Research,
Development
and Innovation
quarterly summary
Q2 2015-16
Contents
Infrastructure
Knowledge sharing
p4
• Loughborough University finds solution to the age old risk of
points failure
• RSSB funded project uses magnets to offer a new solution to
delays caused by leaves on the line
• Innovative congestion management system trialled on First
Great Western trains improves punctuality
p7
• Australasian Centre for Rail Innovation adds content to
Knowledge Sharing hub, SPARK
People
p8
• Improving driver training with a new consistent driver course
• Rail Trackbed stiffness tester
Rolling stock
Coming up soon
p5
p9
• RRUKA Annual conference
• Extending wheelset life and reducing costs with a new
approach to tyre turning
• Development of a new tool to support duty holders with the
assessment of risk at the platform train interface
• Review of the rules for the operation of trains through flood
water confirms current national rules
Benefits realisation
Customer experience
p6
• Creating real time awareness of carriage capacity improves
speed and ease of boarding
p9
• Smarter ways to overcome the capacity challenge
• Improving the effectiveness of sanders in the battle against
low adhesion
• Improving the customer experience through big data
Awards
Whole system
p7
• Remote condition monitoring across industry boundaries
gets a step closer
• Digital map improvement tool to optimise train route map
accuracy and train positioning
p10
• Illustrating routes into rail
• Recognition for outstanding innovation
Introduction
Our research and innovation programmes are driven
by the ambition of the Rail Technical Strategy to
dramatically increase customer satisfaction and
capacity whilst reducing cost and carbon. These are
long term aims but also contribute to improved levels of
performance in the short term and stimulate increased
innovation in the supply chain.
The RSSB contribution to the industry’s Future Railway
programme brings together research and innovation
programmes that focus on identifying the technology
and activity needed to deliver the railway of the
future. The Future Railway programme promotes and
encourages innovation to bridge the gaps. In addition, the
R&D programme continues to support the industry by providing
solutions to current railway problems and opportunities.
Over the past 12 months RSSB has worked with a number
of partners, including Network Rail, to enhance, promote
and deliver research, development and innovation
programmes and projects within the rail industry.
We currently have 87 live innovation projects at different
stages of development and 80 live R&D projects in
delivery.
The highlights from the last three months span
infrastructure, rolling stock, customer experience with
a strong focus on the use of data and collaboration in
development of new solutions which will benefit the
whole system.
Through our programmes, suppliers, operators and
academia collaborate to share data and knowledge, find
solutions to whole system challenges and upskill their
workforces, to ensure the railway can continue to improve
and strive towards the railway of the future.
Here are some of the highlights from the last quarter.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure
In order to continue to deliver a highly effective service to increasing customer numbers the infrastructure must be
simple, reliable and cost-effective but also able to adapt to the changing requirements of the industry.
Changes to the infrastructure are costly and affected by many external factors. Programmes facilitated by RSSB
are dedicated to supplying new solutions to long standing challenges and finding out more about how to deal with
external factors.
The projects which have been progressing over the past quarter include: developing new options for the 200 year
old design of points, optimising braking performance to help reduce delays and implementing new information
systems to manage congestion.
Loughborough University finds solution to the age old risk of points failure
The rail industry across the world is set to benefit from the new design of track switches with the potential for reduced
maintenance costs, increased capacity and improved safety.
With funding from RSSB’s programmes and EPSRC, Loughborough University has developed a radical new approach to track
switching design. ‘Failsafe’ design principles make sure that ‘REPOINT’ is more reliable, than traditional point designs.
The technology employed is a robust and reliable point mechanism which uses safety concepts derived from aerospace and
the nuclear industry. Uniquely, REPOINT works by a patented lift, move and drop mechanism that ensures the rail passively
returns to a safe state in the event of an actuator failure. If an actuator failed using the current design the switch will either fail
to move or stop in the wrong position which could result in derailment.
Loughborough University are currently seeking development partners from around the world to work with them to roll out the
patented technology across international rail networks.
Loughborough and RSSB are in discussions with several UK rail infrastructure owners with a view to trialling this exciting new
technology.
RSSB funded project uses magnets to offer a new solution to delays caused by leaves on the line
New technology developed by Cambridgeshire-based firm Mole Solutions can improve
timetables and capacity. Mole Solutions believes that installing electromagnets into
train braking systems which could bring an end to delays caused when thousands of
tonnes of leaves fall onto lines every autumn. The leaves form a slippery layer which
force drivers to brake earlier and accelerate more slowly which can cause delays.
