qualified to deliver world-class projects.

Laing O’Rourke is involved with the railways across the world with interests in Europe, Australia and Hong Kong.

Martin Staehr was presented with his award by commercial director Anna Stewart at a ceremony celebrating all 77 of the 2008 intake. Giving Martin a close run for his money were runners-up Adam Slaughter from Construction North, and Expanded Piling’s Annabel Windsor Medley.

Tom O’Connor, managing director of Rail Media said:

“The Staehr family has been a great supporter of the rail industry for many years now and we are delighted Martin has done so well. We wish both him and all the class of ‘08 every success in the future.”

GB Railfreight reveals newly painted locomotive ‘Jayne’

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A six year old girl has been credited with designing the bright new livery of a freight locomotive.

GB Railfreight revealed the newly painted loco at a special naming ceremony at the Nene Valley Railway.

66720 has been named ‘Jayne’ after a GBRf staff member, Jayne Taylor, a roster manager at Doncaster.

Emily Goodman, the now 7 year old daughter of GBRf’s Whitemoor-based Yard Shift Leader Ben Goodman, won a children’s competition last autumn, run on one of the company’s annual family days out.

Her two colourful designs of night and day were chosen by a panel of judges, including MD John Smith and now feature on both sides of loco, 66720.

Joining Emily at the ceremony were mum and dad, Julie and Ben, along with sister Sophie and brother Josh.

Dad Ben, who is now training to become a train driver, said: “Emily, crayon in hand, drew a day-night theme for the loco complete with sun, moon – and alien!

“It’s a delight to think that I could soon be driving a loco up and down the country with her design on its sides.”

Emily’s original drawings were given to graphic designers, Woodhouse Creative, who turned them into artwork.

Jayne Taylor is the latest GBRf lady to have a locomotive named after her, having had her name drawn first out of the hat.

The nameplate unveiling at the Nene Valley Railway was watched by a crowd of over 100 GBRf staff and their families, including Jayne’s husband, Mark and several members of her family.

Says Jayne, who has been with GBRf for three years: “I am so proud to have a GBRf loco named after me.”

66720 Jayne joins a growing list of loco ladies, including Jeanette, Janice, Lisa, Alison, Charlotte and Kirsten.

Golf win for Railsport GB

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Railsport GB maintained their dominance of European Railway Golf tournaments, when they retained their USIC Golf Championship title by a margin of 7 shots over their nearest challengers France.

Four years on from their inaugural success in Luxembourg, the GB team led by Tony Peters (Eurostar) produced an excellent team performance to win the 2nd USIC Golf Championships, which were held in Podebrady, an historic Spa Town in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, on the 14th – 16th June.

Taking a 2 shot lead over Denmark and France after the first days Four-Ball Stroke Play, GB increased their overall lead on day two to 7 shots following the Individual Stroke Play, finishing with a score of 556.

France finished 2nd with 563, India was 3rd on 564 and Denmark 4th with 579. A total of fifteen Countries contested the Championships.

GB’s leading players in the individual stroke play were Lloyd Wright (c2c Shoeburyness) who finished in third place with a round of 77, Tim Shaugnessy (First Great Western) 6th with a round of 80 and Steve Walsh (c2c London) 7th also with a score of 80.

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