Our scope of works comprised supplying four access gantries on roads 11 to 14. All works were carried out within a live depot environment on a 24-7 basis and with no serious incident over the 2-year project.

Initial Site Surveys and various design assurance validation surveys:

• Topographical, structures condition and services dilapidation surveys

• GPR Surveys and tag and trace surveys

• Clear route analysis track surveys vs design

Site works
The initial construction aspect consisted of both intrusive and non-intrusive surveys, to identify all existing services and any hazardous materials that might be present due to the age of the depot building, i.e, asbestos. Following the release of the AFC Designs from Greater Anglia’s Designer SNCL, the civils aspects of the works was carried out with the installation of the recessed RC gantrybases using a Brokk excavator.

These works were implemented in a controlled environment to manage both sound suppression from the heavy plant and potential asbestos findings through the excavation process. The 750 linear meres of gantries across all roads were installed using various types of access equipment, mainly RRV plant provided by our supplier Total Rail Solutions.

The structural aspect of the design consisted of our supplier AV Birch Manufacturing the gantry sections in kit form offsite at their factory, then delivering to site as per the agreed sequencing schedules.

Also, the M&E aspect of the gantries ran concurrently with the gantry installation to ensure key dates set out in the programme were achieved. The scope of works from an electrical aspect consisted of the installation of luminars, power sockets and a depot protection system on all levels across the four gantries.

Upon completion of each gantry, our various CRE’s signed off the F005’s certificates of completion for each discipline as part of the assurance process and in line with the relevant Network Rail Standards.

Track gauging surveys were also carried out on all the roads to validate the track clearances vs design, including Clear Route Analysis. Currently, our site team are collating the various handover packs in line with the guidelines set out in the MS18.09 Handover Process, in accordance with our contract obligations.

Our approach led to the following:

• Reduced overall programme hitting key milestone dates.

• A reduction in interphase with the depot staff due to offsite fabrications.

• Reduction in RRV usage resulting in environmental savings i.e., emissions and fuel savings.

• Early handover over of assets to the depot team due to ongoing stakeholder management.

• Our early involvement in design development
with Greater Anglia’s designer SNCL.

• No delays were experienced, and the project programme was achieved for the introduction of new 5-car trains.

The project was successfully delivered in time, mainly from Cleshar forming a collaborative relationship with our client Greater Anglia and the various stakeholders within the project. Weekly stakeholder meetings were held at the depot to identify and address any issues which had potential to delay the planned completion.