Rapport - November 2009 - Unipart Rail

RAPPORT
for Infrastructure and T&RS News
ISSUE 23 NOVEMBER 2009
Kitting goes from
strength to strength

2 Traction and Rolling Stock Traction and Rolling Stock 3
Inside this
Issue…
Traction and Rolling Stock
Unipart Rail becomes OEM
supplier to Siemens 2
A move from spare parts
provider to OEM supplier
Improved Lighting sticks 3
Dependable light when you need it most
Value Added Service – Kitting 4
East Midlands Trains improves
productivity with kitting
A Partnership for the Supply of
150 Bogies 5
Unipart Rail and LH Group enter
a new relationship for Class 150
C4 bogie overhaul work
Unipart Expert Practices in Australia 6
Unipart Rail Expert Practices supports
RailCorp’s CI programme
Unipart Rail and 3M 6
A new partnership offering the
full range of 3M rail products
Product & Service Solutions 8 & 9
CCTV bespoke design DVR
replacement and Vehicle Movers
New Directors for Unipart Rail 10
Welcome to our new T&RS
Engineering Director and Business
Development Director (DACH)
Infrastructure
Kitting Services for Balfour Beatty 11
A remote warehouse kitting service
to support electrification work
New Framework Contracts with
Network Rail 12
New contracts for the supply of
Cables, Relay’s, LED Signal Heads
and Banner Heads
Consultants to the Crossrail Project 13
Unipart Rail provides logistics consultancy
Let building Commence 13
New 4-REB control centre
for London Underground
More New Products 14
New innovations for the railway system,
latest developments in Point Heating
Electrification Improvements 15
Expanding the range of products &
services for Overhead Line Equipment
& Third Rail Electrification
Unipart Group
Ambassador Role for
Chief Executive 16
John Neill is appointed as HRH The Prince
of Wales’Ambassador for the South East
Hat Trick of Gold Awards 16
Unipart awarded ‘Gold Status’ in BITC’s
Corporate Responsibility Index
Unipart Rail becomes OEM to Siemens
For many years, Unipart Rail has been one of Britain’s most important logistic
service providers for the rail aftermarket, and has more recently been actively
establishing itself within the world-wide rail aftermarket as both a spare
parts provider and an OEM supplier.
This move towards becoming an OEM The success of these projects led to both
supplier was started by Unipart Rail companies discussing more long-term
manufacturing ‘niche’ products to provide partnerships, which has culminated in
the rail industry with reliable, high quality Unipart Rail and Siemens jointly entering
products at competitive prices. Against a framework agreement to provide ‘niche’
fierce competition, Unipart Rail won products such as E-APC Receivers AWS/
orders from Siemens Germany to provide TPWS and DRA units to Siemens’ entire
E-APC Receivers to Siemens’ West UK fleet. The Unipart Rail team was led by
Midlands Franchise and Mumbai projects. Sven Busche, Paul Jolly and Tom Monk.
The first 350/2 comes off the production line. Photo courtesy of London Midland ©2009.
To check product quality and safety
standards, Siemens audited Unipart Rail’s
site in Crewe twice. The first audit in
2008 focused on general manufacturing
skills, project management capabilities and
logistical expertise. In June 2009 Siemens
returned to Crewe for the first article
inspection concentrating on the quality
of the first batch of ‘niche’ products.
Siemens was delighted to see such a good
combination of technical rail know-how,
logistical capabilities, project management
skills and product quality. Unipart Rail
started delivering its first ‘niche’ products
in July 2009 for Siemens’ ScotRail project.
This framework agreement represents
a major step change, from spare parts
provider to OEM supplier demonstrating
Unipart Rail’s commitment to improved
safety and enhanced quality in the rail
industry over many years.
...a major step
change, from
spare parts
provider
to OEM
supplier...
Emergency
Lighting
Sticks
POWERFUL, PORTABLE,
RELIABLE light that
produces no heat,
flames or sparks.
Working in partnership with Cyalume
Technologies, Unipart Rail is now
distributing a range of evacuation lighting
products.
Order the New 10” system which
replaces the 6” one NOW!
4 Provides safety and reassurance
4 360º light for four hours
4 Easy to install and maintain
4 GM/RT2130
4 Reach compliant EC N° 1907/2006
4 EN ISO 9001: 2000
EvacLight and EvacStations provide
passengers with a feeling of safety and
comfort as a visible aid in the event of
lighting failure. Typically situated near the
train exit, when the housing is opened, all
the EvacLights within will be illuminated.
Evacuees can remove the EvacLight and
proceed with the evacuation process.
Contact: trsenquiries@unipartrail.com
to PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW or
request an onsite demonstration, or view
a video at www.unipartrail.com/cyalume
Dependable
light when
you need it
the most.
...for Infrastructure and T&RS News from

4 Traction and Rolling Stock Traction and Rolling Stock 5
Value added
service for
east midlands
trains
C6 kitting for HST
fleet refurbishment
At Unipart Rail we are constantly developing
propositions that provide our customers with
innovative product solutions and improvements in
material supply that save them both time and money, adding
considerable value to the service we offer.
