Boosting fuel efficiency, cutting running costs and strengthening support for major projects Murphy has announced a £6.5m investment in 34 new Cat® machines, supplied by Finning UK & Ireland. This is part of a strategic move to boost fuel efficiency, cut running costs and strengthen support for major infrastructure projects. This significant investment includes 33 excavators, ranging from the 13-tonne Cat® 313 GC to the 35-tonne Cat 336, alongside a Cat D6 XE dozer, the first of its kind in the Murphy fleet. Phillip Collier, Asset & Billing Manager at Murphy, said: “Over the past two years, we have worked closely with Finning on several large-scale infrastructure projects and benefited from their support with fleet planning and technical expertise. “This is our first investment in Cat machines since 2017. It was driven by wanting to improve operational efficiency and sustainability across the fleet. The D6 XE is expected to reduce fuel costs by around £110 per day, as it uses on average 23% less fuel than other machines of its type, with a 35% better fuel efficiency on average. As a result, it will support our ongoing efforts to improve operational efficiency and sustainability across the fleet.” Ryan Trafford, Territory Account Manager at Finning, said: “We recommended the Cat 313 GC excavator for Murphy as it uses smart mode to match engine and hydraulic power to digging conditions, and auxiliary hydraulic options give versatility to use a wide range of Cat attachments. “As Murphy wanted to prioritise reducing the environmental impact of its fleet, we also recommended the Cat 336 excavator. This machine is designed to comply with the latest global emissions regulations and similarly to the Cat 313 GC, is highly fuel efficient thanks to its C13 engine and electric-hydraulic system. “This significant investment will continue to enhance operations, cut costs and maximise sustainability for Murphy for years to come, and is an indication of what happens when machine quality and long-term support come together.” HIGHLIGHTS Investment includes 33 excavators, ranging from the 13-tonne Cat® 313 GC to the 35-tonne Cat 336 Also included is a Cat D6 XE dozer, the first of its kind in the Murphy fleet
Underlining the commitment to supporting the UK’s energy transition Murphy is delighted to have been awarded a place on National Grid’s High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) civil works supply chain framework. This announcement marks the third and final stage of National Grid’s £59bn supply chain framework awards and underlines the commitment to delivering the energy infrastructure needed to support the Great Grid Upgrade and the UK’s energy transition. A total of six HVDC converter civil works suppliers have been awarded positions on Lot 1 of the Framework Agreement totalling approximately £9.07bn. In addition, three HVDC onshore cable civil works suppliers being awarded places on Lot 2 of the Framework, worth an estimated £3.7bn. The successful HVDC converter civils suppliers are Balfour Beatty, BAM Nuttall, Galliford Try, Laing O’Rourke, Skanska and Taylor Woodrow. The HVDC onshore cable civils Framework has been awarded to Balfour Beatty, Murphy, and VolkerFitzpatrick. Contracts have been secured for a five-year period, with the potential to extend for a further three years. Both Frameworks cover confirmed and anticipated projects, including Eastern Green Link 4, in partnership with SP Energy Networks and LionLink in partnership with TenneT. Nick Fletcher, UK Managing Director for Murphy, said: “At Murphy we are committed to a greener future, and working collaboratively, to deliver the UK’s energy transition and meet the government’s target of net zero by 2050. Our place on the HVDC framework enables us to continue to support the energy transition and builds on our long-standing and successful relationship with National Grid. We look forward to continuing to work together to improve life by delivering world-class infrastructure.” Zac Richardson, Chief Engineer and Offshore Delivery Director of Strategic Infrastructure at National Grid, said: “This marks a major step forward in delivering the UK’s future energy network. This investment not only underpins the transition to a more secure, independent and low-carbon energy future, but will also support tens of thousands of UK jobs, boost regional supply chains and strengthen our construction and engineering sectors. By building strategic, long-term partnerships with leading UK-based contractors, we’re ensuring the UK is ready to meet the growing demand for electricity with a resilient and modern network.” Gareth Burden, Construction Director of National Grid’s LionLink project, said: “Awarding these HVDC agreements is essential to strengthen our supply chain for our future projects. Today’s announcement ensures we are well placed to progress LionLink and deliver the vital energy infrastructure the nation needs to be more energy secure, whilst lowering household energy bills.” HIGHLIGHTS Murphy awarded HVDC onshore cable civils Framework Contracts have been secured for a five-year period, with the potential to extend for a further three years
Around 100 engineers per day are working around the clock to rebuild the Greek Street bridge. Murphy and it’s customer, Network Rail, are just days away from completing the main phase of a £20m project to overhaul Greek Street bridge in Stockport. Today (Wednesday 20 August) is day 18 of a 21-day suspension of all trains for the massive civil engineering project to take place. Over the last two weeks teams have successfully dismantled and removed 200 beams from the old structure, and lifted and positioned beams for its replacement over five railway lines. With just three more days until the railway reopens on Saturday 23 August in time for the August bank holiday, latest footage shows the major progress made over the last week. It reveals how, piece by piece, the large steel and concrete beams were driven by special police escort from a storage site at Trafford Park and craned into position in a carefully choreographed