The Northern Hub Programme will improve rail services and enhance network capability throughout NW England by providing improved journey times and greater connectivity through Manchester city centre and towards its airport.

AECOM was commissioning to:
• Establish an accurate, robust coordinated survey grid for use through GRIP Stages 2-8.
• Undertake a range of topographical and engineering surveys in 3 complex, heavily trafficked areas.
• Undertake topographical surveys in adjacent 3rd Party owned land e.g. the Museum of Science and Industry.
The surveys will inform GRIP 2+ engineering interventions in Salford and Manchester. Specifically, they will reduce design risks by allowing early identification of viable improved track and signalling layouts.

Key aspects:
• Provision of a complete range of surveys: 
• Comprising detailed topographical surveying of the rail infrastructure, track, track detail, gauging (of all structures within the areas at 2.5m centres) and platform construction details.
• Specified to NR’s detailed design standard.
• Utilising the latest available technology including 3D laser scanners and global positioning technology.
• Including provision of all planning, safety paperwork and protection resources.
• Sequencing of surveys to meet NRs requirements for input - necessitating crashing the original survey programme; methodology modification allowed concurrent control network creation whilst other surveys were undertaken
• Complexity of sites junctions and platform throat areas combined with very short possession times; requiring application of a range of risk mitigation techniques: Close working with NR departments, daily reporting, project approved protection resource and enlarging the supplier resource pool (whilst maintaining quality through extensive internal verification).
• Maximization of productivity within available access times by undertaking surveys concurrently – up to 4 teams working in a single T3 possession.