RIA’s Innovation Showcase

The Railway Industry Association (RIA)’s annual two-day innovation conference provided its usual comprehensive display of successful innovations with guidance for potential innovators.

This conference was first held in 2009 at a time when rail innovation was hardly mentioned. Including an innovative virtual conference in 2021, this year’s conference was the fourteenth such event. Over these years there has been increasing recognition of the importance of innovation and the need to embrace digital technologies. The theme of this year’s conference was ‘realising the benefits of innovation’ as it showed how some innovations are now beginning to make an impact.

The event also had a different feel to it with fewer ‘standard’ presentations. New were Techtalks about the benefits of particular innovations and two spotlight tours around the displays, with each spending 10 minutes at eight exhibitors.

Political Keynotes

RIA’s chief executive, Darren Caplan welcomed delegates as he introduced the conference. He said that despite industrial action and inflation, the future of the rail industry looks positive with passenger numbers returning to pre-Covid levels. He noted how RIA is supporting the innovation needed to deliver more rail capacity. Yet to do this, the supply chain needs certainty which is not helped by the Rail Network Enhancements Programme not being published for three-and-a-half years.

Rail & HS2 Minister Huw Merriman MP then joined the conference by video link. He stressed the importance of rail reform and how this would give the private sector a big role. He also focused on the importance of innovation for capacity and decarbonisation, and noted how new passenger service contracts will make it easier to innovate.

A later video presentation from Shadow Minister for Science, Research & Innovation, Chi Onwurah MP emphasised the difference between the two political parties. Though she also stressed the need for innovation, it was clear that Labour recognises that this alone won’t deliver rail capacity or decarbonisation as the party is committed to deliver HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail in full, as well as delivering a rolling programme of electrification.

Digital Delivery

RIA’s innovation director, Milda Manomaityte, advised that the DfT had recently released its Transport Data Strategy which aims to support innovation by enabling data users to better share, find, and access transport data. She also mentioned RIA’s own report ‘Data and Digital Technologies in Rail’, which includes six key ‘asks’ of Government, policy makers and clients to enable, expedite, and ensure the success of the UK railway’s digital transition. This report and its supporting initiatives are described in detail in our ‘Mining Data’ feature published in the Jan-Feb edition of Rail Engineer.

Maximilian Eichhorn, vice president of Digital Products and Services at Knorr-Bremse, considered the ‘Internet of Trains.’ He described how he had used Artificial Intelligence (AI) to ask the AI chatbot ChatGPT what is the future of train maintenance and operations. Its answers were: digitisation, increased automation, predictive maintenance, and customer experience. Yet the effective implementation of such innovations requires operators to have consistent data. This can be a challenge with mixed fleets from different builders that themselves have different sub systems.

He described how Knorr-Bremse has developed its Digital Rail Suite which uses AI to analyse train data in this situation. It then provides relevant data and feedback to passengers/freight forwarders, operators, train, and sub system builders.

Other digital technologies developed by the company include driver advisory systems offering 6-8% energy savings and freight wagon monitoring which does not require a power supply. This includes wheel slide detection, parking brake position, as well as location and brake system monitoring.

DB Cargo’s head of Transformation and Digitalisation, Marie Banks, explained how being data driven is part of her company’s DNA. This required paper-free processes designed for people that provides clear information on targets so that staff can see how they play their part. She also described DB Cargo’s digital customer services which include live train and consist monitoring, online ordering and carbon statements. She said that improved customer service and performance does not necessarily need new technology but always requires the right data.

From Arcadis, Senior Director Paul Watson and Design & Engineering Service Lead Emma Dickson considered how projects can benefit from digital technologies. They noted that there are overspends in up to 90% of major projects and that such projects collect large amounts of data which goes unused. The requirement is to unlock this data to provide deeper insights and improved assurance.

To do this, Arcadis has assured data-led delivery processes which include Building Information Modelling (BIM), design automation, model-based systems engineering, immersive reality, as well as assurance and data analytics. They described how this approach provides early design clash detection, automation of repetitive design, early assessment of quantities and reporting that is consistent with reality.

