RTTS become key supplier of EBI400 training

In conjuction with our sister company RT Training Solutions Limited (RTTS) we are delighted to have been selected as a collaborative partner by Bombardier Transportation to provide approved quality training for the installation, faulting, maintenance and testing for BOMBARDIER EBI Track 400 track circuits in the UK.

RTTS and Bombardier have reached an agreement for RTTS to become its approved provider of EBI Track 400 training within the UK rail sector and, with the increasing application of this solution being installed on the rail network, this exclusive initial three-year agreement will ensure that Bombardier continue to have available access to correct and affordable training.

EBI Track 400 is a coded audio frequency jointless track circuit for mainline or mass transit applications. The EBI Track 400 track circuit uses multi-bit coded telegrams to guarantee immunity from traction interference and ‘false feed’ hazards, these ‘next generation’ products greatly ease the design of complex applications.

As part of the agreement, product training will be provided by Bombardier experts to RTTS.

Simon Jamieson CEO said “ We are both pleased and proud to have been selected as an approved trainer for Bombardier’s EBI Track 400 product. Over 500 of the track circuits have been installed on the UK network already. It is our intention to support Network Rail and Bombardier with delivering competent training on this product for many years to come. We hope this collaborative arrangement will also lead to many developments in training signalling engineers on future Bombardier signalling products”.

RT Infrastructure Solutions - March News Update

With Easter 2018 fast approaching it is pleasing that we have successfully continued where we left off at the tail end of 2017. We are providing continuous support to our customers on the re-signalling schemes at Bristol, Cross Rail East, LUL/4LM, Oxford, Thameslink, Vic 2 and Crossrail C621. Other signalling support works have included prep works for S&C renewals plus numerous successful commissionings, most notably on the 4LM project where our staff were praised for over-achieving all objectives over a 72 hour closure.

Our support works have ranged across many different customers, all of which continues to provide us with the opportunity to showcase our highly competent signalling teams. A full list of the projects that we have worked on can be found on our recent projects page. Excellent and well earned praise has been earned by all RTIS teams on all of the schemes mentioned.   

In addition to our on track successes, our sister company RT Training Solutions has been highly successful in winning one of Network Rail’s 4 year signalling skills training frameworks. This framework includes elements of all signalling training and covers both on and off site training across the UK, in addition to providing signalling training at our very own 10,000 square feet academy in Ipswich. 

RT Training Solutions has also produced a further 10 trainee signalling engineers who are now competent, ready and available to add to our growing work force. Through our continued partnership with the Career Transition Programme (CTP) the majority of these candidates have come from a military background who are all seeking a long –term engineering career in the railway signalling sector. Our continued partnership with the CTP shows our true commitment to finding & developing newly talented people, often with transferrable skills into the railway signalling environment. 

Throughout 2018 we hope to continue our strong links with our customers and continue to provide a “first class” service in all that we offer. 

RTTS academy to become the "Carl Jamieson Training Academy"

It gives us great pleasure to announce the re-naming of our training academy for a much-loved and respected former colleague Carl Jamieson. We see this as a warming tribute to a colleague who will always be remembered as a thoughtful and respected member of our team and as someone who had a tremendous passion and interest for the railway. Carl worked with many of us here for over 15 years and was active in delivering many signalling projects over that period of time. He sadly passed away in 2016, but will always be remembered with fondness by us all and to rename our academy as “The Carl Jamieson Training Academy” is a testament to his popularity.    

Carl began his railway career as a 16 year old trainee technician where he worked for British Rail and learnt his S&T skills which were key to his love of the railway. He moved up  the signalling ranks before moving onto Balfour Beatty and then Amey for a period of time, before settling his roots with us as a Project Engineer and then a Professional Head of Signalling role.

There will be many people who will pass under Carl’s plaque whilst training with us. They will be probably never have met Carl personally, but hopefully by seeing his plaque they will recognise that he was a much loved colleague by us all.   

RTIS appoint new Signalling Engineering Manager

We are pleased to announce that as from January 15^th 2018 a new RTIS Signalling Engineering Manager post will be taken up by Sam Allen. Sam has steadily worked his way up through the company from a signalling trainee to his current role as an IRSE licensed Engineering Manager. Over the last 2 years Sam has been working on the Bristol Re-signalling Scheme where he has been given the opportunity to show his planning and technical skills in a large scale signalling project environment. We wish Sam well in his new role which will include project delivery, project management, responsibility for signalling maintenance contracts, signalling site support and the signalling mentorship of both SMTH and new installation staff.

One of Sam’s first project delivery roles will be to manage the installation of another new VAMOS user works crossing system at Little Hays on the Southminster to Wickford  Line. The new crossing will replace the current model and will include new wiring alterations, the installation of new Frausher Axle Counters and all the crossing equipment itself. 

In addition to Sam’s appointment we also have 13 new signalling engineers about to start their initial signalling training with us at our Ipswich training academy. Each of the new engineers will undertake training in Electrical Principles, Basic Signalling 1, PTS, Diagram Reading, SPWEE,  E.I.S.S (Location case building including crimping/beading/jointing techniques), Manual Handling, Working at Heights and First Aid . By the middle of March these engineers will be ready to be integrated with our current workforce as they begin their journey towards an industry recognised IRSE installer licence.

Further depot signalling maintenance success for RTIS

We are extremely pleased to announce that we have added another key depot to our portfolio of signalling maintenance works. The new Banbury depot which was commissioned in November 2017, is one of Chilterns Railways key strategic depots on the Chilterns Line. The depot is controlled using a Tiefenbach signalling control system with points, axle counters, location cases, SPT’s and LED signals all contained within the depot.

The site is south of Banbury station and was formerly occupied by a British Rail engine shed, which ceased operation in the 1960s and was demolished in the 1970s. In February 2015, Cherwell District Council approved a formal planning application from Network Rail and Chiltern Railways to bring the former British Rail site in Banbury back into use after almost 50 years.

The depot will accommodate up to 58 rail vehicles along with up to four Network Rail track maintenance vehicles. It will be used for stabling and maintenance, including routine servicing, cleaning and fuelling, with most of this taking place overnight. However, the site will operate 24 hours a day, with work in the daytime hours concentrating on routine maintenance and urgent repair work.

As with all of our other depot maintenance contracts, we will undertake routine maintenance along with the provision of a 24/7 365 days a year fault call out option to clear and rectify any issues.

In addition to our depot contract award, we started our journey with supporting Network Rail with Test and Commissioning resources in line with our National SWTH framework. This is something that we hope to build on even further throughout 2018, with many future opportunities highlighted across the network.

Throughout December alone we worked on other major signalling projects such as those at Oxford, Thameslink, Crossrail, 4LM, Bristol, Southall and Kettering to Corby.

On the training front we have undertaken many SMTH re-certs and have also continued with the personal development of our staff with more SWL1 courses which have been run through our sister company RT Training Solutions. Going into 2018 RT Training Solutions has secured key training contracts direct to both Network Rail and CrossRail. For both customers the training will be for new signalling apprentices coming into the rail industry and will include courses such as SEM2, IBCL, Fibre Optic Cable Jointing, Diagram Reading, Electrical Principles, RI and SMTH. The courses will be run between Network Rail 's facility at Gosport and our own facility at Ipswich.    

As we move into 2018 we look forward to cementing our customer relationships and to continue providing what we believe is a first class service to the rail industry, both with our on track activities and training services.