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Supporting Crewe Bid

Help to show your support for why Crewe is the best location for Great British Railways.

As part of the process to decide where the headquarters should be located is down to a public vote. People will have the chance to back one of the towns and cities. And, we want you to vote for Crewe!

There are a number of ways you can help build support for Crewe’s bid:

Spread the word
Use social media
Share your story
Get involved in media opportunities

We need your support to help secure the Great British Railways HQ for Crewe.
If you or anyone you know would like to help please click on the link for more information – https://gbrcrewe.co.uk/support/

SERVICES

Seat Cover Services CET Tank Overhauls Nylon R-AG+ Coatings Hygiene Testing Carriage Refurbishments

Seat Cover Services

Clean train and bus seats mean happy customers. It’s the first thing passengers see when they start their journey. TBM offers scheduled seat cover cleaning services that keep fabrics clean and hygienic and prolong the life of seating materials.

We’ve supported UK fleets for over a decade. In fact, we have cleaned over 500,000 seat covers since 2010. We use experienced personnel, approved cleaning solutions and the latest dry-clean machinery to process large volumes of covers on time and on budget.

We also recommend a pro-active approach to seat maintenance. After cleaning we can apply our Fiber ProTector solution to help prevent spills staining and damaging fabrics. This proven application makes daily cleaning easier, boosts hygiene and prolongs the life of seat fabrics.

CET Tank Overhauls

Working toilets are an essential part of any train service. Blocked pipes and locked-down facilities cause passenger frustration and impact on NRPS scores. TBM offers a 7-day turnaround full overhaul service for WC tanks on all types of rolling stock.

Emptying train toilet tanks is one thing, but ensuring that all parts of the complex system are working efficiently requires scheduled maintenance. We overhaul vacuum toilets, using approved solutions and the expertise required to remove tanks, deep-clean, test and reinstall them.

TBM provides flexible cleaning and servicing options for existing and new rolling stock from day one. That helps to avoid sedimentation, the build-up of limescale, unpleasant smells and toxic gases. Full overhaul options at our Crewe base, but we also offer mobile services to depots around the UK.

Nylon R-AG+ Coatings

Grab poles, handles and carriage panels must cope with increasing passenger numbers. Traditional powder coatings soon chip, scratch and fade with heavy traffic. TBM offers tough and hygienic Nylon R-Ag applications for new or refurbishment fleet projects. Carriage interiors are transformed.

The high-quality coating provides enhanced wear, abrasion and impact resistance for trains, buses and trams. It’s also resists graffiti. This means considerable long-term maintenance and replacement savings for operators. For passengers, it means carriage fittings look better for longer.

TBM can also complement the nylon coatings with antimicrobial additives that stop the spread of germs. Passengers can hang on with confidence, safe in the knowledge that microbes, such as bacteria and mould, have been stopped in their tracks.

Hygiene Testing

TBM has invested in specialist hygiene testing equipment that helps to maintain high standards and improve the passenger experience on trains. The mobile test kits enable rapid microbial detection and allow our operators to assess surfaces for dangerous build-ups of bacteria.

With flexible and experienced teams available to rail depots around the country, TBM can supply a range of on-site hygiene testing options. These include checking passenger seating and table areas, shared buffet car spaces, kitchen facilities and fresh water storage tanks.

Hygiene is essential to maintain passenger confidence. Our testing equipment helps to identify problem areas in food preparation areas, shared passenger facilities, washrooms, water sources and any equipment handled by the public – such as grab poles and seat backs.

Carriage Refurbishments

Sometimes, it’s necessary to transform carriage spaces to bring facilities up-to-date and offer passengers better travelling conditions. That could mean new seat foams and covers, replacement dado panels, fresh coatings for grab poles, new washrooms and improved door access switches.

TBM boasts a wide range of skill sets across its growing workforce at Crewe, and in conjunction with multiple partners at strategic locations around the UK. We’re equipped to tackle large and small projects, completing work at our workshop or at customer depots to assist in-service schedules.

Ultimately, our comprehensive range of supply chain logistics solutions, project management and consultancy options help to deliver cost-effective solutions for UK rail franchises. We have a proven track record of delivering solutions that work, always offering improvements and adding value.

