Am I Seeing Things?

[whole diary]

[eightf48544]

On page 84 (Trackwatch) of August's Modern Railway there is a picture of the new Todmorden curve. It's taken from nearly rail level looking along the track.

Now what is puzzling me is that the left hand rail looks to be bullhead track with chairs and keys whilst the right hand rail appears to flatbottom rail with Pandrol clips. Even more odd the chairs although rusty look new or at least fully refurbished.

Whilst there are still lots of lengths of bullhead track still around,  I've never seen just one rail bullhead and the other flatbottom.

Curious of Taplow

This by the way the curve that has just opened but won't have a regular service until December due to shortage of stock.

 

[paul7575]

Now what is puzzling me is that the left hand rail looks to be bullhead track with chairs and keys whilst the right hand rail appears to flatbottom rail with Pandrol clips. Even more odd the chairs although rusty look new or at least fully refurbished.

The left hand rail in that picture is normal flat bottomed rail viewed under a magnifying glass.   I think they are special chairs that are ready for the addition of a check rail - not actually traditional chairs with keys bearing on the track, that's why there are threads and nuts showing fitted through the chair sideways, IYSWIM...

PS - have also found a NR^» (Network Rail - home page) image showing the detail, if you click on the original size view in the downloads on the right it is much more obvious - and they've even got the unfitted check rail in the shot too:

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/Gallery/First-section-of-track-laid-at-Todmorden-Curve-1d0a.aspx

Paul

[John R]

One point - max speed of crossrail stock is 90mph. Is this going to be a capacity constraint given that the slow lines have to be shared with many LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise) services between Willesden and Tring?

[eightf48544]

Thanks Paul I see what you mean that it's actually flatbottom rail, but I can't see there's enough room to fit a check rail in the same chair. Although the length  in the picture appears to be a bar rather than piece of shaped rail so maybe it will fit.

[paul7575]

Thanks Paul I see what you mean that it's actually flatbottom rail, but I can't see there's enough room to fit a check rail in the same chair. Although the length  in the picture appears to be a bar rather than piece of shaped rail so maybe it will fit.

If you look at the second piece of check rail in the background, you can see the end cross section is painted blue.  Imagine that rotated about 60 degrees clockwise to the vertical, and I believe that is the orientation in which it is fitted, so the back of the wheel bears against the left hand edge of the thicker top section; and the clamping device in the chair operates against the web, with the smaller 'foot' section sort of hooked under the clamp preventing the check rail from moving up and down.

Please see edited screen grab below, I've also added a phone pic taken this afternoon when passing through Fareham.

Paul

[eightf48544]

Thanks again Paul, when was this type of check rail introduced?

It's not in my "Wonder Book of Railways"!

[paul7575]

Thanks again Paul, when was this type of check rail introduced?

Can't help with that I'm afraid, although perhaps it's reasonable to assume it must have been soon after those Pandrol clips became commonplace?

Paul