Depot Personnel Protection Goes Global
13 December 2007 15:27
A sophisticated depot personnel protection system is being installed at a brand new €65 million depot in Ireland. Also, an SIL1 EU safety-compliant system from Mechan Technology Limited was specified for the new Eurostar depot in East London, whilst two Mechan systems are destined for the Dubai Metro.
Ireland's rail network operator Iarnrod Eireann has been benefiting from the largest ever investment in new trains in Irish railway history. More than €500 million is being spent on InterCity and commuter rolling stock from CAF of Spain and Mitsui of Japan and the associated maintenance facilities.
The new Laois Traincare Depot at Portlaoise has been constructed on a 15-hectare site near the Dublin-Cork main line. Through a Spanish-Portuguese consortium's involvement in the project, Mechan Technology won the order for the design and supply of a SMARTTM Depot Personnel Protection System via its Portuguese agent Neopul.
"As the leading supplier of such equipment, Mechan Technology was invited by a number of prospective bidders for the main Portlaoise contract to quote for a state-of the-art protection system," reveals director Richard Carr. "Iarnrod Eireann also recognised the merits of our system and we ultimately secured a deal with the successful bidder. Our heavy-handling business is also supplying a 5.5-tonne engine-removal table for Portlaoise."
Mechan Technology is no stranger to high-profile projects at home and abroad. The company has recently been busy commissioning the system it designed and manufactured for the new Eurostar depot at Temple Mills, East London, which opened in November. The company believes this to be the most advanced DPPS system installed in the UK.
"It was an essential requirement for this international project that the DPPS for Temple Mills would comply with EU safety standard SIL1," Richard Carr points out. "The Mechan Technology system was independently assessed and approved for this purpose by Lloyd's Register. We also designed the DPPS to integrate successfully with the refined signalling system at Temple Mills."
The Dubai Metro, like Dubai itself, is expanding rapidly and two depots near the extremities of the system's Red Line are being equipped. Operating with driverless trains, the metro has been designed to the latest technological standards and the specifications for depot equipment reflected this approach. Mechan Technology's SMARTTM Depot Personnel Protection System offered the desired capabilities.
"This order came to us through Design and Projects International," explains Richard Carr. "The first system, for Jebel Ali depot, has just been shipped for third-party installation. It will be commissioned in early 2008. The second DPPS is for Rashidiya depot and we expect that to be commissioned a few months later. We see further opportunities in the Middle East for both the technology and heavy-handling sides of Mechan."
SMART Depot Personnel Protection Systems have also been chosen for Siemens' Desiro train depots around the UK and for two new Hitachi train depots in Kent.
For more information on this company:
Mechan - Lifting Jacks, Wheelset and Bogie Drops, Jib Cranes and Depot Personnel Protection Systems
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