Tony joined us on day one, back in 2018. Since then, he’s been at the centre of our operations – supporting teams across surveying, monitoring, planning, drainage, commercial delivery and more.

His promotion marks a natural next step both for Tony and for the business.

We caught up with Tony to talk about what comes next.

The natural step forward

“We’re not a small company anymore. We’ve got more than 75 people in our team now, and the way we operate should reflect that” Tony commented.

“My immediate focus is clearer reporting, tighter KPIs, and better visibility across every department so we can make smarter decisions day to day. We’re not reinventing anything – we’re maturing what we already do.”

Tony has always played a hands-on role within the business. This next chapter gives him the structure to take that even further.

Protecting our team

Tony steps into the role at a time when the wider rail industry is feeling the pressure. CP7 is progressing slower than expected, major programmes have been paused or pushed back, and uncertainty continues across the sector.

As Tony puts it:

“Everyone can see what’s happening across the industry with work being deferred, programmes slowing down and uncertainty everywhere. This isn’t the time to be focusing on massive growth.

Instead, it’s the time to consolidate, protect jobs and keep people gainfully employed.”

Expanding our capability

A major focus for the year ahead is continuing our expansion into non-rail sectors. Over the last 12 months, we’ve already delivered increasing volumes of work across highways, construction, industrial environments and utilities.

“The drainage business has been a major contributing factor for this,” Tony explained. “They feed work into us, we support them, and clients get everything in one package. It’s exactly what we’ve always done in rail – just applied elsewhere.

And our teams have transferable skillsets which can be adapted across multiple industries to continue to deliver high quality works for our clients”

This joined-up approach gives clients a single source of truth for their assets and the confidence that comes from rail-level precision.

Steady and people-focused year ahead

Looking ahead, Tony is clear on what success looks like.

“A successful year for me is simple: keep the staff we’ve got, increase our client base, stay ahead on workflow, and keep raising the bar. If big opportunities come, we’ll be ready. But this is a year for stability.

Business as usual, just a bit smarter, clearer and better connected.”

Tony’s appointment reflects exactly what SEP Rail Services has always been built on: strong people, steady leadership, and a commitment to doing things properly.

Commenting on the appointment, Rikki Morrow, former Managing Director and now Group Director, said: “Tony has been at the heart of SEP Rail Services since day one, and nobody deserves this step more.

He’s led from the front and played a huge part in building the business into what it is today. I’m proud to hand the reins over to him, and confident he’ll continue to strengthen our reputation across rail and into new sectors.

Congratulations, Tony!”

The post Tony Jones promoted to Managing Director at SEP Rail Services appeared first on SEP Rail Services.

Anyone who has had the privilege of working alongside Karl – whether as a client or colleague – knows he doesn’t just raise the bar; he sets new standards.

In high-pressure situations, especially during emergencies, Karl shows up with an exceptional work ethic and a meticulous approach that leaves a lasting impact.

We are over the moon to welcome Karl as our Head of Monitoring and Civils!

As part of our Senior Management team, Karl’s expertise will drive our monitoring and reactive capabilities to even greater heights, setting new benchmarks across the sector.

From all of us at SEP Rail Group, congratulations – we are proud to be a part of your future within the industry.

The post Karl Norris promoted to Head of Monitoring and Civils appeared first on SEP Rail Services.

Today, I’m excited to announce the largest expansion of our capabilities at SEP Rail Services since we opened our doors six years ago.

In recent years, the demand for specialised drainage solutions has grown, especially for urgent projects that require immediate action.

To meet this demand, we are bringing all drainage-related services in-house.

– We’ve greatly increased our survey and investigation capabilities, including the addition of new floating CCTV equipment.

– Our cleaning and maintenance services have been enhanced through the significant investment of Jetvac & recycling units that recycle water on-site and can service culverts up to 500 meters away.

– Our capabilities now extend to comprehensive repairs, remediation, and renewal, including drainage and sewer rehabilitation.

– We’ve also expanded our emergency response services to include confined space entry and rescue operations.

This is a huge moment for SEP Rail Services and the industry as a whole. Having a unified approach to drainage will remove the costly delays and obstacles that we have faced in the past.

For more information on our expanded services and how we can support your projects, please drop me a message or reach out at info@seprail.co.uk.

