The Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE) held their third ‘Supporting the Rail Supply Chain’ Event at the RaisE Business Centre in Goole on Tuesday 18th April 2023.
With a diverse range of speakers, delegates received a range of interesting and thought-provoking presentations centred on the theme of ‘Sustainability and Decarbonisation: Playing Our Part.’
Delegates were able to engage via Q&A and networking, with a stellar line up of speakers from track to train, passenger to freight, including industry leaders such as: Maggie Simpson OBE, Director General, Rail Freight Group and Jo Lewington, Chief Environment and Sustainability Officer, Network Rail. Everybody involved in the event shared a passion for and, importantly a capability to improve the UK railways green credentials to create a better sustainable future for generations to come. The concept of Bringing Sustainability to Life was very much alive during the day; giving us all hope that this is not just a ‘tick box’ exercise, but that sustainability can become part of our everyday culture. Delegates and speakers alike declared the event refreshing, enjoyable, informative, and inclusive.
Alex Burrows, Director of Enterprise and Innovation, opened the main speeches with an update from BCRRE. This set the scene for sustainability and decarbonisation. Covering developments (academia working with industry) in digitalisation, materials, new sustainable traction power for rolling stock, overcoming climate change, which ultimately focuses on better, greener, and more positive outcomes for rail customers: passenger and freight.
Perhaps an unusual sight at such an event, ‘rubbish’ was proudly displayed on the Trough-Tec Systems (TTS Rail) stand to illustrate the recycled plastic material in each standard TTS cable trough. Delegates heard how two SMEs: TTS Rail and Enable, work together to tackle the decarbonisation challenge. Lucy Prior, Business Growth Director and Harry Hill, Environment and Sustainability Manager at Enable, explained the work they are doing to change cultures and behaviours within their businesses to create a positive sustainable shift and provide more sustainable solutions to their clients. Harry explained the challenges around the cost of implementing the Science Based Targets for corporate climate action, which opened dialogue directly with Network Rail, who will take this away back to HQ to see if this can be overcome.
Maggie Simpson’s insightful speech demonstrated the how rail freight is becoming greener and the many opportunities it has to support the UK’s transition to (by carrying goods on rail) including electric arc furnaces, battery production, carbon capture, and provide credible solutions to move new sustainable liquid fuels (hydrogen, ammonia, HVO and synthetic) around the country. Maggie highlighted the fact that sustainability and decarbonisation are not optional. Not least because our planet depends on it, but it is now law. In 2019 the UK Government committed to decarbonisation and, made the Net zero target by 2050 legally binding. Maggie also said that there is further opportunity to do more in rail, for example implementing more electrification and the right power supplies to enable electrified rail freight. As well as taking a bigger role in the circular economy.
Kathryn Oldale from DB Cargo, reiterated the Rail Freight Group’s belief that ‘freight belongs on rail’ for a greener future. She used tangible illustrations of rail freight’s wider benefit, a huge £2.5 billion contribution the UK economy, and that a single freight train can transport 30 houses worth of construction materials. These ‘Climate Heroes’, DB Cargo’s term for freight trains, eliminate up to 90% of carbon dioxide when compared with road freight. Along with biodiversity and alternative fuel (HVO Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil [DB Cargo use recycled not virgin oil]) initiatives, these are all contributing to achieving net zero by 2050. Kathryn left us in no doubt that when we work together, we can achieve great things.
Looking through the lens of a rolling stock manufacturer, Lorna Derrick, Head of Commuter Sales (Rolling Stock) UK and Ireland, Hitachi Rail, shared insights into Hitachi’s battery technologies. How they are testing ways of reusing batteries on the railway that have served their original purpose in another role. Lorna also shared examples of how Hitachi partner with Angel Trains and TransPennine Express to trial a converted diesel Intercity Battery train, which will reduce the need for continuous electrification. Hitachi have also acquired companies, such as Perpetuum, to improve technologies and digitalisation capabilities, to deliver more sustainable outcomes.
