Sheffield-based handling equipment manufacturer, Mechan, is joining forces with a fellow South Yorkshire railway specialist to equip a new multimillion pound tram depot in Blackpool.

Mechan is supplying Doncaster rail infrastructure experts, Trackwork, with two bogie turntables to form part of the firm’s Blackpool Tram contract.

Trackwork chose Mechan to design and build the turntables, having worked successfully with the firm on previous projects. The tables are now nearing completion and will be installed in the new Starr Gate depot in July, where they will be used to move bogies from working roads to the maintenance area.

Blackpool’s traditional tram network is being extended into a modern commuter service with the addition of eight kilometres of track, extra stops and an iconic new depot, which will house 16 Bombardier trams purchased for the project.

Richard Carr, Mechan’s managing director, said, “We enjoy excellent links with our South Yorkshire neighbours, Trackwork, and we are very pleased to be working with them again on this project. Rail maintenance and infrastructure is a truly global industry and it is rare that the opportunity arises to keep our business in the region. We hope that by working together on this and future projects, we can make a significant contribution to the local economy.”

Mechan will be exhibiting at the InnoTrans 2010 exhibition in Berlin from 21 to 24 September in hall 2.2, stand 212e. For further information about the firm’s range of depot handling equipment, please visit the Mechan website.