Become a member… www.railwayoperators.org


New for 2012


Freight operating companies are the truest manifestation of the privatised railway. Apart from some grants in the intermodal sector, their revenue comes purely from customers. If the customer does not wish to use rail, then the train does not run. This is an important distinction


between passenger and freight operators. A Toc offers a timetable and passengers elect whether to travel – the train will run whether they do or not, at least in the short term. There is no franchising within rail freight – companies are owned outright. They have contracts with their suppliers to carry commodities such as fuel or maintenance materials, and contracts with


Safe Performance


A punctual railway is always safer than an un-punctual railway. There is a view that in certain circumstances passenger or freight performance and safety objectives


All geared towards Continuing Professional Development opportunities they include new short courses, texts and a structure for recording your learning intentions and their achievement. The Operators Handbook is one such product that will launch later in the year. What follows is a preview extract. Watch this space for more news of our products and services


Network Rail for track access. The contractual framework will not automatically provide for good working arrangements, they must be developed and nurtured. The key foundations for this


can conflict – experience suggests this is rarely true.


should be based on day-to-day delivery requirements, development and delivery of performances plans (such as joint performance improvement plans) and the supporting review arrangements. The interaction between Tocs


The operator’s objective is to deliver a punctual railway and achieving that safely is an underpinning requirement.


There are no circumstances in which safety requirements should be shortcut – for whatever reason.


and Network Rail is currently centred on the Network Rail route organisations. While some Tocs have good alignment on a Toc or route basis, others have to deal with a patchwork of interfaces, such as CrossCountry trains and freight.


There is however every reason to challenge potentially inappropriate or overbearing safety requirements that are not felt to be fit for purpose. Any manager can do this, and all companies have processes/ mechanisms to handle such


operators and Network Rail is complex. Individual freight fl ows very commonly operate across more than one route, and handovers in planning and in day-to-day running must be seamless. In any type of operation where


one part is geographically based (in this case Network Rail) and one is based on fl ows (freight operators) there will be a interfaces at route/ local level. The skill for the operator is not


to allow these to load in cost or reduce quality of service.


challenges. Remember that running the railway is what operators are here for. It has to be done safely, but safety is a means to an end and is not the end itself.


When mounting a challenge prepare your case well and test the proposal on a colleague – this will avoid dropping a clanger.


Overall customer requirements must always be served by established operations rules and procedures – that is why we run a railway.


■ Extract from the Operators Handbook, which will be launched by the IRO later in the year.


Individual passenger needs may not always be met - usually during disruption - but unfortunately sub-optimal situations must be


Conditions of carriage: passenger and freight operators ■


The Institution of Railway Operators will be announcing some new products and services during 2012. The interaction between freight


managed in order to provide the best solution for the largest number of passengers. Similarly, it is obvious that some passengers will be seriously affected during contingency operation/Service Recovery. That is why all TOCs must have robust well thought through customer service arrangements incorporated in their Service Recovery plans.


Generally if objectives conflict some of them will be found to be inappropriate and should be revised. At the heart of an operator’s skill should be his/her ability to make such judgements and take the necessary corrective action.


Valuable opportunities for members to learn and share knowledge


Your local IRO Area runs events all year round. Why not take chance to see how others work, broaden your experience and add to your professional development? Visit the website to fi nd out more… www.railwayoperators.org


Your local IRO Area runs events all year round. Opportunities to see how others work, broaden your experience and add to your professional development. Visit the website to find out more… www.railwayoperators.org


1 1


South East Area: Visit to King’s Cross station February 2012


PAGE 32 APRIL 2012


Midlands Area: Members learn about fuelling arrangements at Derby Etches Park Depot. October 2011.


2 2


North Eastern Area: Members at King’s Cross, after a high speed run from York on the Network Rail Measurement Train


North West & North Wales Area: Members visit a Scottish signalling centre as part of a four-site, weekend visit. October 2011.


www.railimages.co.uk


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