A SECURITY and surveillance firm has secured a contract worth more than £1.2m to help keep a trainbuilder on the right tracks.

Petards will supply Bombardier with equipment for its four-car Electrostar rolling stock.

Bosses say the systems will use Petards’ EyeTrain apparatus, including cameras to monitor passenger safety at stations and in carriages.

They added devices will start being shipped later this year.

The contract is another fillip for Petards after it previously beat off competition to provide trainbuilder Hitachi Rail Europe with passenger counting systems and driver reminder safety switches for stock made at its £82m factory in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

The business, which trades from its Gateshead-based subsidiary, Petards Joyce-Loebl Limited, has extensive experience of supplying surveillance equipment to train firms.

Last year, officials revealed an original deal worth more than £1m with Bombardier for CCTV apparatus, while the company also signed a £1.5m agreement to send EyeTrain goods to Siemens for a new fleet of trains.

It was also appointed by former East Coast operator, National Express, to deliver EyeTrain on its rolling stock.

Referring to its Bombardier extension, Raschid Abdullah, Petards’ chairman, said the arrangement was further proof of the company’s stature in the rail sector.

He added: “We are delighted our systems continue to be the one of choice for Bombardier’s Electrostar trains.

“This order adds to the hundreds of Electrostar vehicles, for which EyeTrain systems have previously been specified, and further bolsters our order book.”

Mr Abdullah previously revealed Petards would deliver work worth £11m in 2016, adding revenue orders for EyeTrain spares and support were 90 per cent stronger than 12 months ago.

According to its latest financial results, Petards saw operating profits rise 22 per cent to £935,000 for the year to December 31 2015, with profit after tax up from £620,000 to £765,000.

Mr Abdullah added: “With new projects under discussion, the board is confident the group is well positioned to achieve another good year’s performance in 2016.”

Petards also works across the emergency and defence sectors.

Its Provida system is used by police to carry out surveillance with its Gateshead base equipped to repair a missile warning system.

Hitachi’s rolling stock, part of the Government's Intercity Express Programme, will modernise the UK's ageing high-speed train fleet by upgrading carriages and cabs for the East Coast and Great Western routes.

The business also has deals to make Scottish commuter trains for electrified lines between Edinburgh and Glasgow and manufacture stock for the TransPennine Express franchise, which links the North-East with Leeds and Manchester.