The Innovation Train's Journey

Suddenly out of the gloom of the clouds over Bracknell came a glimmer of light from each of the four lamp posts, I looked over to the electrical engineers and said “we have light” lets just say they did not warm to my comment.

Two benches have now been installed on the platform, I took a seat and watched the world pass me by for all of two seconds, taking pictures of the finished railings and the electrical engineers doing their thing. Grass seeds have been sewn and top soil has been laid ready for the re-growth of the area around the platform, the final details are happening!

Registration online to visit the Innovation train on the 15th, 23rd or 27th May at the 3M Centre, Bracknell.

Small finishing touches were added to the station this week such as 3M™ Stamark™ road marking tape A270ES (a white non slip line) along the platform edge. It adds to the authenticity of the station but also shows off one of the huge range of products 3M supply to the rail industry. I bet there is a product you don’t know that we do!

Carrying on with the safety theme, the hand rails were finally installed along the platform edges. It was not an easy job as the contractors told me, it was pretty much bespoke and extremely fiddly, a lot of cutting and trial fitting was required but the results are extremely good!

Anyone who visits the site will appreciate the amount of care and attention to detail that has gone into this project!

A rail carriage is in the process of being selected from Long Marston storage facility near Stratford on Avon; a "graveyard" for decommissioned carriages one of which is to become the Innovation train at the 3M Centre.

The exterior will be refurbished using 3M products such as anti corrosion Scotchkote™ Copon paints* and liveried in our vinyl materials. The interior, well, we have something special up our sleeves for that! If you want to visit the Innovation train on the 15^th, 23^rd or 27^th of May get in contact with us.

What a beautiful day to take a stroll to the station, making use of the newly laid path, the fresh smooth tarmac weaving through the tree’s, very pleasant.

I was greeted with the installation of base plates for the railings along the platform edges, (I know what your thinking, lucky guy!) this is quite significant however, being some of the final dressing stages of the station build. My hat has to go off to the engineer’s and contractors that have worked around the clock to get the station looking as it does, no easy feet.

Remember if you want to visit the Innovation train on the 15^th, 23^rd or 27^th of May get in contact with us.

The new installation of 3M shelters came in useful when I visited the site today, the winds were howling and the rain was peppering me from every angle, the shelters did help in giving me some rest bite from the weather, and they look good!

Tarmac has now been laid around the platform and on the top surface as you can see from the pictures. Lamp posts have also been installed so all that’s left of the platform furniture is the safety railings.

Not the best day to take photos but you can see how far gone the station is now, Chooo choo!

Work is continuing at a hectic pace the ramp and slabs are progressing and looking like a stable structure, I was temped to walk up it but couldn’t bring myself to tarnishing the clean slabs with my muddy boots. Also from the pictures you can see finishing slabs have been laid along the top of the path edges, it’s really coming together now! The station build is right on track, excuse the pun!

Slabs are lifted into place by a 30 tonne crane at the 3M centre.

10 quarter of a tonne slabs were lifted into place today to form the surface structure of the platform, quite an engineering feat. A 30 tonne crane was commissioned with the job of carefully placing the slabs along the platform brickwork frame. The wind was up and it was cold so I stood my distance and watched from the warmth of the 3M centre, sensible or wimp, you decide!

Construction has begun on the path linking the platform site to the main building, a mammoth task in itself as it requires levelling, laying down the aggregate and tarmac, this path is not short. It will link the 3M building to the platform and follows the edge of the scenic 3M sports field.

20 tonnes of aggregate stone has been laid to form the surface around the platform as you can see from the pictures it is becoming more and more apparent where the train and walkways will be situated, next week the surrounding area should have tarmac down. The good weather, well better than torrential rain has helped progress, over the period of a week it is beyond recognition!

Next week the platform furniture can start going in, such as the railings, stay tuned.

The January rain has not halted progress as the station continues to be well ahead of schedule! Everything seems to be on track for a swift build. The first concrete paving slabs have been installed creating the walkway up to the main platform, non slip of course as it is a ramp.

Work is beginning on the foundations for the tracks that will support the rail carriage, the ground is very water logged and muddy to which I found out the hard way. A path will run along side the right hand side of the guide stones to enable viewing underneath the carriage, exposing the bogies. Continued work is starting to make the brick frame become a solid structure.