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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Signalling - Train protection systems (x)
Derailment (x)
Keeping on-track staff safe (x)
Signalling - People protection and warning systems including level crossings (x)
CCC system integration and life cycle management (x)
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Human Factors in event reporting (x)
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DECARB (x)
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Objectives
Topics
-
Control Command and Communication
- CCC asset management (4)
- CCC system integration and life cycle management (2)
- Control and display systems (16)
- Data and communications systems (45)
- Movement authorities and signalling systems (14)
- 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 (39)
- Customer services for passengers (98)
- Keeping on-track staff safe (3)
- Movement of trains (60)
- Operation of road-rail interfaces including level crossings (45)
- Operational Safety (29)
- Other - Operations (32)
- Revenue and ticketing (10)
- Security management (39)
- Stations management and passenger flow (31)
- Traffic supervision and management (43)
-
People Behaviour and Health
- Attitudes and behaviour (127)
- Culture (56)
- Education and competence (8)
- Equipment workplace and environmental design (35)
- Health and wellbeing (85)
- Human Factors in event reporting (1)
- Human performance (56)
- Human reliability (45)
- Job design (40)
- Selection and training (48)
- Other - People behaviour and health (21)
- Policy and Decision Making
-
Rolling stock
- Braking systems (42)
- On board power supplies and monitoring (6)
- Rolling stock asset management (29)
- Rolling stock condition monitoring and inspection (28)
- Rolling stock fire performance (8)
- Rolling stock interiors (4)
- Rolling stock maintenance (44)
- Rolling stock passenger comfort (23)
- Rolling stock testing (32)
- Train design - Components (92)
- Train design - Structure and crashworthiness (49)
- Other - Rolling stock (37)
- Safety and Risk
Programme
Date
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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-UOS-06
End Date: 2026
Underway
A PhD studentship looking at how contaminated rail conditions change with the weather, as well as how contamination develops and the linked changes to… Read More
Research Project
COF-MLD-03
End Date: 2025
Underway
Registered
Exploring late adopters’ engagement with digital technology in the rail sector (COF-MLD-03)
Research Project
T1331
End Date: 2025
Underway
Investigating the background and rationale for current traction power parameters, and establishing whether changing these parameters could improve… Read More
Research Project
T1318
End Date: 2025
Underway
Developing a validated model capable of predicting the growth of rolling contact damage on GB railways. Read More
Research Project
T1339
End Date: 2025
Underway
Could a standardised approach add value by harmonising industry processes around train planning and disruption management? Read More
Research Project
COF-UOS-05
End Date: 2025
Underway
A PhD studentship to improve understanding of low adhesion friction in transience, and develop an on-train prediction system. Read More
Research Project
T1314
End Date: 2025
Underway
Registered
Dynamic seat comfort for passengers (T1314)
Research Project
T1316
End Date: 2025
Underway
Research in response to Recommendation 12 of the RAIB Rail Accident Report into the derailment of a passenger train at Carmont, Aberdeenshire on 12… Read More
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Complete (x)
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Other - Safety and risk (x)
Risk models (x)
Wheel-rail interface (x)
Attitudes and behaviour (x)
Sustainable development (x)
Infrastructure asset management (x)
Train design - Components (x)
Customer services for passengers (x)
Health and wellbeing (x)
Commercial dynamics of transport (x)
Vehicle track dynamics (x)
Movement of trains (x)
Human performance (x)
Station design (x)
Other - Policy and decision making (x)
Whole system design and modelling (x)
Track design and components (x)
Operation of road-rail interfaces including level crossings (x)
Culture (x)
Adhesion (x)
Selection and training (x)
Train design - Structure and crashworthiness (x)
Data and communications systems (x)
Adaptation to climate change (x)
Other - Energy and electrification (x)
Rolling stock maintenance (x)
Other - Control command and communication (x)
Structures (x)
Human reliability (x)
Security management (x)
Job design (x)
Traffic supervision and management (x)
Equipment workplace and environmental design (x)
Braking systems (x)
Customer services for freight (x)
Railways Interoperability (x)
Stations management and passenger flow (x)
Other - Rolling stock (x)
Other - Operations (x)
Rolling stock testing (x)
Social dynamics of transport (x)
Operational Safety (x)
Power supply (x)
