The last 18 months have seen Rock Rail shake up the rolling stock market with its game changing approach to funding. This has led to Rock successfully signing agreements to buy £2 billion worth of rolling stock for a number of key UK rail franchises.

Rock’s innovative approach has enabled direct investment into the rolling stock sector by leading UK and overseas pension and insurance institutions. The provision of this long term, highly competitive funding has enabled significant cost savings as well as the delivery of a significantly enhanced travelling experience to the UK rail passenger and value for money to train operators and the UK tax payer over the life of the trains.

Following this success, Rock Rail has announced that it is expanding its commercial team and deepening its technical procurement and operational expertise with the appointment of two new rail industry experts. This is part of a drive to provide even greater technical and project management support to work with operators and manufacturers during the design, construction and operation phases of rolling stock leases.

Leading UK rail veteran, Steve Dodd, will be joining Rock as Commercial Director on 20th November, alongside Commercial Director Nick Watson. This follows James Herriott’s recent appointment as Commercial Manager in September 2017.

Steve will be responsible for the successful delivery and ongoing asset management of the new fleet of trains for the recently awarded First Group and MTR South Western franchise. James will be working with Steve, Nick Watson and other members of the team responsible for the successful delivery of rolling stock across the 3 contracts Rock Rail has been awarded over the last 18 months.

Both bring extensive rail industry experience to their roles at Rock.

Steve joins with over 25 years’ experience in the rail sector. He started his career with the London Underground and then with train operator Connex before establishing his own consultancy firm in 2000 and working on numerous UK and overseas rolling stock and rail infrastructure projects. He has extensive experience in rail and franchise related bid development as well as in the design development and delivery of new rolling stock including: the introduction of the Class 375 Electrostars on South Eastern; design development on the Intercity Express Project, both with Hitachi and Great Western Railway and, most recently, with Greater Anglia as Joint Project Manager responsible for delivery of the Bombardier Aventra trains for Greater Anglia.

James brings over 8 years of railway engineering experience having started his career with Stagecoach South Western Trains and most recently having worked as part of the Stagecoach Rail Business Development group on the South Western rail franchise bid. James brings significant technical and project management expertise and an in-depth knowledge of rolling stock systems, design, maintenance and procurement processes.

Mark Swindell, CEO of Rock Rail said:

“Rock Rail is delighted to announce the appointment of Steve Dodd and James Herriott to our commercial team. Both have significant development, procurement and operational experience and in-depth rail industry technical and commercial knowledge. Their appointments enable Rock to make a step change to the level of support we can offer our operator and manufacturer partners across the different procurement and operation phases of any project as well as build an even more beneficial relationship with both our existing and future valued partners.”