West Fraser Inverness Rail Sliding

BT Bell provided earthworks and civil engineering design services for the development of a new rail freight facility at West Fraser’s oriented strand board (OSB) manufacturing plant near Inverness.

The project involved the construction of two approximately 560 m long rail sidings, providing a direct connection between the manufacturing facility and the adjacent Aberdeen–Inverness railway line. The development also incorporated a new freight handling area, container storage hardstanding, site access infrastructure and facilities for the loading and unloading of freight.

BT Bell’s commission included the development of the earthworks design for the new rail formation and associated infrastructure, ensuring that the completed ground platform provided a stable and durable formation suitable for the demanding operational requirements of the rail facility. The civil engineering scope also included the design and coordination of site levels, access and drainage, working closely with the wider project team to integrate the railway infrastructure with the existing operational manufacturing site.

The new rail connection formed a significant part of West Fraser’s strategy to reduce its reliance on road haulage by allowing raw materials and finished products to be transported directly by rail. The first phase of the development was expected to remove thousands of HGV movements from Scotland’s road network each year and reduce annual carbon emissions by approximately 9,000 tonnes.

The project demonstrated how carefully coordinated civil and earthworks design could support the delivery of major industrial infrastructure while providing substantial long-term operational and environmental benefits.