Brisbane-based rail and civil plant hire firm GLH has positioned itself as a key player in Queensland’s transport infrastructure boom.
Operating from their maintenance workshop in Willawong, the team from George’s Loader Hire (GLH) has become a trusted supplier of equipment for both the rail and civil sectors in South East Queensland.
With heavy, metro and light rail construction gaining momentum in South East Queensland, GLH is poised to increase their significant involvement within the industry.
Already one of Queensland Rail (QR)’s largest rail maintenance suppliers, GLH boasts a large fleet of excavators and loaders, all of which are compliant with QR standards.
The GLH fleet is a mixture of hi-rail and non-rail. It includes a hi-rail haul truck, and will soon include a hi-rail elevated work platform. The hi-rail fleet is primarily narrow-gauge, but the company is diversifying into dual gauge technology. The company provides highly experienced and qualified staff to operate the machines for its clients.
GLH recently added an eight tonne hi-rail excavator which has already seen work on the second stage of the Gold Coast Light Rail project (standard gauge), and the Helensvale-Coomera duplication (narrow gauge).
GLH was founded as George’s Front End Loader Hire by George Baird in 1994.
Since George passed away in 2009, GLH has upgraded its Willawong facility with the construction of a state-of-the-art five bay workshop, hard stand and wash down facility.
Now run by Baird’s son and daughter, Cameron Baird and Kelly Cooke, GLH has taken part in every major rail construction project in Queensland over the last decade.
This includes work on rail upgrade projects Corinda to Darra, Darra to Richlands, Richlands to Springfield, and construction projects like the Middlemount & Caval Ridge Rail Spur, Moreton Bay Rail Link, the SEQ Stabling Yards and Gold Coast Light Rail.
GLH’s wide range of capabilities was on full display during the Moreton Bay Rail Link project, where 12.6 kilometres of new dual track was built between Petrie and Kippa Ring, in Brisbane’s north.
Thiess, Martinus Rail and CPB Contractors engaged GLH for a range of services on the project. The company had six to seven machines working on the project at any one time.
“We were involved in the rail construction side of this project right from the start, taking delivery and stockpiling the materials,” GLH mechanical engineer Brad Cooke explained.
“We were a major part of the flashbutt operation; we then moved on to laying sleepers, placing track, and doing a lot of the finer trim. We also drilled most of the mast foundation holes.”
CPB then engaged GLH to help build the SEQ Stabling Yards to house Queensland’s NGR fleet, and then on stage two of the Gold Coast Light Rail project.
“We’re proud of the work we’ve done so far in South East Queensland, and we’re keen to take part in all the upcoming passenger and freight projects in and around the region,” Kelly Cooke told Rail Express.
“We have such a great team at GLH, and we strive to set the benchmark for the plant hire industry.”