A high-performance track innovation from Tata Steel’s Long Products Europe business’ (soon to be British Steel's) Rail team has scooped the award for Most Interesting New Product at the Rail Exec Gala.
Tata Steel produced HP335 - a high-performance rail steel - to combat the issue of cracking caused by rail traffic, known as Rolling Contact Fatigue, which is both costly and time consuming in an industry that has a drive towards lower costs and shorter maintenance windows.
More than 600 kilometres of the new rail has been installed around the country to date.
Daniel Pyke, Tata Steel’s Rail Product Marketing Manager, said: “The UK rail industry had a real problem with rolling contact fatigue… We responded by developing a rail that is more resistant to that, increasing the rail life, improving the safety and reducing the maintenance. So everybody wins.”
The Rail Exec Gala networking dinner, featuring the Most Interesting Awards, is organised by Rail Media. The annual event, which was this year held at The Roundhouse in Derby on November 19, recognises projects and initiatives from the previous 12 months that have sparked the collective imagination of the industry.
Entries were chosen by the editorial teams at RailStaff and Rail Engineer and then judged by a panel of industry experts*.
The Rail Exec Gala was sponsored by Ford & Stanley, J. Murphy & Sons, Rhomberg Sersa and Taylor Construction Plant (TCP).
Lianne O’Connor, director, Rail Media, said: “It’s been such a busy year for the industry.
“Yet again, we’ve been amazed by the number of fantastic projects that have been delivered over the past 12 months, and it’s a real honour for us to be able to heap recognition on the individuals and companies that have contributed to them.
“Well done to all the finalists. You keep the railway moving and make the industry a more exciting, rewarding place to work.”