Working with the Rail Industry

Rail and metro lines are essential to our modern lives. Across continents and within our cities, they transport passengers and deliver freight to their destination. At Eland Cables we understand the vital role cables play in keeping Rail services moving. 

Deborah, Head of Marketing starts; "Cables for the network demands strict compliance, conforming to Network Rail approved specifications. Over the years, our technical expertise has seen us work with Network Rail to design cables that match the demands and improve the performance of the network. We've even helped design steel drums that work with new installation equipment."

Service means having storage capacity for millions of pounds of stock over extended periods; it means developing new cables and achieving product approvals to overcome challenges on the modern network; and it means trackside hi-ab deliveries on a just-in-time basis.

Doug, Rail, Utilities & Infrastructure Manager explains: "We deal with both Network Rail directly and through their contractors. We understand that the Rail environment can be challenging." 

Deborah continues, "Network Rail installations are often out of hours overnight and trackside, the costly track positions will have been planned months in advance. So it's essential that the right cable in the right length are delivered exactly when needed. That might be on a just in time basis to trackside or sidings."

Cables for the rail industry not only face the elements through the changing seasons, but also have to resist vibrations, oil spills, the stresses of continually running rolling stock, and even wildlife attacks. With these challenging environments it underlines the importance of standards and compliance.

Doug says: "Having The Cable Lab on site is very, very important for me and the cables that I'm delivering. Every cable is designed to do a certain job and we need to make sure it is capable of doing that job."

Lab Manager, Mark explains further: "So The Cable Lab is ultimately here to ensure that the products that we supply meet all the requirements that they are designed to meet. So this one tests for insulation and sheath thickness and overall diameters of the cable. It is important specifically for the rail industry because of the types of installation that these cables are installed in. So they are installed track side, there installed in cleats in groups of cable and the material thicknesses is an important part to ensure it’s got sufficient protection in the installation that they are in."

Deborah concludes: "At Eland Cables our work with the rail industry is about more than just supplying cables. It's the logistics, the innovation, the technical expertise, all working in support of their electrification, signalling and power projects. Our team know the demands and installation is going to face. We make sure we deliver a fully compliant product each and every time."

 

Eland Cables: A tailored service on a global scale.