Research Catalogue
Welcome to the RSSB research catalogue. The catalogue contains all projects from the 20+ years of the RSSB rail research programme. Please be mindful of the publication date when accessing findings and guidance.
Search by entering a title, keyword(s) or project reference number below (e.g. "wayfinding" or T1010 or COF-INP-05) or use the filters to narrow down options.
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Stations management and passenger flow (x)
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Movement authorities and signalling systems (x)
Overhead line equipment (x)
Aerodynamics (x)
Accident investigation and learning (x)
Control and display systems (x)
Safety data analysis (x)
Safety data collection (x)
Other - Interfaces (x)
Rail Standardisation (x)
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Signalling - Train detection systems (x)
CCC system integration and life cycle management (x)
CCC asset management (x)
Signalling - Train protection systems (x)
Derailment (x)
Keeping on-track staff safe (x)
Signalling - People protection and warning systems including level crossings (x)
Gauging (x)
Trespass (x)
Human Factors in event reporting (x)
Energy metering and billing (x)
ADHERE (x)
PERFORM (x)
DECARB (x)
FREIGHT (x)
CLEAR (x)
Enabling AI in Rail (x)
RESILIENT (x)
FUTURE RISK (x)
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Status
Topics
-
Control Command and Communication
- CCC asset management (4)
- CCC system integration and life cycle management (5)
- Control and display systems (16)
- Data and communications systems (47)
- Movement authorities and signalling systems (19)
- Other - Control command and communication (36)
- Signalling - People protection and warning systems including level crossings (2)
- Signalling - Train detection systems (5)
- Signalling - Train protection systems (4)
- Energy and Electrification
- Infrastructure
- Interfaces
-
Operations
- Customer services for freight (48)
- Customer services for passengers (102)
- Keeping on-track staff safe (3)
- Movement of trains (60)
- Operation of road-rail interfaces including level crossings (46)
- Operational Safety (36)
- Other - Operations (33)
- Revenue and ticketing (8)
- Security management (40)
- Stations management and passenger flow (30)
- Traffic supervision and management (44)
-
People Behaviour and Health
- Attitudes and behaviour (129)
- Culture (57)
- Education and competence (9)
- Equipment workplace and environmental design (37)
- Health and wellbeing (93)
- Human Factors in event reporting (1)
- Human performance (55)
- Human reliability (44)
- Job design (43)
- Selection and training (51)
- Trespass (1)
- Other - People behaviour and health (20)
- Policy and Decision Making
-
Rolling stock
- Braking systems (42)
- On board power supplies and monitoring (8)
- Rolling stock asset management (29)
- Rolling stock condition monitoring and inspection (28)
- Rolling stock fire performance (9)
- Rolling stock interiors (5)
- Rolling stock maintenance (45)
- Rolling stock passenger comfort (29)
- Rolling stock testing (33)
- Train design - Components (93)
- Train design - Structure and crashworthiness (50)
- Other - Rolling stock (37)
- Safety and Risk
Programme
Date
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Research Project
T1385
End Date: 2028
Underway
Developing bespoke colour vision thresholds for safety critical staff on the mainline railway. Read More
Research Project
COF-RCF-01
End Date: 2028
Underway
A PhD project using modelling to establish the relationship between the microstructure or rail steel and crack initiation. Read More
Research Project
COF-MLD-05
End Date: 2026
Underway
This study aims to understand the uncertainty in people’s perceptions of rail transit experience and investigate how these uncertainties impact… Read More
Research Project
COF-MLD-04
End Date: 2026
Underway
A framework for capturing and assessing customer feedback in the rail industry to help understand passenger experience in greater depth. Read More
Research Project
COF-HSF
End Date: 2026
Underway
Unlocking high speeds for intermodal traffic through better understanding of the wagon requirements. Read More
Research Project
T1380
End Date: 2026
Underway
Helping operators to design policies that avoid significant driver overload and underload. Read More
Research Project
T1389
End Date: 2026
Underway
Simplifying the protection arrangements for autonomous, self-powered inspection trolleys used for track maintenance. Read More
Research Project
T1393
End Date: 2026
Underway
This research aims to improve the understanding of the risk to workers from respirable crystalline silica (RCS) and non-crystalline silica during… Read More
Research Project
COF-UOS22-03
End Date: 2026
Underway
Testing the effects of enhanced sand products to reduce the risk of wheel/rail isolation and increase flow rates to improve performance in low… Read More
Research Project
COF-UOH-RAATS
End Date: 2026
Underway
Registered
Red Aspect Approaches to Signals (RAATS)
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Risk models (x)
Wheel-rail interface (x)
Attitudes and behaviour (x)
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Train design - Components (x)
Infrastructure asset management (x)
Customer services for passengers (x)
Health and wellbeing (x)
Commercial dynamics of transport (x)
Vehicle track dynamics (x)
Movement of trains (x)
Station design (x)
Other - Policy and decision making (x)
