Nottingham: Blocwork LLP, a 50:50 joint venture between Network Rail and Bloc Group to develop rail side sites nationally, has appointed GRAHAM as construction partner to build a PRS ‘build to rent’ development on Queens Road, Nottingham. The development is being funded by the FTSE250 property business, Grainger Plc, the
Construction and civil engineering specialist GRAHAM has secured its first two contracts on Network Rail’s Control Period 6 (CP6) Western Route framework. The workload which will consist of asset renewals covering design and construction of all rail categories, including building and civil engineering, electrification, power, signalling telecommunications and track, is
Acorn’s Rail division has become the first Welsh SME in 2020 to receive a Trackside Principal Contractors Licence from Network Rail. Principal Contractors License is a requirement over and above CDM (Construction, Design Management), and whilst Principal Contractor requirements are specific to Network Rail it is deemed the gold standard
Network Rail has announced the award of 82 framework contracts to deliver design services across the country, worth an estimated £400m for Control Period 6 (2019-2024) and up to £640m including the options to extend the framework into Control Period 7 (2024-2029). The Design Services Framework (DSF) consists of four
Network Rail has announced that it will be completing maintenance and renewal work on the West Coast Mainline over 10 weekends between April and June in 2020. Engineers will refurbish or renew more than 17 kilometres of the track at 20 locations along the line, between Carstairs and the Scottish
The Department for Transport has extended Govia’s Southeastern franchise by 12 weeks from April 1 to June 22. The franchise was directly awarded in 2014, and is due to be replaced by a new competitively awarded franchise which is now expected to commence on June 23. On December 21 Stagecoach announced
In order to help enhance railroads in the South East of England, three multi-billion pound contracts have been awarded. J Murphy & Sons were selected by Network Rail to deliver the work in Anglia, with BAM Nuttall and Geoffrey Osborne appointed to complete projects in the South East and Wessex respectively. “We
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
Passengers have been urged by Network Rail to plan their journeys in advance as the rail company delivers more than 400 projects, part of a £84 million investment across the country. A 9,600-strong workforce will work around the clock over the bank holiday weekend to deliver more reliable infrastructure, improved
Network Rail-approved supplier Scott Parnell has launched its latest product for the rail industry. The ARCOsizeZERO is an elevated troughing system for the easy installation of lightweight fibre optic cables which will form the backbone of the digital age. The new product is an extension of Scott Parnell’s existing ARCOSYSTEM,
Nottingham: Blocwork LLP, a 50:50 joint venture between Network Rail and Bloc Group to develop rail side sites nationally, has appointed GRAHAM as construction partner to build a PRS ‘build to rent’ development on Queens Road, Nottingham. The development is being funded by the FTSE250 property business, Grainger Plc, the UK’s largest listed provider of private rental homes, and is its first PRS ‘build to rent’ development in Nottingham. Designed by Franklin Ellis Architects, the development has already secured planning consent for 348 homes and is located in a desirable location on the Queens Road, which is near the town centre and adjacent to Nottingham railway station. Providing 197,250 sq ft over 10 floors, the development will comprise a mix of studio, one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, with amenity and commercial space at ground floor level. It will be built in just over a 2-year construction programme. Ronan Hughes, Regional Director from GRAHAM, said: “There’s a strong market for high-quality PRS development in Nottingham and this project represents a positive step forward in the area’s future development. Grainger is universally recognised as one of the leading providers of build to rent accommodation, so we are looking forward to working with them and the wider project team to bring this development forward.” Helen Gordon, Chief Executive of Grainger, said: “We are pleased to progress with our Nottingham development, which upon completion will provide 348 new high quality rental homes, all professionally managed by an inhouse Grainger service team. Nottingham has a vibrant community with a strong and growing demand for renting and our Queens Road development will offer renters in the city a great home, great value, flexible and long-term agreements, and a range of resident amenities, including co-working space and superfast highspeed broadband included within the rent. Grainger’s homes appeal to a diverse range of renters; from young professionals through to families and downsizers. We look forward to sharing updates as the development progresses” Richard Thomas, Director, Bloc Ltd and Blocwork LLP said: “We are delighted to be working with GRAHAM and Grainger on this project. Having been a former student at Nottingham University many years ago, I have really enjoyed putting the scheme together with our team that once completed will add to the vibrancy of this part of Nottingham and complete the redevelopment of the station which has become a great regional transport hub.” Stuart Kirkwood, Group Property Director, Network Rail Property said: “The Nottingham development is a fantastic example of Network Rail working closely with the private sector to deliver vital new homes on land no longer required by the operational railway. The investment by Grainger points to the growing appetite in the sector for viable build to rent schemes, and we are pleased this investment has now moved on the construction phase. Network Rail has a track record of successful partnership projects across the country, which not only deliver housing, jobs and economic growth, but also generate vital funds to be reinvested back into the railway, improving services for our passengers.” GRAHAM started on site last month and construction is expected to complete April 2023.
