Abstract: A method of adjusting the geometry of a stretch of a railway track uses a track maintenance machine which runs on the track and which has at least one measuring reference system (13) guided by feelers (10,12) on the track and sensors (14,15) for determining the position of the track relative to the measuring reference system (13) and which also has track correcting tools (16). The method comprises performing a preliminary measuring run to acquire a series of track measurements at spaced points along the track by the sensor (14). A design profile is then determined from these measurements and correction values prescribed necessary to achieve the design profile. Then a maintenance run is performed during which the track correcting tools are controlled in accordance with the prescribed correction values whereby to adjust the track geometry.

Abstract: A brake having a brake element, such as a brake pad for engagement with the flat surface of a disc or like moving element of a brake system, has a relatively soft layer (4) of elastomeric material interposed between a layer of friction material (3) of the pad lining (1), and the backing plate (2) to which the lining (1) is secured. The elastomeric material is required to have a Rockwell value greater than 0.30 millimetre penetration. The elastomeric material may have a Rockwell value of a depth of penetration at least twice that of the friction material. Hot-spotting and thermal damage to the moving element are thus reduced, and so is wear of the lining (1) itself.

Abstract: A railway signalling system for the detection of a train within a defined section of track by means of track circuit apparatus utilizes the rails within the section as part of the track circuit. The rails are electrically shunted by the wheels and axles of a railway vehicle of the train in the section. The presence of a train is detected by detecting the change in the shunt impedance between the rails of the track circuit when a train enters the section. To improve the reliability of the track circuit a shunt assist circuit is provided. This shunt assist circuit comprises an inductive loop aerial provided on the railway vehicle so that it is closely coupled, inductively, with the rails, whereby when the loop aerial is energized from an alternating source, a current is induced in the wheel-rail-axle circuit.

Abstract: A transponder circuit comprises a loop (4) for inductively coupling with an interrogator (2) to transmit a binary coded message to the interrogator (2); the loop (4) forms part of a tuned circuit which is tuned to a first resonant frequency Fc and which is detunable, by an associated modulator, to a second lower frequency Fc/2 whereby a binary code can be created utilizing the two frequencies; and advantageously, a binary "1" and a binary "0" each comprise two cycles of Fc and one cycle of Fc/2 with a binary "0" having the reverse sequence of the frequencies to a binary "1".

Abstract: A rail which has secured to it a composite body for absorbing vibrational energy whereby to reduce noise generated by vehicular traffic on the rail. The composite body comprises a visco-elastic damping medium 5 bonded to, and sandwiched between, both the rail and a constraining member, e.g. a steel strip 6, substantially stiffer in tension than the damping medium.

Abstract: A communication system for a railway train has a proving circuit for proving conditions of the railway track ahead of the train. The proving circuit comprises a transponder associated with at least one rail of the track to form a rail circuit therewith. The response of the transponder to an interrogater on the train is dependent upon the condition of the rail circuit.

Abstract: An improved control system is described for controlling the passage of a vehicle between certain control points, the control is achieved by passing electronic tokens, which permit movement of the vehicle past a control point, between a signal box and the vehicle via a first data communications channel which is security interlocked by solid state interlocking in the data channel. A communications processor is included in the interlocking and forms part of the vital safety system of the interlocking. The improvement comprises the provision of a second data communications channel between the signal box and train, this second channel interfacing with the solid state interlocking. At the signal box a keyboard may be provided for feeding data to the interlocking and the second communications channel may communicate with the vital part of the solid state interlocking via a similar route to the keyboard.

Abstract: A swing link suspension of a four-wheeled rail vehicle has respective pivotal mountings for permitting relative lateral and longitudinal movements of the wheelsets and vehicle body. Those pivotal mountings permitting longitudinal movement are provided with separately formed linings of a material providing a controlled frictional restraint to the longitudinal movement. Longitudinally extending traction rods incorporating resilience in their lengths are connected between the wheelsets and the vehicle body to provide a resilient yaw restraint on the wheelsets.

Abstract: The control system is of the kind in which vehicle passage is controlled by a token, and is particularly suitable for single track railways.According to the invention, such a system is electronic, and a central control and each vehicle in use in the system is provided with electronic transmitting and receiving equipment, by which an exclusive electronic token, or the like, is transmitted between the control and a designated vehicle, the arrangement being such that, only if the electronic token is issued to a vehicle, by simultaneous operation by the controller and vehicle operator, will that vehicle be authorized to proceed, said electronic token being withdrawn by the central control once the restricted section to which it relates has been traversed by said vehicle.

Abstract: A measuring vehicle for roadways comprises a tow vehicle and an instrument carrying vehicle connected for movement to the tow vehicle. The connection between the two vehicles includes a periodically operative lost motion arrangement so that as the tow vehicle moves continuously along the roadway, the instrument carrying vehicle automatically remains stationary periodically.The connection between the tow vehicle and the instrument carrying vehicle advantageously comprises a connecting rod connected at one end to the instrument carrying vehicle and at its other end to an endless belt or chain revolving on guide means such as rollers or sprockets whose rotational speed is proportional to the speed of the tow vehicle.

