JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #136 - September/October 2020 - 57

Composite overhead line catenary system for light rail

Cecence worked throughout
2015 to provide a theoretical
report to demonstrate that a
carbon fibre catenary cabling
system would be possible and
provide a more cost-effective
solution when considering
whole-life cost. After internal restructuring at Atkins,
the project was handed on to
Brecknell Willis in 2016 and,
in 2017, was started again in
earnest, at this point under
the installation and rail infrastructure management team
at Wabtec, with Cecence
proposing the specification
of the overhead line catenary
cabling system which could
also now include composite
upright supports and cantilever poles.
If the composite poles could
be manufactured to take the
same loads as the metal poles
but be lighter and easier to
transport, then there could
be a way of swapping out
metal on straight sections of
track where the composite
overhead catenary line would
be most effective. After the
successful installation of the
demonstrator system comprising three glass composite
support poles, glass cantilever systems incorporating all
clips and clamps and 150m
of carbon overhead catenary
line and end fittings in winter
2019, a series of preliminary
infrastructure engagement
meetings was scheduled to
see how the complete system, or elements of it, might
be integrated into other
existing systems.
Cecence drove the composite engineering, design and
manufacture of the project
forward to a finished and
complete set of components.
The installation will provide

Close up of carbon support cable (catenary) and stitch support cable with attachment clamp

a live demonstrator in spring
2020, as a means of proving
how this can be taken up by
industry.
Saving £1m per every 10k
The
carbon
composite
catenary cable is not prone
to sag in the same way as
the existing metallic system
and negates the need for the
weights currently used to
maintain tension and that
need regular adjustment.
Additionally, the carbon
catenary system allows for
the spacing of the support
poles to be doubled, halving
the amount of vertical infrastructure and providing better environmental aesthetics.
The composite poles are
lighter and easier to transport and provide a way
of swapping out metal on
straight sections of track
where the composite overhead catenary line will be
most effective.
This system could save as
much as £1m per every 10k.
With the collapse of British
Steel, new materials once
again have had a spotlight
placed upon them, in the

Close up of carbon support cable and twin copper contact wires with composite
dropper block to set position

search of alternative systems
to support the reduction in
supply.
Energy savings
The system is faster and
more cost-effective to install
and no tensioning system
is required, which removes
the need for weights and
regular adjustment work and
improves ease of use, while
contributing to a safer working environment. With the
composite catenary cabling
system, the installer has half

N°136 September - October 2020

the number of upright poles
to install and components
are lighter and easier to
handle. Components are
non-corrosive so there is less
degradation, greater durability and overall maintenance
is reduced. There are additionally a number of options
that are beneficial with an
overhead line equipment
(OHLE) system for energy
savings through buried induction loops, stored energy
(flywheel), and battery systems. An efficient electrical

/ jec composites magazine

57
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #136 - September/October 2020

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