Adam Carlin, Business Developer, Fugro Rail Data, explained how digital data, gathered by the Fugro RILA system and Smart Tamp system, brings maintenance and whole life costs benefits which ultimately lead to carbon reduction. Based on a UK Rail Carbon emissions of 2,893,000 tonnes of CO2, using Smart Tamp data this could reduce CO2 output by 144,000 tonnes, or to put it another way by saving the equivalent of 66,000 tonnes of coal or 175 million plastic bottles. And in terms of safety and the environment, a 97% reduction in ‘boots on the ballast’ (people on track).
Jo Lewington, brought the whole event together by asking us “What comes into your head when you hear or see the words: Environment and Sustainability?” The audience answered: “We are not doing enough.” “It is difficult to change our cultures.” The answers were varied, but generally had a sense that much more could be done. Jo illustrated that environment and sustainability is a mix of Environmental (planet and place; Network Rail is one of the biggest landowners in the UK), Social Value (people) and Economic factors. That this forms the basis of Network Rail’s continued process to improve the environment and be more sustainable. Network Rail’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy, which was first published in 2020, is being reviewed now to help achieve their targets. Jo said that we will need to continue to work together, using digitalisation and communication to unlock our better, sustainable future, that can create a reliable railway service that is resilient to climate change. Network Rail’s vision is to serve the nation with the cleanest, greenest mass transport, that puts passengers and freight first. The event was an opportunity for new conversations to begin with suppliers to achieve this objective.
The event was also supported by Sophie Martin, Senior Programme Commercial Manger, Network Rail Eastern Region, who was keen to engage directly with the supply chain, particularly SMEs. Sophie was on hand to answer suppliers’ questions. BCRRE were also pleased to be supported by membership organisations the Rail Forum, RIA North and RBD Community. All of this enriched the help available on the day, to the supply chain.
The event was attended by the breadth of the rail sector including SMEs and those wanting to get into rail, larger organisations and Tier 1s from infrastructure, rolling stock and freight, the Department for Business and Trade (Ivan Youd, Senior Policy Advisor (Rail) and International Trade Advisor, Elka Ritchie). It was also good to see apprentices and PhD Students in attendance. These BCRRE events are designed to support the rail supply chain; to be inclusive, helping join the dots and enabling people to make the right connections to grow their business.
Simon Higgens MBE, Business Development Director at Story Contracting Ltd said: “My key takeaway from the event was the valuable contribution SMEs make towards providing innovative ideas and solutions in delivering a sustainable railway. We at Story understand the vital role our supply chain play in this and are actively welcoming applications from small businesses and start-ups for our Story Start Up scheme, which provides investment, advice, and mentoring support in the development of innovative ideas. More details can be found at https://www.storycontracting.com/story-start-up/ .”
“We are delighted that these events are so well supported by industry” commented Rob Hopkin, who is responsible for SME Engagement and International Collaboration for BCRRE “helping to create the new rail ecosystem at RaisE, where businesses can collaborate, innovate and thrive. We are developing the BCRRE Rail Innovation Cluster (BRIC) which will have its northern base here, in East Yorkshire, at RaisE to provide further support.”
Future News
If you would like to be involved with these events in the future, you can join the Fourth BCRRE ‘Supporting the Rail Supply Chain’ Event at the RaisE Business Centre on 24th May 2023 from 08:30 to 10:30 for Breakfast Networking. The theme is ‘Innovation in Rail’ and brings together the rail supply chain with the Head of Innovation, Alan Mason, for the multibillion-pound infrastructure project the Transpennine Route Upgrade; Mark Simpson, Innovation Lead TRU East; Managing Director for the North, Ian Purdham, AMCO Giffen; and Matt Weingarth, Senior Customer Success Manager, KONUX. Sign up is via Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/3THQvWz
These events are organised by Abi Broadley from Abi Broadley Consulting Ltd, working on behalf of BCRRE. Please direct any questions you have to her at abi@abibroadley.com.
