Hackney Wick Drainage Scheme
Drainage investigation and reinstatement design at 86 Wallis Road, Hackney Wick, restoring discharge to the Thames Water sewer following the 2018 station redevelopment.
Overview & solution
Following the 2018 redevelopment of Hackney Wick Station, drainage issues were reported at the neighbouring property, 86 Wallis Road, occupied by Grow Studios. A detailed drainage investigation was undertaken to establish existing asset arrangements and identify a viable connection. The design incorporated a new gravity drainage connection, inspection chambers and tie-ins to existing Network Rail drainage infrastructure, restoring discharge to the Thames Water sewer in Wallis Road. GSB provided civil engineering design services to reinstate the drainage system.
Challenge
Investigations found that an existing drainage pipe had been removed during the station upgrade works. Although identified as redundant on construction drawings, the pipe formed part of an active drainage system serving the property and discharging to the Thames Water sewer in Wallis Road. The scheme required the reinstatement of drainage connectivity within a constrained railway environment while managing multiple project interfaces. A key challenge was integrating and validating information from legacy drainage records, utility surveys, recently completed station upgrade drawings and adjacent development proposals — all of which influenced the proposed drainage route.
Conclusion
The project demonstrates the importance of asset verification, stakeholder collaboration and multidisciplinary coordination when delivering infrastructure solutions within complex urban railway environments.