Network Rail looks to IT to improve track record

Asset management system signals intent to improve service

Network Rail wants to adopt an intelligent rail infrastructure

Network Rail is putting in place a new IT strategy to support its ambition to deliver a world-class rail service across the country.

The organisation, which runs and maintains the UK’s train tracks, signals, level crossings and rail bridges and tunnels, inherited an ageing IT infrastructure when it took over from Railtrack in 2002.

The company is planning to develop an intelligent rail infrastructure that improves performance, punctuality and safety by automatically alerting staff to problems, to enable better maintenance of the network.

IT must be used to help deliver a consistent and reliable service if railways are to be the transport of choice in the 21st century, says Network Rail’s IT director Catherine Doran

And harnessing new technology to improve maintenance and renewal of tracks is vital because of the age of the infrastructure, she says.

‘The rail network in the UK has been around for a long time and fundamentally it is reactive,’ she said.

‘It is not very high-tech and the only way to know when there is a problem is through regular cycles of inspection.’

The organisation has begun using IT more proactively to improve the amount of information it has about the network. This includes the impending completion of an asset management system to provide a single view of all assets, such as tracks and signals, and the development of a new train that uses advanced monitoring systems such as scanners, lasers and video cameras to gather data on the condition of the track, overhead signals and power lines. The information is then used to prioritise maintenance work.

‘The next step is the development of an intelligent infrastructure that automatically alerts us to problems,’ said Doran. ‘We want to change the maintenance of the track from “find and fix” to “predict and prevent”.’

The new strategy is still in its infancy, says Doran, and the organisation will look to the experience of rail operators around the world to determine how best it can use technologies such as GPRS and GSM to improve data communications.

‘It is early days, but the concept is that the network will be self-reporting and transmit data into both our central system and work management systems,’ she said. ‘This will allow us to maintain and renew the track appropriately.’

Ultimately, Network Rail will use data gathered from the measurement train to create models and profiles of track conditions. It can then compare these models with data from an intelligent infrastructure in real time to identify problems.

The company is assessing and mining the data collected by its new measurement train to develop a model of how the track should be performing.

Doran says the same approach is being applied to the modernisation of signalling equipment.

‘Our signalling equipment ranges from very old to digital technology that is among the most advanced in the world,’ she said. ‘But we need to consider how we can improve it, such as building interactive signalling technology into the trains.’

Rail consumer watchdog Passenger Focus says it welcomes moves to improve the intelligence of the rail infrastructure, as half of all train delays are for reasons under Network Rail’s responsibility.

Improving maintenance of the network and reliability of services will deliver benefits to rail users.

‘We know that punctuality of trains is still the most important thing for passengers and therefore we want to see Network Rail do all it can to reduce the number of delays it causes,’ said a spokesman.

Developing intelligent infrastructure will be a challenging task, but does offer significant benefits, says independent rail expert Christian Wolmar.

‘We have an extremely busy railway compared with most countries, and the London suburban network is one of the densest and most complex,’ he said. ‘It is also one of the oldest, so retrofitting the network to accept new technology is a complicated task.’

But if Network Rail has not inherited a notable history in using technology to cut costs, the opportunity is there if the organisation gets it right.

‘The price of maintaining the network is exceedingly high and costs taxpayers £5bn a year,’ said Wolmar. ‘But automating the network will reduce costs, and anything that allows Network Rail to run more efficiently is going to be welcomed.’