WORKSHOPS, DEPOTS AND MANUFACTURING
sleeper production takes place is at Cemex at Washwood Heath, Birmingham.
Heubeck told RTM: “I know the guys at Cemex, they’re a fine team of people and a
Sleeper types
There are two varieties of concrete sleeper produced by the Doncaster factory and used by Network Rail following standardisation aimed at improving efficiency.
G44 is the most common, and will form about 90% of the factory’s output. These sleepers, designed about 15 years ago, is suitable for 140mph line speeds and 30 metric tonne axle loads and so looks to the future. They are deep, and need only six strands, tensioned to a load of 7.5 metric tonnes, to give them the necessary strength.
EG47 sleepers are shallower and use less concrete, and so have eight strands through them. They are used on the third and fourth rail networks, and in areas where geography limits ballast depth.
good company. Obviously they have got an older factory, which is less efficient than this one. They’ve also got a supply contract with Network Rail, and there’s a planning team in NDS who’ll decide what the optimum split of the market is. We have an advantage, as it’s quicker and easier to get sleepers from this site to almost anywhere on the network than from Washwood Heath. But I’m not running them down; they’re a good company, a good supplier, but Network Rail wants so many sleepers, we’re going to be busy and Cemex will be busy as well.”
Martin Elwood (pictured right), director of Network Rail NDS, explained: “This factory is an important part of our strategy to protect and improve our supply chains for essential components on our railways and also to help reduce the cost of our track renewals.
“As well as re-introducing competition to the market, our investment in the factory when added to Trackwork Moll’s part-automated, modern production methods will all contribute to driving down costs.
“This site in Doncaster is ideal as it is central to the network and already has excellent rail links. The on-site laboratory and distribution centre also help to reduce transport costs.”
www.trackwork-moll.co.uk FOR MORE INFORMATION
72 | rail technology magazine Dec/Jan 14
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