Page 15 - Sisk News August 2017

Devon golf club and railway station back in full swing once again
Separating the 18th hole of Dawlish Warren Golf Club
with the seaward platform
of the town’s railway station, the boundary protected rail travellers from rogue golf balls and a steep drop below.
This was until Storm Doris hit the UK in February 2017 with winds of up to 90mph, resulting in the 20-year-old fence to fall, taking a telegraph pole with it and closing the nal green on the course.
Sisk Rail were initially called on a two-hour response to make repairs to the fence, however it quickly transpired that a site plan, design and strategy needed to be implemented.
Our Solution
Working in partnership with Network
Rail and the golf club, we removed the damaged fence, closed half of the platform in question - as the only edge protection was a temporary barrier put in place to protect Sisk workers - and, as a priority, worked with designers to formulate a new structure following pull tests on
the wall it was to be xed to. The nal proposal for the £200,000 project was then authorised by Network Rail.
The new fence consisted of 57 steel uprights, with a net mesh tted to the whole height of the construction. The platform side of the structure has the
more traditional handrail, along with intermediate handrails and kickboard nish using treated timbers, backed with a weld mesh.
The majority of works, undertaken on the scaffold or closed section of the platform, were completed whilst passengers still used the station and the rest of the golf course remained open with a temporary 18th hole placed near to the club house.
The installation of the steel fence
uprights, however, had to be carried out overnight when the railway line was under engineering possession and there were no trains running, due to the size and weight of the materials.
Challenges Faced
There were various constraints for Sisk Rail whilst undertaking the job, with a nearby bridge too small to allow site traf c through to the project. We utilised a long-reach HIAB lorry which travelled to site via the emergency access route across the line.
Movement of the vehicle, along with welfare facilities and deliveries etc, was organised in conjunction with the Network Rail Mobile Operations Manager and
Duty Signallers to temporarily close the line each time. Their services were called upon numerous times as return trips were also made.
Through close liaison with the golf club owners, regard was also given to the prevention of damage to the playing surface of the valued 18th green, with speci c authorised walking routes enforced and a scaffold erected course- side of the construction. Access on the
shortened grass was only undertaken when absolutely necessary.
In addition, 24-hour security was installed to prevent pedestrian access to the closed section of the platform.
Time Critical Delivery
Meeting the needs of the railway station, Network Rail, train operator GWR and the travelling public, along with staff and members of the only links golf course
in south Devon, was crucial. We were conscious our works and the closure of half of the platform could cause disruption for the travelling public on a main line that has had more than its fair share of problems caused by the weather in the past.
With this in mind, it was necessary for the station to be fully operational with full- length platforms by 27 May 2017, the start of the summer timetable when longer trains are reintroduced.
The project was successfully completed two weeks early, allowing for the station to be back on track with an easy transition to the new schedule for Network Rail, GWR and station staff.
Commenting on the project, Mike Benson, Possession Planner, said: “The team is delighted we’ve nished two weeks early, meaning operations at the station could resume well in time for the expected higher footfall.
“Completing the works ahead of schedule was also a relief for the golf club, who held an ‘Open Tournament’ at the course on Saturday 13 May when it was fully open again, which was well patronised by both visitors and members.”
Steve Beggs, Network Rail’s Site Manager on the project, added: “From the initial two- hour call out, Sisk Rail was extremely proactive in ensuring the immediate safety issues were addressed and ensured the agreed course of action was safely carried out and delivered.
“As always I am very grateful to Sisk Rail’s site teams’ efforts, ensuring another safe and well managed project for Network Rail.”
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