Standards – The unsung heroes of Britain’s railways
Standards ensure different systems, processes, people, and equipment work together seamlessly. They reduce cost and maintain safety by providing common ways of doing things and sharing good practice, knowledge, and experience. Standards support assurance, set expectations, and reduce the likelihood of having to do abortive work. Often, their impact goes unnoticed because everything functions so smoothly. That’s a testament to the skill and collaboration involved in their creation.
Thus, rail standards and the experts who develop them are the unsung heroes of the railways. Today, we celebrate their positive impact and hard work. Standards deserve recognition and appreciation, not to be taken for granted.
RSSB and rail standards
Our role in managing and maintaining standards for Britain’s railways contributes to the safe and economic operation of a very complex system.
The rail industry today relies on a wide array of standards. They are as diverse as the rules for taking engineering possessions to passenger seat comfort, and from platform construction to wheelset management. In short, standards play a crucial role in Britain’s railways and are vital for the efficient functioning of today’s and tomorrow’s railway.
RSSB’s standards are developed through a collaborative process. It is led by RSSB technical specialists and industry experts. This collaboration ensures robust scrutiny so that rail standards meet the needs of all railway stakeholders. We consult with the industry and take all comments into account. Ultimately, standards are agreed collectively by the industry, for the industry.
Given the complexity of a national railway system, this essential task is a large one. To manage this, we rely on standards committees and working groups, composed of industry professionals and experts. We are immensely grateful for the time and hard work group and committee members contribute. We couldn’t achieve the benefits without them.
RSSB also supports and facilitates international rail standardisation, working closely with the British Standards Institute. RSSB provides chairs, representation, and secretariat for standards activities around the world. We also support other representatives from the UK. And, enable the UK to have global influence in an increasingly international marketplace.
As you celebrate standards today, please also recognise and celebrate the railway’s collaborative efforts and the people behind them.