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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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)
Train design - Components (x)
Health and wellbeing (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)
Adhesion (x)
Adaptation to climate change (x)
Culture (x)
Human performance (x)
Track design and components (x)
Selection and training (x)
Train design - Structure and crashworthiness (x)
Whole system design and modelling (x)
Customer services for freight (x)
Power supply (x)
Data and communications systems (x)
Operation of road-rail interfaces including level crossings (x)
Rolling stock maintenance (x)
Traffic supervision and management (x)
Human reliability (x)
Job design (x)
Braking systems (x)
Structures (x)
Other - Energy and electrification (x)
Security management (x)
Future technologies (x)
Equipment workplace and environmental design (x)
Other - Rolling stock (x)
Railways Interoperability (x)
Operational Safety (x)
Other - Control command and communication (x)
Value from data (x)
Other - Infrastructure (x)
Other - Operations (x)
Rolling stock testing (x)
Social dynamics of transport (x)
Stations management and passenger flow (x)
Rolling stock asset management (x)
Rolling stock passenger comfort (x)
Rolling stock condition monitoring and inspection (x)
Energy collection systems (x)
Other - People behaviour and health (x)
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)
Safety decision support (x)
Education and competence (x)
Rolling stock fire performance (x)
On board power supplies and monitoring (x)
Revenue and ticketing (x)
Smart grids and energy harvesting (x)
Electrical safety (x)
Rolling stock interiors (x)
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)
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 (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 (52)
- 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
From: To:
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Results per page:
Research Project
T024
End Date: 2002
Complete
This project identified various vigilance devices and technologies and evaluated their suitability for use in monitoring and maintaining train driver… Read More
Research Project
T054
End Date: 2002
Complete
This project conducted an independent review of a prototype railhead cleaning system called 'Laserthor', which uses lasers to remove railhead… Read More
Research Project
T060n
End Date: 2002
Complete
The criteria against which wheelsets are managed have been established over very many years, some going back 50 years. This research conducts a review… Read More
Research Project
T060k
End Date: 2002
Complete
Automatic vehicle identification (AVI) systems could enhance the value of condition monitoring equipment now employed extensively on the GB railway.… Read More
Research Project
T060h
End Date: 2002
Complete
Safe and cost-effective operation of the railway system requires that vehicles do not impart excessive vertical forces to the track. This research… Read More
Research Project
T060f
End Date: 2002
Complete
This project reviewed the recommendations from previous ARUP/Transport Technology Center Inc research regarding hollow wear limits and false flange… Read More
Research Project
T040
End Date: 2002
Complete
Registered
Railway crime - industry perceptions (T040)
Research Project
T039
End Date: 2002
Complete
Registered
Reducing assaults on railway staff (T039)
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
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Complete (x)
Underway (x)
In Preparation (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)
Other - Policy and decision making (x)
Human performance (x)
Adhesion (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)
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)
Power supply (x)
Braking systems (x)
Operational Safety (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 (45)
- 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:
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Results per page:
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
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
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Applied filters:
Complete (x)
Underway (x)
In Preparation (x)
Safety (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
S364
End Date: 2023
Complete
Quantifying the value of depots within the network, to improve investment decision-making. Read More
Knowledge Search
S371
End Date: 2022
Complete
Registered
Antimicrobial coatings (S371)
Knowledge Search
S361
End Date: 2022
Complete
Registered
Safety Reporting Systems (S361)
Knowledge Search
S365
End Date: 2022
Complete
Registered
Speaking Up About Safety (S365)
Knowledge Search
S367
End Date: 2021
Complete
A literature search into recent developments that might offer a way to protect GB train drivers in the event of a collision. Read More
Knowledge Search
S359
End Date: 2021
Complete
Registered
Solar Reflective Materials (S359)
Knowledge Search
S358
End Date: 2021
Complete
Registered
Telematics for Road Vehicles (S358)
Knowledge Search
S357
End Date: 2020
Complete
Evaluating whether mental health peer support schemes, such as mental health first aid, are effective in the railway industry. Read More
Knowledge Search
S352
End Date: 2020
Complete
Registered
Colour vision testing (S352)
Knowledge Search
S356
End Date: 2020
Complete
Winter weather, particularly snow and ice, can provide challenging conditions for drivers. Read More