McNealy Brown Ltd, Sittingbourne (2026)

07/08/2026

Strength For The Future – Lambeth’s Historic Viaduct

The Nine Elms to Waterloo Viaduct is an iconic part of London's landscape. Designed by civil engineer Albinus Martin and built in 1848, the two mile long viaduct comprises 290 arches and six iron girder bridges.

Since entering service, this historic structure has carried millions of trains into London Waterloo, and as with any structure of its age, ongoing investment is essential to ensure it remains safe, resilient and fit for the future.

One of the iron girder bridges, known locally as Lambeth Road Bridge, is currently undergoing a major programme of strengthening works. The bridge runs alongside Sail Street, which takes its name from the large, seven-storey windmill with four sails that stood nearby during the 18th and early 19th centuries.

Lambeth Road bridge is a two-span structure carrying four Waterloo - Weymouth (Bournemouth Main Line) and four Waterloo - Reading (Windsor Line) tracks over Carlisle Lane.

Working alongside VolkerFitzpatrick, the McNealy Brown team is carrying out structural repairs for SRE, to increase the bridge’s load carrying capacity to accommodate RA8 loading at line speed. The works include main girder web repairs, stiffener strengthening, trough repairs and the installation of new ballast retention on the Bournemouth Main Line.

Repairs have been undertaken both beneath the bridge under traffic management and on the railway during planned possessions.

To improve efficiency, high-precision 3D laser scanning was used to template the main girder and trough repairs digitally, eliminating the need for traditional on-site templating. The survey data enabled fabrication drawings to be produced directly from the digital model, significantly reducing survey time, improving dimensional accuracy and allowing repair steelwork to be fabricated off site ahead of planned possessions.

Engineers have installed reinforced main girder trough repairs at critical deck support locations, enhancing the bridge's structural capacity in areas affected by decades of heavy loading and environmental deterioration. Where required, bespoke screw jacks were designed and fabricated to facilitate the installation of the strengthening works.

The bridge deck has also undergone extensive over-plating repairs. Existing trough sections were carefully prepared before pairs of strengthening plates were installed symmetrically on either side of the member, providing additional strength and a durable, long-term repair solution.

Today, the viaduct continues to play a vital role in keeping the UK's rail network moving. SRE's strengthening works, due for completion later this year, will improve the resilience of the route into London Waterloo, and support increased line speeds, enhanced capacity, and the long-term performance of one of the UK's busiest rail corridors.

17/07/2026

Project Update - A Cool Solution

When Chiltern Railways needed additional space to service, repair and maintain train HVAC units, McNealy Brown delivered a practical, purpose-built solution.

Working with our client Braybrook, we fabricated and installed a new depot designed to streamline maintenance operations. The facility allows train carriages to be brought inside so HVAC units can be removed safely, efficiently and with minimal disruption, helping to improve the overall maintenance process.

Our scope included:
•Dismantle/Removal of steel beams, columns and sheeting to existing service bay
• Build & er****on of steel frame - 24m x 12m - one elevation at 8.331m high, the other 7m high
•The new structure included: 10no C01 columns at 6m centres
2no C02 columns on gridline B, approximately 7.650m
4no C03 columns on elevation C / D
5no RB01 rafter beams approx 12m length spanning column to column, mitred at both ends to suit slope required
0.7mm thick double-sided Plastisol coated galvanised steel profiled roof sheeting, with 150mm end and side laps
Gutters, rainwater pipes, wall cladding and flashing

The depot is clad on the inside, with smooth surfaces for ease of maintaining a clean working area. Works were completed smoothly and on schedule - a timely event for our current summer heatwave!

14/07/2026

Cleopatra’s Kiosk – An Historical Tale

Almost twenty years ago, the McNealy Brown team were asked to work on a very special kiosk project under Hungerford Bridge, on London’s North Embankment. Our lookback focuses on its story, of which we were very proud to be a part.

Following the second world war, the desperate rescue of stranded soldiers took place on the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940, with many volunteering their help and boats to join the effort. One such individual, Commander Coakley, had two Thames ‘little ships’, which he gladly took over the Channel. But one ship was lost in the effort, and the other was damaged so badly that his livelihood on the Thames was impossible to continue.

The Port of London Authority rented a small piece of land to him, on Victoria Embankment, and Coakley built a kiosk there, where he sold tickets for riverboat trips. It was named Cleopatra’s Kiosk, thought to be in reference to nearby Cleopatra’s Needle.

