Rail industry engineers, designers and infrastructure specialists gathered at a conference to explore the challenges and opportunities associated with power resilience across Britain’s railway network.
The event, hosted by Bender UK, attracted delegates from organisations including Network Rail, Amey, AtkinsRéalis and the Institution of Engineering and Technology.
It took place against a backdrop of increasing government focus on the resilience of the UK’s critical infrastructure networks.
Stuart Garnett, Senior Applications Engineer at Bender, spoke to delegates about power network resilience and the technologies developed to support it.
Stuart Garnett, Senior Applications Engineer at Bender, said:Events like this are invaluable because they give us the chance to collaborate with the industry, listen to the people working on the railways every day and better understand the challenges they're facing. They also present an opportunity to share how Bender technologies are helping operators improve visibility of their power assets and support a more resilient network. The feedback was incredibly useful, helping us understand how these systems are being used in the field and where we can continue to make them simpler and more effective for engineers and maintenance teams.
Sessions focused on how the rail industry can move from reactive fault response to proactive asset management.
Speakers highlighted the role of continuous monitoring, fault-location technologies and data-driven maintenance strategies in helping engineers identify emerging risks earlier, maintain operational continuity and improve the reliability of critical power systems.
Among the technologies discussed were Bender RS4 Tier 1 and Tier 2 signal power monitoring systems and the Bender Pulse platform. Designed to provide greater visibility of asset condition, the systems support insulation monitoring, earth-fault location and centralised data analysis, helping engineers identify developing issues earlier, improve fault diagnosis and make more informed maintenance decisions.
Delegates also discussed the role of uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems in maintaining operational continuity across critical rail infrastructure. Discussions covered Bender experience in UPS installation, maintenance and monitoring, alongside the importance of battery health monitoring, remote diagnostics and lifecycle management in ensuring standby power systems remain available when needed most.
Ian Beavors, Head of Mechanical and Electrical at Andromeda Engineering, leads a team responsible for the design of signal power systems, low-voltage infrastructure and UPS renewals.
Ian Beavors, Head of Mechanical and Electrical at Andromeda Engineering, said:Events like this are invaluable for designers because they provide an opportunity to understand how technology is evolving, how existing systems are being enhanced and what new solutions are becoming available. Just as importantly, they allow us to hear directly from the people using this equipment on the railway every day and understand how it performs in operational environments. One of the most interesting areas for me was the discussion around UPS technologies. Product choice within the rail sector can sometimes be limited due to approval requirements, so it's encouraging to see progress being made on alternative solutions.
Tony Edwards, Rail Sales Manager at Bender, added:Our relationship with the rail industry is built on trust, proven performance and long-term partnerships. We don't see rail organisations simply as customers. We work together to solve problems. Our focus isn't on selling products, it's on developing solutions that meet the real needs of the industry and help operators keep the railway running safely and efficiently.
Tony Edwards, Rail Sales Manager at Bender, added:One of the biggest challenges facing the industry is doing more with limited investment while maintaining an ageing infrastructure. Much of the network dates back generations, so the priority is identifying issues before they become failures, allowing engineers to intervene proactively and minimise disruption.
