A New Road and Rail Munitions Transfer Point for the DIO at Glen Douglas

For this sensitive project, our services included assessment study, derived and detailed designs, acting as commercial project manager in the delivery of the design and procurement phases, and subsequently managing the project through construction to handover and into operation.

As one of the most unique munitions storage bases in Western Europe, Glen Douglas has been in permanent operation since the 1960s. The RRTP is central to its function, but the deterioration of the concrete-embedded rails meant the facility was withdrawn from operational service in early 2011. A temporary road and road transfer system was set up pending provision of a new facility, but it was imperative that a new RRTP was built to the necessary Ministry of Defence (MoD) and rail standards for licensing, as quickly as possible.

The scope of work included demolition of all existing structures, and in addition to replacing the railway tracks and hard standing, the construction of a new munitions transfer shed, locomotive shed, locomotive wash-down facility, and welfare facilities and operational office within the site.

To meet the stringent security, fire safety, and blast resilience standards required of the scheme, our civil engineering, drainage, and rail design specialists engaged fully with MoD experts and stakeholders. This collaborative approach ensured that the new facility was fully statutory compliant for an explosives licensed site, while enabling a flexible design approach that accommodated several changes in requirements.

During the design phase, we worked with the DIO to procure a Principal Contractor, and subsequently oversaw the delivery of the work during construction. Despite the complex nature of the facility and the challenging location, the project was delivered without delays and successfully handed over into operation in September 2016.