Great Western railway electrification, UK: civil engineering works

Overhead line electrification of existing railway lines is an essential contribution to sustainable, low-emissions public transport. Civil engineering enables a programme of electrification through clearance of the route and the protection of the public from live overhead wires. This paper considers the key civil engineering works carried out as part of the £3 billion Great Western railway electrification programme between 2012 and 2019, and explains the primary interfacing considerations civil engineers had to address. Lessons learned from the programme include the logistical, stakeholder, safety and reliability factors addressed by the civil engineering teams that delivered the works.