ABB has used Ellis’ innovative Cable Guide Clamp to install HV cables in the Kensal Green section of National Grid’s Crossrail Connection Scheme in London.

Designed to feed, and then restrain, large diameter cables along routes that feature significant numbers of twists and turns, Ellis’ Cable Guide Clamp was used by ABB on SGT1 and SGT2 transformer end cable sealing support structures.

Chaminda Karunatilake, a HV cable system design engineer  at ABB said: “This section of the installation required us running two large cables through a series of tight and unusual angles and then ensuring they stayed in place once installed – and having been made aware of the Cable Guide Clamp it quickly became apparent it was exactly what was needed for the job.”

“It turned what could well have been an installation nightmare into a straightforward job. And on top of that, the fact that it also doubles as a cable clamp meant we saved time and money before, during and after the installation.”

Ellis’ Cable Guide Clamp works in two stages. Firstly, cables are guided by it into their final location, while trumpeted entry and exit points ensure the cable is not damaged when fed through particularly sharp angled turns. Once the cable is laid correctly, the top half of the guide is removed, a fixing piece installed directly onto the cable and the top half re-secured, thus turning it into a fully-functioning HV cable clamp.

Richard Shaw, managing director of Ellis, said: “We’ve been seen as the global market leaders for cable cleats for a long time, but in recent years we’ve added to this with a fast growing reputation as the market innovators – and the Cable Guide Clamp is certainly one of the most innovative of solutions we’ve delivered during this period.

“Not only was it first developed under live project pressure for one of Europe’s largest engineering companies, but its initial success, and reaction to it, meant we were able to develop it into a full product range in the knowledge that its launch would be greeted with enthusiasm from all corners of the market.”

Crossrail is a new railway for London and the South East. Aimed at improving journey times across London, easing congestion and improving connections, it features 42km of new tunnels and will deliver a 10 per cent increase to London’s rail capacity when it opens in 2019. In total there will be 10 new stations along the new line, and it is estimated the Crossrail project will create up to 55,000 new jobs. For more information visit www.crossrail.co.uk.

To find out more about Ellis and its innovations visit www.ellispatents.co.uk, call +44(0)1944 758395 or follow us on Twitter @ellispatents.

You can view the Ellis Cable Guide Clamp in action here – www.ellispatents.co.uk/video/