Kit that meets your contract's specification
Rail and trackside work runs under its own access, competency and visibility requirements, set by the infrastructure owner and your own contract or method statement. We don't set that specification. What we do is match products precisely to the visibility class, colour and design you tell us it requires.
Visibility
Orange or hi-vis yellow to the class and design your contract or competency scheme specifies.
Weather and shift length
Trackside work runs through the night and through all weather. Waterproofs and layering have to hold up over a long possession.
Branding alongside contract markings
Your logo placed so it sits cleanly alongside any mandatory rail or contractor markings.
Rail standards explained
On Network Rail infrastructure, hi-vis must be orange and meet RIS-3279-TOM, the rail industry standard for high-visibility clothing. Garments must also meet EN ISO 20471, usually at class 2 or class 3. Yellow hi-vis is used elsewhere, but not on Network Rail infrastructure.
Confirm the exact visibility class and design your contract requires before ordering, and we'll check each garment meets it. Our hi-vis regulations guide covers the classes in more detail.
The rail and trackside kit list
This is what contractors and rail-adjacent businesses typically order. Check the colour and class against your contract before you finalise anything.
- Hi-vis jackets: waterproof, breathable and padded orange hi-vis jackets and bombers, to the class your contract specifies. See hi-vis workwear.
- Hi-vis trousers: orange hi-vis trousers and over-trousers, including knee-pad ready styles, hard-wearing enough for ballast, cable runs and long shifts on foot. See work trousers.
- Vests and polos: orange hi-vis vests, polos and long-sleeve tops for warmer shifts.
- Waterproof outer layers: for exposed trackside work in all weather. Waterproof ratings explained.
- Thermal and winter layers: fleeces and softshells in rail orange for night possessions and cold-weather working. See winter workwear.
- FR and anti-static: for work near overhead lines, welding or other higher-risk tasks.
- Safety footwear: boots suited to ballast, sleepers and uneven ground. See safety boots.
- Gloves: grip and protection for tool and materials handling. Glove ratings explained.
- Branded polos and fleeces: for office, depot and site management staff off the track.
Layering for night possessions
A lot of trackside work happens overnight, in the cold and the wet, and a possession can mean hours on foot with nowhere to warm up. The answer is layers rather than one heavy coat, but every layer that ends up on the outside still has to meet the visibility spec your contract sets.
Warmth underneath
Thermal base layers go under the hi-vis, never instead of it. Fleeces and softshells in rail orange add warmth without leaving anyone in a non-compliant top layer when they take off a jacket.
Waterproofs on top
Orange waterproof jackets and over-trousers keep the crew dry and visible at the same time, so nobody has to cover up their hi-vis to stay out of the rain.
The same across the crew
Direct employees, agency staff and subcontract labour should all be kitted to the same level. One person in the wrong colour or class is the weak point.
Branding without breaking the standard
On a rail contract, a consistently branded workforce makes it clear who's on site and which contractor they belong to. That matters for site management as much as for your own brand.
Logos on the background, not the tape
Logos go on the fluorescent orange background and stay clear of the reflective tape, within the limits the manufacturer allows. Many rail contractors add a printed company name across the back for easy identification on site.
Sits alongside mandatory markings
Tell us where any contract or competency scheme markings need to go and we'll place your branding to fit around them.
Consistent across subcontractors
Same logo, same placement, whether kit goes to direct employees or subcontract labour. Check our logo placement guide for what goes where.
Contractors and framework suppliers
Rail contractors often supply teams across several projects. Our free Secure Buying Wardrobe lets each project manager order approved, compliant kit online, within budget, with one invoice for head office. Ask our sales team to set up a trade account on your first order and reordering for new starters is straightforward.
