Grinding

Close-up of a spinning grinding wheel producing sparks while cutting metal.

Corrective and preventative maintenance to reduce derailment risk

Our team of experts provide a range of Grinding services to support the essential maintenance of the UK’s rail network. We understand the importance of ensuring infrastructure assets are regularly inspected and maintained to ensure the safety of passengers and fleet. All of our works are carried out in line with Network Rail Standards NR/L2/TRK/001, NR/L2/TRK/053 and NR/L2/TRK/1054.

With extensive experience delivering our services, we have an in-depth knowledge of this safety-critical service and continuously look for ways to improve how we undertake our grinding programmes.

Railway tracks curve into the distance under overhead lines with a colourful sunset sky.

A comprehensive service capability

Our highly–trained and competent team can undertake both pre and post grind inspections to provide the following:

Confirmation of track integrity
Review track condition and historical data
Review work quality
Review proposal for track renewals or refurbishment work and advise clients
Preventative and corrective plain line and S&C grinding
Derailment hazard removal/reduction
Enable lifting of speed restrictions and banned movements
Profile and noise reduction management
Rolling Contact Fatigue (RCF) removal
Rail roughness testing
Regular maintenance schedules
Client tailored proactive maintenance plans

Other services we provide

Icon of a cogwheel with a central circle, representing settings or engineering systems.

Rail Maintenance

Our Grinding services are also available through a tailor-made Rail Maintenance programme that can be created specifically to meet your operational needs. Our team will work with you to identify the right balance of asset inspection and proactive maintenance within an agreed framework.

Icon of a train front view with windows and wheels, representing rail transport.

Private Track

Private Track operators look to us to share the decades of expertise we’ve established whilst operating up and down the UK. Working with them to inspect and maintain their independent infrastructure.

Ultrasonic Testing

We’ve provided our Ultrasonic Testing expertise to the rail industry for a number of years, to examine and inspect track assets.

Icon of a magnifying glass, representing search or inspection.

Asset Inspection

Our asset inspection services provide an external audit to help our clients proactively manage their infrastructure maintenance requirements.

Multiple railway tracks with red signal lights and overhead cables leading towards a station.

A partnership approach to safety

NRL’s management team partner with our clients to ensure all safety and compliance objectives are met, including accurate planning of work, safety clearance and equipment suitability to mitigate risk – drawing on their extensive expertise working on Network Rail’s infrastructure to deliver Grinding services with 100% compliance.

We have worked in collaboration with Network Rail and the Track Treatment Team since 2004, to ensure the safe and effective delivery of S&C Grinding fleet services.

Our approach to safety

Grinding equipment moves along a rail, producing bright sparks during track maintenance.

Delivering Grinding at Wigan Springs

When lipping was identified at various sites in the Wigan Springs facility following an inspection undertaken by NRL, our team got straight to work to complete grinding works to de-risk the infrastructure and reprofile heads.

Maintaining Wigan Springs Branch sidings