P Way between Spalding and Sleaford

[Aictos]

Slightly odd question but heading towards Lincoln, about half way between the two stations above seems to be rather a lot of old track panels dumped on the left hand side as you go towards Lincoln and they go on for well over a mile.
They're the old wooden sleeper types, any idea where they might have came from? Bearing in mind, my knowledge of the joint line is very very little.

I could take a guess that they were the old track panels for the line I'm currently travelling on but I thought I ask anyway.

 

[Old Timer]

As I recall there was some track renewals carried out there last year.

It sound as if there were no Salmons on site to take the old track panels away. Whether by design or by failure I obviously do not know.

It sounds a little alarming (without a picture of how they lay) because the track panel grabs may only be used to lift VERTICALLY whereas laying them on the trackside will inevitably mean a cutting or an embankment which means that the panel grabs will be working off-vertical, which is absolutely prohibited.

The major Infrastructure Companies, and the main RRM suppliers are aware of this, and I would not expect it to get through the work planning and acceptance process.

However recovering them from site now will be expensive bearing this in mind and will almost certainly result in the panels having to be broken up on site.

There are enough issues arising from your post for some very searching questions to be asked of Network Rail, if my assumptions are correct.

Anyone know who did this renewal ?

 

[ralphchadkirk]

PM sent OT.

 

[Aictos]

Well I've seen how track panels not in use are usually stacked neatly but these certainly weren't and were from a passenger view at right angles to the track which is a embankment for well over a mile, not too sure on the exact location as I don't have any Quail maps to hands but it's pretty much halfway between the two locations.

Still I do like the resignalling at Lincoln which looks like it's been designed for idiots with very large text denoting the line ie 4 for Platform 4, Up, Down etc...still makes life a lot easier but apart from all that, it was a decent trip.

 

[Ploughman]

Just a suggestion as to why the panels are apparently dumped.

2 years ago I was working on a site near Mirfield.
Track panels removed and placed in the wide area for loading as planned. Space between tracks about 8m.
Excavation work and relay carried on and was completed.
However the train booked for loading the panels on to was late and also combined with R/Rail plant failures and a need for the train to depart on time to reopen to traffic.
Result most of the panels remained in the wide way for at least 6 months after the work was completed.
We tried to get additional possessions and trains as soon as possible but were refused.

Did a similar situation happen here?

 

[trainfanatic]

The line between Boston and Skegness is currently being relaid with 2nd hand components from all over the network (not least the WCML old track). There were full weekend possessions for a long time and work is still ongoing. The idea is to raise trian speeds significantly ready for potential direct King's X - Skegness services.

There was a bit in our local paper some time ago where a piece of the original track had a date stamp of sometime in the 19th century!!

I don't know if this is the same track that the OP is referring to.

 

[Old Timer]

Possibly but the bigger question amongst the Infrastructure guys is that they are not laid flat but on the bank side at an angle.

As you will know anyway, other than vertical lifting is highly dangerous for one panel let alone a miles worth !

 

[Aictos]

Possibly but the bigger question amongst the Infrastructure guys is that they are not laid flat but on the bank side at an angle.

As you will know anyway, other than vertical lifting is highly dangerous for one panel let alone a miles worth !

Pm sent.

 

[royaloak]

Probably a daft idea, but could they have been placed like that to stabilise or reinforce the embankment, just a thought.

 

[Old Timer]

No. In some cases that could make the bank less stable.

 

[royaloak]

Thanks mate, I did say it was a daft idea

 

[Old Timer]

No not at all unless you knew it would appear to be a sensible action. PLease don't be embarrassed, it takes a long while to become an Infrastructure Engineer and we are paid to know such things.

 

[royaloak]

I just drive the trains that wreck the infrastructure .

I was thinking that if the track panels were pinned at the bottom to stop them moving it might have been a cheap way to temporarily support the embankment, and we all know how "temporary" things can be . of course if they are left loose they will effectively pull the embankment down with them under the force of gravity.

 

[Navviboy]

Possibly but the bigger question amongst the Infrastructure guys is that they are not laid flat but on the bank side at an angle.

As you will know anyway, other than vertical lifting is highly dangerous for one panel let alone a miles worth !

It's a horrible thought but 'dragged there one end at a time by and RRV' strikes me as one possibility.

I can't really believe it though.

 

[Old Timer]

We are hearing tales of Network Rail doing some renewals jobs, and at the same time were are starting to read of some awful over-runs. When we enquire amongst ourselves we are not able to id the Renewals Contractor concerned, sometimes the local ones are asking us if we have been there !

Even some of the more "adventurous" shall we say, RRV operators, are starting to return with headshaking tales and are starting to view us in a different light. Previously they considered us to be pedantic buggers when it came to safety, and our insistence on using proper access arrangements and access points.

A couple of the guys who work for me and will always work safely have now requested to come off NR sites, and I am working with the Plant Company to use them as best I can bearing in mind the fact that renewals work has fallen through the floor. I make no further comment but draw your own conclusions.

Its amazing how sites previously earmarked for urgent renewal suddenly seem to gain an extension of life of a couple of years once a tamper has been put through there. :roll: Knowing some of the sites concerned, I can only wait for the inevitable.

Apparantly NR have these really super-dooper OTMs that can magically inject new life into previously knackered track.