A complex £3.4 million project which saw the Tyne and Wear Metro Prudhoe Street junction completely renewed in the tunnels underneath Newcastle City Centre has won the Project of the Year category at the Global Light Rail Awards.
Nexus won the award jointly with contractors Smart Trax Rail Ltd for this important project which saw the junction renewed over two weekends last spring. It was described as the most complex replacement of track Nexus has ever completed because of its location in the tunnels. The junction usually sees 400 trains a day and is the busiest junction on the network.
Stuart Clarke, Nexus’ Infrastructure Director, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to win project of the year alongside Smart Trax Rail for this major scheme of works that we carried out in the iconic Metro tunnels beneath Newcastle.
“The award is recognition for the meticulous planning and execution of what was a very complicated project to replace Metro’s busiest junction between Haymarket and Monument.
“It was a challenging place to work, and the method was not one that we had attempted before, but it all worked brilliantly, and we were able to complete the works in just two weekends, ensuring that disruption was kept to a minimum.
“We’ve completed track refurbishment schemes on the Prudhoe Street crossover in recent years, but this was a full renewal, which involved much more work, particularly as we had to pump wet concrete down to the tunnel floor from the street level above.
“The works ensured that a key part of Metro’s infrastructure has been future proofed for many years to come. Well done to everyone who worked so hard on the project.”
During the works the concrete bed was completely replaced with the old track junction (made in 1974) removed before fresh concrete was pumped 150 metres down to the site. The new track junction was then taken into the tunnels in sections and carefully fitted into place. The weekend work also saw overhead line adjustments, drainage improvements, signalling upgrades, commissioning and testing with it all completed in time for reopening as planned.