Cable Cleats

Cable Cleats.

Cable Hangers for Railway Tunnels | Ellis Pegasus Cable Hangers

October 7th, 2021

Pegasus Cable Hangers

Manufacturer of cable cleats and industry innovator, Ellis Patents has secured an order that has seen its Pegasus cable hangers hung at one metre intervals throughout the 1.6-mile length of one the world’s oldest railway tunnels.

The Summit Tunnel, which runs beneath the Pennines between Littleborough in Greater Manchester and Walsden near Todmorden in West Yorkshire, was constructed between 1838 and 1841.At the time of its opening, it was the longest railway tunnel in the world.

Ellis Patents’ Pegasus cable hangers were installed as part of a track renewal project being carried out in conjunction with Network Rail under the auspices of the Central Rail System Alliance (CRSA).

Ellis Pegasus | Non Metallic Cable Hangers

Kelly Brown, Ellis Patents’ Head of Sales, said: “The size of the railway structure in the UK is staggering. There’s over 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and many thousands of signals, level crossing and stations – and huge swathes of it date back to the 19th century.”

“With that in mind every product we design and manufacture for the rail industry is developed with longevity as well as ease of installation, maintenance and renewal very much to the fore.”

As with all its products, Pegasus was designed and developed completely in-house by Ellis Patents. Featuring an aluminium spine that can support any number and combination of plastic cable hangers, the modular cable hanging system is stronger and lighter than any other similar products – and because it’s been designed to be made to order it’s also the most flexible solution available.

“Traditionally cable hanging systems have been anything but convenient,” continued Kelly. “They have come in set sizes and configurations; have weighed so much they needed at least two people to install them; and because they have been manufactured from galvanised steel they are subject to corrosion. In contrast, Pegasus is light, but exceedingly strong, corrosion and fire resistant and has all the necessary rail industry approvals.”

Pegasus Non Metallic Cable Hangers

The cable hanger material is a high strength nylon especially formulated to meet the requirements of the London Underground 1-085 Specification.

Independent testing is carried out to prove conformance to the standard including toxicity, limited oxygen and smoke emission. The extruded aluminium spine is marine grade and its specially shaped profile has been designed to offer high strength rigidity.

Resistance to ‘self-corrosion’ and ‘bi-metallic corrosion’ are considered in the design and the non-metallic nature of the materials ensures that corrosion would not occur even in the harshest of environments.

Cable Hangers – Non Metallic Cable Hanging Systems (LV MV HV Cable) – Dimensions

LV, MV & HV Jointing, Earthing, Substation & Electrical Eqpt

Thorne & Derrick International are specialist distributors of LV, MV & HV Cable Installation, Jointing, Duct Sealing, Substation & Electrical Equipment – servicing UK and global businesses involved in cable installations, cable jointing, substation, overhead line and electrical construction at LV, 11kV, 33kV and EHV.

WITHDRAWN IEC 61914:2009 | Cable Cleats for Electrical Installations

August 4th, 2021

By Chris Dodds | Sales & Marketing Manager at Thorne & Derrick International | Specialist Distributor for Ellis Patents | UK Leading Manufacturer of Cable Cleats for LV MV HV Power System Protection

Cable Cleats

The following article has been authored with the intent to highlight a serious specification shortcoming with respect to the understanding of conformance to the current IEC standard and the short-circuit testing and purchasing of cable cleats.

Working with Ellis Patents, Thorne & Derrick have successfully addressed this issue across several recent UK projects in the offshore wind, battery storage, utility substation and data centre sectors – needless to say, power is everywhere, and we hope this article will lead to a more widespread correction and update at specifier and contractor levels throughout the electrical industry.

Thorne & Derrick are a leading Specialist Distributor of LV HV Jointing, Earthing, Substation & Electrical Eqpt; this includes Cable Management, Fastening & Support Systems such as cable ties, cable hangers and strapping systems for LV up to 132kV power cable networks located onshore and offshore in industrial, hazardous and high voltage applications.

To nutshell this for us, you should ensure your cable cleats are tested to IEC61914:2015 – IEC61914:2009 is Revised, Superseded and Withdrawn. Here is why.

