The West Coast Partnership has announced that it has collaborated with the University of Leeds in a £1 million investment to deliver advancements in High Speed Rail.
The partnership will also see the launch of The Institute for High Speed Rail and System Integration.
When operational, the Institute will be able to simulate the conditions found on the rail networks to play a key part in the shaping of HS2 services. Building work has already started on the south eastern edge of the city.
The research will look at:
- Automatic Train Operation and European Train Control System
- Passenger movement
- Full scale testing of rolling stock
- Driver training
- Passenger experience
Caroline Donaldson, Managing Director at West Coast Partnership Development, said: “We are at the start of a huge technological revolution on the West Coast Main Line, in addition to HS2 which will transform services between the nation's biggest cities.”
“We couldn't be more excited to be partnering with the Institute for High-Speed Rail and System Integration. Their highly-skilled research engineers and scientists will be key to ensuring we make the very most of the very latest leading edge technology to drive a real step change in high speed rail operations.”
The facilities at the Institute for High-Speed Rail and System Integration include:
- A vehicle testing rig so that in effect, rolling stock can be tested up to 250mph
- An infrastructure testing facility.
- A lab to measure how different railway technologies operate to reduce delays.
The Institute's director, Professor Peter Woodward, said: “The Institute was designed to speed up the time it takes to get new innovative ideas introduced to the railway – and to ensure that when they are brought into service, they work as intended.”
“Our founding philosophy is to work closely with the rail industry, and I am excited that we are forming a research partnership with a partnership that will be shaping the UK rail industry for decades to come.”
The West Coast Partnership is a joint venture between FirstGroup and Trenitalia. The franchise comprises two distinct parts – Avanti West Coast that runs the current services on the West Coast Main Line, and West Coast Partnership Development that works with HS2 Ltd and the DfT to develop and operate high speed rail services.
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