Rail is no place for a dirty past

~ Rail specialist helps Arriva Trains Wales keep clean through the years ~

Rail specialist helps Arriva Trains Wales

Manufacturer of specialist cleaning and maintenance products, Arrow Solutions is celebrating a successful decade working with Arriva Trains Wales to ensure the train operating company constantly maintains clean rolling stock. 

For the past ten years, Arrow Solutions has been providing two key exterior cleaning products to Arriva Trains Wales: Ecowash Autoshine and Germfree 61.

Ecowash Autoshine is an exterior train wash that specialises in removing oil, greases, dirt and grime, whilst helping to build a water and soil resistant finish to livery and rolling stock.

In addition, Ecowash Autoshine is specially formulated to have a neutral pH - between 8.0 and 10.0. This guarantees that the wash is fully biodegradable and environmentally safe. Train operating companies have strict consent to discharge rates that dictate pH levels of waste water must be neutral - anywhere from 4.5 up to about 10.0. This is surveyed by local water boards every six weeks.

Arriva Trains Wales was originally attracted to Arrow Solutions because of the ease at which large quantities of wash could be delivered. Scientifics approved, Ecowash Autoshine comes in three sizes; 20 litre, 210 litres or 1000 litres, which makes it ideal for different sized rail fleets.

Uniquely, Arriva Trains Wales uses Germfree 61 - a cleaner and sanitiser - to disinfect the underside of its trains and carriages. More commonly used within interior train cleaning applications, Germfree 61 is employed by Arriva as a preventative measure against bacteria. The sanitiser ensures that anyone working underneath rolling stock is unlikely to be exposed to bacteria found on this part of the train.

"We currently operate 314 trains and carriages covering over 13 million miles each year," explained Phil Morgan, Arriva Trains Wales depot infrastructure manager. "As you may expect, we need a quality exterior wash that's gentle enough to use daily, but rugged enough to get our rolling stock clean.

"The added bonus of using Ecowash Autoshine is that we have no worries when discharge rate surveys are performed; with thanks to Arrow Solutions, we've been able to facilitate a harmonious relationship with the local water authority, Welsh Water.

"We continue to use Arrow Solutions in part because of its excellent service. Our Canton depot covers 120,000 square metres and the wash facility is at the far end from the site entrance. We've previously had problems getting cleaning products delivered to our wash plant; for years, we had to move thousands of litres of product ourselves by forklift. After explaining the problem to Arrow Solutions, the company went out of their way to help us by drawing up an alternative route that has proven very successful."  

Making rail cleaner and greener

Rail cleaning and maintenance chemicals manufacturer Arrow Solutions has broken new industry ground with its range of powered by compressed air (pbca) aerosols. As the first and only company in the world to develop pbca products for rail, Arrow Solutions is taking its ongoing commitment to the environment one-step further. Arrow Solutions’ pbca aerosols are not only eco-friendly, but also more cost-efficient than their traditional, gas propelled counterparts.

Unlike other aerosols that use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), Arrow Solutions’ new range of products is powered entirely by the most natural ingredient of all: compressed air. The innovation makes products more sustainable, reduces carbon footprint and helps the rail industry take a more eco-friendly approach to cleaning and maintenance. In addition, the elimination of flammable gas yields significant improvements in safety.

“The environmental benefits were what prompted us to develop the range back in 2013,” explains Richard Havon, rail sales manager for Arrow Solutions. “In the process, we’ve identified additional benefits of the pbca technology. For example, traditional aerosols contain up to 40 per cent propellant, which the buyer has to pay for. By replacing the LPG propellant with pbca technology, the quantity of actual product in each aerosol increases, meaning that the cost in use is significantly better.”   

Arrow Solutions’ pbca range contains several products, including the popular degreaser Lotoxane (Rail Cat No: 007/025037), which is effective in cleaning electrical and mechanical components without damaging them. Lotoxane has a safe high flash point of 62 degrees Celsius. There is also a rapid drying version of Lotoxane available, which evaporates six times faster than the original.

For the hard winter months, Arrow Solutions has also developed its Polar De-Icer (Rail Cat No: 007/025119) to help train operating companies provide quick and immediate ice removal.

To make rail cleaning and maintenance even easier, Arrow Solutions created a pbca aerosol version of its Shield product, which protects against corrosion. QED, Arrow Solutions’ fast evaporating low odour solvent degreaser and Leak Detector, which can identify leaks in pressurised systems such as air conditioning, are also available as pbca aerosols.

To find out more about the benefits, range and applications of Arrow Solutions’ pbca aerosol products, visit the company’s website on www.arrowchem.com or call the Sales team on 44 (0)1283 221044. 

On the Railtex track

Arrow Solutions brings cleaning and maintenance expertise to Railtex 2015

Specialist cleaning and maintenance products supplier Arrow Solutions will be appearing at the largest rail exhibition in the UK, Railtex 2015, from May 12-14. The global chemical firm will be showcasing products from its interior and exterior cleaning range, as well as the company's maintenance and winter offering. Arrow Solutions will be located at Stand M66, where it will be inviting visitors to the show to 'Challenge Arrow' by bringing along their toughest rail cleaning problems.

Railtex 2015 will take place between May 12 and 14 at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. The event attracts international visitors and exhibitors as well as industry leading specialists. In particular, Arrow Solutions is hoping to reach train presentation managers, purchasing consultants and engineers from the rail industry.

"Arrow Solutions has been producing cleaning and maintenance products for over 40 years," explains Martin Bell, Product and Marketing Manager at the company. "We want to share our experience in the chemical industry with others whilst creating partnerships with both customers and other businesses.
"We offer the technical expertise of our workforce along with our specialist manufacturing facilities, allowing us to meet the demands of the expanding global rail industry."

