Innovation is one of the driving forces behind a safer, smarter, and more efficient railway, and this year’s Innovation & Technology Team or Person Award shone a spotlight on those who continually push the industry forward.
The award celebrates the individuals and teams whose technological breakthroughs have delivered meaningful improvements across the network. Whether in digital signalling, infrastructure, rolling stock, or customer experience, all finalists demonstrated exceptional creativity and impact through their work.
This year’s winner, Network Rail’s Southern Safety Isolations Team, stood out for introducing a transformative safety advancement with benefits already being felt on track.
The team has revolutionised third-rail safety through its pioneering rollout of Negative Short Circuit Devices (NSCDs). These devices replace the traditional and hazardous practice of manual strapping on live third-rail systems, enabling isolations to be controlled remotely from a safe location.
The impact has been remarkable. With more than half of planned sites now commissioned, the team has eliminated 56,000 manual isolations in just three years, protecting thousands of staff from high-risk working environments and redefining best practice for third-rail operations nationwide. The team’s engineering expertise, determination, and unwavering commitment to workforce safety has set a new benchmark for the industry.
Accepting the award, the team reflected on the scale of the achievement: “It’s been a long journey for us,” they said. “We’ve been nervous because we know how important this innovation is for safety across the region. But to be recognised out of all the 15 strong candidates is amazing and shows that all the hard work has paid off.”
They also highlighted the decade-long effort behind the project, which began in earnest in 2015. “After years of design, build, trials, and refinements, it’s incredible to see the equipment installed and delivering real benefits – not just for Network Rail, but for contractors and anyone working on our infrastructure. It’s making isolations significantly safer for everyone.”
The award was presented by Ian Lockett of Vertiv Infrastructure Ltd.
Highly commended:
Bartosz Gapsa, AECOM
Robbie Mecrow, Morson Praxis
