Description
NewRail aims to deliver university research, information and training to meet the complex technological and managerial challenges of the rail and transport industry, regulators, operators and customers. We are based in the School of Mechanical and Systems Engineering at Newcastle University in the UK.
The NewRail team works at both national and international levels, establishing strong research and consultancy links with railway operators and manufacturers in the UK, throughout Europe and internationally. The staff at NewRail have accumulated considerable experience in the coordination of European projects, particularly in DG Research.
Test Facilities
We are equiped for full-scale rail vehicle, track investigations and laboratory testing.
-Barrow Hill Full Scale Test Facilities
NewRail has a regional office at Barrow Hill near Chesterfield in the Midlands of the UK.
Our Barrow Hill test facility is on a 14 acre site just outside Chesterfield, UK.
It's connected to mainline railway network, with undercover vehicle accommodation - including maintenance pits and ancillary services.
There is over a mile of running track with:
●a wide range of vehicles and carriages
●engineering workshops
●high performance computer modelling facilities
●dedicated NewRail office including meeting facilities
NewRail's Wheel-Rail Interface Group is active in wheel-rail testing at Barrow Hill for projects and consultancy services, including:
●crack initiation and growth in rails
●wear in rails
●fatigue
●adhesion at the wheel-rail interface
For more information on NewRail's facilities at Barrow Hill, please contact Prof. Mark Robinson.
You can download BarrowHIllIntroductoryPresentation.pdf of projects carried out at Barrow Hill.
-Laboratory Testing Facilities
Our laboratories are based at Newcastle University allowing us to provide high quality testing and consultancy services.
Our laboratories are available for the following areas:
●full range of mechanical testing and materials characterisation equipment (including a falling weight impact rig)
●equipment for resin infusion, vacuum bag moulding, press moulding, putrusion (thermoset and thermoplastic), powder impregnation and filament winding
●welding and joining techniques
●failure analysis: metals and composites
●modelling: finite element software, plant design, fire modelling of composites
NewRail has particular expertise in the measuring the fire properties of materials. Our test equipment includes:
●a furnace
●jet heat flux up to 200 kW/sq.m.
●cone calorimeter
●fire testing under load
Research
The research profile of NewRail continues to grow. New projects are being started year on year and this continuing success reflects on the ability of NewRail staff to undertake internationally recognised research of the highest quality.
Our research activity is organised into four research areas:
Connect
Tweets by @NewRailResearch
