Mystery sleeper fitting

[Ploughman]

Any ideas as to what this fitting is?

I have never met it before.
Track is fairly sharply curved and jointed.
There have been reports made of slight alignment problems in the area.

 

[lincolnshire]

Think you will find its to help stop the track moving, its bolted onto the sleepers and its driven into the ground to get a grip.
If you go to Hessle Road Junction at Hull ( Docks Branch) its has a load fitted to stop the line moving and been fitted for a couple of years now after the junction was changed from previous single lead to double lead. It was not long after been relayed that it started moving and then these were fitted to stop the movement.

 

[swt_passenger]

I believe that the full name is 'lateral sleeper resistance anchors', they basically work like a 'dagger board' in a sailing dinghy. (Couldn't think of a better analogy, sorry.)

Because they are adjustable, if the track does move slightly they can be released, and the track slewed back, and the device re-secured in a new position w.r.t. the sleeper.

Difficult to find a picture of the complete device so far though...

 

[mr_moo]

Yep, They are "lateral resistance plates" or "lateral sleeper resistance anchors". They are made by vossloh. They are an improvment on the lateral resistance end plates and are for increasing lateral stability. This is especially improtant on sharp curves in CWR where high thermal forces are more likely to push the track out of alignment.
They are also used near S&C which can have high lateral loadings for diverging trains and are also used there track movement can be higher than normal, often due to formation heave effects.

HTH!

 

[fgwrich]

Ah, always wondered what these were so thanks for the answer. I know theres quite alot of them on the Totnes side of Dainton bank too!

 

[Ploughman]

Thanks for the replies.

I was familiar with the end plates but had never met these before.
How far down do they go?

Will be easier to fit than having to drill the sleeper ends.
Nearly impossible on concrete but not too bad on timbers.
Installed some on the Bradford Halifax line a few years back.

Are the Keel Board sleepers still in situ at Selby West?
They performed the same function but with tamping the sleepers move and lose touch with the keel boards.