Aggregate Industries secure high-speed rail project

Company wins contract to supply and lay materials at new National College for High Speed Rail

AGGREGATE Industries have further demonstrated their capabilities in the rail sector with their recent work at the National College for High Speed Rail (NCHSR).

Due to open in September 2017, the NCHSR, located at Doncaster’s Lakeside Campus, will comprise around 76,000 square feet of teaching and workshop space.

Together with another site at Birmingham’s Science Park, the college will train thousands of apprentice engineers to meet the HS2 and future rail needs by providing a real, hands-on experience for those involved in high-speed rail projects.

Aligned to its hands-on learning ethos, the college will boast 150m of rail track that will allow students to learn how to place concrete slab track, all of which is being fitted by leading rail group Rhomberg Sersa.

Aggregate Industries recently secured the contract to supply and lay 100 tonnes of aggregate base material and 150 tonnes of asphalt required for the track-bed foundation.

Key to securing the contract was the company’s ability to develop a special high-grade asphalt solution that would exceed the acute and exacting requirements of high-speed rail applications.

Aggregate Industries’ Contracting division carried out the works using non-tipping trucks, due to the track being under cover.

The company will also provide the rail ballast for students to learn conventional track-laying techniques at both the Doncaster and Birmingham sites.

Chris Kearns of Rhomberg Sersa explained why the level of accuracy required for high-speed railway projects is unparalleled: ‘In terms of the asphalt, it is vital that the thickness, density and strength of the material meet the exact specification required for the track parameter.

‘Unlike standard highways and roads, any slight track deviation with trains travelling at anywhere up to 250 miles/h can have huge repercussions.

‘Aggregate Industries, with their vast experience of delivering innovative solutions and laying high-quality asphalt surfacing in rail, were the obvious choice. The team really did go above and beyond the call of duty in meeting our brief and we were suitably impressed.’

Chris Withers, business development manager for major projects at Aggregate Industries, commented: ‘We are pleased that our unique capability has been recognized in securing this work.

‘Specification in high-speed rail applications is a challenge, but as a business with extensive experience of providing and installing asphalt on road projects, we were able to develop further to include track-supporting layers on high speed-rail projects.’