The post Announcing: SEP Drainage appeared first on SEP Rail Services.

The CP7 investment, aimed at helping the rail industry better cope with extreme weather, highlights the unfortunate reality that climate change is playing an ever-increasing role in the reliability of the rail network.

This month’s Rail Director magazine features Operations Manager Geraint Gibbs, who shares insights on how the industry can combat this growing challenge through innovative technology and strategic planning.

Read the full article here: https://issuu.com/raildirector/docs/rdoct24/20

The post Operations Manager, Geraint Gibbs features in Rail Director Magazine appeared first on SEP Rail Services.

Teams from each company came together to develop cutting-edge technology, unlike anything seen before in the UK rail industry.

Today, we’re proud to unveil the result:

– SEP-Trax!

At first glance, it looks like a standard train…

But when duty calls, SEP-Trax transforms into a multi-functional railway machine, engineered to tackle even the most complex challenges with precision.

Equipped with an arm-mounted total station and a real-time data display, SEP-Trax delivers powerful solutions for the railway industry.

This breakthrough was made possible thanks to our collaboration with Get Kids into Survey, an organisation dedicated to inspiring the next generation of surveyors.

– As they say, “the children of today are the surveyors of tomorrow.”

We’ll be sharing more about SEP-Trax soon.

Until then, keep your eyes peeled – you never know what you might see on the tracks!

The post Unveiling SEP Trax! appeared first on SEP Rail Services.

On (nearly) every occasion, there’s been one man leading the charge:

→ Karl Norris, Senior PM at SEP Rail Services.

Last week, Karl took time out of his busy schedule to share his insights on how all six companies work together to provide a complete, coordinated response.

📰 Here’s a link to read the article: https://news.railbusinessdaily.com/emergency-response-on-the-uk-railways-sep-rail-group/

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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭: in 2023/24, railway staff made 1,937 interventions, yet tragically, 276 lives were lost to suicide or suspected suicide on the rail network.

These numbers are hard to face, but they highlight the vital importance of suicide prevention campaigns, like the Samaritans’ ‘Small Talk Saves Lives’.

Their ‘Managing Suicidal Contacts’ programme has trained over 30,000 railway employees, equipping them with tools to offer life-saving support.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞.

Only 45% of people feel comfortable talking about suicidal thoughts. It’s a stark reminder that we must continue de-stigmatising mental health and creating safe spaces for people to seek help.

In an effort to increase this figure, Mental Health First Aiders and Samaritans-trained colleagues, like Dominic Keegans, are always available for a private chat.

Initiatives like our ‘wellbeing checks’ and Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) offer support across mental health, stress and even legal or financial advice.

Talking about difficult feelings, including suicidal thoughts, doesn’t have to be scary.

By starting small conversations, we can save lives.

The post Changing attitudes to mental health in the rail industry appeared first on SEP Rail Services.

But did you know 150 minutes of exercise a week doesn’t just improve physical health but has a profound impact on mental health too.

That’s why every single team member at SEP Rail Services is entitled to a subsidised gym membership or activity class of their choice.

We cover part of the cost because we know it makes it easier to prioritise both body and mind.

The post Team members get subsidised gym memberships appeared first on SEP Rail Services.

In 2023/24, the UK faced an unprecedented wave of severe weather, with 12 named storms – the most since storm naming began in 2015. These extreme conditions placed immense pressure on the country’s transport infrastructure, particularly the rail network. Landslides, drainage issues, and storm-damaged vegetation presented serious risks to passenger safety and caused widespread delays.

In 2024 alone, SEP Rail Group has answered over 40 emergency calls, with response times as fast as two hours. Our teams, equipped with leading technology and expertise, are ready to tackle some of the most demanding conditions the rail network faces.

How the SEP Rail Group responds to emergency remits

When a call comes in, the SEP Rail Group mobilises immediately. An experienced Project Manager (PM) is assigned as the primary point of contact, liaising with the Principal Contractor and key stakeholders. This allows us to ensure seamless coordination from the start.

Behind the scenes, multiple teams prepare for rapid deployment:

• SEP Rail Services engineering teams perform initial surveys and asset monitoring to assess the situation and ensure the safety of trains and workers.
• SEP Culant Rope access teams (IRATA-certified) and earthworks engineers arrive on-site to understand the extent of any failures, such as landslides or structural damage.
• SEP Ecology ensure that all vegetation works comply with legislation, safeguarding protected species in the process.
• SEP Geotech conduct ground and site investigations to determine the full scope of the problem, which feeds into the analysis and design of long-term solutions.

