Author's collection
Author's collection
| During the summer of 2003 a new type of high
speed infrastructure measuring machine was tested by Serco on behalf of Network Rail. This was the
UFM160 2 car DMU built by Plasser & Theurer in Austria which was to be operated by Eurailscout - a subsidiary of Carillion Rail.
The unit is capable of measuring such parameters as rail head profile (top and side), track geometry (gauge, top, alignment, cant and twist) and OHLE condition (height and stagger) the latter via an instrumented Brecknell Willis highspeed pantograph. For more information about the machine look here. The on board systems can provide location using GPS and the video systems can record track condition at high speed to identify rail surface flaws, missing clips, fishplates or bolts etc Serco Railtest carried out all the statutory acceptance tests on the machine which is basically a self-propelled diesel multiple unit and is capable of 100 mile/h. Here are a few pictures of the machine under test. |
Click on the image for the bigger picture - Photos are the author's unless otherwise credited.
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The machine is pictured in the
workshop at Derby undergoing bogie rotational tests Author's collection |
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The UFM160 unit stands in the Down side loop at Carnforth after a run from Derby in the summer of 2003 |
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Inside the cab showing the 100
mile/h maximum speed instruction Author's collection |
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Another picture of the impressive UFM160 at Carnforth |
More pictures will be added