Project Waterloo Station upgrade

Location London, UK

Client Network Rail

Expertise Rail systems, civil, structural, building services, geotechnical, environmental and fire engineering; security and ergonomic design International rescue

Joined-up thinking and clever engineering have allowed a former international terminal to be brought back to life as part of a bigger, better Waterloo Station Waterloo Station upgrade I Mott MacDonald I 3

“By signing up to the charter we are all pulling in the same direction, delivering value for money.” David Barnes Wessex Capacity Alliance deputy manager

Britain’s Improving the passenger experience for the 99M people who use Waterloo Station every year involves busiest railway much more than the word ‘upgrade’ implies. There station, London is major viaduct reconstruction, a new connection to London Underground, demolition of some sections Waterloo, is of platforms and extension of others, construction undergoing a of a new roof and pedestrian bridge, and a huge amount of new railway infrastructure to be installed. £400M upgrade to increase Programmed around the normal working of the station and right under the public’s nose, the first nine months capacity. on site saw demolition taking place only a nibble at a time – a portion of track removed here or a new piece of infrastructure installed there – to limit disturbance.

Waterloo Station is served by the South West Mainline, the Reading and Windsor lines and suburban lines connecting London with the South and South West of England. By 2043, the number of journeys made on the route is expected to increase by 40%. Anyone using the service at peak time will be familiar with how busy trains can become. To ease congestion and create capacity for the future, Waterloo Station’s upgrade involves modifying platforms one to four to suit longer trains (from eight cars to ten) and converting the platforms of the former Waterloo International Terminal (WIT) on the west side of the station for domestic services.

Vauxhall Station will also be upgraded as part of this package of work. Alongside these station changes will be significant signalling, power and track work.

This £400M investment will be delivered by December 2018 by the Wessex Capacity Alliance, a body that was formed in January 2015 by client, designer and contracting firms. The Alliance is made up of client Network Rail, consultants Mott MacDonald and Aecom, main contractor Skanska and rail contractor Colas Rail.

The Alliance’s aim is to encourage integrated working. Savings of £65M have already been realised. An Alliance ‘charter’ states the common Normal service purpose shared by all members – “to build great The former Waterloo infrastructure for rail users in Wessex”. Wessex International Terminal is Capacity Alliance deputy manager David Barnes being brought back into says, “By signing up to the charter we are all pulling use while the rest of the in the same direction, delivering value for money.” station remains operational 4 I Mott MacDonald I Waterloo Station upgrade Waterloo Station upgrade I Mott MacDonald I 5

Fast-track station modernisation

Wessex Capacity Alliance commercial project site office, we can focus our minds on working “Balancing the conservation aspects of the original needs, creating a very different set of requirements. lead Tim Ryall describes the volume of work efficiently and make decisions quickly,” says Tim. building with new operational requirements “The new 10-car trains will be shorter than the Eurostar undertaken as being double that of a typical and proposed new retail spaces all within the trains which used to use the WIT and will also operate railway project over the same timeframe. The WIT was the UK terminus for Eurostar trains using programme cost and timeframe has been a a more frequent service with 18 trains arriving every the Channel Tunnel from 1994, but in 2007, with the tremendous challenge for the team,” he adds. hour, instead of six. This has meant that track, signalling With restrictions on noise, dust, plant weight and completion of High Speed 1, services moved to St and platforms have had to be completely reconfigured,” height, demolition and construction takes place using Pancras. The WIT’s five platforms, its spectacular Converting the WIT for domestic service isn’t as says Alliance lead engineer David Otohwo. relatively small pieces of equipment on multiple snaking blue tubular steel roof and all its other simple as just putting new trains on existing tracks. work fronts and with many interfaces between the facilities were put to sleep, to be brought back to An international terminal is more like an airport with Reinstating the former WIT platforms has required different disciplines common to all railway projects. life in April 2016 as part of the current project. distinct areas to control passenger movement, whereas passenger flow, security and overcrowding to be Planning and co-ordinating activities to meet key a national train service operates very differently. assessed ahead of designing capacity upgrade handovers at the end of an overnight or weekend “Remodelling Waterloo Station and bringing the Where the public would have used check-in desks and structures and infrastructure. “Our solutions possession is a persistent challenge. To encourage International Terminal back into use is like carrying walked to departure gates in a controlled way to join have been developed by first considering how the highest levels of co-ordination between Alliance out open-heart surgery: we need to keep the station a waiting Eurostar train, the domestic setting allows people move around the station and then working members, all are co-located on site. “It’s a very fast fully operational throughout this transformation,” says people to arrive just minutes before the train leaves, out how to provide the best possible passenger programme, but with 375 people here in the project’s Alliance architecture design director Erik Behrens. or wait on the platform before a train arrives with any experience,” says Tony Wilkins, a member of the number of buggies, bicycles, luggage and mobility Wessex Capacity Alliance leadership team.

