Introducing the Railvac

One of the many pieces of kit being used by Network Rail to get the Dartmoor Line up to scratch is the Railvac machine.

It is primarily used to suck up old ballast, but has also been used to clear line side drainage and cess from ditches.

Digging out with an excavator would damage the existing drainage channels and pipes, so by instead using the Railvac it reduces the need for large scale new drainage systems.

Here’s the Railvac in action: