Thomson Rail Equipment - Clipping Machines and Lifting Beams

Over the last five years Thomson Rail Equipment has built a strong reputation, creating a range of innovative machines and attachments for the railway infrastructure maintenance and renewals sectors both in the UK and abroad.

As all of the design and manufacturing is done in-house, all of our products can be tailor-made to meet customers' individual specifications, or to comply with local requirements. When customising our products, our dedicated team provides a comprehensive service from the initial client consultation, through design and prototype, to manufacture and documentation.

FASTCLIP MACHINE

Thomson Rail Equipment's Fastclip machine remains the biggest selling machine of its kind in the UK. This robust and reliable machine is easy to adjust and operate, and requires just two hydraulic services - one for the sleeper lifter, and one for the clipping or de-clipping paddles.

Its unique sleeper-lifting device is designed to reduce operator fatigue, and the special polymer pads supplied eliminate the risk of marking or damaging concrete sleepers. It incorporates a fully-automatic mechanical braking system.

The machine can be manufactured to be used with any gauge, and can be adjusted for use with any combination of sleeper and rail. A gauge adjustable version and a high-speed machine for rail destressing work are currently under development.

SETTING AND EXTRACTING FASTCLIPS AND FD CLIPS

Thomson Rail Equipment's FD clipping machine is designed to set and extract Fastclips and FD clips on either one or both rails. It is equipped with a sleeper lifting device suitable, by the use of interchangeable pads, for all steel and concrete sleepers currently in use in the UK with the Fastclip system.

The machine is pushed along the track by the operator and includes a fail-safe braking system to prevent it running away if left unattended. The FD clipping machine also has an adjustable chassis which makes it suitable for all rail gauges from 1,000mm to 1,600mm.

LIFTING BEAMS

As well as their individual features, all beams manufactured by Thomson Rail have a UK approved system allowing them to be used for scrap clearance. Safety features include check valves fitted to gripping rams, and a safety lockout valve to prevent the jaws from opening whilst carrying load (with over-ride for scrap clearance work).

UNIVERSAL LIFTING BEAMS

Thomson Rail Equipment's universal lifting beams have unique rotating grab heads designed to allow them to be used in pairs to lift track panels or singly for handling rail. With a 10t safe working load they can handle, stack and load track panels of up to 60ft. The beam is fully driver operated.

TELESCOPIC RAIL LIFTING BEAM

The new Thomson Rail Equipment telescopic rail-lifting beam is the first of its type to enter the UK market. These telescopic rail-lifting beams are designed for lifting and handling individual rails up to 20m in length with minimal flexing of the rail.

The beam has a safe working load of 1,250kg and is easily adjusted to give it a working length of between 3.6m and 6m.

RAIL LIFTING BEAM

The Thomson Rail Equipment rail-lifting beam is designed to lift and handle new rail to 6m long or old rails up to 20m long. The beam is fitted with a UK approved system allowing it to be safely used for scrap clearance.

BALLAST PLOUGH

Increasingly popular for clearing bulk ballast to the sleeper ends, this unique product exposes the sleepers ready for tamping whilst leaving ballast at the clips to make up for settlement during the tamping operation.

The plough is propelled by a road rail machine and has a hydraulic height adjustment which can be controlled from the operators cab.