A Derby rail engineering company has won an £8 million contract to maintain Network Rail’s new measurement train.
Nicknamed the ‘flying banana’, the distinctive yellow liveried train monitors and records track condition information at speeds of up to 125 mph.
Now, Loram UK, which is based at the RTC Business Park, in Derby, has been handed a five-year deal to maintain the train following a competitive tender.
The measurement train is the fastest train in Network Rail’s infrastructure monitoring fleet. It identifies faults on the railway before they become a safety issue or affect performance.
Created from a converted InterCity high speed train, the new measurement train is equipped with high-tech measurement systems, track scanners and high-resolution cameras.
Its speed means it can measure large distances in a single operating shift. It can cover 115,000 miles in a year and captures around 10TB of image data every 440 miles. Engineers then use that data to make repairs and plan maintenance.
Loram has been maintaining Network Rail’s other infrastructure monitoring trains at its Derby facility since 2010.
Mike Black, supply chain services director at Network Rail, said: “This contract simplifies the maintenance of the New Measurement Train.
“It will not only deliver savings to Network Rail and ultimately the taxpayer, but also ensure that the train is maintained to a high standard so it can continue to work for the safety of passengers and other railway users.”
