When considering vehicle aerodynamics, the mind immediately jumps to high-performance road cars or aerospace applications. In the majority of these applications the vehicle itself is the main focus of research, with aerodynamic considerations aimed at performance improvements and energy consumption.

For many, the notion of railway aerodynamics is initially quite confusing, primarily given the generally bluff nature of train designs and lack of any obvious aerodynamic features. Indeed, railway aerodynamics is slightly different to other fields of ground vehicle aerodynamics in that, whilst the aerodynamics of a particular train are important, especially in relation to the need for decarbonisation, much of the focus actually considers the interaction of the moving train with the environment and infrastructure through which it is passing. The aerodynamic interaction with objects at the trackside raises fundamental safety concerns in terms of loading on structures and the stability of persons in the vicinity of a passing train. We have seen these issues result in a number of incidents over the past 20 years, as the need for increased train speeds becomes more pressing.

This seminar will give an introductory overview of the key areas of consideration for railway aerodynamics, presented through a snapshot of a range of projects conducted in conjunction with industry. In particular, the work conducted as part of the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) Freight Research programme on project “T1303 ‘Superfast Freight’ – aerodynamic considerations and mitigations”, will be presented to illustrate some of the key challenges to ensuring engineering innovation for high-speed rail freight is successfully achieved within the GB railway network.