Full steam ahead for railway project

08 January, 2021

The team behind the Cambrian Heritage Railway is currently working to add one and three quarter miles to its line between Oswestry and Weston using a Permerquip Jacker Packer. The machine dates back to the 1980s and is used to pack stone under the sleepers to support the railway to the correct level.

It was being brought back to life by general manager, Rob Williams, after being rescued out of a bush. Volunteers had all but got it fully working again but needed a crucial component to finally get it operating properly, which is where Occo stepped in.

Managing director Allan Cunningham explains: “I had an email from Rob after they identified one of our coolers on the jacker packer, but the type and model number was missing. Photos helped us to identify what was required and we were able to supply the radiator element they needed as it is still used on a cooler we have in our current Mini range.”

The jacker packer is now awaiting the final step in its journey – a trip to the paint shop – before it is put back to work on the railway restoration. This is the first phase of the charity’s scheme to reopen an eight-mile stretch of line and create a visitor attraction that will benefit the area and bring an economic boost to the region.

Coolers in the Mini Range are designed to be incorporated into machines like the Jacker Packer as they are compact and lightweight. The simple design and low power fan motors gives a very competitive cost per unit of cooling. In the 42 years that Occo coolers have been manufactured, its ranges have featured on everything from small tools like the Jacker Packer and calibration equipment to boring machinery for the Channel Tunnel and the Large Hadron Collider at Cern in Switzerland.

www.occocoolers.co.uk