Sectors
Rail Industry Lifting Solutions and Depot Crane Systems
From train lifting jacks and depot cranes to the thorough examination of every sling and shackle — specialist lifting engineering and statutory inspection for rail depots, workshops and infrastructure projects across the UK and Ireland.
Lifting Equipment Built for Safety-Critical Rail Maintenance
Rail depots, workshops and infrastructure projects handle some of the heaviest and most sensitive loads in industry — vehicle bodies, bogies, traction motors, transformers and permanent way materials — usually inside constrained buildings, over pit roads, and within tight maintenance or possession windows.
WH Scott Group designs, supplies, installs, maintains and certifies the lifting equipment behind that work. Rolling stock operators, depot maintainers, infrastructure contractors and rail engineering suppliers across the UK and Ireland use us as a single source for crane systems, bespoke lifting beams and frames and statutory inspection — backed by 14 depots and engineering experience dating back to 1897.
The Lifting Challenges Rail Teams Bring Us
- Constrained buildings. Low headroom over pit roads, existing roof steelwork that dictates what a crane can weigh, and travel paths that must clear vehicle roofs and overhead line equipment.
- Awkward, high-value loads. Long or unbalanced items such as body shells, traction packages and bogie components need multi-point support and controlled, repeatable lifts.
- Live operational depots. Installation and maintenance have to fit around shift patterns and road availability, often with limited windows and no room for overrun.
- Auditable compliance. Every crane, jack, sling and shackle needs a current report of thorough examination and a traceable history that stands up to an audit.
What We Provide for Rail Depots and Infrastructure
Most rail projects start with a site survey: your load, duty cycle, building and access constraints. From there we specify standard equipment where it fits and engineer a bespoke solution where it does not, including structural steelwork designed, fabricated and installed in-house to BS EN 1090, up to execution class EXC2.
Once equipment is in service we keep it there. Preventative crane maintenance, statutory thorough examination, load testing, crane modernisation and 24/365 breakdown support are delivered by our own engineers, with certification issued digitally so depot and compliance teams can pull records on demand rather than chase paperwork.
Get in Touch
Tell Us About Your Project
Whether you need a single piece of equipment or a fully engineered lifting system, our specialists can help. Tell us your load, environment and compliance requirements — we’ll do the rest.
Proven on the Irish Rail Network
At Iarnród Éireann’s Fairview Depot in Dublin, we designed, supplied and installed a system of eight bespoke train lifting jacks in partnership with manufacturer Windhoff. Our engineers witnessed factory acceptance testing in Germany, then managed the full mechanical and electrical installation on site — delivered on time with a 100% safety record, supporting maintenance across a fleet of around 150 electric multiple unit cars. Read the Irish Rail case study.
Rail Lifting Compliance in the UK and Ireland
In Great Britain, depot and infrastructure lifting equipment falls under LOLER 1998 and PUWER 1998, with health and safety on the railway enforced by the Office of Rail and Road rather than the HSE. Lifting accessories and equipment used to lift people require thorough examination at least every six months, other lifting equipment at least every twelve, or in line with a written examination scheme drawn up by a competent person.
In the Republic of Ireland the duties sit under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 299 of 2007), enforced by the Health and Safety Authority, with reports of thorough examination recorded on the HSA’s GA1 form. We deliver lifting equipment inspection in Ireland to that standard from our Irish depots. Crane systems are assessed against BS EN 15011:2020 (bridge and gantry cranes) and BS EN 13155:2020 (non-fixed load lifting attachments), published in Ireland as the equivalent I.S. EN standards.
What We Deliver in Rail Industry Lifting Solutions
Mobile & A-Frame Lifting Gantries
Portable aluminium and steel gantries for temporary lifting applications where a permanent gantry is not practical.
Lifting Beams & Lifting Frames
Custom lifting beams, spreader beams, and lifting frames designed for safe, balanced multi-point load handling.
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Overhead Gantry Cranes
Overhead gantry cranes designed for safe, efficient lifting, with bespoke configurations, installation, maintenance, and lifecycle support.
Get in Touch
Tell Us About Your Project
Whether you need a single piece of equipment or a fully engineered lifting system, our specialists can help. Tell us your load, environment and compliance requirements — we’ll do the rest.