Derby based RVEL secures £6m NR fleet maintenance contract

Railway Vehicle Engineering Limited has secured a £6m contract with Network Rail to maintain the company’s Infrastructure Monitoring Fleet which plays a key role in delivering Network Rail’s Asset Management and Assurance Plans.

The contract which lasts for two years, with possible extensions based on performance of up to three years, will see Derby based RVEL maintain 45 specialist rail vehicles which Network Rail use to undertake ultrasonic rail testing, optical gauging of structures, dynamic measurement of overhead electrified lines and measurement of track geometry.

The operation and maintenance of Network Rail’s Infrastructure Monitoring Fleet was previously undertaken by Serco Rail Operations (SRO). However, following a retendering process the operation of the fleet was taken over by DB Schenker with maintenance going to RVEL.

Andy Lynch, managing director of Railway Vehicle Engineering Limited said: “We are delighted that Network Rail has the confidence in our company to award us this important contract. We set out seeking to develop a reputation for quality, reliability and delivery, based on a strong management, a stable workforce and sound financing.  By relentlessly focusing on this we have been able to attract substantial additional work without straying outside our core competence and without surrendering on gross profit margins. Network Rail has set us an ambitious but achievable target of 99% reliability for the Infrastructure Maintenance Fleet within three years

“RVEL previously maintained six class 31s and nine coaches for Network Rail so this type of work is not new to us, but the award of this new contract will see us maintain an additional 30 vehicles as well as take on the EDU facility at Derby where Serco Rail Operations was previously based. We have also taken on 22 former Serco Rail Operations maintenance staff employed at the EDU which doubles the size of our workforce. Our new employees’ skills will complement those of our current workforce and the addition of the EDU to our existing Railway Vehicle Workshop facility at Derby will allow us to offer an increased range of rolling stock maintenance services to both Network Rail and passenger train operators.”

RVEL also strengthened its management team in preparation for the start of the new contract which commenced on the 25th July with the appointment of a new Fleet Manager.

Keith Osman, who joined the company from Southern, will have overall day to day responsibility for delivering the contract, reporting to RVEL’s Technical Director Richard Morris.

Network Rail’s decision to award maintenance of the Infrastructure Monitoring Fleet to RVEL also shows that specialist contractors working to lean principles can continue to flourish in today’s highly competitive railway industry.