Bob Silverthorne, development director at Mole Solutions, explained: “When a train is
coming into a station you want to see it slowing down at a certain rate. You measure
its speed and compare that to the rate it should be slowing down. The difference is
programmed into the electromagnets to add the extra braking that’s required.” The
project is currently three months into a six-month feasibility study – investigating the
potential impact the solution could have.
“Predictable and optimised braking on the UK rail network will benefit all users by
enabling more reliable timetabling and increased capacity”, said Neil Webster, RSSB’s
Future Railway Programme Director. “Subject to a successful feasibility study and
further testing, Mole Solutions could open up a new system of train control whereby
off vehicle braking would become an interactive part of the journey management
process.”
Mole Solutions were one of the winning entries to last year’s ‘Predictable and
Optimised Braking Challenge’ which was launched by RSSB to find new ways of improving train braking performance. They
received funding to carry out a six-month feasibility study to investigate the viability of their proposed solution.
The other winning entries who also received funding to carry out feasibility studies came from Alstom Transport, Federal-Mogul
Friction Products Ltd, The Imagination Factory, Tongji University, Loughborough University, Newcastle University and the
University of Sheffield.
4
Infrastructure Rolling stock
Innovative congestion management system trialled on First Great Western trains improves punctuality of trains
In order to alleviate delays caused by congestion on the rail network, especially around terminal stations like Paddington, a
connected driver advisory system was trialled on First Great Western trains.
The system is designed to keep the drivers informed of any congestion on their route by notifying them of a revised optimum
speed.
The alterations in journey speed allow in journey changes to be made to train arrival times, particularly around the critical
“Airport Junction” near Heathrow Airport.
The project found that the number of conflicts, with the Heathrow Express trains was reduced, the number of signals requiring
a driver response was reduced, and incidents requiring the trains to change speed were reduced.
If more widely applied, this technology could help to improve the punctuality of train services, reduce operating costs (fuel
efficiencies), optimise passenger journeys by reducing stops and delays and reducing the loads on train breaking systems and
resulting in less maintenance requirements.
The project has now been completed and the final report approved by the Driver Advisory Service Board in April 2015. The
scheme is now ready for industry to take forward, through the higher Technology Readiness Levels, into service.
Rail Trackbed Stiffness Tester to prevent unnecessary line deterioration
As winner of the 2013 RIA innovation competition, Aecom (formerly URS) has invested funding from the RSSB R&D
programme in the development of technology for trackbed stiffness testing.
By gathering vital data quickly, safely and accurately, the award-winning machine provides engineers with important
information which can be used for maintenance and development, recognising that optimum trackbed stiffness helps prevent
unnecessary line deterioration, and, in extreme cases, even derailments.
This work is now complete and the tester is available for commercial use.
Rolling stock
Over recent months research projects on rolling stock have focused on guiding standards for operation, supplying
both new guidance and reaffirming standards already in place.
Extending wheelset life and reducing costs with a new
approach to tyre turning [SPARK search tyre turning]
As wheelsets wear, performance decreases and safety risks
increases, so they are returned to good condition by a method
of machine turning which re-profiles the steel tyre removing
damaged material to deliver a smooth refurbished finish. A
new approach to tyre turning has been assessed from both
an engineering and economic perspective through the RSSB/
University of Huddersfield partnership, and given the green light.
By permitting a slightly narrower flange, wheelsets can continue
to operate beyond the point where they would previously have
been scrapped, potentially saving up to 4.7% of wheelset costs, or
£5m per year across the GB passenger fleet.
A proposal to change Railway Group Standard GM/RT2466 is now
being progressed to enable Train Operators to access this benefit.
5
Rolling stock Customer experience
Review of the rules for the operation of trains through flood water confirms current national rules [SPARK search T1052]
An increase in flooding over recent years has led to questions being raised
about the correct operation of trains through flood water.
Research has now been completed which confirms the current national
rules enabling operations at lower speeds with partially submerged wheels.
An objective study reviewed the effects of aerodynamic pressures and air
movements generated by passing trains over floodwater leading to local
changes in the height of water beneath trains.
The confirmation of operating procedures provides the opportunity for
increased consistency across all routes, speeding up operational decision
making between Network Rail and Train Operators and limiting disruption
during flooding events.
Customer experience
Delivering customer experience excellence for users of the railway is one of the driving forces behind the Rail
Technical Strategy and the work carried out by the research, development and innovation teams at RSSB.
The increased use of real time data is seen as key to driving improved customer experiences and two significant
developments offer usable solutions which could make a significant impact on increased timeliness and meeting
expectations.
