Back in 2016, Atkins began the development of packaging their digital signalling hardware for deployment trackside. The brief was to incorporate control equipment, power management and transformers along with the 'plug and play' socket plate into a standard half size location case.
The limited space within the location case and the size of the Class II power enclosures available at the time necessitated a bespoke solution. A product was produced and was used on parts of one of the early digital signalling installations known as NYL - Norwich, Yarmouth, Lowestoft. The project highlight issues when installing the feeder cables into the bespoke power enclosure and never gained Network Rail approval.
In 2020, Atkins spoke with iLECSYS Rail to enquire about the availability of an approved power enclosure that could be used in their digital signalling location case. At the time, iLECSYS Rail were working to update and enhance their current range of signalling power enclosures.
The new products include the 'Compact 300', which had facilities to terminate feeder cables up to 70mm2 and up to 120mm2 with constraints. To make site-installation easier, it also featured individual sliding gland plates for each feeder cable. The components were all packaged into an enclosure which had a footprint that would fit into the Atkins signalling location case and provide space for the installer to connect the feeder cables.
Multiple units were supplied to Atkins and were successfully deployed on the East West Rail project. The Compact 300 will be standard in future Atkins digital signalling projects. The Compact 300 has now been supplied for us on a number of other projects and has proven to be a successful solution for terminating feeder cables in FSPs, especially when space is limited. The removable gland plates allow much easier installation for electrical contractors.
