Network Rail is seeking turnkey solutions for train-borne infrastructure monitoring to replace the existing life-expired fleet, meet increasing customer requirements, and deliver on regional strategic priorities.
IM Core Fleet Turnkey Solutions. Network Rail collects infrastructure monitoring data primarily from a fleet of dedicated infrastructure monitoring trains (aka ‘the yellow fleet’). It’s well recognised that the existing monitoring fleet is life expired, unpredictable and ripe for retirement. The Infrastructure Monitoring fleet is timetabled to measure a total of 217,344 miles per year across the majority of Network Rail infrastructure (including HS1). There are also 145,631 miles of planned ‘transit’ where trains are not recording infrastructure measurements. At a time when reliance on IM is increasing, meeting customer requirements with the current service is challenging. There is a huge pull from regions for increased, more reliable and predictable infrastructure monitoring as a minimum - so they can avoid putting additional boots on the ballast and have the capacity to deliver their CP7 commitments. The IM Programme has worked with customers to turn discussions into a set of requirements that meets devolution and regional strategic priorities. In 2022 and 2023, Network Rail’s Infrastructure Monitoring Programme undertook significant market engagement with the supply chain culminating in supply chain sessions being held in the first half of 2023. These sessions highlighted to Network Rail that ‘turnkey solutions’ for train-borne infrastructure monitoring that are interoperable with the British railway network, are already available from the market.