Government's transport competition winners include renewable energy plans to power UK railways
Top innovators and inventors have won prize money to bring their innovations to life, as part of the government's First of a Kind (FOAK) 2022 transport competition. This year’s competition, in partnership with Innovate UK, focused on new concepts that could transform rail travel for passengers and decarbonise the network.
FOAK 2022 saw 24 innovators receive a share of more than £5 million with grants of up to £400,000 each. From technology making our railways greener than ever before by removing harmful emissions from train exhausts to research into powering our railways with renewable energy, this year’s successful bidders will revolutionise the future of train travel for generations to come.
Transport SecretaryMark Harper (and MP for the Forest of Dean) said: "The UK has a long history of leading the way in railway innovation and the First of a Kind competition is getting the great brains of today to create the trains of tomorrow.
"Through millions of pounds worth of government funding, we are breathing life into ideas that will revolutionise our railways and make them greener than ever before.
"This is just the beginning and, as Transport Secretary, I am determined to support British innovation and create a cutting edge, green rail industry that delivers even more benefits for passengers and freight."
This year’s winners include:
G-Volution Ltd, based in Bristol which won a grant of £378,513.
Working with COLAS Rail, the team will demonstrate high energy-density fuel cells and a carbon neutral bio-liquid petroleum gas fuel system to power auxiliary electric power requirements which account for up to 10-15 per cent of the total power demand on freight trains, covering engine and traction motor cooling, safety and signalling systems and locomotive control systems. This will remove the need for diesel powertrains to remain powered up or idling during dwell times, which can cause up to 20 per cent of freight locomotive fuel consumption and emissions.
Devizes based Hack Partners Ltd secured a grant of £322,420. Supported by Great British Railways Transition Team and Network Rail, the project will focus on giving freight teams a new system that will automatically calculate conflicts in access rights against the timetable and real-world operational working and enable freight operators to spot bid for access to the rail system.
Stratford-upon-Avon-based TDI (Europe) Ltd won a £400,000 grant. Working with LB Foster, GB Freight and Eversholt Rail Group (ERG), the team will design and manufacture a self-powered semi-autonomous bogie which will improve operating flexibility as it can move one or 20 containers, operated by one person, who can then divide and track the containers to different locations, saving time, reducing noise pollution, and improve air quality both within the terminal and in the wider community.
Siemens Mobility Ltd of Chippenham has won a grant of £59,983. Working with British Solar Renewables, University of York, Network Rail, DB Schenker, and East Coast Mainline operators, the project will provide the research, development and pilot for installation and testing of a prototype converter on the East Coast Mainline, making renewable energy compatible with powering UK railways.
Siemens Mobility won a further grant of £59,910 to work with the University of York, Network Rail, West Coast Mainline operators and Angel Trains to install a novel charging solution enabling charging fed from existing standard local power supply cables. Compatible with all overhead line equipment (OLE)-powered trains, the small, low-cost design enables the removal of diesel passenger train operation on routes without continuous electrification.
Bristol-based One Big Circle Ltd secured a grant of £247,115. Supported by Angel Trains and Network Rail, this project will apply novel and innovative computer vision techniques to existing video footage to identify where extreme heat has affected the tension of overhead lines; and also install an ultraviolet camera to detect corona discharge as an early warning of potential electrical equipment failure caused by weather conditions. Both can then enable action to prevent assets failing and impacts on service, safety and customer experience.
