Thames Link Resilience Program

Project Scope:
This project involved the replacement of 155 signal heads to Dorman LED, replacement of 22 HW2000 point machines and associated cables, replacement of 8 full set of clamp locks and associated cables, conversion of 13 Reed Track Circuits to DC Medium Voltage Track Circuits, renewal of 581 FDM Reed Units and installation of new Class II Micro FSP’s, Annexes and associated 650v/110v hybrid transformers across the NR, London North East (LNE) and East Midlands (EM) Routes.

Main Contractor: Amaro (PC)
The works were carried by the Main Contractor, Amaro as the Principal Contractor (PC) and delivered under NR/L2/SIG/30014/A210 and G110 Non Conceptual Design Standards. All design works were managed by Amaro and all testing and commissioning plans were submitted to the NR, Designated
Project Engineer (DPE) for review and approval.

Possession Management, Isolation and Safety Critical: Rail Planning Services (RPS)
All Possession management, Isolation management and safety critical staff were managed by RPS. Where the 650v signalling feeders required isolation a controlled ‘permit to work’ system was implemented and following the alteration, the 650v cables were insulation and resistance tested, feeder set to work, power and signalling tested, commissioned, records updated and the works handed back. The works was planned and delivered concurrently across the LNE & EM Routes with all planning carried out by the dedicated exceptional resource from RPS using (PPS) to plan all the possessions and isolations. The RPS planning team worked closely with the NR Route Planning teams attending the weekly possession planning and PICOP meetings as required. Throughout the project there were various teams working concurrently carrying out the renewals which involved a high level of co-ordination and planning to ensure the project was successfully delivered.
In accordance with NR/L3/INI/CP0044 the Construction Phase Plan (CPP), Quality Plan, Environmental Plan, Waste Management Plan, Work Package Plans and Task Briefs were produced by the Main Contractor and submitted to NR for review and approval. All SSOWP’s were produced by the RPS team in accordance with standard 019 and reviewed and approved by the RPS responsible manager before being issued to the RPS COSS/SWL2. Welfare was provided in accordance with NR/L3/INI/CP0036 at all sites throughout the project with use of both Welfare Cabins and Welfare Vehicles.

Value Added by RPS:
The success and value added by RPS can be summarised up by Amaro’s Managing Director, Michael Ewart;

“RPS provided Safety Critical Staff and Possession Management Staff to Amaro across the London North Eastern and East Midlands Route for over twelve months whilst Amaro were delivering a multimillion pound scheme named Thameslink Resilience Project upgrading 154 signal heads to LED, renewal and refurbishment of 34 Point Ends, conversion of over fifteen Reed Track Circuits to DC Medium Voltage Track Circuits and renewal of over 500 FDM Modules on the Moorgate Branch. RPS were professional in everything they did supporting the Thameslink Resilience Project and provided highly skilled and qualified Safety Critical and Possession Management Staff who had many years of working in the railway industry and fantastic knowledge of the routes we were working on. The RPS staff’s communication skills were second to none and I would highly recommend using RPS where Safety Critical and Possession Management staff are required to help support projects across the UK Rail Network.”