Ore

The Ore Railway Tunnel, located in Hastings, is an integral part of the rail network that required urgent structural reinforcement due to extensive damage caused by water ingress though hidden shafts. The 10-meter section of the tunnel’s brickwork had suffered significant deformation, particularly in the crown, causing concern over the tunnel’s long-term stability. Network Rail. Supported by a joint venture between Volker Rail and Bam Nuttall, required a solution to strengthen this compromised section and prevent further deterioration, ensuring the tunnel could continue to safely serve the railway network.

The project faced several significant challenges:

• Tight timeline: The works needed to be completed on short notice within a strict deadline.
• Limited design information: Due to restricted access only partial design data was available, requiring rapid collaboration between teams to finalize the solution.
• Logistical complexities: The work had to be carried out in a challenging environment with limited access, requiring precise planning and coordination, including multiple teams working in parallel.

Additional hurdles included managing works on a live site while adhering to high health, safety and quality standards, with design changes and shared site access further complicating the project.

The Ore Railway Tunnel project was delivered successfully, despite the numerous challenges faced throughout the process:

• ON-TIME COMPLETION: The project was completed ahead of the accelerated schedule, even with tight deadlines and complex requirements.
• ZERO INCIDENTS: The project achieved zero safety issues, zero breakdowns, and zero non-conformances, demonstrating Shotcrete Services Ltd.’s commitment to high standards and safety.
• QUALITY CONTROL: The bespoke production of sprayed concrete from SSL batching plants ensured the highest quality of material, meeting mining safety standards and stringent project specifications.
• EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION: The team’s ability to collaborate closely with the client and other contractors, despite late design changes and site access delays, ensured that the works were completed to a high standard and with minimal disruption to other ongoing operations.