Jarvis wins National Transport Award for innovation

The Jarvis Rail project was named the Most Innovative Transport Project - Private/Voluntary Sector at the National Transport Awards in London.

There to pick up the award at the awards night were Pat McHale, Group Managing Director - Operations, David Robotham, Head of Delivery South, and Rick Thompson, Operations Director West Coast. Also joining the Jarvis team on stage was Frank Sierra, Network Rail's Rugby Project - Senior Project Manager.

The Polesworth project, completed in 2005, created a step-change in the industry by more than doubling the industry standard for track renewals completed in a single 54-hour possession. A combined total of 3,652 yards of track was renewed in the possession. The project was a collaborative effort between Network Rail and Jarvis Rail and used innovative technology - the Mole or Rapid Ballast Excavator (RBE) and the Slinger or Track Renewals System (TRS).

The Mole removed the requirement for many road rail excavators to carry out the excavation and left a high quality formation finish due to its laser alignment system. The Slinger was used to lay sleepers and rail for the fabrication of new 235-yard long panels – this operation was executed concurrently with the old track removal and excavation works. This was carried out at a remote site around two miles away from the worksite and the new panels were then transported to site two at a time by the Slinger and laid directly onto the prepared formation.

Chair of the Judging Panel, Professor David Begg said: ”The 2006 National Transport Awards are held in association with the Local Transport Planning Network and Transport Times. The awards celebrate the achievements of the transport industry and recognise transport initiatives which have made a difference.

“Jarvis Rail has set a benchmark for fast, efficient and safe track renewals using the Mole and Slinger replacing track on the West Coast Mainline at a rate more than double the industry standard. Polesworth is a truly innovative transport project.”

Jarvis’ Group Managing Director, Operations, Pat McHale said: “This is a fantastic achievement for the whole team involved in the design and implementation of the Accutrack process. The winning entry focused on the innovative Polesworth project undertaken on the West Coast Main Line, when for the first time a number of the Accutrack processes were fully implemented on one job.

“Working closely with the Network Rail team we managed to more than double the industry output for track renewals and hand the track back at line speed. The project made a real difference not only to Network Rail, in increasing efficiency and improving safety but to passengers who encountered the minimum disruption to their service. A huge well done and thanks to everyone involved.”

The award was announced and presented at an awards ceremony in London hosted by Professor David Begg, Director for The Centre for Transport Policy and Baroness Ros Scott, Chair of the Transport Committee. The evening was introduced by the Rt Hon Dr Stephen Ladyman MP, Minister of State for Transport and was attended by 750 high profile guests from the Transport industry.

On 27 June Accutrack also received a ‘highly commended’ in the Engineering category at the ‘Railway Industry Innovation Awards’ for 2006.

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