The Stobart Rail Team has won this year’s Rail Team of the Year Award.
Will McMurray accepted the award on behalf of the team. The Rail Team of the Year Award is sponsored by CDI AndersElite.
In appalling weather the team helped complete a re-rail and weld project on 700 metres of the Manchester Metrolink in 51 hours – the only window of time available to them. The circumstances of the job changed and the team was able to work round this completing the job in time.
Team effort
Part of the Stobart Rail Group, the team, led by Will McMurray, had to remove and replace ballast, install continuous welded rail, new adjustment switches and a pair of insulated rail joints. They then had to tamp the ballast and stress the track over a distance of 975 metres.
Says Kirk Taylor, Managing Director of Stobart Rail, ‘As well as paying tribute to our Team this
Team of the Year triumph for Stobart Rail
possession would not have been the success it was without the attitude of Manchester Metrolink and the rapid response of Sky Blue Welding and their welders. This really was a Team Effort right throughout the Supply Chain.’
Level headed approach
Clive Pennington, Head of Engineering, Manchester Metrolink, paid tribute to the team’s level headed approach. ‘Stobart Rail successfully delivered the core works within a very demanding timeframe, both lead- in and delivery.
‘Despite unforeseen circumstances affecting key aspects of their supply chain they responded effectively by a reworking of their methodology just days before the core works began. Their level headed and proactive approach ensured the track was handed back on time at operational line speed.’
Says Tom O’Connor, managing director of the Rail Media Group, ‘The Stobart Rail Team’s ingenuity and efforts on a difficult job on the Manchester Metrolink demonstrates the resourcefulness and professionalism which underscores so much of the rail industry.
‘We congratulate the Stobart Rail Team on their achievement and wish all members of the team every continuing success in the future.’
Stobart Group Ltd, founded by Eddie Stobart, is a multi-modal freight and logistics transport operation with an involvement in railways and railway engineering. The group is headquartered in Carlisle, Cumbria.
Stobart Rail Infrastructure Engineering is one of the UK’s leading names in rail maintenance repair and improvement. Fully proactive, Stobart Rail holds a Network Rail Principal Contractor’s
Licence and Rail Plant Operating Company Licence and is continually working on earthworks, structures, permanent way, drainage and lineside infrastructure across the wider rail network.
The Rail Team of the Year Award is sponsored by CDI AndersElite
Says Scott Siwicki, Director of Strategic Accounts and Emerging Markets of CDI AndersElite, ‘We are delighted to be sponsoring Rail Team of the Year for a second year. We believe that by managing and being involved at all levels, our experienced team plays an active role in our clients’ supply and visibility on site, ensuring all staff services meet our high standards.
‘Our consultants here understand the importance of team work throughout the rail industry and, as such, we supply a large number of successful gangs to major contractors within the market. These teams work cohesively to help ensure delivery is on time and on budget.’
CDI AndersElite is a subsidiary of CDI Corporation, an integrated market-leading Engineering and Technology Services organisation providing differentiated client- focused solutions in select global industries.
Covering permanent, temporary and contract positions, CDI AndersElite is a specialist in resourcing and placing thousands of technical personnel equipped with good expertise and relevant knowledge across a wide range of Rail and Safety Critical clients. These include fulfilling the ever expanding demands of the national rail network, London Underground and many local transport providers.
Highly Commended
LNW Civils Framework Agreement Team
Martin White praised the joint Network Rail and Birse Rail LNW Civils Framework Agreement Team. ‘This nomination recognises 15 years of successful collaborative working between Network Rail and Birse Rail on the delivery of a wide range of structures maintenance and repair projects throughout London North Western territory, most recently through the LNW Civils Framework Agreement.
During this time the team has consistently delivered to the highest standards of safety with a proven track record of delivering complex multi-disciplinary schemes on time, within budget and with minimal disruption to the travelling public.
A truly integrated team that worked together to develop the best possible solution for each and
every project, the team continuously strived to develop new and innovative ways of working that offered the least disruption to passengers, minimised environmental impact and improved quality and cost efficiency.
Over the last 12 months the team successfully delivered 37 schemes which involved managing almost 700 possessions.
CEFA Earthworks Team
David Frost spoke of the strengths of the CEFA Earthworks Team. ‘The Earthworks team is a design by Steve Audley who was brought on board in 2009 as Business Manager for Earthworks when Amey Consulting won the national CEFA contract from Network Rail. The Earthwork aspect of this contract meant annual examinations and inspections of 35,000 railway embankments, cuttings and rock slopes, along with providing 24/7 on-call provisions for a rapid response to any earthwork failure within the UK.
Steve had to bring together a team of Engineering Geologists and Geotechnical Engineers in order to achieve the high output. Since 2009, the team has grown to 8 permanent Earthwork Examining Engineers located within each Network Rail territory, plus an additional 40+ reliable experienced examiners contracted in during the main exam season.
The team is highly regarded within Network Rail for its achievements over the last three seasons with many accolades having been received from members of Network Rail over that time.’
David added, ‘Only as a team have we been able to achieve so much, and, as a team, we will continue to achieve in the future.’
