York-based railway engineering and design company PBH Rail Group has expanded its rail infrastructure services with a new civil engineering division and appointing industry engineer Gary Robson to run the new team.

With 25 years in the rail industry, Gary joins the firm from Spencer Group as Managing Director for the Civil Consulting group, 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 will focus on integrating the new Civils division with wider business activity.

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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 support existing demand for civil-related design within PBH theRail Group, then develop new opportunities with existing and new clients.

Gary said: “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.

PBH Rail Managing Director Mark Bonner added: “I have worked with Gary on numerous projects previously, and his commitment, dedication, and knowledge of the rail industry is inspiring .

"His role 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.