You might think that increasingly limited engineering access to the infrastructure, driven by the demand for a 24/7 railway, would be making life more difficult for everyone. But the year enjoyed by Tata Steel Projects’ Modular Systems Division proves that a can-do approach brings many benefits. It specialises in modular, off-site construction with an ethos based upon the delivery of innovative solutions as much as the final product, with all its inherent sustainability, quality and safety benefits.
The company has enjoyed significant success with its modular railway platforms, delivering more than 75 in the past ten years. The concept designs were specifically developed to Network Rail standards but have also been adopted abroad.
Delivering growth at Reading
Tata Steel Projects has recently completed detailed design work for the redevelopment of Reading Station – a key component in a multi-million pound investment to significantly improve rail operations in the area. Its work to develop the infrastructure requirements started in April 2008. They include –
• five extra through platforms
• an additional southern terminating platform and extensions to the other two
• a replacement bridge
• a new north-south public route
• an additional entrance on the north side of the station.
The expansion will facilitate 100% passenger growth and incorporates a total of nine through platforms to handle train lengths of up to 260m, together with three terminating platforms capable of accommodating 12-car sets. All the existing platforms are being refurbished and will have new canopies.
A transfer deck will be the key feature of the new station and provide access to each of the 15 platforms by lifts, escalators and steps. An early decision was taken to use a Vierendeel structure, based on the requirement for an open-framed design with minimal diagonal bracing, able to span 100m in length and 30m in width. The steelwork weighs in excess of 1, 000 tonnes. The innovative concept for launching it, using the strand jacking technique, as a fully fabricated envelope across the railway ensures it can be installed with minimal disruption to the station.
Connected by the transfer deck are a new western gate line and the northern entrance. The latter’s steelwork and foundations have been designed such that they can be used as the launch platform for the deck, minimising temporary works costs. An alternative route linking the north and south sides of the station will be provided by means of a subway.
Significant retaining structures and earthworks have been provided for the new platforms to the north of the site. A combination of reinforced earth, piled concrete walls and traditional earth slopes have contributed to significant savings based on the outline design proposal.
Across the network
When Chesterfield Station required a new 240m long platform, Tata Steel Projects undertook the design and build for May Gurney under the Operational Property Framework. The site access was challenging as all materials had to be transported across the Fast lines for which possessions are not readily available. One of the advantages of the modular system is that all materials can be manhandled into position, minimising the need for mechanical plant and allowing fast, efficient construction even in a difficult environment.
The platform included access walkways to the existing structures and DDA-compliant escape ramps. Furniture such as waiting shelters, customer information screens, lighting and CCTV columns were all mounted directly to the platform without the need for independent foundations. The modular platform’s inherently adjustable and flexible nature ensured pinpoint alignment of its edge and even facilitated a late change in gauge requirements.
Platforms of 140m and 110m at Theale and Stamford respectively, as well as a 90m extension at Royston, have also been installed recently.
Benefiting Thameslink
Other notable work has included two temporary platforms and canopy extensions over Blackfriars Bridge which played an important role in the £350 million redevelopment of the adjacent station. The company’s engineers were challenged to design and build structures capable of resisting derailment loads and reconfigurable in width to suit the build sequence of the main works, as well as being easily constructed and demountable over the Thames. The success of the project was highly commended by client Balfour Beatty.
Tata Steel Projects has also met similar timescales in France when a new two-platform station was needed in a suburb of Toulouse. An order late in September 2009 was followed by designs in October and transportation of the materials to site in early November. The company worked closely with a French contractor and the 115m platforms were built ‘between trains’. Completion came in late November to the delight of SNCF who hailed the system a fantastic innovation.
With Tata Steel Projects also bringing innovative off-site solutions for station buildings, platform canopies, footbridges and lift shafts to the rail market, the company is hopeful of yet more successful and exciting times ahead.