For many years, Unipart Rail has supplied complex kits of parts
to our customers. Using robust material forecasting and planning
ensures that all components involved in a kit are purchased and
tailored to individual customer’s specification.
Kitting offers train operators many benefits including:
4 Reducing procurement activity (one catalogue number only!)
4 Optimisation of storage and subsequent decanting of
individual components
4 Significant reductions in time and cost associated with the
management of various components, often from several
suppliers e.g. expediting.
The result - much improved productivity at the depot
Unipart Rail’s rigorous quality system ensures that the kits are
produced correctly and in accordance with the customer’s bill
of material with every stage of the kitting process being quality
controlled to ensure 100% conformity.
In order to support the refurbishment of their fleet of HST
vehicles, East Midlands Trains (EMT) has chosen to use a “onestop-shop”
strategy for the supply of the C6 materials and
has contracted Unipart Rail to supply this in kit form. Project
Manager for EMT, Chris Elliott says, “We have chosen Unipart Rail
because we believe that they can deliver a good service at a very
competitive price.”
The project will see a total of 94 vehicle kits delivered by Unipart
Rail over the next 12 months, each kit being delivered on a “justin-time”
basis.
Photography by Richard Gennis
“We have
chosen
Unipart Rail
because we
believe that
they can deliver
a good service
at a very
competitive
price”.
Chris Elliott,
Project Manager for EMT
New Bogie partnership
Unipart Rail and LH Group
Services have been furthering
their relationship to win bogie
overhaul work, and in July 2009 they
were awarded a contract for Class 150,
C4 Overhaul work. The contract was for
a quantity of 150 bogies over a period of
two years starting at the end of July.
Both companies had strengths and
capabilities in different areas; Unipart Rail
had the expertise in the disassembly and
reassembly of the bogies and in producing
a high quality product, and LH Group
Services (LHGS) were experts in producing
quality and competitive DMU wheelsets.
Both companies agreed that to link the two
areas of capability together would make a
very competitive quality proposition.
Michael Isaac, Group Commercial and
Financial Director of LH Group Services,
said, “I was very impressed with the
process that Unipart Rail offered, for
LH it was almost the first time perfect
solution, in that they had a float of bogies
available so we were able to offer clean,
quality product to the customer’s delivery
requirements, with little risk of late delivery.
I was very impressed with the bogie unit.
Clearly the unit is set up to deliver large
quantities of bogies very quickly. This is
a relationship and a style of working we
can look to take forward, we have already
submitted a second bid in partnership with
Unipart Rail, and we hope to submit more
bids in the future.”
Since the Unipart Rail Production Bogie
Unit (PBU) was opened in 2007, the team
has worked very hard to standardise
the method of introducing new bogie
work into the unit. When the PBU was
established, the process took two weeks to
service bogies from rolling stock. By using
key metrics of Quality, Cost and Delivery
(QCD) alongside the methodology of the
Unipart Way tools, the PBU team has been
able to come up with a new process which
enables them to achieve the overhaul of
bogies in a much leaner time-scale. Within
the process it highlights any risks and
opportunities associated with the order,
thus ensuring the end deliverables of QCD.
Les Hobson, Manufacturing Director,
Unipart Rail, summarised the Continuous
Improvement initiatives of the bogie
overhaul facility, “Through using the tools
and techniques of the Unipart Way and
the development of our people, we have
been able to create new processes to not
only overhaul bogies to new specifications,
but within hugely reduced time frames.
This means we can be confident of
offering a consistent, high quality bogie
overhaul service to meet varying customer
requirements.”
Unipart Rail and LHGS are confident
that by continuously improving and
working through a joint partnership,
further bogie contracts can be won,
and would welcome any enquiries via
trsenquiries@unipartrail.com.
...for Infrastructure and T&RS News from

6 Traction and Rolling Stock Traction and Rolling Stock 7
Expert Practices in Sydney
Unipart Expert Practices in
Sydney is pleased to announce
a major contract secured to
support RailCorp NSW.
RailCorp is responsible for delivering,
maintaining and providing a safe and
reliable rail service throughout the Sydney
metropolitan area and rural New South
Wales.
The contract is to support RailCorp’s
Continuous Improvement programme.
David Fillipetto, RailCorp Director of Lean
Six Sigma, explains what they were aiming
to achieve and why Unipart was the
Complete rail solutions from Unipart Rail and 3M
Unipart Rail and 3M Rail Solutions
have forged a partnership that
will make it quicker and easier
for train operating companies to order
the full range of 3M products for the
rail industry.
3M has been producing products for
the UK rail industry for over 80 years,
providing innovative, cost effective
solutions for virtually every aspect
of rolling stock refurbishment and
maintenance. Now, with this new
partnership with Unipart Rail, customers
can access 3M’s wide range of solutions
and capabilities for rail refurbishment,
maintenance and operations under one
point of contact.
successful bidder. “RailCorp is embracing
the Lean and Six Sigma philosophies as key
drivers of organisational change. The goal
is to improve asset reliability and make
processes more efficient. The rolling stock
division is at the forefront of implementing
these tools to drive workplace reform and
ensure that it can meet the challenges of
maintaining assets to the highest standard.
