I own a building which abutts the parapet along the top of a railway cutting retaining wall. – Its about 5m vertical drop to the track bed. I need to do some maintenance on my building – perhaps re-roofing and a bit of brickwork etc. I can probably get this done from my side of the boundary without needing access onto railtrack, but clearly there is the potential for my work to impact the railway. – Im sure that erection of safety netting scaffold fans etc., would require involvement from network rail. I’m interested to establish if there are any particualr restrictions when working within a certain distance of the railway and what, if any obligations / proceedures Railtrack have to accomodate this sort of situation. Cheers

You need to talk to network rail.

Expect it to take ages 😀

If you are putting scaffolding on your own land that could reach the Network Rail boundary should it fall, they will need you to not only provide design calcs from your scaffold company, but they may also request a secondary independent verification of the calculations, all at your own cost.

Don’t expect it to be cheap, and don’t expect dealing with Network Rail to be quick, easy and free of frustration.

Have you considered moving house? 😆

Don’t forget to warn the contractor about the huge penalties if he should drop something on the live track. You may be ready to proceed this time next year.

I know if we work with a drilling rig or excavator within a distance of the line where it could topple and land within Network Rail property we have to speak to them, I suspect it’s the same for scaffolding etc.

I am a builder. In my experience, any dealings with Network rail are protracted and their requirements can seem onerous – until one thinks through the potential consequences of a problem caused by adjacent landowner.

It may be worth contacting a surveyor or engineer with the relevant experience for advice.

(In the old days I once dealt with ‘BR Networks’ – the forerunners of Railtrack/ Network rail. They were an utter shower of sh!t. Things are miles better these days)

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/1538.aspx

I have worked for NR in the past and still work with themdaily on civil engineering projects and do this sort of thing regulary. Best thing to do is to contact Network Rail outside parties; if you google “Network Rail outside parties map” it should link you to the right section of their website. The map contains all the regional contacts. I’m on hols at the moment and only have my phone but can give you more info later if you want.

I would expect you will need a basic asset protection agreement (BAPA) that will have an associated cost; the cost is a risk based review of your works/project and the risk to the railway. There is no upper limit, generally the closer to the railway and the higher risk of things falling on the railway the higher the cost.

To start you will be asked to submit a development questionnaire or similar, this tells NR about your work so they can estimate the BAPA cost, always put as much info on as possible otherwise they just assume and the cost goes up

Once you have a BAPA, and by the sounds of your works you would need to submit two further forms for approval;

A combined Form 002/003, which will cover the design, check and technical approval by NR for the scaffolding. These forms are available on the net.

And, a method statement/work package plan which will govern how the works will be managed Safely.

As I say I’m away at the moment but can help more if needed when I’m back. Hope the above makes some sense, difficult to write on a small phone screen

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Cheers Guys.
Might be easier to ask for forgiveness rather than permission.

In the last year a train traveling at 85 mph has hit a rail jib hanging over the line from a rail maintainance vehicle and a bridge parapet collapsed after workmen employed by network rail drilled through the water main in the road investigating why the footway was sinking,then theres also the case of a signaller allowing tractors to cross when a train is coming and it gets smashed to bits.

all detailed on the RAIB, website.

also be aware of the risk of electrocution from third rail or overhead catenary which wioll require earthed cages etc to protect the railway,

marcus – Member
Cheers Guys.
Might be easier to ask for forgiveness rather than permission.

What, after a piece of loose scaffold derails a train?

It’s not really permission you are after; as its your land/property they have no real power to stop you working. It’s all about the risk to the railway, and this is the point that more or less all contractors are worried about and as such toe the line.

Either way, by going it alone without approval, or by going through the BAPA/Form 002/003 you will still be fully liable.

Generally the only cost to you from speaking to NR will be the BAPA cost. The BAPA cost allows NR to recoup their cost in review of your project submissions. It’s free to start the process and find out the cost, submit your development questionnaire then wait for the BAPA to come through. It’s it’s astronomical then don’t sign. Generally is its outside parties they will take either 50 or 100 percent of the cost up front.

Another way forward is to limit what the BAPA covers. NR will not give you much time until they can recoup their costs from you. However, you can just ask for a BAPA to cover some intital meetings to then discuss with one of their project engineers what you plan to do and how, you never know they might be quite helpful…..

Just ruddy build it. If it takes them as long as it did for them to reply to me about me wanting to fell a large tree which overhung a local line then you’ll have probably moved house.

^^^really really don’t do that. The penalties are very severe if it goes wrong.

Basic Asset Protection Agreement (BAPA) should be in place for any works as pointed out above.

Towen – That was the impression I got, but it just seemed a bit odd that they didint have any ‘statutory powers’ to insist on consultation / agreement. Clearly if someone from the rail network thought your working method was endangering the network users, I’m pretty sure we would get a visit pretty sharpish from the HSE. I / my Contractors will be liable regardless of what has / hasnt been agreed.