Cable infrastructure retrofit:
How Nottingham Tram added routing flexibility with minimal effort
How do you future-proof infrastructure?
| First and most obvious, you need to select the right products at the point of installation
| Second, and just as important, you also need to give yourself flexibility for evolving future requirements
On the Nottingham Tram network, an existing cable route constructed using the Cubis Systems MULTIduct had already been installed.
As the network developed, the client identified a need to create additional cable routing options from that existing route. (Offering linear buried cabling.)
Rather than replacing the installed infrastructure, the project team retrofitted one of our STAKKAbox™ chambers directly into the existing MULTIduct installation.
This simple retrofit transformed a simple point-to-point route into a versatile cable junction capable of supporting future network expansion. Full story below.
📸Pictured: Excavation begins around the existing linear route - built using MULTIduct.
The challenge
The client already had an operational MULTIduct route. This had initially been designed as a linear cable corridor running alongside the tram network.
However, as is typical in evolving networks, additional infrastructure requirements emerged. The client required a means of introducing new cable routes branching from the existing installation. In turn, this would:
- Allow services to be diverted in multiple directions
- Provide a central access point for cable management and future connections
Traditionally, modifying an established cable route can involve significant excavation, disruption, and the replacement of existing infrastructure.
The client needed a solution that could minimise these issues. Their goal was to integrate with the installed duct system, while:
- Minimising disruption
- Maximising the value of the original investment
📸Pictured: The installation team begins to saw through the existing MULTIduct installation to accommodate the incoming access chamber.
The solution
1. First, the project team excavated a small section of the existing cable route.
2. The MULTIduct installation was sawed to accommodate the incoming chamber.
3. The team installed a STAKKAbox™ ULTIMA chamber from Cubis Systems within the MULTIduct network.
4. MULTIduct sections were connected to all four sides of the chamber.
5. The chamber was "stacked" to the required depth, backfilled using the existing excavated materials, and secured with a composite access cover to complete the system
So, this simple retrofit created a cable junction and access point within the previously linear route.
This project transformed the installation from a straight cable corridor into a cross-joint configuration. So, cables can now be accessed, routed, and diverted in multiple directions through a single chamber.
The modular, flexible nature of both STAKKAbox™ ULTIMA and MULTIduct allowed the new chamber to be integrated seamlessly into the existing infrastructure without requiring wholesale replacement of the installed route.
📸Pictured: The installation team begins the access chamber retrofit.
The outcome
By retrofitting a STAKKAbox™ ULTIMA chamber into the existing MULTIduct installation, the client was able to significantly enhance the functionality of the network while retaining the original cable route.
Key benefits included:
- Transformation of an existing linear route into a multi-directional cable junction
- Improved cable access for installation, maintenance, and future modifications
- Creation of additional routing opportunities for future network expansion
- Retention of existing infrastructure, reducing waste and unnecessary replacement costs
- Minimal disruption compared with constructing a completely new junction location
The Nottingham Tram project highlights the flexibility of the Cubis Systems portfolio. This project story – and thousands of others like it around the world – demonstrate how our solutions work together as a smart system. We support evolving infrastructure requirements – long after the initial installation has been completed.
For asset owners and contractors, the project provides a practical example of how future expansion can be accommodated without starting again from scratch. So, infrastructure can continue to adapt as networks grow and change.
📸 Pictured: The backfilled chamber installation.
“This Nottingham Tram project demonstrates that cable routes don't need to remain fixed. By integrating a STAKKAbox™ ULTIMA chamber into an existing MULTIduct installation, the client was able to create new routing possibilities and future-proof the network without replacing the original infrastructure."
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This light rail project is just one more example of our ability to support critical infrastructure with practical, high-performance access solutions.
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