HC Deb 22 November 2000 vol 357 cc182-3W
Mr. Paice

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the suppliers of new rail sections to Railtrack and the country of origin for each of the last five years, including the specification required concerning(a) tempering, (b) surface hardening and (c) manufacturing method. [139170]

Mr. Hill

Railtrack have advised that the former British Steel, now Corns Rail, and Voest Alpine Schienen of Austria had been their sole suppliers until new contracts were awarded in May of this year to Corns Rail, Voest Alpine Schienen and Lucchini SpA of Italy.

The current specifications relating to the tempering, surface hardening and manufacture of the rails are included in section RT/CE/S/061 of the Railtrack Line Standards Issue 23 of October 2000. Issue 23 is available on CD Rom and Railtrack have arranged for a copy to be placed in the House of Commons Library.

The proportion of rails subject to particular manufacturing treatments such as tempering and surface hardening continues to depend on the use to which the rails are to be put, since manufacturing specifications vary according to intended traffic loading, line speeds and the geometry of the track.

Mr. Paice

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library the records from Railtrack regarding the dates on which cracks occurred after the fitting of new rail. [139171]

Mr. Hill

Railtrack have advised that it has checked 3,000 sites for gauge corner cracking. The detection and removal of affected rails is a continuous process and the information is not available in the form requested.

Mr. Paice

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library the Inspection Schedule used by Railtrack to assess track conditions. [139172]

Mr. Hill

Railtrack have advised that the Inspection Schedule it uses to assess the condition of the track is included in their Railway Group Standards Issue 5, dated October 2000, section GC/RT5022 on inspection of rail and rail joints.

The Railway Group Standard is available on CD Rom and Railtrack have arranged for a copy to be placed in the House Library.