research, development and innovation - rssb · the research & development and innovation teams...

Research, Development and Innovationquarterly summary

Q1 2016/17

RSSB l RD&I quarterly summary 2

Contents

The Research & Development and Innovation teams at RSSB work to support delivering the vision of the Rail Technical Strategy to improve the railway, while continuing to support the industry by providing solutions to current railway problems and opportunities.There are currently 121 research and development projects and 42 innovation programmes (comprising a total of 80 projects) at different stages of development and delivery across the two teams. The following updates represent a selection of projects in our portfolio.If you would like to find out more about any individual projects visit www.sparkrail.org and search for a key wordor visit RSSB.co.uk

Introduction

Customer experience p3-5

• Faster, safer, better boarding and alighting trains • TOC’15 innovation projects• Heritage and Community Rail Innovation Competition

Rolling stock p6-8

• Powertrain programme• Tomorrow’s Train Design Today Competition• Wheel surface crack measurement device

Infrastructure p9-10

• Adaption to climate change• European programmes• Avoidance of Bridge Reconstruction Competition• Repoint

Whole system p11-13

• Operating trains closer together to enhance capacity• Rail Sustainability Principles

Knowledge, technology and innovation p14

• RSSB Knowledge and technology transfer service• Testing vouchers scheme for innovators

People p15

• Next Generation Rail Conference


Faster, safer, better boarding and alightingThe RRUKA ‘Faster, Safer, Better Boarding and Alighting Trains’ call for research launched in May.

Potential bidders were invited to an event to find out the specific scope of the call and the relevant issues surrounding the topic.

Funded by RSSB and facilitated by RRUKA, the £500,000 call seeks academic-led feasibility study proposals to reduce the number of incidents occurring around the platform train interface (PTI) when passengers are getting on and off trains. The proposals funded through the call will develop novel ideas and innovative solutions to help the rail industry to reduce station waiting times and the safety risk when passengers board and alight from trains.

The call closed on 15 July and the winners are due to be announced in late August.

Nine TOC’15 innovation projects set for fundingThree leading train operating companies, Arriva UK Trains, Govia Thameslink Railway and Great Western Trains who won a share of the £6m innovation fund, facilitated by RSSB, are taking forward their projects to the next stage of development.

The projects being delivered explore new ways of personalising travel information for passengers as well as looking at how to help reduce the levels of chronic overcrowding on the busiest commuter routes.

The Train Operator Competition 2015 (TOC’15) seeks to provide solutions to the challenges outlined in the Rail Technical Strategy including improving the customer experience, expanding capacity on the line, reducing carbon and minimising costs.

The projects are -

ArrivaMyJrny appThe MyJrny app will prioritise individual passenger data, putting them in full control of their own personalised travel information service.

The app will be trialled in collaboration with Arriva Group, Chiltern Railways, Enable ID and Centro, helping to make it easier for passengers to plan journeys using real-time travel information, their travel preference and current situation.

Customer Experience


OrinocoA new control and information system app, enabling staff and passengers to understand which carriages have space available in order to help reduce crowding on train platforms.

The system, developed in partnership with Bombardier and HACON, will supply real-time information to control teams who can advise customers on where best to board, ensuring train capacity is maximised.

Big Operational DataThis project will integrate train data, location information and additional external data sources into a single data warehouse helping reverse the rail industry’s reliance on outdated manual reporting and data analysis processes.

Continuously Connected CustomerThis research will explore the levels of Wi-Fi access rail passengers expect on their daily commute. Improved connectivity to encourage staggered journeys with emptier trains at peak times, can help reduce the levels of chronic overcrowding on the busiest commuter routes.

Retrospective Ticket PricingThis pilot study will test the application of existing payment technologies, including the use of beacon technology, enabling smart phones to operate gates without the passenger initiating the transaction.

Transformation Disruption Management The Transformation Disruption Management project aims to reduce operating costs for train companies through better practice. This will involve using a simulation tool to help the control room and frontline staff deal with passenger disruptions.

