Effective Materials Handling for UK Rail Infrastructure

Network Rail (Wales & Western), Supply Chain Operations (SCO) and Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group (RSRG) have been working together to provide the most effective materials handling system for UK Rail Infrastructure.

The materials handling system consists of three types of OTM, which can be arranged to handle a variety of tasks, including:

·?????Spoil removal

·?????Drainage backfill

·?????Ballast placement

Brian Paynter, the Network Rail Programme Track Director for Wales & Western, has already identified numerous CP7 renewal sites that would benefit from the use of our materials handling system.

He is confident that it will support the achievement of CP7 rates and efficiencies, and it was this vision that drove the formation of the partnership between Network Rail, SCO and RSRG.

Network Rail are the main sponsor of the materials handling system, which means that it will be available to all Network Rail Regions. The Rail System Alliance in Scotland are interested in using the system for both renewals and drainage works.

System Configuration

The materials handling system consists of different types of OTM, including 2 x UMH, 2 x MFS+ and several MFS (standard).

The UMH is a versatile conveyor system, which distributes materials using different conveyors:

·?????The?top conveyor?distributes materials up to 7m, either side of the track

·?????The?middle conveyor?distributes high volumes of material onto the adjacent track of an excavation area

·?????low level conveyors?distribute ballast onto the sleeper ends or down the 4 foot

The UMH receives material from the pre-charged MFS wagons.?

To maximise efficiency, MFS wagons can be configured to allow the UMH to distribute drainage infill and top ballast simultaneously. The UMH can distribute materials into empty engineering trains and also across multiple tracks.

The MFS+ wagons are similar to MFS standard wagons but are fitted with crawler tracks. This allows the MFS+ wagons to drive onto an excavated area for single line excavation and material import.

The MFS+ wagons are fed by MFS standard wagons located at the end of the excavation area or they feed excavated material back to the MFS standard wagons. Whilst one MFS+ wagon acts as the distribution/receiving machine, the second acts as the transfer hopper between the first MFS+ wagon and the MFS standard wagon. This process allows continuous excavation / distribution for any site up to 400m in length.

Rail Live

You can see Both MFS+ and UMH machines displayed in the Network Rail village at Rail Live. Please visit us to view the machines and discuss how the system can increase productivity on your renewals project.

For more information please visit; www.uk.rhomberg-sersa.com