In a significant leap forward for railway innovation, South Wales is set to become a global hub for railway research and development.
A consortium of esteemed universities, including Cardiff, Swansea, and Birmingham, has secured a £15 million grant from the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund (UKRPIF) to establish a world-leading Centre of Excellence for Railway Testing, Validation, and Customer Experience.
The Centre of Excellence will be located at the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) site, currently under construction near Onllwyn in the scenic Neath Valley. This initiative is a collaborative effort involving industry giants such as Siemens, Atkins, Unipart, RSSB, GCRE, Knorr Bremse, Aegis, Angel Trains, Eversholt Rail, Furrer+Frey, Razor Secure, SLC Rail, EnServe, TRL, BBA, Vanguard, MoniRail, and EneRail.
This transformative initiative promises to position South Wales at the forefront of global railway innovation. The Centre of Excellence will facilitate crucial research, testing, and validation activities related to the railway industry. It will also enhance the overall customer experience, revolutionising how we perceive and interact with rail transportation.
The funding is part of a more considerable £30 million investment through UKRPIF to establish two new world-leading railway research and innovation facilities. The other facility will be a new Centre of Excellence for Railway Through-Life Engineering in Goole. The successful funding bids include a more comprehensive commitment from the rail industry to co-invest £60 million, with a further £16 million invested by the University of Birmingham. The package represents a £106 million boost for UK research and development.
The Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE) at the University of Birmingham, Europe’s most extensive specialist railway research, education, and innovation centre, will lead the Centre of Excellence in Railway Testing, Validation, and Customer Experience, working with Cardiff and Swansea Universities.
This investment is a vote of confidence in research and innovation in South Wales and will help secure the future development of the rail industry right across the UK. The funding and the partnership between these three universities are good news for RIA members and the supply sector and will help the governments in Cardiff and Westminster to build a more effective integrated public transport network.
The new Centre of Excellence for Railway Testing, Validation, and Customer Experience at GCRE will provide purpose-built facilities alongside primary UK railway industrial expertise to support railway innovation, research, and development. The Centre of Excellence will facilitate crucial research, testing, and validation activities related to the railway industry. It will also enhance the overall customer experience, revolutionising how we perceive and interact with rail transportation.
The Global Centre of Rail Excellence, where the new centre will be housed, will be a facility for world-class research, testing, and certification of rolling stock, infrastructure, and innovative new rail technologies. It will support the UK and European rail industry in speeding up innovation, supporting decarbonisation and the development of more cost-effective rail infrastructure.
This transformative initiative promises to position South Wales at the forefront of global railway innovation. With its collaborative approach and cutting-edge infrastructure, the Centre of Excellence for Railway Testing, Validation, and Customer Experience is set to propel the region’s railway industry into a new era of growth and progress.
Establishing the Centre of Excellence for Railway Testing, Validation, and Customer Experience is a significant milestone for the railway industry. It marks a new era of innovation and research and signifies the potential for South Wales to become a global hub for railway excellence. With the support of leading universities and industry partners, the future of railway innovation looks brighter than ever.
TL;DR:
- A consortium of universities, including Cardiff, Swansea, and Birmingham, has secured a £15 million grant from the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund (UKRPIF) to establish a Centre of Excellence for Railway Testing, Validation, and Customer Experience in South Wales.
- The Centre of Excellence will be located at the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) site, currently under construction near Onllwyn in the scenic Neath Valley.
- The initiative involves collaboration with industry giants such as Siemens, Atkins, Unipart, RSSB, GCRE, Knorr Bremse, Aegis, Angel Trains, Eversholt Rail, Furrer+Frey, Razor Secure, SLC Rail, EnServe, TRL, BBA, Vanguard, MoniRail, and EneRail.
- The Centre of Excellence will facilitate crucial research, testing, and validation activities related to the railway industry and aim to enhance the overall customer experience.
- The funding is part of a larger £30 million investment through UKRPIF to establish two new world-leading railway research and innovation facilities, with the other being a new Centre of Excellence for Railway Through-Life Engineering in Goole.
