Train Maintenance

We specialise in maintenance documentation reviews, maintenance audits, maintenance optimisation and obsolescence management, aimed at boosting efficiency, reliability and compliance with industry standards.

Whether you are introducing new trains or updating an existing fleet, our expert team provides a fresh, independent perspective to ensure you’re maximising resources and minimising waste.

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Maintenance Documentation Review

Whether it is for a new fleet, existing rolling stock or a cascaded set of units, our specialist team will review the documented procedures for your maintenance tasks, ensuring they are current, accurate, and comply with applicable standards and regulations. By evaluating maintenance records and logs, we aim to confirm the execution of scheduled maintenance and identify any trends or patterns that might present opportunities for improvement.

We will review the allocation of resources, including personnel, tools and materials while ensuring that all maintenance activities comply with safety regulations, environmental standards, and other relevant legal requirements.

Our services include:

  • Vehicle maintenance instruction (VMI) review
  • Safe system of work (SSOW) and process Review
  • TSA/TSSSA contract adherence review
  • Risk Assessment Review

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Maintenance Audit

Our team of experts have the necessary skills to work with your maintenance teams to review and carry out in-process checks to ensure your products are maintained as required whilst also taking on board any feedback from your experts who do the tasks daily.

We will conduct a thorough and detailed independent examination of your maintenance records, rail units, equipment, owner spares and materials to ensure you are fully compliant and identify any risks that could pose issues upon unit handback.

Utilising your procedures, policies, and systems we will assess their effectiveness, compliance, and overall performance. This includes ensuring that your policies align with industry standards and regulations, scrutinising asset management practices, and reviewing resource allocation. Our comprehensive and independent analysis will include work order systems, preventive maintenance, and resource utilisation to identify areas for improving efficiency.

Our maintenance audit will offer valuable insights to guide your decision-making, aiming to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance the reliability of your assets.

Our services include:

  • Completed Maintenance documentation review
  • Deferred works audit
  • Customer owned spares audit
  • Vehicle condition audit

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  • Modification implementation audit and quality audit
  • Special tools audit
  • Supplier process audit

Maintenance Optimisation

Using the insights gathered during the review and audit – we will put our recommendations into action.

We will pinpoint the most critical components and systems in your depots, tailoring maintenance strategies and fine-tuning preventive maintenance schedules to ensure tasks are done at the right time and frequency to keep downtime to a minimum.

We will research and recommend an efficient asset management solution to suit the needs of your depot – helping you stay organised and in control of your equipment.

Our goal is to instil a culture of continuous improvement in your maintenance processes.

Regular reviews and updates to maintenance strategies, informed by feedback and performance metrics, will keep everything running seamlessly. By optimising your maintenance activities, you will see increased asset reliability, reduced maintenance costs, improved safety, and a significant boost in the operational efficiency of your depot.

Our services include:

  • Automated vehicle Inspection system implementation and commissioning
  • Automated vehicle Inspection system data harvesting and processing
  • Vehicle maintenance instruction authoring and update
  • Current and future state process mapping

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  • Equipment and tooling review and identification of enhanced equipment
  • Exam Maintenance management
  • Modification management
  • Maintenance schedule review and planning support

Obsolescence Management

As we all work towards maximising the life of our rail fleets, effective obsolescence management has never been more important. Ensuring that software systems and hardware upgrades remain available and compatible is our speciality.

With today’s supply chain challenges and rapid technological advancements, maintaining continuity can be tough. It is critical to have robust plans in place to extend the service life of your trains and keep them running seamlessly. This is where we can help.

Our specialist engineers identify and address potential risks to the supply of critical components, software updates, and compatibility with newer technology. By spotting these risks early, we help you avoid costly downtime, maintain safety standards, and keep your fleet reliable. Our comprehensive obsolescence management plans provide practical steps to extend each component’s lifespan and ensure replacements are readily available, even as suppliers and technologies evolve.

Our services include:

  • Obsolescence management plan review
  • Obsolescence management plan creation
  • OEM documentation review

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  • Component feasibility studies
  • Obsolete component sourcing

Frequently Asked Questions

A maintenance documentation review is the process of evaluating maintenance records, procedures, and logs to ensure they are accurate, up to date, and comply with industry standards and regulations. This review is crucial because it helps confirm that maintenance tasks are being carried out correctly and on schedule, identifies potential areas for improvement, and ensures compliance with safety and legal requirements. By keeping maintenance documentation current and thorough, organisations can optimise performance, reduce downtime, avoid costly errors, and improve the reliability and safety of their assets.
A maintenance audit involves a thorough examination of the maintenance documentation and the physical assets, such as the trains themselves. It assesses whether maintenance procedures are being followed correctly, checks the condition of vehicles, equipment, and spare parts, and ensures compliance with safety standards and regulations. By identifying inefficiencies, potential risks, and areas for improvement, a maintenance audit helps optimise asset performance, reduce downtime, and improve overall reliability. This holistic approach ensures that the documentation and the actual maintenance work meet the required standards for safety and efficiency.
The frequency of maintenance audits for rail companies depends on factors like regulations, asset condition, and internal policies. Generally, audits should be conducted regularly to ensure compliance and safety. Regulations may set specific intervals, while industry best practices often recommend regular audits based on historical data and risk assessments. Older or high-risk assets may need more frequent audits, and operational changes, like new equipment or procedures, can also trigger audits. Regular audits help ensure maintenance practices stay effective and compliant, keeping operations safe and efficient.
To move from a TSA to a TSSSA, start by assessing your needs for parts and services. Define the scope of the new agreement, specifying what spares and services are required. Engage with suppliers to discuss terms, then work with legal and procurement teams to draft the new contract. Create a transition plan to shift smoothly from the old agreement, and once implemented, monitor performance and make adjustments as needed. This approach ensures the new agreement aligns with your operational goals.

Case Studies

Maintenance documentation review for West Midlands Railway’s Class 196

West Midlands Railway, a major operator in the UK’s rail network, engaged our team at Encompass to conduct a comprehensive review of their Maintenance Design Justification File (MDJF).

This document plays a key role in ensuring proper fleet maintenance by outlining tasks and schedules essential to the safe and efficient operation of their trains. Our job was to validate this documentation, ensuring that the maintenance schedules matched the actual operational requirements.

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Testimonials

As the owner of the Class 717 fleet, we were pleased with the activities undertaken by Encompass Engineering during the audit, with the fleet having been in passenger service for approximately 5 years. The thorough inspections undertaken on a sample of the fleet have provided insight into the management by the TOC from both a physical asset and cleanliness perspective. These inspections, accompanied by the audit of Deferred Work, Overhaul Strategy, Preventative Maintenance Scheduling and Owner Owned Spares Maintenance, has provided a valuable insight to the current condition and status of the fleet.

— James Herriott, Engineering Director, Rock Rail

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