Rail Engineer • September 2015
works as separate contracts under an overarching framework had worked well. Whilst there was clearly a commercial relationship, it was also a collaborative one that shared risks to get best results from the design. He was glad of the early contractor involvement at design stage that was very successful. This included workshops with project engineers and, more importantly, asset engineers and maintenance to get their key requirements, which were incorporated into the project requirements specification and contract requirements technical. As a result, low-maintenance was built into the design. There is no requirement for a continuous power supply along the line. Other than fixed signs and the occasional lubricator, the only equipment is at the signalling islands at the end of the loops. Signalling is designed to be very simple with LEDs and fold down signals avoiding the need for ladders and heavy bases.
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(Left) Galashiels in November 2011. Flats on trackbed had to be demolished. (Below) Class 158 DMU used for driver training at Galashiels station in June. “When we got to final design and build stage we knew the contractor was happy with the design as he designed it and understood remaining risks. For example, despite all the ground investigations, digging into old infrastructure finds stuff you didn’t know about, so we have to deal with numerous old culverts and other features, but had allowed for that within contingency.” Hugh contrasted this with his experience on the Airdrie to Bathgate (A2B) project that had no early contractor involvement and fixed price
contracts. He felt that Network Rail procurement had moved on since then to encourage early involvement with collaboration and alliances. A project alliance had been considered but was rejected, as around 75% of the project value was civils work. With one big supplier, an alliance was not considered appropriate.
Communications and challenges The crowds that greeted the track laying train on its progress down the line were just one example of interest in the line. Hugh was
Engineering Design and Environmental Support for New Railways
For sustainable environmental solutions
Abandoned for 40 years and running through beautiful countryside, the 50km Borders Railway had become heavily overgrown and populated by large numbers of protected species, which required to be managed, protected, and in some cases moved during construction. IKM worked closely with main contractor BAM Nuttall and the regulators to ensure that the project team knew how to protect the environment and work with the wildlife, while avoiding programme delays or additional costs to the project. IKM managed 170 badger setts, 400 potential bat roosts, otter holts, nesting birds, water quality, noise and vibration, and diverted 1,000,000m3 of waste soils away from landfill to ensure a highly sustainable new railway.
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