Global Rail Construction has successfully completed this year’s 3-day OHSAS 18001 [surveillance] audit of our Health and Safety management system.

We are pleased to note that we did not receive any non-compliances. During the audit an opportunity for improvement (OFI) was identified, this will be addressed going forward as part of our continuously improving culture.

Furthermore, the auditor recognised the work we do as a company, our Health and Safety programmes and approach to delivering our safety vision that ‘everyone arrives for work healthy and leaves for home safely every day.’

A special thank you to Peter Coleman, Head of Compliance, for his hard work and dedication and to the rest of our teams for their continued support of our management systems.

Global Rail Construction is committed to complying with legislation to ensure the highest standards of safety are achieved and maintained. Health and well-being is central to our approach. Global Rail Construction’s safety management ethos is based on risk assessment and control throughout our operations. We constantly endeavour to provide a safe place of work, with safe and maintained plant, equipment and systems of work. This approach is enhanced through the provision of appropriate information, instruction and training on and off site, ensuring safe use of materials and substances and by diligently working to prevent accidents.

Global Rail Construction Limited are delighted to announce their award of the E&P and ancillary Civil Engineering works for the joint venture of Volker Fitzpatrick and Morgan Sindall (VFMS), who were successful with the award for the construction of the 4.5 km extension to the Gospel Oak to Barking line.

Works include the modification of the existing railway lines from Barking station over a stretch of 3km with a new 1.5km railway viaduct extension from Renwick Road overbridge to the new terminus station. This will involve constructing an embankment ramp up to the new concrete viaduct supporting a 2-track railway extension into the heart of a new residential development at Barking Riverside.

In addition to the civils and E&P scope of works, GRCL will also be supplying all materials handling and logistics management for their works, RRV’s as required, site haulage and the provision of all HV comps and assessors including all necessary SMTH testing staff to support the works and enhance their self-delivery capability.

GRCL’s Operations Director, Sean Donaghey, who played a large part in the successful bid, added:

“This is great news for GRCL and shows the continued growth of our multi-disciplinary offering.  This is a prestigious contract for the company and we look forward to working collaboratively with VFMS to deliver a safe, high quality service, in order to meet the project timeframe.  Many thanks to all of the GRCL team for their efforts in securing these works.”

Global Rail Construction’s scope includes delivery of the following Railway Ancillary Civil Engineering Works:

• Demolition works
• Construction of Distribution Network Operator (DNO) bases
• Installation of Points Heating Control Cubicle (PHCC) precast foundations
• Installation of Points Heating Transformer precast bases
• Installation of TCB precast bases
• Lighting Column foundation bases
• Lighting Control Cubicle (LCC) foundations
• Alterations to LV Compound Layout
• Construction of bases for L.V panels
• Alterations to Hard landscaping areas
• Fencing works and gates
• Vegetation Clearance
• Roadways and Vehicular Access areas
• Troughing works – new installation
• Troughing works – Lift & Shift to refurbished & upgraded elevated route
• PSP bases
• FSP’s foundation bases
• 9No 9-way UTX’s
• 1No 6-way URX
• Safe Walkways
• Signage bases
• Construction of Single location Bases and hardstand areas
• Construction of Half location Bases and hardstand areas
• Construction of signal support structures and foundations
• Construction of concrete foundations for hinged single posts
• Installation of Structural steel staging platforms incl foundations

Global Rail Construction’s E&P scope of works includes the following deliverables and includes the Completion of all NICEIC Certification, As Built record drawings, O&M’s and Completion and delivery of Ellipse data.

