Leeds-based William Cook Rail (www.william-cook.co.uk) has commissioned a new 8,000ft² bogie overhaul workshop at its site in Leeds.

The company designs and manufactures safety-critical cast-steel components for train manufacturers world-wide, including Alstom, Bombardier and Siemens, but its UK revenues increasingly come from supporting in-service trains rather than supplying components for new ones — its biggest UK customer is London Underground.

The new bogie overhaul workshop is a natural extension of the company’s existing coupler workshop, supporting rolling stock owners and operators with a wide range of heavy overhaul services.

It can undertake cleaning, shot blasting, non-destructive testing, repair welding, component replacement, painting and rebuild work for bogies.

These services are complemented by ‘state of the art’ machining centres capable of accommodating complete bogie frames after repair.

The investment has created a number of jobs, including the recruitment of a workshop manager who is highly experienced in bogie overhaul work.

Company director William Cook said: “The new workshop is part of an on-going multi-million-pound investment plan for our Leeds site.

"It will enable the continued expansion of our UK heavy overhaul services and position us well to benefit from new Government spending on rail in the North of England.”

Last year, William Cook Rail won Transport for London’s SME Supplier of the Year award.