IEC 61914:2009

So What’s Changed?

IEC 61914:2009 Is Withdrawn

IEC 61914:2015 is available as IEC 61914:2015 RLV which contains the International Standard and its Redline Version, showing all changes of the technical content compared to the previous edition.

IEC 61914:2015 specifies requirements and tests for cable cleats and intermediate restraints used for securing cable in electrical installations. Cable cleats provide resistance to electromechanical forces where declared. This standard includes cable cleats that rely on a mounting surface specified by the manufacturer for axial and/or lateral retention of cables.

This 2nd Edition of IEC61914 cancels and replaces the first edition published in 2009. This edition constitutes a technical revision. This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:

a) Additional declaration and test for lateral load retention depending on cleat mounting orientation with associated new figures;
b) Additional declaration of the distance between the cable centres in any short-circuit test and associated new figures;
c) Specification of the cable to be used in short-circuit testing and relaxation of the ambient temperature limits for the test;
d) Additional requirement to photograph the short-circuit test arrangement before and after the test and to record more complete details of the cable used;
e) Revised parameters for the test of resistance to UV light.

This edition also includes the following editorial changes with respect to the previous edition:
f) Revised and updated normative references and bibliography;
g) Editorial clarification of definitions;
h) Editorial clarification of procedures for selection of test samples and the testing of cleats designed for more than one cable;
i) Relaxation of some mandrel material requirements;
j) Clarification of the inspection requirements following a short-circuit test and adding the option of either a.c. or d.c. voltage testing following a second short-circuit;
k) Clarification that the resistance to corrosion test applies to all types of fixing;
l) New cleat example illustration;
m) Limitations of use of the formulae in Annex B added.

“Cable cleats are critical electrical safety products – in the event of a short circuit they can protect your people, not just plant. During a recent tender bid we were alerted to non-conformance of a competitor product during the technical qualification procedure for a major UK infrastructure project. Simply, their product was tested to the cancelled 2009, not superseding 2015 version. Thorne & Derrick distribute LV HV Cable Accessories & Electrical Equipment from market-leading manufacturers tested to the current range of international standards,” comments Chris Dodds (Sales Manager at Thorne & Derrick).

“The closest example I can think of for this is car seat belts. If you were on the market to purchase a car and were advised that the seatbelts on the car you had chosen were not compliant to the latest industry standards, you may decide against purchasing that car due to safety concerns. Moreover the car would not be safe for sale in UK or European markets and would not bear the required UK CA or CE mark. Cable cleats for cables can be viewed in a similar way to seatbelts in cars as they both perform safety functions, adds Noman Shabir (National Sales Manager at Ellis Patents).

IEC Cable Cleat Specifications

All cable cleats stocked and supplied by Thorne & Derrick are short-circuit tested to the current updated version IEC61914:2015.

The Trackside Conduit

July 6th, 2021

The Trackside Conduit

Special thanks to Paul Darlington from the Rail Engineer magazine for kind permission to republish this article

Data connectivity is vital for all aspects of society and industry, and is becoming increasingly important for railway operations. Signalling, electrification control, fixed and radio communications: all rely on cables running alongside the railway.

However, the integrity and value of these rail cables is only as good as the protection offered by the lineside cable route. Often overlooked or taken for granted, it is vital for the safe, efficient operation of any railway.

The primary function of any form of cable route is to protect the cables within.

Ideally it should provide mechanical protection, so it must be robust and stable, fire and vandal proof, capable of being opened and closed to maintain the cables or run new ones, be cost effective and safe to install, and require minimal maintenance.

Cable routes can be constructed from a variety of materials and come in different sizes and shapes. Transition modules may be required along with ‘T’ junctions, bends and joint bays.

All these requirements are not easy to achieve and can conflict. An assortment of route types have been used over the years and the search for an ideal cable route is never ending.

An evolutionary approach

The first types of cable routes were open copper wires raised on wooden poles. With the introduction of overhead electrification, signalling and telecoms cables were run at ground level in some form of cable containment. On the majority of non-electrified lines or those with conductor rails, cables are now provided at ground or sub-surface level.

