22 minute read
Next generation of footbridges
Is Futura the perfect solution for the next generation of footbridges?
Network Rail Principal Engineer Ian Grimes speaks about the future of footbridge design
In our rush to get to the right platform or make our way out of the station as quickly as possible, the majority of us do not give much thought to railway footbridges. We might admire the staying power of Victorian engineering and architecture, or the functionality of a footbridge constructed in more recent times, but, more often than not, as we move swiftly across them, we barely consider how inaccessible some of these structures are.
As Network Rail contemplates the design and engineering of its estate in order to replace footbridges no longer fit for purpose and to construct new footbridges, it does so against the backdrop of Construction 2025, the joint strategy from government and industry for the future of UK construction, which focuses on the use of smart technologies, green construction and overseas trade.
Construction 2025 targets More specifically related to railway footbridges, Construction 2025 targets aim to bring about 50 per cent faster delivery, a 33 per cent cost reduction, 50 per cent lower carbon emissions and a 50 per cent reduction in the import/export trade gap.
All of this is being pondered by Ian Grimes, Principal Engineer in Network Rail’s Technical Authority for Buildings and Architecture, as Network Rail look to prototype Futura, the concept footbridge designed by Marks Barfield Architects and COWI.
The Futura footbridge will demonstrate the benefits that can be gained from using composites in railway station environments for both new build and replacement structures.
Ian said: “We’ve been doing a lot of work around updating the designs of our standard footbridges. In recent years there’s definitely been more of an architectural focus and an interest in creating bridges that are more aesthetically pleasing. While this has included steel bridges, we’ve looked at reducing carbon and our reliance on steel.
“With net-zero targets we’re exploring different materials, and composites lend themselves to a more modular approach. A modular approach to construction reduces time on site and we’re not just looking at virgin materials, such as carbon fibre and glass, but want to explore a circular economy where, for instance, we can strip down end-of-life wind turbines and reissue and recycle those parts into a footbridge component. It’s an approach that reduces the environmental impact of construction.”
Network Rail has partnered with the National Composites Centre (NCC) to develop factorymoulded fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) bridges, a sustainable solution that will contribute to net-zero targets right across the industry.
Network Rail became the first public sector Tier 1 member of the NCC, and both organisations are aligned in their desire to increase the use and adoption of composites in construction.
Ian said: “Composites are misunderstood and we certainly want to address that. Around four years ago there was a move by Network Rail to explore the benefits of using composite materials, which had been relatively untried in construction and there was a reluctance to take them up. We used composites across some isolated schemes and projects but we ran into some issues; they were actually taking longer than traditional methods, needed more technical assurance and, because they were novel, costs were actually higher and we didn’t fully understand their environmental impact.
“So we had to come up with ways of managing that, which led to us approaching the NCC. We wanted to be at the forefront of the challenge and also make sure that regulation and traceability was in place. Along with the NCC we’re looking at putting together guidance regarding where composites can be used, and where they won’t provide the best solution, as well as carrying out life-cycle analysis and really understanding what the environmental impact of using composites is.”
Access for All Ian added that, in Ian Crockford at Marks Barfield, responsible for the London Eye, and COWI’s Ian Firth, the former president of the Institution for Structural Engineers, the development of the prototype bridge “is in good hands”. Together, the team are also addressing the very important issue of accessibility, in line with the Department for Transport’s ‘Access for All’ programme, and all of these bridges will have lifts.
Ian continued: “There are still a lot of Victorian-era bridges in place but we’re now at the stage where they no longer owe anyone
anything. They’ve lasted for generations but the question of whether they’re now fit for purpose is something we need to ask, as we look at replacing existing bridges and go on to install the next generation of bridges in full compliance with Persons with Reduced Mobility legislation, Access for All and the Equality Act. Everyone should have equal access to travel and the rail network.” Futura is a three-stage design and stage two is about to get underway, with a prototype expected to be built by July 2021 in a safe place where it will be constructed, undergo testing, taken down and then reconstructed. This will allow a full understanding of the construction process as well as the implications of building these bridges in a live environment and how best to minimise disruption.
The way forward Ian said: “Prototyping is very important but it’s surprisingly rare in rail engineering these days – even though there are a lot of benefits by allowing ourselves the time to think. It’s understandable because we know how to build in concrete and steel and how much time we need. With something more novel and innovative we need to assure ourselves that we’re taking the right steps and moving in the right direction.
“Our thoughts are that in terms of safety, the use of machinery and costs, there will be big benefits long-term. These bridges are higher strength, lighter weight and need less foundations so there’ll be less concrete in the ground. We’re trying to consider every angle.
