Weld Shears

Weld shears are used after rail welding to remove excess weld material from around the joint. Once the weld has been made, the shear cuts away the surplus metal while it’s still workable, leaving the rail ready for grinding, finishing and inspection.

They’re an important part of the rail welding process because they help get the joint closer to its final profile before any finishing work begins. That saves time on follow-up grinding and helps produce a cleaner, more consistent result across the rail head and web.

You’ll typically see weld shears used on track renewals, rail replacement jobs, possession works and maintenance projects where welded rail joints are being formed on site. They’re especially useful when teams need to work efficiently through a sequence of welds without spending longer than necessary cleaning up each joint by hand.

For best results, weld shears need to be suited to the rail section and the welding process being used. If the job involves a wider rail welding package, they’ll often sit alongside rail grinders, stressing equipment, rail handling tools and other track maintenance kit.