Construction and civil engineering specialist GRAHAM has secured its first two contracts on Network Rail’s Control Period 6 (CP6) Western Route framework. The workload which will consist of asset renewals covering design and construction of all rail categories, including building and civil engineering, electrification, power, signalling telecommunications and track, is part of the framework’s strategic plan to deliver 140,000 more trains every year by 2024. The framework runs for five years and can be extendable for a further three. The contract wins will see GRAHAM deliver works at Stocks Overbridge and the River Avon Evesham bridge and Kelston Park. Stocks Overbridge is a single span elliptical masonry road over rail arch structure between Kingham and Moreton-in-Marsh in Gloucestershire. The project will involve the demolition of existing masonry arch to be replaced with a new superstructure which will be installed by GRAHAM’s project team over the course of three 30-hour rail possessions. River Avon Evesham bridge is a two-span rail underbridge spanning the river. The work involves structural repairs to both abutments and the central pier and scour protection works in the river with associated works. The second project at Kelston Park, which comprises a 1.75-mile-long embankment that is situated on the flood plain of the River Avon, is to install a cantilevering kingpost wall at the toe of the embankment on both sides of the railway. Network Rail’s Western route stretches from London Paddington to Penzance, through Bristol and up to the boundaries with Wales, Worcester and Basingstoke. It has re-organised into a Route-based delivery organisation, fully focused on customer outcomes. It is seeking to work with organisations that have the right culture, behaviours and ethics and are committed to delivering a safer, sustainable, better performing and more efficient railway. Leo Martin, Managing Director for the civil engineering division at GRAHAM, said: “We’re delighted to have been awarded our first two schemes on the CP6 Western Framework and are determined to ensure they are delivered successfully in every respect to demonstrate our capabilities further in the rail sector. “Both GRAHAM and Network Rail are committed to creating a safe and inclusive workplace, one which recognises and respects differences between people and facilitates a culture which embraces innovation and change and where collaborative working practices are passed down through the entire supply chain, generating mutual benefit to the industry as a whole.” Leo added: “These contracts will build on the great work we have achieved so far on the Crossrail project and enhance our presence in the West of England on the back of our work at Marsh Barton in Exeter. They also provide the opportunity to develop our rail team further and increase our profile with Network Rail which is an important and very valued customer for GRAHAM.” Works will commence at both projects in August this year.
