Germany-based Voith has been contracted by rolling stock leasing company Angel Trains, to upgrade its fleet of Class 142 diesel multiple units.
Voith will deliver 188 new final drives including a modified gear unit, axle, wheels and axle bearings and new cardan shafts for the fleet. Angel Trains Class 142 units are currently in service with Arriva Trains Wales and Northern Rail.
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Design of KE-485 final drive has been modified by Voith to serve as a drop-in replacement with no vehicle modifications, as part of the contract. This will improve the units’ reliability, lower service and maintenance costs for its operators. The units will be delivered in 2015.
Angel Trains technical director Mark Hicks said: "This upgrade contract reinforces Angel Trains’ commitment to long term asset stewardship and providing excellent value for our customers.
"Voith was a natural partner for this project because its flexible and innovative approach has been instrumental in producing an integrated driveline package."
Voith’s factory in Heidenheim, Germany, holds a Railway Industry Supplier Approval Scheme (RISAS) certification for wheelset assembly.
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By GlobalDataThe company’s Ultrasonic Axle testing (UAT) of wheelsets is now in the process of obtaining the RISAS approval.
Voith also offers services such as optimisation projects, including retrofits, upgrades of vehicle drivelines and couplers, and reduced life cycle cost initiatives.
Image: Class 142 diesel multiple units from Northern Rail. Photo: courtesy of Voith GmbH.
