PRODUCT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT GIVES BRITCLIPS THE LEAD IN RAIL FIXINGS

Fixings specialists Emlux Holdings Ltd - manufacturers of the well established Britclips range of fastenings for services and cable - have developed an innovatively practical range of clips for the rail industry. These clips provide a totally secure means of fixing points heating elements to the rail.

Specially commissioned market research revealed considerable problems arising from the use of commercially available, standard spring clips for rail network applications - with reports of regular failure from clips becoming loose or completely dislodged through the effects of vibration, axle forces and movement of ballast.

These significant findings pinpointed the enormous potential danger and inconvenience of clip failure - of unheated points and dislodged cabling. This prompted Emlux to research in more detail the under-performance of standard commercial fixings, and to develop a 'fit-for-purpose' clip of their own.

The outcome was the launch in April 1999 of a completely new generation of rail clips for points heating systems on 113lb and UIC54 rail - dubbed the 'Britclips RHC range'. These new clips are considerably more robust than their predecessors, and designed to grip more securely to the rail. They are, however, extremely quick to install by a simple hammer-on method.

2000 - a year of success for Britclips!

Emlux Holdings' commitment to product research and development was amply rewarded during millennium year. Their Britclips RHC rail clips are now Railtrack plc's approved fixings for points heating systems. Success was consolidated when Britclips fixings were chosen for the prestigious WCRM (West Coast Route Modernisation) programme, with major installations at Euston, Birmingham and South Manchester.