He went on: The review of the Supply
Chain, utilising the expertise of Unipart
will go a long way to satisfying these goals.
It is intended to make the process of
providing parts flow better to the right
Using Unipart Rail as a single supplier
for all 3M rail products will significantly
reduce and simplify your supply chain. You
will no longer have to deal with multiple
deliveries from different suppliers at
different times. This will be replaced with
one contact for all deliveries. Materials
and supplies for each job can be delivered
in one batch with no waiting around for
individual items. With next day delivery
available on most items, you can minimise
downtime and cut the cost of your
refurbishment programmes.
3M Rail Solutions and Unipart Rail now
have the joint capability to provide a
solution for almost any problem; from
absorbing to abrading, bonding to buffing,
place at the right time, making peoples’
jobs easier and getting trains back into
service quicker. We are looking forward to
the outcomes of this review.”
After an extensive interview process
RailCorp selected Tony Metcalfe from
Unipart to support delivery of the
improvement activities. He was chosen for
his extensive knowledge in Lean, his track
record in Lean implementation and his 22
years experience in the rail industry.
“My role within the contract is to deliver
process improvements and knowledge
transfer, utilising the tools and techniques
of the Unipart Way and Lean.”
The first project was to improve a
logistics process at Hornsby Maintenance
Depot. Using a number of Lean tools a
baseline was agreed and waste identified
within the current process. The Unipart
Way tools used included:
4 Value Stream Mapping
4 Process Trials
4 Layout and Work Sequence
4 7 Wastes
4 Insight Stars
levelling to lighting, matting to moisture
blocking, securing to signage and weight
reduction to wrapping; responding to
issues such as branding, protection, energy
management, total cost of ownership,
passenger experience and vandalism. One
stop to keep you on track!
With Unipart Rail and 3M you can feel
confident that you’re dealing with a
partnership with an unrivalled track
record of supporting the UK rail industry.
To obtain further details of the 3M
proposition please contact Carl Agar,
Head of Product Marketing, 01302 731419
or email trsenquiries@unipartrail.com
Future State workshops were then held
to establish a new way of working. The
members of the workshop all worked
within the current process and had over
200 years of rail experience. After training,
the team established a future state that
was then trialed and later implemented.
To ensure the future state was sustained
the team used Standard Operating
Procedures and adopted Unipart’s
Workplace Audit process.
Stop Press:
Contract Extension
It has just been announced that Unipart
has secured an extension to the current
contract that will see Tony working with
RailCorp well into 2010. As part of the
extension, Tony will be engaging two
additional RailCorp depots and numerous
depot staff.
For further information on any of the
Unipart Way tools mentioned in this
article, or to discuss how Unipart can play
part in your future success, please contact
Karen Beardsley on 01302 731507.
Exhibiting
Stateside
Railway Systems Suppliers
Inc (RSSI) – Nashville,
Tennessee, May 2009
In May, Unipart Rail participated
at RSSI in Nashville, Tennessee,
a specialist show which is only
open to RSSI members. As a result,
everyone who attends has a very
specific interest in Railway Signalling
– one of Unipart Rail’s core skills
operated through Dorman. The
opening reception and gala dinner
were attended by over 900 people and
Dorman was welcomed as the only
overseas exhibitor.
...for Infrastructure and T&RS News from

8 Traction and Rolling Stock Traction and Rolling Stock 9
Back-off!
Reduce the risk of back injuries
with Unipart Rail’s Vehicle Movers
Unipart Rail’s Vehicle-Movers offer a simple but effective
solution for the safe movement of loose wheelsets,
bogies and vehicles up to 60t in weight. Ideal for
use in depots, workshops and sidings, the Vehicle-Movers are
simple to use and can be operated by a single person.
4 Safely moves vehicles of up to 60 tonne (t) in weight
4 Suitable for wheel diameters between 600mm – 1000mm
diameter
4 Excellent for moving bogies and loose wheelsets
4 Great for moving vehicles small distances to jacking points or
over pits without the need to power-up the vehicle
4 Reduces the risk of injury from manual handling issues and
industrial accident claims
4 Simple to use and store
The Vehicle-Movers effectively reduce the risk from manual
handling issues – more than a third of all over-three-day injuries
reported to the HSE and local authorities are caused by manual
handing issues, i.e. the transporting or supporting of loads by
hand or by bodily force. *
*source http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg143.pdf
To obtain further details or a site visit and demonstration please
contact Kevin Orton, Unipart Rail’s Business Development
Manager on 07801 798988 or trsenquiries@unipartrail.com
UK’s leading disc pad supplier - latest quality approval success
Unipart Rail’s partner in the supply
of disc brake pads, Becorit GmbH,
has recently become the first
friction material supplier to be accredited
according to the International Railway
Industry Standard (IRIS).
