Our rail sector experience ranges from new build route surveys to capturing the existing rail infrastructure prior to upgrade works, repairs and improvements.
In Africa, we were involved in an aerial lidar rail survey, mapping more than 800km of proposed new rail route options, which would enable the transport of iron ore from Guinea through Liberia to the coast. This involved nearly 1000km of spirit levelling on the ground.
The UK’s rail network has been surveyed from the air using helicopter baser lidar equipment. Merrett Survey Limited’s task was to assist in checking the accuracy of the aerial survey company’s work.
The Merrett Survey team are experts in the independent measuring of lidar accuracy in both the horizontal and vertical planes. We also specialise in surveys of bridge sites and short sections of line for clearance studies or modification work.
Overlapping with the heritage aspect of our work, we recorded the last timber rail bridge in the UK before it’s demolition. It was eventually replaced, widened and re-built using more modern materials.
This was an interesting project that involved Merrett Survey providing laser scanning and 3D modelling of the structure itself, 2D topographical survey of the approach road and rails as well as hydrographic side scan sonar work to determine the position of the underwater timber piles.
This rail survey project also included an aerial lidar survey of the surroundings and inter-tidal sandbanks to study future erosion and deposition patterns in the tidal river estuary, which the bridge crosses.
Contact us if you wish to learn more about our prior experience surveying and mapping rail structures. Equally, we would love to hear from you if you require a railway survey for your upcoming or ongoing project or task.
Underground and above ground surveying
Survey of tram projects as well as rail