“Confidence is high in the prototype and independent cost consultants are telling us that this looks like an affordable direction to move in. It certainly ticks all of the Construction 2025 boxes but obviously we’re reliant on the prototype and getting the right construction teams in place to help us build it and prove the case. It’s all looking very positive right now.”
The modularity of Futura could also result in component pieces being delivered on-site via train, reducing transport via road, ahead of what will be an anticipated, simple, and rapid precision fit assembly in the station environment.
There is also potential here to influence bridge design and construction beyond rail, with Network Rail’s position as lead client of IP3 Zero Carbon World seeing best practice shared with other public asset owner groups and organisations, including Highways England as well as HS2.
Ian is also aware that, should the Futura design be accepted as the footbridge of the future, these bridges also need to have the aesthetic impact, as well as the durability, of Victorian-era engineering.
He said: “We’re absolutely thinking about legacy and asking what we will be leaving behind if we do go on to construct hundreds of FRP composite bridges. What will they look like in 30 or 50 years? What will be their environmental impact? What’s the social value of this legacy?
Massive benefits “There’s a lot of pride in the rail network and we want to build on that and enhance the heritage. There’s a lot of criticism of composite products due to current misconceptions but if we get this right we can
celebrate the benefits. There’s potentially a lot of good news here, the benefits to passengers and people and the potential social value is massive. If we can get more people mobile around the network fantastic, and if we can play a part in encouraging social mobility that’s great for everyone. “A footbridge can be the biggest addition to smaller rural stations for possibly 100 years. If we don’t get them right and complement the area we can have a detrimental effect, so it’s worth putting the time in to make sure that we enhance our communities. Potentially, there are big benefits for the rail network here right across every region and, from where I’m sitting, the approach we’re taking with Futura is perfect for the times we are living in.”
COMMENT
Graeme Jeremy, Head of Construction and Infrastructure at the National Composites Centre (NCC)
The National Composites Centre (NCC) says it is delighted to welcome Network Rail to the organisation and to be working in partnership on the groundbreaking Futura project.
Graeme Jeremy, Head of Construction and Infrastructure at the NCC, believes there is clear alignment between the long-term strategic goals of the two organisations – namely to accelerate the adoption of composites in construction and to support the UK’s supply chain development to achieve the Government’s Construction 2025 strategy. Graeme said: “It’s a demonstration of their interest in how the benefits of composites – such as their durability and low carbon footprint – can be best exploited in the UK’s rail infrastructure, and the intention to do this going forward. “It is early days working together, but already we are seeing significant strategic alignment as the NCC better understands the underlying technical challenges and as awareness grows of how composites can address them in an innovative manner.
Collaboration “This partnership gives Network Rail access to worldleading expertise in composite materials, which will allow them to explore how to best use composites in rail. As the best solutions are explored in terms of materials selection and the impact of this on through life costs, the rail industry will benefit from wider supply chain options, cost/benefit models and product development opportunities. “It also signals to the supply chain that the use of composites and other innovative materials is being actively considered by the industry, meaning more options could come to the fore. “We believe that a targeted approach to the application of composites in rail will reduce disruption to passengers and simultaneously improve the environmental performance of the network, both in building new assets and in the maintenance of the existing portfolio. “We want to be driving expertise in composites in infrastructure, and it would be fantastic to see UK infrastructure catching up and overtaking the innovations being implemented in the USA, Europe and Japan.”
Unlocking the power of composites
Dura Composites’ Jonathan Howard on the company’s role in rail
There is an important role for composites to play in the rail industry. Whilst Network Rail and the National Composites Centre have only recently partnered up, the use of these materials is something that has been done by Dura Composites for over two decades.
The company is a leader in the use of high strength and low weight Glass Reinforced Polymer (GRP), which is helping to solve the key challenges of capacity, reliability and efficiency.
“Composite materials are playing an increasingly prominent role in the rail industry thanks to their lightweight nature, durability and fire performance qualities,” said Jonathan Howard, the company’s Business Development Manager.
“Whilst GRP is not new to the industry, designers and contractors are now becoming more aware of the benefits, and we are working hard to further inform the industry of how dedicated and unique rail-specific designs can be used to save time and money across several applications.
“This follows the output from the RIA-formed UPCRII working group (Unlocking the Power of Composites for Rail Infrastructure Improvements) over the past 18 months, where barriers and blockers to the adoption of composites were identified.
“We’ve been supplying materials for the rail sector for over 20 years and we’ve got endless case studies to prove the product works in various applications.” Queen’s Award for Enterprise Innovation Despite the challenges surrounding COVID-19, 2020 has been a year of success for Dura Composites. Earlier this year, the company scooped the coveted Queen’s Award for Enterprise Innovation 2020 for its modular train station platform solution known as Dura Platform.