IRIS is unique to the railway industry
and intends to extend the ISO 9001
quality standard. Promoted by UNIFE and
supported by both system integrators
and equipment manufacturers, this
initiative is modelled on similar quality
standards already in place in the aerospace,
automotive and food industries.
IRIS intends to develop and establish an
internationally recognised standard that
encompasses the actual evaluation process,
as well as an audit and scoring methodology.
Having been the first supplier to gain
accreditation to the Unipart Rail Technical
Dossier (UTD) five years ago, this latest
award coincides with Becorit’s successful
audit against UTD version 2, and reinforces
Becorit’s position within the UK rail friction
market.
Steve Morris, Becorit’s UK Business Manager
says, “The amount of work associated with
achieving the IRIS certification should not
be underestimated. Similar to the RISAS
scheme adopted by a number of UK
manufacturers, IRIS is focused on the railway
industry and therefore much more relevant
to suppliers such as ourselves.
He added, “The Becorit team headed by
our Quality Manager Dr Jurgen Lehr, should
be congratulated in this achievement. I am
confident that this will lead to benefits for
our worldwide customer base including
our key UK customer, Unipart Rail,
going forward.”
This approval complements Becorit’s
success in introducing a new disc pad
material, 922-1U, into the market. The
project has been running for a number of
years and this material now covers the
majority of pad demand in the UK. As a
result of moving to 922-1U material, a
large number of train operating companies
have reduced the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) of
braking and benefitted from using a more
environmentally friendly material due to
Antinomy Trisulphide not being used in its
formulation. George Tillier, Unipart Rail’s
Sales & Customer Service Director said,
“Becorit’s success in obtaining the IRIS
accreditation is a further recognition for this
innovative and highly environmentally aware
partner supplier. Over the past few years,
together we have introduced a new material
which not only significantly reduces train
operator’s Life Cycle Costs, but ensures
maintenance staff are working in a safe
environment.”
winning solutions
for CCTV on Trains
Unipart Rail and DVRX, a leading CCTV manufacturer, have joined forces to
launch a bespoke design DVR replacement to train operators, ROSCOs and
train manufacturing companies.
Unipart Rail has recognised that a large
number of rail vehicle CCTV systems have
service and reliability problems. Some
original suppliers are no longer in business
or have been acquired by larger and more
diverse companies. This in turn has led
to constraints on parts supply, lead-time
availability and high replacement costs.
Unipart Rail’s proposition solves these
inherent problems.
The rail environment is as harsh and as
hostile as it can get for CCTV:-
4 Extreme temperatures
4 High vibration
4 Volatile and wide ranging DC
power sources
4 Volatile Electrical Earth conditions
4 Electro Magnetic Compatability
(EMC) and (RFI) emissions
4 Extreme wet / dry conditions.
It’s no surprise that developing and
producing a robust CCTV proposition
that can deal with these conditions is
a challenge for any company. Unipart
Rail has however found a solution. By
partnering with DVRX, (our UK design,
manufacturing and systems integration
company with a great reputation for
quality and reliability, and who exclusively
specialise in CCTV solutions for the
transport industry) we have developed an
exceptional product and service offering
that addresses the current problems faced
in a very cost effective way.
DVRX is one of only a few product
providers worldwide that have the
expertise and global certifications to meet
the demanding standards of both rail and
automotive regulators.
Rail
4 EMC - EN 50121-2-3:2006
4 EN 50155:2006 Class A & B
Automotive
4 EMC EC 95/54
4 >Sept 2007 (Directive 2004/108/EC)
The Unipart Rail / DVRX solution has
been developed to deliver to customers:
4 Simple change-over solutions,
eliminating the need for re-wiring and
extensive installations
4 Bespoke design and plug ‘n’ play
functionality to match existing
footprints and meet or exceed
current performance
4 Extreme cost effectiveness.
The solution will provide customers with
the lowest total cost of ownership over
the life of their CCTV investment, and
therefore deliver a very strong business
case to support a good return on their
investment.
Initially this launch will focus on UK Rail
operators and ROSCOs but it is expected
to expand rapidly into Europe and other
international territories.
For further details on this exciting new
and innovative CCTV proposition contact:
Carl Agar, Head of Product Marketing,
01302 731419, or email trsenquiries@
unipartrail.com
...for Infrastructure and T&RS News from

10 Traction and Rolling Stock Infrastructure 11
New T&RS Engineering Director Business
Following the recent retirement of David Astill, Unipart
Rail has appointed Mike Roe as Traction and Rolling
Stock (T&RS) Engineering Director based in Doncaster.
