The Fire Suppression team were approached to assist with the replacement of bespoke pipe products for use in the UK’s most famous public transport network, the London Underground.

With millions of passenger journeys made across the Underground every day, maintaining the highest standards of fire safety is critical.

Currently, the Underground is using a series of highly sensitive air sampling detection (ASD) systems that continuously analyse air for early signs of combustion – often detecting fire long before visible smoke and flames appear.

With the pipe adaptors used to create the Underground’s system now discontinued, the brief outlined the production and supply of new specialist adaptors to connect the 22mm copper ASD pipe network to the detectors.

The Challenge

Following the Kings Cross fire in 1987, Underground stations have incorporated ASD systems to improve their fire safety and identify fires earlier before they can escalate.

The London Underground’s air sampling pipe networks use 22mm copper pipes and as ASD systems are traditionally only made to be compatible with standard 25-27mm plastic pipes, a specialist adaptor was sourced to ensure the smaller copper pipes could be connected correctly.

However, the supplier of their adaptors recently discontinued the product, and due to the specialist nature of the product, they weren’t available to source from standard fire safety equipment wholesalers.

The Solution

With the London Underground’s niche part no longer available on the market, a bespoke option was needed.

Due to our strong presence in the UK fire safety industry, coupled with our in-house pipe and fitting manufacturing capabilities, we were the ideal partner to design, manufacture and supply the replacement adaptors.

From our facility in Bristol, we produced the specialist products that allowed the London Underground to connect their 22mm copper pipe into their detectors.

With the copper pipes securely connected, the network can continue to maintain the accuracy, reliability and long-term integrity of its fire detection systems.

The Outcome

Fire Suppression successfully manufactured a like-for-like replacement of the discontinued pipe adaptor, restoring compatibility between the London Underground’s copper pipework and its air sampling smoke detection systems.

By detecting the earliest signs of a developing fire, the ASD system can provide valuable additional time to respond before a fire becomes established, helping to minimise risk to passengers, staff and critical infrastructure.

With access to an ongoing supply of adaptor replacements, the detectors can always remain fully operational – ensuring daily commuters, tourists and local residents are safe when travelling under the Big Smoke!