Welcome
SEPTEMBER 2010 ISSUE 162 £3.95
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR RAILWAY MANAGERS
The bonus question
ORR chair Anna Walker on rethinking Network Rail’s management incentive scheme
Editor’s comment and news 4-10 Working
undercover Using mystery shoppers to monitor customer service
Beyond
their years Extending the life of HSTs until a replacement is found
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DESIGN: MARTIN COOK
MAIN COVER IMAGE: Ian Enness Small cover image: Rail Images
Thanks to Rail Images (
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Rail Professional welcomes contributions in the form of articles, photographs or letters. If a reply or the return of material is required, please enclose a stamped self-addressed envelope. All photographs should have the contributor’s name and address on the reverse. While every care will be exercised with contributors’ manuscripts and photographs, neither the editor nor the publisher take responsibility for loss of, or damage to, material sent. The acceptance of contributions is made on this understanding.
Published monthly by Cambridge Publishers Ltd ISSN 1476-2196
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Average Net Circulation January 2009 to December 2009 7,894 copies
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12-13 14-15
16-17 18-21 22-23 24-25
Could level crossings be safer? East Coast orders Pendolino; Manchester Victoria station revamp gets go ahead; Runaway Tube train causes chaos; Tanker hits East Anglia train; Barriers war rages
Business news
Transport for London ditches PFI ticketing agreement; DRS trials new high-cube wagons; EU directive could see locos dumped with nothing to replace them
Train of thought
Readers’ letters: have your say about the rail industry and Rail Professional
Wright track
Robert Wright looks back at Iain Coucher’s successes and failures as the chief executive prepares to leave Network Rail
News analysis
High Speed Trains will have to be life extended, with the IEP programme certain to be either delayed or cancelled. Paul Clifton finds out how straightforward this will be
Rail Professional interview
Anna Walker, chair of the Office of Rail Regulation, tells Katie Silvester how the rail industry compares to other regulated industries and how Network Rail’s bonuses are likely to be dealt with in the future
Flexible franchises
Peter Plisner has been looking at the government’s consultation document on franchise lengths to see what changes to future contracts we can expect to see
Innovating at InnoTrans
Highlights of InnoTrans 2010, the biennial rail exhibition in Berlin
24 14 Products and services 25 26-27 28-29 30-31 32-33 34 36-37 38
A round-up of key services and products designed for the industry, including companies exhibiting at InnoTrans
Mystery train
Passenger Focus, is among the organisations commissioning mystery shoppers to check customer service standards in the rail industry. Paul Coleman explains
Keeping customer service on track
Negative word-of-mouth messages about companies can do much to damage perception of the brand. But doing as much as possible to keep customers happy when things go wrong can help to build loyalty, says Marlon Bowser
Institution of Railway Operators
Theo Steel gives an update on preparations for transport during the Olympics at Stratford. Plus, two new IRO career development schemes, and dates for your diary
Rail Business Awards
Entries for the awards are now open. Jonathan Wragg, MD of Interfleet Technology, explains why the consultancy will be backing the awards once again
Reducing suicides
Joanna Peters explains how Network Rail is working with the Samaritans to try to reduce suicides on the railways
People
Neil Henry; Richard O’Brien; Chris Hanks; Chris Brandon; Neil Yeowart; Gavin McKechnie; Tim Shoveller; Alan Hyde; James Cheesewright; Rachel Risely; Beverley Rackham; Dom McKenna; Graeme Charnock; Carl Nolan
Recruitment
A round-up of senior management posts in the rail industry
www.railpro.co.uk ISSUE 162 SEPTEMBER 2010
Mechan
Simon Weir
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