Global Rail Construction Limited (GRCL), has successfully completed a railway civil engineering design and build programme of works on behalf of partner Atkins Global, to support the upgrade the signalling systems in the Clacton-on-Sea area.
The Clacton Resignalling Projects’ principle driver was the asset condition of the interlocking and associated track infrastructure at the throat of Clacton-on-Sea station.
Much of the signalling in the area dated back to 1958 and utilised a lever frame dating from 1891. There was a mixture of semaphore and colour-light signals, controlled by a mechanical/electro- mechanical lever frame. There was also a mechanical ground frame at Clacton Station. The existing signalling equipment has been previously subject of life extension works in both 1996 and 2004.
Many components were obsolete and only available on a repair and return basis. Most of the existing location cases had considerable corrosion. The signalling uses some single-cut circuits which are the subject of ORR concern. Searchlight signals were installed on this line, with known Wrong Side Failure (WSF) modes. P-Style relays in the lower portion of the box were recognised as susceptible to sliver migration. So, these works, will minimise maintenance and reduce whole life costs.
Global Rail Construction Limited (GRCL) has successfully completed the Design and Build of a Static VAR Compensator (SVC) Enclosure at Greenwich Generating Station. Under Power Upgrades Package 5C, Siemens, as Principal Contractor, appointed GRCL to deliver the project, to house the new SVC within a disused turbine hall.
Access to the substation was via the Old Woolwich Road, which was challenging. An internal substation access road was used for all construction logistics and deliveries with minimum disruption caused to the local residents.
Whilst on site, GRCL were awarded a variation to provide further civils installation works associated with the extension to the existing 22kV Switch room located on the 1st Floor of the Sub-Station. These works included the demolition of the existing wall, strengthening of the floor using steel support and concrete screed, blockwork walls, self-levelling screed, door installation and plinth foundations.
Global Rail Construction Limited (GRCL) has secured a multi-disciplinary S&T, Civils and E&P Points Heating remedial contract at London Bridge, on behalf of BAM Nuttall for the Thameslink Project.
As part of the Thameslink Programme, the railway systems for London Bridge were completely remodelled to suit a new layout at the Station and provide substantial capacity improvements to enable amendments to the operational timetabling – this is referred to as the N421 Project.
However, the complexity of managing, staging and delivering the railway systems in order to meet the remodelling programme, necessitated a requirement for the railway systems infrastructure to be surveyed, in order to confirm both its suitability and the requirements to undertake further upgrades and rectifications as required.
Global Rail Construction Limited are among a team of specialist rail contractors working in a highly coordinated manner to deliver these important upgrades for Network Rail. The in-house team of multi-disciplinary experts from Global, have worked almost entirely within a live, operational environment, interfacing daily with equipment that is switched on, in a wholly compliant manner.
The specialist discipline support services undertaken by Global Rail Construction Limited cover the entire end-to-end design and build scope of the Signalling, E&P and Ancillary Civil Engineering programme.
Global Rail Construction Limited (GRCL) were awarded the E&P and Ancillary Civil Engineering works for the joint venture of Volker Fitzpatrick and Morgan Sindall (VFMS), as part of the construction of a new 4.5 km extension to the London Overground route on the Gospel Oak to Barking line for Transport for London, whilst also meeting the requirements for integration onto existing Network Rail infrastructure.
The full project scope provides a new strategic rail connection in East London and included the modification of the existing railway lines from Barking station over a stretch of 3km with a new 1.5km railway viaduct extension from Renwick Road overbridge to a new terminus. This involved constructing an embankment ramp up to the new concrete viaduct supporting a two-track railway extension into the heart of a new residential development at Barking Riverside.
The requirements also included new Overhead Line Electrification (OLE), Signalling, Signalling Power, Domestic Power and Telecoms, providing a new elevated Rail section and station close to the Thames.
In addition to their core Civils and E&P scope of works, GRCL also supplied all materials handling and logistics management for the works, RRV’s as required, site haulage, HV comps and assessors and all necessary SMTH testing staff to support its works and enhance its self-delivery capability.
The Felixstowe Capacity Upgrade Project was a rail infrastructure programme for Network Rail, which involved the double tracking of sections of Permanent Way – over approximately 20 Kilometres between North Ipswich and Felixstowe – to increase capacity for the main freight route from the Port of Felixstowe.
The full project scope of works included upgrading five Level Crossings with new barrier controls and the installation of new Permanent Way, Signalling, Power and Telecoms for a new loop installation in order to facilitate the expansion of the strategically important freight connections.
The Principal Contractor for the works was Volker Fitzpatrick Ltd (VFL), acting on behalf of Network Rail as part of their Anglia Regional Collaboration (ARC) CP5 framework. Global Rail Construction Limited provided a fully managed sub-contract service to VFL, completing the full scope of Ancillary Civil Engineering and E&P works for the project.
Having a multi-disciplinary workforce including design, civil and structural engineering and E&P expertise, along with in-house project management and having previously delivered time-pressurised, highly co-ordinated schemes, allowed Global Rail Construction Limited to provide the necessary solution in order to complete the works to meet the client’s requirements.
Global Rail Construction Ltd (GRCL) delivered a compelling tender to Network Rail Infrastructure Projects (NR) and in early 2017, were awarded the Principal Contractors role for the Design and Construction of the full civil engineering scope of works for the Feltham Resignalling Project Phase 1.
