Glued ballast

[MaxB]

At Bat & Ball, and I assume elsewhere, there is a sign saying "Glued
Ballast Do not slue" (see Loading Image... for
rotten picture!).

Apart from the unusual (American?) spelling, can anyone explain what
this is about please?

MaxB

[Capt. Deltic]

Post by MaxB
At Bat & Ball, and I assume elsewhere, there is a sign saying "Glued
Ballast Do not slue" (seehttp://www.thebattens.me.uk/img_0044.jpgfor
rotten picture!).
Apart from the unusual (American?) spelling, can anyone explain what
this is about please?
MaxB

Where clearances are tight the ballast is 'glued' to stop the track
moving out of alignment.

[Arthur Figgis]

Post by Capt. Deltic

Post by MaxB
At Bat & Ball, and I assume elsewhere, there is a sign saying "Glued
Ballast Do not slue" (seehttp://www.thebattens.me.uk/img_0044.jpgfor
rotten picture!).
Apart from the unusual (American?) spelling, can anyone explain what
this is about please?
MaxB

Where clearances are tight the ballast is 'glued' to stop the track
moving out of alignment.

Do they add a drop of washing up liquid to the mix?

[The Good Doctor]

Post by MaxB
At Bat & Ball, and I assume elsewhere, there is a sign saying "Glued
Ballast Do not slue" (see http://www.thebattens.me.uk/img_0044.jpg for
rotten picture!).
Apart from the unusual (American?) spelling, can anyone explain what
this is about please?

It isn't an American spelling, it is just someone who cannot spell,
and who probably never even knew the correct spelling of "slew".

Too easy to spell it like "glue" because it rhymes with it!

Anyway, what it is, is a method of making ballast more stable by
(literally) adding some glue so the ballast acts more as a mass than a
large number of individual pieces. It is often done to prevent,
reduce or control movement at challenging locations such as sharp
curves. Without the glued ballast they would need more regular
maintenance to keep them in alignment.

[Paul Scott]

Post by The Good Doctor

Post by MaxB
At Bat & Ball, and I assume elsewhere, there is a sign saying "Glued
Ballast Do not slue" (see http://www.thebattens.me.uk/img_0044.jpg
for rotten picture!).
Apart from the unusual (American?) spelling, can anyone explain what
this is about please?

It isn't an American spelling, it is just someone who cannot spell,
and who probably never even knew the correct spelling of "slew".

Unusually though, for a straightforward case of poor spelling, it seems to
crop up as 'slue' more often than 'slew' in railway magazines for some
reason...

Paul

[Railsigns.co.uk]

Post by Paul Scott

Post by The Good Doctor

Post by MaxB
Apart from the unusual (American?) spelling, can anyone explain
what this is about please?

It isn't an American spelling, it is just someone who cannot spell,
and who probably never even knew the correct spelling of "slew".

Unusually though, for a straightforward case of poor spelling, it
seems to crop up as 'slue' more often than 'slew' in railway
magazines for some reason...

I believe either spelling is acceptable English, and "slue" certainly
seems to be the more common spelling in the railway context.

[Peter Masson]

Post by Paul Scott

Post by The Good Doctor
It isn't an American spelling, it is just someone who cannot spell,
and who probably never even knew the correct spelling of "slew".

Unusually though, for a straightforward case of poor spelling, it seems to
crop up as 'slue' more often than 'slew' in railway magazines for some
reason...

The Oxford Dictionary gives both as alternative correct spellings, although
preferring 'slew'.
http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/slew_1?view=uk

Peter

[The Good Doctor]

Post by Peter Masson

Post by Paul Scott

Post by The Good Doctor
It isn't an American spelling, it is just someone who cannot spell,
and who probably never even knew the correct spelling of "slew".

Unusually though, for a straightforward case of poor spelling, it seems to
crop up as 'slue' more often than 'slew' in railway magazines for some
reason...

The Oxford Dictionary gives both as alternative correct spellings, although
preferring 'slew'.
http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/slew_1?view=uk

Noted, thanks!

