Heathrow Express, London

 Project File
 Client  BAA Heathrow Express
 Project Design  Laing Bailey Joint Venture
 Lighting Consultant  Pinniger & Partners
 Concept Architect  Wolff Olins
 Project Architect  Laing Technology Group
 Electrical Contractor  NG Bailey & Co Ltd
Heathrow Express

Heathrow Expess

Cross Passage Lighting

IP65 Plug & Socket Connection

Uplighters

Detail of Endcap

 Heathrow Express represents the single most important transport scheme of the 90’s and into the millennium. At a total cost of £440m, the rail system speeds passengers on a 15 minute journey from central London to the heart of Heathrow airport. On arrival, passengers will enter the underground platforms, concourses and passages which are illuminated with the specially designed Heathrow Express luminaire system, from Crompton Lighting.

Supplying over £0.5 million of special luminaires and associated cable management trunking, Crompton Lighting worked in close partnership with Laing Bailey Joint Venture, Pinniger and Partners and Wolff Olins, becoming a member of the single team ethos pioneered by BAA-Heathrow Express.

Provided with a demanding electrical, optical and aesthetic brief, Crompton’s dedicated special project team designed an innovative luminaire that is used extensively in all public areas. The cable management trunking had to be capable of containing two supply systems for the luminaires, the control gear trays, CCTV, public address and other ancillary equipment supply cables. As a result, Crompton designed and manufactured the largest, single piece aluminium extrusion ever made in Europe.

The luminaire itself, also required careful design. As well as following the aesthetic brief set by the architect, a demanding optical performance needed to be met. Illumination levels, uniformity and brightness management were all key elements and could only be met by the use of Crompton’s Xenoptic reflective material. Xenoptic delivers outstanding efficiency, precise control and zero iridescence. Optical design was provided by Crompton’s experienced engineers with the use of in-house optical design software.

Ease of maintenance was another essential requirement and the brief called for a 40 year serviceable life. The Crompton team devised a number of ingenious features in this respect. In addition to providing plug and socket connection from the mains supply to the control gear and gear tray to luminaire, Crompton also designed a further plug and socket connection on the outside of the trunking to the luminaire. Hence, the trunking does not need to be accessed to isolate or remove the luminaire. The precision die cast two part endcap and sliding lampholders bracket enables easy and fast lamp replacement, from one end, without touching the optical assembly.

Key features of the luminaire system are:

- Extruded aluminium luminaire housing.
- Toughened glass optic cover sealed to IP54.
- Lamp replacement from one end without demounting luminaire.
- Ingenious sliding lampholder bracket to ensure optical assembly is not touched during lamp replacement.
- Precision die cast two part endcaps, support brackets and arms.
- All materials meet underground railway regulations.
- Sophisticated reflector design using Crompton’s Xenoptic material.
- Electrical connection to trunking via IP65 plug and socket.
- Trunking manufactured from single piece extrusion 300mm x150mm.
- Custom made bend sections.

All product and tool design was carried out in-house and produced in Crompton’s advanced manufacturing facility. Design, production and delivery was completed in 12 months, a very short period for a project of this type. Crompton also supplied standard luminaires for many other areas of the stations.
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