Alex Woodcock - MEng (Hons) Electronic Engineering (Communications) Electrical Engineering Graduate Programme I was born in Manchester but grew up in Lancaster where I went to school and took my GCSEs and A-levels. After leaving school, I went to the University of Sheffield for 4 years to study for an MEng in Electronic Engineering (Communications) where I obtained a 2:1 Honours degree. The move to London was quite a big step for me as all my family and friends are located in the north of the country where I grew up. However, I am really enjoying living in London. It is completely different to living in a small place like Lancaster. There is always something to do here and it’s really easy to meet new people. I decided I wanted to live in London, so I started looking for jobs relevant to my degree in the area. After hunting through all the engineering jobs on the careers website for my university, I narrowed my preferred choices down to a few companies which offered positions and benefits which appealed to me, of which Tube Lines was one. Tube Lines offers competitive starting salaries, a graduate programme which is accredited by the IEE, a central location and decent holidays! Tube Lines is also a relatively young and dynamic company where there are lots of opportunities for both promotion and helping to shape the company. Having narrowed my choices down, I then sent electronic copies of my CV and a covering letter to Tube Lines who responded within days with an invitation to an assessment centre at the head office in Canary Wharf. The assessment centre consisted of verbal reasoning, mathematics, presentation, group working and an interview. Following the assessment, I was contacted the next day with an offer of a place at Tube Lines. I have only been with Tube Lines for 9 weeks now, but already in this time I have had a large input into a wide range of projects. I am primarily based in SMEP tranche 1 where I work with the Project Managers to resolve any critical design or construction issues at any of the stations I am working on. I am really enjoying this position because I get to meet all sorts of different people since every issue involves different disciplines, e.g. Fire or Civil. Also, as every issue is different, it makes the job very varied and interesting. It is also really rewarding and satisfying to actually visit the sites and physically see the work you are doing coming together. I am also working to create a database in Microsoft Access to aid the approval process of materials and products for use in underground stations. I am also finding this extremely rewarding and challenging, especially as it will significantly aid the approval process for subsequent station refurbishments but also because it requires me to learn how to use Microsoft Access. Tube Lines has an excellent development programme, which is one of the key factors which attracted me here. Every graduate is assigned a mentor who they can contact for advice and guidance with regards to any problems or questions. Mentors are there to guide us through the graduate programme. My personal scheme is run by Mike Hann (Manager of Engineering), who keeps a constant check on the graduates’ development. Within the fist week of starting, I sat down with my mentor to discuss which departments it would be beneficial to have a placement in, and which departments I would be interested in having a placement in. We then worked out a schedule for the whole 2 years of the graduate scheme with regards to where I would go. This is a particularly good aspect of the scheme because I have complete freedom to go into any department I wish, and I can amend my plan at any time. I am going to have placements in a wide range of areas including Operations, Business Planning, Signalling and Communications Systems Design, which I am particularly looking forward to. On top of this, the Tube Lines graduate programme is accredited by the IEE which greatly helps me on the route to becoming a Chartered Engineer. Sophie McCullagh – MEng (Hons) Electrical Engineering Electrical Engineering Graduate Programme I joined Tube Lines in September 2004 after graduating from Warwick University , where I obtained an MEng in Electrical Engineering. After leaving university I was keen to develop a career as an Electrical Engineer, I had read about the large financial investments made to improve the tube and was interested in becoming involved in the challenge of maintaining and improving the world’s oldest underground system. The graduate scheme at Tube Lines appealed to me because it offered me the opportunity to work with expert engineers on a diverse range of projects and is extremely supportive of my goal to become a chartered Engineer. Since joining the company I have worked on projects involving power quality and project power requirements. I am currently working on a Power PFI project, which will involve modelling the AC lighting main voltage levels at stations on the Jubilee, Piccadilly and Northern Lines. I have also attended courses on project management and finance for non-financiers and feel that the company is open to suggestions for training that will further my professional development. Tony Gudgin – MEng (Hons) Civil Engineering Civil Engineering Graduate Programme My day begins at 6 am when I jump out of bed, speed through my morning routine and rush off to get a train into work. The early start is my attempt to beat the morning rush hour into