Understanding Network Rail's PADS Number System

Welcome to our guide on Network Rail's PADS number system and the newly compliant Duct Seal HG. In the complex world of railway infrastructure, ensuring the safety, reliability, and standardisation of products is paramount. Network Rail achieves this through its Parts and Drawing System (PADS), a meticulous database designed to catalog and manage all approved products. This blog will delve into the purpose and benefits of PADS, explain the significance of Network Rail's uncontrolled catalogue numbers, and introduce you to the innovative Duct Seal HG system. Whether you're a Network Rail employee, contractor, or supplier, understanding these systems will help streamline your operations and enhance your projects' efficiency and safety

Introduction to PADS

PADS (Parts and Drawing System) is Network Rail’s comprehensive database for cataloging and managing accepted products used within its infrastructure. Each item in the system is assigned a unique PADS number, ensuring traceability and standardization across the rail network.

Purpose and Benefits

• Ensure all products used are safe, reliable, and compatible with the railway infrastructure.
• Facilitate easy identification and management of products.
• Streamline the approval and integration of new products.

Network Rail Uncontrolled Catalogue Numbers

Network Rail's uncontrolled catalogue numbers pertain to low-risk items for which Network Rail Engineering does not assert control, meaning these items do not require formal acceptance. The process of issuing these uncontrolled numbers is managed by the Network Rail Catalogue Management Team within Route Services. This ensures that while these items are not subject to the rigorous acceptance processes typical for higher-risk components, they are still systematically catalogued and can be procured efficiently.

Network Rail employees can apply for these numbers through the iStore site, which is an online procurement platform available exclusively to Network Rail personnel. This process facilitates the inclusion of various low-risk items into the inventory without the need for extensive product acceptance procedures, thus streamlining procurement for items that pose minimal risk to the rail infrastructure.

Network Rail Compliant Duct Seal System

After several months of trials, emails, and meetings, Network Rail has decided to make Duct Seal HG compliant for use on their network. Catalogue numbers have been raised for the full system and its separate components. This approval allows wholesalers, distributors, and contractors to purchase a professionally engineered duct sealing system for sealing ducts and cables on Network Rail sites.

The First of Many Projects

The first project where Duct Seal HG is being used involves sealing the cable entry points within REBs (Relocatable Equipment Buildings). Hundreds of REBs are being installed across Network Rail infrastructure, and Duct Seal HG is now designed into all REBs for sealing cable entry points, including cable transits, ducts, and penetrations.

Catalogue Numbers for Duct Seal HG

For more information on Network Rail’s product acceptance process, visit their Product Acceptance page.

Duct Seal HG - Compliant with Network Rail 

Duct Seal HG, is the first duct sealing system to have catalgue numbers created, and below show an breif intro to this duct seal product, but additional information can be found by clicking here: 

Duct Seal HG provides enhanced durability, offering up to 2 Bar resistance to water, gas, and air pressure. It is specifically designed to separate & support larger cables. The circular backing tubes can be interconnected to form a cross-piece for trefoil/triplex cables or a collar for quickly supporting single cables or pipes. The circular tubes can also be joined in groups of 5, split, compressed, or used as a whole unit to achieve a strong support around singular or multiple cables.

• Unique patented trefoil/triplex cable separation, setting the industry standard
• MEKO-free, Fybrid, and Non-Hazardous Intumescent sealant for enhanced safety
• Ensures water and gas tightness for superior performance - Up to 2.0 Bar
• Effectively resists toxic gases, making it an optimal choice for the Water Industry (methane, chlorine, & hydrogen sulfide)
• High resistance to hydrocarbons, making it ideal for the Petrol Forecourt industry - APEA & Blue Book
• Flame Retardant properties verified through UL94: 2013 ANSI / UL 94: 2018
• Compliance with DSEAR, WIMES, DCG, APEA, BLUE BOOK & ATEX standards
• Microbial Defense technology to boost resistance against fungi and bacteria
• Proudly MADE IN UK, with all components designed and manufactured locally

We have a patent pending on this design, which allows us to connect our circular sleeves, forming various shapes such as long strips or circular rings. As described above and depicted in the image below, this design creates a cross shape for trefoil separation

This is a unique and very effective way to ensure the separation, so by using Duct Seal HG, (which is the best compound seal for trefoil cables) you will easily seal and protect the duct, building & assets against water, gas & rodents.

Text to use for designing Duct Seal HG into specifications & drawings: 

Water & Gastight Seal to 2 bar pressure comprises red tubular backing supports that can link together to form various shapes, for splitting trefoil cables and supporting larger heavier cables, and Fybrid Intumescent GreyStuff

 Why Should you use Duct Seal HG 

• Duct Seal HG is always ex stock, available off the shelf ✔️
• As you can see from the information above, its perfect for Trefoil Cables ✔️
• No other compound sealing solution offers the cross peice for trefoil seperation ✔️
• Age tested for 50 years ✔️
• Made In Britian - Offical ✔️
• Supporting British manufacturing ✔️
• Full training (if required) with Fast technical support ✔️
• Re-enterable ✔️
• Non Hazardoues - Contains no MEKO ✔️ **Click to read this BLOG**
• No specialist tools required ✔️
• A friendly, helpfull, privately owned UK business ✔️
• Plus much more.....

Network Rail Duct Seal Compliance Conclusion

The PADS system and the compliance approval for Duct Seal HG reflect Network Rail's commitment to safety, reliability, and efficiency. By cataloging and managing both high-risk and low-risk items through systems like PADS and the uncontrolled catalogue numbers, Network Rail ensures that all products used in its infrastructure meet stringent standards. Duct Seal HG, now fully compliant and catalogued, offers an advanced, reliable solution for sealing ducts and cables, underscoring Network Rail's dedication to innovation and quality in maintaining a safe and efficient rail network.