Acorn’s Rail division has become the first Welsh SME in 2020 to receive a Trackside Principal Contractors Licence from Network Rail. Principal Contractors License is a requirement over and above CDM (Construction, Design Management), and whilst Principal Contractor requirements are specific to Network Rail it is deemed the gold standard within the rail industry, and it recognises Acorn Rail’s ability to discharge Principal Contractor duties during construction work carried out on behalf of Network Rail. It also permits Acorn to tender for all maintenance, labour or contract work issued by the national body. The licence provides assurance that Acorn Rail, as a Principal Contractor, has appropriate and robust HSQE management systems to effectively discharge its duties under official construction regulations and meet all additional requirements of Network Rail. The licence is issued in accordance with the Network Rail Principal Contractor Licensing Scheme NR/L2/INI/CP0070. Kevin Morris, Director of Rail at Acorn Rail, said: “Our new status as a Principal Contractor for Network Rail is testament to the continued commitment that this highly successful division of Acorn has shown in operating responsibly, and to the highest of standards required by the UK rail industry today. Acorn Rail works with a broad range of clients to undertake rail projects across the UK including civil engineering, track renewals, signalling, power & telecoms, tunnelling, and mechanical and engineering. “Our Rail Division is supported by an experienced in-house quality management and compliance team, which has proven its robustness time and time again through ongoing audits. This Principal Contract Licence is a logical next step in our continued progression as a highly effective and well-respected supplier to the rail and civil engineering industries. Furthermore, we are now in a fantastic position to support our clients’ and our own visions of delivering the drivers of the Well-being of Future Generations Act, support sustainability and help create a thriving Wales. Acorn Rail is seeking to follow in the successful footsteps of its parent company Acorn Recruitment, which has a lengthy track record of organic growth, working with hundreds of UK and international businesses and supporting UK job seekers through its specialist teams and a network of more than 30 branches nationwide. Acorn places some 6,000 people every week into temporary roles and more than 1,700 people into permanent roles every year. Acorn’s Group Managing Director, Matt Southall said: “The Principal Contractors Licence that our specialist rail team has been awarded is a good reflection of the whole Acorn group, and our commitment to quality, safety and compliance in everything we do. “We are delighted for all those working within the rail division who support and help maintain such a vital part of the UK transport infrastructure, and we look forward to fulfilling this role even more effectively as a result of this new status we have been given by Network Rail.” For more information visit www.acornpeople.com
Network Rail has announced the award of 82 framework contracts to deliver design services across the country, worth an estimated £400m for Control Period 6 (2019-2024) and up to £640m including the options to extend the framework into Control Period 7 (2024-2029). The Design Services Framework (DSF) consists of four multi-discipline frameworks and 78 single-discipline frameworks. The new DSF aims to provide access to a wider range of multi-skilled suppliers including small and medium enterprises (SMEs) who form circa 25% of the single discipline suppliers on the DSF. The framework contracts, which went live on 1st January 2020, have been awarded to the following 34 suppliers: Multi-Discipline National Frameworks Supplier Discipline DSF Region* AECOM Multi-Discipline National Jacobs UK Multi-Discipline National Mott MacDonald Multi-Discipline National WSP Multi-Discipline National Single Discipline Regional Frameworks Supplier Discipline DSF Region* AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited Track North West & Scotland Track South West Alun Griffiths (Contractors) Ltd Telecoms North West & Scotland Telecoms South West Telecoms North East AM Signalling Design Ltd Signalling South West Signalling South East Amey OWR Limited Electrification & Plant – Plant South West Signalling South West Track North East Andromeda Engineering Ltd Electrification & Plant – Contact Systems South East Electrification & Plant – Contact Systems South West Arcadis Consulting (UK) Ltd Electrification & Plant – Distribution North West & Scotland Electrification & Plant – Distribution North East Civils & Structural North West & Scotland Buildings & Architecture North East Baker Hicks Limited Track South West Electrification & Plant – Contact Systems North East Geotechnical North West & Scotland Balfour Beatty Rail Electrification & Plant – Contact Systems North East Track South East Track North East Capita Property & Infrastructure Ltd Civils & Structural North West & Scotland Civils & Structural South East Consents & Environment South East DB Engineering & Consulting GmbH Telecoms South East Egis Rail UK Ltd Signalling North West & Scotland Signalling North East Idom Merebrook Ltd Buildings & Architecture South West Electrification & Plant – Contact Systems South West Jacobs U.K. Limited Geotechnical North East Geotechnical South West Civils & Structural North East Kier Integrated Services Ltd Electrification & Plant – Plant South East Signalling South East Kristelan (UK) t/a SVM Glasgow. Electrification & Plant – Plant North East Electrification & Plant – Plant South West Electrification & Plant – Plant South East Mott MacDonald Limited Track