INDUSTRY FOCUS RAIL


LOAD BANKS: POWERING THE NEXT ERA OF RAIL TRANSPORT


Rail expansion is central to the UK’s ambitions, but it cannot


come at the expense of reliability. Andrew Keith, division director at Power Prove, explains how load banks provide essential support


for both building and maintaining resilient rail networks


K


ey parts of the UK’s rail network, particularly power and signalling systems, may not be as resilient as previously


assumed. This is the warning fromthe Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) in its State of the Nation 2025 report. And with Government plans for new rail lines, upgraded stations and advanced digital systems moving forward, the underlying electrical infrastructure will be placed under even greater strain. This presents two core challenges: integrating


modern electrical assets safely into the network; and ensuring that ageing infrastructure can withstand the increased operational load. Load banks help to make this possible.


TESTING PARAMETERS To help timetable more trains, improve safety and implement digitally controlled signalling hubs, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, low-voltage transformers and traction power substations are being deployed across the rail network. These modern systems, however, are more sensitive than their predecessors and risk placing greater demands on electrical infrastructure. With their performance needing to be


thoroughly validated before they go live, load banks can be used to apply controlled, simulated electrical loads to the system, enabling engineers to test key parameters such as voltage stability, frequency regulation, harmonic distortion and transient response under real-world operating conditions. As an example, diesel generators must demonstrate stability across dynamic load changes, while uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and battery systems must facilitate critical loads without voltage sag or switchover delays. By gradually increasing or cycling loads, the load bank reveals how systems


44 DESIGN SOLUTIONS OCTOBER 2025


respond to stress, helping ensure continuous backup power for safety-critical functions like signalling and control during faults or outages. Load bank testing also helps ensure


compliance with standards such as the IEC 62040 series for UPS systems, which requires full-load testing using defined reference loads. In contrast, EN 50388 for power supplyand


rolling stock doesn’t explicitly require load bank testing. However, it does require verification of traction power supply performance under real operating conditions. Consequently, load bank testing is recognised as an effective method to validate this requirement, providing a foundation for resilient, future-ready infrastructure.


VALIDATION Much of the UK’s rail network still relies on decades-old substations, cable networks and backup systems. This infrastructure must now


handle tighter service intervals, higher passenger loads and digital systeminterfaces. Here, too, load banks provide critical


assurance. Portable and containerised units enable the live testing of installed diesel generators, switchgear and batteries without interrupting operations. For example, a resistive load test can reveal engine instability in an ageing genset, while a capacitive battery discharge test may show cell degradation that would threaten UPS runtime. By identifying performance drift before failures


occur, load bank testing enables predictive maintenance strategies. Remote-controlled load bank systems, such as DigiLoad, allow engineers to conduct off-site load profile programming, monitor system responses in real time and capture data for analysis. These capabilities are particularly valuable in rail environments where access to critical electrical infrastructure is limited to short maintenance windows or remote substations along active lines. Ultimately, this enables safe integration of new


components into legacy infrastructure. Without proper validation, combining modern and ageing systems risks voltage imbalance, power quality issues or unexpected load behaviour – all of which could impact safety-critical operations. by simulating operational stresses, load banks verify that upgrades do not undermine existing resilience, ensuring that modernisation efforts enhance rather than disrupt reliability. By validating electrical performance under


real-world conditions, enabling predictive maintenance, and enabling the safe integration of new and legacy assets, load banks are essential to powering the next era of rail transport.


Power Prove T: 0116 249 1722 www.powerprove.com


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