UK: Network Rail has awarded Dutch company Lankhorst Rail a contract to assist with the development of the next generation of railway sleeper.
The infrastructure manager plans to use Lankhorst’s KLP composite sleepers manufactured from recycled plastic reinforced with steel to investigate the bending stiffness, flexibility and temperature resistance of different profiles.
This will include evaluating their ability to cope with extended periods of high temperatures during heatwaves.
‘We already offer a range of sleeper designs for specific applications that are optimised for bending stiffness and low thermal expansion’, said Aran van Belkom, Technical Director at Lankhorst Engineered Products, on October 4.
‘From an installation perspective, the KLP hybrid rail sleeper allows the rail to be attached to the sleeper itself, since a baseplate is incorporated into the moulded sleeper geometry, enabling a quicker track installation.’
KLP sleepers were first installed in the Netherlands in 2006, and are also approved by infrastructure managers in Germany, New Zealand, Australia, the UK and Malaysia.
