Railway Forum

The Virgin Voyager train fleet project wins the Railway Forum/Modern Railways innovation award for 2002
_______________________________________________________________

date 26 March 2002
source Railway Forum
type Press release

The Railway Industry Innovation Award for 2002 has been won by Virgin
Trains’ Voyager train fleet project. The Award was made at a Gala
Presentation Dinner attended by over 670 people at London’s Hilton Hotel
last night (25th March).

The Award was presented by Richard Bowker, the Chairman of the Strategic
Rail Authority. He said that “Innovation is crucial for our future success. The
ingenuity and enthusiasm that lie behind this year’s entries for The Railway
Forum/Modern Railways Awards are a great signal that the railways are
taking every opportunity to move forward”.

The Railway Industry Innovation Awards encourage initiative and innovation
and showcase new thinking. They demonstrate the railway industry at its
most inventive. David Rayner CBE, Chairman of the Judging Panel, said
“There was a lot of very strong competition for the top award. But our
unanimous agreement was that Virgin Trains’ Voyager train fleet project was
right out in front. The seven month timescale from the trains’ first operation to
their entry into revenue earning service was an outstanding achievement”.

The winners of the individual category Awards were:

The Achievement through Teamwork Award – sponsored
by Shorterm Rail

Virgin Trains - The Virgin Voyager train fleet project.

Highly Commended:

Chiltern Railways

Continued increased business through effective teamwork, investment,
customer service, safety improvements and train service quality.

GB Railfreight Ltd

GB Railfreight’s entry into the rail freight market as a new independent train
operator.

The Association of Train Operating Companies Award
for Innovation in Customer Service

Anglia Railways – A range of initiatives delivering business-wide customer
service improvements throughout the past year.

Highly Commended:

National Rail Enquiry Service Ltd

The real time train-running information system provided on the National Rail
internet Web Site.

London Underground Ltd

Local Information Displays for Underground stations, which include local
bus/rail/ taxi services, a street map, places of interest and recycling facilities.

The Newburn Consulting Award for Innovation in
Information Technology

Infrasoft Solutions Ltd and Railtrack plc - The Unified Railway Model - a
3D link-node model for rail infrastructure.

Highly Commended:

AEA Technology Rail and Railtrack plc

The National Roll Out to Railtrack of CCF (Control Centre of the Future).

National Express Group PLC

AVANTIX™ Mobile - an advanced rail retailing machine for on-board train
staff.

The Railnews Award for Innovation in Integration

Chiltern Railways - The Integrated Control Centre at Banbury.

Highly Commended:

Railtrack Thameslink 2000

The Virtual Railway process for verified scheme design for the Thameslink
2000 project.

Penistone Line Partnership

The Holmfirth Branch Line: an integrated rural rail/bus link in West Yorkshire.

The Modern Railways Award for Innovation in Marketing

Great North Eastern Railway Ltd – ‘Operation Springboard’ – GNER’s
business recovery campaign.

Highly Commended:

Hull Trains Ltd

A range of marketing initiatives to develop Hull Trains’ passenger business.

Merseytravel

The “Soccerbus” project – an integrated bus/rail facility for soccer supporters
on Merseyside.

The ALSTOM Award for Innovation in Safety

Vortok International - a universal and rigid safety barrier system to protect
railway track workers.

Highly Commended:

Halcrow Group Ltd

Halcrow’s facilitating work in industry-wide SPAD (Signals Passed at Danger)
management.

Railway Safety

The Safety Risk Model.

Newt International Ltd

Field Gradient Imaging technology for the detection of Gauge Corner
Cracking.

The Bombardier Transportation Award for Innovation in
Technology

Pandrol UK Ltd - The Pandrol Vanguard vibration attenuating rail-chair track
support system.

Highly Commended:

Sabre Rail Services Ltd

The “Modified” brake cylinder adjuster units.

Amey Rail Ltd

“Pentagon” - a railway asset management system.

David Rayner said “We are now in the fifth year of the Railway Industry
Innovation Awards and I am delighted that we have yet again managed to
attract a record number of entries – 106 in total. They cover a wide spectrum
of innovation and the judges’ task in making decisions about who should be
the winners was a real challenge.

Our congratulations go to all those who submitted what is a very high quality
range of entries. They amply demonstrate that there is a lot of exciting work
going on in the railway industry. This clearly demonstrates a railway
responding to difficulties and determined to deliver better standards”.

Ends

Notes to Editors

1. The Railway Forum/Modern Railways Awards are now in their fifth year.
They are a unique opportunity to recognise the innovative side of the
railway industry. Entries are submitted against seven categories:
Teamwork, Customer Service, Information Technology, Integration,
Marketing, Safety and Technology. In addition, an overall award is
made.

2. The number of entries has increased each year and this year’s figure of
106 is a record.

3. The Judging Panel is led by David Rayner CBE - Chairman of Oakburn
Properties plc; former Director Safety, Railtrack plc and member of the
British Railways Board. Non-executive board member of Connex Rail
and Catalis Rail Training Ltd. Visiting Professor at University College,
London, and a Trustee of the Science Museum. Chairman of the
advisory board of the National Railway Museum.

The other members are:

Ms Adele Biss – Former Chairman of the British Tourist Authority and
English Tourist Board and Member of the British Railways Board. Non-
executive director of Eurostar (UK) Ltd. Founded AS Biss & Company in
1996.

Professor Andrew Evans - Professor of Transport Safety, University
College, London since 1991. He previously held a number of academic
posts in transport economics and statistics.

Dr John Penney - Chairman, Kimpton Consulting and non-executive
director of Railway Safety and Rail Industry Training Council Ltd. Past
Chairman of the The Railway Industry Association, GT Railway
Maintenance Ltd and Vice President Business Development, ALSTOM
Signalling.

John Mummery – spent most of his career with British Rail before
leading South Wales & West Railway into the private sector as
Managing Director. Since retiring in 1997 he has worked as a
consultant specialising in operational safety matters.

Chris Yates – Managing Partner of Newburn Consulting plc, a specialist
IT and telecommunications management and outsourcing consultancy.

James Abbott, Editor of Modern Railways.

Adrian Lyons, Director General of The Railway Forum.

4. Overall the judges were very impressed with the standard of entries,
which show that, despite all the difficulties that have recently faced the
railway, it has been making great strides to develop and implement a
wide range of exciting innovations.

For more information please call Adrian Lyons or John Dennis at The Railway
Forum

Tel: 020 7259 6543 Fax: 020 7259 6544

e-mail: railinfo@railwayforum.com

For more information call Adrian Lyons at The Railway Forum
Tel: 020 7654 6543 Fax: 020 7654 6544
e-mail: railinfo@ railwayforum.com

Railhub Archive ::: 2002-03-26 RFO-001