Nova 3 maintenance audit
Beacon Rail Leasing
The overview
In June 2020, 8/13 of Beacon’s Mk5A Loco Hauled Coaching Stock were accepted into service
IPEX was tasked to conduct a process audit to provide assurance for the remaining fleet acceptance activities. IPEX was retained for follow up on the NCRs, and a maintenance audit in November 2020 on the accepted Nova 3 fleet. IPEX also returned for witness inspection in February 2021 for the spare DT car as part of Beacon’s acceptance.
Our role carrying out a process audit, maintenance audit and witness inspection provided Beacon with the rolling stock expertise and assurance for continued Mk5A acceptance, to identify problems and drive improvement through the maintenance of the introduced Nova 3 fleet. IPEX was able to identify gaps in responsibilities of the complex structure of Owner, Operator, Sub-Lease holder, Third party maintainer, and OEM warranty support along with separate OEM and maintainer for the locos.
- Fleet planning
- Maintenance negotiations
- Strategy delivery
- Client integration
Process audit
The process audit involved reporting and following up on the Manufacturer’s testing and commissioning site for the Mk5a fleet introduction to service on behalf of Beacon.
Scope areas included:
- working on trains
- fitness to run
- engineering change
- safety related defects process
- quality assurance and control
- EHS
- resources
- depot site review
Maintenance audit
The maintenance audit included reporting on the suitability and readiness of the maintenance depot for the Nova 3 fleet on behalf of Beacon.
Scope areas included:
- maintenance planning
- asset configuration and control
- defect reporting
- concession management
- safety related defects
- competence management
- document control
- control of sub-contractors
Witness inspection
The witness inspection included reporting and following up of the DT car exchange on behalf of Beacon, to support acceptance of the spare DT for the Mk5a fleet.
This included:
- VMI review
- the mechanical coupling/ uncoupling activity
- system re-configuration
- software configuration
- related testing
- developing the procedure to allow the Operator to effectively use the DT car as a hot spare
‘I was pleased with how the project was delivered. It did not require me to babysit the activity. Considering the complexity of the maintenance organisation this was welcomed.’
