University of Birmingham is changing the face of UK rail

Through engaging with 17 key industrial partners, the University of Birmingham successfully secured a £28.1m of funding from the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund (UKRPIF) to complement £64m from industry, which has been utilised to establish the UK Railway Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN.)

Different universities within the partnership will focus on key themes, with Birmingham establishing the Digital Systems Innovation Centre (DSIC), looking at railway control and simulation, data integration and cybersecurity, condition monitoring and sensing, and improved methods for technology introduction.

What is the impact on industry?

Creating a more efficient and digitised rail network requires input from both academia and the businesses that are going to benefit from the transformation. Engagement with industry has shaped the provision and form of the DSIC.

Collaboration with the DSIC will allow for the development of products and processes to be accelerated through to commercialisation, within a safe, virtual environment. Potential business cases can be rapidly tested for feasibility and investment opportunities significantly de-risked.

Shaping the future of rail

The University’s world-class facilities will include multi-disciplinary project spaces, virtual and physical laboratories and collaborative seminar rooms. Industry will be able to influence and engage with the railway revolution at the ground level.

A vast portfolio of new technologies and systems will feed into and support the changing rail infrastructure, including; driverless autonomous vehicles, robotics, smart grids, the internet of things and smart cities.

Extensive and robust collaboration between academia and industry is required to ensure these developments deliver on the potential of the UKRRIN.

Graham Hopkins, Group Safety, Technical and Engineering Director at Network Rail said: “By working together in the UKRRIN, researchers and industry partners can deliver technical transformations to help deliver a more cost effective, customer and carbon friendly railway.”

We want to work with you

The University of Birmingham possesses a vast array of expertise, resource and equipment to help your business tackle complex challenges and issues through innovative collaboration.

Whether you are a large corporate organisation with a long term project or a small business requiring a short term solution, we want to show you how the world-class knowledge and experience of the University of Birmingham can solve your business needs.