Innovation and Sharing Best Practice

Presentation by Robin WolfendaleFebruary 2016

• The Trade Body for All British Isles Light Rail & Other Guided Transport Systems

Taking the lead role for the industry in all matters, including:

• Promoting Trams, Light Rail, Metro’s, ULR & Other Guided Transport Systems

• Technical Standards• Government Lobbying & Liaison • Group and Industry Best Practice• Centre of Procurement Excellence• Keeper of RSP2 including all Associated Guidance & Standards• Knowledge & Experience transfer & sharing• Academic Development & Training• European & International Liaison• Innovation & Development

Our Members

• Tramways, Light Railways, Metros, Subways, Heritage, ULRs & PRT Systems from all parts of the British Isles including, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Channel Isles and the Isle of Man.

• System Operators

•Maintainers of Infrastructure & Rolling Stock

•Passenger Transport Executives, City, Town, County Councils

•Concessionaires

•Manufacturers & Trade Suppliers

•Industry Advisors & Experts

External Associations, Memberships & Partners

• As members of the Rail Alliance, and our association with the RIA, UKTram and its members have access to events, conferences and workshops held by these groups.

• UKTram is represented within RSSB, VDV, CEN/CENELEC and UITP, updates and developments & working groups for their activities will be circulated to relevant member groups and can be found on our website.

General Guidance Notes:

• Operation and safety of tramways in interaction with public space

• Guidance Note for Promoters considering Light Rail, Ultra Light Rail and PRT

• Guidance Note for Promoters considering Light Rail• Guidance Note for Promoters considering Ultra Light Rail• Guidance Note for Promoters considering Personal Rapid

Transport• Briefing Paper – Costs of Light Rail Schemes• Technology Briefing Paper – Catenary Free Tram Operation

What is ULR?Ultra Light Rail -Also known as VLR

Technical Guidance Notes:Current• Protection and diversion of utilities• Signage of Tramways and highway interface• Segregated tramway crossing guidance• Operational noise and vibration• Benefits included in the appraisal process• Commercial structure• Tramway performance regime• Wheel and rail interfaceIn work• Tram Design Standards• Network Rail Interface• Track Form• Tender Documentation• Traction Power Supplies

The Tram Summit Working Groups

Further to the publication of the "Green Light for Light Rail" report, and the High Level Tram Summit that followed, UK Tram responded to the UK DfT challenge to achieve ‘More Affordable Light Rail’ by setting up a number of Working Groups. Amongst the Working Group’s aims are to:• Collate existing promoter information on costs of light rail

projects (WG8)• Utilise industry expertise, examine best practice and lessons

learned (from UK and other light rail schemes) to identify specific opportunities for reduction of construction costs (WG9)

• Review the opportunities for new technologies to bring about cost savings in future schemes (WG10)

THE LITTLE BLACK BOOKConstruction Benchmarks: Light Rail

Low Impact Light Rail Competition

• Innovate UK is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills and exists to support innovative business with some of the UK’s greatest and best ideas.

• Through its SBRI mechanism it enables public sector bodies to connect with innovative ideas and technology businesses to provide innovative solutions to specific Public Sector challenges and needs.

Competition Brief • The UKTram competition invited innovators to propose

ideas for: Reducing the costs of light rail schemes along with environmental, construction and operational impacts, focusing on innovative technologies in track form, overhead line and energy.

• So that:1. Future UK schemes can benefit from lower cost

technology.2. Market failure is addressed by enabling demonstration

of technologies to de-risk their use, and3. There are reference cases for wider export

opportunities.

Programme Format

Two phases: Stage 1 - Feasibility PhaseLooking at technical, practical, business and safety aspects of the proposals . Stage 2 – Demonstration PhaseSelected projects taken forward for practical demonstration in a controlled environment in the UK, chosen in discussion with UK Tram and associated organisations.

SuccessfulApplications

Seven innovations were selected to progress from the feasibility phase (Stage 1) to the demonstrator phase (Stage 2)

1: More Energy Efficient Trams

•Software system to improve tram energy usage

•Utilises journey specific information to provide specific driving information to optimise usage

•Can be applied to any system and has potential global market

•Could be extended to heavy rail usage with adaptation of the system

Figure 1. Single Tram Simulator Developed in project Stage 1

A single tram trajectory optimisation example

Tram trajectory

Tram B

Tram B

Tram A Tram A

Regenerative energy produced from Tram A can

be used by Tram B

Figure 3. A proposed synchronisation algorithm for timetable optimisation

Figure 2. A proposed single tram trajectory optimisation algorithm

2: Weld Restore

•Allows repair of the rail in-situ in order to extend life and prevent the need to breakout and replace road surfacing and rail

Shaded region =

Weld restored profile

3: Ultralite Track

•Modular track form •Allows guided bus

operation without need for separate track

•Suitable for use off-street and in central reservation.

4: Optimum Rail Wear Limits

• Methodology and toolkit to determine the condition of rails

• Gives operators and maintainers support for decisions to prolong rail usable life

• Maximising the time between rail replacements

5: PCAT (Pre-cast Advanced Track)

•Preformed track-slab •Includes built in ducts •Uses unique curved tensioning ducts

and connectors to provide tension •Allows track units to be removed for

access to utilities •Has potential crossover potential into

heavy rail – tunnels etc requiring low profile slab

•Suitable for street running applications, tunnels and subject to cost instead of ballasted track

6: Composite Overhead Line Structures

•Utilises lightweight composite structures to replace steel supporting masts for overhead line

•Uses novel lightweight clip mechanism to reduce the number of parts and to reduce the weight of equipment

•Clip together system reduces costs and time to construct

7: Integrated Modular Light Rail Construction System

•Trough based modular construction system

•Standardised parts to deal with common radii etc

•Can be installed through excavating double slots in the highway

•Tie bars to maintain gauge •Utilises existing precast technologies in

new ways •Provides maximum access for utility

works/minimises diversions

Stage 2 Test Sites• Trackform and Overhead to be tested in depot yards as

agreed with Promoters and Operators and/or at QRTC, Long Marston site using the UKTram Light Rail Test Fleet.

• Measuring & Monitoring devices and Energy tools to be used on Operational systems as agreed with Operators.

www.UKTram.co.uk

For more information:

Questions?

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