IRSE News 140 Dec 08.pdf

NOVEMBER TECHNICAL PAPER
IRSE
Network Rail’s Future Control Strategy
by Andrew Simmons and Steve Knight
Both authors are with Network Rail. The paper was read in London on 12 November 2008
This paper outlines the development of the Network Rail Operations and Signal Engineering Strategies and introduces the
ongoing work to develop cross-industry operational principles.
In recognition of the close integration between the strategies, this paper was presented to a combined audience of the
Institution of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE) and the Institution of Railway Operators (IRO).
BACKGROUND
Following the privatisation of British
Railways in 1994, Railtrack introduced the
Zone structure. Each Zone was
responsible for the day-to-day operation of
the railway, including operations and
maintenance. In addition each Zone was
responsible for its own operating strategy,
as well as infrastructure enhancements
and renewals.
A central asset management function
existed to provide support to the Zones
and oversee that corporate objectives
were being satisfied by the Zones. Two
significant Railtrack corporate objectives
that were applied to the Zone renewal
plans were the ETCS Level 3 system being
developed as part of the West Coast Route
Modernisation (WCRM) programme, and
the introduction of 14 Network
Management Centres (NMC). Due to the
cost and development risks associated
with the ETCS development within the
WCRM timescales, this technology was
abandoned in favour of conventional multiaspect
signalling. Similarly the NMC
programme of works was reduced from a
network-wide application to a limited
application on the WCRM. Without a clear
future operating strategy the NMC
development was finally abandoned.
A consequence of the Railtrack Zone
management arrangements was the
fragmentation of the signalling
enhancement and renewals workbank.
This led to uncertainty in the supply chain,
with periods of extreme resource
shortages resulting in schemes being
significantly delayed while at other times
industry had significant over capacity. The
consequences of the ETCS Level 3 and
NMC abandonment also significantly
changed the planning assumptions and
therefore considerable changes in the
workbanks were required, in particular the
need to focus signalling renewals primarily
to address asset condition and not
network enhancements. Railtrack also
introduced new interlocking technology,
and whilst it was considered that it could
achieve whole life benefits compared to
legacy systems, an ad hoc application of
the technology across the network would
increase maintenance costs.
Recognising the inefficiencies
associated with the construction of the
initial workbanks, Railtrack initiated the
line of route concept for major renewals.
The intent of this philosophy was to
provide stable workbanks and consistency
of technology in maintenance areas.
With the demise of Railtrack, Network
Rail introduced a number of initiatives to
stabilise management, including
abolishing the Zone structure and
replacing with a Territory based
arrangement, and introduced a national
renewals delivery group. This revised
arrangement had a more centralised
management structure – this allowed
national workbanks to be constructed in
conjunction with the delivery units.
The Network Rail structure also
allowed the opportunity to commence
development of a cohesive technology
strategy to address existing and future
needs. However it was recognised that it
was essential that the development of the
technology strategy also needed to be
coordinated with a future operating
strategy. The development of a future
operating strategy in conjunction with a
technical strategy against a defined set of
future operating principles was considered
essential in order to optimise the overall
business benefits.
OPERATING STRATEGY
The creation of an operating strategy has
to be considered in the context of the
privatisation of the railway in 1994, when
a clear split occurred between the
infrastructure manager on the one hand
and train and freight operations on the
other. Fragmentation of the industry,
along with differentiated franchise periods
set against changing responsibilities over
time within Railtrack / Network Rail for
maintaining or enhancing the network, has
led to a lack of a clear operational vision
on which to base an industry operating
strategy. For success, it is essential that
an operational vision and strategy spans
all areas of the industry to consider all
aspects of the operational system.
Post-Railtrack and since the accident
at Hatfield in 2000 the industry has seen
progressive and significant performance
improvement against a backdrop of
increasing demand for passenger and
freight services. The challenges for
performance and capacity improvements,
along with the maturing of relationships
within the industry, have created the
opportunity to think more strategically
about the long term aspirations for
operating and controlling the network.
To that extent, within Network Rail the
development of a future operating strategy
commenced in 2007 to provide an end
vision and plan for delivering world-class
operations and traffic management,
enabled by streamlined processes,
technologies and systems.
Early stages of the work included
research into approaches to operating and
controlling the network being deployed
elsewhere within Europe and the rest of
the world, in tandem with process mapping
of the current operational processes
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Issue 140 December 2008
IRSE
NEWS