Rolling stock asset management (x)
Rolling stock condition monitoring and inspection (x)
Value from data (x)
Other - Infrastructure (x)
Rolling stock passenger comfort (x)
Other - People behaviour and health (x)
Control and display systems (x)
Future technologies (x)
Aerodynamics (x)
Energy collection systems (x)
Overhead line equipment (x)
Movement authorities and signalling systems (x)
Other - Interfaces (x)
Safety decision support (x)
Safety data analysis (x)
Rail Standardisation (x)
Safety data collection (x)
Accident investigation and learning (x)
Education and competence (x)
Rolling stock fire performance (x)
Signalling - Train detection systems (x)
Rolling stock interiors (x)
CCC asset management (x)
Revenue and ticketing (x)
Electrical safety (x)
Signalling - Train protection systems (x)
Derailment (x)
Keeping on-track staff safe (x)
Signalling - People protection and warning systems including level crossings (x)
CCC system integration and life cycle management (x)
Gauging (x)
Smart grids and energy harvesting (x)
On board power supplies and monitoring (x)
Human Factors in event reporting (x)
Energy metering and billing (x)
ADHERE (x)
PERFORM (x)
DECARB (x)
CLEAR (x)
FREIGHT (x)
FUTURE RISK (x)
RESILIENT (x)
Clear date filter (x)
Objectives
Topics
-
Control Command and Communication
- CCC asset management (4)
- CCC system integration and life cycle management (2)
- Control and display systems (16)
- Data and communications systems (39)
- Movement authorities and signalling systems (12)
- 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 (30)
- Customer services for passengers (69)
- Keeping on-track staff safe (2)
- Movement of trains (55)
- Operation of road-rail interfaces including level crossings (43)
- Operational Safety (24)
- Other - Operations (25)
- Revenue and ticketing (4)
- Security management (32)
- Stations management and passenger flow (29)
- Traffic supervision and management (31)
-
People Behaviour and Health
- Attitudes and behaviour (100)
- Culture (43)
- Education and competence (6)
- Equipment workplace and environmental design (31)
- Health and wellbeing (63)
- Human Factors in event reporting (1)
- Human performance (50)
- Human reliability (33)
- Job design (31)
- Selection and training (42)
- Other - People behaviour and health (17)
- Policy and Decision Making
-
Rolling stock
- Braking systems (30)
- On board power supplies and monitoring (1)
- Rolling stock asset management (23)
- Rolling stock condition monitoring and inspection (22)
- Rolling stock fire performance (6)
- Rolling stock interiors (4)
- Rolling stock maintenance (35)
- Rolling stock passenger comfort (18)
- Rolling stock testing (25)
- Train design - Components (76)
- Train design - Structure and crashworthiness (42)
- Other - Rolling stock (28)
- Safety and Risk
Programme
Date
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Research Project
T042
End Date: 2002
Complete
This project assessed the feasibility of using global positioning systems for train control. Deployment of this technology is a significantly cheaper… Read More
Research Project
T060e
End Date: 2002
Complete
There are nine wheel tread profiles that are accepted for use on Network Rail controlled infrastructure. This research aims to review the historic and… Read More
Research Project
T060c
End Date: 2002
Complete
Inspection techniques have been developed over a number of years to detect the smallest flaw in an axle and thus mitigate the risk of catastrophic… Read More
Research Project
T060b
End Date: 2002
Complete
This project developed earlier work led by Railtrack to develop a Whole Life Rail Model (WLRM), which encapsulates the industries understanding of… Read More
Research Project
T060a
End Date: 2002
Complete
This project investigated the feasibility of detecting rail flaws and other track faults by acoustically measuring the rolling noise generated by the… Read More
Research Project
T052d
End Date: 2002
Complete
This project addresses the recommendations made by Lord Cullen in his first report on the Ladbroke Grove Rail Inquiry, relating to communication… Read More
Research Project
T049
End Date: 2002
Complete
Examining how a variety of transport maintenance organisations manage competence, highlighting areas for improvement that could improve railway… Read More
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Adaptation to climate change (x)
Energy collection systems (x)
Braking systems (x)
Train design - Components (x)
Power supply (x)
Traffic supervision and management (x)
Future technologies (x)
Wheel-rail interface (x)
Adhesion (x)
On board power supplies and monitoring (x)
Customer services for freight (x)
Value from data (x)
Selection and training (x)
Revenue and ticketing (x)
Commercial dynamics of transport (x)
Data and communications systems (x)
Movement of trains (x)
Attitudes and behaviour (x)
Job design (x)
Rolling stock testing (x)
Other - Energy and electrification (x)
Human performance (x)
Human reliability (x)
