Welded Rail and the loss of clickety clack...

Phil Sowden, the SVR Infrastructure mamager comments in the latest "Underground Lines" that he will explain the reasons for putting in CWR in the Bewdley tunnel area in the next issue of Underground Lines. Unless my maths is defective, the SVR are welding around 800 yards of track at this location.
Looking at the images, it looks like new or virtually new rail sitting on a deep bed of new ballast. Quality job!

 

CWR in tunnels is a good idea especially as it removes the risks involved in having to have staff checking joints.
Expansion / Contraction is minimal as tunnels normally stay at a fairly constant rail temperature.
National standards only require stressed track to pass the tunnel portal by (I Think) 40 metre.
If you can start off with new rail on good sleepers, corrosion resistant clips and deep ballast then that should not need much attention at all for a number of years. Only major problem may be corrosion from dripping water eating away at the rails.

 

I asked a couple of friends who are of the "it's nice to go on the steam train once a year" persuasion how they felt about the Bewdley Tunnel change. The general response was very mildly negative -- "oh, that's a bit of a shame" etc. Not something that would remotely put them off coming, but something they'd notice; the "clickety clack" was a part of the attraction they wouldn't want to lose entirely. (For what it's worth, I also asked about sleepers. They didn't care at all about whether they were concrete or wooden.)

 

What we need is a device mounted on the axle that gives an input to a sound card and speaker system under the coaches to give the clickety clack even on cwr. I feel an April first story coming on..

 

Another point to note.
How many railways actually have 60ft rails to get the regular Clickety - Clack?
Quite a number use anything they can get hold of and that means anywhere between 30ft and 60ft in a running line.
That would tend to lead to a rather irregular beat.

 

Ilvaporista: Sythesised "rail joints" played into the carriage? Noooo... "Top Gear" tonight mentioned that the new BMW M5 has a synthesised exhaust sound facility that you can play through the car's audio system. See, they thought of it first!

 

The Romney Hythe & Dymchurch was built with US style staggered joints, not sure if they have them nowadays but it's a reason to go and visit...all in the name of research!

 

And how many twist faults do they get as a result?

 

The WHR uses staggered joints on some curves, to avoid 'Thrupenny Bit' type irregularities.

I suspect the properties of Narrow and 15in track are subtly different to Standard Gauge.

 

I like the "rail joint radio" idea. Add in a live-video feed from the footplate and the road ahead, showing on plasma screens fitted to the end of each carriage. For the real window-hanging experience, you could have a few red-hot cinders blown around as well. That way, you could keep all the carriage windows closed, and stay nice and warm. <retreats to comfy bunker>.

EDIT: or you could just give this guy a free ticket and put him next to the PA mic: Craig's Train Impression - YouTube (I can't find the "Diddly-dee diddly-dah" Dick Emery sketch!).

Richard

 

Attached a post from D1039 on the SVR underground lines thread, which should make for interesting reading for all interested in the CWR debate.

 

And you could make New Build locos from a virtual kit of parts and then paint them in whatever livery you want. Don't need to get dirty, raise funds, debate colors or any other of those complicated things to do.