Farringdon Tunnel – Emergency Response Call-out

THE CUSTOMER

Pro Rail Services Ltd. is a Railway civil engineering contractor who execute maintenance contracts on Network Rail infrastructure. These call-out works took place on the Thameslink Route.

THE CHALLENGE

This was an emergency call out from Lanes Group Plc, who were working for Thames Water after a Thames Water 16 inch water main burst on Friday 23rd January. Network Rail teams initially attempted to resolve the flooding in Farringdon Tunnel over the weekend of 24th26th January, but were unable to find a workable solution.

Thames Water offered assistance to Network Rail on Tuesday 27th January via Lanes Group Plc, who engaged Pro Rail Services’ specialist response Rail Solutions team to create site access to allow: • Access to an operational railway location • Survey the location of existing track drainage layout and catchpits • Obtain Drainage Asset Plans from TfL • Set up and maintain an over pumping system to de-water the flooded tunnel • Provide constant stakeholder management to conclusion of call out

THE SOLUTION

The Pro Rail Services Ltd. response team met on site with both the Themes Water Network Engineer and the Network Rail Permanent Way Engineer to discuss the scope, access and to agree on achievable objectives for the next 48 hours.

Within 90 minutes of arriving on site we obtained the track drainage layout plan from TfL as none were available on site.

In parallel and working closely with both the Network Rail Permanent Way Team and the Signaller, access was obtained to facilitate the laying of hoses and the placing of pumps in the catchpits, with the outfall point identified from the TfL plans.

Teams were set up on 12 hours shifts with monitoring systems implemented so that tunnel flooding reduction could be assessed by the Pro Rail Services Ltd. Engineer, who, in turn, communicated progress to both stakeholders.

THE IMPLEMENTATION

The pumping solution – using pumps, hoses, generators, Jet-Vac tankers and CCTV equipment – took 4×12 hour shifts to de-water the flooded tunnel.

The team consisted of a competent drainage engineer, COSS, lookouts, and four skilled drainage operatives fully trained for rapid response scenarios.

It was estimated that circa 500,000 litres of water had been removed from the tunnel in this period.

THE RESULTS

Circa 500,000 litres of water removed from the flooded tunnel

Teams worked round the clock on 12 hour shifts to safely achieve the objectives

High profile event closely managed to advise all stakeholders on emergency response progress

§ “Lost” outfall and trash screen located and cleaned to allow the free flow of water

§ Potential risk to passenger services from track flooding greatly reduced by removing long term blockages and identifying where the outfall was

Belvedere De-vegetation Project

THE CUSTOMER

Pro Rail Services Ltd. is a Railway civil engineering contractor who execute maintenance contracts on Network Rail infrastructure. This project took place on the South East Route of the network.

THE CHALLENGE

The track drainage system in the area had a history of blockages, which lead to numerous track flooding events induced by high vegetation to the drainage ditches.

Network Rail was keen for this to be addressed as part of its planned maintenance programme. Pro Rail Services Ltd. was commissioned to brushcut a 1000m section of CESS 3m wide to clear the drainage ditch to allow water to flow.

The project was tendered five weeks before possession. Pro Rail Services Ltd. was awarded the contract with three weeks to plan the works and mobilise its teams.

THE SOLUTION

The Pro Rail Services Ltd. planning team quickly put together a project plan that would ensure the works could be completed safely and effectively.

The teams consisted of one site manager, one engineer and 12 skilled de-vegetation operatives working across the site.

Green Mech Chippers, with trained operators, were also brought in to assist the delivery of this project

THE IMPLEMENTATION

Over the five-week programme, the Pro Rail Services Ltd. teams removed a 1000m x 3m section of thick vegetation.

Small trees and thick brambles were all chipped up and removed from site. The drainage channel was then raked out with hand digging executed to ensure that the drainage system was fit for purpose

THE RESULTS

A 3000m2 area of thickly vegetated CESS was removed to free up drainage blockages

All works carried out safely, with no incidents reported, precisely to Network Rail’s specification

Potential risk to passenger services from track flooding greatly reduced by installation of an optimum track drainage solution

No further incidents of track flooding has been reported since the execution of these works