All RSSB articles

  • The Rail Safety & Standards Board and University of Sheffield are collaborating to investigate how more detailed information on temperature, humidity and the presence of leaf layers or other contaminants can be used to predict low-adhesion track condition
    Rail Business UK

    Research to improve prediction of low-adhesion rail conditions

    2023-02-07T04:54:00Z

    UK: The Rail Safety & Standards Board and University of Sheffield are collaborating to investigate how more detailed information on temperature, humidity and the presence of leaf layers or other contaminants can be used to predict low-adhesion track conditions caused by leaves on the line. The ...

  • Electrification renewals (Photo: Network Rail)
    Rail Business UK

    Standards revised to lower electrification costs

    2022-12-14T10:00:00Z

    UK: The Rail Safety & Standards Board has introduced new and revised standards for AC electrification systems and rolling stock which Director of Standards Tom Lee anticipates ‘will help the rail industry save millions of pounds when rolling out new electrification schemes’. The introduction of Standard ...

  • DB Cargo UK and Maritime Class 66 locos
    Rail Business UK

    Coupler research paves way for longer freight trains

    2022-11-22T04:00:00Z

    UK: The length and capacity of freight trains is to be increased as a result of research which has found that existing wagon couplers can safely accommodate higher trailing loads without upgrading or a detailed engineering assessment. The research by the Rail Safety & Standards Board ...

  • RSSB_KRRI
    News

    South Korean and UK bodies sign rail research MoU

    2022-09-29T11:07:00Z

    INTERNATIONAL: The Korea Railroad Research Institute and the UK’s Rail Safety & Standards Board signed a memorandum of understanding covering collaboration in railway safety research and development during InnoTrans. KRRI and RSSB intend to co-operate on: research and development of technology such as data-based safety ...

  • Channel Tunnel
    Rail Business UK

    Consultation on incorporating TSI changes into post-Brexit standards

    2022-09-02T05:00:00Z

    UK: The Rail Safety & Standards Board is seeking industry views on the extent to which revisions to EU Technical Specifications for Interoperability should be reflected in National Technical Specification Notices for Great Britain. NTSNs define the technical and operational criteria that rolling stock, infrastructure and ...

  • gb-RC22-aachen-trophies
    Rail Business UK

    FH Aachen and Reuschling celebrate second Railway Challenge win

    2022-07-25T05:00:00Z

    UK: A German grouping of FH Aachen and Reuschling has recorded a second win in the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ 11th Railway Challenge, having first won the competition in 2019. Intended to reinforce practical skills and the ability to follow a system engineering process, the Railway ...

  • Railway workers
    News

    RSSB launches health and wellbeing data reports

    2022-05-27T13:10:00Z

    UK: The Rail Safety & Standards Board has launched a quarterly report to help railway organisations gain a better understanding of their health and wellbeing performance. The reports will provide health, HR and operational decision-makers with access to shared, aggregated data to assess and monitor health ...

  • GTR TSGN Thameslink Class 800 EMU
    Rail Business UK

    Sustainable Rail Strategy Prototype consultation opens

    2022-04-22T13:29:00Z

    UK: RSSB has opened a consultation on the Sustainable Rail Strategy Prototype, an initial version of the ‘comprehensive environment plan that will establish rail as the backbone of a cleaner future transport system’, which the government announced in the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail. SRS aims to ...

  • Electrification
    Rail Business UK

    RSSB commissions rail industry decarbonisation plan

    2022-02-22T08:00:00Z

    UK: The Rail Safety and Standards Board has commissioned Ricardo and Mott MacDonald to develop a decarbonisation action plan for the UK rail industry. This will clarify responsibilities, determine achievable timescales and provide a framework for measuring, monitoring and reporting on decarbonisation efforts. It will include: ...

  • Train cleaning robot design
    Rail Business UK

    Robot train cleaner to be tested

    2021-12-13T06:00:00Z

    UK: A robot designed to clean hard-to-reach areas between and underneath train seats is being developed by the National Robotarium research centre, which has unveiled the design ahead of laboratory and real-world trials with a prototype in 2022. The National Robotarium is supported by Heriot-Watt University ...

