Project Waterloo and Southwest upgrade

Location , UK

Client Network Rail

Expertise Rail systems, civil, structural, building services, geotechnical, environmental and fire engineering, security, ergonomic design, planning, consents, project management Doing things differently

Finding new ways of working was key to successfully delivering the complex and fast-paced rail systems upgrade at Waterloo Station. 2 I Mott MacDonald I Doing things differently Doing things differently I Mott MacDonald I 3

Delivering the alliancing way

Five companies came together under the Wessex Capacity Alliance to deliver £432M of capacity enhancement and congestion relief at the UK’s busiest station, London Waterloo.

South Bank revival Rail systems upgrades will increase capacity at Waterloo and on the Wessex route

Formed in 2015, the Alliance is made up of client The £432M project also required the station’s former of operation just for the part-closure. It would then be Network Rail, consultants Mott MacDonald and AECOM, international terminal (WIT) to return to service. The closed again immediately afterwards to make permanent main contractor Skanska and rail contractor Colas terminal had been closed since 2007 when all temporary fixtures and finishes. This strategy Rail. It has worked as an integrated team to deliver services moved to St Pancras International. Significant minimised disruption to the public during the part-closure significant improvements at Waterloo Station and on changes to WIT’s rail systems, infrastructure and building and helped keep the entire project on programme. the Wessex route which serves southwest England. fabric were needed before it could be used again. The original terminal had been designed for longer trains, Redevelopment of WIT was fast-paced leading up to When traffic forecasts in 2013 predicted that the less frequent services and more controlled movement the immovable August 2017 deadline, followed by an number of journeys into Waterloo Station was expected of passengers, including check-in desks and departure intense 24-day period to upgrade suburban platforms. to increase by 40% over the next 30 years, the need to lounges that are more familiar to airport design. Bringing together design consultants and contractors boost capacity became immediately apparent – services in an alliance with client Network Rail offered the were already experiencing overcrowding during peak The decision was made to bring WIT back into service best way to hit the ground running and ensure their hours. To achieve this capacity enhancement, a 24-day for the August 2017 part-closure to provide capacity, combined experience was focused on a common goal. part-closure of Waterloo Station was booked for August but there was concern over whether it would be ready 2017 to allow crucial work on suburban platforms one in time, due to the huge amount of work involved. The to eight to take place to accommodate longer trains. answer was to upgrade the terminal to a temporary state 4 I Mott MacDonald I Doing things differently Doing things differently I Mott MacDonald I 5

Waterloo Station

London Underground network below the works

Legend Waterloo Waterloo & City line Station Platforms adapted to suit longer trains Northern line Bakerloo line Jubilee line LU network

1

8

“Working in an

2 alliance put the emphasis on listening to each other and being committed to the project’s 24 Platforms main purpose.” 420m Elena Stebbings Project manager

Listening to Former Waterloo International Terminal each other

National standards for – some of which would “With complex interfaces dust, vibration and problems could be found “Working in an alliance with contractors to ensure rail safety and reliability challenge these standards. and overlapping design out-of-hours working on to improve safety, raise put the emphasis on the nuances of the design describe how railways “The team also had to and construction phases, lineside neighbours and efficiency and deliver listening to each other were well understood.” should be designed balance the requirements any changes made rail passengers had to project savings. More and being committed and built. of multiple stakeholders within one discipline be carefully managed. than £100M was saved to the project’s main including train operators, affected others, requiring upgrading Waterloo purpose,” continues From the outset, the , regular interdisciplinary Having some of the through effective Elena, adding that an Alliance understood that and Network Rail’s reviews to take place.” most experienced collaboration with environment of mutual delivering the upgrade, on maintenance teams, to engineers and managers suppliers and stakeholders support and respect budget and to programme, name a few,” says Alliance Working so close to in the industry working (see Mott MacDonald’s encouraged a healthy would require innovative suburban 10-car project an operational railway, together gave confidence case study, International exchange of ideas. solutions to come into play manager Elena Stebbings. the effect of noise, that new solutions for old Rescue). “Designers worked closely 6 I Mott MacDonald I Doing things differently Doing things differently I Mott MacDonald I 7

