Meet Richard Sunderland – Principal Structural/Rail Technician

Richard has over twenty-five years’ experience as a technician and joined JNP Group’s rail team in 2006.  As well as supervising site surveys and investigations, he is a key member of the rail team, developing scheme designs and preparing design documentation.

Why did you choose Structural/Rail Engineering as a career path?

For me it wasn’t really a very conscious choice… I particularly enjoyed studying art but left school with only vague career ideas. I got a summer job helping with building surveys, which helped me learn about how buildings and structures work. I combined this with my enjoyment of drawing to start working as a technician. When I joined JNP Group, it rekindled a childhood interest in the railways, and I have enjoyed working in the rail sector ever since.

What is the most challenging thing about your job?

I find site surveys challenging but at the same time rewarding. We go out to gather the details of an old building or structure, sometimes encountering difficult conditions. Once in the office, we set about figuring out the puzzle of how the structure works and what we can do with it.

What has been your favourite project?

The projects that I have enjoyed working on the most were a couple of intricate schemes to underpin railway signal boxes. These schemes came with their own unique challenges. I was part of the team that was tasked with designing how to prop the existing building to enable excavation underneath to fix the foundation while keeping the signal box operational.

What advice do you have for someone interested in engineering?

I would recommend trying to get onto a site and learn how structural components look in real life, compared to how they appear on drawings or online. When making the comparisons, sometimes the scale of things can be surprising.

What is your favourite structure and why?

I have always had a keen interest in trains since my first childhood train set. I am always impressed by the craftsmanship that went into building vast old railway stations like Darlington, York, or St. Pancras. The Victorian construction methods used to create stations from ornate ironwork in the 1800s that are still used today are remarkable. Canary Wharf station, with its scale, minimalism, and intuitive layout, is a good example of how far design methods have come. Being able to see the contrast between old and new engineering methods by simply catching a train is fascinating. Hopefully it inspires the next generation of engineers.