Mike is a Chartered Engineer with over 30 of the team and
years’ experience in the field of traction we are currently
& rolling stock and in his new role he will working on some
be responsible for leading engineering key projects: -
strategy and product development for 4 Development of
Unipart Rail’s large portfolio of T&RS technical forums
parts and services.
with key TOC’s & ROSCO’s, including
Mike, a practitioner of Kaizen and Lean obsolescence management
manufacturing, has held senior positions 4 Working with major Suppliers in
in the rail industry including relevant defect root cause analysis, and product
train operations and vehicle overhaul and reliability improvements
refurbishment. He joins Unipart Rail from
4 Leading Unipart Rail’s next stage of
Wabtec Rail where he was Engineering
RISAS level 2 approvals”
Director.
Mike shall be writing in future editions
Mike commented, “I am delighted to have
of Rapport to update on the progress of
joined Unipart Rail at this important time
these projects.
in the rail industry. I have been impressed
by the professionalism and commitment
DIFFICULT ECONOMIC TIMES FOR SUPPLIERS
In the last edition of Rapport
Steve Tonks, Unipart Rail’s T&RS
Procurement Director, wrote an
article showing how the economic
downturn was impacting on suppliers to
Unipart Rail. Six months further on Steve
updates Rapport on the latest position.
Well, it certainly has not got better!!!
Since the last article we have experienced
a further three suppliers going into
administration. As a result of our
management of the situation there was
no interruption of material supply. We
need to ensure continuity of supply to
our customers, and recognise the need to
safeguard the supply chain, we are closely
monitoring all of our suppliers. To assist this
monitoring process we have developed a
‘watch list’ of suppliers who we believe are
vulnerable in the current economic climate.
Currently we have 13 suppliers on this
‘watch list’ who have been included for a
number of reasons:
4 Shortage of work due to cancellations of
orders from customers in markets other
than Rail
4 Looking to pull orders forward from
Unipart Rail due to a general lack of work
4 Chasing early payments
4 Delivering material at least a few weeks
early hoping Unipart Rail pay them early
We have identified individual strategies
for each of these 13 suppliers, including
contingency plans should they not be able
to supply at some stage in the future.
There are increasing numbers of suppliers
who are experiencing difficulties due to
the current economic recession and we at
Unipart Rail continue to face more demands
upon us to ensure continuity of supply to our
customers. Wherever possible, we are assisting
suppliers in difficulty and we recognise we
have a valuable role to play in managing these
issues for the foreseeable future.
Development
Director
(DACH Region)
Unipart
Rail is
pleased
to announce the
appointment
of Business
Development
Director, Neil
Tinworth for
Germany, Austria and Switzerland
(DACH) Region.
Neil was formerly Technical Services
Director with the European rail vehicle
lessor, Angel Trains International, where he
had responsibility for the management of
over 400 locomotives and multiple units.
Previously working in Western Europe with
Roland Berger, Booz Allen Hamilton, and
Siemens Transportation in Germany, Neil
has an MBA, is a qualified engineer and a
fluent German speaker.
George Tillier, Sales and Customer Service
Director of Unipart Rail, said, “We are
delighted Neil has joined the Unipart Rail
team. His market knowledge, engineering
and language skills will support and
strengthen our presence in these key
European rail markets. Neil’s personal
commitment and enthusiasm will be
invaluable in developing and delivering our
propositions for the DACH region.”
Neil commented, “I am delighted to be
joining Unipart Rail at an important stage
in its development. Unipart Rail has been
providing quality goods and services to the
rail industry in the United Kingdom for
many years and I am sure that customers
in Germany, Austria and Switzerland will
be able to benefit from the experience and
expertise that Unipart Rail possesses.”
Kitting Services for Balfour Beatty
Following the successful implementation of Remote Warehouse Supply Chain Management at the Ashford Signalling Stores
for Balfour Beatty, Unipart Rail has now introduced a remote warehouse kitting service to support Balfour Beatty’s
electrification work.
The success of the signalling stores - He added, “As the pallets are transferred are now seeing the benefits.”
covering around 1370 line items – led directly into our own vehicle at our Unipart Rail’s Service Covers:
Balfour Beatty to ask Unipart Rail to depot, there is no need for unpacking and 4 Advance planning
develop a new service to deliver full kits storage, eliminating potential errors which 4 Supplier management
of palletised materials to each of their might occur through double-handling.” 4 Palletising and labelling to
possessions in a ‘just-in-time-format’. Balfour Beatty’s Paul Martin, Acting
customer requirement
Dave Gibbs, Unipart Rail’s SCM Project ETM Manager, observed, “We previously 4 Just-in-time delivery
Manager, said, “This kind of service is had supervisors identifying and picking 4 100% on-time delivery.
perfect for Unipart Rail. Our position materials from our stocks for each piece
in the supply chain means that we can of work. Now they can concentrate
What is a possession?
co-ordinate the materials precisely to the on the project itself, confident that the
A possession is when a section of track is
customers requirements and iron-out any materials will arrive precisely to meet
taken out of service for trains to enable
potential problems well in advance. With their needs. We have also been able to
works to be completed. These usually
just-in-time, we have to achieve 100% on significantly reduce our materials
happen over-night, at weekends and
time delivery, every time.”
inventory.”
on holidays. Possessions are limited in
Working at least 12 weeks in advance of He finished by saying, “There is still some
time, so need to run to a tight timetable
each weekend possession, Steve Edwards, nervousness at handing the complete
to ensure trains can resume running
Unipart Rail’s Project Manager, attends a materials supply to Unipart Rail, but their
on schedule.
