Vital Rail - Case Studies

Babcock Rail - Trent Valley Four Track

Vital Rail was an integral part of the delivery team for this high profile project, designed to improve rail movement, working closely with Babcock Rail from its early planning stage.

Vital Rail partnered Babcock from walkout through to completion, delivering greater efficiency through close interaction, communication and teamwork.

TV4T involved widening the railway from two to four tracks between Armitage, Handsacre and Tamworth, as part of the upgrade to the WCML. Adding the additional tracks increased capacity along the whole line and greatly enhanced passenger service.

Balfour Beatty - Safety First on Forth Bridge

Vital Rail has been looking after rail safety on this internationally recognised engineering icon since 2004. The Forth Bridge, owned by Network Rail, is maintained by Balfour Beatty CEL who appointed Vital Rail to supply its Safety Critical Management Team and support.

After exhaustive investigatory work and planning by Vital, in co-operation with BBCEL and Network Rail, Vital’s automated train warning system (ATWS) is now operational across the full length of the bridge.

We supply, operate and maintain the ATWS system which has become an integral part of the bridge’s maintenance system. The result: less production downtime for train movements and improved worker safety.

Jarvis Rail - Rugby Remodelling

Rugby, a major junction on the West Coast Main Line, is the hub for lines from Euston, Nuneaton, Coventry and the Trent Valley, as well as host to various sidings and a supply route to the nearby cement works. Historically it has also been a major bottleneck.

Outdated low speed crossovers caused conflicting train movements, often resulting in significant delays. Vital Rail worked closely with Jarvis Rail to deliver plain line track renewals, switches and crossing renewals and all associated through-alignment tamping as well as 300 foundations, gantry installation and OLE work, all of which were designed to restore traffic flow.

This was a large and complex project involving 18 different contractors working on site at the same time. Vital’s core delivery team was embedded into the full Jarvis site team and was involved in the project from the early planning stage.

Challenges faced during the works included limited track access and the need to maintain passenger and freight operations. The successful remodelling works were vital to the introduction of a new timetable that saw a faster and more frequent train service on the West Coast Main Line.

Network Rail - Cable Theft Management

Vital Rail Security Services division was recently awarded the Cable Theft Management contract at North Erewash Re Signalling by Network Rail. Under the terms of the contract Vital was responsible for the supply, daily on-site deployment and complete management of all lineside security teams and perimeter rapid response patrols.

The area under protection had a number of notorious ‘hot spots’ from which significant lengths of cable had previously been stolen. Much preliminary work was therefore required by Vital’s security management team, working closely with British Transport Police to set up a suitable method of deterrence.

A number of subsequent arrests were made, and successful prosecutions followed.

Vital was commended for its services on the project, with Lee Dolman of Network Rail stating: “Cable theft and vandalism to Network Rail infrastructure in our project area was greatly reduced during the period that Vital Rail Security were contracted to the project. They met and in some cases exceeded our expectations. The project was commissioned on time and we feel Vital deserve a share of the credit for helping us achieve this very tight deadline. Their team were a pleasure to work with".

Network Rail - Maintenance Surveillance

Vital Rail was selected by Network Rail as their partners for this project, to increase the reliability of the West Coast Main Line.

Vital were tasked with supporting Network Rail in deploying experienced Junction Watch and Axel Counter teams (SMTH maintenance and fault finding) on junctions along the WCML in case of failures.
When any fault was identified Vital Rail reacted quickly and efficiently to rectify and minimise disruption and loss of travel time for Virgin Trains. This resulted in Network Rail receiving a letter of commendation from Virgin Trains for increasing the reliability of the WCML.
In turn, Network Rail passed on their thanks to Vital Rail for supplying the resource and management services to achieve this goal.

Network Rail - Oxford Area Re-signalling

Vital Rail’s key achievements in this high profile re-signalling project on the West Coast Main Line included verification, pre testing and commissioning of line side cables, producing Test Plans and through charts for EEA and Sin 25 cables.

Vital were also instrumental in fitting SCADA units, moving the Banbury Signal Box panel and the disconnection and reconnection of power during all renewals.

All work was completed on time, commissioned and successfully handed back.

Network Rail - Portsmouth Area Resignalling Project

The overhaul of 50 miles of signalling and track equipment on a project that involved working closely with many other contractors and threw up some complicated access issues. The project as a whole represented a significant challenge for Network Rail.
This £100m scheme was under very public scrutiny thanks to well publicised technical problems which had seen the start date for the work slip back.
Vital Rail worked with Network Rail to remove over 200 Insulated Rail Joints from Portsmouth to Petersfield and Bedhampton to Porchester where the signalling system was changing from track circuits to axle counters.
The scope of works involved removing existing joints, installation of rail closures, reinstatement of stress and aluminothermic welding along with associated negative bonding works.
The majority of work was originally scheduled during a Christmas blockade in December 2006 where Vital Rail planned to remove over 100 Insulated Rail Joints, but was deferred to 2007. Vital Rail worked closely with Network Rail and to its new time frame to plan and re-programme works around other contractors and available access.

Tube Lines - Northern Line Closures Project

For three decades we will be helping keep City commuters on the move.

We are one of Tube Line’s Primary Project Partners, operating, maintaining and upgrading a third of the London Underground network under a 30 year Public Private Partnership.

Our Northern Line Closures Project for Tube Lines upgraded more than 10km of tube track over 40 weekends, with preparation work during mid-week.

We renewed sections of line and complete platform pit blocks as well as re-railing both bull head and flat bottom and delivered a programme of full track reconditioning works.
Vital Rail worked closely with Tube Lines, scoping and planning the works and providing advice on optimum manpower levels to meet challenging targets.

We provided in excess of 250 operatives to the project during peak periods, as well as supervisory, engineering, protection and hand back staff for the duration of the work.