Twenty years on, Coakley’s relative, Kate Stanton, took over the running of the kiosk, followed by her daughter Julia four years later. Julia has ensured it has remained open, every day except Christmas Day, over 16 hours a day, for at least fifty years.

When Hungerford Bridge (The Golden Jubilee Pedestrian Bridge) was constructed, the kiosk was moved temporarily, to allow the business to remain open while works were carried out nearby. But this move badly affected the stability of the kiosk, so a plan to design and build its replacement was made.

The project was put forward in RIBA’s 2003 architectural design competition, and over 200 architects competed for their design to become the new kiosk. The winners were Bianchini e Lusiardi associate, and their design was brought to life by the McNealy Brown team in 2007, who delivered a full design and build package including all excavation, foundations and service connection.

The design is inspired by the local area, and the curving kiosk shape and reflective materials used are elements to recognise and celebrate its environment. Transported to site in two parts by barge, the structure comprises a mild steel frame with Celotex foam insulation, bonded ‘Rimex’ patternated stainless steel cladding, and internal hygienic surfaces. The front façade of the shop is of a stainless steel and glass door construction which slide and rotate to open into a large internal display area with integral stainless-steel cabinets.

Now, Cleopatra’s Kiosk continues to stand proud, back in its position near Embankment Tube Station, and set to weather time and the elements for many years to come.

Last photo credit:
“19960527 13 Victoria Embankment, London” by David Wilson, CC BY 2.0 in 1996

07/07/2026

Repurposed steel - a smart route to sustainable structural steel construction - is now the time to give it even more serious consideration? Click link for the article: https://tinyurl.com/yncpby4j

23/06/2026

International Women in Engineering Day 2026
At McNealy Brown Ltd, we're proud to celebrate the talented women who help shape our industry. This week, for INWED 2026, our spotlight is on Michelle King, whose remarkable 40+ year career demonstrates the value of dedication, growth and talent.
Michelle began her career at just 16 years old, joining the accounts department of a railway construction company. “I took an interest in every department within the £12M group of companies. It was the biggest private employer in the London Borough of Bexley, made up of manufacturing, installation and a central London railway training school.”
After three decades of broad industry experience, Michelle chose her specialism. “Quantity Surveying. I’ve enjoyed and continue to enjoy being a part of great teams that have created many prestigious projects within London and the Southeast.”
Michelle’s work highlights include the relationships she builds, the challenges she helps overcome, and the satisfaction of seeing projects progress from the initial enquiry right through to final handover.
Michelle's journey is a fantastic example of how engineering offers diverse opportunities for growth, learning, and long-term career development.
Thank you Michelle, for your dedication, expertise, and contribution to McNealy Brown, and to our industry.

04/06/2026

Project Lookback - Blackwall DLR Station

Taking another of our occasional snapshots of recent projects, McNealy Brown were delighted to be part of the team bringing station improvements to Blackwall.
DLR’s Blackwall station first opened in March 1994 and was a classic design of its time; a high railway accessed by one double set of stairs and two lifts.

As part of Transport for London’s ongoing commitment to improving passenger experience and enhancing safety, and DLR’s capacity upgrade project, the addition of a secondary staircase was needed at the station.

Our scope within the project was to design, fabricate and install structural steelwork for the staircase, consisting of 2no lower flights, support columns, a mezzanine level platform and 2no upper flights. The upper flights were designed with mesh infill screens of plain weave stainless steel 2.5mm wire to enclose the canopy, together with a roofing system consisting of Kingspan roof panels, aluminium flashings and gutter, with polyester powder coated downpipes.

We also supplied and installed double height DDA compliant to ‘not cold to touch’ handrails to all flights, aluminium expansion cover plates at the junction between upper landing and existing platform, and free-issue precast treads and landing planks.

Working with Enable, the two-year project completed with the opening of the new staircase on March 31 2025. Located at the eastern end of the platform, the new access staircase leads from platforms to a mid-level connection, down to the new street-level entrance.

Prior to the works, Blackwall had only one evacuation route for passengers, and an estimated evac time of more than the eight-minute maximum usually required.
Now, the secondary staircase ensures safer emergency evacuation, and future-proofs the station for passenger growth, with further benefits of increasing capacity and improving passenger flow.

29/05/2026

Project Overview – 'Current' Update from Bewl Water

Following climate change analysis after a near-miss situation in Derbyshire, works were needed to Bewl Water reservoir near Wadhurst,to protect Tonbridge and the surrounding areas from future potential flood risk, and to serve as additional protection measures against drought.

