Product acceptance

Find out about product acceptance and our process

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What is product acceptance?

The product acceptance process gives us the assurance that products accepted for use on or about our infrastructure are:

  • safe
  • compatible
  • reliable
  • fit for purpose
  • do not export unacceptable risks to Network Rail infrastructure.

Only accepted products, except those allowed by NR/L2/RSE/100/05, shall be used on the rail infrastructure.

Watch our video below to find out more about product acceptance

Do I need to apply for acceptance?

Network Rail standard NR/L2/RSE/100/05, Product introduction and change, governs the process for the acceptance of products.

This includes:

  • new or modified products, materials, equipment, and systems
  • changes of application
  • road-rail vehicles or attachments, and rail-mounted machines, on-track machines, road plant and portable and transportable work equipment that could affect or interact with the infrastructure.

You can view the examples of items that require approval (PDF). Please note that this list is not exhaustive and advice may be required to determine whether your product requires approval.

Please also refer to the guidance document – How to decide what needs product acceptance (PDF) for further details on the products that this process applies to.

See the attached Product Acceptance Service Guidance Note (PDF 2 MB)  for more information on the Product Acceptance process and for information on how to obtain our standards.

For further guidance please see our FAQ document or email us at prodacc@networkrail.co.uk.

System Review Panel (SRP)

The approval of infrastructure schemes, high-risk systems and complicated multi-disciplinary new and novel products are dealt with in accordance with Network Rail Standard NR/L2/RSE/100/07.  

System Review Panel applications are assessed by a group of engineering disciplines and/or relevant experts to make sure all risks have been addressed adequately before introducing the system or product onto Network Rail Infrastructure. 

For further guidance please see our SRP Guidance Document. 

Design For Reliability (DFR)

DFR is a structured procedure identifying minimum requirements for suppliers to demonstrate that they have designed reliability into new or changed controlled products and addressed potential reliability risks using documented outputs from proven tools. It was mandated from 3/4/2017 by the Network Rail Standard NR/L2/RSE/0005, first issued in June 2016.

DFR was designed to address causes of unreliability, whilst also considering whole life cost. NR expect our suppliers to demonstrate the use of DFR tools when submitting items for Product Acceptance.

DFR adds a reliability element to the legal and safety elements of PA.

Different paths through DFR are stated for new products, revised products, products designed prior to Network Rail involvement, supplier relocation, changing supplier, potential risk, low volumes and the extent of a change.

NOTE: DFR is a separate process to PA but is managed in parallel to PA. The DFR path will be assigned by relevant engineering team when a Product Acceptance or DFR Enquiry application has been submitted. DFR is required to have been completed prior to the issue of PA certification.

Watch our video below to find out more about DFR

How to find an approved product

The catalogue of accepted products is available on the PADSnet website.

PADS (Parts and Drawings System) is owned by SERCO and the data is managed by Network Rail. This includes the creation and revision of PADS numbers.

There are more than 85,000 products accepted for use on our infrastructure.

Contact

If you have any queries relating to catalogue numbers or PADSnet, please contact the Catalogue Management team at cataloguequeries@networkrail.co.uk.

How to apply for product acceptance

Applications need to be submitted by or on behalf of a Network Rail operative (applicant), who is prepared to act in a sponsorship capacity and who can demonstrate a Network Rail business requirement. Or, for Plant Assets, such as road-rail vehicles or on-track machines, by an authorised Plant Assessment Body (PAB). 

You or the Network Rail Applicant (sponsor) will need to provide justification by demonstrating monetary, safety and / or performance benefits to Network Rail. 

The roles and responsibilities of the Applicant (sponsor) are defined in our Guidance for Product Acceptance Sponsors document.

Applications should be submitted when products or systems have been fully developed and have reached Rail Industry Readiness level (RIRL) 6. Definitions of the Rail Industry Readiness levels are available within section 8 of the Guidance Note (PDF).

If your product has not yet reached RIRL6, please refer to our Challenge Statements.

Acceptance is subject to standard terms and conditions, which are available in the sample Certificate of Acceptance (PDF)

Product Acceptance Application form

You will receive an email notification when we have processed your application. This will include your unique product acceptance reference number and details of the next approval steps. For updates relating to progress, in the first instance please contact your Network Rail Applicant (sponsor). Or for Plant Assets, the relevant Plant Assessment Body (PAB).  

If you are unable to contact the relevant applicant (sponsor) or PAB, please email us at prodacc@networkrail.co.uk. 

Issues and Escalation Process 

Manufacturers / suppliers 

In the first instance please escalate issues relating to your Product Acceptance application to your Network Rail Applicant (Sponsor). Your Sponsoring applicant should attempt to address your concerns before raising these using the process below. 

For cases where you are unable to contact your Network Rail Applicant (Sponsor) after making reasonable efforts, please email a summary of your issue to PA.Issue.Escalation@networkrail.co.uk. All emails received will be reviewed and responded to within 10 working days. 

Network Rail Applicants (Sponsors) 

In the first instance you should attempt to resolve issues escalated to you using the existing standards and guidance for Product Acceptance and Design for Reliability. 

For cases where this is not possible, please email a summary of your issue to PA.Issue.Escalation@networkrail.co.uk. All emails received will be reviewed and responded to within 10 working days. 

If we require further details, are unable to resolve your issue or it requires further escalation, we will advise you accordingly after we have reviewed the supplied details. 

For issues relating to Design for Reliability, these may need to be forwarded to the DFR Process Manager for resolution, we will advise if this is the case. 

Challenging Network Rail standards 

For issues relating to Network Rail standard challenges then please follow this link: Reviewing our standards – Network Rail. 

You can submit a standards challenge application if you consider the standard to be incorrect, not enable the application of best practice, or drive increased cost without comparable benefit. 

Periodic Statistics

  • Applications received – 24
  • Certificates issued (full and trial) – 23
  • % certificates issued in less than 40 days (13 period average) – 72%
  • % certificates issued in less than 180 days (13 period average) – 20%
  • % certificates issued in over 365 days (13 period average) – 8%

Please note that the above figures relate to all applications, including those submitted for changes to existing products. Applications for first time new products can take longer to approve than those for existing products.