The Covid pandemic caused a delay of almost a year in the delivery and commissioning of two new K40, 3½ tonne locomotives (AK107/20 and AK108/20) supplied to an industrial site near Rawalpindi in Pakistan. The locomotives are identical and incorporate the well-proven Perkins engine and JCB transmission driveline.

Robust testing

The pictures here show the locomotives on site in Pakistan but also during their rigorous testing procedure prior to despatch, which was overseen by a technical liaison officer from the Pakistan High Commission in London.

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Battery-electric and fully flame-proofed, two powered railcars, an unpowered manrider and a wagon, are used on this 5ft gauge railway. The combination of the heat, high humidity, significant length (5km) and the coastal location all contribute to making this a most challenging environment.

We've worked in many underground projects but the damp conditions experienced at this location created a particularly challenging environment for our track installation team, but they smiled throughout and the railway was soon operational and carrying the huge slabs of stone out of the quarry.

Hereford based Painter Bros Ltd, specialist steel fabricators and erectors, have long used a 2ft gauge railway within their works to move steel sections. We have fully reconditioned two Clayton battery-electric locomotives to match their specific operating requirements.

A railway all at sea!

One of our most unique railway installations has been for Global Marine Ltd. A locomotive, specialist wagons and track were provided on board one of their vessels to handle the movement of materials as part of a specialist salvage operation in the Atlantic.