The tool will be developed by Aston University in partnership with Chiltern Railways.

First GroupMantraThis project will test the feasibility of new, high speed mobile technology by helping improve the ability of the train to communicate to the outside world in real-time. It will demonstrate the viability of using novel mmWave access links to facilitate communications between the trackside and the train.

Open GPSThe Open GPS project will look to develop a gateway application for the rail industry, helping it to receive data from a number of sources to enable the ability to transmit information in real-time, including to websites and customer information systems.

Govia Data CollectionThis project will focus on the collection of real-time data through improved technical methods from both stations and trains helping train operators make informed decisions during train delays and potentially aid service recovery around passenger need. Another key benefit will be providing passengers with real-time information about service capacity, through screens and customer apps to help them plan their journey.

Customer Experience

The Heritage and Community Rail Innovation CompetitionThe £1m competition to encourage more visitors to travel by rail to see hidden gems across the UK has been successfully executed by the Department for Transport with support from RSSB. The competition proved to be popular and RSSB received 114 applications in total from which 17 awards were made utilising the full £1m budget.

The competition proved to be very competitive with a large number of high quality applications.

The competition period concluded with a pitching event in London in May and Judges for the competition included Mark Garnier MP, Lord Faulkner, Deirdre Wells OBE and Sir William McAlpine.

Many of the projects will start towards the end of July with varying timescales of between 6 months to 3 years.

Examples of the projects to be funded by the competition include:

• Extending the heritage line from Chinnor to its former terminus at Princes Risborough station

• Expanding the luxury Pullman services on the North Yorkshire moors

• Developing a new ‘velorail’ in Kidwelly, creating a new tourist attraction, giving visitors the chance to drive a train by pedal power

Customer Experience


The Powertrain programmeThe Powertrain programme aims to develop alternative powertrain technologies for self-powered vehicles to replace the aging diesel fleet. It is envisaged any successful outcomes will also help to influence different approaches on the electrification of the network.

Eight projects have successfully delivered feasibility studies. They include novel and cutting edge power generation, energy storage, and various transmission technologies. All of the feasibility studies have confirmed fuel savings of around 30% - reducing carbon dioxide and Nitrous Oxide emissions accordingly.

A cross-industry evaluation panel has identified four feasibility studies to take forward as demonstrators. These include reversible hydrogen fuel cells, low cost flywheels, digital displacement hydraulic machines and duel fuel gas.

RSSB is working with the selected innovators to develop their proposals for the production of the demonstrators. To date, the biggest challenge is confirming the availability of suitable rolling stock.

Rolling stock

Tomorrow’s Train Design Today CompetitionThe Tomorrow’s Train Design Today Competition is looking to develop new design solutions for adjustable interiors and improved trains on the network.

The competition aims to build on the industry’s strategy for rolling stock, as set out in the 2012 Rail Technical Strategy - creating a ‘design focused response’ to the challenges of increasing vehicle fleet size and capacity over the next 30 years.

The solutions may allow for new business models, better utilisation of rail vehicles during peak and off-peak times, and challenge existing railway standards.

Ten projects were taken to the feasibility stage, with three now in demonstration. They look at flexible seating, adaptable carriage design (accommodating passengers or freight), and double -deck trains for the UK network.

Aeroliner 3000 – Andreas Vogler

Andreas Vogler Studio and the German Aerospace Center took up the challenge of developing a double-deck high-speed train concept for the tight British loading gauge, to enhance the capacity of existing lines at a dramatically reduced cost and environmental impact. The design will also incorporate many elements concerning aerodynamics, locomotion, structure, interactive control systems and passenger psychology. A full-size half carriage mock-up will be shown at Innotrans in September.

