Network Rail’s restoration of the Whaley Bridge Station Waiting Room was completed in Autumn last year. Work then began on Phase One of the Buxton Platform project, which is intended to raise the level of the Buxton platform to allow easy access onto the trains. On the Manchester platform side, an Easy Access area has already been installed, and so at long last Whaley Bridge will have have platform facilities that can actually be used by all residents, rather than by just those Olympically fit and agile enough to navigate the huge gap between train and platform that was previously present!
Whaley Bridge Station
The raising of the Buxton platform has not been without difficulties, and foundation problems caused a redesign of the plans which delayed progress. However Phase One is now nearing completion and the first part of the Buxton platform has been raised and resurfaced.
Unfortunately, the ongoing work has resulted in problems of noise and inconvenience to a number of residents in the station’s vicinity at night; this because of Network Rails necessary working practices around a live Railway. The noise issue is being addressed and there is on-going consultation between High Peak Borough Council, Network Rail and the contractors, Story Rail, to try and mitigate against excessive noise overnight.
Phase 2 work on raising the level of the second half of the Buxton platform is now under way and will also include the refurbishment of the footbridge over the tracks. Work is due to finish at the end of June this year.
In addition to the works on the Station, some subsequent works to improve the carpark are also planned, though no schedule of work is available yet.
Buxton Platform work in progress - Jan 2012. The easy access ramp for the Manchester platform is in the foreground.
A schedule of the planned station works is shown below.
Whaley Bridge Station – Forward Programme of Works
Please note works will be carried out Monday to Thursday nights inclusive then Saturday and Sunday nights. At present no works will be carried out on Friday nights. (This may be subject to change to suit programme and railway timetabling requirements)
| Week Ending | Programmed Work Activities | Activity Potential for Increased Noise Levels | Noise Mitigation In Place |
| 27/04/12 | 1.Remove platform coping stones and commence bulk excavation of riser wall | High | 1.Dumper movements at night restricted to site. Materials to be stored in waste ground adjacent to railway access for final disposal during the day. 2.Reversing beepers and flashing lights disabled on dumpers3.Existing riser wall to be broken down with excavator bucket as opposed to hydraulic breaker |
| 2.Cutting of stone copers for reuse in the works | High | 1.Copers to be removed for cutting during the day | |
| 04/05/12 | 1.Carry out bulk excavation of platform for installation of new foundations | High | 1.Dumper movements at night restricted to site. Materials to be stored in waste ground adjacent to railway access for final disposal during the day. 2.Reversing beepers and flashing lights disabled on dumpers3.Existing riser wall to be broken down with excavator bucket as opposed to hydraulic breaker |
| 2.Install temporary track support | Low | ||
| 11/05/12 | 1.Install riser wall foundations | Medium | 1.Reversing beepers and flashing lights disabled on dumpers2.Considerate use of vibrating pokers / drills etc to be monitored. All plant to be turned off when not in use and screens for generators etc utilised where possible |
| 2.Rebuild riser wall | Low | 1.Materials brought into compound during the day to reduce plant movements from Whitley’s yard at night | |
| 3.Erect scaffolding for footbridge works | Low | 1.All operatives to be briefed on considerate working2.Plant to be switched off when not in use3.Erect scaffold through the day where possible. Some night time working is required due to erection over the railway | |
| 18/05/12 | 1.Rebuild riser wall | Low | 1.Materials brought into compound during the day to reduce plant movements from Whitley’s yard at night |
| 2.Mechanical preparation, painting and steelwork repairs to footbridge | High | 1.Encapsulation to scaffold to be used to reduce noise where possible. Consideration has been given to additional noise protection however the loading factors on the scaffold prevent this2.Where possible complete preparation, painting and repair works during the day / off site. This will be possible to bridge podiums with main span completed at night during possession of the railway | |
