INDUSTRY FOCUS RAIL With cable and pipe seal manufacturer Roxtec reporting rapid growth across
the European rail sector, David Chalmers, divisional manager for Infrastructure & Industry, explains why the firm’s sealing solutions are proving so popular
UNDERGROUND, OVERGROUND Sealing the deal in the rail industry R
oxtec UK is experiencing rapid growth in the rail sector, with sales doubling in the
last 12 months. This follows a series of project wins for new and retrofit applications with major operators including Crossrail, London Underground and Network Rail. Its products are proving popular because
they provide customers with a simple sealing solution which protects against multiple and complex hazards. These include effects of lightning strikes, gas, fire, dust, flood, humidity, rodents, electro-magnetic disturbances and the risk of explosion. In addition, Roxtec offers a complete package from design, engineering, and installation training to inspection support.
TAILOR-MADE TRANSITS There are many areas where Roxtec solutions can be applied within the rail sector, including traction power, signalling and control, communications, tunnels and bridges, rail stations and yards. Within the rolling stock arena, it offers cable management and sealing solutions for jumper plates, bogies, HVAC systems, junction boxes, pantograph and partition walls. It also provides cable retention systems tested for shock, vibration and dynamic forces. Roxtec’s pre-configured sealing solutions are
tested and certified according to standards such as EN 45545:3, up to E60, EN 45545:2 HL3 and BS EN 1366 up to EI120, in order to guarantee long-term protection against multiple risks. In recent months, Roxtec has secured orders
with LoTrain, East Anglia, South Western Railway and West Midlands. Meanwhile, ongoing infrastructure projects with London Underground and Network Rail are underpinning growth and creating new job opportunities at the firm. In addition to this, Roxtec is also involved
in a pioneering project with Crossrail’s new Elizabeth Line for London and the South East, which passes through 42km of tunnels – one of Europe’s largest infrastructure projects.
LONDON UNDERGROUND Following a rigorous process designed to challenge every aspect of Roxtec’s multi-cable transit system, the product is the first of its kind cleared for use on London’s Tube network.
Roxtec provides a free technical CPD seminar for the rail industry which covers protection of assets and ensuring reliable operation with certified cable sealing systems.
40 JUNE 2019 | DESIGN SOLUTIONS
More than £5.5bn has been invested in upgrading the capital’s underground transport network to increase train frequency and efficiency. Roxtec’s sealing system is
playing a key role in that modernisation programme, allowing cables to pass between separate areas while protecting people and infrastructure against a range of hazards. The multi-cable transit system
offers robust protection. If a fire breaks out, it is able to maintain its integrity and continue to provide insulation for at least an hour. It can also shield an area against smoke, gas, humidity and dust. Water ingress and rodent protection are assured, and protection is provided against vibration, electromagnetic pulse/interference and risk of explosion. The seals also offer resistance if an attempt is made to forcefully remove the cables. The Roxtec system can be used in a wide
variety of locations across the Tube network, including trackside in relocatable equipment buildings, junction boxes, control cabinets and substations. Up to six units (cable transit frames) measuring 0.5m x 0.3m each can be used in station areas, while one unit of the same size has been cleared for use in tunnels. London Underground approval is considered
to be the global rail industry’s gold standard, as it requires products to meet a higher level than either current GB or EU certification. The process took 18 months to complete, during which every Roxtec fire certificate was read and interpreted at a specialist testing facility. Further tests were carried out for smoke density in line with London Underground standards.
NETWORK RAIL THAMESLINK Another high-profile project involved the design and manufacture of heavy-duty cable seal solutions for Network Rail’s London Bridge railway station cable risers. The bespoke frames, at 218kg each, are the heaviest products Roxtec has ever produced for the UK. Together with the Roxtec sealing modules and compression units, they protect against the threat of water ingress, condensation, fire and rodents. The rail project, part of the multi-billion pound
Thameslink Programme, required all of the company’s engineering experience and expertise.
Network Rail commissioned the firm to seal cables entering the risers from ground level inside a trackside riser above a switch room. To ensure the high voltage cables feeding
from the switchgear to the tracks were properly sealed and protected against multiple hazards, Roxtec designed and manufactured customised frames. The frames, which had to both protect the 53mm diameter cables and provide ultra- rigidity for the tight radius bend, were then cast into poured concrete because of their weight. As a risk of condensation was also identified, each frame was sealed at both ends. The frames measured 1.5m in depth and
were designed with puddle flanges and a special arch shaped flange to match the curvature of the existing roof. Roxtec’s cable seal solutions provide water ingress protection, a one-hour fire rating, and vibration and pull-out resistance. Crucially for the rail industry, they also have a long-life expectancy of up to 30 years. Network Rail needed multiple cables to be
sealed, of differing diameters, and because of the sheer weight of the cables a mastic or foam alternative simply would not have worked. With the job requiring a mechanically engineered solution, Roxtec’s strong track record in designing and building bespoke cable seal solutions was a key factor in winning the contract. Roxtec engineers were heavily involved
during the design phase of the project and provided full technical support throughout. The firm also provided installation training ahead of the work, and ensured space was created to enable future cable upgrades to be made with a minimum of disruption.
Roxtec
www.roxtec.com
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