Belfast REB (Relocatable Equipment Building) Fit-Out

The challenge

Due to significant growth in the usage of bus and rail services in Belfast and the wider Northern Ireland, Great Victoria Street Railway Station (one of two major stations serving the city) and Europa Bus Centre are now operating at capacity. With this challenge in mind, The Northern Ireland Executive developed a flagship project to replace the existing train and bus stations with a single, integrated transport hub, fit for the 21st century.

Called ‘Belfast Grand Central Station’ and expected to handle approximately 20 million passenger journeys per year, the new station is part of a wider £400m regeneration scheme named Weavers Cross, a mixed-use commercial and residential development designed to breathe new life into the city, creating more than 8,000 jobs in the process.

Featuring 8 platforms compared to the existing station’s 4, not to mention 26 bus stands, and facilities for both taxis and bicycles, a new 3rd line will feed directly into the station, with the scheme as a whole transforming how both business and leisure travellers use public transport in city.

The solution

New signalling infrastructure will provide a completely new interlocking for the Great Victoria Street area, which is proposed to be commissioned to a new Control Centre: NIROC. The existing interlockings at Adelaide and Dunmurry will also be re-controlled at the same time with significant signalling works being required as far as fringes at Derriaghy Halt on the lines to Dublin and to Belfast Central SB at Lanyon Place station.

As part of these works, Amaro was contracted to construct a 14m-long relocatable equipment room (manufactured in 2 parts due to its size) in order to accommodate the necessary equipment. Working directly for Babcock – the contractor charged with delivering all permanent way and signalling enhancements – an 11-strong Amaro team carried out all fit out and wiring works, including 41 relay racks, a full mechanical build and wire from scratch, approximately 1,400 relays and 41,000 termination points.

Upon completion of the internal wiring, a comprehensive testing programme took place with all works being carried out in accordance with NR/L2/SIG/30014 and limited to inspection, wire count and continuity.

The outcome

Whilst a variety of external factors have, at times, impacted works on site, all challenges have been overcome successfully with zero accidents or incidents affecting the Amaro team. Our involvement in this scheme was deemed complete following a thorough clean down by Amaro personnel. All paperwork and room keys were officially handed over to the client on the 8th February 2024.

Throughout this project, Amaro has undertaken all works in accordance with the relevant designs and quality standards and, once our involvement was complete, our team submitted back to Babcock suitably endorsed inspection and test records as per the terms of the contract.