As the country moves out of lockdown, more of us will be using the rail network to travel back to work.
It’s therefore a good time to look back at our contribution to railway infrastructure projects here and abroad.
Internationally, we have been involved in railway projects in Hong Kong and Dubai.
For example, ten years ago, we supplied a range of our specialist systems for the Dubai Metro. At the time, it was the largest infrastructure project in Dubai for more than a decade.
The $6.6 billion Metro was the world’s largest automated driverless train system, with just under 75 km of magnetic track.
Four weeks
We supplied over 300 sq metres of curtain walling, fire-rated to 60 minutes of integrity and insulation.
Underlining our design innovation, the contract also included a number of fire-rated opening windows for one of the Metro’s main depots.
The contract timetable meant that design, manufacture, paint and packing had to be completed within four weeks of the order being placed.
This required Wrightstyle having to airfreight four tons of framing and nine tons of glass, with the balance following by sea freight.
Closer to home, we’ve been involved in railway infrastructure projects across the country. That’s included the restoration of the iconic frontage of King’s Cross Station in London.
Our work on the station’s ground floor archways had to conform to strict criteria laid down by English Heritage. Our systems also had to deal with very high traffic volumes.
We were also involved in other areas of the station, both externally and internally, and to provide a safe evacuation route from its main administrative areas.
Crossrail
Wrightstyle has also provided systems for six Crossrail stations. Those contracts underlined our expertise in the sector and reputation for quality.
The final Crossrail contract was for Paddington station. The other stations for which we supplied curtain walling were Bond Street, Farringdon, Liverpool Street, Whitechapel and Woolwich stations.
Last year, we were also appointed to design, supply and install fire rated screens to the new Tube station at Battersea Power Station. The project is part of the Northern Line Extension.
The new station will serve a mixed-use redevelopment of the iconic old power station. It will comprise shops, restaurants, bars, offices and residential accommodation, as well as existing communities.
“Our design expertise, and the unrivalled quality of our systems, are recognised worldwide. That’s nowhere more evident than in our track record in the transport sector,” said Chris Peters, Chief Design Manager.
