The supply, provided through the company’s exclusive Australian distributor Cold Forge, will be delivered for Arc Infrastructure, which manages a 5,500-kilometre rail network in Western Australia’s South-West region.
The 436 narrow-gauge steel sleepers used in the order will replace existing wooden sleepers on the Midland Railway line between Mingenew and Carnamah as part of the Agricultural Supply Chain Improvements (ASCI) program. The line is critical for grain transport to the Port of Geraldton. The project aims to increase the line’s capacity and efficiency, with works on the 96-kilometre section expected to begin in mid-2026 and axle-load capacity to be raised from 16 to 19 tonnes.
The sleepers will be manufactured at British Steel’s Scunthorpe Rail and Section Mill and then sent to the company’s Rail Technologies facility in Wallasey for processing.
British Steel’s Commercial Manager, Caroleann Thompson, stated that the order is a significant milestone for the company: “Our sleepers are among the most advanced in the world, which is the result of our investment in research and development. Our products meet—and even exceed—modern operational requirements.”
Steel sleepers were preferred for the project due to their advantages over concrete alternatives, including lower installation and maintenance costs, more efficient logistics, and end-of-life scrap value. The company notes that steel sleepers can deliver cost savings of more than 40% compared to equivalent concrete products in large-scale projects.
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