AGENDA ITEM: A3
MEETING:
RSSB Board Meeting
DATE:
05 March 2015
SUBJECT:
Innovation report on 2014-15 progress
SPONSOR:
Chris Fenton
AUTHOR:
David Clarke
____________________________________________________________
1.
Purpose
1.1
To update the board on progress of the Innovation Programme and confirm that the
delegated governance responsibilities have been properly carried out.
2.
Background
2.1
The RSSB board has delegated the governance of significant research and
innovation funds to the Technical Strategy Leadership Group (TSLG) as part of the
FutureRailway Programme which also includes funds under Network Rail Control.
Taken together these funds equal at least £125m over CP5 before co-funding. The
governance arrangements are summarised in Annex E. This annual report
summarises the achievements of the RSSB managed elements of the
FutureRailway Programme during 2014-15.
3.
Progress in the first year of the 5-year plan
3.1
A major achievement has been the expansion of the Rail Technical Strategy (RTS)
into a comprehensive long term development plan. This has involved the creation
of nine portfolios (eg rolling stock, infrastructure, command and control etc) each
led by an industry champion to map out the activities to deliver the RTS vision.
Further details are provided in Annex A. This work has led to an evaluation and
prioritisation methodology which is informing the process of refreshing the 5-year
rolling plan which is further detailed in Annex C and which will be presented for
TSLG approval on 12 March and RDG (T&O) endorsement on 18 March 2015.
3.2
The other major achievement during the year has been the steady progress of
research and innovation projects. In March 2014 RDG (T&O) group endorsed the
TSLG plan to draw down £18.9m from the £52m HLOS Enabling Innovation Fund
(EIF) to support the FutureRailway programme of innovation activities. This
programme built on the earlier £33.5m activity funded by DfT. During the year a
further grant of £16.4m was received from DfT which allowed the programme to be
expanded significantly.
3.3
In accordance with these plans since March 2014 the FutureRailway Programme
has had TSLG authority to launch significant new activities to seek solutions to the
challenges identified in the RTS including:

Sustainable Rail Vehicle Programme (Rolling Stock Portfolio)
o Tomorrows Train Design Today
o Predictable and Reliable Braking £4.5m
o Powertrain £4m
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AGENDA ITEM: A3




CCC Portfolio
o FuTRO Demonstrators £1.5m
o Compass £2m (largely funded from 2013/14)
Train Operator Challenge £6m
Customer Experience (with Innovate UK) £3m
Sector Skills Strategy £0.5m
These newly authorised programmes build on those commenced before April 2014 which
are now starting to produce results. Annex B provides some brief case studies.
4.
Governance
4.1
The governance arrangements for the FutureRailway Programme were presented
to RSSB board in a 3 July 2014 paper and are summarised in Annex E.
4.2
During the year TSLG has followed these arrangements. The annual plan was
approved on 13 March 2014. Authorisation of individual projects is delegated to
TSLG Core Group who meet approximately monthly and consider monthly progress
reports and formal requests to authorise expenditure. At these meetings TSLG Core
Group receive financial reports prepared by the RSSB Finance Team as illustrated
by Annex D. Work is in hand to improve the detail provided by these reports.
The TSLG Core Group currently consists of:
Members
Gary Cooper
Jerry England
Chris Fenton
Tim Gilbert
Francis How
Anson Jack
Jane Simpson
Guy Woodroffe
Alistair Gordon
(Train Operator member)
(Chair of TSLG and NR member)
(CEO RSSB)
(SIC Chairs Group Chair)
(Supplier member)
(RSSB Member)
(NR support to Chair)
(RDG T&O Group –alternate to Alistair Gordon)
(RDG T&O Group)
The decisions of the group are minuted and a summary is provided after every
meeting to all members of TSLG.
4.3
An interim Programme Manager (pending the appointment of a permanent role)
has been appointed to:




4.4
Design and document processes
Review (and complete any gaps in documents where necessary) for
awards to date
Ensure processes are compliant with procurement and State Aid requests
Provide reports for stakeholders
It is proposed that an update on the FutureRailway Programme will be provided to
every second RSSB board meeting.
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AGENDA ITEM: A3
5.
Recommendations
5.1
Directors are asked to:



