Spencer Rail Engineering advances £17m wheel lathe facility project

PROGRESS: Work on the Greater Anglia wheel lathe facility at Clacton Depot

By Rick Lyon, Co-Editor

Spencer Rail Engineering is supporting Greater Anglia in the delivery of a new wheel lathe facility at Clacton Depot.

The £17m investment will transform how the operator maintains its fleet and enhance long-term service reliability across the network.

Construction is progressing at pace through close collaboration with the client, alongside support from the Department for Transport, with works continuing to advance on site.

A wheel lathe enables trains to be serviced on site and will transform how Greater Anglia prepares its fleet for service. Daily wear and tear can cause small flat spots on train wheels, which are corrected using a wheel lathe.

The process involves precisely measuring each wheel, calculating the required material removal and re-profiling the wheel to restore its roundness. Once complete, the wheels are measured again to confirm they meet the required standards before the train returns to service.

Hull-based Spencer Rail Engineering has successfully completed the majority of underground works at the Clacton site, including complex drainage installation, enabling above-ground construction to progress at pace.

The project has now reached a major structural milestone, with the steel frame erected, internal servicing pits prepared for fit-out and roof cladding completed. Ongoing side cladding works will ensure the facility is fully watertight in the coming weeks.

The wheel lathe, manufactured by specialist German supplier Hegenscheidt-MFD, has been integrated into the facility design by Spencer Rail Engineering to ensure seamless installation and long-term operational performance.

The project has required the installation of new track infrastructure adjacent to operational passenger lines, demanding detailed planning, close stakeholder coordination and stringent safety management to minimise disruption to the live railway.

Ryan Jones, delivery director at Spencer Rail Engineering, said: “We are pleased to see our Clacton wheel lathe project progressing strongly through the construction phase. The project has presented a significant number of engineering challenges, particularly due to the extremely constrained nature of the site.

“Meticulous planning, sequencing of works and close collaboration between all stakeholders has been essential to safely deliver the scheme whilst having minimal impact on surrounding operational infrastructure.

“A special mention to the project team for their persistence and getting us to where we are now. We are currently targeting EIS (Entry Into Service) in July 2026, and the team remains focused on the remaining stages of the build, commissioning and engineering assurance to achieve the end goal.”

Andrew Goodrum, infrastructure and major projects director, said: “The installation of the new wheel lathe at the Clacton Depot is the first time that Greater Anglia has had its own permanent wheel lathe facility.

“Not only will this £17m investment into Clacton improve the performance and reliability of services in the region, but it will also provide many new, highly skilled jobs.

“Once complete, trains will be able to be serviced much quicker than before, allowing them to return to passenger service faster.”

With construction progressing to programme, the facility is scheduled for completion in summer 2026. On commissioning, the 5,000-square-metre wheel lathe building will establish Greater Anglia’s first dedicated in-house wheel turning capability, reflecting Spencer Rail Engineering’s expertise in delivering complex depot infrastructure within live rail environments.

Once operational, the facility will support the maintenance of Greater Anglia’s Class 745, Class 720 and Class 755 fleets, strengthening long-term operational performance across the network.