Sharing the same goal The Alliance leadership head of programme same programme and its challenges.” A key One way of mitigating team chose a ‘subject controls Graham Chalkley. shared the same goal. milestone was for delays was to advance matter expert’ (SME) “Establishing SME roles “This was the sort of WIT’s platforms to be on multiple work-fronts. for each of the main early made it easier for project where it was clear operational on 4 August disciplines on the project. everyone to buy into that pain and gain would 2017, the start of the “Close ties between In areas such as design, how we were going to be shared by all parties, 24-day part-closure. The Alliance members signalling and engineering deliver the project.” so it was in everyone’s date had been booked enabled different management, SMEs interest to know how for more than a year and disciplines to move played a crucial role in An integrated masterplan it was progressing,” had been made public, concurrently through forming early relationships was developed. It explains Graham. allowing commuters design and delivery with stakeholders and highlighted the critical and businesses to make phases, rather than suppliers, gaining wider path for the project, and “Integrating our alternative arrangements. waiting for designs support for the project. enabled dependencies programming system to be complete before to be logically mapped. with the client’s, and “Everything had to align moving onto delivery, as “We all knew that time Linking this with Network sharing the result with with that date,” recalls is more common practice. was tight and that, to Rail’s standard programme stakeholders, had Graham. “If we were Working in this way shaved stay on programme, we for single activities and the added benefit of in danger of missing it, about six months off the would have to challenge milestones ensured helping people outside measures had to be programme,” he says. accepted ways of everyone in the Alliance the project develop a put in place to make working,” says Alliance was working to the better understanding of sure we didn’t.”

“Close ties between Alliance members enabled different disciplines to move concurrently through design and delivery phases. Working in this way shaved about six months off the programme.” Graham Chalkley Head of programme controls 8 I Mott MacDonald I Doing things differently Doing things differently I Mott MacDonald I 9

Platform for innovation The Alliance came up would stabilise it so that with a bespoke design it could be free-standing. for the platforms that Designed as pairs of needed to be rebuilt. A facing C-shaped units, prefabricated, modular they would not require solution for speedy and temporary propping during high-quality installation construction, and could was essential for the work accommodate cable racks to be completed within and other equipment the 24-day part-closure. within the platform void.

But manufacturing each Safety measures were unit would take time, since included in the design via each would need to be fixings that were prefitted slightly different to suit the to the units to support geometry of each platform. edge protection. This To resolve this, the Alliance enabled work at the opted for a hybrid solution higher platform level involving a cast in-situ to take place at the concrete platform slab, same time as on the which could absorb the track below. Rebuilding variation in geometry, and platforms during the standard precast concrete tightly scheduled wall units to support it. part-closure involved demolishing existing But there were further structures and then considerations; in-situ laying strip foundations slab construction requires for longer platforms formwork and the pre- using rapid setting, cast walls would need high-strength concrete. propping before the cast in-situ ‘bridging’ slab had Pairs of precast C-shaped gained enough strength. wall units, each 2.5m in Both would take time to length, were then placed set up, which could not and the platform slab be afforded. Alliance cast on top. The whole members worked with process was trialled off- suppliers to resolve these site beforehand to make issues. Eventually, an sure everything would fit integral ‘nib’ at the top perfectly. It took six days and bottom of each wall to install 230 linear metres unit evolved to enable of platform and a further formwork to be built three days to complete more easily off the top all the platform slabs. nib, while the bottom nib

Modular design Precast concrete units aided speedy platform construction 10 I Mott MacDonald I Doing things differently

Brain surgery

Waterloo’s signalling system was expanded, altered and, in some cases, ripped out and replaced altogether to suit new track and platform layouts.

