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Global Rail Construction secures HS2 route works contract

Global Rail Construction Limited (GRCL) has secured a rail contract on behalf of HS2 Principal Contractor Skanska. The main contract for Network Rail will replace the existing SAS 13 Bridge in Birmingham, which will facilitate an increased lateral clearance below the structure to enable the construction of HS2’s new up, down and depot access lines. Additionally, the new structure will allow for a road access to a new train depot and maintenance facility used by HS2.

Global Rail Construction Limited’s contract covers the removal, installation, testing and commissioning of the Cable Route Management System (CRMS) and High Voltage (HV) cabling to allow for cable diversions to enable the bridge jacking to proceed. The contract for the High Voltage Route and Cable Installation works will need to be completed well in advance of the May 2022 blockade.

The full scope of works covers:

High Voltage Cable Route

  • Supply and Installation of Track Side Elevated GRP Trough Route – Circa 260m
  • Direct Buried Route (Ground is a haul road of Stone and Geogrid) including excavation and subsequent backfilling – Circa 50m
  • Supply and Installation of Cable Rack through Confined Space Culvert – Circa 50m
  • Direct Buried Route (ground is a 100mm reinforced concrete slab in a licenced asbestos area) including excavation and subsequent backfilling – Circa 45m
  • Supply and Installation of Ground Laid GRP Trough Route – Circa 140m
  • Coring through the River Rea Culvert headwall

HV Cable Installation

  • Hauling and installation of approximately 1600m of single core cable 120mm2 copper XLPE insulated with 83mm2 screen, MDPE, graphite – including 2No HV Joints
  • Hauling and installation of approximately 1600m of 19/4.22 aluminium red PVC insulated cable – including 2No HV joints
  • Testing and proving of installed cables

GRCL will provide adequate management and supervision to deliver this contract. Resources will be controlled to maximise collaboration with Skanska’s team, and achieve agreed outcomes in terms of quality, health, safety, and environmental performance. GRCL’s team will also provide daily input to support co-ordination meetings and deliver any necessary technical and programming information along with any other assistance to ensure the full integration of the work of all parties involved.

ISO 45001 Recertification Success for GRCL

We are pleased that following a successful audit, we have been recertificated for ISO 45001: 2018. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the audit was converted into a remote audit, which went well and could also be recommended for future audits. The audit also covered our Principal Contractor SSIP assessment. Thank you to our Auditors for their cooperation and our Compliance team for their support during the audit.

An Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) Management System promotes a healthy working environment by providing a framework to identify, control and manage OHS risks and opportunities.

Adopting and implementing an effective OHS Management System addresses legal, ethical, and industrial relations concerns regarding worker safety and our duty of care as an employer.

Implementing an OHS Management System reduces workplace injuries and minimises the associated costs. ISO 45001:2018 also shares common management systems principles with our other accreditations and systems covering ISO 14001 for Environmental Management and ISO 9001 for Quality Management.

Sunningdale Level Crossing Renewal Contract Award

Global Rail Construction Limited (GRCL) has been awarded a multi-disciplinary contract on behalf of Atkins for the civil and S&T installation works for a new level crossing at Sunningdale, which falls within Feltham Resignalling Phase 2.

The overall Feltham Resignalling Project covers the renewal of all signalling assets. Its area is covered by seven scheme plans, with delivery broken down into six separate Phases that align approximately to the Signalling Scheme Plan boundaries, Feltham ASC Signallers panels and Wokingham Signal Box.

Within the early advanced scope of Phase 2 is Sunningdale MCB-CCTV, which is subject to a full level crossing renewal and is due to be completed in early November 2021. The scope encompasses life extension works with addition of barrier repositioning and narrowing of carriageway.

GRCL’s awarded summary of works for this level crossing renewal includes the full civil engineering scope and trackside signalling equipment installation works, which will be delivered in-house and covers the following:

  • Barrier and Red Man Standing Signal Bases and associated route/cable entries
  • Marshalling Box bases and associated route/cable entries
  • Earth Mat installation
  • Turning Chamber
  • Highway Works – Carriageway, Footway & Footpath Works
  • RTL bases with NAL sockets and associated route/cable entries
  • Installation of route/cable entries
  • Existing Barrier Base modifications
  • Lighting Control Unit Bases
  • Hardstanding Areas
  • Removal of existing fencing/gates
  • Installation of new fencing/gates
  • Sign Bases

GRCL will deliver and constructed these works, where possible, in fenced or Site Warden protected areas. However, there will be requirements for certain areas to be constructed during possessions/line blocks.

This level crossing renewal involves several stakeholders including Atkins, Network Rail, and other contracted parties. GRCL will look to work collaboratively with all concerned and use all reasonable endeavours to coordinate and make necessary allowance for working alongside others to deliver this level crossing renewal in accordance with the overall project programme.

Damien Galligan Joins Global Rail Services in Ireland

The Global Infrastructure Group family is pleased to welcome Damien Galligan.

