Cable cleats designed and developed in North Yorkshire in response to a maintenance problem that was causing Network Rail health and safety issues, have been installed for the very first time in the Wessex Rail Alliance’s Waterloo and Southwest upgrade project.

The Ellis No Bolts cleat, from cable cleat innovator, Ellis, is an all polymeric stackable product that is the first ever cable cleat to be granted PADS approval by Network Rail. It has also been named Innovative Industrial Product of the Year at the Electrical Industry Awards; and Business Innovation of the Year at the York Press Business Awards.

Tony Conroy, Ellis’ global sales director, said: “The Ellis No Bolts cleat is a product we’re exceptionally proud of as it perfectly demonstrates our innovative approach to product development.

It was initially developed to meet a specific customer requirement; tackles and addresses a significant installation and maintenance issue; was then developed into a full range; and is now being specified for major projects by industry leading names.” The Waterloo and Southwest upgrade project is an £800 million investment by Network Rail and the Department for Transport aimed at significantly increasing the capacity for trains and passengers on that part of the rail network.

The Wessex Rail Alliance, which is overseeing the work, is a partnership comprising Network Rail, Aecom, Mott Macdonald and Skanska. “This is an absolutely enormous project and one that requires a complete new cable infrastructure to support the huge increase in trains operating on the network,” continued Tony.

“Therefore, to see the Ellis No Bolts cleats specified for the very first time for it says a great deal about the quality of the product, the faith these major companies have in Ellis, and the great work being done by our UK distributor, ETS Cable Components.” Kevin Moloney, ETS’ director, said:

“The Ellis No Bolts cleat design was driven forward by Network Rail, and in particular by program engineering manager, Dave Barnes, who contacted us initially to ask if we could help design a new cleating product that would help alleviate a health and safety issue.” The initial problem, which Network Rail outlined to ETS, was that live cables were having to be removed from cleats; work carried on around them; and then somehow placed back between tightly spaced upright studs at regular intervals along an entire run.

Ellis addressed the issue by designing a brand new product that could be stacked and fixed with nothing more complicated than a quarter turn fixing lock. This means additional cable runs can be added quickly and easily, without any need to tamper with existing ones.

The rapid-fit nature of the Ellis No Bolts cleat is further enhanced by the replacement of fixing nuts with a push-fit locking mechanism that securely fastens the lower and top section of the clamp together.

In addition to its PADS approval, the Ellis No Bolts cleat also meets the London Underground 1-085 approved material standard, and conforms with IEC 61914. For additional information on Ellis and its Ellis No Bolts Cleats visit www.ellispatents.co.uk or call +44(0)1944 758395.  Follow Ellis on Twitter at @ellispatents.