29/05/09 - £2.2 million scheme with Virgin Trains

Several years into a long standing relationship with Virgin Trains, Thomas Vale Construction’s ‘On Line’ Division are currently on site with their latest and most complex project for the train operating company to date.

 

Work commenced on the £2.2M scheme at London’s Euston Station in December 2008. The first phase, incorporating the extensive refurbishment of the large ticket office area was handed over earlier this year and has seen a dramatic increase in the stations capacity to process passengers. As one of the UK’s five busiest train stations the project has its own set of complex logistical challenges, not least the requirement to maintain normal level of operational activity. The successful completion of this phase hinged on the strong working relationships forged between station staff and Thomas Vale’s site team. Considerable out of hours work assisted in the achievement of completion within programme and, with the hard work and commitment of Thomas Vale’s Paul Bishop, Gary Bradley and Alan Parkes, a particularly high Considerate Constructors score was achieved in this extremely challenging environment.

The refurbishment of the existing first class lounge completed in May introducing bespoke furniture, wi fi technology, shower areas and a state of the art Bloomberg system for the use of Virgin passengers. Work continues on the remaining phases of the ticket office and a major upgrade to train crew accommodation, a requirement closely linked to Virgin’s ‘VHF’ (Very High Frequency) programme which has seen train numbers rise dramatically with a subsequent need for additional staff and improved employee facilities.

Contracts Manager Ian Bedworth commented:‘Having worked with Virgin Trains for a number of years on both a partnered and competitively tendered basis, in my opinion we have developed one of the best collaborative relationships I’ve experienced in my 25 years of contracting. We understand Virgin’s approach and have developed excellent methods to deliver their requirements within a live rail environment. With early project involvement we are able to get a firm grasp on the real needs of end users including passengers, station staff and train crew and can work together to make their needs a reality.’

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