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Wednesday 11 Feb 2009

NETWORK RAIL EMPLOYEE UNEARTHED AS CATEGORY WINNER IN GROUND ENGINEERING AWARDS’ 09

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Network Rail’s Simon Abbott was unearthed as the winner of the Young Geotechnical Engineering Category in this year’s Ground Engineering Awards on 6 February. The awards celebrate the finest geotechnical engineering projects in the UK.

The 25-year-old senior earthworks management engineer, who joined Network Rail in late 2006 as an earthwork assessment engineer, scooped the prize from a strong national field comprising nominees from construction firms, contactors and clients. He was rewarded for devising a training pack for graduate geotechnical engineers to examine Network Rail’s embankments and cuttings plus developing an industry first system for inspecting soft rock cuttings, in particular chalk. Both these initiatives have enabled the company to gain a better knowledge of its earth assets.

Simon’s success complements three other category award wins for Network Rail:

· Winner of the Health and Safety Award for Copyhold Cutting Slope Stabilisation

· Winner of the UK Project up to £1m for Copyhold Cutting Slope Stabilisation

· Winner of the UK Project over £1m for Thrandeston Bog Embankment Stabilisation

Jerry England, director of civil engineering at Network Rail, comments on the company’s achievement: “This year’s success is great news for both Simon and the company. It not only illustrates the commitment Network Rail has to excellence in the field of ground engineering, but the exciting range of projects we are presently involved in.”

The Ground Engineering Awards’ 09 were held at the Brewery in the City of London. They were judged by a panel of representatives from English Partnerships, Crossrail, Highways Agency, Imperial College London and the Olympic Delivery Authority.