Van Elle has successfully delivered a major package of critical piling works for BAM at Huddersfield Station, contributing to the ongoing TransPennine Route Upgrade (TRU), one of the most significant rail infrastructure programmes currently underway in the North of England.
The works formed an essential part of the station’s redevelopment, supporting the construction of new structures around the existing subway and key platforms. Delivered across multiple phases, the project required meticulous planning and coordination to operate safely within an active rail environment and during a full station blockade.
The programme involved the installation of a range of pile types including 600mm contiguous wall piles, 600mm CFA piles and BCIP canopy, footbridge, and lift piles, which were installed to depths of up to 15.25 metres. The complexity of the station layout and the confined nature of the site introduced several operational constraints, most notably the limited headroom of under four metres above the existing subway. This challenge required the precise installation of large-diameter piles within an extremely tight space envelope.
To overcome these constraints, Van Elle deployed two specially modified Klemm 708 rigs configured for low-headroom operation. These rigs enabled the team to work safely and efficiently within the restricted environment, while a further Klemm 709 and Hutte 207 were utilised for canopy , footbridge, and lift piling requirements. Careful coordination was also required to manage surcharge limits near to the subway and to maintain safety throughout the busy station blockade.
Van Elle Civils followed the Specialist Piling team to carry out reinforced concrete works, including pile cropping, blinding, steel fixing, formwork and concrete, waterproofing, and the installation of gas membranes, cast-in drainage, and holding down bolts. The scope covers the construction of 40No. reinforced concrete pile caps supporting the new station roof and 3No. lift pits for a footbridge providing step-free access across the platforms. Works were conducted both in high street environments and during weekend blockades, managing interfaces with Network Rail and the public.
Thanks to close collaboration between Van Elle, BAM and the TRU West team, the piling works were successfully completed to the required high-quality standards, despite a variety of challenging site constraints.
Reflecting on the collaboration, John Ely, Civils Lead on Huddersfield Station for TRU West, said: “I just wanted to say thank you to you and your team for all of your help and assistance in helping to successfully deliver the blockade works at Huddersfield Station over the last six weeks. What you helped to deliver is an incredible piece of work, of which we can all be justifiably proud. The way that the Van Elle team merged seamlessly with our own and with the other supply chain partners resulted in a collaboration that many visitors and observers commented favourably upon when they visited the project.”
The successful completion of the piling works marks another significant contribution by Van Elle to the wider TransPennine Route Upgrade, ensuring essential foundations are in place to support the station’s long-term redevelopment and improved capacity for passengers.
