Strathspey Railway Company forging plans for its own foundry
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The Strathspey Railway Company has lodged plans for a foundry and wheel lathe shed at it site in Aviemore which will allow its engineers to carry out more of running repairs and cut costs.
The SRC which runs locomotives between Aviemore and Broomhill by Dulnain Bridge has also applied to Highland Council planners for a change of site for a running shed which already has consent.
Permission for this development and associated works was granted in 2018 on land by the existing locomotive shed at the railway’s yard at Dalfaber.
A SRC spokesperson stated in the submission to Highland Council planners: “This new application is for an amendment to the siting of the running shed to facilitate the development of a shed which would accommodate a wheel lathe and a foundry.
“The sheds are required to accommodate recently acquired equipment for which there is no room in the railway’s existing machine shop.”
The SRC spokesperson explained the need for the additions at the Dalfaber yard: “Heritage railways such as the Strathspey Railway require numerous small and medium sized cast components such as piston and valve ring blanks, brake blocks, firebars and other grate components and similar.
“It is beneficial in financial and environmental terms if these can be produced on site rather than having to be sourced from elsewhere, especially when raw material can be sourced on site.
“For example, three worn down cast iron brake blocks could be melted down and recast as two new full size brake blocks.
“Such on-site production reduces transport costs, safeguards the engineering side of the railway which employs seven people locally and maintains the relevant skills and expertise.”
Some material may have to be bought but most deliveries will be infrequent and small scale. It is expected that the foundry would only operate one to two days per month on average.
Railway bosses have said they expect no change to the level of vehicle traffic using Dalfaber Road.
As for the wheel lathe, railway wheels have a steel tyre whose dimensions and profile must be kept within certain specified limits to ensure safe operation and comfortable conditions for passengers.
Wheel lathes enable both of a wheelset’s tyres to be checked and if necessary re-profiled uniformly to meet that requirement.
The spokesperson said: “Being able to do this work in-house will have significant economic benefits and some environmental benefits as it avoids the need to send wheelsets to England by road transport for the necessary checking and reprofiling.”
The proposed shed will be a ‘simple low profile structure’. The SRC has said its ‘appearance will be consistent with the industrial and railway character of the other existing and proposed buildings’ in the rail yard.
