Haigh Rail Limited’s Track Division has commenced works at York Railway Museum.

Over time, the rails on the roads around the turntable have been sinking, so our Track team has been investigating and then replacing any decaying timbers as a priority. The roads have an interesting make-up with an inspection pit forming the 1^st half and the 2^nd half embedded in concrete.

The image shows the investigation works, whereby our track experts lifted the pit boards to determine the extent.

Works are being delivered in two stages to keep walkways open for the public.

Stage 1 was the Inspection Pit area, which has involved breaking out 500mm channels in concrete either side of the existing rails to remove the rails and supporting timbers. From there, the team will renew the timbers and re-install the rails to line, level and gauge. Stage 1 will be completed through concrete preparation, drilling starter bars, installing mesh, shutters and finally the concrete pour.

Stage 2 covers the embedded rail section of the road and will incorporate a large volume of break out and spoil removal. The area will be checked for its integrity and then prepped for a final concrete pour including all reinforcement installation and shutters.

The works have been fast-tracked to date to minimise disruption and are due for completion shortly.

A case study will follow, so look out for that works completion update very soon!

Thanks to Engineering Director Dan Foster and the track team for their works to date.

Haigh Rail Limited is pleased to announce the award of a four-year framework to provide a variety of track works on behalf of client Midland Metro Ltd (MML), who has full responsibility for operating and maintaining the West Midlands Metro tram network.

As part of this contract, Haigh Rail Limited will act as the Principal Contractor, and in the majority of projects also act as Principal Designer for a range of track work types; including gauge restoration, rail replacement, ballasted rail works, tram stop rail replacement and embedded rail works.

Delivery of this contract will require flexible planning to ensure safety critical works are delivered to meet the authorities’ requirements.

The framework will be led by Director Keiran Clarke and Project Manager Matthew Bowyer-Hill. Additionally, Engineering Director Dan Foster will support with track know-how from his vastly experienced engineering, supervisory and delivery teams. All of these personnel were instrumental in the success of this award.

Furthermore, Haigh Rail Limited will utilise Professional Head of Welding Mick Downing and his Welding Division to support welding activities as required.

Managing Director Chris Haigh added:

“We are absolutely delighted to have been selected as MML’s framework partner and we very much look forward to working collaboratively to deliver first class track engineering projects with MML, supporting passengers on their daily journey’s and enhancing the local communities where we work.”

Haigh Rail’s Track Division, led by Engineering Director Dan Foster, has supported and assisted Network Rail with some points upgrade works at Phillips Park in Manchester.

The scope included replacement of timbers, ironwork, squaring points and regauging.

The project commenced on Friday 8th March 2023 and was handed back on time, successfully on 13th March 2023.

Great work from our track team.

Our Track Division is an established multi-disciplinary track renewal and maintenance service provider that delivers permanent way projects covering renewals, maintenance and engineering services. These are the services delivered:

• S&C Plain Lining and New Track Installation
• Hollow Bearer Installation
• Plain Line Installation
• Point Condition Surveys
• IBJ (Insulated Block Joints) and HB Surveys (Hollow bearer)
• IBJ Installation and Recovery
• Stressing/Tamping/Handback Works
• Track Monitoring

These activities are supported by our in house Welding Division.

Haigh Rail Limited has undertaken a Rope Access Core Drilling project at Dewsbury Station. The works to the station retaining wall included: 

• 5No 75mm Horizontal Cores to a depth of 3m.
• 4No 75mm Inclined Cores to a depth of 3m.
• 1No 150mm Core to a depth of 300mm to allow for strength testing.
• Vegetation clearance to facilitate a trial pit at the base of the retaining wall.
• Reinstatement of core holes with sandstone grout.

Haigh Rail used its Level 1 IRATA operatives to deliver the project work under the management of its Level 3 IRATA Supervisor and a PIC.

All works were successfully completed during a midweek blockade of the railway and completed on schedule.

Haigh Rail Limited’s Civils Division undertakes core drilling for rail and infrastructure clients throughout the UK. The team is additionally IRATA (Industrial Rope Access Trade Association) certificated, which has allowed the business to complete complex sites along the railway and highway infrastructure as an alternative option to scaffolding. Having in-house IRATA Level 3 operatives, enables us to deliver a fully managed service for clients. Our roped access systems are commonly used for vegetation removal, diamond core drilling at height and asset examination work.