It sits alongside a host of innovative specially designed product solutions including GRP flooring, handrails, trench covers and access structures, as well as low maintenance GRP Ballast Retention systems, trackside walkways, pedestrian footbridges and bridge walkways.
Jonathan said: “The benefits in the supply of composite materials are being seen in multiple applications. There are the safety and cost benefits, characterised by the fact that a lot of our products can be brought in by a one or two men lift.
“Further, our company develops rail application specific product solutions plus a huge amount of project specific solutions, utilising the in-house PI insured structural engineering design team. This allows us to provide a one-stop solution, often culminating in off-site modular structures or components to make it easier to install on site, often in engineering hours.
“There is also huge longevity in the products we are installing. Where we are replacing timber for example with station dagger boards, we’re installing material which needs no further painting, ever.
“Overall, rail industry leaders are seeing the benefits and it is a time of great optimism for us as a business. The GRP industry has grown quite considerably in the last few years – we’ve seen our own sales double over the last three years partly due to our own innovation, but also it’s a testament to how the industry is adapting and evolving to embrace new technology.”
Network Rail investment The news of the partnership between Network Rail and the NCC is set to add further weight to the use of composites. The investment which Network Rail themselves are looking to put into composites adds to the building of that confidence.
Jonathan said: “To assist this major milestone, Dura has spent two years developing a new product selector resource, conceived to provide further confidence to designers, specifiers and contractors who are more used to working with concrete, steel and wood. This boils down to being able to select the right floor grating product to suit your application based on entering or selecting data based on your project, such as span, load, load safety criteria, etc.
“The web tool also features a section that allows you to compare GRP profile section such as I-Beams versus other materials such as steel, so that you know how much weight would be saved using GRP, and what size section would be needed.
“This is especially useful where steel is too heavy to bring in or if there is a requirement for non-electrical conductivity, which is of course common these days in rail.”
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The South Yorkshire blueprint to benefit future Tram Train schemes
South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive’s Pat Beijer on the Tram Train pilot
South Yorkshire’s Tram Train service has just come to the end of a two-year pilot to test the pioneering technology. Such has been its success – with 1.5 million passenger journeys and 100 per cent customer satisfaction – that travelling on tramlines is continuing in Sheffield and the study is being used as a blueprint to benefit future UK transport schemes elsewhere.
“The focus was looking to see if we could create a system, an interoperable system, of a vehicle that can run on the streets as well as on the heavy rail network,” said Pat Beijer, South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive’s (SYPTE) Director of Transport Operations.
SYPTE, Network Rail and Stagecoach Supertram have delivered the scheme following a £125 million investment from the Department for Transport (DfT). Among the aims of the pilot were to understand the costs of operating a lighter weight vehicle with track brakes on the national rail network, determining changes to technical standards and to gauge passenger acceptability of Tram Trains.
“The trial has only just ended and we will be reporting the pilot’s findings to the DfT, but the good news is that it is no longer a concept; it is actually a reality and these last two years have proven it is technically possible to do this,” said Pat.
Pilot success Tram Trains have the signalling, power supply, control, wheel profile and telecommunications technology to run on both street tram lines and the rail network.
The project has caught the eyes of 10 other transport authorities, including Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Cardiff, that are seeking to create their own Tram Train service following the success of the pilot.
Pat said: “It has proved incredibly popular with our customers with the trial exceeding expectations. The technical compatibility has been proved and the reliability of the vehicles has improved over time and has proved a really reliable service.
“There’s a lot of interest from other authorities, but we’re lucky enough in South Yorkshire to have this as a first in the UK so we are really benefitting from the pilot ourselves. It gives us a great foundation to build on the learnings.”
The pilot comes at an exciting time for SYPTE. This year marks the 25th anniversary since the Supertram, which SYPTE owns and
Stagecoach runs commercially, commenced full operations. In that time, it’s welcomed over 304 million passengers, travelling a total distance the equivalent of a trip to Mars.
Sheffield icon “The Supertram is iconic to Sheffield, an asset for the region, and has become so much more than a beloved mode of transport for many passengers,” said Pat. “It’s a vital part of our integrated public transport network, and with it being the only zero-emissions public transport system in South Yorkshire it continues to contribute towards a greener future. It has the potential to take hundreds of thousands of cars off the roads.”
The Supertram system cost £240 million to build, with construction starting in 1991. Operations between Sheffield city centre and Meadowhall commenced on 21 March 1994, with the final stretches to Malin Bridge and Middlewood opening on 23 October 1995. With the extension from Tram Train, it currently serves 50 stops in Sheffield and Rotherham, covering 22 miles.
“It’s pretty incredible really what has and continues to be achieved, and we’re proud of being able to offer a safe, reliable and fully accessible mode of transport, particularly during COVID,” said Pat.
