Institute of Railway Research-University of Huddersfield, has celebratef the completion of a test rig – the only one of its type in Europe – and the inauguration of a new group that will help to fast track innovations in railway technology.
After securing £4.5 million (€ 5 million) from the Regional Growth Fund, its facilities now include a 150-ton test rig that enables a wide range of experiments to be conducted on a full-size railway bogie.
Installing the rig was a demanding project, requiring 95 piles to be sunk five metres in depth and a system of air springs to prevent excessive vibration. Now, it is ready for use and the rig was officially opened by Richard East, who chairs the Railway Division of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). “Railways have not only retained their importance as part of our transport infrastructure, but it can also be argued that for a variety of environmental and economic reasons, they are destined to be more important than ever. This is why the work of the Institute of Railway Research is so vital, and why I am deeply proud that it is located here at the University of Huddersfield,” East said.
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