Pickersgill-Kaye has clinched its largest single order to manufacture emergency door handles for the Class 800 and 801 trains being supplied by Hitachi Rail Europe for the multibillion pound Intercity Express Programme (IEP), one of the biggest rail projects in the world.

Leeds-based lock maker Pickersgill-Kaye, part of the Joseph Kaye Holdings Group, will manufacture and supply the emergency egress device (EED) and emergency access device (EAD) for the passenger carriage doors of the trains, in the multi-million pound contract through to 2020.

Work has already started in delivering the EEDs and EAD units for the first three trains being built in Japan, for services on the Great Western and East Coast main lines, with the majority of Pickersgill-Kaye products then being supplied from next year to Hitachi’s new UK Rail Vehicle Manufacturing Facility at Newton Aycliffe in County Durham.

Previous experience in supplying the rail sector clinched the deal for Pickersgill-Kaye, including emergency door release access panels for Siemens’ new build Desiro vehicles and the Hitachimade Class 395 Javelin™ trains for the HS1 line from St Pancras to Kent, plus the ability to introduce a safety feature that alerts the driver to the operation of the EED but prevents the door being opened while the vehicles are moving.

The company’s rail products sales manager, Andy Hewitt, said: "Pickersgill-Kaye is proud to be associated with such an exciting project for the British rail industry. Hitachi already knew of our reputation for quality products. Our performance on contract and in supplying products for HS1’s Javelin™ – the first trains Hitachi built for the UK – sealed the deal."

Pickersgill-Kaye will provide the Intercity Express Programme with EED and EAD units for the 866 carriages over the course of the six-year contract.

With over 150 years’ experience supplying the rail industry and tram systems with door locks, including custom-built products to match exact specifications, Pickersgill-Kaye has a reputation for manufacturing flexibility and commitment, backed up by excellent levels of customer service.

This multi-million pound order for Pickersgill-Kaye’s rail products follows on from supplying Axion Technologies with emergency talkback units for fitting to Toronto Transit ‘Rocket’ subway cars, loco locks for the Bombardier Traxx locomotives in Germany, Italy and Switzerland plus locks for Swiss Railways and also Polmor based in Poland.

The company has also manufactured under-frame, side-skirt locks to SAPA in Belgium (for UK new railway build) and emergency hammer boxes to Siemens and Bombardier for new build tram vehicles which will also be used in Belgium.

Elsewhere, at the other end of the globe, Pickersgill-Kaye supplied prototype retro-fit locks to a supplier for field trial testing on a train in Australia. Whilst in Asia, the worldwide exporter supplied Meggitts’ plant in China with specialist hose connector equipment.

For more information, please contact Pickersgill-Kaye.