The first multi-million pound contracts from Network Rail for Control Period 6 (2019-2024), worth a combined £645 million, have been awarded. ‘Lot 2’, which covers renewals and enhancements work in Scotland valued at around £135 million, went to Story Contracting. Meanwhile, ‘Lot 3’ to deliver work on the London North
A total of 65 potential sites have progressed to the next stage of consideration for the new offsite construction centres at Heathrow, with the final four sites being identified next year following the completion and assessment of a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ). They have until the 18th of January to make
Not all bridges are built equal, it must be said. Some just get you from one point to another. How boring, especially when you consider that some bridges out there can curl up on themselves to let boats pass, or even breathe fire! There’re bridges that are said to claim
BAM Nuttall, the UK based supplier of civil engineering services, has just completed a deal to purchase a further thirty X-ECO LED lighting towers from the Cambridgeshire supplier, Trime (UK) Limited. The company now has fifty Trime X-ECO LED lighting sets in their rental fleet. BAM Nuttall’s Plant Manager, Andy
The A6 Manchester Airport Relief Road, a £290 million dual carriageway that links the A6 at Hazel Grove to the M56, has officially opened. It aims to improve connections from the city to its airport, as well as provide better connections to the £1 billion Airport City business park and
The 13 contractors who will be carrying out up to £8.7 billion worth of work on the national road network have been announced by Highways England. Known as Delivery Integration Partners, the contractors will be part of Highways England’s Regional Delivery Partnership, which encourages companies to improve safety and journeys
R&M Williams has won a second major contract for Bristol Airport to develop the new Administration Building, following the successful completion of the airport’s new £4.3 million fire station earlier this year. The Administration Building will comprise three storeys and become home to the project teams and senior management, as
The Institution joins a prestigious group of engineering projects that includes San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, the Forth Bridge in Scotland and the Statue of Liberty in New York. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has designated the Institution of Civil Engineers as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, in the Institution’s 200th anniversary
Balfour Beatty Living Places has won a £103 million highways maintenance contract from Telford and Wrekin Council. The contract is initially for seven years, with the option to extend it for a further seven years. “We are delighted to have been awarded this contract by Telford and Wrekin Council; it
The design contract for the new £12.5 million extension for Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) has been awarded to Watson Batty Architects. “We are delighted to cement our partnership with Leeds Bradford Airport with our biggest project to date. We have worked closely with the team at LBA over the last
The first multi-million pound contracts from Network Rail for Control Period 6 (2019-2024), worth a combined £645 million, have been awarded. ‘Lot 2’, which covers renewals and enhancements work in Scotland valued at around £135 million, went to Story Contracting. Meanwhile, ‘Lot 3’ to deliver work on the London North East route valued at around £190 million was secured by AmcoGiffen. The framework will complete a wide range of projects including replacing and refurbishing structures across the route and delivering improvements at stations. “We are delighted to have been appointed in partnership with Network Rail, delivering this programme of significant rail infrastructure investment. Providing substantial benefits to the travelling public, this framework award is testament to our long-standing relationship. AmcoGiffen’s engineering and project management expertise, coupled with our detailed regional knowledge, means we are ideally placed to support all stakeholders. Delivering added social value in the communities we operate, we’re creating apprenticeship and trainee programmes, developing local supply chain spend and employment opportunities,” commented Andries Liebenberg, Managing Director AmcoGiffen. ‘Lot 1’, which is the most significant work-bank in the Scotland and North East (SNE) renewals and enhancements framework, will be announced later this year and is valued at a further £320 million. In addition to the framework covering renewals and enhancements, SNE is also set to announce the award of its £147 million Geotech framework later this month. “Our CP6 contracts provide suppliers with substantial work-banks and the opportunity to be part of delivering essential improvements that will help shape the future of Britain’s rail network. Work to renew our infrastructure is increasingly important to improve reliability for our passengers and we look forward to working closely with Story and AmcoGiffen to deliver this,” said Kris Kinnear, Deputy Regional Director for SNE. “Significant five-year contracts not only benefit our key supply chain partners, but the thousands of companies who work for them too, providing them with the surety they need to invest in their people, innovation and value for money,” Kris added. The awards are the first of Network Rail’s CP6 contracts to be let following the Office of Rail and Road’s final determination, which confirmed £35 billion of funding for rail maintenance and renewals.
