United Goninan
Encyclopedia
UGL Rail is an Australian rail engineering company and specialises in building and re-building railway cars
including electric and diesel passenger trains, electric and diesel locomotive
s, and freight wagons (particularly hopper car
s for coal and iron ore haulage). It is a business unit of UGL Limited and is based in Melbourne, Victoria, with a staff of 1,200 people across Australia
and Asia
. UGL Rail owns 20% of Metro Trains Melbourne
, the consortium which ran Melbourne's
metro railway network
from 30 November 2009.
in 1899 by Cornish
brothers Ralph and Alfred Goninan (1865–1953) as an engineering and manufacturing company for the coal industry. A. Goninan & Co. Ltd had been incorporated as a public company in 1905.
It entered the rail business in 1917 via Commonwealth Steel Products Company Limited of Waratah
, Newcastle
, a wheel and axle manufacturer because they could no longer be imported from Belgium due to World War I
. Goninan & Co. moved to more convenient freehold land at Broadmeadow
in 1919 and built a flourishing business in general engineering. They made pitheads, boilers, wagons and a huge, cast 41-ton block for the district's coal trade.
The closing of the foundry in 1985 marked the end of an era in general engineering, but the firm still bears his name—though owned by Howard Smith Ltd—and is Australia's largest maker of rail-cars. It was later acquired by United Group Limited in 1999.
Before 1999, the company was known as A Goninan & Co. From 1999 to 2005, it was named United Goninan. The company was renamed United Group Rail in 2005 as part of a reorganisation and merging in of Alstom
's former Australian subsidiary, Alstom Transport – Australia and New Zealand, which was acquired by United Group Limited in that year.
Announced
Previous
Railroad car
A railroad car or railway vehicle , also known as a bogie in Indian English, is a vehicle on a rail transport system that is used for the carrying of cargo or passengers. Cars can be coupled together into a train and hauled by one or more locomotives...
including electric and diesel passenger trains, electric and diesel locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s, and freight wagons (particularly hopper car
Hopper car
A hopper car is a type of railroad freight car used to transport loose bulk commodities such as coal, ore, grain, track ballast, and the like. The name originated from the coke manufacturing industry which is part of the steel industry ....
s for coal and iron ore haulage). It is a business unit of UGL Limited and is based in Melbourne, Victoria, with a staff of 1,200 people across Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. UGL Rail owns 20% of Metro Trains Melbourne
Metro Trains Melbourne
Metro Trains Melbourne is the current franchise operator of the suburban railway network of Melbourne, Australia. Metro Trains Melbourne is a joint venture led by Hong Kong based MTR Corporation together with John Holland Group and United Group Rail .Metro Trains Melbourne operates a fleet of 381...
, the consortium which ran Melbourne's
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
metro railway network
Railways in Melbourne
The Melbourne rail network is operated by Metro Trains Melbourne under franchise from the Government of Victoria. The network is based on a commuter rail model centred on the Melbourne Central Business District and Flinders Street Station, rather than a rapid transit model, with a focus on...
from 30 November 2009.
History
Founded in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1899 by Cornish
Cornish Australian
Cornish Australians are citizens of Australia whose ancestry originates in Cornwall, United Kingdom, one of the six Celtic Nations. They form part of the worldwide Cornish diaspora which also includes large numbers of people in the US, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico and many Latin...
brothers Ralph and Alfred Goninan (1865–1953) as an engineering and manufacturing company for the coal industry. A. Goninan & Co. Ltd had been incorporated as a public company in 1905.
It entered the rail business in 1917 via Commonwealth Steel Products Company Limited of Waratah
Waratah, New South Wales
Waratah is a north-western residential suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, located from Newcastle's central business district and bounded on the north by the Main North line. Waratah station was opened in 1858 and is served by CityRail's Hunter line.- History :Waratah was once a major...
, Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
, a wheel and axle manufacturer because they could no longer be imported from Belgium due to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Goninan & Co. moved to more convenient freehold land at Broadmeadow
Broadmeadow, New South Wales
Broadmeadow is the geographic centre of Newcastle city. Its main commercial hub is located at the “Nineways”.-Origins:Broadmeadow was originally part of the Newcastle Pasturage Reserve of 648 hectares...
in 1919 and built a flourishing business in general engineering. They made pitheads, boilers, wagons and a huge, cast 41-ton block for the district's coal trade.
The closing of the foundry in 1985 marked the end of an era in general engineering, but the firm still bears his name—though owned by Howard Smith Ltd—and is Australia's largest maker of rail-cars. It was later acquired by United Group Limited in 1999.
Before 1999, the company was known as A Goninan & Co. From 1999 to 2005, it was named United Goninan. The company was renamed United Group Rail in 2005 as part of a reorganisation and merging in of Alstom
Alstom
Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
's former Australian subsidiary, Alstom Transport – Australia and New Zealand, which was acquired by United Group Limited in that year.
Products
Current- passenger cars
- CityRail Oscar
- freight wagons
- locomotives
- NR classNR classThe NR class are an Australian mainline diesel electric locomotives introduced by National Rail in 1996. They were the only locomotives ordered by National Rail, thus being named the "NR" Class...
(CV40-9i)
- NR class
-
- 5000 class (C40aci)
- 5020 class (C44acHi)
- 92 class / AC class / 6000 class (C44aci)
- Bogies
- spare parts
Announced
- British Rail Class 70 (diesel)British Rail Class 70 (diesel)The General Electric PowerHaul is a type of six axle Co-Co mainline freight locomotive manufactured by General Electric in Erie, Pennsylvania, and also assembled under licence by Tulomsas of Turkey and to be produced by UGL Limited in Australia....
Previous
- NZR ADL class DMU
- Refurbishment of Metro Cammell M-stock metro cars for MTRMTRMass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...
- mockup - rebuild for MTRMTRMass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...
's Disneyland line - A. Goninan Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
Light Rail Phase 3 Vehicle - Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
Light Rail Phase 4 Vehicle (Design) - GG20BRailpower GG20BThe Railpower GG20B Green Goat is a low-emissions diesel hybrid switcher locomotive built by Railpower Technologies Corp. It is powered by a single Caterpillar C9 I6 engine developing , which is also connected to a large battery bank where both sources combine for a total power output of...
Green Goat hybrid shunting locomotive with Railpower TechnologiesRailPower TechnologiesRailpower Technologies Corp. is a subsidiary of R.J. Corman Railroad Group that builds environmentally friendly hybrid and genset yard locomotives, founded by Frank Donnelly and Gerard Koldyk...
. - CityRailCityRailCityRail is an operating brand of RailCorp, a corporation owned by the state government of New South Wales, Australia. It is responsible for providing commuter rail services, and some coach services, in and around Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, the three largest cities of New South Wales. It is...
Tangara EMU - CityRailCityRailCityRail is an operating brand of RailCorp, a corporation owned by the state government of New South Wales, Australia. It is responsible for providing commuter rail services, and some coach services, in and around Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, the three largest cities of New South Wales. It is...
Hunter Railcar DM