• Langport Embankment

    Good value, high quality materials and service

Langport Embankment

Langport Embankment

Client - Network Rail Wales & Western
Value - £6,500,000.00
Duration - 9 months
Profile Number - 19/43

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The project aim was to stabilise an existing railway embankment that was subject to continual problems with track settlement and general subsidence. 

Community Engagement

Within the first weeks of the work we held a community engagement event with Huish Episcopi Parish Council and Langport Town Council.  This provided an opportunity for us to inform the residents of the work that would be taking place and to answer their questions.

We also attended Huish Episcopi Primary School to give a talk on the importance of health and safety around a construction site and along railways.  As this primary school is within very close proximity to our large site, teaching the children the dangers of entering and playing close to a construction site was valuable in trying to maintain their safety during the ongoing works.  The children, aged from 4 to 11, were very engaged. They listened carefully and asked lots of questions.

Work

In order to contain the subsidence, we installed twin lines of steel sheet piles up to 23m long. The sheet piles were tied with grouted soil anchors facilitating a regrade of the upper rail embankment to provide for stable slopes going forward.

We also carried out track work, including lifting and tamping of the permanent railway track, new signals troughing and ballast retention walls.

The client provided a very demanding and critical programme, so to meet these requirements we arranged a 24-hour, 7-day week, staffing rota.

Covid19

From March, we had to cope with the rigours of Covid19.  We achieved this by preparing risk assessments, working through check lists and issuing guidance for our staff.  We received praise from the client for our pragmatic and detailed approach.  

Due to the schools being closed, the contract of a local cleaning company was cancelled, however we were able to employ this company to provide increased, in-depth, cleaning of our offices and welfare facilities.

Award

This project was our first time acting as Principal Contractor for Network Rail and we were very proud to receive their Safety and Sustainable Development 3 Star Award. This award was only the second ever awarded on the Western Region of Network Rail, the last was in 2011.