CWR on Heritage Lines

[76020]

I noticed that on the Keighley and Worth Valley railway there is a stretch of about a quarter of a mile of CWR, this is from the footbridge at Haworth Station to the points which connect the line to Haworth depot, this section of track is flat bottom rail, on concrete sleepers with Pandrol E clips, I am having a guess here but I guess it was relayed in conjunction with the bridge 27 replacement last year.
To me, CWR is a rarity on preserved lines, in saying that, I think the Severn Valley Railway has some. Heritage Railways mostly use Bull Head rail and Flat Bottom rail is not that common let alone CWR. Does anybody know if CWR exists elsewhere on other lines?

 

[HOOVER29]

Both the SVR & Great Central has short sections of cwr

 

[jupiter]

Swanage has a length through a SSSI on the extension.

 

[reddragon]

The Broadway extension of the G&WSR is CWR

 

[fgwrich]

The Broadway extension of the G&WSR is CWR

Spot on. Pretty much from the turn out at Toddington North to the bridge just outside Broadway is all CWR on Concrete SHC Sleepers.

There is also a stretch on the Bluebell between Sheffield Park and Horsted Keynes - a stretch of line which unfortunately for the Bluebell has been somewhat maintenance hungry for sometime. It is also used on the extension between Kingscote and East Grinstead.

 

[david l]

ELR has a lot of flatbottom rail, and some 120 foot lengths (60 foot x 2s welded together some years ago around Burrs)

 

[158760]

There is also a stretch on the Bluebell between Sheffield Park and Horsted Keynes - a stretch of line which unfortunately for the Bluebell has been somewhat maintenance hungry for sometime. It is also used on the extension between Kingscote and East Grinstead.

I think it’s 60ft panels of concrete sleeper flat bottom rail rather than CWR. There might be a couple of short sections of CWR but I can’t honestly remember.

The Sheffield Park - Horsted Keynes section has been almost fully relayed, with only a short section of around 1/4 mile left to tackle between the site of the old Ketches Halt and the Sheffield Park Advanced Starter.

 

[30907]

I noticed that on the Keighley and Worth Valley railway there is a stretch of about a quarter of a mile of CWR, this is from the footbridge at Haworth Station to the points which connect the line to Haworth depot, this section of track is flat bottom rail, on concrete sleepers with Pandrol E clips, I am having a guess here but I guess it was relayed in conjunction with the bridge 27 replacement last year.

Correct!

 

[YorkshireBear]

I noticed that on the Keighley and Worth Valley railway there is a stretch of about a quarter of a mile of CWR, this is from the footbridge at Haworth Station to the points which connect the line to Haworth depot, this section of track is flat bottom rail, on concrete sleepers with Pandrol E clips, I am having a guess here but I guess it was relayed in conjunction with the bridge 27 replacement last year.
To me, CWR is a rarity on preserved lines, in saying that, I think the Severn Valley Railway has some. Heritage Railways mostly use Bull Head rail and Flat Bottom rail is not that common let alone CWR. Does anybody know if CWR exists elsewhere on other lines?

Yes Bridge 27 required a redesign of vertical and horizontal alignment through that area. And the track needed renewing in the short term too so it all got done together.

However it is not CWR, yet. Unlikely to be for a few years, welding will progress as far as it can, but Bridge 25 needs work before final vertical alignment and remaining welding/stressing can be done.

 

[edwin_m]

Does CWR offer any benefit on a 25mph route where the owner probably has to hire in the specialist equipment needed to maintain it?

 

[YorkshireBear]

Does CWR offer any benefit on a 25mph route where the owner probably has to hire in the specialist equipment needed to maintain it?

Maintaining joints is hard work. Reduce that work and it helps the volunteer workforce.

Don't need to particularly hire in specialist plant regularly as far as I'm aware.

 

[StoneRoad]

I believe that the F&WHR has some ?
There was some b****y awful / corrugated stuff on the Cob which was replaced.
I know that they had some Thermit trained staff a few years ago.

I might be speaking to someone who should know about that in a few days, I'll check if I do.

 

[edwin_m]

Don't need to particularly hire in specialist plant regularly as far as I'm aware.

I'm assuming it would be welded up in situ to avoid the need for long rail trains, but either way it would need stressing.

 

[John Webb]

North Yorkshire Moors Railway uses CWR quite extensively, possibly due to the ground conditions in some areas?

 

[Ploughman]

CWR reduces the maintenance effort required.
No keys falling out needing to be replaced.
No broken fishplates at joints.

CWR is not exclusive to FB Rail, it can be used in BH as well, but is harder to stress.
Also can be used in Timber sleepers.

