Following a recent tender award, Haigh Rail have been undertaking intensive railway design and build works to extend the Road 5 reinforced concrete track slab. The works, which have been successfully completed, were to allow the train operator sufficient space to install temporary buildings for ongoing rolling stock repair and maintenance works.

The slab extension covers an area of 40m x 12m (480m2) and involved the removal and reinstatement of track and components, to facilitate the excavation and formation of the new concrete pad. The new slab was also required to tie into the existing plinth, which was completed by drilling and fixing steel dowels, which were secured into existing slab structure with a two-pack epoxy resin. Like any extensive concrete extension, the slab was poured in sections to suit expansion requirements.

Haigh Rail acted as the Principal Contractor throughout the works and appointed a civils designer from its supply chain. Integrating Design and Construction was fundamental to this project with track and civils elements working in harmony through Haigh Rail’s multi-disciplinary engineering and delivery team. This single, combined approach enabled the full D&B process to be managed and all build challenges to be closed out through close co-operation from the design team into site constructability.

The project also included rebuilding drainage inspection chambers and installing electric ducting for cable installations and in compliance with Haigh Rail’s sustainable policy, a full waste management hierarchy was instigated, with all items separated and recycled via licensed materials handlers.

Full materials testing was completed with as built documentation supplied as part of the handover pack.

Haigh Rail’s meticulous approach to surveying, railway engineering and on-site delivery provided complete project surety, with the track being installed first and then the concrete placed thereafter. Despite challenging winter conditions, the works were completed on time, to budget – to the delight of the customer, who was 100% satisfied with the end result.

Haigh Rail Ltd has achieved Gold Membership status with Constructionline. This provides rail and construction customers who require this standard, with the necessary assurance about the standards we adopt with regards to safety, quality and environmental management.

In being awarded Gold Membership status, Haigh Rail have passed stringent validation checks and have completed a comprehensive qualification process, meeting the credentials for environmental management, quality management, equal opportunities, modern slavery act adherence, anti-bribery and corruption policies as well as the criteria of Constructionline’s Safety Systems in Procurement (SSIP) scheme.

As a Principal Contractor to Network Rail, rigorous assessments of our HSQE systems are very much the norm. So, we are proud to display our gold medal status alongside our other accreditations and send thanks to our SHEQ Manager, Duncan Murray, for leading us through another audit with flying colours.

Achieving this enhanced membership level is reflected in Haigh Rail’s position as leading Track and Welding, Civils, Vegetation Management and Haulage partner within the rail sector, with an outstanding record in respect of the health, safety and wellbeing of its staff, quality of delivery and sustainable approach.

Managing Director, Chris Haigh added:

“Many leading Constructionline buyers are now stipulating Gold as the desired standard for their suppliers, and we are pleased to have achieved an enhanced level that is most appropriate to the expectations of any current or future clients.”

You can learn more about Constructionline here: www.constructionline.co.uk/