The VGC Group has begun work on a £2.3m contract with Costain to construct three key sections of the surface section of the Crossrail Anglia route.
The £150 million north-east spur project will prepare the railway between east London and Essex for the start of Crossrail services in 2018. The 16.4-mile section from Stratford, east London, to Shenfield in Essex will form one end of the eastern section of Crossrail.
We are undertaking the civil engineering works packages for sections
- Gidea Park PSP to Nags Head PSP
- Shenfield London end to country end of the project
- Shenfield London end PSP to Nags Head PSP.
This includes vegetation clearance, cable route works, bases for signalling equipment including principal supply points, signals, location cases, standard and staged FSPs. VGC teams will also install points heating bases, build walking routes and undertake electrical earthing.
The work takes place alongside live, operational tracks, and normal schedules will be maintained while the work progresses.
“This type of contract is our ‘bread-and-butter’ at VGC Rail Projects,” said Director Jacques Kriel. “Our behaviour-based safety programme has won VGC a series of awards, and we are confident we will exceed our client’s expectations in both safety and the standard of the finished works. We’re proud to play our part in Crossrail, which will eventually transform the experience of commuters and longer-distance travellers between London, Essex and beyond.”
Costain has secured the contract from Network Rail to provide infrastructure and stations on the Crossrail north east spur between Stratford in east London and Shenfield in Essex. The project involves track renewals, installing overhead line equipment, turnback facilities, and station improvements at eight stations along the route. The new route will run from Reading in the west through central London and then divide, with one spur going to Shenfield and the other southeast to Abbey Wood, in Kent.
At peak times, 12 trains per hour will travel in each direction between Shenfield and central London. Matthew White, Crossrail’s Surface Director said: “Network Rail is undertaking a major upgrade of the existing rail network for Crossrail including a significant programme of track renewals as well as stations improvements. For the residents of east London and Essex, Crossrail will deliver significant benefits to passengers including new trains, better stations and quicker journeys.”
