Delivering with precision at Waterloo Station

Although the project involved a small number of units, the complexity lay in planning, coordination and delivery rather than manufacture alone. Waterloo is one of the UK’s busiest transport hubs, operating continuously and with extremely limited tolerance for disruption. Delivering into this environment required careful forethought at every stage of the process.

Working within a live station environment

The kiosks were installed within live rail and tube concourse areas, where internal space was severely constrained and interfaces with other contractors and temporary works were unavoidable. Movement routes had to be assessed in detail, access carefully coordinated, and sequencing planned to ensure safety and efficiency throughout.

Every aspect of delivery had to be considered in the context of a busy, operational transport hub, where disruption was not an option and safety was paramount.

Programme-critical delivery

Crucially, installation was restricted to a narrow overnight possession window when the station was closed to the public. Between approximately 1am and 3am, the units were delivered, safely dismounted and manoeuvred through tight internal spaces before being positioned and installed.

Within this window, there was no margin for error. Any delay or misstep would have had a direct impact on the station’s ability to reopen on time.

“Delivering into Waterloo overnight left no room for error. We were able to plan and execute the installation exactly as required within a very tight window.”
- Chris Baldwin, Project Manager – Thurston Group

Designed for delivery

A key factor in the successful installation was close collaboration between Thurston’s factory and site teams. The units were manufactured with delivery conditions firmly in mind, ensuring the minimum amount of work was required once on site.

This approach required careful coordination between off-site and on-site teams, working through details early to reduce risk during the overnight install. By resolving complexity in advance, installation on site was simplified, controlled and executed within the tight programme window.

Why this matters

Projects such as Waterloo highlight where Thurston adds the greatest value. We are frequently engaged when the challenge is not simply what is being built, but how it can be delivered within complex, high-risk or tightly controlled environments.

Experience, judgement and confidence become as important as the finished product itself.

The Waterloo Station payment kiosk project is a clear, real-world example of Thurston operating in that specialist role - enabling delivery where access, time and risk are the dominant factors, and where getting it right first time truly matters.