Many of you will know that Irishman Damien, spent five very successful years working as a Commercial Manager for our Australian business, Global Rail Australia in Melbourne. Damien departed in 2019 to broaden his client-side experience, joining international Cost Consultant Rider Levett Bucknall.

Some 18 months later, we were delighted to be able to offer Damien, a new position worthy of his skills and experience, however, additionally, the opportunity to come back to his roots in Ireland.

Damien will therefore be joining our Irish business, Global Rail Services in Dublin, as Senior Commercial Manager, responsible for all pre and post contract duties covering cost estimating, benchmarking, value engineering, allocation of risk, project tendering, tender reports, contract administration, claims assessment, dispute resolution, negotiations and final account settlements. This covers the entire Irish portfolio, across a range of multi-disciplinary sectors covering rail and transportation, telecommunications, conservation works and new build projects.

Ivan Holloway, CEO of Global Rail Services and Global Rail Australia, added:

“Our businesses in Ireland have recently been bolstered with a number of high calibre senior appointments and promotions and this is another. Having worked with Damien in Australia, I am delighted to have been able to facilitate this senior role in Ireland for him. Welcome home Damien.”

Global Rail Construction Limited Introduce Real Time Paperless Technology at Feltham

Global Rail Construction Limited (GRCL) are pleased to announce the delivery of our promise to our client Network Rail, with the exciting introduction of a new online digital construction platform for its Feltham Phases 3-4 Advanced Civils Project. Its winning bid was based upon the provision of paperless technology as part of its UK operational drive towards sustainable, carbon neutral contracting.

From a bespoke list of requirements, our partner innDex has taken many of our existing paper-based site processes and procedures from a paper based, manual process and moved them into a real time application, which is now at the fingertips of our whole workforce.

As a rail business, compliance, processes and procedures are at the heart of what GRCL does and crucial to the delivery of our projects to the expected standards of every client. This platform brings together communication and decision making in real time, whereby GRCL will have at their fingertips, the full picture of each and every project delivered and be able to delve into historical projects, to support its continuous improvement drive through lessons learning. Dashboards like the ones shown are ready to help the project monitor and report about its people, health and safety matters and project progress.

Health, safety and wellbeing of our people matters more than ever and the innDex platform will support GRCL, with adherence to project health and safety requirements, allowing the company to address and resolve any issues quickly. It will further enhance GRCL’s site induction process too, reducing induction times by over 75%, with the ability to add videos or slideshows to this process, so that staff can be both briefed and site familiarised prior to even setting foot on site. Other features include real-time submissions of close calls, which can easily be viewed, addressed and closed out by the site team through the live dashboard reports. The innDex platform also supports digital toolbox talks and briefings to ensure that the whole team are up to date with any safety information and are aware of any hazards to watch out for on site.

Furthermore, we are using the application in support of our Covid-19 compliance, through the provision of a digital signing on process with a number of key questions that each member of staff/supply chain partner will need to answer prior to being able to sign into the shift. This goes together with our mandatory policy of testing and taking and recording temperatures for every individual at the start of each shift.

Global Rail Construction Limited’s Managing Director, Marco Lombardelli added:

“This paperless solution supports our UK sustainability objectives and enhances our business operations, to the benefits of both our entire workforce and our clients. By having full visibility of all our employees and supply chain in terms of skills, competence, experience and location, we can plan out and resource our projects in the most sustainable way. We are also able to calculate carbon footprint on our projects and further offset to become carbon neutral, with our business target of all projects to be carbon neutral by 2026.

“innDex have supported GRCL through bringing together processes into a single solution, allowing us to automate and digitalise, in order to improve our efficiency, productivity and health and safety.

“GRCL now have a platform with new, innovative features and functionality and as business are constantly on the lookout for new technology to improve how we operate and how this will benefit the UK rail industry and its passengers.”

MTM – High Bushfire Risk Area (HBRA) Asset Inspections Completed

Global Rail Australia’s Asset Inspection team has been supporting its customer MTM with a project for High Risk Bush Fire (HBRA) Asset Inspections of various Metro lines, which could have been potentially affected from the devasting bushfires in 2020.

This project involved the visual inspections of the MTM Owned Assets along the rail corridor covering 1800 Electrical Structures, 400 Poles (Lights & CCTV) and 32 Substations. Global Rail Australia’s detailed scope was as follows:

  1. Overhead Electrical Asset Inspections on the Rail Corridor located along the Track
  2. Light Poles in the Rail Corridor, among the Platforms and Stations Car Parks
  3. Signal Assets
  4. CCTV Assets
  5. Substations located in the Rail Corridor
  6. Bush Fire Walk Examination along the following designated lines:
    • Belgrave Line (Ringwood – Belgrave)
    • Cranbourne Line (Dandenong – Cranbourne)
    • Hurstbridge Line (Clifton Hill – Hurstbridge)
    • Pakenham Line (Dandenong – Pakenham)
    • Sunbury Line (Footscray – Sunbury)
    • Craigieburn Line (Kensington – Craigieburn)
    • Mernda Line (Clifton Hill – Mernda)
  7. Reporting of the inspected asset details in accordance with the client’s requirements:
    • Locating the asset on the Rail Corridor
    • Recording the visual inspection of the asset, (Photos and Condition of the Asset)
    • Reporting the details of the information into the required format
    • Assisting MTM in identifying the defects on the Rail Corridor

Damien Carroll Promoted to Senior Project Manager for our Operations in Ireland

Our Dublin based Global Rail Services team are delighted to announce the promotion of Damien Carroll to Senior Project Manager.

