Fish Plates
The steel rail expands and contracts due to variations in temperatures; the rail reaches a critical temperature before expansion occurs. To accommodate for this, a 6 mm gap is left between the two rail ends.
Joints become stiff due to corrosion, old grease, or over-tightened bolts. If the joint is stuck or too stiff, the track gauge will naturally widen. Recent independent laboratory testing undertaken by our rail clients has shown that their traditional greasing practices can in fact cause joints to become much stiffer than they had originally thought!
Interflon Lube EP has revolutionised the lubrication and performance of fishplates and breathers, as it is able to penetrate the joints without the need to dismantle them. For some routes this means months of maintenance time are saved. Once the Interflon Lube EP has penetrated, it provides a long-lasting low-friction coating, improving the joint performance and reducing the friction by as much as 91 percent, it is much safer and offers a 95% time saving compared to conventional treatments.
Good railway maintenance engineers generally plan 2 seasons ahead. This allows time to form your plans, agree the access, order the plant and materials, schedule the resources, etc.
