Who needs a second runway anyway..!
Well actually, Gatwick desperately does to facilitate its passenger throughput expansion plans. But realistically it will just be a matter of time before another is built here anyway. In any case, I thought an update from a rather subdued Gatwick was in order. The first major project of the baggage Programme is within a couple of months of completion. With no requirement for foundation or ground works and using a steel frame structure and pre-fabricated sections of baggage conveyor systems, the visual transformation on the new makeup positions site was rapid (see title picture).
The bulk of the remaining works includes the controls and electrical installations, as well as general road layouts, markings and safety barriers. I’ve picked out two hiccups that others will be able to identify across other sites.
Firstly, designing in a 3D model with inadequate detail. In Revitt, the walkway below had sufficient width (750mm) to serve as an emergency escape route. In reality, the motors from the conveyor systems (which had not been modeled in sufficient detail) encroached into the walkway. The outcome is that the walkway below needs new steel work in order to widen it by approximately 200mm. Whilst the amended steel work isn’t part of my works package, the electrical and controls containment and cabling that will run along its perimeter is, thus will incur minor delay.
Secondly, excessive lighting glare. The proposed flood light style system for illuminating the area where operators make up baggage containers has now gone up. Not considered as an issue during design due to the requirement to meet Gatwick standard requirements for illumination and glare, now that it is in situ, the glare from the lights may well cause a problem to the comfort of the baggage handlers. To try to head this off prior to hand over, I intend to firstly, ensure the contractor proves adherence to the required glare standards and secondly, bring the stakeholders together prior to completion and confirm acceptability, and if not, a suitable improvement.
Whilst the project is due to finish just about on time, the most significant delays to the project were due to Gatwick Airport process issues (such as the change control systems) rather than any technical or unforeseen engineering issues.
This will be one of my biggest takeaways from working in a live operating environment – factoring in time for the project team (most of whom are new to Gatwick) and contractors’ project teams to understand and meet the clearance process requirements of the numerous stakeholders during any engineering works. This could be for the simplest of electrical isolations, to fire systems deactivations, to emergency light testing.
Outside of baggage projects, I’ll be playing the role of dummy passenger supporting one if the other big programmes being delivered here – the Airline Moves project. This project consolidates all EasyJet flights in the North Terminal as from end of January, and moves all BA flights to South Terminal (plus a load more moving parts). My role will be to prove the route and identify faults from check in to boarding prior to the project going live.
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Stu,
I hear your pain regarding the change management process. The amount of effort that has to be expended to jump through the quality assurance, material compliance, health and safety and environmental hoops is easily the biggest drain of effort on my project. Tails wagging dogs? Good to hear the same problems exist everywhere.
However, I am interested to know if you have been chosen to ‘prove the route’ of the new terminal because you are freakishly large compared to normal people. I suppose the reasoning is that if the route is big enough for you, then it has to be big enough for anyone?
Cheers,
Mark
Stu, Mark,
We have exactly the same issue with the refurbishment works in the live hospital – every time we need to do some work we have to submit a disruption notice 3 weeks in advance. This then gets checked by the client side project managers, then the hospital engineering and projects department and then by the nurses manager of the affected area. Good to know others are sharing in the pain.