Quality assured steel delivered for new railway line

Tata Steel has completed deliveries of over 7,000t of 108m long sections of rail to the Borders Railway project, the longest completely new railway line to be built in the UK for 100 years.

Work to complete rail installation on the Borders Railway project re-started this week following a break over the Christmas and New Year period, with 25% of the rail still to be installed.

Tata Steel was appointed in late October under its supply contact with Network Rail to deliver more than 700t of 108m long rails per week over a period of 10 weeks to the £294M project, which is being carried out by main contractor BAM Nuttall.

The world leading quality rails are manufactured at Tata Steel’s Scunthorpe works and brought to site on specially modified rail carrying wagons.

Around 34 miles of track, including three double track sections, have been laid since the project’s rail installation machine started work from the new Shawfair station near Galashiels, south west of Edinburgh, on 9 October. The machine will complete works at the southern terminus at Tweedbank station in early February.

Network Rail project director Hugh Wark said: “This final phase of the rail installation works will see the final five miles of the route completed between Ferniehurst and Tweedbank.

“Once the rail is fully installed much of the construction support deliveries will be able to be taken off the roads and delivered directly down the route by rail.”

Tata Steel’s key account manager John Austin said: “We are delighted our rail will be used on this historic new line which will help reduce the increasing problem of congestion on the main roads between the Borders and Edinburgh.”

Network Rail business support manager, national supply chain Leigh Goble added: “The Borders Railway will serve thousands of commuters and visitors to the Borders area every year and Tata Steel is part of making that happen.”