Customer: Network Rail

The contract covers the design, procurement and implementation of a wide range of structures maintenance and repair projects to bridges, tunnels, embankments, etc. Works range from simple brickwork repairs through to bridge reconstructions and major earthworks and embankment stabilisations.

Birse Rail is responsible for developing each scheme in the portfolio from early feasibility through to Form A (Outline Design) and Form B (Detailed Design). The Birse Rail team then has total responsibility for programming, planning and delivering the works. This includes identifying all railway possession requirements, booking possessions and planning and managing the works to ensure they are delivered within the rigid time constraints of possession working.

This is the third generation of this contract which Birse Rail has held since 1997. During this time, Birse Rail has delivered over £400m of work. Through this contract Birse Rail has developed expertise in managing works to multiple sites running concurrently with typically 20-30 live worksites at any given time.

Birse Rail's expertise at undertaking structures maintenance, repair and renewal works was recognised in September 2006 when it won the 'Maintenance Team of the Year' award at the prestigious National Rail Awards - the third time in four years that it has won this award.

The Judges commented:

“Birse Rail is so competent in its work that the passenger may not even notice that anything is being done. For an infrastructure repairer and maintainer, this is the ultimate accolade because minimising line closures of slowing down trains has to be an important feature of any contract.”