Institution news
The Railway Challenge brings together aspiring apprentices, students and graduates working in the railway industry to showcase their skills, expertise, and knowledge.
Why get involved?
Working together in team, participants gain real-life experience of the entire cycle of designing and manufacturing a locomotive prototype supported by academic and industry mentors. It is an opportunity for participants to develop their business knowledge, design ability and technical skills in a live test environment and is a great foundation for a future in an engineering career.
Where and when does it take place?
The Railway Challenge takes place at the Stapleford Miniature Railway in Leicestershire from 28 June to 1 July 2018.
What does the Challenge involve?
Teams are asked to assume that they work for a design consultancy which is briefed to produce a design proposal and a prototype for a small locomotive for a large corporation. .
Teams will need to design and manufacture the prototype of this locomotive and then test this against prototypes manufactured by other teams.
Scrutineering and judging standards will be higher than ever to ensure participants are developed and tested to their fullest potential. .
Malcolm Dobell, judge and member of the steering group for the Challenge told us,
“In 2017, 12 teams entered the competition. All the judges, officials, volunteers and Friends of the Stapleford Miniature Railway were impressed with the attitude, enthusiasm and professionalism of all the young people who participated. We were particularly impressed with the diverse solutions that were delivered. It was sometimes hard to remember that they were all working from the same requirements.”
David Westcough, SNC Lavalin, leader of the nine-person team who also won the competition in 2012 and 2016 told us,
“Taking part in the Railway Challenge has allowed us to put our imagination and resourcefulness to the test and given us the hands-on experience of what’s needed to make a locomotive from start to finish.”
Sandra Balthazaar, Education Projects Manager and the Institution's Challenge organiser said,
“This globally recognised competition showcases the knowledge and technical skills of young and aspiring railway engineers. The practical experience and skills which are gained from working in a matrix team and delivering multiple outputs in a high pressure environment, never ceases to inspire. Inspiring, training and educating the next generation of engineers and encouraging innovation is at the core of this Challenge led by the Institution.”
To find out more and register visit www.imeche.org/railwaychallenge.
Sponsorship and partnership opportunities are available.
Further reading: "Biggest challenge yet." Railway Engineer, August 2017, pp 84-85.