The Hanslope Junction Renewal Project
was a major track upgrade and renewal
on the West Coast Main Line, led by Network
Rail, as the infrastructure owner and client,
with delivery coordinated through the Central
Rail Systems Alliance (CRSA) - a partnership
between Network Rail, Balfour Beatty,
AtkinsRéalis and TSO. Network Rail planned
and funded the £26 million overhaul of the
junction, which involved replacing track
panels, renewing ballast and upgrading
Switches and Crossings (S&C) to improve
their reliability and long-term per formance on
a key section of the UK rail network.
Swietelsky UK played a key part in the
delivery of this major project, working on
behalf of Network Rail and the CRSA. At peak
delivery, up to 70 Swietelsky UK personnel
were involved across planning, operations,
supervision and delivery roles, reflecting the
scale of commitment and collaboration
required for the project.
Kirow crane deployment
A key component of this success was the
deployment of all four SB Rail Kirow KRC 250
cranes, which were working around the clock to
install the highly complex track layout. The
cranes were used to lift and position the large,
prefabricated track panels precisely into place
across all four lines of the formation. The Kirow
crane team’s professionalism, commitment and
technical expertise ensured that all the panels
were installed safely and efficiently with zero
operational issues. Their contribution
demonstrates Swietelsky UK’s ability to manage
highly demanding lifting and installation
operations with precision and reliability.
OTMs as well
Equally important was the role of Swietelsky
UK’s On-Track Machine (OTM) capability. This
also included the specialist teams responsible
for the planning, operation and supervision of
the plant on-site. Four Swietelsky UK Plasser &
Theurer 09-4x4/4S Dynamic tampers were
used on the project. These undertook tandem
tamping through the S&C formations, including
the use of dynamic track stabilisation, to
delivery the highest possible track quality
standards and ensuring it was handed back at
line speed, as requested.
Through detailed possession planning,
close coordination with the Kirow operations
and constant on-site oversight, the OTM
teams ensured seamless integration with the
wider site activities. Their exper tise was
critical in maintaining safety, compliance and
operational efficiency throughout every phase
of the work.
Teamwork
The Hanslope Junction renewal project is
particularly noteworthy for its scale, technical
demands and operational complexity. Even
more, these works were carried out over the
festive period while many others were enjoying
the holidays and celebrations. Successfully
completing this work on time underscores
the skill, dedication and teamwork of everyone
involved. This project exemplifies Swietelsky
UK’s technical excellence, operational
capability and commitment to delivering highquality
railway infrastructure solutions. It also
highlights the synergy between its lifting
specialists, OTM support and workshop teams
- a demonstration of the company’s slogan
#BuildingEverBetter in practice. This
achievement would not have been possible
without the commitment and professionalism
of Swietelsky UK’s machine crews, supervisors
and managers. Their hard work, teamwork and
dedication were at the hear t of the
company’s success on the project.