st pancras international

Background

EMCOR together with Constain, O’Rourke and Backy Soletanche, formed a consortium, known as CORBER, to redevelop London’s St Pancras Internation. The station, which was originally built in 1869, is a top ten Grade I listed building which is considered as important to our heritage as Stonehenge and St Paul’s Cathedral. The existing train shed, which was retained, was the largest enclosed volume of its time and formed the basis of many station buildings in the United States.

The construction was undertaken in the two phases. Phase 1 involved finishing the East Deck extension by 2004, which would act as an interim station of up to 6 platforms. Once the interim station was operational, work proceeded for Phase 2; to excavate and build a ‘station box’ for the new Thameslink underground station, complete the West Deck extension and refurbish the existing train shed.

The redevelopment station is now the terminus for High Speed 1 (formally the Channel Tunnel Rail Link) and offers a flat-roofed extension and 13 platforms. 6 of which cater for 400 metre-long Eurostar trains.

Objectives

The objective of this redevelopment was to transform St Pancras International into a world class station and complete the nine year project to build the high speed Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL), now call High Speed 1 (HS1). Its construction was also key to stimulating the regeneration and redevelopment of the King’s Cross environs.

Key construction objectives;
Construct and make operational an interim station
Construct Thameslink ‘station box’ in 6 months
Relocate Midland Mainline operational facilities so the station could be completed to accept Eurostar trains

Value Delivered

Working with a consortium with the civil and building contractors reduced interfaces for the client.

Ability to influence decision making through partnership within the consortium.

Milestone and an early completion date achieved through working in an integrated team.

An experience project team of engineers, designers, and operatives, who had been involved with the successful Jubilee Line extension.

Worked closely with RLE and CORBER to drive out costs through value engineering.

Our relationships and integration of key members of our supply chain were used to full effect.

Knowledge of working in a rail environment, the station remained operational throughout the project.

Supporting the client in ensuring the project exceeded safety and environmental standards, demonstrated by excellent statistics and accolades won.

Engineering and working within the constraints of an existing Grade 1 listed building and liaison with English Heritage.

Solutions

The client operated the ‘Six Sigma’ strategy and would adopt and lead teams to successfully resolved major issues and challenges as they surfaced. EMCOR was an active member of these teams.

The interim station was intended to be a temporary solution constructed in 12 months and refurbished once the main station was operational. EMCOR engineers designed services in order to maximise permanent works to reduce costs and need for refurbishment.

The short timescale to construct the Thameslink ‘box’ was recognised and the 6-month blockade could not be extended. The consortium successfully adopted Project Flow to add certainty to completion. Given the resounding success of Project Flow, it became the tool of preference for key ongoing programme challenges.

Pressures on the complex construction sequencing and programme were relived by modularising the West Side Plant Rooms and prefabrication initiatives, particularly in the substantial Under croft service trenches.

The relocation of Midland Mainline requires considerable planning and engineering. Midland Mainline was relocated 12 months prior to station completion. In order to achieve this, approximately 85% of the MEP and communications services for the complete station, including a station control room, needed to be complete, commissioned, and operational. This would be a tall order on any project, but in a rail environment, with high assurance needs, it was a considerable challenge. The design and installation needed to provide the infrastructure and services required to operate train services. It also had to limit the need to re-enter and work within completed operational areas and thus avoid disruption to the operation of the railway and our own works.

Union Railways north

CORBER

EMCOR Engineering Services Ltd

Rail Link Engineering

Rail Link Engineering

Mechanical, Electrical & Public health

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