Trivia: What are the sharpest curves on Network Rail routes?

[317663]

I'm talking about sharp turns/corners.
The sharpest curve I know of from my own journeys is just outside Battersea, where the Freight usually stands, has no 3rd rail.

I'm guessing the sharpest curves are not 3rd rail. If this is right can someone tell me why this is?

 

[BantamMenace]

The sharpest I can think of is the climb and turn heading north out of Carnforth over the wcml towards Hellifield, 10mph and a serious screech from the wheels

 

[The Planner]

Syston North to East must be a small radius too.

 

[civ-eng-jim]

Caxton Curve on London Underground's Central line has a 60m radius. 3rd and 4th rail.
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Syston North to East must be a small radius too.

140metres.
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I'm guessing the sharpest curves are not 3rd rail. If this is right can someone tell me why this is?

The collector shoe is near the bogie centre so the tight radius is unlikely to result in the shoe deviating horizontally from the third rail.

 

[swt_passenger]

I honestly cannot see the presence of a third rail being relevant. If a running rail can be bent into a particular curve radius, that allows a bogie to pass, then so can a third rail. Because the pick up shoe only rests under its own weight on the top, the mechanical issues associated with third rail current collection will always be less of a problem than the tightness of the curve on the running rails, and in any case they would almost always be able to put the third rail on the outside of the bend, so it would always have a greater radius than the running rails.

 

[civ-eng-jim]

One issue with a tightly curved third rail is the way it's supported - Sitting on ceramic insulated pots provides very little (if any) restraint. Third rail would have to be pre-curved.

 

[rebmcr]

There are no RailTrack curves anymore, they are all Network Rail now.

 

[NSE]

I was reading an article about the Morpeth crashes which seemed to suggest the Morpeth curve was one of the tightest

 

[30907]

I was reading an article about the Morpeth crashes which seemed to suggest the Morpeth curve was one of the tightest

Maybe in terms of a main line away from a major station, but no way in absolute terms.

Shipley Bingley jn to Bradford jn (aka platform 5) must be hard to beat. 5 mph IIRC , possibly 10.

 

[Tubeboy]

Barnt Green is tight.

 

[westcoaster]

Blackfriars junction is very tight heading down the spur to London bridge.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

I'm talking about sharp turns/corners.
The sharpest curve I know of from my own journeys is just outside Battersea, where the Freight usually stands, has no 3rd rail.

I'm guessing the sharpest curves are not 3rd rail. If this is right can someone tell me why this is?

You definitely mean "3rd rail" as in raised DC power rail rather than "check rail" - additional safety rail on curves and point work? Sorry if I'm questioning the obvious.

 

[CallySleeper]

What about this at Firsby, Lincolnshire
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e: also this thread

 

[plastictaffy]

This one is pretty tight..........https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.1261118,-0.4598749,16z

 

[Mugby]

Another one might be the Lifford curve from West to East junctions at Kings Norton.

 

[Ploughman]

Crimple Curve
Leeds - Harrogate line
Under 200m radius.

 

[317663]

You definitely mean "3rd rail" as in raised DC power rail rather than "check rail" - additional safety rail on curves and point work? Sorry if I'm questioning the obvious.

Curves that have 3rd rail systems (eg Blackfriars, Selhurst, Sutton, Three Bridges are examples of tight curves with 3rd rail involved. I'm guessing theres tighter curves that 3rd rail may not work well/have many faults with.
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What about this at Firsby, Lincolnshire
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
e: also this thread

I think i've seen tighter ones than that but that sure is some sharp one!

 

[AM9]

For a sustained 180 degrees curve, how about the Ely west curve?

 

[Whistler40145]

Upperby Curve?

 

[jopsuk]

onto the Newmarket Railway from Cambridge?

 

[PHILIPE]

Cardiff Central to Cardiff Queen St perhaps.

 

[Geeves]

The Brewery Junction Curve that allows trains from Newton Heath to gain access to the Ashton line is one of sharpest I know. Coupled sets have been known to end up becoming split here.

Also the curves at Dinting are pretty sharp too!

 

[craigwilson]

Buckland Junction in Dover?

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.1373144,1.2998532,15z

 

[swcovas]

Heart of Wales Line as it leaves Craven Arms station?

 

[ac6000cw]

onto the Newmarket Railway from Cambridge?

Beat me to it

Probably not as sharp (but much busier) is Stourbridge North Junction where the line to Birmingham curves away - 15 mph and on a downward slope towards Lye.

 

[ASharpe]

There are a few tight turns between Thornaby and Billingham. Always on a Pacer so plenty of squealing wheels.

https://goo.gl/maps/vec2L

 

[Deepgreen]

The classic (and sharpest ever used in the UK) was on the long-defunct Cromford and High Peak line in Derbyshire (closed 1967), which also had the steepest adhesion-worked gradient in the UK at 1 in 14. The curve was known as Gotham Curve, had a radius of 55 yards and turned through 80 degrees.

There, that dates me (and I still haven't actually answered the question)!

 

[317663]

Buckland Junction in Dover?

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.1373144,1.2998532,15z

Sheperds well seems a bit sharper if it was also 180*.

 

[Daniel Pyke]

Tram networks regularly have 25m radius curves. I think I've come across a 15m radius curve once in a (tram) depot too.

 

[Parallel]

Exeter St. David's to Exeter Central causes a fair bit of screech too.