Page 17 - SISK NEWS JULY 2015

Platform alteration

Lympstone Commando Station

Lympstone Commando Station in Devon is quite The slabs were loaded in 26 minutes and the RRV
a unique place. It’s a rare example of a passenger departed for site 25 minutes ahead of schedule.
station not open to the general public as it’s
exclusively for the use of visitors to the Royal Marine 02.00: The first RRV turned up at Lympstone
Commando Training Centre. Commado Station 30 minutes later than programmed,
the first slab was removed and replaced easily.
However, it is the property of Network Rail, and in This was then repeated for the next four, the old
August 2014 we successfully tendered to replace 21 slabs loaded onto the trailer and taken to Exton for
precast concrete platform slabs and undertake repairs unloading. The second RRV then arrived at Lympstone
to the trestles on the platform. Commando, the first returned from Exton, and the
team were back on schedule. RRV 1 then started to
As you would expect, safety is the primary concern remove the remaining slabs and load the trailer, and
on a working railway line. To gain access we booked RRV 2 lay the new slabs. When all the slabs were
possessions with Network Rail twelve weeks in removed RRV 1 took them to Exton for unloading into
advance. This covered everything from our means of the compound.
communication, the isolations required, the number of
people on site and equipment that would be used. And 04.30: RRV 2 finished placing the slabs 90 minutes
six weeks in advance the order was placed with Rail ahead of programme.
Drainage Ltd who have their own rail plant user license
to operate rail-road vehicles (RRVs) in possessions. Steve Brimacombe, who managed the project so
successfully, said ‘This project had to run to a very tight
Network Rail required a minute by minute timeframe. The onsite team ensured that not only did
programme to reassure them that the work would we finish ahead of schedule, but on budget and to a
not overrun. This was supplied and provided the high specification. I’m sure the passengers at Lympstone
reassurance it could be done in one shift, with 1 hour Commando Station will appreciate all our efforts.’
11 minutes float time. The time frame was tight, and
here’s how the night played out:

22.00: On 7th March, the 21 strong team, along with
the road-rail vehicles, met at Exmouth access point.
Inductions and briefings were carried out and a
Controller of Site Safety was on hand to protect all
those involved whilst on railway. Four of the team
then went to Exton Station by road, unloaded all the
lights and small tools and placed them on hand trollies.
These were then pushed to Lympstone Command
Station by hand along the cycle path.

00.30: Possession was due to start.

00.45: We finally got permission to begin, 15 minutes
late. At Lympstone this meant erecting the lights,
breaking out the mortar joints to the existing slabs and
installing five sets of lifting eyes into the existing slabs.

00.50: Back at Exmouth the first RRV propelled
away from the access point so that the telehandler (a
forklift with telescopic reach) could pick up slaps and
load them on to the trailers. The RRV and trailer were
then coupled together. This took 20 minutes longer
than programmed.

01.45: The 1st RRV and loaded trailer left to go to
Lympstone Commando Station. This allowed the second
RRV and two trailers to get loaded with the remaining 16
slabs. As the track is only a single line it meant they had
to follow each other rather than work simultaneously.

Sisk News | July 2015 17