Pontrhondda Primary School
Y Bont i Lwyddiant / The Bridge to Success
Welcome
South Wales Metro project
As part of the South Wales Metro project, we’ve been installing overhead power lines across the network to power our new electric tram-trains which will run on the Merthyr, Aberdare, Treherbert, City and Bay railway lines.
This bulletin is to notify you that areas of the core valley lines railway due to be electrified in the coming weeks. This means the power will be switched on. The overhead power lines that carry 25,000 volts will be ‘live’, making it extremely dangerous for any persons to come close to the overhead wires or any associated part of the structures. This includes the supporting masts, switch feeds and cables.
What is OLE and what are the dangers?
OLE will power our new tram-trains along our Core Valleys Lines (CVL). OLE will carry 25,000 volts, and is always “on”, not just when trains are passing.
25,000 volts is the equivalent to 100 times your household electricity. Contact with OLE is fatal nine out of ten times and survivors are left with life-changing injuries.
The heat generated from a shock of 25,000 volts is over 3,000 degrees Celsius. That’s hot enough to ignite a victim’s clothing and the victim themselves.
You don’t necessarily have to touch OLE to receive a shock, coming too close can be fatal as the electricity can jump.