FIGURE

Techtalks

Using data to improve project management was also the subject of a Techtalk presentation by Andy Willetts, senior mobility account manager for Bentley and Shervin Yousefzadeh, digital construction manager for the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU). They described how TRU is using a network of digital tools, systems, and platforms to improve communication, collaboration, and productivity. For this, the project has a collaboration hub in which digital information can easily be visualised. For example, a 4D construction simulation of the complex 26-day Stalybridge blockade proved to be particularly beneficial.

The Techtalk delivered by Mick Corner, Alstom’s Field Operations Director and James Connolly, eviFile’s Head of Client Partnerships was entitled ‘Single view of the truth – real time digital dashboard across all signalling projects.’ They explained how the Cambridge resignalling project was using eviFile for paperless real-time progress reporting. This has a digital process library for every signalling asset type and provides instant visibility across multiple projects in real time. As a result, there has been a 30% reduction in time taken for administrative tasks. Other benefits are not having to guess percentage project completion and a detailed view of the testing progress. Smart electrical infrastructure at Barking station was the theme of the Techtalk by Patrick Dobson, Rail Segment Lead for Schneider Electric and c2c’s Paul Meenan. As part of the £9 million restoration of Barking station, a new main LV switchboard was installed. This has many ‘smart’ features including wireless communication sensors to monitor power in real-time and thermal sensors. The panel design also enables new supplies to be installed without shutting down operations. Its remote monitoring by Schneider’s Ecostruxure Asset Advisor provides 24/7 monitoring with long-term operational insights that reduce capital and maintenance costs by optimising performance, for example by using data to reduce the number of circuits required for future such installations.

CEO and founder of Transmission Dynamics, Jarek Rosinksi, described how his company’s PANDAS V wireless OLE impact detection with synchronous video capture provides “Trains with Brains.” This provides instant identification, video record, and notification of the location of any abnormal pantograph acceleration due to, for example, a loose dropper or bird strike. This is triggered by a wireless signal from an accelerometer fixed to the pantograph. This weighs only 30 grammes and has a three-year battery life. most efficient column replacement strategy. To do this an algorithm was developed to determine a column’s strength from the nature of its vibration in the wind.

FIGURE 4 - Differing strengths of lighting columns in each region.

A Techtalk by Craig Williams of the Aluminium Lighting Company considered how column life depends on the varying environments to which they are exposed. Hence, the degree of corrosion of sample columns in each area needs to be assessed to determine the

Two Techtalks covered the use of AI to analyse forward-facing video. Milda Gircyte of Crosstech described how Hubble identifies and prioritises asset faults in this way whilst Emily Kent of One Big Circle explained how Automated Intelligent Video Review (AiVR) can similarly assess infrastructure condition. Both these systems are well used, impressive products which offer user-friendly mapped interfaces which can save many hours of time on site.

Spotlights

The two spotlight tours around the exhibition area offered exhibitors the opportunity to make a 10-minute presentation to the roving group of delegates. Companies who gave such spotlight talks were:

Complete Cyber which offers cybersecurity solutions, such as its OT Railway Vault product that uses a risk-based engine to prioritise vulnerability threats to railway infrastructure, to ensure compliance with the Network and Information Systems Regulations.

Phoenix Contact described its wide range of electrical connection products including splice boxes, marking systems, power supplies, DC/DC converters, relays, circuits breakers, and surge protection.

Camlin Rail, which has infrastructure mounted train monitoring systems. This includes TrainVue wayside inspection system and PanVue, an intelligent 3D pantograph monitoring system.

Telent’s MICA Station Management System consolidates communications, fire, security, and building management systems in a single operator-friendly interface that enables operators to efficiently manage their stations during both normal operations and disruption.

Route Reports has a seasonal intelligence platform which is being used by Network Rail and pickup unit that uses a floating pickup pipe which draws clean fuel from the top 10% of the tank, offering 3-4% fuel savings.

