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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
T1356
End Date: 2025
Underway
Identifying best practice in switching multi-mode trains from one energy source to another. Read More
Research Project
COF-UOH-71
End Date: 2025
Underway
Developing a low-cost system to alert freight train drivers to wheel slides and reduce derailment risk. Read More
Research Project
COF-ECO-16
End Date: 2025
Underway
Do short increases in journey time - for example, due to the train stopping at an extra station - affect demand for the service? Read More
Research Project
COF-ECO-18
End Date: 2025
Underway
Improving the way that we develop business cases for new stations including wider benefits such as housing and development. Read More
Research Project
T1343
End Date: 2025
Complete
Investigating the potiential of an aggregation modelling approach to estimating the network-wide impact of strategic changes. Read More
Research Project
T1345
End Date: 2025
Underway
A way to calculate the economic benefits of avoiding accidents through network changes, for more comprehensive risk modelling. Read More
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
Research Project
T1330
End Date: 2025
Complete
Enabling the benefits of Internet of Things (IoT) sensors on rolling stock. Read More
Research Project
T1352
End Date: 2025
Underway
Providing the freight industry with an understanding of longitudinal compressive forces and the associated derailment risk. 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
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
A series of projects have looked at data on the approaches to red aspect signals with a view to understanding any patterns that emerge in a bid to… Read More
Research Project
T1370
End Date: 2026
Underway
Research to inform an update of the relevant standard, so that the industry can make best use of the latest technologies. Read More
Research Project
COF-UOS22-05
End Date: 2026
Underway
Testing the effects of recycled glass particles to determine if they could be used as an alternative to rail sand in low adhesion conditions. Read More
Research Project
T1396
End Date: 2026
Underway
This research will update and expand on the evidence base surrounding underline bridge strikes. It will assess existing mitigations and identify… Read More
Research Project
T1399
End Date: 2026
Underway
Identifying and mapping feasible PTI improvement options, to support targeted, cost-effective interventions and investment planning. Read More
Research Project
T1397
End Date: 2026
Underway
Exploring how current technology and data can be used more effectively in driver competence management, and how to encourage the adoption of this new… Read More
Research Project
T1349
End Date: 2026
Underway
A new framework to help industry define, measure, and improve data interoperability. 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
S395
End Date: 2026
Complete
Assessing the regulatory impact on PFAS use in railway applications and indentifying potential alternatives. Read More
Knowledge Search
S396
End Date: 2026
Complete
Zero hours contracts offer the industry flexibility, but these workers may be at increased risk. We look at possible causes and how to mitigate… Read More
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
What is the applicability of hydrogen as a combustion fuel for passenger, freight, and on-track plant operations in the British rail sector? Read More
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
An accessible reference for freight train braking incorporating technologies, key terminology, driving approaches, and operational practices. Read More
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