Chair's Initial Thoughts (4 July 2025)

Across 30 operationally focused sessions—including case studies and extended Q&As—one truth stood out: the challenges facing ETCS implementation are strikingly consistent, regardless of where you sit in the system. Passenger, freight, infrastructure—everyone is wrestling with the same core tensions around organisational readiness.

Tech Timetables vs. Human Readiness

Chief among them is the growing mismatch between deployment schedules and frontline preparedness. Staff, control rooms, and driver training are often a step behind the pace.

That’s exactly why this open, cross-industry exchange resonated. Despite differing contexts, organisations continued to encounter the same pain points, and the lived examples shared transformed those common challenges into something immediate, specific, and actionable.

Skill Fade vs. Confidence Lag: The Training Balancing Act

Take Jessica Linhart at Network Rail, who flagged a key risk: train too early, and you risk skill fade before rollout. On the other hand, Imran Chaudhry of GTS Rail stressed a different pressure—the need to build confidence early, to avoid training fatigue later when staff are navigating complex mixed-mode zones.

Culture Change Also Doesn’t Happen by Memo 

Simeon Whittingham from GB Railfreight told it like it was—getting past disbelief and change fatigue took time. But it paid off. His team moved from “It won’t happen in my career”to rolling up their sleeves and getting on with it.  

Dutch Lessons on Letting Go

And this isn’t just a UK issue. Daim Willemse  from ProRail Netherlands offered a memorable analogy from the Dutch experience: “Why fix a system that still runs perfectly?” That question encapsulates the resistance inherent in well-functioning legacy systems. When the old way still works, it can become a significant blocker to necessary change. However, despite this, we heard practical solutions on how they turned it around (details of which appear in the post-conference report).

Sometimes You Need a Cliff Edge to Get Lift-Off

Many speakers made the same point in different ways: it’s hard to fully commit to a new system when the old one’s still within reach. That fallback temptation can quietly erode change. Another solution? Give people a cliff edge. A precise date, a firm cut-off—something that removes the crutch and builds real commitment.

Remove the Psychological Safety Net, Build the Mindset

That was precisely the approach Oliver Turner at GTR took—he set a clear deadline and deliberately removed signals on the Northern City Line to force the cultural shift. Likewise, Daniel Guy at Grand Central cautioned that overlays can create not clarity, but confusion—and in the worst case, complacency. Sometimes the boldest move is the cleanest cut.

While drafting these Chair’s remarks, I found myself revisiting the scribbles I’d made on Day One. Even before writing the full post-conference report, certain takeaways were already standing out—immediate, actionable insights that hit home in the room.

One theme was the importance of balancing cliff-edge deployment with confidence-building. People sometimes need a firm go-live date to get moving, but they also need the tools and support to feel secure as they do it.

Another key takeaway: design with human factors in mind from the outset. Presentations that had integrated ergonomics, cognitive modelling, and operator interface testing early on were ahead of the curve. As Richard Bye from Network Rail reminded us, neglecting this can mean the difference between success and system failure.

What Simulation Delivers

The conversations weren’t just about the softer side of change. We also examined the training systems, particularly simulation. What works, what doesn’t, and where different approaches fit, depending on the training stage. It was an honest discussion of strengths and weaknesses, grounded in real operational experience.

Bring the Simulator to the People

When it comes to simulation, one of the clearest takeaways was: open it up. Include engineers and non-drivers. Also, use them for low-pressure, informal testing. Invite cross-department participation. As Daniel Guy from Grand Central showed, simulation isn’t just a training tool—it’s a confidence builder and a clarifier.

I also noted the need to localise the simulation. Centralised setups don’t always cut it. What if you embed small, mobile simulators directly into depots? Make access low-friction. Make practice frequent and informal. Speakers demonstrated that confidence builds—not in annual sessions, but through everyday exposure.

And simulation isn’t just about technical skills. We heard how it’s being used to support culture-building through informal settings, repeatable task-based drills, and shared team learning. When used as a tool for alignment rather than just instruction, simulation unlocks far greater value across the organisation.

One point that came up again and again was the need to standardise degraded mode procedures before fragmentation becomes embedded. There’s clear value in having nationally aligned escalation logic, but right now, degraded mode is inconsistently defined and inconsistently handled.

Off the record, many delegates said coordination simply isn’t keeping pace with operational challenges. That’s true in the UK, and it’s true at a European level. This is something we’ll be raising again at the Brussels conference: how do we elevate coordination to the next level?  

Then there’s the looming question of infrastructure standards. FRMCS is on the horizon—but already some operators are asking whether it’s the best route forward, or whether 5G might offer a more agile alternative.

The Real Value? Response Sharing, Not Problem Airing

Of course, there’s never just one answer—it’s about finding the right balance for your context. What stood out about this event was how many people came not just to share the problem, but to share their responses. 

We heard clear examples of how to align training timelines with rollout phases better. Role-specific simulation cycles. Scenario-based drills. It’s not rocket science—it’s sequencing and relevance. Train too early, and people forget. Train too late, and they panic. Hit the right window, and the learning lands. 

What’s clear is that the organisations making real progress aren’t necessarily the biggest or most high-tech. They’re the ones doing the basics well. Practical, thoughtful, often deceptively simple strategies—delivered with consistency and care. Not just lip service, but action. 

And the best part? We heard from teams where this approach is actually working. Not in theory, but in practice. It’s been proven on the Elizabeth Line. It’s been delivered across sections of the Northern Line at GTR. 

Great Q&A = Great Conference

The Q&A sessions carried themselves. Delegates were energised, engaged, and asking grounded, practical questions. As Chair, I had the easy part—speakers and attendees did the heavy lifting with their enthusiasm and insight.

So, on that note, this was a genuinely energising and enjoyable event to chair. Thanks to everyone who brought their honesty, experience, and questions to the table. We look forward to seeing you at the next one in March, where I suspect we’ll have even more lessons, even more progress, and just as much challenge to unpack.

Steve Thomas, 

Chair - ETCS Business Readiness 2025 (Strategic Advisor - SERG Vertical Engineering Groups)