Porterbrook to aggregate track condition data to prioritise seasonal treatment strategies. To do so it collects data from various sources including time in section and wheelslide protection activations.

Park Signalling had its Digital Block Controller (DiBloC) on display. This is designed to communicate digitally through IP based systems to release tokens when a block is clear. Although designed for single line operations, it has potential for use elsewhere. Comms Design was displaying its request-tostop system to improve passenger and operator experience in the Far North Line in Scotland. Passengers wishing to board a train at a requested stop press a button which gives a notification of the requirement to stop on the driver’s Cab Display Radio.

Customer Focused Operations

The importance of innovation to improve the customer experience was considered by speakers from East West Rail (EWR), Transport for Wales (TfW), and Lumo trains.

From EWR, Company Head of Innovation Will Reddaway, Head of Inclusion Caroline Eglinton, Head of Customer Strategy Martin Phillips, and Head of Systems Andy Bagguley considered this subject. EWR will open between Oxford and Milton Keynes around 2025 and will probably be operated by diesel Class 196 units as the line is not being electrified as it is built.

Monirail’s speciality is an in-service train data analytics platform that uses an inertial measurement unit to provide continuous monitoring of track and train. Six of these units have been fitted to passenger trains in Scotland. FUELACTIVE has a fuel

It will be many years before it can offer a rail service between Oxford and Cambridge, but when it does, the line could become a strategic freight route. Yet this timescale provides a unique opportunity to innovate, particularly in respect of the customer experience and the needs of disabled passengers, and perhaps even electrify the line to give both its passenger and freight customers the performance offered by electric trains.

TfW’s Insight and Innovation Manager Michael Davies explained how TfW’s challenge statements concern customer experience, modal shift, and making best use of emerging technologies.

Innovations to meet these challenges are being supported by an Innovation Service Joint Venture which is a partnership between TfW, Keolis, and Amey. TfW is also working with the Manufacturing Technology Centre, the Global Centre for Rail Excellence (GCRE), and the Train Operating Company Innovation Group. It also has a partnership with Alt Labs to support innovators in Wales developing their ideas to improve the customer experience.

Martijn Gilbert, managing director of open-access train operator Lumo explained how the company’s key innovation themes had enabled its trains to carry over a million passengers a year at an average ticket price of £37. These are: a new resourcing model; a one class ‘good standard’ offer; 100% digital business; embracing new technology; and a strong focus on its environmental impact. In respect of this last point, he feels that many customers decided to travel by train to reduce their carbon footprint.

Martijn also considered that cheaper fares are possible on a high value, high volume basis. He also noted that Lumo’s offices are on the site of Robert Stevenson’s works which were founded 200 years ago. He feels his company is continuing Stevenson’s innovative ethos which offers lots of scope to improve rail’s offering.

Network Rail

Network Rail’s Research and Development portfolio is backed by a £357 million budget of which £113 million is invested by third parties. The company’s chief technology officer, Robert Ampormah noted that every £1 spent generates £2.50. He is keen to attract new experience into rail and accepted that, for Network Rail, the challenge is to be an efficient and dependable partner.

Robert stated that the company has four priority areas: i) make the railway cost-effective and financially sustainable; ii) to ensure safety and security; iii) to promote reliable performance; and iv) increased capacity and to improve sustainability. To support these areas, it has seven R&D priority themes for which innovations were on display in the Network Rail exhibition area:

» Passenger Experience & Accessibility

» Data and Digitalisation

» Optimised & Resilient Assets

» Automation

» Traction Decarbonisation

» Optimised & Resilient Operations

» Environmental & Social sustainability

» Freight Capability

Full details of Network Rail’s research, development, and innovation, including its current 120 projects, are available in the Project Explorer which is available at:

Facilitating Innovation

Much of the conference was concerned with helping SMEs get their innovative ideas to market. For example, Unipart consider themselves to be an improved performance partner and is working with 80 SMEs to promote their innovations. Thales also wishes to team up with third party suppliers and nurture talent in SMEs and start-ups.

