Wales on rails to get better

Wrightstyle, a British steel and aluminium glazing company, has completed a major renovation project for Network Rail Wales at Cardiff Central Station.

This follows a similar project at the Cardiff Queen Street Station, which Network Rail describes as the largest ever rail enhancement scheme in Wales. The project, that has been undertaken with BAM Construct UK, is a part of the Cardiff Stations Enhancement Scheme. Wrightstyle supplied some 300 metres of Schueco’s enhanced curtain wall system along with doors, windows and automated sliding entrance doors.

The GBP 220 million project has improved station entrances, added new platforms and upgraded track and signalling. The project aimed to increase reliability and capacity on the Cardiff and Valleys rail network. Cardiff Central Station currently handles 13 million passengers a year. With this upgradation, this number is projected to reach 32 million by 2043.

Richard Panniers, BAM Construct’s project surveyor, revealed that the project was of great complexity as they had to ensure that all the aspects were completed on time, even as the Cardiff and Queen Street stations remained open during the upgradation.