British Steel, the UK’s only manufacturer of rail, has opened a £10-million rail stocking facility – the largest of its kind in the country.
The new hub is at its headquarters in Scunthorpe where the vast majority of rail laid in the UK is made.
The investment is part of British Steel’s strategy to support the supply of rails to Network Rail, ensuring there is stock ready, as and when required, for its supply chain.
Craig Harvey, British Steel’s Commercial Director, Rail, said: “We are committed to building the railways of the future, and this investment supports the government’s ambition to improve rail travel and connectivity throughout the UK.
“It will also enhance our long-term strategic partnership with Network Rail – a partnership which helps millions of UK passengers and freight operators enjoy safe, enjoyable, and timely journeys. Together we have an integral role to play in strengthening the UK’s infrastructure, enabling development, and supporting hundreds of businesses and thousands of jobs in the supply chain.
“The new facility is the latest in a series of major investments in British Steel by our owner, Jingye, which is resolute in its commitment to enhancing our operations and helping us build a sustainable future for our business.
“British Steel is proud to be a global leader in rail production and innovation, and ventures like this will help ensure we keep delivering the high-quality products and services our customers demand.”
Julia Territt, Network Rail’s Supply Chain Operations Director, said: “We have a long running relationship with British Steel, who support the delivery of our track maintenance, renewal and enhancement activities.
“Our focus remains on ensuring that we have continued delivery of rail supply, now and into the future, so that we can continue delivering reliable services for our passengers. We’re pleased to see the ongoing commitment to supporting the UK rail network with the investment in the new facilities in Scunthorpe.”
British Steel’s dedicated storage facility provides a central UK location in which rails can be safely handled, stored, and available for loading.
All rails stocked will have undergone the stringent testing and quality assurance checks required to meet the specification to allow immediate despatch or welding into 216m lengths.
The facility has 11 multi-gantry hoists to lift finished rail stock to customer rolling stock. From there it will be transported for installation on mainline routes within the UK.
When fully-stocked, the storage facility will hold around 25,000 tonnes of 108m finished rail – largely 56E1 and 60E2 section rails.
Craig Harvey said: “British Steel combines dedicated customer service with world-class design and technical consultancy to develop and deliver high-quality rail solutions. Our new stocking facility will help us build upon this, and we look forward to continuing to work with operators, in the UK and globally, to help them overcome the challenges they face.”