Sheffield-based Mechan is using its engineering skills to breathe new life into railway equipment still serving London almost a century after its introduction.
The rail depot maintenance specialist has refurbished two accommodation bogies, believed to date from the 1920s, for London Underground's Acton depot.
Because the bogies – used to move rail vehicles around the depot once they have been separated from their bogies – are so old and little is known about their production. So Mechan had to strip the units down and carry out reverse engineering to establish how they were constructed.
Worn parts were then replaced,, while others, such as the axle bearings, were shot blasted and repainted, before being delivered back to Acton.
"Considering their advanced age, Acton's accommodation bogies were in remarkably good shape and, although we knew little about their provenance, the technology behind this type of equipment is still recognisably the same," states Lee Pitts, Mechan's sales manager.
"We were therefore able to use our experience and engineering skills to understand the composition and achieve an extremely high quality finish," he continues.
"They returned to the depot looking as good as new and ready to serve another 100 years."
Mechan is expecting more equipment from London Underground to make the journey to Sheffield for refurbishment.
The companies have a history of working together, most notably on the restoration of a 50 year old turntable from Waterloo, the only subterranean depot in the capital.