Adaptable Carriage – 42 Technology

The Adaptable Carriage concept is a flexible-use carriage which can carry passengers during peak hours, and be converted for the haulage of low-density, high-value (LDHV) goods during off-peak hours. There are two key

design features underpinning the adaptable carriage - seats that can be adapted, relocated and stored within the carriage and large format access doors which open up the side of the carriage for rapid access and easy loading of cargo.

Horizon – Priestmann GoodeThe Horizon provides a new seating layout that can be seamlessly changed for off-peak and on-peak services. It improves the passenger experience by allowing ideal environments for different types of passengers. The new configuration and seating types will result in a train with greatly increased capacity and an improved service through a more efficient flow of passengers. The new seating layouts will be displayed at Innotrans in September.

Rolling stock


New wheel surface crack measurement deviceDerby-based MRX Technologies, who pioneered the technology known as Surface Crack Measurement (SCM), have produced a hand-held SCM device, with funding from RSSB through its Rail Operator Challenge Competition.

The device uses the process termed magnetic flux to detect damage and is well-established for its use in detecting defects in rails. The hand-held SCM device can be used to carry out accurate and rapid assessments of the severity of wheel tread damage. It generates a map of the wheel tread damage, at depths of up to 10mm, which indicates precisely how much material it is necessary to remove. The removal of damaged material only - ensuring the safety and prolonging the life of the wheelset - provides up to 25% increased asset life expectancy.

Rolling stock


Adaptation to climate changeThe findings from a major project, Tomorrow’s Railway and Climate Change Adaptation were formally launched at the end of May, creating significant interest across the industry and in the media.

Written in collaboration with Network Rail, the report predicts that, without mitigation, climate change will present a significant increased risk to the railway network, to passengers and railway workers.

Whilst recognising the steps already taken by the industry such as Network Rail’s climate adaptation plans for routes, further recommendations were made including the need to identify vulnerable assets and develop a multi-agency cooperation model. The report highlights that by improving the understanding of where the network is most vulnerable and by taking action now, the future impact of climate change can be significantly reduced.

The report is available on the RSSB website, to view please go to http://www.rssb.co.uk/Library/research-development-and-innovation/2016-05-T1009-final-report.pdfAlso published is the Executive Report created by the R&D knowledge team which has drawn the extensive information produced by the project together into an accessible summary.

European programmes updateRSSB has been successful in two of the bids for project funding under the first Open Call of Shift2Rail, the joint undertaking established under the Horizon 2020 framework programme for rail research and innovation. Together these represent about €6m to project partners over three years with €3m going to UK partners, including €0.6m to RSSB. Three other bids have also been approved and are on the reserve list should additional funding become available after the contracts for the winning bids are finalised. The work is expected to commence on both projects in the autumn of this year.

The first project, S-CODE, looks at radical ways of switching trains between tracks and is led by The University of Birmingham along with contributions from The University of Loughborough, RSSB and other partners from the Czech Republic, Austria and Spain. The project will build on existing European and national research (including Repoint developed by The University of Loughborough) to produce a practical demonstrator for improved switches and crossings (S&C) performance based around new operating concepts. The project is scheduled to last three years. RSSB will provide support to The University of Birmingham in the overall management of the project.

The second, GoF4R, (Governance of the Interoperability Framework for Rail and Intermodal Mobility) aims to define sustainable governance for the interoperability framework designed to create the right conditions for the introduction of seamless mobility services while fostering the development of multi-modal travel services. The project will help overcome the obstacles currently delaying the development of market innovation in the area. Of the 16 European partners, led by UNIFE, the UK is represented by both RSSB and The University of Sheffield. Together these account for €180k of the total €2m over the two years of the project. RSSB will focus on user-demand, the governance structure and exploitation.

Infrastructure

‘The project has developed our understanding of the scale of the challenge and helped us to shape long-term investment plans for the infrastructure. It is clear that there is an immediate imperative for government agencies, infrastructure operators and transport providers to work together.’

