Bedford Bypass

MPB acted as subcontractor to Breheny Civil Engineering on this £12m project (overall value). MPB managed all interfaces with the railway and established a Rail Contractor Only area which was fully managed by MPB throughout the project.

The works comprised of:

• Design and installation of temporary works to retain ground 4m below existing running lines
• Installation of deep mass concrete foundation and associated temporary works (4m deep)
• Construction of insitu concrete abutments totaling in excess of 800m3 of reinforced concrete
• All temporary works designs on site (including cantilevered walkway spanning the railway)
• Installation of braced pairs of weathering steel beams totaling in excess of 300t using 1000t mobile crane in ROR possession
• Installation of insitu concrete deck slab during normal working hours (including temporary works designs to satisfy Network Rail Project Engineer)
• Reinstatement Works
• All liaison with NR Asset Protection Team throughout the works
• Possession management

 Key Challenges/Successes:

This scheme had to be completed with minimum interface with the operational railway for a number of reasons. Maximum 8hr possessions were available meaning temporary works designs and methodologies were developed to minimise the requirement of possessions. The client (Bedford Council) needed to minimise costs incurred via the NR ASPRO team and as such MPB were tasked with ensuring that all documentation and plans were of a high standard to keep review time to a bare minimum and where possible manage the interface without the requirement for possessions.

The in house CEM capability within MPB was utilised to full effect to ensure that the NR Project Engineers had confidence in the ability of MPB Structures to deliver the works without importing any risk to the operational railway.

Limited possession time meant ALO cognisant lift plans and rigging plans were required to ensure the 1000t crane and support crane could rig outside of possession to maximise the short duration possessions.

MPB developed all temporary works designs for earthwork support, access scaffold and formwork designs.