Lighting

• Installation of new L.V Submain supplies for the new lighting installations
• Installation of Staircase Lighting Control Panel
• LED Bulkhead Luminaires
• Lighting Control Switches complete with enclosure & associated equipment cabling
• Installation of containment associated with staircase lighting
• Modifications to existing L.V Distribution equipment
• Disconnection and removal of existing REB supply
• DNO earthing and bonding to trackside Spider Plate
• Install all associated cabling and containment
• Management and installation of all associated cabling for the works

L.V Power Distribution

• 3 new DNO Cubicles including all associated equipment & control
• New L.V Sub main installations to supply L.V power requirements for all E&P Rail Systems

OLE Systems – L.V power

• V Submain Cabling for trackside Motorised Operating Switches (MOS)
• Supply and Installation of MOS distribution cubicles including 230/120v transformer for Scada

Points Heating

• Installation of 3 new Points Heating Control Cubicles
• Installation of Point Heating Transformers (10Kva)
• Installation of Point Heating Transformers (5Kva)
• Installation of Post Mounted Trackside Connection Boxes (GRP)
• Installation of Points heaters for 18 Point ends
  • Installation of Hot and Cold Temperature Probes
  • Weather Monitoring Equipment
  • Installation of Remote Conditioning Unit Cabling
  • Installation of Trackside point heating cabling
• Installation of L.V Sub main supplies for new Points Heating Control Cubicles
• Installation of L.V supplies to Point Heating Transformers

Signalling Power

• Installation of 37 new Function Supply Points (FSP’s) for new 650v Signalling feeders
  • Viaduct Feeder B installation 2c 50mm² XLPE/FGT/PVC Enhanced unarmoured
  • West Feeder 2A & 2B installation 2c 95mm² XLPE/FGT/PVC Enhanced unarmoured
  • West Feeder 1A & 1B installation 2c 95mm² XLPE/FGT/PVC Enhanced unarmoured
  • Reconfiguration of existing Signalling feeders at Barking and Dagenham Dock
  • Migration of Signalling power from existing Signalling LOC’s to new FSP Feeders
• Installation of New Sub-distribution cubicle to power new Signalling Feeders
• Install 3 new sub-distribution cubicles and associated equipment and carry out modifications to existing
• New insulation monitoring device with connections to the existing CDS
• Management of all existing trackside cabling – Lift & shift
• Tag and Trace identification of all existing trackside cabling

Principle Supply Points (PSP)

• Modifications and reconfiguration of existing PSP’s
• Testing & Commission on completion of the works
• Recovery of all redundant 650v Feeder cables
• Recalibration of PSP Bender units

Train Power Systems (RSC)

• Installation of 8,500m new return screen conductor cabling 19/4.22
• Supply and installation of bonding connections to 37 FSP’s to RSC
• Supply and installation of bonding connection to 24 Signalling LOC’s
• Structural Bonding connections of new viaduct to RSC

Global Rail Construction Limited (GRCL) are delighted to introduce our latest Apprentice, Charlie Rice, who joins our Global Family. Charlie will be based within our in-house design team where he will be taught by our experienced team of Draughtsman and Civil Engineers to give him the skills to progress. Alongside this in-house training, in September he will attend college one day a week, studying towards a BTEC HNC in Civil Engineering. Charlie has already achieved a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Civil Engineering with City & Guild.

The BTEC HNC qualification comprises ten core units studied over a two year period, covering a range of subjects such as Applied Mathematics, Construction and the Built Environment, Engineering Geology and Soil Mechanics and Structural Analysis, Design and Site Surveying culminating in a Group design project that involves putting these learned skills into practice in a real world scenario.

We asked Charlie why he wanted to join GRCL he said:

“I was keen to join a primary contractor with multi-disciplinary experience, to give me a broader experience whilst I am learning.”

Hiring Apprentices is part of GRCL’s policy to build for the future and we are delighted to welcome Charlie and wish him every success.

If you are interested in joining us as an apprentice, please send your CV plus a covering letter to careers@grcl.co.uk

The health and safety of our employees and others who may be affected by our activities has always been of paramount importance to Global Rail Construction Limited (GRCL).

This can be evidenced by a recent safety commendation at the S&C South Alliance, where the company were ranked in the top 3 for Period 10 in respect of their Signalling and Telecommunications (S&T) work. This is a monthly forum, where all supply chain partners attend, so it is great for GRCL to be recognised for its excellence in safety amongst our peers.