North West & Scotland Electrification & Plant – Contact Systems North West & Scotland Navitas Engineering Ltd Electrification & Plant – Distribution South West Pascall & Watson Limited Buildings & Architecture South East Pell Frischmann Consultants Limited Civils & Structural South East Buildings & Architecture North West & Scotland Civils & Structural North East Ramboll UK Limited Geotechnical North East Geotechnical South West Geotechnical South East Buildings & Architecture North East Robert Bird & Partners Ltd Civils & Structural South West RPS Consulting Services Ltd Buildings & Architecture South East Buildings & Architecture North West & Scotland Buildings & Architecture South West RSK Environment Ltd Consents & Environment South West Siemens Mobility Limited Electrification & Plant – Distribution South East Electrification & Plant – Distribution South West Softech Rail Limited Telecoms South East Telent Technology Services Limited Telecoms North West & Scotland Telecoms South West Telecoms North East Temple Group Limited Consents & Environment South East Consents & Environment North East Tony Gee & Partners LLP Geotechnical North West & Scotland Geotechnical South East Tony Gee & Partners LLP and Egis Rail UK Ltd Track South East UK Power Networks Services Ltd Electrification & Plant – Distribution North West & Scotland Electrification & Plant – Distribution North East Electrification & Plant – Distribution South East VolkerRail Specialist Businesses Ltd Electrification & Plant – Plant North East Signalling North West & Scotland Signalling North East Waterman Infrastructure & Environment Ltd Consents & Environment North West & Scotland Consents & Environment North East Consents & Environment South West Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK Ltd Consents & Environment North West & Scotland WSP UK Ltd Electrification & Plant – Contact Systems North West & Scotland Electrification & Plant – Contact Systems South East Civils & Structural South West *Note: The DSF Regions align to the Network Rail Regions as follows: North West & Scotland = North West & Central; and Scotland’s Railway North East = Eastern South East = Southern South West = Wales & Western Daljinder Chatta, Network Rail’s commercial director, said: “Network Rail will have greater access to a design support network providing mutual benefits to both Network Rail and the supply chain. Some of these include working more directly with suppliers, improved assurance, getting closer to experts, improved business and safety performance and enabling innovation to thrive.”
Network Rail has announced that it will be completing maintenance and renewal work on the West Coast Mainline over 10 weekends between April and June in 2020. Engineers will refurbish or renew more than 17 kilometres of the track at 20 locations along the line, between Carstairs and the Scottish border. A bridge near Beattock will also be replaced. Due to the amount of engineering work taking place, this will mean the short term closure of the railway. Buses will replace trains between Carlisle and both Glasgow and Edinburgh on weekends between Saturday, April 4, and Sunday, June 7. On most weekends, the closures will affect trains from mid-morning on Saturdays until the start of service on the following Monday. Over Easter and some weekends in May the closures will extend for longer, with buses replacing trains on Monday, April 13 and Mondays May 4 and 25.
The Department for Transport has extended Govia’s Southeastern franchise by 12 weeks from April 1 to June 22. The franchise was directly awarded in 2014, and is due to be replaced by a new competitively awarded franchise which is now expected to commence on June 23. On December 21 Stagecoach announced that the Department for Transport had exercised an option to extend Virgin Trains‘ West Coast franchise by up to one year, meaning it can now continue to March 2020. Network Rail completed 330 projects worth a total of £148m over the Christmas and New Year period, with 25 000 people working more than 380 000 h. Major projects included electrification renewals at Forest Gate on the Great Eastern Main Line, track renewals on the approaches to London Victoria, new turnouts and track remodelling between Bedford and Kettering and signalling upgrades as part of the Weaver to Wavertree resignalling project in Merseyside. Control of signalling around Allerton, Speke and Garston has transferred to the Manchester Rail Operating Centre. The National Rail 26-30 Railcard went on sale on January 2. It costs £30 and offers eligible users 1/3 off most Off-Peak and Advance rail fares in Great Britain, subject to time restrictions and minimum fares. Network Rail has awarded multi-disciplinary framework contracts for renewals and enhancements in its Southern region during Control Period 6 (2019-24) to J Murphy & Sons (Anglia), BAM Nuttall (South East) and Geoffrey Osborne Ltd (Wessex). The scope includes station, buildings and civils, electrification, power, signalling, telecommunications and track works. The framework contracts run for five years with the option of three one-year extensions. Story Contracting and AmcoGiffen were previously awarded similar contracts covering the Scotland & North East region. Last month Great Western Railway took delivery of the last of its 36 five-car and 21 nine-car Hitachi Class 800 Intercity Express trainsets; a further 13 nine-car and two five-car Class 802 trainsets are due to arrive this year. On December 24 Transport Scotland issued ScotRail with a remedial plan notice relating to the Suburban East Sector (Edinburgh to Bathgate, Dunblane, Fife Circle, Tweedbank and North Berwick) where cancellations exceeded the Breach Performance Level during Period 9 from November 