"Be clear on what you want" rail entrepreneurs advised

Technology and hardware are important, but “what really gets innovation into stations are people, sitting around a table and making decisions”, remarked Brian Wortman of Network Rail to delegates at the half day session in London.

Brian spoke warmly about the Station Innovation Zone trials at Bristol Temple Meads station – led by Connected Places Catapult on behalf of Network Rail – and also called for the setting up of a rail forum to “look at what is happening in the innovation space, agree what is of strategic interest and outline a pipeline of testing to align what SMEs offer with what industry needs”.

Asked why so many promising rail innovations stall between trial and procurement, he replied that there is a “lot of siloed working” in the sector, “with hundreds of stakeholders with a view of their station, and a myriad of systems to accommodate”.

He advised SMEs looking to pitch their ideas to be “clear about what they want to achieve” and to recognise it might not be Network Rail who ends up buying their innovation, but the Innovation Zone gives a fantastic opportunity to showcase their capabilities to the wider industry.

Fellow panellist Rosie Richardson of Createc – an SME from cohort one of the Station Innovation Zone – said she often sees a “complete lack of understanding” from the rail industry and funding bodies around “what it takes to build a product in the real world, especially if it involves hardware. It takes five years, minimum”.

She added that clients tend to want to “buy something completely risk-free – and want someone to have done it first – which is a huge challenge”.

Rosie was asked who decides when an innovation is ready. “The buyer decides,” she replied. “It is easy for SMEs to think their innovation is ready, but I urge them to continually ask buyers exactly what they require in detail.”

Marcus Carmichael of the Rail Safety & Standards Board remarked that when it comes to taking forward new ideas, the rail sector is very good at working together at a local level, between organisations and in control teams. But trying to take innovation to another rail route elsewhere can lead to other teams saying they have very different requirements, “and that is where a lot of this falls down; it can feel like one step forward, two steps back”.

But he pointed out that the Rail Technical Strategy – endorsed by senior industry leaders – sets a vision for what the industry wants to achieve by 2040, helping to create a clear direction for focusing on research and innovation.

Being brave to move the needle forward

Another session focused on ways to help commercialise innovation and heard from Ben Martin, change lead for industry finance at Network Rail.

“There is something about being brave as a client; if you are not brave you are never going to move the needle forward. The other thing is curiosity: if you are not curious you will stagnate.”

Ben Martin, change lead for industry finance at Network Rail.

He advised SMEs looking to get on in rail to remember that “even if you don’t get to secure investment from a private equity company, you will come out of the process so much better; so that the next time you pitch, you are more likely to get that investment”.

Connected Places Catapult’s engagement manager for rail, Jeremy Allen said that not all SMEs need advice on how best to get their idea market ready: some need help with finance, others with how to scale their business or where to secure a mentor.

He commended SMEs who “go out on a limb and try something that has not been done before” and show “real determination” to keep going despite being told ‘No’. “We need to acknowledge that SMEs are trying something difficult and need to be given fair crack of the whip.

“As an industry, sometimes we build stuff and say we are ‘ready to go’ and then start looking for customers,” he added. “But let’s not start building stuff before more fully looking at who is the customer, as hopefully that will better help us get from bright idea to ‘go live’ because the customer is more ready to accept it.”

Department for Business & Trade’s senior policy advisor for rail, Ivan Youd said the Procurement Act 2023 – introduced earlier this year and backed by the Innovation Procurement Empowerment Centre – aimed to maximise benefits to the UK. It offers greater use of broader economic, environmental and social criteria spending promises to help support rail SMEs when bidding to win work.

Ivan added that innovations from start-ups could boost the UK’s export potential too, and he spoke about the development of the new Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) in South Wales which is leading to contracts being signed between small technology companies and rail buyers, or investments being made in SMEs, that have had their Department-funded projects successfully demonstrated at the GCRE site.

The event also heard that innovations are also being taken forward through the Rail Supply Group Innovation Charter.

Working hard to say ‘yes’ at Bristol

Another session focused on the Station Innovation Zone testbed at Bristol Temple Meads, and looked at what lessons have been learned. Network Rail station manager Bernadette Sachse said: “We work hard to say ‘Yes’ and bring innovations on board, and that means collaborating with many individual departments who make stations work.

“Our key thought is our passengers: keeping them at the forefront of our minds around potential impacts. We ensure staff across the station are aware of the purpose of the trials, so they are ready to answer queries from passengers about innovation on show at the station.”

Bernadette added that a successful trial is one that is undertaken safely and positively, has minimal impact on station operation and does not attract complaints.

For other stations considering being a rail testbed, her advice is to go for it.

“Fully embrace it, be positive and reap the rewards of seeing all this great technology and amazing people come through the trials; demonstrating what they can do.”

Bernadette Sachse, Network Rail station manager

Panel chair Giulia Lorenzini from Connected Places Catapult asked the speakers what makes a trial successful. Her colleague, consultant George Wardell said it is about making sure the right questions are asked – and the right challenges to solve are established – at the start of a trial, to help SMEs put forward their best solutions.

It is also important to make sure that technology is suited to stations, which tend to be very risk adverse environments. “Bringing in the right people who can give you access and manage risk is really important,” he said.

George went on to say that one of the biggest challenges with a trial is having enough time to collect valuable data. Generating meaningful ‘qualitative’ data about the impact of a technology on a station and its passengers can be hard, but is possible, he added.

Founder of start-up company Co-You – a participant in year two of the Station Innovation Zone – Christian Kerrigan said the trial at Bristol Temple Meads was an “amazing experience” in terms of its ability to take a product – in their case a technology that captures carbon – from a laboratory to a real-world environment, and offering access to Network Rail managers.

The trial also opened up opportunities to discuss trials with new partners on other projects, he said. “We wouldn’t have been able to access the rail market without the trial,” he said. “It was a really comfortable and engaged process.

“My advice to SMEs is keep an eye on Connected Places Catapult’s website as there is an amazing range of opportunities available.”

Read more about the Station Innovation Zone. Applications for Year Four of the Station Innovation Zone will be welcomed shortly.

Hear Sir Andrew Haines of Network Rail talk about the Station Innovation Zone