Low adhesion at the wheel-rail interface is a perennial problem faced by the rail industry, which leads to safety issues and affects performance. Whilst this is predominant in autumn, it is a problem that can be encountered throughout the year. During 2015-2018 the average annual adhesion delays experienced was approximately 380,000 minutes. The direct costs of low adhesion to the industry and wider society are estimated to be in the region of £350m per year.

RSSB has set up a cross-industry research programme to develop a better understanding of the causes of low adhesion and possible mitigation strategies. ADHERE (ADHEsion REsearch challenge) aims to deliver research to achieve ‘adhesion conditions that are unaffected by and independent of the weather and climate’. The programme strives to address gaps in the industry’s knowledge with new insight which will help to improve the management of low adhesion.

Explore the content of our webinar series by clicking on the windows below.

For any questions, or to suggest a topic for a future session, please contact adhere@rssb.co.uk