Curriculum Vitae

Profile

Kevin is an experienced railway signal engineer with over 40 years experience in the industry. He specialises in the technical management of railway signalling design and related projects. His experience is very broad, including mechanical signalling, relay interlockings, computer based interlockings, transmission based systems including an industrial ERTMS Level 3 application. Kevin is also experienced in managing multi-disciplinary projects involving operations, human factors, software designers and systems engineers.

He has also been involved in safety assurance in several projects and through that has knowledge of the Common Safety Method (CSM).

Kevin has worked on several major control system and control centre projects (Network Management Centre, Victoria Line Upgrade, Traffic Management) and has a good understanding of operational principles and safety.

He has been involved in many major resignalling and development projects over the past 36 years e.g. Leicester Resignalling, London, Tilbury and Southend Resignalling, Railtrack Train Control System (TCS) Project and Network Management Centre (NMC). Kevin has worked both in the UK and abroad.

Kevin is a strong believer of providing a quality product that meets the customers requirements and for a previous employer, was pivotal in ensuring that his department achieved ISO 9001 certification.

Kevin believes that the key to a successful project is to ensure that it continually moves forward by the timely resolution of issues and constant communication. This method of working was very successful on the Network Management Centre Project where Kevin was the Engineering Manager. There were many issues concerning the design of the system and its functionality, and through communication and teamwork the issues were sufficiently resolved to enable the Software Requirements Specification to be completed on time.

Kevin is a very enthusiastic worker and always keen to learn, in the past he has gained a Bachelor of Arts degree and an Bachelor of Science, with Honours, with the Open University and has also learnt to fly light aircraft.

Kevin has been working as a consultant since1996 and runs a consultancy company to support this. He has therefore gained a practical commercial understanding of running a business and understands the need to meet customer aspirations.

Summary of Recent Projects

The following summarises projects that Kevin has contributed to over the past fifteen years, additional information and details concerning previous projects are available in his more extensive portfolio.

Central Line Control System Renewal

Kevin is on a short-term assignment to produce a set of contract requirements for the renewal of the Central Line Control System.

Victoria Line Upgrade Project 2

Kevin was responsible for the control and information aspects of the project on the London Underground project team, managing both internal and external suppliers. The main focus of the work was around the signalling control system. The VLU 2 project had a very aggressive programme and successfully carried out 27 commissioning’s in 47 weeks, with minimal closures. Kevin also undertook investigations into several signalling issues that arose during the project.

TMS First Deployment Project

Kevin was responsible for the development of the interfaces between the Thales ARAMIS product and the Siemens WESTCAD product and their interfaces with railway signalling systems. Kevin is also responsible railways technical aspects of for providing advice to other areas of the project on UK railway practice to enable the ARAMIS product to be tailored to the UK market. Kevin also assisted in the development of the new WESTCAD Signalling Control System HMI to bring it into line with modern HF principles and the development of a touch screen CCTV MCB level crossing control HMI. Kevin also participated in the Network Rail hazard analysis which used the CSM.

Neasden Upgrade Project

Kevin was responsible for the product approvals associated with Neasden Depot upgrade. His main responsibilities are to review technical documentation and safety case submissions and to recommend acceptance or otherwise of these submissions to the Safety Review Panel. Following the successful acceptance of the new products and the commissioning of Phase 1 Kevin is now working on the changes associated with Phase 2.

London Underground SSR Bid

Kevin was responsible for all aspects of the development of the Service Control Centre proposal for the Thales SSR bid.

Crossrail Project

Kevin was the Signalling Lead for the Crossrail Project, responsible for all signalling aspects of the project. The focus of the work that Kevin undertook was the generation of technical requirements for the Crossrail Central Area signalling system. Kevin also managed system modelling to understand the various constraints imposed on the system by the infrastructure. Kevin also managed the production of signalling plans and sketches for the Network Rail infrastructure areas of the Crossrail route to support the scheme design and capacity modelling. Currently Kevin is also responsible for all telecommunications aspects of the project.

East London Line Project (TfL)

Kevin was the Principle Engineer, Control Systems for the project. He was responsible for the signalling, telecoms, power and E&M aspects of the project. Managing the approval of preliminary design and the resolution of technical issues between the infrastructure controller (LU) and the project and also the resolution of technical queries from the contractor.

Victoria Line Upgrade (MRBCV)

Kevin was the Project Engineer (Systems) for the service control centre on the Victoria Line Project, working for Metronet BCV Ltd. He was responsible for all aspects of the project signalling, telecoms, traction etc. and also for the integration of the operational systems in to the building and operational railway, ensuring that requirements were met. Kevin managed the development of the concept design by Atkins Rail and for compiling the AIP documentation for submission to LU. Kevin also put in place the necessary processes to ensure that the project was successful e.g. systems engineering, assurance, engineering safety, requirements management, configuration control, human factors etc. Kevin was responsible for ensuring the correct human factors involvement and pivotal in gaining LU acceptance to the control room and workstation design from LU.

Victoria Line Upgrade (LU)

Kevin was the Asset Engineer for the Victoria Line upgrade project, working for London Underground’s Chief Engineers Directorate. He was responsible for representing LU’s technical interests at meetings with Metronet BCV, Bombardier and Westinghouse Rail Systems. Kevin also reviewed the AIP documentation, Signalling Principles Specification and Control Table Specification and also produced several papers on the implementation of a special signal aspect for high speed, non-passenger movements and the implementation of TSRs within the Distance to Go signalling system. During this assignment Kevin gained a good working knowledge of LU signalling philosophy and practices and the Westinghouse Distance to Go system.

