VolkerFitzpatrick has marked a significant milestone at SEGRO Logistics Park Radlett with the successful installation of a major underbridge structure beneath the Midland Main railway line. This achievement, carried out on behalf of SEGRO, was completed over a nine-day period during the festive season when the railway line between London St Pancras and Bedford was closed for broader improvements.
The project required meticulous planning and coordination to meet the tight schedule of this initial phase. VolkerFitzpatrick spent nine months constructing the cast in-situ underbridge adjacent to the rail line. To move the 6,000-tonne pre-cast concrete structure into place, a unique and complex cabling system was built underneath it. This process involved cutting out a 60-meter section of track and removing approximately 12,000 cubic meters of soil from the 19th-century rail embankment. The cabling system then pulled the structure into place at a rate of about 4 meters per hour, followed by backfilling material around it and reinstating the track.
The underbridge is crucial for the construction of the logistics park and will facilitate a two-road rail line feed into a new rail terminal area as part of the wider Radlett Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) project. This state-of-the-art rail-connected logistics facility will be one of 20 in the UK and the only one serving the London area. Spanning approximately 1,000 acres, it will feature 335,000 square meters of advanced, sustainable logistics warehouse space, surrounded by 600 acres of managed woodland, conservation grazing, and a public country park.
Throughout the construction process, VolkerFitzpatrick has been committed to minimizing disruption to the surrounding community. Measures implemented include strict noise control protocols, dust suppression techniques, and maintaining clear communication channels with residents.
Paul Lilley VolkerFitzpatrick’s Divisional Director, Rail and Depots said
"This milestone marks a significant achievement for VolkerFitzpatrick and showcases our commitment to delivering complex infrastructure projects with precision and care.”
“With an unprecedented tight schedule to deliver over a nine day period, the successful installation of the underbridge is a testament to the teams meticulous planning, technical expertise, and the dedication. We are proud to contribute to a development that will leave a lasting positive impact on both the local community and the national supply chain.”
Charles Blake, Senior Director, at SEGRO, said: “The successful installation of the jack box is a critical first construction milestone in the development of the SRFI at SEGRO Logistics Park Radlett, and the result of months of meticulous planning, preparation and delivery to ensure it could be completed during the Christmas period when the railway was already scheduled to be closed.
“In the context of the wider development it is a relatively small component, but it is vitally important to ensuring that the freight terminal will be capable of operating by the time the first building has been constructed and reinforces our commitment to rail freight being at the heart of this development.”
This prestigious project marks a significant milestone in enhancing the UK's rail freight infrastructure, providing substantial benefits for the local economy and the national supply chain.
Image credit: FTI Consulting