London and to try and get the last seat on the train. As a Construction Engineer with Tube Lines Limited, I am tasked with contributing towards the upgrade of three London Underground Lines under the Public Private Partnership initiative that has been discussed widely in the media. My role within the organisation is to supervise construction work on site ensuring that our contractors perform their duties to our high standards whilst working in a safe manner around the operational railway. I turn up on site and review my Night Inspectors' report over a cup of coffee, looking at progress and picking up any problems or queries that may have occurred during the night. I need to resolve these between reviewing and accepting Method Statements, looking at Risk Assessments and responding to project communications so as to prevent any unnecessary delays. Thankfully, respite from paperwork comes from putting on my hard hat and going out on site to carrying out quality checks and to see how work is progressing for myself. I am a Graduate Civil Engineer with an honours degree from the University of Brighton. I graduated in 1993 and spent many years working as a steelwork designer for a medium sized, cold rolled steelwork manufacturer in the Midlands before coming to my senses. My career to that point had been uninspiring, but that was all about to change. After applying for a job advertised in the New Civil Engineer and surviving a gruelling selection process, I was successfully accepted on the Graduate Programme, a fully accredited scheme by the Institution of Civil Engineers. For the 3 years I was given the opportunity to work in all areas of the business. The company’s commitment to provide formal training was second to none. I have had the opportunity to work on projects from the new Jubilee Line Extension to the refurbishment of Victorian, listed bridges in Kilburn. I have designed a strengthening scheme for an old structure supporting part of the Finchley Road and assisted with the development of a 9-year plan for embankment works. I have now finished the scheme and manage a small site-based team, presently involved in refurbishment of many of our brick viaducts. It has been an experience to witness the transition from public sector to private company with the ongoing evolution towards a leaner, more efficient organisation. I enjoy my job and find it both challenging and stimulating. I am constantly amazed by the quality of workmanship and attention to detail employed by the Victorians when they originally built this system, and feel quite privileged to be able contribute, in some small part to the preservation of the many fine structures we look after. Helen Cooper – MEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering Mechanical Engineering Graduate Programme My background is from a Systems Engineering Degree at Brunel University a course which has unfortunately now ceased to run. I got a first class MEng (Hons) including 2 six month placements in industry. My placements were at Michelin Tyre Plc, Stoke-on-Trent and X-Tek Systems Ltd, Tring. I carried out projects at these placements which contributed to my degree. Prior to university I studied A-level Maths, Physics and Chemistry and AS French. Part of the reason I applied to Tube Lines was that I wished to find a company with a graduate scheme that would provide plenty of variety without demanding that I move myself round the country at the drop of a hat for months at a time. I wanted to join a graduate scheme so that I could gain experience in different departments round a company before making a decision about where I want my career to go. Tube Lines offer a scheme like this, allowing graduates freedom to determine their own placements. The scheme is also accredited by the relevant institutions. I was able to gain credit for my previous industrial placements which will enable me to apply for chartership a year earlier than expected. Tube Lines also offered the opportunity to join a new company which has the chance to maintain the JNP lines for 30 years, so there is potentially lots of scope within the transport sector. I joined Tube Lines in September 2004 and so far I have learnt lots about escalators and lifts, received training on safety as well as project management and finance. I have so far worked on a project to gain approval for a different method of lift testing, which has required me to interview people, carry out risk assessments and observe lift testing (at night) I have been encouraged to challenge the way things are done and to suggest ideas and ask lots of questions. I feel that my project will make a difference to Tube Lines, even if not many people notice the differences straight away! I have also felt appreciated in this role and hope that I will in my next placement too. It is early days with respect to determining career path but I am optimistic that I will identify a role that I will wish to carry out and then I just have to make it my own! Katie White - BSc (Hons) Geography HSQE Graduate Programme Its an early start for me today, I have to be at our Acton Depot, W3, for 7am . I’m currently undertaking a placement at Distribution Services, a resource within Tube Lines that provides cars, lorries and specialist vehicles to those working to support the day to day running of London’s Underground. Under my remit as a Heath, Safety, Quality and Environment Graduate, I had created a form to check what Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has been issued to our drivers, my aim for this morning is to get as many filled out as possible. I arrived bleary eyed and checked in with one of the Operational Managers. Over the course of an hour I’m introduced to several drivers and complete their PPE checklists. By 8am the last of this morning's drivers have booked in and driven off. Gathering my paperwork I’m collared by Roy, another manager in the section. He asks if I’m busy and if I fancy going along to watch an unusual haulage job. Jumping at the chance to make the most of every opportunity and to experience as many aspects of Tube Lines' work as possible, I don hi-vi jacket, I.D and steel cap boots. Driving to site, Roy explained the job. Three 1970’s tube carriages are to be transported off site for refurbishment using a contracted heavy-duty haulage vehicle with a specialist 60 foot trailer. The carriages were held outside the Transport for London’s Museums Depot. After a short drive we were there, greeting the driver and mate that would be doing the move. The lorry and trailer were enormous, with a separate steering facility at the trailer end to allow the vehicle to manoeuvre with incredible accuracy. Toolbox talk completed, the vehicle is driven to where the carriages were held. We had to share the area with a film crew that was working within the museum, so with careful negotiation, the lorry was driven into place. I read through the method statement while the area was cornered off with safety tape and final liaison between our staff and the film crew to check that safety-working arrangements were still as planned. The contractors were experts at moving railway vehicles and quickly set the trailer up. The cab was detached, the trailer dropped, and rails fixed to the trailer were extended to produce a rail ramp. The carriage was then hooked up to a winch located at the back of the cab. Everything was inspected to check that both the trailer, winch and carriage were safe. When everyone was in position and ready, the move could take place. The winch was started and the line was made taught. Chocks, (wooden blocks that act as brakes) were removed from under the carriage wheels and slowly the carriage was winched forward. Progress was monitored at all times by staff either side of the carriage. Should the carriage roll back for any reason, a long-handled scotch was at hand to brake the carriages motion. Finally the carriage was on the trailer, chocks were reinstalled and chains securely fastened on both sides of the carriage. The lorry was loaded and ready to depart. I walked behind it to the exit gate to watch the driver’s skill as it was manoeuvred on to the public road. The first attempt to turn out of the gate failed, and on contemplation of the next attempt, the driver spotted a defect on the vehicle, which meant a mechanic was needed before it could continue. Another heavy-duty lorry was due to pick up the next carriage; therefore the first lorry was carefully repositioned to allow continued access to the museum depot. By this time it was around midday . While we waited for both the mechanic and next haulage vehicle to arrive, we headed back to the office. I was able to catch up with my emails and quickly complete a job from the previous day whilst gobbling down my sandwich. Within half an hour we were back on site. The next haulage lorry arrived at 1:30pm . The road outside of the depot entrance was momentarily closed, and I watched in awe as the driver skillfully reversed the lorry through the gate, up alongside the other lorry, then on to the work site. I observed the lorry prepare for the next carriage and kept informed from the first driver, of the mechanics progress. At 2:30pm it was time for me to head home. The day had passed quickly and I had gotten an insight into some of the more unusual work within Distribution Services. The day had been an unusual one, but it reflected what I love about this job – that every day is different. I am able to observe and experience things that few people ever get the chance to experience, and hopefully that will benefit me in my future. Tom Brydon - BSc (Hons) Business and Management Business Planning Graduate Programme I graduated from Brunel University with a BSc degree in Business and Management. I had started off at Brunel doing Mathematics and Statistics with Management, but changed after one year to transfer onto the fulltime management course. My degree was quite heavily weighted towards marketing, but also covered research methods, strategic management and outside subjects such as contract law and economics. I have worked for a number of different companies although I have never done so with intent of starting a career, until I joined Tube Lines. My previous experience included working for NatWest Bank as a financial services advisor for students and also for BUPA hospitals, dealing with pricing and insurance in and out of the operating theatre. Let’s not forget my time with Blockbusters while at university – we’ve all been there! Once I decided I wanted to join a graduate training scheme, I had no idea in which industry I wanted to work in, I just had an idea about the type of employer I wanted. I spoke with a lot of companies and Tube Lines fitted the criteria of what I was looking for from someone to be trusted with the start of my career. Tube Lines showed professionalism, ambition, interest in developing employees, flexibility and variety