What is this? Railway drainage?

[bishopsrail]

Hi. I'm interested is rail engineering and was wondering what this is?

There are a series of these grated covers next to or maybe above a culverted watercourse which runs parallel to the line. They all are on the rail land and have asset markers.

The track is on a hillside and the track itself is probably 10 metres above this point.

 

[swt_passenger]

Apart from being at the angle, that blue grid is typical of a railway drainage ‘catch pit’, which allows them to suck out silt carried along the drainage channel, which will be a metre or so below.

There‘s a picture of a typical modern installation on a manufacturer’s website here, they typically use a concrete box made up of a number of levels:

Trackside Drainage

Cubis’ Network Rail approved track-side drainage inspection chamber system FLEXI-Pit™ has been designed and developed to offer easily adjustable duct positions for varying pipe invert level.

www.cubis-systems.com

Oh and welcome to rail forums by the way…

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Hi. I'm interested is rail engineering and was wondering what this is?

There are a series of these grated covers next to or maybe above a culverted watercourse which runs parallel to the line. They all are on the rail land and have asset markers.

The track is on a hillside and the track itself is probably 10 metres above this point.

Thanks for your post. Definitely drainage. Welcome to the forum - your first post I see.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Hi. I'm interested is rail engineering and was wondering what this is?

There are a series of these grated covers next to or maybe above a culverted watercourse which runs parallel to the line. They all are on the rail land and have asset markers.

The track is on a hillside and the track itself is probably 10 metres above this point.

Welcome @bishopsrail

To add to what others have already said here, photos linked below, show the drainage catch-pits installed for the rebuilt Bicester - Bletchley route.

Loco hauled around Havant

A railway reborn. The Varsity Line - from Oxford to Cambridge - is long gone; however, 2025 sees re-opening of the Bicester to Bletchley section. This week, Chiltern and GWR are conducting equipment and gauging tests; with 100mph running in places. Today's paths find a bit of sunshine, too! I...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[bishopsrail]

Thanks very much everyone. Great to have such a knowledgable group of people available.

 

[20200506]

It does generally look like a catch pit at first glance. But it seems to have a plate that looks like a bridge number. That makes me think it might be an access chamber for a culvert.

 

[Annetts key]

Some road over railway bridges have a culvert down the side of the railway cutting to divert water that may overflow where there is a stream or other drainage channel. This is done to prevent flood water from putting stress on the bridge parapet walls or causing the cutting from becoming unstable due to water from the stream or drainage channel from flowing uncontrollably through the soil.

At track level, they should direct water into the railway track side drainage system.

This is what the picture in the first post looks like to me.