sequence over a four-day period. Lifted by two huge cranes, with a combined capacity of 1,300 tonnes, the new bridge parts were inched into position across a 60m gap above the tracks, in the place where the former structure was standing for 67 years. Around 100 engineers per day are working around the clock to rebuild the Greek Street bridge. When complete it will mean more reliable journeys for passenger and freight traffic on the railway below – and for road users above – as normally it carries a four-way roundabout. Stephen Harnett, Murphy project manager, said: “It’s immensely rewarding to complete this core milestone of the project. The effort put in by our team has been nothing short of amazing as they work around the clock to upgrade and return this critical piece of infrastructure to the local community.” William Brandon, Network Rail’s project manager, said: “The work at Greek Street has been planned meticulously, and its great to see it all come together on site as we expected. I’m so grateful to everyone working so hard on the project “Once the railway reopens, journeys for passengers will be safer and more reliable for the next 120 years. This truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to improve the West Coast Main Line for future generations. I’d like to thank local people for their patience while the project continues, and to passengers whose journeys have been affected over the last few weeks.” The original bridge, which was constructed in 1958 is being be replaced with a modern structure which will last for up to 120 years. HIGHLIGHTS New structure transported to site and craned into position in just four days Lifted by two huge cranes, with a combined capacity of 1,300 tonnes across a 60m gap
Around 100 engineers per day are working around the clock to rebuild the Greek Street bridge. A 67-year-old railway bridge carrying a roundabout over the West Coast Main Line in Stockport has been successfully removed in the first week of its major £20m replacement. Our Murphy project team is ten days into a 21-day railway closure for the huge civil engineering project to transform transport in the Northwest. One week into the highly anticipated project, 200 old concrete beams have been cut out and removed from the site. Lifted by two huge cranes, with a combined capacity of 1300 tonnes, the redundant bridge beams were carefully placed to the ground and taken off site by a fleet of 67 heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). With a 60m cavernous gap where the old bridge used to be, the team can now prepare to install the new bridge this week. The new bridge structure is made up of 51 parts which will be moved into their final position by the two crawler cranes, which have a maximum hoisting height of 196m. Footage of the first week of work is now available, showing the impressive scale of the task at hand. Stephen Harnett, Murphy project manager, said: “At Murphy our aim is to improve life by delivering world-class infrastructure, so we are proud to be delivering this critical work with Network Rail. The project is a real team effort and we are all united in our commitment to improving the transportation network for the local community and the wider North West. We look forward to seeing the new bridge in use again very soon.” William Brandon, Network Rail project manager, said: “After years of planning it is fantastic to see the work at Greek Street get off to such a good start. The team on site are doing a great job, and I’m really looking forward to seeing the new bridge installed within the next two weeks. “Once the railway reopens, journeys for passengers will be safer and more reliable for the next 120 years. This truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to improve the West Coast Main Line for future generations. “I’m very grateful to passengers and the Stockport community for their patience during this essential work. I’d advise everyone to continue to plan their journeys carefully on the National Rail Enquiries website. We’ve done everything we can to create the best possible alternative travel plan.” The original bridge, which was constructed in 1958 needs to be replaced with a modern structure which will last for up to 120 years. HIGHLIGHTS One week into the project, 200 old concrete beams have been cut out and removed from the site The new bridge structure is made up of 10 concrete cills, 22 steel beams, 6 concrete beams and 13 parapet wall sections made of concrete and faced with brick to match the previous bridge colour
On 5 August 2025, the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) team welcomed Heidi Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport, along with David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire and Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, to the route as they marked a significant milestone in the delivery of an electrified railway across the North. Sunday 3 August saw the first electric passenger train run between York (Colton Junction) and Church Fenton. This means that 25% of the 70-mile Transpennine route is now electrified following the introduction of electric services between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge last year. By summer 2027 this will be 40%, with full-route electrification expected in 2030. Once complete, the programme will cut carbon emissions by up to 108,000 tonnes per year and enable more rail freight, removing over 1000 lorries from the road daily. “We have reached a key milestone as 25% of the route is now electrified. enabling greener, faster, and more reliable journeys between York, Leeds, Huddersfield, and Manchester in the future. The improvements are already bringing economic and social benefits along the route and wider communities across the North”, said TRU Managing Director, James Richardson. Murphy has been delivering this work as part of the TRU East Alliance, consisting of Network Rail, Murphy, VolkerRail, Siemens and Systra. To read more about the TRU East Alliance, please click here. HIGHLIGHTS The first electric passenger train ran between York (Colton Junction) and Church Fenton on Sunday 3 August By summer 2027, TRU will be 40% electrified, with full-route electrification expected in 2030 Once complete, the programme will cut carbon emissions by up to 108,000 tonnes per year
