Blog
Safe & Secure Locking Systems For Explosive Atmospheres In The Rail & Utility Industries
October 11th, 2019
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uploaded by Chris Dodds | Thorne & Derrick Sales Marketing Manager
Battery Rooms
Thorne & Derrick International, based in the UK, recently signed a Sole UK Distributor Agreement with regional exclusivity to the North East of England for the SecurEx range of ATEX & IECEx Certified access control and security products – these high security locking systems are specified to provide asset security against vandalism, theft and damage in hot-spot crime areas and workplace locations with potentially explosive atmospheres.
High Security, High Risk
Door Locking & Security Systems
Due to a recent spike in criminal activity on the UK rail industry there has been an urgent requirement to improve security and protection to critical sections of railway stations and infrastructure – this includes main battery rooms categorised as CNI sites.
The site is both a Critical National Infrastructure security risk with a potential explosive atmosphere risk due to the dangers of venting battery gas presenting flammable risks.
According to the ATEX Directive this location is categorised as a Zone 1 hazardous area location due to the incidence and duration of a flammable gas atmosphere likely to occur occasionally in normal operation. This could occur in the battery room because of repair, maintenance operations, or leakage as well as deliberate criminal intent.
61,000 crimes were reported on the UK Rail Network in 20187-2018 – 9% of criminal damage was attributed to Malicious Mischief, f1.
Obviously, this is a high security area requiring high security hazardous area doors and locking systems.
To combat crime and ensure site safety a Sx Ex Abryll in a SATE handle escape with LPCB Level 4 configuration was supplied – the lock was fitted to an Abloy High Security Steel door.
This lock is the only high security lock with ATEX & IECEx certification.
Product Information âž¡ High Security Locks for Zone 1 ATEX Battery Rooms

SX EX ABRYLL High Security Lock: Single Point Locking System can be configured with a multitude of functions including Panic and Emergency Escape, Mechanical and Electro-Mechanical Deadlocking. Certified for Ex Zones 1, 2, 21 and 22 hazardous areas.

Glossary
CNI: Critical National Infrastructure – national Infrastructure are those facilities, systems, sites, information, people, networks and processes, necessary for a country to function and upon which daily life depends. In the UK, there are 13 national infrastructure sectors including Transport.
ATEX: ATmosphères EXplosives – the ATEX directive consists of two EU directives describing what equipment and work space is allowed in an environment with an explosive atmosphere.
LPCB: Loss Prevention Certification Board – the leading international Certification Body in the fields of security and fire protection.
f1 Source Williams Rail Review – the Williams Rail Review was established in September 2018 to look at the structure of the whole rail industry and the way passenger rail services are delivered. The review will make recommendations for reform that prioritise passengers’ and taxpayers’ interests.
Further Reading

Credit: Williams Report

Rail Cable Accessories, Electrification & Installation Equipment
Thorne & Derrick stock an extensive range of 400V-33kV Rail Cable Accessories & Power Distribution Sytems including feeder pillars to contractors undertaking Low Voltage Power Distribution, HV Electrification & Substations, DC Traction & Networks, OLE and Track Feeder Cable Renewals – complete range of Network Rail PADS approved track terminations, cable joints, cable repair and connection products up to 25kV, including 3M Cold Shrink, Pfisterer CONNEX and Nexans Euromold products.
Full range of Cable Pulling Equipment & Products to ensure safe and efficient of rail cables in to cable ducts and containment infrastructure including cable troughs.
Thorne & Derrick are Approved Vendors to Network Rail and TfL.
Jointing Of Waveform Distribution Mains & Service Cables
October 9th, 2019
Waveform Cables 3 Core & 4 Core BS7870-3.402011
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uploaded by Chris Dodds | Thorne & Derrick Sales Marketing Manager
Accessing Phase, Neutral & Earth Conductors
3 & 4 Core Waveform Cables are in widespread service throughout the UK DNO network – these type of cables must be stripped in accordance with the appropriate Approved Cable Jointing Instruction issued by the network DNO.

Often waveform cables are jointed live :
- Remove outer PVC cable sheath using insulated cable stripping knife
- Remove the soft unvulcanised rubber, if present, in which the neutral/earth or earth wires are embedded using an insulated Sicame Hepnfy
- Lift the neutral/earth or earth wires using an insulated core seperator from the inner rubber bedding
- Remove the inner unvulcanised rubber from the cores using an insulated Sicame Hepnyf
Steps 1 to 4 are excerpted from SP Energy Networks, LWM Low Voltage Cable Jointing Issue 6 OPSAF-12-011 Manual. 2010.

