VolkerRail completes major track enhancements at Queenstown Road
VolkerRail has successfully completed a significant programme of track upgrades at Queenstown Road, supporting the safe and reliable operation of one of the busiest stretches of railway in the country.
The work formed part of an 11 day blockade, completed over the Christmas period, allowing South Western Railway services to resume between London Waterloo and Clapham Junction on Monday 4 January.
Delivered as part of the Southern Renewals Enterprise (SRE), to which VolkerRail is the track delivery partner, the upgrade was a key part of SRE’s year work bank.
From Christmas Day, more than 350 operatives worked around the clock (completing in excess of 5,800 hours), to deliver a complex package of improvements designed to increase reliability, enhance performance and future proof the route.
Key upgrades delivered, included:
- Renewing more than 1,110 metres of track, including electrified third rail.
- Replacing eight switches and crossings
- Undertaking 260 welds and 21 stress pulls
- Altering platforms at Queenstown Road station to fit the new track layout
- Completing signalling and power upgrades
A total of 22 engineering trains, along with VolkerRail’s Kirow 1200 were utilised throughout the blockade, to install the 78 plain line panels, and a substantial programme of DC electrification enhancements, signalling upgrades and civils works were also completed.
Rob Faux, VolkerRail’s track partner lead, said “The output delivered in this blockade is a testament to the collaborative partnership of VolkerRail, Network Rail, and SRE. These upgrades will make a real difference to passengers who rely on this route every day, and it’s rewarding to know our work will support more reliable journeys for years to come.
“I’m incredibly proud of how our teams came together over the festive period, working in challenging conditions to deliver such a complex programme safely and efficiently.”
The work was undertaken during the festive period, as passenger numbers are substantially lower, helping to minimise disruption for customers and avoid the need for eight separate weekend closures.
The Southern Renewals Enterprise
The Southern Renewals Enterprise is accountable for the Network Rail’s Southern Region's renewals portfolio for 10 years (CP7 and CP8).
The Region has three Routes - Wessex, Sussex and Kent, and covers over 544 stations, 3,300 miles of track, 4,986 bridges, 895 level crossings and 7,990 signals. It is the gateway for 700 million passenger journeys each year, and serves channel routes to Europe, major ports, Gatwick and Southampton airports, and the south coast resorts.
