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the rail engineer • August 2014
some 220 overhead line structures and over 20km of wiring. There are also many complex temporary-works schemes that are currently being developed involving lift pits and temporary retaining walls. Overhead electrification equipment will have to be relocated or renewed alongside signalling and passenger information equipment, so effective liaison with the many appropriate operating bodies concerned will have to be carefully managed to ensure that the interface working always continues to be reliable and effective. Network Rail initially appointed Atkins to develop and design the Crossrail Anglia scheme in preparation for tendering and, subsequently, Costain has appointed Atkins to complete the numerous different designs required ready to start construction. Apart from extended possessions over the Christmas periods, Costain must deliver this work without disrupting normal services on this very intensely-used and critical part of the railway network.
Five borough councils To add a little more spice to the challenge, the work involves detailed discussions and agreement with five different boroughs: Brentwood, Havering, Barking & Dagenham, Redbridge and Newham. Understandably, each borough has its own concerns, opportunities and priorities so managing these interfaces whilst striving to achieve a consistent approach across the route is quite a challenge and one that both Darren and David see as a top priority. Alongside the interests of the borough councils, there are other initiatives that interface with the Crossrail Anglia project. For example, there is the Great Eastern Electrification upgrade that is being managed by Furrer and Frey which must be integrated into the project design. Also, there is a traffic management project underway which requires all the signalling throughout the route which is currently controlled from the Liverpool Street signalling centre to be connected to the new signalling centre at Romford. Signalling Solutions is responsible for this work and any signalling work associated with the Crossrail Anglia project. Both Network Rail and Costain are realising the full benefit of CAD and BIM modelling. Jay Furlong, Network Rail’s design integration manager, was keen to show how 4D modelling helps the project team to understand exactly what is being built and what effect it will have on the surrounding area. For example, a redesign of a platform to include lifts and stairways as well as the station furniture such as cameras and public information screens, coupled with associated track slews to accommodate additional sidings, can play havoc with signal sighting.
However, the modelling process enables any inadequacy to be exposed at design stage and rectified accordingly. It also enables the construction team to plan each stage of the work knowing what the surrounding area will look like as a result of the work completed so far. As David pointed out, it had become an essential tool in the management of the myriad of interfaces such a contract presents.
Value of modelling When seeing these modelling systems in action, it makes one wonder how engineers ever managed beforehand. It presents the engineer with a clear picture at every stage of construction before it happens. This must be of particular benefit for the key suppliers to Costain, namely VVB Engineering with M&EE and power expertise and Kelp Rail who are providing track and OLE support. Also, of significant importance, the modelling process provides Network Rail, the asset owner, with accurate asset management information that it can use for future maintenance. Costain is at the stage where the team is now ready to move into its new HQ for the project at Romford and, in addition, site offices are also being constructed at Shenfield, Ilford, Gidea Park and Chadwell Heath. It is a further step taken to ensure that there is a presence and a consistent approach across the whole project. David has devoted a considerable amount of time to make sure that his team is equipped with the appropriate technology, iPads etc. to ensure that at any one time they know who is on site, that they understand what the site looks like beforehand so that they are aware of any hazards or additional risk that might arise. In support of this initiative, all COSS briefings will be continually updated with the latest access points and any specific additional emerging information that they need to brief out. Alongside this line of communication to the workforce, there will be daily construction reports issued back to the centre from each site office to ensure that everyone knows exactly what the state of play is on site, at any one time.
Signal sighting plans for the London end of Shenfield station.
Testing new trains Although work will not be completed until August 2018, Costain must ensure that, by November 2016, the route is fit to test the new trains that are currently being built by Bombardier in Derby. There are no planned station closures and the different designs presented by Network Rail to the boroughs are still being considered. Understandably, the boroughs want to develop their own transport interchange plans to maximise the opportunity that this project presents to them. Coupled with this, the existing rail franchises using this part of the network will also want to ensure that Crossrail Anglia proposals do not undermine their own presence and ability to operate effectively. This is certainly not a contract for the faint hearted. The myriad of individual engineering schemes may not, in themselves, be overly complex but, when one starts to consider the interaction that is currently and will continue to take place, the pulse starts to race. Not only are there five London boroughs to consider, all with their own concerns and priorities, there are system interface issues with rail, signalling, telecoms and power, both associated with this particular scheme and with other major projects that are currently underway. It’s a real challenge for Darren, David and their integrated teams that fortunately, are already working in a collaborative partnership in accordance with BS11000 principles. There is no doubt that the BIM modelling techniques will prove to be invaluable as this project gets underway on the ground. Ironically, this is one of the final contracts that Crossrail will let yet it will have to be the first to finish to ensure that the appropriate testing of the new trains is able to get underway. It’s a challenge that the project team seems more than prepared to meet.