Human performance (x)
Adhesion (x)
Whole system design and modelling (x)
Track design and components (x)
Operation of road-rail interfaces including level crossings (x)
Selection and training (x)
Culture (x)
Train design - Structure and crashworthiness (x)
Data and communications systems (x)
Customer services for freight (x)
Rolling stock maintenance (x)
Structures (x)
Other - Control command and communication (x)
Adaptation to climate change (x)
Job design (x)
Other - Energy and electrification (x)
Traffic supervision and management (x)
Security management (x)
Human reliability (x)
Equipment workplace and environmental design (x)
Braking systems (x)
Operational Safety (x)
Power supply (x)
Railways Interoperability (x)
Stations management and passenger flow (x)
Other - Rolling stock (x)
Other - Operations (x)
Rolling stock testing (x)
Value from data (x)
Social dynamics of transport (x)
Rolling stock asset management (x)
Rolling stock passenger comfort (x)
Rolling stock condition monitoring and inspection (x)
Other - Infrastructure (x)
Future technologies (x)
Movement authorities and signalling systems (x)
Control and display systems (x)
Other - People behaviour and health (x)
Aerodynamics (x)
Overhead line equipment (x)
Energy collection systems (x)
Safety data analysis (x)
Safety data collection (x)
Other - Interfaces (x)
Safety decision support (x)
Accident investigation and learning (x)
Rail Standardisation (x)
Education and competence (x)
Rolling stock fire performance (x)
Rolling stock interiors (x)
Signalling - Train detection systems (x)
CCC system integration and life cycle management (x)
Electrical safety (x)
CCC asset management (x)
Signalling - Train protection systems (x)
On board power supplies and monitoring (x)
Smart grids and energy harvesting (x)
Derailment (x)
Keeping on-track staff safe (x)
Revenue and ticketing (x)
Signalling - People protection and warning systems including level crossings (x)
Gauging (x)
Trespass (x)
Human Factors in event reporting (x)
Energy metering and billing (x)
ADHERE (x)
PERFORM (x)
DECARB (x)
FREIGHT (x)
CLEAR (x)
Enabling AI in Rail (x)
FUTURE RISK (x)
RESILIENT (x)
Clear date filter (x)
Status
Topics
-
Control Command and Communication
- CCC asset management (4)
- CCC system integration and life cycle management (5)
- Control and display systems (16)
- Data and communications systems (41)
- Movement authorities and signalling systems (17)
- Other - Control command and communication (35)
- Signalling - People protection and warning systems including level crossings (2)
- Signalling - Train detection systems (5)
- Signalling - Train protection systems (4)
- Energy and Electrification
- Infrastructure
- Interfaces
-
Operations
- Customer services for freight (39)
- Customer services for passengers (73)
- Keeping on-track staff safe (2)
- Movement of trains (55)
- Operation of road-rail interfaces including level crossings (44)
- Operational Safety (29)
- Other - Operations (26)
- Revenue and ticketing (2)
- Security management (32)
- Stations management and passenger flow (28)
- Traffic supervision and management (32)
-
People Behaviour and Health
- Attitudes and behaviour (100)
- Culture (43)
- Education and competence (7)
- Equipment workplace and environmental design (32)
- Health and wellbeing (67)
- Human Factors in event reporting (1)
- Human performance (48)
- Human reliability (32)
- Job design (34)
- Selection and training (44)
- Trespass (1)
- Other - People behaviour and health (16)
- Policy and Decision Making
-
Rolling stock
- Braking systems (29)
- On board power supplies and monitoring (3)
- Rolling stock asset management (23)
- Rolling stock condition monitoring and inspection (22)
- Rolling stock fire performance (7)
- Rolling stock interiors (5)
- Rolling stock maintenance (36)
- Rolling stock passenger comfort (22)
- Rolling stock testing (26)
- Train design - Components (76)
- Train design - Structure and crashworthiness (43)
- Other - Rolling stock (28)
- Safety and Risk
Programme
Date
From: To:
Sort By:
Results per page:
Research Project
T149
End Date: 2003
Complete
Identifying the information railway personnel require in a range of operational scenarios, and understanding how this information is applied in order… Read More
Research Project
T119
End Date: 2003
Complete
A worldwide literature review has been performed to identify significant recent research work and best practice in the areas of railway vehicle… Read More
Research Project
T312
End Date: 2003
Complete
Uncertainty about the effects of aerodynamics relating to train operations represents a barrier to progress. This work identified recent and current… Read More
Research Project
T185
End Date: 2003
Complete
Identifying key issues affecting 'skills fade' for staff in safety-critical roles, and prioritising training and assessment requirements to address… Read More
Research Project
T103
End Date: 2003
Complete
Registered
Assessing the cost of assaults (T103)
Research Project
T101
End Date: 2003
Complete
Understanding train operators' concerns about the current Railway Group Standards requirements in respect of the competence of rolling stock… Read More
Research Project
T139
End Date: 2003
Complete
Registered
Risk assessment training course (T139)
Research Project
T080
End Date: 2003
Complete
This research proposes a method by which the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) can effectively manage the risk of low adhesion without… Read More
Research Project
T182
End Date: 2003
