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Monday 26 Oct 2009

WIGAN WAGONS ROLL OUT RENEWALS IN RECORD TIME

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Wigan can claim another UK railway first after Network Rail successfully used a new piece of ground-breaking technology in Bamfurlong at the weekend to demonstrate that a set of points could be renewed in just 21 hours. The work leads the way in significantly reducing the disruption caused to passengers by renewal work that would normally take an entire weekend to complete. 

Over the weekend, engineers used a new design of wagon that allows pre-constructed track panels to be brought directly to site and slotted quickly into place.

Network Rail’s new fleet of tilting wagons, are able to tilt their loads so that the pre-constructed panels of track, which are normally too wide to be carried by rail, can be transported directly to site. When the wagons arrive, the decks are moved back to a horizontal position for the panels to be unloaded and slotted quickly into place.

This milestone forms part of Network Rail’s modular switches and crossings programme, which focuses on carrying out as much of the construction work as possible away from the track to limit line closure times. Points are fully constructed and tested in factory conditions before being taken to site in modular panels to be installed quickly. Being factory built also improves their reliability and durability.

Simon Kirby, Network Rail’s director for infrastructure investment, said: “Our aim is to renew the railway without passengers realising we have even been there, the only indication being smoother and more reliable journeys.

“The introduction of new technology like our tilting wagons, and the development of better ways of working, will enable us to do more of our work at night, to help keep more of the network open at weekends when passengers want to travel.”