The British railway system can be likened to the arteries in your body – continually supplying a lifeblood of products and services to all areas of the country. Last year, 78 billion tonnes of freight was moved on our railway system and 1.3 billion passenger journeys were made. So when challenges occur, it is vital that blockages can be removed quickly and efficiently to avoid a logistical crisis that impacts the smooth flow of people and products.
Most of us never see the work that goes behind the scenes into keeping our rolling stock moving. The vast majority of repairs and maintenance work to our railway system tends to happen at night or over the weekends when pressures on the rail lines are less heavy. But this window of opportunity presents its own issues – work has a very finite deadline to ensure that schedules are not disrupted the following day when commuters and freight hit the tracks.
Most of the heavy equipment that is used to maintain our railways uses hydraulics to operate efficiently and precisely. This is because hydraulic systems are some of the most reliable available. Everything from powering heavy lifting equipment to excavators and specialist railway machinery uses this system to carry out the tasks required. But hydraulics are not infallible and when they do go wrong, a DIY repair is absolutely not an option due to the complex systems involved and the specialist knowledge required to repair them safely.
Due to the complexity and numerous hazards found in hydraulic systems, technicians must have specialist knowledge and skills in order to effectively replace any damaged hydraulics. So having experts on hand to support the out-of-hours railway maintenance crews is vital. Mobile service technicians who are able to get to the work site quickly and carry out the necessary replacements or repairs in a timely manner can ensure that the contractors who are working on the railways can do so without the risk of over-running and causing scheduling issues for train operators.
Many of the customers that Pirtek works with that support the maintenance of the railway system have a strict health and safety protocol that must be followed. The work that is being done is dangerous with the possibility of environmental spills, fluid ignitions and even the collapse of equipment a real risk Additionally, given the heightened pressure of needing to get jobs completed on schedule, a focus on getting all jobs completed safely is an absolute priority. It is an absolute necessity that any supplier working with the contractors adhere to the stringent health and safety requirements of working on the rail network, no matter what time of day or night the work is being performed.
If a hydraulic hose or fitting fails on site, not only can it render machinery inoperable but it presents the risk of the site grinding to a standstill, resulting in costly downtime. A two-step approach is often the most beneficial, involving both preventative maintenance to spot any early warning signs with equipment, and emergency repairs on-site as and when is necessary. Specialist technicians, who have all of the appropriate skills and experience needed to maintain and repair hydraulic systems, can guarantee the smooth running of daily operations, are available 24/7, 365 days a year to support whatever a customer might require.
Many of the hydraulic hoses in the equipment used on the maintenance of our railways are non-standard. What this means is that contractors often do not have enough replacement parts in their inventory to be able to carry out repair work on their own. Specialist hydraulic service companies, like Pirtek, are well stocked with a variety of hoses and fittings to ensure that breakdowns can be addressed there and then by expert technicians.
Whether it’s the rail system, airports, or even support with logistics companies, hydraulics plays a vital role in keeping the UK moving and specialist providers, like Pirtek, play a huge role in ensuring that these all run smoothly.
For more information on how we can support your business to deliver the best performance in supporting our rail network. Head over to our services page: https://www.pirtek.co.uk/services/
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