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Modifications and improvements were led by Network Rail and included the upgrading of the fire protection for the historic main structure, which required the creation of bespoke as well as standard encasement details for large steel beams by sector specialist, FIREFLY®. Originally opened in 1879, the first phase of this multi-million-pound property project included the creation of Avanti West Coast’s new ticket office and first-class lounge and a brand-new step-free Network Rail station reception on the concourse level. The wider project will see existing tenants relocate, new retail units created, and office accommodation refurbished.  Such has been the extent of past adaptations that when the project began last November, the design team was unclear as to the nature of the roof deck’s construction, until demolition of a fast-food restaurant revealed the I-beams up to 900mm deep.    

Details originally developed by FIREFLY® parent company in Australia have been adapted to the requirements of the Building Standards (Scotland) and the Building Regulations, enabling the easy to cut and shape non-combustible FB180 batts to infill the web to different sized steel beams. The addition of fireproof mastic and additional layers and the special Ablative Coating complete an encasement which is able to offer 60 minutes or longer integrity and insulation.  The installation work within the station, which has remained operational throughout, has been carried out by Glasgow based QualiFire Passive Fire Protection, with SIG being the merchant stockist supplying all the FIREFLY® materials. 

Active across Scotland and the North of England, QualiFire was set up by Joe Stewart in 2019 as a specialist in passive fire protection solutions for clients in the education, healthcare and local authority as well as other sectors, but has been using FIREFLY® products for the first time on the Glasgow project. 

Joe commented: “The lounge and surrounding area is currently being fitted out, while our team continues to work elsewhere within the station. The FIREFLY® system was recommended by the project architects – IDP – and the client, as they had previously been unable to find a manufacturer offering a solution which could be guaranteed to protect beams, which could be a 100years old, in this sort of situation. Initially the fire curtains were considered but then it was decided to use FIREFLY® FB180 batts. I have had very good feedback from our installers, regarding the ease of cutting and fitting them, with very little waste generated compared to other similar products. We have used both the FIREFLY® intumescent mastic and the Ablative Coating across the entire surface. Overall, it was very flexible and effective, and we have had lots of positive comments about the work, not just from the client and consultants, but also the merchant, SIG whose manager has taken an interest.  We work on big public contracts like this as far down as London if required and I can see a big potential for the system.”   

FIREFLY® Technical Sales Manager for Scotland and Ireland, Daniel Gordon, explained: “There has been enormous focus on improving the fire performance of both private residential and public buildings in the past few years, both here in Scotland and across the rest of the UK – with specifiers urgently wanting to ensure compliance for the projects they are involved with. One result of this we have seen is the widespread use being made of our FB180 batt system as a much more dependable alternative to spraying structural steel beams with intumescent coatings: the thickness and quality of which is far more difficult to ascertain.”  

Back at the outset of the project, the scheme project manager at Network Rail, Conor Mclaughlin, reported: “We are excited to be making this multi-million-pound investment to benefit passengers at Glasgow Central. We are changing the layout and occupation of several existing retail units on the station concourse which involves relocating tenants, creating new retail units, making some units larger and refurbishing office accommodation and we hope to create a broader range of retail for passengers and station users, thereby improving the experience at the station.”