Caroline Lowe, Network Rail Principal Engineer


Avoidance of Bridge Reconstruction CompetitionThe Avoidance of Bridge Reconstruction Competition launched in February 2014 seeking an alternative to the demolition of overbridges, which can be necessary when electrification or larger rolling stock needs to be accommodated on the line.

Eight companies exploring different concepts won the RSSB funding to deliver desktop studies exploring the feasibility of the concept. And in 2015, five of these concepts were chosen to advance into phase two of the competition to provide full-scale demonstrators.

Freyssinet, a structural repair contractor, designed one of the concepts named ElevArch, a technique involving cutting the masonry arch free from its abutments and wing walls, so it can be jacked upwards to enlarge the space below it.

The Freyssinet concept will be trialled for the first time in September at Moco Farm Bridge, a masonry arch bridge on the East-West route which is being recommissioned between Bicester and Bletchley. A viewing opportunity is scheduled for the end of September for interested parties from DfT and Network Rail to attend with free transport provided to and from the Network Rail offices in Milton Keynes.

Repoint updateThe University of Loughborough has issued an invitation to tender for a £400,000 contract to help develop a rail track switch on the London Underground, which is also suitable for Network Rail use.

The switch, Repoint, was developed as part of a project initially funded by RSSB and designed by The Control Systems Research Group at the university’s Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering.

The Repoint switch allows fail-safe operation including the locking of track switches for the first time, meaning trains can continue running because the failure of a single element does not lead to the failure of the entire switch. This enables trains to keep running until maintenance becomes possible.

RSSB is providing project management, stakeholder engagement and technical support.

‘This invitation to tender is a golden opportunity to be involved with a project offering breakthrough technology that hasn’t been seen before. Once implemented, Repoint will improve reliability and increase capacity on our expanding rail network.’Professor Roger Dixon, Head of Control Systems Research Group

Infrastructure


Safely operating trains closer together to enhance capacity The capability to safely operate more trains over existing routes by adopting emerging technologies offers potential for more seats for passengers and more freight paths within the existing railway footprint to meet increasing demand.

A roadmap through available and emerging technologies has set out the stepping stones towards this vision, including predictable braking systems, high integrity track switches and virtual coupling alongside advanced signalling systems, accurate positioning capability and high-reliability assets throughout the system. Whilst each one of these is a significant change, progress is already being made on many of the enabling technologies. For example the GoTRAX system offers the potential for an accurate train positioning system without reliance on GPS or infrastructure components, and a range of cutting edge remote condition monitoring systems such as ‘Crossing Watch’ will enable responsive maintenance to improve system reliability.

Whole system


Whole system

Customer Driven

Putting rail in reach of peopleProviding end to end journey

Being an employer of choice

Reducing environmental impact

Optimising the railway

Being transparent

Carbon smart

Supporting the economy

Having a positive social impact


Updated Rail Sustainability Principles launchedIn May, former Rail Minister Claire Perry launched the updated ten Rail Sustainability Principles to the industry.

Originally released in 2009, the ten Rail Sustainable Development Principles are designed to explain the key areas where rail has a role to play in the economy, environment and wider society. They have been updated by RSSB, in collaboration with partners and stakeholders, to reflect the significant progress Britain’s rail sector has made since then and to take into consideration the new challenges facing the industry.

The full list of Rail Sustainability Development Principles are available at http://www.rssb.co.uk/Pages/improving-industry-performance/rail-industry-sustainabledevelopment-principles.aspx

‘To continue improving journeys for passengers, we need to consider the way rail integrates with other forms of transport, the sustainability of our workforce, and the changing demands of rail users. These principles will become part of every future rail franchise competition and I look forward to seeing the ideas that the industry contributes.’Former Rail Minister Claire Perry

Whole system


RSSB Knowledge and technology transfer serviceThe RSSB knowledge and technology transfer service supports the cross-industry research, development and innovation programmes and carries out knowledge searches, including technology and horizon scanning, for RSSB members and other key industry players. Two such searches from quarter 1 are:

Step-free accessStep-free access to trains would make boarding and alighting quicker and safer for all passengers including better accessibility for persons of reduced mobility. This would reduce both the risk at the platform train interface (PTI) and shorten dwell times, enabling a safer and more reliable train service for passengers.