Ad: Insulated Tools (Live Line & Cable Jointing Tool Sets) – T&D supply a full range of insulated tools kits for electrical engineers, cable jointers and overhead linesmen

The fully insulated Sicame Mini-Hepnyf has been developed to compliment the standard Hepnyf and has a particular beneficial application in the stripping of lead sheath from small PILC service cables by the cable jointer – the jointers knife can also be used for the removal of mastic bedding on all types of waveform cables.
Using the correct tools to prepare industrial and utility cables before cable jointing and terminating reduces catastrophic cable failures.
LV-HV cable jointing tools enable cable preparation, stripping and cutting of insulation (XLPE, EPR), semi-conductive screens (bonded and peelable) and cable sheaths (PVC, PE, EPR) from single and multi-core cables.
LV Cable Joints (Low Voltage Cables)
Thorne & Derrick stock and distribute LV Joints in Cold Shrink, Heat Shrink or Resin Cast technologies – multicore and multi-pair cable joints are available for immediate backfill and energisation of Low Voltage power, control and instrumentation cables 600V/1000V 3.3kV.
Complete range of LV Cable Accessories ➡
Cable Breakouts | Cable Caps | Cable Lugs | Cable Cleats | Cable Trough | Cable Duct | Feeder Pillars | for 11kV/33kV/66kV networks see MV HV Joints & Terminations

Pfisterer | Nexans Euromold | Prysmian | Cable Joints & Terminations MV HV

Cold Shrink by 3M | Joints | Abandonment | Terminations | Low Voltage LV Cables
Heat Shrink Cable Repair Kits For Damaged BS6883 Offshore Cables
October 9th, 2019
Heat Shrink Cable Repair Sleeve Kit
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uploaded by Chris Dodds | Thorne & Derrick Sales Marketing Manager
Working with Anixter, Thorne & Derrick are supplying heat shrink cable sheath repair kits to reinstate and repair cable damage to BS6883 offshore cables (600/1000 volts low voltage) – during installation of the offshore type cables (BS6883) the bending radius was exceeded causing stress cracks and splits on the EPR rubber insulation.
The lay-flat wrap-around design of heat shrink cable repair kits enable fast and reliable repairs to cable damage without resort to cable jointing or electrical circuit isolation.
The damaged cable can be repaired mid-circuit without resort to disconnection of the cable at the point of cable gland or cable termination. The damaged cables with an outside diameter of 19mm are to be repaired using 250no lengths of pre-cut sections of SPS SWRS 50-15 heat shrink repair kits.
The dielectric strength of a wraparound repair sleeve is minimum 11kV-12kV per mm of thickness and after recovery the heat shrink will provide a 2mm wall thickness.
This level of re-insulation is sufficient to seal and protect the cable and provide some additional insulation. However, whilst a heat shrink wrap sleeve is an excellent choice to repair low and high voltage cables, if any damage to the conductive screen or primary insulation on high voltage cable is evident, removing the damage and fitting a cable joint would be the recommendation.
Heat Shrink Cable Repair Kits
SPS SWRS Specification
| Item | Test Condition & Material | Requirement |
| Bursting Strength | Test Temp: 23±5°C | Min 3000N |
| Thermal Ageing Bursting Strength | 168Hrs at 150±2°C (After Free Shrinkage) | Min 5000N |
| Dielectric strength | Electrode Surface Dia: 6mm. Weight: 50±2gms. Voltage Steps: 2kV/20sec | Min 12 kV/mm |
| Split Resistance | Temp: 200±2°C. Test time 23±3°C | No split Propagation |
| Carbon Content UV Res of Out/layer | Heating Rate: 20°C/min. Gas Flow Rate: 300cc/min | Min 2.5% |
| Cold Crack Resistance | Test temp: ≤-40°C | No crack |
| Resistance to Aggressive Media Bursting Strength |
Test Media: Fuel Oil, Petroleum Jelly. Test Temp: 70 ± 2°C | Min 2000N |
| Environmental Stress cracking | 10% Igepal Co 630. Solution Immersion Time: 30 days Test Temp: 50 ± 3°C |
No cracking |
| Temp. indicating paint conversion | Scraped Off Paint From Sleeve | 230-250°C |
Pictured : BS6883 Offshore Cable – Typical Cable Construction – EPR Rubber Insulated Cables 600/1000 Volts

How to Install Wraparound Repair Sleeves
- Position the wraparound sleeve over the cable damage, joint or splice and close the metal channel
- Apply heat using the heat shrink gas torch to shrink the sleeve onto the cable sheath and melt the adhesive liner
- The finished sleeve is allowed to cool creating moisture proof and corrosion resistant cable seal

