ROTTING SLEEPERS, MISSING FROG CLIPS,
LACK of MAINTENANCE and INVESTMENT
on the
DUNGENESS/APPLEDORE BRANCH LINE

contents
Why is the Railway FALLING APART       KENTISH EXPRESS   3 Sept '98
Overgrown line 'is still safe'         KENTISH EXPRESS    17 Sept '98

 

Special report by THE KENTISH EXPRESS     3 September 1998

EXCLUSIVE: At 1pm today a train carrying a cargo of high level nuclear waste will leave Dungeness on its way to Sellafield
and travel along this track.
So why is the railway ...
FALLING APART?

by John Rhynehart

THESE alarming pictures show the extent to which the railway line used by trains carrying nuclear waste from Dungeness to Sellafield has been allowed to deteriorate.
(click to enlarge)

 (NB original pics not available, these were taken in June 2002 by Shepway FoE - nothing has changed in 4 years!)

Rotten and broken sleepers, missing frog clips designed to hold the rails rigid and waist high weeds are features along the lines entire length from Dungeness to Appledore.

Both Railtrack and the power station say there is no cause for alarm and that the track is regularly inspected. It is, they say, safe.

A Railtrack spokesman told us: "If your tap is leaking, it doesn't mean your bathroom is about to collapse around you."

But environmental watchdogs have expressed alarm at our pictures.

Fred Ferebee, a member of the London Nuclear Trains Working Group, which monitors the movements of the coutry's nuclear trains, believes that the state of the track is a serious cause for concern.

"Railtrack should be forced to improve the maintenance of the track and investment should be a priority."

"The worst possible scenario would be an accident and this is much more likely if the track is not kept properly"

Kentish Express - Thursday September 17 1998


Michael Howard MP (Folkestone, Hythe & District)
inspects the tracks accompanied by Railtrack officials,
Councillor Fred Wood-Brignal
and former CouncillorJohn Paine.

by Jo Hernon  Kentish Express September 17 1998

Mr Howard walked along a section of the track at the Brookland crossing and commented on sleepers covered with ballast and weeds. He was assured by Railtrack that the line was safe.

Railtrack's Jon Jarrett said because the track was only used once a week half of the sleepers were allowed to be ineffective. Railtrack admitted it knew on a typical 60 foot section, with 24 sleepers, that all would not be in perfect working order.

Mr Jarrett said that Railtrack only had to inspect a track that is used once a week on a monthly basis, but because of the nature of the goods carried on the Dungeness to Appledore line the track was checked every other Wednesday. Railtrack blamed weak weedkiller for sections of the track being overgrown.

Mr Howard asked why one particular sleeper was completely covered by vegetation and why this had not been picked up by Railtrack inspectors.

Mr Jarrett said: "The fact that it is covered by vegetation doesn't affect the sleeper. It only affects the ability to inspect it, but it should have been cleared by our inspector."

So that's OK then!!   (Our comment)