The 130-tonne traverser was commissioned by Story Contracting to replace a 50-year old unit that was at the end of its useful life. A traverser is used to move rail vehicles in a perpendicular direction to the track.
It has a larger capacity than its predecessor and 145-metre travel distance, to accommodate both the current fleet, as well as future proofing for upcoming upgrades. Sited externally, at the entrance to the maintenance shed, it will be used to move carriages between workshop roads.
Mechan has also designed and built a set of 12 jacks to suit working conditions at Holgate, finishing them to an outdoor specification and altering the base arrangement to include castors for ease of movement.
Lindsey Mills, Mechan’s sales manager, says: “Holgate is an historic rail depot, which brings its own challenges when maintaining modern rail vehicles, but following a series of overhaul schemes and investment in new equipment, like our jacks, it is now well placed to play an integral role in the north’s rail services.”