| 3.Backfill to riser wall | Medium | 1.Dumper movements at night restricted to site. Materials to be stored in waste ground adjacent to railway access for during the day for use at night where possible. Bulk tipped materials may still need to brought fromBridge Street. (Approx 10 dumper loads per night). This works will be mitigated and compacted in duration where possible2.Reversing beepers and flashing lights disabled on dumpers3. Use of wacker plates managed to mitigate noise where possible. Carry out all works in 1 go rather than sporadically throughout the night. | |
| 4. Surfacing works | Medium | 1. Use of wacker plates and rollers managed to mitigate noise where possible. This element of work is expected to take 1 night to complete | |
| 25/05/12 | 1.Rebuild riser wall | Low | 1.Materials brought into compound during the day to reduce plant movements from Whitley’s yard at night |
| 2.Mechanical preparation, painting and steelwork repairs to footbridge | High | 1.Encapsulation to scaffold to be used to reduce noise where possible. Consideration has been given to additional noise protection however the loading factors on the scaffold prevent this2.Where possible complete preparation, painting and repair works during the day / off site. This will be possible to bridge podiums with main span completed at night during possession of the railway | |
| 3.Backfill to riser wall | Medium | 1.Dumper movements at night restricted to site. Materials to be stored in waste ground adjacent to railway access for during the day for use at night where possible. Bulk tipped materials may still need to be brought fromBridge Street. (Approx 10 dumper loads per night). This works will be mitigated and compacted in duration where possible2.Reversing beepers and flashing lights disabled on dumpers3. Use of wacker plates managed to mitigate noise where possible. Carry out all works in 1 go rather than sporadically throughout the night. | |
| 01/06/12 | 1.Rebuild riser wall | Low | 1.Materials brought into compound during the day to reduce plant movements from Whitley’s yard at night |
| 2.Mechanical preparation, painting and steelwork repairs to footbridge | High | 1.Encapsulation to scaffold to be used to reduce noise where possible. Consideration has been given to additional noise protection however the loading factors on the scaffold prevent this2.Where possible complete preparation, painting and repair works during the day / off site. This will be possible to bridge podiums with main span completed at night during possession of the railway | |
| 3.Backfill to riser wall | Medium | 1.Dumper movements at night restricted to site. Materials to be stored in waste ground adjacent to railway access for during the day for use at night where possible. Bulk tipped materials may still need to brought fromBridge Street. (Approx 10 dumper loads per night). This works will be mitigated and compacted in duration where possible2.Reversing beepers and flashing lights disabled on dumpers3. Use of wacker plates managed to mitigate noise where possible. Carry out all works in 1 go rather than sporadically throughout the night. | |
| 4.Platform drainage and ducting works | Low | 1.Use of wacker plates managed to mitigate noise where possible. Carry out all works in 1 go rather than sporadically throughout the night.2. Materials brought into compound during the day to reduce plant movements from Whitley’s yard at night | |
| 08/06/12 | 1.Backfill to riser wall | Medium | 1.Dumper movements at night restricted to site. Materials to be stored in waste ground adjacent to railway access for during the day for use at night where possible. Bulk tipped materials may still need to brought fromBridge Street. (Approx 10 dumper loads per night). This works will be mitigated and compacted in duration where possible2.Reversing beepers and flashing lights disabled on dumpers3. Use of wacker plates managed to mitigate noise where possible. Carry out all works in 1 go rather than sporadically throughout the night. |
| 2.Platform drainage and ducting works | Low | 1.Use of wacker plates managed to mitigate noise where possible. Carry out all works in 1 go rather than sporadically throughout the night.2. Materials brought into compound during the day to reduce plant movements from Whitley’s yard at night | |
| 3. Surfacing works | Medium | 1. Use of wacker plates and rollers managed to mitigate noise where possible. This element of work is expected to take 1 night to complete | |
| 15/06/12 | 1.Removal of scaffold from footbridge | Low | 1.Carry out daytime working where possible |
| 22/06/12 | 1.Demobilise from site | Low | 1.Works carried out daytime working |
