UK: Infrastructure manager Network Rail has taken delivery of eight bespoke road-vehicles designed for drainage cleaning by specialist tank lorry supplier Whale Tankers and Hilton Rail Consulting. The vehicles will be deployed to clear leaves and other materials from trackside catch pits which are used to ensure large volumes of rainwater can quickly run off the track to prevent flooding above the rail head.
Whale has a full maintenance and service contact with Network Rail, and has developed a logging system and database to display the operational status of the vehicles and facilitate maintenance planning. It is also providing training for the operating staff.
‘This has been an extremely technical project, and it is important to stress how our skill and expertise does not stop with designing and building this highly specialist tanker equipment,’ said Managing Director Mark Warmington. ‘We will be continuing to support Network Rail to ensure the vehicles remain in full operational order at all times.’
