Institution news
We are delighted to announce that the University of Huddersfield’s HudRail team are overall winners of the 2021 Railway Challenge, with the Railway Challenge at Sheffield (RCAS) team from the University of Sheffield taking the runners-up spot and the Alstom & University of Derby team in third place.
The live finals of the competition took place on 25-27 June at the Stapleford Miniature Railway following a virtual non-track event which took place on 4 June 2021. This hybrid element enabled teams who were not able to participate in the live track-based challenges, to take part in the Business Case challenge and the other paper-based challenges (Design, Technical Poster and Innovation).
IMechE Education Programme Operations Manager Jelena Gacesa notes that "The 2021 Railway Challenge honoured the work of students, apprentices and young professionals in the most challenging of circumstances. Together we celebrated their resilience, problem solving acumen and innovative solutions; reinforcing the importance of practical engineering skills in an increasingly virtual world."
"We are increasingly seeing past participants in quite senior roles within the railway industry. Time and time again, past competitors tell us that they look back on their Railway Challenge experience as the highlight of their training. For many, it allows them to gain competence towards their CEng that would otherwise be hard to get so early in their careers. For me, as a member of the Challenge’s Organising Committee and now a judge, as well as a past team sponsor, this is one of the most rewarding things I've done in my 50+ year career", added Railway Challenge Deputy Head Judge Malcolm Dobell.
Well done to all of the teams who took part in the 2021 Railway Challenge and thank you to our sponsors SNC-Lavalin Atkins, Angel Trains, Beacon Rail Leasing, Network Rail and RSSB.
The full list of 2021 Railway Challenge competition category winners are as follows:
Overall result including track and non-track challenges
- Grand Champion: University of Huddersfield
- Runner-up: University of Sheffield
- Third place: Alstom & University of Derby
Track-based challenge results
- Auto-Stop: FH Aachen & Reuschling
- Ride Comfort: University of Huddersfield
- Traction: University of Sheffield
- Noise: Alstom & University of Derby
- Maintainability: Alstom & University of Derby
Non-track challenge results
- Business Case: Newcastle University
- Technical Poster: University of Birmingham
- Innovation: FH Aachen & Reuschling
- Design: Alstom & University of Derby