Leeds University is investing £10m in a new Institute for High Speed Rail that will focus on the design, manufacture and integration of high speed rail infrastructure.
Featuring a vehicle system test facility, the institute will be located close to the HS2 rolling stock depot to the east of Leeds, and will provide both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Areas of research will include foundations and track, traction systems, braking and energy harvesting, sensor technology and digital systems.
Working alongside the National College for High Speed Rail in Doncaster, the Institute for High Speed Rail will aim to address the skills gap and provide the human resources that the sector is expected to demand.
‘’HS2 is delighted that the University of Leeds is launching the UK’s first Institute dedicated to high speed rail and system Integration,” said lain Roche, head of Innovation for HS2. The creation of world-leading facilities so close to the HS2 depot to the east of Leeds will accelerate the vehicle and systems integration testing process, and advance the UK’s vision of creating a high speed railway that will support regional growth, create jobs and rebalance the economy.”