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Rail Industry

Full Aftersales Support

Prototype and Production Tooling

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Made in the UK

Over 80 years Experience

We have the capability and capacity to produce various type of tooling for the transport industry such as:

  • Full size replica master models in various material such as MDF and tooling boards
  • Scaled models
  • Hand Layup GRP (Glass reinforced Plastic) tooling and prototype parts
  • Prototype tooling in various grades of tooling board
  • Metal production tooling in aluminium or steel for a range of processes including
    • PDCPD
    • RTM
    • GRP

Elkington Brothers are proud to work alongside some of the largest names in public transport.

  • Bombardier
  • Plaxtons
  • VDL
  • Wrightbus

Gautrain

During the build up to the Football world cup in South Africa 2010, there was a need in the country for improved public transport infrastructure. Our customer was tasked with the manufacture of the train front and assembly to its steel sub-frame.

We were required to produce a full-size replica of the train front and produce a resin mould so that our customer could then produce the train fronts. From receipt of the train front component CAD, we added CAD surfaces to produce a master model, this was broken down into manageable smaller models.

Each of the smaller models was produced in MDF, then fabricated together to make the full-size replica.
We painted the model using grey Durabuild surface primer to give the model a high gloss finish so the end customer could pass off the model off prior to the manufacture of the resin mould.

Using Epoxy Resin, we then produced the resin mould with loose pieces for any undercut conditions.

Gautrain

Epoxy resin lay-up of the resin mould in progress

GAUTRAIN epoxy resin layup 1
GAUTRAIN epoxy resin layup 2

Class 720 East Anglia Cab Structure

In Autumn of 2017 we were again tasked by the same customer to produce a similar full-size replica master model for another train front.

This master model was produced in 0.7 density tooling board.

Class 720 East Anglia Cab Structure

Class 720 East Anglia ? Cab Structure

The Construction of the Master Model

The construction of the master model

The final master model was scanned and overlaid with the component CAD data for inspection purposes, our customer, the end customer and ourselves were more than pleased with the results.

CAD data for inspection
Finished master model
The master model ready for delivery

The master model ready for delivery, including shuttering ready for our customer to manufacture the resin mould.

VDL a Dutch Bus and Coach Company

Working with our customer and their Dutch customer VDL.

Our customer had been tasked with producing the body panels for the front and rear of the new Futura 2 bus. We are asked to produce the front panel tooling for the PDCPD process.

Our tooling suite consisted of Aluminium tooling for the:

  • Front Panel
  • Front R/LHS Fog Lamp Housings
  • Front Belly Plate
VDL

Front R/LHS Fog Lamp Housings

VDL FOG LIGHT
VDL FOG LIGHT

Front Belly Plate

VDL Front Belly Plate
VDL Front Belly Plate
VDL Front Belly Plate

Front Panel

VDL Front Panel
VDL Front Panel
VDL Front Panel

Elkington Brothers specialise in the design and manufacture of tooling, we have the capability and capacity to ensure the largest bespoke projects run smoothly and on time.