Mechan
Start a Conversation about Specification
This article first appeared in the Railway-News magazine, Issue 2 2023.
Choosing the right equipment for a modern rail depot is no walk in the park. There are so many variables to consider. So, where do you turn for advice?
Next month’s Railtex exhibition is the perfect opportunity to talk to the people who are best placed to offer guidance. Seek out the manufacturers themselves – the experts who spend their days innovating, designing and modifying their creations to improve maintenance times and depot safety. Mechan Sales Director, Lindsey Mills, is looking forward to beginning these discussions with visitors to Birmingham’s NEC.
“We work collaboratively with customers – often for months, maybe even years before a contract is issued and many of these conversations begin at key trade exhibitions. No two projects are ever the same, so it is important to us that clients end up with a piece of equipment that meets their very individual needs.”
Sheffield-based Mechan is a specialist in the manufacture of bespoke depot lifting and handling equipment. The firm prides itself on building lasting relationships with clients and taking a hands-on approach to specification. It doesn’t simply supply off-the-shelf products; it shares its knowledge and experience to find the right solution for each unique project.
Selecting a Lifting System
Modern trains and dedicated routes for particular vehicle types have changed the face of depot maintenance, demanding lifting methods that do not require decoupling.
When clients come to Mechan looking to raise multicar trains, in-depth discussions take place to determine the most suitable equipment. The firm met recently with a longstanding customer, who requires multiple lifting systems. After discussing how its facilities usually work, Mechan advised that a vehicle lift would be most useful for campaign changes and overhauls, whilst bogie drops might be more suitable for casualty work. Its team of expert engineers explained the pros and cons of each system and the client went away to consider its options.
Underfloor lifters allow an entire train to be raised at the press of a button, giving access below for bogies and equipment modules to be removed, whereas bogie drops facilitate underfloor module replacement at track level. The vehicle is positioned centrally on the bridge section of the drop, where built-in jacks take its weight. The bridge is then lowered into a pit with the bogie onboard and traversed away for work to take place. Using this method of maintenance, a complete bogie change is feasible in just two hours.
