Asset Alliance help McCulloch Rail with new replacement trucks
Asset Alliance Group has supplied McCulloch Rail, which specialises in the renewal, replacement and repair of the UK rail network, with a DAF XG 530 and five Iveco Daily 7.2-tonne trucks to replace older vehicles.
The Kilmarnock-based business has traditionally purchased its fleet outright. However, rising new truck prices, increased testing and workshop costs, and the need to minimise vehicle downtime have prompted McCulloch Rail to choose contract hire with Asset Alliance Group for the first time.
David Hume, Transport Manager at McCulloch Rail, says: “It is a necessity for our business to be able to deliver our plant equipment trackside, often at irregular hours during the night and at weekends in all weathers. Using Asset Alliance Group provides us with backup and an essential buffer to ensure we can do this.”
McCulloch Rail’s main vehicle depot is in Doncaster, where most of the new trucks are based. The company plays an important role in delivering specialist plant equipment nationwide, including Trac Rail Transposers, Unimogs and Panel Lifter Systems. The equipment is used to remove, install and lift sections of rail and signalling equipment, with drivers typically remaining on site for several hours.
The new contract hire agreement includes repair and maintenance, tyres excluding accidental damage, and like-for-like replacement vehicles when required. The arrangement provides additional operational security for the company’s 50-strong fleet while replacing the uncertainty of unexpected maintenance costs with a straightforward monthly payment.
Hume says 44-tonne tractor units such as the DAF XG 530 remain an important part of the McCulloch Rail fleet, but the introduction of the 176hp 4×2 Iveco Daily trucks reflects the increasing weight of equipment carried by smaller commercial vehicles.
The rising weight of 3.5-tonne trucks, driven by the need for additional equipment and safety features, means McCulloch Rail can no longer achieve the payload it requires with lighter vehicles.
“We’ve worked closely with Dougie Bennett at Asset Alliance Group, and by stepping up to 7.2-tonnes we’re able to get two pieces of plant onto each truck. That will mean fewer journeys and less CO2 emitted,” adds Hume.
The Iveco Daily trucks have been specified with modified crew-cab designs to improve driver comfort while providing additional storage capacity. They are also equipped with dropside bodies and aluminium ramps to make unloading specialist plant equipment easier.
For McCulloch Rail, the combination of increased payload capacity and contract hire support is designed to improve fleet efficiency while ensuring vehicles remain available when they are needed most. With rail maintenance work frequently taking place overnight and at weekends, reliable access to transport is essential to keeping projects on schedule.
The move also demonstrates how commercial vehicle operators are increasingly looking beyond outright vehicle ownership as acquisition, maintenance and compliance costs rise. For specialist fleets such as McCulloch Rail’s, access to replacement vehicles and predictable running costs can provide valuable protection against downtime and unexpected expenditure.
