Lindsey Jones

Said the following about S&C North Alliance Doncaster Team:

“S&C North Alliance’s Doncaster Depot is a multidisciplinary Switches and Crossings (S&C) renewals and enhancements team established in 2014. Over the last two years, the team has established itself as a successful, integrated team that has delivered some of the most challenging works on the East Midlands and London North East routes. Their successful delivery record has reduced delays and disruption to users of vital passenger and freight routes between England and Scotland and helped the team transform their relationship with their route customers.

Background

In 2014, Amey’s joint venture with Rhomberg Sersa was awarded a £400m contract by Network Rail to renew Switches and Crossings (S&C) across the north of England and Scotland. The Alliance approach, which sees Amey, Rhomberg Sersa and Network Rail working in partnership, combines European processes and technology with UK design and engineering expertise to improve safety, performance and reliability for rail users.

The depot is now successfully operating as a fully integrated design and delivery team, where designer and installer and client are now co-located under one roof. This new way of working has removed some of the previous barriers and interfaces, improved collaboration and reduced handoffs, creating a more joined up approach. By simplifying internal processes and creating a more transparent way of working, relationships with the route have become more collaborative, allowing work to be delivered more efficiently than before.

The team’s improvement has seen them become one of the highest performing renewals depots in the country and the busiest S&C depot, delivering over 82 point ends and 2.88 lkm of plain line in 2015/16. The Doncaster team consistently delivers their full volume and built a reputation for reliably hand back possessions safely and one time whilst delivering some of the most highly pressured work on the route.

One such project was completed by the team in January 2016 at King Edward Bridge (KEB) on the East Coast Main Line, an extremely complex junction that forms part of the main access into Newcastle station. The site had a history of delayed and postponed renewals works and was previously described as the LNE routes “most failing asset”. This ambitious project was constrained within a cutting, which made access and working at the site particularly challenging. Furthermore, inclement weather and the knock on effects of a closure on part of the West Coast Mainline added additional complexity.

The team delivered the full scope of the remodeling project, re-opened the line at full line speed, and removed the imposing speed restrictions which had contributed to £800,000 of Schedule 8 costs over the previous two years. This work eliminated delays and reduced journey times on a key arterial commuter and freight route between England and Scotland.

Other key successes in the past year include:

• Delivering 12 point ends at Doncaster Marshgate over Christmas 15/16, safely delivering their volume and realizing over £400,000 of schedule 8 savings for the route.

• 5 point ends at Eastfield within a 54 hour possession, the largest volume of work undertaken within this time frame.

• Consistently handing lines back at high speed and aspiring to make line speed handbacks the norm, bringing schedule 8 savings for the route and improving passenger journeys.

Customer feedback

"I'm extremely pleased; all the work completed has been delivered very well, smoothly and to a high quality. The mainline is absolutely in better condition, with a number of key risks removed”

Andy Lucas, Track Maintenance Engineer, Network Rail (King Edward Bridge Project)

“Can you please pass on my personal thanks for everyone involved over the last two weeks… these are critical assets for my Route performance and the improvements in these renewals will make a real difference to everyone”

Rob McIntosh, Regional Director, Network Rail“