GBR-Rail has completed a new carriage wash plant for Spencer Group at Craigentinny depot, under Hitachi Rail Europe’s Intercity Express.

The project was part of a major rail depot upgrade at Craigentinny, Scotland’s biggest depot by far. Built in 1914 as a carriage servicing depot, it was reputed to have had Britain’s first carriage wash plant.

GBR-Rail designed and implemented the new brush system carriage wash, including plant room building and domestics, interceptor system and pumps.

The system is designed to wash electrified trains at temperatures as low as -5°c. It is capable of recycling 70% of the water it uses, all within the dimensional constraints of a 40m long x 6.5m wide steel-clad cleaning shed.

GBR-Rail was also tasked with providing fuel and AdBlue dispensing and monitoring systems, tailored to the train operator requirements.

And GBR-Rail supplied Controlled Emission Toilet (CET) modifications with new suction points combined with evacuation hoses and disinfectant pots.

Tony Wells, Spencer Group Design Manager, said: “We chose GBR-Rail for their expertise in carriage wash plants. And this is an excellent example of partnership working to deliver the whole project. Once complete, the facility will service Hitachi’s Super Express Trains which are expected on the East Coast Mainline from 2018. The carriage wash alone will clean up to 100 trains per day.”