VolkerRail completes power upgrades at Werrington
VolkerRail has played an integral part in the opening of Werrington Tunnel, following extensive power supply upgrade work between Peterborough and Tallington, as part of the Werrington Grade Separation Project.
VolkerRail completed the work on behalf of Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, appointed by Network Rail as part of its £1.2billion East Coast Upgrade, which will see an increase in capacity for passenger trains on the East Coast Main Line (ECML).
As part of the project, VolkerRail played a key part in the E&P design and delivery, and installed the signalling power supply along the new two-track railway line that dives under at Werrington, north of Peterborough.
Significant remodelling and slewing of the Stamford lines was undertaken to facilitate the new dive-under connection and associated civils works. The 650V signalling power feeders were rationalised, to accommodate the new track layout; life expired cabling and location cases were replaced, and Werrington’s free-wired relay interlocking was ‘relocked’ with a new CBI , which is housed at York’s Rail Operating Centre.
Over the course of 24 months, VolkerRail has:
- Installed 66 new functional supply points
- Upgraded three principal supply points
- Installed a new auxiliary supply point
- Installed, tested and commissioned a Camlin auto restoration of supply system
- Installed three new DNO supplies, including LV power supplies to new pumping stations
- Installed two new points heating sites
- Installed 25km of new cabling.
Now complete, the new line will help to remove constraints to the timetable, caused by slower freight trains on the Great North Great Eastern route having to cross over the high-speed ECML. The new dive-under provides an alternative route for freights, allowing the new, two-track railway to run underneath the ECML instead, separating it from any high-speed passenger traffic.
Simon Smith, managing director for Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, said: “We’re incredibly proud to have worked closely with Network Rail and our supply chain to deliver the UK’s first curved portal push on the East Coast Main Line upgrade at Werrington. The portal is a great example of the UK’s leading engineering and innovation expertise, harnessing these skills to enhance passengers’ experiences between London and the north of England.”
