Tended has reached a major milestone in its mission to modernise possession management on Britain’s railway, after its virtual worksite marker boards (VWSMBs) were granted a national deviation to the Rail Industry Rule Book by RSSB’s Traffic Operation and Management Standards Committee.
The approval means Tended’s digital marker boards can now be used during all on-track-plant-only possessions nationwide, marking one of the most significant operational innovations in recent years.
Every day, teams across the network manually install physical marker boards to define safe worksite limits for engineering trains, on-track machines and other plant. The process is essential but time-consuming, and it exposes staff to several risks, such as accessing the track environment, placing boards incorrectly or leaving boards behind.
Working with Network Rail’s Technical Authority, Tended has developed virtual marker boards that replace manual installation with digitally mapped geofenced boundaries. On-track plant is fitted with in-cab devices that warn drivers as they approach the geofence limit. The system removes the need for staff to access the track, eliminates the risk of incorrect placement and dramatically cuts set-up and recovery time.
Early deployment through the East Coast Digital Programme, in partnership with Siemens Mobility and Network Rail East Coast, has demonstrated clear safety and productivity benefits. Trials showed:
- 50 minutes saved by removing the need to install and retrieve physical boards
- 12 fewer phone calls per possession, reducing workload for Engineering Supervisors
- A 17 per cent increase in productive time within possession windows
- A 50-minute cut in overrun risk, equating to more than £130,000 of estimated savings in a single shift
With national approval now in place, these benefits can be realised across every route in Britain. Widespread adoption has the potential to deliver more than £23 million in annual savings, improve possession reliability and reduce disruption for passengers.
Phil Sadgrove, Programme Lead for Virtual Marker Boards at Tended, said:
“This national deviation is a landmark moment for the industry. For the first time, we can replace a long-standing manual process with a digital solution that is faster, safer, and far more reliable. The results on the East Coast Mainline and through our work with Siemens Mobility and Network Rail East Coast showed just how transformative virtual marker boards can be. We’re proud to be leading this innovation and excited to see the benefits now being made available across the whole network.”
