This isn't a London-specific transport question, but seeing as I'm
subbed to uk.t.l but not uk.transport, and there's a sort-of-London
connection, I hope you'll forgive me

Picture at http://www.flickr.com/photos/85667196@N00/228439736/ or a
larger size at http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne...8439736&size=l

I saw that sitting at Slough station[1] yesterday, and as I had no idea
what it was I snapped a picture. A quick search of the web has turned
up the fact that it's an Amey Tamper ... but despite further searches I
haven't been able to find out what a Tamper unit actually does. So if
someone could let me know I'd be very grateful indeed.

Cheers!
Iain

[1] The "London-ish" connection is the fact that it was at Slough.
Sorry, very tenuous I know!

Iain ) gurgled happily, sounding much like
they were saying :

Picture at http://www.flickr.com/photos/85667196@N00/228439736/ or a
larger size at http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne...8439736&size=l

I saw that sitting at Slough station[1] yesterday, and as I had no idea
what it was I snapped a picture. A quick search of the web has turned
up the fact that it's an Amey Tamper ... but despite further searches I
haven't been able to find out what a Tamper unit actually does. So if
someone could let me know I'd be very grateful indeed.

hazards guess
"Tamping" is to wallop something until it's fully compacted - the stone
ballast around the track, I'd presume.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=tamp

A tamper is what you do the tamping with.

"Iain" wrote in message
...
This isn't a London-specific transport question, but seeing as I'm
subbed to uk.t.l but not uk.transport, and there's a sort-of-London
connection, I hope you'll forgive me

Picture at http://www.flickr.com/photos/85667196@N00/228439736/ or a
larger size at http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne...8439736&size=l

I saw that sitting at Slough station[1] yesterday, and as I had no idea
what it was I snapped a picture. A quick search of the web has turned
up the fact that it's an Amey Tamper ... but despite further searches I
haven't been able to find out what a Tamper unit actually does. So if
someone could let me know I'd be very grateful indeed.

A tamper is a track machine which is used after track relaying and also
at other times, if needed. Basically it "lifts" the sleepers underneath it,
and packs ballast
under the sleepers to "level out" the track.

wrote in
news
A tamper is a track machine which is used after track relaying and
also
at other times, if needed. Basically it "lifts" the sleepers
underneath it, and packs ballast
under the sleepers to "level out" the track.

Thanks loads! My curiosity has been satisfied.

Ta
Iain

wrote:
snip

A tamper is a track machine which is used after track relaying and also
at other times, if needed. Basically it "lifts" the sleepers underneath it,
and packs ballast under the sleepers to "level out" the track.

You forgot to mention it's main purpose which is to remove the orange
tubing that carries signalling cables under that track and leave them
and the cables useless! )

Doug
"Doug's cool. He's metal " - Fnook
Ignore the old spamtrap work address; mail me on: doug at fruitloaf dot
net