In this fourth podcast about the impact of software failures on railway asset safety Dr Emma Taylor talks about the causes of the Cambrian Line Incident. Failures both of the software system and of the processes during development, testing and implementation. Also, about the industry's response to recommendation 3 in the RAIB report on the incident.

01:04 The Cambrian Line Incident described.

01:52 How the European Rail Traffic Management System works and what went wrong.

03:39 How this failure could have been foreseen, what led to it, and how it affected the signalling system.

05:41 The RAIB recommendation about safety learning and what didn't happen that should.

07:30 The importance of reporting system faults, however small they may seem.

08:47 How you can tell if the software you are using is complex or not.

10:10 How we need to change our way of thinking about systems that include software.

11:45 How compliance with standards and processes may not show everything that might go wrong.

12:20 Why we all need to learn a bit of a new language.

13:15 What the industry is doing to address these issues.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Loss of safety critical signalling data on the Cambrian Coast line, 20 October 2017: https://www.gov.uk/raib-reports/report-17-2019-loss-of-safety-critical-signalling-data-on-the-cambrian-coast-line 

The digital bits of a system podcast https://www.orr.gov.uk/guidance-compliance/rail/health-safety/strategy/rm3 

Other related resources:

LHSBR Infrastructure Asset Integrity section: https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/leading-health-and-safety-on-britains-railway/infrastructure-asset-integrity 

LHSBR Rolling Stock Asset Integrity section: https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/leading-health-and-safety-on-britains-railway/rolling-stock-asset-integrity 

In this third podcast about trespass, David Whitmarsh, acting Principal Inspector of Railways for Scotland, talks about the ORR's expectations of the industry when it comes to trespass prevention.

He talks about why the ORR might decide to prosecute a railway company rather than the trespasser, and how the level of fines is calculated by the courts. What the ORR would consider to be 'good and sufficient [fences] for today's railway'; and how the new guidance on trespass risk assessment will help railway companies know whether they might be meeting those expectations.

01:10 About David Whitmarsh.

01:55 Why the ORR might prosecute a railway undertaking, rather than the trespasser.

03:06 When BTP would prosecute the trespasser.

03:48 How fines are decided by the courts.

05:10 What constitutes 'good and sufficient fences', and the regulations that determine what good and sufficient looks like today.

07:20 David's view of the new good practice guide on trespass risk assessment and how companies may get it wrong.

09:13 The new guidance as a means to help improve efforts to assess, manage, and mitigate trespass risk.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Railway Safety (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 1997: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/553/contents/made 

Risk Management Maturity Model (RM3) [amended 2020] https://www.orr.gov.uk/guidance-compliance/rail/health-safety/strategy/rm3 

Other related resources:

Railway safety miscellaneous provisions [HSE guidance, PDF download] https://www.orr.gov.uk/sites/default/files/om/guidance-on-railway-safety-regulations-1997.pdf 

LHSBR Public Behaviour section: https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/leading-health-and-safety-on-britains-railway/public-behaviour

The Trespass Improvement Programme: https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/improving-safety-health-and-wellbeing/trespass/trespass-improvement-programme

RSSB research project T1168 Evaluating Effectiveness of Trespass Detection and Prevention Methods: https://www.rssb.co.uk/research-catalogue/CatalogueItem/T1168 

RSSB research project T1182 Industry Trespass Data Collection Requirements: https://www.rssb.co.uk/research-catalogue/CatalogueItem/T1182 

Delays explained, Vandalism and trespass—Network Rail website: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/looking-after-the-railway/delays-explained/vandalism-and-trespass/ 

Railway safety campaigns, You Vs Train—Network Rail website: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/communities/safety-in-the-community/railway-safety-campaigns/trespass-campaigns/ 

You vs. Train website: http://www.youvstrain.co.uk/ 

In this second podcast about trespass, Walt Cartwright, of DB Cargo UK, and Simon Martin, Route Crime Manager at Network Rail, talk about the practical sides of assessing trespass risk and putting prevention measures in place.

Walt talks about the benefits of the new guide and the consistency it can bring to understanding how to assess trespass risk. How it will increase understanding of how to judge when that risk has been reduced to 'as low as reasonably practicable'. Simon talk about the reasons for trespass, particularly around stations, and about the results from a trial of higher fencing.

01:10 About Walt Cartwright.

01:45 About Simon Martin.

02:12 Why Walt is passionate about reducing trespass.

03:12 The benefits of the new guide to trespass risk assessment.

