Rail bridge project of the year

This award seeks to recognise excellence in new build or major refurbishment rail bridge projects in the UK, over the last year.

Align JV
HS2 - C1

The Colne Valley Viaduct (CVV) is the most significant visible engineering feature of HS2 phase one. The project meets high technical, environmental, and operational requirements and architectural standards. The design celebrates engineering architecture and responds to the Colne Valley's changing landscape with spans and pier forms.The viaduct construction minimized environmental impacts by conserving habitats and reducing tree loss. Innovative materials were used, and the CVV exceeded the client's net zero 2030 target by achieving -51.8% carbon reduction. CVV's value for money is determined by its whole life cost, including initial capital cost and cost for operation, maintenance, and decommissioning.

Arcadis
Buxton Road Railway Bridge Reconstruction

Arcadis worked with Contractor Murphy to reconstruct a Grade II listed Victorian railway bridge over Buxton Road in Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire. The bridge dates from 1863, with a risk of a vehicle strike closing the bridge for good. Network Rail have been looking to replace this structure for 25-years. Arcadis designed a full replacement of the live spans and a refurbishment of the redundant ones whilst focusing the design towards Historic England’s emphasis on retaining as much fabric as possible. The team performed an extraordinary amount of innovative design work to ensure a safe installation in an incredibly restricted site.

Crouch Waterfall, Balfour Beatty Rail, Network Rail
Nuneham Viaduct

It's extremely unusual for a bridge like Nuneham to close with no design in place for its replacement or remediation. It is even more unusual for this to occur in an environment so challenging; with almost no access, working over water, saturated ground and challenging failure mechanisms in the existing structure. To have designed, procured, fabricated, installed and commissioned a solution in under 10 weeks with no significant missteps, while also adhering to design codes and assurance processes, is unheard of. This exceptionally challenging project represents the very best of what can be achieved with collaborative working and dedication.

EKFB JV (HS2)
Innovating for Modern Day Bridge Building in Britain

Thame Valley Viaduct demonstrates how Britain’s future bridge design can be both aesthetically pleasing for a natural environment and groundbreaking in modern-day engineering. This design is already paving the way for future viaduct design and build in the UK, which is influencing other bridges on the HS2 project, including the Edgcote Viaduct, which is being built in the same way. As well as being an engineering feat, it wouldn't have been possible without its project team driving for a better solution; the initial and ongoing collaboration between six organisations has created a world class bridge, right here in Buckinghamshire.

Network Rail
FLOW Footbridge

The Flow footbridge is an innovative new approach to building bridges. Using composite materials, it offers a lower cost, lighter weight quicker installed solution over the traditional steel bridges. The modular approach allows for low impact construction to minimise disruption, whilst the attractive open design offers a better experience for the community. The built in monitoring allows us to learn and evolve the design as well as transforming the on-going asset management, contributing to a much lower whole life cost.

OTB Engineering, Alun Griffiths, Shotcrete Services, Powys County Council, Welsh Government and Network Rail
Machynlleth Rail Arch

This project was driven by genuine desire to create a public good. And the persistence and shared will of a fully integrated multidisciplinary team. The Welsh Government and Powys Council invested in local connectivity. Network Rail made its asset available. Principal Contractor Alun Griffiths and designer OTB Engineering pursued an unusual engineering challenge where previous attempts had failed. Subcontractor Shotcrete Services and fabricator ISS delivered the design. Now, 414km of National Cycle Route 8, 1400km of the Welsh Coastal path, and North and South Machynlleth are connected, providing safe passage for walkers and cyclists and delivering the Active Travel agenda.

Pell Frischmann
Parkhead Viaduct Strengthening and Refurbishment

The locally significant Parkhead Viaduct near Dudley once carried the former Great Western Railway over the Pensnett and Dudley Canals and basins has been disused since 1993. The project brings this historic structure back into service for the West Midland Metro but also allows for the potential for heavy rail traffic to operate in the future. Through thorough investigations and a rigorous design review process, we applied sympathetic strengthening measures to retain the structure. Our reuse of the existing structure, sympathetic remedial work, and efficient use of additional material have resulted in a low-carbon low maintenance solution for our client.

Story Contracting
Ravenscraig Bridge

Story Contracting and Network Rail initiated innovative engineering works to provide a new underbridge on the West Coast Main Line Railway for North Lanarkshire Council with the aim of rejuvenating local land, boosting employment, and fostering regional connectivity. During the nine-day Easter 2023 blockade, 36,000t of railway embankment material was excavated to facilitate the installation of the 5,000T reinforced concrete bridge using a Self-Propelled Modular Transporter System, the largest bridge move of its kind. The project prioritized community benefits, with project staff volunteering 100 hours for the Simon Community Charity and providing 400 hours of work experience for local students.

Vinci Construction Grands Projets - Systra
Precast Segmental Viaducts

This entry demonstrated key acchievements in: 1) Cost efficiency, 2) Maximising sustainability, 3) Innovation through advanced methodologies, 4) And timeliness. The aforementioned are key to what has made our project a great success. VCGP has demonstrated through early intervention and ground-breaking methodologies, how to successfully implement precast segmental viaducts. VCGP's commitment to whole-life cost control includes durable design elements and standardized inspection points. Unprecedented efforts in staff upskilling and partnership with HS2 underscore the project's success. Our vision aims for 90% low-carbon concrete by 2030, demonstrated by ongoing R&D on HS2 for a greener construction future.