scope:

This manual specifies the business rules for the functional use of Ellipse and how these are to be applied by users throughout Network Rail.

The manual is subdivided into the modules shown in table 1 for ease of use and reference.

Purpose

Ellipse is Network Rail's primary asset register and Maintenance Work Management system. It is used by the Maintenance function to record details of cyclic tasks, work arising and other work.

The information held in Ellipse and the way it is used helps Network Rail to:

a) maintain accurate information about its assets;

b) maintain the infrastructure as efficiently as possible;

c) plan work in the most efficient manner;

d) identify what work needs to be done and when;

e) group different work activities so they can be carried out with minimal disruption to train service;

f) look forward to future work and use it to plan resources to:

1) make best use of their time;

2) plan their activities to be carried out in the safest way.

Ellipse is used for five key purposes:

a) as an asset register;

b) as a work bank management tool;

c) as a means of scheduling work and allocating it resources;

d) as a record of work carried out;

e) to record asset condition and associated condition monitoring data.

Accurately recorded completed work provides a history of the assets' performance. This is used to support renewals plans so that the right mix of maintenance, refurbishment and renewal is carried out.