T&D are the largest UK distributor for SPS (Shrink Polymer Systems) and stock an extensive range of SPS 11kV and 33kV heat shrink cable joints and cable terminations.
LV Cable Joints (Low Voltage Cables)
Thorne & Derrick stock and distribute LV Joints in Cold Shrink, Heat Shrink or Resin Cast technologies – multicore and multi-pair cable joints are available for immediate backfill and energisation of Low Voltage power, control and instrumentation cables 600V/1000V 3.3kV.
Complete range of LV Cable Accessories ➡
Cable Breakouts | Cable Caps | Cable Lugs | Cable Cleats | Cable Trough | Cable Duct | Feeder Pillars | for 11kV/33kV/66kV networks see MV HV Joints & Terminations

Pfisterer | Nexans Euromold | Prysmian | Cable Joints & Terminations MV HV

Cold Shrink by 3M | Joints | Abandonment | Terminations | Low Voltage LV Cables
3M Scotchcast Cable Joints for Branch Jointing LV XLPE PILC Power Cables
October 9th, 2019
Branch & Straight Joints | LV Cables
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uploaded by Chris Dodds | Thorne & Derrick Sales Marketing Manager
Scotchcast Cable Joints
Branch Jointing Cables
3M Electrical branch cable jointing kits using Scotchcast resin are certified to BS-EN 50393:2006 – armoured and unarmoured LV branch cable joints complete with mechanical shearbolt connectors are available from stock.
Branch joints are encapsulated with two-part resin for electrical insulation and mechanical protection. Low voltage branch joints are suitable for both cut and uncut mains XLPE or PILC insulated power cables. For applications up to 1000 volts, the cable joints may be resin filled under load conditions.

Sicame Connectors
Connectors
Sicame connectors feature shearbolt technology for fast, simple cable jointing without resort to compression tooling and associated die sets – ideal for cable jointing metric to imperial, dissimilar sized and type conductors.

Cable Joint Connectors
Service branch and mains cables can be 2, 3 or 4 core cables – branch joints can be supplied without requiring the mains cable to be cut (“uncut mains”) using the appropriate shearbolt mechanical connectors.
Armoured Cables
Earth continuity across wire armoured or braided cables is achieved by using copper earth braid and constant force springs.
Thorne & Derrick stock the full range of 3M Scotchcast Resin Branch Cable Joints for 600/1000V low voltage cable jointing applications for installation underground, overground or underwater – this includes both polymeric (XLPE) and paper (PILC) insulated cables.

Scotchcast
3M Scotchcast Branch Joints are easy to install by the jointer, cost effective and time efficient for reliable power cable jointing to repair and maintain LV electrical distribution systems.
The branch resin cable joints have a one part mould body construction and a unique top seal and fixing clips, making the installation process simpler and reducing the chance of resin leakage. The LV resin joints have foam seals at each end of the mould body meaning there is no need for sawing or taping.

Resin cable joints specially modified for oil, petrochemical, gas, mines, telecoms, rail and industrial cables are available – suitable for direct burial (underground), water immersion, hazardous area zone location or onto cable containment.
- Straight/Inline
- Branch (T or Y)
- Multi-Service
- Transition
- Pot-end Joints
3M Scotchcast Low Voltage LVÂ Resin Branch Cable Joints Kits
- One part cable joint mould construction – quick simple installation
- Top seal and fixing clips – reduced chance of resin leakage from joint shell
- Range taking foam seals – no taping or sawing
- Fully integrated resin joint delivery – safer, cleaner installation of cable joints
- Complete with 3M Scotchcast premium 2 part cable joint resin
- Branch cable joints rated up to and including 1.9/3.3kV
3M SCOTCHCAST LV RESIN CABLE JOINTS
Specialist cable joints using 3M resins are available for extreme operating conditions and hazardous area zone locations with resistant to flame, fire and hydrocarbons:
| 3M Scotchcast LV Resin Cable Joint Kit Type | Resin | Resin Mould | Power | Telecom | Instrumentation & Control |
| Standard | 470W | Translucent | Yes | Yes | No |
| Premium | 40A | Transparent | Yes | No | No |
| Hazardous Area | 1402FR | Translucent | Yes | Yes | Yes |

Resin Cable Joints – Features & Benefits Of 3M Scotchcast Cable Jointing Systems
LV Cable Joints (Low Voltage Cables)
Thorne & Derrick stock and distribute LV Joints in Cold Shrink, Heat Shrink or Resin Cast technologies – multicore and multi-pair cable joints are available for immediate backfill and energisation of Low Voltage power, control and instrumentation cables 600V/1000V 3.3kV.
Complete range of LV Cable Accessories ➡
Cable Breakouts | Cable Caps | Cable Lugs | Cable Cleats | Cable Trough | Cable Duct | Feeder Pillars | for 11kV/33kV/66kV networks see MV HV Joints & Terminations
Further Reading
- 3M Scotchcast Flexible Cable Joints – Port Authority & Container Handling Industry
- 3M Scotchcast Cable Joints For Type 11 Flexible & Trailing Mining Cables
- 3M Scotchcast Cable Joints – Your Cable Circuit Is Only As Strong As Its Weakest Link

