First ever use of plastic sleepers by Network Rail
NETWORK Rail has made its first ever use of recycled plastic railway sleepers after they were installed on the weight-restricted Sherrington Viaduct between Salisbury and Warminster.
From July 31, creosotetreated softwood sleepers are banned and the alternative is hardwood sleepers from Brazil, which is unsustainable.
For the location chosen, concrete sleepers were deemed too heavy.
The plastic sleepers are made of old bottles, food packaging and other unwanted plastics and manufactured by Sicut
Ltd, but will have a longer service life with reduced maintenance.
They are also resistant to oil, chemicals and fungi, and can be recycled again when replaced.
While the use is a first on the national network, the Ffestiniog Railway first made use of plastic sleepers from 2014 during relaying on
The Cob, becoming the first statutory railway company in Europe to use composite sleepers.