Reading Station redevelopment
Reading, UK · 2010-2015 (construction began 2011, completed 2015, opened 2014) · £850 million - £897 million
The judgement call
Account-gated at launchSuccessful delivery of a major capacity upgrade for a critical railway hub. - Implementation of a value engineering exercise to optimize costs. - Improved passenger experience and connectivity for Reading and the wider network.
Key engineering challenges
Improving track layout to ease congestion and increase capacity. - Construction within an operational railway environment. - Integration of new Crossrail services with existing lines. - Managing complex interfaces and maintaining passenger flow during upgrade.
Project facts
- Client / owner
- Network Rail
- Lead contractor
- Laing O'Rourke (main contractor); HOCHTIEF (in joint venture for major upgrade)
- Lead designers
- Grimshaw (architects); Bechtel (overall project management/engineering)
- Project type
- upgrade; refurbishment
- Scale
- Six new platform faces; two new entrances; new transfer deck; doubled station capacity; up to 30 trains per hour capacity.
- Disciplines
- Civil engineering; railway engineering; structural engineering; architecture; project management
- Standards & frameworks
- Network Rail standards; UK railway standards.
Sources: https://grimshaw.global/projects/rail-and-mass-transit/reading-station/; https://www.bechtel.com/projects/reading-station/; https://bustler.net/news/redirectData/construction_update_of_reading_station_area_redevelopment_by_grimshaw_archi/; https://www.railway-technology.com/projects/readingstation/; https://www.systra.com/ireland/project/reading-station/; https://www.rssb.co.uk/sustainability/reading-elevated-railway-value-engineering; https://archinect.com/news/article/67038104/construction-update-of-reading-station-area-redevelopment-by-grimshaw-architects