Penzance GWR Driver Yard – GRP Handrails & Access Structures

Client: Great Western Railway

Location: Penzance, Cornwall

Sector: Rail Infrastructure

Products: GRP Modular Handrail, GRP Grating, GRP Access Platforms, GRP Palisade Fencing, GRP Access Ramps with Handrails, Armco Barrier

The challenge

Great Western Railway and Network Rail have recently invested a major £6.5 million in the construction of three new sidings at Ponsandane in Penzance. As a result, they required a robust, long-lasting access and safety solution for their new driver yard. We were asked to design and supply the following:

• GRP train driver access platforms
• High-visibility GRP walkways
• GRP access ramps with handrails
• Secure GRP fencing and vehicle protection barriers

This wasn’t just a single bulk delivery, and the work was delivered in multiple phases. This meant we needed to ensure that our materials were delivered in a consistent, timely manner, and accommodated the site’s evolving needs. 

Our solution

We worked closely with Network Rail throughout the entirety of the project, helping to see our GRP access platforms and safety systems through from concept to completion. We provided support and guidance in the early pricing stage, produced detailed drawings for approval by the installation team, and fabricated the platform into sections to allow for simple on-site installation by their team.

What we supplied:

• 510m of durable, slip-resistant modular GRP handrail systems to enhance public and worker safety 
• Eight GRP platform units including three 11m-long driver steps and a 2.9m x 3m GRP structure – designed and fabricated in pre-assembled sections for quick on-site installation
• 43cm of composite timber walkway frames topped with high-visibility yellow GRP grating to reduce trip hazards around the tracks
• 8m of secure GRP palisade fencing complete with GRP grating for robust, corrosion-resistant perimeter protection
• 60m of Armco crash barriers to shield key zones from vehicular damage

All the GRP products we supplied are designed to handle harsh outdoor rail environments with ease. They are built to last and require minimal upkeep, helping to minimise downtime and reduce the need for costly repairs.

The outcome

The Penzance GWR driver yard is now equipped with a full suite of safe and durable GRP handrails and access solutions. Thanks to our fast delivery capabilities, the client was never left waiting. If supplies ever ran low at any stage of the project, we made sure that replacements were dispatched as soon as possible. This ensured that every phase of the build was completed on time and to budget.

Ben, Contractor for Network Rail: “The delivery and installation of your GRP products was absolutely amazing. Everything was on time and the project went to schedule. It was fantastic.”

Joshua Harris, Contractor for Network Rail: “It’s helped the health and safety on site a lot. It’s going to prevent people from slips, trips, falls, unfit conditions and stop anyone from falling off the sides.”