Tamping Machines
For the track to work properly, the sleepers need to sit firmly in the ballast. When track has been heavily used or has been re-layed, we need to remove all the voids & gaps in the ballast so that the sleepers do not bounce up & down as the trains pass over the rails. Tamping also puts the track in the correct position. This allows trains to run over the rails smoothly which reduces noise & vibration.
To do this, we use tamping machines. They are about the size of a normal engine and sit on the tracks. They use hydraulic “fingers” to vibrate the ballast which removes all the voids & gaps and enables the rails to be pressed down.
Unfortunately, tamping machines are very noisy. Not only does the tamping process itself produce noise, there is also the noise of the tamping machine and the track alarms that give safety warnings to workers. Sometimes, we need to use two or more tampers or other equipment as well.
The noise levels vary depending on the circumstances. Open countryside allows noise to travel further than hills. Frost makes the ground hard which means that noise cannot dissipate into the ground. Fog means that noise cannot dissipate into the sky.
Tamping machines travel about one mile on a job. This means that, on average, they pass by the homes & business of thousands people. Most tamping jobs have to be done at night so that they do not disrupt train services. Usually, this affects our neighbours for one or two nights.
We are not able to give advance notice to the people who will be affected by tamping machines. This is because it is part of our regular maintenance work which takes place every day & night of the year. This makes it impractical to give advance notice to all the people affected by every job.
National Helpline 08457 11 41 41
Noise
The railway can be noisy – but we try to minimise the impact of noise on our neighbours.
The passenger trains, freight trains, train horns, track alarms & level crossing produce noise as part of the day-to-day running of the railway. Engineering & maintenance work can also be noisy but only last for short periods of time.
What we do if someone tells us about a noise problem on the railway
If you call the National Helpline about noise caused by Network Rail, such as noise from engineering & maintenance work, then the Community Relations Team will explain the reason for the noise. If appropriate, we will investigate the problem and take appropriate action.
If you call the National Helpline about noise from other sources, such as trains, train horns, track alarms & level crossing, we can only provide you with advice and refer you to the Train Operating Companies or local authorities.
If you would like more information about noise or want advice about a noise problem, please contact the Environment Team at your local authority.
Engineering & maintenance work by Network Rail
Engineering & maintenance work can be noisy but they only last for a short period of time. Network Rail uses a range of measures to minimise noise including:
- Rrequiring our employees & contractors to behave considerately towards people who live & work near the railway
- Including noise reduction measures in the planning of engineering & maintenance work
- Using silenced equipment where possible.
We have to do most of our maintenance & engineering work on the tracks at nights & week-ends so that we can keep the trains running. In fact, we are required by law to undertake engineering work when the railway line is closed to rail traffic.
If we are working in an area for awhile, we try to let our neighbours know through letter drops. We will also contact the appropriate local authority informally and sometimes submit a formal activity & noise application to obtain consent.
Track alarms
Track alarms are needed to keep people safe on the railway. If a track alarm has been sounding for a long time, please call the National Helpline on 08457 11 41 41.
Level crossings
Road vehicles driving across level crossings produce most of the noise from level crossings. Sometimes, we are able to reduce the amount of noise by making the level crossing smoother but we are not able to eliminate it altogether.
Passenger and freight trains
Passenger & freight trains are run by the train operating companies. If noise from trains is causing you problems, please contact your Train Operating Company.
Train horns
Train horns are used to provide safety warnings to people who are on or near the tracks so that they know a train is approaching and can get to a safe place. The standards for train horns are set by the Rail Safety & Standards Board (RSSB) and approved by Network Rail & the train operating companies.
The RSSB recently reviewed all the standards for train horns. They worked with noise experts and railway managers and used research on noise levels so that they could work out the lowest noise levels that would still be loud enough to provide safety warnings to people on the railway. As a result, the RSSB lowered the minimum level for the train horns and reduced the number of circumstances in which train drivers are required to sound the horns. In other words, train horns can now be quieter and used less often.
It is the train operating companies who run the trains (not Network Rail) and the RSSB has told all of them about the changes to the train horn standards. Already, some have modified their train horns or even installed new horns. If you want more information about train horns, please contact your Train Operating Company.
Whistle boards
Whistle boards are a safety device for footpath crossings on the railway where it is not possible for pedestrians to see approaching trains for the amount of time it takes to cross the railway. When the train passes a board, the driver is required to sound the train horn so that anybody using or about to use the footpath crossing knows that a train is coming.
People use footpath crossings at all times of day & night so it is important that the train drivers sound their horns every time they pass the whistle boards.
Network Rail establishes the requirement for whistle boards at footpath crossings by applying the Principles & Guidance provided by the Health & Safety Executive. Network Rail seeks to reduce the requirement for whistle boards in varying ways - extensive vegetation clearance or seeking the closure or diversion of the footpath away from the railway with the assistance of the local authority. We have discussed ways of reducing the need for horns at footpath crossings, for example, where several crossings are located close together.
Vibrations from trains
Vibrations from trains are very unlikely to cause structural damage to houses & buildings near the railway. However, Network Rail will investigate all cases when they receive a report from an independent surveyor.
More information
You can find more information about employee & contractor behaviour, engineering work and major projects on this website.
What to do if you have a problem caused by the railway or have more questions
If you have a problem caused by noise or any other part of the railway or if you simply want more information, please contact the National Helpline on 08457 11 41 41.