“The network continues to provide clean, convenient and carbon-free connections across Sheffield and, more recently, to Rotherham – helping to ease congestion and improve air quality.
“At a time when the region has declared a climate emergency, Supertram provides an invaluable solution.”
Strategic background Pat is one of the newer additions to the team, having joined in May this year, and has held high profile strategic roles at Arriva Rail North and Northern.
“My background is very much in strategic change, and during my time at Northern I did a lot of work on major change programmes, including
significant changes to the contracts operated with the Government,” she said.
“My background has probably made it easier to deal with the emerging and continuous changes under COVID. Longer term, I think my experience will help as the current Supertram concession ends in 2024 and as we’re looking at securing investment from central government to renew the infrastructure of the tram system as well as the vehicles.”
But Pat’s aims and ambitions don’t end there – in an ideal world, public transport would be the first choice for people working and commuting in the South Yorkshire area.
“I would love for everybody to leave cars at home and hop onto public transport,” she said. “That would be my longer-term ideal vision really, so for me it is creating a system that is accessible to people. I know that the immediate priority is looking at the asset and infrastructure renewal, but for me the longer term is really about getting people out of their cars and travelling to their destination of choice on public transport, and Supertram has to form an important part of the integrated solution.”
It is the prospect of getting people back onto public transport and playing a major role in climate change that really excites Pat moving forward.
“When it comes to how excited I am for the future on a scale of 0-10, I would say 9.5,” she said. I would have hoped to have joined SYPTE in different circumstances, but in this unprecedented time I feel incredibly lucky to have landed in a fantastic organisation with great colleagues.
“I have had phenomenal support all round since I joined. Clearly joining in such a challenging period for public transport is in itself a major personal challenge, but it is also incredibly rewarding. It is really nice to actually demonstrate as a public transport organisation that we’re capable of being agile, making changes quickly and responding to crisis situations very effectively.
“Public transport continues to be a safe way of travel, even in the current circumstances, and an important means of travel for many key workers. Although demand is clearly nowhere near preCOVID levels, it is starting to increase and we are seeing 30-40 per cent of normal pre-COVID levels, which is quite good all things considered. “I am optimistic looking to the future as there is so much opportunity and I’m really looking forward to playing a part in making sure we secure the investment for the tram system for the next generation of passengers.
“There’s lots of exciting stuff on the way and clearly public transport is going to be really key to the economic recovery of the region as well. The world is our oyster essentially, and I’m very excited for the challenges ahead.”
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Major Christmas works to keep the railways running reliably
Network Rail and its supply chain will be working at dozens of locations to carry out vital projects to renew key pieces of rail infrastructure over the festive period.
The orange high-vis army will be out in force this Christmas and the New Year carrying out a wide range of projects, including track renewals, bridge replacements and improvements to signalling and overhead line equipment.
A lot of work comes at the time the Government has allowed a Christmas travel window, between December 23 and 27, when typically, the railways would normally be quieter.
Below are some of the projects scheduled to take place and changes made to relieve the pressure over the Christmas travel window:
Significant works on the East Coast Main
Line as part of the East Coast Upgrade, which will improve reliability for passengers and boost connectivity between London, the
North of England and Scotland. The work is now scheduled to start later than originally planned to ensure extra Christmas Eve services can run out of King’s Cross.
Upgrades on the West Coast Main Line that will now be completed earlier than planned – on 27 December – to enable a full Sunday service to operate from 10:00 rather than midday, making it easier for passengers to travel home from their Christmas bubbles. Remodelling and roof repair work at Bristol Temple Meads which will see amended timetables in operation from London Paddington, with some trains at peak times not running at all between 28 December and 1 January. From 28 December until 11 January, timetables will be amended because platforms 3-6 at Bristol Temple Meads will be out of use. Switches and crosses renewals at London Waterloo that will provide a more reliable railway for passengers in future. Platforms 12-20 at Waterloo will be closed between 27 December and 3 January, with a reduced timetable in place between Waterloo and Clapham Junction. There will also be a reduced service between Woking, Basingstoke, Guildford, Portsmouth, Southampton, Weymouth and Salisbury over the festive period. Maintenance and track renewal works at Charing Cross/Cannon Street to London Bridge and New Cross to improve passenger safety and the journey experience. Southeastern services will operate from London Bridge, and there will be a bus replacement service between Lewisham and Hayes from 27 to 29 December. Between 1 to 3 January buses will replace trains between Lewisham and Hayes and between Lewisham and Charlton via New Cross. Vital maintenance to the Great Eastern Main Line around Colchester will improve the reliability of services in the region. Engineering work will be taking place between 25 December and 3 January with rail replacement bus services running on several routes.
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