Friends of the Rail Forum

Rail research center will focus on high speed rail and wholistic track-vehicle-system testing

The Government has confirmed funding for the University [of Leeds] to create one of the most advanced conventional and high speed rail research facilities in the world.

The Institute for High Speed Rail and System Integration will revolutionise the way new railway systems are invented, developed and brought into service...

The institute will contain three test facilities. The first would be a vehicle testing rig with variable, programmable track geometry which will be designed to replicate any rail journey in the world for operation at up to 400 km/h. This will support research into traction systems, braking, material use and ways of increasing energy efficiency.

The infrastructure test site will simulate the forces on track, ballast and support structures for both conventional and high speed trains. It will be built in an open field rather than a laboratory, allowing ground dynamics to be more accurately simulated.

The third hub is a System Integration & Innovation Centre, which will investigate train, track, power systems and signalling as an integrated system, to investigate how changes to one sub-system interacts with others. It will be able to analyse data from the vehicle and infrastructure testing rigs, and will support tests examining digital signalling, power systems and electro-magnetic interference.

‘The institute will revolutionise the testing, commissioning and building of new trains, rail infrastructure and systems, both in the UK and overseas'...