NOTE the progress with the FutureRailway Programme and to
NOTE the application of the delegated governance arrangements by the
Technical Strategy Leadership Group
NOTE the intention to provide programme updates to every other RSSB
board meeting
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AGENDA ITEM: A3
Annex A: Rail Technical Strategy Progress
The Rail Technical Strategy (RTS) is being expanded into a comprehensive long term
development plan. This has involved the creation of nine portfolios (e.g. rolling stock,
infrastructure, command and control etc.) each led by an industry champion to map out
the activities to deliver the RTS vision.
Nine industry portfolio groups have been established the c70 benefits maps are now
largely complete and the 50 (approx.) significant programme evaluation frameworks are
nearing completion. The outputs from the extensive work by expert industry groups and
the review of the evaluation process have revealed many insights and these will be
considered in the further development of the process.
The portfolio mapping process has allowed expert advice and judgement to be captured
to define a programme of technology development to deliver the vision set out in the RTS.
It has provided a much richer understanding of the value and priorities through the
portfolio mapping and evaluation process and will lead to modelled, whole system
concepts to ascertain the contribution of the plan to addressing actual industry
challenges.
The process is auditable and the main steps are: a) map portfolio and define costs, their
timings and benefits; b) input these to the evaluation framework (and retain the ability to
track the source of the data); c) plot the user benefit/4C grids for each significant
programme d) aggregate these across the portfolio; e) aggregate these across the whole
strategy.
The prospective benefits have been quantified and this information is summarised in
Table 1 below. The results validate the assumptions made in developing the 2014/15
annual plan that the CC&C, Infrastructure and Rolling Stock portfolios have the potential
to deliver significant benefits and this will be reflected in the budgeting for the refresh of
the 5-year plan. The portfolio mapping has also highlighted the significant potential
benefits that can be realised through the customer experience portfolio and the 2015/16
plan will increase the planned levels of investment in this area to recognise this.
Order of magnitude costs have also been assessed for each of the significant
programmes as shown in Figure 1. This will assist in the next step of prioritisation of high
value, or highly enabling programmes of work that address recognised industry
challenges.
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AGENDA ITEM: A3
Ranking Portfolio
NPV for Benefits
(£m)
10050
5yr Budget from 2014
plan
22.7
1
Control, Command and
Communication (CCC)
2
Infrastructure
5730
24.2
3
Customer Experience
4010
11.1
4
Rolling Stock
2780
17.5
5
Information
1880
8.9
6
Energy
1860
3.8
7
Whole System
1220
Enabling
8
People
430
Enabling
9
Innovation
Not yet evaluated
Enabling
Table 1 Indicative benefits by portfolio compared to previous (2014) 5-year
budget allocation
Figure 1 Indicative Benefit v Cost plot for significant programmes (not yet fully
reviewed)
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AGENDA ITEM: A3
Annex B: Innovation Project Progress
Closed Competitions
‘Batteries Included’ the Independently Powered EMU (IPEMU)
This was a collaboration with Network Rail, EIT,
Abellio and Bombardier to demonstrate a
battery/electric hybrid EMU is capable of performing a
railway duty cycle. The FutureRailway Programme
contributed c£3m of the £9m budget.
This is a very real example of addressing the
“innovation gap”. Research evidence suggested that
such a hybrid was feasible however it was clear that
there would be no further progress until a physical
demonstrator could prove the concept in reality.
Following its retrofitting and trials at test tracks in
Derby and Leicestershire in 2014, the modified
Class 379 Electrostar battery-powered train
successfully completed a five week operational trial
Essex. The project demonstrates the viability of an
eco-friendly battery-powered train with the potential
reduce the cost of electrification schemes by
requiring less wiring.
in
to
Aesthetic Overhead line
With the advent of a new north-south high speed rail link and
National Rail network preparing for further electrification, the
FutureRailway Programme, in partnership with HS2 has
asked the question; “can the design of gantries and
cantilever structures be made more aesthetically pleasing
at low cost?” This competition was run in conjunction with
and supported by DfT SBRI funding.
This £600k design competition
received 67 entries from which 10
shortlisted. Following a public
exhibition at the National Railway
Museum these three designs have
selected for further development and
prototyping.
the
and
HS2
were
been
Avoidance of Bridge Reconstruction
Recognising that approximately 25% of the cost of
electrification is structure clearance this £3m competition cofunded by Network Rail will fund nine demonstrator projects
providing alternatives to reconstruction.
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AGENDA ITEM: A3
Radical Train
This was a challenge to identify
industry proposals for new ideas
which would be a step change in
rolling stock. Seven projects have
been awarded a total of £5.3m of cofunding.
Tomorrows Train Design Today
This £3.5m competition posed two challenges, one to
address the 4C’s for longer term train design and the other to
provide adaptable interiors to address changing needs of
TOC’s between peak and off-peak. 48 entries were originally
received and this was reduced to 10 that were funded to
carry out feasibility studies. Following presentation of the
feasibility studies three have been selected to a
demonstration stage. These are an adaptable carriage to carry low density, high value
freight, a convertible seat and a double deck train design that fits within the UK loading
gauge.
Innovation in Franchising
RSSB, the FutureRailway Programme and the Transport Systems Catapult have been
advising the DfT Rail Executive on how to incorporate innovation in future franchises since
2013.This has resulted in the creation of the Innovation in Franchising Funding
Scheme (IiF_FS) mechanism. RSSB (FutureRailway Programme) will administer the
scheme on behalf of the Rail Delivery Group.
The East Coast franchise recently awarded to Virgin
Trains East Coast (Stagecoach / Virgin) will be the first to
include this new innovation scheme which will allocate
1% of franchise revenue to fund an innovation
programme.
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AGENDA ITEM: A3
2014/15 Competitions
Predictable and Optimised Braking
This £4m competition is seeking novel technical solutions which can provide increased
braking performance and reliable braking rates, independent of wheel rail adhesion. The aim
is to develop braking systems that can be fitted to new and suitable existing UK trains such
they can be used on the UK mainline network without modification to the existing track and
signalling infrastructure. 17 entries were received and it is expected to take c6 to feasibility
studies with the most successful been taken on to a demonstration phase.
Powertrain
The £4.5m competition is seeking novel technical solutions which can provide improved
energy efficiencies for self-powered vehicles. The competition will include two phases with
successful applicants funded to carry out an initial feasibility study to investigate the
technical and commercial viability of their proposed solutions. The most promising
applications will receive funding to further develop and demonstrate the powertrain system.
Customer Experience Challenge Competition
The FutureRailway programme and Innovate UK are providing £6m of funding to support
business innovation in digital technologies that improve the customer experience in UK and
international rail markets. Proposals are expected to respond to the following challenges:










