TRACK TECHNOLOGY
The House of Commons’ Transport Select Committee wants the rail industry to replace the third rail network south of the Thames with a “more resilient” form of electrification.
A
wide-ranging report into transport failures across the UK during the
severe winter weather in December 2010 blames the failures of the third rail sys- tem, alongside poor customer service, for poor performance during the severe winter weather that hampered the UK in Decem- ber 2010.
The report by the Commons Transport Se- lect Committee suggests a ‘culture change’ is needed in the rail industry to ensure that welfare of passengers is taken seriously. Many major lines were shut during the heavy snow, causing severe disruption to travelling passengers.
Its major technology recommendation is for the industry to improve resilience of the third rail network south of the Thames, with a long-term aim to install a “more re- silient” method of electrification.
The report says: “We recommend that the Secretary of State convene a third rail
In future, it says, any failure to provide in- formation about service disruption during severe weather should cost the firms re- sponsible money.
working group, bringing together Network Rail, the train operators, and other inter- ested parties, including passenger groups, to assess how the network south of the Thames can be made more resilient, focus- ing in the first instance on quick fixes for next winter and then devising costed op- tions for more extensive work for the next Network Rail control period.
“We also recommend that the Secretary of State should commit the Government to the long-term aim of replacing the exist- ing third rail network with a more resilient form of electrification. The working group should consider how this can be achieved and report to Government with an estimate of timescale and cost.”
Anthony Smith, chief executive of rail watchdog Passenger Focus, said: “Pas- sengers will be pleased to see this report acknowledges many of the information failings that happened during the snow disruption in December.
“Failing to provide information at times of disruption is the number one cause of an- ger and upset on the part of passengers.”
ATOC said it recognised the industry need- ed to improve. It said: “We will examine this report closely and continue to work with the rest of the industry to make sure passengers get the services they expect and deserve.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION The full report is at
tinyurl.com/6do5fsb
Industry specialists APE highlight the new generation of plastic sheet piling. S
heet piling is an effective and proven solution for retaining walls, bank sta-
bilisation, erosion control, water control, and cut-offs problems. However, this is mostly the domain of steel piling or trench sheeting. Despite 20 years of availability, plastic sheet piling is still considered a very new and unproven alternative.
Plastic piling specialists, APE, put this down to the limitations and limited success of the early plastic pile designs, which were made to look like a sheet pile, rather than act like one.
Times change and products advance and this is more than true in the case of plastic piling. Forget the old fashioned sheet pile replicas; a new way of sheet piling is now available: advanced hybrid plastic piling – a synergy of materials bringing together the best qualities of PVC, steel, timber aggre- gate or concrete.
APE’s range of plastic piling encompasses the best products from a wide range of sup-
174 | rail technology magazine Apr/May 11
pliers from the UK, Poland, Holland and the USA. Within this range are the advanced hybrids MultiLock, ProLock and Truline.
These three products are unique; the first plastic sheet piles to have designs that opti- mise the sheet pile for strength, installation and aesthetics, rather than imitate steel pile designs.
The products become much more exciting and versatile when one understands that these can be used akin to a king post design
with steel tubes or timber posts installed inside the sheet. The use of steel or timber elevates the strength of the design creating more cantilever options, whilst optimising installation even in difficult ground.
In addition, APE also offers the UK most comprehensive fleet of piling hammers, vibrators and mandrels for plastic piling installation.
FOR MORE INFORMATION Visit
www.miniape.com
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