[exrailman]

Is the past tense 'slued' or 'slewed' or 'slude'

or even 'slewd'

if track is not correctly 'slewed', could it be that it is 'skewed'


maybe I should be 'skewered'?

ps: why do we not spell glue as 'glew'

[Stimpy]

Post by exrailman
ps: why do we not spell glue as 'glew'

Because glew is the past tense of glow? :-)

[Old Central]

Back to topic!

Yes, it is used to provide greater lateral restraint to the ballast,
particularly on sharper radii curves. This is more prevalent on a
modern railway as there are greater forces invoked in the track system
due to the use of continuously welded rail (CWR).

End plates on sleeper ends provide another method to increase the
surface area of the sleeper against the ballast and thereby mitigate
lateral forces, however they cannot be fitted to all sleepers.

Obviously tamping will break up the glue/ballast mix requiring it to
be re-done.

HTH

OC

[Peter Masson]

Post by Stimpy

Post by exrailman
ps: why do we not spell glue as 'glew'

Because glew is the past tense of glow? :-)

No. It's the GWR spelling of glow (cf shew and show). The past tense must be
glewn. ;-)

Peter

[Stimpy]

Post by Peter Masson

Post by Stimpy

Post by exrailman
ps: why do we not spell glue as 'glew'

Because glew is the past tense of glow? :-)

No. It's the GWR spelling of glow (cf shew and show). The past tense must be
glewn. ;-)

Heh heh... v good that man!

[The Good Doctor]

Post by exrailman
Is the past tense 'slued' or 'slewed' or 'slude'
or even 'slewd'
if track is not correctly 'slewed', could it be that it is 'skewed'
maybe I should be 'skewered'?
ps: why do we not spell glue as 'glew'

You don't often shew your face here, do yew?

[JohnW]

Post by The Good Doctor
You don't often shew your face here, do yew?

But on the Southern Region (at least) it always used to be the rule
that "season tickets must be shewn"

John

[IanB]

Post by JohnW

Post by The Good Doctor
You don't often shew your face here, do yew?

But on the Southern Region (at least) it always used to be the rule
that "season tickets must be shewn"
John

Rule or rewl?

Ian

[The Good Doctor]

Post by JohnW

Post by The Good Doctor
You don't often shew your face here, do yew?

But on the Southern Region (at least) it always used to be the rule
that "season tickets must be shewn"

Well you'll probably never believe this, but that's where I got the
idea for that reply ...

(actually from the Great Western's extensive use of "shewn")

[John Salmon]

Post by Peter Masson

Post by Paul Scott

Post by The Good Doctor
It isn't an American spelling, it is just someone who cannot spell,
and who probably never even knew the correct spelling of "slew".

Unusually though, for a straightforward case of poor spelling, it seems to
crop up as 'slue' more often than 'slew' in railway magazines for some
reason...

The Oxford Dictionary gives both as alternative correct spellings, although
preferring 'slew'.
http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/slew_1?view=uk

A few months ago, I asked a question about 'slue' and 'slew' on
another group. After a lengthy discussion which at one stage
involved consultation with (I think) the Permanent Way Institution,
the consensus was that slue is the preferred form for the noun, with
slew being used for the verb. Or at least that was my
interpretation.

[exrailman]

How is slue a noun?

What is a slue?

confused.com

[Old Central]

Exrailman,

How is slue a noun? When it is used to describe the horizontal offset
dimension relative to the position of an existing rail.

What is a slue? See above.

You have missed the variants. What is a "lift" and what is a "lower"?

Slues, slews, lifts and lowers will all appear on tamper sheets.
Although, hopefully, lowers will never exist.

I still think the English leaves a lot to be desired!

OC

[Nick Pedley]

Post by exrailman
How is slue a noun?
What is a slue?

Perhaps you should ask a grue....

Nick

[The Good Doctor]

Post by John Salmon
A few months ago, I asked a question about 'slue' and 'slew' on
another group. After a lengthy discussion which at one stage
involved consultation with (I think) the Permanent Way Institution,
the consensus was that slue is the preferred form for the noun, with
slew being used for the verb. Or at least that was my
interpretation.

Over the years, I have seen many contract documents for work that
involved slewing track, from British Rail, Railtrack PLC and Network
Rail, and it was always spelt that way.

I have never seen the "slue" spelling until this discussion.