Wooden cable routes were used initially, but these soon rotted and have not been used for many years. Asbestos cable routes mounted on posts were then provided, but these didn’t offer much mechanical protection and introduced a health and safety risk.

One of the more successful systems was concrete ground-level troughing, generally known as GLT. With detachable lids, this has been used for many years and is supplied in various sizes, generally in 1m lengths.

It provides reasonable mechanical strength, although the natural walkway it forms encourages its use as a lineside pathway. It was not designed for this purpose and a misaligned lid can easily cause injury if walked on.

The weight of concrete troughing gives it reasonable stability, but makes it difficult to handle manually and its installation can require extensive possessions for off-loading.

Deeper and higher ballast shoulders have, in places, transformed the troughing into ballast retaining walls or totally burying it. Any displaced alignment may put strain on the cables within and make it even more hazardous to walk on. While concrete troughing is reasonably inexpensive for the protection achieved, it is costly to install with manual labour and requires frequent replacement of damaged lids

In the 1960s, to obviate many of the disadvantages of the precast concrete route whilst retaining its inherent advantages, a continuous slip-formed concrete route was trialled. A train with an earth plough formed a trench alongside the track. Concrete was then discharged from the train into the trench, after which the train made a further pass with a plough to create a trough in the concrete. Once dry, precast concrete lids were off-loaded.

This method removed much of the manual labour involved in construction, but required a site with soil suitable for the earth plough, precise control of the concrete mix consistency, accurate rate of discharge into the trench and consistent train speed. It was also found that an unplanned thunderstorm turned a near-finished length of route into a disaster area! The trial was abandoned.

Buried cables

In areas of theft risk, cables can be buried directly in the ground at a depth providing adequate protection. Installation is generally required immediately after the trench has been dug as heavy rain can collapse it prior to backfilling. Alternatively, a duct system can be buried prior to the cables being pulled through or, in the case of fibre cables, blown through with compressed air.

Any buried route is expensive to install – particularly with manual labour – and may require rail-mounted machinery for excavation. Gaining access to the cables requires careful selection of the breakout point locations, together with jointing bays. The chosen cable must be suitable for direct burial and it is not easy to subsequently connect into the cable route.

Another method of direct burial is by utilising a rail or vehicle-mounted mole plough.

This is a hydraulically controlled plough blade, with the cables fed through trackside conduits in the blade.

In the right situation the method has some advantages, but large cables can present problems as certain types of soil do not consolidate and can leave a damaged embankment or cess. The method requires careful planning and preparation, with robust buried service checks prior to the cable-laying.

It only takes one old signal base to break the plough and seriously delay the programme. In locations with sharp stones, additional cable protection is required with sheathing or sand backfill. However, ploughing small fibre cable ducts could be an answer for the future. We’ll come back to that later.

Plastic routes

Over the years, various sorts of plastic cable routes have been trialled for lineside cable containment. Unfortunately, they have generally not provided the required mechanical strength, especially when faced with ballast alongside the route. Plastic also contracts and expands as the temperature varies and it is not easy to incorporate adequate expansion mechanisms.

Railtrack had some success installing a 100mm plastic surface pipe with thermal expansion mitigation which was staked into the ground every few metres. This provided protection to a telecoms cable running between signal boxes on rural routes and is still in use 25 years later. This wasn’t suitable for larger volumes of cables on main lines and it wasn’t easy to provide regular cable breakout points.

Recycled polymer

Over the last ten years, cable routes made from 100% recycled polymers – such as polypropylene – have been introduced which offer similar high strength and impact resistance to traditional concrete, but are approximately five times lighter for the same size and far easier to cut.

A further enhancement – building on the problem of walking on narrow concrete lids – was the introduction of a combined cable route and safe walkway, also made from recycled polymer. Two routes with the equivalent capacity of two concrete troughs were located under a 700mm wide non-slip surface. The lids were constructed so that cables could be laid with half the route open. Fixings were also provided for a removable handrail and the ability to secure the lids to the troughing to deter cable theft.

Following removal of the lids for installation purposes, there have been reports of a route’s sidewalls being deflected inwards due to the weight of the adjacent ballast, preventing the lids being replaced correctly.

