MAY Gurney (Construction) Ltd has completed the replacement of catenary equipment on a double-track section of Britain’s London - Edinburgh East Coast main line south of Peterborough. Built on a low embankment across Stilton Fen, the formation has been subject to considerable movement leading to a number of dewirements.
Under a contract awarded by Railtrack to design, fabricate, supply and install all overhead equipment including foundations, masts and cantilevers, May Gurney sank 198 piles at a rate of two per mast to a depth of between 13m and 16m to provide firm foundations. Each mast penetrates 5m into stiff clay, with vertical adjustment provided by four bolts.
The base plate incorporating a sliding mechanism allowing horizontal adjustment relative to the piles of 660mm towards the track and 165mm away from the track. With no road access to the site, installation was carried out using a works train provided by Jarvis Fastline during a series of 35 possessions running from Saturday night to Sunday morning.
May Gurney (Construction) Ltd
Reader Enquiry Number 149
