New wheel drop pit at East Ham depot

Sheffield-based manufacturer Mechan has designed and installed a new wheel drop at c2c Trenitalia’s East Ham depot. Working with Spencer Group, the new wheel drop pit was added to the depot’s Road 10, which is also equipped with high-level gantries and a jib crane. Mechan has modified the wheel drop to incorporate hydraulic trapdoors that cover the pit, enabling heating, ventilation and air-conditioning units to be placed onto them for removal by forklift truck. The wheel drop allows complete wheelsets to be removed or replaced without lifting the vehicle, and will be used to change wheelsets on c2c’s new fleet of five-car Class 720s that are due in service later this year.