Robin Gisby has been confirmed as Head of Network Operations.
The new support department at Network Rail replaces operations and customer services. All teams from that function will work in Network Operations. In October 2011 the director, infrastructure maintenance and the balance of his team will join Network Operations. A new position of freight director will also be created.
The reorganisation of Network Rail is expected to pick up speed this autumn when three more routes, Wales, Kent/HS1 and London North Western will go live. The first two routes, Scotland and Wessex launched as stand alone organisations at the beginning of May. David Simpson heads Scotland and Richard O’Brien Wessex. The remaining routes will all go live no later than March 2012.
Says Robin Gisby, ‘We have to make sure that we support the changes and opportunities that will emerge in our devolved routes with a centre that is able to match the pace of delivery they will demand. With maintenance and operations working so closely in our new route structure to meet our customer needs, it makes a lot of sense to do the same centrally.’
David Simpson, a one time BR graduate trainee, comes from Blantyre, Lanarkshire. He studied at Aston University in Birmingham and as well as BR has worked for Railtrack and Mainline Freight. Later he worked for Railtrack East Anglia before moving to the West Coast Main Line as general manager for Network Rail. He lives in Ayrshire. He was appointed route director of Scotland in October 2005.
Ron McAulay, Network Rail Director Scotland, announced earlier this year he was retiring. He plans to spend more time at home in the Highlands where he lives in the north of Scotland. Richard O’Brien, formerly Network Rail Director Wessex, is a civil engineer with ten years in the business. Network Rail’s Wessex route matches the lines operated by South West Trains out of Waterloo.
