One Team leaping forward together for Ebbw Vale
AmcoGiffen together with SYSTRA and Network Rail clocked up 10,000 working hours working safely and efficiently together 24/7 on a ‘nine-day’ blockade on the Ebbw Vale Frequency Enhancement Scheme. Carrying out major elements of the work they successfully handed back possession on time and incident free.
Our joint approach ensured the success of the blockade pulling together the contracting teams supported by Network Rail’s Construction Services team who removed and re-laid the track. This a great example of collaborative project delivery leading up to the new control period.
Key highlights of the work undertaken in October were:
At Newport Rd Bridge:
- 2 spans of bridge removed weighing 30t total
- 4 cill beams, 2 decks and 6 L planks installed weighing 150t total
- Steel-suspended platforms installed in 3 lifts weighing total 50t
- 25 pre-cast concrete planks average length 5m installed
- 200 tonnes bottom ballast install including ballast ramps
At Newbridge Station:
- rail bridge replacement over Bridge Street using a 650-tonne crane
- 415 metres of new track installed
- platform extensions
- demolishing a 2 x 40-meter existing retaining wall removing 250 loads of spoil
- embankment re-grading
At Llanhilleth Station:
- 55 meters of platform foundation excavated
- 60m3 of concrete poured
- 1800 blocks laid
AmcoGiffen’s Operations Director for Wales and Borders, Andy Crowley said, “Our efforts at Ebbw Vale are a fantastic example of our ‘one team’ approach in action, as we work alongside our client Network Rail and supply chain partners Siemens, Systra and Network Rail Construction Services to deliver the multitude of works. In preparation for the new Network Rail CP7 strategy, we’ve reset our working practices to drive collaboration from planning to completion. This has brought an increased level of transparency and engagement to our intelligent client offering and supplier approach, allowing our different teams to work together seamlessly, and cohesively. Throughout our work, the safety of our people is paramount, and I’m happy to report that for the 120-strong team working on this project this paid off with zero reported incidents.
SYSTRA‘s Ebbw Vale Project Manager David Camacho, said, “The combined team worked tirelessly leading up to and throughout the blockade to co-ordinate these major works and deliver them successfully and safely within a tight nine-day window. I am incredibly proud of the team we have created; we have carefully gathered exactly the right expertise to deliver this timely rail upgrade.”
The £70m Ebbw Vale programme is funded by Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council, via a loan from Welsh Government. The investment will allow a new hourly passenger service between Ebbw Vale Town and Newport. The existing line has to be closed periodically throughout the next year in order to make the major improvements and closure dates have been published on the Network Rail website.
