BRITISH Steel has announced what it says is its largest ever order for sleepers, which will see it supply 244,000 steel sleepers to Guinea Bauxite (CBG).
In order increase export capacity, CBG is upgrading its 135km railway that connects the bauxite mine at Sangarédi with the processing plant at Kamsar on the coast of Guinea.
Deliveries from British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant are due to take place over the coming 12 months, comprising 20,000 tonnes of sleepers to the 436 profile.
Its partners in the project are Trackwork, which processes rolled sleepers into their finished form, and Pandrol which is supplying the rail fastenings.
Pandrol has worked with British Steel to design a bespoke cast steel shoulder for the sleeper, which when combined with Pandrol’s E-Clip fastening should make the installed track less susceptible to vandalism.
British Steel says that steel sleepers are stronger and more durable than the wooden sleepers that have been traditionally used on the railways of Africa, providing a more durable, low-carbon and more cost-effective solution for infrastructure managers.
Unlike concrete sleepers, steel sleepers are 100% recyclable. Due to their lower weight and greater ease of stacking, road vehicles can carry three times more steel sleepers than concrete sleepers, lowering transport costs.
“Our steel sleepers provide the perfect technical solution to the challenges facing rail operators in this region,” says Mr Jérôme Bonef, export sales manager, rail, at British Steel.
“We have long-term partnerships with Trackwork and Pandrol. Together we’re able to provide a complete global supply chain solution involving processed steel sleepers and rail fastenings. This enables us to meet all heavy haul technical requirements and deliver a cost-effective and timely solution to our customer.”
