Great Western Modernisation Earthing and Bonding
RJ Power Rail were engaged by long-term partner Amey Rail and their Thames Valley Area (TVA) Project team, to install earthing and bonding systems for various trackside assets. The bonding systems were required to enhance the system protection by providing a sufficiently low impedance earth for Locations within the OLE ‘dewirement’ zone. This ensured that in the event of the OLE coming into contact with the location, that the traction return path can conduct the voltage for a sufficient time until the OLE system protective devices operate.
To complete the works, RJ Power Rail supplied 10 installation teams during the various stages of the project over approximately 100 linear miles covering a wide geographical area from Maidenhead to Bristol.
The Great Western Route Modernisation (GWRM) programme is tasked with the delivery of a 25KV OLE railway with more frequent/faster train services providing more seats and improved stations. In short, this represents the biggest investment for this part of the national rail infrastructure since it was first created in the 1830s.
This GWRM programme covers approximately 10 years of continuous railway infrastructure enhancement works inclusively of a number of major works such as Track Remodelling, Resignalling and overall Electrification.
“RJ Power Rail’s project and engineering teams pulled out all stops to ensure this electrification support project was delivered on time and to specification. In addition to this, the team worked collaboratively with us to support changes in design and perform additional works that will benefit the wider scheme.
“I would like to thank all involved for their efforts in this completing this project.”
Joseph Smales, Project Manager – Infrastructure, Colas Rail
Project Deliverables
RJ Power Rail deliverables were to carry out surveys to identify lineside assets and the review of designs for providing bonding Systems to be able to electrify the GWML Project. Our scope was to install all types of bonding systems, whether we were connecting to the existing Return Screen Conductor (RSC) using Pfisterer ground tap connections, 120mm bonding cables to extraneous metalwork, or Cross bonding from Spider Plates to Angle Cleats, RSC or to Track. Once the bonds were installed all torque settings were recorded, bonds fitted with heat-shrink markers and fitted with Traffolyte labels.
Pre-commencement stage
- Undertake site surveys to identify assets that require bonding
Implementation stage
- Installation and commissioning of lineside assets
- Installation and commissioning of cross bonding change to the RAM
Challenges & Solutions
Multi-functional solution
Ensuring that a facility is properly grounded and bonded at the design and construction phase can reduce expensive downtime and equipment failure in the future. Most importantly, it can eliminate any potential safety issues.
RJ Power Rail provided optimal protection of personnel and facilities with earthing concepts that suited the client’s needs, including calculation rail potential and touch voltages.
Our earthing and bonding solutions ensured minimal electrical resistance, good corrosion resistance and the ability of dissipating high fault current effectively.
About Us
RJ Power Rail Limited is a Full Trackside Principal Contractor to Network Rail and provides power engineering services for the rail industry. Its expert team has decades of experience covering all aspects of electrical engineering within high voltage electrification systems, traction power and industrial low voltage distribution systems across various regions within the UK.
RJ Power Rail Limited shares our clients’ objectives in how we conduct ourselves and our business, which has allowed us to develop long-term relationships with both Network Rail, TfL and several Tier One contractors.