04:48 How the new guide should improve understanding of what 'as low as reasonably practicable' looks like.

06:26 Why there's lots of trespass at or near stations; and what Network Rail is doing to reduce it.

09:12 The results of a trial with higher fencing at a specific location.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

LHSBR Public Behaviour section: https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/leading-health-and-safety-on-britains-railway/public-behaviour

The Trespass Improvement Programme: https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/improving-safety-health-and-wellbeing/trespass/trespass-improvement-programme

RSSB research project T1168 Evaluating Effectiveness of Trespass Detection and Prevention Methods: https://www.rssb.co.uk/research-catalogue/CatalogueItem/T1168 

RSSB research project T1182 Industry Trespass Data Collection Requirements: https://www.rssb.co.uk/research-catalogue/CatalogueItem/T1182 

Delays explained, Vandalism and trespass—Network Rail website: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/looking-after-the-railway/delays-explained/vandalism-and-trespass/ 

Railway safety campaigns, You Vs Train—Network Rail website: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/communities/safety-in-the-community/railway-safety-campaigns/trespass-campaigns/ 

You vs. Train website: http://www.youvstrain.co.uk/ 

In this episode, Dr Emma Taylor talks about the human aspects, the culture change that will be needed to address digital safety threats.  The need for traditional design engineers to broaden their sphere of thinking, and to bring others into design conversations.  Emma also talks about the need to start thinking about reasonably foreseeable scenarios. For us all to start thinking about what could go wrong when you consider the digital components within your physical assets.
ISO 61357 referred to in this episode is actually IEC 61357 ED1, a project that has now been deleted by the International Electrotechnical Committee. Standards that need to be considered will be covered in a later episode.

00:36 The main barriers to developing an appropriate level of digital resilience.

07:12 What Emma's experience in the Oil and Gas and Aerospace sectors tell us about what we ought to focus on to better manage digital safety risk.

08:58 What the industry should be doing to identify what could go wrong.

13:39 What could happen if you don't start to think about digital safety until after the incident has happened.

Related resources:

National Cyber Security Centre: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/ 

Episode 6—the podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/925129/6106243 

Data & Information System Interface Committee: https://www.rssb.co.uk/what-we-do/groups-and-committees/technical-strategy/sic-chairs/di-sic 

In this episode Dr Emma Taylor talks about the 'NIS Regulations', what they mean for the industry and about what the industry needs to do to comply with the regulations. She looks at who should be concerned, and what we need to do to demonstrate compliance and avoid fines of up to £17m. What to do until we have a good body of precursors to digital incidents; and what aspects of operations should be considered as safety critical.

01:44 Who should be aware of the NIS Regulations, and why.

07:20 What we should be doing until we have a body of knowledge about digital safety and a have built a good set of precursor indicators.

09:30 Is the railway's current definition of 'safety-critical' broad enough? And what risks can come from breaking into a 'non-safety-critical' system.

Related resources:

National Cyber Security Centre: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/ 

Episode 6—the podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/925129/6106243 

Data & Information System Interface Committee: https://www.rssb.co.uk/what-we-do/groups-and-committees/technical-strategy/sic-chairs/di-sic 

In this episode Jason Alexandre of Samaritans talks about the Samaritans' partnership with Network Rail and the rail industry to reduce the number of suicides on the railway.  Customer experience manager Rizwan Javed talks about how the training gave him the confidence to intervene, and then tells the story of just one of the 29 life-saving interventions he has made.

01:19 About Jason.

01:57 About Rizwan.

03:22 Samaritans' partnership with the rail industry.

05:15 Talking numbers, and the success of interventions by railway staff.

05:55 About the Managing Suicidal Contacts training programme for the rail industry.

10:20 How the Managing Suicidal Contacts training got Rizwan to start a conversation.

12:20 Rizwan tells the story of just one of his interventions.

Whatever you’re facing, Samaritans volunteers are always there to listen, without judgement, 365 days a year—call free from any phone on 116 123 or email [email protected]

Related resources:

For more information on Samaritans partnership with the rail industry and to take part in the managing suicidal contacts training, you can email [email protected].

