Bespoke turntables
Lloyds Somers, the manufacturing division of national lifting equipment specialist Lloyds British, has designed, manufactured and supplied a massive 80t, 23m rail vehicle turntable, as well as a bogie test turntable, for Hitachi Rail Europe’s new train manufacturing facility in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.
This is the first time in 50 years that such a large piece of bespoke rail equipment has been constructed in the UK, with consultancy and development being handled at Lloyds British’s West Midlands-based design headquarters in Wednesbury, and manufacture taking place at the organisation’s Swansea facility.
Lloyds Somers director, Steve Reece, who headed up the project, said: “Key to our success was the fact that Lloyds British has all the skills to complete such a project under one corporate roof, from the consultancy and the design, right through to the manufacture and installation. This meant that a crucial structural component was able to meet exacting demands and be delivered on time, and on budget.”
