September News!

Summer has definitely given way to Autumn and the usual chaos of the last few months before Christmas is now looming!  We are well prepared at SVM, however, with some new faces bringing fresh ideas to the office and many ‘old’ faces as increasing numbers of clients return for their ongoing design requirements.  It’s gratifying to know that clients continue to find their way back to us no matter the season! 

September has been a bumper month for new works with projects beginning for relighting of the Forth Bridge, a prestigious endeavour for which we are looking forward to being part of the team; some signalling resilience works in the Aberdeen area; switchgear renewals in Inverness; and signalling recontrol works near Cheshire.  Meanwhile we have seen several smaller scale works begin this month with electrical defects design assistance; Dwell migration works at Hyndland; load monitoring at Corkerhill UFW; and a survey of officially the most remote signalling box in the nation at Blea Moor.  We are returning to Yoker depot to provide some site support following our previous CET works; undertaking some water connection works at Waverley IECC; and undertaking design for Inverness TMD and CSMD boilers. 

The ongoing September projects are headed up by Waverley concourse re-lighting; Glasgow subway tunnel power and lighting; additional works at Stranraer Marina; Sudbrook pumping station (serving the Severn tunnel); Dundee Stabling design; national Megastream design; 11kV renewal works; Ayrshire signalling renewals; and design for Kilwinning BESS.  Across the country we are maintaining an impressive presence this Autumn, with sleeper servicing; CSMD sump pump works; and TMD design all in Inverness; while, close by, there are AFA schemes at Inverurie and Nairn; detailed design in the Dundee to Montrose area; and level crossings at Gartly and Oyne.  In Perth, works related to carriage sidings are about to begin and modernisation works are ongoing, as are various HST platform extension works.  Coming into the central belt, the main stations at Glasgow and Edinburgh are busy at the former for retail services, heritage migration works, and power alterations for the Caledonia sleeper lounge; and at the latter for lighting control and 5G equipment.  There are welfare works for Haymarket Depot; lighting at Clarkston goods yard; Motherwell PSP design; Salkeld St Test Track; design works around Law and Newton on the WCML; AFA temporary works at Cardenden; and design for Cadder wheel lathe. We are also still providing design advice for Balgray Station AFA; MELF works at Yoker; and electrical design at Mossend Rail Terminal; while Eastfield Depot works are getting underway along with design for the Corkerhill Depot apprentice building.  Several smaller scale works remain ongoing with Cathcart ECR; Newton Station waiting shelter; and more AFA works at Bellgrove Station; as well as emergency lighting at the Waverley IECC. Towards the South of Scotland, we are providing site support for the previously designed Dumfries tanking works; Heritage migration at Lockerbie station; works at Bowland Junction; and Ayr Station.  England remains home to works for shore supplies in Stourbridge and Banbury; Clacton Wheel Lathe; Chester Recontrol design; design at Warrington training facility; Pewsey VAMOS; Guildford MDU; and M&E design at Queens Park Station, which is close to beginning.  There are also several projects scattered across the country including ScotRail depots; CP7 UPS renewals; EV chargers at Railway sites; REB wraparound protection; ECML feeder migration design; Telecoms cable design; and FTNx core refresh works.   

We remain involved in the commercial sector this month with works at a new healthcare facility near Edinburgh, and an initial look at electrical and lighting installations for a foil manufacturing facility.  Stranraer Marina expansion is ongoing, with further works currently getting underway, and we also remain involved with upgrades to a materials shed at one of our client’s premises; office refurbishments in Annan and Garscadden; and ongoing works at an organic waste recycling plant in the Glasgow area. 

It’s that time of year again when several of our employees are heading back to another year of University studies alongside their time in the SVM office.  It’s wonderful to see the development of these staff as they advance their skills and knowledge – benefiting all the projects with which they are involved.  We wish all of them the best of luck in the new academic year.