This phase of works forms part of a major Re-Signalling project to renew life expired signalling, telecoms and power assets for Network Rail, comprising the renewal of 538 Signalling Equivalent Units (SEUs).
The geographical work-scope, which covers over 80 miles of railway lines also includes, for the first time, the introduction a brand new signalling system from Atkins – Elix.
Works were planned during mid-week days and nights, Saturday nights and a number of 28/52-hour railway possessions between weekend 20 – 2017 and weekend 12 – 2018.
The works were further extended to April 2019 by Network Rail during the course of the contract, whereby a number of Location Case concrete hardstandings were constructed; a number of PSP compounds were designed and constructed, 52 new signals were supplied, delivered and erected; new cable duct routes were added to a number of existing station platforms; and the installation of various new trough routes were completed including their associated design over bridge locations.
Having a multi-disciplinary workforce including rail, civil and structural installation expertise, along with in-house project management, and having previously delivered time-pressurised re-signalling schemes, allowed Global Rail Construction to provide the necessary delivery solution and works have been fully completed to meet the client’s requirements.
Following previous successful contracts with Kier, Global Rail Construction Ltd (GRCL) again delivered a compelling tender and, in early 2016, was awarded the civil engineering scope of works for the Feltham Resignalling Project Phase 0 (Shepperton Branch).
The major resignalling project to renew life expired signalling, telecoms and power assets on behalf of railway systems giant Atkins, comprised the renewal of 538 Signalling Equivalent Units (SEUs).
The geographical work-scope, which covers over 80 miles of railway lines also included, for the first time, the introduction of Atkins brand new signalling system – Elix.
Works were planned during mid-week days and nights, Saturday nights and four 28-hour railway possessions between weeks 48 and 14, leading up to a 15-day blockade commencing in Week 16, between 16th and 31st July 2016.
Having a multi-disciplinary workforce including rail, civil and structural installation expertise, along with in-house project management, and having previously delivered time-pressurised re-signalling schemes, allowed Global Rail Construction to provide a delivery solution, one which the client readily accepted.
In April 2014, UK rail contractor Global Rail Construction Limited (GRCL). fought off stiff competition to be awarded the design and construction of the civil engineering scope of works (Grip 5-8), for the East Notts Modular Resignalling scheme on behalf of Alstom.
The remitted signalling renewals on Network Rail’s East Midlands Route, consisted of the replacement of life expired mechanical signalling equipment, with Alstom’s state of the art modular signalling concept.
This flagship project involved the use of Alstom’s latest obstacle detection (OD) technology at 9 separate level crossing sites, on both the Nottingham to Grantham and the Nottingham to Newark lines.
The project was to be completed whilst adhering with two critical project milestones commissioning dates in March 2015 and November 2015, culminating in final test, handback and completion in November 2016.
The project was also cutting edge in its safe working processes, as it also became the first project in the UK to implement NR//L2/OHS/133 – Network Rail’s brand new Code of Practice for Planning and Delivering Safe Work.
Global Rail Construction self delivered much of the work scope using their in-house civil and structural engineering teams.
Following Global Rail Construction’s notable success in securing a Principal Contractors licence, its signalling division was invited to provide the most advantageous offer to fully manage a project on Network Rail’s (NR) Wessex route. The scope of works included for planning, surveying, installing and commissioning of 509No Hima-Sella Tracklink 3 beacons, including the careful recovery of the existing beacons for refurbishment and re-use, all under SMT conditions.
The system known as Automatic Selective Door Operation (ASDO), provides the train operator – in this case South West Trains – with technology that compares the length of the train with the length of the platform, sending a signal to the driver so that only the correct amount of doors on the platform side are opened.
With more people travelling by train, many train operators are increasing the number of carriages and whilst the infrastructure owners are also increasing platform capacity to afford the extended trains, there will be many stations that will not have sufficient platform length to allow all doors to open.
The principal function of this technology is contained within an electronic beacon installed at each station location, which is fitted to the track at a pre-determined datum point to the existing sleepers and is mounted within the mid-point between the rails known as the 4ft.
The beacon itself is a passive component that utilises radio frequencies and communicates with a beacon reader, which is fitted to the train and then this in turn decodes the data taken from the beacon.
Having provided a comprehensive offering Global Rail Construction were contracted by Network Rail in the Summer of 2014, to meet two key project milestones as part of a two-phased programme in October 2014 and December 2015.
Global Rail Construction were selected by Kier as E&P contractor for the installation of the new 650v power supplies and also the 400v power domestic supplies for the Balcombe to Copyhold Signalling Supply upgrade project on Network Rail’s VTB lines.
Having already supported Kier on previous signalling projects, Global Rail Construction were seen as the partner of choice once more, particularly as the works involved substation access, calling upon the experienced in-house Level C staff that the business have.
The project on Network Rail’s Sussex route involved three sites at Balcombe Tunnel, Ouse Valley and Haywards Heath and required a fully managed delivery solution from Global Rail Construction’s in-house E&P division.
The project relied heavily on close co-operation between Kier’s own teams and those of Global Rail Construction and it is this in-house experience in signalling and civil engineering, that provided Kier with the confidence that the E&P team fully understood the interdisciplinary nature of the works.
The programme was fast track with the power build and install having to be completed in 3 months, however, Global Rail Construction’s E&P team – who are just at home delivering standalone projects under their Principal Contractors Licence – were able to call upon their experience in-house project delivery processes to provide a robust cost loaded programme of activities that could be accurately monitored.
