BRINE SPRAYER ON WORLD’S LONGEST GUIDED BUSWAY
Updated. 10.February.2010
An Econ-built brine sprayer, mounted on the firm’s QCB swap body system, will soon be working on the world’s longest guided busway...
The busway, which stretches for 40kms is being built for Cambridgeshire County Council and the brine sprayer will keep the concrete channels free from frost. The first section from St Ives to Cambridge City follows a disused branch line and will open later this year.
The brine sprayer is the latest in a long line of products that can be carried on Econ’s QCB system. The list also includes pre-wetted and dry spreaders, traffic management bodies, gully emptiers, patching equipment and tippers.
The sprayer was chosen as the flow of brine can be controlled through the two spray bars so that just the channels are treated and salt does not land on the drainage conduit which lies between them. In addition, the brine will stay where it has been sprayed - achieving such a tight pattern would not be possible using dry salt.
The sprayer is part of a major order for both new and re-furbished pre-wet spreaders and DIN snowploughs awarded by the local authority to Econ.
The equipment comprises one new and six re-furbished permanently mounted 6m3 spreaders on 18 tonne chassis, two re-furbished 4m3 spreaders and two 9m3 re-furbished spreaders. The chassis involved are Volvos supplied through TransLinc and all the spreaders have been fitted with the new generation Spargo IS/Exactrak technology.
This was fitted when the council become aware of the system’s successful trials carried out by neighbours Norfolk CC as both local authorities are members of the East Anglia Weather Consortium. These showed that improved data – both in quantity and quality –was received from each spreading run which would make a local authority much less vulnerable to insurance claims. In addition, the technology would reduce inconsistencies between drivers because decisions such as when to change spread widths are made automatically.
Exactrak can automate the spreader controls to allow any driver to select a pre-defined route and drive with the aid of voice activated navigation instructions.
Richard Kingston, area manager maintenance at Cambridgeshire CC, confirmed that the key attractions for him were the flexibility as any driver could operate any spreader and he also saw the opportunity to reduce his salt bill.
In addition to the brine sprayer, the QCB system has also been supplied with a twin compartment hot box. The local authority has recently started recycling blacktop material and felt the hot box’s ability to keep the material warm would be very beneficial. Previously the material was carried in a tipper which meant that any surplus left at the end of the day’s patching couldn’t be used again. Now any left-over material is stored overnight in static hot boxes and then loaded into the new mobile unit which keeps it at the optimum temperature throughout the day before returning any spare tarmac back to the static units.
The term contractors involved is Atkins and operations manager John Birkenhead is full of praise for the Econ after-sales service. “I can’t fault it,” he said. “The spreaders themselves are top quality and easy to drive whilst if we do need a mechanic, the service is professional and very rapid.”
Cambridgeshire CC has an all-Econ fleet of 38 front line spreaders to cover 36 routes and Richard confirmed that over the years the company has built up an excellent relationship with Econ. “We have used Econ’s re-furb service before and have been very impressed with the standard of the work. In addition, we have noticed an upgrade in the quality of the paint since the move to Becker Industrial Coatings. There is better edge coverage and it is also a harder paint which reduces handling damage.”