Murphy is one of seven delivery partners on the new Electricity Transmission Partnership (ETP) The Electricity Transmission Partnership (ETP) is a transformative new approach, designed to accelerate the delivery of £8 billion worth of vital substation infrastructure across England and Wales and support the UK’s clean energy transition. It remodels how National Grid engages with suppliers, moving to a longer term collaborative approach that builds strong regional partnerships and rewards partners for high quality performance over time. The initiative awards regional exclusivity of substation work to ETP partners based on how well they perform and their commitment to expanding their capacity, an approach that aims to strengthen the UK supply chain, encourage long term investment, and support the development of local skills and capability. It also marks a major boost to National Grid’s ambitious RIIO-T3 investment plan, which proposes up to £35 billion investment in the transmission network in England and Wales over the five years to March 2031, including to build new substations or upgrade existing ones. As part of the ETP, National Grid expects to award around £8 billion worth of substation construction work over the RIIO-T3 period, covering multiple regions and around 130 projects. In July National Grid awarded regional delivery partner status to several successful suppliers, as well as allocating an initial £1.3 billion worth of exclusive work whose contracts will be awarded at a later stage. Regional delivery partners include: Murphy – South west (region one) and London & south east region M Group – South west (region two) OTW – Central west region Balfour Beatty – North east region Morgan Sindall Infrastructure – North west region The awards mean partners will have first refusal of future substation work in the pipeline in their region, providing them with the certainty they need to invest in growth and capability. Two national partners, Linxon and Burns & McDonnell, will support delivery of substation work that falls outside the scope of the regional partners’ portfolios. The ETP complements other pioneering initiatives in National Grid’s evolving supply chain ecosystem, including the Great Grid Partnership (GGP) and a new high voltage direct current (HVDC) supply chain framework. Together, these programmes are designed to provide greater capacity and resilience across multiple infrastructure construction portfolios. The ETP model has the potential to be expanded beyond substations in future to include other network infrastructure, ensuring a consistent and innovative approach to bolstering supply chain across National Grid’s entire transmission network in England and Wales. Liam Corr, Energy Managing Director at Murphy, said: “Murphy is proud to be a part of this new partnership, which builds on our existing strong relationship with National Grid. Our company purpose is to improve life by delivering world-class infrastructure, and the ETP framework sets out to do just this – reinforcing Britain’s transmission network for the benefit of all who live here.” Alice Delahunty, president of National Grid Electricity Transmission, said: “Our Electricity Transmission Partnership marks a bold shift in how we deliver vital electricity infrastructure. By adopting a regional, long-term approach, we’re giving our supply chain the certainty to invest in people, skills and innovation. It’s a key step in turning our RIIO-T3 investment ambitions into action and building a resilient grid to support Britain’s clean energy future.” Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “The clean energy transition is the economic opportunity of the 21st century, with the potential to revitalise our industrial heartlands with skilled jobs and economic growth. This £8 billion partnership from National Grid is proof of that – providing a boost for Britain’s supply chains, investing in the future of our highly skilled workforce and helping to deliver clean, homegrown power that we control.” Pictured: (L-R) Andy Ernest (National Grid VP procurement), Dale Ward (National Grid Head of Construction Strategy), Nick Fletcher (Murphy UK MD), Mark Lissimore (National Grid Director of Infrastructure Delivery) and Liam Corr (Murphy Energy MD). HIGHLIGHTS Partnership will accelerate the delivery of £8 billion worth of vital substation infrastructure across England and Wales The initiative awards regional exclusivity of substation work to ETP partners based on how well they perform and their commitment to expanding their capacity It complements other pioneering initiatives in National Grid’s evolving supply chain ecosystem, including the Great Grid Partnership (GGP)
Murphy has stepped up and into Jobstown Boxing Club’s corner by committing to sponsor the club for the next five years. Jobstown Boxing Club has become renowned for the positive impact it has in getting and keeping children and young people from this area in Dublin engaged in sport. Over the next few months, the club will install a larger training shed and an Olympic-sized boxing ring, to assist their four young Olympic hopefuls- Adam Olaniyan, Josh Olaniyan Tiffany Spencer and Brandon Geoghegan. Murphy is committed to leaving a positive legacy the areas where we work. Over the last few years, we have completed a number of important infrastructure projects for South Dublin County Council, most recently the Airton Road Extension Scheme, which opened at the end of June. We also opened our Dublin office in Cookstown, Co. Dublin last year. Club Founder Amanda Spencer said: “We are delighted to welcome Murphy on board as a Jobstown Boxing Club sponsor. We are very grateful that Murphy has recognised the important work we are doing here with young people in this area. This will help the future of our club and our Olympian hopefuls.”