This caused the lids’ outer edges to be unsupported and move unexpectedly under the weight of footfall, thus creating a trip hazard. This illustrates the need for maintenance of all cable routes and, in this case, to ensure the lids were securely attached to the sidewalls and not displaced from their correct positions.

Elevated troughing

In cuttings susceptible to slippage, the toe cannot be excavated to accommodate a trough or buried route, so an elevated troughing route may be required, mounted on posts which only interfere with the soil formation at a minimal number of points. As well as early use of asbestos, elevated troughing has been constructed from a variety of materials over the years including timber, cement, glass-reinforced plastic, metal, recycled polymer and glass-fibre reinforced concrete (GRC).

Many elevated routes lose their alignment during their lifetime due to movement in the soil foundation and are particularly prone to damage as they form an obstruction to track work and make natural seats. Nevertheless, elevated GRC routes have, in particular, been widely used and are easy to transport and install.

Theft & vandalism

Vandalism and theft of copper cables have produced particular problems. Concrete routes may require lids to be fixed with metal clips or epoxy adhesive to deter theft.

In high-risk areas, cables have been sealed into GLT with concrete, but this is generally not recommended as cement can harm some cable sheath types and filling the trough route with concrete makes it unusable for other cables.

It is also expensive and labour intensive. Putting blobs of concrete in the trough is not good either as thieves have been known to cut and steal the intervening length, making it difficult to run a replacement cable.

Buried routes are quite effective as a deterrent if sufficient depth is maintained and the soil is well consolidated, although it has proved necessary in some locations to anchor the cables to prevent them being pulled from the ground using road vehicles.

Fibre cables – Trackside Conduit

When the national fixed telecoms network was deployed by Network Rail, a heavily armoured variant of the normal armoured optical fibre was chosen to deploy without any cable route. This was known as Double-Insulated Super Armoured Cable or DI-SAC which was approved for use where only optical fibre cables were required.

DI-SAC comprised 24 single-mode optical fibres divided equally into two stainless steel tubes, helically wound around a solid aluminium former, encased inside a medium-density polyethylene inner sheath and thick steel-wire armour, with a green over-sheath of fire-retardant ethylene vinyl acetate.

In walking areas and those prone to vandalism, DI-SAC was scratch-buried so it did not protrude above ground level. Nominally, it was secured into the ground every 40m, but this distance varied to prevent the DI-SAC being pulled onto the track. Its use without a cable route was questioned by many in the industry, but it saved the national fibre project several hundred million pounds. The cable was specially made in high volumes and is no longer commercially available.

Blown fibre

Fibre optic technology has now become the norm for telecoms transmission as it provides huge data transmission capability, solves the problem of inductive interference with long distance copper cables and has no theft value.

Fibre cables were traditionally installed in concrete trough routes in lengths of up to 2km. Selected fibres would be broken out to connect to the digital transmission equipment. Originally, such equipment would use local copper cable tails to provide connections to equipment such as telephones, data terminals, radio base stations and signalling interlockings.

With the introduction of all-IP (internet protocol) networks, fibre-borne digital signals right to the end device are now becoming the norm which has led to the concept of ‘blown fibre’ as an option.

This involves a composite material pipe incorporating several ducts of different sizes being installed either on the surface or buried. Bundles of fibres can then be blown into the duct using compressed air and further bundles can be similarly installed into different tubes at a later date, as required.

One drawback of normal routes is that new cables tend to be laid on top of existing cables in the route. When new signalling or telecom systems are brought into use, the redundant cabling remains in place and the trough becomes over-full. With fibre blowing it is relatively easy to remove fibre bundles and replace them should this be required.

Conventional troughing routes and copper cables are far larger than the blown-fibre solution and more expensive to install. As the blown-fibre duct can be coiled and directly ploughed into the ground using smaller machinery, it may be more cost effective and flexible than traditional buried routes.

Blown fibre has been trialled in Scotland for lineside installation, but is yet to receive national approval due to concerns with route expansion. At the very least, blown fibre may be a good option for fibre in buildings and stations.

So, the search for the ideal cable route and trackside conduit continues in order to maintain the integrity and value of the vital cables which support a safe, efficient railway.

