An egg-cellent Easter

While many of us were celebrating Easter with our family and friends, or simply enjoying sweet treats over the long weekend, our Rail Delivery team were out executing critical enhancement and renewal works across 18 worksites. All were completed on time and without a single accident or incident, ensuring that everyone was able to return home safely to their families and friends.

Key highlights for Octavius included replacing life-expired and potentially dangerous coping stones at East Malling Station. The Kent Rail Services team successfully overcame logistical challenges in replacing five coping stones initially propped at the end of platforms and installed 38 new coping stones along two platforms. With each coping stone weighing over 475 kilograms and narrow staircases hindering access, the team had to think differently for station access and installation. Consequently, they collaborated with the local parish council to position a crane with a telehandler in the adjacent car park, enabling the lifting of each stone into place.

Our Southern Renewals Enterprise team working on the Farncombe to Petersfield re-signalling upgrade completed remedial works along the line, and at Stoneleigh Station our One Team Wessex colleagues delivered a critical milestone to improve accessibility.  They lifted two of the three new sets of staircases, link lobby and trestles to east and west platforms into place using a 650 tonne crane. The new staircases will allow passengers to easily cross from one platform to another. Despite several challenges ahead of the weekend, on close collaboration with our supply chain partners, the works were completed successfully and handed back to our customer, Network Rail six hours ahead of schedule. The team will be installing the final staircase on the island platform in the coming weeks. You can read more about progress on all our Access for All Schemes here.