El Teniente Copper Mine Railway, Chile

Kevin undertook an audit of an operational moving block transmission based signalling system, with ATP and ATO. The audit remit was to ascertain whether the new infrastructure would be capable of delivering 150,000 tons of ore per day. The audit was undertaken by Kevin and one other consultant, and involved assessing the signalling system, track, operations, rolling stock, traction, maintenance and safety. Kevin also undertook a follow on audit in December 2004.

Transport for London

Kevin reviewed PPP sub-contracts and advised TfL on the degree to which they represented ‘good industry practice’.

Network Management Centre

Kevin was the Principle Signal Engineer and Contractors Engineering Manger. He was responsible for:

·      Providing technical strategy, policy and direction to the NMC Project

·      Ensuring Compliance with Group and Company Standards

·      Ensuring that all project staff were competent in accordance with the relevant standards

·      Ensuring that the system met with the customer requirements

·      Providing advice and guidance to the systems and software teams within the NMC JPT

·      Ensuring there were robust and suitable processes in place to enable the development and design of both the NMC System and its interfaces to the existing infrastructure, including modification to existing signalling systems where necessary.

·      Liaison with client organisations

West Coast Main Line Project Conventional Signalling Project

While working on this project Kevin was the Senior Technical Manager. In this post he was responsible for the technical strategy of the conventional resignalling on the WCML between Euston, Crewe and Birmingham. This involved:

·      Developing the project scope and requirements

·      The initial scheme design, including: specification, scheme plans, layout risk analysis and signal sighting

·      Developing the equipment and control centre migration strategy

·      The assessment of new technologies from abroad for use on the WCML

·      Writing technical tender documentation

·      Assessing tender returns and recommending suitable tenderers

West Coast Main Line Signalling Strategy

In this post Kevin was responsible for developing various scenarios, scopes, migration strategies and estimates for the signalling strategy, which included the TCS project and conventional signalling works. This enabled the Project Directors to decide on the scope and migration path for the WCML Project.

He was involved in a strategic re-evaluation of the signalling strategy for the WCML, this was known as the Black Diamond Review. This review resulted in a proposal to resignal the WCML using conventional technologies with an ERTMS Level 2 overlay system. This proposal was subsequently accepted by the WCML and Railtrack Boards.

Kevin was also responsible for the collection of asset data on the WCML to support the business case and these strategies. This work involved developing an asset collection methodology and letting a contract to a consultancy to undertake and manage the subsequent data collection.

West Coast Main Line Train Control System Project

This project was remitted to develop a transmission based, ERTMS level 3 signalling system. The TCS system was initially being developed by two Companies and during this phase Kevin managed several of the development work packages.

Following this phase, tenders were invited to develop and implement a TCS system for the WCML. During this phase, Kevin was responsible for undertaking the technical evaluation of the trackside equipment proposals in the tenders.

After the contract was let, Kevin was appointed to the post of Chief Trackside Implementation Engineer, in the joint Alstom/Railtrack Project Team. He was responsible for the technical content of all the TCS trackside application design, which included all non-trainborne equipment.

Freight Upgrade Project

Kevin undertook an evaluation of the signalling works required to increase the freight capacity between the channel tunnel and Birmingham.

Virgin Cross Country Tilting train routes

Kevin investigated the implications of higher line speeds on the Virgin cross country routes, looking at impact on signalling and level crossings.

East West Rail Link

Kevin undertook an evaluation of the works required to establish a new train service between Cambridge and Oxford via Bedford and Bletchley, now known as the Varsity Line. Producing signalling proposals and estimates.

Channel Tunnel Rail Link

Kevin was the Design & Construction Manager, Signalling & Telecommunications, on the Railtrack interfaces team. He was responsible for undertaking the approval of alterations to Railtrack’s Infrastructure undertaken by London and Continental Railways which involved:

·      Devising, implementing and managing the S&T approvals processes within the requirements of the Suite of Agreements between Railtrack and LCR

·      Ensuring an adequate interdisciplinary interface

·      Providing technical assistance and input to RLE and its design processes

·      Seeking approval from Railtrack’s Zonal Engineers and other stakeholders for design proposals

·      Ensuring that all proposals and processes conformed to Railway Group Standards and Railtrack Line Standards

·      Selecting competent consultants to undertake the detailed technical approvals

London Tilbury and Southend Resignalling Project

Kevin was the Design Manger (S&T) and latterly the Project Design Manager for this project.  The project involved the resignalling of approximately 120 route km of railway, using Solid State Interlockings, Integrated Electronic Control Centre and Control Centre of The Future technologies. Other aspects of the project that Kevin was responsible for were overall design, safety and approval of the SIMBIDS works, Driver Only Operation, Tilbury Riverside Private Siding, Guard Assisted Monitors and SSI and IECC modifications.

Kevin’s general responsibilities were:

·      Ensuring that the design was carried out in accordance with the client’s requirements

·      Acting as the focal point within the project for the resolution of all signalling and telecommunications problems.

·      Managing the submission and approval of safety cases.

·      Managing the approval process for design, design concessions and derogation’s.

·      Ensuring that an adequate submission was made to Her Majesties Railway Inspectorate and obtaining HMRI approval for the works.

·      Reviewing contractors scope of works.

·      Preparing periodic progress reports and occasional technical reports.

·      Managing the interfaces between contractors and the various functions concerned.

IT Experience

Kevin is a very experienced user of all Microsoft Office applications. Additionally, he is very interested in web page design and has over the years designed many web pages using HTML, flash, PHP and MySQL and runs his own server for personal pleasure.

Academic Qualifications.

January 1996 – Bachelor of Science, first class, with honours.

January 1993 – Bachelor of Arts in computer science related subjects.

Professional Qualifications.

Member of the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers.

Member of the Institution of Electrical Incorporated Engineers.

Incorporated Engineer.