Institution news
Now in its fifth successive year, the Railway Challenge provides an unequalled platform for aspiring teams of university students, apprentices and graduates to showcase their business knowledge, design ability and technical skills in a live test environment.
Participants are required to design and manufacture a miniature (10¼” gauge) railway locomotive in accordance with a set of strict rules and a detailed technical specification. The finished locomotives will be tested live at the competition weekend, which will take place from 29 June to 2 July 2017 at Stapleford Miniature Railway in Leicestershire. Several categories of winners will be crowned, as well as an overall Railway Challenge champion.
The competition challenges participating teams on several different technical and business aspects. Technically energy storage, traction, ride comfort, noise, maintainability and reliability will be tested, while business aspects include reports on project planning, design and innovation, followed by a dragon’s-den styled business case presentation.
Professor Simon Iwnicki, Director of the Institute of Railway Research at the University of Huddersfield and Chairman of the Railway Challenge, said: “On behalf of the Organising Committee I am delighted that the Railway Challenge competition is entering its 6th year and I am looking forward to welcoming the teams to the final at Stapleford.
The Challenge is not simply a locomotive building contest, but a competition that centres on emerging technology and is specifically focused on the application of innovation to key issues such as efficiency and energy recovery.
“The railway industry is entering a period of rapid changes due to the global demand for producing efficient high speed transport systems, taking freight on to rail and off road, and driving down carbon emissions from transport. These challenges must be met by the next generation of railway engineers and the Railway Challenge is providing teams of young engineers with experience of designing and manufacturing a prototype vehicle to meet these demands.”
In 2016, A group of 12 budding engineers from SNC-Lavalin’s Rail & Transit team in Derby won the competition after impressive performances in the different challenges.
The weekend of the event is set to bustle with train enthusiasts, families and friends in addition to participants, officials and industry experts. This makes a great focused audience in terms of key messages and themes of activity.
Chief Judge Bill Reeve, Director of Rail at Transport Scotland, said: “The Railway Challenge is a fantastic opportunity for young engineers to experience the breadth of issues found in real railway projects: innovative design and manufacture to budget and programme; resource planning; project management; the importance of team cohesion and the real value of product testing.
“As Chief Judge, I am privileged to meet the team members, and from their enthusiasm and commitment it is clear the Railway Challenge inspires an interest in railway engineering as a rewarding career. And I have no doubt that the lessons learnt by team members will enhance their effectiveness and prospects in our industry.”
The Railway Challenge competition was launched by the Institution in response to the challenge the railway industry faces in terms of getting an active pipeline of potential candidates into the recruitment and talent pool.
This competition is organised by our Railway Division.