“Amending the interlocking on a rail network while keeping parts of the signalling system running is like carrying out brain surgery without putting the patient to sleep,” says Alliance contractor’s responsible engineer (CRE) Paul Harrison.

He is describing the complex process of upgrading Waterloo station’s relay room – the signalling system’s ‘brain’ and home to thousands of relays that control the signalling to allow trains to come in and out of the station. As part of the upgrade, thousands of circuit diagrams had to be carefully amended to support the new track layout. Some relay circuits had to be altered or replaced and others removed.

Single system

The signalling interlocking controlling the approaches to Waterloo date from the 1990s and, unlike modern computer-based systems which can be reconfigured by data manipulation, required alterations to be made to the hard-wired installation on site. These changes were initially made in the existing 15m long by 3m wide relay room. To control the new layout at WIT and on suburban lines, this relay room was “Amending the interlocking on a rail connected via cabling to two new prefabricated buildings, each complete with its own equipment. network while keeping parts of the signalling system running is like “We are talking about interlocking housed within three independent buildings, which are connected together to carrying out brain surgery without allow everything at Waterloo to communicate as a single putting the patient to sleep.” system,” says Alliance design lead for signalling, Dave Carr. “That system also has to work with all the different Paul Harrison parts of the ongoing upgrade – the permanent way, civil Contractor’s responsible engineer engineering and power systems. The signalling system could only be brought online when upgrade works had been completed. It was a huge co-ordination exercise.” 12 I Mott MacDonald I Doing things differently

“We couldn’t get into the mindset that something had to be as the standard stated without giving more thought to what would be most practical and safe in the long term.” Dave Carr Design lead for signalling

Platform change Signalling on new platforms had to be clearly visible to train drivers

Integrating the new and old

Most signalling records related to the upgrade was being added. Redundant equipment was A key concern was maintaining clear lines of sight had been drawn freehand in ink on ‘negative’ shown in green. We produced over 1500 new between drivers and signals, especially where platforms film. Only a small proportion were electronic, so design sheets in CAD [computer-aided design].” had changed in length and new lineside structures the overall scale and complexity of amalgamating had been installed. To maintain clear driver visibility, these records made it impractical to redraw them There was a lot of debate over whether Waterloo’s some signals and indicators had to be mounted on digitally and undergo rigorous checking in the time signalling should conform with the principles of the bespoke structures. Such non-standard solutions available. The safest and quickest way of presenting existing system or to the latest standards. Since all had to undergo further checks and approval. the upgraded signalling diagrams was to manually interlocking – old or new – is designed to fail safe, integrate the new designs with the existing ones. the main focus was to check how the upgrade would Dave adds: “On this project, we couldn’t get into the affect train drivers and signallers. Any changes from mindset that something had to be as the standard “Some 5000 sheets of diagrams depict the functions precedent had to undergo risk assessment and stated without giving more thought to what would of the existing relay room and signalling system,” approval from Network Rail to ensure that robust be most practical and safe in the long term.” says Dave. “We had to take ownership of these and joined-up decisions were being made. records and show in red where new equipment 14 I Mott MacDonald I Doing things differently Doing things differently I Mott MacDonald I 15

Signalling change

Some 1500 new Waterloo International Terminal “The new equipment will be Suburban platforms there for the next 25 years relays and 50km Due to the volume and complexity of enhancement The main signalling upgrade across suburban of signalling works at WIT, it was quicker and more logical to at least and has to be simple platforms one to eight was completed during the strip out the existing signalling system and replace to maintain.” August part-closure. Since Waterloo’s signalling is cables were lineside cables and control cabinets, rather than bespoke and relies on a human interface to operate, installed for adapt existing ones. Points were positioned to suit Dave Carr full system testing was not possible until all circuits shorter domestic trains and a more frequent service, Design lead for signalling were complete and equipment was in its final position. the Waterloo and control cabinets were positioned and sized to Final installation, testing and resolution of issues Station upgrade. make better use of available space and access. were, therefore, confined to an intense 24 days.

