2008

SD7916 : Stoneblower in Ramsbottom Station

taken 16 years ago, near to Ramsbottom, Bury, England

Stoneblower in Ramsbottom Station
Stoneblower in Ramsbottom Station
This is very rare sight of a Stoneblower {No 80303} undergoing final testing on the East Lancashire Railway before being commissioned for Network Rail.
These huge machines are built by Harsco Track Technologies LinkExternal link and are used to maintain the main line railways across the country.
The Stoneblower in the picture is a brand new machine developed specifically as an alternative to traditional tamping methods for the restoration of track's vertical and lateral alignment.
The machine utilizes a process which pneumatically injects ballast under the tie to achieve track positioning to an accuracy of 1.0 mm without disturbing the pre-existing compacted foundation.
The machine travels over the site at up to 10 mph measuring the pre-maintenance condition of the track.
On-board computers use the data collected during the measurement process to determine the profile of the track and calculate the required lift, slew and stone quantity for each tie.
The design uses a pre-selected track quality level to minimize lifts and the quantity of ballast required
The result is a smooth track surface which is immediately available for unrestricted line speeds.
For more information about railway on track plant equipment click on LinkExternal link

More pictures of the East Lancs Railway can be found in the
Preserved Railways Gallery Link

East Lancashire Railway LinkExternal link (Archive LinkExternal link )

Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Paul Anderson and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Category: Railway
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SD7916, 688 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Paul Anderson   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Friday, 14 March, 2008   (more nearby)
Submitted
Saturday, 15 March, 2008
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SD 792 167 [100m precision]
WGS84: 53:38.8051N 2:18.8858W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SD 792 167
View Direction
North-northeast (about 22 degrees)
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Image classification(about): Geograph
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