Change and Transformation in the Public Sector
Over two years, Moorhouse supported Network Rail in transforming frontline maintenance by shifting mindsets, mapping operational changes, and enabling the sustainable adoption of FELIX, a semi-automated robotic track inspection device replacing traditional manual gauges on critical rail assets.
Over two years, Moorhouse’s change expertise supported Network Rail as they transformed frontline maintenance practices, shifting mindsets and mapping out operational changes to deliver sustainable adoption of a major new method of track inspection. This change meant moving from traditional manual gauges and visual inspection to a semi-automated process involving a robotic device called FELIX, working on some of the network’s most safety-critical assets.
FELIX was part of a £200 million investment by Network Rail’s Research and Development (R&D) function over Control Period 6 (2019-2024) to develop new technologies that would drive improved safety, reliability and efficiency. We supported Network Rail to fully realise these outcomes; improving safety by reducing staff time on track, reliability by enabling a move to ‘predict and prevent’ maintenance and efficiency by reducing the time spent on these critical inspections.
The key challenge, after years of technical trialling, was to ensure that FELIX would be fully adopted and utilised, to unlock the benefits. There were questions about how it would work in practice and operational teams in safety critical roles were reluctant to take what they perceived to be risks. Moving away from physical, visual inspection to reliance on an automated device represented a significant mindset shift.
Our work, mapping out the key change impacts, understanding the operational view and generating buy-in, ultimately helped to ensure FELIX would be utilised to its full potential. Alongside Network Rail, we have built a community of users across the UK which has resulted in sustainably changed ways of working. From the use of papers and pens and 19th century gauges to a state-of-the-art robotic laser device, it has been a remarkable change journey that has driven improved safety, reliability and efficiency on the rail network.
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