West Silvertown station "mushrooms"

[orienteer]

On one of my rare excursions on the DLR yesterday, through West Silvertown I noticed sets of four red "mushrooms" every meter or so outside the rail nearest the platforms. Anyone know what these are for?

Thanks in advance for any info.

[rincew1nd]

Do you have a picture of them?

[t697]

I think I've seen some of these at Westferry. I guessed they may be temporary protection to studs that will secure new collector shoe protection rail installations for the collector shoe positions of the new trains. I think the new trains have their collector shoes in different positions to the existing trains. DLR has the protection rails to cover the collector at the stopping position, presumably as a safety precaution against falling on to the collector which is live as it's connected to the one on the other side where the live rail is.

[goldenarrow]

Photo from a train at West Silvertown:

[johnlinford]

Feb 10, 2022 21:08:11 GMT t697 said:

I think I've seen some of these at Westferry. I guessed they may be temporary protection to studs that will secure new collector shoe protection rail installations for the collector shoe positions of the new trains. I think the new trains have their collector shoes in different positions to the existing trains. DLR has the protection rails to cover the collector at the stopping position, presumably as a safety precaution against falling on to the collector which is live as it's connected to the one on the other side where the live rail is.

They have appeared at All Saints also (possibly last night as I don't recall seeing them yesterday).  From the positions I would agree with this assessment of their purpose.

[metman]

Spot on. We use the mushroom tops in construction for health and safety purposes to protect against exposed reinforcement and thread tops.

I would assume they are for repositioned conductor rail mounting too.

[johnlinford]

Just to follow up on this I observed at Westferry this evening that new guards have been installed that run the whole length of the platform using these new mounts. I presume this is the only way to ensure the retained stock and new stock are given protection while in the platform.

I’ve shared it here but my efforts to embed the photo alas fell short.

[spsmiler]

I saw these today at Canning Town (low level) - I was in the Jubilee line platform. Its not at all easy to see them at stations with island platforms ... well not unless one wishes to get perilously close to the platform edge.