October News!

October remains a busy month at SVM and that extra hour will come in handy when the clocks go back next week.  We are in the planning and proposal stages of many exciting projects at the moment; some of our younger engineers are expanding their knowledge back at University; and we are looking forward to attending the IRSE dinner once again this year, the largest and best supported annual rail industry event in Scotland.  All of which really brightens up the dark Autumn days!

This has been a big month for new Railway projects with works arising for further shore supply works at a Depot in Inverness; some station lighting design in Dundee; and load monitoring at an Edinburgh Depot.  Signalling power supplies design in Laighhill, Goole, Fife, Victoria and the E&G line is also new this month as are some ongoing CHP issues at Haymarket.  October also sees us returning to some very familiar sites with both the Glasgow Subways and Glasgow Central Station providing further works involving fire and smoke protection, retail supplies and DBs/LCPs design.  Moving away from the Railway we have been engaged by two of our biggest (ironically railway)  clients to undertake some lighting design within their own offices – a sure sign that we must be well trusted!

The biggest chocolates in the trick or treating bag this month have included railway design in the Bristol area; renewal works from Blair Atholl to Dalwhinnie; and various works for Scottish lighthouses including surveys, EPCs, controls, turbines and renewal issues surrounding the mercury baths supporting Fresnel lenses.  The preparatory works for the successful introduction of the new roll out of Caledonian Sleeper stabling facilities is progressing well, FED power supplies projects are ongoing and so are containment works for the Glasgow Subway; further works for CP6 station refurbishments; and water compliance issues at multiple railway sites in Glasgow.  Also close to home we remain involved in multiple works at Carstairs and retail supplies at Glasgow Central Station while moving across the Central Belt we continue to provide design for staff accommodation at Ayr and Arbroath stations and bridge design at Stirling.  To the North, the HEP East works are making good progress as are the Highland Mainline extension programme; Banvie swing bridge; and underframe wash works in Inverness.  There is also a lot going on to the South with railway yard lighting in Dumfries; a series of toilet refurbishments in stations across England; shore supplies in Allerton and Station Concourse lighting in Doncaster.  Reaching the London and Birmingham areas we are nearing completion on works associated with escalators at Birmingham New Street and design for the London to Corby Route.  On top of all of this we are still happily involved in many smaller scale projects across the UK railway covering several areas such as potable water supplies, shore supplies, fuel road design, drainage works, HST servicing, sump pumps, modular accommodation, temporary bonding, compressors; boiler replacements; car park services design, ticket office design, CETs, EVCP design, retail enhancements and Access for All works.  Finally, in the commercial sector, we have kept a healthy clutch of projects headed up by bridge design in Goole, Glasgow’s Tidal weir and provision of technical reinstatement advice at St Andrew’s University.  We are eagerly awaiting the result of tenders for road tunnel works while work continues on office design for commercial premises in Finnieston, Liverpool and East Kilbride; water distribution issues in Bearsden; and EVCP installations in Blantyre.  Hotels also remain a part of our portfolio with design works due to begin at an iconic Glasgow hotel where we have delivered successful projects in the past and a luxury hotel in the beautiful Scottish countryside requiring design advice following a devastating fire.

It’s been busy this month but SVM still found time to take part in a local pub quiz night in which we placed fourth – although the general consensus was that a stewards’ enquiry was in order!  So if you think can bolster the ranks with your trivia knowledge and you want to be a part of this fast paced and challenging environment (and you have consultancy/rail experience), put your CV on a postcard to Elise McLean, elise.mclean@svm-glasgow.co.uk.  You’re sure to score big!