Plant construction challenges overcome at King's Cross
Tuesday, February 1 2005
The entire King's Cross area is currently undergoing massive regeneration with the Channel Tunnel Rail Link being extended into nearby St Pancras station. This is resulting in an extensive new build programme for the additional rail network with various rail lines, tunnels and viaducts being constructed.
IMAGE PHOTOGRAPH 1Figure 1: Initial building of the Tarmac ready-mixed plant within close proximity of the new Channel Tunnel viaducts.
In early 2003 Skako A/S was approached by both Tarmac Southern Ltd and Hanson Aggregates to tender for the supply of a turn-key ready-mixed concrete plant to replace their existing plants at King's Cross, London.
Construction challenges
The challenge was to build the new concrete production facilities while the rail network was being constructed and prior to the electrification of the overhead power lines which would restrict the use of cranes. The Tarmac plant was close to an existing live and operational rail line requiring all the method statements and lifting plans for the Tarmac project to be cleared by the rail authorities prior to the commencement of any lifting works. In the second quarter of 2004, the first construction works on the Tarmac plant began with the Hanson construction following a few weeks later.
