Project Challenge

Bam Nuttall commissioned Lanes Group’s Rail Division to survey nearly 2km of track drainage on the Brighton Main Line in 10 hours, in support of work to improve drainage in a nearby tunnel. The project required careful planning and perfect implementation to ensure it could be completed in the time window available.

Lanes Group Challenge

As the culvert was located 2,000m away from the nearest road, conventional jet vac tankers would not suffice as they could not cross the boggy and unstable land. The distance was too great to consider the option of an extended jet vac hose run too. Therefore, the team deployed one of our trailer-mounted off-road jet vac units that are towed by a large agricultural tractor. This unit has a 3,000 gallon tank, 75 gallons per minute jetting capacity and 1,200 cubic feet per minute suction power.

Client benefits

• Lanes Group mobilised four CCTV drainage teams, all highly experienced and fully qualified for working on railway lines.
• Experienced rail maintenance project managers and supervisors ensured the work was completed successfully, to a high standard.

Client’s view

Lanes Group did a good job. Their detailed report will allow us to assess the condition of the wider track drainage system, and its ability to handle changes in flow rates expected as a result of the tunnel improvement work. The drainage survey will also be used by Network Rail to plan ongoing track maintenance.
Allan Roberts – Site Agent, Bam Nuttall

The project

Lanes Group put together a team of 16 drainage engineers to carry out the CCTV drainage surveys on the Brighton Main Line north of Haywards Heath Station.

Bam Nuttall was replacing defective track drainage in the Haywards Heath Tunnel, and needed to assess the impact of the work on track drainage downstream of the location. The clay drainage pipes being surveyed were 200mm and 450mm in diameter, and located in the cess either side of the track, along a 1km section of the line.

Four mainline CCTV camera teams were deployed to carry out the survey. Two teams worked their way down the track, and the other two worked up it, so they met in the middle. It was the quickest and most effective way to cover that amount of track drainage in the allotted time.

The drainage lines had been cleaned over the Christmas period and were still largely clear, so survey video footage and data could be collected for a substantial proportion of the system.

Lanes Group Rail Division, based in Rainham, Essex, has many years’ experience providing drainage and maintenance services for London Underground. It is now carrying out an increasing volume of specialist drainage work for tier one contractors on Network Rail assets.