Balfour Beatty weekly planning meeting response so far has been positive and we
where the schedule of materials are
agreed. This enables Steve to identify any
potential supply issues with key equipment
and put resolutions in place before they
become a problem.
Working closely with Unipart Rail’s
Inventory Management Team, the materials
for the possessions are palletised in
precisely the right way for the installation
engineers to direct the pallets to the
right part of the possession and, with
everything being supplied for each element
of the work being palletised together, the
work of installation can progress smoothly
and quickly.
Mike Vaz, Territory Electrification Manager
for Balfour Beatty, said, “This new service
has been running since June and has
enabled us to move from multi-supplier,
multi-requisition and multi-deliveries
to a single relationship and a single
delivery each week. It has streamlined the
materials supply process considerably.”
...for Infrastructure and T&RS News from

12 Infrastructure
Unipart Rail wins framework
contracts with Network Rail
Unipart Rail has been awarded three Framework Contracts with Network Rail for the supply
of Railway Cables, LED Signal Heads and Relays.
Railway Cables
Unipart Rail and Eland Cables are to play an important role in the
development of Britain’s rail infrastructure, after Unipart Rail secured a
three-year contract with Network Rail for the supply of cable.
The contract to supply electrical cables and related services to Network Rail, awarded
in June, involves a collaboration between the two leading suppliers in the rail industry.
The decision follows more than a decade of successful joint working between Eland
Cables and Unipart Rail – most notably on the West Coast Route Modernisation
(WCRM) project. With Network Rail Framework Supplier status, rail customers can
benefit from competitive pricing, guaranteed stockholding and immediate availability
on a huge range of rail cables and accessories – including Rail Signalling Cables and Rail
Telecoms Cables.
Eland Cables and Unipart Rail’s latest move serves to reinforce what is already a
strong working relationship between the two companies. In a joint statement, Managing
Directors Philip Brown and Graham Jackson said, “The decision to collaborate over the
Network Rail bid was not a difficult one to make.
By combining Eland Cables’ supplier relationships,
technical knowledge and sourcing expertise with
Unipart Rail’s logistics and materials management
experience, we can give rail customers more choice
and even more competitive prices – while continuing
to deliver fast turnaround times and a consistently
high level of service.”
Relays
A new Cable Handbook has been published
and is now available – find out more at
www.unipartrail.com/elandcable
where you can order your personal copy.
Unipart Rail’s experience in supplying relays
is second to none, and the new Network Rail
Framework Contract for the supply of BR930 relays
recognises our central role in the supply chain supporting
their projects and maintenance work.
Under the three year contract, Network Rail and its Contractors
are able to call-off their requirements under the Framework.
The handy Unipart Rail ‘PinCode Look-up Charts can be
found at www.unipartrail.com/catalogue.aspx
LED Signal Heads and
Banner Signals
Unipart Rail (Dorman) has been
awarded a Framework Contract
from Network Rail to supply
Colour Light Signals and Banner Signals
to the UK rail industry. Dorman,
with its wide range of LED signalling
products, is the market leader for
LED signals.
Innovation and the continued
development of new technology has
enabled Dorman to gain their market
position and will enable the company to
continue to be a significant player the UK
rail industry.
Mark Morse, Dorman Managing Director
said, “The award of this contract
recognises that the Dorman range of
signal heads – of which over 20,000 have
been installed – is key to ensure that the
UK infrastructure continues to meet the
needs of our modern world.”
The current LED handbook can be
downloaded from www.unipartrail.com/
productinformation.aspx
Consultants to the Crossrail Project
Earlier in the year, Unipart Rail
was appointed to provide logistics
consultancy to the Crossrail Project,
as part of the Transcend Consortium. In
this article we explain what this means.
What is Crossrail?: Improving the cross
London rail system was first suggested
in the 1989 ‘Central London Rail Study’.
Parliamentary approval was finally achieved in
2008 when the Crossrail Act received Royal
Assent giving Crossrail Ltd the permission for
the £15.9 bn railway to be built.
It will be the largest single addition to the
London transport network for 50 years and
the largest engineering project in Europe
covering:
4 The modification of about 119km of railway
from Maidenhead in Berkshire to Shenfield
and Abbey Wood in Essex
4 The building of 23km of sub surface railway
via two new six metre tunnels under
London, connecting the City to Canary
Wharf, the West End, Heathrow Airport
and commuter areas east and west of
London
4 The building of seven new stations
4 The transportation of 200 million people
each year, relieving pressure on the
underground system.
Crossrail Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of
Transport for London (TfL). The Secretary of
State for Transport and the Mayor of London
are joint sponsors of the Crossrail project.
