Menu

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) In Preparation (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) 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) Data and communications systems (x) Operation of road-rail interfaces including level crossings (x) Power supply (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)

Topics

Date

From: To:
Sort By:
Results per page:

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
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
T1349
End Date: 2026
Underway
A new framework to help industry define, measure, and improve data interoperability. Read More
Research Project
T1378
End Date: 2026
Underway
A review of how ETCS capabilities change the locomotive driving task, including which risks are mitigated by the system and which still need to be… Read More
Research Project
T1381
End Date: 2026
Underway
Looking at whether these standard freight gauges can be refined, including a contemporary assessment of vehicle dynamics and a review of the wagon and… Read More
Research Project
T1384
End Date: 2026
Underway
Enabling the industry to develop and deploy a tool to help signallers with regulation, reducing delays. 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
T1390
End Date: 2026
Underway
Trialling and gaining approval for a simplified, low-cost signalling solution, to encourage growth in rail freight. Read More
Research Project
T1394
End Date: 2026
Underway
This project will develop a set of standardised platform interface arrangements for tram-train operations in Great Britain. It will support future… Read More
Research Project
T1376
End Date: 2026
Underway
Helping industry prepare for FRMCS and exploit the new system capabilities. Read More
Showing for
Applied filters: 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) 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)

Topics

Date

From: To:
Sort By:
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
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
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
Showing for
Applied filters: Complete (x) Underway (x) In Preparation (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) 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)

Topics

Programme

Date

From: To:
Sort By:
Results per page:

Knowledge Search
S163
End Date: 2013
Complete
What are the safety implications of the transport of unevenly loaded container wagons on road and rail? Read More
Knowledge Search
S166
End Date: 2013
Complete
Exploring how the risk factors associated with train dispatch are understood and assessed in other countries. Read More
Knowledge Search
S178
End Date: 2013
Complete
 Are there opportunities to reduce the costs associated with training train drivers? Read More
Knowledge Search
S173
End Date: 2013
Complete
What can be done about the problem of electrical damage in bearings?  Read More
Knowledge Search
S117
End Date: 2013
Complete
Use of social media for general communication is now routine in many organisations but its relevance to emergency situations is less well… Read More
Knowledge Search
S159
End Date: 2013
Complete
Enthusiasts have long promoted hydrogen as a source of traction energy in transport, but what do its prospects look like now? Read More
Knowledge Search
S161
End Date: 2013
Complete
A growing public awareness of sustainability has led engineers, architects and project managers in the construction industry to focus on new ways of… Read More
Knowledge Search
S171
End Date: 2013
Complete
An annual update looking at how changes in the railway environment are likely to affect risk in the short to medium term. Read More
Knowledge Search
S132
End Date: 2013
Complete
How do other industries learn from accidents, and what changes do accidents tend to bring about?  Read More
Knowledge Search
S174
End Date: 2013
Complete