Aerial view The WIT with its snaking blue tubular steel roof sits alongside mainline platfoms one to 19

“Our solutions have been developed by first considering how people move around the station and then working out how to provide the best possible passenger experience.” Tony Wilkins Member of the Wessex Capacity Alliance leadership team 6 I Mott MacDonald I Waterloo Station upgrade

Light and spacious Refurbishment of the WIT will reduce congestion and make the station more inclusive

Every project needs a little ‘thinking time’

The mammoth £65M of savings made to date on the WIT required an initial outlay of £250,000 of ‘thinking time’ to discover these solutions, a luxury perhaps only afforded within an alliance environment where all parties are aligned to deliver the best solutions. The main savings came from: Innovation and value engineering in abundance • Remodelling the WIT track and platforms The Alliance has also been able to influence the amount and avoiding the need of work that needs to be implemented before 2018 for additional piled to bring about maximum benefits on the route. foundations for widened approach viaducts Within Waterloo Station and the WIT itself, scrutinising how much demolition was necessary, and the extent of • Redesigning the WIT new structure and infrastructure needed, has reduced infill roof using more costs. Shorter trains using the WIT platforms have led standard components to a reduction in ‘live’ loads on some structures and, and reusing existing elsewhere, demolition of redundant back-of-house structures for support WIT structures has freed up capacity to support loads from the new works. Balancing loads in this way has • Reducing the amount led to scaling back on the amount of new structure of asset monitoring that has to be built (see page 12). By maximising due to load-balancing capacity on existing foundations, columns and walls, there is also much less disruption to the London • Reducing the amount Underground tunnels running underneath the WIT of demolition and new and the Victorian brick arches which support the construction to achieve mainline. This has also resulted in a pared-back asset the capacity increase monitoring regime, leading to further cost savings. • Upgrading signalling Another major innovation developed by the Alliance instead of replacing has been the introduction of an at-grade connection from Waterloo’s main Victory Arch entrance (see page • Scheduling work in 15). This footbridge provides an improved, step-free the most time and route directly to the WIT platforms. Not only does this cost-efficient way suit all passenger mobility needs, it is being installed without the need for any new foundations due to the ‘load-balancing’ exercise carried out by designers. 8 I Mott MacDonald I Waterloo Station upgrade Waterloo Station upgrade I Mott MacDonald I 9

