When Planning & Pressure Meet At a Similar Crossroad!

Two rail jobs, one the result of a dramatic bridgestrike, and the other requiring of long-term planning to accommodate the needs of one of the UK’s busiest stations, each produced superb outcomes but not without their respective challenges.

Bonfire Night Sparks East Midlands Rail Record

The ‘amazing’ aspect of Underbridge 58 or ‘Fosters Bridge’ which crosses the A6121 Stamford Road at Ketton in Rutland, came into play after a lorry hit the Peterborough to Manton Junction Line (PMJ) structure on November 5th. It was carrying a heavy load at the time, the trough girders were unrecoverably damaged and a significant part of the structure needed replacing before trains could run safely once more.

But just two weeks later the line was open again resulting in major plaudits for the combined efforts of HBPW, Network Rail and associated contractors.

Partner, Paul Monaghan, said: “The lorry impact meant that one of the deck’s had to be removed as a matter of emergency, due to unrecoverable damage to the trough girders, although the opposite line was quickly assessed, made safe and reopened to restricted traffic within the first 24 hours.”

Thereafter a chain of events was triggered in which a range of parties came together to ensure that the freight line, one of only two between Felixstowe and Birmingham, was back up and running in the quickest possible time.

Typically a permanent replacement structure would have taken months to design, fabricate and install. However, thanks to the identification of ‘donor’ girders in Southampton – once part of another structure but readily available – these components were assessed then refurbished at AmcoGiffen’s fabrication yard in Barnsley, South Yorkshire.

Within two weeks a new bridge deck had been installed following a blockade on Sunday November 20^th.

“It was an amazing feat of engineering by all parties,” added Paul Monaghan. “The bridge strike was on November 5^th. The following day Amco had organised demolition of the damaged span, paving the way for HBPW’s inspection of the remaining deck.

“Topographical surveys were carried out by PBH Survey on Monday November 7^th with track design by PBH Rail following rapidly on the Wednesday.”

HBPW worked round the clock on concept designs, with fabricators beavering away 247, so that installation of the new deck could happen over the weekend of November 20^th.

“To say this was a record would be an understatement,” added Paul. “Undoubtedly the availability of the donor girders in Southampton helped but, that aside, the fabricators did an amazing job working 247 for five days. Without their endeavours it just wouldn’t have happened.”

Client: Network Rail
Contractors: AmcoGiffen, PBH Survey, PBH Rail

When ‘Busy’ Requires Pre-Planning – The St Alban’s Challenge

Further south the outcome was no less significant but this time longer term ‘pre-planning’ was key to success.

St Alban’s station is Thameslink’s business rail stop north of London. More than two years ago it was earmarked for an additional footbridge, prompting a major exercise in value engineering that shaved time and cost off the final installation in the run up to Christmas.

The new second footbridge now serves all platforms as part of a passenger congestion easing strategy, but, as Partner, Paul Monaghan explains, its installation, during a blockade possession, was the result of careful planning stretching back months.

“We had to be mindful that this is one of the busiest stations in the country so everything had to be about mitigating disruption, being eternally mindful of health and safety in an area congested by both people and overhead lines, and, of course, doing everything in the most time and cost-efficient ways possible.”

It was a multi-discipline design project led by HBPW with the main fabrication and construction by AmcoGiffen, and, by pre-fabricating the bridge – with all of its external cladding and finishes – ahead of installation, all parties were able to make efficient use of available possession time.

“Not only did we design the footbridge, foundations and a raft of associated civil engineering works, but also a range of temporary works, delivered – and planned meticulously – in anticipation of the pending bridge installation.

“Again, these temporary works played their part in keeping the station operable, as the new bridge was installed, whilst the wider exercise in value engineering made for speed, efficiency and client satisfaction,” added Paul.

Client:             Network Rail
Contractors:    AmcoGiffen
Designers:       Seed Architects, Vitec, PBH OLE