Following the recent launch of a new device that can enable one person to relocate rolling stock – a device which can, in fact, fit in a car boot – Rail Business Daily talks to Neill Walker from P&D Marine Group, which owns the Multi-Mover UK company, about how this technology could make life much easier for maintenance teams.
At first sight, it is perhaps easy to underestimate the Move-It. The device is unassuming, controlled by hand and small enough to go in the back of a car. But to underestimate the capability of the Move-It would be a mistake: it can make a massive difference to teams relocating trains in workshops and depots across the country.
With little training, the equipment imparts seemingly Herculean strength: letting a single operative move tonnes of vehicle across a yard or workshop.
The hand-held device allows an engineer to push rolling stock weighing up to 150 tonnes, or any multiple of this, without heavy machinery or calling in more conventional locomotives usually used to move trains.
Although generally very popular, it is early days for the Move-It when it comes to the rail sector. The device is only just starting to become part of the conversation among teams in rail yards, workshops and out in the field.
Elsewhere, the conversation around Multi-Mover UK has been going for longer. Football teams like Everton and Barcelona use them to move around their gargantuan lighting rigs. In airfields, they are frequently used to move planes. At the controls in both situations is just one person.
It is no surprise then to see those who are using them in rail swear by the technology.
Helping rail to Move-It
“It’s incredibly safe, easy to operate, and because it’s battery-powered, it saves the environment,” Neill said. “But it also helps save on money: in rail, for example, the conventional way to move a train is using another vehicle, Diesel loco can cost between £200k-£2mill and uses litres of fuel per hour. A BEAZ rail shunter from the Multi-Mover UK range from £100K for a 150t unit.
“Purchasing one of our Move-It machines will cost in the region of £18,000 and, unlike a train, it’s easily stowed in a car or van.
“Although this is helpful in a workshop setting, we’ve already had feedback which suggests its use will also be important in breakdown situations, where the priority is to stop a locomotive obstructing the network. When that happens, you can just fold out the Move-It and solve the problem. You don’t have to wait for another train to come and rescue it.
“After years of developing this with our colleagues, we’re convinced this is the go-to for short-distance moving. It is powerful, of course, and crucially it stops on a dime, so it doesn’t just protect the environment but is also safe for the operator and their work colleagues as well.”
New technology to rail, a familiar face to customers
The technology of Move-It may be new to rail, but those in the industry will appreciate the level of customer service from Multi-Mover UK. As well as Move-It, the company provides popular tow tugs and electric rail shunters.
Neill thinks he knows why Multi-Mover UK sees eye-to-eye with the rail sector.
“In a lot of ways, we stand by many of the values you find in the rail industry: we don’t just sell, we collaborate,” Neill said. “And we can react to customer needs quickly. We work to develop a product that will deliver their needs and produce rapidly for deployment on site in very little time.
“We are about being a part of the customer’s team for as long as they want us to. We’re solving a problem for them with the best solution, working side-by-side. Anyone who has worked with Multi-Mover UK knows we’re incredibly loyal to our customers in the long term. We share all our knowledge about how the product works in every possible scenario. This means when we leave the workshop or depot, they’ll know everything they need to know about the Move-It. And, over the years to come, we’ll be there to maintain it if ever there’s a need.
“Our mission is to let people know that there is a better way of moving rolling stock that is more cost-effective as well. If you work in rolling stock maintenance, it’s the perfect tool. And it has the credibility and customer service backing of our long-running business – as well as our range of electric tugs and other equipment.
“We’re excited about what the next year will bring and how we can help the industry with Move-It. The feedback on these machines is tremendous. Customers come back to us, and they say, ‘we can’t believe we didn’t have one of these before.’
“We’re convinced we’re going to hear a lot more of that from our friends in the rail sector over the next 12 months.”
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