'Exciting' bid for Framework contract

Having held the National Rail Property Framework Contract for East Anglia for seven years, May Gurney has put together a competitive and exciting bid for two areas when the current Framework expires in March 2008.

The Framework was first awarded in 2000 for a three-year period. Now in its seventh year, it has been extended on three occasions. It originally covered East Anglia, but in 2006 the geographical area was widened to include Kent.

The contract is managed from May Gurney's offices in Stevenage, where Network Rail and May Gurney employees work side by side.

"Schemes covered by the Framework range from £200,000 maintenance projects to £2m complete station upgrades," explains Robert Russell, May Gurney Building Services Director. "Our responsibilities include developing outline design and initial target costs, then detailed design and a final target cost, and on approval building the project."

A typical project carried out under the Framework was the refurbishment of Clacton on Sea Station

A typical project carried out under the Framework earlier this year was the refurbishment of Clacton on Sea Station in Essex. With Clacton being a busy terminus station, logistics were always going to be challenging. Commuters and holiday makers restricted daytime working and train stabling and noise constraints due to nearby residential dwellings also meant restrictions during the night.

Like most railway structures of this period, the canopies covering the platforms and concourse were suffering from years of leaded paint build up and pigeon excrement - but with the work now complete the canopies are ready for another 25 years of service.

While May Gurney Building Services manages work carried out under the Framework, it regularly calls on other specialist services within the company including M&E, structural steel, Cartledge (for lighting) and the company's design team.

The two areas May Gurney has bid for this time round are: South East Anglia, South of England including SW, and Wales; and London NE, out from Kings Cross up to Newcastle and Scottish Borders.

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