The Connected Places

Catapult has 4,300 SMEs in its support network which aims to help businesses catapult innovations from proof of concept to commercial reality by offering advice and support. It also manages the DfT’s transport research and innovation grants which have provided £10.3 million funding to 294 projects.

As reported in our Nov-Dec 2022 issue, the GCRE will provide a test facility with two test loops, one for rolling stock and one for infrastructure. The latter will subject new types of infrastructure to continuous running of heavy trains.

One possible application could be the installation of recycled HS1 track to assess its future degradation.

Professor Andy Doherty, GCRE’s chief technology officer, explained that, unlike the main line network, the GCRE facility offers a risk tolerant approach to testing and the ability to accelerate infrastructure approvals from, for example, 10 years to two years. Innovation is also being embedded in the GCRE’s construction for which 24 companies have been awarded funding for their proposals.

The UK Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN) aims to provide a stepchange in innovation through collaboration between industry and academia for which it has centres of excellence in digital system, rolling stock, and infrastructure. A UKRRIN Engagement Fellow, Achila Mazini explained how UKRRIN operates and gave examples of its innovations, whilst her colleague Holly Foss explained the educational opportunities that UKRRIN offers. Ensuring availability of data to support innovation is the role of the Rail Data Marketplace (RDM) which launches in Autumn. The ‘Mining Data’ feature published in Rail Engineer 200 (Jan-Feb) explains how RDM will match data suppliers to data customers.

Successful rail innovations often use technologies developed in other sectors including defence, which has much to offer as shown by the presentation given by Matthew Chuter who is Ploughshare’s vice president of cross sector innovation. Ploughshare was formed in 2005 to turn defence innovation into real-life products. To date it has taken 140 technologies to market, generating £120 million gross value added.

Matthew explained that Ploughshare’s approach is to discover the best inventions, liberate those inventions with agility, and enable an ecosystem to scale up successful innovations. He feels that there were many great technologies that apply to both rail and defence such as drone-supported surveying, cyber security, protective materials, and AIassisted CCTV monitoring.

And Finally

Anit Chandarana, lead director at the Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT), gave the final presentation of the conference. He acknowledged that the last 12 months have been challenging politically, but stressed that recent statements showed how government is pushing hard for rail reform to go ahead with major involvement from the private sector. He hopes that the required legislation would be passed by this parliament.

He feels that the rail industry is currently too siloed, too slow, and too prescriptive, and stressed that Great British Railways intends to be a guiding mind, but not a centralised, controlling one. There is a need to focus on values and outcomes rather than prescription which drives the private sector away from innovation. Anit considers that there is a need to move away from complex Network Rail systems and that the supply chain needed a long-term vision. He sees that the train operating companies will have a large role in train procurement.

However, there are areas where he feels stronger direction is needed. For example, no one is in overall charge of timetabling which is still largely carried out using traditional methods.

He feels that, although UK rail has a proud history of innovation, the industry is not currently nurturing innovation. He said that the railway is poor at whole-system thinking, and it was frustrating to try to put new technology into an industry that is so fragmented with no one being accountable for making things happen at a wholeindustry level.

RIA’s Chairman David Tonkin summarised the conference’s proceedings which he said “had heard some brilliant ideas and new ways of working.” He considered that rail is a great industry with huge opportunities. However, he cautioned that it is also too expensive and must push for cost reductions and a lower cost base.

Innovation is one way of reducing costs, though like many aspects of the railway it presents a daunting landscape, especially for those new to the industry. RIA’s innovation conference certainly helped clarify how those with new ideas can get support to take them to market. It also offered examples of successful innovations and provided a good mix of presentations, exhibitions, and networking. By running this conference and its associated Unlocking Innovation Workshops, RIA is to be congratulated for providing such an essential service to the industry. Moreover, the smooth running of such a complex conference was no mean feat.

