The UK's University of Huddersfield has unveiled a new railway test rig and also launched the Centre for Innovation in Rail (CIR) to fast-track innovations in industry technology.

The university is home to the Institute of Railway Research (IRR), which has received £4.5m from the Regional Growth Fund.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Premium Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all

Opened by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), the 150t test rig enables various experiments to be conducted on a full-size railway bogie.

It will also enable in-depth investigation of many issues surrounding the contact area between wheel and rail.

Installation of the rig required 95 piles to be sunk 5m deep, as well as a system of air springs to prevent excessive vibration.

See Also:

IMechE Railway Division chairman Richard East said: “This huge amount of growth is starting to challenge the capacity and the resilience that we have.”

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.
"This huge amount of growth is starting to challenge the capacity and the resilience that we have."

The university’s new CIR unit will help the railway supply chain develop new products and is an outlet for research activity within the IRR. 

CIR aims to work with industry, especially small to medium sized firms. 

Unipart Rail engineering director Dr Steve Ingleton said that the new IRR test rig would serve as a focal point for innovation and help accelerate new products to market.

Omnicom Balfour Beatty technical services head Stirling Kimkeran said that he would encourage companies big and small to engage with the new centre.

Image: The new 150t test rig enables various experiments to be conducted on a full-size railway bogie. Photo: courtesy of University of Huddersfield.