A total of 65 potential sites have progressed to the next stage of consideration for the new offsite construction centres at Heathrow, with the final four sites being identified next year following the completion and assessment of a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ). They have until the 18th of January to make their case for the project. Various sites across the UK have been visited by Heathrow representatives in order to identify the location for the future hubs, which will be used for off-site construction to make the multi-billion expansion more affordable and sustainable. “This is an exciting opportunity for us to engage with site promoters that are passionate about creating a lasting legacy. These responses will help us understand which sites will best work for the expansion programme as well as for future construction projects,” said Heathrow’s Executive Director for Expansion, Emma Gilthorpe. “When we began this search last year, we were inspired by just how many locations up and down the country were interested in playing a role in delivering the third runway. This shows the great potential there is for offsite construction to revolutionise the way major infrastructure is delivered in the UK,” she added. The expansion project will have four sites either assembling components of the expanded airport or serving as a consolidation centre for these loads before they are transported to Heathrow. Of the potential sites, 50 are existing or functioning sites, many of which are already experienced in delivering major projects, while the other 15 sites are either undeveloped or proposed facilities with the potential for additional flexibility and customisation.
Not all bridges are built equal, it must be said. Some just get you from one point to another. How boring, especially when you consider that some bridges out there can curl up on themselves to let boats pass, or even breathe fire! There’re bridges that are said to claim souls, bridges built from tree roots, and bridges hundred of years in the making. With the expertise of structure analysis software providers Oasys, we take a trip around the world without leaving our desks to see the best bridges. 1. A bridge that the Devil built Photograph by A. Landgraf When coupled with its own reflection on the water’s surface, Rakotzbrücke in Germany takes the form of a perfect circle. The bridge is said to have been commissioned by a knight in 1860. But the rocks and stones used for its creation are jagged and spikey, so it was dangerous to cross. Earth Trekkers notes that Devil Bridges were built a few times in history, and were deemed a challenge of a mason’s skill. The idea was that only Satan himself could help with a difficult build such as these bridges, and the first human who crossed the completed bridge would pay for the Devil’s helping hand by giving up his soul. The bridge is off-limits today in order to preserve it. But it is still an oddly beautiful sight to behold! 2. A bridge that tidies itself away Photograph by Loz Pycock A creation of Heatherwick Studios, London’s Rolling Bridge allows people to cross an inlet. What makes this bridge so unique is that it can tidy itself away! When needed, this bridge curls up into an octogen shape to stand on one side of the canal until a boat passes. The bridge also curls up every day at noon, if you want to see it in action! 3. A bridge built by the trees Photograph by Arshiya Urveeja Bose Roots, time, and a lot of patience went into these bridges in India. These beautifully natural bridges were formed by guiding rubber tree roots with hollow canes so that they would grow outwards and meet from either side of a stream. It would take years to reach the opposite bank, but the hard work paid off as these Living Roots bridges can support the weight of a human. They were originally made by the Khasi tribe, who realised the bamboo bridges they were building would collapse or rot after a monsoon or heavy storm. 4. A bridge of water and fire Photograph by Ehrin Macksey / Noi Pictures Be careful not to say “dracarys” when crossing this bridge! Located in Da Nang in Vietnam, the Dragon Bridge is certainly a spectacular sight. The bridge is the result of an international competition by the Da Nang People’s Committee in order to improve travel in the city. The bridge has six lanes for vehicles, two lanes for pedestrians, and 2,500 LED lights. Best of all, the Dragon Bridge can actually breathe fire. In fact, the bridge can spout water or fire, and this display is often used for special occasions in the city. 5. A bridge hundreds of years in the making Photograph by Egil Kvaleberg The blueprints for this bridge were originally drawn up around 500 years ago by Leonardo da Vinci. The intention was for it to be built across the Golden Horn in Istanbul. The original drawing had a single span of 240 metres, but the project did not go ahead as it was believed that such a design was not feasible. It would be many years before the bridge was finally built, and its construction in Norway is the first example of a major engineering success from a da Vinci sketch. The bridge has just three arches to support the structure. Though the Norwegian bridge is a smaller version of the original plans, it shows that the design works — one arch under the bridge, and two arches either side leaning inwards to spread the weight. Sources: https://bocadolobo.com/blog/architecture/10-of-the-worlds-most-beautiful-and-unique-bridges/ https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/design/g248/4335705/ http://boredomtherapy.com/unique-bridges-around-the-world/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azalea_and_Rhododendron_Park_Kromlau https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_root_bridges https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/rakotzbrucke-devils-bridge/ https://www.earthtrekkers.com/rakotzbrucke-fairytale-bridge-saxony-germany/ https://www.flickr.com/people/45649858@N08 http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20150218-indias-amazing-living-root-bridges https://www.flickr.com/photos/blahflowers/ https://www.visitbritain.com/gb/en/rolling-bridge-london https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1510-da-vinci-bridge-finally-built-after-500-years/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_and_inventions_of_Leonardo_da_Vinci#Bridges_and_Hydraulics http://www.vietnam-guide.com/da-nang/attractions/dragon-bridge.htm https://www.louisberger.com/our-work/project/fire-breathing-dragon-bridge-vietnam
BAM Nuttall, the UK based supplier of civil engineering services, has just completed a deal to purchase a further thirty X-ECO LED lighting towers from the Cambridgeshire supplier, Trime (UK) Limited. The company now has fifty Trime X-ECO LED lighting sets in their rental fleet. BAM Nuttall’s Plant Manager, Andy Haythorne said, “We placed an initial order for the X-ECO LED units back in September last year, following a successful trial. The Trime lights have performed excellently over the past twelve months, so it was an easy decision to invest in this new order.” “In all we have been impressed with the costs savings, reliability and the integral safety features of the X-ECO LED,” added Andy. The sourcing of more efficient plant and equipment remains a key part of the BAM Sustainability Strategy as they work towards challenging 2020 targets for carbon reduction. The sustainable qualities of the Trime X-ECO LED sets have aided BAM Nuttall to reach their objective. The X-ECO LED uses considerably less fuel when compared with many lighting sets currently available. This results in a corresponding reduction in C02 output, assessed by Trime engineers, to equate to approximately 888kg. In 2016, BAM Group UK (legal entity comprising of BAM Nuttall and BAM Construct UK) were awarded the CEMARS gold standard for achieving significant carbon savings year-on-year over a six-year period by following a systematic carbon reduction programme that have resulted in a reduction in emissions of 17.72% when compared with baseline data. CEMARS is the Carbon Emissions Measurement and Reduction Scheme and refers to ISO14064-1:2006. For 2017 and beyond BAM Nuttall has set even more challenging targets to reduce its energy consumption by a further 25% on a new 2015 baseline, and across its Scope 1, 2 & 3 emission classes by 2020. This target is in line with that of the parent company Royal BAM Group and works towards a climate positive future in the long term – a future in which construction is not a carbon emitter but one in which it is a carbon eliminator. Trime Group boasts over 50 years of experience in the development and marketing of environmentally sustainable lighting sets for the construction and rental markets. Their manufacturing plant is based in Cassinetta di Lugagnano, near Milan and Trime UK Limited is headquartered in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.
The A6 Manchester Airport Relief Road, a £290 million dual carriageway that links the A6 at Hazel Grove to the M56, has officially opened. It aims to improve connections from the city to its airport, as well as provide better connections to the £1 billion Airport City business park and development sites in Handforth Dean and Woodford. “We are investing more in improving our roads than ever before – making it easier, safer and quicker for people to get where they want to go. This new road will not only make it easier for people to get to the airport and away on holiday, but it will help businesses in the North West improve their access to world trade through flights from Manchester,” said Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, who opened the road. “It will also lead to the creation of thousands of jobs, boosting the economy and further demonstrating the strength of the North West’s role in the Northern Powerhouse,” he continued. The A6 Airport Relief Road is expected to create more than 5,000 jobs in Greater Manchester and deliver a £2.5 billion boost to the regional economy. “This new road connects Manchester Airport with the people and businesses of Stockport, Manchester and East Cheshire. It was only made possible by Department for Transport and Greater Manchester Combined Authority funds and it is a good example of central government working together with a city-region to deliver major infrastructure that improves people’s lives,” added Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester. “The A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road will enable people to make quicker and easier journeys, and will cut congestion, especially on local roads. The supporting cycling and walking infrastructure will also make active travel more attractive and safer for more people and supports our ambition to make them the first and natural choice for short journeys. Greater Manchester is emerging as a world-class city-region and we want to work with government to deliver a transport system to support it,” Andy concluded.