Next year’s conference will be held in Wales at the International Convention Centre in Newport on 26 and 27 March which are definitely dates for the diary.

Between 9-11 May, the rail industry came together at Birmingham’s NEC to showcase the full potential of the market at RailTex 2023.

Over those three days, Railtex, the International Exhibition of Railway Equipment, Systems and Services, saw 2,600 trade visitors explore the latest innovations, products, and services from all areas of railway technology.

The 2023 event welcomed 160 exhibitors from 19 countries representing the complete spectrum of the railway industry and, as a sign that Rail is well on the road to recovery in the post-Covid-19 world, visitor numbers were 17% higher compared to the previous event in 2022.

“It was a very good and valuable three-day event filled with innovative product showcases, learning opportunities and plenty of business conversations,” commented Nicola Hamann, managing director of event organiser RX Global. “We were delighted to see such a positive turnout for the show. Both exhibitors and visitors were highly satisfied, as they either reconnected with existing contacts or established new business relations.”

As in previous years, the supporting programme was sponsored by the Rail Industry Association (RIA). The Future Focus forum explored the subjects which currently move and shape the industry. A series of impressive presentations and panel discussions delivered exciting insights into the successes and challenges of today’s industry, including decarbonisation, international growth, innovation, and sustainability.

Future Focus

The Future Focus event was opened by RIA’s chief executive Darren Caplan, who praised Rail’s continued recovery since the pandemic in the face of continuing pressures:

“Back in February of 2022, passenger numbers were at 50% of pre-covid levels but by February 2023, within a year of covid restrictions being relaxed, they were up to 103%. Revenues are up to around 90%. When you consider that during this period we’ve had industrial action, we’ve had poor service levels, and there’s been lot of reputation damage to the railway industry, and yet those passenger numbers are getting back to where they used to be. That’s a phenomenal performance.”

However, Darren emphasised that the industry continued to face many challenges, not least the lack of clarity with regard to Great British Railways (GBR) and the industry’s future direction. Darren noted that on the same day of RailTex’s opening, industry leaders were delivering a letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, urging him not to delay in bringing forward legislation to enact rail reform plans published in 2021 in this parliamentary year.

“Some of the biggest names in the rail supply sector have signed this letter to the Prime Minister, to urge him to ensure the required legislation is passed,” said Darren. “We ask Rishi Sunak to take note of the letter, if he wants to have a world-class rail system in the UK, which connects the country and delivers on his own agendas to level-up, decarbonise, and encourage industries which can give a major boost to economic growth.”

After highlighting some of the more pressing issues facing the industry, including a lack of movement on the Rail Enhancement Pipeline, the slow progress of network electrification, and the pressing requirement for increased numbers of rolling stock, Darren handed the mic over to Iain Stewart MP Chair of the Transport Select Committee.

Iain explained the Transport Select Committee’s role is to scrutinise the Department for Transport, hold Ministers and Departments to account, and to investigate matters of public concern where there is a need for accountability to the public through Parliament.

He explained that part of the Committee's remit is to look ahead for potential disrupters to the industry, predict what might be coming in the next 15-20 years, and spoke about his ambition to build long term projections of certainty, which will give suppliers the confidence to invest in the industry.

Iain spoke of his frustration about “how many transport questions lead back to the Treasury” and how the DfT’s work is so dependent on Treasury policy. He also emphasised the need to take a wholesystem approach when considering investment in transport and reminded the audience that “modes of transport do not exist in isolation.”

He used his closing remarks to urge audience members to use “any means of lobbying you have to take up the case for the Transport Bill” which has been delayed to the next session of Parliament, with detrimental consequences for the industry.

Future Technology

In the first keynote speech, Gareth Evans, head of rail technology at Network Rail, discussed the Railway of the Future, what it looks like, and how we get there. He emphasised that the future railway is being built right now and that the assets built today will be in place for at least the next 50 years. However, he expects that some assets may require upgrading or replacing as new materials become available and as climate change further impacts the environment.