Pfisterer | Nexans Euromold | Prysmian | Cable Joints & Terminations MV HV

Cold Shrink by 3M | Joints | Abandonment | Terminations | Low Voltage LV Cables
3M Scotchcast Flexible Cable Joints Within The Port Authority & Container Handling Industry
October 9th, 2019
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uploaded by Chris Dodds | Thorne & Derrick Sales Marketing Manager
3M Scotchcast
Flexible Cable Joints
The port authority and container handling industry is a key component in the backbone of the British economy. Directly employing 117,200 workers, contributing £7.9 Billion to the UK economy and providing £2 Billion in taxes as reported by Oxford Economics.
It is therefore essential that the industry runs in an efficient and seamless manner.
The uninterrupted supply of electrical power as well as and the redevelopment and expansion of ports around the UK means there are many kilometers of LV cable being used within the shipping industry.

Cable Joints
Conductix-Wampfler Flexible Cables – Maintaining Their Flexibility With 3M M20, M30 And M40 Cable Joints
Cables
Conductix-Wampfler are manufacturers of flexible LV cables used within the port authority and container handling industry. Cables are typically stored on large cable reels meaning they must be intrinsically flexible. This allows the cable to be reeled around a drum and re-coiled when required.

The cables have a multitude of special features, all of which enable the cables to be used effectively and efficiently within the industry. These features include:
- An outer sheath with extreme resistance to aggressive environments
- Very high resilience due to a very short lay stranding
- High axial rigidity thanks to interlinked inner and outer sheaths
- Great resistance to corkscrew due to reverse twist stranding
- Stable construction and geometry based on extruded fillers

Conductix Wampfler Flexible Cable Reels
When multiple lengths of cable are being jointed together, it is imperative that their flexibility and bend radius is not compromised by the cable joints being used. The 3M Scotchcast M Series of cable joints and repair kits are a flexible, cold pour resin system designed for the permanent jointing and repair of flexible cables – this includes single and multi-core LV power cables.
Jointing Cables
Once installed, the 3M Electrical flexible cable joint using Scotchcast resin provides a waterproof seal that will not be compromised during cable installation. The flexiblity of the 3M Scotchcast M20, M30 and M40 range is such that they will remain intact and continue to perform during frequent coiling of the cables and direct burial or submerging of the joint.

Conductix Flexible Cables In The Shipping Industry
Other benefits of the 3M Flexible Cable Jointing And Repair System include:
- Simple installation
- Non-vulcanising meaning no cost equipment is needed to install
- Drastic reduction in repair times compared to vulcanising
- Safer system due to the fact no heat is required to install the joint
- High performance (can be reeled without the risk of sagging)
- Provides a permanent joint/repair
- Flame retardant resin
3M Flexible Cable Jointing And Repair System

Flame, weather and abbrasion resistant, the 3M M20, M30 and M40 flexible cable joints are easy to install and available in a range of 3 sizes as shown below and are suitable for use on cables ranging from 40mm O/D up to 150mm O/D.
The resin to be used with this kit is supplied separately and only the 3M 2130 Flexible Resin is suitable for use with this range of kits.Â
3M Scotchcast Flexible Cable Jointing and Repair System Specifications
| Kit No | Cable Size – Min (mm) | Cable Size – Max (mm) | Max Length Of Joint (mm) | Mould Length (mm) |
Quantity Of Resin Needed For Joint (Grammes) |
| M20 | 40 | 63 | 360 | 510 | 1200 (2xC Size Packs) |
| M30 | 47 | 100 | 520 | 740 | 2220 (3 x C & 2 x B Size Packs) |
| M40 | 27 | 150 | 813 | 1118 | 3600 (6 x C Size Packs) |
Video: Conductix Wampfler Pre Assembled Festoon Systems – Fast & Easy Installation/Retrofit On-Site
LV Cable Joints (Low Voltage Cables)
Thorne & Derrick stock and distribute LV Joints in Cold Shrink, Heat Shrink or Resin Cast technologies – multicore and multi-pair cable joints are available for immediate backfill and energisation of Low Voltage power, control and instrumentation cables 600V/1000V 3.3kV.
Complete range of LV Cable Accessories ➡
Cable Breakouts | Cable Caps | Cable Lugs | Cable Cleats | Cable Trough | Cable Duct | Feeder Pillars | for 11kV/33kV/66kV networks see MV HV Joints & Terminations

Pfisterer | Nexans Euromold | Prysmian | Cable Joints & Terminations MV HV

Cold Shrink by 3M | Joints | Abandonment | Terminations | Low Voltage LV Cables