Creating real time awareness of carriage capacity improves speed and ease of boarding
A new tool called OpenCapacity has been developed to let passengers
know how much potential space is available in train carriages and other
public transport vehicles, reducing the time a train needs to stand still at a
platform.
Currently in beta testing, alerts will be generated well in advance of
boarding, enabling passengers to choose the carriage or service which best
suits their needs, optimising their journey.
The key to OpenCapacity is the use of collected data to analyse trends in
passengers boarding and alighting trains to provide an accurate view of
the available space.
A significant customer service benefit will be the reduction in the time
trains are stood at stations by improving the speed and ease of boarding
and alighting whilst addressing problems of overcrowding on individual
services in constantly growing cities.
This Future Railway programme has awarded a prize to Boehm Design Ltd.
for enhancing the customer experience. The live trials and evaluation will
take place at the end of 2015.
Improving the customer experience through big data
Four new University projects have started exploring how customer experience can be improved through smart use of big data.
The projects which are supported by RRUKA are looking into intelligent predictive models of crowding, how passenger
behaviour can be influenced by provision of train loading figures, new customer-centric passenger information applications and
how travel experience of customers with special needs can be enhanced through integrated use of data.
All of these are ultimately focussed on enabling the industry to efficiently improve the traveller’s experience and satisfaction
with rail transport in the face of rising expectations.
6
Whole system
Whole system
The GB railway has often been designed as single sub-systems and not as a whole system. This poses a number of
challenges when trying to invest in improvements and future developments.
Two of the challenges involve investment in solutions which other parts of the system will benefit from and working
in collaboration to develop new systems which will improve shared efficiencies.
Remote condition monitoring across industry boundaries gets a step closer [SPARK search T1010]
Technologies exist for effective monitoring of many types of railway asset, but one of the challenges faced is that the best
place from which to monitor them is often from a sensor on a piece of equipment belonging to another company. For example
real time monitoring of the track takes place from sensors on the train.
This project seeks to address the main barriers to cross-interface monitoring, including the specification of data architecture, a
business case decision support tool which takes into account where costs and benefits fall, template commercial agreements
and business process mapping.
The suite of tools is now available and industry representatives are seeking opportunities to pilot the use of the new materials.
Digital map improvement tool to optimise train route map accuracy and train positioning
As part of the Future Traffic Regulation Optimisation programme (FuTRO), the development of a digital map improvement
tool: Map3 is helping optimise methods of train positioning at any point along the network. Ultimately, it is seeking innovative
ways of optimising traffic regulation to increase the efficiency of the railway, improving customer experience and potentially
allowing closer running trains and greater punctuality.
Map3 is a reliable digital route map and positioning system comprised of three elements to enhance train positioning and
digital route map accuracy:
Map-improvement – provides an automated tool enabling Network Rail
to identify and correct errors in their digital mapping; helping to detect the
precise position of trains on the track.
Map matching – Network Rail and ATOC (the Association of Train Operating
Companies) are working in close collaboration to develop a tool to better
equip passengers with real time information about their next available train
and is an important part of the broader development to the information
network.
Map aiding tool –is used for supporting ‘real time’ train positioning. This enables efficient and
accurate locations of trains, to avoid conflicts when current track-side signalling solutions are
replaced with in-cab signalling in the future.
As one of multiple components forming the FuTRO competition, Map3 aims to support the
rail industry’s aspirations to improve positioning technology in order to enhance punctuality,
demand and flexibility, and reduce costs.
Nottingham Scientific Limited has been appointed to develop Map3 and deliver the technology
as a demonstrator. This is part funded by the Future Railway programme, and the demonstrator is expected to be delivered by
summer 2016. Engaging in the FuTRO programme has enabled Nottingham Scientific to gain leverage into other areas, such
as the European programme Shift2Rail, generating additional funding streams for innovation.
7
Knowledge sharing People
Knowledge sharing
Australasian Centre for Rail Innovation adds content to Knowledge Sharing hub, SPARK
The collection and distribution of knowledge throughout the rail sector is integral to continuous improvement and
opportunities to develop the whole system and innovate.
Over the last quarter, SPARK, the railway Research, Development & Innovation knowledge sharing portal has continued to
attract more knowledge sharing partners.
The Australasian Centre for Rail Innovation has added content from their research programme, and a new agreement is in
place with the Institution of Railway operators whose members now have contributor access to share their work.
People
As the pace of technological and technical changes accelerates, people working in the rail industry must be
equipped with the necessary skills to cope with the new technologies and techniques.
