Teams of students, industry apprentices and young professionals from the UK and abroad have been invited to take part in the IMechE’s Railway Challenge for 2019.
Every year the competition, which was launched in 2012, requires participants to design and manufacture a miniature 10 1/4” gauge locomotive in accordance with a number of precise rules.
During the competition weekend in the summer of 2019, locomotives will be tested at the Stapleford Miniature Railway, Leicestershire, in a series of track-based and presentation challenges.
This includes a design report and business presentation, as well as track-based challenges on the locomotive’s traction, ride comfort, noise, maintainability and ability to store energy.
For 2019, a new track-based challenge will be introduced: the auto–stop function, where participating teams will have to design their train to stop as close as possible to a marked point on the track. Teams will also be required to design a technical poster to encourage participants to communicate effectively how the principal systems of their locomotive work.
Last year saw 10 teams from the likes of Aachen University, Germany, Birmingham University and Transport for London enter. First time entrant Ricardo was crowned the overall winner.
As part of the IMechE’s commitment to inspire the next generation of engineers, the Railway Challenge will host a STEM Day at the competition. Local schools will be invited to take part in STEM activities run by a dedicated group of ambassadors.
For more information, please visit: www.imeche.org/events/challenges/railway-challenge
Read more: Ricardo wins 2018 Railway Challenge