Safety and well-being is central to GRCL’s approach. The continuous improvement in occupational health and safety management and performance is achieved through the implementation and maintenance of an occupational health and safety management system (SMS), which meets the requirements of OHSAS 18001:2007.
Global Rail Construction’s safety management ethos is based on risk assessment and control throughout its operations. The company constantly endeavours to provide a safe place of work, with safe and maintained plant, equipment and systems of work.

This approach is enhanced through the provision of appropriate information, instruction and training on and off site, ensuring safe use of materials and substances and by diligently working to prevent accidents.

Mick Walsh, GRCL’s Head of Resource, attended the day and added:

“It was great to receive such praise and this has been duly acknowledged by our client Colas, through a further extension of our current contract with them. What a fantastic effort from our Southern based teams”.

Global Rail Construction Ltd had another busy and successful weekend on their Feltham Resignalling Works (Week 42), completing and handing over another 6 signal structures.

Having previously designed and installed the piled foundations, the company successfully installed 3 of the signal structures – including 1 gantry type – and undertook works to 3 other signal structures too.

The team also installed ductwork at Norbiton Station, delivered materials to the PSP site and the Loc area at Norbiton, delivered troughing route materials between Hampton Wick and Shaklegate and installed ballast boarding and troughing route at a number of other locations.

UK Rail infrastructure contractor and Principal Licence Holder, Global Rail Construction Ltd, are delivering the full GRIP 5-8 design and construct contract directly for Network Rail.  The scope of work covers civil and structural engineering works on Network Rail’s Wessex Route and specifically covers: Area 1a – Shepperton Branch; Area 1b – Norbiton Sub Station to Fulwell Jct and Area 2 – Barnes to Whitton Jct, Hounslow Sub Station.

The Feltham resignalling project forms part of the signalling renewals/National Operating Strategy (NOS) scheme, which is intending to renew the life-expired signalling infrastructure in Feltham and Wokingham areas to the modern equivalent form. The total scheme covers the renewal of 538 Signalling Equivalent Units (SEUs). The full geographical workscope, which covers over 80 miles of railway lines also included, for the first time, the introduction of Atkins’ brand-new signalling system – Elix.

Global Rail Construction Ltd (GRCL) is part of the Global Infrastructure Group and is a leading UK provider of design and build services to clients in the rail and transportation sector. The company is a principal contractor for UK mainline and metro railways across a number of disciplines, which include signalling, mechanical, electrical and power (MEP), telecoms, civil and structural engineering, maintenance, renewal, providing a fully tested and commissioned service, on both Network Rail and Transport for London controlled infrastructure. You can read more about what GRCL does by clicking here.

Global Rail Construction Ltd (GRCL) has been working in the lead up to Christmas, together with their customer Alstom and asset owner Network Rail, to complete a critical design and delivery milestone on the Paddington to Reading Project.

The works are part of GRCL’s design and construct package of Civil Engineering and E&P works, form part of the wider Paddington to Reading Signalling works which are linked to HS2, who will be constructing an interchange station in the existing Old Oak Common (OOC) depot area, which has necessitated the need for these railway asset relocation works, to create the space required to construct and service the HS2 interchange station.

During the build-up to the Christmas commissioning, Global Rail Construction designed and installed 6No location case bases, replaced an existing Functional Supply Point (FSP) – including all necessary earthing and bonding works – and installed 5No signal bases and structures.  The site was fully energised as planned on 23^rd December 2018.

Jim Cuell, Commercial Director added:

“We are delighted that our team, working alongside long-term partner Alstom, has successfully completed this important project milestone.

“Many thanks to both the designers and installers on this project.  We have proved and used our capabilities to deliver the full breadth of our multi-disciplinary design and build offering across civils, E&P and signalling for these works. We look forward to the successful conclusion of our works in the next month or so.”