Capital Delivery Projects in the Rail Sector

Capital delivery projects are large-scale undertakings that involve construction work, heavy machinery and teams of professionals. The rail industry is no stranger to these projects, with examples of capital delivery projects typically involving the building or expansion of rail terminals, new rail lines, and the reinforcing and maintenance of existing tracks. The rail sector spends billions on capital delivery projects each year, with government-owned Network Rail spending over £7.1bn on maintaining, renewing and enhancing their infrastructure and trains in 2018.

At UKDN Waterflow, we specialise in facilitating these major infrastructure projects, enabling rail networks across the country to operate safely and effectively. Our work ranges from geotechnical work; surveying and mapping the landscapes upon which rail tracks are to be built to ensure their safety, to practical work; implementing technical drainage and waterways solutions which allow train tracks to deal with large volumes of surface water.

If you’re looking for a solution to a major capital delivery project-problem, or have a specific query in mind that you require assistance with, contact our experts. Otherwise, read on to learn more about the range of professional services we offer to support with capital delivery projects, and the common types of problems that often occur during these projects. For day-to-day rail depot maintenance and drainage work, visit our Delivery Units page.

Our Track Drainage Services

Track Drainage is a large part of capital delivery work. Please scroll further down if you’re looking for surveying/mapping/investigation and practical project work, otherwise our track drainage services include:

Track Drainage Installation

We install a full range of track-drainage structures; including Under Track Crossing (UTX) Chambers and culvert drains below tracks. We also install the full range of drainage elements that make up a track drainage system; ranging from crest drains and cascades to toe drains.

Track Drainage Repair, Replacement and Rehabilitation

As well as installing track drainage solutions, we also repair, replace and rehabilitate the full spectrum of rail-related drainage solutions to ensure that train services run smoothly.

Our Full Range of On-Track and Off-Track Services

CCTV Survey Works (on and off track assets)

Whether identifying the cause of a problem affecting a rail track or conducting a general health-check, CCTV surveys are an effective way of completing this objectively and remotely, posing no risk to operatives. Read more about how this applies to drainage surveys.

GIS Mapping

Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping uses data drawn from a database to populate a map; creating a visual representation that enables the graphical mapping of a location.

Ingress Water Investigation

Sometimes water can enter into a chamber, building or structure- compromising its stability. We offer ingress water investigation to ensure that rail equipment and infrastructure can be operated upon safely.

Sewer Investigation

Blockages from debris, dirt or trapped waste are the most common problems associated with sewers. We are able to efficiently survey and identify the exact cause of sewer issues, before recommending steps to correct them which can prevent disruption to rail services.

Topographical Surveys

Topographical surveys are a highly effective tool for understanding the physical arrangement of a landscape before building work starts. In capital delivery projects conducting these surveys properly is essential to the planning process, and can avoid requiring significant re-builds later down the line.

Asset Condition Surveys

Examples of rail assets include tracks, depots and repair facilities. Surveying these can ensure their structural stability and identify potential dangers hidden on rail tracks.

Connectivity Surveys

Connectivity surveys manifest as a plan of a drainage network; identifying key places in which drains connect alongside any inlet and outlet points.

Tracing & Sonding Work

Understanding the drainage landscape below ground-level is a precursor to undertaking building and development work. Sewer tracing equipment and sondes achieve exactly this and use radio detection technology from ground level.

CAD Services

Computer Aided Design (CAD) services utilise software to generate advanced designs that can visually represent a construction project within capital delivery.

Design Services

Often utilising a mixture of computer software and manual design processes, UKDN Waterflow design services are an essential part of the planning process for capital delivery projects.

Cleaning Services

Cleaning and maintaining drainage and waterways structures and devices associated with the rail sector is essential to maintaining their smooth operation. Our suite of specialised tools makes us well-equipped to deliver cleaning solutions.

High Pressure Jetting Works

Jetting is an efficient way of removing ingrained dirt, silt, mud or residual waste from a structure.

Remote Reel

Remote reels allow for water to be pumped over a significant distance. Sometimes drainage chambers are inaccessible to a standard jet hose used from surface level, and so a remote reel enables effective cleaning in hard to reach places. Remote reels are often used on rail assets in rural locations.

Ditch Clearance

Ditch cleaning machines are capable of cleaning vast areas of ditch without damaging or removing soil. This is useful for tackling any debris or litter collected around a ditch running alongside a rail track, which maintains a stable flow of water and prevents build-ups.

Tractor Vactor

Jet vacuuming systems are powerful solutions for cleaning large drains, however our tractor vactor systems make this technology portable, enabling it to access difficult-to-reach drains within off-road locations.

Catch Pit Cleaning

Catch pits are chambers built into a drainage system which literally ‘catch’ debris and solids running along a drainage pipe. These must be cleaned regularly to prevent a build-up, and are often located beneath train tracks – where a large volume of surface water is collected and transported by drainage systems. Learn more about how Catch Pits work.

