How to Ensure Complex Works Always Fit Into Tight Possession Windows

For passengers and train operators, tight possession windows for completing essential works are always welcome. The constraints of shorter possessions leave the delivery team zero room for disconnects and surprises.

Success comes from a combination of ‘big picture’ factors like technology and collaborative planning, combined with some more basic attributes such as meticulous organisation and always considering the needs of the next person in the delivery chain.

The key considerations are always planning, resources and safety. A viable delivery plan can’t be built on incomplete information about the asset or the work site. Every information gap or assumption represents an unquantifiable risk to the schedule.

Detailed Surveys Need Access

Straight away, here’s a potential conflict. Detailed surveys need access to the asset, which could mean an additional closure. Before going down this route there are options to explore. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles can capture high-definition images that can be converted into point clouds and uploaded to CAD systems.

Sometimes it’s a question of being creative. For the project to strengthen the worn-out viaduct serving Lymington Pier Station, detailed survey work was carried out from floating pontoons equipped with flexible access platforms. This ensured safe access, allowed for the tidal range and removed the need to close the line.

FTE carried out the detailed survey to catalogue over 4600 components that needed to be replaced. Our engineers worked closely with the design team at Atkins and assessed the designs to make certain that all components could be manufactured and installed efficiently.

Meticulous Planning

Better planning and organisation ahead of time allow tight possession windows to be arranged with confidence. Raw materials were procured more than a month before the scheduled possession dates so that all components were fabricated and delivered to the site well ahead of the work starting.

We also worked closely with main contractor Octavius to refine the access arrangements: eliminating project risks and improving efficiency. Evaluation involved creating a trial worksite to demonstrate concerns with the original proposed arrangements.

So far we’ve looked at what we called the ‘big picture’ aspects of delivery. At a highly practical level FTE also ensured that every component was clearly labelled and packed in the sequence needed on site. Attention to detail and considering the needs of the installation team improved efficiency and helped ensure that the work was completed well before the blockade ended.

Simplifying project delivery through careful planning and intelligent integration of the different elements in the process allows tight possession windows to be arranged with greater confidence.

You can find out more about FTE’s innovative intelligent integration approach by accessing our free information hub.