Integration in action for Network Rail

May Gurney Rail Services is working in partnership with the company's civils and piling teams to deliver embankment stabilisation works on the East Coast Main Line for Network Rail.

The work is taking place at Potters Bar in Hertfordshire as part of the LNE Civils Framework Contract that May Gurney has held since 1997.

The proposed solution comprises the installation of 1100 CFA (Continuous Flight Auger) piles, which will provide the foundation for a 660m reinforced concrete wall. The wall will enable the regrading of the embankment, and additional engineering fill will be added to provide further stability.

However, Network Rail and May Gurney are also investigating an option to use of gabion baskets at either end of the scheme, and thus reduce the number of piles required. The benefit of this approach is the relative ease of installation close to the operational railway, which would remove the need for extensive track possessions.

The scheme design was initially prepared by Donaldson Associates and is now being managed by May Gurney's in-house design team. As the project progresses the design and delivery teams will work closely together to identify further project enhancements that will deliver efficiencies for Network Rail.

More than 30 slow worms that were residing on the embankment have been captured and temporarily re-located by specialist contractors, Pearce Environment, working closely with the project team and Rail Services' Environmental Manager, Craig O'Brien.

May Gurney is working with the Environment Agency to agree a replanting scheme for the embankment on completion, which is scheduled for January 2007.