In August 2019, heavy rain led to a flood of excess water rushing over the spillway of 300-million-gallon Toddbrook Reservoir, above the Derbyshire Peak District town of Whaley Bridge. As the force of water built up, the spillway eroded, and ballasts started to fall away.

With severe ‘loss to life’ flood warnings issued in fear that the reservoir would burst, 1500 people were evacuated from Whaley Bridge. More than 1000 people, including 450 firefighters, worked 24 hours a day for 7 nights, to save the reservoir by reducing the water level, and also managing to save the town. It became apparent that many reservoirs would require specialist upgrades to future-proof their operation, and safeguard communities. Extensive safety and resilience frameworks for reservoirs have been put in place since the near-disaster occurred.

The team at McNealy Brown were contracted to design, procure, manufacture, deliver and install the supporting framework for a new siphon system at Bewl Water.

Our brief included:
27 no 1600 Pipe Supports (mild steel)
21 no 1700 Pipe Supports (stainless steel)
3 no 1700 Pipe Supports without top strap (stainless steel)

The supports were designed for a series of three 30m-long (98.4 ft), 1.7m-wide (5.8ft) pipes, which serve as the new drainage system at Bewl Water, to ensure the reservoir has both more resilience and the required assurance of safety. When needed, surplus water will be channelled into the River Bewl, from where it will then eventually flow into the River Medway.

The primary chamber at Bewl Water is now drained by these three large siphons, which speeds up the rate of drainage from the old level of 15cm in 5 days to the new rate of 5m in 5 days.

This new spillway will allow Southeast Water to drain the equivalent of an Olympic swimming pool every minute from the dam, which will ensure both Bewl Water, the land around it and settlements nearby are future-proofed against climate change - for many years to come.

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19/05/2026

Stepping up to a bespoke project

At McNealy Brown, we enjoy the occasional niche project that combines precision fabrication with practical design.

For a recent private project in Whitstable, Kent, we were tasked with designing, fabricating, and installing a bespoke galvanised steel staircase to provide future-proofed access to an upper floor flat and increase the upstairs floor space with a balcony.

The project included a straight stair with turn, handrails, and a top balcony area measuring 3370mm x 1650mm - all finished with hot dip galvanising for long-term durability.

A great example of how tailored steelwork solutions can seamlessly combine functionality and aesthetics.

www.mcnealybrown.co.uk

14/05/2026

Project Lookback - Stoneleigh AfA

Taking our occasional lookback at projects completed, the team at McNealy Brown greatly enjoyed working with Octavius on Stoneleigh AfA.

The project to improve Stoneleigh station near Epsom is part of a programme across Wessex railway network - funded through the DfT’s Access for All scheme.

McNealy Brown’s brief was to design, manufacture, supply and install:

• 1 no Covered Footbridge
• 3 no Stairs and Landings
• 3 no Lift Shafts
• Handrails, Canopies and Roofing

Our problem-solving approach to projects was especially valued during the weekend blockade, which demonstrated once again our ability to work as a team to see projects to fruition on time, and with efficiency and skill, as shown by a commendation from Octavius.

“…thanks to everyone involved in this weekend’s works at Stoneleigh. Despite numerous challenges leading up to the blockade, the team managed to complete all planned works lifting in the East and West trestles, link lobbies and stairs using a 650t mobile crane. This is a crucial milestone for the project. Well done everyone.”

Completion of the improvements was officially marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony in April 2025. Stoneleigh station is now fully accessible, with enhanced step-free access for all passengers, via lifts and stairs to the central platform from both sides of the station.

11/05/2026

Project Update: Hither Green AfA – Milestone Moment

The team at McNealy Brown were part of another significant step towards full Access For All compliance at Hither Green station, with successful installation of the four bridge spans during a possession over the early May bank holiday weekend.

The bridge spans were lifted into place, linking all platforms to the new entrances. Despite the scale and complexity, the operation ran smoothly and is a major milestone in the journey to completion.

Our photo diary of the weekend shows a snapshot of events, including the perfect weather conditions!

We’re proud to be working with BAM and Network Rail to provide access for all at Hither Green – congratulations to all involved.

More progress updates soon!

www.mcnealybrown.co.uk

McNealy Brown Ltd

07/08/2026

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14/07/2026

07/07/2026

23/06/2026

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29/05/2026

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