Key Facts
- Client: Botniabanan AB
- Balfour Beatty companies involved: Balfour Beatty Rail International and Balfour Beatty Rail Projects
- Botniabanan AB has been commissioned by the Swedish government to build the Botnia Line, the biggest railway project of modern times in Sweden
- The single-track railway will run from Nyland, north of Kramfors, via Örnsköldsvik, Husum and Nordmaling to Umeå
- It will be 190km long in total, with 140 bridges and 25km of tunnels
- The new railway will be able to cope with speeds of up to 250km per hour
- In 2004, Balfour Beatty was awarded the contract for the supply and installation of track work on the first stage of the new line
- The £28.6 million contract was won in joint venture with VR-Track, Finland's largest railway construction company
- This section of the track runs between southern Nyland and Husum in the north of Sweden, along its Baltic coastline
- Construction work is being undertaken in an internal 50/50 joint venture between Balfour Beatty Rail Projects and Balfour Beatty Rail AB, the Swedish subsidiary of Balfour Beatty Rail International
- Covering a total length of 110km, the project involves the complete construction of over 50% of the Bothnia Line's proposed overall total track length
- This includes various viaducts, tunnels, eight passing sections, a goods yard and industrial sidings
- The line is unique in that it has been designed to handle both heavy freight trains and high-speed passenger trains
- In 2007, Balfour Beatty was awarded the stage two contract for the construction of the Bothnia Line’s catenary system
- Due for completion in 2009, this includes: the catenary system; point heating; power supply for signalling and telecommunication kiosks; and power supply for lighting for service and maintenance
- This second stage runs between Husum and Gimonäs in Umeå, a distance of around 100km
- Balfour Beatty Rail AB has now been successful in winning four Botnia Line contracts in total, worth around £45.5 million
- These comprise three projects for Botniabanan AB and one project for client Banverket
