University of Huddersfield

The University’s Institute of Railway Research (IRR) was launched in 2013, with a vision to future-proof the rail network in the UK by making innovations in track, rolling stock and safety. The IRR offers world-class test facilities, staffed by one of the largest specialised teams in the UK, with the core of its research being the interface between rail vehicles and track.

The IRR is a Centre of Excellence for rolling stock in the government’s £90m UK Rail Research and Innovation Network, collaborating with academic partners and industry stakeholders including Network rail, TfL, the Rail Safety and Standards Board, Siemens, Transport for Greater Manchester, the South Yorks Passenger Transport Executive and Crossrail. The IRR acts as a National Skills Academy for Rail Engineering, formerly the Rail Technology Unit, partnering with Unipart and Omnicom Engineering.

The work of the Institute has produced engineering solutions to a range of rail challenges, including capacity, reliability, cost-effectiveness and safety, and is using advanced computer simulations to improve safety and engineering standards.