Railway maintenance of privately owned infrastructure

Unlike railways owned and maintained by the national rail body Network Rail, private railway sidings are not bound by equal legislation. Only the Health and Safety Act of 1974 and the demands of the infrastructure owner with which the siding is connected, have any weight on regulating the infrastructure condition. It remains the siding owners responsibility to maintain their railway sidings in a 'fit for use' condition.

If the siding is in good condition then it is to the obvious advantage of the operator. Over the years, yards and sidings have been neglected and it has often been left to the private investor to pay for the maintenance or repair. When budgets are tight for running a business using rail haulage, very little is available for maintaining and repairing the private railway. This is why it is vital that any money spent in this area must be carefully planned and spent on priority sections balanced with the condition of the infrastructure.

The key to conservation and indeed, continual improvement of the infrastructure is the vital feedback loop provided by accurate inspections and relative and preventative maintenance and repair. Concise track inspections must be followed by focussed reactive and effective maintenance. Track inspections give structure to measured maintenance strategies and renewal proposals. These should include costs and timescales so that they can be tailored to the customers' budgets and priorities.

There will also be many other advantages that can be realised with an effective railway maintenance strategy. The use of regular staff would promote familiarity with the site, increasing the awareness to busy, problematic and critical areas of the infrastructure.

The results of track Inspections will also be communicated to the customer to give accurate and timely feedback on the condition of the track asset and the effectiveness of previous repairs/renewals. Response to immediate problems discovered during a track inspection mean that repairs and improvements take place instantaneously, preventing serious failures and even in some circumstances, costly renewals.

Proactive and preventative maintenance is the maintenance of essential components. Service should include the replacement of keys, clips, screws, bolts and washers. Also the greasing/oiling and adjustment of points/switches, the tightening and re-insertion of all track fastenings and any action possible to improve the condition of the infrastructure within the time allowed on site and parameters of the contract. Where possible, savings are made by recycling serviceable or reconditioned components.

About the Author:

Pearsons Engineering Services Ltd is a small Derbyshire based company with a proven track record for the adoption of this important strategy of railway maintenance and track maintenance. They have a mission to eliminate derailment and infrastructure threats at the sites they maintain.