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SEP Rail Group’s emergency response on the UK railways

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In this article, Karl Norris, SEP Rail Services Senior Project Manager, Monitoring and Civils, explains how the SEP Rail Group can provide a complete, coordinated emergency response service to protect lives, property and the integrity of the rail network.

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.