Railway Rail Handling Apparatus and Method

Railway rail handling apparatus configured for track side operation comprising ground engaging wheel means and rail moving means, which is configured to engage a railway rail along part of its length, the rail moving means being further configured for its progressive movement longitudinally along the rail as the railway rail handling apparatus moves on the ground engaging wheel means and, as the rail moving means so moves, for progressive bending of the rail laterally of an unbent part of the rail to thereby the rail from a first position to a second position, the ground engaging wheel means defining a footprint of the apparatus on the ground, and the rail moving means being, in use, operative within the footprint.

Railway rail handling apparatus configured for track side operation comprising ground engaging wheel means and railway rail raising means operable to raise part of a rail above the ground, the ground engaging wheel means defining a footprint of the apparatus on the ground, and the railway rail raising means being, in use, operative within the footprint.

Railway rail handling apparatus configured for track side operation comprising ground engaging wheel means and rail moving means, which is configured to engage a railway rail along part of its length, the rail moving means being further configured for its progressive movement longitudinally along the rail as the railway rail handling apparatus moves on the ground engaging wheel means and, as the rail moving means so moves, for progressive bending of the rail laterally of an unbent part of the rail to thereby move the rail from a first position to a second position, the railway rail handling apparatus defining a footprint on the ground, and the rail moving means being, in use, operative within the footprint.

Railway rail handling apparatus configured for track side operation comprising ground engaging wheel means and railway rail raising means, the railway rail handling apparatus defining a footprint of the apparatus on the ground, and the railway rail raising means being, in use, operative within the footprint.

A method of handling a railway rail by means of a railway rail handling apparatus which is configured for track side operation and comprises ground engaging wheel means, the method comprising

• engaging a railway rail along part of its length by a rail moving means of the railway rail handling apparatus, and
• moving the railway rail handling apparatus on the ground engaging wheel means to progressively move the rail moving means longitudinally along the rail to progressively bend the rail laterally of an unbent part of the rail to thereby move the rail from a first position to a second position, in which the rail moving means is operated within a footprint on the ground of the ground engaging wheel means.

A method of handling a railway rail by means of a railway rail handling apparatus which is configured for track side operation and comprises ground engaging wheel means, the method comprising

• engaging a railway rail along part of its length by a rail moving means of the railway rail handling apparatus, and moving the railway rail handling apparatus on the ground engaging wheel means to progressively move the rail moving means longitudinally along the rail to progressively bend the rail laterally of an unbent part of the rail to thereby move the rail from a first position to a second position, in which the rail moving means is operated within a footprint on the ground of the railway rail handling apparatus.