A UNIQUE training centre to help prepare transport providers and the emergency services for major incidents on the railway has opened in Birmingham.
The Birmingham Rail Resilience Hub has been created by Network Rail’s Central route to train and develop teams alongside train operators, the police, fire and ambulance services.
The true-to-life training ground – which includes tracks, trains, level crossings, and all the other equipment and hazards found on the railway – have been mocked up in a purpose-built facility so teams involved in managing emergency situations are prepared and ready to deal with them.
It allows for close partnership working between organisations, a better understanding of the challenges there will be in real life scenarios, and the opportunity to learn and improve together in a safe environment.
The new centre puts the West Midlands at the forefront of emergency planning and will be a focal point for supporting training and learning nationwide.
It was officially opened by Denise Wetton, Network Rail’s central route director, and Martin Colmey, central route’s operations director, before hosting its first emergency exercise to demonstrate the types of scenarios and learning which can take place there.
Denise Wetton, Network Rail’s Central route director, said staff worked around the clock to ensure railways ran safely for passengers and freight.
“Every day, we work round-the-clock to keep the railway running safely for passengers and freight across Britain.
“We hope the scenarios which will be tested here never happen, but training and learning in this way will help everyone be prepared and ready.”
The emergency exercise demonstrated how the rail industry and emergency services would respond to vehicles being struck by a train on a level crossing.
With passengers on board, it was shown how the area would be assessed and made safe, before trapped and injured people were rescued, and an investigation into what happened began ahead of reopening the railway.
Organisations involved in the exercise included West Midlands Police, British Transport Police, West Midlands Ambulance Service, West Midlands Fire Service, and Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service.
Rebecca Hodgkins, Operations Station Commander at West Midlands Fire Service, said it was fantastic to collaborate with Network Rail and their fellow blue light partners.
Other organisations involved and in attendance included Nimski which provided role-play actors for the exercise and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) which independently investigates accidents to improve railway safety, and inform the industry and the public.
