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CMCR Limited is pleased to announce the setting up of a dedicated Railway Division within its Larbert Office.
In 2007 railway associated surveying accounted for approximately 50% of turnover and it is this sector growth that CMCR wishes to continue by expanding the expertise of the Company. A Railway Divisional Manager has been appointed – David Kerr takes up his position at the end of March 2008.
David has over 30 years experience of the railways having previously been employed within British Rail/BRIS/First Engineering and Network Rail. David has made a bold step to leave an organisation the size of Network Rail to join a privately owned Company currently operating with approximately 30 staff. CMCR takes this as a positive endorsement of the future prospects of the railway division.
Support staff are being recruited from the railway sector to provide the full range of services to this new division. Anyone who has experience of dealing within the railway environment will be fully aware of the “railway speak” and the numerous acronyms required to get yourself understood.
We believe that if we are to seriously progress our business within the railway environment that it is essential to have the division managed by an experienced railway manager who can pass on the unique requirements of specifications and safety to our staff. Our large resource of topographic and measured building surveyors will be available to top up the requirements of the division as all our staff are PTS certified.
It is CMCR’s aim that within a reasonably short period of time we will incorporate Railway Design capabilities into the division, something normally associated as being supplied by a Consultancy and not within the remit of a Survey Company.
The services offered by the division will include but not be limited to:
Major Control Schemes;
Topographic Surveys;
Gauging for bridges & platforms;
Hallade surveys;
Alignment Surveys;
Track Condition;
Design – Plain Line;
S & C and Clearance Analysis.
This is an outstanding opportunity within CMCR, recognised by the Directors as the area for planned growth within the Company, which has in just less than three years already grown to a 30 strong staff level.
Further survey disciplines have already been identified for future growth and the Directors are looking forward to exciting and prosperous times ahead for these new developments.
CMCR has confirmed to The Munro Society that it would like to continue with a programme of Munro heightings in 2008.
Year 2007 proved to be a most successful year in the provision of accurate heights for the summits of Foinaven and Beinn Dearg though not in the creation of new Munro’s, both mountains retaining their Corbett status.
In 2008 there are 5 mountains that are in contention to be selected for heighting with probably two being undertaken this year, depending on the availability of funds.
If anyone out there reading this would like to be a Sponsor of a climb then I am sure The Munro Society and CMCR would be pleased to listen to your offer.
The five possible for 2008 are:
Sgurr nan Ceannaichean
Ben Vane
Beinn Teallach
Beinn a Chleibh
Sgurr a Choire-bheithe
As soon as a decision is made regarding the location and date for the climb we will announce this here on our website
CMCR is pleased to announce the addition of Landlines Heritage to its list of partner organisations.
A meeting was held on 12th December 2007 between David Corfield, Business Development Director of CMCR and David Fleetwood, Director of Landlines Heritage to discuss the possible co-operation between the two Companies.
Landlines Heritage is a young Company with progressive ideas based in Edinburgh All products associated with Landlines Heritage start from a base of High Definition Digital Photography. Services supplied include:
Full Site Photographic Record Survey
Rectified Photography
Photographic Material Condition Survey
High Level Photography using a free standing 8m high mast
Publicity/Report Images
Stone by Stone digital imaging and terrestrial photogrammetry
Orthophotography
Landlines Heritage has been established to principally service the Heritage/Archaeological marketplace however; together with CMCR we should be able to service many clients throughout a range of disciplines including Architectural practices.
Provided an object can be photographed and Landlines Heritage has many ways of ensuring that it can, by using innovative ideas for access etc then the object may not only be observed for record purposes but the imagery can also be used for accurate measurement.
If you need a photographic record of site progress throughout construction, require a rectified image of a façade being retained during demolition for record purposes or a stone by stone survey of a façade then Landlines Heritage will provide the solution.
Click here to visit the Landlines Heritage website and view images of outstanding quality.
Why is land surveying a recognised profession in most of the civilized countries of the world but not in the UK?
One of the reasons for this is probably that there has never been a strong enough voice in the market place representing the interest of land surveyors... but is that now changing?
“Since the TSA set up its own Secretariat in 2006 there has been a distinct change in the culture and leadership, the administration and support, but probably most of all in the communication both externally and internally” comments Neil Harvey the TSA President (Chairman/Director – Met Surveys).
CMCR Limited applied for membership of the TSA as soon as the Company was established, the idea being that the association may be of value to a new start Company during its first trading year. The TSA rules however, required that we had to be in business for one year before we could join and so it was on 3rd May 2006 that the TSA undertook an external audit of the Company which resulted in us being informed of our Associate status on 23rd May 2006. We will be eligible for full membership in 2008 on completion of three years trading.
The Directors of CMCR Limited are very pro-active regarding cooperation with other like minded Companies in an effort to offer it’s clients a more comprehensive service than might be available should we operate in isolation. With this open form of management it therefore follows that CMCR should be active in connection with the TSA.
The survey industry is always referred to as a very “incestuous” relationship, no doubt due to the specialization of some of the disciplines resulting from staff and senior people moving around from one Company to another.
With the publication of a regular Newsletter it is clear to see that CMCR Limited is not scared to share certain information with others, in fact it is normally our clients who may suppress any sensitive articles regarding Contracts undertaken.
In an effort to raise the profile of the TSA they have organised receptions at the House of Commons at which Instrument Manufacturers and members of the TSA have had the opportunity to promote the Surveying Disciplines and to meet MP’s to discuss issues related to MP’s constituencies. The last one featured Flood Mapping, an issue on many MP’s minds, this gathering certainly gave an insight into surveying that many MP’s had little knowledge of before they met the TSA.
The TSA is also determined to raise awareness in education establishments from schools, colleges and universities of the need to develop “home grown surveyors”. There has been a big reduction in student places at universities for Topographic Science courses – why? - financial reasons, it is much easier to fill courses studying Sociology and Media Studies where there is mass appeal.
TSA is also aiming to increase the standards within Member Companies by running CCD (Continuous Company Development) courses, the first of which has taken place and concentrated on “Team Building” undertaken by Blue Sky Corporate and Personnel Development. This was not only a very informative day but also a very enjoyable one held at Villa Park the home of Aston Villa Football Club. The course brought to the forefront and very much highlighted the need for good communications and this is what CMCR and the TSA are all about, that is why we have now published our 9th Newsletter in 3 years.
The TSA are also publishing specifications and other useful documents on their website www.tsa-uk.org.uk and hopefully these will be used by Surveying Companies and Client/Consultants in order to standardize requirements and ensure that the product they receive is what was expected. TSA has recently been extended to incorporate the following membership categories:
Full Membership (101)
Associate Membership (3)
Supplier Membership (12)
Academic Membership (1 +1 Pending)
Affiliate Membership (0 +1 Pending)
The main points of contact for TSA on a daily basis are Rory Stanbridge, Secretary General and Rachel Tyrrell, Administration Manager at Northgate Business Centre, 38 Northgate, Newark-on-Trent, Notts, NG24 1EZ. Tel: 01636 642 840
At the end of the day it’s down to all of us to promote the business of surveying to raise its image to a higher level and to provide our clients with a quality product at a fair price and within a reasonable timeframe a policy that is strongly held and achieved by CMCR Limited.
