2016 – A year of international expertise brought to bear in the UK

2016 has been a successful year for Fenix Signalling, and a celebration of our first anniversary. The company has developed, through productive partnerships, a widening skills base and successfully delivered of some interesting and challenging projects in which our skills and experience have been successfully, tactically applied.

Eddie Murphy Fenix Projects Director – with over 25 years of industry experience across the signalling specialisms, has adapted his considerable overseas projects know-how to the UK sector. He returned to the UK after some years working in the Asia Pacific region, where he was part of the team that delivered the Mumbai Monorail – the first of its kind in India that opened in 2014. He has led the Fenix project team to successfully deliver a number of schemes in the past 18 months. In October he joined the Rail Industry Association Mission to Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur – a government-sponsored mission to identify rail opportunities in the regions, followed by a trip to Thailand to meet a potential local signalling partner. The trip was extremely successful for the delegation and Fenix was able to find new opportunities that will be explored next year. In particular, Fenix has been requested to provide training to young engineers in the region.

Eddie has also qualified as an IRSE Workplace Assessor in 2016 – more about that in the New Year.

The Pintsch Tiefenbach works in Sprockhovel, Germany, have welcomed Fenix engineers this year for product and application training linked to their computer-based depot control system. This equipment is currently being implemented at Banbury in the Chiltern Light Maintenance Depot. Fenix is delivering Grip 4-8 works for Buckingham Construction Group Ltd. on the signalling control system that includes the innovative PITB points system. In the early hours of 18th December, the Fenix team completed the commissioning of the stabling stage, adding two new sidings and two new ends of points to power (including clipping and padlocking). Congratulations to all of the team who assured a successful and timely completion.

We have welcomed new senior personnel this year in Hatton. Craig Purcell has taken on the Managing Director’s mantle and Fenix will benefit from the industry expertise and knowledge base in engineering consulting services on major projects. Geoff Clark – an established major works TIC – is leading as our Testing Manager; Geoff spent much of this year either across the border in the Scottish Highlands or on the Banbury implementation.

The RETB project in the Scottish Highlands is now complete. Fenix was retained by telent Telecommunications Ltd. for testing and design works on this complex scheme in some of the most remote and challenging locations in the UK. Phase 1 was implemented during winter storm conditions when the Train Protection Warning System (TPWS) signalling testing works on the West Highland Line was successfully delivered. This was the first part of the Radio Electronic Token Block (RETB) Next Generation project on the West Highland and Far North Lines.

The second phase involved commissioning of the TPWS on the Far North Line. The project’s successful completion called for a close collaborative relationship between Fenix Signalling and telent, with the site personnel working together in these unique and remote Far North locations.

Awards – Fenix were also mentioned in despatches at the recent Rail Media event in Derby, nominated for the “most interesting” award in connection with the RETB project.

Fenix Signalling will continue to forge new working relationships in the UK and overseas over the coming months. We shall be working with CAF Signalling based in Madrid on a consulting project requiring in-depth research and analysis for Network Rail interlocking and ETCS Level 2 application solutions in the UK. CAF is a company with significant in-house engineering expertise to work on “turn-key” railway signalling projects, and it already has recognition from several railway administrations in Europe (Spain), as well as America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Fenix Signalling continues to nurture young talent to ensure continuity of expertise for the rail signalling projects of “tomorrow”. During the summer we created an opportunity for 19-year-old Richard Hill to undertake work experience training before committing to a signalling design career. Richard was able to make a confident decision for his future and we wish him every success with his career.

We have provided successful mentorship support outside of the team and this will continue during next year, furthering our obligation to invest in the future of rail signalling as a realistic career choice .

Fenix will engage with all of the team on professional skill development training during 2017.

©2021 Fenix Rail Systems