Bobigny-Pantin rolling-stock depot

Managing the construction of a rail maintenance workshop

Illustration: rail maintenance workshop, tracks and overhead line entering the hall, a train leaving

For SNCF Immobilier, Guillaume, a Miles Group engineer, managed the all-trades works of a new 2,500 m² maintenance workshop in Bobigny-Pantin. A site where building and railway meet: pit tracks, retractable overhead lines, an outdoor holding track, and dozens of interfaces to coordinate through to acceptance.

The facility

A rolling-stock depot (technicentre) is the workshop where trains are serviced and repaired. The Bobigny-Pantin depot brings building installations and rail equipment together under one roof:

a 2,500 m² maintenance workshop;
two 110-metre indoor pit tracks, with rails on columns, so that technicians can work underneath the trains;
two retractable 25 kV overhead lines, which move aside to give safe access to the roofs of the trains;
a 230-metre outdoor holding track for maintenance on hardstanding.

The maintenance workshop and its pit tracks, markings anonymised — The maintenance workshop nearing completion, with its pit tracks.

Two people in orange PPE under the roof structure of the new workshop — Under the roof structure of the new workshop.

Our role

Guillaume, a Miles Group consultant, managed the all-trades works on behalf of the project owner. His role: moving the building forward while holding the interfaces with the rail packages.

Management and coordination

management, coordination and monitoring of the all-trades general contractor's works;
interface with the track, overhead line and systems packages, and with the rail network manager;
team management and close coordination with the project owner;
chairing meetings, writing and circulating the minutes.

Quality, costs and safety

checking the quality of workmanship;
reviewing payment applications and approving works progress;
site safety.

Through to handover

acceptance of the works.

Miles Group consultant giving a thumbs-up during a site visit, excavator markings anonymised — Site visit by the Miles Group team.

What this site demands

Building a rolling-stock depot means bringing two worlds together. On one side, an industrial building with its structure, roof and services. On the other, rail installations accurate to the millimetre: pit tracks, 25 kV overhead lines, connection to the network. The interfaces between the general contractor and the track and overhead line specialists are many, and any mismatch can hold up progress. The works manager is the one who keeps the overall picture, anticipates clashes and keeps safe a site where high-voltage electricity and lifting equipment sit side by side.

Other references of our consultant

SNCF Sotteville rolling-stock depot
Roof renovation of two maintenance halls of about 18.60 m by 150 m, around 5,900 m² in total, above six through railway tracks, on an occupied site.
Île Jeanty, Dunkirk — SNCF property release
Demolition of nine buildings and refurbishment of three buildings on an occupied site: planning, phasing and site set-up plan.

Skills involved

Management of all-trades works
Track, overhead line and systems interfaces
Coordination with the rail network manager
Team management
Meeting minutes and reporting
Quality, costs and safety
Acceptance of the works