Planned possession – December 2016 Supporting the The slab also supports tension cables. “These additional reinforcement WIT arch roof the WIT platforms and openings are made by and concrete.” 99M Some of the trickiest track. Converting the WIT removing concrete in During the Christmas Not all work can be carried began on 27 December, work over Christmas for domestic services a controlled way, using possession, as the Waterloo Station out when the station is cables and wires were 2016 involved installing requires new stairs and hydro-demolition,” openings were created was used by 99M closed overnight or around removed, replaced and two tension cables to lifts to be built through this explains Wessex Capacity and stiffness in the slab passengers in 2014/15, an operational railway rerouted, parts of the support the blue tubular slab, but creating these Alliance contracts diminished, the stress in which represents a 70% during the day, so railway concourse demolished and steel WIT arches. These openings undermines the engineering manager two temporary tension increase since 1998, possessions (when lines significant structural work three-pinned arches slab’s structural continuity. Chris Kitching. “This means cables was stepped up. despite there being are closed) are scheduled carried out to connect are restrained by the Until the openings were that the reinforcement Installation of three other very little change across various weekends, platforms one to four 50m wide concrete slab properly framed out, the remains intact and tension cables and further to its infrastructure including a four-day and the Underground,” spanning between their slab’s restraining function can be manipulated to openings in the slab were for 30 years. period over Christmas says Network Rail senior springing points. had to be transferred to frame the opening with also made in early 2017. 2016 and 24 consecutive sponsor Paula Haustead. 4 Temporary tension cables days in August 2017. Blue tubular steel arch roof Much of the work carried Time is undoubtedly out over Christmas 2016 this project’s biggest involved bringing the WIT challenge and maximising platforms into service. the opportunities for work during these possessions The five WIT platforms has led to some activities Support strut will be needed during the being programmed early summer possession to to free up time later. The provide extra capacity at connection between the Waterloo when platforms mainline concourse and one to nine are closed for London Underground Platform slab Temporary tension cable New slab profile capacity upgrade work. will not be required until “Work carried out during 2018, but the Christmas possessions allows possession allowed an Temporary significant bulk works opening to be created in Openings cut through slab tower to be undertaken safely the concourse slab and for escalators, lifts and stairs and efficiently. From for it to be safely covered 8pm on Christmas Eve over afterwards, without 50m until normal service disrupting the public. Temporary tie Tension cables brace the arch roof at five locations while new openings are made in the platform slab

Working hard 24/7 to four hours available to switch rooms on the other “A typical weekend In preparation for services carry out work at night, side of the station. Cables possession involves to run on platforms 20 to upgrading cables at were threaded underneath working from 00.40 on 24 during summer 2017 Waterloo was a relentless the station (through the Saturday night until 03.24 (while platforms one to process, especially as the brick arches) or redirected on Monday morning, eight are modified), an original system had to be via newly constructed during which time large immense amount of work reinstated within this time overhead gantries. Kirov cranes, heavy was done to upgrade to allow normal service to equipment and our team signalling and power. To resume in the morning. Beyond Waterloo Station, of engineers remove and ensure the live railway During the Christmas at Queenstown Road replace track to suit the was unaffected, changes 2016 possession, work in south-west London, longer 10-car trains. They Planning ahead during the day were made was carried out to supply engineers worked flat- then return the track back The Waterloo Station off-line and tested at night power to platforms 20 to out during weekend for normal use,” says concourse slab being when the station was 24, which required new possessions in November Wessex Capacity Alliance demolished to create closed. With only three a new connection to connections to be made to and December 2016. director Riccardo Zampieri. London Underground 10 I Mott MacDonald I Waterloo Station upgrade Waterloo Station upgrade I Mott MacDonald I 11

Optimised engineering The WIT’s blue tubular steel arch roof is supported by tension cables while the platform slab is being demolished

