Blog Archives

Malin Head and Johnstown Castle civil and electrical works

Global Rail Services Ltd in Ireland, has completed civil and electrical works in support of the installation of the new radiation monitoring equipment at Malin Head, Met Eireann, County Donegal and aerosol measurement units at Johnstown Castle EPA Headquarters, County Wexford.

At both locations, we constructed two concrete plinths and connected them to each other and to the office building via new ducting. We then delivered and installed a new mini pillar to connect the cabling to the new cabinets. This weighed 500kg and was lifted onto the larger concrete plinth using Global Rail Services Hiab lorry and secured in position using M12 bolts.

The team the installed 30m of electrical cable at Malin Head and 100m at Johnstown Castle from the office to the mini pillar. Inside the mini pillar, we mounted a small sub-distribution fuse board to supply local power. All electrical connections to switches and boards were carefully made with suitable materials. Furthermore, all external steelwork was correctly bonded to local earth electrodes.

This successful project illustrates Global Rail Services Ltd internal capabilities as a turnkey solution provider for multi-disciplinary civil and electrical projects on behalf of the EPA.

There were also a few minor additions that took place on this project for which Global Rail Services’ team seamlessly integrated in their role as both PSCS and PSDP.

The successful execution of this project is testament to Global Rail Services Ltd’s expertise, dedication and quality of workmanship.

GRSL completes Bray Station Drainage and Water Distribution Project

Our Irish business Global Rail Services Ltd (GRSL), is thrilled to announce its successful involvement in a crucial element of the drainage and water distribution improvement project in Wicklow County, Ireland. Their contribution to this project will soon benefit many residents in the area, and the company take great pride in having played a role in its development.

Over the Easter holiday period, Global Rail Services collaborated with Wicklow Council and Irish Rail to install new drainage and watermain distribution pipes through the level crossing at Bray Dart Station. Teams worked around the clock for 72 hours during the TIII possession over the cross-levelling lines at Bray Station, ensuring a seamless removal of track and existing watermains, installation of the services, reinstatement of track, renewal of tarmac and line marking.

Prior to the weekend taking place, numerous stakeholder meetings were held with Irish Rail, Irish Water, the Gas board and ESB to identify services, reduce risk and minimise impact on residents. Irish Rail commenced their works first to remove the track panels. Global Rail Services were up next in conjunction with Irish Water to excavate a 35m trench 2.5m deep and 1.2m wide. A trench box support system was used during the construction in accordance with the temporary works design.

The existing water main was cast iron, shallow, and had to be removed to allow the installation of the 450mm of surface water drainage below. Existing Gas mains and ESB cables provided an extremely narrow window of installation. Even with pre-planning, radar scaning, and surveys, additional unchartered ESB services were uncovered during the works. Rapid intervention from the Global Rail Services site team supported by the ESB, led to a fast resolution which allowed works to continue. On completion of the surface water drainage, the watermain was reinstated to the required separation distance.

Irish Water returned to renew and reinstate all track panels and points that had been removed after which GRSL could complete 450m2 of tarmac reinstatement and line mark the entire area.

Global Rail Services Ltd would like to extend its gratitude to their dedicated staff who have shown exceptional commitment throughout this intense and challenging project. Their tireless efforts and professionalism have been instrumental in bringing these upgrades to fruition.

Level Crossing upgrades success for Global Rail Construction

UK Rail Infrastructure Contractor – Global Rail Construction Limited – has been awarded a new contract on behalf of its long-term partner and Principal Contractor Atkins Global, covering the upgrade of 2No Level Crossings at Coltishall Lane and Belaugh Lane, which are situated northeast of Norwich in the district of North Norfolk.

The project has been commissioned to satisfy an ORR improvement notice and a future prediction that there will be an increase in usage of both these Level Crossings.

Coltishall and Belaugh Level Crossings are currently User Worked Crossings (UWC) and the proposal is to upgrade them to Automatic Half Barrier (AHB) crossings.

Atkins will be providing all necessary design, for the telecoms, civils and electrification and plant (E&P) scope, whilst Global Rail Construction Limited (GRCL) will be delivering the civil engineering, signalling, telecoms and electrification and plant (E&P) installation scope of works.

GRCL will provide a fully project managed installation service with all necessary site and traffic management, as well as all necessary security and welfare facilities for the duration of the works.

