A local Bassendean company fabricating cranes that will be used in the Bellevue Manufacturing Railcar facility hosted Premier Mark McGowan and Minister for Transport Rita Saffioti for a tour of its premises.

Eilbeck Cranes in Bassendean is currently designing and fabricating four overhead gantry cranes for the facility. Two of the cranes, weighing 25 tonnes each, will span the main railcar assembly area over 26 metres and be used for lifting railcar bodies around the production line.

The railcar manufacturing facility has seen $64 million in local contracts awarded so far, including:

• FIRM Construction, Perth - $46 million to build the facility;
• Eilbeck Cranes, Bassendean - $850,000 to fabricate and supply four cranes;
• Vector Lifting, Cockburn - $3.8 million to deliver bogie turntables and lifting jacks; and
• Vossloh, Kewdale - $12 million to design and manufacture turnouts. 

In other news, the preferred proponent to build the Tonkin Gap project and associated works for the Morley-Ellenbrook Line was also announced. The Tonkin Gap Alliance will undertake rail-enabling works, as part of four works packages that will deliver the highly anticipated train line.