The 13 contractors who will be carrying out up to £8.7 billion worth of work on the national road network have been announced by Highways England. Known as Delivery Integration Partners, the contractors will be part of Highways England’s Regional Delivery Partnership, which encourages companies to improve safety and journeys on roads. “Routes to Market represents a fundamental change in the way we deliver road projects. It will be performance rather than price based, focusing on building the right projects with the best outcomes for road users and the communities we serve. It demands a major step up in our supply chain to embrace innovation and team work, and in their ability to deliver value,” commented Jim O’Sullivan, Highways England Chief Executive. These are the selected contractors and the lots: Lot 1 – South West and Midlands – £200 million – two partners: Geoffrey Osborne; and Griffiths/Farrans Joint Venture (Alun Griffiths (Construction) and Northstone (NI) Limited trading as Farrans Construction); Lot 2 – South East and East – £350 million – two partners: John Graham Construction Ltd; and Volker Fitzpatrick; Lot 3 – North West, North East, Yorkshire and Humber – £200 million – two partners: Amey Sir Robert McAlpine Joint Venture (Amey OW and Sir Robert McAlpine); and North Midland Construction; Lot 4 – South West – £800 million – two partners: Galliford Try Infrastructure; and Taylor Woodrow; Lot 5 – Midlands – £1,250 million – two partners: BAM Nuttall; and Skanska Construction UK; Lot 6 – South East – £1,100 million – two partners: BAM Nuttall; and Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering; Lot 7 – East – £2,800 million – three partners: Costain; Galliford Try Infrastructure; and Skanska Construction UK; Lot 8 – North West, North East, Yorkshire and Humber – £2,000 million – three partners: Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering; Costain; and Kier Highways. The partnership will help develop, design and construct highway projects across England from 2019 through to 2024.
R&M Williams has won a second major contract for Bristol Airport to develop the new Administration Building, following the successful completion of the airport’s new £4.3 million fire station earlier this year. The Administration Building will comprise three storeys and become home to the project teams and senior management, as well as offer services such as meeting and training rooms. The office structure is the latest project in a series of developments aiming to modernise and expand Bristol Airport and demonstrate its continued investment into sustainable, low carbon systems. Designed with energy efficiency in mind, the new building has a carbon emission reduction of 23% over facility-building regulations. “We are proud that this type of high quality, fast-track construction is one of our business strengths and we look forward to further cementing our reputation with Bristol Airport, with the successful delivery of both the fire station and administration block schemes. It’s a really state-of-the-art facility and we can’t wait to see the project take shape in the coming weeks,” said Darryn Parry, Managing Director of R&M Williams. A very modern façade has been designed by Bristol architects Stride Treglown for this project, establishing the new office as a signature building on entrance to the airport. “We are delighted to be working with R&M Williams on this second project. The Administration Building will be the welcome that staff, airline and business partner guests will see and we wanted the building to visually blend in with the local environment whilst providing a state-of-the-art energy efficient facility,” commented Andrew Goodenough, Development Director at Bristol Airport.
