RAILWAY SURVEYS
What is a railway survey?
A railway survey is the assessment and mapping of the 3D position and condition of railway infrastructure.
This captures the exact geometric location, alignment, condition, and elevation of rail tracks and the features surrounding them. Instead of just measuring standard boundaries, these specialised surveys provide detailed data that supports passenger safety, asset management, and even infrastructure design and expansion.
What we do
Working with strict safety protocols and advanced survey technology, our teams conduct in-depth railway surveys with a calm and confident approach.
Planning and site access
Expert surveyors plan work around busy train schedules and conduct overnight work where possible to avoid travel disruption and ensure surveys are carried out with staff safety at the forefront of every decision.
Establishing control networks
Then, fixed reference points are set up along track corridors with coordinate systems made for long and narrow areas. These controls make sure that all following measurements and calculations are completely aligned.
Data collection
Surveyors use advanced technological trolleys along railways to record track gauge, cant, and exact alignment. Laser scanning and LiDAR record millions of 3D points per second to build a point cloud of everything surrounding the railway, including structures and vegetation. Ground penetrating Radar (GPR) and electromagnetic tools are then deployed to locate and map underground utilities, completely non-invasive.
Data processing and quality checks
We use specialist software to merge all geometric data and mapping into one digital model, overlapping measurements to get a complete and exact picture of the surveyed site.
Deliverables
This data is then turned into digital 3D models and gauging reports for engineers and construction teams, allowing projects to go ahead on schedule and without any extra expenses down the line.
Our services
Safety first
At Malcolm Hughes, we know that maintaining an in-depth understanding of the safety procedures and parameters is a high-level priority when working in this high-risk environment. All teams are equipped with the latest Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and our staff hold Personal Track Safety (PTS) certificates, which allow them to work on Network Rail properties.
This achievement is a testament to the hard work of our competent railway survey teams, supported by the management of our systems and the continued provision of quality service to our customers.
RISQS (Rail Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme) is the UK rail industry’s registration and pre-qualification scheme. It is a single entry point for organisations to supply products and services to a large number of buying organisations from the rail industry, including Network Rail. RISQS requires suppliers to undergo a comprehensive assessment process to verify that they have the management capability to meet customer requirements. The audit is designed to make sure that the company complies fully with the rail industry’s health and safety, quality and environmental practices regulations.
Or
The team maintained close liaison with all other key stakeholders throughout the commission including engineers and contractors. The survey was of high quality and captured all the specific details of the track work and key trackside features. It was a pleasure working with Malcolm Hughes and we would be happy to recommend them to others.”
Richard Johnstone
Translink
The railway survey was critical for determining overhead electrification line positions and heights as well as detailing the general arrangement of the railway lines and other existing infrastructure relative to the position of a proposed new bridge.
Overall we were very happy with the level of service delivered by Malcolm Hughes. The survey undertaken by Malcolm Hughes at night was well organised and coordinated with us and with Network Rail. The final information provided was of high quality and was essential for informing the bridge position and height.
We would happily use Malcolm Hughes again and recommend them for survey work of network rail infrastructure.”
Manousos Syngellakis, Engineer
Infrastructure
The new structure had piled foundations that were within the track support zone and required track monitoring with associated site constraint challenges as a result of track curvature and site hoarding. Despite speaking to survey companies synonymous and specialising in this type of work, Malcolm Hughes presented unique solutions to overcome the challenges and upon Contract Award their staff were professional, reliable, highly competent and a valued team member throughout the duration of their Contract. I would have no hesitation in using Malcolm Hughes in the future.”
John Edelsten B.Sc. IEng MICE Project Manager
BAM Nuttall Limited
Keeping your project safely on track
Partnering with Malcolm Hughes Land Surveyors brings over 40 years of geospatial expertise straight to your railway infrastructure project.
As a RISQS-accredited survey specialist, MHLS brings in-depth industry knowledge and the most advanced technology so you can deliver your project with completely reliable datasets, no matter how challenging the environment is.
We’re dedicated to carrying out surveys efficiently and hold safety to the highest standard by minimising disruption and maintaining compliance every step of the way.
Get in touch with us to discuss your site requirements and get started on reducing project risk with Malcolm Hughes today.
Related Case Studies
Track Renewal Rail Survey
The Malcolm Hughes team delivered precise rail surveys that ensured the successful and safe completion of a critical track renewal project.
Blackhorse Road, London
This project on a London Trams rail bridge utilised several of the services available here at Malcolm Hughes, highlighting our expertise in a variety of areas.