Despite requiring separate approval, which lengthened Signalling cables usually run in ducts alongside or the commissioning process, the benefit of these underneath track. Waterloo station is different as designs would be felt for years to come, explains it sits on brick vaults and interfaces with London Dave. “The new equipment will be there for the next Underground structures. There is limited space to 25 years at least and has to be simple to maintain.” provide a conventional cable management system.

Signalling work at WIT ramped up during a three- Cables had to be passed through holes cored into

Controlled site day possession in April 2017, enabling activities the vault structures and suspended on hangers New signalling at WIT was interfacing with live areas to be carried out safely. tight against the soffit of the spaces below. This installed after construction of new track and platforms influenced the type of cable and layout that could be used and had to be carefully co-ordinated to minimise disruption. A new gantry was designed to span across platforms one to eight to carry cables that could not be accommodated at ground level.

Working around a live railway New signalling on platforms one to eight had to be co-ordinated around normal services 16 I Mott MacDonald I Doing things differently Doing things differently I Mott MacDonald I 17

Excellent track record 2.2km of track

Waterloo Station’s track But the more frequent a “Track design was pushed Designs were developed layout had to be altered train service and the more to its limits at Waterloo to make it easier to “Track design was to suit a frequency of points on a line to provide to achieve capacity install track in complete pushed to its 33 18 trains per hour and flexibility on a route, the enhancements within the sections, which would switches and longer 10-carriage greater the track wear constraints of constructing reduce the risk of these limits at Waterloo crossings removed trains. There was also a and repairs. This can be a new track layout on and activities overrunning to achieve the requirement to build more disruptive, so a balance around existing Victorian and disrupting services. flexibility into the layout has to be struck between structures,” says Martin required capacity so that trains could use service requirements Davidson, the Alliance’s enhancements.” multiple platforms during and maintenance. track design lead. busy periods to keep them Martin Davidson Track design lead 32 running on schedule. new switches and crossings installed 18 I Mott MacDonald I Doing things differently Doing things differently I Mott MacDonald I 19

Vauxhall Station congestion relief

With longer trains and Station sits “Without the August cast new beams into the more passengers using on a Victorian brick part-closure, work at platform itself to support the lines into Waterloo, arch viaduct, so care Vauxhall would have the barrier,” explains Ian. there was concern that was needed not to taken five months to He continues: “The stair congestion could reach compromise its structural complete instead of just width is also slightly dangerous levels at continuity while building 21 days,” says Alliance narrower than we would Vauxhall Station, the first these new features. contractor’s engineering have preferred and the station south of London manager Ian Palmer. lift requires users to turn Waterloo. The station is The August 2017 part- around to exit because popular with commuters closure at Waterloo Space constraints there is only room for changing between the provided a three-week complicated all work doors opening on one mainline railway, buses period for the most at Vauxhall. The island side. Pedestrian flow and London Underground. complex work at Vauxhall structure for platforms and structural models To accommodate the to be carried out, involving seven and eight is so proved the effectiveness increase in passenger breaking through an arch narrow there isn’t room of these solutions. Every numbers, an extra barrel. This could take for conventional hoarding. feature which deviated staircase was installed place in one continuous “Instead of drilling holes from standards or best to take passengers from push during the closure, in the platform or keying practice had to undergo platforms seven and eight instead of start-stop into concrete blocks to intense scrutiny before to the station concourse around normal operations. support the vertical struts gaining approval.” and interchange below. of the hoarding, we had to

“Without the August part-closure, work at Vauxhall would have taken five months to complete instead of just 21 days.” Ian Palmer Contractor’s engineering manager Opening opportunities with connected thinking.

Talk to us: [email protected]

Search Mott MacDonald rail and metros