Improving skills and capabilities across the industry is a fundamental activity of RSSB’s research and innovation
programmes and the recent focus has been improving driver training methods.
Improved driver training with a new consistent driver course [SPARK search T1016]
Well trained drivers are essential to the operational efficiency of GB Railway. Research commissioned by RSSB, has investigated
how to modernise and achieve excellence in driver training, drawing from international best practice and innovative training
techniques.
The project reviewed existing driver training courses and used the results to develop a new training course piloted by
Southeastern, at which all delegates obtained their European Train Driver Licence.
With potential to enhance driver training, and to do so with significant industry savings, this new training course has been
promoted with TOCs and FOCs and opportunities to run further training courses are being explored.
£12m
£1m
saved by increasing
availablilty of
licensed drivers
saved by more
effective use of
resources
£9.5m
8
of payments saved
from reduced
dependecy on
overtime working
Coming up soon Benefits realisation
Coming up soon
RRUKA Annual conference
RRUKA will celebrate 4 years of operation with an Annual Conference on Thursday
5th November at Kings Place in London. The event will showcase RRUKA and its
members, with sessions featuring some of the latest rail research, updates on
industry workstreams and initiatives, and more on how attendees can engage with
the rail research community.
The conference is free to attend and targeted at all those involved in doing, using or
funding rail research. www.rruka.org.uk
Development of a new tool to support duty holders with the assessment of risk at the platform train interface [T1029]
Managing the risks faced by passengers and staff at the platform train interface (PTI) remains an industry priority. A new tool
is being developed to enable duty holders to carry out robust risk assessments more easily and help identify actions needed will
support the industry’s aim to reduce risks.
The tool is nearing the end of its development cycle and will soon be released for use in easily accessible formats including apps
and a web tool in spring 2016.
Benefits realisation
Smarter ways to overcome the capacity challenge [SPARK search T935 and T1063]
Industry planners are well aware of the significant infrastructure costs that can be incurred to resolve capacity bottlenecks so
have turned to exploring the potential of more radical solutions with their feasibility investigated through the RSSB research
programme. These include new approaches to timetabling and asset management arising from projects; Making the case for
a whole-system strategic approach to reliability improvement (T935) and Brighton Main Line timetable optimisation study
(T1063).
Improving the effectiveness of sanders in the battle against low adhesion [SPARK search T1046 and T797]
Research published earlier this year found that un-surpressing sanders on the trailing vehicles of multiple units would improve
system safety and significantly reduce delays due to improved adhesion. RSSB has now progressed two deviations against
Railway Group Standards removing any barrier to train operators to taking advantage of this knowledge, and have delivered
workshops promoting action.
At least five train operators are either actively planning to adopt these changes, or have already done so, which will make a
significant impact on disruption and costs arising from low adhesion.
Earlier work investigating the performance and installation criteria for sanding systems (T797), developed the potential for
variable rate sanders to further improve braking and acceleration performance in conditions of low adhesion at different
speeds. RSSB is now exploring options for delivery of a trial to validate this potential on the GB railway.
9
Awards
Awards and international recognition
The RD&I teams from RSSB have played a part in a wide range of new technology developments over recent years
including some projects which gain wide recognition.
Illustrating routes into rail
The video ‘What I have always wanted’ was produced by RSSB on behalf of the ‘Routes into Rail’ collaboration and has now
been shortlisted for the 21st CineRail festival. One of 50 selected from 400 submissions to the UIC led competition, the video
has received great feedback from industry and has featured at industry events as well as being used as part of the university
presentations programme.
Recognition for outstanding innovation
Royal Academy of Engineering has announced that the Artemis intelligent power has won the Royal Academy Engineering
MacRobert Award for outstanding innovation with proven commercial success and tangible social benefit. The prize was
awarded for their digital displacement flywheel technology which has been applied to rail in a project co-funded by RSSB and
InnovateUK in consortia with Ricardo and Bombardier for use on board rolling stock.
Planning for the 2016 World Congress on Rail Research is well underway and 24 papers from GB have been selected including 7
emerging from the RSSB R&D programme.
For further information on all
research projects please visit
www.sparkrail.org and search for
the T number.
10
Email enquirydesk@rssb.co.uk
Tel
+44 (0) 20 3142 5300
Twitter@RSSB_rail
Webwww.rssb.co.uk
Twitter@FutureRailway
Webwww.futurerailway.org
Rail Safety Standards Board
The Helicon
One South Place
London EC2M 2RB