Network Rail Fibre Optic Cable Anchoring

Requirement

It has been established that trains travelling at speed create a local air disturbance around the carriage of the train. The air disturbance created is known as Drag.

The Drag force can change air pressures above and below objects that are adjacent to the train. This does lead to a uplift force on objects that are adjacent to the train.

It is possible that the Fibre Optic armoured cable used for the Fixed Telecoms Network (FTN) and Global Satellite Monitoring – Railways (GSM-R) which is laid adjacent to a railway can be susceptible to lift. It has been established through product acceptance criteria that the Rail Anchor can be used to counteract the uplift forces created by the wake of a train. The Rail Anchor has been developed expressly for this reason.

Solution

The Rail Anchor (PADS No.072611) is an anchor that has achieved Network Rail approval of the product in 1996 under the Parts And Drawings System (PADS) which is the official process by which accepted products shall be used on the rail infrastructure. It has now been established that the Rail Anchor has Grandfather Rights based on being tried and tested and in service for over 15 years.

The Rail Anchor exclusively supplied by Anchor Systems (International) Ltd is part of the distinguished range of mechanical ground Anchor Products that was originally designed for NASA to rapidly deploy tent shelters in the field. The Rail Anchor is an established standard recognized throughout the world as a means of securing trackside cabling and furniture safely and securely.