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Smart grids and energy harvesting (x)
Vehicle track dynamics (x)
Derailment (x)
Movement authorities and signalling systems (x)
Other - Infrastructure (x)
Keeping on-track staff safe (x)
Track design and components (x)
Overhead line equipment (x)
Other - Control command and communication (x)
Infrastructure asset management (x)
Other - Rolling stock (x)
Train design - Structure and crashworthiness (x)
Other - Policy and decision making (x)
Whole system design and modelling (x)
Railways Interoperability (x)
Education and competence (x)
Operation of road-rail interfaces including level crossings (x)
Rolling stock interiors (x)
Other - Operations (x)
Signalling - Train detection systems (x)
Safety decision support (x)
Safety data analysis (x)
CCC asset management (x)
Control and display systems (x)
Signalling - People protection and warning systems including level crossings (x)
Rolling stock maintenance (x)
CCC system integration and life cycle management (x)
Security management (x)
Stations management and passenger flow (x)
Social dynamics of transport (x)
Gauging (x)
Electrical safety (x)
Rolling stock asset management (x)
Rolling stock passenger comfort (x)
Risk models (x)
Aerodynamics (x)
Structures (x)
Signalling - Train protection systems (x)
Other - People behaviour and health (x)
Other - Safety and risk (x)
Station design (x)
Accident investigation and learning (x)
Human Factors in event reporting (x)
Equipment workplace and environmental design (x)
Operational Safety (x)
Rolling stock condition monitoring and inspection (x)
Rolling stock fire performance (x)
Rail Standardisation (x)
Other - Interfaces (x)
Energy metering and billing (x)
Safety data collection (x)
DECARB (x)
ADHERE (x)
PERFORM (x)
RESILIENT (x)
CLEAR (x)
FUTURE RISK (x)
FREIGHT (x)
Clear date filter (x)
Status
Topics
- Control Command and Communication
- Energy and Electrification
- Infrastructure
- Interfaces
- Operations
- People Behaviour and Health
- Policy and Decision Making
- Rolling stock
Programme
Date
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Innovation Project
I01-CLR-06
End Date: 2023
Complete
Registered
Assisted VSTP (I01-CLR-06)
Innovation Project
SC04-POT-17
End Date: 2021
Underway
Registered
Powertrain: Dual fuel technology for improving operating costs and emissions from DMU (SC04-POT-17)
Innovation Project
I01-CLR-05
End Date: 2021
Complete
Registered
Pathfinder (I01-CLR-05)
Innovation Project
I01-CLR-04
End Date: 2021
Complete
Identification of unused train paths for use by freight services as part of the Very Short-Term Planning (VSTP) system. Read More
Innovation Project
SC04-VLR-01
End Date: 2021
Underway
Construction of a hybrid powered very light rail demonstrator vehicle. Read More
Innovation Project
I12-TCV-02
End Date: 2020
Complete
Registered
Trainserv (I12-TCV-02)
Innovation Project
SC04-POB-13
End Date: 2020
Complete
The project will create an advanced braking control system which optimises the braking performance of the existing friction and dynamic braking. It… Read More
Innovation Project
SC12-TCF-14
End Date: 2019
Complete
There are opportunities to improve the customer experience through improved tracking of passenger numbers. Read More
Innovation Project
SC12-TCX-04
End Date: 2019
Complete
Registered
Intelligent Gatelines (SC12-TCX-04)
Innovation Project
SC04-POB-15
End Date: 2019
Complete
Registered
Predictable and Optimised Braking: Using cryogenic technology to increase adhesion (SC04-POB-15)
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Rolling stock condition monitoring and inspection (x)
Train design - Structure and crashworthiness (x)
Value from data (x)
Vehicle track dynamics (x)
Braking systems (x)
Rolling stock passenger comfort (x)
Risk models (x)
Rolling stock testing (x)
Energy collection systems (x)
Customer services for freight (x)
Other - People behaviour and health (x)
Equipment workplace and environmental design (x)
Operational Safety (x)
Smart grids and energy harvesting (x)
Human performance (x)
Overhead line equipment (x)
Adhesion (x)
Whole system design and modelling (x)
Education and competence (x)
Operation of road-rail interfaces including level crossings (x)
Selection and training (x)
Other - Energy and electrification (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)
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)
FREIGHT (x)
Clear date filter (x)
Status
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 (4)
- Other - Operations (7)
- Revenue and ticketing (2)
- Security management (7)
- Stations management and passenger flow (2)
- Traffic supervision and management (6)
- People Behaviour and Health
- Policy and Decision Making
-
Rolling stock
- Braking systems (5)
- 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 (5)
- Rolling stock testing (4)
- Train design - Components (9)
- Train design - Structure and crashworthiness (6)
- Other - Rolling stock (8)
- Safety and Risk
Programme
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