Sheffield’s digital transport solutions provider, 3Squared together with Rail Professional Development (RPD) Inspire has secured a contract to deliver a number of digital and traditional training solutions for the East Coast Digital Programme through London North Eastern Railway (LNER) and Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR).
Heralded as the ‘flagship digital programme’ for Network Rail’s Control Period 6 (CP6), 3Squared will provide the digital solutions and RPD Inspire the operational and driver training expertise to support the development of familiarisation and training of drivers on European Train Control Systems (ETCS). Providing consultative support to help shape and deliver the overall industry driver training programme for ECDP, 3Squared and RPD Inspire will offer a blended learning environment, bringing together modern adult learning techniques and effective management of simulation with new digital solutions.
Paul Durrant Managing Director RPD Inspire comments
“Working with 3Ssquared provides a unique opportunity to fully integrate digital technology with ETCS driver training and improve methodology, resource availability and competence.”
Tim Jones, Managing Director of 3Squared, comments:
“We are delighted to be working with RPD Inspire, playing an integral part in the East Coast Digital Programme , which is such a significant and ambitious project within CP6. This will create a new model for industry investment and growth. It is the first step of the digital network strategy and long-term deployment plan, projecting strong growth for future opportunities across the UK rail industry, creating a dynamic railway fit for the future.
“Delivering a digital railway is fundamentally about changing how the railway is operated and maintained. It is about showcasing the sustained benefits it will provide to customers, stakeholders and funders, and reveals how a new operating reality can be underpinned by world standard technologies for in-cab train control and traffic management.
“The application of a digital railway takes a conventional railway from one that is discontinuous, proprietary and fixed, to the worse case scenarios with intermittent safety provision. It transforms it to a railway that is continuous and interoperable, enabling each train to run to its capability while maximising the safety of the railway. This project will have a tremendous impact on the rail sector in the mid to long-term, enabling a reduction in the overall cost of maintenance and the capability to dynamically flex capacity.”
3Squared already works with the ETCS in mainland Europe, supporting operators and standards teams as drivers, crew and ground staff are transitioned to new ways of working. Using tools such as its RailSmart® EDS, 3Squared supports a wide range of organisations to manage change, create and identify training needs and schedules a blend of classroom-based learning, assessments and interactions.
In addition, 3Squared provides its RailSmart Virtual Academy platform; a learning management system used to deliver eLearning courses, virtual instructor led training and micro simulation, delivering a learning experience that adapts to the training needs of today’s busy, time sensitive organisations where resources are tight.
RPD Inspire is the GB rail’s leading supplier of ETCS driver training, having worked on the development of ETCS national driver training strategy with national project, awareness programme with Network Rail’s People Capability Team and ETCS implementation with MTR Elizabeth Line, Great Western Railway and GTR.
