Home 9 Projects 9 Clacton Resignalling Project

Project Details

Date: 9 May 21
Categories: Rail
Client: Atkins
Duration23.07.2020 - 25.04.2021
Value: £1.6M

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Clacton Resignalling Project

The case study detailed below shows some of the breadth and depth of OSL’s capability.

Client Overview: “A single milestone hasn’t been missed on Clacton and if you go to the sites this has been done whilst maintaining very good, safe working practice. I think Clacton is a testament to that creativity and that ability that if we come together, use all of our brain power, good behaviours, good leadership on site and leadership on site we can keep moving with these vital projects and deliver for customers, even during COVID-19, and build back the economy” – Charles Newlands, Atkins, Director of Signalling and Telecom Operations.

Scope: OSL were the multidisciplinary Signalling Contractor for the delivery of the Clacton Resignalling works, including E&P Signalling Power, E&P Power/Points heating and lineside telecoms. OSL were also responsible for cable laying, terminations, installation, construction and installation of new signalling heads. The aim of the project was to install a new signalling system in the Clacton-on-Sea area to replace the Victorian equipment with modern technology, bringing it to the 21st century.  These works are a vital part of Network Rail’s strategy to provide a safer and more sustainable, efficient railway.

OSL have ‘baseline’ KPI’s for each project or work package we undertake, which are then tailored to ensure we deliver the best value for the client. An example for the Clacton project is shown. Whilst HSQE and risk mitigation is a priority – OSL also promote social value and ensure our project KPIs compliment the RSSB Social Value Tool, advocating for local community, education etc and factoring into our performance measures.

Covid 19 and collaboration: OSL and our collaborative partners began work in June 2020 at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Government guidance and rules were changing by the day and our main challenge was to ensure all parties on site were kept safe. Safety is our number one priority whatever the climate. The uncertainty also had the potential to affect our supply chain but by working together and with reactive, thorough resource and logistics management – the Clacton Resignalling Project remains on schedule, safe and efficient.   Due to our rapid response to the coronavirus pandemic, OSL were able to continue to facilities all the assigned works for the SMTH renewals, on time and safely.  Our response as a business gained us international praise following which OSL went on to be awarded a several large projects, in which we successfully navigated coronavirus on an international level.

Collaborative working of all parties is fundamental to the success of the Clacton Project. Collaboration is inherent within our organisational culture and our integrated ‘one team’ approach increases efficiency, supports solution orientated goals, and removes the possibility of conflict. We have promoted collaborative working throughout the project, whether this is OSL’s resource and travel team, ensuring those on site are in safe with Covid secure accommodation right through to our senior HSQE team who frequently visited site and advocate behavioural cultures to all parties.

Client feedback: “Clacton is another story that just shows that we can only deliver value for our customers if we all pull together. It is a story about integrating the supply chain, it is a story about integrating technology, it is a story about working closely with the industry partners to come up with the right logistics plan in terms of access and station operation that causes minimum disruption to passengers and users.” Boris Lucic, Network Rail’s Capital Delivery Director, Anglia.  “Timescales were very tight on this project and needed a different type of collaboration. The team has really set about having a joint approach of making sure that, when we find problems, we work collectively and quickly agree the solution and move forward. Rather than a commercial battle, an ongoing debate, it was a forum that we would use to look at issues and tackle them together and come up with the best solution” – Gary Green, Network Rail, Senior Programme Manager in Capital Delivery Anglia.