Yeah if RAIB link both to track defects and heat we will see a lot more pre-emptive line closures and severe line speed restrictions next summer. And something that is really challenging/expensive to solve in the long term. I guess Australia, Spain and other countries with high summer heat have a different formulation of steel/track construction.
Some of issues are grades of steel used for rail manufacture.
Much of it is tied into ride comfort.
Here rails are welded together. The only point for expansion is at points and junctions.
Rail lengths are NOT welded in Straya. The gaps allow for expansion. The downside is, the ride is rougher (but suspensions more responsive).
Trains also move slower in longer outback routes.
Yeah I guessed that was the case in Straya. But Spain has a high speed train network, although have also had some terrible derailments. We will have to await the interim and final reports although don’t be surprised if we have. further heatwave this summer Network rail close some lines and have significant speed restriction. Not sure they can be seen to wait.
ISTR they are in something like 600’ lengths. There are shallow angled cuts where each length meets the next which gives room for some expansion and gets away from the repeating ‘clicketty clack’ of bolted butt joins with a small gap for expansion.
There must be an upper temp limit where the long rails have expanded too far for the interface to keep working I suppose - @Mrs_Maureen_OPinion - any corrections / additions?
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The track was closed 24 hours before the derailment to check for a track fault for the heat. So bet that’s related
Not really. It’s mostly brute force and calculated pre-stressing - which given that on ~30C days, rails in the sun can hit the 50Cs range is remarkable. But obviously they can and do both buckle and break.
One thing I didn’t know is that they can paint the rails white to reduce absorption - never actually seen it and guess it’s prolly just high speed lines.
While places like 'Straya get hotter, it doesn’t get as cold, even in the mountains, as it does here, so I don’t think there’s quite the range of temperatures to deal with.
Here I wonder what the absolute tolerances can be, and if new techniques will be needed now temp ranges seem to be increasing?
CWR is still safer than 60’ - the number of rail failures, and the sheer number of failure modes was significantly higher.
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Just used AI to see how spain does it… it ain’t cheap that’s for sure. Pre compression to suit their temps, a particular ballast and deep concrete sleepers to manage lateral movement, an active rail monitoring system, painted rails etc etc. All welded construction.
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Akchurly, Straya held a round of the World Downhill Skiing Championship a few years ago.
The Australian Alps (Mt Hotham, Falls Creek, Jindabyne, Bright, Mt Buller) gets excellent, deep snow.
Granted, there are no railway lines.
Also, we have the oldest rail infrastructure in the world still extant, probably cause we bombed most if it out of existence during WW2, at least in Europe anyway and everyone else has more modern stuff.
We also do all of those, too, albeit not everywhere, as (likely) evidenced by recent events. 
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I noticed a lot of white paint used around East Croydon a while ago; that area is in full sun. 
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Report this morning discussing drying of the subsoil clay underpinning everything else.
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LMS/BR Ivatt Class 2
Black 5
Class 6P Orion
9f 2-5-0 Evening Star.
Having got these out for the first time in years, I’m seriously thinking about dumping a load of time and some money into building a new end to end layout, (its been a long time since I last dabelled at this.)
I’ve probably got 400cm x 40cm to work with, not ideal for big engines which means I’ll need to buy a Class 08 shunter - always wanted one. Thinking early 60’s era industrial theme.
Maybe, we’ll see.
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The Black 5 looks impressive. What is the purple one; ooh err missus ?
Maybe build a small(ish) Motive Power Depot - class 08s & 09s were widely used in suchlike, and then you have an excuse to have a bunch of steam era stuff in one place.
Altho’ there are probably places closer to your heart, all the loco classes you’ve posted apart from the ‘Jubilee’ visited Bournemouth shed at some point, and BOMO was famed for having a lot of kit crammed into a very small space:
Bournemouth - Central MPD & Station 1928 - 1967 - from Pryer & Paul ‘Track Layout Diagrams of the SR & BR(SR), S1’ 1980
34023 & chums 1967 -
Spot the Class 03 diesel shunter - useful overview -
Ivatt Class 2 yard pilot -
I’d give my right nut to be able to time travel back to the mid-60s - and not just for the choochoos! 
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It is an English Electric / BR Class 37, built in the 60s, passed to ESW and repainted when BR broke up, it was subsequently left to rot from the mid 00s
However it would seem the Weardale Railway are having a crack at restoring it, found a video of it starting (here)
Its very out of place in my small collection, I don’t care because it was gratis and I like it 
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Yes, a 60s theme will work for diesel shunters coexisiting with steam reasons. Given the space available I’m thinking shunting area for complexity. I could possibly have an elevated track at the back to run the big engines, they’re not going enjoy a network of points.
If I didn’t have all the steam locos I’d perhaps look to part of Bescot Yard for inspiration (I was fascinated with it as kid in the 80s), more Class 08 / 09 than you could ever want and an excuse to buy a Class 20 Chopper + more big diesels.
That said Bournmouth is actually a very good shout given my collection and space.
I’ve downloaded AnyRail which is excellent software (free to use for designs with <50 peices of track) looking at how best to maximise the space, also have Peco track plan guides to refer to. I’m in no rush and it may never happen, because I can gaurantee this will be another passing fad.
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I know that feel.
Joining the model club was a good move for me in terms of parasocialisation (i.e. I do enjoy the illusion that becoming part of a gathering of intensely autistic people offers any real social reciprocity), but a bad move in terms of getting a layout built, as rebuilding stuff down the club completely scratches the itch to the point I have some constituents of two different layouts at two different scales lying about the place waiting for me to do something… At this point it’s a guilt-management project
Had a quick look at Bescot - it shistory does just straddle the transitional era, so no reason you can’t ‘Rule 1’ the shit out of it. All models are compromises / all layouts are just one Euromillions win away from becoming reality
I must have a look at AnyRail - I’ve tinkered a bit with SCARM, and it’s pretty good, but find its limitations frustrating (and my own, even more so).
Some gratuitous pics from the O-gauge layout I’ve been refurbishing at the club:
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I guess the 73’s managed to get up to Scotland 50 years earlier than originally thought.
I can see myself getting involved in a club when I retire soon, although The Model Rail Club just off Pentonville Road is perhaps a bit too adventurous for me.
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