in the type of work and an overall aim that is worth working towards. The scheme is ideal for what I wanted and gave the impression that it would cater for what I wanted to do, which it has. The variety of work that I have covered has been unbelievable. I have had so many opportunities to develop skills and competencies in a broad range of projects. I really don’t have a typical day. Some examples include: The redesign of the company intranet directorate pages. Owning a contractually obligated document from scratch to completion, involving approval by the board and by London Underground. Involvement with the Annual Asset Management Plan (AAMP) to plan for the next nine years. Various presentations, one to the top 100 managers on leadership at Tube Lines. Set up of an internal initiative for employees to gain insight into certain parts of the company through a tour. Work on a crisis communications plan including a hotline. Night work to understand the restrictions we work under and the safety implications. The production of various promotional films and DVDs using filming and editing. Creative safety awareness solutions e.g. working with electricity poster campaign. Working on internal publications e.g. with the editor of monthly internal magazine. Creating a brochure for the community to keep them informed of different projects. Working with local politicians to update them on progress in their areas and monitoring political stance e.g. attending mayor’s question time. A directorate-wide interview campaign and opinion analysis reporting directly to the director. In terms of career development, Tube Lines offers an abundance of advice, in particular a mentor to help advise and guide me towards my maximum potential. There is a strong support network built upon the different managers that I have worked for and the graduates that have been with the company longer than I have. With graduate forums and regular performance appraisals, it is always identified where I am performing and where there is need for improvement, also how and where I can get that improvement from. For training, I have taken part in a number of core courses, such as presentation skills and report writing which help develop my fundamental management skills. I have also taken part in specific placement training, such as journalism basics and Six Sigma Yellow Belt – a process improvement qualification. The practical safety training is well run, with fire training, track walking and depot safety all being covered. I hope to extend my further education with a CIMA (Chartered institute of Management Accountancy ) qualification which is being supported by the company. Although there is a focused career path to follow, it is possible to extensively learn about the company and gain the necessary training to understand how your future role is affected by others and visa versa. Amy Chandler – BA/MEng Manufacturing Engineering Business Planning Graduate Programme I studied engineering for 4 years at Cambridge University. This consisted of 2 years of general engineering and 2 years specialising in manufacturing which had a strong management and business emphasis. During my final year I realised that I didn’t want an engineering career. I am more interested in business, management and understanding the "people" perspective rather than technical detail. Doing something worthwhile was an important driver for me when it came to looking for a job. I applied mainly to public sector management schemes. At the Tube Lines assessment centre I started to realise that I am more suited to the atmosphere and culture in a profit driven environment ("lets get things done"). Tube Lines has a faster paced and more exciting attitude in comparison with other companies. There is a positive drive for improvements and change and being a young company, it has an optimistic and upbeat feel. The assessment day was hard work but I really appreciated the stream-lined application process – it’s great to get a job offer after just one round! For me, the business planning role at Tube Lines is a perfect balance. I have an engineering background and a tendency to enjoy learning about technology and systems but want to be involved in the commercial side of operations. By rotating through different departments in 3 month blocks, the scheme enables graduates to get exposure to most of the company and understand how and why the business works. So far I have been involved in a number of different projects. One of my main pieces of work is writing a business case of replacement of fire hydrants at underground stations; this involves gathering information from across the business and also looking at the contracts and plans to help define responsibilities for the asset. It’s quite exciting writing business cases with such big numbers – the fire hydrants proposal will cost over £1m. I have also been working on the long term planning and strategy documents which are shared with London Underground and getting involved in a new to process necessary to define funding routes for maintenance projects which are outside the initial budgets. Tube Lines offer a good amount of support to its graduate trainees. I have been on a project management course and I’m hoping to go on an influencing and persuading course soon. I’ve also signed up to take a CIMA qualification in management accounting, Tube Lines fully fund this training and there’s a possibility of taking study leave if necessary.
