Ed Jeffery is a specialist provider for capacity analysis, timetabling and performance modelling work within the railway industry.

The company is highly experienced, working alongside Network Rail and Irish Rail, train operators (TOCs), transportation and engineering consultancies, as well as local authorities and developers.

Areas of expertise range from small-scale, short-term changes to national programmes supporting strategic change initiatives up to 30 years in the future, spanning every route of the UK and Ireland’s rail network and projects worldwide.

Our experience and level of expertise ensure that we deliver the highest value for our clients, to many of whom we are a trusted supplier and have long-standing arrangements with to provide ad-hoc services.  Our team is structured to be agile and work closely with each of our clients to ensure a personal and accountable service.

RISQS verified rail network modelling

Ed Jeffery has been verified through Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme (RISQS) to deliver the following Railway Industry Commodity Classification List (RICCL) codes:

  • B.1: Assessment of Infrastructure Options / Service Operations and Traffic Management > Operational Planning
  • B.10: Operational Planning / Service Operations and Traffic Management > Operational Planning
  • B.2: Capacity Modelling / Service Operations and Traffic Management > Operational Planning
  • B.7: Timetable Optioneering / Service Operations and Traffic Management > Operational Planning
  • B.8: Timetable Simulation / Service Operations and Traffic Management > Operational Planning
  • B.9: Train Performance Simulation / Service Operations and Traffic Management > Operational Planning

Railway timetable development and planning

From small-scale timetable changes such as those associated with new stations and infrastructure change to the introduction of significant change accompanying the implementation of national-level programmes, Ed Jeffrey offers timetable development and planning using a variety of tools and software packages.

Ed Jeffery can provide an end-to-end service during your scheme development process to support the development of infrastructure schemes as they progress through each stage.

Timetable development and performance modelling can be used to assess the benefits of different options such as journey time, capacity, or performance to help option selection, refine options under development or input into a business case. This can be on an ad-hoc basis when services are required, or a long-term contractual basis to ensure consistency throughout the process.

Performance modelling for the rail industry

Performance modelling using specialist software can help build an improved timetable and analyse the benefits of an infrastructure or timetable change. It can help answer questions such as whether your change positively or negatively impacts network performance and evaluates different options to help select the most beneficial.

Ed Jeffery can simulate the operation of a timetable on a typical day using real-world delay data and perform scenario modelling to look at the impact of events on the operation of the network. Our performance modelling reports can help inform your decision-making process and build your business cases through concept to delivery.

Capacity analysis with simulation and modelling software

Ed Jeffery uses various software to deliver highly detailed simulation and modelling outputs to our clients. These include:

  • Timetable development: simulation of a timetable can help build a better timetable by detecting and eliminating conflicts
  • Calculation of timetable planning rules for infrastructure or rolling stock changes
  • Calculation of sectional running times (SRTs) to help build a case for line speed improvements or new rolling stock
  • Performance modelling to validate outputs against more comprehensive network performance
  • Capacity analysis to define a future strategy or look at individual enhancements to realise benefits

In addition to schemes that are already in the development process, we have a lot of experience working at longer-term timescales for long-term strategic planning. This helps set the industry strategy and feeds into the industry regulatory process (such as Periodic Review and the Long Term Planning Process).