Wexford Man Billy Stamp Helps Drive €140m Irish Rail Maintenance Contract

A Wexford man Billy Stamp has played a key role in securing a €140 million contract with Iarnród Éireann that will see his company operation and maintaining some of the machinery used to keep Ireland's rail network running.

The contract awarded to Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group will run for eight years with an option for Irish Rail to extend it by a further two years.

The fleet consists of 19 rail-bound On Track Machines which are used for essential maintenance work across the national rail network, including tamping, ballast cleaning and ballast regulating.

Irish Rail says the machinery plays a key role in ensuring the safe and reliable operation of services on a network where much of the infrastructure is more than a century old.

Around 70 Rhomberg Sersa staff are involved in the work, including machine operators, fitters and support staff.

Most of the maintenance is carried out at night and at weekends in order to minimise disruption to passengers.

Cathal Mangan of Iarnród Éireann said the companies work closely together to maintain the network and have also introduced a number of sustainability measures.

He said approximately 400,000 tonnes of ballast has been reused over the past five years, while the on-track fleet has been converted to 100% HVO fuel as part of efforts to reduce emissions.

Rhomberg Sersa has been operating in Ireland since 2019, when it was awarded its previous contract to operate and maintain Irish Rail’s on-track machinery.

The new contract was opened to public tender in 2025 and was awarded following a competitive process involving a number of international companies and consortiums.

Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group employs around 3,300 people worldwide and operates more than 230 rail-bound machines across its international operations.