Traction Motor Overhaul & Repairs for the Rail Sector
Traction motors are the backbone of every train, and when they’re not performing, neither is your fleet. At Mawdsleys, we specialise in traction motor repairs and overhauls that keep DC and AC traction motors running like clockwork — with rapid turnarounds, rigorous standards, and zero compromises on quality.
With decades of hands-on experience in the rail sector, our engineers provide emergency repairs, expert fault diagnosis, rewinds, and full traction motor overhauls for all major traction motor types and associated equipment. Whether it’s a single breakdown or a planned fleet overhaul, we respond fast — because we know every minute matters.
And when off-the-shelf won’t cut it, we design and manufacture bespoke motors in-house, tailored precisely to your performance specs.
Common traction motor faults in the rail sector
Traction motors are subject to frequent high torque loads, long operating hours, and harsh environments. Left unchecked, that stress leads to issues that can derail performance:
- Commutator wear from overloading or incorrect brushgear
- Carbon brush degradation, leading to sparking and armature damage
- Bearing failures from poor lubrication, misalignment or overload
- Vibration-related faults including winding damage and brush wear
See how we diagnosed and resolved a similar fault in our traction motor overhaul case study.
Our traction motor overhaul process, in brief
Our traction motor overhaul process is fast, thorough, and engineered to extend motor life — from full incoming inspection and disassembly through to bearing replacement, rebuild, and load testing. Every motor leaves our workshop fully tested, fully certified, and ready for service.
Fully equipped in-house workshop
Our Bristol-based workshop is built for heavy-duty performance — curing ovens, balancing rigs, vibration analysis tools, a full rewinding department, machine shop and more. This allows us to complete even complex overhauls entirely in-house — with no subcontracting delays or quality risks.
Spare Parts on the Shelf
We carry an extensive stock of traction motor spares — including carbon brushes, slip rings, brush rings, seals, bearings and more — and we can manufacture or repair critical components like:
- Shunt Coils
- Field Coils
- Interpoles
- Armature Coils
- Commutators
The result? Less downtime. More uptime. And motors that perform like new.
If you want to reduce the risk of an unexpected breakdown disrupting your fleet, we can help.