The firm is gearing up for the biggest investment in rail electrification seen for decades.

It has spent its cash on five LRB 17 Road-Rail vehicles from SRS Sjölanders, which have been manufactured in Sweden.

The new plant will immediately be deployed on Keltbray’s biggest ever contract, secured last year to the value of £46m, to provide power supply upgrade for Network Rail on the  Phase 3A power supply upgrade project on the West Coast Main Line.

Managing Director of Keltbray Aspire, David Godley, said: “Our current fleet is at maximum utilisation, and so these new machines will help reduce the need for us to hire in extra capacity at peak times.

“These vehicles are also more flexible, they have a 10m reach and provide our linesmen with a safe working environment utilising in basket electric and pneumatic tool facilitation.”

The new vehicles are currently being registered and will be fully operational by the end of May.

SRS Sjölanders managing director, Peter Sundström, said: “It is more than nine years since we last provided new equipment of this kind into the UK market, so we are delighted with this order.

“The vehicles supplied to Keltbray are key to reducing transport time and increasing working time.

“They are more user-friendly and have a number of new features, including improved lighting and tool box storage, an advanced control system and new safety systems to the access platforms, comprising overload protection and protection from fouling the adjacent lines.”

“They can also facilitate additional equipment, such as pantographs and wire lifters, have colour displays that make it easier to position the vehicles and access platforms, while the chassis has a higher level of comfort for drivers and passengers.“