Freight customer
Passenger: end-to-end journey
Customer research: social and emotional profiling
Passenger: rail journey
The train journey: use of time
Passenger facilities and engagement
Friendly big brother (a railway customer database)
Real-time information
Cycling/access to railway stations
Station of the future
Train Operator Challenge (TOC 15)
This £6m competition will launch on Tuesday 17 March 2015 and is intended to complement
the Department for Transport's recently launched Innovation in Franchising (IiF) programme.
The competition aims to help train operators to de-risk potential step change innovations and
is open to all passenger train operators and owning groups and supply chain
partners/consortia.
COMbined Positioning Alternative Signalling System (COMPASS)
This £4m competition co funded with Network Rail aims to develop to a system that will enable
trains to continue to move when the current signal system fails. It will provide signallers with
an alternative and more accurate view of a train's position, speed and direction of travel.
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AGENDA ITEM: A3
Annex C: The 2015 refresh of the 5-year plan
The potential benefits identified from the portfolio mapping are for the implementation of the
whole of the Rail Technical Strategy (RTS). There will be a variety of approaches necessary
to deliver the RTS as illustrated in Figure 2 below.
Figure 2 Approaches to delivering the RTS
The approaches to delivering the RTS as illustrated in Figure 2 can be summarised as
follows:
1. High risk, high benefit activities where there is a market gap are the activities which
should be targeted by the FutureRailway programme.
2. Lower risk, increasing benefit activities would be expected to be addressed by the
supply chain and initiatives such as the Innovation in Franchising programme.
3. High risk, low benefit activities should not be progressed
4. This leaves many middle risk, middle benefit activities which wider industry will need
to progress. These include activities where the technology is known and understood
but there needs to be a ‘nudge’ towards implementation. The development of a
business case for the acceleration of known technology by Digital Railway is a good
example of this.
The benefits maps from the portfolio mapping exercise have been reviewed and sorted into
the four categories described above for further prioritisation. The category 1 high risk/ high
benefit activities for research or demonstration are summarised in Table 2 below. This table
details the priorities for funding by the 2015 programme from the £52m Enabling Innovation
Fund and the RSSB Strategic Research Fund and from any additional funding DfT may
provide.
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AGENDA ITEM: A3
The planning assumption is that the FutureRailway Programme will deploy at least £15m
from the £52m enabling innovation fund in 2015/16 and will plan on the possibility of an
additional £15m of funding from DfT. In the next stage of developing the plan budget will be
allocated to the prospective research and demonstration projects identified in Table 2.
The full FutureRailway programme put forward for endorsement in March will also include
the £50m Network Rail Strategic Research and Development Fund. To support the
finalisation of the plan Network Rail are currently concluding consultations with the Routes
and Professional Heads which will lead to and understanding of the short, medium and long
term challenges from the infrastructure management perspective (2+ years, 5+years and
10+years), building on the initial consultation work that was undertaken to inform
development of the June 2013 NRTS. These challenges will be used to validate the
infrastructure management perspective incorporated in the Significant Programmes of the
portfolio groups and will enable gaps to be identified and plugged. In particular these inputs
are expected to validate priority challenges across the infrastructure.
Table 2 – Next Page - Potential new Research and Demonstration activities derived
from the prioritisation and categorisation of the Portfolio Map benefits.
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