Global Rail Construction to construct substations as part of major Reading rail upgrade

The UK arm of the Global Infrastructure Group – Global Rail Construction Ltd – is pleased to announce that it has secured the civils package associated with the construction on 2No Sub-Stations as part of the Reading 10-Car Upgrade works, which form part of Network Rail’s wider £38bn investment through to 2019.

The project supports the delivery of the High Level Output Specification (HLOS) capacity metric for London Waterloo, which indicates that it is necessary to provide capacity to accommodate an additional demand of 9,700 passengers in the three-hour morning peak.

Global Rail Construction will supply traction power supply infrastructure to enable the operation of 10 car services on the Reading to London Waterloo and Aldershot via Ascot to London Waterloo routes. This will relieve overcrowding, particularly between Virginia Water and London Waterloo in the morning peak.

The full project scope of works is split into three categories:

DC Enhancements:

• Conversion of Track Paralleling Huts to Substations at Sunningdale Buckhurst, Emmbrook and Whitmoor; and
• Upgrading existing substations at Ash Vale and Winnersh

HV Enhancements:

• Upgrade of seven HV feeder cables; and
• Increase fixed service capacity at Byfleet and Camberley Grids

Electrical Track Equipment (ETE) Enhancements:

• DC track feeder cable doubling on four route sections; and
• ETE cable doubling

The project will have major interfaces with the Reading and Ascot to London Waterloo Train Lengthening, which is carrying out work in the same area over the same timescales, the Feltham re-signalling project, a project that Global Rail Construction are currently delivering significant works for and, the Wessex capacity programme, which could overlap with possession requirements.

The delivery of the significant capital investment on the Wessex Route in CP5 is complex; therefore an integrated programme between stakeholders will be produced, to manage the interfaces between various projects.

The works commence in September 2016 and will run through to January 2017 and are contracted through HVMS – Network Rail’s current E&P framework contractor for the Southern Region.

Jim Cuell, Global Rail Construction’s Commercial Director, was delighted with this award and said:

“The Wessex area has seen us delivering on many important Network Rail enhancements such as ASDO and Feltham Resignalling and this win is reward for our outstanding delivery record.

“Our estimating team under the direction of Don Osborn, delivered another compelling bid and as a board, we are grateful for the efforts of the whole tendering team”.

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