A new wheel lathe, nicknamed “Tina,” has been unveiled at Allerton TrainCare Centre in Merseyside, significantly boosting the region’s train maintenance capabilities. The £8.9m project, a partnership between Network Rail and Northern, will ensure train wheels “keep on turning” more efficiently.
“Tina” reshapes and balances train wheels, reducing the impact on tracks and providing smoother journeys for passengers. The machine replaces the older “Charlotte” lathe and doubles the depot’s wheel-lathing capacity. The installation required the excavation of 1,600 tonnes of soil, stone, and concrete, and the use of 184 tonnes of concrete to secure the lathe in place.
Jack Commandeur, engineering director at Northern, said: “Tina is a very much welcomed addition to the engineering arsenal and will enable us to repair wheels without having to remove them from the train, which makes the process far more efficient.
“Turning wheels on the lathe extends their life and reduces the costs associated with replacing them. The increase in wheel lathing capacity also means trains will spend less time out of passenger service for maintenance.
“This has been a significant project to deliver requiring perseverance and co-operation on all sides and I am thankful to the team at Network Rail, my colleagues here at Northern and our suppliers for delivering this fabulous new capability.”
Clinton Ralphs, North West route sponsor for the project at Network Rail, said: “It’s fantastic to see the new tandem wheel lathe now operational at Allerton TrainCare Centre, significantly improving the efficiency of our wheel turning process.
“This joint venture with Northern has allowed us to revive a key aspect of Allerton depot’s history, by installing the new wheel lathe equipment at the depot, giving improved capacity, performance and reliability for Northern. After much anticipation, it’s wonderful to witness its arrival, which will undoubtedly enhance the engineering capabilities at the depot.”
Robin Gisby, chief executive operator at DFTO, said: “Tina is an excellent example of partnership working, demonstrating how DFTO train operators and Network Rail are working together to drive efficiencies, improve performance, and deliver a more reliable railway for passengers.”
In November, the team at Allerton was recognised with a ‘Silver Spanner’ award for their work to maintain Northern’s Class 323 fleet.
Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, running nearly 2,500 services daily to more than 500 stations across the North of England.
