Stainless Steel for Railways, Brakes & Fairies!
Used extensively in practically every industry from construction to catering and from art to architecture, stainless steel is one of the most ubiquitous materials on the planet. Its long list of qualities make it the unrivalled choice for countless applications; this edition of the BS Stainless blog looks at just three of them.
Railways
Rail transport is used by millions of people every day and becomes an ever-more important alternative to road transport as the need to implement sustainable solutions grows. One of the UK's largest current rail infrastructure projects is the construction of HS2, a high-speed line designed to facilitate zero-carbon journeys for passengers travelling between a number of cities. When completed, HS2 will incorporate over 11 miles of viaducts and bridges in addition to 64 miles of tunnels. Massive amounts of concrete reinforced with stainless steel rebar will be used to create these structures.
Another major rail project utilising stainless steel is the new Regional Rapid Transport System in India. More than 2,000 tonnes of stainless steel have been used to build in excess of 200 coaches; components created with the material include sidewall skins, brackets, end walls, solebars, cantrails, roofs and frames.
Brakes
The drive towards sustainability across the globe has seen a massive increase in the number of people owning a bicycle, many of which utilise disc brake systems. These systems incorporate hydraulic brake hoses, which operate using mineral oil or dot fluid. Stainless steel is the ideal material for crafting such hoses, providing exceptional impact strength along with heat management that eliminates fluid expansion. As well as delivering excellent brake performance, the beautiful appearance of stainless steel also results in an attractive aesthetic.
Fairies
These magical, mythical creatures are certainly not something that you would immediately associate with stainless steel! Since March of 2012, BS Stainless has been supplying UK-based artist Robin Wight with our stainless steel wire, which he uses in a highly-creative manner to create sculptures of fairies that are simply exquisite.
After being inspired by a photograph he took, Robin discovered BS Stainless after scouring the internet to find a source of high-quality stainless steel wire, which we were happy to provide. He displayed his first sculpture in a tree along his driveway and it soon began attracting attention, becoming a local landmark. Each of Robin's delicate sculptures takes many hours of work to complete.
These are just some of the near-infinite variety of applications for which stainless steel, in its various formats, can be used. To discover more about these products and applications, please browse our website. Stay up to date with the latest news from BS Stainless by subscribing to our regular email newsletter.