University of Huddersfield's Institute of Railway Research (IRR) has been at the forefront of ensuring safety research is swiftly implemented, as highlighted by its partnership with the EdTech Innovation Hub. The IRR's recent focus has been on addressing the critical issue of overspeeding and freight wagon defects across the UK's rail network. While incidents of trains exceeding permitted speeds are rare, they pose a significant risk to safety. To tackle this, the IRR utilized train movement data from signalling systems to develop an innovative system for detecting overspeeding across the entire network. This system demonstrates the potential to identify where train speeds consistently surpass designed line-speed limits for signalling berths.
The IRR's work has led to a collaboration with the RSSB and the industry Overspeed Working Group, along with Network Rail, to explore the creation of an online demonstration of an automated overspeed detection system. This system could potentially become an integral part of the Red Aspect Approaches to Signals toolkit, further enhancing rail safety. Additionally, IRR researchers explored the use of Wheel Impact Load Detectors (WILD) data to identify flat spots and damage on wheels, enabling the detection and monitoring of offset loads or suspension faults on wagons. They successfully established a positive correlation between vehicle bogie frame twist and spring condition, allowing for the identification of faulty wagons that require maintenance.
The tool, currently in development, will provide operators with a comprehensive overview of their fleet. Dr Julian Stow, IRR Associate Director and Strategic Partnership lead, emphasizes the direct impact of this research on rail industry safety. He states, 'These projects demonstrate how our research can directly improve rail industry safety. Having a long-term partnership with RSSB is critical to supporting the journey to implementation and ensures our work has real impact.' Luisa Moisio, RSSB's Director of Research, adds, 'For over a decade, RSSB's Strategic Partnership with the University of Huddersfield has exemplified the power of collaboration between industry and academia, transforming pioneering research into practical, widely used tools that enhance the safety and efficiency of the rail network.'
This partnership exemplifies the transformative potential of collaborative research, where industry and academia unite to address real-world challenges, ultimately improving safety and efficiency in the rail sector.
