The transfer deal was confirmed today as the railway infrastructure client revealed it had placed an order for a new bespoke £50m ballast cleaning machine.

Its insourcing of AmeyColas staff marks the largest people transfer into Network Rail direct employment since the phased insource of maintenance activities in 2005.

High output project director Ben Brooks said: “The move will give us greater opportunity to drive continuous improvement in both safety and performance on site.

“It is fundamental to delivering our cost efficiencies and also allows longer term investment in training and development for the high output workforce, our fleet and maintenance facilities.”

“With the purchase of the new ballast cleaner and the insourcing of 500 staff who previously contracted for us, Network Rail is taking more direct control of its high output ballast cleaning and track relaying operations; activities core to its day-to-day business.

He added: “Network Rail is leading the world, completing mechanised track renewals overnight in short duration access and handing back the railway at higher speeds than attainable with conventional methods.

“The new equipment allows us to add the third rail DC electrified network to our programme so passengers south of London can start to see the benefits of high output track renewals too.”

The 800m long machine will be Network Rail’s fifth ballast cleaner on the network and by far the most advanced.

Single train ballast cleaner

Codenamed ‘BCS5,’ the new ballast cleaner will benefit from reduced fuel consumption and emissions, and incorporating measures to reduce workforce exposure to ballast dust, including mist-based suppression systems.

In a UK first, the new cleaner will be built for ‘third-rail’ operation, allowing the conductor rail to safely remain in place throughout the cleaning process.

Purchased from Plasser & Theurer, the purpose-built kit and associated support plant will become the fifth ballast cleaning system in the fleet and is due to be delivered in 2016.