Press releases
Knorr-Bremse Rail UK Celebrates 50,000
July 10, 2017 [Knorr-Bremse Group]
Employees at the Knorr-Bremse Rail UK headquarters, based in Melksham, Wiltshire are celebrating the milestone of the 50,000th Knorr-Bremse EP2002 Distributed Brake Control (DBC) valve to be manufactured there to date.
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Photo: Front row L to R: Dr Ansgar Brockmeyer, Knorr-Bremse Chairman of the Board Rail Asia Pacific is pictured with Managing Director of Knorr-Bremse Rail UK, Paul Goodhand and Sanjay Albert, Head of Mechatronics and Engineering at Knorr-Bremse Rail UK along with members of the teams from Melksham and Corsham
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Photo L to R: Paul Goodhand Managing Director of Knorr-Bremse Rail UK; Dr Ansgar Brockmeyer Knorr-Bremse Chairman of the Board Rail Asia Pacific; Sanjay Albert Head of Mechatronics at Knorr-Bremse Rail UK
Knorr-Bremse EP2002 is an advanced train brake control system, which was designed, and is manufactured, at the Melksham facility with precision components being supplied from the company’s nearby Corsham satellite precision machining facility
The innovative system provides Distributed Brake Control (DBC) with the computerised EP2002 units on the train ‘thinking’ and communicating with each other in real time to optimise braking effort across the whole train. The ‘thinking’ system allows for varying numbers of passengers in the different carriages, and also the amount of traction on the track etc., and also includes a wheel slide protection function. EP2002 is a modular, decentralised system which combines advanced mechanical and electronic components into a single mechatronic unit.
EP2002 has been exported to some 160 countries around the world and sold into the UK market. Fitted to all new trains on London Underground, and on metro systems as diverse as Bangkok, Dubai and Manila, in China, EP2002 is recognised as state-of-the-art brake control and the system equips a high percentage of new metro trains in use there. The busy metro systems of cities such as Beijing, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Shanghai, Shenyang, Shenzhen and Tianjin are all equipped with EP2002.
For train builders, EP2002 is easier to install, commission, and maintain than conventional brake control systems. The Knorr-Bremse system requires less space on a train and is light, reducing energy usage and environmental impact.
Managing Director of Knorr-Bremse Rail UK, Paul Goodhand commented, “EP2002 is a huge export success story for us and we are proud to have reached this impressive 50,000 milestone in our manufacturing output of this innovative product. My thanks and congratulations go to the teams at Melksham and Corsham who, by working together, produce this advanced system for our global customers with such dedication and pride.”
The specially engraved 50,000th EP2002 unit will now be on permanent display at the Knorr-Bremse Melksham facility as a tribute to the designers and builders of this outstanding UK export success.
