British Steel has opened in Scunthorpe a £10m rail stocking facility – the largest of its kind in the country.
British Steel is the UK’s only manufacturer of rail. The new hub is at its Scunthorpe site – where the vast majority of rail laid in the UK is made.
It is part of the company’s strategy to support the supply of rails to Network Rail, ensuring there is stock ready, as and when required, for its supply chain.
Craig Harvey, British Steel’s Commercial Director, Rail, said: “We are committed to building the railways of the future, and this investment supports the government’s ambition to improve rail travel and connectivity throughout the UK.
“It will also enhance our long-term strategic partnership with Network Rail – a partnership which helps millions of UK passengers and freight operators enjoy safe, enjoyable, and timely journeys. Together we have an integral role to play in strengthening the UK’s infrastructure, enabling development, and supporting hundreds of businesses and thousands of jobs in the supply chain.
“The new facility is the latest in a series of major investments in British Steel by our owner, Jingye, which is resolute in its commitment to enhancing our operations and helping us build a sustainable future for our business.”
Mr Harvey added that British Steel was “proud to be a global leader in rail production and innovation”, and ventures like this would ensure it kept delivering high-quality products and services.
All rails stocked will have undergone stringent testing and quality assurance checks required to meet specifications for immediate despatch, or welding into 216m lengths. The Scunthorpe facility has 11 multi-gantry hoists to lift finished rail stock to customer rolling stock. From there, it will be transported for installation on mainline routes within the UK.
“We have a long-running relationship with British Steel, who support the delivery of our track maintenance, renewal, and enhancement activities,” said Network Rail’s supply chain operations director, Julia Territt. “Our focus remains on ensuring that we have continued delivery of rail supply, now and into the future, so that we can continue delivering reliable services for our passengers. We’re pleased to see the ongoing commitment to supporting the UK rail network with the investment in the new facilities in Scunthorpe.”
When fully stocked, the Scunthorpe storage facility will hold around 25,000 tonnes of 108m finished rail – largely 56E1 and 60E2 section rails. Mr Harvey added: “British Steel combines dedicated customer service with world-class design and technical consultancy to develop and deliver high-quality rail solutions. Our new stocking facility will help us build upon this, and we look forward to continuing to work with operators, in the UK and globally, to help them overcome the challenges they face.”
Earlier this year, British Steel’s Scunthorpe rail facilities secured a lucrative contract to supply rail for a major new rail line in Egypt. British Steel also obtained planning permission in May for a 50m-long by 12m-wide steel rail service building by Mill Field Road. This will enable light servicing and inspection of rail wagons to take place with shelter from the weather.
Raw materials have also been bought in to keep British Steel’s coke blast furnaces running into 2025, after reports suggested the furnaces would cease production this year. There is planning permission for British Steel to move to an electric arc furnace (EAF) on its Scunthorpe site in the future.