Specific project deliverables include:

  • Foundations and bases
  • REB’s
  • Cable routes
  • Telephones
  • Dis Boxes
  • Under Road Crossings
  • Anti-trespass grids
  • Cable management sleepers
  • Fencing and gates
  • Highway works
  • Level crossing system panel installations
  • Signage
  • Signal boom installations
  • Road traffic light installations
  • Local control units
  • Signalling cables
  • Axel counters
  • Telecoms cables
  • Power cables
  • Earth testing
  • Recovery and disposal of old equipment

Global Rail Services Completes Gormanston Footbridge Works

A new accessibility footbridge at Gormanston Railway Station has been opened to the public on the 27th February 2023.

The project teams from both Irish Rail and Global Rail Services are to be praised for the safe project execution and high-quality result, particularly as all works were completed on or adjacent to an existing high speed railway line with minimal disruption to passengers or trains.

The substructure works included the installation of 10m deep SFA, nominal 350mm diameter piles, in situ reinforced concrete retaining walls and foundations and below ground utilities to tie the new facility into existing, drainage, lighting, power, CCTV and fire systems. The ESB power supply also had to upgraded due to limited capacity and for future proofing purposes.

The superstructure installation covered new precast concrete lift shafts, stairs, and bridges, the erection of structural steel cladding, a roof, glazing and handrails. The lift shafts were additionally encapsulated using a ‘euro brick’ cladding system.

Upon completion of the main works, Global Rail Services in-house teams, managed the Mechanical and Electrical installations including new platform lighting, re-wiring of the station CCTV system, new PA systems and power.

The success of this high-profile project highlights the multi-disciplinary rail engineering prowess of the Global Rail Services team, offering infrastructure clients a capable, one-stop turnkey service for managed Civil and Structural Engineering, Building, Mechanical and Electrical rail engineering projects.

We would like to send a huge thank you to all those involved for this incredibly impressive effort. As a team, we have delivered with a high level of diligence in order to make this project a success for Irish Rail and the local community.

Stephen O’Brien appointed Managing Director of Ireland businesses

Owners Ivan Holloway and Marco Lombardelli are delighted to announce that Stephen O’Brien has been appointed Managing Director of their Irish businesses. Stephen, who joined Global Rail Services Limited and GRA Networks Ireland as General Manager and Director of Telecoms respectively, has overseen a period of outstanding growth.

This is even more impressive, as much of his tenure to date has been following the aftermath of a global pandemic, where his resilience, dedication and innovative approaches have enhanced the businesses and delivered fantastic results, with the help and support of his Senior Leadership and the wider team in Ireland. The companies are highly regarded by clients as respected rail and infrastructure and telecoms contracting entities.

Stephen has three decades of experience in the management and delivery of projects for the construction and professional services industries, previously holding senior management positions at Morrison Telecom Services and Obelisk. With an MBA and degrees in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering from Trinity College, Dublin and UCD respectively, Stephen is a professionally affiliated leader, holding memberships of both the Irish Management Institute (MIMI) and the Institute of Engineers of Ireland (MIEI).

Stephen commented on this news, saying:
“I’m proud to have become the Managing Director of both Global Rail Services Limited and GRA Networks Ireland and will continue to do my best to ensure the businesses remain successful, innovative, and great places to work. I am also grateful to my entire team in Ireland for their support. Your skills, wisdom, and experience has been a vital ingredient to our successes.”

Ivan Holloway, Part Owner of the Global Infrastructure Group of Companies added:
“I’m delighted that Stephen will be taking on the role of MD for our Irish businesses. He’s done a fantastic job of improving performance of the businesses and has proven to be an excellent leader. We’ve found the ideal person to take our interests forward and support the long-term objectives of the shareholders.”

Global Rail Australia welcomes Brenton Judge to head up Electrical Division

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Brenton Judge as Electrical Manager to head up Global Rail Australia Pty Limited’s Electrical Division and take responsibility for its development and projects.

Brenton is a dynamic and skilled Electrical professional with a proven track record of high-quality delivery, acquired through a decade of managing construction, electrical, audio and telecommunications projects.

Electrical Services deployed by Global Rail Australia include design, project management and delivery for a wide range of clients in the rail, utilities and energy sectors.

These specialist services are constantly upgraded through training and development by the company at its HQ in Melbourne and are consistently delivered safely and to the highest specification.

Global Rail Australia undertake a full turnkey service on a wide range of projects including:

  • Commercial and industrial installations
  • Private domestic installations
  • Bespoke installations
  • Site enabling field works
  • Fibre splicing and copper jointing
  • Clean earth systems
  • Electrical maintenance
  • OCS Rail Systems
  • Lighting control systems
  • Building management and control

Learn more about our company: https://www.theglobalinfrastructuregroup.com/global-rail-australia/what-we-do/electrical/

Arundel, Ford and Littlehampton Design Award

Global Rail Construction Limited (GRCL) is delighted to announce the award of a prestigious civil and structural engineering design contract for valued client Alstom, which forms part of the Arundel, Littlehampton, and Ford Signalling Contract.

