The new £4.5 million railway test rig
Tue, 18 Oct 2016 16:38:00 BST
The new test rig at the Institute of Railway Research
LEADING figures in the UK railway industry came to the University of Huddersfield to celebrate the completion of a multi-million pound test rig.
The 150-ton railway test rig is the only one of its type in Europe and was built after the University’s Institute of Railway Research secured £4.5 million from the Regional Growth Fund.
The Institute of Railway Research conducts research into rolling stock, track materials, railway infrastructure and braking systems and the new rig now means a wide range of these experiments can be carried out on a full-size railway bogie.
Mr Richard East, Chair of the Railway Division of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, officially opened the rig accompanied by the University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Bob Cryan.
Mr East stressed the need to attract young talent into the railway sector and said he was encouraged that new facilities like the test rig would entice future engineers.
A sequence of presentations were also delivered by a number of special guests from official rail bodies.
After the opening ceremony the Director of the University’s Institute of Railway Research Professor Simon Iwnicki gave Mr East and guests a guided tour of the rig and the equipment.