The Institution joins a prestigious group of engineering projects that includes San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, the Forth Bridge in Scotland and the Statue of Liberty in New York. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has designated the Institution of Civil Engineers as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, in the Institution’s 200th anniversary year. More than 200 projects worldwide have earned this title, which recognises historically significant civil engineering projects, structures and sites around the world. A physical plaque has been installed at ICE’s London headquarters to mark the award. It was unveiled today during the Global Engineering Congress. “For more than 40 years, ASCE has recognised civil engineering achievements that have played a unique role in the development of America and the world as Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks,” said Robin Kemper, President of ASCE, said at the unveiling. She said that the programme highlights the “pioneering spirit” of civil engineers. ICE as a pioneer Kemper recapped the ICE’s history, which demonstrates this trait, during the dedication. “In 1818, a small group of young engineers met in a London coffee shop and founded the Institution of Civil Engineers, the world’s first professional engineering body. “After two years of struggling to attract new members, ICE asked Thomas Telford to become its first president. “His appointment in 1820 not only gave ICE a major boost, it also played a huge part in shaping who they are today.” ICE President Professor Lord Robert Mair added: “Our Institution was set up 200 years ago a group of young engineers with grand ambitions. I want that precedent to continue. “I see a great and vibrant future for our profession. But this future requires us to transform ourselves; how we think and how we act. Above all we need to be ambitious and bold. There are huge science and technology developments to exploit. “We are so grateful that one of your hugely valued Historic Civil Engineering Landmark plaques will be permanently on display here in One Great George Street, the home of civil engineering.” Glenn Hewus, President of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering, was also present at the unveiling. “It is my esteemed privilege to acknowledge the efforts and commitment put forth by the Institution of Civil Engineers to forge ahead with steadfast determination,” he said. “It is because of this type of commitment that civil engineering has progressed to what it is today.”H How historic landmarks are named The ASCE’s History and Heritage Committee nominates historically-significant civil engineering projects for recognition as part of an ongoing programme. It reviews nominated projects and makes a recommendation to the ASCE’s Board of Direction for which one should be named as a landmark. “Those who are actively involved with the process can tell you that this is not an easy task,” said Kemper. ASCE’s landmark programme has been running for more than 40 years. Projects that have earned the designation include the Panama Canal, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Belfast Rail Link in Dublin, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and the Granite Railway, the first commercial railway in the US. Renewed cooperation ICE and ASCE also strengthened their close ties by renewing their Agreement of Cooperation, with Lord Robert and Kemper signing the document yesterday (pictured below). The agreement contains reciprocal arrangements, allowing each institution’s members to attend select meetings and participate in the local association activities of the other. Eligible members of ASCE will also be entitled to a discount for ICE Associate Membership (AMICE). Written by Anh Nguyen.
Balfour Beatty Living Places has won a £103 million highways maintenance contract from Telford and Wrekin Council. The contract is initially for seven years, with the option to extend it for a further seven years. “We are delighted to have been awarded this contract by Telford and Wrekin Council; it builds on our trusted expertise in highways services. We look forward to working closely with the Council and the local community to deliver tangible improvements across the Borough,” said Steve Helliwell, Managing Director of Balfour Beatty Living Places. Working together with the Council, Balfour Beatty will be maintaining the Borough’s 626 miles of highways and 743 miles of footpaths, providing drainage cleansing services, winter fritting and reactive highways maintenance as required. Moreover, Balfour Beatty Living Places will work closely with the council to help deliver its £20 million capital investment programme of planned highways and transport projects to improve roads, paths and highways structures. This will be delivered over the first two years of the contract. Approximately 48 full-time employees will be hired during the works, including four apprentices and graduates. “This is a key contract for the Council at a time when we are investing very heavily in improving roads and footpaths across the Borough through our £45 million Pride in Our Community programme. The savings from the contract will have no effect on the major capital investment that we are making between now and April 2021 targeting roads in particular,” added Councilor Hilda Robert, Cabinet Member for Transport, Roads and Broadband. With work due to commence in April 2019, this partnership is expected to bring an estimated saving of approximately £200,000 a year for the Council through an enhanced management of services.
The design contract for the new £12.5 million extension for Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) has been awarded to Watson Batty Architects. “We are delighted to cement our partnership with Leeds Bradford Airport with our biggest project to date. We have worked closely with the team at LBA over the last six years, assisting with detailed collaboration and consultation, to support a series of enabling projects, both airside and landside. It is rewarding to know that our transport expertise is helping to build the future of a critical northern hub,” commented Peter White, Managing Director at Watson Batty Architects. As part of the plans, LBA’s terminal building will be extended, adding to it a transformed international arrivals process, with immigration, baggage reclaim and customs, as well as improved departure gates, seating areas and new retail, food, and beverage outlets. Once completed, construction work will move to the existing terminal building, remodelling it and adding a new centralised security search area and a more intuitive departure lounge layout, with an expanded new retail offer. Work on the extension is expected to be complete in late 2019, while for the existing building it is scheduled for completion by the summer of 2020. A future phase will include the completion of the departure pier, replacing the current passenger walkway. The planned extension works will deliver additional job opportunities at the Airport for local people, including apprenticeship roles in key operational areas. Watson Batty has previously assisted Leeds Bradford Airport to improve circulation and flow of passengers around the terminal. It designed the new departure lounge extension last year which provided an additional storey and mezzanine floor to Gate Five.
