• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Cogload Junction Engineering

Status
Not open for further replies.
I

ikcdab

Member
Joined
3 Feb 2012
Messages
182
Location
Cogload Junction
A replacement switch is being installed at Cogload Junction. Looking from the lineside, it looks as if its the up line facing points for the Westbury line. Much infrastructure and new trackwork has been assembled lineside but it looks as if it will need considerable lifting to move it into position. GWR Engineering website shows line closure from 9 Nov to 14 Nov so I assume thats when the work will take place. There is very good public viewing from the adjacent canal towpath.
Does anyone have any other details. i imagine a large crane will be needed and I would like to see it in action.
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

C

civ-eng-jim

Member
Joined
16 Jul 2011
Messages
396
Location
Derby
It's a 90mph turnout so it'll be an "H" switch which is a 130m-long set of points.

Are they replacing both the switches and crossing? Or just the switch blades? Looks like it's all on timber at the moment, so probably the whole thing is being replacesd. The track will be broken into panels and laid in complete bits but the switch panel on one of those is 45m long. Not sure how that got to site. Would be interesting to see.
 
I

ikcdab

Member
Joined
3 Feb 2012
Messages
182
Location
Cogload Junction
It's looks as if the whole turnout is being replaced as there is a new one on concrete sleepers being assembled lineside as well as a lot of plain line. At the moment it looks as if someone has laid all the hornby setrack out ready to slot it in. As I said, it's going to need a big crane too lift it all in.
 
I

ikcdab

Member
Joined
3 Feb 2012
Messages
182
Location
Cogload Junction
More infrastructure has arrived. There are a long line of trollies now stashed by the line and what look like track jacks. These must all have arrived by train as the road access is appalling. Lots of new track also laid out. I live by the line and didnt hear it. Attached photos taken from public land. Work starts next weekend.
All comments welcome.rsz_20191103_112115.jpg rsz_120191103_120636.jpg
 
D

davetheguard

Established Member
Joined
10 Apr 2013
Messages
1,811
One direct train every two hours will continue to run between Paddington to Plymouth via Yeovil Pen Mill & Junction during the closure of the line via Cogload Junction. Otherwise it's road coaches between Castle Cary & Tiverton Parkway, and in addition, some direct coaches from Bristol Parkway/Bristol Temple Meads to Tiverton Parkway.
 
S

Snow1964

Established Member
Joined
7 Oct 2019
Messages
6,161
Location
West Wiltshire
Looks like a right handed turnout in the photo, difficult to see on the picture (not easy to scale the length, so potentially could be more than 90mph for new installation). Suggests it is part of the facing crossover.

Where all the track plant is sitting, it would be possible to install a flat (no cant) Junction, by effectively extending the avoiding line to where the plant is sitting rather than having it where Line turns the corner. Much easier to have turnouts on straight section.

Not sure how much time a line speed turnout would save over a 90mph one though. Don’t really need a 5 day closure to crane in a like for like replacement that is preassembled in big sections even allowing time to relay the ballast bed, which suggests other work.
 
Rob F

Rob F

Member
Joined
17 Dec 2015
Messages
375
Location
Notts
Would there be any benefit in re-instating the four tracks from the junction to Taunton?
 
I

ikcdab

Member
Joined
3 Feb 2012
Messages
182
Location
Cogload Junction
Rob F said:
Would there be any benefit in re-instating the four tracks from the junction to Taunton?
Click to expand...
I live right by the line at Cogload so follow the trains closely. I would say that with the speed and acceleration of modern trains, I see no advantage in reinstating the quadruple track. It is a rare situation where I see one train closely following another and then I hear them accelerate quickly. I suggest there are better things to spend the money on.
 
I

ikcdab

Member
Joined
3 Feb 2012
Messages
182
Location
Cogload Junction
There is also lots of plain track pre-assembled so it's more than the turnout. It's not really a crossover, it's the right hand point which branches of the Westbury line to pass under the Bristol flyover.
 
P

Ploughman

Established Member
Joined
15 Jan 2010
Messages
2,889
Location
Near where the 3 ridings meet
What isn't really shown in any detail is the sideways movement of the whole track panel in one piece.
Regular activity is to build up the panel at track side and walk it sideways onto the railway using the PEMS then lower it onto the LEMS and move to site.
Older versions were PUMS and PALS not radio controlled so a lot of operators needed.
 
S

swt_passenger

Veteran Member
Joined
7 Apr 2010
Messages
31,385
Ploughman said:
What isn't really shown in any detail is the sideways movement of the whole track panel in one piece.
Regular activity is to build up the panel at track side and walk it sideways onto the railway using the PEMS then lower it onto the LEMS and move to site.
Older versions were PUMS and PALS not radio controlled so a lot of operators needed.
Click to expand...
Yes, that’s a significant part of their use isn’t it. Because they can move sideways they can also deliver a track panel by running on an existing parallel track, rather than running off the end onto a temporary rail setup.
 
M

Meerkat

Established Member
Joined
14 Jul 2018
Messages
7,521
How does it walk them sideways? Seemed odd that the video missed that bit out
 
S

swt_passenger

Veteran Member
Joined
7 Apr 2010
Messages
31,385
Meerkat said:
How does it walk them sideways? Seemed odd that the video missed that bit out
Click to expand...
Basically one set of legs extends all the way out to one side, then with the load lifted the “bodies” shorten the extended legs while simultaneously extending the other side set of legs. Then they lower the load, lift all the legs and then repeat.

I think there’s a different video that shows it better than I can explain, there’s a sideways move shown about a minute into this one:
 
Last edited:
M

Meerkat

Established Member
Joined
14 Jul 2018
Messages
7,521
swt_passenger said:
I think there’s a different video that shows it better than I can explain, there’s a sideways move shown about a minute into this one:
Click to expand...

Thanks. That’s the impressive bit, surprised it wasn’t in the earlier video!
Must have to be pretty careful what you are putting the panels down on on the way, or are the panels strong enough to cope with twisting or edges?
 
M

MarkRedon

Member
Joined
16 Sep 2015
Messages
292
Joseph_Locke said:
They're French kit, so PEM will be Portique something du Manutention and LEM Lorrey something du Manutention
Click to expand...
PEM = Portique extensible de manutention = extensible gantry handling for maintenance, LEM = Lorry élévateur motorisé = lorry powered lift. See https://www.geismar.com/produits/systeme-de-pose-d-appareils-et-de-panneaux-de-voie-pem-lem/ for the original in French and https://www.geismar.com/products/turnouts-and-track-laying-system-pem-lem/?lang=en for the equivalent in English. The supplier Geismar here claims to be the world leader for replacing turnouts. "You can use the machines for any turnout length & type merely by adjusting the number of PEM-LEM sets."

I'm amused by the onward march of franglais, the tendency for new vocabulary in French to lift directly from English! Bon week-end à vous toutes et tous = a good weekend everybody...
 
H

Hellzapoppin

Member
Joined
16 Jan 2016
Messages
225
The PEMs and LEMs will lift and move the plain track panels but a KIROW will move the switch I believe.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top