Do they still lay down new timber sleepers in Britain?

[PrincesWinsdor]

Are new timber sleepers still laid in Britain? If yes, are there any reasons to use timber sleepers over concrete sleepers?

I travelled on the Alishan Forest Railway in Taiwan this summer. The timber sleepers of the section running on flat land and lower attitude areas are being actively replaced by concrete sleepers. But the section above 1000 metres attitude still continue to use mostly timber sleepers. And the section above 2000 metres attitude, including the branch lines, uses timber sleepers entirely.


It is due to the higher degree of diurnal temperature variation in high attitude mountain areas, concrete sleepers would crack under thermal expansion and contraction, whereas timber sleepers are more flexible. While in low attitude subtropical areas, concrete sleepers are more durable because timber sleepers rot.

 

[ajwffc]

They still use new timbers. On branch lines with light traffic or on bridges are the main two.

 

[GooseWaffe]

Are new timber sleepers still laid in Britain? If yes, are there any reasons to use timber sleepers over concrete sleepers?

I travelled on the Alishan Forest Railway in Taiwan this summer. The timber sleepers of the section running on flat land and lower attitude areas are being actively replaced by concrete sleepers. But the section above 1000 metres attitude still continue to use mostly timber sleepers. And the section above 2000 metres attitude, including the branch lines, uses timber sleepers entirely.
View attachment 212770View attachment 212766

It is due to the higher degree of diurnal temperature variation in high attitude mountain areas, concrete sleepers would crack under thermal expansion and contraction, whereas timber sleepers are more flexible. While in low attitude subtropical areas, concrete sleepers are more durable because timber sleepers rot.

They’re still used a lot in depots since they’re low speed and cheap to repair

 

[Mugby]

In railway parlance there are wooden sleepers and there are timbers. Wood sleepers are used in plain track and timbers, which are wider, thicker and longer are used under switches and crossings.

A good railwayman will immediately be able to differentiate between sleepers and timbers!

 

[J s]

Are new timber sleepers still laid in Britain? If yes, are there any reasons to use timber sleepers over concrete sleepers?

I travelled on the Alishan Forest Railway in Taiwan this summer. The timber sleepers of the section running on flat land and lower attitude areas are being actively replaced by concrete sleepers. But the section above 1000 metres attitude still continue to use mostly timber sleepers. And the section above 2000 metres attitude, including the branch lines, uses timber sleepers entirely.
View attachment 212770View attachment 212766

It is due to the higher degree of diurnal temperature variation in high attitude mountain areas, concrete sleepers would crack under thermal expansion and contraction, whereas timber sleepers are more flexible. While in low attitude subtropical areas, concrete sleepers are more durable because timber sleepers rot.

Timber suffers far more from expansion and contraction than concrete does under temp and moisture variation, so I feel there may be more to this explanation!