Planned possession – August 2017

Work carried out could be done in the 24- unit has to be unique. Each decades, throwing up the the outcome of every “Some £6-7M has during the August 2017 day possession – one of also has to be detailed for potential for even more bit of work being done. been saved by possession has been the longest undertaken manufacture far in advance work needing to be done. Its existence has been planned hour-by-hour on the network. of the works. Prefabrication Teasing out which activities essential to the success removing the using building information “The length of this railway has been preferred to are essential to the official of this project and, need to build modelling (BIM). The possession has dictated speed up construction remit of ‘capacity increase’, perhaps, was the only majority of work carried much of how the work will and ensure a ‘right first and deciding how, when way of meeting the new supporting out on site over this period be done. For example, time’, high quality finish. and at what pace the current and future needs structures or involves reconfiguring track panels have been work should be done to of the route’s rail users, platforms one to eight sized so that the correct Unlike a normal linear meet delivery milestones, the train operator, asset monitor existing and realigning track. number can be fitted construction programme, make this project more owners and, ultimately, structures for Platform nine will also be in the time available,” demolition, construction, complex than most. the taxpayer’s purse. closed during this time. explains Tony Wilkins. installation, testing and movement.” commissioning all take Fortunately, the nature Chris Kitching While these nine platforms Precast concrete units will place concurrently at of working in an Wessex Capacity Alliance are out of use, the WIT extend platforms one to Waterloo Station. The alliance highlights the contracts engineering manager platforms will provide four by 40m during the work inevitably means synergies that naturally extra line capacity. BIM possession. Due to the that some areas of the exist between different was used to determine curving and tapering station have been opened disciplines, giving the the amount of work that nature of the site, each up for the first time in opportunity to maximise 12 I Mott MacDonald I Waterloo Station upgrade Waterloo Station upgrade I Mott MacDonald I 13

Waterloo Station upgrade London Underground network below the works

Legend Waterloo Waterloo & City line Station Northern line The former Load-balancing Bakerloo line Infill roof Jubilee line Waterloo 1 The complexities of LU network International refurbishing the WIT are Terminal (WIT) is magnified by the fact that the station sits on top of being brought Victorian brick arches back into service and the Northern, Jubilee, Bakerloo and Waterloo to increase & City Underground lines. Controlling how capacity on the 19 capacity upgrade work 1 Wessex route. affects existing structures has been a significant Work involves building a challenge for designers. new infill roof (1) and link bridge (2) and remodelling track and platforms (3) One of the Alliance’s first 20 exercises was to scrutinise 21 existing ‘as-built’ plans 2 and drawings, carry out its 22 own surveys and inspect 23 the condition of existing 24 supporting structures to understand their load- carrying capacities. By also 3 calculating the magnitude of load from structures due to be demolished as 24 Platforms part of the refurbishment 420m work, engineers could identify which structures would have spare capacity to take loads from new works. “This is extremely where it has just been domestic trains are shorter A large area within the WIT foundations can sustain desirable as soil and removed.” In doing so, than Eurostar trains, buffer was previously used to loads from new works. “This was particularly substructures can undergo some £6-7M has been stops are positioned 50m support heavy, reinforced Load-balancing has important for London this kind of unloading saved by removing further up the line (away concrete service routes influenced where new Underground since the and reloading without the need to build new from the station). This for baggage, catering loads can be accepted, process of demolition experiencing any real supporting structures means that the ‘live’ loads and other back-of-house including a new ramp followed by the relatively effect, which removes or monitor existing associated with trains facilities. Since these between platforms 19 and quick reloading of assets the need for excessive structures for movement. arriving and departing are no longer needed, 20, a 14m wide canopy and the ground creates movement monitoring. will affect a smaller area removing them has led to connect the WIT and minimal disturbance,” The key to this scheme This concept of spare than before, freeing up to a net reduction in Waterloo Station’s ‘shed’ explains Alliance was to come up with a capacity was also capacity at the station end loads, which has meant roof and a footbridge to contracts engineering ‘load-balancing’ strategy exploited on the WIT of the track to support that their supporting provide step-free access. manager Chris Kitching. which puts load back platforms. Since the new greater static loads. columns, walls and Infill roof in section

Columns located on existing foundations

14 I Mott MacDonald I Waterloo Station upgrade Waterloo Station upgrade I Mott MacDonald I 15

1 Infill roof structure 2 Link bridge The gap between the former WIT roof and Waterloo Station’s roof Infill roof elevation Link bridge in section needed to be covered A new inclusive route across Waterloo Station

