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.
Global Rail Construction were selected by Siemens as design and build civil engineering contractor for a Horizontal Directional Drill (HDD) that was required to cross under a Grade 2 listed building, the Great River Ouse, Ouse Road and the East Coast Mainline railway in the heart of Selby town centre.
Utilising their in-house multi-disciplinary design team, Global Rail Construction were able to offer Siemens a complete design and build solution.
The civil engineering works, which formed part of the Selby Rail Swing Bridge Signalling Interlocking Renewal being undertaken by signalling product specialist Siemens, were being specifically undertaken to renew the existing electricity cables, which had been installed in 1956 and were located under the river.
The project consisted of the replacement of the swing bridge cabin signalling interlocking onto a new interlocking building, incorporating new lineside equipment from locations 128, 129, 130 and 131, which also required cables to traverse into the river at this location. The conventional approach of simply running the signalling cable across the bridge was not appropriate, as one 40m span of the swing bridge – which was built in circa 1900 – allowed river traffic to pass. Hence, Global Rail Construction designed a suitable ducted solution to carry telecommunication, signalling and power cables on behalf of their client.