Original Source Rail Engineer Magazine article written by Paul Darlington

About Rail Engineer

Rail Engineer

Rail Engineer is the leading independent quality monthly magazine for engineers, project managers, directors and leading rail executive decision makers.

Besides publishing the latest up-to-date rail engineering news, our team of engineer writers report on the engineering and technical aspects of many of the major projects being undertaken day in, day out, above and below ground, and across the globe.

In the UK we work in close consultation with Network Rail, Docklands Light Railway and the Underground, where our team of rail engineers actively visit the project sites, meet project engineers and provide in-depth analysis on the engineering skills being used and the latest innovations.

From trams and fleet refurbishment to new rolling stock and high speed rail, the rail engineer reports on the engineering and environmental challenges for manufacturers and operators. Our engineers visit factories and depots, meeting with specialist engineers to bring you the latest engineering updates on all aspects of rolling stock, whether onboard technology or mechanical enhancements focussing on safety, energy and the passenger experience.

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RAIL ENGINEER MAY / JUNE 2021

View the latest edition below or click the following link where the original The Trackside Conduit Article can be found https://www.railengineer.co.uk/rail-engineer-may-june-2021-hs2s-largest-bridge-decarbonising-scotland-and-piccadilly-line-trains/

Paul Darlington joined British Rail as a Trainee Telecoms Technician in September 1975. He became an instructor in telecommunications and moved to the telecoms project office in Birmingham, where he was involved in designing customer information systems and radio schemes. By the time of privatisation, he was a Project Engineer with BR Telecommunications Ltd, responsible for the implementation of telecommunication schemes included Merseyrail IECC resignalling.

With the inception of Railtrack, Paul moved to Manchester as the Telecoms Engineer for the North West. He was, for a time, the Engineering Manager responsible for coordinating all the multi-functional engineering disciplines in the North West Zone.

His next role was Head of Telecommunications for Network Rail in London, where the foundations for Network Rail Telecoms and the IP network now known as FTNx were put in place. He then moved back to Manchester as the Signalling Route Asset Manager for LNW North and led the control period 5 signalling renewals planning. He also continued as chair of the safety review panel for the national GSM-R programme.

After a 37-year career in the rail industry, Paul retired in October 2012 and, as well as writing for Rail Engineer, is the Managing Editor of IRSE News.

Thorne & Derrick are leading Specialist Distributors & Stockists of LV, MV & HV Cable Installation, Jointing, Substation & Electrical Equipment to the Rail industry.

Thorne & Derrick

Thorne & Derrick are leading Specialist Distributors & Stockists of LV, MV & HV Cable Installation, Jointing, Substation & Electrical Equipment to the Rail industry.

RAIL CABLE ACCESSORIES, ELECTRIFICATION

& INSTALLATION EQUIPMENT

Thorne & Derrick stock and distribute an extensive range of 400V-33kV Rail Cable Accessories & Power Distribution Systems 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.

Cable Joints, Terminations & Connections | Distributors & Stockists for 3M Cold Shrink | Nexans Euromold | Pfisterer CONNEX

GRP Cable Trough | GRC Cable Trough | Concrete Cable Trough | Cable Ducting

A Model For Cable Containment

July 6th, 2021

A Model For Cable Containment

Cable Support & Containment

Special thanks to Paul Darlington from Rail Engineer for kind permission to republish this article

MITA Powered by WIBE is a major multi-national company, operating in a wide range of sectors including Rail, Utility, Data-centre, Renewable, Oil & Gas and Process industries – the company’s extensive Cable Support range includes a market-leading range of GRP Elevated Cable Troughing & Accessories which are designed and manufactured in the UK.

GRP elevated cable troughing is an especially useful containment system for rail.

Ground Level Troughing (GLT) is used in signalling and telecoms schemes for the cable connections to lineside equipment such as points, train detection, signals and radio sites.

However, in many places, GLT cannot be used due to the ground profile and steep embankments and cuttings. GRP is an ideal alternative for such locations and it is also essential for large current-carrying power cables, such as medium voltage 25kV trackside power cables.

MITA WIBE is the leading “fit & forget” Cable Troughing & Management System manufactured in GRP with PADS Approval and specific material formula’s for trackside and tunnel applications on Network Rail infrastructure.