Gareth discussed the need to develop more cost-effective solutions for more resilient assets in light of climate change and also argued that the development of the future railway hinges on the ability of the industry to attract talent.

The industry’s green credentials are under threat from the boom in electric vehicles, Gareth said, and the industry must focus on the end-to-end journey if it’s to maintain its reputation as the most sustainable form of transport. Robotics, automated monitoring, and the exploitation of big data are the key to enabling a greener railway and economy, but technology should augment and support the future workforce – not replace it.

Decarbonising Rail

The first Panel Q&A of the event saw industry leaders debate the pressures that rail is under to reduce its emissions and meet global government sustainability targets, and the initiatives in place helping it to achieve this.

Richard Fisher, head of Strategic Planning at GBRTT, considered the need to see decarbonisation of the railway within the broader context. An isolated, siloed strategy of decarbonisation would not achieve its aims, he argued, and the industry must consider the end-to-end journey as well as rail’s place among other transport modes.

He also reasoned that decarbonisation was reliant on the investment available and, while full electrification would be the gold standard, we must recognise it may not be economically feasible. Richard made the similar point that the industry needs to accept the limitations of today’s technology and work with what it currently has, rather than wait for future capabilities which may never come.

It is essential to consider the circular economy, stressed Jo Lewington, Chief Environment and Sustainability Officer at Network Rail, and engagement and collaboration is key to meeting environmental goals. Simon Green, engineering director at GWR stated that there is no real alternative to electrification, but all options must be tried where they are required and where practical.

All of the panellists agreed that rail is at risk of losing its green credentials as other sectors are rapidly catching up. Rail must adapt to this new reality and push harder to ensure it remains the most sustainable form of transport.

Closer Relationships

Shadow Exports Minister Dame Nia Griffith opened the second day of the Future Forum, touching on Labour’s priorities for Government and the exciting opportunities and challenges for exports. She was eager to hear from experts in the industry about the challenges in the sector and how best rail can be supported.

Dame Griffith described a recent parliamentary visit to India where she had the chance to meet the Minister for railways, communications, electronics, and information technology. She described the real feeling that India is investing for growth and applauded the scale of the development of its rail industry.

“Their ambition is to run 90% of its network on renewables by 2050, they’re rebuilding thousands of stations, they’re developing a hydrogen chain designed and made in India and also a doubledecker goods train which will carry 360 containers.”

She made the point that India is looking toward external companies to bolster these developments but warned that the UK cannot rely on its historical ties with the country to boost business opportunities. The UK faces fierce competition from other countries, including France, and must fight for every contract.

Talking about the EU, NIA reminded the audience that the Trade and Cooperation agreement is up for renewal in 2026 and expressed her appreciation that the Prime Minister has taken a more positive approach to the EU in recent times and hopes this heralds more positive ties in the future.

“It’s time for us to move forward as a country and build a more constructive relationship with our neighbours, all while recognising that we are now in a position outside the single market and customs union.”

International Outlook

A panel discussion on international opportunities complemented Dame Griffith’s speech, giving an insight into the activities of rail networks overseas, the challenges they face and, the investment opportunities available.

Brazil’s railway network, the ninthlargest in the world is in desperate need of investment and expansion, said Vanessa Barbalat, head of Infrastructure, Department of Business and Trade at the British Embassy, Brazil. Road transport dominates in Brazil, accounting for 61% of freight and 95% of passenger transport. However, even this is of very low quality with less than 30% being paved, highlighting a dire lack of investment across the country’s transport networks.

David Fisken, investment director at Austrade was keen to talk up Australia’s plans for its rail. He discussed the expansion of the country’s freight network and plans for a high-speed rail link between Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. He laid out A$155 billion rail investment pipeline over the next 15 years, and encouraged British business to get involved.

