Client:
BAM Nuttall
Location:
Dewsbury
Product:
ReLuminate
The Transpennine Route Upgrade is one of the UK’s major rail infrastructure programmes, designed to improve capacity, reliability and journey times across the 122km route between Manchester and York. Within this wider programme, BAM Nuttall’s work between Dewsbury and Copley Hill formed part of a complex rail construction environment, with activity taking place across multiple locations and phases.
Project W3 is one of the most constrained sections of the wider TRU programme, covering works between Huddersfield and Ravensthorpe. The upgrade includes doubling sections of track from two to four, introducing grade separation at Ravensthorpe and improving Huddersfield station, creating a demanding construction environment where temporary infrastructure needed to support activity without adding unnecessary operational complexity.
VentaVolt supplied ReLuminate® off-grid hybrid lighting to support safe, practical site operations across a number of sites between Dewsbury and Huddersfield. In total, 35 solar-wind lighting units were deployed, helping to provide dependable illumination while reducing dependency on grid power and removing the need for complex trenching or fixed cabling near existing rail infrastructure.
Rail infrastructure projects create demanding conditions for temporary lighting. Work areas are often spread across long corridors, access can be constrained, and lighting requirements change as construction activity moves from one phase or location to another.
The project also needed lighting that could perform through the variable weather conditions and reduced daylight hours often associated with rail works in northern England, supporting continuity through seasonal and day-to-day changes in site conditions.
For the TRU works, the site context created several practical requirements:
The project also required careful management of practical delivery issues, including lifting operations, delivery logistics and stakeholder considerations in surrounding areas.
VentaVolt worked with BAM Nuttall to deploy 35 ReLuminate® hybrid solar-wind lighting units across sites between Dewsbury and Huddersfield.
The units were positioned to provide consistent illumination for compounds and site movement, while remaining fully off-grid. By combining renewable generation with onboard energy storage, the lights could operate independently once installed, reducing the need for day-to-day lighting management.
Each unit provides up to 500m² of lighting coverage, allowing the site team to illuminate working areas efficiently while reducing the number of columns required compared with traditional systems. On this project, the current case study records that approximately 20% fewer lighting columns were required.
For a rail corridor environment, the ability to install without trenching or cabling was particularly important. It reduced disruption, avoided additional groundworks and allowed units to be repositioned as site requirements changed. The self-cleaning capability of the units also supported performance in an industrial rail environment, helping to maintain light output despite exposure to construction dust and debris.
The ReLuminate® units helped address several of the practical pressures associated with temporary lighting on infrastructure schemes.
The installation necessitated careful planning around logistics, including a requirement for FORS-compliant deliveries.
Lifting operations were managed through checks on ground conditions, weather monitoring, PPE requirements, toolbox talks, pre-use equipment inspection and controlled HIAB operation. A dummy lift was also used to verify safety parameters before installation.
VentaVolt’s ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications also provided a relevant quality and environmental management framework for delivery, aligning with the standards expected on a major rail infrastructure programme.
One unexpected issue arose in a nearby rural setting, where turbine sound during extreme wind conditions affected horses on a neighbouring property. VentaVolt responded by developing and implementing a braking mechanism to reduce turbine rotation speeds for that type of application.
For the Transpennine Route Upgrade, ReLuminate® provided a flexible, off-grid lighting solution suited to a complex and changing rail construction environment.
The units supported site illumination and security while reducing reliance on grid power, cabling and daily lighting management. With flexible positioning, controlled light direction and efficient coverage, the deployment showed how temporary lighting can support complex rail works without adding unnecessary infrastructure or intervention. Just as importantly, the project demonstrated how off-grid lighting can be adapted around operational, logistical and stakeholder requirements as works progress.
