Corus celebrates first Eurostar into St Pancras International

30 Mar 2007

The arrival of the first Eurostar into St Pancras International on Monday 6^th March signified the culmination of 5 years work by the Corus Overhead Line Electrification Design, Construction and Commissioning teams.

As consultants to support services and construction company Carillion, Corus has been responsible throughout this time for the provision of the complete electrification design to renew and remodel the existing Network Rail infrastructure and for the new High Speed 1 infrastructure from the London Tunnel into St. Pancras International. This remaining section completes the link with Section 1, which will allow future Eurostar services to run into the redeveloped St. Pancras terminus instead of into Waterloo as at present.

This project is the first high speed railway in the UK and the UK’s first major rail project for over 100 years.  It is also one of the most complex electrification projects in the UK.  The project has been technically challenging due to the high degree of stageworks, the complex track layout, grade-separated junctions and special civil structures such as new viaducts and the East Coast Main Line overbridge. There have been multiple interfaces with Network Rail infrastructure and all electrification designs within the St. Pancras International area had to meet Royal Fine Arts Commission criteria.

In addition to the delivery of the designs, the Corus team has been actively involved in managing the total electrification package of works, with co-located design, construction support and commissioning teams. All the electrification works were managed and implemented with the overriding requirement to maintain an operational railway throughout. 

Craig Scott, Managing Director, Infrastructure Services, said “Corus is delighted to have made a major contribution to this important project”.  His Electrification Design Manager, Warren Bain said, “This has been a tightly knit and highly motivated team over the entire 5 year project duration. There have been some very interesting challenges along the way, including many new electrification basic designs essential for attaching the electrification to every conceivable structure we have encountered. In addition we have provided assistance to Network Rail on a number of UK product acceptance issues, including the introduction of a new remotely operated isolator which enables remote isolation of the electrification, a distinct advantage for today’s rail operations”.

Warren and his team are rightfully celebrating the successful completion of the project, which was delivered on time and within budget.