Sam Sherwood-Hale spoke to Phil Williamson about the company’s journey from family business to national rail specialist, the challenges of working in operational depots, and how the foundations built over three decades position Cairn Cross for the industry changes ahead.

SSH: As Cairn Cross celebrates its 30th anniversary, what does reaching this milestone mean to you personally and to the organisation?

PW: I joined Cairn Cross 17 years ago, and for me personally, it’s fantastic to have overseen the continued growth to this point. As a privately owned business operating for 30 years, it’s a proud moment of reflection that has been made possible by the broader team who work tirelessly to accommodate the challenging situations with time pressures on complex projects. The foundations were there when I joined. We started as a subcontractor formwork and concrete business working with main contractors in general construction and some rail-related minor works. Then, in the mid-2000s, we undertook a variety of rail depot projects for main contractors and from there we developed this as our main market. It was more of a natural progression than a significant adjustment. A turning point came in 2009 with a project in Manchester for the new Metro trams, where we partnered with a design consultancy to build a state-of-the-art maintenance facility for the incoming fleet of 27 trams.

SSH: How has the company’s mission and vision evolved since it was founded back in 1995?

PW: Following the Covid period, we rebranded from Cairn Cross Civil Engineering to simply Cairn Cross, unveiling a new logo and refreshed website to reflect our evolution. At the same time, we introduced a ten-year Step Change Plan, setting out a bold vision for growth, innovation, and the future direction of the business.

At the heart of this plan is our mission built on three pillars: People, Planet, and Performance. These guiding principles ensure that as Cairn Cross continues to grow, we remain true to our values and our responsibility to deliver positive outcomes for our clients, our communities, and the wider industry.

The Step Change Plan acts as our roadmap for the next decade, a commitment to investing in people, embedding sustainability, and striving for excellence in everything we do. Today, our promise is of complete client satisfaction, every project, every time. We strive to achieve this in each and every activity that we are involved in.

I think having a focus and a specialism, focusing on one entity rather than trying to cover the whole construction industry, which is very broad, has helped our success. Having a focus on rail depots specifically has helped us develop specialist knowledge in the depot arena.

SSH: What would you say are the two or three most significant achievements in Cairn Cross’s 30-year journey?

PW: In 2011, we delivered a scheme in Perth for Network Rail, refurbishing the historical and listed four-road engine shed. The original cast iron columns and lattice girders were grit blasted, repaired, and repainted, along with the installation of a new roof structure, power supply, and energy-efficient lighting. We proposed an alternative working method that made the scheme inherently safer and allowed us to leave two of the roads operational throughout the project, which was a great benefit to the rail operator. It was a real success for all involved. This project safeguarded the legacy of the historic engine shed while demonstrating our ongoing commitment to supporting the rail industry’s future.

When we tendered the project, Network Rail asked for the refurbishment to be done with high-level scaffolding around the whole structure to allow the grit blast and paint to take place. We thought that introduced quite a lot of working at height, so we proposed lifting the girders down onto ground level and setting up blast and paint tents with a heavy trolley system so we could push the girders through a blast operation and then a paint operation before lifting them back up onto the structure. That was a more efficient and safer way of delivering the scheme.

A key highlight was receiving the prestigious Lynda Grant Safety Award for our work on a bridge strengthening scheme. On this project, we designed and trialled an innovative rapid encapsulation system that significantly reduced time spent working at height while maximising possession time for construction activities for Network Rail.

Most recently, we just completed a new multi-functional two-road facility for Siemens at their Depot in Northampton. The works involved Diversions Road embankment stabilisation service diversions, p-way piling two 100 metres inspection pits, mechanical and electrical fit out. The challenge with the Siemens project was that the only access road to that depot needed to be slewed over by about five metres. We had to phase the embankment stabilisation and roadworks in such a way that we could maintain access for the depot while undertaking the works.

Reaching 30 years of successful trading is a significant milestone for any business, but particularly within the construction sector. As only around five per cent of UK registered companies achieve three decades in operation, this anniversary reflects both the resilience and long-term commitment of Cairn Cross.

SSH: Looking back over three decades, what are you most proud of in terms of the company’s development and growth?

PW: The best thing about our development and growth is the broad skill set of the team we have, and the opportunity we have had to introduce training and development throughout the organisation. We have internal training programmes and an apprenticeship programme. We all work as mentors to each other and assist in knowledge sharing and helping each other achieve.

We have seen people join the business and develop into senior management positions. Seeing people enjoying their work and developing as individuals is very rewarding.

Finding skilled people is a challenge for many people in the industry. What we’ve found over the years is that whenever we’ve recruited, we’ve tried to recruit people with diverse skill sets. So, across our project management team, we’ve got people that have specialisms in a variety of things – electrical and mechanical experience, specific experience in steel structures and lifting operations, and general construction managers that have seen all sorts of types of construction. We try to have a diverse skill set across the team so that we can deliver the broad range of services that we offer.

