Unlocking Innovation

#RISEAwards20

Unlocking Innovation

Frazer-Nash Consultancy

Frazer-Nash Consultancy and the Logistics Institute at the University of Hull are working together to develop tools that will revolutionise understanding of the propagation of delays across the rail network. Having met at a Rail Freight Group event in November 2019, the organisations recognised that combining their complementary expertise, they could offer a game changing advance in freight train planning during network delays.

The work has been funded under a grant from RSSB and Network Rail and is based on combining the Logistics Institute’s comprehensive, detailed and integrated rail network database, NR+, with Frazer-Nash’s cutting edge Machine Learning experience from the defence sector. The solution, Rapid Evaluation and Planning Analysis Infrastructure for Railways (REPAIR), is a revolutionary set of predictive tools that will enable freight train planners to understand and mitigate the impact of current and future network delays on their services, providing increased certainty of delivery and avoiding unintended consequences arising from the actions they take. It allows the end user to visually understand how delays are likely to propagate across the rail network and affect their services, as well as displaying how constraints like crew availability will limit effective recovery.

Shortlist

Porterbrook Innovation Hub

Porterbrook’s Innovation Hub provides an on-train environment which showcases over 30 rail innovations from 25 different companies, many of them UK SMEs. The initiative was introduced a direct response to a challenge from the supply chain to find a way to fast-track their innovations into a real rail environment.

The project involved re-purposing an off-lease Class 319 into a show-train to demonstrate as many innovations as possible to the industry, and over 25 suppliers were chosen after a selection process with Porterbrook working closely with each to understand how best to display their innovations. Unit 319454 was partially stripped out, and an electrical supply system was added to power innovations and create a clean slate for interior upgrades and passenger-facing improvements. To maximise reach, Porterbrook have also created a virtual Innovation Hub, allowing a tour of the hub on-line. The Innovation Hub was launched at RailLive in June 2019 and also ran at Destination Decarbonisation in September 2019. Suppliers are already starting to generate orders as a direct result of the initiative, including Aura Graphics. This project is a powerful example of collaboration between academia and the private sector to deliver innovation.

#RISEAwards20

Siemens Mobility – Assisting GTR with safe social distancing on trains

Assisting with safe social distancing in line with Government COVID-19 guidance, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is now using innovative technology from Siemens Mobility to monitor the number of passengers on its Class 700 Thameslink and Class 717 Great Northern Moorgate trains.

The Advanced Passenger Loading (APL) solution uses data based on weight to monitor passenger loads, supporting service operation and timetable planning by highlighting the busiest services. By helping GTR to monitor social distancing using up to the minute data, this innovative technology is playing a crucial role in keeping passengers safe.

This is the first-ever example of an application being built on this innovative data generated by the train IT (SIBAS PN) and is thought to be the most advanced and innovative solution of its kind in the UK. GTR has utilised the app to schedule additional services week-by-week basis. A newly added feature also identifies the number of people on each carriage, allowing GTR to make announcements asking people to spread along the train. These two features combined have helped GTR enhance social distancing and is believed to have played at least some part in preventing the spread of the disease.