Track profile used within the UK.

[ddebecker841]

As I understand it, BS11 (British standard) as revised in 2015 (BS11-2015) has 14 rail profiles which conform to the British standards.
I am reasonably new to the rail enthusiasts scene and I was hoping to benefit from the wide range of knowledge within this forum.
My questions are as follows
1. Is there one standard which gets used for the majority of intercity rail within the UK.
1b. Do different profiles get used for things like the underground or tram ways due their lower speed?

2. If various profiles are used around the country does this define the rolling stock that can be used. i.e are there certain parts of the UK which cannot handle certain rolling stock due to the wheel profile and/ or track profiles.

Thank you for reading and any insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[The Lad]

If you mean rail profile, over the years the design has changed and generally got heavier in the light of experience, modern stuff is Flat Bottom CEN 60 (60 Kg per Metre).

 

[edwin_m]

Tramways, when laid on ballasted track, tend to have a lighter rail section because that's all that is necessary for the lighter trams. They do of course need special grooved rail when running on street. Normal trains could probably run on ballasted tramway plain line but not on street track or on switches and crossings (unless specially modified with a special tram wheel profile, as on off-street sections of Metrolink) because their wheel flanges are too big.

Preseved 9F 0-10-0 steam locos aren't allowed on Network Rail because their middle driving wheels are flangeless, which is incompatible with various switch and crossing designs introduced since the end of steam. That's the only rail-related restriction I can think of that relates to (former) main line trains.

 

[randyrippley]

the 9F was 2-10-0....
was there ever a production 0-10-0?

 

[DarloRich]

As I understand it, BS11 (British standard) as revised in 2015 (BS11-2015) has 14 rail profiles which conform to the British standards.
I am reasonably new to the rail enthusiasts scene and I was hoping to benefit from the wide range of knowledge within this forum.
My questions are as follows
1. Is there one standard which gets used for the majority of intercity rail within the UK.
1b. Do different profiles get used for things like the underground or tram ways due their lower speed?

2. If various profiles are used around the country does this define the rolling stock that can be used. i.e are there certain parts of the UK which cannot handle certain rolling stock due to the wheel profile and/ or track profiles.

Thank you for reading and any insight would be greatly appreciated.

There cant be many enthusiasts interested in rail profile!

 

[Ploughman]

the 9F was 2-10-0....
was there ever a production 0-10-0?

Yes
The GER Decapod.
https://www.lner.info/co/GER/decapod/

 

[edwin_m]

Yes
The GER Decapod.
https://www.lner.info/co/GER/decapod/

Not exactly a production machine though. I think the Russians had quite a lot of 0-10-0s.

There was also a WD 2-10-0 which was the ancestor of the 9F so would probably be similarly barred.

 

[The Lad]

Mm, 9f's not allowed over turnouts is not due to rail profile, rather the presence of raised Check rails. With no flanges on the centre wheel it would likely try to ride over the check rail. In general since the only contact between rail and wheel is on the top there is no restriction on where stock goes on different rails, apart from tramways on road sections and turnouts. Very heavy axle load vehicles may damage very light section rail which is why the rails have got heavier. There are some odd rail sections used, I believe the Forth bridge had a modified section but the vast majority of railway uses Bull head which was intended to be turned over as it wore but in reality corroded in the chairs producing regular indentations and now flat bottom on concrete sleepers, or sometimes steel sleepers and occasionally wood especially on turnouts. Even the heritage movement are getting into Continuously Welded Rail.

 

[mcmad]

Might have more success in the infrastructure section rather than traction and rolling stock but I think that BS11 is mainly for 'historic' rail profiles like bullhead and the newer flatbottom conforms to an EU norm

 

[Ploughman]

Mm, 9f's not allowed over turnouts is not due to rail profile, rather the presence of raised Check rails. With no flanges on the centre wheel it would likely try to ride over the check rail. In general since the only contact between rail and wheel is on the top there is no restriction on where stock goes on different rails, apart from tramways on road sections and turnouts. Very heavy axle load vehicles may damage very light section rail which is why the rails have got heavier. There are some odd rail sections used, I believe the Forth bridge had a modified section but the vast majority of railway uses Bull head which was intended to be turned over as it wore but in reality corroded in the chairs producing regular indentations and now flat bottom on concrete sleepers, or sometimes steel sleepers and occasionally wood especially on turnouts. Even the heritage movement are getting into Continuously Welded Rail.

Bullhead as we understand it now was never designed for turning over.
The original style called Double Bullhead was thought to be possible for turning but somebody forgot about Rail Gall.
The top and bottom profiles were more equal and both were rounded rather than the lower profile being squared.

 

[30907]

Yes
The GER Decapod.
https://www.lner.info/co/GER/decapod/

And Big Bertha the Lickey Banker.
Both one-offs, but the banker survived into the 1950s while the Decapod was hastily rebuilt as an 0-8-0 tender loco and was scapped after 10 years.

However, we're well OT...

 

[civ-eng-jim]

1 - For renewals/new plain-line track CEN60E2 (60kg/m) is the standard go-to rail section for mainlines and busy lines.

1b London underground does have a lot of bullhead but is generally renewed as flat bottom. Some of the Points and Crossings (Junction work) on LU are renewed in bullhead due to the tight geometry which can't be replicated in flat-bottomed rail.

Lighter used lines (combination of speed and annual tonnage) are permitted to use CEN56/BS113A and bullhead where it is not practical to put in flat bottom rail or even serviceable (2nd hand) materials too.

2 - The track gauge is, loosely speaking, the same for all rail sections, but does range from 1432mm and up to 1438mm (Not including gauge widening for tight curves) so shouldn't have an impact on what rolling stock can use it.