Rail infrastructure specialist Spencer Group has completed major capacity enhancement works a year ahead of the scheduled opening, despite the challenges posed by Covid-19.
The Hull-based engineering business delivered the complex £30 million project at Stevenage Station in Hertfordshire by working in close collaboration with immediate client Network Rail, end user Govia Thameslink Railway and other stakeholders.
The works included constructing a 130m-long platform, complete with approximately two kilometres of new electrified track and signalling, to enable two additional services per hour into London King’s Cross from Stevenage.
Long-distance trains can now use the Hertford Loop to connect to Stevenage Station without using existing timetable space on the East Coast Main Line, which, in turn, allows the two additional services into London.
Highlights of the project saw a 200-strong multi-disciplinary team from Spencer Group complete extensive works during a “blockade” period across three days last Christmas and a further blockade involving a 160-strong team over three days in January.
Joe Bennett, production director at Spencer Group, said: “We’re proud of our industry-leading capabilities on complex major rail infrastructure schemes and this project has been a prime example of our expertise and performance.
“We completed the design and build of this project using our multi-disciplinary experience, in-house capability and close partnerships with our specialist supply chain.
“It has been a really successful project and that is also testament to outstanding collaborative working with the client.”
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Spencer Group has delivered large-scale, multi-disciplinary projects to enhance the 海角视频’s rail network for more than two decades. They have ranged from designing and building new platforms, constructing whole stations and depots, to improving and extending network capacity and reliability.
Phil Daniel, Network Rail’s project manager, said: “This project has been delivered thanks to the excellent teamworking ethic developed between Network Rail, Spencer Group, their supply chain and the major stakeholders.
“These strong relationships and the working practices they have permitted have allowed the
platform to be opened over a year ahead of the original planned date, which would have been improved further if it wasn’t for the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The safe and secure way the team has adapted and re-planned the remaining works since the pandemic took effect is testament to the quality of the people working on this project and is representative of the approach seen over the past two years, throughout its design and delivery.”