Landmark Engineering Projects on the UK Railway Network

Complete multidisciplinary engineering for replacing the critical DCL/56 bridge over the flood-prone River Cherwell. Deliverables included Structures Form A and Form B, AFC drawings, Permanent Way GRIP 4/5 track alignment integration, and geotechnical GIR/GDR reports.

Engineering Challenge & Solution: Piles met unexpected refusal early during installation; FJD re-engineered the foundation capacity in real time, liaising with CAT 3 checkers without delaying the blockade. Supported Environment Agency flood modelling and resolved all site TQs within 72 hours. The 240-tonne deck was smoothly installed using two rail-mounted Kirow cranes.

Engineering support for the major multi-million-pound refurbishment of Brunel's iconic transport hub. Involved from early development conducting visual defect inspections, intrusive undercroft surveys, and structural integrity assessments.

Engineering Challenge & Solution: Proved operational platform load capacity for heavy temporary works using finite element analysis on the supporting historical brick arches. Sited customer information, telecoms, and temporary lighting within federated 3D BIM models to eliminate shadow corridors. Designed a sympathetic catalogue of reusable structural repairs for ornate cast-iron and severe steel section loss discovered during blast cleaning.

Detailed design of canopy-mounted signal structures for curved, bidirectional platforms at the UK's busiest interchange outside London.

Engineering Challenge & Solution: Extreme platform curvature and opposing train movements created severe signal sighting risks. FJD developed overlapping multi-scenario CAD sighting models, creating a standardised structural bracket design that served as the blueprint for 75% of canopy structures, accelerating fabrication and installation.

Civil engineering design for the landmark Thameslink upgrade enabling cross-London high-capacity services.

Engineering Challenge & Solution: Designed signal gantries, ground signal posts, relocatable equipment buildings (REBs), location cabinets, and HV cable troughs across congested urban rail corridors. Standardised repetitive asset types to save substantial manufacturing cost and provided dedicated engineering staff secondments to lead design integration in Bentley ProjectWise.

Replacement of a life-expired wrought-iron lattice footbridge across two operational railway tracks connecting Whitacre Heath to green-space footpaths.

Engineering Challenge & Solution: Rather than replacing like-for-like with high-maintenance painted steel, FJD designed an innovative precast concrete half-through deck with integrated precast stairs—believed to be a first on Network Rail. Evaluated ground bearing capacity to take the heavier deck, achieving a 120-year design life, minimal lifecycle carbon, and passive provision for future 25kV electrification.

Multidisciplinary design upgrading Colchester Depot for Greater Anglia's high-efficiency train fleet.

Engineering Challenge & Solution: Civils engineered foundations for fuel and AdBlue tanks with emergency spill interceptors. Geotech designed a 5-track guided auger-bored UTX with ground improvement. M&E delivered electrical, CET, and compliant lighting across DSEAR Zone 1 hazardous areas, coupled with UK Power Networks DNO applications for a new 400A cubicle.

Multidisciplinary design across South Wales to upgrade line capacity, rolling stock, and passenger facilities for Transport for Wales.

Engineering Challenge & Solution: Designed station redevelopments including foundations, platform overlays for level boarding, new footbridges with DDA ramps, and traction substation foundations. Carried out CAT 3 checks on horizontal directional drilled (HDD) undertrack crossings and delivered federated 3D BIM models for stakeholder review.

Exposing and rigorously assessing hidden critical loadbearing elements of footbridges and canopies across 61 stations.

Engineering Challenge & Solution: At Cardiff Queen Street, identified severe column distress prompting immediate Emergency Repair Responses. At Grade II* listed Chester Station, discovered complete web section loss on platform I-section columns; devised rapid emergency propping schemes and conducted a global canopy stability analysis to keep the operational railway running safely.

Detailed design of a modular platform overlay system modifying platform copers without intrusive structural modifications to the operational platform wall. Evaluated cross-falls, stepping distances, and bespoke fabrication details to enable DDA step-free level boarding for TfW's new rolling stock fleet.

Replacing temporary 110V lighting on platforms structurally unable to support standard lighting columns. Devised an intelligent, low-level handrail-mounted LED system eliminating driver glare while achieving 87% financial savings and full Network Rail emergency compliance.

Lead civil design for converting a single-platform halt into an accessible two-platform station. Designed foundations, platform extensions, the new Up platform, step-free ramps, and footbridge integration via federated 3D BIM models.

Under-track crossing beneath two lines on a steep embankment tying into a reception pit. Reused an existing precast culvert design at a calculated slope that met Network Rail depth standards while remaining shallow enough for proprietary temporary shoring, eliminating constructability risks.

Structural repair of bridge SPC7/8 whose route availability was impaired by bearing defects. Devised complex steelwork repairs without bridge jacking, reviewed foundation scour to avoid substantial underwater remediation, and staged all works during weekend/night possessions.

Electrical and civil design for modified maintenance walkways supporting new rolling stock. Designed 1.5 km of concrete/GRP maintenance walkways, track crossings, and low-level bollard lighting delivered from initial site survey to approved drawings in four weeks.

Temporary cable diversion works for bridge re-waterproofing. Designed a lightweight, non-conductive GRP tubing support that designed out induced current risks from overhead OLE lines while maintaining passing train clearance envelopes. The low-carbon modular design was subsequently re-used on River Trent viaduct works.

Complete engineering design for 2 × 120 kW DC superchargers. M&E performed electrical load analyses, cable calculations, and selectivity studies under BS 7671, while Civils designed structural plinths and foundations for the chargers and feeder pillars.