When Transport for
London’s new ‘Elizabeth Line’ opens later this year, Farringdon station will
become one of the busiest in the UK.
Thanks to its
excellent acoustic qualities and inherent non-combustible properties,
ROCKWOOL’s RW3 stone wool insulation slabs were chosen to minimise station
noise and increase fire safety for passengers and staff.
(Photos: Crossrail Ltd)
More than 140 trains
per hour and an estimated 90,000 passengers are expected to pass through every
day, as the new Elizabeth Line connects Thameslink and the London Underground;
linking outer London, the home counties, the City, Canary Wharf and three of
London’s five airports.
Like all Elizabeth
Line stations, Farringdon has been designed to create accessible, safe and
comfortable spaces that people can move through easily and efficiently - with
sound absorbing insulation playing a key role in minimising station noise for
passengers and staff.
Main contractor, BFK
sought to minimise sound propagation along the new platforms and tunnels,
creating a comfortable environment in line with the design principles of the
new railway.
As well as improving acoustics within the station, BFK also had to
ensure they met the strict fire safety requirements of London Underground
Limited (LUL), by choosing products on the LUL approved products register.
ROCKWOOL was chosen
for its excellent acoustic qualities and inherent non-combustible properties.
ROCKWOOL RW3 Slabs 75mm thick were installed in the perforated glass fibre and
reinforced concrete tunnel linings of the platform and access areas. Being a semi-rigid
product, the slabs were easily cut and friction fitted to form an acoustic
lining behind the cladding.
ROCKWOOL RW3 slabs
are CE Marked according to BS EN 13162:2012 and, as with all ROCKWOOL RW slab
products, achieve a Euroclass A1 rating in accordance with BS EN 13501-1,
meeting the requirements for non-combustible materials.
“With a vast number
of trains and people due to travel through this station, noise reduction was a
major factor for this scheme,” says Simon Webber, Section Manager, at BFK.
“ROCKWOOL was able to deliver a solution that not only helps in mitigating
noise, but also provides optimum fire safety performance. This project has been
built to comply with exceptionally strict fire and acoustic LUL standards that
will serve the needs of Farringdon for years to come.”
Located in the
London Borough of Islington, Farringdon is one of ten new stations along the
central section of the new Elizabeth Line route, in which ROCKWOOL insulation
will be installed.
The station and new Elizabeth Line service will help to
increase capacity, improve accessibility, and support economic growth in the
capital.
Farringdon station
will open in December 2018.
