VolkerRail/Story joint venture were tasked with the £80m project as part of a £137m investment that saw the undertaking of extensive enhancement works to remove several bottlenecks along the route to improve reliability, increase passenger services and aid in freight movements.
The Hope Valley railway line runs through the Peak District National Park, connecting the two Northern cities, Manchester and Sheffield. Much of the line is single tracked, which often causes delays to passenger journeys affected by, for example, freight train breakdowns and other train delays. The scope of the project involves the construction of new infrastructure, track and signalling improvements to remove several bottlenecks along the route and allow passenger trains to pass slower trains. Once complete, the project will facilitate more reliable train journeys for passengers travelling between Manchester and Sheffield.
24 blockades
to facilitate delivery
£63.7m
social value created in community
The scope of the project is to design and implement the following works:
• Construction of a new platform and AFA footbridge at Dore & Totley station, along with the extension of the original platform.
• Installation of new track in Dore, including the construction of a contig piled retaining wall.
• Construction of a new railway loop between Bamford and Hathersage, including soil nailing & regrade work.
• Construction of a new overbridge at Hathersage West, replacing the current foot crossing to improve safety.
• Signalling improvements along the line to improve reliability, including removing the redundant signal boxes in Totley and Grindleford.
The project has been able to celebrate success and demonstrate best practice within the following areas:
• The project was enabled by a Transport and Works Act Order which demanded, through planning conditions, a high standard of environment sustainability through implementing the project. This included developing a range of Code of Construction Management Plans, covering how environmental and social risks would be reduced and positive impacts realised.
• The team have responded to challenges on site with innovative solutions. This includes transporting Hathersage footbridge 1.5km down the track to its final
location using LEMS, which are usually only used for track installation, to allow the structure to fit under a stone road bridge which had limited clearance. The team also carried out a tandem lift of structure TJC1/36 using two kirow 1200 machines in bespoke configuration involving a salmon trailer, due to the weight of the structure and the team being unable to use any other form of heavy lift equipment close to the site of install.
• The team have demonstrated good reactive working in response to opportunities made available to the project through industrial action windows which maximised track access.
To maintain positive relationships with local residents & lineside neighbours while delivering the project, quarterly community engagement events are run and innovative stakeholder & communication tools have been implemented, such as a digital noticeboard and project app. The project team also committed to each member of staff carrying out a minimum of two days’ volunteering in the local community. This has resulted in 2478 volunteering hours being delivered and 3286 students engaged with (as of October 2023) This included during Storm Babet, when the project team assisted local businesses impacted by flooding, through using buckets and moving ballast bags to help remove and stop the flow of the rising water.
Ayrshire Roads Alliance
Essential works took place to replace the unsafe road crossing over Dunure Road by reopening a former railway tunnel as a new underpass.