PBH Rail launches Civils division

PBH Rail expands with the launch of a new Civils Division and the addition of highly experienced Railway engineer.

Railway engineering and design company PBH Rail Group has announced the expansion of its rail infrastructure services with the introduction of a new civil engineering division and the appointment of Gary Robson, an experienced industry engineer, to spearhead the new team.

With 25 years in the rail industry, Gary is joining the PBH Rail Group from Spencer Group and will be taking on the role of Managing Director for the Civil Consulting group company, tasked with developing the team and growing the business stream.

The new division and appointment come after a very successful 2023, which saw the group’s annual turnover increase by 10% to £11 million. The new Civils division will sit alongside the existing Survey, Overhead Line (OLE), Track Engineering and Permanent Way teams.

As a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Gary brings an impressive portfolio of experience and qualifications to PBH Rail and will focus initially on integrating the new Civils division with wider business activity.

Offering tailored solutions in design, construction, and engineering in civil infrastructure, the new Civils division will bolster PBH Rails’ expertise in the industry, delivering tailored, full-service rail engineering.
The Civils division will firstly support existing demand for civil-related design within wider PBH Rail Group, then develop new opportunities with existing and new clients. Overall, the introduction of civil engineering skills bolsters the company’s core objective to add complementary teams to provide high quality, innovative rail infrastructure solutions that address the wants and needs of clients.
Commenting on joining PBH Rail, Gary says: “I am honoured to be joining PBH Rail. I have collaborated with the team on many projects in the past, and our shared mindset in terms of our approach to projects, clients, and staff made the decision to join PBH Rail an easy one.

“I am also hoping to continue to develop younger professionals entering the industry to help to address the skills gap within the industry, which is currently a real and critical issue. Over the years, I have held Supervising Civil Engineer roles for the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and managed local training programs to bring new professionals into the industry. Moving forward, my plan is to build a team in a way to help the PBH Rail Group develop and mentor professionals, planning for long term security of skills, knowledge, and resources.
Managing Director at PBH Rail, Mark Bonner adds: “We are thrilled to be embarking on what feels like a new chapter for the business. I have worked with Gary on numerous projects previously, and his commitment, dedication, and knowledge of the rail industry is inspiring . His role within the PBH Rail Group underpins our commitment to delivering full-service rail infrastructure consultancy and making the rail industry more accessible and enjoyable for current and future professionals.”

Headquartered in York, PBH Rail Group works exclusively on rail projects for clients across the UK and internationally. Established in 2003, PBH Rail currently employs 94 members of staff across its five divisions including, Permanent Way, Track Engineering, OLE, Survey, and now Civils.
The launch of PBH Civil Consulting and the appointment of Gary Robson are designed to foster further growth and innovation within the business, while encouraging greater excellence across the rail industry.

PBH Civil Consulting sits alongside the group’s existing Survey, Overhead Line, Track Engineering and Permanent Way teams. It will initially provide civil-related design support within the group, then develop opportunities with the company’s existing and new clients.

‘Our shared mindset in terms of our approach to projects, clients, and staff made the decision to join PBH Rail an easy one’, Robson said on June 3.

‘I am also hoping to continue to develop younger professionals to help to address the skills gap within the industry, which is currently a real and critical issue.’

PBH Rail was established in 2003, and now employs 94 people with turnover up 10% to £11m in 2023.