MITA WIBE is the leading “fit & forget” Cable Troughing & Management System manufactured in GRP with PADS Approval and specific material formula’s for trackside and tunnel applications on Network Rail infrastructure.

MITA are marker-leaders in the manufacture of GRP non-metallic troughing, GRP cable ladders, CABSYS cable trays, ducts, cable support channels and Fibastrut as the brand continues to lead the industry towards a sustainable future for a wide range of low (LV), medium (MV) and high voltage (HV) cable installation applications.

High quality manufacture

The MITA GRP is produced by pultrusion technology.

This uses a combination of unidirectional and cross-strand glass mat which is resin-impregnated and pulled through a hot die to produce a very solid, structurally sound profile with excellent mechanical rigidity.

Unlike some other troughing systems, MITA GRP does not contract or expand with heat causing the troughing route to distort. It is produced with a high quality of manufacture and modified by the use of additives to the resin, and with protection from ultra-violet light. The product is produced in either 3m or 6m lengths for easy transportation and installation.

MITA GRP is 70% lighter than steel and 90 times lighter than concrete; the cable trough is also corrosion resistant. It does not conduct heat and has excellent durability against adverse weather conditions. The rail cable management product offers excellent UV stability resulting in a cost-effective long-term solution.

The MITA GRP is provided in a wide range of trays, troughing and ladders which can support any type of cable – especially power and fibre cables which require a gentle bending radius. Unlike some competitors’ systems, MITA TM elevated troughing is provided with GRP support posts to increase its durability.

The troughing lids clip securely in place, providing cable theft protection. Further security can easily be added by installing stainless steel bands around the elevated route.

MitaTM GRP troughing in use on the East Coast Main Line

Network Rail approval

The MITA GRP elevated cable route has been fully approved by Network Rail under Certificate of Acceptance PA05/00442 issued in 2015 for use in locations unsuited to GLT. The Zero Halogen Low Smoke (ZHLS) version has also been approved for use in sub-surface stations and connecting tunnels.

Furthermore, the approval applies to a very impressive 42-page list of accessories, including bends, brackets, risers and transition/reducer pieces. Allowing connections to existing GLT cable routes, reducers are important and not always available in other cable containment systems.

London Underground has successfully used MITA GRP troughing. They were concerned that their sensitive signalling equipment was susceptible to contact by flakes of galvanisation from steel support systems and that their DC traction cabling system might create eddy currents within troughing ladders and supports if they were metallic.

MITA GRP troughing was chosen as it is non-magnetic and has non-conductive properties. The ZHLS version is also a requirement for London Underground’s sub-surface locations.

The cable containment system is not just used in rail, but has also been successfully employed in a wide range of industries including data centres, power industries, manufacturing, water treatment, food production, industrial buildings and oil and gas.

Working with GRP

Another particularly useful feature of the MITA GRP system is its ability to be integrated with the Bentley Raceway and Cable Management Building Information Modelling (BIM) tool.

This provides a complete layout, routing and material estimating function in a single, integrated system. It can be applied from the initial concept design through to detailed design and construction.

A user can create an accurate 3D model of the cable troughing route, making it easy to ensure that adequate space and clearances are available in confined locations, and for the detailed design and material requirements to be quickly and easily produced.

MITA GRP is a non-hazardous, inert product – the cable support system is lightweight and can be manually handled without difficulty, unlike concrete. In contrast to steel, GRP does not have to be deburred or given edge treatment before fitting, saving time and further reducing labour costs. During installation, any cutting, drilling, bonding and jointing can be easily undertaken and will not give rise to a hazardous situation, with any dust kept to a minimum.

Sample Components of the MITA GRP Troughing System

Andrew Sillars, Contractor Specification Engineer, says: “Having supported the specification of Glass Reinforced Polymer cable containment since 2005, I have experienced its unique features such as light weight, long-life durability, no deburring, no earth bonding and many more. All these advantages of GRP Cable Containment support a cheaper, quicker and easier-to-install system that gives a true fit-and-forget solution.”

Original Source Rail Engineer Magazine article written by Paul Darlington