September News!

Unbelievably, Autumn is upon us once again and we’re already seeing the nights start to draw in!  The final quarter of the year will soon be underway - and what a quarter it is shaping up to be, with an incredibly healthy amount of pricing over the last few weeks meaning that we’re likely to close out 2023 with another bumper period. 

New projects beginning in September include bridge deck works in the Yoker area and life extension works at Kirkconnel; not to mention a host of works just awaiting the green light that cover signalling centre works, depot design; LMDs; lighting at our old friend Waverley Station; platform water issues in Ayrshire and traincrew facilities in Inverness.  South of the border we are also at the pricing stage for schemes including works pertaining to railway sidings in the Midlands; MCB CCTV works; and an AFA project in the London area. 

This month also sees us maintaining our involvement in several ongoing projects, most notably Rugeley to Colwich and Welwyn to Hitchin Railway routes; GRIP 4-5 design works at Levenmouth; AFA works at Anniesland Station; station rebuild design at Troon; and boiler renewal works at Criagentinny.  We also remain a part of large scale works for FTN design in the Stoke/Derby area; Caledonia Chambers works at Glasgow Central Station; replacement of copper medium telecomms to fibre on Railway properties; and works covering the asset plans, substations, DHL, RSA shed, sliding gate and temporary LV supplies at Cadder Depot.  As well as these, we are spread relatively evenly across the country with works starting in the North on the Blair Atholl to Dalwhinnie route; the Dalcross GRIP 4 project; various projects in Inverness including work stations and axle counters and a railway simulator; and we are awaiting the beginning of electrical design support for rail sites around the Aberdeen area.  Coming into the central belt, we have been looking at design for LMD compressors at Haymarket Depot; a DNO supply cubicle in the Larbert area; Eastfield Depot CETs; remedial station works at multiple sites; and the ongoing AFA scheme at Port Glasgow.  Replacement of Motherwell Station boiler for a new sustainably designed air source heat pump arrangement is back underway while Barrhead electrification works are edging nearer completion, along with LLPA design works at various sites; and Carstairs Rationalisation.  We still eagerly await the beginning of fire damper investigation works for the railway; a level crossing in Perth and Kinross; and some station electrical upgrades in the Bellshill area.  We are also ‘keeping our hand in’ to the South of Scotland with design for a station booking office in Ayrshire.  Finally, England and Wales are very familiar ground for us this month with ongoing projects including Bangor to Colwyn Bay design; a new stage of works for Tysley Depot; resignalling in the Darlington area; tunnel works at a site in West Yorkshire; and CRE duties for Nevillehill and Heaton Depots.  The traffic light at Great Glen Station is still receiving attention while we are now underway on works associated with the firewall replacement at four individual FTN sites; and two separate schemes in Selhurst for REB works and wheel lathe design.  Meanwhile reactive involvement is ongoing for long standing projects at Birmingham and Euston Stations; design near Widnes; Goole Swing Bridge; and works on the Ferrybridge to Goole route. 

September has also seen us keeping up with non Railway projects as we continue to service two healthcare facilities in Cambridge, one a new physiotherapy suite and the other an ophthalmic day theatre; while design works for an office refurbishment in Kilsyth continue into Autumn.  We are in the process of closing out report production following water damage at a playing fields’ pavilion; the renovation of a farm building; and design works at a timber yard near Fort William.  Meanwhile we look forward to getting up and running with lighting works at a roundabout in the East of Glasgow; and Port Authority works at varying stages of design and implementation from Fort William in the North, Liverpool in the West and Sheerness in the South East. 

It’s scary how quickly the time is slipping by with SVM’s Christmas lunch already booked for December, which definitely indicates that we’re hurtling towards the end of another year.  So don’t let any more time escape if you are excited about any of our above projects - you could still be part of the team here if you have building services experience in a consultancy setting.  CVs are still able to be submitted to Elise McLean at elise.mclean@svm-glasgow.co.uk – it could really finish your year in style!