Supply, maintenance and logistics specialist CWE Ltd has won a major new contract with Network Rail to overhaul the draft gear assemblies of its Mk3 Autoballaster fleet.
The Mk3 Autoballasters are used by Network Rail to deliver ballast to worksites. They are scheduled to be maintained every 10 years. Part of this requirement is to overhaul the draft gear.
Each Mk3 Autoballaster rake consists of five wagons, with a set of draft gear comprising eight assemblies. In total, the project will see CWE overhaul 24 assembly sets at its Centre of Excellence for Rail, which is based at its facility in Crowle.
The contract win builds on CWE’s existing work with Network Rail, which has seen it manage ad hoc and planned outage support for Network Rail’s rail grinder fleet, overhauling multiple parts within the trains.
It also comes after the recent launch of CWE’s Centre of Excellence for Rail, which brings all of its market-leading capabilities together on one site, and its new hydraulic and mechanical buffer cell.
Nick Andrew, managing director at CWE, said: “Being appointed by Network Rail to work on this project is testament to our long-standing and proven track record of delivering major overhaul projects for the rail industry. This is an extremely important and significant win for CWE as we look to build on our ambition of being a strategic partner for the rail sector.
“Our maintenance, refurbishment and replacement capabilities for vital components are specifically designed to keep rolling stock on the tracks, both minimising downtime and reducing carbon emissions. By combining a depth of knowledge with lean production processes and a flexible, ‘can do’ attitude, we are able to deliver projects on time without ever compromising on quality.
“We are excited to see what the rest of the year will bring.”