But this provides a challenge for the rail industry, due to variations in platform height, dynamic gauge and train design.

Using the TRIZ inventive problem solving methodology, the knowledge search focused on the PTI, and identified the most promising solutions including ‘Kneeling train’ functionalities, flexible but rigid gap fillers such as brush and elastomeric structures, train mounted deployable walkways and the use of lowered or movable floor sections within a train.

These solutions were presented to the industry in a workshop which subsequently informed a RRUKA call on ‘faster, safer and better boarding and alighting.’

DronesAs part of ongoing horizon scanning activities, RSSB have undertaken a knowledge search on the development of drone technology and the opportunities and risks it represents for the rail industry.

Railways are obvious potential users of drones, either for the inspection of their geographically dispersed infrastructure, or for the monitoring of the network for safety and security purposes. The ability of drones to reach difficult to access locations or to provide wide panoramic

views has potentially enormous safety and cost benefits for both frontline operations and maintenance.

However, as prices have fallen and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become affordable leisure products, a number of safety and privacy concerns have been raised - for instance the risk of a collision between drones and railway equipment, or any criminal wrongdoing.

This knowledge search provides an objective overview of the risks and opportunities of drones for the industry.

Testing vouchers scheme for innovatorsA testing vouchers scheme was re-opened in April 2016 and is due to run until the end of CP5. The scheme is designed to provide innovators with access to secondary and tertiary testing facilities at a reduced cost through the use of vouchers, helping reduce the time needed to progress products to the market.

e has already proven itself previously by providing assistance through various stages of development to 84 projects in December 2015. This includes the provision of additional services such as customer introductions and advice on further funding opportunities.

Going forward, the scheme will provide assistance of up to £3,000 per innovation which equates to approximately 50-80 companies per annum, depending on individual requirements. As part of the agreement with the Rail Alliance, who have been selected to administer the scheme, a centrally managed web-based information portal covering access, availability and capability of facilities will also be developed.

Knowledge, technology and innovation

Next Generation Rail 2016 conference hailed another successNow in its fourth year, Next Generation Rail has become a must-attend learning and development event for young rail professionals and early-career researchers from both industry and academia.

The event is jointly organised by RSSB, RRUKA and Young Rail Professionals (YRP) and took place from 29 June to 1 July at the National Training Academy for Rail (NTAR) in Northampton. Next Generation Rail was the headline event of Rail Week, a pan-industry initiative aimed at attracting young people to consider a career in rail.

More than 200 delegates from 70 organisations, representing the best and brightest young talent in rail attended the conference this year. The theme was ‘innovation, creativity and research.’ The event saw academics, transport researchers and business leaders issue a challenge for how to harness innovation and creativity to help deliver a railway that keeps pace with changes in technology and also meets the ever-changing expectations of passengers.

The conference is aimed at motivating young professionals to become innovation ambassadors in their workplace and enhance their professional development and skills. The event included technical site visits (National Training Academy for Rail, Kings Heath Siemens Depot, Bombardier’s manufacturing centre, Rugby Rail Operating Centre and Birmingham New Street station), interactive workshops, inspiring talks, competitions and lots of networking opportunities.

The feedback at the end of the conference was overwhelmingly positive. Everyone was impressed by the talent, energy and enthusiasm of the delegates.

People

‘RSSB is very proud to be part of this exciting event. I also commend young professionals for the work they are doing in encouraging young people to see rail as a career. This is vital for the sustainability of the industry.’Chris Lawrence, RSSB Technical Director


Email [email protected] +44 (0) 20 3142 5300Twitter @RSSB_railWeb www.rssb.co.uk

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