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”.

Global Rail Construction Ltd, the UK rail infrastructure contractor, has secured Lot 4 on behalf of Transport for London (TfL), a contract which forms part of its five-year Station Works Improvement Programme (SWIP).

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 and provides a fully tested and commissioned service on both Network Rail and TfL controlled infrastructure.

This represents the third success for Global Rail Construction from four lots tendered for, in conjunction with TfL’s proposed £330m stations upgrade programme framework, which will bring improvements to over seventy stations on TfL’s infrastructure.

Lot 4 includes electrical works to the stations and can include multiple packages of works at various locations. Managing Director at Global Rail Construction, Marco Lombardelli said:

“Being able to offer either sector-specific services or a fully managed turnkey solution across a range of activities, including project management, allows Global Rail Construction to specialise in the design, installation, commissioning and testing of railway critical infrastructure.

“Global Rail Construction’s in-house expertise and flexible management approach, based on decades of engineering and delivering solutions, has resulted in this further success.

“We are successfully delivering a range of projects on TfL’s infrastructure and are delighted that TfL has rewarded our innovative approach to this framework.”

The framework agreement, which is for an initial five years, and could be extended by three more years, was let by TfL to give smaller specialist contractors greater freedom to value engineer and innovate.

Global Rail Construction is expecting mobilisation for these works to commence shortly.

Global Rail Construction Ltd. is delighted to announce the continuation of its ongoing partnership with Balfour Beatty Engineering Services, with the award of Package 5A, which forms part of the sub-surface rail line upgrade on behalf of Transport for London.

The full scope of the contract includes the design, installation, test and commissioning of 11kV and 22kV cables together with associated HV cable diverts and fibre optic pilot cables, and the decommissioning of four HV cables.

Global Rail Construction Ltd’s scope of works incorporates full material logistics, management and the installation of all necessary cable route containment from Neasden BSP through to Cobourg Street.

The sub-surface rail line (SSR) power upgrade project primarily comprises the introduction of new rolling stock and signalling systems. As well as providing a greatly improved passenger environment that includes air conditioning, the new trains, coupled with the introduction of new signalling, will permit faster station-to-station running times and higher train service frequencies.

Global Rail Construction Ltd. has been awarded a second consecutive Network Rail Star Award for its exceptional approach to the management and control of health, safety, welfare and environmental practices at its sites on the Great Western Electrification Project (GWEP).

One of the largest single infrastructure projects of its kind, GWEP will provide more reliable, greener and quieter journeys for thousands of passengers. Around 1,000 kilometres of railway will be electrified between London and Cardiff for the introduction of new Intercity Express trains by Hitachi.

This major project will see Global Rail Construction Ltd. using its vast rail engineering experience to help deliver infrastructure works to bring GWEP into service, with most of the works being completed during the current control period.

Global Rail Construction Ltd 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.

Owner and Managing Director, Marco Lombardelli, said: “This is testament to the operational cultures that we have developed, and working practices that our staff and supply chain have fully embraced, and this recognition is richly deserved. Having been issued a full Principal Contractors Licence, we intend to continue to work hard to ensure that we meet and exceed both our own and our clients’ expectations.

“The last three months have been incredibly exciting, with a worldwide rebrand of our UK and overseas activities, under the banner of the Global Infrastructure Group. I look forward to reporting further successes in the future.”

Global Rail Construction Limited has been awarded the Network Rail Star Award for their work sites on the Great Western Electrification Project with an impressive score of 91.6%.

Network Rail’s STAR award programme recognises and rewards sites, work groups or compounds that meet and exceed high levels of health, safety and environmental risk control.

The assessments cover:

• Supervision and management
• Sustainability (environment and public consideration)
• Safety
• Site specific items
• A site must gain at least 90% to achieve a STAR award.

Commercial Director Jim Cuell said: “Many Congratulations to the whole GWEP Team for a great achievement. These awards are not won easily and the level of effort and commitment given by the whole project delivery and supporting QSE team is appreciated by all at GRCL.”