The transition from family business to corporate entity has been gradual. When I joined, we just rented our first office space, and then in 2015, we bought our own office in Morley, which is now our headquarters. That was a significant milestone in our growth. We really transitioned from being a privately owned family organisation to a more corporate structure, though we very much still have a family feel.

SSH: You’ve worked in over 60 rail depots across the UK. Can you walk us through how Cairn Cross built this dominant position in rail infrastructure over 30 years?

PW: Our approach to contracting and project delivery, along with our ability to assist our clients in the very early stages of the projects, has cemented our expertise in the rail depot environment. Having a full understanding of the client’s requirements and needs early and the ability to then move the design forward swiftly.

Over the years, our teams have become experts in the Depot environment. Our proactive approach and ability to solve problems for our clients continue to mean that we win repeat business year after year. By partnering and building relationships with specialist rail suppliers across the UK, we can deliver turnkey projects for all aspects of depot facilities, CET systems, carriage washes, jacking facilities, painting and blasting facilities, OLE works, substation, and power upgrades. Wheel lathes, bogie drops, fuel and AdBlue, and various maintenance sheds.

It’s a challenging environment to work in as the projects tend to be multi-disciplined, so there’s electrical and mechanical work as well as civil engineering. This makes for very interesting work elements, and we’ve found that working in that multidisciplinary environment is what we’re really good at – the coordination of a whole number of stakeholders and different construction disciplines that need to be brought together at the same time to make for a successful project.

SSH: With projects spanning from Holyhead to Hull, Crewe to Glasgow, how did a Leeds-based company build such an impressive national footprint?

PW: We follow the rail network for the length and breadth of the country; we have work teams based around the UK, which allows us to service the projects. We strategically then recruit locally for our projects, which ensures we are adding benefit to the local communities where the projects are based and reduces our travelling time, which helps with fatigue management and environmental impact. This works really well for us. We have dedicated resource managers who work across the projects, ensuring that the right people are in place with the correct equipment and machinery.

While the head office is in Leeds, we very much operate as a national contractor. We place a core team within each project and then recruit locally for the additional skills that we need.

SSH: Your portfolio includes 20+ CET installations and eleven-wheel lathe projects. How has staying at the cutting edge of rail technology driven your growth?

PW: We were involved in the development of the first Health Hub for Alstom, installed at Longsight, which scans bogies, wheels, and pantographs as trains enter the depot. This system provides accurate, real-time information on wheel wear, brake pad wear, and pantograph condition, helping operators to plan servicing more effectively. Since then, similar systems have been adopted widely across the rail industry, reflecting how operators have embraced digital technology in maintenance.

Alongside this, we have worked with specialist partners to install automated switches at various depots, enabling track layouts to be altered to accommodate new facilities and improve operational efficiency. Wheel lathes have been a real backbone of our work. We’ve done eleven or twelve wheel lathe installations across the UK in the last decade. The rail operators are paying a lot more attention to CNC machining technology as they have more accurate cutting, prolong the life of the wheel set, and protect the track.

By having good relationships and supporting our supply chain and specialist suppliers of that equipment, we’ve been able to provide a whole turnkey service for clients looking for specialist equipment – wheel lathes, bogie drops, jacking, CET, carriage washers or something else.

SSH: Projects like Peterborough and Tonbridge show you’re building infrastructure that will serve the network for decades. How does creating this lasting legacy align with Cairn Cross’s broader contribution to UK rail?

PW: With all the work we deliver, we are either adding brand new facilities or repurposing and upgrading existing facilities. It’s good to see older buildings being repurposed and having a new lease of life that serves the industry and transport sector for many years to come.

Working on enhancements and revitalising existing facilities is far more challenging than building a new facility from a flat site.

You’re working around old infrastructure and the legacy of ground contamination and other issues going back to the British Rail days and prior to that, as well, back to the steam engine days. We were working on a project recently in Canton and excavated down to construct a new foundation, and came across the old foundations from a very old turntable that no one was aware of, that no one knew existed.

I think it’s also more rewarding, though, because the people who are working that depot – lots of the staff working on these depots have been there for a long time – see such a significant change and they see the impact of the investments as well because it makes such a big difference to the quality of their workspace and working environments.

We helped Alstom enhance its facilities when the Pendolino trains on the West Coast changed from nine-car to eleven-car sets around 2010-12. We extended some of their sheds to accommodate the sheds, walkways, paths, and CET systems across the country to accommodate the new eleven-car sets versus the nine-car sets. That work and the enhancement and legacy that the pace of change in the rail industry has brought have really worked in step with us.

SSH: From simple installations to complete depot hubs requiring track diversions and structural modifications, how has your project complexity evolved throughout the company’s history?

