Holdfast Level Crossings Limited
BrockenhurstChedworth
Cheltenham
Gloucestershire
GL54 4AA
United Kingdom
Tel: 01242 578801
Fax: 01285 720748
The award winning HoldFast surface is designed and proven the world over to dramatically improve road and rail safety; reduce road and rail maintenance; extend crossing life span; and reduce road and rail costs and disruption.
The prestigious Queen’s Award for Innovation was granted to HoldFast Level Crossings Limited in recognition of the improvements in road and rail safety the environmentally friendly level crossing system is achieving in the UK and across the world.
Made of full depth rubber, HoldFast crossings are exceptionally durable and can endure substantial and continuous traffic and tremendous weight.
Lifespan is believed to exceed 20 years, even in port situations where there is continuous use by maximum weight 38 wheeler and artics, and excessive traffic speed.
Such longevity cannot be matched by alternative surfaces, where the danger of safety failure; increases in road and rail maintenance costs; and increased discomfort for road users, may reduce the crossing life span to under five years.
Designed to be Flexible, Manufactured to be Durable
Our surfaces are produced in the UK using a pioneering manufacturing process. The rubber panels are made in a cold cure using advanced polymer bindings and high quality rubber granules to create 100% full depth solid panels.
Rubber has undergone intensive research and development as a crossing surface in recent years:
Benefits..
• Fast to install
• Fewer joints than other crossings
• Extremely robust
• High skid resistance
• Flexibility (standard panels can compress for slightly curved crossings)
• Individual removal of panels
• No panel tipping, rocking or displacement
• Protection to rail flanges and rail fixings assured (salt, water etc.)
• Shock loads to the ’railtrack bed’ are considerably reduced due to these loads being absorbed by the rubber panels
• Due to raised circular patterns on surface of panels water displacement is excellent
• Flexible panels ensure the breaking / cracking of sheet ice is good compared to that on road and hard surfaces 
Fast Delivery The solid panels are made at ambient temperatures which drastically reduces manufacturing time. Each mould is adapted and ’set-up’ for a particular country’s needs and then kept unchanged, ensuring fast delivery times. Delivery ex stock for most UK and European crossings.
Fast Installation Of course, fast installation is essential to avoid prolonged closures on busy artorial traffic routes. See our installation section to discover just how fast HoldFast crossings are to install.
Protection The flange way for train wheels acts as a good waterway to disperse water to the end of the crossing. Also, the ’nose’ of the panel is so tight to the rail web that protection from corrosion to the rail flanges and rail clips caused by salts, water etc. is assured. Many other systems do not achieve this protection.
Panels for any Sleeper All panels are designed to sit on sleepers - whatever the profile HoldFast make panels to suit, including Bull Header Rail and Flat Bottom Rail. Although every fourth sleeper should be placed at 1.8 metre centres, the intermediate sleepers are not so critical.
Individual Panel Removal Individual panels can be removed at anytime without disturbing adjacent panels. Gauge panels are made in two halves giving a distinct advantage for installation and removal.HoldFast’s system does not require shunting several panels backwards and forwards for access to one particular panel. It is therefore not difficult to offer ’half road closure’ if necessary.