Alex Woodcock - MEng (Hons) Electronic Engineering (Communications)
Electrical Engineering Graduate Programme
I was born in Manchester but grew up in Lancaster where I went to school and took my GCSEs and A-levels. After leaving school, I went to the University of Sheffield for 4 years to study for an MEng in Electronic Engineering (Communications) where I obtained a 2:1 Honours degree. The move to London was quite a big step for me as all my family and friends are located in the north of the country where I grew up. However, I am really enjoying living in London. It is completely different to living in a small place like Lancaster. There is always something to do here and it’s really easy to meet new people.
I decided I wanted to live in London, so I started looking for jobs relevant to my degree in the area. After hunting through all the engineering jobs on the careers website for my university, I narrowed my preferred choices down to a few companies which offered positions and benefits which appealed to me, of which Tube Lines was one. Tube Lines offers competitive starting salaries, a graduate programme which is accredited by the IEE, a central location and decent holidays!
Tube Lines is also a relatively young and dynamic company where there are lots of opportunities for both promotion and helping to shape the company. Having narrowed my choices down, I then sent electronic copies of my CV and a covering letter to Tube Lines who responded within days with an invitation to an assessment centre at the head office in Canary Wharf. The assessment centre consisted of verbal reasoning, mathematics, presentation, group working and an interview. Following the assessment, I was contacted the next day with an offer of a place at Tube Lines.
I have only been with Tube Lines for 9 weeks now, but already in this time I have had a large input into a wide range of projects. I am primarily based in SMEP tranche 1 where I work with the Project Managers to resolve any critical design or construction issues at any of the stations I am working on.
I am really enjoying this position because I get to meet all sorts of different people since every issue involves different disciplines, e.g. Fire or Civil. Also, as every issue is different, it makes the job very varied and interesting. It is also really rewarding and satisfying to actually visit the sites and physically see the work you are doing coming together.
I am also working to create a database in Microsoft Access to aid the approval process of materials and products for use in underground stations. I am also finding this extremely rewarding and challenging, especially as it will significantly aid the approval process for subsequent station refurbishments but also because it requires me to learn how to use Microsoft Access.
Tube Lines has an excellent development programme, which is one of the key factors which attracted me here. Every graduate is assigned a mentor who they can contact for advice and guidance with regards to any problems or questions. Mentors are there to guide us through the graduate programme.
My personal scheme is run by Mike Hann (Manager of Engineering), who keeps a constant check on the graduates’ development. Within the fist week of starting, I sat down with my mentor to discuss which departments it would be beneficial to have a placement in, and which departments I would be interested in having a placement in. We then worked out a schedule for the whole 2 years of the graduate scheme with regards to where I would go. This is a particularly good aspect of the scheme because I have complete freedom to go into any department I wish, and I can amend my plan at any time.
I am going to have placements in a wide range of areas including Operations, Business Planning, Signalling and Communications Systems Design, which I am particularly looking forward to. On top of this, the Tube Lines graduate programme is accredited by the IEE which greatly helps me on the route to becoming a Chartered Engineer.
Sophie McCullagh – MEng (Hons) Electrical Engineering
I joined Tube Lines in September 2004 after graduating from Warwick University , where I obtained an MEng in Electrical Engineering. After leaving university I was keen to develop a career as an Electrical Engineer, I had read about the large financial investments made to improve the tube and was interested in becoming involved in the challenge of maintaining and improving the world’s oldest underground system. The graduate scheme at Tube Lines appealed to me because it offered me the opportunity to work with expert engineers on a diverse range of projects and is extremely supportive of my goal to become a chartered Engineer.
