Network Rail Consulting in the Middle East

We have been active in the Middle East market since 2015 and have successfully delivered consultancy contracts in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for passenger and freight owners and operators.

In Saudi Arabia, we have been supporting Saudi Arabian Railways (SAR) since 2015 and as a result we have an excellent understanding of operating a mixed-use railway in the Kingdom with its harsh operating environment, from very high temperatures to sandstorms. NRC's staff have worked side by side with SAR's own staff and have forged excellent working relationships while utilising the extensive expertise of our teams from the UK to develop practises, processes, and procedures specific to the Saudi Arabian environment, that are adopted, learnt, and developed by SAR's Saudi workforce. NRC has supported and been privileged to be part of several key achievements for the North-South Railway, including the successful launch of the first commercial passenger service between Riyadh and Al-Qassim, in February 2017 and commencement of Molten Sulphur services from Um'Wal (Wa'ad Shamal) in 2017. More recently we have supported SAR in managing the outsourced operations and maintenance Contract for the Haramain High-Speed Railway.

Britain has one of the highest customer satisfaction ratings of any rail system in the world and is the safest railway in Europe.

Since 2002, we’ve been part of the latest chapter in the nearly 200-year history of Britain’s railway

1825 saw the first passenger service using steam locomotives on the Stockton and Darlington Railway.
In 1830 George Stephenson opened the first regular passenger service in the world, linking Canterbury to the seaside town of Whitstable.
The 1840s were the biggest decade of railway growth. A complete network was laid down with many towns and villages having a railway connection.
In 1883, the first electrified railway service was opened in Brighton.
During World War Two, Britain’s railways played a key role in the transportation of troops and evacuees around the country. The then ‘Big Four’ individual railway companies joined together to effectively become one organisation.
In 1948, Britain’s railways were nationalised to become British Railways.
From 1965 until 1994 the railway was run under the trading name of British Rail who operated and maintained all aspects of Britain’s railways – including the trains.
On 1 April 1994 Railtrack took control of Britain’s railway infrastructure as part of government legislation to privatise Britain’s railways. Railtrack was listed on the London Stock Exchange and the FTSE 100 list. Railtrack owned the infrastructure in the same way Network Rail does now, but maintenance and services were provided by local contractors.
On 3 October 2002 Network Rail replaced Railtrack making it the owners of Britain’s railway infrastructure.

Rail was invented in Britain and that’s why we’re so proud to be playing our part in its modern story, honouring this legacy while delivering a better railway for Britain’s future.

We’re committed to continuing the great success story of rail in Britain, following in the spirit of engineering inspiration, innovation and determination that underpins two centuries of history.

Key facts

Modernisation using smarter ways of working has delivered more frequent, more reliable, safer services and brighter and better stations

1.8 billion passenger journeys, 17 billion tonne kilometres of freight and 7 million train movements every year
20 major stations which handle over 750 million passenger journeys and 2,500 other stations - leased to train operators
one of the largest asset management companies in Europe, with 43,500 employees, 20,000 miles of track, 40,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and thousands of signals, level crossings and stations
one of the biggest property portfolios in the UK with over 7,500 commercial properties
28 train-operating companies and 7 freight-operating companies