PW: Our projects over the years have become more multidisciplinary, with clients wanting a full service from the concept design through to complete delivery. We have been able to deliver this and ensure smooth transition between phases of the projects and minimise disruption on operational depots through the project life cycle. By delivering the main key elements in-house, we gain assurance of the programme and availability of resources.

SSH: Your innovative rail pit drops lighting systems and TrackPan GRP walkways show you’re not just delivering projects but creating solutions. How important has developing proprietary technology been to your competitive advantage?

PW: We are always looking to challenge the convention and see if there are improvements or new products that can be utilised to enhance safety, reduce time, or have a lower carbon impact. We want our projects to be robust and serve the client well. We also look at how the project could be scheduled or designed differently to minimise disruption or time on site.

We encourage all our clients to have early contractor engagement with us so that we can have conversations early in the project. In terms of the track pan, that was a significant improvement over what was in the marketplace previously. It wasn’t a new concept as such, but the way that our track pan was designed with Uni Park Rail and the way that works was a significant improvement and reduces time and increases maintenance and therefore lowers carbon footprint, which everyone’s focused on now and for the next 20 years, particularly.

We always look at how the project can be scheduled or designed differently to minimise the disruption on site. We’re always looking for opportunities on how we can do something differently or change a sequence or alter a product type or reduce a lead time and give options to the client. Sometimes people don’t know what they don’t know, and sometimes clients aren’t aware of all the options that may be available to them.

SSH: As both Principal Contractor and Principal Designer with in-house mechanical and electrical capabilities, how did you build these integrated technical capabilities?

PW: We introduced our electrical and mechanical team in 2010; having this inhouse from a design and delivery point of view really makes the project coordination and delivery much smoother. We can advise clients on a greater breadth of requirements. Through our recruitment and growth over the years, we have always looked at how a diverse range of knowledge in the team can add significant value to the project process.

Having those capabilities in-house from the design and implementation perspective really makes the project coordination and delivery much smoother. We’re able to manage the integration much more easily because they’re all within our control. We can distribute the main excavation, foundation, drainage, civils elements ourselves and the mechanical and electrical elements, then we buy in specialist services that enhance that with a supply chain we’ve worked hard with to have strong partnerships and make sure we can provide
all the specialist products that the depots
require within the project seamlessly.

SSH: From contractor relationships to a trusted advisor status, how has evolving these client partnerships driven your 30- year success?

PW: Strong client partnerships are at the heart of our business. Repeat work is one of the clearest measures of our success, and we’re proud to be a trusted partner that clients return to time and again to deliver projects with confidence.

It’s quite a small industry, and repeat work is the clearest measure of our success. Each time we repeat work on a depot, we become more familiar with it, and in many cases, we have an intrinsic knowledge of a facility – sometimes we have a deeper understanding of what’s underneath the ground or what’s around the depot facilities than some of the operators, because they’re concentrating on maintaining the trains, rightly so. We have a good understanding of many depots that we’ve delivered multiple projects on over the years.

Having that trusted relationship with clients and early contractor engagement means when we’re talking to them about what’s feasible and possible on the depots or what enhancements could be coming in the coming years, we’re always open to that conversation to provide advice and options at the early stages so the client’s well informed about what possibilities there are in terms of delivering enhancements or new facilities.

SSH: As you look towards 2026 and beyond, how do the foundations built over 30 years position Cairn Cross for future opportunities?

PW: We are in the best position ever to service clients across the industry with our resources and owned and operated machinery. The industry is changing, and as standards continue to improve and new rolling stock enters the networks, the need for modern depots and upgrades to existing facilities is inevitable. With significant rail projects across the country, from HS2, TRU, East West rail, and Midlands Rail Hub, the need is going to be greater looking into the medium-term future. Rail freight will also need to be accommodated on the network and at an increased capacity. It’s essential from an environmental and road infrastructure point of view that freight wagons and locomotives will also require enhanced facilities.

We’ve done quite a lot of work over the years for freight depots. We’ve worked with GB Rail Freight and with DB Cargo and looked at some work with Freightliner. All the freight operators seem to be looking to grow and expand their operations. There seems to be a need and demand for a more environmental way of moving logistics around the country. I think there’ll be more freight going on the rail in the coming years, and that’s going to bring with it a need for distribution hubs, maintenance and stabling facilities.

We delivered a railhead in Castle Donnington back in 2011 for a Marks and Spencer’s distribution centre which was about 3½ kilometres of P way with some driver walkways. I think organisations like that are likely to want to move more of their stock by freight, as the world has seen a shift to parcel delivery.

The industry is changing, and we’re aware of that, we’re in step with the changes that are coming. There’s a need to modernise existing depots, there are upgrades to existing facilities that are inevitable, and there’s a significant number of rail projects ongoing and required in the future. I think the next 30 years will be as interesting and rewarding as the last, and we look forward to the challenges and opportunities the industry will bring.