First rail panel lifter rolls off Unipart’s Coventry line

Capable of moving rail track panels up to 90 feet in length and weighing up to 18 tonnes, the panel lifter is a tracked machine that sits astride rail lines, assisting in track laying and maintenance. It can extend its width to a maximum of 3,665mm to lift the heaviest loads and is remotely controlled by an operator.

The technology was originally developed by McCulloch Rail in response to a Network Rail decision to prohibit the use of any road rail vehicle from lifting 60ft concrete track panels. A collaboration between McCulloch and Unipart will see the machines manufactured in Coventry for the first time and then shipped across the globe.

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“The production of the McCulloch Rail Panel Lifters at Unipart Manufacturing’s highly skilled Coventry site is great news for both the city and Unipart,” said Neil Walker, managing director at Unipart Rail and Unipart Manufacturing Group.