11 to December 8. The notice also applies pre-emptively in relation to the overall Public Performance Measure which Scottish Ministers expect to fall below the Breach Performance Level in Period 10. ScotRail has eight weeks to submit a remedial plan. London Overground concessionaire Arriva Rail London has appointed Kate Marjoribanks as engineering director. Her previous roles have included head of engineering at South Western Railway, engineering director at Abellio Greater Anglia and engineering director at Chiltern. Network Rail transferred control of signalling on various routes in Yorkshire from the York Integrated Electronic Control Centre to the Rail Operating Centre between the evening of December 24 and the start of services on December 27. Opened in 1989, the IECC controlled the East Coast Main Line from Doncaster to Northallerton, the trans-Pennine route from York to Morley and Pudsey and the lines to Skipton and Ilkley. ‘The beauty of moving the IECC to the ROC is that it brings all the signallers together as well as giving them a more modern system to work with‘, said Senior Project Engineer, Graham Foster. ‘We rehearsed the move several times before the big switch-over, so we were confident that everything would go to plan.‘ Great Western Railway has expanded its electric services to Newbury and Bristol Parkway after Network Rail completed the installation of 25 kV 50 Hz overhead line equipment. Network Rail has awarded Keltbray Rail, Lundy Projects and SPL Powerlines UK nil commitment framework agreements for the provision of contract labour, plant and road and rail access equipment for overhead line engineering works throughout its London North Western Route. This month Chiltern, Grand Central, LNER and parts of Northern and ScotRail are to begin using a GPS-based train location system to drive information systems, providing more accurate data than existing systems based on passing fixed points which can vary from 200 m to more than 8 km apart. The whole network is expected to be covered by 2024. ScotRail has begun rolling out ‘Grace’s Sign’ at accessible station toilets. The sign including both a wheelchair use and a standing person with a heart symbolising people with invisible conditions was devised by 13-year-old Grace Warnock, after facing criticism from strangers when she used accessible toilets. ‘We’re proud to support her campaign to raise awareness that not all disabilities can be seen’, said ScotRail Access & Inclusion Manager Andrew Marshall-Roberts. Greater Anglia’s cleaning contractor Carlisle Cleaning Services is using six ‘gum buster’ machines to remove dried-up chewing gum from platforms and concourses. The machines can eliminate lumps of chewing gum in 3 sec using a mixture of water and detergent heated to become steam which dissolves the gum on contact. Network Rail has applied for powers under the Transport & Works Act which would enable the compulsory purchase from Bellamile of land at the Ashford Chart Leacon depot site which was formerly operated by Bombardier Transportation. This would enable the development of a light maintenance depot for Southeastern rolling stock which is be displaced from the existing Hitachi depot in order to accommodate Thameslink EMUs. The estimated cost of the project is £30m.
In order to help enhance railroads in the South East of England, three multi-billion pound contracts have been awarded. J Murphy & Sons were selected by Network Rail to deliver the work in Anglia, with BAM Nuttall and Geoffrey Osborne appointed to complete projects in the South East and Wessex respectively. “We are excited to be part of Network Rail’s strategic partnership to deliver CP6. This award continues our long partnership with them in renewing and enhancing infrastructure throughout the UK and will give us the chance to work together and drive innovation and improvements. It was a real team effort across Murphy, and the framework will leverage our engineering and rail capabilities across our whole business. We are looking forward to getting started and delivering safely and efficiently to benefit rail passengers across the Anglia route,” said John Murphy, CEO of J Murphy and Sons. Huw Jones, BAM’s Rail Director also commented on the news: “We’re proud of the contribution we’ve made and are excited to be continuing our collaboration with Network Rail, and our supply chain, for the safe delivery of exceptional rail infrastructure. This confirmation of our continued involvement allows us to invest with confidence in developing skills, our innovation pipeline and technology. We look forward to playing our part, demonstrating BAM’s commitment to creating sustainable solutions that enhance lives – including rail passengers and the communities where we work.” The contracts are worth up £7 billion for Control Period 6 (2019-2024), involving the delivery of projects of varying value, including stations, buildings and civils, electrifications, power, signalling, telecommunications and track. “Over the last few years we have made a shift towards working more collaboratively and closer to fewer key contractors, which has allowed us to deliver major improvements for passengers successfully and safely. Given that we are delivering in some of Britain’s busiest stations and on some of the most used routes into the capital, our ability to upgrade the railway with minimal impact on passengers is increasingly important. We want to build on this success for CP6 and the relationships we have with our suppliers, and we look forward to working with them all going forward,” added Cameron Burns, Commercial Director Southern region. The CP6 framework is initially in place for a five-year period but has the option of three one-year extensions if required.
