Jacks give lift to high output base

April 12, 2016

Our lifting jacks are helping to keep the government’s plans to electrify the Great Western Line on track.

Eight 25-tonne jacks have been installed at a new £7 million facility near Swindon, built to service a unique train carrying out the Intercity Express Programme (IEP) upgrades.

They were commissioned by main contractor, Amey Rail, for Network Rail’s High Output Operational Base (HOOB). The behind the scenes depot houses and maintains the 23-vehicle High Output Plant System, which is being used to install overhead electric cabling along the mainline route.

The jacks are fitted with our patented Megalink control system, enabling the entire chain to be operated by just one person from a remote, full colour touch screen. They were supplied as two sets of four, offering Network Rail the flexibility to use them separately or as one larger chain.

So far, we have supplied five sites connected with the IEP. In addition to the HOOB jacks, equipment has been delivered to the North Pole and Stoke Gifford depots, plus Hitachi Rail’s manufacturing plant in County Durham. A number of items are currently in production for a new maintenance facility in Doncaster.