Current and planned work
Modelling the consequences of train collisions and derailments
Moving away from diesel fuel
Key Train Requirements update
More accurate insights into vehicle crashworthiness will help with decision making.
RSSB’s Future Risk Modelling programme aims to support smarter, more cost-effective decisions for the railway. It will facilitate holistic, dynamic, and robust risk modelling. Enhanced risk modelling will help deliver a safe, affordable, and high-performing railway both locally and nationally.
V/V SIC is the primary client for a project in this programme that looks at how to improve the assessment of rolling stock crashworthiness. The project will model the potential consequences of a train-train collision, train-object collision, train-buffer collision, and train derailment. The models will account for train type, train speed, train length, size of object, and loading.
The key benefit from this work will be better accuracy in predicting the consequences of accidents, based on improved and up-to-date information on vehicle crashworthiness performance.
Keep up to date with the research project in the RSSB Research Catalogue (T1342).
Contact Bing Yan, Lead System Safety Engineer, RSSB, with any queries:
Bing.Yan@rssb.co.uk
Overcoming barriers to further decarbonisation of GB rail.
The Independently Powered Traction Working Group sub-group of V/V SIC is working with RSSB on ways to decarbonise the rail network. The focus is on non-electrified sections of the network and on moving heavy freight vehicles.
RSSB’s sustainability team is looking at the potential role of alternative fuels, including hydrogenated vegetable oil, gas to liquid, hydrogen, ammonia, and other fuels of non-biological origin.
RSSB’s research team is working on energy-efficient ways to heat or cool passenger carriages. The energy required to heat or cool a train is typically the second biggest consumer of energy after traction. It is particularly relevant to battery-powered rolling stock, as current heating systems use too much of the stored power. The research will investigate technologies or ideas from other sectors or industries. The findings will help rail operators and manufacturers when investing in new rolling stock and retrofitting existing trains.
Keep up to date with the work on heating and cooling in the RSSB Research Catalogue (T1369).
To discuss joining the steering committee for this project, contact Paul Gray, Professional Lead, Engineering, RSSB:
Paul.Gray@rssb.co.uk
The next version of the Key Train Requirements (KTR) document is underway.
The KTR document helps rolling stock procurers, specifiers, manufacturers, and system suppliers procure new and refurbished trains. The requirements set out good practices in addition to the mandatory requirements covered by Railway Group Standards and Rail Industry Standards. KTR covers the technical, performance, environmental, operational, and passenger-facing aspects of train design.
V/V SIC has been the parent group to the KTR drafting group since it began in 2011. We provide information, ideas, feedback, and guidance during the KTR drafting. We also approve the document for publication, with RSSB managing and owning the document since 2023. The representation on the drafting group covers all parts of the industry, including TOCs, infrastructure managers, train builders, and government.
KTR Version 8 will be circulated for industry review in autumn 2025. Publication is scheduled for March/April 2026. Topics for discussion for this version include:
accessibility for all (getting people onto the train)
neurodiversity on the railway
cyber and software
standardising messages from the Train Control and Monitoring System for the driver
considering security for all passengers, but specifically for women and girls
family-friendly trains.
Past and future content draws on RSSB research, RAIB reports, and National Incident Reports.
The current KTR document is available to download from the RSSB website.
We welcome your ideas. Experiences (good and bad) of buying, operating, and travelling on new trains, as well as lessons learnt from maintaining them, are all useful inputs.
You could also join the drafting group, attend to give a presentation, or provide expert assistance on an ad-hoc basis.
Contact Mark Oakley, Professional Head of Rolling Stock, RSSB, to find out more:
Mark.Oakley@rssb.co.uk
‘The update to the Key Train Requirements document is a key milestone for our campaign. We are grateful to the drafting group for giving us the opportunity to propose these changes, and for the widespread support we have received across the rail industry to include our campaign asks like reservable space for unfolded prams in the new document. […] This will ensure that new parents and children aren’t excluded from the railways and that trains do not contribute to the parenthood penalty.’
