Construction of new Cambridge North Station delivered successfully
VolkerFitzpatrick recently completed work on the new Cambridge North Station, for Network Rail. The station’s first commuter services began on Monday 22 May.
Located next to Cambridge science and business parks, and the A14 and A10, the new station is anticipated to handle 3,000 passenger journeys a day. With a 4,843ft², footprint, Cambridge North features three platforms, along with parking for 450 cars and 1,000 bicycles. It has also been fitted with solar panels, providing up to 10 per cent of the station's power requirements. The original platform design called for ground improvements due to poor conditions. The team used a lightweight polystyrene backfill which required minimal ground preparation. This improved installation times, reduced the amount of possessions required and reduced the overall cost of the station.
VolkerFitzpatrick began construction in 2015, starting with the realignment of the underused Chesterton sidings which opened up the brownfield site for development. Over the two-year lifespan of the project, it has taken months of meticulous planning, 700,000 hours of labour and 11 successful possessions to build the station on the operational West Anglia Main Line.
VolkerFitzpatrick worked with two further VolkerWessels UK business units on the project.
VolkerRail delivered the rail systems work for the station, along with associated remodelling work of the old Chesterton sidings yard, as part of the CP5 Multifunctional Framework in Anglia.
VolkerHighways also worked on the new station, installing street lighting, ducting, cabling, signage and street furniture. In addition, VolkerHighways built the station’s two new car parks, along with a new plaza area and three new roads.
Richard Schofield, Network Rail’s route managing director for Anglia, said: “I'd like to say a special thanks to everyone who has worked hard to successfully deliver a new station for Cambridge. This station will transform the way people travel around Cambridge and help to deal with the ever growing passenger demands in the area."
Steve Balliston, project manager for VolkerFitzpatrick said: “It was good to demonstrate the depth of VolkerWessels UK’s capabilities to Network Rail, by working with our internal business units. The expansive knowledge and experience that they brought to site has been invaluable.”
To watch a video of the new Cambridge North Station, click here.