23 October 2024

Cordel Group PLC

("Cordel" or the "Company" or the "Group")

Cordel AI Technology for Electrified Lines Certified by Network Rail

Cordel Group PLC (AIM: CRDL), the Artificial Intelligence platform for transport corridor analytics, announces that Network Rail has provided a Certificate of Approval for Cordel's AI-powered outputs for Electrified lines.

Cordel has achieved certification from the Network Rail Technical Authority for the measurement of Overhead Line Equipment ("OLE") using LiDAR data captured from ordinary passenger trains, operated in normal service at line speeds of 140 km/h. The Cordel data capture and in-house AI-processing system was subjected to multiple tests and trials for comparison against other data sources, including dedicated capture systems from specialist vehicles and manual measurements, which are both time-consuming and potentially hazardous.

The Cordel results demonstrated compliance to section 6.1.2 of NR/L2/ELP/27325 'Train Borne Monitoring of Traction Power Contact Systems' for the measurement of static contact wire height, stagger and deviation. The Technical Authority is therefore content that the Cordel system could be used for OLE throughout Network Rail controlled infrastructure, a significant step forward in Cordel's strategic mission to create safer, more efficient and sustainable railways around the world.

This Network Rail certification covers the entire Cordel pipeline, with point cloud capture from Cordel Mobile Laser Scanning systems flowing seamlessly through Cordel's automated AI processing. Cordel's accurate height and stagger measurements either confirm standards compliance or identify where deviation is developing, so that timely corrective action can be taken to prevent incidents. Up-to-date height and stagger measurements also help optimise other infrastructure interventions, such as allowing the track to be overlifted higher to increase maintenance intervals.

This latest certification for OLE complements Cordel's National Rail certifications under: NR/L2/TRK/3100 for Survey, announced on 12 June 2023; and NR/L2/TRK/3204 for Structures (from signs to tunnels), station Platforms (for stepping distances) and the Intervals between adjacent tracks (for passing clearances), announced on 11 June 2024.

John Davis, CEO of Cordel, said:

"Cordel achieved this approval for capturing and processing data from trains running at full speed in passenger service. Network Rail has some of the most stringent infrastructure monitoring standards in the world, and we believe this approval consolidates our position as the most advanced supplier of AI-driven railway infrastructure insights." 

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About Cordel

Cordel produces specialist hardware and software for capturing, analysing and reporting on large datasets within the transport sector, employing sophisticated artificial intelligence algorithms.

Further information on the Company is available at: www.cordel.ai