To manage this project, tenders were issued
for a ‘Programme Partner’ and a ‘Project
Delivery
Partner’ in late
2008. It was
through this
process that
Unipart was
offered the
opportunity to
become active in supporting a Joint Venture
(JV) known as ‘Transcend’ which was one of
a number of parties bidding for the role of
Programme Partner. The key members of
the Transcend JV were the AECOM multidisciplinary
engineering consultancy and
CH2M Hill with the Nichols Group.
Why we are involved: It was the Nichols
Group Chairman who invited Unipart
Let building commence!
Unipart Rail is highly experienced
in delivering fully kitted
Relocatable Equipment Buildings
(REBs), but as a development of this
experience, York Service Centre is
building a new 4-REB control centre
for London Underground’s Neasden
improvement works, being undertaken
by Thales Signalling Solutions.
Ordinarily, the REBs would be delivered
into the York facility and wired there.
However, due to the volume of work
currently in-progress, an innovative
approach for this work was created, which
means that the REBs have been delivered
into our Doncaster site, and the work will
be undertaken there instead.
The four REBs arrived in August and were
off-loaded using a specialist crane. The
fitting out will take place throughout the
autumn and is due to be completed by the
end of October in time for delivery to site
Infrastructure 13
to participate, given our track record
in excellent supply chain expertise and
experience coupled to that of deep
knowledge of the rail industry. Unipart’s initial
focus was to design and develop a proposal
for the logistics function with the other
Transcend team members to offer a superior
package of services and expertise essential
for the new Crossrail team to tackle this
complex project. A joint team was formed to
support the Transcend bid team from Unipart
Expert Practices and Unipart which was
successful in being awarded the contract by
Crossrail with a rapid mobilisation in March
2009.
The future: We are now developing
the logistics plan for Crossrail and will
increasingly be working with Crossrail
Central (a team comprising Bechtel, Halcrow
and Systra), the Programme Delivery Partner
to ensure the project starts on schedule.
Preparatory works will continue throughout
2009 with the main Crossrail construction
starting in 2010. Crossrail is scheduled to
open for service in 2017.
in December.
In addition, 53 track-side control cabinets
will be manufactured at Unipart Rail
Crewe for the Neasden project.
...for Infrastructure and T&RS News from

14 Infrastructure
Infrastructure 15
More new product
introductions!
preparing for Winter
Bringing new innovations into the market is key to ensuring the railway
system is as safe and efficient as possible.
There has been a great deal of activity in the Infrastructure Procurement and
The variances of the UK winter
(and in particular the effect
this can have on the smooth
Expanded Portfolio and Kitting
Options
Unipart Rail has now expanded its range
New Point Heating Handbook
The new Unipart Rail Point Heating
Handbook is now available and offers
Engineering departments, identifying new materials for our infrastructure customers.
operation of the rail network) make it
of products relating to Point Heating and
at a glance, listings of every component
Below is a sample of some of these new products, as well as links to more information
essential that systems are in place to
offers a “one-stop-shop” option for all
used in fitting point layouts - including
on the website.
ensure that ice and snow do not disrupt
products required to carry out a complete
the option of selecting a kit of parts for
TPWS Multi-Meter
The Fluke 287 TPWS Multi-Meter is the ONLY Network
Rail approved meter with the necessary functionality for
taking safety-critical measurements on track-side TPWS
systems. This supersedes the Fluke 187 TPWS Meter.
http://www.unipartrail.com/WebPDF/ProductBulletins/
D221.pdf
the movement of the point switches
that are critical to train movements.
The UK rail network is therefore being
progressively fitted or updated with the
latest developments in Point Heating and
Unipart Rail is well positioned to support
this initiative.
Point Heating installation. To further
assist customers, kits of parts have been
introduced as an option so complete
packages of equipment arrive on-site
ready for installation. This has the added
bonus of simplifying the ordering process
for our customers.
OHLE Height and Stagger Gauge
The new Height and Stagger Gauge for UK track gauge is fabricated from lightweight
aluminium making it easily transportable as well as being robust enough to withstand
trackside use.
http://www.unipartrail.com/WebPDF/ProductBulletins/363.pdf
TrakRat Trolleys
A new range of manually operated rail
maintenance trolleys, complete with disc
brakes for greater control.
http://www.unipartrail.com/WebPDF/
ProductBulletins/351.pdf
Polymer Cable Trough
Less than a quarter the weight of the concrete
equivalent, this new range of troughing is
designed to connect seamlessly with existing
concrete troughs.
http://www.unipartrail.com/WebPDF/
ProductBulletins/354.pdf
Electrification Improvements
any particular length of switch or type of
rail. The handbook also provides both
options of self regulating or constant
wattage installations.
The service available also guarantees
that all components available are
from up to date approved sources of
manufacture. Customers requiring their
own particular kitting of parts for their
specific project needs can also have
bespoke kits provided.
For a personal copy of the Point Heating
Handbook, please e-mail your name and
address to enquiries@unipartrail.com.