The project will replace life expired signalling and other supporting equipment with new modern equivalent. The interlockings impacted are Arundel, Ford, and Littlehampton with fringe alterations to Lancing, Horsham and Barnham. The improvements will support mainly passenger trains, with services operated by GTR Southern, GTR Thameslink and the Great Western Railway. There are three level crossings and several under worked crossings within this geographical area.

GRCL’s scope covers a PACE 2/GRIP 4 turn-key civil and structural engineering design service and includes arranging and facilitating all design workshops and necessary trackside topographical and ground investigation surveys covering new signal locations, PSP’s, UTX’s, station platform cable routes, and signal post telephones.

This will also comprise a review of PACE 1/GRIP 3 and any pre-GRIP 4 deliverables, to propose where survey requirements can be removed based upon the existing information available. The required output from this phase will be:

  • Production of a single option developed Civil Form A design including redundant equipment recovery
  • Completion of a structures detailed examination report to prove the integrity of any affected existing structures
  • A structures feasibility report
  • A surface water drainage feasibility report

GRCL will provide all necessary design and survey resources as well as all design and project management staff and associated administrative support for the works and supply all necessary manuals, drawings, and design data to support the development of a single option solution in compliance with all applicable Network Rail standards and UK and European legislative requirements.

The design team will work in accordance with the requirements of the Southern Capital Delivery Programme integrated operating environment that defines safety, engineering, sustainability, and project controls for the delivery of projects. The team will also support information management procedures through use of the Bentley eB document control process.

GRCL will also obtain the required design checks and third-party technical approvals before submitting their design particulars and shall ensure that design checks are undertaken by their suitably qualified and persons in accordance with the appropriate standards according to asset type: NR/L2/CIV/003.

MD Marco Lombardelli commented on this success, saying:

“We are delighted with this award, which is testament to previous design and survey success with Alstom. Our philosophy will be to adopt a system engineering approach to all design integration and engineering work to deliver right first time, safe and sustainable solutions.”

GRCL’s design and consultancy team constantly adapts to new technology and innovation. State-of-the-art computer-aided design and simulation systems are used to assist with analysis and design, providing significant advantages for clients by lowering project costs and reducing programmes timescales.

In-house activities include:

  • Civil engineering and structural design
  • Mechanical, electrical, and power design
  • Telecoms design
  • CAD drafting and design including 3D modelling
  • Independent design reviews

UK team awarded contract on Cambridge Area Resignalling Project

Global Rail Construction Limited is delighted to have been awarded a 3-year sub-contract programme of GRIP 6-8 railway civil engineering works, directly on behalf of valued client and Cambridge Resignalling Principal Contractor and Designer, Alstom.

The scheme is a condition led renewal, where a significant number of level crossings will be either renewed or modified as part of the project. The scope covers the following areas, controlled by Cambridge, Dullingham, Chippenham Junction, Bury St Edmunds, and Colchester signal boxes.

This prestigious civils project has been awarded to our UK team, following previous successful delivery by the company of both GRIP 4 Surveys and GRIP 5 Advanced Civils Works.

The GRIP 6-8 installation activities include:

  • Civil foundations for signalling, electrical and telecoms lineside assets
  • Civil works for all level crossing upgrades/conversions inclusive of railway, stations, and highway works
  • Dullingham Station platform extension
  • Demolition of redundant signal boxes

The programme covers 4-key commissioning stages leading to completion in December 2024 and will require Global Rail Construction to interface with Alstom’s Lead Engineer and provide input into other disciplines requirements/deliverables. GRCL will provide competent management and staff to ensure that the works meet the required Network Rail standards and meet the expected level of quality, to assist Alstom with the production and verification enabling the sign off of the Engineering Completion Certificates for all works.

Global Rail Construction Limited provide UK civil and structural design and build engineering solutions from initial project planning and design, to enabling works covering site surveys, hazard and environmental assessments, procurement, onsite construction, and equipment installation, through to final commissioning.

The company is flexible in its approach and can undertake civil engineering projects on a turnkey, consultancy, main contract, sub-contract, or resource supply basis to meet each individual client’s requirement.

