The event was well supported with fourteen delegates.
Andrew started with a brief résumé of his career as an engineer, which started on the Western Region of British Rail and has now brought him to Leeds to be in command of one of the 40 Network Rail infrastructure maintenance delivery units (IMDU) with his specifically responsible for the delivery of safe and reliable infrastructure in an area which stretches from Hull to the Lancashire side of Standedge Tunnel and from Knottingley to Hellifield.
The Holbeck area covers 648 route miles and it requires 456 staff to keep it in good working order.
Andrew then described and illustrated the many facets of the work that his teams had to deal with. Signalling maintenance included rapid response fault repair, and routine periodic inspection and maintenance. As operating conditions and the variety and ages of the equipment within the area were so varied his staff required a wide range of skills and competence. Although the IMDU was not responsible for carrying out major resignalling schemes, they were continually improving the reliability of the network with initiatives such as, for example, replacing traditional colour light aspects with light emitting diode aspects which are easier for drivers to see, require less maintenance and use less power, the overhaul of point machines and the ongoing replacement of cable.
The work of the track maintenance teams was then described, with illustrations of how good maintenance procedures were restoring the quality of the ride experienced by the passenger. The adoption of the latest techniques for repairing rail flaws was compared and contrasted with the use of tried and tested traditional procedures such as Measured Shovel Packing, to illustrate how the full range of skills and competence was employed to keep the railway in first class condition. The emphasis on keeping good drainage was another discipline which helped to achieve this.
Last but not least the work of his electrification and plant engineers was described, their duties ranging from keeping the overhead line free of birds nests and thus reduce the incidence of tripping, to the repair and servicing of the Victorian machinery needed to swing the three river bridges at Hull, Selby and Goole.
Throughout the talk it was emphasised that the use of good planning tools were essential, to predict rather than react to infrastructure condition and to match the inspection regime to the levels of use and age of the equipment. The systems in place in the Holbeck IMDU were geared to deliver high levels of reliability.
A really enlightening talk and we are grateful to Andrew for giving us his time.