Victory Arch Step-free link bridge

New link bridge supported o existing foundations

Stairs Ramp

Stairs Infill roof in section Stairs Infill roof in section Lifts New concourse

Columns located on New gateline existing foundations Columns located on 20 existing foundations 21 By removing redundant 22 concrete structures, 23 24 Platforms foundations could support internal roof columns 24

When the WIT was built, a covered check-in area Initially, the loads at each end of the roof exceeded Remodelling the WIT has involved understanding how By understanding the load-carrying capacity of marked the transition between the old station and the bearing capacity of the structure below, so passengers will move around the station. A tangible the station’s substructures and carrying out load- the new. The check-in was a storey lower than two intermediate columns (supported off existing benefit of the Alliance’s work has been the introduction balancing, a footbridge has been incorporated in the the main station concourse and platforms. structures) were suggested. This sparked a complete of a pedestrian walkway connecting platforms 20 design, which does not require new foundations and architectural redesign of the roof to echo the to 24 to the main concourse of Waterloo Station. rests on existing columns, walls and foundations. Under the upgrade, the old check-in roof now forms ridgelineInfill roof of elevatio the shedn roof over platforms one to 19. part of the concourse for the newly repurposed Infill roof elevation This was not part of the original scheme due to The walkway brings together the two parts of the platforms, and a new weatherproof envelope was “Columns have been located so that the load concerns over how any new structure would be station, taking in a 1.6m discrepancy in height needed. All loads from the new roof have to be from the infill roof is supported by existing supported. Originally, passengers would have had between the WIT and main concourse and supported by existing structures and foundations due assets to achieve as near-perfect load- to descend to a lower level concourse by escalator offers a more intuitive and inclusive route into to Tube tunnels and stations running below ground. balancing as possible,” says Chris Kitching. or lift and then travel back up to platform level. the station than previously conceived.

One of the original ideas was to replicate and continue “We carried out a time-history analysis to understand the WIT roof to meet the mainline station’s roof. the impact of demolition and construction on the However, this came in at an unfeasibly high cost, structure and soil. Around £4M has been saved due to its many bespoke features. Instead, a much by not having to install new foundations and simpler 53m span steel trussed roof was proposed, £2-3M has been saved by reducing the scope of which would oversail both the WIT and shed roofs. monitoring of the existing structure,” adds Chris. Louvres in the new roof assist in cooling the space and provide ventilation for the station’s fire strategy. 16 I Mott MacDonald I Waterloo Station upgrade Waterloo Station upgrade I Mott MacDonald I 17

3 Viaduct deck The stitch-up A new track layout to accommodate shorter trains and a more frequent service To accommodate a more Two options emerged: to to be closed while new required approach viaducts frequent domestic service build new supports and foundations were built. to be ‘stitched’ together of 18 trains per hour – foundations to take the From early 2015, approach some 12 more than before new loads or find a way viaduct design work was – the former WIT track to ensure the existing carried out and planning layout needed remodelling structure could cope. applications pursued for and its approach viaducts both the ‘new pile’ (though Viaduct works in section to be significantly Build new or reuse? not desirable) and the ‘pile modified. Despite the Building a new support re-use’ options to make challenging work, savings structure for two infill sure time was not lost in of £4.9M were achieved sections of viaduct, some the programme whichever through value engineering. 100m long, would be proved most viable. costly, time-consuming Eurostar trains used to build and extremely The first step in the design Initial designs looked at solutions Post value engineering analysis showed to arrive at the WIT on disruptive to the railway process, common to requiring new piles and supports deck loads could be supported by three approach viaducts, and public. Their both options, involved existing substructure separated by 5m wide construction would involve minimising the distance platforms. To suit the disturbing contaminated over which the viaducts shorter length of new soil (due to the area’s needed to be crossed. Approach viaducts domestic trains, these industrial land-use) and Successful track platforms have been require the diversion of remodelling reduced the Bearings removed New track layout shortened and the space many services. Large length of infilling by half as Bearings replaced left between the viaducts diameter piled foundations well as the number of new filled to allow more about 35m long would piles needed for support. flexible track layouts. also need to be installed using a piling rig which “This meant that a 32m The addition of infill would need to fit under the length of infill deck sections of viaduct deck viaduct. With headroom across Westminster combined with new train limited to 5m, progress Bridge Road was not 85m Infill decks 1480t movements creates a would be slow. There required. Constructing £5M and 1480t of carbon completely different was also the added its substructure would has been saved by loading pattern. There complication that the have been horrendous reusing existing piles were concerns that the busy Westminster Bridge for traffic and would Structural analysis, pile tests and finite element modelling of the and not constructing new maximum loads could Road runs under the have required months bearings and amalgamated viaduct proved that new train and deck any new ones on the exceed the capacity of viaduct. Supporting the of planning to allow the loads could be supported by existing substructure. Some bearings approach viaduct the existing viaduct deck, infill section in this location work to take place,” says were modified to suit the new loadings widening work. its piers and foundations. would require the road Wessex Capacity Alliance 18 I Mott MacDonald I Waterloo Station upgrade Waterloo Station upgrade I Mott MacDonald I 19

