By Tajud Din, Research Fellow in Hydrogen Traction. Energy and environmental sustainability in urban rail transport have gained significant attention in recent years. The UK government has pledged to remove all diesel-only trains by 2040, with about 29% of the current train fleets running solely on diesel fuel. One option to achieve this ambitious goal … Continue reading “Evaluation and optimisation of hybrid railway vehicles traction system”
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Cutting Train Carbon from Cradle to Grave
By Stephen Kent, Teaching / Research Fellow at BCRRE. So how much carbon dioxide is a train responsible from the time it’s manufactured to the time it’s disposed of at the end of its life? And how can the choices that those procuring trains and designing trains affect this? These are two key questions that … Continue reading “Cutting Train Carbon from Cradle to Grave”
A Journey of Engineering and Empathy: Advancing Accessibility and Inclusivity
By Kimberley Harding Having grown up in a world of complex engineering concepts and innovative designs, I’m passionate about weaving accessibility and inclusivity into the fabric of everyday life. As a railway engineer of over ten years and a researcher specialising in design inclusion, ergonomics, and railway engineering, I greatly advocate for change and user-centred … Continue reading “A Journey of Engineering and Empathy: Advancing Accessibility and Inclusivity “
Paving the Way for Blind Passengers: Bridging the Transport Divide with Technology
In support of the IBSA World Games taking place on campus, here at the University of Birmingham; Dr Joe Preece talks about some of his recent research and how this can be applied more specifically for blind and/or isually impaired passengers. In the bustling society of the 21st Century, transport isn’t merely a convenience – … Continue reading “Paving the Way for Blind Passengers: Bridging the Transport Divide with Technology”
Mind the Data Gap: Bridging DfT’s Transport Data Strategy with tomorrow’s tech
Dr Joe Preece’s researches explores the intersection of computer science and the rail industry, applying innovative solutions to drive improvement. For this piece he takes a closer look at the route of the strategy and the potential delays in the way (pardon the railway puns). We must harness the potential of AI to revolutionise the … Continue reading “Mind the Data Gap: Bridging DfT’s Transport Data Strategy with tomorrow’s tech”
Education for Innovation
Dr Holly Foss, Director of Education provides her account on the RIA Innovation Conference 2023 and the takeaways from the event. Last week I had the pleasure of attending the RIA Innovation conference alongside colleagues from BCRRE, Southampton, and Huddersfield as part of UKRRIN. Now in its 13th year, the RIA Innovation Conference is an … Continue reading “Education for Innovation”
Net Zero Together Bootcamp – what is it?
Dr Rebeckah Trinder talks about the Net Zero Together Bootcamp, what its about, who its for and what it does. The author of this blog is Rebeckah Trinder, edited by Lydia Pickering. I’m Dr Rebeckah Trinder, I have a background in physics and a PhD in nuclear physics mainly specialising in the area of nuclear … Continue reading “Net Zero Together Bootcamp – what is it?”
The UK Science and Technology Framework: We like it, we support it, we want to make it happen!
This week saw the publication of the Science and Technology Framework setting out the current government’s strategy and ambition to become a Science and Technology Superpower. Fronted by the newly created Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology and under the leadership of MP Michelle Donelan, the Framework outlines ten key areas of focus in developing … Continue reading “The UK Science and Technology Framework: We like it, we support it, we want to make it happen!”
Railways in the future of sustainable transport
Dr Marcelo Blumenfeld, Assistant Professor in Future Transport Systems talks about railways in the future of sustainable transport. On Monday, Prof Stuart Hillmansen highlighted the crucial role of railway systems in decarbonising transport and supporting the country towards its Net Zero strategy. The transport sector is responsible for around 25% of all global greenhouse gas … Continue reading “Railways in the future of sustainable transport”
Unlocking future freight transport capability through vehicle aerodynamics
Dr David Soper Lecturer in Railway Aerodynamics at the University of Birmingham’s Railway Research and Education Centre talks about the safety, air quality, aerodynamics, fuel consumption and decarbonisation of rail freight. Our work in the field of vehicle aerodynamics extends far beyond the traditional view of automotive aerodynamics and matters of car performance. We consider … Continue reading “Unlocking future freight transport capability through vehicle aerodynamics”