BAM NuttAll wins £20m contract for Merseyside rail schemes
Civil engineering giant BAM Nuttall has been awarded a £20m contract by Stadler Rail Services for two major projects in Merseyside.
It will build a state-of-the-art train depot in Kirkdale and refurbish an existing depot in Birkenhead North.
It is part of an overall scheme won by Stadler to manufacture and maintain a new fleet of 52 metro trains for Merseytravel and Merseyrail for the Liverpool city region.
Working in partnership with BAM’s Warrington office, the deal will see a significant direct investment go straight into depot construction and refurbishment.
The company will use UK-based suppliers for the design and construction and sourcing of all materials domestically from the northern construction market.
Designed to drive the most efficient use of the new fleet by minimising the movement of stock within the depot, the Kirkdale facility will include washing and stabling facilities, maintenance shed with run-through tracks, office space, and a simulator suite.
The design includes potential for the depot to be extended for 80-metre long trainsets.
At Birkenhead North, the existing depot will be upgraded with a new washing facility so it will be possible to clean the trains on the Wirral line (Birkenhead North) and the Northern line (Kirkdale).
Once the Kirkdale depot is ready for the main maintenance of the new fleet, this facility will focus on overnight servicing and cleaning. The depot works are due to be completed in 2019, in time for the arrival of new vehicles for testing.
Alan Cox, pre-construction director of BAM Nuttall, said: ‘We have been working collaboratively with Stadler during the tender stage of this exciting programme. From our Warrington office we have been able to provide locally based staff to support the bid and develop the programme.
“We will continue with this locally based approach throughout the delivery phase and also provide opportunity for our northern based supply chain. We look forward to delivering this key piece of infrastructure for Stadler and Merseytravel and supporting the local economy.”
Jürg Gygax, executive vice president of Stadler responsible for the service division said: “Having just signed the contract with Merseytravel to provide a new generation of metro trains for Liverpool, we are very pleased to already be able to confirm BAM Nuttall as the primary subcontractor for the depot works.
“Working closely with their Warrington office, this deal underlines our commitment to the UK – it will help the majority of the overall value of our contracts retained in the UK and the North West, both in the supply chain and in the employment of engineering staff. With the modern maintenance facilities these works will provide, Stadler will be able to maintain the fleet to the highest standards of reliability and customer presentation.”