design lead for Waterloo jigsaw: in the absence “Removing the Approach Stuart Bee. of in situ pile testing However, one attraction information, conservative need to install of the new pile option was strength capacities 65 new piled its low impact on existing could only be assumed structures compared to the for the existing piles. foundations saved reuse option. The infills, “We found that 90% of £1.5M, as well as without new supports, the scheme would work would push the viaducts without constructing new the disruption apart and the team had piles, but that a few piles caused by to verify that they could would still be needed,” sustain these additional recalls Stuart. To get construction and lateral loads. Bearings around this, three test piles related carbon between piers and deck were constructed on site had only been designed and tested to understand emissions.” for longitudinal movement their true capacity in Stuart Bee and so would also need the ground. Using these Wessex Capacity Alliance design to be re-evaluated and figures, no new piles would lead for Waterloo Approach possibly replaced to suit need to be constructed. the new loading pattern. Savings and minimal As-built detailed drawings disruption were sourced from “Removing the need archives to build up a to install 65 new piled picture of the capacity foundations saved £1.5M, of the viaduct structure, as well as the disruption but Mott MacDonald had caused by construction another trick up its sleeve: and related carbon it had been involved with emissions,” he explains. carrying out independent checking on the original “Working under the viaduct design in the Alliance, gave us the 1990s. There were even breathing space needed engineers still with the to look into these options firm who had worked and come up with on it and recalled that the most appropriate, the structure had been cost-effective and least designed with some disruptive solution.” degree of spare capacity. By retrieving calculations The final design involved from its own archive a great deal of complex permit or restrict different mainline). But creating necessary given how on the relevant sides of depository, confidence in analysis using a finite degrees of directional this connection would expensive and disruptive it each viaduct using hydro- the reuse option grew. element model. This movement in the pier- cause immense disruption would be,” recalls Stuart. demolition, inserting new allowed the stresses deck connections. to train services as reinforcement and then Information gathered generated by the infill well as to the tenants Network Rail and train casting the concrete infill from these archives section bearing onto the There was still one area, of the arches below. operator South West sections. This work was combined with physical viaducts to be understood between platforms 19 Trains responded by carried out in 2016. inspections of the viaducts and distributed in a way and 20, where a new Track designers had removing the need for to verify their condition, that did not exceed the infill section of track was already created a layout this section of track from Ingenious engineering and provided assurance that capacity of the structure needed. To support it which could provide 18 the scope of the project. collaborative working on they could support the in any location. This went required the 20th century trains per hour without The viaduct sections were the approach viaducts has infill deck sections. hand in hand with the viaduct to be connected using this area. “So we stitched together by first resulted in saving several However, there was still bearing design, which to a 19th century masonry asked whether this section removing the concrete to months on the programme. one last piece in the was also scrutinised to arch (which supports the of track was absolutely expose the reinforcement Opening opportunities with connected thinking.

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