Millfield provides railway arch lining solution

Millfield FRP has helped to create a smart office environment for London's Wootton Street railway arches at Waterloo Station by designing, supplying and fixing its Millclad GRP arch lining system

In a contract valued at GBP 1.3m, Millfield FRP has helped to create a smart office environment for London's Wootton Street railway arches at Waterloo Station by designing, supplying and fixing a total of 3,212m2 of its Millclad GRP (glass reinforced plastic) arch lining system to the strict structural, acoustic and waterproof criteria demanded for this type of application.

As Network Rail has strict guidelines concerning the application of any permanent structural load to the masonry of the arch roof, the resultant structural GRP also had to be capable of spanning the full width of the arch once a temporary central support for assembly is released.

To date the Millclad system is the only available solution capable of meeting these technical criteria while at the same time satisfying the aesthetic considerations for the higher standard of internal appointments the market expects in this type of environment.

In this instance a smooth mat white finish was specified, although any relief, texture or colour can be supplied.

As no detailed drawings existed for the original construction of the arches, Millfield's first task was to carry out a state of the art survey of the existing structures using laser scanners and Inventor 3D imaging software.

From this data the Autocad 2D GRP and steelwork drawings were then prepared.

The Millclad system used to line the arches is completely watertight, allowing water dripping from the roof to be carried to a perimeter gutter system and into drainage channels.

Its ability to meet the acoustic requirements for an office environment in arches under main rail lines has also been tested to their satisfaction by the acoustic consultants for Spacia, Network Rail's property letting division.

Millfield has invested a great deal of technical expertise into its development of the Millclad system because of the tremendous potential presented for the development of railway arches, and the company is perceived as a specialist in this area.

Part of a wider regeneration project managed by the Cross River Partnership, the Wootton Street site now offers striking, contemporary studio office space in a central location which has already attracted four architects' practices, leisure and restaurant uses.

The development has also been selected as the venue to host the finals, on 15th June 2005, of the prestigious RIBA-managed international competition 'Light at the End of the Tunnel', when the winners of the competition to present design ideas for developing a network of railway arches in central London will be announced.

Main contractors for the development were McNicholas plc of London.

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