Unipart Rail is extending its
support and services to
customers in respect of both
Overhead Line Equipment and Third Rail
Electrification.
A Project Team set up at the start of 2009
and involving customers, manufacturers
and suppliers has progressively expanded
the range of products and services
available.
An already comprehensive database of
electrification part numbers and the cross
matches between Network Rail PADS
catalogue numbers, Overhead Line part
numbers and Assembly Drawings has been
built upon and is now providing customers
with information that allows them to be
supported by speedy and detailed pricing
and availability data either by spreadsheet
or traditional quotation methods.
Improved stockholdings
Project Team discussions with customers
have already led to the significant growth
of the product range offered along
with investment in stockholding of the
electrification range of materials to
specifically ensure that the key materials
are available when required.
Just in time deliveries
Further development has seen the
introduction of ‘work packages’ where the
materials for specific sites are packaged
together and delivered as a complete
inventory of all materials for the individual
area of work. This aids customers through
single drop deliveries of all materials at
pre-agreed dates and times that minimise
local storage and lessens the risk of
losses at site. Unipart Rail understands
that space on site can be limited and the
package option can be significant in best
usage of this space.
The Electrification Project Team is made
up of Procurement Experts, Technical
Support, Commercial Manager and Stock
Controllers and further development of
the support and services continues.
...for Infrastructure and T&RS News from

16 Unipart Group
Unipart Scores Hat trick of gold awards
For the third time, Business in the
Community has awarded Unipart
“gold status” in its Corporate
Responsibility Index, the UK’s leading
benchmark for responsible business. This
places Unipart amongst some of the top
companies in the world.
According to BiTC, top companies
demonstrate clear commitments to
improve continually in four key areas:
Environment, Community, Workplace,
Marketplace.
Unipart had to be assessed and score
highly in each of the categories, showing
its maintenance of the balance between
environmental, workplace and social
performance.
Stop Press:
Rapport going Greener!
If you would prefer to read a greener copy
of Rapport in 2010, then please send your
details to: trsenquiries@unipartrail.com
Our contribution counts!
Contact us…
For further information about any of
the services or products described in
this edition of Rapport please contact
Unipart Rail on 01302 731400 or
trsenquiries@unipartrail.com
Unipart Rail Ltd, Jupiter Building,
First Point, Balby Carr Bank,
Doncaster DN4 5JQ
www.unipartrail.com
Rapport is produced for Unipart Rail by:
Verve Creative Solutions, Unipart House
Garsington Road, Cowley, Oxford OX4 2NG.
Developing our People
“It is really a story of how a company can
create a set of values and then bring them
to life through the day-to-day actions of
our employees. From our earliest days of
opening the Unipart U to our current
training programmes that enable our
people to become qualified as ‘expert
practitioners’, Unipart has put great store
in the belief that learning and problem
solving are fundamental to engaging
people. Our corporate responsibility
programmes reflect that philosophy and
extend it to our key stakeholders.”
Waste Recycling and Energy Savings
Unipart have more than 70 problem
solving teams focused on reducing the
company’s environmental impact, with one
site aiming to completely eliminate landfill
waste through recycling programmes.
Another site has implemented so many
energy saving solutions that it has become
a showcase for energy saving
technologies.
“Across our group of companies, there
are many Unipart people pursuing our
corporate responsibility goals in the
community, in our marketplaces and in
environmental programmes,” said John
Neill. “This third gold award is a great
tribute to their efforts and our shared
commitment to developing people within
our company to excel in everything they
do through training, coaching and a strong
philosophy of continuous improvement
that our people bring to life everyday.”
Ambassador role for Unipart
Group Chief Executive
John Neill, Chief Executive, Unipart
Group, has been appointed as
HRH The Prince of Wales’ 2009
Ambassador for the South East
in recognition of his leadership and
commitment to responsible business
The Prince’s Ambassador Award is part
of Business in the Community’s (BITC)
Awards for Excellence 2009, which
recognises businesses for the positive
impact they have on society.
Andy Finch, Regional Director South East
from BITC said: “In the current climate it’s
never been more important for businesses
to show their leadership when it comes to
responsible business issues. I am delighted
that John has been recognised by HRH
The Prince of Wales, for the positive social
impact that businesses and their leaders
can bring to their communities.”
At the BITC South East awards event,
HRH The Prince of Wales said in a prerecorded
message, “I am delighted that
John Neill, Chief Executive Unipart Group,
is my Ambassador for the South East this
year. Unipart, under John’s stewardship,
is a longstanding member of Business
in the Community. John encourages
his management team across the UK
to participate in my Prince’s Seeing is
Believing programme and he encourages
Unipart graduates to participate in the
CARES programme* to enhance their
learning and skills.
“John also frees his staff to work directly
with local partners to enable economic
development in schools and communities’
organisations. John joined my BITC Board
in 1992 and has been enthusiastic in his
advice to inspire business. He will always
challenge established thinking and believes
that there is no substitute for seeing for
yourself rather than reading reports.”
(*a network of partner companies that
address social issues in communities)