Maintenance Audit of Rock Rail’s Class 717 Fleet

Background

Rock Rail is a private investment company specialising in the financing of rolling stock for passenger train services.

Working in partnership with train operating companies, leasing companies, and other stakeholders in the rail industry, Rock Rail provides financing solutions through a ROSCO – Rolling Stock Company model, where it provides long-term financing for new trains that are then leased to train operating companies.

Rock Rail owns a fleet of 25 Class 717 units, each consisting of six cars. These units are in operation on inner-city London routes departing from Moorgate. Manufactured by Siemens, the units are presently under lease to Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and have been serving passengers since 2019.

The brief

To protect their assets, Rock Rail wanted an independent specialist team to conduct inspections on these Siemens units – from both the physical unit and maintenance perspective.

The project would provide insight into whether or not agreed-upon maintenance procedures were being adhered to.

Encompass was tasked with conducting the maintenance audit of the Rock Rail-owned Cl 717 Siemens-built units. The project involved taking sample unit condition assessments, evaluating relevant maintenance records, and reviewing change management processes and records.

The team was required to examine the current maintenance regime and provide recommendations on future maintenance regimes. The detailed audit had to include the processes and procedures related to Deferred Work Management, Overhaul Strategy and Preventative Maintenance Scheduling, Maintenance of Owner Owned Spares and Engineering Change Management.

The Solution

Led by an experienced Project Engineer, the Encompass team conducted a thorough visual inspection of 25% (6 units) of the Class 717 fleet, meticulously scrutinising the interior, exterior, and underframes.

They completed the assessment by conducting an extensive review of the cleaning activities and an in-depth maintenance audit – reviewing paperwork, processes and procedures.

Following the unit inspections, a comprehensive maintenance audit was carried out, focusing on Deferred Work Management, Overhaul Strategy, Preventative Maintenance Scheduling, Maintenance of Owner-Owned Spares, and Engineering Change Management associated with the Class 717 fleet.

A comprehensive review of these deliverables was completed through a combination of in-depth paperwork and physical checks of items at the depot. The analysis provided sights into whether the predefined and agreed-upon procedures were being adhered to and if improvements could be made.

The Result

The inspection resulted in the compilation of snag sheets, recommendations for enhancements and a comprehensive report detailing all their findings for the customer.

The snag sheets were used to identify the main areas of concern from a wear and tear and cleanliness perspective. They were also used to define glass case standards, outlining the quality standards for 35 items on a Class 717 EMU, which could be referred to when the unit was handed back.

The reports provided Rock Rail with a comprehensive assessment of the current condition of the class 717 fleet, an insight into how well the assets are maintained, and a redefining of standards for 35 different items, complete with a glass case sample booklet.

The report also included recommendations that Rock Rail can use to drive change or make amends to the existing processes to ensure the units continue to be well maintained and in optimal condition.

Testimonials

As the owner of the Class 717 fleet, we were pleased with the activities undertaken by Encompass Engineering during the audit, with the fleet having been in passenger service for approximately 5 years. The thorough inspections undertaken on a sample of the fleet have provided insight into the management by the TOC from both a physical asset and cleanliness perspective. These inspections, accompanied by the audit of Deferred Work, Overhaul Strategy, Preventative Maintenance Scheduling and Owner Owned Spares Maintenance, has provided a valuable insight to the current condition and status of the fleet.

— James Herriott. Engineering Director, Rock Rail

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Rock Rail and South Western Railway sought to take a more proactive approach to the maintenance of their Arterio fleet by installing an Automated Vehicle Inspection System (AVIS).

Chiltern Railways – Stourbridge depot noise management project

Chiltern Railways was receiving growing noise complaints from the community around their Stourbridge depot.

They asked us to carry out a noise assessment and develop a Noise Action Plan to address the issue and demonstrate their commitment to resolving the problem and making improvements.

Value stream mapping of rail sidings activities at Tyseley depot

West Midlands Trains has multiple depots across the UK where it carries out essential maintenance tasks. One of their key depots is Tyseley, in Birmingham.

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