Since joining the company I have worked on projects involving power quality and project power requirements. I am currently working on a Power PFI project, which will involve modelling the AC lighting main voltage levels at stations on the Jubilee, Piccadilly and Northern Lines. I have also attended courses on project management and finance for non-financiers and feel that the company is open to suggestions for training that will further my professional development.
Tony Gudgin – MEng (Hons) Civil Engineering
Civil Engineering Graduate Programme
My day begins at 6 am when I jump out of bed, speed through my morning routine and rush off to get a train into work. The early start is my attempt to beat the morning rush hour into London and to try and get the last seat on the train.
As a Construction Engineer with Tube Lines Limited, I am tasked with contributing towards the upgrade of three London Underground Lines under the Public Private Partnership initiative that has been discussed widely in the media. My role within the organisation is to supervise construction work on site ensuring that our contractors perform their duties to our high standards whilst working in a safe manner around the operational railway. I turn up on site and review my Night Inspectors' report over a cup of coffee, looking at progress and picking up any problems or queries that may have occurred during the night. I need to resolve these between reviewing and accepting Method Statements, looking at Risk Assessments and responding to project communications so as to prevent any unnecessary delays. Thankfully, respite from paperwork comes from putting on my hard hat and going out on site to carrying out quality checks and to see how work is progressing for myself.
I am a Graduate Civil Engineer with an honours degree from the University of Brighton. I graduated in 1993 and spent many years working as a steelwork designer for a medium sized, cold rolled steelwork manufacturer in the Midlands before coming to my senses. My career to that point had been uninspiring, but that was all about to change.
After applying for a job advertised in the New Civil Engineer and surviving a gruelling selection process, I was successfully accepted on the Graduate Programme, a fully accredited scheme by the Institution of Civil Engineers. For the 3 years I was given the opportunity to work in all areas of the business. The company’s commitment to provide formal training was second to none. I have had the opportunity to work on projects from the new Jubilee Line Extension to the refurbishment of Victorian, listed bridges in Kilburn. I have designed a strengthening scheme for an old structure supporting part of the Finchley Road and assisted with the development of a 9-year plan for embankment works. I have now finished the scheme and manage a small site-based team, presently involved in refurbishment of many of our brick viaducts. It has been an experience to witness the transition from public sector to private company with the ongoing evolution towards a leaner, more efficient organisation.
I enjoy my job and find it both challenging and stimulating. I am constantly amazed by the quality of workmanship and attention to detail employed by the Victorians when they originally built this system, and feel quite privileged to be able contribute, in some small part to the preservation of the many fine structures we look after.
Helen Cooper – MEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering Graduate Programme
My background is from a Systems Engineering Degree at Brunel University a course which has unfortunately now ceased to run. I got a first class MEng (Hons) including 2 six month placements in industry.
My placements were at Michelin Tyre Plc, Stoke-on-Trent and X-Tek Systems Ltd, Tring. I carried out projects at these placements which contributed to my degree.
Prior to university I studied A-level Maths, Physics and Chemistry and AS French.
Part of the reason I applied to Tube Lines was that I wished to find a company with a graduate scheme that would provide plenty of variety without demanding that I move myself round the country at the drop of a hat for months at a time.
I wanted to join a graduate scheme so that I could gain experience in different departments round a company before making a decision about where I want my career to go. Tube Lines offer a scheme like this, allowing graduates freedom to determine their own placements. The scheme is also accredited by the relevant institutions. I was able to gain credit for my previous industrial placements which will enable me to apply for chartership a year earlier than expected.
Tube Lines also offered the opportunity to join a new company which has the chance to maintain the JNP lines for 30 years, so there is potentially lots of scope within the transport sector.
I joined Tube Lines in September 2004 and so far I have learnt lots about escalators and lifts, received training on safety as well as project management and finance. I have so far worked on a project to gain approval for a different method of lift testing, which has required me to interview people, carry out risk assessments and observe lift testing (at night)
I have been encouraged to challenge the way things are done and to suggest ideas and ask lots of questions. I feel that my project will make a difference to Tube Lines, even if not many people notice the differences straight away! I have also felt appreciated in this role and hope that I will in my next placement too.