Culvert Rehabilitation

Culverts can carry water ranging from a small stream, to large volumes of open drain water. Our rehabilitation of these structures utilises advanced repair techniques such as UV lining technology. We then make structural reinforcements to the culvert by using glass woven fibre liners – the strongest type of liner.

UV Lining

Our cutting edge UV lining techniques enable our engineers to identify problems and conduct repairs within drainage pipes without having to dig up large sections of land. This technology streamlines the drain repair process, making significant savings in terms of time and resource.

Pipe Liner Perforating

Perforating, or piercing a hole in a pipe liner, is a good practical solution for tackling large volumes of residual silt and dirt within a drainage pipe.

Localised CIPP Patch Lining

CIPP (Cured in Place Pipe) patch lining is a cost-effective method for repairing isolated defects within a length of pipe. This type of ‘do no dig technology’ is highly effective, and causes minimal disruption to the area around a pipe as it requires no heavy machinery.

Excavation Repairs

Sometimes caused by moving tree roots or unstable ground, collapsed drains and sewers require excavation work. This work involves heavy machinery, and may need to be carried out quickly to prevent pollution spreading into the environment around the point of collapse.

Spot Repairs

Spot repairs are an effective solution for repairing small holes within a drain or pipe line. They are typically used on holes up to 100mm in length, and are a fast and cost-effective way of treating damage to a drain.

Roof/Fat/Concrete Cutting

Waste and debris that finds its way into sewage systems can build up and cause a blockage. Often fat and grease accompanies this waste, causing it to congeal into a large mass before solidifying over time. When such a blockage occurs, heavy machinery is needed to cut through the blockage and save the drain, which is where our professional cutting services come in at UKDN Waterflow.

Other stubborn and hard to remove blockages include root ingresses and concrete spills.

Sewer Repairs

Through either gradual or heavy usage over a period of year, or unexpected incidents such as ground or tree movements, sewers can sustain damage. We specialise in sewer repairs; using state of the art CCTV technology to identify and solve any problems associated with sewers.

Ditch Re-profiling

Using diggers we can re-profile ditches; clearing them of debris and ensuring that they are of sufficient depth and stability to carry away water without the risk of flooding or disruption to a rail line.

Concrete Canvas Ditch Installation and Design

We utilise Concrete Canvas™ technology to provide a fast concrete ditch installation solution. In one hour, we’re able to lay down 400m² of concrete, which can enable use of a range of highly effective drainage solutions.

Smart Ditch Installation and Design

UV resistant high-density polyethylene resin is the unique quality in a SmartDitch™ channel lining system. This ditch style features a corrugated design which regulates the flow of water from flat to steep grades, maintaining stable drainage and flow patterns. Contact us if you’re unsure which ditch solution would best suit your needs, or require professional installation.

Culvert Grouting & Repair Services

If a culvert becomes damaged from corrosion or debris over time, often a new pipe lining is a desirable repair option, being much cheaper than replacing an entire culvert. Grouting of the existing culvert improves the chances of installing a new pipe successfully, and is highly technical work. We often create a grouting plan; identifying how best to install grout and using pressurised grout injections where appropriate.

Embankment Regrading

Embankment regrading is a popular piece of geotechnical work. It involves moving sometimes large quantities of earth to prevent a river from flooding an area. Sometimes embankments collapse under the stress of extreme weather conditions, in which case we assess the structural stability of an embankment and river before implementing a solution by either transporting earth, or using filler material to create an artificial wall.

Cutting Re-profiling

When root ingress causes structural damage to a drain or culvert, we undergo a rehabilitation process utilising pressure-based units which operate at 10000psi. This process cuts root ingress from the affected drain or culvert.

Troughing Repairs

Rail infrastructure is often accompanied by power cables, signalling equipment and telecommunications lines. When heavy-duty upgrade or repair work is conducted, these cables require protection from machinery, which is where troughs come in. We’re no stranger to troughing at UKDN Waterflow; we use a mixture of galvanised steel and timber troughs to protect wiring and power lines, allowing rail workers to operate safely.

UTX Installation Works

Under Track Crossing (UTX) involves creating space beneath a rail line which allows cables to safely cross the line. This modern building method is widely used by Network Rail, and has proven to be a popular alternative to over-line wiring, which is at the mercy of extreme weather conditions.

Headwalls Repairs

Headwalls allow pipes to be installed in difficult-to-reach areas. Alongside them, safety grates, handrails and flap valves can be installed to provide extra utility.

Handrail Installation

Handrails are an important safety advice that enable members of the public to move around a train station safely. They require some surprising considerations; ranging from the type of super-durable material used and its thickness to their colour and aesthetic.