GLC take the trains raste strain
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A NEW FULLY mechanised solid waste road-to-rail transfer station became fully operational this week.
Believed to be the first purpose-built installation of the kind in Europe the £5.1 million station at Brentford represents a major landmark in the Greater London Council's policy for coping with the growing problem of the capital's solid waste disposal.
The Brentford scheme has been designed for a throughput of 800 tonnes per day and the use of rail to carry containerised refuse to landfill sites in Oxfordshire fits in with the council's environmental strategy.
Each of the special nightly British Rail "wasteliner" trains from ' Brentford to the Amey Roadstone Corporation's terminal at Appleford is claimed to save up to 75 heavy vehicle trips. The system processes, by compaction, refuse from four West London boroughs. Solid waste is .fed into specifically designed steel containers — to a GLC pattern and supplied by T. T. Boughton (Fabrication) Ltd — which are then moved on skeletal semi-trailers to the BR siding within the depot.
Loading of the containers, which conform to ISO dimensions 20ft x 8ft x 8ft, is effected by Lancer Boss container lift trucks with a capa city of 23 tonnes. Each 20-wagon train can carry 60 containers. The containers have special dual rear doors to allow discharge by tipping.
Main feature of the new Bentford transfer terminal — which will also accept solid waste from trade sources — is the hopper discharge building with multi-lane ramp access controlled by signal indicators to the totally enclosed tipping apron.
Mobile equipment comprises twelve step-frame tankm-axle semi-trailers built by Redment Engineering Ltd.
The semis have fixed landmg legs. Each of the three Leyland Buffalo shunters in ase at Brentford has hydrauli:ally-elevating fifth-wheels to affect the necessary ground clearance over the 150 metre movement to the train siding.
One of the semi-trailers is fitted with hydraulic tipping gear powered by a donkey engine to discharge a container in the event of fire or overloading.
Weighing
The tractor units are intended solely for operation within the Brentford depot and are unregistered. Fifth wheel couplings have an airactuated release controlled from the cab.
A well-equipped vehicle workshop with two inspection pits and welding and fitting bays is accommodated at ground level under the approach ramp.
Weighbridge equipment consists of two 14m x 3m reinforced concrete platforms on steel beams, each having a weighing capacity of 40 tonnes and fitted with load cells for digital displays in the control room. Integral with the "out" weighbridge is an axle weighing facility with a capacity of 15 tonnes.
Train movements are arranged to take place at night and access is off the eastbound carriageway of the Great West Road (A4).