£10.5m rail facility promises more reliable services across Wales

A new £10.5 million wheel lathe facility has officially opened in Holyhead, in a move hailed as a major boost for rail reliability across north Wales and beyond.

The automatic wheel lathe, a specialist machine that repairs worn or damaged train wheels, will allow Transport for Wales (TfW) to service its fleet much closer to home.

Until now, trains in the region had to be sent to Cardiff for wheel repairs, a process that added time and disruption to maintenance work.

The new facility, part of the Welsh Government’s Network North Wales initiative, will operate seven days a week.

Turnaround times

Officials say the investment will speed up turnaround times, improve the availability of trains, and help reduce service disruptions – particularly important during the autumn months when falling leaves can affect rail traction.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales Ken Skates said the project represented a significant milestone.

“It’s great to see our new state-of-the-art wheel lathe facility in Holyhead open and ready for business,” he said. “This multi-million-pound investment is the latest milestone in Network North Wales’ vision for a better public transport system.

“Our new facility will operate seven days a week, significantly reducing the turnaround times for trains to be back up and running and making sure people can get where they’re going with fewer disruptions. I’m really pleased that this investment will bring eight new jobs to Holyhead and help unlock economic development across North Wales.”

‘Availability’

Ryan Williams, Engineering Director at TfW, said the development would make the operator more resilient: “This new facility is a major step forward in boosting the availability of our fleet, especially as we head into the tougher autumn and winter months. It will help us run more efficiently, strengthen our in-house maintenance capabilities, and show our dedication to providing a more reliable service across the Wales and Borders network.”

The project was delivered by Balfour Beatty, whose Operational Director Alasdair MacDonald said it would leave a lasting impact. “The opening of the Holyhead wheel lathe marks a significant milestone not just for Transport for Wales, but for rail infrastructure across North Wales,” he said. “This facility is the first to be delivered under the Welsh Government’s Network North Wales Strategy and will play a vital role in maintaining the new fleet of trains.”