Hughes Engineering & Support Services, (H-ESS), has identified a gap in the services provided by most traditional suppliers, which it believes revolutionises the way in which track maintenance can be delivered, enabling it to provide comprehensive end to end maintenance packages, specialising in the rectification of poor track quality and heavy maintenance sites.
Managing Director Iain Hughes has written the article below about the company’s unique formula for managing track quality.
“It enables us to specialise in track issues of a complicated nature and we thrive on rectifying poor track quality, where the requirements for repair is too big for ‘maintenance’ to manage, or too small to justify the renewals of the site.
About us:
I have seen an opportunity to establish a business that will be recognised for excellence and innovation in track quality.
The history of our company goes back to 1982, pre-privatisation, when British Rail ran the network. In almost 40 years we have seen many developments on the rail network, some good, some not so good, but we have always stuck with our company ethos ‘Quality is the Best Business Plan’, ensuring that all our services are safety and quality led, while ensuring our fundamental philosophy that if works are completed to a very high standard the first time you won’t have to go back to fix it again, making our delivery cost effective and time saving. We believe in the old fashion approach of, ‘A full day’s work for a full day’s pay’.
We are first and foremost an engineering company, with our service firmly aimed at clients who are experiencing ongoing track quality failures. We provide creative solutions to difficult problems and our teams sometimes have to use unique solutions to solve common faults.
I have previously delivered many high profile heavy maintenance projects for Network Rail and London Underground, which have included:
· Dolphin JCT 125mph ladder up-grade;
· Neasden Pre-Olympic heavy maintenance repair of the entire junction;
· Barnwood Junction -the removal of a temporary speed restriction (TSR), (due to the incorrect installation of new S&C, with the speed restriction having been in place for two years prior to the completion of our works);
· 75% reduction of TSRs within the Bristol Engineering area, (one of which reduced travel time between Taunton and Bristol by five minutes).
How can we make a difference?
With our experience lying at the extreme end of maintenance, we excel in repairing sites that many maintainers would rather avoid.
We have improved our techniques, by methodically following professional processes, developed over many years, which go further than the laid down railway standards.
Our unique formula identifies poor sections of track, using historical and present data and then creating a fully managed shared track quality program of works, that would look to eradicate TSR/ESR, poor 1/8th of mile cells, condition of track (COT) and switch & crossing lead lengths that require a full overhaul.
The graph shows an example of a whole line where we have completed works that has significantly reduced track recording vehicle (TRV) faults, by using our unique formula. This method has also improved track quality across the whole line because if the highest safety standard faults are removed completely, the lower safety standard faults are more manageable, reducing impact delays, improving TRV runs, raising track standards and releasing maintenance teams from firefighting faults, to focusing on day today maintenance.
For each individual site, we strive to work closely with the client by agreeing and sharing all the pictorial evidence and survey information gathered. This achieves the best results, while ensuring lessons can be learnt by the retention of information from previous works, which can also be used to support future works.
Our other services include:
A fully managed systematic maintenance and inspection regime for lengths, depots and sidings, ensuring areas are maintained as per seasonal requirements.
We can deliver cost effective price work packages and general railway services, which includes off track works (fencing, de-veg, drainage and litter clearance).
We realise that our clients require support for their various projects and daily needs so we can assist in providing call off multi-disciplined skilled operatives to the rail and construction industries, managerial, consultants and technical staff. We do not class ourselves as a ‘body shop’ and we strive to engage the highest quality staff we can, to deliver your work.
Future
We are always looking to improve our business, and we have recently created a design and development department, offering an opportunity for a design engineering student to work with us to assist in designing innovative products which includes track materials, plant and the development and creation of technical equipment for use on the railway. We look forward to sharing these with you in the future on RBD.
Where we are
We are based in Hampshire, which is ideally situated to provide our services to London, The South East, South West and Wales, though areas further afield can be supported.”
For more details visit www.hughes-ess.co.uk, email Iain Hughes at Iain.hughes@hughes-ess.co.uk or call 07845 200001.
Photo credit: Hughes Engineering and Support Services
