Dura Composites, a leading supplier of composite products and infrastructure to the rail industry, has updated its award-winning Dura Platform. The unique high specification Tri-Tone Grit surface composition is a new addition to Dura Platform in 2023, providing a more natural finish in keeping with UK stations and also offers improved anti-slip for high footfall applications.
The composite GRP passenger walkway panels have recently been installed for the first time at Honeybourne Station in Worcestershire. Lightweight but structural, the panels feature integral lines and recessed tactile plates, and are being used for the temporary platform used to deliver the shuttle service to this year’s Rail Live exhibition, running from June 21st to 22nd.
With 30,000 sqm of Dura Platform already in use across the UK, Dura Platform was selected for the 2023 Honeybourne Station upgrade and installed in collaboration with Sisk and Network Rail. Following the exhibition, the panels will be transported to future sites across the Wales and Western route. Supplied by Dura Composites and built by Sisk and Network Rail, this pioneering design will later be relocated to Barmouth to enable a temporary school shuttle service.
The modular lightweight panels do not require heavy plant machinery to manoeuvre and therefore save time and reduce disruption. The station showcases the latest evolution of the popular Dura Platform which now features an advanced Tri-tone surface for optimised anti-slip endurance, as well as providing improved visual resistance to everyday dirt and grime.
Against the Network Rail specification for slip resistance of 55 PTV, Dura Platform with Tri-Tone achieves dry figures of 78 and wet figures of 68 after 1.1 million footfalls, maintaining a fantastic 97.5% of its original slip resistance. Results from independent testing show that the Tri-Tone surface delivers a 4% increase in slip resistance performance in dry conditions and 8% in wet conditions versus the previous generation Dura Platform surface.
Dura Platform is a Glass Reinforced Polymer (GRP) station platform solution and has been described as “game changing” by industry insiders and has won multiple awards, including a Queen’s Award for Innovation. Dura Platform can cut platform installation time by up to 65% benefitting passengers who are able to re-access the station sooner and saving labour costs for rail contractors.
Find more information about Dura Platform here.
Image credit: Dura Composites
