Hydrex invests over £2.5m in railway platforms

UK rental company Hydrex is investing more than £2.5 million in 20 new special rail-modified platforms from Platform Basket in Italy. The RR14 models are being sold to Hydrex by Platform Basket distributor Promax.

Hydrex already has rail modified platforms in its fleet - including French-built Neotec Elan platforms and Genie Z60/34s - but the company is adding 20 new machines because it is confident that overhead line electrification work on UK railways will remain a priority.

Hydrex said all twenty machines will be delivered over the next three months. The platforms, which come equipped with rail bogies, provide a maximum working height of 14.4 m working height and weigh 12.8 t.

Peter Baverstock, UK rail business director at Hydrex, said; "The results of the recent Comprehensive Spending Review have confirmed some key projects where we feel this additional OLE [overhead line electrification] capability will enable us to add significant value to our clients and help them achieve their programme objectives."

Shaun Day, business director at Promax, said; "this latest generation of platforms are designed with specific rail benefits, such as the ability to operate on 200 mm cant - with automatic levelling of the turret - and having a key interlock device to enable platform driving under live lines."