East Midlands Parkway is a new four platform parkway station to serve London commuters, provide a park & ride facility for Nottingham, Derby and Leicester and allow easier access to East Midlands Airport.
Birse Rail was responsible for two design and build civils packages in relation to this new station:
Access roads and car park – This package was for the design and construction of an access road (approx ¼ mile long) from the A453 to the new station and included a new traffic signalled junction on the A453, a new road bridge over the railway and an 850 space car park.
Lineside works – The lineside works package included earthworks, major track slews, four new GRP platforms (totalling 3000m2 in area) as well as signal gantry alterations and installation of a new footbridge.
The existing railway embankment was widened to allow for the remodelling of the slow lines to facilitate construction of an “island” platform between the slow and fast lines.
A new two span vierendeel truss footbridge with steel staircases was installed incorporating three lifts to provide step-free access between the bridge and platforms.
Innovative platform solution
All four platforms were constructed entirely from a modular GRP system. The platforms are different from previously installed systems which comprised GRP decking on timber, steel or concrete superstructures. This system featured fully finished GRP platform sections supported on a complete GRP support structure.
The support structure was fabricated off-site with all elements pre-drilled allowing site installation to be undertaken quickly and easily. The deck panels also arrived on site pre-drilled and pre-finished with an anti-slip top surface, tactile paving and warning lines – another time saving feature of the system.
The main benefit to the modular GRP system is the speed of installation. The prefabricated modular design combined with the lightweight nature of GRP resulted in four platforms totalling some 3000m2 being installed in just 10 weeks. The modular design also minimised the need for disruptive possessions as significant elements of work could be undertaken safely in a ‘green zone’ environment.
The other advantages of the modular GRP platform system are:
- Long life expectancy (estimated to be around 60 years)
- Low maintenance (corrosion resistant, no painting requirements)
- Lightweight nature which reduces civils and heavy machinery requirements
- Fire resistant
- High strength
- Re-useable / recyclable
The modular GRP platforms at East Midlands Parkway received recognition at the 2009 National Rail Awards with a ‘Highly Commended’ award in the Innovation of the Year category. The Judges commented on the “impressive teamwork” demonstrated on the project and noted the wider potential for GRP applications elsewhere in the industry.
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