The promotion is testament to the expertise and dedication Damien has provided over the last 4 years – support that has been instrumental in the success of our rail and construction operations in Ireland.

His role going forward will involve project managing key contracts throughout Ireland, supporting staff and acting as senior liaison with clients. 

Damien will be supporting Operations Director Eoin Shortt, to deliver sustainable project management solutions in line with both client and business requirements.

Eoin Shortt, Operations Director of Global Rail Services Limited said:

“Damien is a talented Project Manager. We are delighted to promote him and look forward to his support of Global Rail Services’ future growth and prosperity.”

Ray Collins Promoted to Commercial Director for our Operations in Ireland

We are delighted to announce the promotion of Ray Collins to Commercial Director for our Irish Operations covering our Construction, Infrastructure and Rail Contracting business Global Rail Services Limited and our telecoms arm GRA Networks Ireland.

The promotion is testament to the dedication Ray has provided over the last 12-years’ – support that has been instrumental in the growth and prosperity of our businesses in Ireland.

His role going forward, will involve directing all commercial aspects of our contracting throughout Ireland, supporting staff – forming part of a new senior management team, with fellow Directors Aidan Kelly and Eoin Short.

Ray will be supporting new General Manager Stephen O’Brien, to further grow and develop these organisations, by providing the necessary commercial governance and structure.

Ivan Holloway, CEO of Global Rail Services Limited said:

“Ray is a consummate professional and a talented commercial leader. We are delighted to promote him to Commercial Director and look forward to his advice and support for many years to come.”

Bridge lighting is a beacon of hope for future

Global Rail Services, our multi-disciplinary rail and infrastructure contracting business based in Dublin, has delivered an exciting project on behalf Iarnrod Eireann (Irish Rail) – an ambitious new lighting system on the White Bridge over the Shannon in Athlone.

The system, which is the latest in LED lighting technology, has been successfully commissioned by the Global Rail Services team and facilitates the illumination of the southern face of the bridge in a variety of colour tones and lighting sequences.

Mayor of Athlone Cllr Aengus O’Rourke has hailed the result of investment by and said: “I had the pleasure of working closely with senior management in the Infrastructure section of Iarnrod Eireann in recent years. And what started out back then as a discussion around the possibility of cleaning and painting the bridge soon developed into a conversation about a much more ambitious lighting project.

“Two years later and I am absolutely delighted with the outcome. I have learned so much in that time about the opportunities and capabilities of new design lighting technologies that will enhance our town.”

The metre-long sections fixed to the southern face of the bridge are capable of illuminating in any colour tone imaginable and can be programmed to flash or run from left to right from middle to edges and in any colour.

Mayor O’Rourke said that there were many trials and demonstrations and the end result is a perfect fit for the bridge and for the town:

“The ‘Instagram moment’ that has been talked about previously on the new bridge as people step from East to West and visa versa, has now been joined by a second ‘Insta moment’ opportunity for those crossing the bridge.

“Every little thing we do to enhance the town and our image is a bonus and feeds into our plan to be a great town to live in, visit, study in and do business in. And, the more positive memories people take with them from Athlone the better.

“The bridge will be lit-up every night 365 days a year and lights will be coloured in keeping with the season or in support of local initiatives.

“This would allow, for example, Christmas lighting, St Patrick’s Day lighting or particular colours to be chosen to coincide with charity events or special occasions.

“My sincere hope as we see out this challenging and difficult year, is that this new vibrant and joyful display of lights will act as a beacon to brighter days ahead for us all and for Athlone.”

Cllr Frankie Keena also welcomed the new lighting and thanked Irish Rail. He said: “It is a really impressive lighting display, which will contribute enormously to the ambiance of the area.”

GRA Networks Australia Completes 5G Telecoms Installation for Nokia

GRA Networks Australia has begun works after successfully signing a number of framework agreements with Nokia.

The first installation of New 5G Technology has already been completed on behalf of Nokia for the Vodafone Network. This included the RAN upgrade of existing communication sites to support the new 5G technology, with all works conducted under a 7-day SLO (Single Long Outage).

The completed scope included:

  • Removal of all old steelwork and installation of new steelwork
  • Removal of all old antennae and installation of new antennae
  • Removal of all external equipment and installation of new RRU’s
  • Removal of all old feeders/trunk cables and installation of new trunk cables
  • Swapping-out of the existing PSU
  • Swapping-out of the existing BTS equipment and replacing with Nokia BTS
  • Construction of a new hoarding around the shelter
  • Site integration and test calling