Rail - Traction Motors and more

Our customers are judged by train reliability and punctuality. Because Houghton International provide the UK's highest quality traction motor repair service, our customers' trains run on time with the confidence their traction motors will not fail in service. Just read our Testimonial from Unipart Rail.

Since entering the EMU overhaul supply chain in 2006, we've serviced and repaired over 600 individual traction motors ranging from G310s; EE507s; High Speed Train motors (both Brush and GEC type) and a whole range of other AC traction motors.

We developed our heavy repair services in 2006, supported by our long history of being one of the UK's best motor rewind companies.

We invested in VPI and TIG welding technology enabling us to provide the whole range of operations required for a high quality armature rewind.

We've developed our own HiTrax insulation system that has proved fantastically successful in both reducing rewind costs while improving the insulation's mechanical and dielectric strength.

Our customers in the Rail industry typically come to us because they are suffering from some, or many of the following problems:

• Poor reliability & high breakdown costs
• Slow response times to emergencies
• Trains keep failing in service
• Average customer service
• Lack of confidence in other motor repairers
• Lack of confidence in other High Voltage coil manufacturers
• Unacceptable quality management
• Slow turnaround times
• Trains don't run on time
• Supplier does not understand their needs
• Poor engineering standards
• Supplier is not proactive
• They operate an unplanned maintenance regime
• No motor management system in place
• Lack of expertise
• No product and/or commercial innovation

Our experience to date includes rewinding a whole range of both DC and AC units with our in house services providing VPI facilities, TIG & MIG welding, insulation redesign, coil manufacturing, and automated commutator undercutting.

Our Quality Assurance system is designed around the requirements of each individual motor type meaning we create a dedicated quality management system bespoke to each product type.

Our Rail Business Unit is headed by Ian Young, Rail Business Unit Manager, who works closely with Michael Mitten, Managing Director, alongside our customers in the Rail Industry. Our customers in the Rail Industry include: Nexus, operators of the Tyne and Wear Metro, Unipart Rail, Merseyrail, Scot Rail and First Capital Connect.

Rail Case Study

Tyne & Wear Metro dilemma

The quandry being whether to buy in new rolling stock or extend the life of the existing fleet. When we offered HiTrax as a solution for the debilitated traction motor field systems, that was one headache Metro could now forget about.

Part of their £60 million reinvigoration process is now dedicated to rewinding the field systems on entire fleet of motors with the HiTrax system, meaning their life span will have been extended to at least 2023 when new rolling stock will be introduced.

The Houghton International Solution

Traction motors rewound by Houghtons don't fail because they contain coils manufactured with our unique HiTrax insulation system. HiTrax is the only insulation system in the world developed and marketed specifically into the traction motor market by a motor repair company.

Designed in the late 90s and refined over many years, HiTrax as a concept works because of its flexibility and transferability into all types of traction motor windings.

HiTrax provides the best dielectric and mechanical strength solution for all AC stators, DC armatures and DC field systems. HiTrax is so fantastic because it is as equally effective alongside epoxy resin as it is with silicone resin VPI technology.

We can tailor a solution to meet your needs and focus on the problems that are individual to specific traction motor types. This means what ever the problems your motors encounter, we can take that pain away.

For more information, contact Ian Young, Rail Business Unit Manager on +44 (0)191 234 7807 or email:  ian.young@houghton-international.com.

For more information: Call us on +44 (0)191 234 3000 or email: info@houghton-international.com