Skills are applied to new build, refurbishment, and maintenance projects – activities include:

  • Condition and dilapidation surveys
  • Demolition and remediation
  • Temporary works
  • Utility services enabling and diversion
  • Ground and site investigation
  • Site excavation and enabling works
  • New build and refurbishment (Sub-Stations, Platforms, Station buildings)
  • Road construction
  • Embankment works and retaining structures
  • In-situ and precast concreting works

South Harrow TfL Contract Award

Our UK team has been awarded a fully managed, turnkey M&E design and installation project for Transport for London (TfL) at South Harrow Depot. The scope of works consists of the following items:

  • LV DNO power distribution from South Harrow Station E4 Switch room to South Harrow Sidings LVAC panel
  • Provision of containment within Sidings boundary to route the LU power supply from Sudbury Hill to South Harrow Sidings LVAC panel at the later stage (Power supply design by LU Power Projects team)
  • Design, test and commission of LVAC panel which comprises of a section of panel from DNO distribution that provides power to Points Heating distribution; and a section of panel with Auto Transfer Switch arrangement with dual supplies from DNO and LU to feed the Points Motors power distribution Lighting Kiosk and existing Comms 6kVA UPS for CCTV load
  • 2No IMD (Insulation monitoring device) for isolation transformers shall have power supply from local DB via 3 phase 6A MCB
  • Design of On Train Control (OTC) PSU unit’s supply as per Communication specification (UIP3230-TFL-COM-P094-DRG-CO-00001).
  • Design of lighting kiosk which comprises of lighting DB, lighting contactor panel and override push button station
  • Design, test, and commission lighting control panel
  • LV Cabling and Containment
  • Effective sustainable lighting to comply with S1066 and compliant with ECA directive
  • Emergency lighting to comply with S1066 and BS5266 – With integral battery backup within luminaires
  • Lighting Controls – Photocell control at central location with override push button station on timer controls at central Lighting Kiosk location and remote push button station at 3 locations as shown on the design drawings
  • 230 / 110V combined transformer 110V Socket at LVAC Kiosk location for maintenance tools
  • Earthing and Bonding
  • Liaising with supplier for LVAC panel, lighting control and isolation transformer
  • Surge suppression devices for the panels including all the distribution boards
  • Testing and commissioning for all the installed assets

South Harrow Sidings is being remodelled as part of the Deep Tube Upgrade Programme (DTUP), Piccadilly Line Upgrade Project (PLU), from 6 No. to 12 No. siding roads. To accommodate the revised stabling capacity and associated remodelling requirement, GRCL will deliver a revised LVAC and Site Wide Lighting supply to power new assets and illuminate walkways, assets and Driver Access Platform (DAPS) as well as install, test and commission a new LVAC panel, lighting control system, power supply to point motors and point heating system.

 

Monopole Tower and Civils Project Completed in Cork

Global Rail Services has been commissioned by Irish Rail to complete the installation of telecoms towers and monopoles including associated civils and electrical works to facilitate the roll out of the GSM-R project as part of the GSMR 3A Civils works package 2 on the Dublin to Cork railway line for Irish Rail. 19No sites in total were completed by Global Rail Services.

As part of this major program of the works, the team at Global Rail Services has recently completed a complex 15m monopole tower project in Cork.

Due to the limited area on site, a large bulk excavation was completed, which then required an engineering retaining support system to be installed prior to commencement of the Mast base location works at this site. This consisted of a large gabion basket structure to retain the existing ground profile prior to the start of the excavation.

The 1.5m excavation was completed adjacent to the rail line under lookout protection, 3m away from the running rail. Global Rail Services installed a 300mm lean mix layer below the base. The steel reinforced foundation cage was installed on site – 3.5m x 3.5m and 1.2m deep. Peri shutters were used to cast the foundation base. All concrete on site was pumped.

All associated ducting for ESB and fibre works were completed as per specification. Fibre works were completed at night under T111 possessions, road railers and rail dumpers were used to install 2No precast JB4A manholes and 45m of ducting over existing fibre, which was completed to connect to the Irish Rail network based in NTCC in Dublin.

Palisade fencing and gates were also completed to create a standalone Telecoms compound.

A crane hard standing area was then constructed to lift the new Monopole into location. Our rigging team completed installation of the 15-metre monopole, which due to the proximity of the track and the requirements for safe working was installed during a TIII absolute possession of line. This element of the project was completed by sister company GRA Networks Ireland (GSMR crews) under the supervision of Michael Ging.

As the team exited the site, they undertook landscaping works, which included planting trees, topsoiling, and seeding.

The works were delivered by our team which included David Byrne and Ger Delaney and were expertly organised, planned and coordinated by Senior Project Manager Damien Carroll.