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
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
Link
More pictures of the East Lancs Railway can be found in the
Preserved Railways Gallery
Link
East Lancashire Railway
Link (
Archive Link )