Corus wins major contract for Manchester Metrolink Track Renewals

Corus has been awarded a £700,000 contract for track design as part of Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive’s improvements to the existing Metrolink network.  The contract award, which covers work in relation to bridges, plain line, switches and crossings, overhead line electrification and geotechnical works, represents the largest single project to be undertaken by the Track Design Team at Corus Railway Infrastructure Services.

The Metrolink Track Renewals Scheme covers the segregated section of the existing network and encompasses mobilisation works for the planned future extension.  The scheme will result in 59 km of new rail and will require the instalment of 40,000 new sleepers. 

Corus estimates that its design work programme will take eight months to complete.  The work scope includes initial survey, design of plain line, switches and crossings, drainage, ground investigations and bridges.  Corus will also design new overhead line electrification at two new crossovers, assess existing structures and design clearance works.

Project Manager for Corus, Richard Grainger, welcomed the contract award.  He said: “This builds on our success of Kildare, Ireland, reinforces our capability of a diverse range of projects and is also outside of the heavy rail sector.   It is also our biggest track design contract to date and it will be undertaken by a multi-disciplined team, primarily based in York.  We are ideally placed to tackle this wide scope of work because we have all the necessary disciplines in house – from surveyors and design engineers through to geotechnical and environmental experts.”

The track design contract has been awarded to Corus by Carillion Construction Ltd who will carry out the improvement work during the summer of 2007.  Carillion selected Corus following submission of competitive tenders.  Corus’ reputation for successful delivery was a factor in the company’s selection.  The ability of Corus to integrate Carillion’s Signalling Design Team into the project team, along with the early involvement of Carillion’s Construction Team in the overall scheme design programme, have also been major factors in the selection of Corus.

Significant areas of work to be tackled by Corus as part of this scheme include design for a major track bridge renewal near Victoria Station and the improvement of track alignment to enable more efficient use of platforms.  The Corus team will also be working closely with Carillion in relation to designs for a new depot which will enable materials for the upgrade programme to be transported to Manchester along the East Lancashire railway.