Sleepers are 8ft 6in (2.59m) long, 10 inches (254mm) wide and 5 inches (127mm) deep. The two sleepers adjacent to a joint may be 12 inches (305mm) wide where the formation is soft or the traffic is heavy and fast. Sleepers are mostly spaced 2ft 7in (0.79m) apart (centre-to-centre) but are closer adjacent to fishplated rail joints where the spacing sequences are as follows with the spacing at the fishplate highlighted. Lancaster, Patricia J. (2001). Construction in Cities: Social, Environmental, Political, and Economic Concerns. CRC Press. ISBN 0-8493-7486-3. Edit, do the blades naturally want to spring in so the stretcher stretches them apart to the right distance? Grant, H. Roger (2005). The Railroad: The Life Story of a Technology. Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-33079-4. Most European railways also now use concrete bearers in switches and crossing layouts due to the longer life and lower cost of concrete bearers compared to timber, which is increasingly difficult and expensive to source in sufficient quantities and quality.

Bristol Temple Meads to Severn Beach, Filton Abbey Wood, Patchway, Bristol Parkway and Yate (stopping services) (PDF, 1 MB) They are gauge-convertible by cutting and welding the steel bar to the dimension that suits the new gauge.

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Severn Beach and Avonmouth to Bristol Temple Meads and Weston-super-Mare (The Severn Beach line) (PDF, 248 KB)

Bristol Temple Meads to Severn Beach, Filton Abbey Wood, Patchway, Bristol Parkway and Yate (stopping services) (PDF, 452 KB) We include services from other train companies where they cover part or all of our route, except where shown, and in all cases, timetable information is available in both directions. The manufacturing processes employed in the production of railroad ties also have a significant influence on their dimensions. Different techniques and machinery can result in variations in size and shape. Reading and Didcot Parkway to Oxford and Banbury (stopping services) (The Oxford Canal line) (PDF, 419 KB)

Aside from the environmental benefits of using recycled material, plastic ties usually replace timber ties soaked in creosote, the latter being a toxic chemical, [14] and are theoretically recyclable. [11] However, plastics may shed microplastics and leach other possibly toxic chemicals such as ultraviolet inhibitors. The stretcher bars (In this case of flat construction) link the two turnout blades together so that they can operated as a pair. On the nearest stretcher bar on the right hand end you can see the connection hole to connect the blades to the operating mechanism. London and Oxford to Worcester, Great Malvern and Hereford (The Cotswolds and Malverns line) (PDF, 308 KB)

Moisture content is another significant factor that affects railroad tie dimensions. Wood is a hygroscopic material, meaning it absorbs or releases moisture from its surroundings, leading to swelling or shrinking effects. Our timetables are split into four broad areas, beginning with either a B, D, K or T. Our CL timetable shows all of our trains to and from South Wales. Severn Beach and Avonmouth to Bristol Temple Meads and Weston-super-Mare (The Severn Beach line) (PDF, 449 KB) A recent example of using bow tie analysis as part of a Taking Safe Decisionsprocess was a cross-industry investigation of concerns over freight derailment. The development of the bow tie brought together several disciplines, and representatives of different stakeholder companies. The freight derailment bow tie model supports the activities to manage freight risk under the rail industry’s health and safety strategy Leading Health and Safety on Britain's Railway.When it comes to railroad ties, or sleepers as they are also known, there are certain standard dimensions that are followed for consistency and compatibility within the railway industry. These dimensions include the length, width, and height of the ties. Let’s take a closer look at each of these dimensions and their significance. Length The London, Midland and Scottish Railway specified 18 sleepers per 45-foot (13.72m) rail and 24 sleepers per 60-foot (18.29m) rail, [4] both of which correspond to 2,112 sleepers per mile. One common manufacturing process for railroad ties is sawing. This involves cutting the logs into the desired dimensions using large saw blades. The dimensions can be customized according to specific requirements, such as length, width, and height. Historically, steel ties have suffered from poor design and increased traffic loads over their normally long service life. These aged and often obsolete designs limited load and speed capacity but can still be found in many locations globally and performing adequately despite decades of service. There are great numbers of steel ties with over 50 years of service and in some cases they can and have been rehabilitated and continue to perform well. Steel ties were also used in specialty situations, such as the Hejaz Railway in the Arabian Peninsula where the dry, hot climate made wood ties unsatisfactory. [9]