The motor, bus and emergency stop cables must be routed safely between the moving transfer table and the control unit. Initially, the use of a motorised cable reel was considered, but this would require slip ring contacts. There were concerns about maintaining the communication signals, so this solution was rejected. When looking for an alternative system, it was important to keep the challenging environment in mind: Felixstowe is a maritime, corrosive location with heavy rainfall and salty sea mist. Due to the high moisture content of the environment, there is also a high risk of ice and snow in winter. The cold winds from the North Sea also bring snow and icing. In summer, on the other hand, the wind blows debris around. The cable carrier system must function reliably under all these influences and should ideally require a minimum of maintenance.
