Abstract—In this study, both sinusoidal wave loading and rectangular pulse (impact) loading are applied to a sample of rail steel in order to compare the growth rates for a surface fatigue crack. The results show that the rectangular pulse (impact) loading gives a crack growth rate on average 5 times that of the sinusoidal wave loading but can be almost 100 times in some instances. There are distinct differences between the fractograph patterns under the two modes of loading. The fractograph under sinusoidal wave loading clearly exhibits the pearlite structure of the material but under impact loading this microstructure is not revealed; only a quasicleavage pattern is observed. Analysis of the experimental fatigue crack growth data indicated that the surface fatigue crack growth rate behaviour could be described by the Paris‐type relations