Abstract: A method of re-levelling railway track of the kind having rails fastened to sleepers supported on a ballast bed is disclosed. The method comprises lifting the sleepers off the ballast bed and pneumatically placing ballast stones by an air stream in the gap formed between the underside of a lifted sleeper and the underlying ballast bed using a tool which is driven into the ballast bed adjacent a side face of the sleeper to a depth such that an outlet for the ballast stones propelled by the air stream is provided at the level of the gap. The tool used comprises a spade-like member having a channel along which the air stream and the ballast stones are fed into the gap, the member being disposed so that its channel extends generally downwardly with its mouth facing the sleeper side face and the length of the channel being greater than the depth of the channel.

Abstract: A motorized vehicle truck having a pair of wheel sets each with a live axle and a motor mounted on each axle with its axis parallel to the associated axle. Each motor is secured to prevent its rotation about the respective axle, but since this permits substantially unrestrained horizontal movement of the motors relative to the truck, braces are employed in the form of at least one link which is connected between the respective motor casings and pivotally, resiliently mounted for rotation about a vertical axis positioned between the motor casings. In this way, a stiffness is provided through the motor casing to restrain parallel shear movement of one wheel set horizontally relative to the other.

Abstract: Railway vehicle trucks having at least two wheel-sets, each with a live axle mounted in a respective pair of bearings, at least one axle bearing of one wheel-set being elastically interconnected with at least one axle bearing of the other wheelset through bracing structure providing bracing between the wheel-sets. Side frames are connected to respective axle boxes via a primary spring mounting and each side frame is of fabricated construction constituting a bridge member of I-section form which a sub-frame depends, the bridge member and sub-frame defining a space therebetween into which respective side flanges of a bolster project, each said side flange being supported by the respective sub-frame via a secondary spring mountings.

Abstract: A concrete slab structure for supporting railway track is itself resiliently supported on a base structure by a spring system comprising tubes secured against longitudinal movement in holes extending through the slab from its top surface to its bottom surface, springs each arranged in a respective one of the tubes and an adjustable spring abutment at the upper end of each of the tubes for pre-loading the springs against the base structure.

Abstract: A measuring system particularly for measuring the length of a moving vehicle comprises a pair of detector stations spaced a known distance apart along a path of vehicle movement each detector station comprising a vertically extending series of electromagnetic radiation beam-emitters disposed on one side of the path and at least one detector disposed on the other. The beams from the emitters are aimed at the detector so that each part of the vehicle when disposed between the emitters and detector will interrupt some of the beams to produce a characteristic quantity of incident electromagnetic radiation on the detector which will serve to identify that part of the vehicle. Data processing means are provided for processing the outputs from the detectors at the two stations to provide a velocity related vehicle measurements.

Abstract: A method of aluminothermic welding of members of austenitic steel containing by weight 10 to 20% manganese, 0.5 to 1.5% carbon and 0 to 5% nickel, and particularly low carbon austenitic steels containing by weight 14 to 17% manganese, 0.5 to 1.5% carbon and 0 to 5% nickel, comprises using a particulate mix for forming the aluminothermic steel, which mix is substantially free from phosphorus and silicon and a mould whose body material is predominantly a non-silicon material.

Abstract: An active suspension for a vehicle, in particular an active tilting suspension for a railway vehicle, has a first main control loop in which a deficiency signal indicative of the difference actuator response and demand is fed through a low-pass filter to control operation of the actuator. A second control loop derives a restraining signal from actuator operation and this restraining signal is fed through a high-pass filter, which is substantially complementary to the aforesaid low-pass filter, to provide a restraining control on the actuator.

Abstract: A railway vehicle or a truck thereof having at least three wheelsets, diagonal elastic bracing being provided between each pair of adjacent wheelsets and additional diagonal elastic bracing being provided between non-adjacent wheelsets.

Abstract: An alkali metal-sulphur cell comprising an outer tube, an inner tube forming the solid electrolyte of the cell and dividing the interior of the outer tube into anode and cathode compartments adjacent respective sides of the inner tube, and an alkali metal reservoir communicating with the anode compartment, has a gas space above the alkali metal in the reservoir, such that at the operating temperature of the cell the gas pressure in the reservoir will force alkali metal to flow from the reservoir into the anode compartment to maintain the operative surface area of the inner tube covered with liquid alkali metal during discharge of the cell. An advantageous method of forming such a cell entails evacuating the anode compartment when empty of alkali metal. A further advantageous method feature is to form the reservoir with the contained alkali metal and gas space as a sub-assembly.

Abstract: An alkali metal-sulphur cell has an outer tubular casing and an inner tubular solid electrolyte dividing the cell into anode and cathode compartments and whose interior provides one of such compartments. The outer tubular casing and the tubular solid electrolyte are spaced apart to define an annular space, which provides the other compartment of the cell.A primary porous coating is provided on at least one surface of the solid electrolyte and an outer layer is provided on the primary porous coating, the outer layer being more dense than the primary porous coating.