21.08.15
Contractors shortlisted for permanent Crossrail London depot
Four major contractors have been shortlisted for the £30m Crossrail train sidings depot at Plumstead, in south east London.
Vinci, Balfour Beatty, Alstom Transport UK and VolkerFitzpatrick are all bidding to build the 24-hour permanent facility that will mark the last major civil engineering project on the Crossrail works.
The contract will be awarded in June 2016, providing a one year gap before works start on site mid 2017.
The facility, which will provide infrastructure for maintenance rail vehicles, is due to be completed and operational in early 2019.
It includes three non-electrified sidings for maintenance trains, refuelling facilities, a maintenance building, staff accommodation, manual jet washing areas, and storage space. Crossrail estimates to employ around 200 staff for the new depot, including train drivers, cleaners, engineers and maintenance.
Crossrail already uses the White Hart Triangle site in Plumstead as a temporary railway depot, active between 2013 and 2017 to facilitate the installation of railway systems like tracks, signals and power cables along the length of the tunnels.
The temporary depot acts like a “logistical nerve centre” for the tunnelling phase of the project delivery.
When temporary works finish, Crossrail will convert the site into a permanent base from which the network can be maintained and where inactive trains can be stationed.