UK: A section of remotely movable 25 kV 50 Hz overhead that can be adjusted to test proposed electrification designs before installation has been demonstrated at the Global Centre of Rail Excellence site in South Wales.
It is hoped that the Cost-Reducing Dynamic Electrification System could make wiring existing lines faster and cheaper. It enables different geometries for electrifying under low bridges to be tested without requiring days of manual labour and machinery to make adjustments.
‘Bridge lifts for electrification can cost in the order of millions of pounds, something we can save by thoroughly testing and scrutinising designs in a way that was, until now, simply too expensive’, said Noel Dolphin, Head of UK Projects at electrification specialist Furrer+Frey.
’Electrification already delivers excellent value for money — boosting capacity, improving reliability and cutting pollution. Our system could bring up-front costs down, enhancing value for money even more.
’Our kit will allow us to set up a full-scale twin of a design, bringing something from paper into real-life, where it can be safely tried and tested to fine-tune designs.
‘It will also help us in reviewing existing line speeds through stations, level-crossings and bridges, in turn potentially adding time savings to routes up and down the country.’
The demonstration was backed with £0·5m of government funding through Innovate UK. The promoters aspire to installing a 1 km long section of CODES will be installed on the planned GCRE test track.
