REACT : How planned heavy cleans help train operators stay in business

For UK train operating companies, REACT provides periodic planned heavy cleans as part of their maintenance schedule for rolling stock.

Periodic planned heavy cleans for rail rolling stock by REACT Specialist CleaningPeriodic planned heavy cleans for rail rolling stock by REACT Specialist Cleaning

The UK government announced a major shake-up of the rail sector last week. But regardless of the structure of the sector, it's a basic tenet of business that effective maintenance of equipment will make it more reliable. For UK train operating companies (TOCs), looking after their leased rolling stock is a key driver in long-term financial viability. But maintenance has to be carefully planned to be most effective, otherwise it could be disruptive to everyday operations. And as part of this maintenance schedule, TOCs must look to maintain the highest hygiene standards. In this blog, we're going to look at how we can help TOCs with planned heavy cleans and return to new cleans that will deliver long-term results.

Planning to clean means planning to succeed

We're experts in providing a scheduled and thorough cleaning service for train carriages. Of course, we're cognisant of the constraints that most TOCs face with regard to rolling stock. Most of the train carriages on the UK railways are owned by rolling stock leasing companies. This means that TOCs have contractual obligations towards these companies - as well as needing to maintain high levels of service for their passengers.

For our TOC clients, there are two particular areas where our scheduled cleaning services help most. First, there's the periodic planned heavy clean (PHC). This is a deep cleaning service that forms part of the scheduled maintenance of a unit, and these cleans can be conducted day and night. Secondly, we offer a 'Return to New' standards recovery cleaning service, which is most useful when leased rolling stock is about to be returned to the owners. Years of heavy use can lead to a build-up of grime, both internally and externally, and especially in hard to reach places. Our team will aim to return the unit to an 'as new' level of cleanliness.

Inside and out, REACT gets rid of built-up grime

Our experienced team uses quality products and proven techniques to clean carriages inside and out. For a PHC, our focus on the interior of carriages will be eliminating odours, and cleaning seats, floors and windows of dirt, fluids and food waste. We'll go beyond the everyday, where the focus is more on high-touch areas and surfaces. We'll make sure to clean in the hardest to reach areas around seats and toilet facilities as part of our efforts towards standards recovery.

Meanwhile, exterior cleans focus on resolving deficiencies that arise from carriage-wash machines. This human intervention ensures safety first. We enhance visibility for drivers by keeping windows clean, and we make exterior safety lighting more effective. Keeping the exterior of carriages clean also means that branding is clear and legible. We use appropriate methods to clean exterior carriage surfaces, whether they're painted or feature high-performance self-adhesive films and printed graphics.

Keeping passengers happy with PHC

Whoever is ultimately in charge of running rail services, there are certain fundamental concerns for TOCs - and they have many different stakeholders who are interested in cleanliness. By ensuring consistent and reliable cleaning, we deliver safe, hygienic, and pleasant environments for passengers. Now more than ever, clean trains are a top priority for passengers across the network. With our RISQS-accredited services, we're ideally placed to deliver. Not only does maintaining high cleaning standards enhance the reputation of TOCs, but it increases the likelihood that passengers will use services again and again. Making sure that PHC and standards recovery are part of their regular maintenance schedule will help TOCs deliver the standards that passengers demand.

To find out more about how planned heavy cleaning and standards recovery fits into the REACT Specialist Cleaning suite of rail sector cleaning services, contact one of the team today.

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Website: www.reactsc.co.uk

Post by Shaun D. Doak

Shaun is the CEO of REACT Group plc., a business dedicated to specialist cleaning, hygiene and decontamination. He is deeply committed to making sure that every one of our company's clients receives the highest possible level of service. An expert in HVAC and commercial and industrial cleaning methodologies, Shaun has extensive experience in the facilities management and renewable services sector.