With its innovative range, including daily train washing products and specialist chemicals for removing even the heaviest soiling and staining, Arrow Solutions has set a high standard in the rail cleaning and maintenance industry. At Railtex 2015 the business will demonstrate how its longevity and innovation focus has shaped its reputation as a technical and commercial expert.

Arrow Solutions is focused on sustainable development, ensuring the effective management of rail cleaning related environmental issues. It prides itself on its ability to provide products that are of high quality while minimising the impact of their production on the environment. 

Arrow Solutions was established in 1968 to supply the UK and international markets with a range of cleaning and maintenance products for the rail sector. Arrow Solutions will be exhibiting at stand M66 at Railtex 2015. For more information about the event go to http://www.railtex.co.uk/.

Always one step ahead

R&D lab keeps specialist cleaning and maintenance firm at cutting edge

Manufacturer of specialist cleaning and maintenance products, Arrow Solutions is staying one step ahead of customer needs with its dedicated onsite research and development (R&D) laboratory. The facility will soon be celebrating its 50th anniversary in the world of cleaning and maintenance chemicals for rail, oil and gas, aerospace, defence, and general engineering. 


Within the rail sector it’s crucial to address every cleaning challenge individually. Arrow Solutions’ Derbyshire R&D department allows the company to develop and reformulate products to remain at the forefront of an ever-changing sector. 

Flexibility is a key feature for chemical companies specialising in the manufacture of cleaning and maintenance products. Due to evolving industry and environmental standards, existing products are constantly being improved and new solutions developed. For example, rail wash plants must abide by changeable consent to discharge rates, which affects the types of cleaning products that can be used.

Arrow Solutions’ R&D facility also opens the door for customers with special requests. Dependent on volume, the R&D lab can be utilised to create bespoke products for specific client needs. 

"Because we supply to the engineering and aerospace sectors, two of the most progressive and innovative industries, we have to be as forward-thinking as possible," explained James Lomas, national sales manager for Arrow Solutions. "New materials and manufacturing methods are being implemented all the time. Our R&D lab enables us to be proactive in developing new and existing products in anticipation. In aerospace for example we are seeing more and more composites and even additively manufactured parts, which have different cleaning and lubrication needs compared to more traditional materials.  

"We aim to always be one step ahead of the industry. In the past this has led us to engineer a winter grade rail screenwash that works down to minus 20 degrees Celsius. This means that our UK customers will never be caught out when the weather changes for the worst." 

Insanity, cleaning and the ATOC report

Sir, Albert Einstein famously said that the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results. After analysing the findings of the most recent National Rail Passenger Surveys (NRPS), I worry that a similar condition has taken hold of train operating companies in the UK.

By Richard Havon, rail sales manager, Arrow Solutions

The unchanging results of these surveys reflect a level of complacency, even when it comes to easy wins like train presentation. Passengers make clear that train cleanliness can make or break a journey, so why is it so low on the priority list of train operating companies?

The latest report showed a three point decline in the overall satisfaction with train upkeep and repair, as well as a two point decline in passenger satisfaction when it comes to train cleanliness.

On average, more than 26 per cent of passengers are unhappy with the cleanliness of trains and the number goes up to around 40 per cent on certain routes. Out of the 23 train operating companies in the UK, only one has improved its cleanliness rating over the last year, four are in decline, while the others are stagnant.

Whether the problem is breaking down limescale, keeping windows clean, protecting paintwork or something else, a suitable cleaning chemical exists if you just take the time to look for it.

To help companies operating trains leap their cleaning hurdles, Arrow Solutions is launching a challenge. We’d like to invite train operators and presentation managers to bring us their toughest cleaning problem and we will offer them an alternative solution. Challenges can be sent to Richard.Havon@arrowchem.com.

A rail flush - Solving rail’s toilet waste problem

A recent feature on the BBC’s Inside Out programme unveiled that one in ten of Britain’s train carriages dispose toilet waste straight onto the railway tracks. Following the show, professional rail cleaning chemicals manufacturer Arrow Solutions has called for the potentially hazardous practice to be stopped by retrofitting older trains with sealed storage tanks. The company has also explained the financial and hygiene benefits of performing correct maintenance of effluent tanks.

Rail toilet waste that currently gets sprayed directly onto the tracks is an environmental and health and safety hazard, not to mention a particularly unpleasant and old fashioned practice. Train operating companies are currently working hard to retrofit older trains with sealed effluent tanks, but the progress is relatively slow.

“Trains built in the last couple of decades have sealed effluent tanks,” explained James Lomas, Arrow Solutions’ national sales manager and rail expert. “The problem is that a lot of the current rolling stock is of an older generation and lacks these tanks, so the first crucial step is for train operating companies to retrofit storage tanks wherever they are needed.

“However, the story doesn’t end here,” insisted Lomas. "Effluent tanks need to be maintained because, over a number of years, scale build-up in the tanks can make them unhygienic and reduce functionality. 

“Continuous and preventive maintenance stops scale build-up and helps break down organic matter in a safe and controlled way. New rolling stock needs to be treated to avoid scale build-up in the storage tank and the toilet area. For older trains with effluent tanks, maintenance involves two steps: first, the organic matter in the tank needs to be broken down using the relevant chemicals. In the second stage, tank walls are descaled through chemical treatment." 

Maintenance and cleaning is essential for train operating companies, particularly when it comes to sensitive areas such as toilets and effluent tanks. Manufacturers expect the life span of a train to be about 40 years, but only if correct maintenance is performed regularly. 

For more information about Arrow Solutions’ effluent tank and toilet descaling treatment, get in touch with Arrow Solutions on +44 (0)1283 221044.