Don-Bur’s Service Division has completed an extensive refurbishment of a specialist road-rail vehicle for Sandbach-based Genesis Rail, following a project that required significant fabrication, repair and replacement work.
The vehicle is designed to operate both on the road and on railway infrastructure. Once positioned on track, its rail wheels can be deployed to allow the vehicle to travel along the railway while supporting work associated with overhead cable operations.
Extensive Repair and Refurbishment Work
When the vehicle arrived at Don-Bur’s Stoke-on-Trent Service Division, it required substantial attention across a number of areas.
The existing chequer plate flooring was removed and replaced, while damaged rear underrun protection also required replacement. To accommodate the new crash protection, sections of the existing subframe had to be altered and adapted.
Further fabrication and repair work was carried out to the side rails on the wind-out body, together with repairs to the protective cage surrounding the vehicle’s control panel.
The refurbishment also included the fitting of new wings, replacement side and rear lighting and a range of additional repairs required to return the vehicle to a suitable working condition.
A Specialist Engineering Challenge
The project began after Don-Bur Service Division Workshop Manager Chris Palmer received an enquiry regarding the vehicle and subsequently visited Genesis Rail to inspect it and discuss the work required.
Although specialist road-rail vehicles sit outside Don-Bur’s core trailer and rigid body manufacturing activities, the project made extensive use of the fabrication, repair and refurbishment capabilities available within the Service Division.
Its unusual construction also meant that several repairs could not simply be treated as standard replacement work. Existing structures had to be repaired, modified and adapted to suit the vehicle and the new components being installed.
Further Refurbishment Opportunities
Following completion of the first vehicle, Genesis Rail has identified a number of other specialist vehicles within its fleet that may require future repair and refurbishment work.
The completed project demonstrates the flexibility of the Don-Bur Service Division and its ability to undertake complex commercial and specialist vehicle repairs involving fabrication, structural modification and component replacement.
Genesis Rail also plans to capture footage of the refurbished vehicle in operation, including drone footage, providing an opportunity to see the vehicle back at work in its intended rail environment.
Commercial Vehicle Repair and Refurbishment
Based in Stoke-on-Trent, the Don-Bur Service Division undertakes a wide range of commercial vehicle repair, refurbishment and modification work, from structural repairs and bodywork through to flooring, lighting, underrun protection and fabrication.
