Led by President Claire Porter, a delegation from the Institution of Railway Signalling Engineers has undertaken a tour of Hong Kong and mainland China as part of an effort to raise awareness of the body. IRSE is keen to establish a local section in Beijing, and discussions were held with Professor Ning Bin, President of Beijing Jiaotong University, for a technical convention. Network Rail is funding a paid internship programme targeting recent university graduates. The UK infrastructure manager launched the Track & Train initiative in partnership with 27 other employers in the rail industry; a paid placement of 18 months will be offered to 100 young people who have graduated in the past two years but who have been unable to secure graduate-level employment. ADIF and Sener will work together on training programmes for research and technical staff, and Sener will join ADIF’s Railway Technology Centre at the Parque Tecnológico de Andalucía in Málaga, which currently co-operates with more than 25 railway technology companies. Anti-corrosion specialist NOF Metal Coatings Group has established a research and training facility at its European technical centre in Creil near Paris. The company will hold a series of seminars and practical laboratory demonstrations for ‘all the members of the anti-corrosion lamellar zinc industry’ and customers from a range of market sectors including rail.

UK: Infrastructure manager Network Rail formally announced plans to form 'alliances' between its operational regions and franchised passenger train operating companies on January 23, saying this would streamline decision-making and deliver 'a more passenger-focused operation at lower cost'. Framework agreements have been reached with Abellio Greater Anglia, which takes over the Greater Anglia franchise on February 5, and incumbent operators c2c, ScotRail, Northern and Southeastern, while 'discussions continue with all other operators'. There will be separate agreements with each train operator, but all will include working together to plan infrastructure maintenance work and develop projects which improve efficiency or train punctuality. Network Rail and the TOCs will remain ultimately accountable for their own areas of responsibility, and staff will remain with their current employer under existing terms and conditions. 'Working more closely with the train operators, with decision-making devolved to the front line and better-aligned incentives, will, I believe, bring substantial benefits', said Network Rail Chief Executive David Higgins. 'The alliances will deliver a better service for passengers and freight users and at lower overall cost to the taxpayer.' Key principles for the alliances have been agreed, but discussions are continuing and final government and regulatory approval will be needed; Network Rail said the interests of other operators would be protected. A different model of 'deep alliance' is being developed between Network Rail's Wessex Route and South West Trains. This could see the formation of a single joint management team covering what SWT Managing Director Tim Shoveller says is 'one of the busiest commuter networks in Europe'. For in-depth analysis of the privatised UK rail industry, subscribe to Rail Business Intelligence.

RUSSIA: RZD President Vladimir Yakunin and Patentes Talgo President Carlos Palacio Oriol signed an agreement on January 25 that will see the Spanish manufacturer work with the Russian Railway Research Institute to develop rolling stock for RZD network. This covers the design, assembly and testing of three gauge-changing trainsets for the Moscow - Berlin route, as well as four 200 km/h trainsets to operate between Moscow and Kyiv. The agreement was signed in Madrid in the presence of Spain's new Development Minister Ana Pastor, who described it as 'a further step in the already long and fruitful partnership between Spain and Russia in the field of railways'. She also signalled Spain's willingness to bid for contracts to build the high speed line between Moscow and St Petersburg, 'given our obvious experience and capability'.

AUSTRALIA: Responsibility for the management, maintenance and upgrading of the New South Wales government's regional rail network transferred from the Country Rail Infrastructure Authority to contractor John Holland with effect from January 15. More than 300 employees have transferred to John Holland, which now has a directly employed workforce 'in excess of 400'. John Holland expects revenue of around A$1·5bn during the 10-year contract period. CRIA retains ownership of the network, and will provide strategic direction and oversee the management contract. 'Today's milestone builds on our ongoing push into the transport services sector and our capacity to deliver maintenance and operations services to large scale public and private-sector transport networks', said Karl Mociak, Executive General Manager of John Holland's Transport Services business. The Country Regional Network comprises 2 386 km of operational freight and passenger lines and 3 139 km of non-operational lines. New South Wales has two other state rail networks; the Metropolitan Network is owned by RailCorp, while the Leased Network covering Interstate and Hunter Valley routes is owned by CRIA and leased to ARTC.