A SECURITY and surveillance firm has bolstered its order book with a £2m rail deal.

Petards is supplying Siemens with its EyeTrain equipment, which includes cameras to monitor passenger safety in carriages and at stations.

The agreement is a further boost for Gateshead’s Petards after it previously picked up lucrative work to support trainbuilder Hitachi Rail Europe at its £82m factory in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

Bosses say the Siemens agreement gives the business scope to supply the company’s global operations, including its Desiro City electrical fleet.

The first pieces of apparatus are due to be delivered early next year.

Raschid Abdullah, Petards chairman, said: “This provides us with an exciting rail project, further enhances our position in the industry and significantly strengthens the order book.”

Earlier this year, Petards, which trades from its Gateshead-based subsidiary Petards Joyce-Loebl Limited, revealed new agreements worth more than £1m with Hitachi.

The deals cover passenger counting systems and came after Petards beat off competition to supply equipment such as driver reminder safety switches.

Hitachi is making rolling stock for the Government’s Intercity Express Programme, which is revamping the UK’s high-speed fleet on the East Coast and Great Western routes, and last week held a celebratory event to mark work on its first UK-built train.

It also has contracts to supply stock for the TransPennine Express franchise and Scottish lines.