NEWPORT STATION PROJECT GATHERS PACE

October 5 - As the year-long countdown for the Ryder Cup begins, work to build the new eco-friendly station at Newport is also gathering pace. The very first 'lift-off' for this scheme has been successfully completed, and today the Newport station area sees a slightly different skyline, with concrete and steel structures rising behind the site hoardings.  In the small hours of Sunday morning, in less than seven hours, a total of 33 tonnes of concrete and steel beams were lifted into position. 

Mike Gallop, route enhancement manager, Network Rail, said: “Ten of thousands of people will benefit from the new £22m station.  The station will double in size with improved facilities and access for all.  Working overnight meant no impact on passengers and train services, while off-site pre-construction minimised the amount of time need to carry out this much work."

Arriva Trains Wales head of stations Peter Northcott said:  “We are beginning to see the new station take shape and there is no doubt that it will be a modern facility for our passengers when completed.  We are grateful to Network Rail and their contractors for completing this important stage with minimum disruption to our services and our passengers.”

To carry out the work a huge 500-tonne road crane, which can stretch as far as 40 metres, was used to lift the new structures into place. The two concrete rings and a steel ring beam stand at a combined height of five metres and form the central support column for the new station footbridge. Since work has started, engineers have been working round the clock to complete vital ground work, including piling, excavating and building concrete foundations.In the next couple of months, work will be focused on creating a new road junction on the south side, constructing concrete foundations for the station buildings and installing the new passenger footbridge.

The Newport station regeneration scheme is jointly funded by Network Rail and the Welsh Assembly Government. The new station will become the greenest and is the biggest station project to be carried out in south Wales.