The Anonymous Widower

Sekisui’s FFU: Newark Flat Crossing Four Years On

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail Engineer.

These two paragraphs introduce the article.

Sekisui manufactures synthetic wood baulks made from Fibre-reinforced Foamed Urethane (FFU). Network Rail engineers installed the first FFU baulks and sleepers as replacements for traditional hardwood on military canal bridges in Kent during 2014. The FFU product was first introduced on Japanese Railways in 1980 and early installations are still performing to specification. FFU is now widely used on railway infrastructure in 33 countries to support track on bridges, decking for level crossings, plain line sleepers, and switch and crossing (S&C) bearers.

Newark flat crossing is an example of a unique and large application of FFU technology on Network Rail infrastructure which required the development of the long FFU synthetic bearers forming a lattice track support 16 by 16 metres. Sekisui holds full Network Rail Product Acceptance Certification PA05/07176 for this project which became operational following complete track renewal in August 2019. The FFU was used to replace the traditional hardwood to support the track.

The article  is a fascinating insight into the use of FFU.

Fabricated To Requirement

The article describes how the FFU technology was fabricated to create a replacement for all the timber in a factory in Nottingham.

This paragraph describes the advantages of FFU.

Key benefits over hardwood include longevity with over 50 years’ service life. FFU is form retentive, not prone to splitting or absorption of water, and does not rot or deteriorate in sunlight so it contributes significantly to ‘whole life cycle cost reduction’ by reducing track maintenance and renewal interventions. The product does not require maintenance inspectors to complete micro-drilling during service life and is fully recyclable.

This paragraph details a problem, that Network Rail were having with the maintenance.

Prior to the 2019 renewal, the supporting lattice that holds the cast crossings into position was made up from hardwood and typically required replacement every 15 years. The last renewal occurred in 2003. Network Rail found that procuring suitable hardwood timbers of 16 metres for a further renewal proved problematic.

This reminds me of the problems, Brunel’s successors had with his timber viaducts. They just couldn’t get the quality of timber he had been able to source.

It appears from the two pictures in the article, that FFU can be worked like hardwood.

Maintenance Comparison After Four Years

This paragraph introduces this section.

Over four years after the renewal of Newark Flat Crossing utilising FFU, Network Rail Track Maintenance Engineers (TME) in Doncaster report significant reduction in maintenance requirements.

These paragraphs compare four years of use of both systems.

2003-2007 hardwood timber renewal – track geometry deterioration, ride quality issues, splitting of timbers, failure of screws, several rail management interventions to cast crossings, including cracking of castings leading to early replacement of ironwork.

2019-2023 FFU renewal – stable track geometry with no ride quality issues reported, no screw failures, no deterioration in the FFU material, reduced rail management intervention and no cracking or premature replacement of cast crossings.It looks to me, that the FFU is a long-term cost saver.

This paragraph indicates the maintenance savings.

In terms of rail management, since the introduction of FFU, Network Rail’s TMEs have reduced the cyclical inspection and maintenance requirements from four-weekly to eight-weekly. There is now only minimal crossing nose profile grinding required and two small casting weld repairs have been done to date.

That looks like a fifty percent saving.

Other Uses Of FFU

In my 76 years, I’ve came across various uses of large timbers.

• At ICI in the late 1960s, some of the plants, I visited at Winnington, had been built from massive oak beams in the early 19th Century.
• With one plant, that ICI demolished, the oak beams were sold for a surprising amount of money.
• I’ve lived in two early 19th Century houses, that were built with oak beams.
• An architect designed a replacement barn for me, that was made of large timbers. Sadly, the new owners of the house demolished it and I don’t have any pictures.

For these reasons, I’m certain, that architects, builders and restorers can find all sorts of uses for FFU.

This is the product page.

Conclusion

This looks like a success story and the Rail Engineer article should be read in full.

It might give you very good ideas.

April 23, 2024 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | East Coast Main Line, ICI, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Network Rail, Newark Crossing, Sekisui, Wood