Mark O’Donnell, consultant signalling & control engineer at ERG International talked about the Ankara-Izmir high speed rail project in Turkey. The €2.1 billion project will see the construction of around 530km of double track high speed rail comprising 503.2km of mainline tracks and 29km of connecting lines. The electrified railway, which will reach speeds of up to 250km/h, has guaranteed funding from UK Export Finance and will help the Turkish government meet its COP26 climate commitments.

Embracing Failure

Rounding off the exhibition’s Future Focus program was Imran Anwar, CEO and Founder of Alt Labs, a delivery partner for Transport for Wales. His Keynote speech discussed the factors that make a project or technology ‘innovative’. He pointed to three main pillars, all of which are required: Desirability, Feasibility, and Viability. The Rail Industry needed to embrace the idea of failure, he said, pointing to tech companies which regularly see major setbacks but push onwards to achieve their aims. His speech came a week after SpaceX launched its Starship which ultimately suffered a ‘Rapid Unscheduled Separation’. Staff at the company celebrated the positives of the test flight, rather than focusing on the ultimate fate of the vehicle. But is embracing failure an option in rail, where investment is not so forthcoming, and where the safety of staff and passengers is paramount? It is not difficult to argue otherwise.

Wandering The Stalls

Beyond the keynote speeches, presentations, and Q&As, the event was host to a vast array of major suppliers, SMEs, and start-ups eager to demonstrate their latest innovations, designs, and services.

British Steel returned once again with its ‘On Track’ installation – 15 metres of track which allowed exhibitors the chance to demonstrate their tools and equipment in an authentic rail setting. The company also demonstrated some of its own award-winning products and services, including Zinoco coated rail for extending life in corrosive environments; HP335 for improved wear and rolling contact fatigue resistance; and steel sleepers which help reduce track construction and renewal costs through lower ballast requirements, quicker installation times and ease of transportation.

Anderton Concrete maintained a presence this year, keen to discuss the latest advancements in lightweight and sustainable concrete technologies, its precast cable troughing and retaining wall systems. Concrete Canvas was also flying the flag for construction materials, displaying its Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mats (GCCMs), which offer a lower carbon, eco-sensitive solution for erosion control and weed suppression.

Camera solutions manufacturer Seyses was on hand, promoting its rapiddeployment cameras and thermal radar for facility security. It was also keen to discuss its Lineside Thermal Remote Conditioning equipment which Network Rail employs to identify potential issues with rolling stock.

In the networks, data, and software space, cyber security specialist Complete Cyber was on hand to promote its services evaluating and integrating systems to harden them against cyber-attack. Data solution firm Predge was keen to promote its support for industries in predicting failures and boosting decision-making with the aid of big data.

Track worker safety and level crossings specialist, Schweizer Electronics, was promoting its Flex MSL crossings and Lynx Automatic Track Warning Systems and discussed how these products can become the safety systems of the future. Training simulator manufacturer EDM Ltd showcased its NX Digital Signalling Simulator, and staff were on hand to answer any questions about the product, which they believe is the future of rail signalling training. Zonegreen was also there, exhibiting its Depot Personnel Protection System (DPPS), which is designed to provide the safest and most efficient method of controlling depot train movements, providing enhanced protection to depot workers.

In rolling stock, China’s CRRC was again present to promote extensive products, which include its ‘Fuxing’ High-Speed EMU, ‘Cetrovo’ Next Generation Metro, Intercity EMU, and Hydrogen powered trams. Stadler, which did not appear at last year's event, returned in 2023, keen to talk about its tri-mode Class 93, due to be delivered this year. The manufacturer was also promoting Citylink Tram-trains, expected to come into use on the South Wales Metro next year.

Final Thoughts

Once again, Railtex showcased countless inventive solutions and products, and RIA’s Future Focus forum did a superb job in covering the most pressing issues facing today’s rail industry. It is clear that Rail continues to embrace change in a landscape that is rapidly developing, but it must work hard and smart to counter the many challenges on the horizon. Railtex is great opportunity for industry players, offering the space for self-reflection, the exchange of ideas, and critical thinking. Here’s looking forward to the next event.