Redundant lineside solar panels?

[londonmidland]

Across the railway network I often see old looking solar panels connected to some sort of electrical equipment box. Often the glass on the solar panel has fogged up, or it’s covered in graffiti and/or obscured by vegetation.

Does anyone know what the purpose of these solar panels are for? Thanks.

 

[Annetts key]

Some are used as part of the monitoring equipment for detection of movement of cuttings or embankments - see this topic on landslip detection / Earthworks Monitoring Device.

Some are used for other monitoring equipment.

There may also be other uses. For example, PV solar panels and or small windmills are used to supply rail lubrication equipment.

I know there were plans to use PV solar panels to supply various items of level crossing or signalling equipment that is located in remote locations. But I don’t know if/when any were installed.

 

[mr_moo]

Exactly right from Annetts Key.

It's often much easier to have something self-contained and self-powered than something that's wired into the lineside power supplies. In the case of lubrication equipment especially, its an inexact science and the best design decisions can prove to work no-where near as well as hoped, so sometimes we move lubricators around, especially in changed layouts or where traffic patterns have changed significantly. Solar power makes it much easier to remove the equipment and put it somewhere else. Same is true of monitoring equipment - it's often temporary and/or needs to be extended/moved as works progress through an area. Solar is by far the easiest power source.

 

[Maxfly]

Could also be Traction Gel Applicators, usually activated during autumn to pump alleviate onto the railhead to help with adhesion.