Complete
Developing a robust process for identifying the necessary attributes and competencies for front line managers and supervisors in safety critical… Read More
Research Project
T180
End Date: 2003
Complete
Registered
Safe working procedures toolkit (T180)
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Complete (x)
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In Preparation (x)
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Customer (x)
Attitudes and behaviour (x)
Health and wellbeing (x)
Other - Safety and risk (x)
Customer services for passengers (x)
Other - Policy and decision making (x)
Station design (x)
Sustainable development (x)
Adaptation to climate change (x)
Other - Infrastructure (x)
Future technologies (x)
Culture (x)
Infrastructure asset management (x)
Train design - Components (x)
Power supply (x)
Wheel-rail interface (x)
Rolling stock maintenance (x)
Human reliability (x)
Commercial dynamics of transport (x)
Railways Interoperability (x)
Track design and components (x)
Security management (x)
Social dynamics of transport (x)
Other - Rolling stock (x)
Other - Operations (x)
Rolling stock passenger comfort (x)
Accident investigation and learning (x)
Job design (x)
Traffic supervision and management (x)
Braking systems (x)
Rolling stock asset management (x)
Structures (x)
Operational Safety (x)
Rolling stock condition monitoring and inspection (x)
Train design - Structure and crashworthiness (x)
Value from data (x)
Vehicle track dynamics (x)
Risk models (x)
Adhesion (x)
Equipment workplace and environmental design (x)
Rolling stock testing (x)
Energy collection systems (x)
Human performance (x)
Customer services for freight (x)
Other - People behaviour and health (x)
Smart grids and energy harvesting (x)
Selection and training (x)
Other - Energy and electrification (x)
Overhead line equipment (x)
Whole system design and modelling (x)
Education and competence (x)
Operation of road-rail interfaces including level crossings (x)
Revenue and ticketing (x)
Stations management and passenger flow (x)
Data and communications systems (x)
Electrical safety (x)
Aerodynamics (x)
Rolling stock fire performance (x)
Rail Standardisation (x)
Other - Interfaces (x)
Safety data collection (x)
Movement authorities and signalling systems (x)
Safety data analysis (x)
Movement of trains (x)
Rolling stock interiors (x)
Derailment (x)
Signalling - Train detection systems (x)
On board power supplies and monitoring (x)
Safety decision support (x)
Keeping on-track staff safe (x)
CCC asset management (x)
Control and display systems (x)
Signalling - People protection and warning systems including level crossings (x)
CCC system integration and life cycle management (x)
Gauging (x)
Signalling - Train protection systems (x)
Trespass (x)
Human Factors in event reporting (x)
Other - Control command and communication (x)
Energy metering and billing (x)
ADHERE (x)
CLEAR (x)
FUTURE RISK (x)
DECARB (x)
PERFORM (x)
RESILIENT (x)
Enabling AI in Rail (x)
FREIGHT (x)
Clear date filter (x)
Status
Objectives
Topics
- Control Command and Communication
- Energy and Electrification
- Infrastructure
- Interfaces
-
Operations
- Customer services for freight (4)
- Customer services for passengers (18)
- Movement of trains (1)
- Operation of road-rail interfaces including level crossings (2)
- Operational Safety (6)
- Other - Operations (7)
- Revenue and ticketing (2)
- Security management (8)
- Stations management and passenger flow (2)
- Traffic supervision and management (6)
- People Behaviour and Health
- Policy and Decision Making
-
Rolling stock
- Braking systems (6)
- Rolling stock asset management (6)
- Rolling stock condition monitoring and inspection (6)
- Rolling stock fire performance (2)
- Rolling stock maintenance (9)
- Rolling stock passenger comfort (7)
- Rolling stock testing (4)
- Train design - Components (10)
- Train design - Structure and crashworthiness (6)
- Other - Rolling stock (8)
- Safety and Risk
Programme
Date
From: To:
Sort By:
Results per page:
Knowledge Search
S393
End Date: 2025
Complete
Insights into neurodiversity and options for supporting job candidates and staff. Read More
Knowledge Search
S389
End Date: 2025
Complete
New developments in technologies that can be used to detect and prevent trespass incidents. Read More
Knowledge Search
S390
End Date: 2025
Complete
Helping industry to make sound HVAC investment decisions under tightening environmental standards. Read More
Knowledge Search
S380
End Date: 2025
Complete
Registered
Hydrogen as a combustion fuel (S380)
Knowledge Search
S387
End Date: 2025
Complete
Looking at the levels of CO2 in passenger carriages, and whether current standards ensure passenger health and comfort. Read More
Knowledge Search
S386
End Date: 2025
Complete
Registered
Freight train braking (S386)
Knowledge Search
S381
End Date: 2025
Complete
An overview of the factors that affect the build-up of leaf fall contamination, the relationship between different types of contamination, and the… Read More
Knowledge Search
S388
End Date: 2025
Complete
Looking for scientific evidence that people get more tired after meals, and what might mititgate any risks. Read More
Knowledge Search
S384
End Date: 2024
Complete
Could personal health monitoring devices reduce the wearer’s risk of incapacity and allow them to return to work? Read More
Knowledge Search
S385
End Date: 2024
Complete
The potential of body armour to protect rail staff against violent incidents. Read More