Aarsleff's rail rig deal

by Colin Sowman



Aarsleff Piling is close to final approval on a rail-mounted piling rig. When used in Poland the purpose designed and built rig was driving in up to 48 piles in a six-hour shift against three to four per shift using traditional methods.

The rig is capable of driving steel tubes, H section or pre-cast concrete piles up to 2.8t in weight and 6m in length (unjointed) at a distance between 2m and 4.25m from the centre of the rails. It is built for the W6A rail gauge and can be hauled by a locomotive at up to 60mph outside possessions and can propel itself (using a 131kW Deutz engine) at 7.5mph on runs between sidings and work sites.

Once at the work site the unit puts down outriggers to prevent any damage to the track and the rigging procedure keeps the mast below any overhead lines until it is deployed to the side of the track. To cope with varying geological conditions, a rotary head and auger can be fitted in place of the piling hammer.

Aarsleff Piling managing director Terry Bolsher said initially he will be looking to hire out the unit to companies like Balfour Beatty that are working for Railtrack on projects like the electrification of the East Coast line. Thereafter the company would like to become a subcontractor in its own right.

Reader enquiry no: 100