Mechan
Mechan Showcases Bespoke Skills
- This article first appeared in the Railway-News magazine Issue 3 2021.
Mechan – manufacturers of the ubiquitous yellow lifting jacks – will be back at this year’s Railtex/ Infrarail to show visitors the reliability and versatility of their wide range of rail depot maintenance equipment.
Lindsey Mills, the Sheffield-based firm’s sales manager, said: “After such a long break, we’re really looking forward to be exhibiting again. Railtex is the perfect opportunity to catch up with old friends, meet new colleagues and learn more about the impact Covid has had on the industry at large.”
Mechan is best-known for its flagship jacks, which grace some of the most advanced depots across the globe, and orders have remained strong throughout the pandemic, with interest growing in the newest addition to its range, a version designed specifically for the tram and light rail markets.
The firm has recently delivered one of its largest-ever orders of lifting jacks to London Underground’s Acton depot. A total of 44 ten- tonne units were installed, taking the overall number of jacks in use at the facility to 68. They are housed in the site’s new train modification unit and in the first instance, will be used to assist with an ongoing project to reduce increasing maintenance costs and improve the reliability and efficiency of the Central line fleet.
The 44 new jacks have been designed to the same specification as 16 existing units supplied to Acton in 2017, with moving anvils and a base that allows them to be transported around the depot by pallet truck, for added versatility. Modifications to the older jacks were made last year, so they will all work in synchronisation, using the firm’s innovative control system. Wiring updates were also made to eight jacks supplied in 2015, so they too can be used with the latest order, if required.