It is early days with respect to determining career path but I am optimistic that I will identify a role that I will wish to carry out and then I just have to make it my own!
Katie White - BSc (Hons) Geography
HSQE Graduate Programme
Its an early start for me today, I have to be at our Acton Depot, W3, for 7am . I’m currently undertaking a placement at Distribution Services, a resource within Tube Lines that provides cars, lorries and specialist vehicles to those working to support the day to day running of London’s Underground. Under my remit as a Heath, Safety, Quality and Environment Graduate, I had created a form to check what Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has been issued to our drivers, my aim for this morning is to get as many filled out as possible.
I arrived bleary eyed and checked in with one of the Operational Managers. Over the course of an hour I’m introduced to several drivers and complete their PPE checklists. By 8am the last of this morning's drivers have booked in and driven off. Gathering my paperwork I’m collared by Roy, another manager in the section. He asks if I’m busy and if I fancy going along to watch an unusual haulage job. Jumping at the chance to make the most of every opportunity and to experience as many aspects of Tube Lines' work as possible, I don hi-vi jacket, I.D and steel cap boots.
Driving to site, Roy explained the job. Three 1970’s tube carriages are to be transported off site for refurbishment using a contracted heavy-duty haulage vehicle with a specialist 60 foot trailer. The carriages were held outside the Transport for London’s Museums Depot. After a short drive we were there, greeting the driver and mate that would be doing the move. The lorry and trailer were enormous, with a separate steering facility at the trailer end to allow the vehicle to manoeuvre with incredible accuracy.
Toolbox talk completed, the vehicle is driven to where the carriages were held. We had to share the area with a film crew that was working within the museum, so with careful negotiation, the lorry was driven into place. I read through the method statement while the area was cornered off with safety tape and final liaison between our staff and the film crew to check that safety-working arrangements were still as planned. The contractors were experts at moving railway vehicles and quickly set the trailer up. The cab was detached, the trailer dropped, and rails fixed to the trailer were extended to produce a rail ramp. The carriage was then hooked up to a winch located at the back of the cab. Everything was inspected to check that both the trailer, winch and carriage were safe. When everyone was in position and ready, the move could take place. The winch was started and the line was made taught. Chocks, (wooden blocks that act as brakes) were removed from under the carriage wheels and slowly the carriage was winched forward. Progress was monitored at all times by staff either side of the carriage. Should the carriage roll back for any reason, a long-handled scotch was at hand to brake the carriages motion. Finally the carriage was on the trailer, chocks were reinstalled and chains securely fastened on both sides of the carriage.
The lorry was loaded and ready to depart. I walked behind it to the exit gate to watch the driver’s skill as it was manoeuvred on to the public road. The first attempt to turn out of the gate failed, and on contemplation of the next attempt, the driver spotted a defect on the vehicle, which meant a mechanic was needed before it could continue. Another heavy-duty lorry was due to pick up the next carriage; therefore the first lorry was carefully repositioned to allow continued access to the museum depot.
By this time it was around midday . While we waited for both the mechanic and next haulage vehicle to arrive, we headed back to the office. I was able to catch up with my emails and quickly complete a job from the previous day whilst gobbling down my sandwich. Within half an hour we were back on site. The next haulage lorry arrived at 1:30pm . The road outside of the depot entrance was momentarily closed, and I watched in awe as the driver skillfully reversed the lorry through the gate, up alongside the other lorry, then on to the work site.
I observed the lorry prepare for the next carriage and kept informed from the first driver, of the mechanics progress. At 2:30pm it was time for me to head home. The day had passed quickly and I had gotten an insight into some of the more unusual work within Distribution Services.
The day had been an unusual one, but it reflected what I love about this job – that every day is different. I am able to observe and experience things that few people ever get the chance to experience, and hopefully that will benefit me in my future.