PARTNERS

Omnikote Addmaster Sanityware Solutions Fiber ProTector Captron

Omnikote

Omnikote partners TBM to offer tough nylon powder coatings for transport operators. Superior wear, abrasion and impact resistance means maintenance and replacement savings on grab poles, handles and other passenger carriage facilities.

Addmaster

A global leader and innovator of quality additives, Addmaster’s antimicrobial technology enables TBM to offer train operators effective and long-lasting product-protection across a range of materials and surfaces to keep passengers safe.

Sanityware Solutions

Working with Sanitaryware Solutions allows TBM to provide fleets with commercial washroom equipment for new-builds, refurbishments and one-off projects. Bespoke design and fabrication services ensure that customers get the best passenger facilities.

Fiber ProTector

TBM’s seat cover cleaning services are enhanced by Fiber ProTector solutions that help to protect fabrics and carpets from stains and germs. The antimicrobial covering extends product life and makes scheduled cleaning easier.

Captron

CAPTRON’s range of quality capacitive sensor switches for vehicle doors allow TBM to supply and fit equipment that is designed and tested to be comfortable, reliable and durable in any environment.

CASE STUDIES

Northern Hitachi Southern Mellor Coaches

Seat Cover Work

Train operators are under pressure to ensure that services run on time, and Northern covers a huge geographic area that presents considerable challenges. Something that can be controlled is the presentation of carriages. Northern approached TBM to utilise our dry-cleaning expertise that ensures that seat covers are kept clean and hygienic. That first impression really matters to passengers and knowing that seats are safe to sit on is reassuring. It shows that the operator cares about its customers. The operator has gone further, using TBM’s Fiber ProTector that creates a protective barrier on the fabric. This prevents staining and makes daily cleaning easier for the on-board cleaning teams.

Toilet Tanks

Proactive maintenance always pays dividends, and that’s exactly what Hitachi has done to support the fleets they have introduced to the UK railway network. CET (controlled emission toilet) tanks can block over time and reduce capacity. This results in passenger toilets shutting down. From day one when Hitachi launched the impressive class 800 trains, they wanted facilities to be available for use by customers. They engaged TBM to work closely with train operators at the North Pole (GWR), Stoke Gifford (GWR), Ashford (Southeastern) and Doncaster (LNER) depots. We supported the CET tank cleaning requirements using our mobile units. This was a firm commitment by Hitachi, as they built these regular cleaning routines into their VMI (Vehicle Maintenance Instruction).

Grab Poles with Biomaster

Grab poles and grab handles are an essential part of train and tram carriage safety. Being able to “hang on” with confidence reassures passengers. Southern (part of GTR) recognised this and tasked TBM with coating the poles and rails throughout their Class 377 fleet of vehicles. The original specification was to use polyester coatings, but at the same time there was a desire to find a new material that gave enhanced performance. This led to TBM developing partnerships that created innovative nylon coating NYLON R-AG+ that also incorporates antimicrobial additives. Tough surfaces that don’t scratch or chip and help to stop the spread of germs. They even prevent most graffiti.

Door Sensor Switches

The hop on/hop off nature of buses means that robust door sensor switches are essential to keep city and town services running. Mellor Coaches build vehicles that offer excellence for passengers and operators. They needed reliable door sensor switches that work first time, every time. TBM supplies them with technology that is good for upwards of 100,000,000 cycles before failure. It’s the perfect solution for vehicles that are in constant use and operate in a variety of challenging conditions. The units are intuitive, look smart and are vandal proof. They are almost indestructible. The door switches provided by TMB deliver again and again so that operators can focus on other aspects of their service.

ABOUT US

With over a decade of experience, TBM offers a comprehensive and trusted range of cost-effective products and services to support UK train and bus operators. Our experienced team combines in-depth knowledge with a drive and commitment to deliver outstanding passenger comfort services.

Our international business partners, suppliers and agents enable TBM to provide tailored packages for fleet customers. We offer a wide variety of services, ranging from seat cover cleaning, fabric protection and CET tank overhauls, to nylon coatings for carriage fittings and door sensor switches.

With qualified operatives located at our Crewe based and at locations around the country, TBM is a flexible partner that delivers fleet solutions that help the country’s rail fleets keep passenger services running efficiently.

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