Implementation matters: helping you benefit from our valuable research
More than half of our significant research outputs from 2023/24 are already in use by industry.
Jasmin CollierEditorial Content Manager, RSSB
The goal for all RSSB research is usefulness, and usability, for industry. We help address existing and emerging challenges on the railway by exploring new and developing new solutions.
To achieve this, we use a range of strategies to support and monitor the implementation of our research outputs. Notably, we:
work in partnership with the rail industry
focus on realising the benefits quickly
de-risk novel ideas
feed into improvements to health and safety
enable innovation by informing rail standards.
This approach means we can consistently deliver a positive impact on rail and its customers.
Our research is designed to tackle railway challenges that go beyond individual organisations. The outputs range from feasibility studies to fully developed and tested solutions. And in all our research projects, we target tangible benefits in:
safety improvements
cost efficiencies
increased service reliability
carbon reductions.
This is because we focus so much on usefulness and usability. Indeed, implementation is at the core of our research programme. It’s also core to our overall mission.
Naturally, the implementation journey, from initial idea to uptake by industry, often takes many years. So, our dedicated team monitors the progress of the most promising research outputs. This helps us navigate a sometimes winding research road.
Working alongside our standards and safety teams, they offer support and advice to industry organisations to take up the findings. This helps them overcome any barriers. In particular, the team works closely with a range of external partners to facilitate the adoption of research outputs. This includes:
infrastructure managers
train operators
rolling stock companies
suppliers and contractors.
Here’s a case in point. Of the 400 research projects we’ve delivered in the past decade, 58% have led to outputs expected to have a ‘significant’ impact on at least one aspect of rail. And of those, 74% are already in use, and 41% have experienced substantial industry take-up.
In 2023/24 alone, the RSSB research team delivered 15 significant outputs. About half of these are already in use by industry. We highlight some recent success stories below.
Let’s look in more detail at the past year to get a flavour of what our research does and its benefits for industry.
Better planning and resource management during disruption: We created a toolkit to help operators improve their contingency arrangements for disruption. The overall goal is to help minimise delays. The toolkit was tested and improved by three operators. It was then taken on by Network Rail’s 21st Century Operations team, who rolled it out across all operators.
The journey towards high-performing sanders: We developed and tested double variable-rate sanders (DVRS). These could halve braking distances in low-adhesion conditions, allowing reliable braking all year round. The research led to the introduction of new or retrofitted DVRS on several fleets. It also led to the trial of conductive sand alternatives.
Transfer of inerter technology to rail: We explored the potential applications of inerters in rail. These enhance the performance of passive suspension systems. The research resulted in the development of a prototype pantograph with an inerter, which reduces wear and maintenance. It also led to a prototype trailing arm bush for bogie suspension, which is being tested on rolling stock. This technology was already in use in Formula One, so our research was essential to determine how best to utilise it for rail.
To see how else our research has helped industry this year, read our ‘Implementation Matters’ report in full.
Download report
To get support with implementing any of our findings in your organisation, contact our Customer Service Portal.
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