Thursday 12 Jul 2012
NETWORK RAIL AWARDS ACTON CONTRACT TO VOLKERWESSELS UK
- Region & Route:
- | North West & Central
Network Rail has awarded VolkerRail, an operating company of VolkerWessels UK, a £15.5m contract for works at Acton freight yard, West London as part of the Crossrail programme.
VolkerRail will be jointly delivering the contract to remodel Acton freight yard, with the rail division of sister company VolkerFitzpatrick. This work includes plain line track renewals, installation of new switches and crossings, associated switch operating mechanisms and modification to the overhead line system on the main line. These advanced works will be completed by early 2013, with the remaining programme of work for Acton, including a diveunder, due for completion in 2016.
When Crossrail services begin in 2018, even more trains will travel along the Great Western main line so work is needed to improve capacity in the area. Acton freight yard is a significant part of the network and an important railway asset. However, to enter and leave the yard, trains currently need to cross main line passenger tracks.
The plans for these modifications to the yard and a new diveunder, which is currently out for tender, will enable freight trains to leave the yard without affecting passenger trains and provide increased capacity for freight.
Jorge Mendonca, Crossrail programme director, Network Rail, said: “The work at Acton is an important step in delivering a more reliable service for passengers while providing more capacity in the Paddington approaches area. Network Rail is transforming the railway to make Crossrail a success and is working with many partners, including VolkerRail and VolkerFitzpatrick, to produce something that is safe, efficient and cost-effective.”
Stuart Birch, major projects director for VolkerRail, said: “After completing the early works for Acton, we are delighted to have won this contract, which will result in our involvement to completion. This is a great opportunity for us to work together with our sister company VolkerFitzpatrick to demonstrate our complementary capabilities and experiences. Together VolkerRail and VolkerFitzpatrick are a strong force; which is further strengthened with the backing of our parent company, VolkerWessels UK. We are sure this strength enables us to deliver a successful project while working collaboratively with Network Rail.”
Network Rail is responsible for the design, development and delivery of the parts of Crossrail that are on the existing network, covering 43 miles of track and 28 stations from Maidenhead in the west to Abbey Wood and Shenfield in the east.
Notes to editors
About Crossrail
Crossrail will run from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west, through new twin-bore 13-mile tunnels under central London to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. It will bring an additional 1.5m people within 45 minutes commuting distance of London's key business districts. When it opens from 2018, Crossrail will provide new transport links with the Tube, Thameslink, National Rail, DLR and London Overground.
Network Rail delivering Crossrail
Network Rail is a key partner in Crossrail and is making significant investment in upgrading the network around London to deliver it. This complements Network Rail’s other work to increase capacity and improve performance across Britain.
Network Rail is responsible for the design, development and delivery of the parts of Crossrail that are on the existing network. Its work will integrate Crossrail with the national rail network, delivering faster, more frequent trains into central London from the east and west. The work includes upgrading 43 miles of track, redeveloping 27 stations, and renewing more than 20 bridges. Network Rail will do all of this on an active operational railway, delivering vital upgrade works whilst minimising disruption to train services.
Acton Diveunder and Yard
Acton freight yard is a significant part of the network and an important railway asset. However, to enter and leave the yard, trains currently need to cross main line passenger tracks. By removing these conflicting moves, reliability will be improved and there will be the potential for increased capacity.
Crossrail Ltd requires Network Rail to develop and deliver a diveunder at the west end of Acton freight yard and to provide additional modifications to Acton Yard in order to provide means by which westbound freight trains can leave Acton yard or the Down Goods Line without conflicting with trains on the Up Relief line.
The yard will be kept operational throughout the duration of the works. The impact will be kept to a minimum as the works are planned in Rules of the Route possessions and pre-agreed weekend/bank holiday possessions.
About VolkerRail and VolkerFitzpatrick:
VolkerRail (www.volkerrail.co.uk) provides a wide range of contracting services to the railway industry from major capital projects to track renewals and specialised operations including signalling, welding, on-track plant and machinery and overhead power supply.
VolkerFitzpatrick (www.volkerfitzpatrick.co.uk) is one of United Kingdom's premiere multi-disciplinary contractor working in the civil engineering, building, rail, waste and energy infrastructure sectors.
VolkerRail and VolkerFitzpatrick are part of VolkerWessels UK (www.volkerwessels.co.uk), a multi-disciplinary civil engineering, construction and rail group with a turnover in excess of £600 million. VolkerWessels UK employs more than 2,000 staff in six operating companies. The group is the UK arm of Dutch based VolkerWessels; one of the largest construction groups in Europe.
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We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies.
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