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Cardiff Intersection Bridge - from Concept to Coating withGLS 100R®

GLS 100R® had been used successfully on bridges on existing electrified lines with known clearance issues, but hadn’t been used as part of a design proposal for new electrification. Andromeda recommended using GLS 100R® on the Cardiff Intersection Bridge project.

Don’t lower the track or higher your bridges - use GLS100R®

Alongside AMCO, our Technicians have worked on the Cardiff Intersection Bridge every Saturday night since January 2018.

GLS100R Cardiff Case Study

ONLY GLS100R® - insulates steelwork up to 193,000 Volts.

From start to finish GLS Coatings’ Projects have complete traceability through our bespoke iPad Digital Reporting System

What makes GLS100R® the ONLY choice?

  • Arriving on site in self-contained spray vehicles, our PASMA-trained Technicians quickly erect the track-mounted scaffold beneath the area of the bridge to be coated.
  • Checks and preparation work to the substrate are recorded on the iPad Reporting System.
  • Technical details, including ambient conditions, application data and spraying parameters are recorded on the iPad Reporting System.
  • GLS 100R® is spray-applied to the underside of the bridge.
  • GLS 100R® is TOUCH-DRY in UNDER 10 SECONDS, allowing full conformity checks to be undertaken immediately.

What makes GLS100R® the ONLY choice?

  • Elcometer thickness checks are carried out across the coating.
  • Holiday Spark-testing and other testing is carried out over the entire surface, to ensure the integrity of the coating.
  • Photographs are taken throughout the process, together with a narrative detailing any issues encountered. These are all included in the comprehensive iPad Report, which is signed-off by the Client.

GLS Coatings Ltd are the ONLY Approved Framework Supplier to Network Rail for the application of Electrically Insulating Coatings.

GLS 100R Wins Major Innovation Award

GLS Coatings Ltd, in collaboration with Andromeda Engineering,Network Rail, and Siemens were awarded the prestigious 2018 Railway Industry Innovation Award at a ceremony held at London’s Paddington Hilton Hotel.

The Guest speaker was Network Rail’s Chief Engineer, Jon Shaw and our winning entry was for our GLS 100R® Electrically Insulating Coating on the Cardiff Intersection Bridge on Great Western’s main line.

GLS100R Electrical Insulation

Cardiff Intersection Bridge has very low clearances between the Overhead Line installation and the bridge, with the cost of bridge renewal in the region of £40 - £50 million as well as causing extensive rail disruption.

GLS100R Cardiff Case Study

A collaboration with Network Rail Wales Infrastructure Projects (IP), Wales Route and Safety, Technical and Engineering (STE) and Andromeda Engineering led to a radical new solution at a combined design and installation cost of below £1 million.

Testing commissioned by Network Rail and carried out at Southampton University, proved that GLS 100R® Electrically Insulating Coating insulates up to 193,000 Volts. Siemens surge arrestors were also tested as a further mitigation measure.

Immediately following the successful Research Project, GLS Coatings Ltd Technicians began coating the underside of the bridge with
GLS 100R® in January 2018, ready for the electrification of the line.
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GLS Coatings Ltd are proud to hold the following Accreditations

  • ONLY GLS Coatings Ltd hold a Network Rail Framework Agreement No: LNW/17-18/006 for the Application of Electrical Insulation to LNW Route, Wessex Route, LNE Route, SE Route, Scotland Route and Anglia Route.
  • ISO 9001 and 14001 Accreditations
  • RISQS Audited
  • UVDB Qualified
  • Members of CIRAS Reporting System
  • SSIP Worksafe Contractors
  • Members of the British Safety Council
  • Members of the Rail Alliance

What makes GLS100R® the ONLY choice?

  • GLS100R® provides electrical insulation to a minimum of 35kV, with a minimum thickness of 3.5mm and 1500mm wide.
  • GLS100R® is light to mid-grey or black in colour, depending upon the substrate requirements.
  • GLS100R® is spray-applied by GLS Coatings fully-trained application technicians.
  • GLS100R® is suitable for normal UK weather conditions, including sunlight, rain, snow and freezing conditions.
  • GLS100R® provides a service life of at least 25 years, as verified through EOTA Test Data.

Want to know more? Call - 0800 231 5260

For no-obligation technical advice, just get in touch and we will be pleased to help.