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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.

Showing for
Applied filters: Complete (x) Underway (x) Safety (x) Capacity (x) Cost (x) Sustainability (x) Customer (x) Other - Safety and risk (x) Attitudes and behaviour (x) Wheel-rail interface (x) Risk models (x) Sustainable development (x) Customer services for passengers (x) Health and wellbeing (x) Train design - Components (x) Infrastructure asset management (x) Commercial dynamics of transport (x) Station design (x) Other - Policy and decision making (x) Vehicle track dynamics (x) Movement of trains (x) Culture (x) Adhesion (x) Human performance (x) Track design and components (x) Adaptation to climate change (x) Whole system design and modelling (x) Selection and training (x) Train design - Structure and crashworthiness (x) Operation of road-rail interfaces including level crossings (x) Rolling stock maintenance (x) Customer services for freight (x) Data and communications systems (x) Human reliability (x) Structures (x) Power supply (x) Job design (x) Security management (x) Traffic supervision and management (x) Other - Energy and electrification (x) Equipment workplace and environmental design (x) Railways Interoperability (x) Operational Safety (x) Other - Rolling stock (x) Braking systems (x) Other - Control command and communication (x) Other - Operations (x) Other - Infrastructure (x) Social dynamics of transport (x) Future technologies (x) Rolling stock passenger comfort (x) Value from data (x) Rolling stock testing (x) Stations management and passenger flow (x) Rolling stock asset management (x) Rolling stock condition monitoring and inspection (x) Other - People behaviour and health (x) Movement authorities and signalling systems (x) Energy collection 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) Education and competence (x) Safety decision support (x) Rolling stock fire performance (x) Electrical safety (x) Smart grids and energy harvesting (x) Rolling stock interiors (x) Signalling - Train detection systems (x) CCC system integration and life cycle management (x) CCC asset management (x) Revenue and ticketing (x) Signalling - Train protection systems (x) On board power supplies and monitoring (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) FREIGHT (x) DECARB (x) CLEAR (x) Enabling AI in Rail (x) FUTURE RISK (x) RESILIENT (x) Clear date filter (x)

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Research Project
COF-UOH-70
End Date: 2026
Underway
A project to gain improved insights into the severity and frequency of low adhesion across different seasons. Read More
Research Project
T1398
End Date: 2026
Underway
Developing a national classification of platform–train interface conditions, combining geometry and human factors, to define accessible boarding… Read More
Research Project
T1341
End Date: 2026
Underway
A framework of performance targets and criteria against which low adhesion mitigations can be assessed. Read More
Research Project
COF-UOH-82
End Date: 2026
Underway
Updating wheel tread damage and management guidance for operators and maintainers, to reflect current technology and working practices. Read More
Research Project
T1392
End Date: 2026
Underway
The AI Change Toolkit will provide the industry with a common method to ensure the safe and efficient launch of AI-powered applications. Read More
Research Project
T1354
End Date: 2026
Underway
Solutions to optimise single-line working, for efficient operation in degraded conditions. Read More
Research Project
T1366
End Date: 2026
Underway
Developing and testing an algorithm for managing electrical traction power system capacity. Read More
Research Project
T1395
End Date: 2026
Underway
AI solutions are being developed for the rail industry, and AI-powered applications are being deployed in an operational context. The AI Use Case… Read More
Knowledge Search
S395
End Date: 2026
Complete
Assessing the regulatory impact on PFAS use in railway applications and indentifying potential alternatives. Read More
Research Project
T1337
End Date: 2026
Complete
Understanding the ETCS driving task and the operational risks that are controlled either by the system or the driver. Read More
Showing for
Applied filters: Complete (x) Underway (x) Safety (x) Capacity (x) Cost (x) Sustainability (x) Customer (x) Other - Safety and risk (x) Risk models (x) Wheel-rail interface (x) Attitudes and behaviour (x) Sustainable development (x) 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) Human performance (x) Adhesion (x) Other - Policy and decision making (x) Whole system design and modelling (x) Selection and training (x) Track design and components (x) Operation of road-rail interfaces including level crossings (x) Culture (x) Train design - Structure and crashworthiness (x) Data and communications systems (x) Customer services for freight (x) Rolling stock maintenance (x) Adaptation to climate change (x) Structures (x) Other - Control command and communication (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) Power supply (x) Braking systems (x) Operational Safety (x) Railways Interoperability (x) Other - Rolling stock (x) Stations management and passenger flow (x) Other - Operations (x) Rolling stock testing (x) Value from data (x) Social dynamics of transport (x) Rolling stock passenger comfort (x) Rolling stock asset management (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) FREIGHT (x) DECARB (x) CLEAR (x) Enabling AI in Rail (x) FUTURE RISK (x) RESILIENT (x) Clear date filter (x)

Topics

Date

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Research Project
COF-UOS-07
End Date: 2030
Underway
A PhD studentship looking at the performance of different approaches to mitigating low adhesion. Read More
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
T1379
End Date: 2027
Underway
Validating current standardised and non-standardised train driver selection assessments to improve fairness and reliability, and align these to the… Read More
Research Project
T1405 / COF-FSM-01
End Date: 2027
Underway
Risk analysis to help unlock new scrap steel flows required for the Port Talbot electric arc furnace. Read More
Research Project
COF-HTT-02
End Date: 2027
Underway
Development of a Tram-Train Best Practice Guide, addressing relevant technical areas, economics, and policy. 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
Showing for
Applied filters: Complete (x) Underway (x) Safety (x) Capacity (x) Cost (x) Sustainability (x) Customer (x) Attitudes and behaviour (x) Health and wellbeing (x) Other - Safety and risk (x) Customer services for passengers (x) Station design (x) Other - Policy and decision making (x) Sustainable development (x) Other - Infrastructure (x) Adaptation to climate change (x) Future technologies (x) Culture (x) Train design - Components (x) Infrastructure asset management (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) Selection and training (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) Other - Energy and electrification (x) Stations management and passenger flow (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) 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)

Topics

Programme

Date

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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
Knowledge Search
S379
End Date: 2024
Complete
A look at fitness to work criteria across a range of UK non-rail industries and in the Australian and Canadian rail industries. Read More
Knowledge Search
S375
End Date: 2024
Complete
A survey of available sensor technologies, what benefits they could offer the rail industry, and how they should be deployed. Read More
Knowledge Search
S378
End Date: 2024
Complete
A review of the literature on shift work and its impact on fatigue, accidents and broader aspects of health. Read More
Knowledge Search
S382
End Date: 2024
Complete
A review of the hazards from lithium-ion batteries and setting out best practice for their use and storage. Read More
Knowledge Search
S366
End Date: 2023
Complete
The benefits and risks of trackside green infrastructure, principles of managing it, and the role of new technologies. Read More
Knowledge Search
S376
End Date: 2023
Complete
The psychological, physical, and productivity impacts of employees regularly working from home. Read More
Knowledge Search
S370
End Date: 2023
Complete
An overview of the current use of wayfinding tactiles on the railway, their benefits and disadvantages, and the role of new digital wayfinding… Read More
Knowledge Search
S363
End Date: 2023
Complete
Learning from other industries on applying artificial intelligence techniques to monitor and analyse voice communications. Read More