This fully integrated response ensures that our teams are not just responding quickly but doing so with precision, safety and sustainability in mind.

Monitoring and design

Once our teams are on-site, data collection begins immediately. Using advanced automated or manual systems, our teams monitor the impacted area and feed the data directly to SEP Rail Design. An on-call design representative is ready to liaise with the rapid deployment of teams to ensure vital and high-ticket data is captured during a limited window of opportunity. Here, our design team develops detailed slope stability analysis models based on the notable movements of the earthwork. Given the mode of movement, residual slip planes can be accurately formed to best replicate the onsite situation, which is then used to either inform the temporary or permanent engineering solutions.

Throughout the entire process, real-time data continuously flows between our field teams and internal designers. This ensures that the most effective solutions are implemented to stabilise assets and restore the safe operation of the rail network.

End-to-end engineering

SEP Rail Engineering, in collaboration with SEP Rail Design, handles all aspects of the engineering work. From initial setting out to track engineering, our teams ensure the safety and stability of the railway infrastructure. We provide CRE (Contractors Responsible Engineer) and CEM (Contractor’s Engineering Manager) support, alongside track hand-back engineers, who make certain that trains can resume operation safely and swiftly.

The SEP advantage

When you work with the SEP Rail Group, you experience the collaborative force of six specialised companies, working in unison to deliver comprehensive emergency solutions.

When you call SEP Rail Group in an emergency, you’re not just getting a contractor – you’re getting a complete, coordinated response designed to protect lives, property and the integrity of the rail network.

For emergency inquiries, please contact Karl Norris on 07587 076866 or at karl.norris@seprail.co.uk. Alternatively, contact James Morrow on 07734 533 469 or at James.Morrow@seprail.co.uk.

The post SEP Rail Group’s emergency response on the UK railways appeared first on SEP Rail Services.

Her answer was clear: “Just do it!”

And this is something we want to really shout about. The rail industry IS a place for everyone. The NSAR Rail Workforce Survey shows that 16% of the UK rail workforce are women, up from 13% in 2018. While this is a step in the right direction, we need to continue raising awareness to show women at all stages of their careers that the rail industry is for them.

As Shauna explained, “I’ve yet to come across any hard challenges working on site, but there are a few smaller issues, such as bathroom facilities, topics of conversation you tend to overhear from working within a male-dominated environment and having to try and prove yourself.

The only solutions I would suggest are to make sure you have a voice and ensure that as a woman, you are heard.”

Commenting on how the industry can encourage more women to pursue a career in rail, Shauna said, “I’m hoping that seeing more roles being filled by women will encourage others to take the opportunity.”

Shauna continued, “SEP took a chance with me as I had no rail experience or survey knowledge. By taking that chance, I’ve seen no prejudice, and I have progressed significantly in my career with the help of both office staff and teams.”

“I have never felt out of place, and my voice often gets heard.”

“SEP has allowed me to progress to a COSS and Lead Surveyor by ensuring I have the right tools and knowledge to do the job correctly.”

We recognised Shauna’s determination over three year’s ago and knew she was perfect. Since then, Shauna has become an indispensable part of our team, taking on the responsibility as Lead Surveyor and excelling at every opportunity.

Shauna concluded, “There are so many opportunities available, whether site-based or office-based. There is so much room to grow and expand your career, and I would never say you’re limited. If you don’t like one aspect of the job, there are countless ways to move up the ladder.”

Hearing Shauna’s experience as a woman highlights the areas in which we can improve. It’s reassuring to hear that Shauna hasn’t faced what she deems as hard challenges – and we want to continue promoting an environment that is comfortable for everyone.

Shauna’s comments underscore the importance of providing adequate facilities for all and being mindful of the appropriateness of conversations in the workplace. By highlighting these topics, we will create a better working environment for everyone.

Our culture and career development opportunities are designed to ensure that everyone can thrive and succeed – contributing to the future of the industry that we call home.

The post Thinking about a career in the rail industry? Just do it! appeared first on SEP Rail Services.