Unlocking Innovation - Track and Train
08 June 2023 | 10:00-16:00 | Edinburgh | Heriot Watt University
The Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail promises that track and train will come together in a 'guiding mind' for the system. Great British Railways will bring together
infrastructure, customer service, station management and train operations into one team, in partnership with operators. Research, development and innovation funding will be simplified to make it more outcome focused and to improve collaboration. Scotland's Railway arguably already brings together Track and Train so what can we learn from this experience and how is innovation being fostered in Scotland?
The Unlocking Innovation: Track & Train event hosted by Heriot Watt University, part of the UK Rail Research and Innovation Network, will look at how bringing infrastructure and train operations under one roof can enable better adoption of innovation.
The event will be structure around three blocks: keynotes from client organisations, supplier innovation showcases, and a tour of the National Robotarium and Heriot Watt University labs.
The event is supported by Network Rail R&D Portfolio and UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN) and is part of the RIA Scotland programme.
Agenda
- 09:30 - Doors Open
- 10:00 - Welcome and introductions
Milda Manomaityte, Innovation Director, Railway Industry Association
Prof Marc Desmulliez, Associate Principal for Impact, Heriot Watt University
Stewart Miller, CEO, The National Robotarium
Michael Davies, Innovation Manager, Transport for Wales
Lab by TfW Cohort 5 Opportunities
Angus Brummitt-Brown, Senior Project Manager (Very Light Rail) Coventry City Council
Coventry Very Light Rail Research and Development Project
Martin Bignell, Scottish and Northern Representative, Rail Freight Group
Track and train, how it has worked for rail freight in Scotland
Miftahur Rahman, Research Fellow at Queen's University Belfast and PhD Student at Cranfield University
Automated Railway Inspection and Repair System
David Clarke, Technical Director, Railway Industry Association
RIA Scotland Update
- 13:00 - Innovation Showcases
GoMedia
Konux
SafeCap
Jnction
Jackweld
CrossTech
Workfromhub
Digital Transit
Createc
The National Robotarium
Heavy Structures Lab, Heriot Watt University
More details about speakers will be announced shortly. If you are interested in showcasing your innovation, please get in touch with Phoebe Birch.
ABOUT THE PARTNERS
National Robotarium
The National Robotarium, the UK's newest centre for robotics and artificial intelligence officially opened its doors on 28 September 2022. Located on Heriot-Watt University’s Edinburgh campus, in partnership with the University of Edinburgh, it is the largest and most advanced applied research facility for robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) in the UK, creating an innovation hub for the practical application of robotics and autonomous systems.
The tour will include a visit to Human Robotics Interaction labs, Robotics and Autonomous Systems lab, outdoor proving area (weather permitting) and demonstrations on specific robotic solutions.
Heriot Watt University - Railway research & facilities
Heriot Watt University laboratories offer a suite of unique state-of-the-art built environment research facilities, including a full-scale railways fatigue testing facility, one of the largest in the UK, a true triaxial test facility that can be used for the development of foundation structures, a hydraulics lab equipped with a wave basin which can simulate bodies of water in any condition, and various other heavy structures facilities delivering tonnes for static and cyclic loading.
For example, the (GRAFT II) is one of the UK’s largest track testing facilities capable of loading full scale sections of railway tracks to the equivalent of many years of track use. It is of a modular steel construction and so its dimensions can be modified to suit the test. It is capable of loading multiple 200kN jacks at loading frequencies up to 10 Hz. It has been used to test full-scale railway tracks for UKRI and industry projects. Typically, the facility would simulate about 30 years of train loading in about 5 weeks.
Network Rail's R&D Portfolio
Network Rail’s Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I) Portfolio is working across the railway infrastructure to improve quality and value for passengers and freight customers. Click here to find out more.
UKRRIN
The UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN) is designed to create powerful collaboration between academia and industry, aiming to provide a step-change in innovation in the sector and accelerate new technologies and products from research into market applications globally. Click here to find out more.
EVENT PARTNERS
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IMPORTANT
If you have not received your confirmation email within 10 minutes, please call 020 7201 0777 or contact our events team via email.
The joining link for the online event will be sent the day before and on the day of the event.