Costain – Paddington New Yard (Crossrail Project)

Costain – Paddington New Yard (Crossrail Project)

Project Overview

CA Drillers were appointed by Costain on behalf of Crossrail to deliver specialist demolition and concrete cutting works at Paddington New Yard, a key infrastructure site located between Westbourne Park Tube Station and Paddington National Rail Station.

The project formed part of the wider Crossrail development, supporting critical construction activities including transport infrastructure upgrades and rail system preparations.

CA Drillers began working on the site in August 2014, with the project successfully completed in November 2018. The total value of the works delivered by CA Drillers was approximately £500,000.

Scope of Work

The Paddington New Yard development involved several key infrastructure improvements, including:

• Construction of a new 180-metre elevated bus deck connecting Westbourne Park Bus Garage

• Relocation of an existing concrete batching plant

• Preparatory works for the installation of new rail tracks and associated Crossrail systems

CA Drillers were responsible for carrying out specialist concrete removal and structural modification works to support these construction activities.

Project Challenges

A major challenge on the project was the site’s proximity to the Crossrail tunnel, with much of the working area located directly above it.

Due to the sensitive underground infrastructure, heavy breaking methods were not permitted, as excessive vibration could potentially affect the tunnel structure.

As a result, alternative low-vibration demolition techniques had to be used to safely remove large volumes of concrete while maintaining structural integrity and safety.

Techniques & Methods

To overcome these challenges, CA Drillers implemented a combination of precision cutting and controlled demolition techniques, including:

• Diamond floor sawing for controlled slab cutting

• Diamond track sawing for deeper structural cuts

• Hydraulic bursting techniques for low-vibration concrete removal

These methods allowed the team to efficiently remove large sections of concrete without causing harmful vibrations to the underlying Crossrail tunnel.

Project Delivery

By using advanced equipment and experienced operatives, CA Drillers successfully completed the works while maintaining strict safety and engineering requirements.

The team worked closely with the main contractor to ensure the project progressed smoothly alongside other ongoing construction activities across the site.

Project Outcome

All works were delivered on time and within budget, supporting the successful development of the Paddington New Yard Crossrail infrastructure project.

This project demonstrated CA Drillers’ ability to provide specialist concrete cutting and demolition solutions in highly sensitive environments, particularly on large-scale transport and infrastructure developments.