What is this trackside equipment? (Not Datum Plates)

[tj.stevenson]

Apologies for the poor picture, but I wonder if someone could satisfy my curiosity regarding these very common trackside installations.

As they occur in large regularly spaced groups and seem to have some optical components, I have wondered for a long time what it is they do.

 

[Carntyne]

Is it at a junction? Looks like lighting.

 

[LowLevel]

They're site lights for maintenance work etc. Hence generally being found adjacent to point work.

 

[Michael.Y]

IT'S A DATUM..... oh wait no it isn't....

 

[WatcherZero]

They seem to have appeared at a huge number of locations in the north west recently, usually on points. I wondered if they were some new form of Spad beacons.

 

[ainsworth74]

IT'S A DATUM..... oh wait no it isn't....

And that's my cue to make a small title edit

 

[edwin_m]

Actually I think that's a datum plate on a pole, just poking its way into the left of the picture...

 

[tj.stevenson]

Not site lights - they are at a metre or less above track level. Near Euston there are some less than half a metre above the track.

They are permanently accommodated, with concrete footings and conduited wiring. There can be 20 or thirty in a row.

What's a Spad beacon? Do you need a large number in a row?

 

[tj.stevenson]

Here are some more - the heads are all at the same height, here less than 500mm.

 

[Llanigraham]

LED site lighting.

 

[Tomnick]

As others have said, they certainly appear to be no more than lights, provided for routine inspections and maintenance at several junctions and other key locations.

 

[najaB]

Not site lights - they are at a metre or less above track level.

They are site lights.

Edit: A quick Google brings this up: http://www.railwayelectricalservices.co.uk/lighting-installations

 

[tj.stevenson]

Thankyou - I am amazed that they are mounted at such a low level - staff and equipment must throw long shadows over a worksite. You get less complaints from the 'neighbours', that way?

I guess the concentration at junctions is because maintenance activity is more or less continuous there?

 

[Elecman]

Upto now they are only fitted at junctions on LNW at least for night time mice, the original plan was 5 or 8 metre columns but they are a maintenance nightmare in themselves

 

[swt_passenger]

Thankyou - I am amazed that they are mounted at such a low level - staff and equipment must throw long shadows over a worksite. You get less complaints from the 'neighbours', that way?

I guess the concentration at junctions is because maintenance activity is more or less continuous there?

The low level of the illumination possibly helps to illuminate the side of, and the web of the rail?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Thankyou - I am amazed that they are mounted at such a low level?

If they are that low, they are much less likely to dazzle staff as they are below the eyeline.

 

[louis97]

Upto now they are only fitted at junctions on LNW at least for night time mice, the original plan was 5 or 8 metre columns but they are a maintenance nightmare in themselves

Not just LNW, they also appear in the East Midlands - Trent Junction springs to mind.

 

[WatcherZero]

Those in Preston are 1.5m off the ground, there are some in Liverpool that are barely above rail height, they also each have their own UPS rather than a common supply.

£250k to illuminate a 20 by 20m area, the mind boggles at the cost, how long would it take to become better value than a couple of mobile floodlights that have the flexibility of being mobile able to move with the work gang.

 

[edwin_m]

Those in Preston are 1.5m off the ground, there are some in Liverpool that are barely above rail height, they also each have their own UPS rather than a common supply.

£250k to illuminate a 20 by 20m area, the mind boggles at the cost, how long would it take to become better value than a couple of mobile floodlights that have the flexibility of being mobile able to move with the work gang.

I think the issue is that possessions are needed to examine the pointwork, only short periods are available on busy routes and (except perhaps around midsummer) these won't be in daylight. So having permanent lighting available shortens the possession time compared with having to set up some portable lighting.

Still sounds petty expensive though.

 

[infobleep]

Interesting. What did they use before these light installations? What about 50+ years ago?

 

[Clip]

Interesting. What did they use before these light installations? ?

Portable lighting which would've had to have been taken to and from site adding an extra day or twos work to the schedule and costs I would imagine

What about 50+ years ago

Lanterns on a stick?

 

[edwin_m]

Or the safety regulations were less strict and the junctions were examined during daylight but between passing trains.

 

[Clip]

I wasn't being serious

 

[Deepgreen]

Here are some more - the heads are all at the same height, here less than 500mm.

Looks like they are provided to assist graffiti vandals at night!

 

[misterredmist]

I thought they were grills for the railway maintenance staff to do their toast / crumpets - never mind.......

 

[tj.stevenson]

Does this mean that junctions/points/crossover inspections focus on failures/wear best seen with side illumination? Are the most likely permanent way failure modes those that result in vertical displacements/ cracks in vertical faces?

I can believe it, but is this a major reason why the lighting is at such a dramatically low angle (apart from not destroying staff night vision)?

You would not be able to see cracks or abnormal wear in the head of the rail at all.

 

[najaB]

I can believe it, but is this a major reason why the lighting is at such a dramatically low angle (apart from not destroying staff night vision)?

I think it is more because longer poles would be more likely to be damaged. The way I see it, the fixed lights are intended to provide general illumination so that staff can move around and not trip up over things. They would still have small portable task lights for detailed work.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Actually I think that's a datum plate on a pole, just poking its way into the left of the picture...

I think you might be right! You have excellent observational abilities!

 

[edwin_m]

I think it is more because longer poles would be more likely to be damaged. The way I see it, the fixed lights are intended to provide general illumination so that staff can move around and not trip up over things. They would still have small portable task lights for detailed work.

With lighting that low much of the track would probably be in shadow from other rails nearby. So I'm inclined () to agree with you.

 

[gage75]

The low level of the illumination possibly helps to illuminate the side of, and the web of the rail?

There's some on the approach to Richmond station on the LU side