  • Birmingham New Street signal and platform (Network Rail)
    Rail Business UK

    Station air quality monitoring programme begins

    2021-12-01T11:26:00Z

    UK: RSSB has launched the Stations Air Quality Monitoring Network to help the rail industry take effective decisions on where air quality improvement plans are required. The £4·5m programme is being funded by the Department for Transport. Diffusion tubes are being deployed at more than 100 ...

  • Northern Class 158 crosses Dent Head Viaduct on the Settle & Carlise line (Photo: Tony Miles)
    Rail Business UK

    Rail Social Value Tool goes live for early adopters

    2021-11-29T05:00:00Z

    UK: An online Rail Social Value Tool has been launched to help forecast the net social, economic and environmental value that a rail project, organisation or specific initiative might generate. The tool has been developed by the Rail Safety & Standards Board and Loop (formerly Social ...

  • RVLR Demonstrator Ironbridge 071021 TM1
    Rail Business UK

    Revolution Very Light Rail demonstrator offers options for branch line revival

    2021-10-11T10:40:00Z

    Rail Business UK takes a ride on the Revolution Very Light Rail vehicle, which is designed to provide an attractive, low-cost option to facilitate the reopening of disused branch lines and extending existing lines.

  • tn_gb-networkrail-people-hivi_03.jpg
    Rail Business UK

    Rail Health & Wellbeing Index launched

    2021-09-22T05:00:00Z

    tn_gb-networkrail-people-hivi_03.jpg UK: The Rail Safety & Standards Board has developed a rail-specific Health & Wellbeing Index which is designed to enable organisations to assess health-based investment decisions by calculating the impact of risks such as fatigue, stress, mental health, musculoskeletal disorders, hand arm vibration syndrome, respiratory ...

  • Avanti West Coast SuperVoyagers at Winwick (Photo Tony Miles)
    Rail Business UK

    On-train air quality standards to be reviewed following RSSB research

    2021-09-16T15:36:00Z

    UK: The Department for Transport has ordered a review of regulations governing exposure to air pollution on trains and at stations, after research commissioned from the Rail Safety & Standards Board found that air quality was ‘poorer than desired’ on some trains using diesel power. RSSB’s ...

  • Revolution VLR (Photo: Transport Design International)
    Rail Business UK

    Prototype Revolution Very Light Rail vehicle ready for testing

    2021-08-12T15:40:00Z

    UK: Assembly of the prototype Revolution Very Light Rail vehicle has been completed, and is it now ready for testing to assess the feasibility of providing passenger services on low-traffic and feeder routes where the high cost of conventional rolling stock is currently a barrier to operations.

  • RBA_2022_header-banner
    Rail Business UK

    Wellbeing in Rail Award launched at the 24th RBAs

    2021-05-19T14:08:00Z

    UK: Reflecting many of the challenges facing the rail sector over the past months, the 24th Rail Business Awards will include a new Wellbeing in Rail award, which is being introduced with the support of RSSB and the cross-industry Rail Wellbeing Alliance. The award is intended to ...

  • gb Network Rail Bexleyheath works
    Rail Business UK

    RSSB business plan aims at a ‘better, safer’ post-pandemic railway

    2021-03-31T09:00:00Z

    UK: Innovation, efficiency, sustainability, safety, health and wellbeing are amongst the objectives of safety and standards body RSSB’s 2021-22 business plan Plans for the coming year include: continuing to develop the Covid-19 transmission model and risk support to reflect the vaccination roll-out; driving forward the ...

  • Brake van on a freight train at Leicester on July 3 1974
    Rail Business UK

    Brake van requirements removed from railway operating rules

    2021-03-09T11:30:00Z

    UK: Updates to rail freight operating instructions have seen the final removal of the requirement to provide brake vans in some circumstances.

  • george-davies-photo
    Rail Business UK

    RSSB appoints Sustainability Director to ‘reinvigorate’ rail sector’s approach

    2021-01-29T05:00:00Z

    UK: Rail safety and standards body RSSB has appointed George Davies as Director of Sustainable Development, leading a new programme designed to ‘reinvigorate’ the rail sector’s efforts to tackle challenges including decarbonisation, air quality and social sustainability. Davies was previously Head of Sustainability at Heathrow Airport. ...