Crossrail, Farringdon Station

Overview

Vision Survey are working in partnership with Team BFK on the Crossrail Project at Farringdon. Our works have covered the improvements on the existing internal stations, utility diversions, and tunnelling works.

The construction of Crossrail’s Farringdon station was one of the most complex elements of an overall £16 billion project. The contract included the construction of the station, tunnels, fit out and mechanical & electrical installation. The scope included two ticket hall structures, two combined platform tunnels, cross passages, and escalators.

Vision was an integral part of the Utilities Division on this project, working directly for Team BFK, an amalgamation of the three major construction companies, BAM Nuttall, Ferrovial, and Kier. We were instrumental in implementing and managing a safe system of work for excavations, using our Permit Control procedure. Throughout the life of the project, there were no reported service strikes.

Our main focus was based on the replacement of major water mains pipes affected by tunnelling works as well as other utility services including gas that were also at risk from these works.

Along with the above Vision was tasked with general site setting out, survey control establishment and As-Built Surveys within the main station area and tunnels.

Methodology

Below, you will see a synopsis of the various services provided on this project:

Pre-Construction Phase:

• Obtain all statutory service information.
• Carry out a full utility and topographic survey of the entire construction site.
• Produce CAD model containing all information.
• Introduce and implement a Permit Control procedure.
• Installation of survey controls.

Construction Phase:

• Prepare permits for works to be undertaken, to include the latest utility drawings.
• Brief all operatives involved in excavation works and issue/close permits as required.
• Oversee all excavation works as required.
• Service locator continually re-marks and scans the ground ahead of work-force for the entirety of excavation works and acts as a single point of contact for all service-related issues.
• Real-time updating of SME/CCM files.
• Completing As-Built surveys and Setting-out as required throughout the project

Post construction:

• Handover as-built data for inclusion in the Health & Safety File.
• Undertake a Post Project Review and compile a Lessons Learnt Report to allow for improvement to be made to Vision’s best working practice.
• Completing As-Built surveys and Setting-out as required throughout the project
• Installation of survey controls.

Client Endorsement

Vision Survey Ltd provided surveyors who undertook and provided all the existing stats information. Their Permit-to-Dig Controller remained on site throughout all the excavation works. Throughout the entire project, in both areas, which contained HV /LV Cables, Gas mains, District Water Mains, FO routes, existing lead service connections, BT chambers and international BT routes, not one service was broken or damaged in 2 years of excavation and the laying of over 600m of new water mains on major arterial traffic routes.

If it was not for the professional approach that Vision Survey had provided, encamped and fully integrated within the BFK team and our sub-contractors this would never have worked and certainly there may have been damage to some Utilities and more importantly possible injury to our Operatives. This is a lessons learned process that has been welcomed across the project at Farringdon and has also been embraced by Crossrail.

Steve Woodger – Utilities PM, Team BFK