The Nottingham Express Transit is Now Operational and Running on the Best Possible Lines

Following its successful use in the Midland Metro and the Manchester Metro extension, ALH’s pre-coated rail is now providing the best in track infrastructure in Nottingham as their Express Transit becomes operational.

What makes rail the right track? This should be the question for the passenger on Nottingham’s Express Transit to ponder as he/she enjoys the safety and comfort of the ride of this newly opened stretch of light railway. With these latter considerations at the fore, and to achieve the higher performance levels demanded by various authorities under statute, the rail is embedded in a polyurethane polymer.

The ALH Rail Coatings Ltd. rail pre-coated with ‘Series Six’ polymer from Hyperlast Limited was selected for the Nottingham Express Transit project because of its high electrical insulation, vibration resistance, noise reduction, anti-skid and anti-corrosion properties. The factory pre-coating process facilitates installation. Indeed, the main difficulties associated with the in-situ installation of the rail in the embedment material centre on what work can or can’t be done in adverse – particularly wet and cold - weather conditions. Poor weather conditions adversely affects the quality of track performance and wastes materials and time.

Gerald Nicholl of ALH Rail Coatings Ltd is delighted with its progress. “The pre-coated rail system overcomes all of the conventional problems associated with in-situ track installation methods. This vastly reduces the risk during construction and enables costings to be much tighter.”

“The greater uniformity and consistency of pre-coating is reflected in the greater consistency of its performance, and the factory coating process allows for a fixed price per metre to be given for all rail types.”

All rail types can be pre-coated: grooved, vignole, straight, curved and S&C. In cold weather, the rails are dried and heated prior to blast cleaning and moulding, and this process ensures a good, long-term adhesion between rail and polymer. This also prevents ingress of water and so acts as an effective anti-corrosion coating. The coating can be inspected and tested to ensure high electrical insulation, and anti-skid finishes are incorporated into manufacture.

The “Series Six” polymer rail coating used by ALH was developed jointly with GrantRail Ltd. And Hyperlast Limited, the Birch Vale (UK) based specialist polyurethane systems company. Hyperlast branded polyurethanes have a global reputation for durability and efficiency whatever their application throughout the industrial and domestic world. Working in partnership with companies such as ALH, Hyperlast Limited designs and manufactures the polyurethane with the precise properties required to suit its working role.

Ref:1671
January 2005