Suicide prevention key contacts: https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/improving-safety-health-and-wellbeing/suicide-prevention/suicide-awareness-key-contacts 

Suicide prevention good practice: https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/improving-safety-health-and-wellbeing/suicide-prevention/suicide-awareness-key-contacts 

Suicide prevention support materials: https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/improving-safety-health-and-wellbeing/suicide-prevention/suicide-prevention-support-material 

Suicide prevention guidance: https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/improving-safety-health-and-wellbeing/suicide-prevention/suicide-prevention-guidance 

RESTRAIL Toolbox (REduction of Suicide and Trespass on RAILway property) https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/improving-safety-health-and-wellbeing/trespass/restrail-toolbox-reduction-of-suicide-and-trespass-on-railway-property 

Continuing the evaluation of the national rail suicide prevention programme (T1081) https://www.rssb.co.uk/research-catalogue/CatalogueItem/T1081 

Minimising the impact of suicides on railway staff (T317) https://www.rssb.co.uk/research-catalogue/CatalogueItem/T317 

Improving suicide prevention measures on the rail network in Great Britain (T845) https://www.rssb.co.uk/research-catalogue/CatalogueItem/T845 

In this first podcast about trespass, Oliver Bratton, Director Network Strategy and Operations, Louise McNally, Trespass Prevention Lead, at Network Rail, and Inspector Becky Warren, of the British Transport Police, talk about the human, safety and operational impacts of trespass on the railway.

They talk about its human costs, as a result of fatalities and life-changing injuries.  On the family and friends of those whose lives are altered or taken, and on those who witness the traumatic results of trespass, be they railway staff, passengers, the public, or the police who have to deal with the aftermath.  They also talk of the additional costs and potential dangers added by the delays that trespass causes.

00:46 Intoducing Inspector Becky Warren

01:30 Introducing Louise McNally

01:58 Introducing Oliver Bratton

02:52 Why trespass happens… 

04:16 …and some of its human impacts

05:18 What BTP does when trespassers are seen on the railway

07:53 Becky recounts the trauma of having to deal personally with the aftermath of a trespass fatality

13:40 What Network Rail does when trespassers are seen on the railway… 

10:00 … and the possible impacts of trespass delays

11:20 Advice for drivers who see trespassers—December 2020 Rule Book changes

12:25 Some recent incidents of trespass disruption

14:02 Sign to make it clear where trespass begins

14:45 Recent industry actions and strategy to reduce trespass

16:45 The Trespass Improvement Programme

18:20 Guidance on trespass risk assessment

19:37 RSSB's work to support the Trespass Improvement Programme and risk assessment

Resources mentioned in this episode:

LHSBR Public Behaviour section: https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/leading-health-and-safety-on-britains-railway/public-behaviour

The Trespass Improvement Programme: https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/improving-safety-health-and-wellbeing/trespass/trespass-improvement-programme

RSSB research project T1168 Evaluating Effectiveness of Trespass Detection and Prevention Methods: https://www.rssb.co.uk/research-catalogue/CatalogueItem/T1168 

RSSB research project T1182 Industry Trespass Data Collection Requirements: https://www.rssb.co.uk/research-catalogue/CatalogueItem/T1182 

Delays explained, Vandalism and trespass—Network Rail website: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/looking-after-the-railway/delays-explained/vandalism-and-trespass/ 

Railway safety campaigns, You Vs Train—Network Rail website: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/communities/safety-in-the-community/railway-safety-campaigns/trespass-campaigns/ 

You vs. Train website: http://www.youvstrain.co.uk/ 

In this podcast Dr Emma Taylor, former rocket scientist and chartered mechanical engineer, talks about how the changing railway and increasing number of digital components will start to blur the lines between rolling stock and infrastructure design and build. And how it will be increasingly beneficial to have software engineers and cyber security specialists in teams.

Emma has been talking to stakeholders across the rail industry about what keeps them awake at night. And it turns out to be the unknown unknowns, the gaps in knowledge and understanding about how digital components work and interact.

01:20 About Dr Emma Taylor.

03:38 How digital technologies will affect the rolling stock/infrastructure interface.

04:40 LHSBR priority areas and the importance of digital competencies.

05:17 About the Asset Integrity Group.

05:58 What keeps asset managers awake at night?

07:10 The need to describe whole systems as more than just their physical components.

08:18 Understanding what could go wrong and why

09:45 Filling the gaps with good quality information and data.

11:23 Key messages for asset integrity groups.

13:40 Why we need to include new experience and knowledge around the digital railway.

17:01 Why it needs to be okay to say we don't know.

 Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Asset Integrity Group https://www.rssb.co.uk/what-we-do/groups-and-committees/safety/ssrg/aig 

In LHSBR:

Rolling Stock Asset Integrity: https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/leading-health-and-safety-on-britains-railway/rolling-stock-asset-integrity 

Infrastructure Asset Integrity: https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/leading-health-and-safety-on-britains-railway/infrastructure-asset-integrity 

Blogs:

Asset integrity – let's keep listening (Emma Taylor): https://www.rssb.co.uk/what-we-do/insights-and-news/blogs/Asset-integrity-lets-keep-listening

Asset integrity – eyes everywhere (Catherine Baker): https://www.rssb.co.uk/what-we-do/insights-and-news/blogs/Asset-integrity---eyes-everywhere 

Asset integrity – it’s not all in the data (Greg Morse): https://www.rssb.co.uk/what-we-do/insights-and-news/blogs/Asset-integrity---its-not-all-in-the-data 

Asset Integrity – Lessons from Hatfield (George Bearfield): https://www.rssb.co.uk/what-we-do/insights-and-news/blogs/asset-integrity-lessons-from-hatfield 

In this podcast Sara Sherrard and Tom Moran talks about failings in customer care and the improvements implemented after Sara's mother suffered a fatal accident at Mill Hill Station.

Sara Sherrard's mother, Priscilla Tropp, died following a fall down a station staircase. Tom Moran is now the MD at Thameslink and Great Northern Railways. Sara describes her experience as she learned the details of her mother's accident, treatment and what happened around the Coroner's Inquest. Tom talks about his meeting with Sara, her concerns about the serious failings in process and communication, and the improvements that, between them, they have achieved since then.

01:15 About Tom Moran

02:30 About Sara Sherrard, her mother and the accident at Mill Hill Broadway Station.

05:18 What happened after the accident.

06:46 The Coroner's Inquest and inaccessible information at the station.

09:57 Sara's feelings at the reopened inquest, findings, recommendations, and inaction.

12:50 GTR's response to the Coroner's Regulation 28 report—and a frustrating visit to Mill Hill.

15:25 How Tom Moran learned about Sara's situation and their first meeting.

18:20 Implementing PAPI, and ongoing work with Sara.

21:30 Sara's work with the railway and her hopes for future improvements.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The GTR PAPI aide-mèmoire: (PDF download) https://www.rssb.co.uk/-/media/Project/RSSB/RssbWebsite/Documents/Public/Public-content/Insight-and-News/Podcast/gtr-caring-for-our-customers-staff-aide-memoire.pdf

In this episode Dougie Hill, Head of National Freight Strategy & Policy at Direct Rail Services, and Geoff Spencer, former CEO of DB Cargo (UK), talk through the challenges to get competing companies to collaborate.  Their work in the National Freight Safety Group (NFSG) has led to the Freight Integrated Plan for Safety.

00:50 About Dougie Hill.

01:50 About Geoff Spencer.

02:45 Freight sector risk reduction in 2016.

03:40 Practicalities of getting competing companies to collaborate.

05:00 Engaging stakeholders and setting realistic timescales.

06:50 LHSBR topics beyond derailment and early collaboration.

07:25 Managing the top risk projects and some notable successes.

09:25 RSSB support for NFSG as a collaborative group.

10:33 What worked to create a collaborative environment.

11:45 Lessons learned to implement and improve collaboration

Resources mentioned in this episode:

National Freight Safety Group: https://www.rssb.co.uk/Learn-and-Connect/Groups-and-Committees/Safety/SSRG/NFSG 

The Viareggio train derailment [2009] Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viareggio_train_derailment

New Insights into the Viareggio Railway Accident, Manca D., 2014, Chemical Engineering Transactions, 36, 13-18 DOI: 10.3303/CET1436003] https://www.aidic.it/cet/14/36/003.pdf

Managing Fatigue in the Freight Sector https://www.rssb.co.uk/Insights-and-News/Key-Industry-Topics/Fatigue-and-Alertness/Common-Principles-for-Managing-Fatigue-in-the-Freight-Sector

Rail Freight Operations Group https://www.rssb.co.uk/Learn-and-Connect/Groups-and-Committees/Safety/SSRG/NFSG/RFOG

Other related resources:

Road Risk Collaboration https://www.rssb.co.uk/Standards-and-Safety/Improving-Safety-Health--Wellbeing/Enhancing-Safety-Health--Wellbeing-Through-Collaboration/Rail-Industry-Road-Risk-Resource-Centre/Road-risk-collaboaration

Managing Occupational Road Risk Related to Fatigue https://www.rssb.co.uk/Insights-and-News/Key-Industry-Topics/Fatigue-and-Alertness/Fatigue-Risk-Management-Systems/Managing-occupational-road-risk-related-to-fatigue