PICS: Downer has officially opened its rail workshop at Cardiff, west of Newcastle, after a $38 million upgrade.
Downer on Tuesday officially opened the upgraded Cardiff Service Delivery Centre.
The facility has undergone a major refurbishment, highlighted by the installation of a purpose-built, eight-car train lift and bogie exchange workshop, which Downer says is the only one of its kind in the southern hemisphere.
“The completion of the bogie workshop at Cardiff will deliver overhaul and maintenance services immediately for the Waratah fleet ensuring minimal downtime for NSW commuters,” Downer’s executive general manager of Rolling Stock Services Michael Miller said.
“Our expectation is that the Cardiff investment will result in further improvements to all Downer-managed rolling stock fleets.
“There will be improved reliability for these critical assets which are already recognised as world-class trains.”
The $38 million refurbishment also included investment in new wheel presses, axle and wheel lathes, automated bogie rotators, paint booths, bearing wash and other specialist overhaul technology and equipment.
Downer says the refurbishment will result in a 50% reduction to the time taken to overhaul ‘critical assets’. The upgraded facility will also improve the performance, and extend the life, of train assets like bogies and wheels, Downer added.
The Cardiff site now has the capacity to refurbish 2,340 bogies, and 24,030 wheelsets each year.
Photos courtesy of Downer
Left to Right: ARA chief executive Danny Broad, Sydney Trains chief executive Howard Collins, Sydney Trains deputy executive director for commercial and supply chain Lynne Canalese, Sydney Trains associate director Richard Rice, and Downer executive GM for rolling stock Michael Miller.