Spencer Group has begun work on their second depot under Hitachi Rail Europe’s Intercity Express Programme.
Rail depot upgrade experts Spencer started on-site at the Craigentinny rail depot in Edinburgh on Monday 16th November (2015) with completion expected in July 2016. This will be the second rail depot upgrade, of an overall eight, undertaken by Spencer as part of Network Rail’s Scotland North East Multi-Asset Framework Agreement (SNE MAFA), which was awarded to Spencer in July 2014.
The scope of works for the Craigentinny Depot upgrade include: Major track renewals, alterations to the existing Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) and the provision of new fuel and AdBlue® systems.
Spencer’s in-house design team have been working collaboratively with Network Rail and Hitachi over the past three months to re-evaluate the scheme, which resulted in cost savings for the Client. The alternative design has not only lowered the cost but also improved the project’s programme and reduced disruption. The depot will remain fully operational throughout the works, through revised track alignment and a new OLE arrangement and relocation of the new carriage wash.
The carriage wash has been designed to wash electrified trains at temperatures as low as -5°c and boasts the environmental benefit of being able to recycle 70% of the water it uses, all within the dimensional constraints of a 40m long x 6.5m wide steel clad building.
Tony Wells, Spencer Group Design Manager, said: “The design process has been an excellent example of Spencer Group’s ability to manage and undertake successful multi-disciplinary design that benefits our client and improves the whole project. Once complete, the facility will service Hitachi’s Super Express Trains which are expected on the East Coast Mainline from 2018. The carriage wash alone will clean up to 100 trains per day.”
Spencer is currently on-site at Ferme Park in London at their first rail maintenance depot, with works due for completion at the end of this year. The multidisciplinary firm are also undertaking the design works at Hitachi’s six other Light Maintenance Depots before progressing to on site works next year.