The NYMR has a number of stretches of CWR mainly on Concrete F27 / G44 Sleepers.
New FB113A rails also some on Steel sleepers with UIC 60 rails in one location.

 

[YorkshireBear]

I'm assuming it would be welded up in situ to avoid the need for long rail trains, but either way it would need stressing.

Yes that is definitely part of it but should be a one time thing. Weld in situ is how we have gone, couldn't manage any other way.

 

[Iskra]

I believe there is a section on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, where the old tube stock was tested at above 25mph.

 

[Ploughman]

I don't think any Heritage line has had any new rails delivered to them by anything other than in 60fts or less.
If any rail is to be delivered that is longer than that, then One of these would be needed.
Clip from Youtube long welded rail train
https://uk.video.search.yahoo.com/s...001aa1ad7c5110f70772f4be870d7f92&action=click
but who could cope with the amount of rail.
The only time I could see it happening would be if NWR were rerailing a line such as the ESK Valley and the NYMR needed some delivering. Unlikely though.

 

[ajwffc]

there is at least one section on the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway on steel sleepers

 

[76020]

Yes Bridge 27 required a redesign of vertical and horizontal alignment through that area. And the track needed renewing in the short term too so it all got done together.

However it is not CWR, yet. Unlikely to be for a few years, welding will progress as far as it can, but Bridge 25 needs work before final vertical alignment and remaining welding/stressing can be done.

OK, thank you clarification. I said it was CWR because just past the Haworth bridge there are two short rails in the middle of the track, which normally indicates the start/finish of the CWR but I did notice two fishplates a bit further on, so I did not know if they maybe were for track circuits, in any case the track is not the normal jointed 60 foot lengths, the trains go very smoothly over it without hardly any noise.

 

[LUYMun]

For those not in the know reading this thread, it should be clarified that CWR stands for Continuous Welded Rail.

I recall the Severn Valley has this between Bewdley and Kidderminster as well as near Eardington.

 

[YorkshireBear]

OK, thank you clarification. I said it was CWR because just past the Haworth bridge there are two short rails in the middle of the track, which normally indicates the start/finish of the CWR but I did notice two fishplates a bit further on, so I did not know if they maybe were for track circuits, in any case the track is not the normal jointed 60 foot lengths, the trains go very smoothly over it without hardly any noise.

Absolutely. The breathers have been installed at either end ready for it to be CWR. We have welded some joints but it's still mostly 60ft lengths. We've very recently finished final level and alignment and packing, so will feel smooth for a good while yet, but plenty of joints in there still as of today.

 

[kje7812]

For those not in the know reading this thread, it should be clarified that CWR stands for Continuous Welded Rail.

I recall the Severn Valley has this between Bewdley and Kidderminster as well as near Eardington.

Some parts of Bewdley- Kidderminster, namely between Worcester road bridge and KR loop and main to reduce noise for the neighbours, and through the tunnel.

 

[Richard Scott]

The Broadway extension of the G&WSR is CWR

As is the section through Bishops Cleeve.
This section was to reduce noise in a residential area but Broadway section is for maintenance advantages. No fishplate greasing to do (a laborious and messy task) and no dipped joints or crippled rail ends; this happens due to forces exerted by trains axles on the rail ends causing the rail to bend. Can use deep skirted fishplates to reduce this problem and can pack sleepers at rail end when this happens to lift the rail. Eventually, though, the rail needs the end trimmed off or it has to be replaced.
Even at 25mph there's advantages to using CWR.
Some flat bottomed sections on GWSR have long welded rail (2 x 60ft, or thereabouts, sections welded together) to reduce maintenance due to above issues.

 

[m79900]

I believe there is a section on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, where the old tube stock was tested at above 25mph.

Yes, between Shottle and Duffield IIRC. I think I heard that it was put in in the 90s by Railtrack after erroneously starting track lifting, and being obliged to lay new stuff when Wyvernrail took lease.

 

[vikingsmb]

As is the section through Bishops Cleeve.
This section was to reduce noise in a residential area but Broadway section is for maintenance advantages. No fishplate greasing to do (a laborious and messy task) and no dipped joints or crippled rail ends; this happens due to forces exerted by trains axles on the rail ends causing the rail to bend. Can use deep skirted fishplates to reduce this problem and can pack sleepers at rail end when this happens to lift the rail. Eventually, though, the rail needs the end trimmed off or it has to be replaced.
Even at 25mph there's advantages to using CWR.
Some flat bottomed sections on GWSR have long welded rail (2 x 60ft, or thereabouts, sections welded together) to reduce maintenance due to above issues.

Also volunteers to do maintenance I expect is getting harder to come by. so anything to reduce workload is a advantage. I went on the GWSR in may with dad and our rough collie (she loved it) and the ride is quite decent.