Bikers and…lamp posts?

With over five and a half million lamp posts currently in operation across the UK, modern and old alike, ensuring their integrity and safety is paramount. Local councils and housing authorities can be all too aware of the expense of replacing corroded lamp posts and the complaints that come with public lighting being out of action. In addition, corroded lamp posts can cause accidents if they become unstable. The ability to locate defects early and easily can increase the chances of repair, hence saving tax-payer money and enables consistent working street lighting which can improve road safety within communities along with the further benefits of reducing crime and create a more pleasant environment, in turn promoting security and well-being.

Lighting columns are most susceptible to corrosion at and slightly below ground level; water, road salt, other chlorides and oxygen from the air combine to make it a highly corrosive area and in such a limited space, testing can be difficult and often results in excavation. In fact, difficulties in accessing steel tubing in restricted areas can be true of many industries, such as the pipework and risers through bulkheads and deck plates on board ships or in offshore installations for example. A system deployable from the ground level can enable detection of these hard to reach areas therefore reducing downtimes of equipment and staff alike.

Our rugged and compact ColcheK can do just that. Using the normal access door of a lamp post, the probe is able to scan the critical area and give an instant reading of the percentage loss of wall thickness directly on to the meter, from 5% loss to a depth of up to 1 meter underground in fact. With the Isle of Mann TT (IOMTT) motorcycle races looming, in May our client, Douglas Borough Council, knew that the lighting columns in and around the course needed to be investigated thoroughly to ensure the safety of everyone attending and our in-house manufactured units would be able to quickly give them the information they required. As TVC are sponsoring young racer James Cowton at the IOMTT this year, it seemed to be the perfect time to combine our working relationships with the exciting build up to the bike’s arrival and the start of the event, along with seeing the ColcheK in action.

After days of testing and safety procedures on the part of the council and the TT itself being set up, it was time for the action to begin and what an exciting IOMTT it was this year! From Michael Dunlop switching from Milwaukee Yamaha to BMW during practices to John McGuiness storming to victory in the TT Senior race and earning his 23rd TT win. Team Mugen dominated the Zero bike race with John McGuiness taking the team to victory but the elusive 120mph record remains – with 119mph registered this year, it’s likely we will see Team Mugen next year as they attempt to set the 120mph record.

Our sponsored rider, James Cowton, had a good TT overall. James had stepped in for Team PRB Racing, headed by racer Rob Barber and his father, as Rob suffered a significant collar bone injury in May this year. James qualified for and competed in the Superbike, Supersport (Race 1 & 2), Lightweight and Senior races. He finished in the top half of the table for each one, racking up speeds of up to 123mph and with an outstanding performance in the Lightweight race in which he finished in 4th place, we can guarantee that this is one youngster to watch in the future.