News and Press

Keltbray has begun major deconstruction works at Blackfriars for Balfour Beatty as part of Network Rail’s programme to build the first ever railway station to span the River Thames.

Keltbray’s part in the £350m redevelopment includes the deconstruction of the existing station roof, platforms, ticket hall and associated walls and structures. Work is taking place overnight but a substantial portion involves several large-scale possessions. These included weekend possessions at the end of November 2009 involving the removal of several 24 tonne sections of the existing station deck using a 500 tonne mobile crane; and from Christmas Eve through to Boxing Day to enable a major bridge slide to take place, where the largest steel section removed weighed some 56 tonnes. On-time completion meant that other contractors were able to complete this highly complex job in time to restart services for New Years Eve.

Additionally the new basements at Blackfriars station are being formed from secant pile walls. During the tender process Keltbray proposed the use of a steel piling platform to provide access to the piling contractor whilst demolition and enabling works progressed. The piling platform was designed by Keltbray’s in-house engineering practice Wentworth House Partnership to support the Casagrande C600 rig, mobile crane and materials. Wentworth House Partnership made use of the existing storey-deep transfer girders and Vierendeel truss that had supported the old building over the live London Underground tracks. The designed steel frame took the loads back to existing structures and was installed by Keltbray to allow piling to commence.