How Network Rail's R&D team is innovating to tackle age-old challenges

Ambassadors of Innovation | February 2022

We spoke to R&D Project Manager Danielle Stephenson who is part of Network Rail's diverse team finding innovative solutions to some age-old challenges on our railways. 
Danielle’s career has not been a typical one, taking her from supplier to client and to supplier back to client again.

She started working in construction after her A levels, joining VolkerFitzpatrick as an Administrator aged 17, before working her way up to Senior Document Controller and then moving into design. She was then recruited by Network Rail to work as a Design Consultant on London Bridge. After a short period working for Volker again, she returned to Network Rail as Project Manager in the R&D team. 

Her focus since re-joining Network Rail has been on a variety of projects around safety, security and operations. One such example is the Security Surveillance Analytics (SSA) project – to use video technology and AI to monitor crowd density and safety. It allows the team to assess the passenger experience in a station, such as those in wheelchairs or relying on guide dogs, as well as to perform hostile reconnaissance, in other words alerting station teams to potential violence or weapons in the station. 
 
The project, which is being trialled at London Bridge, is delivered by Ipsotek and the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC)/One Big Circle collaboration, both RIA Members. Danielle explains that the team recently held a successful simulation event at the station with the British Transport Police (BTP), to identify unusual behaviours on the station such as the use of weapons or aggressive behaviour. During the exercise the armed BTP brought real weapons (without ammunition!) and simulated activities that would pose risks to passengers. Luckily, all passengers were made aware of the exercise, so it shouldn't have been too alarming an experience. [Image left: from the SSA simulation at London Bridge Station, idenityfing a weapon]

Platform End and Edge

Another project she is leading is ‘Platform End and Edge’, which is installing units to monitor trespassing on the railway at stations around the country, some of which are able to use solar or wind power [example pictured below]. Despite being delayed due to Coronavirus, they have partnered with four suppliers to install eight systems on seven different stations.

It is a good example of working with routes across the network, including North West and Central and Western. The R&D trial concludes on the 31 March 2022, but the team are currently liaising with the station teams and routes to understand the benefits of leaving the units to gather more data and prove their effectiveness over a longer period of time. 
 
Danielle emphasises how dangerous it is for those trespassing and how it can be expensive for the industry and delays passengers traveling on the trains. She stresses that this project will enable a quicker response to trespass incidents: "If we know what’s happening quickly this technology may be able to stop a trespass incident from occurring".

Getting Innovation right

According to Danielle the impact of innovation is clear: “Seeing the R&D projects in progress makes you realise how much it is needed”. For example, the SSA technology could mean the BTP no longer have to trawl through hours of CCTV. It’s also having a real impact on decisions to improve the passenger experience. “Why would you not want this technology?”, Danielle asks.

However, there is also a clear challenge to communicate this work. “[Network Rail] sometimes struggles with internal communication, sometimes leading to duplication of work that is already covered.”, Danielle tells us.

Complexity also adds an obstacle to the innovation journey. She explains that the recent Network Rail reorganisation into regions and routes meant that different regions adapted how they worked to suit the individual customer needs. This was right in terms of the customer but in practice it has led to a variation in process which can add complexity and sometimes duplication, according to Danielle. 

"Seeing the R&D projects in progress makes you realise how much it is needed.” 

Danielle Stephenson, Project Manager at Network Rail R&D

Are things changing?

Danielle is clear that there is progress being made, for example to speed up the journey from proof of concept to helping routes and regions roll out a solution. She highlights that the R&D phase of a project typically ends before arrangements are made to buy solutions at scale. With the security and surveillance analytics product, however, she tells us they are working with technical leads and regional procurement teams to get the solution deployed.  

Danielle’s last two years have of course been working through the pandemic, which has added additional complexity for her team, telling us: “[We] are now really feeling the pressure to ensure we get a return on investment and promote innovation demonstrating tangible benefits to the industry, and with good reason”. But she is optimistic about the future of her team and their ability to make this happen, who are working on a plethora of projects to make the railways more user-friendly, safer, greener and cost-effective.

“Inclusivity empowers more women of all backgrounds to be more ambitious to achieve our goals and fulfil our full potential.” 

Danielle Stephenson, Project Manager at Network Rail R&D

What still needs to change?

To wrap up, we asked her what the one thing about the industry she would change - her answer: “There needs to be more diversity in directorship roles across the industry". She tells us that Network Rail is working hard to address this, highlighting how Robert Ampomah, Network Rail’s Chief Technology Officer [pictured right], has brought a new perspective, and his way of managing has resonated across the organisation.

“Inclusivity empowers more women of all backgrounds to be more ambitious to achieve our goals and fulfil our full potential”, she concludes. 

Join our 2022 Innovation Conference
  • Our award-winning Innovation Conference on 26-27 April - RIA's flagship innovation event which will include an exhibition area, a showcase of Network Rail's R&D Portfolio, keynote speeches from industry leaders and plenty of networking! 
    • Network Rail's Robert Ampomah and Sir Peter Hendy CBE will be speaking at the Conference, alongside innovation leads from most major clients including HS2 and TfL.