"3 cables,
1 cable has 2 red live and an earth,"
Most unusual having two red wires - one of them may well be switched live
"1 has a black and an earth,"
Most unusual having no Red wire
"the last one has black, red and an earth."
Ideally they should all be like this
You still need to identify Switched Live and you still need a four-way terminal arrangement at the ceiling
Here's another picture...
http://www.diydata.com/planning/electric_lights/switch1.jpg
Peccavi
March 2009