Leeds Station question.

[Railguy220]

Hi, i was down in leeds a couple of months back and was getting the train from Leeds to Guisley. As we left the platform the train shook like it was going over rough ground. Does anyone know why that happend?

Hope you can help!
Railguy220

 

[MidnightFlyer]

For the life of me I can't remember the exact name but it is commonplace in bays and little used connections (Wigan NW p6 approach line-p5 being one) for the track to have tiny zig-zags in them, assumably to warn the driver that they are approaching a buffer stop etc. They create a little rumble when you drive over them, I take it this is what you felt. Next time you're at Leeds, go to the bays, and look at the track close to the buffers... You'll see what I mean then

 

[Railguy220]

Thanks that pretty much explains it!

 

[driver9000]

For the life of me I can't remember the exact name but it is commonplace in bays and little used connections (Wigan NW p6 approach line-p5 being one) for the track to have tiny zig-zags in them, assumably to warn the driver that they are approaching a buffer stop etc. They create a little rumble when you drive over them, I take it this is what you felt. Next time you're at Leeds, go to the bays, and look at the track close to the buffers... You'll see what I mean then

The zig-zag tops help a train occupy track circuits rather than as a warning for anything. If they were a warning all buffer stop approaches would have them, the crossover on the approach to Wigan NW between the Up & Dn Loop and Dn Main isn't approaching a buffer stop. I was once told that they were installed on lines where contamination or rust was commonplace, although I've never been given a definitive answer as to why they were placed and recent rail renewals have seen grumble striped rails replaced with ordinary rail.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

the crossover on the approach to Wigan NW between the Up & Dn Loop and Dn Main isn't approaching a buffer stop.

I knew that, just couldn't be bothered fishing out Quail for the line designations! Have only ever seen it be traversed once, when a Wigan NW-Liverpool Lime St all stations was ready to depart p5 and a Liverpool Lime St-Blackpool North semi-fast was in p6... The WCML south of Wigan was blocked at Coppull I think for engineering works, maybe November or Autumn last year.

 

[142094]

What is the actual name for the marks, I've heard them called 'rumble strips' frequently but no-one has a definitive answer?

 

[Ploughman]

I take it you mean the zig zag welds on the rail surface.
The purpose is to enable the track circuit to operate on rarely used sections of rail. Such as on the approach to buffer stops or on emergency crossovers such as at Strensall on the York - Scarborough line.
I think the weld is stainless but is definately non rusting.

 

[Nym]

Or it could just be welded on by TIG with aluminium filler, that won't rust... Although I'm sure I've seen rusting zigzags with would mean the're MIGged into place, Pt7/8 at Bridlington platform ends comes to mind.

 

[Crossover]

Apparently the technical term for it is "wiggly wire" and is for occupation of track circuits on areas of track that get little to no use...the bays at Manchester Piccadilly have it.

There was a thread a few months ago about it though I can't remember where exactly