Tom Brydon - BSc (Hons) Business and Management
Business Planning Graduate Programme
I graduated from Brunel University with a BSc degree in Business and Management. I had started off at Brunel doing Mathematics and Statistics with Management, but changed after one year to transfer onto the fulltime management course. My degree was quite heavily weighted towards marketing, but also covered research methods, strategic management and outside subjects such as contract law and economics.
I have worked for a number of different companies although I have never done so with intent of starting a career, until I joined Tube Lines. My previous experience included working for NatWest Bank as a financial services advisor for students and also for BUPA hospitals, dealing with pricing and insurance in and out of the operating theatre. Let’s not forget my time with Blockbusters while at university – we’ve all been there!
Once I decided I wanted to join a graduate training scheme, I had no idea in which industry I wanted to work in, I just had an idea about the type of employer I wanted. I spoke with a lot of companies and Tube Lines fitted the criteria of what I was looking for from someone to be trusted with the start of my career. Tube Lines showed professionalism, ambition, interest in developing employees, flexibility and variety in the type of work and an overall aim that is worth working towards. The scheme is ideal for what I wanted and gave the impression that it would cater for what I wanted to do, which it has.
The variety of work that I have covered has been unbelievable. I have had so many opportunities to develop skills and competencies in a broad range of projects. I really don’t have a typical day. Some examples include:
In terms of career development, Tube Lines offers an abundance of advice, in particular a mentor to help advise and guide me towards my maximum potential. There is a strong support network built upon the different managers that I have worked for and the graduates that have been with the company longer than I have. With graduate forums and regular performance appraisals, it is always identified where I am performing and where there is need for improvement, also how and where I can get that improvement from.
For training, I have taken part in a number of core courses, such as presentation skills and report writing which help develop my fundamental management skills. I have also taken part in specific placement training, such as journalism basics and Six Sigma Yellow Belt – a process improvement qualification. The practical safety training is well run, with fire training, track walking and depot safety all being covered. I hope to extend my further education with a CIMA (Chartered institute of Management Accountancy ) qualification which is being supported by the company. Although there is a focused career path to follow, it is possible to extensively learn about the company and gain the necessary training to understand how your future role is affected by others and visa versa.
Amy Chandler – BA/MEng Manufacturing Engineering
I studied engineering for 4 years at Cambridge University. This consisted of 2 years of general engineering and 2 years specialising in manufacturing which had a strong management and business emphasis. During my final year I realised that I didn’t want an engineering career. I am more interested in business, management and understanding the "people" perspective rather than technical detail.
Doing something worthwhile was an important driver for me when it came to looking for a job. I applied mainly to public sector management schemes. At the Tube Lines assessment centre I started to realise that I am more suited to the atmosphere and culture in a profit driven environment ("lets get things done"). Tube Lines has a faster paced and more exciting attitude in comparison with other companies. There is a positive drive for improvements and change and being a young company, it has an optimistic and upbeat feel.
The assessment day was hard work but I really appreciated the stream-lined application process – it’s great to get a job offer after just one round!
For me, the business planning role at Tube Lines is a perfect balance. I have an engineering background and a tendency to enjoy learning about technology and systems but want to be involved in the commercial side of operations. By rotating through different departments in 3 month blocks, the scheme enables graduates to get exposure to most of the company and understand how and why the business works.
So far I have been involved in a number of different projects. One of my main pieces of work is writing a business case of replacement of fire hydrants at underground stations; this involves gathering information from across the business and also looking at the contracts and plans to help define responsibilities for the asset. It’s quite exciting writing business cases with such big numbers – the fire hydrants proposal will cost over £1m.
I have also been working on the long term planning and strategy documents which are shared with London Underground and getting involved in a new to process necessary to define funding routes for maintenance projects which are outside the initial budgets.
Tube Lines offer a good amount of support to its graduate trainees. I have been on a project management course and I’m hoping to go on an influencing and persuading course soon. I’ve also signed up to take a CIMA qualification in management accounting, Tube Lines fully fund this training and there’s a possibility of taking study leave if necessary.