For city railways and underground systems where noise reduction is important, the new version of PANDROL's VANGUARD, with elastic bearings supporting the rails above the sleepers will reduce vibrations. Tested on London Underground track on the Victoria Line, the design developed was incorporated in a pre-stressed concrete sleeper and used to renew existing track. The VANGUARD suspends the rail from the web and fishing surface with resilient blocks, which are held in cast-iron side plates that transfer the vertical load down to the sleeper. The blocks are compressed during installations, and serrated wedges between the side plates and the shoulder cast into the sleeper maintain this compression and transfer lateral loads to the sleepers. Spring clips are installed between the wedges and the shoulders.

The design means that it can be accommodated within the existing rail height, and that its vertical deflection of 3mm under traffic will achieve good noise and vibration attenuation. Soon, baseplate version of the VANGUARD will be usable on existing sleepers.