What we cover.
Platform and station work carries a constraint most structural work does not: the asset stays open. Copings, canopies, footbridges, staircases, lift shafts and station buildings all get altered in stages, at night, with the public back on the platform in the morning. That shapes the design as much as the loading does, and a scheme that cannot be built in stages is not buildable at all here.
- Platform structures, copings and edge details
- Canopy structures, repair and replacement
- Station footbridges, staircases and lift shaft structures
- Station building alteration and change of use
- Structural assessment of existing station assets
- Staged construction sequences around passenger operation
- Temporary works and propping for staged works
- Interface with accessibility and step-free schemes
What platform and station structures actually involves.
Canopies are the recurring problem. Many are original, most have been repaired repeatedly, and the connection detail between a period canopy and the structure it hangs off is rarely what the drawings claim. We survey the connections rather than assume them, because the failure mode on this kind of structure is at the interface rather than in the member.
On platform structures the governing case is often not the vertical load at all but the edge condition, drainage and the way the coping is restrained.
We survey canopy connections rather than assuming them from drawings that rarely match what was built, because on this kind of structure the failure mode is at the interface. On platforms we assess the edge condition, the drainage and the coping restraint alongside the vertical load case.
Can platform and station work be done without closing the station?
Usually yes, but it has to be designed for that from the start. Staged construction, temporary propping and a defined handback condition at the end of each shift are part of the design rather than something added afterwards. The practical constraint is that the structure has to be safe and the platform usable at the end of every shift, which limits what can be opened up at once and often governs the sequence more than the permanent design does.
- Sequences designed for a station that stays open
- Connections surveyed rather than assumed
- Designs checked and signed by a Chartered Structural Engineer
- Temporary works designed with the permanent works
- Professional indemnity insured
The codes behind platform and station structures.
BS EN 1990 through BS EN 1999 govern the basis of design, actions, and the design of concrete, steel, timber, masonry and aluminium structures. Every calculation we issue references the relevant Eurocode part and its UK National Annex, and states which parts were applied.
Structural analysis and design in Tekla Tedds and Tekla Structural Designer, with Autodesk Robot, CSC Fastrak, CSC Portal Frame, MasterSeries and Hilti Profis used where a scheme suits them. Drawing production in AutoCAD, and modelling in Autodesk Revit where a project is delivered in BIM. Output is issued as readable calculations rather than raw software printouts, so a checker or a building control officer can follow the reasoning.
The Building Regulations requirement your local authority Building Control checks against. Our calculations and drawings are prepared to demonstrate compliance so your submission is accepted without back-and-forth.
Every report and calculation package is backed by professional indemnity cover, which is what lets a lender, Building Control or another engineer rely on it.
From enquiry to sign-off.
Enquiry
Send drawings or describe the problem. We confirm the scope, the deliverables and a target timescale.
Information
We agree the survey, drawings or data we need and any site access required.
Engineering
Design, calculation or assessment to the relevant Eurocodes and UK National Annex.
Issue
A clear, defensible report or set of calculations, with assumptions and limitations stated.
Real structures, surveyed and engineered.
Common questions
Do you design station canopy repairs?
Yes. Canopy work is common and the connection between the canopy and its supporting structure is usually the critical item. Period canopies have often been repaired several times, so the detail on site frequently differs from the record drawing. We survey the connection before designing the repair.
What is involved in platform coping work?
Coping work involves the edge condition of the platform, its restraint, the drainage behind it and the interface with the platform surface. The vertical load is rarely what governs. Where the platform is being altered for step-free access or gauge reasons, the works usually extend further back into the platform structure than first expected.
Can you support step-free access schemes?
Yes. Lift shaft structures, footbridge alterations and the foundations to support them are structural work, and they are usually delivered into a live station with restricted access. The structural design and the staging plan need to be developed together.
Related services and resources.
03Structural Appraisal Change Of Use
04Structural Design & CalculationsCalcs, building regs, extensions, foundations
05Surveys & ReportsPre-purchase, inspection, due diligence
06Conservation & HeritageListed buildings, historic repairsTell us what you are building.
Send the drawings or describe the project. We confirm scope, deliverables and a realistic timescale.
Start a project