- Global Centre of Rail Excellence showcases ground-breaking new technologies developed through the Innovation in Railway Construction programme
Last week the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) welcomed over 200 guests from across the rail industry to experience the latest in innovative rail technologies.
On Thursday 20th March GCRE hosted a showcase event highlighting projects that have been supported through the Innovation in Railway Construction programme.
The competition, started in 2022, has been funded by the Department for Business and Trade in the UK Government and delivered by Innovate UK, with teams installing their projects at the GCRE site in South Wales.
GCRE is being developed to become a facility for world class rail research, testing and innovation and has been supported by the U.K. and Welsh Governments.
At the event, twelve projects took the opportunity to showcase kit and technology, ranging from self-healing concrete to new drone technology to more cost-effective forms of electrification and signalling.
GCRE Chief Executive Simon Jones said the competition highlighted what the fully developed Global Centre of Rail Excellence facility could do to support faster and more cost-effective net zero innovation and make the U.K. the global leader in rail testing.
GCRE Ltd Chief Executive Simon Jones said: “It has been genuinely fantastic for the Global Centre of Rail Excellence to play host to the Innovation in Railway Construction programme over the last two years and to see the twelve teams at the demonstration day that have been funded to bring their ideas to life.
“We’ve seen creativity and ingenuity from teams as they have tackled some of the biggest challenges in rail, giving us a glimpse of what a more sustainable and more affordable rail network looks like.
“What has been unique about this programme has been the ability of the teams to take their technology and demonstrate it to a live industry audience, in real time. That has had an impact already as we know there are teams involved in the programme that have already seen new overseas interest and leads, new contracts and in some cases new investment in their companies.
“That’s exactly what we hoped for and it shows the power of what GCRE can do, as a purpose-built site to support technologically advanced rail innovation and, particularly, the commercialisation of new ideas into new business and export opportunities.
“Through this programme we have shown what GCRE can do on a much bigger scale once the wider infrastructure at GCRE is fully developed.”
Head of Innovation at GCRE Ltd Kelvin Davies said: “It’s been a pleasure to work with teams over the last two years and to help them bring their ideas to life at GCRE. The programme shows the catalytic power of a strong and positive relationship between government, industry and facilities like the Global Centre of Rail Excellence.
“Though this Innovation in Railway Construction programme is coming to an end, we have every expectation that the ideas it has spawned will live on and have a bright commercial future on the mainline railway. But what is equally significant is that it’s given us a great platform to look at other, similar opportunities to host more and bigger initiatives like this at GCRE.”
Head of Rail Supply Chains at the Department for Business and Trade, James Brewer said: “It was incredibly gratifying to see the Innovation in Railway Construction competition bear fruit at the demonstration day and to see such boldness and dynamism in the teams and their projects. In particular it was great to hear the response from the teams themselves and the news that they were already seeing tangible commercial benefits from their involvement.
“That’s exactly the reason why the competition was funded, not only to support the stronger, greener and more affordable rail network we need for tomorrow, but also to help rail and its supply chain maximise its economic potential both domestically and in growing new export markets.
“The Global Centre of Rail Excellence, supported by the Department for Business and Trade, is a great place to do that and a strong platform from which we can work together collaboratively in the future to support further success.”