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.
Passengers have been urged by Network Rail to plan their journeys in advance as the rail company delivers more than 400 projects, part of a £84 million investment across the country. A 9,600-strong workforce will work around the clock over the bank holiday weekend to deliver more reliable infrastructure, improved facilities and better services for passengers, all part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan. The major investment projects this August include: The replacement of a vital junction outside of London Euston station at North Wembley to improve reliability of services. This will see London Euston station closed not only over the bank holiday weekend (25 – 27 August), but also the 18 – 19 August and 01 – 02 September. The £200 million investment to transform the track and signalling through the Derby station area will continue over the bank holiday weekend. The 79 days of engineering began on Sunday 22 July and runs until Sunday 07 October. The investment is a key part of the biggest upgrade of the Midland Main Line, which will support better journeys between Sheffield, Derby, Nottingham and London. The replacement of track near Coventry to improve the reliability of services through the area. Passengers travelling to Birmingham International Airport are advised to plan their journeys in advance as buses will replace trains between Birmingham International and Rugby. “This bank holiday weekend, thousands of rail workers across Britain will be delivering essential improvements that will lead to faster, better services and help relieve overcrowding to respond to the huge growth on Britain’s railways. While it will be business as usual on most of the network, we urge all passengers to check before they travel,” said Andy Thomas, Network Rail managing director of England and Wales. Some routes will see significant changes to normal services; therefore passengers should plan ahead of travelling this August bank holiday weekend.
Network Rail-approved supplier Scott Parnell has launched its latest product for the rail industry. The ARCOsizeZERO is an elevated troughing system for the easy installation of lightweight fibre optic cables which will form the backbone of the digital age. The new product is an extension of Scott Parnell’s existing ARCOSYSTEM, but with a clear focus on delivering increased capabilities to the industry’s communications network. ARCOsizeZERO is a flexible system made of corrosion-resistant GRP (glass-reinforced plastic) material. It comes in complete six metre pieces which are simply slid into position without the need for loose nuts and bolts – minimising installation time for on-site engineers and thereby reducing the risk from working trackside. Unlike traditional troughing, which is unnecessarily bulky for this application, the latest product is slim yet durable: offering the ideal solution for installation projects in congested areas or over difficult terrain. Troughs can be placed alongside railway lines or mounted to walls for tunnels and bridges, taking up far less space than normal cable-carrying channels. Established in 2012, Scott Parnell is a groundworks and civil engineering products specialist, and a Network Rail-approved supplier of the respected ARCOSYSTEM range of solutions. The organisation’s focus is on researching and creating innovative solutions for the rail sector. Commenting on the new product launch, founder Steve Parnell said: “As populations expand and passenger volumes increase, the supporting systems will demand better connectivity. Telecommunications capabilities will rely on the development of infrastructure to support a modern IP network for track-to-train communications. The ARCOsizeZERO is aimed at meeting these demands, by offering a flexible solution for the distribution of fibre optic cables. “We are delighted to launch this new product with a focus firmly on the future. The system enjoys the same benefits as our existing troughing products, but with the purpose of creating a fast and efficient communications network for both day-to-day rail operations and passenger connectivity.” ARCOsizeZERO can be utilised in conjunction with ARCOSYSTEM Size 1 and Size 2, ensuring the product line is ‘future-proof’ as additional cable capacity can be added after the original installation.