Unlocking faster, greener journeys Over the last few weeks, colleagues working on the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) have been hard at work completing several impressive milestones across five consecutive weekends of critical work between Leeds and York. Murphy is working on TRU as part of the TRU East Alliance, formed of Network Rail, Murphy, Siemens, Systra and VolkerRail. The recent works, which will support the electrification of the railway, have included: Following overhead line equipment (OLE) mast installation earlier in the year, 7.5km of wiring has now been completed between Micklefield and Church Fenton, which will unlock faster, greener journeys in the future. Just to the east of this location, electric passenger services between York and Church Fenton are set to launch in the coming months, following last year’s successful switch-on between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge. In Cross Gates, Station Road bridge was also safely demolished and replaced so that OLE can be installed throughout the area. You can watch the project team carrying out the bridge replacement in the video below. Around 750m of track was renewed between Killingbeck and Cross Gates, which will support smoother, more reliable travel. A new track crossover was also installed, allowing trains to switch lines more easily and give the TRU programme more flexibility for future upgrades. TRU will ultimately see 70-miles of fully electric, digital railway revolutionise travel in the North of England. In addition to the milestone already reached, future plans include: Electrifying the whole route between Manchester and York via Huddersfield and Leeds Installing a new digital signalling system along the Transpennine route Doubling the number of tracks from two to four between Huddersfield andWesttown in Dewsbury. Station improvements along the route to enhance customer experience, comfort and accessibility Improving the railway on diversionary routes to allow more trains to run, helping passengers and freight on the move while the core Transpennine route is closed to deliver essential upgrades. This will provide capacity and reliability improvements for the future too. HIGHLIGHTS Several impressive milestones completed across five consecutive weekends of critical work between Leeds and York 7.5km of wiring now completed between Micklefield and Church Fenton Station Road bridge safely demolished and replaced 750m of track was renewed between Killingbeck and Cross Gates
Murphy picks up a selection of awards including ‘Contractor of the Year’. It’s been a summer of success and celebration for Murphy as the business picked up three awards at the New Civil Engineer and Construction News awards. Starting at the NCE awards, Murphy was delighted to take home both the ‘Contractor of the Year’ and the ‘Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Leader’ accolades. Awarding ‘Contractor of the Year’, the judges said: “An impressive presentation demonstrating solid performance growth while maintaining a strong focus on employee development. The company’s zero-carbon and social value efforts are market-leading, and its ability to diversify further supports its growth. The investment in green plant is commendable.” Following this, for the EDI award, Murphy was highlighted as: “A great example of how EDI is integral to successful business performance and is a core part of the global business strategy. The strategy was clearly embedded throughout the organisation. The fact that the prisons programme has now been picked up across the sector is testament to the leadership of this organisation. Many aspects of diversity were addressed, including LGBTQIA+, neurodiversity and NEETs. The strategies were translated into meaningful local impact and social value activities, with feedback gathered from all levels of the organisation.” At the Construction News awards Murphy won the ‘Training Excellence’ award. Recognising our ‘Development For All’ approach. The judges said: “We were particularly impressed by the clear focus on delivering positive outcomes, with measurable impact through internal development and meaningful contributions to the broader sector.“ The annual awards celebrate civil engineering excellence and achievements from across our industry and our recognition is testament to the hard work and commitment of all our teams. Well done to all the teams involved in these fantastic achievements. If you’d like to become a part of our award-winning teams, head to our careers page to find the perfect role for you. HIGHLIGHTS New Civil Engineer ‘Contractor of the Year’ New Civil Engineer ‘Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Leader’ Construction News 'Training Excellence'
